I Answered, That I Would
Giue Place To No Man In Makyng Of All Manner Of Gunnes And Artillerie.
Then
Sayde hee, “praysed be Mahumet who sent thee hyther, to do hym and
his saintes good seruice:” and willed me
To remayne secretly in his
[p.355] house with his wyfe, and requyred me earnestly to obtayne leaue
of our Captayne that under his name he myght leade from Mecha fifteine
camelles laden with spices, without paying any custome: for they
ordinarily paye to the Soltan thirtie seraphes[FN#48] of golde, for
transportyng of such merchandies for the charge of so many camelles. I
put him in good hope of his request, he greatly reioyced, although he
would ask for a hundred, affyrmyng that might easily be obteyned by the
priuileges of the Mamalukes, and therefore desyred hym that I might
safely remayne in his house. Then nothyng doubtyng to obtayn his
request, he greatly reioyced, and talkyng with me yet more freely, gaue
me further instructions and counsayled me to repayre to a certayne kyng
of the greater India, in the kyngdome and realme of Decham[FN#49]
whereof we will speake hereafter. Therefore the day before the carauana
departed from Mecha, he willed me to lye hydde in the most secrete
parte of his house. The day folowyng, early in the mornyng the
trumpetter of the carauana gaue warning to all the Mamalukes to make
ready their horses, to directe their journey toward Syria, with
proclamation of death to all that should refuse so to doe.
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