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第71节

a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第71节

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ashes his hands and mouth。 Women and eunuchs serve him at table。 The wives of the King remain each in her own chamber and are waited on by maid…servants。 It is said that he has judges; as well as bailiffs and watchmen who every night guard the palace; and all these are women。

The King never puts on any garment more than once; and when he takes it off he at once delivers it to certain officers who have charge of this duty; and they render an account; and these garments are never given to any one。 This is considered to show great state。 His clothes are silk cloths (PACHOIIS)'618' of very fine material and worked with gold; which are worth each one ten PARDAOS; and they wear at times BAJURIS of the same sort; which are like shirts with a skirt; and on the head they wear caps of brocade which they call CULAES;'619' and one of these is worth some twenty cruzados。 When he lifts it from his head he never again puts it on。

The punishments that they inflict in this kingdom are these: for a thief; whatever theft he commits; howsoever little it be; they forthwith cut off a foot and a hand; and if his theft be a great one he is hanged with a hook under his chin。 If a man outrages a respectable woman or a virgin he has the same punishment; and if he does any other such violence his punishment is of a like kind。 Nobles who become traitors are sent to be impaled alive on a wooden stake thrust through the belly; and people of the lower orders; for whatever crime they commit; he forthwith commands to cut off their heads in the market…place; and the same for a murder unless the death was the result of a duel。 For great honour is done to those who fight in a duel; and they give the estate of the dead man to the survivor; but no one fights a duel without first asking leave of the minister; who forthwith grants it。 These are the common kinds of punishments; but they have others more fanciful; for when the King so desires; he commands a man to be thrown to the elephants; and they tear him in pieces。 The people are so subject to him that if you told a man on the part of the King that he must stand still in a street holding a stone on his back all day till you released him; he would do it。

The officers of the King who go about the kingdom are these:  First the minister (REGEDOR) of the kingdom; who is the second person in it; then the treasurer; with the scribes of the King's own lands;'620' the chief treasurer; and the commander of the palace guards (O PORTEIRO MOOR); the treasurer of the jewels; the chief master of the horse。 The King has no controller of the revenues nor other officers; nor officers of his house; but only the captains of his kingdom; of whom I will here mention some; and the revenues they hold; and of what territory they are lords;

Firstly Salvanayque; the present minister; he has a revenue of a million and a hundred thousand gold PARDAOS。 He is lord of Charamaodel and of Nagapatao; and Tamgor; and Bomgarin; and Dapatao; and Truguel; and Caullim; and all these are cities; their territories are all very large; and they border on Ceylon。'621' Of this money he is obliged to give a third to the King; and two…thirds remain for him for the expenses of his LASCARIS and horses; which he is obliged to maintain for the King; viz。: thirty thousand foot and three thousand horse and thirty elephants; so that he only gets the balance after deducting the expenses of this force。 But in this way he acquires much wealth because he never maintains the whole force。 And the King; whenever he wishes; takes away property of these nobles。

Another captain; Ajaparcatimapa;'622' who was minister of Crisnarao; has a revenue of eight hundred thousand PARDAOS of gold; and is lord of the city of Hudogary;'623' and of the city of Condovim;'624' and of the city of Penagundim;'625' and of Codegaral'626' of Cidaota。'627' All these large cities border on the kingdom of Oria; and some of them with Cape Comorin (CABO DE COMARY)。 These lands Crisnarao gave him when he made him minister and put out the eyes of Salvatinica; his minister; who was captain of them。 He is obliged to serve with twenty…five thousand'628' foot; fifteen hundred horse; and forty elephants; and pays each year to the King three hundred thousand PARDAOS。

Another captain; who is called Gapanayque; is lord of these lands; namely of Rosyl;'629' and of Tipar; and of Ticalo; and of Bigolom。'630' These lands march with the territory of the Ydallcao; and in all these there is much wheat and grains and cattle and goats and gingely and cotton; and very fine cloth made of the last; for all the cloth that is manufactured is made of it。 He has a revenue from these territories of six hundred thousand PARDAOS; and is obliged to furnish two thousand five hundred horse; and twenty thousand foot; and twenty elephants; and he pays every year to the King a hundred and fifty thousand PARDAOS。

