they put two other Canes much after the manner of a Lorrain-Cross whereto they fasten the Feet and the Hands and then the Executioner runs him through with a Pike from the right Side up to the left Shoulder and from the left Side to the right Shoulder so that being twice run through the heart he is soon dispatch'd Sometimes they only fasten the Malefactor with his Back to a Post and they make him stretch forth his Hands which are held out by two Men and then the Executioner standing behind him runs him in at the Neck and so into the Heart and dispatches him in a moment The Lords have such an absolute power over their menial Servants that there needs but a pretence to put them to death An example of this happened not long since a Servant had the insolence to address himself to a Gentleman to proffer his service to him but ask'd greater Wages then he knew the other was able to give purposely to abuse him The Gentleman perceiving the impudence of the Raskal was a little troubled at it but smother'd his indignation and only told him that his demands were very great but that he had so good an opinion of him that he must needs be a good Servant Accordingly he kept him a while but one day charging him with some neglect and reproaching him that when he should have been about his business he had been idling about the City he put him to death The Gentlemen and Souldiâ—rs are for the most part very poor and live miserably by being highly conceited of themselves most of them keep Servants though only to carry their Shoes after them which are indeed but as it were a pair of Soles made of Straw or Rushes having a hole towards the toe which keeps them on their feet The Crimes for which all of the Family or kindred are put to death are Extortion Coyning setting of Houses on fire ravithing of Women premeditated murther c. If a Mans Wife be guilty of any Crime her Husband is convicted of she dies with him but if she be innocent she is made a Slave Their punishments bear no proportion to the Crimes committed but are so cruel that it were not easie to express the barbarism thereof To consume with a gentle Fire or only with a Candle to crucifie with the Head downwards to boyl Men in seething Oyl or Water to quarter and draw with four Horses are very ordinary punishments among them One who had undertaken to find Timber and Stones for the building of a Palace for the King and had corrupted the Officers appointed by his Majesty to receive and register what he should send in was crucified with his head downwards The officers were condemn'd to rip up their bellies but the Merchant was put to the foresaid death He had the repute of an honest man and was one that had had occasion to obliege several Persons of Quality in so much that some resolved to petition the Emperour for his pardon though these intercessions for condemn'd persons be in some sort criminal and indeed the Emperour took it so ill that the Lords who had presented their Petition for him had no other answer thereto but the reproaches he made to them of their imprudence It happened in the year 1638. That a Gentleman on whom the King had bestowed the Government of a little Province near Iedo so oppressed the Country people that they were forc'd to make their complaints thereof to the Court where it was ordered that the said Gentleman and all his Relations should all have their bellies ripp'd up on the same day and as near as might be at the same hour He had a Brother who lived two hundred fourty and seven Leagues from Iedo in the service of the King of Fingo an Uncle who lived in Satsuma twenty Leagues further a Son who serv'd the King of Kinocuni a Grand-son who serv'd the King of Massamme a hundred and ten Leagues from Iedo and at three hundred and eighty Leagues from Satsuma another Son who serv'd the Governour of the Castle of Quanto two Brothers who were of the Regiment of the Emperours Guard and another Son who had married the only Daughter of a rich Merchant near Iedo yet were all these persons to be executed precisely at the same hour To do that they cast up what time were requisite to send the Order to the farthest place and having appointed the day for the execution there Orders were sent to the Princes of all the forementioned places that they should put to death all those persons upon the same day just at noon which was punctually done The Merchant who had bestowed his Daughter on that Gentlemans Son died of grief and the Widow starv'd her self Lying is also punished among them with death especially that which is said in the presence of the Judge The forementioned punishments are only for Gentlemen Souldiers Merchants and some other persons of mean quality but Kings Princes and great Lords are ordinarily punished more cruelly then if they were put to death For they are banished into a little Island named Faitsensima which lies fourteen Leagues from the Province of Iedo and is but a League about It hath neither Road nor Haven and it is so steepy all about that no doubt it was with the greatest danger imaginable that the first who got up to it made a shift to do it Those who first attempted to climb it up found means to fasten great Poles in certain places whereto they have tyed ropes with which they draw up those that are sent thither and make fast the boats which otherwise would split against the Rocks with the first Wind. There grows nothing in all the Island but a few Mulberry-trees so that they are obliged to send in provisions for the subsistance of the Prisoners They are relieved every moneth as is also the Garrison kept there but they are dieted very sparingly as being allow'd only a little Rice some roots and other wretched fare They hardly afford them a lodging over their heads and with all these miseries they oblige them to keep a certain number of Silk-worms and to make a certain quantity of Stuffs every year The expence which the Emperour of Iapan is at every year in his Court and what relates thereto to wit the sallaries and allowances of the Officers and Counsellours amounts yearly to four millions of Kockiens and the sallaries of Governours of places and Military persons together with the Pensions he gives amount to five millions of Kockiens They who speak of the Soveraign Prince of all Iapan give him the quality of Emperour in as much as all the other Lords of the Country on whom they bestow that of King depend on him and obey him not only as Vassals but as Subjects since it is in his power to condemn them to death to deprive them of their Dignities to dispossess them of their Territories to banish or send them
a League of the Caspian Sea and by reason of its extraordinary height is seen at a very great distance It is in a manner round having on the very top of it a great Rock streight up and very steepy of all sides from which it hath the name of Barmach that is finger because it looks like a finger stretch'd out above the other adjacent Mountains We understood since that there is a path which will commodiously enough bring one to the top of it but we knew it not then so that we ran great hazard of our Lives in getting up by dreadful precipices It was so cold upon the Mountain that the Grass which was high enough there was all cover'd with a white frost as with Sugar-candy whereas at the foot of the Mountain near the Caravansera the weather was fair and mild Upon the edge of the Mountain and at the foot of the Rock there is a plain of about fifty perches square which hath in the midst of it a very fair Well built about with stone and about that Well may be seen the ruins of a very thick Wall flank'd at the corners with certain Towers and Bulwarks wherewith that structure had sometime been fortify'd as also with two good deep ditches built about with Free-stone which satisfy'd us they were the ruins of an impregnable Fortress Towards the Northern part of the Mountain we met with other ruins which could be no other than the remainders of another Fort. They facilitated our access to an ascent which was cut in the Rocks and conducted us almost up to the Top where we saw a Vault and the remainder of a third Structure which had sometimes serv'd for a Dungeon or place of retreat after the loss of the two other Forts I imagine that this may have been one of those Fortifications which the Antients called Portae Caspiae or Ferreae whereof there is a description in the Greek and Latin Histories The Persians are of opinion that these structures were built by Iscander so they call Alexander the Great and that they were demolish'd by Tamberlane We rested out selves upon the Rock where we sung Te Deum and renew'd among our selves the friendship which we had before mutually promis'd each other by most unfeigned protestations and having gather'd certain Figs off the Trees which grew out of the clefts of the Rock we got down again with less trouble and danger by the ordinary path The 26. we left Barmach having very fair weather the Sun casting at that time a greater heat than it does with us in May. The Waggons with the Baggage took the way of the plain towards Bakuje and the Ambassadors with those of the retinue who were on Horse-back took that of the Mountain We Travell'd that day five leagues and came at night to a Village named Chanega within the Mountains There we met with abundance of excellent Fruits and good store of Honey but the water thereabouts was troubled corrupted and stunk The next day Decemb. 27. we got five Leagues further to a Village named Pyrmaraas three Leagues from Scamachie This place is very famous by reason of one of their Saints named Scid-Ibrahim whose Sepulchre is to be seen there The Persians affirm it to be very antient and so great a Veneration had for it that Tamberlane who had no religious respect for any thing would not meddle with that Sepulchre though he destroy'd all else that lay in his way This structure hath its Walls and its two Courts as a Castle Our Ambassadors sent the Mehemandar to the Guardian of the place to entreat him that they might be permitted to enter but all they could obtain was only to see the first Court which was full of square stones which were set up-an-end to distinguish the Graves of private Persons I had a great desire to get a little nearer and if it were possible to see the Saint's Sepulchre Whereupon I return'd thither in the Evening and set down in my Table-Book the Arabian Inscriptions which I found Grav'd here and there upon the Walls The Persians who imagin'd what I did was in honour of their Saint suffer'd me to proceed in what I was about I made my advantage of that liberty to slip in at the Gate of the second Court where I found many other Inscriptions I bestow'd about half an hour in Copying them out and perceiving they took no further notice of me I ventur'd so far as to open the Door which goes into the structure it self which being made fast only with a wooden pin it was no hard matter for me to open it and to get in It consisted of many arched apartments which had no light but what came in by certain little Windows which put me into a little fright In the first apartment there was just opposite to the door a Tomb about two foot high having as many steps to get up to it and it was encompass'd with a Balcony or rather an Iron-grate On the left hand there was a door which led into a great and very lightsome Gallery the walls whereof were whitened and the floor cover'd with rich Carpets On the right hand there were in another apartment which was Vaulted eight high Tombs and it was through this last Vault that people pass'd into a third in which was the Sepulchre of Seid-Ibrahim The Tomb was two foot above ground and was cover'd with a Carpet of yellow Damask At the head and feet as also on both sides there were several Wax Candles and Lanthorns upon great brass Candlesticks and from the Roof of the Vault there hung certain Lamps As I came out of this place I met with our Minister who express'd so great a desire to go into it that I ventur'd once more to go in along with him and he went in thither a second time along with our Physician About two Musket shot from the Village on the East-side there is to be seen in a Rock the Sepulchre of another Saint which is very sumptuously built The Persians call the Saint who is interr'd in that place Tirbabba and they affirm he was Master to Scid-Ibrahim who had so great an Affection and so particular a Reverence for him that he made it his request to God that he would vouchsafe that after his Death he might be seen in the same posture as he was wont to put himself into when he did his Devotions in his Life time and that accordingly he is to be seen at this day clad in a grey Garment kneeling which was his ordinary gesture when he said his Prayers while he lived Which a man need make no great difficulty to believe if there may be any credit given to what is affirmed by Camerarius in his Historical Meditations after Varro and Ammianus Marcellinus to wit that the Bodies of the Persians are not corrupted and that they are only dry'd up I am of opinion that this is to be understood only of
of is that of Guoffiquia which is built upon an Eminency with four Bastions of stone yet is it but a small one and irregular in regard that for want of place they could not make all the Bastions of the same bigness nor extend the Curtain as far as it should have been The Fort of Taffaso is also upon an ascent and hath four Bastions but it is bigger then the other and distant from the Sea about a hundred and sixty paces These two Forts have neither Wells nor Cisterns save that near the top of the ascent on which Taffaso stands there is a Well within a Half-moon which serves for a fifth Bastion to the place Tabillola hath but two Bastions so far one from the other that they cannot command all the Curtain so that there is no great account to be made thereof This Island is about seven Leagues in compass and subject to the King of Ternate It is very populous able to raise two thousand and two hundred fighting Men and it hath Sagu and other provisions sufficient for the Inhabitants and yields as much Cloves as any of the other Islands Besides the five Islands properly called the Molucques there are others to the number of seventy two subject to the King of Ternate scituate in the same Archipelago from Mindanao on the North-side and Bina and Corca which are on the South and between the Continent of New Guiny towards the East The chiefest are Motir Machiam Cajoa Xula Burra Na Noloa Meao Tufure Doe Saquite Totole Baol Guadupa Gorontano Ilibato Tamsne Manado Doudo Labague Iaqua Gabe Tobuquo Buto Sanguien c. amongst which some lye seventy Leagues from Ternate The Kings of all these Islands are Tributaries to the King of Ternate and tyed to find him such a number of Souldiers which the Author of the History of the Molucquez whom we mentioned before raises to sixscore thousand North of the Molucques lye the Isles now call'd the Philippins discovered by Ferdinand Magellanus when he compass'd the World in the year 1520. and had doubtless given them his own name had he lived till this new discovery Sebastian del Cano his Camerade in this stupendious Navigation not daring to hazard an establishment after the death of Magellanus who was slain in these Islands as we said before return'd for Spain After this there was no mention of these Islands till that in the year 1565. D. Luâ—â— de Valasco Viceroy of New Spain sent the Adelantado Michel de Laguaspe into this Sea where he put into haven in these Islands which in honour of King Philip the Second who then reigned in Spain he called by the name of Philippines His first Conquest was the Isle of Zebue where he remain'd six years after that he went to Luson now called Manille from its chief City whereof Velasco after a sleight opposition became Master This City lies in a Canton of Land incompassed all about with the Sea fourteen Degrees on this side the Line in the most Southerly part of the Isle which is in compass thee hundred and fifty Leagues On the North it hath China from which it is distant seventy Leagues on the North-East the Isle of Iapan which is two hundred and seventy Leagues distant from it Eastward the Ocean and towards the South the great Archipelago which is as it were divided into five Seas filled with so many Islands Kingdoms and Provinces that it may be said they are in a manner innumerable The Chineses who were heretofore possessed thereof have now deserted them but still trade thither The Inhabitants in their labour answer the fertility of the soyl which produces Corn Rice all sorts of Fruits and Drugs and it breeds Neat Buffler Deer Goats and Swine so as they want nothing necessary to livelihood and the Chineses take care they shall want nothing that is superfluous as Silk Purcelane and Lacque They have also Date-wine but they make it of a different manner to other places for they draw it from their Cocoes by cutting off one of the boughs whence there distils a Liquor which they suffer to work till it grows as strong as Spanish wine They have the best Lemmons and Oranges in the World and the most excellent Figs and Pears all sorts of Birds of prey and domestick Falcons Tercels Parrots Eagles c. but principally such abundance of Crocodiles that they are constrain'd to kill them to extirpate the breed for you have here Men of sufficient courage to encounter a Crocodile single though as big as an Oxe For the Combat they Gantlet their left Arm to the Elbow taking in that hand a Truncheon of a foot long pik'd at both ends and a Dagger in the other and in this posture they go into the River up to the Waste The Crocodile no sooner spies his Man but he comes on with open mouth to swallow him the Indian presents him his left hand and thrusting it down his throat hinders his jaws from shutting and in the mean time gives him so many wounds in his throat with his Poniard that he kills him This Creature is in form like a Lizard but covered with Scales so hard that he is invulnerable all over but in the throat and belly It layes abundance of Eggs which are so hard that they will not break with throwing against a Stone and to hatch them they thrust them into the Sand on a River side that heat and moisture the principles of Generation may hatch them These Islands breed more Tigers Lions Bears and other wild Beasts then Africk does but especially the Algalias which are the Creatures from which they get the Musks and Civet-Cats All these Islands are very populous and so rich that not only the Chineses continue their trading thither with great advantage but also the Spaniards who heretofore brought thither money from New Spain by which they gain'd two Marks of Gold for eight of Silver having given over that Trade in regard they make far greater advantages by their other Merchandizes the return whereof many times come to a thousand for a hundred by the traffick they have there with the Chineses who bring all sorts of Cottons and Silk-Stuffes Purcelane Gun-powder Sulphur Iron Steel Quicksilver Copper Meal Nuts of several kinds Bisket Dates Linnen-cloath Cabinets Ink-horns and things made of Lacque which the Spaniards come and snatch up to be carried into the West-Indies where they have money for nothing The Spaniards have in the City of Manilla an Arch-bishop who hath spiritual Jurisdiction over all the Philippine Islands which he exercises by three Suffragan Bishops and some Priests These are so highly respected by the Inhabitants who have not shaken off their Original simplicity that they govern the Country and keep it in subjection to the Spaniards They are indeed such absolute Masters of these Islands that though in several of them there is not so much as one Spaniard yet is there not one of the Inhabitants refuses
have time enough the hands and feet and sometimes they cut the whole body to pieces that every one may carry away his share and shew the marks of his courage at his return If the Country take the Alarm so as they cannot quite cut off the Head they think it enough to cut off the hair which they carry away as a noble Demonstration of their Victory which is accounted among them a very considerable one though that in an exploit of this nature there happens to be but one man kill'd Sometimes they venture so far as to enter into the Village and break open some house but in regard that cannot be done without noise they go upon such a Design with so much precipitation that lest they should be intercepted in their return they kill all they meet and fly for it They also use stratagems and make Ambushes according to their way and sometimes they engage in the open field where they fight with great animosity but the death of one man passes among them for an absolute Defeat and obliges those who have had that loss to an immediate Retreat The Pikes they use in the Wars are made of a different manner from those they hunt withall for the Iron at the top hath no Branches nor Hooks and is made fast enough to the body of the Pike Their Bucklers are so large that they almost cover all the whole body and their Swords on the contrary are short but broad They use also Knives made like those of the Iaponneses Bows and Arrows When several Villages make an Association among themselves to carry on a War jointly against some other Villages the Command of their Forces is not bestow'd on one Chief who hath Authority sufficient to force himself to be obey'd but such among them as have been so fortunate as to cut off divers heads upon several occasions find Volunteers enough to follow them in their military Exploits out of no other Consideration then that of participating of the Glory of their Commander Sometimes they engage in a War out of a pure frolick against the Inhabitants of the Island of Tugin which the Dutch call the Island of the Golden Lyon upon this account that the Captain and Master of a Ship of that name were there killed by the Islanders The Inhabitants of this place permit not any strangers to come within their Island nay they suffer not the Chineses who come thither every year upon the account of their Commerce to set foot on Land but they force them to stay in the Road whither the Islanders bring the Commodities they would truck with them with so much distrust on their side that they never let go any thing out of one hand till they have fast hold of what they would have in the other The Inhabitants of Fermosa especially those of the Village of Soulang having a Design to surprize them embarqu'd themselves not long since to the number of sixty disguiz'd like China Merchants and being come near the Island of Tugin sent to some of the Islanders to come and meet them with the Commodities of the Countrey but instead of receiving them from his hands who presented them therewith they laid hold of his arm and drew him aboard their Vessel where they cut him to pieces This was a great Victory to them for they think it enough to bring away the Hair or haply a Pike of the Enemies to make a solemn Triumph and appoint a day of publick Thanksgiving They carry the Heads in Procession all about the Village singing Hymns to their Gods and in their way visit their Friends who make them drink of the best Arac and accompany them to the Pagode where they boil the Head till there be nothing left but the Bones on which they sprinkle some Wine Sacrifice several Swine to their Gods and feast it for fifteen days together They do the like when they have brought home only the Hair or a Pike which as also the Bones of their Enemies they keep aâ—â—â—â—fully as we do Gold Silver or Jewels inasmuch as when a House is a-fire they abandon all to save their Relicks They tender so great respect to those who have had the good fortune to bring home an Enemies Head that no person comes near him but with a certain veneration for above fifteen days after his doing such an exploit nor speak to him but with such extraordinay submissions as that a Soveraign Prince could not expect greater There is no Lord in all that Island that hath a Superiority or advantage over the rest Their condition is equal save that in every Village there is a kind of Senate consisting of twelve persons which are changed every two years The two years being expir'd they who are to quit their places pull of their Hair off their Eye brows and on both sides of their Heads to shew that they have been Magistrates The Senators are chosen out of persons much about the same age which is that of forty years for though they have no Almanack and cannot count their years yet do they remember well enough the course of the Moon and take particular notice of such as are born within the same Month and about the same Year Not that this Magistrate hath any Authority to force himself to be obey'd or to put his Commands in execution for all the power they have is only to give order for an Assembly to be held concerning such Affairs as they think of importance to confer among themselves thereof and to invite all the Heads of Families to meet in one of their Pagodes where they propose to them how things stand discover what they think fit to be done and endeavour to bring the rest to be of the same judgment with them All the Senatours speak one after another and use all the Eloquence they have to press their Reasons the more home I say Eloquence for they really have of it For they will speak half an hour together in such high expressions with so much ease and with such apt gestures that what we are taught by Art comes not near what Nature hath bestow'd on these People who can neither write nor read While one speaks all the rest are so exactly silent that you shall not hear so much as a Cough though their Assemblies many times consist of a thousand persons When all the Senators have done speaking the rest put the business to deliberation with an absolute freedom of either complying with the judgment of the Senate or opposing it after they have considered the good or evil which may accrew to them thereby All the power they have consists in causing what their Priestesses command to be put in execution in preventing ought to be done which may offend the Gods and in punishing such as do offend them They also give reparations to private persons who have been injur'd by others not by causing the offenders to be imprison'd or punish'd with death or
take the Air they run after us having Goosberies to sell whereof we bought a hatful for a Copeck 'T was pleasant to see those Children to the number of fifty together leaping about us as we lay on the grass to eat our Goosberries so dress'd as that we could not distinguish the Boies from the Girls for both had their hair cut all off excepting only two mustaches which were suffer'd to grow at their Temples and were clad in shirts reaching to their ancles Our Physician would needs make a discovery of sexes among them and having caught one of the Children by the shirt it happened to be a Boy who told him laughing Deske niet that he was no Girl and thereupon pointed to some that were The 23. at dinner was the first time we heard any of the Country Musick which consisted of a Lute and Violin with some voices singing aires to the honour of their Czaar Michael Federouits and perceiving they were permitted they fell a-dancing after a strange manner The men and women danc'd much after the same manner every one alone making strange faces with as strange gesticulations the motions of the hands shoulders and hips being more violent than those of the feet which they do but gently stir not moving as it were from the same place The women have commonly handkerchers in their hands fring'd with silk of divers colours which they cast about their heads After dinner we embark'd upon the River Wolgda Our Musketiers or Strelits begg'd the benediction of a Monk that happen'd to be by the River side it being their custom to beg it of all Monks and in all the Churches they come to by the way which if they have not the time to go into they think it enough to do reverences to the Crosses they see upon the Churches and Chapels pronouncing these words Hospodi Buchmilo that is to say Lord be merciful to me The wind being with us it was thought fit we should make use of our sails but the Muscovites being not the most expert Mariners one of the Ropes broke and the sail falling on one of the Musketiers struck him down so as that we gave him over for dead but coming to himself again within an hour after and having taken a considerable dram of the Aquavitae bottle he was as well as ever The Wolgda is as broad as Elbe but runs much more slowly It rises neer great Novogorod out of the Lake called the Lake of Ilmen and falls into that of Ladoga Seven werstes whereof five make a German League from Ladoga there is a strange fall of Water in that River and about a league and a half thence another where the water falls with such violence that it runs like a shaft amidst the many Rocks scatter'd up and down neer those places in so much that to draw the loaden Boats up the River there needs above a hundred men We got ashore at the former and saw our Boats pass safely all save the last in which we had left Simon Frisius a Merchant's Son of Hamborough who being extremely sick was forc'd to stay in it This Boat being drawn up to the highest pitch of the water the rope broke so that the water forc'd it back with such violence that it would have split against the Rocks if by an unexpected good hap one end of the rope which was fasten'd to the mast had not twin'd it self about one of the Rocks by which means the Boat was stay'd till we had the convenience to dis-engage it There we were told that a certain Bishop coming that way in a Boat laden with Fish had been cast away some few dayes before The other fall we pass'd without any danger and came that night to a Convent called Nicolai Nepostiza where we took up our quarters and stay'd the next day expecting the Boats that were coming after us From Reuel to Moscou are nothing but Woods Fenns Lakes and Rivers which produce such abundance of Flies Gnats and Wasps that people have much ado to keep them off in so much that in the night time they are forc'd to wrap themselves up in certain linnen cloaths such as Travellers make use of in Livonia and Muscovy those among us who had not been carefull to cover themselves having their faces so sported as if they were newly recover'd from the small pox The Wagoners and Conntry people who have not convenience enough of those cloaths are forc'd to make use of fire against the importunity of those Insects insomuch that Muscovy being every where well furnish'd with wood they make good fires and lye down by them all which hinders not but that they are extremely troubled with them There were but four Monks in the Convent the most aged among them made us a Present of Turneps pickled Cowcumbers some green Pease and two wax candles We gratify'd him with a Crown piece which he took so kindly that he let us into his Church contrary to the Custom of the Country and put on his Sacerdotal Vestments that we might see them He shew'd us in the Portal the Miracles of S. Nicholas painted according to the mode of the Country very roughly and without proportion Upon the door was represented the last Judgement wherein the Monk pointed to a Man habited after the German fashion and told us That the Germans and other Nations were not uncapable of Salvation provided they had a Muscovite Soul and that they lived justly in the sight of God He shew'd us also a Bible in his own Language for no Muscovite knows any other than his own and the Sclavonian and read to us the first Chapter of S. Iohn's Gospel which we found absolutely conformable to our Text. To which he added that being once at Reuel he had there had a conference with some of our Pastors concerning the Holy Scripture but that he could give them no great satisfaction because he did not well understand the German Interpreter He would have shewn us all the Church but our Musketiers coming in grumbled at it and reproach'd him for having communicated too much to us We gave him the tother Crown for which he gave us many thanks bowing his head to the very ground and smiting it with his forehead We intended to have made our repast upon the grass but were hardly set ere the wind turning for us the Monk brings us another prefent of Turneps and Cowcumbers telling us that the kindness we had done him had obtain'd of S. Nicholas the good wind which was to carry us on in our Voyage About 2. afternoon we set off made four leagues that dayâ—punc and came at night to a Village called Cerodiza but finding it more pleasant to be by the water side than in a Village we caus'd our meat to dress'd there and supp'd while the Marriners who made accompt to goe thence that night took some hours rest We slept not but made sport with a young Bear
