On
Coming Into The Presence, And Reaching The First Rail, He Made Three
Tessalims And One Sizeda, Which Is Prostrating Himself And Knocking
His Head Three Times Against The Ground.
On entering within the rail he
did the same, and then presented the letter of his master, Shabas,
[Shah Abbas.] This the king took with a slight inclination of the body,
saying only, How doth my brother?
Without using any title of majesty.
After some few words, the ambassador was placed in the seventh rank,
close to the rail beside the door, and below many of the king's
servants, which, in my opinion, was a very mean place for the ambassador
of Persia; but he richly merited this degradation for doing that mean
reverence to the dishonour of his master which all his predecessors had
refused, and by which he gave much offence to many of his nation. It is
reported that he had orders from Shah Abbas to give content in all
things, and hence it is conjectured that he is sent to obtain some aid
in money against the Turks, in which kind the court of Persia often
finds liberal succour from the Mogul government. Others pretend that his
object is to mediate a peace for the princes of the Deccan, whose
protection Shah Abbas is said to have much at heart, being jealous of
the extension of this empire.
According to custom, the king gave him a handsome turban, a vest of
cloth of gold, and a girdle, for which he again made three tessalims
and a sizeda, or ground courtesy. The present he brought consisted of
three times nine Persian and Arabian horses, this being among them a
ceremonious number; nine very large and handsome mules; seven camels
laden with velvet; two suits of European Arras, or tapestry, which I
suppose was Venetian; two chests of Persian hangings; one rich cabinet;
four muskets; five clocks; a camel's load of cloth of gold; eight silk
carpets; two balasss rubies; twenty-one camel loads of wine made of
grapes; fourteen camel loads of distilled sweet waters; seven of
rose-water; seven daggers and five swords adorned with precious stones;
seven Venetian mirrors, all so fair and rich that I was ashamed of the
relation.
These presents were not now delivered, but only a list of them in
writing. His own equipage was rich, having nine led horses, their
trappings all studded with gold and silver. His turban was encircled by
a chain of pearls, rubies, and turquoises, having three pipes of gold,
in which were three plumes of feathers. Having thus caused accurate
observation to be made of his reception, and compared it with my own, I
find it in nothing more gracious than my own, and in many things
inferior, except only in being met without the town, which, owing to my
sickness, was not demanded; neither did the king receive the letter of
Shah Abbas with so much respect as that of the king, my master, whom he
called the king of England, his brother, naming the Persian barely his
brother, without addition. This observation was made by the jesuit, who
understood the language.
Sec.5. Continuation of Occurrences at Court, till leaving Agimere, in
November, 1616.
The 20th of October I received the prince's letter to send to Sarat,
with orders for the governor of that city to sit along with the judge
of the custom-house, to take care that no wrong was done to the English.
The clause about sending up the presents sealed and unsearched to me,
was so obscure and unintelligible, that it was susceptible of various
constructions, which I believed was done designedly, that they might
come into the hands of the prince, so as to become his own. I sent it
back therefore to his secretary to be altered; and getting it returned
still more intricate than at first, I went to the prince on the 21st,
and desired to have that clause of his letter explained, at which he
stuck a little, and I perceived he was as hollow as I had imagined. He
plainly asked, How then he should have his presents, or see such
curiosities as came up? and proposed to accompany me to where they were.
I answered, that I could not do this till I had delivered my master's
message and presents to the king, after which I should wait upon his
highness with his presents, and that every rarity that came to me should
be sent after him. He pressed me to pass my word for the performance of
this, which I did, and then I had the letter for Surat made out to my
content.
At this interview the prince observed a white feather in my hat, and
asked if I would give it to him. I answered, that I could not presume to
offer any thing I had worn; but if he were pleased to command it, that
or any thing else in my power was at his service. He then asked if I had
any more; to which I answered, that I had three or four others of
different colours. He desired to have them all, as he was to shew his
horses and servants to the king within two days, and wanted some, being
rare in these parts. I therefore promised to bring all I had next day,
when his highness might take what pleased him.
This day Abdalla Khan waited on the prince with a gallant equipage,
himself and servants being anticly apparelled, yet soldier-like,
according to their fashion. On this occasion he made a present to the
prince of a handsome white horse, full of spirit and high mettled, the
saddle and furniture all ornamented with enamelled gold. The prince
returned him a plain sword with a leathern belt. Many other swords were
brought before him, the hilts and scabbards being of silver, set with
small stones, together with targets covered with gold velvets, some
painted and embossed with gold and silver, all of which he distributed
among his servants.
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