Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c10.s2.73

c10.s2.73

Failure to conform to these obligations was liable to be punished. Nuniz says that the estates of these nāyakas would be confiscated and themselves severely punished if they did not maintain the full number of soldiers or pay tribute according to their obligations.¹¹⁷ Barbosa also observes that when the king found any great lord or relation guilty of any crime, he sent for him immediately and if he failed to give “a just excuse for his fault”, he chastised him in words as thoroughly as he deserved and took from him half of his revenues. Then he was immediately ordered to be stripped and stretched on the ground and given a severe beating; and if he happened to be a near relative of the king, the king beat him with his own hand and after he had been punished he was ordered to be taken in his palanquin “very honourably with the music and rejoicing to his own house”.¹¹⁸ But the administration of corporal punishment is not mentioned by any other writer. Hence it appears to be as Dames remarks an improbable story.¹¹⁹