of the Duke of Courland Lâ—vonia and Semgalles is married to Louise-Charlotte Daughter to George-William Elector of Brandenbourg and Elizabeth-Charlotte of Baviere It is not long since that this Duke of Courland having dispatch'd a Gentleman for Moscou to manage some affairs there the Weywode of Tleslau would not give him passage and sent him word that Courland being dependent on the Crown of Poland could not have particular Agents and Ministers but was to negotiate Affairs by means of the Ambassador which the King his Master had at Muscovy But this Prince hath been so fortunate as since this last War to obtain the neutrality of all the neighbouring Princes so that it is very likely the Treaty to be agreed on between them will be such as that he shall have no dependance on any of them At night we came to a Village called Doblen three Leagues from Mittau The Inn-keeper who took us for Souldiers or Gypsies that were in distress for Lodging made some difficulty to let us into his house but at last he was perswaded and lodg'd us All we had to supper was hard Cheese very brown Bread and sour Beer The 15. we travell'd 7. Leagues and came to Bador in Poland where an antient Gentleman who had sometime been a Captain of horse named Iohn Amdod lodg'd us and treated us extremely well especially with all sorts of drinks as Lithuanian Hydromel excellent Sack and good Beer which made us spend some part of the night in carowsing the Wine having the vertue of contracting a great friendship between the Ambassadors and him The next day he gave us a very sumptuous entertainment and the divertisement of Timbrells and that all might be compleat in the treatment he would needs bring in his two Daughters whom we had not seen the night before He also presented the Ambassadors one with a Fire-lock the other with a Sword and the Ambassadors gave him each of them a fair Watch. This breakfast which lasted till the afternoon hindred us so that we could get but four Leagues that day to Hashoff where we went to bed supperless The 18. we travell'd six Leagues to a Village called Walzau The â—9 we came to Memel six Leagues from 'T is a pleasant little Town at the entrance of the Gulf called the Courishaf or Lake of Courland The Courlanders in their Jargon call this Town Cleupeda and Crometus in his History of Poland calls it Troipes The Castle belonging to it is pleasant and well fortify'd and its Haven very commodious The River Tange compasses it round and not far thence falls into the Gulf. It was built in the year 1250. and was at that time part of the revinue of Livonia The Friers of the Order of Livonia in the year 1328. sold this City to the Master of the Order of Prussia and it is with that Dutchy come to the Elector of Brandenburg who hath been possess'd of it ever since the Suedes restor'd it by vertue of a cessation of 26. years which France got concluded in the year 1635. between the Crowns of Poland and Sueden The 20. we got upon the Haf or Gulf of Curland and dind that day at Snenzel three leagues from Memel and lodg'd at Bulcapen five leagues from the said Memel The 21. we travel'd 8 leagues and came to Koningsberg where the snow beginning to fail us we were forc'd to quit our Sledges This city called by the Polanders Krolefsky is seated by the River Pregel the chiefest of that part of Prussia which is called the Ducal because it hath its Duke or particular Prince under the Soveraignty of the Crown of Poland 'T is a Production of the thirteenth age in which the Knights of the Teutonick Order built it and named it Coningsberg or Royal-mount in honour of Primislas Ottocarus King of Bohemia and in acknowledgement of the assistance he had brought them against the Heathens in those parts It is now much bigger than it was then inasmuch as besides the suburbs which are very great there was added in the year 1300. that part of the city which is called Lebenicht and in the year 1380. that of Kniphof both which have their several Magistrates both as to policy and administration of Justice The Palace ows its perfection to George Frederick of Brandenburgh Duke of Prussia who built it about the later end of the last age Among other remarkable things there is a Hall that hath no pillars and yet is 274 Geometrical feet in length and 59 in breadth and a fair Library well furnish'd with abundance of excellent Books among which in drawers full of Books adorn'd with silver is to be seen that which Albert of Brandenbourg first Duke of Prussia made and writ with his own hand for the instruction of his Son and goverment of the country after his death The University was founded by the same Prince who made it his business to render this city one of the most considerable of all the North The River Pregel or Chronus which rises in Lithuania and falls into the Gulf called the Frishaf a league below the City contributes very much to the improvement of its commerce and the City is so populous that many times there are seven or eight families in a house They generally speak the German language though there are few Iahabitants but have also the Polish with those of Lithuania and Courland There are brought thithes from â—oland and Lithuania Oak for Joyners work Soap-ashes Wax Honey Hydromel Leather Furrs Wheat Rye Flax and Hemp and the Suedish Dutch and English Ships bring Iron Lead Tinn Cloath Wine Salt Butter Cheese c. We say nothing here of Prussia out of a fear of making too great a digression and medling with ought relating to the History of Germany which hath nothing common with our Travells but only that the Crown of Poland hath quitted all pretension of Soveraignty over the Dutchy of Prussia by the last treaty it made with his Electoral Highness of Brandenbourg We left Coningsberg Feb. 24. and came the next day to Elbing a City seated upon a River of the same name between the Lake of Drauser and the Frishaf in the Royal or Polish Prussia It is not very big but its streets are streight and spacious and its fortifications made by the late King of Sueden during the last War of Poland before his entrance into Germany are very regular If he who is Master of it were also Commander of the Fort of Pilau which the Elector of Brandenburg is possess'd of at the entrance of the Frishaf it might be made a very considerable place for Commerce The 27. we came to Dantsig where we staid 16 or 17 days during which time the Magistrates treated us with the ordinary Presents of refreshments and the principal Inhabitants gave us several noble entertainments The Polanders call this place Gdansko whence comes the modern Latine word Gedanum It is not
of the Northern Provinces of this great State but so full of Woods and Rivers that it is in a manner inaccessible unless it be when the Fenns and Rivers are frozen The Province of Petzora reaches along the frozen Sea towards the East and North. The River of Petzora whence it hath the name falls into the Sea near the Streight of Weigats below the City of Pustioziero by six several channels The mountains which the Muscovites call Zimnopoias that is the Girdle of the Earth the same as it is believed as the Antients called the Riphaean and Hiperborean mountains lye on both sides of it and afford the best Sables and excellent Hawks The City is but little and the cold so great in this Province that the Rivers are frozen from August to May. Upon this Province border the Samoicdes a people we shall have occasion to speak of hereafter The Province of Obdorie derives its name from the River Oby which rising out of the great Lake of Kataisko and running from the East towards the North falls into the frozen Sea and is so broad at the mouth that with a very good wind a Ship will have much ado to cross from one side to the other in two days As for the Tartarian Provinces that are subject to the Great Duke we shall give an accompt of them in the prosecution of our Travels along the River Wolga of which River we shall only say by the way that in the Province of Rschouie two leagues from its chief City and in the great forest of Wolkowskiles is the Lake of Wronow out of which rises a River that two leagues off that place falls into the Lake of Wolga from which it derives its name and is thence forward called Wolga The Tartars call it Edel and 't is the same as Ptolomy calls Rha. 'T is doubtless the greatest River in all Europe since that from the City of Nise-Novogorod near which we went into it out of the River Ocea to the Caspian Sea we have counted above 500 German leagues not accounting above a hundred leagues more there is from its source to the place where the Occa falls into it The Boristhenes which those of the Country call Dnieper rises out of the same Province ten leagues from the Lake of Fronowo near a Village called Dniepersko It divides Lithuania from Muscovy and after it hath taken its course towards the South where it passes near Wiesma and thence towards the East bathing the Cities of Progobus Smolensko Orscha Dubrowna and Mohilouw it turns again towards the South and passing by Kiouie by the Circasses and thence toward Otzakow a City of the Tartarians of Precop it falls into the Euxine Sea There are in Muscovy two Rivers called Dwina one rises out of a Lake of the same name ten leagues from the Lake of Fronowo and the source of Dnieper and falls into the Baltick Sea below Riga The other rising at the conjunction of the Rivers of Iagel and Sachana gives its name to the Province before mentioned and falls into the White Sea near Archangel The Rivers of Mosca and Occa are pleasant and very considerable but they lose their names with all the other Rivers in the Countrey when they fall into those we have before spoken of Muscovy then being of such extent as we have said it is not to be imagin'd that in Provinces so distant and situated in so different climates Air and Earth are alike qualify'd every where About Moscou and the adjacent Provinces the Air is good and healrhy so that there is no talk of the Plague or any other Epidemical disease Which was the reason that in the year 1654. at the beginning of the War of Smolensko when the Infection made such havock in that great City people were the more surpriz'd thereat in regard the like had not been known in the memory of man It was so great that those were seen dying in the streets who thought themselves well enough when they came out of their houses and all Muscovy was so astonish'd at it that all the Avenues of Moscou were block'd up The cold is so piercing that no fur can prevent the Nose Ears Feet and Hands from freezing and falling At our first Voyage thither in 1634. the cold was so sharp that in the great Market-place before the Castle we saw the earth open above twenty fathoms in length and a foot broad We could not go 50 steps without hazard of losing some of our members I saw there by experience what others have left in writing that spittle froze before it came to the ground and water as it dropp'd I observ'd withal that the earth is open there in a manner as soon as in Germany and that the Spring fruits come much about the same time for the more the earth is cover'd with Snow the more it keeps in the heat requisite to promote vegetation The Ice and Snow together make the ways so even that it is much easier travelling there than any where else For Winter-travelling the Muscovites make use of Sledges made very low of the bark of Trees cover'd with some coarse kind of Cloath We lay all along in them and covering our selves with sheep-skins and the Sledges being cover'd with Sack-cloath or some coarse Cloath we not only felt not the cold but even sweated in the depth of Winter The Muscovian Horses are very low yet fit enough for this kind of travelling for being swift and indefatigable they will go 8. 10. nay many times 12 leagues without staying by the way I have my self travell'd twice from Tuere to Torsock without any halt by the way Hence is it that travelling is so cheap that a Country fellow shall bring you fifty leagues for three or four Crowns at most If the cold be sharp in the Winter the heat is no less troublesom in Summer not proceeding so much from the scorching rayes of the Sun which is there in a manner always above the Horizon and makes the day 18. hours long as occasion'd by the Flies Wasps Gnats and other insects which the Sun produces in the Moors and Fens which take up a great part of the Country in such abundance that night and day they are extremely troublesome But the Fens and Forests which Muscovy is well stor'd with hinder not but the Land they cultivate is very Fertile For unless it be about Mosco where the soyl is barren and gravelly let them take ever so little pains with their grounds in other places they will bring forth more Wheat and Pasture than the Countrey can consume The Hollanders acknowledge that Muscovy is to them what Sicily was sometime to Rome You never hear talk of dearth though in the Provinces that have not the convenience of Rivers to transport their Corn the Inhabitants manure only so much ground as will afford them a bare subsistence for the present year not minding the future as
Crucifix to kiss and afterwards the Saint's Image which for that purpose is taken down from the Wall If the Oath be good the party who took it is not to be admitted to the Communion for three years and though he be not treated as an infamous person yet those of any quality will not easily suffer him in their Company but a perjur'd person is severely punished first cruelly whipt then banish'd Whence it comes that the Muscovites endeavour all they can to avoid it though upon any trivial occasion especially in their dealings they stick not to swear at every word and have incessantly in their mouths their Po Chrestum by Christ making the sign of the Cross at the same time but there is little credit to be given those kinds of Oaths as proceeding from deceit and passion They permit strangers to take their Oaths according to the rules of their several Religions No invention but they make use of to force people to confess the truth by Torture One of the most cruel in my opinion is the Strapado which is often given in this manner The Malefactor having his hands ty'd behind him is wound up into the air and so hangs having fasten'd to his feet a great beam upon which the Executioner ever and anon gets up to augment the pain and further the dislocation of the Members while the smoak and fire which are made under his feet burns and stifles him Sometimes they cause the Malefactor's head to be shaven and as he is so hanging they pour cold water drop by drop upon the crown which is such a torment as no other comes near not even that of whipping which they many times give those in that condition though they at the same time clap a red-hot Iron upon the stripes In ordinary quarrels he who gives the first blow gets the worst Murther committed without any necessity of defence is punish'd with death The guilty person is kept six weeks in a very close Prison and fed only with bread and water after which he receives the Communion and hath his head cut off Thieves are Tortur'd that they may discover their Complices and confess their other Crimes If it be the first offence they are whipt from the Castle-Gate to the great Market place where the offender hath an Ear cut off and is put into prison for two years If he offends the second time he is punish'd in the same manner and is kept in prison till he hath company to be banish'd into Siberia Theft is never punish'd with death in Muscovy but the concealers and receivers fare no better which is the best course could be taken to bridle the lewd inclinations of that people The ordinary punishments are slitting the nostrils Whipping and the Baltoki The last is not alwayes infamous and publick yet is there not any Master of a Family but gives it his Children and Servants He who is to receive this Chastisement puts off his Kaftan and having only his shirt on layes himself down upon the ground on his belly and then two men set themselves cross upon him one upon his Neck the other upon his Feet having each of them a little Wand or Switch in his hand wherewith they beat him upon the Back much after the manner that Fell-mongers beat their Furs to get out the Worms They ordinarily have their Nostrils slit who have taken Tobacco in snuff contrary to the Great Duke's prohibition Whipping as it is given in Muscovy is one of the most barbarous punishments that ever were heard of Sept. 24. 1634. I saw eight men and one woman Whipt for selling of Aqua-vitae and Tobacco The Executioner's man took them up one after another upon his back being stript down to the waste and having their feet ty'd together with a Cord which passing between his Legs that held them up was held by another servant of the Executioner's so fast that they were not able to stir The Executioner stood three paces off with a Bull 's Pizzel having fasten'd to the end of it three straps or thongs of an Elk's skin not tann'd and consequently as sharp as a Rasour with which he lay'd on their backs with all his strength so as that the blood gush'd out at every lash The men had each of them 25. or 26. till the Clerk who had in a Note what number of lashes they were to receive cry'd Polno that is to say enough The Woman had but 16. yet did she fall into a swound Being thus disciplin'd so as that their backs were in a manner slic'd and slash'd all over yet were they all tyed by the Arms two and two together those who had sold Tobacco having a little horn full of it and those who had sold Aquavitae a little bottle about their Necks and whipt through the Citie and after they had walk'd them above half a league about they were brought back to the place of their first execution and dismiss'd This is so cruel a punishment that some die of it as we said before of the son of General Herman Schein Some after they are thus punish'd wrap themselves up in the skin of a sheep newly kill'd Heretofore these punishments were not infamous and those who had pass'd through the Executioner's hands were admitted into the best Companies as was also the Executioner himself whose Profession was accounted so honorable that sometimes even Merchants quitted theirs to serve the Magistrate at Executions and would buy the employment and after certain years sell it again to others The advantages of it ly in this that the Executioner is not only paid by the Judge but gets money also out of the Criminal to be more gently treated though indeed the greatest profit he makes comes from the Aquavitae which he sells underhand to the Prisoners But now this employment is not much courted since the Muscovites have begun to learn somewhat of civility from their Neighbours Nor is the Executioner permitted to sell his Office but it must continue in his family which failing the Butchers are oblig'd to recommend to the place one of their body All we said of the cruelty of their punishments is yet below what they inflict on such as cannot pay their debts He who pays not at his time mentioned in the Bond is put into a Sergeants house having a certain further time to make satisfaction If he fail he is carried to prison whence he is every day brought out to the place before the Chancery where the common Executioner beats him upon the shin-bone with a Wand about the bigness of a man's little finger for a whole hour together That done he is return'd to prison unless he can put in security to be forth-coming the next day at the same hour to be treated in the same manner till he hath made satisfaction And this is executed with much rigour upon all sors of persons what condition or quality soever they be of Subjects or Foreiners Men or Women Priests or lay persons 'T is
of the Gospel after a strange manner and adulterate them with so many fabulous impious and impertinent circumstances that it is not to be much admired that vice and sin reign among them when they are furnish'd with examples thereof in their Books of Devotion This minds me of a story which the Danish Gentleman I have elsewhere spoken of relates in his Travels into Muscovy Discoursing one day with his Pristaf concerning matters of Religion the Muscovite whose name was Foedor a man well stricken in years told him that there was no great harm in contracting a habit of sinning daily provided a man had an intention to repent him of it at the point of death and brought for his reason the example of Mary Magdalene This Mary said he was a profess'd Curtezan so that it is not to be doubted but she offended God very often Yet it happened one day she met a man upon the high-way who desired of her that kindness which she had not deny'd any other but those even of her profession being not alwayes in the same humour she would do nothing till such time as the man desir'd her to do it for God's sake That then she satisfy'd his desire and that doing for God's sake what she was unwilling to do out of complaisance the action became so meritorious that she had not only expiated all her other Sins by that Act of Charity but also deserv'd to be put in red letters in the Books of the Saints There is no Evangelical story which they have not thus adulterated and dress up in circumstances no less abominable They are all bare in the Church even the Great Duke himself Only their Priests have on their Skufia or Caps which are given them at their Consecration VVhen they make their Inclinations to the Images they often make the sign of the Cross with three fingers of the right hand touching first the fore-head then the breast then the right shoulder and lastly the left And that it might not be thought this is done without Mystery they say the three fingers signify the Trinity putting them to the fore-head they would signify that Christ is Ascended into Heaven to the breast that a man should love God with all his heart and the passing of them from the right shoulder to the left puts them in mind of the day of Judgement when God shall place the Righteous on his right hand and the Wicked on the left those to be called to eternal Salvation these to be tumbled down into the abysses of Hell The Muscovites undertake not any thing but they first make the sign of the Cross as eating drinking or any other civil actions As for Images they confess there were not any in Churches during the first Centuries and till the time of Constantine the Great or if there were they were not honoured with any worship but that they are used only to represent the stories of the Bible They say that they follow herein the opinion of Iohn Damascene but it is most likely they have it from the Greek Church with which they suffer not any that are carved or graven as being forbidden in the Decalogue but they have Images painted with oil upon wood wretchedly coloured and ill-proportioned about a foot in breadth somewhat more in length They will not meddle with them if they are not made by one of their Religion though they came from the best Painter's hand in Europe At Moscou there is a particular Market-place for Images where nothing else is sold though they call that kind of Commerce bartering or trucking with money out of a belief they have that the names of buying and selling carry not respect enough in them for sacred things Heretofore they oblig'd strangers to have of them in their houses that their Muscovian Servants might be thereby excited to the exercise of their Devotion But the present Patriarch permits not they should be profaned by the Germans insomuch that Charles du Moulin having bought a stone house the Seller scrap'd the wall where an Image had been painted and carried away what he had scrap'd off The Peasants would not permit us to touch them not to turn our feet towards them when we lay down Nay some were at the charge of Incense to purify them after we had left their Houses The walls of their Churches are full of them and they represent for the most part our Saviour the Virgin Mary St. Nicholas Patron of Muscovy or the particular Saints they make choice of for the principal object of their Devotions Those who commit sins deserving excommunication are oblig'd to cause their Saint to be taken away who is not to be suffer'd in their Churches no more than their persons Great Persons and Rich Merchants adorn their Images with Pearls and other precious Stones All Muscovites look upon them as things so necessary as that without Images they could not say their prayers which whenever they do they alwayes set Wax-candles before their Saint and look very stedfastly upon him as long as the Devotion lasts When a Muscovite comes into a House or Chamber he saies not a word till he hath fixt his eyes on the Saint he looks for which they ordinarily hang in a corner behind the Table or if he finds him not he askes Iest le Boch where is the God Assoon as he perceives him he makes him one very low reverence or more and pronounces at every time Gospodi Pomilui then he turns to the Company and salutes them The Muscovites respect their Images as if there were somewhat of Divinity in them and they attribute unto them the virtue of Miracles whereof we had this example in the year 1643. that an old Image beginning to change colour and to turn a little reddish they immediately cry'd out a Miracle The Great Duke and the Patriarch were frighted thereat as if that red colour presag'd some misfortune to either the Prince or the people nay they had sent out Orders for extraordinary fasts and publick prayers to be made all over the Kingdom if the Painters who were sent for to have their advise in this affair had not all assured them that there was nothing they should be troubled at since there was nothing extraordinary but that Time having consum'd and eaten out the paint had only discover'd the first colour of the wood which was red Their Monks and Priests have nevertheless the art to make them do Miracles or to observe such things in them as oblige the people to extraordinary Devotions which must not want their offerings that the Priest may not want his advantage The City of Archangel furnishes us with a good example to this purpose of two Priests there who having got together a vast sum of money by their Impostures must needs fall out at the parting of it and upbraid one another of their cheats so loudly that the Magistrate coming to hear of it they had thirty lashes a-piece with the Executioner's good
his miraculous deliverance of us the year before when we were wrack'd upon the Baltick Sea Having entertain'd our friends with a Dinner and Musick they took leave of us and return'd that night to Nise The 2. The wind being somewhat lay'd we weigh'd Anchor for the prosecution of our Voyage but ere we had gotten a quarter of a League we met again with Sand-banks near the Isle of Tletinski and soon after others near the Isle of Subsinski where we saw a great Boat which had not long before been cast away thereabouts These unfortunate accidents our being nine hours getting off this last Bank together with the ignorance of our Pilot who acknowledg'd he had not made that Voyage in eight years before much abated their courage who considering that in four days they had made but two Leagues and that there were 550. to make ere they came to the Caspian Sea began to doubt they should never go through that Voyage But the 3d. We advanc'd a little better and pass'd by the Villages of Stolbiza and Stoba which lye three leagues from Nise We saw afterwards on the right hand in a bottom between two Mountains the Village of Welikofrat that of Tsimonski upon a Hill and the Isle of Diploi at twenty Werstes or four leagues from Nise Near this Village we met with a great Vessel that had 200 men in it It came from Astrachan and was loaden with salt fish They cannot be without such a great number of Mariners by reason that instead of Laveering or Rowing when the wind is against them they cast Anchor a quarter of a League before them and all those men pull the Cable to which it is fasten'd and so they advance by little and little with much expence of time and pains making but two Leagues a day at most by reason of the greatness of those Boats which are of 800. 900. or 1000. Tuns burthen In the afternoon we left several Villages on the right hand as Beswodna Kasnitza where I found the elevation to be 56d 21 m. Rubotka Tzetschina Targinits and Iurkin where we pass'd between two Islands at 21 foot water This last Village is ten Leagues from Nise At night the wind being more fair for us we made use of our Sayls The next day the wind still good we pass'd by several little Villages leaving on the right hand the Towns of Masa and Cremonski near which we lay at Anchor the fourth all night because the River being shallow thereabouts we avoided running upon the Sand-banks in the dark The 5th Betimes in the morning we got before a little Village called Pannino whence the Peasants brought us Pullets and other Provisions to sell very cheap Then we pass'd between two Isles one called Spassabelka and at night we came in sight of the City of Basiligorod where we stay'd that night by reason of the Sands There we receiv'd by a Messenger who had been sent express from Moscou Letters from Germany dated in May. The City of Basiligorod is not Wall'd and its Houses even the publick edifices being but of Wood we may say it is properly but a Village It is situated at the foot of a Mountain upon the right shore of the River Wolga at 55 degrees and 51 m. elevation at the falling in of the little River Sura which was heretofore a comâ—â—n Frontier between the Tartars of Casan and the Muscovites The Creat Duke Basili builâ—â—â— to prevent the incursions of Tartars and fortify'd it but now that the Muscovites have extended their Territories much farther they think it unnecessary to keep any Garrison there The 6th We had much ado to pass the Sands which we met with every foot so that it was afternoon ere we came up to the City which we saluted with a volley of our great Guns That honour we did all the Cities upon the same River The Tartars we spoke of are called Ceremisses and their Country reaches beyond Casan on both sides of the River Wolga They have no Houses but only wretched Huts and live upon Honey and the wild-fowl they take in the Woods and Milk which their Pastures furnish them with 'T is a Nation absolutely barbarous treacherous and cruel much given to sorcery and robbery Those who live on the right side of the Wolga are called Nagorni or Mountaineers from the word na which in the Muscovian Language signifies upon and Gor a Mountain and those on the left Lugoivi or Lugowizene that is to say Meadows because of the abundance of Hay which those parts afford insomuch that the Nagorni are supply'd thence Guagnin says they are partly Mahumetans partly Heathens but this I am certain of that about Casan they are all Heathens not knowing what either Circumcision or Baptism means All the Ceremony they have when they are to give a Child a name consists in appointing some day six moneths after on which they give it the name of that person whom they first meet Most of them believe there is a God who is immortal author of all the good that happens to men and that he ought to be adored But this is all they know of him For they do not believe the immortality of the Soul nor consequently the Resurrection of the dead but that men and beasts have the same beginning and come to the same end I met with one of the Ceremisses at a house where I lodg'd at Casan He was aged about 45 years and wanted not ingenuity but understanding that I was discoursing with my Host about some points of Religion and that I spoke of the Resurrection of the Dead he laugh'd at the perswasion and said to me Those who are dead are really dead and will never return again no more than my Horses and Cows which are long since rotten I asked him whether he knew who Created this World and made Heaven and Earth his answer was Tzortsneit The Devil may haply know They do not believe there is any Hell yet are perswaded there are Devils and evil Spirits which afflict and torment people in this life and therefore they endeavour to appease them and to gain their favour by Sacrifices Forty Leagues from Casan there is a place called Nemda amidst the Fenns where these Tartars go Pilgrimages and do their Devotions and they believe that those who go thither empty-handed and carry no Present to the Devil shall languish and pine away of some long and incurable disease A particular point of their faith is that the Devil hath his principal residence in the Torrent of Schockschem ten Werstes from Nunda and whereas that little rivulet which is but four foot deep is never frozen occasion'd by the violence of its course between two Mountains they think it is not without some mystery and they have so great a veneration for it as to be perswaded they cannot come near it without danger of their lives though the Muscovites cross it dayly without any In their Sacrifices to God they kill a
