or Chambers above it Cush the third Story Tzaufe the fourth Casser and the upper Chambers or Garrets being built like Galleries winding about the top of the House Eiwan which by reason of their coolness serve them for Sleeping-Rooms in Summer the Windows which are almost as big as their Doors and reach down quite to the Floor have no Glass but are onely Bars or Rails like Balconies which in the Winter they close up with Oyl'd Paper Their Winter Rooms are commonly below and have Stoves in them Most of the Houses have Courts through which they go into their several Apartments It is said that the Lanes and Streets were formerly so broad that above twenty Men could Ride abreast in them but since Schach Abbas built more Rows of Houses most of them are become so narrow that two can scarce pass one by another especially not far from the Maidan and Basar where there commonly walk many People who are forc'd when Mules come loaden which frequently happens twenty or thirty one after another to stand still tâ—ll they are all pass'd by Description of the Maidan or Market-place On the East side of the King's Palace is a Maidan or Market-place of seven hundred Paces long and two hundred and fifty broad the like whereof is not in any other City On the West side where the King's Court stands are two Arches built along the Maidan one against another under which Goldsmiths Jewellers and other Handicrafts drive a Trade in Eiwans or open Shops before which stand Trees by the Persians call'd Schin-schad which with their large Boughs shade the Shops before the Trees are long Troughs or Gutters of Stone by which fresh Water is convey'd all about the Maidan The East side which is opposite to it hath a broad Walk Arch'd and supported with Pillars under which also all manner of Artificers have their Working-places for the Persians seldom or never work in their dwelling-Dwelling-houses Agaâ—nst this Walk near the King's Court is a Structure which having two Entries is call'd Nacarachane where the Kettle-Drums Sackbuts and Cornets are play'd on every Evening at Sun-set and whenever the King passeth either in or out This playing at Sun-set us'd through all Persia in those places where Chams and great Lords dwell hath been in use ever since Tamerlane was Lord of this Countrey Description of the King's Place The King's House or Court which is near the Maidan by the Persians call'd Dowbet Chane or Dor Chane Schach hath a high Wall about it but is not otherwise fortifi'd against any Assault Before the Palace Gate lie several great pieces of Ordnance which Nicholas Hemming a Hollander who travell'd through most parts of Persia affirms to have been brought from Ormus the least carrying a Bullet of thirty six Pound weight the biggest of forty eight Over the Gate is a large Forum or place of Judicature where the Diwanbeki or Judge commonly Executes Justice In the day-time the Gate is guarded by three or four and in the Night by fifteen Halberdeers but at the King's Chamber thirty Men most Chans Sons Watch whil'st as many more go the Rounds The Kischicktzi or Captain of the Guard delivers the King an Account every Evening of such Persons as are to Watch that Night that so he may know what People are near him The said Forum over the Gate is a very high Room glittering with fair Windows on all sides and adorn'd with rich Pictures and gilded Carv'd work The other chief Rooms of the Court are first the Tabchane or great Hall in which the King with his Chans and other great Lords keeps a splendid Feast on Naurus or New-years-day next an open Room call'd the Divanchane that is House of Justice in which the King hears and determines all Businesses of State and gives Entertainment to foreign Princes The Tabchane or Banquetting-house ascended by three Steps is twelve Yards long eight broad and abought six high The Pillars which support the Roof being eight-square are of Wood and Gilded The Room within is also adorn'd with Gilded Sculpture or Carv'd-work The Floor is commonly cover'd with rich Carpets and hath a Fountain in the middle of it Before the Divanchane is a long narrow Walk Planted with Tzinar-Trees These kind of Walks they call Chiewan The third is the Haramchane or Hall for the Women in which his Casseha or Concubines which are at other times kept up in private Apartments come together to Dance before the King to the Musick of several Instruments or the Voices of Eunuchs The fourth is the Deke or place in which the King spends his time most part of the day and ever but at Festival times or when busied about State Affairs Dines with his Queen and the rest of his Wives Besides these there are other fair Apartments which contribute to the splendor and accommodation of a King's Palace besides divers brave Banquetting-houses and pleasant Gardens But above all the rest about forty Paces from the chief Gate is a Door on the right-hand which leads to a great Garden in the middle whereof stands a Chappel This Garden being a priviledg'd Place is by the Persians call'd Allacapi that is Gods Gate Hither Debtors Man-slayers and other Malefactors flie for sanctuary and so long as they can maintain themselves there at their own Cost and Charge they are unmolested but Thieves they will not suffer to be there long Behind the Palace is the Taberick Cale or Treasury being rather a Castle than a House for the word Cale signifies a Castle It is an indifferent large Structure encompass'd with high Walls and Redoubts of Earth which Nicholas Hemmius takes to be Towers This Castle is constandy Garrison'd with divers Companies of Soldiers and the King having a considerable Magazine often keeps his Court in it Moreover on the other side of the Maidan in a peculiar Street is another Sanctuary or priviledg'd House call'd Tseche hit Sutun so call'd from forty Beams or Pieces of Timber all which resting upon one single Pilar which stands in the middle of the Metzid belonging to it support the Roof thereof Hither the Persians flock'd in great numbers when Tamerlane going to destroy the rebelling Citizens resolv'd to spare onely the Temple and all those that were in it for he put to the Sword them that were in the Temple Court and caus'd all the Houses thereabouts to be pull'd down which Schach Abbas re-building made it a priviledg'd Place The Persians Belief concerning Mehedi On the South side of the Maidan is a large and sumptuous Mosque which being begun by Schach Abbas and almost finish'd his Successor compleated it and overlaid the Walls with a rich sort of Marble brought from Erwend Anno 1037. this Mosque was Consecrated to Mehedi the last of their twelve Imams or Saints of the Race of Aali of whom it is vulgarly believ'd that he lies slumbering in a Cave near Cusa from whence he is expected to return at the Day of Judgment and Riding
them and boyling it in Water dip their Hair therein washing it off again with Lye mix'd with unslak'd Lime They also gather the Water which in the Spring comes from the pruned Vines and wet their Mustacho's therewith as also the Women their Hair for they affirm that it makes their Hair grow long and black They Paint their Hands The Persians as also the Turks colour their Hands red and yellow though some do onely their Fingers and Nails and this kind of colouring is at all their Nuptials set upon the Table amongst other Dishes before the Guests to use when they please It is also affirm'd that they Paint their dead Bodies specially those of Virgins with the dry'd Leaves of Chinne or Alcanna that they may appear beautiful in their Grave to their two Angels or Confessors Some to make the Colour look brown rub their Hands with the Leaves or green Rinds of Walnuts which keeps fresh on their Hands above forty days notwithstanding they warn them every day In their Walking they waddle from side to side like Geese especiallv the Women and there is not one Persian that hath a steady or handsom Gate which Oleariues supposes to proceed from their manner of sitting on the Floor like Taylors with their Legs under them but this is not probable for then all the Eastern People which use to sit after the same manner would be subject to the like Impediment Of their Venery The Persians much inclin'd to Wantonness The Persians exceed most Countreys in Wantoness and venerial Exercises for besides their great number of Wines they are very much inclin'd to variety of Women and in all their Cities except Ardebil are kept publick brothel-Brothel-houses under the Protection of the Magistrates for which Priviledge the Cabeh or Strumpets pay great Tribute The present Persians never keep any great Feasts nay the King himself at Court seldom Entertains foreign Ambassadors yet divers Ladies of Pleasure always attend there which are expert in Dancing Singing and the like But in Ardebil it being a Consecrated Place none of their Debaucheries are permitted by special Order from Schach Abbas A Master of a Feast always Presents his Guests with several sorts of Liquor and then such Women efpecially as they best like whereupon those that please retire into a private Chamber fitted for that purpose from whence after most inward Embraces they come forth without the least bashfulness the Man to his Place and the Woman falls to Dancing This Custom of providing Women at a great Feast is very ancient amongst the Persians for long since when the Persian Ambassadors were highly Entertain'd by Anuntas King of Macedonia they also desir'd to have Women saying It is a Custom amongst us Persians when we make great Feasts to bring in such to the heightning md compleating our Pleasures as is at large describ'd by Herodotus King Sefi kept several of these Women for his Recreation and Curtius tells us that Darius carry'd three hundred and sixty Concubines along with him in his Progresses and Travels which were all Cloth'd in Royal Attire Are guilty of Sodomy But that which is worse they are extreamly addicted to the horrid Sin of Sodomy which Herodotus affirms they learn'd from the Greeks but that seems an unjust Imputation because the Persians were guilty of the same before they had any Converse with the Greeks Della Valle tells us that at Cambru there are many Mahumetan Youths which from their Girdles upward are Cloth'd like Men and from their Wastes downward like Women and go up and down the Streets inviting to this Abomination But 't is no wonder they give themselves over to this kind of Sin since their Prophet Mahomet did not a little encourage them therein Nay they are instructed that all carnal Delights whatsoever will be the greatest and chiefest Enjoyment in the other World by which means this Religion is the more follow'd Their Apparel Their Habits AMongst the Persians the Men let their Garments hang loose about their lower Parts so that at a distance they shew like Women which Fashion Diodorus tells us they took from the Virago Semiramis who went accordingly Habited Della Valle tells us that the Persians gird themselves almost under their Bellies with two Girdles one upon another the longest is made of certain thick Silk-Stuff which being pretty broad and very long they wind three or four times about their Bodies some of them are streak'd and wrought with Gold others curiously flower'd and some plain Some Girdles also are double and made of two sorts of Silk without any Ornaments except that the one side is of one colour and the other of another The upper Girdle which they wear above the great one is shorter narrower and of one colour and is either made of Silk Camels Hair or Cotton yet not less esteem'd than those of Silk because they are often richer and sometimes dearer The Habits of Women The Habits of the ordinary Women are very mean but the rich wear Cloth and Silk wrought with Gold they are clear and of a more becoming shape than the Turkish Women Those that are Marry'd or Betrothed are permitted to wear a Girdle and a Plume of Feathers which is also a distinction of Nobility Habits of the Women The Womens Garments are much thinner than the Mens and hang loose about their Bodies having underneath Shifts and Drawers down to the Ancles like the Men. Their Stockings are commonly either Crimson or green Velvet Cloth of Tissue or other rich Stuffs They have no peculiar Head-Tires but are dress'd after the same fashion as the Ladies of Bagdat or Babylon Their Hair hangs down in Tresses both behind and in Locks and curls before About their Heads they wear two or three Strings of Pearl but none about their Necks and let them hang below their Cheeks Young Maids also wear a Diamond Ring in their right Nostril several Gold Rings on their Fingers and broad Silver Armlets The Men according to a Law made by Mahomet may onely wear Silver Rings Women of Quality go after the Eastern manner in the Streets with a long white Vail over their Faces which hangs down to the Ground and have onely a little Slit therein through which they look And this Fashion they took up not so much out of Modesty as some suppose or the Jealousie of their Husbands or by reason of any Law amongst the Mahumetans but rather from their proud Humor judging very few worthy to look them in the Face for before Mahomet's time the Women of Arabia and Mesopotamia went always with cover'd Faces And to this purpose Peter Bizarro in his ancient History of Persia makes mention of King Tyridates's Queen who coming with her Husband into Italy was Vail'd with Cloth of Tissue And the modern Custom confirms this Opinion because a great Lady in the Presence of a Nobleman King or Prince uncovers her Face in testimony of the great Honor and high Esteem she hath
or their next Addresses But the reciprocal presenting of these Princes one to another they look upon as such a Due that they expect it as a Debt and the neglect thereof hath bred so much animosity as hath caus'd a War and particularly between the Turks and the Persians Anno 1618. because King Abbas had many years neglected his Presents which amounted to a very considerable value to the Grand Seignior Those that bring the Ambassador's Presents to the King are a poor sort of people kept by the King for that purpose To every Present are order'd as many people to carry it as there are pieces and several sorts of things for every man is to carry but one piece though never so small And makes great returns Moreover the Persians make very great Presents especially to Strangers who are oblig'd to make a Return of a greater value and if the Person that is presented fail therein he that presented him doth not onely cry and lament as if he had sustain'd a great loss but also demands his Gift again or the value thereof The King's Wives call'd Begum The Kings Wives are three or four besides a great number of Concubines the Queen is in the Persian Tongue call'd Begum which is properly a Turkish Word and signifies a Lady but this name is by the Persians not onely given to the Queen but also to the King's Daughters Sisters and Aunts This Queen is the chief of all his Wives to whom the rest shew obedience The rest have another Name besides that of Begum viz. Maria Begum Zeineh Begum c The King's Concubines cannot attain to the Honorable Title of Begum but are styl'd Chanum No Concubines so styl'd Chanum signifies properly amongst the Turks and Tartars my Queen but amongst the Persians onely an eminent Woman wherefore the Relations and Consorts of Noblemen bear that Denomination But if there be more than one Chanum in the house viz. a Consort a Sister a Mother or any else they distinguish them to avoid mistakes according to their Age Quality or Office calling the Chief the great Chanum the others the little Chanum the second Chanum c. if there be but one the Husband the Son and all else call her my Chanum except the Servants who say our Chanum and hereby they know the Masters of the House but this is onely customary amongst persons of great Quality The King's Concubines are commonly of several Foreign Nations for the King especially King Abbas Persian Women not respected delighted not in Women of his own Countrey nor in those of his Relations wherefore there are but few Persian women seen at the Court except it be some or the Chans Daughters or other Ladies of Honor. Most of the Kings Women are either born in Georgia Circassia Muscovy or Armenia and many of them Christians but are oblig'd upon their coming thither to turn Mahumetans There are also Tartars extracted from the Family of the Usbeghi but most of the King's Concubines are Georgians which are very beautiful of good deportment and noble Extract in their own Countrey How the King bestows His Concubines The King oftentimes gives his Concubines in Marriage to some or other of his Nobles and with her a Portion viz. a Camel to carry her to her Husband if he doth not live in the City a Chieceve that is a coulor'd Seat which according to the Custom of the Countrey being set upon the Camel she may sit therein with great ease as also a Chest with her Clothes and Bedding Linnen Plate Jewels and all things which she possess'd in the Haram also two thousand Duckets which his an inconsiderable Portion for they are bound to maintain her at another Rate In any Progress the King's Wives always travel before in the Night to prevent being seen by the vulgar Sort and in his absence ride in little close Seats which hang on a Camels side viz. on each side of the Camel one which when the Camel-drivers have fitted they retire while the Eunuchs help in the Ladies Eunuchs onely attend the Haram and why which Custom was first instituted by Schach Abbas upon this occasion The King on a time marching with his Army in the Night and overtaking a Camel that belong'd to his Haram whose Seat hung down on one side he call'd to the Camel-driver who not appearing the King in a rage lighting off from his Horse endeavor'd with his shoulders to lift up the same but finding it too heavy and remounting his Horse to discover what might be the Reason of it's extraordinary weight he saw the Lady that was therein embracing the Camel-driver which so enrag'd the King that calling several of his Officers about him he immediately caused the two Malefactors to be beheaded and since that time the Camel-drivers never meddle with any thing but hanging on the empty Seats and taking them off The Order how the Haram travels If the King's Wives travel in Company with him they always ride on Horse-back unveyl'd but strongly guarded Moreover the King on all such occasions always rides in the Middle of his Haram and spends his time in Discourse first with one and then with another And when the Women of the Haram travel alone or in company with the King they always go in the following order A League before march a certain number of Eunuchs who drive all those that they meet with both by Night and Day out of the Way that they may not meet the Haram nay they have Power to clear whole Towns and Villages and wound and kill all such as contest and will not retire The Women never seen unveyl'd The Eastern Princes account it a great Abomination for any of their Women to be seen by their Subjects for not onely Ladies of Quality but also the meanest Slaves that belong to the Court are never seen by any strange men but onely the King himself and his Eunuchs After them follows a Company of Soldiers call'd Jasacksi which are like the King's Life-guard who prevent all Persons of what Quality soever from passing to the Haram Haram what it means Because the Word Haram is often mention'd we will explain what it means Haram is an Arabick Word and signifies properly amongst the Arabians that which is forbidden and disallow'd by the Law The Persian-Mahumetans and those that inhabit the Eastern Countreys of Asia understand by the Haram the Seraglio of Concubines and accordingly when they intend to say that the King or Prince is in the Womens Lodgings they say The King c. is in the Haram the Servants of the Haram and so with all other things The Recreation of the King's Wives The King never travels abroad nay not to the Wars without his Haram The King's Wives recreate themselves every Wednesday in Ispahan with great freedom in the Street Tziaharbag and in the Gardens thereabouts where they are attended by many Ladies of Honor but during their
not knowing what to do and began to fear his own Person as if he foresaw what afterwards befell him to lock them up in Govaleor which is a Fort where Princes are generally secur'd and invincible by reason of its situation on an inaccessible Rock and the abundance of fresh Water and Provisions for the Souldiers in Garrison was no small Business they being already very powerful and liv'd in the State and Splendor of Princes Moreover he could not in honor send them away to any Place without giving them Dominions according to their Birth and therefore timorous that they might rebell and make themselves absolute Princes in their respective Jurisdictions as indeed afterwards they did yet nevertheless out of fear least they should destroy one another in his Presence which might chance to happen if he kept them at his Court he resolv'd to send them away The Sons sent to Govern several Provinces onely the eldest stays at the Court. and accordingly seat Sultan Chasousa to the Kingdom of Bengala Oranchzef to Decan Moradbeck to Zurratte and gave the Government of Cabul and Multan to Darasja The three first left the Court well satisfi'd with their new acquir'd Dominions where they made themselves supream Governors and kept the Revenues of the Countreys for the maintenance of strong Armies under pretence to keep their Subjects and Neighbors in quiet But Darasja being the eldest and Heir to the Crown dwelt not from the Court which was the Design of Schach Jehan who always fed him up with a Promise that he should succeed him and also granted him to give Commissions and had a small Throne underneath his amongst the Omrahs so that there seemingly were two Kings but as two equal Powers can scarce agree so Schach Jehan notwithstanding Darasja was very respective to him and shew'd him great Reverence was still in fear of being poyson'd by him and the more because Darasja was jealous of Oranchzef whom for his excellent Parts his Father judg'd fitter to succeed him than any of his other Sons Schach Jehan's Wife being exceeding beautiful was call'd Tage Mahalle that is The Crown of the Female Sex But for the better explanation of this Story concerning the foremention'd four Princes and the Mogol Schach Jehan we must relate what hapned a little before these Troubles between Oranchzef the King of Golconda and his Visier Emir Jemla because this will declare the Nature and Constitution of Oranchzef who afterwards came to be the Mogol and King of India Hereby also it will appear after what manner Emir Jemla was employ'd to lay the first Foundation of Oranchzef his Royalty At the time of Oranchzef's residing in Decan the King of Golconda kept the foremention'd Emir Jemla as his Vice-Roy and General of all his Forces He being a Persian born and very famous in India was of no high Extract yet a Man fit to undertake any Design being a great Captain and of a noble Spirit He had amass'd together great Riches not onely by his careful management of State Affairs but by the Trade of those Ships which he sent to divers Coasts as also by the Diamond Mines which he alone Farm'd under borrow'd Names keeping always many Men at work in them insomuch that that the whole Countrey talk'd of him and his abundance of Diamonds which were not reckon'd but by Bags full He also rendred himself very famous and powerful by keeping several Troops of very choice Men besides the King's Army at his own proper Charge and had also very good Artillery which was manag'd and look'd after by Franks or Christians In short he was rich and potent especially after he had found out a means to get into the Kingdom of Carnate and pillag'd all the Heathen Temples in that Countrey that the King of Golconda beginning to grow jealous of him resolv'd to do him a great Discourtesie and the rather because he was not able to bear what he heard of him for it was reported as if he had been too familiar with the Queen his Mother who was very beautiful Yet nevertheless he made no Person privy to his Design but waited with patience till Emir Jemla should come to the Court he being at that time with his Army in Carnate But not long after when he was told of several other Passages that had hapned between his Mother and him he was not able to contain his Passion but flew out into many threatning Invectives which quickly came to Emir's Ears he having many of his Wives Relations at the Court who inform'd him thereof and the King's Mother who no ways hated him was also inform'd thereof who oblig'd Emir with all speed to write to his Son Mahomet Emurcan he being then at the Court giving him order upon sight of his Letter under pretence of going a Hunting immediately to come away to him Emurcan neglected not to use many means but because the King commanded him to be always near him and kept a continual Eye over him he was not able to stir out of his sight which exceedingly troubling Emir made him take a strange Resolution which put the King in no small danger of losing both Life and Crown insomuch that the Proverb was here verifi'd That he which knows not how to dissemble Emir Jemla's Plot against the King of Golconda knows not how to Govern He therefore wrote to Oranchzef who then was in Daulet Abad the Metropolis of Decan and fifteen or sixteen days Journey from Golconda that the King of Golconda intended to ruine him and his Family notwithstanding the great Services which he had done him wherefore he was forc'd to flie to him and beg that he would please to receive him under his protection Moreover if he would take his advice and repose confidence in him he would so contrive the Business that he would at once deliver both the King and Kingdom into his Hands and to make the Business seem the easier he inform'd him to this effect You need not pick above four or five thousand Horse out of the Army and march speedily with them to Golconda reporting along the Way that you are an Ambassador sent from Schach Jehan about extraordinary Business to Bagneguer The Dabir who is the Person to whom all Agents that have any Business with the King make their first Addresses is my real Friend and Creature therefore think of nothing but to make speed I will so order that you shall come safe to Bagnaguer's Gates out of which when the King shall come according to the Custom to receive his Letters you may easily secure him and all his Attendants and do with him what you think fit his House where he resides having neither Walls not Moat about I will be at the charge of this Expedition my self and allow you fifty thousand Ropias a day during the time of your March The King of Golconda escapes narrowly from the hand of Oranchzef Oranchzef who always watch'd for such an opportunity would not
which are opposite to a Square interlac'd with several Brooks of Water and Springs During the time that they are on the Guard the King sends them all their Victuals ready dress'd which they receive with great Ceremony and Reverence repeating three several times the Taslin or Thanks and laying their Hands upon their Heads turn their Faces towards the King's Lodgings There are yet many more Divans and Tents erected in several places which are the Apartments of divers Officers Moreover there are a great number of Carcanays which are Shops wherein Handicraftsmen follow several Employments as Embroiderers Goldsmiths Painters Taylors Shoemakers and Silkweavers each in a peculiar Shop All these Tradesmen come every Morning to work in this Carcanays and staying there all day return home to their Houses in the Evening each Man living very peaceably and quiet none aiming to be higher than their Condition hath allotted them for a Taylor breeds his Son a Taylor and so the rest and no Person converses with any Man but those of his own Trade which Custom is punctually observ'd not onely by the Heathens who are oblig'd thereto by their Laws but also amongst the Mahumetans which is the occasion of many beautiful Virgins living unmarried when as they might Match to the raising their Fortunes if their Parents would permit them to Marry a Man of another Trade or Quality which they account meaner than theirs After having pass'd all these Places before mention'd you come to the Amacas which is a large Square with Piazzaes which have no Houses over them but are divided by a Wall with a little Door or Gate through which you walk out of one part into another Beyond the great Gate which is in the midst of one of the sides of this Square you come to a large Divan which is all open towards the side of the Court and is call'd Nagar-canay because it is the place where the Trumpetters or rather Cymbal-players are who in their Turns play both day and night But this seems at first a strange sound in the Ears of Strangers who are not us'd to it there being sometimes ten or twelve of these Trumpetters and as many Cimbal-players who play all together They have Trumpets which they call Carna a Cubit and a half long with an opening at the bottom of a Foot diameter So likewise there are Cymbals of Copper or Iron half a Yard wide from whence one may judge of the noise which they make their sound is so harsh in the Ears of Strangers and so loud that they cannot endure to hear the same yet custom makes it pleasant especially in the Night when it is heard at a distance on the tops of Houses wherefore those that are appointed to play are plac'd on high at a distance from the King's Lodgings Opposite to the great Gate of the Court over which this Nagar-canay is kept is a spacious Hall built on several high Columns and open on three sides all which look towards the Court. The Pillars and Floor of this Hall are gilded and painted In the midst of the Wall which separates this Hall from the Seraglio is a very high and broad Window where the King sits on his Throne with some of his Sons by his side and some Eunuchs standing near him who either keep the Flyes from him with the Tails of Peacocks or cool him with great Fans whilst others in other postures wait to receive his Commands Below him stand all the Omrahs Rajas and Ambassadors with cast-down Eyes and their Hands on their Breasts Below these stand the Mansebdars or inferior Omrahs in the same humble postures whilst the remaining part of the Hall or Court is fill'd with divers sorts of other People In this place the King gives Audience to all Persons every day about Noon for which reason this great Hall is call'd Amcas that is The Place of Audience During the foremention'd Assembly the King to recreate himself causes a certain number of his best Horses to be led by before him that so he may see whether they are well kept which he also doth by his best Elephants which are wash'd and colour'd black all over except two broad red Stroaks which running from their Heads cross their Backs unite near the Tail The Elephants at that time also are richly caparison'd with Embroider'd Cloths and two Silver Bells which hang on each side by a thick Silver Chain which lies cross their Backs and have large and curious Cow Tails brought from Tibet hanging about their Necks Moreover two lesser Elephants are led by their sides as if their Slaves and appointed to serve the bigger These mighty great Beasts as if proud of being set forth in such a manner walk very stately and coming before the King the Riders of them sitting on their Shoulders prick them into the Skin with an Iron Hook and speaking to them make them bow their Knees throw their Noses up in the Air and make a certain kind of noise which the People look upon to be a Taslin or Salute After the Elephants they bring out several sorts of Beasts as the Nilgaux or grey Oxen a sort of Elands Rhinocerots and great Buffaloes from Bengala to fight with their great Horns against a Lion or Tyger tame Leopards or Panthers with which the King goes a Hunting This done they lead by the King's Greyhounds sent him from Usbeck Lastly divers Birds of prey amongst which some are taught to seize on a Hare The Course of the River Jeminy The River Jeminy by Pliny and Herbert call'd Jomanes and by Ptolomy Hynamanes taking its original out of the neighboring Mountains runs through and by Agra from whence it glides with many trending Bays to Piage where it discharges its Water into the Ganges The nature of the Tree Baxama There grows a certain Tree call'd Baxama with such a poisonous Root that it immediately kills those who eat thereof but the Fruit thereof which is call'd Nirabix or according to Thevet Rabuxot expells the Poison and cures those that are infected by the Root yet Thevet tells us that the Fruit of these Trees growing on the Island Queixom lying in the Bay of Persia is so poisonous that it immediately kills those that taste thereof The same power he saith the Shadow of the Tree hath if any Person lie under it but a quarter of an hour Nevertheless the same Thevet affirms that the same Root in other Countreys is an expeller of Poison The Inhabitants as well Moors as Heathens are valiant Soldiers and good Horsemen Their Arms are Bowes Arrows Lances Daggers and Steel Plates call'd Checharany two Inches broad and round like a Dish they carry seven or eight of them under their left Arm and put one of them on the fore Finger of their right Hand which turning several times they throw it at their Enemy and if it chances to fall either on their Arm or Leg it certainly cuts off the same and with this Weapon which the most
