yields very good Turpentine Of the ISLAND of NAXIS THere is not one Port belongs to this Island the Vessels that are Bound thither for Trade being forc'd to stay in the Haven of the Isle of Paros call'd Derion six miles from Naxis which is one of the best Havens in the Archipelago able to contain a thousand Ships There are the ruines of a Wall still to be seen that made a Mole where four or five Galleys might ride There are also the ruines of several Houses of the ancient Dukes the Stables standing almost whole all Arch'd and built of Marble These Dukes were also Lords of twelve other Islands As for the Island it self it is well stor'd with Villages and has three good Cities Barequa Qüsa and Falet Near this Island within a stones throw there is a curious piece of Antiquity still to be seen It is a flat Rock as big about in compass as the ancient Court of the Louvre In the middle of this Rock it was that the Temple of Bacchus was built all of Marble of which there is nothing but the Foundations that remain The Gate is still standing made of three Stones whereof two make the sides and the third lies across From the Isle to this Rock there is a fair Stone Bridge of Free-stone upon each side whereof are to be seen the Pipes that convey'd the Wine into the Temple that was drank at the Feast of Bacchus Naxis also is the Island that produces the best Emeril As to the Inhabitants themselves if the Husband or Wife happens to dye the Survivor never stirs out of the House in six Months after upon any business how urgent soever no not to hear Mass. There are both Latins and Greeks in the Island but the latter are the most numerous There is a Latin Arch-bishop and Canons belonging to the Metropolitan Church with two Religious Houses one of Capuchins and the other of Jesuites The Greeks also have their Arch-bishop The Island of Naxis is sixscore miles in compass being one of the fairest and pleasantest Islands in the Archipelago The ancient Dukes made it their residence whence they command the greatest part of the Cyclades There is great plenty of White Salt made in Naxis and it produces excellent Wine both White and Claret which caus'd the Inhabitants to build a Temple to Bacchus who according to their ancient Tradition chose that Island for his Habitation The Island produces excellent Fruits feeds great store of Cattle and abounds in several other things necessary for human support There are also in it large Woods full of small Deer and frequented by a great number of Eagles and Vultures Here follow the names of the Cyclades as the people of the Country pronounce them 1. Deloa or Sdilis 2. Giaroa 3. Andros 4. Paros 5. Nicaria 6. Samoa 7. Pathmoa 8. Olearoa 9. Sitino 10. Rhena 11. Miconoa 12. Tenoa or Tino 13. Sciroa or Sira 14. Subiuma 15. Syphnus or Sifante 16. Nixcia 17. Chios or Scio. 18. Astypalea 19. Amorgus or Amorgo Of the Islands of Zea of Milo of Paros and other Islands of the Archipelago ZEA is an Island wherein there is nothing remarkable and from whence there is nothing to be Exported but Valanede to dye Leather withall Neither are there any Goods Imported into it but what the Pirates bring in which are very few in regard the Islanders are careful to provide themselves otherwhere Milo affords nothing but Millstones to grind Wheat which are carry'd to Constantinople Paros where there is no Trade neither has nothing remarkable in it but one Greek Church very well built all of Marble call'd Our Lady's Church As for the Islands of Sifante and Miconoa in regard there is nothing of Trade in either but only with the Pirates who sometimes touch there if there be any Consuls that live there it is only to buy their stol'n Goods Of the City of Athens Corinth Patras Coron and Modon THE City of Athens is about four miles distant from the Sea and contains two and twenty thousand Inhabitants twenty five thousand Greeks five or six thousand Latins and a thousand Turks Among all the Antiquities that yet remain those in the Castle are the best preserv'd The Castle stands upon a Hill upon the North descent whereof some part of the City stands It encloses a very fair and spacious Temple built all of white Marble from the top to the bottom supported by stately Pillars of black Marble and Porphiry In the front are great Figures of Armed Knights ready to encounter one another Round about the Temple except upon the Roof which is all of flat Marble Stones well order'd are to be seen all the famous Acts of the Greeks in small carving every Figure being about two foot and a half high Round about the Temple runs a fair Gallery where four persons may walk a-brest It is supported by sixteen Pillars of white Marble upon each of the sides and by six at each end being also pav'd and cover'd with the same Stone Close to the Temple stands a fair Palace of white Marble which now falls to decay Below the Castle and at the point of the City toward the East stand seventeen Pillars the remainder of three hundred where anciently they say stood the Palace of Theseus first King of the Athenians These Pillars are of a prodigious bigness every one eighteen foot about They are proportionable in height but not all of a piece being thwarted most of them by Stones of white Marble one end whereof rests upon one Pillar and the other upon that which follows it which was the support of the whole building Upon the Gate which is yet entire are to be seen these words upon the front without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City of Athens was assuredly the City of Theseus Within-side of the same City these other words are Engrav'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City of Athens is the City of Adrian and not of Theseus There are in Athens several other pieces of Antiquity which are well worthy to be seen Corinth which formerly made such a noise in the world is now a Village of some five or six and twenty houses but all of them the Habitations of rich Greeks The Town lies at the foot of the Castle which is seated upon an inaccessible Rock guarded by the Greeks commanded by an Aga. Corinth Exports great quantities of Currants Patras does the same which is all the Trade of those two places Coron and Modon drive a Trade in Sallet-Oyl which is so good and so plentiful that several English Dutch and other Ships are load'n away with it from thence every year There are Consuls in Athens Patras Coron Modon and Napoli of Romania The Athenian Merchants buy up Tissues Velvets Satins and Cloth with which they serve other Countries adjoyning The Commodities which Foreigners export from thence are Silks Wool Sponges Wax Cordivan-Leather and Cheese Which is all that can be said in few words of the Trade
Villages as Doors and Windows fitted to be hung up Window-frames Locks and other things of that nature Upon that day also they sell Mules Horses Camels and Asses which brings a great confluence of people from all parts Upon the West side where stands the Gate of the Palace and Ali's Gate between the Canal and the Portico's are rang'd some seventy Pieces of Cannon upon their Carriages These Guns together with the Sun-Dial were brought from Ormus by the Great Sha-Abas of which the English ought to have had their share for without their assistance he never could have tak'n the Town From the corner of that Front which touches upon the Eastern Front of the Mosquee in the middle are all Sadlers Shops and from that Mosquee to another corner that touches upon the Western Front live the Book-sellers Book-binders and Trunk-makers In the middle of the Southern Front stands a Portal with a Tower upon each side which leads to a Mosquee the Gate whereof is cover'd all over with Plates of Silver and is certainly the neatest Portal and fairest Entrance into any Mosquee of Persia. At the other end of the same Front where it joyns to that upon the West there is a great Portal that leads to a false Gate of the King's Palace near to which as soon as you are enter'd you meet with the Apartment of the Great Treasurer who is a white Eunuch and having the Keys of the Chamber where the Money lyes takes care to pay what-ever the King orders him Through that false Gate all the King's Provisions are carry'd into the Palace This way also enter they that are entertain'd for the Manufactury of the King's Tissues Silks Sattins Coverlets and the like In the same Enclosure also the Franks who are under the King's Wages and live at Zulpha come every day to work as also all the most particular and eminent Artists that the King hires The Western Front which makes one of the two lengths of the Meydan is thus appointed from the Southern angle that touches the Trunk-maker's quarter live all your Pedlers that sell all the small Commodities of Norimberg and Venice As for the King's Palace I cannot make any handsom description of it in regard there is nothing of Beauty either in the Building or in the Gardens I think I have been as far in the House as a man could go every time I was sent for by His Majesty but excepting only four Rooms which they call Divans I saw nothing but pitiful low Galleries and so narrow that hardly two men could pass a-brest in ' em In one of those Galleries I had audience of the King in the Garment of Honour which he had bestow'd upon me But in regard I have spok'n of two of them in another place and that the other two are much alike both Building and Furniture I shall say no more of them here From the King's Palace Gate to Haly's Gate live the Goldsmiths Lapidaries and Gravers of Stones for Seals Haly's Gate is a plain Gate naked of Work of which I have already spok'n Between Haly's Gate and the other angle of the same Western Front stands a great Gate which leads into a Bazar where all the Armenians that live at Zulfa keep their Shops and sell all sorts of Cloth that comes out of Europe and other the choicest Wares of Persia. At the end of that Bazar stands a fair Inn two Stories high which the Mother of Sha-Abas the second caus'd to be built In the middle stands a great Fountain with four great Gates which lead into four other Inns. Here by the way let me give a Traveller and a Trader in Persia this advice that if his Goods be not very heavy he never hire a low Chamber as being three times dearer than those above For the Chambers which the Sun lies upon most in the Summer are the Chambers which cost least Not but all the Chambers in the Inn are Tax'd at the same rate by the King but the Host for his profit will find some pretence or other to raise his price pretending those Chambers be hir'd already which you desire especially if they be corner Chambers which are the largest and most commodious And indeed without this collusion Chambers would be very cheap The best convenience of those Inns is that a man is more secure in one of them then in a private House For there if it happ'n that a piece of Goods be stol'n or that your Chapman prove insolvent for Goods bought the Inn-keeper is to make all good being by the Law to receive so many blows a day 'till he pays the sum demanded The Merchant also gives two in the hundred for every thing that he sells and when the Market is done they presently go to the Host who sets down in his Book the quality of his Goods and the names both of buyer and seller If he knows not the buyer he is bound to go and enquire after him and if he be not solvent the Merchant takes his Goods again Sometimes the Merchant to save the two in the hundred combines with the Purchaser to carry away some of his Goods without the knowledge of the Host which is done by greasing his Deputies fist who will presently shut his Eyes But then if the Purchaser proves insolvent the Merchant dares not complain because his Goods are not Register'd in the King's Book whom he has defrauded of his Custom No less secure are the Bazars or Market-places where the Merchants shut up their Shops very slightly the Bazars being strongly guarded both within and without all night long As for the petty Stalls in the Meydan every one puts up his Ware in a Box Padlock'd up and then lay them down at one end of the place one by another As for the course sort of Ware as Tents Cords Ropes and such other things they only heap them under a large Coverlet fasten'd at the four corners by four sticks for the Meydan also is as strongly guarded as the Bazar Between Haly's Gate and that which leads to the Bazar where the Armenians keep their Shops live all those that deal in Russia Leather making Borachio's to tye under the Horses Bellies little Buckets and Furniture for Horse-men as also Bowyers Fletchers and Forbishers From the last Gate to the end of the Gallery live all the Druggists and Apotheearies At the Angle upon the two fronts upon the East and North there is a Gate that leads to the Great Bazar next to that live only your Sails-men that sell whole Habits for men as Shirts Sheets Hose and the like There be also those that sell Leather Shooes for men and women which Shooes are always worn by persons of quality Out of this Bazar you go into another full of men that work in Copper such as make Pots Plates and other Utensils for the Kitchin Here also live those that make Files and the blades of Sythes The rest of the Bazar is possess'd by Dyers of Calicut and
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
Jesus Christ for which he was going to dye Another time an Armenian Merchant coming from the Indies to Grand Cairo went to the Coffee-house according to custom being a rendesvous of all the Merchants in the Town There falling into discourse by reason of the heat of the weather he took off his Bonnet made after the Armenian fashion of divers Colours and laid it behind him keeping his black Cap only upon his head When the Moullah came about to hasten the people to go away according to the custom which I have already declar'd the Armenian hastily rising up a Turk concealing the Merchant's Bonnet clap'd his own Bonnet upon his head Upon that all the Turkish Merchants that were there came and congratulated the Armenian Merchant telling him how glad they were to see that he had embrac'd the good Law At which words the Armenian surpriz'd takes off the Turbant throws it to the Ground before all the Company and stamp'd it under foot This action of contempt so enrag'd the Turks that they carry'd him before the Basha before whom it was in vain to justifie himself or to affirm that the Turbant was malitiously put upon his head for the Turks swore the contrary and that he took it of his own accord and therefore he must either turn Turk or dye for it Upon his refusal they put him in Prison and in a few days the sentence was brought him from the Mufti and Cadi that he must either turn or be burnt alive The severity of the sentence overpower'd him at first to embrace the Mahumetan Law But four or five years after returning from the Indies to Cairo he came where the Basha was sitting in Council with the Grandees of the Country and getting as near the Mufti as he could and throwing his Turbant in his face There Dog said he Thou wert the cause that I have worn it so long of which I have repented and do repent from the bottom of my heart for I know that neither thou nor thy Law are worth a Straw At the same time the croud laid hold of him and drag'd him to the Piazza where he dy'd in the midst of the flames with an admirable constancy A rich Merchant of Zulpha call'd Cotgia Soultenon was so well belov'd by Sha-Sefi that he often went to Dine at his house But one day it fell out that the King having eat and drank to excess upon his return home fell crop-sick upon which the report ran that the Armenian had poyson'd him Which report coming to his ears fearing least the King should dye and himself be put to cruel Torments he took a dose of Poyson and dy'd Which when the King who was well again the next day understood he was very much troubl'd for his death The same Cotgia Soultenon had a Cafer sent him from Melinda for a Slave who being young and very apprehensive soon learnt the Persian and Turkish Languages and was instructed in the Christian Religion and Christen'd by the name of Huzod or Joseph After his Master's death he turn'd Mahumetan and so continu'd twenty years At the end whereof returning to Zulpha he beg'd pardon of the Church and all the rest of his days so crucify'd himself with Fasting that every one pitty'd him and when the Armenian Bishops told him he had done well he made no other answer but that he was not worthy to live upon the Earth who had deny'd his Saviour only he hop'd that he would have mercy upon him and so continu'd his austere penance 'till he dy'd CHAP. XV. Of the Author's reception at the Court of Persia in his sixth and last Voyage and what he did there during his stay at Ispahan IArriv'd at Ispahan the 20 th of December 1664. So soon as the Nazar was inform'd of my arrival he sent the Kelonter or chief of the Armenians with seven or eight more to congratulate my arrival and to assure me of all the kind Offices he could do me The next day he sent the same Armenians with four Horses and to tell me that the King had a desire to see what I had brought for which purpose the Kelonter had order to furnish me with men Thereupon I took Horse accompany'd by all the Franks that were at Zulpha When I came to Court I was brought into the place where all the great Ambassadors had audience where I found attending the Nazar and Father Raphael superior of the order of the Capuchins ready to deliver me my Box of Jewels which I had left with him in the Covent for more security After I had expos'd my Goods upon a fair Table cover'd with a Carpet of Gold and Silver and that the Nazar had dispos'd every thing in order with his own hand the King enter'd attended only by three Eunuchs for his Guard and two old men whose office it was to pull off his Shooes when he goes into any Room spread with Gold and Silk Carpets and to put them on again when he goes forth The King had nothing on but a single pair of Drawers of Taffata chequer'd red and white which came half way the Leg his feet being bare a short Cassock that came but half way his body with a large Cloak of Cloth of Gold with hanging-sleeves down to the Ground furr'd with Sable Martin The first thing I shew'd was a large Candlestick of Chrystal of the Rock the richest piece of that nature that ever was seen The next was a suit of Tapestry hangings held up by several men as I had appointed The Nazar then caus'd me to advance and do my obeysance to the King who presently knowing my Face again Oh said he to the Nazar This is the Fringui Aga who sold me so many Rarities about six years ago when Mahomet Beg was Athemadoulet After that the Nazar shew'd him all my Rarities as they lay in order Among the rest I besought His Majesty by Frier Raphaël to accept of a great Steel Mirror which when he look'd in he wonder'd to see his Face so big But when Frier Raphael had told him the nature of it he caus'd it to be held to one of his Eunuchs which had a monstrous Hawk Nose the sight whereof held him in laughter and divertisement for above a quarter of an hour After that the King retir'd leaving me alone with the Nazar and Friar Raphel As for my Jewels I put them up my self and had a place assign'd me to Lock them up and keep the Key but for my large pieces of Goldsmiths work the Nazar committed them to the trust of one of the principal Officers of the House The next day early in the morning the Nazar sent for me and Father Raphael and made his Secretary write down the price of every thing according to his demands He had also his own Artists to prize them but that I did not value in regard I knew the price much better then they After he had shew'd the Jewels price and all to the King we were
