On Coming To The Gate Of The House In Which The King Resided, They
Were Met By The Chief Bramin, Or High Priest Of The Royal Household, A
Little Old Man, Who Embraced The General, And Conducted Him And His
People Into The Palace.
At this time the people pressed forwards with
much eagerness to get a sight of the king, which they
Very seldom do as
he goes very rarely out of the palace; and the multitude was so great
that some of them were stifled in the throng, which would likewise have
been the case with two of our men, if they had not gone on before, with
the assistance of the porters, who severely hurt many of the mob, and
forced them to make way. On passing the last gate, the general and his
attendants entered along with the noblemen into a great hall, surrounded
with seats of timber raised in rows above one another like our theatres,
the floor being covered by a carpet of green velvet, and the walls hung
with silk of various colours. The king was of a brown complexion, large
stature, and well advanced in years. He lay on a sofa covered with a
cloth of white silk and gold, and a rich canopy over his head. On his
head he had a cap or mitre adorned with precious stones and pearls, and
had jewels of the same kind in his ears. He wore a jacket of fine cotton
cloth, having buttons of large pearls and the button-holes wrought with
gold thread. About his middle he had a piece of a white calico, which
came only down to his knees; and both his fingers and toes were adorned
with many gold rings set with fine stones; his arms and legs were covered
with many golden bracelets. Close to his sofa there stood a gold shallow
bason on a gold stand, in which was _betel_, which the king chewed with
salt and _areka_. This last is a kind of fruit about the size of a nut,
and is chewed all over India to sweeten the breath, and is supposed to
carry off phlegm from the stomach and to prevent thirst. The king had
likewise a gold bason on a golden stand, into which he spat out the betel
when chewed; and a gold fountain with water for washing his mouth. The
king was served with betel by an old man who stood close to the sofa; all
the others who were in the presence held their left hands to their mouths,
that their breaths might not reach the king; and it is thought unseemly
for any one to spit or sneeze in the presence.
When the general entered the hall in which the king sat, he stooped or
bowed down three times according to the custom of the country, lifting up
his hands as one that praised God. The king immediately made signs for
the general to draw near, and commanded him to be seated on one of the
seats; and the rest of the Portuguese came forwards, making similar
reverences, and were likewise commanded to sit down opposite the king.
Water was then presented to all the company to wash their hands, which
was very refreshing, for, though it was then winter, they were very hot.
They were then presented with figs and jakas, and the king was much
pleased to see them eat, laughing at them and conversing with the old man
who served him with betel. Our people being thirsty, called for water,
which was brought to them in a golden ewer, and they were directed to
pour the water into their mouths as it is reckoned injurious to touch the
cup with their lips. They accordingly did as they were directed; but some
poured the water into their throats and fell a coughing, while others
poured it beside upon their faces and clothes, which much amused the king.
After this, the king desired the general by an interpreter, to speak to
those who were present as to the purpose of his coming to Calicut. But
the general was not satisfied with this, and signified that he was
ambassador from the king of Portugal, a powerful prince, and that
Christian princes were not used to receive the embassies of other
sovereigns by means of a third person, but by themselves in person in the
presence only of a few of their principal persons: and this being the
usage of his country, he chose to deliver his message only to the king
himself. The king agreed to this, and commanded the general and Fernan
Martinez who acted as interpreter, to be conducted into another chamber,
which was adorned with as much magnificence as the first.
As soon as the king entered this chamber, he took his seat on a sofa,
attended only by his interpreter, the chief bramin, the old man who served
him with betel, and the comptroller of his household. The king then
asked the general, from what part of the world he was come, and what were
his desires. He answered, that he was ambassador from the king of Portugal,
the most powerful of the Christian sovereigns in the west, both in extent
of dominions, numbers of people, and riches. That he and his predecessors,
hearing that there were Christian kings and princes in the Indies, of
which the zamorin of Calicut was the chief, were exceedingly desirous of
sending some of their captains to discover the way, that they might enter
into friendship with the king of this country as brothers; and for this
reason he had been sent to his highness: Not that the king his master had
any need of his riches, having abundance already and more than was needed
both of gold and silver and other valuable things. That all the former
captains who had been sent at great charges upon this discovery, after
having employed a year or more in vain and having consumed all their
victuals, had returned again into Portugal.
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