CHAPTER 12

How the King entered the city, and of the feast that was made for him,

and of the regulations and arrangements he made there.

As soon as the next day dawned, the King, after he had performed both

his customary prayers and others which it is their wont to offer after

victories, giving thanks to God (for indeed the principal thing they

pray for is a conquest such as this), rode in company with the other

great lords and his captains, and with his guard took the way to the

city. There the citizens were standing awaiting his arrival, with more

cheerful countenances than their real feelings warranted, yet striving

to take courage, and they followed him with much loud shouting; crying,

-- "God be praised who has sent to save us after so many years!" and

with these and other such words they begged him to spare them and have

pity on them. So he proceeded till he arrived close to the citadel,

when he sent to call the most honoured men in the city, and to these

the King said that he would spare all their property, that they might

freely act as they wished regarding both that and their persons,

and those who wished to stay in the city might remain in their old

state as before; and as for those who wished to depart they might do

so at once with all that they possessed. They all raised their hands

to Heaven, and threw themselves on the ground in thankfulness for such

gentle treatment. While the King was thus engaged there came men to

tell him that his troops were robbing the city, and he at once tool;

measures to prevent this, and everything was returned to its owner;

but as in such cases as these the conquered are content merely with

their own liberty, laying little store by anything they may get back,

great robberies took place; and some of these afterwards came to the

ears of the King, and those who had done it were soundly chastised.

In a short time the defeat of the Ydallcao was known all over India,

and also in other regions of the interior, he being a great lord in

these parts; and as soon as the news was carried to Zemelluco and

Madremalluco and Destuy and Virido, and also to other lords who were

like slaves to the king Daquym,[564] although in some measure they

rejoiced since they wished him ill, yet on the other hand they began

to be fearful for their own safety.[565] So they all took measures

to send their envoys, and these found the King still inside the

city of Rachol. Astonished though they were to see that the King

had captured so strong a city, they were much more surprised to see

how great was his power and how numerous his troops. Having arrived

where he was they gave him the letters they had brought, and these

were forthwith read. In these the chiefs told the King that he ought

to content himself with having defeated the Ydallcao as he had done,

and ought not to wage further war; they begged him of his goodness

to return to the Ydallcao that which he had so taken from him, and

that if he did so they would always obey whatever he commanded; but

if he was not of a mind to this, then he must know for certain that

they would be compelled to turn against him and forthwith join the

Ydallcao, for whom they would speedily recover that which he had now

lost. The King, seeing what was contained in the letters, answered

them in the following manner by one single letter to them all; --

"Honoured Madremalluco, and Zemelluco, Descar, and Veride, and all

others of the kingdom of Daquym, I have seen your letters, and thank

you much for what you have sent to say. As regards the Ydallcao,

what I have done to him and taken from him he has richly deserved;

as regards returning it to him that does not seem to me reasonable,

nor am I going to do it; and as for your further statement that ye will

all turn against me in aid of him if I do not do as ye ask, I pray

you do not take the trouble to come hither, for I will myself go to

seek ye if ye dare to await me in your lands; -- and this I send you

for answer." And he commanded to give many gifts to the messengers,

and giving his letter to them sent them away.

A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of India · 第 12 / 24 章