Imiretta is a Country full of Woods and Mountains like Mingrelia but the Vallies are more Lovely and the Plains more Delicious where you may meet much more easily with Bread Meat Pulse and Herbs of all sorts There are also in it some Iron-Mines Money goes among the People of this Country and is Coyn'd in the Kingdom and here ye also meet with several Towns But as for their Manners and Customes they are the same as in Mingrelia The King has Three good Castles one call'd Scander seated upon the side of a Valley and two in Mount Caucasus call'd Regia and Scorgia both almost inaccessible as being built in places that Nature her self has ingeniously fortifi'd the River Phasis running before ' em The Prince had also not long since another Fortress call'd Cotatis bearing the same Name as the Country round about it which perhaps may be the same place that Ptolomy calls the Region of Cotatene But the Turks are at present Masters of it The Kingdom of Imiretta has had under its Jurisdiction the Abca's the Mingrelians and the People of Guriel after they had all Four shaken off the Yoke of the Emperors of Constantinople first of all and then of the Emperors of Trebisond But then in the last Age setting up for themselves and revolting one from another they have been ever since at continual Wars one with the other They who lay next the Turks implor'd their assistance who readily took 'em into their Protection and then made 'em all Tributaries one after another The Tribute of the King of Imiretta is Fourscore Boys and Girls from Ten to Twenty Years of Age. The Prince of Guriel pays Six and Forty Children of both Sexes and the Prince of Mingrelia Sixty Thousand Ells of Linnen Cloath made in the Country The Abca's also were made Tributary but they seldom pay'd any thing and now they pay nothing The King of Imiretta and the Prince of Guriel send their Tribute to the Basha of Akalzike but a Chiaux gathers it in Mingrelia ' When I came to Akalzike the report went that the Turks would take possession of these Countries under the Government of a Basha not knowing any other way to prevent the perpetual Wars that apparently ruine and depopulate the Countries However it be now the Turks formerly forbore to take possession of it in regard that the Precepts of Mahumatism could not conveniently be there observ'd because the best nourishment in those Countries is their Wine and their Hogs Flesh which are both prohibited by the Mahometan Law besides that they have no Bread and the People live scatter'd upon and down the Country so that where-ever the Turks should build their Fortresses they would not be able to Command within their reach above Seven or Eight Houses Upon which Considerations they left those Provinces in their Ancient Condition and are satisfi'd only to keep 'em under Subjection for a Nursery of Slaves which yeilds 'em every Year no less then Seven or Eight Thousand And the same Reasons and Obstacles most apparently discourage the Turks from Incorporating into the Body of their Empire those Vast Plains of Tartary and Scythia and the wide Regions of Mount Caucasus For if the People that inhabit those parts were united into Cities and strong Places there might be a way found to reduce 'em and keep 'em in Subjection But which way is it possible to subdue a People that change their Habitations every Month and all their Life-time wander up and down the Country The present Prince of Mingrelia is the Eighth since that Country first revolted from the Dominion of Imiretta These Princes of Mingrelia all give themselves the Title of Dadian as much as to say the Head of Justice from Dad a Persian Word that signifies Justice from whence the first Race of the Kings of Persia was call'd Pich-Dadian that is to say the first Justice To denote that they were the first Men whom the People of that vast Country establish'd over 'em for the Administration of Justice among 'em and to maintain every one in the enjoyment of his own Property The King of Imiretta gives himself the Title of Meppe which signisies a King in the Georgian Language Both which Meppe and Dadian boast themselves to be descended from the King and Prophet David The Ancient Kings of Georgia also assum'd the same descent and the Kan of Georgia among the rest of his Titles calls himself the Issue of that Great King by Solomon his Son The King of Imiretta also in his Letters assumes a more Haughty and Pompous Title then the other calling himself King of Kings Now so soon as our Vessel was come to an Anchor in the Road of Isgaour as I have already said I went a Shoar with the Greek Merchant who was my Guide For I expected to have met with Houses where I might have found Provisions and some other Relief Nor were these hopes without any Ground to one that saw no less then Seven Vessels together at an Anchor in the Road but I was utterly deceiv'd for I found nothing at all The Coast of Isgaour is all cover'd with Wood. Only they have levell'd and lay'd open about a Hunderd Paces from the Sea side a certain spot of Ground about Two Hunderd and Fifty Paces long and Fifty broad which is the Grand Market of Mingrelia In this there is one Street containing on both sides of the VVay about a Hunderd small Hutts made up of the Boughs of Trees fasten'd one to another of which every Merchant takes one There he lies and keeps Shop tho with such VVares only as he thinks he shall sell in Two or Three Days But as for those which he has bought and such for which he does not see any Probability of a quick Vent he keeps 'em in the Vessel there being no kind of Security a Shoar There was nothing else to be had at this Market nor a Country-Man's House to be heard of in all the parts there about Thereupon my Guide spoke to some of those that came to the Market to bring us some Gom which is that sort of Grain by them made use of in stead of Bread some VVine and other Provisions which the Country-Men promis'd to do but fail'd in their VVords So that I was surpriz'd and very much troubl'd to meet with nothing for our own Provisions began to grow short nor to see any thing at such a Market but a Company of Slaves Chain'd together and about a Dozen of Tatter'd Fellows with Bows and Arrows i' their Hands who it seems were the Officers of the Customs and look'd more ready to Rob then relieve us But I was much more surpriz'd and perplex'd when I heard that the Turks and the Prince of Guriel were coming into Mingrelia that the People took Arms and had begun the VVar Pillaging and Ransacking their Neighbours and clearing the Country both of Cattel and Inhabitants I must confess I depended very much upon the Theatin Missionaries in
this part of my Story since the bare Relation which I shall make in reprepresenting 'em such will justifie me perhaps in the Judgment of my Readers The most Famous Prince that ever Mingrelia had since it revolted from the King of Imiretta was Levan Dadian Uncle to him that Reigns at this present He was Valiant Generous a Person of great Wit indifferently just and more happy in his Undertakings He made War upon his Neighbours and vanquish'd 'em all and no question but he would have made an excellent Prince had he been born in a better Country But the Custom in his Country of Marrying several Wives and those near Relations was that which transported him to such Excesses as render'd him unworthy of all Encomiums He remain'd an Orphan almost as soon as he had out-liv'd his Infant Years at what time his Father dying left him to the Tuition of his Brother who was Uncle by the Fathers side to the Young Pupil and call'd by the Name of George the Soveraign Prince of Libardian a Country that extends it self a great way into Mount Caucasus This George faithfully discharg'd his Trust in the Tuition of his Nephew He bred him well and prudently Govern'd Mingrelia during his Minority Levan being Twenty Four Years of Age Espous'd the Daughter of the Prince of the Abca's by whom he had two Sons she being a Lovely Princess and a Woman of a great Wit 'T is true she was tax'd of being none of the most Faithful Wives which perhaps might be in revenge of the Foul-play which her Husband openly play'd her every Day Now among the rest of the Women with whom he fell in Love one was the VVife of George his Uncle who had been his Tutor and to whom he had been so highly oblig'd This Lady went by the Name of Darejan of a Considerable Family which was call'd Chilakè And as she was extreamly beautiful but wicked and ambitious beyond Imagination she was not only content to violate her Conjugal Fidelity and for two Years together to live in an Incestuous League with the Prince her Nephew but over-perswaded him at the end of that season to take her away by Force repudiate his own VVife and Marry her Levan was over-rul'd by her He took the Adulteress by Force from her Husbands House He Marry'd her and eight days after sent home his first Wife ignominiously without any Train back to her Father King of the Abca's after he had caus'd her Nose her Ears and her Hands to be cut off And the pretence which he took to excuse so horrid a piece of Cruelty was That she had committed Adultery with the Vizier whose Name was Papona And the better to make People believe the truth of it he caus'd this Vizier to be stopp'd into the Mouth of a Cannon at the same time that he maim'd his own VVife However all Men agreed that there was nothing of Incontinence that had been committed between her and the Vizier only that he sacrific'd his VVife and his Prime Minister to the Hatred and Jealousie of the Chilakite The Love of this wicked VVoman caus'd him to Sacrifice these Important Victims but her Ambition forc'd him to offer up two more pretious Oblations For Levan himself poyson'd his two Sons which he had had by the Princess his VVife The Chilakite perswading him to this incredible Inhumanity to the end the Children which she should have by him might Reign more securely Prince George had a great kindness for his Wife as much an Adulteress and as wicked as she was So that her being tak'n from him by force threw him into a most furious despair He perform'd the Ceremony of Mourning for her Forty Days according to the Custom of the Country as if she had been Dead after which he betook himself to Arms and fell into the Territories of the Prince his Nephew But Levan was Valiant and had good Souldiers about him so that George was constrain'd to retire into his Mountains where he died soon after for Grief and Vexation The Prince of the Abca's also went about to revenge the Affront and Injury done him in the Person of the Princess his Daughter but with as ill success He rais'd Forces began a War against the Prince of Mingrelia and tho the consequences of the War did not at all fall out to his Advantage yet would he never make Peace or Truce with him nor would he put an end to the War till he understood the Death of his Barbarous Son-in-Law There was also a Third Enemy more formidable but as unsuccessful that would not suffer Levan to be at rest This was his own Brother call'd Joseph who engag'd himself so far in the just Resentments of his Uncle George and the Prince of the Abca's that he resolv'd to revenge their Quarrel by causing the Criminal to be Murder'd To that purpose he corrupted one of his Guards an Abca by Birth to Assassinate him the Prince's Cup-Bearer being also Privy to the Conspiracy The Plot was so lay'd that Joseph should go and Dine at the Palace that the Abca Guard should stand behind him with a Lance in his Hand and that when the Prince lifted to his Mouth one of those great Beakers of Wine which the Mingrelians Drink at the end of the Meal the Cup-Bearer should make a sign to the Abca who was then to strike him through the Body with his Lance. This Plot was within a little of being put in Execution but fail'd when the stroak was ready to have been given Divine Justice resolving that Levan's Crimes should be his own Murderers and Executioners which spar'd him a long time before they accomplish'd it For the Prince perceiv'd the sign which the Cup-Bearer gave the Guard and as it were inspir'd threw himself down from the place where he stood so that the Lance never touch'd him at all However the Abca escap'd but the Cup-Bearer was seiz'd put to the Rack and dismember'd after he had confess'd what he knew of the Plot. Prince Joseph had his Eyes pull'd out and dy'd soon after leaving a Son who is now Prince of Mingrelia Levan had by his Incestuous Conjunction two Sons and one Daughter who suffer'd every one for the Iniquity of their Father being all Three Paralytick No means were unsought for their Cure but all in vain their Distemper Non-pluss'd all the Physitians in the Country the Theatins and an Eminent Greek Physitian who was sent for from Constantinople The Youngest Son and the Daughter dy'd by that time they arriv'd at the Age of Twenty Years or there-about but Alexander the Eldest Son liv'd longer was Marry'd and had a Child his Wife being the Daughter of the Prince of Guriel Which one Son he had a Year after he was Marry'd and then dy'd while his Father was yet living Levan dy'd in the Year 1657. after whose Death the Shilakite was in such high Credit as to set up in his place a Son which she had by her first Husband
upon Mount Caucasus seated in a hollow place among twenty Hillocks or thereabouts from whence the Castle might be easily batter'd on every side though fortifi'd with double Walls and flanqu'd with Towers both built with Battlements after the Ancient Manner Adjoyning to this Fortress which is defended with only a few great Guns stand upon the Neighbouring Hillocks aforemention'd a large Town consisting of about 400 Houses all new and which seem to have been but lately built so that there is nothing of Antiquity to be seen but two Armenian Churches The Town is Peopl'd with Turks Armenians Georgians Greeks and Jews the Christians having their Churches and the Jews a Synagogue There is also in it an Inn newly built of Wood as are all the rest of the Houses in that place The River Kur runs along by it which derives it Head from the Mountain Caucasus and was call'd anciently Cyrus and by some Corus Strabo places the Head of it in Armenia Ptolomy in Colchis Pliny will have it spring from the Mountains of Tartary which are beyond Colchis which he calls Coraxicie because of the River Corax that springs from thence and discharges it self into the Black-Sea Which Opinions seeming so various may nevertheless be true and come all to one and the same thing For that Armenia has formerly included Colchis and because Colchis formerly was a great Kingdom as I have already observ'd The Basha of Akalzikè lodges in the Fortress and the Principal Officers and Souldiers quarter in the adjacent Villages This Fortress was built by the Georgians from whom the Turks took it toward the end of the last Age. The 13th about Two a Clock in the Morning I parted from Akalzikè travailing directly Eastward At the end of three Leagues the Plain of Akalzikè streightens to the breadth of half a League having the Mountains on both sides In that part stands a Castle built by the Turks upon a Rock on the right side of the River Kur This Rock below is encompass'd with a double Wall and round about it lies a little Village like Akalzikè which takes up all the Ground between the Fortress and the opposite Mountain and is call'd Usker having a Garison and a Custom-House under the Command of a Sanziac I was in great fear of being there stopp'd and examin'd but Thanks be to GOD they let me pass without saying a word to me For my Guide was born at Gory a City of Georgia So that upon his Answer to the Captain of the Guard who ask'd him What Countryman he was That he was a Georgian of Gory the Captain let him pass with all his Train without any farther Examination The reason is for that the Kaan of Georgia and the Basha of Akalzikè hold a very good Correspondence together which makes the Turks so kind to the Georgians Two Leagues beyond Vsker we cross'd a Mountain which parts on this side Persia from Turkey We travell'd along the Brow of this Mountain after we had cross'd it There are several Villages seated on the top of it the River Kur running below through the Vale where in several parts are to be seen the Ruines of Castles Fortresses and Churches the Footsteps of the Grandeur of the Georgians and of the Turkish and Persian Conquests After we had travell'd ten Leagues till it was Night we stopp'd at a little Village The 14th we travell'd not above four Leagues the way being very rugged in those Mountains where you meet with several narrow Paths and close Passages where you cannot force your way together with the Ruines of many Fortresses We stopp'd in the Plain of Surham at a great Town near the Fortress which is call'd by the same Name It is a very lovely Plain full of Copses Villages Hillocks Houses of Pleasure and little Castles belonging to the Georgian Lords The Country is all over well Till'd and in a word it is a very delightful Spot of Ground The 15th I travell'd ten Leagues nine through the Plain and the other at the passage of a Mountain somewhat high which parts it from Gory I saw nothing on every side but fair Villages lovely Fields well Manur'd and every where the Ground very fertile We left upon the right Hand before we ascended the Mountain a great City lying almost all in Ruines as not containing above Five Hunderd Houses inhabited whereas formerly by report it contain'd above Twelve Thousand However there belongs to it a Bishop and a great Church built before the Georgians were reduc'd under Subjection Night overtook me upon the Descent of the Mountain before I arriv'd at Gory I went directly to the Residence of the Italian Capuchins Missionaries of the Congregation de Propaganda Fide to whom I had Letters of Recommendation Not above three Years ago they had a Dwelling at Cotatis and then they thought also to have spread themselves into Mingrelia and to have settl'd there But the Continual Wars in that Country and the Robberies perpetually there committed the King either not being able or not caring to prevent 'em constrain'd 'em to retire back into Georgia So that the Opportunity of meeting with 'em was very acceptable to me in regard they were able to give me what Advice and Assistance I stood in need of For that reason I presently made my self known to 'em and told 'em That the King of Persia had sent me into France to do him particular Services that I had his Orders and a Command directed to all the Governors of the Empire to give me Respect and to serve me upon all Occasions and with all Conveniencies I should stand in need of Afterwards I acquainted 'em That having chosen to return into Persia by the Black-Sea and so through Mingrelia I had been surpriz'd by the Wars in that Country and had undergone a Thousand Hardships so that not finding any way securely to bring along with me those things which I had brought for the King I had left 'em in the Custody of my Comrade and was come into Georgia to desire Assistance and therefore I most affectionately besought 'em to give me the best Advice they could and to take that Compassion of my Hardships and Troubles to which Charity and other Considerations oblig'd ' em Upon which the Good Fathers were concern'd for my Misfortunes the hazards I had run and for the Person I had left in Mingrelia And they assur'd me to do for me what ever lay in their Power so soon as they should have permission from their General for that they had no Power to act without first consulting him and without his Approbation That he was at Trifflis the capital City of Georgia two small days journey distant and that my best way would be to go and waite upon him And indeed they gave me so many reasons to constrain me to go that I resolv'd it without any more to do and to that purpose hir'd Horses forthwith The Superiour also order'd a Lay-Brother whose Name was Angelo of Viterbo to
Lay-Brothers The City of Tefflis is very well peopl'd and there are as many Strangers resort thither as to any place in the World For it drives a great Trade and the Court is very Numerous and Magnificent beseeming the Capital of a Province being never without several Grandees of Note As to the Name of the City I could never learn the Etymology of the word They say the Persians gave it that Name Certain it is however that the Georgians do not call it Tefflis but Cala that is to say the City or the Fortress which is indeed a Name that they give to all Spacious Habitations encompass'd with Walls Which makes me think that because they have no other Wall'd City in all the Country they would give it no other Name but Cala. Some Geographers call it Tebele-Cala or the Hot City by reason of the Baths of Hot Waters within it or else because the Air is not so cold nor so boystrous as in the other parts of Georgia Neither could I learn the Time when the City was founded nor the most remarkable Revolutions that have befallen it For my part I do not believe its Antiquity surpasses Eight Hunderd Years It has been twice under the Power of the Turks Once in the Reign of Ishmael the Second King of Persia and the second time in the Reign of his Successor Solyman becoming Master of it at the same time almost that he took Tauris The Persian Tables place it in 83 Degrees of Longitude and 43 Deg. 5. min. of Latitude It is also call'd Dar el Melec or the Royal City as being the Metropolis of the Kingdom The 10th the Superiour of the Capuchins gave the Viceroy Notice of my Arrival I desir'd him so to do considering with my self that having Servants and Luggage and being lodg'd at the Capuchins House my Arrival could not be conceal'd from a Prince who had Intelligence even of the most trivial Things that pass'd in Tefflis much more of my Adventures in Mingrelia of which many People had spread a report Besides I was glad to see him and shew him the King of Persia's Passports directed to all the Governours of Provinces wherein I was effectually recommended For I made no Question but the Prince upon the sight of those Orders would make me Welcom and grant me a Convoy if I should have occasion for the rest of my Journey Shanavas-Can understanding who I was and that the deceas'd King had employ'd me into Europe upon his own Service and Affairs order'd the Superiour to tell me in his Name That I was Welcom that he was glad of my Arrival and that I would do him a Kindness to come and see him as soon as I could which I was neither in a Condition neither was I resolv'd to do so soon being resolv'd to stay till I was ready to depart because I would not be oblig'd to go every Day to Court Therefore I desir'd Father Raphael who was his Physician to tell him That I was overjoy'd at the Honour which he had done me and that I would not fail to pay my Duty to him so soon as I had put my self into a handsom Equipage but that I was so out of order that I could not stir abroad these Ten Days I know not whether Father Raphael made a true Report to the Prince or whether the Prince believ'd him for so it happen'd that about Twelve a Clock in the Forenoon he sent a Gentleman to tell me That since I was come to Town in a Week of Mirth and Jollity while he Feasted every Day at Court he desir'd that I would come and see him I was surpriz'd and troubl'd at the Message and therefore I desir'd the Superiour and Father Raphael to let the Prince know That I could not yet stir abroad and that he would be pleas'd to condescend that I might stay till the Sunday following before I receiv'd the Honour which he was pleas'd to do me Which Message the Capuchins promis'd to deliver but fail'd They went to the Court 't is true but return'd the next moment to tell me That the Prince was impatient to hear what News from Europe But the truth of it was that they had an extraordinary desire to produce me They were desirous to shew the King of Persia's Agent whom they asserted to be one of their own Nation to the end themselves might be the more respected and they desir'd my Comrade and my self to put on our most Sumptuous Habit and to enlarge for their sakes the Present which we intended for the Prince In which particular I was willing to gratifie 'em and in whatever else I might conveniently do as being glad of an Opportunity to acknowledge the signal Kindnesses they had done me It was almost Noon when we went to the Palace accompany'd by the Superiour and Father Raphael who attended to be assistant to us The Prince was in a Room of State a Hunderd and Ten Foot long and above Forty broad built upon the side of the River and all open on that side The Ceeling which was all of Mosaic Work was plac'd upon a great Number of Pillars Painted and Gilt between 35 and 40 Foot high The whole Room was spread with very fair Carpets The Prince and principal Nobility were sitting near three little Chimneys which with several Brasiers warm'd the Room to that degree that the Cold was not felt Shanavas-Can when people approach'd near him caus'd himself to be Reverenc'd the first time like the King of Persia Himself They fell upon their Knees Two or Three Paces distant from his Person and bow their Heads to the Ground Three Times one after another Which manner of Saluting the Eastern Princes the Europeans have always scrupl'd to observe And indeed it being impossible that a Man should prostrate himself in a more humble posture such a Prostration should only be us'd before GOD himself So that sometimes they excuse themselves from using this manner of Salutation by saying they are of another World and understand not the Complements of the Country For my part I made my Obeysance with three Bows without Kneeling Afterward two Gentlemen led me to take my place but I would not sit above the Capuchins though the Gentlemen press'd me so to do and the Steward of the Houshold who stood upon his Feet in the middle of the Room For I was willing to do 'em that Honour that they might have Honour done 'em by others Which the Superiour was so glad to see that he would needs have me take place of his Companion While I was paying my Obeysance a Gentleman who had receiv'd from me at the Hall Door the King of Persia's Letters Patents which I held in my Hand and the Present which I had brought for the Prince and lay'd 'em in order in a large Silver Voider set down the Voider at the Prince's Feet Presently he took the Patent open'd it and rising up from his Seat put it to his Lips and
Translated In the Name of GOD Soveraignly-Merciful And indeed the Arabian word Rahmen which signifies Merciful is an Incommunicable Attribute of GOD and which they never make use of but in speaking of the Divine Clemency All the Mahometans believe that this Invocation conceals great Mysteries and encloses an infinite number of Vertues For they have it always in their Mouths rising sitting taking a Book or an Instrument in their Hands or a Pen. In a word they believe they shall not prosper in any thing which they undertake if they do not begin with this Invocation They assure themselves that Adam and Eve spoke it before they went about any Business It is set at the beginning of every Chapter in the Alcoran And it is evident that it is in Imitation of the usual Sayings of the Jews and Christians the one always beginning thus Our Aid be in the Name of GOD who Created Heaven and Earth and the other with these words In the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost I shall speak in another place of the Seal which is fix'd to this Patent and of what is grav'd within The Figure under it is call'd Nishan that is the Signal and also the Flourish beneath the Subscription It is here drawn with a Ruler but in the Original it is made of the Tails of Letters The Secretary who is us'd to write this Subscription draws those Tails so streight and so equal that you would take 'em for Lines drawn by Rule and Compass The whole Subscription is in Colour'd Letters except the word which signifies Lord of the World and those which I have Translated Absolutely Commands which are in Letters of Gold The words Zels Ziouzoumis are ancient Turkish still in use in the Lesser Tartary They signifie properly My Words or I speak And Tamberlain being the first that made use of those words in his Patents the Kings of Persia have still retain'd the Custom The twelve Names which are in the middle of the Flourish beneath the Subscription are the Names of the twelve Pontiffs real and lawful Successors of Mahomet according to the Persian Belief 5. The Governours in Persia are distinguish'd into Great and Petty Media and Georgia for Example are great Governments Caramania and Gedrosia petty Governments Therefore they call Beglerbeg which signifies Lord of Lords the Governour of a Great Government and the Viceroy of a Petty Government they call a Kan 6. Deston Tahem-ten-ten and Feribours are the Names of the ancient Persian Heroes or if you please of the Old Giants which deriv'd their Being from the ancient Fables These are the Alcides's and the Theseus's of the Persians and as the Grecian Alcides had several Names so likewise has the Persian but the most common Name which they have alway in their Mouths is that of Rustem 7. Ardevon is the Name of an Ancient Giant or Hero who as the Persians say conquer'd all Asia and setl'd the Seat of his Empire in Persia Their Histories have not preserv'd the Memory of any of his Atchievements but their Romances feign an infinite Number which are altogether fabulous 8. In the Original it is Who unloose all sorts of Knots 9. There is no People in the World more sottishly devoted to Judicial Astrology then the Persians Of which being to speak in another place I shall say no more here but that the Persians rank all Penmen Books and Writings under Mercury whom they call Attared and hold all People born under that Planet to be endu'd with a refin'd penetrating clear-sighted and fubtil Wit 10. Caagon is the Name of an Ancient King of China Nor is there any one over the whole East whose Memory is more Venerable It seems by what they report that he was more particularly Illustrious in his Country for his Government in Peace and Administration of Justice then for his Feats of Arms. Therefore the Eastern Monarchs assume his Name to themselves as the Roman Emperors call'd themselves Caesars Moreover it has the same signification in Persia as August in English so that when the Persians would express any thing that is Great and Royal they say Caagoniè Thus I have explain'd the truth of this little Figure and I believe we shall be as little troubl'd to understand the whole Language of this Patent though Metaphor and Hyperbole are therein most furiously injur'd 11. The Term which I have Translated Flowre of Merchants signifies Exquisite Choice Elected or most Excellent The Persians use it commonly as an Epithet for all sorts and Conditions of Men Great Lords Foreign Ministers Merchants and bring it down even to Tradesmen 12. It is in the Persian Nor by Importunate Flatteries nor by Hanghty Demands 13. The word which I have Translated To Incourage signifies properly To Water 14. These words In Dignity and Virtue are not in the Patent only I have put 'em in the place of those that are which signifies the Seal of great Quality resembling the Sun 15. These words are to be referr'd to the words Absolutely Commands which are under the Flourish beneath the Subscription They are call'd here The Decree of the Lord of the World Tamberlain was the first that made use of these lofty Expressions Now the Grand Signior and the Indian Monarch make use of 'em as well as the King of Persia while every one maintains that it belongs to him only and assumes it as his most Glorious Title In the Persian Language it is Saheb-Cerani It may be also interpreted Master of the Age but the other Translation is more clear and intelligible and discovers more plainly the sottish pride that is contein'd in it 16. We shall speak more particularly in another place of the Marks by which the Persians distinguish Times and Seasons Here therefore I shall say no more then for the understanding of the Date that the Month Shavel is the tenth and that the Arabians have given Epithets to all the Months as for Example to the First the Epithet of Sacred to the Seventh that of Praise-worthy to the Ninth that of Blessed and to this here mention'd the Stile of Honourable The word Hegyra which is Translated Flight proceeds from a Verb which signifies to fly as also to retire So that the Hegyra of the Mahometans is the same thing with the Exodus of the Hebrews And without doubt Omar had that same Exodus in his Mind when he setl'd the Mahometan Epact from the time of Mahomet's departure from Mecca which was the place in Arabia where Idols and Idolatry were most in Esteem 17. In the Original it is Hamhager that is Flying together 18. As the Arabians as we have said gave Epithets to the Months the Persians also have given Epithets to the Principal Cities of their Empire Ispahan and Casbin are call'd The Seat of Monarchy Canhadar A Secure Retreat Asherif was call'd The Ennobl'd because Abas the Great built a Spacious and Sumptuous Palace and usually kept his Court there when he was in the
