a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第70节

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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　twenty　thousand　spearmen　and　shield…bearers；　and　three　thousand　men　to　look　after　the　elephants　in　the　stables；　he　has　sixteen　hundred　grooms＇614＇　who　attend　to　the　horses；　and　has　also　three　hundred　horse　trainers＇615＇　and　two　thousand　artificers；　namely　blacksmiths；　masons；　and　carpenters；　and　washermen　who　wash　clothes。　These　are　the　people　he　has　and　pays　every　day；　he　gives　them　their　allowance　at　the　gate　of　the　palace。　To　the　six　thousand　horsemen　the　King　gives　horses　free　and　gives　provision　for　them　every　month；　and　all　these　horses　are　marked　with　the　King's　mark；　when　they　die　they　are　obliged　to　take　the　piece　of　skin　containing　the　mark　to　Madanarque；　the　chief　master　of　the　horse；　so　that　he　may　give　them　another；　and　these　horses　which　he　gives　are　mostly　country…breds　which　the　King　buys；　twelve　or　fifteen　for　a　thousand　PARDAOS。＇616＇　The　King　every　year　buys　thirteen　thousand　horses　of　Ormuz；　and　country…breds；　of　which　he　chooses　the　best　for　his　own　stables；　and　he　gives　the　rest　to　his　captains；　and　gains　much　money　by　them；　because　after　taking　out　the　good　Persian　horses；　he　sells　those　which　are　country…bred；　and　gives　five　for　a　thousand　PARDAOS；　and　they　are　obliged　to　pay　him　the　money　for　them　within　the　month　of　September；　and　with　the　money　so　obtained　he　pays　for　the　Arabs　that　he　buys　of　the　Portuguese；　in　such　a　way　that　his　captains　pay　the　cost　of　the　whole　without　anything　going　out　of　the　Treasury。

This　King　has　also　within　his　gates　more　than　four　thousand　women；　all　of　whom　live　in　the　palace；　some　are　dancing…girls；　and　others　are　bearers＇617＇　who　carry　the　King's　wives　on　their　shoulders；　and　the　King　also　in　the　interior　of　the　palace；　for　the　king's　houses　are　large　and　there　are　great　intervals　between　one　house　and　another。　He　has　also　women　who　wrestle；　and　others　who　are　astrologers　and　soothsayers；　and　he　has　women　who　write　all　the　accounts　of　expenses　that　are　incurred　inside　the　gates；　and　others　whose　duty　it　is　to　write　all　the　affairs　of　the　kingdom　and　compare　their　books　with　those　of　the　writers　outside；　he　has　women　also　for　music；　who　play　instruments　and　sing。　Even　the　wives　of　the　King　are　well　versed　in　music。

The　King　has　other　women　besides。　He　has　ten　cooks　for　his　personal　service；　and　has　others　kept　for　times　when　he　gives　banquets；　and　these　ten　prepare　the　food　for　no　one　save　for　the　King　alone。　He　has　a　eunuch　for　guard　at　the　gate　of　the　kitchen；　who　never　allows　any　one　to　enter　for　fear　of　poison。　When　the　King　wishes　to　eat；　every　person　withdraws；　and　then　come　some　of　the　women　whose　duty　it　is　and　they　prepare　the　table　for　him；　they　place　for　him　a　three…footed　stool；　round；　made　of　gold；　and　on　it　put　the　messes。　These　are　brought　in　large　vessels　of　gold；　and　the　smaller　messes　in　basins　of　gold；　some　of　which　are　adorned　with　precious　stones。　There　is　no　cloth　on　the　table；　but　one　is　brought　when　the　King　has　finished　eating；　and　he　washes　his　hands　and　mouth。　Women　and　eunuchs　serve　him　at　table。　The　wives　of　the　King　remain　each　i