 presume to come within fifty
Yards of my House, without Licence from Court; whereby the Secretaries of State
got considerable Fees.
    In the mean time, the Emperor held frequent Councils to debate what Course
should be taken with me; and I was afterwards assured by a particular Friend, a
Person of great Quality, who was as much in the Secret as any; that the Court
was under many Difficulties concerning me. They apprehended my breaking loose;
that my Diet would be very expensive, and might cause a Famine. Sometimes they
determined to starve me, or at least to shoot me in the Face and Hands with
poisoned Arrows, which would soon dispatch me: But again they considered, that
the Stench of so large a Carcase might produce a Plague in the Metropolis, and
probably spread through the whole Kingdom. In the midst of these Consultations,
several Officers of the Army went to the Door of the great Council-Chamber; and
two of them being admitted, gave an Account of my Behaviour to the six Criminals
above-mentioned; which made so favourable an Impression in the Breast of his
Majesty, and the whole Board, in my Behalf, that an Imperial Commission was
issued out, obliging all the Villages nine hundred Yards round the City to
deliver in every Morning six Beeves, forty Sheep, and other Victuals for my
Sustenance; together with a proportionable Quantity of Bread and Wine, and other
Liquors: For the due Payment of which his Majesty gave Assignments upon his
Treasury. For this Prince lives chiefly upon his own Demesnes; seldom, except
upon great Occasions raising any Subsidies upon his Subjects, who are bound to
attend him in his Wars at their own Expence. An Establishment was also made of
Six Hundred Persons to be my Domesticks, who had Board-Wages allowed for their
Maintenance, and Tents built for them very conveniently on each side of my Door.
It was likewise ordered, that three hundred Taylors should make me a Suit of
Cloaths after the Fashion of the Country: That, six of his Majesty's greatest
Scholars should be employed to instruct me in their Language: And, lastly, that
the Emperor's Horses, and those of the Nobility, and Troops of Guards, should be
exercised in my Sight, to accustom themselves to me. All these Orders were duly
put in Execution; and in about three Weeks I made a great Progress in Learning
their Language; during which Time, the Emperor frequently honoured me with his
Visits, and was pleased to assist my Masters in teaching me. We began already to
converse together in some Sort; and the
