Page:An English Garner Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (Volume 1 1877).pdf/374

 them had a new mat given them to sleep on, and their diet was victuals dressed and brought them, twice a day, from the King's own palace. They had clothes also distributed to them at another time. So that these men had the advantage of us: for we neither had mats nor clothes, nor had the honour of being ever brought into the King's presence.

This civil reception upon their first coming up into the city put the Persia Merchant men in hope that the King would give them their liberty. There was at that time an old Portuguese father, Padre VERGONSE by name, living in the city. With him they discoursed concerning the probability of their liberty, and that the favours the King had shown them seemed to be good signs of it: but he told them the plain truth, that it was not customary there to release white men. For saying which, they railed on him; calling him "Popish dog" and "Jesuitical rogue," supposing he spoke as he wished it might be: but afterwards, to their grief, they found it to be true as he told them.

Their entertainment was excellently good according to the poor condition of the country: but they thought it otherwise, very mean; and not according to the King's order. Therefore that the King might be informed how they were abused, each man took the limb of a hen in his hand, and they marched rank and file, in order, through the streets, with it in their hands to the Court; as a sign to the great men, whereby they might see how illy [badly] they were served: thinking hereby the King might come to hear of their misusage, and so they might have orders to be fed better afterwards. But this proved sport to the noblemen who knew well the fare of the country: they laughing at their ignorance, to complain where they had so little cause. And indeed afterwards, they themselves laughed at this action of theirs, and were half ashamed of it; when they came to a better understanding of the nature of the country's diet.

Yet notwithstanding, being not used to such short commons of flesh, though they had rice in abundance, and having no money to buy more; they had a desire to kill some cows, that they might eat their bellies full of beef: but made it somewhat a point of conscience, whether it might be lawful or not to take them without leave. Upon which they applied themselves to the old father aforesaid, desiring him to solve