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A Forgotten Empire: Vijayanagar; A Contribution to the History of India
by Robert Sewell
Preface
The two Portuguese chronicles, a translation of which into Englishis now for the first time offered to the public, are contained ina vellum-bound folio volume in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris,amongst the manuscripts of which institution it bears the designation"PORT. NO. 65." The volume in question consists of copies of fouroriginal documents; the first two, written by Fernao Nuniz and DomingoPaes, being those translated below, the last two (at the end of theMS.) letters written from China about the year 1520 A.D. These willprobably be published in translation by Mr. Donald Ferguson in thepages of the INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
The first pair of original papers was sent with a covering letterby some one at Goa to some one in Europe. The names are not given,but there is every reason for believing that the recipient was thehistorian Barros in Lisbon.
Both these papers are in the same handwriting, which fact — sincethey were written by separate Portuguese merchants or travellers atVijayanagar in different years, one, I believe, shortly subsequentto 1520 A.D., the latter not later than about 1536 or 1537 —conclusively proves them to be copies of the originals, and not theoriginals themselves.[2] I have inserted a facsimile of two pages ofthe text, so that no doubt may remain on this point. The first portionconsists of the conclusion of the text of Fernao Nuniz; the secondof the covering letter written by the person who sent the originalsto Europe; the third of the beginning of the text of Domingo Paes.
Paes being the earlier in date (about 1520) I have given his accountof personal experiences first, and afterwards the historical summarycomposed by Nuniz about the year 1536 or 1537.
I have stated that the person to whom the documents were sent fromGoa was probably the celebrated historian Barros. He is alluded toin the covering letter in the words: "It seemed necessary to do whatyour Honour desired of me," "I send both the summaries … becauseyour Honour can gather what is useful to you from both;" and at theend of the long note on "Togao Mamede," king of Delhi, quoted in myintroduction, "I kiss your Honour's hand."
Since the first DECADA of Barros was published in 1552,[3]this argument is not unreasonable; while a comparison between theaccounts given by Nuniz and Barros of the siege and battle of Raichursufficiently proves that one was taken from the other. But we havefortunately more direct evidence, for the discovery of which we haveto thank Mr. Ferguson. I have mentioned above that at the end of theMS. volume are copies of two letters concerning China. These werewritten subsequent to the year 1520 by Vasco Calvo and ChristovaoVieyra. Mr. Ferguson has pointed out to me that, in the third DECADA(liv. IV, caps. 4, 5), after quoting some passages almost verbatimfrom this chronicle of Nuniz regarding Vijayanagar, Barros writes:"According to two letters which our people had two or three yearsafterwards from these two men, Vasco Calvo, brother of Diogo Calvo,and Christovao Vieyra, who were prisoners in Canton, etc…." Healso mentions these letters in two subsequent passages, and quotesfrom them. This renders it certain that Barros saw those letters;and since they are copied into the same volume which contains thechronicles of Nuniz and Paes, we may be sure that Barros had thewhole before him. It is of little importance to settle the questionwhether the chronicles of Nuniz and Paes were sent direct to Barros— whether,