The Queen Happening To See Me, She Called Out,
"Kill The Beast, Kill The Dog." Upon Which He Ran Away And Came No More
Nigh Me.
When the president of the city heard that the queen took so much delight
in my mad frolics, he
Gave orders that I might go at liberty about the
palace, only wearing my shackles, and that I should be immured every
night in another prison in the lower part of the palace. After I had
remained in this manner for twenty days, the queen took it into her head
to carry me along with her a hunting; but on my return, I feigned myself
sick from fatigue, and continued in my cell for eight days, the queen
sending every day to inquire how I was. After this I took an opportunity
to tell the queen that I had vowed to God and Mahomet to visit a certain
holy person at Aden, and begged her permission to perform my vow. She
consented to this, and immediately gave orders that a camel and 25 gold
seraphins should be given me. Accordingly I immediately set off on my
journey, and came to Aden at the end of eight days, when I visited the
man who was reputed as a saint, merely because he had always lived in
great poverty, and without the company of women. There are many such in
those parts, but doubtless they lose their labour, not being in the
faith of Christ. Having thus performed my vow, I pretended to have
recovered my health by miracle performed by this holy person, of which I
sent notice to the queen, desiring permission to visit certain other
holy persons in that country who had great reputation. I contrived these
excuses because the fleet for India was not to depart from Aden for the
space of a month. I took the opportunity to agree secretly with the
captain of a ship to carry me to India, making him many fair promises of
reward. He told me that he did not mean to go to India till after he had
gone first to Persia, and to this arrangement I agreed.
To fill up the time, I mounted my camel and went a journey of 25 miles,
to a certain populous city named _Lagi_, seated in a great plain, in
which are plenty of olives and corn, with many cattle, but no vines, and
very little wood. The inhabitants are a gross and barbarous people of
the vagabond Arabs, and very poor. Going a days journey from thence, I
came to another city named _Aiaz_, which is built on two hills, having a
large plain between them, in which is a noted fountain, where various
nations resort as to a famous mart. The inhabitants are Mahometans, yet
greatly differ in opinion respecting their religion. All those who
inhabit the northern mount, maintain the faith of Mahomet and his
successors, of whom I have formerly spoken; but those of the south
mountain affirm that faith ought only to be given to Mahomet and Ali,
declaring the others to have been false prophets.
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