Kandahar have so often betray'd the King A Precaution to keep the Frontiers secure in delivering the Fortress to the Mogul that there are no more sent but such as are Faithful Rich and Powerful and who would not have been able to have found greater Advantages in his Court than they had at home in their own And besides they always pitch upon a good Family that they may retain 'em for Hostages The King always keeps a strong Garison in the Province of Candahar for fear of being surpriz'd by the Bullodges and Agwanes that inhabit the Mountains These are People that live in Tents like our First-fathers They are very Warlike and know how to use a Bow admirably well but they are great Thieves and never give any Quarter to the Caravans They live in Scythia yet are Subjects of the Great Mogul but still he is not so much their Master but that they 'll serve them that give 'em most Persia knows how to manage 'em very well for it allows 'em so many Privileges and Advantages Colony of Christians in Scythia that if they do not altogether engage 'em to their Service yet they take away their Inclinations of doing 'em any harm They make the Sign of the CROSS and love Christians extreamly but have as great an Aversion for Mahometans They are of those Armenians of Turcomania and the Countries about the Caspian Sea which Tamerlan carried away to plant 'em in Colonies in Scythia They have forgot their Religion but for the little that remains in 'em of Christianity it would be much easier for the Missionaeries to make good Christians of them than to convert those Schismatick Armenians so much these last are wedded to their Errours and Superstitions The Intrigues the King of Persia has in the Mogul's Court The Mogul 's Son a Refugee in Persia and the favourable Reception he gave to his Fourth Son Cha Hegber seven Years since has made some believe he had a secret Intelligence with that Prince about the Revolt against his Father 'T is very well known that Cha Abbas his Father got the Province of Kandahar upon the like occasion But nevertheless these Conjectures are not very valid for the King has not only refus'd this Prince Assistance but given sufficient proofs that he on the contrary highly disapprov'd of his Designs against his Father Yet it is to be doubted whether he will make any scruple to assist him against his Brothers after his Father's death and whether he would not be very glad to divide that Empire whose daily encrease gives him so much Jealousie Cha Hegber is Son of a Recheboude His Rebellion against his Father those of his Nation who are the best Soldiers the Mogul has being revolted against him engag'd this Prince to seize upon the Government for fear his elder Brothers should do it before him after their Father's death Therefore putting himself at their Head he advanc'd towards the Capital City where he might very well have surpriz'd his Father who had no Forces about him had not the wary Monarch oppos'd his Designs after this manner He counterfeited his Son's Hand and Seal and dispatch'd away a faithful Servant immediately into the midst of his Son's Army where pretending he was coming from his Son towards him he was immediately stopp'd by the Recheboudes who surprizing him found the Letter in these Words Dear Honoured SIR DO not believe me capable of daring to make any Attempt against your Person or Kingdom the Recheboudes who have given you so much Disturbance in their Rebellion have at length found in me a General who know my Duty so far as to submit 'em to your Pleasure I have therefore brought 'em to your Capital City to deal with according to your Discretion But be sure to have your Guards ready to seize upon the Chief Ringleaders and be humbly assur'd I shall be one of the first who shall endeavour to deliver 'em to Justice and you shall be fully satisfied of my Fidelity by my Diligence to punish the rest Your Dutiful CHA HEGBER When the Recheboudes had read this Letter they immediately resolv'd to disengage themselves from Cha Hegber and all the Protestations he was able to use were not sufficient to appease ' em The greatest part of 'em left him and the others would not advance a step farther insomuch as the Mogul had time to raise Men with which he gave a total Overthrow to his Son and forc'd him to save his Life 'T was then he fled into Persia where the King entertain'd him with a most magnificent and numerous Court for many Great Lords follow'd him in this Disgrace and do now wait for some favourable Revolution when they may enter into India They impatiently expect the King's Death who is at present said to be above an Hundred years old The Persians have more reason to fear the Usbeg Tartars for Enemies Usbeg Tartars how troublesome to Persia for tho' they be worse Disciplined yet the unexpected courses they take in unproper seasons are so much the more grievous to the Persians as they cannot possibly be prevented and when they have ravag'd a Country they cannot be pursu'd They are not to be stopt by the vast and