Wolga for Moscou Opposite to this Mountain is the Island of Kostowata The River hereabouts is very broad by reason of the lowness of the shores on both sides Not far hence there is another Mountain at the foot whereof is the River Vssa which though it there falls into the Wolga yet is united again to it sixty werstes below Samara There are on both sides of the River pleasant Pastures but not far thence there being thick VVoods with a high Mountain adjoyning whence Robbers discover at a great distance what Passengers there are coming it is very dangerous travelling that way The Cosaques make their advantages thereof and not a year before our passage that way they took a great Vessel loaden belonging to one of the richest Merchants of Nise Near this River we had sixty foot water as also near the Mountain Diwisagora which word signifies the Maids Mountain and the Muscovites say it derives its name from certain Maids that had sometime been kept there by a Shee-Dwarf VVe left it on the right hand It is very high and steepy towards the River whence it may be seen divided into several Hills pleasant to the eye by reason of the diversity of the colours some being red some blew some yellow c. and representing at a great distance the ruins of some great and magnificent structure Upon every Hill or Bank is a row of Pine-Trees so regularly planted that a man might doubt whether it were not Artificial were it not that the Mountain is inaccessible of all sides At the foot of this Mountain there rises another which reaches along the River for eight Leagues together The Valley between those two Mountains is called Iabla-new-quas that is to say Apple-drink from the great number of Apple-Trees there which bear Apples fit only for Cider The same day we receiv'd Letters from Moscou by an express Messenger who brought us also Letters from Nise by which we understood that among our Mariners there were four Cosaques who came into our retinue purposely to betray us into the hands of their Camerades This notice though we were carefull enough to look after our people before added to our care and made us more vigilant In the evening after Sun-set we perceiv'd two great fires at the entrance of a VVood on the right hand which putting us into a fear they might be the Cosaques who lay in wait for us there were five or six Musketiers sent to discover what they where but ours having shot off three Muskets the other answer'd them with the like number and discover'd themselves to be Strelits who had been ordered to Guard a Persian Caravan and were then returning to their Garrisons The Ambassador Brugman impatient to hear what accompt our men would bring and thinking they stay'd very long call'd after them as loud as he could but the contrary wind hindred them from hearing him and in that suspence he would have had some of the great Guns discharg'd at those fires but the Ambassador Crusius oppos'd it and told him that their quality obliging them to stand onely upon the defensive part he would not by any means consent thereto In the night between the 26. and 27. our Sentinels perceiv'd in a little Boat two men who thinking to go along by our ship-side were stay'd and forc'd to come aboard us They said they were fisher-men and that the Muscovites whom they called their brethren suffered them to go along with their Boats by night as well as by day but in regard we were told the Cosaques took this course and were wont to come near Vessels to cut their Cables we examin'd them apart and finding their answers different one saying there were 500. Cosaques waiting for us in an Isle near Soratof the other denying it they were kept all night and the next morning we sent them by our Pristaf to the Weywode of Samara The 27. We saw on the left hand in a spacious plain not far from the River side a Hill of Sand like a Down The Muscovites call it Sariol Kurgan and affirm that a certain Tartarian Emperour named Momaon who had a design to enter Muscovy together with seven Kings of the same Nation dy'd in that place and that his Soldiers instead of burying him fill'd their Head-pieces and Bucklers with Sand and so cover'd the body that it became a Mountain About a League from the said Hill and on the same side begins the Mountain of Soccobei which reaches along the River-side as far as Samara which is distant from that place 15. werstes It is very high in a manner all Rock cover'd with Trees unless it be on the top where it is all bare The Muscovites take much notice of this place because it is very dangerous passing thereabouts We came near it about noon but the contrary wind oblig'd us to cast Anchor While we stay'd there we saw coming from the shore two great red Snakes which got by the Cables into the ship As soon as the Muscovites perceiv'd them they intreated us not to kill them but to give them somewhat to eat as being a sort of innocent beasts sent by St. Nicholas to bring us a fair wind and to comfort us in our affliction The 28. We weigh'd betimes in the morning and came before day near the City of Samara which is 350. werstes from Casan It lies on the left hand two werstes from the River side It is as to form almost square all its buildings of VVood unless it be some Churches and two or three Monasteries The River of Samar where it hath the name by a little Bank which is called Sin-Samar falls into the Wolga three werstes below the City but is not absolutely united thereto till after 30 werstes lower We intended to make some stay near the City in expectation to hear by our Pristaf what our Prisoners had depos'd but the wind came so fair for us that we thought better not to let slip the opportunity we then had to make the greatest days journey of any since the beginning of our Voyage Accordingly we got at night to the Mountain of the Cosaques which is 115. werstes from Samara and so the prognostication of the Muscovian Mariners by the Snakes proved true From the City of Samara to the place where the river Samar falls into the Wolga there is all along one continued mountain Near the same place but on the other side of the River the River Ascula falls into it so that the falling in of all these waters together does so swell the Wolga that in this place it is near two leagues broad Afterwards on the right hand may be seen the mountain called Pestcherski which is in a manner all one Rock having very little upon it and reaching near 40 werstes along the river side About 100 werstes from Samara in the midst of the river is the Island of Batrach and ten werstes lower that of Lopatin which is
but not without much trouble to us as being not accustomed to continue any long time in that posture He very handsomely receiv'd our complement and answer'd it with so much of obligation and kindness that we could not but be much taken with his civility He told us among other things that he was extremely desirous to see his own Country and his own House but the satisfaction it would be to him to see either of them would not be comparable to that which he had conceiv'd at the first sight of our Ship He added that as soon as we were come into Persia we should find the roughness and barbarism of the Nation among whom we then were chang'd into an obliging civility to pleasant conversation and into a manner of life absolutely inviting and that attended with a freedom which should be common to us with all the Inhabitants of the Country That he hoped at his arrival at the Court it would not be hard for him with the assistance of his Friends there to obtain the charge of Mehemander or Conductor for our Embassy since he had the happiness of our acquaintance by the way That then he would oblige us upon all occasions and in the mean time intreated us to dispose of his person and whatever was in the Ship as we pleased He treated us with a Collation which was serv'd in Plate Vermilion-gilt and consisted only in Fruits Grapes and Pistachoes dry'd and pickled The only drink we had was an excellent kind of Muscovian Aquavitae wherein he first drunk the health of the two Ambassadors together and afterwards that of each of them by himself which happened at the same time that his own was drunk in our ship which we knew to be so by the joint Volley of both the great Guns and the small shot Taking our leave of him he told us as a great Secret that he had some news to tell the Ambassadors which was that he had it from a very good hand that the King of Poland had sent an Ambassador to Schach Sefi that he had taken his way by Constantinople and Bagdet that he was then upon his return to Astrachan and that he had order in his way to see the Great Duke but that the Weywode would not permit him to pass till he had first heard from the Court That this was all he knew of it and that the Ambassadors might guess at the rest as also what may have been the occasion of his Voyage and Negotiation The other eminent Persons of the Caravan sent also to complement us and to make proffer of their services intreating us to keep them company and assuring us of their assistance if need were After a general Volley of all the Caravan we parted and kept on our course At night we had a great Tempest with two extraordinary Thunder-claps and some flashes of Lightning but the weather soon became fair again and we had a great calm Sept. 4. being Sunday just as our Minister was beginning his Sermon came aboard us several Tartars whom Mussal the Tartarian Prince of Circassia sent to tell us that his disposition would not suffer him to give the Ambassadors a personal visit but as soon as his health would permit him to take the air it should be the first thing he did The equipage of those who came along with the Person employ'd in this Message my very well deserve a little remark from us As to his Person he was somewhat of the tallest his complexion of an Olive-colour his hair long greasie and black as Jet and his beard of the same colour and fashion He had upon his upper Garment some black-Sheep-skin the woolly side out a Callot or close Cap on his head and his countenance such as a Painter might well take for an original if he were to represent the Devil His retinue were in no better order having about them only Coats or Garments of some very coarse Cloath brown or black We entertain'd them with certain Gobelets of Aquavitae and sent them sufficiently drunk to their Ship About noon we came to the River of Bolloclea in the mid-way between Kamuschinka and Zariza 90 werstes distant from either of them Having sail'd sixteen werstes further we came to a very high hill of sand called Strehlne near which we stayd all night Sept. 5. we had hardly weigh'd Anchor but the current forc'd us upon a sand-bank where we found but five foot and a half water While we were busied about getting off the Ship the Caravan got before us and made towards Zariza with a design to take in there some other Muskettiers for its convoy to Astrachan About noon we got to a place whence we might have gone in less than a days time as far as the River Don called by Ptolomey and other Antient Geographers Tanais which advances in that place as far as within seven leagues of the Wolga taking its course towards the East A little lower near Achtobska Vtska the Wolga divides it self into two branches whereof one which takes into the Country on the left hand goes a course contrary to that of the great River taking towards East-North-East but about one werste thence it re-assumes its former course and returns towards the South-East so to fall into the Caspian Sea In this place I found the Elevation to be 48 degrees 51 minutes Five werstes from the River and seven from Zariza may yet be seen the ruins of a City which they say was built by Tamberlane It was called Zaarefgorod that is to say the Royal City its Palace and Walls were of Brick which they still carry thence to build Walls Churches and Monasteries at Astrachan even at the time of our passage that way they were loading several great Boats with Brick bound for the place aforesaid In this place we saw a Fisher-man who coming close by our Ship-side took a Bieluga or white-fish which was above eight foot long and above four foot broad It was somewhat like a Sturgeon but much whiter and had a wider mouth They kill it much after the same manner as Oxen are kill'd among us by first stunning it with a knock with a mallet They sold it us for fifty pence Sept. 6. We overtook the Caravan at Zariza where most of the Passengers were landed and lodg'd in Tents upon the River-side expecting the Convoy which was to be sent from the adjacent Towns but the wind being still fair for us we kept on our course The City of Zariza is distant from Soratof 350 werstes and lies on the right side of the River at the bottom of a Hill fortify'd with five Bastions and as many wooden Towers It hath no other Inhabitants than about 400 Strelits or Muskettiers who serve against the incursions of the Tartars and Cosaques and are oblig'd to Convoy the Boats which go up and come down the River There I found the elevation to be 49 d. and 42. m. From the City of Zariza to
which amount to seventy five French Pistols But coming afterwards to the Crown he caus'd him immediately to be redeem'd and with the quality of Sulthan bestow'd on him the Government of Katschan The Persians put this City of Katschan at 84 degrees longitude and at thirty four distant from the Line After an exact Observation of three days I found that it is distant from it thirty three degrees and 51 minutes that is nine minutes less The City is of a great length reaching from East to West above half a German League Its Walls and bastions are of a kind of Potters day and it lies in a great Plain the ground of which is good enough for Tillage and there may be discover'd from it on the right hand Mount Taurus which the ' Porsians call Elwend As you come to the City you pass through a place appointed for tilting and running at the Ring which hath on both sides several Pillars and in the midst a high Pole for shooting at the wooden Parrat On the left hand of that place or Carriere you leave the King's Garden wherein there is one Summer-house standing in the midst of it and another near it upon the High-way We were told that the former hath a thousand Doors belonging to it comprehending in that number the Windows through which they pass into the Galleries and Balconies It is to be observ'd withall that there is no Door but hath its Counter-door in regard the Wall being above two foot thick there is a Door on each side of it so that the number is not so great as it seems to be at first In this House the King is Lodg'd when he comes to Katschan The City is no doubt one of the most populous and most eminent for Trading of any in Persia and the best Built of any we were yet come to whether in regard of its private Houses or its Palaces and Caravansera's but the Basar and Maidan and the other publick structures which have all their Store-houses Galleries and Rooms for the Merchants as well such as live within the Kingdom as Foreiners are the noblest I met with in all my Travells into those parts There is in this City at all times a great number of forein Merchants and above all Indians who are assigned there a particular place for their Habitation and Traffick as are also all the other Merchants Tradesmen especially such as make Silk-stuffs and Weavers of Gold and Silver Brocadoes work in open places where all the World may see them The Valleys are very fruitfull in Wheat Wine and Fruits which grow in such abundance there that I find no difficulty to acknowledge what Cartwright sayes of these parts to wit that the poorest and most indigent of the Inhabitants have not only what is requisite for their subsistence but also somewhat of delicacy and that what they most stand in need of is fresh water For there is not any to be had without digging very deep into the Earth and what there was so got we thought very distastfull to the Palat and so corrupt that had there not been an extraordinary necessity we should have been much troubled to swallow it I must withall confess that I could not observe that excellent order and commendable policy which Cartwright sayes he had seen there in the Institution of Youth nor that they are more carefull there than in other places to accustom it timely to pains-taking so to avoid idleness and the inconveniences consequent thereto True it is that the great number of Children which are ordinarily to be found there in Families which by reason of Polygamy are very numerous obliges the Parents to be the more carefull for their subsistence but the Persians for the most part are so little inclin'd to pains-taking that commonly you shall either see them walking in the Maidan or discoursing in the Shops while they leave most of their work to be done by their slaves Which happens hence that being themselves very temperate and content with little and on the other side Provisions being very cheap they conceive they ought not to take much pains for what is superfluous and those things whereof there is no great necessity So that there are even in these parts idle Persons and Beggers as well as in other places What the same Cartwright sayes concerning the Scorpions and other venemous Creatures is very true For of these there are about Katschan more than at any other place of Persia and such as are so dangerous that they have occasion'd that Malediction Akrab-Kaschan be destet senet may the Scorpion of Kaschan pinch thee by the hand We found some of them in our Lodging as black as cole about the length and compass of a man's finger and we were told that these were the most dangerous of any sort of them They are somewhat like our Crabs or Crevisses save that their Bodies are shorter they go faster and they have their tails alwayes sticking up Whence it comes that the Inhabitants never lay their Mattresses or Beds upon the ground as they do in other places but they set them upon a kind of Trevets or Frames which they call Tzarpay They affirm also that these Beasts have a certain respect for strangers and that to prevent their stinging they are only to pronounce these words Menkaribem I am a stranger But for my part I am of opinion that strangers who stand more in fear of them than the Inhabitants are only the more oblig'd to themselves for the care they have of their own safety though I never could hear that those who are stung by them dye of it For they have a present and easie remedy against this kind of poison by applying a piece of Copper to the place affected for which Cure they ordinarily make use of that Money which they call Pul and thence it comes that they carry some of it alwayes about them and having left that piece for the space of 24. hours upon the part stung they take it off and put on the Wound a Plaister made of Honey and Vineger It was my misfortune to be the only man of all our retinue that had occasion to make triall how venemous this Creature is For lying down upon my Bed at Scamachie in our return from Ispahan a Scorpion stung me in the throat where it made immediately a swelling about the length of my finger which was attended with insupportable pain As good fortune would have it our Physician who lay in the same Chamber immediately apply'd thereto the Oyl of Scorpion gave me some Treacle and put me into a sweat which deliver'd me from the greatest of my pains at the end of three hours but I had still some pain for the two dayes following but by intervals and it was as if I had been prick'd with a Needle nay indeed for many years afterwards I have been troubled with the same pains at certain times especially in Autumn much about the
