Storia do Mogor 59.4

59.4

[71] I know that some authors, notably the author Faria, the Portuguese, write otherwise about the way that the queen was obtained. But he was not well informed, and wrote what the common people told him. He did not know that the inhabitants of India are very loquacious, taking no care, either grandees or poor people, whether they are speaking truth or falsehood. Many authors write down what they hear without making the inquiries they ought to make. It would be much better if, before they wrote, they dwelt for some time in the Mogul realm and learnt the language of the country, and consorted with the officials of the court ; in that way they could easily get hold of the truth. I am one who has had time enough ; I lived with the men best informed of any ; I had long converse with them, and they told me the truth. In addition to what I have seen in the chronicles, it was no little profit to me in writing these pages that I dwelt within the Mogul realm for thirty and four years, and that I was physician to Xaalam (Shah 'Alam), the eldest son of Aurangzeb.