" Dom Pedro, by the Grace of God, Prince of Portugal and of the Algarves, on this and that side of the sea in Africa, of Guinea, and of the conquered commercial navigation of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, and India, et cetera ; as regent and successor, and ruler of the said realms and lordships, and governor and perpetual administrator, as I am, of the Mastership and Knighthood of the three Military orders :
"Be it known to all beholding this Patent, that having regard to the services done by Niculcio Manuchy in our Indian dominions on various occasions arising in our service; by translating the letters written by the Mogul King to the Count, our viceroy in the said Dominions, and by being present during the conferences with his ambassador, Shekh Muhammad, upon the matters under negotiation; subsequently, upon the approach of the prince Muhammad Mu'azzam, Shah 'Alam, eldest son of the said King, with his army, to the vicinity of the said Dominions, by accompanying the envoy that the said Count, our viceroy, sent to the said Prince, and by going more than once to the said army on various matters of great importance appertaining to the said Dominions. Wherein the said Niculao Manuchy conducted himself with great fidelity and zeal in our service; from which we anticipate he will act in the same way from now henceforth.
" For all these reasons he is worthy of every honour and favour, and to prove to the said Prince the esteem in which we hold his person, We hold it expedient to make a grant to the said Niculao Manuchi of the vestment of the order of Sao Tiago, which he can wear on his breast like a true knight, for which he will be recognised and respected as such, enjoying all the honours and privileges thereto appertaining.
11 Wherefore I order that this Patent now issued be made over to him, that it be carried out and observed in its entirety as therein set forth, and that it be sealed with the seal bearing the Royal Arms of the Crown of Portugal. Our Lord the Prince issues it through Francisco de Tavora, Count of Alvor, one of his Councillors of State, Viceroy and Captain-General of India, executed by the Custodian Souza Moreira in Goa the twenty and ninth of January of one thousand six hundred and eighty-four.
" Ordered to be recorded.
" The Secretary, " LUIS GONSALVES CoTA.
" COUNT OF ALVOR. Luis GONSALVES COTA.
186 MANUCCI ATTEMPTS TO LEAVE SHAH 'ALAM
" Patent by which Your Highness is pleased to grant to Niculao Manuchi the vestment of the Order of Sao Thiago, to be borne on his breast as a true knight enjoying all the honours and privileges pertaining thereto, as is above declared.
" Verified by Your Highness.
"Registered in the Book of Grants in the State Secretariat on page twenty-nine.
"LUIS GONSALVES COTA."
I did not wish to continue in the service of Shah 'Alam, for I did not feel happy living among Mahomedans. I saw that these campaigns would not soon come to an end, and thus I would be forced to wander here and there and everywhere with the prince's camp. I took my measures for flight, as was my intention. The >first thing I did was to pray the ambassador from the Portuguese to wait for me with his galliot (armed boat). For when the prince started to march with his army I meant to get back to Goa with him (the envoy). He gave me his word that he would await me. Then I resolved to return the two thousand rupees given me by Shah 'Alam to enable me to march with the army. I did not want it said of me that Hakim Niculao fled after having received two thousand rupees. So I took them to Sultan Mu'izz-ud-din, Shah 'Alam's heir, and asked him to consent to holding the said two thousand rupees, as I had no place to put them. He ordered his eunuch to take charge of them.
I waited until the prince had set out, and then 1 made off, hoping to catch up the ambassador and his boat. But he had gone off to feast himself in the Dutch Factory, and thus the attempt failed. When the prince knew of it he fell into a great rage at my attempted flight, and ordered his foster-brother, Mir Muhammad, to whose charge he had committed me, to go off in search of me, and not to come back to his presence until he brought me with him. He
sent an order to the commander of the fleet to proceed in search of me and (carry me off by force or persuasion. For he declared unconditionally that he meant to keep me in his service.
But he knew that I was no lover of violence, so he sent to the seashore a caparisoned horse for me to ride, and an elephant along with five hundred horsemen to escort me. This was all to do me great honour, but they were to seize me if they came across me.
