118 H. HOSTEN ON 



force them to eat it ; but the younger of the two said that, if the Fathers 

 should tell them they must eat it, they would do so. This had been pre-arranged, in 

 the hope that the King would have the Fathers called, in which case they would 

 assist the children and keep up their courage. The King wished to call for the 

 Fathers, when one of his favourites grew so angry at the answer of this little child 

 that he slapped him once or twice in the face, scowling: 'What hast thou to do 

 with the Fathers here, when the King commands ? ' Seeing this, the King left 

 the Fathers and the pork alone, and said to the children, ' There is nothing to 

 be done. You must become Mohammedans. Recite then the Calima (i.e., the 

 profession of faith of the Mohammedans).' l The children refused to comply. Here- 

 upon, the King had many rods brought and gave order to scourge them, as is 

 done with malefactors. Terrified at the impending torture, the poor children muttered 

 in a whisper between their teeth what the Mohammedans taught them. And so 

 they were conducted sad and disconsolate to their room. 2 



" The next day, the King sent in someone to circumcise them; but, they would 

 in no way allow it, and started crying so piteously that they were left unmolested 

 this time, until the King should have been informed. Not loug after, they were 

 brought before the King. He asked them why they refused to be circumcised. 

 The poor children answered, 'We shall never allow it, because we are Christians.' 

 Our Fathers, who went daily to visit the King, had instructed them thus. 



"The King, hearing their bold answer, tried them first with great amiability, 

 and next with grievous threats. Encompassed on every side and seeing that their 

 words were of no avail, one of them approached the King, and, joining his little 

 hands : ' Lord King,' he prayed, ' we beg of thee for the love of Alazareth J earn [read : 

 Hazrat f Isa], 8 that is, of the Lord Jesus, not to have us circumcised.' But the King 

 refused to listen, and, ordering them to be bound hand and foot, he caused them 

 to be forcibly circumcised. This done, 'Recite now,' he said, ' the Calima' (or 

 profession of faith of the Mohammedans). They refused with great firmness, whereat 

 the King became so angry that he commanded them without pity to be most cruelly 

 scourged. The elder boy, being only fourteen years old, yielded under the pain + ; but 

 the younger one, who was eleven years, kept firmer and would not comply. The 

 blows redoubled ; yet, he was heard to say only : c Ah Alazareth J earn ! ' that is ' Oh, 

 Lord Jesus!' To strengthen himself he held continually a reliquary in his hands. 

 Matters had now come to such a pass that the King was moved to pity and relented ; 

 but one of his favourites still gave the lad thirty blows, so hard and cruel that 

 it was enough to make a stout man flinch. In fact, the poor child lost courage 

 under this barbarous treatment and recited what they would. 



1 The Kaliinali : " There is no deity but God ; Muhammad is the apostle of God. La Ilaha ilia 'llahu ; Muhammadun 

 Rasulu 'llah! ' 



2 Some of their relatives went to give an account of this to the Fathers, and one of them, who was resolved to give 

 his life for Christ, removing from his girdle his dagger and a few rupees, remitted them to the Fathers, went to the 

 palace and joined the children. F. GuerrEIRO, op. cit. , fol. 153*. 



3 F. GuERRErao (op. cit., fol. 15^) has : " Ah, Hazaraht Ieao " and (fol 153V) : " Alazarath learn " 

 * The elder boy was our Mirza Zu-1-Oarnain. 



