<h3>I - CHAPTER II.</h3>
<p class="gutsumm">The emperor of Lilliput, attended by several
of the nobility, comes to see the author in his
confinement. The emperor’s person and habit
described. Learned men appointed to teach the author their
language. He gains favour by his mild disposition.
His pockets are searched, and his sword and pistols taken from
him.</p>
<p>When I found myself on my feet, I looked about me, and must
confess I never beheld a more entertaining prospect. The
country around appeared like a continued garden, and the enclosed
fields, which were generally forty feet square, resembled so many
beds of flowers. These fields were intermingled with woods
of half a stang, <SPAN name="citation301"></SPAN><SPAN href="#footnote301" class="citation">[301]</SPAN> and the tallest trees, as I could
judge, appeared to be seven feet high. I viewed the town on
my left hand, which looked like the painted scene of a city in a
theatre.</p>
<p>I had been for some hours extremely pressed by the necessities
of nature; which was no wonder, it being almost two days since I
had last disburdened myself. I was under great difficulties
between urgency and shame. The best expedient I could think
of, was to creep into my house, which I accordingly did; and
shutting the gate after me, I went as far as the length of my
chain would suffer, and discharged my body of that uneasy
load. But this was the only time I was ever guilty of so
uncleanly an action; for which I cannot but hope the candid
reader will give some allowance, after he has maturely and
impartially considered my case, and the distress I was in.
From this time my constant practice was, as soon as I rose, to
perform that business in open air, at the full extent of my
chain; and due care was taken every morning before company came,
that the offensive matter should be carried off in wheel-barrows,
by two servants appointed for that purpose. I would not
have dwelt so long upon a circumstance that, perhaps, at first
sight, may appear not very momentous, if I had not thought it
necessary to justify my character, in point of cleanliness, to
the world; which, I am told, some of my maligners have been
pleased, upon this and other occasions, to call in question.</p>
<p>When this adventure was at an end, I came back out of my
house, having occasion for fresh air. The emperor was
already descended from the tower, and advancing on horseback
towards me, which had like to have cost him dear; for the beast,
though very well trained, yet wholly unused to such a sight,
which appeared as if a mountain moved before him, reared up on
its hinder feet: but that prince, who is an excellent horseman,
kept his seat, till his attendants ran in, and held the bridle,
while his majesty had time to dismount. When he alighted,
he surveyed me round with great admiration; but kept beyond the
length of my chain. He ordered his cooks and butlers, who
were already prepared, to give me victuals and drink, which they
pushed forward in a sort of vehicles upon wheels, till I could
reach them. I took these vehicles and soon emptied them
all; twenty of them were filled with meat, and ten with liquor;
each of the former afforded me two or three good mouthfuls; and I
emptied the liquor of ten vessels, which was contained in earthen
vials, into one vehicle, drinking it off at a draught; and so I
did with the rest. The empress, and young princes of the
blood of both sexes, attended by many ladies, sat at some
distance in their chairs; but upon the accident that happened to
the emperor’s horse, they alighted, and came near his
person, which I am now going to describe. He is taller by
almost the breadth of my nail, than any of his court; which alone
is enough to strike an awe into the beholders. His features
are strong and masculine, with an Austrian lip and arched nose,
his complexion olive, his countenance erect, his body and limbs
well proportioned, all his motions graceful, and his deportment
majestic. He was then past his prime, being twenty-eight
years and three quarters old, of which he had reigned about seven
in great felicity, and generally victorious. For the better
convenience of beholding him, I lay on my side, so that my face
was parallel to his, and he stood but three yards off: however, I
have had him since many times in my hand, and therefore cannot be
deceived in the description. His dress was very plain and
simple, and the fashion of it between the Asiatic and the
European; but he had on his head a light helmet of gold, adorned
with jewels, and a plume on the crest. He held his sword
drawn in his hand to defend himself, if I should happen to break
loose; it was almost three inches long; the hilt and scabbard
were gold enriched with diamonds. His voice was shrill, but
very clear and articulate; and I could distinctly hear it when I
stood up. The ladies and courtiers were all most
magnificently clad; so that the spot they stood upon seemed to
resemble a petticoat spread upon the ground, embroidered with
figures of gold and silver. His imperial majesty spoke
often to me, and I returned answers: but neither of us could
understand a syllable. There were several of his priests
and lawyers present (as I conjectured by their habits), who were
commanded to address themselves to me; and I spoke to them in as
many languages as I had the least smattering of, which were High
and Low Dutch, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and Lingua
Franca, but all to no purpose. After about two hours the
court retired, and I was left with a strong guard, to prevent the
impertinence, and probably the malice of the rabble, who were
very impatient to crowd about me as near as they durst; and some
of them had the impudence to shoot their arrows at me, as I sat
on the ground by the door of my house, whereof one very narrowly
missed my left eye. But the colonel ordered six of the
ringleaders to be seized, and thought no punishment so proper as
to deliver them bound into my hands; which some of his soldiers
accordingly did, pushing them forward with the butt-ends of their
pikes into my reach. I took them all in my right hand, put
five of them into my coat-pocket; and as to the sixth, I made a
countenance as if I would eat him alive. The poor man
squalled terribly, and the colonel and his officers were in much
pain, especially when they saw me take out my penknife: but I
