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lord_n	death_n	young_a	youth_n	131	3	7.8110	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63439	The six voyages of John Baptista Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne through Turky, into Persia and the East-Indies, for the space of forty years : giving an account of the present state of those countries, viz. of the religion, government, customs, and commerce of every country, and the figures, weight, and value of the money currant all over Asia : to which is added A new description of the Seraglio / made English by J.P. ; added likewise, A voyage into the Indies, &c. by an English traveller, never before printed ; publish'd by Dr. Daniel Cox; Six voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. English	Tavernier, Jean-Baptiste, 1605-1689.; Phillips, John, 1631-1706.; Cox, Daniel, Dr.	1677 (1677)	Wing T255; ESTC R38194	848,815	637

Conquests into Asia and defeated the Army of Bajazet whom he took Prisoner together with his Wife he return'd into Persia where at that time liv'd a Cheik whose name was Aidar a person in high reputation for his Holiness He was a person of great wit and the first in the dignities of the Law which gain'd him great authority and belief among the people He gave great honour to Tamerlane and shew'd Eminent kindnesses to all the Officers of his Army in recompence whereof Tamerlane who was a generous Prince and full of gratitude made a Present to the Cheik of a great number of Captives which he brought along with him out of Turky The Cheik planted one part of these Slaves about Ardevile and seated the other near his own residence Now in regard he assum'd to himself to be descended in a direct line from Mahomet he cover'd his head after another manner then all the rest of the Persians wearing a kind of flat Bonnet growing broader and broader to the top and so pleighted as to make twelve Pleights of a Ruff in honour of the twelve Prophets In the middle a kind of a Pyramid about a fingers length seem'd to rise out of the Bonnet but was indeed sow'd to it Such a Bonnet as this the Cheik appointed all the Slaves to wear that Tamerlane had giv'n him and this is that which at this day distinguishes their Successors from the other Persians And it is the custom where Kans or Governours of Provinces reside that all the Sophies both in the City and the neighbouring parts meet in the Piazza every Friday in the afternoon where they pray to God for the health of the King and the Kan and for the prosperity of the Kingdom after which the Kan sends them Victuals to eat not without some other effects of his Liberality The Cheiks Sons considering of what a number of Slaves they were Masters and that the greatest part of the people prepossess'd in favour of their Father out of the opinion they had of his Sanctity took their part the more powerfully to engage them shew'd themselves liberal to all and when they found themselves strong enough revolted against Alamout King of Persia their lawful Soveraign After many Skirmishes at length they gave him Battel near to Tauris wherein Azimout was defeated and slain by the hand of Ismael Sophi the Cheiks third Son who is properly to be accounted the first King of that Race I mean of the Race of them that did not embrace the Alcoran but according to the Interpretation of Haly Mahomets Son-in-Law To Ismael Sophi succeeded Sha-Tammas his Son and to Sha-Tammas Sha-Ismael the second who reign'd but a short while for his cruelties constrain'd the Nobility of the Country to set up in his room Mahomet-Coda bendé his Brother though little skill'd in the affairs of Government or War Many thought he was blind but he was only dim-sighted through the application of a hot Iron to his eyes by the Command of his unnatural Brother in the beginning of his reign He was the Father of Sha Abbas that succeeded him who setl'd the affairs of Persia in a very good condition Sha Abbas the first by his Valour and good Conduct gain'd the name of Great When he came to his Throne upon the North and West side he found nothing in his power but the City of Casbin but afterwards as he was a personage of great wit as well as courage partly by policy and partly by force he recover'd several Provinces to the West and conquer'd the Kingdoms of Lar Ormus and Candahar Of many Sons that Sha-Abbas had not one surviv'd but only Sophi-Mirza a Prince of great wit and dextrous at his Arms. All the people lov'd him which made his Father jealous of him that he waited for his death to ascend the Throne And that which augmented his jealousie was for that one day being a hunting Sophi-Mirza drew the first arrow at a Boar it being a capital crime in Persia to shoot before the King However Sha Abbas for the time conceal'd his displeasure unwilling to fly out in fury against the Prince in regard he had no more Sons But Sophi-Mirza having had a Son by a Slave which pleas'd him Sha Abbas's joy encreasing as the Child grew his jealousie also daily encreas'd against the Father of the young Prince so that being no longer able to dissemble his fear he caus'd his eyes to be put out Nay his jealousie went a great way farther for he now fear'd the blind Prince and having therefore resolv'd his death he commanded a Lord of the Court to bring him his head The Lord in an astonishment refus'd to obey the King and besought him rather to take away his life than to constrain him to embrue his hands in the blood of his Prince The King offended at him for his refusal banish'd him his Court and the next day gave the same command to another Lord who without any scruple put it in execution and brought him the head of his Son in a Bason of Gold That object of pity brought him to himself so that not being able to look upon so sad a spectacle without tears in his eyes upbraiding the villany of the Lord he expell'd him from his sight forbad him his presence for ever and sequesterd all his estate only allowing him a Mamoudi or nine French Sous a day The other Lord who had so generously refus'd to aid him in so bloody an act the King recall'd from Exile and bestow'd upon him one of the best Governments of the Empire Ever since that time all the Male Children of the Blood Royal are shut up in the Womens Haram where they are bred up in ignorance having only two or three Eunuchs to teach them to write and read and to keep them company in their recreations whether it be in shooting with a Bow or riding about the Gardens upon an Ass for they never allow 'em a Horse besides that all that time they are never permitted to see the people In this manner it was that Sha Abbas bred up his little Grandson many days causing him to take Opium to render him more stupid So that when he came to the Throne after his Grandfathers death the Physiicians thought it convenient that he should drink Wine to restore his natural heat and renew his vigor Sha Abbas reign'd forty years and dy'd at the end of the year 1628. Before he dy'd he gave command that he should be bury'd in some place unknown to all the world and that they should set his Grandchild upon his Throne and give him the name of Sha-Sefi So soon as Sha Abbas's eyes were clos'd the General of the Horse and the chief Captain of the Harquebusses with whom the Commands were left rode in all haste to Ispahan and coming to the Palace desir'd to speak with the Mother of the Child The Mother was in a sad affright believing that they came to put the young

