A Voyage to East India, Account of voyage · Section 23
SECT. XXIII.
Of the Mogols policy in his government exerciſed by himſelf and ſubſtitutes, &c.
ANd it is that indeed, which is the worſt of …ll governments, called by Ariſtotle foreign. Arbitrary, illimited, Tyrannical, ſuch as a moſt ſevere Maſter uſeth to Servants, not that which a good King adminiſtreth to Subjects.
Which makes it very uncomfortable for thoſe that live as ſubjects there, under the command of others, taller than themſelves by their ſwords length, or ſo to be fixed in any part of the World.
—Where no Laws reſiſt
The ſword, but that it acteth what it liſts.
As in that Empire where the King meaſureth his power by his ſword, or Launce in making his will, his guide, and therefore any thing lawfull that likes him; which carriage of his might very well become that Embleme of ill… mited power, which is a ſword waved by a ſtrong arm and hand, and the word ſi… volo, ſic jubeo, or thus will I have it; and if any there be ſo far diſcontented as to make any the leaſt queſtion at what he doth, he hath a far ſtronger argument ſtill in readineſſe, than all the force of Logick can make, and that is very many thouſands of men that are …ou… and able Souldiers, whom he keeps continually in arms, and pay, that can make any thing good, which he ſhall pleaſe to command.
There are no Laws for Government kep… in that Empire upon record (for ought I could ever learn) to regulate Governours there in the adminiſtration of Juſtice, but what are written in the breaſt of that King and his Subſtitutes, and therefore they often take liberty to proceed how they pleaſe, in puniſhing the Offender rather than the offence, mens perſons more than their Crimes, aegrotum potius, quam morbum.
Yet ever they pretend to proceed in their wayes of judicature (which is the right progreſſe in judgement) ſecundum allegata & probata, by proofs and not by preſumptions.
The great Mogol will ſit himſelf as Judge, in any matters of conſequence that happen nere unto him. And there are no Malefactors that lye more than one night in priſon, and many times not at all, for if the party offending be apprehended early in the day, he is immediately brought before him that muſt be his Judge, by whom he is preſently either acquitted, or condemned; if he be ſentenced to be whipt, he hath his payment, and that (uſually with very much ſeverity) in the place (often,) where he received that ſentence. If condemned to dye, he is preſently (which as I apprehend it is a very hard courſe, though uſed anciently among the Jews) carried from his ſentence to his execution, which is done uſally in the Bazar, or Market-place. And this round and quick Juſtice keep, the people there in ſuch order, and awe, as that there are not many executions.
Murder and Theft they puniſh with death, & with what kinde of death the Judge pleaſeth to impoſe, for ſome Malefactors are hang'd, ſome beheaded, ſome impaled, or put upon ſharp ſtakes (a death which hath much cruelty, and extream torture and torment in it,) ſome are torn in places by wilde Beaſts, ſome kill'd by Elephants; and others ſtung to death by Snakes.
Thoſe which are brought to ſuffer death by Elephants (ſome of which vaſt Creatures are train'd up to do execution on Malefactors) are thus dealt withall. Firſt if that overgrown Beaſt be commanded by his Rider to di…patch that poor, trembling Offender preſently, who lies proſtrate before him, he will with his broad round foot immediately preſſe him to death, but if that wretched Creature be condemn'd, it… mori, ut ſe mori ſentiat, ſo to dye as that he may feel tortures, and torments in dying (which are as ſo many ſeveral deaths.) The Elephant will break his bones by degrees, (as men are broken upon the wheel) as firſt his Legs, then his Thighs, after that, the bones in both his Arms, this done, his wretched Spirit is left to breath its laſt out of the middeſt of thoſe broken bones.
But it is a very ſad thing, and very much unbeſeeming a man, as he is a man, to ſeem to take pleaſure in executing of puniſhment, as thoſe appear to do, who make it their buſineſſe to ſtudy, and invent tortures to inflict on others.
Thus thoſe Monſters of men did (in the primitive times of Chriſtianity) deviſe new torments (for the exerciſe of the Faith, and patience of Chriſtians) which in their relations are extream hard and ſad to read of, much more in their ſuffering of them were they to be endured. Yet almighty God did then ſo ſupport his people in the middeſt of all thoſe grievous extremities they were made to ſuffer, that their Tormentors were more troubled to invent, then they were to endure tortures, ſo that they overcame, while they were overcome, and were (not more than men) but mor… tha… Conquerors, over thoſe, who ſeemed to conquer them.
