reft in the fame manner, taking them one by one out of my Pocket, and I obferved both the Soldiers and People were highly obliged at this Mark of my Clemency, which was represented very much to my Advantage at Court.

TOWARDS Night I got with fome diffi culty into my Houfe, where I lay on the Ground, and continued to do for about a Fortnight; during which time the Emperor gave Orders to have a Bed prepared for me. Six hundred Beds of the common Meafure, were brought in Carriages and worked up in my Houfe, an hundred and fifty of their Beds fown together made up the Breadth and Length, and these were four double, which however kept me but very indifferently from the Hardness of the Floor, that was of fmooth Stone. By the fame Computa tion they provided me with Sheets, Blankets, and Coverlets, tolerable enough for one who had been fo long enured to Hardships as I.:

As

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As the News of my Arrival spread through the Kingdom, it brought prodigious Numbers of rich, idle, and curious People to fee me; fo that the Villages were almost emptied, and great Neglect of Tillage and Houfhold Affairs must have enfued, if his Imperial Majefty had not provided by feveral Proclamations and Orders of State against this Inconveniency. He directed that thofe, who had already beheld me, fhould return Home, and not prefume to come within fifty Yards of my Houfe, without Licence from Court; whereby the Secretarys of State got confiderable Fees.

In the mean time, the Emperor held frequent Councils to debate what Course fhould be taken with me; and I was afterwards affured by a particular Friend, a Perfon of great Quality, who was looked upon to be as much in the Secret as any, that the Court was under many Difficulties concerning me.

They apprehended

prehended my breaking loose, that my Diet would be very expensive, and might caufe a Famine. Sometimes they determined to starve me, or at least to shoot me in the Face and Hands with poisoned Arrows, which would foon dispatch me: But again they confider'd, that the Stench of fo large a Carcafe might produce a Plague in the Metropolis, and probably spread through the whole Kingdom. In the midst of these Confultations, feveral Officers of the Army went to the Door of the great Council Chamber; and two of them being admitted, gave an account of my Behaviour to the fix Criminals above-mentioned, which made fo favourable an Impreffion in the Breast of his Majesty and the whole Board in my behalf, that an Imperial Commiffion was iffued out, obliging all the Villages nine hundred Yards round the City, to deliver in every Morning fix Beeves, forty Sheep, and other Victuals for my Suftenance; together with a proportionable Quantity of Bread, and Wine, and other Liquors:

for

for the due Payment of which, his Majefty gave Affignments upon his Treafury. For this Prince lives chiefly upon his own Demefnes, feldom except upon great Occafions raifing any Subfidues upon his Subjects, who are bound to attend him in his Wars at their own Expence. An Establishment was alfo made of fix hundred Perfons to be my Domesticks, who had Board-Wages allowed for their Maintenance, and Tents built for them very conveniently on each fide of my Door. It was likewife ordered, that three hundred Taylors fhould make me a Suit of Cloaths after the Fafhion of the Country: That fix of his Majefty's greatest Scholars fhould be employ'd to instract me in their Language: And, lastly, that the Emperor's Horfes, and those of the Nobility, and Troops of Guards, fhould be frequently exercised in my fight, to accustom themselves to me. All these Orders were duly put in Execution, and in about three Weeks I made a great Progrefs in learning their Language; during

which time, the Emperor frequently ho noured me with his Vifits, and was pleafed to affift my Mafters in teaching me. We began already to converfe together in fome fort; and the first Words I learnt were to express my Defire that he would please to give me my Liberty, which I every day repeated on my Knees. His Answer, as I could apprehend it, was, that this must be a Work of Time, not to be thought on without the Advice of Council, and that first I muft Lumos Kelmin peffo defmar ton Empofo; that is, fwear a Peace with him and his Kingdom. However, that I fhould be used with all Kindness, and he advised me to acquire by my Patience, and difcreet Behaviour, the good

Opinion of himself He defired I would

`not take it ill if he gave Orders to cer'tain proper Officers to fearch me; for probably I might carry about me feveral Weapons, which muft needs be dangerous things, if they answered the Bulk of fo prodigious a Perfon. I faid, his Majesty fhould