MIRZA ZU-L-QARNAIN, A CHRISTIAN GRANDEE. 121 



I do not insist on the story of Jahangir's visiting a boon-companion of his, one 

 "Alexandre," the weaver. The story, picked up by Manucci so many years after 

 the event, may be a popular skit on the humble beginnings of Sikandar, Zu-1-Qarnain's 

 father, and his subsequent good fortune; but it is not improbable that the similarity 

 of name is the only point of contact. 1 



We are not sure either whether the Rev. Edward Terry, Sir Thomas Roe's 

 chaplain at the Court of the Great Moghul (1615-1618), alludes to Sikandar' s or 

 Mlrza Zu-l-Qa main's confession of the faith, or to Mukarrab Khan's conversion in 

 1610. We incline towards the former alternative. Terry writes 2 : 



"The Jesuits in East-India. . .have liberty to convert any they can work upon, 

 unto Christianity, &c. The Mogul hath thus far declared, that it shall be lawful for 

 any one, persuaded so in conscience, to become a Christian, and that he should not by 

 so doing lose his favour. 



" Upon which I have one thing here to insert, which I had there by report (yet 

 I was bid to believe it and report it for a truth) concerning a gentleman of quality, 

 and of a servant of the great Mogul, who upon some conviction wrought upon 

 him (as they say) would needs be baptized and become a Christian. The King 

 hearing of this convert, sent for him, and at first with many cruel threats commanded 

 him to renounce his new profession; the man reply 'd that he was most willing to 

 suffer anything in that cause which the King would inflict. 



"The Mogul then began to deal with him in another way, asking him why 

 he thought himself wiser than his forefathers, who lived and died Mahometans 3 : 

 and further added many promises of riches and honour, if he would return to his 

 Mahometism; he reply 'd again (as they say, for I have this by tradition) that 

 he would not accept of anything in the world so to do ; the Mogul wondering at his 

 constancy, told him, that if he could have frightened or bought him out of his 

 new profession, he would have made him an example for all waverers ; but now that 

 he perceived that his resolution indeed was to be a Christian, he bid him so continue, 

 and with a reward discharged him." + 



his religious to proclaim, wherever they were, the great Jubilee celebrated in Rome in 1550. Fr. Melchior Nunez 

 brought this permission with him to Goa in 1551, and the Jubilee was preached at Goa and in the Portuguese fortresses 

 on the West Coast. Cf. A. Brou, S. Francois Xavier, Paris, 1912, II. 274, where sej the references. A second 

 Jubilee was published in 1564. Cf. C C. DE Nazareth, Mitvas Lusitanas, Lisboa, 1897, p. 39 n. jj. 



1 Cf. W. Irvine, Storia do Mogor, I. 172-173 ; F. Catrou, S.J., Hist, giner. de V Empire du Mogol, Paris, MDCCXV, 

 pp. 133-134 (English transl., London, Jonah Bowyer, 1709, pp. 193-194). Mr. Mesrovb J. Seth sends me the following: 

 " I find in an extract from a letter written in 1609 by an Armenian Archimandrite, Joseph by name, to another Armenian, 

 a rich merchant at Ispahan, called Khojah Woskan : 'It is now eight years that my brother Skandear [Iskandar, 

 Alexander] went on a commercial tour, they say to the country of Lahore. ' " (Letter of August 21, 1915). 



2 E. Terry, Voyage to East India, London, 1777, pp. 424-425. 



3 Sikandar, Zu-1-Qarnain's father, was for a time looked upon by the Muhammadans as a Muslim, because 

 he had married his deceased wife's sister. Even in 1607 this argument was used to enforce the circumcision of his 

 children. As the story here stands, we cannot well refer it to Sikandar or Mirza Zu-1-Qarnain, since both were born of 

 Christian parents. (Cf. infra Fr. Corsi's account). On the other hand, there is some difficulty to refer it to Mukarrab 

 Khan, who did not long persevere. 



* Mukarrab Khan or Shaildi Hasan was a favourite physician of Akbar's who rose to great honours under Jahangir. 

 Cf. Blochmaxx. Ain, 1. 543, No. 94. Sent as ambassador to Goa with Father Pinheiro, he left Lahore on September 13, 



