a
man as he was, and if he would vouchsafe to accept a present from a
stranger, as he proposed to send a gentleman to England with me to kiss
the hands of my sovereign, and to see our country. I answered him as
became me, with all civility; so he sent for one presently, whom he
questioned if he would venture upon such a journey, and as this person
seemed willing, he presented him to me, saying he would provide some of
the curiosities of the country for the king my master, and send them by
this gentleman along with me. By the manner all this seemed to be in
earnest.

While we thus spent our time in friendly converse, supper was brought
in; and, as in the morning, two cloths were spread, one before me and my
chaplain, with one merchant, on which were set various dishes of roast,
fried, and boiled meats, with rice and sallads. On this occasion my
honourable entertainer desired me to excuse his company, as it was their
custom to eat among themselves, and his countrymen might take it ill if
he did not eat with them; so he and his guests, and I with my
companions, solaced ourselves with good cheer. The meats were not amiss,
but the attendance and order were excellent, as the servants were very
diligent and respectful. After the manner of this country of giving
presents to invited guests, he made me a present of five cases of
sugar-candy flavoured with musk, and a loaf of the finest sugar, as
white as snow, weighing fifty pounds, and requested my acceptance of an
hundred such against my departure. He then addressed me in these
terms:--"You refuse these from me, thinking I am poor, but being made in
my government, it costs me nothing, as it comes to me _gratis_." To this
I answered, that he had already much too far obliged me, yet would I not
refuse his kindness when ready to go away. On which he replied, that he
might not be then provided, and therefore desired I would accept now,
that he might not lose both his offer and his labour. Thus, calling
himself my father, and me his son, we took leave of each other, with
many compliments.

I went to visit the king on the 16th, who, as soon as I came in, called
to his women, and reached out his own picture set in gold, and hanging
to a chain of gold wire, with a pendant of foul pearl, which he
delivered to Asaph Khan, whom I warned not to demand any reverence from
me on the occasion which I would not willingly perform; as it is the
custom here, when he bestows any gift, that the re