Page 171 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

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A GROUP OF ENGLISH ADVENTURERS IN INDIA 171

a Christian. Upon this Jehangir endeavoured first by
reasoning and then by threats “ to draw the man to the
folly of Mohammed.” But he remained steadfast in his
opinions, even under the pain of a severe chastisement.
Seeing that the man was not to be moved, the Mogul com­
mended his constancy, and sent him back to his master
with the intimation that he would receive henceforth a
pension of one rupee a day from the imperial exchequer,
Some little time after this Jehangir, on returning from
a hunting expedition, sent the Armenian a present of a
wild hog that formed a part of the spoils of the chase. The
duty of removing the gift devolved upon the convert, and
as he was conveying it through the streets he was hooted
at by a crowd of Mohammedans, who^were angry that one
who had been numbered amongst the faithful should
handle the unclean beast. In mingled terror and shame
the man cast his burden into a ditch and went home.
Some days later, on an inquiry being made by the imperial
donor as to how the Armenian enjoyed the hog, the whole
story came out.
Jehangir again had the man up before him. A frown
darkened his countenance as he lectured the culprit, in this
style—
“ By your law there is no difference of meats, and yet
you arc ashamed of your laws and to flatter Mohammedans
forsake them. Now, I say thou art neither good Christian
nor good Mohammedan, but a dissembling knave with
both. While I found thee sincere I gave thee a pension
which I now take from thee, and for thy dissimulation
do command thee to have 100 stripes.”
The punishment was forthwith administered, and the
unfortunate man was dismissed with a comment by the s»