waiting to salute the prince on his coming forth.  In the inner court the prince sat in a high gallery encircling the court, having a canopy over head, and a carpet spread before him, appearing in much, yet barbarous state.  Going towards him through a lane of people, an officer came and told me that I must touch the ground with my head, and with my hat off.  I answered, that I came to do the prince honour by visiting him, and was not to be subjected to the custom of slaves.  So I walked on till I came to a place railed in, just under where he sat, where there was an ascent of three steps; and having there made him a reverence, to which he answered by bending his body, I went within the rails, where stood all the great men then in the town, holding their hands before them like slaves.  This place, as mentioned before, was covered over head by a rich canopy, and all the floor was spread with carpets.  It resembled a large stage, and the prince sat on high, like a mock king in a theatre.

On entering, as I had no place assigned me, I went right forwards, and stood before him at the bottom of the three steps, on which stood his secretary, readily to convey to him any thing that is said or given.  I told him that I was ambassador from the king of England to his father; and, while passing his residence, I could not but in honour visit his highness.  He answered that I was welcome, and asked me many questions about the king my master, to which I gave fit answers.  While standing in that manner at the foot of the steps, I asked leave to come up and stand beside him; but he said, even if the king of Persia, or Grand Turk, were there, such a thing could not be allowed.  To this I replied, that I must be excused for believing he would, in such a case, come down and meet them at his gate; and that I required no higher privilege than was allowed to the ambassadors of these sovereigns, with whom I considered myself entirely equal.  He declared I should have that privilege in all things.  I then demanded to have a chair, to which it was answered, that no person was ever allowed to sit in that place, but I was desired to lean against a pillar covered over with silver, which supported the canopy.  I then requested his favour for an English factory to be established at Burhanpoor, which readily granted, and gave immediate orders to the Buksh to draw up a firmaun, license, for their coming and residence.  I also requested an order for carriages for conveying the presents for the king his father, which he gave in charge to the cutwall to see provided.  I then made him a present, which he took in good part.  After some other conference, he said, though I might not come up to where he then sat, he would go to another place, where I might come to him with less ceremony.  But one part of the present I made him happened to be a case of cordials, of which he tasted so freely by the way, that, after waiting some time, I heard he had made himself drunk, and one of his officers came to me with an excuse, desiring me to go home then, and come some other time to see him.  But that very night I was taken ill of a fever.