the King's Grandfathers Seal The right Coronation of their Kings is perform'd at Chirer Ridder a principal Place in the Realm of Visiapour When the old King lay a dying Chan Channa was sent for to him by the Queen who being come the Queen told the King Here is Chan Channa but she receiv'd no Answer Soon after Fettechan being also call'd thither the Queen spoke to the King saying The Lord Fettechan is also here present but the King not answering lift up his Eyes and departed this life which when Fettechan perceiv'd he threw himself after many mournful Expressions on the Ground and shew'd great signs of sorrow The young King was committed to the Care and Government of Chan Channa being the second Person in the Realm whilst Fettechan sorrowfully repair'd to his House where he mourn'd eight days for the King's death no Man being able in that time to perswade him to come to Court notwithstanding the new King had several times invited him But at last Chan Channa sent him word That it was then no time to mourn the King's death any longer That there was a necessity for him to make his appearance before the new King which if he again refus'd to do he should be necessitated himself to fetch him and to bring him before his Majesty Upon which Message Fettechan made his appearance before the King and in all humility fell down at his Feet but was immediately taken up and embrac'd by the new-Crown'd Prince The Queen sitting â—ll this while silent behind a Curtain at last spoke thus to Fettechan Why would you obscure your self in this juncture of time when your Presence is so much requir'd in all Business 'T is true here wants no Counsel but we cannot in these dangerous times repose any Confidence in them Whereupon the young King added You must banish the death of his deceased Majesty out of your mind I intend to promote you higher and bestow more Honor upon you than hitherto you have enjoy'd Immediately after he gave him the Cane whereby he held his former Offices which Fettechan humbly receiving was presented by the King as a Testimony of his Favor with eight thousand Penas which he modestly refus'd saying That it was customary the Present should be made to Chan Channa Among several other Persons of Quality the Lord Abdullachan came to Complement the King with a Present of nine thousand Penas and to wish him a long and prosperous Reign But the King would not accept his Present telling him That in stead thereof he should encrease the number of his Horse The King likewise commanded all Officers that were unde his Subjection to appear at Court charging them on forfeiture of a hundred thousand Penas constantly to maintain a thousand Horse The Inhabitants were at this time in a great Consternation fearing to be surpriz'd by the Mogol Prince Oranchzef But the King causing an Edict to be publish'd commanded them to be at quiet and encourag'd them with the hopes he had to lie down in a short time with his Army before Agra The King professes the Mahumetan Religion as also the greatest part of his Subjects the rest are Pagans and Idolaters of which Opinion are the Canaryns of Goa the Naires and other Indians They observe several Fasts and other Religious Ceremonies like the Bramans Linschot mentions a sort of Religious Persons among them call'd Jogues In most Parts of the Country reside Portuguese who are permitted to Trade and enjoy all Privileges except Religion yet nevertheless they privately make many Proselites The Kings of Decan Visiapour and those of Golconda maintain the Religion establish'd by Mahomet after the same manner with the Turks and are therefore call'd Soanies yet the King of Golconda is said to encline to that of the Persians But notwithstanding they are all three Moors and have instituted the Mahometan Doctrine in their Countries yet they still retain many Idolatrous Customs of the Heathens The Netherland East-India Company have a Free Trade through the whole Kingdom of Visiapour and Store-houses in several Places the chiefest whereof is at Wingurla The Bay of Wingurla lies in 15 Degrees and 17 Minutes Northern Latitude Northward from Goa and three Leagues Southward from Ilhas Quimadas or The Burning Island It hath a pretty large River which runs some Leagues up into the Country and is Navigable by small Vessels At the entrance of this River several Streams of Fresh Water which come down from the Mountains fall into the Bay The King allows the Netherlanders great Privileges which are confirm'd to them by a Letter dated the tenth of May 1655. viz. That they may lawfully claim as their proper Goods all such Commodities or Things whatsoever as shall happen to be Stranded coming out of any of their Ships cast away upon his Coast And they are likewise freed from all manner of Taxes and Impositions as will appear more at large from the following Firman or Letter written to the Lord General John Maetzuiker GReat Firman to all Honweldares Tannadares and other Inferior Officers under the Jurisdiction of my Crown on the Request of Leonard Johnson Merchant who desires That if any Ships belonging to the Lord General John Maetzuiker which Trade along this Coast should happen by Storm Fire or other Misfortune which God forbid to be Cast away or Stranded near any of my Harbors nothing might be lost or taken away from them but all their Goods be deliver'd to them again Which Request I freely grant them Therefore I charge you by vertue of this Letter that no Honweldares or other Inferior Officers which have any Command in any of my Sea-Port Towns shall presume directly or indirectly to keep or detain any Goods or Merchandises which by the casting away of any of the Hollanders Ships shall happen to be found Stranded or floating on the Sea but on the contrary assist them in the saving of any of their Goods and Merchandize and freely without any Money restore such Goods as shall be taken up or found by any of you He that transgresseth herein shall be punish'd as an Example to all others I have also receiv'd lately several Complaints from the Hollanders concerning the paying of Customs and the detaining of their Servants of which they were formerly freed and Traded without any Molestation which is contrary to my former Edict Therefore I charge all those whom it may concern a second time not to demand any Custom or Duties of them nor trouble them in the least that I may not have any more Complaints concerning it And that they may freely Trade without any molestation through my whole Dominions let several Copies be taken of this Letter and sent to the respective Places that this Great Firman may be exactly perform'd in every particular Given at our Court at Visiapour the eighteenth day of the Month Jumandelaer in the 1055 Year after Mahomet's Death The End of the First Volume of Asia A TABLE OF THE KINGDOMS PROVINCES CITIES TOWNS
ASIA ASIA THE FIRST PART BEING An Accurate Description OF PERSIA And the Several PROVINCES thereof The Vast Empire OF THE GREAT MOGOL And other Parts of INDIA And their Several Kingdoms and Regions WITH The Denominations and Descriptions of the Cities Towns and Places of Remark therein contain'd The Various Customs Habits Religion and Languages of the Inhabitants Their Political Governments and way of Commerce ALSO The Plants and Animals peculiar to each Country Collected and Translated from most Authentick Authors and Augmented with later Observations Illustrated with Notes and Adorn'd with peculiar Maps and proper Sculptures By JOHN OGILBY Esq His MAJESTY's Cosmographer Geographick Printer and Master of His MAJESTY's Revels in the Kingdom of Ireland LONDON Printed by the Author at his House in White-Friers M.DC.LXXIII TO HIS Most Serene and Most Excellent Majesty CHARLES II. By the Grace of God OF GREAT BRITAIN FRANCE and IRELAND KING DEFENDER of the FAITH c. This Fifth Volume of His ENGLISH ATLAS Viz. ASIA Being the Latest and most ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF THE Kingdom of Persia THE EMPIRE of the GREAT MOGOL And other Parts of INDIA Is Dedicated and with all Humility Presented BY Your Majesties Cosmographer AND LOYAL SUBJECT JOHN OGILBY A NEW MAP OF ASIA TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL THE GOVERNOR DEPUTY AND COMMITTEES OF THE honble EAST INDIA COMPANY This new Map of ASIA according to the best and latest Observations and Discoveries is most humbly Presented and Dedicated by Iohn Ogilby Esq his Majesties Cosmographer THE General Description OF ASIA ASIA by some call'd Semia from Sem the eldest Son of Noah to whose Lot it fell and now by Navigators The Levant from the Italian Word Levante i. e. The East from its Easterly Situation hath been generally accounted by Ancient Writers the biggest of the Three formerly Known Divisions of the WORLD and by some estimated equal to the other Two EUROPE and AFRICA and is moreover Ennobled with several grand Prerogatives above the rest For here that Glorious Work of Creation first manifested it self and terminated in that greatest of God's Handy-works the Formation of Man Here flourish'd the Terrestrial Paradise or Garden of Eden which our first Parents Inhabited Cultivated and in the end by their Disobedience lost And as the Creation so also the Redemption of Man-kind was here wrought by our Blessed Saviour's Incarnation Nativity Preaching Miracles and lastly Suffering upon the Cross and Resurrection And here the Divine Monument of his Passion the Holy Sepulchre is yet preserv'd by God's Providence even under the Guardianship of Infidels themselves From hence as from the Fountain of Plantation and first Inhabited Part of the World Colonies were sent forth into all Parts and the whole Globe of Earth was supply'd with People Here was the first Foundation of Cities Institution of Laws and Government Civilising of Manners Original of Arts and Sciences and the Communication of all Literature both Divine and Humane to the rest of the World And as the two first Great and Famous Empires of the World the Assyrian and Persian were here Founded and succeeded each other continuing for the space of 1368 Years namely from the Year of the World 2000 to the Year 3368 so at this day the greatest Empires of the Universe are contain'd in this Part thereof as namely the Turkish Empire which though it extend it self into Europe yet the greatest part of it is contain'd within the Verge of Asia that of the Sophi of Persia that of the Emperor of China that of the Great Cham of Tartary which two last Empires are now by Conquest united under one Head viz. the Great Chan and that of the Great Mogol Of the Seven Wonders of the World Four were in Asia namely The Temple of Diana at Ephesus The Mausoleum or Sepulchre of Mausolus at Halicarnassus The Walls of Babylon and the Colossus or Statue of the Sun at Rhodes Of the other three one is in Europe viz. The Statue of Olympick Jupiter the other two are in Africa viz. The Pharos or Watch-Tower and the Aegyptian Pyramids Lastly Of the Fruitfulness and Pleasantness of this Part this may serve for a great Argument That here was chosen out by God himself that Land of Promise for his Chosen People to dwell in which the Scripture it self sets forth by the Commendation of A Land flowing with Milk and Honey And Cicero represents it no less advantageously in one of his Orations to the People of Rome in these Words Caeterarum Provinciarum Vectigalia Quirites tanta sunt ut iis ad ipsas Provincias tutandas vix contenti esse pâ—ssumus Asia verotam opima est fertilis ut ubertate agrorum varietate fructuum magnitudine Pastionis multitudine earum rerum quae exportent facile omnibus terries antecellat The Tributes and Taxes Renowned Romans gather'd from other Provinces are scarce sufficient for the Maintenance and Defence of the Provinces themselves but Asia is so fertile that in the plentiful Production of its Corn-fields the variety of its Fruits the richness of its Pastures and the multitude of those things which for their Rarity are Exported into other Parts it far excells all the Earth beside And thus far Cicero's Commendation of Asia agrees with the common Suffrage of other Writers namely That Asia in general for Fruitfulness Delight and being well Peopled is far superior to Africa and for costly Traffick and its abundance of high-valu'd Commodities which hereafter shall be particulariz'd exceeds Europe also and may well stand in competition with the new-found World America with all its Mines of Gold Of the Denomination of Asia COncerning the Denomination of Asia there is some variety of conjecture as upon all such Occasions happens but the most generally receiv'd is and that by the Authority of Herodotus That it is deriv'd from the Nymph Asia who is reckon'd by Hesiod among the Forty Daughters of Oceanus and Thetys in this Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crisia and Asia and Calypso fair This Nymph the Wife of Japetus and Mother of Prometheus is said to have been a Queen of great Power and Authority extending her Dominions through a great part of Asia and thereby to have given Denomination to the whole However others derive it from Asius the Son of Cocytus others from Asius the Son of Manaeus the Lydian others from another Asius an ancient Philosopher who gave the Palladium to the Trojans But the Learned Bochart as in all his Etymologies he goes a more critical way to work so also in this deriving it from the Word Asi which in the Punick Tongue signifies A Middle because it lies in the a Hinc intranti dextra est Africa laeva Europa inter utrasque est Asia Plin. middle between Africa and Europe or perhaps because the Mountain Taurus runs through the middle of it from East to West as Strabo observes thereby dividing it into two Parts Asia Interior and Exterior that Part to the North
fifth King of Persia who as the Chronicle makes mention was succeeded by Chedorlaomer not long after the Death of Noah Botterus tells us That Schiras was built when Grand-Cair was but a Village but according to the Registers of the Country it was built not above seven hundred and fifty years ago a considerable time after the Arabians made themselves Masters of Persia Moreover if ancient Traditions may be credited which are there certainly believ'd this City is much elder especially if it be true what is related of an Asian General call'd Jenpsit who is said to have liv'd many Ages before their Account of Time And though they differ amongst themselves in the Time and Reign of the foremention'd Heroe yet 't is very probable that he liv'd a thousand years after the Flood They affirm that he was the Person who made the great and strange cut Channel which so abundantly waters the whole Country of Schiras by undermining and cutting through the great Mountains that lie between the City and Springs and thereby brought them to their present Perfection and by this means they furnish the City with such an abundance of Water that if all the Channels were cut into one they would make a very large River The City of Schiras lying in 28 Degrees and 44 Minutes Northern Latitude is situate about ten Leagues from the Ruins of Persepolis near the Stream Bendamir or Bendimir on a great Plain inclos'd with Mountains except on the side where you go over a Bridge from Pasa into the same two Leagues distant from the City but on the North scarce half a League This City was formerly much bigger and had many more magnificent Buildings than at this day as plainly appears both within and without its Walls And the Arabian Geographer Ulug Becig Nephew to Tamerlane affirms that it was in his Time three Leagues and a half in Circumference The like bigness Contasing ascribes to the same as also the number of twenty four thousand Houses In the beginning of this Age Schach Abbas to punish the Insurrection of one Jacob Chan Governor or Lord of Schiras pull'd down that part of the Wall which was then remaining and fill'd up the Moat and Trench which surrounded the City Both without and within the City are many Mosques or Temples amongst which some are built very magnificent and beautiful and especially one which being of an extraordinary bigness hath a much higher Steeple upon it than any of the other These Towers which the Persians call Alcorons are narrow but high having without two or three Galleries one above another from whence the Marabouts a sort of Priests publickly read their Prayers with a loud and strong Voice three times a day and walking round about the Gallery that they may be the better understood There are very few handsom Structures either without or within the City except the Mosques for besides three Royal Palaces of which one is in the City and the other two in the Suburbs there is not one fair House 't is true that of the Chan or Sultan thoug it be not very beautiful on the out-side yet large and hath many Painted and richly Gilded Apartments within besides Galleries Gardens Orchards and pleasant Walks All the other inhabited by Citizens and other eminent Persons are small and mean the Rooms except the Hall and two or three Chambers are so little that an indifferent Tradesman here hath better Accommodation than a Nobleman there The City hath several Gates one of which respects the River Pasargadas and is call'd Darvaza Pasa that is The Gate of Pasa anciently Pasargadas it is very little and supported only by the Relicks of an old Mud Wall Opposite to this Gate towards the West is another call'd Darvaza Achem that is Iron Gate at which begins a very fair Street above 2000 Paces long and every where exactly 90 Paces broad On each side of this Street is a Wall of about sixteen Foot high Plaister'd over with Mortar and without any Houses behind are spacious Gardens and Orchards full of Fruit-trees and curious banqueting-Banqueting-houses which belong to the King and are neatly built with large Galleries and pleasant Prospects In this fair Street the Persians run Races and perform their Exercises on Horseback At the end of the Streets stands the King's Palace very handsomly built with Balconies and Terrace Walks Before the Court you ascend by two Steps to a little Plain which is rais'd higher than the Street At the Entrance and near the Gallery in the midst of the Plain lies a fair and large Pool of Water Most of the Inhabitants of the City appear every Friday being the Mahumetan Sabbath in a spacious Plain both on Foot and Horseback and are there Exercis'd and Train'd and afterwards dispose themselves to other Recreations as they think fit Near the King's Palace is a fair House with a pleasant Garden the Work of the Great Ismael Sofi very curiously built three Stories high in the second of which among other very convenient Apartments is a large and spacious Hall having in the middle an Arch'd Lover full of Glass Windows In this Apartment as also in the rest on this Story are divers Pictures of Women most of them Cloth'd after the Italian manner Under the Galleries which surround this Structure two are much bigger than the other one of which being over the Gate looks into the Street and also to that Gate of the City which is call'd Darvaza Pasa The other standing above the first is over the Gate through which you pass to go into the Garden and respects the West Each of these have three Doors one against another so that being in the Hall which is in the middle of the Edifice you have the Prospect not only of the foremention'd Streets and Walks but also of the City Gate and that of the Haram or Seraglio in the middle of the Garden which may justly be accounted a Wood of all sorts of Fruit-trees divided into Walks but those of the Cypress and Palm are the chiefest which begin at the Court Gate and extend nine hundred Paces in length and thirty in breadth the Walks are very straight and even Planted on both sides with tall Cypress-trees which are so big that three Men can scarce fathom them and so high and straight that they represent great Obelisks At the bottom of the Trees is rais'd a Gravel Path or Bank somewhat higher than the middle Walk and about five or six Foot broad where all People walk for they go not into the middle part because that must be kept always green At the bottom of these Cypress-trees on the out-side of the Walk runs a pleasant Brook which afterwards dividing it self into several Branches waters all parts of the Garden At the end of the Walk is the Haram or Seraglio built after the same manner as the House before mention'd but not so large nor high It is erected on a Plain rais'd seven Foot higher than the Garden On
Walls The Streets in both Towns are narrow and the Houses built of Stone or Earth are very low after the Eastern manner The Caravansera's or Royal Inns. Hard by the Market-place stand two great Caravansera's or * Built at the Kings Charge Royal Inns provided with many Galleries and large Rooms in which the Merchants of other Countreys dispose of their Commodities which they sell by whole-sale The one call'd Schach Caravansera is appointed for the Muscovites who lay up their Goods in the same The other nam'd Losgi Caravansera is built for the Circassian Tartars who also bring thither their Merchandise which for the most part consists in Horses Women young and full grown Maids and sometimes little Children which they either buy or take from the Russians on their Borders or else from one another Moreover the Jews have their Residences in the Caravansera Losgi bringing very fine Wooll thither from Tabessaran The Hamans or publick Baths There are likewise three publick Hamans or Baths in the City which are very much frequented by the Persians two of them stand open in the day-time for the Men and in the Night for the Women The third call'd Hammam Schech being onely for Men near which stand two large Trees which are held in great veneration by the Persians as having been planted there by one of their Saints call'd Schich Murith who not far from thence lies bury'd in a Metzit or Temple to which the People flock more than to any other in the City which contains in all six Metzits or Temples The Revenues which the Baths produce yearly are bestow'd on those things which go to the setting forth of their Funerals and what happens to be over and above is distributed amongst the Poor The Bazar or Market-place On the South side of the City is a Bazar or Market-place with several little Streets or rows of Shops furnish'd with all sorts of Cotton Stuffs Silk Cloth-of-Silver Bowes Arrows Simiters and other Manufactures which are all to be bought at easie Rates The Inhabitants are generally Persians Armenians and Georgians speaking each their peculiar Languages besides the vulgar Tongue of Scervan which is the Turkish There is nothing remarkable or of Antiquity in this City excepting the great Tower which Mr. Cartwright affirms to be built of Free-stone and Flint intermixt with the Sculls of their ancient Noblemen who being overcome and taken Prisoners in a War against the King of Persia were put to death and had their Heads so fixt for a signal Mark of terror to prevent future Insurrections But this Assertion is by some deny'd and judg'd to have been grounded upon the appearance onely of Heads carv'd there in Stone Half a League Northward from the City on a pretty high Hill call'd Caleculistan appear the Ruines of a decay'd Fort where there is a large Cave Vaulted with Free-stone and near it a deep Well Culistan whence denominated The Persians have a Tradition that Schirvan an ancient King of this Province caus'd this Castle to be built in memory of Culistan one of his Concubines from whom it also took Denomination They add moreover that it was taken by Alexander the Great and afterwards by him demolish'd But it is more probable that it receiv'd the Name of Culistan from an adjacent Valley made very fruitful by a Brook and exceeding pleasant in the Spring from the variety of Tulips and other diverse colour'd Flowers Culistan signifying a Valley of Roses Tulips or whatever sort of curious Flowers and Cale a Castle or Fort. Not far from Cale-Culistan towards the side of Schamachie stand two Chappels on another high Hill In the first and chiefest which is built in form of an oblong Square appears a high Sepulchre Rail'd about each Bar arm'd at the top with an Iron Spike and adorn'd with Tassels or small Pennons of divers colour'd Cloth In the other Chappel are other Tombs bedeck'd after the same manner being the Sepulchres of their Saints to whom the Persians often kneel and pay their usual Devotions This last Chappel leads to a deep Vault Amaleck Canna ' s Tomb. in which they say Amaleck Canna one of their King's Daughters lies bury'd who being forc'd by her Father contrary to her Inclination to Marry a Tartar Prince slew her self and some have reported that all Virgins thereabouts come yearly to the foremention'd Burying-place of Amaleck Canna to Mourn there over her Tomb. 'T is true indeed the Inhabitants of Schamachie and those also of the neighboring Villages in some Weeks in the Summer do repair to the foremention'd Mountain not for Amaleck Canna's sake as some imagine but rather for the coolness of the Air which at that Season they find upon the tops of those Hills when at the same time it is intolerabe hot below Some Artificers and those of the meaner sort that use Manufacture go thither in the Morning and having tarry'd there all day at their Work return to their Houses in the Evening but the Nobility commonly take up their Residences there for three Moneths together during which time the Heat continues The Cattel at that time also are driven to Mount Elburs where there is not onely a temperate Air but also good Pasturage The Elburs is part of Mount Caucasus bordering on the side of Tabesseran and Georgia and may plainly be seen from Culistan and other Mountains The Worshippers of Orimasda fled to India It is said that in ancient times the Persians preserv'd and worshipp'd their Orimasda or ever-burning Fire on this Elburs but at this day neither the Fire nor the Worshippers thereof are according to Texeira and others to be found in all Persia nor Jesche but some relate that they are fled from thence to India where they affirm is at this day a sort of Fire-Worshippers At Schamachie is yet to be seen a Cross of hard black Wood which some believe was a piece of Noah's Ark. The Village Mordow To this City belongs a Village call'd Mordow which in the Turkish Language signifies Morass because the Countrey about it is Fenny and all drown'd with abundance of Water which descending with the concourse of many Brooks and Rivulets falls with such violence that the disturbed Waters never freeze in the hardest Winter The Rusticks live here like the Tartars in Astracan in little Houses like Huts In the foremention'd Village and in others thereabouts dwell a People call'd Pedar which speak a peculiar Dialect though not much differing from the Turks and Persians and are of their Religion with some different Perswasions for they account it a great Crime to eat their Meat hot holding it as an Abomination that any should breathe upon it which if any one chance to do they will not touch it but judge the same to be defil'd by their prophane Breath Three Leagues from Mordow lies the Village Tachousie and three Leagues from Schamachie lies Pyrmaraas in which is the Tomb of an eminent Saint or Holy
about the World on Duldul Aaly's Horse to convert all People to the Alcoran wherefore it is call'd Metzid Mehedi Saheseman which words are inscrib'd over the biggest Gate in Persian Characters At the end of the great Hejat or Court before the Metzit is a Gallery or rais'd place Pav'd with square Stones in the midst of which is a large Cistern of Water where those that go to Pray wash themselves Behind this Cistern you ascend by Steps to a Porch through a Row of Marble Pillars and one Step higher to the Temple it self that being very large and high and supported with large Marble Pillars where the Meherab or Altar and the Cahib or Vestry is The Gate is of fine Marble and as high as that at Sulthanie at the Meschaich of Chodabende the entrance through which is under an Arch of an exceeding heighth of blue Stone Gilded beyond which is a broad Walk the Floor whereof is spread with Mats on which the Persians kneel when they Pray Over the lower Walks are lesser ones like Galleries supported by Marble Columns gilded On the right-side of the Mosque is a large Garden The greatest splendor and magnificence of this Mosque is that all the Walls Galleries Gardens and the chief Temple are from the bottom four Yards high upwards cover'd with polish'd Marble each piece which is for the most part white and excellently well polish'd being five or six Foot square The Marble is all cut out of one Stone except the two Pillars on each side of the Pulpit Schach Abbas caus'd the like Metzid though smaller to be built at Tabris in honor of the same Mehedi all of pure white Marble and as slick as Glass being fetch'd from the Mountain Erwan Places of Games and Exercises In the middle of the City not far from the King's Palace stands a Pole not unlike our Posts in which we put the â—ings that are to be run at on which they often put a Melon Arupus or Apple and sometimes a Silver Plate with Money upon it at which the King and his Chans run full speed for great Wagers and whoever hits off the same comes off with great honor and applause but the Money which falls from the Plate is taken up by the Pages and Footmen Great Lords also have another Exercise call'd Kuit Schaucan which they perform in the same place viz. Riding full speed they strike a Ball with a crooked Stick to a set Mark and also toss the Tziud or Bar. Near the Maidan stands a little woodden Hut nam'd Chaneschin which is set upon four Wheels for the conveniency of its moving from place to place in which the King often sits a Spectator of the foremention'd Games Hereabouts especially on the West side not far from the Dewletchane sit divers Soothsayers Houses of Entertainment Opposite to the Northern part of the Maidan stand several Houses of Entertainment the first whereof is the Schire Chane to which resort the most loose und debauch'd sort of People who hire the Surkers or Dancing-Boys as also common Strumpets to Dance before them naked with all kind of leud and obscene Postures The second is the Tzai or the Chattai Chane that is The Catayan or Chinese Tee-house in which they generally play at Chess The third is the Caweh Chane or Coffee and Tobacco-house These three Houses are also frequented by their Pot-Poets and Comedians who commonly sitting in the midst of the House on high Stools tell all manner of pleasant Tales and talk continually with a little Stick in their Hands like our Juglers Barbers Shops Not far from these Houses two sorts of Barbers keep their Shops some whereof practising Chirurgery and call'd Tezerrah never shave or Trim Men the other call'd Dellack shave and cut Hair and are made use of to Circumcise Children To this last sort of Barbers there is continual resort of People because they always keep their Heads shav'd and every one brings his own Rasor with him because the Persians fearing the Venereal Distemper will not suffer a strange Rasor to touch their Heads From the North part of the Maidan you go directly to the Bazar or Street full of Shops where there is a square large Portico under which are all manner of rich Merchandise to be sold over the Entrance of which is a stately Dial which is said to have been made in Schach Abbas's time by an English-man call'd Festy which at first there being then no Clocks nor Dials in all Persia was look'd upon as a great Wonder The Bazar or Market-house it self is divided into many Divisions with Passages between them like little Lanes which are most of them cover'd on the top where all manner of Goods that the Countrey affords are to be sold every thing in a peculiar place The famous coffee-Coffee-house in Ispahan In the Caravansera near the Bazar where the King receives foreign Ambassadors is a House which is one of the fairest in the whole City Ispahan and call'd The Coffee-house from the Liquor which is sold in it In this House also are brought up Youths of several Nations but most Mahumetans though some are of Christian Parentage as Circassians Georgians and Armenians who are taught all manner of Dances At the Entrance of this House is a Court with a Fountain in the midst of it The King oftentimes Dines here with foreign Ambassadors but is satisfi'd with few Dishes having sometimes but two whereof one is Mutton the other roasted Poultrey which whil'st he is eating the Youths Dance before him in a very strange and ridiculous manner In Ispahan dwell also Merchants and Shop-keepers of several Nations of which some sell their Goods by Wholesale others by Retail for besides the Persians Indians Tartars from Chuaressam Chineses and those from Buchare there are English Dutch French Italians Spaniards Portuguese Turks Jews Armenians and Georgians The Indians who generally have their Shops next to the Persians Trade in Silk Cotton and other such like Stuffs By reason of the great Trade in Ispahan there are many Caravansera's where the several Commodities are dispos'd of by Wholesale Amongst other places the Kings Parks for wild Beasts are none of the meanest having towerd Lodges call'd Kelemenar inclos'd with Walls made of several sorts of Deers and other Beasts Horns mix'd with Earth The Garden Izarbag Without the City Walls not far from the great Bridge on the South side is a Garden call'd Tzarbag which hath not its equal for curiosity and delight in all Persia Tzarbag signifies a Garden or whatsoever else divided into four parts this being so branch'd into four Squares by cross Ways and a Brook nam'd Vendemith about a Mile in compass and having four Gates and four stately Banquetting-houses one on each side On the South side stands a Hill plain on the top in the middle whereof and on each side are three Aqueducts of Stone whose Channels are a Yard broad which lying very steep cause the Water to
