His Excellency continued his journey about six hours thro the Valachian, a country which on this side is exactly level, and luxuriantly rich, but desolate for want of culture and inhabitants. In the road we meet with wooden crosses, erected in many places to excite the devotion of Christian travelers; as also a convent of monks about two hours short of our conáck, near which the Argisch receives the chanel of the Dembowitza. At length we arrive at a miserable collection of cottages, scarce deserving the name of a village, but blessed with the convenience of a delicious and healthy water; where we find the tents both of the Prince and his Excellency ready pitched for his entertainment this evening. We were conducted hither by Count Tomáso, who undertook the care of the public tain to be furnished for his Excellency.
April xxiii.
We proceed four hours thro a pleasant wood, enriched with lilia convallium, and other flowers; and at length pitch our tents at Popest, which in the Valachian language signifies the same as Priest-town. Here about five in the evening his Excellency received an express by Baron Minsheim from Count Rabutin, with the most unhappy news of the death of his Britannic Majesty, on the eighth past.
April xxiv.
About seven this morning his Excellency set forward, and prepared for his entrance into Bucurest, which is distant about an hour and half from Popest. Not far from his conáck he was met by a rich coach from the Prince of Valachia, complimented by his two eldest sons, and attended with a guard of about five hundred men. His Excellency having mounted the coach, preceded by the guard, made his entry about nine a clock; when he was conducted to a spare palace of the Prince, near that of his own residence, and entreated to use it as his own home. It is a fair and gentile house, built of stone, and covered agreably to the custom of this place with wooden tiles; and being furnished with apartments after the Christian fashion, may be esteemed magnificent, when compared with the barbarous edifices of the neighbouring Turks. From the front it looks into a large garden, and from the right wing into another of somewhat a lesser size; both which are agreable, and afford a convenience of shade and verdure.
This afternoon the Prince came on horseback thro the lesser garden to visit his Excellency, who met him at the garden door, and could scarce prevail with him to precede in going up stairs. He returned in an hour, and gave opportunity to his uncle, Constantinus Cantacuzenus, who has the office of grand stolnicho, or steward, in this court, to pay my Lord the same compliment. The name of the Prince is Joannes Constantinus Bassarabas, who has enjoyed the principality about thirteen years, having succeeded Serbanus Cantacuzenus, brother of the above mentioned Constantinus Stolnichus. He is a promoter of good order and discipline in the province, a reviver of architecture, and incourager of learning both at Bucurest and other places of the principality; into which he has introduced two or three printing presses, and from thence published several books useful for the instruction and edification of the Greek church. He is about forty seven years of age, and has ten children, four of them sons; the second of whom, being about fourteen years of age, is well instructed in the Latin and Greek languages. He is of an affable, mild, and courteous temper; generous, careful of the education of his family, and a great encourager of religion; and therefore liberal in his disbursements for printing and giving away books, erecting of monasteries, adorning of churches, and other acts of piety. His uncle, Constantinus Cantacuzenus Stolnichus, is an elderly person, who has traveled over most parts of Europe; is skilled in the controversies of their own church, as well as in the several liberal sciences; is also well versed in politics, and by his counsels chiefly sustains the present Prince, with the honour and interest of the principality.
April xxv.
By nine this morning his Excellency returned the visit to the Prince, who received him at the head of the stairs, and entertained him at first with a conference of about an hour and half long. After this his Excellency was conducted into the dining room, where, at a long table sumptuously spread, the Prince and his Excellency (the former on the right hand) sat down to diner. On the side of his Excellency sat the two eldest sons of the Prince, his son in law, with the other nobles and officers of the court. On the side of the Prince sat in order the retinue of the ambassador, with our conductor Count Tomaso and others. The feast was protracted at least seven hours, during which passed a great variety of courses, consisting of excellent and costly dishes, with plenty of exquisite wine, and many ceremonious healths; the principal of which were to the Grand Signior, the Emperor of Germany, and the Queen of England, all seconded with salvoes from the soldiery in the adjoining court. Here we were made witnesses to a singular air of courtesy, hospitality, and gentile behavior in the Valachian nobility; but more particularly in the Prince himself, who drank to the health and prosperity of each stranger at the table. At the conclusion of the entertainment he veiled his Excellency with a rich silk robe of the Valachian fashion, lined with an excellent sable fur, upon which his Excellency and his retinue return to their own lodgings. The palace of the Prince, with the apartments, and gardens adjoining, are truly noble and magnificent; and tho not to be compared with those of some other Christian princes, yet much preferable to those, in which the ignorant Turks so ambitiously please themselves.