he never failed in performing his promises.
He then turned to me, saying, "Return to your country, and tell your
masters that I shall very soon make war upon the Ottomans, and desire
them to do their duty as I shall do mine. I know no one better fitted to
carry this message than you, who have accompanied me from Ispahan, and
have seen my preparations; so that you are able to inform the Christian
princes of all that you have seen, and of my good intentions." I offered
several reasons for excusing myself from obeying these commands, which
gave me much vexation; but the king looked at me with a severe expression
of countenance, saying, "It is my pleasure for you to go, and I command
you. I shall give you letters for your masters, which will inform them of
my sentiments and the reasons of your return." In this state of
embarrassment, I was advised by the patriarch and M. Josaphat to comply
with a good grace; on which I replied to the king as follows: "My
departure, Sir, gives me much distress; but since you judge it proper, I
make no more objections, and am ready to obey your orders. Wherever I may
go, I shall speak of your great power and goodness, and the honours I
have received from your majesty, and shall exhort all the princes of
Christendom to join their forces with you against the common enemy." My
speech pleased the king, and he answered me kindly according to his
wonted manner. After retiring from this andienqe, the king sent some
Persian robes to the patriarch and me, made of fine stuff and very
beautifully ornamented, and presented each of us with a horse and some
money to assist us during our journey.

We remained two days at Tauris after the kings departure, and set out on
the 10th of June to rejoin the court, which was then encamped in a
pleasant spot among excellent pastures and plenty of fine wells; about
twenty-five miles from Tauris. We remained there till the pastures were
eaten bare, and then marched about fifteen miles farther. On the 27th of
June the king gave us our final audience, at which he gave us presents
for our respective sovereigns; that is to say, to the patriarch for the
Duke of Burgundy; to myself for the republic; and to one Marcus Ruffus,
who had come with an embassy from the prince of Muscovy. The presents
consisted in certain pieces of workmanship made in the European fashion,
two swords, and certain ornaments for the head, which are usually
fastened to bonnets. There were two Persian am