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
fire having been so violent that it had reduc'd to ashes above five thousand houses insomuch that most of the Inhabitants were forc'd to lodge in Tents and Huts Ere we had taken a view of our Lodging the presents from the Great Duke's Kitchin and Cellar were brought us viz. eight Sheep thirty Capons and Pullets great store of white and brown bread and 22 sorts of drinks Wine Beer Hydromel and Aquavitae all brought in by 32 Muscovites who marching all in a file made the shew so much the greater This done the doors of our Lodging were lock'd upon us and a Guard of twelve Musketiers set to prevent all communication between us and the Inhabitants till after the first Audience The Pristafs in the mean time fail'd not to visit us every day to assure us of their readiness to serve us They had also left with us an Interpreter to facilitate the service which the Musketiers were oblig'd to do us in the buying of our Provisions and other things This Interpreter was a Muscovite born and had been taken prisoner by the Polanders by which means he fell into the hands of Prince Ianus Radzivil who brought him to Leipsig where he learnt the German Tongue Aug. 15. The Muscovites celebrated the Feast of our B. Lady's ascension and the same day ended a Fast they had begun the first of that moneth The 17. was design'd for our first Audience but the Great Duke being gone out of the City to do his Devotions we spent the day in giving God our humble thanks for his happy conduct of us to the place for which our Embassy was design'd We caus'd Te Deum to be sung with Musick and our Minister to make a Sermon at which as also at the Dinner which follow'd it was present by permission on of the Great Duke M. Balthazar Moucheron who manag'd the Affairs of the Duke of Holstein at Mosco in the quality of Commissary He told us that the Muscovites thought our entrance very handsome and wondred much that Germany should have Princes able to send so considerable an Embassy They give all strange Princes the quality of Knez though their Knez are properly no more than what Gentlemen are with us and those excepted who have publick employments relating to the State the rest have no great Estates it may be about 800. or 1000 per annum The 18. The two Pristafs came to acquaint us that the Great Duke would give us publick Audience the next day They desir'd also in the Chancellors name a Catalogue of the presents we were to make his Majesty After Dinner the younger Pristaf came to confirm the notice they had given us in the morning viz. that on the morrow we should have the honour to kiss the Great Dukes hand We ask'd him what the discharging of the great Guns the day before meant and the shooting we had seen out of our Windows in a great Meadow He told us it was only to make tryal of some pieces which the Great Duke had lately order'd to be cast Others said that they had been discharg'd only to make it appear that the Muscovites had not lost all their Artillery before Smolensco as some would have had it believ'd Aug. 19. The Pristafs came to see whether we were ready for Audience and having perceiv'd that our men had put on their best Cloaths and that all was in readiness they went immediately to give notice thereof at the Castle whence were brought us the white Horses which we had at our Entrance About 9 of the Clock the Pristafs return'd to us having their striptsatin Coats carried after them as also their Caps of Martins skins which they left in the Ambassadors Antichamber We mounted with our Cloaks on but no Swords none being permitted to wear any in the Great Dukes presence and rode towards the Castle the Cavalcade being as followeth In the front march'd 36 Musketiers After them our Steward Three Gentlemen of the Ambassadors retinue Three other Gentlemen The Commissary Secretary and Physician After them went the Presents led and carried by Muscovites viz. One Horse coal-black with a rich covering One dapple grey Another dapple-grey Harness for one Horse set out with Silver and enrich'd with Turkish Stones Rubies and other precious Stones carried by two Muscovites One Cross of Chrysolite enchac'd in Gold about half a foot long carried in a Basin An Ebony Cabinet garnish'd with Gold like a little Apothecaries Shop with its Boxes and Vials of Gold enrich'd with precious Stones full of several excellent Chymical extractions carried by two Muscovites A small Vessel of Rock-Christal garnish'd with Gold and beset with Rubies A great Looking-Glass being an ell and a quarter high and half an ell broad in an Ebony frame with Boughs and Fruits carv'd thereon in Silver carried by two Muscovites A Clock on which was represented in painting the Parable of the Prodigal Child A Walking-Staff Vermilion Gilt in which was a piece of Perspective A great Ebony Clock in an Ebony Case garnish'd with Silver Next went two Gentlemen of the Chamber carrying up on high in the Air the Credential Letters from his Highness one to the Great Duke the other to the Patriarch his Majesties Father His name was Philaretes Nikidits He dy'd after our departure from Holstein but we were told it would not be amiss to make it known we had Letters of credence for him Then follow'd the Ambassadors between the two Pristafs having before them the Interpreters on each side four Lacqueys and behind them the Pages It was from our Lodging to the Castle a good quarter of a German league there being above 2000 Strelits or Musketiers dispos'd on both sides of the street to make us free passage to the place of Audience The streets windows and houses tops were full of people who were come from all quarters of the City to see our Cavalcade We march'd in very good order halting and advancing according to the orders which the Courriers who rid with full speed from the Castle brought our Pristafs to the end we might come to the Hall of Audience just as the Great Duke were sate in his Throne Being come into the Castle-Court we pass'd before the Posolsky Precase or the Chancery for strangers affairs where we alighted After the Officers and Gentlemen had taken their places to wit the Steward in the head of the Presents and the Gentlemen with the other Officers immediately before the Ambassadors we were brought to Audience The Hall for Audience is on the right hand of the Cour when there come any Ambassadors from Persia Turky or Tartary they are carried up a stone pair of stairs on the right hand but in regard we were Christians we took the left hand and were led through a vaulted Gallery purposely that we might pass by a very fair Church where they were then at service Before we came into the Hall we saw in a spacious vaulted appartment abundance of people and
among others many antient Men venerable for their long snowy beards whereof some sate others stood along the walls all clad in long Coats of stript Satin and Caps of Martins skins they told us they were his Majesties Goses that is his principal Merchants or Factors who had those habits out of the Great Dukes Wardrobe that they might honour him in those kinds of Ceremonies conditionally they return'd them assoon as they were over The Ambassadors being come to the door of the Antichamber they met with two Bojares or Lords clad in Coats of Purfled Satin cover'd with an embroidery of great Pearls who were to receive them at their Entrance They told them that his Czaarick Majesty did them and the Gentlemen of their retinue the favour of admitting them into his Presence The Presents were stay'd in the Antichamber and they conducted into the Hall the Ambassadors with the Officers Gentlemen and Pages there going before them Iohn Hermes the Great Dukes principal Interpreter As soon as he had set his foot within the Hall he saluted his Majesty with a loud voice wishing him all prosperity and long life and acquainted him with the arrival of the Ambassadors The Hall was square and vaulted hang'd and floor'd with Tapestry The roof was gilt and had several Sacred Stories painted therein The Great Duke's Chair was opposite to the door against the wall rais'd from the floor three steps having at the four corners Pillars which were Vermilion Gilt about three inches about with each of them at the height of an ell and a half an Imperial Eagle of Silver near which the Canopy or upper part of the Chair rested upon the same Pillars besides which the said Chair had at the four Corners as many little Turrets of the same stuff having also at the ends Eagles after the same manner We were told there was another Chair of State a-making about which were bestow'd 1600 Marks of Silver and 120 ounces of Ducat-gold for the gilding and that it would amount to above 25000 Crowns The designer of it was a German born at Nuremberg his name Esay Zinkgraf The Great Duke sate in his Chair clad in a long Coat embroider'd with Pearls and beset with all sorts of precious Stones He had above his Cap which was of Martins-skins a Crown of Gold beset with great Diamonds and in his right hand a Scepter of the same Metall and no less rich and so weighty that he was forc'd to relieve one hand with the other On both sides of his Majesties Chair stood young Lords very handsome both as to Face and Body clad in long Coats of white Damask with Caps of a Linx's skin and white Buskins with Chains of Gold which crossing upon the breast reach'd down to their hips They had laid over their shoulders each a Silver Ax whereto they put their hands as if they had been going to give their stroke On the right side of the Chair upon a Pyramid of Silver carv'd thorough stood the Imperial Apple of massy Gold representing the World as big as a Canon-bullet of 48 pound weight and at a like distance on the same side a Basin and Ewer and a Napkin to wash and wipe the Great Dukes hands after the Ambassadors and those of their retinue had kiss'd them The principal Bojares or Lords of the Court to the number of fifty were all set upon Benches by the wall-side on one side and opposite to the Great Duke very richly clad with great Caps of a black Fox furr a good quarter of an ell high The Chancellor stood on the right hand some five paces from the chair They having made a low reverence at their Entrance were plac'd in the midst of the Hall opposite to the Great Duke and about ten paces from him having behind them the Officers and Gentlemen of their retinue on the right the two Gentlemen who carry'd the Credential Letters which they held before them and on the left the Interpreter Iohn Helmes This done the Great Duke made a sign to the Chancellor that he should tell the Ambassadors that his Majesty granted them the favour to do him reverence The Ambassadors went one after another and kiss'd his right hand which he very gracefully reachâ—d to them and with a smiling countenance taking the Scepter in the mean time in his left hand Now it is to be observed that in these ceremonies he who kisses the Great Dukes hand is not to touch it with his own and that only the Ambassadors of Christian Princes have the honour to kiss it which the Turks and Persians much less the Tartarians have not This Ceremony ended he caus'd the Chancellor to tell them that if they had ought to propose from their Prince they might do it Whereupon the Ambassador Crusius made him a complement from the Duke our Master and his condoleances for the death of the Patriarch his Father adding that his Highness hoping we should have found him living had given them Letters of Credence for him and that they had brought them along with those his Highness writ to his Majesty Whereupon he took the Letters from those that held them and was advancing to deliver them but the Great Duke made a sign to the Chancellor to take them and having commanded him to come to him he whisper'd in his ear the answer he would make the Ambassadors The Chancellor being return'd to his place said The Grand Seigneur Czaar and Great Duke c. tells thee Philip Crusius and thee Otton Brugman Ambassadors from the Duke of Holstein that he hath received the Letters of his Highness that he will order them to be translated and he will acquaint you with his intention by his Bojares and that he will make answer thereto The Chancellor who had not uncover'd himself no more than the other Lords took off his Cap when he pronounc'd the name of his Majesty or that of his Highness of Holstein This done The Ambassadors were seated on a Bench cover'd with a Turkie Carpet which was set behing them and the Chancellor told them that the Great Duke was pleas'd that their Officers and Gentlemen should have the honour of kissing his hand Which done the Great Duke rais'd himself up a little in his Chair and said to the Ambassadors Knez Frederic jescha sdorof Is Duke Frederick in good health Whereto it was answer'd that at our departure we had left him very well God grant a good life and a long and all happiness to his Majesty and Highness Then was brought in a List of the Presents which were sent in with it and stood some time before the Great Duke till the Chancellor ordered them to be taken away The said Chancellor presently after told the Ambassadors that the Czaar and Great Duke of all the Russians Lord and Soveraign of many Seignories c. was further pleas'd they should speak of their Aâ—â—airs but they desir'd that to avoid doing any thing prejudicial to the Treatise made between
the Crown of Sueden and his Highness concerning the Commerce of Persia they might have a private Audience together which was accordingly granted After this the Great Duke caus'd them to be asked whether they were in health and whether they wanted any thing giving them notice that that day he would do them the favour to treat them with meat from his own Table This was the first publick Audience the Ambassadors had They were brought back to the Antichamber by the same Bojares who had receiv'd them at their enâ—rance We mounted at the same place where we alighted and return'd to our Lodgings accompany'd by our Pristafs in the same order as we had gone thence We were hardly alighted ere there came in one of the Gentlemen of the Great Duke's Chamber He was of the quality of the Knez to which his countenance and behaviour was suitable being of great stature magnificently clad excellently well mounted and attended and had been sent by the Great Duke to treat the Ambassadors at Dinner Assoon as he was come in he caus'd the cloath to be laid on which were in the first place set a Salt-seller and two Vinegar-dishes of Silver and certain drinking-cups whereof three were of Gold and two others of Silver and so big that they were above a foot diameter a great Knife and some Forks This Lord seating himself at the end of the Table ordered the Ambassadors to sit down by him the Gentlemen standing before them He caus'd to be set on the Table before the Ambassadors three great vessels full of Sack Rhenish-Wine and Hydromel and caus'd the meat to be serv'd out on 38. great Silver Dishes which consisted in boil'd rosted and pastry All being serv'd the Knez rise caus'd the Ambassadors to come before the Table and told them there was the Provision which the Czaar had commanded him to entertain them withall praying them to be pleas'd with the treatment Then he took the great Cup which he caus'd to be fill'd with excellent good Hydromel made with Raspices and having drunk his Majesties health he caus'd as much to be given the Ambassadors and all their retinue obliging us to drink the Great Duke's health all at the same time Some of us would have reach'd their arms over the Table to take the Gobelet but the Muscovite would not suffer it saying that Table then represented the Great Duke's who permits none to go behind his Table and so oblig'd them to come round about and take the Cup. This health was follow'd by that of our Prince which he began to the Ambassadors saying God grant health and prosperity to his Highness and make him long to continue in a good correspondence and amity with his Majesty The third health was that of the Prince the Great Duke's son This done they sate to the Table and some Gobelets of a Wine made of Cherries and Mulberries were drunk about The Ambassadors presented him with a Vermilion-gilt cup of the weight of three Marks and a half which he caus'd to be carried before him as he return'd to the Castle Aug. 20. The Pristafs came to tell us that the Great Duke was pleas'd we should go 〈◊〉 and gave us the liberty to walk about the City and to that end Horses should be brought us from his own stables when ere we should desire it We were also permitted to visit the Suedish Ambassadors and to receive their Visits All which were thought so great favours that the Muscovites themselves were astonish'd at it for till then it had not been suffer'd that the Domesticks of strange Ambassadors should walk about the City but when their occasions oblig'd them to go abroad they were accompany'd by one or more of the Musketiers Two dayes after the Pristaf accompany'd by a Groom of the Great Duke's stables brought us six horses and conducted us to the Lodgings of the Suedish Ambassadors whom we saw several times after and held a very fair correspondence with them Aug. 23. The Ambassadors would have invited to Dinner Dr. Wendelin the Physician the Apothecary and some other servants of the Great Duke but the Chancellor would not suffer them to come and forbad them seeing us for three dayes of which rigorous treatment we could have no accompt till afterwards that we were told it was because the Presents had not yet been valu'd among which was the Cabinet made like an Apothecaries shop we spoke of before which could not be valu'd but by them The 24. Came before Moscou Arnald Spirin Farmer General of the Customs in Livonia through which he had pass'd and was sent by the Crown of Sueden to be present at the Negotiation which the Ambassadors thence were to manage for Commerce wherein he was very well vers'd The Muscovites who knew him made some difficulty to entertain him in that quality but perceiving the Suedes took it ill they were at last content to do it and sent a Pristaf to meet and receive him September 1. The Muscovites celebrated the first day of their New year for having no other Epoche than that of the Creation of the World which they believe to have been in Autumn they begin the year with the Moneth of September and they accompted then 7142 years according to the opinion of the Greeks and the Eastern Church which count 5508. from the Creation of the World to the birth of Christ whereto add 1634. you will find the number 7142. whereas we accompt from the Creation of the World to the same year 1634. but 5603 years Their Procession was hand som enough consisting of above 20000 persons of all ages who were admitted into the outer Court of the Castle The Patriarch attended by almost 400 Priests all Pontifically habited and carrying a many Banners Images and old Books open came out of the Church which is on the right hand of the second Court while the Great Duke came out on the left hand of the same Court accompany'd by his Councellours of State Knez and Bojares The Great Duke and the Patriarch advanc'd one towards the other and kiss'd the Duke having his Cap in his hand and the Patriarch who had a Mitre on his head held in his â—â—id a Golden Cross about a foot long beset with Diamonds and other precious stones which he presented to the Great Duke to kiss That done the Patriarch gave his Majesty his Benediction as also to all the people wishing them all prosperity in the New year There were many Muscovitis who held their Petitions in the air and their way of presenting them to the Great Duke was to cast them with no small noise at his feet whence certain Officers gather'd them up to be carried to his Majesties chamber that they might be answer'd This done the Processions parted and return'd to the place from whence they came Sept. 3. Gillenstiern Bureus and Spiring who were to Negotiate joyntly with us concerning the Passage into Persia were conducted to their publick audience
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
out of that persecution Petition'd the Czaar to protect them against the outrages and affronts they dayly received On the other side the Priests complained that strangers built on their foundations and lessened the revenue of the livings so that the Great Duke to please both sides assigned them without the City near the Gate called Pokrofki a place big enough to contain all the Houses of Foreiners who immediately demolish'd those they had in the City and in a short time made up that part of the Suburbs which is called Nova Inasemska Slaboda where the Lutherans have two Churches and those of the Reformation two more one for the Dutch and the other for the English and where they have this further satisfaction that they converse but little with the Muscovites and are out of all danger of those frequent fires which commonly begin in the houses of those barbarous Christians The Lutherans and those of the Reformed Religion live very quietly together and the Muscovites Trade indifferently with either but they have so great an aversion for the Roman Catholicks that they would never grant them a Toleration of their Religion in Muscovy In the year 1627. the late King of France proposed by Louis des Hayes a Treaty for the regulation of Commerce with the French and at the same time for a Church where they might have Mass said but it was deny'd And in the first War of Smolensko they would not entertain Catholick Souldiers Nay in the Treaty they made with us for our passage into Persia it is an express Article that we should not take any Roman Catholicks into our retinue So that it is much to be admired that they should call to the Crown Vladislaus Prince of Poland and Sueden though that Election came to nothing for reasons into which it is beside the subject of our Relation to enquire as it is also into those which may be given of the Animosity of the Muscovites against the Roman Catholicks whereof the grounds are to be searched for in Ecclesiastical History which hath nothing common with the Relation of our Travels the prosecution whereof is the business of the following book THE TRAVELS OF THE AMBASSADORS FROM THE DUKE of HOLSTEIN INTO MUSCOVY TARTARY and PERSIA The Fourth Book LEaving Moscou wâ— weâ—â— by Land as far as the Monastery of Simana where we embark'd after we had taken leave of our Friends who had accompany'd us thither under the conduct of a Pristaf named Rodiwon Matfeowits who had order to provide for the Ambassadors as far as Astrachan We had hardly quitted the shore ere the Governor of the Prince Boris Iuanouits Morosou came in sight with his Trumpets and intreated us to come ashore and favour him so far as to sup with him that night But the Ambassadors earnest to be on their Voyage excused themselves and sent him by way of Present a silver Bowl He receiv'd it in a little Boat which came along by the side of ours and express'd how kindly he took it by the flourishes of his Trumpets But at last not able to contain any longer he came into our Boat where he staid all night drinking with the Gentlemen at his parting from whom the next morning he could hardly forbear tears Our Muscovian Mariners whom the Aquavitae they had taken had made more lively and lusty than ordinary took such pains in the mean time being always eight a-rowing that the next morning at Sun-rising we were got as far as a pleasant Country house called Duoreninou seated on the left side of the River 80 Werstes which make 16 German leagues from Simana At night we got 40 werstes or 8 German leagues from Duoreninou to a Village called Mortschuck so that in 24 hours we made so many German leagues The next day Iuly 2. about noon near the Village and Monastery of Porsenis we met with several great Boats loaden with Honey Salt and Salt-fish coming most of them from Astrachan bound for Moscou At night we were come before the City of Columna It lies on the right side of the River Mosca 180 werstes or 36 German leagues from Moscou though by Land there is but 18. which may be travell'd in a short time especially in the Winter upon the snow The City is of a considerable bigness and looks very delightful on the out-side by reason of its Towers and stone-walls which are not ordinary in Muscovy Nay it is indeed of that accompt that the Great Duke hath his Weywode there which is not seen but in the chief Cities of Provinces We sent him our Pass-port by the Pristaf and immediately the wooden Bridge was full of people and whereas the covering of our Boat was too high to pass under the Bridge they in a trice took off one of the Arches to make us way We said in the fore-going Book that there is but one Bishop in all Muscovy and that his Residence is in this City of Columna Three werstes above the City near the Convent of Kolutin Serge Monastir founded by one Sergius a Saint among them whom we have spoken of elsewhere and who is buried at the Monastery of Troitza the Mosca falls into the River Occa which is incomparably much more delightful and broader than the other It comes from-wards the South and hath on both sides it a noble Country well peopled and very fruitful Both shores are well furnish'd with Oaks which is a kind of rarity in those parts Being got ashore we had a Sermon under a great Tree which sufficiently shaded the whole Assembly Presently after Dinner we embark'd and left about half a league on the left hand a great Island in the midst of the River Afterwards we pass'd by several Villages namely those of Scelsa and Moroso which are bigger than any of the rest and both upon the River side on the right hand The 4. about noon we got to the City of Peresla seated upon the River side upon the right hand 22. leagues and a half from Columna at 54. degrees 42. minutes elevation This hath also its particular Weywode The 5. we left on our right hand the Town of Rhesan It was heretofore a gallant City and had given its name to the whole Province but the Crim-Tartars destroy'd it with the whole Dutchy in the year 1568. The Great Duke considering the fertility of the Country which reaches from the River Occa as far as the Trench made against the irruption of the Tartars got together such of the Inhabitants as the invasion of the Barbarians had dispers'd and having caused Materials to be brought to a place eight leagues from it he ordered the building of a City there which to this day is called Peresla Resanski because there went thither many of the Inhabitants of Peresla which stands at an equal distance from Moscou North-wards with this South-wards The Town of Rhesan still keeps the honour of having the Residence of the Archibishop but we are to
correct their errour who affirm that the Province of Rhesan lies West-ward from Moscou since they themselves confess it is between the Rivers of Don and Occa which are not towards the West from Moscou but towards the East so that Rhesan must be placed in the Map South-ward from the City of Moscou The same day we pass'd in sight of several Monasteries and Villages as that of Seloy neer Rhesan on the left hand and 7. werstes thence Kystrus as also on the other side 3. werstes thence the Monastery of Oblozitza and 2. werstes thence Lippono-Issado at 2. thence Muratou at 1. thence Kallionino and 2. thence Schilko Near the first Village we found a Carkass floating on the water which in all likelihood the Cosaques had cast into the River many dayes before in as much as it was so Sun-burnt that it was become black In the afternoon we got four leagues The 6. we made two as far as the Monastery of Tericho on the left hand thence two more to Tinersko Slowoda on the right hand and afterwards 8. werstes to Swintzus and thence 2. werstes to Kopanowo where we found another dead Carcass But the Cosaques and the fugitive Slaves who retire into those parts do there commit so many Villanies that the Muscovites to whom those accidents are ordinary thought it nothing strange Iuly 7. betimes in the morning we left on the right hand an Island called Dobrinin Ostrow 30. werstes or 6. leagues from the last Village and afterwards Seloy Rubets at 7. werstes thence and at 7. more thence on the same side Kurman About 6. werstes thence we had on the left hand the River Gusreca and several other Villages and on the right hand Molcowa at 8. werstes Gabiloska at two and Babino at three Thence we made three werstes and came at night to Cassinogorod This City lies on the right side of the River Occa in the Principality of Cassinou in Tartary and there it was we first met with any Mahometans Not far from the City in an old stone Castle which had sometime been a Fort lived a young Prince of that Country whose name was Res Ketzi with his Mother and Grand-father who some years before had put himself into the protection of the Great Duke of Muscovy We were told that the Great Duke would have press'd him to receive Baptism upon some hopes given him that he should have married his Daughter but the young Prince who was but 12. years of age sent him word that being not come to years so as to make choice of any Religion he could not take a resolution of that importance The Ambassadors sent two Gentlemen of their retinue to give him a visit and presented him with a pound of Tobacco and a bottle of Aqua-vitae He took it very kindly and made it his excuse that he could not entertain the Ambassadors at his house left the neighbouring Weywodes should conceive any jealousy at his entertaining of Strangers without their permission He therefore only sent some of his Servants to us whom our Interpreter could hardly make a shift to understand they being all Tartars He sent us a present of two sheep a Barrel of Hydromel another of Beer and a third of Aqua-vitae with some pieces of Ice Cream and fresh Butter which the Prince's mother had her self taken the pains to beat The night following and the next day being the 9. we saw as we pass'd several Villages Monasteries and Taverns most of them very pleasantly seated amidst the woods among others on the right hand Potsink Tartasko three werstes from Cassinogorod and at seven werstes thence Seloy Pettiowo Then a Tavern or Caback at eight werstes and Brooth at five werstes one from another upon the left hand and then on the right hand the River of Moksche at eight werstes then on the left hand another Tavern at two werstes thence Sateowa at 13 werstes the Monastery of Adrianou Pustino at 13 more Iâ—katma This last is a great Village containing about 300 houses and belongs to the Bojar Foedor Iuanouits Sheremetou And thence we got 20 werstes to the Forest of Rusbonor The 9. we got ten werstes to the Church of Worskressenia commonly called Woskressenskimehl upon the left hand and thence five werstes to a great Village named Lechi belonging to Knez Boris Michaelouits Lycou on the same side and thence about ten werstes to Pretziste Resenskou on the right hand and at last to the City of Moruma on the left hand Before we got to the City we discover'd on the other side of the River a company of Crim Tartars who presently got into the woods whence they discharg'd their Fowling pieces at us which we answer'd with Muskers and so forc'd them to keep off They were seen afterwards below the City whence we imagin'd they would have set upon us the night following whereupon we lay under the Isle of of Zuchtsko Ostrou and set a strong Guard but we heard no more of them The City of Moruma is the chiefest of the Tartars of Mordwa and is inhabited by Muscovites and Tartars but subject to the Great Duke VVe sent our Interpreter to the Market to buy some provisions necessary for the continuation of our Voyage The 10. we passed by the Town of Prewospalo belonging to Knez Iuan Borissowits Circaski one of the Great Dukes Privy Councel and left on both hands several little Villages and the River of Morsna Reka on the right hand and at eight werstes thence that of Clesna which comes from Wladimer All along from that place the shore on the right hand rises by little and little to such an extraordinary height that looking on it from the water it seems to be one continued mountain for above a hundred German leagues along the River Wolga Insomuch that even in that season as also in the greatest heat of Summer those parts are not without Ice and Snow though all elsewhere the Country is plain fertile and fit for Tillage reaching above a hundred leagues towards the South-west and on the other side it lies very low barren and moorish Iuly 11. having pass'd by the pleasant Villages of Isbuilets Troitska Slowoda the Monastery of Dudina and Nofimki we got at night before the great and Noble City of Nise or Nisenovogorod where we found the ship called the Frederick which we had ordered to be built by our Captain Michael Cordes whereof we spoke in the beginning of our Relation It was not quite finish'd by reason the Muscovian Carpenters whom the Captain had employ'd about her had not answer'd his expectation yet was it so far on that the Ambassadors lodg'd in it and so forbore going into the City It was built of Deal being 120 foot long and 40 broad having three Masts and so flat-bottom'd that it took but seven foot water It had many Chambers and Closets for the convenience of the Ambassadors the Officers and Gentlemen of
him word that his Army was upon the march in order to the besieging of Casan This Siege caus'd the loss of much blood on both sides but prov'd unfortunate to the Muscovites who were at last forc'd to raise it Thus ended the War between the Great Duke Basili Iuanouits and the Tartars His Son Iohn Basilouits to shew the World how much he resented the affront which the Muscovites had receiv'd before Casan began his Reign with the Siege of that place Having batter'd it for the space of two moneths together fearing that Mendligeri would come in with his Crim-Tartars to the relief of his Brother and exasperated at the refusal which the besieged had made to accept of very honourable conditions he commanded all the Walls to be undermined and a general assault to be given The Mines wrought their effect and took off great numbers of the Tartars the Assault was given and the place carry'd by storm on the 9 of Iuly 1552. The Tartars perceiving the enemies were gotten into the place took this resolution after they had made a vigorous resistance in two several places within the City where they fortify'd themselves and seeing their chiefest Commanders kill'd or wounded they went out at one of the Gates made their way through the Muscovites and got on the other side of the River Casanska Ever since the City and Province of Casan hath continued under the Muscovite who repair'd the breaches renew'd the Fortifications and reduc'd the Castle to the condition it is now in having four Bastions of stone many Towers and a good Ditch He who had the command of this place when we pass'd that way was Brother to the Weywode of Nise The Ambassadors sent him as a Present by their Chamberlain M. Vchterits a very Noble Ruby M. Mandelslo and I conceiving our Ship would have lain there at Anchor all that day and the next went ashore as well to take the situation of the City as to buy certain provisions We could meet with nothing but Fruits among others particularly Melons full as big as our Pompions and Salt-fish but such as stunk so that we were forc'd to stop our Noses to shun the infection As we came out of the City we met with divers Tartars who told us that our Ship was gone which intelligence oblig'd us to take a VVagon and afterwards to make use of the Pristaf's Boat to bring us aboard which in the evening we found at Anchor two leagues below Casan where they intended to lye all that night The course of the River Wolga from Nisenovogorod to Casan is East-ward and South-East-ward but from Casan to Astrachan and the Caspian Sea it goes from North to South The Country is very good and fertile but in a manner desolate by reason of the Cosâ—ques and hath but few Villages Aug. 15. We continu'd our course with the current of the water which being very strong in that place by reason of the narrowness of the River brought us that day as far as the Village of Klitsischa 26. werstes from Casan lying amidst several Sand-banks which we had much ado to pass through Some part of that day as also of the next we spent in recovering our Anchors whereof the Cables were broken we at last made a shift to get up the great one and left the little one behind as being loath to lose any more time Thence we pass'd by a Tavern called Kabak Tenkofski 30. werstes from Casan where we met with great Sand-banks and about half a League beyond it another Bank near a Tavern called Keshofska which we had much difficulty to pass The 17. We pass'd over a great Bank which had given the name to the Tavern we had pass'd by the day before Thence we came to a place where the shore on one side was very high and some part of it fallen into the River about a moneth before and by its fall had overwhelm'd a Boat full of people who were going that way to gather Cherries whereof there is abundance in those parts The new Pilot whom we had taken up at Casan told us that coming from Astrachan he had met several of those Carkasses floating down the River towards the Caspian Sea Hereabouts near the shore on the right hand we met with great quantities of Ice which we put into our drinks to make them drink the cooler In the evening we came to a place where the great River of Kama falls into the Wolga It comes from North-East out of the Province of Permie and falls into the Wolga on our left hand 60. werstes from Casan The water of it is blackish and it is much about the same breadth as that of Weser in Germany At the mouth of it there are two Islands whereof the greater is called Sokol and upon the Continent over against it a handsom Village called Pagantzina and three werstes thence another named Corotai whence we got seven werstes further as far as a Village named Kirieska where we stay'd all night The 18. The wind was so fair for us that we made all the Sail we could and got by noon to the place where the River Zerdick falls into the Wolga which is also on the left hand It is indeed but a branch of the River Kama making a kind of an Island and having another mouth thirty werstes from the former We discover'd at the same time on our right hand upon a little ascent the City of Tetus distant from Casan 120. werstes having its buildings as well publick as private disorderly scatter'd up and down From this place to the Caspian Sea there is no Village at all In the afternoon near an Island called Proleikarsa we met with the Weywode of Terki This City is seated upon the Caspian Sea near Astrachan and the Weywode upon the expiration of his three years Government was then returning to Moscou to make way for his Successor He was very well attended having a Convoy of eight Boats with Musketiers in them At first we knew not who they were so that we kept them at a distance by threatning to fire at them if they came nearer They told us there were three thousand Cosaques who expected us at the passage some upon the River some on the Caspian Sea that they had seen not far thence upon the River-side 70. horse which the Tartars had drawn off to make a discovery of us and that they would be sure to set upon us thinking with these stories to frighten us We gave them one great shot and kept on our course having the wind so fair as that it carried us 70. werstes that day In the mean time we left on our left hand the River Vtka which rises near the City of Bulgara 25. werstes from Tetus We thought fit the night following to make tryal what our people could do in case we should be set upon so that the Ambassadors conceived it would not be amiss
