believe it a Sin to suffer Wine to be publickly drank therein The People come in Pilgrimage from all parts of Persia to the Sepucher of Sha-Sefi which together with the vast Trade of Silk makes Ardevil one of the most considerable Cities of all Persia. There are several other Buildings added to the Mosquee wherein he lyes interr'd the Entry whereof faces the Meydan to which it is joyn'd upon the South-side with a large Portal The Gate is chain'd with Chains fasten'd a-cross with great Rings which if any Criminal Offender can but touch and enter into the first Court he is safe for no person can apprehend him This is a large Court yet more in length than breadth without the Wall whereof that looks upon the Market-place several Shops are built for Merchants and Tradesmen Out of this Court you pass into another which is less and pav'd with broad Stones with a Rivulet running through the middle The Entry into it is through a Door fortifi'd with Iron Chains like the former and is made at a corner of the great Court upon the left hand It brings you presently under a Portico where there are fair Balconies rais'd after the fashion of the Country Those Balconies are full of several People either Pilgrims or persons whose Crimes constrain them thither for Sanctuary In that place you must leave your Stick and your Sword before you go any farther and give something besides to a Moullah who is always attending there with Books In that second Court through which the Rivulet glides on the one side are Baths on the other Granaries for Rice and Corn and upon the left hand at the end of the same Court there is a little Door which brings you to a place where the Royal Alms are distributed to the Poor Morning and Evening being just against the King's Kitchin This Gate is cover'd with Plates of Silver and in the Kitchin there are about thirty Ovens contriv'd in the Wall with as many great Caldrons to dress Pilaw and other Food as well for the Poor as for the Officers of the Mosquee While these Alms are distributing the Master-Cook who commands all the rest sets upon a Chair cover'd with Plates of Silver and sees that every thing be done in order He sees to the measuring out the Rice every day for the Kettles and causes the Victuals to be divided in his own sight For there is an excellent Oeconomy in the King's House At the end of the Portico beyond the first Court there are two Gates one beyond another both cover'd with Plates of Silver between those two Gates on the right hand appears a little Mosquee where are the Tombs of several Persian Princes of the Blood Royal. You must have a great care not to tread upon the Thresholds of the Gates for it is a Crime not to be expiated without a severe Punishment From hence through a little I le you come into the Body of the Church richly hung with Tapestry and set about with high Desks where lye a great many Books wherein the Moullahs or Doctors of the Law read continually having Stipends to Officiate in the Mosquee At the end of the Body of the Mosquee is a little Octagonal Monument like the Choir of a Church in the midst whereof stands the Monument of Sha-Sefi It is only of Wood but curiously carv'd and inlaid It exceeds not the height of a Man of an ordinary stature and seems like a great Chest having four Apples of Gold set up at each corner It is cover'd with a Crimson Satin purfl'd with Gold and all the other Tombs that are by it are cover'd with Silks as rich As well in the Choir as in the Body of the Church there are abundance of Lamps some of Gold some of Silver but the biggest of all is of Silver gilded and vermilion'd and neatly engrav'd There are also six great Branches of a curious sort of Wood cover'd with Silver with great Wax Candles in them which are never lighted but at their great Festivals From the Duomo where stands the Tomb of Sha-Sefi you go under a little Vault which encloses another Monument of another King of Persia whose Name I could not learn It looks like another great Chest curiously wrought and cover'd with Satin The Roof of the Mosquee is adorn'd within with a Painting of Gold and Azure a la Moresque on the outside with a fair Varnish of several Colours like the stately Mosquee at Tauris In the adjacent Parts round about Ardeüil are several Monuments worth a Man's sight being very ancient and some which are ruin'd shew by what remains the care which they took to enrich them with curious Workmanship A quarter of a League from the City stands a Mosquee in which are the Tombs of the Father and Mother of Sha-Sefi It is a fair Structure with Gardens and Courts in one of which there is a very clear Fountain where they keep Fish Ardeüil is not only famous as I have said already for the Royal Sepulchers which are in it and for the Pilgrimages which have been made to it from all parts of Persia but the numerous Caravans of Silk which sometimes consist of eight or nine hundred Camels add very much to its Grandeur For being near to Guilan and Shamaqui from whence those vast quantities of Silk come and for that the Road from both those places to Constantinople and Smyrna lyes through this City there is a continual confluence of Merchants and all sorts of Merchandizes are here to be had as well as at Tauris From Ardeüil to Casbin you travel through a good Country for every three or four Leagues you meet with little Rivers that fall from the Northern Mountains and water the Earth The Caravan is usually five days between Ardeüil and Arion between Arion and Taron two between Taron and Casbin two more Half a League on this side Taron you must cross a great River over a stone Bridge and half a League beyond you come to Kalkal Arion is a little City Taron and Kalkal are two great Towns and there are but these three places in all Persia where there grow any Olives or that they make any Oyl Leaving Kalkal you travel over a Plain for three hours at the end whereof is a Way which you cannot get over in less than four hours The way is so bad that the Horses and Mules can hardly get up but for the Camels they must take the lower Road which is also very tedious and full of Stones which the Torrents tumble down and it is three or four Leagues about When you are up the Country is level and you have not above three Leagues to Casbin Casbin lyes in 87 Degrees and 30 Minutes of Longitude and 36 Degrees and 15 Minutes of Latitude It is a great City the Houses whereof are low and ill built except seven or eight which are next to the King's Gardens It has no Walls and indeed the best half of the City is
devotion of the Feast Now in regard all Ages and Sexes go there is no time in all the year so favourable for the Women to meet their Gallants In the year 1667. the third of July I saw the Festival by the favour of the Nagar who appointed me a place just against the Déla where the King sate This Déla is a Room built with a jetting upon that side of the Meidan next the Palace Gate one story high Several Pillars sustain the flat bottom or floor of the Déla enrich'd with a Grotesco work of Gold and Azure in the mid'st whereof there was a Fountain that was fill'd with Water by the contrivance of a Pipe The Stage or Déla was op'n upon three sides the longest side jetting out upon the Piazza Upon the Wall of the opposite side which was close were to be seen several English and Hollanders both men and women pictur'd with Bottles and Glasses in their hands as if they were drinking to one another Sha-Abas the second caus'd this Painting to be drawn by a Hollander About sev'n a Clock in the Morning Sha-Sephi the second who since has chang'd his name to Sha-Soliman the second came and seated himself upon his Throne set up in the mid'st of the Déla all his Nobility standing about him So soon as he was sate down the Great Provost appear'd at the end of the Piazza mounted upon a fair Horse attended by certain young Lords who caus'd the people consisting of the Companies of the two quarters of the City which are twelve in all to advance to the places which were design'd them For formerly the Companies would strive for the way and therefore the King to prevent disorder order'd there should be a Provost or Master of the Ceremonies to place them without disturbance As he was about his duty a Horse-man entred the Piazza arm'd with a Bow a Quiver and a Scimitar follow'd by seven Men that carry'd every one a Pike upright in their hands with every one a Man's Head at the top Those were the Heads of certain Usbeck-Tartars the neighbouring and mortal Enemies of the Persians which those men had cut off from the shoulders of their conquer'd Foes The King caus'd five Tomans a piece to be giv'n to them that carry'd the Heads and ten Tomans to their Leader After them enter'd three hundred Turks which were fled from the Borders of Turkie from whence the Country-people were tak'n by force and sent to the Warrs of Candy They complain'd that whereas they were wont to be sent to their Winter-Quarters about the middle of October the Turk kept them to the same hard service in Winter as in Summer All these were order'd to advance into the middle of the Piazza where they made their obeysance to him three times and then humbly besought him that they might dwell in his Kingdom with their Wives their Children and their Cattel The King order'd Money to be distributed among them and that they should have Lands assign'd them to manure Then the Provost caus'd the Companies to advance every Company having the Thill of a Wagon carry'd before him upon every of which Thills was a Bier three or four Foot high the Wood of the Thill being painted with a Grotesco of Gold and Silver and the Bier cover'd with Sattin When the first Company had order to march three Horses were led before richly harness'd when they were come about a hundred Paces forward into the Piazza in view of the King they that led