Book I. 



Travels in India. 



Being one day going out of the Palace, while the King was fitting in the Divan, 

 upon fome urgent bufinefs that would admit of no delay, the Captain of the 

 Guards held me by the arm, and told me I mould go no farther } I contefted and 

 argued the Cafe with him for Ibme time, but finding his ulage to be very boifte- 

 rous, I lifted up my Cane, and had certainly ftrook him in my palfton, had not two 

 or three of the Guards that faw all the pallages., held my hand. Happily forme 

 at that time,the Nahab, who was then the King's llnckle, came by, and being in- 

 formed of the ground of our quarrel ; order'd the Captain of the Guards to let 

 me go. After'that he made a report to the King how the matter ftood ; and to- 

 ward evening the Nahab fent me one of his Servants to tell me, it was his Ma- 

 jelly's pleafure, that I might come in or go out of the Palace, though he were 

 fitting in the Divan, as I pleas'd my (elf 5 for which I went the next day, and re- 

 turn'd thanks to the Nahab. 



Toward the middle of the fame Court there is a fmall Channel fome five or 

 fix inches broad, where while the King is, fitting upon the Seat of Juftice, they 

 that have bufinels are to ftand. Further it is not lawful for them to go, till they 

 are call'd -, and Embalfadors themlelves are not exempted from this cuftom. 

 When an Embaflador comes as far as this Channel, the Mafter of the Ceremonies 

 calls out toward the Divan where the King is fitting, that filch an Embafiador 

 craves Audience of his Majefty. Then one of the Secretaries of State declares 

 it to the King ; who oftentimes makes as if he did not hear : But fome time after 

 lifting up his eyes, he cafts them upon the Embafiador, making him a fign by the 

 fame Secretary, that he may approach. 



From the Hall of the Divan, turning to the , left, you walk upon a Terrais, 

 where you dilcover the River. Over this Terrais the King pafies into a little 

 Chamber, from whence he goes into his Haram. In this . little Chamber it was 

 that I had my firft iVudience of his Majefty -, as I fhall relate in another 

 place. 



Upon the left-hand of the Court where the Divan is built, ftands a little 

 Mofquee neatly built ; the Cupola, whereof is cover'd with Lead perfedly guilded. 

 Here the King goes to hear Prayers every day, except it be Fridays, when he is 

 to go to the great Mofquee } which is a very fair one, and plac'd upon an high 

 Platform, rais'd higher than the Houfes of the City, and there is a noble afcent to 

 it. That day that the King goes to the Aiofiuce, they place huge rails of wood 

 round about the fteps, as well to keep off the Elephants, as out of refpecl; to the 

 Mofquee. 



The right-fide of the Court is taken up with Portico's, that make a long Gal- 

 lery, rais'd from the ground about half a foot ; and thelc are the King's Stables, 

 into which you have many doors to enter. They are alfo full of ftately Horles, 

 the worft whereof ftands the King in three-thoufand Crowns ; and there are 

 Ibme that coft him ten-thouland. At the door of every one of thefe. Stables 

 hangs a kind of Mat made of Bambouc, that cleaves like our Ofiers. But where- 

 as we bind our Ofier-twigs with the lame Oiier, they bind their Bambouc s with 

 wreath'd-Silk, which is delicate work, but very tedious. . Thele Mats are to hin- 

 der the Flies from tormenting the Horles 5 there being two Grooms to an Horlè,- 

 one of which is ftill employ 'd in fanning the Beaft. There are alio Mats fpread 

 before the Portico's, and before the Stable-door j which they fpread or take 

 away as occafion requires. And the Floor of the Gallery is cover'd with fair 

 Carpets, which is taken away in the evening, and the Horfes Litter ftrow'd in 

 the fame place. Which Litter is nothing but the Horfe-dung dri'd in the Sun, and 

 then fqueez'd a little flat. The Horles that are brought into .India either out of 

 Perfia, Arabia, or the Countrey of Vsbech, change their food : For in India they 

 never give them Hay nor Oats. Every Horfe in the morning having for his pro- 

 portion three loaves made of Meal, Wheat, and Butter, as big as one of our fix- 

 penny-loaves. Tis an hard matter to bring them to this diet at firft 5 it being 

 ibmetimes three or four Months before they can do it. The Groom is fore'd to 

 hold their tongue in one hand, and to thruft down the bread with the other. 

 When Sugar-Canes or Millet are in feafon, they give them that diet about noon ; 

 and in the evening^ two hours before Sun-fet, they give them a meafure of Gar- 

 den-Chiches which the Groom Iqueezes between two ftones, ! and mixes with wa- 



