CHAP III.

The Author diverts the Emperor and his Nobility of both Sexes in a very uncommon Manner. The Diverfions of the Court of Lilliput defcribed. The Author has his Liberty granted him upon certain Conditions.

M

Y Gentleness and good Behaviour had gained so far on the Emperor and his Court, and indeed upon the Army and Peo

ple in general, that I began to conceive Hopes of getting my Liberty in a fhort time. I took all poffible Methods to cultivate this favourable Difpofition. The Natives came by degrees to be lefs apprehenfive of any Danger from me. would fometimes lie down, and let five or

I

fix

>

my

fix of them dance on my Hand. And at last the Boys and Girls would venture to come and play at Hide and Seek in Hair. I had now made a good Progress in understanding and speaking their Language. The Emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with feveral of the Country Shows, wherein they exceed all Nations I have known, both for Dexterity and Magnificence. I was diverted with none fo much as that of the RopeDancers, performed upon a flender white Thread, extended about two Foot, and twelve Inches from the Ground. Upon which I fhall defire liberty, with the Reader's Patience, to enlarge a little.

THIS Diversion is only practifed by thofe Perfons who are Candidates for great Employments, and high Favour, at Court. They are trained in this Art from their Youth, and are not always of noble Birth, or liberal Education. When a great Office is vacant either by Death or Difgrace (which often happens) five

or

or fix of thofe Candidates petition the Emperor to entertain his Majefty and the Court with a Dance on the Rope, and whoever jumps the highest without falling, fucceeds in the Office. Very often the Chief Minifters themselves are commanded to fhew their Skill, and to convince the Emperor that they have not loft their Faculty. Flimnap, the Treafurer, is allowed to cut a Caper on the ftrait Rope, at least an Inch higher than any other Lord in the whole Empire. I have feen him do the Summerset feveral times together upon a Trencher fixed on the Rope, which is no thicker than a common Packthread in England. My Friend Reldrefal, principal Secretary for private Affairs, is, in my Opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the Treasurer; the rest of the great Officers are much upon a Par.

THESE Diverfions are often attended with fatal Accidents, whereof great Numbers are on Record. I my felf have seen two or three Candidates break a Limb.

But

But the Danger is much greater when the Ministers themselves are commanded to fhew their Dexterity; for by contending to excel themselves and their Fellows, they ftrain fo far, that there is hardly one of them who hath not received a Fall, and fome of them two or three. I was affured that a Year or two before my Arrival, Flimnap would have infallibly broke his Neck, if one of the King's Cushions, that accidentally lay on the Ground, had not weakened the Force of his Fall.

THERE is likewife another Diverfion which is only fhewn before the Emperor and Empress, and first Minister, upon particular Occasions. The Emperor lays on a Table three fine filken Threads of fix Inches long. One is Purple, the other Yellow, and the third White. These Threads are propofed as Prizes for those Persons whom the Emperor hath a mind to distinguish by a peculiar Mark of his Favour. The Ceremony is performed in his Majesty's great Chamber of State,

where

where the Candidates are to undergo a Tryal of Dexterity very different from the former, and fuch as I have not observed the least Refemblance of in any other Country of the old or the new World. The Emperor holds a Stick in his Hands, both ends parallel to the Horizon, while the Candidates advancing one by one, fometimes leap over the Stick, fometimes creep under it backwards and forwards feveral times, according as the Stick is advanced or depressed. Sometimes the Emperor holds one end of the Stick, and his firft Minifter the other fometimes the

;

Minister has it entirely to himself. Whoever performs his Part with most Agility, and holds out the longeft in leaping and creeping, is rewarded with the Purple coloured Silk; the Yellow is given to the next, and the White to the third, which they all were girt twice round about the middle; and you fee few great Perfons about this Court, who are not adorned with one of thefe Girdles.

THE.