Lieutenant of the King of the World according to the true Law is Safiè We have in another Place explained these Inscriptions more exactly and literally On the other side was this Persian Distich Zibad Destiè shae Abas sanie Safiè zad Zikkeh saheh Karaniè That is After Habas the Second was in Corporeal Being Or thus After Habas the Second quitted his Corporeal Being Safiè Master of the World coined this Money Which is as much as to say He was declared King in regard that in those Countries as well as here none but Sovereigns can coin Money Underneath were these words Zarby sefahaan hazar haftad ou Heft Coined at Ispahan the year of the Hegirah 1077. It was almost near Midnight before the Ceremony ended At what time the King rose up in his Royal Habiliments which he did not put off till he was retired into his particular Apartment in the Womens Palace All the while there was to be observed a great alteration in the Countenance of the Young Prince He looked with a Countenance all in disorder like a Person that was not well in his Senses And indeed what other could be expected from a Person that had been all along mued up under a close confinement and had never seen the World Besides that by a secret Fatality of the ill humour of his Father he had been shut up in a more rigorous Imprisonment than ever was practised before toward the Kings Children Could he observe a certain Posture of Majesty that should have performed all things after a surprizing manner who had never been instructed before Much less was he able to make any Reflections upon himself Add to this that the Young Prince passed of a sudden from one Extremity to another He heard himself called Master of the World He that but a little before was in condition little inferiour to that of a Slave True it is that he wanted for no Conveniences in his Captivity which was accompanied with all the Pleasures grateful to the Senses but those Pleasures became Torments when sowered with the continual fears of Death or deprivation of his Eyes that continually threatned him And this was that which made him he could not tell what to do For what may we say of that last assault that attacked his very Soul How many dismal Apparitions did the dreadful Cries and frantick Lamentations of his Mother and his Wives and others of the same Sex present to his Mind His Soul to speak after the Persian manner was like a Sea which being agitated by a furious Tempest expresses its disorder by the roaring of the Waves and shews the disturbance it was in after the Storm is over and tho a pleasing Calm succeed The Grand Dutchess for that Title is given to the Mother of the New King from the very moment of her Sons being Crowned was not in a worse condition They had told her the very first words which the General of the Musquetteers had uttered throwing himself at her Sons Feet they brought her the news every Minute of what passed But Fear and Grief had so possessed her Imagination that there was no entrance for any other Passion It was above a quarter of an hour before she would so much as listen to the welcome news which they brought her she refused obstinately to believe And tho she had such forcible reasons to rejoyce she still continued weeping and lamenting according to the humour of her Sex that are willing to dwell upon sorrowful Objects and wilfully refuse to put away those Idea's from their Minds However at length so many Eunuchs came to tell her the news of the Death of her Husband and the Election of her Son for whose Coronation they were preparing that she began to lend an Ear and to surcease her fears Nevertheless her Soul continued still in suspence between Joy and Grief For as the good Fortune of her Son and his Exaltation afforded her a happy occasion of Gladness so the mournful death of her Husband recalled her Tears So that those two Passions equally prevailing in her heart kept the ballance so even that her joys and sorrows hung in an equal Poise But at length Custom and good Manners turn'd the Scales So that for a while she relapsed into her first Commotions she rent her Garments calling upon the Soul of the Deceased expostulating with him as if he had been present what reason he had to quit the World and leave her in that forlorn condition with other moans and lamentations of the same nature However she gave over when she understood that the King her Son was returning to her Thereupon after she had performed the usual Ceremonies of Purification which the Law ordains she changed her Habit as did the Princess the New Monarchs Wife with the rest of the Ladies of Quality that belonged to the Court to receive the King who till then had lived among them as a Prisoner So soon as they had notice that the New King was entered into their Palace they went all to meet him The Great Dutchess was the first that paid her duty to him upon her Knees bowing her Head three times to the ground which done his Wife and his Concubines did the same and then the rest of the Persons belonging to the Place whose Quality and Employments priviledged them for that Honour I could not learn what was done more the rest of the Night for I have already informed you how difficult it is to be informed of the Transactions in those secret Habitations that seem to be Regions of another World There are none but Women that can approach within a League of it or some Black Eunuchs with whom a Man may as well converse with so many Dragons that can discover those secrets and you may as well tear