I was much affected when I did not find the ambassador in the boat. While I was waiting for him, I felt happy at having got away from the camp. Then the sentries reported to us how a galliot belonging to the Mahomedans was approaching. Putting my head to the window, I saw that it was Mir Muhammad, and thereby my courage at once evaporated.
He came aboard the envoy's boat, and earnestly entreated me to save his life; for the prince would never see him until I went back to the camp and spoke with His Highness, who was waiting for me. While we were still in talk, the sentry said that all the Mahomedan army had come from Vingorla. Thus I lost all hope of being able to flee, and, entering Mir Muhammad's galliot, we went off to find the prince, who had already gone four leagues farther off. The commander of the fleet notified my presence to the prince. But owing to the land route being closed by the enemy, who were plundering in all directions, thus causing great risk of the elephant's capture, which would be a disgrace, he ordered them to embark the horses and the troopers told off to escort me, while the elephant was put aboard some other vessel. Thus we all went to a port distant some two days from Vingorla, where the prince had gone to destroy a temple known as the White Pagoda, or of the Virgins. It was sent into the air by gunpowder.
The prince was pleased and happy at my return,
i88 MANUCCI GRANTED LEAVE
Remonstrating lovingly with me, he said he did not know what was to happen to me. For he saw that I had no love for him or for his family. Other Farangis would adopt any and every method to find a prince who had for them a mere fraction of the interest he displayed in me. I replied that I admitted fully the love with which His Highness was pleased to favour me; but my expenses were heavy, nor did I deserve less pay than that given to the other physicians. Thus I could not continue to serve him. Besides this, his ministers and the officials made me wait a very long time for the little His Highness gave me. In this way, while in his service, I was expending my patrimony without benefit and with nothing but distress.
Before putting faith in this speech of mine, it is necessary for the reader to know my temperament, and he should, in addition, know the wonderful cures I had effected among the Mahomedans. Well might I talk thus, for I neither sought for, nor was I in need of, the prince's pay, and thoroughly content should I have been had he grown angry and said : " Be off with you." But he, instead of getting angry and expelling me, ordered, in my hearing, a guard of horse and foot to be put on me, as he did not want me to escape again. Seeing thus how determined he was, I said I could not follow him, not having the necessary equipment; all my baggage was in Goa. On this account I prayed leave to visit Goa to fetch my things, and bid farewell to my relations. I pledged my word to come back within the term of seven days.
He was reluctant to give me this leave, but in the end said he would grant it if I swore to come back again. I swore after the manner of Hindustan—that is, by the feet of His Highness— I would come back again. But he refused this oath, and called upon me to swear by the name of the Messiah, and that then he would place faith in my words and permit me to
RETURNS TO THE ROYAL CAMP 189
quit the royal camp. Finding he required this of me, I swore by the terrible, venerable, and admirable name of Jesus that I would be faithful to my promise. Then he granted me the leave, and conferred on me another set of robes (sardpa).
Though thus obliged to abandon Goa, which I had wished to serve to the utmost of my power, I resolved to seize the occasion for alleviating the great necessity from which it was then suffering. There was famine from want of supplies, especially of wheat, of which there wa
s none in Goa—not even enough to prepare the Host. I asked the prince to let me have a cargo of wheat, his army being fully supplied. It was to be delivered at Goa on account of the merchants, for I wished to confer this benefit on my intimates by way of a parting gift. My petition was acceded to, and, embarking on the same vessel, I went to Goa, where the Portuguese were much pleased at the benefit I had gained for them from the prince, and the merchants acquired their profit. After two days I took leave of the viceroy and my friends, and returned to the royal camp, where the prince awaited me with great eagerness.
