JOURNEY OF THOMAS CORYAT BY LAND, FROM JERUSALEM TO THE COURT OF THE
GREAT MOGUL.[245]
INTRODUCTION.
Without proposing to follow this singularly bold English traveller and
whimsical writer, in all his _crudities_, as he has quaintly termed his
own writings, it has seemed proper to give some abbreviated extracts of
his observations, which may serve in some measure to illustrate those of
Sir Tomas Roe and the Reverend Edward Terry.--E.
[Footnote 245: Purch. Pilgr. I. 607. In regard to this short article,
see introduction to the immediately preceding Section.--E.]
§1. _Letter from Ajimeer, the Court of the Great Mogul, to Mr L.
Whitaker, dated in the Year 1615_.
My last letter to you was from _Zobah_, as it is called by the prophet
Samuel, B. II. ch. viii. v. 3. now named Aleppo, the principal emporium
of all Syria, or rather of the eastern world; which was, I think, about
fifteen months ago. I returned from Jerusalem to Aleppo, where I
remained three months afterwards, and then departed in a caravan bound
for Persia. Passing the river Euphrates, the chiefest of the rivers
which irrigated the terrestrial paradise, when about four days journey
from Aleppo, I entered into Mesopotamia, or Chaldea. Hence, in two days
journey, I reached _Ur_ of the Chaldees, where Abraham was born, a very
delicate and pleasant city.[246] I remained here four days; and in other
four days journey reached the Tigris, which I also passed, at a place
where it was so shallow that it only reached to the calf of my leg, so
that I waded over a-foot. I then entered into the greater Armenia; and
thence into lower Media, and resided six days in its metropolis,
formerly called _Ecbatana_, the summer residence of Cyrus the Great, now
called Tauris. More woeful ruins of a city I never beheld, excepting
those of Troy and of Cyzicum in Natolia.
[Footnote 246: Probably Orfa in Diarbekir is here meant.--E.]
From that place I went to _Cashbin_, called by Strabo, _Arsacia_, in
higher Media, once the residence of the Tartar prince; four days journey
from the Caspian Sea. From Cashbin, I went in twenty-three days to
_Ispahan_ in Parthia, the residence of the king of Persia; but while I
was there, he was in _Gurgistan_, [Georgia,] ransacking the poor
Christians of that country with fire and sword. I remained two months at
Ispahan, whence I travelled with a caravan to the eastern India, passing
four months and several days in travelling from that city, through part
of Persia proper, and a large extent of the noble and renowned India, to
the goodly city of _Lahore_. This is one of the largest cities in the
world, being, at the least, sixteen miles in circuit, and larger even
than Constantinople. Twelve days before coming to Lahore, I passed over
the famous river Indus, which is as broad again as our Thames at London,
having its original from the mountain of Caucassus, so ennobled by
ancient poets and historians, both Greek and Latin.
When about midway between Ispahan and Lahore, just about the frontiers
between Persia and India, I met Sir Robert Shirley and his lady,
travelling from the court of the Mogul to that of Persia. They were
gallantly furnished for their journey, and shewed me, to my great
satisfaction, both my books, very neatly kept, and promised to shew
them, especially my itinerary, to the king of Persia, and to interpret
some of the principal contents to him in Turkish, that I may have the
more gracious access to him at my return. Besides other rarities which
they carried with them, they had two elephants and eight antelopes,
being the first of either I had ever seen. But afterwards, when I came
to the Mogul's, court, I saw many. They intended to present these
animals to the king of Persia. Both Sir Robert and his lady used me with
much respect; especially his lady, who presented me with forty shillings
in Persian money; and they seemed joyful at meeting me, promising to
bring me into good grace with the king of Persia, as I mean, with God's
help, to return through Persia to Aleppo.
From Lahore, I travelled in twenty days to another goodly city named
Agra, through such a beautiful and level country as I had never seen
before. In this way, from the town's end of Lahore to the skirts of
Agra, we had a row of trees on both sides of the road, the most
incomparable avenue I ever beheld. Some ten days journey from Lahore
towards Agra, but about ten miles off the road on the left hand, there
is a mountain, the inhabitants of which have a singular custom, all the
brothers of one family having but one wife among them, so that one women
sometimes has six or seven husbands. The same is related by Strabo
concerning the inhabitants of Arabia Felix. Agra is a very great city,
but in every respect much inferior to Lahore. Here the Mogul used always
to keep his court, till within these two years.