Horse an Ox or a Sheep roasting the flesh and take a cut thereof in a Dish and holding in the other hand another Dish full of Hydromel or some other liquor they cast both into a fire which they make before the skin of the Creature that is sacrificed which skin they hang upon a Pole laid a-cross between two Trees They intreat that skin to present their Prayers to God or sometimes they make their address immediately to God and pray him to augment the number of their Cattel or grant them some other conveniencies of this life which are the only object of all their Devotions They adore also the Sun and Moon as Authors of all the Noble Productions of the Earth nay they are so fondly superstitious as to have a veneration for what ever presents it self to them in the night in their Dreams and to adore it the next day as a Horse a Cow Fire Water c. I told the Tartar I spoke of before that it was madness to worship those Creatures whose lives are at our disposal He reply'd that it was better to adore things Animate than the Gods of Wood and Colours which the Muscovites have hanging on their Walls They have neither Churches nor Priests nor Books and the Language of the Ceremisses is peculiar to them having in a manner nothing common with that of the other Tartars nor yet with the Turkish though those who are subject to the Czaar and so oblig'd to converse with the Muscovites make use also of their Language They perform all Religious Ceremonies and Sacrifices near some Torrent where they meet together especially when upon the death of any of their friends who hath left any Wealth behind him they make good Cheer with the best Horse he had which they put to death with the Master Polygamy is so ordinary among them that there are few but have four or five Wives whereof they take two or three into the same house and make no great difficulty to marry two or three Sisters at the same time Their Women and young Maids are all clad in a coarse white Cloath wherein they so wrap up themselves that there is nothing to be seen but their Faces Those that are betroathed have a particular dress for their Heads which hath a point like a Horn which seems to come out of the Head about half an ell in length At the end of that Horn there is a Tassel of silk of diverse colours at which hangs a little Bell. The Men wear a long Coat or Garment of coarse Linnen Cloath under which they wear Breeches They all shave their Heads only those young Men that are not married leave on the Head a long tress of Hair which some tye up into a knot upon the Head others suffer to hang down the Back which particularity we had the opportunity to take better notice of at our return at Casan When they saw us upon the River in a Dress so different from theirs they were affrighted so as that some fled others had the confidence to stay on the Rivers side but not one would venture to come into the Ship Being come at night to the River of Welluka near the Monastery of Iunka one of these Tartars had the courage to bring us a Sturgeon to sell for which at first he asked a Crown but afterwards let it go for xv d. August 7. we came before the City of Kusmademiansky 40. werstes from Basiligorod seated at the foot of a mountain on the right hand We saw in those parts whole Forests of Elms the Bark whereof they sell all over the Country to make Sledges of The Trees are many times of such compass that the body of them being cut cylinder-wise they make great Fat 's Barrels and Coffins thereof all of one piece which they sell at the adjacent Towns We cast Anchor three werstes thence near the Island of Krius where we did our Devotions and Celebrated the Lords Supper The Peasants thereabouts brought aboard the Ship several provisions to sell. About a league thence a tempest overtook us and forc'd us to cast Anchor and to stay there all night The 8. the wind fair we got about noon near the Island of Turich but in the afternoon the same wind forc'd our Ship being under all the Sail she could make upon a Sand-bank near the Island of Maslof with such violence that it was thought the Masts would have broken and this prov'd such a check to us that it cost us four hours toil and trouble to get off We perceiv'd on the right hand a great number of Tartars some a-foot some on horse-back coming from Hay-making We came at night before the City of Sabakzar 40. werstes from Kusmademianski and upon the same side of the River The buildings of this City are of Wood as are those of all the rest but the situation of this is beyond comparison more pleasant than that of any other City of Tartary The Inhabitants perceiving our Ship at some distance knew not at first what to think of her whence it came that the Weywode sent some Musketiers in a Boat as far as the Island of Makrits three werstes from the City to discover what we were The Boat thinking it not safe to venture too near us took a compass at a great distance about our Ship and so returned to the City But they no sooner understood our quality by our Pass-port and withall the occasion of our Voyage but there came above 300. persons to the River side to see us pass by The 9. we pass'd by the Island of Cosin leaving it on the left hand 12. werstes from Sabakzar Afterwards on the same hand a Village named Sundir and thence we came to a little City called Kockschaga on the left side of the Wolga 25. werstes from Sabakzar The River is so shallow thereabouts that there was hardly water enough for our Ship which put us to much trouble both that day and the next The 11. the current having forc'd the Ship upon the shore where we were constrain'd to stay for several hours M. Mandelslo and my self went a shore to divert our selves and see what Fruits we could find in the Woods Which had like to have occasion'd us a great misfortune for the wind turning fair at our return to the River side all were gone the Ship it self not in sight though we made all the hast we could to overtake it At last we saw a Boat coming towards us which we thought at first might belong to the Cosaques but soon after we perceiv'd they were some of our own sent to bring us aboard The conrtary wind had stay'd the Ship at a turning of the River and the tempest still increasing we were forc'd to cast anchor and to lie there all night The 12. we spent in getting beyond the turning by the help of an Anchor which we order'd to be cast at some distance before us but with this misfortune that having
Wolga for Moscou Opposite to this Mountain is the Island of Kostowata The River hereabouts is very broad by reason of the lowness of the shores on both sides Not far hence there is another Mountain at the foot whereof is the River Vssa which though it there falls into the Wolga yet is united again to it sixty werstes below Samara There are on both sides of the River pleasant Pastures but not far thence there being thick VVoods with a high Mountain adjoyning whence Robbers discover at a great distance what Passengers there are coming it is very dangerous travelling that way The Cosaques make their advantages thereof and not a year before our passage that way they took a great Vessel loaden belonging to one of the richest Merchants of Nise Near this River we had sixty foot water as also near the Mountain Diwisagora which word signifies the Maids Mountain and the Muscovites say it derives its name from certain Maids that had sometime been kept there by a Shee-Dwarf VVe left it on the right hand It is very high and steepy towards the River whence it may be seen divided into several Hills pleasant to the eye by reason of the diversity of the colours some being red some blew some yellow c. and representing at a great distance the ruins of some great and magnificent structure Upon every Hill or Bank is a row of Pine-Trees so regularly planted that a man might doubt whether it were not Artificial were it not that the Mountain is inaccessible of all sides At the foot of this Mountain there rises another which reaches along the River for eight Leagues together The Valley between those two Mountains is called Iabla-new-quas that is to say Apple-drink from the great number of Apple-Trees there which bear Apples fit only for Cider The same day we receiv'd Letters from Moscou by an express Messenger who brought us also Letters from Nise by which we understood that among our Mariners there were four Cosaques who came into our retinue purposely to betray us into the hands of their Camerades This notice though we were carefull enough to look after our people before added to our care and made us more vigilant In the evening after Sun-set we perceiv'd two great fires at the entrance of a VVood on the right hand which putting us into a fear they might be the Cosaques who lay in wait for us there were five or six Musketiers sent to discover what they where but ours having shot off three Muskets the other answer'd them with the like number and discover'd themselves to be Strelits who had been ordered to Guard a Persian Caravan and were then returning to their Garrisons The Ambassador Brugman impatient to hear what accompt our men would bring and thinking they stay'd very long call'd after them as loud as he could but the contrary wind hindred them from hearing him and in that suspence he would have had some of the great Guns discharg'd at those fires but the Ambassador Crusius oppos'd it and told him that their quality obliging them to stand onely upon the defensive part he would not by any means consent thereto In the night between the 26. and 27. our Sentinels perceiv'd in a little Boat two men who thinking to go along by our ship-side were stay'd and forc'd to come aboard us They said they were fisher-men and that the Muscovites whom they called their brethren suffered them to go along with their Boats by night as well as by day but in regard we were told the Cosaques took this course and were wont to come near Vessels to cut their Cables we examin'd them apart and finding their answers different one saying there were 500. Cosaques waiting for us in an Isle near Soratof the other denying it they were kept all night and the next morning we sent them by our Pristaf to the Weywode of Samara The 27. We saw on the left hand in a spacious plain not far from the River side a Hill of Sand like a Down The Muscovites call it Sariol Kurgan and affirm that a certain Tartarian Emperour named Momaon who had a design to enter Muscovy together with seven Kings of the same Nation dy'd in that place and that his Soldiers instead of burying him fill'd their Head-pieces and Bucklers with Sand and so cover'd the body that it became a Mountain About a League from the said Hill and on the same side begins the Mountain of Soccobei which reaches along the River-side as far as Samara which is distant from that place 15. werstes It is very high in a manner all Rock cover'd with Trees unless it be on the top where it is all bare The Muscovites take much notice of this place because it is very dangerous passing thereabouts We came near it about noon but the contrary wind oblig'd us to cast Anchor While we stay'd there we saw coming from the shore two great red Snakes which got by the Cables into the ship As soon as the Muscovites perceiv'd them they intreated us not to kill them but to give them somewhat to eat as being a sort of innocent beasts sent by St. Nicholas to bring us a fair wind and to comfort us in our affliction The 28. We weigh'd betimes in the morning and came before day near the City of Samara which is 350. werstes from Casan It lies on the left hand two werstes from the River side It is as to form almost square all its buildings of VVood unless it be some Churches and two or three Monasteries The River of Samar where it hath the name by a little Bank which is called Sin-Samar falls into the Wolga three werstes below the City but is not absolutely united thereto till after 30 werstes lower We intended to make some stay near the City in expectation to hear by our Pristaf what our Prisoners had depos'd but the wind came so fair for us that we thought better not to let slip the opportunity we then had to make the greatest days journey of any since the beginning of our Voyage Accordingly we got at night to the Mountain of the Cosaques which is 115. werstes from Samara and so the prognostication of the Muscovian Mariners by the Snakes proved true From the City of Samara to the place where the river Samar falls into the Wolga there is all along one continued mountain Near the same place but on the other side of the River the River Ascula falls into it so that the falling in of all these waters together does so swell the Wolga that in this place it is near two leagues broad Afterwards on the right hand may be seen the mountain called Pestcherski which is in a manner all one Rock having very little upon it and reaching near 40 werstes along the river side About 100 werstes from Samara in the midst of the river is the Island of Batrach and ten werstes lower that of Lopatin which is
River Wolga and are not so inconsiderable but that they many times proclaim open War against the Great Duke From Samara to Soratof are 350. werstes The second having a fair wind we pass'd in sight of the Isles of Kriusna and Sapunofka which are at a small distance one from the other and came to the Mountain of Achmats Kigori which ends at an Isle of the same name 50. werstes from Saratof This Mountain affords a very pleasant Prospect in as much as the top of it is clad with a perfectly-excellent verdure the ascent checquer'd with a soil or mold of several different colours and the skirt of it is a very great bank so even that it seems to have been done by hand Twenty worstes from the Isle of Achmatsko we saw that of Solotoi and afterwards the Mountain of Sallottogori or the Golden Mountain The Muscovites told us that name was given it for this reason that heretofore the Tartars had thereabouts surpriz'd a Muscovian Fleet so richly loaden that they divided Gold and Silver by the Bushel VVe were no sooner past by this Mountian but we came in sight of another called Millobe that is to say Chalk It reaches along the River 40. werstes having the top as even as if it had been done by a Level and makes an insensible descent down to the River at the foot whereof are many Trees planted checquer-wise After this we came to another Mountain on which we bestow'd the name of the Mountain of Pillars for as much as the rains having wash'd away the earth in several places they look'd at a distance like so many Pillars out of order of several colours Blew Red Yellow and Green Here we met with another great Boat the Pilot whereof sent us word that he had seen near Astrachan about 70. Cosaques who has suffered them to pass without saying ought to them but withall that some four days before ten of those Rogues had trapann'd him out of 500. Crowns not by setting on the Boat where they should have met with resistance since they could have made their party good against a much greater number of Enemies but they had taken that Boat and the Anchor which the Muscovites make use of when they go against the stream of the River as we have express'd elsewhere and kept both till the fore-said sum was sent them In the evening assoon as we had cast Anchor we saw coming towards us ten Cosaques who went into a Boat and cross'd to the other side of the River The Ambassador Brugman immediately commanded eight Musketiers taken some out of our retinue some from among the Soldiery to follow the Cosaques to find out what their design was and to endeavour to bring them aboard But the Cosaques had time enough to get ashore and retreat into the wood whither they also carried their Boat so that it was far night ere our people return'd Our Steward was much troubled thereat and represented to Brugman how dangerous it was to command our people at such unseasonable hours and that in a place where they could not be reliev'd but the other was so much incens'd at these remonstrances that he gave the Steward very unworthy language Sept. 3. we saw on the left hand the River of Ruslana and opposite thereto on the right hand the mountain of Vrakufs Karul which is 150 werstes from Saratof They say that a Tartarian Prince named Vrak who giving Battel to the Cosaques in that place was there kill'd and buried gave it the name Thence we came to the mountain Kamaschinka and to the river of the same name It rises out of the torrent of Iloba which falls into the Don which falls into the Euxine Sea and divides Asia and Europe The Cosaques cross this river in little Boats and make their incursions as far as upon the Wolga so that this is the most dangerous place of any We saw along the River-side upon the right hand several wooden Crosses set there to signifie the Sepulchres of a great number of Muscovites who had been kill'd there by the Cosaques Having pass'd this place we perceived the Caravan of Persia and Tartary it consisted of sixteen great Boats and six little ones As soon as they saw us the Mariners gave over rowing and went only as the stream carried them to the end we might overtake them which oblig'd us to make all the Sail we could and to do what else lay in our power till we got up to them We soon express'd our joy by the noise of our Trumpets and saluted the Caraven with four great Pieces they answer'd with all their small shot which oblig'd us to give them another Volley The principal persons of this Caravan who could not have all met till they came to Samara were a Tartarian Prince named Massal the Cuptzi or the King of Persian's Merchant whom we spake of before a Muscovian Poslanick named Alexei Savinowits Romantzikou sent by the Great Duke to the King of Persia an Ambassador from the Crim-Tartars a Merchant or Factor from the Chancellor of Persia and two Merchants of the Province of Kilan in Persia. Immediately after these first general expressions of joy we saw coming towards us a Muscovian Officer attended by a considerable number of Musketeers who came to give us a Volley and inquire after our health from the Prince of Tartary As they came up to our Ship the Strelits discharg'd their Muskets and then only the Officer came aboard and made his complement As soon as he left us the Ambassadors sent to the said Prince the Sieur Vchterits who was accompany'd by Thomas de Melleville and our Muscovian Interpreter and commanded the Secretary of the Embassy who took along with him the Persian Interpreter to go at the same time and complement the Cuptzi who had in the interim sent one of his retinue to do the like to the Ambassadors The Secretary coming to the Lar-board-side of the Cuptzi's Vessel would have got up into it there but his servants acquainting him that the Masters Wife having her lodgings on that side it would not be so fit for him so that he was forc'd to order the Boat to go about the Ship and to get in the other side As we got in there stood several Servants very handsome persons who took us by the arms to help us up and conducted us to the Kuptzi's Chamber We found him sitting in a Couch which was raised two foot high and cover'd with a piece of the best kind of Persian Tapestry He had under him a coarse piece of Turkey Tapestry setting cross-leg'd according to the custome of his Countrey resting his back on a Crimson Satin cushion He received us with much civility putting his hands to his breast and making a low inclination of the head which are the ordinary Ceremonies wherewith they receive those-Persons whom they would do the greatest honour He intreated us to sit down by him which out of complyance we did
send us a Pilot we might confide in But the merry Companion was no sooner got to his own ship but he set sayl and left us in the lurch I think what troubled him was that we had not made him some present according to the custom of the Countrey but he regarded so little the slur he had put upon the Ambassadors that he had the impudence to come and Visit them in their ship in the company of several other Tartarian Lords after our arrival at Terki and made no other answer to the reproaches he receiv'd upon that occasion than ja wi nouat a great business indeed to be talk'd of Finding our selves thus abus'd we sent to the Master of the Persian ship to entreat his assistance He though Masâ—â—â— of the ship and owner of all the goods in it came aboard us to proffer us his service as a Pilot with more kindness and civility than we could have expected from a Christian and having recommended his own ship to his servants stay'd with us He was a very understanding man and was not only acquainted with the Navigation of those parts but also with the Compass much beyond what the Persians ordinarily are vers'd in who do not willingly venture very far into the Sea but for the most part keep in sight of Land So that finding the wind serv'd he caus'd the Anchor to be weigh'd about eleven at night taking his course towards the South with an East wind We observ'd it was the same day that we left Travemunde the year before and accordingly we had the same success in this second Voyage We had all that night but ten foot water but towards day we had eighteen The Countrey on our right hand which is called Suchator had four Hills which made a great Promontory reaching a great way into the Sea and from that Cape to Astrachan are counted 100 werstes and to Terki 200. but on both sides they are very short ones The 29. The weather fair we kept on our course in the morning Southward and with a South-East wind and in the afternoon South-west-ward having about twenty foot water and finding the bottom gravelly and full of little shells We could discover no Land that day and the night following we cast Anchor Here the Needle declin'd twenty degrees from North to West Octob. 30. We set sayl at the break of day and soon after Sun-rising we discover'd the Countrey of Circassia which lies all along the Sea-Coast from the South-West to North-East compassing it about much after the form of a Crescent and making a spacious Bay It was our design to get beyond the point of the Gulf but the wind coming to South-East had almost forc'd us into it which oblig'd us to cast Anchor about noon at the entrance of the Gulf at three fathom and a half water finding at the bottom a kind of fat earth about six Leagues from Terki We discover'd in the Bay about 20. or twenty five Boats and upon the first sight thereof it run into our imagination that they were the Cosaques but we were soon undeceiv'd and found them to be Tartarian Fisher-men belonging to Terki and were then coming to bring us fish to sell. For those we bought of them we gave them fifteen pence a piece but they were very great ones and we found in their bellies a great number of Crabs and Lobsters among which there were some alive The remainder of the day we spent in giving Almighty God solemn thanks for all his mercifull deliverances of us particularly that which happen'd on the very same day the year before when we were in so great danger amidst the Rocks and Shelves of Ocland Our Persian Pilot went that day to his own ship which was at some distance behind us to give his men Order what they should do leaving us somewhat of an opinion that he would shew us such another trirk as the Muscovite had done before but he afterwards made it appear that those of his Nation are not only made up of Complements for he return'd very betimes the next morning having sent his Boat before us to serve us for a Guide The last day of October we had in the morning a thick Mist with a great Calm The Sun having dispell'd the one about noon and the wind being come to the North we endeavour'd to get out of the Gulf and with much ado by laveering got the point near which we stayd at Anchor till after midnight and came very betimes in the morning on the first of November before the City of Terki We cast Anchor about a quarter of a League from the City because we could not come any nearer by reason of the shallowness of the water The night before the Cosaques had a design to set upon us but happily miss'd us in the dark and met with the little Fleet which brought the Tartar-Prince but the noise of the Strelits or Muscovian Muskettiers having discover'd to them that they were mistaken and imagining they should find a vigorous resistance they drew back but made it appear they were the Germans that they look'd for Intelligence coming in the morning to the City of this attempt of the Cosaques rais'd a verry hot Alarm there in regard it was known that Mussal their Prince was coming and that he might be in some danger The Inhabitants were confirm'd in that opinion when they heard the going off of our great Guns a noise they are not accustomed to in those parts insomuch that they began to get together and look on us as Enemies but they were put out of all fear by the arrival of their Prince who having given us a Volley as he pass'd by and invited us to honour him with a Visit at his Mother's satisfy'd the Inhabitants that there was no danger either to him or them The City of Terki lies somewhat above half a League from the Sea upon the little River Timenski which issues out of the great River Bustro and facilitates the correspondence there is between the Sea and the City to which there is is no other way to come by reason of the Fens which encompass it on all sides for a quarter of a League about It is seated in a spacious plain which is of such extent that the extremities thereof cannot be discover'd by the eye whence may be corrected the errour of the Map drawn by Nicholas Iansson Piscator alias Vischer though in all other things the best and most exact of any I could ever meet with who places the City of Terki upon a Mountain but by a mistake confounding the City of Tarku in the Province of Dagesthan with that of Terki in Circassia The Elevation of the Pole is here at 43. degrees 23 minutes It is distant from Astrachan sixty Leagues by Sea and seventy by Land and is the last place under the Jurisdiction of the Great Duke of Muscovy It is in length 2000. foot and in breadth 800. all
