He Then Began To Enter Upon Farther Discourse;
But The King Stopt Him Short, By Desiring Him To Sit Down
And refresh
himself, saying, that he was most welcome, and that he would readily
listen to any reasonable conditions, for
The queen's sake, who was
worthy of all kindness and frank conditions, being a princess of great
nobleness, of whom fame reported much. The general now delivered the
queen's letter, which the king graciously received, delivering it to a
nobleman who waited on him. The general then delivered his present,
consisting of a basin of silver, having a fountain in the middle of it,
weighing 205 ounces; a large standing cup of silver; a rich mirror; a
head-piece with a plume of feathers; a case of very fair dagges[109];
a richly embroidered sword-belt; and a fan made of leathers. All these
were received in the king's presence by a nobleman of the court, the
king only taking into his own hand the fan of feathers, with which he
made one of his women fan him, as if this had pleased him more than all
the rest.
[Footnote 109: A case of handsomely mounted pistols. - E.]
The general was then commanded to sit down in the presence, on the
ground, after the manner of the country, and a great banquet was served,
all the dishes being either of pure gold, or of tomback, a metal
between gold and brass, which is held in much estimation. During this
banquet, the king, who sat aloft in a gallery about six feet from the
ground, drank often to the general in the wine of the country, called
arrack, which is made from rice, and is as strong as our brandy, a
little of it being sufficient to set one to sleep. After the first
draught of this liquor, the general either drank it mixed with water, or
pure water, craving the king's pardon, as not able to take such strong
drink; and the king gave him leave.
After the feast was done, the king caused his damsels to come forth and
dance, and his women played to them on several instruments of music.
These women were richly attired, and adorned with bracelets and jewels;
and this was accounted a great favour, as the women are not usually seen
of any but such as the king will greatly honour. The king gave also to
the general a fine robe of white calico, richly wrought with gold: a
very fine girdle of Turkey work; and two crisses, which are a kind of
daggers all of which were put on him by a nobleman in the king's
presence. He was then courteously dismissed, and a person was sent
along with him, to make choice of a house in the city, wherever the
general might think most suitable. But at that time he refused the
proffered kindness, chusing rather to go on board the ships, till the
king had considered the queen's letter.
The letter from the queen was superscribed, To the great and mighty King
of Achem, &c. in the island of Sumatra, our loving brother,
greeting.[110] After a long complimentary preamble, and complaining
against the Portuguese and Spaniards for pretending to be absolute lords
of the East Indies, and endeavouring to exclude all other nations from
trading thither, it recommended the English to his royal favour and
protection, that they might be allowed to transact their business freely
then and afterwards in his dominions, and to permit their factors to
remain with a factoryhouse in his capital, to learn the language and
customs of the country, till the arrival of another fleet.
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