ready advanced in years, became impatient to enjoy more complete power,
and, thinking his father had possessed the crown sufficiently long, he
confined him in a prison, where his days were soon ended.

1604.

The exact period at which this event took place is not known, but,
calculating from the duration of his reign as stated in the Annals, it
must have been early in the year 1604.* He was then ninety-five years of
age,** and described to be a hale man, but extremely gross and fat.

(*Footnote. The Dutch commander Joris van Spilbergen took leave of him in
April 1603, and his ambassador to Holland, who returned in December,
1604, found his son on the throne, according to Valentyn. Commodore
Beaulieu says he died in 1603.)

(**Footnote. According to Beaulieu Davis says he was about a hundred; and
the Dutch voyages mention that his great age prevented his ever appearing
out of his palace.)

His constitution must have been uncommonly vigorous, and his muscular
strength is indicated by this ludicrous circumstance, that when he once
condescended to embrace a Dutch admiral, contrary to the usual manners of
his country, the pressure of his arms was so violent as to cause
excessive pain to the person so honoured. He was passionately addicted to
women, gaming, and drink, his favourite beverage being arrack. By the
severity of his punishments he kept his subjects in extreme awe of him;
and the merchants were obliged to submit to more exactions and
oppressions than were felt under the government of his predecessors. The
seizure of certain vessels belonging to the people of Bantam and other
arbitrary proceedings of that nature are said to have deterred the
traders of India from entering into his ports.

The new king, who took the name of Ali Maghayat-shah, proved himself,
from indolence or want of capacity, unfit to reign. He was always
surrounded by his women, who were not only his attendants but his guards,
and carried arms for that purpose. His occupations were the bath and the
chase, and the affairs of state were neglected insomuch that murders,
robberies, oppression, and an infinity of disorders took place in the
kingdom for want of a regular and strict administration of justice. A son
of the daughter of Ala-eddin had been a favourite of his grandfather, at
the time of whose death he was twenty-three years of age, and continued,
with his mother, to reside at the court after that event. His uncle the
king of Achin having