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
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
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
gave him fifteen days Thereupon the King did go to the Treasury next morning according to Mahomet's desire and found all things in good order having heard before what became of the Scimitar From thence he went to Mahomet's House who made the King a mean Present For it is the custom that he whom the King honours with a Visit must make a Present to his Majesty After the King had receiv'd it he walk'd up and down and view'd the Chambers Halls Parlours and Rooms of State and wonder'd to see them so ill set out with plain Felts and course Carpets whereas in other Lords Houses a man could not set his Foot upon any thing but Cloth of Gold and Silk For the King as they had set the Nazar out expected to have found other things which made him admire at so great a Moderation in so high a degree of Honour Now at the end of a Gallery there was a Door lockt with three great Padlocks Of this the King took no notice whereupon the Meter who is the White Eunuch and chief of his Chamber as he came back shew'd the King the Door that was so strongly Padlock'd which made the King curious to have it open'd withal asking Mahomet what he had got there lock'd up with so much care Oh Sir said he it behoves me to keep that lockt for there is all the Estate I have in the World All that your Majesty has seen in this House is yours but all that is in that Chamber is mine and I dare assure my self your Majesty will be so gracious as never to take it from me Those words inflam'd the King's curiosity so that he commanded the Door to be open'd But he was strangely surpriz'd when he saw nothing more within than Mahomet's Sheep-hook that lay upon two Nails his Scrip wherein he us'd to put his Victuals his Bottle for his Water his Pipe and his Shepherd's Weeds all hanging against the Wall The Nazar beholding the King's astonishment at such a Sight Sir said he when the King Sha-Abas found me in the Mountain keeping Goats then that was all I had and he took nothing from me I beseech your Majesty that you would not deprive me of these things neither but rather if you please let me resume them again and fall to my old Calling The King touch'd at so high a piece of Virtuo caus'd himself to be disapparel'd and gave his Habit to the Nazar which is the greatest Honour that the King of Persia can bestow upon a Subject Thus Mahomet continu'd and dy'd honourably in his Employment This brave Person was the Protector of all the Franks in Persia and if any one had done them wrong upon complaint he did them Justice immediately One day as I was shooting Ducks upon the River of Ispahan near the Nazar's Gardens with two Servants some of the Nazar's people that did not know me set upon me and would have taken away my Gun which I would not let go till I had broke the Stock about the Shoulders of the one and flung the Barrel at the other 's Head Thereupon I took some of the Franks along with me and complain'd to the Nazar He testifi'd his sorrow for what had happen'd and gave us evident Proofs thereof by the blows which he caus'd to be laid upon those that had done me the injury Another time Sha-Sefi being upon his return from Guilan his Tents were set up near Zulfa in Armenia where the King staid to hunt two or three days Now among the rest of the Courtizans that follow'd the Court to divertise the King with Dancing and Mummery there was one who was perfectly handsom to whom the King had already sent Presents which could not be unknown to any Lord i' the Court. But the Nazar's Son for all that being in the heat of Youth got this Courtizan to his Tent and there lay with her which came to his Father's Ears next day The Nazar whether out of his zeal to the Ring or whether it were an effect of his prudence to prevent the King's anger which would have certainly been the death of his Son caus'd him to be drub'd after the manner of the Country and bastinado'd all over till the Nails of his Toes dropt off and that his Body was almost a perfect Gelly Which when the King understood together with the Young Man's Crime he said no more but that the Nazar had done wisely by punishing his Son himself to prevent his Justice But to return to the Road from Kerman to Ispahan The first day that I set out from Kerman at my Stage in the Evening I met with a rich Moullah who seeing I had Wine civilly offer'd me some of his Ice to cool it In retaliation I gave him some of my Bottle He invited me to his House which was well built with a handsom Garden with Water in it He entertain'd me with Spoon-meat according to the mode of the Country and when I took my leave he fill'd my Boracho with very good Wine The following days I saw nothing worthy observation the Country being as I have already describ'd it Yezd lyes in the Road almost in the mid-way between Kerman and Ispahan in 93 Deg. 15 Min. of Longitude and 13 Deg. 45 Min. of Latitude It is a great Town in the middle of the Sands that extend themselves for two Leagues round it so that when you leave Yezd you must take a Guide for upon the least Wind the Sand covers the Highway whereby a man may be apt to fall into Holes which seem to have been either old Cisterns or the Ruines of ancient Buildings Between the Town and the Sands there is a little good Soil which produces excellent Fruits but above all Melons of several sorts the Pulp of some is green of others yellow and vermilion and some there are the meat whereof is as hard as a Renneting There are also very good Grapes and good Wine but the Governour will not permit the Inhabitants to make Wine Some therefore they dry and of the rest they make a kind of Confection to cat with Bread There are also abundance of Figs which are large and well tasted They distil vast quantities of Rose-water and another sort of Water with which they dye their Hands and Nails red which they squeeze out of a certain Root call'd Hina There are three Inns i' th' City and several Bazars or Market-places cover'd and vaulted which are full of Merchants and Workmens Ware-houses They also make at Yezd several Stuffs of Silk intermix'd with Gold and Silver which they call Zerbaste and another sort of Stuff of all pure Silk call'd Daraï like our smooth strip'd Taffata's Other Stuffs they make half Silk half Cotton others all of Cotton like our Fustians They make also Serges of a particular Wool which is so fine and delicate that it looks handsomer and is much better than Silk Though I had nothing to do I staid in Yezd three days because I met with
a River call'd Altun-sou or The River of Gold that falls into the River Tigris three days journey on this side Bagdat The next day we lay at a pitiful Town upon the Frontiers of Turkie and Persia. The next day being the fifth after we set out from Niniveh we pass'd over several Fenns and hot Waters that part the two Empires Entring thus into Persia we met with a high Mountain cover'd with fair Oaks which bear the Gall-Nuts so high that the Caravan was some hours ere it could get to the top As we ascended but especially when we were up we heard several Muskets go off At first we thought the people had been hunting the wild Boars or Stags of which the Mountains are full but the report of the Guns being too loud and too thick for Hunters we stood upon our guard and I believe we should have mended our paces had we known what was intended us Besides I remember'd that the Country-people would not sell any thing but for Powder and Bullet which the Caravan-Bashi advis'd me not to let them have for fear they should make use of it against our selves From the Mountain we descended into a fertil Plain water'd with several Rivers and night approaching we set up our Tents not fearing any thing because we were in the Dominions of the King of Persia where there is so much security in travelling After that we sent our Servants to the Tents of the Country-men but they brought us nothing but Bread made of Acorns than which the poor people thereabouts eat no other This Acorn is about the bigness of our Nuts and once I met with a Branch that had thirty Acorns and twenty-three Gall-Nuts all at one time growing upon it The Province which we travel'd through then compos'd the greatest part of the ancient Assyria But now to come to the Story of Dominico de Santis the Venetian He had Letters of Credence from the Pope the Emperour the King of Poland and the Republick of Venice to the King of Persia and he went in the Caravan through the Grand Signor's Territories never discovering himself who he was but coming into Persia he took upon him without fear the Title of Ambassador from the Commonwealth of Venice From the Plain where we lodg'd it is two days journey to a good big Town to which belongs a Fortress where the Governour of the Province has a Lieutenant with about two thousand Horse under his Command The Fortress is upon the right hand toward the South after three hours riding upon the High-way To this Lieutenant the Caravan-Bashi was according to duty bound to give notice of the Arrival of the Caravan and an account of the Persons and their Merchandize This Venetian was a person ill fitted for the quality of an Ambassador being a person of no Parts which made me wonder that such great Princes and so wise a Commonwealth should send such a person upon a Concern of that importance For the Grand Signor then assailing Candy he was sent to excite the King of Persia to engage him in a War against the Turk thereby to keep off the Storm that threaten'd Christendom Thereupon I told the Ambassador that it was necessary for him to give the Commander of the Fort first notice of his coming to the end he might give advice thereof to Solyman-Kan Governour of the Province whose duty it was to advertise the King Thereupon he requested me to send my Interpreter which I did Upon whose intelligence the Lieutenant of the Fort came to Compliment the Ambassador on the behalf of the chief Commander and to conduct him to the Castle Thereupon the Ambassador my self and my Interpreter together with some Armenian Merchants went with him travelling for three hours over the Mountains By that time we came half the way as we pass'd through a Wood we heard as it were some person give a Whistle at which when the Lieutenant perceiv'd us to be somewhat startl'd he carry'd us to the place from whence the Whistle came where we saw a Serpent about as big as a Man's Thigh and about twelve Foot long whose head was squeez'd between two Trees that put him to pain From that Mountain we descended into a pleasant Plain where the Commander of the Fortress staid for us under his Tent. He had set it up by the side of a River under the shade of several great Walnut-trees So soon as he saw us he rose from his great Silk Tapestry Coverlet and saluted us in a most civil manner telling us that assuredly Sha-Abas his Master would be very glad to hear that the Monarchs of Christendom had sent him an Ambassador and that he would write to Solyman-Kan whose duty it was to advertise the Emperour Thereupon he wrote and dispatch'd away a Messenger giving him order to tell the Deroga or Judge of the Town through which we were to pass that he should make Provision for us and our Horses 'till we came to the Governour After he had ask'd us several Questions concerning the War between the Grand Signor and the Venetians how many thousand men he had as well by Sea as Land and what number of Galleys and Ships wherein we satisfy'd him according to the best of our knowledge After he had civilly treated us he sent his Lieutenant back with us again to the Caravan About ten a Clock the next night we dislodg'd and the Lieutenant and six Souldiers attended upon us who told us he had order not to leave us 'till he had brought us to Solyman Kan The next night we lodg'd between two Hills among several Tents of Herdsmen Here it was that the Commander had order'd that we should be treated by the Deroga A Deroga as I have said is the Judge of a Village But this Deroga was chief of many Families some of which were of Mesopotamia others of Arabia These are all Herdsmen that never live in Houses but retire with their Cattle to the holes in the Rocks where partly Nature partly Art have contributed to make them convenient Habitations So soon as we were alighted four ancient men came and led the Ambassador and my self to the Deroga's Tent. It seem'd to consist of many Rooms with a Hall in the middle spread with fair Persian Carpets He caus'd us to sit down upon Cushions and then presented us with a Pipe of Tobacco and Water to wash our Feet After he had nobly treated us and that we were upon taking our leaves the Deroga was very much troubl'd that we had made a small Present to his Son telling us that it was a crime for him to take any thing of the King's Guests especially from Strangers that had come so long a Journey The next day we lodg'd in a place where there was such a prodigious quantity of Lillies that the Ground was almost cover'd with them There were none that were white being for the most part of a fair Violet colour with a streak of Red in the middle of
every leaf they are like our Lilly's but much bigger And to drink the infusion of the Roots of these Lilly's especially those whose Leaves are blackest for fifteen days together is a most Soveraign remedy against the Pox. Not long after came a Person of a goodly Aspect who seem'd to be an Arabian but he spoke the Persian Language whom Solyman Kan had sent to Compliment the Ambassador He carry'd us to the Tent which the Governour had caus'd to be set up in a Garden near the Town where he also Lodg'd the Capuchins The Ambassador also sent to Compliment the Kan by my interpreter and when the hour was come that we were to set forward he gave order to six of the Captains of his Cavalry to accompany the Ambassador The House where the Governour liv'd in was one of the most beautiful in Persia. And as for the Governour himself we found him in a Gallery that look'd upon the Garden the Floor being all spread over with a Tapestry of Gold and Silk with large Cushions of Cloth of Gold all along the Wall After some Questions and discourse concerning the Affairs of Europe they serv'd in Supper which consisted of several Dishes but no Wine was to be had our drink being only Sherbet and the juice of Granates with Sugar for those that desir'd it We were a long time at Supper for 't is the custom of Persia that when one man rises another takes his place and falls too in so much that the Master of the Feast must have the Patience to stay 'till several have tak'n their turns and when every one has done the Cloth is tak'n away without any more to do Here the Ambassador committed an absurdity for there are no Silver or Gold Spoons in Persia but only long Wooden Ladles that reach a great way Now the Ambassador reaching his Ladle to a Purslane-Dish full of Pottage that was scalding hot clap'd it presently into his mouth but finding it so hot that he could not endure it after several scurvy faces he threw it out of his mouth again into his hand in the presence of all the Company After we had stay'd five days at Sneirne the Caravan-Bashi signifi'd his desire to pursue his Journey Thereupon the Ambassador took his leave of the Governour presenting him with a Watch and a pair of Pistols who in retaliation presented the Ambassador with a stately Horse and a Colt of two years old The next day we dislodg'd and pursu'd our Road to Amadan which is not above three days Journey from Sneirne Amadan is one of the largest and most considerable Cities of Persia seated at the foot of a Mountain where do arise an infinite company of Springs that water all the Country The Land about it abounds in Corn and Rice wherewith it furnishes the greatest part of the neighbouring Provinces Which is the reason that some of the Persian States-men hold it very inconvenient for the King of Persia to keep Bagdat as well by reason of the vastness of the Charge as also for that it draws from Amadan that which should supply other Provinces On the other side it is easie for the Grand Signor to hold it by reason of the neighbourhood of Mesopotamia Assyria and the Arabs Enemies to the Persians by which means Provisions are very cheap which the people would not know where to put off if the King of Persia were Lord of Bagdat We staid at Amadan about ten days by reason of the Rains during which time the Caravans cannot travel While we tarry'd there we were visited by several Babylonian Christians who were glad to see that we had escap'd the Clutches of the Basha of Bagdat who had giv'n order to the Basha of Karkou and the Bey of Sharassou that commands the Frontiers of Turkie to seize us and carry us back to Bagdat For which we might have thank'd the Ambassador and a malicious Rabbi that came along with us in the Caravan from Aleppo who finding the Feast of the Tabernacles to be at hand and that we had a great way to Ispahan left us at Niniveh to keep the Festival with the Jews of Babylon Where that he might insinuate himself into the Basha's favour he inform'd him that there was a Fringuiz in the Caravan whom he look'd upon as a Spy and that he was an Envoy into Persia from the Commonwealth of Venice for he carry'd no Merchandize but had three Chests full of rich Habits and several other things which he took for Presens to the Persian King For out of vanity or folly the Venetian had several times open'd his Chest and expos'd his Gallantry to view And yet he was so clutch-fisted and niggardly in every thing that when there was any occasion to reward the Kan's Servant or any of the Country-men that brought us the Dainties of the place it came all out of my Pocket So that I left him to my Interpreter and the two Capuchins and with three Servants and a Guide after I had staid at Amadan three days I took Horse for Ispahan When I came there the Nazar or Master of the King's Houshold hearing I had left an Ambassador behind me with the Caravan enquir'd of me what manner of Person he was but I pretended I had had little converse with him unwilling to discover his mean Spirit The Evening before his Arrival the Nazar sent to give the Fringuiz notice in the King's Name that they should be ready to go meet the Ambassador the next day which we did and brought him into the City and through Ali's Gate that joyns to the King's Palace Now 't is the custom for all Ambassadors to salute that Gate by reason of a white Marble Stone made like an Asses back and which serves for a Step being as they report brought anciently out of Arabia where Ali liv'd So soon as you have strid over that Stone without touching it which were a great crime you enter into a kind of a Gallery where there are Rooms on each side which serves for a Sanctuary for Criminals which the King himself cannot fetch out of that place That day that the new King receives his Ensigns of Royalty he goes to stride over that Stone and if by negligence he should chance to touch it there are four Guards at the Gate that would make a shew of thrusting him back again But now the Master of the Ceremonies being ready to conduct the Ambassador to the Apartment alotted him as an Ambassador that came from three great Monarchs and a potent Commonwealth he desir'd to lodge at the House of one Pietro Pentalet descended from Venetian Parents whereupon the Master of the Ceremonies conducted him thither and caus'd his Dinner to be brought him While we were eating I counted thirteen Languages spoken at the Table Latin French High-Dutch English Low-Dutch Italian Portuguez Persian Turkish Arabic Indian Syriac and Malaye which is the Language of the Learned that is spoken from the River Indus to China and