Heron-Feathers fasten'd with a bracelet of Diamonds He had also upon his Kurdi that is a kind of Coat without Sleeves which the Persians wear upon their Garments two Sable Skins hanging at the Neck but for ought we saw afterwards other Persian Lords wore the like The Cymitar he had by his side glitter'd with Gold and Precious Stones and behind him upon the ground there lay a Bow and Arrows On his right hand there stood twenty Pages who were most of them as we were told the sons of Chans and Sulthans Governours of Provinces among whom there were some Eunuchs They were all very handsome as to their Persons but it seems they had made choice of the handsomest among them to hold the Fan wherewith he incessantly gave the King air These Fanns are made of a certain Sea-Creature which they call Maherikutas and it is like a Horse-tail Near the Pages stood the Meheter or Groom of the Chamber who hath the oversight of them Before the King stood Elschick agasi baschi or the Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold having in his hand a Staff cover'd all over with Gold as was also the great Button or Apple at the top of it VVithin four paces of the King and on his left hand sat the Chancellor whom they call Ethemad Dowlet and about him the Chans and great Lords of the Privy Counsell At the entrance of the Hall on the left hand sat the Ambassadors of an Arabian Prince who had been sent to desire the King's Protection against the Turk and the Poslanick of Muscovy Alexei Savinouits and somewhat lower were placed the King's Musick The Ambassadors were receiv'd at the entrance of the Hall by the Prince Tzani-Chan Kurtzi Baschi of whom we spoke before and by Aliculi-bek Divanbeki who took them under the Arms one after the other and brought them to the King These Conductors as they led the Ambassadors along laid such fast hold on their hands that they had not the use of them themselves This Ceremony is very necessary and must now be look'd on as a particular honour done the Ambassadors though it be said and that very probably that with the same labour they secure the Prince's Life against the attempts there might be made against it But I would not have any to credit what some affirm to wit that this Ceremony hath not been observ'd in Persia but since the Reign of Schach-Abas and that it was occasion'd by the design which some Turkish Ambassadors had to kill him For this custom is also observ'd in the Seignor's Court as well as in Persia nay it is my opinion that it is for the same reason that the King does not give his Hand but his Knee to strangers to kiss to his own Subjects thinking it enough to present his foot The Ambassadors as they came near the King made a low Reverence which he civilly answered with a little Inclination of the Head and a smiling and obliging Countenance They were immediately led away and intreated to sit down on low Seats which had been plac'd near the Lords of the Councel The same honour was done to fifteen of the Retinue but they were forc'd to sit down a little more on the left hand and upon the ground The ground The Pages and the rest of the Retinue were conducted into the Court where they were seated near thirteen VVomen-Dancers who were very handsome VVomen and very richly Cloath'd and sate upon Tapistry whereof the ground-work was Gold and Silver Some of our people were perswaded they were the ordinary Dancing-women belonging to the Court and gave that accompt of them in the Relations they have made of their Travells but it is certain they were some of the handsomest Curtezans of the City who besides the Tribute they yearly pay the King are oblig'd to come to Court to divert the Prince when ever he sends for them VVe were told that a man might have had his choice of them for a Tumain The Ambassadors having rested themselves a little the King sent the Lord Chamberlain to them to know the Prince's name by whom they were sent and the occasion of their Embassy Which message oblig'd them to rise up and to go near the King with their Interpreter to deliver their Credentials which they accompany'd with a Complement which was so much the shorter in regard the Persians who are no Lovers of long Speeches would have those that approach their King to do it with respect and to express that respect by a Discourse of few words The Chancellor receiv'd the Credentials and after the Ambassadors were seated again the Wakaenuis or Secretary of the Chamber came and told them that the Schach would order their Credential letters to be Translated that as soon as it were done his Majesty would give them a second audience for their affairs and that in the mean time he desir'd them to Divert themselves as much as might be This done the Presents were brought in which were carried close by the King into an appartment design'd for the Treasury on one side of the Hall at the entrance of the Palace While the Presents were carried in the Cloath was laid that is all the floor of the Hall was cover'd with one piece of Cotton Cloath on which were set all sorts of Fruits and Conserves all in great Basins of Gold whereof there was so great a number that there was hardly place left for three hundred great Flaggons of the same Metal which were dispers'd here and there only for Ostentation sake so that which way soever a man look'd there was nothing to be sent but Gold All the Plate was plain and smooth save only the Flaggon and Cup out of which the King himself drunk which two pieces the Persians call Surhahi and Piali which were beset with Rubies and Turqueses With these conserves we had excellent Schiras-wine and they gave us the Divertisement of a fellow that shew'd tricks of Legerdemain who did beyond any thing I ever saw of that kind before About an hour after the Conserves were taken away that the Meat might be brought in The floor was laid with another Cloath which was of a Gold Brocado and there came in ten men loaden with Meat in great Vessels of Gold made like the Milk-pails in France which some carried upon their Heads some upon a kind of Barrows which were also cover'd with plates of Gold The Suffretzi that is the Carver having plac'd the Meat sate down in the midst of the Table or floor of the Hall took the Meat out of those Vessels and dispos'd it into Dishes and sent them first to the King then to the Ambassadors and afterwards to the Lords and the rest of the Company They understand not what it is to entertain with several Courses but set down all upon the Table at once and think they treat their Guests very well All the Dishes were fill'd with Rice of all sorts of Colours and the Carver put
which might have given reputation to his Arms grew so insolent thereupon and withall so negligent that he permitted his people to enlarge their quarters to the adjacent Villages where they fell to merriment and making good cheer while he continued with some few about him at Kisma and Fumen The Chans who observ'd all his actions had no sooner notice of it but they got together again their three Bodies which made an Army of above 40000. men with which they set upon the forces of Karib-Schach in their quarters and gave them an absolute defeat As to Karib himself he had the time to get into a Garden where he hid himself behind one of those trees which produce silk and which those of the Countrey call Tut but he was there discover'd by one of the Domesticks of Emir-Chan who knew him by his Cloaths He intreated that Thebni or Servant to save his life by furnishing him with his Cloaths and promis'd him in requital a good sum of mony besides the Present he made him in hand of a great many Jewels The Servant made as if he consented but assoon as he got on Karib's Garment and Sword he said to him It is I who am now King and thou art but a Traytor and thereupon calling to some of his Camerades he seiz'd upon him and put him into the Palenk Schach-Sefi would needs see him and had him brought to Caswin where he then was making his entrance into it accompany'd by five or six hundred Curtezans who incessantly jeer'd him in his Royalty and did him a thousand indignities and affronts They began his execution by a very extraordinary punishment For Schach-Sefi caus'd him to be shod hands and feet like a Horse and told him he did it for his ease in regard that being accustom'd to go upon the fat and soft ground of Kilan he would otherwise hardly endure the stony and rugged wayes of Persia. Having suffer'd him to languish in that condition three dayes they brought him to the Maidan where they set him on the top of a Pole and kill'd him with Arrows The King having shot the first oblig'd all the Lords of the Court to follow his example bidding those that lov'd him do as he had done Upon that word he was immediately so cover'd with Arrows that there was no shape of a man to be seen The body was left in that posture three dayes expos'd to the sight of all and then it was taken thence and interr'd Saru Chan Governour of Astara had express'd most zeal courage and conduct in that War whereby he got so much into favour with Schach-Sesi that the sav'd the estate and life of a rich Merchant who was unfortunately engag'd in Karib's revolt He liv'd at the Village of Leschtensa and if he did not openly declare for Karib certain it is he knew of his design and neglected to give norice of it to the Court so that they were going to extirpate him and his family and to confiscate his Estate which amounted to above a hundred thousand pounds sterl to the King's use had not Saru-Chan's intercession procur'd his pardon Assoon as this revolt was appeas'd the Kilek were dis-arm'd and they were forbidden to buy Arms upon so great penalties that ever since that time they have not dar'd to have any not so much as a Sefir or Ring wherewith the Persians bend their Bows so far were they from being allow'd Fire-arms Swords Bows or Arrows They are only permitted the use of a certain Instrument like a Hedg-bill which they call Das having a handle of wood four foot long wherewith they cut wood dress their Viâ—es and do several other things The people called Talisch who live between Kesker and Mesanderan who express'd their fidelity and affection to the King's service in the War against Karib have on the contrary the privilege of using all sorts of Arms. The Kilek wear a shorter Garment than the other Persians by reason of the moisture and moorishness of the Country They are not of so yellowish a complexion as the rest of the Persians but of a much clearer in regard the air there is much more temperate than in other parts of the Kingdom The Women of the Talisch's are the handsomest of any in Persia and cover not their faces as much as the others do Maids have their hair ty'd up in 24. or 25. tresses which hang down over their backs and shoulders but married Women have but ten or twelve Their Garments are so short before that they hide not their Smocks and instead of shoes they were Sandals of wood which they fasten with a string to the heel and with a button or latchet of wood between the great toe and the next to it but in regard the ground is very fat there upon any rain they commonly go bare-foot as well as the men The Caps worn by the Kileck are of a coarse Cloath but those of the Talisch are of black Lambskin These two people have each of them their particular Language which differs from the Persian only as to Dialect though there be so little rapport between that of Kilan and that of the Talisch that they have much ado to understand one the other For example to signify a Dog a Persian will say Sek a Kilek Seggi and a Talisch Spech There is no Province in all Persia where the Women take more pains than they do in that of Kilan They are commonly employ'd in spinning and making Stuffs of Cotton Flax and Silk as also in making Duschab and Syrrop of Wine which they sell by jarrs and tilling the ground for the sowing of Rice about which the men and women have their several employments For the men hold the Plow and make the trenches to keep in the water for the watering of the ground The women carry the Corn to field The men sow the ground going backwards as they cast the seed into it The women weed it The men cut it and the women bind it The men bring it into the barn but the women thrash and sell it They all profess the Turkish Religion and are of the Sect of Hanife They receiv'd us so kindly that it was generally wish'd by us we might have made some stay there but we were forc'd to depart thence the 24. of Ianuary We went at first along the River side having on our left hand a forest of Olive-trees which gave us a pleasant shade against the heat of the Sun which prov'd very great that day Within a league of Pyle-rubar we saw in the midst of the River upon a great Rock the ruins of a Castle and the remainders of a Bridge both which they said had been pull'd down by Alexander the Great We afterwards pass'd over another Mountain or rather a very high and craggy Rock at the foot whereof we came into a very smooth way enamell'd with green and spread over with new springing grass checquer'd with Violets which extremely delighted not
a great number of Lords the Dutchess had about her 36. Ladies or Maids of honour They were all on Horse-back sitting a-stride cloath'd in red white Hats on their heads with great red bands dangling at their backs white Scarfs about their necks they were most wickedly be-painted The 17. I was sent to the Chancellor to speak to him concerning our dispatches He would do me the greatest honour I could expect and order'd I should be brought in to audience by a Pristaf That importunate civility cost me two hours attendance in the Antichamber till a Pristaf was found The Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor receiv'd me kindly and dismiss'd me well satisfy'd The Table in the Audience Chamber was cover'd with a very rich Persian Carpet upon which was a silver Standish but without any Ink in it I was told afterwards that they were set there only for the time I was to stay in the room which was but poorly furnish'd without them The 20. The Pristafs came to tell us that we might take our journey for Persia when we pleas'd and that at our return thence we should have the honour to kiss his Majesties hand it being not fit they did it then since the Ambassadors were not to return into their own Country and that at the last publick audience only the Great Duke was oblig'd to answer the Credentials they had brought We accordingly prepar'd for our departure got Boats to be provided to carry us upon the River to Nisa and took into our service three Lieutenants four Serjeants and twenty three Souldiers Scots and Germans The Great Duke gave us leave to take them out of his own Guard for our security against the incursions of the Tartars which make travelling neer Wolgda very dangerous We also hir'd certain Muscovites for ordinary Employments The 24. and 25. were spent in putting our things aboard and sending away certain brass Guns we had brought out of Germany and some Cabinets we had bought at Moscou and part of our Baggage ordering the Conductor to stay for us at Nisa The 26. came in Ambassadors or as the Mvscovites call them Courriers of quality from the King of Poland We went out of the City to observe their entrance As soon as they perceiv'd us they saluted us very civilly putting off their Hats but their demeanour towards the Muscovites was much wanting of respect never offering to be uncovered They also oblig'd the Pristefs to alight and uncover themselves first saying they were not there to do the Muscovites any honour but to receive it from them There were no Horses out the Great Duke's Stables at the entrance of these Ambassadors because another Polish Ambassador had some few dayes before refus'd them and made use of his own This other Polish Ambassador had been sent to the Great Duke immediately after the defeat of the Muscovites before Smolensco which gave him occasion to be so insolent as he was during his stay at Mosco He would needs make his proposition sitting and perceiving that when he pronounc'd the name and titles of his King the Bojares were not uncover'd he stopp'd till such time as the Grand Duke had commanded them to be so The King of Poland had sent the Great Duke no Present but the Ambassador gave him as from himself a very fair Coach and yet when the Duke sent him a rich Present of Sables he refus'd them Whereupon the Great Duke sent back his Coach which the Ambassador being angry at took that occasion to tumble the Pristaf from the top of a high pair of stairs to the bottom The Great Duke was so incens'd thereat that he sent one to tell the Ambassador that he knew not whether this demeanour of his was according to his Master's order or that the rudeness proceeded from his own passion that if his King had commanded him to do so patience must be had till God enabled him to express his resentment of it that the event of War was in his hands and that another time he might be the more fortunate but that if he had done this without order and upon his own accompt complaint should be made of it to the King his Master The 26 of Iune the Pristaf brought us the Great Dukes Pass which for the odness of the stile we think fit to insert here faithfully translated out of the Muscovian language From the Grand Seigneur and Great Duke of all the Russes Michael Federouits We enjoyn all our Bojares Weiwodes and Diaken and all our Commanders from the City of Moscou to Columna and thence to Perestaf Resansky and Kasimoua to Murama and Nise-Novogorod to Casan and Astrachan to let pass Philip Crusius and Otton Brugman Ambassadors and Counsellours from Frederick Duke of Holstein whom we have permitted to go from Moscou into Persia to Schach Sefi of Persia by vertue of a Treaty made for the Passage and Commerce of the Merchants of Holstein We have also permitted them to take along with them their Germans of Holstein to the number of 85 persons and for their convoy 30 Souldiers chosen with our consent out of the Germans who serve in Muscovy which number they may augment for the safety of their Voyage of Persia at Nisa Cassan or Astrachan by eleven men Germans or Muscovites voluntiers We also permit them at Nisa to hire two Pilots who are acquainted with the course of the Wolgda We consent and in like manner permit the said Ambassadors of Holstein if at their return from Persia they stand in need of a Convoy or other people for business to take at Cassan or Astrachan or any where else they shall think fit forty men or such other number as they shall think requisite for the prosecution of their Voyage provided that those of our people who shall hire themselves to the said Ambassadors gave in their names to the Bojâ—res Weiwodes and Diaken of the place of their abode as well at their departure thence as at their return thither that there may be a Register kept thereof And if they return from Persia in the Winter it shall be lawful for them for their money to take into their service such a number of men and Sledges as they shall think requisite for the continuation of their Voyage We have also appointed Rodiuon Gabaâ—o Gentleman of Astrachan to conduct the said Ambassadors from Moscou to Asttachan Wherefore we command you our Bojares Weiwodes Diaken and Commanders to let pass the said Rodiuon with the Ambassadors of Holstein Without any lâ—t And if after their Voyage of Persia at their return thence they are desirous to to repass through the Countries in our obedience you shall permit them to take into their service for labour or for convoy upon the Wolga forty men or such other number as they shall stand in need of which they shall take by vertue of this present Pass-port at Astrachan Cassan or any other place they shall think fit And our said Subjects shall be oblig'd to
correct their errour who affirm that the Province of Rhesan lies West-ward from Moscou since they themselves confess it is between the Rivers of Don and Occa which are not towards the West from Moscou but towards the East so that Rhesan must be placed in the Map South-ward from the City of Moscou The same day we pass'd in sight of several Monasteries and Villages as that of Seloy neer Rhesan on the left hand and 7. werstes thence Kystrus as also on the other side 3. werstes thence the Monastery of Oblozitza and 2. werstes thence Lippono-Issado at 2. thence Muratou at 1. thence Kallionino and 2. thence Schilko Near the first Village we found a Carkass floating on the water which in all likelihood the Cosaques had cast into the River many dayes before in as much as it was so Sun-burnt that it was become black In the afternoon we got four leagues The 6. we made two as far as the Monastery of Tericho on the left hand thence two more to Tinersko Slowoda on the right hand and afterwards 8. werstes to Swintzus and thence 2. werstes to Kopanowo where we found another dead Carcass But the Cosaques and the fugitive Slaves who retire into those parts do there commit so many Villanies that the Muscovites to whom those accidents are ordinary thought it nothing strange Iuly 7. betimes in the morning we left on the right hand an Island called Dobrinin Ostrow 30. werstes or 6. leagues from the last Village and afterwards Seloy Rubets at 7. werstes thence and at 7. more thence on the same side Kurman About 6. werstes thence we had on the left hand the River Gusreca and several other Villages and on the right hand Molcowa at 8. werstes Gabiloska at two and Babino at three Thence we made three werstes and came at night to Cassinogorod This City lies on the right side of the River Occa in the Principality of Cassinou in Tartary and there it was we first met with any Mahometans Not far from the City in an old stone Castle which had sometime been a Fort lived a young Prince of that Country whose name was Res Ketzi with his Mother and Grand-father who some years before had put himself into the protection of the Great Duke of Muscovy We were told that the Great Duke would have press'd him to receive Baptism upon some hopes given him that he should have married his Daughter but the young Prince who was but 12. years of age sent him word that being not come to years so as to make choice of any Religion he could not take a resolution of that importance The Ambassadors sent two Gentlemen of their retinue to give him a visit and presented him with a pound of Tobacco and a bottle of Aqua-vitae He took it very kindly and made it his excuse that he could not entertain the Ambassadors at his house left the neighbouring Weywodes should conceive any jealousy at his entertaining of Strangers without their permission He therefore only sent some of his Servants to us whom our Interpreter could hardly make a shift to understand they being all Tartars He sent us a present of two sheep a Barrel of Hydromel another of Beer and a third of Aqua-vitae with some pieces of Ice Cream and fresh Butter which the Prince's mother had her self taken the pains to beat The night following and the next day being the 9. we saw as we pass'd several Villages Monasteries and Taverns most of them very pleasantly seated amidst the woods among others on the right hand Potsink Tartasko three werstes from Cassinogorod and at seven werstes thence Seloy Pettiowo Then a Tavern or Caback at eight werstes and Brooth at five werstes one from another upon the left hand and then on the right hand the River of Moksche at eight werstes then on the left hand another Tavern at two werstes thence Sateowa at 13 werstes the Monastery of Adrianou Pustino at 13 more Iâ—katma This last is a great Village containing about 300 houses and belongs to the Bojar Foedor Iuanouits Sheremetou And thence we got 20 werstes to the Forest of Rusbonor The 9. we got ten werstes to the Church of Worskressenia commonly called Woskressenskimehl upon the left hand and thence five werstes to a great Village named Lechi belonging to Knez Boris Michaelouits Lycou on the same side and thence about ten werstes to Pretziste Resenskou on the right hand and at last to the City of Moruma on the left hand Before we got to the City we discover'd on the other side of the River a company of Crim Tartars who presently got into the woods whence they discharg'd their Fowling pieces at us which we answer'd with Muskers and so forc'd them to keep off They were seen afterwards below the City whence we imagin'd they would have set upon us the night following whereupon we lay under the Isle of of Zuchtsko Ostrou and set a strong Guard but we heard no more of them The City of Moruma is the chiefest of the Tartars of Mordwa and is inhabited by Muscovites and Tartars but subject to the Great Duke VVe sent our Interpreter to the Market to buy some provisions necessary for the continuation of our Voyage The 10. we passed by the Town of Prewospalo belonging to Knez Iuan Borissowits Circaski one of the Great Dukes Privy Councel and left on both hands several little Villages and the River of Morsna Reka on the right hand and at eight werstes thence that of Clesna which comes from Wladimer All along from that place the shore on the right hand rises by little and little to such an extraordinary height that looking on it from the water it seems to be one continued mountain for above a hundred German leagues along the River Wolga Insomuch that even in that season as also in the greatest heat of Summer those parts are not without Ice and Snow though all elsewhere the Country is plain fertile and fit for Tillage reaching above a hundred leagues towards the South-west and on the other side it lies very low barren and moorish Iuly 11. having pass'd by the pleasant Villages of Isbuilets Troitska Slowoda the Monastery of Dudina and Nofimki we got at night before the great and Noble City of Nise or Nisenovogorod where we found the ship called the Frederick which we had ordered to be built by our Captain Michael Cordes whereof we spoke in the beginning of our Relation It was not quite finish'd by reason the Muscovian Carpenters whom the Captain had employ'd about her had not answer'd his expectation yet was it so far on that the Ambassadors lodg'd in it and so forbore going into the City It was built of Deal being 120 foot long and 40 broad having three Masts and so flat-bottom'd that it took but seven foot water It had many Chambers and Closets for the convenience of the Ambassadors the Officers and Gentlemen of
