مسالك الابصار في ممالك الامصار 2.116

2.116

As for the rest of the days, he sits at both ends of each day, and the khāns, the kings and the amīrs all ride to his gate. It is his rule that no one enters his presence with a weapon, whether large or a small knife, and whoever comes is inspected before entering. Before the place where he sits there are seven gates, one inside another. At the first, outer gate there is a man with a trumpet; when one of the khāns, kings or great amīrs arrives, he blows the trumpet to inform the Sultan that a great man has come, so that he may always be alert and prepared in his affairs. Whoever comes to his gate, whoever he may be, dismounts at the first, outer gate and walks until he passes through the seven gates into the Sultan's presence; and there is he who is honoured with permission to pass on horseback up to the sixth gate. The trumpet keeps sounding until the one entering nears the seventh gate. Everyone who enters sits at that gate until they are assembled; when the arrivals are complete, they are permitted to enter. When they enter, those entitled to sit sit around him and the rest stand, and the qāḍīs, the viziers, the dabīrs and the secretaries sit down.