the Horses caus'd them to gallop and then all the Company fell a running and dancing about with the Bier Besides that every one flung up his short Cassock his Girdle and Bonnet put their fingers in their mouths to whistle as loud as they could While the naked people with their Flint-stones in their hands ran knocking their Stones together crying out Hussein Hocen Hocen Hussein 'till they foam at the mouth again not omitting to wryth their Bodies and to make all the scurvy Faces as before describ'd The three Companies succeeding one another in the same Formalities by and by came two Companies more with a little Bier upon their Thills and in each Bier a little Child that lay as if dead They that accompany'd these two Biers wept and sigh'd most sadly These two Infants represented the Children of Hussein who when the Prophet was slain were tak'n by Yerid Caliph of Bagdat and put to death Upon this occasion you shall see a great number of Curtisans that come to the Ceremony fall a weeping who thereby believe their Sins are forgiv'n When all the people were come into the Piazza notwithstanding all the care and good order that was tak'n there were several that went to Sharps accounting it a great honour to fight smartly in the King's presence and farther believing that if any one be kill'd upon that occasion he shall be Sainted as indeed every one gives something toward his Interrment The Grand Provost seeing the Quarrel grow hot and fearing more mischief sent for five Elephants which ceas'd the Combat by drawing the Eyes of the Spectators upon them The Elephants march'd one before another according to their Pay that was allow'd them and their skill in War Not that the King of Persia makes any use of them in the Field but only for State keeps such as the Indian Princes present him withal Those five Elephants were cover'd with Houses of Cloth of Gold with a Fringe of the same round about And upon the first which was the highest and the biggest sate two Men the one upon the neck who guides the Elephant the other upon the crupper carrying the King's Arm 's in a Standard fix'd to a Half-Pike Upon the other four sate only one Man a-piece who were the Governours When they came before the place where the King sate they were all rank'd five a-brest at what time the biggest which was in the middle stretch'd out his two fore-legs forward and his two hinder-legs backward 'till his belly almost touch'd the ground after which manner the Elephant makes his obeysance The other four did the same Then laying their Trunks upon the ground and raising them again over their heads three times more they were made to stand with their heads where their tayls stood and their Houses were turn'd up to the end the King might see in what condition they were and whether well look'd after or no which being done they were led away again Upon one side of the Room where the King stood a little Scaffold was set up cover'd with Tap'stry some five Foot lower than the Kings In the middle of the Scaffold stood a great Elbow-Chair cover'd with black Velvet where sate a Moullah with six other Moullah's round about him The Moullah made a Discourse upon the Death of Hussein and Hocen of about half an hour long which being ended the King caus'd a Calaat or Habit of Honour to be giv'n him as also to the others though not so rich When they had
soft wax and sets in order upon a Table he will cast up an accompt very exactly Several other good qualities I admir'd in him and it griev'd me to see a man reduc'd to that miserable Condition only because he was of the blood Royal of Persia Though the Employments of the Kingdom generally fall from Father to Son yet the King if he pleases may bequeath the Governments of Provinces or any other dignities to any of his Goulams which are his Slaves if he find them capable and thinks they may be fit for his service The Father to leave the Employment to his Family labours by degrees to introduce his Son and to obtain the Survivorship for him But if the Father dye and leaves the Survivorship to an Infant there is generally a person of Age and Experience sent along with him Some there are also that obtain employments by presenting the Favourites at Court The State of Persia is distinguish'd like most of the European States into three Bodies The first is that of the Sword which answers to the Nobility and comprehends the Kings houshold the Kans and all the Souldiery The second is that of the Quill comprehending all those that belong to the Law and the Courts of Justice The third is compos'd of Merchants Handicrafts-men and Labourers CHAP. X. Of the first of the three Orders or States of Persia which comprehends the Kings Houshold the Kans or Governours of Provinces and the Souldiery THE Primier Minister of the Kingdom is call'd Athemadoulet or the support of Riches His office is the same with the Grand Vizir's in Turkie and may be compar'd to the ancient Mayors of the Palace in France In regard all the affairs of the Kingdom pass through his hands he ought to be rather a Gowoman then a Souldier and herein he only differs from the Grand Vizier who is always to be at the head of the Army and for every slight fault or distaste is subject to be strangl'd by the Grand Signior Whereas in Persia where the Government is milder the Prime Ministrers generally dye in their beds or if they are Depos'd they are only exil'd to some frontier City where they live as private men When the King is young the Prime Minister has a hard game to play for then the Favourite Eunuchs and the Sultanesles disannul and cancel in the night whatever orders he makes in the day time The Nazar or Seer has the charge of all the Kings goods of his breeds of horses of his moveables of his Cloaths and Plate much like the grand Master of the Kings House in France The Mehter who is always a white Eunuch is the first Gentleman of the Kings Chamber and follows the King with a kind of bag hanging by his side full of handkerchiefs And as he is always at the Kings elbow if he have the Kings ear it is easie for him to befriend or do unkindnesses as his inclination leads him During the minority of the King some of these Mehters have been known to govern the Kingdom The Mir-Akhor-Bashi or Grand Esquire has the Charge of the Kings Stables which as well as the Gate of Ali-Capri are a place of Refuge and whoever saves himself therein let it be for Murther or Debt is safe All the Horses in the Kings Stable are mark'd with a hot iron upon the left hip and those that belong to private persons upon the right Those that the King gives to them that serve in his Armies have the Kings mark and are not to be sold but they may be chaffer'd away If any of those Horses happens to dye in a Horse-mans hands he must flea off the Kings mark and carry it to the under Officers of the General of the Cavalry to have another otherwise he would be forc'd to buy another at his own expences Those people by laying the skin in the water know though by what art I cannot tell whither the Horse dy'd of age or sickness or whither he were malitiously kill'd For in times of Peace there are some Horsemen that will kill their Horses to save the Charges of keeping any more than themselves then at the next Muster they bring the skin of their Horse with the mark on to the Officers and get another unless they be found out Nor are their Horses only mark'd but their Scimitars Musquets Bows and Quivers all which they must shew to the Commissioners every Muster Sha-Abbas the second being at Casbin in the year 1654 took a general view of his Cavalry which lasted for ten or twelve days For the King sitting in the Portal of one of his Gardens with his Officers standing about him every day caus'd so many troopers to ride by him which were all stout active men and well mounted Every Souldier gallop'd singly by him and coming just under the King he shot an Arrow against a Butt of Turf that was thrown up upon his left hand and when the Muster was over the King advanc'd the Pay of every Horse-man who according to the sentence of the Judges had shot nearest the mark I was then at Casbin and I remember one Souldier who quite contrary to what the other Horse-men did walk'd his Horse along by the King and never shot but only lay'd his hand upon his brest and then upon his forehead which is the Ceremony of Salutation us'd by the King He was a very homely fellow with a flat tawny countenance so that his behaviour and his presence offending the King in a chafe he commanded that black rascal to be cashier'd out of his service Immediately they took away his Horse and his Arms and were going about to have drubb'd him but that the General of the Cavalry made them a sign to let him alone Immediately the General gave the King to understand that he was one of the best Souldiers in the Army as he had signally made it appear at the Sieges of Erivan and Candahar Upon that the King caus'd his Horse and Arms to be restor'd him again and commanded him to ride by him as the rest of the Souldiers had done When he came against the Butt instead of obeying the Kings command he turn'd his Horse to the right and left without saying a word The General fearing he would offend the King again bid him shoot What shall I shoot at Sir said he Against the place where all the rest have shot answer'd the General Then the Souldier shaking his head and smiling 'T is not my way said he to spend my Arrows against a wall for I know how to make use of 'em better against the body or head of the Enemies of my King I would then shoot thrice before another could shoot once At the same time he draws out two Arrows out of his Quiver one of which he held in his mouth and put the other to his bow and then setting spurs to his Horse he out-rid the Butt for the nonce to shoot backward which he did and hit the very middle
