In
token whereof he sent to our General a signet; and within short time
after came in his own person, with boats and _canoas_, to our ship, to
bring her into a better and safer road than she was in at that present.
In the meantime, our General's messenger, being come to the Court, was
met by certain noble personages with great solemnity, and brought to the
king, at whose hands he was most friendly and graciously entertained.
The king, purposing to come to our ship, sent before four great and
large _canoas_, in every one whereof were certain of his greatest states
(men of property or estate) that were about him, attired in white lawn
of cloth of Calicut, having over their heads, from the one end of the
_canoa_ to the other, a covering of thin perfumed mats, borne up with a
frame made of reeds for the same use; under which every one did sit in
his order according to his dignity, to keep him from the heat of the
sun; divers of whom being of good age and gravity, did make an ancient
and fatherly show. There were also divers young and comely men attired
in white, as were the others; the rest were soldiers, which stood in
comely order round about on both sides. Without whom sat the rowers in
certain galleries; which being three on a side all along the _canoas_,
did lie off from the side thereof three or four yards, one being orderly
builded lower than another, in every of which galleries were the
number of fourscore rowers.
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