Storia do Mogor 39.2.4

39.2.4

Thus the frightened trader was obliged, after much hesitation, to say to the soldier most humbly that he would feel obliged by his doing him the favour of not coming so often to his shop, seeing that no one dared while he was seated there to come up to it to buy anything ; that thus he suffered greatly in his business. He must beg to be excused for making this petition, but it was necessity alone that compelled him to make the request ; for if things went on as they were, he would be unable to exist himself or maintain his family. Hardly had the Armenian finished his humble speech than the soldier seized his sword, and with one blow severed the man's head from his body, and, jumping on his horse, rode off to hide in a place set aside by the king as a sanctuary for offenders, whence not even the law itself could withdraw him. The Armenians were informed of this deed. Assembling themselves, they proceeded to lay their complaint before Mirza Cuchuc (Mirza Kuchak), which means ' Little Noble,' who was the chief justice. This man was so inimical to the Christians, that when he had succeeded in catching the murderer, the sentence he passed was that a small wound should be inflicted on the little finger of the man's left hand, from which only three drops of blood flowed, and that he should pay in cash a fine of ten patacas. This sentence showed that he valued the Armenians as worthless and people of no account.