burning Desarts that separate them from the Province of Kandahar They make these Enterprizes in the very hottest part of the Summer and trouble themselves but little with carrying Provisions their natural love of Flesh enclining 'em to eat any thing Their natural Barbarity nay so much as their Baggage-Horses after they have spent all the Hay and Oats they carry'd for the sustenance of those for their Saddle They always eat their Flesh raw and when they are adry they prick their Horses Necks and suck out the Blood which serves 'em instead of Drink They have a sort of little Pads which are as indefatigable as they are fleet The Persians were never made to live after this manner and therefore they suffer the more by their Incursions These Usbegs do not content themselves with only Ravaging they have at present a numerous Army on foot which has so weakened the Persian Troops with their frequent Skirmishes and Surprizes for near these six Years that this War has been begun that 't is to be fear'd they may at last take the City of Masched and recover the Province of Corrassan which Cha Abbas the Great took from them 'T is not to be doubted but that the Mogul will be ready to encourage 'em and to furnish 'em with requisite supports And this Suspicion is not without a reasonable ground for 't is certain that the Usbegs did not begin this Wat before the King of Persia had receiv'd this Princes Son into his protection Masched is a City very Rich City of Masched the place of the Persian Pilgrimage because 't is the place whither the Persians make their Pilgrimage Cha Abbas having a mind to prevent his Subjects carrying Money out of his
1691. where presenting himself before the King he was surpriz'd to see him alive He receiv'd him very favourably and the Audience lasted from Noon till Night He spent all that time to unriddle to the King the Treason and Intrigues of the Constable and the Governour of Herat with the Tartarian Prince Discovers the Intrigue This Constable was a Man of all the World that knew best how to manage Condition of the Constable at Court his Tongue the King lov'd him so extreamly well that he past by those things in him that would have been capital Crimes in others He was so well setled in his Prince's Favour that he easily parry'd all the Thrusts were offer'd at him upon the account of the Money-Misdemeanour and his Cruelty against those of the Family of the late Etmadaulet and moreover upon this unexpected arrival of the Sultan he was greater in favour than ever 'T is true His Character he had all the necessary Charms requir'd in a Courtier to make himself belov'd by his Prince His Air was Noble and Manners seemingly obliging his Shape tall and well-proportion'd in short he was the finest Lord of all the Court His Wit But the Beauties of his Wit far excell'd those of his Body his Discourse was always engaging eloquent insinuating and genteel and he could write in Verse or Prose as polite as any body He knew how to manage his Talents so well that he was look'd upon to be the most prudent discreet Lord of all the Court But nevertheless the King made him sometimes drink to hear him censure and rally the rest of the Courtiers and it was then that he could say or do any thing yet ne'er a one of 'em all was in a Condition high enough to revenge himself He was at this pitch of Favour when the Sultan came to Court yet however he was suddenly forc'd to yield to a strange Turn of Affairs His Enemies His secret Enemies that he had at Court were for the most part the Eunuchs whom he had not the discretion to spare in his Railleries insomuch that they were not only contented to support his Accusations against him but took also occasion to discover to the King another Intrigue of his which alone was sufficient to ruin him Mariam Kanum the King's Aunt remaining a Widow some time after the Sadre her Husband's death she at last fell in love with the Constable who it seems had not Prudence enough to prevent the Miseries that Intrigues with Princesses of the Blood bring a Man into for he yielded to her Passion and they some time deceived the Vigilance of the Eunuchs about her But the Jealousie of his Wives encreasing by his frequent absence they at last discover'd the whole Plot and gave immediate notice to the Eunuchs who not daring to discover it to the King because of the Constable's being so great a Favourite they were now resolv'd not to lose so plausible an occasion but declar'd the whole matter The King The King's Cunning. who has always been reputed very cunning was resolv'd to retain his Resentments till he had heard from the Princess's own Mouth whether she had any love for the Constable and to that purpose caus'd her immediately to be call'd into his Apartment where after a great deal of Discourse he at last acquainted her with the great Respect and Esteem he had for her and therefore was resolv'd speedily to re-marry her Whereupon he began to propose to her many of his Favourites but she shew'd for 'em all an equal