a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第77章

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le　force　of　character；　and　very　negligent　of　the　things　which　most　concern　the　welfare　of　his　kingdom　and　State。


CHAPTER　21


Of　the　manner　of　attendance　on　these　kings；　which　is　as　follows。

＇What　follows　concerns　the　reign　of　Achyuta　Raya。＇

All　the　service　of　this　house；　with　the　things　which　they　make　use　of；　is　of　silver　and　gold；　that　is　to　say　basins　and　bowls；　stools；　ewers；　and　other　vessels　of　that　sort。　The　bedsteads＇595＇　in　which　his　wives　sleep　are　covered　and　adorned　with　silver　plates。　Every　wife　has　her　bed　in　which　she　sleeps；　and　that　of　the　King　is　plated　and　lined　and　has　all　its　legs　of　gold；　its　mattress　of　silk；　and　its　round　bolster　worked　round　the　ends　with　large　seed　pearls。　It　has　four　pillows　of　the　same　pattern　for　the　feet；　and　has　no　other　sheet　than　a　silk　cloth　on　top。　He　always　carries　with　him　a　mosquito　curtain　with　a　frame　of　silver；＇596＇　and　he　has　a　house　made　of　pieces　of　iron　in　which　is　contained　a　very　large　bed；　which　is　intended　for　such　time　as　he　takes　the　field。

He　has　five　hundred　wives　and　as　many　less　or　more　as　he　wants；　with　whom　he　sleeps；　and　all　of　these　burn　themselves　at　his　death。　When　he　journeys　to　any　place　he　takes　twenty…five　or　thirty　of　his　most　favourite　wives；　who　go　with　him；　each　one　in　her　palanqueen　with　poles。　The　palanqueen　of　the　principal　wife　is　an　covered　with　scarlet　cloth　tasselled　with　large　and　heavy　work　in　seed…pearls　and　pearls；　and　the　pole　itself　is　ornamented　with　gold。　The　palanqueens　of　the　other　wives　are　ornamented　only　with　silver；　but　another　palanqueen；　which　is　for　his　own　person；　always　goes　on　the　right　side；　and　is　in　the　same　way　decorated　with　gold。　For　a　son　or　a　daughter；　if　such　an　one　goes　with　him；　he　takes　another　bedstead　of　ivory　inlaid　with　gold；　and　when　he　takes　the　field；　wherever　he　pitches　his　camp　there　they　make　for　him　houses　of　stone　and　clay；　for　he　does　not　stay　in　a　tent；　and　he　always　has　these　decorated　with　cloths。＇597＇

In　his　palace　within　the　gates　he　is　served　by　women　and　eunuchs　and　servants　numbering　fully　five　or　six　hundred；　and　these　wives　of　the　King　all　have　their　own　officials　for　their　service；　each　for　herself；　just　as　the　King　has　within　the　gates；　but　these　are　all　women。　The　palaces　of　the　King　are　large　and　with　large　rooms；　they　have　cloisters　like　monasteries；　with　cells；　and　in　each　one　is　one　of　his　wives；　and　with　each　of　these　ladies　is　her　maid…servant；　and　when　the　King　retires　to　rest　he　passes　through　these　cloisters；　and　his　wives　stand　at　the　doors　and　call　him　in；　but　these　are　not　the　principal　wives；　they　are　the　daughters　of　captains　and　nobles　of　the　country。　Inside　the　gates　of　the　palace　they　say　that　there　are　over　two　hundred　milch…cows；　from　the　milk　of　which　they　make　butter　for　these　ladies　to　eat。

The　King　has　no　expense　in　connection　with　his　food；　because　the　nobles　send　it　to　him　every　day　to　his　house；　namely　rice　and　wheat　and　meat　and　fowls　with　all　other　necessary　things。　In　the　kitchen　there　are　some　two　hundred　inferior　guards；　and　four　over　it；　and　two　chief　officers　of　the　guard；　and　those　who　are　now　captains　of　the　guard　of　this　king　are　called；　one　Pedanayque　and　the　other　Ajanaique；　they　are　also　captains　of　soldiers；　these　porters　do　not　go　further　inside　than　through　four　or　five　doors；　because　inside　of　these　are　none　but　eunuchs　and　women。

When　the　King　rides　out　there　go　with　him　usually　two　hundred　horsemen　of　his　guard　whom　he　pays；　and　a　hundred　elephants；　and　this　in　addition　to　the　captains；　forty　or　fifty　in　number；　who　are　always　in　attendance　with　their　soldiers。　He　takes　with　him　two　thousand　men　with　shields；　all　men　of　good　position；　ranged　in　order　on　the　flanks；　and　in　front　goes　the　chief　ALCAID　with　about　thirty　horsemen　having　canes　in　their　hands　like　porters；　the　chief　ALCAID　bears　a　different　wand；　he　who　is　now　the　chief　ALCAID　of　this　King　is　called　Chinapanaique。　Behind　with　the　rearguard　goes　the　Master　of　the　Horse　with　two　hundred　horsemen；　and　behind　the　cavalry　go　a　hundred　elephants；　and　on　their　backs　ride　men　of　high　estate。　He　has　in　front　of　him　twelve　destriers；　saddled；　and　in　front　of　these　horses　go　five　elephants；　specially　for　the　King's　person；　and　in　front　of　these　elephants　go　about　five…and…twenty　horsemen　with　banners　in　their　hands；　and　with　drums　and　trumpets　and　other　music　playing　so　loudly　that　you　can　hear　nothing。　Before　these　goes　a　great　drum　carried　by　men　at　the　sides；　and　they　go　now　and　then　striking　it；　the　sound　of　this　is　heard　a　long　distance　off；　and　this　drum　they　call　PICHA。　After　the　King　has　mounted　he　counts　the　two　hundred　horsemen　and　the　hundred　elephants　and　the　shield…bearers　of　the　guard；　and　whoever　is　missing　is　severely　punished　and　his　property　confiscated。


