a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第35章

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ith　his　forces　and　offered　battle　to　Jaga　Raya；　saying　that；　since　the　latter　had　all　the　captains　on　his　side；　let　him　come　and　fight　and　beat　him　if　he　could；　and　then　the　nephew　would　become　King　unopposed。　In　the　end　Jaga　Raya　despaired　of　securing　Echama　Naique's　allegiance；　but　he　won　over　many　other　nobles　by　gifts　and　promises。

〃While　Jaga　Raya　was　so　engaged；　Echama　Naique　was　attempting　to　obtain　access　to　the　imprisoned　King　by　some　way　or　other；　but　finding　this　not　possible；　he　sought　for　a　means　of　at　least　getting　possession　of　one　of　his　sons。　And　he　did　so　in　this　manner。　He　sent　and　summoned　the　washerman　who　washed　the　imprisoned　King's　clothes；　and　promised　him　great　things　if　he　would　bring　him　the　King's　middle　son。　The　washerman　gave　his　word　that　he　would　so　do　if　the　matter　were　kept　secret。　When　the　day　arrived　on　which　it　was　the　custom　for　him　to　take　the　clean　clothes　to　the　King；　he　carried　them　（into　the　prison）　and　with　them　a　palm…leaf　letter　from　Echama　Naique；　who　earnestly　begged　the　King　to　send　him　one　at　least　of　the　three　sons　whom　he　had　with　him；　assuring　him　that　the　washerman　could　effect　his　escape。　The　King　did　so；　giving　up　his　second　son　aged　twelve　years；　for　the　washerman　did　not　dare　take　the　eldest；　who　was　eighteen　years　old。　He　handed　over　the　boy；　and　put　him　in　amongst　the　dirty　clothes；　warning　him　to　have　no　fear　and　not　to　cry　out　even　if　he　felt　any　pain。　In　order　more　safely　to　pass　the　guards；　the　washerman　placed　on　top　of　all　some　very　foul　clothes；　such　as　every　one　would　avoid；　and　went　out　crying　'TALLA！　TALLA！'　which　means　'Keep　at　a　distance！　keep　at　a　distance！'　All　therefore　gave　place　to　him；　and　he　went　out　of　the　fortress　to　his　own　house。　Here　he　kept　the　prince　in　hiding　for　three　days；　and　at　the　end　of　them　delivered　him　up　to　Echama　Naique；　whose　camp　was　a　league　distant　from　the　city；　and　the　boy　was　received　by　that　chief　and　by　all　his　army　with　great　rejoicing。

〃The　news　then　spread　abroad　and　came　to　the　ears　of　Jaga　Raya；　who　commanded　the　palace　to　be　searched；　and　found　that　it　was　true。　He　was　so　greatly　affected　that　he　kept　to　his　house　for　several　days；　but　he　doubled　the　guards　on　the　King；　his　prisoner；　closed　the　gates；　and　commanded　that　no　one　should　give　aught　to　the　King　to　eat　but　rice　and　coarse　vegetables。＇361＇

〃As　soon　as　it　was　known　that　Echama　Naique　had　possession　of　the　King's　son；　there　went　over　to　him　four　of　Jaga　Raya's　captains　with　eight　thousand　men；　so　that　he　had　in　all　sixteen　thousand；　and　now　had　good　hope　of　defending　the　rightful　King。　He　took；　therefore；　measures　for　effecting　the　latter's　escape。　He　selected　from　amongst　all　his　soldiers　twenty　men；　who　promised　to　attempt　to　dig　an　underground　passage　which　should　reach　to　where　the　King　lay　in　prison。　In　pursuance　of　this　resolve　they　went　to　the　fortress；　offered　themselves　to　the　Dalavay　as　entering　into　his　service；　received　pay；　and　after　some　days　began　to　dig　the　passage　so　as　to　gain　entrance　to　the　King's　prison。　The　King；　seeing　soldiers　enter　thus　into　his　apartment；　was　amazed；　and　even　more　so　when　he　saw　them　prostrate　themselves　on　the　ground　and　deliver　him　a　palm…leaf　letter　from　Echama　Naique；　in　which　he　begged　the　King　to　trust　himself　to　these　men；　as　they　would　escort　him　out　of　the　fortress。　The　King　consented。　He　took　off　his　robes　hastily　and　covered　himself　with　a　single　cloth；　and　bidding　farewell　to　his　wife；　his　sons；　and　his　daughters；　told　them　to　have　no　fear；　for　that　he；　when　free；　would　save　them　all。