From Agra I went in ten days to the Mogul's court, at a town called
Asmere, [Ajimeer,] where I found an English. Cape merchant with nine
more of our countrymen, residing there in the way of trade for our East
India Company. In. my journey from Jerusalem to the court of the Great
Mogul, I spent fifteen months and some days, travelling all the way
a-foot, having been so great a _propatetic_, or walker forwards on foot,
as I doubt if you ever heard of the like; for the whole way, from
Jerusalem to Ajimeer, contains 2700 English miles. My whole
perambulation of the greater Asia is likely to extend almost to 6000
miles, by the time I have returned back through Persia, by Babylon and
Nineveh to Cairo in Egypt, and thence down the Nile to Alexandria, when
I propose, with God's blessing, to embark for Christendom.
The reigning Great Mogul is named Selim.[247] He is fifty-three years of
age, his birth-day having been celebrated with wonderful magnificence
since my arrival. He was that day weighed in a pair of golden scales,
which by great chance I saw that same day, the opposite scale being
filled with as much gold as counterpoised his weight, and this is
afterwards distributed among the poor. This custom is observed every
year. His complexion is of an olive colour, something between white and
black; being of a seemly stature, but somewhat corpulent. His dominions
are very extensive, being about 4000 English miles in circumference,
nearly answerable to the compass of the Turkish territories; or, if the
Mogul kingdom be any way inferior in size to that empire, it is more
than equally endowed with a fertile soil beyond that of any other
country, and in having its territory connected together in one goodly
continent, within which no other prince possesses one single foot of
land. The yearly revenue of the Mogul extends to forty millions of
crowns, of six shillings each, while that of the Turk does not exceed
fifteen millions, as I was credibly informed in Constantinople, nor that
of the Sophy five millions, as I learnt at Ispahan. It is said that the
present Great Mogul is not circumcised, in which he differs from all
other Mahometan sovereigns.
[Footnote 247: He was Sultan Selim before his accession to the throne,
but was afterward known by the new name of Jehunguire.--E.]
The Great Mogul speaks with much revrence of our Saviour, naming him
_Hazaret Eesa_, that is to say, the Great Prophet Jesus.[248] He
likewise uses all Christians, and especially the English, with more
benevolence than does any other Mahometan prince. He keeps many wild
beasts, such as lions, elephants, leopards, bears, antelopes, and
unicorns, [rhinoceroses,] of which I saw two at his court, the strangest
beasts in the world. They were brought out of Bengal, a kingdom in his
dominions of most wonderful fertility, above four months journey from
this place, the mid-land parts of which are watered by various channels
and branches of the famous river Ganges. I have not yet seen that
country, but mean to visit it, God willing, before my departure, the
nearest part of it being only about twelve days journey from hence.
[Footnote 248: The Persian word _Hasaret_, here erroneously rendered
Great Prophet, seems to signify literally _face_ or _presence_, and is
metaphorically used as a term of highest dignity, of which an instance
occurs in the present section, used by Coryat himself in addressing the
Great Mogul--E.]
Twice every week elephants are made to fight before the Mogul, forming
the bravest spectacle that can be imagined, many of them being thirteen
feet and a half in height, and they jostle together as though they were
two little mountains; and were they not separated in the midst of their
fighting, by means of certain fire-works, they would exceedingly hurt
and gore each other, by their murderous tusks. The Mogul is said to keep
30,000 elephants, at a most enormous expence; and in feeding them,
together with his lions and other beasts, he expends an incredible sum
of money, being at the least 10,000 pounds sterling daily. I have myself
rode upon an elephant since I came to this court, meaning in my next
book to have my effigies represented in that form. This king keeps a
thousand women for his own use, the chiefest of whom, called Normal,
(Noormahal) is his queen.
In my ten months journey between Aleppo and this court, I spent just
three pounds sterling, yet fared reasonably every day; victuals being so
cheap in some of the countries through which I travelled, that I often
lived competently for one penny a-day. Of that three pounds, I was
actually cozened out of ten shillings, by certain evil Christians of the
Armenian nation; so that in reality I only expended fifty shillings in
all that time. I have been in a city of this country called
_Detee_,[249] where Alexander the Great joined battle with Porus king of
India, and defeated him; and where, in memory of his victory, he caused
erect a brazen pillar, which remains there to this day. At this time I
have many irons in the fire, as I am learning the Persian, Turkish, and
Arabic languages, having already acquired the Italian. I have been
already three months at the court of the Great Mogul, and propose, God
willing, to remain here five months longer, till I have got these three
languages; after which I propose to visit the river Ganges, and then to
return to the court of Persia.