to have a false Alarum given ordering the Sentinels to cry out and to discharge and thereupon the Drums to beat and the Musket and great Guns to be shot off Our men did their parts very well and kept their stations expressing much resolution We did the like in our return from Persia. The 19. VVe came to the Island of Staritzo which is 15. werstes long There I found the Elevation to be 54. d. 31. m. Behind that Island on the right hand we found a great number of round stones much after the form of Orenges or Citrons which being broken in the midst represented a Star of divers colours whereof some had the resemblance of polish'd Gold or Silver others where brown or yellow VVe took up a good quantity of them to serve us for bullets for our Murthering-Pieces Thence we came to a very pleasant place where might have been seen heretofore a City of Tartary called Vneroskora There had been buried one of their Saints for which Monument those that live thereabouts have still a great Devotion From this place to the City of Tetus are accompted 65 werstes We saw on the River-side under certain Trees two men on hors-back who immediately got out of the way which occasion'd us to send one to stand Sentinel in the Scuttle of the main Mast but they appear'd no more The 20. There came several Fisher-men of Tetus aboard us and brought us 55 large breams which they had taken thereabouts and sold them us for fifty pence They have a particular way of fishing They fasten to the end of a long cord a pretty big stone which falls to the bottom and at the other end of the said cord several great pieces of Wood which swim upon the water All along this cord are fasten'd many little cords each whereof hath a hook baited with a certain kind of fish which is not of the least but such as the others greedily feed upon The fish they take by this invention is ten or twelve foot long the meat of it white firm and very delicate In our return from Persia there was one brought to the Boat where I was with the Ambassador Crusius which was so big though there was nothing else eaten by reason every one liked it so well yet was all the company satisfied and there was as much left as fill'd a barrel wherein it was pickled up When the Muscovites travel about their own occasions they make use of another invention They fasten a hook to the end of a Cord and tye the Cord about a piece of board of about the breadth of a man's hand plain'd very smooth and tinn'd over and drag it after the Boat so as that the current of the water causing it ever and anon to turn up towards the Sun makes it shine like the scales of fish by which means drawing the greater sort of fish after it they take more than they can spend while they are on the water So that the Muscovites making no other provision for their journeys but of bread twice bak'd or dried in the Oven find it no hard matter to subsist any where not to mention that their continual abstinences and their Fasts having accustom'd them to be content with little and to care little for flesh they make a shift to live upon any thing they can meet withall nay in case of necessity upon the liquor which Nature furnishes them with At this place we let go the Boat which had carried our Provisions from Nise which being empty we had no further use for but we thought fit to set it a fire lest it might have fallen into the hands of the Cosaques who would have made use of it against us About noon we pass'd by the Island of Botenska which is three werstes in length and is only divided by a small Chanel from a kind of Cape or Promontory called Polibno The contrary wind forc'd us to Anchor behind the Island near the River Beitma which as they say is also a branch of the great River Kama The 21. We left on the right hand two very pleasant places which are reported to have been heretofore great Cities destroy'd by Tamberlane whereof one was called Simberska-gora The 22. With some little difficulty we pass'd over three Sand Banks whereof one is above the other below the place whence may be seen the Mountain Arbeuchin which was on our right hand It derives its name from a City whereof the ruines are yet to be seen There may be seen from the River a great stone about 20 foot in length and as many in breadth lying between two little Hills having engraven on it the words following Budesch time dobro toboe budet that is to say If thou raise me thou shalt be well rewarded We were told that not long before a great Muscovian Boat being forc'd by contrary winds to make some stay there fifty Passengers went ashore to raise the stone but when they had with much ado turned it they only found engraven on the other side these words Tsto isches netsebo poloschen that is to say In vain dost thou look for what thou hadst not put there On the right hand we had the view of a spacious and very delightful Champain Country the ground very rich with a high grass on it but it was not inhabited and there could be seen only the ruins of Cities and Villages which had been heretofore destroy'd by Tamberlane The 23. The contrary wind forc'd us to Anchor near the River Adrobe where I found the Elevation to be 53 degr 48 minutes In the afternoon we thought to advance a little by laveering but we hardly got half a league further The 24. The contrary wind still continuing at the same height forc'd us twice against the shore and very much hindred the prosecution of our Voyage For some dayes following we had the same incovenience by reason of the Sand-banks and the inconstancy of the wind which rise about nine in the morning and about five at night there was not the least breath stirring by that means adding to the affliction which otherwise lay heavy enough on us For besides that the indisposition of most of our people made that undelightful voyage the more tedious to them continual watching and the insupportable trouble we were every foot put to reduc'd them to a very sad condition Those who had been in action all night though it was not their profession to bear Arms were in the day time forc'd to row Smoak'd and Salt-meats afforded little nourishment and the discontents arising otherwise upon the frowardness of one of the Ambassadors in a manner took away the little courage we had left to encounter with the great inconveniences of that long voyage The 25. We saw on the right hand a Mountain out of which the Muscovites get Salt which they prepare in certain Huts built for that purpose at the foot of the Mountain then expose it to the Sun and send it along the
that frontier About noon we discover'd a Bark which at first took its course so as if it would have pass'd on the right hand of us then made as if she would come up streight to us and not knowing well what resolution to take they ever and anon made more or less sayl whereby perceiving that those who were in it were afraid of us the Ambassador Brugman gave order that the Ship should make streight towards the Bark put the Soldiers in their stations and commanded a certain number of great Guns to be fir'd at randome the more to frighten them The poor people immediately struck sayl and came near us They were Persians Fruit-Merchants and the Bark was then loaden with Apples Pears Quinces Nuts and other Fruits The Master of it who was Brother to our Pilot seeing him among a sort of people such as he had never seen before and believing he was their Prisoner began with horrid Cries and Lamentations to bewail his Brother's misfortune as also his own which he expected to fall into though he cry'd several times to him Korchma duschman lardekul Fear not they are friends among whom I am with my own consent But the other would hear of no perswasion to the contrary imagining that they forc'd him to speak to that purpose and could not recover himself out of the fear he was in till his Brother had acquainted him with the occasion which had brought him to our Ship Then was it that he took the courage to come himself into our Ship with a present of all sorts of Autumn-fruits whereof he also sold good store so cheap that a quarter of a hundred of very great Apples came not to a penny He was treated with Aquavitae after which he return'd to his Bark very well satisfied Much about this time we came near an Isle which the Muscovites call Tzetland and the Persians Tzenzeni eight Leagues from Terki on the left hand There we cast Anchor at three fathom and a half water and staid there four and twenty hours according to the custom of the Pesians We had lying before us a Treatise written by George Dictander who had Travell'd into Pesia in the year 1602. with an Ambassador sent thither by the Emperour Rodolph 11. who speaking of this Isle sayes that being the only man left alive at his return and staid in that place by the cold he had been forc'd to kill the Horses which the Sophy had bestow'd on him after he had consum'd all the other Provisions Having at our coming thither four or five hours of day-light remaining the Ambassadors thought it not amiss to go into the Island to see whether what they observ'd there were consonant to what the other had written thereof But all we could meet with worth our Observation was only three great poles fasten'd together and set up at one of the points of the Island beset all about with Roots and Boughs to serve for a direction to the Mariners and two great Ditches wherein some time before fire had been made This in all probability was done by the Cosaques who make their frequent retreats into that Island It lies at forty three degrees five minutes elevation and reaches in length from North-east to South-east about three German Leagues The soil is for the most part sandy and barren and towards the extremities either cover'd with shells or fenny and it is the only Island that is to be seen as we goe to Kilan West-ward of the ordinary course From this Island there may be seen in the Continent towards the South-west such high Mountains that we took them at first for Clouds Our people called them the Mountains of Circassia but the Muscovites nay the Inhabitants of Circassia themselves call it the Mountain Salatto and it is properly that Mountain which the Antients call Caucasus in the Province of Colchis which is the same that at this day is called Mengrelia and is so famous in Antiquity for the fabulous expedition of Iason for the Golden 〈◊〉 Its height which indeed is extraordinary in as much as it seems to extend it self to the Stars hath furnish'd the Poets with that fancy that it was from this Mountain Prometheus stole fire from the Sun to communicate it to men Quintus Curtius affirms that it crosses all Asia Certain indeed it is that the Mountains of Aratat and Taurus are so near and do so as it were cloze with it that it seems to be but one continu'd Mountain extending it self all through Asia from Mengrelia as far as the Indies From the Caspian Sea towards the Euxine Sea and Asia the lesser it is near fifty Leagues in breadth But let us see what Quintus Curtius says of it in the seventh Book of his History where he gives us this accompt of it They reach saith he from thence towards Mount Caucasus which divides Asia into two parts and leaves the Cilician Sea on the one-side and on the other the Caspian Sea the River Araxes and the Deserts of Scythia Mount Taurus which is to be ranked in the second place for its height is joyned to Caucasus and beginning in Cappadocia crosses Cilicia and reathes as far as Aâ—â—nia It is as it were a continu'd concatenation of Mountains out of which arise almost aâ—l the Rivers of Asia some whereof fall into the Red-sea and others into the Hyrcanian or that of Pontus The Army pass'd the Caucasus in seventeen days and came in sight of the Rock which is ten Stadia in compasse and about four in height where Prometheus was chained if we may credit the Poets Mount Aratat upon which Noah's Ark rested after the deluge and which the Armenians call Messina the Persians Agri and the Arabians Subeilahn is without comparison much higher than the Caucasus and is indeed but a great black Rock without any Verdure and cover'd with Snow on the top as well in Summer as Winter by means whereof it is discover'd fifteen Leagues into the Caspian Sea The Armenians and the Persians themselves are of opinion that there are still upon the said Mountain some remainders of the Ark but that time hath so hardned them that they seem absolutely petrify'd At Schamachy in Media we were shewn a Cross of a black and hard Wood which the Inhabitants affirmed to have been made of the Wood of the Ark and upon that account it was look'd upon as a most precious Relick and as such was wrapp'd in Crimson Taffata The Mountain is now inaccessible by reason of the precipices whereby it is encompass'd of all sides Imaniculi Sulthan whom the Sophy sent Ambassador to the Duke of Holstein our Master and whose Territories lye in those parts in the Country of Karabah told us many very remarkable particulars of it These high Mountains are a great direction to those who have no Compass to sail by in the Caspian Sea in as much as changing their form according to the several prospects they afford the Pilots
Ambassadors sent to him to desire him to communicate to them the Orders of the Court concerning the prosecution of their Journey Answer was made us that he had not receiv'd any new Orders at all and that if we desired it we might hear the Letter read which he thereupon gave his Physician to read The Physician a person the fittest in the World to represent a Fool in a play after he had kiss'd the Letter put it to his forehead and at last read it The Contents of it at least what he read was to this effect That the Express from the Sulthan of Derbent being come to the Court before him whom the Chan of Schamachie had sent all the account he had brought was that there was arriv'd at Derbent any Envoy or Poslanick from the Great Duke of Muscovy who had reported that within a few days there would come into those parts certain Ambassadors from one of the Princes of Germany That the Schach who had receiv'd no other accompt of their arrival thought it enough to order the Governour of Derbent to receive them to entertain then kindly during the stay they should make there and to supply them with all things for the continuation of their journey as far as Schamachie and that when they were come thither the Chan of Schamachie should send an Express to give an accompt thereof to the Court from which he should immediately receive orders what to do as well in respect of the maintenance of the Ambassadors as their departure thence The Chan demanded of us a Catalogue of the names and qualities of all of our Retinue nay he would have had it express'd in the said Catalogue what Professions they were of and that we should not fail setting down that we had among us a Physician a Chyrurgeon a Painter and Musicians which we would not do but thought it sufficient to give them in writing only the names of our people and the Offices and employments they were in upon the accompt of the Embassy We had a great suspicion that the said Letter came not from the Court and that there was somewhat more or less in it and the more to be assur'd of it we got the Courier to come the next day to our quarters The Wine we gave him and the small Presents which were secretly made him unlock'd the man's breast and drew out the whole secret He told us upon promise of secrecy that the Governours Brother having been not long before executed and that misfortune having in some measure engag'd the whole Family in the disgrace of the deceas'd there was not any man durst undertake the delivery of his Letter to the Sophy as being ignorant what the contents thereof might be but that after a moneths delay one of the Kings Chamberlains having ventured to lay it at his Majesties feet the Sofi would make no answer at all thereto but ordered another to write to him and sent him word that there was no answer to be made to his Letter by reason of the orders sent to the Sulthan of Derbent which were contain'd in the Letter whereof we had heard the reading That it was not thought fit to add any thing thereto but an express command to the Governour to see cut to pieces in his presence all those Persians that durst affront or injure the Germans during the stay they should make in his Government So that we were forc'd to stay there in expectation of what orders the Sophy should send upon the Dispatches which the Chan was then sending to the Court by an Express Ian. 25. the Governour accompany'd by the Poslanick and a great number of Courtiers gave the Ambassadors a Visit but in regard their Lent was already begun he would not participate of our Collation and so having heard our Musick he return'd to his own Palace Ian. 28. The Muscovian Poslanick went for Ispahan not well satisfy'd with the treatment he had receiv'd from the Governour and Calenter All the revenge he could take was upon the Mehemander who had been assign'd to Conduct him taking any occasion to affront and abuse him Some of our Retinue accompany'd him a League out of the City where they took leave of him February the fifth walking abroad with some of our company we went into a great house near the Market-place which they call Basar It was a very noble Structure having many Galleries and Chambers like a College Meeting up and down with several persons some antient some young some walking some sitting with books in their hands we had the curiosity to enquire what place it was and found that it was a School or College which they called Mandresa of which kind there are very many all over Persia. While we were viewing the Structure one of their Maderis or Regents who read publick Lectures intreated us to come near him and perceiving that I had caus'd to be graven upon a Cane I walk'd with all these words in Arabick Bismi alla rahman rachim that is in the name of the merciful God who sheweth mercy a sentence which the Persians put at the beginning of their writings he desired me to bestow it on him upon a promise that he would give me a better the next day but finding I made some difficulty to part with it he cut out the word alla which in their Language is the proper name of God and put what he had cut off in a piece of clean paper very gently and carefully and told me the name of God ought not to be written upon a walking stick which was many times thrust into the dirt The next day I went again to the same College whether I had caus'd to be brought along with me a very fair Celestial Globe but by mistake I went to another School where nevertheless they receiv'd me very kindly The Professors and Regents as also the Students very much wondred to see me come with so noble a Globe and to understand thereby that Astrology and the Mathematicks were better taught among us than in Persia where they are not yet acquainted with the invention of Globes and make use only of the Astrolabe for the instruction of their Students They took much delight in viewing my Globe and they nam'd to me in the Arabian Language all the Signs of the Zodiack nay gave me to understand further that they knew all the names and all the significations of most of the other Stars Another day I went into a Metzid or Church in that part of the Town where we were quarter'd to see how they instructed their Children They were all sate against the Wall excepting only the Molla or Master of the School who with some other aged persons sate in the midst of the Hall As soon as they saw me coming in they invited me to sit down by them The Molla who had an Alchoran in his hand very fairly written suffered me to turn it over awhile which when I had done
