a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第68章

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As　soon　as　the　letter　was　read　to　the　Ydallcao　he　sent　to　summon　his　kazis　and　the　men　of　his　council；　and　he　bade　them　read　the　letter　which　had　come　from　the　King；　as　to　which　letter　there　were　many　suggestions　made。　At　the　end　of　all　they　agreed　that　he　should　not　send　him　（Cide）　to　him　（the　King　of　Bisnaga）；　for　they　said　that　he　（Cide）　was　one　learned　in　the　law　and　related　to　Mafumdo。＇529＇　And　the　Ydallcao；　as　a　cloak　to　his　action；　gave　Dabull　to　that　Cide；　by　way　of　showing　that　he　was　not　near　his　person　nor　knew　he　aught　of　him；　from　which　town　of　Dabull　Cide　fled；　nor　had　they　any　further　news　of　him。　When　those　who　had　come　from　the　King　returned　bearing　the　Ydallcao's　answer；　the　King　showed　great　indignation　at　it；　and　held　that　the　peace　was　broken；　he　at　once　ordered　to　appear　before　him　the　great　lords　of　his　Council；　and　had　the　letter　read　aloud　so　that　all　might　hear。　As　soon　as　it　was　read　he　said　that　without　more　ado　they　should　make　ready；　since　he　was　determined　to　take　full　vengeance。　But　the　councillors　advised　the　King；　saying　that　for　such　a　small　sum　of　money　as　this　it　was　not　well　so　to　act；　that　he　should　think　of　what　would　be　said　and　talked　of　throughout　the　world；　and　that　if　he　was　bent　on　breaking　so　prolonged　a　peace　for　such　a　trifling　cause；　he　should　call　to　mind　that　there　never　was　any　honesty　in　a　Moor；　that　others　were　to　blame　in　that　which　Cide　had　done；　and　that　if　Cide　should　dare　to　come　to　that　war　which　was　waged　in　order　to　take　vengeance　on　him；＇530＇　then　it　would　be　well　that　those　who　accompanied　him　should　die；　but　that　they　knew　that　Cide　would　keep　well　away　from　the　army。＇531＇

The　councillors；　however；　saw　that　the　King　remained　unmoved　from　his　determination　to　make　war；　and　they　then　counselled　him；　saying：　　〃Sire；　do　not　go　to　war　by　that　route　（Dabull）；　but　go　against　Rachol；　which　now　belongs　to　the　Ydallcao　but　of　old　was　part　of　this　kingdom；　then　the　Ydallcao　will　be　forced　to　come　to　defend　it；　and　thus　thou　wilt　take　vengeance　jointly　both　on　one　and　the　other。〃　The　King　held　this　advice　to　be　good　and　prepared　for　his　departure；　sending　letters　to　Madre　Maluco；　and　Demellyno；　and　Desturvirido；＇532＇　and　other　superior　lords；　giving　them　an　account　of　what　had　taken　place　in　the　matter　of　the　Ydallcao；　and　how　he　had　determined　to　make　war　on　him；　from　which　lords　he　received　answer　that　he　was　doing　rightly；　and　that　they　would　assist　him　as　far　as　they　were　able。　As　to　the　Zemelluco；　at　the　time　when　the　messengers　returned　this　answer　he　could　find　no　excuse　for　not　sending　some　troops　to　the　aid　of　his　sister　who　was　wedded　to　the　Ydallcao。

The　King　had　sent　the　letters　to　those　lords　out　of　his　great　craftiness；　for　he　told　them　of　what　he　was　about　to　do　in　order　to　seduce　them　to　his　side；　　so　far　at　least　as　concerned　their　goodwill；　seeing　that　in　the　matter　of　troops　he　had　no　need　of　them　　because　if　they　had　joined　the　Ydallcao　he　（the　King）　would　never　have　conquered　as　he　did；　but　because　the　Ydallcao　was　hated　by　them　all　as　being　a　more　powerful　chief　than　they；　（for　there　is　little　faith　amongst　the　Moors；　and　they　bite　one　another　like　dogs　and　like　to　see　one　after　the　other　destroyed）　he　was　conquered；　as　you　will　see　hereafter；　in　the　month　of　May；　on　the　new　moon　day；　in　the　year　one　thousand　five　hundred　and　twenty…two。＇533＇

