"رحلات السيد بيترو ديلا فالي، وهو نبيل روماني، إلى الهند الشرقية وصحراء الجزيرة العربية. وفيها يصف بدقة البلدان المختلفة، وكذلك العادات، الأعراف، التجارة، الطقوس الدينية والمدنية، لهؤلاء الأمراء وتلك الأمم الشرقية: في رسائل وديّة إلى صديقه السيد ماريو سكيبانو. وتم إضافة سرد عن رحلة السير توماس رو إلى جزر الهند الشرقية" [‎٤‎٥‎٠] (٥٠٨/٤٧١)

450 ^ Voyage to E AS T-IN DI
As in that Empire 5 where the King meaforeth his power by
his Sword or Launcein making his will, his guide, and
therefore any thing lawful that likes him 5 which carriage of his
might very well become that Emblem of illimited power, which
is^a Sword waved by a ftrongarm and hand, and the Word ftc
volo, fie jubeo, or thus will I have it 5 apd if any there be fo far
diftontented as to make any the leaft queftion at what he doth,
he hath a far ftrongcr argument ftill in readinefi, than all the
force of Logickcan make, and that is very many thoufands of
men, that are ftout and able Souldiers, whom he keeps conti
nually in arms, and pay, that can make any thing good, which
he (hall pleafe to command.
There are no Laws for Government kept in that Empire upon
record (for ought I could ever learn) to regulate Governours
there in the adminiftration of Juftice, but what are written in
thebreaft of that Ring and his Subftitutes* and therefore they
often take liberty to proceed how they pleafe, in punifhing the
Offender rather than the offence 5 mens perfons more than their
Crimes 5 dgrotutit potius qutm m or hum.
Yet ever they pretend to proceed in their ways of judica
ture (which is the right progrefs in judgement) fecundum allega
ta & probata, by proofs and not by prefumptions.
The great Mo go I will fit himfelf as Judge, in any matters of
confequence that happen near unto him. And there are no
Maiefadtors that lie more than one night in prifon^and many
times not at all, for if the party offending be apprehended early
in the day, he is immediately brought before him that muft be
his Judge, by whom he is prefently either acquitted or con
demned 5 if he be /entenced to be whipt, he hath his pay
ment, and that (ufiially with much feverity) in the place (of
ten,) where he received that fentence. If condemned to die,
he is prefently (which as I apprehend it is a very hard courfe,
though ufed anciently among the Jews) carried from his fen
tence to his execution, which is done ufualJy in the Bazar, or
Market-place. And this round and quick Juftice keeps the
people there in fuch order and aw, as that there are not many
executions.
Murder and Theft they punifti with death, and with what
kind of death the Judge pleafeth to impofe ;for, fbme Male-
fadors are hang'd, fbme beheaded, fbme impaled, or put upon
fliarp ftakes (a death which hath much cruelty and extream tor
ture and torment in it,) fbme are torn in pieces by wild Beafts,
fbme kill'd by Elephants 5 and others ftung to death by Snakes.
. Thofe which arc brought to fiiffer death by Elephants (fbrae
of which vaftCreatures,are train'dup to do execution on Ma-
lefadtorsj are thus dealt withall. Firft , if that overgrown
Beafl be commanded by his Rider to difpatch that poor, trem
bling Offender prefently, who lies proftrate before him, he will
with his broad round footimmmediately prefs him to deathjbut