man, send for him to your
house, and shew him such rarities as you have, and let him choose one,
in return for which you shall have any one of these pictures you please,
that you may shew in England we are not so unskilful as you supposed."
He then pressed me to make a choice, which I did, and which the king
wrapped in paper, and placed in a little book of mine, expressing much
exultation at the supposed victory of his painter. I then shewed him a
picture I had of his majesty, far inferior to the work I now saw, saying
I had judged from it, supposing it among the best. When told where I got
it, he asked why I bought any such thing? "Have not I the best, and have
not I told you that I would give you any thing you desired?" I thanked
his majesty, but said I held it impertinent for me to trouble him in
trifles, especially as a beggar. To this he replied, that it was no
shame to ask from him, and desired me to speak freely at all times, and
pressed me to ask for something. To this I answered, that I would not
make choice of any gift, as whatever he was pleased to give, I would
joyfully accept as a mark of honour. He then said, if you desire my
picture, I will either give you one for yourself or for your king. To
this I answered, that if his majesty thought proper to send one to my
king, I would gladly carry it, and knew that my sovereign would esteem
it much, and take it as a mark of friendship; but, as his majesty had
emboldened me by his gracious condescension, I would humbly ask one for
myself, which I would keep and leave to my posterity, as a memorial of
his majesty's favour. He answered, as my king did not desire one, but I
did, I should have one, and so gave immediate order for its making. He
then turned himself to sleep, and we had to go out as before, in the
dark.
The 9th of August a band of an hundred robbers were brought in chains
before the Great Mogul, together with their accusation. Without any
ceremony of trial, he ordered them to be carried away for execution,
their chief being ordered to be torn in pieces by dogs, and all the rest
to be put to death in the ordinary manner. The prisoners were divided
into portions, sent for execution to several quarters of the city, and
executed in the streets. Close by my house, the chief was torn in pieces
by twelve dogs, and thirteen of his fellows, having their hands and
feet tied together, had their necks cut by a sword, yet not quite
through, and their naked and blood
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