where while the King is sitting upon the Seat of Justice they that have business are to stand Further it is not lawful for them to go till they are call'd and Embassadors themselves are not exempted from this custom When an Embassador comes as far as this Channel the Master of the Ceremonies calls out toward the Divan where the King is sitting that such an Embassador craves Audience of his Majesty Then one of the Secretaries of State declares it to the King who oftentimes makes as if he did not hear But some time after lifting up his eyes he casts them upon the Embassador making him a sign by the same Secretary that he may approach From the Hall of the Divan turning to the left you walk upon a Terrass where you discover the River Over this Terrass the King passes into a little Chamber from whence he goes into his Haram In this little Chamber it was that I had my first Audience of his Majesty as I shall relate in another place Upon the left-hand of the Court where the Divan is built stands a little Mosquee neatly built the Cupola whereof is cover'd with Lead perfectly guilded Here the King goes to hear Prayers every day except it be Fridays when he is to go to the great Mosquee which is a very fair one and plac'd upon an high Platform rais'd higher than the Houses of the City and there is a noble ascent to it That day that the King goes to the Mosquee they place huge rails of wood round about the steps as well to keep off the Elephants as out of respect to the Mosquee The right-side of the Court is taken up with Portico's that make a long Gallery rais'd from the ground about half a foot and these are the King's Stables into which you have many doors to enter They are also full of stately Horses the worst whereof stands the King in three-thousand Crowns and there are some that cost him ten-thousand At the door of every one of these Stables hangs a kind of Mat made of Bambouc that cleaves like our Osiers But whereas we bind our Osier-twigs with the same Osier they bind their Bambouc's with wreath'd-Silk which is delicate work but very tedious These Mats are to hinder the Flies from tormenting the Horses there being two Grooms to an Horse one of which is still employ'd in sanning the Beast There are also Mats spread before the Portico's and before the Stable-door which they spread or take away as occasion requires And the Floor of the Gallery is cover'd with fair Carpets which is taken away in the evening and the Horses Litter strow'd in the same place Which Litter is nothing but the Horse-dung dri'd in the Sun and then squeez'd a little flat The Horses that are brought into India either out of Persia Arabia or the Countrey of Vsbech change their food For in India they never give them Hay nor Oats Every Horse in the morning having for his proportion three loaves made of Meal Wheat and Butter as big as one of our six-penny-loaves 'T is an hard matter to bring them to this diet at first it being sometimes three or four Months before they can do it The Groom is forc'd to hold their tongue in one hand and to thrust down the bread with the other When Sugar-Canes or Millet are in season they give them that diet about noon and in the evening two hours before Sun-set they give them a measure of Garden-Chiches which the Groom squeezes between two stones and mixes with water This is instead of Barley and Oats As for the King 's other Stables where he has also very fine Horses they are scurvy places ill-built which deserve not to be mention'd The Gemene is a fair River that bears good big Boats which running to Agra loses its name falling into Ganges at Hallabas The King has several small Brigantines at Gehanabad upon the River to take his pleasure in and they are very curiously trimm'd after the manner of the Countrey CHAP. VII The continuance of the same Road from Dehly to Agra FRom Dehly to Badelpoura costes 8 From Radelpoura to Pelvel-ki-sera costes 18 From Pelvel-ki-sera to Cotki-sera costes 15 From Cotki-sera to Cheki-sera costes 16 At Cheki-sera is one of the greatest Pagods of the Indians together with an Hospital for Apes as well for those that breed there-abouts as for those that come from the neighbouring-parts which the Banians are very careful to feed This Pagod is call'd Matura and it was formerly in far greater veneration than it is at this day The reason is because the Gemene ran then just at the very foot of the Pagod wherein the Banians as well those of the Countrey as those that came from remote parts in Pilgrimage had the convenience to wash themselves before they went to their Devotions and when they had perform'd them to wash again before they eat which they are not to do ere they have wash'd believing also that if they wash in running-water their sins will be the more easily defac'd But some years since the River changing its course more to the Northward comes not within a good league of the Pagod which is the reason that the Pilgrims have deserted it From Cheki-sera to Goodki-sera costes 5 From Goodki-sera to Agra costes 6 Agra lies in 27 deg 31 min. of Lat. and in a Sandy-soil which causes extremity of heat It is the biggest City in India and formerly the Residence of their Kings The Houses of great Persons are fair and well-built but the Houses of the meaner-sort are as plain as in all the other Cities of India They are built a good distance one from another and hid by the height of their Walls to keep their Women from being seen So that it may be easily conjectur'd that their Cities are nothing so pleasant as ours in Europe Add to this that Agra being encompast round with the Sands the heats are there very excessive which constrain'd Cha-jehan to remove from thence and to keep his Court at Gehanabad All that is remarkable in Agra is the King's Palace and some Monuments as well near the City as in the parts about it The Palace of the King is a vast piece of ground encompast with a double-wall which is terrass'd in some parts and in those parts are built certain Lodgings for some of the Officers of the Court The Gemene runs before the Palace but between the Wall and the River there is a large space of ground where the King causes his Elephants to fight This Field is on purpose near the water because that the Elephant which gets the victory being in a fury they could not bring him to himself did they not drive him into the River to which end they are forc'd to have recourse to Policy by tying Squibs and Crackers to the end of an Half-Pike and then giving fire to them to fright him into the water for when he is in but two or three-foot-deep he is presently
bury that person honourably believing him to be a Saint Besides that they send over all the Countrey for a white Goat which they breed up and keep in the Village where it happen'd to thunder having it in great veneration till thundring in another place the people send for it thither also If the Thunder fall upon any of their Houses though it kill neither Man Woman Child nor Beast all that Family shall be kept upon the publick stock all that year without being ty'd to any Labour but of Singing and Dancing These people during that time go from Village to Village Dancing and Singing at peoples Doors but never going into their Houses for which the Inhabitants are bound to bring them out something to eat There is a day in the Spring when all that have been struck'n with Thunder meet together in the Village where the white Goat is kept who has always a Cheese hanging about his Neck as big as a Parma-Cheese This Goat they take and carry to the Village of the chief Lord of the Countrey They never go in but the Lord with all the rest of the Village coming out they all together prostrate themselves before the Goat Having said some Prayers they take away his Cheese and immediately put another in its place The Cheese which was taken away is at the same time cut into little pieces and distributed among the people After that they give the Strangers to eat and bestow their Alms upon them so that by this wandring from Village to Village they get good store of Money They have among them but only one Book and it is as big as one of our largest Folio's and it lies in the hands of an old man who has only the priviledge to touch it When that old man is dead they choose another old man to keep the Book whose Duty it is to go from Village to Village where he hears of any sick people He carries the Book with him and after he has lighted up a Wax-Candle and put the people out of the Room he lays the Book upon the Stomach of the sick person opens it and reads in it then blows over it sev'ral times so that the Breath passes toward the mouth of the Party Then he causes the party diseas'd to kiss the Book several times and as often lays it upon his head which is a Ceremony of half an hour When the old man goes away one gives him a Beef or a Heifer another gives him a Goat every one according to their Quality and Estate They have also Old Women that take upon them to cure the Sick These Women feel the body of the sick party all over but more particularly they handle and grope that part where the distemper lies during which time they let go several belches out of their mouthes and the more sick the party is the louder and thicker they fetch their belches The standers by hearing them belch in that manner and fetch such vilanous sighs from their stomacks believe their friend to be dangerously ill and that the louder the Women belch the more ease and comfort they receive but whether they do or no the women are well payd for their pains When any one feels a pain in the Head they send for the Barber who gives two cutts upon the Head across with the rasor and then poures Oyl into the wound For they believe the Head-ache proceeds only from a wind beeween the flesh and the bone for which the Incision opens a paslage to let it out At their Funerals they