〃But　it　so　happened　that　at　this　very　moment　one　of　the　soldiers　who　were　guarding　the　palace　by　night　with　torches　fell　into　a　hole；　and　at　his　cries　the　rest　ran　up；　and　on　digging　they　discovered　the　underground　passage。　They　entered　it　and　got　as　far　as　the　palace；　arriving　there　just　when　the　unhappy　King　was　descending　into　it　in　order　to　escape。　He　was　seized　and　the　alarm　given　to　Jaga　Raya；　who　sent　the　King　to　another　place　more　confined　and　narrower；　and　with　more　guards；　so　that　the　poor　prisoner　despaired　of　ever　escaping。

〃Echama　Naique；　seeing　that　this　stratagem　had　failed；　bribed　heavily　a　captain　of　five　hundred　men　who　were　in　the　fortress　to　slay　the　guards　as　soon　as　some　good　occasion　offered；　and　to　rescue　the　King。　This　man；　who　was　called　Iteobleza；＇362＇　finding　one　day　that　Jaga　Raya　was　leaving　the　palace　with　all　his　men　in　order　to　receive　a　certain　chief　who　had　proffered　his　submission；　and　that　there　only　remained　in　the　fortress　about　five　thousand　men；　in　less　than　an　hour　slew　the　guards；　seized　three　gates；　and　sent　a　message　to　Echama　Naique　telling　him　to　come　at　once　and　seize　the　fortress。　But　Jaga　Raya　was　the　more　expeditious；　he　returned　with　all　his　forces；　entered　by　a　postern　gate；　of　the　existence　of　which　Iteobleza　had　not　been　warned；　and　put　to　death　the　captain　and　his　five　hundred　followers。

〃Enraged　at　this　attempt；　Jaga　Raya；　to　strengthen　the　party　of　his　nephew；　resolved　to　slay　the　King　and　all　his　family。　He　entrusted　this　business　to　a　brother　of　his　named　Chinaobraya；＇363＇　ordering　him　to　go　to　the　palace　and　tell　the　poor　King　that　he　must　slay　himself；　and　that　if　he　would　not　he　himself　would　kill　him　with　stabs　of　his　dagger。

〃The　prisoner　attempted　to　excuse　himself；　saying　that　he　knew　nothing　of　the　attempted　revolt。　But　seeing　the　determination　of　Chinaobraya；　who　told　him　that　he　must　necessarily　die；　either　by　his　own　hand　or　by　that　of　another　　a　most　pitiful　case；　and　one　that　I　relate　full　of　sorrow！　　the　poor　King　called　his　wife；　and　after　he　had　spoken　to　her　awhile　he　beheaded　her。　Then　he　sent　for　his　youngest　son　and　did　the　same　to　him。　He　put　to　death　similarly　his　little　daughter。　Afterwards　he　sent　for　his　eldest　son；　who　was　already　married；　and　commanded　him　to　slay　his　wife；　which　he　did　by　beheading　her。　This　done；　the　King　took　a　long　sword　of　four　fingers'　breadth；　and；　throwing　himself　upon　it；　breathed　his　last；　and　his　son；　heir　to　the　throne；　did　the　same　to　himself　in　imitation　of　his　father。　There　remained　only　a　little　daughter　whom　the　King　could　not　bring　himself　to　slay；　but　Chinaobraya　killed　her；　so　that　none　of　the　family　should　remain　alive　of　the　blood　royal；　and　the　throne　should　be　secured　for　his　nephew。

〃Some　of　the　chiefs　were　struck　with　horror　at　this　dreadful　deed；　and　were　so　enraged　at　its　cruelty　that　they　went　over　to　Echama　Naique；　resolved　to　defend　the　prince　who　had　been　rescued　by　the　washerman；　and　who　alone　remained　of　all　the　royal　family。　Echama　Naique；　furious　at　this　shameful　barbarity　and　confident　in　the　justice　of　his　cause；　selected　ten　thousand　of　his　best　soldiers；　and　with　them　offered　battle　to　Jaga　Raya；　who　had　more　than　sixty　thousand　men　and　a　number　of　elephants　and　horses。　Echama　sent　him　a　message　in　this　form：　　'Now　that　thou　hast　murdered　thy　king　and　all　his　family；　and　there　alone　remains　this　boy　whom　I　rescued　from　thee　and　have　in　my　keeping；　come　out　and　take　the　field　with　all　thy　troops；　kill　him　and　me；　and　then　thy　nephew　will　be　secure　on　the　throne！'