Feet is lost and it is impossible to find the way Which is the loss of many People and Beasts every Year Nor does this Snow ever melt the Mountain being continually cover'd with it It separates Georgia from Armenia and I was no sooner over it but I found a Country quite of another Form and Fashion For whereas on the other side there was nothing to be seen but very high Mountains and some few small Plains between 'em and a Woody Country very well Peopl'd here on this side we saw spacious Plains with little Hillocks cover'd alike with Snow bare of all sort of VVood but what was planted about the Villages VVe lodg'd at Kara Pheshish a great Borough seated at the Foot of the Mountain which we cross'd over and upon the Banks of the River Zengui VVhich River waters one part of Armenia the Greater In making the Geographical Description of the Country as I pass'd along I never mind any Author whether Ancient or Modern finding 'em all so opposite one to another and altogether dark and confus'd VVhich was the same thing that Strabo said of the Authors that preceded him and whoever will take the pains to compare those that have follow'd him either with the Ancients or among themselves will be of the same Opinion As for example in Caldea or Assyria which at present they extend almost to the Mediterranean Sea though Herodotus Pliny Strabo Ptolomy and the other most Celebrated Ancient Geographers enclose it between the Desert of Arabia and Mesopotamia I have also observ'd one thing in the Government of Persia which has made me since believe that although Authors have set different Bounds and Limits to the Countries yet that they might have all written very true and justly and as Things stood in their Times when the Governments were enlarg'd or confin'd within narrower Bounds as the Supreme Governor pleases or as necessity requires for then the Province that gives the Name to the Government has not the same Limits nor observes the same Situation as before And therefore I will mark out the Extent and Situation of the Country where I pass'd as I found 'em and if I must follow the Ancient Authors it shall be only those of the Persian Geography Some there are among 'em who divide Armenia into Three parts The first which they call properly by that Name the second which they call Turcomannia and the third to which they give the Name of Georgia But the greater Number divide it only into two parts the Upper and the Lower The Lower which is sometimes call'd the Lesser sometimes the Western but generally the Lesser is under the Dominion of the Turks The Upper which they sometimes call the Eastern sometimes the Great but usually the Greater is a Province of Persia To the small or Lesser Armenia they assign for Bounds the Great Armenia to the East Syria to the South the Black-Sea to the West Cappadocia to the North and they place the Great Armenia between Mesopotamia Georgia Media and Armenia the Less Which Situation agrees in part with that of the Ancient Geographers who enclose Armenia the Less between Cappadocia and Euphrates and Armenia the Greater between Euphrates and Tygris But it no way corresponds with that of some Authors as is to be seen who put Syria the Shoars of the Mediterranean Sea and the Banks of the Caspian in Armenia of which they make Edessa to be the Capital City Neither do Authors differ less about the Denomination of this Country while some derive the Name of Armenia from Armenius a Rhodian or Thessalian Others with far more Reason from Aram which might have some Relation to the Hebrew word Ram which signifies High or Elevated either because the Country lyes High and for that several of the Eastern Mountains make a part of it or else because it fell as his share to Aram the Grand-Child of Noah who therefore call'd it by his own Name And therefore Hayton who was King of the Country derives this Name of Armenia from Aram-Noah But how uncertain soever this Etymology may be I had rather give credit to it then to another Story which he reports of Armenia that is to say that it was the Province where Salmanassar planted the Greatest part of the Jews which he took Prisoners in the Conquest of Palestine The Holy Scripture where ere it has occasion to mention it calls Armenia Ararat Certainly it is one of the most lovely and most Fertile Countries of Asia It is water'd by Seaven large Rivers which is the reason in my opinion that obliges the most part of the Interpreters of the Old Testament to place the Terrestrial Paradise in this Province However it were Armenia is renown'd for several other Famous Accidents and Events There is not any other Country wherein were fought so many Bloody Battels nor with greater Numbers on both sides It has had particular Kings of its own at several times though they could not preserve their Dominion while as Histories assure us all the most Eminent Captains that ever invaded Asia subdu'd it under their Subjection in their several turns It was the Theatre of the last Wars between the Turks and Persians while the Turks fought to have had it all entire though at length they were content to share it with the Persians yet not so but that they have had the greatest part The 6th I continu'd my Journey half dead as I was with Cold and a Dysentery But the hopes I was in to meet at Erivan with all necessary Accommodations for my Cure made me hasten thither notwithstanding all the Pains that I felt So that we Travell'd Four Leagues and arriv'd at Bichni a considerable Village seated at the Foot of a Mountain upon the River Zengui We lodg'd at a fair Armenian Monastery built between the Village and the Mountain This Monastery is an Ancient Foundation between Eight and Nine Hunderd Years standing The Cloister is built after the Fashion of the Country encompass'd with High and Thick Walls of Free Stone Near to the Monastery are to be seen the Ruines of Towers Castles and Ramparts in so great a Number that it renders very probable what the People of the Country report that Bichni has been one of the strong Places of Armenia I lodg'd in the Convent where the Monks receiv'd me with great Civility and put me into the fairest Apartiment they had only I could by no means prevaile with 'em to let me have a Fowl to make a little Broth because it was their time of Lent So that my Guide was forc'd to use his Authority even to the holding up his Cane to procure me a few Eggs. Toward the Evening I had a desire to Drink some Coffee which my Guide brought me boyl'd with a little Sugar and of that I Drank Four small Glasses as hot as I could which done I lay'd me down well cover'd before a good Fire To which feeble Remedy it pleas'd GOD to give so great a
since at this City and is now going in all hast to the Palace which is the a Refuge of the Universe You must of necessity fully and exactly b inform your self of his designs and what Petitions he has to make to the most High Court and when you rightly understand ' em see that you use your best Endeavour that they may be favourably answer'd We shall be very desirous to know what Effect and Success our Recommendation shall have and after what Manner this Hlustrious Friend shall be receiv'd and entertain'd We also desire you to send us the good Tydings of his Health We pray to God that he may have the favour and the happiness to be well receiv'd of our Great King To whom I wish that c all the World may pay Homage and that he may prosper in all his Undertakings The Eternal God grant ye long life a The Persian word which I have translated the Refuge of the World is Alempenha Alem signifies the whole entire World or Universal Nature Penha a Retreat a Haven a Place of Security and to which a Man may have recourse b In the Original it is that they inform themselves For the Eastern People addressing themselves to Persons of Quality to denote the Person make use of the Third Person Plural and when they mean themselves speak in the Third Person Singular Which is also the Proper Idiom of the Holy Language c In the Persian it is That all Souls may serve his Name his Name Repetition is a Figure very frequent in the Oriental Languages and questionless borrow'd from the Sacred Language Of which there are a Thousand Examples in the Original Bibles as in the 68. Psalm v. 13. They are fled they are fled That is They are absolutely fled And Psalm 8. 7. v5 The man the man That is the Perfect Man Afterwards I went and took leave of the Principal Lords of the Court and among the Rest of the General of the Mint This Lord who was call'd Mahamed Shefi perswaded me to go to Ispahan by the way of Ardevil assuring me that I should not fail to sell in that City Thereupon I promis'd him so to do and took along with me a Letter of Recommendation to the Governor of that City who was his near Kinsman Which I thus Translated into French GOD Thrice High and Potent Lord Glorious Majesty worthy to be call'd Celestial Elect of the Governors Deputy Lieutenants and Happy Men Fountain of Grace Honour and Civility Exemplar of Purity Model of Generosity and Manificence Heart Sincere Real and Faithful Protector of his Intimate Friends and Kindred My most Excellent Lord and Master I beseech the most High God to preserve your Health and prolong your Life Having paid you my due Respects and Homage These are to let you understand Great Sir whose Wit is Clear and Glistering like the Sun That Mr. Chardin the Flower of European Merchants intending to go through Casbin to the Magnificent Palace which is the Refuge of the Universe I who am your Real Friend perswaded him out of a desire to serve you to go through the Sacred Ardevil He carries with him certain Commodities of an Extraordinary value which he will shew in the presence of your thrice a Noble Person I am certain you will buy if you meet with any thing that is worth your having and I am assur'd your Highness will command your People to take care of this Noble Stranger I am preparing to go for Tifflis with God's Assistance toward the end of the next Month Zilhage If I can serve your Excellency in that Country you will do me a great Honour to let me know it I beseech ye to believe that a richer Present cannot be made me then to bring me Tydings of your good Health God through his favour preserve your Illustrious Person till the Day of Judgement I am the true Friend of the Thrice High and Thrice Illustrious Lords Geonbec Hiaiabec and Mahamed-bec I am apt to believe for my own Repose the Continuation of their Health The Seal contain'd a Verse or Sentence of which this was the Meaning I have wholly left my Destiny to God I Mahamed Shefi his Creature Upon the outside of the Letter at one Corner was written in a small Character God preserve the happy Condition of my Friend While I stay'd at the Camp there arriv'd a Courier from the King who brought his Majesties Answer touching the Patriarch's Business And I understood at the Governours that the Contents were That the Chief Ministers were of Opinion that the Treasure at Ecsmiazin should be sold with all the Ornaments and all the Wealth belonging to the Church and Convent and that the Money that was made of it should go to the payment of the Patriarch's Debts And that this Resolution had been taken except Opposition had been made by the Armenians by representing that all that Money would nothing near satisfie the Patriarch's Concerns and that if they took away from Ecsmiazin its Treasure and its Ornaments they would ruine a place that drew a world of Company into Persia and which yearly paid a very great Rent occasion'd by the Devotion and Concourse of the Eastern Christians That upon that the King had decreed That the Money should be levy'd in Armenia upon all the Christian Villages to satisfie the Customer of Constantinople whom there was a necessity to see paid The Patriarch was over-joy'd at the News and made a Present to him that brought it but it displeas'd all the honest People in the City who were vex'd to the Souls to see the Prelate so insensible of the Violence they were going to offer to thousands of Poor Christians to pay for the Expences of his irregular Ambition The 8. an hour before day I parted from Erivan and travell'd four Leagues over the little Hills and through Valleys the Country which I cross'd being full of Villages In one of which that was a very fair and large one I lodg'd call'd by the name of Daivin The 9. we travell'd five Leagues through a Country that was very level and fertile That which they call the Mountain of Noah lying upon the Right Hand We directed our Course South-West and lay at a Village call'd Kainer The 10. we continu'd the same Road and travell'd eight Leagues Upon the left hand after we got half the way we left a great Town call'd Sederec Which is as it were the Capital of the Province of Armenia call'd Charour The Sultan of which Province resides in that Town That Night we had but a very bad Lodging in an old ruin'd Inn near to a Village call'd Nouratchin The 11. We travell'd four Leagues upon the same Road and through a very fair Country but not so level nor smooth as being stony and full of little Hills We also ferry'd over a River call'd Harpasony that waters all the Neighbouring Lands It separates the Government of that part of Armenia of which Erivan is the Capital from that
are the best Pasture-Grounds in Media if I may not presume to say in the world The Choicest Horses in the whole Province are there put to Grass to the number of about three thousand For it is the custom in Persia to put their Horses to grass for thirty five or forty days together from April to June Which both purges and refreshes fattens and strengthens 'em And they feed 'em thus with Grass as well in the Stable as in the Field but all the rest of the Summer they mingle Straw cut very small with the Grass When I beheld those lovely Pasturages I ask'd the young Lord with whom I travel'd whether there were any better in Media or whither any other Plains so large and so delightful Who answered me that he had seen as rich plains as those towards Derbent which is Media Atropatiena but none so large and spacious So that we may with good grounds believe that those Plains are the Hypopothon of which the Ancient Authors write and of which they say that the Kings of Media kept there in a Breed of fifty thousand Horses and here it is that we must search for the Plains of Nysa so famous for the Nysain Horses And Stephen the Geographer asserts that Nysa was in Media By the way I told the Gentleman my fellow Traveller what Histories related concerning these Horses and particularly what Favorinus reports that all the Nysain Horses were Isabella colour'd who answer'd that it was more then he ever read or heard of I made the same Enquiry all along as I travell'd of severall persons both of Learning and Quality but never could learn that there was any part in Media nor in all Persia where all the Horses were foal'd of an Isabella colour The 30. we travell'd a Road that was even enough but winding among Hills After two hours travel we pass'd by the Ruins of a great City which they said had flourish'd there in former times but being almost ruin'd was utterly destroy'd by Abas Upon the left hand of the Road are to be seen large Circles of Hew'n Stone which the Persians affirm to be a great sign that the Caous making war in Media held a Counsel in that place it being the Custom of those People that every Officer that came to the Council brought with him a Stone to serve him instead of a Chair And these Caous were a sort of Gyants Herodotus also reports somthing like to this of a Persian Army that went against the Scythians for he tells you that the Army being in Thrace Darius shew'd 'em a place and commanded that every one should lay a Stone therein as he pass'd along But that which is most to be admir'd after observation of these Stones is this that they are so big that eight Men can hardly move one and yet there is no place from whence they can be imagin'd to have been fetch'd but from the next Mountains that are six Leagues off We met upon the Road with three large and fair Inns and lodg'd at a Village call'd Caratchiman seated at the Foot of a little Hill it was not so big as Vaspinge but altogether as pleasant The 31. we travel'd four Leagues over Hills and Dales all fertil and delightful to admiration In the mid-way we pass'd through a Village full of Popler Groves and Gardens and well water'd It was call'd Turcman because that in the Fields that environ it there are a great number of Shepherds with their Flocks that are call'd by that Name We stopp'd at Pervaré another Village as handsome and as large as Turcman seated also in a bottom at the foot of a Hill all along by the Banks of a little River The 1. of June We travell'd two Leagues in a level Country as even as that we had cross'd the day before and four Leagues among the Mountains where the way was rugged and very uneasie A little River but very rapid passes through the Midst of it and by reason of it's winding course oblig'd us to pass it several times to shorten our way We alighted at Miana This is a Town seated in the middle of a fair and large Plain encompassed with Mountains which upon that Road separates Media from the Countrey of the Parthians Which is the reason that the Village carrys that Name for that Miane properly signifies the parting of several Countries To this Town there belongs a kind of Custom-House where the Officers are said to be very tyrannical in their exactions upon the meaner sort of People that travel that way But they understood who the Gentleman was who travel'd with me and who I was So that they durst not so much as shew themselves for there is that good order tak'n in Persia and almost all over the East that the Receivers of all Sorts of Tolls and Duties have no permission or Authority to demand any thing of any eminent Person of any Officer of the Kings how inconsiderable soever his office may be nor of any Stranger of Quality For should they be so bold as to examin what they carry'd the offence would be punish'd with Bastinados The 2. we spent so much time in fording the River of Miana and found the Mountain beyond it that we were to cross to be so rugged that we could not travel above three Leagues We were two hours before we could find the Ford and get our Sumpters over which at length we got over safe without any Damage thanks be to God and five hours crossing the Mountain which was very high and very steep being the Bounds between Media and Parthia These two spacious Provinces are parted by a Ridge of Mountains which are a Branch of Mount Taurus that extends it self from Europe to China crossing as has been said Circassia Mingrelia Georgia the Country of the Parthians Bactriana the Province of Candabar and the Indies At the top of the Mountain upon the point of a Rock we spy'd a large ruin'd Castle which the Persians call the Virgins Castle alledging that Artaxerxes caus'd it to be built to imprison therein a Princess of the Blood But Abas the Great caus'd it to be utterly demolished as serving only for a Retreat to a number of Robbers that made themselves as it were soveraign Lords of the Mountain On both sides of the Mountain are large Causeys which that great Prince caus'd to be made for the ease of Travellers in the Winter Towards the end of our journey we pass'd a large River call'd Kesil-beusè over a fair Bridge and lay at Semelé Which is an Inn or Caravanseray built near the Bridge to lodge Travellers that can reach no farther The River Kesil-beuzé is much larger and more rapid than that of Miana and serves to bound Media from the Country of the Parthians And now no sooner have you pass'd this River but you may easily perceive the change of the Air. For whereas the Temperature of Media is somewhat moyst and cloudy which is the reason of high Winds and
afterwards he received the accustomed Presents of the Nobility as also of the Agents of England France and Holland They add that several days were spent in feasting and rejoycing by publick Proclamation with a more than ordinary Magnificence as being a thing which they saw pleased the humour of the Prince who they say is more addicted to Expences than his Father and that he having given Audience to the same Agents he had promised a Confirmation of the Priviledges which his Predecessors had granted them and also to enlarge them as he should see occasion Had the Author of this News studied to frame a false story he could not have contrived it better for that he speaks nothing of truth This Express which they assure us to have been dispatched from Ispahan to Legorn is a meer Fantome Not one of the English ever dispatched any person in all that time nor at any other time I do not know that indeed they ever dispatched directly any Person from the Capital City of Persia to that Port of Italy Nor did ever that Monarch of the Persians whom they so confidently call Sophy ever go by that name in his own Country nor any other like it Whereas he says that the King fell sick of a debauch and died four days after it is of the same stamp with the rest He did not fall sick of a debauch neither did his distemper carry him off in four days for he lay in a languishing condition four Months and more The place which the Relation calls Khur where he says the King died is a perfect Chimera I have examined all my Persian Geography and can find no such place either great or small that is called by that name As little of truth there is in what he farther adds that it was in the Kings return from Casbin that he died For the King had not been at Casbin in eight years before but it was from the Caspian Sea that he was then coming back as has been already related in the Life of that great Monarch The Author of the Relation passing forward to the Election of his Successour goes on with the same sincerity as before For the news of the deceased Kings death was not known in Ispahan before the Coronation of his Successour unless it were to some few persons of the highest Quality nor was the Successour proclaimed in that City by the Prime Minister nor any other of the Prime Ministers of State who were a hundred and forty Leagues off at that time There are no publick Proclamations in that Country as among us Nor was he proclaimed as his Grandfather is pretended to have been under the name of Sha-Sophi since neither the one nor the other ever bore that Name That which follows after That the Governour of Ispahan and the principal Lords of the Court who accompanied the Corps of the deceased being arrived there and having paid their accustomed Homage he shew'd himself in publick to his Subjects who testified their joy by their loud and extraordinary Acclamations This whole Period I say contains as many impertinencies as there are words The Governour of Ispahan never left the City so that he could not then be said to return the next Morning nor was the Body of the deceased King ever brought thither as being a thing that was never intended Then for the Lords that accompanied the Corps the first that came to the Court did not come till within twenty days after others not till thirty or forty And as for the Acclamations of joy which he mentions I heard none but those of which I have already given an account and yet I was present at the whole Ceremony so that no body could be a better Witness than my self Nor did the Intelligencer know any better which of the Agents whether the English French or Holland Agent had his first Audience of the New King or what Presents they made him of which we shall give an account in the series of our Discourse Let the Reader now judge what credit there is to be given to Relations which are supposed to have been sent to that Country which are only grounded upon uncertain Reports and Letters of Merchants and Travellers written without judgment who upon occasion speaking of other Affairs touch upon something that was transacted in that Country But now to return to our business After the Young King and those that stood of each side were returned to their Places the General of the Musquetteers having whispered some few Minutes in the Kings Ear among several other things of lesser Importance gave out these four principal Commands in his Majesties name First That both the soft and loud Musick should play in the two Balconies upon the top of the great Building which stands at one end of the Palace Royal called the Kaisariè or Imperial Place No Nation was dispensed with whether Persians Indians Turks Muscovites Europeans or others which was immediately done And this same Tintamarr or Confusion of Instruments which sounded more like the noise of War than Musick lasted twenty days together without intermission or the interruption of Night Which number of twenty days was observed to answer the number of the Young Monarch's years who was then twenty years of Age. The second was that the Palace should be furnished with usual Guards to the same Number and in the usual Places as in the time of the deceased Monarch The third was that they should go and deface the Name of Habas out of all the Seals and Signets of State which are all of Precious Stones which were brought from Court in a Purse sealed up with the Prime Ministers Seal and that the Name of Sephiè should be engraved in the room of the other That if in any of the Seals the Name of Habas could not be conveniently Erased that the engraving should be entirely taken away to make room for another Sculpture-upon a new Superficies or if the Pieces were so delicate that they could not endure defacing that they should be broken to pieces and new stones be engraved The fourth That all the old Coins and Stamps should be broken and other new Money made with the Name of the present Prince upon it And that care should be taken to coin with all speed against the next day between sixscore and a hundred and forty Tomans which amount to between five or six hundred pounds sterling of our Money This was done with that speed that the Sum was ready the next day in great Pieces as is usual to the value of eighteen pence for the King to bestow as he pleased himself The same day one of these Pieces came to my hands and the Person from whom I had it assured me that there had been some of the same bigness coined in Gold which I am apt to believe tho I never saw any Round about the Edge were engraved the twelve names of Mahomet's Successours with these words in the middle Bende Shae-din-Safiè-est The Sovereign
of my Journal of the Year 1675. and the two succeeding Years concludes with a Piece wholly new and unknown to Vs in Europe which is an Abridgement of the History of Persia Extracted from their own Writings And thus having informed the Reader of the Subject of my Memorials I shall mention something of the time and means which I imployed to collect them I Travel'd by Land to the East-Indies in the Year 1665 and arrived in Persia at the beginning of the Year 1666. where I stayed all that Year and a good part of the next I came back to Persia from India in the Year 1669. where I remain'd Six Months before my return to Europe This was my first Voyage And though I then provided my self of Observations and all sorts of Materials for a Relation of it in as great a Degree or perhaps greater than those that have visited those Countries before me having Learn'd many things from the Turkish and Persian Languages which have not been observ'd by any that have hitherto Writ of Persia yet I did not then think my self sufficiently instructed for the Publication of so compleat a Work as I intended But in the mean time I entertain'd the World with a little Treatise of the Coronation of Soliman which consisted of some few Curious matters of Fact whereof I was an Eye-Witness And the earnest desire I had to improve my knowledge in that vast Empire of Persia to be enabled to produce to the World useful and Ample Relations of it induced me to undertake a Second Voyage thither which I did in the Year 1671. as the same will appear in this Journal I stay'd there until the Year 1677 chiefly following the Court in its Removals but likewise I made some particular Journeys as well of Curiosity as Business to prosecute my intentions studying the Language and assiduously frequenting the most eminent and most knowing Men of the Nation the better to inform my self in all things that were Curious and New to us in Europe concerning a Country that may well be called Another World both in respect of the Distance of place it has from us and the different Manners and Maximes of it In a Word I was so solicitous to know Persia that I knew Ispahan better than Paris though I was Bred and Born there The Persian Language was as easie to me as French and I could currently Read and Write it I had often Travell'd through the whole Country in the Length and Breadth thereof and seen its Seas both the Caspian and the Ocean from one end to the other I have visited its Frontiers in Armenia Iberia and Media and Arabia also as far as the River Indus and have been so exactly inform'd of those few Places where I have not been that I am confident I could know them if I may so say upon any sudden Transportation thither which I say only to let the Reader see what Ground he may have to rely upon the Truth of the following Relations As for this Translation I shall not say much of the Expressions and Phrase used in it being no competent Judge thereof but I can aver that it was done under my Inspection and I have review'd it with Attention and Knowledge enough to affirm that it is exactly my Sense but I must not omit to mention that in my Revision of it there was scarce a Leaf where I did not discover some considerable Fault as a Parenthesis Line or Word omitted and sometimes my Thoughts imperfectly rendered though the substituted Sense was neither Incongruous nor Perplexed In brief I have Corrected many Mistakes of this sort which could not be Perceptible to any but an Author who carries the Sense of his Work Word by Word in his Head As for Example in describing the Cultivation of the Vineyards of Colchide I said That they cut their Vines there once in every four Years and my Translator had expressed it That they cut their Vines four times every Year One cannot say that this proceeded from a defect of Sense or want of Vnderstanding the French Tongue for he knows it well and is otherways a Man of Letters and has quickness of Thought and is very able for such Works but Mistakes are inevitable in long Translations And as I believe that this of my Book is nearer the Original than any Version that I have seen of other Voyages so I am convinc'd that there are no Translations wherein many Errours may not be found against the Sense of the Authors The Copper Plates are done by different Gravers which will not happen in the others of my Volumes where all of them will be Engraven by that Hand which has done the Draught of Tauris and Nine or Ten other Figures I have Written nothing of the Indies because I lived but five Years there and understood only the Vulgar Languages which are the Indian and Persian without the Knowledge of that of the Brachmans which is the proper and necessary Organ to arrive at the Knowledge of the Wisdom and Antiquity of the Indians but nevertheless I did not altogether waste my Time there in Idleness On the contrary as the Winters in that Country will not permit One to Travel I imploy'd that time in a Work which I had long in my Thoughts and which I may call My Favourite Design by the Pleasure wherewith I laboured in it and the Profit which I hope the Publique will receive thereby which is certain Notes upon very many Passages of the Holy Scriptures whereof the Explication depends on the Knowledge of the Customs of the Eastern Countries for the East is the Scene of all the Historical Facts mentioned in the Bible The Language of that Divine Book especially of the Old Testament being Oriental and very often Figurative and Hyperbolical those Parts of the Scripture which are Written in Verse and in the Prophecies are full of Figures and Hyperboles which as it is manifest cannot be well understood without a Knowledge of the Things from whence such Figures are taken which are Natural Proprieties and Particular Manners of the Countries to which they refer I discern'd this in my first Voyage to the Indies For I gradually found a greater Sense and Beauty in divers Passages of the Scriptures than I had before by having in my view the Things either Natural or Moral which explain'd them to me and in perusing the different Translations which the greatest part of the Translators of the Bible had made I observ'd that every one of them to render their Expositions as they thought more intelligible used such Expressions as would accommodate the Phrase to the Places where they Writ which did not only many times pervert the Text but often render'd the Sense obscure and sometimes absurd also In fine consulting the Commentators upon such kind of Passages I found very strange Mistakes in them and that they all along guess'd at the Sense and did but grope as in the Dark in the search of it