to be had in almost all the other Provinces of Persia. Apples Pears and Peaches thrive very well there Which is to be understood of the City it self and the Plain in which it is seated for the Air is incomparably more hot and more temperate at the foot of the Mountain whence it comes that thereabouts you have all sorts of Fruits and the Trees which in April do but begin to bud about Ardebil were very forward at the Village of Alaru at the foot of the Mountain Bakru This particular of fruits only excepted the soil thereabouts is very good as well for arable Lands as Pastures insomuch that the Plain which is not very great is able to maintain the Inhabitants of above sixty Villages all which may be seen from the City Besides all which the Revenue which is rais'd for the King from the Arabian and Turkish Shepherds is very considerable by reason of the Liberty allow'd them to feed their Cattel thereabouts and to Trade therewith in those parts after they have purchas'd the Schach's Protection or embrac'd the Religion of the Persians Some of the Clarks belonging to the Farmers of the Revenue assured me that within fifteen dayes before there had pass'd over the City-Bridge above a hundred thousand sheep and for every sheep they pay four Kasbeki or two pence sterl for their pasturage and as much when the owner sells them This last duty is called Tzaubanbeki and the other Abschur Eleschur or the duty of Water and Herbage which the Turks call in one word Othbasch The City is somewhat but very little bigger than that of Scamachie but hath no Walls No House but hath its Garden so that seen at a distance it seems rather a Forest than a City Yet are there no other Trees about it than Fruit-Trees inasmuch as the Country produceing no Wood fit for Building nor indeed any for Firing the Inhabitants are oblig'd to supply themselves out of the Province of Kilan which is six good dayes Journey distant from it Within a League of the City South-ward lies a Village named Scamasbu out of which rises a little River called Balachlu Before it comes into the City it divides it self into two branches one whereof divides the City and the other compasses it and is joyned again to the other and so fall together into the River Karasu It is so apt to over-flow in the moneth of April when the Snow upon the Mountains begins to dissolve that if the Inhabitants of the Plain had not the industry to divert it by Trenches which they make on that side which is towards the City it would drown them all Of such an inundation there happened an Example in the time of Schach Abas when the violence of the water having broken the Dikes over-threw in a moment a great number of Houses in regard the Walls being built only of Mortar and Bricks bak'd in the Sun there is not any able to stand out against the least inundation so that the River caried away their Housholdstuff nay many Children in their Cradles as it had also near happened at the time of our being there upon the 12. of April when there were a thousand men at work day and night in making Chanels and in turning the River by means of a Trench which was made in the plain upon the River side which over-flow'd all the adjacent fields The City besides a great number of narrow strees hath five very fair and broad ones named Derwana Tabar Niardower Kumbalan and Kasirkuste in all which they have been at the pains of planting both sides with Elms and Linden-Trees to have some shade against the excessive heats of the Climate The Market-place or Maydan is large and noble as being above three hundred paces in length and a hundred and fifty in breadth and having on all sides Shops so orderly dispos'd that no Merchandise no Profession but hath its particular quarter On the right hand as you come into it you find behind the Sepulchre of Schich-Sefi and the last Kings of Persia a Metzid or Mosquey in which lies interred Iman Sade or one of the Children of their twelve Saints Malefactors and Criminals may retire thither for a certain time and thence easily get to the Monument of Schich-Sefi which is their great Sanctuary As you come out of the Market-place you come to a place which they call Basar where the first thing you meet with is a great square arched Building called Kaiserie where are sold all the precious Commodities of the Country as Gold and Silver Brocadoes and all sorts of precious stones and silk stuffs As you come out thence you enter by three Gates into so many streets cover'd over head all beset with Shops where are sold all sorts of Commodities There are also in these streets several Caravanseras or Store-houses built for the convenience of forein Merchants as Turks Tartars Indians c. We saw there also two Chineses who had brought thither to be sold Porcelane and several things of Lacque There are also in the City a very great number of publick Baths and Metzids the chiefest whereof is that which they call Metzid Adine which is seated upon a little Hill as it were in the midst of the City and hath a very fair Steeple There the greatest Devotions are done on holy-days and particularly on Friday from which it derives the name At the entrance of the Metzid or Church there is a Fountain which the late Saru Chotze otherwise called Mahomet Risa Chancellor of Persia brought to that place by a Chanel under ground from the very source which is in a Mountain above a League distant from the City South-west-ward The Sumptuous Monuments of Schich-Sefi and the last Kings of Persia are near the Meidan The Persians call that place Mesar and Kibel-Chan Governour of the City did us the favour to let us into them upon Whitsun-Monday He sent us word before hand that since we were so desirous to see the holy Sepulchre we must be oblig'd to abstain from VVine that day and that our Supper should be brought us out of Schich-Sefi's Kitchin The Ambassadors went thither immediately after Dinner attended by all their Retinue and their Guards The Gate at which we entred to get into the first Court is a very large one and above it there was a great silver Chain reaching from one side to the other at which there hung such another perpendiculary in the middle It is a Present which Aga-Chan Governour of Merrague had out of Devotion made to the holy Sepulchre This first Court is very spacious and pav'd all over with broad stones having on both sides great Vaults where there are many Shops and backwards a very fair publick Garden open to all The Governour having receiv'd us in the Base-Court brought us to another Gate over which there was also a Silver-Chain like the former and it was an expression of the Devotion of Mahomed-Chan
about noon the Sun so heated the Wind it self that the hot blasts which come out of an Oven could not be hotter insomuch that we were forc'd to retire into the Caravansera where the heat was somewhat more moderate Nay the ground it self which in those parts is only Sand and Heath was so hot that a man could not go five or six steps without burning his feet About this time both the Ambassadors were very sick but their indisposition giving them altternately a little ease the weaker of the two made use of the Litter and the other rode on Horse-back The 19. we travell'd five Leagues and got in the morning before the City of Kom The Daruga receiv'd us within five or six hundred paces of the City accompany'd by fifty Gentlemen on Horse-back and certain Tumblers among whom there were some who went upon Stilts before the Ambassador Brugman whose chance it was that day to be alone on Horse-back and shew'd a thousand tricks of activity all the way to the Ambassadors Lodgings As we pass'd through the Market-place we found a great number of Timbrels Hawboyes and Fifes which made a kind of Musick after their way and their Inhabitants had water'd the streets which being not pav'd no more than those of Caswin and several other Cities of Persia the dust had otherwise troubled and annoy'd us very much The Persians place this City at 85 degrees 40 minutes Longitude and at 34 degrees 45 minuts Latitude but after I had made a more exact observation thereof I found on the 20. of Iuly precisely at noon that the Sun was 74 degrees 8 minutes above the Horizon and that the Declination taken upon the same Meridian was 18 degrees 35 minutes so that the elevation of the Pole could be but 34 degrees 17 minutes The City of Kom is very antient Prolomy calls it Guriana and heretofore it was of a great extent as may be seen by the ruins of its Walls and other buildings which are a great way without its present compass It lies in a Plain on the right hand of the Mountain of Elwend which is discover'd at a great distance by the whiteness of its Sand and by the extraordinary height of its points In this Mountain there rises from two several Springs a little River which making but one Chanel at the entrance of the City runs through some part of it and is one of the chiefest conveniences belonging thereto but about three years before our Travels that way the little River over-flowing by reason of the Snow which the precedent heat of the Spring had melted broke down and carried away above a thousand Houses There are in the Gardens whereof there is a great number as well within as without the City all sorts of excellent fruits among others a kind of Melons which they call Scammame much about the bigness of an Orenge There are upon the rind spots of several colours and they have an admirable scent but they are more lushious in taste than the other Melons which in sweetness exceed all those I ever cat any where else There are also some of these Melons at Ardebil where by reason of their scent they commonly carry them in their hands but they told us that they were brought from the Village of Alaru where there grows abundance of them The learned Golius Professor of the Oriental Languages in the University of Leyden gives a large account of them in his Arabick Lexicon pag. 1309. There is also in the same place a kind of Cowcumbers of extraordinary largeness being above two foot long and as thick as a mans Arm which they call Chunchiar that is crooked Cowcumbers as having the form of a bended Arm. These the Persians pickle with Vinegar without any Salt but the taste of them is not very pleasant especially to those that are not accustomed thereto The ground about these parts is very fit for Tillage and produces all sorts of Grain as also Cotton in abundance but the principal Trading of the Inhabitants consists in earthen Pots and Sword-blades Those blades which are made in this City are accounted the best in the whole Country and are sold sometimes at twenty Crowns a piece The Steel of which they are made comes from the City of Niris within four days journeys of Ispahan where there are found in the Mountain of Demawend very rich Mines of Iron and Steel The Pots also made in the City of Kom are very much esteem'd especially the Sâ—eans or great Pitchars as well by reason of the excellency of the workmanship as for this reason that it is conceiv'd they will keep water fresh and sweet even in the greatest heats of Summer The Inhabitants of this City are somewhat light-finger'd and apt to find any thing lies in their way We had hardly alighted but our Pistols were taken away and what was not lock'd up immediately vanish'd In this City some of our people began to be troubled with bloody fluxes occasion'd by their excessive eating of Melons and other sorts of fruits and drinking water after fruit and in the greatest heats Iuly 21. we left Kom an hour after Sun-set and travell'd that night five Leagues The next the 22. We stay'd in a great Village called Kasinabath where all the Houses of one whole street were built so as that they made altogether but one continued Vaul or kind of Cloister The 23. we got seven Leagues to the Village of Sensen where we found abundance of Provisions and fruits which the Mehemander had appointed to be brought â—nither from Karschan a place five Leagues distant thence In this Village died one of our Interpreters for the Persian Language whose name was Gregory He was by birth a Muscovite but had been Circumcised upon which score we left the body to those of his own Religion to be buried after their manner The 23. in the evening we departed thence and the night following we lost a Muscovian servant who dy'd of the bloody Flux by the way We kept the Body to have it buried at Katschan with that of another Muscovian Servant who died two hours after the former We got thither the 24. but so betimes in the morning that we were forc'd to stay above two hours before the Daruga could come to meet us in order to our reception He was accompany'd by fifty Gentlemen on Horsâ— back and had appointed to be led several excellent Horses cover'd with Lynxes skins nor was the ordinary Musick of the Countrey wanting At the entrance of the City he shew'd us two Indian Oxen very black and of great height and bulk which had Bells about their necks and Plumes of Feathers in their heads and at their Cruppers This Daruga had some time been a Foot-man to Schach-Sefi when being very young they were forc'd to hide him from his Grand-father Schach-Abbas and Schach-Sefi having no money to live upon sold the Foot-man for fifteen Tumains
He had been five years in the King's service and growing weary of being so long among inâ—idels he was desirous to take the opportunity of our Embassy to return into his own Country He had to that end desired his Majesties leave to depart the Kingdom and the King who had an affection for him had promis'd him a Present of four hundred Crowns to oblige him to stay two years longer in Persia but that was so far from prevailing with him that on the contrary he continu'd his importunities for his departure and to that end got the Ambassadors to intercede for him In the mean time a House-breaker coming one night into his house out of a hope to find there the four hundred Crowns the Clock-maker who perceiv'd him fell upon him got him down and having hurt him in several places thrust him out of Doors Afterwards upon second thoughts repenting himself that he had suffered him to escape so he took a Pistol run after him and kill'd him The friends of the Deceas'd went immediately to the Ecclesiastical Judge and made complaints of the Murther committed by a Stranger and an Infidel upon one of the Faithful demanded Justice of him and desir'd that the Murtherer might be put into their hands in order to his Execution The Clock-maker who little thought he should be troubled for the death of a Robber got on horse-back the next day to go to the Court but he was taken in the street and immediately put into the Palenk which is a wooden Instrument which comes about the Arms and the Neck and very cruelly handled The Ambassadors us'd much solicitation on his behalf but the animosity of the Relations and the authority of the Spiritual Judge whom they call Mufti carried it against him so that he was condemn'd to dye with this Proviso nevertheless that if he would be circumcis'd and embrace the Religion of the Mussulmans it should be in the King's power to pardon him Most of the Lords who had a great respect for him upon the account of his Profession wherein he was Excellent press'd him very much to change his Religion at least in outward shew and for a time promising him those advantages which he could not expect in Germany He was two several times conducted to the place of execution in the Maidan before the Palace-Gate that he might see the horrour of death before his eyes out of an imagination that would oblige him to renounce but he equally slighted both promises and threats his constancy could not be shaken and he wav'd all they said to him with so resolute a courage that it is not to be doubted but it was supernatural and that his death was a kind of Martyrdom He told them that the King's favour should never make him lose that which Iesus Christ had done him by redeeming him from eternal death by his blood That being entertain'd into the King's service his Majesty might dispose of his body but that he would render up his Soul to him by whom it was created that he might be therein glorify'd both in this World and the next The Augustin Monks and the Carmelites endeavour'd all they could to oblige him to make profession of the Roman Catholick Religion but he continu'd firm to his former resolution and would die in the Reform'd Religion which he profess'd and wherein he was perfectly well instructed At last the Persians finding it impossible to overcome his courage either by fair or foul means left him to the Relations of the deceas'd who had the execution of him He among them who went out to give him the first blow with the Cimitar miss'd him and wounded his next neighbour the Leg the second struck into the Palenk which they had left about his neck the third struck him upon the neck and smote down that Martyr of Christ who afterwards receiv'd three other blows ere he expir'd the first in the head and the other two in the face The Ambassador Brugman who as I said before had a great kindness for this German's sister-in-law was so enrag'd at this execution that being at a loss of all judgement and not knowing what to do for madness he would needs divert himself by running at the Ring in the presence of two or three Gentlemen and the Canonier causing in the mean time the great Guns to be fired above a hundred times The body lay all that day expos'd to the sight of those that pass'd by in the place where the execution had been done till that in the evening the Ambassador Brugman with the King's permission caus'd it to be brought to our Lodgings with an intention to have it buried the next day But the King having appointed that day to go a-hunting and invited the Ambassadors to that Divertisement it was put off so that the Ceremonies of the enterment could not be performed till the 22. The Muscovian Ambassador the Governour of Armenia and his brothers most of the Armenians and those of the Sect of Nessera of which the Widdow of the deceas'd made profession and whereof we shall discourse hereafter as also of the other Europaean Christians honour'd his Funeral with their presence The Hunting we spoke of before began the 17. The night before the Mehemandar came to acquaint the Ambassadors that his Majesty had for their sakes appointed a Hunting that should last several dayes and that it was his pleasure they should have notice of it that they might be ready against the next morning It was imagin'd this was done out of design that the Ambassadors might not be in person at the interment of the Clock-maker but that hindred not the Ambassador Brugman from giving order that the body should be kept till his return The 17. betimes in the morning there were Horses brought for the Persons and Camels for the Baggage The Ambassadors got on Horse-back with Father Ioseph and about thirty persons of their Retinue The Mehemandar conducted them into a spacious Plain whither the King came soon after attended by above three hundred Lords all excellently well mounted and sâ—mptuously cloath'd The King himself was in a Vestment of Silver Brocado with a Turbant adorn'd with most noble Heron's Feathers and having led after him four Horses whereof the Saddles Harness and covering Cloaths were beset with Gold and precious Stones The King at his coming up very civilly saluted the Ambassadors and ordered them to march near him on his left hand The other Chans and great Lords march'd after the King with so little observance of order that many times the Servants were shuffled in among their Masters There was among the rest in the King's Retinue an Astrologer who alwayes kept very close to him and ever and anon observ'd the position of the Heavens that he might prognosticate what good or ill fortune should happen These are believ'd as Oracles We rode up and down that day above three Leagues the King taking occasion often to change his