CHAPTER　22


Of　the　manner　in　which　obeisance　is　done　to　the　King；　&c。

The　manner　of　the　salaam　which　the　nobles　make　to　the　King　every　day　is　this：　　In　the　morning　the　nobles　go　to　the　palace　at　ten　or　eleven　o'clock；　at　which　hour　the　King　comes　out　from　within　where　his　wives　are；　and　after　he　has　taken　his　seat　they　open　to　the　nobles；　and　each　one　comes　by　himself　and　bows　his　head　and　raises　his　hands。　This　is　what　they　call　the　〃salaam〃　（SALEMA）。　With　the　king　are　about　ten　or　twelve　men　who　have　the　duty；　on　the　entrance　of　each　captain；　of　saying　to　the　King：　〃See；　your　Highness；　your　captain　so…and…so；　who　makes　salaam　to　you。〃

The　Kings　of　Bisnaga　have　always　liked；　for　show；　to　have　many　horses　in　their　stables；　and　they　always　had　eight　or　nine　hundred　horses　and　four　or　five　hundred　elephants；　on　account　of　which；　and　on　account　of　the　people　that　looked　after　them；　they　were　put　to　great　expense；　and　this　King　that　now　is　（Achyuta　Raya）　has　in　his　stable　seven　hundred　and　odd　horses　and　four　hundred　elephants。　He　spends　on　account　of　them　and　for　their　attendants；　to　whom　he　gives　food；　two　thousand　gold　PARDAOS　per　day。　And　of　horsemen　whom　the　King　pays　he　has　six　thousand；　and　all　of　them　are　on　the　stables　establishment　（？）　（COMEM　DA　ESTREBARYA）；　and　those　who　serve　them　are　paid　each　year；　some　a　thousand　PARDAOS；　some　five　hundred；　some　three　hundred；　and　those　who　have　less　pay　receive　not　less　than　a　hundred。　Of　these　six　thousand；　two　hundred　are　obliged　to　ride　with　the　King。

The　kings　of　this　country　are　able　to　assemble　as　many　soldiers　as　they　want；　as　they　have　them　there　in　their　kingdom　and　have　much　wealth　wherewith　to　pay　them。　This　King　Chitarao　has　foot…soldiers　paid　by　his　nobles；　and　they　are　obliged　to　maintain　six＇598＇　LAKHS　of　soldiers；　that　is　six　hundred　thousand　men；　and　twenty…four　thousand　horse；　which　the　same　nobles　are　obliged　to　have。　These　nobles　are　like　renters　who　hold　all　the　land　from　the　King；　and　besides　keeping　all　these　people　they　have　to　pay　their　cost；　they　also　pay　to　him　every　year　sixty　LAKHS　of　rents　as　royal　dues。　The　lands；　they　say；　yield　a　hundred　and　twenty　LAKHS　of　which　they　must　pay　sixty　to　the　King；　and　the　rest　they　retain　for　the　pay　of　the　soldiers　and　the　expenses　of　the　elephants　which　they　are　obliged　to　maintain。　For　this　reason　the　common　people　suffer　much　hardship；　those　who　hold　the　lands　being　so　tyrannical。　Of　these　sixty　LAKHS　that　the　king　has　of　revenue　every　year　he　does　not　enjoy　a　larger　sum　than　twenty…five　LAKHS；　for　the　rest　is　spent　on　his　horses；　and　elephants；　and　foot…soldiers；　and　cavalry；　whose　cost　he　defrays。

During　his　feasts　and　the　almsgiving　to　his　temples　all　these　captains；　who　are　thus　like　renters；　must　always　attend　the　court；　and　of　those　whom　this　King　always　has　about　him　and　by　whom　he　is　accompanied　in　his　court　there　are　more　than　two　hundred。　These　are　obliged　always　to　be　present　with　the　King；　and　must　always　maintain　the　full　number　of　soldiers　according　to　their　obligations；　for　if　he　finds　that　they　have　a　less　number　they　are　severely　punished　and　their　estates　confiscated。　These　nobles　are　never　suffered　to　settle　themselves　in　cities　or　towns　because　they　would　there　be　beyond　reach　of　his　hand；　they　only　go　thither　sometimes。　But　a　concession　is　granted　to　the　kings　that　are　subject　to　him；　namely　they　do　not　go　to　court　unless　they　are　summoned；　and