- 
1896.] EH. D. Maclagan—Jesuit Missions to the Emperor Akbar. 97 
magistrates who set many free at their request even though they be 
Muhammadans or heathens, and often send them the Christians who 
are brought before them to be dealt with as the Fathers think fit.’ 
Troubles however were not wanting. A nephew of Abdulla Khan 
‘(who died lately), the king of those parts of Maronhar [ Mawaran-nahr } 
and Samarcand, which used to be the realm of the great Tamerlane,’ 
was listening to a sermon in the Church, when one of his followers 
‘rose up and brandished his scimitar above the head of the Father who 
being deep in the sermon did not perceive it, but he was prevented by 
his fellows from cutting the Father’s head off. The Fathers also 
found themselves in a difficult position before the Viceroy, who ‘is very 
zealous for his faith, and thinks himself learned beyond all past and 
present, looking down even on Aristotle.’! Accordingly when the Fathers 
supported their creed and ‘contradicted the doctrine of Muhammad,’ the 
Viceroy would burst into a frenzy calling them vagabonds, &e. But he 
knew at the same time that they had Akbar’s license to preach, and 
when Father Corsi went to Agra he began to fear that an ill report 
would be made of him and, having called for Pinheiro, said to him: 
‘Father, I am a friend to you and to the Lord Jesus: no one knows 
Him better than Ido. He had the spirit of God and neither prophet 
nor angel could speak as he spoke.’ He failed however to gain the con- 
fidence of the Fathers, as the following incident shows clearly enough :— 
‘One day when the Father visited him he was preparing a drink com- 
posed of sugarcandy and rosewater, as a refreshment in the great heat. 
He drank of it himself and so did some of the chiefs, and he went on pre- 
paring it and handing it round. He offered some to the Father among the 
first, asking if he would drink some of it. The Father could not excuse him- 
self seeing the honour done to him by giving him the preference before the 
“Gazi” who is like the Bishop among us, and all the priests and learned men. 
But remembering that a few days ago the Viceroy had threatened to cut off 
his head, if he persisted in declaring the Divinity of Christ, and the hatred 
which the Viceroy has for all Christians, he was almost afraid to taste it, but 
in order to show no want of confidence and to meet his advances frankly he 
said: “ Why should I not drink, when it is specially prepared by your 
hands?” He made the sign of the cross over it openly and drank. But the 
Father will not often trust himself to these honours, except where it is 
necessary to accept them in testimony of our Faith.’ 
Some days after the Viceroy’s wife came to the Church, bringing 
an offering to Our Lady, and making a vow for the amendment of her 
son. This son we are told was ‘given to evil courses and abandoned zn 
1 ‘Qulij Khan was a pious man and a staunch Sunni: he was much respected 
for his learning. As a poet he isknown under the name of Ulfati: some of his verses 
may be found in the concluding chapter of the Mirat-uValam.’ Blochm, Aim I, 34n. 
Ale gin le 