Prince to death But when they had dissipated her fears and that she understood that they came to set him upon the Throne by the command of his Grandfather she embrac'd the young Prince and return'd him into the hands of the Eunuchs When he was come out of the Haram the two Lords attended by several others saluted him King and acknowledg'd him for their Soveraign At the same time they took off his Clothes and tore them which in Persia is a mark of mourning and according to custom put him on another plain Garment which he wore till midnight Then they disrob'd him again and put him on his Royal Robes and set him upon the Throne where all the Lords came and did him homage and the next day he was acknowledg'd by all the Acclamations of the people For when the Royal Habit is put upon the new King the Drums Trumpets Timbrels Hautboys and other Instruments make a din in a peculiar place of the Meydan appointed for that purpose Which is the Signal to give notice to the people to meet the next morning to acknowledg the new King Sha-Sefi for many years was a Novice in the art of Government But time opening his eyes the first remarkable thing which he did being at Casbin was to cut off the head of Ali-Kouli-Kan that great Captain who had conquer'd the Kingdoms of Lar and Ormus for Sha Abbas and the heads of three of his Sons After that returning to Ispahan he cut off the heads of seven of the principal Lords of his Court and by little and little took the Government into his own hands Of those Lords whom Jani-Kan was the chief For 't is thought that Sha Abbas had left a private order with Mirza Také and the Dowager Sultaness to rid themselves of those Lords so soon as Sha-Sefi should be setl'd in his Throne and that they had plac'd Governors in all places where in the King might confide These Lords having smoak'd the private order of Sha-Abbas and believing that the time of execution drew near prevented the Athemadoulet Mirza Také for meeting one morning before the Palace-door they kill'd the Porter and entring his Bed-Chamber stab'd him before he could rise After this execution they went to the King whom Jani-Kan boldly told that they had slain Mirza Také The King at that time dissembling his anger at so bold an enterprize and an attempt upon the Royal Authority answer'd him that he had done very well and that he had prevented those orders which he intended to have giv'n him The Sultaness his Mother then govern'd the Kingdom together with the Athemadoulet from whom she receiv'd four hundred Ducats in Gold every day for her little pleasures and held a private Council with him in her Haram where he had free admission as being cut close In this Council it was that these two persons overthrew in the night whatever the Lords concluded in the day chang'd the Kings mind and over-rul'd his thoughts as they pleas'd themselves by vertue of that power which they had over him Eight or nine days after as these Lords were sitting in Council with the King an Eunuch enter'd which was the signal for the King to get out of the way and as soon as the King was gone the Chamber was fill'd with Eunuchs that rushing in immediately fell upon Jani-Kan and his Accomplices and cut off their heads Their heads and bodies were immediately expos'd to the view of the people in the Meydan and for that it is not the custom in Persia to take any cognizance of what the King does the most part of the people spurning the heads with their feet cry'd one to another See the heads of those Dogs that have disobey'd the will of the King I told ye that Mirza Také was clean cut which occasions a particular story He was Governour of Guilan in the Reign of Sha Abbas and having abus'd one of his Pages the young Ladd stole secretly to Ispahan and made his complaint to the King who having heard it immediately sent him to be Governour of Guilan in the place of Mirza Také and order'd him to send him his head by one of the Officers which he dispatch'd along with him The King also in regard the Page was very young appointed him a person able to advise him in his affairs In the mean while Mirza Také missing his Page and making no question but he was gone to make his complaint to the King which would of necessity prove his ruin if not prevented he resolv'd to divert the storm by punishing himself and caus'd that part to be cut clean off that committed the crime At the same time and in that bad condition wherein he then was he caus'd himself to be put into a Litter and taking his Chirurgeon along with him he gets to Ispahan by another way which was not usually travel'd for fear of meeting the Page and causing himself to be carry'd into the Palace in that pitiful and languishing estate desir'd to speak with the King who was surpriz'd at his arrival But the Kan having presented him in a Plate of Gold with the undoubted marks of his repentance besought his Majesties pardon Whereupon the King considering the rigor and extraordinary punishment which he had inflicted upon himself sent him back to his Government and recall'd the Page whom he otherways gratifi'd And this was the man whom Sha Abbas upon his Death-bed order'd that Sha-Sefi should make Athemadoulet as being the fittest for the employment of any person in his Kingdom Sha-Sefi not content to have rid himself of the Lords that had presum'd to invade his Authority was resolv'd to have the head of Ali-merdan-Kan Governour of Candahar of whom he was jealous by reason of his vast riches his Plate being all Gold and his House as magnificently furnish'd as the Kings But the King could not bring about his design for the Kan being press't to come to Court and believing it was only to take away his head to free himself from the danger deliver'd Candahar to the Great Mogul by whom he was kindly entertain'd and highly caress'd Neither was Ali-merdan-Kan's wealth of his own getting but left him by inheritance as being descended from the ancient Kings of Candahar who were originally Tartars Now whatever favours or advancement the Great Mogul bestow'd upon Ali-merdan-Kan the same did the Persian King bestow upon his two Sons whereas all the world believ'd that after such a piece of Treason committed by their Father the King would have ript up their bellies This piece of policy of Sha-Sefi was very advantageous to Sha-Abbas the second when he besieg'd Candahar with fifty thousand men For the greatest part of the Moguls Army being compos'd of Persians they remembring how kindly Sha-Sefi had us'd the two Sons of Ali-merdan-Kan made little resistance against the King of Persia who enter'd Candahar in a small time The Great Mogul troubl'd at the loss ask'd Ali-merdan-Kan by what means he might retake

