a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第62章

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uld　not　fight。

When　these　nuptial　feasts；　so　abhorred　of　all；　were　fulfilled；　they　opened　the　gates　of　the　fortress；　and　their　enemies　forthwith　entered；　and　slew　all　of　them　except　six　old　men　who　withdrew　to　a　house。　These　were　made　captive　and　were　taken　before　the　King　（of　Delhi）；　and　the　King　asked　them　who　they　were　and　how　they　had　escaped；　and　they　told　them　who　they　were；　at　which　the　King　greatly　rejoiced；　because　one　of　them　was　the　minister　of　the　kingdom　and　another　the　treasurer；　and　the　others　were　leading　officers　in　it。　They　were　questioned　by　the　King　concerning　the　treasures　of　the　King　of　Bisnaga；　and　such　riches　as　were　buried　in　the　vaults　of　the　fortress　were　delivered　up　to　him；　they　also　gave　him　an　account　of　the　revenues　of　the　kingdom　of　Bisnaga　at　that　time。　When　all　was　known　to　the　King　he　delivered　them　to　one　of　his　captains；　and　commanded　to　make　over　the　bodies　of　the　dead　to　another　captain；　and　gave　orders　that　the　bodies　should　be　burned；　and　the　body　of　the　King；　at　the　request　of　those　six　men；　was　conveyed　very　honourably　to　the　city　of　Nagundy。　From　that　time　forward　that　place　became　a　burying…place　of　the　kings。　Amongst　themselves　they　still　worship　this　King　as　a　saint。



CHAPTER　2


Of　what　the　King　（of　Delhi）　did　after　he　had　slain　the　King　of　Bisnaga；　and　entirely　overthrown　him；　and　seized　his　lands　for　himself；　none　being　left　to　defend　them。

As　soon　as　the　King　had　thus　fulfilled　all　his　desires；　he　bade　his　captains　destroy　some　villages　and　towns　which　had　risen　against　him；　and　give　security　to　those　who　sought　it　of　him。　After　the　death　of　the　（Hindu）　King　he　stayed　in　that　fortress　two　years；　having　already　for　twelve　waged　war　on　the　kingdom。＇483＇　He　was　far　from　his　home；　which　WAS　more　than　five　hundred　leagues　distant；　and；　his　forces　being　all　scattered；　news　came　to　him　how　that　all　the　land　which　was　first　gained　by　him　had　rebelled。　As　soon　as　this　was　known　to　the　King　he　sent　to　collect　his　people；　leaving　in　this　fortress；　which　was　the　strongest　in　the　kingdom；　abundant　provisions　for　its　defence　in　all　circumstances；　and　he　left；　for　captain　and　governor　of　the　kingdom；　Enybiquymelly；＇484＇　a　Moor；　and　with　him　he　left　many　troops；　showing　much　kindness　to　each　one　of　them　separately；　giving　to　each　lavish　gifts　and　lands　in　such　a　way　that　all　were　content；　and；　abandoning；　forthwith　all　hope　of　returning　to　their　own　country；　made　there　their　homes。


CHAPTER　3


How　the　King　of　Dily　departed　with　his　troops；　and　took　to　his　kingdom　the　six　captives　that　he　had　taken　in　the　fortress；　&c。

The　King　having　departed　to　his　own　kingdom　in　consequence　of　the　news　that　had　been　brought　to　him；　leaving　the　kingdom　of　Bisnaga　in　the　power　of　Meliquy　niby；　when　it　was　known　throughout　the　country　how　he　was　out　of　it；　those　who　had　escaped　to　the　mountains；　with　others　who；　against　their　will　and　through　fear　had　taken　oaths　of　fealty　for　their　towns　and　villages；　rose　against　the　captain　Mileque　neby；　and　came　to　besiege　him　in　the　fortress；　allowing　no　provisions　to　go　in　to　him；　nor　paying　him　the　taxes　that　had　been　forced　on　them。　And　Meliquy　niby；　seeing　how　little　profit　he　could　get　in　this　country；　and　how　badly　he　was　obeyed；　and　how　far　off　was　the　succour　sent　by　his　lord　the　King；　sent　quickly　to　him　to　tell　him　how　all　the　land　was　risen　against　him；　and　how　every　one　was　lord　of　what　he　pleased；　and　no　one　was　on　his　side；　and　that　His　Highness　should　decide　what　he　thought　best　to　be　done　in　such　case。　And　when　the　King　heard　this　news　he　took　counsel；　telling　the　great　people　of　the　realm　of　the　letter　and　message　which　he　had　from　Melinebiquy；　his　captain　and　governor　of　the　kingdom　of　Bisnaga；　and　how　badly　the　lords　of　the　land　obeyed　him；　so　that　each　one　was　king　and　lord　over　whomsoever　he　pleased；　as　soon　as　he　acquired　any　power；　there　being　no　justice　amongst　them；　nor　any　one　whom　they　wished　to　obey。　What　was　it　seemed　best　to　them　（he　asked）；　and　what　in　such　case　ought　they；　and　could　they；　do；　so　that　he　should　not　lose　so　fair　a　territory　and　one　so　rich；　the　seizure　of　which　had　cost　such　labour；　so　much　money；　and　the　lives　of　so　many　of　their　fellows？　All　the　councillors　decided　that　the　King　should　command　the　presence　of　the　six　men　whom　he　held　captive；　and　that　he　should　learn　from　them　who　was　at　that　time　the　nearest　of　kin；　or　in　any　way　related　to　the　Kings　of　Bisnaga；　and；　this　questioning　done；　no　one　was　found　to　whom　by　right　the　kingdom　could　come；　save　to　one　of　the　six　whom　he　held　captive；　and　this　one　he　who　at　the　time　of　the　destruction　of　Bisnaga　had　been　minister　of　the　kingdom。　He　was　not　related　by　blood　to　the　kings；　but　only　was　the　principal　judge；　but　（it　seemed）　good　that　His　Highness　should　give　the　kingdom　to　that　one。　And　this　advice　pleased　the　King　and　them　all。

