The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part. Richard Head
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part
the handsomest women are here: the Matron of the house is furnished with several, who she purchases sometimes of their own Parents, who sell them, not accounting it an injury to dispose them to this purpose. These old Bawds are as cunning as those of our Country, for they will sell a Maidenhead two or three times over, for which they will sometimes have twenty or thirty Rupees, according to the goodness of the Commodity, and good will of the purchaser, who shall enjoy his bargain for two or three dayes or nights together, either at their lodgings, or at home at their own houses; neither do their Wives dare to contradict their Husbands therein, for they will oftentimes bring home one of these Lasses, and lodge them in a Cot in the same room with their Wives, and lye with them as often as they please, and when they have done with them send them home again.
I tryed several of these Bona Roba’s, who pleased me very well, for what they wanted in beauty they supplyed in respect and willingness to comply with and please me in all my desires; and though many times they have the Pox, by reason of their heat and activity, yet they value it not, for they are so well acquainted and furnished with remedies, that they soon cure themselves, and the men who accompany them: my ramble being finished, I returned home, and though my Wife knew I had been at several of these Brothels, yet I was joyfully received and welcomed by her. We keeping a publick house, had all sorts of guests, and now being at leisure I discoursed with several of the Brammanes who are their Priests, who informed me not only of the Civil but Ecclesiastical Government of the Nation: for though I supposed them Heathens, yet I found that they followed a rule in their livings to which they strictly tied themselves: They in general gave me this account, that they are governed by a Kingly Monarch, who is called the Great Mogul, he is absolute in his Dominions, and all his subjects are his slaves; all the Land and Houses throughout his Dominions are his own, and the Inhabitants or occupiers are only his Tenants, and pay a valuable rent for what they enjoy, which is annually collected by Officers to that purpose appointed, and paid into his Exchequer; this he bestows at his own pleasure, or spends in making War with his Enemies, who are chiefly the Tartars, and sometimes the Persians; they have frequently Civil Wars amongst themselves upon the death of their Prince, if he leaves more Sons than one behind him; for he who last ruled, and was Father of this present Mogul, made his way to the Empire by the death of eleven of his Brethren, he himself being the youngest when he dyed, which is not long since; three of his sons survived him, who all immediately raised great Armies either to gain the Empire, or lose their lives in general.
The two youngest having assembled all their well-willers and friends, with considerable Armies approached one another, a River now only parting them.
The eldest of the two dispatched a Messenger to his Brother, to tell him that he was very well satisfied in his taking Armes, and since he was in such readiness, if he pleased he would joyn forces with him, and assault their elder Brother, who being vanquisht they would divide the Government. The youngest Brother willingly assenting to these propositions, came over to him, but no sooner was he in his power, but he caused both his eyes to be put out, (thereby disenabling him from the Government) and soon gaining the Captains of his Brothers Army to his party, he joyned Forces, and causing his blind Brother to be carried with him, advanced to meet and oppose his elder Brother; in short time they met, and fought each other with various success, but in fine he conquered his Brother, and depriving him of life, as the other of sight, he now remains sole Monarch of this large Empire.
The old Mogul died infinitely rich, for he left eight Tancks of coyned Money, each Tanck esteemed to hold ten millions of Rupees; and indeed it is no great marvel, for he hath some of his Subjects, especially the Banian Merchants, that are very rich, all whose treasure he will command at his own will; there is one Banian whose name is Vergore, who was the chiefest Merchant of his Tribe, and hath most of the Stocks of his fellows in his hand; to him the Great Mogul sent for money, to which message he sent this answer, That he would presently furnish his Highness with a hundred Carts loaden with ready money. The Mogul hearing this, ordered him to keep it till he sent again, or had further occasion. The English have great priviledges, for they pay less Duties and Customes than the Natives, for the Banian Merchants will sometimes hire an English man to go to Sea with them in their Juncks, which are great Barks, not to do any service in the voyage, but only to own the Goods, that they may save several Taxes and Duties that else must be paid, as Anchorage and Moorage. I one time was asked by a Banian of my acquaintance, whether I would go to Sea with him, and he would give me a considerable recompence: he told me that I should only wear my hat, eat my victuals, and when we came to our Port own the Goods; being desirous of seeing fashions I consented, and our Junck being loaden, we set sail and departed: but never was I accompanied with such Sailers, for the Junck (which is much like a close Lighter) was deeply loaded with Callicoes, it carried above 1000 Tun: the wind being fair, all the tackling was nailed down and fastned, so that when we had been four dayes at Sea, the wind contrary to custome changed: but though it began to be tempestuous, yet all our men being then at dinner, there was none would leave their eating to handle the sails, or alter the tackling; dinner being ended, I perswaded them with much adoe to go to work, but it was some hours ere they had loosned their tackling, so as to lower their sails, and by that time we were driven out of knowledge; the winds there are usually so constant, that they never make provision to handle their sails, and alter them, but commonly as they fix them at their setting out, so they continue till they come to their Port, where instead of an Anchor they carry a very great stone, fastned by an iron ring to their Cable, which they let down while they stay, but take up when they go away; and then they alter their sails, sitting them to the wind to bring them back; they continue in that manner to the end of the Voyage.
But now it falling out otherwise, great was their trouble, not knowing how to behave themselves: and although there was forty men on board, and they all well enough acquainted with Navigation in those parts, yet I that was but of one years standing was their best instructor, or else we had been lost and perished; most of our sails being now taken down, and the wind ceasing, we by the next day came into our knowledge, but met with another misfortune, which was like to prove worse than the former, for we discovered a Junck, though nothing near so big as ours, yet better man’d, and was indeed a Malabar Man of War, and our professed Enemy, who are used to infest those Seas with their Pyracies; our Seamen being sensible of the desperateness of our condition, were greatly dismayed, but I (who was formerly used to be dead-hearted enough) did now become valorous, and encouraged them by words and actions, for considering the badness of my own condition, being likely not only to lose what Estate I had lately gathered, but at least wise my liberty, and it may be my life, (for many of these Malabars do kill and feed on their Prisoners) these considerations I say possessed me with so much courage, that I was resolved to try my utmost power to defend my self from my Enemies; we were by chance accompanied by ten Moors called Rashpoots, who being alwayes brought up in Wars, never go unarmed; these persons being more courageous than the rest, by my example, put themselves into a posture of defence, and the other Seamen had Swords and other weapons put into their hands, to keep the Enemy from boarding us: we had eight great Guns in our Junck, which were carried more for ornament than use, for they knew not how to discharge them against an Enemy to advantage, (they being as well as their tackling and sails, fixed to one place) only served to be shot off in triumph, and make a noise, but would not be well levelled to carry a Bullet to do execution. I seeing this inconvenience, took such order therein that the Guns were placed so as to dammage our Enemy, who now approaching us, came close up towards us, but he found a hotter entertainment than he expected, for we killed several of his men with our first broad-side; the only weapons our Enemies had were great stones, which they threw at us in abundance; but we having again charged our great Guns, and all the small ones we had aboard, gave them such a peal as was the funeral knel to many of them; by this time they were discouraged, and our men seeing the good success we had came all in sight and every one taking a great stone which had been thrown to us by the Enemy, gave them such an onset with the stones, as now made them think of giving over their enterprize, which we compelled them to do, so soon as we had given them another broad side, and once more discharged all our small guns: this gave them so general a blow that they Vered about and left us to prosecute our Voyage. Our Enemies being gone, I called all our men together to see what damage we had sustained, and upon enquiry found that we had not lost a man: but about half a dozen broken