When I arrived I learnt that the prince was already prepared for the march, having completed the destruction of the White Pagoda and other edifices belonging to Sambha Ji. We took the road for Bardes once more, halting on the bank of that river. Shah 'Alam had given orders that everyone caught entering or leaving the camp at night should be beheaded without fail. This was to frighten the spies, and hinder them from coming to pry about in the camp. It happened that they caught, among others, some Canarese, who had come from Goa to sell fruit, butter, et cetera, in the camp. Already they were on their way, early in the morning, to be beheaded, when my servants, hearing of this, informed me of the miserable plight of these Canarese. I therefore hurried to the prince, who was already on the march, and besought
him for an order to release my people, who had carried me from Goa. He smiled, and directed the release of the men for whom I had petitioned. Thus some men were released whom I had recognised to be Christians.
After this we marched, and climbed a mountain called Ramgat (? Ramghat), a league and a half of ascent. Here Sambha Ji might have killed the whole of us, for it was a place difficult to climb, with narrow paths passing through jungle and thorny scrub. But he did not choose to attempt it, and they said he was acting in collusion with Shah 'Alam.
But what Sambha Ji did not do by attacking us, God carried out by the pestilence which raged in the army with such violence that in seven days of its prevalence everyone died who was attacked—that is, about one-third of the army. Of this disease there died every day five hundred men ; nor was the mortality confined to men only—it extended to horses, elephants, and camels. This made the air pestilential, and, it being a confined route, supplies failed also ; and this was like encountering another enemy. For although, as I said, wheat was abundant from this time, there were no animals to carry it. Thus the soldiers had more than enough to undergo. Many of those whose horses had died had no money to buy others, nor was there anyone in the camp ready to sell. They were thus forced to march on foot, and many died of the great heat and thirst they underwent. Having reached the top of this pass, we marched for the kingdom of Bijapur. Several times we were watched on the march by the enemy, who, whenever occasion served, spared neither our baggage nor ourselves, plundering in all directions.
Finally we arrived at Aamadanaguer (Ahmadnagar), where Chand Bib! caused golden and silver balls to be fired from her cannon, with the inscription that the ball should belong to the finder. Here we met the army of Aurangzeb, who was waiting for the rainy season
to pass before venturing farther into the kingdom of Bijapur and Gulkandah. During these marches and halts it was observed that in the morning there were on the tents various scarlet imprints of hands. Everyone was in astonishment. We could never discover the signification of these imprints, unless it could be judged to be some witchcraft, for no one could climb so high as to make those hand-prints on the royal tents.
As I was already dissatisfied with all this marching, I continued to reflect on modes of retiring to Europe, there to enjoy the much or little that I had fairly earned by my labours. I therefore asked Shah 'Alam for leave to visit Surat on some business I had there. But as he knew by experience that my determination was to proceed still farther, he ordered his slaves to watch carefully that I did not take to flight. He refused to give any other answer.
Seeing him thus positive, I adopted another plan, which was to write to Muhammad Ibrahim, begging him to assist me in my escape. He wrote that he would most willingly do so. To this end he sent daily four thousand horse to patrol as if they meant to make an attempt upon us, and this caused some anxiety to Shah 'Alam. This went on for several days, until the day fixed for my escape arrived. I sent ,my books out of the camp by the hands of my spies, who moved about in safety. Then, contenting myself by carrying off my hoard of gold coins and my case of instruments, I left my tent mounted on a horse followed by a palanquin, as if I were going to take the air. I halted at the tent of one of my friends, an Englishman named Thomas Gudlet, and there I drank a cup or two so as to mystify Shah 'Alam's spies. Then, on the pretext that at night I had to give a dinner to some friends, I sent the spies to procure dishes of food, some in one place, some in another. I also ordered my palanquin to be taken away, as I intended to ride home that evening.
When I found myself free of these spies, I sent out two faithful servants to wait for me in a village across the river, near which were posted the four thousand horsemen of Muhammad Ibrahim. On arriving, they were to display a small white flag as a signal that the horsemen were there, and that I might come safely. As soon as I got this warning I rode out on my horse as if taking the air, but in truth I was on my way to escape. When I reached the river I moved most leisurely, as if I only meant to give my horse a drink.
