The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 03Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 03
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
The Emperour dined in a fayre great hall, in the midst whereof was a pillar
foure square, very artificially made, about which were diuers tables set,
and at the vppermost part of the hall, sate the Emperour himselfe, and at
his table sate his brother, his Vncles sonne, the Metropolitane, the young
Emperour of Casan, and diuers of his noble men, all of one side. There were
diuers Ambassadors, and other strangers, as well Christians as heathens,
diuersly apparelled, to the number of 600 men, which dined in the sayd
hall, besides 2000 Tartars, men of warre, which were newly come to render
themselues to the Emperour, and were appointed to serue him in his wars
against the Lieflanders, but they dined in other hals. I was set at a litle
table, hauing no stranger with me, directly before the Emperors face. Being
thus set and placed, the Emperour sent me diuers bowles of wine, and meade,
and many dishes of meat from his own hand, which were brought me by a Duke,
and my table serued all in gold and siluer, and so likewise on other
tables, there were set bowles of gold, set with stone, worth by estimation
400 pounds sterling one cup, besides the plate which serued the tables.
There was also a cupbord of plate, most sumptuous and rich, which was not
vsed: among the which, was a piece of golde of two yardes long, wrought in
the toppe with towers, and dragons heads, also diuers barrels of gold and
siluer, with Castles on the bungs, richly and artificially made. The
Emperour and all the hall throughout was serued with Dukes: and when dinner
was ended, the Emperour called me by name, and gaue me drinke with his own
hand, and so I departed to my lodging.
Note, that when the Emperour drinketh, all the company stand vp, and at
euery time he drinketh or tasteth of a dish of meate he blesseth himselfe.
Many other things I sawe that day, not here noted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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