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
earth along the shore in such great quantities that the course of the River seem'd to be thereby diverted and that it would be ill coming ashore there they translated the City to the place where it is now It is seated upon a high shore on the right side of the River and is fortify'd with eight wooden Towers and a Rampier with thick planks having no other Inhabitants than three or four hundred Souldiers who are kept there to secure the Countrey against the incursions of the Cosaques and Kalmuckas Tartars There is at each corner of the City which is square a particular place for the Sentinels to stand erected upon four great poles whence they have a full prospect into a spacious plain as far as they can see without the least interposition of any wood or other eminency What oblig'd the Great Duke to order the building of this City was the mischiefs done thereabouts by the Cosaques but particularly the defeat of a Caravan of 1500. Muscovites who were there surpriz'd some ten years before It had a very strong Convoy but the River being extremely swift in that place and the Convoy being gone before the Cosaques who had suffered the Soldiers to pass by came out of their Ambushes set upon the Caravan kill'd seven or eight hundred men and took away all before the Convoy could come up the violence of the current not suffering it to get up the River time enough to relieve them Between that place and the Astrachan there are no Trees to be seen on the River-side The 10. We left Tzornogar but the wind turning against us we could hardly get ten werstes that day About noon some fisher-men brought us a noble Carp which weigh'd at least thirty pounds with eight other fish of those they call Sandates the fairest we had seen in all our Voyage We would have paid for them but they refus'd our money and told us that they fish'd there for certain Merchants of Moscou who having farm'd the fishing of that place from the Great Duke would be sure to have them severely punish'd if ever it should come to their knowledge that they had sold any fish We soon found their design was to be paid in Aquavitae accordingly a quart was ordered to be given them wherewith they seemed to be very well satisfy'd Sept. 11. The wind and weather fair we got 120. werstes but without any accident worth noting save that about noon we pass'd by the Mountain of Polowon so called because half-way between Astrachan and Zariza 250. werstes distant from each of them We pass'd over the night near the Isle of Kyssar where the Ambassador Brugman who was upon the Guard hearing that the Sentinel had discovered a great Boat which the current of the River brought somewhat near our Vessel and that upon calling to them no body answer'd commanded fifteen Muskets to be shot off and at the same time a great Gun to be fired All took the Alarm but hardly was every man got to his station ere they might perceive coming to the ship-side a small boat guided by only one man who gave us this accompt of himself that his boat was loaden with Salt and that his seven Camerades being acquainted with some of the Caravan had been so treated by them with Aquavitae that being all dead asleep he had been forc'd to let the boat go with the stream Our Pilot knew the man as being an Inhabitant of Nise whereupon we gave him some Gobelets of Aquavitae and sent him back to his boat The next day he came to acknowledge our kindness to him by a present of certain Sturgeons The night following the wind continuing fair we thought fit to improve the opportunity and so set sayl by three in the morning Sept. 12. We soon came upon the left hand to a third branch of the Wolga called Buch wostowa which falls into the two precedent Thence we came to the Isle of Coppono from which the name Coponogar is deriv'd to the County which is opposite thereto on the right side of the River From this place there are 150. werstes to Astrachan Twenty werstes lower the Wolga makes a fourth branch on the left hand called Danilofska Vtsga which mingles not with any of the other three but disembogues it self by a particular Chanel into the Caspian Sea Fifteen werstes thence lies in the midst of the River the Isle of Katarinski which is little but very pleasant by reason of the Wood and other plants that grow on it Not far from it we saw upon a Sand-bank the Carkass of a Boat which had been cast away there and was half rotten Being seen at some distance a man might take it for a Fort built there by the Cosaques nay there were those who imagined they had seen some of them which occasion'd a command to be given that some shot should be made into the Wood but it was done with so much Precipitation that one of the Muskets breaking in the hands of our Cook the splinters took off the Thumb of his left hand and hurt him in the forehead and breast We stay'd the next night near the Isle of Piruski 80. werstes from Astrachan after we had sail'd a hundred that day Sept. 13. while we were after morning prayer reading some Chapters out of the Bible and among others the XIII of Numbers where Moses speaks of the fertility of the Land of Canaan and the excellency of its Fruits especially of the Grapes brought thence by the Spies there came two Boats from Astrachan which brought us some Fruits to sell. We were so surpriz'd thereat that for my part I am in doubt whether that of the Holy Land could be better so delicious were the Melons and Peaches and the Kernels of the Grapes were as big as Nuts This day betimes in the morning we came in sight of another Branch of the Wolga called Mituska which at some distance from the River is divided into two other Branches whereof the one is united to the Danilofski Vtsga which we spoke of before and the other falls again into the main river at some werstes thence We were told that was the most dangerous place of all the river by reason those Robbers had their rendevouz and retreating places thereabouts For indeed we saw between two Isles a great number of Cosaques at whom the Ambassador Brugman caus'd a great Gun to be fired Five werstes lower and 70 from Astrachan we came to the last sand-bank which is called Kabangameel Five werstes thence to the Promontory of Kabangengar and five lower to the Isle of Itziburki where we stay'd that night 50 werstes from Astrachan We saw in those parts as also afterwards near Astrachan and upon the Caspian Sea a kind of wild Geese or rather Cormorants which the Muscovites call Babbes which in a manner cover'd the river side but of them more at large when we come to the description of the City and of
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
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
the affection he should have had for him since it was his intention to have the youngest declar'd Heir of the Crown of Indosthan and to leave the two elder Brethren the command of certain Provinces The initials of his Government had been cruel and bloudy but he was very much reclaim'd from those courses though he yet ever and anon betrayed his inclinations to severity in the torments he put those persons to who were guilty of High Treason whom he caused to be flead alive or torn in pieces by wild Beasts In other things he was of an humour good enough being a great lover of Entertainments Musick and Dancing especially that of common Prostitutes who often danced stark naked in his presence and diverted him by all manner of extravagant postures The English told me a Story which I think so pleasant that I shall not think it much to digress so far as to insert it here This King had a particular affection for a certain Rasgi who upon the account of his courage and the pleasantness of his coversation was grown so considerable about the Court that there hardly passed a day but the King sent for him One day the King asking some that were about him why that Lord was not come to the Court and answer being made him that he had taken Physick he sent to him a company of those Women-dancers and commanded them to strip themselves stark naked and to ease their Natures before him The Rasgi having notice brought him of their arrival ordered them to be conducted to his Chamber imagining the Mogul had sent them purposely to give him some divertisement but understanding what they were ordered to do and perceiving thereby that the King was in a good humour and desirous to make himself sport he resolved to put a trick upon him and so to laugh at those who would have laughed at him Having ask'd the Women-dancers what commands the King had laid upon them and heard their answer he afterwards asked them whether they were ordered to do any thing else and being inform'd they had order to do nothing but what they had told him before he bid them put the Kings Command in execution with all the exactness they could but that they should have a special care not to exceed it by doing any thing more telling them that if they piss'd the least drop while they did their other business he would have them whipp'd till the bloud came Not one of them would expose her self to that danger so that they thereupon returned to the Court where they gave the King an account how they had been entertain'd by the Rasgi The Mogul was so taken with the pleasant trick which the Rasgi had put upon him that it put him into the best humour in the world His ordinary divertisement every day was to see the combats of Lyons Bulls Elephants Tigers Leopards and other wild Beasts an argument of his cruel Nature and bloudy Disposition which his perpetual seeing of this kind of combats did much heighten He also took a delight in seeing Men ingag'd with Beasts but this was not but with their own consent and such as would venture their lives out of a hope to gain that reputation of Courage as should prove the raising of their Fortunes were to make use of no Arms but Sword and Buckler This puts me in mind of a Combat which Scach Choram ordered to be had at the conclusion of a great Entertainment which he had made on the Birth-day of his Son who was King of Bengala in a Caravansera without the City at which place were kept to this purpose all sorts of wild Beasts This Caravansera had adjoyning to it a spacious Garden encompassed with a wall upon which the people were come to see that divertisement The first engagement was that of a wild Bull and a Lyon and the next that of a Lyon and a Tiger As soon as the Tiger perceiv'd the Lyon he went straight towards him and closing with him with all his strength got him down 'T was generally believed it would be no hard matter for the Tiger to make an end of the Lyon but the Lyon immediately recover'd himself and took the Tiger so fast by the throat that he was thought dead yet he made a shift to disingage himself and the combat was renewed with greater fury then before till at last weariness made both give over They were both very much hurt but the wounds were not mortal on either side Upon this Allaemerdi-Chan Governour of Chisemar who stood near the King came forth and said that Schach Choram was desirous to see whether there were among his Subjects any one that had so much courage as to engage with any of those Beasts and that only with a Sword and Buckler and that he who durst attempt it should appear that the Mogul having been an ocular witness of his worth might accordingly requite it and honour him not only with his favour but also with the quality of Chan. Upon which Proposition three Indosthans proffering to undertake the engagement Allaemerdy-Chan told them further that the Kings meaning was that whoever should undertake the Combat should do it only with Sword and Buckler and that it was his pleasure that those who had any Coats of Mail about them should put them off that the Combat might be without any advantage Upon these terms a furious Lyon was let forth who perceiving his Adversary coming into the place made immediately towards him The Indosthan made his party good very stoutly till at last no longer able to bear the weight of the Beast which lay very heavy upon him on the left hand he began to let fall his Buckler which the Lyon endeavour'd all he could to force from him while with his left paw he would have fastned on his enemies right arm and so have seiz'd him by the throat when the Man putting his hand to his Girdle pull'd out a Dagger and thrust it so far into the Lyons jaws that he was forced to let go his hold and get away The Man followed him and giving him a blow over the mouth laid him all along and afterwards kill'd him The people made acclamations for his happy victory over the Lyon but as soon as the noise was over the Mogul call'd the Indosthan to him and with an angry smile said to him It must needs be confess'd thou art a valiant man and that thou hast fought very gallantly But had I not forbidden thee to engage against this Beast with any advantage And had I not appointed what Arms thou shouldst make use of And yet thou hast done contrary to my Order and hast not overcome my Lyon as a Person of Honour but hast surpriz'd him with forbidden Arms and so hast killed him as a murtherer and not as a declar'd enemy Whereupon he commanded two men to go down into the Garden and to rip up his belly which was immediately put in execution
without divers belonging to it The housing is poorly built of Straw or Reeds upon piles made like those at Achim They cover their Houses with Cocoe-leaves and the sides of thier lodging Rooms have only Curtains for freedom of the Air which is exceeding necessary in this hot Climate For preservation of their Wares they have Store-houses of Stone but they are covered only with Straw so that to secure them from fire which is but too frequent amongst them they lay great pieces of Timber over the Roof and cover it with Sand that the fire may not find passage The Rooms in their Houses are only divided by partitions made of Canes called Bambus which they slit so thin that a Horse-load serves for all the Rooms in a House At the Houses of Persons of Quality at the first entrance you come into a square Court where the Guard is and where the Master of the House speaks with such as have business with him under a little Shed covered with Canes or Cocoe-leaves In one of the corners of this Court stands the Mesquite where at noon they do their Devotions and not far thence the Cistern where they wash themselves Being entred the House you find on both sides of a narrow Gallery several little Niches for Slaves to rest in who watch for their Masters security by reason they are all afraid of being surprized and killed by their Enemies in the night All Forraigners as the Inhabitants of Bengala Guzuratta Malayans Abissins Chineses Portuguez and Hollanders lye out of Town Here are three great Market places where Merchants meet daily The grand Bazar or Exchange is towards the East part of the Town and is the meeting place of forreign Merchants as Portuguez Arabians Turks Chineses Quilins Peguans Malayans Bengalans Gusurats Malabars and other Indians who are there from the break of the day till nine of the clock and then break up The second Market place is before the great Mesquite divided from it by a Pallisado To this place Women resort with Sacks and a weight of three pounds they call Gantam who buy Pepper of the Country people at eight or nine hundred Caxas the Gantam But the Chineses who are very skilful in this Trade forestall them sometimes for they go to the Peasants and buy all they have by the lump before hand Betwixt the Pallisado and the Mesquite stand Women that sell Bettele Araca Bananas Melons c. and some there are sell fine Cakes to be eaten hot A little higher on the right hand are Armourers who sell small pieces of Cannon Pistols Sword-blades Battle-axes Knives c. Not far thence there are others that sell Sandal-wood white and yellow and on the left hand are Confectioners that sell Sugar Honey and all sorts of Sweet-meats liquid or dry Near to that is the Bean-market where are sold all sorts of Beans black white red yellow green and grey at three hundred Caxas the Gantam Next to this is the Onyon-market where Merchants that sell Cloath by whole-sale come and such as deal in return of Money and assurances of the return of Vessels Hard by this is the Poultry where besides tame Fowl they sell also Kids Geese Pigeons Parrats c. Coming thence you meet three wayes one going to the Chineses Shops another to the Herb and Pulse-market and the third to the Shambles By the way to the Chineses Shops on the right hand are some Jewellers who for the greater part are Choroacones that is Persians or Arabians who sell Rubies Hiacinths Turquesses Granats c. And on the left hand is the place for the Bengalians with their Toyes and small Wares On the backside of this Street the Chineses sell their Silks raw and colourâ—d Damask Velvet Sattins Brocadoes of Gold and Silver Purcelane and Cabinets and works of Lacque c. By the way to the Hearb-market upon the right hand upon the Strand are the Bengalians with their small Wares On the left hand Merchants of Linnen-cloath and at the lower end of this Market married Women have Seamsters shops but men are forbidden to come there under pain of a forfeiture Then you come to the Hearb-market where are a multitude of Simples unknown to us Turning thence you see the Fish-market then the Shambles with Stalls full of Beef Buffles and Venison then the Spice-market where Women sell Pepper Cloves Nutmegs Mace c. and all sorts of Gums and Drugs to Europeans unknown and the Rice-market where likewise they sell Earthen-Ware and Salt whence they pass by the same way they came to the place where Merchants and Masters of Ships meet about their Affairs The sale of these Commodities lasts but till nine of the clock and then opens the Market before the Pacebam or Palace Royal where are sold all sorts of Victuals as likewise some Pepper which they truck with the Chineses About noon the Market in the Chineses quarters begins where nothing is sold but for the Table We told you before that next Bantam Tuban or Tubaon is the chiefest Town in Iava and in effect is stronger then all the rest and although not so great as Bantam 't is at least as handsome and as well built The Palace is exceeding spacious and hath very fair Appartments where Elephants and other Beasts have their several quarters Each Elephant hath his lodge built upon four pillars with a post in the middle to tye him to The rooms are filled with Chests and Hampers for the baggage when the King goes his Progress Near to his Lodgings is a place where his fighting Cocks are kept every one his Pen apart and every one his Keeper as likewise the Parrots which are much before those they bring into these parts The greatest part of a beautiful flame colour with a great golden spot on the back the out-sides of their wings blew and red and the in-side a lovely carnation They are too tender to indure the inconveniences of a long Voyage besides the Indians highly esteem them for that they love their owners and delight to be made much of by them The King of Tuban whom the Hollanders saw in their third Voyage to the Indies delighted much in these Creatures as likewise in Dogs Horses and white Ducks by much larger then ours He had four legitimate Wives six Sons and two Daughters besides natural Children a great number by Concubines which he kept in several Appartments His Bed was raised some distance from the ground built like an Altar of great Stones whereon lay a Quilt and certain Pillows of Sattin filled with raw Silk The Chief Commerce they have at Tubaon consists in Pepper which they carry to the Isle of Body where they truck for Cloath and Stuffs of Cotton and Silk which afterwards they bring to Banda Ternate the Philippines and other parts to truck for Cloves Mace and Nutmegs The Inhabitants for the greatest part live only on Fish They wear no other Garment then a Linnen-cloath about the Loyns only
l. 2. daies 114 The 8. to Sabackzar 8. l. 1. day 115 The 9. to Kocks-chaga 5. leagues 1. day ibid The 13. to Suiatzki and the same day opposite to Casan where they find a Caravan conducting a Tartar-Prince and a Factor of the King of Persia's ibid The description of Casan its situation buildings Castle how the Province of the same name conquer'd by the Muscovites which occasions a pleasant diversion the exemplary fidelity of a Weywode the Great Duke forc'd out of Muscovy takes the City of Casan by storm ibid. Melons of extraordinary bigness 116 The 15. they leave Casan come the 17. to the mouth of the River Kama which falls into the Wolga on the left hand 12. leagues from Casan 117 The Iland of Sokol ibid The 18. they come to the River Serdick and afterwards to that of Vtka and see as they pass by the City of Tetus 25. leag from Casan 118 The 19. they pass before the Iland Staritzo which is three leagues in length ibid The fishing of the Muscovites and Tartars ibid Botenska Iland the Cape of Polibno the River Beitma and several Cities ruin'd by Tamerlane ibid The mountain Arbeuchin ibid The River Adrobe the Salt-mountain the River Vssa the mountain Divisagora ibid Iabla-neu-quas or the Cider-valley ibid The mountain Sariol-Kurgan and that of Savobie 119 S. Nicholas's red Snakes ibid The 28. betimes in the morning they come to the City of Samara 60. l. from Casan upon the River of the same name within two wersles of the Wolga ibid The same day they come to the mountain of the Cosaques and opposite to the fall of the River Ascola 120 The River Pantzina the Iland of Zagcrinsko ibid The 30. to the River Zagra the Iland of Sosnon and the mountain Tichi ibid The 31. to the Iland Osino and that of Schismamago to that of Koltof the mountain of Smiowa and the 40. Ilands ibid The fabulous metamorphosis of a Dragon kill'd by a Heroe ibid. SEPTEMBER The 1. they come to the City of Soratof which lies upon a branch of the Wolga 70. leagues from Samara 121 The 2. pass by the Ilands Kriâ—sna and Sapunofka and come to the mountain Achmats-Kigori 10. l. from Soratof ibid 4. leagues lower to the Iland Solotoi and the mountain Solottogori or the Golden mountain that of Craye the mountain of Pillars the River Ruslana the mountain Vrakofskarul 30. l. from Soratof the mountain Kamuschinka and River of the same name ibid. At this place the Don or Tanais is within 7. leag of the Wolga Visits from the chief Persons of the Caravan 122 The River Bolloclea 18. l. from Kamuschinka The first branch of the Wolga 123 The 6. they come to Zariza 70. l. from Soratof on the right side of the River ibid Thence to Astrachan there are only barren lands and heaths The Iland Zerpinske behind which there falls a River into the Wolga whereby there might be a communication with the Don. ibid The 7. they come to the Iland and mountain Nassonofsko 124 Tziberika a Fish of a rare figure ibid The 8. to the Cape Popowizka jurka 14. l. from Zariza and the mountain Kamnagar 8 l lower the Iland and River Wesowoi and that of Wolodinarski-Vtzga Achtobenisna Vtsga a second branch of the Wolga the Iland Ossino an extraordinary kind of Liquorice ibid. The 9. to the little City Tzornogar 40. l. from Zariza its original ibid Carps weiging 30. pound Sandates c. 168 The 10. leave Tzornogar come to the mountain Polowon and the Iland Kissar 125 The 3. and 4. branches of the Wolga the Islands of Coppono and Katarniski ibid The Iland Peruski the 5. branch of the Wolga the excellent fruits of Nagaia Cormorants the 6. and 7. branches of the Wolga ibid The 15. the Ambassadors having pass'd by the Ilands Itziburki and Basan and the River Biltzick come to Astrachan ibid The 7. branch of the Wolga maketh the Iland Dolgoi in which Astrachan lies From Moscou to Astrachan there are above six hundred German leagues A description of Astrachan where they stay neer a month 126 A description of Nagaia the Iland of Dolgoi the Salt-pits 127 Astrachan 12. l. from the Caspian Sea the fruits of Nagaia ibid Its Inhabitants Nagaia when conquer'd by the Muscovites the greatness of the City its Structures Ammunition Garrisons Governours the Tartars not permitted to come into it their manner of life and cloathing wars with the Kalmukes and Tartars of Buchar 128 Their Princes Religion food 129 The Ambassadors visited by the Persians who came along with the Caravan ibid The Cuptzi's Present a visit of the Tartar-Prince and his reception ibid The Cuptzi's visit the Weywode's Present to the Ambassadors the Ambass visit to the Tartar-Prince 130 The Cuptzi's Feast 131 The Tartars much addicted to Hawking the treatment of another Persian Merchant Brugman's imprudence the visit of another Tartar-Prince 132 The Weywode's Present ibid OCTOBER The 1. the Secretary sent to the Weywode Provision made for the continuation of the Voyage ibid The 10. the Amb. leave Astrachan and embark upon the Wolga Simples of extraordinary bigness neer Astrachan 133 The 12. come to Tomanoigor or the Snaky mountain ibid Many Ilands at the mouth of the River the Sepulchre of a Tartar-Saint the Sacrifices of the Tarters dog-fishes several sorts of Birds ibid The 15. come to the mouth of the Wolga and to the entrance of the Caspian Sea where it is very troublesom sailing 134 A Muscovian Slurrâ— the civility of a Persian Pilot an ominous day 135 NOVEMBER The 1. they come before the City of Terki in Circassia having sailed but 60. l. in 16. daies the situation of Terki upon the River Timenski its fortifications Garrison ibid The Cuptzi's Present to the Ambassadors a mutiny in the ship an Eunuch belonging to the King of Persia visits the Ambassadors their Present to the Weywode 136 Their message to the Tartar-Prince his house his reception of those sent to him a collation the curiosity of the Tartar-Ladies 137 The Princess's Present to the Ambass The Tartars enclin'd to theft ibid The Weywode's Present ibid Nov. 10. the Ambassadors leave Terki An Iland in the Caspian Sea 138 A description of the Iland Tzetlan by the Persians called Tzenzeni ibid Come in the sight of the mountain Salatto which is the Caucasus of the Autients in Mengrelia or Colchis mount Ararat 139 Are forc'd by a tempest upon the Coasts of Persia. ibid The Ambass dis-embark with part of their retinue 140 The Ship run a ground 141 A description of the Caspian Sea its names It is a particular Sea having no communication with any other 142 Above a hundred Rivers fall into it yet is it not known what becomes of them ibid The length and breadth of it contrary to the common opinion of Geographers its water is salt Curtius's error the Caspian Sea not known to the Antients 143 It neither ebbs nor flows hath few Havens its fish and fishing
15. the Ambassadors leave Moscou come the 18. to Tuere the 19. to Torsock the 23. to Novogorod the 27. enter Ingermania and the last make their entrance into Narva ibid APRIL The 4. they leave Narva and come the 15. to Reuel where the Author leaves them and embarks for Lubeck 316 They continue at Reuel three months IVLY The 11. the Ambassadors leave Reuel come the 23. to Travemunde the 30. to Kiel AVGVST The 1. they put a period to their Travels into MUSCOVY TARTARY and PERSIA and came to Gottorp ibid The end of the JOURNAL of the AMBASSADORS Travels A Catalogue of all the Pieces of Sculpture contained in these TRAVELS 1. The Frontispiece containing in one Plate five Heads viz. Frederick Duke of Holstein the two Ambassadors Crusius and Brugman Olearius Author of the Travels into Muscovy Tartary and Persia and Iohn Albert de Mandelsto Author of the Travels into the East-Indies 2. A Map of LIVONIA Part 1. lib. 2. pag. 30. 3. A Map of MVSCOVY P. 1. lib. 3. pag. 45. 4. The Pourtraiture of MICHAEL FEDEROVITS Great Duke of Muscovy P. 1. lib. 3. p. 77. 5. The Characters of the Muscovian Language P. 1. lib. 3. p. 95. 6. A Map of the Great River WOLGA P. 1. lib. 4. p. 112. 7. A Map of PERSIA P. 1. lib. 5. p. 145. 8. The Pourtraiture of SCACH SEFI King of Persia P. 1. lib. 6. p. 265. 9. A Map of the Province of KILAN as it lies on the Caspian Sea P. 1. lib. 7. p. 288. 10. A Map of the EAST-INDIES P. 2. lib. 1. p. 13. By the First-Part are meant the Travels of the Ambassadors into Muscovy Tartary and Persia By the Second those of Iohn Albert de Mandelslo into the East-Indies THE TRAVELS OF THE AMBASSADORS FROM THE DUKE of HOLSTEIN INTO MUSCOVY and PERSIA The First Book THE Most High and Mighty Prince Frederick by the Grace of God Hereditary Prince of Norway Duke of Sleswick and Holstein of Stormarie and Ditmars Count of Oldenburg c. having built the City of Frederickstad in the Dutchy of Holstein would settle there the Trade of Silks the most important no doubt of any in Europe Persia is the Kingdome which of any in the World yeilds most of it upon which accompt the said Prince resolv'd to court the friendship of the Sophy But in regard there were several reasons why the Silks could not be brought home by Sea and that to transport them by Land he stood in need of the permission of the Czarr or great Duke of Muscovy he thought fit in the year 1633. to send a solemn Embassy to those two great Monarks He employ'd in this Embassy Philip Crusius a Lawyer and his privy Councellor and Otton Brugman a Marchant of Hamborough whom he honour'd with the quality 〈◊〉 Councellor On the 22. of October in the year aforesaid they departed from Gottorp the place where Duke Frederick made his residence and went to Hamborough where they took order for their Voyage There they entertain'd their retinue which consisted of 34 persons and departed thence the 6. of November The next day they came to Lubeck the 8. to Tauemund where the Ambassadors took into their service an experienc'd Sea-Captain named Michael Cordes who was to be their Pilot especially upon the Caspian Sea The 9. we took leave of our Friends who had come along with us from Hamborough and embarqu'd in a Ship called the Fortune whereof Iohn Muller was Commander We took abord along with us Wendelin Sibelist a Physician who was going to Muscovy to be principal Physician to the Great Duke We got out of the Haven about 2. in the afternoon and anchor'd in the Road at 8. fathom water About 9. at night the wind South-West we set sail and made that night 20. leagues The next day the Ambassadors thought fit to make some particular Orders to be observ'd during our Voyage so to prevent the disorders which are but too frequent among those who ordinarily leave not their own Country but out of a hope to live with greater freedom elsewhere and to see the execution of them the better performed they named several Officers giving the Secretary of the Embassy the quality of Fiscal and to Wendelin Sibelist and Hartman Gramem our Physician that of Assessors They discharg'd their places well and Justice was â—o duely administred that at the end of our Voyage which was but of five dayes the penalties came to above 22. Crowns which were put into the hands of the Captain with order they should be equally distributed between the Poor of Riga and Lubeck The same day toward evening we pass'd by the Island of Bornholm leaving it a good league on the right hand That Island is conceiv'd to be distant from Lubeck 40. German Leagues The length and breadth of it is neer the same viz. 3. leagues it hath a Royal Palace named Hammershausen belonging to the King of Denmark Towards the North-side of the Island are the Rocks called Erdholm well known by reason of the frequent wracks which make them so much the more formidable to Mariners in the Autumn in regard the darkness of the nights keeps them from being discover'd and that all about them those that sound meet with no bottom The 11. at noon we were at 56. degrees of latitude the weather continuing fair but towards night the wind still at South-West rais'd such a tempest that we were forc'd to take in all our sails and go before the wind till the next morning Those among us who were not us'd to the Sea were so sick that some vomited blood but in regard we had the wind a-stern it 's violence hindred us not from keeping on our course and making fifteen Leagues that night Some are of opinion that the stinch of the salt water corrupting in the sink is that which provokes such vomiting Others on the contrary affirm that it is caused by the violent agitation of the Ship which makes the head turn and the stomack to cast up what is in it But certain it is that both contribute thereto in as much as if the agitation trouble the brain the stinch also offends it and makes those heart-sick whose smelling is subtile provoking vomiting even without any violent motion wherever they are not only at Sea but also any where else Those who conceive that people are not subject hereto upon Rivers are deceiv'd for besides that experience hath evinc'd the contrary we have there the same motion and fresh water being corrupted stinks no less than the salt The 12. we had so great a calm that the Ship being as it were fastnen'd to the same place we had the convenience to bring our Musical Instruments upon the deck to sing a Te Deum and to give God thanks for our deliverance out of the imminent danger we had been in the night before About noon the wind came to South
with the same Ceremonies as we had been while the two other Suedish Ambassadors Mr. Philip Scheiding and Col. Henry Fleming were to treat in private of the difference which were between the Crown of Sueden and the Great Duke The Three former desired in their audience to be receiv'd joyntly with us to treat with those whom it should please his Majesty to appoint for that purpose which was granted Hereupon all the Ambassadors as well the Suedish as ours went the 5th to the Castle They were at first conducted into a spacious appartment on the left hand where they found the same Goses or Merchants and in the same habits as we had seen at our first Audience Thence they went into a Hall where the four Commissioners appointed to treat with us were sate at a Table expecting us They were two Bojares and two Chancellors or Secretaries of State very richly clad having Coats of stript Satin embroidered with very great Perls and other precious stones and great Golden Chains which made a Cross upon their breasts The Bojares had Caps after the fashion of calotts beset with Perls having in the midst a clustre of Diamonds and precious Stones The other two had their Caps of black-fox fur according to the ordinary fashion They receiv'd the Ambassadors very civilly and intreated them to sit down by them but with all their civility they took up the best places themselves at one corner of the Hall where the benches joyn'd The Ambassadors took up theirs neer them against the Wall and there was brought a seat without any back for the Chancellors or Secretaries of State opposite to the others Iohn Helmes the Great Duke's chief Interpreter stood among our Pristafs and all the Gentlemen with all the rest of our retinue stay'd in the Antichamber except only the two Secretaries of the Suedish Ambassy and ours as many Interpreters and a Muscovite Clark who was taken in to take notes of what was treated of All having taken their places one of the Bojares ask'd the Ambassadors whether they were supply'd with necessary provisions or wanted any thing The Ambassadors made answer that they had occasion rather to commend those who had the management thereof and that they gave his Majesty their most humble thanks for his care of them After this complement all rise up and being uncover'd the more considerable of the two Bojares said The Grand Seigneur Czaar and Great Duke reciting all his Titles and being all sat down again he went on gives you to understand you Lords Ambassadors from the Crown of Sueden and Duke of Holstein that he hath caus'd your Letters to be translated into the Muscovian Language and that he hath also hearkned to the Propositions you made to him at the publick audience he gave you Upon that they all rose again and the other Bojare uncovering himself said The Grand Seigneur Czaar and Great Duke c. not omitting any of the former titles and so sitting down continued wishes the Queen of Sueden and the Duke of Holstein all prosperity and victory over their Enemies and tells you that he hath read their Letters and that he well understands their intention The third Commissioner proceeded with the same Ceremonies saying The Grand Seigneur c. hath seen the Letters you have brought him is satisfy'd that all credence is to be given you in what you shall say and propose which shall accordingly be done To which the fourth added That his Majesty the Czaar had appointed them Commissioners to receive from them what they had to propose and desire and thereupon read the names of the Commissioners who were Knez Boris Michaelouits Likow Obolenscoi Weywode of Tuere Knez Vasili Iuanouits Stresnow Weywode of Tarschock The two Secretaries of State whom they call Dumnoi Diaken were Iuan Tarascouits Granmatin Lord Keeper of the Seals or Chancellor c. Iuan Offonassiowsin Gauaarenow Vicechancellor This done they all rise and one of the Suedish Ambassadors Eric Gillenstierna having given his Majesty thanks on the behalf of his Mistriss for their admission to a private audience read to the Commissioners their proposition contained in one sheet of paper written in the the German tongue We would have done the like with ours but being larger than the other to forbear importuning the Commissioners we thought it enough to put it in with that of the Suedish Ambassadors The Commissioners having receiv'd them went up to the Great Duke's Chamber to communicate them to him leaving us alone save that the Pristafs and Gentlemen of our retinue were permitted to come into the room to entertain us Having expected a good half-hour the Vice-chancellor came down to tell us that we should have no other answer at that time than that his Majesty would cause the propositions to be translated and would let us know his resolution with the soonest Sept. 10. The Suedish Ambassadors had their last private audience as to what concern'd the affairs of that Crown The 12. We saw a Cavalcade of three Tartarian Ambassadors sent by the Prince of Cassan a Vassal of the Great Duke's They had no other retinue or company than that of sixteen servants who follow'd them with their Bows and Arrows in their hands Their Cassocks were of a very coarse red cloath but at their return from audience they were in Damask coats some red some yellow which the Great Duke had bestow'd on them by way of present There hardly passes a year but these Gentlemen as well as the other Tartars their Neighbours send such an Ambassy to Moscou not so much for any business they have as to get some Furs Martins skins and silk Vestments The 15. Our Pristafs came to tell us that the Great Dutchess was the day before deliver'd of a Daughter who was already Christned and nam'd Sophia according to the custom of the Muscovites who baptize their Children immediately after their birth and without any Ceremonies or entertainments as they do in other Countreys The Patriarch was her Godfather as he had been to all the rest of the Great Duke's Children who would nevertheless have us to participate of that joy upon which accompt our ordinary allowance was doubled The 17. Came in a Turkish Ambassador who was receiv'd with great Ceremonies and though they sent 16000 Horse to meet him yet in all that Army there were seen but six Colours The first which was that of the Duke's Guard was of white Satin and had in the midst within a circle of Laurel an Imperial Eagle with a triple Crown with this Motto Virtute Supero One of Crimson Damask branch'd having in the midst a Ianus with two faces One of a plain red Damask and the other three blew and white whereof one had a Gryffon another a Snail the third a naked Arm coming out of the Clouds and holding a sword 'T is thought these were the devises of the German officers during the War at Smolensco Every Colours was attended by Timbrels and Hautbois