in March 1672. The Ambassador departed from Constantinople the 29th of March carrying along with him the Abbot of Nointel his Brother a Gentleman a Confessor a Steward a Secretary three Interpreters two Janisaries and of meaner Officers a competent Retinue Besides all these he had also in his Train M. d'Hervieu who brought the Letter from M. de Lyonne to the Vizier one of the Directors of the Levant Company whose Business it was to Treat about the Conditions of the Red-Sea-Trade Two Spanish Fryers Commissaries of the Holy Land who were to sollicite the Restitution of the Sacred Places from whence they had been expell'd by the Greeks by Authority from the Port about Thirty Years before a Merchant of Marseilles who had Business at the Part together with Four French and Italian Gentlemen who as I my self made that Journey meerly out of Curiosity The Caimacan also sent a Chiaus to attend the Ambassador to provide him Convenient Lodging and to preserve that Respect to his Person and his Retinue which the Turks are subject to violate upon the slightest Occasions if not overaw'd by the dread of Punishment We were Six Days upon the Road it being reck'nd Fifty Leagues between Constantinople and Adrianople A Road no way to be found fault with as being very broad and level over Plains and a lovely Champain Country besides that we pass'd through a great many very neat Villages accommodated with fair and handsom Inns. We lodg'd half a League from Adrianople in a most pleasant Situation upon the River Hebrus call'd Bosna-Koy that is the Village of the Bosneans Ten days after our Arrival Panaioti the Vizier's Interpreter of whom we have already spok'n came to visit the Ambassador in his Masters Name and to know the King's Resolutions touching the renewing of the Alliance After which Preamble to M. de Nointel he told him That it was the Vizier's Opinion that it was not convenient for him and the Ambassador to have any Personal Interviews and Discourse together till all Affairs were concluded and fully agreed for fear lest any Exceptions or Differences should happ'n between 'em which though but upon slight and impertinent Punctilio's might break or put a stop to the Negotiation and hinder its good success To which Panaioti added as it were in Confirmation of the Vizier's Judgment That Affairs in Turkey were never well manag'd unless it were by a Third Person in regard the Vizier and the Ambassador being equally concern'd to preserve the Honour and Interests of two great Empires neither of the two would be the first that should forego the smallest Tittle of their Pretensions but that a Treaty carry'd on by their Interpreters could not easily produce those unlucky Accidents either in the One or the Other In short therefore the Vizier desir'd that favour of him that he might not give him Audience but only to deliver into his Hands the new Articles of Peace and Agreement M. de Nointel could have wish'd with all his Heart it might have been otherwise but there was a Necessity of condescending to the Vizier's Pleasure which was to Treat by the Intercourse of Interpreters Thereupon Panaioti took the Letter which M. de Lyonne had written to the Vizier and the Memorial of the Conditions upon which his Majesty was resolv'd to renew the Alliance and no otherwise as the Ambassador alledg'd and so took his Leave after he had made a Thousand Vows and Protestations to the Ambassador of the Services he would do in that Negotiation Particularly he told him That he took it for so great an Honour to have the Management of this New League between the Grand Signior and the Emperor of France that there was no way or means which he would leave unstudy'd that he might bring it to a Conclusion to the Satisfaction of his most Christian Majesty But Time discover'd that his Protestations were altogether deceitful and fallacious and that Panaioti had not the same Inclinations for the Interests of France as for those of the Grand Vizier First then the Vizier read over the Ambassador's Memorial and then gave it to be examin'd in the Divan It was not so long by half as that which he had presented the time before as not containing above Eleven Heads Nevertheless he found it to be very Extravagant So that when the most Considerable Articles were read he would still cry The Port will never grant ' em Upon others he would pass Sentence saying This may be granted and we shall endeavour to pass over such an Obstacle and to remove such and such Difficulties So that he absolutely refus'd one part of the Demands and gave his Opinion of the rest but very doubtfully Which was a piece of Policy in the Grand Vizier to discover by the Ambassador's Answers whether it were true that his Instructions were not to recede in the least from his Memoires And it fell out according to his desire for by that means he found that the Ambassador had private Orders At the end of April the two Fryers Commissaries for the Holy Land were very much troubl'd at a Report that ran among our selves That they needed not to tarry as they did in expectation of being restor'd to the Sacred Places from which the Greeks had expell'd 'em for that the Vizier having declar'd That he would agree to the Abatement of the Customs and the Red-Sea-Trade on Condition the Ambassador would not insist upon the Holy-Land he had answer'd That that was a Point to be reserv'd till the last Which because it is an Affair of much Curiosity I shall here set down the principal Passages relating to it withal in some measure to divert the Reader weary'd perhaps with a long Story of the French Negotiations at the Ottoman Port for the Renewing of an Alliance The Kingdom of Jerusalem was Conquer'd by the Christians in the Year 1099. and lost in the Year 1177. At what time a certain King of Syria whose Name was Nezer-Salah-el-din-Joseph reconquer'd it and expell'd all the Western Christians especially the Knights leaving only behind the Oriental Christians Syrians Armenians Georgians and Greeks In a short time after one of the Kings of Naples of the House of Anjou purchas'd of the King of Syria the Sacred Places of Palestine However the Bargain was kept secret the King of Syria being afraid lest the Mahumetan Princes his Neighbours should reproach him for what he had done and quarrel with him about the Sale Thereupon the Franciscan Monks were sent to take possession of the Sacred Places according to the Compact who continu'd there and were confirm'd by the Soldans of Egypt and the Turkish Emperors who afterwards Conquer'd Palestine All this while the Fryers had the Keys and Possession of whatever Christian Devotion had Consecrated at Jerusalem Bethlehem Nazareth and in all other Sacred Places of the Holy Land Moreover the Eastern Christians who were very numerous had also their Chappels in several of those Holy Places as well in the Church
like Cages which they take off and hang on as they please themselves The Saics have no more then one Deck Nor but two Masts with a Boltsprit that is a Main Mast and Mizen These Masts carry but two Sails and for the most part but one They have no Shrouds but one that is very small which is fix'd to the Main Mast and hangs down upon the Deck They have no Skuttles at the top of their Masts So that the Turkish Seamen never run up to the Yards Arms to furl or loosen their Sails which is needless because the Yards Arm is always below upon the Deck so that when they would take the Wind they only draw up the Yards Arm to which the Sail is fix'd The Top-Sail is ty'd to the Yards Arm and when they would make use of it they pull up the Yards Arm with a Pully fasten'd to the Top-Mast-Head Thus it may be easily seen that they neither understand the Use of the Yard-Arms nor Masts of a Ship Neither have they in these Vessels either Pumps to pump out the Water nor Capstalls to weigh their Anchors but they empty out their Water with Pales and then when they weigh Anchor there are Twenty or Thirty Men that take hold of the Anchor-Cables that run through two small Pulleys fasten'd to the Prow of the Ship and draw up the Anchor with all their Might till it be high enough When a Vessel enters laden into any Port they fix four Anchors two to her Poop and two to her Prow and so let her lie And this is all I have observ'd in reference to the Building and Rigging of these sort of Vessels among the Turks As for their Navigation there is nothing of Art nor Security in it The best of the Turkish or Greek Pilots depend only upon a bare Experience without any Foundation of Rules They never make any use of Sea-Carts nor ever make those exact Observations like our Seamen of the Ships way every day set down in Journals by which Observations they know how far they are from the place whither they intend They understand very little of the Compass only they know that the Flowre de Luce always tends toward the North. When they are to make any Voyage they stay for a good Wind and fair Weather Nor do they when that is come presently put to Sea till they have staid eight or ten Hours to see whether the Weather will hold or no and generally they Sail along by the Shore having the Land always in sight But when they are forc'd to take the Main Sea then they make use of the Compass To which purpose they know either by report or experience upon which hand they ought to have the North that they may gain such a Harbour which is all they have to guide 'em for more then this they know not Were they to make long Voyages in the open Sea hardly one Ship would escape a Tempest which they happily avoid keeping as much as they can within sight of Land or near some Harbour When the Wind is very high they furl their Sails and let the Vessel drive with the VVaves If the VVind be contrary they never strive against it but vere about and rather return from whence they came then endure the Violence of a contrary Sea That which ruines 'em is when the VVind blows 'em upon the Shore for then they are so out of heart that they split immediately not knowing what it is to lie by I have heard several old Turkish Captains affirm That there are Fifteen Hunder'd Vessels upon the Black-Sea of which they lose a Hunderd every Year The most dangerous place where Shipwracks are most to be fear'd being at the Entrance of Bosphorus The Entrance into it is very Narrow where generally the VVinds encounter one another of which there is one that still keeps back the Vessels which if it be violent dings 'em upon the Coast which is full of sharp Rocks to the loss of so many Galleys and Ships that their Number is hardly to be numberd 'T is but a little while since that no less then seventeen Galleys were cast away in one day And there is no question but that the frequent Storms that arise at all seasons in the Black-Sea the Surges short and cutting one upon another its streight and narrow Channel and the dangerous Coasts that in part surround it are the chief cause of the several Shipwracks that happ'n there On the other side there is no doubt also but that skilful Pilots and good Seamen would save above half the Vessels which are there lost The Third of August in the Morning we arriv'd at Caffa after a Voyage of eight days all which time we had very fair Weather and little Wind. Upon the Fifth we spy'd the Point of the Tauric Chersonnese For the Greeks call that a Chersonnese which the Latins call a Peninsula and they gave that Name to this almost Tauric Island because it was first inhabited by the Scythians of Mount Taurus It lies toward the East and West being about 250 Leagues in Circuit that is 35 Leagues in length which I take from the North to the South and 55 Leagues in the broadest part But the Isthmus that joyns it to the Continent is not above a League in breadth The Modern Geographers call it Crim Tartary and Precopensian Tartary As much as to say Tartary full of Towns to distinguish the Tartars of this Peninsula that live for the most part in Cities especially all the Winter long from those other European Tartars which inhabit without the Peninsula call'd Nogays as also Hordes or Hordou a word which signifies an Assembly and of which the Turks and Persians generally make use to signifie the Camp of an Army or the Numerous Train of a Court The Country belonging to these two sorts of Tartars Precops and Nogays is that which we call the Lesser Tartary to distinguish it from the Asiatick Tartars that inhabit beyond the Lake Maeotis to the East of the Caspian Sea and thence as far as China The Sea-Coast of this Precopens Peninsula to speak of that part which shoots farthest into the Sea as far as Caffa consists of very high Shoars and Mountains cover'd with Woods and Villages And by the Accompt of the Seamen it is from Constantinople to Caffa through the Black-Sea 750 Miles Tho I know not how they reck'n nor how it can agree with what frequently happens for the Saics to make the Voyage in two Days and two Nights just And therefore by my Accompt it is no more then Two Hunderd Leagues Upon our coming to an Anchor our Vessel fir'd two Guns and the Commander design'd for Azac made all his Musketeers give the Castle a Volley Which done he went ashoar with the Officers that were come to receive him in the Basha's Name Both the City and Port are very free for you have Liberty to go in and out never asking any leave Nor do they come
and Confederate with the Princes whose Dominions border upon those Seas who are all Enemies to the Port. And lastly That it behov'd him to consider that such a Permission would ruine a great Number of Seamen of the Signior's Subjects as well Turks as Christians for that in regard there is more Security in the European Navigation then in the Turkish the Venetians would have all the Carriage of Goods through the Black Sea and every one would Ship his Goods in their Vessels The Grand Vizier was sensible of this and therefore gave Orders to the Governor of Constantinople not to let any Venetian Ship pass into the Black-Sea The 30th my Grecian Guide unladed my Goods Baggage and whatever belong'd to me out of the Ship that brought me to Caffa and Ship'd it aboard another Vessel bound for Colchis Which done he went to the Customer of Caffa and told him That there were two Papa's aboard the Vessel of Azac who were desirous to Embark themselves in another Vessel being bound for Mingrelia That those Papa's carry'd several Trifles along with 'em as Books and other Things of no value for the Use of a Monastery and that if the Custom-House thought fit that he should send some of their Officers to search the Ship For the Oriental Christians as well as the Turks call Papa's all manner of Ecclesiastical Persons that Officiate in Holy Orders whether Single or Married and therefore my Guide thought fit that my Companion and my self should both take upon us the Title of Papa's To that purpose our Greek made 'em believe that we were going to the Italian Missionaries in Colchis and that we were of their Fraternity However the Customer sent his Officers aboard to search our Packs and our Greek came along with him Presently I open'd two Chests before the Searcher who put his Hand into one that was full of only Books Papers and Mathematical Instruments and finding nothing more at the Bottom then what he saw at the Top fell a laughing and ask'd the Man that brought him If such Rubbish as that were worth carrying out of Europe into Mingrelia With that I fumbl'd out one of those Pieces that are worth Three Shillings like a Man that had not much to spare but look'd upon five or six of those Pieces to be a great Treasure and presented the Searcher with it who refus'd it at first but took it at last when I told him 't was only to pay for his Boat which he could not deny and so went away without more ado My Guide went along with him and heard the Report which he made to the Customer That we had nothing but a few Books and Papers with some few Toys of Brass and Wood that were of little or no Value At the end of two Hours my faithful Guide return'd and told me That to protect us absolutely from any further danger of the Customers it behov'd us to give the Clerk of the Vessel as much as we had giv'n the Searcher in regard the Clerk took an exact Note of all that was embark'd and gives it every Evening to the Customer who keeps it for a Control to which I answer'd That he might do what he thought fit Thereupon presently calling to the Clerk Thou seest said he that the Searcher has found nothing in the Papa's Chests They have one more full of Papers and five or six Boxes of Pictures for their Church That they did not op'n 'em because the Air spoils the Colour of the Painting and because the Pictures were carefully ty'd up in Bundles and therefore I desire thee to accept of this Three Shillings which they give thee and to put down in thy Note no more then the two Chests which the Searcher has seen without taking Cognizance of the rest Upon which he let us carry away all that we had and bid us Farewel in the Name of God So that we carry'd off all our Goods in two Boats and put 'em aboard the Ship that was bound for Mingrelia Nor did any Body demand any thing of us For the Customers and the Seamen of the Ship which we left as well as of the other Vessel wherein we embark'd again really believ'd us to be Papa's and that all we carry'd with us was of little worth that the Sacks wherein I told 'em were our Provisions were full of nothing else beside For there are certain Slights and Shifts which we cannot so well set down that are absolutely necessary for those that travel Turkey that they who can make a right use of may pass securely and without trouble For thereby we avoid Forfeitures and ill usage and we free our selves dextrously from the Custom-Houses which take 'em all together are none of the severest But after all it requires Good Luck that is to say a prudent Conduct and a Contrivance proper to the Genius of the Turks and a Man must also be sure to watch his Opportunities The 25th of August the Vessel that brought us to Caffa fet Sail for the Fortress of Azac with three Saics of the same Burden in her Company The New Commander would not have had her set Sail till the return of the Courrier which he had sent to the Fortress to know whether they were at Peace with the Muscovites and whether there were any Pirates or not Cruising upon the Lake Maeotis The People of Caffa reck'n it 450 Miles from thence to Azac though it be not so much by Land in regard they travel it easily in Twelve or Thirteen Days As for the Streight of the Lake Maeotis or rather the Channel between the Lake and the Black-Sea it is about five Leagues in length Which Channel was by the Ancients call'd the Cimmerian Bosphorus but now the Moderns call it the Steight of Caffa and also the Mouth of St. John The great Vessels that go to Azac put in at Palestra which is Forty Miles from the Fortress and Twenty from the River Tanais for that there is not Water deep enough for 'em to Sail any farther The Fortress of Azac is Fifteen Miles from the River And it is very dangerous and hazardous to send either Men or Money to that Place for they are attack'd by strong Parties of the Muscovites as well by Sea as by Land The Commanders of this Fortress make always Leagues with the Neighborhood though they seldom last long for that either of one side or t'other there arise every day new Occasions to break ' em The Turks have two little Fortresses where they keep Garison at the Mouth of the Tanais upon the Banks of that great River which the Ancients call'd Orxentes and which the People of the Country call Don being about Fourscore Leagues in length They Fortifie the Mouth of this River with a vast Chain to prevent the Muscovites and Circassians from Roving with their great Barks upon the Lake and the Black-Sea For before those two Fortresses were built and this Chain fasten'd athwart the River those People came
down with their Boats and Gruis'd about all over those Seas But there is a stop now put to their great Vessels However in the Night-time and by the power of Number they sometimes force their smaller Barks over the Chain but 't is very rarely that they will venture for fear of being sunk by the Shot from the two Forts There was also formerly another Fort three Leagues off from the Mersh call'd Tana belonging to the River Tanais but it is now ruin'd nor is it Azac as some would have it to be which is fifteen Leagues distant from it The 30th our Vessel put to Sea and Sail'd to a place call'd Donslow or the Salt-Pits which are great Mershes of Salt upon the Shoar fifty Miles from Caffa We arriv'd there the 31st in the Morning Immediately all the People went to Lade Salt for there was no Guard kept upon it and they assur'd us that Two Hunderd Vessels were Laden there every Year with Salt and that there was enough for twice as many if there were occasion These Salt-Pits are supply'd without any Charges For they only let in the Water into the Mersh which is a fat and hard Earth at the bottom There it congeals and becomes a white Salt which has all the good Qualities of Salt and among the rest that it preserves the Moisture of Salted Meats They only pay Three Shillings a Day to those that they employ to lade the Salt without any further Examination how much they carry away About a Mile from the Shoar there is a Habitation of the Tartars whither I went with some of my Servants to buy Provisions but I did not see in all that place above Ten or Twelve Houses with a little Mosquee Only round about it there was a great Number of Tents Round and Square very well clos'd together with several Wagons close and cover'd which serve 'em in stead of Houses The fairest of their Tents were very handsome being made of Round Poles lay'd a cross one upon another and cover'd without with large Furs very light and well stretch'd The Door is made after the same Manner with an opening at the Top for the Light to come in and the Smoak to go out The Door is shut with a piece of Felt. The inside is Hung with Tapestry and the Floor cover'd also with the same Every Family has one Tent of the same Fashion and two others The other is cover'd with a great Sarpler of Wooll for their Cattel and Horses The other cover'd with the same but not so handsome and much larger in the midst of which is a round Pit five Foot deep and two Foot wide and there it is that they dress their Vittles Here their Slaves lie and here they keep their Provisions for the Family The Tartars store up their Corn and their Forrage as do all the Country People in the East in deep Pits under Ground which they call Amber or Magazines Which they cover so exactly that you cannot discern where they have remov'd the Earth so that only they that made the Pits can tell where to find ' em The Tartars dig these Pits either in their Tents or in the Field and as I have said they cover these Pits so like the rest of the surface of the Earth round about it that you cannot perceive where they broak the Ground When they remove their Quarters they do it presently and without any Trouble their Tents being pull'd down and lad'n in less then Half an Hour Their most usual Carriage is by Oxen and Horses of which they breed a Great Number The People profess the Mahumetan Religion but intermix'd with strange Superstitions and Ridiculous Opinions of Fortune Telling and Divination The 2d of September the Wind blew hard and contrary so that we were constrain'd to return for Caffa in regard the Coast where we lay was very dangerous The Seventh at Midnight we put again to Sea with fair Weather which did not long continue For in the Morning rose a most furious Tempest insomuch that we were afraid of being cast away and that which encreas'd our fears was this that our Vessel was very deep Loaden not only the Hold being full but Twelve Foot High above Deck But the Storm thanks be to God was soon over and that which sav'd us was this that the Wind was with us Our Ships Lading consisted in Salt Fish Caveare Oyl Biscuite Wooll Iron Tin Copper Copper and Farthen Ware in all sorts of Harness Arms Utensils of Husbandry Cloth Linnen of all Colours Habits for Men and Women Coverlets Carpets Leather Boots and Shooes and in a word in all things most necessary for Mans Use There were all sorts of Grocery and Pothecary's Ware Spices Perfumes Drugs and all manner of Oyntments So that the Vessel seem'd to be a little Town where every thing was to be had besides the People that were aboard to the Number of a Hunderd The 8th in the Morning we discover'd the Coasts that bound the Lake Maeotis which were very High Lands about 30 Miles distant from us In the Evening we found our selves near Cape Cuodos which Ptolomy calls Cirocondoma shouting out far into the Sea the shoar being all very High Land and seen a great way off From Caffa to this Point we sail'd all along in the Channel from whence to Mingrelia we always kept along by the shoar It is Six and Twenty Mile from Caffa to the Channel of the Lake Maeotis The Country on each side is all in Subjection to and inhabited by the Tartars but so very thinly that all the Coast is like a desert From the Channel of the Palus Maeotis to Mingrelia they reck'n it Six Hunderd Miles along the Coast which consists of pleasant Mountains cover'd with Woods inhabited by the Circassians whom the Turks call Cherks By the Ancients they were generally call'd Zageans as also Mountaineers Pomponious Mela calls 'em Sargacians They are neither the Subjects of the Port nor Tributary to it their Climate being very bad cold and moist it produces no Wheat nor indeed does it afford any thing that is rare and valuable which is the reason that the Turks leave all this vast Country to the Natives not worth the Toyl of Conquering nor the Charge of Keeping The Vessels that are bound from Constantinople and Caffa for Mingrelia cast Anchors in several places along these Coasts and stay at every place a Day or two During which time they Trade with the Cherks with their Arms i' their Hands For when any of them desire to come aboard they give Hostages and so they likewise do when any of the Seamen or Persons in the Ship desire to go ashoar which is very seldom for they are a very perfidious People and therefore they give three Hostages for one The Seamen carry thither all the very same Commodities which they carry into Mingrelia for which they take in Exchange Slaves of all Sexes and Ages Honey Wax Leather and Chacal-Skins which Chacal is
a Beast like a Fox but much bigger Zerdava's which is a Furr that resembles a Martin with the Furrs of other Beasts that breed in the Mountains of Circassia Which is all to be had among these People They Exchange their Commodities after this manner The Ship-Boat Rows close to the Shoar and they that are in it are well arm'd Nor will they suffer a greater Number of Cherks to come nearer the place where the Boat lies then they themselves are For if they see a greater Number approach they presently put out to Sea When they are come so near as to talk one to another they shew their Commodities agree upon the Barter to be made and presently make the Exchange however it behoves 'em to stand upon their Guard all the while For the Cherks are Infidelity and Perfidy it self and it is an Impossibility for 'em to find an Opportunity to steal but they take their Advantage They are a People altogether Savage formerly Christians but now of no Religion not having so much as the Light of Nature among ' em For I look upon their Superstitious Customs as nothing which seem to be a Mixture borrow'd from the Christians and Mahumetans their Neighbors They live in Woodden Huts and go almost Naked Every Person is a sworn Enemy to those that live in the Provinces round about ' em The Inhabitants make Slaves one of another and sell one another to the Turks and Tartars And for their Ground the VVomen Till and Manure it The Cherks and their Neighbors live upon a kind of Paste made of a very small Grain like to Millet and they who have Traffick along these Coasts will tell ye a Thousand Stories of the Barbarous Customs of these People However there is no safety in believing the Reports which are spread abroad either of those that live upon the Sea-Coasts or of those that inhabit farther up in the Country in regard that no body travels thither and all that we know is by means of the Slaves that are brought from thence who are all meer Savages from whom there is nothing to be learnt of Certainty This is the reason why I have made no more Descriptions of Places in my Map of the Black-Sea which is at the beginning of this Book chusing rather to leave a space for the Circassians and Abca's void then to fill it up upon the Credit of People so illiterate who for the most part can hardly tell the North from the South The Abca's border upon the Cherks possessing about a Hunderd Miles of the Sea-Coast between Mingrelia and Circassia However they are not altogether so much Savages as the Cherks but they are equally inclin'd with Them to Thieving and Robbery The Seamen also Trade with 'em with the same Precautions as with their Neighbors already mention'd They stand in need of the same Commodities as their Neighbors and make their Exchanges in Slaves Furrs Does and Tigres Skins Linnen Thread Box Wax and Honey The 10th of September we arriv'd at Isgaour Which is a Road belonging to Mingrelia pretty safe in the Summer and there the Vessels that Trade into Colchis lie so that we saw seven great Ships there when we arriv'd in the Road. Presently our Captain fasten'd his own Vessel to four Anchors two at the Prow and two at the Poop and carry'd his Masts and his Yards ashoar As for Isgaour it is a desert place without any Habitations only according to the Number of Traders that come thither they build up Huts and Booths of Boughs as they find themselves secure from the Abca's which does not often happen But besides those Huts there is not one House to be seen Now before I enter into the Relation of the Hardships which I suffer'd and the Dangers I underwent in Mingrelia I shall give ye a Description of the Country and Parts that border about it without intermixing any thing Dubious or what I have not learnt by exact Information Colchis is situated at the end of the Black-Sea To the East it is enclos'd with a little Kingdom which makes a part of Georgia which by the People of the Country is call'd Imiretta by the Turks Pacha tchcouk or Pacha Koutchouk as much as to say the Little Prince to the South by the Black-Sea to the West by the Abca's and to the North by Mount Caucasus In length it lies between the Sea and the Mountains in breadth it extends from the Abca's to the Kingdom of Imiretta The Corax and Phasis famous Rivers in Ancient History at present call'd Coclours and Rione serve for its Bounds while the first parts it from the Abca's the second from Imiretta The length of Colchis is a Hunderd and Ten Miles at most the breadth Sixty Which I know to be true not only by the concurring Report of the People of the Country but also as having cross'd it my self from one end to the other It was formerly Fortifi'd against the Abca's by a Wall Sixty Miles in length which has been laid in Ruines these many Years So that now the Thick Forests are its chiefest Defence and its greatest Security The Inhabitants of Caucasus that border upon Colchis are the Alane's whose Country was formerly the Northern Frontier of Armenia the Suane's the Gigue's the Caracioles or Cara-cherks a sort of People more Barbarous then their Names These Cara-cherks as they are call'd by the Turks that is to say the Black Circassiens are the Northern Circassians The Turks so call 'em though they are the fairest People in the World by reason of the Foggs and Clouds that continually dark'n their Skie Formerly they were Christians and some Relicks of their Customs they retain and some certain Ceremonies also they observe yet at present they profess no Religion but live by Robbery and Rapine utterly ignorant of all Arts and Sciences and having nothing that may entitle 'em to Humanity but their Speech They are much taller and more portly then other People fo furious in their Looks and speaking with such a terrible Tone that you may easily thence discern their Dispositions and their Courage to be no less savage Their very Countenances are frightful to look upon more especially when you come to experience their Civility and understand 'em to be the most resolute Assassins and most daring Robbers in the World The Ancient Kingdom of Colchis was not so small a Kingdom as now for it extended on the one side to the Palus Maeotis and the other way as far as Iberia The Capital City was also call'd Colchis seated at the Mouth of Phasis upon the Western side of the River and that was the Reason that Mingrelia was formerly call'd Colchis for that Mingrelia is bounded by this River to the East Our Modern Geographers have seated another City which they call Fasso in the place where Colchis stood but this I know my self to be a grand Mistake All the Oriental People call Colchis Odische and the Colchians Mingrelians though I could never