the Children of Abdalla singing and crying out as loud as they were able their ja Hossein and that with such violence that it chang'd the colour of their countenances Having 〈◊〉 thus about an hour they return'd to the City and went in Procession with their Banners and Torches through the principal streets The tenth day concluded the Devotions of the Festival In the morning there was an Oration made in honour of Hossein with the same Ceremonies in a manner as we had seen at the Festival of Aly at Scamachie These Ceremonies were performed in the Court of the Mesar of Schich-Sefi where near the Chancery they had planted a Banner which as it is reported was made by the daughter of Fatima the daughter of Mahomet who caus'd the Iron-work of it to be made of a hors-shooe which had belong'd to one of the horses of Abas Uncle to Mahomet by the Father side which Schich Sedredin the son of Schich-Sefi had brought from Medina to Ardebil They say that this Banner shakes of it self as often as they pronounce the name of Hossein during the Sermon which is made in honour of him and that when the Priest makes a recital of the particulars of his death how he was wounded with seventy two Arrows and how he fell down from his horse it may be seen shaken by a secret agitation but withall so violent that the staff breaking it falls to the ground I must confess I saw no such thing but the Persians affirm it so positively that they think it should not be any way doubted May 24. about noon the Governour sent the Ambassadors notice that they concluded the Festival that night and that if they would be present at the Ceremonies which were to be performed they should be very welcome and he would take it for a great honour done him but it must be with this condition that complying with the Law of the Mussulmans they were not to expect any Wine at the Collation he intended to treat them withall In the cloze of the evening the Ambassadors went to the Governour 's Palace who met them at the street door And whereas the Ceremony was to be done in the Court they were intreated to take their places on the left hand where they had prepared Seats cover'd with Tapistry for them and their Retinue who would have been much troubled to sit as the Persians do There were set before them upon a Cloath wherewith they had cover'd the ground several Vessels of Porcelain with Suger'd and Perfum'd waters and near the Table brass Candlesticks four foot high with great Wax Candles in them as also Lamps fill'd with rags dipt in Suet and Naphte The Governour took up his place at the entrance of the Court on the right side of the Gate and fate upon the ground Our people had standing before them great Wooden Candlesticks or Branches holding each of them twenty or thirty Wax-Candles There were fasten'd to the Walls thousands of Lamps of Plaister all fill'd with Suet and Naphte which cast so great a light that the house seem'd to be all on fire They had drawn cross the Court certain Cords whereat hung Paper-Lanthorns which gave not so full but without comparison a more pleasant light than that of the Lamps and Cresset-lights The Inhabitants of Ardebil are distinguish'd into five quarters or professions who meet each by it self and intreat some of their Poets whereof there are a very great number in Persia to write them some Verses in commendation of Aly and Hossein and making choice of those among them who sing best they go and give the Governour a Serenade who receives kindly and bestows a Present of water sweetned with Sugar on that band which is most excellent either as touts invention or Musick These Musicians being come into the Court drew up in five bands in so many several places and presented themselves one after another before the Governour but for the space of two hours they may be rather said to cry out and roar than to sing after which they all came by order from the Governour to make a Complement to the Ambassadors and wish'd them a happy journey and good success in their Negotiation at the Court In the mean time there were dancing at one place in the Court seven youths all naked excepting only those parts which modesty would not have seen by all They called that kind of people Tzatzaku and their bodies from head to foot were rubb'd over with Suet and Naphte insomuch that their black skins being more shining than jet they might very well be compar'd to so many little Devils They had in their hands little stones which they knock'd one against the other and sometimes they smote their breast with them to express their sorrow for the death of Hossein These Tzatzaku are poor boys who disguise themselves in that manner to get some small matter by it which is that they are permitted during the time of the Feast to beg Alms for Hossain's sake At night they do not lodge at their Homes but ly in the ashes which are brought out of Schich-Sefi's Kitchin Some instead of Suet rub themselves with Vermilion that they may make a more lively representation of the blood of Hossein but at this time there were not any such After these Ceremonies the Governout entertain'd the Ambassadors with noble fire-works which most of the Persians took very ill at his hands and thought it not over religiously done of him to give such Divertisements to the Christians during the time of their Aschur which ought to represent only things conducing to sadness and affliction These fire-works consisted of several very excellent and ingenious inventions as of little Castles Towers Squibs Crackers c. The Castle to which they first set fire was three foot square the Walls of Paper of all sorts of Colours They lighted first several small Wax-Candles about the moat of it which discover'd the figures painted on the Paper There came out of it Squibs and Crackers for an hour and a half or better before the Castle it self took fire Then they set fire to another invention which they call Derbende It was a kind of Saucidge about six Inches thick and three foot long casting at first at both ends a shower of fire and afterwards several Squibs and little Serpents which falling among the people set their Cotton Garments on fire while they fir'd several sorts of Crackers which in the air were turn'd to Stars and other figures They set fire also to several boxes but what we most admir'd was a great kind of fire-work which was fasten'd to the ground with great Iron Chains and cast out fire at the mouth with so dreadfull noise that we were afraid it would have burst at last and scatter its fiery entrails among the company This fire-work they call Kumbara There were some who carry'd Paper-Lanthorns upon long Poles which were also fill'd with squibs and
Governour of Kentza At the entrance of this Gate they demanded our Arms it being not lawful to carry any of any kind whatsoever to the place where the Sepulchre is insomuch that if a Persian were found but with a knife about him it would cost him his life The threshold of this Gate as also of all the following Gates was of white Marble and round and notice was given us not to set our foot upon it but to step over it the right foot foremost out of this reflection that having been kiss'd by so many Millions of Millions of persons it were as they said very irrational that our feet should prophane it Thence we enter'd into another Court which was at least as long as the first but much narrower and pav'd after the same manner having vaults and shops on both sides as the other On the right hand there came out of the Wall by a brass-Cock a fair Fountain the water whereof was brought a League distance thence that they might drink who retir'd thither out of Devotion At the end of this Court on the right hand we were shew'd a very fair and spacious Vault arched above pav'd without with green and blew stones and within hung with Tapistry In the midst of this Vault there were two fair brass Candlesticks with lights in them All along the Walls sate several Priests cloath'd in white who sung as loud as ever they were able expressing a great humility and an extraordinary Devotion by a continual moving from one side to the other which motion was performed by them all at the same time and with the same shaking and that with so much exactness that a man would have thought they had been all fasten'd to the same Cord and that they had been all drawn at the same time This place is called Thschillachane in regard Schich-Sefi retired thither every year to fast eating only for 40 days together but one Almond a day at least if we may believe the Relations of the Persians Thence we pass'd through a third Gate over which there hung also a Silver-Chain bestow'd on the place by Alli-Chan Governour of Kappan in another Court which was less than the two precedent and pav'd all over with little square-stones of several colours We entred into the place where the Sepulchre was by a Gate which was built like a great Tower the Clappers whereof were all cover'd with plates of silver and adorn'd with several Rings of the same Metal which Gate brought us into a great Structure The pavement before the Gate was cover'd with Tapistry to express the holiness of the place and we were told that for the said reason it was expected we should put off our shooes The Ambassadors at first made some difficulty to render that respect to a place for which they could not have any Veneration but perceiving that if they did it not they would not have been permitted to go in they at last resolv'd to comply with the custom The Persians to let them know they did not any thing that might abate ought of their Dignity told them that Schach-Abas himself when he came to see the Sepulchre many times put off his shooes when he was come within half a League of the City and came so far bare-foot but that they could not expect that Devotion from us We pass'd thence into a very fair spacious Gallery hung and cover'd with Tapistry and afterwards we entred by another Gate cover'd with plates of Gold into another Sumptuous Structure which was Arch'd all about Schach-Abas being upon the point of his departure into the War he was then engag'd in against the Vsbeques Tartars made a vow and promis'd to bestow a Golden Gate on the Sepulchre of Schich-Seâ—i at Ardehil and another upon Risa's at Chorasan if his Armies had the success he expected which vow he very religiously performed immediately upon his return having had all the advantages over his Enemies that his own heart could have wish'd This Vault was about four fathom square and was enlightned by a great number of Gold and Silver Lamps among which there were some above three foot Diameter On both sides sate twelve Hasifahns or Priests having before them upon Desks great books of Parchment wherein were written in Capital Arabian Characters certain Chapters of the Alchoran which they sung much after the same manner as our Monks do their Vespers but with the same motion as we had observ'd at the Tschillachane Having gone through that Vault we came to another appartment which was divided from it only by a Silver Rail though rais'd higher by three silver steps to get up into it The Governour and our Interpreter Rustan having kiss'd those steps he went into it with the Ambassadors who took along with them four persons of their Retinue This apartment was much more richly adorn'd than any of the rest and there was at one end of it another place rais'd a foot from the ground the Rails whereof were of massy Gold It is behind that Rail or Partition that the Sepulchre of Schich-Sefi is to be seen built of white Marble and not of Gold as some have written It was cover'd with Crimson Velvet and rais'd three foot from the ground being about nine foot in length and four in breadth From the Roof there hung certain Lamps of Gold and Silver and on both sides two huge Candlesticks of massy Gold in which there were set great Wax Candles lighted in the night time The Door of that Golden Rail was lock'd and though the Ambassadors were very importunate to have it opened yet could they not prevail the Persians telling them that the Laicks even to the King himself were not permitted to come within that place In the same apartment where we then were was to be seen on the left hand in a particular Vault the Sepulchre of Schach Ismael the first of that name as also that of Scach-Sefi's Wife and those of some other Queens of Persia but we were permitted to see no more of them than we could discover at the meeting of the Curtains which were drawn at the entrance of it and from what we could judge thereof there was nothing remarkable There came all along after us a grave old man who with a perfuming-pot in his hand purify'd the places through which we had pass'd Having taken notice of all that was to be seen in that place we were conducted through the same Gallery towards the right hand into another spacious apartment which was Arch'd all about and Gilt where we could not but admire the manner of its building which being near as large as a fair Church was nevertheless sustain'd by the strength of the Roof and without Pillars This Hall is called Tzenetsera and serves for a Library The books were lay'd in Drawers shuffled one upon another without any order but otherwise well enough kept They were all Manuscripts some upon Parchment others upon Paper most in Arabick and some
presuming we should have kept the High-way was gone before us with all the Provisions Iune 18. we got on Horse-back after Sermon and Dinner marching after the rate of a full trot between two very sleepy Hills and we came about midnight to the Village of Kamahl which is two leagues or better out of the High-way and six from our last Lodging and we were Lodg'd in several houses scatter'd up and down upon three hills They had taken up for the Ambassadors a great unfurnish'd house at the entrance of the Village but finding there was no convenienee at all for them they refus'd to Lodge there and having left two of their Guard upon the Avenues of the Village to give an account of them to the rest of the Retinue they took up other Lodgings and we after their example though the Country-people who were surpriz'd at our unexpected arrival and could not so soon get their Wives and Daughters out of the way deny'd us entrance and put us to the necessity of taking up Quarters by force half-dead as we were with cold and spent with hard travelling But we were hardly laid down hoping to rest our selves the remainder of that night when our Trumpet sounding to horse made us get out of our Beds to see what the matter should be Being come to the Trumpetter he brought us to the Ambassadors Lodgings where we understood that twenty Persians of the same Village all hors'd had set upon abus'd and dis-arm'd the Guard which the Ambassadors had left upon the Avenues of the Village and that they had kill'd them if our Steward with the Muscovian Interpreter who by reason of his sickness had not been able to follow us had not come up to their relief and made the Persians draw back fearing there might be others coming after them There was a Lieutenant with twenty Musketiers commanded out to clear the High-ways all about and all the Retinue were Lodg'd as near as could be to the Ambassadors The 19. we continu'd in the same place where we caus'd Tents to be pitch'd Here our Secretary fell sick of a burning Feaver The next day being the 20. we departed thence about two in the moâ—ning and march'd all the Fore-noon which was extremely hot through a vast Plain where we saw only barren and heathy grounds About noon we came to the little City of Senkan six Leagues from Camahl The City is not enclos'd with a Wall but is otherwise sufficiently well built Within half a League of the City we receiv'd from the Governour of Sulthanie who was then in the City a Present of certain Dishes of Aprâ—cocks and Cowcumbers which were a great refreshment to us in that excessive heat and sultriness of weather At the extremity of the Suburbs we were met by thirty persons on Horse-back well mounted who receiv'd us in the name of the Governour of Sulthanie whose name was Sewinduc Sulthan Among these Gentlemen there was one who though he had neither hands nor feet yet made a shift to guide his horse with as much skill as any of the rest He was son to one of the principal Inhabitants of the City who had been heretofore much in favour with Schach-Abas the Grand-father of Schach-Sefi for his Poems and other excellent Productions of his Understanding upon the accompt whereof he was so well respected at Court that the King not only granted him the life of his son who for some Crimes had deserv'd death but would also continue him in his favour contrary to the custom of the Country according to which all the relations of a Malefactor or unfortunate person participate of his disgrace or misfortune The young man had been guilty of strange debauches and extravagances even to the Ravishing of Maids and Women in their houses so often reiterated that they became at last insupportable so that the Schach ordered him to have his hands and feet cut off and caus'd the stumps of his arms and legs to be thrust into boyling Butter to stop the blood He had wooden hands crooked at the extremities wherewith he made a shift to hold his Bridle The City of Senkan was heretofore of a considerable bigness and famous for its Trading before Tamberlane destroy'd it but what reduc'd it to the condition it is in now is the Turk who hath taken and plunder'd it several times Yet are there some very handsome houses in it and those well furnish'd in which we were entertain'd with much civility and our sick people extremely well accommodated The Sulthan came to visit the Ambassadors immediately after their arrival and made his excuses that he had not met them which was upon this score that having been wounded in the shoulder at the siege of Eruan and the wound being lately opened he could not have waited on us in person We sent to him our Physician and Chyrurgeon who dress'd him which he look'd on as so great a kindness that he thought it not requital enough to send us a Present of several excellent Fruits but he also doubled the ordinary allowance of our Provisions All about this City there are only Barren and Sandy grounds which bring forth only Briars of about the height of a mans hand About half a League from it there may be seen a branch of the Mountain Taurus which they call Peydar Peijamber and reaches from North to South towards Kurdesthan where may be seen as they affirm the Sepulchre of one of the most antient Prophets from whom the Mountain derives its name At the foot of this Mountain there is a very pleasant Valley which is checquer'd up and down with a great number of Villages Iune 21. having stay'd till the great Heat were over we left Senkan after Sun-set taking our way by Moon-light through a Plain of six Leagues at the end whereof we came with the Sun-rising to Sulthanie It had been so calm and cold in the Night that we had hardly the use of our Limbs so that we had much ado to alight This sudden change from extreme cold to the excessive heats of the next day occasion'd the falling sick of fifteen persons of our retinue at the same time all of a violent burning Feaver the fits whereof were very frequent accompany'd with a benumd'ness of all the Members but that misfortune hindred not but that they were set on horse-back and though to avoid the heats of the day we afterwards travel'd only by night yet were they so far from over-mastering their former weariness that they were brought lower and lower Two of our Guards took occasion to fall out at this place and fought a Duel wherein one of the two who was a Scotch-man named Thomas Craig was run into the Lights near the Heart of which VVound he lay long sick but at last was Cur'd As to the City of Sulthanie it lies at eighty four degrees five minutes Longitude and at thirty six degrees thirty minutes Latitude in a spacious
It is ordinary to stay and Dine at the Court after the Conferences therefore I shall forbear repeating the Circumstances unless something in particular oblige me thereto as it happen'd this day in that the King having heard that the Ambassadors had Musicians in their Retinue he sent them word that he would gladly hear their Musick It consisted of a base Viol a Tenor and a Violin which play'd about half an hour till the King sent us word that that Musick was not ill but that he thought that of the Country as good as it The 25. of September the English made an entertainment for the Ambassadors and all their Retinue which in Magnificence surpass'd all the rest Their House or Lodge was in the Basar near the Maidan The Structure was of great extent divided into several appartments and had a very fair Garden We were at first brought into a Gallery where we found Fruits and Conserves laid upon the floor which was cover'd with Tapistry according to the custom of the Country and having done there we pass'd into a great Hall where we found the Table furnish'd and serv'd after the English fashion They forgot not to drink the healths of most of the Kings and Princes of Europe and we had the Divertisement of Musick upon the Virginals After Dinner we were brought into an open Hall which look'd into the Garden where we found a Collation of Conserves with the best Wine the Countrey could afford And whereas we had often seen the Dancing-women of the Country they sent for some Indian Women of the same profession There were brought six young Women whereof some had their Husbands with them who also either Danc'd or Play'd upon Violins some came in alone They were all somewhat of an Olive-colour but had excellent good Features a delicate smooth Skin and very handsome Bodies They had about their Necks much Gold and Pearls and in their Ears Pendants of Gold or Silver glittering with Jewels and Spangles Some of them had Bracelets of Pearl others of Silver but they had all Rings on their Fingers and among the rest they had upon the Thumb upon which in the place where the Stone should be there was a piece of Steel about the bigness of a Crown-piece of Silver and so well polish'd that it serv'd them for a Looking-glass They were Cloath'd after a particular manner having on a kind of Stuff which was so thin that there was not any part of the Body but might be seen by the Company save only what was hidden by the Drawers which they wore under their Petticoats Some wore Caps on their Heads others had them dress'd in Tiffany and some had silk Skarfs wrought with Gold and Silver which crossing their shoulders reach'd down to the ground Some were bare-foot others were shod after a very strange manner They had above the instap of the foot a string ty'd with little Bells fastened thereto whereby they discover'd the exactness of their Cadence and sometimes corrected the Musick it self as they did also by the Tzarpanes or Castagnetts which they had in their hands in the managing whereof they were very expert Their Musick consisted of Timbrels according to the Indian way of Playing on them Tabors and Pipes The Indian Timbrels are two foot long but broader in the middle than at the extremities much after the fashion of our Barrels They hang them about their Necks and play on them with their fingers The postures of these Indian VVomen in their Dancing are admirable Their hands and feet are alwayes in action as is also their whole Body and many times they address themselves to some particular person of the Company either by an inclination of the Body or to get the little Present they expect which they very handsomely beg either by stretching out their hands yet so as that it seems to be done without any affectation but as a necessary consequence of the Dance They are much more pleasant in their Conversation than the Women of the Countrey All these Dancing-women are common prostitutes and very free to shew all their postures for money nay to do beyond what might be expected from them It was far-night ere we got away which oblig'd the English to bring us home to our Lodgings The French Merchants made also an entertainment for the principal persons of our Retinue and treated them with some of the English Merchants at a Caravansera very handsomely The first of October the Ambassadors made a great Feast whereto were invited the Muscovian Ambassador the Governour of Armenia and his two Brothers the chiefest of the English and French Merchants the Spanish Monks of the order of St. Augustine and some Italian Carmelites They treated them after the German way with three several Courses each consisting of forty Dishes The Musick consisted of Violins Trumpets and Timbrels which made a goodly Noise as did also our Cannon when any Prince's health was drunk The Prince of Armenia was taken above all things with certain services of Paste and Sugar according to the German fashion which were brought to the Table rather to divert the Eye than to sharpen the Appetite and thought them so good that having spoken of them at Court the King would needs see some Whence it came that the Ambassadors ordered some of them to be made by our Cook as also some Florentines and other pieces of Pastry of that kind which he took very kindly and presented them to some Ladies about the Court who thought them excellent good Meat In the afternoon they had the Divertisement of seeing some run at the Ring at which M. Mandelslo got the prize which was a great Silver Goblet and the Ambassador Brugman did the best next him and got a drinking Cup Vermilion gilt Every time any one put into the Ring one of the Brass pieces was fired The next day the Prior of the Augustines came to the Secretary of the Embassy to complain to him of the debauch'd Lives of some of our Retinue nay one of the chiefest among us naming particularly the Ambassador Brugman and discover'd that there were some among us who after the example of the Armenians had married Women of the Country He told him that they had conceived a great joy and comfort at the first news of our Embassy's coming thither out of a hope that our Lives would be an example to the Christians of the Country who living among Mahumetans were apt to fall into their vices and filthiness but that to his great regret he found the contrary entreating the Secretary to speak of it to those in whose power it was to take some course therein so to prevent the scandal which was given to others the injury done to the name of Christ and the infamy which must fall on the Prince from whom the Embassy was sent The Secretary went with a resolution to give the Ambassador Brugman an accompt of these Remonstrances of the
makes a shift to roast and boyl their meat with them In the Kitchin they have Kettles and Pots of Brass or of Copper tinn'd over which are commonly fasten'd to the Hearth as also earthen pots In many Provinces they are pretty well stor'd with VVood but there are others where they have only Loppings and many times they are forc'd to warm themselves with Cow or Camels-dung dry'd in the Sun Their Dishes are of Copper but so handsomely made and so well tinn'd over that Silver Plate cannot look better Some have Porcelane and the Country people are glad of earthen ware As to their meat they do not care for much as being satisfy'd with very little Which is contrary to what Bizarrus relates of them to wit that Butchers meat is dear in Persia by reason of the Gluttony of the Inhabitants which as he affirms is so great that aged persons there make four meals a day and consequently with much more reason the younger sort of people Nor does this agree neither with the account the antients give of them who generally affirm that the Persians were very temperate and contented themselves with little Meat but they lov'd Fruits Accordingly during the aboad we made in Persia I observ'd that one of their chiefest Vertues was Temperance and that the Persians seldome eat Flesh above once a day and that if they make another meal besides it consists for the most part of Butter Cheese and Fruits though I must confess there are some who make two set meals There is not any thing more ordinary in Persia than Rice soak'd in water They call it Plau and eat of it at all their Meals and serve it up in all their Dishes especially under boild Mutton They some times put thereto a little of the juyce of Pomegranates or Cherries and Saffron insomuch that commonly you have Rice of several Colours in the same Dish They serve it up also under Capons and broild Fish They also eat Sorrel Spinage and Cabbages white and green but they do not much care for the red They do not want small Birds and they have all sorts of Fowl in abundance Turkeys only excepted which are so scarce in this Country that a Georgian Merchant having brought thither some of them from Venice in the time of Schach-Abas he sold them at a Tumain that is near five pound sterl a piece Parridges and Feasants are common and at those places where they are to be had they may be bought cheap enough Though Rice serves them instead of Bread yet do they make some of several sorts of Wheat also The Komatsch are three fingers thick and a foot and a half in length The Lawasch are round and about the thickness of a man's finger The Peasekâ—ssche are half an Ell and they are bak'd in their Houses over the Tenurs on which they are set and with the five fingers of the hand they make them as many Horns whence they have their name The Sengek are made upon the pebbles wherewith some of their Ovens are covered so that this kind of Bread or Cakes is uneven and full of pits The Iaucha is like Wafers and as thinn as Parchment but in length and breadth they are half an Ell or better The Persians use them instead of Napkins to wipe their fingers wherewith they take up the Rice and pull their Meat to pieces for you shall seldome see them use any Knives When they have put the Iaucha's to this use they tear them into bits put a little Rice or a Morsel of flesh into one of them and so swallow it down or haply eat them without any thing with them All their Spoons even the King 's are of Wood made Oval-wise at the end of a very small handle but a foot and a half in length Their ordinary Drink especially that of the meanest sort of people is water into which they sometimes put a little Duschab and some Vinegar For though Wine be cheap enough there especially in the Provinces of Erak Aderbeitzan aâ—d Schiruan where the measure which they call Lullein and which contains near an English pottle costs but six pence Yet are there many who make a difficulty to Drink thereof because the use of it is forbidden by their Law especially the Hatzi who are such as have gone on Pilgrimage to Meca to Mahomet's Sepulchre and are to forbear it all their Lives after out of a perswasion they are of that all their merits would be effac'd by so enormous a sin But such as are lovers of Wine and the common prostitutes who have for the most part contracted a necessary habit of sinning Drink of it without any scruple out of a presumption that that sin will be pardoned them with the rest provided they do not make the Wine themselves Whence it comes they make no great entertainment but they drink very freely of it After meal there is warm water brought in for the washing of their hands Opium which they call Offouhn and Teriak is commonly used among the Persians They make pills of it of the bigness of a Pea and take two or three of them at a time Those who are accustomed thereto will take about an Ounce at a time There are some who take of it only once in two or three daies which makes them sleepy and a little disturbs their brains so as that they are as if they were a little entred in Drink There is abundance of it made in Persia especially at Ispahan and it is thus ordered The Poppy being yet green they cleave the Head of it out of which there comes a white Liquor which being expos'd to the Air grows black and their Apothecaries and Druggists trade very much in it All over the East they use this Drugg the Turks and Indians as well as the Persians insomuch that Bellon saies in his Observations that if a Turk hath but a peny he will spend a farthing of it in Opium that he saw above fifty Camels loaden with it going from Natolia into Turquey Persia and the Indies and that a Ianizary who had taken a whole Ounce of it one day took the next day two and was never the worse for it save that it wrought the same effect in him as Wine does in such as take too much of it and that he stagger'd a little It hath also this quality common with Wine that it does infuse Courage into those who have not much whence it comes that the Turks take of it before they go upon any design The Women do not ordinarily take any but those who are not able to bear with their untoward and imperious Husbands and preferr Death before the Slavery they live in do sometimes make use of Opium whereof they take a good quantity and drinking cold water upon it they by a gentle and insensible Death depart this World There is hardly any Persian what condition or quality soever he be of but takes Tobacco This they do