King caus'd the Baker and the Cook to be apprehended and to be led quite thorough the City with two men going before them who cry'd to the people We are going to put the Baker into a red hot Oven made in the Piazza where he is to be bak'd alive for having utter'd Bread by false weights and the Cook is to be roasted alive for having sold meat by false weights Thus those two men serv'd for an example not only to Ispahan but to all the Kingdom where every one dreaded the severe justice of Sha-Abbas CHAP. III. Of what fell out most memorable in the Reign of Sha-Sefi the first and particularly of the death of Iman-Kouli-Kan and his three Sons I Man-Kouli-Kan was the last Kan of Schiras whose Government extended over the Province of Lar to the Golf of Persia under the Reign of Sha-Abbas these Kans being the most potent in all Persia. Iman-Kouli-Kan was he who in the Reign of Sha-Abbas conquer'd the greatest part of the Kingdom of Lar and the Kingdom of Ormus with all the Coast of the Persian Golf from Cape Jasques to Balsara This Iman-Kouli-Kan was prodigiously rich belov'd and respected by all the world besides he was wonderfully magnificent his expences almost equalling the Kings which occasion'd Sha-Abbas who discours'd with him one day particularly upon that Subject to tell him that he desir'd him to spend every day one Mamoudy less than he that there might be some difference between the expences of a King and a Kan The noble qualities of this Iman-Kouli-Kan had gain'd the affections of the people for he was magnificent and liberal highly recompenc'd brave Soldiers and Students he lov'd Strangers and had a particular care to cherish Arts and Sciences To which purpose he built a fair Colledg at Schiras for the instruction of Youth and several Inns as well in the City as upon the Road for the benefit of Travellers He caus'd Mountains to be cut thorough to shorten the way and join'd others by Bridges of such an adventurous Structure that it is hard to conjecture how such prodigious Arches could be made over such vast Precipices and Torrents Now in regard Iman-Kouli-Kan was strick'n in years he seldom went to Court chusing rather to continue in his Government where he was belov'd and respected by all men But the King being young and the Government of the Kingdom in the hands of the Queen-Mother and the Athemadoulet who were extreamly jealous of the Kan those two persons link'd together in interest for the maintenance of the Kings Authority and their own fretted to see the Kan's Court almost as splendid as the Kings and that nothing of the Revenue of Schiras Lar Ormus or any part of the Persian Golf came to the Kings Coffers as being solely at the disposal of the Kan but that on the contrary the King was oblig'd to send him Money to pay the Army But that which troubled the Queen-Mother most of all was the pretention of the Kan's eldest Son to the Crown whowas also a person of a daring and ambitious courage For the Kings of Persia esteem it a great Honour to bestow upon any Kan or great Lord one of their Wives out of their Royal Haram and Sha-Abbas had given to Iman-Kouli-Kan one of his own proper Wives whom he lov'd extreamly 'T is thought that when she left the Haram she was three months gone with Child by Sha-Abbas for somewhat above six months after she was bedded by the Kan she lay-in of a Son of which the King was the reputed Father and who being born before Sha-Sefi pretended a right before him to the Throne By vertue of this claim contrary to the will of Sha-Abbas in favour of Sha-Sefi this ambitious Lord who only pass'd for the Kan's eldest Son vehemently sollicited his Father to seize upon Sha-Sefi and to make himself King or at least to op'n a way for him to the Throne Now it happen'd that one day being a hunting with the young King near Schiras the impatient young Lord coming to his Father Sir said he see now the opportunity that offers you the Throne for I will go presently and bring you Sha-Sefi's head But the Kan holding his Son by the Arm told him that he would never consent to the death of his King protesting to him rather to dye a thousand deaths adding withall that it was the Kings will to appoint Sha-Sefi to succeed him as being the Son of his Son and consequently his lawful Heir that the young Prince was recommended to his care and in regard he had promis'd and sworn he was so far from falsifying his trust that he would maintain his possession to the last gasp This generous resolution of the Kan broke the young Lords design upon the Kings person However the Sultaness being not ignorant of the train that was laid for the young King and against the repose of the Kingdom thought it her wisest way to prevent the blow and to rid her self of such persons as had conspir'd the death of the King The Kan's two other Sons took part with him they call'd their elder Brother And as for the Kan himself though he were upright in his Loyalty yet his power his wealth his reputation among the Souldiery and the affection that the people bare him concurr'd together not only to render him suspected but guilty The Sultaness and the Athemadoulet took counsel together which way to divert the storm that threaten'd the Kings head to whom they represented that he was not safe in his own person so long as Iman-Kouli-Kan and his three eldest Sons liv'd The King easily believ'd them and resolv'd to be rid both of Father and Sons together but the difficulty was to get 'em to Court wherein opportunity it self assisted them For at that time Amurath the Great Turk at the head of a vast Army was already advanc'd within the Confines of Persia had tak'n Erivan and had ruin'd Tauris Upon the first news of this march the King sends for all the Kans and Governours to attend his person with all the Forces under their command Among the rest the Kan of Schiras receiv'd the same orders who thereupon assembl'd all his Troops both Horse and Foot who were not only the most numerous but the best disciplin'd and stoutest Souldiers of all Persia. As he was upon his march to Casbin with his three Sons the eldest having well consider'd of affairs Sir said he We are making hast to the King to the end our heads may the sooner fall at our feet Perhaps my Son reply'd the Kan thou maist speak the truth but to this day I never was a Rebel against the King I have done whatever he commanded and whatever may happ'n I will obey him till death The Kan arriving at Casbin was by the King welcom'd with great demonstrations of joy Some days after he took a general Muster and then made a great Feast which lasted three days to which all the great Lords and Kans