is it absolutly deny'd If she be hansom they will be content the mother or some other woman of the kinred should see her and if she be no way defective that is neither blind nor lame the friends on both sides treat about the marriage and conclude all things the intended young couple not so much as being allow'd to see one another For they bring up their daughters in very private Chambers especially persons of quality where they keep them lock'd up so as that the Bridegroom does not see his Bride till she is brought into his Chamber And thus it comes to pass that he who thinks he hath married a handsom Maid hath some crooked piece put upon him nay instead of the Mans Daughter he was to have some kinswoman or servant-maid is thrust upon him of which I have several examples So that it is not to be wondred at that matrimonial discontents are so frequent among them When their Great Lords Knez and Bojares dispose of their Children in marriage there is appointed on the Bride-groom's side a Woman whom they call Suacha and another on the Brides who joyntly take order for the Nuptials That on the Brides part goes upon the Wedding-day to the Bridegroom's Lodgings and there makes ready the Nuptial bed She is attended by above a hundred men servants who are all clad in Hoâ—grelines or long Coats and carry on their heads the things necessary for the Bed and Chamber where the new Marryed couple are to lye The Bed is made upon forty sheaves of Rye which the young man causes to be rank'd in order and compass'd about with several Barrels full of Wheat Barley and Oats All things being ready the young man goes from his own house late in the evening accompany'd by all his Kinred having before him on hors-back the Priest by whom he is to be married At his Bride's door he meets with all her friends who receive him and his retinue and press them to sit down at a Table Three dishes of meat are serv'd up but no body eats of them and there is left at the upper end of the Table a place for the Bridegroom but while he is talking with the Bride's friends a young Lad sits down in it and will not be gotten thence till the Bridegroom hath made him so many Presents that he is content to give him the place The Bridegroom having taken his place the Bride is brought in most richly Clad having a Veil over her face She is seated by the Bridegroom but to prevent their seeing one another they are separated by a piece of Crimson Taffata which is held up by two young Lads while they are set Thus done the Bride 's Suacha comes to her Paints her tyes up her hair in two knots puts the Crown on her head and dresses her in all things like a married woman The Crown is of leaves of Gold or Silver Gilt beaten very thin lined with some silk stuff and towards the Ears it hath five or six rows of great Pearls which fall down on her breast The Robe or upper Garment the sleeves whereof are an Ell and a half wide is embroider'd with Gold and Pearls at the extremities especially at the neck which is three fingers broad and so heightned with Embroidery that it looks more like a Dogs Collar than any thing else and this kind of Robe amounts to above a thousand Crowns The heels of their shooes as well of those that are betroath'd as of most of the other women and maids are above half a foot high so that being as it were a-tip-toe they have much ado to stand The other Suacha Paints the Bridegroom and in the mean time the women get up on benches and sings several foolish songs After this come in two young men richly Clad carrying between them upon a Beer a very large Cheese and some Loaves there hanging from the Beer several Martins skins The like is brought in on the Bride's part and the Priest having blessed them sends them to Church At last there is set on the Table a great Silver-basin fill'd with little pieces of Satin and Taffata about such a bigness as were fit to make little purses of little square pieces of Silver Hops Barley and Oats all mixt together The Suacha having cover'd the Brides face again takes certain handfuls out of the Basin and casts them among the company who in the mean time sing a song and take up what they find upon the ground In the Church where the Benediction is to be given they cover some part of the floor with Crimson Taffata upon which the young Couple stand having over them another piece of the same stuff Before they are married the Priest makes them go to the offering which consists in Fish Fry'd Meats and Pastry That done the married receive the Benediction which is given by holding Images over their heads and the Priest taking the man by the right hand and the woman by the left at the same time asks them three times whether it is with their consent that they are married and whether they will love one another as they ought to do Having both answer'd yes all the Company joyn hands and the Priest sings the 128. Psalm he one verse and the Company the next dancing at the mean time much after the same manner as they do in these parts who sing and dance at the same time The Psalm ended he puts a Garland of Rue upon their heads or about their shoulders if it be a Widdow or Widdower saying Increase and Multiply and then consummates the marriage pronouncing these words Whom God hath joyned together let no man separate While the Priest pronounces those words those who are invited to the Wedding do all light wax candles and one of them gives the Priest a wooden Cup or rather a Glass full of Claret Wine which he takes off and when the Married Couple have pledg'd him by drinking it off each of them three times the Bridegroom throws down the Cup or Glass and he and the Bride treading it under their feet break it to pieces with these words May they thus fall at our feet and be trod to pieces who shall endeavour to sow division or discontent between us Then the Women cast at the young Couple some Flax-seed and Hemp-seed and wish them all prosperity They also pull the Bride by the Robe as if they would force her away from her husband but she keeps so close to him that all their endeavours prove fruitless The Marriage-Ceremonies being thus over the Bride is put into her Sledge which is encompass'd with six Torches or Wax-candles and the Bridegroom gets on horse-back to return to his own house where the Wedding is kept As soon as they are come thither the Bridegroom his kindred and friends sit down at a Table well furnish'd with Meat but the Women carry the Bride to her Châ—mber take off her cloaths and lay her a-bed That done they make
maintain that he could make it as clear as the Sun at Noon that he was no Muscovite and that there was not any thing in his person language or manner of life which might perswade the World that he was Indeed his beard was quite after another fashion than the Muscovitet ordinarily wear theirs He had the Latin Italian German and Turkish Languages so well as to be understood in any of them and he had such an art in counterfeiting all sorts of hands that it was hard to convince him by that which he writ in his first employment Nay he would have had us suspect as counterfeited the Letters sent by the Great Duke to our Prince because he had not signed them and might have surpriz'd us with that allegation had we not learnt in Muscovy that the Great Duke never signs expeditions but leaves that to be done by the Secretaries of State Timoska perceiving these evasions would not serve his turn â—ell into despair and would have kill'd himself For being upon his way to Travemunde to be ship'd away not far from Neustatâ— he cast himself down headlong from the Wagon and shuffled himself under the Wheels hoping they would pass over his Body but the ground being soft and sandy his fall did him no hurt and the Wagon was immediately staid so that they had the time to return him to his place where they fasten'd him beyond all fear of shewing such another trick He seem'd to be in a very good humour all the way yet sought all the means he could imagine to compass his own death but he was so narrowly watch'd that at last being out of all hope to effect it the joy he had express'd before was much abated Coming to Novogorod he fell into so deep a melancholy that he was become absolutely disconsolate Which yet hindred not but that amidst the greatest tortures he express'd an admirable constancy at least if I may so call the resolute obstinacy in which he persisted as to his first depositions whether it were his design thereby to confirm in strangers the opinion he would have imprinted in them or that he considered with himself that his confession would not prevent his death nor alleviate his misfortune As soon as he came to Moscou he was put to the torture in the presence of divers persons of quality but he impudently told them that of all the Bojares he would not vouchsafe to speak to any but Knez Nikita Iuanouits Romanow and him only as knowing him by fame by reason of his goodness and courage he should be glad to have some discourse withall While two Bojares were gone to find out Nikita Timoska desired somewhat to drink They presented to him some Quas in a wooden dish but he would have Hydromel and that it should be brought him in a silver Cup but after they had so far comply'd with his humour he only put it to his lips and would not drink Seeing Nikita and the other two Bojares come in he gave them a civil salute but still affirmed that he was Son to Basili Iuanouits Zuski though it were prov'd against him that he was the Son of Dementi Aukudina a Linnen Draper of Vologda and that the Great Duke Basili had had no children but only two Brothers Knez Demetri Iuanouits and Iuan Iuanouits Zuski who both died without issue male For of these three Brothers who were sent Prisoners into Poland at the election of Vladislaus in the year 1610. with the rest of the Great Dukes kinred the two elder died there and the third was releas'd and sent back into Muscovy where he died some few years before the execution of Timoska 'T is true there was another Lord of the same Family but he had left only one Son named Michael Basilouits Zuski Scapin who died without issue when the Suedes took the City of Novogorod in the year 1616. While he endured the torture they brought his Mother to him who exhorted him to acknowledge his crime He seem'd to be moved at her presence but persisted in affirming he knew her not no more than he did Iuan Pescou with whom he had left his Son when he left Muscovy This man represented to him how much he was to blame for behaving himself so in the condition he was in and told him that he must at last pull off the vizard he had made use of for so many years to cheat the World and disturb his Country conjuring him to own his Son and rely no longer on elusions and impostures which would only aggravate his misery and bring a greater weight of God's vengeance upon him He was so mov'd hereat that he would not speak one word afterwards though there were divers persons brought before him who had known him while he was employ'd at the Tavern-Office He was search'd and found to be Circumcis'd The next day they put him again to the torture but he would not speak at all so that he was immediately carried to the great Market-place where his sentence was pronounced and presently put in execution They cut off with an Ax first his right arm below the elbow then the left leg below the knee and afterwards the left arm and right leg and last of all the head The members were set up on stakes and the trunk left upon the ground but the Dogs devour'd it in the night and the next morning the Executioner's Servants dragg'd the members to the place where all the City dirt is thrown His man Kostka was pardoned because he had confess'd the truth but in regard he had been unfaithful towards his Prince he was sentenc'd to lose three fingers of his right hand The Patriarch got that punishment to be moderated upon this accompt that the Religion of the Muscovites obliging them to make the sign of the Cross with the right hand which ought not to be maimed he receiv'd his punishment in the left and was sent into Siberia where provision was made for his subsistence during life About this time there came a Polish Envoy to Moscou They gave him audience the same day that Timoska was put to death and brought him through the Market-place just at the execution that he might be an eye witness of it and give an accompt in Poland of the Tragedy of that Impostor who had been there look'd upon as son to the Great Duke Basili Iuanouits Zuski We said before that the Great Duke Michael Federouits died Iul. 12. 1645. The very next day the Knez and Bojares would needs crown his Son Alexei Michaelouits who was not full sixteen years of age He it is that now reigns and makes himself known by the War he made upon Poland as also by that which he daily threatens against Sueden He was born March 17. 1630. Knez Boris Iuanouits Morosou fearing his enemies might take any advantage of the Prince's tender years so hastened his Coronation that they could not send for all those who are oblig'd to be present
the late Great Duke's Father was the last that desired confirmation from the Patriarch of Constantinople At present the Patriarch of Muscovy is chosen by the other Prelates who meet in the great Church within the Castle called Sabor and name two or three Prelats of the most eminent for Learning and good Life and present them to the great Duke who after some conference with the Prelats proceeds joyntly with them to the election unless those that are named be all of such eminency that they are at a loss which to make choice of and so forc'd to it by lott which course they took at the Election of this last Patriarch He was a Prelate of the Second Order and hath been named with two other Metropolitans upon the reputation of his good life The lot falling upon him all those of the First Order were discontented thereat so that they put it to the Lot a second time in which also it fell again to him but the ambition of the other Competitors appearing still in their countenances the Great Duke was pleas'd to comply with them and to put it to the Lot a third time which fell in like manner to the same Person upon which all acquiesc'd His name is Nicon and he had been before Metropolitan of Rostou and Iaroslou and is now about 45 years of age He lives within the Palace where he hath built him a house of stone He keeps a good Table and is a person of so pleasant a disposition that he discovers it in those actions that require the greatest gravity For a handsome Gentlewoman being presented to him for his Benediction after she had been re-baptized with several others of her Friends he told her that he was in some doubt whether he should begin with the kiss which is given to Proselites after their Baptism or with the Benediction The Patriarch's authority is so great that he in manner divides the Soveraignty with the Great Duke He is the Supreme Judge of all Ecclesiastical Causes and absolutely disposes of what ever concerns Religion with such power that in things relating to the Political Government he reforms what he conceives prejudicial to Christian simplicity and good manners without giving the Great Duke any accompt of it who without any contestation commands the orders made by the Patriarch to be executed He hath under him four Metropolitans seven Archbishops and one Bishop The Metropolitans are those of Novogorodskoi and Welikoluskoy who lives at Novogorod Rostoufskoy and Iaroslauskoy at Rostof Casanskoi and Swiatskoi at Cassan. And that of Sarskoi and Pondoskoy who lives within the Castle at Moscou The Archbishops are those of Wologdskoi and Weliko Premskoy who lives at Wologda Resanskoi and Moromskoi at Resan Sudalskoi and Torruskoi at Susdal Twerskoi and Cassinskoi at T were Sibirskoi and Tobolskoi at Toboleska Astrachanskoi and Terskoi at Astrachan Pleskouskoi and Sborskoi at Plescou There is but one Bishop in all Muscovy to wit that of Comenskoi and Cassieskoi who lives at Columna The Patriarch hath about him an Arch-Deacon who is as it were his Vicar-General and in the Castle of Sabor he hath a Proto-Deacon The other Ecclesiastical Orders are distinguish'd into Proto-popes Popes or Priests and Deacons Those who make clean the Churches and toll the Bells are called Pannamari In their Monasteries they have Archimandrites Kilari's and Igumeni's who are their Abbots Priors and Guardians The Patriarch Metropolitans Archbishops and Bishops are not to marry but make a Vow of Chastity for the time they shall continue in that Dignity which it seems give them not an indelible Character as it does elsewhere to those that are advanced to it They are forbidden to wear Rings on their fingers They wear no Drawers nor Shirts of Linnen-cloath but of Flannen and do not ly upon Beds Those that enter into any Religious Order eat no flesh nor fresh-Fish and drink neither Wine Aquavitae nor Hydromel but are oblig'd to content themselves with their Quas though when they are out of their Monasteries they dispence with the rigour of that Law and eat of any thing that is given them making use of their time so well that many times they are glad to be carried home The ordinary Habit of the Patriarch as also of the Metropolitans Arch-bishops c. and even of their Monks is a kind of black Cassock over which they have an upper-Garment of the same colour not much different from those of the other Muscovites Their Hoods or covering of the Head is at least an ell and a half diameter having in the midst a round piece as big as a Trencher which hangs on the hinder part of the head When they walk into the City they have in their hands a staff forked at the end after the form of a Right angle which serves them for a Crosier and they call it Posok What a vast number of Priests and â—cclesiasticks there must be about Moscou may be judg'd by that of the Churches of which not any that ever so little exceed their ordinary Chapels but have three or four or more Priests belonging to them Those who are desirous to embrace that kind of life address themselves to the Patriarch or first Metropolitane they can come to who examins them and if he finds they can make a shift to read and write and sing in the Church he gives them Orders and an Attestation of their being received into the Priesthood At their Consecration they are habited after the manner before mentioned and have the hair cut off on the Crown of their heads on which is put a little Cap like a Callotte which is the only Character of their Priesthood For they never take it off but when they cut their hair and he who fighting with a Priest should make his Callot fall to the ground would be severely punish'd and oblig'd to pay him the Bicestie or a certain muâ—ct imposed upon him whereas otherwise a man may bang or cudgel one of that profession with the same impunity as he may another but to do it without any danger he is only to take off his Callot before he falls to work with him and when he hath sufficiently paid him to be so respectful to him as to put it on again The Protopopes and simple Priests are obliged to marry once but cannot the second or third time unless they quit the Priesthood They allege to this purpose the Text of St. Paul 1 Tim. 3. where the Apostle sayes that a Bishop should be the husband of one wife Which place they understand not of Bishops though the Text expresly mentions them nor yet in the least imagine that the Apostle speaks of one wife in opposition to Polygamy but infer thence that there is a necessity that the Priest should marry that so he may be the husband of one wife This point of the marriage of Priests makes one of the principal differences between the Muscovites with all the Greek
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
fasten'd in a Tree that was in the bottom the Cable broke ere it could be had up again The River is very full of those Trees which it brings down with it when it overflows and these accidents happen so frequently that the bottom of the River is so lay'd with Anchors that the Muscovites say there are as many as would purchase a Kingdom The 13. before noon we saw as we pass'd two Cabaques or Taverns and a Village named Wesoska on the right hand and came afterwards before the City of Suiatski It is seated on the ascent of a hill on the left hand having a Castle and some Churches built of stone but all the other buildings as also the Towers and Rampiers of the City are of wood We cast Anchor there by reason of a Sand-bank which we were to pass by The people in the mean time came in multitudes to the River side to see us and by reason that a little sandy Hill hindred their having a full sight of us many came in Boats to the Ship side others swam over to the Hill Having pass'd by certain white Mountains whereof some were of Chalk others of Sand we came at night before the City of Casan 20. werstes from Suiatski We there found the Caravan of Persia and Circassia and with it a Coptzi or Persian Merchant who had been sent Ambassador to Moscou There was in this place also a Tartarian Prince of Terki whose name was Mussal who had succeeded his Brother in the Principality and had then been doing homage to the Czaar at Moscou which he had left some dayes before us The City of Casan is seated in a plain 7. werstes from the Wolga upon the River Casanka which gives it the name as it does to the whole Province I found the elevation there to be 55. degrees 38. minutes It is of a considerable bigness but all its Houses as also the Towers and Rampiers are of wood Only the Castle and its Fortifications are of stone being well mounted with Canon and having a strong Garrison in it The River is instead of a Ditch to it and makes it a very considerable fortress The Castle hath its VVeywode and the City its Governour who commands and administers Justice to the Inhabitants who are Muscovites and Tartars But in the Castle they are all Muscovites and the Tartars are prohibited entring into it upon pain of death The Province of Casan lies on the left side of the River of VVolga reaching Northwards as far as Siberia and Eastward as far as the Tartars of Nagaja It was heretofore subject to the Cham of Tartary and so populous that it could send 60000 men into the Field The conquest of it cost the Muscovite much blood and the story of its reduction is so remarkable that I think fit here to make a short digression to give an accompt thereof Basili Iuanouits Father to the Tyrant Iuan Basilouits having obtain'd a famous Victory over these Tartars made Chief over them one named Scheale a Tartar by birth but one so ill shap'd as to his Person that his Subjects who soon conceiv'd an aversion for him joyning with the Tartars of Chrim who are Mahumetans as they also are made an insurrection surpriz'd him and ejected him This success gave the Chrim-Tartars who had got a considerable Army together the courage to enter Muscovy under the conduct of two Brethren Mendligeri and Sapgeri who forc'd the Muscovite with certain Troops which he had made a shift to get together and were encamped upon the River Occa to retreat to Novogorod The consequence of this was the besieging taking and plundring of the City of Moscou nay they reduc'd the Castle to that extremity that the Muscovites were forc'd to sue for a Peace The Tartars were willing to hearken to an accommodation and having got very considerable Presents from those who kept the Castle who maintain'd it with more courage than success they made a Peace whereof this was one Article That the Great Duke and all his Subjects should ever after be Tributaries to them Basili was loath to submit to such dishonourable Terms but forc'd to comply with necessity he accepted them and confirmed the agreement by his Letters Patents Mendligeri to make it appear he was Sovereign Lord of Moscou caused a Statue of his to be erected in the heart of the City and would needs oblige the Great Duke to express his subjection to smite the ground with his head before that Statue as often as he paid Tribute to the Tartars After this Victory the Brethren parted Sapgeri establish'd the Seat of his Government at Casan and Mendligeri as being the Elder-Brother his at the City of Chrim But the later desirous to add to his former conquest that of the City of Resan resolv'd to lay siege to the Castle thereof and to that end he sent word to the Weywode Iohn Kowar who commanded it that it was madness in him to think to maintain the place and that he should make no difficulty to deliver it up since the Great Duke was become his Subject The Weywode sent him answer that it was a thing so extraordinary that he could not believe it unless he sent him such assurances thereof as should put him out of all doubt Mendligeri imagining there could not any thing be more convictive in that case than the Letters Patents sent them to him by certain Officers just as he had receiv'd them from the Great Duke But the Weywode not a little glad to have the Original of those Letters in his hands sends Mendligeri word that he would keep them as safely as he would do the place he was in which he resolv'd to maintain to the last drop of blood There was in the Castle an Italian Canoneer named Iohn Iordan well known in those parts upon the accompt of his Wife who would needs have her Husband express his affection to her by beating her with a Bull 's pizzle This man did the Weywode very great services and kill'd so many Tartars that Mendligeri perceiving one day that a Canon-bullet had taken off a piece of his Garment was frighted and proffered to raise the Siege upon condition they would return the Great Duke's Letters But the Weywode would hearken to no such thing and having oblig'd Mendligeri to retreat he sent the Letters to his Prince's Court where they were received with the general joy of all the people who immediately thereupon pull'd down and broke to pieces the Statue of Mendligerâ— Nay the Great Duke himself took such courage from that Action that having rais'd an Army of 25000 men he proclaim'd open War against Sapgeri Prince of Casan sending him word that he by surprising and assaulting him without declaring any War had proceeded like a Murtherer and a Robber but that himself as Soveraign Lord and Conservator of all the Russes proceeded therein as a person of Honour should do and sent
but not without much trouble to us as being not accustomed to continue any long time in that posture He very handsomely receiv'd our complement and answer'd it with so much of obligation and kindness that we could not but be much taken with his civility He told us among other things that he was extremely desirous to see his own Country and his own House but the satisfaction it would be to him to see either of them would not be comparable to that which he had conceiv'd at the first sight of our Ship He added that as soon as we were come into Persia we should find the roughness and barbarism of the Nation among whom we then were chang'd into an obliging civility to pleasant conversation and into a manner of life absolutely inviting and that attended with a freedom which should be common to us with all the Inhabitants of the Country That he hoped at his arrival at the Court it would not be hard for him with the assistance of his Friends there to obtain the charge of Mehemander or Conductor for our Embassy since he had the happiness of our acquaintance by the way That then he would oblige us upon all occasions and in the mean time intreated us to dispose of his person and whatever was in the Ship as we pleased He treated us with a Collation which was serv'd in Plate Vermilion-gilt and consisted only in Fruits Grapes and Pistachoes dry'd and pickled The only drink we had was an excellent kind of Muscovian Aquavitae wherein he first drunk the health of the two Ambassadors together and afterwards that of each of them by himself which happened at the same time that his own was drunk in our ship which we knew to be so by the joint Volley of both the great Guns and the small shot Taking our leave of him he told us as a great Secret that he had some news to tell the Ambassadors which was that he had it from a very good hand that the King of Poland had sent an Ambassador to Schach Sefi that he had taken his way by Constantinople and Bagdet that he was then upon his return to Astrachan and that he had order in his way to see the Great Duke but that the Weywode would not permit him to pass till he had first heard from the Court That this was all he knew of it and that the Ambassadors might guess at the rest as also what may have been the occasion of his Voyage and Negotiation The other eminent Persons of the Caravan sent also to complement us and to make proffer of their services intreating us to keep them company and assuring us of their assistance if need were After a general Volley of all the Caravan we parted and kept on our course At night we had a great Tempest with two extraordinary Thunder-claps and some flashes of Lightning but the weather soon became fair again and we had a great calm Sept. 4. being Sunday just as our Minister was beginning his Sermon came aboard us several Tartars whom Mussal the Tartarian Prince of Circassia sent to tell us that his disposition would not suffer him to give the Ambassadors a personal visit but as soon as his health would permit him to take the air it should be the first thing he did The equipage of those who came along with the Person employ'd in this Message my very well deserve a little remark from us As to his Person he was somewhat of the tallest his complexion of an Olive-colour his hair long greasie and black as Jet and his beard of the same colour and fashion He had upon his upper Garment some black-Sheep-skin the woolly side out a Callot or close Cap on his head and his countenance such as a Painter might well take for an original if he were to represent the Devil His retinue were in no better order having about them only Coats or Garments of some very coarse Cloath brown or black We entertain'd them with certain Gobelets of Aquavitae and sent them sufficiently drunk to their Ship About noon we came to the River of Bolloclea in the mid-way between Kamuschinka and Zariza 90 werstes distant from either of them Having sail'd sixteen werstes further we came to a very high hill of sand called Strehlne near which we stayd all night Sept. 5. we had hardly weigh'd Anchor but the current forc'd us upon a sand-bank where we found but five foot and a half water While we were busied about getting off the Ship the Caravan got before us and made towards Zariza with a design to take in there some other Muskettiers for its convoy to Astrachan About noon we got to a place whence we might have gone in less than a days time as far as the River Don called by Ptolomey and other Antient Geographers Tanais which advances in that place as far as within seven leagues of the Wolga taking its course towards the East A little lower near Achtobska Vtska the Wolga divides it self into two branches whereof one which takes into the Country on the left hand goes a course contrary to that of the great River taking towards East-North-East but about one werste thence it re-assumes its former course and returns towards the South-East so to fall into the Caspian Sea In this place I found the Elevation to be 48 degrees 51 minutes Five werstes from the River and seven from Zariza may yet be seen the ruins of a City which they say was built by Tamberlane It was called Zaarefgorod that is to say the Royal City its Palace and Walls were of Brick which they still carry thence to build Walls Churches and Monasteries at Astrachan even at the time of our passage that way they were loading several great Boats with Brick bound for the place aforesaid In this place we saw a Fisher-man who coming close by our Ship-side took a Bieluga or white-fish which was above eight foot long and above four foot broad It was somewhat like a Sturgeon but much whiter and had a wider mouth They kill it much after the same manner as Oxen are kill'd among us by first stunning it with a knock with a mallet They sold it us for fifty pence Sept. 6. We overtook the Caravan at Zariza where most of the Passengers were landed and lodg'd in Tents upon the River-side expecting the Convoy which was to be sent from the adjacent Towns but the wind being still fair for us we kept on our course The City of Zariza is distant from Soratof 350 werstes and lies on the right side of the River at the bottom of a Hill fortify'd with five Bastions and as many wooden Towers It hath no other Inhabitants than about 400 Strelits or Muskettiers who serve against the incursions of the Tartars and Cosaques and are oblig'd to Convoy the Boats which go up and come down the River There I found the elevation to be 49 d. and 42. m. From the City of Zariza to
Astrachan and the Caspian Sea there is only wast grounds and heaths and so barren a soyl that being not able to bring forth any kind of Corn all that Country even the City of Astrachan it self is forc'd to send for Wheat to Casan whence there comes such abundance that it is cheaper at Astrachan than it is at Moscou Below Zariza lies the Isle of Zerpinske It is twelve werstes in length and the Souldiers of the Garrison of Zariza send their Cattel thither 〈◊〉 The Cosaques of those parts having observ'd that the Wives and Daughters of those Soldiers crossed over to the Island without any Guard went thither one day after them surpriz'd ravish'd and sent them back to their husbands without doing them any other mischief Behind this Isle there falls into the Wolga a little River which rises out of the Don but it hath hardly water enough for little Boats which I conceive may be the reason why Geographers represent it not in their Maps there being only Isaac Massa who hath put it into his and calls it Kamous The heats were there abou ts so great in the moneth of September as that of the Dog-dayes is not more insupportable in Germany yet the Muscovites affirm'd they were but ordinary Sept. 7. The weather chang'd and a Tempest following we could not advance much Having sayl'd ten werstes we saw on the right hand a Gibet erected upon a high reddish Hill It was the first we had seen in those parts and we were told it was set up by the Weywode of the next City for the execution of the Cosaques he should take within his Government and that he gave them no other quarter but that their Camerades suffered not the bodies to hang there above five or six dayes The same day an humour took the Ambassador Brugman to cause all the Servants belonging to the Embassy to come before him to whom he said that he had reason to believe that there were many among them who express'd little kindness and respect towards him and if occasion serv'd would do him all the ill Offices lay in their power and consequently that his desire was that the Musicians the Guards and the Lacqueyes should take their Oaths to be faithful to him Answer was made him that his distrust was ill-grounded that they saw not any reason why they should be oblig'd to a thing so extraordinary and that they were so far from having any ill design against him that on the contrary they were all ready to lay down their lives to do him any service but that they intreated him for his part to spare them as much as might be and to treat them more mildly than he had done which he promised to do but it was one of those promises that are either kept or broken The same day we met with a great Boat the Master whereof sent some Mariners aboard us to desire us to pity their sad condition and to relieve them with a little bread in the extremity they were in having not eaten ought for the space of four dayes They told us it was three weeks since they came from Astrachan and that they had been robb'd in their way by thirty Cosaques who had taken away all their Provisions VVe gave them a sack full of pieces of bread for which they gave us thanks with their ordinary Ceremonies bowing their heads down to the ground Forty Werstes from Zariza lies the Isle of Nassonofska and opposite thereto on the right hand a great flat Mountain of the same name Between the Isle and the Mountain there is a kind of a Grott where the Cosaques had some years before kill'd a great number of Muscovites who had lay'n there in ambush to surprise the others In the evening a certain Fisher-man brought us a kind of fish wâ—ich we had never seen before The Muscovites called it Tziberika and it was above five foot long with a long and broad snout like the Bill of a wild Drake and the body full of black and white spots like the Dogs of Poland but much more regular unless it were about the belly where it was all white It had an excellent good taste and was at least as pleasant as that of Salmon he sold us also another kind of fish much resembling a Sturgeon but much less and incomparably more delicate whereof there are abundance in the Wolga The 8. The Caravan which we had left at Zariza came up to us near a Cape called Popowitska Iurga upon this accompt that the son of a Muscovian Pope or Priest who had sometime headed the Cosaques and Bandits was wont to make his retreat and appoint his rendezvous at that place They count from Zariza to that place 70. werstes and thence to the Mountain of Kamnagar which lay on our right hand 40. werstes The River thereabouts is full of Isles and Sand-banks by which the Caravan was no less incommodated than we were though their Vessels were much less than ours Twenty werstes lower there is a very high Island four werstes in length called Wesowi near a River of the same name which falls into the Wolga on the right hand Thirty werstes lower the wind forc'd us into a corner where the River of Wolodinerski Vtsga falls into the Wolga But in regard we were loath to let slip the opportunity of making a great dayes journey which the fairness of that wind put us in hope we might do we with much difficulty made a shift to get out and afterwards pass'd by the Country of Stupin thirty werstes from the City of Tzornogar which was the first we were to come at the next day Ten werstes lower the Wolga puts out a second branch on the left hand called Achtobenisna Vtsga which joyns its waters to those of Achtobska whereof we spoke before Thence we sayl'd five werstes further where the whole fleet cast Anchor near the Isle of Ossina which is seven werstes from Tzornogar So that that day we got 135. werstes or 27. German Leagues that is at the least as far as it is from Paris to Saumur From this Countrey quite down to Astrachan on both sides of the River there grows abundance of Liquorice having a stalk as big as ones arm and about some four foot high The seed of it is much like a vitch and lies in cods upon the top of the stalk The Champain part of Media is cover'd therewith especially towards the River Araxes but the juyce of it is much sweeter and the root much bigger than that which grows in Europe Sept. 9. There rose a wind which soon grew into a Tempest and brought us about noon before the little City of Tzornogar where we stay'd It was but some nine years before that the Great Duke had given order for the building of this City which lies 200. werstes from Zariza some half a League lower than it is now but the great floods having wash'd away the
