a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第38章

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ants；　and　others　live　by　their　own　property　and　cultivation；　and　the　fruits　which　grow　in　their　inherited　grounds。　Those　who　have　charge　of　the　temples　are　learned　men；　and　eat　nothing　which　suffers　death；　neither　flesh　nor　fish；　nor　anything　which　makes　broth　red；　for　they　say　that　it　is　blood。　Some　of　the　other　Brahmans　whom　I　mentioned；　who　seek　to　serve　God；　and　to　do　penance；　and　to　live　a　life　like　that　of　the　priests；　do　not　eat　flesh　or　fish　or　any　other　thing　that　suffers　death；　but　only　vegetables＇394＇　and　butter　and　other　things　which　they　make　of　fruit；＇395＇　with　their　rice。　They　are　all　married；　and　have　very　beautiful　wives；　the　wives　are　very　retiring；　and　very　seldom　leave　the　house。　The　women　are　of　light　colour；　and　in　the　caste　of　these　Brahmans　are　the　fairest　men　and　women　that　there　are　in　the　land；　for　though　there　are　men　in　other　castes　commonly　of　light　complexion；　yet　these　are　few。　There　are　many　in　this　country　who　call　themselves　Brahmans；　but　they　lead　a　life　very　different　from　those　of　whom　I　have　spoken；　for　these　last　are　men　to　whom　the　king　pays　much　honour；　and　he　holds　them　in　great　favour。

This　new　city　that　the　king　made　bears　the　name　of　his　wife　for　love　of　whom　he　made　it；＇396＇　and　the　said　city　stands　in　a　plain；　and　round　it　the　inhabitants　make　their　gardens　as　the　ground　suits；　each　one　being　separate。　In　this　city　the　king　made　a　temple　with　many　images。　It　is　a　thing　very　well　made；　and　it　has　some　wells　very　well　made　after　their　fashion；　its　houses　are　not　built　with　stories　like　ours；　but　are　of　only　one　floor；　with　flat；　roofs　and　towers；＇397＇　different　from　ours；　for　theirs　go　from　storey　to　storey。　They　have　pillars；　and　are　all　open；　with　verandahs　inside　and　out；　where　they　can　easily　put　people　if　they　desire；　so　that　they　seem　like　houses　belonging　to　a　king。　These　palaces　have　an　enclosing　wall　which　surrounds　them　all；　and　inside　are　many　rows　of　houses。　Before　you　enter　the　place　where　the　king　is　there　are　two　gates　with　many　guards；　who　prevent　any　one　from　entering　except　the　captains　and　men　who　have　business　there；　and　between　these　two　gates　is　a　very　large　court　with　its　verandahs　round　it；　where　these　captains　and　other　honoured　people　wait　till　the　king　summons　them　to　his　presence。

This　king　is　of　medium　height；　and　of　fair　complexion　and　good　figure；　rather　fat　than　thin；　he　has　on　his　face　signs　of　small…pox。　He　is　the　most　feared　and　perfect　king　that　could　possibly　be；　cheerful　of　disposition　and　very　merry；　he　is　one　that　seeks　to　honour　foreigners；　and　receives　them　kindly；　asking　about　all　their　affairs　whatever　their　condition　may　be　He　is　a　great　ruler　and　a　man　of　much　justice；　but　subject　to　sudden　fits　of　rage；＇398＇　and　this　is　his　title　　〃Crisnarao　Macacao；＇399＇　king　of　kings；　lord　of　the　greater　lords　of　India；　lord　of　the　three　seas　and　of　the　land。〃　He　has　this　title＇400＇　because　he　is　by　rank　a　greater　lord　than　any；　by　reason　of　what　he　possesses　in　（？）　armies　and　territories；　but　it　seems　that　he　has　（in　fact）　nothing　compared　to　what　a　man　like　him　ought　to　have；　so　gallant　and　perfect　is　he　in　all　things。　This　king　was　constantly　at　war　with　the　king　of　Orya；　and　entered　his　kingdom；　taking　and　destroying　many　cities　and　towns；　he　put　to　rout　numbers　of　his　soldiers　and　elephants；　and　took　captive　his　son；　whom　he　kept　for　a　long　time　in　this　city　of　Bisnaga；　where　he　died；　and　in　order　to　make　a　treaty　and　（preserve）　peace；　the　king　of　Orya　gave　him　a　daughter　whom　the　king　of　Bisnaga　married　and　has　as　his　wife。

