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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

soft wax and sets in order upon a Table he will cast up an accompt very exactly Several other good qualities I admir'd in him and it griev'd me to see a man reduc'd to that miserable Condition only because he was of the blood Royal of Persia Though the Employments of the Kingdom generally fall from Father to Son yet the King if he pleases may bequeath the Governments of Provinces or any other dignities to any of his Goulams which are his Slaves if he find them capable and thinks they may be fit for his service The Father to leave the Employment to his Family labours by degrees to introduce his Son and to obtain the Survivorship for him But if the Father dye and leaves the Survivorship to an Infant there is generally a person of Age and Experience sent along with him Some there are also that obtain employments by presenting the Favourites at Court The State of Persia is distinguish'd like most of the European States into three Bodies The first is that of the Sword which answers to the Nobility and comprehends the Kings houshold the Kans and all the Souldiery The second is that of the Quill comprehending all those that belong to the Law and the Courts of Justice The third is compos'd of Merchants Handicrafts-men and Labourers CHAP. X. Of the first of the three Orders or States of Persia which comprehends the Kings Houshold the Kans or Governours of Provinces and the Souldiery THE Primier Minister of the Kingdom is call'd Athemadoulet or the support of Riches His office is the same with the Grand Vizir's in Turkie and may be compar'd to the ancient Mayors of the Palace in France In regard all the affairs of the Kingdom pass through his hands he ought to be rather a Gowoman then a Souldier and herein he only differs from the Grand Vizier who is always to be at the head of the Army and for every slight fault or distaste is subject to be strangl'd by the Grand Signior Whereas in Persia where the Government is milder the Prime Ministrers generally dye in their beds or if they are Depos'd they are only exil'd to some frontier City where they live as private men When the King is young the Prime Minister has a hard game to play for then the Favourite Eunuchs and the Sultanesles disannul and cancel in the night whatever orders he makes in the day time The Nazar or Seer has the charge of all the Kings goods of his breeds of horses of his moveables of his Cloaths and Plate much like the grand Master of the Kings House in France The Mehter who is always a white Eunuch is the first Gentleman of the Kings Chamber and follows the King with a kind of bag hanging by his side full of handkerchiefs And as he is always at the Kings elbow if he have the Kings ear it is easie for him to befriend or do unkindnesses as his inclination leads him During the minority of the King some of these Mehters have been known to govern the Kingdom The Mir-Akhor-Bashi or Grand Esquire has the Charge of the Kings Stables which as well as the Gate of Ali-Capri are a place of Refuge and whoever saves himself therein let it be for Murther or Debt is safe All the Horses in the Kings Stable are mark'd with a hot iron upon the left hip and those that belong to private persons upon the right Those that the King gives to them that serve in his Armies have the Kings mark and are not to be sold but they may be chaffer'd away If any of those Horses happens to dye in a Horse-mans hands he must flea off the Kings mark and carry it to the under Officers of the General of the Cavalry to have another otherwise he would be forc'd to buy another at his own expences Those people by laying the skin in the water know though by what art I cannot tell whither the Horse dy'd of age or sickness or whither he were malitiously kill'd For in times of Peace there are some Horsemen that will kill their Horses to save the Charges of keeping any more than themselves then at the next Muster they bring the skin of their Horse with the mark on to the Officers and get another unless they be found out Nor are their Horses only mark'd but their Scimitars Musquets Bows and Quivers all which they must shew to the Commissioners every Muster Sha-Abbas the second being at Casbin in the year 1654 took a general view of his Cavalry which lasted for ten or twelve days For the King sitting in the Portal of one of his Gardens with his Officers standing about him every day caus'd so many troopers to ride by him which were all stout active men and well mounted Every Souldier gallop'd singly by him and coming just under the King he shot an Arrow against a Butt of Turf that was thrown up upon his left hand and when the Muster was over the King advanc'd the Pay of every Horse-man who according to the sentence of the Judges had shot nearest the mark I was then at Casbin and I remember one Souldier who quite contrary to what the other Horse-men did walk'd his Horse along by the King and never shot but only lay'd his hand upon his brest and then upon his forehead which is the Ceremony of Salutation us'd by the King He was a very homely fellow with a flat tawny countenance so that his behaviour and his presence offending the King in a chafe he commanded that black rascal