their affection were but slight earnests of the friendship we were to expect from them after our arrival into Persia. The 29. we were visited by the Myrsa or Tartar-Prince whom we had met two days before returning from his sport He made us a present of some wild Geese which he had taken and invited us to go along with him a-Hawking the next day which we had accepted but the Weywode would not permit it as we said before Septemb. the last the Weywode sent us a Present of some of the Country Preserves to wit Ginger-bread and the juyce of Goosberies reduc'd to a Past whereof some was dispos'd into the form of great Cheeses some flat and some in Rolls It was in taste somewhat sharp and picquant and not unpleasant The Muscovites put of this kind of paste into most of their sawces October the first the Secretary of the Embassy with two other Officers of the retinue were ordered to go to the Weywode about some business He receiv'd me with much civility made me set down by him and gave me a very favourable audience But before he answer'd the Proposions we had made to him he made great complaint of the unhandsome treatment which Rodivon our Pristaf whom the Great Duke had order'd to conduct us as far as Astrachan had received from the Ambassador Brugman He had given him very uncivil language and had call'd him Bledinsin Sabak c. never considering that he was employ'd by the Great Duke He told us further that to his knowledge the Pristaf was a person of honour and prudent in the management of his charge but that it was a great indiscretion in the Ambassador to treat him after that rate though Rodivon had not done his duty and that he should rather have made his complaints of him to his Czaarick Majesty or at least to those who represent the Prince's Person at Astrachan of whom he might have expected satisfaction That he could not believe the Duke of Holstein would take it well no more than the Great Duke that any publick Officer of his Country should be treated in that manner That he was oblig'd by the concernment of his charge to make those remonstrances to us but that there was not on the other side any reason the whole retinue should suffer for his mis-carriage and that that should not hinder him from giving us a speedy dispatch as indeed he immediately did The dayes following were spent in carrying aboard the Provisions which we had bought for the prosecution of our Voyage Our own people had bak'd Bread and Bisket and had brew'd a certain quantity of Beer We had bought of the Tartars twenty fat Oxen at between eight and fourteen Crowns a piece as also several Barrels of Salt-fish intending to go to Sea with the first opportunity And in regard we knew not what kind of sayling it was on the Caspian Sea and that it was represented to us as very dangerous by reason of the shallowness of the Wolga thereabouts for several leagues together besides our Muscovian Pilot we hired certain Tartars of the Country who promis'd to go before us in a Boat and to bring our ship into the main Sea Accordingly Oct. 10. we left Astrachan about noon having very fair weather taking our course towards South and South-west But we had not got a league ere a contrary wind rising forc'd us to the shore and kept us there all that day and the next We there receiv'd the visit of a certain Myrsa or Tartar-Prince a very handsome graceful person and one of the most considerable in those parts who presented us with a Mutton and a Barrel of Milk We observ'd that near Astrachan and for the most part all along the River Wolga the Earth produc'd Simples in great abundance and of incredible bigness The Herb which the Latins call Esula grew there as high as a Man and the Root of Angelica was as big as a Man's arm The Tempest being over the 12. we set forward but could get but a league that day We got not much more the 13. and were forc'd to cast Anchor near a little round Mountain on our left hand 15. werstes from Astrachan The Muscovites call this mountain Tomanoi-gor We gave it the name of the Snakie Mountain by reason of the abundance of Serpents we met with there It was full of Caper-trees and had abundance of the Herb called Semper-vivum of several kinds as Sea-house-leek Prickmadame c. The Plain which is at the foot of this Hill affords one of the most delightful Prospects of the World and that for several leagues together At night we saw in a Boat the Strelits who had convoy'd the Poslanick as far as Terki They told us there was no danger in our way and that they had come it in 24. hours The 14. the wind North-north-east we continu'd our Voyage and came in the afternoon over against a Chapel called Zuantzuk 30. werstes from Astrachan Hereabouts is the best fishing in the Country The Tartars call it Vtschu and it belongs to the Convent of Troitza or of the Trinity at Astrachan The River Wolga in this place divided into several Chanels making so many Isles which are covered all over with Bushes Canes and Ozier as is also the Coast of the Caspian Sea as far as the River Koisu There is among the rest one Isle named Perul 15. werstes from Vtschu in which we saw a house built of wood of a considerable height having on the roof of it a long pole with a Sheep's skull at the top of it and we were told it was the Sepulchre of a Tartarian Saint near which the Inhabitants as also some among the Persians when they either take a Voyage or are safely return'd home sacrifice a Sheep part whereof serves for the Sacrifice the rest for a Feast after the Sacrifice Having ended their Prayers and Devotions the Sheep's head is put on the top of the pole where it is left till it be either reliev'd by another or fall off of it self The Muscovites call this place Tataski Molobitza that is to say The Sacrifice of the Tartars Behind this Isle on the left hand there were upon a high but very smooth ascent a great number of Hutts At night we came to another Fishing-place 15. werstes from the Sea where the River is shut in with a Palizadoe and kept by a hundred Muscovian Musketiers who keep a guard there against the Cosaque Pirates In this place we saw a great number of Dog-fishes or Sea-hounds as also of that kind of Fowl which Pliny calls Onocratalus whose Beaks are long round and flat at the extremity as a Spoon beaten out Putting its Beak into the water it makes a noise not much unlike that of an Ass whence it hath the name but particularly we took notice of a kind of Geese or rather Cormorants whereof we made mention before The Muscovites call them Babbes the Persians
Sons the two younger whereof were no better in Cloaths than the most inconsiderable persons in the Country Behind them stood certain Servants on whose fore-heads and faces which they had torn with their nails might still be seen the marks of their mourning for the death of the elder brother who had been executed at Moscou On the left hand stood all in a file several Tartars who were all very aged Persons and represented the Council and Officers of the Court The Princess having answer'd our Complement ordered Seats to be brought and a little Table furnish'd with Fruits for the Collation at which our drink was Hydromel and Aquavitae We would have had the Princes to have sate down with us but they would not by any means do it alledging that it was not the Custome of the Country and that the respect they ought their Mother permitted not their sitting down in her presence The Collation being ended and the Princess and others of the Company having handled and taken particular notice of our Cloaths all over the Princess her self presented to each of us a large Cup full of a sort of Aquavitae extracted out of a Millet which we found as strong as Spirit of Wine The three Princes Presented us also with each of them a Cup and intreated us not to take it ill if they did the same honour to our Servants In the mean time there was opened behind the Princess a Chamber-door at the entrance whereof were to be seen several Ladies and amongst the rest the Princess's Daughter who was betroathed to the Sophy of Persia. She might be about sixteen years of age and was very handsome the clearness of her complexion having so much the greater lustre by reason of the extraordinary blackness of her hair These Ladies seemed to be no less desirous to see our Cloaths than those who were in the Hall thrusting one another towards the door which they immediately shut upon the least sign made to them by the Princess but they opened it again soon after to take a further view of us They call'd one of our servants to them to take the more particular notice of his Cloaths the fashion whereof they very much admir'd as also that of his Sword which they desir'd him to draw that they might see the blade of it But the Persian Envoy who every day visited the Princess coming into the Room while they were so employ'd the Chamber door was immediately shut upon them and we took leave of the Princess and the Princes her Sons and went to view the City We there met with several Women handsome young and well made having on them a kind of smocks of frocks of diverse colours who made no difficulty ever and anon to stay us till they had taken particular notice of our Cloaths Nov. 6. The Cuptzi sent us a Letter from the Governour of Derbent in answer to that which he had writ to him from Astrachan the 25 of Sept. before The contents of it was to express his joy at our arrival and to order the Cuptzi not to come away without us but to bring us along with him by Sea The 7. Our Interpreter Rustan return'd from the frontiers of Dagesthan with this news that those who had conducted the Muscovian Ambassador to the frontiers were return'd into Persia before his coming thither and that they thought it not enough to carry away the Camels and all the other Beasts fit for carriage but they had also taken along with them the pieces of Timber and Fagots without which it was impossible to get over those places where the Road was bad upon which intelligence it was immediately resolv'd that we should continue our Voyage by Sea The 8. The Princess sent the Ambassadors a present of two Sheep fifty Pullets and several other Provisions The high Chancellor of Muscovy sent us a Sheep a barrel of Beer and a-another of Hydromel In the afternoon the Prince Mussal came to give us a visit to bid us adieu There came along with him a Myrsa of Dagesthan a Brother of the Prince of Tarku's who made us believe he was come expreâ—s to conduct the Ambassadors as far as the place of his Brother's residence He was no better clad than the other Tartars having over his old cloaths a Cloak of a sort of very coarse Cloath but as to his corntenance and behaviour he express'd a fierceness beyond any of them not dissembling the trouble it was to him that we discover'd a greater respect for Mussal than for him and refusing to stand at the drinking of the Great Duke's health And when Mussal intreated him to consider the place he was in he confidently made answer that he knew not whether the Country he was then in were the Great Duke's or his own and began to pick a quarrel with him reproaching him that with all his gay Cloaths he was but a slave to the Muscovite whereas himself though but in raggs was nevertheless an absolute Prince that acknowledg'd no other superiour than God insomuch that at last not able to govern his passion he absolutely refus'd to drink the Czaar's health in any posture and went his wayes Some of his servants stole from our Minister a silver Spoon and a Knife and cut off one of the sleeves of my Doublet but they were forc'd to leave it behind them it being engag'd under some other Cloaths Prince Mussal staid with the Ambassadors and begg'd of them the pardon of the Mariner whom we had sent Prisoner to Terki The Ambassadors very freely satisfy'd his desire therein and so sent late that night the Secretary of the Embassy and another Gentleman to the Weywode to entreat him to return the Prisoner into our hands and to desire justice of him against the Muscovian Pilot who had run away from us two dayes before A good while after night a Lacquey was sent after us to press our immediate return to the Ship which was then ready to set sayl to make all the advantage they could of the Wind which for some hours had blown very fair We had dispatch'd all our business when the Lacquey came to us but notwithstanding all the expedition we could use we found the Ship under sayl but it was not long ere the Wind turning to the direct contrary point forc'd us to continue in the same place The Weywode in the mean time sent us his Present which consisted of a hundred pieces of hung Beef four tuns of Beer a puncheon of French Wine a tun of Hydromel a puncheon of Vinegar two Sheep four great Cakes of Ginger-bread and several Loafs of other bread There was bestow'd among those that brought the Present about 20. Crowns and good store of Aqua-vitae insomuch that they went their way very well satisfy'd Nov. 10. the Wind coming to South-west we set sayl at the break of day intending to take the course of the City of Derbent which is the nearest of any of
that frontier About noon we discover'd a Bark which at first took its course so as if it would have pass'd on the right hand of us then made as if she would come up streight to us and not knowing well what resolution to take they ever and anon made more or less sayl whereby perceiving that those who were in it were afraid of us the Ambassador Brugman gave order that the Ship should make streight towards the Bark put the Soldiers in their stations and commanded a certain number of great Guns to be fir'd at randome the more to frighten them The poor people immediately struck sayl and came near us They were Persians Fruit-Merchants and the Bark was then loaden with Apples Pears Quinces Nuts and other Fruits The Master of it who was Brother to our Pilot seeing him among a sort of people such as he had never seen before and believing he was their Prisoner began with horrid Cries and Lamentations to bewail his Brother's misfortune as also his own which he expected to fall into though he cry'd several times to him Korchma duschman lardekul Fear not they are friends among whom I am with my own consent But the other would hear of no perswasion to the contrary imagining that they forc'd him to speak to that purpose and could not recover himself out of the fear he was in till his Brother had acquainted him with the occasion which had brought him to our Ship Then was it that he took the courage to come himself into our Ship with a present of all sorts of Autumn-fruits whereof he also sold good store so cheap that a quarter of a hundred of very great Apples came not to a penny He was treated with Aquavitae after which he return'd to his Bark very well satisfied Much about this time we came near an Isle which the Muscovites call Tzetland and the Persians Tzenzeni eight Leagues from Terki on the left hand There we cast Anchor at three fathom and a half water and staid there four and twenty hours according to the custom of the Pesians We had lying before us a Treatise written by George Dictander who had Travell'd into Pesia in the year 1602. with an Ambassador sent thither by the Emperour Rodolph 11. who speaking of this Isle sayes that being the only man left alive at his return and staid in that place by the cold he had been forc'd to kill the Horses which the Sophy had bestow'd on him after he had consum'd all the other Provisions Having at our coming thither four or five hours of day-light remaining the Ambassadors thought it not amiss to go into the Island to see whether what they observ'd there were consonant to what the other had written thereof But all we could meet with worth our Observation was only three great poles fasten'd together and set up at one of the points of the Island beset all about with Roots and Boughs to serve for a direction to the Mariners and two great Ditches wherein some time before fire had been made This in all probability was done by the Cosaques who make their frequent retreats into that Island It lies at forty three degrees five minutes elevation and reaches in length from North-east to South-east about three German Leagues The soil is for the most part sandy and barren and towards the extremities either cover'd with shells or fenny and it is the only Island that is to be seen as we goe to Kilan West-ward of the ordinary course From this Island there may be seen in the Continent towards the South-west such high Mountains that we took them at first for Clouds Our people called them the Mountains of Circassia but the Muscovites nay the Inhabitants of Circassia themselves call it the Mountain Salatto and it is properly that Mountain which the Antients call Caucasus in the Province of Colchis which is the same that at this day is called Mengrelia and is so famous in Antiquity for the fabulous expedition of Iason for the Golden 〈◊〉 Its height which indeed is extraordinary in as much as it seems to extend it self to the Stars hath furnish'd the Poets with that fancy that it was from this Mountain Prometheus stole fire from the Sun to communicate it to men Quintus Curtius affirms that it crosses all Asia Certain indeed it is that the Mountains of Aratat and Taurus are so near and do so as it were cloze with it that it seems to be but one continu'd Mountain extending it self all through Asia from Mengrelia as far as the Indies From the Caspian Sea towards the Euxine Sea and Asia the lesser it is near fifty Leagues in breadth But let us see what Quintus Curtius says of it in the seventh Book of his History where he gives us this accompt of it They reach saith he from thence towards Mount Caucasus which divides Asia into two parts and leaves the Cilician Sea on the one-side and on the other the Caspian Sea the River Araxes and the Deserts of Scythia Mount Taurus which is to be ranked in the second place for its height is joyned to Caucasus and beginning in Cappadocia crosses Cilicia and reathes as far as Aâ—â—nia It is as it were a continu'd concatenation of Mountains out of which arise almost aâ—l the Rivers of Asia some whereof fall into the Red-sea and others into the Hyrcanian or that of Pontus The Army pass'd the Caucasus in seventeen days and came in sight of the Rock which is ten Stadia in compasse and about four in height where Prometheus was chained if we may credit the Poets Mount Aratat upon which Noah's Ark rested after the deluge and which the Armenians call Messina the Persians Agri and the Arabians Subeilahn is without comparison much higher than the Caucasus and is indeed but a great black Rock without any Verdure and cover'd with Snow on the top as well in Summer as Winter by means whereof it is discover'd fifteen Leagues into the Caspian Sea The Armenians and the Persians themselves are of opinion that there are still upon the said Mountain some remainders of the Ark but that time hath so hardned them that they seem absolutely petrify'd At Schamachy in Media we were shewn a Cross of a black and hard Wood which the Inhabitants affirmed to have been made of the Wood of the Ark and upon that account it was look'd upon as a most precious Relick and as such was wrapp'd in Crimson Taffata The Mountain is now inaccessible by reason of the precipices whereby it is encompass'd of all sides Imaniculi Sulthan whom the Sophy sent Ambassador to the Duke of Holstein our Master and whose Territories lye in those parts in the Country of Karabah told us many very remarkable particulars of it These high Mountains are a great direction to those who have no Compass to sail by in the Caspian Sea in as much as changing their form according to the several prospects they afford the Pilots
and Aquavitae which the Persians were so greedy of that one of them a person of quality who never had drunk any before and would needs do it out of complyance to us took so much of it that the next day he was found dead in his bed After this treatment which lasted till midnight the Chan permitted us to withdraw and assign'd us Lodging among the Armenians because they were Christians but in regard our Hosts had had no notice of our coming and that our Baggage was not yet arriv'd we found neither Beds nor Benches nor Tables so that after so good a Supper we had a very ill night of it The last day of December the Chan sent the Ambassadors several refreshments Wine wild Fowl and other Provisions The Calenter or Lieutenant ordered to be allow'd us for our dayly Provision seventeen Sheep twenty Pullers a hundred Eggs a certain quantity of Salt and Bread fifty quarts of Wine and twenty burthens of Wood. This was very punctually observ'd for the four or five first dayes but the Mehemander being oblig'd to get in these Provisions out of the neighbouring Villages which he could not so procure but that it was sometimes three or four dayes ere we could get our allowance the Chan sent us word that it were more for our convenience to send to the Market for our Provisions and that we might be assur'd that what we laid out should be reimburs'd at our departure thence To that purpose he caus'd it to be Proclaim'd by sound of Trumpet that all Provisions should be sold to the Frenqui for so they call the Germans as well as the French Italians and Spaniards at a reasonable rate We continu'd three full moneths at Scamachie expecting orders from the Court for our expence and the prosecution of our journey The Governour and Calenter endeavour'd what they could in the mean time to make this long stay of ours there the less â—eadious by the continual entertainments they made us as also by the divertisements of Hunting and the Visits they often gave the Ambassadors together with the frequent Presents they sent them of Wine wild-fowl and fruits M.DC.XXXVII We began this year with the Ceremonies of the Persian Gentleman's Enterrment who had kill'd himself by his excessive drinking of Aquavitae at the first Entertainment which the Governour had given us the day of our arrival We shall have occasion hereafter to speak of the Ceremonies of their Enterrments and therefore shall give no futher accompt of it here than that ordinarily the Bodies are carried into the Metzid Mosquey or Church whence they are afterwards transported to Babylon Kufa or Netschef to be interr'd near their Prophet Aaly or near some other of their Imans or Saints Ianuary 2. the Governour and the Calenter visited the Ambassadors and brought along with them Conserves and Wine for the Collation The Chan's design was to hear our Musick whereof he had heard much talk and accordingly he was so taken therewith that he importun'd the Ambassadors to go and sup with him at the Castle and to bring their Musick along with them It consisted of a Violin a Base-Viol a Bandore and a Voice The Ambassadors would at first have put him off but his instances were such that they could not possibly do it insomuch that we pass'd away the remainder of that day in the same Divertisements as he had entertain'd us with the first day of our arrival Only there was this extraordinary that the Governour ordered to be brought out of the Stable some of his best Horses to the number of twenty seven among which there were three which the Sophy had sent him not long before as so many assurances of his favour He caus'd one of the Gentlemen belonging to his Chamber to mount them all and to take several turns thereon about the Hall though the floor were cover'd with very rich Tapistry Ian. 5. the Chan sent the Ambassadors word that if they were desirous to be present the next day at the Ceremonies performed by the Armenians at the Consecration of their Holy-water at which he should himself be in person he would order a particular place to be kept for them The Armenians call this feast Chatschae Schuran that is the Baptism of the Cross. The Ceremonies are performed without the City near a Bridge called Puli Amberi The Armenians celebrate this Feast as do also the Muscovites and some other Christians upon the sixth of Ianuary which is the day of the Epiphany or appearance of the Star to the Kings or Wise-men They began it with a Mass which was said betimes in the morning before day After Mass there was a Sermon preach'd the former being said in a manner with the same Ceremonies as the Roman-Catholicks do it in Europe The Ambassadors whose Lodgings were near the Chapel of the Armenians made no difficuly to be present at both Mass and Sermon and after the latter they were Complemented by the Bishop who had Preach'd it and who came purposely for that Exercise from the place of his ordinary residence He gave them to understand by an Interpreter how glad he was to see their Devotions honour'd by the Presence of Persons of that quality since it could be no small comfort to them to see in their Churches Europaean Christians who had never come into them before Whereto he added that their Excellencies the Ambassadors knew not who he was but that he should find a time to acquaint them therewith from which Discourse of his we inferr'd that he was some Missionary of the Pope's sent into these parts to endeavour the Re-union of the Greâ—k Church with the Roman He further intreated the Ambassadors to use their Mediation to the Governour that they might be permitted to carry on the building of a Monastery which the Armenians had begun which they promised to do About noon the Armenians by order from the Governour brought us fifteen Horses upon which we rode to the River which is about half a League from the City Those poor people who were come to the City from all the adjacent Villages went out of it in Procession with abundance of Images Crosses and Banners guarded to the River-side by a strong part of Soldiers which the Governour had assign'd them for their Protection against the injuries and affronts of the Mussulmans or Mahumetans who make it thier sport to abuse them The Governour had caus'd a Tent to be pitch'd over against the place where the Consecrâ—tion was to be performed very richly hung with Tapistry and had ordered a sumptuous Collation to be made ready in it There were on his left hand the Muscovian Poslanick and a great number of Gentlemen and the right he had kept void for the Ambassadors and some of their retinue After he had receiv'd us and made us sit down he commanded the Armenians to begin their Ceremonies As soon as they begun Reading at the River-side four men stark naked leap'd
Horse Having Travell'd about two Leagues we found a Scotch-man of our retinue whose name was Alexander Chambers dead in the Waggon though at the Loading of the Baggage he seem'd to be so well as that it was conceiv'd he might have gone through the Journey which occasion'd us to make a Halt to dispose of the Body into the ground We buried him at the bottom of a little Hill cover'd all over with Hyacinths on the left hand near the High-way Having got half a League further we came to the Sepulchre of another Saint named Pyr Mardechan in the Country of Fakerlu where we were forc'd to take up our Quarters in the open Air and without Tents making a shift in that manner to pass over one of the sharpest Nights we had in all our Journey by reason of the Storm which came attended by Lightning Thunder Wind Rain Snow and Frost the Ambassador Brugman being desirous to outvy the Thonder with our Artillery which he caus'd to be several times discharg'd The next day the same Ambassador having observ'd that several pieces of Canon were left behind because there were not Camels enough to bring them away and that the Horses were too weak to draw them would needs fall out with the Mehemander and was so transported with Passion that he came to Railing and Spetting when he nam'd the Chan and the Calenter and said that the Chan had not been so good as his Word and had ly'd in all he said but that he should resent it and that he would either have his Life or the other should have his Some were of opinion that he would stay there till the pieces we had left at Scamachie were brought up but upon the Remonstrances of some others that the place was too incommodious that we had nothing over our Heads that we should want both Wood and Provisions and that the sick Persons would not be able to endure the Cold it was resolv'd we should go on which we did and came after two Leagues travel to a Caravansera called Tachâ—si and having gone two Leagues further we were got to the top of the Mountain of Schamachie Upon the top of the said Mountain there is a fair Plain and an even and fertile ground though in Winter and at the beginning of the Spring Rain Snow and hard Weather are no strangers there and bring the same inconveniences along with them as they do in some parts of Europe But as soon as we were come to the brow or descent of the Mountain we saw a clear Sky a chearful Sun and discover'd a Country wholly cover'd with Verdure in a spacious Plain which reaching above ten Leagues without any excrescency so much as to the height of two foot represented to us as it were in a Map the Course and Conjunction of those two Rivers Araxes and Cyrus which the Writings of Antient Historians and Geographers have so highly celebrated This descent was above half a league but easie and not very steepy so that those who went fore-most looking behind them saw the last of our company descending as it were out of the Clouds We took up our Lodging that night in certain Ottacks or Huts which the Tartarian Shepherds had set up there near their Flocks Mar. 30. we got four leagues along the Plain as far as the Village of Kasilu We met in our way with a company of Sheep-herds and Cow-herds who march'd with their Houses and all their Houshold-stuff their Wives and Children all as it were shuffled together in Wagons or pack'd up upon Horses Cows Asses and other Creatures not ordinarily us'd in carriage after a very odd manner and such as represented a very Fantastick kind of Transmigration Ever after that day we had nothing but fair weather a Sky clear and without any cloudiness save that when we travell'd over the Mountains we might in the Morning see the Heavens a little over-cast but as soon as the Sun appear'd all was dispell'd March the last we travell'd two leagues along the River side to a Village named Tzauat upon the right side of the Kur or the River which the Antients called Cyrus all the Houses whereof were built of Reeds and Canes and cover'd with Earth About a quarter of a league above this Village is the Conflux or meeting of this River with that of Araxes which is now called Aras at thirty nine degrees fifty four minutes Elevation the Cyrus coming from West-north-west and the Aras from South-west These Rivers after they are met together are about four hundred paces in breadth Their water is black and deep and the brink on both sides pretty high All along the River side and all the Meadow grounds of the Province of Mokan were cover'd with Liquorice the stalk whereof is many times as big as a man's arm and the juyce beyond all comparison sweeter and more pleasant than that of Europe The River Kur serves for a common Frontier to the two Provinces of Schiruan and Mokan and there is a Bridge of Boats over it near Tzawat We pass'd over it the second of April and found on the other side of the River another Mehemandar whom the Chan or Governour of Ardebil had sent to meet us and to conduct us in the pursuance of our Journey as far as the chief City of his Government He had brought along with him for the carriage of us and the Baggage forty Camels and three hundred Horses in regard the way we were then to come into being very bad by reason of the continued Mountains and Valleys we could not have made any use of our Waggons He supply'd us with Provisions in abundance allowing us every day ten Sheep thirty Batmans of Wine and Rice Butter Eggs Almonds Raisins Apples and all sorts of Fruits as much as we pleas'd On Sunday after Sermon we departed taking our way along the River Aras for above a League We lodg'd that night within half a League of the River at the entrance of a great Heath in Hutts which the Mehemandar had purposely ordered to be provided for our convenience April the third we pass'd over the Heath which reaches about four Farsangs or Persian Leagues and we were lodg'd again that night in Hutts as we had been the night before We had seen all that day in great Herds a kind of Deer which the Turks call Tzeiran and the Persians Ahu which have some resemblance to our Harts save that they are rather Red than Fawn and their Horns have no Brow-anclers but are smooth and lye backward like those of wild Goats They are very swift and there are not any of that kind as we were told but what are in the Province of Mokan and about Schamachie Karrabach and Merrage April 4. we were forc'd to leave the way of the Heath though much the nearer and to take another which brought us by a great compass of above six Leagues to a Torrent called Balharu out of this
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