descend in great abundance from whence there are lesser Pipes that convey the Water under Ground which supplies with much variety several artificial Fountains which gliding from thence fall into a Lake on the farther side of the Garden The Suburbs of Ispahan About this City of Ispahan are several Suburbs the greatest of which they call Tzulpha having in it three thousand Houses and twelve Mosques or Churches which in beauty are not inferior to any within the Walls being the Residence of rich Armenian Merchants whom Schach Abbas remov'd from Armenia thither they pay the King yearly two hundred Tomans for Tribute On the other side of the River Senderuth lie the Suburbs Tabrisabath otherwise Abasabath so call'd because Scach Abbas brought the Inhabitants thither from Tabris Another part of the Suburbs call'd Hassenabath is inhabited by Castilians brought thither from Georgia they are great Merchants and like the Armenians travel from one Countrey to another The Manners and Religion of the Kebbers Another eminent part of the Suburbs lieth on the West side and is call'd Kebrabath and the Inhabitants thereof Kebbers who are also rich Merchants they have long Beards and wear other fashion'd Clothes than the Persians viz. long wide Coats which are open in no place but about the Neck and on the Shoulders where they tie them together with Ribbons The Women go without Shoes and bare-fac'd They are accounted a civil and courteous People Extracted from an ancient Pagan Family and to this day suffering themselves neither to be Baptiz'd nor Circumcis'd They have neither Temples nor Priests neither do they with Hottinger's good leave worship the Fire as the ancient Kebbers did When any one dies they drive a Cock into the Fields out of the House of the Deceased which if it be caught by a Fox then they believe that the Soul of the Deceased is taken up into a better World but if this proof chance to be hindred by any Accident then they try another way on which their assurance chiefly depends viz. they carry the Corps clad with their best Apparel and adorn'd with Gold Chains and other Ornaments to the Church-yard where they set the Body up against the Wall propping up the same by placing a Pole under the Chin where if the Fowls of the Air pick out the right Eye then they assuredly believe the Soul to be ascended to Heaven but if the left they judge it to be gone to Hell They have also two sorts of Graves in one they tenderly lay the Bodies of their supposed Saints and into the other those whom they believe to be Damn'd are thrown headlong In a small circumference about the City Ispahan are reckon'd a thousand four hundred and sixty Villages and Hamlets all inhabited by Weavers The City Jarustan A League from Ispahan and seven from the Village Mahier lies the City Jarustan pleasantly situated as it were in the midst of a Garden on the Bank of a River It is full of Inhabitants and hath plenty of all manner of Provisions and several fair Structures but one more magnificent than all the rest surrounded with a Gallery and containing many handsom Rooms the biggest and chiefest whereof is built after the fashion of the Chappels belonging to the Jesuits Cloysters in Europe with many Windows on the top The Persians tell us that this Structure was formerly a Colledge wherein Schach Thamas's time Disputations were held Near this House is also a Garden with several Springs and Fountains in it but not always flowing KOM SABA In the Way from Casbyn to Ispahan are several Places whence Salmon is brought salted from Kilan where the best Salmon is caught in the Mouth of the River Araxes From Ispahan runs a straight and pleasant Way on both sides of which are several fair Houses and delightful Gardens Situation and Description of the City Cashan The City Caschan or Cashan lies according to the Persians in thirty five Degrees Longitude and thirty four Northern Latitude But Olearius after three days observation found the same to lie nine Minutes more Southerly It being built long extends half a League from East to West and is surrounded with Walls and Bulwarks of a clayie sort bf Earth round about the same is good arable Land On the South side of the City is a kind of a Tilt-yard with a Post in the middle where the Persians use to run at the Ring On the left side of the foremention'd Way is one of the King's Orchards in which are two Banquetting-houses one near the High-way and the other in the middle which last hath very many Windows which according to the manner of the Persian Gardens open the Doors into as many Walks two Doors amongst the rest generally stand open opposite one against another the Walls are a Yard thick When the King comes hereabouts he commonly takes up his Residence in this Garden Cashan is one of the most populous and greatest Cities of Trade in all Persia having many fair Houses stately Caravansera's and above all a magnificent Bazar and Maidan set out with arch'd Portico's and Rooms and being every where so neatly built that no City in Persia is comparable to it It is inhabited by all manner of People but especially Persians and Indians who have every one their peculiar Trade or Manufacture which they exercise in Shops open to the Streets but most of them are Weavers of Cloth-of-Gold and Silks The several Names with the Description of the little Town Natens Twelve Leagues from Caschan lies the little but pleasant Town call'd Natens but by Contareno in the Description of his Travels Nethas and by Clavius and Herbert Natan by Ananâ—as Jesâ—i by Texeira Yazd and by Thevet Jex from whence it is said that this Province hath receiv'd the Name of Jez The several Streams of fresh Water which run through the same make the Countrey very fertile in the production of Corn and Grapes It lies in a pleasant Valley at the end whereof towards Ispahan appears a fruitful Mountain over which they travel to Ispahan The Valley is full of little Villages interspers'd with neat Gardens and lying at so small a distance from each other that they seem to be one entire Town and therefore have no peculiar Names Opposite to the City lie two high spiring Rocks or Mountains on the highest of which stands a Turret which Schack Abbas built in commemoration of a Falcon that conquer'd an Eagle for the foremention'd King travelling by this Place took up one of his Falcons which spying an Eagle broke loose and flying at him after a long and fierce Combat brought him down According to Mandeslo's observation the Tower on the foremention'd Mountain is built of eight-square Brick or Coctile Stone and runs up sharp with a glaz'd Roof about which is a narrow Walk The Arch underneath is eight Paces crossways and by the multiplicity of Windows and Doors is very light Besides this there are several other Structures upon
more full Discourse in his Book De Arte Magnetica and we shall have occasion to speak more largely thereof when we come to treat of the Provinces of Italy in our Volume of Europe The Gardens about Com abound with Fruit especially Melons Both within and without the City Com are Gardens full of all sorts of Fruit and amongst others a sort of Melons about the bigness of an Orange speckled with all manner of curious Colours and of a sweet smell wherefore they are call'd Shammane and carry'd in the Hand to smell to like a Nosegay but their taste is not so good as that of other Melons which there are as sweet as Sugar The same sort of Melons are to be found in several other places in Persia as also a very strange kind of Cucumbers which are near three Yards long crooked and about the thickness of a Man's Arm and therefore call'd Schunchiar or Crooked Cucumbers which like Gurkins are laid in Vinegar and Salt and eaten raw Several Fields about the City are Sow'n with all sorts of Grain and Cotton Till within six Leagues to the Northward of Sultanie the Countrey is exceeding pleasant and fruitful the Fields being either Planted with Fruit-Trees or flourishing with Corn They belong to the Lords or Possessors of the several Villages thereabouts Four days Journey from Ispahan near the City Niris the Mountain Demawend incloses an Iron and Steel-Mine The Inhabitants of Cashan and Com are accounted a very thievish sort of People Cutlers and Potters the chief Trades of Cashan and Com. The chief Trades in these Cities are the Sword-Cutlers and Potters the best Sword-Blades in all Persia being made there the richest whereof are valu'd at twenty Crowns apiece The Potters Bake all manner of Earthen Ware and especially Cruises and Jugs which are sent from thence to all the Cities hereabouts that which sets the greater value on them is the Water thereabouts with which being fill'd and let stand a while soon after they are made they are exceedingly cool'd and consequently much hardned Besides the foremention'd Manufactures there are a great number of People employ'd in making of Silk Clothes Embroider'd with Birds and sorts of Imagery as also Lanskips and the like The rich Trade of Ispahan Yasde and Coxom Ispahan as being a Place of great Trade hath many large Caravansera's that is to say Inns or Store-houses where the Merchants with their Horses Cammels and other Beasts of burthen take up their Lodging and lay up their Goods for which the King receives a certain Revenue But the places where the great Riches of this City appear most visibly are the several Shops of the Maidan and Bazar where there are continually to be seen Bars of Gold and Silver Damask Pearls Precious Stones raw Silk and Cloths of all sorts There are also vended here great quantities of Anniseeds and divers other Drugs which the Jews and others put off at a dear Rate The Carpets from Yasde made after the Turkish manner are the richest and finest in the whole World The same Place also produces abundance of Silk and Rose-water Caxom also is very famous for the abundance of Silk which comes from thence Lastly this Province is noted for Horses of an excellent kind both for shape and swiftness of foot which the Parthians for the most part make use of in their Wars SOLTANIE The Province of Aderbeitzan or Aderbajon formerly Great Media or Satrapene The several modern Names of Great Media THe Countrey of Aderbeitzan or according to Della Valla Adherbaigan or as Texeira will have it Aderbajon was anciently call'd South or Great Media Castald who names it Adilbegian takes it onely for a Tract of Media by Ptolomy call'd Daretis and Della Valla for a great part of Media but the Places which Aderbeitzan compriseth sufficiently testifie that it is Great Media yet by some modern Writers this Countrey is call'd Franck-Armenia because the Franck-Armenian Christians inhabit the same The Geography of Nubius makes mention that it was anciently the Northermost part of Assyria for it borders on Curdistan the ancient Assyria The Bounds of Aderbeitzan Aderbeitzan borders in the North and North-West at Schirwan in the South at Persia in the East at the Countrey of Kilan and Parthia or Hierack and in the West at Great Armenia But according to Olearius it juts against Curdistan and is separated from Schirwan by the Desart of Mogam and a by certain nnameless River from Carabach It is accounted ninety Leagues in length and compriseth several other lesser Counties viz. Erscheck Chalchal Meschin Tharumat Kermeruth Suldus Serah Utzan and others The chief Cities are Tabris or Taurus Sencan Sultanie Ardebil Merraga Nachtschuan Merend Rumy Chouy and Selmaseck The Description of the City Tabris The Metropolis of this Province is Tabris commonly call'd Tauris and by the Turks Tebris and is the City Terva of Paulus Jovius the Tigranoama of Nigro but according to Ortelius the same with the ancient City Ecbatane formerly the Seat of the Kings of Persia which is also affirm'd by Ananias Schrotterius and Hornius with many demonstrable Reasons out of Minadoi It lies at the foot of the Mountain Orontes perhaps the Mountain Carabag which Texeira places by Tabris eight days Journey Northerly from the Caspian Sea with which it conterminates on the West and on the South with Persia It hath no Walls but lies open on every side as most of the Cities in Persia do and was formerly according to Minadoi inhabited by about two hundred thousand People but John the Persian lessens the number above a half part before its destruction by the Turks There are many Caves under Ground and most of the Houses being very low are either built of a kind of Bitumen or Clay hardned by the Sun Within the compass of a hundred and fifty years last past this City hath undergone sundry Mutations both by the great Turk and the Persians for in the Year 1514. it was surrendred to Selymus the Turk who contrary to his Word exacted a great mass of Money from the Inhabitants and carry'd away with him three thousand Families amongst whom were the best Artificers in the City Afterwards in the Year 1535. it was by Solyman wholly given up to merciless rage and avarice of his Soldiers who left neither House nor Corner thereof unplunder'd abusing the miserable Citizens with all manner of insolency besides the most stately Palace of King Thamas together with the most sumptuous and rich Houses of the Nobility were by the great Turk's Commandment all ras'd down to the Ground and the greattest part of the best Citizens and beautifullest Persons of what Condition or Quality soever were carry'd away Captives And in the Year 1585. it was miserably spoyl'd by Osman Visier unto Amurat the Third and remain'd near four and thirty years under the Turkish Slavery during which time the poor Inhabitants suffer'd most unheard-of Miseries through the countenanc'd Outrages
great Copper Spout made fast in the Wall is convey'd thither in Pipes from the Mountains lying a League from thence and serves those for Drink that are Dieted there At the end of the Garden on the same side is a fair spacious and round Arch of green and blue Stone in the middle whereof are two great Copper Candle-sticks Round about the Walls are Seats wherein the Priests Cloth'd in white Apparel us'd to Sing It is a Tradition that Schach Sefi us'd to sit every year forty days together here Fasting and Praying his daily Sustenance being onely one Almond and a little Water from whence it is call'd Tschillachane Out of this Court you pass through another Gate where there also hangs a Silver Chain given by Allican Chan of Gappan The Entrance into the Tomb is under a pretty large Room over which is a round Tower through a Door Plated with Silver and adorn'd with thick Silver Rings The Floor at the Entrance is spread with Carpets on which those that will pass to the Tomb must walk bare-footed When Schach Abbas came to visit this Tomb he pull'd off his Shoes half a League before he came to the City and walk'd thither bare-footed in testimony of the great zeal he bore to this Saint This Entry hath a little Wicket on one side cover'd with Plates of Gold which leads to a stately Room It is said that Schach Abbas made this Door as also another at the Meschet in Chorazan before Imam Risa's Tomb upon the making of a certain Vow at the time of his marching against the Usbechies in Chorazan viz. That if these Saints would help him to drive the Enemy out of Chorazan he would give each of them a Golden Door which he accordingly perform'd after his Victory The Vault is forty eight Foot long and thirty broad and set round with many Silver and Gold Branches for Lamps of an extraordinary large size near which commonly sit twelve Singing Priests call'd Hafisan with little Stools before them on which lie great Parchment Books in which as they look they move their Bodies after the same manner as those in the Tschillachane Passing through this Vault you come into a kind of Sacristy ascended unto by three Silver Steps with Rails and Balasters likewise of Silver The Persians commonly kiss these Stairs before they go up the same This Room is exceeding costly and rises with another Step upon which a Rail of massy Gold runs cross the Room and behind it the Tomb of Schach Sefi made of polish'd Marble not of Gold as some say three Foot high from the Ground about nine long and four broad The Door of the Golden Rail is always lock'd and may not be open'd to any mortal Man not to the King himself On the left hand of this Room is another Vault in which Schach Abbas the First with several other Kings lie bury'd On the right side of the foremention'd Entrance is a great Vaulted Room curiously Gilded and resembling a Church the Cieling adorn'd with several pieces of Carv'd Work but not supported by any Pillars This Room being call'd Tzenetsera is the Library where the Books lie in seveveral Chests not set side by side but heap'd one upon the other and lock'd up they are most of them in Arabick but some in the Persian and Turkish Language written neatly either on Paper or Parchment and the Histories adorn'd with various Sculptures In divers corners of this Room are Shelves and Cupboards full of Porcelane Dishes and other Vessels of which some contain the quantity of three Gallons wherein the King and other Lords are serv'd when they come hither for this being a sacred Place and a holy Gift no Silver or Golden Vessels are to be us'd in it and it is said that Schach Sefi was wont out of zeal and humility to eat here out of woodden Platters Opposite to the Library or Tzenetsera is the Kitchin the Door whereof Schach Abbas causâ—d also to be Plated with Silver Every thing in the same is kept very neat divers large Cauldrons or Boyling-places are made in the Wall with great Covers to them The Water convey'd in Pipes round about the Kitchin and let into great Vessels by Copper Cocks Out of this Kitchin above a thousand Servants belonging to the Temple besides a great number of Alms-People receive their Allowance three times a day namely Morning Noon and Night The two first times of Serving are from Schach Sefi's Donation in which are daily spent about a hundred and fifty Aba's or three Tomams which is fifty Crowns but the third Service is on the King's Account These Meal-times are proclaim'd by two Officers who go about beating on Kettle-Drums which as 't is said were us'd by Mahumed and brought thither by Schach Sedredin together with Medine's Flag upon which Signal every one repairs thither and receives from the Butlers and Manciples in a Dish Broth Flesh and Rice in such plenty that many not able to cat all themselves sell it to those that are asham'd to fetch it Out of the Kitchin you go into the Garden where are the Graves of Sultan Aider Schach Thomas and other Kings that lie bury'd under the open Skie without either Tomb-stone or any thing else The chiefest Persons that lie bury'd in several places of this Meschaich are Schach Sefi Son of Seid Tzeibrail Schach Sedredin Son of Sefi Schach Tzinid Son of Sedredin in the European Histories by a mistake call'd Guined Sultan Aider Son of Tzinid who was flay'd alive by the Turks Schach Aider Son of Sultan Aider Schach Ismael Son of Aider Schach Thomas Son of Schach Ismael Schach Ismael the second Son of Schach Thomas Schach Mahumed Chodabende Son of Ismael Ismael Myrsa and Chodabende Hemsa Myrsa Brothers and Sons to Schach Abbas By whom this Tomb was built The Persians relate that a Platform of this above described Tomb was dictated by Schach Sedredin to the chief Architect whom he employ'd in building it after a wonderful manner that is to say he caus'd him to shut his Eyes and shew'd him as in a Dream a stately Edifice according to which he built the foremention'd Structure which Schach Tzinid hath enlarg'd adding a base Court and several Houses to it so that now it is like a great Castle with a continual concourse of People walking up and down there as in a little City It hath great allowance from the King The great Revenues belonging to it besides other Revenues and daily Presents which makes it worth many Millions nay 't is said that this Metzid is able in time of War with ready Money to raise more Men than the King for besides the great Sums in yearly Money it hath many Houses and Lands belonging to it which either pay Rent or Taxes to the same which amounts in all to to a considerable Treasury viz. in Ardebil are two hundred Houses nine Hamans or Baths eight Caravansera's the great Vaulted Exchange with all the Shops and Walks
about it a hundred other Shops in the Bazar the Cattel Corn Salt and Oyl-Market the Afrabnischins which are those that sell their Goods in Tents of the Villages belonging to Ardebil thirty three belong to the said Tomb as also five Houses in Serab in the City Tabris sixty Houses and a hundred Shops besides two Villages near the City several Caravansera's and Baths in the City Caswin as also in the Provinces of Kilan and Astara in the Plains of Mochan the Villages Abchur and Eleschur with divers others in the Counties Chalchal Kermuth and Hascheruth besides what comes out of Tartary and India where several Places inclin'd to the Persian Religion pay also Tribute to the same Moreover it is a Custom amongst the Persians that when they go to Travel or undertake any Business of concernment or when they are in Sickness or Trouble they make great Vows to Schach Sefi which they perform as surely and willingly as they would desire to be sav'd nay many of them when they come to celebrate the annual Obsequies of their Saint bring great Presents with them and often in their Wills and Testaments leave their whole Estates to the foremention'd Tomb where also there are daily Offer'd Sheep Horses Camels Money and other things Those that bring the Presents receive a handful of Anniseed in testimony that their Souls shall receive an extraordinary Consolation for the same The Presents are receiv'd by two sworn Stewards by them call'd Nessurtzian from the Arabick word Nessurt which signifies a Promise or Vow they sit every day in a House on the left side near the Metzid Tschillachane where between them stands a round Coffer cover'd with red Velvet into which is put the Money through a slit at the top The Camels Horses and Mules that are Offer'd are immediately sold and converted into Money but Sheep and Oxen are kill'd and distributed amongst the Poor To these Stewards Schach Ismael gave the Revenue of a large Village call'd Sultanabeth a League from the City Ardebil for their Maintenance but Anno 1618. this Village was demolish'd by Schach Abbas upon the approach of the Turkish Army together with the City Ardebil ARDEBIL Opposite to this Tomb is another little Chappel in which several eminent Persons also lie bury'd Four Leagues from Ardebil near Sultania Village Bâ—sun lies Busun a large Village with several other smaller thereabouts in a Valley full of good Pasturage for Cattel Five Leagues from Busun is another Village call'd Sengoa Sengoa beyond which are several steep Mountains and four Leagues farther another pleasant Valley with a remarkable Fountain Not far from this Valley Northwardly appears the Mountain Taurus by the Persians thereabouts call'd Perdelis near which on the South side is a Cavity which is worn by time above three Miles deep from the top of the Mountain and two Miles broad and serves for a Receptacle or Den for Thieves by whom Travellers sustain great mischief if they have not a considerable Party in company with them Through this Chasme or Gap runs the River Kisilosein which from thence precipitating it self River Kisilosein and descending through Kilan at last disembogues its white Water into the Caspian Sea Four Leagues from this Valley lies the Village Keintze and two Leagues from thence on the right hand a Village call'd Hatzimir and six Leagues farther there is another Town call'd Kamal beyond which lies Sencan to the Southward whereof appears a large Sandy barren Desart The City Caxem Caxem which Texeira calls Cahem and which Davity places in Margiana is the first City in Media upon the Road from Pâ—rsia It is considerably large comprising at least five thousand Houses standing on a Plain where sometimes they feel excessive Heats being under 32 Degrees and 5 Minutes Northern Latitude In this City is a very long Street being rather a Market-place full of Shops with all sorts of Commodities which though it be not so long as that of Schiras yet is much broader and beautifi'd with Trees that stand ranging on both sides and are a shade to the Houses But that which is most ornamental to this City is their stately Caravansera built An. 1610. being able to Lodge very many Strangers with all accommodation and convenience of Reception Near this stands a stately Palace erected by King Abbas which though but indifferent on the out-side yet magnificent and beautiful within and indeed one of the best contriv'd Houses that the King hath in his whole Dominions within whose Walls having pass'd one Garden you enter into another larger than the former being the Haram or Seraglio for his Women and surrounded with a Hedge of delicate Fruit-Trees The City Caxem is none of the biggest nor the least in this Province yet the Kings of Persia always held the same in great esteem partly because the People were civil and quieâ— and in their Dealings just and honest and party for its Wealth and flourishing Trade in all manner of Silk-Stuffs but especially the best and fairest Carpets of all Persia made in the Villages belonging to the Jurisdiction of this City none in all Persia comparing with them except those of Ispahan The Weavers live all together in a little part of the City inclos'd with a Wall and all those other Workmen who prepare and make ready the Silk But the Suburbs are much more pleasant than the City it self being full of delightful Gardens and having many fair Caravansera's for the reception and accommodation of Strangers There is no Water about this City but what is in Wells which nevertheless is very wholsom Moreover there is little good Water all the way between Ispahan and Casbin by reason of the thirsty and hot Earth but this want is supply'd by the abundance of Snow which lies thick on the tops of the Mountains all the year A days Journey from this City is a Village Village Cencem call'd Cencem whose adjacent Hills exhale bituminous and sulphureous Vapors which makes the Air very unwholsom especially in the Night when these Vapors chiefly rise they also make the Summer Heats extream sultry This Town hath onely one small Mosque in it and that not remarkable for any thing that may require a Description In the Year 1617 it had a hundred and fifty Families but the next year following they had been all swept away with a pestilential Distemper had not the Spanish Agent Garcias de Silva coming there by chance in his way to Hispahan given them advice to be Let-blood which prov'd a present Remedy Places lylng between Ardebil and Caswin In the Way from Ardebil to Caswin according to Della Valla lie these Places viz. Halfa League beyond Ardebil is a Village in the Turkish Language call'd Task-Chiesen that is Stone-cutters Town from the Artificers that Carve there in Stone Four Leagues farther stands Tagi Bujur and five Leagues beyond that Chivi where the Way which leads to Caswin parts into two Roads one whereof runs through
of which so many breed here that the Fishermen dare not go into above four Fathom Water which Pomponius Mela seems to have observ'd when he saith in his Geography This Sea is more dangerous than any other by reason of the many Monsters that breed therein It hath been reported that in Kilan over against the Mountain Sahebelan where they breed most they are taken with Hooks fastned to thick Lines and Baited with Flesh Divers other sorts of Fish Nor doth it onely breed Monsters for contrary to the Opinion of Contareno and Bizarro it produces several sorts of excellent Fish as Salmon Sturgeon Carps an Ell long a sort of Herrings great Breams call'd Chascham Scwit or Schivit and a sort of Barbels a Yard and a half long but others less which are tough and not fit to be eaten The Inhabitants there catch another sort of Salmon-Trouts which they dry in the Smoak and Dress after this manner viz. They lay the smoak'd Fish wrapt in a Linnen or Cotton Cloth upon a hot Hearth and then cover it with Ashes till it be enough whereby it gaineth a most delicate taste This abundance of Fish breeding in the Sea causes the King of Persia to Farm out the Fishing thereof towards the Mouth of the fresh Rivers which brings him yearly considerable Sums of Money This Fishing Farm begins in September and lasts to the end of March during which time the Rivers are shut up to prevent Intruders that have no right to Fish there but all the rest of the year not onely the Rivers but the Sea it self lies free and open to all Persons This Sea in the Summer the Persians Tartars and Russians Navigate in sleight and miserable Vessels with which they dare not Sail but onely before the Wind nor venture from the sight of the Shore There are but few Harbors and those neither good nor safe the place between the Island Tzenzeni and the main Land is counted one of the securest and therefore the Persians always Anchor there in the Night they also us'd to Ride with their Vessels near Bacu Lenkeran and Ferabath according as the Wind favors them But the best in all that Sea is towards the East on the Tartars side and is call'd Chuaresm and Minkischlack but by some nam'd Manguslave This Sea according to Herodotus Ptolomy and Aristotle is distinct from all other being wholly inclos'd within the Land so that it may justly be call'd a Mediterranean from whence appear the Errors of Dionysius the Alexandrian Pomponius Mela Strabo Pliny Solinus Basilius Magnus and others who would make it to mix with the Scythian or Tartarick Sea or else a Bay of the Northern Ocean and not totally surrounded by the Land The Province of Mazanderan Borders of the Province of Mazanderan THe Province of Mazanderan or Mazanderon conterminates in the West with Gilan or Kilan the East Borders upon Estarabat the South touches Erack Media and a part of Gilan and the North verges with the Bacu or Caspian Sea Its length is accounted to be thirty Leagues and Compriseth twenty five Cities the Metropolis of which bears the same Denomination with the Province but Della Valla and Olearius name it Ferhabad and aver that formerly it was call'd Tahona Description of Ferhabad The City Ferhabad which lies about two thousand Paces from the Caspian Sea is in a great Plain and as Della Valla witnesseth in a few years after the first Building grew to the bigness of Rome or Constantinople but was not inclos'd with Walls Nor have the chief Cities in this Countrey any such Inclosures The Teggine Rude that is The Swist-River runs through the middle of the City over which there is but one Bridge but that neatly built in that place where commonly the greatest concourse or People is in other parts a good distance from the Bridge they Ferry over in slat-bottom'd Boats made of one great Tree This Place by reason of its nearness to the Caspian Sea and convenience of the beforemention'd River is accounted a Sea-port Town because the Ships Sail up to the aforenam'd Bridge where they drop their Anchors and though the Vessels are not very big yet all that drive this Trade viz. to the City Gilan Esterabad Bacu Demircapt and to Astracan in Muscovia lade and unlade here King Abbas not long since call'd it Ferhabad that is The City of perfect Joy which is an Arabick word compounded of Fer which signifies Joy and Habad that is Finished Two Reasons induc'd the King to build this City the one was a desire he had to beautifie his Kingdom and extend the Limits thereof for he built divers Cities in several other places the other was his kindness to this particular Region partly because it was the Birth-place of his Mother and partly because it was the strongest part of his Dominions for it lies on one side surrounded with the unnavigable part of the Caspian Sea and on the other with inaccessible Mountains through which none can come but by narrow and craggy Paths besides all which this Countrey lay remotest from the Enemy especially from the Turks The Houses in the beginning were not above a Story high and cover'd onely with Canes to keep out the Weather The Walls consist of a certain Stuff very common in this Countrey which being mix'd with Straw is call'd Calghil that is Straw and Earth to which a quantity of Sand being added and beaten like Mortar makes a most strong and durable Cement But the King's Palace is built of Sun-dry'd Brick which in the time of a great Fire proving a safeguard to it self and all within caus'd the King to command all the Houses to be built of the like Materials The City Eskerf Eastward from thence lies a City call'd Eskerf about two Leagues from the same Sea at the end of a large Plain near the foot of a Mountain which environs the same on the South side This City was also built by Abbas at the same time with Ferhabad It hath many Gardens and a great Bazar or Street full of Shops besides divers other meaner Houses standing without order among shady Groves in a delightful Plain which is full of Inhabitants sent thither by the King and is much frequented especially when the Court Resides there which is the greatest part of the Summer for in Winter Ferhabad was the Royal Chamber and this the King did to draw Inhabitants thither and cause a Trade and likewise because it was well seated for Hunting and other Recreations The Houses are built under high Trees and so shaded with the Boughs that they are scarce to be seen insomuch that one may doubt whether Eskerf be a City erected in a Wood or a Grove inhabited like a City In the middle of the Gardens behind the Houses stand Chambers or rather Galleries because they are onely cover'd on the top which being about a Man's heighth above the Ground are ascended to by Steps and serve both for Eating
and Sleeping Rooms in Summer by reason of their coolness and are in the Countrey Language call'd Balachane that is A high House And this is so common and the Inhabitants so us'd to repose in open Rooms that they would incur great inconvenience by a more close retiredness The Streets are broad extending far in a straight Line before the Houses are Channels to receive and carry away the Water which else by reason of their even lying would make them very dirty In one of which stands a Royal Building the chiefest Gate whereof opens into a long and spacious Street Upon one side of this Palace may be seen a square Court crossing which you come to a Garden Door into which none but Grandees are permitted to enter This Garden lies behind the Palace at the foot of a Hill beset with Trees and adorn'd with banquetting-Banquetting-houses built on the same by King Abbas The Garden being one large Square hath in the middle a Dewanchane or Terrace-Walk twice as long as broad open towards the North with an Ascent of two or three Steps but behind and on the other side clos'd up with a Wall wherein are divers large Windows Through this runs a crystal Stream brought from an adjacent Spring opposite to the Diwanchane The Floor of this Diwanchane is commonly cover'd with Tapistry at the time of Audience when any Persons of Quality kneel on the same before the King Peopling of Mazanderan The Province of Mazanderan is inhabited by several sorts of People which are of divers Tribes and Beliefs sent thither by King Abbas after the building of Ferhabad and Eskerf particularly Georgians who in some sort Profess'd Christianity Mahumetans Armenians and Medes together with some of his own Subjects where the King gave every one Land to Till and maintain his Family and encourag'd them to follow such Employments as they had been accustom'd to in their own Countrey and to that purpose accommodated them to their several Qualifications The Mahumetans are the smallest number and the Christians being for the most part Georgians and Armenians the biggest who had all leave to build as many Houses or Churches as they pleas'd and are tolerated to enjoy their own Religion quietly Their Apparel All these new Inhabitants of this Countrey wear long Breeches and short Coats not reaching down to their Knees with an upper Garment made fast about their Middle with a Girdle they wear no Turbants onely a little Cap in the Persian Tongue call'd Cork made of Leather and Lin'd with Cloth sharp on the top and broad at the bottom which were invented by King Abbas These kind of Caps are very common and worn within Doors in stead of Turbants by Persons of Quality but when they go abroad they put on their Turbants yet their Servants carry these after their Masters Their Language and Government The Language which is spoken in this Province is the vulgar Persian The supream Command of the whole Province belongs to a Vice-Roy or Lieutenant who bears the Title of Chan and keeps his Court in Ferhabad But in former times this Province was Govern'd by a peculiar King which paid Tribute to the Sophy but he rebelling Xa Abas sent his General thither to reduce him This Province is surrounded with great Woods cut through by several Brooks and inclos'd with Mountains overgrown with Trees insomuch that Della Valla affirms that this Countrey bore so great a resemblance with those of Europe that he saw not the like in all those Parts through which he travell'd Nature of the Soil The Soil is very fruitful and us'd to lie Fallow through the neglect and idleness of the Inhabitants The Earth being fat and Morassy is encompass'd by the Caspian Sea and River Teggine Rude Temperature of the Air. The temperature of the Air is much like that at Rome viz. in the Winter moist and subject to tempestuous Weather moreover they feel the same Heat or Cold there which is no great wonder because both the foremention'd Places lie almost in one and the same Northern Latitude having great and almost continual Winter Rains At the entrance on the South out of the Territory of Arack into that of Mazanderan lies a very narrow Valley at the foot of several Mountains which after three Leagues Journey grows somewhat wider and is wash'd by a little Brook This Plain though well cultivated produces nothing but Rice and the like do most places in this whole Province being indeed most fit for that Grain by reason of the abundance of Water and moistness of the Soil for Rice requires moisture or else that it is the chiefest if not onely Grain of the Inhabitants for they use no other Bread not setting any esteem upon Wheat or Rye neither use much Milk Whit-meat or Butter because they think them unwholsom but of Rice which they boyl sometimes one way and sometimes another mingled with Flesh or Fruit they make several savory Dishes which they call Pilao's according to their several Palats This Pilao is convenient for Travellers because it may be made ready in a short time and keeps good a great while and withal is a wholsom and palatable Food Nature of the Inhabitants The Inhabitants are of a sallow Complexion occasion'd by the Heats of the Climate and constant eating of Rice and their Hair and Eye-brows very black The Women are very handsom Body'd and have good Features which they grace with a courteous Behavior and affability in Discourse and this is the more pleasing because according to their Custom in which they differ very much from other Mahumetans they never cover their Faces nor shun the Company of Men. Both Men and Women are hospitable treating Strangers in their Houses with the highest Civility imaginable not expecting any Return yet refuse not any thing Presented to them for there are no Inns or Caravansera's to give public Entertainment but every House as we said is free to receive Strangers wherefore we may justly say that there is no Countrey where the Inhabitants are more hospitable and civil so that Hircania which the Ancients reported to be full of Tygers and other wild Beasts if Mazanderan be compris'd in the same is one of the most civiliz'd Territories that can be found in all Asia and the Inhabitants thereof have a suitable commendation Of the Soil The Land between the City Ferhabad and Eskerf is even and plain on which grow wild Artichokes Parsnips and the like Towns and Villages You may see here also many Towns and Villages as you travel from Arack Southward to Ferhabad particularly a Village call'd Mynikelle Four Leagues from thence lies another call d Giru the Road between both which in the Winter is very bad arid deep by reason of the continual wetness of the Ground A days Journey farther you come to Tellara Pescet a large Hamlet having on one fide many dispersed Villages and on the other a Hilly Countrey Beyond these appears