to be cashier'd out of his service Immediately they took away his Horse and his Arms and were going about to have drubb'd him but that the General of the Cavalry made them a sign to let him alone Immediately the General gave the King to understand that he was one of the best Souldiers in the Army as he had signally made it appear at the Sieges of Erivan and Candahar Upon that the King caus'd his Horse and Arms to be restor'd him again and commanded him to ride by him as the rest of the Souldiers had done When he came against the Butt instead of obeying the Kings command he turn'd his Horse to the right and left without saying a word The General fearing he would offend the King again bid him shoot What shall I shoot at Sir said he Against the place where all the rest have shot answer'd the General Then the Souldier shaking his head and smiling 'T is not my way said he to spend my Arrows against a wall for I know how to make use of 'em better against the body or head of the Enemies of my King I would then shoot thrice before another could shoot once At the same time he draws out two Arrows out of his Quiver one of which he held in his mouth and put the other to his bow and then setting spurs to his Horse he out-rid the Butt for the nonce to shoot backward which he did and hit the very middle

time 146 Chap. XIX Observations upon the fairest and largest Diamonds and Rubies which the Author has seen in Europe and Asia represented according to the Figures in the Plates as also upon those which the Author sold to the King upon his last return from the Indies with the Figure of a large Topaz and the fairest Pearls in the World 148 Chap. XX. The forms of twenty Rubies which the Author sold to the King upon his last return from the Indies The first part of the Plate shews the weight extent and thickness of every Stone 149 Chap. XXI Of the Coral and yellow Ember and the places where 't is found 151 Chap. XXII Of Musk and Bezoar and some other Medicinal Stones 153 Chap. XXIII Of the places where they find their Gold both in Asia and America 156 Chap. XXIV The Relation of a notable piece of Treachery whereby the Author was abus'd when he Embark'd at Gomrom for Surat 157 The Third BOOK of the INDIAN Travels Chap. I. OF the particular Religion of the Mahometans in the East-Indies Pag. 159 Chap. II. Of the Faquirs or poor Mahometan Volunteers in the East-Indies 160 Chap. III. Of the Religion of the Gentiles or Idolatrous Indians 161 Chap. IV. Of the Kings and Idolatrous Princes of Asia 163 Chap. V. What the Idolaters believe touching a Divinity 164 Chap. VI. Of the Faquirs or poor Volunteers among the Indians and of their Penances 165 Chap. VII Of the Idolaters Belief touching the State of the Soul after Death 167 Chap. VIII Of the Custom among the Idolaters to Burn the Bodies of their Dead 168 Chap. IX How the Wives are Burnt in India with the Bodies of their deceas'd Husbands 169 Chap. X. Remarkable Stories of Women that have been Burnt after their Husbands decease 171 Chap. XI Of the most Celebrated Pagods of the Idolaters in India 173 Chap. XII A Continuation of the Description of the principal Pagods of the Indian Idolaters 177 Chap. XIII Of the Pilgrimages of the Idolaters to their Pagods 179 Chap. XIV Of divers Customs of the Indian Idolaters Ibid. Chap. XV. Of the Kingdom of Boutan whence comes the Musk the Good Rhubarb and some Furs 182 Chap. XVI Of the Kingdom of Eipra 186 Chap. XVII Of the Kingdom of Asem 187 Chap. XVIII Of the Kingdom of Siam 189 Chap. XIX Of the Kingdom of Macassar and the Ambassadors which the Hollanders sent into China 191 Chap. XX. The Author pursues his Travels into the East and Embarks at Mengrelia for Batavia The danger he was in upon the Sea and his arrival in the Island of Ceylan 194 Chap. XXI The Authors departure from Ceylan and his arrival at Batavia 195 Chap. XXII The Author goes to visit the King of Bantam and relates several Adventures upon that Occasion 196 Chap. XXIII The Author's return to Batavia His Revisiting the King of Bantam And a Relation of several extravigancies of certain Faquirs in their return from Mecca 199 Chap. XXIV Of the War of the Hollanders with the Emperour of Java 202 Chap. XXV The Author Buries his Brother and is again quarrell'd withall by the General and his Council 203 Chap. XXVI The Author Embarks in a Dutch Vessel to return into Europe 204 Chap. XXVII The Holland Fleet arrives at St. Helens The Description of the Island 207 THE FIRST BOOK OF MONSIEUR TAVERNIER's Persian Travels Containing the several ROADS From PARIS to ISPAHAN the Chief City of PERSIA Through the Northern Provinces of TURKY CHAP. I. Of the Roads from France to the hither parts of Asia and the Places from whence they usually set out for Ispahan A Man cannot travel in Asia as they do in Europe nor at the same Hours nor with the same ease There are no weekly Coaches or Wagons from Town to Town besides that the Soil of the Countries is of several natures In Asia you shall meet with several Regions untill'd and unpeopl'd either through the badness of the Climate and Soil or the sloth of the Inhabitants who rather choose to live miserably than to work There are vast Deserts to cross and very dangerous both for want of Water and the Robberies that the Arabs daily