divulging a secret that would have been the ruine of his own and his Uncle's Family At length the General of the Slaves asham'd of having put off the young Lord so many times and now being run to the end of his Rope as one that had no more Excuses to make he resolv'd to break off at once with the Vazier that he might deliver himself from his importunate Sollicitor To this purpose one Evening at the time that he was ready to go to his Prayers and from thence to Court for 't is the Custom of the Mahumetans to say their Prayers in Publick perceiving the young Lord at a distance advancing toward him he took that opportunity when there was a great number of People and several persons of Quality to hear him at what time as soon as the young Lord came near him fetching a deep sigh and lifting up his Eyes and Arms to Heaven Good God said he what shall I do with this man he pursues me every where like a Criminal he will not give me time to say my Prayers he haunts me going into my Haram among my Women I find him at my heels whereever I go prithee Friend what wouldst have me do to satisfie thee Am I King of Persia to create thy Uncle Prime Minister of State Prethee go to his Majesty the business does not lie in my Power You may easily judge what a Thunder Clap this was to the young Lord he would not for ten times the Sum that he had provok'd those Expressions from a man so ill principl'd he repented with all his heart that he had press'd him so close but 't was too late for Ibrahim's Plot was thereby discover'd and all the Court that knew him rightly believ'd 't would cost his Ambition sauce as indeed it fell out By a Quirk of the same nature the General of the Slaves had already formerly hook'd out of the Nazir or Lord Treasurer's Pocket three hundred Tomans which make a thousand pound at the time that the Court return'd to Ispahan To which purpose the cunning Fox went to him at his house all in a heat and after he had drawn him aside Sir said he I come to assure you that your Head which the practice of your Enemies had endanger'd is now secure The King at first began to listen to their Calumnies so that had not I interpos'd for your safety the King was resolv'd neither to have sent you the Habit nor the Patent Royal. The General of the Musquetteers was he that did you the most prejudice which caus'd a Quarrel between us I suppose you will acknowledge the kindness we have done you The same Prank he plaid Mirza Moumen that is Lord without Blot the Nazir or Superintendant of the Stables who was drawn in by him for about nine thousand pounds by making him believe that he had protected him against Potent Accusers who sought to bring him under his Majesties displeasure But that was not all for that he was resolv'd to imploy his Credit with his Master as to raise him from being Treasurer of the Stables to be Treasurer of the Kings Demeans in the room of Mac-Soud-Bec who undeservedly enjoy'd the Employment and whose head already totter'd upon his shoulders for that the King was resolv'd that none of those should live who had oppos'd his Advancement to the Throne Upon his Departure also that he might leave some marks behind him of his malicious Cunning he resolv'd to set the King 's two Chief Eunuchs who are petty Kings in the Palace together by the ears to the mutual perdition of each other that is the Mehther or Lord Chamberlain and the Aga Moubarek or Overseer of the Queen Mothers Houshold To that purpose he went to the High Chamberlain to tell him as a secret of great Importance and which the Friendship he had for him oblig'd him to reveal that Aga Moubarek took all opportunities to slander and accuse him to the King but that his wickedness fell upon his own head for that he had often heard his Majesty say that he could no longer endure the Backbiting Tongue and Malignity of that person that he was resolv'd to have put him to death and had done it already had it not been for some remainder of kindness he has for him for the service he did him at his Fathers death stopt his displeasure At the same time he went to Aga Moubarek and told him also the very same Story of the Chamberlains Inveteracy against him So that the two Eunuchs foster'd for some time a secret and implacable hatred one against the other both expecting when the effects of the Princes Anger would break out to the ruine of his Enemy according as the General of the Slaves had fed their hopes But the time being elaps'd and nothing hapning of what they were made believe they began to doubt the truth of what he had inform'd ' em And therefore knowing the Author of the Story to be a great forger of Lies they resolv'd to find out the truth The Mehther or High Chamberlain was the first that discover'd it For being saluted one day with the usual Complements the Great Chamberlain coldly repli'd There 's a Tongue that coldly salutes my Ears but stabs me to the heart and then drawing him aside What unkindness said he have I done you that you should go about to procure my death by rendring me odious to the Prince as you do every day all my comfort is you will not be so successful in your enterprize as you think for Aga Moubarek finding thereby a Gate opened for discovery 'T is not for you said he but for me to complain For is it not you that have been continually pealing in the Kings Ears such and such stories concerning me which had been enough to have taken away my life had his Majesty given credit to your Tales but thanks be to God they were not believ'd The two Eunuchs were so strangely surpriz'd to find themselves upbraided with the same unkindnesses that they began to compare their accusations of each other with which they were charg'd and that Examination at last discover'd that it was but a Romance tho a pernicious Romance which the General of the Slaves had compos'd to set those two Lords together by the Ears and to make his advantage of their quarrelling Nevertheless seeing the dark contrivance had not succeeded altogether they dissembl'd their resentment at present and said nothing resolving to wait for an opportunity of Revenge which they vow'd should never escape 'em whenever it offer'd it self These Eunuchs are very ready at these kind of dark Contrivances there being no people in the World that know how to carry on a private Revenge by close and covert means and then give fire to the Mine of a sudden so well as they do nor did they fail to pay this crafty Deceiver in his own Coin For it is thought that they were the persons who mainly contributed to his disgrace and death
