e orderly and the tents joined, there are all sorts of shops,
so regularly disposed, that all persons know where to go for any thing
they want. Every man of quality, and every trade, is regularly appointed
how far they are to be from the king's tents, in what direction, and
what ground they shall occupy, which continues ever the same without
alteration. All this may equal almost any town in Europe for size. But
no person must approach on any side within a musket shot of the
_atoskanha_, or royal quarter, which is so strictly observed that no one
is ever admitted but by name. The evening durbar is omitted, the time
being spent by the king in hunting or hawking rather, on tanks, by means
of boats, in which he takes great delight, his barges being moved along
with the leskar on carts. On these occasions he sits by the sides of the
tanks, to view the sport, these tanks being often a mile or two over.
The king is seen every morning at the _Jaruco_, formerly mentioned; but
business or speaking to him at this time is prohibited; all business
being conducted at night in the _guzalcan_, and there the opportunity is
often missed, his majesty being so frequently overcome by drowsiness,
proceeding from drunkenness.

There was now a whisper about the court of a new affinity between Sultan
Cuserou and Asaph Khan, and great hope was entertained of the prince
recovering his liberty. I will find an opportunity to discourse of this
hereafter, because the particulars are worthy of being preserved, as the
wisdom and goodness of the king were manifest above the malice of
others: And, in this affair, Noormahal made good the observation, that
women have always great influence in court factions, and she shewed that
they are not incapable of managing business. This history will discover
a noble prince, an excellent wife, a faithful counsellor, a crafty
step-mother, an ambitious son, a cunning favourite; all reconciled by a
patient king, whose heart was not understood by any of them all. But
this will require a separate place,[209] as not fit to be mingled with
matters of ordinary business. At this time the English complained of
being ill used at Surat; but their drunkenness, and riotous behaviour
proceeding from that cause, were so notorious, that it was rather
wonderful they were not all put to death.

[Footnote 209: This story does not however appear, the journal of Sir
Thomas Roe being left imperfect, both in the Pilgrims and in the
Collect