Another captain called Lepapayque; who is lord of Vimgapor;'631' a land very rich in seed…plots and cattle…breeding farms; has a revenue of three hundred thousand PARDAOS; and is obliged to furnish twelve hundred horse and twenty thousand foot and twenty…eight elephants; and he pays to the King every year eighty thousand PARDAOS。

The treasurer of the jewels; who is called Narvara is captain of the new city which is called Ondegema;'632' and is lord of the city of Diguoty and of Darguem and of Entarem;'633' and of the other lands bordering on the lands of Bisnaga; they are all fields。 They yield him every year four hundred thousand PARDAOS; of which he gives the King two hundred thousand; and the rest he spends on twelve thousand foot and six hundred horse and twenty elephants。

Another captain called Chinapanayque; the King's marshal; is lord of the land of Calaly'634' in the direction of Cochim in the interior; and of many other lands that yield him three hundred thousand PARDAOS; and he is obliged to pay the King every year one hundred thousand PARDAOS; and serves with eight hundred horse and ten thousand foot (PRACOS)。

Crisnapanayque is lord of Aosel;'635' which is a large city; and of other villages that I do not here mention as they have very difficult names。 These lands yield him every year twenty thousand PARDAOS of gold; and he pays an annual revenue to the King of seven thousand PARDAOS; and serves with five hundred horse and seven hundred foot (PRACOS)。

Also Bajapanarque; who is captain of the country of Bodial;'636' which borders on Mamgalor'637' by the sea…coast。 He is lord too of Guiana。'638' In this country there is much pepper and sugar…cane and cloth (of flax)'639' and much rice; but there is no wheat; nor other cloth; and it is a land of wax。 It yields him three hundred thousand PARDAOS a year; and he serves with eight hundred horsemen and ten thousand foot and fifteen elephants。 He pays the King ten thousand PARDAOS。

Mallpanarque; who was chief master of the horse to King Crisnarao; is lord of the country of Avaly;'640' which is in the interior of Calecu。'641' This land has much iron and much cotton; rice; goats; sheep; cows and buffaloes。 He has a revenue of fifteen thousand PARDAOS; and is obliged to serve with four hundred horse and six thousand foot; and pays the King every year five thousand PARDAOS。

Another captain; called Adapanayque; who is the chief counsellor of the King; is lord of the country of Gate;'642' whence come the diamonds; and of many other territories which yield him three hundred thousand gold PARDAOS; excluding the precious stones which form a revenue by themselves。 He pays to the King every year forty thousand PARDAOS; with the condition that all diamonds which exceed twenty MANGELINS'643' in weight shall be given to the King for his Treasury。 He serves with eight thousand foot and eight hundred horse and thirty elephants; and pays the King every year one hundred thousand PARDAOS。

Another Bajapanayque is captain of Mumdoguel;'644' which was a fortress of the Ydalcao; and was taken from him by Crisnarao when he took Rachol;'645' which was a boundary of it。 This fortress of Mumdoguel with other territories yields him four hundred thousand PARDAOS; and he serves with a thousand cavalry and ten thousand foot and fifty elephants; and pays the King every year one hundred and fifty thousand PARDAOS。

In this way the kingdom of Bisnaga is divided between more than two hundred captains who are all heathen;'646' and according to the lands and revenues that they have so the King settles for them the forces that they are compelled to keep up; and how much revenue they have to pay him every month during the first nine days of the month of September。 He never gives any receipts to them; only; if they do not pay they are well punished; and are ruined and their property taken away。 All the captains of this kingdom make use of litters and palanqueens。 These are like biers and men carry them on their shoulders; but people are not allowed to make use of litters unless they are cavaliers of the highest rank; and the captains and principal persons use palanqueens。 There are always at the court where the King is twenty thousand litters and palanqueens。

These matters concerning (I。E。 the power and greatness of) the kingdom of Bisnaga; though it may seem to you that I have exagg

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