Patent I was fully discharg'd But I was afraid lest the Prince would make use of that pretence to view my Goods whether I would or no. And this was that which encreas'd my Fears and made me insist upon having an Officer to conduct me For my reason told me that such a Provision would render the Viceroy more responsible for any Accident that should befall me and that my Guide would secure both my Person and my Goods And indeed the greatest part of my Fears were dissipated when I saw my self quite free of Tefflis for then I began to conceive good hopes of all the rest of my Journey That Day I travell'd two Leagues through a Passage of the little Mountain that lies to the South of the City and lay at a Great Village call'd Sogan-Lou or the Place of Onions built upon the River Cur. The 1st of March I travell'd Eight Leagues in a fair Plain where the Road was indifferently streight leading to the North-East Within three Hours I came to a Village consisting of about a Hunderd and Fifty Houses call'd Cupri-Kent or the Village of the Bridge Because there is a very fair Bridge that stands not far from it built upon a River call'd Tabadi This Bridge is plac'd between two Mountains seperated only by the River and supported by Four Arches unequal both in their Heighth and Breadth They are built after an Irregular form in regard of two great Heaps of a Rock that stand in the River upon which they have laid so many Arches Those at the two ends are hollow'd on both sides and serve to lodge Passengers wherein they have made to that purpose little Chambers and Portico's with every one a Chimney The Arch in the middle of the River is hollow'd quite through from one part to the other with two Chambers at the Ends and two large Balconies cover'd where they take the cool Air in the Summer with great delight and to which there is a Descent of two pair of Stairs hewn out of the Rock Adjoyning to this fair Bridge there stands an Inn now ready to go to decay However the Structure is Magnificent having several Chambers with every one a Balcony that looks out upon the Water Neither is there a fairer Bridge nor a more beautiful Inn in all Georgia The Second we Travell'd Nine Leagues among Mountains very rugged and difficult to cross So that we were twelve Hours ere we got to our Journeys end though we Travell'd at a good rate About Sun-set we arriv'd at a great Village call'd Melik-Kent or the Royal Village built upon a point of one of those High Mountains The Third we Travell'd eight Leagues i' the Mountains where we were much perplex'd and where we did nothing but ascend and descend At length we lay at a Village as big as Melik-Kent The Fourth we Travell'd only three Leagues and before Noon we came to a Town that consisted of about Three Hunderd Houses call'd Dily-jan It is seated upon a River call'd Acalstapha at the Foot of a High and Dreadful Mountain which together with the rest that we pass'd the preceding days was a part of Mount Taurus There was every where great plenty of Water and here and there some Plains that were but small but very fertile The Goodness of the Soyl thereabout is not to be imagin'd nor the Number of Villages that are to be seen on every side There are several that stand so high-rais'd upon the points of the Rocks that you can hardly have a sight of ' em The most part are inhabited by Georgian and Armenian Christians but not intermix'd Those People having such an inveterate Antipathy one against the other that they cannot live together nor in the same Villages In all these Mountains are neither Inns nor publick Houses however Travellers are lodg'd in the Countrymens Houses very conveniently where there is plenty both of Meat and Drink For my part I wanted nothing for my Guide rode still before when we were got about half way so that when I came to the Village I still found a large Chamber empty Stables a good Fire and Supper ready The first days Journey I would have paid my Landlord but my Guide would not permit me telling me 'T was not the Custom and that I should rather give Him what I intended the Man of the House Which was the reason that the next Days I only caus'd something to be given in private to the People where I Lodg'd And indeed 't is very good Travelling with these Guides for they cause yee to be diligently attended All Night long my Chamber was guarded by the People of the Village who kept Watch as well in Obedience to the Commands which were laid upon 'em as for my Security though there was no danger to be fear'd The most part of the Houses of these Villages are in truth no more then Caverns For they are hollow places made in the Earth The rest are built of great Beams of Timber up to the Roof which is made like a Terrass and cover'd with Turf Only they leave a hole open in the middle to let in the Light and let out the Smoak which hole they stop up as they please themselves Which sort of Caverns have this Convenience that they are very warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer nor is it an easie thing for Thieves to break into ' em The Borough of Dily-jan and all the Country round about for six Leagues distance to the North and South and very far to the East and West belongs to Kamshi-Can and is call'd the Country of Casac It holds of Persia and depends upon that Kingdom after the same manner as Georgia that is to say it is always Govern'd by its own Natural Princes from Father to Son Abas the Great subdu'd it at the same time that he Conquer'd Georgia The Inhabitants of Casac are Mountaineers stout and fierce Originally descended from those Cosaques that inhabit the Mountains to the North-East of the Caspian Sea The Fifth we Travell'd five Leagues over that dreadful Mountain already spok'n of There are two Leagues from the Town of Dily-jan which stands at the very Foot of the Hill to the Top another of even Ground to the Top of all and two Leagues of Descent again A tedious Days Journey which I thought would have kill'd me For I was troubl'd with a terrible Dysentery which forc'd me to alight altogether and then two Men held me up as I went and a third lead my Horse The Mountain is most dreadfully laden with Snow there being nothing else to be seen at the Top neither Tree nor Plant. The Road also lay through a narrow Path of Snow hard'nd by the Feet of Horses and Travellers so that if they did but slip their Feet out of the Path they sunk up to the Belly in the looser Snow Nor is there any passing over this Mountain when the Snow-falls or when the Wind blows for then the print of the