reign of Schach-Abas began to grow so odious and insupportable to the Grandees of the kingdom that some had the confidence to cast a Note into Myrsa's Chamber whereby they discover'd to him that if he would not stand in his own way he might immediately succeed the king his Father and that if he would consent to the Execution of the Design they were engag'd in to that end they would soon show him how the business was to be effected Sefi conceiv'd a horrour at the Proposition whereby he was to be a complice in his Father's death and thereupon carried the Note to the king accompanying his free and innocent proceeding with so many protestations of the sincerity of his intentions and an absolute dependence on his Father's will as might well satisfie any other mind less distrustfull than that of Schach-Abas He could not forbear expressing outwardly that he was very well satisfy'd with his Son and commended his affection and piety but he afterwards fell into such frights as depriv'd him of all rest and oblig'd him to change his Lodging twice or thrice in a night with such disturbances as he conceiv'd he could not be deliver'd of otherwise than by the death of his Son According to these apprehensions being one day at Rescht in the Province of Kilan with the whole Court about him a Flatterer so heighten'd the distractions of his mind by the false Alarm he gave him of a new Conspiracy of Myrsa's with several of the great Lords of the kingdom against him that he resolv'd he should dye He thought at first to employ in that Commission Kartzschuckai-Chan General of the Army or Constable of Persia and would have oblig'd him to kill his Son with his own hands This Lord was Originally descended from an Armenian Family born by Father and Mother-side of Christians and had been stollen away in his youth by the Tartars who had Circumcis'd and sold him to Schach-Abas The freedom and sincerity of his disposition and demeanour had gain'd him the friendship of the whole Court and his courage had so well setled him in the king's favour that having by his means had several great victories over his Enemies he had conferr'd on him the Command of his Army and look'd upon him with such respect that he never call'd him by any other name than that of Aga that is the Captain The king would needs put him upon this important service as considering him to be the person who of any in his kingdom was the most oblig'd to him for his Fortune But the grave old Man having laid down his Sword at the kings feet and cast himself by it told him that he was so infinitely oblig'd to his Majesty that he would rather lose a thousand lives than that he should be ever reproach'd to have imbru'd his hands in the blood of any of the royal Progeny so far was it against his Soul to commit a Crime of that nature and by putting to death the Heir of the Crown execute a command which the king could not impose upon him without regret and which were no sooner put in Execution but he would repent him of it Schach-Abas was satisfy'd with this excuse from him and made the same Proposition to a Gentleman named Bebut-Beg whom he found not so scrupulous as Kartzschuckai-Chan This man having undertaken that Commission went immediately to Sefi Myrsa and having met him coming out of a Bath riding on a Mule and accompany'd only by a single Page layes hold on the Bridle stayes the Mule and sayes Alight Sefi Myrsa it is the pleasure of the king thy Father that thou should'st die and thereupon throws him down The unfortunate Prince joyning his hands together and lifting up his eyes to Heaven cries out O my God! what have I done to deserve this disgrace Cursed be the Traytor who is the occasion thereof But since it is the pleasure of God thus to dispose of me Gods will and the King 's be done He had hardly the time to speak out those words ere Bebut gave him two stabs with a Chentze which is a kind of Ponyard ordinarily worn by the Persians in their Girdles wherewith he laid him dead upon the place The body was dragg'd into a Fen not far thence where it continu'd above four hours In the mean time the news of this Murther being brought into the City the people ran in multitudes to the Palace threatned to force the Gates and would have the Authors thereof deliver'd up to them in so much that the Chans who were afraid that in the fury of their first insurrection the people would wreak their malice indifferently on all they met forsook the king and got away The Queen Myrsa's Mother understanding that her Son had been kill'd by the king's express order was so overcome with grief that not minding the humour of the Prince she had then to do withall who could not endure the lest opposition she ran into the king's Apartment and not thinking it enough to reproach him with his inhumanity and the barbarous death of an innocent Prince and one whom he had tenderly lov'd she flew in his face and beat him with her first But the king instead of being angry with her was at an absolute loss and at last made her answer with tears in his eyes What would you have had me to do News was brought me that he had a design upon my life There is now no remedy what 's done cannot be recall'd On the other side Schach-Abas had no sooner heard of this execution but it repented him of having commanded it and express'd no small regret that he had proceeded with so much precipitation in a business of that importance He thought it not enough to acknowledge it done by his order but would needs continue ten dayes shut up in a place where he would not see the light of the Sun as having all that time a Handkercher over his eyes He liv'd a whole moneth and eat no more than what was purely necessary to keep him from starving He went in mourning a whole year and all his life after he wore not any thing about him that might as to matter of Cloaths distinguish him from the meanest of his Subjects And in some fort to eternize the memory of the Prince he caus'd the place where he was kill'd to be encompass'd with a high Wall made a Sanctuary of it and allow'd it a certain Revenue for the entertainment of a great number of poor people The first ten dayes of his greatest mourning being over he went from Râ—scht to Caswin where he would needs entertain the Chans whom he any way suspected and the Flatterer who had made him jealous of the Prince at a Dinner but he caus'd poyson to be mixt in their Wine and kept them so long at Table till he saw them all dead in the place The action of Bebut-beg was indeed recompens'd with the charge of Daruga of Caswin and some time after with
bring him his head Vgurlu was coming out of the Bath and going to put on his Cloaths when Aliculi-Chan came to him Vgurlu seeing him coming in attended by two servants was a little startled at it though they were very good friends and said to him Wo is me dear friend I fear thou bringst me no good news Aliculi-Chan made answer Thou art in the right my dear Brother the king hath commanded me to bring him thy head the only way is to submit whereupon he clos'd with him cut off his head made a hole in one of the cheeks thrust his finger through it and so carry'd it to the king who looking on it touch'd it with a little Wand and said It must be confess'd thou wert a stout man it troubles me to see thee in that condition but it was thine own fault `t is pitty were it only for that goodly beard of thine This he said by reason his Mustachoes were so long that coming about his neck they met again at his mouth which is accounted a great Ornament in Persia. Mortusaculi had his charge conferr'd on him Hassan-beg who had also been at the Chancellor's Feast receiv'd the same treatment and the Poet who was afterwards fasly accus'd of having put this Execution in Verse and sung them in the Maidan was conducted to that place where they cut off his Nose Ears Tongue Feet and Hands whereof he died some few dayes after Not long after this Execution the king sent for the Sons of these Lords and said to them You see I have destroy'd your Fathers what say you of it Vgurlu-Chan's Son said very resolutely what do's a Father signifie to me I have no other than the king This unnatural answer restor'd him to the Estate of the deceas'd which otherwise would have been Confiscated to the king but the Chancellor's Son was reduc'd to great misery and had not any thing allow'd him of all his Father had enjoy'd for his expressing a greater Resentment of his death than Complyance for the king The king being come to Caswin issued out his commands that all the Lords and Governours of Provinces should come to Court They all obey'd this order save only Alymerdan-Chan Governour of Candahar and Daub-Chan Governour of Kentze who thought it enough to assure the king of their fidelity by sending him each of them one of their Wives and one of their Children as Hostages but the king thought not that submission sufficient whereupon Alymerdan-Chan absolutely revolted and put his person and the Fortress of Candahar under the Protection of the king of the Indies Daub-Chan understanding by the Achta or Groom of the king's Chamber who had been sent to him how dangerous it were for him to come to Court took the advice of his friends and resolv'd to retire into Turkey To effect his design he thought good to try how his servants stood affected towards him and having found there were fifteen among them who were unwilling to follow him he caus'd them to be cut to pieces in his presence writ a very sharp Letter to the king and carried away all his Wealth along with him to Tamaras-Chan a Prince of Georgia his Brother-in-law and went thence into Turkey where he still liv'd at the time of our Embassy and was much respected by Sulthan Ibrahim Emperour of Constantinople The king to be reveng'd of both sent their Wives to the houses of publick prostitution and expos'd the Son of Daud-Chad to the brutality of the Grooms about the Court and the common Executioners of the City but Alymerdan's Son by reason of his beauty was reserv'd for the king's own use Sometime afterwards the king sent orders to Imanculi-Chan Governour of Schiras Brother to Daud-Chan to come to Court He had notice sent him of the intention the king had to put him to death but he made answer that he could not be perswaded they would treat him so ill after he had done such considerable services to the Crown but however it might happen he would rather lose his life than be out of favour with his Prince and become a Criminal by his disobedience According to this imprudent resolution he came to Caswin where the Court then was but he was no sooner come ere the king ordered his head to be taken off Schach-Sefi intended to save the lives of Imanculi's Children and no doubt had done it had it not been for the ill Office which was rendred them by a wicked Parasite who seeing the eldest Son of them at the king's feet aged about 18. years his friends it seems having advis'd him to make that submission told his Majesty that he was not the Son of Imanculi but of Schach-Abas who had bestow'd one of his Concucines in marriage on the Father being before hand with Child by him That word occasion'd the death of that young Lord and fourteen of his Brethren who being conducted to the Maidan were all beheaded near their Father's body The Mother made a shift to get away with the sixteenth into Arabia to her own Father's who was a Prince of those parts and as we were told he was living at that time and had his Habitation at Helbise three dayes journey from Besre or Balsara The bodies of these executed persons remain'd three dayes in the Maidan in the open air till that the King fearing the lamentations which the Mother of Imanculi made there day and night would have rais'd the people into an insurrection commanded them to be taken away The Persians do still bemoan the death of this Imanculi-Chan out of a remembrance of his liberality He was the Son of Alla-Werdi-Chan who upon his own charge built the Bridge of Ispahan and who was as much look'd on as any Lord in Persia for the noble actions he had done in the Wars The King's cruelty was as great towards the Ladies as his inhumanity towards the men For about that time he kill'd one with his own hands and committed several other murthers When he intended any Execution he was ordinarily clad in Skarlet or some red stuff so that all trembled when he put on any thing of that colour These unheard of cruelties frightned all that came neer him and put some upon a resolution to shorten his dayes by poyson but that which they gave him prov'd not strong enough so that he escap'd the effects of it with a sickness of two moneths As soon as he was recover'd he caus'd and exact enquiry to be made whereby it was discover'd by means of a Woman belonging to the Seraglio who had been ill-treated by her Mistress that the poyson had been prepar'd in the appartment of the Women and that his Aunt Isa-Chan's Wife had caus'd it to be given him He reveng'd himself sufficiently the night following for the Seraglio was full of dreadfull cries and lamentations and it was found the next day that he had caus'd a great Pit to be made in the Garden wherein he had buried forty Women alive whereof some
Chazinedal or Overseer of the king's Revenue The Ambadar who hath the over-sight of the king's Granaries The Iesaul Neder who keep the king's shooes when he puts them off in the anti-chamber The Mehemâ—ndar who conducts Ambassadors from one Province to another till they come to Court to their audience there and so back to the Frontiers Besides these there are yet several other Officers not so considerable as the precedent as The Kischitzi-baschi Captain of the Guard The Tzabedar Controller of the Artillery The Tzartzi who publishes the king's commands The Tzelaudar-baschi who is as it were a Captain over the Grooms that conduct such Horses as the king would have led The Kitaddar Library-keeper The Meamar Ingeneer and Architect The Mustofi Purveyer for the House The Seraidar Surveyer of the buildings The Klita Captain of the Gate The Scherbedar Overseer of the Conserves and Spices The Cannati Confectioner The Omatzdar Governour of the Pages The Schixtza Cup-bearer The Eachtzi who keeps the Gold-plate The Achtzi Clark of the kitchin The Eemektzi who bakes the bread which the king himself eats The Forrasch who makes the fire The Sava Water-bearer The Bildar are such as serve for Pioneers when the king goes any journey to make the wayes even and steps for the safer treading of the Camels They help also to pitch up Tents and dig pits in the ground whether to get water or serve for Privies The Schatir Foot-men The Rica are men who carry Pole-Axes and are alwayes about the king's person as his Guards but sometimes they also do the work of common Executioners All these Officers have their Salaries and other Allowances which are very duely paid them not out of the Treasury or Exchequer but they are charg'd upon the Demesn of certain Villages whereof they themselves have the disposal or they are assign'd them out of some part of the Taxes or haply on the Tribute paid by common Prostitutes The Persians seldom meet about affairs but the Cloath is lay'd At the two Audiences the king gave us as well at our comming thither as our departure thence we Din'd with him and at all the conferences we had at the Chancellor's we alwayes found a Collation of Preserves and after that the Cloath was lay'd and the Meat serv'd up When the King eats in publick or comes into any assemblies besides ten or twelve Lords of the Court he is ordinarily attended by the Hakim or Physician the Seder and the Minatzim The Physician appoints what Mears he should eat of The Minatzim or Astrologer acquaints him with the fortunate and unfortunate hours and whatever he sayes is believ'd as Oraculous and the Seder who is the chief of their Ecclesiasticks explicates to him those passages of the Alchoran and such points of their Divinity where there seems to be any difficulty The King and the Kasi joyn together in the naming of the Seder and they make choice of him among those whom they think best skill'd in the explication of the Alchoran and the Laws which depend on it They take his advice not onely in Ecclesiastical but also in Civil affairs but especially in Criminal He is shew'd the charge and proceedings against the Criminal and he returns his advice seal'd with his Seal The King for the most part follows it adding these words This is the advice of the Seder which we confirm then he orders his own Seal to be set thereto Civil causes are commonly try'd before the Secular Judges whom they call Oef They are a kind of Lawyers according to their way and they have for their chief the Diwan-beki who ought to be well vers'd in the Law of Mahomet Their Pleading dayes are Monday and Thursday and the place where they meet for the administration of Justice is a spacious Arch'd Hall under the Palace-Gate where they hear both sides and if the Causes be of importance they report the same to the King and acquaint him with the opinions of the Judges whereupon the King decides them It is forbidden by their Law to put out money to use Yet they stick not to do it but if the Usurers be discovered they are look'd on as infamous persons and not admitted into the company of such as are of any quality nay they are also very severely punish'd Of this we saw an eâ—ample as we pass'd through Ardebil where they had an odd way to take out a Man's Teeth who by way or interest had taken one and a half in the hundred for a moneth 's time They lay'd him all along on the ground and knock'd out his Teeth one after another with a little Mallet They call this kind of Usurers Sudehur that is eaters of Interest of Usury The Persians are permitted to lay out mony upon Lands Gardens and Houses which they enjoy while they are out of their money and if they be not redeem'd within the time agreed upon between the parties they are forfeited to the Mortgagee Their punishments are cruel and proportionable to the irreclaimable obstinacy of that people who are violently bent to Vice and laugh at gentle chastisements and moderate pains The least Crimes are punish'd with mutilation of Members They cut off the Nose Ears and sometimes the Feet and Hands of Malefactors nay they are put to death by cutting off thier Heads That defiling which the Latines call Violatio is not punish'd with death but they think it enough to cut off the part which hath offended to prove which there needs onely the Woman's Oath if she hath the confidence to reiterate it thrice The two last Kings Schach Abas and Schach-Sefi have been rather cruel than severe in their punishments as may be inferr'd from the examples we have already produc'd thereof nay they have been so far such towards some Criminals that they have caus'd them to be ty'd between two boards and sawen asunder Schach-Abas had sent into Spain one named Teinksbeg who returning from his Embassy and having not brought home all his Retinue and the King understanding by the Interpreter that his ill usage of them had caus'd many of his people to run away he took the pains himself to cut off his Nose his Ears and a good piece of flesh out of his Arm and forc'd him immediately to eat them bloody and raw as they were Imanculi-Chan who was sent Ambassador to the Duke of Holstein our Master treated his Domesticks no better For a very trivial fault he caus'd a Spit red hot to be apply'd to the back of one of his Retinue and he order'd another's fingers to be knock'd with the back of an Hatchet till all the bones were bruis'd which oblig'd five or six of his Train to leave his service and return into Persia by the way of Italy for which cruelties he had no doubt been punish'd at his return had not the Chancellor made his peace with the King As to the Religion of these people I could make a long digression to give some accompt
the Village of Sahedan in the Province of Kilan he there took particular notice of the pains the Inhabitants were at in weeding their Grounds and moved to compassion thereat he commanded the Weeds not to pester the Earth any longer He was immediately obey'd But Schich Sahadi observing it said to him I see Son what thou art able to do but thou art to consider that if thou ease these Pesants of the employment wherein they spend their time they will be lost through idleness Schich-Sofi thought this so excellent a consideration that he presently resolv'd to serve that holy man with whom he continu'd seven years and learnt of Sahadi many noble things It is upon this accompt as they affirm that the said Village to this day enjoyes an absolute and perpetual privilege and exemption They relate also that Tamberlane whom they call Temurleng desirous to see Schich-Sofi and to be assur'd whether his Sanctity was answerable to the great reputation he had acquir'd all over the East resolv'd to give him a Visit and to have an evident Demonstration of the truth of his Doctrine he bethought himself to make a tryal of it with a resolution to rest satisfy'd as to his Sanctity if he behav'd himself in three things as he expected he should to wit 1. if he came not out to meet him 2. If he entertain'd him with Rice boyl'd not in Sheep's Milk but that of wild Goats and 3. If the poyson he would order to be given him should not kill him Hereupon Tamberlane being come to Schamasbu where Sofi then liv'd went streight to his Chamber Sofi saw him well enough coming but would not go to meet him till Tamberlane had set foot within his Chamber then Sofi rose up and said to him I know well enough what respect is due to the King but it was your pleasure I should not meet you I humbly crave your pardon 'T is a tryal you were pleas'd to make of me This Complement pass'd he made Tamberlane sit down opposite to the Door and caus'd to come of the neighbouring Forrest a great many wild Goats which were milked in Tamberlane's presence At last Sofi perceiving they were going to give him poyson call'd for a clean shirt which he put on and having drunk the poyson he fell a dancing round the Room according to the manner of the Schichs and continu'd that exercise so long till such time as having put himself into a sweat all over the body he took off the shirt out of which he wrung the sweat which the poyson had made of a Green colour and having put it into a Glass presented it to Tamberlane to satisfie him that it had done him no harm That thereupon Tamberlane made no further doubt of the truth of Sofi's Doctrine that he bestow'd on him several Villages near Ardâ—bil and made him a Present of a great number of Turks whom he was to instruct in his Religion The Turks believe not a word of all these Miracles but however they have a great Veneration for the memory of Aly. They acknowledge he was a near Kinsman of Mohomet's that he is truly an Iman or Saint and that he led a very exemplary life and particularly that he was valiant and a very good Horsman and thence it comes that when they get on Hors-back they say Isa Aly in the name of Aly. As the Persians will not admit of any of the Laws and Ordinances which Abubekar Omar Osman and Hanife affirm to be grounded on the Alcoran so they also contemn all the Ecclesiastical Ceremonies of the Turks and have particular ones of their own which they believe to be as necessary as any thing that is most essential in the business of Religion For instance when the Persians intend to do their Devotions especially their Prayers they prepare themselves by external ablution as the Turks do but after an absolutely different manner They turn up their sleeves above the Elbow wash their hands which they afterwards put two several times upon the Arms stroaking them from the Elbow down to the Wrist Then they stroak their faces only with the right hand The Turks on the contrary take up so much water as they can hold between their hands and therewith rub their faces stroaking them three several times from the Forehead down to the Chin and afterwards from the Chin up to the Forehead They wash also their Noses and Mouths by drawing in with their breath the water which to that end they take up between their hands The Persians stroak their Heads with a moist hand from the Nape of the Neck to the Forehead and afterwards the Feet up to the Ancles But the Turks pour water on their Heads and so apply their moist Hand to the Feet which they are oblig'd to wash before they begin these Ceremonies but this the Persians do not The Turks put the fore-finger into the Ear which they afterwards rub all about with the Thumb and then with the same fore-finger stroke their Heads from the Nape of the Neck to the Throat These Ceremonies are perform'd in their Houses before they go out in order to the doing of their Devotions in the Mosquey whither the Women come not at all out of a fear they might distract the Devotions of the men The Persians have a stone wherewith they often touch their forehead while they are at their Prayers or haply they lay the stone upon the ground and touch it with their foreheads It is made of a greyish Earth which is to be had about Metzef and Kufa where Hossein was kill'd and interr'd near Aly and thence it is that the said stone derives all its vertue The Figure of it is Octogonal and it is somewhat above three inches Diameter and contains with the names of their twelve Saints that of Fattima their common Mother They are made by the Arabians who bring them into Persia to be sold. The Persians being come to the Mosquey begin their Prayers with Alla Ekber When they Pray their Arms hang down negligently and they have their eyes fasten'd on the ground On the contrary the Turks have both their hands upon their Breasts The Persians afterwards put their hands upon their Ears and turn their faces to the South out of this regard that Meca and Medina are towards that Quarter in respect of the Citie of Ardebil where their Sect had its first Institution and Original There is some probability that in this particular they would imitate the primitive Christians who in their Prayers turn'd their faces towards the East to express that Christ their Sun of Righteousness was risen Whence it came that the Christians being charg'd in the time of Severus the Emperour as if they ador'd the Sun Tertullian vindicates them in his Apology and gives an accompt of the true cause of that Ceremony The Persians having thus turn'd their faces towards the South begin their Prayers with that of Allhemdo lilla Having said that they set
another ill day's journey in regard the ground being frozen the beasts we rode on were so tir'd that most of our people were forc'd to march afoot Nay some were not able to perform the journey whom we were afterwards oblig'd to send for We lodg'd that night at the Village of Membre The 11. we came to the Citie of Caswin where we were forc'd to continue nine dayes till fresh Horses and Mules could be got for the prosecution of our journey Neer the Ambassadors lodging there was a great Tree full of Nails and Pebble-stones which are so many marks of the Miracles that one of their Pyrs or Beats who lies interr'd under that Treeâ— is wont to do at that place in healing the Tooth-ach Agues and several other Diseases Such as are troubled with the Tooth-ach touch the aking Tooth with a Nail or Pebble which they fasten to the Tree as high as they can reach with their mouths and hope by that means to get ease They whose imagination is so strong as to be ever the better by this kind of Cure express their acknowledgement thereof by tying certain Ribbands to the boughs of the Tree though in other respects these Miracles are not done gratis but are very beneficial to a certain Religious man who hath the keeping of the Tree and makes his advantage of the Offerings and Alms made there This profit which is enough to maintain one man hath encourag'd several Mountebanks and Impostors to expose their Cheats in dressing up Trees with these trifles and finding Sepulchres of Pyrs where there never were any The 15. The Posâ—anick or Muscovian Ambassador made a great entertainment for our Ambassadors and the chiefest of their Retinue and treated us very Magnificently It was in Commemoration of the birth-day of Knez Iuan Basilouits one of the chief Ministers of Muscovy whose favour he courted Ian. 20. we left Caswin and leaving on our left hand towards the Northwest the way of Solthania and Ardebil which we had taken at our coming into Persia we took that of Kilan directing our course Northward We travell'd that day four leagues for the most parâ— over Hills manur'd and sowen and lodg'd at night in the Village of Achibaba at the foot of a Mountain on our right hand We were told that Village was so call'd from an antient man of that name who liv'd in the time of Schich-Sefi and obtain'd it of him in memory of a Miracle which God had done in his person in reviving in him and his Wife who were each of them neer a hundred years of age the heat of younger years in so much that they had a Son who had bestow'd on them the Tomb which they shew'd us under a great Vault The 21. we pass'd through a fruitfull Country but somewhat uneven to the Village of Tzitelly by some called Kellabath that is a place fit for the breeding of Cattel so far as that the Grass which there is excellent good and grows very plentifully invites the Inhabitants of Caswin to drive their Heards into those parts The Vice-Daruga of Caswin who accompany'd the Ambassadors to this place and Supp'd with them entertain'd them a long time and much to their Diversion with the relation of his life and told them he had been carried away in his Infancy out of Georgia which was his Countrey in the time of Schach-Abas during the War he made in those parts and that he had been transferr'd to Caswin with his Father and Mother who were then alive and still Christians though in appearance forc'd to embrace the Religion of the Persians He told us also that Abasculi made his advantage of our journey as well as other Mehemandars to exact Provisions and other conveniences from the places which lay in their way but that there was not one half employ'd for the service of the Ambassadors They made him a Present of certain Ells of Cloath and Satin The 22. we travell'd seven leagues all over Mountains and Rocks interwoven with a Brook which thereabouts ran winding up and down so as that we were forc'd to cross it above thirty times ere we got to the Village of Kurtzibaschi where we lodg'd that night The next morning we travell'd all along Mountains which were not very high but delighted the eye by a diversity of colours Red Yellow Green and Blue which afforded a very pleasant prospect But about noon we could see nothing but Rocks dreadfull for their height and steepiness and in the evening we came to the River Senderuth which we cross'd by a Bridge that joyns the two Mountains through which it runs We discover'd from the top of the Mountain some pleasant and fruitfull Valleys at least if I may so call the other lower Mountains which are till'd and cultivated and appear'd to us from the top of the Mountain as little Hillocks This Village belong'd heretofore to a Kurtzibaschi or Colonel of a thousand Horse who gave it his own name and was seated in a very pleasant place but the houses were built onely of Earth and Canes whereto there adjoyned certain shepheards Huts where with we made the best shift we could The 23. we travell'd two leagues very good way along a Forest of Olive-Trees at the end whereof we came to a place antiently called Fauces Hyrcaniae but by the Persians in the time of Alexander the Great as it is indeed to this day Pylas The passage is very narrow and serves for a Gate to the Province of Kilan At the entrance of it joyn two swift Rivers which fall down with a dreadfull noyse through the Rocks under the name of the River Isperuth though before their joyning together the greater of the two had the name Kisilosein and passing under a stone bridge in order to its falling into the Province of Kilan it there again divides it self and by two several Chanels falls into the Caspian Sea This is a very fair Bridge built on six Arches each whereof hath a spacious Room a Kitchin and several other conveniences lying even with the water The going down into it is by a stone pair of stairs so that this Bridge is able to find entertainment for a whole Caravanne At the end of the Bridge the road divides it self One way leads through a delightful and even Countrey into the Province of Chalcal and so to Ardebil the other goes streight into the Province of Kilan and this last is the most dangerous and most dreadfull way of any I think in the World It is cut out of a Mountain which is pure Rock and so steepy that they found it a hard matter to make way enough for the passage of one Horse or Camel loaden nay in some places they have been forc'd to supply it with Mason's work where the Rock fell short On the left hand the Rock reach'd up into the Clouds so as that the top of it could not be seen and on the right there was a dreadfull Abyss