that are the near Relations or Friends of the dead some cut their faces and other parts of their Bodies with sharp flints others prostrate themselves upon the ground and tear their hair so that when they return from the Burial they are all of a gore blood However notwithstanding all this affliction they never pray for the Dead As to their Marriages When a young man has seen a Virgin which he has a liking to he sends one of his friends to agree with her Parents or her Tutor what he will give for her Commonly the guist consists in Horses Cows or some other sort of Cattel When the agreement is made the Parents and Kindred of the party thereby contracted together with the Lord of the place go to the House where the Virgin lives and bring her to the Bridegrooms House where there is a Feast ready prepar'd and after they have made merry and sung and danc'd for a while the Bridegroom and Bride go and lye together without any other Ceremony If the Man and Maid are of two Parishes the Lord of the Village where the Man lives accompany him and his Kindred to the next Village altogether to fetch the Bride from thence If a Man and the Wife have no Children he is permitted to take several Wives one after another till he have Issue If a marri'd Woman have a Gallant and that the Husband should come and find his Wise a bed with him he goes away again without saying a word and never takes any further notice of it The Woman also in the same case does the like by the man Nay the more Gallants a Woman has the more she is respected And it is a common custom when they fall out to taunt one another that if they were not ugly or ill natur'd or diseas'd they would have more Admirers than they have The People are of an excellent Complexion especially the Women who are extreamly fair and finely shap'd and keep their beauty till five and forty or fifty years They are very laborious and work themselves in the Iron Mines which they melt afterwards and forge into several Tooles and Implements They make abundance of Embroidery of Gold and Silver for their Saddles their Quivers and their Pumps as also upon the Calicut of which they make their Handkerchiefs If the man and the woman happen to quarrel often together so that they cannot be reconcil'd the Husband complaining first to the Lord of the Place He sends for the Woman and having giv'n order to sell her gives the Man another But if the Woman complain first the Man is serv'd the same sawce If a Man or Woman be a disturber of their Neighbours if the Neighbours complain to the Lord he presently causes the party to be apprehended and sold to the Merchants that buy Slaves for they are resolv'd they will live in quiet They that take upon them the quality of Gentlemen sit still do nothing and speak very little In an evening they ride out and meet some twenty or thirty together to go a stealing Nor do they rob only their Enemies but their Neighbours from whom the chief prey which they take are Cattle and Slaves All the Country-people are Slaves to the Lord of the Village where they live whom he imploys to till his Land and cut Wood for him upon occasion of which they spend vast quantities For not being very warm clad they keep fire all night
the lowermost Those Buildings which are made of Brick bak'd in the Sun are very handsom and after the Wall is rais'd the Mason plaisters it over with a Morter made of Potter's Clay mingled with Straw so that the defects of the Building being cover'd the Wall appears very firm and close Then the Work-man plaisters the Morter over again with a Lime mixt with Muscovy-Green which he pounds with a certain Gum to render the Lime more glutinous and then rubbing the Wall over with a course Brush it becomes as it were damask'd and silver'd and looks like Marble The poor are contented with only bare Walls or some course daubing that costs little The middle of the House consists of a large Portico twenty or thirty Foot square and in the middle of the Portico a Fountain full of Water It is all open upon one side and from the Portico to the Pond or Fountain all cover'd with Carpets At every corner of the Portico is a Room to sit and take the fresh Air and behind another large Room the floor whereof is spread with Carpets Mattresses and Cushions according to the quality of the Master of the House Upon the two sides of the Portico are two other Chambers and doors to go from one Chamber to another and thus are the Houses of the great Lords built but only they are more spacious For their Houses consist of four great Parlours that look toward the our corners of the World and every Parlour has two Chambers upon each side which make eight Chambers that surround a great Hall in the middle The King's Palace is also built after the same fashion and generally the Persian Houses are very low it being a rare thing to see one three Stories high Yet all their Chambers and Rooms are arch'd wherein the Persian exceeds us For without all that trouble and time that we spend they will presently raise an Arch so broad and high as easily demonstrates the skill of the Work-man The tops of their Houses are flat and terrass'd being plaster'd with Earth mixt with Straw chopt very small and well temper'd which they bind together with a layer of Lime beat'n for seven days together which makes it as hard as Marble and if they want Lime they pave the Terrass with square Tiles bak'd in an Oven so that the Rain can do no harm But they are very careful to shovel off the Snow for fear it crack the Terrass with lying Without the Houses show nothing but within they are curiously painted with Birds and Flowers wherein the Persians are no bad Artists They take great delight to have several little Chambers with several Doors and Lattice-windows the quarrels whereof are of Glass of various colours This sort of glazing serves generally and indeed more properly for the Apartments where the Women may come For they might have Crystal-windows if they pleas'd but they glaze the void spaces in this manner that their Women may not be seen after they have fram'd the op'n place that gives light like a Flower-Pot with several Flowers in it which the Glass of several colours imitates to the life whereby it is impossible that the Windows should be peer'd through besides that it is pleasant to the Eye The Doors of their Houses are of Tchinar-Wood which is very noble and their Wainscoting is as neat The Persians that love ostentation always display their rich Carpets Mattresses Cushions Coverlets and all the most costly Furniture they have in the fore part of their dwellings For the Haram or the Women's Quarter is but meanly adorn'd in regard they are never visited by any men but their Husbands In some of their Rooms they have very narrow Chimnies for the Persians set all their Wood upright which they burn because of the Smoak besides they make but small Fires in regard they have so great a scarcity of Wood. When they would go to sleep they lye down upon a Plank cover'd with a Carpet and wrap themselves in a quilted Blanket In the Summer they sleep in the open Air upon their Terrasses and in regard the Women lye there too there is an order obtain'd that the Moullahs that sing upon the Mosquèes shall not presume to go up in the morning because it might be their hap to see the Women as they lay it being one of the highest pieces of infamy imaginable for a Woman to be discover'd with her Face op'n There are some Houses that belong to great Lords that have a square place before their Doors where they that come to visit them may put their Horses to the end the Street should not be pester'd If you look upon the Front of their Houses there is little ornament to be seen unless it be upon some which have been lately built CHAP. V. A Description of Ispahan the chief City of the Kingdom and Dominions of the King of Persia. ISpahan Sphahan or Sphaon as the Persians pronounce it which some Travellers have too unwarily affirm'd to be a fine City lyes in the Province of Hierac which composes some part of the ancient Kingdom of the Parthians It is the Capital City of all Persia and a very large place where the King usually keeps his Court. The Records of the Persians declare that formerly it was two contiguous Towns one part whereof belong'd to Haider and the other to Neamed-Olahi two parts of Ispahan still retaining those two names which has occasion'd great quarrels and debates among the people while they have both been eager to prefer their own quarter Nor indeed could Ispahan be accompted other than a Village before Sha-Abas had conquer'd the Kingdoms of Lar and Ormus But then observing so fair a Situation where he might as well be near the Provinces which he had newly conquer'd as for the design which he had to extend his Dominions to the East and West as he had enlarg'd them to the South he quitted Casbin and Sultany to reside at Ispahan as in the center of his Empire This City is seated in a vast plain which extends it self three ways fifteen or twenty Leagues Upon the South about two Leagues from Ispahan rises a very high Mountain on the top whereof toward the West are to be seen the remains of a very strong Fortress where Darius kept himself when Alexander gave Battle to him in that Plain In the side of the Rock is a Grotto either natural or artificial or both out of which issues a natural Spring of excellent Water where a Dervis usually inhabits The Circuit of Ispahan taking the Suburbs all in is not much less than that of Paris but the number of Inhabitants is ten times greater at Paris than at Ispahan Nor is it a wonder that a City should be so large and yet so ill peopl'd where every Family has its particular House and every House its particular Garden What ever way you come to it you may discover first the Towers of the Mosquees and then the Trees that environ the Houses so