gave him fifteen days Thereupon the King did go to the Treasury next morning according to Mahomet's desire and found all things in good order having heard before what became of the Scimitar From thence he went to Mahomet's House who made the King a mean Present For it is the custom that he whom the King honours with a Visit must make a Present to his Majesty After the King had receiv'd it he walk'd up and down and view'd the Chambers Halls Parlours and Rooms of State and wonder'd to see them so ill set out with plain Felts and course Carpets whereas in other Lords Houses a man could not set his Foot upon any thing but Cloth of Gold and Silk For the King as they had set the Nazar out expected to have found other things which made him admire at so great a Moderation in so high a degree of Honour Now at the end of a Gallery there was a Door lockt with three great Padlocks Of this the King took no notice whereupon the Meter who is the White Eunuch and chief of his Chamber as he came back shew'd the King the Door that was so strongly Padlock'd which made the King curious to have it open'd withal asking Mahomet what he had got there lock'd up with so much care Oh Sir said he it behoves me to keep that lockt for there is all the Estate I have in the World All that your Majesty has seen in this House is yours but all that is in that Chamber is mine and I dare assure my self your Majesty will be so gracious as never to take it from me Those words inflam'd the King's curiosity so that he commanded the Door to be open'd But he was strangely surpriz'd when he saw nothing more within than Mahomet's Sheep-hook that lay upon two Nails his Scrip wherein he us'd to put his Victuals his Bottle for his Water his Pipe and his Shepherd's Weeds all hanging against the Wall The Nazar beholding the King's astonishment at such a Sight Sir said he when the King Sha-Abas found me in the Mountain keeping Goats then that was all I had and he took nothing from me I beseech your Majesty that you would not deprive me of these things neither but rather if you please let me resume them again and fall to my old Calling The King touch'd at so high a piece of Virtuo caus'd himself to be disapparel'd and gave his Habit to the Nazar which is the greatest Honour that the King of Persia can bestow upon a Subject Thus Mahomet continu'd and dy'd honourably in his Employment This brave Person was the Protector of all the Franks in Persia and if any one had done them wrong upon complaint he did them Justice immediately One day as I was shooting Ducks upon the River of Ispahan near the Nazar's Gardens with two Servants some of the Nazar's people that did not know me set upon me and would have taken away my Gun which I would not let go till I had broke the Stock about the Shoulders of the one and flung the Barrel at the other 's Head Thereupon I took some of the Franks along with me and complain'd to the Nazar He testifi'd his sorrow for what had happen'd and gave us evident Proofs thereof by the blows which he caus'd to be laid upon those that had done me the injury Another time Sha-Sefi being upon his return from Guilan his Tents were set up near Zulfa in Armenia where the King staid to hunt two or three days Now among the rest of the Courtizans that follow'd the Court to divertise the King with Dancing and Mummery there was one who was perfectly handsom to whom the King had already sent Presents which could not be unknown to any Lord i' the Court. But the Nazar's Son for all that being in the heat of Youth got this Courtizan to his Tent and there lay with her which came to his Father's Ears next day The Nazar whether out of his zeal to the Ring or whether it were an effect of his prudence to prevent the King's anger which would have certainly been the death of his Son caus'd him to be drub'd after the manner of the Country and bastinado'd all over till the Nails of his Toes dropt off and that his Body was almost a perfect Gelly Which when the King understood together with the Young Man's Crime he said no more but that the Nazar had done wisely by punishing his Son himself to prevent his Justice But to return to the Road from Kerman to Ispahan The first day that I set out from Kerman at my Stage in the Evening I met with a rich Moullah who seeing I had Wine civilly offer'd me some of his Ice to cool it In retaliation I gave him some of my Bottle He invited me to his House which was well built with a handsom Garden with Water in it He entertain'd me with Spoon-meat according to the mode of the Country and when I took my leave he fill'd my Boracho with very good Wine The following days I saw nothing worthy observation the Country being as I have already describ'd it Yezd lyes in the Road almost in the mid-way between Kerman and Ispahan in 93 Deg. 15 Min. of Longitude and 13 Deg. 45 Min. of Latitude It is a great Town in the middle of the Sands that extend themselves for two Leagues round it so that when you leave Yezd you must take a Guide for upon the least Wind the Sand covers the Highway whereby a man may be apt to fall into Holes which seem to have been either old Cisterns or the Ruines of ancient Buildings Between the Town and the Sands there is a little good Soil which produces excellent Fruits but above all Melons of several sorts the Pulp of some is green of others yellow and vermilion and some there are the meat whereof is as hard as a Renneting There are also very good Grapes and good Wine but the Governour will not permit the Inhabitants to make Wine Some therefore they dry and of the rest they make a kind of Confection to cat with Bread There are also abundance of Figs which are large and well tasted They distil vast quantities of Rose-water and another sort of Water with which they dye their Hands and Nails red which they squeeze out of a certain Root call'd Hina There are three Inns i' th' City and several Bazars or Market-places cover'd and vaulted which are full of Merchants and Workmens Ware-houses They also make at Yezd several Stuffs of Silk intermix'd with Gold and Silver which they call Zerbaste and another sort of Stuff of all pure Silk call'd Daraï like our smooth strip'd Taffata's Other Stuffs they make half Silk half Cotton others all of Cotton like our Fustians They make also Serges of a particular Wool which is so fine and delicate that it looks handsomer and is much better than Silk Though I had nothing to do I staid in Yezd three days because I met with

