PART III SANAT JI MANI Prologue
Text of an edict from Hasin Dahele, Rajput of Beragar, to the people of Devapur, his principal city.
It is my Will that all those living in Beragar, especially those in and around the glorious city of Devapur, shall give heed to this and obey:
First: it is my intention that this city and all of Beragar should prepare for war.
To that end, new taxes must be levied. Any transaction beyond that of purchasing food and foodstuffs shall give five percent of the transactions into my treasury. Failure to do this will result in confiscation of the goods of the transaction, or equal service being rendered to my household. Those who transgress twice shall have their eyebrows cut off; and those who transgress a third time shall have lips cut off and the miscreant be turned over to my army to serve as a laborer for a year.
All merchants entering the city shall pay an additional five percent on the value of their merchandise as well as the transactional levy as described already, and failure to adhere to these conditions will result in the confiscation of all goods brought for sale, as well as any beasts of burden owned by the merchant, which beasts are to be given to the army for the use of the soldiers.
Second: I require that all those traveling away from the city shall leave a report of where they are bound and the duration of their stay.
Anyone going beyond the frontiers of Beragar shall pledge to act in accordance with my interests; it shall be the traveler's duty to make note of anything he sees on his travels that might have bearing in any way upon the war I will wage. Thus the traveler will make a record of all roads and their condition; all bridges the same, including their width, height, composition, and capacity; the number and type of boats, ferries, barges, and the like; the fortifications of any towns and cities; modifications or enlargements of existing fortification; the size, composition, and character of any armies found; the level of readiness in these armies; the types of weapons and their number; what animals they have for battle; the general wealth of the rulers commanding the armies; any unrest among the populace, and its cause; any signs of previous battles or uprisings; any apparent stockpiling of supplies, foodstuffs, materiel; or any other information germane to achieving my victory. Those not intending to return are to leave a pledge of gold or property behind to ensure their loyalty to Beragar and me. Any duplicity shall result in the forfeit of gold or property.
Any returning traveler unable to provide a modicum of intelligence will suffer the loss of three fingers. A second such failure will enlist his oldest son in the army for the duration of the war that we are going to wage.
Third: I command that all houses with stone walls are required to reinforce the walls and roofs of the houses to secure them against any attack, and that all owners of stone houses shall donate twenty newcut stones to the shoring up of the city's walls. Those who have stone houses adjacent to the walls shall contribute double amounts of stones, for their own protection as well as the city's.
All those attempting to avoid this duty will be fined double the cost of labor of making the reinforcements, and shall be required to donate thirty new-cut stones for the city walls. Those who have barns or other housing for animals inside the city shall reinforce these buildings as well. Those with wooden roofs shall replace or overlay the wood with stone or tile so that any attack will not result in fire or collapse of roofs. Failure to comply in these particulars will result in the confiscation of housed animals for the use of the army, and the eviction of the household from houses with wooden roofs.
For those in wooden or wattle houses, there will be a ten percent reduction in taxes for those who fortify their houses with stone and replace their roofs with bricks. Those who make no effort to fortify their wooden or wattle houses with stone shall be taxed at an additional ten percent, and if the houses are not fortified, they will be subject to demolition should the city face a battle or a siege.
Fourth: I decree that all marriages, births, and deaths shall be taxed at a rate to be determined by my customs officials, to add to the equipping of the army.
Those seeking to delay paying this tax shall find it doubled for every fortnight that passes. The sole exception to the doubling tax shall be in the case of the death of priests, whose living brothers will be asked to address the Gods on behalf of Beragar and Devapur, which shall serve in lieu of the doubling tax.
Fifth: I require that all those who work with wood or metal shall donate two days' labor a week to assist in the preparation and stock-piling of weapons.
Those who will not comply are to be confined in my prison until they are willing to do what must be done. During such confinement, no one is to help or shelter the families of the incarcerated; doing so will result in similar imprisonment.
Sixth: I decree that all those having stores of wood and metals are to bring half of them to my palace for the use of the army as weapons. With the single exception of furniture, all wood and all metals are subject to evaluation and inclusion in this seizure.
Anyone attempting to hold back woods and metals will be branded on the arm, the entirety of his woods and metals taken for use of the armorers; a fine of half the value of his belongings shall be imposed on any such man as well. Anyone willing to donate more than is stipulated will receive a ten percent reduction in regular taxes as well as preferred defense of his property and household should the war reach the city walls.
Seventh: I compel all those having beasts of burden or beasts of slaughter to donate ten percent of their animals to the army for their use. For those having fewer than ten animals, I require the following substitutions: one lamb, one chicken, or one goose for every five sheep, chickens, or geese owned by the man in question, to be given to the army procurers within three days of notice by them.
Failure to provide the required animals to the army procurers will result in the seizure of all but one of each creature stipulated. In the case of donkeys, asses, and horses, all such animals will be taken. For those possessing an elephant, the use of the animal by the army for a period of a year is demanded, and the use of the elephant does not exempt its owner from any other assessments made against him, his household, his animals, or his property.
This is the sum of my Will at this time, and to it I have set my hand: by the dark of the year we shall be prepared for war.
Hasin Dahele
Rajput of Beragar
A Feast In Exile Page 24
