King set spurs to his horse, and did ride away for the space of an hour; Sir Anthony being placed in the King's place, with his brother Mr. Robert Sherley, the lieutenant general on the right hand, and the lord steward on the left. After the King was departed, the lord steward told Sir Anthony that it was the custom to entertain strangers in that fashion, but willed him to have patience awhile, and he should see the event; so within an hour the King returned back again as fast as his horse would go, and having following him sixteen women on horseback richly attired, and when he came close to Sir Anthony the women did holloa, and gave such a cry, much like the wild Irish, which did make us wonder at it; then after they had made an end, the King came and embraced Sir Anthony and his brother, kissing them both three or four times over, and taking Sir Anthony by the hand, swearing a great oath that he should be his sworn brother, and so he did call him always, and so the King marched along, putting Sir Anthony on his right hand. It was a wonderful sight to see the multitude of people that were there that day; and still as the King did pass along the people would kneel down and kiss the earth; but before we came into the city, there was proclamation made that, upon pain of death, no soldier should enter into the city, but such as were born

there, for fear of making any uproar; and so they were all discharged and departed every one to his own country for that time. So after we had entered the city, we marched through every street, and in the end came to a banqueting house of the King's; when the king brought Sir Anthony up into a very fair chamber richly trimmed; in which chamber Sir Anthony delivered a speech to the King, what was the occasion of his coming, with a discourse of our wearisome journey, and of our usage in Turkey, and other accidents which did happen unto us by the way, which the King did hearken very attentively unto, and when Sir Anthony had ended his speech, the King stood up and replied; "Brother, I do grieve to hear of thy sore adventures and troubles by the way, but I do much rejoice to see thee here in safety at our court; for be well assured I will place thee on my head." This was his meaning, that he would advance him to great honour; then was there a great banquet brought in, with music before it, where they past away their time for the space of two hours, with great joy; after the banquet was ended, the King requested Sir Anthony to look through the window to behold their sports on horseback. Before the house there was a very fair place to the quantity of some ten acres of ground, made very plain; so the King went down, and when he had

taken his horse, the drums and trumpets sounded; there was twelve horsemen in all with the King; so they divided themselves six on the one side, and six on the other; having in their hands long rods of wood, about the bigness of a man's finger, and at one end of the rods a piece of wood nailed on like unto a hammer. After they were divided and turned face to face, there came one into the middle, and threw a wooden ball between both the companies, and having goals made at either end of the plain, they began their sport, striking the ball with their rods from one to the other, in the fashion of our football play here in England; and ever when the King had gotten the ball before him, the drums and trumpets would play one alarum, and many times the King would come to Sir Anthony to the window, and ask him how he did like the sport. So when the sport was ended, Sir Anthony sent me down of some business, and as I went down the stairs it was my chance to meet with the King, who when he saw me, took me by the arm, and caused me to return back again with him, and brought me to the chamber where the Turk's Ambassador was, and did lead me along to the upper end of the chamber, and put me above the Turk's Ambassador, bidding me sit down there, by reason they have no stools, but sit on carpets. I could ill sit cross-legged after

their manner, but kneeled on my knees; then the Ambassador told the King it was the fashion of England, to sit on stools, for he had been oft-times in the English merchants' houses in Constantinople. When the King had heard these words, he presently went into the next room, and caused one of his pages to bring forth a little form, which they did use to set bottles of wine upon, and throwing a carpet of gold upon it, caused me to sit down; then he called for some wine, and did drink a health unto me, and used these words. "I do esteem more of the sole of a Christian's shoe, than I do of the best Turk in Turkey ;" and then he asked me if I would serve him? I answered him, in regard I was a subject in his country I must be at his command, yet I was loth to leave my old master, in regard he loved me well; at which words the King did take me about the neck and kissed me three or four times, and said, "I do highly commend thy constancy; nevertheless I will entreat my brother, thy lord, for thee, that thou shalt be my servant so long as you stay in my country." Then after some few words more, he went forth of the room to Sir Anthony and told him he must needs have one of his servants from him; he answered, that it did not lie in his power to give any of them, but if it pleased him, he might command any of them to do him what service they were able; the King

thanked him very heartily, and told him that he should command all his servants to do the like; then after some few words' parley the King brought Sir Anthony to his house, and told him he would take no leave of him, for he purposed to see him before he did sleep. So after we had supped at our own house, Sir Anthony, not thinking the King would have seen him any more that night, because it waxed late, he determined to have gone to his rest, but he was disappointed, for the Lord Steward came for him, with sixteen torches and some twenty gentlemen to attend him, to bring Sir Anthony and all his company to the King, to spend that night with him, but when we came where the King was, such a spectacle we did behold which did almost ravish us with joy to see it; you shall understand that in the middle of the city of Casbin there is a place which they call the Bazar, made in fashion like the Exchange in London, though not so beautiful, yet three times as big, where they keep shops of all manner of trades; for that time the shopkeepers had set forth their commodities in the best manner, and themselves appareled very gallantly. In the middle of that place standeth a round thing made with a seat, set up with six pillars, about some [ ] over, on which place they use to sell apparel and other commodities; that being bravely trimmed with rich carpets, both of