He turned his face in the direction of Mahabat Khan, and asked him if there was at the court any agent of the English. He answered that there was not. The king ordered him to write to the Governor of Madras, that he forgave the temerity displayed by the English in plundering the town of Hugli, and on their side they must excuse the troubles caused to them by his officials. The governor should send to court persons properly empowered, and he might be assured of acquiring new favour. During this going to and fro, the war in Bengal went on.
By the time the answer arrived, Governor Gyfford was already out of office, and there governed in his place Alexandre Hayel. The latter, on seeing the goodwill shown by the king, was very pleased, but was unable to send off any representative at once, because he had to report to the general, who lived in the island of Bombajm (Bombay), at a great distance from Madras. The officials at the court finding that no agent appeared in time, and being aggrieved at what the king said in audience, so managed affairs that they forced the king into investing the fortress of Bombahim (Bombay). This place was so closely pressed that it very nearly fell into the hands of the Mogul. Finally the (English) general was obliged to send an envoy to the court. Great expenditure was incurred before he obtained entry in the manner that everybody obtains, and he received his leave to depart, when an order to raise the investment of Bombay had been issued. The English undertook to send orders to withdraw their fleet from
Bengal. If these efforts had only been made at the proper time, there would not have been much expense or damage, for from a single neglect flow many evils.
I will also recount what happened to me, and what I have seen and undergone. I have already told you in my book how, upon my arrival in these regions, the chief personages of San Thome did me the honour to receive me with civility, and offered to put themselves at my service. Among them were Manoel Texeyra Pinto, chief captain (capitao, mor), Joao da Costa de Sua, Cosmo Lourenco Madeyra, Antonio Palha de Lima, and Manoel da Silva de Menezes. I had treated them and their families gratis.
A year afterwards there came to me from Goa a sum of three thousand and seven hundred patacas (Rs. 7,400) which I had deposited with Father Salvador Gallo, prefect of the Theatines. The said Father handed the money to my attorney, Joao Lopes de Figueredo, a Portuguese born in India, to be delivered to me. When this man arrived at the port of San Thome the above named were at the time governing, and were also the magistrates. Thus, when the said Joao landed they seized him and confiscated everything he brought with him, taking possession also of his ship, under the false declaration that he was the debtor of certain Jews called Bertolameo Rodrigues, Domingos do Porto, and Alvaro da Foncequa. These magistrates called upon him to pay a debt due from a man of his faction (Figueredo's), called Francisco de Lima, owed to the above Jews. These latter were much delighted at the benefit thus done them.
Finding this great wrong done, and that I should also lose my money, I had recourse to these same magistrates. I laid before them the receipt of Joao Lopes (de Figueredo) the letters of Father Salvador Gallo, and attestations by Dom Rodrigo da Costa, 15*
Governor of India, who had also written a separate letter to the leading men of San Thome recommending me to their favour, because their Indian dominions were under great obligations to me. He certified that Joao Lopes conveyed this money to be delivered to me. Thus he had done his very best to carry through my business.
None of these efforts did me any good. Once more I presented fresh testimony received from Goa from Augustinho Ribeyro and Pascoal Gomes ; also the Letters Patent with which the King of Portugal had honoured me. These men had been present when the said Father (Gallo) delivered the said money to Joad Lopes de Figueredo. He was under obligation to pay me in current coin, and to take seals (sealed receipts); Joa<5 also demanded leave to pay me. He only owed money to me, and nothing to anyone else —as was the truth, for no statement was produced to show how he was a debtor. In the end the said Joao Lopes was ruined and destroyed. As for my claim, which they could not deny, after much worthless argumentation, they resolved to pay me two thousand patacas (Rs. 4,000). This they declared was a favour they were doing me ; the balance they would not pay. One man so decided because I would not marry one of his relations; others said, if I settled among them in San Thome I should not lose my money; another said that there was no ground to complain, that the two thousand patacas sufficed, as I had a sufficient income to live upon all my life; the rest uttered similar irrelevant opinions, and I was sent about my business.