the Rarities of the Countries through which they pass'd The River Zengui takes its source from this Lake and crossing one part of Armenia meets with the River Araxes near the Caspian Sea into which at length they both discharge themselves ECS-MIAZIN commonly calld the THREE CHURCHE ECS-MIAZIN commonly calld the THREE CHURCHE A Platform of the Church of Echsmiazin A Prospect of the Church of Echsmiazin Two Leagues from Erivan stands that famous Monastery of the Three Churches the Sanctuary of the Armenian Christians if I may presume so to call it and the place to which they pay their greatest Devotion I have caus'd a Draught to be made of it at large and have added a Geometrical Ground-Plot and a small Sketch of the outside of the Principal Church to give a more distinct Description of the Monastery and more easie for Apprehension The Armenians call it Ecs-Miazin or the Descent of the only begotten Son or the Only begotten Son is descended Which Name say they was given to this Place because Jesus Christ shew'd himself visibly in this place to St Gregory who was the first Patriarch of it The Mahometans call it Vtsh-Clissie or the Three Churches for that besides the Church belonging to the Convent there are two others adjoyning to it The first and the principal call'd Ecs-Miazin is a very substantial and dark Structure all built of large Free-Stone The Pilasters which are Seventy two Foot high are mishapen Piles of Stone as are also the Duomo and the Roofs On the inner side are to be seen no Ornaments either of Sculpture or Painting The Chappels stand upon the East-side besides three at the lower end of the Church Of which the middlemost is very spacious with an Altar of Stone after the manner of the Eastern Christians very well adorn'd But there is not any Altar in those upon the Sides only one serves for a Vestry and the other for a Treasury In the Vestry the Monks that belong to the Place shew yee several Pieces of Church-Furniture very beautiful and rich as Crosses Gold Chalices Lamps and Candlesticks of Silver of an extraordinary bigness The chiefest part of which Wealth was the Munificence of Papal Liberality and Testimonies of Rome's Credulity as well as of Armenian Dissimulation There are also to be seen in the Treasury several Shrines of Silver and Vermillion Gilt. The principal Relicks belonging to the Place by the report of the Monks that have 'em in keeping are the upper part of the Body of St. Repsima an Arm and a Thigh of St. Caiana an Arm of St. Gregory Sirnam'd the Illuminator because he Converted Armenia a Rib of St. James Bishop of Jerusalem a Finger of St. Peter and two Fingers of St. John the Baptist Whose Body as the Monks of this Monastery affirm lies in a Church belonging to a Convent of their Order near to Erzerum That Leontius Bishop of Caesarea gave it to their first Patriarch and that after it had lain Three Hunderd and Fifty Years at Echs-Miazin it was Translated to the place where they say it now lies But the Monks of Echs-Miazin who are the great Doctors of the Armenians are so ignorant by their own Confession in my hearing that they never heard of those Histories which relate how that the Body of St. John the Baptist was burnt to Ashes by the Command of Julian the Apostate I omit to say any thing of those other Relicks which they pretend to have in their Treasury as being the Relicks of Saints very little known to this part of the World I shall only therefore add this farther That the Monks belonging to the Convent affirm for a great Truth That once they had the two Nails that fasten'd the Sacred Hands of JESUS CHRIST to the Cross which are still preserv'd the one at Diar-Bekre the other in Georgia and that Abas the Great took out of their Treasury the true Lance and the Seamless Garment to enrich the Treasury of the Kings of Persia at Ispahan In the middle of the Church stands a large square Free-Stone being three Foot in Diameter and five Foot thick The Armenians assure us as an Article of their Faith That this was the place where St Gregory their Apostle saw JESUS CHRIST one Sunday in the Evening while he was at his Prayers and where he spake to him They farther ascertain us That JESUS CHRIST drew round about this Saint with a Beam of Light the Design of the Church of Echs-Miazin and order'd him to build it according to the Model which he had there drawn They add That at the same time the Earth open'd in that part where the Stone lies and that CHRIST cast down to Hell through that Hole all the Devils that were in the Temples of Armenia and utter'd false Oracles and that Saint Gregory caus'd the Hole to be cover'd with Marble They add That Abas the Great carry'd away the Marble and put it into the Royal Treasury of Persia and caus'd this Stone to be set up in the Room of it Concerning which I made a diligent Inquiry at Ispahan nay I ask'd the Superintendents of the Treasury themselves but I could not find that They understood any thing of it Armenian Tradition tells yee also of another particular in reference to the Center of this Church which I shall set down though as fabulous as the rest That this was the true place where Noah built that Altar and offer'd that Sacrifice which is mention'd in the Eighth Chapter of Genesis The Great Steeple has been newly rebuilt containing Six Bells the biggest of which weighs 1200 Weight One of the smaller Bells fell down about Forty Years since and was never hung up again for want of Money as the Armenians say and indeed it is certain that they are very Poor The first Monastery of this Church was built by Nierses the Twenty Ninth Patriarch of Armenia This the Tartars ruin'd and if we may believe the Chronology of the Place it has been Five times levell'd with the Ground It is at present built of Brick the Patriarchs Apartiment lying to the East There are besides in the Convent Lodgings for all strangers that come to Visit it and for 80 Monks beside but usually there are not above Twelve or Fifteen And here it is that the Patriarchs of Armenia are oblig'd to reside But to say Truth the Avarice Envy and Ambition with which they are possess'd in this Age finds 'em so much business that they spend all their time in Rambling over Persia and Turkey This Patriarch has Twenty Bishopricks under him The two other Churches that stand near Echs-Miazin are call'd one St. Caiana and the other St. Repsima from the Names of two Roman Virgins who as they say fled into Armenia in the time of the Ninth Persecution and suffer'd Martyrdom in the same place where the Churches stand St. Caiana stands upon the Right Hand 700 Paces distant from the Monastery St. Repsima upon the Left about 2000 Paces off