only the smell but also the eye We came at night to a Village where we saw the Sepulchre of Iman Sade in a little Chapel built at the foot of a hill which lay on our right hand All the houses of the Village were cover'd with â—lats and tiles as they are in Europe by reason of the rains which it seems are more frequent in those parts than any where else The 25. we got five leagues and came at night to Rescht The way at first was somewhat uneven and wooddy but after a while we found it planted with those trees which bear silk and at last we came to a plain and smooth way having on both sides Corn-grounds interwoven with several deep trenches such as those which in Flanders they call Water-gangs into which they let in the water by Sluces and there keep it for the watering of their grounds when the heat hath dry'd up the sources of the Rivers nay indeed for the overflowing of them when need requires They had indeed been at the pains to make Bridges over those moats or trenches but they were so ill kept in repair that many of our people fell into the water The Inhabitants of the Country mind only the husbandry of Rice and they have each of them his house at the end of his piece of ground about two or three hundred paces distant one from the other The City of Rescht is the Metropolis of all Kilan and of a considerable bigness but open of all sides like a Village and the houses of it are so hid within the trees that a man at his entrance into it may think he is rather going into a Forest than a City since there is no seeing of it till a man be within it It lies two leagues distant from the Caspain Sea and the Arabians in the Catalogue of their Cities name it Husum and place it at 85. degrees 10. minutes latitude The houses of it are not so well built nor so fair as those of the other Cities of Persia but they were all cover'd with tiles as ours and not any but had adjoyning thereto a great number of Citron-trees and Orenge-trees which had then on them their second fruit ripe of that years growth The Maidan or Market-place is very spacious and full of shops where are sold all sorts of Commodities especially Provisions which are very cheap there upon which accompt it was that our Mehemander treated us very magnificently during the aboad we made there which was five daies The City of Rescht though the greatest af all the Province hath no Chan or chief Governour but only a Daruga whose name at that time was Alyculi-Beg Ian. 26. the Inhabitants of Rescht celebrated a Festival in Honour of Aly with the same Ceremonies in a manner as we had seen at Scamachie on the 7. of February the year before and this Feast happen'd then in Ianuary in regard the Persians regulate their Feasts according to the Moon They borrow'd of us a Drum wherewith they made a mad kind of noise in their Procession The Preacher who made a long relation of the Miracles of Aly concluded his Sermon with these blasphemous words That if Aly were not really God he at least came very neer the Divinity Aly Chodda nist amma ne dures Choddai We were here shewn the Sanctuary which Schach-Abas had ordered to be built at the place where Sefi Myrza his Son had by his command been kill'd by Bebut-beg as we have related in the precedent Book of these Travels Ian. 30. we left Rescht the weather rainy We saw nothing at all that day but a Plain which brought us not only to our lodging that night but also to the Frontiers of the Province of Kilan which is very even on that side All the way was planted on both sides with Box and those trees which bear silk and cross'd by many small Rivers whereof such as were considerable enough to have a name are the Pesi-chan half a league from the City of Rescht then that of Chettiban and somewhat less than a league thence those of Pischeru and Lissar all which have Bridges rais'd very high by reason of the frequent inundations of the Rivers and so untoward to pass over that they put a man into a fright and notwithstanding all our care yet could we not prevent the Horse which carried the Physicians baggage from falling into the River whence we had much ado to get him out by reason of the Fens on both sides it The last River we cross'd that day is called Tzomus and they are all well stor'd with fish in so much that the King farms out the fishing of them which brings him in yearly very considerable sums Having travell'd four leagues that day we came at night to Kisma neet the Town of Fumen or Pumen where Karib-schach was defeated and taken as we related before Ianuary the last we got four leagues further our way being planted all along with those Trees which bear silk and whereof there was so great a number that they made a Forest. We saw also that day great Vineyards according to the Persian way Having travell'd about four leagues we met with the Calenter or King's Lieutenant in the Government of Kesker who came to meet us accompany'd by thirty Horse He had led after him a Mule loaden with Wine Conserves and other refreshments wherewith he treated the Ambassadors and oblig'd them to make a Collation in the field The Chan who was coming after him accompany'd by a hundred persons of quality on Hors-back receiv'd the Ambassadors with great civility and conducted us to the little Citie of Kurab where he invited us to his own house and treated us with Fruit and Conserves making it his excuse that their Fast permitted him not to keep us company and entertain us with flesh The Collation ended he had us all conducted to the Lodgings he had taken up for us ordered certain Gentlemen to wait on the Ambassadors and sent them a Present of four wild Boars The Chan's name was Emir and he was son to a Georgian Christian born at a Village neer Eruan He had been Circumcis'd in his youth and had some time been Cup-bearer to Schach-Abas who had bestow'd that Government on him in recompence of the service he had done him at the siege of Eruan and had given the reversion of his place of Cup-bearer to his Son He was an eloquent person and obliging and took much delight in talking of the Affairs and Wars of Germany and our manner of life He told us he could not forbear loving the Christians but we were told one very extraordinary thing of him and horrid to relate to wit that having some time been in a teadious Disease which having caus'd an universal contraction in all his Members the Physicians had order'd him one of the most extravagant remedies that ever were heard of which was ut rem haberet cum cane foemina This
from one house to another The 6. we travell'd three leagues all through a continu'd Forest and we cross'd the three Rivers of Kossar Sambur and Kurgane That of Sambur is the most considerable and rises out of the mountain of Elbours dividing it self at this place into five branches the chanels whereof were so broad that our horses as we pass'd through had not water up to half the legs The 7. having gone three leagues we came to the most antient City of Derbent There came to meet us only a certain number of Kisilbachs in regard the Governour Scahewerdi Sulthan between whom and his horse-men there was some difference durst not come out of the Castle lest the Kisilbachs should possess themselves of it The Persians put this City at 85. degrees longitude and I found it at forty one degrees fifty minutes latitude It is in length reaching from East to West about a league and in breadth four hundred and fifty ordinary paces It serves for a Gate to the Kingdom of Persia on that side for on one side it reaches to the foot of the mountain and on the other to the Sea which is so neer that sometimes the waves beat over the walls The Persian Authors as also the Inhabitants of the City affirm that it was built by Iscander that is Alexander the Great not such as it is now for that honour is due to their King Nauschiruan but only the Castle and the Wall which encompasses the City on the South-side These walls are very high and at least five or six foot thick and viewing them at a distance a man would think them built of the best and fairest kind of free-stone but coming neer them he finds that the Stones are made of Muscle-shels and pieces of free-stone beaten and molded like Brick which time hath reduc'd to a hardness beyond that of Marble I found upon one of the Gates which are remaining of the building of Alexander the Great a Syriack Inscription of three lines and in another place certain Arabick words and strange Characters but so eaten out by time that they were not legible The Castle where the Chan lives is upon the top of the mountain and kept by a Garrison of five hundred men who are of two several Nations Asumrumlu and Koidurscha The second quarter of the City is at the foot of the mountain and the most populous but the lower part of it is very much ruin'd since Emir Hamse the Son of Chadabende recover'd the City out of the hands of Mustapha the Turkish Emperour to whom the Inhabitants had voluntarily submitted themselves The lower part and that which reaches to the Sea is about two thousand ordinary paces in compass but it lies desert having no houses but converted into Gardens and Corn-fields It was heretofore inhabited by Greeks whence the Persians call it to this day Scaher Iunan that is the Greek City All this coast is pure Rock upon which score it is very dangerous for Vessels It serves for a foundation to the walls of the whole City which are so broad that a Wagon may easily be driven on them The mountain above the City is cover'd with wood where there may be yet seen the ruins of a wall above fifty leagues in length which as we were told had sometime serv'd for a communication between the Caspian and Euxine Seas In some places it was some five or six foot high in other but two in others there was no track of any There might be seen also on other hills the ruins of several old Castles whereby it might be judg'd that they were built four square There were two undemolish'd and had garrisons in them There are also several redoubts of wood upon all the avenues The most remarkable thing about this City is the Sepulchre of Tzumtzume of whom the Persians relate this story after their Poet Fiesuli who hath left in writing They affirm that Eissi so they call our Saviour Iesus Christ coming one day into those parts found in his way a dead man's skull and desirous to know whose it had been pray'd to God with whom he was in great favour to raise that deceased person to life again which God accordingly did and then Eissi asked him who he was He made answer his name was Tzumtzume that he had been King of all that Country and so powerful that he consumed every day in his Court as much salt as forty Camels were able to carry That he had forty thousand Cooks as many Musicians as â—any Pages with Pearls in their ears and as many Sersants But says Tzumtzume to Eissi Who art thou And what Religion dost thou profess Whereto Christ made answer I am Eissi and my Religion is that which saves all the World If it be so reply'd Tzumtzume I am of thy Religion but I pray thee let me dy assoon as may be for having been heretofore so powâ—rful it would extremely trouble me to be here now without a Kingdom and Subjects Eissi granted his request and immediately permitted him to dy and at this place is his Sepulchre over which there is a great tree and adjoining to that there is a Scaffold erected ten foot high and sixteen square We took notice on this side of the City of about five or six thousand Tombs cover'd with stones much larger than the ordinary stature of men all half round Cylinder-wise and hollow within They had all of them Arabick Inscriptions and it is reported that antiently yet since the time of Mahomet there had been in Media a King named Kassan by birth an Okus a people living in Thabesseran behind the mountain of Ebbours who being ingag'd in a war against the Tartars of Dagesthan whom they call Lesgi was desirous to give them battel in that place but that he was there defeated and that he caus'd the Officers then kill'd to be buried in the Tombs which are yet to be seen there Towards the Sea-side there were forty others compass'd by a wall but much bigger than any of the fore-mentioned These as the Inhabitants affirmed were the Sepulchres of so many great Lords and holy Persons who had been kill'd in the same battel Every Sepulchre had its Banner The Persians name these Sepulchres Tziltenan and the Turks and Tartars Kerchler The Persians and Tartars do their devotions at them in so much that this place was heretofore very famous both for the many foundations and charities given thereto but now it is kept by an antient man who makes a poor shift to live upon the Alms that are given him King Kassan who liv'd many years after this Battel is interr'd neer Tabris neer a River named Atzi that is bitter waters The Tomb of Queen Burla his wife is to be seen neer the Fortress of Vrumi and they say it is forty foot long Apr. 13. we saw several Tartars as well men as women coming to do their devotions there which consisted in going one after another to kiss the
engraven upon a square pillar certain unknown characters which have nothing common with either the Greek Hebrew or Arabian nor indeed with any other language There are twelve lines of these characters which as to their figure are triangular Piramidal or like obelisques but so well graven and so proportionate that those who did them cannot be thought Barbarians Some believe they are Telesmes and that they contain some secrets which Time will discover Besides these there is also a great Court upon the same ground-work which is ninety paces square having on each side two gates whereof some are six others but three paces wide all built of a very well polish'd marble whereof the several pieces are eight foot in length and three in breadth In another Court there are represented in carv'd-work in marble battels triumphs and Olympick games very well done and with an exact observance of proportion Upon every gate is represented a man with a graceful countenance sitting and holding in one hand a Globe in the other a Scepter though the Kings of Persia never sate in that posture I had the curiosity to get up on high where I found the figure of a King at his devotions adoring the Sun Fire and a Serpent It is not easie to affirm whether the Architecture of this Palace be of the Ionick Dorick or Corinthian order the building is so ruin'd though there be yet as much left as would find work for a good able Painter for six months 'T is a thousand pities that no body hath yet had the curiosity to have it graven had it been only out of this motive that the barbarous people thereabouts ruine it daiâ—â— more and more and convey away the stones to carry on private buildings Aeâ—ian sayes that the Grand Cyrus was grown famous for the Palace he had built in the City of Persepolis whereof he had himself laid the foundation Darius for that built by him at Susa and Cyrus the younger for the pleasant Gardens which he had himself planted and cultivated in Lydia If this be the same place which Diodorus Siculus makes mention of it is certain that both as to greatness and magnificence it exceeded all those of that time He sayes it was encompass'd with three walls of Marble whereof the first was 16. the second 32. and the third 60. ells high with the gates and balconies of brass The work of so many years and all that wealth were destroy'd in a few hours by Alexander the great who upon the perswasion of a common Prostitute caused it to be fired as Quintus Curtius gives an account of it in his History Having view'd these Antiquities which with those of Derbent were all we met with in our Travels I prosecuted my journey the 28. of Ianuary and got that day ten Leagues to the City of Sehiras In this City I met with four Italian Carmelites who have a very handsome well built Monastery there and enjoy an absolute liberty of conscience under the jurisdiction of the King of Persia. There had also been heretofore a Monastery of Austin-Friers but they were forc'd thence with the other Portuguez when the City of Ormus was taken from them Schiras is the chief City of the Province of Fars at 29. degrees 36. minutes seated in a very pleasant place at the foot of certain Mountains upon the River Sendemer heretofore called Arâ—xes which disembogues it self into the Persian Gulf. We were told the City had been much bigger then it is now though there be in it at present above ten thousand houses which I the more easily credited in that we found all about it and half a league beyond the ruines of the gates and walls of a great City Whatever Nature supplies mankind withall not only for necessity but also for pleasure is here to be had in great abundance as Wheat Wine Oranges Lemmons Pomegranats Almonds Dates Pistachoes c. and the lovely Cypress-trees afford a pleasant shade against the excessive heats The best Wine of all Persia grows hereabouts and in such abundance that it is transported all over the Kingdom especially to the Court where the King and great Lords drink not any other 'T is more sprightly and more pleasant then Canary but in regard no person of quality but drinks of it and is willing to treat his friends with Schiras Scharab it is dear enough at Ispahan where it is sold at half a Crown a pottle The soil hereabouts is very fertile and produces abundance of Wheat and Fruit. The Sheep which are of an Ash-grey colour with an eye of white have their wooll curled or frizled and their tails are so big and so fat that they weigh 18. or 20. pound The adjacent Forrests afford abundance of Mastick which the Country people gather in dishes fastned to the Trees It is at first green but the Air in time corrupting it gives it the brown colour it is of when brought into Europe I stayed eight dayes at Schiras as well to rest my Horses as to fortifie my self against the hardship I was to expect in my future travel it being a hundred Leagues to Ormus through a Country where I should not find what I left behind me at Schiras which is doubtless the principal City of Persia for Wine and Women and affords so great enjoyments to those who can use these two things with moderation that the Persians are wont to say that if Mahomet had tasted the pleasures of Schiras he would have desired God to make him immortal there I left it the fifth of February and passed by two Caravanseras and took up my lodging at the third having travell'd that day ten Leagues through a fair even way The sixth I got seven Leagues having a very bad way but in sight of many Villages whereof the prospect was the more pleasant by reason of the Date-trees all about them The seventh I passed by one of these Caravanseras and got that day ten Leagues taking up my quarters in the little City of Scharim in the middle of a Forrest of Date-trees The five dayes following were the most troublesome of all my life For the eighth of February we got but five Leagues through the most horrid way in the world I cannot imagine how people made a shift to travel that way before Imanculi Chan of whom somewhat hath been said elsewhere who was so cruelly put to death with all his children by Schach Sefi caus'd it to be repaired with incredible expence when at this day a man cannot pass but in great danger of his life by reason of the uneven and narrow wayes between steepy mountains on the one side and dreadful precipices on the other where I very narrowly avoided a mis-fortune which happens there very often For my Horse's hoof which I was leading by the bridle being fill'd with snow he stumbled upon me forc'd me out of the way so as that had I not caught hold of a wild Almond tree which
number of Apes among which there are some as big as Greyhounds and strong enough to set upon a Man but they never do it unless they be angred They are most of them of a greenish brown colour and their beards and eye-brows long and white They multiply extreamly by reason the Benjans who are much more numerous in those parts then the Mahumetans believe the Metempsychosis or transmigration of souls and permit not the killing of beasts and these much less then any other because they have some resemblance of Man and are perswaded that the merriest and best humour'd souls after their departure out of the body retire into these Creatures whence it comes that the City is full of them They come into people houses at any time with all the freedom imaginable and in so great numbers that those who sell Fruits and Preserves have much ado to keep them from their houses and to secure their Ware I remember one day I counted above fifty at the English house at the same time which fell a playing and putting themselves into several postures as if they had been sent thither purposely to make me sport I one day chanc'd do cast some Dates and Almonds among two or three Apes that came in which they liked so well that they waited every morning at my Chamber door for their Breakfast and became at last so familiar that they would take Fruit or Bread or any thing else out of my hand I would sometimes catch one of them by the Foot so to oblige the others to snarle at me and as it were to demand their Companion which I did till such time as I saw them make ready to set upon me so to force him out of my hands The same Trees maintain all sorts of wild Fowl but especially an infinite number of Parrots whereof there are several kinds The biggest are called Indian Crows Some are all white or of a Pearl colour having on their Crowns a tuft of Feathers of a Carnation red and they are called Kahatou from that word which in their chattering they pronounce very distinctly These Birds are common all over the Indies where they make their Nests in Cities under the Eaves of Houses as Swallows do in Europe The lesser sort of them which are the more valued for the beauty and diversity of their colours their Feathers being checquer'd between a lively Carnation and a bright Green build their Nests in the Woods and fasten them to the tops of the branches so as that they hang in the Air by which means they preserve their young ones from the Serpents that would devour them They build their Nests with Hay or Stubble and many times they fasten two together with a covering above and another beneath These Birds are a great annoyance to the Fruits and do much mischief in the Rice because none kill them nay the Benjans are so supertitious as not to hinder them from eating which freedom they also give the wild Ducks Herons and Cormorants whereof there are abundance abut the River In the precedent Travels of the Embassadours into Muscovy and Persia there is some mention of these Birds upon occasion of those which we saw upon the River Wolga We shall only add here that it is the same kind of Fowl that the Natural Histories call Onocratalus from the noise it makes in the Water when it puts its Beak into it imitating in some sort the braying of an Ass. It hath the subtilty to swallow down Muscles and keep them in the Stomach till the heat thereof hath opened the shell and then cast them up again to take out the Fish There is no kind of wild Fowl nor Venison which may not be had in these Forrests but especially Fallow-Deer Roebucks Ahus or wild Asses wild Boars and Hares They have also store of tame Creatures as Buffles Oxen Cows and Sheep And the Rivers is so well furnished with all sorts of Fish that it may be confidently affirmed there is no place in the world where a man might live more deliciously They want nothing but Wine but to supply their want of that they have Terri taken out of the Cocos-trees which drinks as deliciously as Wine They have the most excellent Water in the World and out of Rice Sugar and Dates they extract their Arak which is a kind of Aqua vitae much stronger and more pleasant then that which is made in Europe But as the Kingdom of Guzuratta is furnish'd with Creatures beneficial to man as to carriage or otherwise so are there also some which he must have a care of There is no River but is pester'd with abundance of Crocodiles called by the Inhabitants Cayman which do much mischief as well in the Water as upon the Land among the Cattle nay sometimes among Men whom they surprise when they go a swimming or when they go in Boats near the shore this Creature being so nimble that a Man hath much ado to escape by running though it were no hard matter for him by frequent turnings and windings to avoid his pursuit for the Crocodile having no Vertebrae or joynts either in his neck or back he cannot turn himself and thence it comes that most commonly he rather surprises Men then pursues them He commonly lurks in the high Grass on the River side to catch at those who come for Water and the Benjans who believe that the Souls of those who are thus devour'd by these Creatures are immediately admitted into Paradise take no course to destroy them It is very certain that in the Ditches of the City of Pegu there were Crocodiles above thirty foot in length and fed so much upon Mans flesh that no day pass'd but they devour'd some or other and yet the Benjans took no course in the world to prevent it and destroy them But the King having caused one to be more particularly observed which did more mischief aloâ—e then all the rest had it taken and kill'd There was one had swallow'd down a Woman with all her cloaths about her They cover their Eggs having laid to the number of 28 or 30. with Sand about the change of the Moon and so leave them till the wane by which time they are hatch'd when they uncover them they kill a great many of the young ones which hinders them from multiplying as they would do otherwise to infinity Iohnston in his Natural History saith that near Panama in the West Indies there were found Crocodiles above a hundred foot long But we shall not here make a digression into Natural History and ingenuosly acknowledge that those we saw were about twelve or fifteen foot long The skin or rather scales of their backs is harder then Armour musket-proof so that to destroy them a man must go on one side of them and run them into the belly The Inhabitants of the Country affirm that this Creature is of its own
manner with a flat Roof and had several Partitions which were made all half round very narrow at the entrance and broad at the bottom having each of them a door by it self and two Receptacles or Tankes of Free-stone into which the Water was let in by brazen Cocks to such height as those who came to bathe themselves desired it After bathing I was ordered to sit down a while and then I was laid down upon a Stone seven or eight foot in length and four in breadth in which posture the Master of the Bath rubb'd me all over with a Hair-cloth He would also have rubb'd the soles of my feet with a handful of Sand but perceiving I was not able to endure it he ask'd me whether I were a Christian and having understood that I was he gave me the Hair-cloath that I might rub my feet my self though he had made no difficulty to rub all the rest of my body This done there came into the Bath a little short Fellow who laid me all along on the belly upon the same stone and rubb'd my back with his hands from the back-bone down to the sides telling me that bathing would do me but little good if I suffered not the bloud which might haply lye corrupted in that place to be by that rubbing dispersed through all the other members I found not any thing remarkable about Lahor but one of the Kings Gardens which lies two dayes journey distant from it I had as a further diversion in this short piece of my Travels this that in two dayes I rode on four several Creatures For at first I had a Mule then a Camel then an Elephant and at last an Oxe whose troting was the hardest of any beast that ever I bestrid lifting up his hoofs as high as the stirrop and carrying me between six and seven Leagues in less then four hours I should have made some longer stay at Lahor but receiving Letters from Agra I was forc'd to come away upon this account that the English President intended very suddenly to embark in order to his return for England whereupon I put my self into the company of certain Indian Merchants who were then upon their return to Amadabath At my coming to Amadabath the Director of the English Commerce told me that he had received Orders from the President to make as strong a Caffila as he could possibly and to come with all expedition to Surat I there met also with Letters from the President whereby I understood that he only expected the Caffila's of Agra and Amadabath and that he would depart as soon as they were come He writ to me further that being within a few dayes after to resign his Presidentship to another whom his Superiour had appointed to receive it and there being to be a great entertainment and feasting at that Ceremony he should be glad I were present thereat During my stay at Amadabath the Mahumetans celebrated a Feast which was concluded at night with very noble Fire-works The Windows of all the Houses that stand in the Meidan were beset with Lamps before which were placed Vessels of Glass fill'd with Waters of several colours which made a very delightful prospect Upon the same Meidan before the Kings Palace there are two low Houses of which there is little use made but at this Feast it being the place whither the Sulthan and the Lords of the Court retire themselves while fire is set to the Works which consisted of Squibs Crackers and other ingenious inventions Some had fasten'd Lamps to certain Wheels which hung on though the Wheels turn'd about perpetually with great violence As soon as the Caffila of Agra was come to Amadabath I took leave of my friends and went along with a Caravan of a hundred Waggons The first day we travell'd twelve Cos or six Leagues to the City of Mamadabath The next day I went before with the Director of the Commerce at Amadabath who with his Second was desirous to be present at the Resignation which the President was to make of his place We were four in company and we took along with us four Waggons two Horses and twenty foot Souldiers for our Guard leaving Order that the Caffila should follow us with all expedition The foot Souldiers who carried our Arms and Banners made a shift nevertheless to keep pace with us What I say concerning the Banners relates to the custom of the Indies where there are no persons of any quality but have a Banner or a kind of Colours such as Cornets use carried before them That day we cross'd the River Wasser and took up our Quarters at night in the Fort of Saselpour There we met with the Factor of Brodra whose name was Mr. Pansfield who treated us very magnificently the next day at the place of his residence We went thence in the evening and lodg'd the night following in a great Garden and the next day we prosecuted our journey In the evening we encamped hard by a Tanque called Sambord and in regard we had not met with any fair Water all that day we endeavour'd to get some out of the Tanque But the Country people fearing we might consume all the Water there coming in at the same time a Dutch Caffila of two hundred Waggons would not suffer us to come near it Whereupon we commanded out fifteen of our foot Souldiers with express order to bring some Water if not by fair means by force But coming to the Tanque they found it guarded by thirty armed Men and such as were resolv'd to maintain it and to hinder any from taking of the Water However our Men went very resolutely towards them with their Swords drawn upon which without any dispute at all the Country people ran away but while ours were drawing Water the Indians shot a certain number of Arrows and discharg'd three Muskets among them and wounded five persons Ours exasperated at that kill'd three of the Country people whom we saw afterwards carried to the Village While we were at Supper there came in to us one of the Dutch Merchants who told us that there had been seen two hundred Rasboutes upon our way who had committed several robberies for some dayes before and that the very day before they had kill'd six men within a League of the Village near which we were then lodg'd The Dutch Caffila went away about midnight and we follow'd it immediately after But we had not gone far beyond it ere we discover'd one of those Holacueurs who are wont to march in the head of the Caffilas and before Troops of Horse and serve instead of Trumpeters by sounding a certain Instrument of Brass much longer then our ordinary Trumpets As soon as he perceiv'd us he slipp'd into the Wood where he fell a sounding as loud as ever he could which we took for an assured Alarm that it would not be long ere they set upon us Accordingly almost ere we could
