d such wages, the
Patan desired the king to put him to a trial: Then, said the king, go
and wrestle with that lion. The Patan replied, that this was a wild,
beast, and it would be no trial of his manhood to make him go against
the lion without a weapon. The king however insisted upon it, and the
poor fellow was torn in pieces. Not yet satisfied, but desirous to see
more sport, the king sent for ten of his horsemen who were, that night
on guard, whom he commanded, one after the other, to buffet with the
lion. They were all grievously wounded, and three of them lost their
lives. The king continued three months in this cruel humour; in which
time, merely for his pleasure, many men lost their lives, and many were
grievously wounded. Afterwards, and till I came away, twelve or fifteen
young lions were made tame, and used to play with each other in the
king's presence, frisking about among people's legs, yet doing no harm
in a long time.

His custom is every year to be two months out hunting; and when he means
to begin his journey, if he comes from his palace on horseback, it is a
sign he goes to war; but if on an elephant or in a palanquin, his
expedition will only be for hunting.

He cannot abide that any one should have precious stones of value
without offering them to him for sale, and it is death for any one to
possess such without immediately giving him the refusal. A Banyan, named
_Herranand_, who was his jeweller, had bought a diamond of three
meticals weight, for which he paid 100,000 rupees, yet had not done it
so covertly but news of it was brought to the king; and some friend of
_Herrenand_ presently acquainted him that it had come to the king's
knowledge. Upon this the jeweller waited on the king, saying that his
majesty had often promised to come to his house, and that now was the
proper time, as he had a fine present to make him, having bought a
diamond of great weight. The king smiled, and said, "Thy luck has been
good." By these and such means the king has engrossed all the finest
diamonds, as no one dare purchase one from five carats upwards without
his leave. All the lands of the whole monarchy belong to the king, who
giveth and taketh at his pleasure. If any one, for instance, has lands
at Lahore, and is sent to the wars in the Deccan, his lands at Lahore
are given to another, and he receives new lands in or near the Deccan.
Those lands which are let pay to the king two-thirds of the produce; and
those w