receiv'd every one then labour'd to testifie their joy for his return They sent him Horses Mules Camels rich Carpets and every thing fit to furnish a Lords house But all this while he wanted money which because he could not meet with among the Persians he was forc'd to have recourse to the Armenians of whom he desir'd to borrow five or six hunder'd Tomans As for the Kalenter he would have had the sum lent but the rest would not Thereupon the King taking a walk to Zulpha Ali-Couli-Kan put it into his head to go and see the great Cathedral belonging to the Armenians where several Bishops with several Monks reside The King entring into the Church where the Bishop stood ready at the head of the Clergy to receive him and seeing all things new and strange as coming but lately out of the womens Haram ask'd his favourite what sort of people those were clad in such an extraordinary manner Ali-Couli-Kan told him they were Devils Devils said the King What! added he dost bring me into a house of Devils The King thus incens'd against the Armenians resolv'd to force 'em to turn Mahumetans But Ali-Couli-Kan being a Georgian repenting that he had rais'd the Kings indignation to so high a pitch and not believing it would be any advantage to him for the Armenians to turn Mahumetans contented himself only with frighting them which was enough to bring the Armenians upon their knees and to make them come and beg the Intercession of his authority Which favour as he order'd it cost the Armenians ten thousand Tomans to the King and four or five thousand Tomans to his Favourite The 23. of September 1677. the King made a Cavalcade then which there could be nothing imagin'd more magnificent All the richest Furniture was brought out of the Exchequer into the Meydan The golden buckets to water the Horses The golden Fat out of which they take the water together with the buckles harness and nails of gold to which the Horses are ty'd After the King had play'd at Mall as I have already describ'd and had also shot at the Goblet upon the top of the Mast in the middle of the Meydan he went and fate in the Divan which is over the Gate call'd Ali Capi where he had the pastime to see Lyons Bulls Bears Tygres and Rams fight But that which was most admirable was to see a man stand upright upon the Saddle while the horse ran full speed which he did three times the whole length of the Meydan The first time 't is true he fell but the two last times he stood firm On day the same Ali-Couli-Kan presented two handsom Youths to the King which had both delicate voices The King hearing them sing was very much troubl'd that he could not make use of them in his Haram which Ali-Couli-Kan observing sent for a French Chirurgeon and promis'd him a great reward if he could cut the youths and save their lives The Chirurgeon for lucre of a large recompence cut them both and cur'd 'em very well Which done Ali-Couli-Kan presented the two youths to the King who was surpriz'd to see them but was well pleas'd that he had got two such new attendants in his Haram But see the reward of such a wicked action Ali-Couli-Kan dy'd soon after The Chirurgeon never was pay'd and being advis'd to present a Petition to the King by the Meter the Meter ask'd him whither he would turn Mahometan which when the Chirurgeon deny'd to do the Meter bid him be gone like a Rascal telling him withall that he did not think the Religion of the Christians had permitted such acts of villany The two youths were born at Cashan and had both Fathers and Mothers and were promis'd in Marriage When their Parents heard of it they came to Ispahan to weep over their Children Which the King observing to appease their sorrow gave them a Pension during life CHAP. IX Of the Government of Persia. THE Government of Persia is purely Despotick or Tyrannical For the King has the sole powre of life and death over all his Subjects independent from his Council and without any Trials or Law-proceedings He can put to what death he pleases the chief Lords of the Kingdom no man daring to dispute the reason nor is there any Soveraign in the world more absolute then the King of Persia. The King deceasing and leaving Male Issue behind him the Eldest ascends the Throne while his Brothers are kept in the Haram and their eyes are put out and if there be the least suspicion of any contrivance against the King they are forthwith put to death without any farther examination And not only they but the Children also of the Kings Brothers and Sisters I remember when I first travell'd into Persia they were not so rigorous but were contented to move a red hot iron to and fro before their eyes But Sha-Sefi perceiving his command had bin negligently executed and that the poor unhappy Princes had some sight left them he order'd their eyes to be digg'd out of their heads Sha-Sefi's cruelty went yet farther for he spar'd not his Eldest Son Sha Abbas the lawful Heir to his Throne ordering one of his Eunuchs to move an Iron before his eyes no man being able to tell the reason But the Eunuch compassionating the young Prince did indeed move an Iron but not a red hot Iron before his Eyes and teaching him to counterfeit himself blind preserv'd his sight till his Father lay upon his death-bed at which time his Father was very penitent for having put out the eyes of his Eldest Son to whom the Throne of right belong'd The Eunuch seeing the King so sadly afflicted and ready to give up the ghost assur'd him that he would restore the Prince to his sight and to comfort him at his death brought the Prince with perfect eyes to the bed side The sight of which prolong'd the Kings life till next day and gave him time to command all the Grandees of the Court to obey Sha Abbas his Eldest Son as his lawful Successor and their King But to return to these blind Princes There were several at Ispahan when I was there and I knew one particularly who is still alive and is a person of excellent natural parts As blind as he is he is a great lover of Curiosities and has built him a House in Ispahan which is worthy a mans sight He is overjoy'd when any person brings him any rarities out of Europe feeling them in his hands and causing his Eunuchs which are very apprehensive to tell him the meaning of every thing He is a great admirer of Clock-work and Watches and can tell by his finger when a Watch is right in the Case To know what a Clock it is he has little points set up in the Dial-plate and a half hand to the end he may not be deceiv'd which part of the hand points to the hour By means of certain figures which he makes of