shall have it The twenty-sixth of September we departed from Erivan and the ninth of November we came to Tauris taking the ordinary Road. At Erivan two of my Servants the one a Watch-maker the other a Gold-smith dy'd I left them sick there but caus'd them to be buried in the Church-yard belonging to the Armenians One of them dy'd in fifteen days of a Gangrene which eat out his Mouth and Throat being the Disease of the Country Though had the Armenians known that one of them had been a Protestant they would never have allow'd him to have been bury'd in their Church-yard Here observe the exact justice wherewith the Persians preserve the Goods of Strangers For the Civil Judge hearing of the death of the Watch-maker caus'd his Chamber to be seal'd up to the end the Goods might be preserv'd for the kindred of the deceas'd if they came to demand them I return'd to Tauris a twelve-month after and found the Chamber close seal'd up We staid twelve days at Tauris during which time I resolv'd to attend the Kan of Shamaqui a frontler Town of Persia toward the Caspian Sea but I found him not there in regard it was Harvest season at what time he goes to gather the King's and his own Duties Two days journey on this side Shamaqui you pass the Aras and for two days journey you travel through a Country all planted with white Mulberry-Trees the Inhabitants being all Silk-Weavers Before you come to the City you must cross over several Hills But I think I should rather have call'd it a great Town where there was nothing remarkable but a fair Castle which the Kan built himself I speak of the time past For as I return'd from this present Voyage of which I now write when I came to Tauris I understood that there had happen'd such a terrible Earthquake in the Town as had laid all the Houses in a heap none escaping that dismal subversion but only one Watch-maker of Geneva and one more who was a Camel-driver I had several times design'd to return into France through Muscovy but I durst never adventure being certainly inform'd that the Muscovite never permitted any person to go out of Muscovy into Persia nor to come out of Persia into Muscovy So that it was by particular connivence that that favour was granted to the Duke of Holstein's Ambassadors This last time I was resolv'd to have try'd whether I could have open'd a Passage from Persia through Muscovy into France but the Ruine of Shamaqui deterr'd me We departed from Tauris the twenty-second of November from whence to Cashan we met with nothing considerable but only one of the Muscovite Ambassadors upon his return into his own Country with a small Retinue of sixty his Companion dying at Ispahan Upon Sunday the fourteenth of December taking Horse by three of the Clock in the morning the Ice bearing very well we came to Ispahan about noon but in regard it was slippery before day and very plashy after the Sun was up the Journey was both tedious and troublesom CHAP. III. The Road from Aleppo to Tauris through Diarbequir and Van. THere are two Roads more remaining to be describ'd one through the North part of Turkie the other through the South The first through Diarbequir and Van and so to Tauris the second through Anna and the small Desert leading to Bagdat I will describe the first of these Roads and make a skip at the first leap to Bi r whither I have already led you in the Road from Aleppo From Bi r or Beri you travel all along the River Euphrates to Cachemé From Cachemé you come to Milesara where you pay the Customs of Oursa when you do not pass through the City which amounts to four Piasters for every Horse-load From Milesara you come to the River Arzlan-chaye or the Lion River by reason of the rapidity of the Stream which falls into Euphrates From Arzlan-chaye you go to Seuerak This is a City water'd by a River that also falls into Euphrates It is environ'd with a great Plain to the North the West and South The way which the Horses Mules and Camels keep is cut through the Rock like a Channel two Foot deep where you must also pay half a Piaster for every Horse-load From Seuerak you come to Bogazi where there are two Wells but not a House near and where the Caravan usually lodges From Bogazi you come to Deguirman-Bogazi and from Deguirman-Bogazi to Mirzatapa where there is only an Inn. From Mirzatapa you come to Diarbequir which the Turks call Car-emu Diarbequir is a City situated upon a rising ground on the right side of Tigris which in that place forms a Half-moon the descent from the Walls to the River being very steep It is encompass'd with a double Wall the outward Wall being strengthned with sixty-two Towers which they report were built in Honour of the sixty two Disciples of JESUS CHRIST The City has but three Gates over one of which there is an Inscription in Greek and Latin that makes mention of one Constantine There are in it two or three fair Piazza's and a magnificent Mosquee which was formerly a Christian Church It is surrounded with very decent Charnel-houses near to which the Moullah's Dervi's Book-sellers and Stationers do live together with all those other people that concern the Law About a League from the City there is a Channel cut out of Tigris that brings the Water to the City And in this Water are all the red Marroquins wash'd that are made at Diarbequir surpassing in colour'all others in the East which Manufacture employs a fourth part of the Inhabitants of the City The Soil is very good and yields according to expectation there is excellent Bread and very good Wine nor is there any better Provision to be had in any part of Persia more especially there is a sort of Pigeons which in goodness excel all the several kinds that we have in Europe The City is very well peopl'd and it is thought there are in it above twenty thousand Christians The two thirds are Armenians the rest Nestorians with some few Jacobites There are also some few Capuchins that have no House of their own but are forc'd to lodg◠in an Inn. The Basha of Diarbequir is one of the Viziers of the Empire He has but an inconsiderable Infantry which is not much requisite in that Country the Curds and Arabs which infest that Country being all Horse-men But he is strong in Cavalry being able to bring above twenty thousand Horse into the Field A quarter of an hours riding on this side Diarbequir there is a great Town with a large Inn where the Caravans that go and come from Persia rather choose to lye than at Diarbequir in regard that in the City-Inns they pay three or four Piasters for every Chamber but in the Country-Inns there is nothing demanded At Diarbequir you cross the Tigris which is always fordable unless when the Snow
Edzerbaijan is very cold but very healthy The Air of Mazandran is very unwholsom for being a low fenny Country and full of Insects when the Waters dry up in the Summer the Insects also dye and infect the Air. Sometimes those bad Waters over-flow the Country in so much that the Inhabitants receive a tincture in their Complexions from the colour of the Earth The Province of Guilan is included in the Province of Mazandran and the Air is so unwholsom that the People cry of him that is sent to command there Has he robb'd stol'n or murther'd that the King sends him to Guilan At Ispahan which is almost in the middle of Persia there are six months of hot and six months of cold weather The Snow falls three or four times in a season and sometimes so very thick that there is hardly any travelling upon the Road. About a League from the City toward the Mountain there stands a Stone about two or three Foot high which when the Snow hap'ns to cover prognosticates a plentiful Year and the first Country-man that carries the news thereof to the King receives a hundred Tomans As for Rain there is very little falls there unless it be in April and then it sometimes rains very hard In the Southern Provinces the heats are very excessive and kill abundance of our Europeans especially those that are giv'n to drink All Persia is water'd with little Rivers but there is not one navigable River through the whole extent of it unless it be Aras or the Araxes of the Indians which carries some few flat-bottom'd Boats The other Rivers instead of growing bigger the farther they keep their course from the Springs grow shallower for want of Water by reason of the infinite number of Kreises or Channels which they cut out of the Rivers to water the Lands which would not bring forth so much as only Grass without the help of those Cuts unless it be in the Province of Mazandran which from September to March seems a kind of Terrestrial Paradise through the pleasing variety of Herbs and Fruits However Persia in general being thus water'd is a most fruitful Country though it be true that many of their Springs and Channels are lost and brok'n And Mirza-Ibrahim Governour of the Province of Edzerbaijan told me one day that in the very Territory of Tauris there were above two hundred Springs utterly lost either by accident or negligence As for their Gardens they water them with Well-water by the help of a Wheel and an Ox but the running Water is much better as not being so cold and more fatning to the Earth And therefore the Fruits that grow in the Mountains which are only water'd by the Rain or by the Dews are much better tasted and keep longer Persia is a mountainous Country but for the most part the Mountains are very dry and barren As for Woods there are none in all the Country Travellers are also forc'd to go a great way out of their Road to find a Spring and sometimes they shall ride ten or twelve Leagues before they meet with any Water but what they carry in their Bottels There are some Mountains out of which they dig Salt as Stones out of a Quarrey There are also Plains where the Sand is nothing but Salt though it be not so savoury as our Northern Salt Of late several Copper-Mines have been found out of which the Natives make all sorts of Kitchen-Housholdstuff Their Lead comes from Kerman their Iron and Steel from Corasan and Kasbin though not so good as that of Spain Their Steel is very fine with a smooth grain and grows very hard in the Water but it is as brittle as Glass Neither will this sort of Steel agree with the Fire so that if the Fire have not more than a double heat when the Steel is forg'd it will look just like a piece of burnt Charcoal The Steel which we call Damas-Steel comes from the Indies and the Persians call it Gauherdar There are also some Mines of Gold and Silver in Persia wherein it appears that they have anciently wrought Sha-Abas also try'd again but found his expence to be more than his profit whence it is become a Proverb in Persia Nokre Kerven dehkrarge nohhassel The Silver-Mine of Kerven where they spend ten to get nine which is the reason that all the Gold and Silver of Persia comes out of Forein Countries CHAP. II. Of the Flowers and Fruits of Persia of Turquoises and Pearls THE Flowers of Persia are nothing comparable to our European Flowers neither for variety nor beauty For having pass'd the Tigris in the Road to Persia you meet with nothing but Roses and Lillies and some other Fruits peculiar to the Country As for Roses they have great store which they distil as they do Orange-flowers and transport the Waters into all the Eastern parts of Asia I never left the Court of Persia but some of the Lords especially four of the white Eunuchs beg'd of me to bring them some Flowers out of France for they have every one a Garden before their Chamber door and happy is he that can present the King with a Posie of Flowers in a Crystal Flower-Pot There are in Persia Apples Pears Oranges Granates Prunes Cherries Apricots Quinces Chesnuts Medlers and other sorts of Fruit which is not generally so well-tasted as ours Their Apricots indeed especially the lesser sort are better than ours When you op'n this Apricot the Stone cleaves in two and then the Kernel which is only a small Skin as white as Snow is more pleasing to the tast than if it had been preserv'd As for their Melons they are most excellent and very plentiful neither is it so dangerous to eat them to excess as ours There have been some that have eat'n six and thirty pound in a day and have never been the worse There is a prodigious quantity of them sold in Ispahan where they are brought to Market from midnight 'till four a Clock in the afternoon Those Melons which are first in season and are call'd Guermez are insipid and tast of nothing but Water However the Physicians advise you to eat them saying that they plump up the Flesh and renew the habit of the Body The next to the Guermez are better than they and they increase in goodness 'till they come to be quite out of season the last of which they keep all the Winter long Though they have such vast plenty yet they never leave but one Melon upon a stalk and when it is as big as a Nut the Gard'ner or his Wife or his Children lye down upon the ground and lick off the Down which they say keeps the Melon from being sweet and rip'ning kindly The Persians have also a particular sort of Quince-Pepin but not so good as ours which they fry unpar'd casting great store of Salt in the Pan to excite thirst and then present them to their Friends at their Collations They have also Almonds and Figs
but few Small-nuts or Wall-nuts Oyl they have none but in the Provinces of Mazandran and Guilan which furnish all the rest of Persia but the Olives are rotten black gravelly and not worth any thing compar'd with Provence-Olives Armenia Mengrelia Georgia and Media abound in Vineyards They bury their Vines all the Winter and take them up again in the Spring by reason of the cold In the hotter Countries they dress their Vines as we do without any under-propping them There are three sorts of Wines in Persia. That of Yesd is very delicate that of Ispahan but ordinary that of Yesd is transported to Lar where there lives a great number of Jews who care not to live but where they may have good Wine and that at a cheap rate It is also carry'd to Ormus where it is sold half in half cheaper than the Wine of Schiras As for the Wine of Schiras it is made of one only Grape sweet in tast but which heats the Mouth extremely This sort of Grape is call'd Kichmishé it is a white Grape without any stone as vulgarly believ'd but however it has a stone though it be hardly to be perceiv'd which nevertheless will appear in new Wine when it frets like a little Ligament They say that the Wine of Ispahan is cold upon the Stomach but that it fumes into the Head For its coldness upon the Stomach I can say little but I know it will warm the Head if a man takes too much of it In Persia they never keep their Wine in Tuns but in great earthen Vessels bak'd in an Oven either glaz'd or else smear'd over with the fat of a Sheeps rump stop'd up with wood'n Covers cover'd over again with a great piece of red Calicut that lyes over all the lids of the Pots The King and his Lords have other sorts of Cellars for magnificence where they treat such as they invite These are four square Rooms not above three or four steps deep with a Well in the middle the floor being spread with Turkie Carpets Now at the four corners of the Well stand four great Bottles containing twenty Pints a piece the one of White the other of Claret Between the great Bottles stands a row of lesser Bottles fill'd a Bottle of White and a Bottle of Red. In the Cellar-Wall are several niches one above another and in every nich a Bottle still vary'd Gules and Argent a very pleasant sight to good Companions in a Room which is as light as day As for Herbs and Roots they have very good in Persia but above all most excellent Roman Lettuce But there is no sort of Pulse nor can they find a way to make Pease grow among them The Carmelites carry'd Asparagus Artichoaks and Succory which were never seen there before but now begin to thrive very well As for Turquoises and Pearls I shall speak thereof in my discourse of Jewels toward the end of my Indian Travels CHAP. III. Of the Beasts of Service of the Fish and Fowl of Persia. THe Beasts for service in Persia are Horses Mules Asses and Camels The Horses of Persia are but of an ordinary stature less than ours very narrow before but very swift and light They carry their heads very ill in running by reason of the custom to which the Persians use them For they have got a trick of managing their Horses yet never getting upon their backs they teach them to Amble by tying their feet with two Cords of an equal length to the middle whereof are fasten'd two other Cords that are fasten'd to the Saddle which two Cords keep their feet so that they cannot stir but at such a distance and so they deal with their Mules upon which the old men generally covet to ride The Horses of Persia are very docible and easily brought up They give them nothing else from one Evening to another but a Sack full of chopt Straw with a measure of Barley which they mingle together with the Straw to the end they may eat both together When the Barley is newly ear'd they give it them for fourteen or twenty days together to purge their bodies as we for the same end put our Horses to Grass in the Spring The Persian Horses hold out very well 'till eighteen or twenty years of age but they never cut their Stone-Horses in that Country In the Winter they never take off their Shooes but only Frost-nail them Their Furniture is very light and handsomly made And this is further observ'd that whereas we keep Goats in our Stables and Inns the Persians keep Hogs There are two sort of Asses in Persia. Those that are bred in the Country only serve to carry burthens but there are a sort of Arabian Asses that are swift and very handsom excelling in price the common sort of Horses The Merchants of Ispahan keep these Asses in their Country Houses taking it for a great piece of Grandeur to Ride every Morning to their Shops Some parts of Persia are perplex'd also with wild Beasts as Lyons Bears and Leopards but there are but very few nor have we heard that ever they did any great mischief Porcupines they have also and I my self saw brought before the King two men the one of which was Shot through the Thigh and through the Leg with a Porcupine's Quill The second was kill'd the Porcupine having darted his Quill a little above his right Pap through his Brest As for their Fish there are an abundance of Carps Trouts and Pikes in the River Aras but in all the other Rivers of Persia there is but one sort of Fish which is a kind of Barbel In the subterranean Channel which they bring to water their fields there is another sort of Fish very plentiful of bones and as little as can well be eaten Where the white Mulberies grow by the River side so soon as they begin to bear fruit 't is very good pastime to see the Crabs as big as the Palm of a man's hand come out of the River after Sun-set and climb the trees to eat the fruit and then by break of day return into the River again They are delicate food far beyond Crey-fish but a hot provocative Diet as the Physicians well observe During the Frost they bring from the Caspian Sea great store of Salmon or Salmon-Trouts four or five Foot long The Province of Media is well stor'd with Sturgeon from the mouth of the River Araxes In the same Sea there is a certain Fish like a Carp which they salt and dry like our Herrings From the Persian Gulf comes nothing but Salt-fish which is transported over all the Kingdom Their Fowls are much the same that we have in Europe only I do not remember that I ever saw any Quails in the Country As for their Pigeons they fly wild about the Country but only some which they keep tame in the City wherewithal to decoy the rest which is a sport the Persians use in hot weather as well as in
