During this, one of the King's Brothers fell sick, and died. I thought to have seen some Particularity at his Funeral, but was very much surpriz'd, that I did not observe the least Circumstance at it more than at common Interments. They only wrap up the Corps in a Robe of fine Linen, and then put it on a Bier, which is carry'd by two Men preceded by four of the nearest Relations, and attended by two Men and two Women, marry'd or not marry'd, and by four young Persons of both Sexes who mourn all the Way, and converse about his good Qualities. When they come to the End of the Place where the Deceas'd liv'd, they throw him into a Grave made for the Purpose, which they immediately close up again, and erect a little Pyramid of Wood upon it, on which are mark'd the Name and Age of the Person underneath, after which every one goes Home, and they never talk of him more than if there had been no such Person in the World, The King's Brother was bury'd after the same Manner; two of his Brothers (for the Prince is exempt from it) with his Mother, and one of his Sisters were the only Persons of the Convoy, besides the Mourners who are People that attend on these Occasions purely for the sake of a Meal's Meat. Then it was that I heard that the Brothers and Sisters of the Kings of this Country are forbid to marry, which is only permitted to the eldest Son of the Royal Family, and even he can have but one Wife before he is King.

As to a Wife, I can't avoid telling you here how our Monarch recover'd one in my Presence worthy to wear a Diadem. He had form'd a Design a long time to make a Visit to the West Part of the Kingdom; but as he intended that we should accompany him, and the Work we had in hand was too exquisite in his Opinion to be interrupted, there was a Necessity for staying 'till it was finish'd; then came bad Weather, afterwards the Diet; but when this was broke up, and the fine Season was advanc'd, the King was resolv'd to lay hold of it. He made up but a small Equipage, and only took 10 Persons along with us in his Retinue. He was mounted on a small but magnificent Chaise with two Wheels drawn by four white He-Goats, which had each a great black Beard, and Horns of a prodigious Size. His Train and Baggage were in two Gondolas, in each of which were four Rowers, and four to relieve them.

I was overjoy'd to be of this Party, because I had never yet travell'd this Way. Most of the Inhabitants of this Frontier are employ'd in making Bricks, Potters Ware, and all Sorts of Porcelane according as the Soil is proper for the different Sorts of Work. We pass'd thro' no Village but all the People of Consequence came out to see the King, who sometimes alighted for the Purpose, and walk'd very slowly that they might have the better Opportunity of viewing him. One Day as we were at a Place where there was such a Crowd about him that he could scarce get out of it, he spy'd a young Woman whose Charms made him fall in Love with her. He call'd her to him, and having survey'd her from Head to Foot, and found her more charming near at hand than at a Distance, he sent for the Father, and ask'd him what Age she was? The honest Man having already promis'd her to another, and guessing at the King's intention, knew not what Answer to make, but after a small Pause, he said to him, Sir, She is not yet marriageable, and by consequence neither to be sold nor given away. The Girl being more ambitious of the Title of Queen than of the Wife of a Carpenter, which was the Craft of the Fellow that was to have her, said very pertly, 'Tis true, Sir, I am not marriageable, but I want only two Days to be 20 Years old. Very well, reply'd the King, we will stay, honest Man, 'till the Term is expir'd, rather than break in upon the Laws; but after To-morrow, bring your Daughter to Court that I may make her my Wife, and take care that no Body comes near her. Tho' the old Man thought it a great Honour to have the King for his Son-in-law, yet he was sorry that he could not keep his Word with the Carpenter, which I chose to mention here only to shew the Simplicity and Sincerity of the People of this Country. Pηo, which was the Person's Name, was ready at the Time and Place appointed, and three Days after we arriv'd, he begg'd an Audience, and presented his Daughter to the King in Presence of his Chaplain, who return'd Thanks to God for it on the Spot. The Nuptials lasted three Days, after which Pηo return'd Home with 100 Kalƞ, or Pieces of Copper in his Pocket, as Pay for his Daughter; but the poor young Woman having never had the Small-Pox, was seiz'd with it three Months after, and died.