Tagestan is divided into several Lordiships Division viz. Osmin by others Ismin Boinack c. each having a chief Town of the same Denomination in which the Governor hath his Residence Olearius is of opinion that a part of this Countrey was anciently possess'd by the Amazones which as Curtius affirms dwelt betwixt the Caspian Sea and Mount Caucasus The Metropolis The Metropolis of Tagestan call'd Saru lies partly upon and partly between the Mountains which are Rocky and at a distance appear as if they were cover'd with Mussle-shells for there is scarce any piece to the bigness of a Mans Hand but what hath five or more Shells sticking upon it The Stones of the Rock are as hard as a Pebble Beyond these craggy Mountains are good Pastures for Cattel Behind Tarcu lies the Castle Suchur In the City which hath no Walls are about a thousand Houses built after the Persian manner though somewhat sleighter Out of the Rocks spring several Brooks which with a pleasant murmuring noise glide down the Mountains through the City The Tagestans of Tarcu and those of Boinack that dwell towards the North are call'd Caitack Westward beyond Tarcu is another sort nam'd Cumuck and Casucumuck who are under the Jurisdiction of peculiar Lords The Tarcuan Tartars are not less in number than those of the Province of Boinack The Prince of Tarcu styl'd Surchow Chan boasted himself to be Extracted from the Family of the Kings of Persia with whom he always held an amicable Alliance and when the Tagestans made War upon each other he receiv'd Aid from Persia The Natives maintain themselves by breeding of Cattel which the Women take care of whil'st their Husbands Ride abroad to steal whatever comes to hand not sparing Men Women or Children for they account it no Sin to sell their nearest Relations Brothers or Sisters to the Turks Those that dwell near the Rivers live by Fishing especially by catching of Sturgeon which they take with strong Harping-Irons and the Pole to which the Line is fastned fix'd in the Ground The Diet of the Grandees or Chans is commonly Mutton cut into small Slices Their man of Eating and Drinking and roasted on a woodden Spit as also Sturgeon cut in little Pieces which being boyl'd with Salt they eat it with Butter and Vinegar They use no Knives but pull their Meat in pieces with their Fingers When any one of them lays down a Bone he that sits next to him taking it up picks it much cleaner and sometimes it is taken up by three or four after the same manner Their Drinking-Cups are long Cows Horns out of which they Drink a Liquor made of Barley and call'd Brega which in colour is like Mead. They are very boisterous in their Cups They spread their Tables on the Ground after the Persian manner All their Vessels consist in woodden Bowls and Troughs The Tartars of Tarcu are wild and valiant but the Women are very courteous they are all Mahumetans and suffer themselves to be Circumcis'd yet are great Zealots and some of the Tartar Women are privately inclin'd to the Christian Religion The Inhabitants of the Village Andre have amongst other Nuptial Ceremonies these following viz. Every Guest brings an Arrow with him which he shoots either into the upper part of the Wall or the Roof of the House where they stick till they rot or fall down of themselves what the signification hereof is none knows They are a valiant and undaunted People caring neither for the King of Persia nor the Great Duke of Muscovia but boast themselves Tagestans and consequently subject to none but God which their audaciousness depends chiefly on the inaccessible Mountains whither they retire when any stronger Enemy falls into their Countrey The Merchants that travel through their Dominions are forc'd to pay great Customs and yet if they are not strong enough to defend themselves are sure to be Robb'd and therefore they always go with the Caravans in great Companies This Countrey is under the Subjection of several Princes Government by one general Name call'd Myrsa but many Cities are Govern'd by a peculiar Lord yet they have a supream Commander nam'd Schemchi and by others Schafcal who is as a King and chosen by the throwing of an Apple viz. at the Election all the Myrsa's or Princes meet together and standing in a Ring their Priest throws a Gilded Apple amongst them and whoever he hits therewith is immediately chosen Schemchal who though he hath great Honor and Respect yet he finds but litte Faith and Obedience from them and therefore cannot be said to Govern with arbitrary Power He keeps his Court in a Village nam'd Andre situate on a Hill near the River Coisu His Habit is a Silk Coat of green Darai and over it a black Furr Mantle and when he Rides out he is commonly Arm'd with a Scimiter Bowe and Arrows Beyond Tarcu lies a wild and brambly Countrey Five Leagues from Tarcu lies the Stream Coisu which abounding with Fish takes its original from Mount Caucasus and runs very swift the Water muddy of a reasonable breadth and generally eighteen or twenty Foot deep which Olearius supposes to be the Albanus of the Ancients which according to Pliny falls into the River Cassia In this Water breeds abundance of Sturgeon and another sort of Fish not much unlike it Two Leagues and a half from Coisu runs a Brook nam'd Acsai which is not above twenty five Yards broad Some take this Acsai to be onely a Branch of Coisu which unites with the same again not far from the Caspian Sea If any Strangers are desirous to Ferry over this River with their Goods they are forc'd either to pay a great Sum of Money to the Inhabitants or else they take away their Goods Beyond Acsai is a barren Heath seven Leagues long Rivers half a days Journey beyond which runs the River Bustro which is also one of the chiefest and almost as deep as the Coisu the Water thereof is muddy but runs not so swift as the foremention'd it serves for a Boundary between Circassia and Tagestan Northward about two Leagues from the Caspian Shore it divides it self into two Branches one of which now call'd Temenki but formerly and by some to this day Terk is about thirty Yards broad and hath given the City by which it glides the Denomination of Terki which is the last Town in those Parts under the Czar of Muscovy the other beyond this and of the same bigness bears the Name of Kisilar because it carries along in its Sand a kind of Gold-dust and lying somewhat higher than the former is commonly dry'd up in the Summer The place of its disemboguing is about eight Leagues beyond the City Terki All these Brooks come Out betwixt the North and the West and the Kisilar is the last in these Parts but fifty six Leagues farther is the Volga which springs in the North. Olearius according to Ptolomy will have the Acsai
the Persians was one Techellis a Disciple of Harduellis otherwise call'd Eider but Minadoi and Olearius think otherwise for they say when the Persians upon the advice of Sofi or Sefi the Promoter of their Sect fell from the Turkish Religion and began to honor Aaly beyond Mahomet and his Followers Omar Osman and Abubeker they would have the twelve Successors of Aaly as shall be declar'd at large in their Religion to be accounted and worshipp'd as Imams or Saints As a testimony whereof the religious Orders were according to a Law made at that time to wear Caps with twelve Plaits or Folds sharp on the top and broad at bottom But because the Turks after this fell up on the Persians several times and kill'd the Priests who were accounted the chief Incendiaries they began upon this Division to leave off their Caps that so they might not be known Ismael Sefi prepares an Army against the Turks But when Schach Ismael Sefi prepar'd to set out an Army against the Turks who had already penetrated far into Persia he sent from Kilan whither he retir'd to the eminentest Provinces and Towns to acquaint them with the intolerable Oppression the Countrey and their Religion would lie under in case the Turks should become their Masters therefore he desir'd the Natives to joyn with him to beat out the Enemy with a Promise that if he should re-gain the Kingdom he would make all those Persons that so assisted him a general Infranchisement without paying any manner of Tribute which so pleas'd the Persians that in a short time they rais'd an Army of three hundred thousand Men and made their first Attempt upon the City Ardebil from whence they drove the Turks Garrison without any resistance after which the several Provinces entred into a Contract with the King that they would venture their Lives and Fortunes in defence of him and their Religion The first red Caps In testimony whereof the King order'd the foremention'd plaited Caps which were to signifie the twelve Imams or Aaly's Successors to be made and distributed amongst the Soldiers but there being not so much red Cloth in Ardebil a Shoemaker made the first twelve of red Leather and presented them to the King who save them to his prime Commanders After which time every Soldier in King Ismael's Army wore a red Cap which the Turks seeing call'd them Kisilbasch or Red-Heads These Caps are by them call'd Tash or Tagh that is A Crown and therefore the Persians are well pleas'd with the Name Kisilbasch because it signifies Red or rather Gold-Heads The yet remaining Successors of Aaly also wear these Caps which being commonly ty'd about with Ribbons are call'd Taky Della Valle affirms that these red Bonnets of Ismael Sefi are worn under the Turbants and have a pretty long Tassel on the top which sticks half way out of the Turbant and also twelve narrow Plaits or Folds in commemoration of the twelve Successors of Aaly But at this day not all the Persians but onely those that are Successors of the foremention'd Order and of the Family of Aaly and Sefi wear such Caps neither do the Persians without distinction suffer themselves to be call'd Kisilbasch but onely the Successors of Aaly as and also the Kings Guards therefore when they say Quizilbasci its signification Let us go to Quizilbasci 't is as much as to say Let us go to Persia for when those that are experienc'd in the Persian Tongue speak of a Quizilbasci they do not mean thereby a common Persian but a Soldier There are also two sorts of Quizilbasci some of them are Heirs or Successors of the first whose State and Quality lasts as long as their Families others are from time to time by them promoted to that Dignity for all Slaves from what Nation soever that come into Persia and List themselves in the Army as the Janisaries among the Turks are made Quizilbascies and consequently Free-holders and Gentlemen of the Countrey as also all their Successors Moreover when the King will shew any particular Favor to a Stranger he makes him a Quizilbasci by putting the red Cap on his Head The number of the Quizillbasci The Quizilbascies consist of thirty two Tribes perhaps because in the beginning they deriv'd from thirty two sorts of People by whose assistance Ismael Sefi made himself Master of the Realm Sixteen of these Families are call'd Right-handed and the other sixteen Left-handed Men because the first sixteen are always seen on the Kings right and the other sixteen on his left Side as well in Marches and other Cavalcades as in the Divan or council-Council-house or the Kings Court. Distinguish'd into Tribes John the Persian saith the Tribes of the Quizilbascies are as so many Noble Houses or Families as Dukes Marquesses and Earls But this Della Valle contradicts affirming that they are not Families but Tribes distinguish'd by peculiar Names or Titles which they either made choise of themselves or were given to them by King Ismael in the beginning for their heroick Exploits Moreover the great number of the Quizilbascies is a sufficient testimony of the Tribes Likewise those of one Tribe have no Relation to those of another but onely bear the same Name Add hereunto the great difference in the Qualities of the People in one Tribe for some of them are Chans Sultans and Beigs which may stand in competition with our Lords others nay the greatest number are poor People in so mean Condition that they are forced to serve for Grooms and Servants yet nevertheless they bear the same Title with the Sultan or Chan of the same Tribe There are also a People call'd Reajet or Tat that is Subjects which are as among us Reaja or Tat what it signifies accounted the vulgar or meanest of the Commonalty for the Name Tat is given to Mechanicks Yet nevertheless if we make a farther enquiry into the Name Tat we shall find it to be more Noble than that of Quizilbasci because Tat is the Name of those Extracted from the real and ancient Loyns of the Persians and therefore the King gives it not onely to People of mean Condition but also to the richest and most powerful nay to the Myrsa and Princes of the Blood and lastly to all those who out of fear or for other Reasons have laid down Arms or resigning publick Offices have deserted the Court. Complexion Nature and Shape of the Inhabitants Nature of the Persians THe Persians are naturally endu'd with Prudence and Understanding quick Witted and Learned wherefore there are many excellent Poets amongst them they highly esteem Moral Philosophy are not inclin'd to any disdainful Behavior but are affable and courteous not onely to one another but especially to Strangers to whom as we said before they are also very hospitable and in their Discourses use many complemental Expressions When they invite any one to their House they commonly say Honor my House with your Presence
commonly married their own Mothers Sisters or Daughters but at this day none may marry so near in Blood Moreover it is accounted a horrid Sin for any man to defile his Sister which was not customary in Persia before Cambyses time but grew very common after his marrying of his own Sister which he lov'd exceedingly Their manner of Courtship When a young man intends to marry and hath an Affection for any Maid then he informs himself by a second and third Person of her Condition and Quality for neither he nor his Parents may see her It she be to his minde he sends two of his nearest Kindred which were at his Circumcision to the Maids Father to acquaint him with his Love To which shewing some feigned unwillingness to part with his Daughter after short Enquiry if liking the Match he begins to treat about the Portion which is not to be paid by the Brides Friends but by the Bridegroom or his Friends for in Persia as in all other Eastern-Countreys they buy their Wives not making either Dowry or Joynture neither receiving Portions but purchasing them at a Price which is paid two several ways for either the Bridegroom sends it to the Brides Fathers House a little before the Wedding consisting in Pendants Jewels Armlets or the like which is a Reward to the Parents who may either keep or give it again to their Daughter for their careful breeding up of the Bride or else he makes over a certain Sum of Money or a quantity of Silk-Stuffs which she is oblig'd to return if at any time they should part to which purpose Writings are Drawn and Sign'd by a Cadi or Molla After this Conclusion the Bride and Bridegroom chuse each of them a Trustee who if in a City go to the Casi or Spiritual Judge but if in a Village to the Molla or Priest impower'd by the Casi and in the Bride and Bridegrooms Name who appear not in Person nor go to the Church to be Marry'd desire that they may be united which the Casi after being well assur'd of the Consent of the Parties performs in the Name of God Mahomet and Aaly and this is generally done by the foremention'd three Persons in a private place either in a Chamber or in the Fields Every one is free to Marry at any time in the year except in the Moneth of Ramesan or their Lent and the ten days Mourning and Abstinence call'd Ashur Their Celebrating of Matrimony When the Wedding is to be celebrated the Bridegroom sends the Bride the day before a pair of Pendants Armlets and other Ornaments according to his Capacity and some Provisions After Dinner which generally is pretty late in the Evening the Bride set on a Horse Camel or Mule with a red Silk Hood hanging down into her Lap and accompany'd with all her Friends Relations and several sorts of Musick is conducted to the Bridegrooms House where with some Women she is put into a peculiar Apartment and the Men into another and Meat set before them which when they have eaten the Bride is soon after carry'd into the Bed-Chamber and the Bridegroom being brought to her there first at once enjoys both her Sight and Company having never seen her before and if he find her to have been vitiated he may frely cut off her Nose and Ears and turn her out of his Chamber but if he find her a Virgin he signifies his Joy to her old Nurse and to his Friends Then they Feast three days one after another They also use Dancing which is in Couples but the Men by themselves in one Room and the Women in another the Musick never go into the Womens Chamber but stand and Play at their Door In the Evening the Leaves of Alcanna with which they color their Hands are laid on a Cotton Handkerchief with two Spoonfuls of Alcanna both which they take home with them After which the Guests make Presents to the new Marry'd Couple every one according to their Capacities After the Wedding is over and that the New-marry'd Couple dwell in the Brides Fathers house the new Wife may not be seen with her Face uncover'd before her Father-in-Law nor speak with him but if occasion require she is to express her mind by Signs Another way to get women Besides their Marrying they have another way to acquire a Companion to their Bed viz. To hire them with a Sum of Money for a certain time and is practised chiefly by those that travel from Place to Place and by such as are not willing to be seen in the publick Stews A third way is by buying in the Market slaves with whom they may do what they please These are commonly taken by the Tagestan Tartars from the Christians in Georgia and sold to the Persians Nor is this Priviledge all allow'd onely to Men for Women especially of Quality may as often change their Husbands as they please One relates that two Ladies meeting upon a Visit The one ask'd the other How long she had liv'd with her Husband The other replied two Moneths how two Moneths so long can any Woman content her self with one Man almost threescore nights To help a woman in Labor When the Women are in labour and cannot be suddenly deliver'd then the Relations and Neighbors run to the Schools and give the Molla money to spare and forgive all those Schollars that have offended and are condemned to be whipt which they believe to be a great means to further her speedy Delivery And for the same purpose they think it very effectual to creep three or four times under a Camels belly If at any time though without Cause a Man suspect his Wife they pass it not by but take speedy and sharp Revenge as appears by the following Relation Some years since in the Province of Lenkeran dwelt a Person nam'd Jakut Tirkenam who was the Kings Bow-bearer his Wife being reported to be of a loose behavior at last Schach Abbas himself heard thereof who order'd Notice to be given to the foremention'd Tirkenam either to reform his House or else to keep out of the King's Presence Whereupon he fearing to lose his Place being of great Profit and Honor made a real and thorow Reformation by killing not onely his Wife but four Children and all that related to hâ—r to the number of twelve Persons which though it seem barbarous to us yet it preserv'd his Reputation and Employment with the King his Master The Men likewise have the Power which they often execute that if they catch any committing Adultery with their Wives they may either immediately kill both or else bedivorc'd and this last is very common Children very obedient The Children are very obedient to their Parents when a Father of Quality gives Audience in his own House his Sons stay without to conduct those that go out or in These are not at the present brought up as in antient times viz. Lock'd up with the Women
are more in number than all the Christians of the East and yield Obedience to the Patriarchs of Constantinople Antioch Alexandria and Jerusalem The Opinion of the Manichees concerning two Gods Manichees viz. one good and one bad of which the bad Governs all things on Earth without contradiction of the good reigns still in Persia and likewise in many other Countreys of the East Besides all these Religions there is also that of the Franck-Armenians so call'd because they are of the Opinion of the Latine Church who by the Eastern People are call'd Francks as also all other European People except the Greeks One Bartholomew Petit a Dominican Dominicans was Anno 1330 sent by Pope John the Twelfth to Convert the Armenians and was the first Arch-bishop Naxivan lying in Parsamenia or Adherjon from which Petit the Inhabitants of this Countrey receiv'd the Roman-Catholick Religion which they preserve to this day and are call'd Franck-Armenians of whom there are several thousands under the Obedience of the Arch bishop of Naxivan These Franck-Armenians reside in the Towns of Naxivan Abbaran Abbragon Calva Saltach Hascassent Carsan Xabunis Giahug Caragus Chensug and Artach where there are many Cloysters of the beforemention'd Order of St. Dominick Their Festivals Their Festivals THe Persians keep several Festivals and amongst others one in commemoration of Aaly celebrated every year with great Ceremony especially at Ispahan on the twenty fourth of the Moneth Ramadan on which day they make two Processions whereat are present not onely many Persons of Quality but also the King himself The Procession therein In the Head of this Procession are lead two Horses richly caparison'd after the manner of the Countrey on the Saddles lie Bowes Arrows Shields and Swords and on the Pummels thereof hand two Turbants and which things represent the Arms of the Deceased Aaly then come several Men carrying huge Pennons or Flags next follows the Bier cover'd with black Velvet under which lie all manner of offensive and defensive Armor as also Plumes and other such like Ornaments about this go divers sorts of Musical Instruments and Singers Persons of Quality follow on Horseback but the vulgar sort on foot Those that accompany this Procession take a turn about the Maidan stopping a while before the Gate of King's Palace and also before that of the great Mosque where after having pour'd forth their Prayers every one returns to his own Habitation The Visier of Ispahan and the King's Treasurer also appear on the Maidan one on one side and the other on the other accompany'd by many Horsemen which keep off the throng of People and likewise prevent Quarrels The Festival of Roses The Festival of Roses is kept when Roses blossom and continues as long as that Season lasts At this Feast they have peculiar Dances after their barbarous Musick not onely in the Evening but at Midinight and Noon-day in publick places and Coffee-houses the Servants whereof being all expert in their manner Dance from Street to Street with great delight and use several postures like our Morris-Dancers follow'd with great Acclamations of the People with lighted Torches Lanterns and Basons full of Lamps which they carry on their Heads and strewing Roses in all places as they pass for which every one that meets them gives them a small piece of Money In other places especially out of the City the Men and Women flock together Frolicking and making Garlands of Roses so that this Feast seems to have some resemblance with that of the Goddess Flora. All the Mahumetans according to an ancient Custom make many Offerings on the tenth of the twelfth or last Moneth Difilhatze killing two or three Lambs in each of their Houses where they eat one part thereof and give the other part to the Poor Customs in Persia differing from the Turks But they have another Custom in Persia much differing from that us'd among Turks and Arabians for in all eminent Towns and Places where the King resides whether in a City or in the Camp they Offer a Camel with great Ceremony because they say Abraham in stead of his Son who they believe was Ismael and not Isaac Offer'd a Camel and not a Ram as the Scripture makes mention but the Turks affirm that it was a Ram and not a Camel and therefore mock at the Persians Offering of Camels though perhaps they agree in that of Ismael They Offer their Camels after the following manner Three days before the Biram they lead the Camel prepar'd for Offering about and through all places of the City The manner of their Camel-Offerings and being hung full of Garlands and cover'd with Flowers and Herbs is attended by several Men playing on Pipes and beating on Drums which are follow'd by a Molla or Preacher who Sings their Creed and several Hymns whil'st the Spectators endeavor as the Camel passes by to pluck off some of the Hair which if they obtain they judge themselves born in a happy hour and preserve the same as a holy Rellick wherefore if those who are appointed to clear the Way did not prevent them the poor Beast would undoubtedly be torn in pieces before it could possibly be brought to the place of Offering or at least come thither with a naked Skin After having thus led the Camel about three days all the Nobility together with King go on the fourth or Biram day richly Habited to the Muffale that is The House of Prayer which every City hath a little distance from it set a part on purpose for this Offering whither the Camel being brought one of the chiefest amongst the Company being Porter to the Kings Haram or some other noted Person takes a Spear and runs it into the Camels right side being laid bound on the Ground whereupon several fall on promiscuously with Battel-Axes Clubs Knives and Swords cutting the Beast into a thousand pieces What remains of this Camels Flesh is boyl'd some part of it fresh and the rest salted and kept which they looking upon as Consecrated preserve with great care as being an infallible Cure against all Distempers and therefore never eat thereof but when sick onely the Head is according to the Custom of the Countrey sent to the King 's Court. This Biram Day is proclaim'd at the rising of the Sun with Trumpets Drums and other Instruments as also by the discharging of great Guns The great Feast Asciur On the first day of the new Moon which happens in the latter end of December or in the beginning of January or if the Moon appears first in the night on the succeeding day they begin to keep the high Feast Asciur in commemoration of Hossein which lasts ten days during which the Persians manifest their sorrow for his unhappy Death the manner whereof hath been already related They Habit themselves like People overwhelm'd with Grief and Despair neither shaving the Hair nor bathing themselves not onely abstaining from what their Law forbids but
his Successors have us'd that Title and though there are a great number of Sophies through all Persia yet we must know they are all Ecclesiasticks The right Name which the Persians give to their King is Schach or Sa after the Italian pronunciation which signifies King or Patxa which others write Padischa that is The supream Schach or King of Kings They also call him Sahib that is Lord or Governor Some also affirm that the Kings are likewise nam'd Choda or Chodohon which in the Persian Tongue signifies God but that is onely a mistake for Choda or Chodabende as the Sir-name of Schach-Abbas's Father the natural signification of the word is one that is oblig'd to God At the Persian Court are many which bear the Title of King as Chan and Sultan have the significations of King the one in the Turkish and the other in the Persian Tongue which proceeds from hence because the chief Princes of Persia to make themselves the more eminent will have Subjects that are styl'd Kings though in truth they are but Vice-Roys Mirza its signification Mizza or Mirza is in the Arabick properly a Title of Honor and signifies Prince or more peculiarly A Prince of the Blood according to which signification the eldest Son who is Heir apparent to the Crown bears no other Name being generally call'd Sultan Mirza i.e. Prince of the Realm Persons of Quality generally bear two Names besides a third which is a Title of Honor which last is commonly put behind as Assa Chan Beid that is Isa or Jesus Chan Lord which is quite contrary to the Christians who always place their Title before their Name How the Turks style the Persian Kings The Turkish Emperor in his Letters to the King of Persia doth not style him Schach but Schach Ogli that is A holy Mans or Prophets Son The King to be distinguish'd from other Persons wears a red Turbant differing in fashion from others with twelve Ribbons instituted by Schach Ismael in commemoration of the twelve Sons of Aaly from whom he boasted his Extract This Turbant which some call Tage or Tache is as much with them as a Crown with us Minadoi tells us that the first Calif or Mustaed Dini puts the said Turbant on the King's Head at his Coronation or taking upon him the Government The King also wears his Turbant after another manner than other People for that which they wear before he wears behind which none in all Persia dares do but himself upon pain of Death The Kingdom descends by Inheritance This Kingdom is Hereditary and the King 's eldest Son always succeeds him in the Throne So long as there be any Heirs of the lawful Wife they Inherit but for want of such those that are begotten on the Chassees or Concubines and for defect of such it devolves upon the deceased King's nearest Relations These as also those that boast themselves to be deriv'd from the old Sefi are call'd Schach Elwend or Schachavends that is Successor of Schach and have great Priviledges in the Countrey yet for the most part live very sparingly The Houses in which the King's Children are born they make priviledg'd places and if it be from the Court and in any remote place the House is immediately inclos'd with a Wall The Kings Arms. In ancient times the Kings of Persia bore a Crescent proper for their Coat of Arms as the Greeks the Sun but now it is quite contrary for the Persians bear a Sun and the Turks which possess Greece a Half-Moon But Schach Sefi bore in his Great Seal which was about the bigness of a Half-Crown nothing but this Inscription I Schach Sefi am a zealous Servant of the onely God and about the edges was Engraven Aaly they may say of you what they please I am always your Friend who before this Seal doth not account himself Dust and Earth though he be an Angel may he be turn'd to Dust and Ashes His Coronation The Coronation is celebrated in Ispahan though formerly at Cafa or Cufa near Bagdad but remov'd from thence by reason of the too near neighborhood of the Turks the manner of it is as followeth On a Table an Ell high they lay as many rich Carpets as there have been Kings of that Dignity since the beginning of Schach Ismael Sefi upon these they set their new King to whom the chief Chans carry the Crown which he kisses three times in the Name of GOD Mahomet and Aaly and then rubbing his Forehead with the same his Chamberlain whom they call Lele sets it upon his Head at which they all cry God save the King God grant him to Reign from one to a thousand years then kissing his Feet they bring him great Presents and spend the day in Mirth and Jollity Minadoy tells us that the chief Calif sets the Turbant or Tage on the King's Head at his entring into the Throne but they take no Oaths nor have any Restrictions laid upon them Their Burying-place The Kings and those of the Royal Family are generally bury'd at Ardebil and lie interr'd round about Schach Sefi's Tomb. When the King appears at any publick Meeting he is generally accompany'd besides twelve Courtiers with the Seder Minatzim and Hakim The Hakim is his Physician and tells him what Meat is wholsom and what unwholsom The Minatzim is his Astrologer who acquaints him with all the good and bad Hours wherein he is to undertake any great Design and is herein credited like an Oracle the King undertaking nothing without his Advice The Seder is the chief of the Clergy and is as the Muffi amongst the Turks elected by the King and Casi being generally a Learned Man well skill'd in the Alcoran and must be ready to give his Opinion on all such things as are demanded of him because according to his Judgment they pass Sentence Some Decrees are also Pass'd by the Seder himself who Sealing them with his own Signet sends the same to die King who writes under him This is the Opinion of the Seder which We confirm under which he puts his Great Seal The Causes of Citizens are Judg'd by other Lawyers who are call'd Orf and are under the chief Judge Diwanbeki who is no less experienc'd in the Mahumetan Tenents than the Seder Their Juridical Courts The Days on which they keep their Courts of Judicature are Mondays and Thursdays on which they meet at Ispahan near the King's Palace in a publick arch'd place where they hear and determine Causes and if any thing chance to come before them which they judge to be of too great consequence for them to decide then they order it to be heard before the King The Punishments of Offenders All Offenders or Criminals are punish'd with extream severity the manner whereof is several and many times invented by the Judges according to the nature of the Crimes but the most asual are to cut off their Noses Hands and Feet ripping
