Storia do Mogor 65.1.4

65.1.4

The fathers were more tenacious in holding to the Christian faith, saying that they adored a Master who could preserve them, nor for anything that Shahjahan might do would they become renegades. There were also a few others — laymen — who held fast to their faith, but were released through the petitions of some persons at court, chiefly of an Armenian, who was a great favourite, or through the money paid by a Venetian, my compatriot, called Hieronomo Veroneo, a man ransomed by the Portuguese. These released prisoners lived in the city of Agrah, and until this day there are some of their descendants. After the death of his beloved queen Taj Mahal, Shahjahan selected in Hindustan the city of Dihli in order to build there a new city as his capital, and thereby perpetuate his memory, the climate at that spot being healthy. He used the ruins of ancient Dihli and Toquilabad (Tughlaqabad) for building this new Dihli, to which [122] he gave the name of Shahjahanabad—that is to say, 'Built by Shahjahan.' He expended large sums in the construction of this city, and in the foundations he ordered several decapitated criminals to be placed as a sign of sacrifice. The said city is on the bank of the river Jamnah, in a large plain of great circumference, and it is in the shape of an imperfect half-moon. It has twelve gates, and ancient Dihli forms a suburb, as also do several other villages.