a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第57章

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d　to　the　kings　that　are　subject　to　him；　namely　they　do　not　go　to　court　unless　they　are　summoned；　and　from　their　own　cities　they　send　to　him　their　rents　or　tributes；　yet　the　King　of　Bengapor　is　obliged　to　be　always　in　camp；　and　he　goes　to　court　twice　in　the　year。

The　kings　who　are　subject　are　these；　besides　this　King　of　Bengapor；　namely　the　King　of　Gasopa　and　the　King　of　Bacanor　and　the　King　of　Calecu　and　he　of　Batecala；＇599＇　and　these　when　they　come　to　the　Court　of　Bisnaga　are　not　held　in　higher　esteem　than　any　other　captains；　either　by　the　King　or　by　the　other　nobles。

The　captains　and　lords　of　this　kingdom　of　Bisnaga；　as　well　those　who　are　at　Court　as　those　who　are　away　from　it；　have　each　one　his　secretary　who　goes　to　the　palace　in　order　to　write　to　him　and　let　him　know　what　the　King　is　doing；　and　they　manage　so　that　nothing　takes　place　of　which　they　do　not　soon　know；　and　day　and　night　they　are　always　in　the　palace。　And　the　King　also；　when　he　leaves　the　palace；　takes　with　him　on　his　own　account　secretaries；　who　write　what　the　King　says；　and　the　favours　he　bestows；　and　with　whom　he　spoke；　and　upon　what　subject；　and　what　his　determination　was；　and　to　these　men　is　given　a　credit　equal　to　that　of　the　Evangelists；　because　they　say　that　whenever　the　King　speaks　there　must　be　something　worthy　to　be　recorded；　and　also　that　such　a　record　is　necessary　for　their　remembrance。　Thus　no　written　orders　are　ever　issued；　nor　any　charters　granted；　for　the　favours　he　bestows　or　the　commands　he　gives；　but　when　he　confers　a　favour　on　any　one　it　remains　written　in　the　registers　of　these　secretaries。　The　King　however　gives　to　the　recipient　of　the　favour　a　seal　impressed　in　wax　from　one　of　his　rings；　which　his　minister　keeps；　and　these　seals　serve　for　letters　patent。

These　Kings　of　Bisnaga　eat　all　sorts　of　things；　but　not　the　flesh　of　oxen　or　cows；　which　they　never　kill　in　all　the　country　of　the　heathen　because　they　worship　them。　They　eat　mutton；　pork；　venison；　partridges；　hares；　doves；　quail；　and　all　kinds　of　birds；　even　sparrows；　and　rats；　and　cats；　and　lizards；　all　of　which　are　sold　in　the　market　of　the　city　of　Bisnaga。

Everything　has　to　be　sold　alive　so　that　each　one　may　know　what　he　buys　　this＇600＇　at　least　so　far　as　concerns　game　　and　there　are　fish　from　the　rivers　in　large　quantities。　The　markets　are　always　overflowing　with　abundance　of　fruits；　grapes；　oranges；　limes；　pomegranates；　jack…fruit；　and　mangoes；　and　all　very　cheap。　It　is　said　that　in　the　markets　they　give　twelve　live　sheep　for　a　PARDAO；　and　in　the　hills　they　give　fourteen　or　fifteen　for　A　PARDAO。　The　King　drinks　water　which　they　bring　from　a　spring；　which　is　kept　enclosed　under　the　hand　of　a　man　in　whom　the　King　has　great　confidence；　and　the　vessels　in　which　they　draw　the　water　come　covered　and　sealed。　Thus　they　deliver　it　to　the　women　who　wait　on　him；　and　they　take　it　inside　to　the　other　women；　the　King's　wives。

The　greatest　mark　of　honour　that　this　King　of　Bisnaga　confers　on　a　noble　consists　of　two　fans　ornamented　with　gold　and　precious　stones；　made　of　the　white　tails　of　certain　cows；＇601＇　he　gives　them　bracelets　also。　Everything　which　the　noble　receives　is　placed　on　the　ground。　The　King　confers　very　high　honour；　too；　if　he　permits　a　certain　one　to　kiss　his　feet；　for　he　never　gives　his　hands　to　be　kissed　by　any　one。　When　he　wishes　to　please　his　captains；　or　persons　from　whom　he　has　received　or　wishes　to　receive　good　service；　he　gives　them　scarves　of　honour＇602＇　for　their　personal　use；　which　is　a　great　honour；　and　this　he　does　each　year　to　the　captains　at　the　time　that　they　pay　him　their　land…rents。　This　takes　place　in　the　month　of　September＇603＇　when　for　nine　days　they　make　great　feasts。　Some　say　that　they　do　this　in　honour　of　the　nine　months　during　which　Our　Lady　bore　her　Son　in　the　womb；　others　say　that　it　is　only　done　because　at　this　time　the　captains　come　to　pay　their　rents　to　the　King。　Which　feasts　are　conducted　in　the　following　manner。