occasion requires he wets the Seal with Ink which the King constantly wears about his Neck to make an Impression with from whence he also receives his Denomination Dawat or Ink-carrier for the Persians Print all their seals wetted with Ink on Paper in stead of making Impressions in Wax Mohur signifies a Signet or Seal-Ring and the word Dar which hath a general signification of Officer is us'd in a commanding sense in stead of having as if you would say Haver or Keeper of the Seal Besides the Great Seal the King hath a less Signet to seal his Letters withal which he sends to his Vice-Roys and Governors and other publick Writings wherewith no Person is intrusted for the King wears the same in his Ring and makes an Impression with his own Hand therewith The Myrachurbasschi is the Master of the Horse Myrischicar the chief Falconer Sechhahnbaschi the Huntsman Jesaulcor like our Knight Marshal which rides before the King and with a Cane clears the way is under the Lord Marshal and hath a Deputy under him call'd Jesaul which are as our Marshals Men whom he imploies on all occasions and sometimes to apprehend Malefactors Suflretzi the King's Carver Abdar the King's Cup-bearer who has deliver'd to him the Wine or Water for the King 's drinking in a seal'd Vessel which he publickly opens and so presents it to the King Chasinedar the Treasurer Ambadar the Purveyor of Corn Jesaul Nesar the Person that keeps the Kings Shoes when he goes into the Hall Mehmandar or Mehimander he that provides Lodgings and all other Necessaries for Forraign Ambassadors and not onely waits upon them but also acquaints the King with their business he being the first that hath any knowledge thereof given him nay all Affairs of what consequence soever must pass through his Hands though the Agents were sent from other Princes to treat of nothing else but Matters of State which makes the Mehimander to be in great Esteem and Reputation The King also ordains another peculiar Mehimander to take care and provide for such Ambassadors as he esteems more than ordinary the other Officers are of meaner degree viz. the Isauly are a People who as Messengers wait at Court and are sent abroad on all occasions The Kischiktzibaschi is Captain of the Guard as the Tzabedar is Master of the Ordnance and the Tzartzi chief Herald at Arms who proclaimeth all the King's Edicts The Tzelaudarbaschi is Captain of the King's Horse-Guard and Master of the Stirrop The Mostofi is the principal Secretary of State who is permitted to keep several Clarks The Seraidar or Surveyor of the Works who keeps in repair pair the King's Pallaces The Clitar serves as Porter the Muschrift is the Clark of the Kitchin the Cannati is the Confectioner the Sbherbedar buies all the King's Sweet-meats the Omatzdar being an Archer teaches His Majesties Pages and other Courtiers to shoot at Marks the Bildars are Pyoneers which keep constantly at the Court and attend when the King travels cleaning the ways or cutting steps in rocky Ascents which otherwise the Camels having round feet are not able to climb they also help to pitch the Tents and dig deep Pits in the ground for water The Schatir are the Footmen the Rica carry Battel-axes and oftentimes perform the office of Execution and always attend the King as his Life-guard All Officers or Servants belonging to the Court have each according to their Qualities great Pension or Salary which is not paid them out of the King's Revenue or Treasury but from several Villages which are allotted for that purpose The Allowance of the Chans The Chans have certain Lands and Villages thereto belonging allowed them yet they receive the Revenue and are as Magistrates judging and determining all things but Matters of Life and Death some have certain Customs given them others receive for their Salary the Taxes laid on Houses of Entertainment They hold durance beneplacito All the foremention'd Officers keep their places during the King's pleasure who seldom discharges them but for Misdemeanor or else to prefer them to some greater Dignity The most eminent Officers and Courtiers belonging to the King which were living Anno 1640. in the time of Schach Sofi and had serv'd also his Predecessor Schach Abbas being of a mean condition Schach Sefi kill'd all but two viz. the one a Herdsman's Son the other a Slave to Schach Abbas who were afterwards by Sefi promoted to greater Dignity Those that he put to Death were Eahtemad-Dowlet a Scriveners Son born in Mazanderan The Wakenuis or Privy-Counsellor a Rusticks Son born in the Village Dermen near Casbijn most of them had Christian Parents viz. Georgians Circassians or Armenians for the Persians repose greater confidence in a Chistian if he be circumciz'd than in one of their own Religion Their highest Oath The King is exceedingly honor'd in his Realm when any one takes an Oath they never swear but by the King's Head which is accounted the most sacred and solemn of all other Their Complements In their wishing of Joy and Happiness one to another they say not God give you Joy but in the Turkish Language Schach Mura di sun that is I wish that the King may shew his favor to you and many other things they attribute to their King which belong to God onely All see the King once a year According to an antient Custom in Persia and the Command of King Abbas none dare though a person of but an indifferent Estate neglect to see the King and shew him Reverence once a year On their Neuruz or New-years Day the King according to an antient Custom receives Presents from all his chief Officers unless the day be suspected ominous for then the King never comes out of his Haram or Seraglio How the King gives Audience to Ambassadors as we have before mention'd The King seldom grants Audience to any Ambassadors in private but always at a publick Dinner and in presence of all the Guests notwithstanding their business be never so secret No Persian whatsoever whether Subject or Stranger may appear before the King without great Presents nay not the Ambassadors from strange Princes which is a very antient Custom and was as Philostratus tell us us'd in the time of the Kings of Media The King expects Presents The Kings of Persia demand Presents from those that are their Homagers who pay no Tribute and this Custom is kept amongst all Eastern Princes to this very day they publickly provide that if any Foreigners bring Presents that are not thought fit for the Emperors Greatness they make him remain still there with more of the like Petitioners so by that means their Presents make the greater shew and appear the more glorious to the Spectators they report further that if the Present seems not equivalent to the King's Greatness there is an addition out of the Wardrobe silently hinting that they or whoever else cannot come too well provided
stay all the Avenues and Ways are guarded to keep out the men whil'st the Women sometimes spend whole Nights in several Pastimes by Torch and Candle-light All places fitted for the King's Reception and the Reason why The King's Gardens in all his Royal Cities as in Ispahan Casbin c. are provided with Concubines Slaves and all manner of Necessaries because the King stays not long in one place neither goes with much Company for he often travels with onely two or three Horse-men which many times ride so hard that they finish a Journey of thirty days in five or six to which purpose he keeps exceeding swift Horses at appointed Stages where they always stand ready saddl'd and bridl'd because they are uncertain of his coming and because his Train cannot follow him with that speed therefore he hath a House in most of the wall'd Cities of his Realm furnished with all manner of Necessaries The Kings Palace a priviledg'd place The King 's Douletchane or Pallace in Ispahan is a priviledg'd Place or Sanctuary for all Malefactors that fly thither and touch the Ring Hammer or Knocker of the Gate which is in such esteem or Veneration that the whole Court receive it's Name Astane from it and as a Token thereof when they name this Royal Knocker they add the Word Doulet thereto that is good Luck and say Astane Doulet that is the Knocker of good Luck and understand the King's Court by the same Another priviledg'd place The Alcapy is also a priviledg'd Place where no Person nay not the King himself hath power to touch any Malefactor or Debtor wherefore many flying thither stay there till they have compounded with their Creditors The Familiarity of the King The King as also most of the Nobility in Persia cause most of their Meat to be drest in their Presence nay prepare the same with their own Hands nay more than this he for all his greatness sometimes makes himself very familiar amongst his Subjects eats as he passes along the Streets and in the midst of the Bazars or Exchanges often standing still before a Cooks Shop and sees what Meat they dress and sometimes goes unexpectedly into a Tradesman's House where sitting down he eats with great and unimaginable freedom The King's Lodgings In the Chambers or Tents in which the King sleeps are always eight or ten Beds made ready so that no person knows which he intends to lie on nay sometimes when he wakes in the night he goes from one Bed to another and so lies on three or four in one Night which he doth to no other end but to prevent sudden Assassination and that by that Means he might have time to Arm himself for his Defence In many of the High-ways the King hath divers Houses and Gardens the Houses for the most part are built and furnish'd after one fashion viz. small with many little Chambers which have divers Doors The Walls and Cielings being very smooth are Painted and richly Gilded yet without Order or Art The Kings Houses The King hath many handsom Houses but his chiefest Court is kept at Ispahan in the Summer and in the Winter in Ferhabad In the beginning of the Moneth Ramadhan His Hunting which is our Lent the King goes to Abicurrong in the Mountains to take the fresh Air and to Hunt in which Sport he spends several days attended by some thousands of People At the Ears of those Beasts which the King takes alive he hangs golden Plates on which are Engraven certain Marks and then setting them at Liberty again often re-takes them nay some have been taken who have had the Marks of King Thamas Ismael Sefi and other ancient Princes In all the Provinces of Persia Bull-baiting Bull-baiting is very common but especially about Caxem the Inhabitants whereof travel up and down into several Countreys to find out the strongest and fairest Bulls which they bring to Ispahan where upon the Maidan or Market-place naked Men Encounter with them Musical Instruments among the Persians In the Kings Palace at any Entertainment as also at Entertainments in Noblemens Houses are commonly young Women who Dance to the sound of a Diara or little Drum but their common Instruments are Cymbals and Citterns yet besides these they have another call'd Scig made of Copper round and hollow within which holding in one Hand they strike upon it with the other but the chiefest Instrument is a Tabor hung round about with Bells This Instrument is very common in all the Eastern Countreys but especially in Persia the Inhabitants whereof take such delight in them that the King never makes any great Entertainment but he always hath several who Dance to the sound of it Their Dancing The manner of Dancing us'd by the Persians is not unpleasing for they Sing and Dance together in a King he that leads the Dance Sings a Verse or two of some merry Song the rest bearing the Chorus or Burden The Nobles also at the Kings Court every Evening at the sound of several Instruments play at a certain Game with a Hammer and Ball not unlike our Palmall which every one that pleases may come and see The Recreation of the Nobles The King often invites mean Persons that are well experienc'd in this Game to play at it which is perform'd after this manner viz. The Gamesters divide themselves into two Parties on Horseback one at each end of the place where the Game is to be play'd and with a woodden Hammer which they hold in the right Hand they strike a light woodden Ball not with the flat Head of the Hammer but with the side which is somewhat hollow'd out at the set Mark in which the winning of the Game consists without any wrangling or dispute but the chiefest part of the Game is to follow the Ball and strike it beyond the Mark before those at the other end can prevent them Great dexterity is requir'd in this Game and also exceeding swiftness as well of he Horse as the Rider and this is the onely way whereby the Persians learn to Ride so well Those that play are also dress'd after a peculiar manner in Clothes of several colours with rich Turbants adorn'd with Plumes of Feathers and other Ornanents They have another Exercise call'd The Baiting of the Wolf Wolf-baiting but it is us'd by none but the inferior sort of People viz. A Wolf being let loose the People having each Man a Cloak on encompass the Beast in great numbers shouting and hollowing and if at any time the enraged Wolf falls in amongst them and seizes any one the whole Croud rescue the Person in danger and assail the Beast And these two are the chiefest and most esteemed Exercises amongst the Persians The Furniture of their Tables at Meals All the Chans and other great Lords residing at the Kings Court being prime Officers of State have their Tables spread with a large eight corner'd Carpet
Cashan Theheran Hamadan Meschet and Kirman pay great Tributes to the King Della Valle affirms that in Ispahan and several other eminent Cities there are no Chans because they are Royal Cities and the King many times keeps his Court there On the Feast of Neuruz all annual Officers are chosen especially the Darago's the chiefest whereof enter upon their Employments in great State with the sound of many Instruments How they reverence the Kings The King 's Vice-Roys whither Sultans or Chans of what Degree soever when coming out of any remote Province to make their appearance before the King or when they take leave or are to return to their own Countreys they kneel on both Knees before the King and kiss his Feet and in testimony of Honor squeeze the same against their Foreheads which they do three several times This Ceremony they perform divers times as they walk about the King which they commonly do three times one after another thereby to manifest that those who perform this Ceremony make themselves Sureties against all Misfortunes whatsoever that may befall the King It is also a Custom amongst them to make a Circle with their Hands about the Heads of those whom they would shew Honor to and wish that all future Misfortunes and such as have already hapned unto them may fall on themselves This Action is accounted by them a sign of a perfect and faithful Friendship Thus much of the modern State and manner of Government in Persia now it will be necessary to give you a short Account after what manner it was Govern'd in former times THe King of Persia anciently styl'd himself The Great King especially at that time when they had conquer'd the Greeks But Suidas tells us that these Monarchs were not satisfi'd with this Title but assum'd to themselves the Title of The King of Kings as appears by the Inscription on Cyrus's Tomb. Their order of Succession The Sons of these Kings succeeded them which was also observ'd amongst the Parthians when they had made themselves Masters of this Realm and when the Persians were afterwards restor'd they still maintain'd the same Custom The eldest Son according to the Laws of Nature Inherited before the younger but if he was born before his Father came to the Crown then he that was first born after his being King succeeded him in the Throne They never gave the Crown to a one-ey'd squint-ey'd or deformed Person as appears by the squinting Son of Cahade or Robad who notwithstanding he was a valiant Man yet for the Blemish in his Sight was disinherited But when the Persian Monarchy began to decay this Custom was laid aside and the Crown became elective but the Nobility who had Voices therein still reserv'd it for those who were of Royal Extract Natural Sons succeeded not their Fathers in the Throne so long as there remain'd any that were legitimate yet notwithstanding the illegitimate Darius was chosen before Isogee lawful Son to Artaxerxes When the King at any time went out of his Dominions he was oblig'd to nominate a Deputy to Govern during his absence Ceremonies at Installing the King The Kings were by the Priests of their Countrey with great Ceremony Inaugurated after this manner viz. They were led into a Temple of a warlike Goddess where they pull'd off their Clothes and put on those which Cyrus us'd to wear when he was but a private Person which done they are a few Figs chew'd a little Turpentine and drank a draught of sower Milk They incircled the Heads of these new Kings with a Crown or Mitre and a Cydaris which was made of Purple and ty'd with a blue Ribbon mix'd with white King Sapor instead of a Crown wore a Cap made like a Rams Head beset with Precious Stones They also wore a Tiara or Turbant like those which the Magistrates of the several Provinces wore but with this distinction that those of the Kings stood upright and the other bended behind The Honor of putting the Crown on the Kings Head belong'd to a peculiar Person call'd Surene who was the second Nobleman in the Kingdom The Habit or Robes of the King The Kings of Persia also wore a long Vest hanging below their Ancles which was embroider'd with several Representations of Birds Beasts and the like and beset with Gold and Precious Jems They likewise wore a Coat with Sleeves call'd Candis differing from those of the other Persians both in colour being Purple and value moreover the Subjects durst not approach any Man without hiding their Hands in their Sleeves but the Kings held them out The Kings Habit as Xenophon says was also half purple and half white which none else might wear They likewise wore long Hair Pendants a Girdle and long Stockings like the other Persians They were honor'd like Gods for those that approach'd them bow'd not onely their Heads and Bodies but fell flat on their Faces with their Hands upon their Backs in which posture they lay as long as they suppos'd him to be in sight which was also perform'd by Strangers who were not permitted to see the King unless they promis'd to worship him after the Persian manner for otherwise they were forc'd to let him know their Business by Proxy or else in Writing which when he perus'd he return'd his Answer without being seen Those that Saluted the King wish'd him Everlasting Life and perpetual Government but he seldom appear'd to his People who were not permitted to set a Foot into the Royal Palace without his Majesty's leave but his Noblemen waited without at the Door to receive his Commands His Throne was of massie Gold which none durst touch and if at any time the King went abroad they strew'd the Streets and Ways which he was to pass with Flowers and every where burnt Perfumes They likewise kept the Kings Birth-day every year with making of Offerings and other great testimonies of joy and whence dy'd the whole Kingdom Mourn'd for five days together during which time all Courts of Judicature were shut up Their Câ—urts very unâ—â—â—taiâ— but magnificent These great Princes had no setled place of Residence but spent the Winter in Babylon the Lent at Susa and the Summer at Ecbataue besides which they had several other Royal Palaces as at Pasargades and Persepolis but when the Parthians were Masters of Persia Chusistan was the chief Seat of the Realm Their Royal Palaces were very stately and magnificent having many great Officers attendant insomuch that Apuleius call'd them The Houses of Gold They would never eat of any other Bread but what was brought out of the Province of Aeolia Their Diâ—â— and of all things the Kingdom afforded the First-fruits were sent to the King also their Salt Armoniack was brought to them out of Egypt They drank of the Wine Chaliboonien brought from Assyria and no other Water but what was taken out of the Stream Choaspes which glides by Susa The Inhabitants of those Places through
which they travell'd always Entertain'd them at a Banquet on which they spent above twenty or thirty Talents They generally Din'd alone but sometimes their Wives and Children were permitted to sit with them at their Table as also the Kings Mother and Brothers If the King invited any to eat with him they sat with a Curtain drawn between them in such a manner that the King could see them and not be seen again King Cyrus as Xenophon observ'd plac'd those in whom he repos'd greatest confidence on his left and others on his right side because they say the left side lies more open to those that design to do Mischief than the right But these Entertainments were without freedom because the Guests were forc'd to cat with bowing Heads and cast-down Eyes The Kings never appear'd on foot to the People but always came out of the Palaces either in a Coach or else on Horseback Their care in visiting their Provinces They were wont to visit their several Provinces or else to send faithful Lieutenants to such Places where they could not go themselves to give order to all Husbandmen to let no Ground lie waste that the Merchants should promote their Traffick and Handicraftsmen be diligent in following their Employments that so they might be the better able to pay them their Tribute They also kept several Noblemen call'd Megistanes who always waited at their Doors to receive their Commands besides the Surene or Magistrate who set the Crown on the Kings Head and several who constantly attended to receive Ambassadors or all such as had Business with the King into whose Presence they could not be permitted without them Great numbers of Eunuchs were also kept at the Kings Court who attended on the Queens and Concubines The Kings Secretaries The Kings likewise kept their Secretaries who going into the Wars with them writ down all the Passages thereof as also the Edicts or Letters Patents which were given to the Governors the beginning whereof were to this effect The King saith thus Moreover when he writ to his Commanders he wish'd them Peace as also they to him His Letters were not onely written in one Language but in the several Languages of those People whom they Govern'd There were also some whose Office it was to tell the King the hour of the day and many other such like Officers amongst whom were some call'd The Eyes and Ears of the King Those Kings that liv'd lasciviously endeavor'd to die without pain by means of a Poyson which they kept onely for themselves and their Mothers This Poyson was made of the Dung of a small Indian Bird call'd Dicodre a piece whereof about the bigness of a Barley-corn being put into their Liquor caus'd them to die an easie and also a sudden Death They had stately Tombs at Persepolis Their Tombs Pasargades and Ecbatane on all which were Motto's and Inscriptions Engraven Education of their Sons The Kings Sons were highly reverenc'd and taught in the seventh year of their Age to Hunt and Ride the great Horse The eldest who was to succeed in the Throne was in his fourteenth year committed to the Charge of four Tutors who amongst the Persians were accounted the most wise just sober and valiant Men in their Dominions the first taught him Wisdom and the Rules of Government the second admonished him to affect Truth the third to curb the Desires of the Flesh and the fourth to fear nothing The Reward of approved Counsel If it hapned that any Man undertook to give the King Advice or Counsel in Business of great consequence he was plac'd on a square Cushion of Gold which he was permitted to carry away with him if his Advice was approv'd of but if not he was whipt about the Court. One of the Gentlemen of the Bed-Chamber wak'd the King every Morning and desir'd him to rise and mind the Concerns of the Kingdom which the God Merosomasdes had given to him They themselves judg'd and determin'd Causes pass'd the Sentence of Death on Criminals whom they kept some time in Prison before they were Executed They never condemn'd any Man for one single Crime but enquir'd what the general course of his Life had been and if they found that he had done more good than bad Deeds they releas'd him but if otherwise he was punish'd They also chose their Judges out of the most experienc'd Men in the Persian Law who enjoy'd their Places during their Lives What their Law prohibited Their Laws forbad Stealing Burglary to use violence to any and to rebell against their Princes Malefactors were committed to Prison with silver Shackles and golden Handbolts In the latâ—er time of the Persian Monarchy they had a Prison call'd Lethe into which were onely put Criminals that were condemn'd to die The Punishment of Nobles If any of their Nobility had committed a a Crime they de-oculated them but others were punish'd after another manner They cut not their Heads off with an Ax but a Rasor Sometimes they cut off the Head and right Hand of a Malefactor and nail'd them on a Cross others they burnt flay'd alive or ston'd to death Such as have many Children highly rewarded The King gave Gifts to all those that increas'd their Families by many Children and Registred the Names of those that at any time had done them good Service that when time and opportunity serv'd they might be requited nay they permitted them to sit by them kiss'd them and gave them a Silk Coat made after the fashion of the Medes and gave them leave to wear a Chain of Gold about their Necks and golden Armlets also a golden Simiter which is the greatest Mark of Honor amongst the Persians and as highly reverenc'd as the Star and Garter by us besides golden Reyns for their Horses They also gave them the Revenue of some Towns and the Command of an Army but the greatest of all his Royal Gifts was a golden Slipper The Division of the Countrey The whole Kingdom was divided into Satrapia's Counties or Lordships though Writers differ in the number of them for as some affirm Darius divided the same first into 360 Lordships over which three more principal Satrapae were plac'd Others write that Darius had onely a hundred and twelve Satrapia's or Lordships whose Governors were forc'd to give an Account of their Government to the first three Some also make more and others less But after the Parthians had made themselves Masters of Persia they divided the whole Realm into twenty Satrapia's several of them being Govern'd by one Person These Lordships were given to the Kings Sons and the King often in his Will gave all the Cities thereof to his youngest Son The Office of these Governors was to Command the Inhabitants protect their Goods gather in the Revenues and advise the King of all Transactions Besides these Governors of Countreys there were others who order'd Husbandmen Tradesmen and other People to be
ARsaces the first Parthian King of Persia 2. Mithridates or Arsaces the Second invaded by Antiochus the Great but with little effect 3. Pampatius 4. Phraartes Son of Pampatius 5. Mithridates the Second Brother of Phraartes He conquer'd the Medes and very much enlarged his Dominion 6. Phraartes the Second 7. Artabanus Uncle to Phraartes the Second 8. Pacorus Son of Artabanus 9. Mithridates the Third the Brother of Pacorus 10. Horodes Brother of Mithridates whom he kill'd and took the Crown This was he that fought with and vanquish'd M. Crassus the great Roman Consul but brought under by Ventidius one of the Lieutenants of Mark Anthony and at last slain by his Son 11. Phraartes the Third who after a long War submitted himself and Kingdom to Augustus Caesar restoring the Ensigns and freeing the Captives taken at the Defeat of Crassus He was kill'd by his Son 12. Phraartes the Fourth who succeeded him 13. Horodes the Second Son of Phraartes the Fourth slain in a Tumult 14. Vonon took his Place but was depos'd by 15. Tiridates with whom the People being displeas'd for his submission to the Roman Power one Artabanus a Stranger to the Blood of the Arsacidae taking advantage thereof kill'd Tiridates seiz'd the Kingdom and became the Head of another Parthian Family of which we find upon Record the Names of twelve Kings as follows The third Dynastie 1. ARtabanus 2. Bardanes 3. Goteres 4. Vonones 5. Vologeses 6. Artabanus the Second 7. Pacorus 8. Chosroes who lost Armenia and Mesopotamia to the Emperor Trajan 9. Parmaspates 10. Vologeses the Second 11. Vologeses the Third 12. Artabanus the Third This was the last King of this new Parthian Race from whom the Diadem was once more translated to the natural Persians by Artaxerxes a Nobleman who became the Head of the next Race The fourth Dynastie of natural Persian Kings Anno Christi 228 1. ARtaxerxes the first Raiser of the Family 2. Sapores who took Prisoner the Emperor Valerianus 3. Ormisdates 4. Vararanes the First 5. Vararanes the Second 6. Vararanes the Third 7. Narses He discomfited Galerius and ruin'd his Army but was afterwards defeated by him 8. Misdates 9. Sapor the Second a great and puissant Prince but a Persecuter of the Christians 10. Artaxerxes the Second 11. Sapor the Third 12. Vararanes the Fourth 13. Isdigertes a great Favorite of the Emperor Arcadius 14. Vararanes the Fifth 15. Vararanes the Sixth 16. Peroses 17. Valens 18. Cabades depos'd a Friend to the Christians 19. Lambases 20. Cabades restor'd 21. Chosroes the Great a constant Enemy of the Romans 22. Hormisda 23. Chosroes the Second a great Enemy to the Emperor Heraclius from whom he took Mesopotamia Assyria and the Holy-Land which when the Emperor recover'd in despight he caus'd all the Christians to turn Nestorians 24. Siroes the First 25. Adhesir 26. Sarbatus 27. Barnarius 28. Hormisda the Second and the last of this Dynastie who being first weakned by Civil Dissentions was at last vanquish'd by Haumar a Saracen Calif who held it for a while These Arabians or Saracens carry'd it so absolutely that the Persians were forc'd to deny their Names but their Deputies quarrelling amongst themselves one Tangrolipix of the Turkish Race Founded a new Dynastie The fifth Dynastie being of the Turkish Line Anno Ghristi 1030 1. TAngrolipix the first Raiser of this House 2. Axan the Son of Tangrolipix He dispossess'd the Christians of a great part of Asia Minor 3. Balak Sultan of Persia in the beginning of the Wars in the Holy-Land 4. Cassanes the last of this Race being absolutely conquer'd by the Cham of Tartary An. 1202. The sixth Dynastie being Tartarian Kings of Persia Anno Christi 1260 1. THe Cham of Tartary having utterly extinguish'd the whole Family of the Galif of Bagdet in the Year 1260 made Haalon or Vlah Kukkan King of Persia and the first of that Line and was succeeded by his Son 2. Habkakaihon the Son of Haalon 3. Nikador-Oglan the Brother of Habkakaihon a Mahumetan 4. Argon Khon the eldest Son of Habkakaihon 5. Gemotakhon Brother of Argon 6. Badukhon Uncle to the last 7. Gazun the Son of Argon Khon who made Casbin his Imperial Seat 8. Aliapta who remov'd the Court to Tauris and built Sultania a City of Media 9. Abusaid the Son of Aliapta and the last of this House After his Death there was nothing but confusion every neighboring Prince seizing into his own hands what he could lay hold of till at last the Armenians got the Diadem and began the seventh Dynastie The seventh Dynastie Anno Christi 1472 1. Ussan Cassanes Son of Tracheton a poor Armenian Prince began this Dynastie by a Victory obtain'd against Zeuzes one of the most powerful Rulers of Persia and having held the Crown some years left it to his second Son 2. Jacub who beat the Mamaluckes out of Mesopotamia and Assyria but was at last poyson'd by his Wife 3. Julaver a Kinsman of Jacubs kill'd by 4. Baisinger a Prince of the Blood that liv'd in Adultery with Jacub's Wife 5. Rustan set upon by Aider or Schach Aider of the Sophian Race which now began to appear in great Eminence and Power 6. Alamat the last King of this House Fought with the beforemention'd Aider and slew him but his Son Ismael Sofi taking up the Quarrel and having overcome and slain Alamat and his Son Elwan he was Crown'd King or Shaugh of Persia and became Head of the present Royal Family in that Dominion The eighth Dynastie being of the Sophian Race Anno Christi 1505 1. Ismael Sofi the Founder of this Family had great Wars with the Turks especially with Selimus the First 2. Tamas the Son of Ismael overcome in some Fields by Solyman the Magnificent who tore from him divers great Countreys having been part of his Dominions 3. Aider the second Son of Tamas by the Imprisonment of his Brother seiz'd the Kingdom but was quickly depriv'd of it and made away by his own Sister Periancona 4. Ismael the Second eldest Son of Tamas Reigned two years at the end of which he was murther'd by the same Periancona his Sister 5. Mahomet Chodabend being advanc'd to the Throne immediately caus'd her to be Beheaded Before he was well setled Amurath the Third took from him a great part of Armenia Media and Georgia 6. Abas commonly call'd Schach Abbas second Son of Chodabende having murther'd his elder Brother stept into the Throne and undertaking with great resolution the War against the Turks regain'd the greatest part of what his Predecessor had lost and withal made a large addition of the Kingdoms of Ormus Heri Candahor and Hircania 7. Soffye the Nephew of Abas by his Son Myrza succeeded his Uncle at the age of fifteen years but after his coming to age very fortunately maintain'd the War against the Turks The Countrey of Georgia Extent of Georgia THis Countrey comprehends all that Land which the Ancients nam'd Colchos