I cannot deny but that the ſtrength of pride may carry men very far, the ſtrength of del… ſion much further, as we may obſerve from the examples of the ancient Stoicks, and ſince them from others, whoſe Frantick opinions have made ſo prodigal of their limbs and lives, as that they would ſeem very little to regard extreamity of tortures and ſufferings, yea death it ſelf.
When one told Theodorus, (Seneca the Philoſopher reports the ſtories) that he would hang him up alive in the Air, he anſwered thus, minitare iſtud purpuratis tuis, &c. threaten this to thy Carpet Knights, Theodoru… cares not whither his body rot in the Air, or in the Earth, and that when others were upon the Rack, they would cry, ô quam ſuave, &c. Oh what pleaſure is there in racking. Now what pity wrought in others, pride and deluſion wrought in theſe.
The truth is, non p…a, ſed …auſa facit Martyr…m, it is not a mans ſuffering, but the reaſon of it, which made a Martyr, and therefore (however others bear things ou…) they, and they onelyonly to whom it is given not onelyonly to believe, but alſo to ſuffer, can behold their ſufferings ſo with a clear eye of Faith, that though they be intolerable in themſelves, and ſeem ſo to others, yet are they made eaſie to them. Ignatius came to the ſtake and kiſſed it, at which he was preſently burnt. Others have inimbraced thoſe flames which immediately af…r …n'd them into aſhes, whence Tyrants & perſecutors have often ſerved, though much againſt their wills to build and enlarge the Church of Chriſt. As the perſecution of Stephen ſerved to ſpread the Doctrine of ſalvation, in the Countreys thereabouts, and to raiſe up a number of Churches, that happening to perſecutors, which might happen to a man, who to put out a quick fire of burning Coals ſhould ſcatter them all over his Chamber, and ſo ſet on fire his whole Houſe. The Church of Chriſt hath ever gained in perſecution what it hath loſt in proſperity. Therefore thoſe Chriſtians in the primitive Church when they were tortured, would not except of deliverance, Heb. 11. 35. that is a…pt of it upon any ſinfull terms, and in the 138. of the ſame Chapter, they received, or took poſſeſſion of the promiſes which they had onelyonly in hope a far off, and embraced them, as if they had had them in hand foreign, they hug'd them, they kiſs'd them as reſting abundantly ſatisfied, with the hope and expectation of them.
If in thi… life onelyonly the people of God had hope, then were they of all m…n moſt miſerable, for they are here as ſome chief & tender plants of another Countrey, who have much ado to live, and grow, whereas the wicked like weeds th…ive without watering. The Devil is called the Prince of the World, and therefore it would be very ſtrange, if any of Gods people ſhould finde very much content where Satan hath ſo much to do. Here in this World optimi piſſim… agunt, the beſt uſually fare worſt & the righteous have moſt wrong. But it will not alwayes be thus, a time of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord, and then all tears ſhall be wiped from his peoples eyes, and all ſadneſſe ſhall be removed from their Spirits. Nec Malleus Tyrannorum, nec ſecur is p…rſecutionis, and (as one of the ancients ſweetly comforts) when the Hammer of Tyranny cannot touch, nor the Ax of perſecution hurt them, for they ſhall be out of the reach of all fears, troubles, annoyances which make their lives here, ſometimes for the preſent ſeem bitter unto them.
Without doubt the ſervices of Gods people would be very ill rewarded, if they ſhould continue here in this life ſtill. But God (who lends them to the world) …owes them a far better turn than the whole earth can pay them, and therefore when he ſees good removes them hence, becauſe it is for their preferment, in the mean time though the miſeries of Gods people be great, their dayes are ſhort. And although Almighty God do not ſay it vocally, yet ſecretly he ſpeaks to all his people, as ſometimes he did to Moſes; after he had done all the words, which he appointed him to do here; he bids him go up to Mount Nebo, and dye there, Deut. 32. 50. go up and dye; as if he had ſaid, go up and eat. So Joſeph before him, ſaid unto his brethren, I dye, Gen. 50. 24. as if he had ſaid, I eat, I drink, I ſleep. It is neither news or ſtrange for any dear ſervant of God to think of dying: becauſe he knows that he ſhall part with nothing by death, but what is a burden to him, his ſin: looſe nothing by dying, but what he would fain be rid of, his corruption.
