So sitting down on a carpet, a
cloth was spread, divers kinds of banqueting dishes were set before us.
The like was done a little on one side for the gentlemen of his company,
with whom he went to eat, as they hold it a kind of uncleanness to
mingle with us. Upon this, I told him that he had promised we should eat
bread and salt together, and without his company I felt little appetite,
whereupon he arose from the rest, and sat down beside me, and we fell
heartily to our repast. It consisted of various kinds of dishes,
together with raisins, almonds, pistachio nuts, and various fruits.
After dinner, he played at chess, and I walked about, and after some
time spent in discourse, I offered to take my leave. But he said he had
invited me to eat with him, and hitherto we had only had a collation,
wherefore he entreated I might not depart till we had supped together,
to which I readily consented.
About an hour after, the ambassador of one of the kings of the Deccan
came to visit him, whom he presented to me, using him with civility, but
much inferior to the respect he had shewn me. He afterwards asked me,
if the king my master would scorn the offer of service from so poor a
man as he was, and if he would vouchsafe to accept a present from a
stranger, as he proposed to send a gentleman to England with me to kiss
the hands of my sovereign, and to see our country.
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