alighted took out his own knife and cut off what the Executioner had left to the great astonishment of all us who were not accustomed to see Persons of that quality turn common Executioners Within the enclosed place I spoke of there was a little building much after the fashion of a Theatre into which the King brought us to a Collation of Fruits and Conserves That done there were driven into the place thirty two wild Asses at which the King discharg'd some shots with the Fowling-pieces and shot some Arrows and afterwards permitted the Ambassadors and the other Lords to shoot at them It was pretty sport to see those Asses run having sometimes ten or more Arrows shot into their Bodies wherewith they incommodated and wounded the others when they got in among them so that they fell a biting one another and running one at another after a strange manner Having knock'd down all those that were wounded there were let in thirty wild Asses more which they also kill'd and laid them all in a row before the King to be sent to Ispahan to the Court Kitchin The Persians so highly esteem the flesh of these wild Asses that they have brought it into a Proverb in their Kulusthan This kind of Hunting being over Dinner was brought in at the same place Here it was that the Ambassador Brugman was pleas'd upon his own account to present the King of Persia with his Highness the Duke of Holstein's Picture in a Box all beset with Diamonds as also with a very fair Steel Looking-Glass polish'd on both sides and embellish'd with several Figures grav'd by that famous Artist Iohn Dresde and done after an Excellent way whereof he himself had been the Inventor After Dinner we retir'd into some houses thereabouts to take our Mid-dayes repose The King sent us thither ten Ahues and a very fair Stagg the horns whereof had twelve brow-ancklers but ere we were well laid down word was brought us that the King was got on Horse-back in order to some further sport We immediately follow'd and found him a Hawking He soon gave over that sport and taking along with him nine persons of his own Retinue and six of ours he went into a spacious low Walk at the end whereof there was a place for the keeping of wild-Dacks but instead of hunting he must needs fall a Drinking and was so dispos'd to mirth that the noise we made kept the Ducks and Geese from coming near the place The King did Monsieur Mandelslo the favour to permit him to present him with a Glass of Wine and after he had drunk and that Mandelslo had kiss'd his knee he presented him with an Apple which is an expression of so particular a kindness that the whole Court began to look on him from that time as a Person very much in the King's favour The Kerek jerak or ordinary Steward of his Majesties Houshold whose name was Mahumed Aly-beg who had fill'd the King his drink during this Debauch and had not forgot to take off his own was grown so drunk that sitting at the entrance of the Walk he made such a noise that the King sent one to bid him get thence and perceiving no intreaties would prevail with him he commanded him to be dragg'd thence and set on horse-back Aiy-beg could not hinder their dragging of him thence but they were not able to set him on horse-back nay he abus'd and struck those that should have done it The King goes out of the Gallery and would have perswaded him to get on horse-back but he was no better treated than the rest so that laying his hand on his Sword he made as if he would have cut off his head The fright which that put the Steward into made him cry out so loud that the whole company concern'd themselves in the fear he was in He was very much in his Prince's favour but knew him to be a person not to be jeasted withall and he had so many sad examples of it before his Eyes that the terrors of Death did in a moment disperse the Vapours which had unsetled his Brain and bestow'd wings on those Feet which the Wine had made unable to go He immediately got on horse-back and rid away as fast as his horse could carry him and so made a shift to escape that time The king who was got into a pleasant humour only Laugh'd at it he came very merrily in to us but withdrew soon after and we went and were lodg'd in our own quarters The 20. there was no hunting at all We dined with the king who was that day serv'd by a hundred young Men very handsome Persons and richly Clad who alwayes stood before him Many of our Retinue would rather have kept those Gentlemen company and waited than have been among the Guests by reason of the trouble it was to them to sit according to the manner of the Country This entertainment was made in a pleasant Summer-house that stood in the midst of a Garden upon the water-side In the afternoon we went to another Village about a League and a half from the City and in our way took a white Heron. The 21. the king sent betimes in the Morning to invite us to go a Pidgeon-hunting We were carried up to the top of a great Tower within which there were above a thousand Nests We were plac'd all without having in our hands little sticks forked at the ends The king commanded our Trumpets to sound a charge and immediately there were driven out of the Tower or Pidgeon-house great numbers of Pidgeons which were most of them kill'd by the king and those of his Company This was the end of that kind of hunting after which we took our way towards the City but ere we got into it the king carried us into one of his Gardens called Tzarbach which is no doubt the fairest of any we have seen in Persia where we had another Manificent treatment As soon as we were got to our Lodgings there were brought us from the King twelve wild Drakes and as many Pidgeons but they were provided it seems only for the Ambassador Brugman and his Ladies Somes days afterwards it was publish'd by the Tzartzi or publick Crier all over the City that all should keep within their houses and that none should presume to come into the street the King being to goe that way abroad to give the Court Ladies the Divertisement of Hunting The custom of the Country is that the King's Wives and Concubines should not go abroad unless it be in certain Chests or Cabinets which are covered all over and carried by Camels All which notwithstanding they permit not that while they are passing by there should be any one in the Streets or that any men should come within Musket-shot of the field where they are upon pain of present Death The King goes before and the Ladies follow about half an hour after accompany'd by their Women and a great number
After Dinner the Kurtzibachi or Lord high Chamberlain came and conducted the Ambassadors to the King of whom they took their leave The King delivered them himself the Answer he made to the Letters they had brought him with recommendations to his Highness our Master and promis'd that he would send to Visit him by an express Embassy The Ambassadors answer'd the Complement and thank'd the King for the honour he had done them and the noble Treatments they had received from him during the stay they had made in his kingdom and return'd to their lodgings observing the same order in their going from the Court as had been done at their going thither Decemb. 4. the Poslanick or Muscovian Ambassador Alexei Savinowits went to see the Chancellor who dismiss'd him in the Kings name that he might return in our Company The dayes following those Lords who had receiv'd any Presents from our Ambassadors sent theirs to them Decemb. 5. Chosru Sulthan sent the Ambassadors two â—â—orses The next day Tzanichan the Kurtzibaschi sent his Present to the Ambassadors but in regard he had done it by the Persian fugitive Rustan who had so basely left the Ambassadors to change his Religion they would not accept of it and sent him word that they much wondred that it being as they conceiv'd his design to do them an honour and to oblige them by the Present he made them he would send it by a person for whom they must needs have an aversion and one they could not endure to see Three dayes after he sent them by another Man two Horses a Mule and eighteen pieces of Stuff which they accepted and gave the person who brought the Present five Pistols The 10. the Chamberlian sent them two Horses the Chancellor two Horses a Mule and forty five pieces of stuffs among which there were several whereof the ground-work was Gold The same day the Mehemander came to give us notice that the King intended within eight days to goe for Kaschan and that if we could be ready against that time we might make our advantage of the convenience as far as that City Which oblig'd us to put all things in readiness for our journey and the 12. we made an entertainment in order to our departure whereto were invited the same persons who had been at the first save that the acquaintances which the Ambassador Brugman had made in the Suburbs of Tzulfa occasion'd his invitation of several Armenians to this who had not been at the former In the afternoon there was running at the Ring at which Divertisement was present also the Portuguez Agent who manag'd the Viceroy's affairs at the Court and a rich Iew who drove a great trade between the Indies and Constantinople The Walls windows and tops of the neighbouring houses were full of Persians and Armenians who came thither to see that Divertisement The noise of the Trumpets and Tymbrels continu'd all the time as did also that of our Artillery which the Ambassador Brugman ordered to be discharg'd at all the healths that were drunk and that so often that Father Ioseph our Interpreter who knew that they might hear every shot at the Kings Palace fearing his Majesty should take it ill was forc'd to represent to him the Tyrannical humour of that Prince and the danger whereto he expos'd not only his own person after the Ambassadors were departed but also all that belong'd to the Embassy He told him that it was no extraordinary thing to see that Prince exercise his cruelties upon all sorst of persons without any regard of their Quality or Character and intreated him to command that there should be no more shooting But all these Remonstrances prevail'd nothing with the Ambassador who ordered the Trumpets to sound and the Gans to be fir'd as much as at any time before We understood since that the King was so incens'd against the said Ambassador as well for this action as another whereof I shall presently give an account that he was upon the point of ordering him to be cut in pieces and it may be all of us with him if the prudence and moderation of the Chancellor had not prevail'd with him to forbear by representing to him that the Prince his Master who no doubt approv'd not the insolences of that Ambassador would be sure to punish them as soon as he were advertised thereof But what most incens'd the King was this following adventure Lion Bernoldi who had the Quality of a Gentleman in the Retinue of the Ambassadors was put into Irons by order of the Ambassador Brugman upon this account that being born at Antwerp whence he retir'd into Holland there were some jealousies conceiv'd of him upon the frequent Visits he made to the Dutch Agent from whom he receiv'd many little kindnesses However that the Agent might not take ought amiss and the more to smother the jealousie had of him it was given out that he had rob'd the Ambassadors He found means to make his escape and cast himself into the Sanctuary of the Persians which they call Alla-Capi which is part of the King's Palace The Ambassadors sent to intreat the King to return their Domestick into their hands but answer was brought that if what he was charg'd to have stolen were found about him it should be restor'd but that as to his person it was not in his power to force him out of the Sanctuary though he had committed some Crime against his Royal Dignity The Ambassador Brugman was so transported with passion at this answer that he said aloud that he would have him and would kill him though he took refuge and were found within the King's arms Nay not content to betray this sally of his passion he suborn'd an Armenian who was to perswade Bernoldi to get out of the Sanctuary in the night and to hide himself some where else while he sent above twenty persons a-foot and on horse-back Arm'd with Fire-locks and Muskets with match lighted to the Palace-Gate with express Order to kill him if he came out or to get him thence by force His Collegue endeavour'd all he could to prevent that violence and the Kings Guard oppos'd it but the insolence of the party he had sent out upon this design who did more than they were commanded to do was so great that making head against the Guard who would have thrust them back the King awak'd at the noise and desirous to prevent further disorder commanded that Gate through which there was an entrance into the Sanctuary to be shut which was more than had been seen in the memory of Man it being the deâ—â—gâ— of the Foundation that those unfortunate persons who are forc'd thither should find their way in at any hour The King was so incens'd at these proceedings that as soon as he got up the next morning he told the Lords of his Councel that being not safe even within his own Palace by reason of the Germans who
against whom he had taken up Arms and the second was poyson'd by the third so that Vssum Cassan dying on the fifth of Ianuary 1485. Iacup succeeded him but he enjoy'd not long the Kingdom he had got with the price of his Brother's bloud for his own Wife poysoned him within a short time after his coming to the Crown After his death Schich Eider son-in-law to Vsum Cassan sirnamed Harduellis from the place of his birth pretended to the succession but it was disputed against him first by Iulaver a Persian Lord and afterwards by Baylinger and Rustan The Turks who slighted Schich Eider by reason of the meanness of his birth notwithstanding which Vssum Cassan had bestow'd on him his Daughter Martha whom he had had by Despina the Daughter of Calojean King of Trebisond and hated him particularly upon this accompt that he had quitted their Religion presuming that a man who pretended much to Devotion and Sanctity would be unexpert if not unfortunate in the business of Arms declar'd a war against him entred Persia with a powerfull Army gave him battel and defeated him in so much that falling alive into their hands they flead his head and pull'd down his skin over his ears 'T is true there is so great discrepancy among the Persian Authors concerning this story that we have been forc'd herein to follow the common opinion though there are some who affirm that Eider was not King but that Rustan King of Persia fearing he might come to be King treated him as we said before Nay some affirm that this happened in the time of Iacup the son of Vssum Cassan. But what cannot well be deny'd of the story is that about that time the Turks became Masters of most of the Provinces of Persia and that Rustan was succeeded by Agmar Carabem and Aluantes Schich Eider who first chang'd the quality of Schich that is Prophet into that of Schach or King left one son named Ismael but he was so young when his Father died that all could be done for him was to secure his person at the house of a certain Lord of the Province of Kilan a Kinsman and Friend of his Father's named Pyr Chalim who brought him up and instructed him in the same Sect his Father had been of Ismael being come to years of discretion discover'd himself to be a person of an excellent understanding and great courage and there were the greater hopes conceiv'd of him out of this respect that his Father who was well skill'd in Astrology had Predicted that his son should do wonders as being the person designed for the restauration of Persia by the reduction of many Provinces and the propagation he should make of his new Religion Accordingly he made such advantage of the opportunity he then had while the Emperour of the Turks was at Constantinople little thinking what might happen towards Persia that having by the advice of Pyr sent Deputies into the neighbouring Provinces and Cities he so far satisfy'd them of the right he had to the Crown and prevail'd with them to reflect on the interest of the State and the preservation of Religion that having got together an Army of twenty thousand men with which he left Latretzan in the Province of Kilan the Inhabitants of the other Provinces came in so fast that it was of a sudden swell'd to three hundred thousand With this Army he marched streight to Ardebil whence he forc'd away all the Turks some few onely excepted who were got into a street behind Schich Sefi's Sepulchre where they Petition'd for their lives and promised to Embrace the Persian Religion and thence it comes that the said street is to this day called Vrume Mahele It was upon this exploit that many Persians came to be sirnamed Kisilbaschs as we have shewn before Ardebil being thus reduc'd Ismael went to Tabris Scamachie and Iruan and recover'd all the Cities and Provinces which the Truks had taken from his Father and had been possess'd of ever since his death He afterwards entred into Turkey gave the Emperour battel and defeated him The particulars of that War may be seen in the Letter which Henry Penia who was then in Persia writ to Cardinal Sauli and they agree with what the Persians themselves write thereof After this Victory he took Bagdat Besre Kurdestan Diarbek Wan Esserum Ersingan Bitlis Adiltschouas Alchat Berdigk Kars Entakie As soon as he had secur'd the Frontiers against the attempts of the Turks he turn'd his Armies Eastward and took from the King of the Indies the Province of Candahar and the next adjoyning Province the same good success which he had had against the Turks still attending him 'T was after this last Conquest that he went to Caswin to be Crown'd He stay'd there but just the time requisite for that Ceremony and to refresh his Forces with which he afterwards went into Georgia Defeated the King of that Countrey whom the Histories call Simon Padschach and forc'd him to pay him yearly three hundred Bails of Silk by way of Tribute The difficulties which Schach Ismael Sofi met with in all these Wars were not so small but the Persians grew weary of them though the zeal of their Religion induc'd them to suffer the utmost extremities even death it self with resolution enough But the consequence of these Victories and the good success which Ismael had in all his designs was that they raised him to so high an esteem that all the other Princes of Asia nay several Monarchs of Europe courted his friendship by solemn Embassies which gave our Writers the first acquaintance they had with the affairs of Persia. And whereas he made a strict Profession of the Persian Religion and had a great Devotion for Aly so far as to assume the quality of Sofi thence it comes that our Historians speak of him as the principal Propagator nay indeed as the first Institutor of that Sect. He died at Caswin in the forty fifth year of his age and was buried at Ardebil He had the reputation of being a great observer of Justice but it is affirm'd of him that he made no great difficulty to drink Wine and eat Swines flesh nay that in derision of the Turkish Religion he had a Hog kept in his Court which he named Bajazeth Schach Ismael Sofi left four Sons whereof the eldest named Tamas succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Persia but not in the vertues and great endowments which had made him considerable all over the World The three others to wit Helcasi Beiram and Sor-Myrza had certain Territories assign'd them This change was perceiv'd at the very beginning of his Government For Sulthan Solyman Emperour of the Turks taking notice of the weakness of Schach Tamas in matter of Government raised a powerfull Army enters the Kingdom of Persia under the Conduct of Sulthan Murat Bascha and recover'd from the Persiaus all that Schach Ismael had taken from the Turks Bagdan and Wan onely excepted Two