When the sentries saw that I was crossing the river, they began to shout and warn the horsemen that I was clearing out. But they were too late to catch me, for giving my steed the rein I moved off in fine style. The horsemen of Shah 'Alam pursued me, describing a half-circle in the hope of surrounding me. But Muhammad Ibrahim's troopers at once rode up, lance in rest, and put Shah 'Alam's horsemen to flight. Thus delivered I reached the village, and from the village the army, where I gave thanks to Muhammad Ibrahim for the favour he had done me.
Nor must I omit to mention how some Christians in the service of the Gulkandah king, aware that I was seeking to escape from Shah 'Alam, came out to meet me and escort me, so as to take my side in case any of the Gulkandah troops attempted to interfere with me. Hardly had I reached the presence of Muhammad Ibrahim, when one of Shah 'Alain's spies turned up. He delivered letters to the general, and informed him in private that I was much valued by Shah 'Alam, who would take it very ill should he assist a person that the prince had sent after several times and put sentries over to prevent his escape.
The spy left, and also the other persons present, and I was alone with Muhammad Ibrahim. He already regretted having helped me in my flight, and as he had been planning to desert to the prince's side, he feared being badly treated by His Highness. This was why, after having congratulated me on my escape,
he prayed me to remain with him a few days; he said he felt unwell, and wanted to purge himself. I quite understood the design of Muhammad Ibrahim; he meant to make me over once more to Shah 'Alam. Placing my hand on my dagger, I said to him that if he did not give me leave to go on to Gulkandah, I should without fail rip open my bowels in his presence, and would rather die than go back to the service of Shah 'Alam.
He became alarmed at finding me thus resolute, and, retiring inside, told me to wait a little. He wrote me a passport for Gulkandah, and coming out again handed it to me, telling me privately to make all the haste I could. As this was all I was waiting for, I jumped on my horse at once and travelled for three days, until 1 arrived at Gulkandah. There I repaired to the house of a friend, Monsieur Francisco Guety, and he conducted me to the mansion of Xarif Elmulq (Sharlf-ul-mulk), brother-in-law of the Gulkandah king. He had several conversations with me; and the king's sister suffering from palpitation of the heart, I was able to alleviate her complaint a great deal. In this way I began to be talked about in Gulkandah.
Thus the king heard of my arrival. As his European physician, a Frenchman named Monsieur Destremon, was dead, the king sent for me to his presence. There, after some conversation, he directed me to go and bleed a woman in his harem, much cherished by him, because she knew wher
e the treasures of the King of Gulkandah Cotobxa (Qutb Shah) were concealed. She was a Georgian, and so extremely stout, and the fat covered the veins so much, that blood could not be drawn from her except from the capillary veins. Her arms were covered with lancet marks. I felt for the vein, and after fixing the bandage, I took a measure twice the size I used for others ; and I reached the vein with such dexterity that the blood gushed out with great force. Everyone was in admiration at seeing a thing that had never happened before with this woman
The king himself, who was standing behind looking on, became desirous of being bled also. But though they made me wait for that day, in the end he would not have it done. It may be that someone had frightened him, that I might be an emissary from Shah 'Alam and Aurangzeb, sent to bleed him in such a way that he would never want to be bled again. In place of having himself bled, he made over to me for treatment one of his nephews who had an ulcerated leg, and for this purpose he presented to me seven hundred rupees for my expenses. [To evade capture by Shah 'Alam, Manucci again fled to Narsapur.]
While Shah 'Alam was halted in that province (Kohir) waiting for the receipt of the treasure, elephants, jewels, and war materials, in accordance with the treaty, he requested the king to have a search made for me, and send me to him as he wanted me. Horsemen were sent by the king to fetch me, with orders to the governors that if I refused to come willingly, I was to be sent by force. The soldiers came upon me in Narsapur, and showed me the royal farman, whereby the king recalled me to court, on the pretext of continuing the treatment of his nephew. He promised me that whenever 1 wanted my liberty it should be given without difficulty.
A Pepys of Mongul India (1653-1708) Page 20