soon put them out of fear; for, looking mildly, and immediately
cutting the strings he was bound with, I set him gently on the
ground, and away he ran. I treated the rest in the same
manner, taking them one by one out of my pocket; and I observed
both the soldiers and people were highly delighted at this mark
of my clemency, which was represented very much to my advantage
at court.</p>
<p>Towards night I got with some difficulty into my house, where
I lay on the ground, and continued to do so about a fortnight;
during which time, the emperor gave orders to have a bed prepared
for me. Six hundred beds of the common measure were brought
in carriages, and worked up in my house; a hundred and fifty of
their beds, sewn together, made up the breadth and length; and
these were four double: which, however, kept me but very
indifferently from the hardness of the floor, that was of smooth
stone. By the same computation, they provided me with
sheets, blankets, and coverlets, tolerable enough for one who had
been so long inured to hardships.</p>
<p>As the news of my arrival spread through the kingdom, it
brought prodigious numbers of rich, idle, and curious people to
see me; so that the villages were almost emptied; and great
neglect of tillage and household affairs must have ensued, if his
imperial majesty had not provided, by several proclamations and
orders of state, against this inconveniency. He directed
that those who had already beheld me should return home, and not
presume to come within fifty yards of my house, without license
from the court; whereby the secretaries of state got considerable
fees.</p>
<p>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 despatch me; but again they considered, that the
stench of so large a carcass 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 expense. An
establishment was also made of six hundred persons to be my
domestics, 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 tailors
should make me a suit of clothes, 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 frequently 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 first words I learnt, were to express my
desire “that he would please give me my liberty;”
which I every day repeated on my knees. His answer, as I
could comprehend it, was, “that this must be a work of
time, not to be thought on without the advice of his council, and
that first I must <i>lumos kelmin pesso desmar lon
emposo</i>;” that is, swear a peace with him and his
kingdom. However, that I should be used with all
kindness. And he advised me to “acquire, by my
patience and discreet behaviour, the good opinion of himself and
his subjects.” He desired “I would not take it
ill, if he gave orders to certain proper officers to search me;
for probably I might carry about me several weapons, which must
needs be dangerous things, if they answered the bulk of so
prodigious a person.” I said, “His majesty
should be satisfied; for I was ready to strip myself, and turn up
my pockets before him.” This I delivered part in
words, and part in signs. He replied, “that, by the
laws of the kingdom, I must be searched by two of his officers;
that he knew this could not be done without my consent and
assistance; and he had so good an opinion of my generosity and
justice, as to trust their persons in my hands; that whatever
they took from me, should be returned when I left the country, or
paid for at the rate which I would set upon them.” I
took up the two officers in my hands, put them first into my
coat-pockets, and then into every other pocket about me, except
my two fobs, and another secret pocket, which I had no mind
should be searched, wherein I had some little necessaries that
were of no consequence to any but myself. In one of my fobs
there was a silver watch, and in the other a small quantity of
gold in a purse. These gentlemen, having pen, ink, and
paper, about them, made an exact inventory of every thing they
saw; and when they had done, desired I would set them down, that
they might deliver it to the emperor. This inventory I
afterwards translated into English, and is, word for word, as
follows:</p>
<blockquote><p>“<i>Imprimis</i>: In the right coat-pocket
of the great man-mountain” (for so I interpret the words
<i>quinbus flestrin</i>,) “after the strictest search, we
found only one great piece of coarse-cloth, large enough to be a
foot-cloth for your majesty’s chief room of state. In
the left pocket we saw a huge silver chest, with a cover of the
same metal, which we, the searchers, were not able to lift.
We desired it should be opened, and one of us stepping into it,
found himself up to the mid leg in a sort of dust, some part
whereof flying up to our faces set us both a sneezing for several
times together. In his right waistcoat-pocket we found a
prodigious bundle of white thin substances, folded one over
another, about the bigness of three men, tied with a strong
cable, and marked with black figures; which we humbly conceive to
be writings, every letter almost half as large as the palm of our
hands. In the left there was a sort of engine, from the
back of which were extended twenty long poles, resembling the
pallisados before your majesty’s court: wherewith we
conjecture the man-mountain combs his head; for we did not always
trouble him with questions, because we found it a great
difficulty to make him understand us. In the large pocket,
on the right side of his middle cover” (so I translate the
word <i>ranfulo</i>, by which they meant my breeches,) “we
saw a hollow pillar of iron, about the length of a man, fastened
to a strong piece of timber larger than the pillar; and upon one
side of the pillar, were huge pieces of iron sticking out, cut
into strange figures, which we know not what to make of. In
the left pocket, another engine of the same kind. In the
smaller pocket on the right side, were several round flat pieces
of white and red metal, of different bulk; some of the white,
which seemed to be silver, were so large and heavy, that my
comrade and I could hardly lift them. In the left pocket
were two black pillars irregularly shaped: we could not, without
difficulty, reach the top of them, as we stood at the bottom of
his pocket. One of them was covered, and seemed all of a
piece: but at the upper end of the other there appeared a white
round substance, about twice the bigness of our heads.