With regard to the wrong done to Joao Lopes, let the reader understand that there were two reasons for it. The first was envy at seeing him, a man born in India, with some fortune and the ov/ner of a ship, a thing they did not possess. The second reason was because three of the said magistrates had asked the wife of Joad Lopes in marriage, she being a rich
woman, and, as she had refused them all, this produced the hate and envy which impelled them to ruin the man.
When twelve years from this dispute had passed by, in the year one thousand seven hundred (1700), there came as Governor of San Thome, on behalf of King Aurangzeb, a friend of mine called Xefican (Shaft* Khan). He was told of the injustice and robbery done to me by the Portuguese of San Thome, and revived the suit. The men were summoned to his presence. He asked them about the debt to me» when they answered boldly that they knew of no such thing, nor did they owe me anything, and they offered to swear upon the Holy Evangelists.
As the governor did not know the European languages, he applied to Mr. Thomas Pitt, Governor of Madrasta (Madras), sending him my papers and affidavits, and asked him to decide according to right. The said governor sent the papers to be translated into English. There was a delay of two months in getting this done. At the end of this time he sent for the Portuguese, and asked them in a friendly way to give me satisfaction, because it seemed to him that Nicolas Manuchy (sic) was a most reasonable man, and they ought to come to an agreement with me. In a most haughty and contumacious manner they replied they owed me nought, nor would they pay me anything.
A few days afterwards he (Mr. Pitt) assembled the whole council, the magistrates, and the learned men of different nations. They all sat together and deliberated. The Portuguese were called in, and in their presence in a loud voice he (the governor) read my documents, when those present decided unanimously that I had been wronged. It was decreed that the debtors must pay me. They were thus unmasked before all the Europeans and Mahomedans, yet not for this would they reform and turn from their evil ways.
I will add another case which happened to me in the same San Thome with the aforesaid Manoel da Silva de Menezes in the year ninety (1690), in the month of March. I had advanced five hundred patacas to a Genoese merchant called Jorge Bianco for trading in Pegu. He sent the principal with the agreed profit to be paid to me in San Thome. The said Manoel da Silva de Menezes was then judge. He took possession of my money and wanted to pay with his usual arguments, and in spite of all my efforts I could not obtain payment of what was mine. In the end I made use of certain friars, who interceded for me with Thomas de Maya, the chief captain then holding office, and he did what he could out of friendship for me. He ordered me to be paid ; but behold the way Manoel da Silva wanted to satisfy me! He had bought some kons (scores, or twenties) of cloth for thirty patacas the scores. He wanted to pay me in this cloth, entering every score in my account at eighty patacas. Since I declined to accept, I only received a little cash, losing part of my principal and all the profit.
It seems to me that readers will approve, also those intending to come to India, of having this information by which they can guide themselves, making use of my experience.
The reader will have seen in my Second Part the efforts I had made and the services I had rendered in Goa when the Portuguese found themselves in such great peril. Thome de Azevedo, the chief physician, a priest of Jewish birth, ordered the bailiffs to seize me and thrust me into prison. The bailiff had compassion on me and sent me secret word of
these orders, and advised me to get out of the way. At that moment I was entering the house of the Secretary of State, called Luis Gonsalves Cota, to translate the reply to a letter from Sambha Ji, which the viceroy was about to send. After the letter was translated I mentioned to the secretary the orders that had been
JEALOUSY OF GOA DOCTORS 221
given by the physician. The secretary answered very frigidly that the physician could act thus, as he had the leave of His Excellency. If he had me arrested, he had cause, for I had no permission to treat the poor. He reprehended me, and said I was acting ill; he had also heard it stated that I had some little pills with which I made an easy cure of wounds and buboes. I answered that I treated none but mendicants and the indigent, and that without fee. It was my habit wherever I travelled to help the necessitous, and for such good deeds I was esteemed throughout the Mahomedan country, where I was held in much respect. Thus I would seek some other place, so as not to give annoyance, and preserve my liberty. The secretary was very stiff, and gave me not a word of reply, instead of paying some attention to or remedying my grievance.
I concealed my feelings, though disappointed in him, and lost no time in placing myself (in sanctuary) within the church of the Theatines. Thence I sent information to Dom Rodrigo da Costa, who at the time was in command of the fleet, and on hearing from me he went to see the viceroy, Count Francisco de Tavora. The latter was annoyed with the chief physician for wishing in that dangerous time to interfere with me. The physician was sent for, and also the chief surgeon, Francisco da Silva, and they were told by the viceroy in an angry voice that, if they touched me, he would have satisfaction from them. I was let alone, and in freedom.
