A.D. 



1583- 



A man halfe 

 naked goeth 

 before ye great 

 Bassa. 



The Ambassa- 

 doiirs enter- 

 tainment zoith 

 the Bassas. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



the third who marled the great Turks sister, and to 

 the fourth whom they call Abraham Bassa, to every 

 one of these he gave foure clothes. Now, before the 

 great Bassa, and Abraham Bassa, at their returne from 

 the Court (and as we thinke at other times, but at 

 that time for a certaine) there came a man in maner 

 of a foole, who gave a great shout three or foure 

 times, crying very hollowly, the place rebounded with 

 the sound, and this man, say they, is a prophet of 

 Mahomet, his armes and legges naked, on his feet he 

 did weare woodden pattens of two sorts, in his hand, a 

 flagge, or streamer set on a short speare painted, he 

 carried a mat and bottels, and other trumpery at his 

 backe, and sometimes under his arme, on his head 

 he had a cappe of white Camels haire, flat like an 

 helmet, written about with letters, and about his head a 

 linnen rowle. Other servingmen there were with the 

 sayd Bassas, with red attire on their heads, much like 

 French hoods, but the long flappe somewhat smaller 

 towardes the end, with scuffes or plates of mettall, 

 like unto the chape of an ancient arming sword, stand- 

 ing on their foreheads like other Janisaries. These 

 Bassas entertained us as foUoweth : First, they brought 

 us into a hall, there to stand on one side, and our 

 Ambassadour and gentlemen on the other side, who 

 sate them downe on a bench covered with carpets, the 

 Ambassadour in the midst ; on his left hand sate our 

 gentlemen, and on his right hand the Turkes, next to 

 the doore where their master goeth in and out : the 

 common sort of Turkes stayed in the Court yard, not 

 suffered to come neere us. When our Ambassadour 

 had sitten halfe an houre, the Bassas (who sate by 

 themselves in an inner small roome) sent for him ; to 

 whom the Ambassadour and his gentlemen went: they 

 all kissed his hand, and presently returned (the Am- 

 bassadour onely excepted, who stayed there, and a 

 Turks chaus with him) with the Ambassadour and his 

 gentlemen went in also so many of our men as there 



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