178 The Persian Travels Book IV. 



Thereupon he caus'd my Nephew to he enrol'd prefently as one of his Domeftick 

 Servants , and order'd the Nazar -to take particular care of him. 



The next day after my agreement with the Naz.ar, the King gave audience in 

 the great Hall of the Palace to the Ambaffador of the Vjbcck-Tartars. All the 

 Lords and Officers of the Crown flood in the Court where the Ambaffador was to 



he been an Ambaffador from a Monarch for whom the King of Terjia had had ■ 

 greater eftecm than he had for the Cham of Tartary, there had been thirty Horles- 

 for according to the value which the King puts upon the Prince that lends to hi m 

 he either augments or abates of the number of his Horfes of State. Every Horfe 

 is ty'd by the Reins to a Nail of Gold faftcn'd in the Ground , with a Hammer of 

 Gold lying by. There was another Nail of Gold behind , with a Cord ty'd to it 

 that held their hinder legs. They let alio before every Horfe a Caldron of Gold' 

 out of which they draw up Water into a great Manger ^ though all this be only for 

 State , for they never water their Horfes in that place. 



Out- of the firft Court the AmbafTador enter'd into a large Gallery, between 

 a long File of Mufqueteers on each fide. Thence he entcVd into a Garden 

 through an Alley about eight Fathom broad , all pav'd with great Marble Stones 

 in the middle of which runs a Channel of Water four Foot wide , with leveral 

 Water- works that Ipurtcd out of the Channel at equal diftanccs. On each fide of 

 the Walk to the Hall where the King fat, there is a Pondalmoft as long as the 

 Walk , and in the middle of the Pond another fort of Water-works. Several Offi- 

 cers of the Army were rang'd all along the Alley •, and at the end of one of the 

 Ponds were four Lions ty'd-, and at the end of the other ,„thrcc Tigers couchant 

 upon Carpets of Silk , having Men to guard them with Half-pikes in their hands. 

 The Hall took up more ground in length then in bredth , being op'n every way: 

 the Cieling was fuftain'd by fixteen wooden Pillars , of eight pannels every onc| 

 and of a prodigious thicknefs and height. As well the Cieling as the Pillars were 

 all painted with Foliage-work in Gold and Azure, with certain other Colours mix'd 

 therewith. In the middle of the Hall was a Vafe of excellent Marble , with a 

 Fountain throwing out Water after leveral manners. The Floor was lprcad with 

 Gold and Silk Carpets , made on purpolc for the place : and near to the Vafe was 

 a low Scaffold one Foot high, twelve Foot long, and eight wide, cover'd with a 

 magnificent Carpet. Upon this Scaffold late the King upon a four-iquare Cufhion 

 of Cloth of Gold, with another Cufhion Behind him cover'd with the fame, letup 

 againff. a great Tap'ftry-Hanging , wrought with Terfian Characters, containing 

 the Myftenes of the Law. On each fide of the King flood leveral Eunuchs with 

 Mufquets in their hands. 1 he King commanded the Athcmadoultt and four others 

 to fit down by him , and the ^A themadonkt made me a fign to fit down ^ but the 

 King knowing how little the Frank* care for fitting crofs-leg'd , order'd me to be 

 told that I might ftand upright, if I thought good. The King was clad in a 

 Si k ftreak'd with Gold : His Cloak was a Gold-ground with Flowers of Silk and 

 Silver, Furr'd with a Martin Sable, the blackeft and moft gliiVring that ever 

 was feen. His Girdle was very rich , and upon his Bonnet he wore a plume of He- 

 rons Feathers faftcn'd with a tranl'parent Jewel-, in the middle of the Jewel was 

 a Pear-fafhion'd Pearl , let with great Topaze's and Rubies. 



About half an hour after the King was fat , the Nazar and the Mailer of the 

 Ceremonies brought the Ambaffador, who neither himfelf nor any of his Train were 

 very well clad , and caus'd him to ftay at the foot of the ftcps into the Hall from the 

 Garden. Yv hen the Ambaffador had afcended the fteps , he proftrated himfelf be- 

 u re ^^ hC n Kln f , L thcn ad ™ ndn § nine or ten paces he did the fame again -, after which 

 the Matter of the Ceremonies caus'd him to fit down, leaving between him and the 

 King lpace enough for eight men. After that I obicrv'd that the Naz.ar went often 

 between the King and the Ambaffador , and between the Ambaffador and the King; 

 but I could not tell what they faid. So that I being by that time quite tyr'd , made 

 my obeylance to the King , and went home to my Lodging. 



The next day ( the Naz.ar fignify'd tome that it was the King's pleafure to favour 

 me with a compleat CaUat , or Habit of Honour , and to pay me my money 



The 