Virgin Mary which continues for 15 Days They make the Sign of the Cross upon certain Occasions but they do not believe the Sign of the Cross to be any Mark of Christianity Only they make this Sign when they drink VVine and eat Pork Their Prayers are all address'd to their Idols relating only to Temporal Benefits their own Prosperity and the Ruine of their Enemies They offer Sacrifices like the Jews and Gentiles The Priest prays over the Victim and then cuts the Throat of it And when it is Boyl'd they set it upon the Table At what time all the people of the Family stand about it with Candles in their Hands except the person who makes the Offering who is Kneeling all the while He first perfumes the Victim with Incense which when the rest have likewise done they fall too and eat it altogether They also cut the Throats of Beasts and Birds over the Graves of their Relations and Friends and pour VVine and Oyl upon ' em And these Libations they observe every day No Body drinks till as he holds the Cup in his Hand he has first said a sentence of a Prayer with his Eyes lifted up to Heav'n and pouring out at the same time upon the Ground a small quantity of the VVine in the Cup. They never make Holy-Day upon Sundays or abstain from Work but upon the Festivals of Christmas and Easter However the celebration of their great Festivals consists only in Eating and Drinking to excess in their Houses Their greatest Festivals which they observe is when any Idol is to be carry'd through their Country Then they put on all the best Cloaths they have They make a great Feast and get ready a Present for the Idol which is to pass by And this I believe may suffice to shew that there is not the least shadow of Religion among the Mingrelians The Manuscript from whence I took these observations relates their several sorts of Divination practiz'd among 'em their Superstitions and Sundry Customes which are a Medley of Judaism and Paganism All which I left behind me not finding therein the least Grain of Wit or common Sence But quite the Contrary nothing but Extravagance I shall only add that all that I observ'd in the Religious Ceremonies and Belief or Faith of the Mingrelians is no other then what I have truly reported I shall only speak a word concerning their Mourning which is the Mourning of people in despair When a Woman loses her Husband or a near Relation she rends her Cloaths strips her self naked to the Waste tears her Hair and with her Nails claws off the Flesh and Skin from her Body and Face she beats her Breast she crys yells gnashes her Teeth foams at Mouth like a Woman mad or possess'd and acts her passion to that degree that it seems terrible to the sight The Men also express their Grief after a manner altogether as Barbarous They tear their Cloaths thump their Breasts and shave their Heads and their Beards This Mourning continues 40 Days with the same Fury as I have describ'd for the first Ten Days but afterwards relaxing by degrees During the first Ten Days the Relations of the deceas'd and a great Number of Men and Women come to bewail the Dead which they do in this manner The people range themselves in order about the dead Corps and in their torn Habits thump their Breasts with both Hands crying out Vah Vah and so keeping time with their Thumps and their Cries they make a dismal Noise which altogether yields a frightful Spectacle of despair not to be beheld without a kind of Horrour Of a sudden you hear nothing all 's quiet the Mourning stops and all observe a profound Silence By and by they all begin again with a loud Cry and fall into their first Transportments The last Day which is the Fortieth they Bury the Dead Then they make a Feast for all their Relations all their Friends all their Neighbours and all those that came to bewail the Party deceas'd the Women eating by themselves apart from the Men. The Bishop says Mass and then seizes as his Right upon all that the Deceas'd Person made use of in his Life his Horse his Cloaths his Weapons his Plate if he have any and all the rest of that sort So that these Mournings ruine whole Families in Mingrelia Nevertheless they are oblig'd to this Solemn Performance The Bishop says a Mass for the Dead for the great profit he receives and the Mourners come to waile the Deceas'd as sure to live Forty Days upon what he has left behind When a Bishop dies the Prince himself causes Mass to be said upon the Forti'th Day and seizes upon all his Goods that are Moveable This is all that I could learn in Colchis concerning the Nature of the Country and the Customs and Religion of the Inhabitants Their Neighbours Live and act after the same Fashion almost in every respect only they who Live nearer to Persia and Turkey are more Civil in their Manners and more Honest and Just in their Inclinations Whereas they who lie nearer the Tartars and Scythians are more Barbarous in their Customs living without any Idea or outward Form of Religion or observance of any Laws I have spoken also of the Abca's and other People that Live at the Foot of Mount Caucasus concerning whom I have related as much as I could learn But now I shall give an accompt of what I have seen and heard most remarkable concerning those other Countries that border upon Mingrelia VVhich are the Principality of Guriel and the Kingdom of Imiretta The Country of Guriel is very small it Borders to the North upon Imiretta Eastward upon a part of Mount Caucasus that belongs to the Turks To the VVest upon Mingrelia and to the South upon the Black-Sea It lies all along upon that Sea in length from the River Phasis that runs a Mile from the Castle of Gonie held by the Turks distant only Forty Miles from Phasis The Country of Guriel resembles Mingrelia in every thing as to its Nature and the Manners of the Inhabitants For they have the same Religion the same Customs and the same Inclinations to Leudness Robbery and Murder The Kingdom of Imiretta is somewhat bigger then the Country of Guriel and is the Hiberia of the Ancients It is Enclos'd and Surrounded by Mount Caucasus Colchis the Black-Sea the Principality of Guriel and Georgia being about Six and Twenty Miles in Length and Sixty Miles broad The People of Mount Caucasus that lie next to it are the Georgians and Turks and to the North the Ossi and Caracioles or Caracherks or Black-Circassians so call'd by the Turks for the reasons already mention'd These are those Caracioles or Black-Circassians which the Europeans call Huns who ransackt Italy and Gaul and whose devastations in those Countries are so frequently mention'd by the Ancient Historians and particularly by Cedrenus The Language which they speak is almost half Turkish
Physick and Surgery For he had been up and down in the World a Chirurgeon by Profession The Theatins affirm That all the Spiritual Benefit which the Country reaps from their being among 'em is only Baptizing of Infants there being none which are there Baptiz'd or but after a very odd Fashion Unless it be in that they confess they make no other progress among the Mingrelians vvho are so far say they from embracing the Roman Ceremonies that they do not believe the Europeans to be Christians because they do not see 'em observe so many Fasts nor with so strict and severe an Abstinence besides that they do not Worship Images The Theatin's very immediate Slaves will not Communicate with their Masters in their Religious Exercises and they have assur'd me they could never Educate any one to serve at the Mass I have seen these Fryers sometimes Baptize Childern for they Baptize all that they meet with in Houses vvhere they have not either been of a long time or vvhere they do not remember that ever they Administer'd that Sacrament before I have tarry'd several Days in several Places of Mingrelia with the Superiour of the Theatins and have frequently seen his vvay of Baptizing For vvhen they brought him any one that vvas ill he call'd for a Bason of Water pretending to vvash his Hands and vvhen he had wash'd 'em before he dry'd 'em again vvith the end of his Finger he touch'd the Forehead of the Child making the Parents believe it vvas only to understand the Distemper He Baptiz'd Childern that vvere in Health by flirting a little Water in their Faces vvhile he vvas vvashing his Hands as if he had done it in sport I ask'd him What it vvas he did I have Baptiz'd these Childern said he happy is it for them that vve came into the House I ask'd him a second time What Name he had giv'n ' em I give 'em no Name answer'd he for oft-times I know not whether I Baptize a Male or a Female there is no Necessity for the Name it being sufficient to cast a drop of Water upon the Infant and mentally to recite the Form of Baptism In a word the Theatins are very miserable in Mingrelia they pillage 'em they abuse 'em nor have they any value or respect for 'em unless it be when any Sickness or Wound constrains 'em to require their Assistance The 18th the Princess of Mingrelia came to visit the Theatins and presently the Superiour of the Theatins made haste to attend her These Princesses of Mingrelia and those of the Neighbouring Countries they call Dedopalè which in the Georgian Language signifies Queen She was a Horseback attended by about Eight Women and Ten Men and some Lacqueys that ran by her Horse But this Train of hers was very ill clad and very badly mounted She told the Prefect or Superiour That she understood that the Provision which was usually sent 'em from Constantinople was come and that there were Europeans in the House who had brought a long with 'em a considerable Quantity of Goods that she was very glad of it and desir'd to see 'em that she might bid 'em Welcom Presently I was call'd for to pay my Respects to her at what time Father Zampi told me that I must make her a Present the way according to the Custom of that Country to acknowledge the favourable Visits of the Prince and Princess Upon that I besought her to tarry till I could bring her one to her Palace to which she readily consented Now she had been told that I spake Turkish and Persian upon which she sent for a Slave that understood Turkish whom she order'd to ask me a Thousand Questions concerning my Quality and the design of my Travels I made him answer That I was a Capuchin and spoke and acted always as a Religious Person but it was plain her Majesty did not believe me for all her Discourse was about Love and she caus'd the Question to be put Whether I were sensible of that Passion and whether I had ever been in Love How it could be that a Man could never be in Love or live without a Woman And with this Discourse she went on so pleasingly that all her Train were strangely delighted to hear her Though for my part I could have wish'd the Princess and her Train farther off from me For I was afraid she would have caus'd the House to be plunder'd having three times demanded to see what I had brought together with the Theatins Provision Which Provision is yearly sent 'em from Constantinople as I have already said and consists of Goods and Commodities of several sorts of which they are oblig'd to send a good share to the Prince the Princess to the Vizier and the Principal Gentlemen of the Country Father Zampi therefore promis'd to bring her the accustom'd Present the next day and that I my self should bring her one likewise and so satisfi'd God be thanked she went away The 19th in the Morning she sent to invite me to Dinner whither I went with Father Zampi and another Theatin She was then at a House about two Miles from ours For she did not live with the Prince who could not endure her but hated her to death in regard he had been forc'd to marry her I found her in a Dress somewhat richer then the day before she was likewise painted and had us'd all her Skill to set her self out to the best Advantage Her Habit was of Cloth of Gold the Attire of her Head Glister'd with Precious Stones but for her Vail it was altogether Curious and Gay and of a particular Fashion She sate upon a Carpet having on each side Nine or Ten Women that belong'd to her Chamber for her Maids of Honour were as they said retir'd for safety to a Fortress by reason of the Wars The Hall was full of Rake-shames half Naked which compos'd her Court. Before I was admitted I was ask'd for the Present I had brought Which was carry'd by a Lacquey who gave it to some of her Servants consisting of Pastes of Genoa Ribbands Paper Needles Twizers Knives and Scissars all Neat and Curious The whole cost about Forty Shillings but worth above a Five Pounds in Mingrelia The Princess was extreamly pleas'd and when she had feen 'em sent for me into her Presence Where the Slave that spake Turkish order'd me to sit down upon a Bench that was close by Presently the first thing she said to me was That she would marry me to one of her Friends and that she would not have me to leave the Country for that she would give me Houses Lands Slaves and Tenants After that she fell into the same Discourse as the Day before but it lasted not long because the People gave her Notice that Dinner was ready The House where she liv'd was in the midst of five or six others every one a hunderd Paces distant from it without any Fence either of Hedge or Wall Before it stood
but which most People were assur'd was begot by Levan But this Young Prince whose Name was Vomeki did not Reign long For the Vice-Roy of that part of Georgia which is under the Dominion of Persia dispoil'd him of his Principality and reinvested in it Levan's Lawful Heir after he had invaded Mingrelia and the Territories of Imiretta Which Invasion being an Accident that happens to be genuinely apposite to this Recital I shall only give a short accompt of the occasion The Deceas'd King of Imiretta who was call'd Alexander and who dy'd in the Year 1658. had Two Wives the First was the Daughter of the Prince of Guriel call'd Tamar whom he divorc'd for her Adulteries after he had had a Son and a Daughter by her The Son who was call'd Bacrat Mirza Reigns at this present King of Imiretta The Daughter is Princess of Mingrelia the same that I have giv'n ye such an accompt of that would have both Robb'd and Marry'd me to her Friend The Second Wife which Alexander Marry'd was call'd Darejan a Young Princess and Daughter of the Great and Famous Taymur Razkan last Soveraign King of Georgia He had no Children by her and left her a Widow after he had been Marry'd to her four Years They talk Wonders of her Beauty and her alluring Graces So soon as his Son-in-Law Bacrat came to the Throne she wou'd have had him to Marry her Bacrat was not then above Fifteen Years of Age so that the Charms of her Beauty could not make those deep Impressions upon his Heart as being so young that the Evil Customs of his Country had not yet corrupted him VVhich was the Reason that he abhorr'd the Proposal and return'd disdainful Answers to her Courtship Darejan therefore finding she could not support her self upon the Throne immediately advanc'd to his Bed a young Person of Twelve Years of Age her Kinswoman call'd Sistan Darejan the Daughter of Daitona the Brother of Taymur Razkan whom Bacrat Marry'd at Fifteen Years of Age as has been already said So that Darejan assur'd her self of the Soveraign Power and of keeping the King and Queen continually under her Guardianship But Bacrat as young as he was perceiv'd his Mother-in-Laws Design and one Day gave her apparent Testimonies of his Disgust Upon which Darejan to satisfie Bacrat assur'd him that she would forbear to take any Authority upon her Who being a good-natur'd well-meaning Prince easily believ'd Darejan and restor'd her to his former Confidence not dreaming of the Treason that she was meditating against him To that purpose she feign'd her self sick and sent for the King to come to her who went accordingly with a great deal of Frankness and VVillingness at what time certain People that she had posted in her Chamber seiz'd and bound him Presently she order'd him to be conveigh'd to the Fortress of Cotatis the Principal City of the Country the Governour of which place was her own Creature Soon after she came thither her self sent for all the Grandees whom she had gain'd to her Party and of whom she was assur'd and with them consulted for five Days together what to do with the King Some advis'd her to put him to Death others to pull out his Eyes which latter advice she follow'd and so the Prince was depriv'd of his sight VVhich happen'd Eight Months after the Marriage of that poor Prince which they said moreover he had not fully then consummated Among the rest of the Lords that were of Darejan's Party there was one with whom she was passionately in love whose Name was Vactangle Him she Marry'd and caus'd him to be Crown'd King in the Fortress Which highly incens'd the rest of the Lords who thought themselves all affronted by his Advancement Thereupon they fell oft from siding with Darejan joyn'd themselves with the contrary Party took Arms and call'd to their Assistance the Princes of Guriel and Mingrelia offering the Kingdom to which of the two should first come to their Aid Vomeki Dadian was the first that appear'd in the Field with all the Forces of his Country and soon reduc'd under his Subjection all that part which held for Darejan except the Fort of Cotatis However he laid Siege to that also but for want of Artillery he could do little good against the Besieged only that he kept 'em from stirring forth out of their Walls and it would have cost him a long time before he could have brought 'em to a surrender had it not been for the Politick Contrivance of a Lord of the Country whose Name was Ottia Chekaizè who brought that to pass by his Wit which they could not do with all their Force He went to the Fortress full of a feign'd Despair occasion'd by the Prince of Mingrelia he made Darejan believe that he was reduc'd to that extremity that he knew not where to find a more secure Sanctuary that he came to throw himself at her Feet to beg her Pardon and desire her Protection against that Prince Darejan fell into the Snare She believ'd whatever Ottia said and that his extraordinary Zeal for her Interests was true She admitted him into her Council soon after encreas'd by the Bishop of Tifflis and the Catholicos of Georgia whom the Viceroy of that Country had sent her fearing lest they in whom she most confided should betray her But this same Runagate deceiv'd 'em both as quick-sighted as they were He told Darejan in their hearing That considering the Condition of her Affairs there was no other way to expel the Prince of Mingrelia to regain what he had won and to Reign securely but to have recourse to the Turk That her best way was to send her Husband to Constantinople for Assistance and the Confirmation of his Coronation That the Kingdom of Imiretta was Tributary to the Port and that the Grand Signior had both Right and Power sufficient to restore the Country to Peace and fix him in the Throne Darejan was Charm'd by this Advice and while he that gave it offer'd to assist in the Management of it and to Conduct Vactangle to Constantinople she threw her self at his Feet not having Words enough to express that Acknowledgment which she had in her Heart Vactangle took only two Men along with him to the end he might Travel with the more Security and Privacy Thus being soon ready the cunning Ottia Chikaizè his Guide caus'd him to set forth out of the Fortress about Twilight and carrying him through By-ways to bring him the more insensibly to the Besiegers brought him in less then an Hour into their Camp The Prince of Mingrelia caus'd his Eyes forthwith to be pull'd out and sent that Night to Darejan to let her know that he had her Husband Pris'ner and that he had put out his Eyes This News surpriz'd her so that her Courage and Resolution quite fail'd her and in a short time after she surrender'd the Fortress which was plunder'd from Top to Bottom Insomuch that it was certainly
reported that the Prince of Mingrelia carry'd thence a very rich Booty and among the rest Twelve Wagons of Silver Plate and Moveables For as it was said the Kings of Imiretta had heap'd together such a vast Quantity of Plate that every thing within the Palace was of Massie Silver even to the Steps and Footstools Which is no difficult thing to believe in a plentiful Country and where there is a good Trade and adjoyning to Countries which were formerly very Wealthy and where it appears that Money was not then in use there being very little that is stirring at present The Prince of Mingrelia also carry'd away along with him the King and Queen of Imiretta the wicked Darejan and the unfortunate Vactangle her Husband but to the Viceroy of Georgia he generously return'd the two Prelates which he had sent to the Princess to be her Privy Counsellors The Viceroy of Georgia is call'd Shanavas Can being descended also from the last Soveraign Princess of that Country but he turn'd Mahumetan to make himself capable of enjoying the Viceroyship under the Persian He has only two Lawful Wives who are both Christians of which the one is call'd Mary the Sister of Levan Prince of Mingrelia who gave the first occasion to this Relation This Lady when she understood how the detestable Shilakite had excluded the lawful Heir in favour of a Son which she had before she was Marry'd to Levan daily importun'd the Prince her Husband to undertake her Nephews Cause and to settle him in the possession of his Principality to which he was the true and lawful Heir But the Viceroy would not act Hand over Head by force in this Affair For Mingrelia being Tributary to the Turk he durst not declare open Hostility against that Country without the knowledge and consent of the King of Persia But at length a favourable opportunity offer'd it self For so soon as the Prince of Mingrelia was enter'd into the Kingdom of Imiretta as has been already said Darejan who was near Kins-woman to the Georgian Viceroy and had been bred up in his House and Vactangle her Husband sent and offer'd the Kingdom to Archylas his Eldest Son if he would come and drive out the Mingrelian The Viceroy made this offer known to the King of Persia and assur'd him withal that he would add that Kingdom and Mingrelia to his Empire if he would but give him leave to Conquer ' em To which when his Majesty had sent him his consent he muster'd all his Forces and march'd toward Imiretta But he was no sooner enter'd the Kingdom when news was brought him that a great Georgian Lord taking the advantage of his absence was up in Arms and preparing to ransack all the Country Upon which he march'd back again with all his Forces against the Rebel defeated and put him to Death and then return'd toward Imiretta The Grandees of the Kingdom that invited him in had rais'd Four Thousand Men which was a great Army for a Country so bounded as that and this number too Augmented every Day some flocking out of fear of His Power others allur'd by the charming Fame of his Valour So that he found little or no Resistance either in Imiretta or Mingrelia Prince Vomeki retir'd amongst the Souanes into the Fortresses of Mount Caucasus inaccessible to the Cavalry So that the Georgian Prince had nothing to do but to Ransack and he carry'd away a very Rich Booty out of both Countries They report that it was there that he plunder'd the greatest part of the Gold and Silver Plate of which his House is full He settl'd in Mingrelia his Nephew Levan's Grand-Child to whom the Principality belong'd of Right and affianc'd him to one of his Nieces whom he promis'd to send him Which done he caus'd his Son Archylus to be Crown'd King of Imiretta but he knew not how to be rid of Vomeki For he was unwilling to leave him a Fugitive in the Mountains where he was retir'd fearing lest when he was gone he should come down from the Mountains and disturb the unsettled affairs of Princes hardly warm in their Thrones But a Grandee of Imiretta whose Name was Kotzia put him out of that pain For he wrore to the Souanes that the Viceroy of Georgia desir'd to rid himself absolutely of Vomeki that he would give 'em great Rewards and Immunities if they brought him his Head but if they deny'd to gratifie him in so small a Matter he threaten'd their Country with Fire and Sword The Souanes therefore readily condescended and having slain Vomeki sent his Head to the Georgian Prince Which done he retreated and carry'd along with him the two Blind Princes Bacrat and Vactangle to the end no Friend of theirs in his absence might be embolden'd to undertake any new disturbances in their Favour and left the Princesses their Wives at Cotatis Which Inhuman separations he made for the sake of his Son the King of Imiretta who became so desperately in Love with Bacrat's Wife that he resolv'd to take her from her Husband and Marry her After the departure of the Viceroy of Georgia several Grandees of Imiretta conspir'd against their new Soveraign For some had been ill us'd others could not brook the Power and high advancement of Kotzia whom Archylus's Father had appointed to be his Sons Prime Minister nor his Domineering Haughtiness and severity towards ' em Thereupon they wrote to the Basha of Akalzike that they wonderd to see him sit still with so much indifferency while the Viceroy of Georgia ravag'd a Kingdom and Principality Tributary to the Turks nay reduc'd 'em under his Subjection and carry'd away their Lawful Princes Pris'ners and set up in their Places his own Friends and Kindred That therefore they besought him to let 'em know whether it were the Port that abandon'd 'em to the Capricious Humours of the Persians or whether it were the Dread of their Forces that ty'd his Hands at a time when the Honour and Interest of the Grand Signior lay at Stake To which the Basha return'd for answer That he had sent Intelligence to the Port of the Invasion made by the Georgian Viceroy and expected Orders every Hour which when he should receive he would let 'em know what was necessary to be done Soon after he wrote word that his Orders were come and that as soon as the Forces which the Basha's of Erzerom and Carrs both Provinces of Armenia had Instructions to send him should be joyn'd with his he would deliver 'em from the Georgian Yoke That in the mean time they should get ready to joyn with him with all the Forces they could raise and that they should cause Kotzia to be murder'd for fear his Forces his Prudence and his Reputation should put a stop to the Enterprize and that by his Death the new King of Imiretta might be without any Counsellor to assist him The Chief Conspirators were the Grand Steward of the Houshold and Bishop Janatelle who also
could discover the high Lands of Trebisond on the one side and of the Abca's on the other and that very easily because the Black Sea beginning to wind toward the Abca's Coasts Anarghia stands far out in the circular circumference of those Coasts answering to Trebisond The Black-Sea is 200 Leagues in length wanting Twelve or Fifteen lying just East and West The broadest part North and South from the Bosphorus with Boristhenes is three degrees which part is the Western end of the Sea the Opposite part not being above half so broad The Water of this Sea seem'd to me less Clear less Green and less Salt then the Water of the Ocean Which proceeds as I am apt to believe from the great Rivers that empty themselves into it and for that it is shut up in its self as it were in the bottom of a Sack so that it ought to be more properly called a Lake then a Sea like the Caspian Sea With which it agrees in this that is common to both that in neither of the two Seas there are any Islands And therefore 't is in vain to seek for the reason of its Denomination from the colour of the Water The Greeks gave it its Name from the Dangerous Navigation dayly experienc'd by those that ventur'd into it by reason of the Tempests there more frequent and boistrous then in other Seas Axenos signifying inhospitable and that will not suffer any Person to come near it The Turks therefore for the same reason call it Cara Denguis or the Furious Sea Cara which in the Turkish Language properly signifies Black denoting also furious dangerous terrible and serving usually in that Idiom for an Epithite given to thick Forrests rapid Rivers and steep and rugged Mountains Now the reason why the Storms are more Violent and Dangerous in that then in other Seas is first because the Waters are contracted within a narrow Channel and have no Outlet the Bosphorus not being to be accompted an Outlet by reason it is so very streight And therefore the Waters being Violently agitated by a Storm and not knowing where to have Room and being strongly repell'd by the shoar they Mount and rowle aloft and beat against the Ship on every side with an Invincible swiftness and force Secondly because there are few or no Roads in that Sea which are shelter'd from the Wind but where there is more danger then in the open Sea All the Black-Sea is under the Dominion of the Grand Signior there is no Sailing there without his leave so that there is no great fear of Pyrates which in my Opinion are a greater danger then the Sea it self All that Day we sayl'd with a Contrary Wind which was the reason we did not make above Six Leagues however in the Evening we bore into a River call'd Kelmhel deeper and almost as broad as the Langur but not so rapid The 30th Two Hours before Day we set sail by the light of the Moon and by Noon we made the River Phasis and bore up into it about a Mile to certain Houses where the Master of the Feluke was desirous to unlade some of his Goods The River Phasis takes its rise out of Mount Caucasus call'd by the Turks Fachs though as I observ'd the People of the Country call it Rione I saw it first at Cotatis where it runs in a narrow Channel very swiftly yet sometimes so low that it is easily fordable But where it discharges it self into the Sea which is about Fourscore and Ten Miles from Cotatis there the Channel is about a Mile and Half Broad and Sixty Fadome deep being swell'd before that by several lesser streams that pour themselves into it The Water is very good to Drink though somewhat Muddy thick and of a Leaden colour of which Arrian asserts the cause to be the Earth that is intermix'd with it He farther adds and other Authors also affirm the same that all the Ships took in Water at Phasis out of an Opinion that the River was sacred or believing it to be the best Water in the World There are several small Islands at the Mouth of the River which appear very delightful as being shaded with thick Woods Upon the biggest of which to the West are to be seen the Ruins of a Fortress which Sultan Murat caus'd to be built in the Year 1578. For he had made an Attempt to Conquer all the Northern and Eastern Coasts of the Black-Sea But this Enterprize did not succeed according to his Design For to that purpose he sent his Galleys up the River Phasis but the King of Imiretta having laid considerable Embuscado's where the River was narrowest Murat's Galleys were defeated one sunk and the rest forc'd to fly The Fortress of Phasis was tak'n by the Army of the King of Imiretta reinforc'd by the Prince's of Mingrelia and Guriel The Castle was presently demolish'd wherein there were 25 Pieces of Cannon which the King caus'd to be carry'd to his Castle of Cotatis where they are now again in the Hands of the Turks by the late surrender of the Castle belonging to that place I fetch'd a Compass about the Island of Phasis to try whether I could discover any Remainders of the Temple of Rhea which Arrian says was to be seen in his time but I could not find the least Footstep of any such thing Yet Historians affirm that it was standing entire in the time of the Grecian Empire and that it was Consecrated to the Worship of Christ in the Reign of the Emperour Zeno. I sought likewise for the great City call'd Sebasta which Geographers have plac'd at the Mouth of Phasis but not a Brick to be seen no more then of the Ruines of Colchis All that I observ'd conformable to what the Ancients have wrote concerning that part of the Black-Sea is only this That it abounds in Pheasants Of which there are some Authors and among the rest Martial who say That the Argonauts first brought those Birds into Greece where they had never been seen before and that they gave 'em the Name of Pheasants or Phasiani as being taken upon the Banks of Phasis This River separates Mingrelia from the Principality of Guriel and the petty Kingdom of Imiretta Anarghia is distant from it 36 Miles All the Coast is a low Sandy Soyl cover'd with Woods so thick that a Man can hardly see six Paces among the Trees In the Evening I caus'd the Master to put to Sea with a fair Gale and at Midnight we Sail'd before a Haven call'd Copoletta belonging to the Prince of Guriel The 30th after Noon we arriv'd at Goniè distant from Phasis about 40 Miles the Sea-Coast being all exceeding High-land and Rocks some cover'd with Wood and others naked It belongs to the Prince of Guriel whose Territories extend to a River about half a Mile from Goniè Goniè is a large Castle four-square built of hard and rough Stones of an extraordinary bulk seated upon the Sea-side upon a