out their hearts as a syllable upon that Text. You must use a great deal of Art to make them speak just as we tame Serpents in the Indies till they make them hiss and dance when they please In the mean time the noise of the Nakara resounded from the Terraces of the Royal Palace And in regard it continued longer than ordinary which is generally not above three Quarters of an Hour it gave an occasion to those that were wakened with the din to wonder what was the matter But in regard it was then Midnight and an unseasonable time to stir out of the House there were very few unless they were such as lived near the Royal Palace that would so far gratifie their Curiosity as to enquire the Reason The rest contented themselves till next Morning at what time they understood that Saphiè the Second was seated upon the Throne as Successour to his Father Habas deceased I leave the Reader to conjecture how every body was surprised For my part I apprehended something so strange upon the novelty of the Accident that I thought my self in a dream That they could conceal the Death of so great and Potent a Prince so long
Prince the highest in Dignity come and offer their Heads and submit themselves to the stroke of Death without daring to presume to ask the reason why In this manner no body appeared either pensive or glad no body discovered the least sign of discontent Not but that I believe there were several who concealed their sorrows for fear of offending the New King They considered that Habas the Second of whose death they had so lately heard was fit to govern that he was kind and gentle to his Subjects that he was feared abroad but kept all things in peace and tranquillity at home That he was a lover of Justice and took care that his Officers did not abuse their Authority and oppress the People nevertheless that a secret Providence had cut him off in the midst of so fair a Race and in the flower of his Age when he had strength of judgment to design and force of body to execute That on the contrary the Young Prince who was now ascended to the Throne had never seen any thing and was as it were but an Apprentice not only in the Act of Government but in all other things So that they were likely to suffer long through the tenderness of his Age as they had experienced before in the Reigns of his Predecessors upon the same grounds But they who most laid to heart the mournful death of the deceased King were the Christians That Prince had always shewed himself kind and favourable to their Religion shewing them extraordinary Civilities and rebuking the Ministers of the Law and Interpreters of the Alcoran when they sought to exasperate him against the Professors of our Religion Which he did more than once as we do relate in his Life insomuch as the Armenians would say one among another that he was more a Christian than a Mahometan Not but that he was very much devoted to his own Religion even as much as the most zealous of his Predecessors only he thought that the violence of Princes toward the Liberty of mens Consciences was a thing neither Acceptable to God nor conformable to Reason That he was not to cease being a Man because he was a Mahometan That if Providence had exalted him to a Throne it was that he should carry himself like a King and not like a Tyrant and that there was nothing more Barbarous nor Tyrannical than such a Conduct as not only violated the Law of Nations but of Nature also which desire that men should live in Society one with another so far from being at Enmity that they should be mutual Assistances one to another Lastly that God alone was the Lord of the Conscience and Master of the Will That for his part he had nothing to do but with the outward Government of the Kingdom and for that reason it became him to do Justice to all his Subjects of whatsoever Religion since they were all Members of his Kingdom He persisted so constantly in this judgment and opinion that notwithstanding all the endeavours of the Doctors of the Mahometan Superstition to incense him against the Christians they could never vanquish his Resolution He looked upon them as People whose false zeal rendred them incapable of Right Reason or as Persons byassed by Interest who under the specious pretence of Religion would make themselves great among the Multitude or else make use of the credit which they had already to make Parties and Factions in the Kingdom and disturb the Government And therefore he always took delight to lessen and contemn such sort of people This clearly appeared when he prevented the Creation of a new Sadre or Mahometan Pontiff or Metropolitan of the whole Empire inspects into all the Ecclesiastical Revenues which are managed by inferiour Officers under his Authority and by his Orders for the word Sadre signifies the Breast of the Law Habas the Second also had severely persecuted the Cheik-el-Islaam or Ancient of the Law who is another Petty Sovereign in spiritual Affairs For it is his business to take cognizance of and to resolve all Cases of Conscience in Matters of Religion as we have already observed The King had like to have condemned him to death upon an Information that some of the Interpreters should whisper one among another that it would be the best way to advance to the Throne one of the Sons of the Ancient of the Law who would be more zealous for their Religion than the present Monarch and he had certainly put his design in execution had not the Ancient of the Law prevented him by offering to his