a North-east-wind which carries them from Suratt to Ormus in fifteen or twenty days Then veering a little to the North it serves as well for those that are bound for Suratt as those that are bound from thence Then the Merchants generally provide for a Voyage of thirty or five and thirty days But if they would Sail from Ormus to Suratt in fourteen or fifteen days they must take Shipping either in March or at the beginning of April for then the Western-wind blows full in their Stern The Vessels which Sail from Ormus run within sight of Mascate upon the Coast of Arabia bearing off to Sea for fear of coming too near the Persian Coast. They that come from Suratt do the same thing to make the Entry of the Gulf. But neither the one nor the other touch at Mascate to avoid paying Customs to an Arabian Prince who took that place from the Portugals Mascate is a City situated just by the Sea-side over against three Rocks that make the Entry into the Harbour very difficult and at the foot of a Mountain upon which the Portugals have three or four Forts It is observed that Mascate Ormus and Balsara are the three places in the East where the heat is most insupportable Formerly only the Hollanders and English understood this Course of Navigation but some years after the Armonians Mahometans Indians and Banians have built them Vessels But it is not so safe to Embark in them for they neither understand the Sea so well nor are they so good Pilots The Vessels that Sail to Suratt which is the only Part in the Empire of the Great Mogul Sail within fight of Diu and the Point of St. John and come to an Anchor afterwards in the Road of Couali which is not above four Leagues from Suratt and two from the Mouth of the River toward the North They transport their Wares from one place to another either by Waggons or in Boats For great Vessels cannot get into the River of Suratt till they have unladen by reason of the Sands that choak it up The Hollanders return as soon as they have landed their Wares at Couali and so do the English it not being permitted to either to enter into the River But some years since the King has given the English a place to Winter in during the rainy Seasons Suratt is a City of an indifferent bigness defended by a pittiful Fortress by the foot whereof you must pass whither you go by Land or by Water It has four Towers at the four Corners and in regard there are no Platforms upon the Walls Guns are planted upon woodden-Scaffolds The Governour of the Fort only commands the Souldiers in the Fort but has no Power in the City which has a particular Governour to receive the King's Customs and other Revenues through the Extent of his Province The Walls of the Town are only of Earth and the generality of the Houses like Barns being built of Reeds plaistered with Cow-dung to cover the void spaces and to hinder them without from discerning between the Reeds what is done within In all Suratt there be but nine or ten Houses which are well built whereof the Cha-bander or chief of the Merchants has two or three The rest belong to the Mahumetan Merchants nor are those wherein the English and Hollanders dwell less beautiful every President and every Commander being careful to repair them which they put upon the account of their Companies However they do but hire those Houses the King not suffering any Frank to have an House of his own for fear he should make a Fortress of it The Capuchin Friars have built them a very convenient Convent according to the Model of our European Houses and a fair Church for the building of which I furnish'd them with good part of the Money But the Purchase was made in the Name of a Maronite Merchant of Aleppo whose Name was Chelebi of whom I have spoken in my Persian Relations CHAP. II. Of the Customs Money Exchange Weights and Measures of the Indians TO avoid Repetitions which cannot be shunn'd in the Course of long Travels it behoves me to let the Reader understand what belongs to the Custom-houses Money Exchange Weights and Measures of the Indians When your Commodities are unladen at Suratt you must carry them to the Custom-house adjoyning to the Fort. They are very severe and very exact in searching the people Particular Merchants pay from four to five per Cent at the Custom-house for all sorts of Ware But for the English and Holland-Company they pay less But I believe if they did but cast up what it costs them in Deputations and Presents which they are oblig'd every year to send to the Court they would not pay much less for their Wares than particular Merchants Gold and Silver pay two in the Hundred and when it is brought into the Custom-house the Master of the Mint comes and takes it and Coins it into the Money of the Countrey They agree with him upon the day wherein he will undertake to return the new Pieces And for so many days as he makes them stay after that he pays them Interest according to the proportion of the Silver which he receives The Indians are very subtil and crafty in matters of Money and Payments three or four years after the Silver is coin'd it loses half per Cent. and goes at the same rate as old Silver for say they it is impossible but that it should lose in passing through so many hands You may carry all sorts of Silver into the Dominions of the Great Mogul For in all the Frontier Cities there is a Mint where it is purified to the highest perfection as is all the Gold and Silver in India by the King's Command and coin'd into Money Silver in Bars or old Plate which is bought without paying for the fashion is the Silver by which you shall lose least For as for coin'd Silver there is no avoiding the loss of the Coinage All their bargains are made with a condition to pay in coin'd Silver within the present year .. And if you make payment in old Silver you must resolve to lose according to the time since it was first-coin'd In all places far remote from Cities where the vulgar people have no great knowledge in Silver and where there are no Changers they will not receive a piece of Silver without putting it in the fire to try whether it be good or no And this is the common practice at all Ferries and passages over Rivers In regard their Boats are only made of Ofier covered over with an Ox-hide and by consequence are very light they keep them in the Woods and will not take them upon their shoulders till they have received their Money As for their Gold the Merchants have so many cunning tricks to hide it that it seldom comes to the knowledg of the Customers They do all they can to shift off paying the Customs and that so
much the rather because they do not run so much hazard as at the Custom-houses of Europe For in the Indian Custom-houses if a man be caught in the fraud he is quitted by paying double ten in the hundred instead of five The King comparing the venture of the Merchant to a game at Hazard where he plays quit or double The King had granted to the English Captains that they should not be search'd when they came a-shore But one day one of the English Captains going to Tata one of the greatest Cities in India a little above the Mouth of the River Indou as he was going to pass the River he was stopp'd by the Officers of the Custom-house who search'd and rifl'd him what-ever he could alledg to the contrary They found Gold about him of which he had already carried off several quantities at several times that he had gone from his Ship to the City but they quitted him upon paying the usual Custom The English-man vex'd at such an affront resolv'd to revenge himself which he did after a very pleasant manner He caus'd a sucking-pig to be roasted and putting it together with the dripping and sawce in a China-platter covered with a linnen-cloath he gave it a Slave to bring along after him to the City imagining what would fall out As it pass'd before the custom-Custom-house while the Governors or the Cha-bander and the Mint-Master were sitting in the Divan they fail'd not to stop him and as the Slave went forward with the Plate cover'd they told his Master that he must come into the custom-Custom-house and that they must see what he carried The more the English-man cry'd that the Slave carried nothing that paid any duties the less he was believ'd so that after a long debate he took the Plate from his Slave and carried it himself into the Divan the Governour and the Cha-bander gravely ask'd him why he would not be obedient to the Laws Upon which the English-man replying in a great heat that he carried nothing which paid any duty threw the Pigg among them with such a fury that the Sawce and Pigg flew all upon their Garments Now in regard that Swines-flesh is an abomination to the Mahometans who believe every thing defil'd that touches it they were forc'd to change their Clothes take down the Tapestry of the Divan to pull down the Divan it self and build another not daring to say any thing to the English-man for the Cha-bander and Mint-master are very observant to the Company by whom they reap a great deal of profit As for what concerns the Heads of the Companies as well English as Dutch and their Associates they have so great a respect for them that they never search them at all when they come a-shore though they will not stick to conceal their Gold like particular Merchants and to carry it about them The Trade of Tata formerly very great begins now to decay because the Mouth of the Rivers grows more dangerous and full of shallows every day more than other the Sand-hills having almost choak'd it up The English finding they had learn'd the trick of rifling their Clothes studi'd out other little ways and contrivances to conceal their Gold And the fashion of wearing Perriwigs being newly come out of Europe they hid their Jacobus's Rose-Nobles and Ducats in the net of their Perriwigs every time they came a-shore There was a Merchant that had a mind to