several times before we could agree but at length he told me that the King would give me Twenty-five in the Hundred profit for all the Stones leaving me the Pearls which he thought I might put off at a better price in the Indies which was an offer I could not refuse and therefore I sign'd the Agreement according to the Nazar's desire Which when his Majesty had seen he bid the Nazar tell me I should be his Jeweller in Ordinary and that for my sake all the Franks should be the better us'd within his Territories and that I should have any favour of him that I desir'd I besought his Majesty to give me his Patent with his Seal affix'd whereby I might be priviledg'd to Trade in his Dominions without paying Custom for such and such Merchandize and in in such manner as I should think fitting I also besought him graciously to grant his Protection to a Nephew of mine whom I had left at Tauris to learn the Language that he might be serviceable to his Majesty when I was dead and gone Thereupon he caus'd my Nephew to be enrol'd presently as one of his Domestick Servants and order'd the Nazar to take particular care of him The next day after my agreement with the Nazar the King gave audience in the great Hall of the Palace to the Ambassador of the Vsbeck-Tartars All the Lords and Officers of the Crown stood in the Court where the Ambassador was to pass there were also nine stately Horses whose Furniture was very rich and all different Two Harnesses were cover'd with Diamonds two with Rubies two with Emralds two with Turquoises and one embroider'd with fair Pearls Had he been an Ambassador from a Monarch for whom the King of Persia had had a greater esteem than he had for the Cham of Tartary there had been thirty Horses for according to the value which the King puts upon the Prince that sends to him he either augments or abates of the number of his Horses of State Every Horse is ty'd by the Reins to a Nail of Gold fasten'd in the Ground with a Hammer of Gold lying by There was another Nail of Gold behind with a Cord ty'd to it that held their hinder legs They set also before every Horse a Caldron of Gold out of which they draw up Water into a great Manger though all this be only for State for they never water their Horses in that place Out of the first Court the Ambassador enter'd into a large Gallery between a long File of Musqueteers on each side Thence he enter'd into a Garden through an Alley about eight Fathom broad all pav'd with great Marble Stones in the middle of which runs a Channel of Water four Foot wide with several Water-works that spurted out of the Channel at equal distances On each side of the Walk to the Hall where the King sat there is a Pond almost as long as the Walk and in the middle of the Pond another sort of Water-works Several Officers of the Army were rang'd all along the Alley and at the end of one of the Ponds were four Lions ty'd and at the end of the other three Tigers couchant upon Carpets of Silk having Men to guard them with Half-pikes in their hands The Hall took up more ground in length then in bredth being op'n every way the Cieling was sustain'd by sixteen wooden Pillars of eight pannels every one and of a prodigious thickness and height As well the Cieling as the Pillars were all painted with Foliage-work in Gold and Azure with certain other Colours mix'd therewith In the middle of the Hall was a Vase of excellent Marble with a Fountain throwing out Water after several manners The Floor was spread with Gold and Silk Carpets made on purpose for the place and near to the Vase was a low Scaffold one Foot high twelve Foot long and eight wide cover'd with a magnificent Carpet Upon this Scaffold sate the King upon a four-square Cushion of Cloth of Gold with another Cushion behind him cover'd with the same set up against a great Tap'stry-Hanging wrought with Persian Characters containing the Mysteries of the Law On each side of the King stood several Eunuchs with Musquets in their hands The King commanded the Athemadoulet and four others to sit down by him and the Athemadoulet made me a sign to sit down but the King knowing how little the Franks care for sitting cross-leg'd order'd me to be told that I might stand upright if I thought good The King was clad in a Silk streak'd with Gold His Cloak was a Gold-ground with Flowers of Silk and Silver Furr'd with a Martin Sable the blackest and most glist'ring that ever was seen His Girdle was very rich and upon his Bonnet he wore a plume of Herons Feathers fasten'd with a transparent Jewel in the middle of the Jewel was a Pear-fashion'd Pearl set with great Topaze's and Rubies About half an hour after the King was sat the Nazar and the Master of the Ceremonies brought the Ambassador who neither himself nor any of his Train were very well clad and caus'd him to stay at the foot of the steps into the Hall from the Garden When the Ambassador had ascended the steps he prostrated himself before the King then advancing nine or ten paces he did the same again after which the Master of the Ceremonies caus'd him to sit down leaving between him and the King space enough for eight men After that I observ'd that the Nazar went often between the King and the Ambassador and between the Ambassador and the King but I could not tell what they said So that I being by that time quite tyr'd made my obeysance to the King and went home to my Lodging The next day the Nazar signify'd to me that it was the King's pleasure to favour me with a compleat Calaat or Habit of Honour and to pay me my money This is y e God worthy to be praisd The Kingdome belongs to God The God of Mercy to y e Compassionate O Mahomet OHaly y e God most high the Prophets These great Caracters with those y t are upon the side of the names of the 12 Prophets signifie To the Name of God God who is the aid of Mahomet The King who has all power Severat Iafar Elfeteseni Elmoussi These are the names of the four Prophets that haue followed the Doctrine of Haly. This Containe y e Names of y e 12 Prophets without their surnames Aly Hassen Hossein Alizein Maham Iafar Moussa Alj Mahomet Haly Hassen Mahomet That which is under the Names of the 12 Prophets signifies as follows He who at this time enjoyes y e Kingdome The Victorious Abas the second this is y t. w ch is on y e. Kings seale Mahomet Methi son of Habi Bala of the race of Sophi This is y t. w ch is Contein'd in y e seale of the Aemadoulet or first Minister of State y e seale in the Originall is sett
Dominions full Eye-brows which meet together were highly esteem'd whereas the Women of France pull them up by the Roots But which said the King dost thou like best the black or the fair Sir continu'd I were I to buy Women as I purchase Diamonds Pearls and Bread I would always choose the whitest With that the King fell a laughing and orderd me a brimmer in his own Cup which was a great Honour indeed From hence we fell into a more serious discourse concerning the present State of Europe speaking very low and the rest of the Company retiring all the while out of hearing Only I observ'd that there was one Lord middle ag'd and clad after the Georgian mode who stood within five or six paces behind the King and that many times as the King drank he only wet his Lips and gave the rest to that Lord to drink which when he had done he retir'd again to his place Upon inquiry I found he was the Kings Uncle by the Mother's side While we were talking of serious things the Curtisans were bid to retire out of the Hall which they did into a Gallery that look'd upon a Garden where they sate where immediately a Sofra was laid before them cover'd with Fruits and Sweet-meats and one of their Society continually powr'd out the Wine which they drank round without intermission One would have thought they should have been fuddl'd yet when they came in again no man could perceive they had been drinking After they had Danc'd a while they were order'd to retire again and the King sent for his Musick which was both Vocal and Instrumental his Instrumental Musick consisted of a kind of a Lute a Guittar a Spinet and two or three Base Flutes He had also in the Gallery where the Curtisans were a large Ebony Cabinet eight foot high adorn'd with several Silver figures which prov'd to be an Organ that went alone It was part of the present which the Muscovite Ambassadors made the King which he order'd to be set a going that we might hear it as we sate No sooner had the Organ stop'd but the Curtesans were call'd in again and the King caus'd the Gold Ladle to go round commanding that no man should leave a drop When every man had done the King was pleas'd to ask me which of the Curtisan's I thought to be handsomest Thereupon I rose up and taking a Wax-Candle in my hand I went and view'd them all The King laugh'd and being very glad to see my face among theirs Bring hither said he her to whom thou hast most a fancy In obedience to which I pick'd out the eldest as I thought and led her to his Majesty who caus'd us to sit down by him Then the King pointing to another And why said he did you not chose yonder Girl which is younger and handsomer commanding them both to kiss me one after another that I might understand the difference between the Caresses of one and the other But I reply'd that were I to choose again I would make the same choice believing prudence to accompany age However I besought his Majesty to consider that it was not for me to look upon elder or younger and that though he had giv'n me the liberty to send the elder home to my Lodging yet it was not in my pow'r to accept of his favour in regard I had a Wife to whom I never had been unfaithful We had thus droll'd together 'till eleven a Clock at night when the King started another Question Whether any one present knew how to Sing It happen'd that there was one Monsieur Daulier there that Play'd upon the Virginals and pretended to Sing who immediately began a Court-Air But his Voice being a high-pitch'd Voice and for that the Persians are altogether for Bases the King did not like him When I perceiv'd that being in a merry vein though I knew not a Note yet having a good deep voice and clear I sung an old Air that came into my head which begins Fill all the Bowls then fill'em high Fill all the Glasses there for why Should every Creature drink but I The King was so pleas'd that he cry'd out Baricala Baricala as much as to say Oh the works of God! an expression of admiration usual among the Persians By this time it was very late and the King growing sleepy gave us leave to depart which we did very willingly having had hard labour for seventeen hours together The next night the King fell a drinking again and there was in his presence an Agi or Pilgrim newly return'd from Mecca and consequently oblig'd never to drink Wine after that While this Agi staid there was one of the Persian Lords got so impertinently suddl'd that he twice struck the Agi's Turbant from his head refus'd to drink when the King commanded him play'd the fool with the Curtisans when they were dancing and committed so many other acts of folly that the King incens'd at such a continuation of Buffonry in a great fury This Rascal said he has lost all his respect and thinks he is no more my Slave drag him out by the feet and throw him to the Dogs to eat Immediately four or five of the King's Officers came and drag'd him out of the Hall by the feet and every body wonder'd he was not thrown to the Dogs according to the King's Command but 't is thought that some of the King's Women beg'd for him so that his punishment was chang'd There was one of the Curtisans that gave one of her Companions a box on the ear not in the King's presence but in the Gallery where they were drinking together However she did not strike so softly but that the King heard the noise of the blow Whereupon he commanded her that had giv'n the blow to be had before the Deroga or Judge of the Town whom he order'd to expunge her out of the number of Curtisans and to put another in her place that she should have a hundred Tomans giv'n her and that the Deroga should cause her to be marry'd The next day I waited on the King and receiv'd those Models which he had bespoke me to send into France They were the Patterns of certain Drinking-Cups and Trenchers with the Model of a Dagger drawn with his own hand for he had learnt to draw of a couple of Dutch-men that were in his Service The Dagger was to be Goldsmith work enamel'd When I had receiv'd his Instructions I took my leave of his Majesty and then going to wait upon the Nazar at his Country-house I took leave of him also who assur'd me of his affection upon all occasions and did me several kindnesses at my departure The End of the Fourth BOOK THE FIFTH BOOK OF THE PERSIAN TRAVELS OF MONSIEUR TAVERNIER BEING A Politick and Historical Description of PERSIA With the ROADS FROM ISPAHAN to ORMUS CHAP. I. The Genealogy of the Kings of Persia of the last Race AFter that Tamerlane had extended his
Candahar who presently made answer that it would be very easie if he could find such another Traytor as he had been But to return to Sha-Sefi his Reign was very violent of which I will give you this Example One day the King returning from the Kelonters House in Zulpha having drank to excess commanded that the Sultaness should come to him who understanding that he was in drink made no great haste so that the King in the mean time fell asleep But waking again soon after and not seeing the Queen he call'd for her a second time of which when she had notice she came immediately When she came into the Chamber she perceiv'd the King asleep and in expectation of his waking hid her self in a Nich behind the Hangings where generally the Mattresses and Coverlets are laid by The King waking and not yet perceiving the Sultaness in a great chafe demanded why she was not yet come The Queen-Mother who was a Georgian Slave and mortally hated the young Sultaness who was the Daughter of the King of Georgia and therefore disdain'd by her took an occasion to put her out of the Kings favour and having first spok'n ill of her made a sign to the King to let him understand that the young Queen was hid in such a Nich. Upon that the King rising in a great fury stab'd the poor Princess with his Dagger four or five times in the belly and hardly knowing what he had done went to bed again The next day forgetful of the fact he call'd for the Queen but when they told him what had happen'd he began to be deeply sensible of his error and sorrow'd excessively and at the same time sent an express order through his Territories that no man should drink Wine and that the Governours should break all the Wine-Vessels wherever they found any and spill the Wine But this order did not last above a year During the Reign of Sha-Sefi the Kan of Erivan sent him a Colt which I saw which was begot by a Mule Not long after the King dy'd of a Surfet with excess of drink ing after he had reign'd fourteen years Sha Abbas the second was set upon the Throne at Casbin with the usual Ceremonies at the end of the year 1642 and made his entry into Ispahan in the beginning of the year following Upon the day of the Solemnity all the Citizens were order'd to be in Arms and to march out of the City where they were fil'd off upon each side of the Road. In the same manner were all the standing Infantry and Cavalry rang'd for five Leagues together All the Road for two Leagues together without the City was cover'd with Tissues of Gold and Silver with Carpets of Silk and other rich Stuffs all which costs the King nothing For the Sha-Bander who is like our Mayor takes care to tax every one what he is to furnish toward that Solemnity The English and Hollanders went also forth to meet the King among whom I was one When we came near the King Jani-Kan General of the Cavalry gave the King notice who we were Whereupon we all alighted and the King holding his Leg stretcht out of his Stirrup we all kiss'd his Boot When he came where the way began to be spread with rich Carpets he found the Grand Mufti and the Grand Cadi attended by a great number of Moullahs who made a Prayer