displeasure both his own and the Head of all his Children that attended him That spectacle appeased his wrath believing that person innocent whom he saw so lowly humbled before him He had also thrown out of favour his Pichnaamaz or Chaplain and Confessor for no other reason but because he continually declaimed against the Christians The Prime Minister of State that governed during the Minority of Habas was no less averse to the Christians than any of the rest as being a zealous Mahumetan and therefore he continually incensed his Master against them and would have had the King have given command that they should carry a Mark like the Jews to distinguish them from Mahumetans but the King continually denied him and it is reported that the disgust which he took against him for that very thing contributed not a little to his Fall After these great Examples of his Lenity the Prince being now become more absolute not only suffered the Christians to enjoy the free exercise of their Religion but also granted the same freedom to the Jews notwithstanding all the secret and publick opposition which the Mulla or Religious People could make Nay it hapned that the King took an occasion to depress all that Race of Hypocrites For being so transported as they were to talk of deposing him as an Infidel who kept too much Society with the Profane the secret hatred which he bare them from that time forward gave him a plausible pretence to shew his resent and that I may use the Persian Phrase to break their Teeth that is to say to prevent their Biting As to the Armenians who were his Subjects and professed the Christian Religion he was wont to tell the Grandees of the Kingdom that it would be a vile Injustice for People that laboured for the good of the Kingdom by their Industry and Commerce to be excluded from the enjoyments of Peace and that Plenty of which they were the principal Instruments Therefore it was not without just cause that the Christians mourned in their hearts for the loss of so good a Prince their misfortune seemed to be without remedy in regard the New Monarch whom they saw exalted in his room was but a young Man from whom they could not promise to themselves any thing of assurance and tho he should be favourably enclined and preserve the same kindness for them as his Predecessour he could not in regard
his Childern in Hostage for his Fidelity and make a Present to the Basha Now the Present which Sabatar agreed to make was Ten Young Slaves of both Sexes and Three Hundred Crowns either in Silver or in Silk The First of October Sabatar return'd and brought along with him a Protection from the Turk for his Castle and for all his Lands All that night he bestirr'd himself to get ready the Present which he was to carry To which purpose he signifi'd to all that were fled for Refuge to his Castle or Fortress that the Turks had given him a Protection for Twenty Five Slaves and Eight Hundred Crowns which he must Levy upon those that were retir'd under his security So that from every Family that had Four Children he took one which was the most lamentable spectacle in the World to see little Childern torn from the Arms of their Mothers ty'd two and two together and carry'd away to the Turks For my own part I was tax'd at Twenty Crowns However Sabatar did not carry any more to the Basha's Lieutenant then what they two had agreed between themselves the rest he appropriated to himself Nor could his Wives his Childern and all the Castle forbear loud Cries of sorrow when they saw his Young Son carry'd away among the rest For those Childern which are given in Hostage to the Turk are no less his Slaves He never parts with 'em as being usually sent to Constantinople to encrease the Multitude of those handsome young Childern that are bred up in the Seraglio The Basha's Lieutenant receiv'd the Present and the Hostage and still detain'd Sabatar with him nevertheless He also summon'd the Dadian Three times to surrender but the Prince refus'd For his Fortress was well guarded by the Souanes which his Vizier had sent him and who were more the Masters of it then himself besides that the Vizier sent him word every Day that he should hold out and that he would be ready in a short time to pour down upon the Enemy At last the Turks after they had stay'd about Four Days before Rucks and got above Two Thousand Slaves and much Booty rais'd their Siege for they had no great Guns which was the reason they did not attack the Castle They also carry'd along with 'em all the Mingrelian Lords that came to surrender themselves and had sworn Allegiance to the new Prince The Catholicos was among the number of those that had tak'n the Oath Whom the Basha order'd to be made Vizier to the new Prince and that they should send in his Name to the Prince of the Abca's to demand the Princess his Daughter in Marriage It was thought that the coming of the Turk into Mingrelia would have resettl'd all things in order and restor'd Peace and Tranquillity by causing all Parties to lay down their Arms. But it did not so fall out they only came and plunder'd the Country but put it into more confusion then it was before For they divided it into two Parties of which the one was engag'd by Oath and Hostages to the new Prince the other stuck fast to their depos'd Soveraign Which Division made every one betake themselves to their Arms. Seeing therefore the Affairs of the Country in this miserable condition so far from any Accommodation I took a resolution to get