in the Persian and Turkish Languages but all excellently painted richly bound and cover'd with Plates of Gold and Silver carv'd and branch'd The books of History were enrich'd with several representations in colours In the Neeches of the Vault there were above three or four hundred Vessels of Porcelane some so large as that they contain'd above 40. quarts or Liquour These only are used at the entertainments which are brought from the Sepulchre to the King and other great Lords who pass that way for the holiness of that place permits not that they should make use of any Gold or Silver Nay it is reported of Schich-Sefi that he out of an excessive humility made use onely of Woodden Dishes Thence we were brought to the Kitchin the Door whereof was also cover'd with Plates of Silver and all things within it were so handsomly ordered that it was not a little to be admire'd The great Cauldrons were all set in a row and seal'd within the Wall along which pass'd a Pipe which by divers Cocks supply'd all the Kitchin with water The Cooks of all degrees had every one his place according to their functions and employments This Kitchin maintains every day above a thousand persons accompting those belonging to the house and the poor among whom they distribute thrice a day Pottage Rice and Meat to wit in the morning at six at ten and in the after-noon at three The two morning-meals are upon the accompt of Schich-Sefi who to that end lay'd a foundation of fifty Crowns per diem and the third is an Alms bestow'd there by order from the King of Persia. Besides these there are so many Alms distributed there upon the accompt of private persons that there is not only enough to maintain the poor but there is much over and above which is sold to those who are asham'd to beg At the time of these meals or distributions they sound two Timbrels which as they say were brought from Medina with the Banner of Fatima by Schach Sedredin Going out of the Kitchin we entred into a very fair Garden where we saw the Sepulchres of Sulthan Aider Schach-Tamas and several other Kings of Persia which were in the open air and without any thing over them but a smooth stone The principal Lords whose Sepulchres are to be seen in this Meschaich are 1. Shich-Sefi the son of Seid-Tzeibrail 2. Schich-Sedredin the son of Sefi 3. Schich-Tzinid the son of Sedredin whom some Europaean Authors erroneously call Guined 4. Sulthan Aider the son of Tzinid who was flead alive by the Turks 5. Schich Aider the son of Sulthan Aider 6. Schach-Ismael the son of Schich Aider 7. Schach Tamas the son of Schach-Ismael 8. Schach-Ismael the second of that name the son of Schach-Tamas 9. Schach-Mahomet Choddabende son of Schach-Ismael 10. Ismael Myrsa brother of Choddabende 11. Hemsa Myrsa 12. Schach Abas sons of Choddabende Schich-Sedredin ordered his Sepulchre to be built after the death of his Father by an Architect whom he had brought along with him from Medina and according to a Model which he drew of it himself by Miracle for the Persians affirm that both he and his Father wrought many which was that having commanded the Architect to shut his eyes he ravish'd him into an extasie during which he gave him a sight of the Model according to which he would have that Structure built and according to which it was afterwards done Schich-Tzinid adding thereto the great Court and several Houses augmented it so as that now it seems a very noble and spacious Castle whither there comes every day so great a number of persons to Discourse or Walk that there are few Princes Courts where there are more seen The foundations of several Kings its vast Revenues and the Presents which are daily made thereto do so augment the Wealth of it that some conceive its Treasure amounts to many Millions of Gold and that in case of necessity this Mesar might raise and maintain a very powerfull Army and that it would furnish more ready Money than the King could himself Besides the Farms and Dairies which depend on it it hath within the City of Ardebil two hundred Houses nine publick Baths eight Caravanseras or Store-houses that great Vault which is called the Kaiserie all the Meydan with its Vaults and Shops a hundred other Shops in the Basar and the Market-places where Cattel Wheat Salt and Oyl are sold. The Astasnischin or Regraters and Hucksters and those who sell Commodities in open Market having neither Shops nor Stalls pay certain duties thereto It is possess'd about Ardebil of thirty three Towns or Villages and in the Province of Serab of five Villages In the City of Tauris it hath sixty Houses and a hundred Shops and two Villages without the City several Caravanseras and Baths in the City of Casuan as also in the Province of Kilan and Astara The duties of Abschur and Eleschur in the Province of Mokan belong to it and one moyety of those of Chalchat Kermeruth and Haschteruth not accounting what the Tartars and Indians who make profession of the Persian Religion send thither nor the Presents which are brought from all parts in consequence of the Vows which they are wont to make in great Journeys in their Sickness nay indeed in any business of Importance which they very Religiously perform Besides all these there are so many Gifts Donations and Legacies made to it that there passes not a day but a man shall see going thither Horses Asses Camels Sheep Money and other things All these things are receiv'd by two Persons who are oblig'd by an Oath to be faithful to that sacred place and they are called Nessurtzchan from the word Nesur which signifies a Vow and they have an allowance out of the revenue of a fair Village which is within half a League of the City called Sultanabath which was granted by Schich Ismael to that purpose These Commissaries are every day in an apartment on the left hand as a man goes into the Metzid Tzillachane and are set on both sides of a Chest or Box cover'd with crimson Velver into which they put the Money that is brought them as they do also that which arises by the sale of those Horses Camels and Asses which are bestow'd on the Sepulchre for the Oxen and Sheep are kill'd and distributed among the poor They give those who bring them a small Present which is a handful of Anniseed and they are given to understand thereby that their Souls shall enjoy serenity and blisse in the other VVorld They also give the Pilgrims who come thither to do their Devotions a Certificate of their being there and of the Prayers they said there which serves not only for a Testimony of the profession of their Religion but also for a protection against several disgraces and misfortunes nay which is more for the saving of their Lives Accordingly our Interpreter Rustan having resolv'd to leave us and
places to conduct Strangers at their departure with the same Ceremonies as they had receiv'd them withall it being according to their perswasion an incivility to bring such as they had before kindly entertain'd out of their Lodgings Accordingly after we had travell'd about a League we met him in the fields and with him a Sulthan of Tabris who being Marshal in the Persian Army had about him a considerable number of people who were all cover'd with Tygres and Lynx's skins and by their countenances discover'd the quality of their Master The Governour carried the Ambassador Crusius into the Ottaks or Huts of the Tartarian shepherds not much out of the High-way whither he had brought abundance of cold Meat Fruits and Conserves Having taken leave of him we prosecuted our journey over a high and craggy Mountain till we came to the Village of Busum which lies in a bottom four Leagues from Ardebil There we over-took our Baggage and our Artillery but the Wheels of the Carriages were so spent that the Ambassador Brugman was with much ado perswaded that it were more convenient to leave the six greater Pieces there upon the promise made by the Mehemander that he would get an order from the King to the Governour of Ardebil to have them sent after us and to that end he took the bore and size of them We took along with us the two little brass Pieces weighing each of them 300. weight and four murchering Pieces Iune the 13. we continu'd our journey through very bad way and over Mountains with such dreadfull precipices that not thinking it safe to trust the Beasts with the Litter wherein the Ambassador Brugman lay we had it carried by men In the Vallies we found many great Villages and Huts and excellent Meadows all cover'd with fair Cattel Having travell'd five Leagues or better that day we came at night to a Village called Sengoa where we found a Melik or Receiver general of the whole Province of Chalcal which begins at that Village and reaches as far as the River Kisilosein His name was Baindur and he had succeeded his Father in that employment who had been so much in favour with Schach-Abas that with one of the VVomen of his Seraglio whom he married he gave him two or three great Lordships The 14. our way lay still over high Mountains yet in our way we pass'd through three Villages where our Mehemandar fail'd not according to his custom to take up Horses pretending they were for us that the Countrey people might be oblig'd to redeem them Having travell'd four farsangs or leagues we came into a very pleasant Valley where we lodg'd near a delightfull Spring And whereas we had some occasion to stay there till the next day at noon I had the leasure to observe the height of the Sun there and found that we were at thirty seven degrees and twenty minutes of the Line In this place we saw green Grass-Hoppers which were above three Inches in length and one and a half in compass The 15. presently after Dinner we set forward on our journey and the Ambassador Brugman finding himself a little more hearty got on Hors-back with the rest Before we got to the dreadful Mountain Taurus which the Persians call Perdelis we came to a bottom which presented it self to our view like an Abyss We were two hours in getting down to it and above three in getting out of it though between the points of the Mountains there seem'd not to be half a League distance It is a most dangerous passage for Travellers who are oblig'd to come in strong parties for fear of falling into the hands of Robbers who discover at a distance the number of passengers and accordingly judge whether they can engage them or must let them alone There runs through the bottom the River Kisilosein which falls into it through Rocks and Precipices with an inconceivable swiftness and a noise that stuns the passengers The waters of it are whitish whence it comes that in the Province of Kilan where it falls into the Caspian Sea it is in Talisman called Isperuth Schach-Tamas built a very fair Bridge over it of Brick containing nine Arches The way was planted on both sides with wild Almond-Trees Cypress and Sena-Trees Having cross'd the River we came to the Ascent which was very steepy though it went still winding till it came to the top of the Mountain and it was so hard to get up that to advance ought we were many times forc'd to step up as if we got up a pair of stairs having in the mean time on our left hand Precipices and Abysses so dreadfull to look on that the Mule of a Muscovian Ambassador falling down there was never after seen or heard of insomuch that thinking it not safe to ride it up we alighted and led our Horses By that time we were got to the top of the Mountain it was night and that so dark that we lost our way in the absence of our Mehemandar who had stay'd behind in some Villages in the bottom We were gotten into very dangerous wayes and went still a-foot though the trouble we had been at which had put us all into a sweat weariness and the cold which beat into our faces might well have prevail'd with us to make use of our Horses We were three whole hours ere we overcame the darkness of the night and all other imaginable inconveniences but at last about midnight we got to the Village of Keintze four Leagues from our last Lodging We stay'd there all the next day as well in expectation of our Mehemandar and to give our Horses a little rest as to refresh our selves after the precedent day's weariness with the Divertisement which Wine our Musick and the noise of our Artillery could afford us We intended to give our Mehemandar a sharp reprehension and reproach him with his negligence but he soon stopp'd our mouths telling us that he could not but acknowledge himself oblig'd by his charge to wait on the Ambassadors and that he should not have neglected their service but that he had not the heart to hear the injurious and blasphemous expressions which fell every foot from the Ambassador Brugman which yet should not hinder him from taking order that we should be plentifully supply'd with Provisions wherein to give him his due he failed not and contributed much to the good Cheer we made that day The 17. we left Keintze after the mid-day's great heat was a little over but our Mehemandar instead of Conducting us along the High-way made us turn on the right hand and Lodg'd us in a Village called Hatzimir seated in a bottom which was of all sides encompass'd with Rocks The Melik or Receiver of the place treated us with certain Basins of fruit Apricocks and Grapes which were not fully ripe and a sack of Wine wherewith we made a Collation which serv'd us for a Supper for our Cook
his way like a Torrent yet express'd a certain respect for those things which were though out of superstition accompted sacred Near this Mosquey there is also to be seen another great Gate of free-stone between two Pillars twenty fathom high which seems to be antique and had been built at the Ceremonies of some Triumph but it begins now to decay The City hath about six thousand Inhabitants who wondred very much to hear us relate that some of those who have published their Travels into Persia would make the World believe that the cold weather forc'd them in the Winter time to forsake the City and change their Habitations For it is so far from being true that there are many places in Persia where the cold obliges the Inhabitants to change their Habitations that on the contrary it is an effect ordinarily caus'd there by the Heat True indeed it is that there are some places in that Kingdome where the cold is very incommodious by reason of the scarcity of firing as for instance near Eruan at a place called Deralekes as being seated between two Mountains and especially at the Village of Arpa But it is not so great as to oblige the Inhabitants to change their Habitations for they only quit their upper Rooms and retire into Cellars built very deep under ground not only to serve them for a place of retirement in the Winter time against the cold but also in Summer against the heat Iune 25. we left Sulthanie after we had staid there three dayes which were spent up and down the Country in getting us fresh Horses and Camels The sick persons who by reason of their weakness were not able to ride on Horse-back were dispos'd into such Chests as the Women make use of when they travel The Persians call them Ketzawhea and they are put on Camels backs like Carriers packs The Physician and my self were set upon the same Camel whereby we were put to two great inconveniences one proceeding from the violent Motion caus'd by the going of that great Beast which at every step gave us a furious jolt and the other from the insupportable stink of the Camels whereof there being but one Boy to guide eight or ten they were ty'd one to another and went all in a file insomuch that the infectious smell of all that went before came full into our Noses We departed two hours before Sun-rising and travell'd that day six Leagues through a very fertil Country all arable and pasture Lands leaving on the left hand the little Mountains called Tzikitzâ—ki where the King of Persia's best Race-Horses and Mares for breed are kept About noon we took up our Lodging at the Village of Choramdah which lies on the side of a little River having so many Trees and Gardens about it that it is not without reason that name is given it which signifies a place of Pleasure The 26. we departed thence in the night and travell'd five Leagues or better over Mountains and Valleys The 27. we departed at mid-night and having travell'd five Leagues we were got by Sun-rising near the City of Casuin or Cashan but that the Daruga who had the Command of it might have the leisure to set his affairs in order for our entrance our Mehemander carried us to a Village were we staid above two hours till such time as the Daruga came to receive us This entrance was not accompany'd with the same Ceremonies as we had seen in other places in regard the Governour having not the dignity of Chan could not express the same Magnificence Yet was it handsom enough in as much as the Daruga came attended by five or six hundred men horse and foot There came also to meet us an Indian Prince accompany'd by some Gentlemen on horse-back of his own Countrey and follow'd by a great number of Lacqueys and Pages He came in a kind of Chariot having one other person with him in it The Chariot was drawn by two white Oxen which had very short necks and a bunch between the two shoulders but they were as swift and manageable as our horses The Chariot was cover'd above and lay'd over two Wheels which instead of an Axletree turn'd upon a piece of Iron made so crook'd at the middle that it bore the weight of the whole Chariot The Charioteer sate before and guided the Oxen fasten'd to a Beam which was made fast to the Horns with a Cord drawn through their Nostrils Being come within 500. paces of the City we met with fifteen young Ladies excellently well mounted very richly clad in Cloath of Gold and Silver c. having Neck-laces of great Pearls about their necks Pendants in their ears and abundance of other Jewels Their faces were to be seen contrary to the custom of honest Women in Persia. Accordingly we soon found as well by their confident carriage as the accompt given us of them that they were some of the Eminent Curtezans about the City who came to entertain us with the Divertisement of their Musick They march'd before us and sung to the sound of certain Hawboyes and Bag-pipes that went before them making a very extravagant kind of Harmony And that we might be sure to see the City we were carried quite through it and Lodg'd on the other side thereof As we pass'd through the Meydan we saw several persons playing on Timbrels and Hawboyes who joyning with the other Musicians accompany'd us to our Quarters The people came also thither in great numbers some of them having it put into their heads that there were in the Ketzawehas some great Beauties whom we carried as â—â—â—ents to the King but when they saw sick persons with great beards coming out of them they hung down their heads and made all the haste they could away I found this City conformably to the Calculation of the Persians and Arabians at 85. degrees Longitude and at 36. degrees 15. minutes Latitude It is one of the principal Cities of the Province of Erak which is the ancient Parthia wherein is comprehended as well Sulthania as all the other Cities froth this place as far as Ispahan It was antiently called Arsacia and it is seated in a great sandy Plain having within half a dayes journey of it Westward the great Mountain of Elwend which reaches towards the South-west as far as Bagdat or Babylon The City is a farsang or good German league in compass but hath neither Walls nor any Garrison kept in it by reason it lies at so great a distance from the Frontiers Yet hath it with these disadvantages above a hundred thousand Inhabitants whereof if there were occasion for them a good part might be put into Arms. Their Language is the Persian but somewhat different from the common Dialect whence it comes that it is not so intelligible to the other Persians being much after the rate that the German Language is to the Hollanders The houses are all of Brick bak'd in the Sun according
which amount to seventy five French Pistols But coming afterwards to the Crown he caus'd him immediately to be redeem'd and with the quality of Sulthan bestow'd on him the Government of Katschan The Persians put this City of Katschan at 84 degrees longitude and at thirty four distant from the Line After an exact Observation of three days I found that it is distant from it thirty three degrees and 51 minutes that is nine minutes less The City is of a great length reaching from East to West above half a German League Its Walls and bastions are of a kind of Potters day and it lies in a great Plain the ground of which is good enough for Tillage and there may be discover'd from it on the right hand Mount Taurus which the ' Porsians call Elwend As you come to the City you pass through a place appointed for tilting and running at the Ring which hath on both sides several Pillars and in the midst a high Pole for shooting at the wooden Parrat On the left hand of that place or Carriere you leave the King's Garden wherein there is one Summer-house standing in the midst of it and another near it upon the High-way We were told that the former hath a thousand Doors belonging to it comprehending in that number the Windows through which they pass into the Galleries and Balconies It is to be observ'd withall that there is no Door but hath its Counter-door in regard the Wall being above two foot thick there is a Door on each side of it so that the number is not so great as it seems to be at first In this House the King is Lodg'd when he comes to Katschan The City is no doubt one of the most populous and most eminent for Trading of any in Persia and the best Built of any we were yet come to whether in regard of its private Houses or its Palaces and Caravansera's but the Basar and Maidan and the other publick structures which have all their Store-houses Galleries and Rooms for the Merchants as well such as live within the Kingdom as Foreiners are the noblest I met with in all my Travells into those parts There is in this City at all times a great number of forein Merchants and above all Indians who are assigned there a particular place for their Habitation and Traffick as are also all the other Merchants Tradesmen especially such as make Silk-stuffs and Weavers of Gold and Silver Brocadoes work in open places where all the World may see them The Valleys are very fruitfull in Wheat Wine and Fruits which grow in such abundance there that I find no difficulty to acknowledge what Cartwright sayes of these parts to wit that the poorest and most indigent of the Inhabitants have not only what is requisite for their subsistence but also somewhat of delicacy and that what they most stand in need of is fresh water For there is not any to be had without digging very deep into the Earth and what there was so got we thought very distastfull to the Palat and so corrupt that had there not been an extraordinary necessity we should have been much troubled to swallow it I must withall confess that I could not observe that excellent order and commendable policy which Cartwright sayes he had seen there in the Institution of Youth nor that they are more carefull there than in other places to accustom it timely to pains-taking so to avoid idleness and the inconveniences consequent thereto True it is that the great number of Children which are ordinarily to be found there in Families which by reason of Polygamy are very numerous obliges the Parents to be the more carefull for their subsistence but the Persians for the most part are so little inclin'd to pains-taking that commonly you shall either see them walking in the Maidan or discoursing in the Shops while they leave most of their work to be done by their slaves Which happens hence that being themselves very temperate and content with little and on the other side Provisions being very cheap they conceive they ought not to take much pains for what is superfluous and those things whereof there is no great necessity So that there are even in these parts idle Persons and Beggers as well as in other places What the same Cartwright sayes concerning the Scorpions and other venemous Creatures is very true For of these there are about Katschan more than at any other place of Persia and such as are so dangerous that they have occasion'd that Malediction Akrab-Kaschan be destet senet may the Scorpion of Kaschan pinch thee by the hand We found some of them in our Lodging as black as cole about the length and compass of a man's finger and we were told that these were the most dangerous of any sort of them They are somewhat like our Crabs or Crevisses save that their Bodies are shorter they go faster and they have their tails alwayes sticking up Whence it comes that the Inhabitants never lay their Mattresses or Beds upon the ground as they do in other places but they set them upon a kind of Trevets or Frames which they call Tzarpay They affirm also that these Beasts have a certain respect for strangers and that to prevent their stinging they are only to pronounce these words Menkaribem I am a stranger But for my part I am of opinion that strangers who stand more in fear of them than the Inhabitants are only the more oblig'd to themselves for the care they have of their own safety though I never could hear that those who are stung by them dye of it For they have a present and easie remedy against this kind of poison by applying a piece of Copper to the place affected for which Cure they ordinarily make use of that Money which they call Pul and thence it comes that they carry some of it alwayes about them and having left that piece for the space of 24. hours upon the part stung they take it off and put on the Wound a Plaister made of Honey and Vineger It was my misfortune to be the only man of all our retinue that had occasion to make triall how venemous this Creature is For lying down upon my Bed at Scamachie in our return from Ispahan a Scorpion stung me in the throat where it made immediately a swelling about the length of my finger which was attended with insupportable pain As good fortune would have it our Physician who lay in the same Chamber immediately apply'd thereto the Oyl of Scorpion gave me some Treacle and put me into a sweat which deliver'd me from the greatest of my pains at the end of three hours but I had still some pain for the two dayes following but by intervals and it was as if I had been prick'd with a Needle nay indeed for many years afterwards I have been troubled with the same pains at certain times especially in Autumn much about the
that end sent them forty gallant Horses out of his own Stables the Saddles and Harnesses whereof were adorn'd with great plates of Gold The Ambassadors made use only of two and also ordered the Gentlemen and the principal Officers to ride on Horse-back but the rest went a-foot in the following order First march'd three men or Horse-back two whereof were in compleat arms having Flowers and other Workmanship of Gold The third was arm'd only as a Horse-man with Back Breast and Pot yet all very rich After him march'd forty Persons having every one a Case of Pistols the best that could be had in the Low Countries with their Holsters the laps whereof were Embroider'd Next four men carrying two rich Cymitars the sheaths whereof were of yellow Amber garnish'd with Gold in very rich Cases Next two men with Walking staves done about with Amber which the Persians esteem above Gold in very rich Cases Four men carrying so many great Candlesticks of Amber Two others carrying a Cabinet of white and yellow Amber Four others carrying a Cabinet of Ebony garnish'd with Silver having within it in Golden Boxes several Druggs Essences and Magisteries and the coverings thereof beset with fine stones which signify'd what Magistery there was in every Box. And whereas it is the custom of the Country that Ambassadors are oblig'd to make some Presents from themselves and upon their own accompt the Ambassador Crusius sent in an Arquebuss the stock whereof was of Ebony which cock'd it self by letting down the Cock A vessel of Rock Chrystal done about with Gold and beset with Rubies and Turqueses a Cabinet of Amber and a small striking Clock The Ambassador Brugman presented the King with a gilt brass Candlestick that had thirty branches having a striking Watch within the body of it a pair of gilt Pistols in very rich Holsters a very fair Hour-glass a Watch in a Topaze case a Bracelet of Diamonds and Rubies and a Writing whereby were presented the two pieces of Canon which we had left at Ardebil Every one had his place assign'd him to the end that all things might be presented to the King with the observance of some Order but the Persians never observe it in any Ceremony insomuch that they were no sooner got into the street but they were all in disorder and march'd with such â—onfusion that the Ambassadors Retinue could not make the Procession they expected First there should have march'd three Sergeants with Halberds in the Head of fifteen Musketiers After them the Mashal or Steward alone in the Head of the Gentlemen who march'd three a breast Then three Trumpeters with silver Trumpets and after them march'd the Guards four a-breast immediately before the Ambassadors who had on both sides eight Halberteers and behind them the two Interpreters The eight Pages follow'd on horse-back in very rich Liveries and after them the rest of our people marching three a-breast and eight deep The Ambassadors being come in this order attended by a great number of Kisibachs and Persian Gentlemen on Horse-back whom the King had sent to them through the Maidan to the Gates of the Palace-Royal they were there received by Iesaul Senhobet who is as it were the Introductor or Master of the Ceremonies He commanded those who carried the Presents to make way for the Ambassadors whom he conducted into a Hall where the Divanbeki or Judges are wont to meet for the Administration of Justice and intreated them to rest themselves till he had acquainted the King with their arrival About half an hour after several great Lords came to give the Ambassadors notice that the King expected them We were brought through a spacious Court which was of greater length than breadth and in which there was on both sides about six paces distance from one Wall another lower Wall built close to a row of Tzinnar-Trees and all along that lower Wall stood the Musketiers and the other Guards in a file on both sides The Guards were distinguish'd from the Musketiers by the Coiffure they wore about their heads which was pointed and set out with plumes of Feathers of several Colours They call this kind of Courts or Walks Cheywan and they afford a very delightful prospect At the end of this Court there was a great Hall having light coming in of all sides which was the place design'd for our audience It is called Diwan Chane as being the place where the King administers Justice in Person there being a great difference between the Custom of Persia and that of Muscovy where the Great Duke hath a particular Hall wherein he gives audience to Ambassadors whereas the King of Persia does it in those places where he accidentally is either about other business or for his Divertisement Near the said Hall and under those Trees between the two Walls there were to be seen fifty excellent Horses with their covering-Cloaths of Brocado or Embroider'd with Gold and Silver and among those some Arabian Horses ready to be back'd with their Saddles and Harness cover'd all over with plates of Gold and beset with abundance of precious stones All the Horses stood in the open Air fasten'd by one of the hinder feet to a stake struck in the ground and they were most of them of an Isabella Colour about the Belly and Legs There stood hard by Pails of Vermilion Gilt for the watering of them Not far thence there were two great Cisterns four foot square for the cooling of Wine This Hall was rais'd three steps from the ground and was eight fathom broad and twelve in length There was at the entrance into it a Partition like an Alcove with Curtains drawn before it of red Cotton which were taken up and let down with silk strings When they were drawn up they rested upon the Chapters of certain wooden Pillars made Cylinder-wise Embellish'd with Branch-work Painted and Gilt as were also the Walls On the left hand as you came in there were some pieces of Painting done in Europe and representing certain Histories The floor was cover'd all over with Tapistry whereof the ground-work was of Gold and Silver and in the midst of the Hall there was a Fountain and in the Basin of it abundance of Flowers Citrons Orenges Apples and other Fruits which swom upon the water About the sides of the Basin there were a great number of Gold and Silver Flaggons and Bottles which either had Garlands or Flowers about them or posies in their Mouths The King sate upon the ground having a satin Cushion under him behind the Fountain with his back to the VVall. He was about seven and twenty years of Age handsome Bodied having a gracefull Aspect and of a clear and smooth Complexion somewhat Hawk-Nos'd as most of the Persians are and he had a little black Hair upon the upper lip There was nothing extraordinary in his Habit save that his Cloaths were of Brocadoe and that at his Coiffure there was a Plume of
Heron-Feathers fasten'd with a bracelet of Diamonds He had also upon his Kurdi that is a kind of Coat without Sleeves which the Persians wear upon their Garments two Sable Skins hanging at the Neck but for ought we saw afterwards other Persian Lords wore the like The Cymitar he had by his side glitter'd with Gold and Precious Stones and behind him upon the ground there lay a Bow and Arrows On his right hand there stood twenty Pages who were most of them as we were told the sons of Chans and Sulthans Governours of Provinces among whom there were some Eunuchs They were all very handsome as to their Persons but it seems they had made choice of the handsomest among them to hold the Fan wherewith he incessantly gave the King air These Fanns are made of a certain Sea-Creature which they call Maherikutas and it is like a Horse-tail Near the Pages stood the Meheter or Groom of the Chamber who hath the oversight of them Before the King stood Elschick agasi baschi or the Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold having in his hand a Staff cover'd all over with Gold as was also the great Button or Apple at the top of it VVithin four paces of the King and on his left hand sat the Chancellor whom they call Ethemad Dowlet and about him the Chans and great Lords of the Privy Counsell At the entrance of the Hall on the left hand sat the Ambassadors of an Arabian Prince who had been sent to desire the King's Protection against the Turk and the Poslanick of Muscovy Alexei Savinouits and somewhat lower were placed the King's Musick The Ambassadors were receiv'd at the entrance of the Hall by the Prince Tzani-Chan Kurtzi Baschi of whom we spoke before and by Aliculi-bek Divanbeki who took them under the Arms one after the other and brought them to the King These Conductors as they led the Ambassadors along laid such fast hold on their hands that they had not the use of them themselves This Ceremony is very necessary and must now be look'd on as a particular honour done the Ambassadors though it be said and that very probably that with the same labour they secure the Prince's Life against the attempts there might be made against it But I would not have any to credit what some affirm to wit that this Ceremony hath not been observ'd in Persia but since the Reign of Schach-Abas and that it was occasion'd by the design which some Turkish Ambassadors had to kill him For this custom is also observ'd in the Seignor's Court as well as in Persia nay it is my opinion that it is for the same reason that the King does not give his Hand but his Knee to strangers to kiss to his own Subjects thinking it enough to present his foot The Ambassadors as they came near the King made a low Reverence which he civilly answered with a little Inclination of the Head and a smiling and obliging Countenance They were immediately led away and intreated to sit down on low Seats which had been plac'd near the Lords of the Councel The same honour was done to fifteen of the Retinue but they were forc'd to sit down a little more on the left hand and upon the ground The ground The Pages and the rest of the Retinue were conducted into the Court where they were seated near thirteen VVomen-Dancers who were very handsome VVomen and very richly Cloath'd and sate upon Tapistry whereof the ground-work was Gold and Silver Some of our people were perswaded they were the ordinary Dancing-women belonging to the Court and gave that accompt of them in the Relations they have made of their Travells but it is certain they were some of the handsomest Curtezans of the City who besides the Tribute they yearly pay the King are oblig'd to come to Court to divert the Prince when ever he sends for them VVe were told that a man might have had his choice of them for a Tumain The Ambassadors having rested themselves a little the King sent the Lord Chamberlain to them to know the Prince's name by whom they were sent and the occasion of their Embassy Which message oblig'd them to rise up and to go near the King with their Interpreter to deliver their Credentials which they accompany'd with a Complement which was so much the shorter in regard the Persians who are no Lovers of long Speeches would have those that approach their King to do it with respect and to express that respect by a Discourse of few words The Chancellor receiv'd the Credentials and after the Ambassadors were seated again the Wakaenuis or Secretary of the Chamber came and told them that the Schach would order their Credential letters to be Translated that as soon as it were done his Majesty would give them a second audience for their affairs and that in the mean time he desir'd them to Divert themselves as much as might be This done the Presents were brought in which were carried close by the King into an appartment design'd for the Treasury on one side of the Hall at the entrance of the Palace While the Presents were carried in the Cloath was laid that is all the floor of the Hall was cover'd with one piece of Cotton Cloath on which were set all sorts of Fruits and Conserves all in great Basins of Gold whereof there was so great a number that there was hardly place left for three hundred great Flaggons of the same Metal which were dispers'd here and there only for Ostentation sake so that which way soever a man look'd there was nothing to be sent but Gold All the Plate was plain and smooth save only the Flaggon and Cup out of which the King himself drunk which two pieces the Persians call Surhahi and Piali which were beset with Rubies and Turqueses With these conserves we had excellent Schiras-wine and they gave us the Divertisement of a fellow that shew'd tricks of Legerdemain who did beyond any thing I ever saw of that kind before About an hour after the Conserves were taken away that the Meat might be brought in The floor was laid with another Cloath which was of a Gold Brocado and there came in ten men loaden with Meat in great Vessels of Gold made like the Milk-pails in France which some carried upon their Heads some upon a kind of Barrows which were also cover'd with plates of Gold The Suffretzi that is the Carver having plac'd the Meat sate down in the midst of the Table or floor of the Hall took the Meat out of those Vessels and dispos'd it into Dishes and sent them first to the King then to the Ambassadors and afterwards to the Lords and the rest of the Company They understand not what it is to entertain with several Courses but set down all upon the Table at once and think they treat their Guests very well All the Dishes were fill'd with Rice of all sorts of Colours and the Carver put