after their manner Prayers being ended the King rode on the Athemadoulet being on the left hand which is the most honourable and the General of the Cavalry on the right yet not even with him but so as that their Horses heads reach'd to the Crupper of his There was no person but the King that rode over the Tissue that Honour belonging to him alone nor is the way spread above the breadth of the Stuff and as soon as the King is pass'd over it the people fall to scrambling and carry away every one what they can get for themselves About a quarter of a League from Ispahan is a Garden with a Great Room over the Gate where the King made a halt thinking to have made his Entry into the City But an Astrologer came to him and told him that the hour was past and that he must tarry three days before the hour would prove propitious again So that he was constrain'd to betake himself to the Garden of Hezardgerib till the time came whither the Nobility also were all forc'd to come betimes in the morning and to stay till the evening The day that the King made his Entry the way from the Garden to the City was also spread with Carpets For three days together the Fire-works play'd in the Meydan and round the Piazza from top to bottom were lights hung out and in the principal Inns the richest Merchants had adorn'd the Doors and Windows of their Chambers according to the Mode of the Country and I believe it cost the Chief of the Holland Company above nine hundred Tomans In the year 1643 came the Prince of the Usbecks in person to desire aid of Sha Abbas against his Children who had caus'd his own Subjects to rebel and make war against him His eldest Son first took Arms and getting the advantage of a Battel the other Brother treacherously took part with him which nothing dismay'd the Father to whom the chief of the Nobility still adher'd Toward the end of the year 1642 the Prince lost another Battel and his left eye which was shot thorough with an Arrow which constrain'd him so soon as he was cur'd of his wound to come and crave succour from the King of Persia which he easily obtain'd Sha Abbas designing to receive him honourably sent above ten thousand Horse as far as Cashan which is four days journey from Ispahan and five or six thousand Foot two days journey from thence to meet him Every day he was attended by different Officers Every day they set him up a new Tent and spread new Carpets and every day chang'd the twelve Horses that were led before him whose furniture was all over cover'd with Jewels For a League and a half from the City the way was spread with all sorts of Silk Stuffs to the very Palace and the King of Persia went himself to meet him as far as where the Stuffs were begun to be laid Though Sha Abbas was very young yet he was resolv'd to shew that he look'd upon himself as a potent King in the peaceable possession of his own Dominions and that he went to meet a dethron'd Prince that came to desire his Aid For so soon as he perceiv'd the King of the Tartars he made a shew of spurring on his Horse and being come up to his Horses head he put his foot out of the Stirrup as if he intended to have alighted but did not The Tartarian Prince as old as he was presently leap't to the ground from his Saddle to salute the Persian King who return'd him some slight Compliments
left-hand way is a dangerous passage and a kind of a continu'd Labyrinth among Rocks and Precipices The right-hand way which is the best is all upon the sand to Bander-Abassi and is usually a days journey You meet with two Inns by the way the last of which is call'd Bend-Ali built by the Sea-side From Ben-Ali to Bander-Abassi is but a little more then two leagues through a Countrey abounding in Palm-trees CHAP. XXIII Of the Island of Ormus and of Bander-Abassi ORmus is an Island in 92. d. 42. m. of Longitude and in 25. d. 30. m. of Latitude It lies at the mouth of the Persian Gulph two good Leagues from the firm Land There is neither tree nor herb that grows in it for it is all over cover'd with Salt which is very good and as white as snow And as for the black shining Sand-dust of Ormus it is very much us'd for standishes Before the Portugueses came to Ormus there was a City where the Kings of Ormus who were also Kings of Larr resided When the Portugals took it there were in it two young Princes Sons of the deceased King whom they carri'd into Spain Where in regard they were handsomely proportion'd though somewhat swarthy the King entertain'd them very kindly and gave them an honourable allowance One day that he had shew'd them the Escurial and all the chief pieces of Architecture in Madrid the King ask'd them what they thought of living in Spain To whom they answer'd that they had seen nothing but what was worthy admiration but then fetching a deep sigh and perceiving the King desirous to know the meaning of it they gave him to understand that it was for grief that they must never more sit under their own Tree For near to the City of Ormus was a Bannians tree being the only tree that grew in the Island The Portugals being masters of the Island from an ill-built City rear'd it to that hight of Magnificence which that Nation admires so that the very barrs of their doors and windows were all guilt The Fortress was a noble thing and in good repair and they had also a stately Church dedicated to the Virgin where they were also wont to walk For other place of promenading they had none Since the Persians took it the Castle indeed stands in good repair with a Garrison in it but the City is gone to ruine for the Dutch carried most of the stones away to build Battavia Between the Island of Ormus and the Continent the Sea is not very deep for the great ships that sail in and out of the Gulf pass by the other side of the Island As for the Fortress which stands upon a poynt of the Island it is almost encompass'd with the Sea and lyes right over against Persia. Bander Abassi so call'd because the great Sha-Abbas the first brought it into reputation is at present a City reasonably well built and stor'd with large warehouses over which are the lodgings of the Merchants While the Portugueses kept Ormus though they liv'd in the City all the trade was at Bandar-Abassi as being the most secure Landing-place upon all the Coast. About 15 years ago it was an op'n town but because it was an easie thing then to get into the Town and rob the Custome-house in the night it has bin since enclos'd with walls To this place come all the ships that bring Commodities from India for Persia Turkie or any part of Asia or Europe And indeed it would be much more frequented by the Merchants from all Regions and Countries But the Air of Bander is so unwholesome and so hot that no strangers can live there in probability of health unless it be in the months of December January February and March though the Natives of the Country may perhaps stay without prejudice to the end of April After that they retire to the cooler Mountains two or three days journey off for five or six months where they eat what they gain'd before They that venture to stay at Gomron during the hot weather get a malignant Fever which if they scape death is hardly ever cur'd However it bequeaths the yellow Jaundies during life to the party March being pass'd the wind changes and blowing at west south west in a short time it grows so hot and so stifling that it almost takes away a mans breath This wind is by the Arabians call'd El-Samiel or the poysonous wind by the Persians Bade-Sambour because it suffocates and kills presently The flesh of them that are thus stifl'd feels like a glewie fat and as if they had been dead a month before In the year 1632. riding from Ispahan to Bagdat I and four more Persian Merchants had bin stifl'd but for some Arabians that were in our Company For when they perceiv'd the wind they caus'd us to light lye down upon our bellies and cover our selves with our Cloaks We lay so for half an hour and then rising we saw our horses were in such a sweat that they were hardly able to carry us This happen'd to us two days journey from Bagdat But this is observable that if a man be in a Boat upon the water when the same wind blows it does no harm though he were naked at the same time Sometimes the wind is so hot that it burns like Lightning And as the Air of Gomron is so bad and dangerous the soil is worth nothing For it is nothing but Sand nor is the water in the Cisterns very good They that will be at the charge fetch their water from a fountain three leagues from Bander call'd the water of Issin Formerly there was not an herb to be seen but by often watering the ground Lettice Radish and Onions have begun to grow The People are swarthy and wear nothing about them but only a single shirt Their usual dyet is dates and fish Which is almost the dyet of their Cattel for when they come home from browsing the barren bushes they give them the heads and guts of their fish boyl'd with the kernels of the Dates which they eat The Sea of Bander produces good Soles good Smelts and Pilchards They that will have oysters must have 'em caught on purpose for the people eat none Upon Land they want neither for wine of Schiras nor Yesd nor for Mutton Pigeons and Partridge which are their ordinary dyet There are two Fortresses one upon the East the other toward the West The Town increases in trade and building and fills with inhabitants who build their houses with the remaining ruins of Ormus The reason why the Trade is settl'd rather at Bander Abassi then at Bander Congo where the Air is good and the Water excellent is because that between Ormus and Congo lie several Islands which make the passage for ships dangerous besides that the often change and veering of the wind is requir'd neither indeed is there water enough for a Vessel of 20 or 25 guns Then the way from Congo to Lar is very
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
appeas'd There is a wide Piazza upon one side of the City before the Palace and the first Gate wherein there is nothing of magnificence is guarded by a few Souldiers Before the King removed his Court from Agra to Gehanabad when he went into the Countrey for some time he gave to some one of his greatest Omrah's who was his Confident the Guard of his Palace where his Treasure lay and till the return of the King he never stirr'd out of the Gate where he lodg'd neither by night nor day At such a time as that it was that I was permitted to see the Palace of Agra The King being deparred for Gehanavad whither all the Court followed him together with the Women the Government of the Palace was given to one that was a great Friend to the Hollanders and indeed to all the Franguis Menheir Velant chief of the Holland-Factory at Agra so soon as the King was departed went to visit the Lord and to present him according to custom The Present was worth about 6000 Crowns and consisted in Spices Cabinets of Japan and fine Holland-Cloath He desir'd me to go along with him when he went to Compliment the Governour But the Lord being offended that he had put himself to so much charge forc'd him to carry the Present back again taking only one Japan-Cane of six that were in the Present telling him he would have no more out of the kindness which he had for the Franguiz Nay he would not so much as take the Gold-head and Ferula but caus'd them to be taken off The Complements being over the Governor ask'd Menheir Velant wherein he might serve him whereupon he desiring the favour that since the Court was gone he might see the inside of the Palace the Governor granted his request and order'd six men to attend him The first Gate where the Governor of the Palace lies is a long blind Arch which leads you into a large Court all environ'd with Portico's like our Piazza in Covent-Garden The Gallery in front is larger and higher than any of the rest sustain'd by three ranks of Pillars and under those Galleries on the other side of the Court which are narrower and lower are little Chambers for the Souldiers of the Guard In the midst of the large Gallery is a Nich in the Wall into which the King descends out of his Haram by a private pair of Stairs and when he is in he seems to be in a kind of a Tomb. He has no Guards with him then for he has no reason to be afraid of any thing there being no way to come at him In the heat of the day he keeps himself there only with one Eunuch but more often with one of his Children to fan him The Great Lords of the Court stay below in the Gallery under the Nich all the while At the farther end of this Court is another Gate that leads into a second Court encompast with Galleries underneath which are little Chambers for some Officers of the Palace The second Court carries you into a third which is the King's Quarter Cha-jehan had resolv'd to cover with Silver all the Arch of a Gallery upon the right-hand And a French-man Austin de Bordeaux by name was to have done the work but the King not finding any one in his whole Kingdom so capable as the French-man was to treat with the Portugals at Goa about some important affair he had at that time the design was laid aside For they being afraid of Austin's Parts poison'd him upon his return to Cochin This Gallery is painted with branch'd-work of Gold and Azure and the lower-part is hung with Tapestry There are several doors under the Gallery that lead into little square-Chambers of which we saw two or three open'd and they told us all the rest were such The other three sides of the Court lie all open there being nothing but a single Wall no higher than for a man to lean over On the side that looks toward the River there is a Divan or a kind of out-jutting Balcone where the King sits to see his Brigantines or to behold his Elephants fight Before the Divan is a Gallery that serves for a Portico which Cha-jehan had a design to have adorn'd all over with a kind of Lattice-work of Emraulds and Rubies that should have represented to the life Grapes when they are green and when they begin to grow red But this design which made such a noise in the World and requir'd more Riches than all the World could afford to perfect remains unfinish'd there being only three Stocks of a Vine in Gold with their leaves as the rest ought to have been and enamel'd in their natural colours with Emralds Rubies and Granates wrought into the fashion of Grapes In the middle of the Court stands a great Fat to bath in 40 foot in Diameter cut out of one entire grey-stone with steps wrought out of the same stone within and without As for the Monuments which are in and about Agra they are very fair ones for there is scarce an Eunuch belonging to the King 's Haram that is not very ambitious of leaving a fair Monument behind him Indeed when they have heap'd together great Sums they would fain be going to Mecca and making rich Presents to Mahomet But the Great Mogul unwilling to let his Money go out of his Countrey will seldom permit them leave to undertake that Pilgrimage and therefore not knowing what to do with their Money they employ a great part thereof in Monuments to perpetuate their Memories Of all the Monuments that are to be seen at Agra that of the Wise of Cha-jehan is the most magnificent she caus'd it to be set up on purpose near the Tasimacan to which all Strangers must come that they should admire it The Tasimacan is a great Bazar or Market-place compos'd of six great Courts all encompassed with Portico's under which there are Warehouses for Merchants and where there is a prodigious quantity of Calicuts vended The Monument of this Degum or Sultaness stands on the East-side of the City upon the River side in a great place enclosed with Walls upon which there runs a little Gallery as upon the Walls of many Cities in Europe This place is a kind of Garden with Compartiments like our Garden-plots but whereas our Walks are made with Gravel here the Walks are black and white Marble You enter into this place through a large Portal and presently upon the left hand you espy a fair Gallery that looks towards Mecca wherein there are three or four Niches wherein the Mufti comes at certain hours to pray A little beyond the middle of the place toward the Water are three great Platforms one rais'd above another with four Towers at the four Corners of each and Stairs within upon the top whereof they call the people before the time of their prayer On the top there is a Cupola little less magnificent than that of Val de
