87

Nain Javet gave tlie information that, in the reign
of the lord (Akbar) the learned assembled, and Makh-
diim ul mulk gave the decision, that in this age it is
not required to make the pilgrimage to Mecca; but
that whoever makes it deserves punishment; for this
reason; namely, because the road to Mecca by land
passes through the middle of Irak, and by sea through
Guzerat and the ports of the Farangis; by land it is
unavoidable to hear unseemly speeches from the
Kazel bashan; and on the voyage by sea to suffer
much impropriety in the transactions and commu-
nications with the Farangis; because they have
represented upon their papers * the image of Jesus
and the picture of Mary, which bear a resemblance
to idolatry.

His majesty Akbar said one day that he heard
from Shaikh Abdul Nabi, that one of the chief law-
yers of the Sonnites declared the taking of nine
wives to be legal, whilst other learned men denied
it, and quoted the passage of the Koran :

(c Take in marriage such women as please you, two, or three, or
" four." 2

1 This refers principally to papers, such as passports, of the Portu-
guese, who, as I have been informed by Viscount Santarem, used to
represent St. Catherine upon them, this saint being the patroness of Goa
and of one of the principal confraternities; and the above-mentioned
images are besides often used as ornaments of books and printed papers.

2 Others translate: <f two, and three, and four," consequently nine
wives; as the conjunction vaf in Arabic, may mean or as well as and.—
( See Transact, of the Lit. Soc. of Bombay, vol. II. p. 268.)