Hence the ancient Fathers naming the death of the faithfull their birth, and the day of their Martyrdom the day of their Nativity, ſhewed what great ſatisfaction and content they had, in the thought and hope of the life to come. In the mean time they beheld their ſufferings whatſoever they were ſo with the eye of Faith, (as before) that it made them eaſie to be endured, while they looked not at things which were ſeen, or did not much regard them, but at the things which were not ſeen: for the things they ſaw, or felt here, how bitter, or ſharp ſoever they were, were temporal, tranſient, would have an end, but the things they ſaw not, but aſſuredly expected were eternal, where they ſhould finde weight of glorie for lightneſſe of affliction, 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18. And therefore ſaid the ſame Apoſtle, Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the ſufferings of this preſent time are not worthy to be compared unto the glorie which ſhall be revealed. I reckon foreign, it is a Metaphor, either taken from accountants that put many particulars into one entire ſumme; or elſe from Logicians, who draw certain, or infallable concluſions from foregoing premiſes, Thus, I reckon, or I conclude when I compare profit and loſſe together, as what I ſhall certainly gain, and what I may happily looſe by the profeſſion of the Goſpel; when I have put all croſſes and incumbrances in the one Scale, and the recompence of the reward in the other, it amounts all to this, that the eternal w…ight of the Crown doth exceedingly outweigh the momentary weight of the Croſſe.
Thus it is with all men, who in their greateſt preſſures can ſee further than earth, as that firſt Martyr, profeſſing the Goſpel, Stephen did, (who died not upon a bed of Down, but under a ſhower of ſtones) yet could out of that terrible and thick ſtorm look▪ into Heaven; and ſo do others, who can behold whatſoever they feel with the eye of Faith, and this is like that Tree which Moſes caſt into the bitter waters of Marah, and it made them ſweet, Exod. 15. But as for others I have named, and ſhall further name, to behold their ſufferings and torments, onelyonly with the eye of ſenſe, it muſt needs make their tortures (however they bear them out) out of meaſure to torment.
I have been told by ſome, who were eye-witneſſes (whom I dare credite, and therefore I dare relate it) of ſtrange kindes of death executed by the command of the King of Japan upon his ſubjects, where ſome are Crucified, or nailed to a Croſſe: Others rather roasted, than burnt to death; Thus, there is a ſtake ſet up, and a Circle of fire at a pretty diſtance, made round about it; the condemned perſon being naked, is ſo faſtned to that ſtake, as that he may move round about it, and ſo doth as long as he is able to ſtir, till his fleſh begins to bliſter; then he falls down, and there lyes roaring till the fire, made about him puts him to ſilen…e by taking away both his voice and life.
Now they ſay that one great reaſon, why they put men there unto ſuch exquiſite torments, is, becauſe they hold it a thing of the greateſt diſhonour there for any man to dye by the hand of an Executioner: therefore they are uſually commanded, when they are ſentenced to dye, to rip up, or cut open their own bellies, and thoſe who will not ſo do are tormented in dying. Hence moſt of that people, when as they have received that hard command to prevent death, by dying; call for their friends about them, eat, and ſeem to be merry with them, & then in the cloſe of the meal, and in their preſence, commit this ſad ſlaughter upon themſelves, as firſt thoſe poor wretches make themſelves naked to the middle, he, or they, who are to dye, then the moſt wretched ſelf-murderer, who is to act that bloudy part, ſtrikes a ſharp Knife into the bottom of his belly, then rips himſelf up, and after gives himſelf one other cut croſs his belly, and when he hath done both theſe, if after he can but wipe his bloudy knife upon a white paper, or Napkin that is laid by him, he is believed to part with his life with a very great deal of honour, and immediately (as he is made to believe) goes to Fakaman, whom they ſay is the God of War. So much power the Devil hath in thoſe dark places of the World, to make the people there do what he pleaſe. Oh 'tis a miſery of all miſeries here, to be a drudge, a bond-man, a ſlave to the Devil! as thoſe, and ſo infinite multitudes more profeſſing Chriſt are, by obeying Satan in his moſt unreaſonable commands, and yet will not be made ſenſible of that, their baſeſt bondage.
But to return again to the place frō whence I have made ſome excurſion, when I was in India there was one ſentenced by the Mogol himſelf, for killing his own father to dye thus; firſt he commanded that this Paricide ſhould be bound alive by his heels, faſtned to a ſmall iron Chain, which was tied to the hinde leg of a great Elephant, and then that this Elephant ſhould drag him after him one whole remove of that King, from one place to another, which was about ten miles diſtant, that ſo all his fleſh might be worne off his bones, and ſo it was, when we ſaw him in the way following that King in his progreſſe, for he appeared then to us a skeliton, rather than a body.