Chappels upon a Line To the middlemost belongs an Entrance eighteen Foot deep every way magnificent the Portal being of the same white Marble already mention'd The Top which is also a large half Duomo is over-laid without with large square Tiles of Cheney painted with Moresco Work and within embellish'd with Gold and Azure The Door which is twelve foot high and six broad is all of transparent Marble The folding Doors are plated with Silver embellish'd with Vermillion guilt carv'd Work and polish'd which make a Mosaic altogether costly and full of Curiosity The Chappel is Octogonal cover'd with a high Duomo the lower part of which Chappel is cover'd with large Tiles of Porphiry wav'd and painted with Flowers in Gold and Colours so lively and full of Lustre that they dazle the Eye The upper part is of Moresco Work of lively and glittering Gold and Azure and the Bottom of the Duomo is all of the same This Duomo is very large and wonderfully beautiful being overlaid without like the Portal From the top of all arises a Spire with a Crescent fixt at the top the ends of which are reverse as you see in the Figure This Pinacle which is of a remarkable Bigness is comoss'd of several Bowls of several Proportions set one upon another and appears as you stand below to be about twenty foot high with the Crescent the whole of fine Gold The Persians affirm it to be all Massy which if it be true the Pinacle is worth Millions but let it be what it will 't is a noble Ornament of which the Value cannot but amount to a large Summ. In the midst of that Chappel stands the Tomb of Fatima the Daughter of Mousa Casem one of the twelve Califfs which the Persians believe to have been the lawful Successors of Mahomet after the Death of Ali his Son-in-Law It contains eight feet in length five in bredth and six in height Over-laid with Tiles of China painted alamoresca and over-spread with Cloth of Gold that hangs down to the ground on every side It is enclos'd with a Grate of Massy Silver ten foot high distant half a foot from the Tomb and at each Corner crown'd as it were with large Apples of fine Gold Which is done to the end the People should not sully the Tomb with their kissing and handling it for the Tomb is lookt upon as a sacred Piece Several breadths of Velvet hung about the inside of the Grate hide it from the view of the People so that only Favor or Money can procure a sight of it The Flooer likewise is cover'd with a Carpet of very fine Woollen over which at great Festival Times are spread others of Silk and Gold Over the Tomb about ten foot in height hang several Silver Vessels which they call Candil being a sort of Lamp of which there are some that weigh sixty Marks and are otherwise fashion'd then the Church Branches as may be seen in the Figures But they never light up any fire therein which they are not made to hold nor any sort of Liquor as not having any Bottom Upon the Grate hang several Inscriptions in Letters of Gold upon thick Velloms as large as a large sheet of Paper Which Inscriptions contain the Elegies of the Saint and her Family The Inscription upon the Front of the Entrance contains the Prayer which they all generally say that come in the Pilgrimage to the Sepulcher The Pilgrim when he enters kisses the Threshold and the Grate three times and standing upright with his Face towards the Tomb one of the Molla's that attend there day and night comes to him who causes him to say the Prayer word for word After the Prayer so said the Pilgrim again kisses the Grate and the foot of the Door then giving the Priest four or five pence more or less according to his ability he retires If he desires a Certificate of his Pilgrimage they write him one in due form the dispatch of which costs him half a Pistole or eight or nine shillings All the money which the Pilgrims and other Votaries give is put into a little iron Chest like the Trunk of a Tree that stands at the entrance into the Chappel which is open'd every Friday and what is found therein is distributed among the people that belong to the Mosque and do Duty in that consecrated place It would be too long and perhaps to irksome to insert all the Inscriptions I have mention'd and therefore I shall only give you the Translation of the two Principal Prayers which the Pilgrims are bound to say In the name of God clement and merciful I Visit my Lady and Mistress Fatima the daughter of Mousa the son of Dgafar upon whom be all Salvation and Peace eternally And out of my zeal to approach to God by her Intercession I invoke her for my self my Father and Mother and all the truly Faithful In the name of God soveraignly pitiful I wish thee Health eternal O Apostle of God I wish thee Health eternal O Elect of God I wish thee Health eternal O the best and most perfect of all men Mahamed the son of Abdalla God grant thee his Mercy his Grace and his Benedictions and to all thy Family I wish thee eternal Health O Prince of the Faithful O Lord and Chief of the true Vicars of God I wish thee eternal Health O thou that art the Truth it self I wish thee Health eternal and the Mercy and Benedictions of God ô Ali who art the true Balsom for the wounds of sin I wish the Health eternal O virgin most Pure most Just and most Immaculate glorious Fatima the daughter of Mahammed the Elect the best beloved Wife of Ali the Mother of twelve true Vicars of God of Illustrious Birth and I also wish the Mercy of God and his Benedictions to thy Mother the most precious the most pure and high-born Khadidge I wish the mercy of God and his Benedictions to Hasan and Heussein true Directors of the way of Truth Celestial Flambeaux's of the dark Night of the World Great Standards of true Piety unreproachable Testimonies of God against the World Lords of all the young Men who are in the Glory of Paradise I wish thee Eternal Health O Fatima the Daughter of Mousa Virgin Holy Vertuous Just Directirix of the Truth Pious Sanctifi'd worthy of all our Praises who Soveraignly lovest the Faithful and who art Soveragnly belov'd Virgin without blemish and exempt from all Impurity May God take his Greatest Delight in thee look upon thee as pleasing to Him and Establish thee in Paradise which is thy Eternal Habitation and Refuge I am come to seek thee O Mistress and Lady of my Soul in hopes that I may approach the most High God by this Act of Piety and of his Apostle and his Holy Children The Mercy of God be upon him and them Eternally I Abhor and I Detest my Sins of which I have made me an unhappy Burthen that sinks me to the