commit therein There are no certain Stages or Inns to entertain Travellers The best Inns especially in Turkie are the Tents which you carry along with you and your Hosts are your Servants that get ready those Victuals which you have bought in good Towns You set up your Tent in the open Field or in any Town where there is no Inn and a good shift too in temperate weather when the Sun is not too hot or that it does not rain In the Carvansera's or Inns which are more frequent in Persia than in Turkie there are persons that furnish you with Provisions and the first come are best served As for Turkie it is full of Thieves that keep in Troops together and way-lay the Merchants upon the Roads and if they be not very well guarded will certainly rob them nay many times murder them A mischief prevented in Persia by the well order'd convenience which is provided for Travellers To avoid these dangers and inconveniences you are oblig'd to stay for the Caravans that go for Persia or the Indies which never set out but at certain times and from certain places These Caravans set out from Constantinople Smyrna and Aleppo And it is from one of these Cities that a Traveller must set out that intends for Persia whether he keeps company with the Caravan or will hazard himself alone with a Guide as once I did I will begin with Constantinople from whence you may go either by Land or Sea and either by Land or Sea there are two ways to go The first of these by Land is that which I took with Monsieur Chapes and Monsieur St. Liebau By the way take notice that Vienna is the half-way near upon between Paris and Constantinople The second Read is less frequented but is less inconvenient and less dangerous for there are no need of the Emperour's Pasports which he does not grant very freely besides that here is no fear of the Pirates of Tunis or Argier as when you embarque from Marseilles of Ligorn If you intend this way you must go to Venice from Venice to Ancona from whence several Barques are bound every Week for Ragusa From Ragusa you sail along by the Shore to Durazzo a Sea-Port of Albania from whence you travel the rest of the way by Land From Durazzo to Albanopolis distant three days journey from thence to Monestier just as far from Monestier you may either take the left hand through Sophia and Philippopolis or the right through Inguischer three days journey from Monestier and ten from Adrianople from whence in five days you reach Constantinople through Selivrea This last way is part by Sea and part by Land but there are two other ways altogether by Land above and below Italy according to the distinction which Antiquity made of the two Seas that

of all these Places A Particular Relation of the Gallies belonging to the Grand Signor as well at Constantinople as in the Isles and other Parts of the Empire FOrmerly there lay in the Road of Constantinople above a hundred and fifty Galleys But the Grand Visier perceiving that so great a number did but cause confusion and that the Captain Basha could not conveniently take so great a burden as to look after such a number he gave order that no more than twenty-four should lie in the Port of Constantinople sending the rest to other Ports as well of the Continent as the Islands At present the Number of the Grand Signor's Gallies is fourscore thus distributed under the Command of their several Beys or Captains At Constantinople twenty-four under the Command of the Captain Basha or Admiral of the Sea who when he goes out upon any Expedition sends to the rest to meet him according to Orders When he goes in person to Sea he gives to every one of his Slaves besides their ordinary Habit a kind of Cassock of Red Cloth and a Bonnet of the same colour But this is only in the Admiral 's Gally and at his own Cost His Gally carries usually 366 Slaves and to every Seat of the Rowers a Bonne Vole These Bonne Voles are certain Volunteers that freely offer themselves to the Service of the Admiral and there is great care taken for their being well paid Their Pay is 3500 Aspers for their Voyage which generally continues seven or eight Months They feed as the other Slaves but if they Row negligently or lazily they are beaten worse than the Slaves for the Volunteers have nothing to do except it be to Row But the Slaves are put to several other Duties Take notice also that the Volunteers that serve in the General 's Gally have 500 Aspers more than those in the other Gallies that is to say 4000 Aspers for their Voyage which comes to 40 Crowns The Reer-Admiral carries Two hundred and fifty men as well Slaves as Volunteers That Galley and the great Tefterdar's or Treasurers are the best provided of any in the whole Fleet For the Reer-Admiral Basha has his choice to take four of the best men out of every Galley for his own or else to receive 3500 Aspers for every man which is paid by the Captain of the Galley which makes him the richest of all the Beys The great Tefterdar's Galley is one of the Twenty four Galleys of Constantinople and he sends a particular Treasurer in the quality of a Lientenant to command her That Command is very much contested for in regard that Galley is very well provided with all things and for that all the Captains Court the Tefterdar who when the Galleys return to Port