convey some boxes of Coral into Suratt without the knowledg of the Customers He swam then into the Town some days before the Ship was unladed when it might be done securely before the Customers had any suspition of any thing But the Merchant repented him afterwards the Commodity being spol'd For the water of Suratt River being always thick and muddy there clung to the Coral which had lain a long time in the water a slime like a white crust or skin which was difficult to be got off so that after the Coral was polish'd he lost by it above twelve per Cent. I come now to the Money which goes for currant through the whole extent of the Great Mogul's Dominions and to all the sorts of Gold and Silver which is carri'd thither in Ingots to make profit thereof In the first place you must observe that it is very profitable to buy Gold and Silver which has been wrought to melt it into Ingots and to refine it to the highest purity For being refin'd you pay not for the portage of the Alloy which was mix'd with it before And carrying the Gold and Silver in wedges you pay neither to the Prince nor to the Mint what they exact for Coinage If you carry coin'd Gold the best pieces are Jacobus's Rose-Nobles Albertus's and other ancient Pieces as well of Portugal as of other Countreys and all sorts of Gold that have been coin'd in former Ages For by all those old Pieces the Merchant is sure to gain You may also reckon for good Gold and which is proper to be carri'd thither all the Ducats of Germany as well those coin'd by the several Princes as by the Imperial Towns together with the Ducats of Poland Hungary Swedeland and Danemark and indeed all sorts of Ducats are taken to be of the same goodness The Venetian Ducats of Gold formerly pass'd for the best and were worth four or five of our Sous more than any others but about a dozen years ago they seem to have been alter'd not going now for any more than the rest There are also Ducats which the Grand Seignior coins at Cairo and those of Sally and Morocco But these three sorts are not so good as the others and are not worth so much as they by four Sous of our Money Over all the Empire of the Great Mogul all the Gold and Silver is weigh'd with weights which they call Tolla which weigh nine Deneers and eight grains of our weights When they have any quantity of Gold and Silver to sell the Indians use yellow Copper-weights with the King's mark to avoid cousenage And with these weights they weigh all the Gold and Silver at once provided it amount not to above a hunder'd Tolla's For the Changers have no other weights but from one Tolla to a hunder'd and a hunder'd Tolla's come to 38 Ounces 21 Deneers and 8 Grains As for the Gold and Silver which is not coin'd if there be much they essay it and having put it to the touch they bid to the utmost value to out-vye one another In regard there are some Merchants that have above forty or fifty thousand Ducats at a time the Indians weigh them with a weight which is just the weight of a hunder'd Ducats which is also mark'd with the Kings Mark and if the hundred Ducats weigh less than the weights they put in so many little stones till the Scales are even and after all is weigh'd they make good to the Changer the weight of those little stones But before they weigh these Gold-Coins whether they
before When I had given it to him well said he let us talk no more of what is past how much will you have in a word for this Pearl I ask'd him seven thousand Roupies and indeed rather than I would have carri'd it into France I would have taken three If I give thee said he seven thousand Roupies for this Pearl I shall make thee amends for the loss thou complain'st of in the first bargain Come to Morrow and I will give thee five thousand Roupies and that 's very fair Thou shalt have also a Calaat and an Horse I made my obeysance to him and desir'd him to give me an Horse that should be young and fit for service because I had a great journey to take The next day he sent me a Robe a Cloak two Girdles and a Cap which is all the Apparel that the Princes are wont to give to those to whom they intend any Honour The Cloak and Robe was of Satin purfled with Gold the two Girdles strip'd with Gold and Silver the Cap was of Calicut dy'd into a Flame-colour with stripes of Gold The Horse had no Saddle but was covered with a green Velvet foot-cloath edg'd about with a small Silver-fringe The Bridle was very strait with Silver-studs in some places I believe the Horse had never been back'd for so soon as I brought him to the holland-Holland-House where I then lodg'd a young man got upon his back but he was no sooner on but the Horse flung and pranc'd at that rate that having kick'd down an Hutt that stood in the Court he had like to have kill'd the Hollander Finding that such a Resty-Horse was not for my turn I sent him back to Cha-est-Kan and relating the Story to him I told him I did not believe that he desir'd I should return into my Countrey to bring him back some rarities which I had promis'd him as he made me believe he did All the while I talk'd he laugh'd and afterwards sent for the Horse which his Father in his life time us'd to ride upon It was a tall Persian Horse that had formerly cost five thousand Crowns but was then twenty eight years old They brought him bridl'd and saddl'd and the Prince would needs have me get up in his presence He had one of the most stately walks that ever I knew in a Horse and when I alighted well said he art thou satisfied I dare say that Horse will never give thee a fall I thank'd him and at the same time took my leave of him and the next day before my departure he sent me a great Basket of Apples It was one of the six that Cha-jehan had sent him as they came from the Kingdom of Kachemir there was in the Basket also a great Persian Melon All this might be worth a hundred Roupies which I presented to the Holland Commanders Wife As for the Horse I rode him to Golconda where I sold him for five hundred Roupies as old as he was being a good lusty Beast To return to our discourse of Money I will add this to what I have said already that you must never carry Louis's of Gold to the Indies nor Spanish nor Italian Pistols nor any other sort of Money coin'd within these few years for there is great loss by it for the Indians refine all and count only upon the refinings Lastly every one strives to steal the custom of their Gold and when the Merchant has got the knack of concealing it he may gain five or six of our Sous in every Ducat I come now to the sorts of Silver Money which you must distinguish into Money of the Country and Forreign Money And first of the Forreign Coins The Forreign Silver Coins which are carried into the Indies are the Rixdollars of Germany and the Reals of Spain The first are brought by the Merchants that come from Poland from the Lesser Tartary and the Borders of Muscovia The others by those that come from Constantinople Smyrna and Aleppo and the greatest part by the Armenians who sell their Silk into Europe All these Merchants endeavour to convey their Silver through Persia without being discovered for if the Customers find it out they will be forced to carry their Silver to the Mint-Masters to be coined into Abassi's which is the Kings Coin and these Abassi s being carried into India are again coined into Roupies whereby the Merchant loses ten and a quarter per Cent. as well by reason of the coinage as by paying the Kings duties in Persia. To let you understand in a few words how they came to lose this ten and a quarter per Cent. from Persia to the Indies and sometimes more according to the nature of the Reals which they usually carry into Persia you must call to mind what I have already said concerning the Money and Exchanges of Persia in the first Volume I observ'd that a Real in Persia goes for 23 Chaez which make three Abassi's and a quarter and that sometimes when Silver is scarce they will give a Chaez and a half for one That the Abassi is worth four Chaez and the Toman fifty Abassi's or two hundred Chaez If you carry six Tomans and a half to the Indies you have for every Toman twenty-nine Roupies and a half and consequently for six Tomans and a half a hundred and ninety-one Roupies and a quarter If you carry to the Indies Reals of Sevilo for a hundred you shall have from 213 to 215 Roupies If you carry Mexican Reals for a hundred you shall have no more than 212. So that when for a hundred Reals you have but two hundred and twelve Roupies you gain ten Reals and a quarter in an hundred Reals but by the Sevillian Reals you profit eleven per Cent. There are three or four sorts of Spanish Reals and they give for a hundred according to their goodness from 218 to 214 and 215 Roupies The best of all are those of Sevil for when they are full weight they will give for a hundred 213 Roupies and sometimes 215 according as Silver is either scarce or plentiful The Real of Spain ought to weigh three Drams seven Grains and a half more than two Roupies But the Silver of the Roupies is much better For the Roupy is in weight eleven Deneers and fourteen Grains but the Sevil Real like our white Crown is but just eleven Deneers The Mexican Real goes at ten Deneers and twenty-one Grains For the Spanish Real that weighs seventy-three Vals you have four Mamoudi's and a half and one Mamoudi is worth twenty Pecha's but they must be very good and as I have said already seventy-three Vals in weight eighty-one Vals making an Ounce one Val coming to seven Deneers For the Rixdollars of Germany in regard they are heavier than the Reals they will give you for an hundred as high as an hundred and sixteen Roupies Where you are to take notice that in giving for an hundred Reals or an hundred Rixdollars