'Tis a prodigious Thing to consider the Multitudes of People which this plaguy Distemper carries off, there not being one in ten that escapes. The Generality of the Living never had it, and be they ever so old, so few are excus'd from it, that they seldom die of any other Disease. If this were not the Case, the Country would in all Appearance be exceeding populous, whereas at present 'tis but thinly inhabited, considering the Goodness of the Soil, and the Purity of the Air.

Not long after this, the King made two or three other Conquests, so that in four Years after his first Marriage, he had seven Wives. My Comrade and I were at all those Solemnities, and had great Share of the Pleasures of them. Wherever we came, we were sure to be commended upon Account of our Clocks, tho' many People knew that I had the least Share in them.

That I might not go without my Reward, I told the King, that we had indeed adorn'd his Palace with a Machine, with which he had the Goodness to seem pleas'd, but that if he desir'd it, I would make him another to put up at the Front of the Temple which should be subject to no Variation, and be regulated by the Course of the Sun. I am convinc'd, said the Monarch, from the little Knowlege I have of Astronomy, that it would not be impossible to divide an artificial Day into any equal Parts by the Shade, which might be form'd from a Body in the Sun-shine, but we have had no Body here that I know of, who ever apply'd to it. Before I go to work upon it, said I, I must examine which way the Front of this Edifice stands. That's not necessary, said the King, I know that it declines from East to North 22 Degrees 30 Minutes, and what is yet more, I know it by Experience. Pardon me, Sir, said I, if I take the Freedom to ask you what Method you took to be sure of the Fact. I caus'd a Board to be plan'd, said he, perfectly smooth with several Circles drawn upon it by the Compass; and in the Centre I set up perpendicularly a Stile of Copper Wire, to the End of which hangs a Button as big as a small Nut. This square Instrument I place against the Wall of the Temple, and when the Sun is ascended some Degrees above the Horizon, I stay till the Shadow of the Button of my Stile falls upon the Circumference of one of the Circles of the Board, when I mark that Place by a Point, and then with another Point I mark the Place on the opposite Side of the Circumference, where the Shadow falls in the Afternoon. I divide the Arch between these two Points into two equal Parts by a straight Line which passes thro' the Centre of the Stile, which Line is the Meridian of the Place where I make the Operation. There are several Ways, said I, whereby you may easily attain to the same End of which that you mention is one of the best I know; but I will make you a vertical Sun-Dial according to the above Declination of the Front of the Temple. No, said the King, as the Point in Question is only drawing of Lines, you must do me the Pleasure to teach me the Construction of 'em. I consented willingly to his Demand, so that we made a Sun-Dial of 8 Foot broad, and 6 in height, and another horizontal Dial of Copper, which was plac'd on a Pedestal of Agate of 8 Sides before the King's Palace, and both had the Signs of the Zodiac upon them. These two Machines supply'd fresh Matter of Admiration to those who saw them; and I make no doubt but they were of more Service to them than the others after our Departure, because not a Man in the Kingdom knew how to keep them, much less to make them.

La Foret had such a Sense of the Civilities he and I receiv'd every Day from the whole Court, and was so desirous to shew he was not ungrateful, that without saying one Word to me he set about a Pocket-Watch, and had actually finish'd it before I perceiv'd any thing of the matter. Tho' he work'd much better in large than in small Things, yet a Watch in a Country where there never was one before, was a Jewel of inestimable Value. As soon as he finish'd it, he went to wait on the King, and after having complimented him on the Obligations we had to him, he took the Watch out of his Pocket, and intreated his Acceptance of it as a Token of his sincere Gratitude. The King having view'd it Inside and Outside, was perfectly astonish'd, admir'd the Beauty and Usefulness of this little Machine, and protested to him that he should never desire any thing of him in his Disposal, but it should be at his Service.

CHAP. XI.

More Adventures of the Author, and his Comrade, till their Departure from Court.