Grace in Paris it is cover'd within and without with black Marble the middle being of Brick Under this Cupola is an empty Tomb for the Begum is inter'd under the Arch of the lowest Platform The same change of Ceremonies which is observ'd under ground is observ'd above For they change the Tapestries Candles and other Ornaments at several times and there are always Mollah's attending to pray I saw the beginning and compleating of this great work that colt two and twenty years labour and twenty thousand men always at work so that you cannot conceive but that the Expence must be excessive Cha-jehan had begun to raise his own Monument on the other side of the River but the Wars with his Son broke off that design nor did Aurengzeb now reigning ever take any care to finish it There is an Eunuch who commands two thousand men that is entrusted to guard not only the Sepulcher of the Begum but also the Tasimacan On another side of the City appears the Sepulcher of King Akabar And as for the Sepulchers of the Eunuchs they have only one Platform with four little Chambers at the four Corners When you come to Agra from Dehly you meet a great Bazar near to which there is a Garden where King Jehan-guire Father of Cha-jehan lies interr'd Over the Garden Gate you see the Tomb it self beset with Portraitures cover'd with a black Hearse-Cloath or Pall with Torches of white Wax and two Jesuits attending at each end There are some who wonder that Cha-jehan against the practice of the Mahumetans who abhor Images did permit of carving but the reason conjectur'd at is that it is done upon the consideration that his Father and himself learnt from the Jesuites certain principles of Mathematicks and Astrology Though he had not the same kindness for them at another time for going one day to visit an Armenian that lay sick whose name was Corgia whom he lov'd very well and had honour'd with several Employments at what time the Jesuites who liv'd next to the Armenians house rang their Bell the sound thereof so displeas'd the King as being a disturbance to the sick person that in a great fury he commanded the Bell to be taken away and hung about his Elephants neck Some few days after the King seeing his Elephant with that great Bell about his neck fearing so great a weight might injure his Elephant caus'd the Bell to be carried to the Couteval which is a kind of a rail'd place where a Provost sits as a Judg and decides differences among the people of that Quarter where it has hung ever since This Armenian had been brought up with Cha-jehan and in regard he was an excellent Wit and an excellent Poet he was very much in the Kings favour who had confer'd upon him many fair Commands though he could never either by threats or promises win him to turn Mahometan CHAP. VIII The Road from Agra to Patna and Daca Cities in the Province of Bengala and of the Quarrel which the Author had with Cha-Est-Kan the King's Unckle I Departed from Agra toward Bengala the 25 th of November 1665 and that day I reach'd no farther than a very bad Inn distant from Agra costes 3 The 26 th I came to Beruzabad costes 9 This is a little City where at my return I received eight thousand Roupies being the remainder of the Money which Giafer-Kan ow'd me for Wares that he had bought at Janabat The 27 th to Serael Morlides costes 9 The 28 th to Serail Estanja costes 14 The 29 th to Serail Haii-mal costes 12 The 30 th to Serail Sekandera costes 13 The 1 st of December to Sanqual costes 14 I met that day 110 Waggons every Waggon drawn by sixOxen in every Waggon 50000 Roupies This is the Revenue of the Province of Bengala with all charges defraid and the Governor's Purse well-fill'd comes to 5500000 Roupies A league beyond Sanqual you must pass a River call'd Saingour which runs into Gemine not above half a league distant from it You pass over this River of Saingour upon a Stone-bridg and when you come from toward Bengala to go to Seronge or Surat if you have a mind to shorten your journey ten days you must leave Agra-Road and come to this Bridg and so Ferry over Gemine in a Boat But generally Agra-Road is taken because the other way you must travel five or six days together upon the stones and also for that you are to pass through the Territories of certain Raja's where you are in danger of being robb'd The second day I came to an Inn call'd Cherourabad costes 12 When you are got about half the way you pass through Gianabad a little City near to which about a quarter of a League on this side crossing a Field of Millet I saw a Rhinoceros feeding upon Millet-Canes which a little Boy of nine or ten years old gave him to eat When I came near the Boy he gave me some Millet to give the Rhinoceros who immediately came to me opening his chops three or four times I put the Millet into his mouth and when he had swallow'd it he still open'd his mouth for more The 3 d I came to Serrail Chajeada costes 10 The 4 th to Serrail Atakan costes 13 The 5 th to Aureng-Abad costes 9 Formerly this Village had another name but being the place where Aureng-zeb gave Battel to his Brother Sultan Sujah who was Governor of all the Province of Bengala Aureng-zeb in Memory of the Victory he had won gave it his own name and built there a very fair House with a Garden and a little Mosquee The 6 th to Alinchan costes 9 Two leagues on this side Alinchan you meet the River Ganges Monsieur Bernier the King's Physitian and another person whose name was Rachepot with whom I travell'd were amaz'd to see that a River that had made such a noise in the World was no broader than the River Seine before the Lovre believing before that it had been as wide as the Danaw above Belgrade There is also so little water in it from March to June or July when the rains fall that it will not bear a small Boat When we came to Ganges we drank every one of us a Glass of Wine mixing some of the River-water with it which caus'd a griping in our bellies But our Servants that drank it alone were worse tormented than we The Hollanders who have an House upon the Bank of Ganges never drink the water of this River until they have boil'd it But for the natural Inhabitants of the Countrey they are so accustom'd to it from their youth that the King and the Court drink no other You shall see a vast number of Camels every day whose business only it is to fetch water from the Ganges The 7 th I came to Halabas costes 8 Halabas is a great City built upon a point of Land where Ganges and Gemine meet There is a fair Castle of hew'n Stone
the King sits upon his Throne On the left hand is another Tent appointed for the principal Officers of the Army and Houshold In the same Court while the King sits upon his Throne are to be seen thirty Horses fifteen upon one side and fifteen upon the other lead by two men Their Bridles are very short but for the most part enrich'd with Diamonds Rubies Emraulds and Pearls the Bits whereof are of pure Gold Every Horse wears between his Ears a rich Plume of Feathers with a little Cushion upon his Back ty'd on with a Surcingle both being embroider'd with Gold and about his Neck hung some fair Jewel which was either a Diamond a Ruby or an Emrauld The worst of those Horses cost three thousand some five thousand Crowns and some there were that were never bought under ten thousand The young Prince who was between seven and eight years old rode upon a Horse no higher than a good big Greyhound but very well shap'd About an hour after the King has bin sitting upon his Throne seven stout Elephants bred up for War are brought out One of those Elephants has his Seat fix'd upon his back if the King should have a mind to ride out The others are cover'd with Cloaths richly embroider'd with Chains of Gold and Silver about their Necks and there are four that carry the Kings Standard upon their Cruppers fasten'd to a Half-Pike which a man seated on purpose close by holds upright with his hand These Elephants are brought within fifty paces of the Throne and when they come before the King they make their obeysances to him laying their Trunks to the ground and then lifting them up above their Heads three times every time he makes a great cry and then turning his back to the King one of the Leaders turns up the Cloath that the King may see he is in good case There belongs also to every one a Cord which is put round his body to shew how much he is grown since the last year The first of these Elephants which the King most esteems is a great furious Creature that has five hundred Roupies allow'd him every month He is fed with good Victuals and a great quantity of Sucre and they give him Aqua-vitae to drink When the King rides forth upon his Elephant the Omrahs follow on Horseback And when he rides on Horseback the Omrahs follow him on foot After the King has seen his Elephants he rises up and goes into his Haram through a little oval door behind the Throne The five other Thrones are set up in another magnificent Hall in another Court all cover'd over with Diamonds without any colour'd Stone When the King has staid about half an hour he comes out again attended by three or four Eunuchs and seats himself in the other Hall upon the middlemost of the five Thrones where the Omrahs come as long as the five days of the Festival last and make their Presents to him CHAP. IX Some other Observations upon the Court of the Great Mogul AFter Aureng-zeb had setled himself in the Empire which he usurp'd from his Father and his Brothers he impos'd upon himself a very severe penance eating nothing but Pulse and Sweet-meats which has made him very meagre and lean All the time the Comet lasted in the year 1665 which appear'd very great in the Indies where I then was Aureng-zeb drank nothing but Water and eat nothing but Bread made of Millet which so impair'd his health that it had like to have cost him his life Besides he always lay upon the ground only with a Tigers Skin under him since which time he has never been perfectly well I saw him drink three several times while he sate upon his throne to which purpose he had brought him a large Cup of Christal of the Rock round and all of a piece with a Gold Cover enrich'd with Diamonds Rubies and Emraulds the foot thereof being of the same But no person sees the King eat only his Wives and his Eunuchs And it is but very rarely that he goes to Dine or Sup with any of his Subjects When I was last in India Giafer-Kan who was his Grand Visier and his Uncle by marriage of his wife invited the King to see a new Palace which he was building who went accordingly and it was the greatest Honour his Majesty could do him in retaliation whereof Giafer-Kan and his Wife presented him with Jewels Elephants Camels Horses and other things to the value of a Million and fifty thousand Livres of our Money For Giafer-Kan's Wife is the most magnificent and liberal Woman in all India and spends more her self than all the Kings Wives and Daughters which makes her Husband in debt though he be almost Lord of all the Empire When the King is carried in his Palleki to the Mosquee one of his Sons follows him a Horseback and all his Omrahs and Officers of his Houshold come behind him a foot Those that are Mahumetans stay for him at the top of the ascent to the Mosquee and when he is ready to come out they march before him to the Gate of his Palace Eight Elephants always go before the King to every one of which belong two men one to lead the Elephant and the other who sits upon his back carries a Standard fix'd to a Half-Pike The other four carry Seats or Thrones upon their backs the one square the other round one cover'd the other inclos'd with Glass of several fashions When the King goes abroad he has usually five or six hundred men to attend him for his Guard arm'd every one with a kind of an Half-Pike To the heads of their Pikes they tye two Squibs cross-wife about a foot long and as big as a mans Arm which will carry the Half-Pike five hundred paces The King is also attended by three or four hundred Musquateers but they are very Cowards and hardly know how to shoot off their pieces He has also a certain number of Cavalry which are Soldiers much alike A hundred Europeans might well beat a thousand Indians but they would hardly accustom themselves to live such sober lives For as well the Horse as the Infantry will live upon Meal kneaded with Water and brown Sugar but in the evening when they have convenience they make Quichery which is Rice boil'd in Water and Salt with a Grain so call'd When they eat it they stir it with the ends of their Fingers in melted Butter which is the usual food of the Soldiers and poor people Beside the heat would kill our Souldiers who would never be able to endure the Sun all the day long as the Indians do By the way give me leave to tell you that the Country people have no other cloathing than a piece of Linnen to hide their secret parts being miserably poor for if their Governours know they have any thing about them they seize it either as their right or by force There are some Provinces in India that
little Bag hanging at one side on the other his Purse with five or six-hunder'd Pagods in Gold in it There they sit expecting when any person will come to sell them some Diamonds If any person brings them a Stone they put it into the hands of the eldest Boy among them who is as it were their chief who looks upon it and after that gives it to him that is next him by which means it goes from hand to hand till it return to him again none of the rest speaking one word After that he demands the price to buy it if possible but if he buy it too dear 't is upon his own account In the evening the children compute what they have laid out then they look upon their Stones and separate them according to their water their weight and clearness Then they bring them to the great Merchants who have generally great parcels to match and the profit is divided among the children equally only the chief among them has a fourth in the hunder'd more than the rest As young as they are they so well understand the price of Stones that if one of them have bought any purchase and is willing to lose one half in the hunder'd the other shall give him his Money They shall hardly bring you a parcel of Stones above a dozen wherein there is not some flaw or other defect When I came to the Mine I went to wait upon the Governour who told me I was welcome and because he made no question but that I had brought Gold with me for they talk of nothing under Gold at the Mines he bid me only lay it in my Chamber and he would undertake it should be safe Thereupon he presented me with four servants to watch my Gold day and night and to follow my orders bidding me withal fear nothing but eat drink and sleep and take care of my health but withal he told me I must be careful of not cheating the King Thereupon I fell to buying and found profit enough above twenty in the hunder'd cheaper than at Golconda I have one thing to observe which is more than ordinarily curious concerning the manner how the Indians as well Mahumetans as Idolaters drive their bargains Every thing is done with great silence and without any talking on either side The buyer and the seller sit one before another like two Taylors and the one of the two opening his Girdle the seller takes the right-hand of the purchaser and covers his own hand and that with his Girdle under which in the presence of many Merchants that meet together in the same Hall the bargain is secretly driven without the knowledg of any person For then the purchaser nor seller speak neither with their mouths nor eyes but only with the hand as thus When the seller takes the purchaser by the whole hand that signifies a thousand and as often as he squeezes it he means so many thousand Pagods or Roupies according to the Money in question If he takes but half to the knuckle of the middle-finger that 's as much as to say fifty The small end of the finger to the first knuckle signifies ten When he grasps five fingers it signifies five-hunder'd if but one finger one-hunder'd This is the mystery which the Indians use in driving their bargains And many times it happens that in the same place where there are several people one and the same parcel shall be sold seven or eight times over and no person know that it was sold in that manner every time As for the weight of the Stones no person can be deceiv'd in them unless he purchase them in hugger-mugger For if they are publickly bought there is a person on purpose paid by the King without any benefit from particular persons whose place it is to weigh the Diamonds and when he has spoken the weight the buyer and seller are satisfi'd in his words as not being a person any way oblig'd to favour any person Having dispatch'd all my business at the Mine the Governour appointed me six Horse-men to convoy me through the Territories under his Government which extends to a River that separates the Kingdom of Visapour from that of Golconda 'T is a very difficult thing to cross that River it being deep broad and rapid besides that there are no Boats But they ferry over Men Carriages Oxen and Coaches upon a round Vessel ten or twelve foot in Diameter made of Osier-twigs like our Flaskets and cover'd without with Ox-hides as I have already related They might easily use Boats or make a Bridg but the King of Golconda will not suffer either because the River parts the two Kingdoms Every evening the Ferry-men on both sides are bound to carry to two Governours on each side the River an exact account of the Persons Carriages and Merchandizes which they ferri'd over that day Coming to Golconda I found that the person whom I had left in trust with my Chamber was dead but that which I observ'd most remarkable was that I found the door sealed with two Seals one being the Cadi's or chief Justice's the other the Sha-Bander's or Provost of the Merchants An Officer of Justice together with the Servants I had left behind watch'd the Chamber night and day This Officer hearing of my arrival went and gave notice to the Cadi and Sha-Bander who sent for me The Cadi presently ask'd me if the Money I had left in the Chamber where the person dy'd were mine and how I could prove it I told him I had no better proofs than the Letters of Exchange which I had brought to the Banker that paid it by my order to the person deceas'd to whom I had also giv'n farther order that if the Banker paid me in Silver he should change the sum into Gold Thereupon the Bankers were sent for who affirming the payments accordingly the Cadi sent his Deputy to op'n the Chamber door nor would he leave me till I had counted over my Money and had assur'd him it was right After that I return'd to the Cadi and the Sha-Bander and signifi'd as much to them and having paid them some Fees which they demanded to the value of four Crowns and a half of our Money I return'd them my thanks for their care This I relate to shew the justice of the Country CHAP. XII The Authors Journey to the other Mines and how they find the Diamonds there SEven days journey from Golconda Eastward there is another Diamond Mine call'd in the language of the Country Gani in the Persian tongue Coulour It is near a great Town by which the same River runs which I cross'd coming from the other Mine and a League and a half from the Town is a high Mountain in the form of a Half-Moon the space between the Town and the Mountain is a Plain where they dig and find Diamonds The nearer they dig to the Mountain the larger Stones they find but at the top they find nothing at all