Priors and to intreat him that some course might be taken that the Domesticks might reform their Lives but it was his misfortune that coming into the Ambassador's Chamber he found him in the company of an Armenian Woman named Tulla But the Ambassador Brugman imagining the Secretary's design had been to surprize him was so incens'd thereat that having sworn he would resent that affront the Secretary who had experience of his Revengefull and Irreconcilable disposition retir'd to the Monastery of the Augustines with an intention absolutely to quit his Relation to the Embassy and to accept of the proffer which the Carmelites made him to give him directions how to go for Babylon and so by Aleppo into Italy and thence into Germany But the Ambassador coming to hear of the course he intended to take sent him word that if he did prosecute it he would have him kill'd where-ever he were met which he might the more easily have effected in that the Caravans having their appointed places for Lodging he might have found out a Persian who for a small matter would have murther'd him This apprehension and the advice of some friends oblig'd the Secretary to intreat the Prior of the Augustines to intercede for him and to make his peace with Brugman whereupon he return'd to the Ambassadors quarters after he had staid thirteen dayes in the Monastery About this time I went to the Suburbs of Tzulfa with an intention to visit some Armenian Merchants with whom I had had occasion to make acquaintance at the entertainments which had been made us Coming near their Church I saw going thither one that was to be Married whom I had the curiosity to follow purposely to see the Ceremonies of the Marriage In the front of the Procession march'd their ordinary Musick consisting of Timbrels and Tabors and after them went a Youth of about twelve or fifteen years of age who had a wax Candle in his hand The Bride-groom who immediately follow'd the youth was on Horse-back clad in flower'd Satin of several colours and had on both sides of him two Men handsome Persons and very richly Cloath'd as were also the other four who follow'd them in two ranks After them were carried two dishes of Meat two pitchers of Wine and so many dishes of Apples The Bride-groom being come to the Church sate down with those who were come along with him and call'd for the Meat and Fruit to be brought and set before him but did not eat of either Those who had accompany'd him fell to it but eat not much and the rest was sav'd for the Priest who was to bless the Marriage save only the Wine which was all drunk off The Bride-groom having taken notice of me rose up and taking on his right hand a young Lad and on the left one of those Men who had accompany'd him thither came straight to me saluted me pour'd out himself of the Wine into an earthen Cup and intreated me to drink but he himself would not taste of it In the mean time the Bride came into the Church having on the right hand a young Maid and on the left a Married Woman all three with their faces cover'd with a thin Lawn The Priest having brought them near the Altar read several Prayers and blest the Marriage by holding a wooden Cross over the Married couple who in the mean time gave one another their hands and joyn'd their heads together yet so as that the Bride's head touch the Bride-groom's breast to whom by that action she acknowledg'd her self bound to submit mutually promising fidelity and loyalty one to the other under the Cross that is in misfortunes and afflictions That done the Priest gave them the Communion delivering to each of them a piece of the Consecrated Hoast steep'd in Wine I say of the Hoast inasmuch as the bread of the Eucharist is not here leavened as in Muscovy and other places in the Greek Church but is made of a paste without Leaven about the bigness and thickness of a Crown piece of Silver While the Communion was administred they sung and play'd on certain great Cymbals which the Armenians call Hambarzon They never communicate without that kind of Mnsick which they believe to be so much the more necessary in that they say our Saviour when he was to feed four thousand men with seven Loaves went first up into the Mountain where he offered his Prayers in Sacrifice to God and that while he pray'd two Angels came down from Heaven and play'd upon that kind of Cymbals After the Communion they cast Rose-water upon the new-Married couple and all the company and ty'd a Scarf about the Bride 's right hand by which the Bridegroom draws her after him to the Church door where all the company get on Horse-back to goe to the place where there is a Feast prepared for them For the three first nights after the Marriage the Married couple touch not one another Coming out of this Church I pass'd by another where hearing a great noise I went into it The noise was made by striking with a great stick upon a deal board that was hung up which the Armenians are forc'd to make use of instead of Bells the Persians it seems not permitting them to make use of any I found that this Ceremony was perform'd in order to the Christning of a Child There were in the Church only the Priest and his Clark an aged Woman who had brought the Child thither and stood in a corner of the Church and a young man about eighteen years of age who presented the Child to be Baptiz'd After the Priest had said certain Prayers and made several Questions to the God-father this latter carry'd the Child to the Woman who unswath'd it and then the Priest Clark and the God-father went into the Sacristy where the Font stood within the Wall being made like a little Trough half an ell in length and a quarter in breadth The Priest having consecrated the Water and put into it some consecrated Oyl put the Child naked into the Font and Baptiz'd him in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost pouring water three several times upon his Head Then he poured water all over the Body and made the sign of the Cross in his Forehead with consecrated Oyl The Armenians Christen not their Children till they are full eight days old unless they be weak for in that case they do it before out of a belief that the children who dye without Baptism are damned whence it also comes that they bury them not in the Church-yard no more than they do those aged persons who have not communicated once within a year The 3. of October there was put into Prison a German Clock-maker a menial Servant of the King of Persia's His name was Iohn Rodolph Stadler born at Zurich in Switzerland He was aged about 38 years and had Married the sister of that Tulla whom we spoke of before
He had been five years in the King's service and growing weary of being so long among inâ—idels he was desirous to take the opportunity of our Embassy to return into his own Country He had to that end desired his Majesties leave to depart the Kingdom and the King who had an affection for him had promis'd him a Present of four hundred Crowns to oblige him to stay two years longer in Persia but that was so far from prevailing with him that on the contrary he continu'd his importunities for his departure and to that end got the Ambassadors to intercede for him In the mean time a House-breaker coming one night into his house out of a hope to find there the four hundred Crowns the Clock-maker who perceiv'd him fell upon him got him down and having hurt him in several places thrust him out of Doors Afterwards upon second thoughts repenting himself that he had suffered him to escape so he took a Pistol run after him and kill'd him The friends of the Deceas'd went immediately to the Ecclesiastical Judge and made complaints of the Murther committed by a Stranger and an Infidel upon one of the Faithful demanded Justice of him and desir'd that the Murtherer might be put into their hands in order to his Execution The Clock-maker who little thought he should be troubled for the death of a Robber got on horse-back the next day to go to the Court but he was taken in the street and immediately put into the Palenk which is a wooden Instrument which comes about the Arms and the Neck and very cruelly handled The Ambassadors us'd much solicitation on his behalf but the animosity of the Relations and the authority of the Spiritual Judge whom they call Mufti carried it against him so that he was condemn'd to dye with this Proviso nevertheless that if he would be circumcis'd and embrace the Religion of the Mussulmans it should be in the King's power to pardon him Most of the Lords who had a great respect for him upon the account of his Profession wherein he was Excellent press'd him very much to change his Religion at least in outward shew and for a time promising him those advantages which he could not expect in Germany He was two several times conducted to the place of execution in the Maidan before the Palace-Gate that he might see the horrour of death before his eyes out of an imagination that would oblige him to renounce but he equally slighted both promises and threats his constancy could not be shaken and he wav'd all they said to him with so resolute a courage that it is not to be doubted but it was supernatural and that his death was a kind of Martyrdom He told them that the King's favour should never make him lose that which Iesus Christ had done him by redeeming him from eternal death by his blood That being entertain'd into the King's service his Majesty might dispose of his body but that he would render up his Soul to him by whom it was created that he might be therein glorify'd both in this World and the next The Augustin Monks and the Carmelites endeavour'd all they could to oblige him to make profession of the Roman Catholick Religion but he continu'd firm to his former resolution and would die in the Reform'd Religion which he profess'd and wherein he was perfectly well instructed At last the Persians finding it impossible to overcome his courage either by fair or foul means left him to the Relations of the deceas'd who had the execution of him He among them who went out to give him the first blow with the Cimitar miss'd him and wounded his next neighbour the Leg the second struck into the Palenk which they had left about his neck the third struck him upon the neck and smote down that Martyr of Christ who afterwards receiv'd three other blows ere he expir'd the first in the head and the other two in the face The Ambassador Brugman who as I said before had a great kindness for this German's sister-in-law was so enrag'd at this execution that being at a loss of all judgement and not knowing what to do for madness he would needs divert himself by running at the Ring in the presence of two or three Gentlemen and the Canonier causing in the mean time the great Guns to be fired above a hundred times The body lay all that day expos'd to the sight of those that pass'd by in the place where the execution had been done till that in the evening the Ambassador Brugman with the King's permission caus'd it to be brought to our Lodgings with an intention to have it buried the next day But the King having appointed that day to go a-hunting and invited the Ambassadors to that Divertisement it was put off so that the Ceremonies of the enterment could not be performed till the 22. The Muscovian Ambassador the Governour of Armenia and his brothers most of the Armenians and those of the Sect of Nessera of which the Widdow of the deceas'd made profession and whereof we shall discourse hereafter as also of the other Europaean Christians honour'd his Funeral with their presence The Hunting we spoke of before began the 17. The night before the Mehemandar came to acquaint the Ambassadors that his Majesty had for their sakes appointed a Hunting that should last several dayes and that it was his pleasure they should have notice of it that they might be ready against the next morning It was imagin'd this was done out of design that the Ambassadors might not be in person at the interment of the Clock-maker but that hindred not the Ambassador Brugman from giving order that the body should be kept till his return The 17. betimes in the morning there were Horses brought for the Persons and Camels for the Baggage The Ambassadors got on Horse-back with Father Ioseph and about thirty persons of their Retinue The Mehemandar conducted them into a spacious Plain whither the King came soon after attended by above three hundred Lords all excellently well mounted and sâ—mptuously cloath'd The King himself was in a Vestment of Silver Brocado with a Turbant adorn'd with most noble Heron's Feathers and having led after him four Horses whereof the Saddles Harness and covering Cloaths were beset with Gold and precious Stones The King at his coming up very civilly saluted the Ambassadors and ordered them to march near him on his left hand The other Chans and great Lords march'd after the King with so little observance of order that many times the Servants were shuffled in among their Masters There was among the rest in the King's Retinue an Astrologer who alwayes kept very close to him and ever and anon observ'd the position of the Heavens that he might prognosticate what good or ill fortune should happen These are believ'd as Oracles We rode up and down that day above three Leagues the King taking occasion often to change his
those places which are infamous and the common receptacles of a sort of people who divert themselves there with Musick and the Dancing of some of their common Drabbs who having by their obscene gestures excited the brutalities of the Spectators get them into some corner of the House or draw them along into some publick places where they permit the commission of these abhominations as freely as they do that of ordinary sins In the Tsal Chattai Chane they drink The or Tea which the Persians call Tzai though the Tzai 〈…〉 Cha are properly but a kind of The and Chattai in as much as it is bâ—ought them from Chattai we shall have occasion to speak more of it hereafter They are only persons of good repute who Drink of this and frequent these Houses where in the intervals of their drinking they spend the time at a certain Game somewhat like our Tick-Tack but they commonly play at Chesse at which they are excellent and go beyond the Muscovites whom I dare affirm to be the best Gamesters at Chesse of any in Europe The Persians call this Game Sedrentz that is Hundred-cares in regard those who play at it are to apple all their thoughts thereto and they are great Lovers of it in as much as from the word Schâ—ch whence it hath its name they would have it believ'd it is of their Invention Some years since there was publish'd in Germany a great Volume upon the Game of Chesse wherein the Author too easily crediting Olaus Magnus would have it believ'd that the antient Goths and Swedes put those to play at Chesse who were Suters to their Daughters that by their management of that Game which hath no dependence on Fortune they might discover the judgement and disposition of their pretended Sons in Law But these are only Fables as is also what is related of one Elmaradab King of Babylon The Government of this Prince was so Tyrannical as the story at least would have it that no Body thinking it safe to represent to him the dangers whereto his cruelties expos'd the State and his own Person one of the Lords of his Council named Philometer invented the Game of Chesse which instead of openly opposing the sentiments of the Tyrant discover'd to him the duty of a Prince towards his Family and Subjects by shewing him the removals of the several pieces by the representation of two Kings encamp'd one against the other with their Queens their Officers and Soldiers and that this wrought a greater impression on the King than all the other remonstrances that could have been made to him The Cahwa Chane are those places where they take Tobacco and drink of a certain black water which they call Cahwa but we shall treat of both hereafter in this very Book when we shall have occasion to speak of the Persians manner of Life Their Poeâ—s and Historians are great frequenters of these places and contribute much to the Divertisement of the Company These are seated in a high Chair in the midst of the Hall whence they entertain their Auditors with Speeches and tell them Satyrical stories playing in the mean time with a little stick with the same gestures and after the same manner as those do who shew tricks of Legerdemain among us Near these Taverns or Drinking-Houses are the shops of Surgeons and Barbers between which Trades there is a great difference in Persia as there is within these few years in France The former whom they call Tzerrach only dress Wounds and Hurts and the others named Dellak only Trim unless they sometimes are employ'd about Circumcision These Barbers are much taken up for there is not a man but is shav'd as soon as any Hair begins to appear but there is not on the other side any who carries not his Rasour about him for fear of getting the Pox which they are extremely afraid of because it is very common among them and very contagious As you go out of the Maidan on the same side and turning on the right hand you come to the Basar or true Market-place and in the midst of the Market-place the Kâ—â—serie or kind of open Cloister where are sold all the richest Stuffs and Commodities that the Kingdome affords Over the Gate of this Structure there is a striking-Clock made by an English-man named Festy in the time of Schacst-Abas and in regard that then there were few Lords that had Watches the Persians look'd on the Motions of that work as a thing Miraculous and Supernatural This English Clock-maker had met with the same fate as Rodolf Stadler and had been cut to pieces by the friends of a Persian whom he had kill'd and the Clock had been out of Order ever since his Death This Market-place consists of several Streets cover'd over head and is so full of Shops and those shops so full of all sorts of Merchandizes that there is nothing though ever so rare in World which is not to be had here and at a very reasonable rare For indeed there is nothing dear at Ispahan but Wood and Provision inasmuch as there is no Forrest near it nor Meadows for the feeding of Cattel Of all the shops I saw at Ispahan I was not pleas'd so much with any as that of a Druggist who liv'd in the Maidan on the left hand as you go to the Metzid by reason of the abundance of the rarest Herbs Seeds Roots and Minerals it was furnish'd with The Root Tzinae or Chinae which the Persians call Bich Tzini and Rhubarb which they call Rawentzini and is brought thither from China and great Tartary were not worth here above three Abas's or a Crown the pound There is not any Nation in all Asia nor indeed almost of Europe who sends not its Merchants to Ispahan whereof some sell by Whole-sale and others by Retail by the Pound and the Ell. There are ordinarily above twelve thousand Indians in the City who have most of them their shops near those of the Persians in the Maidan and their Merchandizes in the Caravanseras where they have their Habitations and their Store-Houses Their Stuffs are incomparably fairer and their Commodities of greater Value than those of Persia inasmuch as besides the Musk and Amber-grease they bring thither great quantities of Pearls and Diamonds I observ'd that most of these Indosthans had upon the Nose a mark of Saffron about the breadth of a Man's finger but I could never learn what that Mystery signify'd They are all Mahumetans or Pagans they burn the bodies of their Deceas'd friends and kinred and in that ceremony they use only the Wood of the Mesch-Mesch or Apricock-Tree But of these a particular account will be given in the Travels of Mandelslo into the Indies Besides these Indians there is at Ispahan a great number of Tartars from the Provinces of Chuaressem Chattai and Buchar Turks Iews Armenians Georgians English Dutch French Italians and Spaniards The City is supply'd with
Cloaths hang several Gold Chains and Jewels about his neck and Rings and whatsoever else he had of most value of that kind upon his fingers and in his hands and so dress'd he is brought to the Church-yard where they set him standing against the Wall and keep him up in that Posture by putting a Fork under his Chin. If it happen that the Crows or any other ravenous Birds pick out his Right Eye he is look'd upon as a Saint there 's no doubt of his Salvation the Corps is buried with Ceremonies and is very gently and orderly let down into the Grave But if the said Birds unfortunately make at the Left Eye 't is an infallible argument of his Damnation they conceive a horrour at him as a Reprobate and they cast him head-long into the Grave There are near and about Ispahan fourteen hundred and sixty Villages the Inhabitants whereof are all in a manner employ'd in the making of Stuffs and Tapistry of Wool Cotton Silk and Brocado The fields about the City lye very low and it seems Nature was willing in that to shew an effect of her Providence inasmuch as were it not for that convenience the Country would not be Habitable by reason of the execessive heats which reign there For the convenience they derive from this situation is this that they can make the River Senderut over-flow when the Summer heats have melted the Snow on the neighbouring Mountains and draw it all over the fields Iohannes de Persia saies indeed that the River falling again into its Chanel leaves a slime behind it which corrupts the Air but he is mistaken For it is certain that some Provinces only excepted which lye upon the Caspian Sea there is not any place in all Persia where the Air is more healthy than at Ispahan True indeed it is that the heats there are very great especially in Iune and Iuly but the Inhabitants are not much incommodated thereby For as in Winter they have their Tenuars or Stoves against the Cold so in Summer they have their Vaulted apartments and their Halls and Galleries with Windows of all sides that the Wind and Air may find their passage in to moderate their great heats And though it freezes there so little that in a Night's 〈◊〉 it does not make an Ice as thick as a man's finger which thaws as soon as the Sun appears over the Horizon yet have they a way to make the Ice above two foot thick and to keep it to be us'd to cool their Drinks in Summer To do this they make choice of a commodiâ—â—us place that is cool and towards the North pav'd with Free-stone or Marble but uneven and with a little descent upon which they pour the water and as soon as that is congeal'd they pour on more and by this means in one night they make an Ice a foot thick which in the day time they cover that the Sun may not shine upon it and so continuing this exercise for two of three nights together they provide Ice enough to serve them all Summer Having made as much as they desire they break it in pieces and put it up into Snow-Houses whereof there are so many at Ispahan that for two or three Kasbekis a man may have as much as will suffice him all Summer The extent we have assign'd Persia from the 25 degree of the Aequator to the 37 Northward from the Aequinoctial line discovers that it is seated in the temperate Zone Mount Taurus divides it in the middle almost as the Apennine does Italy thrusting forth its Branches here and there into several Provinces where they are called by other particular names The Provinces which have this Mountain between them and the North are very hot but the others which have it between them and the South have a milder and more temperate Air. The Kings of Persia heretofore took this convenience to change the places of their habitations according to the Seasons passing away the Summer at Echatane which is now called Tabris having the Mountain between it and the South-west and by that means not so much expos'd to the great heats and the Winter at Susa in the Province which from that name is now called Susistan where the Mountain not only keeps off the North-wind from annoying the Inhabitants but also sends them heat by the reflection of the Sun-beams at Noon and makes the place so delightful that it hath thence the name Suse that is Lilly In Spring and Autumn they liv'd at Persepolis or at Babylon The Modern Kings do still use the same convenience Schach-Abas liv'd in the Winter at Ferabath in the Province of Mesanderan and Schach-Sefi sometimes at Tabris and sometimes at Ardebil or Caswin The City of Ispaban is the most commodious of any as well for Winter as Summer inasmuch as being seated in a great Plain at in a manner an equal distance of three Leagues from the Mountain there is always some little Wind stirring which cools the Air and comes into all Rooms We had but too much experience of this change and the inconveniences ensuing thereupon and found that the heats of the day and the cold of the nights of which Iacob made his complaint to Laban his Father-in-law are there equally insupportable For being forc'd to Travel in the night and that during the hottest season of the year we felt there a cold which depriv'd us of the use of our Limbs and made us many times unable to get off our Horses especially when there was an East or North-wind whereas on the contrary the South-wind sent us sometimes such hot blasts as was ready to choak us From what we have now said it may be deduc'd that all the Provinces of Persia are not equally healthy and that there are some where Diseases are much more common than in others Those of Schirwan and Kilan are very much subject to Feavers but the Air of the City of Tauris is so good that a man hears no talk of that Disease there Nay on the contrary they say that those who are troubled therewith may find their remedy in that place even without taking any Physick Epidemical Diseases such as the Bloody-Flux and the Plague are not so ordinary here as in Europe The Pox which is called Sehemet Kaschi that is the Disease of Kaschan in regard it is more common there than elsewhere or that there notice was first taken of it as it is called in France the Neapolitan Disease and in England and other places the French in as much as instead of going to Naples for it where the French were infected in the name of Charles VIII they may now have it as conveniently at Parâ— is very common at that place 'T is true Kaschan is a place excellently well seated but the Air must be somewhat unwholsome when they want fresh water thereabouâ—s and that it is here the Tarantulas and the most dangerous Scorpions of all Persia are most rife
it so To do that they make use of the herb and seed of Wesme which is brought from Bagdat and is somewhat like that which the Herbarists call Securidaca which they beat very small with the rinds of Pomegranates and mix therewith Soap and Arsenick they boyl this composition in Spring-water and rub their Hair therewith which they afterwards wash with a strong lye made with unslak'd Lime They make use also of the water which issues out of the Vines in the Spring-time the Men rub their Mustachoes therewith and Maids their Hair which fall down over their shoulders ty'd up in several tresses out of an opinion they all are of that this makes them grow They have also a custom of Painting their Hands and above all their Nails with a Red Colour inclining to Yellowish or Orenge much near the colour that our Tanners nails are of There are those who also Paint their Feet This is so necessary an ornament in their Married Women that this kind of Paint is brought up and distributed among those that are invited to their Wedding Dinners They therewith Paint also the Bodies of such as dye Maids that when they appear before the Angels Examinants they may be found more neat and handsome This Colour is made of the herb which they call Chinne which hath leaves like those of Liquorice or rather those of Myrele It grows in the Province of Erak and it is dry'd and beaten small as Flower and there is put thereto a little of the juyce of sowr Pomegranate or Citron or sometimes only fair Water and therewith they Colour their hands And if they would have them to be of a darker Colour they rub them afterwards with Wall-nut leaves This colour will not be got off in fifteen dayes though they wash their hands several times a day Their Cloaths have no proportion to their Limbs Their Coats and upper Garments are large and hang loose not unlike the Garments of Women They express a certain Effeminacy in their gate They go as it were Jetting and Wadling and with very little Gravity I am of opinion that this scurvy Habit is deriv'd from their manner of sitting which is as our Taylors do whereto being accustomed from their infancy they are not so strong in the Hamms as they would otherwise be Diodorus Siculus ascribes the invention of this kind of Garments to Semiramis and tells the occasion of it as do also most of the other antient Authors The Coeffure of the men which they call Mendils and the Turks Tulbans or Turbants is made of Cotton cloath or some Silk stuff that is very fine and of several Coloâ—rs and being about eight or nine Ells in length comes many times about their Heads having the folds slightly sow'd or drawn with a Gold thread Those of their Priests and particularly of the Hasis is white as are also all their Garments There are some put to their Mendils a tassel of Silk which hangs down their backs or over their shoulders a quarter of an Ell or better in length The Seid that is those who pretend to be of the Posterity of Mahomet and assume the title of his Successors have their Mendils of green silk Some Persians even of the greatest of the Kingdome wear furr'd Caps the inside and outside being of Buchar Sheep skin so as that the Wool hangs down from the edges the length of a man's finger and is as soft as Silk These Caps are esteem'd in Persia as the Castors are in Europe and are sold at ten or twelve Crowns a piece They wear these about their Heads in Summer as well as VVinter though a man might think that by reason of the extreme sultriness of the weather they should be very troublesome and incommodious This custom of keeping their Heads alwayes very hot brings them to that tenderness that they dare not expose them to the Cold no not in calm weather To this purpose I conceive I may allege what Herodotus sayes to wit that after a fight between the Persians and the Egyptians where there fell a great number of men on both sides care was taken that the Bodies of both parties were dispos'd into several places and it was found some time after that the Skuls of the Persians were so thin and delicate that a man might thrust his finger into them and that on the contrary those of the Egyptians were so hard that they could not be broken with stones The reason he gives for it is that he sayes the Egyptians who were accustomed from their infancy to go bare-headed in the Sun were by that means grown hard whereas the Persians having their Heads alwayes wrapp'd about were very tender in their Skuls And indeed they never uncover them neither at their Devotions nor when they Salute other men no not when they speak to their King but when they salute any they do it by a low inclination of the Head and putting of their hand to their Breast Many of the Persians wear Red Caps whence the Turks take occasion to call them by way of derision Kisilbaschs that is to say Red-Heads Most Authors who treat of the affairs of Persia write this word Cuselbas Queselbach or Querselbach but the right name is Kisilbasch as being compounded of the word Kisil which hath two different significations to wit that of Red and of Gold and Basch which signifies a Head Paulus Iovius in the 13. Book of his Histories and after him F. Bizarro in the 10. Book of his History of Persia affirm that Tefellis Disciple of Harduellis otherwise named Eider who as they say liv'd about the beginning of the sixteenth age was the first who brought the Persians to wear Red Caps to distinguish them from the Turks at their separation from them in the business of Religion But they are both mistaken for the truth is that the Persians when they broke Communion with the Turks and made a particular Sect of the Mahumetane Religion by the advice of Schich-Sefi the Author of their new Opinions immediately held that the first Successors of Mahomet Omar Osman and Ababeker had usurp'd the Succession to the prejudice of Aaly's right and would have this last to be accounted the Propher and that his twelve Successors whom we shall name hereafter when we come to speak of the Religion of the Persians were Canoniz'd and put into the number of their Imans or Saints that they were look'd upon as having that quality and that their Ecclesiasticks or Religious men wore Red Caps made with twelve foldings in form much like the Bottles used in Languedoc and Provence which have great and flat Bellies and very long and narrow Necks This difference in matter of Religion occasion'd a great War between the two Nations wherein the Turks making advantage of their Arms were very cruel towards the Persians but especially the Ecclesiasticks by reason of the aversion which they had for that new Religion And in regard their Coiffure or
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
their Hands on their Knees and in that stooping posture they say the Prayer Subhanna Rebbi and repeat the Alla Ekber Then they kneel down touch their foreheads with the grey stone and repeat the foresaid Prayer of Subhanna Rebbi stretching out their Arms. After all this they make the last Prayer upon their Knees then rise up and turning to the left and right hand they pronounce with a low voice Salom alekom Salom alekom saluting the Angels who have assisted them and kept the Devil from disturbing them in their Devotions The Turks salute the Angels before they have quite made an end of their Prayers The Religion of the Persians obliges them to say their Prayers five times a day to wit in the morning at Sun-rising at noon in the afternoon in the evening and as they go to bed Their chief Prayer is the Fatah and next to that the Allhemdo lilla which Translated is to this effect Glory be to the Lord of all Creatures to the King of the last judgement We honour thee we invoke thee assist us in our necessities Lead us in thy wayes bring us into the path of those to whom thou hast done good and not into the way of those upon whom thou hast poured out thy wrath nor into that of such as thou suffrest to go astray Amen And whereas all the Chapters of the Alcoran begin with these words bismilla rahman rahim in the name of God c. the Persians accordingly never undertake any thing but they pronounce the bismilla and sometimes say benahm ohnki namesch heres tzanehaft that is in his name who is the refuge and protection of Souls they express a great attention and devotion in their Prayers insomuch that going sometimes into the great Metschid Mehedi at Ispahan at the time when they were at Prayers I could never observe that they so much as took notice of me but they had their eyes either fastened on the ground or lifted them up to Heaven according to the subject of their Prayers There are some among them who pray with such violence at their own houses that they put themselves out of breath and many times fall down in a swound I remember to this effect a story of one of my Neighbours at Scamachie who was so earnest in his Devotion that having said his Prayer very loud and pronounc'd with all his might above fifty times the word Hakka which signifies God he at length could not pronounce it without a great deal of difficulty and at last his voice quite fail'd him There are some who at their Prayers use a certain kind of Beads which they call Moher Thebish consisting of three dozen distinguish'd by so many great Beads Upon Friday which is their ordinary Festival their Chaltib or Preacher gets up into the Pulpit and reads certain Chapters of the Alcoran with the explication thereof They make no account at all of our Bible and say it hath been falsify'd by the Iews and Greeks and that for that reason God sent the Alcoran as a Corrected Bible or the true word of God While I was at Scamachie I shew'd the Minatzim Chalil the Pentateuck in Arabick He knew the book well enough but said of it Chrabdur that is it is a book that 's corrupt and abolish'd the Alcoran is much the better They have very strange and extravagant opinions concerning the Creation of the World the first man the stories of the Bible the last judgement and eternal life They affirm among other things that at the beginning God made seven Hells as many Paradises but that to the foresaid number there was an eighth Paradise added upon the following occasion At h King of Persia and Grand-father of Nimroth one of the most powerfull Princes of his time grew so vain-glorious and proud that he would be respected as a God and to the end there should not any thing of Magnificence be wanting he lay'd out several Millions of Gold in building the noblest and most Sumptuous Palace that the Wit and Art of man could imagine which was to serve him for a Paradise But the King being upon his way to go and see it and take possession thereof there rose up such a thick Mist which so cover'd the House and Gardens that were about it that it seemed to have quite vanish'd so that it could never yet be found and that this is the eighth Paradise which God hath joyned to the other seven The Persians have also the custom of dedicating or devoting their Children to some Saint as soon as they come out of the Mother's Womb to which Saint they are to be as it were Slaves as long as they live As a badge of this slavery they make a hole in their Ears as soon as they are born and thence it is they have the name of Mahumedculi Imanculi Aaliculi that is the Slaves of Mahomet Iman and Aaly This they ordinarily do when they are some years married before they have Children or when the Children thrive not well There are also some who devote them to a Monastical life and promise to make them Abdallas And yet if the Children that have been so design'd express no inclination to a Monastical life they may go to some holy place and for a sum of money be dispens'd of their Father's vow They have also a Lent or Fast which lasts a moneth every year They call it Rusch or with the Turks Orutz and they begin and end it according to the prescription of the Alcoran with the Moon of the moneth Ramesan They observe it with somewhat more austerity than the ordinary Fasts in as much as they neither eat nor drink between Sun-rising and Sun-set but they have all the night to do what they please in and they commonly spend it so well that they never fast less than they do at that time For having sufficiently furnish'd themselves with Meat and Wine in the night they ly down in the morning and sleep away part of the day Such as are unwilling to fast may for money get a dispensation There is in Persia a sort of people whom they call Seid and they are of the Posterity of Mahomet and Aly and enjoy several particular Privileges and Exemptions They do not shave their heads as the other Persians do but onely cut their hair about the breadth of two fingers and let the rest grow which they tie up together in a tress They are not permitted to marry out of their own Family in regard the Alliances they might make elsewhere would much diminish the King's Revenue They are clad in white and their shooes are low and flat-soal'd They are forbidden not onely the drinking of Wine but also being in the place where any is Drunk so that if they are invited to any entertainment the other Guests must be content with Duschab or onely water The touching of a Dog renders them unclean One untruth would forfeit all their Privileges and
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
