Plume on the Creft. He held his Sword drawn in his Hand, to defend himself, if I should happen to break loofe; it was almoft three Inches long, the Hilt and Scabbard were Gold enriched with Diamonds. His Voice was fhrill, but very clear and articulate, and I could diftinctly hear it when I ftood up. The Ladies and Courtiers were all moft magnificently clad, fo that the Spot they stood upon feemed to refemble a Petticoat fpread on the Ground, embroidered with Figures of Gold and Silver. His Imperial Majefty spoke often to me, and I returned Answers, but neither of us could understand a Syllable. There were feveral of his Prieft's and Lawyers prefent, (as I conjectured by their Habits) who were commanded to addrefs, themselves to me, and I spoke to them in as many Languages as I had the leaft Smattering of; which were High and Low Dutch, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and Lingua Franca; but all to no Purpofe. After about two Hours the Court retired, and I was left with a strong Guard, to prevent the Impertinence, and probably the Malice of the Rabble, who were very impatient to croud about me as near as they durft, and fome of them had the Impudence to shoot their Arrows at me as I fate on the Ground by the Door of my Houfe, whereof one very narrowly mifs'd my left Eye. But the Colonel ordered fix of the Ring-leaders to be feized, and thought no Punishment fo proper as to deliver them bound into my Hands, which fome of his Soldiers accordingly did, pushing them forwards with the But-ends of their Pikes into my Reach; I took them all in my right Hand, put five of them into my Coat-pocket, and as to the fixth, I made a Countenance as if I would eat him alive.

The poor Man fqualled terribly, and the Colonel and his Officers were in much Pain, especially when they faw me take out my Penknife: But I foon put them out of Fear; for, looking mildly and immediately cutting the Strings he was bound with, I fet him gently on the Ground, and away he ran; I treated the reft in the fame Man ner, taking them, one by one, out of my Pocket, and. I obferved both the Soldiers and People were obliged at this Mark of my Clemency, which was reprefented very much to my Advantage at Court.

Towards Night I got with fome Difficulty into my House, where I lay on the Ground, and continued to do fo about a Fortnight; during which Time the Emperor gave Orders to have a Bed prepared for me. Six hundred Beds of the common Measure were brought in Carriages, and worked up in my House; an hundred and fifty of their Beds, fown together, made up the Breadth and Length and thefe were four double, which, however, kept me but very indifferently from the Hardness of the Floor, that was of fmooth Stone By the fame Computation, they provided me with Sheets, Blankets, and Coverlets, tolerable enough for one who had been fo long inured to Hardships.

As the News of my Arrival fpread through the Kingdom, it brought prodigious Numbers of rich, idle, and curious People to fee me; fo that the Villages were almoft emptied, and great Neglect of Tillage and Houfhold Affairs must have enfued, if his Imperial Majefty had not provided, by feve ral Proclamations and Orders of State, against this Inconveniency. He directed, that those who had already beheld me should return Home, and not prefume to come within fifty Yards of my House,

without

without Licence from Court; whereby the Secretaries of State got confiderable Fees.

In the mean Time, the Emperor held frequent Councils, to debate what Courfe fhould be taken with me; and I was afterwards affured by a particular Friend, a Perfon of great Quality, who was looked upon to be as much in the Secret as any, that the Court was under many Difficulties concerning me. They apprehended my breaking loofe, that my Diet would be very expensive, and might caufe a Famine. Sometimes they determin, ed to ftarve me, or at least to 'fhoot me in the Face and Hands with poifoned Arrows, which would foon difpatch me but again they confidered, that the Stench of fo large a Carcafe might produce a Plague in the Metropolis, and probably spread through the whole Kingdom. In the midst of thefe Confultations, feyeral Officers of the Army went to the Door of the great Council-Chamber, and two of them, being admitted, gave an Account of my Behaviour to the fix Criminals above-mentioned, which made, fo favourable an Impreffion in the Breaft of his Majesty, and the whole Board, in my Behalf, that an Imperial Commiffion was iffued out, obliging all the Villages, nine hundred Yards round the City, to deliver in every Morning fix Beeves, forty Sheep, and other Victuals, for my Suftenance; together with a proportionable Quantity of Bread, and Wine, and other Liquors for the due Payment of which, his Majefty gave Affignments upon his Treafury. For this Prince lives chiefly upon his own Demefnes, feldom, except upon great Occafions, raising any Subfidies upon his Subjects, who are bound to attend him in his Wars at their own Expence. An Establishment was alfo made of fix hundred Perfons to be

my Domefticks, who had Board-wages allowed for their Maintenance, and Tents built for them very conveniently on each Side of my Door. It was likewise ordered, that three hundred Taylors should make me a Suit of Cloaths after the Fashion of the Country: That fix of his Majesty's greatest Scholars fhould be employ'd to inftruct me in their Language: And, faftly, that the Emperor's Horfes, and thofe of the Nobility, and Troops of Guards, fhould be frequently exercised in my Sight, to accuftom themselves to me. All these Orders were duly put in Execution, and, in about three Weeks, I made a great Progrefs in learning their Language; during which Time, the Emperor frequently honoured me with his Vifits, and was pleased to affift my Masters in teaching me. We began already to converfe together in fome Sort; and the first Words I learnt were to exprefs my Defire that he would please to give me my Liberty, which I every Day repeated on my Knees. His Anfwer, as I could apprehend it, was, that this must be a Work of Time, not to be thought on without the Advice of Council, and that first I must Lumos Kelmin peffo defmar lon Empofo; that is, fwear a Peace with him and his Kingdom. However, that I fhould be used with all Kindness; and he advised me to acquire, by my Patience and difcreet Behaviour, the good Opinion of himself and his Subjects. He defired I would not take it ill if he gave Orders to certain proper Officers to fearch me; for probably I might carry about me feveral Weapons, which muft needs be dangerous Things, if they answered the Bulk of fo prodigious a Perfon. I faid, his Majefty fhould be fatisfied, for I was ready to Arip myself, and turn up my Pockets before him.

This I delivered Part in Words, and Part in Signs. He replied, that by the Laws of the Kingdom I muft be fearched by two of his Officers; that he knew this could not be done without my Confent and Affiftance; that he had fo good an Opinion of my Generofity and Juftice, as to truft their Perfons in my Hands: That whatever they took from me fhould be returned when I left the Country, or paid for at the Rate which I would fet upon them. I took up the two Officers in my Hands, put them firft into my Coat-Pockets, and then into every other Pocket about_me, except my two Fobs, and another fecret Pocket I had no Mind fhould be fearched, wherein I had fome little Neceffaries that were of no Confequence to any but myself. In one of my Fobs there was a filver Watch, and in the other a fmall Quantity of Gold in a Purfe. Thefe Gentlemen, having Pen, Ink, and Paper about them, made an exact Inventory of every Thing they faw; and, when they had done, defired I would fet them down, that they might deliver it to the Emperor. This Inventory I afterwards tranflated into Englib, and is Word for Word as follows.

Imprimis, In the right Coat-Pocket of the Great Man-Mountain (for fo I interpret the Quinbus Fleftrin, after the ftricteft Search, we found only. one great Piece of coarfe Cloath) large enough to be a Foot-Cloth for your Majefty's chief Room of State. In the left Pocket, we faw a huge filver Cheft, with a Cover of the fame Metal, which we the Searchers were not able to lift. We defired it fhould be opened, and one of us, ftepping into it, found himself up to the mid Leg in a Sort of Duft, fome Part whereof, flying up to qur Faces, fet us both a fneezing for feveral Times

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