After　the　King　had　made　his　offerings　and　performed　sacrifices　to　his　idols　he　left　the　city　of　Bisnaga　with　all　his　troops；　and　they　marched　in　the　following　order。　The　chief　of　the　guard　（O　PORTEIRO　MOOR）＇534＇　led　the　advance　with　thirty　thousand　infantry　　archers；　men　with　shields；　and　musqueteers；　and　spearmen　　and　a　thousand　horse　and　his＇535＇　elephants。　After　him　went　Trimbicara　with　fifty　thousand　foot　and　two　thousand　horse　and　twenty　elephants。　After　him　went　Timapanayque；　he　had　with　him　sixty　thousand　foot　and　three　thousand　five　hundred　horse　and　thirty　elephants；　and　after　him　went　Adapanayque　with　one　hundred　thousand　foot　and　five　thousand　horse　and　fifty　elephants。　After　him　came　Comdamara；＇536＇　and　he　had　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　foot　six　thousand　horse　and　sixty　elephants；　after　him　went　Comara；　and　he　had　eighty　thousand　foot　and　of　horse　two　thousand　five　hundred；　and　forty　elephants；　after　him　the　forces　of　Ogemdraho；＇537＇　the　governor　of　the　city　of　Bisnaga；　with　one　of　his　captains；　who　had　one　thousand　horse　and　thirty　thousand　foot　and　ten　elephants。　After　him　went　three　eunuchs；　favourites　of　the　King；　who　had　forty　thousand　foot　and　one　thousand　horse　and　fifteen　elephants。　The　page　who　served　the　King　with　betel＇538＇　had　fifteen　thousand　foot　and　two　hundred　horse；　but　he　had　no　elephants。　Comarberca＇539＇　had　eight　thousand　foot　and　four　hundred　horse　and　twenty　elephants。　The　people　of　the　chief　of　Bengapor＇540＇　went　by　another　route　with　the　people　of　Domar；　who　were　very　numerous；　and　in　the　same　way　went　other　captains　of　ten　or　twelve　thousand　men；　of　whom　I　make　no　mention；　not　knowing　their　names。　The　King　took　of　his　guard　six　thousand　horse　and　forty　thousand　foot；　the　pick　of　all　his　kingdom；　men　with　shields；　archers；　and　three　hundred　elephants。

All　were　equally　well　armed；　each　after　his　own　fashion；　the　archers　and　musqueteers　with　their　quilted　tunics；＇541＇　and　the　shieldmen　with　their　swords　and　poignards＇542＇　in　their　girdles；　the　shields　are　so　large　that　there　is　no　need　for　armour　to　protect　the　body；　which　is　completely　covered；　the　horses　in　full　clothing；　and　the　men　with　doublets；＇543＇　and　weapons　in　their　hands；　and　on　their　heads　headpieces　after　the　manner　of　their　doublets；　quilted　with　cotton。　The　war…elephants　go　with　their　howdahs　（CASTELLOS）　from　which　four　men　fight　on　each　side　of　them；　and　the　elephants　are　completely　clothed；　and　on　their　tusks　they　have　knives　fastened；　much　ground　and　sharpened；　with　which　they　do　great　harm。　Several　cannon　were　also　taken。　I　do　not　speak　here　of　the　washermen；　who　are　numberless　here　　they　wash　clothes　　nor　of　the　public　women　who　accompanied　the　army；　there　were　twenty　thousand　of　them　with　the　king　during　his　journey。　Any　one　can　imagine　the　amount　of　baggage　that　such　a　large　number　of　people　would　take。　In　the　rear　with　the　king；　but　always　on　the　road　in　front　of　him；　some　ten　or　twelve　thousand　men　with　water…skins　who　go　seeking　water；　and　place　themselves　along　the　road　to　give　water　to　those　who　have　no　one　to　bring　it　to　them；　this　is　done　so　that　none　of　the　people　should　die　of　thirst。　Three　or　four　leagues　in　front　of　all　this　multitude　go　some　fifty　thousand　men　who　are　like　scouts；　they　have　to　spy　out　the　country　in　front；　and　always　keep　that　distance；　and　on　their　flanks　there　are　two　thousand　horse　of　the　cavalry　of　that　country。　These　are　all　bowmen；　and　they　always　advance　on　the　flanks　of　the　scouts。

In　this　order；　as　I　have　stated；　they　left　the　city　of　Bisnaga；　and　with　them　a　great　number　of　merchants；　besides　many　others　who　were　already　in　advance　with　all　supplies；　so　that　wherever　you　may　be　you　will　at　once　find　all　you　want。　Every　captain　has　his　merchants　who　are　compelled　to　give　him　all　supplies　requisite　for　all　his　people；　and　in　the　same　way　they　carry　all　other　necessaries

According　to　the　King's　custom；　when　he　wishes　to　lie　down　and　sleep；　they　make　for　him　a　hedge　of　brush…wood　and　of　thorns　behind　which　his　tent　is　pitched；　which　was　done　for　him　all　along　this　route；　on　which　route　was　seen　a　wonderful　thing；　namely　that　on　passing　a　river　which；　when　they　reached　it；　came　half…way　up　to　the　knee；　before　half　the　people　had　passed　it　was　totally　dry　without　a　drop　of　water；　and　they　went　about　in　the　sand　of　it　making　pits　to　find　some　water。　In　this　order　the　King　proceeded　till　he　arrived　at　the　town　of　Mollabamdym；＇544＇　which　is　a　league　from　the　city　of　Rachol；　where　he　pitched　his　camp　so　as　to　give　a　rest　to　the　people　after　the　fatigues　of　the　march。

And　the　King　being　in　the　city　of　Mollabamdyn；　settling　all　that　was　necessary　for　the　siege　of　Rachol；　there　came　to　him　people　of　the　King　of　Bisnaga；　and　the　people　of　Domaar；　and　also　many　other　captains　with　an　infinitude　of　people。　As　soon　as　they　had　joined　and　everything　was　put　in　order；　a