Dislike till at last coming to the Constable he told her he should have propos'd him before but that he thought he was too much in years for her Embraces Whereupon she not being able to conceal her Love immediately told the King that his Age was best suitable with hers and moreover began to run on in such a long harangue in his Commendations that the King had no more reason to doubt of the truth of what had been told him Wherefore dismissing her he made her believe he would speedily bestow her upon the Constable and so bid her retire whilst he dispos'd of all things for the Nuptials She being infinitely surpriz'd and pleas'd kiss'd his Feet and so departed So sawcy an Attempt upon the Royal Bloud and the Treason discover'd by the Sultan were more than was necessary to ruin the Constable But nevertheless the King calling in his Eunuchs again they did not cease to augment the Disturbance of his Mind by telling him That the Intrigues the Constable had with his Aunt might in time amount to dethroning him And That they thought they had reason to believe he design'd to place the Crown on his Majesty's eldest Son 's Head who was Two and twenty Years old I know no more of the Particulars of this Conspiracy but that the young Prince was not suffer'd to live to succeed his Father The King being extreamly incens'd with these Relations dispatch'd away Three Couriers immediately to Herat with express Orders to bring him the Head of the Governour but Death had prevented their Design for he died three Days before Next the King commanded the Constable's Son to be arrested at Sembran and the Lieutenants of Kazran and Hamadan All these Orders were secretly executed by the Eunuchs without either the knowledge of the Etmadaulet of Council And all the Lords were extreamly surpriz'd when they receiv'd Orders at midnight to come to the Palace The Etmadaulet the Constable the Divan Begui and the Superintendant of the Slaves appear'd the first before the King being the Four Principal Officers of the Crown when the King not so much as affording one favourable Look to the Constable gave him presently a surprizing Prospect of his Misfortunes which was augmented the more when he saw the Guards reinforc'd with Two hundred Eunuchs in Arms about the King's Person Nevertheless he endeavour'd to conceal his Concern and took his ordinary Place next to the Etmadaulet to whom the King had given Wine and to two other Lords but took no notice of the Constable which the Superintendant of the Slaves being the King 's great Favourite observing express'd the Effects of Wonder in his Looks and which gave the King occasion to direct his Discourse to him in these Words You seem surpriz'd says he that I take no greater notice of this Traytor but that you may know I can do all things in due time I command you instantly to rise and to go cut off his Head This Lord being frighted with so strange a Command immediately cast himself at the King's Feet but instead of obtaining Mercy for his Friend he got only the Privilege of being a Companion in his Condemnation For the King being nettled with his Disobedience rigorously commanded the Divan Begui to out off both their Heads But the Etmadaulet a little intercepting fell on his Knees and with his ordinary Eloquence having represented to his Majesty That the Constable might well be
for out of the Demesns and confiscated Estates By this we may judge what prodigious Army the King of Persia is able to have on foot upon any extraordinary Occasion He has little or no Infantry because they could not support the Fatigues of Desarts and Mountains which Persia is all over full of No Infantry or Artillery and wherefore And they make use of little or no Artillery for the same reason for they have no need of it to defend their Towns which have neither Walls nor Fortifications and therefore must trust wholy to their Bodies Also none of the Castles on the Frontiers could ever be able to resist The Fusiliers I spoke of before are never on Foot but when they guard the King at home for when they accompany him to the Wars they are always mounted The Persian Battles are never regular Their manner of fighting They throw themselves upon their Enemy in round Bodies They shoot their Arrows and then retire but it is dangerous to pursue 'em for they are very dextrous at levelling behind them Their Stratagems tho' they are flying upon full speed They are subtle and know when to engage an Enemy where they can divert the Water and so make 'em perish with Thirst They are also very cunning at flying to Ambuscades where they can cut their Enemy to pieces Their Horses are extraordinary for they can clime those places where a Footman would be scarce able to pass The King of Persia has no Forces by Sea No Forces by Sea and he only reserves to himself a Soveraignty over the Gulf of Ormus the Arabian and Caspian Seas His Subjects don't love Navigation for they have it in so great abhorrence that they call those Nacoda's that is Atheists who expose their Lives