At　once　the　six　captives　were　released　and　set　at　liberty；　and　many　kindnesses　and　honours　were　done　them；　and　the　governor　was　raised　to　be　King　and　the　treasurer　to　be　governor；＇485＇　and　he　took　from　them　oaths　and　pledges　of　their　fealty　as　vassals；　and　they　were　at　once　despatched　and　sent　to　their　lands　with　a　large　following　to　defend　them　from　any　one　who　should　desire　to　do　them　an　injury。　And　when　these　six　men　had　thus　finished　their　journey　to　the　city　of　Nagundy；　they　found　only　the　ruined　basements　of　the　houses；　and　places　peopled　by　a　few　poor　folk。

In　a　short　time　the　arrival　of　Deorao＇486＇　（for　so　he　was　called）　was　known　in　all　the　country；　and　now　he　had　been　exalted　to　be　King；　with　which　the　people　were　well　content；　as　men　who　had　felt　so　deeply　their　subjection　to　a　lord　not　of　their　own　faith；　and　from　this　man　have　descended　all　those　who　have　reigned　up　to　now。　And　they　made　great　feasts　for　him；　and　delivered　up　to　him　the　lands　taken　by　former　kings　and　lost　to　them；　and　he　was　obeyed　as　King。　And　when　the　captain　Meliquy　niby　became　aware　of　this；　he　was　very　pleased　and　contented；　and　delivered　up　to　him　the　fortress　and　kingdom　as　the　King　his　lord　had　commanded；　and　making　himself　ready　with　all　speed　he　departed；　leaving　the　land　to　its　proper　owner。　And　after　he　had　gone；　King　Deorao；　entering　on　his　rule；　strove　to　pacify　the　people　and　those　who　had　revolted；　and　to　make　them　safe；　and　he　did　them　many　kindnesses　so　as　to　secure　their　good…will；　and　travelled　about　their　fortresses　and　towns。　He　abandoned　the　lost　lands　since　he　knew　that　he　could　not　regain　them；　having　no　army　or　forces　for　such　a　work；　nor　any　cause　for　which　he　could　make　war；　and　also　because　he　was　very　old。


CHAPTER　4


How　the　City　of　Bisnaga　was　built　by　that　King　Dehorao。

The　King　going　one　day　a…hunting；　as　was　often　his　wont；　to　a　mountain　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　of　Nagumdym；　where　now　is　the　city　of　Bisnaga；　　which　at　that　time　was　a　desert　place　in　which　much　hunting　took　place；　and　which　the　King　had　reserved　for　his　own　amusement；　　being　in　it　with　his　dogs　and　appurtenances　of　the　chase；　a　hare　rose　up　before　him；　which；　instead　of　fleeing　from　the　dogs；　ran　towards　them　and　bit　them　all；　so　that　none　of　them　dared　go　near　it　for　the　harm　that　it　did　them。＇487＇　And　seeing　this；　the　King；　astonished　at　so　feeble　a　thing　biting　dogs　which　had　already　caught　for　him　a　tiger　and　a　lion；　judged　it　to　be　not　really　a　hare　but　（more　likely）　some　prodigy；　and　he　at　once　turned　back　to　the　city　of　Nagumdym。

And　arriving　at　the　river；　he　met　a　hermit　who　was　walking　along　the　bank；　a　man　holy　among　them；　to　whom　he　told　what　had　happened　concerning　the　hare。　And　the　hermit；　wondering　at　it；　said　to　the　King　that　he　should　turn　back　with　him　and　shew　him　the　place　where　so　marvellous　a　thing　had　happened；　and　being　there；　the　hermit　said　that　the　King　ought　in　that　place　to　erect　houses　in　which　he　could　dwell；　and　build　a　city；　for　the　prodigy　meant　that　this　would　be　the　strongest　city　in　the　world；　and　that　it　would　never　be　captured　by　his　enemies；　and　would　be　the　chief　city　in　the　kingdom。　And　so　the　King　did；　and　on　that　very　day　began　work　on　his　houses；　and　he　enclosed　the　city　round　about；　and　that　done　he　left　Nagumdym　and　soon　filled　the　new　city　with　people。　And　he　gave　it　the　name