The　first　day　they　put　nine　castles　in　a　piece　of　ground　which　is　in　front　of　the　palace；　which　castles　are　made　by　the　nine　principal　captains　in　the　kingdom。　They　are　very　lofty　and　are　hung　with　rich　cloths；　and　in　them　are　many　dancing…girls　and　also　many　kinds　of　contrivances。　Besides　these　nine　every　captain　is　obliged　to　make　each　one　his　castle；　and　they　come　to　show　these　to　the　King。　Each　one　has　his　separate　device；　and　they　all　come　like　this　during　the　nine　days　of　the　feast。　The　officers　of　the　city　are　bound　to　come　with　their　devices　each　day　at　night；　just　as　in　our　festivals；　and　in　these　nine　days　they　slaughter　animals　and　make　sacrifice。　The　first　day　they　kill　nine　male　buffaloes　and　nine　sheep　and　nine　goats；　and　thenceforward　they　kill　each　day　more；　always　doubling　the　number；　and　when　they　have　finished　slaying　these　beasts；　there　come　nine　horses　and　nine　elephants　of　the　King　and　these　come　before　the　king　covered　with　flowers　　roses　　and　with　rich　trappings。　Before　them　goes　the　chief　Master　of　the　Horse　with　many　attendants；　and　they　make　salaam　to　the　King。　And　when　these　have　finished　making　their　salaam　there　come　from　within　priests；　and　they　bring　rice　and　other　cooked　edibles；　and　water；　and　fire；　and　many　kinds　of　scents；　and　they　offer　prayers　and　throw　the　water　over　the　horses　and　elephants；　just　（as　our　priests　do　with）　holy　water；　and　they　put　chaplets　of　roses　on　them。　This　is　done　in　the　presence　of　the　King；　who　remains　seated　on　a　throne　of　gold　and　precious　stones；　he　never　sits　on　this　except　only　this　once　in　the　year。　And　this　King　that　now　reigns　does　not　sit　on　it；　for　they　say　that　whoever　sits　on　it　must　be　a　very　truthful　man；　one　who　speaks　the　whole　truth；　and　this　King　never　does　so。　Whilst　this　is　going　on　there　pass　by　the　King　fully　a　thousand　women；　dancing　and　posturing　before　him。　After　all　the　devices　that　have　been　prepared　have　been　witnessed　all　the　horses　of　the　King　pass　by；　covered　with　their　silken　trappings；＇604＇　and　with　much　adornment　of　gold　and　precious　stones　on　their　heads；　and　then　all　the　elephants　and　yokes　of　oxen＇605＇　in　the　middle　of　the　arena＇606＇　in　front　of　the　palace。　After　these　have　been　seen　there　come　thirty…six　of　the　most　beautiful　of　the　King's　wives　covered　with　gold　and　pearls；　and　much　work　of　seed…pearls；　and　in　the　hands　of　each　a　vessel　of　gold　with　a　lamp　of　oil　burning　in　it；　and　with　these　women　come　all　the　female　servants　and　the　other　wives　of　the　King；　with　canes　in　their　hands　tipped　with　gold　and　with　torches　burning；　and　these　then　retire　inside　with　the　King。　These　women　are　so　richly　bedecked　with　gold　and　precious　stones　that　they　are　hardly　able　to　move。

In　this　way　during　these　nine　days　they　are　compelled　to　search　for　all　things　which　will　give　pleasure　to　the　King。

The　King　has　a　thousand　wrestlers　for　these　feasts　who　wrestle　before　the　King；　but　not　in　our　manner；　for　they　strike　and　wound　each　other　with　two　circlets　with　points＇607＇　which　they　carry　in　their　hands　to　strike　with；　and　the　one　most　wounded　goes　and　takes　his　reward　in　the　shape　of　a　silk　cloth；＇608＇　such　as　the　King　gives　to　these　wrestlers。　They　have　a　captain　over　them；　and　they　do　not　perform　any　other　service　in　the　kingdom。