upon so inconstant in Element This no doubt extreamly pleases the Armenians who have all the Commerce by Sea of this Kingdom 'T is a great Advantage to a Soveraign to have so numerous an Army at his command but much greater to have it in the power of his Treasury to augment it as far as he pleases His Treasure which his Father left him has been very much encreas'd since his coming to the Crown for I believe above Twenty Years there has never a Day past but there has come into his Exchequer 50000 Livres Present Treasury augmented This is enough without doubt to govern his Kingdom quietly and to augment it if he pleases by new Conquests And nothing that I know of hinders him to put 'em in Execution but his singular Goodness For his Power is absolute over his Subjects who are all almost Slaves his Ministers are Skilfull and Active his Counsellors great Politicians and well advis'd and his Soldiers valiant I believe there is not in all the World a more absolute Despotick Government than that of Persia Autho ity of the King of Persia For the King is so entirely such that he need never Register his Commands to have 'em executed but disposes of the Lives and Estates of his Subjects without ever acquainting his Privy-Council I 'll give you one Example in the Person of Abdel Kassamkan Governour of the City of Hamadan Metropolis of a Province in the Kingdom of Media This Lord having obtain'd this Government by his Merit and of which he had given sufficient proofs in the charge of Divan Begui which he had executed Nine Years incurr'd the King's displeasure upon a false Accusation of an Arabian Merchant employ'd by his Enemies to that purpose The King immediately dispatched an Ysaoul or Messenger to command him to Court This Fellow coming to the Governour 's Palace whilst he was doing Justice without any Ceremony immediately crowded into the Chamber of Audience and insolently march'd up to the Kan's Seat when forbidding him to stir he arrogantly acquainted him that he had displeas'd the King The Kan who had all his Officers about him and more than Four Hundred Soldiers in an adjoyning Court reply'd only I am the King's Slave I reverence his Orders Put in execution what you are commanded When at the same time taking his Girdle from his Waste he presented it to the Messenger who snatching it from him instantly bound his Hands behind his Back Then the Kan throwing his Turban upon the Ground offer'd him also his Head But the Messenger told him that his Orders extended only to the seizing of his Person and Goods Which Order having given to the Vizier or King's Lieutenant to read he immediately enter'd his Haram seiz'd upon whatever he found and drove out his Women after a very shameful manner thus his House being pillaged and all his Goods confiscated he was led bound to Court after the rudest and most ignominious manner imaginable He remain'd there Nine Years as a private Person without either Equipage or Retinue and without ever daring to appear before his Prince But at length Fortune began to change in his favour He is cleared by the Ruine of his Enemy and the Constable who was the cause of his Misfortune fell himself into a deeper Disgrace whose tragical Circumstances are but too remarkable not to relate This Constable's name was Sarou Kan Tragical end of the Constable who over and above the charge of this Office had also the superintendency of Money and of the Governments of the Provinces of Hamadan Cazran First Accusation and Sambran The first blow that made him stagger was given by the Kan of Kermoncha Son of the last Etmadaulet who complain'd to the King that the Lieutenant of the Constable at Hamadan sacrific'd to the particular Prejudice his Master always had towards his Father the Lives and justest Interests of all the Lords of his Race who were very numerous in that Province And the better to support his Accusation he produc'd the Proceedings of the Massacre of the principal of his Family word for word The Constable presently began to justifie himself in denying the Fact but the King having referr'd the Examination of the Matter to the Great Master of his Houshould told the Constable That if he were convicted His and his Lieutenant's Head alone should not suffice to revenge so much Innocent Blood The Second Blow was upon account of the Money he had Superintendance over Second Accusation for he was accused of great Misdemeanors in that Office and of having put the whole Kingdom into disorder The King for this began to reprehend him with a great deal of heat Whereupon he had the Impudence to retort and tell his Majesty He knew not what sort of King he was to believe so easily the Malice and Calumnies of his Enemies This so nettled our Monarch that the Death of this Lord had undoubtedly ensued his Displeasure had not the Etmadaulet fell on his Knees and immediately beg'd his Life Lastly Occasion of his Ruine The sudden return of Abdulla Sultan Son to the Kan of Merva from the Country of the Usbeg Tartars where he was Prisoner