He Sat In A Chair, Of The Ancient Fashion, Very
Well Made And Wrought With Wire, Having A Silk Cushion; And On Another
Chair Beside Him, There Lay A Hat Of Crimson Satin.
An old man stood by
him as his page, who carried a very rich sword with a silver scabbard.
In
the boat there were many sacbuts, and two ivory flutes eight spans long,
on which they played by a little hole in the middle, agreeing and
according well with the music of the sacbuts. The king was likewise
attended by about twenty Moorish gentlemen, all richly dressed. When the
king had nearly attained our ships, the general went to meet him in his
boat, gaily decorated with flags and streamers, himself dressed in his
best apparel, and attended by twelve of the principal officers of the
squadron, leaving his brother in charge of the ships. On the boats
meeting, the two parties made every demonstration of friendship and
respect; and the Moorish king immediately offered to come on board the
generals boat, that he might see him the better. The general accordingly
received him with all respect, and the king shewed as much honour and
courtesy to the general as if he had been likewise a king. The Moorish
king, after examining the dress and appearance of the general and his men
with the utmost attention, asked the general the name of his king, which
he commanded to be immediately written down. He particularly inquired
respecting the power of the king of Portugal, and the general gave the
most satisfactory answers to all his questions; particularly detailing
the reasons of his being sent to discover Calicut, that Portugal might be
thence supplied with spices, which were not to be had in his own country.
The king, after giving him some information on these points, and
respecting the straits of the Red Sea, promised to furnish the general
with a pilot to carry him to Calicut, and then earnestly solicited him to
accompany him to the city, where he might solace and refresh himself in
the palace, after the fatigues and dangers of so long a voyage; and
promised, if the general would do so, that he the king would visit him on
board. To this the general prudently answered that he was not authorised
by his instructions to go on shore, and that he could not answer for
deviating from the orders of his sovereign. On this the king observed,
that if he were to visit the ships, he could not well answer for his
conduct to the inhabitants of his city; yet, he was grieved that the
admiral refused to go into the city, which should be at his will and
pleasure, and that of the king his master, to whom he should either write
or send an ambassador, if the general would call in at Melinda on his
return from Calicut. The general gave the king thanks for his politeness,
and promised to return that way; and, while this conversation was going
on, he sent for the Moors who had been taken in the pinnace, whom he
presented to the king, saying, he would most gladly perform any other
service that lay in his power to the king.
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