another notwithstanding they were nearly related for Teimuraz his second Wife was Sister to Luarzab and had undoubtedly given Battel to one another their Armies being already drawn into the Field if they had not been prevented by means of some faithful Councellors who offering themselves to be Mediators between them in order to a Reconciliation discover'd to them that their Difference was occasion'd by the King of Persia who sought nothing but their utter ruine Moreover the King of Persia bred also Discontent and Difference between Teimuraz and his Mother Ketevan Dedupali or Queen Ketevan who then was a Widow for he perswaded Teimuraz into a belief that she was resolv'd to Marry with an eminent Commander in whom for his valor and grand policy in State Affairs she repos'd great confidence and that she endeavor'd first to destroy him that so she might bestow the Realm on another Son which she might have by her second Husband all which so incens'd the innocent Teimuraz that he caus'd the foremention'd Commander who was the prime Man of the Countrey to be put to death and took the Government from his Mother but being young unexperienc'd and little regarded by his Nobility he found himself involv'd in great troubles for the King of Persia still prosecuted his Design making him to be despis'd and esteem'd but a Child amongst the Nobles who whensoe're they came into Persia were courteously receiv'd by the King who also gave them great Presents and permitted them to use their own Religion which highly satisfi'd and pleas'd them and by this means they grew Strangers to their natural Prince After the King had for a considerable time thus acted his part he march'd with a great Army into Georgia and conquer'd the same Anno 1613. The Persian Invades Georgia under pretence that Teimuraz had Marry'd the Princess of Chaurascian Sister to Luarzab who had first been promis'd to him against his Consent Wherefore coming upon their Borders he commanded both Teimuraz and Luarzab to come into his Army to give an account of their Transactions and bring the Bride with them whom he himself had so long desir'd and that he might break off the Match with Teimuraz which had been so long before celebrated as if that which the Mahumetans make a common practice were also allow'd amongst the Christians The Georgian Princes being betray'd by their Nobles who freely shew'd the King the Way into this Countrey were exceedingly amaz'd not knowing what they should do but Luarzab being the weakest surrendred himself to his Majesty who sent him to the Province of Esterebad near the Caspian Sea very remote from Georgia where the Chan of that Countrey kept him a long time though with all civility imaginable giving him liberty to go wheresoe're he pleas'd whil'st the King without any opposition or going thither himself sent one Rairei or Bagred Myrza to Govern his Countrey And though this Bagred Myrza was of the same Family and Grandson to Luarzab yet he had long before deny'd the Christian Faith and turn'd Mahumetan Luarzab imprison'd and murther'd About the Year 1621. there Reign'd one of the said Rairei's Sons not as absolute Prince but Tributary to the Persian After Luarzab had spent some years in Esterabad the King that he might the better be assur'd of his Person commanded him to be sent to the Province of Fars or Persia where he was kept in a strong Prison not far from the City Schiras and lastly Anno 1621. when those of his Party had greatest hopes of his Enlargement and the King on a certain day had appointed to see him it fell out contrary to all their expectations for the King being inform'd by an eminent and powerful Georgian a Mahumetan and an Enemy to Luarzab who had formerly promis'd to take one of his Sisters to Wife which he afterwards refused and despised that he would never possess Luarzab's Countrey in quiet so long as he liv'd because his Subjects had a natural affection for him and had still hopes during his Life at one time or other to have him again Whereupon the jealous Persian pretending that he had discover'd a Plot of some Georgians against his Person wherein Luarzab was concern'd commanded that he should be strangled with a Bowe-string in the Castle where he was kept Prisoner But Teimuraz being more subtil would no ways venture to come to the King though commanded but excus'd himself alledging that he durst not come for fear of his Majesty's exceeding displeasure which he was inform'd of neither was it possible for him to send his Wife it being contrary to the Custom of the Christians nor would his Honor give him leave to deliver his Wife yet to shew how willing he was to obey him he sent his own Mother and Sister then a young Virgin in his stead and also his two little Sons Levan and Alexander hoping thereby to reconcile and pacifie him but all in vain for he would by no means be reconcil'd unless he might enjoy the Princess Chuarascian Teimuraz's Consort and though he knew that his Request was unreasonable and that which Teimuraz neither could nor would grant he again commanded Teimuraz to come and surrender himself which he refusing the King kept his Mother never suffering her to return but sent her with her Grandchildren to Schiras to be kept there by Imaneuli Chan of that Place and Son to Allackverdi Chan. And besides this the King march'd with his Army into Georgia that was under the Jurisdiction of Teimuraz to whom all the Nobles treacherously submitted Whereupon the Georgian Prince seeing his destruction so near at hand and having no Army ready nor time to raise one fled with his Wife and a great number of Christians into the strongest part of the Province of Imereti where he stay'd a while with the Prince of that Countrey and after that going farther tarry'd with the Prince of Odisci or Dadian whil'st many of the Nobles tempted with vain hopes surrendred themselves freely to the King of Persia deny'd their Religion and took up Arms against their own natural Prince The Persian quits the Countrey By this means the Persians possess'd Georgia but weighing the difficulty and charge of maintaining their new Conquest they not onely resolv'd not to keep the Countrey but judg'd it convenient to march thence with their Army the nearest and safest way But though they could not keep the Countrey yet they would not lose so great a Booty of so many brave People as they had taken and such as perhaps were worth more to them than the Countrey it self for which reason they forc'd them all both Men and Women as well Noble as Ignoble great and small with what Moveables they were able to carry to forsake their native Countrey whil'st the King's Army marching behind drove them into Persia where afterwards they were sent into several Provinces remote from Georgia and by this means the Provinces of Persia proper Kirman or Garmania Mazanderan at the
Caspian Sea and many more are at this day so full of Georgian and Circassian Inhabitants amongst whom the Vulgar who are the greatest number remain Christians yet are but meanly instructed by reason their Pastors are both few and ignorant but the Nobles and most of the Soldiers as also many of the common People stirr'd up partly by ambition and partly out of covetousness hoping that by changing their Religion they might obtain something from the King who was always favorable to such Apostates and gave them Gifts continually to draw them to his Opinion and partly forc'd thereto by necessity are turn'd Mahumetans With these kind of People the King's Army was so much increas'd that Anno 1622. he had above thirty thousand Georgians besides a great number of Circassians and some strange Armenians some of which bore the chief Command as well in the Army as Civil Government of the Countrey and were rais'd to many of the highest Dignities as Sultans and Chans But besides these a great number of them not onely of the Vulgar but also of the Nobility who resisting the Persians at their coming into Georgia were subdu'd and by force brought from thence and made perpetual Slaves the number whereof was formerly so great that there was scarce a House in all Persia which was not full of them The Georgian Women much desir'd by the Persian Nobility None of the Persian Nobility but covet to Marry with a Georgian rather than their own Countrey Women because they are generally more beautiful and well Limb'd King Abbas himself had his Court full of them both Men and Women and scarce made use of any other But to return to Teimuraz Teimuraz flies to the Turks who assist him with an Army who spent some time in ranging through the Countreys of other Princes at last he went into the Turks Dominions where staying some years he was made Governor of the City Cogni and some other places of Cappadocia being for the most part inhabited by Greek Christians During his abode here he study'd how to revenge himself on the Persians and to get footing again in his own Countrey and at length in 1618. obtain'd a potent Army of Turks and Tartars besides his own Militia which for the most part consisted in the Nobility of Georgia who had declar'd themselves on his side and many others who had always faithfully serv'd and accompany'd him during his Misfortunes These Nobles also took their Wives Arm'd and Mounted on good Horses along with them who following the Examples of their Husbands performed many heroick Acts. Teimuraz thus reinforc'd march'd farther into Persia than ever any of the Turks Armies had done before and at last came up to the City Ardebil which being by the Persians accounted a holy place or Sanctuary because of the Tomb of their prime Saint Schach Sefi and the Royal Seat of the King he endeavor'd by all means possible to destroy whil'st the Serdar or General Hali Bassa should with another Army of three hundred thousand Turks and Tartars keep the Persians employ'd in another part This General had also Command that however it hapned he should endeavor to make himself Master of Ardebil and afterwards settle Teimuraz Chan and Dellu Melik again in their Dominions and also to Winter in some convenient place in Carabag and re-take the Province of Scirvan and the Metropolis Schamachie This Dellu Melik was a Melik or Armenian Lord and formerly a Christian but apostatiz'd and became Substitute to the King of Persia against whom he rebell'd for the King having commanded him to carry all the Armenian Christians to Ferhabad he on the contrary carry'd them to Georgia where he united himself with Temuraz Chan who both submitted themselves to the Turks protection and by this means Melik became a great Enemy of the Persians and had himself been in the last Fight Mean while two Capigies or Messengers came into the Turkish Army with great speed from the Grand Seignior at Constantinople to the Serdar or General to tell him that he should endeavor to make as advantageous an Agreement with the Persians as he could possible and return with all expedition to Constantinople because the Europeans had invaded him in other parts so that this great preparation of the Turks came to nothing to the loss of many of his Men whil'st the Persian return'd Conqueror to his Court Teimuraz also march'd back to his Countrey which the Turk had given him to Govern The Province of Guriel Situation of Guriel Southward from Mengrelia and beyond the Black Sea on the Borders of Cappadocia Trabizonde and Cogni lies a Province call'd Guriel which as Della Valle affirms being a part of Cappadocia or Colchos and lying more Southerly from Imereti than Mengrelia was Anno 1620. Govern'd by one of the two last Princes call'd Jese and the other Prince Govern'd Mengrelia The Province of Mengrelia anciently Colchis The Borders of Mengrelia THe Countrey which the Ancients call'd Colchis is at this day by the Inhabitants nam'd Dadian and Odisci and by the Turks Mengrelia It borders in the East upon the River Fas or Faso by the Inhabitants nam'd Rione near the Province of Imereti or Basciaciuk in the South looks upon Guriel in the North touches the Countrey of the Abcassians in the West conterminates with the Black Sea and Circassian Mountains and in the North-East respects at some distance Mount Caucasus Niger and Ananias make it to border in the East upon Georgia in the West at a Bay of the Black Sea in the North at the Asiatick Sarmatia and in the South on a part of Cappadocia and the Countrey of Trebizonde towards the side of the Black Sea and a part of Great Armenia From Constantinople they can travel in less than eight days by Water into Mengrelia which is the best and most populous Countrey of all Georgia The Air of this Province is very moist by reason of its Situation The Air. for on the one side it hath Mount Caucasus out of which flow many Streams The Woods with which it is overgrown prevent the swift passing of the Clouds and the nearness of the Sea and constant Winds which blow from the same bring commonly Mists and Rain The Inhabitants afflicted with many Diseases The Inhabitants are generally troubled with the Spleen which turns to the Dropsie if they use not good Medicines The Tertian and Quartan Agues are also very common here Ancient People commonly die of Rheums and Apoplexies Youth of the Jaundise and Dropsie The Cold is also very great here though there is no appearance of it till the latter end of December from which time there likewise falls abundance of Snow till April The Countrey is very Morassie near the Sea but very Hilly up into the Inland Rivers in this Countrey Mengrelia is also divided by several Rivers which like most of the great Rivers of Asia have their head Springs in Mount Caucasus and disembogue into the
Spectacles Campa an Ax. Cambyn A Book Ampon To have compassion Minnon Drinking Totop Covering Bamoula Prevailing Balambat Lasting Manare Dancing Gymoor Drying Minpyn Dreaming Britacot Threatning Calam Dark Matte To kill Bagy To distribute Thinta To suppose Bamatty Dead Touly Deaf Batzinta Melancholy Gommo Thick Cayn tabbael Course Cloth Lanaa There Santanga One half Harry A Day Farry Saryan Daily Cayn caryn Dry Cloth Ponvonry A Thief Cryn Thirsty Lipat Double Cassian caly Miserable Gymat Vertue Nipis Thin Mahael Dear Tyris A Drop Chamar Dirt. Nigay citgil A Village Oran beta A Servant Ana parampuam A Daughter Settam The Devil Dury Thorns Oran maboor A Drunkard Pintou A Gate or Door Mabo To be Drunk Papan A Board or Plank Decat Hard by Soutratoieist Damask Oran itou That Man Bemeyna To provoke Boathassaer Honor. Abbis Rending Olu balam Noble Calmary dolu Two days since Larien remapa Somewhere Dulu First Bode baye Honorable Sackuly iny Once Sompa An Oath Barancali Any ways Bigittou Alone Tilloor Eggs. Oran Honest Ity Ducks Tongo To demand Soutra viloudu Flannel Couranga Salt Songe A Fountain Boaboa Fruit. Sapirin Boat A Fruit-dish Bongra pala Mace Alys Fine Pathia Broken Baeyk Good Bedil Guns Basaer Great Sadang Enough Dilima A Pomegranate Engatkan To think Jaman Opinion Calmary Yesterday Bottou assa Hew'd Stone Pigy To go Bry To give Baampeer To approach Sagar To cure Icat pingan To gird Bataot To believe Icot To conduct Gonsar To be angry Soucka To please Botta mon The Conscience Thangan To gape Mintan To accommodate Bangon To think Badamme To Salute Ibou A Grandfather Bainga To Grace Soucka moidanga Satisfaction Kekeer Courteous Bayck Healthful Olubalan Greatness Momoulay Constant Petzayaya Faithful Aran Fortunate Mambrybeta Conversation Boula Whole Maangus Burnt Pangan Roasted Birou Green Couny Yellow Pande masse A Goldsmith Dastar A Girdle Tidoron A Curtain Daghy messing Salt-fish Dios God Ganton A Gibbet Gounou Mountains Minta Prayer Lavan A Ghost Bouan Hunting Mouda Young Tauwan A Year Anna dare Young Women Wissy Iron Bylly To buy Massa To boyl Bellaygaer To chastise Gatrou To Scratch Datan To come Nayn To climbe Chium To kiss Pingakit Sick Tempan Decrepid Panda Short Daganang Merchandize Bayng pande Artificial Crot Crooked Dingin Cold. Raydtza The King Bina radya The Queen Jordapoo A Cook Pande Boat poyegan A Taylor Bele A Chamber Oranbadagan A Merchant Prigy A Water-pit Rompot Herbs Anack A Calf Cabyret A Capon Cayou manis Cinamon Tombaka Copper Cotchyn A Cat. Gouret A Castle Banthon A Cushion Capor Chalk Damaran A Candlestick Kede A Shop Antimon Cucumbers Batou A Precious Stone Piramata A Diamond Bitsgara A Contract Catan A Crab. Nior Coco-nuts Anna codda A Captain Anack Children Dabondaer A Button Bassaman Company Massa Gold Toulang A Fish-bone Bapelo To embrace Cauyn The Morning Bavva To fetch Marouca To hate Batour A Cough Dengaer Hoping Namanga To command Caras Hard. Caras amat To provide Tyngy High Daghyn caras Hard Flesh Barappe How much Ada siny He is here Lapaer Hunger Sapanga Half Saratus A hundred Knyn A Lord. Bayou A Shirt Capalla The Head Tangan The Hand Bantal A Pillow Rouma A House Bacatan Private Angy plando A Greyhound Anghyn A Dog Delavataua Hell Dilanghyn Heaven Leheer The Neck Oura The Brains Rambot The Hair of the Head Pomokol A Hammer Bayon Wood. Belegyn ganton A Hangman Mado A Hedge Bakanat To know Datan To come Giget To gnaw Pario tamback A Kettle Damaer A Conduit Dapor A Kitchin Satou nesserani A Christian Pytti A Chest Gadon Corn. Kamaran A Lamp Sarat can To Load Saling To Lodge Meyngam To Lend Tetaua To Laugh Pacol gantan Idle or Lazy Idop Level Dengher To hearken Braycan To deliver Tingalcan To let alone Ringan Light Jahat Ugly Calaparan Dainty Tzerade Loose Pangan Long. Sadekit Small Tanga A Ladder Cayn Cloth Tabee Long Pepper Baden The Body Debeer The Lips Pande bryckat To master Oucor To measure Toucaer To want Bollee To be able Bassongot To grumble Casse To affect or love Lapas can Meek Kita Me. Ponga Mine Conraas Lean. Baeyck Brave Tangan A Sleeve Isso To morrow Saptateauwe Perhaps Lagi More Couran Less Bayntan Many Lala Wary. Sondara Friendship Gila Foolish Pisou A Knife Pande pisou A Cutler Pagera A Bricklayer Harta Coin Pande harta A Coyner Canda parampuan A Mare Ticos A Mouse Sousou Milk Anadara A Maid Molot A Mouth Lacky A Man Bonlan A Month. Sobott a Companion or Friend Cota A Wall Passaer A Fair or Market Tampa macanan A Meal Pande bellagaet A Master Oran A Humane Creature Pande bounon A Murderer Ticaer To faint Boulan The Moon Toudong A Cap. Tiang A Mast Tingary Noon Maa A Mother Sasaue Mustard Moampeer To approach Pocolpocou A Nail Namania A Name Batou To sneese Pangilmacan To invite Ambil To take Macan zoere To eat in the Afternoon Boat Hambaer To make a Courtesie Basso To wet Icat To put after Leliat iahat Revengeful Zerrede Industrious Sacaran Now. Tida No. Tida baran No where Sacarandolu Henceforward Tydalagy Never Tida sappa No body Tandaporot The Navel Malam The Night Iarom Near. Anackneene A Neece Tzouzou A Nephew Chancke Cloves or Spices Pala Nutmegs Bara The North. Tacot To be asham'd Ihan loupa To remember Caulwaer pinghan To ungird Battata capalla To behead Beryta doulou To instruct Bangou To rise Backatan To declare Nayn To go up Tondo can To be subject Moutacan To evacuate Larycan To outrun Byatas To pass over Coulezly To surround Diatas diang To remain Borca totop To discover Salingkan To discharge Batamo To meet Sacit Unwholesom Tuora Ancient Docana Not vertuous Yni tyda tau Ignorant Tyda banga Shortly Carn apa For his sake Minta dolu To leave Bygito in Also Tyda songo Uncertain Tida banar Impossible Tide samma Uneven Mata An Eye Talingan An Ear. Mingan Oyl Dapor An Oven Daghy lambo Beef Taryman A Receiver Cartas sapzy An Obligation Dolu An Original Carna anscho Occasion Timor East and by North. Caulaver Plucking Boat boncosan Packing Tauer To set a Price Lapis To Print Chanschyn To Urine Rassa To taste Tanam To plant Boat dina To use Ayarcan To plague Commataer Torturing Souda caya To prosper Couda A Horse Cartas Paper Boncousan A Pack Lada Pepper Tapian A Pot. Pintou A Gate Prighy To point Gady To pawn Mancoo Purslane Nory A Parrot Mallim A Pilot. Boulo marulis Pens Bonat moulagan To trouble Ado louca To wound Ghahatt Anger Papas can An Acquittance Cartas bieguidit Bad play Bilan quera To run Bytsiara To advise Ora caian Riches Baialan Travel Caian Rich. Barentyn Rest Mansiuri Robbing Houcum To Reign Panganio To Row Mera Red. Pangil To call Baas Rice Balacca The Back Simbiri Without Glam To strike Tasiam Sharp Masam Sower Sakyt Sick Sakytan Sickness Barancalla Sometimes Nypis Narrow Tolar A Serpent Bant A Shoulder Passyt Sand. Parlent An Arch. Bran
by the English and Hollanders Indostans They shave off all the Hair of their Heads but the Baldness thereof is not seen because they always keep them cover'd with Tulbants which they never take off in saluting one another as we do our Hats The Manufacture of the Countrey The Handicrafts Men of this Countrey though naturally lazy follow their Employments very close being either forc'd thereto by necessity or otherwise and make Carpets Embroideries Cloth of Gold and Silver and all manner of Silk and Cotton Stuffs and Linnen which is worn in the Countrey and transported to other Places The Great Mogol or King is necessitated by reason of his many Inland and Forreign Enemies to keep continually a mighty Army as well in time of Peace as War a considerable Body whereof are always near his Person either of Natives as are the Rajas and Patans which for several Reasons he is necessitated to keep in his Service as is before mention'd more at large or chiefly of Mogollers as he himself is or at least those which are taken for such though indeed Strangers For the King's Court is not now as formerly all of real Mogols deriv'd from Tartary neither are those which officiate in Offices and Places of Honor in the Wars all of the Tribe of the Mogols but are Strangers and People of other Nations most or them Persians some Arabians others Turks of their Children though the Children or the third and fourth Generation of the Mahumetans before-mention'd are not so much honor'd and esteem'd as the new-come Mahumetans and are but seldom preferr'd to any Degree of Honor and therefore seem very well satisfied to be ordinary Troopers or Foot-Soldiers It is sufficient in these later times for any one to be accounted a Mogollean though he be a Stranger if he haue but a white Face and be of the Mahumetan Religion to distinguish him from the Indians who are brown and Heathens as also from the Christians of Europe who are call'd Franks or Franguis The Mogol is necessitated to keep strange Soldiers that go by the name of Mogols as we said before because the chief Power of his State consists therein but it stands him in an incredible Charge The strange Soldiers as well Horse as Foot are divided into two Parties whereof one is continually near him and the other scatter'd up and down into all the Provinces In the Troops which attend the Mogol are first Omrah's which are the highest Officers in the second Place Mansehdars in the third Rouzindars The Omrahs Children inherit not their Fathers Estates The Omrahs or Lords of the Mogol's Court are not as we might suppose the Sons of Omrahs or of the House or Family of Noblemen inheriting their Fathers Estates and Honors as here and in France for since all the Lands in the Kingdom are the Kings it follows that there are neither Noblemen nor any other Families that have Estates in Lands Goods or Offices by Inheritance Insomuch that the Children or at lest the Nephews of the most powerful Omrahs are after their Fathers deaths reduc'd to great Poverty and forc'd to List themselves for Common Troopers under the Command of other Omrahs Indeed the Mogol commonly leaves a small part of the Estate to the Widows and sometimes to the Children But if their Father lives long they are oftentimes promoted by him especially if they are well-shap'd handsom-bodied have white Faces and not having gotten too much of the Indian Customs pass for real Mogols Though of late this kind of preferring their Children hath been less observ'd than formerly by reason it is become a general Custom to rise from small Offices to great ones and accordingly their Pay is more and more advanc'd Therefore these Omrahs are nought but Adventurers and Strangers of all Nations and Degrees nay sometimes Slaves who going to serve at the Court are by the Mogol for some or other piece of good Service promoted to that Degree of Honor of which they are again bereav'd at his pleasure Amongst these Omrahs are some call'd Hazary others Dou-Hazary and others Penge Hecht and Deh-Hazary The King 's Eldest Son was also a Dovazdeh Hazary that is A Lord or Commander over 10 or 12000 Horsemen The number of the Omrahs reckoning as well those which are scatter'd up and down in the several Provinces as those which attend at Court is very great and not justly to be set down At the Court are generally from 25 to 30000. The Office and State of an Omrah These Omrahs attain to the chiefest Places at the Court and Offices in the Army and are accounted the Supporters of the Realm and Splendor of the Court They never come into the Street but in very rich Apparel riding either on Elephants Horses or in a Palanquin and attended by a great number of Horsemen which keep Guard before their Houses besides several Footmen who going before and on each side of them make room and by fanning them keep off the Wasps Flies and Dust with the Wings of Peacocks All those that are at Court are bound on pain of forfeiting some of their Sallary to appear twice a day before the King when he sits on his Throne or else visit him every Morning at eleven a Clock and every Evening at six Moreover they are oblig'd to watch once a Week in the Castle by turns for the space of twenty four Hours and therefore carry their Beds Carpets and other Houshold-stuff with them the King providing nothing for them but meat which they receive with great Ceremony viz. they bow three times with their Faces towards his Chamber first holding their Hands over their Heads and next on the Ground They are also oblig'd to attend on the King to all Places when he goes abroad what Time or Weather soever it be either in Palanquins on Elephants or on Tacravans or Thrones carried each of them on eight Mens Shoulders Yet nevertheless the King favors some by reason of their peculiar Offices their Age or Indisposition or to avoid too great Attendance as he doth commonly when he goes a Hunting or to some Banquetting-house near the City or rather when he goes into his Mosque for then he takes no other with him than those that have the Guard that day The Mansebdars Mensebdars are Officers of those Troops Manseb and have a competent Salary yet not comparable to that of the Omrahs but exceeding those of inferior Degrees and therefore they are accounted little less than Omrahs being in the degree of those which are next to that Preferment and the rather because they acknowledge no Superior but the King and are in general oblig'd to do all things which the Omrahs do nay they would be perfect Omrahs had they but a considerable number of Horses under their Command but they have onely six which wear the King's Badges and their Salary also is generally no more than from five to seven hundred Ropies a Month. The number of them being
whom the Great Mogol is displeas'd The Skins of the foremention'd Chans being stuff'd were hung on a high Pole erected near the Maidan and their Flesh thrown to the Dogs Soon after which the King caus'd their Wives and Children to be Beheaded and sent out Soldiers to kill their Relations which dwelt up and down in the Countrey which was accordingly perform'd and their Heads brought before the King The Court Splendor Magnificence and Riches of the Great Mogol THe Ancient Seat of the Mogol Kings was at Deli but King Ecbar remov'd his Court to Agra and by reason of the loss of his two Sons there built another Magnificent Palace and call'd the same Pateful or Fatefur Since the Conquering of the Kingdom of Lahor the Metropolis thereof being of the same denomination with the Kingdom was chose to be the Royal Seat of the Kings Texeira tells us That the King spends one part of the Year in the City Lahor and the other in Agra the two eminentest Cities of the Kingdom and in the Heart of Indostan Others affirm That the City Agra is the Chief Residence of the King in the Winter besides which he hath several other Towns and Fortresses wherein he resides in the Summer Season viz. from the latter end of March till the beginning of August sometimes at Gasmir sometimes at Cabul and sometimes in Mandoa The King's Houses are generally built of Marble or white Alabaster and the Wall 's inlaid with Gold The Description of the Mogols Court at Lahor The Court at Lahor is seated in a very delightful place near the River Zunnenena being inclos'd within a fair Freestone Wall on which are mounted several Guns On that side which is towards the City it hath a Gate or Entrance before which is a spacious Quadrangular Plain on which the most eminent Traders keep their Shops On each side of the Gate is a huge Elephant cut in Stone where stand several Centinels About half a Mile inwards from the Gate you come to the Namchas or the Court where the King appears daily to his Subjects which being a large Place is built round with Lodgings for the Amurouwen or Nobles who stay in them till the King comes to his Throne when every one of them must appear before him standing in their several Places The King's Throne is first encompass'd with a large Wooden Rail within which stand all the Servants with Wooden Clubs and within this Rail is another of Silver about which stand the Kings Guards clad in red Cloth embroyder'd with Gold and Arm'd with Swords Shields and Silver Truncheons Within this Rail lie many rich Golden Quilts In the midst of the Square stands the Throne rais'd about a Mans height from the Ground and is of massy Gold emboss'd with Precious Stones and richly enamell'd As to what concerns the Kings Attendance at Court it is very Magnificent and exceeds all the other Eastern Princes The Persons which wait upon him daily are 12000 in number besides 1200 Concubines and 600 Eunuchs which he buying as Slaves trains them up in all manner of Warlike Exercises so to enable them to serve him on any occasion t' Hof vanden grooten Mogol Assafchan Lord of twelve thousand Horse on an Elephant Matemetchan Lord of five thousand Horse Assaletchan Lord of four thousand Horse Chalilchan Lord of three thousand Horse Serrendas Bhadux Lord of two thousand Horse Mocker Metchan and Jufferchan each of them Lord of five thousand Horse The Contelwael of the Army Lord of a thousand Horse Zabberdeischan Lord of a thousand Horse Chaine Waschan and Terbiatchan each of them Lord of three thousand Horse The King 's second Son Sultan Siousa Lord of twenty five thousand Horse accompany'd by the following Noblemen ziz Zatschan Lord of five thousand Horse Ragia Siessing Commander of seven thousand Horse Nosebetchan Lord of three thousand Horse Ragia Ammersing Lord of five thousand Horse All which were to meet with these Lords following about Candahar viz. Noosserichan Commander of seven thousand Horse Chanchan and Chamia Statchan each Commanders of seven thousand Horse Vasuerchan and Zeldchan each Commanding five thousand Horse A Ragia Governor of Candahar Commander of ten thousand Horse besides many other Grandees as well Ragias as Eunuchs of great Command The King's Train Behind the King came about a hundred and fifty Elephants with Blunderbusses and Field-Pieces fastned in little Towers on their Backs then came a great number of Soldiers carrying several Fire-works as also a mighty Train of Horse and Foot and the Eunuchs of Zackebbegem the King's Daughter famous for her Beauty sitting in a Chair which being cover'd with Cloth of Gold and rich Embroidery was carry'd on the Backs of two Elephants accompany'd by four hundred Ladies on Horseback and in Sedans besides sixty of seventy Elephants which in Houses cover'd with Sarsanet carry'd also many Ladies of Honor Before the King's Children came several hundreds of Horses richly caparison'd with golden Saddles and Bridles beset with Diamonds Rubies and Saphires the rest with silver Saddles and Bridles next follow'd sixty or seventy Elephants with the King's Standards and golden Caparisons then came twenty Wayns with four Wheels and a hundred with two as also fifty Palakins and Sedans all richly cover'd The King's Baggage was laden on several hundreds of Wayns Camels and Mules besides three hundred Elephants which carry'd the Tents and Ammunition Upon the King's coming to Lahor the Chancellor Asselchan dying Issalamchan Lord of five thousand Horse and Governor of Bengala being chosen in his stead went on the tenth of September through Agra to Lahor There also dy'd Matemetchan General of the King's Horse which Office he gave to the Duke of Asselletchan The King not long after sent for his second Son Sultan Siousa from Candahar to Lahor whe he was no sooner come but he had the Government of the great and little Kingdoms of Bengala given him whither he went with Hastchan a Commander of five thousand Horse After his departure the King went with his whole Army to Cabul but without effecting any thing At the same time the Mogol sent an Ambassador to the Tartar with an exceeding rich Present valu'd at thirty six thousand pound in return for which he sent an Agent with forty or fifty lame Horses seventy starv'd Camels and a hundred Sheep whereby it appear'd how little he regarded the Mogol The splendor King Choram's Court King Choram kept an incomparable splendid Court his Dishes Basons Urns Kitchin Utensils Candlesticks which ten Men were scarce able to carry the Poles which supported his Tents the Palakins the Houses on the Elephants Bridles and Stirrups for the Horses Sedans and Chariots of his Concubines Bedsteads and many other things being all of Gold and beset with Diamonds Rubies Emeraulds Pearls and other Precious Stones This King also wore an Armlet of Diamonds valu'd at ten Tuns of Gold the biggest thereof weighing above a hundred and twenty Carracks was ground oval and
restor'd Hamayon to his Kingdom and slew the Rebel Xyrcan A Tartarian Prince settles in India and becomes Founder of the Royal Family there Della Valle writes That a Nephew of one of the Tartarian Princes after Tamerlane had distributed his vast Dominions amongst his Children and Grandchildren travell'd over the Mountain Imaus or Taurus to seek his Fortunes in India at a Prince's Court who possess'd a great part of the Countrey where by means of the chiefest Persons in the Kingdom and many good Services done for the State he so insinuated himself that he got firm footing in the Countrey insomuch that in process of time and several vicissitudes one of his Successors attain'd to the Throne and was made the Founder of the Royal House which Reigns at present and of which Schach Selim who Reign'd about the Year 1620 was the Fourth The Successor of Hamayon Myrza was his Son Gelaladin Eckbar or Ackbar or Akebar otherwise Achabar that is Great or Most powerful Peruschi calls him Mahomet Zelabdin He was born in a Territory call'd Chaquata which lies Northward between the Tartars and Persians and borders Southward upon India SCHACH SELIM Ecbars Death and Character This Eckbar dy'd on the twenty seventh day of October Anno 1605. in the sixty third year of his Age He was belov'd by all his Subjects fear'd by his Nobles and courteous to all he deported himself with equal moderation to Strangers and to the Natives whether Christians Mahumetans or Heathens which oblig'd all Parties to him and rendred them devoted to his Service He Pray'd to God constantly every Morning and Evening Noon and Midnight abhorr'd Cruelties insomuch that by virtue of a Law made by him none were to die unless Sentence had been pronounc'd against them three times and easily pardon'd Criminals if they could but make any reasonable Excuse Mean Presents he receiv'd with as great kindness as those of biggest value regarding onely the good will of the Presenter He fed sparingly eating Flesh not above three or four times in a year the rest of the time his Diet being Rice Milk and Preserves He gave Audience to his Subjects and others twice a day out of a Window He could neither Write nor Read yet nevertheless understood very well all the Affairs of his Realm for the News that his Deputies writ him from all Places he caus'd to be read to him as also several Books He made strict enquiry of Strangers concerning the Power of their Princes and manner of Traffick He order'd a silver Bell to be hung at a Chain of fifteen yards long to the end that all those who could not obtain Justice from his Officers should come and complain to him thereof giving him notice of their being there by pulling the Bell which he no sooner heard but immediately came forth and saw that they had Right done them He had three Sons and two Daughters the eldest who succeeded him in his Throne was Scieco to which as a Title of Honor was added Gio which in the Countrey Language signifies Soul so that Scieco-Gio signifies The Soul or Person of Scieco The second was call'd Pahari by Jarrick Sultan Morad and by Peruschi Sultan Horad who being deliver'd to some Jesuits to be instructed by them in the Romish Religion was slain in the Wars of Decan The third was call'd Dan or Daniel Texeira calls the eldest Xequa Patxa the second Pary Patxa who dy'd of some Distemper Anno 1602 and the third Sabelxa Patxa But the eldest is by Purchas Della Valle and others generally call'd Selim. Scieco Gio succeeds his Father by the Name of Schach Selim. When Scach Selim was born his Father nam'd him Sceichu for Eckbar who till that time had no Male issue believ'd that he had obtain'd him from God by the Prayers of one Schach a Man accounted very holy and religious But his Father about the twelfth or thirteenth year of his Age changing his first Name according to the Custom of the Countrey call'd him Schach Selim which in the Arabick signifies A Peaceable King supposing this Name to agree best with his Temper and Disposition On the the eighth day after Eckbar's Death Selim in the beginning of his Reign to gain the favor and good opinion of the Mahumetans whom he had promis'd to defend their Laws caus'd their Temples to be cleans'd and took upon him the Name of Nurdin Mahumed Jahanair or according to Della Valle Nura Eddin Muchamed Gihon Ghir that is The Light of the Belief of Mahomet and Conqueror of the World because he publickly declar'd to be a Mahumetan notwithstanding in his heart he neither esteem'd Mahomet nor his Laws nor did he regard any Religion yet he kept the Name of Schach Selim by which he was call'd amongst the common People This Scach Selim amongst all his Women had one who was acknowledg'd as a Queen and being honor'd above all the Ladies of his Court bore a great sway nothing being done in the Kingdom but by her Conduct and Power She was a native Indian but of Persian Blood viz. Daughter to a Persian who deserting his native Countrey came into India to serve the Great Mogol as many Persians do who for the many good Services which he had done him made him a Chan and Vice-Roy of a Province A Persian Lady gains to be made Queen by her resolute Carriage This Queen was first Marry'd to another Persian Nobleman who was also in the Mogol's Service after whose Death by some means or other she came acquainted with Schach Selim who falling in love with her desir'd her to go into his Haram or Seraglio amongst his other Concubines which she modestly refusing said That she had once been the Wife of one who in all Places had given proofs of his Valor being never daunted by any of his Enemies Moreover that she was the Daughter of such a Father as accounted Honor the greatest Good wherefore she could never be brought to forget her self so much as to be guilty of any unchaste Action neither would her Birth and Quality permit her to be put into the King 's Haram and us'd as a common Slavess but if the King had so great an Affection for her as to make her his lawful Consort she should never be wanting in the Duty which she ow'd to the King but at all times be subject and ready to obey his Commands This her bold Answer so incens'd the King that it wanted very little but he had forc'd her to Marry one of those Persons call'd Halalchor who are those that without scruple eat of all sorts of Meat and are the most despicable and scorn'd People of all India yet nevertheless she remain'd so firm and constant that she resolv'd rather to die than change her Mind The King more and more overcome by her Beauty at last consulted to Marry her as his lawful Wife and caus'd her to be acknowledg'd as Queen and chief of all the King 's Haram which
