Storia do Mogor 265.25
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 265.25
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265.25.1
It is usual to have such occurrences in this empire, and war never ceases. In the month of September of the same year (1699) Aurangzeb withdrew from his undertaking with great loss in troops and heavy expenditure. The war still goes on, and is becoming more severe. Aurangzeb is in the kingdom of Bijapur, encamped near a village called Barrampur (Brahmanpuri), and to-day it is December of one thousand seven hundred (1700). During this retreat, made by Aurangzeb after having taken the fortresses of Shiva Ji as above stated, he resolved to remove by poison Sultan Sikandar, King of Bijapur, who was a prisoner in his camp. He was now thirty years of age, and the deed was done for fear of his taking to flight and causing a fresh rebellion. The cause of this captive king being put to death was the flight from prison of Sambha Ji's son, who made his escape into his own territories, and raised fresh armies to wreak vengeance upon Aurangzeb [242].
265.25.2
I have now satisfied in substance the reader's curiosity, and given him all I had promised at the beginning of this work. I say 'in substance,' for I have not placed in my work any but the matters of greatest importance, holding it to be superfluous to choke the volume with petty details. Still, as I can assure the reader, so many are the things that have occurred to me since I left my native land, that I should never get to the end if I began to tell them all; and as I am an aged man, I should never be able to give satisfaction to my friends in the object with which I undertook this labour. What I intreat of the inquiring reader who by chance comes to this part of the world is that he do not assume anything of all I say to be of little account. My purpose is that he may not afterwards have to repent himself when there is no longer any remedy. This is the design I have followed in this work. If perchance (as is the ordinary habit) he does not care to take my advice, I shall live consoled by the fact that he will be able to blame none but himself. All he can do is to repeat what is said in my country : ' Chi he cauza del suo mal, pianga se stesso ' [The causer of evil to himself has to weep for himself]. If he attentively considers my instructions, it is a certainty that he will pass his time well, and every day will thank me for my advice.
265.25.3
During the time that I have been composing this book I have acquired a secret which from its rarity seems to me fit to be imparted to the reader. It is a thing that might benefit many, and it has been tested by me and seen by many of my friends. I have found the bone of an animal which, when added to certain medicaments, has the greatest virtue against every kind of poison and venom. The following is the mode of application :
265.25.4
If any person should be bitten by a viper or other snake (cobra), even if it be a hooded one (de capello), a mad dog, a scorpion, a tarantula, or other venomous animal, a small cut is made at the site of the wound, if it is not already sufficiently open. Over this is tied the liver of a cock, and the remedy against poison, in a quantity equal to one or two grains of pepper, is ground on a stone. Mixed with water, this is given to the person poisoned, and the bone referred to is applied at the place to which the poison has risen, causing it to flow back to the bite. By doing this the patient is entirely restored [243]. This remedy may be applied although the patient appears beyond recovery. For the bite of a scorpion or other small animal, it is not necessary to administer it internally; after attaching the liver for a little, it suffices to apply the bone in the way I have said above. I have often made trial of this in these lands. For those who have drunk poison or eaten it, it is enough to give a potion of half the quantity that I have named above. I give the reader this information, because there are found to be in this India many animals that may be used with much profit to mankind.
265.25.5
As I have given many general warnings about the rules by which everyone should live in the Mogul kingdom and throughout this country, by referring to which men may govern their conduct and evade evil encounters, it seems to me appropriate to place at the end of this book a warning for the reverend father missionaries who, moved by holy zeal, desire to come here and work for the salvation of souls.
265.25.6
First of all it is necessary for a missionary desirous of coming here to bring with him some money, to meet the initial expenses which are necessary to start this holy work, for to hope to acquire here any alms for such necessary expenses is a mistake. For want of these I have seen many a friar deprived of the power of carrying out his intentions, and thereby much dejected. The Christians living here in these territories are mostly poor, while those who have money, all of whom give themselves out to be Portuguese, never afford any aid to non-Portuguese missionaries. Most of them hold the opinion that it is solely by being a Portuguese that you can be of the Catholic and Roman faith. Everybody else they designate by the name of 'foreigner.' They do not allow the name of Catholic to all those who have received holy baptism. To say a man is a 'foreigner' is the same as saying he is not a Roman Catholic. Solely by the means they have up to this time acquired are the fathers of the Society (i.e., the Jesuits) free of this hindrance, and therefore, although suffering the same persecutions as others, can yet do much for the service of God. For they have money, enabling them to incur the necessary expenses, which I will detail below. Every friar should arrive provided with all that is necessary, and then he can do service for God in conformity to his befitting zeal.
265.25.7
Throughout the territories of the Mogul missionaries do much for the service of God by baptizing many infants (for in regard to grown persons that is an impossibility), and to be able to confer on infants this benefit it is necessary that they know the art of medicine. They must be able to cure ulcers and to bleed. They will then be in demand at many places ; and when they see that the infants are at the point of death, they can sprinkle them with the water of baptism. In this way not a day would pass that they would not gain for heaven some soul or other. Thus it happened with me at Lahor: when I became a physician I baptized in eight years more than fifteen thousand [? infants], besides those I found on the roadsides moribund, and whom I baptized. It became so well known that whenever medicine was asked for water would be sprinkled ; that many women, both Mahomedans and Hindus, imagined that if their infants were sprinkled with water before they fell ill they would never suffer from any complaint. Thus they would entreat me to sprinkle the child. But I baptized none except those infants who, as I could clearly see, were bound to die. By this means I have baptized sons of persons in very good positions, princes, and even some of the blood royal. With this profession of doctor it is possible to do some service for God.
265.25.8
The way in which missionaries ought to live is as follows : It is necessary to have a useful horse and one camel. On the latter are carried the requisite supplies, both of drugs and other instruments. In this country it is incumbent on a doctor to prepare medicines, ointments, and distillations — in fact, all things that appertain to the apothecary's office. Many a time it is also necessary to instruct as to the fashion of preparing the patient's food. It would be a good thing to bring from Europe antidotes to poisons, for frequently it happens, especially among the nobles, that poison has been given, as may have been seen in my narrative. I also give warning that it is a necessary thing to travel accompanied by some person of confidence, and never to trust absolutely to the natives of the country. There should also be some rarities for giving to great persons to preserve their good-will. After they have got used to the country and have obtained the repute of good doctors, the fathers will never be in want of occupation to fill their lives and sustain themselves [245] reputably. To do this it is not necessary to look miserable, but they must show themselves of a generous and charitable spirit.