when the Janisaries return'd and told the Commander that the Person had made his escape Which made him vent his Rage upon the La quey who was in a strange Agony between Fear and Madness at what time he began to open his Eyes and to perceive that GOD had confounded his Malice by his missing your Comrade with all that he carry'd under his care Thereupon I gave an accompt to the Commander of all the Villanies and wicked Tricks which the Rascal had committed in your Service and how liberal and kind you had been to him nevertheless in paying him his Wages That Evening the Commander invited me to sup with him at his own Table for he understood I was a Physitian and presently fanci'd himself to be ill So that I made him up some Medecins as well for himself as for some of the Souldiers that were in the Fortress He order'd an Italian Renegado to be my Guards at what time your Lacquey would have had him laid me in Irons for fear I should make my escape For the Rascal study'd a Thousand Tricks to do me a Mischief But the next Day the Queen and Janatelle sent two Gentlemen to the Commander to demand my Freedom as being their Physitian and the King 's also and about Noon there came two Gentlemen more from a great Lord of the Country whose Wife lay sick and he had been inform'd that I was a Prisner in the Fortress for Debt Thereupon he sent to the Commander of the Fortress to release me and he would pay my Debt but alas there was nothing more clear then that I ow'd nothing However I must give Twenty Five Crowns to the Commander which being paid I was set at Liberty notwithstanding the Noise and Clamour of the Lacquey who press'd that I might not be releas'd and told the Commander That there would be a Thousand Crowns giv'n to purchase my Liberty rather then let me lie So soon as I was free they carry'd me to the Lords House to whom I was beholding for my Liberty from whence I sent to Chicaris to know what News by the return of which Message I understood that you were gone to Tefflis and your Comrade was return'd to Mingrelia Some few Days after Father Justin arriv'd at Chicaris and understanding there where I was he came to me and then having repaid the Twenty Five Crowns which the Lord had disburs'd for my Deliverance out of Prison we return'd to Chicaris Where in two Days your Comrade arriv'd with all that was left behind of yours in Mingrelia who told us what Road he had tak'n to miss Cotatis To which purpose he had Ferry'd over the Phasis six Leagues from that City at what time the Ferryman told him That the Rogue who had laid so many Snares for us had giv'n two Crowns to give him Intelligence of your Comrade's Passage and that the Villain was under the Guard of four Janisaries who had order not to let him escape for that the Commander was resolv'd to make him perform what he had promis'd him And thus you see said he that hitherto all things have luckily succeeded and that GOD has confounded that Villain in his Wickedness whose Justice questionless will not permit him to escape the Clutches of the Turkish Commander without receiving some Punishment It was now late nevertheless my Comrade and I could not go to Supper till we had discours'd of the happy Issue of our Labour and of all our Misfortunes of which what I have recounted is but a part of the Truth nor till we had breath'd out to GOD our Ardent Thanksgivings for his Infinite Goodness his Omnipotent and his Miraculous Deliverance For we expected no such thing when we were in Tribulation And indeed who could have hop'd to have sav'd all when we were in such imminent danger of losing all The next Day following we cast up the Accompts of our Losses in this Disastrous Journey and found that it did not amount to more then above one per Cent. of all that we had sav'd and fortunately brought to Tefflis without any thing being either broken or spoil'd GEORGIA I mean all the Country so call'd which is under the Persian Jurisdiction borders at this day to the East upon Circassia and Moscovy to the West upon Armenia the Less to the South upon Armenia the Greater to the North upon the Black-Sea and that part of Colchis which is call'd Imiretta which in my Opinion is all that Country which the Ancients nam'd Iberia Georgia extended formerly from Tauris and Erzerum to the River Tanais and was call'd Albania being bounded as I have describ'd it It is a Country very full of Wood and very Mountainous that enclose a greater Number of pleasant Plains that run out in length but are not proportionable in breadth only the middle of Georgia is more even and level then the rest And the River Kur which most Geographers call Cyrus runs through the midst of it It takes its rise in the Mountain Caucasus a Day and a half 's Journey from Akalzikè as has been said and empties it self into the Caspian Sea I have seen some old Persian Geographies that place Georgia in the Greater Armenia The Moderns make a particular Province of it which they call Gorgistan and divide into four parts Imiretta of which we have spoken the Country of Guriel wherein is comprehended all that is under the Government of Akalzikè the Kingdom of Caket which extends it self very far into Mount Caucasus and is properly the Ancient Iberia and Carthuel which is the Eastern Georgia and which the Ancient Geographers call the Asiatick Albania The Kingdoms of Caket and Carthuel are under the Persian Dominion and this is that which the Persians call Gurgistan but the Georgians give it no other Name then that of Carthueli Which is no new Name as being to be found in the Writings of several Ancient Authors although somewhat corrupted especially St Epiphanias who speaking of these People calls 'em Cardians It 's reported that the Grecians were the first who gave 'em the Name of Georgians from the word Georgoi which signifies Husbandmen Though others will have this Name to derive it self from that of St. George the Patron Saint of all the Christians of the Greek Church There are very few Cities in all Georgia as has been observ'd though there has been many more formerly in the Kingdom of Caket But now they lie all in Ruines unless one which is also call'd Kaket And I heard say while I stay'd at Tefflis that these Cities were very large and sumptuously Built as may be well enough conjectur'd as well by that which is not as yet altogether destroy'd as by the ruines themselves Now these Northern Inhabitants of Mount Caucasus those Alans Suans Huns and other Nations so greatly fam'd for their strength and Courage and by the Report of many People another Nation of the Amazons were they that continually harrass'd and ransackt this little Kingdom of Kaket
The Amazons lay bordering upon it above to the North. Wherein as well the Ancient as Modern Geographers agree Ptolomy fixes their Country in the Asiatic Sarmatia which is now call'd Tartary to the West of Volga between the River and the Hippic Mountains and there it is that the Northern part of the Kingdom of Kaket exactly lies Quintus Curtius says also to the same effect that the Kingdom of Thalestris was near to the River Phasis And Strabo is of the same opinion speaking of the Expeditions of Pompey and Canidius I confess I never saw any Person in Georgia who had been in the Country of the Amazons but I have heard many of 'em tell Stories of those People And they shew'd me in the Prince's Palace a large Female habit of a course Woollen Stuff and peculiar for its Fashion and Shape which they said was the Garment of an Amazon that was slain near Caket in the last Wars Shortly we may hear farther news of these Famous Warriours for the Capuchins of Tefflis told me they would send two Missionaries into their Country the Congregation having order'd that they should be dispatch'd thither I had once a long discourse with the Prince of Georgia's Son upon this Subject at what time among other things he told me that Five Days Journey beyond Caket toward the North there liv'd a Numerous People of whom they had no knowledge at all who were continually at War with the Tartars which they call Calmac and the same with those which we call Calmouqus that the several People that inhabit Mount Caucasus are continually at Wars one with another and that it signifies nothing to make any Peace or Truce with 'em as being a sort of Savages that have neither Religion Government nor Laws Therefore they that lie next to Caket make frequent Inroads into the Country which obliges the Viceroy who is the Eldest Son of the Prince of Georgia to be always ready in Arms to repel those Barbarians Upon the Information which I gave the Young Prince of what the Greek and Roman Historians related concerning the Amazons after I had discours'd for some time upon that occasion his opinion was that they were some particular People among the wandring Scythians as the Turcomans and Arabs who submitted themselves to the Soveraignty of Women like the Achineses that those Queens made use of Persons of their own Sex to serve 'em and to follow 'em where-ever they went And as for their riding a Horseback like Men it is easily apprehended and as easie to be credited and that they also were Arm'd For in the Eastern Countries all Women bestride their Horses like Men and some of 'em mount their Horses and ride 'em as well besides that the Princesses also wear Daggers at their sides But as for the Mutilation of their Breasts and other particulars reported of the Amazons we reject 'em and rank 'em among the Fables with which the leasing Greeks had the Impudence to fill their Histories according to the Sarcasm of the Latin Poet. The Province of Carthuel contains no more then Four Cities Gory Suram Aly and Tefflis Gory is a small City seated in a Plain between two Mountains upon the Bank of the River Curr at the Foot of a Hillock upon which there is a Fortress Built which is Garison'd by Native Persians It was Built in the last Gurgistan Wars about Forty Years since by Rustan Can General of the Persian Army and an Austin Monk who was then at Gory drew the draught of it However the Fortress is a place that is not able to make any great defence its principal strength consisting in its Situation having a Hunderd Men within it Nor is the City that lies under it but very small the Houses and Market Places being all Built of Earth The Inhabitants however are all very Rich and Wealthy And it is very well stor'd with all things necessary for Human support at a cheap rate Suram is indeed no more then a Town not above half as big as the City of Gory but the Fortress adjoyning is large and well Built having within it a Hunderd Men in Garison Near to Suram is the Country call'd Semashè Which in the Georgian Language signifies Three Castles The People of this Country boast That Noah dwelt in this Country after he came out of the Ark and that his three Sons built 'em every one a Castle I say nothing here of Aly because I have spok'n of it in another place The Temper of the Air is very kindly in Georgia being very dry cold in the Winter and hot in the Summer Their fair Weather does not begin till May but it lasts till the end of November The Soyl must be well water'd or else it proves very barren but that care tak'n it produces all sorts of Grain Herbs and Fruits in abundance Georgia is therefore as fertile a Country as any can be imagin'd where a Man may live both deliciously and very cheap Their Bread is as good as any in the World their Fruit is delicious and of all sorts Neither is there any part of Europe that produces fairer Pears and Apples or better tasted nor does any part of Asia bring forth more delicious Pomegranates Cattel are very plentiful and very good as well the larger sort as the lesser Their Fowl of all sorts is incomparable especially their Wild-Fowl Their Boars-Flesh is as plentiful and as good as any in Colchis The Common People live upon nothing else but young Porkers of which there are abundance in all parts of the Country and indeed there is no better Food in the World then this Meat beside that the People of the Country assure us that it never offends the Stomach let 'em eat never so much Which I believe to be true for though I eat of it almost every Meal yet it never did me harm The Caspian Sea which is next to Georgia and the Kurr that runs quite through it supplies it with all sorts of salt and fresh Fish so that we may truly say That there is no Country where a Man may have an Opportunity to fare better then in this And with the same boldness we may assert That there is no Country where they drink more or better Wine The Vines grow about the Trees as in Colchis and they daily transport great Quantities of Wine into Media Armenia and to Ispahan for the Kings Table As much as a Horse can carry which is 300 weight costs no more then Twelve Shillings I speak of their best Wine for the common sort is cheaper by half and all other Provisions are at a proportionable rate The Country of Georgia also produces a great Quantity of Silk tho not so much by half as most Travellers report But the People of the Country know not how to weave it and therefore they carry it into Turkey to Erzerum and the parts adjoyning where they drive a great Trade The Complexion of the Georgians is the most
and though they are but Children they are not easily induc'd to tear 'em out of their Houses The Kingdom of Caket is at present in Subjection to the King of Persia Shanavas-Can having compleated the Conquest of it and now Archilus his Son is Viceroy who turn'd Mahometan to obtain the Imployment We have already made mention of him and of the Love which he had for Sistan-Darejan the King of Imiretta's Wife when we gave an Account of the Revolutions of that Petty Kingdom Sistan-Darejan remain'd a Pris'ner at Akalzikè where the Basha's shew'd her an extraordinary Civility Archilus had also a longing Affection for her from the time that he had lost sight of her Thereupon his Father so wrought by his Presents and Contrivances with the Basha that he releas'd her in the Year 1660. She was carry'd in Triumph to Tefflis where Archilus Marry'd her immediately and by that Match entitl'd himself to the Kingdom of Caket of which he was actual Viceroy already For the Princess his Wife was Daughter to Taimuras-Can and Sister of Heraclius the only Son whom that Unfortunate Prince left behind him capable of Succession in regard all the rest had had their Eyes put out But he and his Mother were fled into Moscovy where they say the Great Duke allows 'em a Train suitable to their Quality And here give me leave to tell yee one Passage concerning this Archilus Viceroy of Caket very much worthy to entertain your Curiosity He was affianc'd in his Youth to a Daughter of one of the most Noble Families in Georgia And the Lady fully expected to be his Wife in regard that Breach of Contract is a thing never heard of in that Country But when she heard that he had Marry'd Sistan-Darejan she sent to him to demand satisfaction for the Murder he had committed upon her Honour For so in Georgia they call the affront done to a Contract when a Man leaves the party affianc'd to Marry another At first she resolv'd to Sue him at Law for the Injustice he had done her but that way not seeming feasable by reason of the great Authority and Sway which Archilus had in the Country she put her self at the Head of Four Hunderd Men and offer'd fairly to fight her Faithless Lover But Archilus refus'd her sending her word he did not use to fight with Young Maids withal he bid her not make such a noise lest he disclos'd the Favours which Sizi a Young Lord at Court had boasted to have receiv'd from her The Young Lady enrag'd to hear her self reproach'd as well as scorn'd turn'd all her fury against Sizi She challeng'd him and because he would not meet her she lay'd her self in Ambush for him put him to flight pursu'd him and kill'd him above Twenty Men. She had also a Brother and he also undertook to quarrel Sizi The Prince and the the whole Court did all they could to reconcile 'em but seeing they did but labour in Vain the two Adversaries were permitted to determine the difference by their Swords Now it is the custom in Georgia that when the Law cannot decide or reconcile a Quarrel among Gentlemen they are permitted to try it out in a place Rayl'd in for the purpose And before the two Combatants enter the Lists they Confess themselves receive the Communion and prepare for Death This is call'd Appealing to the Tribunal of GOD for the Georgians maintain that this way of referring directly to GOD the Punishment of a Crime is both Honest and Lawful where human Justice is not able to distinguish whether the party accus'd be Guilty or whether the accuser charge him falsely At length Sizi and his Adversary being arriv'd at the place appointed they were parted by a Company of Souldiers just as they had drawn their Swords And the Young Lady Dying soon after with shame and Grief the Prince by his Authority oblig'd her Brother to be Friends with Archilus and Sizi And now before I relate what befell me at Tefflis it behoves me to make a Description of the Place though the Plate before the Leaf might suffice to give a distinct Idea of it TEFLIS TEFLIS A. The Fortress B. THe Bpps church calld Sion C. The Bastias Monasterie D. The Holy Cross. E. The Church Place of the Catholicos F. The White Work or the Queen's Church G. The New York H. Mognay Church I. Bethen Church K. The Church of the Rupture L. THe Mosquee M. The Capuchins N. The Princes Palace O. The Great Bazar P. The public Magazines Q. The Viceroy of Caket's Palace R. The Prince's Gardens S. The Prince's Piatza T. The Place for Military Exercises The Principal Monasteries that belong to the Armenians are Pacha-Vane that is the Monastery of Pacha in which Monastery the Armenian Bishop of Tefflis resides They so call it by the Report of the Armenians for that a Fugitive Basha of Turkey turning Christian caus'd it to be erected in this City Sourph-Nishon that is to speak properly the Red Sign and thence generally tak'n for the Holy Cross Bethem or Bethlehem Norachen or the New Work and Mognay Now Mognay is the Name of a Village of the Armenians near Irivan where they have for a long time kept a certain Skull which they assure yee to be St. George's hence because that part of the Skull is remov'd to this Church therefore they gave it the Name of the Place from whence they took the Relick There is not any Mosque at Tefflis though the City belongs to a Mahometan Empire and is Govern'd together with the whole Province by a Mahometan Prince The Persians have endeavour'd all they could to rebuild one there but never could accomplish their design for the People still Mutiny'd and by force of Arms beat down the Work and abus'd the Workmen And indeed the Georgian Princes were glad of these Seditions of the People though they would not countenance 'em openly For in regard they had not renounced the Christian Religion but only with their Lips and to obtain Preferment they could not heartily consent to the Establishment of Mahometism Now the Georgians are Mutinous Inconstant and Valiant as has been said They also retain a smack and sense of Liberty Then they lie near the Turks And this is that which hinders the Persian from making use of Extremities and preserves to the City of Tefflis and all Georgia a happy Liberty to retain almost all the Exteriour Marks of their Religion Upon all the Steeples of their Churches at the Top stands a Cross and they are furnish'd with several Bells which they ring Every day they sell Pork openly and in publick with the same freedom as other Vittles and Wine at the Corners of the Streets All which though the Persians are mad to see yet they know not how to help it Some few Years since they built a small Mosque in the Fortress close to the Wall that separates it from the Grand Piazza of Tefflis They built it in the Castle
Province of Mazenderan Which Province is call'd Tabar Estaan in all the Publick Acts in the Exchequer and Chancery but in common Discourse they call it Mazanderoon Tabar Estaan signifies a place of Wedges to denote that the Country is full of Wood for that where there is great plenty of VVood great store of VVedges are requir'd to cleave it 19. The Impression of the Seal which is at the bottom of the Date in the Translation is not only upon the back of the Patent but at the bottom likewise This is the Seal of the Prime Minister who is call'd Mahomet Mehdy The Persians never put their Qualities in their Seals nor any Title by which they may be known There is only their own Name their Fathers Name which serves in stead of a Sirname according to the fashion of the Hebrews and the Name of their Family when it has the Honour to be descended from Mahomet by his Daughter Fatima For the Mahometans acknowledge no other Nobility then to be the Original Branches of that Progeny I had also joyn'd to the King of Persia's Patent a Note of Recommendation from the High Steward of his Houshold which I was desirous the Viceroy should see as being assur'd that it would work more effectually then the Patent it self VVhich prov'd to be true insomuch that I understood afterwards that it was to that Note to which I was beholding for all the good Offices and Honours which I receiv'd at Tefflis which was as follows THe Commissioners of Governments the Farmers Royal Officers of Cities Receivers of Toll and Provosts of the High-Way will have the 1 Honour to know That M. Chardin and M. Raisin French Merchants the Flowre of Merchants having brought to the most High and Sublime Court Rarities and Curiosities set with Precious Stones worthy the 2 Wardrobe of the 3 Slaves of the 4 Distributer of Temporal Goods they are Commanded to fetch others and have express Order to cause to be made in their Country several Pieces of Workmanship for the Service of his Slaves to that purpose they are Honour'd with a Patent under the 5 Sacred Seal and that is the Reason they are forc'd to Travel Where-ever they come therefore it is absolutely requisite that they have Respect shewn 'em and that all Reasonable Assistance that shall be necessary be afforded ' em Care also must be taken that they be not molested or put to Trouble nor must any Persons whatever signifie in any manner whatsoever that they expect or desire any Duties from ' em For if it comes to the Ears of the Slaves of the Lord of Human Kind that they have claim'd any thing of 'em bad will be the Fruit of such an Information Written in the Month of Shaval the Ennobl'd 1076. of the Holy Flight To which be Honour and Glory In the Margent there was The Intention of this is to give all those whom it may concern to understand That the Bearers hereof are to be Treated and Respected according to the Tenour of the Patent to which all the World pays Homage The words of the Seal signifie Maxud the Son of Caleb the Delight of the Creatures 1. It is in the Persian They are Honour'd by that which they give 'em to understand For so the Grandees of Persia write to the Inferiour Officers especially when those Officers have their dependance upon ' em This they do to maintain the difference which their Authority and Imployment puts between 'em and that there may not be any confusion by their manner of Communication one with another 2 The Word which I have Translated Wardrobe is Sercar Which signifies properly Chief of the Workmanship and also a Magazine For the King and the Grandees of Persia keep in their Houses Manufactures of all sorts of Trades and Arts. They call those places Carconè or Work-Houses They are like the Gallery of the Grand Duke of Florence or the Galleries in the Louvre in France They maintain therein a great number of excellent Masters who have there a Pension and their Dyet as long as they Live and they find 'em Materials for their Work And they make 'em Presents or advance their pay upon every Curious Piece which they finish 3. 'T is out of Pride and Vainglory that they express themselves in these Terms Worthy the Wardrobe of the Slaves of the King As much as to say that the Kings Wardrobe is so full of rare and pretious Jewels that no body can bring any thing that is fit to be put therein And therefore Persian Eloquence makes very much use of this Circumlocution of Language upon all occasions So speaking of an Ambassador that has pay'd his Obeysance to the King they say That he has kiss'd the Feet of the Slaves of the King In like manner when they would say that the King has perform'd any great Action they say The Slaves of the Prince have perform'd such a great Action Forms of Speech that sufficiently discover the Vanity of the Eastern People I take 'em to be drawn from the Alcoran which the Mahometans affirm to be the source of true Eloquence There you shall meet with many such like Expressions As for Example speaking of the Works of GOD they call 'em The Works of the Angels The Angels Created the Heavens and the Earth VVhich say the Mahometans more clearly expresses the Power of GOD. For if the Angels have so much Power as to Create VVorlds how great must be his Power whose only Servants and Ministers they are In short all the Orientals are perfect Slaves their Soveraigns having a right to command their Lives and Fortunes their VVives and Childern But they are so far from being terrifi'd with their condition that they Glory in it The Grandees themselves count it an Honour to be call'd Slaves and Sha-Couli or Coolom-Sha which signifies the Kings Slaves is as Honourable a Title in Persia as that of Marquess in France 4. Valineamet which I have Translated Distributer of Temporal Goods is a compound Word Vali signifies a Soveraign and absolute Lieutenant who has the same Power in the place where he is settl'd as he that Rules the Empire The Persians also frequently call their King Vali-Iron to let yee understand that he is in Persia which they call Iron the true Successor Vicar and Lieutenant of Ali to whom GOD gave the Dominion of the VVorld after the Death of Mahomet Neamet is deriv'd from Inara which signifies a Present Favour Temporal Grace or Bountiful conferring of a Benefit So that by the VVord Vali-Neamet which is the most usual Title which the Persians give their King speaking to his Majesty they mean That he is GODS Lieutenant in the World to distribute in his behalf all the Benefits and Blessings of Fortune to Men and as it were the Conduit-Pipe through which Heaven Conveys it's Blessings to the Earth 5. It is in the Persian Moubarec-Nishan It has been said that the Subscription wherein are VVritten the Twelve Names of the
because I was going upon the Kings business and therefore that I was at Liberty to go when I pleas'd that there was all manner of security within his Territories and that therefore I needed no Convoy nevertheless that he would send one of his Officers along with me if I desir'd it The Fathers told me afterwards that he had held 'em in a long discourse concerning his earnest desire that the Europeans would come and settle in Georgia to which purpose they had orders to tell me that if they would come thither for Trade he would Grant 'em all the Priviledges and Advantages they could desire That his Territories extended to the Black-Sea and that bearing a great sway in Persia and being highly esteem'd in Turkey such Europeans as design'd to the Indies could not chuse a better Road then through his Territories and that he was assur'd that when they had once travell'd it they would always make choice of it for the future I desir'd the Fathers to return my most humble Thanks to the Prince for the Kindness which he had for our Nation and to let him know That I would not fail to give to the French East-India Company Notice of his good Intentions which if he would be pleas'd to signifie in a Letter I would certainly take care to have it sent Lastly That he would do me a great Honour to grant me one of his Domestick Servants to Conduct me to the next Government of which I should not fail to give an Account to the King and his Ministers when I should be arriv'd at Ispahan The 24th the Tibilelle for so is the Bishop of Tefflis call'd as I have said already came to see me He told me That the Prince had commanded him to acquaint me That having consider'd upon what I had sent to him about Writing to the French Company for setling a Trade and a Passage through Georgia He was about to have done it to inform 'em of the Advantage they might make of a Trade into that Country but in regard he was no more then a Vassal to the King of Persia he was afraid his Majesty would look upon it as a Crime to have Written without his Order to Strangers about Business However I might assure 'em this That if they would send Factors into his Country they should find many sorts of Merchandizes that were proper for Europe very cheap besides that they should be receiv'd with all the Civility imaginable In answer to which I desir'd the Tibilelle to assure the Prince that I would faithfully discharge my Trust The Prelate staid with me about a quarter of an Hour in my Chamber and at his departure I presented him a very fair Rosary of Coral according to the Custom of Repaying the Visits of a Person of Quality Nor were the Capuchins less glad of the Visit I had receiv'd then of the manner of my Acknowledgment in regard the Bishop of Tefflis had never been at their House before The 25th the Prince sent me a Present of Wine and order'd the Messenger to tell me That he had appointed a Persian of his own Family for my Guide that he had commanded a Letter of Orders to be dispatch'd that I might set forward as soon as I pleas'd The 26th Father Raphael made me spend two Hours with an old Woman that practis'd Physick by the help of an infinite Number of Receipts Of which he caus'd me to write down some that he had heard People make the greatest Brags of in my Table-Book For the Dropsie ☞ half a Dram of the Juice of the Roots of Garden-Chiches and repeat the Remedy every other Day To stop a Flux of Urine Eat for three days together the inner Skins of the Gysern of a Capon rosted five every day Against the Biting of a Scorpion Take a Live-Hen pull the Feathers off the Rump and lay it upon the Wound For then the Hen sucks the Poyson into her Body and dies When the Convulsion begins to seize the Hen take another and apply her in the same manner and so another till all the Poyson be suck'd out For the Yellow Jaundise Make a Bed of Boyl'd Rice and lay the Patient well cover'd upon it or else put him into a Bath of Milk and it works the same effect For External Pains of the Joynts Take either the Decoction or the Perfume of three Drams of Hellebore For Inward Pains of what sort soever Take Potions of Mummy For all sorts of Falls Bruises and Hurts Take Mummy in Drink wrap up the Patient in a Cows Hide and let him Blood The Wound must be heal'd with the Powder of the Herb Mullein For Defluxions and Rheumes to the Head and Throat Take Perfume of Yellow Amber For the Dysentery Give the Infusion of the Leaves and Berries of Myrtle or else the Blood of a Rosted Hare infus'd in Wine For the Haemorrhoids Powder the Leaves of Plantain and strew upon the part affected For Pains in the Reins take the Decoction of the Leaves and Seed of Marsh-Mallows For Ulcers in the Reins use Milk Against a Pleuresy take two little thin Cakes of ordinary Meal and boil 'em in Water with Roch-Allum and Madder and apply 'em as hot as may be endur'd upon the side the one behind and the other before this Remedy must be dayly repeated till the Cure be perfected Against a Cough make use of the Root of the Herb call'd Hounds-Tongue or Dogs-Tongue The most usual Cure for Agues in this Country is to make Plaisters of the Fat of a Sheeps Rump Cinamon Cloves and Cardamomes and all the time of the cold fit to lay these Plaisters upon the Forehead Stomach and Feet When the hot fit is over take off those Plaisters and lay on others made of the Leaves of Cichory Plantain and the Herb call'd Solanum or Nightshade afterwards they take a Sucking-Pig cut it in two and clap it to the Feet All which time the Patient is fed with Bread and Cream of Almonds eating nothing that is boyl'd Father Raphael assur'd me that he had seen 'em in that Country cure Agues by carrying the Patient in the height of his Cold fit and plunging him over Head and Ears in the Water It is a thing hard to be beleiv'd and in Truth to me it appear'd a thing altogether Extravagant in regard it seem'd to be so Dangerous However it is observ'd that the difference of Climates and Temperaments of Countrys produces far different effects in Remedies so that the Remedy if I may so say that Kills in one Country does but only stir a Man in another In the Evening the Princes Chancellors Secretary brought me the Officer who was to conduct me to Erivan and in my presence gave him the Letter of Orders for his so doing Of which the Translation follows GOD. UNder severe Penalties the Noble Lord 1 Emin-Aga is Commanded exactly to cause to be Executed the Tenor of the Patent which the Deceas'd King who was here below the
