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officers were moftly difafFecfled, engaged in private treaties, 

 and in daily expedlation of peace. 



A VERY fliort council was held at the king's tent ; all 

 that could be refolved upon had been already fixed the 

 day before, and little had happened fince to occafion any 

 alteration. All the young nobility were, as ufual, at Ozoro 

 Efther's. It was with infinite pity I heard them thought- 

 lefsly praying for a warm and fair day to-morrow, the eve- 

 ning of which many of them were never to fee. 



Besides the flores that Ozoro Efther always was provid- 

 ed with, the king had fent her two live cattle, wine, bran- 

 dy, and hydromel ; and what was a very unufual conde- 

 fcenfion, the Ras, immediately after council, came into the 

 tent, and brought with him a frefh fupply. He was very 

 gracious and affable, faid a number of kind things to eve- 

 rybody, and aflced me particularly how we drank in Eng- 

 land? 



I EXPLAINED to him as well as I could the nature of our 

 toafls, and drinking to the health of our miflrefles by their 

 names in bumpers ; that our foldiers toalls on fuch a night 

 as that, if the general honoured them as he did us now 

 with his company, would be, A fair morning, and fpeedy 

 fight of our enemy. He comprehended it all very eafily, 

 and when I faw he did fo, I afked if I fhould give my toall ? 

 and he and all the company joining in a loud cry of appro- 

 bation, I filled a horn with wine, and fi^anding up, for he 

 had forced us all to be feated, I drank, Long life to the king, 

 health, happincfs, and vii5tory, to you, Sir, and a fpeedy fight 

 of king Theodorus. A violent fliout of appiaufe followed. 

 3 He 