as Sha-jehan came to the Empire he sent to demand his Tribute of this Raja as well for the time past as to come who finding that his Revenues were not sufficient to pay him quitted his Country and retir'd into the Mountains with his Subjects Upon his refusal Sha-jehan believing he would stand it out sent a great Army against him perswading himself that he should find great store of Diamonds in his Country But he found neither Diamonds nor People nor Victuals the Raja having burnt all the Corn which his Subjects could not carry away so that the greatest part of Sha-jehans Army perish'd for hunger At length the Raja return'd into his Country upon condition to pay the Mogul some slight Tribute The Way from Agra to this Mine From Agra to Halabas costes 130 From Halabas to Banarous costes 33 From Banarous to Sasaron costes 4 From Agra to Saferon you travel Eastward but from Saferon to the Mine you must wind to the South coming first to a great Town costes 21 This Town belongs to the Raja I have spoke of From thence you go to a Fortress call'd Rodas costes 4 This is one of the strongest places in all Asia seated upon a Mountain fortifi'd with six Bastions and twenty-seven pieces of Cannon with three Moats full of Water wherein there are good Fish There is but one way to come to the top of the Mountain where there is a Plain half a League in compass wherein they sow Corn and Rice There is above twenty Springs that water that Plain but all the rest of that Mountain from top to bottom is nothing but a steep Precipice cover'd with over-grown Woods The Raja's formerly us'd to live in this Fort with a Garrison of seven or eight hundred men But the Great Mogul has it now having taken that Fort by the policy of the famous Mirgimola which all the Kings of India could never take before The Raja left three Sons who betray'd one another the eldest was poison'd the second went and serv'd the Great Mogul who gave him the command of four thousand Horse the third possesses his Fathers Territories paying the Mogul a small Tribute From the Fortress of Rodas to Soumelpour costes 30 Soumelpour is a great Town the Houses whereof are built of Earth and cover'd only with Branches of Coco-trees All these thirty Leagues you travel through Woods which is a very dangerous passage as being very much pester'd with Robbers The Raja lives half a League from the Town in Tents set upon a fair rising ground at the foot whereof runs the Gouel descending from the Southern Mountains and falling into Ganges In this River they find the Diamonds For after the great Rains are over which is usually in December they stay all January till the River be clear by reason that by that time in some places it is not above two foot deep and in several places the Sand lies above the water About the end of January or the beginning of February there flock together out of the great Town and some others adjoining above eight thousand persons men women and children that are able to work They that are skilful know by the sand whether there be any Diamonds or no when they find among the sand little Stones like to those which we call Thunder-Stones They begin to make search in the River from the Town of Soumelpour to the very Mountains from whence the River falls for fifty Leagues together Where they believe there are Diamonds they encompass the place with Stakes Faggots and Earth as when they go about to make the Arch of a Bridg to drain all the water out of that place Then they dig out all the Sand for two foot deep which is all carried and spread upon a great place for that purpose prepar'd upon the side of the River encompass'd with a little Wall about a foot and half high When they have fill'd this place with as much Sand as they think convenient they throw water upon it wash it and sift it doing in other things as they do at the Mines which I have already describ'd From this River come all those fair Points which are call'd natural Points but a great Stone is seldom found here The reason why none of these Stones have been seen in Europe is because of the Wars that have hinder'd the people from working Besides the Diamond Mine which I have spoken of in the Province of Carnatica which Mirgimola caus'd to be shut up by reason of the yellowness of the Diamonds and the foulness of the Stones there is in the Island of Borneo the largest Island in the World another River call'd Succadan in the Sand whereof they find Diamonds as hard as any in the other Mines The principal reason that disswaded me from going to the Island of Borneo was because I understood that the Queen of the Island would not permit any Strangers to carry away any of those Diamonds out of the Island Those few that are exported being carry'd out by stealth and privately sold at Batavia I say the Queen and not the King because in that Island the Women have the Soveraign Command and not the Men. For the people are so curious to have a lawful Heir upon the Throne that the Husband not being certain that the Children which he has by his Wife are his own but the Wife being always certain that the Children which she bears are hers they rather choose to be govern'd by a Woman to whom they give the Title of Queen her Husband being only her Subject and having no power but what she permits him CHAP. XIV Of the diversity of Weights us'd at the Diamond Mines Of the Pieces of Gold and Silver there Currant and the Rule which they observe to know the Price of Diamonds AT the Mine of Raolconda they weigh by Mangelins a Mangelin being one Carat and three quarters that is seven Grains At the Mine of Gani or Coulour they use the same Weights At the Mine of Soumelpour in Bengala they weigh by Rati's and the Rati is seven eighths of a Carat or three Grains and a half They use the same Weights over all the Empire of the Mogul In the Kingdoms of Golconda and Visapour they make use of Mangelins but a Mangelin in those parts is not above one Carat and three eighths The Portugals in Goa make use of the same Weights in Goa but a Mangelin there is not above five Grains As for the Money in use First in Bengala in the Territories of the Raja before mention'd in regard they lye enclos'd within the Dominions of the Great Mogul they make their payments in Roupies At the two Mines about Raolconda in the Kingdom of Visapour the payments are made in new Pagods which the King coins in his own Name as being independent from the Great Mogul The new Pagod is not always at the same value for it is sometimes worth three Roupies and a half sometimes more and sometimes less
whereof make a Salt so tart that it is impossible to eat it until the tartness be tak'n away which they do by putting the ashes in water where they stir them ten or twelve hours together then they strain the substance through a Linnen Cloth and boil it as the water boils away the bottom thick'ns and when the water is all boil'd away they find at the bottom very good and white Salt Of the ashes of these Fig-leaves they make a Lye wherewith they wash their Silk which makes it as white as Snow but they have not enough to whiten half the Silk that grows in the Country Kenneroof is the name of the City where the King of Asem keeps his Court twenty-five or thirty days journey from that which was formerly the Capital City and bore the same name The King requires no Subsidies of his people but all the Mines in his Kingdom are his own where for the ease of his Subjects he has none but slaves that work so that all the Natives of Asem live at their ease and every one has his house by himself and in the middle of his ground a fountain encompass'd with trees and most commonly every one an Elephant to carry their Wives for they have four Wives and when they marry they say to one I take thee to serve me in such a thing to the other I appoint thee to do such business so that every one of the Wives knows what she has to do in the House The men and women are generally well complexion'd only those that live more Southerly are more swarthy and not so subject to Wens in their throats neither are they so well featur'd besides that the women are somewhat flat Nos'd In the Southern parts the people go stark naked only covering their private parts with a Bonnet like a blew Cap upon their heads hung about with Swines teeth They pierce holes in their ears that you may thrust your thumb in whete they hang pieces of Gold and Silver Bracelets also of Tortoise-shells and Sea-shells as long as an egg which they saw into Circles are in great esteem among the meaner sort as Bracelets of Coral and yellow Amber among those that are rich When they bury a man all his Friends and Relations must come to the burial and when they lay the body in the ground they all take off their Bracelets from their Armsand Legs and bury them with the Corps CHAP. XVIII Of the Kingdom of Siam THE greatest part of the Kingdom of Siam lies between the Golf of Siam and the Golf of Bengala bordering upon Pegu toward the North and the Peninsula of Malacca toward the South The shortest and nearest way for the Europaeans to go to this Kingdom is to go to Ispahan from Ispahan to Ormus from Ormus to Surat from Surat to Golconda from Golconda to Maslipatan there to embark for Denouserin which is one of the Ports belonging to the Kingdom of Siam From Denouserin to the Capital City which is also call'd Siam is thirty-five days journey part by Water part by Land by Waggon or upon Elephants The way whether by Land or Water is very troublesome for by Land you must be always upon your guard for fear of Tigers and Lions by Water by reason of the many falls of the River they are forc'd to hoise up their Boats with Engines All the Countrey of Siam is very plentiful in Rice and Fruits the chiefest whereof are Mangos Durions and Mangustans The Forests are full of Harts Elephants Tigers Rhinocero's and Apes where there grow also large Bambou's in great abundance Under the knots of these Bambou's are Emets nests as big as a mans head where every Emet has his apartiment by himself but there is but one hole to enter into the nest They make their nests in these Canes to preserve themselves from the rains which continue four or five months together In the night time the Serpents are very busie There are some two foot long with two heads but one of them has no motion There is also another creature in Siam like our Salamander with a forked tail and very venomous The Rivers in this Kingdom are very large and that which runs by Siam is equally as large as the rest The water is very wholesome but it is very full of Crocodiles of a monstrous bigness that devour men if they be not very careful of themselves These Rivers overflow their banks while the Sun is in the Southern Tropick which makes the fields to be very fertile as far as they flow and it is observ'd that the Rice grows higher or lower as the floods do more or less increase Siam the Capital City of the Kingdom where the King keeps his Court is wall'd about being about three of our Leagues in circuit it is situated in an Island the River running quite round it and might be easily brought into every street in the Town if the King would but lay out as much Money upon that design as he spends in Temples and Idols The Siamers have thirty-three Letters in their Alphabet But they write from the left to the right as we do contrary to the custom of Japon China Cochinchina and Tunquin who write from the right to the left All the Natives of this Kingdom are slaves either to the King or the great Lords The women as well as the men cut their hair neither are they very rich in their habits Among their complements the chiefest is never to go before a person that they respect unless they first ask leave which they do by holding up both their hands Those that are rich have several Wives The Money of the Country is already describ'd The King of Siam is one of the richest Monarchs in the East and stiles himself King of Heaven and Earth though he be Tributary to the Kings of China He seldom shews himself to his Subjects and never gives Audience but to the principal Favourites of his Court He trusts to his Ministers of State for the management of his affairs who sometimes make very bad use of their authority He never shews himself in publick above twice a year but then it is with an extraordinary magnificence The first is when he goes to a certain Pagod within the City which is guilded round both within and without There are three Idols between six and seven foot high which are all of massie Gold which he believes he renders propitious to him by the great store of Alms that he distributes among the poor and the presents which he makes to the Priests Then he goes attended by all his Court and puts to open view the richest Ornaments he has One part of his magnificence consists in his train of two hundred Elephants among which there is one that is white which the King so highly esteems that he stiles himself King of the White Elephant The second time the King appears in publick is when he goes to another Pagod five or six Leagues
above the Town up the River But no person must enter into this Pagod unless it be the King and his Priests As for the people so soon as they see the Door op'n they must presently fall upon their faces to the Earth Then the King appears upon the River with two hundred Gallies of a prodigious length four hundred Rowers belonging to every one of the Gallies most of them being guilded and carv'd very richly Now in regard this second appearance of the King is in the month of November when the waters begin to abate the Priests make the people believe that none but the King can stop the course of the waters by his Prayers and by his Offerings to this Pagod And they are so vain as to think that the King cuts the waters with his Sabra or Skain thereby commanding it to retire back into the Sea The King also goes but incognito to a Pagod in an Island where the Hollanders have a Factory There is at the entry thereof an Idol sitting cross-leg'd with one hand upon his knee and the other arm akimbo It is above sixty foot high and round about this Idol are about three hundred others of several sorts and sizes All these Idols are guilt And indeed there are a prodigious number of Pagods in this Countrey for every rich Siamer causes one to be built in memory of himself Those Pagods have Steeples and Bells and the Walls within are painted and guilded but the Windows are so narrow that they give but a very dim light The two Pagods to which the King goes publickly are adorn'd with several tall Pyramids well guilded And to that in the Hollanders Island there belongs a Cloyster which is a very neat Structure In the middle of the Pagod is a fair Chappel all guilded within side where they find a Lamb and three Wax Candles continually burning before the Altar which is all over cover'd with Idols some of massie Gold others of Copper guilt In the Pagod in the midst of the Town and one in of those to which the King goes once a year there are above four thousand Idols and for that which is six Leagues from Siam it is surrounded with Pyramids whose beauty makes the industry of that Nation to be admir'd When the King appears all the Doors and Windows of the Houses must be shut and all the people prostrate themselves upon the ground not daring to lift up their eyes And because no person is to be in a higher place than the King they that are within doors are bound to keep their lowest Rooms When he cuts his hair one of his Wives performs that office for he will not suffer a Barber to come near him This Prince has a passionate kindness for his Elephants which he looks upon as his Favourites and the Ornaments of his Kingdom If there be any of them that fall sick the Lords of the Court are mighty careful to please their Soveraign and if they happ'n to dye they are buried with the same Funeral Pomp as the Nobles of the Kingdom which are thus performed They set up a kind of Mausoleum or Tomb of Reeds cover'd with Paper in the midst whereof they lay as much sweet wood as the body weighs and after the Priests have mumbl'd certain Orisons they set it a-fire and burn it to ashes which the rich preserve in Gold or Silver Urns but the poor scatter in the wind As for offenders they never burn but bury them 'T is thought that in this Kingdom there are above two hundred Priests which they call Bonzes which are highly reverenc'd as well at Court as among the people The King himself has such a value for some of them as to humble himself before them This extraordinary respect makes them so proud that some of them have aspir'd to the Throne But when the King discovers any such design he puts them to death And one of them had his head lately struck off for his Ambition These Bonzes wear yellow with a little red Cloth about their Wasts like a Girdle Outwardly they are very modest and are never seen to be angry About four in the morning upon the tolling of their Bells they rise to their prayers which they repeat again toward evening There are some days in the year when they retire from all converse with men Some of them live by Alms others have Houses with good Revenues While they wear the Habit of Bonzes they must not marry for if they do they must lay their Habit aside They are generally very ignorant not knowing what they believe Yet they hold the transmigration of Souls into several Bodies They are forbidd to kill any Creature yet they will make no scruple to eat what others kill or that which dies of it self They say that the God of the Christians and theirs were Brothers but that theirs was the eldest If you ask them where their God is they say he vanish'd away and they know not where he is The chief strength of the Kingdom is their Infantry which is indifferent good the Soldiers are us'd to hardship going all quite naked except their private parts all the rest of their body looking as if it had been cupt is carv'd into several shapes of beasts and flowers When they have cut their skins and stanch'd the blood they rub the cut-work with such colours as they think most proper So that afar off you would think they were clad in some kind of flower'd Satin or other for the colours never rub out Their weapons are Bows and Arrows Pike and Musket and an Azagaya or Staff between five and six foot long with a long Iron Spike at the end which they very dextrously dart at the Enemy In the year 1665 there was at Siam a Neapolitan Jesuite who was call'd Father Thomas he caus'd the Town and the Kings Palace to be fortifi'd with very good Bulwarks according to Art for which reason the King gave him leave to live in the City where he has a House and a little Church CHAP. XIX Of the Kingdom of Macassar and the Embassadors which the Hollanders sent into China THE Kingdom of Macassar otherwise call'd the Isle of Celebes begins at the fifteenth Degree of Southern Latitude The heats are excessive all the day but the nights are temperate enough And for the Soil it is very fertile but the people have not the art of building The Capital City bears the name of the Kingdom and is situated upon the Sea The Port is free for the Vessels that bring great quantities of goods from the adjacent Islands pay no Customs The Islanders have a custom to poyson their Arrows and the most dangerous poyson which they use is the juice of certain Trees in the Island of Borneo which they will temper so as to work swift or slow as they please They hold that the King has only the secret Receit to take away the force of it who boasts that he has the most effectual poyson in