Bank of Ganges toward the West not being less than two Leagues in length But the Houses are no fairer than in the greatest part of the other Cities of India being cover'd with Bambouck or Straw The Holland Company have a House there by reason of their Trade in Saltpeter which they refine at a great Town call'd Choupar which is also scituated upon Ganges ten Leagues above Patna Coming to Patna we met the Hollanders in the Street returning from Choupar who stop'd our Coaches to salute us We did not part till we had emptied two Bottles of Sohiras Wine in the open Street which is not taken notice of in that Country where people meet with an entire freedom without any Ceremony I stay'd eight days at Patna during which time there fell out an accident which will let the Reader understand that Sodomy does not go altogether unpunish'd among the Mahumetans A Mimbachi who commanded a thousand Foot went about to abuse a young Boy in his service and who had several times resisted his attempts complaining also to the Governour and telling him withall that if his Master persisted to urge him any more he would certainly kill him At length the Captain took his opportunity at a House which he had in the Country and forc'd the Boy The Boy o'rewhelm'd with grief and rage took his opportunity also to revenge himself and being one day hunting with his Master about a quarter of a League from any of his other Servants he got behind him and cleft his head with his Hanger After he had done he rode full speed to the City crying out all the way that he had kill'd his Master for such a reason and went immediately to the Governours Lodging who sent him to prison but he let him out at the end of six months and notwithstanding all the endeavours which the Captains Kindred us'd to have had him put to death the Governour durst not condemn him for fear of the people who affirm'd that the Boy had done well I parted from Patna in a Boat for Daca the nine and twentieth of January between eleven and twelve at noon and had the River been deep as it uses to be after the Rains I had taken Boat at Hallabas or at least at Banarou The same day I came to lye at sera-Beconcour costes 15 Five Leagues on this side Beconcour you meet with a River call'd Pomponsou which comes from the South and falls into Ganges The thirtieth to Sera-d ' Erija costes 17 The one and thirtieth after we had travel'd four Leagues or thereabout we met with the River Kaoa which comes from the South Three Leagues lower you meet with another River call'd Chanon which comes from the North. Four Leagues farther you discover the River Erguga which runs from the South and at length six Leagues beyond the River Aquera falling from the same part of the World all which four Rivers lose their Names in the Ganges All that day I saw great Mountains toward the South distant from Ganges sometimes ten and sometimes fifteen Leagues till at length I came to lodg in Monger-City costes 18 The first day of January 1666 after I had gone by Water two hours I saw the Gandet fall into the Ganges flowing from the North. This is a great River that carries Boats That eveining I lay at Zangira costes 8 But in regard of the winding of Ganges all that days journey I might well reckon them by Water two and twenty Leagues The second day from between six in the morning till eleven I saw three Rivers that threw themselves into Ganges all three descending from the North. The first is call'd Ronova the second Then the third Ghanan I came to lye at Baquelpour costes 18 The third after four hours upon the Ganges I met the River Katare which comes from the North and lay at a Village call'd Pongangel at the foot of certain Mountains that descend to Ganges it self costes 13 The fourth an hours rowing beyond Pongangel I met a great River call'd Mart-Nadi coming from the South and I lay at Rage-Mehale costes 6 Rage-Mehale is a City upon the right hand of Ganges and if you go by Land you shall find the high-way for a League or two pav'd with Brick to the Town Formerly the Governours of Bengala resided here it being an excellent Country for hunting besides that it was a place of great Trade But now the River having taken another course above a good half League from the City as well for that reason as to keep in awe the King of Aracan and several Portuguese Banditi who are retir'd to the mouths of Ganges and made excursions even as far as Daca it self both the Governour and the Merchants have remov'd themselves to Daca which is at present a large City and a Town of great Trade The sixth being arriv'd at a considerable Town call'd Donapour six Leagues from Rage-Mehale I parted with Monsieur Bernier who was going to Casenbasar and thence to Ogouli by Land for when the River is low there is no going by Water by reason of a great Bank of Sand that lies before a City call'd Santiqui I lay that night at Toutipour distant from Rage-mehale costes 12 I saw there at Sun-rising a great number of Crocodiles lying upon the Sand. The seventh I came to Acerat costes 25 From Acerat to Daca it is counted by Land forty-five Leagues All that day I saw such a vast number of Crocodiles that I had a great desire to shoot at one to try whether the vulgar report were true that a Musket-shot would not pierce their skin The bullet hit him in the jaw and made the blood gush out however he would not stay in the place but plung'd into the River The eighth I saw again a great number lying upon the bank of the River and made two shot at two with three bullets at a time As soon as they were wounded they turn'd themselves upon their backs opening their throats and di'd upon the spot That day I came to lie at Douloudia costes 17 The Crows were here the cause that we found a very fair Fish which the Fisher-men had hid among the Osiers by the side of the River for when our Water-men saw the Crows in great numbers hovering and making an hideous noise about the Osiers they presently conjectur'd that there was something more than ordinary and they made so diligent a search that at length they found an excellent dish of meat The ninth two hours after noon we met with a River call'd Chativor that runs from the North and we lay at Dampour costes 16 The tenth we lay by the River-side in a place remote from Houses and we travell'd that day costes 15 The eleventh toward evening being come to that part where Ganges divides it self into three Arms whereof one runs to Daca we lay at a large Town upon the entry of the great Channel which Town is call'd Jatrapour costes 20 They that have no
lye waste the Natives being forc'd to fly by reason of the cruelty of their Governours Under the pretence of being Mahumetans they persecute the poor Idolaters beyond all measure and if any of them embrace Mahumetism 't is only because they would not work any longer For then they turn Souldiers or Faquirs who are a sort of people that profess a renunciation of the World and live upon Alms but are indeed very Rascals They reckon that there are in India 800000 of these Mahumetan Faquirs and twelve hunder'd thousand Idolaters Once in fifteen days the King goes a Hunting mounted upon his Elephant and so continues during the chase All the Game he takes is brought within Musket-shot of his Elephants Which consists generally of Lions Tigers Harts and wild-Goats For they will not meddle with Boars as being Mahumetans When he returns home he puts himself into his Palleki and goes in the same order and with the same Guard as when he returns from the Mosquee saving that when he goes a Hunting he is attended with three or four-hunder'd Horsemen that ride without any discipline in the World As for the Princesses as well the Wives Daughters and Sisters of the King they never stir out of the Palace unless it be to spend a few days in the Countrey for their pleasure Some of them go abroad but very rarely to visit some great Noble-mens Wives as the Wife of Giafer-Kan who is the King's Aunt But that is only by particular leave of the King And then it is not the custom as in Persia where the Ladies make their visits only by night and with a great number of Eunuchs who clear the Streets of all people they meet For in the Mogul's Court they usually go out about nine in the morning with only three or four Eunuchs and ten or twelve Slaves which are instead of Maids of Honour The Princesses are carri'd in Palleki's cover'd over with Embroider'd Tapestry and a little Coach to hold one single person that follows the Palleki drawn by two men the wheels not being above a foot in diameter The reason why they carry that Coach along with them is because that when the Princesses arrive at the House where they intend to alight the men that carry the Palleki not being permitted to go any farther than the first Gate they then take their Coaches and are drawn by their female-Slaves to the Womens Apartment I have also observ'd that in all the Houses of great Noble-men the Womens Apartment is at the farther-end of all So that you must cross two or three great Courts and a Garden or two before you can come as it When the Princesses are married to any of the Court-Grandees they become absolute Mistresses of their Husbands so that if they study not to please them and do not as they would have them in regard of their free access to the King they over-rule the King many times to their prejudice even to the turning them out of their employments As it is a custom that the first-born always is Heir to the Throne though he be the Son of a Slave so soon as the Princesses of the King 's Haram perceive that there is any one among them big with Child they use all the artifices imaginable to make them miscarry Insomuch that being at Patna in the year 1666 Cha-Est-Kan's Chirurgeon assur'd me that the Wife of Cha-Est-Kan had procur'd the miscarrying of eight Women because she would suffer no other Womens Children but her own CHAP. X. Of the Commodities which are brought as well out of the Dominions