about: and the buildings within are made of wood very sumptuously gilded,
and great workmanship is vpon the forefront, which is likewise very costly
gilded. And the house wherein his Pagode or idole standeth is couered with
tiles of siluer, and all the walles are gilded with golde. Within the first
gate of the kings house is a great large roome, on both sides whereof are
houses made for the kings elephants, which be marveilous great and faire,
and are brought vp to warres and in seruice of the king. [Sidenote: Foure
white elephants.] And among the rest he hath foure white elephants, which
are very strange and rare: for there is none other king which hath them but
he: if any other king hath one, hee will send vnto him for it. When any of
these white elephants is brought vnto the king, all the merchants in the
city are commanded to see them, and to giue him a present of halfe a ducat,
which doth come to a great summe: for that there are many merchants in the
city. After that you haue giuen your present you may come and see them at
your pleasure, although they stand in the kings house. [Sidenote: The king
of the white elephants.] This king in his title is called the king of the
white elephants. If any other king haue one, and will not send it him, he
will make warre with him for it: for he had rather lose a great part of his
kingdome, then not to conquere him. They do very great seruice vnto these
white elephants: euery one of them standeth in an house gilded with golde,
and they doe feede in vessels of siluer and gilt. One of them when he doth
go to the riuer to be washed, as euery day they do, goeth vnder a canopy of
cloth of golde, or of silke carried ouer him by sixe or eight men, and
eight or ten men goe before him playing on drummes, shawmes, or other
instruments: and when he is washed and commeth out of the riuer, there is a
gentleman which doth wash his feet in a siluer basin: which is his office
giuen him by the king. There is no such account made of any blacke
elephant, be he neuer so great. And surely there be woonderfull faire and
great, and some be nine cubites in height. And they do report that the king
hath aboue fiue thousand elephants of warre, besides many other which be