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JULY, 1906.) THE TRAVELS OF RICHARD BELL (AND JOHN CAMPBELL).
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continew yor resolution, for its not his Oustome to forsse anie or yo Law or Custome of his Contrey against yor will, But haue a care of those weomen, for if you haue to doe wth them you must Marry & then you are tyed to ye Contrey for life.
A lord, a setter, brought the 2 Ladys y Emperrer had psented to me to his howse, where he had invited me to be merry & tooke occatiô & all yo Men to goe out & Leaue them two wth me. The[y] talked to me, but I was sad, soe One [of] them cam9 vppon my lap & kist me, On weh this La came in And said, now the business is don. The Old Ld, my freind, askt me If I had to doe wth either. I said noo. They then tooke ye Ladys to taske, And she ye ki me Sd she see me sad & would have put me out of it, but only a Kisse she gaue past betwixt vs.
Eight days tyme this was theire play. But still I was firme in my resolation throw god that strenthened me, And when yo Emperror se it, he marveld, And said since I was not willing to serve him, did I thinke I could serve a better Maister. I said, if I served anie I would serve him. He desired, since I was resolged to travell, I would show one of his men the way] to vse ye Morter, which I did for 14 days together, but all was lost laber, for we are sworne not to teach anie or art who servs not prentice to it. Soe the Gunns & Morters left are bat as Charracters that an Englishman bath beene theire, a Subiect to the Kinge of England, Whose armes are cast vppon each of y Gunns & Morters & vnder J. O., wth y picture of a Lyon Over each Trunnell (trunnion].
Mad I had one of his Maitles great Seales from my La Belmount,1 by woh I cast his armes.
The Emperror, seeinge the Kings armes, demanded what they weere. I was Jealous (afraid? he might be angry, But for my liberty did tell him that it was my kings armes. Sa he, is this my slanes print. He hath gotten as hansome armes as I. The nobleman who I tought ye use of the Gunns & Morter was wth my selfe sent for next morninge. The Emperrer askt bim if he had lernt well. He said, yes. Sa the Emperror to me, is it trewth he says. Yes, s4 I.
Then I begged ye Emperrs Pdon for my asking him a passe. 8d he, haue you a minde to goe, Yes, Sa I, wth leave. He S4, pano' hadan [nām-i-Khuda], Joe in yo naime of god. He askt me if I was intinded to travell wth my Ollyfant. I answerd, I could not tre ell in that state. He then coramanded his secretary to give me a pass & wth it I had sented a horss & 300 Moores [mohars] in gold wih 4 horssmen to gard me to ye next great Citty Cald Elba 220 Leagues from Paula van the Emperrors Court.
The Emperror yt morning I was to part caime wth his Nobles to my Lodging, haueing before beene told what I had don in my Chambers, And vewed the Kings Armes, weh Cost, those over ye Gate of ye howse assigned me & in my Lodgeings, Gilding 60 lb pounds Engl money vall.
He Commanded a great Cup of gold, set wth some stones of vallew, to be given him wth wyne, & Dranke, & sd to me, Tell my slaue, meaning ye King my Master, I drinke to him & houe [hove, threw] me ye Cup weh is yet in beinge; saying, I wonder my slaue will not soe much as write or send to me.
When he went away in his pattenkeene (palanquin] or Sedan, the Chaire of gold wth pretious Jemms & ye Barrs gold, Carried by 30 men, I being on foote, he beckned to me to get vpon my horsse or pattenkeene, for I had both, But I laid my hand on ye Barr of his chaire & went a foote as all his Lords did, & Comeinge to ye gate of his pallas, Sd the Emperror to his Nobles, See how my Slaues Slaue honors me. And askt me, does my slaue, meaning the King, goc thus, on mens shoulders.
50 P An on-letter, a temptor. See the use of the word in this sense later on.
91 This was Henry Bard, created Lord Bellomont by Charles I. and sent by him on a mission to India as Ambassador, Bellomont died in India in June 1656. Mr. Irvine, who supplied me with these particulars, has collected all available material as to this mission.
