Chapter ALPEEN to A MUCK of A by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

speaking of the Javanese: “They are chivalrous men, and of such determination that for whatever offence may be offered them they make themselves amoucos in order to get satisfaction thereof. And were a spear run into the stomach of such an one he would still press forward without fear till he got at his foe.”—Dec. IV. iii. 1.

„ In another passage (ib. vii. 14) De Couto speaks of the amoucos of Malabar just as Della Valle does below. In Dec. VI. viii. 8 he describes how, on the death of the King of Pimenta, in action with the Portuguese, “nearly 4000 Nairs made themselves amoucos with the usual ceremonies, shaving their heads on one side, and swearing by their pagoda to avenge the King’s death.”

1603.—“Este es el genero de milicia de la India, y los Reyes señalan mas o menos Amoyos (ò Amacos, que todo es uno) para su guarda ordinaria.”—San Roman, Historia, 48.

1604.—“Auia hecho vna junta de Amocos, con sus ceremonias para venir a morir adonde el Panical auia sedo muerto.”— Guerrero, Relacion, 91.

1611.—“Viceroy. What is the meaning of amoucos? Soldier. It means men who have made up their mind to die in killing as many as they can, as is done in the parts about Malaca by those whom they call amoucos in the language of the country.” —Couto, Dialogo do Soldado Pratico, 2nd part, p. 9.—(Printed at Lisbon in 1790).

1615.—“Hos inter Nairos genus est et ordo quem Amocas vocant quibus ob studium rei bellicae praecipua laus tribuitur, et omnium habentur validissimi.”—Jarric, Thesaurus, i. 65.

1624.—“Though two kings may be at war, either enemy takes great heed not to kill the King of the opposite faction, nor yet to strike his umbrella, wherever it may go … for the whole kingdom of the slain or wounded king would be bound to avenge him with the complete destruction of the enemy, or all, if needful, to perish in the attempt. The greater the king’s dignity among these people, the longer period lasts this obligation to furious revenge .… this period or method of revenge is termed Amoco, and so they say that the Amoco of the Samori lasts one day; the Amoco of the king of Cochin lasts a life- time; and so of others.”—P. della Valle, ii. 745 [Hak. Soc., ii. 380 seq.].

1648.—“Derrière ces palissades s’estoit caché un coquin de Bantamois qui estoit revenu de la Mecque et jouoit à Moqua .… il court par les rues et tue tous ceux qu’il rencontre.…”—Tavernier, V. des Indes, liv. iii. ch. 24[Ed. Ball, ii. 361 seq.].

1659.—“I saw in this month of February at Batavia the breasts torn with red-hot tongs off a black Indian by the executioner; and after this he was broken on the wheel from below upwards. This was because through the evil habit of eating opium (according to the godless custom of the Indians) he had become mad and raised the cry of Amocle (misp. for Amock) … in which mad state he had slain five persons.… This was the third Amock- cryer whom I saw during that visit to Batavia (a few months) broken on the wheel for murder.”

..... “Such a murderer and Amock- runner has sometimes the fame of being an invincible hero because he has so manfully repulsed all who tried to seize him...... So the Netherlands Government is compelled when such an Amock-runner is taken alive to punish him in a terrific manner.”—Walter Schulzens Ost-Indische Reise-Beschreibung (German ed.), Amsterdam, 1676, pp. 19-20 and 227.

1672.—“Every community (of the Malabar Christians), every church has its own Amouchi, which .… are people who take an oath to protect with their own lives the persons and places put under their safeguard, from all and every harm.”—P. Vicenzo Maria, 145.

„ “If the Prince is slain the amouchi, who are numerous, would avenge him desperately. If he be injured they put on festive raiment, take leave of their parents, and with fire and sword in hand invade the hostile territory, burning every dwelling, and slaying man, woman, and child, sparing none, until they themselves fall.”—Ibid. 237-8.

1673.—“And they (the Mohammedans are hardly restrained from running a muck (which is to kill whoever they meet, till they be slain themselves), especially if they have been at Hodge [Hadgee] a Pilgrimage to Mecca.”—Fryer, 91.

1687.—Dryden assailing Burnet:—

“Prompt to assault, and careless of defence,
Invulnerable in his impudence,
He dares the World; and eager of a name,
He thrusts about and justles into fame.
Frontless and satire-proof, he scours the streets
And runs an Indian Muck at all he meets.”

The Hind and the Panther, line 2477.

1689.—“Those that run these are called Amouki, and the doing of it Running a Muck.”—Ovington, 237.

1712.—“Amouco (Termo da India) val o mesmo que homem determinado e apostado que despreza a vida e nao teme a morte.” —Bluteau, S.V.

1727.—“I answered him that I could no longer bear their