which might have given reputation to his Arms grew so insolent thereupon and withall so negligent that he permitted his people to enlarge their quarters to the adjacent Villages where they fell to merriment and making good cheer while he continued with some few about him at Kisma and Fumen The Chans who observ'd all his actions had no sooner notice of it but they got together again their three Bodies which made an Army of above 40000. men with which they set upon the forces of Karib-Schach in their quarters and gave them an absolute defeat As to Karib himself he had the time to get into a Garden where he hid himself behind one of those trees which produce silk and which those of the Countrey call Tut but he was there discover'd by one of the Domesticks of Emir-Chan who knew him by his Cloaths He intreated that Thebni or Servant to save his life by furnishing him with his Cloaths and promis'd him in requital a good sum of mony besides the Present he made him in hand of a great many Jewels The Servant made as if he consented but assoon as he got on Karib's Garment and Sword he said to him It is I who am now King and thou art but a Traytor and thereupon calling to some of his Camerades he seiz'd upon him and put him into the Palenk Schach-Sefi would needs see him and had him brought to Caswin where he then was making his entrance into it accompany'd by five or six hundred Curtezans who incessantly jeer'd him in his Royalty and did him a thousand indignities and affronts They began his execution by a very extraordinary punishment For Schach-Sefi caus'd him to be shod hands and feet like a Horse and told him he did it for his ease in regard that being accustom'd to go upon the fat and soft ground of Kilan he would otherwise hardly endure the stony and rugged wayes of Persia. Having suffer'd him to languish in that condition three dayes they brought him to the Maidan where they set him on the top of a Pole and kill'd him with Arrows The King having shot the first oblig'd all the Lords of the Court to follow his example bidding those that lov'd him do as he had done Upon that word he was immediately so cover'd with Arrows that there was no shape of a man to be seen The body was left in that posture three dayes expos'd to the sight of all and then it was taken thence and interr'd Saru Chan Governour of Astara had express'd most zeal courage and conduct in that War whereby he got so much into favour with Schach-Sesi that the sav'd the estate and life of a rich Merchant who was unfortunately engag'd in Karib's revolt He liv'd at the Village of Leschtensa and if he did not openly declare for Karib certain it is he knew of his design and neglected to give norice of it to the Court so that they were going to extirpate him and his family and to confiscate his Estate which amounted to above a hundred thousand pounds sterl to the King's use had not Saru-Chan's intercession procur'd his pardon Assoon as this revolt was appeas'd the Kilek were dis-arm'd and they were forbidden to buy Arms upon so great penalties that ever since that time they have not dar'd to have any not so much as a Sefir or Ring wherewith the Persians bend their Bows so far were they from being allow'd Fire-arms Swords Bows or Arrows They are only permitted the use of a certain Instrument like a Hedg-bill which they call Das having a handle of wood four foot long wherewith they cut wood dress their Viâ—es and do several other things The people called Talisch who live between Kesker and Mesanderan who express'd their fidelity and affection to the King's service in the War against Karib have on the contrary the privilege of using all sorts of Arms. The Kilek wear a shorter Garment than the other Persians by reason of the moisture and moorishness of the Country They are not of so yellowish a complexion as the rest of the Persians but of a much clearer in regard the air there is much more temperate than in other parts of the Kingdom The Women of the Talisch's are the handsomest of any in Persia and cover not their faces as much as the others do Maids have their hair ty'd up in 24. or 25. tresses which hang down over their backs and shoulders but married Women have but ten or twelve Their Garments are so short before that they hide not their Smocks and instead of shoes they were Sandals of wood which they fasten with a string to the heel and with a button or latchet of wood between the great toe and the next to it but in regard the ground is very fat there upon any rain they commonly go bare-foot as well as the men The Caps worn by the Kileck are of a coarse Cloath but those of the Talisch are of black Lambskin These two people have each of them their particular Language which differs from the Persian only as to Dialect though there be so little rapport between that of Kilan and that of the Talisch that they have much ado to understand one the other For example to signify a Dog a Persian will say Sek a Kilek Seggi and a Talisch Spech There is no Province in all Persia where the Women take more pains than they do in that of Kilan They are commonly employ'd in spinning and making Stuffs of Cotton Flax and Silk as also in making Duschab and Syrrop of Wine which they sell by jarrs and tilling the ground for the sowing of Rice about which the men and women have their several employments For the men hold the Plow and make the trenches to keep in the water for the watering of the ground The women carry the Corn to field The men sow the ground going backwards as they cast the seed into it The women weed it The men cut it and the women bind it The men bring it into the barn but the women thrash and sell it They all profess the Turkish Religion and are of the Sect of Hanife They receiv'd us so kindly that it was generally wish'd by us we might have made some stay there but we were forc'd to depart thence the 24. of Ianuary We went at first along the River side having on our left hand a forest of Olive-trees which gave us a pleasant shade against the heat of the Sun which prov'd very great that day Within a league of Pyle-rubar we saw in the midst of the River upon a great Rock the ruins of a Castle and the remainders of a Bridge both which they said had been pull'd down by Alexander the Great We afterwards pass'd over another Mountain or rather a very high and craggy Rock at the foot whereof we came into a very smooth way enamell'd with green and spread over with new springing grass checquer'd with Violets which extremely delighted not
word Tag or Dag which in their Language signifies a Mountain because they live between the mountains and in the plain at the foot of the mountains which are twenty or thirty leagues distant from the Caspian Sea toward the West They inhabit all along the Sea-coast Northward as far as Terki about forty leagues taking the way we came The mountain it self in some places comes within half a league of the Sea and in some it is two or three leagues from it there being in the plains very fruitful and pleasant fields unless it be towards the Sea-side where it is all heathy and barren The Inhabitants are of a yellowish and dark complexion inclining to black they are well set and have strong limbs dreadfully ugly in their faces and wear their hair which is black and greasy falling down over their shoulders They are all barbarous and savages Their cloathing is a long close Coat of a grey or black colour of a wretched coarse cloath over which they wear a Cloak as coarse or haply of Sheep-skin On their head they wear a square Cap made of several pieces of cloath and their shooes are of Sheep-skin or Horse-hide all of one piece and sow'd to their feet over the instep and at the sides They are circumcis'd and have all the other Ceremonies of the Turks professing the Mahumetan Religion but are so slenderly instructed therein that it is not to be wondred they have so little devotion They live by the Cattel they breed whereof the Women take care while the men go up and down a-robbing making no conscience to steal away the children of their nearest relations to sell them to the Persians and others Whence it comes that even among themselves they live in perpetual distrust one of another Their defensive Arms which they put on and off with their Cloaths are a Coat of Mail a Head-piece and a Buckler and the offensive are the Cymitar Bows and Arrows and the Javelin there being not any so poor among them but is furnish'd with these Arms. They put all Merchants to a ransome and sometimes rob them of all so that the Caravannes which pass that way are either so strong as to make their party good against these Tories or go by Sea to avoid them They fear neither Persians nor Muscovites in regard no Army is able to follow them into the mountains into which they retreat when they are pursu'd All this Country is not subject to one Prince on the contrary every City almost hath its particular Lord. They call him who is the chiefest among them the Schemkal He succeeds his Predecessor by an odd way of election For upon the death of the Schemkal the other Lords or Myrsas meet and sit down in a ring into which the Priest of the place casts a golden Apple and the person who is first touch'd thereby is made Schemkal Yet is not his power so absolute but that the other Lords participate thereof they having only for him a certain respect and compliance and that not very great We came into this Country as we said before on the 14. of April We travell'd that day five leagues passing through several Villages and pleasant fields and lodg'd at night in the Country of Osnun whom some call Ismin at a Village named Rustain which was also the name of the Lord of it He sent to meet us his son attended by fifteen persons on hors-back well arm'd who after the first Complement fell off on the left hand and went into a Wood and we took the right We quarter'd in the fields near a Village fortifying our selves with the Baggage and securing our selves against the surprises of those Robbers by a good number of Sentinels plac'd at all the avenues The young Prince return'd to our Quarters in the evening but visited only the Muscovian Ambassador only to learn of him who we were and what there was to be gotten of us We intended him a Present of 12. Duckats and three pieces of Persia-Satin had he honoured the Ambassadors with a visit but he thought it enough to do it by two of his Officers whereupon we only saluted him with the firing of two great Guns charg'd with bullets just at his departure from the Muscovian Ambassador's to take horse The 15. we prosecuted our journey through a hilly Country and had in our way good Hunting There started so many Hares that in a short time we took nine Having travell'd six leagues that day we came at night into the Seigneury of Boinack and lodg'd near a Village of the same name upon the ascent of a hill which was so steepy towards the Sea that we were secure as to that side and we fortify'd our Camp with the Baggage which we drew up like a half-moon well flank'd The Lord of Boinack hath not many Subjects but in recompence abundance of Cattel wherein all his Wealth consists The Ambassador Brugman was incens'd at the people's looking on us as a thing they had never seen before and would have had some Muskets discharg'd among them but without bullets only to frighten them and was enrag'd that those he spoke to would not execute so impertinent a command which no doubt had cost us all our lives For those Barbarians who were wicked and daring and discover'd that they wanted only a pretence to set upon us grumbled that any should think it much they stood there and were confident enough to tell us that the ground they were then upon was rather theirs than ours and that they had as much right to be there as we had That we might have forborn threatning them that they acknowledg'd we were too strong for them but that upon the least sign the Schemkal should give them they would come with such a force as were able to dispatch us all though we were twice as many That they car'd for neither the King of Persia nor Duke of Muscovy that they were Dagasthans and acknowledg'd no Superiour but God They would not at first suffer us to go for water without paying for it but finding that the Well where it was to be had was within the reach of our great Guns and that we set things in order to force our way to it they retreated and left us The Schemkal sent us word late over-night that we should not offer to go away the next morning till he had search'd our baggage to see whether we carried any Merchants goods The Ambassadors return'd him answer that they were not Merchants but Ambassadors and that consequently they might pass all places without paying That they would stand upon their privilege and that if the Schemkal offer'd them any violence they should do what were consonant to the law of Nature and Nations to prevent it But we heard no more of him I heard since that the Polish Ambassador whom we met in our journey out of Persia and of whom I gave some account before coming
find whether it be fit to sacrifize they cut off the privy members which they cast against the wall if they do not stick thereto they are oblig'd to kill another but if they do they proceed with the Ceremonies fleaing it and stretching the skin upon the top of a long pole before which they offer their sacrifice and boil and roast the Flesh which they afterwards eat The Feast ended the men rise and go and adore the skin and the prayers concluded the women withdraw The men stay and grow so bestially drunk with their Bragga or Aquavitae that they seldom part without fighting This skin is left upon the pole till another person of quality dies and then the former is taken away and another set up instead of it We saw neer Terki both going and coming not far from the Princess Bika's house one of these stretch'd skins with the head and the horns on upon the black cross The pole was planted in a quick-set hedge only to keep the Dogs from coming neer it and by their pissing against it profaning the Mystery They interr their dead very honourably adorn their Sepulchres with pillars and build houses over those of persons of quality We saw one over the Sepulchre of Mussal's Brother the boards whereof were of diverse colours plac'd checquerwise having upon the roof several wooden Statues poorly done which represented the hunting of some wild Beast To express their sorrow for the departure of their friends they tear their forehead arms and breasts with their nails after a barbarous manner so that the blood comes out in abundance Their mourning continues till the wounds are healed and if they would have it last longer they renew them by opening the scratches in the same manner May. 21. we began to set things in order for the prosecution of our journey We had a Desert of seventy leagues to travel over and to find horses for all the Company to ride would have been too great an expence Wherefore we agreed with the Waggoners of Terki at nine Crowns a Wagon drawn by two horses which might carry each of them three or four persons to Astrachan There joyned with us a Caravan of Merchants of several Nations as Persians Turks Greeks Armenians and Muscovites so that then we had above two hundred Wagons in our Company But the Provisions allow'd us were but small for so great a journey to wit to every man with the Suchari and a loaf of mouldy brown bread half a dry'd Salmon that stunk without any drink For the Tartars pretending they had bargain'd only for the cariadge of men would not receive any barrels or other vessels into the Wagons and the Ambassador Brugman would not be at the charge of a Wagon purposely to carry beer or water for us though he made good provision of all for himself and his Favourites And indeed we stood not much upon it out of an imagination it was impossible we should want water but we had time enough to repent us of that presumption We left Terki the fourth of Iune in the afternoon and soon entred into that dreadful Heath taking our way on the left hand and turning from the Caspian Sea 'T is a thing strange yet very certain that in eleven daies journey we saw neither City nor Village nor tree nor hill nor any River but that of Kisilar contrary to what all Maps represent thereof Nay during all that time we saw not so much as one Bird but only a vast Plain desert sandy and cover'd in some places with a little grass and pits or standing pooles of salt or corrupt and stinking water We got the first day but two leagues and lodg'd at night neer one of those standing pools The 5. we encamped neer the River Kisilar The 6. we travell'd six leagues and lodg'd neer one of those pools These three first daies we took our way towards the West-north-west and East-north-east to the River Wolga The 7. we got six leagues further through a great Fenn which we had much ado to pass Heat and thirst troubled us extremely but not so much as the Flies Wasps Gnats and other infects which both men and horses found it no small difficulty to keep off The Camels which have no tails to keep away those infects as the horses have were all bloody and full of swellings The 8. we were going before day and having travell'd 4. leagues we gave our horses a little rest and provender at the entrance of a very sandy road In the afternoon we got four leagues further and lodg'd at night neer a standing pool The Tartars perceiving that one of their horses was like to miscarry by the way prevented him cut his throat and shar'd him among themselves At night they roasted him making a fire of little bushes of thorns and reeds and were very merry The 9. we travell'd seven leagues and lodg'd neer a pool which the overflowing of the Sea made thereabouts The water was so bad as was also that of all the rest that we were forc'd to stop our noses while we drunk it The 10. we got seven leagues further to a place cover'd with Reeds where we found a little fresh water deriv'd thither from the Wolga The 11. we got seven leagues further to a standing pool made there by the inundation of the Wolga The water is not salt but so dead and stinking that there was no drinking of it That day twelve great wild Boars cross'd out way Some Tartars on horse-back came riding after them and as ill fortune would have it there came two of them close by our Waggon The horses were frightned and fell a-running so that the Physician and Steward fell out of the Waggon with the Baggage The Siâ—ur Vchterits and my self who sate in the fore-part of the Waggon considering there was no getting out without danger kept our places till the horses being not able to go any further stopp'd at the entrance of a Fenn The 12. we travell'd eight leagues and found in our way upon the ground a Neast wherein there were two Birds not quite fledg'd Some were of opinion they were young Eagles VVe pass'd by two salt marshes the scent whereof was somewhat like that of a Violet and very delightful The 13. we travell'd eight leagues further lodg'd at night in a place whence we could discover the City of Astrachan The 14. we got three leagues and lodg'd on the side of the Wolga over against Astrachan All our people who had not drunk any fresh water since their coming from Terki ran up to their knees in the River to drink with greater ease Assoon as they had notice at Astrachan of our arrival they presently came to visit us and he who had the keeping of the Provisions sent thither for us brought us a sack full of bread Neats-tongues hung-Beef a tun of Beer and a barrel of Aquavitae We continu'd that day on the River-side to give the Weywode time to assign
of Litter or Sedans carried by two men upon their Shoulders with a bar They bring up their Elephants with much care and are at great charge about them They delight much in Hawking and Hunting Their Greyhounds are somewhat less then ours but they tame Tigers and Leopards whereof they make use in hunting and these surprise their prey at a sudden leap but they never pursue it They are particularly industrious at the catching of River-fowl by means of the Skin of a tame Duck which being fill'd with Hay they swim even with the Water and drawing the Decoy-duck after them they insensibly get among the others and take them by the feet without ever frighting them They are very expert at the Bow which they make of a wild Oxes horn and the Arrows of a very light kind of Cane nay they are so excellent at it that sometimes they will take a Bird flying They delight much in Chess and have also a kind of Game at Cards They are lovers of Musick though there be no great Harmony in their own But above all things they are besoâ—â—ed with judiciary Astrology in so much that they never undertake any business of consequence but they first consult the Minatzim They have some of Aristotle's Works translated into the Arabian tongue which they call Aplis as also some Treatises of Avicennas for whom they have a very high respect because he was born at Smarcanda under the jurisdiction of Tamerlam Their Writings are not ill and their Productions are not void of Eloquence They keep a Register of all the remarkable Actions that are done among them and have such an exact account thereof as might serve to write a History of the Countrey Of their Language there are many Dialects but it is easie enough to be learnt and they write as we do from the left hand to the right Most of any quality about the Mogul's Court speak the Persian tongue nay some but very few speak also the Arabian The most common Diseases of those parts are the bloudy Flux and burning Feavers and the Remedy they ordinarily make use of against them is Abstinence They have good store of Physitians but no Surgeons Barbers of which Profession there is a great number are they who let bloud and apply Leeches In the Kingdom of Guzuratta Winter begins towards the end of Iune and lasts till September but there are not such continual Rains there as at Goa for it rains only in certain Intervals and particularly at new and full Moon The North-wind blows constantly for six moneths together and the South-wind for as many The hottest moneths in the year are April May and the beginning of Iune during which the sultriness of the weather is such that it were insupportable were it not that some Winds rise ever and anon which moderate the excessive heats but with that convenience they bring along with them an inconvenience which is their raising such an extraordinary Dust that it deprives a Man of the sight of the Sun There is a vast Trade driven in many Commodities all over the Kingdom of Guzuratta but particularly in Cotton and Linnen Cloaths which are in fairness and fineness equal to those of Holland as also in several Silk-stuffes as Contoms which are of several colours Satins Taffatas Petolas Commerbands Ornis of Gold and Silk which Women commonly make use of to cover their Faces withall Brocadoes Tapistry or Alcatifs Chitrenges or streaked Carpets to lay over Chests and Cabinets quilted Coverlets of Silk or Cotton which they call Geodris or Nalis Tents Perintos or Neuhar which they make use of instead of Couches Cadels or Bed-steads Cabinets of Lacque Chess-boards of Tortoise-shell Seals Beads Chains Buttons and Rings of Ivory Amber Rock-Crystal and Agat The best Indico in the world comes from about Amadabath from a Village call'd Chrichees whence it derives the name The Herb of which they make it is like that of yellow Parsnip but shorter and more bitter sprouting forth into branches like a Reed and growing in kind years six or seven foot high the Flower is like that of a Thistle and the Seed like that of Fenu-greek It is sown in Iune and cut in November and December It is sown but once in three years and the first year the leaves are cut off within a foot of the ground The stalks are taken away and the leaves are set a drying in the Sun and that done they are set a soaking for four or five dayes in a Stonesâ—trough containing about six or seven foot water which is ever and anon stirred till such time as the Water hath suckt out the colour and vertue of the Herb. That done they let out the Water into another Trough where they suffer it to settle for one night The next day all the Water is taken away and what is left in the bottom of the Trough is strain'd through a course Cloath and is set a drying in the Sun And this is the best Indico but the Countrey people adulterate it by mixing therewith a certain Earth of the same colour And whereas the goodness of this Drug is discovered by its lightness they have the cunning to put a little Oyl into it to make it swim upon the water The second year the stalk which was left the year before shoots forth other leaves but they are not so good as those of the first Yet is this preferr'd before Gyngey that is wild â—udico It is also the second year that they suffer some part of it to grow up to seed That of the third year is not good and consequently not sought after by forraign Merchants but is imploy'd by the Inhabitants of the Countrey in the dying of their Cloaths The best Indico is almost of a violet colour and hath somewhat of its smell when it 's burned The Indâ—sthans call it Anil and after it hath been in the ground three years they suffer the Land to lye fallow for one year ere they sow it again Most of the Saltpeter which is sold in Guzuratta comes from Asmer sixty Leagues from Agra and they get it out of Land that hath lain long fallow The blackest and fattest ground yields most of it though other Lands afford some and it is made thus They make certain Trenches which they fill with their Saltpetrous Earth and let into them small Rivulets as much water as will serve for its soaking which may 〈◊〉 the more effectually done they make use of their feet treading it till it become a Broath When the Water hath drawn out all the Saltpeter which was in the Earth they take the clearest part of it and dispose it into another Trench where it grows thick and then they boil it like Salt continually scumming it and then they put it into earthen pots wherein the remainder of the Dregs goes to the bottom and when the Water begins to thicken they take it out of these pots to set it
through the Village of Berouly which lies in a Valley between the Mountains of Balagatta Two Leagues thence you come to the Village of Werserée three Leagues thence to that of Outor and six Leagues and a half further to that of Berapour half a League thence to that of Matoura and a League thence to that of Calingra About five hundred paces from Calingra you come to the Village of Kangir and ere you get much further to a Hamlet which hath no other name then that of Bary which is given to all those places that have no particular name About a League thence is the Village of Worry and half a League further that of Attrowad near which upon an eminent place there is a very magnificent Pagode of the Countrey or Mosquey which may be seen at a very great distance About two Leagues and a half from this Pagode you turn upon the left hand and go through the Village of Badaraly to Kerwes which is also two Leagues and a half from Badaraly From Kerwes to Skeokory are accounted two Leagues and from Skeokory to a very sumptuous Benjane Pagode five Leagues From this Pagode may be discovered at a great distance the Castle of Mirsis two leagues thence upon the left hand and you go thence to Rajebag which is about a league distant from the said Pagode Rajebag is a very great City and drives a great trade in Pepper which the Inhabitants transport to Bisnager and elsewhere It is part of the Dowry of the Queen of Visepour who hath there a Governour under her About a League from Rajebag you come to a very noble Well about two Leagues thence you cross the River Cugny and about half a League further you come to the City of Gotteuy You leave it on the left hand yet go through one Gate of it to pass through the Villages of Goetesi and Omgar which are but about five hundred paces thence and about half a League further you come to the great River Corstena which runs through the whole Kingdom of Decam as far as Masulypatan About a League and a half from the River you go through the Village of Eynatour and not far thence through that of Katerna and thence to those of Tangly and Erary and so to the River Agery which is distant thence about a League and a half About three Leagues further you come to the City of Atteny which is so considerable as to be a common Market to all the adjacent Country whence are daily brought to it abundance of all sorts of provisions About four Leagues thence you come to the Village of Bardgie and at three and a half further pass through the Village of Agger which is within three Leagues of the City of Talsengbe which is distant from that of Homoware three other Leagues and thence there are as many to the City of Ticota which is within six Leagues of Visapour Before you come to the chief City you pass through the Villages of Nouraspour and Sirrapour which are in a manner its Suburbs and whereof the former was heretofore the ordinary residence of the King Ibrahim Schach who reign'd at the beginning of this last Age but now it is wholly ruin'd and the Materials of its Palace and great Houses are convey'd thence for the carrying on of those which are building at Visiapour The City of Visiapour is of such largeness that it is above five Leagues in compass The Walls which are very high are of Free-stone encompass'd with a great Ditch and several Fortifications mounted with above a thousand great Pieces of all sorts Iron and Brass The Kings Palace is in the midst of the City from which it is divided by a double Wall and two Ditches being above 3500. paces in compass He who commanded there in the time of Sulthan Mamedh Idelshach the Son of Ibrahim was called Nammouth-chan by Countrey an Italian born at Rome His command extended also over the City and the 5000. men who kept Garrison therein besides the 2000. who were the constant Garrison of the Castle The City hath five distinct Suburbs where the principal Merchants have their habitations and particularly in that of Schanpour where live most of the Jewellers The other Suburbs are called Gurapour Ibrahimpour Alapour and Bomnenaly The Inhabitants are Decanins that is of the Kingdom of Decam or Benjans Moguls and Ientives of whom an account hath been given before To go from Visiapour to Dabul you return the same way as far as the City of Atteny whence you go to the Village of Agelle which is two Leagues distant from it and thence to the City of Arecq which is six Leagues and a half from Agelle From Arecq to the City of Berce are three Leagues and thence to Mirsie three Leagues This City which is called also Mirdsi and Mirisgie is large but not very populous having on the North-side a Castle so well fortifi'd that the Mogul who sometime besieg'd it with all the Forces of his Kingdom was forc'd to raise the Siege In this place are also to be seen the Tombs of two Kings of Delly who were enterr'd there above five hundred years since The Inhabitants of the City as also those of the Country thereabouts have a great veneration for that place From Mirdsi to the Village of Epour are two Leagues and thence to the City of Graeen three It is not easily decided whether it be one City or two inasmuch as it is divided only by the great River Corsena the distance between both parts being about 800. paces and there are so many houses on either side of the River that they may be taken for two considerable Cities though one be much less then the other From the River to the Village of Toncq are counted two Leagues and a half thence to that of Astava one and thence to the City of Asta two Leagues Between this last Village and the City there is a Hamlet which is called Barry â— but it is to be observ'd that this name is given to all those places which have not any in particular as we said before The City of Asta is very considerable for its trading and hath a noble Market where may be had all sorts of provisions The Mogul who sometime came as far as this place with his Army hath left behind him sufficient marks of the devastation which attends the marches of such numerous Armies Having left Asta you come to the great City of Ballouwa which is distant from it three Leagues and three more thence to those Oâ—ren and Isselampour which lye distant one from the other not above a Cannon-shot You leave the former on the right hand and the other which hath a strong Castle and its particular Governour on the left Two Leagues from Isselampour lies the Village of Taffet and three thence that of Cassegam whence there are above two Leagues
to the City of Calliar which is wholly destroy'd Two Leagues thence there is a little Village called Galoure whence you pass through the Village of Winge and afterwards by the City of Qualampour where much Linnen is made and by that of Domo to the City of Tamba which is six Leagues from Galoure The City of Tamba is considerable both for its largeness and its being very populous It lies on the other side of a River the name whereof I could not learn for that of Coyna which they give it is a general name and signifies only a great River The Inhabitants are Benjans and Ientives who live by Commerce and Tillage From the City of Tamba to the Village of Morel are two Leagues and thence to that of Suppero two Leagues to Belour four and thence to the Town of Werad two Leagues This Town lies nine Leagues from the Mountains of Balagatta and there is not far from it a Village called Patan which was sometime the retreat of a famous Robber named Hiewogby who made all he took pay a certain Ransome and when ever notice was brought him of any design against his person he got into the Mountain whither it was impossible to pursue him From Werad to the Village of Helewacko and the River which runs by it are counted above three Leagues This River which comes down from the City of Chaury which is thirty six Lâ—agues distant from this Village hath no other name then that of the Village though they give it also that of Coyna as being indeed the greatest of any in the Kingdom of Cuncam From the River to the Village of Gattamatta which is within the Mountains of Balagatta are three Leagues and thence to the Village of Pory three more This Village is seated at the foot of the Mountain which is at that place very rough and craggy Thence to the Village of Camburley are two Leagues and thence to that of Chipolone two more this last Village lies upon the River Ghoyhbeer which falls into that which runs by Helâ—wacko whence it comes that those who go to Dabul by water embark at that place Dabul being sixteen Leagues from it At the same place they also embark all the Merchandises which are transported to all parts of the Kingdom paying a Larin and a half upon a Candy which comes to four Quintals or four hundred weight and a half carriage The City of Dabul is seated upon the River Kalewacko at seventeen degrees forty five minutes on this side the Line though Linschoten puts it at eighteen degrees It is without doubt one of the most ancient Cities of the whole Kingdom but now it hath neither Gates nor Walls and all its Fortifications consists in two Batteries on the Rive-side upon which there are four Iron Guns The Wood which lies on the left hand as you go into the River represents a great Castle and at the foot of the same Wood may be discover'd a white Tower which serves for a Pagode or Mosquey and is an infallible direction to Pilots The entrance into the River is somewhat difficult there being at the mouth of it a Sand-bank which at low-water is dry so that as you go in you must alwayes keep towards the South in regard that even at low-water you have on that side between five and six fathom water unless it be at the very mouth of the River where you have not above twelve or fourteen foot water at most The Road is good within a League of the River but it is incomparably better four Leagues thence in the Bay of Zanquizara Twelve Leagues thence lyes the Haven or Road of Ceitapour which is within twenty Leagues of Goa at seventeen degrees ten minutes and is no doubt the best on all the Coast for casting Anchor behind the Island which shelters it you need not fear being expos'd to any wind Three Leagues thence lyes the City of Rasapour which is one of the chiefest maritime Cities of the Kingdom of Cuncam The Bay of Wingurla nineteen Leagues from Rasapour and three from Islas quemadas is a convenient Haven but we shall forbear any further description thereof in regard it is not our design at present to afford materials for a Maritime Map of those parts The Inhabitants of Dabul are either Pagans or Mahumetans whose principal trading is in Salt which is brought thither from Oranubammara as also in Pepper Heretofore there were set forth thence several Vessels for the Gulf of Persia and the Red-sea but now their Commerce that way is so inconsiderable that they hardly send out three or four wretched bottoms for Gamron The Custom paid there is three and a half upon the hundred but the English pay only a moyety thereof The Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Cuncam or Decam though they are for the most part Benjans eat any kind of flesh unless it be that of an Oxe Cow Buffle or wild Oxe and a Swine They have a certain veneration for the Oxe and the Cow but Swines-flesh is an abomination to them As to their manner of life their Marriages Entertainments Purifications and other Ceremonies they imitate therein the Benjans of Guzuratta Their Houses are of Straw and the Doors so low that a Man cannot get in without stooping All that 's to be seen within them is only a Mat on which they lie in the night and a pit in the ground wherein they beat their Rice Their habit is the same with that of the other Benjans save that their Shooes which they call Alparcas are of wood ty'd up over the Instep with straps of Leather Their Children go naked till they come to seven or eight years of age and they are for the most part by profession Gold-smiths There are also among them some who work in Brass they have Physitians Barbers Chirurgeons Carpenters and Masons who work for the Mahumetans the other Benjans and the Parsis whereof there is a greater number in those parts then there is of Decanins and Canarius They make use of the same Armes as the Indosthans do and they have this common with them that they are not so good as either those of Turkey or Europe Their principal Commerce consists in Pepper which is transported by Sea into Persia to Surat and into Europe as also in provisions wherewith all the neighbouring Provinces are thence supply'dâ— There are made also in those parts great quantities of Linnen-cloath which is transported by Sea out of the Kingdom and they traffick much by land with the Inhabitants of Indosthan Golcanda and the Coasts of Coromandel whither they carry Cotton-clothes and Silk-stuffes There are abundance of Jewellers at Visiapour and there is found thereabouts great quantity of Pearls but it is not there they are to behad cheapest since they are brought thither from other places There is also abundance of Lacque made in the Mountains of Balagatta but it is not so good as that of Guzuratta
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
