The "leg stretcher" had gone off to the palace without communicating his intention to Roe, and the ambassador, when he heard of the incident, was furious. At the earliest moment he told Coryat that he had degraded the credit of his nation by appearing before the Emperor "out of an insinuating humour to crave money of him."
"But," said Coryat, in describing the encounter, "I answered our ambassador in that stout and resolute manner that he ceased nibling at me."
A more crushing blow was dealt the eccentric later when Steele, whom he had met in Persia, told him that on reaching England and informing James I of the meeting the monarch said by way of comment: "Is that old fool still alive?" Coryat was reduced for a time to silence by this "unkindest cut of all "from" the Wisest Fool in Europe," in whom he must have recognized a certain kinship.
In his whimsical fashion Coryat made a study of Jehangir. He apparently thought that the Emperor did not recognize his talents to the full extent that they deserved, but on the whole his verdict was a favourable one. One phase of the Mogul's character of which Coryat approved was that he "loved not shifters of religion."
A propos he tells a characteristic story. One day Jehangir inquired of a prominent Armenian in his employ whether he thought that "either he or the padres had converted one Moor to be a true Christian . . . for conscience' sake."
The Armenian replied with confidence that he could produce such a man. Jehangir's curiosity prompted him to send forthwith for the convert. When the man arrived he was asked by the Emperor why he had become a Christian, and he replied with "certain feeble, implicate Jesuitical reasons," declaring that he would never be other than