even they who had been instrumental to his Advancement For they could not imagine he should arrive in so short a time to that Pinacle of Honour where they beheld him And indeed they had reason to be jealous of him For his Authority made him Master of their Estates and besides they knew him to be ill-natur'd and mischievously bent and as bold and daring as a Lion more then all this Cholerick without respect or consideration and resolute to enterprize whatever might satisfie his Fury or advance his Interests From this time forward till his death which hapned not long after as will appear in the Series of this Story he was always in great credit with the King who had a particular esteem for him so that there was hardly any thing which he refus'd him At the same time that Haly-Kouli-Kaan was under restraint the Princess Pehri-Rocksar-Begum the present King's Aunt was also restor'd to Favour For as it has been said in the Life of the deceased Prince whose Sister she was the King to punish her for having been too busie in some Intrigue which I know not what it was only that it was such a one as had highly offended him had married her to a Mulla Doctor of the Law who at that time liv'd at Ispahan the Son of Moute-Veli or the Steward of the great Mosque at Mitshed By him during the Life of Habas she had two Children to whom the Prince forbad her to give suck which is the manner of putting to death the Children of the Bloud Royal when the King resolves they shall not live But now this Lady understanding the death of the King went and threw her self at the feet of the New Monarch who receiv'd her kindly and assur'd her he would advance her Husband to some considerable Employment wherein he was as good as his word for some Months after he made her Husband Sedre-Kaassoh that is peculiar Poutiff being a very considerable Employment as he that is as it were the Kings Almoner or he that has the disposal of all the Gifts bequeath'd by the Kings of Persia to the Mosques which Employment was worth to him about fifteen thousand pounds yearly There remain'd another Sister of Habas II. in the Womens Palace who in the Kings absence was as it were Sovereigness of the Place for which reason they give her a Name that signifies the white Locks of the Sacred Place which is a figurative sort of Speech to denote the dignity of the person and the particular respect which is due to her This Lady being desirous to taste the Sweets of Wedlock as well as her Sister importunately besought the New Monarch that she might marry the Brother of her Sisters Husband a Molla or Doctor of the Law as he was For which reason the King made him Sedre-Mokoufaat or Pontiff of the Kingdoms which is a preferment almost like the other and very near equal to it in Revenue as he that has the disposal of the Legacies which are given to the Mosques by private Persons Which two Preferments for above two hundred years were both in one But the King for the satisfaction and advantage of his two Aunts divided them for the benefit of their Husbands who are persons of no merit and of very mean Capacities Nor is it likely the King will suffer them to hold their Places of too great Importance for their management And now his Majesty having supplied these two Pontifical preferments which were vacant during the late Kings Reign took care to fill up other vacancies also which he bestow'd upon persons of credit that were next about him or their Friends That of Kourtchi Bachi or General of the Kourtches one of the three Bodies of the Persian Militia and one of the highest Trusts in the Empire was conferr'd upon Hustein-Kouli-Kaan All the Kaanas or Governments of Persia were likewise bestow'd upon persons of worth In a word there was not a vacant place but what was fill'd up For the deceased King let them lie vacant for a secret reason which his Son understood not which was to reap the profit of their Revenues So great that it is reported the Employments which he supply'd and of which the King his Father had all the benefit brought into the Chequer a Million sterling Yearly However I do not report this for truth but as having heard it affirm'd by persons of great knowledge in Affairs and who could have giv'n a just account had they so pleas'd which they will not always do These were the Favours and Bounties of the Young Monarch during the Festivals of his Coronation Of which the mirth and jollity was not a little disturb'd by a sad accident that occasion'd the downfal of the Grand Provost In the description of Ispahan we have observed that for a long time that City has been divided into two Factions which are always quarrelling and fighting for Precedency and Antiquity And upon Festival Times there is always a great Concourse of the Rabble of both Factions in the old Maydan or Publick Place of the City where the two different Factions ranging themselves the one upon the South the other upon the North side batter one another with Stones and Clubs at a strange rate The Grand Provost all this while makes a shew of parting 'em but he does it so remissly that both Parties see well enough that it is only a Copy of his Countenance which makes 'em bolder and more violent in their mischief For the Grand Provost is not at all troubl'd at it by reason of the great Fines which afterwards he milks into his own Pocket Upon one of these fore-mention'd Festival days his Majesty being in the spacious and magnificent Hall which is built over the great Portal of his Palace that looks out into the Royal Square where he sate to behold a horse Race and several of his Lords shooting at a Golden Ball an Exercise much us'd among the Persian Archers news was brought that about two thousand of the Rabble were fighting in the Maydan or Publick Market place with that implacable animosity that there was like to be a great deal of mischief done Upon which his Majesty sent for the Daroga or Grand Provost of Ispahan and order'd him to take along with him a Guard of Sixty Musquetteers if he thought fit and go and disperse the furious Combatants Which was a Command too express to be dally'd withal But the Grand Provost could never accomplish it However away he flew at the Head of above two hundred Soldiers and commanded the Mutineers to part and disperse themselves But they believing the Provost did but only make a shew as he was wont to do fell a shouting at him and palting him with stones He would fain have giv'n 'em to understand he was then in earnest but because the Tumult and noise was so great that he could not otherwise be heard then by the thunder of his Musquets he order'd the Soldiers to fire without Bullets
