Pilgrimage, Book 5 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Of the Great Mogor.
THe Great Mogor (according to Boterus) hath vnderunder his subiection seuen and fortie Kingdomes, which lye betweene Indus and Ganges on the East and West, and betwixt Imaus and the Ocean. He is called of the people the Great Mogor, for the same cause that the Ottoman-Turkes are called Great. The stile of him that was King a1595, & 1599.when the Iesuites imparted to vsus these relations, was Mahumeth Zelabdi… E…hebar, King Mogor. His descent is from Tamerlan (worthily called Great) from whome he is reckoned the eight. His father was Emmanpa…da (as the Iesuites report) which being driuen to great straits by the Parthians, or Tartars, was driuen to aske aid of the Sophi. or Persian King; which he obtained, with condition of submitting himselfe to the Persian Religion. The Mogores speake the Turkish Language. The Empire of this Mogore is exceeding great, containing the Countries of Bengala, Cambaia, Mendao, and others, comprehended by some vnderunder the name of Industan. This Mendao is said to be tenne Leagues in circuit, and that it cost the Mogor twelue yeares siege. Agra and Fatipore are two Cities in his dominion, great, and full of people, much exceeding London; and the …hole space betweene is as a continuall populous Market. Many Kings he hath conquered, and many hauehave submitted themselues and their States voluntarily to his subiection. Twentie Gentile Kings are numbred bRelat.de Reg. Mog.in his Court, which attend him, equalling the King of Calecut in power. Many others pay him tribute. Eleuen great Riuers runne through his dominions; Taphi, Har…ada, Chambel, Iamena, Ganges: The other six are Indus, or Sch…d (as they call it) and Catamul, Cebcha, Ray, Chenao, Reb…th, tributaries to Indus. The whole Monarchie enuironeth nine hundred Leagues. King Echebar cOf the great Mogor his puissance, riches, and other qualities Pierre du larric hath largely written l.4. de histoire des Indes Or.c.8hath many Lords, each of which is to maintaine eight, tenne, twelue, or foureteene thousand horse in readines for the warre, besides Elephants, of which in the whole Kingdome are said to bee fiftie thousand. Himselfe can further bring of his owne into the Field fiftie thousand horse, & footmen innumerable. To those Lords he alloweth certain Prouinces for such militarie seruice: for he is Lord of all, nor hath any else possession of any thing, but at the will of the King. Once a yeare they appeare before the King, where they present a view of those their enioyned forces. Many millions of reuenue doe besides accrew vntounto his coffers: yet his Port and Magnificence is not so great, as of many other Princes, either for Apparrell, Diet, or the Maiestie of his Court-seruice. He cannot write or reade, but heareth often the disputations of others, and Histories read before him, being of deepe iudgement, piercing wit, and wise fore-cast. In execution of Iustice hee is very disigent, insomuch, that in the Citie where he resideth he heareth all causes himselfe, neither is any malefactor punished without his knowledge, himselfe giuing publike audience tenne times eueryevery day: for which purpose hee hath two wide Halls, and in them Royall Thrones, where he is attended with eight Counsellors, besides Notaries.
This King detesteth the Mahumetane Sect, which, as you heard, his father embraced for his aduantage; and therefore hath ouerthrowne their Moschees in his Kingdome, conuerting them to Stables, and more trusteth and employeth the Gentiles in his affaires then the Moores: whereupon many of them rebelled against him, & stirred vp the Prince of Quabul, his brother, to take Armes: against whome Echebar opposed himselfe, and caused him to retire into his owne Countrie. It is vncertaine dThe vncertainetie of his Religion.what Religion he is of, some affirming him to be a Moore, some a Gentile, some a Christian; some of a fourth Sect, and of none of the former. Indeede it appeareth that he wauereth, vncertaine which way of many to take, able to see the absurdities of the Arabian and Gentile profession, and not able to beleeue the high mysteries of the Christian Faith, especially the Trinitie and Incarnation. He hath admitted the Iesuites there to preach, and would hauehave had them by miracle to hauehave proued those thinges to him, which they (elsewhere so much boasting of Miracles) wisely refused. For the demanded, that the Mulla's, or Priests of the Mogores, and they, should by passing through the fire make tryall of their Faith. Hee hath many Bookes and Images, which the Christians there doe vse, and seemeth to hauehave great liking to them, vsing the same with great reuerence. But his Religion is the same (it seemeth) with that of Tamerlane his predecessour, to acknowledge one GOD, whome varietie of Sects and worshippings should best content. He caused eloan. Oranus.thirtie infants to be kept, as is said of Psammetichus King of Aegypt, setting certaine to watch and obserue, that neither their Nurses, nor any else, should speake vntounto them, purposing to addict himselfe to that Religion which they should embrace, whose Language these infants, should speake; which accordingly came to passe. For as they spake no certaine Language, so is not he setled in any certaine Religion. He hath diuerse Idols sometime brought before him, among which is one of the Sunne, which early eueryevery morning he worshippeth. He worshipped also the Image of CHRIST, setting it on the Crowne of his head. He is addicted to a new Sect, as is said, wherein he hath his followers, which hold him for a Prophet. The profit, which they hauehave by his Gold, addicteth them to this new Prophet. fHier. Xauier.He professeth to worke miracles; by the water of his feet curing diseases. Many women make vowes vntounto him, either to obtaine children, or to recouer the health of their children; which if they attaine, they bring him their vowed deuotions, willingly of him receiued. Hee hath three sonnes; Sciec the eldest, which is honoured with the title G…o, and called Sciecigio, that is, the Soule, or Person, of Sciec: he much fauoureth the Iesuites: The second, Pahari; Dan, or Daniel is the youngest: Some call them by other names. His presents are exceeding, besides his Tributes and Customes: for in eight dayes space these gifts amounted to a million of Gold; g…man Pinner.and almost daily he is presented with the like, and especially in a feast which he celebrateth, called Nerosa, great gifts are offered: so that his Treasures occupie the next roome to those of China.
