ion of Churchill.--E.]

The 16th of December I visited the king, who was just returned from his
sports, having all his game laid out before him, both fish and fowl. He
desired me to take my choice, and then distributed all the rest among
his nobles. I found him sitting on his throne, having a beggar at his
feet, a poor silly old man, all in rags and ashes, attended on by a
young one. The country abounds in these professed poor and holy men, who
are held in great reverence, and who, in voluntary sufferings and
mortified chastisements of their bodies, exceed all the boasted
performances of heretics and idolaters in all ages and countries. With
this miserable wretch, who was cloathed in rags, crowned with feathers,
and covered, with filth, his majesty conversed for about an hour, with
such kindness, as shewed a humility not common among kings. All this
time the beggar sat before the king, which is not even permitted to his
son. The beggar gave the king as a present, a cake made by himself of
coarse grain, burnt on the coals, and all foul with ashes; which yet the
king accepted, broke off a piece and eat it, which a dainty person would
hardly have done. He then wrapt up the rest in a clout, and put it into
the poor man's bosom, and sending for 100 rupees, he poured them into
the beggar's lap, gathering up with his own hands any that fell past,
and giving them to him. When his collation or banquet was brought in,
whatsoever he took to eat, he gave half of to the beggar. Rising, after
many humiliations and charities, and the old wretch not being nimble, he
took him up in his arms, though a dainty person would have scrupled to
touch him, and embraced him three times, laying his hand on his heart
and calling him father, and so left him, all of us greatly admiring such
virtue in a heathen prince. This I mention with emulation and sorrow;
wishing, as we have the true vine, that we should not produce bastard
grapes, or that this zeal in an unbeliever were guided by the true light
of the gospel.

The 23d, being about three cosses short of a city called _Rantepoor_,
[Rantampoor,] where it was supposed the king would rest, and consult
what way to take in his farther progress, he suddenly turned off towards
_Mundu_, but without declaring his purpose. I am of opinion, he took
this way for fear of the plague at Agra, rather than from any purpose of
being near the army; for we only marched every other day no more than
four cosses, and w