o the people, looking at sports and
pastimes made by men, or at fights of various animals. At three o'clock,
all the nobles then in Agra, who are in health, resort to court, when
the king comes forth to open audience, sitting in his royal seat, and
all the nobles standing before him, each according to his degree. The
chiefs of the nobles standing within the red rail, and all the rest
without, all being properly placed by the lieutenant-general. The space
within the red rail is three steps higher than where the rest stand, and
within this red rail I was placed among the chiefest of the land. All
the rest are placed in their order by officers, and they likewise are
placed within another rail in a spacious place; and without the rail
stand all kinds of horsemen and foot-soldiers belonging to his captains,
and all other comers. At these rails there are many doors kept by a
great number of porters, who have white rods to keep every one in order.

In the middle of the place, right before the king, stands one of the
king's sheriffs or judges, together with the chief executioner, who is
attended by forty executioners, distinguished from all others by a
peculiar kind of quilted caps on their heads, some with hatchets on
their shoulders, and others with all sorts of whips, ready to execute
the king's commands. The king hears all manner of causes in this place,
staying about two hours every day for that purpose; for the kings in
India sit in judgment every day, and their sentences are put in
execution every Tuesday.

After this he retires to his private chamber for prayer, when four or
five kinds of finely-dressed roast meats are set before him, of which
he eats till his stomach is satisfied, drinking after this meal one cup
of strong drink. He then goes into a private room, into which no one
enters but such as are named by himself, where for two years I was one
of his attendants; and here he drinks other five cups of strong liquor,
being the quantity allowed by his physicians. This done, he chews opium,
and being intoxicated, he goes to sleep, and every one departs to his
home. He is awakened after two hours to get his supper, at which time he
is unable to feed himself, but has it thrust into his mouth by others,
which is about one o'clock in the morning; after which he sleeps the
rest of the night.

During the time that he drinks his six cups of strong liquor, he says
and does many idle things; yet whatsoever he does or says,