Storia do Mogor 69.3

69.3

I have said that the Christians had leave to prepare spirits for their own consumption, but were prohibited selling them. On this account sentinels were kept over them to watch that they did not sell. In spite of this, the gain being great, they did not refrain, by resorting to a thousand expedients, from selling them on the sly, although when the offence was discovered the kotwal used to send and plunder the house, the still being hung round the offender's neck, and then he was taken through the streets chained, and buffeted on his way to the kotwal's house. On arrival there half dead he was locked up in prison, and only released after many months with a fine and a beating. But such was the Christians' insolence and absence of shame that they did not desist. They were of many nations, mostly thieves and criminals ; and without slandering anyone, I can say with truth that the Christians who served in the artillery of the Moguls retained of Christianity nothing but the mere name, were worse than the Mahomedans and Hindus, were devoid of the fear of God, had ten or twelve wives, were constantly drunk, had no occupation but gambling, and were eager to cheat whomsoever they could. For these reasons the Farangis (Franks) have not in the Mogul country the estimation they formerly had ; many from greed of a small pay abandon their faith and turn Mahomedans, as if it imported little for the salvation of one's soul whether one is a Christian or a Mahomedan.