rewards them according to their Merit The Janizary-Aga's Galley is of the same number but he never goes to Sea always sending one in his room The Bey of Rhodes that takes upon him the Title of Basha has eight Galleys The Bey of Stancho an Island about an hundred Miles from Rhodes Lieutenant to the Bey of Rhodes has one Galley The Bey of Sussam a small Island near Scio has one Galley and his Lieutenant another These Galleys are generally appointed to watch the Maltesi and Ligorn The Bey of Scio formerly had but three but since the War with Candy he has had six The Lieutenant of the Bey of Soio has two Gallies There be also three other Beys in the Island of Scio who have no dependance upon the Basha of Scio but buy their Provisions where they can find it best cheap The Bey of Smyrna and his Lieutenant have two Gallies but they can do nothing without the Orders of the Bey of Scio. The Bey of Metelin has two Gallies The Bey Cavale a small Bay twelve Miles on this side the Dardanells upon the Coast of Europe has one The Bey of Nestrepont seven The Bey of Napoli in Romania five The Bey of Coron one The Bey of Modon one The Bey of Famagosta six The Bey of Alexandria in Egypt five The Bey of Canée two Gallies The Bey of Candia one The Bey of Castel-Tourneze or Navarin two Gallies All these Gallies make up the number of Fourscore The light Gallies carry not above 196 men the four men that are wanting of two hundred being the Bey's profit Every Captain is allow'd thirteen thousand Piasters for his Provision and every Christmas he gives to every Slave a pair of Breeches and a Cassock of course Cloth with a scantie kind of a Cloak Every Slave has every day a pound and a half of good Bread and nothing else But upon Friday which is the Mahumetans Snnday they have hot Pease or Beans or Lentils boyl'd in Butter They receive also sometimes the Alms of the Greeks when they lie in any Port. But at Constantinople they fare somewhat better for twice a week as well the Turks as the Greeks and others come to the Bains and be stow their Charity of Rice and other good Victuals The Bains is the name of the place where the Sea-men are kept when they are not at Sea Sometimes when they are to go to Sea they will counterfeit themselves sick or lame but they are so narrowly observ'd that it serves them to no other purpose than to procure to themselves the more Blows CHAP. IX a Relation of the present State of Georgia GEORGIA which others call Gurgïe or Gurgistan extends Eastward to the Caspian Sea and upon the West is bounded by Mountains that part it from Mengrelia Formerly it was a Kingdom all the Inhabitants whereof were Christians of the Armenian and of the Greek Church but of late the Mahometans have got footing among them And the King of Persia having fill'd them full of Divisions has made two Kingdoms of it which he calls Provinces over which he has plac'd two Governors They are generally Princes of the Countrey who must turn Mahometans before they can be admitted to that Dignity When they are advanc'd they take upon them the title of Kings and while they have any Issue the King of Persia cannot dispossess their Children The most Potent of these two Kings is he that resides at Testis who in the Language of the Country is call'd the King of Cartele The present King is the last that has continu'd a Christian with his four Sons the Eldest of which the King of Persia having entic'd to Court partly by Promises and partly by Presents has won to Mahumetism Immediately thereupon he caus'd him to be declar'd King of the other Province These two Kings have each of them a Guard of Mahumetan-Horsemen under their own pay and at present I believe there are in both Kingdoms near upon 12000 Mahumetan Families The King of Testis coyns Mony in the King of Persia's Name and the Silver which he coyns is in Spanish Reals French Crowns and such other Money which the Armenians bring out of Europe for their Goods As to

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

them to act ridiculously and to talk idly when it has done working they are as cold and stupid as before which obliges 'em to take it again For this reason they are short liv'd or if they do live till forty they complain heavily of the pains that proceed from the cold venome of the herb They that have a mind to kill themselves swallow a large piece and drink Vinegar after it to prevent the relief of any other Counterpoy on and so they dye smiling They have another sort of drink to make themselves merry which they call Kokomaar compos'd of boyld Poppy seed They take it in broth and there are particular houses call'd Kokomaars Krone where people meet to divertise those that see the ridiculous postures which that intoxicating drink causes them to shew Before it works they quarrel with one another and call one another all to naught but never fight When the drug begins to work they grow friends and some are for making complements others for telling a long tedious story which renders them very vain They have also another sort of liquor which is call'd Bongue very bitter being made of the leaves of Hemp and some other drug mix'd with it It makes those that use it shamefully foolish and ridiculous which is the reason the Law has forbid that and not the former The