into Georgia by any manner of way or whatever the hazard might be For I ran those Risco's every Day in Mingrelia that I expected nothing at length but to be utterly ruin'd Levan threatn'd Ruine and Destruction to the Castles Goods and Lands of the Lords who had surrender'd to the Turks Sabatar was still in Custody and his Sons that commanded in the Castle were the grearest Cut-throats and accomplish'd Rogues in the World I languish'd every Day with sorrow and want It was a Man's whole business to buy a handful of Grain and a Pound of Vittles and I suffer'd in my Oven all the Injuries of Weather as if I had been in the open Field the despair of my Servants went to my Heart in a word I was at the brink of Death Which was that which induc'd me to venture all hazards to get my self rid of Mingrelia while I had strength and Ability to do it To that purpose I sought every where for Guides promis'd entreated lay'd down my Money but nothing would do there was no body that would be my Conductor The Armies they said lay so thick upon the Roads of Imiretta the Country between Mingrelia and Georgia through which I was of necessity to pass that it was a meer folly to venture where a man was assur'd he could not escape being made a Slave And these were all the Answers they made me I propos'd the fetching a Compass either over Mount Caucasus or along the Sea Coast but no body would undertake the Journey 'T is an incredible thing to think how fearful the Mingrelians are of Death or of being undone there is no Reward can prevail with 'em to run the Risco of a known Danger how inconsiderable soever it be At length I was constrain'd to take the way by Sea and through Turkey that is to say to fetch a Compass of Seventy Leagues To that purpose I went to Anarghia a Village and small Sea-Port of which I have already spok'n There I found a Felouque of the Turks which I hir'd for Gonia so that when I had giv'n Earnest I return'd to the Theatins House and to Sabatar's Castle to prepare for my Voyage The Tenth of November early in the Morning I departed from the Castle having agreed with my Comrade what ways I would take to recover him out of Mingrelia if it pleas'd GOD to grant me a happy Voyage I carry'd along with me Eight Thousand Pounds in Jewels and Eight Hunderd Pistols in Gold with the few small Packs that were left me The Jewels were hid in a Saddle contriv'd for that purpose and in a Pillow and I took a Servant along with me the same whom I had redeem'd out of Slavery This was a conceal'd Rogue a Traytor whose Villany was not well discover'd by me I was advis'd not to take him along with me for fear of some Imposition or some wicked Trick that his very Countenance told 'em he would play me nor was I well resolv'd with my self to be troubl'd with him but my Fortune would have it so and I could not prevent it But the Reasons that prevail'd with me more then any other to take him was that he brook'd his bad Condition like one that was mad or in despair and I was afraid lest in one of his mad or drunk'n Fits to which he was subject he should discover us in Mingrelia Fryer Zampi the Superiour of the Theatins bore me Company as he had done all along And the Lay-Brother undertook to Conduct me to Anarghia The Superiour and I went afoot because we could not meet with more then one Horse to be hir'd for Money upon which I loaded my Goods
before he mounts the Horison thwart an obscure Night Principal Type of things created Instrument of the Creation of the World the highest of the Race of Adam Soul of the great Apostles and Messengers Thou art that Lord through whom one Verse in the Alcoran promises the fulfilling of our desires Thou art that Sun through whom another Verse tells the Sovereign Beauty shall be seen Light of Eyes Crown of Prophesie Idol of the Angel Gabriel Thou art in the world a world of vertue and dignity Thou art upon the Earth a Sun of Majesty and Grandeur The Sea is not rich and liberal but by the gifts of thy munificent Hands The Angel Treasurer of Heaven reapes his Harvest in the Fertil Gardens of the purity of thy Nature Moses who divided the Sea is the Porter of the Throne of thy Justice Jesus the Monarch of the Fourth Heaven keeps guard before the veil of the Throne of thy Glory That incomprehensible Painter who drew the Mole at one stroke of his Pencil koun-fikoun never made so fair a Portraiture as the globe of thy Visage From thy descent into the Cradle to the last day of thy Life the Angels who Register Words never heard thee speak a word which did not ravish God himself with Joy No man in whatsoever condition he is can resemble God so much as thou dost But if there could be an Image to represent God as he is it could be no other then thy self that Embassador whom out of his extraordinary Clemency he sent to the Earth Happy and holy is the man who believes all that God has spok'n in the Alcoran according to the sence which his Prophet has observ'd in the Book of his sentences If he should be compar'd with any other exalted Being there could not be found a more perfect exemplar then Mahomet The second Song O unexpressible man who hast no Equal but Mahomet the Elect Prophet God has assign'd upon thy Love the Dowry of the Ladies of Paradise The Primum Mobile would never dart the Ball of the Sun through the Trunk of Heaven were it not to serve the morning out of the extreme Love she has for thee What is the power of the Stars and Destiny in comparison of thine and what is the Light of the Sun compar'd