to some Island for very petty Offences The Castle of Iedo which is the place of his ordinary residence is near two Leagues in compass and is fortified with three Walls and as many Moats very deep and built of Free-stone but so irregular that it is impossible to assign it any certain Figure Within less then three hundred paces a Man must pass through eight or nine Gates not one of them standing opposite to another for being come within the first he must turn on the right hand to go to the second and being come within that on the left hand to go to the third and so alternately till he comes to the last Just within the last Gate there is a Magazine of Arms for three or four thousand men on which about all the Streets which are fair and broad having on both sides many magnificent Palaces The Gates are done over with great Iron bars and over every Gate there is a House wherein two or three hundred Souldiers may be lodg'd The Emperours Palace stands in the midst of the Castle and hath belonging to it many Appartments Halls Chambers Closets Galleries Gardens Orchards Groves Ponds Rivers Fountains Courts c. and several particular Houses for his Wives and Concubines At your coming out of the Palace you go into that quarter where the Princes of the Bloud and Counsellers of State live and thence into another quarter where are the Palaces of the Kings and great Lords of Iapan which are all gilt both within and without and the more sumptuously built out of this respect that there is a certain emulation amongst them who shall be at greatest expence to please the Emperour In the next quarter to this there live other Princes and Lords who are not so powerful as the former yet have their Palaces gilt and so richly furnish'd that a Man would think at his first coming in he met with Mountains of Gold In this quarter there live some of the Wives and eldest Sons of those Princes whom the Emperour hath brought up in the sight of the Court as so many Hostages of their Fathers fidelity so that this Castle though as big as a considerable City yet is so full of people that the Streets can hardly contain them When the Emperour goes out of his Palace he either rides on horse-back or is carried in a Palanquin open of all sides and he is accompany'd by a great number of Lords whom they call the Emperours Camarades These Lords are of great quality and very rich yet do they not think it any dishonour to apply themselves to such things as are either necessary or delightful Some are skill'd in Musick some in Physick some are excellent at Writing or Painting others study eloquence and the mannagement of Affairs Next them there goes a part of the Guard which consists altogether of persons cull'd out among the Children of younger Brothers Cousins or Kinsmen of great Lords among whom there are also some natural Children of such as either actually are in employments or may upon presumption of their Birth pretend thereto Then follow the ordinary Guard commanded by their Colonels and other Officers who so dispose thereof that two or three thousand march before the Emperour and as many after him Among so many Souldiers there is not one but there hath been some trial made of his courage nor any that hath not gone through all the necessary exercises in order to such a kind of life and whose countenance and demeanour is not answerable to the employment they are put into They leave a space between them and the Emperour for a great number of other great Lords who are about his Majesties person who must needs make a strange shew among five or six hundred Men all clad in black some on horse-back some afoot all marching with such gravity and so orderly that there is not only any one man to be seen out of his rank but a man hears not so much as a word spoken The Streets are swept and strew'd with Sand or Gravel and the doors of all the houses standing open yet is there not a person to be seen either in the shops or at the windows or if it happen there be the Guard makes them kneel till such time as the Emperour is passed by Once every five year the Emperour goes to Meaco to do reverence to the Dayro who is the true Prince of Iapan and still hath the quality but without any function There is a whole year spent in making all things ready for that journey whereof we shall hereafter give a particular description and Orders are issued out to the Lords who are to follow and who accordingly come at the day appointed to the places where they are to meet the King dividing themselves so as that some go before to relieve such as come from the Court so to prevent the disorder and confusion which were unavoidable among so great a number of Princes who are all oblig'd to make their appearance upon this occasion with all the bravery and magnificence they can From the City of Iedo to that of Meaco there are a hundred and twenty five Leagues and within every three or four Leagues there is a considerable City able to lodge the whole Court yet hath the Emperour caused to be built between those two places at an equal distance one from the other eight and twenty fair Houses of which there 〈◊〉 twenty great Castles and in every House there is a Retinue and 〈…〉 else befitting a Kings Court as Gentlemen Guards Horses Officers and Servants with Provisions necessary for the subsistance of the whole Train They who go along with the Emperour from the City of Iedo leave him to the care of those whom they find in the first House These accompany and conduct him to the second and so from one to another till he comes to the City of Meaco in his return from whence he observes the same order being attended from one House to another till he comes to Iedo The Emperours of Iapan build many of these Castles and have them finish'd in so short a time that they will have a Structure compleated in six moneths which in Europe would take up as many years We have an Instance of it in the Castle which the Emperour had built in the year 1636. in the Province of Nicko four dayes journey from the City of Iedo It is fortified with a double Moat and a double Rampier and both of Free-stone and it is so spacious and consists of so many particular Palaces for the Grandees of the Court and so many Appartments Gardens and Fountains for the Emperour himself that the best Architect in Europe would not have finish'd it in several years yet was this great building compleated in less than five months there were so many Masons Carpenters Joyners Stone-cutters Gilders Painters c. employ'd about it This Castle is so far within the Countrey that the Emperour lodges
embroydered Curtains Before and behind they were made like the Front of a House as was also the Door at which they went in which was made behind at the back The Wheels were of Iron and the Coach was varnished all over with black so that the Wheels might be seen turning as it were in a Looking-glass The Roofs of them which were built Arch-wise had drawn thereon the Dayro's Arms within a great Circle of Gold The Pillars as also the inside of the Coach was inriched with Figures of beaten Gold and Mother of Pearl and all the extremities were garnished with Gold Two great black Bufflers covered with a Net-work of Crimson Silk drew each of them and they were guided by four Halberteers clad in white Every Coach was valued at seventy thousand Tayls which amount to twenty thousand pounds Sterling These Coaches had also their Foot-guard and many Pages marching on both sides of them Twenty three of the chiefest Servants belonging to these Ladies were carried next to them in so many black Norrimones adorned with Brass plate having each of them marching before him a Halbertier who carried an Umbrello on each side two Pages and behind them sixty eight Gentlement of the Dayro's clad and armed as those we mentioned before These march'd two a breast and were followed by a great number of Pages Halberteers and Slaves After them there were carried Two gilt Stools with Plates of Gold at the extremities A great Fire-work A great and very rich Sea-Compass Two great Golden Candlesticks Two Pillars of Ebony Three Cabinets of Ebony garnished with Gold plates Four other Cabinets bigger and richer then the three precedent Two great Gold Basins carv'd A pair of Pantofles varnish'd After these there followed in two Coaches of the same making as the three first the Emperour and his Ward having before them a hundred and sixty Gentlemen armed with two Cymitars and a Nanganet serving for a particular Guard about their Majesties persons These Guards they call Sambreys and they are chosen out of the most valiant and most active persons in the Kingdom Immediately before the Coaches there march'd four Men with Umbrelloes four others with great Iron Rods to make way two light Horses magnificently cover'd and with very rich Trappings accompanied each of them by eight Men arm'd with Bows and Arrows and two great Pikes The Emperours Brethren followed next on Horse-back accompanied by all the Princes and Lords of Iapan who were also on Horse-back all armed and sumptuously clad 164. in number The Chiefest of these Lords were Owaruy Camny Samma the Emperours Brother Quiney Deymangon samma another Brother of the Emperour Mittot Chonango samma a third Brother of the Emperour Massummenamoet Nocammi samma a fourth Brother of the Emperours Matsendairo Thoy quese Nocammi samma Lord of Canga Matsendairo Moutsnocammy samma Satsumadonne that is Lord of Satsuma Matsendairo Iondonne Mansendairo Symouts quedonne Matsendairo Quonenoch Wacchoo and Turoganâ— Deynangono Cammy samma These march'd all in a File having each of them a long train of Pages Lacqueys Halâ—erteers Guards and Slaves The other Lords among whom were Ouwaydonne and Woutadonne the ehiefest of the Emperous Councel march'd two a breast he of the greater quality taking the left hand which among them is accounted the more honourable After them march'd four hundred of the Guards of the body and in the same order in white Liveries Next them in six fair Coaches came the Dayro's Concubines but these Coaches were not so large as the former and were drawn each of them by a single Buffer Then followed sixty eight Gentlemen on Horse-back attended by a great number of Lacqueys and Slaves The Dayro's Secretary accompaied by thirty seven Gentlemen on Horse-back follow'd next in a Coach and immediately preceded forty six Lords of the Dayro's House who were carried in Norimonnes whereof fifteen were of Ebony beautified with Ivory thirteen varnished with black and gilt and the other eighteen were only varnished with black There were carried after them fourty six Umbrelloes suitable to their Norimonnes Then followed the Dayro's Musick which consisted of fifty four Gentlemen very odly but very richly clad who plaid on their Instruments which were only Tabours Timbrels Copper Basins Bells and that kind of Lute we spoke of before which was not heard by reason of the confused noise of the rest Yet was this distracted kind of Musick delightful to the Dayro who immediately followed it He was sate in a little wooden Structure made like a Sedan but much larger as being about seven or eight foot high and as many Diameter having windows on all sides with embroidered Curtains The Roof of that little Structure was arch'd and had in the midst upon a great Button a Cock of massie Gold with his Wings spread in a Field Azure with several Stars of beaten Gold about the Sun and Moon which appeared there with a lustre coming near the natural This Machine was carried by fifty Gentlemen of the Dayro's retinue all clad in white with Bonnets on their Heads Fourty other Gentlemen went before it and represented the Guard for the Dayro's person These were clad after a particular fashion much like that of the ancient Romans carrying each of them a gilt Nouganet The Captain of the Guard marched alone on Horse-back behind the Dayro's Chair armed with a Target stuck through with several Arrows and had carried after him fourty Umbrelloes for the Guards Next were carried thirteen varnish'd Chests and in the close of the Procession came four hundred Souldiers clad in white who marched six a breast and by that means hinder the crowds of people to interrupt that Order This Ceremony took up the whole day so that night coming on upon us at the place where we were we thought it not safe to venture home at so unseasonable a time by reason of the many Robberies Murthers and other Violences committed in the Streets during the disorder which proved so great that the next morning there were found a great number of dead persons some whereof had been kill'd and robb'd and others had been smother'd in the throng The Dayro staid three dayes at the Emperours Palace who during that time waited on him in person with his Brethren and had the charge of his Table for that time defray'd by Sugadonne chief Judge of the City of Meaco Ivocamosamma Cobâ—ritot homy Samma Macamora Mockiemon samma and Mannosa Frâ—yemon samma There were brought to his Table at every meal a hundred and fourteen dishes of meat Ouwaydonne the President of the Emperours Councel Ivemondonne one of the Counsellors of State Farimadonne Quiniem Ondonne Sioyserodonne and Chirotadonne provided for the Table of the Dayro's three chiefest Wives The Emperours Present to him were Two hundred Marks of Gold A hundred Garments of Watte of the best Two great Silver Pots full of Honey Five Catties of the Wood of Calambae Two hundred pieces of Crimson
abundance of provisions and consummates the felicity wherein they live The Country is so populous that to maintain so strange a number of people it is but necessary that all the Ground it takes up should produce somewhat or other They have a natural aversion for idleness but if they had not the Laws have made such provision in this particular that there is not any Crime punished with greater infamy then this Vice Another humour of theirs is that they are lovers of good Chear and pride it much in wearing good Clothes and having their Houses well furnished so that to live handsomly they are obliged to take pains Hence comes it that a man shall not see a Mountain but is planted not a Hill but is cultivated no Plain but is sown no Fen but some advantage is made thereof nay to use the common expression not an inch of Ground but brings forth somewhat or other to requite their labour who bestow their pains on it This Country breeds all sort of living Creatures and brings forth all the Fruits and Simples we have in Europe but all much better in their several kinds then any we have as may be seen by those Oranges the Plant whereof was brought thence into Portugal and the Fruit whereof is so highly esteem'd every where The like may be said of Melons and other Fruits especially Plums which are most excellent there and so wholsome that they never burden the Stomack though a man eat never so many of them There is such abundance of Honey and Wax that whole Fleets come thence loaden therewith and Sugar is so cheap that when it is dearest the Quintal that is a hundred twenty four pound may be bought between twenty four and thirty shillings sterling A man may judge of the quantities of Silk it produces by the Stuffs which the Provinces pay in yearly to the King besides the Stuffs and raw Silk which are carried into all other parts of the World The high Grounds bring forth Wheat Barly Oats and the low Grounds Rice but in such abundance that when most dear it is sold at a Crown the Coom or four Winchesters Fowl are sold there by the pound and when the Feathers are off the ordinary rate is three half pence a pound and all other Flesh proportionably for there is so much Cattel that a fat Cow is not worth above ten shillings a Buffer a Crown a Hog the flesh whereof is very delicate twenty pence Nay even Spices are so cheap there that under a Crown a man may buy four hundred Nutmegs and for half a Crown two pound of Cloves which proceeds hence that Provisions yielding in a manner nothing in the Country the Chineses truck them with so much profit to the Moluccas and the other neighbouring Islands that they can afford these Drugs cheaper then they may be had at the places where they grew The Sea which encompasses a great part of this vast Territory and the Rivers which are as it were so many Veins and Arteries to this vast Body supply it with such abundance of Fish that it is to be had in a manner for nothing For there is hardly any City that hath the convenience of a River but the Inhabitants keep a great number of Cormorants which they make use of in order to fishing They are kept fasting one day and the next they carry them to the water-side near several Boats half full of water whereto they are fastened with a Cord tied under their Wings and having bound them about their Necks a little above the Stomack they let them go into the River where they fill with Fish that Skin which stretches like a bag under the Throat and come and disburden themselves of what they had taken in the Boat whereto they are fastened This they do several times at least till such time as the Master thinks they have taken enough and then he unties the String which ties up their Necks and permits them to go a fishing for themselves and to feast themselves for two dayes and by this means they take more Fish then they are able to consume There is no Creature so common all over China as the Duck in regard they have a way for the breeding of them not known in other parts They are kept in great Cages made of Canes and set at the Sterns of great Boats the Cages being so large as they are able to contain three or four thousand of them and they hatch the Eggs in the Summer time in Cow-dung or haply in the Dung of the Ducks themselves which is very hot leaving them therein till the generation be compleated and then they break the Shells one against another to make way for their young ones to come out with such a sleight that it seldom happens that any one of them miscarries In the Winter they heighten the natural heat of the Dung by Fire making a Bed of Canes raised three or four foot from the ground upon which they set the Eggs between two layers of Dung and there is a Fire made under to give them that degree of heat which is requisite for the hatching of them As soon as they are hatched they dispose them into the Cages where they keep old Ducks which receive them under their Wings and breed them up When they are grown big enough to shift for themselves they give them in the morning a little Rice but only so much as rather sharpens then satisfies the Appetite and then they open the Cages to let them go over a kind of Hurdle of Canes to the shore where they suffer them to feed among the Rice out of which they pick the Weeds with so much ease and advantage to the Owner that he who breeds the Ducks is sufficiently recompenced for his pains In the evening he gets all his Ducks together and makes them return into the Boat with the noise of a Whistle or little Bell which they observe so exactly that though there are many times twenty or five and twenty thousand of them together yet will they all get very orderly into their Cages and by this kind of breeding they are so cheap that a man may have two or three for a penny As to the Inhabitants they are well shaped and for the most part of a good stature The Men have large Faces are small Ey'd and flat Nosed wearing little or no Beard They never cut their Hair nor pare the Nails of the left Hand out of a perswasion that their Nails may be serviceable to them in climbing when they shall be taken up into Heaven by the Hair They are all clad after the same fashion save that in the more Northerly Provinces they use Furs and in the more Southerly they go for the most part in Silk Persons of great quality have their Cassocks embroidered up to the Waste but others have only a little Gold or Silver about the extremities
and there is this distinction between married Men and Batchelors that the latter part their Hair upon the Forehead and wear higher Caps then the others The Women are very sumptuously clad having about them a great many Pearls and precious Stones They also paint and dress their Heads with as much curiosity and advantage as in any other place of the World They have a particular affection of having little feet whence it comes that the Mothers make it their business so to straiten their Daughters Feet from their Infancy that they are hardly able to go Some are of opinion that this Custom was introduced by those who were desirous to accustom Women to a sedentary life whereto they are as it were condemned even from their birth They are never seen in the House and it is very seldom they go abroad which when they do it is to visit some of their nearest Relations and then they are so attended and shut up in Palanquins that they cannot be seen The Men are ingenious enough and discover by their Works that they are not inferiour to the Europeans It is no easie matter for a Man to avoid the circumventions of their Merchants who make use of all imaginable Advantages in their Dealings At every Door there hangs a Table containing a Catalogue of all the Commodities that are in the Shop and in regard all the Merchants of the same Body have their habitations in the same quarter a man finds as soon as he comes into it what is to be sold in all the Street They use Brass-money in no Province but that of Chekiang in all other parts of the Kingdom only Gold and Silver is current which yet is received only by weight without any regard of the mark Whence it comes that no China Merchant but hath his Weights about him and such pieces of Money as are full weight by which that which he receives is to be weighed I am of opinion that the provision which is made in several parts of Europe for the subsistance of the Poor was derived from China Beggary which is infamous in those who are reduced thereto and a shame to such as suffer it in as much as it is a reproach of their want of Charity whose care it should be to remedy that inconvenience is there very severely forbidden and there is in all Cities a particular Judge appointed for the Poor who in order to their relief takes the following course The very day he comes into that Employment he publishes an Order whereby he commands all those who have any Children either born weak or imperfect or become such through sickness or any other accident to come and make their cases known that he may examine whether they are capable of learning any Trade or not and in case they are not whether the Parents are able to maintain them If they are Orphans and have no other Friends able to keep them they are disposed into Hospitals where they are brought up at the Kings charge The same course is taken with maimed or decrepit Souldiers They are all lock'd up and not permitted to go any more abroad The Houses where they put up the Poor have Gardens and Courts belonging to them where they are permitted to keep Poultry and Swine as well for their divertisement as advantage and the King appoints a certain Overseer who joyntly with the ordinary Judge makes a Visitation of the Hospitals twice a year They do not put the blind into the number of those Poor who are accounted unable to work but they are employed in pulling the Bellâ—â—â— at Smiths Forges and other things which do not much require the help of the fight Maids that are blind are forced to a Trade which may be as gainful but not so honest as some others I conceive I may also presume to affirm that it is to China we are obliged for the Mystery of Printing For it is certain we have it but since the year 1450. and that the Chineses have some Books printed above seven hundred years since They have a way of Writing particular to themselves not only upon this account that they make use of Figures rather then Characters in as much as they signifie entire words and do not represent the Letters but also upon this that in their Writing they observe an order wholly different from that of all other Nations For these write either from the left hand to the right as all the Europeans do or from the right to the left as the Hebrews Arabians and most of the other Nations of Asia do but the Chineses write from the top downwards and in their Writing observe such equal distances that there cannot be any thing more exact And to shew that these Figures stand not for any word that hath any particular signification in their Language but that they express the same things it is to be noted that the Chineses who when they speak cannot understand one the other by reason of the diversity of the Idioms and Dialects that is among the Inhabitants of several Provinces make use of these Characters not only to render themselves intelligible one to another all over the Kingdom but also in their Commerce with the Iaponneses and the Inhabitants of Corea and Conchinchine between whose Languages there is no more rapport then the English hath to the Greek or Arabian They make their Paper of the Bark of Bambus or Canes but so thin that it will bear writing but on one side though they do not use Pens but Pencils as the Iaponneses do which only slide along the Paper so that they write as fast and cut their Characters so neatly that the best Pen-men in Europe are not to be preferred before them The King is at a vast charge as well in the maintenance of the Schools where they are taught to read and write as also the other Elements and Sciences as in that of the Universities where are taught Philosophy natural and moral Astrology and the other Sciences There passes not a year but there is a Visitation made at which the Professors and Scholars are examined and they who express an inclination to study are recompenced such as apply not themselves thereto as they ought are punished The Visitor having ended the general Examen makes another particular one for those who aspire to the quality of Loytia a Dignity there like that of our Doctors True it is that they give this Title to all nobly descended but in matter of Learning it is a Degree conferr'd by giving the Graduate a permission to wear a Girdle by which he is distinguished from others For the King bestows this quality as the Princes of our parts confer Honours on those who have deserved them by their services or are so much in favour either with them or such as are about them as to get them by Letters Patents This promotion of Doctors is done with as great Ceremonies as in any European
University But indeed this Nation is so punctual in point of Ceremony that it goes beyond any other even to importunity The first Lectures they make to Youth are those of Complements whereof there are whole Books that they may be sure to have them upon all occasions If a man hath but once seen a person he is obliged to salute him and this is not done with the Hat but closing the left hand they put it into the right and so both to the breast with a low inclination of the head accompanied with protestations to confirm what they would express by their gestures Persons of Quality meeting in the Street make a stand joyn their hands by putting the fingers one within another and stretching out the arms bow-wise they do their reverences with low inclinations and continue a good while in that posture proffering one another the way When there is no equality between the persons who meet the inferiour gives way to the other does him reverence and lets him pass by He who goes to speak about any business to a Loytia at his own Lodgings kneels down as soon as he comes into the Room and advances and continues in that posture till he hath done speaking or delivered his Petition and having done his business he retires still kneeling without turning his back on the Loytia If a man standing at his own Door or in the Street espy a Kinsman or Friend coming out of the Country if he who lives in the City thinks not himself well enough clad to welcome his Friend as he would he will pretend not to have seen him go into his Lodging put on his best Clothes and then will come and meet his Friend and salute him as if he had not seen him before If he meet him in the Street at some distance from his own House the first question he makes is whether he hath din'd or supp'd if not he will carry him to the next Tavern and treat him magnificently with Fish and Flesh if he hath din'd he will give him only a Collation of Fruits and Conserves They are very sumptuous in their Treatments and have a custom different from what is done in all other places They set up as many Tables as there are guests but instead of cloths which would hide the beauty of the gilding and painting wherewith they are enriched they have only carpets of Damask Taffata or some other Silk stuff which covering only the edges thereof hang down to the ground At the four corners of the Table they set a paper of Fruits and Conserves for the Desert and several figures of Sugar made and painted to the life and flowers for the divertisement of the Eye and they set the meat in the midst They use either Silver-plate or Porcelane and have no Napkins in regard they make use of their forks so neatly that they never have any occasion to wipe either their hands or mouths They drink often but little at a time whence it comes their drinking cups are very small and whereas they serve up many dishes they are very long at meals but that the guests might not be weary they give them all manner of divertisements as Musick Plays tricks of Legerdemain and Puppet-showes If it be a person of quality that is invited they set up in the Hall where the treatment is made several other Tables on which are all sorts of tame and wild Fowl all which are carried away by several servants marching in a file before him when he returns home whither having brought them they with great Complements oblige him to suffer them to leave at his own house what he had not consumed at their Masters The treatments they make for a Governour of a Province lasts sometimes fifteen days or three weeks and costs them a years Revenue who undertake any such thing what ever their Estates may be Their entertainments are commonly in the night making choice of some time about the change of the Moon especially that of March with which they begin their year That day they all spend in merriment put on their best clothes hang their houses with the richest stuffs they have cover the streets with Roses and other flowers adorn their triumphal Arches with branch'd works Damask and silk Tapestry beset with Torches and plant before the door a tree so enlightned that though there were but one in a whole street it might give light to the whole quarter Their Priests are present at these publick rejoycings and adde to the solemnities of the day by the Sacrifices they make to their Gods Speaking of their civility I shall here give an accompt of that which they have particularly for the Embassadours of Forreign Princes for whom the Chineses have the same veneration and respect as they might express to their own Masters They do not look on the occasion of the Embassie but the quality of the Prince who sends the Embassadour who is received at the entrance of the Kingdom by the Governour of the first Frontier City who meets him with all the persons of Quality within his Government They suffer him not to set his foot on the ground but assoon as he comes out of the Ship he is put into an Ivory Chair and carried by eight men to a house appointed for that purpose which is furnished at the Kings charge and so spacious that several Embassadours may be lodg'd therein at the same time without any inconvenience The next day the Governour of the City goes to wait on him and endeavours to learn of him the occasion of his Embassie to be communicated to the Governour of the Province who immediately sends to the Embassadour to desire his Credentials that he may dispatch them to the Court and get thence the Pass-port requisite for the prosecution of his journey This Pass-port is upon Parchment with the Kings Seal in Gold which is carried before the Embassadour with the Credentials written upon a board having over head in Golden letters the name of the Prince who sends him The Governours of Provinces make provision for his expence by the way and when he is come near the Metropolis there meets him the President of the Privy-Councel who receives him in the head of all the Councellors and most of the Courtiers and conducts the Embassadour to his Lodgings and as he takes leave of him he empowers him to create a certain number of Loytias and to set at liberty some Condemn'd persons the number whereof is regulated sutably to the greatness of the Prince who sends him They allow him a certain time to repose himself and then the same persons who met him at his entrance conduct him to his Audience which the King gives him as often as he desires it and is present at all the Propositions he makes The entertainments they make at Weddings are very great for the Brides Father gives her no other Portion then what he spends the first day in treating the
of their refreshments at this place In the Isle of Teneriffe there is a Mountain called El Piâ—o de Terraira It is certainly the highest Mountain in the World since that a man cannot get it up in less then three dayes and that must be too either in Iuly or August in as much as all the year besides it is covered with Snow though there never fall any in those Islands It is so high that it may be seen at the distance of sixty Leagues and from the top of it a man may discover and easily count all the other Canary Islands though some of them be above fifty leagues distant from this The Island of Fierro is also one of the most considerable of all the Canaries and I conceive that name to be given it upon this account that its soil not affording so much as a drop of fresh water seems to be of Iron And indeed there is in this Island neither River nor Rivulet nor Well nor Spring save that towards the Sea-side there are some Wells but they lie at such a distance from the City that the Inhabitants can make no use thereof But the great Preserver and Sustainer of all remedies this inconvenience by a way so extraordinary that a man will be forced to sit down and acknowledge that he gives in this an undeniable Demonstration of his Goodness and infinite Providence For in the middest of the Island there is a Tree which is the only one in its kind in as much as it hath no resemblance to those mentioned by us in this Relation nor to any other known to us in Europe The leaves of it are long and narrow and continue in a constant verdure Winter and Summer and its branches are covered with a Cloud which is never dispelled but resolved into a moisture which causes to fall from its leaves a very clear Water and that in such abundance that the Cisterns which are placed at the foot of the Tree to receive it are never empty but contain enough to supply both men and beasts Some affirm that above a hundred leagues West of the Canâ—ries there is sometimes seen an Island called St. Borondon which they say is very delightful and fertile and inhabited by Christians yet can it not be said what Language they speak nor how the Island came to be peopled The Spaniards of the Canaries have often endeavoured to find out the said Island but whether it be that it is alwayes covered with a thick mist which hinders it from being discovered or that the current of the water thereabouts was so strong that it is a hard matter to land thereat certain it is that as yet it subsists only in the opinion wherewith most Sea-men are prepossessed that certainly there is an Island in those parts The 30th of November the wind South-south-west we got 31. leagues to the North-east and were at noon got to 40. degrees 32. minutes Latitude December 3. With the same wind we got 34. Leagues taking our course North-east The 4. The wind North-east carried us twenty seven Leagues to East-north-east The 5. The wind came to South-west and continuing the same course we got 34. leagues This day it was just eleven moneths that we had been tossed up and down the Sea for we left Surat the 5. of Ianuary though our Voyage had been prosperous enough ever since our departure from the Island of Madagâ—â—ear The 6. The same wind was heightned into a tempest but having it Easterly we got 50. leagues that day When a man is once come to the Azores he may assure himself all the year after of a West-wind which will bring him into England and never almost turns to South or North though it may sometimes vary some points of the Compass from one side to the other The 7. The wind came to the North-west and we got 39. Leagues to East-north-east The 8. The wind turn'd to South-west and was so high that we got 47. leagues keeping on the same course The 9. The wind South-south-west we got 31. leagues to North-north-east We were this day at 49. degrees 13. minutes It was very cold and we found bottom at 68. fathom the Sand very white In the evening we founded again and found some change in the Sand which was yellower then that in the morning at fifty three fathom water The wind changed at night and coming to North-east was just in our teeth The 10. About noon the wind came to South-west and we found we had got 22. Leagues The 11. At break of day we saw two English Vessels and soon after we discovered on our left hand that point of England which is called The Lands end and in the County of Cornwal The wind was against us which oblig'd us to endeavour doubling the point by Laveering We made shift to get that day 16. Leagues The 12. The wind still contrary we continued Laveering We saw another English Vessel but could not come near it The 13. The wind South-west and South-south-west we continued our course to East-south-east and to East with a point towards the South We got that day 64. Leagues and were at 49. degrees Latitude Then we chang'd our course taking it to East-north-east to get into the channel which divides England from France The 14. we saw two Scotch Ships and a Dunkirker We came somewhat near them but the Sea made such a noise that we could not possibly hear one the other The 15. We continued our course to East-north-east and met three Dutch Ships bound for Brâ—sil That day we passed in sight of the Isle of Wight which lies at 50. degrees 36. minutes Latitude and at 19. degrees and 4. minutes Longitude The 16. About 10. in the morning we passed in sight of Dover-Castle and at noon came to the Downs We cast Anchor near three men of war which lay at Anchor in the same Road and thus we compleated our Voyage in the 12. month after our departure from Surat There were in the same Road above a hundred other ships lying at Anchor in expectation of some change of weather which was then so boystrous that for two days we could not get out of our Ship The Lord Admiral who commanded the Men of War ventured to send his Shallop to our Ship to congratulate the Presidents safe return The 19. The wind being somewhat laid the Admiral invited the President to dinner I went along with him and participated of the civility wherewith he received him I must confess I was somewhat surprised to see upon the Sea such a prodigious quantity of silver Plate and a Table as well furnished as that I may boldly say the King was not better served at London then the Admiral was in his Vessel We were so well treated there that night began to draw on ere we got away Our Ship was not above a Musket shot from the Admiral 's but we were no sooner got into our boat