the world which there is no remedy can prevent One day an English man in heat of blood had kill'd one of the Kings of Macassars Subjects and though the King had pardon'd him yet both English Hollanders and Portugals fearing if the English man should go unpunish'd lest the Islanders should revenge themselves upon some of them besought the King to put him to death which with much ado being consented to the King unwilling to put him to a lingring death and desirous to shew the effect of his poyson resolv'd to shoot the Criminal himself whereupon he took a long Trunk and shot him exactly into the great Toe of the right foot the place particularly aim'd at Two Chirurgeons one an English man and the other a Hollander provided on purpose immediately cut off the member but for all that the poyson had dispers'd it self so speedily that the English man dy'd at the same time All the Kings and Princes of the East are very diligent in their enquiry after strong poysons And I remember that the chief of the Dutch Factory and I try'd several poyson'd Arrows with which the King of Achen had presented him by shooting at Squirrels who fell down dead as soon as ever they were touch'd The King of Macassar is a Mahometan and will not suffer his Subjects to embrace Christianity Yet in the year 1656 the Christians found a way to get leave to build a fair Church in Macassar But the next year the King caus'd it to be pull'd down as also that of the Dominican Friars which the Portugals made use of The Parish Church which was under the Government of the secular Priests stood still till the Hollanders attack'd Macassar and compell'd him to turn all the Portugals out of his Dominions The ill conduct of that Prince was in part the occasion of that war to which the Hollanders were mov'd to revenge themselves upon the Portugal Jesuites who had cross'd their Embassy to China Besides that they offer'd great affronts to the Hollanders at Macassar especially when they trod under foot the Hat of one of the Dutch Envoys who was sent to treat with the King in behalf of the Company Thereupon the Hollanders resolv'd to unite their forces with the Bouquises that were in rebellion against their Soveraign and to revenge themselves at any rate Now as to the business of China it happen'd thus Toward the end of the year 1658 the General of Batavia and his Council sent one of the chief of the Holland Company with Presents to the King of China who arriving at Court labour'd to gain the friendship of the Mandarins who are the Nobility of the Kingdom But the Jesuites who by reason of their long abode in the Country understood the language and were acquainted with the Lords of the the Court lest the Holland Company should get footing to the prejudice of the Portugals represented several things to the Kings Council to the prejudice of the Hollanders more especially charging them with breach of Faith in all the places where they came Upon this the Holland Agent was dismiss'd and departed out of China without doing any feats Afterwards coming to understand what a trick the Portugal Jesuites had put upon him he made report thereof to the General and his Council at Batavia which so incens'd them that they resolv'd to be reveng'd For by the Deputies accounts the Embassy had cost them above fifty thousand Crowns for which they consulted how to make the Portugals pay double Understanding therefore the trade which the Jesuits drove in the Island of Macao and to the Kingdom of Macassar whither upon their own account they sent seven Vessels laden with all sorts of Commodities as well of India as China they took their opportunity and the seventh of June 1660 appear'd with a Fleet of thirty Sail before the Port of Macassar The King thinking himself oblig'd to make defence against so potent an Enemy endeavour'd to sustain the brunt of the Hollander with the Portugal Ships in the Road but the Hollander dividing their Fleet part of them fought the Portugal the other half batter'd the Royal Fortress so furiously that they carry'd it in a short time Which so terrifi'd the King that he commanded the Portugals not to fire any more for fear of farther provoking his Enemies The Prince Patinsaloa was slain in the fight which was a great loss to the King of Macassar who was become formidable to his neighbours by the good Conduct of that Minister As for the Hollanders they took burnt and sunk all the Portugal Vessels and sufficiently re-imburs'd themselves for their China Expences The thirteenth of June the King of Macassar whose name was Sumbaco hung out a white Flag from another Tower whence he beheld the fight environ'd by his Wives During the truce he sent one of the Grandees of his Court to the Dutch Admiral to desire peace which was granted upon condition he should send an Embassador to Batavia expel the Portugals out of the Island and not permit his Subjects to have any more to do with them Thereupon the King of Macassar sent eleven of the greatest Lords of his Court with a train of seven hundred men the Chief of the Embassy being the Prince of Patinsaloa The first thing they did was to pay two hundred Loaves of Gold to redeem the Royal Fortress again and then submitting to the Conditions which the Dutch Admiral had propos'd the General of Batavia sign'd the Articles which were punctually observ'd For the Portugals immediately quitted the Country some departing for Siam and Cambòya others for Macoa and Goa Macao formerly one of the most famous and richest Cities of the Orient was the principal motive that enclin'd the Hollanders to send an Embassadour into China for being the best station which the Portugals had in all those parts the Dutch had a design to win it wholly Now this City lying in twenty-two Degrees of Northern Latitude in a small Island next to the Province of Kanton which is a part of China has very much lost its former luster But this was not all which the Jesuits and the Portugal Merchants suffer'd The Chief of the Dutch Factory at Mingrela which is but eight Leagues from this City understanding the bad success of the Dutch in China had a contrivance by himself to be reveng'd He knew that the Jesuites of Goa and other places drove a great trade in rough Diamonds which they sent into Europe or else carry'd along with them when they return'd and that for the more private carrying on of their trade they were wont to send one or two of their Order that knew the language in the habit of a Faquir which consists of a Tygers Skin to cover their back-parts and a Goats Skin to cover the breast reaching down to the knees Thereupon the Chief of the Factory of Mingrela taking his opportunity and having notice that two of the suppos'd Faquirs were gone to the Mines to lay out 400000
themselves which they were very ready to do carrying as many men with them as possibly they could under pretence of sickness While the chief of them were at Dinner with the chief of the English they all ply'd their Cups and when the Dutch saw the English had drunk hard enough taking their opportunity they pickt a quarrel with the Commander of the Fort and drawing their Swords which they had hidden under their Coats for that purpose they easily surpriz'd and cut all the throats of the Soldiers in the Garrison and being thus Masters of the Fort they kept it from that time till they were routed out by the Chineses Now for the trick that the King of Achen serv'd the Sieur Renaud he having got a good Estate by Jewels arriv'd at length at Achen and as it is the custom for the Merchants to shew the King what Jewels they have the King had no sooner cast his eye upon four Rings which the Sieur Renaud shew'd him but he bid him fifteen thousand Crowns for them but Renaud would not bate of eighteen thousand Now because they could not agree the Sieur Renaud carry'd them away with him which very much displeas'd the King however he sent for him the next day Whereupon Renaud returning to him the King paid him his eighteen thousand Crowns but he was never seen after that and it is thought he was secretly murther'd in the Palace This story came to my remembrance when I found my Brother did not come along with those that were sent to fetch me However I resolv'd to go taking with me 12 or 13000 Roupies worth of Jewels the greatest part being in Rose Diamond Rings some consisting of seven some of nine and some of eleven Stones with some small Bracelets of Diamonds and Rubies I found the King with three of his Captains and my Brother sitting together after the manner of the East with five great Plates of Rice before them of divers colours For their drink they had Spanish Wine strong Waters and several sorts of Sherbets After I had complemented the King and presented him with a Diamond Ring a blew Saphir Ring and a little Bracelet of Diamonds Rubies and blew Saphirs he commanded me to sit down and order'd me a glass of strong Water to whet my appetite The glass held a quarter of a pint and therefore I refus'd it which the King very much wonder'd at but being told by my Brother that I never drank any strong Water he order'd me presently a glass of Sack After that he rose up and seated himself in a Chair the Elbows whereof were guilded His feet and legs were bare having a Persian Carpet of Gold and Silk to tread upon He was clad with a piece of Calicut part whereof cover'd his body from his waste to his knees the rest being wound about his back and shoulders like a Scarf Instead of Shoes he had a pair of Sandals that stood by the Chair side the straps whereof were embroider'd with Gold and small Pearl About his head he had a thing like a Handkerchief with three Corners bound about his head like a Fillet His hair also which was very long was twisted and ty'd together over his head Two persons stood behind him with great Fans of long Peacock Feathers the handles whereof were five or six foot in length Upon his right hand stood an old black woman holding in her hand a little Mortar and a Pestle of Gold to beat his Betlé in wherewith he mix'd the Kernel of the Nut of Araqué and Seed Pearl dissolv'd When it was all beaten together the old woman gave it the King over his Shoulders who opening his mouth the old woman sed him as our women feed their Children For the King had chaw'd so much Betlé and taken so much Tobacco that his teeth were all fall'n out of his head The King of Bantam's Palace was never built by any curious Architect It is a square place encompass'd with a great many Pillars varnish'd over with several sorts of colours against which the King leans when he sits down At the four Corners there are four great Pillars set in the Earth at forty foot distance the one from the other lin'd with a Mat made of the Rhind of a certain Tree so thin that it looks like a piece of Linnen which neither Fleas nor Punies will come near The Roof was cover'd with Coco-Branches Not far off under another Roof supported with four great Pillars he had sixteen Elephants the noblest of all those that are in the Kings service for he has a far greater number train'd up for war that are not afraid of wild-fire For his Guard he might have about two thousand men that were drawn up in Companies under the shade of the next Trees They are good Souldiers as well by Sea as by Land great Mahometans and stand not at all in fear of death His Haram or the Womens Apartment was certainly a very small place For when he had view'd what I brought him he sent for two old women to whom he gave some of the Jewels to go and shew them to his Wives The two women return'd back through a little pitiful door the enclosure being nothing but a kind of Wall made up of Earth and Cow-dung mix'd together Whatever he sent to the Women they never return'd any thing again Which made me believe they would bear a good price and indeed whatever I sold to him I sold to good profit and had my Money well paid me After this we took our leaves but the King oblig'd us to come next day in the evening because he had a desire to shew us a Turky Dagger the Haft whereof being thin of Diamonds he had a mind to enrich with more Stones Coming to the English House with our Money they wonder'd that the King had laid out twenty thousand Roupies telling me they believ'd it was the best part of his treasure The next day my Brother and I went to wait upon him at the appointed hour and we found him sitting in the same place where he sate before There was a Moulla then read to him who seem'd to interpret to him something of the Alcoran in the Arabick Language The Lecture being ended they both rose and went to prayers which being concluded the King sent for the Dagger and the Hast which was of Gold The top of the Handle was already set with Diamonds and upon the upper part of the cross Bar was cut in Facets which could not be less worth than fifteen or sixteen thousand Crowns The King told me it was presented to him by the Queen of Borneo and that it was cut at Goa but that he put a far higher value upon it than I esteem'd it to be worth The Dagger as well as the Sheath was full of Beazils or Collets in very good order but the King had neither Diamond Ruby nor any other Stone to set in the Collets and therefore desir'd me to help him to
Intendency But the Treasury I here speak of is the place where they keep the Jewels of the Crown and all the other Rarities and the wealth gather'd together from Father to Son by the Ottoman Princes which I shall endeavour to lay down distinctly before the Reader 's prospect in my Relation when I come to open unto him both the Treasuries However it is to be observ'd that the Chaznadar-Bachi has only the honorary title of Chief of the Treasury nay that he cannot so much as enter into it since that in the Reign of Sultan Amurat the Pages of the Treasury having complain'd to the Grand Seignor of the ill conduct of that Eunuch he upon their Petition order'd that the Chaznadar-bachi should no longer have any Command there and that the Chaznaket-odasi should for the future exercise his Charge without depriving him of the title thereof But in regard the Chaznadar-bachi is the better known and the more pronounceable Name I shall always make use of it instead of the other and we must not omit giving you this remark That when the Chief or Overseer of the Treasury is remov'd from his Charge he is made a Bassa Upon this counterchanging of these two Officers of the Seraglio it is to be observ'd That amongst all the Mahumetan Princes Turks Persians Indians and of what Sect soever they may be of what has been order'd and establish'd in the Reign of one Prince is never revok'd by his Successor And under the same Sultan-Amurat the Capou-Agasi having committed some little impertinence whereat the Grand Seignor took offence he excluded thence forwards all the Capou-Agasis who should be remov'd out of the Seraglio from the priviledge of coming into a capacity to be made Bassa's I shall not think it much to alledge upon this particular another example of that Maxime of which I was an eye-witness my self in the King of Persia's Court. 'T was in the Reign of Schach Abas against whom some Grandees of the Court had enter'd into a Conspiracy and attempted to take away the King's Life yet with a design to have put his Son into the Throne About Two or Three in the afternoon when every one in Persia is retir'd to the Haram which is the Appartment of the Women the Conspirators sent to the Palaces twenty Men well arm'd with Order first to put to the Sword all they should find at the Gates which ordinarily are guarded only by two or three Men armed with a massy Club and afterwards to go and murther the King himself in the Haram which would be but poorly defended by black and white Eunuchs who are poor Souldiers But the intended blow of the Conspirators was prevented and the chief Porter a Person accounted one of the most valiant of his time being in his Station with two of his Servants Georgians by Country that is to say valiant as all those People are fell upon the Traitors with his Cuttelas and beat them back so smartly that they thought it the best way to run for 't The King having been inform'd of that action order'd him to be brought into his Presence and after he had commended him made this establishment That the Charge of chief Porter should ever continue in his Family from Father to Son He also commanded the Keeper of the Archives or Records to insert that action into the History and wish'd that his own Name might be dash'd out of it and all that had been done during his Reign if any of his Successors attempted to change any thing of his Will and deprive the House of the Faithful Georgian of that Charge The Kilargi-bachi is the chief Governour of the Pages of the Kilar which is the place where they keep all the exquisite Drinks for the Grand Seignor's own drinking It is a kind of Cup-Bearers Office and the Kilargi-bachi a kind of Cup-Bearer and he is also made a Bassa upon his removal from the Charge of Kilargi-bachi He is moreover the Chief of all the Akegis who are the Cooks and Confectioners since no Body can have any entrance into those Offices but by his Order and he has under his custody all the Plate which is for the peculiar service of the Grand Seignor This Officer has for his Substitute the Kilarketodasi Now having told you that upon the resignation of his Charge he is made a Bassa it were not amiss to advertise you further That they who are remov'd out of the Seraglio in order to their being Bassa's ought to have been of the number of the forty Pages of the Chamber and to have pass'd through one of these six Charges of Chashaketodasi and of Kilarketodasi of whom I have spoken already of Dogangibachi of the Chokadar of the Seligdar and of the Rikabdar of whom I shall discourse anon Otherwise they can only be Beys or Zaims or Sphais or at most but Capigibachis by the Grand Seignor's singular favour The case is the same with the Gugombachi who is the second Person of the Office of the Treasury as also with the Anakdar-Agasi who is the third If these People remove out of the Seraglio before they are admitted into the number of the Forty Pages of the Chamber they have only a certain Pay more or less the highest whereof amounts not to above two hundred Aspers I proceed to the other Officers of the Seraglio of whom there will be some mention made in my Relation The Dogangi-bachi is the Grand Falconer and his Charge makes him a considerable Person about the Prince The Chokadar is he who carries the Royal Robe called the Ciamberlue the same Officer which the French call Portemanteau The Rikabdar is he who holds the Stirrup when the Grand Seignor gets on Horseback The Seligdar is the first of the Pages of the Chamber he carries the Grand Seignor's Sword upon days of Ceremony and they ordinarily advance to that Charge one of the handsomest Pages The Hammangibachi is the chief Overseer of the Bath When he leaves the Seraglio as also when the Kamachirbachi who is the chiefest of the Pages of Seferli does so their Pay is an hundred Aspers a day and if they are in favour it may amount to an hundred and fifty It is to be observ'd in the general that when any one of the Forty Pages of the Chamber is remov'd the vacancy is supply'd sometimes out of the Treasury sometimes out of the Kilar and sometimes out of the Seferti and in that they take their turns They always take out the most Ancient and they who were next to them come into their places How that is done we shall take occasion to explicate more plainly in the Chapter of the Treasury The Chiamcibachi is the grand Laundry-man or the Principal of those who wash and order the Grand Seignor's Linnen The Giritbey is the chief Director of those who are exercis'd in shooting with the Bowe and calling the Dart. These two Exercises are much practis'd every Friday in a place of the Seraglio