DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9697#0228
164
covel's diary.
flower in the middle. They have sides for this in cold
weather, which they can open and shut at pleasure ; on the
outside upon every post stands a golden ball or flower-pot.
The second tent is round, supported by one standing post
in the middle, with golden ball or pot at the top, by which
there is drawn upon a cord a curtain at pleasure crosse the
tent, on the outside of which he gives audience to his own
ministers of state, or makes his great divan, and sits in
justice ; on the in or back side he gives audience to Embas-
sadores, or the like. The diameter of this tent (that is,
from edge to edge of the fringe that hangs above as the
eaves of an house) was 17 paces; that in Adrianople was
15, so that it is plain they are made of severall bignesses.
The under sides of this likewise were to let down or up,
take on or off, at pleasure, by such kind of loopes above
and on the sides, the button being a piece of wood ; the
interstices between, if they were above, were cover'd with a
fring, one within the other ; without, if it was on the side
to clasp the curtains together, one was made to lap over
the other, so that they can shut a tent up most exceedingly
close and warme. The third tent is his long tent, supported
with three posts, and golden balls on pots ; it was long
(from the eves at one end to the other) 35 paces ; at
Adrianople, 37 ; by putting of it and extending it they ma)'
easily gain or loose a pace or two. At the middle post, to
the outward side, was set a bed or broad couch, bolstered
up at both ends, of twilt or ticking sattin ; the coverings,
silk, embroyder'd. At Adrianople it was ten times richer,
with gold and pearls, for without doubt they have alwayes
ready several coverings. The floor on this and the round
tent is covered next the ground with a thick sort of course
Yorkshire or Kidderminster woollen cloth, over which at
severall times they spread carpets, or foot cloths of severall
richncsse and value. At Adrianople I saw it once with
Persian carpets; another time with sattin, embroyder'd
covel's diary.
flower in the middle. They have sides for this in cold
weather, which they can open and shut at pleasure ; on the
outside upon every post stands a golden ball or flower-pot.
The second tent is round, supported by one standing post
in the middle, with golden ball or pot at the top, by which
there is drawn upon a cord a curtain at pleasure crosse the
tent, on the outside of which he gives audience to his own
ministers of state, or makes his great divan, and sits in
justice ; on the in or back side he gives audience to Embas-
sadores, or the like. The diameter of this tent (that is,
from edge to edge of the fringe that hangs above as the
eaves of an house) was 17 paces; that in Adrianople was
15, so that it is plain they are made of severall bignesses.
The under sides of this likewise were to let down or up,
take on or off, at pleasure, by such kind of loopes above
and on the sides, the button being a piece of wood ; the
interstices between, if they were above, were cover'd with a
fring, one within the other ; without, if it was on the side
to clasp the curtains together, one was made to lap over
the other, so that they can shut a tent up most exceedingly
close and warme. The third tent is his long tent, supported
with three posts, and golden balls on pots ; it was long
(from the eves at one end to the other) 35 paces ; at
Adrianople, 37 ; by putting of it and extending it they ma)'
easily gain or loose a pace or two. At the middle post, to
the outward side, was set a bed or broad couch, bolstered
up at both ends, of twilt or ticking sattin ; the coverings,
silk, embroyder'd. At Adrianople it was ten times richer,
with gold and pearls, for without doubt they have alwayes
ready several coverings. The floor on this and the round
tent is covered next the ground with a thick sort of course
Yorkshire or Kidderminster woollen cloth, over which at
severall times they spread carpets, or foot cloths of severall
richncsse and value. At Adrianople I saw it once with
Persian carpets; another time with sattin, embroyder'd