he is to kneele downe, to heaue vp his hands to his head, and to put his
head to the ground three times, when he entreth, in the middle way, and
when he commeth neere to the king: and then he sitteth downe and talketh
with the king: if the king like well of him, he sitteth neere him within
three or foure paces: if he thinke not well of him, he sitteth further off.
When he goeth to warre, he goeth very strong. [Sidenote: Odia a city in
Siam.] At my being there he went to Odia in the countrey of Siam with three
hundred thousand men, and fiue thousand elephants. Thirty thousand men were
his guard. These people do eate roots, herbs, leaues, dogs, cats, rats,
serpents, and snakes; they refuse almost nothing. When the king rideth
abroad, he rideth with a great guard, and many noblemen, oftentimes vpon an
elephant with a fine castle vpon him very fairely gilded with gold; and
sometimes vpon a great frame like an horsliter, which hath a little house
vpon it couered ouer head, but open on the sides, which is all gilded with
golde, and set with many rubies and saphires, whereof he hath infinite
store in his country, and is caried vpon sixteene or eighteene mens
shoulders. [Sidenote: This maner of cariage on mens shoulders is vsed in
Pegu, and in Florida.] This coach in their language is called Serrion. Very
great feasting and triumphing is many times before the king both of men and
women. This hath little force by sea, because he hath but very few ships.
He hath houses full of golde and siluer, and bringeth in often, but
spendeth very little, and hath the mines of rubies and saphires, and
spinelles. Neere vnto the palace of the king, there is a treasure
woonderfull rich; the which because it is so neere, he doth not account of
it: and it standeth open for all men to see in a great walled court with
two gates, which be alwayes open. There are foure houses gilded very
richly, and couered with lead: in euery one of them are Pagodes or Images
of huge stature and great value. In the first is the picture of a king in
golde with a crowne of golde on his head full of great rubies and saphires,
and about him there stand foure children of golde. In the second house is