The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 7.4

7.4

The true descended heire of Porus, that was ouercome by Alexander, called Ranna, is lately conquered, more by composition then force; the King hauing rather bought him then wonne him, and hereby no way augmented his Reuenue, but giuen a great Pension to him. His Countrey I crossed, betweene this Towne of Asmere and Brampore, Cetor hauing beene anciently the chiefe Towne, and surely standing on an hill, steepe as a Rocke, some fifteene miles about, that is all walled; the Citie within but with one ascent, and fiue admirable gates in the ascent, all ruined and no person dwelling. But there stand an hundred Muschees, many Lanternes, and such reuerend and braue Reliques of Imagerie and carued workes, that few or hardly any where can be equalled. In generall, all the old Cities are beaten downe, by what policie I vnderstand not; but the King seeketh the ruine of any thing not begunne by his Ancestors, so that all the Land hath not an house fit for a Cottager, but in such Cities as hee fauoureth. Surat is best builded of any ; and in old time they in these parts made mightie workes, which euery day decay. At Surat there is a Tanke for water of free-stone, in a polygon forme, of aboue an hundred sides, euery side eight and twenty yards ; it hath staires on euery side for men to descend, and many stopes [slopes ?] for horses. It is a wonderous worke, both for the hugeness and for the braue building.