snow is whiter but besides all that it smells of Musk and all the Grandees of the Indians eat no other When they would make an acceptable Present to any one in Persia they send him a sack of this Rice This River which passes by Kerkoa and those other places I have mention'd empties it self into the River of Surat From Navapoura to Nasarbar costes 9 From Nasarbar to Dol-medan costes 74 From Dol-medan to Senquera costes 7 From Senquera to Tallener costes 10 At Tallener you are to pass the River which runs to Baroche where it is very large and empties it self into the Golf of Cambaya From Tallener to Choupre costes 15 From Coupre to Senquelis costes 13 From Senquelis to Nabir costes 10 From Nabir to Badelpoura costes 9 At Badelpoura it is where the loaded Waggons pay the duties of Brampour but the Waggons that carry nothing but Passengers pay nothing From Badelpoura to Brampour costes 5 Brampour is a great City very much ruin'd the Houses being for the most part thatch'd with straw There is also a great Castle in the midst of the City where the Governour lies the Government of this Province is a very considerable command and is only conferr'd upon the Son or Unckle of the King And Aureng-zeb the present King was a long time Governour of this Province in the Reign of his Father But since they came to understand the strength of the Province of Bengala which formerly bore the Title of a Kingdom that Province is now the most considerable in all the Mogul's Countrey There is a great Trade in this City and as well in Brampore as over all the Province there is made a prodigious quantity of Calicuts very clear and white which are transported into Porsia Turkey and Muscovia Poland Arabia to Grand Cairo and other places There are some which are painted with several colours with flowers of which the Women make Veils and Scarfs the same Calicuts serve for Coverlets of Beds and for Handkerchiefs There is another sort of Linnen which they never dye with a stripe or two of Gold or Silver quite through the piece and at each end from the bredth of one inch to twelve or fifteen in some more in some less they fix a tissue of Gold Silver and Silk intermix'd with Flowers whereof there is no wrong-side both sides being as fair the one as the other If these pieces which they carry into Poland where they have a vast utterance want at each end three or four inches at the least of Gold or Silver or if that Gold or Silver become tarnish'd in being carried by Sea from Surat to Ormus and from Trebizan to Mangala or any other parts upon the Black-Sea the Merchant shall have much ado to put them off without great loss He must take care that his goods be packt up in good Bales that no wet may get in which for so long a Voyage requires great care and trouble Some of these Linnens are made purposely for Swathbands or Shashes and those pieces are call'd Ornis They contain from 15 to 20 Ells and cost from an hunderd to an hunderd and fifty Roupies the least not being under ten or twelve ells Those that are not above two ells long are worn by the Ladies of Quality for Veils and Scarfs of which there is a vast quantity vended in Persia and Turkey They make at Brampour also other sorts of Cotton-Linnen for indeed there is no Province in all the Indies which more abounds in Cotton When you leave the City of Brampoure you must pass another River besides that which I have mention'd already There is no Bridge and therefore when the water is low you ford it when the rains fall there are Boats attending From Surat to Brampour it is 132 Costes and these Costes are very short in the Indies for you may travel one of them in a Coach in less than an hour I remember a strange tumult at Brampoure in the year 1641 when I returned from Agra to Surat the cause whereof was thus in short The Governour of the Province who was the King's Nephew by the Mother's-side had among his Pages a young Boy that was very beautiful and of a very good Family who had a Brother in the City that liv'd as a Dervich and for whom all the Town had a very great veneration One day the Governour being alone in his Chamber did all that lay in his power by vertue of Gifts and Caresses to have had the use of his Body but the Boy detesting his abominable purpose made his escape from him and came and told his Brother The Dervich without deliberating what Councel he had to give his younger Brother gave him a Sword such a one as he might easily hide under his Garment and told him that if the Governour urg'd him any more that he should make a shew of complying with him but that when he went about to do the fact he should be sure to run him into the Guts The Governour who knew nothing of what the Page had reveal'd to his Brother ceas'd not every day to court him to consent to his infamous lust and being one day alone with him in a small Apartment of a Banquetting-House at the lower end of his Garden he sent for his Page to fan him and to keep off the Flies after the fashion of the Country for it was about noon when every one goes to sleep Then did the Governour begin again to press the young Page and finding that he made no resistance he thought he should suddenly accomplish his design But the Page seeing him ready to commit the act stab'd him three times into the Belly before he could open his mouth to cry out for help That done the Page went out of the Palace without any disturbance In his countenance so that the Guards believ'd that the Governour had sent him out upon some errand The Dervich understanding by his Brother what had pass'd to save him from the fury of the people and to discover the Infamy of the Governour caus'd the rest of the Dervichs his Companions to take the Banners of Mahomet that were planted round the Mosquee and at the same time with loud cries encourag'd all the rest of the Dervichs Faquirs and others that were good Mahumetans to follow him In less than an hours time he had got together an infinite multitude of the Rabble and the Dervich marching at the head of them they made directly to the Palace crying out with all their might Let us dye for Mahomet or let us have that infamous person deliver'd up into our hands to the end the Dogs may eat him after his death not being worthy to be enterr'd among the Musselmen The Guard of the Palace was not in a condition to resist so great a Multitude so that they must have been forced to have yeilded to their fury had not the Deroga of the Town and some five or six Lords found a way to make themselves to be