counterfeits himself to be the most faithful Subject and most passionate for his Countries welfare in the World He vow'd that he himself should be the Korban as they call it or the Sacrifice that would be offer'd for the safety of the People and that he would go himself to Kandaar and there expose his own Person to the first Assaults of his Enemies He also engages the General of the Army in this Intrigue who besides was willing enough of himself to return him like for like and to repay him for the kindness he had done him as we have already related The King therefore persuaded by these two Lords that were his Confidents the one the General of his Armies and the other General of his Slaves granted to the latter what he contended for with so much heat and gave him a Commission to raise men for Kandaar with hopes of the Government it self in a short time Which was no small joy to this same contriver of Wiles and Intrigues who thereby thought himself safe shelter'd from all those mischiefs which his turbulent spirit had brought upon him We have already told ye that this Lord was always look'd upon as a notorious Cheat and that in the Reign of Habas II. being supported by the favour of his Prince he had put a hundred tricks upon the Court that he took money at that time of all that offer'd it him promising to help 'em to the Offices and Employments for which they su'd but that when he had their money he presently forgot all his Promises that it was his pastime to sow discord and kindle the Coals of Dissention that he forg'd dangerous Calumnies and Accusations against his Competitors and with a brazen forehead utter'd 'em to the King for real Truths As to other things he was a comely well proportion'd Person a man of great Courage and Wit dextrously handl'd his Arms and liberal to Magnificence so that he might have pass'd for one of the bravest men in the World had it not been for that same black Malignity that infected all the rest of his Actions In a word there never was in one man a greater Medley of good and bad Qualities His good Qualities gain'd him the affection of his Masters his bad ones render'd him odious and formidable to his Equals and having gain'd the Affection of his Young Sovereign as he had won the favour of his Father he practis'd the same fooleries under the new Prince as before One of the first mischievous Pranks fell upon Mirza Ibrahim or Abraham Vazier or Royal Farmer of Azour-beyan or Media which is one of the richest in all Persia From this person he squeez'd four thousand pounds and withal brought him into so much trouble that he caus'd him to lose the greatest part of his Estate and to fall under that displeasure of his Prince that he could never since recover himself nor is it thought he ever will And thus it hapned The General of the Slaves having a design to get that Sum of four thousand pounds addresses himself to the Nephew of that rich Farmer for the Uncle was then at Tauris where his Employment lay This was a young Gentleman the Son of Mirza Sadek or just Lord Farmer also of the Province of Fars not inferiour to the other for profit And this Young Lord had also at Court the Employment of Erbaeb Tahuel or Chief Surveyour of the Kings Buildings and Houses in Ispahan To whom the General of the Slaves one day taking him aside thus delivers himself What makes thy Uncle Mirza-Ibrahim now at Tauris Why does he not come to Court Is there any more fit than he to supply the place of Prime Minister Mahomet Mekdy who enjoys it at present is a Bufflehead and a Changeling unfit to manage publick business I partly know the King intends to confer his Employment upon some body more worthy Nor can I tell where there is a person more fit for such an important Trust then Mirza Ibrahim And I believe I could with little trouble procure it for him by the help of some Presents which should not be very expensive neither If thou wilt give me a thousand Tomans or four thousand pounds I dare undertake instead of a Vazier of a Province to make him Grand Vizier of all Persia To this the young Lord repli'd that he would consider of it and no sooner had he left the General but he dispatches in all hast a Courrier to his Uncle to let him know what the General of the Slaves had propos'd to him Upon which the Vazier by the same Courrier sends an Order to his Nephew to pay the Money demanded which was done accordingly Soon after another Courrier arrives at Ispahan from Myrza Ibrahim For he assur'd himself of his advancement to the Chief Ministry and so much the rather because he conceiv'd himself fit for such a Dignity as indeed he was and therefore to facilitate his Preferment by the same Courrier he besought leave of his Majesty that he might come and kiss his Feet since it could be no prejudice to his Majesty in regard his Son was able to supply his Place The other Ministers who knew nothing of the Intrigue never imagin'd that such a permission could be any way prejudicial to their Interests or that it was only a pretence for the foundation of a more Important Design So that his Request was granted and an Order sign'd for him to come and kiss the Kings Feet leaving his Son to supply his Place While these two Courriers were coming and going a report that was only whisper'd about came to the Ears of Mirza Ibrahams Nephew that the General of the Slaves was ready to depart for Candaar Thereupon he labours more exactly to inform himself and understanding it was too true he bethought himself of the Thousand Tomans which he had paid him in his Uncles behalf which were like to be lost if he did not speedily look about him Thereupon he went and gave the General of the Slaves a Visit and civilly hinted to him to be mindful of the promise which he made to bring his Uncle into his Majesties favour and of the Money which he had paid him upon that consideration that he understood the General of the Slaves was going to leave the Court to the ruine of his Uncle's Interest or at least if the business should succeed it would not by his procurement and therefore besought him to return the four thousand pounds which he had paid him At which request the General of the Slaves did not seem to be in the least offended but made answer that 't was all the reason in the world and so appointed a certain time to repay the Sum. Which time being come he sent him away again with the same answer from one day to another Still Ibrahim's Nephew follow'd him close without letting any opportunity slip but still the young Lord was as careful to speak softly or when he was alone for fear of
