I Was Conducted Into A Beautiful
Garden, In The Middle Of Which Was A Great Square Pond Or Tank, Set All
Round With Trees And Flowers, And In The Middle Was A Pavilion Or
Pleasure-House, Under Which Hung The Scales In Which The King Was To Be
Weighed.
The scales were of beaten gold, set with many small stones, as
rubies and turquoises.
They hung by chains of gold, large and massy, yet
strengthened by silken ropes for more security. The beam and tressels
from which it hung were covered with thin plates of gold. In this place
all the nobles of the court attended, sitting round on rich carpets; and
waiting the king's arrival. He appeared at length, cloathed, or laden
rather, with diamonds, rubies, pearls, and other precious vanities,
making a great and glorious shew. His sword, target, and throne were
corresponding in riches and splendour. His head, neck, breast, and arms,
above the elbows, and at the wrist, were all decorated with chains of
precious stones, and every one of his fingers had two or three rich
rings. His legs were as it were fettered with chains of diamonds, rubies
as large as walnuts, and some larger, and such pearls as amazed me. He
got into one of the scales, crouching or sitting on his legs like a
woman; and there were put into the other scale, to counterpoise his
weight, many bags said to contain silver, which were changed six times,
and I understood his weight was 9000 rupees, which are almost equal to a
thousand pounds sterling.
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