that of Chan of Kesker but he could not avoid the punishment which so base a complyance too well deserv'd For the first journey the king made to Caswin after that we spoke of before he commanded Bebut to go and cut off with his own hands his Son's head and to bring it him He was forc'd to obey and Schach-Abas seeing him coming into the Room with his Son's head ask'd him how he did Bebut made answer Alass my Liege I think I need not tell you I have been forc'd with my own hands to kill my only Son whom I lov'd above any thing in the World the grief I shall conceive thereat will bring me to my Grave The king reply'd Go thy wayes Bebut and consider how great must have been my affliction when thou broughtst the news of my Son's death whom I had commanded thee to put to death But comfort thy self my Son and thine are no more and reflect that thou art in this equal to the King thy master Not long after this unhappy Paricide Bebut ended his life after an extraordinary manner For soon after he had taken possession of the Government of Kesker one of his servants giving him water to wash after Dinner according to the Persian custom pour'd it on so hot that it scalded his hands which incens'd him so that he threatned to have him cut to pieces but the Slave prevented him and considering that he who had been so barbarous as to murther his Prince and his own Son would make no great difficulty to rid the World of a servant he conspir'd with some of his Gamerades who expected no better treatment from their Master and kill'd him the night following in his drink Schach-Abas was not much troubled that that hatefull object was remov'd out of his sight and would not have prosecuted the Murtherers had not the other Chans represented to him that if they were not made examples no Lord could think himself secure among his servants after he had given them some theatning language But Schach-Abas's affliction and the regret he express'd for his Son's death how great soever they might be took not off the just apprehensions the Widdow conceiv'd that he had a design to put to death his Grand-Child Sain Myrsa Whence it came that she kept him a long time conceal'd and would not suffer him to be brought to Court though the King who saw his two younger Sons whose eyes he had caus'd to be put out were excluded the Government by the Laws of the Kingdom design'd that little Prince to succeed him 'T is reported he had a great tenderness for him and yet lest he should appear to soon and the vivacity of his spirit revive the affection which the people had express'd towards his Father he endeavour'd to have his senses dull'd and commanded there should be given him every day about the begness of a Pea of Opium the use whereof is very common in Persia as we have said elsewhere but that the Mother instead of giving him that Drug made him often take Treacle and several other preservatives against the poyson which she conceiv'd she had some cause to suspect might be given him While Schach Abas was in Kilan Tamaras-Chan taking advantage of his absence entred again with an Army into Georgia and recover'd all those places out of which he had been forc'd The King sent thither Aliculi-Ghan Mahumed-Chan Kasack and Mortusaculi Chan of Talisch and several other Chans who could do no good there but brought word back that they had found the Enemy so advantageously posted that they durst not set upon him The King punish'd their seeming prudence with death and went the next year in person into Georgia protesting at his departure that if he return'd victorious from that VVar he would sell the Georgians at an Abas or fifteen pence a head Upon which occasion they say it hapned that the King being Master of the Field and having taken a great number of Prisoners a Souldier came to him with two Abases in his hand and desir'd him to sell him two handsom young Maids who were among the Prisoners and that the King remembring his Oath permitted him to take his choice It was about this time that most of the Georgian Christians who liv'd at Ispahan at the time of our being there came out of their Country to settle themselves in the Metropolis of the Kingdom Much also about the same time was it that Schach-Abas receiv'd Letters from Bekirkcha who under the Grand-Seignor commanded the Garrison of Bagdat or Babylon This man dissatisfy'd with the Court upon his being deny'd the Government of that place at the Bassa's death under whom he had had the Lieutenancy proffer'd Schach-Abas to deliver up the City to him The King hearkned to that Proposition and immediately took his march with a good Army towards those parts but ere he got thither Bikirkeha's discontent was over so far that he sent Schach-Abas word that he had only Powder and Bullets at his service He was so netled at the affront that he protested not to return thence till he had taken the City though it should cost him his life Accordingly having pass'd over the Ditch after a siege of six months and having set fire to a Mine which work the Persians are very excellent at he caus'd an assault to be given entred the breach and became Master of the City without any composition Bikirkeha being found among the Prisoners was sown up in a raw Ox-Hide and in that condition plac'd near the High-way where the King order'd him to be sed till such time as the heat of the Sun having made the Hide shrink together he died a very painful death His Son cast himself at Schach-Abas's feet and satisfy'd him so far of his being wholly unconcern'd in his Father's proceeding that having begg'd his Pardon he by that submission obtain'd the Government of Schiras which Schach-Abas made no difficulty to bestow on him in regard that lying at a great distance from the Frontiers of Turkey he fear'd not his proving unfaithful to him The year following the Emperour of the Turks caus'd Bagdat to be besieg'd by the Bassa Hasis Ahmed but Abas forc'd him to raise the siege and continu'd eight moneths together in sight of the Turkish Army till such time as sickness having consum'd a great number of the Turks who were not so well able to endure the great heats as the Persians Hasis was oblig'd to retreat to Constantinople At his return from this expedition Schach-Abas began to build the Citie of Ferabath in the Province of Mesandran upon occasion of a Village named Tahona situated upon a pleasant River which not far thence falls into the Caspian Sea This Victory procur'd him but two years rest For the Turkish Emperour desirous to recover Bagdat sent Chalil Bassa with an Army of five hundred thousand men to reduce it Schach-Abas commanded Cartzschugai-Chan to march to the relief of the Citie with a small Brigade
retire to their own Habitation yet are paid as duely as if they were in actual service and meet not again till there be an Army on foot enjoying in the mean time divers Privileges and Exemptions which the other later kings of Persia have granted them The Meheter that is the Lord Chamberlain or chief Gentleman of the Chamber named Schaneser was a Gcorgian born of Father and Mother Christians He had been carried away in his infancy and sold to the Court of Persia where they had made him an Eunuch so that he needed not be Circumcis'd to receive the Character of the Persian Religion He had been a Page attending in his Chamber to Schach-Abas and was much in favour with Schach-Sefi upon this account that being alwayes near the king's person in all both Publick and Private Assemblies nay even within the Seraglio he had the king's Ear and knew how to comply with his humour and make his advantage of the opportunities he had to speak to him by which means he obtain'd those favours of him which another could not have ask'd The Wakenhuis that is the Secretary of State and of the King's Revenue who having forty Clarks under him perpetually employ'd issues out all the orders and dispatches which are sent into the Provinces and takes an account of all that 's receiv'd towards the charge of the King's house was called Myrsa Masum He was a Peasant's Son of the Village of Dermen in the Mountain of Elwend near Caswin where there are among others two Villages to wit Dermen and Saru whence come the best Pen-men of any in the Kingdom in regard there 's not an Inhabitant but puts his Children to writing as soon as they are able to hold a Pen and keep them so constantly employ'd therein that even in the fields and as they keep their flocks they pass away their time in that Exercise Aliculi-Chan who had the charge of Diwan-beki that is President of the Councel for the administration of Justice was the Son of a Christian of Georgia He had been taken during the War which Schach-Abas had in those parts and sold at Ispahan where he had serv'd as a Lacquey which had also been the condition of his two Brothers Rustam-Chan Governour of Tauris and Isa-Chan Iusbaschi who were made Eunuchs as he was himself The functions of his charge consisted principally in presiding at the judgement of Criminal causes joyntly with the Seder and the Kasi and the other Ecclesiastical and Secular Judges whom they call Schehra and Oef under the Portal of the King's Palace at the place named Diwan-Chane and to be personally present at the Executions of Malefactors The Kularagasi that is Captain of the Kulam or Slaves who are sold to the King to serve in the Wars upon any order they receive to that purpose was called Siausbeki and had been one of Schach-Abas's Footmen Of these Kulams there are about eight thousand and are permitted to live at their own Habitations as the Kurtzi are and have the same pay but they enjoy not the same Privileges or Exemptions having nothing of that kind which is not common to them with the king's other Subjects The Eischikagasi-baschi or Lord high Steward who hath the over-sight of forty Stewards that serve under him called Mortusaculi-Chan was the Son of a heard-man or one of those people whom the Persians call Turk who have no setled Habitation but remove their Tents and Huts to those places where they think to find the best Grass for their Cattel I said these Eischikagasi were a kind of Stewards of whom there are at all times four or five at the Court who stand at the door of the king's Appartment and serve by half-years under their Baschi or Chief who carries the staff they call Dâ—kenâ—k and stands before the king when he eats in publick on dayes of Ceremonies He is also one of the two who take Ambassadors under the Arms when they are brought to audience We have already related how Mortasaculi-Chan succeeded in this charge Vgurlu-Chan whose head Schach-Sefi had caus'd to be cut off Imanculi Sulthan whom the king of Persia sent upon an Embassy to the Duke of Holstein our Master had the quality of Eischakagasi Schahe Wardi who was Iesaul Scebet or Master of the Ceremonies was the Governour of Derbent's Son but his Grand-father was a Peasant of the Province of Serab The Iesaul Scebet carries also a staff and his principal function consists in placing strangers at the king's Table and at publick assemblies The Nasir or Controller of the king's house whom they also give the quality of Kerek jerak because he executes the function of a Purveyer whose name was Samambek was the Son of one of the ordinary Inhabitants of Kaschan The Tuschmal who hath the over-sight of all the Officers belonging to the king's kitchin was called Seinel-bek and was the Son of Seinel-Chan whom the king kill'd with his own hands in the presence of his Mother The Dawatter that is the Secretary of the Closet whose name was Vgurlu-bek was the Son of Emirkune-Chan He had in that charge succeeded Hassan-beg who was kill'd by the king's order because he had been at Supper with Talub-Chan as we related before The word Dawatter is deriv'd from Dawat which signifies an Ink-horn in as much as the principal function of this charge consists in carrying the Ink-horn and presenting that part thereof where the Ink is to the king when he is to sign any thing For the king himself carries the Seal about his Neck and Seals or Signs himself by pressing the Seal upon the Paper after he had put it into the Ink. Aly-baly-bek who was Myra-chur-baschi that is chief of the Gentlemen of the Horse or Master of the Horse of Persia was a Senkene by birth and his Father was a Drover who traded altogether in Oxen. The Mirischikar or Grand Faulconer whose name was Chosrow Sulthan was a Christian an Armenian born one notwithstanding his Religion very much in the king's favour Karachan-bek who had the charge of Sekbahn-baschi that is Overseer of those who kept the Dogs for Hunting or chief Hunts-man as I may call him was also a Sen-kene and the son of a Shepheard The Iesalkor hath two functions to wit that of Grand-Marshal of the Lodgings and that of Judge of the king's houshold He marches before the king as well in the Citie as in the Country with a staff in his hand to make way He hath under him several other Iasauls who are as it were Harbingers and sometimes is employ'd in the securing of persons guilty of Treason and such as are imprison'd by the king's express order The other Officers belonging to the Court are The Suffretzi that is the Carver The Abdar who serves the king with water to drink and keeps it in a Jarr seal'd up to prevent any body 's putting of poyson into it The
of them well satisfy'd with the cheer they made us Some daies after the Ambassadors were treated by another Prince named Emir-Chan who also gave them a visit But all these Barbarians did in this kind was only to get Presents from us The 23. the Daruga got us some Waggons for the Baggage We immediately loaded them intending to be gone the next day but in the evening Surchou-Chan sent us word that he had certain intelligence that Sultan Mahmud so was the Schemkal call'd had possess'd himself of all the passages of the River Koisu with a design to stop us and put us to a ransom and that hindred him from permitting us to depart Late in the evening there came neer Tarku twenty horse-men well mounted aud arm'd who encamped close by our Quarters The Ambassadors accompany'd by some Musketteers went to them to know whence they came and what their design was They made answer that the Prince of Osmin had sent them to the Schemkal to tell him that certain forein Ambassadors friends of the King of Persia and Czaar of Muscovy being come into his Territories he had suffered them to poss without paying any toll or duties and to intreat him to do him the same favour which the Schemkal had promis'd to do provided they carried no Merchants goods We gave not so much credit to this intelligence as to neglect keeping a strong Guard and having our Arms in readiness The 24. these Tartars departed before day and presently after there came to us two Messengers from Sulthan Mahmud who asked the Ambassadors why they did not prosecute their journey promising all the favour and assistance lay in his power for their passage provided they took the way he appointed them These Messengers were hardly gone ere Surkou-Chan came to visit us The Ambassadors asked him why he hindred their departure he told them that the Horses and Oxen we had hired were ready and that we might be gone when we pleas'd giving it him under our hands how that we would needs depart notwithstanding the notice he had given us of the designs of the Schemkal in as much as otherwise he should be responsible to the King of Persia and Great Duke of Muscovy for the misfortunes might happen to us That he knew the Schemkal better than we did That he car'd for neither God nor Devil nor any forein Prince at all That he never observ'd his word That it was his only sport to rob and shed blood and that it were better stay eight dayes longer within which time he promis'd us a sufficient Convoy without which we could not pass through the Prince's Country if we resolv'd not to hazard our lives and lose our Baggage That ere that time were expir'd the Persian Ambassador would come thither with Letters of Commendation from the King without which he durst not undertake to convoy us left he should thereby disoblige all the other Tartars This discourse put us into a great perplexity considering that the arrival of the Persian Ambassador was uncertain and that in the mean time we mâ—ght fear the same thing from Surchou-Chan which he would have us apprehend from the Schemkal We sent an Express to the Weywode of Terki to desire him to send us a Convoy of Strelits such as might secure us against the attempts of the Tartars but he would do nothing Surchou-Chan sent an Express to Derbent to know of the Ambassador how long it would be ere he came to Tarku but he sent us word some dayes after that the man he had dispatch'd for Derbent was return'd but had been so indiscreet as to put the Letter deliver'd him by Imancnla Sulthan into his Quiver and going to shoot at a beast by the way had dropp'd it so that he had been forc'd to send him back again All these proceedings added more and more to our jealousie but what most startled us was the sudden departure of certain Armenian Merchants who having joyn'd with us out of hopes of travelling with greater safety in our Company went into the City upon notice given them that two hundred Tartars intended to set upon us Besides the inconveniences we endur'd by reason of ill weather heightned our affliction for the continual rains had not only sunk through our Tents and Cloaths but also hindred us from making any fire to warm us and dress our Meat No condition for misery could be compar'd to that we were then in forsaken by all destitute of all things even advice and resolution insomuch that we durst not go into the Tartars hutts Surkou Chan himself having given us notice that we might run the hazard of being carried away and sold. Nay Apr. 27. one of our Soldiers a Scotchman named William Hoye being got a little too far from the Quarters was carried away by the Tartars so clearly that we could never learn any news of him though we made great inquiry We heard since that he was carried to the Fortress of Sachur within five or six leagues of Turku The same day there hapned to us another misfortune in that some of our people being shooting with Bows and Arrows our Canonier going somewhat near the Mark to take up an Arrow was shot into the Belly whereof he died the next day The Muscovite whose mishap it was to hurt him had so sensible a remorse of what had happened that he desired to be put to death but the business being taken into consideration it was found done by chance without any design whereupon he was set at liberty We interr'd the deceas'd by the advice of certain Tartar-women who were Christians in the place where our horses stood and made a Grave without the Quarters into which was put an empty Coffin it being certain that the Tartars would after our departure thence dig up the Carcass to give in their Dogs There died also a rich Muscovian Merchant His body was inbalm'd and brought to Terki where it was buried in the Church-yard belonging to those of his Religion Amidst all these afflictions and misfortunes the Tartars came every day to get our Musick plaid upon which was somewhat like that of the Israelites at the waters of Babylon May 1. we dispatch'd a man to Sulthan Mahmud to desire passage Our Messenger return'd the next day accompany'd by four Tartars who told us from the Schemkal that he wondred much to hear that Surchou-Chan would perswade them he was a famous Robber and faithless person that he had given him no cause to dress him in such a Character and that he should take occasion to resent it For us he proffer'd all his Credit and his Subjects for the advancement and safety of our journey and that if we durst not trust him he was ready to send us three of the principal Lords of the Country as hostages whom we should either take along with us or leave with Surchou-Chan till we were out of his Jurisdiction These unexpected proffers put us to some difficulty what
became so eminent for Commerce that not only it had its particular Kings but the Arabians said of it by way of Proverb that if the Universe were but a Ring the City of Ormus was the Diamond that should be set in it Teixera sayes that Scach Mahomet the son of an Arabian King who liv'd in the tenth Age having reduc'd under his Jurisdiction the Provinces that are seated upon the Persian Gulf as far as Besra pass'd over into the Island where he laid the first foundations of the City of Ormus Schabedin Mahomet eleventh King of Ormus of the posterity of Mahomet dyed in the year 1228. And he who liv'd when the Portuguez became Masters of it was called Sâ—yfadin and paid Tribute to the King of Persia. D. Alfonso d' Albuquerque made a Conquest of it in the year 1605 for Emanuel King of Portugal of which attempt the manner and success of it take the following Account Tristan de Cugna who had taken the Island of Zocotora whereof we shall have occasion to speak hereafter left certain Vessels under the command of Albuquerque with Orders to visit the Coasts of Arabia while he attempted some new Conquest in the Indies he being a person of great resolution thought his only course to settle himself there was to set upon the Kingdom of Ormus which he did with 470. Souldiers whom he had aboard his Fleet. Emanuel Osorio Bishop of Selvas in Portugal sayes that Albuquerque made his advantage of the Mahumetan Kings weakness who then reigned For understanding that the principal Minister of State whose name was Cojeatar a Forreigner a Native of Bengala and an Eunuch had exasperated the people against him by converting the publick Revenue of the Kingdom to his own profit and advantage having left his Soveraign only the bare Title of King he thought fit to strike in at that conjuncture of Affairs and to that end left Zocotora upon the 20. of August and having in a very few dayes taken in the Cities of Calaâ—ate Curiate Mascate Soar and Orfassam he took his march directly to the principal City to which he came the 25. of September The first thing he did was to defeat a very strong Fleet which the Moors had within the Haven and by that means oblig'd the King to come to a capitulation by which the King of Ormus promised to take the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity to the King of Portugal to pay him every year fifteen thousand Ducats as a Tribute in Gold Silver or Pearls and five thousand towards the charges of the present War and to permit Albuquerque to build a Cittadel where he should think most convenient for the preservation of the City The Portuguez began the said Cittadel on the 25. of October following and gave it the name of Our Blessed Lady of Victory It is true this establishment was not so absolute at the beginning but that the Moors made some attempts to rid themselves of these new Guests but the Portuguez made a shift to maintain what they had gotten and to make the place they were in a Magazine of Armes for the Indies taking occasion by that means to engross all the Commerce to themselves and obliging all the Persians and Arabians to buy of them all those Commodities which they stood in need of from the Indians Nay this was so rigorously observed that the Governour of Ormus prohibited the Inhabitants to sell any of their Commodities till such time as he had sold his own The permitted Seyfadin to live in the Island but at a certain place far enough from the Cittadel so not to give the Portuguez any occasion of jealousie Scach Abas King of Persia being no longer able to endure the insolence of the Portuguez and very much incens'd at their receiving into Protection the Gentlemen of the House of the Gabrieli whom we have spoken of elsewhere bethought himself of some course to get these Forreigners out of those parts To effect this he address'd himself to the English who traded at Ormus and by the advantageous proffers that he made oblig'd them to promise him all the assistance they could to carry on the siege of that City which was aâ—â—aulted and taken by the English in the year 1622. They put both the City and Cittadel into the hands of the King of Persia who found in it six hundred great Guns some Iron some Brass which Scach Abas caused to be transported to Laar and Ispahan all but fourscore Pieces which he left in the Cittadel He caused the walls of the City to be demolish'd and the Materials thereof to be translated to Gamron which began even at that time to raise it self upon the ruines of its Neighbours The King of Persia desirous to reward the services which the English had done him upon that occasion did not only grant them an absolute exemption from all Impositions but he also bestow'd on them one moyety of those Duties which other Merchants were to pay there but as we said before the English come very far short of receiving what is due to them I found in the Port of Gamron an English Ship called the Swan of 300. Tun carrying 24. Guns Master Honywood Agent for the Affairs of England recommended me to the Captain of it and commanded him to carry me over to the Indies and to defray all my charges till I came to Suratta I had brought eight Horses with me making account to sell them with very great advantage in the Indies but the Ship was so full of Goods that it was with much ado that I could get in only two of them So that I was forc'd to put off the other six to very great loss as being able to get but thirty pound for those which had cost me sixty pound at Ispahan and which I should have sold at above one hundred and fifty pound at Suratta I embark'd the sixth of April with Mr. Manley and Mr. Hall English Merchants whom the President of the English at Suratta had ordered to come from Ispahan about some business concerning the Company and went aboard accompanied by most of the Strangers that were at Gamron as also many Indian Merchants with whom I had upon some occasions made acquaintance The Captain ordered four Pieces to be fired at our coming aboard and received us with much civility inviting us it being then about noon to dine with him We went from Gamron to Suratta in nineteen dayes during which the Captain treated me very magnificently and did me the honour to resign his own bed to me and to give me precedence upon all occasions He was well furnished with Fowl Mutton and other fresh Meat but above all things with excellent good Sack English Beer French Wines Arak and other refreshments which prov'd so well for me that by the help of these good Cordials and the benefit I had by the drinking of Ptizanne which I caused to be made with Cinnamon and rinds of Pomegranats at my