of his Indisposition to the King He added that he had try'd several medicines to no purpose and therefore by the advice of his Physicians he believ'd there was no other cure for him but by the hot Baths about a days journey from Ispahan whither he easily obtain'd leave to retire at what time the Treasurer to the Governor of Ispahan whose Employment would not permit him to stir out of the City gave him for an attendant in his Room one of his Masters Domestick Servants with a Convoy of fifteen or sixteen Persons At the time prefix'd there appear'd under the Trees without the Village near the Baths whither the Prince pretended to go for his Health about twenty Yuzbecs all young chosen fellows nimble well Mounted and well Arm'd with certain Led-Horses Presently the Prince knew 'em and without any further Consultation leaving the small number of Persians which were then with him up he gets a Horseback and putting Spurs to his Horse away he gallops directly forward before his own Troop There was not any one unless his Persian Guide that follow'd him as dreaming of nothing less then the accident that had fallen out neither had they men enough nor time to call for more aid And therefore the Deputy Mehmandaar seeing he had lost the great Trust that was committed to his charge all that he could do in such a surprize was still to follow him and try if his prayers and intreaties could move him to return Sir said He what is my Crime what is my Ill-fortune or what Offence have I committed against you that you thus go about to endanger my Head if I return to Ispahan without your Person What can I expect less then to loose my Head Nay I fear the King will not be satisfied with that slight punishment but without doubt in the excess of his Anger will order my Bowels to be ripp'd out of my Belly To whom the Yusbeck Prince thus briskly answer'd I am highly oblig'd to the King of Persia but I owe more my own Country and Relations that call me back 'T is my Father that sends me these Men to facilitate my return to my Native soil in expectation of that Crown which he designs me after his death if thou wilt go along with me I will repay thee for all those kindnesses I have received in Persia and I will make thee one of the Lords of my Kingdom If not return in time and tell thy King that I return him thanks for all his Favours and that I shall always be his Goulom or Slave and shall believe my self oblig'd to him as long as I live and that in time I will make him sensible of the truth of my Promises Having so said he put spurs to his Horse and flew away with that swiftness that the Persian Mehmandaar soon lost sight of him For there is not any Nation under Heaven that ride more swiftly then these Yusbecks When this escape was known at Ispahan a great number of Horse-men were sent after the Prince but all to no purpose he having got the start so far before 'em the Court was in an amaze especially the King who never dreamt that Abouel-Kazi ever dream'd of Tartary being verily perswaded that after ten years that he had liv'd in his Court he could never have any more remembrance of his own Country But as the Tartar Prince could not forget his own Country so neither did he forget his obligations to Persia and the Persian Monarch For all his life-time he had a particular affection for that Kingdom more especially when he came to succeed his Father which was presently after his Return And so long as he Reign'd he was not only careful to keep a good correspondence with Sephi the first and Habas the second but he also kept in such awe Sub-haan-Kooli-Kaan The Prince the Slave of the Praise-worthy by which they mean God and Abdul-hazize-Kaan or the Servant of the Majesty understood Divine King of Bokora the only two Princes which sometimes infested the Confines of Persia that they were not able to undertake any considerable Enterprise For when either the one or the other enter'd Persia presently he was in the Bowels of their Territories thereby constraining 'em to return with more hast then they went And thus all the Frontier Provinces as Bactriana Margiana Drangiana and the Caspian Coasts enjoy'd a profound Peace So that Habas won by his grateful and constant affection with the same gratitude repaid the Prince's perseverance allowing him all along as a mark of his esteem the large Pension which he enjoy'd in Persia But after that upon the death of Abouel-kazi the Crown descended to his Son Enouch Kaan or the Lord of Profit Habas the Second who had not that esteem for him which he had for his Father thought himself no longer oblig'd to continue the Pension which he had given his Father meerly in kindness Whereupon Enouch-Kaan who look'd upon that Pension as a sort of Tribute which the Persian Monarch paid the King of Careckme or Orquenge to keep him from Plundring his Territories finding himself frustrated of his expectation thought the surest way to recover it or at least to recompence himself for his losses would be to carry the War into the Empire and to Ravage the Frontier Provinces To which purpose he enters into a League with the two other Kaans against Persia and the better to cement it he espouses the Sister of the Sovereign Prince of Balke and gives his own Sister in Marriage to the King of Bokora which done the three brothers-in-law resolve to fall altogether into the Persian Dominions There was only one scruple that troubl'd the Prince of Balk and Bokora which was that the deceas'd King of Orquenge the Father of the present King was a Shia Mahumetan according to the Persian Worship and not a Sunni Mahumetan according to the Worship both of the Turks and Tartars Enouch Caan therefore makes open Profession of the Religion of his Country and of having quitted his Fathers belief But the two Princes mistrusting his sincerity and fearing he would play 'em some scurvy trick or other the better to assure themselves that he was a true Sunnie that he was real in his proceedings and that he was from the bottom of his heart a declar'd Enemy of Persia they were desirous that he should first begin the War and fall in with all his Forces into the Kingdom and the next year they agreed they would all three joyn together to advance their Conquests According to this Resolution the Prince of Orquenge enters the Kingdom but met with too powerful a resistance For Habas II. being inform'd of the Conspiracies of these pettie Kings had Vow'd their Ruine and not only to repel their Incursions but to make an absolute Conquest of their Territories to deprive them of Life and Scepters both together and unite the Province of Balk to the Empire For this reason it was that in the year 1665.