Usbecks have brought into Persia the Custome of taking in Pipes Tchouherse which is the flower or rather the woolly substance which is found in hemp-closes This fills the head with strange conceits sometimes pleasant and sometimes furious those that take it being quite besides their sences for two or three hours Their Feasts are thus order'd The guests come in the morning to the house whither they are invited and all the day long they spend their time in taking Tobacco and telling stories Between whiles they have Sweetmeats Coffee and Fruits set before them In the evening the Sofra is spread and the table serv'd with boil'd and roast If the person that treats be of any quality he has a kind of a Governour of his house that sits upon his heels with a Ladle or great wooden spoon in his hand Then the Inviter makes his complements to the chief of his guests assuring him that the entertainment is only provided for him only at his command he is ready to let the rest share with him The Complements being thus pass'd the Governour of the House with his great Spoon puts rice and meat upon the little plates which the servants present by equal portions to every one of the guests Then they fall too taking out the rice by handfuls and the meat with their fingers Sometimes they mix curdl'd milk with their rice and meat and making up a lump of all together as big as a Tennis ball put it all in their mouths at a time which is the reason they never sit long at Table one making room for another till they have all done for as soon as one has done another comes into his place without any farther Ceremony They have several Liquors in the room in Porcellain Vessels but at meals they only drink to drive down their meat and to prevent thirst When all is done they bring a Bason with an Ewre full of hot water to wash their hands and faces After which the Inviter complements his guests and every one returns home at which time the servants are very diligent to bring every man his shoes in hopes of some little piece of silver The Armenians entertain their friends in the same manner only that they begin their Feasts with a cup of strong water and some sweet-meats after which they give a couple of hard Eggs to every one of the guests The Persians also have soon done but the Armenians eat swift and a long time without drinking which they never do till the end of the meal After they have given thanks and taken away the cloth then they fall to drinking to excess He that gives the entertainment never thinks he has done well till his guests are not able to find the way out of the room and the more they tumble about the room the less he thinks he has spent his money in vain To conclude the Persian's are very Gentile and afford their victuals with a free-will to all that will come and eat with them at Supper time admiring at the custome of the Franks who shut their doors when they sit down to their meals CHAP. XVIII Of the Marriages of the Persians THe Persians betroth their Children very young that is at nine or ten years but among the Armenians there are some marry'd and lye together at five or six The Law of Mahomet allows them but four lawful Wives whom they call Nekha But there are others whom they call Amoutha or hir'd women and of whom they may have as many as they can keep and for so long time as they please which is ratifi'd by the allowance of the Judg. They may also enjoy the Slaves whom they purchase The Children both of the one and the other are accompted lawful and inherit all alike without the distinction of Elder or Younger but two Daughters can have but the share of one boy When the womans time that was hir'd is out the man dismisses her and she is oblig'd to stay forty days before she engage again that it may appear whither she be with Child or no. The man gives to the woman that he marries a Dowry assign'd upon his Estate and sends her money and silks to make her cloaths The maid also sends something to him but very little and all by the interposition and intercourse of the women For the two parties never see one another Upon the wedding day they send to the Bridegrooms house by the sound of Drums and Trumpets certain Horses and Men laden with the Brides goods which is many times done out of vain-glory and more for shew then substance The Bridegroom is led a foot attended by several women with Tapers in their hands and a noise of Drums and other Instruments marching before them Being come to the door of the Bridegrooms House if he have promis'd a larger Dowry to the woman then he is able or willing to give he keeps his door shut The Parents of the Maid knock and he declares he will not have her at that price But at length after some contests on both sides they agree and the Virgin enters with her Mother and all her Kindred Then the Moullah reads the conditions of Marriage which being done the women retire into the inner part of the House the men feasting by themselves and the women by themselves This is all that is done upon the Wedding-day but the following days are not always so pleasing and it often follows that both parties do not agree or that the husband misuses his wife Then the woman that requires separation requires the Dowry promis'd her by her husband which the man oft-times refuses and if she