Statues of Gold Silver Ivory Ebony Marble Wood and ordinary Stone The Figure under which they represent him is dreadful to look on The Head out of which grows four Horns is adorn'd with a triple Crown after the fashion of a Tiara The countenance is horridly deformed having coming out of the Mouth two great Teeth like the Tusks of a Boar and the Chin set out with a great ugly Beard The Breasts beat against the Belly at which the Hands are not absolutely joyned together but seem negligently to hang down Under the Navil between the two Thighs there comes out of the Belly another Head much more ghastly then the former having two Horns upon it and thrusting out of the Mouth a filthy Tongue of extraordinary bigness Instead of Feet it hath Paws and behind a Cows-tail This Figure is placed on a Table of Stone which serves for an Altar and receives the Offerings which are made to the Pagode On the right side of the Altar there stands a Trough in which those who intend to do their Devotions wash and purifie themselves and on the other side there is a Box or Chest for reception or the Offerings which are made in Money and near the Trough there is placed within the wall of a Vessel out of which the Bramans take the yellow stuffe wherewith they mark the foreheads of those who have said their Prayers The Braman or Priest belonging to the place sits at the foot of the Altar whence he rises at certain times to say his Prayers and when he goes away he concludes his Devotions with that kind of purifying which is performed by rubbing his hands in the flame of the Lamps which stand before and above the Altar as we have described it elsewhere Nor is it only in great Cities that the Benjans have their many Mâ—squeys but they have them also up and down the Country upon the High-wayes and in the Mountains and Woods They have no other light then what they have from the Lamps which are kept perpetually burning in them having no other Ornament then that the Walls are bedaâ—bed with the Figures of Beasts and Devils and look more like Caves and the Recesses of unclean Spirits which they are in effect then places design'd for the exercise of Religion Yet it is certain nevertheless that these poor ignorant people express as much Devotion for these Monsters as the most regenerate Christians can do for their God and the most sacred Mysteries of their Religion though they at the same time acknowledge that it is not a Divinity they adore but a Creature which hath some power derived from God and is able to do good and ill to Men. They have this common with the Mahumetans that they make the principal part of Religion to consist in corporeal Purifications Whence it comes that there pâ—sses not a day but they wash themselves and many of them do it very betimes in the morning before Sun-rising going into the Water up to the waste and holding in their hand a Straw which the Braman gives them to chase away the evil Spirit while the Braman blesses and makes exhortations to those who purifie themselves in that manner These Bramans or Bramanes make it their boast that they came out of the Head of their God Brama of whom they say there were many other Productions which came but out of his Arms Thighs Feet and other more ignoble parts of his Body but they have this advantage that they have their being from the Brains of that great God Abraham Rogers who lived ten years upon the Coasts of Coromandel upon the service of the Hollanders in an Employment by means whereof he might make more certain Discoveries of the Religion of these people relates in the Treatise he hath written of Paganisme that the Bramanes affirm that their great God whom they sometimes call Wistul sometimes Etwara and who they say is the greatest and the God of all the Gods bethinking himself before the Creation of the World when there was in the Universe but one God and Water meerly for his Diversion sake to make a World had assumed the Figure of a little Child and having cast himself upon a Leaf which he had found swimming upon the Water and playing Childishly with his great Toe in his mouth there came out of his Navel a Flower which they call Tamara of which Flower was produced the first of all Men whom they call Brama That the first thing which Brama did was to give God thanks that he had bestow'd on him a rational Soul and that God was so well pleased with that acknowledgment of his that he gave him power not only to create the World and whatsoever is contained therein but also to take upon him the Government thereof which God was willing not to be troubled withall himself So that Brama being as it were Gods Vicegerent and Deputy in this vast and infinite Administration there happens not any good or evil to men but by his means since it is he who hath limited the life of Man to a hundred years and hath decreed and appointed the prosperity and adversity that shall befal him To this they add that Brama had five Heads and that one day rebelling against the God Wistu He commanded one of his Servants named Bierewa to cut off the Head which stood in the midst with his Nail But that Brama having humbled himself before God and having made Verses in praise of him Wistu was so highly pleas'd to hear them sung that he told Brama it troubled him much that he had ordered one of his five Heads to be cut off but however bid him be of good comfort forasmuch as he should have the same power with the other four as he had before And yet they have this belief withall that this imprudence of Brama will hinder him from enjoying in the other World that measure of Glory which he might have hoped had he continu'd in his original Integrity They affirm that Brama governs the World by many Lieutenants the chiefest of whom is he whom they call Derwendre who commands all those who govern the eight Worlds which are like this we inhabit and go to the Composition of the Universe whereof according to them there are seven other parts like ours all which swim upon the water like so many Eggs. They believe also that the World which is now extant and in being is not any effect of the first Creation but that there have been many before it and that there will be others after it That that wherein we now live is to continue yet a Million of Ages longer since that in the year MDCXXXIX there were but four thousand seven hundred thirty nine years of the fourth Age of the World expired and that the first bad lasted a hundred and seven thousand two hundred and ninety Ages That in the said first Age of the World all Men were good and just so as
of the Court is seated on the River Menam which makes an Island entirely taken up by that City having on the River-side a strong sufficient wall for about two Leagues in compass and the Suburbs on both sides the River as well built and adorn'd with Temples and Palaces as the Town it self Here are divers very fair Streets with Channels regularly cut but withall there are some which are neither large nor fair though the River crosses the Town in so many places that there is scarce a house but may be gone to by boat The Houses here as generally all over the Indies are but of ordinary building and for the most part covered with Tiles There are within the Town above three hundred fair Mosqueys or Chappels with gilt Steeples or Pyramides which at a distance yield a glorious prospect with abundance of Pagodes of all sorts of Metals The Palace which is as it were a City of it self within the other hath its Towers and Pyramides gilt so as the City of India may be said to be as beautiful as large and as populous as any City in India nevertheless I will not affirm what Fernando Mendez Pinto writes that it contains within its Circuit four hundred thousand Families whereof three quarters are Siamezes but thus much I can add that the City hath this advantage that it is impregnable for being of it self strong enough to indure any Siege for many moneths it hath an infallible relief which never fails at six moneths end by reason that the River overflowing no Line can withstand it nor no Camp can be so strong but must dislodge The King of Siam that now reigns and who amongst his other Titles takes that of Precau Salcu that is Sacred Member of God holds the Crown from his Ancestors who have possessed it for many Ages and next to the Mogul this Prince can reckon more Kings of his Family then any Prince of the Indies He is absolute Monarch in his Dominions solely disposing with an Independant Authority of all Affairs of his Kingdom He makes War and Peace imposes Taxes on his Subjects creates Magistrates sets value on Money and makes Laws and Statutes without the consent or advice either of States or Lords He allows them to consider of such Affairs as come to their knowledge and to offer him their Advice by way of Remonstrance but he reserves to himself the Power to approve or reject what he pleases These Noble men are called Mandorins and are there as the Privy Council a quality the King bestows on whom he pleases as he doth of all other Honours in the Kingdom without regard either to birth or merit because his Subjects are his Slaves and the King is Master of all they possess even their very lives whereof he hath power to dispose to his service and advantage 'T is true that in this as in deposing the Mandorins from their Dignities and reducing them to the rank of their fellow Subjects he observes some appearance of Equity by following in some measure the Laws of the Kingdom but being above the Law he explicates and executes it as he pleases The Prince is exceeding magnificent in his Apparel and Train but his State appears in nothing more then his manner of living For the people who seldom see him have a peculiar Veneration for his Person nor do the Grandees and Officers scarce ever come into his presence When he gives Audience he sits most gloriously habited on a Throne of Gold with a Crown on his head and at his feet the Officers and Gentlemen of the Houshold on their knees and not far from him a Guard of three hundred Souldiers No one speaks to him but on the knee and they who come for audience present themselves in this sort their hands being lifted above their head and making to him ever and anon most low reverences The continual inclinations that are made him and the Titles given him must likewise be accompanied with oblieging speeches and attributions beyond what either greatness or goodness can deserve His Answers are receiv'd as Oracles and his Orders executed without delay or dispute He hath in every Province of his Kingdom his Palaces and Gardens when he removes his Houshold he hath with him a number of Elephants loaden with Tents to be pitched when he comes to places fit to rest in He hath but one Wife to whom they give the Title of Queen but he hath an infinite number of Concubines which are chosen for him out of the fairest Virgins of the Kingdom He feeds very high but drinks only Water because the Laws both Civil and Ecclesiastical prohibit the use of Wine to Persons of Quality when he pleases to recreate himself upon the River he goes in a splendid gilt Barge under a Canopy of Brocadoe attended by some of his Domesticks and a Guard of three or four hundred in seven or eight other Barges which have each of them fourscore or a hundred Slaves to row The Noblemen who follow and are sometimes to the number of a thousand or twelve hundred have each their several Barge The like is done when the King goes from his Palace into the City Then he sits in a Chair of Gold born on the shoulders of ten or twelve Waiters having marching before him many Elephants and Horses richly harnessed in this sort marching with a slately and grave pace while the people prostrate themselves to him and render him the same honours they might do to God himself He appears particularly in his greatest Magnificence on a certain day in October designed for this Ceremony On this day he appears both in the City and upon the River to make a procession to one of his chiefest Mosquees whither he goes to sacrifice and to do his Devotions for the prosperity of the State In the head of this procession march about two hundred Elephants each of them carrying three arm'd Men then comes the Musick consisting of Hoboyes Tabours and Cimbals next come about a thousand Men compleatly arm'd divided into several Companies that have their Colours and Banners Next to these follow many Noble men on horseback and amongst them some with Crowns of Gold upon their Heads with a Train of fourscore or a hundred persons on foot Betwixt these Noble men and the Life-guard march two hundred Souldiers Iaponeses all very well cloath'd and go immediately before the Horses and Elephants which are for the Kings particular use their harness made with Buckles and Studs of Gold set with Diamonds and other precious Stones The Servants who bear the Fruits and other things for the Sacrifice march before certain Grandees of the Kingdom whereof one bears the Kings Standard the other the Scepter of Justice These walk on foot immediately before the King who sits mounted on an Elephant in a Chair of Gold The Prince his Son or some other Prince of the Bloud follows next after him and then comes the Queen and the Kings
together so as being not able to withstand any longer they yield to be driven away and are tam'd by hunger in a short time The Portuguez heretofore bought there fifteen or sixteen horned Beasts in a year and carried them to Malacca paying a Campan a head for the export But the Hollanders pay nothing neither for those they slaughter in the Country nor for those they ship for Sumatra or Iava for doubtless they win more on their affections then the Portuguez or any other Strangers The King of Patana is Subject or rather Vassal to the King of Siam but payes him annually a very inconsiderable Tribute Not many years since there reign'd a Queen that sent him no more then once a year a Flower of Gold and some Silk-Stuffes and Scarlet she was about that time fifty years of age whereof she had been a Widow fifteen when she appear'd abroad which was seldom to take the Air she was attended by four thousand Persons of Quality with the Armes and Equipage of her deceased Husband born before her The King of Iohor possesses all the utmost parts of the Penninsula the Ancients called Aurea Chersonesus to the Streight of Sincopura the chief Towns are Linga Bintam Caryman c. but the chief City of all the Country is Batusabar scituate six Leagues from the Sea upon the River Iohor divided into two Towns one keeping the name of Batusabar the other called Cottasabrang one being thirteen hundred paces about the other about five hundred They are both built with Free-stone and all the Houses stand along the River-side raised on piles eight or ten foot from the ground which lies so low that at high-water 't is covered twice a day In it are near four thousand Inhabitants able to bear Armes and could they bring themselves to take pains in Fortification with little labour might this River be brought about the Town which might thus be made one of the strongest places in the Indies The Hollanders have used all their Endeavour to bring them to it and to secure themselves from the Portuguez their irreconcileable Enemy but their Houses in Cotta Zabrang and thereabouts being nothing but Straw they care not much for burning so they have but time to save themselves in Batusabar where the building is of Timber and they can defend themselves against flying parties The Country belongs intirely to the King who gives Land to manure to any that desire it but the Malayans are so slothful that the Ground is all as it were overgrown with Moss though by the Herbage and Trees it produces it is easie to perceive great profit might be raised if the Soyl were cultivated For further testimony of this the Hollanders in their Relations amongst other things observe that at a time the King of Iohor presented their Admiral with Sugar Canes eighteen foot long and seven inches about The Malacca or Malayan Language is held the most elegant of all the Indies where it is at least as general as French in Europe and is the easier to learn because there are no inflections neither in Nounes nor Verbs For the Readers curiosity I shall here insert some of their words that he may spend his judgment and begin with the numbers which they thus count Satu one dwa two tyga three eupat four lyma five nam six tousion seven de lapan eight sambalan nine sapalo ten sabalas eleven duabulas twelve tyga balas thirteen capat balas fourteen lyma balas fifteen nam balas sixteen tousion balas seventeen delaban balas eighteen sambalan balas nineteen duo pola twenty saratus a hundred c. Arys the day Malam night Zouson the stomack leheer the neck dangudo the mustachoes Bat the tongue Iargary the fingers Toulang the leg Goumo the foot Tangam the arm Capalla the head Rambot the hair Pourot the belly Ianget the beard Tangan the hand Molot the mouth Martye the eyes Yrotdon the nose Conet the skin Babpa Father Maa Mother Ibou Grandfather and Grandmother bewangdarnet to bleed mackol to beat mollay to begin billy to buy chiuy to pay diem to be silent ambel to take toulong to assist Manyte I Pakanera you andrior to melt boday to deceive dengaer to hear battou to content mansuiry to prick Mus Gold Salacha Silver ada I have Palla a Nutmeg toy quitabo we Lacky a Man bilby to traffick tidor to sleep tavar to promise britacot to menace terran to clear pang to cut Negle Steel Lada Pepper minnon to drink tackana to enchaunt chium to kiss bretoun to make dousta to lye banga to rise suitsidana to wipe the Nose tieda tau I understand it not Sicke Cloves Leaving the firm Land and the Peninsula by the Ancients called Aurea Chersonesus on the Coast of Malacca we find the Isle of Sumatra not above ten Leagues distant Some have said 't was rent from the Continent by the Sea Currents as Ceylon from that part of the Indies heretofore called India intra Gangem but for this conjecture there is little ground in History it being not to be affirmed more of this place then it can of Sicily or England or any other Island in the World except we shall presuppose that at the Creation the Sea compassed the whole Earth and that then there was no Islands but that they were made by the Sea which afterwards by degrees form'd them out of the firm Land To enter into this dispute is not our design no more then to decide whether Sumatra were the ancient Taprobane as Ios. de l' Escale Mercator and divers others think or Ophir where King Solomon's Ships fetch'd the Gold and other precious things as the Scripture sayes but we shall recite only what we could gather out of these last Relations All conclude that Sumatra extends from the fifth degree on this side to the sixth degree beyond the Line by which Rule it should contain a hundred and sixty or a hundred sixty five Leagues in length with a breadth of sixty and so they who inhabit the middle of the Island to have the Equinoctial Line perpendicularly over them By the scituation we may judge the heats to be there extream and herewithall there is so much Wood and such a multitude of Lakes that the Air especially for Strangers is exceeding unhealthful Nevertheless it is abundantly fertile and besides Gold Silver and divers other Metals as Copper Iron Brass whereof they have the Art to make as good Artillery as they do in Europe it produces Rice and Millet particularly Fruit in such quantity as the Forrests are loaden with it and sufficiently furnish all the Inhabitants In the middle of the Isle there is a burning Mountain flaming by intermissions as Vesuvius in the Kingdom of Naples and they report there is a Balsom Fountain running incessantly 'T is wealthy in Diamonds and other precious Stones Silks Spices Wax Honey Camphire Cassia and divers other Drugs used in Medicine There are whole Woods of white Sandale
persons of Quality sometimes have loose Coats of Chamelot which reach but to their Thighs They are by this habit distinguished from other persons and by their train of Slaves without whom they never come abroad They delight much in Horses and to have their Saddles exceeding rich which are made like our great Saddles and their trappings studded with Gold and Silver striving to appear well mounted at Assemblies and to shew the King their horsemanship and the nimbleness of their Horses The Inhabitants that live in the inner parts of the Isle of Iava are Pagans and the greatest part Pythagoreans believing a transmigration of the Soul for which reason they eat neither Fish nor Flesh. Towards the South part of the Isle there are though but few some Mahumetans as we said before and they observe the Turkish Religion in all things sending for Priests to Meca They observe two Fasts The greater of the two begins the fifth of August and at the beginning of this Lent it is the Slaves renue their submission to their Master with Ceremonies extraordinary For they take them by the feet and rub them upward to the knees then closing their hands they rub the head face and neck and then unclose them again Leut being ended they celebrate Easter entertaining their Children and all their Domesticks with a Dinner There is scarce a Man in Bantam who hath not three or four Wives and some have ten or twelve besides Concubines who wait on their Wives especially when they go abroad They make no difference betwixt legitimate and natural Children A Father hath not power to sell his Child though he had it by a Slave Children go stark naked only the Girls cover their Privities with a thin plate of Gold or Silver They marry at the age of eight nine or ten years not only to prevent the disorders which in this hot Climate were inevitable but because the King is Heir to all who dying leave their Children under age whom he makes his Slaves as he doth the Widow and Family of the deceased The Dowry Persons of Quality give with their Daughters consists in Slaves of both Sexes and in a sum of Coxas which is very considerable when it amounts to three hundred thousand which is much about two Crowns and a half French money The Women appear with great decency at the marriage of their Relations though they use no great ceremonies One may know the day by certain Poles which are stuck in the Houses of the Bride and Bridegroom with Tassels of red and white Cotton Dinner ended they bring a Horse to the Bridegroom whereon he rides about the Town till evening expecting the slaves he is to have in marriage who come commonly loaden with Presents None but the nearest Kindred sup with them and see the new married couple abed Women of Quality are kept in such restraint that they suffer not their own Sons to come within their Chambers and when they go abroad which is very seldom all give place and respect to them even the King himself would do it nor dares any man speak to a married Woman without the leave of her Husband Women of Quality are known from others only by their Train for all are dressed after the same fashion wearing a Petticoat of Cotton or Silk which comes from the Breast to the mid-leg Stockings they have none and go all bare-headed tying up their Hair together on the Crown of their Head but when they come to Weddings or other publick Assemblies they wear a Coronet of Gold and have on their Fingers and about their Arms Rings and Bracelets They are so much addicted to cleanliness that there passes not a day but they bathe themselves three or four times They do not their natural necessities nor receive their benevolences from their Husbands but they go up to the Neck in Water to cleanse themselves They do no work at all which needs be no wonder for the Husbands themselves having imployed two or three hours about their Merchandize all the day after do nothing but chew Bettele amongst their Wives who are most sollicitous by all the little kindnesses they can imagine to court their love washing and rubbing them till they are stirr'd up to voluptuousness The Magistrate of the Town of Bantam sits in Judicature in the Court of the Pacebam from four or five in the Evening till it be Night The Plaintiff and Defendant appear both in person and plead their own Cause One only punishment of Criminals is they tye them to a post and stab them to death with a Poyniard Strangers have this priviledge that giving satisfaction to the party complaining they may redeem themselves from death except they have murthered in cold bloud or upon advantage The Kings Council meets upon Affairs of State under a broad spread Tree by Moon-light where sometimes there come near five hundred persons who part not till the Moon go down When the Council is risen they go to bed and there lye till dinner time afterwards the Councellours of State give audience to all who have ought to propose to the Councel When the King comes there in person he sits in the midst of them or else with the four principal Ministers of State and propounds the point wherein he requireth their advice or causes the Governour of the Town to propound it To a Councel of War they call the three hundred Captains Commanders of the Troops the Armies consist of which is raised in the Town it self They have a particular course for quenching fire which happens but too often among them for the Women have this Office imposed upon them while the Men stand in Arms to defend them in the mean time from pillage Persons of Quality when they go to Court or through the Town have carried before them a Lance and a Sword sheath'd in a black Velvet Scabbard and by these Ensigns oblige all the Street to make way for them who retiring back fit on their Heels till these Grandees are past Their ordinary wear is of Stuff wrought with Silk and they wear Turbants of a fine Bengalian Cloath Some amongst them wear Mandillions of Velvet black or crimson and never forget the Dagger or Poyniard under their Girdle They ever go with a numerous train of Slaves one amongst them carrying the Bettele-bottle another the Chamber-pot and a third the Umbrello They all go bare-footed it being thought a disparagement among them to walk with Shooes through the Town In their Houses many wear them they are made at Achim Malacca in China and the Isle of Sumatra where are also made most part of the Umbrello's used in the Indies The Iavians are haughty self-conceited perfidious mischievous and cruel who never fail to make an end of such they once get advantage of and having once committed a murther they kill all in their power for knowing death to be their inevitable reward they discharge their fury