[Footnote 249: This is obviously a misprint for Delee, meaning Delhi;
but it is more probable that Alexander never was beyond the Punjab.--E.]
In the course of my journey, I was robbed of my money, but not of all,
having some concealed in certain secret corners. This was done at the
city of Diarbekir in Mesopotatamia, by a Turkish horse soldier, whom
they call a _spahee_. Since my arrival here, there was sent to this king
the richest present I ever heard of. It consisted of various things, the
whole amounting to the value of ten of their lacks, a lack being £10,000
sterling. Part of this present consisted of thirty-one elephants, two of
which were more gorgeously adorned than any thing I ever saw, or shall
see in the course of my life. They had each four massy chains all of
beaten gold, around their bodies, with two chains of the same about
their legs, furniture for their buttocks of the same rich material, and
two golden lions on their heads.
§2. _Letter from Agra, the Capital of the Great Mogul, to his Mother,
dated 31st October, 1616_.
Most dear and well-beloved Mother,
This city is the metropolis of the whole dominions of the Great Mogul,
and is at the distance of ten days journey from Ajimeer, whence I
departed on the 12th September this year, after having abode there
twelve months and sixty days. This my long stay in one place, was for
two principal causes; one being to learn the languages of these
countries through which I am to pass between this country and
Christendom, namely, Persian, Turkish, and Arabic, which I have
competently attained to by labour and industry, being as available to me
as money, and the chiefest, or rather the only means to get me money if
I should happen to be in want; and, secondly, that, by the help of the
Persian, I might get myself access to the Mogul, and be able to express
my mind unto him about what I proposed to lay before him. During all
this time, I abode in the house of the English merchants, my dear
countrymen, not expending any money at all for lodging, diet, washing,
or any other thing.
I attained to a reasonable skill in the Persian tongue, by earnest study
in a few months, so that I made an oration to the king in that
language, before many of his nobles; and afterwards discoursed with him
very readily. The copy of this speech I have sent you, as a novelty,
though the language may seem strange and uncouth to an Englishman; and I
have sent you herewith a translation, which you may shew along with the
Persian original to some of my learned friends of the clergy, and also
of the laity, who may take some pleasure in reading so rare and unusual
a tongue. The Persian is this that follows:
_Hazaret Aallum-pennah, Salamet: fooker Darceish, ce jehaun-gesht
hastam; ke mia emadam az wellageti door, yanne as muik Ingliz-stan, ke
kessanion pesheen mushacar cardand,_ _ke wellageti mazcoor der akeri
magrub bood, ke mader hamma jezzaereti dunia ast, &c._[250]--The English
of it is this:
"Lord protector of the world, all hail! I am a poor traveller and
world-seer, who am come here from a far country called England, which
ancient historians thought to have been situated in the farthest bounds
of the west, and which is the queen of all the islands in the world. The
causes of my coming hither are four. First, that I might behold the
blessed countenance of your majesty, whose great fame has resounded over
all Europe, and through all the Mahometan countries. When I heard of the
fame of your majesty, I made all possible haste hither, and cheerfully
endured the labour of travelling, that I might see your glorious court.
Secondly, I was desirous of seeing your majesty's elephants, which kind
of beasts I have not seen in any other country. Thirdly, that I might
see your famous river the Ganges, the captain of all the rivers in the
world. Fourthly, to entreat your majesty, that you would vouchsafe to
grant me your most gracious phirmaund, that I may travel into the
country of Tartaria to the city of Samarcand, to visit the blessed
sepulchre of the _Lord of the Corners_,[251] whose fame, by reason of
his wars and victories, is published over the whole world, so that
perhaps he is not altogether so famous in his own country of Tartary as
in England. I have a strong desire to see the sepulchre of the Lord of
the Corners for this cause, that, when in Constantinople, I saw a
notable old building in a pleasant garden near the said city, where the
Christian emperor, Emanuel, made a sumptuous banquet to the Lord of the
Corners, after he had taken Sultan Bajazet in a great battle near the
city of Brusa, when the Lord of the Corners bound Sultan Bajazet in
golden fetters, and put him into an iron cage. These causes have induced
me to travel thus far from my native country, having come a-foot through
Turkey and Persia into this country, my pilgrimage having extended so
three thousand miles, with much labour and toil, such as no mortal man
hath ever yet performed, to see the blessed countenance of your majesty,
since the first day of your being inaugurated in your imperial throne."
