Over against this temple, on t’other side of the great highway, at twenty foot distance, there was a turret at least five foot high.  Here the emperor ascended, with many principal lords of his court, to have an opportunity of viewing me, as I was told, for I could not see them.  It was reckoned that above an hundred thousand inhabitants came out of the town upon the same errand; and, in spite of my guards, I believe there could not be fewer than ten thousand at several times, who mounted upon my body by the help of ladders.  But a proclamation was soon issued to forbid it upon pain of death.

When the workmen found it was impossible for me to break loose they cut all the strings that bound me; whereupon I rose up, with as melancholy a disposition as ever I had in my life.  But the noise and astonishment of the people, at seeing me rise and walk, are not to be expressed.  The chains that held my left leg were about two yards long, and gave me not only the liberty of walking backward and forward in a semicircle, but, being fixed within four inches of the gate, allowed me to creep in and lie at my full length in the temple.

II.  Imprisonment

When I found myself on my feet I looked about me, and must confess I never beheld a more entertaining prospect.  The country round appeared like a continued garden, and the enclosed fields, which were generally forty foot square, resembled so many beds of flowers.  These fields were intermingled with woods of half a stang,[4] and the tallest trees, as I could judge, appeared to be seven foot high.  I viewed the town on my left hand, which looked like the painted scene of a city in a theater.

The emperor was already descended from the tower, and advancing on horseback toward me, which had like to have cost him dear, for the beast, though very well trained, yet wholly unused to such a sight, which appeared as if a mountain moved before him, reared up on his hinder feet; but that prince, who is an excellent horseman, kept his seat till his attendants ran in and held the bridle while his majesty had time to dismount.

[Footnote 4:  Stang is an old name for a pole, or perch, sixteen and one-half feet.]

When he alighted he surveyed me round with great admiration, but kept beyond the length of my chain.  He ordered his cooks and butlers, who were already prepared, to give me victuals and drink, which they pushed forward in sorts of vehicles upon wheels till I could reach them.  I took these vehicles, and soon emptied them all; twenty of them were filled with meat, and ten with liquor; each of the former afforded me two or three good mouthfuls, and I emptied the liquor of ten vessels, which was contained in earthen vials, into one vehicle, drinking it off at a draught.  The empress and young princes of the blood, of both sexes, attended by many ladies, sat at some distance in their chairs, but upon the accident that happened to the emperor’s horse they alighted and came near his person, which I am now going to describe.