with that of thy Understaning Destiny does but execute thy Commands The Sun is enlightned by the beams of thy Knowledge When the numerous Train of thy Majesty goes in its Pomp we see the Sphear bound to the hand of the Captain that guides it like a little Bell at the neck of a Mule Let not Hercules vaunt any more the Force of his Courage For who would endre a Fly to brave it upon the wings of the great Phoenix of the East Had Hercules seen the Valour of thy Arm in one Action assuredly the Bird of his Soul would have brok'n the Cage of his Body and fled for fear The immense Sea of thy merit tosses up surges above the Heavens and upon this Sea of Vertue the Tempests of Adversity cause no more disorder then Rushes in the Water If thy Glory be weigh'd in the Balance of exalted Sence the highest mountains weigh'd against it would appear no more then the Seed of Lentils In the great Career of Happiness where the Transparts of those who run the Race makes 'em like Horses that get the Bit in their Teeth and throw their Riders And causes 'em with the force of their Spurs to prick an Artery at what time the Angel of Death comes like a fatal Physitian to take 'em by the Arm of the Soul Thou shalt escape this rude Career as the Sun passes on from the East They shall carry before thee the honourable Standard of the Supreme Majesty and behind thee the Spoyls as marks of the Victory And in this Race were all the Inhabitants of the world as brave as Hercules the most undaunted of 'em all would not have the Courage to stand a moment before thee God shall create a Body of Air that shall cry with a loud voice on his behalf Victory Victory There is none so stout as Aly. There is no Sword like to Sulfagar that Hero's Sword with two Poynts The third Song Thou from whose purity the Heav'n of Unsinfulness draws its Lustre The Sun is made a Crown of Glory of the shadow of thy Umbrello Jesus the great Chymist made use of the Earth of the Portal of thy Prudence for red Sulphur of which he compos'd the Taksir and the Stone Phale by means whereof he understood all things and heal'd all men The eternal Painter painted a great many Images and brought to light a great many Ideas with a design to form thy lovely Countenance but he found none that came near thy Beauty The Faulcon of thy Umbrello having extended his wings has found the Birds of the seventh Heaven nestling under the large Feather of thy left wing Who ever has seal'd his Heart with thy Love has found that his Heart is become a Mine of precious Stones The most powerful Creature of all things admir'd upon the sixth day of the Creation that Superiority of Excellency which thou hast above all his other Creatures Upon the memorable day of thy Victory the Sweat of thy hands was to thy Enemies a profound Deluge that swallow'd 'em up like the Sea Thou Vulture of the heav'nly Constellation didst fly upon the Blood as a Dog upon the water Insipid Poet who comparest to the Sea the sweat of the hand of thy Hero Thou art astonish'd at the Thought that comes into thy Head that the Sea which resembles that Sweat is the blew Sea Who ever has lifted up the hand of Necessity toward the Portal of thy Beneficence he has it always return'd back full of what he desir'd O divine and Sacred Host who givest the Saints to drink out of the Bason of Paradise To speak something in thy Praise we must needs say that Nature is only adorn'd and enrich'd by thee A thousand and a thousand Years together the heavens considering the high Price of thy pure Essence beheld the water of the Fountain of Paradice muddy in comparison of that As well God as Mahomet has always found thy Opinion the most just The one gave thee a Sword with two poynts the other a most incomparable Virgin Had not thy perfect Being been in the Idea of the Creator Eve had been eternally a Vrgin and Adam a Batchelor The fourth Song Great Saint who art the true Mansion of God as the Prophet teaches in the Book of his Sentences Thou art also the 16 Kebleh of the World and of Religion the Soul of the World of Mahamed Thy Mouth is the Treasure of sublimest Sense thou hast placed thy Mouth upon the Fountain of understanding and knowledge which is the Mouth of Mahamed Thou art the Pontiff who art only found worthy to enter into the Sanctuary of the
to see himself prevented and therefore he was no less importunate to have his and therefore to the end he might be admitted to kiss the Kings Feet he took the same way and method which the Dutch Embassadour had done for indeed there was no other way and had therefore the same success For two days after being accompanied with his Second in the Factory about Nine of the Clock in the Morning he was introduced by the General of the Musquetteers to make his Obeysance to the King his Interpreter and his Collegue coming behind him After the usual Ceremonies he presented the Prince with two hundred half Guineys according to the self-interested Custom of the East where the Kings stiling themselves Gods Lieutenants forbid all People to appear in their Presence without an Offering Presently he sate down by the Command of the Prince and by his Interpreter and in the behalf of the English Nation and Company wished him a long and flourishing Reign Afterwards he made a short rehearsal of the great Services which the English Nation had done the Kings of Persia his Ancestors of Immortal memory For which reason those Triumphant Monarchs had always favoured the English Nation more than any other Nation of