[Footnote 250: The whole discourse, of which the following paragraph in
the text is the translation, is contained in the Pilgrims: But doubting
its accuracy, as that book is most incorrectly printed throughout, the
editor requested the favour of the late learned professor of oriental
languages in the University of Edinburgh, Dr Alexander Murray, to revise
and correct this first sentence, which he most readily did, adding the
following literal translation: "Presence, [or face.] of the
world--protector, salutation to thee: A poor dervish and world-wanderer
I am; that I have come from a kingdom far, to-wit, from the kingdom of
Ingliz-stan, which historians ancient, relation have made, that kingdom
said, in the end of the west was, which the mother of every island of
the world is," &c.]
[Footnote 251: This is the title given to Tamerlane in this country, in
the Persian language, meaning that he was lord over the four corners of
the earth, that is, the highest and supreme monarch of the
world.--_Purch._]
When I had ended my speech, I conversed with him for a short space in
Persian, when, among other things, he told me that he could do me no
service in regard to my proposed journey to Samarcand, as there was no
intimacy between him and the princes of the Tartars, so that his
commendatory letters would avail me little. He also added, that the
Tartars bore so deadly a hate against all Christians, that they would
certainly kill any who might venture into their country, wherefore he
earnestly dissuaded me from this proposed journey, as I valued my life
and welfare. At last, he concluded his discourse by throwing down to me,
from a window in which he stood, that looked into the street, an hundred
pieces of silver, worth two shillings each or ten pounds in all, which
were thrown into a sheet hanging by the four corners.
I had conducted this affair so secretly, by the help of the Persian
which I had learnt, that neither our English ambassador, nor any other
of my countrymen, excepting one special and private friend, knew any
thing at all about the matter till I had thoroughly accomplished my
design. For I well knew, if the ambassador had got the smallest notice
of my purpose, that he would have counteracted me, as indeed he
signified to me after I had effected my purpose, alledging that this
might redound to the discredit of our nation, for one of our country to
present himself in that poor and beggarly manner before the king, to
crave money from him by flattery. But I answered our ambassador so
resolutely, that he was glad to let me alone. Indeed, I never had more
need of money in all my life than at this time, having only to the value
of twenty shillings remaining, owing to my having been stripped of
almost all my money by a miscreant Turk, in a city called _Imaret_, in
Mesopotamia.
After my interview with the Mogul, I went to visit a certain noble and
generous Christian of the Armenian nation, two days journey from court,
to observe certain remarkable matters at that place; and, by means of my
knowledge of the Persian language, he made me very welcome, entertaining
me with much civility and kindness; and, at my departure, gave me very
bountifully twenty pieces of the same coin as the king had done, worth
forty shillings of our money. About ten days after this, I departed from
Ajimeer, the court of the Great Mogul, to resume my pilgrimage, after my
long rest of fourteen months, proposing to go back into Persia. On this
occasion, our ambassador gave me a gold piece of this king's coin, worth
twenty-four shillings, which I shall save till my arrival in England, if
it be possible. I have thus received in benevolences, since I came into
this country, twenty marks sterling,[252] bating two shillings and
eight-pence, besides £1:13:4 sterling, in Persian money, from Lady
Shirley, upon the confines of Persia. At this present, being in Agra,
whence I write this letter, I have about twelve pounds, which, according
to my manner of living on the way, at two-pence a-day, will very
competently maintain me during three years travel, considering the
cheapness of all eatables in Asia. Drink costs me nothing, as I hardly
ever drink any thing beyond pure water during my pilgrimage.
[Footnote 252: Twenty marks are £15:6:8 sterling.--E.]
I mean to remain in Agra for six weeks longer, waiting an excellent
opportunity of going to the famous river Ganges, about five days journey
from hence, to see a memorable meeting of the idolatrous people of this
country, called Banians, of whom to the number of 400,000 go thither, on
purpose to bathe and shave themselves in the river, and to sacrifice a
world of gold to that same river, partly in stamped coin, and partly in
great massy lumps and wedges, thrown into the river as a sacrifice,
besides many other strange ceremonies, worthy of being observed. So
notable a spectacle is no where to be seen, neither in this the
_greater_ Asia, nor in the _lesser_, now called Natolia. This shew is
made once in every year, on which occasion people flock thither from
almost a thousand miles off, worshipping the river as a god and
saviour; a most abominable and impious superstition of these brutish
heathens, aliens from Christ. As soon as I have seen this ceremony, I
propose, by God's help, to repair to Lahore, twenty days journey from
hence, and so into Persia, &c.