〃Jaga　Raya　tried　to　evade　this　for　some　time；　but　finding　that　Echama　Naique　insisted；　he　decided　to　fight　him；　trusting　that　with　so　great　a　number　of　men　he　would　easily　not　only　be　victorious；　but　would　be　able　to　capture　both　Echama　Naique　and　the　prince。　He　took　the　field；　therefore；　with　all　his　troops。　Echama　Naique　entrusted　the　prince　to　a　force　of　ten　thousand　men　who　remained　a　league　away；　and　with　the　other　ten　thousand　he　not　only　offered　battle；　but　was　the　first　to　attack；　and　that　with　such　fury　and　violence　that　Jaga　Raya；　with　all　the　people　surrounding　his　nephew；　was　driven　to　one　side；　leaving　gaps　open　to　the　enemy；　and　many　met　their　deaths　in　the　fight。　Echama　Naique　entered　in　triumph　the　tents　of　Jaga　Raya；　finding　in　them　all　the　royal　insignia　belonging　to　the　old　King　and　these　he　delivered　to　the　young　prince；　the　Son　of　Chica　Raya；　proclaiming　him　rightful　heir　and　King　of　all　the　empire　of　Bisnaga。

〃The　spoil　which　he　took　was　very　large；　for　in　precious　stones　alone　they　say　that　he　found　two　millions　worth。

〃After　this　victory　many　of　the　nobles　joined　themselves　to　Echama　Naique。　So　much　so；　that　in　a　short　time　he　had　with　him　fifty　thousand　fighting　men　in　his　camp；　while　Jaga　Raya；　with　only　fifteen　thousand；　fled　to　the　jungles。　Here；　however；　he　was　joined　by　more　people；　so　that　the　war　has　continued　these　two　years；＇364＇　fortune　favouring　now　one　side　now　the　other。　But　the　party　of　the　young　prince　has　always　been　gaining　strength；　the　more　so　because；　although　the　great　Naique　of　Madura＇365＇　　a　page　of　the　betel　to　the　King　of　Bisnaga；　who　pays　a　revenue　every　year　of；　some　say；　600；000　pagodas；　and　has　under　him　many　kings　and　nobles　as　vassals；　such　as　he　of　Travancor　　took　the　side　of　Jaga　Raya；　and　sustained　him　against　the　Naique　of　Tanjaor。　Yet　the　latter；　though　not　so　powerful；　is；　with　the　aid　of　the　young　King；　gradually　getting　the　upper　hand。　Indeed　there　are　now　assembled　in　the　field　in　the　large　open　plains　of　Trinchenepali＇366＇　not　only　the　hundred　thousand　men　that　each　party　has；　but　as　many　as　a　million　of　soldiers。

〃Taking　advantage　of　these　civil　wars；　the　city　of　San　Thome＇367＇　　which　up　to　now　belonged　to　the　King　of　Bisnaga；　paying　him　revenues　and　customs　which　he　used　to　make　over　to　certain　chiefs；　by　whom　the　Portuguese　were　often　greatly　troubled　determined　to　liberate　itself；　and　become　in　everything　and　for　everything　the　property　of　the　King　of　Portugal。　To　this　end　she　begged　the　Viceroy　to　send　and　take　possession　of　her　in　the　name　of　his　Majesty；　which　he　did；　as　I　shall　afterwards　tell　you。　Meanwhile　the　captain　who　governed　the　town；　by　name　Manuel　de　Frias；　seeing　that　there　was　close　to　the　town　a　fortress　that　commanded　it；　determined　to　seize　it　by　force；　seeing　that　its　captain　declined　to　surrender　it。　So　he　laid　siege　to　it；　surrounding　it　so　closely　that　no　one　could　get　out。〃

In　the　end　the　Portuguese　were　successful。　The　fortress　was　taken；　its　garrison　of　1500　men　capitulated；　and　a　fleet　came　round　by　sea　to　complete　the　conquest。




The　foregoing　story　relates　to　events　never　before；　I　think；　made　known　to　English　readers；　and　so　far　is　of　the　highest　interest。　Let　us；　for　the　moment；　grant　its　accuracy；　and　read　it　by　the　light　of　the　genealogical　table　already　given。＇368＇

King　Venkata　I。　（1586　　1614）　had　a　sister　who　was　married　to　a　chief　whom　Barradas　calls　〃Obo〃　（perhaps　Obala）　Raya。　So　far　as　we　know；　his　only　nephews　were　Tirumala　II。　and　Ranga　III。；　sons　of　his　brother；　Rama　III。　Since　Tirumala　II。　appears　to　have　had　no　sons；　and　Ranga　III。　had　a　son；　Rama　IV；　who　is　asserted　in　the　inscriptions　to　have　been　〃one　of　several　brothers；〃　it　is　natural　to　suppose　that　the　nephew　mentioned　by　Barradas；　who　was　raised　to　be　king　on　the　death　of　the　old　King　Venkata　I。　in　1614；　and　who　had　three　sons；　was　Ranga　III。；　called　〃Chikka　Raya〃　or　〃Crown…prince〃　in　the　text。　He；　then；　succeeded　in　1614；　but　was　afterwards　deposed；　imprisoned；　and　compelled　to　take　his　own　life。　His　eldest　son　at　the　same　time　followed　his　example；　and　his　youngest　son　was　slain　by　his　father。　The　〃middle　son〃　escaped；　and　w