Europe of which he was assured his Majesty was well informed for which reason he hoped that his Majesty would continue the same favours to the English Nation and grant them a Confirmation of all the Treaties and Priviledges which had been granted formerly to the English To which the King returned the same answer which he had done to the Dutch Envoy Mr. Agent is my Guest and all the English Nation are most dear to me Whatever my Predecessours of Glorious Memory have granted to your Company I shall also confirm And if you have any thing farther to request of Me for the advantage of your Nation you may confidently propose it and it shall be decreed if reasonable To which the Agent and his Second returned their humble Thanks as well for their Master as themselves beseeching his Majesty to accept of their Services To which his Majesty condescended with a Nod of his Head which was also a sign of his taking Leave which they also took making their Obeysances after their own manner Now in regard they were beholden to the General of the Musquetteers for this favourable Audience in regard the King did nothing without his Advice therefore they sent their Interpreter in the Evening to give him thanks for the favour he had procured them in acknowledgment whereof they made him a Present of a Rich Jewel and thirty Ducats of Gold The same day the Meehmandar-Bachi or Chief of those that attend upon the Kings Guests or Strangers of Quality who is as it were a Grand Master of the Ceremonies came to wait upon the King dispatched from the Grandees of the Kingdom to give his Majesty notice that they came forward making easie Journeys with the Body of the deceased King and the whole Body of the Court in his time That to prevent the People from suspecting any thing of Fatal they had given out that the King was with his Wives and would not therefore shew himself that nevertheless the Rumour of his Death began to fly abroad which however could not now be much prejudicial seeing that his Majesty had taken the Government of the Kingdom into his own hands that as yet they preserved all things in the same condition they were in before and expected with submission what Orders his Majesty would be pleased to send for their future proceeding Together with this Deputy there came an Eunuch also sent by Hamzeh-Mirza the Kings Brother to salute his Majesty in the name of the young Prince to throw himself at his Feet to beg his favour and to supplicate him by all that was Sacred in the Mahumetan Law not to put out his Eyes That he would be pleased to shut up him as close as he thought fit that he would take from him whatever he pleased but that for the Law of God he would leave him his sight that he might not be incapable of applying himself to his Studies wherein he resolved to spend his whole Life The King kept the Eunuch with himself reserving the answer to the young Prince's request till he should be brought to Court But he returned an Answer the same day to the Letter which the Master of the Ceremonies brought which was composed in the form of a Command and contained the following Instructions 1. That the King approved what had been done from the Fatal Moment of the King his Fathers death 2. That they should make all the hast they could to him without disturbing the Order of Affairs leaving all things in the same condition wherein they were 3. That they should take care to cause the Body of his deceased Father of high and Immortal Memory whose place is in Paradise to be carried to the City of Kom under the charge of Mirzah-Maassoum and that at the same time they should send away three other Coffins like that wherein they had put the King under as good a Convoy one to Metched another to Ardevil and the third to Kachan For the better understanding the reason of which Command the Reader is to know that the Persians are strangely superstitious about the Burial of their Kings For fearing lest by some Magical Art any Enchantments should be practised upon their Bodies to the prejudice of their Children they conceal as much as in them lies the real Place of Interment To this end they send to several Places several Coffins of Lead with others of Wood which they call Taboat and bury all alike with the same Magnificence In this manner they delude the Curiosity of the People who cannot discern by the outside in which of the Coffins the real body should be Not but it might be discovered by such as would put themselves to the expence and trouble of doing it And thus it shall be related in the Life of Habas the Great that twelve of these Coffins were conveyed to twelve of the principal Mosques not for the sake of their Riches but of the Person which they enclosed and yet no body knew in which of the twelve the Kings Body was laid tho the common Belief is that it was deposited at Ardevil It is also said in the Life of Sefiè I. That there were three Coffins carried to three several Places as if there had been a Triple Production from one Body tho it were a thing almost certainly known that the Coffin where the Body was laid was carried to this same City of Kom and to the same Place where the deceased King commanded the Body of his deceased Father to be carried It is a very beautiful City and for its Antiquity gives way to none of the rest as being thought to be the Guriana of the Ancients It is seated in the Province of Arak-agem or Parthia upon the Frontiers of Media She prides her self as one
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