Your dutiful, loving, and obedient son,
Now a desolate pilgrim in the world,
THOMAS CORYAT.
§3. _Some Observations concerning India, by Thomas Coryat_.[253]
Whereas in this country the beggars beg from a Christian in the name of
_Bibbee Maria_, and not of _Hazaret Eesa_, we may gather that the
Jesuits have preached our _Lady Mary_ more than the _Lord Jesus_.
[Footnote 253: Purchas informs us, that these were taken from certain
notes written by Coryat, given him by Sir Thomas Roe; "whence, omitting
such things as have been given before from the observations of Sir
Thomas Roe himself, I have inserted a few."--_Purch._]
A great rajah of the Hindoos, who was a notorious atheist, and a
contemner of all diety, and who boasted that he knew of no God except
the king, and neither believed nor feared any other, happened one day to
sit dallying among his women, when one of them plucked a hair from his
breast, which hair being fast-rooted, plucked off along with it a small
bit of skin, so that a small spot of blood appeared. This small scar
festered and gangrened incurably, so that in a few days his life was
despaired of, and being surrounded by all his friends, and several of
the courtiers, he broke out into these excellent words:--"Which of you
would have thought that I, a warrior, should not have died by the stroke
of a sword, a spear, or an arrow? But now am I enforced to confess the
power of the great God I have so long despised, who needs no other lance
to slay so blasphemous a wretch and contemner of his holy majesty, such
as I have been, than a small hair."
Akbar Shah, the former king, had learnt all manner of sorceries; and
being once in a strange humour to shew a spectacle to his nobles, he
brought forth his favourite Sultana before them, and cut off her head
with a sword in their presence. Seeing them struck with horror and
amazement at this action, by virtue of his exorcisms and sorceries, he
caused her head to fix on again, and no sign remained of any wound.
The same prince, who was very fortunate during his reign, shewed the
utmost attention and respect to his mother, of which he one day gave the
following striking instance:--Being on a journey between Lahore and
Agra, on which occasion his mother accompanied him, being carried in a
palanquin, and having to pass a river, he took one of the poles of the
palanquin on his own shoulder, commanding his greatest nobles to do the
same, and in this manner carried her across the river. He never denied
her any request that ever she made, except one, and this was, that our
Bible might be hung about the neck of an ass, and so beaten about the
town of Agra. The reason of this strange request was, that the
Portuguese had taken a ship of theirs, in which they found a copy of the
_Koran_, or bible of the Mahometans, which they tied about the neck of a
dog, and beat the dog about the streets of Ormus. But he denied her this
request, saying, That if it were evil in the Portuguese to have so done
with the Koran, it did not become a king to requite evil with evil, as
the contempt of any religion was contempt of God, and he would not be
revenged upon an innocent book. The moral of this is, that God would not
permit the sacred book of his law and truth to be contemned among the
infidels.
One day in every year, for the amusement of the king's women, all the
tradesmen's wives are admitted into the _Mahal_, having each somewhat to
sell, after the manner of a fair, and at which the king acts as broker
for his wives, no other man being present, and by means of his gains on
this occasion, provides his own supper. By this means he attains to a
sight of all the pretty women of the city; and at a fair of this kind he
got his beloved _Noor Mahal_.
After _Shaof Freed_ had won the battle of Lahore by a stratagem, all the
captains of the rebel army, to the number of two thousand, who had been
taken by the king, were hung up upon flesh-hooks, or set upon stakes,
forming an avenue for the king's entrance into Lahore. On this occasion,
his son _Curseroo_, [Cusero] who had been made prisoner, rode beside
him, bare-footed, on an elephant, and the king asked him how he liked
that spectacle? To this the prince answered, That he was sorry to see so
much cruelty and injustice in his father, in thus executing those who
had only done their duty, as they had lived on his bread and salt: but
that his father had done justly if he had pardoned these brave men, and
punished him, who was their master, and the author of this rebellion.
