Day, and refted at Night with five hundred Guards on each Side of me, half with Torches, and half with Bows and Arrows ready to fhoot me if I fhould offer to ftir. The next Morning at Sunrife we continued our March, and arrived within two hundred Yards of the City-Gates about Noon. The Emperor, and all his Court, came out to meet us; but his great Officers would by no Means suffer his Majefty to endanger his Perfon by mounting on my Body.

AT the Place where the Carriage ftopt, there stood an ancient Temple, efteemed to be the largest in the whole Kingdom; which having been polluted fome Years before by an unnatural Murder, was, according to the Zeal of thofe People, looked upon as Prophane, and therefore had been applied to common Use, and all the Ornaments and Furniture carried away. In this Edifice it was determined I fhould lodge. The great Gate fronting to the North was about four Feet high, and almost two Feet wide, through which I could easily creep. On each Side of the Gate was a fmall Window not above fix Inches from the Ground: Into that on the left Side, the King's Smiths conveyed fourfcore and eleven Chains, like thofe that hang to a Lady's Watch in Europe, and almost as large, which were locked to my Left Leg with fix and thirty Padlocks. Over against this Temple, on the other Side of the great Highway, at twenty Feet Diftance, there was a Turret at least five Feet high. Here the Emperor afcended with many principal Lords of his Court, to have an Opportunity of viewing me, as I was told, for I could not fee them. It was reckoned that above an hundred thousand Inhabitants came out of the Town upon the fame Errand; and in fpight of my Guards, I

believe

believe there could not be fewer than ten thousand, at feveral Times, who mounted upon my Body by the Help of Ladders. But a Proclamation was foon iffued to forbid it, upon pain of Death. When the Workmen found it was impoffible for me to break loose, they cut all the Strings that bound me; whereupon I rofe up with as melancholy a Difpofition as ever I had in my Life. But the Noife and Aftonishment of the People at seeing me rife and walk, are not to be expreffed. The Chains that held my left Leg were about two Yards long, and gave me not only the Liberty of walking backwards and forwards in a Semi-circle; but being fixed within four Inches of the Gate, allowed me to creep in, and lie at my full Length in the Temple.

CHAP.

ment.

CHA P. II.

The Emperor of LILLIPUT, attended by feveral of the Nobility, comes to fee the Author in his ConfineThe Emperor's Perfon and Habit defcribed. Learned Men appointed to teach the Author their Language. He gains Favour by his mild Difpofition. His Pockets are fearched, and his Sword and Piftols taken from him.

W

HEN I found my felf on my Feet, I looked about me, and must confefs I never beheld a more entertaining Profpect. The Country round appeared like a continued Garden; and the inclofed Fields, which were generally forty Feet Square, resembled fo many Beds of Flowers. Thefe Fields were intermingled with Woods of half a Stang, and the tallest Trees, as I could judge, appeared to be feven Feet high. I viewed the Town on my left Hand, which looked like the painted Scene of a City in a Theatre.

I HAD been for fome Hours extremely preffed by the Neceffities of Nature; which was no Wonder, it being almost two Days fince I had last difburthened my self. I was under great Difficulties between Urgency and Shame. The best Expedi

ent

ent I could think on, was to creep into my Houfe, which I accordingly did; and shutting the Gate af ter me, I went as far as the Length of my Chain would fuffer; and discharged my Body of that uneafy Load. But this was the only Time I was ever guilty of fo uncleanly an Action; for which I cannot but hope the candid Reader will give fome Allowance, after he hath maturely and impartially confidered my Cafe, and the Distress I was in. From this Time my conftant Practice was, as foon as I rofe, to perform that Bufinefs in open Air, at the full Extent of my Chain; and due Care was taken every Morning before Company came, that the offenfive Matter fhould be carried off in Wheelbarrows, by two Servants appointed for that Purpofe. I would not have dwelt fo long upon a Circumftance, that perhaps at, firft Sight may appear not very momentous; IfI had not thought it neceffary to juftify my Character in Point of Cleanlinefs to the World; which I am told, fome of my Maligners have been pleased, upon this and other Occafions, to call in Question.

WHEN this Adventure was at an End, I came back out of my Houfe, having Occafion for fresh Air. The Emperor was already defcended from the Tower, and, advancing on Horseback towards me, which had like to have coft him dear; for the Beast, although very well trained, yet wholly unused to fuch a Sight, which appeared, as if a Mountain moved before him, reared up on his hinder Feet: But that Prince, who is an excellent Horfeman, kept his Seat, until his Attendants ran in, and held the Bridle, while his Majefty had Time to difmount. When he alighted, he furveyed me round with great Admiration, but kept beyond the Length of my Chains. He ordered his Cooks and Butlers, who

were

were already prepared, to give me Victuals and Drink, which they pufhed forward in a Sort of Vehicles upon Wheels until I could reach them. I took these Vehicles, and foon emptied them all; twenty of them were filled with Meat, and ten with Liquor; each of the former afforded me two or three good Mouthfuls, and I emptied the Liquor of ten Veffels, which was contained in earthen Vials, into one Vehicle, drinking it off at a Draught; and fo I did with the reft. The Emprefs, and young Princes of the Blood, of both Sexes, attended by many Ladies, fate at fome Distance in their Chairs; but upon the Accident that happened to the Emperor's Horfe, they alighted, and came near his Perfon; which I am now going to defcribe. He is taller by almost the Breadth of my Nail, than any of his Court; which alone is enough to strike an Awe into the Beholders. His Features are ftrong and mafculine, with an Auftrian Lip, and arched Nofe, his Complexion olive, his Countenance erect, his Body and Limbs well proportioned, all his Motions graceful, and his Deportment majestick. He was then paft his Prime, being twenty-eight Years and three Quarters old, of which he had reigned about feven, in great Felicity, and generally victorious. For the better Convenience of beholding him, I lay on my Side, so that my Face was parallel to his, and he stood but three Yards off: However, I have had him fince many Times in my Hand, and therefore cannot be deceived in the Description. His Drefs was very plain and fimple, the Fashion of it between the Afiatick and the European; but he had on his Head a light Helmet of Gold, adorned with Jewels, and a 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 VOL. III. Inches

C