at a great distance too which made them believe he was dead For they are oblig'd by Custom to shew themselves to the people three times in a week or in fifteen days at most Cha-Jehan had six Children four Sons and two Daughters The Name of the eldest was Dara-Cha the second was call'd Sultan Sujah the third Aureng-zeb and the fourth Morad-Bakche The eldest of his two Daughters was call'd Begum-Saheb and the name of the second was Rauchenara Begum Cha-jehan lov'd all his four Sons alike and had made them Governours or Vice-Roys of four of his principal Provinces or Kingdoms Dara-Cha who was the eldest stay'd with his Father in Dehly and had the Government of the Kingdom of Sandi into which he put a Deputy Sultan Sujah had for his share the Government of Bengala Aureng-zeb was Vice-Roy of the Kingdom of Decan and Morad-Bakche of the Kingdom of Guzerat But though Cha-jehan endeavour'd to give equal content to his four Sons their Ambition was not satisfi'd with this division but ruin'd all the good designs which so kind a Father had lay'd to preserve peace among his Children Cha-jehan being thus sick and retir'd into the Womens quarter without shewing himself for many days the report ran that he was dead and that Dara-Cha conceal'd his death to gain time to provide for himself and to secure the Empire True it is that the King believing he should dye commanded Dara-Cha to call together all the Omrahs or Lords and to seat himself upon the Throne which belong'd to him as the eldest of his Brothers He also testifi'd the desire he had to see him quietly setled in the peaceable possession of the Empire And this intention of his was look'd upon as the more just in regard the other three Brothers had been for some time observ'd to have less respect for their Father than Dara-Cha Dara-Cha who honour'd and respected the King with a real tenderness made answer to the King that he desir'd of Heaven nothing more than the preservation of his Majesties life and that so long as Heaven should continue that preservation he should take it to be a greater honour to continue himself a Subject than to ascend the Throne And indeed he was never absent from his Father that he might be the better able to serve him in his sickness and because he would be present upon all occasions he lay by his Fathers Bed-side upon a Tapestry spread upon the ground During the false report of the death of Cha-jehan his three other Sons immediately rebell'd every one laying claim to their Fathers Crown Morat-Bakche the youngest who had the Government of Guzerat sent away Forces immediately to besiege Surat the most considerable Port and most frequented of any other all over India The City made no resistance for the Walls are very weak and broken down in several places But they defended the Cittadel where the Treasure was very stoutly though the young Ambitious Prince did all he could to make himself Master of it Chabas-Kan one of his Eunuchs who was General of his Army an industrious and active person and who carri'd on the Siege with all the experience of an old Captain when he saw he could not carry the Castle by main force caus'd it to be undermin'd in two places by the assistance of an European Engineer which took effect so that upon the twenty-ninth of December 1659 he threw down a good part of the Walls and fill'd up the Moat which very much terrifi'd the besieg'd But they presently recover'd their courage and though they were but a small number they defended themselves for above forty days to the great dammage and slaughter of Morat-Bakche's Army Chabas-Kan provok'd at such a vigorous resistance sought for all the Wives and Children Parents and Kindred of the Canoneers that were within the Castle to place them at the head of his men when they made their approaches He also sent one of the Brothers of the Governor of the place to offer him advantageous conditions But the Governor being a very loyal person and uncertain of the Kings death rejected all his offers The Eunuch perceiving the Resolution of the Governour threaten'd the besieged to kill all their Wives and Children Parents and Kindred if they did not surrender the place the next day But neither did any of those considerations prevail till at length the breach being made wider and the number of defendants decreasing the Governor surrender'd upon honourable conditions which were punctually perform'd by Chabas-Kan who seiz'd upon all the Treasure and carried it to Amadabat where Morat-Bakche was busily employ'd in squeezing the people to get Money The news of the taking Surat being brought to this Prince he presently provided himself a Throne and sitting upon it on the day which was appointed for the Ceremony he caus'd himself to be declared King not only of Guzerat but of all the Dominions of Cha-jehan his Father At the same time he also coin'd Money and sent new Governors into all the Cities But his tottering Throne not being well fix'd fell soon to the Ground and the youngest of all the Brothers for having usurp'd a Scepter that no ways appertain'd to him was confin'd to a severe imprisonment Prince Dara-Cha fain would have reliev'd Surat but it was impossible For besides that he was busied in the assistance of his Father the King his second Brother Sultan-Sujah more powerful than Morat-Bakche found him far more work to do He was already advanc'd into the Kingdom of Lahor having absolutely reduc'd the Kingdom of Bengala All that Dara-Cha could do was to send Soliman Checour his eldest Son with an Army against Sultan Sujah The young Prince having defeated his Uncle and driven him back into Bengala the Frontiers whereof he secur'd with good Garrisons return'd to Dara-Cha his Father In the mean time Morat-Bakche acknowledg'd for King in the Kingdom of Guzerat bends all his Force and Counsels to make himself Emperor of the Indies to destroy his Brothers and to fix his Throne either in Agra or Jehanabat Whiles these things pass'd Aureng-zeb as ambitious but more crafty than his Brothers lets them alone to kindle the first Fires and conceals his own designs which afterwards appear'd so much to the damage of the rest At first he feign'd to lay no claim to the Empire but liv'd a private life like a Dervich or Religious Hermit And the better to act his part he declar'd to his younger Brother Morat-Bakche whom he saw to be so ambitious how willing he should be to assist him in his designs telling him that because he merited the Empire by his Valour he would aid him with his Money and his Forces to overthrow Dara-Cha who only stood in his way The young Prince blinded with the hopes of his good Fortune easily believ'd Aureng-zeb And so joining Forces together he advances towards Agra to make himself Master of that City Dara-Cha marches to meet them but the Battel was as imprudently manag'd