Sultan Cusero has only one wife, owing to the following circumstance:
During his confinement, the king proposed to make a hunting progress of
four months, and consulted how he might keep his son in safe custody
during his absence. He at length determined to build a tower in which to
immure him, having neither door nor window, and only a few small holes
to let in air, and these so high as to be beyond reach. Into this tower
were to be put along with the prince all sorts of provisions and
necessaries, with a few servants to attend him. While this was building,
the wife of Cusero fell at the king's feet, and would not leave him till
she obtained his consent to be shut up along with her husband. The king
endeavoured to persuade her to enjoy her liberty, but she utterly
refused any other comfort than to be the companion of her husband's
miseries. Among these, this was the greatest, that if any of those who
were to be shut up along with him, to the number of fifty in all, should
happen to die during the king's absence, there were no means either to
remove or bury the body, as no person was to be allowed to come near the
tower.
It is a frequent custom of the present Mogul, when he happens to be
awake in the night time, he calls for certain poor old men, making them
sit beside him, and passes his time in familiar discourse with them,
giving them clothes and bountiful alms when he dismisses them. At one
time, when residing at Ajimeer, he went a-foot on pilgrimage to the tomb
of a saint or prophet called Haji Mundin, and there kindled a fire with
his own hands, under an immense _Heidelbergian equipolent_ brass pot, in
which victuals were cooked for five thousand poor persons. When the
victuals were ready, he took out the first platter with his own hands,
and served the mess to a poor person. Noor Mahal took out and served the
second, and the rest was served by the other ladies of his
court.--_Crack me this nut, all ye papal charity-vaunters_.
One day an Armenian procured a nobleman to present him to the king, as
one who desired to become an Mahometan; on which the king asked him, if
he had been converted from hope of preferment; to which the Armenian
answered, that be had no such motive. Some months afterwards, the new
convert craved some courtesy from the king, which he denied, saying, "I
have already done you the greatest of all favours, in allowing you to
save your soul; but you must provide for your own body the best way you
can." The king likes not those who change their religion, being himself
of none but according to his own fancy, and freely allows therefore of
all religions in his dominions. Of which I may give the following
notable example:
He had an Armenian in his service, named Scander, whom he one day asked
if he thought any of the _padres_ had ever converted a single Mahometan
to be a true Christian, for conscience sake, and not for money. Scander
answered, with great confidence, that he had one as his servant, who was
a sincere Christian, and would not be of any other for any worldly
consideration. The king immediately caused this man to be sent for, and
bidding Scander depart, he examined the convert as to his reasons for
having become a Christian. In reply, he quoted certain feeble jesuitical
reasons, declaring his determination to be of no other religion, though
the king made him many fair speeches and large offers to return to
Mahometism, offering him pensions, and the command of horse. He said he
had now only four rupees a month, which was a poor recompense for
becoming a Christian, but if he would recant, he would give him high
dignities and large means. The fellow answered, that he had not become a
Christian for such small wages, as he was able to earn as much in the
service of a Mahometan; but was a Christian in his heart, and was
determined so to continue. Finding this method ineffectual, the king
turned his tune, and tried him with threats of severe punishment, unless
he returned to the faith of Mahomet. But the proselyte manfully declared
he would suffer any thing, being ready to endure whatever the king was
pleased to order. Upon this declaration, when all the by-standers
expected present and severe castigation, the king suddenly changed his
manner towards him, highly commending his constancy and resolution,
bidding him return to his master, and to serve him faithfully, and
ordered him an allowance of one rupee a-day for his integrity.
About two months afterwards, the king returned from hunting wild-hogs,
an animal which is held in abhorrence by all Mahometans, and which kind
of venison, therefore, the king was in use to distribute among the
Christians and Rajaputs. On this occasion, the king sent for the
converted catechumen above mentioned, and commanded him to take up a hog
for his master, which no Mahometan will touch. He did so, but on going
out of the court gate, he was so hooted at by the Mahometans, that he
threw down his burden in a ditch, and went home; concealing what had
passed from his master. Some four days afterwards, the Armenian being on
duty in presence of the king, he asked him if the hog he had sent him
was good meat. The Armenian replied, that he had not seen or heard of
any. The king therefore immediately ordered the convert to be sent for,
who confessed that he had not carried home the hog, as being mocked by
the Mahometans for touching so great an abomination, he had for shame
thrown it away. On this the king observed, "By your Christian law there
is no difference of meats. Are you ashamed of your law, or do you
outwardly forsake it to flatter the Mahometans? I now see that you are
neither a good Christian nor a good Mahometan, but a knave dissembling
with both. When I believed you sincere, I gave you a pension, which I
now take from you for your dissimulation, and I farther condemn you to
receive an hundred stripes." These were presently paid him, instead of
his money; and the king desired all to take warning by this example,
that, having given liberty of conscience to all religions, he would have
all to adhere to what they professed.