a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第68部分

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in　this　country　they　always　use　beasts　for　burdens；＇586＇　and　every　day　there　enter　by　these　gates　2000　oxen；　and　every　one　of　these　pays　three　VINTEES；＇587＇　except　certain　polled　oxen　without　horns；　which　never　pay　anything　in　any　part　of　the　realm。

Outside　these　two　cities　are　fields　and　places　richly　cultivated　with　wheat　and　gram　and　rice　and　millet；　for　this　last　is　the　grain　which　is　most　consumed　in　the　land；　and　next　to　it　betel　（BETRE）；　which　is　a　thing　that　in　the　greater　part　of　the　country　they　always　eat　and　carry　in　the　mouth。


CHAPTER　20


How　on　the　death　of　Crisnarao　his　brother　Achetarao　was　raised　to　be　king。

Before＇588＇　the　death　of　King　Crisnarao　from　his　disease　as　has　been　before　recounted；　being　sick　and　already　despairing　of　his　life；　he　made　a　will；　saying　that　of　his　three　brothers　whom；　at　the　time　when　they　raised　him　to　be　King；　he　had　sent　to　be　confined　in　the　fortress　of　Chamdegary＇589＇　with　his　nephew；　son　of　the　King　Busbalrao；＇590＇　they　should　make　King　his　brother　Achetarao＇591＇　who　now　reigns；　for　the　latter　seemed　to　him　to　be　better　fitted　for　that　than　any　of　the　others；　for　the　reason　that　he　himself　had　no　son　of　fit　age　for　the　throne；　but　only　one　of　the　age　of　eighteen　months。　After　his　death　Salvanay　became　minister　of　the　kingdom；　and　governed　it　till　the　coming　of　King　Achitarao　from　the　fortress　of　Chamdegary　where　he　was　detained。　And　he　further　left　in　his　will　that　he　should　take　Billgao；＇592＇　and　should　make　war　on　the　Ydallcao。

Which　King　Chytarao；　after　he　ascended　the　throne；　gave　himself　over　to　vice　and　tyranny。　He　is　a　man　of　very　little　honesty；　and　on　account　of　this　the　people　and　the　captains　are　much　discontented　with　his　evil　life　and　inclinations；　for　he　has　never　done　anything　except　those　things　that　are　desired　by　his　two　brothers…in…law；＇593＇　who　are　men　very　evilly　disposed　and　great　Jews。　By　reason　of　this　the　Ydalcao；　learning　of　how　little　weight　he　was；　determined　to　make　war　on　him；　believing　that　he　would　easily　succeed　since　the　King　was　not　inclined　to　war；　so　he　made　his　forces　ready；　and　began　to　invade　the　King's　territory；　and　arrived　within　a　league　of　the　city　of　Bisnaga。　Chetarao　was　in　the　city　with　such　great　forces　and　power　that　he　could　easily　have　captured　him　if　his　heart　had　allowed　him　to　take　action；　since　the　Ydallcao　had　with　him　only　12；000　foot　and　30；000　horse；　yet　with　this　small　force　the　Ydallcao　entered　Nagallapor　a　league　from　Bisnaga　and　razed　it　to　the　ground。　The　King　never　tried　to　go　out　against　him；　nor　had　he　the　stomach　for　a　fight；　and　there　were　only　small　skirmishes　by　some　captains；　good　horsemen。　These　spoke　to　the　King；　asking　that　His　Highness　would　give　them　leave　to　attack；　and　saying　that　his　own　presence　was　unnecessary　for　so　slight　an　affair；　but　the　King　was　terrified；　and　by　the　advice　of　his　brothers…in…law　（of　which　they　gave　not　a　little）　decided　to　send　and　make　peace　with　the　Ydallcao。　The　Ydallcao　was　very　glad　and　made　a　peace　with　him　which　was　to　last　for　a　hundred　years；　on　condition　that　the　King　should　give　him　ten　LAKHS　of　gold　PARDAOS；　each　LAKH　being　100；000　PARDAOS；　and　further　should　yield　up　to　him　the　city　of　Rachol　which　the　King　Crisnarao　had　taken　from　him；　and　which　had　a　revenue　with　its　lands　of　150；000　PARDAOS；　as　well　as　jewels　which　could　easily　be　valued　at　a　LAKH。　The　King　accepted　these　terms；　and　the　Ydallcao　departed　well　pleased　with　this　money；　and　after　all　was　done　the　King　sent　to　him　a　diamond　stone　weighing　130　MANGELLINIS；＇594＇　with　fifteen　other　similar　ones　worth　fully　a　LAKH。　This　money　he　soon　afterwards　recovered　and　put　in　his　treasury；　exacting　payments　from　his　captains　and　people　so　ruthlessly　that　they　say　that　in　six　months　he　had　recovered　and　put　the　whole　in　his　treasury。

Wherefore　the　captains　and　troops；　both　because　he　made　this　peace　and　because　he　exacted　this　sum　of　money　contrary　to　the　wishes　of　them　all；　have　lived　greatly　discontented；　and　have　held　that　if　this　kingdom　should　ever　be　brought　to　destruction；　it　must　take　place　in　the　lifetime　of　King　Chitarao；　for　he　had　destroyed　the　principal　people　of　his　kingdom　and　killed　their　sons　and　taken　their　goods；　all　owing　to　the　bad　counsel　of　his　brothers…in…law；　by　whom　he　was　dominated。

I　will　tell　you　of　one　who　was　called　Crisnaranarque　whom　he　seized　one　night；　and　who；　before　he　surrendered　himself；　killed　all　his　wives；　in　number　two　hundred；　and　then　killed　himself　with　poison　in　presence　of　the　King。　This　was　because　the　King　wanted　to　kill　his　son　in　his　presence。　By　sale　of　the　captain's　arms；　namely　daggers；　swords；　spears；　battle…axes　and　other　things；　which　were　all　ornamented　with　gold　and　silver；　the　King　realised　more　than　3000　PARDAOS。　In　this　way　the　kingdom　has　been　deprived　of　its　principal　men　and　of　those　who　sustain　it；　wherefore　the　Ydalcao　holds　it　in　so　little　esteem　that　he　puts　upon　it　every　day　a　thousand　affronts　and　requisitions。　Of　this　King　there　is　nothing　more　so　far　to　recount；　save　that　he　is　a　man　that　they　hold　to　be　of　little　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