Page:History of India Vol 9.djvu/357

THE ROYAL PALACE 299 subdary, under the king's balconies, stand two carv'd elephants of emboss 'd work, but not large, painted with their natural colours; and in the front of the royal lodgings are other such ornaments, after their mode, of little consideration. Some said that a while ago in one of the Balconies stood expos 'd to publick view an image of the Virgin Mary, plac'd there by Sciah Selim, who, they say, was devoted to her, and to whom perhaps it was given by one of our priests, who fre- quent this court out of a desire to draw him to the Christian faith; but the image was not there now, and possibly was taken away by Sultan Chorrom his Son (reported an enemy of the Christians and their affairs) since his coming to the government of those parts of Guzarat. The station of the greater captains, and of higher dignity than the Mansubdary, as the Chans and others of that 'rank, is in the king's balconies, or near hand above there within the rooms. The inferior soul- diers, that is such as have onely two or three horses, stand upon the ground in the court without the above mention 'd inclosure. In the front of the court is an- other building, with an inclosure also before it, but less adorn 'd; 'tis the place where the king's guard stands with all its captains; and the same order, I believe, is always observed in the Moghol's court, in whatsoever place or city he happens to be. Within this court is another on the left hand, surrounded with other buildings for necessary offices, but not so well built nor polish 'd. Having seen what we could of the royal palace, we