This　king　has　twelve　lawful　wives；　of　whom　there　are　three　principal　ones；　the　sons　of　each　of　these　three　being　heirs　of　the　kingdom；　but　not　these　of　the　others；　this　is　（the　case）　when　there　are　sons　to　all　of　them；　but　when　there　is　only　one　son；　whosesoever　he　may　be；　he　is　heir。　One　of　these　principal　wives　is　the　daughter　of　the　king　of　Orya；　and　others　daughters　of　a　king　his　vassal　who　is　king　of　Serimgapatao；　another　wife　is　a　courtezan　whom　in　his　youth　he　had　for　mistress　before　he　became　king；　and　she　made　him　promise　that　if　he　came　to　be　king　he　would　take　her　to　wife；　and　thus　it　came　to　pass　that　this　courtezan　became　his　wife。　For　love　of　her　he　built　this　new　city；　and　its　name　was　。。。　（SIC　IN　ORIG。）　。。。　Each　one　of　these　wives　has　her　house　to　herself；　with　her　maidens　and　women　of　the　chamber；　and　women　guards　and　all　other　women　servants　necessary；　all　these　are　women；　and　no　man　enters　where　they　are；　save　only　the　eunuchs；　who　guard　them。　These　women　are　never　seen　by　any　man；　except　perhaps　by　some　old　man　of　high　rank　by　favour　of　the　king。　When　they　wish　to　go　out　they　are　carried　in　litters　shut　up　and　closed；＇401＇　so　that　they　cannot　be　seen；　and　all　the　eunuchs　with　them　fully　three　or　four　hundred；　and　all　other　people　keep　a　long　distance　from　them。　They　told　us　that　each　of　these　queens　has　a　very　large　sum　of　money　and　treasure　and　personal　ornaments；　namely　armlets；　bracelets；　seed…pearls；＇402＇　pearls　and　diamonds；　and　that　in　great　quantity：　and　they　also　say　that　each　of　them　has　sixty　maidens　adorned　as　richly　as　could　possibly　be　with　many　jewels；　and　rubies　and　diamonds　and　pearls　and　seed…pearls。　These　we　afterwards　saw；　and　stood　astonished；　we　saw　them　at　certain　festivals　which　I　will　afterwards　speak　of；　and　of　the　manner　in　which　they　came。　Within；　with　these　maidens；　they　say　that　there　are　twelve　thousand　women；　for　you　must　know　that　there　are　women　who　handle　sword　and　shield；　and　others　who　wrestle；　and　others　who　blow　trumpets；　and　others　pipes；　and　others　instruments　which　are　different　from　ours；　and　in　the　same　way　they　have　women　as　bearers　（BOOIS）　and　washing…folk；　and　for　other　offices　inside　their　gates；　just　as　the　king　has　the　officers　of　his　household。　These　three　principal　wives　have　each　the　same；　one　as　much　as　the　other；　so　that　there　may　never　be　any　discord　or　ill　feeling　between　them；　all　of　them　are　great　friends；　and　each　one　lives　by　herself。　It　may　be　gathered　from　this　what　a　large　enclosure　there　must　be　for　these　houses　where　so　many　people　live；　and　what　streets　and　lanes　they　must　have。

The　king　lives　by　himself　inside　the　palace；　and　when　he　wishes　to　have　with　him　one　of　his　wives　he　orders　a　eunuch　to　go　and　call　her。　The　eunuch　does　not　enter　where　she　is；　but　tells　it　to　the　female　guards；　who　make　known　to　the　queen　that　there　is　a　message　from　the　king；　and　then　comes　one　of　her　maidens　or　chamber…women　and　learns　what　is　wanted；　and　then　the　queen　goes　where　the　king　is；　or　the　king　comes　where　she　is；　and　so　passes　the　time　as　it　seems　good　to　him　without　any　of　the　others　knowing。　Amongst　these　eunuchs　the　king　has　some　who　are　great　favourites；　and　who　sleep　where　he　sleeps；　they　receive　a　large　salary。

