Copy and Summary of a Chronicle of the Kings of Bisnaga,who reigned (ORIG.were)from the era one thousand two hundred and thirty,which was after the general destruction of the kingdom of Bisnaga.[468]
In the year twelve hundred and thirty[469]these parts of India were ruled by a greater monarch than had ever reigned.This was the King of Dili,[470]who by force of arms and soldiers made war on Cambaya for many years,taking and destroying in that period the land of Guzarate which belongs to Cambaya,[471]and in the end he became its lord.
And this taken,not being content with the victory which he had already gained,he made ready a large army of foot and horse,and determined to make war on the King of Bisnaga,leaving his captains in his lands and fortresses to defend themselves against his enemies,of whom there were many;for this King[472]was at that time at war with Bemgalla,and with the Turkomans on the confines of the country of Sheikh Ismael.[473]These men are fair and large of body;in their lands are many horses with which this King of Delly made war on Cambaya and laid it waste;and after the country was taken and he lord of it,there still remained to him as many as eight hundred thousand horsemen with whom he passed on to Bisnaga;of the number of people on foot nothing is said here because no one counted them.
And,determining to make war on the King of Bisnaga and to reduce him under his rule,he passed out of the lands which he had newly gained,entering into those of the King of Bisnaga,which at that time were many;and quitting the kingdom of Cambaya,he began to invade and make war on the Ballagate,[474]whose lands now belong to the Idalcao,[475]taking and destroying many towns and places in such a way that the people of the country surrendered to him their persons and property,though he left to them their weapons which he could not prevent their carrying.
And after he had become lord of all the country of the Ballagate,he passed the river of Duree,[476]which forms the boundary of the territories of the Ballagate and of those of the King of Bisnaga,which river he passed in basket-boats without finding any one to oppose the passage.Up to that time,in all that was (afterwards)the kingdom of Bisnaga,no place was populated save only the city of Nagumdym,[477]in which the King of Bisnaga[478]then was,awaiting his destruction,since it was strong,and because he possessed no other citadel but that,which was his Lisbon.
And from the river which that King of Delly passed in basket-boats,[479]to that city was twenty-five leagues,all being open country (CAMPOS);and in them it seemed good to him to pitch his camp,so that his people might drink of the water in the plain (CAMPOS)along the length of the river.At that time there was great drought by reason of the summer season,and the waters of the few little lakes that were in the plain would not suffice for ten days for his troops,horses,and elephants,without drying up;and for that reason he halted some days by the banks of that river,till rain fell in the fields and lakes,enough for such a large army as he had brought with him.
And when the time came he raised his camp and brought his array to a halt in sight of that city of Nagundy.