to Asouf-Kan his Generalissimo and prime Minister of State who was Protector of the Empire He commanded also all the Officers of the Army to acknowledg him for King as being the lawful Heir declaring Sultan Komrom a Rebel and incapable of the Succession Moreover he made Asouf-Kan to swear in particular that he would never suffer Boulaki to be put to death which way soever affairs went which Asouf-Kan sware upon his Thigh and as religiously observ'd as to the Article of not putting him to death but not as to that of helping him to the Crown which he design'd for Cha-jehan who had married his eldest Daughter the Mother of four Princes and two Princesses The news of the Kings death being known at Court caus'd a general lamentation And presently all the Grandees of the Kingdom set themselves to execute the Kings Will and Testament acknowledging Sultan Boulaki for Emperor who was very young That Prince had two Cousin-Germans who were both of them by the Kings consent turn'd Christians and made publick profession thereof Those two young Princes being very apprehensive perceiv'd that Asouf-Kan Father-in-Law to Cha-jehan and Father of Cha-Est-Kan had no good intentions toward the young King and gave him notice of it which cost them their lives and the King the loss of his Dominions For the young King having no more with than was agreeable to his age openly declar'd to Asouf-Kan what his Cousins had reveal'd to him in private and ask'd the General whether it were true that he had a design to set up his Uncle against him or no. Asuof-Kan immediately accus'd the Reporters of salsity and impudence and protested his fidelity to his King and vow'd to spend the last drop of his blood to preserve him in the possession of the Empire However seeing his Conspiracy discover'd he resolv'd to prevent the punishment to which end having got the two Princes into his possession he put them both to death But before that in regard of his power in the Army and in the Empire he had already brought over to Cha-jehans party the greatest part of the Commanders and Lords of the Court and the better to play his game and deceive the young King he rais'd a report that Cha-jehan was dead and because he had desir'd to be buried near his Father Gehan-guir the body was to be brought to Agra This Stratagem being cunningly manag'd Asouf-Kan himself gave advice of the feign'd death to the King telling the King withall that it would be but a common civility for him to go and meet the Corps when it came within a League or two of the City being an Honour due to a Prince of the Blood of the Moguls All this while Cha-jehan kept himself incognito till coming within sight of the Army that lay about Agra he caus'd himself to be put into a Coffin wherein there was only a hole left for him to breath at This Coffin being carri'd under a moving Tent all the principal Officers who were of the plot with Asouf-Kan came to perform the usual Ceremonies of State to the body of the deceas'd Prince while the young King was upon the way to meet the body But then Asouf-Kan finding it seasonable to execute his design caus'd the Coffin to be open'd and Cha-jehan rising up and shewing himself to the eyes of all the Army was saluted Emperor by all the Generals and other principal Officers who had their Cue ready so that the name of Cha-jehan running in a moment from one mans mouth to another the Acclamation became publick and the Empire was setled upon him The young King hearing the news by the way was so surpriz'd that he thought of nothing but how to save himself by flight being upon a sudden forsaken by all his followers And Cha-jehan not believing it any way necessary to pursue him suffer'd him to wander a long time in India like a Fakir At length he retir'd into Persia where he was magnificently receiv'd by Cha-Sefi who allow'd him a pension fit for so great a Prince which he still enjoys Cha-jehan having thus usurp'd the Crown the better to secure himself and to stifle all Factions that might arise during the life of the lawful Prince whom he had so unjustly despoiled of his right by degrees put to death all those that had shew'n any kindness to his Nephew So that the first part of his Reign was noted for many acts of cruelty that blemish'd his reputation No less unfortunate was the end of his Reign For as he had unjustly depriv'd the lawful Heir of the Empire which belong'd to him he was himself while he yet liv'd depriv'd of his Crown by Aureng-zeb his own Son who kept him Prisoner in the Fortress of Agra For after Dara-Cha had lost the Battel against his two Brothers Aureng-zeb and Morat-Bakche in the Plain of Samonguir and was treacherously abandoned by the principal Officers of the Army he retir'd into the Kingdom of Lahor with all the Treasure which the confusion of his affairs would suffer him to get together In the King to resist the violence of his victorious Sons shut himself up in the Castle of Agra to the end he might not be surpriz'd but have time and leisure to observe how far the insolence of his children would transport them As for Aurengzeb who had Morat Bakche safe enough he enters Agra feigning to believe a report that Cha-jehan was dead that he might have liberty to get into the Fortress where he said one of the Omra's would make it out The more he reported the death of Cha-jehan the more did the King endeavour to let the people know he was alive But finding both Power and Fortune had taken Aureng-zeb's party and being also in great necessity for want of water he sent Fazel-Kan grand Master of his Houshold to assure his Son that he was alive and withal to tell him that it was the King's command that he should retire to his Vice-Roy-ship in Decan without putting him to any more vexation and that upon his obedience he would forgive whatever had past Aurengzeb firm in his resolution return'd for answer to Fazel-Kan that he was certain that the King his Father was dead and that upon that account he had only taken Arms to secure the Crown to himself which he thought he deserv'd as well as the rest of his Brothers That if his Father were living he had too great a respect for him to undertake the least enterprize that should displease him and therefore that he might be certain he was not dead he desir'd to see him and to kiss his feet and having so done he would retire to his Government and punctually obey his Commands Fazel-Kan return'd this answer to the King who declar'd that he should be glad to see his Son and sent back Fazel-Kan to tell him he should be welcome But Aureng-zeb more cunning than Cha-jehan assur'd Fazel-Kan that he would not set his foot in the Castle till the Garrison