I Answered Him As
Became Me, With All Civility; So He Sent For One Presently, Whom He
Questioned If He
Would venture upon such a journey, and as this person
seemed willing, he presented him to me, saying he would
Provide some of
the curiosities of the country for the king my master, and send them by
this gentleman along with me. By the manner all this seemed to be in
earnest.
While we thus spent our time in friendly converse, supper was brought
in; and, as in the morning, two cloths were spread, one before me and my
chaplain, with one merchant, on which were set various dishes of roast,
fried, and boiled meats, with rice and sallads. On this occasion my
honourable entertainer desired me to excuse his company, as it was their
custom to eat among themselves, and his countrymen might take it ill if
he did not eat with them; so he and his guests, and I with my
companions, solaced ourselves with good cheer. The meats were not amiss,
but the attendance and order were excellent, as the servants were very
diligent and respectful. After the manner of this country of giving
presents to invited guests, he made me a present of five cases of
sugar-candy flavoured with musk, and a loaf of the finest sugar, as
white as snow, weighing fifty pounds, and requested my acceptance of an
hundred such against my departure. He then addressed me in these
terms: - "You refuse these from me, thinking I am poor, but being made in
my government, it costs me nothing, as it comes to me gratis." To this
I answered, that he had already much too far obliged me, yet would I not
refuse his kindness when ready to go away.
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