I believe the reader will not be astonished at my writing with so much liberty, for I profess to declare the truth, which, as it seems to me, is the only thing likely to be of use as a warning to any curious person undertaking any long voyage, or in especial one coming to these parts of India. Many is the time I have wished to do good to and help necessitous persons; but afterwards, instead of being thanked,
I issued from the matter under sentence of crime as a misdoer and a rogue. Thus was it with what happened to me in the year one thousand six hundred and eighty-two.
Taking with me the ambassador from Goa, Joao Antunio Portugal, I set out for the army of Shah 'Alam, then lying near Goa territory. In our company were twenty men of rank, one Jesuit called Antonio de Barro, a Theatine called Dom Joseph Tedesqui, and a priest known by the name of Gonsallo Lopes. The whole party was put up by me in a large tent which the prince had assigned as my quarters, and there I entertained them as befitted them.
The next day I brought them to the court of Shah 'Alam, and there with the greatest difficulty I obtained leave for the entry of three persons only; but out of respect for me they were relieved of the heavy expenditure which has to be incurred by custom at all such courts. The Prince Shah 'Alam desired me to remain with him, and in order to compel or induce me, sent his confidant, Mirza Muhammad Riza, officer of his table and a great friend of mine, to make over to me two thousand rupees, which I was to accept, giving as a reason that I had spent considerable sums on His Highness's service. He had express orders that he must make me accept the money. I brought forward some objections to receiving it, but he embraced me, and, encouraging me, earnestly besought me to accept. The supplicant, finding that I did not want to accept, left the money and beat a hasty retreat, and I gave orders to lock up the cash.
The ambassador and some others were present. They began to talk softly to each other, and then angrily asked me in a loud tone who the rupees were meant for. I replied that the prince had sent them to me for my expenses. In their anger they answered me with misplaced words, and such-like
talk, so that I held it better not to answer ignorant men who did not speak to me in a proper manner. It was reported among them that the prince had sent the two thousand rupees to the ambassador and that I had usurped them.
This matter was not such a secret that it did not come to the prince's ears, and he was annoyed, saying he could not have supposed that such people could have been so ignorant, and the higher he had thought of them, the more aggrieved he felt. To restore my honour, he ordered one of the principal officials of his court, Mir Muhammad Sadiq, to send for the ambassador to his tent with all his retinue, and apply a remedy for the above false statement. With me standing near him and the others round him, he asked if I had received the above-mentioned money. I replied in the affirmative. Then in a loud voice, with his hand raised, he said it had been heard that there was someone rash enough to assert that Manuchy had stolen the said money. If he could only find out who were these slanderers, he would unfailingly cram their mouths full (be it said with all respect) of dirt. Most of them hung their heads and said not a word; they had imagined they were sent for to receive some present.
When I had finished the negotiations in favour of the viceroy, Shah 'Alam ordered that in his presence the three persons should receive each a sardpa (set of robes). At that moment appeared two men with two thousand rupees in two bags, and from behind the ambassadors shouted in a loud voice these words : " Here are the two thousand rupees that Your Majesty confers on the Portuguese ambassadors." They recited these words three times. Joao Antunes Portugal was alarmed at such shouting, as he did not know the language, and asked me the reason. I told him it was about the two thousand rupees that the prince had ordered to be given, and that it was in this
224 MANUCCI TRICKED BY A PORTUGUESE
manner that the gift was made, instead of sending the money to his tent. He cast down his eyes, recognising the reason why the prince acted thus. It was solely that no doubt might be thrown on my good faith. Joao Antunes Portugal was incensed at this affair, and, in place of being sorry, sought means to take my life. If he did not succeed, it was because I did not remain in Goa, but returned to the Mogul prince's service.