Patent I was fully discharg'd But I was afraid lest the Prince would make use of that pretence to view my Goods whether I would or no. And this was that which encreas'd my Fears and made me insist upon having an Officer to conduct me For my reason told me that such a Provision would render the Viceroy more responsible for any Accident that should befall me and that my Guide would secure both my Person and my Goods And indeed the greatest part of my Fears were dissipated when I saw my self quite free of Tefflis for then I began to conceive good hopes of all the rest of my Journey That Day I travell'd two Leagues through a Passage of the little Mountain that lies to the South of the City and lay at a Great Village call'd Sogan-Lou or the Place of Onions built upon the River Cur. The 1st of March I travell'd Eight Leagues in a fair Plain where the Road was indifferently streight leading to the North-East Within three Hours I came to a Village consisting of about a Hunderd and Fifty Houses call'd Cupri-Kent or the Village of the Bridge Because there is a very fair Bridge that stands not far from it built upon a River call'd Tabadi This Bridge is plac'd between two Mountains seperated only by the River and supported by Four Arches unequal both in their Heighth and Breadth They are built after an Irregular form in regard of two great Heaps of a Rock that stand in the River upon which they have laid so many Arches Those at the two ends are hollow'd on both sides and serve to lodge Passengers wherein they have made to that purpose little Chambers and Portico's with every one a Chimney The Arch in the middle of the River is hollow'd quite through from one part to the other with two Chambers at the Ends and two large Balconies cover'd where they take the cool Air in the Summer with great delight and to which there is a Descent of two pair of Stairs hewn out of the Rock Adjoyning to this fair Bridge there stands an Inn now ready to go to decay However the Structure is Magnificent having several Chambers with every one a Balcony that looks out upon the Water Neither is there a fairer Bridge nor a more beautiful Inn in all Georgia The Second we Travell'd Nine Leagues among Mountains very rugged and difficult to cross So that we were twelve Hours ere we got to our Journeys end though we Travell'd at a good rate About Sun-set we arriv'd at a great Village call'd Melik-Kent or the Royal Village built upon a point of one of those High Mountains The Third we Travell'd eight Leagues i' the Mountains where we were much perplex'd and where we did nothing but ascend and descend At length we lay at a Village as big as Melik-Kent The Fourth we Travell'd only three Leagues and before Noon we came to a Town that consisted of about Three Hunderd Houses call'd Dily-jan It is seated upon a River call'd Acalstapha at the Foot of a High and Dreadful Mountain which together with the rest that we pass'd the preceding days was a part of Mount Taurus There was every where great plenty of Water and here and there some Plains that were but small but very fertile The Goodness of the Soyl thereabout is not to be imagin'd nor the Number of Villages that are to be seen on every side There are several that stand so high-rais'd upon the points of the Rocks that you can hardly have a sight of ' em The most part are inhabited by Georgian and Armenian Christians but not intermix'd Those People having such an inveterate Antipathy one against the other that they cannot live together nor in the same Villages In all these Mountains are neither Inns nor publick Houses however Travellers are lodg'd in the Countrymens Houses very conveniently where there is plenty both of Meat and Drink For my part I wanted nothing for my Guide rode still before when we were got about half way so that when I came to the Village I still found a large Chamber empty Stables a good Fire and Supper ready The first days Journey I would have paid my Landlord but my Guide would not permit me telling me 'T was not the Custom and that I should rather give Him what I intended the Man of the House Which was the reason that the next Days I only caus'd something to be given in private to the People where I Lodg'd And indeed 't is very good Travelling with these Guides for they cause yee to be diligently attended All Night long my Chamber was guarded by the People of the Village who kept Watch as well in Obedience to the Commands which were laid upon 'em as for my Security though there was no danger to be fear'd The most part of the Houses of these Villages are in truth no more then Caverns For they are hollow places made in the Earth The rest are built of great Beams of Timber up to the Roof which is made like a Terrass and cover'd with Turf Only they leave a hole open in the middle to let in the Light and let out the Smoak which hole they stop up as they please themselves Which sort of Caverns have this Convenience that they are very warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer nor is it an easie thing for Thieves to break into ' em The Borough of Dily-jan and all the Country round about for six Leagues distance to the North and South and very far to the East and West belongs to Kamshi-Can and is call'd the Country of Casac It holds of Persia and depends upon that Kingdom after the same manner as Georgia that is to say it is always Govern'd by its own Natural Princes from Father to Son Abas the Great subdu'd it at the same time that he Conquer'd Georgia The Inhabitants of Casac are Mountaineers stout and fierce Originally descended from those Cosaques that inhabit the Mountains to the North-East of the Caspian Sea The Fifth we Travell'd five Leagues over that dreadful Mountain already spok'n of There are two Leagues from the Town of Dily-jan which stands at the very Foot of the Hill to the Top another of even Ground to the Top of all and two Leagues of Descent again A tedious Days Journey which I thought would have kill'd me For I was troubl'd with a terrible Dysentery which forc'd me to alight altogether and then two Men held me up as I went and a third lead my Horse The Mountain is most dreadfully laden with Snow there being nothing else to be seen at the Top neither Tree nor Plant. The Road also lay through a narrow Path of Snow hard'nd by the Feet of Horses and Travellers so that if they did but slip their Feet out of the Path they sunk up to the Belly in the looser Snow Nor is there any passing over this Mountain when the Snow-falls or when the Wind blows for then the print of the
Discourses at Rovers he told me He was very much troubl'd for me that I was come in Persia at such an unlucky Season when there was so little Trade for Jewels for that the King had little or no esteem for 'em and therefore bought very few That I was not now to look upon my Condition as if King Abas were alive for those days were gone and that I should find it a hard matter at Court to put off the worth of Three Thousand Pound Then going on he told me farther That he did not speak this to discourage me but that I might betimes consider what I had to do and lose no opportunity of selling what I had brought That he had a design to lay out to the value of Two Thousand Five Hundred Pounds if I would let him have good Bargains Presently I found what the Governor aim'd at by his Discourse and that his Advice tho very good and true proceeded rather from Interest then that he was really concern'd for my Benefit However I return'd him Thanks and told him I heard of the Great Change of Humor at Court but yet for all that I did not question but to sell expecting from his Majesty's Justice that he would consider that I had not made such a tedious Voyage nor brought so many Jewels but by the Orders of the Deceased King his Father Nevertheless that I was resolv'd to sell as much as I could without Loss and that I was so much beholding to him for his Favors and his particular Care of me that I would sell Cheaper to him then to another Person Thereupon the Governor promis'd me that I should have the favour of his Sons and be assisted by all the Credit which they had at Court to which purpose he would give me most Effectual and Earnest Recommendations and at length order'd me to bring all that he had set apart He told me he would make his first Purchases of little Jewels and of small value to the end he might see whether I would be as good as my word Which Method of his did no way please me and therefore I propounded to him to take all at a Lump and never to make two Bargains assuring him that he would find it his cheapest way After that I desir'd him to begin with the Great Pieces but he refus'd to accept either of my Proposals he knew how to manage me so dextrously that he perswaded me that his Intentions were real and that he would try by those things wherein he had most Judgment whether I sold him dear or no. So then we agreed upon a Price for Forty Watches of several Fashions All which I sold him at a low rate to purchase his good Opinion and to the end I might sell him more of my Commodities Presently he sent me to his Cashier to receive my Money which while we were telling in he came with a great Chrystal Looking glass set in Gold which he had set aside from among those other that I had shewn him and telling me the hour was now lucky ask'd me the Price of the Glass and I let him have it for Five Hundred Crowns which he paid me with the rest of my Money For the Persians are strangly infatuated with Judicial Astrology and attribute to the Influences of the Stars all their good and bad Success And when two Stars which they call Benign are in Conjunction that they call the lucky hour The 27. The Governor did me the Honour to give me a visit Tho I had rather he had let his visit alone for it cost me a Gold-Box of Eight Guineys Which I presented to him to gratifie the Custom of the Country which is to repay the visits of great Personages with a Present The Governor staid a quarter of an hour in my Chamber after which he went and made a stop where the People that belong'd to the Customer of Constantinople lay which was very near to my Apartment Then he went and visited a Turkish Merchant and an Armenian Merchant that lodg'd in the same Inn who made him every one a Present but of things of little value The People that belong'd to the Customer of Constantinople gave him two Ducats the Turkish Merchant a little bag of Coffee worth an Angel and the Armenian presented him with two Ells of Damask For the Governor comes forth out of the Castle into the City constantly twice a Week that is Frydays and Saturdays Fryday he goes publickly to the Mosqueé to say his Prayers Saturday he visits every Quarter of the City and gives such Orders as he finds to be requisite So that there can be nothing better contriv'd then his Method of Government If he stop before any House they never make him any Present unless they please themselves But if he go into the House Custom obliges 'em to present him And there is an Officer call'd the Receiver of Presents who keeps an account of all that is presented him let it be of never so mean a value The 29. and 30. I din'd with the Governor and sold him as many ordinary Jewels as came to about Five Hundred Pounds We drove our Bargains every price by it self and when we were come to a Price he paid me in ready Money And most assuredly he got by that way of dealing for by that means I sold him at a much cheaper rate The same day a little after I was return'd to my Lodging the Princess his Wife sent for me to make her a price of some certain Jewels which she had made choice of But just as I was ready to take Horse the General of the Mint and the Kings Slave came to give me a visit so that I could not go to the Castle that day neither would I go the three next days as being the three last of the Passion Week but the Fourth of April I went So soon as I came the Princesse's Steward who was an old Eunuch told me That the Princess was extreamly angry that I had stay'd so long and that if one of the Country should have serv'd her so she would have made him feel two hundred Drubs upon the Soles of his Feet At which I laught and ask'd the Eunuch if his Lady were wont to pronounce Sentences Sir said he she is one of the Haughtiest Ladies in the World and for the least fault exacts a most severe punishment If it be a man that has offended her she sends her Eunuchs to seize him who bind him hand and foot and put him in a Sack carry him into the Seraglio into her presence and punish him according to her Commands without letting him out of the Sack or suffering him to know where he is But I never yet knew that the Persian Ladies ever inflicted such sort of punishments And therefore I desir'd the Eunuch to let the Princess know the Reason that had kept me at home and that I was always ready to obey her Commands I tarry'd above four hours at the
entrance into the Seraglio while the Eunuch went and came back At length a Bargain was made between us for so many Jewels as amounted to Four Hundred Pounds for which I received my Money the next Morning The 3. I went to the Governor and desir'd him to give me leave to depart for that I was in hast to be at Court He promis'd to dispatch me after Dinner and I waited on him again at his time appointed At what time he ask'd me with a smiling Countenance what was the value of the Gold Box I had given him when he came to visit me I knew not what his design was and therefore in my answer I valued it at Ten Pounds Pray then Sir said he oblige me to take it again and give me the value of it in Keys in Springs and Strings for Watches I was not a little surpriz'd at his Proposal which did not seem to be very civil for a Person of his Quality However I answer'd him that I was ready to do what he pleas'd added that I had several Watchmakers Tools that I had brought for the Kings Artificers which I would send him if it were his Pleasure He took me at my word assuring me that I should do him a very great kindness For this same Grandee is a great Lover of Mechanicks and knows how to mend a Watch that does not go true Afterwards he caus'd all that remain'd in his hands of mine to be delivered me back and I thought certainly that he would have made an entire Bargain but to my great Astonishment he restor'd me all Then I perceiv'd I had been his Cully and that he had only drill'd me on in hopes of selling him a great Purchase to let him have what he chiefly desir'd at a cheaper tate However I conceal'd my disgust and my dissatisfaction to be so serv'd and return'd him a thousand Thanks with a Countenance as gay as if I had had my hearts desire Afterwards I besought him to give me his Letters of Recommendation to his Son which he promis'd me to do and invited me to go along with him into the Country whither he went the next morning But I excus'd my self returning him Thanks in the best Language I could I also requested him to give me the Agreement with Mr. Azarias who was to accompany me to Tauris I will so answer'd his Lordship and I will enjoyn him to be your Mehemandar or Guide meaning that honest Armenian already mention'd This done I again return'd him my humble Thanks for all his Favors and after I had told him that I would not fail to extol his Kindnesses at Court I took my leave I thought it not proper to put him in mind of several other Promises that he had made me as being assur'd they would produce little for that according to the Custom of the Country he had made 'em not with an intention to be as good as his word but onely to make me the more ready to do what he desir'd The 5. the Governor went to the Camp which he had caus'd to be set up about a League from the City in a spacious and lovely Meadow all cover'd with flowers during the fair Season The two Rivers that encompass Erivan and run along with a winding Course and gentle Stream make several little Islands in that Place So that the Governors Quarter that of the Princess his Wife and those of the most considerable Persons that accompani'd him were all separated while every one had their particular Island which were joyn'd together by certain little Bridges that were laid on or tak'n away as occasion requir'd The Governor's Tents were very Magnificent and indeed there were in a little Ground all the Conveniencies of a Palace even to the very Bathes and Stoves His Family consisted of about Five Hundred Men without reckoning the Women and Eunuchs And it is the Custom of the Grandees of this Kingdom to solace themselves in this manner in the Country in the Spring Time There they divertize themselves in Hunting Fishing Walking and employ themselves in several other Exercises both a Foot and on Horse-back There they suck in the fresh Air and enjoy that Coolness which they so much delight in This is the Refreshment and Recreation of their Lives so that if they have no business in the City which requires their Presence there they continue thus taking their pleasure all the Summer long in the most delicious parts of the Neigbouring Mountaines This they call Yelac or a Country Excursion The 6. The Prince's Treasurer gave me a Dinner and the Kings Lieutenant of the Fortress was at it He is a Native of Dag-Estaan Which is a Mountainous Country to the North-East of the Caspian Sea and bordering upon Muscovie So that I took great delight to hear him repeat several particulars of the Customes and Manners of his Country The King of Persia is acknowledg'd there as Soveraign Lord but he is not absolute Master of it nor are the People that inhabit it always subject to his Commands And the Court winks at their Disobediences it being a difficult thing to reduce 'em by reason of the Roughness and Height of the Mountaines They are a Savage sort of People and the most barbarous of all the East and I take 'em to be some Remainders of the Parthians The same Evening that Gentleman sent me a Present of Fruit Wine and Mutton The 7. The Treasurer sent me much such another Present as the Governor had sent me the day before and I repay'd 'em in small Returnes for the Favors I had receiv'd from Both. They had been very civil to me at Erivan not so much as offering to take those fees which men are oblig'd to pay in Persia to the Officers of Governors for all the Money receiv'd out of their Treasuries for that their Master had forbid 'em to demand any thing of me And therefore they did me those Kindnesses to oblige me to be the more free of my own accord well knowing I was not so ignorant of the Customes of the Country but that I knew that it was not any motion of Generosity that made 'em so courteous to Strangers In the Afternoon I went to the Camp to take leave of the Governor who shew'd me a thousand Civilities and at my departure gave me two Letters of Recommendation to his two Eldest Sons who are the Kings onely Favourites They were both much to the same Effect And this is the Translation of that which was written to the Eldest GOD I beseech the Soveraign Author of all good Things to preserve in Life and Health the High and Potent Lord Nesr-ali-bec my most Honour'd and most Happy Son the Favorite and Confident of his Royal Majesty We make most perfect vows to Heaven for your Happy Grandeur The motive that induc'd us to write ye this Letter is upon the Account of our being so much concern'd as we are on the behalf of Mr. Chardin who arriv'd some time
other part of which Nacchivan is the Metropolis The 12. we arriv'd at Nacchivan after we had travell'd five Leagues over Plaines very level and Fertile Nacchivan is a great City or rather a vast heap of Ruins which are repair'd and repeopl'd by degrees The heart of the City is at present rebuilt and inhahited having very large Bazars which are a sort of long Galleries or Streets that are cover'd full of Shops on both sides where they sell all Sorts of Merchandizes and Provisions There are in it five Inns or Caravanserays Baths Market Places large Publick Houses where they sell Tobacco and Coffee and two Thousand Houses or thereabouts The Persian Histories assure us that formerly it contain'd above Forty Thousand They also tell us that before the Arabians conquer'd this Country there were in it five Cities which had been built by Behron-Tchoubin King of Persia Without the City are to be seen the Ruins of a great Castle and several Forts which Abas caus'd to be destroy'd toward the end of the last Age not finding himself strong enough to keep 'em All which he caus'd to be ruin'd after he had taken Nacchiavan from the Turks and after he had ruin'd and dispeopl'd the City Which he did to prevent the Turks from Fortifying themselves in that Place and furnishing themselves with Provisions Most certainly the City is an Object of Pity considering in what a Condition it now lies The Histories of Persia would have us believe that it was one of the Greatest and Fairest Cities of all Armenia as has been already said But that History now kept in the Monastery of the Three Churches and which is chiefly spok'n of doclares that this City was the ancient Ardashhad call'd Artaxate or Artaxasate by the Greek Historians Other Armenian Authors make Nacchivan to be much more Ancient and assert that Noah began to build it and made it his Abode after the Deluge And they make the Etymology of the Name to agree with the Antiquity of the Original Affirming that in the old Armenian Language Nacchivan signifies the first Habitation Ptolomy makes mention of a City in these Parts which he calls Naxuane which might have been the same with Nacchivan I believe that Artaxate or Artaxasate was seated very near it For Tacitus observes that Araxes ran very near that City and we find it not to be above seven Leagues from Nacchivan The height of the Pole over it's Horizon is mark'd upon the Persian Astrolobes to be 38. deg 40. min. and the Longitude 81. deg 34. min. It is govern'd by a Kan and is the Capital of one part of Armenia Five Leagues from Nacchivan to the North lies a great village call'd Abrener which signifies the Fertil Field The inhabitants of that Village and of seven others near it are all Roman Catholicks Their Bishops and Curates are Dominicans and they perform their Church and Service in the Armenian language He was an Italian Dominican of Bologna that brought all this Country under Subjection to the Pope about 350. years ago And about twenty villages more that lay round acknowledg'd the same Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction But at length they return'd to their obedience under the Armenian Patriarch and to their first Religion and as for those that persist in the Romish Ceremonies their Number daily decreases by reason of the Persecution of the Patriarch and the Governors of Nacchivan Those poor people having drawn upon their own heads the Indignation and violent Usage of those Governors for having endeavour'd to withdraw themselves from their Jurisdiction Dependence To which purpose there arriv'd in Persia in the year 1664. an Italian Dominican in the Quality of an Embassador from the Pope From whom and from several other Potentates of Europe he brought Letters to the King He made great Presents to his Majesty and obtain'd effectually That those Roman Catholick Villages should every year send their Tribute to the Royal Treasure and whatever they were oblig'd to pay yearly according to the Rates set down in Writing in the Registers of the Superintendant and Receiver-General of Media Which being done that Orders should be sent to the Super-intendant and Governor of Nacchivan and all other the Kings Officers to acknowledge the Roman Catholicks to be absolutely independant from their Jurisdiction and that they should not presume to make any Levies within their Territories Which Regulation that did very little good to those villages was the occasion of many Mischiefs that afterwards befell em and will one day be the cause of their Ruin For the Governors of Nacchivan provok'd at these proceedings and the complaints that were made of 'em to Abas have lay'd a thousand heavy Impositions upon those poor People since the death of that good King and have made 'em pay three or four times the money which they sent to the Treasure Royal For which the oppressed people can have no remedy whether through the Remissness of the Government or for that their own Party is low and out of Credit The Treasurer of Media has done worse for he has sent to Court false extracts of the Registers of that Province by which it appears that those villages were to pay fourteen hundred pounds yearly which is just as much again as what they pretend to have always paid Every time they carry their Imposition of Seven Hundred Pounds into the Treasury the Officers give 'em a Receipt wherein they put that it is upon Account of what they ought to pay by which they keep a Door open for Arbitrary Impositions and Branglings to ruin 'em when they please themselves The Governor of Nacchivan was not in Town when I arriv'd there But this Son that was Deputy had soon notice of my arrival So that he invited me to Dinner and desir'd me to shew him some Watches and some Jewels But I was no way satisfi'd with his manner of dealing with me For after he had been civil to me and had giv'n me a dinner he left me with his officers who forc'd me in a manner to let him have that for fourty pounds for which I refus'd fifty at Erivan And without question they had us'd me more uncivilly but for the King's Pattent and Pass port which I had about me And indeed those Thorow-fairs are a sort of Places for the skinning of strangers who are reputed to be rich They must alway there pay Passage-money The 13. We departed from Nacchivan and travell'd seven Leagues At the end of the first League passing a River over a very broad Bridge to which the People of the Country give no other name then that of the River of Nacchivan The Country which we pass'd is dry and Stony where was nothing to be seen but little Hills of Stones We lay upon the Banks of the River Araxes which the Orientals call Aras and Ares We pass it at Esqui-julfa or Julfa the old a ruin'd City which some Authors beleive to be that City which the Ancients call'd Ariammene They call'd
it Old to distinguish it from Julfa that is built over against Ispahan Nor is it without reason so call'd as being totally ruin'd and demolished There is nothing farther to be known of it except the Grandeur which it once enjoy'd It was seated upon the descent of a Mountain by the side of a River that ran close by it The Avenues to it which are naturally very difficult of Access were defended by several Forts It contain'd four thousand Houses as the Armenians report but if we judge by its Ruines it never could contain half the number At present there are nothing but Holes and Caverns made in the Mountains fitter for Beasts then Men. I do not believe there is in the world a more barren or hideous Place then that of Old Julfa where there is neither Tree nor Grass to be seen True it is that in the Neighbourhood there are some Places more happy and fertile yet on the other side it is as true that never was any City seated in a Situation more dry and stony But the Figure of it somewhat recompens'd the Situation resembling a long Amphitheater At present there are not above thirty Families in it which are all Armenians Abas the Great was the Prince that ruin'd Julfa and all that Art had contributed to its Fortification Which he did for the same reason that he ruin'd Nacchivan and other Places of Armenia to hinder the Turkish Armies from Provisions For he being a prudent and Politick Captain finding his Forces inferior to those of his Enemies and studious how to prevent their return every year into Persia their winning and preserving their Conquests resolv'd to make a Desart of all the Country between Erzerum Tauris upon the line of Erivan and Nacchivan which was the road which the Turks usually observ'd and where they fortifi'd themselves because they found provisions sufficient for the support of their Armies To that purpose therefore he transplanted all the Inhabitants and Cattel ruin'd all the Houses and Buildings fird all the Country burnt up all the Turf and the Trees poyson'd the very Springs as the History relates and they who have read the Story well know that it had an effect answerable to his wishes But to return to our lists Araxes is that famous River that separates Armenia from Media It takes its Rise from the Mountain where they affirm that Noah's Ark rested and perhaps it may derive its name from that Mountain From thence it empties its self into the Caspian Sea This River is very Large and very Rapid In it's Course it is augmented by several lesser streams that have no name as also by several Torrents Bridges have been built over it several times above Julfa but though they made 'em never so strong and massie as appears by the Arches which are yet intire they were not able to withstand the force of the River It becomes so furious when swell'd by the Thaws of the Snow that falls down melted from the neighbouring Mountains that no Damms or other Fortifications can withstand it And in truth the very Noise of the Waters and the Rapidness of it's Course astonish both the Ears and Eyes of all that come near it We ferri'd over it in a large Boat made to carry twenty Horse and thirty Persons at a time But I would not suffer any to go along with me at the same time but my own People and my own Baggage It had four men to manage it They row'd up about three hundred paces along the shoar a this side then let the Barque drive us back with the stream and so by the help of a long and strong Rudder guided the Boat to the other side The current carry'd it with an unspeakable Impetuosity so that we ran five hundred Paces in an instant And thus it is that the Ferrymen cross the River Araxes They allow themselves two hours to go and come by reason of the time they must spend in pulling up against the stream But in the Winter when the Waters are low you may pass it upon the Camels Backs the Ford being half a mile from Julfa in a part where the Channel being very broad the current is much more gentle We have said that Araxes separates Armenia from Media This Country that formerly rul'd all Asia with Imperial Dominion at present makes but one part of a Province of Persia which the Persians call Azerbeyan or Asupaican However it is one of the largest in the Persian Empire It borders to the East upon the Caspian Sea and Hyrcania to the South upon the Province of the Parthians To the West upon the River Araxes and the upper Armenia to the North upon Dagestan which is that Mountainous Country that consines upon the Cosaque Muscovites and makes a part of Mount Taurus It encloses all the Eastern Media call'd by the ancient Authors Azarca and the Western or lesser Media which they likewise call Atropatia or Atropatene Assyria is a part of the upper Armenia The Persians assirm that this Place was call'd Azer-beyan that is the Country of Fire by reason of the famous Temple of Fire which was there erected where was kept their Fire which the Fire-worshippers held to be a God and because the chief Pontiff of that Religion resided there The Guebres who are all that are left of the Fire-worshippers shew this place about two days journey distant from Shamaki They assure us for a certain truth that the sacred Fire is still there that it resembles a Mineral and subterraneall Fire and that they who repair thither out of Devotion see it in the form of a Flame Nay they add one particular more which is a sort of pleasant story that if you make a hole in the ground and set a pot over it that same fire will cause it to seeth and boyles all that is in the Pot. To return to the Name of Azer-beyan the Etymologie is true for Az is the Article of the Genitive Er or Ur in old Persian as in most part of the Ancient Oriental Idioms signifies Fire and Beyan signifies a Place or Country I am not ignorant that some people read and pronounce it Asur-paican and affirm that this geat Province wasso call'd because it contains Assyria which in the opinion of all Authors deriv'd its Name from Assur which is the same thing in my Opinion for I am apt to think that the Name of Assur comes from Az Ur that is of Fire Moses speaking of Nimrod that Idolatrous Prince who introduced the Worship of Fire and invaded Chaldea the share and Patrimony of Sem tells us that the Sons of that Patriarch retir'd thither and that Ashur was one Now 't is very probable that this Ashur was so call'd from his retiring thither or from the worship of Fire or from Chaldea which was then call'd the Country of Fire as appears C. 11. of Genesis and in all the ancient Authors who unanimously agree that Chaldea was call'd the Country