of the Great Mogul as out of the Kingdoms of Golconda and Visapour and other neighbouring Territories IT will be necessary for the Reader to take notice what I have already said concerning the Weights and Measures in use among the Indians where I spoke concerning the Mines and the Serre Now for the Cobit The Cobit is a measure for all Commodities that are measur'd by the Ell of which there are several sorts as in Europe there are several sorts of Ells. The Cobit is divided into 24 Tasots and in regard the greatest part of the Commodities of India are utter'd at Surat I have given you a description in the margin of the fourth part of a Surat-Cobit divided into six Tasots Of their Silk KAsembasar a Village in the Kingdom of Bengala sends abroad every year two and twenty-thousand Bales of Silk every Bale weighing a hunder'd pound The two and twenty Bales make two millions and two-hunder'd-thousand pound at sixteen ounces to the pound The Hollanders usually carry away six or seven-thousand Bales and would carry away more did not the Merchants of Tartary and the Mogul's Empire oppose them for they buy up as much as the Hollander the rest the Natives keep to make their Stuffs This Silk is all brought into the Kingdom of Guzerat the greatest part whereof comes to Amadabat and to Surat where it is wrought up In the first place they make Carpets of Silk and Gold others of Silk and Silver others all of Silk For the Worsted Carpets are made at Vettapour some twelve leagues from Agra In the second place they make Satins with streaks of Gold and Silver others plain with Taffata's after the same fashion In the third place they make Patoles which are a fort of Silk-stuff very thin but painted with all sorts of Flowers the manufacture whereof is at Amadabat They cost from eight Roupies to forty the piece This is a Commodity wherein the Dutch will not suffer any one of the Hollanders to trade in particular for they transport it to the Philippine-Islands to the Islands of Borneo Java Sumatra and other neighbouring Islands The raw-Silk of Kasembasar is yellowish as are all the raw-Silks that come from Persia and Sicily but the Natives of Kasembasar have a way to whiten it with a Lye made of the ashes of a Tree which they call Adam's Fig-tree which makes it as white as the Palestine-Silk The Hollanders send away all their Merchandize which they fetch out of Bengala by water through a great Canal that runs from Kasembasar into Ganges for fifteen leagues together from whence it is as far by water down the Ganges to Ouguely where they lade their Ships Of the Calicuts and first of the painted Calicuts call'd Chites CHites or Painted Calicuts which they call Calmendar that is to say done with a Pencil are made in the Kingdom of Golconda and particularly about Maslipatan But there is made so little that though a man should employ all the Workmen that understand the art of weaving Calicuts he would hardly find enough to make three Bales The Chites which are made in the Empire of the Great Mogul are all Printed and nothing so beautiful neither for the figures nor the fineness of the Linnen Those which are made at Lahor are the coarsest and consequently the cheapest of all They are sold by Corges every Corge consisting of twenty pieces which cost from
are several sorts Heretofore the Pages were allow'd only a long piece of Linnen Cloath which came only twice about their wasts but upon observation made that they abus'd them and that handsome young Lads playing together snatch'd that piece of Linnen one from the other purposely to discover their nakedness they use in the Baths only such Garments of Linnen as are sow'd close above and reach from the waste down to the feet much after the manner of a Woman's Petti-coat At their coming out of the Bath they have two other sorts of Linnen to dry themselves withal of the largeness of ordinary Table-Cloaths whereof the one is Red with a bordure of Silk of three fingers breadth which covers them as soon as they are out of the water from the waste downwards to the Ham and the other is white wherewith they rub themselves For these two sorts of Towels they have but one name to wit Péchetamal On one side of the Fountain which is in the midst of the Domo there is an entrance why the Levantines do not use Paper undecently into the bath and near that is the Hall where they uncloath themselves in the Winter-time A little Gallery which lies on the left hand leads to the places design'd for the casing of nature and every seat has a little Cock which supplies them with weter to wash themselves after they have done It is accounted a heinous sin among them to make use of Paper for that purpose and the reason they give for it is this that possibly the Name of God might be written upon it or it might contain some Text of the Law which would be a profanation of it and consequently ought to be avoided Besides they have another opinion That Paper is not so proper so well to make clean that part which the necessity of the Body does ordinarily so much defile but that there may be something of ordure left and that being oblig'd to present themselves before God with an absolute Purity of Body and Mind their Prayers could not be heard if they should not be wholly clean The Persians are yet more scrupulous than the Turks upon this account For though The Persians more scrupulous than the Turks they both agree in this That their Devotions are ineffectual nay indeed that they are not in a condition to perform them without crime if they be not pure as to Body and Mind Yet the former are of a perswasion That the least ordure which through negligence or inadvertency might remain upon their persons or their garments would render their Prayers fruitless and criminal which the Turks somewhat less superstitious as to that particular will not acknowledge Certain it is also That in Persia they are extraordinary Lovers of cleanliness insomuch They are great lovers of clean 〈…〉 that I have observ'd That at Ispahan the Metropolis of that Country where the Streets are not pav'd when there falls a little Snow or Rain which must occasion some dirt few people will come out of their houses unless they be forc'd thereto by some Concern of great importance And when they do go abroad at such a time at the house door into which they are to enter they put off their shooes their upper-Garment the Cap which covers their Turbants and if they have the least dirt or filth about them they think themselves impure and that it would be a disrespect to the person whom they are to visit Nay a Persian shall be very scrupulous and make a great difficulty to receive a man into his house in foul weather and if any one presents himself into that pleasure he makes a sign to him with his hand to keep at a certain distance from him in the place wherein he is to enter into discourse with him For if by chance as he comes out of the Street where there is some dirt and where horses pass to and fro and may cast some of it upon him he has the least spot of any daggling about him and afterwards touch the Person whom he comes to visit this latter would be nagis that is to say unclean and thereupon be oblig'd immediately to change his cloaths so great is the Superstition of the Persians as to that particular At the end of the Gallery there is a door which gives you passage into three Chambers Chambers very divertive and Commodious which are so many Baths for the use of the Grand Seignor's Quarter There is adjoyning to the last of those Chambers a spacious place pav'd Checquer-wise with Marble of different colours and there the Ichoglans are trimm'd This place has a little eminency in the midst of it from which there is a gentle descent of all sides that the Water wherewith the Barbers wash their Heads and Beards may the more easily be carried off and the place be alwaies kept clean On both sides of the Wall whereby it is enclos'd there is a great double Cock with two Keyes belonging to it which at the same mouth supplyes them alternately with either hot water or cold and that falls into a Basin or Receptacle of White Marble wherein three or four men may bathe themselves without any inconvenience or trouble one to the other There is also at one of the ends a little Room of Black and White Marble and there the Barbers who have no knowledge of any other Profession put up all their necessary Utensils and Instruments as Razors Hones Balls and those Irons wherewith they pare their Nails for as for Linnen they do not use any and those who are to be shav'd come in stark naked from the Waste upwards and are cover'd from thence downwards only with a Cloath which reaches to the Ankle 'T is a great Rarity to meet with any one among those Barbers that knowes how to let blood and their Lancets are much like the Fleams wherewith our Farriers bleed Horses Opposite to the Chamber of the Barbers there are three other Rooms arch'd with Marble the largest whereof much surpasses in Beauty those that are adjoyning to it The Floor of it is of white and black Marble and the Walls are done about with square pieces that are white and blew and in every one of them you find a Flower in emboss'd Work done to the Life and which a man would take for enamell Little Lamines or Plates of Gold cover the junctures of those square pieces and there cannot any thing be imagin'd more pleasant and divertive than that Chamber is In the Roof of it there are several round holes of about half a foot diameter over which there are little Glasses made in the fashion of Bells order'd as the Venice-Looking-Glasses are lest any one should have the curiosity to get up to the Roof and laying himself upon his belly think to see what is done in the Bath The place has no light but what it receives by the means of those holes and while some body is in the Bath But especially when