Slike strani
PDF
ePub

fuch a huge number, as before I named, if not exceed it) and to confider that death will feize upon them all, within fuch a fpace of time, and that the fecond death hath fuch a power over them, is a thing of more fad confideration.

Now to make it appear that the number of people of all forts is fo exceeding great, which here get and keep together in the Mogul's Lefkar, or camp royal; firft, there are one hundred thousand foldiers, which always wait about that King, (as before obferved) and all his grandees have a very great train of followers and fervants to attend them there, and fo have all other men according to their feveral qualities; and all thefe carry their wives and children, and whole family with them, which must needs amount to a very exceeding great number. And further to demonftrate this, when that King removes from one place to another, for the space of twelve hours, a broad paffage is continually fill'd with passengers, and elephants, horfes, dromedaries, camels, coaches, affes, and oxen, (on which the meaner fort of men and women, with their little children, ride) fo full as they may well pass one by the other. Now in fuch a broad paffage, and in fuch a long time, a very great number of people, the company continually moving on forward, may pafs.

ན་

Thus this people moving on from place to place, it may be faid of them, what Salvian

fpeaks

[ocr errors]

fpeaks of Ifrael, while they were in their journey to the land of promife, that it was ambulans refpublica, a walking common-wealth. And therefore that ancient people of God were called Hebrews, which fignified paffengers; and their dwelling fo in tents, fignified thus much to all the people of God in all fucceeding ages, that here they dwell in moveable habitations, having no continuing city here, but they must look for one, and that is above.

It is obferved of Cain, that he (a wicked man) was a tiller of the ground, (though that calling of itself deferves much commendation) or as a man faftened to the earth, whereas Abel his brother (a man fearing God) was a fhepherd, which is a moving rolling occupation, from one place to another; thou telleft my flittings, faith David. Here we often shift our places, and our company, and muft do fo, our bufineffes carrying us up and down, to and fro; but our felicity hereafter shall confist in rest, in not changing for ever after, either our company or place; but when the godly man shall accomplish as an hireling his day, when his work, which God hath appointed him here to do, is done and finished, he shall lie down in peace, and receive his penny, and enjoy his reward.

The tents pitch'd in that Lefkar, or camp royal, are for the most part white, like the cloathing of those which own them. But the

Mogul's

1

[ocr errors]

Mogul's tents are red, reared up upon poles, higher by much than the other. They are placed in the midft of the camp, where they take up a very large compass of ground, and may be seen every way; and they must needs be very great, to afford room in them for himI felf, his wives, children, women, eunuchs, &c. In the fore front, or outward part, or court within his tent, there is a very large room for access to him, 'twixt feven and nine of the clock at night, which (as before) is called his Goozulcan.

His tents are encompaffed round with Canats, which are like our fcreens, to fold up together; those Canats are about ten feet high, made of narrow strong callico, and lined with the fame, stiffened at every breadth with a cane; but they are strongest lined on their outfide by a very great company of arm'd soldiers, that keep clofe about them night and day. The tents of his great men are likewise large, placed round about his. All of them, throughout the whole Lefkar, reared up in fuch a due and conftant order, that when we remove from place to place, we can go as directly to those moveable dwellings, as if we continued ftill in fixed and standing habitations; taking our direction from several streets and Bazars, or market-places, every one pitched upon every remove alike, upon fuch or fuch a fide of the King's tents, as if they had not been at all removed.

[blocks in formation]

1

The Mogul (which I should have observed before) hath fo much wealth, and confequently fo much power, by reafon of his marvellous great multitudes of fighting men, which he always keeps in arms, commanding at all times as many of them as he please; that as the Moabites truly faid of Ifrael, (while they had almighty God fighting with them and for them) fo it may be faid of him (if God reftrain him not) that his huge companies are able to lick up all that are round about him, as the ox licketh up the grafs of the field, Numb. xxii. 4.

When that mighty King removes from one place to another, he caufeth drums to be beat about midnight, which is a fignal token of his removing. He removes not far at one time, fometimes ten miles, but ufually a lefs distance, according to the best convenience he may have for water; there being fuch an infinite company of men, and other creatures, whofe drink is water, that in a little time it may be as truly faid of them, as it was of that mighty hoft of Sennacherib, that Affyrian monarch, Ifa. xxxvii. 25. that they are able to drink up rivers.

But when the place he removed to afforded plenty of good water, he would ufually stay there three or four days, or more; and when he thus refted in his progrefs, would go abroad to find out paftimes; to which end he always carried with him divers kinds of hawks, dogs,

[ocr errors]

dogs, and leopards, which (as before) they train up to hunt with; and being thus provided for variety of sports, would fly at any thing in the air, or feize on any creature he defired to take on the earth,

The Mogul, when he was at Mandoa, (which was invironed with great woods, as before was observed) fometimes with some of his grandees, and a very great company befide of Perfian and Tartarian horsemen, his foldiers, (which are stout daring men) would attempt to take fome young wild elephants found in these woods, which he took in strong toils made for that purpofe; which taken, were mann'd and made fit for his fervice. In which hunting they likewife purfued on horfeback lions, and other wild beasts, and kill'd fome of them with their bows and carbines, and launces.

An heroic paftime, or rather an high and dangerous attempt becoming great perfonages, who, if their honour and greatness ballance, will not be taken up with small things; Imperia dura tolle, quid virtus erit, things difficult in their doing, make them more honourable when done; aquila non capit mufcas, gnats and flies are not pursued by eagles.

In tauros Lybici ruunt leones,
Nan funt papilionibus molefti.

HOR.

Thus on chac'd bulls the Lybian lion hies,
But troubles not the painted butterflies.

[blocks in formation]
« PrejšnjaNaprej »