accompanied with the Vizirs went to dinner, his gentlemen
likewise with the rest of his men hauing a dinner
with the like varietie prepared vpon the same side
of the court, by themselues sate downe to their meat,
40 or 50 Chauses standing at the vpper end attending
vpon the gentlemen to see them serued in good order;
their drinke was water mingled with rose water and
sugar brought in a Luthro (that is a goates skinne)
which a man carieth at his backe, and vnder his arme
letteth it run out at a spout into cups as men will
call for it. [Sidenote: Diner taken away] The
dinner thus with good order brought in, and for halfe
an houre with great sobrietie and silence performed,
was not so orderly taken vp; for certaine Moglans
officers of the kitchin (like her maiesties black
guard) came in disordered maner and tooke away the
dishes, and he whose hungry eie one dish could not
satisfie, turned two or three one into the other,
and thus of a sudden was a cleane riddance made of
all. The ambassador after dinner with his gentlemen,
by certaine officers were placed at the vpper ende
vpon the left side of the court, nere vnto a great
gate which gaue entrance to a third court being but
litle, paued with stone. [Sidenote: Gownes of
cloth of gold for the ambassador and his gentlemen.]
In the midst whereof was a litle house built of marble,
as I take it, within which sate the grand Signor, according
to whose commandement giuen there were gownes of cloth
of gold brought out of the wardrope, and put vpon
the ambassador and 7 of his gentlemen, the ambassador
himselfe hauing 2, one of gold and the other of crimosin
veluet, all the rest one a piece. [Sidenote:
The Present.] Then certaine Cappagies had the Present,
which was in trunks there ready, deliuered them by
the ambassadors men, it being 12 goodly pieces of
gilt plate, 36 garments of fine English cloth of al
colors, 20 garments of cloth of gold, 10 garments
of sattin, 6 pieces of fine Holland, and certaine other
things of good value; al which were caried round about
the court, each man taking a piece, being in number
very neere 100 parcels, and so 2 and 2 going round
that all might see it, to the greater glory of the
present, and of him to whom it was giuen: [Sidenote:
The Present viewed.] they went into the innermost
court passing by the window of that roome, where the
grand Signior sate, who, as it went by to be laid
vp in certaine roomes adioining, tooke view of all.
Presently after the present followed the ambassador
with his gentlemen; at the gate of which court stoode
20 or 30 Agaus which be eunuchs. Within the court
yard were the Turkes Dwarfes and Dumbe men, being
most of them youths. At the doore of his roome
stood the Bustangi-bassa, with another Bassa to lead
the ambassador and his folowers to the grand Signior
who sate in a chaire of estate, apparelled in a gowne
of cloth of siluer. The floore vnder his feete,
which part was a foote higher then the rest, was couered
with a carpet of green sattin embrodered most richly