of Ur or the Country of Fire And Ptolomy makes mention of a City in that Country which is call'd Urcoa that is to say the place of Fire ga with a long or a double a being a Persian word that signifies a Place or Part of a Country But the Ancient Names have been so corrupted by the negligence or ignorance of Transcribers or by the differences of Language and Pronuntiation of Authors and Translators that when we come to compare the Ancients with the modern Name we must not reject every thing that has not an entire Resemblance Now what we have already said shews us the Errors of those who have written that Azer-beyan is the Northern Part of Syria and that the word of Azer-beyan is deriv'd from Ardoebigara which was the Capital City of the Country The Persians divide it into three parts Azer-beyan Shirvan and Shamalei Strabo divides it only into two parts the greater and the lesser but as for Ptolomie and other modern Geogrophers they make no division of it at all The 14. we travell'd five leagues through a Country full of little Hills following the same course as the days before that it is to the North-West leaving that spacious Plain upon the left hand which has been the Stage of so many Bloody Battels fought in the last ages and in the beginning of this between the Persians and Turks The people of the Country shew you a great heap of Stones affirm it to be the Place where that Battel began between Selim the Son of Solymon the Great and Ismahel the Great Our days Journey ended at Alacou The Persians assert that this place was so call'd Alacou by that famous Tartar Prince who conquer'd a great Part of Asia and there founded a City ruin'd during the Wars between the Turks and Persians The 15. our Journey was not so long as the day before but the way through which we travell'd was more smooth and easie We lodg'd at Marant which is a good fair Town consisting of about two thousand five hundred houses and which has so many Gardens that they take up as much ground as the Houses It is seated at the bottom of a little Hill at the end of a Plain which is a league broad and five long and which is one of the most lovely and fairest that may be seen a little River call'd Zelou-lou running through the middle of it from which the people of the Country cut several Trenches to water their Grounds and their Gardens Marant is better peopl'd than Nacchivan and a much fairer Town There grows about it great plenty of Fruits and the best in all Media But that which is most peculiar to these Parts is this that they gather Cocheneel in the Places adjoyning though not in any great quantity nor for any longer time then only eight days in the Summer when the Sun is in Leo. Before that time the People of the Country assure us that it does not come to Maturity and after that time the Worm from whence they draw the Cocheneel makes a hole in the lease upon which it grows and is lost The Persians call Cocheneel Quermis from Querm which signifies a Worme because it is extracted out of Worms Marant is seated 37. deg 50. min. of Lat. and 81. deg 15. min. of Longit. according to the observation of the Persians Some take it for the City which Ptolemy calls Mandagarana I made no Platform of it no more then I did of Nacchivan because neither their Fame nor their Beauty seem'd to me to be worth any such Pains The Armenians have a Tradition that Noah lies buried there and that the Name of the City is deriv'd from an Armenian word which signifies to bury You may descry from Marant when the Air is clear the Place where the Ark rested which sav'd the Patriarch from the Deluge You may also see the same Mountain from Tauris in a serene Sky as the People of the Country assure us The 16. we travelled four Leagues turning always among the Mountains that come very close one to another in several parts but never joyn By ten of the Clock in the morning we arriv'd at Sophian a little Village seated in a Plain full of Rivulets and Gardens the Soyl of which is fertile to a wonder Some Authors believe it to be the Ancient Sophia of Media Others hold that it was call'd Sophian from the Sophi's who settled there when Ismael the First left Ardevil and remov'd his Court to Tauris That Evening Mr. Azarias the honest Armenian already mention'd went before with my Pasports and Letters of Recommendation from the Governors of Georgia and Armenia I ordered him to find out the Toll-gatherer of Tauris and to desire him in my Name to give order that I might pass with my Retinue and the next day I found he had discharg'd his Trust and that care had been taken to leave such orders at the Gates as I desir'd That day being the Seventeenth we arriv'd at Tauris after we had travell'd six Leagues upon the same Road as the preceding days through fair and fertile Plains where all the Lands were till'd and where we had a Prospect of a great number of Villages It is fifty three Persian Leagues every one of which makes five thousand Paces between Irivan and Tauris which may be easily rid on Horseback in Six days but the Caravans take double the Time The Camels seldom travel above four Leagues aday and carry six or seven Hundred weight the Horses and Mules seldom carry above two Hundred and Twenty weight with a Man and travel five or six Leagues a day There are in Tauris two hundred and fifty Mosques of which the Principal are mark'd in the Copper Plate I shall not say any thing of any one in particular because they are no otherwise built then the fair Mosquees in the Capital City of the Kingdom of which you will find in the following Volume both Descriptions and Platforms The Mosquee of Ali-sha is almost totally ruin'd Only they have repair'd the lower part where the People go to Prayers and the Tower which is very high and is the first that discovers its self to the Eye coming from Erivan This Mosque was built about 400 years ago by Coja Ali-sha Grand Visir to Sultan Kazan King of Persia who kept his Court at Tauris and was there buried His sepulchre is still to be seen in a great ruin'd Tower which they call by his name Monar can Kazan The Mosque which they call the Master Apprentise which lyes half in Ruins at present was built three hundred and twenty years ago by Emir-sheic-Hassen That which is mark'd with the Letter O in the Plate is the fairest in all Tauris all the inside and some part of the outside being guilt with Gold It was built in the year 878 of the Hegyra by a Persian King call'd Geoncha or King of the World That with two Towers is a very small one but both the Towers
more easie to the Pursuers But if this were so observable that which I am going to say is no less remarkable which is That they assur'd me that in the parts adjoyning to Tauris there grow no less then threescore sorts of Grapes Not far from the City in the neighbouring Parts are to be seen great Quarries of white Marble of which there is a sort that is transparent The People of the Country affirm it to be the water of a Mineral Fountain congeal'd and hardne'd by degrees and indeed there are not far from it two considerable Mines the one of Gold and the other of Salt But there has been no working in the Gold Mine for this long time because they always found that the Profit never defray'd the Expences of the Labour There are also several mineral Waters Of which the most frequented are those of Baringe half a League from Tauris and those of Seid-Kent another Village which is six Leagues from the City These Waters are sulphureous but there are others that are cold others boyling hot I do not know whether there be any City in the World concerning the Original and first Name of which there is a greater Dispute among Modern Authors We shall produce the Opinion of the most celebrated only it will not be amiss in the first place to take notice that the Persians call the City Tebris and that when we call it Tauris as the People of Europe generally do it is only in compliance with the common Custom and to the end I may be the better understood Teixera Olearius and some other Authors maintain that Tauris is that City which Ptolomy in the fifth Table of Asia calls Gabris the G. being put in the stead of T. an Alteration frequent in the Greek Language as they assert Leonclavius Jovius and Aython will have it to be that City which the same Ancient Geographer calls Terva instead of Tevra by a transposition of the Letters of the word But Terva being plac'd in Armenia and it being certain that Tauris is seated in Media those two Names can never be appropriated to the same City So that without doubt the Resemblance of the word deceiv'd those Authors Tebris is a Persian word and was given to the City in the year 165. of the Hegyra as we shall declare more at large And therefore in regard it was several years ago since Ptolomy wrote we must believe that Terva and Gabris are both very different from Tauris Niger asserts it to be Tigranoama other Authors take it to be Tigranocerta Some there are of Opinion that it is the Susa of Media so famous in Scripture tho others believe it to be the City which in the Book of Esdras is call'd Acmatha or Amatha Some place it in Assyria as Ptolomy and his Interpreter Others in Armenia as Niger Cedrenus Aython and Jovius Marcus Paulus Venetus places it in the Country of the Parthians Calchondylas removes it a little farther that is to say into the Province of which Persepolis was formerly the Metropolis In short there is a strange Confusion in the Variety of Opinions upon this Subject But the most rational in my Opinion is that of Molets who has translated and commented upon Ptolomy of Ananias Ortelius Golnits Teixera de la Vall Atlas and almost all the modern Geographers that Tauris is the Ancient and Celebrated Ecbatana so frequently mention'd in Holy Writ and in the Ancient Sories of Asia Minadoi an Italian Author if I am not deceiv'd has set forth a Treatise to prove it However give me leave to add this that there are no Remainders to be seen at Tauris either of the Magnificent Palace of Ecbatana where the Monarchs of Asia kept their Courts in Summer nor of that of Daniel which was afterwards the Mausoleum for the Kings of Media of which Josephus speaks in his tenth Book and which he assures us stood entire in his time If then these stately and magnificent Palaces were standing not above sixteen Ages ago in the Place where Tauris now stands the very Ruins themselves are now not to found For among all those that are to be seen within the Circuit of that City there are none but what are of Earth Brick or Flint which were not Materials anciently made use of in Media for the building of sumptuous Palaces The Persian Historians unanimously agree the Time when the Foundations of Tauris were laid to be in the year 165. of the Hegyra but they do not concur in other particulars Some ascribe the Foundation of it to the Wife of Haron-Reshid Califf of Bagdad call'd Zebd-el-Caton which signifies the Flower of Ladies They report that she being desperately sick a Median Physitian cur'd her in a short time For which the Princess not knowing what Reward to give him bid him make choice of his Recompence where upon the Physitian desir'd that she would build a City in his Country to the Honor of his Memory Which after she had perform'd with great Care and Diligence he call'd the City Tebris as a Memorial that it ow'd its Original to Physick For that Teb signifies Physic and Ris is the Participle of Ricten to power forth scatter abroad or give a Largess This is what some relate to which there are others that tell a Story not much unlike For they say that Halacoucan General to Haron Reshid having been two years sick of a Tertian Ague of which he never expected to be cur'd was strangely deliver'd from his Distemper by an Herb which he found in the same place where Tauris now stands And that to perpetuate the Memory of such a fortunate Cure he built this City and call'd it Tebrift the Ague is gone For Teb signifies also an Ague and rift comes from the Verb Reften to go away But that afterwards either by Corruption or because it runs smoother upon the Tongue it was call'd Tebris instead of Tebrift Mirzathaer one of the most Learned Persons of Quality that are in Persia the Son of Mirza Ibrahim Treasurer of the Province gave me another Reason of the Etymology that is to say that at the Time when this City was built the Air was extremely wholesom and preservative against Agues Which extraordinary Quality drew a world of People to it and that therefore it was call'd Tebris as if man should say the Expeller of Agues The same Lord also further assur'd me that there are in the Kings Treasury at Ispahan certain Medals with the Inscription of that Zebd-el-Caton which were found at Marant a city near to Tauris with a great number of others both of Gold and Silver being the Coyns of the Ancient Kings of Media And that he had observ'd others with Greek Figures and Inscriptions wherein he remembred the word Dakianous And then he ask'd me if I knew who that Dakianous was To which I answer'd that I did not understand the name but that it might be very probably the Name of Darius In the 69. year after the
much Rain and that the Soil is fruitful of it self whatever ancient Authors have wrote to the contrary the Parthian Air is dry to the extremest degree insomuch that for six Months together you shall neither see any Rain or any Clouds but the Soil is sandy and Nature produces nothing without good Husbandry and Pains The Country of the Parthians which was so long the Seat of the Empire of Asia is the largest and principal Province of the Persian Monarchy It is all the proper demeans of the King nor has it any Governor as the most part of the rest of the Provinces The Persians bound it to the East by the Province of Corasson or Coromitrena to the South by that of Fars which is properly Persia to the West by Azerbeyan or Media to the North by Guilan and Maganderaan which compose the Province of Hyrcania This Province extends it self at least two hundred Leagues in length and an hundred and fifty Leagues in breadth The Air is very dry and and the most healthy for the most part of any in the world It is more mountainous then level The Mountains are also very bare and to speak in general terms produce nothing but Thistles and Briers but the Plains are very fertile and pleasant where there is any Water otherwise the Soyl is very barren This large Province contains above forty Cities which is very much in Persia as not being an Empire peopl'd proportionably to its Extent The Orientals call the Country of Parthia Arac-agem that is to say Persian Arack They call it likewise Balad-el-Gebel or the Country of the Mountains for the reason 's already recited My Opinion is that the Scythians from whom as ancient Authors hold the Parthians deriv'd their Original were the lesser Tartars that inhabit to the North of Persia now call'd Yuzbecs and formerly Bactrians and that that same Arsaces who founded the Empire of the Parthians was a Native of the same Country with Tamerlan Halacou and those other Tartar Princes that made such great and famous Conquests in the Ages last past The 3d. we travell'd four Leagues keeping on to the South as when we first set out of Tauris the Road was very good only we had Mountains very near us upon the right and left hand We lay at Sirsham which is a large Inn adjoyning to three or four small Villages but seated in a sandy and dry Soyl and there the Officers that gather the Duties upon Goods transported out of the Kingdom keep their Post The 4th we travell'd seven Leagues through bushy Plains and Sands and we were forc'd to make several windings and turnings by reason of several Mole-Hills and little Sand-Hills in our way Nevertheless both on one the side and t'other at a distance we could see a Champian Country very delightful and fertile and Villages here and there which yielded a very delightful Prospect the River Zenjan wat'ring those Villages We lay at a large Caravanseray call'd Nichè built between five spacious Villages The 5th we travell'd six Leagues through a Road more pleasant and less crooked and observing the same Course as the day before and lodg'd at Zerigan a little City that contains not above two thousand Houses It is seated in a very narrow Plain between two Mountains that enclose it not above half a League one from the other The Soyl of Zerigan is fertile and pleasant and the Air wholsome and cool in the Summer The City without is surrounded with Gardens that yield both Pleasure and Profit but within the Town there is nothing remarkable but the great Ruins SULTANIE The 6th Our road lay through a Country the most lovely delightful that every Eye beheld through a fair Plain where the road was level and very straight Several pleasant Streams glide through it that render the Soyl very fertil The whole Plain is so strow'd with Villages that they are hardly to be number'd with so many Groves and Gardens that for me the most pleasant Land-skips and charming Prospects in the World We alighted after a journey of five Leagues at a Caravanserai call'd Queurk-boulag over against and within a good Canons shot of Sultanie This City is seated at the foot of a Mountain as you may see by the Draught which I have made of it It seems a far off very neat and well built and inflames a Man with a Curosity to see it but when you approach near it it ceases to be the same thing and appears less beautiful then when ye are within it Yet there are some publick Buildings very remarkable as well for the Structure as the Architecture together with about three thousand Habitations The people of the Country affirm that this City took up formerly half a League of Ground more to the West then it does and that the ruin'd Churches Mosques and Towers which are to be seen at that distance on that side stood in the heart of the City Which probably may be true seeing that Histories assure us that it was once the Metropolis and biggest City of the Kingdom nor are there many Cities in the world where there are vaster Ruins to be seen Provision also is there very plentiful and very cheap The Air is likewise very wholesome but subject to change For in all the Seasons it changes almost every hour The Evenings Nights and Mornings being cold but all the day long very hot from one Extreme to another Sultany lies in 36. deg 18. min. of Latitude and 48. deg 5. min. of Longitude and is govern'd by a Sultan Some Histories of Persia relate that this City is one of the most ancient in all the Country of the Parthians but that it is not known who was the Founder Others on the other side affirm that the foundations of it were laid when the Sun was in Leo by the order and in the Reign of Ergon-Can the Son of Abkei-Can and Grand-child of Halacou-Can and that because it could not be finish'd in his days his Son Jangou-Sultan compleated the work and call'd it Sultania or the Royal City For Sultan properly signifies a King from whence comes Seltenet the usual Persian word for a Kingdom or Monarchy And the Monarchs of Asia who reign'd since the seventh Age assum'd to themselves the Titles of Souldans from whence came the Title of Soldan given to the last King 's of Egypt and that of the Emperors of Turkey who call themselves Sultans Nevertheless I have heard some learned Men say that this City was never call'd Sultanié or Royal till the time that the last Kings of Persia who also assum'd the title of Sultans came to keep their Courts in this Place On the other side if this City were built out of the Ruins of Tigranocerta as several Modern European Authors maintain it may be said that the name which now it bears was form'd out of that Ancient Name For Certa in old Prsian signifies a City so that Tigranoterta signifies no more then the City of Tigranes who
Remainders of the Splendour of the first Mahumetans who invaded Persia The Houses of Cashan are built of Earth and Bricks of which there few that are remarkable But the Bazars and Baths are lovely Structures well built and well kept There are also several Inns. That which is call'd the Royal Inn without the City joyning to the Gate that looks toward the East is the fairest not only in Cashan but in all Persia It is four square every front within-side being two hundred Geometrical Paces and two Stories with an Anti-Chamber or Hollowness below that runs all-along the length of the two Fronts rais'd about the height of a man above the Court and four Inches below the level of the Chamber It is eight foot deep pav'd with white Marble almost as transparent as Pophiry The Stories on the sides contain fifteen Chambers of the same Figure the two others had but ten with a large one in the middle having five Chambers The other Apartments consisted of one Chamber fifteen foot long and ten broad high and vaulted with a Chimney in the middle and a square Portico before ten foot wide cover'd with a half Duomo with a Contrivance for a Chimney on each side which was for the Servants to lodge in The second Story was contriv'd like that below with a Baluster four foot high that let in the the Light and ran round the Structure In the Geometrical Part of the Draught you may perceive a Hexagonal in the midst of the Entrance every Front of which is a large Shop where are to be sold all manner of Belly-Timber Wood and Forrage The Entrance is under a high and magnificent Portal adorn'd with Mosaic Work like all the rest of the Buildding and upon the sides runs a Portico where you may lie in the day time as conveniently and as pleasantly as in the Inn it self The Fountain in the middle of the Court is rais'd above five foot and the Brims of it are four foot broad for the Convenience of those that will say their Prayers after they have perform'd their Purifications THE GREAT INN IN CASHAN There is also somewhat that does not appear in the Draught that is to say the hinder part of the Carevanseray which is worthy to be observ'd in this place For it consists of very large Stables with places for Servants and Luggage built almost according to the same Symmetry as the Apartments already mention'd at least as to the Form and Bigness of store-Houses and Lodgings for the Poor and the Country people that bring their Goods to sell and the large Gardens that lie behind this lovely Palace of a Caravanseray no less famous for its Founder Abas the Great who caus'd this sumptuous Structure to be erected Near adjoyning to it stands the Palace Royal and over against it another design'd for the Lodging of Embassadors Both the one and the other with very large Gardens behind 'em were built at the Charges of that Renowned Monarch besides that there is in the middle a void Space for their Carousels and other Exercises on Horseback The Wealth and Trade of Cashan consists in the Manifactuary of all sorts of Silk Stufs and Tissues of Gold and Silver There is not made in any place of Persia more Sattin Velvet Tabby Plain Tissue and with Flowers of Silk or Silk mingled with Gold and Silver then is made in this City and the Parts round about it so that one single Borrough in this Territory contains a thousand Houses of Silk-Weavers That which is call'd Aron seeming at a distance to be a good big City as containing in it no less than two thousand Houses and six hundred Gardens It is about two Leagues from Cashan The City of Cashan stands in a good Air but violently hot insomuch that it is ready to stifle yee in the Summer Which extream Heat is occasion'd by its Situation as lying near a high Mountain oppos'd to the South The Reverberation of which so furiously heats the place in the Dog-Days that it scalds again Besides there is one greater Inconvenience more troublesome and more dangerous which is the great number of Scorpions that infest those parts at all times especially when the Sun is in Scorpio Travellers are terribly threatned by 'em And yet for my part thanks be to God I never saw any in all the time that I pass'd through the Country Neither could I hear of any great Mischief that they had done It is said that Abas the Great 's Astrologers in the Year 1623. invented a Talisman to deliver the City from those Vermin since which time there has not appear'd so many as before But there is no Credit to be given to these idle stories no more then to that same other that if Travellers stopping at Cashan are but careful at their entrance into their Inns to speak these words Scorpious I am a Stranger meddle not with me no Scorpion will come near ' em For these are meet Tales However certain it is that their sting is very dangerous And therefore it has given occasion to an Imprecation frequently in the Mouths of the Persians May the Scorpions of Cashan sting thy Golls However there is no Body but has by him several soveraign Remedies against the sting of this Creature This City lies in 35. deg 35. min. of Lat. and 86. deg of Longitude Cattel and wild Fowl are not very plentiful in those parts but it abounds in Corn and Fruits They carry from thence to Ispahan the first Melons and Water-Melons which are eaten in that City which they furnish with vast numbers as long as the season for Fruit endures Several European Authors hold Cashan to be same place which the Ancient Greek Authors call Ambrodux or else that which was call'd Ctesiphon of the Country of the Parthians The Persian Historiansaver that it owes its Restauration to Zebd-leca-ton the Wife of Haron-Reshid Califf of Bagdat They observe moreover that this Princess was a Virgin when she first began to build the City and that for that reason she laid the first Stone when the Sun enter'd Virgo She gave it the name of Casan in honour of Casan her Grand-father the Grand-child of Haly who di'd and was enterr'd in that Place of which there happened some alteration afterwards through the error of poining For it is well known to people versed in the Eastern Languages that such a mistake so easily committed changes the letter S into that which is call'd Shin Tamerlan being become Master of this City spar'd it in a Humour as they say when he had destroy'd almost all the other Cities of Persia It is call'd by another name Darel-mou-menin or the Habitation of the Faithful either because the Descendants from Aly and his first Followers made it a Sanctuary and Retreat during the Persecutions of the Califfs who would not embrace his Opinions but held a contrary belief or else because a great number of the Descendants of that Califf lie there enterr'd
131. The Authors Servant finds a great parcel of Jewels which he gave for lost 125 c. He demands Justice of the Prince 130. He is robb'd a second time by a Mingrelian 148. He resolves for Georgia 151 c. Tax'd 20 Crowns by Sabatar 152. His usage at Gony 158. His Goods arrive safe at Mingrelia 161 162 c. Advises with the Capuchins at Gory 170. His Journey from Gory to Cotalis 173 c. His dispute with one of his Servants there 178 He waits upon the King of Imiretta 180. He returns to Gori 183. His Reception by the Governor of Tifflis 224 c. By the Governor of Irivan 254 c. Azerbeyan 350. B. BAcrat Mirza King of Imiretta 136 Baptism of the Mingrelians p. 101 Basha of Akalzikè invades Imiretta dethrones one and set up another King 147 Bichni in Armenia and Monastery belonging to it 244 Black-Sea the Description of it 155 C. CAffa describ'd 68 The Kingdom of Kaket subject to the Persians 206 Carthuel a Province of Persia 188 Casbin the Description of it 378 Cashan the Description of it 411 Cassem-abad 411 Cherks a savage people 76 An Account of Christian Corsaires in the Archipelago 3. The grounds of the Candy War 53 c. The Caous a sort of Giants 371 Carashiman a fair Village in Persia 371 Casbin describ'd 378 c. Colchis the Description of it 77 c. Com the Description of it 390 Cotatis describ'd 177 Cotzia betrays Darejan 146. Slain himself by Treachery ibid Couh-Telisme a famous Mountain 389 Coolom-sha the King's Slave 257 Their Employment ibid. Cuperli Mahamet Basha made Grand Visir 15. He resents the French Embassadors slights 16. The most remarkable Passages of his Life 57 c. Cupri kent 239 D. DAdian the Title of the Prince of Mingrelia He is guilty of the Robbery committed upon the Author 131 Darejan Daughter to the last King of Georgia would have married her Son in Law 136. Her wicked Pranks to continue her self in the Dominion 137 c. She marries Vactangle one of her Lords 137 which causes a Revolt of the rest ibid. Bitray'd 138. her tragick End 145 Darejan Levans Aunt and Wife 134 She sets up her Son Vomeki 136 Deria-shirin or the Lake of Irivan describ'd 247 Dily-jan and the Country about it 240 E. EBber the Description of it 377 Echmiazin or the Monastery of the three Churches 249 Echmouil a place famous for the Pilgrimages of the Persians 387 F. FEast the order of a Nuptial Feast in Persia 226 Two Fryers Commissioners for the Holy Land their claim at the Port 39 c. Their large Offers to the Turk and the Reasons 45 G. GEnoeses maintain a Consul at Smyrna 11 George Prince of Libardian 134 his Wife is taken from him ibid. He dies for grief 135 Georgia the Description of it 186 c. the Religion of the Countrey 192 Conquer'd by Ishmael the the Great 193. The History of Georgia ibid c Revolts from the Persian and conquer'd by Rustan Kan 203 Gonie describ'd 185 Gori describ'd 188 Guriel the Description of it p 105 its tribute to the Turks 106 H. MOnsieur de la Haye French Embassador at the Port 15 16 16 19 recall'd 20 Monsieur de la Hay the Son Embassador 21 22 23 24 c recall'd 28 The best Horses in Persia where bred 370 Huns whence originally 106 I. I Miretta the Description of it 106 its Tribute to the Turks ibid The Title of the Prince 107 descended from David 108 Impositions upon the French at Constantinople 10 Ioseph the Prince of Mingrelia's Brother endeavours Levan's Assassination 135 his Eyes pull'd out 136 Irivan describ'd 245 Isgaour the Description of it 108 Julfa the Old otherwise Ariamene 347 K. KEsil-beusè a River 374 Koskeirou a famous Inn 385 Kotzia a Lord of Imiretta he procures the murder of Vomeki 140 L. A Copy of the Viceroy of Georgia's haughty Letter 230 A Letter of Recommendation from a Persian Grandee 222 another 367 Levan Dadian Prince of Imiretta the Story of him 132 c. M. MArant the Description of it 351. The place where the Ark rested not far from it 352 Marriages among the Mingrelians p 102 Matrimony in Persia 295 Media the Description of it 349 Miana a Persian Town 372 Mingrelians their opinion of Confession 102 of Ordination ibid. they understand not the Bible p. 103 Their Fasts ibid. their Opinion of the Sign of the Cross ibid. their Prayers ibid. their Sacrifices ibid they work on Sundays 104 their chief Festivals ibid their Mourning ibid their Tribute to the Turks 107 the Title of their Princes 107 descended from David 108 fearful of danger 152 Popish Missionaries slighted in Georgia 211 The Mountain where Noah's Ark rested 252 Moutshacour a large Village 416 Music not us'd in the Mahometan Religion 229 N. NAcchivan the Description of it 346 The Deputy Governor uncivil to the Author 349 Turkish Navigation 66 M. Noyntel French Embassador at the Port 28 c his Negotiation frustrated 44 O. OTta Chekaizè betrays Q. Darejan 138 Oyl Sacred call'd Myrone p. 101 P. PArthia the Air and Description of the Country 373 The Vice roy of Georgias Pass 236 The Governor of Irivan's Pass 342 Mirza-Thair's Pass 368 The King of Persia's Patent 236 The Patriarch of Armenia a Story of his Extravagance 333. ill us'd by the Governor of Irivan 365 Pervarè a Village of Persia 372 The River Phasis 156 Policy of the Turks surpasses the Europeans 51 The Plain suppos'd to be the place where Darius was murder'd 416 Pride of the Georgians and Eastern people 230 Q. SEnior Quirini Agent for the Venetians at the Port. 50 R. REy formerly a vast City in Persia 387 A great Robbery committed upon the Persian Caravan 363 Roman Catholicks in Persia 346. An Embassador from the Pope in their behalf ibid. how us'd in Georgia 350 Rustan-Can his vertues 366 S. SAbatar Owner of the Fortress where the Author secur'd himself 149 c. Sapias the Description of it 119 Sava a City of Persia describ'd 386 Scorpions where troublesome in Persia 413 Sephi-Kouli-Kan Governor of Irivan 256 Mahamed Sephi's Letter of Recommendation 343 Segs-abad 385 Mr. Sesè the French Embassador farms the Customs of Constantinople and Smyrna p. 10 Shaboni the fairest Grape in Persia 380 Shanavas Can Vice roy of Georgia 139. he is offer'd the Kingdom of Imiretta for his Son Archylus if he would expel the Mingrelians ib. He invades Imiretta 140 Shemashè 188. the place where Noah dwelt 189 Sirsham a Parthian Inn. 374 Slaves at what rate sold in Mingrelia 114 Several Persian Songs 402 Stones a wonderful Pile 371 Sophian thought the ancient Sophia of Media 352 King of Spain his health drank by the Governor of Tifflis 230 The Governor of Tifflis how akin to him ibid. Sultanie the Description of it 375 The Sun troublesome where the Snow lies all day 244 Suram in Georgia 188 T TAuris the Descriptivn of it 352 c.
