Bernier’s voyage to the east indies.

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any more in the kingdom ; but that in the mean time a fon of his, that is kept hid, growsup, the father watching for a fit time to declare him King, and fo to laugh at the agree-ment made with Aureng-Zebe. Of this, time will Ihews us more; in the mean time,let us confider fomcwhat of the interefts of Vifapour.

The kingdom of Vifapour hath alfo not been wanting to fupport itfelf, though theMogul do almoft continually make war againft it; not fo much as if he of V fipourwere able to bid head to the Mogolian forces, but becaufe there is never any greateffort ufed againft him. For it is not very frequent there, no more than it is elfewhere,,for generals of armies to defire the end of a war ; there being nothing fo charming, asto be in the head of an army commanding like little kings, remote from the court. Itis alfo grown to a proverb, that Decan is the bread and life of the foldiers of Indoftan.Befides, the country of Vifapour is, on the fide of the Mogul’s dominions, of a very-difficult accefs upon the account of the fcarcity of good waters, fprage, and victuals;and becaufe Vifapour, the capital city, is very ftrong, and fituate in a dry and fteril coun-try, there being almoft no good water but in the town. And laftly, becaufe there aremany fortrefles in that country feated on hills hard to climb.

Yet notwithftanding all this, thatftate is much fhaken, if confidering that the Mogulhath taken Paranda, the key, as it were, of that kingdom, as alfo that fair and ftrongtown Bider, and fome other very important places: but principally, becaufe the laftKing of Vifapour died without heirs male; and he that now calls himfeif King is ayouth, whom the Queen, filler of the King of Golkonda , hath railed, and taken forher fon (a favour for which he hath made an ill return, having Ihewed no efteem forthis Oueen after her return from Mecca , under the pretext of fome ill demeanour inher on a Dutch veffel that carried her to Moka). Laftly, becaufe that in the difordersof that kingdom, the heathen rebel, Seva-Gi, above difcourfed of, found means tofeize on many ftrong holds, moftly feated on fteep mountains, where he now acteththe King, laughing at the Vifapour and the Mogul, and ravaging the country everywhere, from Surat even to the gates of Goa . This notwithftanding, if he wrongs Vi-fapour one way, he helps to fupport it another, forafinuch as he is refolutely bent againftthe Mogul, preparing always fome ambufh, and cutting fo much work for his army,that there is no difcourfe, no apprehenfion but of Seva-Gi, infomuch that he hath comeand lacked Surat , and pillaged the ille of Burdes, which belongs to the Portugueze,and is near the gates of Goa .

The feventh particular, which I learned at Golkonda , when I was come away fromDehli , is the death of Chah-Jehan ; and that Aureng-Zebe had been exceedingly af-fected therewith, having difcovered all the marks of grief, that a fon can exprefs forthe lofs of his father; that at the very hour of receiving that news, he went towardsAgra ; that Begum-Saheb caufed the mofque, and a certain place, where he was atfirft to flop before he entered the fortrefs, to be hung with richly embroidered tapifleriesthat at his entering into the feraglio, fne prefented him with a great golden bafon,wherein were all her jewels, and all tliofe of Chah-Jehan ; and in fhort, that fhe knewto receive him with fo much magnificence, and to entertain him with that dex-terity and craft, that fhe obtained his pardon, gained his favour, and grew very con-fident with him.

To conclude, I doubt not but moft of thofe who ffiall have read my hiftory, willjudge the ways taken by Aureng-Zebe, for getting the empire, very violent and horrid.

I pretend not at all to plead for him, but defire only, that before he be altogether con-demned, reflexion be made on that unhappy cuftom of this ftate, which, leaving thefticceffion of the crown undecided, for want of good laws fettling it, as amongft us,

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