other side he admires and embraces with a particular affection Probity Justice and whatever other eminent Vertues where ever they shine forth Therefore our Predecessors have always had a most particular esteem and affectionate good will for the glorious Kings of Persia but more especially for your Highness so famous over all the Earth for being adorn'd with all the splendour of vertuous Encomiums And as we have no less high thought and no less an esteem of your Merit we promise to our selves the same good will and kindness for Us as you had for Them In confidence whereof we desire your Majesty to grant your Protection to Father Stephen of Ameria and the rest of his Companions who are going into the Province of Georgia not in pursuit of their own Honour but only for the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls And we beseech you to defend and shelter 'em by your Authority from the Injuries of the Schismaticks who follow the Ceremonies and Opinions of the Greeks to the end they may with freedom and unmolested employ themselves in the duty of their Function We desire and expect also from your signal Clemency the same favour and protection for all those other Catholicks that are dispers'd through the vast extent of the Kingdoms and Provinces under your Dominion Whom we recommend as far as in us lies to your Royal Generosity and Goodness In recompence whereof we pray continually to God with all our hearts that his Omnipotent Right Hand may send your Highness a particular knowledge of his Divine Truth that he will pour upon you all manner both of Spiritual and Temporal Blessings and to grant you perpetual prosperity Given at Rome in the greater St. Maries under the Seal of the Fisher March 8. 1668. and the first of our Pontificate We have already given an account in part of what the Cosaques did this year upon the Caspian Sea of the Commissioners which they sent to Court with whom the Council was not satisfi'd what means were us'd to discover their Intentions and whether there were not some deceit conceal'd under that Deputation We shall here add the second Inroad which they made and what spoyl they committed more in Persia the same year 1668. While they were therefore disputing at Ispahan whether they should take 'em for Friends or Enemies The Cosaques whose Commissioners were now returning back as all that they had done was only to amuse the Persians though they had been treated with good words and had receiv'd promises very advantageous for their Colony continu'd their design of plundering and pillaging all the Maritime Regions of Persia to the East To which purpose they quit Save and directing their March toward the more Eastern Provinces of the Caspian Sea they sail'd seventy Leagues without being descry'd from the Land and land at Ferhabaad the Capital City of Mazenderaan They landed in the disguise of Merchants went up and down the Market places and into the Shops like People that had no great skill in Traffick and yet had something both to buy and to sell They let go their Ducats of Gold for five Shayet which make not so much as two Shillings sold English Cloth for four Abasses or five shillings six pence the Ell. On the other side the Persians while this Trade lasted caress'd the Cosaques at a high rate finding 'em such admirable Customers and Chapmen both together and look'd upon 'em as Cullies and Novices which their kind Stars had brought among 'em But the sixth day continuing their Game at the hour prefix'd among themselves at what time they had scatter'd themselves in several parts of the City to avoid suspicion they drew their Swords slew all they met plunder'd the Houses and laden with Booty after they had kill'd above five hundred persons they return'd to their Vessels lying still out of ken at Sea The most considerable and a loss not to be repair'd was the ruine of the King's Palace a most stately Pile seated in the midst of the City wherein was kept a vast Treasure of Dishes and Basins of Porcellane or China Cornaline Agate Coral Amber Cups of Crystal of the Rock and other Rarities without number which those Barbarians either broke or carry'd away They also brake the great Haouse or Tangi being a Jasper Fountain cover'd with Plates of Gold and erected within the Palace Every time I think of the Magnificence and Delightfulness of that place where I was in the year 1666. I cannot but lament its hard Fate and had the Reader seen the Description which I have made of it he would acknowledge that such a wonder of Art deserv'd a kind of perpetuity In Ferhabaad and the parts adjoyning there are some few Christians still remaining of that vast number which Habas the Great formerly brought in to people that Country some sixty years ago which has so much lessen'd their Number that there is not the sixtieth part of what there was before and the most part of these for worldly Interests have embrac'd the Mahumetan Superstition Those few Christians that remain'd knowing that the Cosaques were likewise Christians to save themselves from their fury and their Houses from being plunder'd when they saw 'em coming cri'd out Christous Christous and the better to let 'em understand they were Christians sign'd themselves with the sign of the Cross from head to foot so that the Cosaques hearing 'em invoke that adorable Name and seeing how they cross'd themselves not only spar'd their lives but protected their Houses The Inhabitants of Ferhabaad who had sav'd their lives by flight return'd the next day betimes in the Morning to pick up what was left of their Goods but while they were thus busily employ'd the Cosaques landed a second time and now more greedy of humane Bloud than of Plunder kill'd about seven hundred and took as many Prisoners and then retir'd for good and all By this time Winter was come which they resolv'd to spend in Persia and to that purpose they sought out for a Place where they might quarter together in security Now just against the City of Ferhabaad there lies a Peninsula or Tongue of Land that runs forward into the Caspian Sea about ten or eleven Leagues This place did abound in Harts wild Boars wild Goats and other sorts of wild Venison It is also full of Forests and fresh Water nor does it want any thing that is convenient for the support of Humane Life and is therefore a most convenient place for Habitation The Persians call it Mionnè-Kellè or the Middle-siz'd Horn thereby denoting a Tongue of Land that runs out into the Sea there it was that the Cosaques entrench'd themselves To which purpose they made their Prisoners work day and night to dig a large Trench about their Camp and then with several great Trees pester'd one within another and fill'd up with Turf they rais'd a kind of a Bulwark upon which they planted their Badeliegè or great Guns for their better