she clear'd from all those of whom she had any suspicion either by Marrying of them to some of the Kings Nobles or some other means At the Court she made likewise great alterations by putting all the old Officers out of their Places and new ones in their stead who were her Favorites and Relations When the King declar'd her Queen he call'd her Nurmahal that is Light of the Court She had a Brother nam'd Alaf Chan who by the King's favor was grown very powerful Sultan Chosrou Selim's Son Marry'd one of her Daughters and Sultan Scebriar another both which she had by her first Husband for she had no Children by Schach Selim. Several Opinions concerning Selim's Issue Robert Covert tells us That this Selim had five Sons the first whereof was call'd Paheschau Sehelbam which signifies The next Heir to the Crown who being blind was kept as a Prisoner the second was Sultan Naubrea appointed to succeed his Father the third Sultan Lawle the fourth Sultan Lill and the fifth and youngest Sultan Caiwone Hawkins calls these five Sons Sultan Cusseru Sultan Peruis Sultan Chorem Sultan Shairer and Sultan Bath Della Valle calls the eldest Sultan Chosrou the second Sultan Peruis the third Sultan Chorrom to whom his Father gave the Sirname of Schiah Gihon that is King of the World after his return from the War which he had succesfully maintain'd in Decan and the youngest Sultan Scheriar Chosrou rebelling against his Father is defeated Sultan Chosrou the eldest Son a very hopeful Prince and a great Friend to the Christians having been setled in a peculiar Lordship rebell'd against his Father Schiah Selim in the Year 1606. under pretence that the Kingdom belong'd justly to him because King Ecbar his Grandfather had on his Death-bed given his Realm to him as being his Grandchild who was then born and had excluded Selim his Father and onely Son to Ecbar Wherefore he took up Arms against him to obtain that from his Father which his Grandfather had in his last Will and Testament given to him But Chosrou being defeated and overcome in the Battel was forc'd to lay down his Arms and surrender himself up to his Father who with mild Words blam'd him for his rashness and ask'd him why he would take this preposterous course since the Crown on necessity would fall to him and that he was onely the Preserver of it whilst he liv'd Yet he caus'd all the Commanders which had serv'd Chosrou in this War to be put to miserable deaths and their Bodies to be laid in the way where Chosrou was to pass and trampled over them as a Victor over his Enemies Nor ended the business so for Chosrou was bereav'd of his Liberty not being permitted to converse with the People as before but was committed though after an Honorable manner to the Custody of several Noblemen his Father likewise causing his Eye-lids to be sew'd up that so he might bereave him of his Sight without putting out his Eyes and at once deprive him of the means to make any further trouble in the Kingdom But after the expiration of some days Selim causing his Eyes to be open'd again prevented Chosrou from being always blind yet though he beheld the Light of the Sun again he enjoy'd not his Liberty but was kept a close Prisoner for the space of two Years not being allow'd according to the King's Command to have above one Man to wait upon him Mean while Nurmahal the King's Consort us'd her endeavors to perswade Chosrou to marry her Daughter before she bestow'd her in Marriage to his Brother Sultan Scheriar for she certainly believ'd that Chosrou should succeed Selim after his death But Chosrou could never be brought to consent either out of love to another or because he dislik'd Nurmahal's Daughter although being a Prisoner he was upon condition to marry her promis'd his Liberty But she whom he really affected and who lov'd him no less The mutual Constancy of Chosrou and his Lover obtain'd of his Father King Selim to serve her Lover in Prison where she behav'd her self very nobly towards him always perswading him to marry Nurmahal's Daughter telling him she would be very well satisfi'd to serve him as a Slave provided she might but see him at liberty and setled in a Condition according as his Birth requir'd But he not minding her Perswasions contentedly spent his time with her in Prison two whole years after which his Fathers anger being somewhat appeas'd he was restor'd to his Liberty though under the charge of several Guards the King 's great Confidents But by his refusal to marry his Step-mothers Daughter he incurr'd her hatred and displeasure and forc'd her contrary to her first resolutions to give her in Marriage to his Brother Scheriar Of Sultan Peruis the second Son who had his Residence in the Kingdom of Bengala near the Mouth of the River Ganges and Govern'd by the Title of Vice-Roy no further mention is made At the same time the third Son Sultan Chorrom rebell'd against his Father with intention to make himself Master of the Kingdom of Surrat Wherefore Schiah Selim sent one of his Chief Chans call'd Ajat Chan to Agra to convey his Treasure from thence before Sultan Chorrom came thither This Chorrom was Governor of that part of Decan which he had conquer'd for the Mogol his Father and the occasion of this Rebellion was as followeth The occasion of Chorrom's Rebellion Chorrom by his own subtil Contrivance and Conduct and by the high esteem of his Father-in-Law Ajat Chan and his Sister Nurmahal had so wrought with the King that the Prisoner Sultan Chosrou was committed into his Custody but with Commands to use him well and take special care of him Which being effected Chorrom would neither go to his Territory nor march into the Field with an Army though his Father requested him unless he might carry Sultan Chosrou along with him under pretence that it would not be convenient for him to depart from the Court and leave Chosrou his great Enemy there No sooner was Chosrou deliver'd up to him but he immediately went from thence and kept him two Years in an honorable manner But at last Chorrom who had no other design but by his Brothers death to secure himself of the Kingdom practic'd all the time since his coming from his Father's Court as some affirm to poyson him in order to which he charg'd all those that waited upon and guarded him to force him to eat the poyson'd Meat whether he would or no or else destroy him after another manner which they accordingly attempted several times but Chosrou having notice thereof would not eat any of the Meat that was brought to him by them expresly telling them that it was poysond The Keepers seeing no way to perform their Masters Command by Poyson fell all upon him with drawn Swords and after long resistance strangled him with a Bowe-string Some affirm That Sultan Chorrom kill'd Chosrou
cruel manner for Oranchzef observing that so long as he was in Prison the Affections of the generality of the People were towards him he thought it would not be safe for himself to put him to death in private with Poust as he had done the rest for fear the Vulgar should always be doubtful of his Death and still believe him to be in Prison and therefore devis'd the following Crime to accuse him withal The Children of a very rich Sahed Moradbeck's Death whom Moradbeck had put to death in Amadabad onely to get his Goods when he rais'd his Army and forcibly took or borrow'd all the Money from the Merchants made complaint thereof in the publick Assembly and demanded his Head for the Blood of their Father which not one of the Omrahs durst contradict first because he was a Sahed that is one of Mahomet's Relations to whom for that reason they shew'd great respect and secondly because they all observ'd Oranchzef's Design herein and that it was onely a meer pretence to put him to death publickly so that the Head of him who had kill'd their Father was given them without any farther Examination And thereupon an express Order was immediately sent to Govaleor to Behead him And now there remain'd no other Thorn in Oranchzef's Foot but Sultan Chasausa who still defended himself in Bengala yet he was at last forc'd to submit to the Power and Good Fortune of Oranchzef who sent so many Forces to Emir Jemla that he at last encompass'd him on both sides of the Ganges and all the Isles which lye in the Mouth thereof which forc'd Sultan Chasausa to flie to Dake the last City of Bengala lying on the Sea-shore And here comes the Conclusion of this whole Tragedy Chasausa flies for refuge to the King of Racan For this Prince being destitute of Ships to put to Sea and not knowing whether to betake himself sent his eldest Son Sultan Banque to the King of Racan or Moy a Heathen to know whether he would permit him to make his Court his Place of Refuge for some time and do him the favor when the Mousons or Trade-Winds should come to furnish him with a Vessel to Mecha that from thence he might pass into some Parts of Turkey or Persia The King return'd Sultan Chasausa word That he should be very welcom to him and have all possible Assistance With which Answer Sultan Banque return'd to Dake the King having also supply'd with several Galleys Mann'd with Franks viz. Renegade Portuguese and other Christians who had enter'd into the foremention'd King's Service and maintain'd themselves by Plundering of the Lower Bengale In these Gallies Sultan Chasausa Embarquing with his whole Family viz. his Wife his three Sons and Daughters set Sail and arriving at their desir'd Port they were courteously receiv'd and supplied with all things which the Countrey afforded at the King's Charge Some Months being past He requests a Ship to transport him to Mâ—cha but is deny'd the Season for the Trade-Winds came but he could not obtain the Ship that was promis'd him though he desir'd it upon no other account but for his Money for he wanted not as yet either Gold Silver or Precious Stones but had rather too much of them his Riches being the occasion of his Destruction or at least a great Inducement thereunto For these Barbarian Kings are destitute of all true Nobleness neither do they regard Fidelity or Promises minding nothing but their present Interest and never considering the Inconveniences and Mischiefs that may befal them for their Perfidiousnes To get out of their Hands one must either be very Powerful or at least have nothing that may tempt their Avarice And the more Sultan Chasausa implor'd for a Ship the further he was from having it the King on the contrary beginning to grow very cool and complaining that he did not come to see him It is not known whether Sultan Chasausa look'd upon it as a dishonor to himself and a thing below him to go and visit a King or whether he fear'd that he might secure his Person when he should come into his Palace and so make himself Master of all his Treasure and deliver him to Emir Jemla who promis'd him great Sums of Money and many other considerable Advantages to do the same However it was he would not go thither but sent his Son Sultan Banque who being come near the King's House shew'd his Liberality to the People throwing handfuls of Ropias of Gold and Silver amongst them and coming before the King he presented him with several Embroider'd Coats and wrought Pieces of Gold beset with Precious Stones and excus'd his Father Chasausa's not coming by alledging he was indispos'd desiring him also to furnish him with a Ship and perform the Promises which he had made to him But all this avail'd not for five or six days after the King sent to Sultan Chausasa to request one of his Daughters in Marriage which he not granting so highly incens'd this Barbarous Prince that he suffer'd Chasausa to be driven to great Extremities the Season for putting to Sea being now past When behold he took a strange Resolution which may give a great Example of what Despair can do His Plot against the King of Racan discover'd Though this King of Racan was a Heathen yet he had abundance of Mahumetans in his Dominions which either retir'd thither voluntarily or have been brought thither as Slaves by the Franks These Chasausa privately gain'd to be of his Party and with two or three hundred Men which he had yet remaining he resolv'd one day to fall unexpectedly upon the Barbarian's House and putting all to the Sword make himself Master of Racan Which indeed was a very bold Enterprise and had more of the Desperado in it than of a Prudent Man yet the thing was not impossible to be done But the day before the Stroke was to be given the Plot being discover'd quite overthrew Chasausa's Design and in a short time prov'd the occasion of his Ruine For seeing there was no way to recover himself he attempted to flie to Pegu a thing in a manner impossible by reason of the vast Mountains and Forests which he was to pass Besides He is pursu'd and defeated he was immediately pursu'd so close that he was overtaken the same day he fled when defending himself very valiantly he kill'd a great number of Indians but they at last press'd upon him in such Multitudes that he was forc'd to quit the Battel Sultan Banque being not so far advanc'd as his Fathers defended himself also like a Lion but after having receiv'd divers Wounds with Stones which the Indians threw at him he was taken Prisoner and carried away with his two younger Brothers Sisters and Mother Uncertain what became of him Some say That Sultan Chasausa himself fled with his Wife one Eunuch and two other Persons to the top of a Mountain where he receiv'd a
noted Towns are Sim the Chief of a County Sapurgan and Baglian Most of the Inhabitants are Benjans Their Houses are low and small They possess two strong Castles in one of which King Babar was born By reason of the abundance of Robbers spread through all the Countrey they us'd to spend three Moneths in the Journey from Cabul to Lahor whereas now they finish it in twenty days for a certain King of Cabul to prevent all Robberies caus'd very strong Houses to be built along the High-way in stead of Inns at a certain distance one from another and put Soldiers to inhabit the same by which means many of those Places are grown very populous and become Towns This Countrey produces a certain Fruit by the Druggists generally call'd Mirabalones It hath this many years been under the Mogol's Jurisdiction and generally maintains twelve or fifteen thousand Men in Arms for a Defence against the Persians Augans Balouchs and other Inhabiters of the Mountains Between Candahar and Cabul dwell a People in the Mountains call'd Afgans or Augans which range up and down the Countrey without having any certain Habitations but live onely by Robbing like the Arabians and demand Toll from such as travel through their Countrey The Territory of Multan THe Territory of Multan The Borders by Texeira Multon borders on the North at Candahar and Cabul on the West at Persia on the South at Haiacan or the Countrey of the Balouchs and in the South on Penjab Daviti Texeira and others place it far into the Countrey from Indus or Indostan and as it were in the heart of this great Countrey making it to border at the Kingdom of Mandou and the Countrey of the Hindouns but certainly they understand by Multan the Kingdom of Lahor otherwise Penjab which lies farther into the Countrey The Metropolis thereof according to Terry and Ananias bears the Name of Multan though Texeira makes Lahor the chief City of the Kingdom and affirms that the Multans dwell in the Countrey of Lahor Excellent Bowes and Arrows This Countrey is famous for the many excellent Bowes and Arrows which are made in it and are better and much neater than any other in all India The Bowes are made of Horn curiously joyn'd the Arrows are of small Canes both richly colour'd and varnish'd The Countreys of the Bullochs or Bobochs or Kingdom of Ballochy otherwise Haican or Hangi-Chan THe Countrey of the Bullochs is properly call'd Haiacan The Borders or Hiacan and by others Hangican It borders Northerly at the Province of Multan Eastward at the Province of Penjab and the River Indus South-East at Buckor Southward at the Territory of Taffa and Westward at the Mountains which separate Persia from India Some make this Countrey border on one side of the Pattans or Bottans Terry saith that this Countrey hath no nominated City but Davity calls the Metropolis Buckara which lies on the midst of an Island in the River Indus Others make Seckara the first City towards the side of the Kingdom of Multan But Buckara and Seckara seem to be one and the same City and is by Terry made the Metropolis of the Province of Suckor Next you come to the City Gorra after having travell'd three days through great Woods and five days farther to that of Norry the least Town in this Countrey towards the side of the Pattans This is perhaps that City which Ananias from the information of the Persian Anvadet calls Negariot The nature of the People The Bullochs who are Neighbors to the Pattans are a very resolute strong valiant and mighty People like Agents though mild in their Conversation yet stubborn Man-eaters Robbers and Pyrates yet some affirm that they are a very faithful People and will rather lose their Lives than suffer any as they travel in the Caravans to have their Goods taken away by Robbers They maintain themselves by carrying of Goods from Place to Place on Camels and other Beasts of Burthen of which they keep many They also till their Lands and worship the Sun The Province of Buckar or Buckor THe Province of Buckor or Buckar The Borders is divided by the River Indus to its great benefit It borders on the North on the Territory of Haiacan and Astack in the East at Jesselmeer in the South at Tatta and in the West at Haiacan before mention'd Terry calls the chief City of this Province Buckor-Suckor lying in an Island on the River Indus Others call this City Buckara or Buckero and Suckera and make it to be the Metropolis of the Countrey of the Bullochs and some as we said before make it to be the Metropolis of Multan The Trade of Suckera At Suckera a great Trade is driven with Indian Clothes and other Commodities The Inhabitants are Mahumetans The Chan or Governor which the Mogol keeps at Buckor-Suckor generally keeps a great number of Soldiers in the Castle to curb the Bullochs who are exceedingly addicted to Mutinying The Kingdom of Send or Sind otherwise call'd Diu and Tatta The Name and Borders THe Kingdom of Send or Sind so call'd by the English Portuguese and Spanish from its chief River Send or Sind anciently Indus near which it lies and by Terry from its Metropolis Tatta or the Countrey of the Abinds and by the Arabians The Kingdom of Diu Maffaeus seems to call it Dulcinde and makes it border in the South upon the Kingdom of Cambaya But Terry makes it border in the North with Buckar in the East upon Jesselmeer and Soret in the South touches the Indian Sea in the West faces the Mountains lying on the Borders of Persia and the Mogol's Countrey It is divided by the River Indus otherwise Sind which in its course through this Countrey makes many pleasant and delightful Isles and at last falls into the Sea near the City Sinde famous for many Handicrafts Tatta a Place of good Trade The Metropolis Tatta is very eminent for the Trade there driven formerly by the Portuguese Some English Travellers call'd it Gutu Netgar Tutta though commonly by the Natives Tutta onely without addition of the other Names The other Towns lying on this River are Cossompacco and Callitallowny and the Fortress of Seyvon beyond Tatta This Fort prevents the passage of such as come down the River The chief Harbor The chiefest Harbor is Lowribandel or according to Texeira Singlybandel three days Journey from the prime City Tatta This Haven of Lowribandel hath one Property beyond the rest viz. the Ships that come to an Anchor in the same are not eaten by the Worms as in the Havens of Sovally Chaul Dabul Daman Goa and other Places This Countrey is rich and fruitful and frequented by the Indians Portuguese and other People for Trade Here are divers sorts of fine Cotton-Linnen made The Commodities which the Inhabitants call Jarrin Turbants Oyl of Coco-nuts and abundance of Butter It also affords plenty of Sugar-Canes Pitch Rosin Leather-works wrought with
colour'd Silks which they use for Carpets Boxes Cabinets and other curious Wood-work Inlay'd with Mother-of-Pearl which by the Portuguese and others are carried from thence to India Tatta is one of the most eminent Provinces for Traffick of all India Many great Barques by the Inhabitants call'd Risles and Capuses come fraighted with all sorts of weav'd Stuffs Sugar Anniseeds and other Commodities down the River Sind from Lahor Multan Agra Dely Nandou Citer Utrad and other Places and putting into the Haven Lowribandel lay the said Commodies aboard of bigger Ships for Ormuz where they are unladen by Netherlanders Portuguese and Mahumetans The Inhabitants are all Mahumetans yet by reason of the great Trade which is driven in this Countrey there are commonly People of all Religions found in the same The Great Mogol Ecbar first conquer'd this Territory The Provinces of Sorit Jesselmeer and Attack SOret The Borders a small but rich Province borders Eastward at Zurratte in the West at Tatta in the North at Jesselmeer and in the South at the Sea The Metropolis is call'd Janagor or Ganagor The Territory of Jesselmer The Limits or Jesselmure verges Southward at Soret Eastward at Bando Northwards at Attack and Westward at Buckor and Tatta The chief City bears the same Denomination with the Countrey The County of Attack conterminates in the West The Bounds with Haiacan the River Indus onely parting them in the North it is bounded with Penjab and in the East with Jenba and Mando The Metropolitan Town bears the Name of Attack The Province of Penjab or Pangab The Name THe next is the Province of Penjab or Pangab which in the Persian Tongue signifies Five Waters for its Situation between five Streams viz. the Ravy Behat Obcan Wiby and Sinde or Sindar all which discharge their Waters into the Indus and make a great Lake somewhat Southward from Lahor The City of Lahor The chief City of this Territory according to Terry is Lahor but others affirm Lahor to be the Metropolis of Multan The City being very large and ancient is one of the most eminent Towns in all India and is no way inferior either in bigness or beauty to Agra It lies in 35 Degrees and 50 Minutes Northern Elevation and hath large and well pav'd Streets The Air in and about Lahor is very healthful The Air. There are also many remarkable Structures in the same as the Palace Mosques Hamans or Baths Tanks or Springs Gardens and many other delightful Places It is a spacious and fruitful Territory and the most pleasant Spot of Ground in all India and is that part of it which according to Della Valle was in the time of Alexander the Great Govern'd by King Porus. There is a Castle which being very large strong and artificially built in a delightful place of white hard polish'd Stones hath twelve Gates three whereof respect the City and the other nine lead into several parts of the Countrey Within this Castle is a stately Palace into which you enter through two Gates and two base Courts and after you have pass'd through the last you come to two parting Ways the one leading to the Durbar or Joreo where the King appears daily before the People and the other to the Diwanchane which is a great Hall wherein he spends part of the Night viz. from eight of the Clock till eleven with his Omrahs On the Walls of this Castle are Engraven the Images of Kings Princes and other Great Men as Schach Selim the great Mogol Ecbar's Son sitting on a rich Carpet under a costly Throne with his Son and his Brothers d' Han Schach or Daniel and Schach Morat on his right Hand and opposite to him Emorza Sherif eldest Brother to Chan Asorn With many other Persons of note The River Rawy which springs out of Mount Caximir and runs through the same with several Rivulets having finish'd a Course of three hundred Miles along a deep Navigable Channel discharges its Water into the Indus near the City Tatta not far from Diul It lies in 23 Degrees and 15 Minutes Northern Latitude The Kingdom or Territory of Caximir THe Kingdom of Caximir or according to some Cascimir and Cachmire by Mercator taken to be the ancient Arachosia or Archotis of Ptolomy and by Herbert for the ancient Sogdiana The Borders borders in the North at Mount Caucasus in the North-West at the Province of Banchish the Indus onely separating them in the South-East at Penjab in the West at Cabul and Northerly at the Kingdom of Maurenahar Jarrick conterminates this Kingdom with that of Rebat It is but a small Countrey and lies as Texeira tells us fifteen days Journey from Lahor and according to Herbert in 41 Degrees and 9 Minutes Northern Latitude about three hundred Miles from Agra Jarrich gives the Name of Syranacar both to the chief City of this Kingdom and to the Countrey it self lying in 30 Degrees Northern Latitude About three Leagues from the City is a Lake or Pool of sweet Water about fifteen Miles in circumference Navigable for great Ships yet not above half a League broad In the middle of it lies a pleasant artificial Island with a Royal banqueting-Banquetting-house therein whither as Jarrick affirms the King resorts when he intends to recreate himself in catching of wild Geese and Swans Through the midst of this Lake as also through the Countrey glides the Stream Behat or Bhad which by its trending or meeandring Bays makes many Islands and at last unites it self not far from Jahor with the River Indus or as others say with the Ganges which last is somewhat improbable because of its distance towards the East Another River call'd Chanab by Jarrick Chenao and by Terry Nilab having also its original in this Countrey unites it self likewise with the Indus The Countrey abounds in Rice Wheat and other Provisions and also hath plenty of Grass Woods Gardens and Springs Of the Roots of their Mulberry-trees they plant Vines This Countrey formerly lay under Water The ancient Histories of the Kings of Caximir make mention that this Countrey was formerly a great Lake and that a certain ancient Man call'd Cacheb open'd a Passage for the Water through the Mountain of Baramoule But this seems to be incredible yet not but that this Countrey was formerly overflow'd with Water but to open a Passage for it through the foremention'd Mountain is a thing altogether impossible the Mountain being so very high and broad rather an Earthquake to which this Place is very subject opening the Earth swallow'd up a part of the Mountain and so open'd a Passage for the Water But however it was dreyn'd It s Extent and Situation Caximir is no more a Lake but at present a most fertile Soil about eighteen Leagues long and three or four broad interlac'd with many little Hills It is the farthest part of Indostan to the Northward from Lahor and inclos'd by Mount Caucasus the Mountains of the
with Water-courses Channels and some little Lakes and Rivulets and every where planted with European Trees and Flowers as Apples Pears Plumbs Apricocks Nuts and Vines European Plants and Herbs here in great abundance In the private Gardens of this Countrey grow Musk-melons Patequos or Water-melons Beets Raddishes most of our Potherbs and some which we have not yet these Fruits are not so good as those in Europe which proceeds rather from the ignorance of Gardners than the Soil wherefore the Mogols have not improperly call'd this Countrey The Terrestrial Paradice neither did the Great Mogol Ecbar without just reasons take so much pains to get it from the lawful Kings and his Son Schach Selim was so much taken therewith that he could not possibly forsake it often saying That he would rather lose all his whole Kingdom besides than Cachemire When Oranchzef came Anno 1664. from Deli to recreate himself in this Countrey in the Month of March all the Poets strove to exceed one another in making Verses in praise of the same which Oranchzef receiv'd rewarding the Authors of them very bountifully The Description of the City and Lake of Cachemire The chief Town of this Countrey bears the same Denomination with the Kingdom and being without Walls is three quarters of a Mile long and half a Mile broad It is situate in a barren Field about two Leagues from the Mountains which seem to make a Semi-circle about a Lake of sweet Water of about four or five Leagues in circumference This Lake is made by running Springs and Brooks which glide from the Mountains and discharges its Water through a navigable Channel into a River which runs through the middle of the City and hath two Bridges over it This Lake is also full of Islands which resemble so many pleasant Gardens with delightful Walks and Arbors and are surrounded with Poplar and other Trees which have Leaves about two Foot broad and are as tall as the Masts of Ships with Boughs onely on the top like Date-trees On the other side of the Lake upon the hanging of the Mountains are also abundance of banquetting-Banquetting-houses and Gardens for which that place is most convenient because it hath a delicate Air a Prospect on the Lake Islands and a City and is full of Springs and Rivulets The best of all the Gardens being the Kings is in the Persian Language call'd Schach-Limar that is The King's Garden Out of the Lake they go into this Garden through a Channel between two rows of Trees planted along its Banks about five hundred Paces long This Channel leads to the King 's Sugar-house which is also in the midst of the Garden where begins another brave Moat reaching to the upper end of the Garden The bottom of the foremention'd Channel is pav'd with Freestone and the sides thereof rais'd also with the same Stone in the middle thereof are many Springs of Water which being in a row fifteen Paces distant one from another shoot up above the other Water Moreover there are Receptacles of Water like Ponds out of which by means of several Springs the Water rises up in many small Streams which make divers Figures This Channel ends at another great Banquetting-house not much unlike the former The foremention'd Pleasure-houses built almost like Cloysters lying in the middle of the Moat are surrounded with Water between the two rows of Poplar Trees they have Galleries or Balconies built round about them and four Doors opposite one to another two whereof fronting the two rows of Trees have two Bridges which lead cross the Water one on each side the other two front the two ends of the Channel Each Summer-house consists in a great Room in the midst of four lesser which make the Square the Walls of both the great and small Rooms are richly Gilded and Painted and full of Inscriptions in large Persian Characters the four Doors are very stately of large Stones with two Columns fetch'd out of the ancient Pagan Temples which Schach Jehan caus'd to be ruin'd The value of these Stones is not known nor of what species they are unless Marble or Porphyrie Most of the Houses are built of Wood two Storeys high not for want of Stone there being many old ruin'd Deuras or Temples but for the cheapness by reason of the abundance of Wood which grows on the adjacent Mountains from whence it may be fetch'd for a small matter and carried to the City along a little River The Houses built along the River side have each of them a Garden which hath a Prospect on the Water The other Houses that do not stand near the River have Gardens also and many of them a little Channel which runs into the Lake into which they can Row from their Houses in small Boats At one end of the City appears a very steep Mountain at the foot whereof are many fair Houses with Gardens and on the top a Mosque with an Orchard and Garden belonging to it In regard whereof the Inhabitants in their Language call this Mountain Hary Porbet that is Green Mountain Opposite to this appears another Mountain being also crown'd with a Mosque and likewise an ancient Structure which seems to have been a Deura or Pagode but it is call'd Tackt Souliman that is The Throne of Salomon because as the Mahumetans say Salomon built it when he came to Cachemire A wonderful Spring At the Confines of this Kingdom two or three days Journey from the City Cachemire a Spring near the foot of a Mountain works Wonders as the Mahumetans affirm in May when the Snow melts on the Mountains viz. it ebbs and flows for fifteen days together three times in a day in the Morning at Noon and at Night after the first fifteen days its Course is not so exact and after a Months time it stops altogether the remaining part of the year except in the time of great and long Rains when it overflows like other Springs The Heathens have on the Brink of this Spring a little Deura or Pagode built in honor of one of their Idols wherefore they have call'd it Send Brary as if they would say Water of Brary whither many People go in Pilgrimage to Bathe themselves Many strange Relations they give concerning the original of this Spring the Mountain at whose foot it springs extends in length from North to South and appears at a distance like a Plain somewhat rising in the middle and is about a hundred Paces broad on the top the North side hath some Verdure but quickly decaying for want of the Suns influence the other side on the West is shaded with Trees and Brambles Some distance from the High-way is a pleasant Seat of the ancient Kings of Cachemire and at present of the Great Mogol call'd Achiavela The most remarkable thing belonging thereunto is a Spring whose Water runs round about the Structure and through all the Gardens in many little Channels This Spring boyls with such great force out
