4_6 Travels in India. Part II. 



Having paft that Court, you enter into another long and large pallage, with fair 

 Portico's on both fides. Under which are feveral little Chambers, where part of 

 the Horfe-Guard lies. Thefc Portico's are rais'd fome two foot above the ground, 

 and the Hories which are ti'd without, feed upon the ftcps. In fome places there 

 are great Gates that lead to feveral Apartments; as to the Womens Lodging, 

 and to the Scat of Juirice. In the midlt of the pallage runs a Cut fall of water* 

 leaving a fair Walk on each fide, where, at equal diitances, are little Bafons or 

 Fountains. 



This long PafTage carries yon into a great Court, where the Omnfs, that is to 

 fay, the great Lords of the Kingdom, fiich as the Bajhas in Tin^y, and the ICan's 

 in PerJUy keep Guard in Perfon. They have low Lodgings round about the Court., 

 and their Hories are ti'd to their doors. 



From this fecond Court you pafs into a third, through a great Porral ■, on one 

 fide whereof there is a little Hall, rais'd fosse two or three ikps high from the 

 ground. This is the Wardrobe where the Royal Garments are Jccptj and from 

 whence the King (ends for the CaLiat, or a whole Habit for a man, when he 

 would honour any Stranger, or any one of his own Subject. A little farther, un- 

 der the fame Portal, is the place where the Drums, Trumpets, and Hautboys are 

 laid up ; which they found and beat a little before the King enters into fas Judg- 

 ment-Seat, to give notice to the Omratfj ; and they make the lame nolle when 

 the King is ready to rile, iintring into the third Court, you Ice the Diu.m betbre 

 you, wliere the King gives Audience. This is a great Hall rais'd fome (our-ibut- 

 high above the fuperficies of the Court, with three lides open. Thirty-two Pil- 

 lars fultain as many Arches ; and thele Columns are about four-foet-fqnare, with 

 Pedefrals and Mouldings. When Cb,i-jcba,i firlt began to build this Hall., he in- 

 tended to have enrich'd it, and inlaid it all over with thofe Stones that fecm to be 

 naturally painted, like thofe in the Great Duke of T.<fcanf$ Chappcl. But having 

 made a trial upon two or three Pillars, about two or three-foot-high, he found 

 that there would not be Stones enough, of that fort, in the World to finifh the 

 work j befides the valtnefs of the Sum it would come to. So that he left off 

 his deiign, contenting himfelf with a Painting of feveral' flowers. 



In the middle of this Hall, next to the fide which looks toward the Court, 

 there is a Throne erected upon a kind of Theater, where the King gives Audience, 

 and pronounces Judgment. The Throne is a little Bed, with four Columns, about 

 the bignefs of one of our Field-Beds, with a Canopy, Back piece, Bouliter and 

 Counterpoint, ail embroidered with Diamonds. Befides all this, when the King 

 comes to fit upon the Throne, they throw over the Bed a Coverlet of Cloath of 

 Gold, or (bme other riehly-embroider'd Silk ; and he alcends by three little 

 iteps, two-foot- broad. On one fide of the Bed is erected an Vmbrcllo upon 

 a StatF, as long as an Half-Pike. Upon one of the Pillars of the Throne hangs 

 one of the King's Weapons j upon another his Buckler ; upon another his Sci- 

 metar ; and then his Bow and Quiver of Arrows, and other things of the fame na- 

 ture. 



Below the Throne there is a place fome twenty-foot-fquare, encompaft with 

 Balufters, which at fome times are cover'd with Plates of Silver, at other times 

 with Plates of Gold. At the four Corners of this fmall enclolure fit the four Se- 

 cretaries of State, who as well in Civil as Criminal Caufes, do the duty of Ad- 

 vocates. Many Lords ftand about this Baluftrade j and there is alio the Mufick 

 plac'd, that plays all the while the King is in the Divan. This Mufick is (b fiweet 

 and foft, that it never takes off the mind from the (erioufnefis of bufinefs at that 

 time manag'd. The King being fat upon his Throne, fome great Lord itands by 

 him ; generally it is (bme one of his own Children. Between eleven a Clock 

 and Noon., the Nahab, who is the chief Miniiter of State, like the Grand VtXicr 

 in Turkey, makes a report to the King of what has palt in the Chamber where he 

 Prefides, which is at the Entry of the firft Court; and when he has done (peak- 

 ing, the King rifes. For you mult take notice, that from the time that the King 

 is fate upon his Throne, till he rifes, no perfon whatfbever is permitted to frir out 

 of the Palace ; and yet I can (ay that the King difpene'd with my performance of 

 this Law fo generally obferv'd by all the Court : The occafion whereof was thus 

 in fhort. 



Being 