There was another condemned to dye by the Mogol himſelf, (while we were at Amadavar) for killing his own Mother, and at this the King was much troubled to think of death; ſuitable for ſo horrid a crime, but upon a little pauſe, he adjudged him to be ſtung to death by Snakes, which was accordingly done. I told you before that there are ſome Mountebanks there, which keep great Snakes to ſhew tricks with them; one of thoſe fellows was preſently called for to bring his Snakes to do that execution, who came to the place where that wretched Creature was appoin…ed to dye, and found him there all naked (except a little covering before) and trembling. Then ſuddenly the Mountebank (having firſt angred and provoked the venomous Creatures) put one of them to his Thigh, which preſently twin'd it ſelf about that part, till it came near his Groin, and there bit him till bloud followed, the other was faſtned to the outſide of his other Thigh, twining about it, (for thoſe Snakes thus kept are, long and ſlender) and there bit him likewiſe, notwithſtanding, the wretch kept upon his feet nere a quarter of an hour, before which time the Snakes were taken from him; But he complained exceedingly of a fire that with much torment had poſſeſſed all his Limbs, and his whole body began to ſwell exceedingly, like Naſidius, bit by a Lybian Serpent, called a Preſter, of whom Mr. May in his Tranſlation of Lucan, the ninth Book thus writes:
His face and cheeks a ſudden fire did roſt;
His fleſh and skin were ſtretch'd, his ſhape was loſt.
His ſwelling body is diſtended far,
Paſt humane growth, and undiſtinguiſh'd are
His limbs, all parts the poyſon doth confound,
And he lies hid in his own body drown'd.
Now much after this manner did the ſtinging of thoſe Snakes work upon that wretch, & about half an hour after they were taken from him, the Soul of that unnatural Monſter left his growing Carkaſſe, and ſo went to its place. And certainly both thoſe I laſt named ſo ſentenced, and ſo executed, moſt juſtly deſerved to be handled with all ſeverity, for taking away the lives of thoſe from whom they had receiv'd their own▪ Some of our family did behold the execution done upon the later, who related all the paſſages of it, and for my part I might have ſeen it to, but that I had rather go a great way not to ſee, then one ſtep to behold ſuch a ſight.
After the example of that King, his Governours deputed and ſet over Provinces and Cities proceed in the courſe of Juſtice, to impoſe what puniſhment and death they pleaſe upon all offendors, and malefactors.
That King never ſuffers any of his Vicegerents to tarry long in one place of Government, but removes them uſually (after they have exerciſed that power, which was given unto them in one place, for one year) unto ſome other place of Government, remote from the former, wherein they exerciſe their power, and this that King doth, that thoſe, which be his Subſtitutes, may not in any place grow Popular.
I told them before that this people are very neat, ſhaving themſelves ſo often, as that they feel the Raſor almoſt every day; but when that King ſends any of them unto any place of Government, or upon any other imployment, they cut not their hair at all, till they return again into his preſence, as if they deſired not to appear beautifull, or to give themſelves any content in this while they live out of the Kings ſight; and therefore the King, as ſoon as he ſees them, bids them cut their hair.
When the Mogol by Letters ſends his commands to any of his Governours, thoſe papers are entertain'd with as much reſpect as if himſelf were preſent; for the Governour having intelligence that ſuch Letters are come near him, himſelf with other inferiour Officers ride forth to meet the Patamar, or meſſenger that brings them, and as ſoon as he ſees thoſe Letters▪ he alights from his horſe, falls down on the earth, and then takes them from the meſſenger and layes them on his head, whereon he binds them faſt, and then returning to his place of publick meeting, for diſpatch of buſineſſes, he reads them, and anſwers their contents with all care and diligence.
The King oft times in his own perſon and ſo his ſubſtitutes appointed Governours for Provinces and Cities, Judge in all matters Criminal that concern life and death. There are other Officers to aſſiſt them, which are called Cut-walls (whoſe Office is like that of our Sheriffs in England) and theſe have many ſubſtitutes under them, whoſe buſineſſe it is to apprehend, and to bring before theſe Judges ſuch as are to be tried for things Criminal, or Capital, where the Offender (as before) knows preſently what will become of him. And thoſe Officers wait likewiſe on other Judges there, which are called Cadees, who onelyonly meddle with Contracts and Debts, and other buſineſſes of this Nature 'twixt man and man. Now theſe Officers arreſt Debtors, and bring them before thoſe Judges, and their ſureties too, bound as with us in Contracts confirmed (as before) under their hands and ſeals, and if they give not content unto thoſe which complain of them, they will impriſon their perſons, where they ſhall finde and feel the weight of fetters; nay, many times they will ſell their perſons, their Wives and Children into bondage, when they cannot ſatisfie their Debts; And the cuſtom of that Countrey bears with ſuch hard and pitilies courſes, ſuch as was complain'd of by the poor widow unto the Prophet Eliſha; who when her husband was dead, and ſhe not able to pay, the Creditor came and took her two ſons to be bond men, 2 King. 4. 1.