he causes the Army to advance to the very Frontiers of Auva where he accepts a Challenge sent him by his Uncle that they two might decide the difference by a single Combat and was so fortunate as to kill his Adversary in view of both Armies This single Victory was of greater advantage then a defeat of the Enemies whole Army could have brought him for the whole Kingdom of Auva delivered it self up at mercy The Queen who was his Sister fell likewise into his hands and was prisoner during life though kept in a Princely Palace and honoured and attended as a Queen The King of Pegu in acknowledgment of the service his Elephant had done him in the Combate where he fell dead under his Master caused certain Pagodes to be made of his Tooth and had them placed amongst the other Idols kept in a Varella or Mosquee which is within the Castle Amongst these Idols there is the Figure of a Man done to the life in massy Gold having on the Head a Crown enchas'd with precious Stones of divers kinds on the Forehead a Ruby as big as a Plum and on each side the Head Pendants as rich as can be imagined about the Waste a Scarf and over the right Shoulder and under the left Arm a Chain of Diamonds and other Stones inestimable In the same Chappel are likewise three Statues of Silver higher by two foot then the first with Crowns set with Gems and a fourth more massive and rich then all the rest and besides these a Figure made of Ganza which is a mixt metal of Copper and Brass valued at as high a rate as the other four The Kings Father who lived in the year 1578. caused these Statues to be made in memory of that famous Victory he obtain'd over the King of Siam in the War he made against him for the white Elephant we spoke of The Forrests of Pegu have greater store of Elephants then all the Indies besides and they are tam'd with very little trouble in ten or twelve dayes after they are taken by the means of Females who intice them out of the Woods and make them follow into the very Stables where there are Dens that hold but one of these Beasts only where they shut them close in as soon as they are entred The Peguans have Fire-arms but ordinarily they use half Pikes made of Canes short and broad Swords and long and narrow Bucklers made of boyl'd Leather doubled and laid over with a certain black Gum call'd Achiran their Salades or Helmets are made of the same stuff and like ours in fashion They are generally Pagans except some who contracting alliance with the Portuguez have embrac'd their Religion These Pagans believe that God who hath under him many other Gods is the Author of all good which arrives to Mankind but the disposing of all evil he leaves to the Devil to whom these wretches bear more veneration then they do to God because the one will do them no hurt and they must please the other that he may not They do they Devotions ordinarily on the Munday and have besides five principal Feasts which they call Sapan The first which they call Sapan Giacchi is chiefly celebrated by a Pilgrimage made by the King and Queen twelve Leagues out of Town where they appear in triumphal Chariots so set with precious Stones that without Hyperbole it may be said they carry the worth of a Kingdom about them They call the second Sapan Carena observ'd in honour of the Statue kept in the grand Varelle of the Castle in honour of which the Noblemen of the Court erect Pyramides of Canes which they cover with several Stuffs artificially wrought of divers fashions then have them put into Chariots drawn by above three hundred persons to the Kings view that he may judge of their inventions All the people come likewise and bring their Offerings to him The Sapan Giaimo Segienon they celebrate also in honour of some of these Statues where the King and Queen are both present in person and the fourth Feast which they call Sapan Daiche is particularly celebrated in the old Town at which the King and Queen cast Rose-water at one another All the Grandees have likewise a pot of Rose-water in their hands wherewith they so water themselves that their bodies are as 't were bath'd all over nor can any one pass the Streets that day without hazard of being wash'd with water thrown from the windows At the fifth Feast called Sapan Donon the King and Queen go by water to the Town of Meccao attended by above a hundred Boats all which row for the fastest to gain a Prize allow'd by the King The King dying they prepare two Boats which they cover with one gilt Covering and in the middle of these Boats they place a Table whereon they lay the dead Corps and underneath the Table they make a fire of the Wood of Sandale Beniouin Storax and other sweet-scented Woods and Drugs then turn the Barks down the Stream certain Talapoi or Priests mean while singing and rejoycing till the flesh be intirely consum'd These Ashes they temper with Milk so making a Paste which they carry to the mouth of the River where they cast it into the Sea But the Bones they bear to another place and bury them near a Chappel where they build another in honour of the deceased Their Talapoi carry a Bottle made of an empty Gourd at their girdle and live by Alms as our Mendicant Friars They are in great esteem amongst them and they very well preserve their credit by their exemplary life On Munday morning they go about with their Tin-basins to awake the people and invite them to a Sermon They treat not at all of points of Doctrine but chiefly insist upon Morality exhorting the Congregation to abstain from Murther Thefe Fornication and Adultery and to do to others as they would be done by For this reason they are of opinion that Men are sooner saved by good Works and innocency of Life then by Faith They have no Aversion for those that forsake their Religion to become Christans so their Life be correspondent to the Profession they make They exclaim lowdly against the Offerings the Peguans make to the Devil particularly when they perform any Vow they made in their sickness or in any other unfortunate Accident and endeavour to abolish this wicked custom which is grown so inveterate that hitherto they have lost their labour These people ordinarily live in Woods and to prevent the danger of wild Beasts whereof these parts are full they have their Couches hanging in the Air betwixt boughs of Trees They eat but once a day and are habited in red Vestures that reach to their heels bare-footed and over their Shoulders a short Coat or Mantle that comes to their hams They shave their heads nay cannot endure hair upon any part of their body and to guard them from the Sun-beams
to think of the body not in order to burial as we do nor yet to burn it as some of the fore-mentioned Nations are wont to do but to dry it To do that they make in some part of the house a Scaffold of Canes raised five or six foot from the ground whereto they fasten the body by the hands and feet and they make a great fire about it to dry it killing in the mean time a great many Swine and feasting it for nine days together During which time they wash the body every day yet does not that hinder but that it infects the whole house nay indeed the Neighbourhood After nine days it is taken thence to be wrapt up in a Mat being in which they place it on another Scaffold higher then the former and compassed with several garments like a Pavilion and then they reiterate their dancing and feasting The body remains in the posture till the third year and then they take the bones out of it and bury them in some part of the house with the same Ceremonies of feasting and dancing At the Village of Theosang they have a custom which would hardly be observ'd elsewhere They fasten a Rope about their necks who suffer much pain in their sickness raise them up by force to a great height and let them fall down with as much violence as if they intended to give them the strapado by which means they are indeed put out of all further pain As to Religion it may be said they have not any at all Of all the Inhabitants not one can write or read and yet they have certain Traditions upon which they have framed a certain shadow of Religion For they believe the World hath been from all Eternity and shall last Eternally They believe the immortality of the Soul and thence it comes that when any one dies they build before his door a little Hut of bows of trees set Banners at the four corners and within the Hut a wooden Vessel full of water with a Cane-spoon out of a perswasion that the souls of the deceased return every day to the Hut to purifie themselves 'T is true most of them do it purely out of compliance with custome and know not the reason thereof but aged persons are not ignorant of it They believe also that Souls shall find good or evil in the other life according to what they have done in this and affirm that to go out of this World into the other they pass over a very narrow Bridge of Canes under which runs a Channel full of all kind of filth and nastiness into which the wicked being fallen do there languish eternally but that the good Souls pass into a pleasant and delightful Countrey of which they speak much after the same rate the Poets speak of the Elysian fields But there are very few comprehend these mysteries or think of any other life then the present Their sins are much different from ours Murther Theft Adultery and other Crimes are not so much as slight offences among them and they make so little account of simple Fornication that they only laugh at it reprove it not 〈◊〉 their Children They are forbidden marrying before Twenty or twenty one years of age yet it is lawful for them to cajol and debauch a neighbours Wife so he know nothing of it But it is a great Sin among them to have cover'd the privy parts at a certain season of the year to wear several Garments or one only of Silk at a time when they should have worn them of Cotton not to have destroyed Children in the Mothers womb and to have born any before thirty five or thirty six years of Age. These are the sins which in their judgment deserve eternal pains all the rest is only foolery They adore several pretended Divinities but among others two one whereof is called Tamagisanhach and the other Sariahsingh The former hath his abode in the South and contributes to the generation of man who receives from this God only what is excellent and acceptable either in his body or mind They affirm that his Wife whom they call Taxankpanda lives in the East whence she is heard when it thunders towards that quarter speaking to her Husband Tamasgisanhach and chiding him for suffering the Earth to be too long without Rain and that thereupon her Husband causes it immediately to Rain The other God hath his retreat in the North and destroys all the excellency which Tamagisanhach hath bestowed on man by disfiguring his face with the Small Pox and sending him several other Inconveniencies Whence it comes they invoke them both one that they may not be injured by him and the other that he may prevent Sariasingh from doing them any mischief Besides these they have two other Gods who have the oversight of War named Talafula and Tapaliape but they are invocated only by men There is not any Nation that falls within my knowledge at least but makes use of Men in the Religious Service of their Divinity only this we now speak of employs only Women They call them Inibs and all their Worship consists of Prayers and Sacrifices The Sacrifices and Offerings which they make their Gods are Swine Rice Areca some of their kind of Drink and Deer and wild Boars heads Having fed heartily upon them the Priestesses rise and make a long Prayer during which a man shall see their Eyes turning in their Heads they fall to the ground and make dreadful cries and shrieks After these efforts they lie down all along upon the ground immoveable as Statues and become so heavy that five or six persons can hardly raise them 'T is while they are in this posture as they affirm that their Gods communicate themselves to them for an hour or better Then they get up on the top of the Pagode go from one end of it to the other and there say their Prayers again which being ended they strip themselves stark naked shew their privy parts to their Gods smiting them with their hands and call for water to wash themselves in the presence of a great number of persons 'T is true the men are not guilty of so much devotion as to come often to these Assemblies and the women who most frequent them make a shift to get so drunk that they hardly perceive what is done before their faces Every house hath a particular place appointed for the devotions of the Family where they invocate the Gods and where the women make their offerings of what is spent every day in the house but in case of sickness and some other misfortune they call the Inibs to do that Service which is performed with many extravigant Ceremonies They also foretel good and ill fortune rain and fair weather and they have the power to drive away the Devil after a very ridiculous manner They pursue him with a great noise having a Iaponnese Knife in their hand and affirm that by
Indian-Prince 190 IVLY The 2. the Chan gives the Ambassadors a divertisement the errour of the Antients concerning the Elephant the mountain of Elwend 191 A pleasant story ibid IVLY The 13. the Ambassadors leave Caswin and come the 17. to Saba 20. l. four dayes the situation of Saba 192 Leave Saba the same day and come the 19. to Kom 11. leagues in two daies 163 Their entrance into Kom its situation it is the Guriana of Prolomey Its fruits traffick and Inhabitants ibid The 21. they leave Kom and come the 24. before day to the City of Kaschan 18. l. in three daies 194 Their entrance into Kaschan the Daruga's advancement ibid Its situation the house with a thousand doors It s publick structures its soil and fruits ibid Venemous Creatures the remedy against the stinging of Scorpions the Author stung by one another venemous insect its venom and the operation of it the remedy 195 The Fable of Schutza Adin Hassan Kalchi an Arabian Author Elmacini another 196 The 26. they leave Kaschan and come the 28. to the little City of Natens 12. leag 2. daies ibid They Travel on the 29. and having got ten leagues in six daies come to Ispahan the 3. of 197 AVGVST The Ambassadors continue at Ispahan above four months and a half ibid Their entrance into Ispahan they are ledg'd in that quarter of the Suburbs where the Armenians live and visited by the Dutch Factor of the East-Indy Company ibid A quarrel with the Indian Ambassadors domesticks which occasion'd an engagement wherein many were kill'd on both sides ibid The King interposes his Authority 199 The Indian Ambassador dismiss'd his aboad at Ispahan his Presents the occasion of his Embassy ibid The Ambassadors change their quarters which they fortify against the Indians have their charges defraid by the King their allowance 200 They go into Mulcovian Habits their first Audience the Presents made in the Prince his name the Presents from the Ambassadors themselves the Persians observe no order in their ceremonies 201 The Reception of the Ambassadors the Hall for Audience silver pails to water Horses the King's person age aspect stature dress retinue ibid The particulars of their Audience they dine with the King 202 The gold-plate Schiras-wine the Carver the manner of sitting at meat silence at meals Musick 203 Their first private Audience at which the King is in person 204 The 28. of Aug. the Ambassadors are treated by the Augustine Friers at their Monastery ibid. SEPTEMBER The Ambassadors highly treated by the Armenians 205 Porcelane-Musick de magnificence of an Armenian Lord. ibid The 19. the Ambass have their second private Audience they are treated by the English Merchants Indian Dancing-Women their dress 206 The Ambass are treated by the French Merchants ibid OCTOBER The 1. the Ambassadors make a Feast running at the Ring the scuandalous life of one of the Ambassadors 207 Ceremonies of Marriage among the Armenians their Communion ibid The Baptism of the Armenians the Tragical history of a Clock-maker 208 His execution his barial the King takes the Ambassadors along with him a-hunting 209 An Astrologer Crane-hunting Duck-and wild Goose hunting 210 Leo pards a Persian Lord turns executioner ib. Wild-Ass-flesh esteem'd in Persia Present from one of the Ambassadors to the King 211 Pidgeon hunting the King carries the Ladies of the Court a-hunting his liberality in his debauches 212 NOVEMBER The 19. the Chancellor treats the Ambassadors a Hall set all about with Looking-glasses the Persian treatments have all diversions ibid A character of the Chancellor his Fortunes and Advancement the same of an Armenian Lord a second conference with the Chancellor the visit of two Armenian Lords 213 DECEMBER The King's Presents to the Ambassadors their last treatment at Court the Chancellor's Present to the King the Ambass take leave the Muscovian Possanick dimiss'd 214 The Presents from some Persian Lords to the Ambassadors Brugman's imprudence one of the Gentlemen of the retinue takes Sanctuary 215 Brugman's insolence the King's patience ibid A description of Ispahan the Metropolis of Persia. 217 Its greatness the River Senderut 218 Ispahan destroy'd by Tamerlane its gardens its fountains ibid The houses stoves streets the Maidan or Market-place 219 The King's Palace his Guard and the several appartments 220 The Sanctuary the Cittadel another Sanctuary the chief Mosquey of Ispahan 221 The exercises of the Grandees Taverns and other drinking-houses ibid The The or Tea-houses those for Tobacco and Coffee Barbers and Surgeont the Basar 222 Ispahan a place of great Trade the Persian money 223 Caravanseras or publick Inns or Storehonses the Monasteries 224 The King's Stables his Garden fruit-trees the Suburbs ibid The Religion of the Kebbers 225 Villages neer Ispahan the fields about it the air of Persia. 226 The diseases of the Country its soil ibid Cotton domestick Creatures 227 The reason why the Persians ab hor Swine 228 Camels several particulars of them 229 Horses c. Fruits 230 Why the Mahumetans drink no wine 231 Their ordinary drink which is Duschab c. 232 Fruit-trees ibid Nefte salt iron the stature of the Persians 233 They paint their hands and nails their cloathing 234 Kisilbachs what 235 The habit of the women the Persians are very neat ingenious and complemental 236 Addicted to lying constant in their friendships 237 Luxurious the King of Persia hath several Wives and Concubines Sodomy not punish'd in Persia Polygamy allowed ibid Their house-keeping house-hold-stuff 238 Their ordinary food and drink they take Opium 239 And Tobacco they drink 〈◊〉 or Coffee two pleasant stories concerning the effect of it 240 The use of The or Tea 241 Where the best stuffs of Persia are made ibid What silk it produces yearly ibid Trading not obstructed by War the inconveniences of Polygamy 242 Incest tolerated 243 Their ceremonies of Mariage ibid The watch in the night 244 Mariage for a certain time the superstition of the Persians 245 Their Iealousy Adultery punish'd Divorce lawful stories to that purpose ibid The education of their Children their Authors for reading their writing Ink Pens the Persian language 247 The Persians learn the Turkish language their characters their Vniversities their best Authors 248 A fabulous history of Alexander the Great c. 249 The Persians addicted to Poesie their best Poets 251 Their Law Medicine Astronomy ibid The Lunar and Solar year 252 They are much addicted to Iudiciary Astrology 253 The political Government of Persia. 254 The quality of Sophy the Kingdom of Persia hereditary the Arms of Persia the Coronation of their Kings 255 A short history of the late Kings of Persia Ismael 1. Jacup ibid Schach Tamas 256 Ismael II. Mahomet Chodabende 258 Emir Hemse Ismael III. Schach Abas ibid He engages in a war against the Tartars 259 Another against the Turks ibid His severity puts to death his eldest son 261 His voluntary penance for the said murther 262 Several other particulars of Schach Abas of his cruelty