Touching the Superstitions of this Kingdome, thus writeth Ioannes Oranus, in his Narration of this Kingdome. hNarratio reg. Mogor.. Not farre from the Citie Tahor is an Idoll, resembling a woman, which they call Nazar Coto, framed with two heads, and six or seuen armes, and twelue or foureteene hands, one of which brandisheth a Speare, another a Club. Hereunto resort many Pilgrims to worship, and hereof they tell many miracles; as that many cut off their Tongues, which are againe restored whole vntounto them, but remaine mute. Some thinke our breath to be our Soule. Some affirme, That all things are the same thing. Some, that GOD onelyonly hath a being, other things are shadowes and apparances. Some thinke all things, and some, the round Circle of the world, and some, themselues to be GOD. Almost all doe hold the commigration of soules into the bodies of Beasts. They say the World shall last foure Ages, or Worlds, whereof three are past. The first lasted seuenteene Laches (eueryevery Laches containeth a hundred thousand yeares) and 28000 yeares. Men in that World liued tenne thousand yeares, were of great stature of bodie, and great sinceritie of minde. Thrice in this space did GOD visibly appeare on the Earth: First in forme of a Fish, that he might bring out the Booke of the Law of Brama, which one Causacar had harled into the Sea: The second time in forme of a Snayle, that he might make the Earth drie and solid: Lastly, like a Hogge, to destroy one that said he was God, or as others of them as truely say, to recouer the Earth from the Sea, which had swallowed it. The second World lasted tenne Laches, and 92006 yeares, in which men were as tall as before, and liued a thousand yeares. GOD did appeare foure times: first, in a monstrous forme, the vpper part a Lyon, the lower a Woman, to represse the pride of one which gaue out himselfe for GOD: Secondly, like a poore Bramane, to punish a proud King, that would by a new-deuised Art flee into Heauen: The third time, to be reuenged of another King, which had slaine a poore Religious man, he came in the likenesse of a man, named Parcaram; and lastly, like one Ram, the sonne of Gio…orat, which had slaine Parcaram. The third World continued eight Laches, and foure thousand yeares, wherein men liued fiue hundred yeares; and GOD appeared twìce in humane likenesse. The fourth Age shall endure foure Laches, whereof are alreadie passed 4692 yeares. They say GOD will also appeare in this Age. Others imagine, that he hath alreadie appeared, and that Echebar is he. Some hold, That those tenne appearances were but creatures, which had receiued Diuine power. They themselues easily perceiue the vanitie of these Chimara's and monstrous opinions, but will not leaue them, least they should (at the same cast) loose their wealth and Superstition together.
In this Countrie of the Mogor they hauehave iR. Fitch.many fine Carts, carued and gilded, with two Wheeles, drawne with two little Bulls, about the bignesse of our great Dogges in England, and they will runne with any Horse, and carrie two or three men in one of those Carts. They are couered with Silke, or fine Cloth, and be in vse as our Coaches in England.
By the Letters of N. Pimenta k…o. Busa….1600, it appeareth, that the Mogor had subdued three Indian Kings, of the Arabian Sect, Abdenagran, Idalcan, Massulapatan, and grew dreadfull to the puissant King of Narsinga, by the current of his Conquests, in that Chersonesus which trendeth to the South from Cambaia and Bengala, before mentioned.