be limited because between this Suburb and the City are spacious Gardens and Fields without any Buildings The Castle within which is the Mahalle or Seraglio besides other Royal Apartments is built round orather in a Semi-circle and looks upon the River between which and the Walls is a large sandy Plain where they generally let the Elephants fight and often Muster the Rajas or principal Omrahs Soldiers in the King's Presence who beholds the same out of his Hall Windows The Walls of the Castle in respect of the round Towers built after the old fashion are almost like those of the City but rais'd with Bricks and red Stones which appearing like Marble makes them much more beautiful than those of the City than which they are also much higher stronger thicker and more substantial against small Field-pieces Besides it is surrounded except on the Water side with a Moat of good Water abounding with Fish rais'd on both sides with Free-stone yet nevertheless a Battery planted with great Guns may easily beat it down Round about the Moat lies a large Garden which in all Seasons is full of green Trees and Flowers which with the red Walls make a pleasant Prospect Round about this Garden runs the great Street or rather a great Royal Court or Plain on which open two of the greatest and chiefest Gates of the Castle leading into the most eminent Streets of the City On the foremention'd Plain also stand the Tents of the Rajas who being in the King's Service watch every week by turns whilst the Omrahs do the same Duty in the Castle the Rajas delighting more to be in the Field than lock'd up in the Fortress On the said Plain they also breathe the King's Horses every Morning it serves also for a Bazar or Market-place where all sorts of Merchandise are sold and is the Meeting-place of several Philosophers and Astronomers as well Mahumetans as Indians Here also the great Cobatcan or Commissary of the Horse takes a special Account of all the Troopers Horses that enter into the King's Service viz. if he finds the Horses to be Turkish that is from Turkestan or from Tartary and big and able to do Service then he marks them with a hot Iron on the Buttock with the King's Mark and also the Omrahs under whom they Serve and this is no ill Invention to prevent the Troopers from lending their Horses one to another The foremention'd eminent Streets which end over against the two Gates of the Castle and on the Plain are about twenty five or thirty Paces broad and extend in a direct Line as far as the Eye can discern though that which comes out against the Gate of Lahor is much longer than the other but all the Buildings are like one another There are Arches on both sides of the Streets flat on the top without any Rooms over the same neither are the Walks underneath intire but the Arches are separated by Walls the space between which serves several Handicrafts and Artists for Shops to work in in the day-time and for Exchangers of Money to do their Business in and Merchants to dispose their Commodities to Sale which at Night they lock up in Warehouses The Arches over these Warehouses are built under the Merchants Houses which appear very fair at a distance and are very convenient for standing very high they are not onely out of the Dust but stand very cool and being in a manner even with the flat Roof of the Arches they walking on them may look into the Street and sleep on the same for coolness in the Night But besides these two eminent Streets there are five others which are not so direct nor streight but very like them in all things else Many other Streets indeed there are which run from all parts of the City and have most of them Arches but because they are built for Dwelling-houses for private People who are not curious in the uniformity of their Buildings they are neither so streight nor so broad nor so firmly built as the rest In all the Streets stand the Houses of the Mansebdans or petty Omrahs Persons of Judicature Merchants and others which are not meanly built It is certain there are many which are built of Brick or other Stones and divers of Clay and cover'd with Straw yet they are nevertheless very convenient having Gardens and Orchards belonging to them they are also very handsom within for besides the good Furniture the Straw Roofs are supported by long hard and strong Canes and the Walls Plaister'd and Whitened Amongst these indifferent fair Houses there are abundance of lesser which being built of Lome serve for Habitations for the Troopers and other meaner People belonging to the Bazar and the King 's Court. By reason of these slight Houses Dely is very subject to Fire Anno 1663. there were above sixty thousand Thatch'd Roofs consum'd by the Flame which was the greater as being augmented by the strong Winds that blow in the Summer which made it so fierce that it destroy'd many Camels and Horses there being no time to save them and also many of the King's Concubines which having never been out of the Seraglio were so bashful that they chose rather to be burnt than be sav'd by strange Men. By reason of these slight Houses of Lome Dely cannot be said to be any thing else than a company of Villages joyn'd together or rather a Camp with Tents onely erected in a better order and more convenient than usuall in the Fields As to what concerns the Houses of the Omrahs they stand also in most parts of the City especially along the Rivers and in the Suburbs If a House in these warm Countreys bears the Name of Handsom and Large it is infallibly very convenient viz. it is seated in a place where the Wind can come to it from all Corners especially the Northern it hath Gardens Orchards Fish-ponds and Springs large Vaults or Cellars with great light Holes to let the Wind in at The Inhabitants retiring into them in the heat of the day stay in them till about four or five a clock or else they have Cascanays which are little Houses of Straw or sweet-smelling Roots being very curiously made and commonly plac'd in the middle of a Park near a Pond or Spring that the Servants may with their Leather Jacks wet them on the out side The eminent Houses stand in the midst of a large Square and have not sloaping but flat Roofs on which they may sleep in the Night The Furniture of the Houses As to what concerns the inside of the principal Houses the Floors are cover'd with Cotton Quilts of four Fingers thick with a white Linnen Cloth laid over them in the Summer and with Carpets in the Winter In the chief Chambers near the Wall must also lie two or three Quilts cover'd with Silk and embroider'd with Gold and Silver for the Master of the House to sit on or for Persons of Quality that come to
Cambaya erected in a Temple which is much frequented by the superstitious Benjans A Mile from the City is the Garden and Palace of Chanchonna Son to the great Byram Chan of Persia The Countrey of Cambaya to Amadabat is for the most part desolate and uncultivated In the Way are several Pits each above thirty Yards deep in which is salt Water though at a great distance from the Sea it is drawn out by Oxen. The Countrey about Amadabath is nothing but a vast Wilderness and the Ways very dusty and troublesom for Travellers The High-ways are Hedg'd in on both sides with a certain Fruitless and Leafless Plant which shoots forth onely little long Stalks of a deep Green both Winter and Summer out of which when broke asunder drops a milky Juice like that of green Figs and being very sharp eats into that part of the Skin on which it drops The Fields which border the High-ways are full of Ambe-trees which bear a Fruit like great Olives and also af Tamarind-trees Without the City are many great Tombs of Marble erected by the Moors and are much statelier than their Houses A League and a half from the City lies a great Village call'd Zirkes or Sirkesia where there is a very magnificent Tomb the whole Structure with its Floors being all of polish'd Marble and distinguish'd into three parts one whereof rests on a a hundred and forty Marble Pillars each thirty Foot high curiously adorn'd with Festunes and Pedestals after the Corinthian Order This Structure is said to be the Tomb of one Cacis Tutor to one of the Kings of Zurratte to whom they ascribe great Sanctity and Wonders and that the said King who with three other Kings lies buried in another Chappel built the same in commemoration of his Tutor At a certain time of the year most of the Mahumetans come hither in Pilgrimage firmly believing thereby to obtain pardon for their sins On one side of it is a large Pond About a Mile from the City is another fair Tomb of an eminent Mahumetan Merchant call'd Hajom Majom who being enamor'd of the Beauty of his Daughter and threupon Ravishing her was Beheaded by the King's Command and buried here with all his Family wherefore the Inhabitants to this day call the same Betychint that is The uncover'd shame of your Daughter De Stadt Souratte The Water of the foremention'd River is convey'd round the said Banquetting-house not far from which you come into another Garden over a high Stone Bridge four hundred Paces long and though this Garden be but small yet it is very pleasant and high and hath also at the end against the Bridge a brave Banquetting-house The Water in the droughty Season is drawn up but of the Wells by Oxen and put into two great Stone Cisterns before the Banquetting-house This Garden wherein commonly young Women Bathe themselves in the foremention'd Cisterns is call'd Nicunabag that is The Garden of Precious Stones and is said to have been made by a beautiful and rich Lady There is yet another delightful Garden with a banqueting-Banquetting-house which was built by the Great Mogol Ecbar in commemoration of his conquering the last King of Zurratte call'd Sultan Mahomed Begeran in that very place whereby the Kingdom of Zurratte became subject to the Great Mogol Ten Leagues from Amadabath lies a little Town full of pretty Houses and Pagan Temples call'd Niervant Six Leagues from the said City also lies another Town call'd Mamadabad on the Bank of a pleasant River on the North side of it is a fair Palace The Inhabitants of this Town are for the most part Weavers Description of Suratte The City Surat or Surratte according to Davity the Village Surastra or Syrastra of Ptolomy is for its neatness by the Moors call'd The Mogol's Beard and lies in about 21 Degrees and about 30 Minutes Northern Latitude near the River Reinier or Reunier otherwise call'd Pani Hind that is The Water Indus and Tapi or Tapti and Tyndee two Leagues up into the Countrey from the Bay or Gulf of Cambaya The City extending along the Banks of the foremention'd River built square lies open towards the Water but inclos'd on the Land-side with Mud Walls and dry Ditches It hath three eminent Gates which are lock'd every Evening the one leads to the Village Brion which is a Throughfare for those that travel to Brotcha Cambaya and Amadabat the other to Brampour and the third to Nassary It is adorn'd with many fair Houses with flat Roofs built after the Asiatick manner There are also many stately Palaces in this City which for its defence hath a strong Castle near the River built after the manner of the Romans and surrounded with Walls of Free-stone and deep Moats which receive their Water out of the River Reinier It is an ancient Structure built by the Inhabitants long before the coming of the Portuguese into these Countreys or as some say by the Romans According to the Relation of the Inhabitants to Mandeslo the Turks coming thither with many Ships out of the Red-Sea and conquering several Places built this Fort which hath but one Gate towards the side of a great Plain or Market and is very strongly guarded none daring to come into the same but those that are upon Duty nor are any Persons Listed to serve in the same but native Indostans the Rasbutes though valiant Soldiers often mutinying against the Mogol the Benjans and Usbecks being accounted Enemies and the Benjans and Cambayans never serving for Soldiers accounting it a great sin to shed Blood Next to the Castle is the Nabab or Sultan's House and next to that the Custom-house and the Market to which the Inhabitants of the neighboring Villages and Strangers bring their Goods to sell The City Surratte is very populous and inhabited partly by native Indians and partly by Strangers and Foreigners for Trade The Indians of these Parts consist generally of Zurrattans Cambayans Benjans Brahmans Decans and some Rasbutes who are all generally Idolaters or Mahumetans the last mention'd are the smallest number and the Benjans are the richest driving the greatest Trade All these People live very quiet one amongst another for the Great Mogol though himself a Mahumetan makes no distinction amongst his People of several Religions but gives them Offices alike both at his Court and in his Army Amongst the Foreigners or Strangers the English and Hollanders drive the greatest Trade here besides which there are Portugueses Arabians Persians Armenians Turks and Jews wherefore Suratte is accounted one of the most eminent Cities for Trade in all India both in respect of its Haven and because the convenience of carrying the Commodities through all Suratte from Cambaya and other Places draws the Merchants thither The English and Dutch Traders have many fair Houses in the City very convenient to dwell in and also to stow their Goods The People of several Nations have each of them a Church here and their own Teachers Without
the Mogol continually employ'd who after he had us'd all possible means in vain having no great Guns at hand wherewith to batter down the Walls at last resolv'd to try if he could purchase the Inhabitants to a Surrender by great Sums of Money which to accomplish he sent to the Governors very considerable Presents of Gold and Silver whereby he did so cool and abate their Courage that none of the seven Successors of the Realm durst assume the Government for they perceiving the Generals to be fearful and their Courage no longer to exert it self could foresee and expect nothing but the sudden loss of the Place and accordingly it so fell out for after a few Days the Fort was surrendred and with it the whole Kingdom was subjected to the Mogol who got peaceable possession thereof with an invaluable Treasure He received all the Inhabitants favourably except the imprison'd King and the seven successive Princes whom he dispersed into several Provinces allowing King Miram three thousand and each of the other two thousand Ducats per Annum for their Maintenance The Province of Berar and Narvar THis Country of Berar lies on the South side of the Kingdom of Chandâ—â— and Borders on Surratte and the Mountains of Rana The Metropolis bears the Name of Shapore The Province of Narvar is moistned by a great River which discharges its Water into the Ganges The Chief City is call'd Gehud The Province of Gwaliar or Gualier THe Province of Gwaliar or Gualior otherwise Gualier hath a City which bears the same Name The Mogol hath a vast heap of Treasure which he keeps in this Country in a very strong Castle Garrison'd by a Company of well Disciplin'd Soldiers who also Guard such of the King's Prisoners as are Persons of Quality The Kingdom of Agra or Indostan THe Kingdom or Province of Agra is so call'd from Agra the Royal Metropolis of the Great Mogol's whole Kingdom besides Dely and Lahor Others call it Indostan or Indoustan which signifies The Country of Indus for Stan in the Country Language is A Country or Province and Indus is the Name of the River Indus which moistens the Country It borders on one side upon the Stream Paddor which separates it from the Henderons and conterminates on the other side with the River Tamliko or Tamlou which is a Boundary between this and the Country Inhabited by the Bulloits The Metropolis bears the same Name with the Province of Agra and lies in 28 Degrees and 7 Minutes North Latitude on the Banks of the River Jemini which glides by its Walls and disembogues near the City Andakoda into the River Ganges two days Journey from Agra According to Herbert this City was formerly call'd Nagra and anciently Dionysia and was built by Bacchus but this seems incredulous because within this hundred years the City Ratipor was far more beautiful and bigger than that of Agra which is believ'd to have had its Denomination from the River Arrany which as Arrian affirms falls into the Ganges It was built by King Ekbar after his Conquest of Surratte and for its pleasant Situation made choice of for the Mogol's Court and chief Place of Residence It lies almost Triangular or as Herbert saith Semi-Circular surrounded with a strong Walk of Free-Stone and a Moat of a hundred Paces broad The Circumference of the City is reckon'd to be twelve German Miles The Streets which are very straight are dirty and three Leagues and a half long In the Northern part of the City not far from the River lies the great and famous Royal Castle or Residence of the Kings which is the most beautiful and glorious Piece of Work in all Asia It appears outwardly like a City containing five hundred and twenty Paces in circumference The Structure is for the most part built of Free-stone with many Galleries and Piazzaes very stately after the manner of the Country At the Entrance of this Castle stands the Royal Court of Judicature in the Persian Tongue call'd Diwanchane before which is a large square Maidan or Plain planted about with Trees under which Persons of Quality in hot Weather walk to cool themselves In the middle of the Plain stands a Pole having a Bird on the top of it at which they shoot with Bows and Arrows Opposite to this Court stands a large square Building call'd Karchanay Schah that is The King's Treasure-house with eight Arch'd Vaults in which are kept the greatest part of the Mogol's Treasure Two of these Cellers are reported to be full of Gold and two of Silver in the seventh are kept Pearls Gems and other such like Rarities and in the eighth are contain'd all such Presents as are sent from forein Princes by Ambassadors Behind this Treasury stands another large square Palace with a very delightful Garden and is call'd Hara Michan that is The King 's Womens Lodgings for in it are kept twelve hundred of the King's Concubines which are guarded and waited upon by six hundred Eunuchs Others describe this Court thus It is three or four Leagues in circumference surrounded with strong Walls of red Stone and broad Moats with Draw-Bridges it hath four Gates one on the North which is very strong the second on the West side is call'd Citsery near the Bezar or Market Within this Gate is the King's Court of Judicature where he decides all Differences and behind that is the King's Hall the Seat of the Vice-Roys Within this Gate is also a Street built full of Houses and about a Mile long The third Gate call'd Achabaerbederiwage that is The Gate of King Achbaer lies on the South side and and leads to the King 's Derbaer the Royal Throne or inner Court before which is a small Court surrounded with Golden Rails and cover'd on the top with Carpets to keep off the heat of the Sun beyond it is a Gallery in which stands the King's Throne adorn'd with Gold Diamonds and Pearls and all sorts of Precious Stones No Person is permitted to approach this Place without being call'd except the King's Sons which standing near him cool him by continual fanning of him with Fans in the Country Language call'd Pankhamh and the Chief Secretary Within the foremention'd Court none are suffer'd to enter but Ommirades or Omrahs which are Dukes and great Lords Opposite to this Place hang golden Bells which are rung by those that have sustain'd any prejudice and are thereupon admitted to speak to the King to make their Complaints to him but not without great danger if their Cause be not just In this Place the King appears every Afternoon between three and four a Clock besides thousands of other People which take their Places according to their Qualities and with the King stay there till the Evening hearing all forein Letters which are read by the Setretary and determining all other Businesses Hither are also brought his Horses and Elephants which are try'd by some of his Servants appointed for that purpose Within this third
call'd Banda or Dando but by Della Valle Danda Rajiapori Near this lies the City Ziffardan or Zeferdani the utmost Limits of the Kingdom of Decan In the same Tract towards Banda is a Bay call'd Kelsi the Country on the South side whereof is very Mountainous In Decan is also a City call'd Petan or Patan which produceth abundance of fine Callico The Country of Decan is very fertile producing all things in great plenty and agrees in most things with that of Cuncan and the Inhabitants also agree in their Constitutions Habits and manner of Living Wherefore we will here give an accout of them promiscuously and at large The Air at Chaul is more hot than cold The Soil thereabouts plentifully produces all things except Raisins Nuts and Chess-nuts Oxen Cows and Horses are here in great numbers The Inhabitants of Decan are call'd Decanyns as those of Cuncan Cuncanyns After what manner the Countries of Decan Ballagate and Cuncan or Visiagour which were formerly under the Jurisdiction of one Prince are become subject to several Lords I shall here give this brief Account About three hundred years since the King of Dely brought all the neighboring Kingdoms but particularly those of Decan Cuncan and Ballagate and the Country of Goa under his Subjection At the same time when the Country of Cambaye was conquer'd by the Mahumetans who treated the Reisboutes Inhabitants or the Country very tyrannically The Kingdoms of Ballagate and Decan were formerly govern'd by Heathen Kings and inhabited by a mighty People of which the Venasars and Collers the present Inhabitants are Successors They joyn themselves with the Reisboutes and commit many Robberies forcing Tribute from the Inhabitants of Decan and Ballagate without being punish'd for the same by their King After the King of Dely had made these Conquests the Mogols took up Arms and made themselves Masters of the greatest part of Dely. About the same time there was an eminent Lord of Bengale who to revenge himself of his King for putting his Bother to death unjustly bereav'd him both of his Crown and Life and afterwards fell into Dely forc'd the Mogols to fly and at the same time made himself Master of all the Country of Ballagate and Cuncan extending to the Borders of Cambaye But he not being capable of Governing so many Countries and being also desirous of qâ—iet resolvâ—d to return back to Bengale and committed the Care of Governing the Kingdoms of Decan Ballagate and Cuncan to one of his Nephews who being a Lover of Strangers divided those Countries amongst several Lords of divers Nations as Arabians Turks Rumeans and Corasons giving to one whom the Portuguese call'd Idalcan the Country of Cuncan otherwise call'd Visiapour or Gingive lying eight Leagues from Goa He also gave to one of his Captains nam'd Nizzamaluko the Country of Siffardan which extends it self six Leagues to the North along the Coast of Negotana He divided the Kingdom of Ballagate into Provinces and gave one part thereof to Imademaluko another to Coralmaluko and a third to Melik Vervide But all these immediately rebell'd against their Lord and Benefactor and marching to the Metropolis Beder took the King Prisoner committing him to the custody of Melik Vervide They also procured several other Heathen Princes to joyn with them in this Conspiracy amongst whom were Mohade Koja and Veriche who possess'd rich Countries replenish'd with Towns and Villages Amohade got the Cities Visiapour Solapor and Paranda lying near Goa but not long after the City Paranda was taken by Nizzamaluko and Salapor fell into the Hands of Idalcan who was also call'd Sabayo that is Lord. He possess'd the Island Goa of which the Portuguese afterwards made themselves Masters His House or Palace stands yet at Goa but is now converted to a House of Inquisition The Place lying between the Great Church and the said House bears the Name of Sabayo Idalcan who Reign'd Anno 1535. was Grandson to one of those foremention'd Kings After this Division thus made there was a Quarrel between Idalcan and the King of Narsinga his Neighbor who by his Power subduing Idalcan and the other Kings of Decan made them Tributaries to him But in process of time Idalcan or his Successors subdu'd all those Countries which were possess'd by peculiar Kings or Lords except that of Melik which the Mogol had conquer'd F. Bernier relates That all this great Island of Hindoslan reckoning from the Bay of Cambay to that of Bengale near Jagannate and from thence to the Cape of Comori was all some Mountainous Parts onely excepted about two hundred years agoe under one particular Lord or King who was a very great and Powerful Prince But at present it is divided into many Dominions and the People are likewise of several Religions The Reason of this Division was as followeth A certain Raja or King nam'd Ramras the last of those which Reign'd absolute in this Country imprudently promoted three of his Slaves to too great Dignities by making them Governors viz. The first he made Governor of a great part of that Country which the Mogol at present possesses in Decan round about Daulet-Abad from Bider Paranda and Surratte to Narbadar To the second he gave the Government of all those Countries which are now comprehended in the Kingdom of Visiapour and to the third that Part which is known by the name of the Kingdom of Golconda These three Slaves growing very Rich and Powerful and being supported by many Mogols which were in the Service of Ramras and of the same Religion with the Persians agreed together to rebell against and kill their Lord and Benefactor which having effected they return'd into their several Dominions each of them taking upon him the Title of Schah or King The Successors of Ramras finding themselves not able to engage in a War against these Usurpers were content to retire and seat themselves in a Place call'd Carnateck or Bisnaguer where to this day they Reign as Rajas or Kings The three Slaves and their Successors defended their Kingdoms very valiantly so long as they agreed among themselves and assisting one another maintain'd great Wars against the Mogols but when they went about to defend their several Countries they were immediately sensible of their Division to their great prejudice being soon after reduc'd under the Subjection of the Mogols Decan belong'd formerly to a peculiar King but is at present Govern'd by one of the Great Mogol's Vice-Roys The Great Mogol Akebar or Ecbar was the first which conquer'd the Kingdom or Country of Decan He sent his Son Sultan Morad Anno 1595. against Melik Amber Vice-Roy of Decan to whom belong'd formerly the City of Chaul who setting forth from Cambaye as being the nearest Place to this Province was kill'd with many of his Officers After this in the Year 1598. he sent one of his youngest Sons to maintain the Wars against Melik and revenge the Death of Sultan Morad And soon after he follow'd in his own Person
sustain by it You will not want much Ammunition in these Countries therefore do not refuse sending Assistance to us In the same year in the beginning of December a Peace was concluded between King Adel Schiah and the Portuguese whereby both Parties were allow'd free access one to the other The King of Visiapour maintains also Wars against some of his Rais or Rajas which are Heathen Princes or petty Kings which with the Rabutes their Subjects reside in the Mountains of Ballagate in Places naturally inaccessible where they neither fear being surpriz'd nor besieg'd They have no Written Laws in the whole Realm but the King's Will is a Law to all his Subjects All Civil Debates that happen to arise in the City Visiapour are determin'd by the Coutewael or High-Sheriff but Criminal Causes are try'd by the King himself The Criminals are often executed in the King's Presence with great cruelty throwing them oftentimes before Elephants and other Wild Beasts to be devour'd and sometimes cutting off their Arms Legs and other Members besides other ways not usual in Europe In other Towns or Provinces the Vice-Roy or Governor passes Sentence after the same manner For by vertue of their Patents which they call Firman they are particularly impower'd to give Judgment against Criminals They commonly judge of these Causes according to the first Complaint which they hear so that he which complains first for the most part fares best Differences of Debt are soon decided among them for if the Debtor do not pay his Creditor according to the time limited by the Judge he is severely whipp'd and his Wife and Children sold for Slaves by the Creditor Such Persons as are forc'd to swear are plac'd in a round Circle made upon the Ground laying one Hand upon some Ashes brought thither for that purpose and the other on their Breast and uttering several Expressions to their Gods after which they think themselves oblig'd on pain of Damnation to make a true Answer to all such Interrogatories as are put to them Linschot makes the Idalcans or Kings of Cuncan to be Subjects and Tributaries to the King of Narsinga but Jarrick affirms them to be mortal Enemies The Kings of Cuncan were formerly absolute Lords of vast Territories and subject to none but about sixty Years ago in the time of King Mamedh Idelxa Son to King Ibrahimxa who Anno 1635. possest the Crown in the twenty fourth Year of his Age they were reduc'd under the Mogol's Jurisdiction viz. when in King Mamedh Idelxa's Minority who Govern'd his Realm under the Guardianship of Chavas Chan the Great Mogol assaulting those of Visiapour with two hundred thousand Foot and eighty thousand Horse for their refusing to pay him Tribute After a long and bloody War and the death of Chavas Chan a Peace was concluded Duke Mustaff Chan and the Kings of Visiapour brought under subjection to the Great Mogol with Conditions to pay nine thousand Pagods yearly for Tribute But at present as F. Bernier affirms the King of Visiapour pays no Tribute to the Great Mogol but defends himself against all Attempts which he makes upon him for though he be not so powerful as those of Golconda oppose the Mogol's Forces yet he hath this advantage by reason of the remoteness of his Country from Dely and Agra that the Mogol makes not such frequent Attempts on these Parts besides which that part of the Country of Visiapour which lies next the Mogol's is very difficult for an Army to approach because of the scarcity of Water and Provisions and the badness of the Ways The Metropolis Visiapour is also very strong situate in a dry barren Soil and guarded by many Fortresses built on the circumjacent Mountains which are most of them inaccessible Many Rajas also joyn with him for their own security Moreover he oftentimes receives private assistance from the King of Golconda who always keeps an Army ready on the Borders to assist the King of Visiapour whenever he perceives him to be too much oppress'd by the Mogol Yet nevertheless this State as also that of Golconda is much declin'd for the Mogol hath taken Paranda from them which is the Key of their Country with the Magnificent City Bider and some other eminent Places But especially because of a difference between these two Kings for the last King of Visiapour dying without Issue-Male the present King who is a young Man being brought up by the King of Golcondas Sister who took him for her Son doth not acknowledge her Favours Ibrahim Adil Sciah who Reign'd Anno 1620. notwithstanding the Countries of Cutb Sciah or the King of Golconda and Nizam Sciah King of Decan lay as Bulwarks between his Dominions and the Mogol's and upon occasion was able to raise an Army of a hundred thousand Men stood nevertheless in great fear of the Mogol to whom though he paid considerable Tributes yearly yet he was so slighted by the Mogol that he sent his Letters to him by a Common Soldier or Slave whom he was forc'd to meet with his whole Army and conduct him in great Pomp to his Court where he plac'd himself in a Chair of State prepar'd purposely for him whilst Adil Sciah was forc'd to stand in his Presence like a Slave And when the Messenger had laid the Letter on a Carpet he bow'd down to the Ground three times according to the manner of the Country before he durst take it up This Ibrahim Adil Sciah is said to have caus'd his own Son to be put to death for persuading him from paying the usual Tribute to the Great Mogol and counselling him by force to free himself from that Slavery The King now Reigning sends oftentimes great Presents to the Mogol Anno 1656. in June the King Sciah Sahep sent a Present of seven Lak Penas or Two hundred and eighty thousand Pounds to the Mogol Prince Oranchzef at present King Residing at Dautabake who then accompanied with Mirsimula lay with his Fathers Army on the Borders of Visiapour in a Province call'd Pretapapour The Venassars and Collers or Coulys as also the Rasboutes of Cambaye pay Tribute to this King The thirteenth of November Anno 1656. the King of Visiapour call ' d Adil Sciah deceas'd at which time Fettechan guarded the King's Palace and Chan Channa coming with his whole Army near the Walls desir'd to know of Fettechan whether it would not be convenient for him to bring the Army into the City to prevent Insurrections Whereupon Fettechan reply'd That he had taken upon him in Chan Channa's absence to Guard the Fort and therefore he judg'd it best for the safety of the Realm to let Chan Channa come into the City Whereupon he repair'd to Fettechan in the Palace where consulting together they concluded to Crown the King 's adopted Son call'd Cha Chade which was perform'd the same day he being then in the twenty fourth Year of his Age. This new King receiv'd the Name of Aly Adel Sciah and was permitted to use