And　after　these　nine　days　are　finished　the　Rao＇609＇　rides　out　and　goes　to　hold　a　review　of　the　troops　of　his　captains；　and　he　goes　a　length　of　two　leagues　between　the　armed　men。　At　the　end　he　dismounts　and　takes　a　bow　in　his　hand　and　shoots　three　arrows；　namely　one　for　the　Ydallcao；　and　another　for　the　King　of　Cotamuloco；＇610＇　and　yet　another　for　the　Portuguese；　it　was　his　custom　to　make　war　on　the　kingdom　lying　in　the　direction　where　the　arrow　reached　furthest。　After　this　is　done　the　King　returns　home；　and　on　that　day　he　fasts　and　with　him　all　the　people　of　the　land；　and　on　the　next　day　he　goes　to　the　river　to　bathe　with　all　his　people。　Within　these　nine　days　the　King　is　paid　all　the　rents　that　he　receives　from　his　kingdom；　for；　as　already　said；　all　the　land　belongs　to　the　King；　and　from　his　hand　the　captains　hold　it。　They　make　it　over　to　the　husbandmen　who　pay　nine…tenths　to　their　lord；　and　they　have　no　land　of　their　own；　for　the　kingdom　belongs　entirely　to　the　King；＇611＇　only　the　captains　are　put　to　charges　on　account　of　the　troops　for　whom　the　King　makes　them　responsible；　and　whom　they　are　obliged　to　provide　in　the　way　of　service。　Every　Saturday　the　dancing…girls　are　obliged　to　go　to　the　palace　to　dance　and　posture　before　the　King's　idol；　which　is　in　the　interior　of　his　palace。　The　people　of　this　country　always　fast　on　Saturdays　and　do　not　eat　all　day　nor　even　at　night；　nor　do　they　drink　water；　only　they　may　chew　a　few　cloves　to　sweeten　the　breath。　The　King　always　gives　large　sums　in　charity；　in　the　palace　there　are　always　two　or　three　thousand　Brahmans　who　are　his　priests；　and　to　whom　the　King　commands　to　give　alms。　These　Brahman　priests　are　very　despicable　men；　they　always　have　much　money；　and　are　so　insolent　that　even　by　using　blows　the　guards　of　the　door　cannot　hold　them　in　check。

The　captains　and　principal　people　use＇612＇　at　night　torches　of　oil；　from　four　to　twelve　torches　（according　to　rank）；　those　of　highest　rank　having　twelve　at　most。　The　King；　however；　must　have　a　hundred　or　a　hundred　and　fifty　torches。　There　is　much　wax　in　the　country；　but　they　do　not　know　how　to　work　it。　Every　merchant　who　brings　merchandise　in　horses　and　other　things　which　he　may　have　brought　to　sell　to　the　King；　if　he　desires　an　audience；　has　to　offer　him　a　present　of　a　piece　of　goods　or　a　horse　of　the　best　that　he　has　brought；　in　order　that　he　may　obtain　an　audience　and　transact　his　business。　And　this　not　only　to　the　King。　You　must　perforce　pay　bribes　to　all　the　several　officers　with　whom　you　have　to　deal。　They　will　do　nothing　without　some　profit　to　themselves

When　any　one　suffers　wrong　and　wishes　to　represent　his　case　to　the　King　he　shows　how　great　is　his　suffering　by　lying　flat　on　his　face　on　the　ground　till　they　ask　him　what　it　is　he　wants。　If；　perchance；　he　wishes　to　speak　to　the　King　while　he　is　riding；　he　takes　the　shaft　of　a　spear　and　ties　a　branch　to　it　and　thus　goes　along　calling　out。　Then　they　make　room　for　him；　and　he　makes　his　complaint　to　the　King；　and　it　is　there　and　then　settled　without　more　ado；　and　the　King　orders　a　captain；　one　of　those　who　go　with　him；　to　do　at　once　what　the　supplicant　asks。　If　he　complains　that　he　was　robbed　in　such　and　such　a　province　and　in　such　and　such　a　road；　the　King　sends　immediately　for　the　captain　of　that　province；　even　though　he　be　at　court；　and　the　captain　may　be　seized　and　his　property　taken　if　he　does　not　catch　the　thief。　In　the　same　way　the　chief　bailiff＇613＇　is　obliged　to　give　an　account　of　the　robberies　in　the　capital；　and　in　consequence　very　few　thefts　take　place；　and　even　if　some　are　committed；　you　give　some　little　present　and　a　description　of　the　man　who　stole　from　you；　and　they　will　soon　know　by　the　agency　of　the　wizards　whether　the　thief　be　in　the　city　or　not；　for　there　are　very　powerful　wizards　in　this　country。　Thus　there　are　very　few　thieves　in　the　land。

This　King　has　continually　fifty　thousand　paid　soldiers；　amongst　whom　are　six　thousand　horsemen　who　belong　to　the　palace　guard；　to　which　six　thousand　belong　the　two　hundred　who　are　obliged　to　ride　with　him。　He　has　also　twen