This　king　is　accustomed　every　day　to　drink　QUARTILHO　（three…quarter　pint）　of　oil　of　GINGELLY＇403＇　before　daylight；　and　anoints　himself　all　over　with　the　said　oil；　he　covers　his　loins　with　a　small　cloth；　and　takes　in　his　arms　great　weights　made　of　earthenware；　and　then；　taking　a　sword；　he　exercises　himself　with　it　till　he　has　sweated　out　all　the　oil；　and　then　he　wrestles　with　one　of　his　wrestlers。　After　this　labour　he　mounts　a　horse　and　gallops　about　the　plain　in　one　direction　and　another　till　dawn；　for　he　does　all　this　before　daybreak。　Then　he　goes　to　wash　himself；　and　a　Brahman　washes　him　whom　he　holds　sacred；　and　who　is　a　great　favourite　of　his　and　is　a　man　of　great　wealth；　and　after　he　is　washed　he　goes　to　where　his　pagoda　is　inside　the　palace；　and　makes　his　orisons　and　ceremonies；　according　to　custom。　Thence　he　goes　to　a　building　made　in　the　shape　of　a　porch　without　walls；　which　has　many　pillars　hung　with　cloths　right　up　to　the　top；　and　with　the　walls　handsomely　painted；　it　has　on　each　side　two　figures　of　women　very　well　made。　In　such　a　building　he　despatches　his　work　with　those　men　who　bear　office　in　his　kingdom；　and　govern　his　cities；　and　his　favourites　talk　with　them。　The　greatest　favourite　is　an　old　man　called　Temersea；＇404＇　he　commands　the　whole　household；　and　to　him　all　the　great　lords　act　as　to　the　king。　After　the　king　has　talked　with　these　men　on　subjects　pleasing　to　him　he　bids　enter　the　lords　and　captains　who　wait　at　the　gate；　and　these　at　once　enter　to　make　their　salaam　to　him。　As　soon　as　they　appear　they　make　their　salaam　to　him；　and　place　themselves　along　the　walls　far　off　from　him；　they　do　not　speak　one　to　another；　nor　do　they　chew　betel　before　him；　but　they　place　their　hands　in　the　sleeves　of　their　tunics　（CABAYAS）　and　cast　their　eyes　on　the　ground；　and　if　the　king　desires　to　speak　to　any　one　it　is　done　through　a　second　person；　and　then　he　to　whom　the　king　desires　to　speak　raises　his　eyes　and　replies　to　him　who　questions　him；　and　then　returns　to　his　former　position。　So　they　remain　till　the　king　bids　them　go；　and　then　they　all　turn　to　make　the　salaam　to　him　and　go　out。　The　salaam；　which　is　the　greatest　courtesy　that　exists　among　them；　is　that　they　put　their　hands　joined　above　their　head　as　high　as　they　can。　Every　day　they　go　to　make　the　salaam　to　the　king。

When　we　came　to　this　country　the　king　was　in　this　new　town；　and　there　went　to　see　him　Christovao　de　Figueiredo＇405＇　with　all　of　us　Portuguese　that　came　with　him；　and　all　very　handsomely　dressed　after　our　manner；　with　much　finery；　the　king　received　him　very　well；　and　was　very　complacent　to　him。　The　king　was　as　much　pleased　with　him　as　if　he　had　been　one　of　his　own　people；　so　much　attention　did　he　evince　towards　him；　and　also　towards　those　amongst　us　who　went　with　him　he　showed　much　kindness。　We　were　so　close　to　the　king　that　he　touched　us　all　and　could　not　have　enough　of　looking　at　us。　Then　Christovao　de　Figueiredo　gave　him　the　letters　from　the　Captain…Major＇406＇　and　the　things　he　had　brought　for　him；　with　which　he　was　greatly　delighted；　principally　with　certain　organs＇407＇　that　the　said　Christovao　de　Figueiredo　brought　him；　with　many　other　things　（PECAS）。　The　king　was　clothed　in　certain　white　cloths　embroidered　with　many　roses　in　gold；　and　with　a　PATECA＇408＇of　diamonds　on　his　neck　of　very　great　value；　and　on　his　head　he　had　a　cap　of　brocade　in　fashion　like　a　Galician　helmet；　covered　with　a　piece　of　fine　stuff　all　of　fine　silk；　and　he　was　barefooted；　for　no　one　ever　enters　where　the　king　is　unless　he　has　bare　feet；　and　the　majority　of　the　people；　or　almost　all；　go　about　the　country　barefooted。　The　shoes　have　pointed　ends；　in　the　ancient　manner；　and　there　are　other　shoes　that　have　nothing　but　soles；　but　on　top　are　some　straps　which　help　to　keep　them　on　the　feet。　They　are　made　like　those　which　of　old　the　Romans　were　wont　to　wear；　as　you　will　find　on　figures　in　some　papers　or　antiquities　which　come　from　Italy。　The　king　gave　to　Christovao　de　Figueiredo　on　dismissing　him　a　CABAYA　（tunic）　of　brocade；　with　a　cap　of　the　same　fashion　as　the　king　wore；＇409＇　and　to　each　one　of　the　Portuguese　he　gave　a　cloth　embroidered　with　many　pretty　figures；　and　this　the　king　gives　because　it　is　customary；　he　gives　it　in　token　of　friendship　and　love。

When　Christovao　de　Figueiredo　had　been　dismissed　by　the　king　we　came　to　the　city　of　Bisnaga；　which　is　a　league　from　this　new　city；　and　here　he　commanded　us　to　be　lodged　in　some　very　good　houses；　and　Figueiredo　was　visited　by　many　lords　and　captain