Storia do Mogor 66.1
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 66.1
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66.1.1
There remains a little for me to say about the kingdom of ii. This kingdom was independent, without any king, till there arose a kind of people called Baramas (Burmans), who go about with half the body painted. These men made themrs of the kingdom and of many other petty principalities, subduing and conquering so many territories that they placed one frontier over against China, another at Siam, and another at Arakan. This kingdom is very rich in rubies, emeralds, L; >ld, lutiw (? tin), copper, lead, iron, lac, honey, wax, sulphur, oil from trees and the earth, and has quantities of ivory. The Burman king takes no tribute from his vassals, and trades by sea with all the nations of Europe. He receives presents, but returns the double of what he receives, which is the object sought by the giver.
66.1.2
In this kingdom the priestly class, like that of Siam, call themselves Talapoes, who make profession of three virtues — that is to say, chastity, humility, and poverty. They wear a yellow alb with a stole of the same colour, a scarlet mantle and cap. They are much venerated by everybody, and all that they have they give to the necessitous. The women of the Burmans go almost naked, for [271] they wear no more than a veil of cloth all open in front, and walk with an immodest gait. At marriage the men buy their wives, and can eject the woman from their house whenever they like, and marry another. The wife can do the same. They venerate their king as God. When the nobles have any application to make to him, they k lying flat with their face on the ground. Should perchance the king order any prince or governor to be slain, a soldier is sent from the royal dwelling, and at a time when the other is seated in audience the soldier appears with a banner reads the sentence. On beholding the king's signature the Icmned man receives the congratulations of his relations and friends, seeing that his sovereign has done him this signal favour of recollecting him. Coming close up to the soldier, he himself bares his throat for the blow.
66.1.3
It is a kingdom governed by the pen, for not a single person can go from one village into another without a paper or writing, whereby the government is made most easy. This Burman king adorns himself with many titles, namely : ' Emperor of Emperors in the East, King of Kings in the West, Perfection of all Justice, First in Glory, Greatness, and Majesty, Noble in Grandeur, Crystalline in Simplicity, Firmament of all the Virtues, a Saturn in elevation, a Jupiter in good fortune, a Mars in valour, a Sun in intelligence, a Mercury in knowledge, a Venus in beauty, a Moon in abundance, Possessor of all others' possessions, Conqueror of all whom he beholds, Dominator of ebb and flood, he who cut off the head of the invincible Viravalamo, Lord of the Golden Hall and of the White Elephant.'
66.1.4
Among all the races of India there is none which has books of laws. But these Burmans keep books of the ordinances, applications, arguments, sentences, and appeals before the king's tribunal. It happened once to a Portuguese that he had bought a ruby of great value. He meant to sell it to the King of Seilao (Ceylon) at a profit. The lapidary on close examination found it had been joined, and with the consent of the Portuguese separated the one piece from the other and then joined them again as before. The Portuguese went off to lodge a complaint before the King of Pegu, without having recourse to the usual tribunal. The king, who was ignorant of the law, asked the Portuguese whether he would take the sentence he should give, without appealing or complaining elsewhere. The Portuguese, assuming the king to be educated and intelligent, said he was content with any finding the king should announce. His order was that he who had sold the stone should be deprived of both eyes as a cheat, and the Portuguese who bought it should lose one eye for being an inefficient trader [272]. Angered at such a judgment, the Portuguese threw down the stone, and coming out, said : ' A barbarous king, a barbarous sentence.' There is much that might be said of this kingdom, but as I am getting very far from my history, I cannot dilate further on it, having, as it is, quite enough to say of the Mogul empire, which is my text.
66.1.5
Some days after the arrival of Prince Shah Shuja' in the kingdom of Arakan, where he had been conducted with much honour, in conformity with the customs of those kings, to a palace outside the city, he was invited by the king to sit with him. But the prince, although a fugitive and in necessity, would not forsake his dignity, holding himself to be a much greater man than the King of Arakan. The latter could not compare in dignity, refinement, or pleasant habits with even a simple captain among the Moguls. Not liking to go and sit with him, Shah Shuja' sent his son, Sultan Bang, with the excuse that he himself was unwell. The Magh was delighted at the coming of Sultan Bang, expecting that he would offer him many jewels, stones of price, and costly pieces of cloth. When they had taken their seats, there appeared many dishes of food, among them a long basin of raw buffalo blood, a great delicacy with them. At this the prince was much revolted, and held his nostrils. The king had it placed in front of himself, and collected with his hands what was in the basin and ate it with great relish, licking his lips.
66.1.6
The temerity of this king arrived at such a pitch that he asked for a daughter of Shah Shuja' as wife for his own son. The prince Shah Shuja' awaited nothing but the monsoon season to make a start for Persia or Mecca. Its arrival was delayed, and he began to be irritated at the coarseness of the Arakan king, and his overweening conceit in asking for his (Shah Shuja's) daughter as wife to his son. He was afraid of some act of violence or insolence. His force of armed men was very small, but he found many dwellers in Arakan, Moguls and Pathans, who showed themselves well inclined towards him. He therefore planned an outbreak, intending to slay the king and take the kingdom, and then advance once more to test his fortune in Bengal, having thus previously made sure of a in case of failure. He confided this design to some of his people, by whom it was approved. But they were not able to carry out the project with the called-for secrecy, and through the delay they made there was time for the King of Arakan to hear of the plot. He planned the assassination of Shah Shuja' and all his adherents, and to this intent called to him his four principal captains, each of whom had three thousand armed men. On these four men he placed great reliance. Each captain with his three thousand men guarded the king for eight consecutive days, and when each had fulfilled his task, it came round to the first one again.
66.1.7
To these he issued orders that one morning at daybreak [273] they should all with one accord shout : 'Long live the King of Arakan ! Death to Shah Shuja' and all traitors !' Under cover of this they were to kill everyone. The captains carried out the order of their king, killing everybody they encountered. Upon this news reaching the unfortunate prince Shah Shuja', he tried to save his life by getting on his elephant, hoping that he might thereby impose some respect for his person. But it was grievous to see the fury with which the Maghs came on, throwing everything into disorder, with blows and shouts and cries, some saying, ' Death to Prince Shah Shuja' !' others, ' Death to his son, Prince Bang !' others, ' Slay those traitorous Moguls who fled here from Bengal !' Prince Bang was taken prisoner, while Shah Shuja' with a few men fled into the jungle. He made liberal use of his bags of jewels and pearls, which he scattered among these savages, attempting by use of these valuables to mitigate the rage of the soldiers and gain a free passage for his flight. But the Maghs paid no heed to his proffered wealth ; they pursued the poor prince like famishing wolves, cutting his body into pieces, stripping it bare, and plundering all his valuables. Such was the lamentable end befalling Prince Shah Shuja', the first who rose against his father, Shahjahan, the first cause of these wars in the Mogul Empire, the occasioner of so many ills, the raiser-up of so many misfortunes.
66.1.8
Enamoured of his own opinion and a slave of his own ideas, we see him end thus miserably, his field of battle the swamps of Arakan, and his only sepulchre the bellies of wolves and tigers.