Within each of these was enclosed a prodigious plate of steel;
which, by our orders, we obliged him to show us, because we
apprehended they might be dangerous engines. He took them
out of their cases, and told us, that in his own country his
practice was to shave his beard with one of these, and cut his
meat with the other. There were two pockets which we could
not enter: these he called his fobs; they were two large slits
cut into the top of his middle cover, but squeezed close by the
pressure of his belly. Out of the right fob hung a great
silver chain, with a wonderful kind of engine at the
bottom. We directed him to draw out whatever was at the end
of that chain; which appeared to be a globe, half silver, and
half of some transparent metal; for, on the transparent side, we
saw certain strange figures circularly drawn, and thought we
could touch them, till we found our fingers stopped by the lucid
substance. He put this engine into our ears, which made an
incessant noise, like that of a water-mill: and we conjecture it
is either some unknown animal, or the god that he worships; but
we are more inclined to the latter opinion, because he assured
us, (if we understood him right, for he expressed himself very
imperfectly) that he seldom did any thing without consulting
it. He called it his oracle, and said, it pointed out the
time for every action of his life. From the left fob he
took out a net almost large enough for a fisherman, but contrived
to open and shut like a purse, and served him for the same use:
we found therein several massy pieces of yellow metal, which, if
they be real gold, must be of immense value.</p>
<p>“Having thus, in obedience to your majesty’s
commands, diligently searched all his pockets, we observed a
girdle about his waist made of the hide of some prodigious
animal, from which, on the left side, hung a sword of the length
of five men; and on the right, a bag or pouch divided into two
cells, each cell capable of holding three of your majesty’s
subjects. In one of these cells were several globes, or
balls, of a most ponderous metal, about the bigness of our heads,
and requiring a strong hand to lift them: the other cell
contained a heap of certain black grains, but of no great bulk or
weight, for we could hold above fifty of them in the palms of our
hands.</p>
<p>“This is an exact inventory of what we found about the
body of the man-mountain, who used us with great civility, and
due respect to your majesty’s commission. Signed and
sealed on the fourth day of the eighty-ninth moon of your
majesty’s auspicious reign.</p>
<p style="text-align: right"><span class="smcap">Clefrin
Frelock</span>, <span class="smcap">Marsi
Frelock</span>.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When this inventory was read over to the emperor, he directed
me, although in very gentle terms, to deliver up the several
particulars. He first called for my scimitar, which I took
out, scabbard and all. In the mean time he ordered three
thousand of his choicest troops (who then attended him) to
surround me at a distance, with their bows and arrows just ready
to discharge; but I did not observe it, for mine eyes were wholly
fixed upon his majesty. He then desired me to draw my
scimitar, which, although it had got some rust by the sea water,
was, in most parts, exceeding bright. I did so, and
immediately all the troops gave a shout between terror and
surprise; for the sun shone clear, and the reflection dazzled
their eyes, as I waved the scimitar to and fro in my hand.
His majesty, who is a most magnanimous prince, was less daunted
than I could expect: he ordered me to return it into the
scabbard, and cast it on the ground as gently as I could, about
six feet from the end of my chain. The next thing he
demanded was one of the hollow iron pillars; by which he meant my
pocket pistols. I drew it out, and at his desire, as well
as I could, expressed to him the use of it; and charging it only
with powder, which, by the closeness of my pouch, happened to
escape wetting in the sea (an inconvenience against which all
prudent mariners take special care to provide,) I first cautioned
the emperor not to be afraid, and then I let it off in the
air. The astonishment here was much greater than at the
sight of my scimitar. Hundreds fell down as if they had
been struck dead; and even the emperor, although he stood his
ground, could not recover himself for some time. I
delivered up both my pistols in the same manner as I had done my
scimitar, and then my pouch of powder and bullets; begging him
that the former might be kept from fire, for it would kindle with
the smallest spark, and blow up his imperial palace into the
air. I likewise delivered up my watch, which the emperor
was very curious to see, and commanded two of his tallest yeomen
of the guards to bear it on a pole upon their shoulders, as
draymen in England do a barrel of ale. He was amazed at the
continual noise it made, and the motion of the minute-hand, which
he could easily discern; for their sight is much more acute than
ours: he asked the opinions of his learned men about it, which
were various and remote, as the reader may well imagine without
my repeating; although indeed I could not very perfectly
understand them. I then gave up my silver and copper money,
my purse, with nine large pieces of gold, and some smaller ones;
my knife and razor, my comb and silver snuff-box, my handkerchief
and journal-book. My scimitar, pistols, and pouch, were
conveyed in carriages to his majesty’s stores; but the rest
of my goods were returned me.</p>
<p>I had as I before observed, one private pocket, which escaped
their search, wherein there was a pair of spectacles (which I
sometimes use for the weakness of mine eyes,) a pocket
perspective, and some other little conveniences; which, being of
no consequence to the emperor, I did not think myself bound in
honour to discover, and I apprehended they might be lost or
spoiled if I ventured them out of my possession.</p>
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