[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 265.21 # Storia do Mogor 265.21 Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 265.21 - **Language:** English ### [265.21.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.21.1) After this was over he was taken to a room decorated with rich stuffs. Seated on the bed was the bride, and, seeing her, he flung himself on his knees in the middle of the room, beating his breast and saying : 'I am your most devoted, O Santa Catherina mine !' The wife, seeing at once what a savage he was, rose to her feet and said : 'I am your wife ; I am no Santa Catherina. This room is made ready for your honour to go to bed in.' By this time he understood that there was no turning back. Making a compliment to his wife, he begged her to occupy the bed, and he would sleep on the floor, not being worthy of any other place. The bride, finding herself thus embarrassed, after immense trouble got him to understand. ### [265.21.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.21.2) When the Portuguese were masters of India they were rich and powerful, living in pomp and magnificence. Owing to this fact the natives of Portugal who came thence to India, never having seen or been accustomed to such grandeur, looked with awe on their Indian fellow-subjects. But this is no longer the case nowadays, for in India they have barely enough for food, and when they marry any girl they obtain on loan almost everything that is wanted for the wedding. The day after the wedding feast everybody comes and carries off whatever has been lent. The greater part of the house stands empty, the bride without jewels, the negro servants without ornaments, or other small things which I do not specify. As for the dower which the bridegroom received at a high valuation, there is not really the half of what was promised him. It happened that a native of Portugal came to India with recommendatory letters to a citizen of Negapatao (Negapatam), who had a daughter he wanted to get married. He stated to this man the dowry he intended to give, and the young man agreed to it. When a few days had elapsed, a married man told him he should not marry anyone from that house. He offered his own daughter instead with a larger dowry. The ungrateful man from Portugal accepted the proposal, and spoke no more to his first friend. The latter on learning the facts was much annoyed. ### [265.21.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.21.3) The girl, seeing that the new arrival was governed by his interests, fond of her money and not of her, advised her father to promise him the double of what the other had offered. The self-seeker, being an ambitious fellow, came to the old man's house, and in a few days they went to church for the wedding ceremony. The priest asked the groom if he was willing to marry this lady. He replied most confidently in the affirmative. The same question was put to the bride, and she, in place of saying 'Yes,' lifted her hand and gave him a smart smack on the face, and said: 'With this big rogue I have no intention of marrying; he wants the money, and is not worthy of being my husband.' The man, put to shame, hurried out of the church, and was obliged to leave the district, for everyone in the city cracked jokes about him. At the time this affair happened there was present at the same wedding a rich youth. Seeing this noble action of the damsel, he took a fancy to her, and asked if she would marry him. He would accept her without any money benefit. The bride lifted her eyes and had a look at him, then accepted him as husband, and the feast was held for him. This was conduct that had entered into no one's imagination. They lived pleasantly and honourably, for in this nation on the least jealousy or suspicion they kill a wife without hesitation, and I have seen many die thus \[228\]. ### [265.21.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.21.4) Since I have promised to say something about the province of Kashmir, I will insert here some notices of it according to what I have read. For further information you may refer to the book of Monsieur Bernier, who has written at length on this province. It is fertile, and abounds in fruit which is all very cheap, so that ten persons can regale themselves in eating it daily for one pataca, while moving about in a handsome boat through a great lake listening to music and other amusements, and also shooting different kinds of birds which are found with great ease. ### [265.21.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.21.5) My informant was Maria de Taides, one of the sisters living in the palace of King Shahjahan, who had been brought prisoners from Bengal, as spoken of under the reign of Shahjahan (I. 121). She told me that when Shahjahan went to that province for recreation, he desired to plant a garden by way of memorial, as is done by all kings and governors who proceed there. On digging the ground they unearthed an ancient dome, in which a light was beheld. Suspending work, they reported to the king. He ordered them to cover the place up. The physician, Muqarrab Khan, asked the king's permission, as he wished to remove and inspect the lamp, and if it got broken he undertook, by his own ingenuity, to make another. Much against the king's will, he gave his consent, and Muqarrab Khan entered the dome and tried to remove the light, but when he touched it, it fell and disappeared. The dome was covered in again, and the new buildings were erected elsewhere. Muqarrab Khan was unable to replace the lamp by another. ### [265.21.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.21.6) After the lapse of some years 'Ali Mardan Khan came from Persia, the man who surrendered Qandahar to Shahjahan. The above-mentioned Maria de Taides was given to him in marriage, and he was made viceroy of Kashmir. He started the building of a palace, and in digging the ground to put in the foundations they came across an ancient building, and in it found a large hall. In the midst was a skeleton lying at full length. The diggers, on seeing this object, were afraid and began to run. The foreman wanted to force them to enter and break it up. They refused, for they would not venture inside. To give them courage the foreman entered first. On his coming to the extended figure it rose up with effort and gave him a heavy blow, so that he fell on the ground as if dead, and the workmen fled. On hearing of this matter, 'Ali Mardan Khan ordered them to remove the foreman, to leave the dead man untouched, and build up the place as it had been before. They administered remedies to the man who had been struck and he recovered, but had his mouth awry for the rest of his life. What I have said was recounted to me by Maria de Taides when she had become a widow and lived in Lahor, during the years I dwelt there, and by her I was treated with much urbanity and confidence. ### [265.21.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.21.7) As I have promised to speak of the fruits of India, chiefly of the mango and jack-fruit, I may mention that the best mangoes grow in the island of Goa. They have special names, which are as follows: mangoes of Niculao Affonso, Malaiasses (? of Malacca), Carreira branca (white Carreira), Carreira vermehla (red Carreira) of Conde, of Joani Parreira, Babia \[229\] (large and round), of Araup, of Porta, of Secreta, of Mainato, of Our Lady, of Agua de Lupe. These are again divided into varieties, with special colour, scent, and flavour. I have eaten many that had the taste of the peaches, plums, pears, and apples of Europe. The mango is a little bit heating and laxative, and however many you eat of them, with or without bread, you still desire to eat more, and they do you no harm. While still unripe they are added to dishes, to pasties, et cetera. The juice of the ripe fruit mixed with milk is drunk, and is sustaining. They also make the fruit into preserves, which are exported to various places; various kinds of pickles are also made, which keep good for two years, and the stones are employed in medicine. The tree on which the mango is grown is the size of a walnut-tree; the fruit grows in clusters, like plums in Europe. ### [265.21.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.21.8) Nor must I neglect to mention a kind of mango that a Portuguese had in his house in the town of Goa; those mangoes were the best and the finest of those I have named. Through the fame of their having a flavour different from others, it came to pass that the Lord Inquisitor heard of this delicious fruit, and being desirous of tasting it, he sent a message to the Portuguese requesting him to send some. The servant boy of the Portuguese informed his master that a message had come from the Lord Inquisitor. On hearing this the owner was terrified and grew pale. Still, he managed to get to the door to hear the message. The messenger told him the Lord Inquisitor had heard that in the gentleman's garden was a tree producing a kind of mango most excellent, of which he would like to have a few, and therefore, the messenger added, he had come to ask for them. The Portuguese, on hearing this speech, came to himself and took heart, for he now knew that the messenger had not come to carry him off. Quite pleased, he pulled all the fruit from the tree and sent it off to the Lord Inquisitor with the greatest willingness. When the messenger had departed he set to work at once and uprooted the tree, for fear that another time a similar message should reach him. It had caused him great fear and tremor, for the Holy Office of the Inquisition requires to be held in great respect. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.265.21) · Pramāṇa