rid themselves therefore from these Fears they resolved between themselves to throw the Election upon the Youngest of all Habas's Sons who being as yet but an Infant would in all likelihood continue a long time under the Tuition of his Mother and his Ministers from whom they could not expect to suffer any thing that was Fatal or Dreadful And here we must observe that Habas the second left behind him two Sons or at least I never heard that he left any more Nor is it known whether he left any Daughters or no. For what is done in the Womens Apartment is a Mystery concealed even from the Grandees and Prime Ministers Or if they know any thing it is meerly upon the account of some particular Relation or dependence which the Secret has to some peculiar Affair which of necessity must be imparted to their Knowledg For my part I have spared neither for pains nor cost to sift out the Truth But I could never discover any more only that they believed he never left any Daughter behind him that lived A man may walk a Hundred days one after another by the House where the Women are and yet know no more what is done there than at the farther end of Tartary Now of these two Sons of Habas the Eldest who was called Sofie-Mirza was then entring into his one and twentieth Year being Born in the year of the Egire 1057. for the superstition of the Persians will not let us know the Month or the Day Their Addiction to Astrology is such that they carefully conceal the Moments of their Prince's Birth to prevent the Casting their Nativities where they might meet perhaps with something which they should be unwilling to know His Father begot him at Eighteen years of Age enamoured of a Circassian Slave or Cherkes in the Persian Language whose extraordinary Beauty and rare Endowments so won the Affection of that Monarch that she was the first of all his Women that he chose for a Wife For which reason during her Husbands Life she was called Nekaat Kanum or the Lawful Dutchess tho there were also other Women which were his Lawful Wives according to the Law and Custom of that Country This Eldest Son according to Custom was bred up in the Womens Palace and committed to the Care of certain Eunuchs under the Eye of his Mother and his Nurse who was a Lady of great Quality and the Wife of Mustaufie-Elmemalek which according to the force of the Persian words signifies a Watcher over Kingdoms There he was bred up with all the Tenderness and Pomp that his High Birth required and enjoyed all the Liberty that could be allowed to a Person of his Quality which was to go up and down over all that spacious Palace where he pleased himself for to go further into the Mens Apartments is by no means permitted those young Princes When he arrived at the Age of seventeen Years an Accident befel him that rendered his Confinement much more close For it happened that an Eunuch brought him some Peices of Cloth of Tissue at what time the Prince being of a haughty Temper and not thinking them Rich enough rejected them with very scornful and slighting Language nor was he better pleased when it was told him that the Peices were sent him by the Order of the King his Father Which being carried back and perhaps aggravated to the jealous Monarch his Majesty believing that the overmuch Liberty which was allowed the young Prince did but serve to heighten his Arrogance and augment his natural Pride confined him to the remotest Part of all the Palace Some persons were of opinion that he would have caused his Eyes to have been put out But when they found that the Walls of the Place to which he was confined were ordered to be raised the more Intelligent Sort believed that the King would not proceed to that Extremity of Rigour for that he would not have been so careful to prevent the Escape of one that was Blind whose Misfortune would have been sufficient to render him incapable to attempt any Enterprize of that nature However when the King was setting forward for Mazendaran in the year 1665. according to our Computation his Actions were such that even the Grandees and most Politick Courtiers began to suspect that he had then determined the Dreadful Execution For he was not gone above Eight Leagues from Ispahan when he turned back again of a sudden toward the City with a very small Retinue without imparting his Design to any one of all his Favourites but when he arrived all that he did was to enter unexpected into the Womens Apartment where after he had staid about two hours he came forth again very Pensive and Melancholy Of which the Courtiers not being able to conjecture any other apparent Cause attributed it to some Fatal Resolution which the King had taken against the Prince his Son Tho as it appeared afterwards they were all deceived in their judgments and that there was another Motive that put him upon this swift and sudden return For as to what concerned this Young Prince his Father was satisfied with his close Confinement in a Quarter of the Apartment remote from the rest in the Company of his Mother and such Ladies as the King had appointed to attend her without stinting her any Number commiting him also to the farther care of the Great Eunuch Aga-Nazir or the Perspicacious Lord to observe his Action and to prevent him from attempting any dangerous Enterprize This Word Nazir most usually signifies some Superintendant or General Overfeer And therefore the Person last mentioned besides that he had the Tuition of the Prince was Entrusted also with the Government of the Womens Palace and to overlook the Management of all Affairs of the Royal Houshold in Jepahan an Employment which gave him great Credit and caused him to be respected both in the Court and City In both which Places he was highly esteemed till the Death of his Master being as it were the Lieutenant and next to the Grand Superintendant of the Kingdom who is likewise stil'd the Nazir As for the Younger Son he was about Eight Years of Age when his Father Died being Born in the year of the Egira 1069. of an Iberian Lady or Gurgi as the Persians call them to whom they gave the Title of Nour-Nissa-Kanum which Signifies word for word Dutchess the Light of Women the Young Prince himself being called by the Name of Hamzeh Mirza Tho I never could find or learn the true Signification of this word Hamzeh I must confess in the Persian Language it answers to the word Apostroph in our Tongue but in that sence I do not apprehend how it can signifie a Proper Name Nevertheless a Proper Name it is whether it signifies something or nothing and that must suffice As for the Title of Mirzah it is as much as to say the Son of a Prince as we have observed in another Place where we have
together as old as he was suffer'd horrible totrure stedfast in his resolutions not to make any discovery His Estate being confiscated amounted to twenty five thousand Tomans which make about four hundred thousand Crowns In the mean time at Ispahan there was nothing but publick Rejoycing Feasting Horse-racing with other Sports and Pastimes of the same nature And when day was shut in an infinite number of Lights which they call in that Country Chiragan were hung out all along the Streets round about the Houses and in the great Squares after a most pompous manner insomuch that the night it self might truly be call'd an Artificial day The Young King no less greedily tasted all the pleasures and delight which the full swinge of Liberty unknown what it meant till then gave him opportunity to enjoy Every day he walk'd abroad with his Wives into the parts adjoyning to the City commanding the Kourouk through all the Villages and Towns adjoyning Kourouk signifies a Prohibition to all Men and Boys above seven years of Age upon forfeiture of Life to be seen in any place where the Kings Wives were to pass if he were in their Company All the ways are hung on both sides with such stuff of which they make their Tents to prevent the Women from being seen And notice is given to all the Men to retire home at such an Hour besides that the Guards at two Leagues distance round about were ready to prevent any one from coming near the Places so canvast in Such is their fear lest the Wives should be seen by the Men. For they never hinder the Women from seeing as much as they please It is said that during the five Months from the Coronation of the King till the year 1078. of the Hegira which answers the Spring of our 1667. the King commanded no less then sixty two Kourouks going abroad with his Wives every time and visiting the Places round about Ispahan especially Gioulfa a Town belonging to the Armenians separated from the City only by a River over which he made several large and magnificent Bridges Which shews what power the Women had over the Young Prince that they could cause him to make so many Prohibitions for their sakes only that they might have the pleasure of hunting and walking and breathing in a more sweet and spacious Air then that of their Confinement While the Young King deni'd nothing to his Wives nor his Pleasures he neither refus'd any thing to his Favourites nor to those that begg'd any thing of him insomuch that many persons that were laid aside were taken again into Favour So that the beginning of the New Prince's Reign was like a year of Jubilee that sets open the Prison Doors They that had never so few friends at Court might easily be admitted provided none of the Grandees oppos'd their entrance Mirza-Rezi or the submissive Prince was one of those persons out of favour and Prisoners of whom we have made mention The deceased King had confin'd him to his Palace and had confiscated all his Estate to the value of twelve thousand pounds yearly revenue and this because that although he was blind he would assume to himself the disposal and management of a Legacy of six thousand Crowns a year which one of his Ancestors had left to the Mosquees For the Testator having order'd in his Will that this Revenue should be at the disposal of him that was in the Family to manage it the person to whom the Administration belong'd being dead this blind Lord thought no person more capable then himself and because he was very potent and of the Bloud Royal by the Mothers side who was the Daughter of Habas the Great which was also the reason that they put out his Eyes he resolv'd to get this Administration by force under pretence that he was going out of the World and concern'd himself only about Ecclesiastical Affairs and besides had more wit then all his Family But his Kindred coming to Habas II. and informing him that Mirza-Rezi having had his Eyes put out by the Command of the deceased King his Father on purpose to render him incapable of the Affairs of this World nevertheless went about by force and contrary to Law to meddle in Civil matters The Monarch hearing this grew impatient at his arrogance and after he had given some signs of admiration that a blind man should think himself capable to manage such a a design sent to confiscate all his Estate and commanded him to keep himself confin'd to one single Quarter of his Palace But Sefiè the Second upon his coming to the Crown restor'd him to his favour and return'd him all his Estate without the least diminution But the most considerable who in these Halcyon days of the King 's early Government were releas'd out of Prison and admitted to return to Court was Hali-Kouli-Kaan who had been a Prisoner at Kasbin and who with a boldness altogether surprizing having made his escape from his Guards came and threw himself at the King's Feet The story was this So soon as he understood the News of Habas's decease he conceiv'd great hopes of recovering his Liberty To which purpose he consider'd with himself by what means he might make his escape and get to Ispahan He was resolv'd to beg the King's favour himself believing that not any of the Grandees at Court ow'd him so much kindness as to speak in his behalf only one friend he had and that was the General of the Slaves He not forgetful of the ancient and strict Friendship that had been between them ventur'd three or four times in that privacy which the King allow'd him to represent to his Majesty the misfortune of Hali-Kouli-Kaan but when he saw thatt the Prince return'd him no Answer he sent to the Lord an account of the state of Affairs and advis'd him to come in person and throw himself at the King's Feet for that considering the mildness and sweetness of the new Conjuncture he could run no great Risco These Letters confirm'd Hali-Kouli-Kaan so much the more in the Resolution he had taken because he found himself supported beyond his expectation Thereupon he wrote back to the General of the Slaves return'd him thanks for his kindness toward him besought him to continue it and to take care that he might have Horses laid to be ready at such places and times And when all things were ready he desir'd leave of the Captain of the Guard to let him go a hunting This being a favour which the Captain had granted him several times before he did not then deny him Thereupon he rode forth attended only with four of his most intimate Confidents well mounted and well arm'd Being got into the field he still beat toward Ispahan pretending to hunt but little minding whether he put up any Game or no. But at length having drawn off his Guards a good way from the Town and finding their Horses tir'd toward the close of the Evening
a foot long and tho threescore and ten years of Age he never us'd Spectacles and all his other Senses equally as vigorous as his sight He perform'd his Exercises as duly as the young men nor was he inferiour to any other person whatsoever in handling his Bow his Sword and other Weapons which made him always to be look'd upon as a brave Souldier but the more Intelligent sort never believ'd him a good Captain looking upon him to be fitter for Counsel then Execution He was endu'd with a mixture of Qualities that rarely meet together on the one side haughty and Cholerick on the other subtle and a deep dissembler he knew the proper season to shew the violence of his Revenge and how to take his Measures to the ruine of his Competitors He could not endure to be contradicted and it was the misfortune and the greatest trouble in the World to his Servants that when he ask'd for any thing it was a crime to tell him it was not to be had for without reply they must either put a force upon the very Seasons of the Year and Fortune her self to satisfie him or else expect to have their bones broken with Bastinadoes Setting that humour aside he was affable enough especially to strangers to them he was easie of access and readily granted 'em the favours which they requested He could neither write nor read in any other Language then his own Natural Georgian He was a lover of Sciences tho he understood 'em not He was very much addicted to Predictions and Fortune-telling And out of an extraordinary want of judgment gave more credit to a Prognostication then to sound Reason The same day he di'd he was laid in a Mosque close by his Palace from whence some few days after he was carri'd to Metshed there to be interr'd under the protection of that great Mahometan Saint who formerly had liv'd there and made choice of that place for his Sepulchre It is a thing which we may well wonder at were it not a thing frequent among us in regard these sudden alterations are to be seen as well in our own as in the Eastern Courts For as soon as his dead body was carri'd out of his Palace about six hours after he had giv'n up the Ghost that very House which the day before could hardly contain the Croud that resorted to it was so wholly deserted that there was hardly one of all that numerous Family that environ'd him while alive left to tell a man what was become of their Master His death caus'd a great alteration at Court tho no body was troubl'd at it but the King who had a particular kindness for him But there were an infinite number that rejoyc'd at it especially they who having some share in the favour of which he depriv'd 'em the full Possession now hop'd to make more room for themselves So that the Grandees at Court began to take new Measures and in the midst of those delusions with which their Ambition flatter'd 'em every one fanci'd to himself more daring hopes The Death of this Person which did not a little afflict the King was accompanied with other Tidings no less unwelcome That the Kalmachs a fierce and untameable People had declar'd open War against Persia Whereupon the Governours of Ester-abaat which is the Eastern Hircania besought his Majesty to send 'em requisite Assistance And here it is necessary that we should say something concerning the People and the occasion of the War The Kalmac's derive their Name from Kalmack the principal City of the Country which they inhabit upon the Confines of the greater Tartary toward the Caspian Sea upon the East side Sometimes they are called Yusbeck-Kalmaki but for the most part no otherwise then barely Kalmac Now some years ago it hapn'd that a great number of Turkmans or Shepherds that wander together by thousands up and down the fields and live in Tents like Swallows changing their Habitations according to the Seasons got together upon their Frontiers between Orquenge and Esther-abaat and these People our Modern Autohrs call Tureomans which are properly Turks For these People and those that hold the Empire of Constantinople came at first from Turq-Estaan that is to say from those Provinces of Tartary which are very vast altho we have but little knowledge of ' em And this is also that Country which ought properly to be call'd Turkie and not the Provinces of Asia and Europe possess'd by the Ottomans For the Eastern People never call by that name the Inhabitants of those Provinces nor the Monarch that Commands 'em Great Turk And therefore it is an error of our Europeans in regard the People of Turkie acknowledge no such appellation deeming it Barbarous For that among them Turk signifies one that comes from those High-lands of Tartary let it be from what part it will The Persians therefore to define those Turkmans more distinctly call 'em Sara-Netshin Sara signifying a Plain or Down and Netshin those that abide there from the Verb Netshinen to rest or Repose So that Sara-Netshin signifies those that abide and repose in the Country Now ancient Historians and writers of Travels who understood not the Eastern Languages or at least had but a smattering understanding of 'em call these People Sarazens which word was never pronounc'd at first by a French-man who would surely have pronounc'd it Sarashins In regard French-men pronounce with less trouble the Shin of the Asiatics then some of their Neighbours especially the English who every where write it Zin But to make a true relation of a Country it is necessary that they who describe it should know the Language else they must commit a thousand errors not passable among persons of Judgment of which there needs no other proof then such Relations of Travels which we have seen printed in this Age Not to mention any other then those of Persia of which there are two which are indifferently tolerable Valle's and the Travels of Olearius though the first be full of faults which may be said to be Monstrous and the latter be not altogether exempt And yet they are better then the rest in regard those Authors understood the Persian Language and therefore it is my Opinion that whoever publishes his Travels and Observations of a Country of which he has not learnt the Speech shall never make any perfect and accomplish'd And this digression I did not think would be displeasing to the Curious But to return to our story this Colony of Turcmans was formerly Tributary to the Calmachs but about thirty years ago they took Sanctuary in Persia submitting under the Government of those Princes who commanded the Persian Empire to avoid the oppression of the Calmachs and to find out a less Barren Region and more proper to feed their Flocks During all which Interval of time the Calmachs had taken no notice of the Turcmans but in the year 1667. judging Persia to be in a weak condition under a young
upon the Dominions of the Persian Empire as well as in other places The Governour of Kandaar was one of the first who felt the fatal Influences of this Comet by his fall and death which happen'd at the same time upon this occasion For the better understanding of which we must go back to the Story of his Life where we left off to bring him in a few words to his End We left him going to Kandaar with his Recruits where so soon as he arriv'd he found no likelihood of any War Nor indeed did he expect any such thing only he himself had caus'd the Rumour to be spread abroad to obtain the Government and to disincumber himself from those Troubles which his turbulent and wicked Conduct had drawn upon himself But no sooner was he arriv'd in that City but he began to appear in his own Colours not so much by secret contrivance but openly and with a lofty pride acting a Petty Sovereign and assuming absolute Dominion taking away by force Virgins from their Parents Married women from their Husbands to replenish his Palace observing no measure but using as his Slaves and Footmen the Sultoons or inferiour Governours the Royal Farmers and meaner Officers pillaging and plundering where ever there was any thing to be got In a word his Tyranny grew to that extremity that in all that spacious Province there was not any body that was not in an extraordinary Consternation for without any form of Proceeding he put to death whomever he thought good according as his fury or his interest inspir'd him Of these things Complaints were sent to the Court and the Cries of that infinite number which he had render'd miserable were so loud that they reach'd the Kings Ears Which the Governours Enemies had so much the fairer opportunity to improve considering how the Clamours against his exorbitances dayly increas'd Thereupon his Kindred and those few friends he had left at Court sent him word that his Affairs were but in a bad condition his proceedings being highly resented by his Majesty and that unless he look'd carefully to himself some mischievous Backstroke of Fortune threaten'd him But he took little notice of this good advice believing himself so well assur'd of his Princes favour and therefore thinking himself proof against all the most Potent Accusations he never alter'd his Conduct but rather grew more haughty and disorderly The Kaan Governor who had been displac'd to make way for him was then at Court however by the means of his friends he fail'd not to have a strict eye upon all his Actions nor were they less diligent to conveigh the complaints of the afflicted to the Kings Ear. So that at length all his Crimes were heap'd together but while the King was wavering whether to disgrace him and cast him from his favour or not he committed a new Act of Violence which added a most terrible weight to the foregoing Accusations Between the Kingdom of Kackmir and the Province of Kandaar lie a certain People call'd Bolluki who extend themselves into India on that side which Country is Govern'd by their own Native Princes only those that are next neighbours to Persia acknowledge the King and are his Tributaries One of those Princes had a very lovely Daughter of whom the Governor of Kandaar had heard a great Report and therefore passionately desired her for one of his Wives To which purpose he sends to demand her of the Prince her Father who refus'd his Motion The inamour'd Governor not so discourag'd sent again and receives a second denial he sends nevertheless a third time but to as little purpose for that the Bolluki never intermix alliances but one with another Upon this the Governor dissembling his Indignation always profess'd a great friendship for him and invited him one day to a sumptuous Feast at Kandaar The Prince mistrusting nothing came to the Entertainment but when the Governor had him in his Clutches he caus'd his head to be cut off Upon which the Prince's Attendants when they understood of his Death disdaining so foul a piece of Villany all enrag'd fell upon the Governors Guard between whom and the Strangers there happend a bloody Combat wherein three hundred Persians were slain upon the place and between seven and eight hundred of the others This made such a noise that the King began to shew himself highly offended Nor would the Governors Enemies omit so fair an opportunity believing now his Majesty would suffer 'em to say any thing against a man that gave him so much occasion of inward disturbance so that they easily perswaded him to revoke the permission he had given him to come to Court when he pleased himself The pretence of which Revocation was grounded upon this that it was a thing which had never been accustomed to be done and which might in the end produce dangerous Consequences and they thought they had gone a great way in gaining that point For they were afraid lest if the Governor had free access to Court he should regain by his Presence the Kings Favour which seem'd no difficult thing for him to do who had the art so well to counterfeit his passionate affection for the Kings Interest and for that the King when the Governor was ready to depart for Kandaar had testify'd his Sorrow to part with him at what time he thus express'd himself Tho thou go'st to Kandaar thou shalt be never a jot the less my Favourite and thou shalt return to my Court whenever thou think'st it convenient Which was the reason of his giving him Letters of Licence to come when he pleas'd to Court without expecting any new Orders The Governor receiv'd the revocation of that Favour and at the same time other Letters from his Brother and the rest of his Friends advising him to be careful in his Conduct that his Fortune totter'd and was within a little of falling altogether and that his Enemies had made great advantage of the opportunities he had given ' em Upon this News he took a course which he thought so much the more worthy of himself by how much it appear'd to him to be equally prudent and daring tho by the event it prov'd no less fatal than rash He assur'd himself that so soon as he should but see the King he should set all things right again that he should regain his first Favour and scatter the Faction of his Enemies And therefore without ever Petitioning for any new Order or expecting any Command nay against the very Command which he had receiv'd expresly forbidding his coming to Court he takes Horse and in nine days arrives at Ispahan The speed that was made in this Journey was discoursed of at Ispahan as of a thing altogether extraordinary and which was never done before For of these nine days one must be deducted that he staid to rest himself in a Garden about a hundred and fifty Leagues from Ispahan So that in some eight days he rode as much ground
understand the Etymology of either of those Words The Country it self is unequal full of Hills and Mountains Valleys and Plains which causes great variety of Prospect and it rises insensibly from the Sea-shoar It is almost all over cover'd with Woods except the Fields that are Manur'd which are not very many and besides the Woods are so thick and tall and the Trees grow so fast that if they did not grub up the Roots that spread themselves into the Till'd Land and the High-ways the whole Country in a short time would be nothing but a Thick Forest altogether Impassable The Air is temperate as well in respect of the Heat as Cold but very moist and very unwholsom in regard of the extream wet Weather for it rains there almost perpetually In Summer the Moisture of the Earth being heated by the Sun infects the Air and causes not only frequent Pestilences but several other Distempers and Diseases Therefore insupportable to Strangers For it reduces 'em to a Ghastly Leanness and renders 'em in a Years time yellow juiceless and faint The Natives of the Country more us'd to the Climate are not so much incommoded by it for the time that they live which is seldom above Threescore Years Colchis abounds with Water-Streams which fall from the Mountains of Caucasus and discharge themselves into the Black-Sea The Principal Rivers are Codours which is that Corax I have already mention'd the Socom which I take to be the Terscen of Arrian and the Thasseris of Ptolomy the Langur call'd by the Ancients Astolphus the Cobi by Arrian call'd Cobo which before it enters into the Sea meets with another River call'd Cianiscari which was the Ancient Cianeus The Tacheur which Arrian calls Sigamus The Scheniscari that is to say The River Horse so call'd from the Rapidness of its course and which the Greeks for the same Reason call Hippus and the Abascia to which Strabo gives the Name of Glaucus Arrian that of Caries and Ptolomy that of Caritus These two Rivers intermix with Phasis about Twenty Miles from the place where it discharges it self into the Sea I have set down as well the Ancient as Modern Names of the Mingrelian Rivers in regard that all the Historical Geographers especially Arrian and several of the Moderns place 'em ill But besides these Rivers there are are some others of lesser note of which I say no more for that before they fall into the Sea they lose themselves in those larger Torrents already mention'd The Soyl of Colchis is very bad and produces little Corn or Pulse The Fruits are almost all wild without any taste and very unwholsom and yet there grow in Colchis almost as many sorts as we have in France They have also very large Melons but they are worth very little or nothing The only Fruit that thrives best in this Country are their Grapes of which there is great Plenty The Vines grow about the Trees and run up to the very Top of the Boughs I have seen some Stocks of these Vines that have been so large that I could hardly compass 'em with both my Arms. They prune their Vines every four Years and as for the Wine of Mingrelia I must needs say it is most excellent It is strong and has a very good Body pleasing to the Taste and comfortable to the Stomach Nor do I know where there is better in any part of Asia So that if the Country People knew how to make Wine so well as we do theirs would be the best in the World But they never take any pains at all with it They only hollow the larger Trunks of great Trees which they make use of in stead of Tubs In those they bruise and squeeze the Grapes and then pour out the Juyce into great Earthen Jarrs which they bury in their Houses or else hard by These Vessels contain about two or three Hunderd Quarters And when the Vessel is full they close it up with a Woodden Cover and then lay the Earth upon it For indeed they cover these Urns just after the same manner as I have told ye that the Eastern People cover the Pits where they store up their Corn. The Earth is so moist in Mingrelia in Seed-time that for fear of softning too much the Land where they sow their Wheat and Barley they never Plough it at all They only cast their Grain upon the Top of the Earth and that is sufficient for it comes up without any farther trouble taking root a foot deep in the Mould The Mingrelians moreover affirm That should they Plough their Ground where they sow their Barley and Wheat it would be so soft that the least Wind would lodge the Stalks so that they would never be able to rise again Their other Lands they plough and sow their other Grain with Ploughs and Ploughshares of Wood which make however as deep Furrows as if they were of Iron by reason of the softness and moisture of the Earth as I have already said Their usual Grain is Gom which is a sort of Grain as small as Coriander Seed and very much resembles Millet Which they sow in the Spring-time after the same manner as they do Rice for they make a Hole in the Ground with their Finger then put in the Grain and cover it This Grain produces a Stalk about the bigness of a Mans Thumb and grows up as high as most Men are tall at the end of which there is an Ear that contains above Three Hunderd Grains And indeed the Gom-Stalk is very like to the Sugar-Cane They gather this Grain in October and presently lay it upon high Hurdles expos'd to the Sun which they do to dry it After it has been Twenty Days upon the Hurdles they bind it up in Sheaves but they thrash it only as they have occasion to boyl it and they never boyl it but just before they go to eat it It is insipid and heavy Yet is it presently boyl'd and in less then half an hour after it is put into the Water they stir it softly with a Stick and after it has stood never so little upon the Fire it turns into Past When the Grain is all dissolv'd and the Past well wrought together they lessen the Fire let the Water boyl away and the Past harden and dry in the Skellet where it was boyl'd This Past is very white and some there is which they make as white as Snow They serve it upon little Woodden Peels made on purpose And this sort of Bread the Turks call Pasta the Mingrelians Gom being easily brok'n between the Fingers but it is of a very cold and laxative Quality nor is it worth any thing after it is once cold or when it is heated a second time However the Circassians Mingrelians and Georgians who are Tributary to the Turks the Abca's the Mountaineers of Caucasus and all that inhabit the Coasts of the Black-Sea from the Lake Maeotis to Trebisond live all upon this Past 'T is all