The Mogol looked to be preſented with ſome thing, or other, when my Lord Ambaſſadour came to him, and if he ſaw him often empty handed, he was not welcom, and therefore the Eaſt-India Company were wont every year to ſend many particular things unto him, in the name of the King of England, that were given him at ſeveral times, eſpecially then when the Ambaſſadour had any requeſt unto him, which made a very fair way unto it.
Amongſt many other things, when my Lord Ambaſſadour firſt went thither, the Company ſent the Mogol an Engliſh Coach, and Harneſſe for four Horſes, and an able Coach-man, to ſute and mannage ſome of his excellent Horſes, that they might be made fit for that ſervice. The Coach they ſent was lined within with Crimſon China velvet, which when the Mogol took notice of, he told the Ambaſſadour that he wondred the King of England would trouble himſelf ſo much, as to ſend unto China for Velvet to Line a Coach for him, in regard that he had been informed, that the Engliſh King had much better Velvet near home, for ſuch, or any other uſes.
And immediately after the Mogol cauſed that Coach to be taken all to pieces, and to have another made by it, for (as before) they are a people that will make any new thing by a pattern, and when his new Coach was made according to the pattern, his work-men firſt putting the Engliſh Coach together, did ſo with that they had new made, then pulling out all the China Velvet which was in the Engliſh Coach, there was in the room thereof put a very rich Stuffe, the ground ſilver, wrought all over in ſpaces with variety of flowers of ſilk, excellently well ſuited for their colours, and cut ſhort like a Pluſh, and in ſtead of the braſſe Nails that were firſt in it, there were Nails of ſilver put in their places. And the Coach, which his own work-men made was lined and ſeated likewiſe with a richer ſtuffe than the former, the ground of it Gold, mingled like the other with ſilk flowers, and the Nails ſilver and double guilt; and after having Horſes and Harneſſe fitted for both his Coaches, He rode ſometimes in them, and contracted with the Engliſh Coach-man to ſerve him, whom he made very fine, by rich veſts he gave him, allowing him a very great Penſion; beſides, he never carried him in any of thoſe Coaches, but he gave him the reward of ten pounds at the leaſt, which had raiſed the Coach-man unto a very great Eſtate, had not death prevented it, and that immediately after he was ſetled in that great ſervice.
The Eaſt-India Company ſent other preſents for that King, as excellent Pictures which pleaſed the Mogol very much, eſpecialy if there were fair and beautifull Women portrayed in them. They ſent likewiſe Swords, Rapiers, excellently well hatcht, and pieces of rich imbroidery to make ſweet baggs, and rich Gloves, and handſome Looking glaſſes, & other things to give away, that they might have alwayes ſome things in readineſs to preſent both to the King, and alſo to his Governours, where our Factories were ſetled, for all theſe were like thoſe rulers of Iſrael mentioned, Hoſea 4. 18. who would love to ſay with ſhame, give ye. They looked to be preſented with ſomething, when our Factors had any eſpecial occaſion to repair unto them, and if the particular thing they then preſented did not like them well, they would deſire to have it exchanged for ſomething elſe, happily they having never heard of our good and modeſt proverb, that a man muſt not look into the mouth of a given Horſe. And it is a very poor thing indeed which is freely given, and is not worth the taking.
The Mogol ſometimes by his Firmauns, or or Letters Patents, will grant ſome particular things unto ſingle, or divers perſons, and preſently after will contradict thoſe Grants by other Letters, excuſing himſelf thus, that he is a great, and an abſolute King, and therefore muſt not be tied unto any thing, which if he were, he ſaid that he was a ſlave, and not a free man: Ye what he promiſed was uſually enjoyed, although he would not be tied to a certain performance of his promiſe. Therefore there can be no dealing with this King upon very ſure terms, who will ſay and unſay, promiſe and deny. Yet we Engliſh men did not at all ſuffer by that inconſtancy of his, but there found a free Trade, a peaceable reſidence, and a very good eſteem with that King and people; and much the better (as I conceive) by reaſon of the prudence of my Lord Ambaſſadour, who was there (in ſome ſenſe) like Joſeph in the Court of Pharoah, for whoſe ſake all his Nation there, ſeemed to fare the better. And we had a very eaſie way upon any grievance to repair to that King, as will appear now in my next Section which ſpeaks.