and call upon him with the beat of a little Drum consecrated expresly to this use called by them a Tyfa lighting mean while divers Wax-candles and pronouncing certain words of conjuration which they think very effectual Before they propound their Affairs either private or publick to him they present him both meat and drink and after he that personates the Daemon hath done eating the Congregation make an end of the remainder They take in hand no business be it never so mean nay not so much as piercing of a Tree to draw Terry till they have done their devotions to the Devil and engravâ—d certain characters upon it which in their opinion will preserve the Tree and bless their labour In their houses they have one place where they light a wax Candle and where they wait on the Devil with meat and drink who not coming as it often happens they eat that themselves which they had consecrated to him but leaving some part of it that if he should come he might find something to stay his stomack There is not a Master of a Family that is not provided of a Vesture extraordinary and a Ring which he carefully preservâ—s and which is constantly kept in the house for a pâ—rpetual testimony of his alliance made with the Devil They are prepossessed with this opinion that there comes no ill but from the Devil for which reason they adore him to avert mischiefs or appease him when they fall upon them They have their Circumcision but much different from that of the Iews and Mahumetans for they circumcise not Children till twelve or thirteen years of age and in stead of cutting off the Prepuce as the Iews do they only slit it with a little Cane made expresly for this purpose At their Marriages they use no Ceremonies for the parties being agreed the Bridegrooms Father carries a present of some toyes to the Bride and the Brides Father makes a Feast at which they have their 〈◊〉 of Tabours and Logologo or Dances in the honour of Nito and so consummate the Marriage which they break with the same facility they contracted it For the Wives leave their Husbands upon the least discontent happens between them and provided they are able to restore the Present given them by their Father in Law pouring water on their Husbands feet to shew that they cleanse themselves from all the impurity they may have contractâ—d together they take their leave and the next day may joyn again in marriage with some other if they are so agreed Their Oaths for decision of differences or other matters of importance they make in the manner following They put Water into a Dish into which they cast in Gold Earth and a Bullet of Lead then dip in it the end of a Musket barrel the point of a Halâ—ert Sword Knife or some other Weapon and they give of the Water to him who is to swear the design of all these Ceremonies being to raise in him a fear that all that is cast or dipt into the Water will conspire his ruine if he make a false Oath There are amongst them certain people they call zwangi whom they take for Sorcerers though for the most part they busie themselves in doing mischief rather by poyson then enchantments but if they can prove the least against them so as there be but grounds for presumption only they are undone and commonly the whole Family suffers with them The horrour they have of these people is one cause they watch dead bodies with Sword and Buckler for fear the Zwangi should come and eat them The Amboynians are naturally timerous gross and stupid unfaithful and so diffident that they will not trust a man six pence without a good pawn They bury their Goods and Money for fear of Rapine for being themselves naturally inclined to theft they think others would do to them as they would do to others They are not to be taught any thing nor have they any Trades in so much that the Stuffs made by them are like Sacks open at both ends wherewith the Women cloath themselves They can neither write nor read nor have Characters amongst them so as they have no intelligence of former Ages nor any light of Religion Their business is fishing or their Gardens where they get some Fruits to live on but so slenderly that 't is a miracle they can subsist with so little nevertheless for the greatest part they are of good proportion and comely personage From the account we have given you of their Marriages the small affection betwixt Man and Wife may easily be guessed at as indeed there is little or none at all yet they love their Children most excâ—ssively but so imprudently that there is not a Father takes care to correct them and to this reason we may attribute the disorders that often happen the Children out-raging Nature in the persons of those that brought them into the world The little knowledge they have of Religion causes a most remarkable humour of profanation amongst them and so great a contempt of sacred things that they would deride their Nito were they not restrain'd by a sottish fear of some mischief he would do them The Portuguez transported thither heretofore some families of free persons call'd Maldecas whom they had taken near Malacca and who serving the Portuguez had gotten their language and in some measure their Religion but these Families are lost by degrees and the little instruction had been given them wearing out with time by conversing with Pagans one may say that except some Proselytes made by the Hollanders who for the greatest part are Chineses there is not a Christian in the Island The Hollanders have three Forts in the Isle of Amboyna the Fort Cambella otherwise called Victoria the Bastions whereof are built of stone those of Hiten and Louw The first hath in it sixty Pieces of Cannon and a Garrison of six hundred men so as that without question this next Battavia is the best establishment they have in the Indies Banda lies twenty four Leagues from Amboyna and is about three Leagues in length and one in breadth reaching from North to South in form of a Horse-shooe It contains some small Towns whereof the chief is Nera but Orsattan and Labbettacca are inconsiderable The Inhabitants are all Mahumetans and so zealous in their Religion and so devout they will not meddle in any business till they have said their Prayers They enter not into their Mesquites till they have wash'd their feet and being there they pray with such vehemency that they may be heard two hundred paces thence Those Prayers ended they rub their faces with both hands lay a Matt on the ground and stand upon it lift their eyes twice or thrice to Heaven fall on their knees and bow their head two or three times to the ground pronouncing certain Prayers with a low voyce only moving the lips In
making good chear they rip up their bellies cutting them cross so as that all the guts come out and if that does not dispatch them they thrust themselves into the throat and so compleat the execution Nay there are some who coming to hear that their Masters intend to build some Edifice either for himself or the Emperour will desire him to do them the honour that they may be laid under the Foundations which they think are made immoveable by that voluntary Sacrifice and if their request be granted they chearfully lay themselves down at the Foundation and have great Stones cast upon them which soon put them out of all pain But it is for the most part Despair which puts them upon this resolution in as much as these are of that kind of Slaves who are so cruelly treated that death were more supportable to them then the wretched life they lead All their Pagodes or Mesquites are of Wood rais'd three or four foot from the ground and about seven or eight fathom square They have on the outside many Turrets having lights on all sides and gilt all over but very narrow and set out with certain fantastick Figures but wretchedly done as to proportions They have also Statues in their Pagodes whereto they address their Prayers and bestow on them by way of Alms a certain number of Caxias which the Priests make their advantage of But their Castles are much better built His Majesty hath belonging to him many spacious and fair ones but the most considerable are those of Osacca and Iedo The Princes and great Lords have also very handsome Castles but those which are fortifi'd are oblig'd to receive a Garrison from the Soveraign The Cities have not any Fortifications at all for some few only excepted which lie between Firando and Iedo and have only simple walls the rest have not any at all but the Streets are streight and of the same breadth and length that is sixty Iekiens which make about fourscore and ten fathom Every Street hath two Gates which are shut up in the night and a Watch kept at them as also two Officers who are accountable for the disorders committed in their Quarter and speak to the Judge about any thing wherein the Inhabitants of the Streets whereof they have the oversight are any way concern'd there being it seems such order taken that all persons are not permitted to present themselves indifferently before the Magistrate but they would have it done by such as know what respect they owe to their Superiours The Cities or Towns have no particular Revenue nor any sums of Money in bank whereof they have the disposal for all the Demeâ—ne belongs to the Soveraign who bestows the Revenue thereof on the Princes and great Lords before mentioned and permits not the raising of any Impositions or Taxes of any nature whatsoever Nor is it to be fear'd that the mildness of the Air of that Countrey should breed any of those Grashoppers which consume where-ever they come all the Fruit which the Hail hath left on the Trees in so much that they leave not any verdure on them They only pay a small chief Rent for their Houses which the great Lords receive yearly but it amounts not to above thirty shillings for the greatest those of the middle sort ten and the ordinary ones twenty pence The Inhabitants are besides these oblig'd to certain dayes works and to find a man for their Lord to do what business he hath to put him upon but this happens not above twice or thrice a moneth and is but for an hour or two or at most but for half a day By this means the Lord lives upon his Demesâ—e the Souldier by his Pay the Merchant by his Traffick the Tradesman by his Trade and the Husbandman by his Labour One of the most considerable parts of these Lords Revenues consists in Fishing especially that of the Whale which the Emperour gives them There are taken every year about two or three hundred upon the Coasts of Iapan but they are not so big as thoâ—e taken towards the North and have at most not above seven or eight inches of fat but much flesh or meat which the Iaponneses feed upon There is no Lord nor indeed any Citizen or Merchant but may put his Vassals and Domesticks to death and that by way of Justice he himself being the Judge but to others Justice is administred all over the Country in the Emperours name Gentlemen and Souldiers have the priviledge to be their own Executioners and to rip up their bellies themselves but others are forc'd to receive their death from the hands of the common Executioner They alledge as a reason for this proceeding of theirs that Merchants are in some respect infamous in as much as they are for the most part Lyars and deceive those that trust them Tradesmen they sleight as being only but publick servants and the Peasantry is contemptible by reason of the wretched condition they live in which is little better then that of Slaves Only the Gentlemen and Souldiers are best respected and live at the charge and upon the labour of others No offence though never so small but is punish'd with death but especially Theft though it were but for a Penny Gaming whether that which depends upon chance or requires skill is capital among them if it be for money and he who kills another though innocently and in his own defence is to die without mercy with this only difference that such as kill in their own defence as also they who commit such Faults or Offences as would not here be punished with death die only themselves but other Offenders involve all their Kindred in their misfortune so that for the Crime of one single person the Father Brethren and Children are put to death the Wives and Daughters are made Slaves and the Estate of the whole Family is confiscated And this happens so frequently that there are Commissioners expresly appointed for the administration of what is so confiscated yet does not the money raised thereby go to the King but is imployed in the building of Pagodes and the repairing of High-wayes and Bridges The torture Thieves are put to for want of evidence makes rather the unfortunate then the guilty to be condemned They take a piece of Iron about a finger thick and a foot square and make it red hot and as soon as the redness is gone and the Iron return'd to its own colour they put it to the hands of the party accused upon two sheets of Paper which immediately flame and if the accused person can cast the piece of Iron upon a little Hurdle standing near him without burning himself he is dismissed but if his hands are ever so little touched by the Fire he is sentenc'd to die This Crime is punish'd with a particular kind of death The Criminal is tied with a Straw-rope by the Neck to a great Cane overthwart which
reside in it and that it is bloud in effect though of a different colour They do not eat the flesh of either Bulls or Kine nor that of any tame beast but love wild Fowl and Venison and are much addicted to the hunting thereof They have Cedar-trees which are so big that they make Pillars of them for their greatest Edisices and Masts for their Ships Poverty is not so criminal or infamous in Iapan as it is in several places of Europe where the rich are only accounted vertuous They hate Calumniators Swearers and Gamesters but they have also their Vices which much eclipse their other good parts They are rather of a brownish Complexion then white strong and well set enduring paints taking and the inconveniences of the Seasons with incredible patience They endure hunger and thirst heat and cold without any trouble and are no otherwise clad in Winter then they are in Summer The Iaponneses are distinguished into five Orders The first is that of Kings and Princes and such as have civil or military Charges and Employments who are all called by a common name Tones The second is that of Ecclesiasticks whom they call by a general name Bowzes The third is that of Gentlemen and Merchants The fourth that of Tradesmen and such as relate to the Sea And the fifth that of Labourers and such as work by the day The general administration of Affairs is in the hands of three principal Ministers of State the first whereof superintendency is over Ecclesiastical affairs hath the quality of Zazo he who hath the disposal of Charges and Offices is called Veo and he who hath the oversight of things relating to the War is called Cabacama There could not be hitherto had any true account of the Emperour of Iapan's Revenue but it is certain that he makes above two Millions of Gold of the Rice which his own Demesne affords him every year It is also certain that the Emperour of Iapan is so powerful that Taicko whom we spoke of before finding himself well settled upon the Throne had a design to pass over into China with a Fleet of two thousand Vessels for the building whereof he had already cut down Timber which he might have done with the more ease upon this account that the Iaponneses are incomparably a more warlike Nation then the Chineses But in regard there is not any thing makes a greater descovery of the greatness of this Monarch then the Ceremonies of the Interview between him and the Dayro whereof we promised before to give here a short description we think fit to that purpose to insert in this place the Extract of a Relation made by the Director of the Dutch Commerce in Iapan who was at Meaco in the year 1626. This Author sayes that being at the Emperours Court in the moneth of October in the year aforesaid with some others of the Deputies of his Nation he was desirous to see the Procession which was made there on the 25. of the said moneth To that end they went the 24. and with the retinue took up a house which they had hired near the Dayro's Palace in regard the next day it would have been impossible for them to pass the Streets On the said 25. of October as soon as it was light they found the Streets and tops of Houses full of people The Streets were rail'd in on both sides from the Dayro's Palace to the Emperours having files of Souldiers all along and the middle of the Street strew'd with white Sand all laid so even that nothing should retard the Procession or disturb its Order These Souldiers who were part of the Dayro's Guards part of the Emperours were all clad in white having on their Heads Casks of black Lacque by their sides two Cymitars and in their Hands a Nauganet that is a Iaponnese Pike The first appearance was that of a great number of the Domesticks of these two Princes going to and fro as also that of several Porters or Sedan-men who carried in great square Chests which were of black Lacque and gilt the baggage of the Dayro to the Emperours Palace Then followed in forty six Palanquins carried each of them by four men so many Maids of Honour belonging to the Dayro's Wives who went in that equipage to the Emperours Palace The Palanquins were of a fine white Wood painted with Verdure garnished with brass Plates very neatly made and five or six foot high After them there came one and twenty other Palanquines of a kind which they call Norrimones varnish'd with black and gilt Next them there came twenty seven other Norrimones of the same bigness with the precedent but made with Wickets and Windows for so many Lords of the Dayro's Retinue who were carried in them to the Emperours Palace having every one before him a gilt Umbrello covered with very fine Cloth They had about them a hundred and eight Pages clad in white and behind them four and twenty Gentlemen armed as if they were ready to engage in a fight These had on their Heads a kind of Bonnets of black Lacque with a little Plume of Feathers of the same colour and under their Iaponnesses they had long and narrow Breeches of Satin of several colours embroidered with Gold and Silver with Buskins varnished with black and gilt at the extremities By their Sides they had Cimitars the Hilts whereof were gilt and Bows and Arrows at their Waste and over their Shoulders Scarfs richly embroidered the ends whereof hung down on the Cruppers of their Horses No doubt they had cull'd out the goodliest persons in the Country of this Ceremony for they were all the handsomest persons both as to Body and Countenance that could be seen Their Saddles were varnish'd over and gilt the Seats embroidered and covered with Tigers and Lynxes Skins their Trappings were of Crimson Silk twined and the Horses had their Mains tied up with Gold and Silver Thread and they had on the Breast and Crupper a kind of Net-work of twined crimson Silk and instead of Shooes their Hoofs were done about with plain crimson Silk Every Horse was led by two Lacquies and two other Lacquies carried two great Umbrelloes covered with a very fine and transparent cloth and upon that a covering of Scarlet fring'd with Gold Another Lacquie carried a Nanganet or Pike the top whereof was also covered with a piece of red and black cloth Every Horsman had eight Pages clad in white and arm'd with two Cymitars according to the mode of the Country This body of Horse serv'd for a Guard for the three chiefest of the Dayro's Wives who followed it in three Coaches of so extraordinary a making that we shall not think it much to afford them a short description They were at least twenty or twenty five foot in height ten or twelve in length and five or six in breadth having on each side three and before two Windows with
to think of the body not in order to burial as we do nor yet to burn it as some of the fore-mentioned Nations are wont to do but to dry it To do that they make in some part of the house a Scaffold of Canes raised five or six foot from the ground whereto they fasten the body by the hands and feet and they make a great fire about it to dry it killing in the mean time a great many Swine and feasting it for nine days together During which time they wash the body every day yet does not that hinder but that it infects the whole house nay indeed the Neighbourhood After nine days it is taken thence to be wrapt up in a Mat being in which they place it on another Scaffold higher then the former and compassed with several garments like a Pavilion and then they reiterate their dancing and feasting The body remains in the posture till the third year and then they take the bones out of it and bury them in some part of the house with the same Ceremonies of feasting and dancing At the Village of Theosang they have a custom which would hardly be observ'd elsewhere They fasten a Rope about their necks who suffer much pain in their sickness raise them up by force to a great height and let them fall down with as much violence as if they intended to give them the strapado by which means they are indeed put out of all further pain As to Religion it may be said they have not any at all Of all the Inhabitants not one can write or read and yet they have certain Traditions upon which they have framed a certain shadow of Religion For they believe the World hath been from all Eternity and shall last Eternally They believe the immortality of the Soul and thence it comes that when any one dies they build before his door a little Hut of bows of trees set Banners at the four corners and within the Hut a wooden Vessel full of water with a Cane-spoon out of a perswasion that the souls of the deceased return every day to the Hut to purifie themselves 'T is true most of them do it purely out of compliance with custome and know not the reason thereof but aged persons are not ignorant of it They believe also that Souls shall find good or evil in the other life according to what they have done in this and affirm that to go out of this World into the other they pass over a very narrow Bridge of Canes under which runs a Channel full of all kind of filth and nastiness into which the wicked being fallen do there languish eternally but that the good Souls pass into a pleasant and delightful Countrey of which they speak much after the same rate the Poets speak of the Elysian fields But there are very few comprehend these mysteries or think of any other life then the present Their sins are much different from ours Murther Theft Adultery and other Crimes are not so much as slight offences among them and they make so little account of simple Fornication that they only laugh at it reprove it not 〈◊〉 their Children They are forbidden marrying before Twenty or twenty one years of age yet it is lawful for them to cajol and debauch a neighbours Wife so he know nothing of it But it is a great Sin among them to have cover'd the privy parts at a certain season of the year to wear several Garments or one only of Silk at a time when they should have worn them of Cotton not to have destroyed Children in the Mothers womb and to have born any before thirty five or thirty six years of Age. These are the sins which in their judgment deserve eternal pains all the rest is only foolery They adore several pretended Divinities but among others two one whereof is called Tamagisanhach and the other Sariahsingh The former hath his abode in the South and contributes to the generation of man who receives from this God only what is excellent and acceptable either in his body or mind They affirm that his Wife whom they call Taxankpanda lives in the East whence she is heard when it thunders towards that quarter speaking to her Husband Tamasgisanhach and chiding him for suffering the Earth to be too long without Rain and that thereupon her Husband causes it immediately to Rain The other God hath his retreat in the North and destroys all the excellency which Tamagisanhach hath bestowed on man by disfiguring his face with the Small Pox and sending him several other Inconveniencies Whence it comes they invoke them both one that they may not be injured by him and the other that he may prevent Sariasingh from doing them any mischief Besides these they have two other Gods who have the oversight of War named Talafula and Tapaliape but they are invocated only by men There is not any Nation that falls within my knowledge at least but makes use of Men in the Religious Service of their Divinity only this we now speak of employs only Women They call them Inibs and all their Worship consists of Prayers and Sacrifices The Sacrifices and Offerings which they make their Gods are Swine Rice Areca some of their kind of Drink and Deer and wild Boars heads Having fed heartily upon them the Priestesses rise and make a long Prayer during which a man shall see their Eyes turning in their Heads they fall to the ground and make dreadful cries and shrieks After these efforts they lie down all along upon the ground immoveable as Statues and become so heavy that five or six persons can hardly raise them 'T is while they are in this posture as they affirm that their Gods communicate themselves to them for an hour or better Then they get up on the top of the Pagode go from one end of it to the other and there say their Prayers again which being ended they strip themselves stark naked shew their privy parts to their Gods smiting them with their hands and call for water to wash themselves in the presence of a great number of persons 'T is true the men are not guilty of so much devotion as to come often to these Assemblies and the women who most frequent them make a shift to get so drunk that they hardly perceive what is done before their faces Every house hath a particular place appointed for the devotions of the Family where they invocate the Gods and where the women make their offerings of what is spent every day in the house but in case of sickness and some other misfortune they call the Inibs to do that Service which is performed with many extravigant Ceremonies They also foretel good and ill fortune rain and fair weather and they have the power to drive away the Devil after a very ridiculous manner They pursue him with a great noise having a Iaponnese Knife in their hand and affirm that by
Sepulchres of these forty Saints upon which they set their hands while they pray'd It was the tenth day of their Silhatza on which they make a commemoration of the sacrifice of Abraham There are not any Christians at Derbent but the Inhabitants are all Mussulmans unless it be some few Jews who pretend to be of the Tribe of Benjamin It is accordingly a place of no Commerce save only that the Tartars bring thither a great many stoln Children or haply such Turks and Muscovites as they have taken upon some occasion or other and there sell them to be carried further into the Kingdom The Soldiers who kept the Garrison there as also the Citizens were a proud daring and insolent sort of people so far from treating us with any civility that on the contrary they did what they could to pick a quarrel with us The Mehemandar himself gave us notice before-hand to stand upon our guard whence it came that on the 8. after Sermon the Ambassadors order'd upon several penalties that none of their retinue should either in word or deed give occasion of offence to any Soldier or Inhabitant nor relieve any person whom they should find engag'd in any quarrel with them lest they should take occasion from a particular difference to fall upon the whole Company The 9. the Chan of Tarku who had given the Ambassadors a visit at their former passage that way sent us word that the way we were to travel through the Country of the Tartars of Dagesthan was very dangerous desiring us to make use of the Convoy he proffer'd us The Ambassadors considering that those proffers were made by a Tartar of Dagesthan and that there were no more safety in his Company than among the Robbers themselves return'd him their thanks and sent him word that they would not put him to that trouble However we thought it prudence to make our advantage of the notice given us of the danger we might fall into among those Barbarians and we order'd a view to be made of our Arms and found there were among us two and fifty Muskets and Firelocks ninteen cases of Pistols two brass Guns and four murthering-pieces all well fixt and fit for service Having staid some time for Imanculi who had promis'd to follow us within a few dayes and finding our selves in a place where the Governour instead of supplying us with provisions forc'd us to buy all at a dear rate the Ambassadors resolv'd the 12. to give order for their departure commanded the Baggage to be made ready and deliver'd every man his allowance of bread for four dayes in as much as there was no great likelyhood we should find much at the places we were to travel through The 13. we were got on horse-back and ready to march when word was brought that the Governour had shut the City-gate This news somewhat startled us and oblig'd the Ambassadors to send the Mchemandar to him to know the reason of his so doing His answer was that having receiv'd intelligence that Osmin a Tartar-Prince not far from Derbent intended to set upon us by the way and put us to an excessive ransome or take away all we had and that being responsable to the King for what might happen to us he thought it not fit we should go thence without a Convoy which being not to be had that day he desir'd us to stay till the next We knew the Convoy he intended us would serve us in no stead and that the care he took proceeded not from any kindness he had for us but it was fit we put on the best face we could upon it and acknowledg'd our selves oblig'd to him Only we sent to desire him in regard we were all mounted to permit ' us to encamp without the City and there expect the Convoy He was content we should do so whereupon we went and encamp'd a quarter of a league without the City near a Vineyard upon the side of a small River which serves for a common Frontier between the Tartars of Dagesthan and the Persians We found near that place the Sepulchres of two other Mahumetan Saints one that of Pyr Muchar in the plain at the foot of the mountain the other that of Imam Kurchud within the mountain They say the later was of kin to Mahomet and that he alwayes sate at his feet to be instructed by him They add that he liv'd three hundred years after Mahomet's death and that he retir'd to King Kassan whom he diverted by his playing on the Lute and incessantly animated to make a war against the Lesgi by the songs he sung to that instrument but that at last presuming to preach to those Barbarians who were Pagans in hopes to convert them to the Mahumetan Religion they kill'd him His Sepulchre is in a Cave cut within the Rock There is also another hollow place in the same Rock where there is a Coffin made of four boards nail'd together and rais'd about four foot from the ground I saw it over-night and found at it an old woman who had the keeping of the Sepulchre but the next day I found it set forth with a Carpet of Brocado and the floor cover'd with Mat for their convenience who came thither to do their Devotions There resorted thither many Women and Maids from the City and other places who went all bare-foot into the Cave kiss'd the Coffin and having said their prayers made their offerings to the old Woman to whom they gave some Butter Cheese Milk others Bread Mony Wax and the like The night following we heard here a confus'd and dreadful noise much like that of persons singing dancing and weeping all at the same time I never heard any thing so barbarous Apr. 14. we expected our Convoy till three hours after Sun-rising but seeing none came we set forward observing the following order The three Lieutenants with their Souldiers having their matches lighted made the Vanguard Next them follow'd a Field-piece of two pound and a half Bullet upon a carriage with four wheels and then the four Murthering-pieces with all things belonging to them in a Wagon Then marched the Camels loaden with the baggage having on both sides some of our retinue commanded by the Ambassador Crusius and in the head of them a Trumpetter Next the Baggage came the other Field-piece and after that the Ambassador Brugman who brought up the Rear consisting of all the rest of the Company In this order we left the Frontiers of Persia to go into those of the Tartars of Dagesthan Ptolomy and his followers affirm that this Country is part of that Albania out of which Q. Curtius would have to come Thalestiis Queen of the Amazones who came to Alexander the Great in Hyrcania to get of him that kindness which Women will not often beg though they ever so much desire it The Persians call these people Lesgi and they name themselves Dagesthan Tartar that is Mountain Tartars from the