Chapter 4

           ThefirstrequestImade,afterIhadobtainedmyliberty,was,thatImighthavelicensetoseeMildendo,themetropolis;whichtheemperoreasilygrantedme,butwithaspecialchargetodonohurteithertotheinhabitantsortheirhouses.Thepeoplehadnotice,byproclamation,ofmydesigntovisitthetown.Thewallwhichencompasseditistwofeetandahalfhigh,andatleasteleveninchesbroad,sothatacoachandhorsesmaybedrivenverysafelyroundit;anditisflankedwithstrongtowersattenfeetdistance.Isteppedoverthegreatwesterngate,andpassedverygently,andsidling,throughthetwoprincipalstreets,onlyinmyshortwaistcoat,forfearofdamagingtheroofsandeavesofthehouseswiththeskirtsofmycoat.Iwalkedwiththeutmostcircumspection,toavoidtreadingonanystragglerswhomightremaininthestreets,althoughtheorderswereverystrict,thatallpeopleshouldkeepintheirhouses,attheirownperil.Thegarretwindowsandtopsofhousesweresocrowdedwithspectators,thatIthoughtinallmytravelsIhadnotseenamorepopulousplace.Thecityisanexactsquare,eachsideofthewallbeingfivehundredfeetlong.Thetwogreatstreets,whichrunacrossanddivideitintofourquarters,arefivefeetwide.Thelanesandalleys,whichIcouldnotenter,butonlyviewthemasIpassed,arefromtwelvetoeighteeninches.Thetowniscapableofholdingfivehundredthousandsouls:thehousesarefromthreetofivestories:theshopsandmarketswellprovided.

           Theemperor’spalaceisinthecentreofthecitywherethetwogreatstreetsmeet.Itisenclosedbyawalloftwofeethigh,andtwentyfeetdistancefromthebuildings.Ihadhismajesty’spermissiontostepoverthiswall;and,thespacebeingsowidebetweenthatandthepalace,Icouldeasilyviewitoneveryside.