I will insert a small affair that happened to me on the same occasion. In Goa there was a well-born man called Lourenco da Cunha, who pretended to be my friend. On my taking leave of the viceroy, at the time when I was about to start for the Mogul army to undertake negotiations for the State, this man carried me to his house, where I stopped all night. He asked me to convey in my boat a box containing various Chinese curiosities, which might be worth fifty rupees, hoping to sell them in the army. 1 excused myself for two reasons. The first was that the goods were not suitable for Mahomedans, being images of tigers, cats, cocks, et cetera. The second was because the things could not be carried safely, owing to the difficult marches we were to make. On hearing these objections he said nothing; but at midnight, when 1 was asleep, he made over the box to the boatman, with an order to inform me after I had reached the army. When I arrived at the army the boatman told me about the box, but at the time I passed the matter over in silence. The next day my friend Lourenco da Cunha turned up, and demanded from me four hundred and fifty rupees for the goods he had put into my boat. My arguments were of no avail, he talking preposterously. Finding all this trouble, and being careless about money, I ordered the payment of the amount claimed, and before his face caused all the contents of the box to be distributed to common people. He declared he was doing me a favour in letting me have the things so cheap.
These fellows glory in cheating foreigners without scruple.
This incident brings to mind that in seventy-six (1676) I left the Mogul territory, and stopped a few days at Damao (Daman). At that time a Portuguese fleet arrived as convoy to the ships going to Surat and Kambaya. The principal men in this fleet begged me to open my boxes, as they wanted to see some of my curiosities. I could not refuse, and, holding them to be gentlemen of position, I allowed them an inspection; but it was not long before some of the articles had disappeared. I suppressed any remark, for if I had taken any action they would have assassinated me without fail, as is customary among them.
In the year ninety-two there came a Hindu officer from the army in the Karnatik, a com
mander over five thousand horse, recommended to me by the Nababo (Nawab) Julfacarcan (Zu,lfiqar Khan), Mirza Mahdi, the captain of cavalry, and other friends. He wanted to be treated, and promised me four thousand rupees. The Portuguese of San Thome now interfered, including the head of the bishopric, a priest, then in charge also of the civic government, who was under obligation to me for having cured him of an obstruction. All these men, hearing of the above Hindu, took him to a physician, who offered to effect a speedy cure at a less price. They arranged matters so that the said officer believed them, and sent me a message that I need not trouble, and if he wanted me he would let me know.
After the lapse of a few days he sent a message to me, because he had not recovered his health as he desired, but I declined to attend him. I replied to those who had written to me that the said captain had declined to listen to my advice; and he went back as he had come lamenting his evil fate, for thus do the people of India talk when things do not succeed with them as they would
wish. This captain was a rajah, his name was Dalpat Rao, son of Champat Bundelah, he whom Aurangzeb sacrificed after crossing the river Dholpur (i.e. the Chambal) to give battle to Dara, as described in my First Part.
Once in Goa, being in my house, there suddenly appeared a gentleman of birth who, with much assurance, took a seat without uttering any words of politeness. At his back stood four Kaffirs with staves in their hands. He said he was a gentleman of high rank, and occupied an important position in His Majesty's service, but fortune had not been kind to him. He had been wealthy, the lord of many plantations, but to pass the time he had gambled and lost all. Then raising his eyes, he looked at me and said : " I have heard that your honour is a merchant, a person of position, and the reputation you enjoy has induced me to visit you." But he could not stay long, because the viceroy was waiting for his presence to begin his dinner; and since he was in want of pocket money, he would borrow a sum from me. I replied that I was a poor soldier, and not a merchant; he had been misinformed. Raising his voice he said : " These arguments will not do for me. Either lend me or give me what I need." At these words the Kaffirs raised their staves. On seeing this I fell into a quandary, and began to reflect on what might be the result. I tried to retire into my room, when he said to me roughly, raising his voice, that I was not to stir from my place. Then dissimulating as to the pressure put upon me, I told my boy to bring my writing-desk. I opened it in front of him and showed what it contained—namely, thirty ashrafis (gold coins). I handed him this amount with the greatest politeness, saying that, had there been more, I should most willingly have offered it to him. He felt so honoured that he took twenty-five coins, saying that would suffice for his wants during that day. He put his good services at my disposal, instructing his Kaffirs that when I needed them for giving anyone a beating
A Pepys of Mongul India (1653-1708) Page 23