15. the Ambassadors leave Moscou come the 18. to Tuere the 19. to Torsock the 23. to Novogorod the 27. enter Ingermania and the last make their entrance into Narva ibid APRIL The 4. they leave Narva and come the 15. to Reuel where the Author leaves them and embarks for Lubeck 316 They continue at Reuel three months IVLY The 11. the Ambassadors leave Reuel come the 23. to Travemunde the 30. to Kiel AVGVST The 1. they put a period to their Travels into MUSCOVY TARTARY and PERSIA and came to Gottorp ibid The end of the JOURNAL of the AMBASSADORS Travels A Catalogue of all the Pieces of Sculpture contained in these TRAVELS 1. The Frontispiece containing in one Plate five Heads viz. Frederick Duke of Holstein the two Ambassadors Crusius and Brugman Olearius Author of the Travels into Muscovy Tartary and Persia and Iohn Albert de Mandelsto Author of the Travels into the East-Indies 2. A Map of LIVONIA Part 1. lib. 2. pag. 30. 3. A Map of MVSCOVY P. 1. lib. 3. pag. 45. 4. The Pourtraiture of MICHAEL FEDEROVITS Great Duke of Muscovy P. 1. lib. 3. p. 77. 5. The Characters of the Muscovian Language P. 1. lib. 3. p. 95. 6. A Map of the Great River WOLGA P. 1. lib. 4. p. 112. 7. A Map of PERSIA P. 1. lib. 5. p. 145. 8. The Pourtraiture of SCACH SEFI King of Persia P. 1. lib. 6. p. 265. 9. A Map of the Province of KILAN as it lies on the Caspian Sea P. 1. lib. 7. p. 288. 10. A Map of the EAST-INDIES P. 2. lib. 1. p. 13. By the First-Part are meant the Travels of the Ambassadors into Muscovy Tartary and Persia By the Second those of Iohn Albert de Mandelslo into the East-Indies THE TRAVELS OF THE AMBASSADORS FROM THE DUKE of HOLSTEIN INTO MUSCOVY and PERSIA The First Book THE Most High and Mighty Prince Frederick by the Grace of God Hereditary Prince of Norway Duke of Sleswick and Holstein of Stormarie and Ditmars Count of Oldenburg c. having built the City of Frederickstad in the Dutchy of Holstein would settle there the Trade of Silks the most important no doubt of any in Europe Persia is the Kingdome which of any in the World yeilds most of it upon which accompt the said Prince resolv'd to court the friendship of the Sophy But in regard there were several reasons why the Silks could not be brought home by Sea and that to transport them by Land he stood in need of the permission of the Czarr or great Duke of Muscovy he thought fit in the year 1633. to send a solemn Embassy to those two great Monarks He employ'd in this Embassy Philip Crusius a Lawyer and his privy Councellor and Otton Brugman a Marchant of Hamborough whom he honour'd with the quality 〈◊〉 Councellor On the 22. of October in the year aforesaid they departed from Gottorp the place where Duke Frederick made his residence and went to Hamborough where they took order for their Voyage There they entertain'd their retinue which consisted of 34 persons and departed thence the 6. of November The next day they came to Lubeck the 8. to Tauemund where the Ambassadors took into their service an experienc'd Sea-Captain named Michael Cordes who was to be their Pilot especially upon the Caspian Sea The 9. we took leave of our Friends who had come along with us from Hamborough and embarqu'd in a Ship called the Fortune whereof Iohn Muller was Commander We took abord along with us Wendelin Sibelist a Physician who was going to Muscovy to be principal Physician to the Great Duke We got out of the Haven about 2. in the afternoon and anchor'd in the Road at 8. fathom water About 9. at night the wind South-West we set sail and made that night 20. leagues The next day the Ambassadors thought fit to make some particular Orders to be observ'd during our Voyage so to prevent the disorders which are but too frequent among those who ordinarily leave not their own Country but out of a hope to live with greater freedom elsewhere and to see the execution of them the better performed they named several Officers giving the Secretary of the Embassy the quality of Fiscal and to Wendelin Sibelist and Hartman Gramem our Physician that of Assessors They discharg'd their places well and Justice was â—o duely administred that at the end of our Voyage which was but of five dayes the penalties came to above 22. Crowns which were put into the hands of the Captain with order they should be equally distributed between the Poor of Riga and Lubeck The same day toward evening we pass'd by the Island of Bornholm leaving it a good league on the right hand That Island is conceiv'd to be distant from Lubeck 40. German Leagues The length and breadth of it is neer the same viz. 3. leagues it hath a Royal Palace named Hammershausen belonging to the King of Denmark Towards the North-side of the Island are the Rocks called Erdholm well known by reason of the frequent wracks which make them so much the more formidable to Mariners in the Autumn in regard the darkness of the nights keeps them from being discover'd and that all about them those that sound meet with no bottom The 11. at noon we were at 56. degrees of latitude the weather continuing fair but towards night the wind still at South-West rais'd such a tempest that we were forc'd to take in all our sails and go before the wind till the next morning Those among us who were not us'd to the Sea were so sick that some vomited blood but in regard we had the wind a-stern it 's violence hindred us not from keeping on our course and making fifteen Leagues that night Some are of opinion that the stinch of the salt water corrupting in the sink is that which provokes such vomiting Others on the contrary affirm that it is caused by the violent agitation of the Ship which makes the head turn and the stomack to cast up what is in it But certain it is that both contribute thereto in as much as if the agitation trouble the brain the stinch also offends it and makes those heart-sick whose smelling is subtile provoking vomiting even without any violent motion wherever they are not only at Sea but also any where else Those who conceive that people are not subject hereto upon Rivers are deceiv'd for besides that experience hath evinc'd the contrary we have there the same motion and fresh water being corrupted stinks no less than the salt The 12. we had so great a calm that the Ship being as it were fastnen'd to the same place we had the convenience to bring our Musical Instruments upon the deck to sing a Te Deum and to give God thanks for our deliverance out of the imminent danger we had been in the night before About noon the wind came to South
but the white had six Trumpets which made a wretched inharmonious noise The Knez and Lords that were sent to meet this Ambassadors were excellently well mounted upon Horses that came out of Persia Poland and Germany very richly set out having with them out of the Great Dukes Stable twenty led Horses with great silver Chains instead of Bridles such as we have mention'd before We with the Gentlemen and Officers of the Suedish Officers retinue made up a Troop of fifty Horse under the command of Wolfwolf Spar Gentleman of the Horse to the Suedish Embassy who as our Captain march'd in the head of the Troop We went a good league to meet the Ambassador who no sooner perceiv'd us but he look'd very earnestly upon us and we upon him We kept along with him a good while to take the better notice of his retinue and Cavalcade which march'd in the order following First march'd 46 Strelits having instead of Muskets Bows and Arrows and Cimitars by their sides After them came a Pristaf clad in a Coat of Brocado and follow'd by eleven Men clad in Red Branched Velvet whereof some were Grecian and Turkish Merchants some Greek Ecclesiasticks After them march'd the Ambassador's Steward alone and behind him a Guaâ—d of four with Bows and Arrows After them two Cavalliers very richly clad immediately preceding the Ambassador who march'd alone He was a middle-statur'd Man much tann'd in the face his Beard very black His under-coat was of a White-Flowr'd Satin and his upper Garment of Satin purfled with Gold lined with Martins-skins His Turbant was white as were also those of his retinue He was in a sorry Wagon of a white kind of Wood but all cover'd with rich Tapestry The rest of his Train consisted in above forty Waggons of Baggage which were every one kept by one or two Boys Being come within a quarter of a league of the City near as he imagin'd the place where the Muscovites would receive him he mounted an excellent Arabian Horse Nor indeed had he rode a Pistol-shot ere he met the two Pristafs appointed for his reception with the Great Duke's Horses according to the custom The Pristafs continued on Horsback till the Ambassador had alighted but he on the other side stirr'd not his Turbant though the Muscovites took off their Caps when they pronounc'd the Great Duks name After this first Complement the Pristafs immediately mounted the Ambassadour did what he could to be in the Saddle as soon as they or sooner but they had brought him a very high Horse with a Saddle yet much higher according to the Muscovian fashion and so skittish withal that he not only found some difficulty to get up but very narrowly scap'd being hurt by him Being got up the Pristafs took him between them and conducted him to the ordinary place for the entertainment of Ambassadors which had been built up since our coming thither As soon as he was got in the doors were shut and several Guards of Musketiers plac'd about it Our Ambassadors intended to have gone that day to those of Sueden who had invited them to dinner to shew them the Turks who were lodg'd near them the Suedes having a prospect into their Court but the Chancellor sent to desire us not to stir abroad that day for reasons he could not discover The 19. We had the second private Audience with the suedish Ambassadors The 23. The Turkish Ambassadour had his first publick Audience to which he went in this order In the Front march'd 20 Cosaques mounted on white Horses out of the Great Duke's stables after them the Turkish and Greek Merchants and then the Presents viz. Twenty pieces of Satin stript with Gold carried by so many Muscovites who march'd all in a file A Golden Cross about a fingers length beset with several large Diamonds carried by a Muscovite in a Basin A Vessel of Rock-Chrystal adorn'd with Gold and enrich'd with precious Stones A Belt or Girdle for a Cimitar enrichâ—d with Gold and beset with precious Stones A Pearl of great bigness laid on a piece of water'd Taffata in a Basin Harness for two Horses embroider'd with Gold and set with Pearls A very fair Diamond-ring in a Basin A Ruby as big as a Crown piece of Silver enchac'd in Gold in a Basin A very fair Battel-Ax which they call Bulaf form'd like a Scepter After the Presents march'd eight Turks two a-breast and after them two very handsome young men carrying upon great pieces of silk the Credential Letters which though folded were yet at least half an ell wide The Greek Ecclesiasticks were not in the Cavalcade but had their Audience by themselves the 28. following Two Muscovy Priests went to them at their Lodgings and conducted them to the Castle where they met a great number of Priests who accompany'd them to their audience Their presents were Six Basins with Relicks or a parcel of Bones whereof some were gilt Linings for a Priest's Cope embroider'd with Gold and Perls A Head-stall for a Horse beset with precious Stones Two pieces of Satin purfled with Gold One Priest's Cope One piece of silver'd Taby with flowers of Gold The Greeks march'd after the Presents clad in Violet Chamlet and had a Cross carried before them Our Ambassadors had also Letters from the Elector of Saxony to the Great Duke and thought fit to deliver them at a Publick Audience for which was appointed St. Michael's day Sept. 29. We went in the same order as the time before and the Letters were carried M. Vchterits upon black and yellow Taffata which are the Elector's Colours The Great Duke receiv'd them with much kindness enquir'd after the health of his Electoral Highness and commanded we should once more be furnish'd with meat from his own Table which indeed was brought us not ready dress'd as the former but we were left to order it as we would our selves October 1. the Muscovites keep as one of their most solemn Festivals or Prasnick the Ceremonies these The Great Duke attended by the whole Court and the Patriarch accompany'd by all the Clergy went in Procession to the Church which is in the outer Court of the Castle called by the Muscovites that of the Blessed Trinity by the Germans Ierusalem But before they went into it they turn'd aside to a place balcony'd about much after the form of a Theatre on the right hand as you go to the Church neer which place are two great pieces of Canon whereof the bore is at least half an ell diameter The Great Duke and the Patriarch being got into it not admitting any other the Patriarch presented to his Majesty an Image painted upon a piece of past-board which folded as it had been a book enrich'd with silver in the middle and at the four corners to which Image the Czaar made a most low reverence and touch'd it with his fore-head the Priests in the mean time muttering over their Prayers Which done the Patriarch approaching the
that every one should present to the new-married couple None but brought what he had made a shift to save thinking the poor Archbishop would have had it But the Tyrant took all the money and having caus'd a white Mare to be brought said to the Archbishop There is thy wife get up on her and go to Moscou where I will have thee entertain'd among the Violins that thou may'st teach the Bear to dance The Archbishop was forc'd to obey and as soon as he was mounted they ty'd his legs under the Mare 's belly hung about his neck some Pipes Fidle and a Timbrel and would needs make him play on the Pipes He scap'd with this punishment but all the other Abbots and Monks were either cut to pieces or with Pikes and Halbards forc'd into the River Nay he had a particular longing for the mony of one Theodore Sircon a rich Merchant He sent for him to the Camp neer Novogorod and having fasten'd a rope about his waste order'd him to be cast into the River drawing him from one side of it to the other till he was ready to give up the ghost Then he caus'd him to be taken up and ask'd him what he had seen under water The Merchant answer'd That he had seen a great number of Devils thronging about the Tyrant's soul to carry it along with them to Hell The Tyrant reply'd Thou art in the right on 't but it is just I should reward thee for thy prophecy whereupon calling for seething oil he caused his feet to be put into it and continu'd there till he had promis'd to pay him ten thousand Crowns Which done he caus'd him to be cut to pieces with his brother Alexis The Baron of Herberstein who travel'd into Muscovy in the time of the Emperor Maximilian the first and about his Affairs says that heretofore before the City of Novogorod was converted to the Christian Faith there was an Idol called Perun that is the God of Fire perun in the Muscovian language signifying fire This God was represented with a Thunder-bolt in his hand and hard by him was kept a constant fire of Oak which was not to go out but at the peril of their lives who kept it The same Author addes that the Inhabitants of Novogorod having received Baptism and being made Christians cast the Idol into water that it went against the stream of the River and that being near the Bridge it call'd to the Inhabitants and casting a stick among them bid them keep it for his sake That in his time on a certain day in the year the voice of Perun was heard there and that thereupon the Inhabitants fell a-fighting with sticks so earnestly that the Weywode had much ado to separate them But now there is no talk of any such thing there being no monument of Perun left other than that there is a Monastery called Perumski Monastir which they say is built in the place where the Temple of the Idol stood before Without the City and on the other side of the River is a Castle encompass'd with a stone-wall where live the Weywode and the Metropolitan or Arch-bishop who hath the over-sight of Ecclesiastical affairs all over the Province This Castle joyns to the City by a great Bridge from which Duke Iohn Basilouits caus'd a great number of Inhabitants to be cast into the River as was said before Over against the Castle on the same side with the City is a Convent dedicated to St. Anthony The Muscovites say he came from Rome into those parts upon a Mill-stone upon which he came down the Tiber cross'd the Sea and so up the River Wolgda to Novogorod They add that by the way he met certain Fisher-men with whom he bargain'd for the first draught they should make that they brought up a Chest full of Priests Vestiments to say Mass in Books and Money belonging to this Saint and that afterwards he built a Chapel there in which they say he lies interr'd and that his Body is there to be seen as entire as when he departed this World Many Miracles are wrought there as they say but they permit not strangers to go in thinking it enough to shew them the Mill-stone upon which the Saint perform'd this pretended voyage and which indeed may be seen lying against the Wall The Devotions performed there have been such as have built a very fair Monastery in that place We staid at Novogorod five days during which the Weywode sent us a Present of 24 sorts of meat dress'd after their way and 16 sorts of drink The Chancellor Bogdan Foederouits Oboburou who had been our Pristaf in the former Voyage sent us also divers delicacies The Ambassadors presented the Weywode with a new Coach March 16. VVe had brought us 129 fresh Horses for our Sledges and we got that day four leagues to Brunits where we took up fresh Horses again wherewith the next day we travel'd in the forenoon 8 leagues to Miedna and in the afternoon four and a half to Kressa The 18 we got before dinner six leagues to Iaselbitza in the afternoon four to Simnagora The 19. nine leagues to Columna and the 20. five to Wisna wolloka where we saw a young man of 12 years of age that was married At Tuere we saw a married woman that was but 11. and this is ordinary in Muscovy as also in Finland The same night we came to Windra Pusk having travel'd that afternoon seven leagues In this last place there were but three houses and the stoves so nasty and stinking that we had a very ill night of it though indeed in other places the stoves are not kept much better than stables in our Country The 21 we got 7 leagues to Torsock The 22. six to Troitska Miedna and the 23. six more to Tuere mentioned before Here the snow beginning to melt in several places we quitted our Sledges and took the Wolgda which was still frozen and travel'd that day six leagues to Gorodna The 24. we went by land again for the Ice began to give way and got to Sawidoua and thence to Saulkspas seven leagues from our last lodging having by the way pass'd several Brooks with great difficulty by reason the Ice was loose The 25. we pass'd by a great Village called Klin behind which is the Brook Sestrea which falls into the River Dubna and with it into Wolgda We were forc'd to stay the flakes of Ice with stakes which we made a shift to fasten in the Brook to hinder them from carrying us away The next day we pass'd it again by reason it winds it self up and down in those parts and lodg'd that night at Beschick seven leagues from Klin The 27. we pass'd two other little Brooks and got 6 leagues forwards to Zerkizouo The 28. we got but three leagues to Nicola-Darebna which the Author in
Stockfish and sometimes eat it raw but that is not extraordinary even in Germany where I have seen at a desert at the Duke of Wolfembuttel's Gammons of Bacon and dry'd Salmon serv'd up unboyl'd Their ordinary food are Sea-Dogs and Calves Renes Foxes Hous-Dogs and Fish When they eat with one hand they put a piece of the flesh into their mouths and with the other cut off what they cannot get in so that the bits being as much as their mouths can hold they make very strange faces to get it down Their way of living is so different from what is seen elsewhere that it is no injury to call them Savages They have no discretion civility vertue or shame Their countenances are ever frowning and they very seldom laugh they are timerous and distrustful and withall insolent stubborn and indisciplinable They are very nasty and their Tongues serve them for Handkerchers as well for their Cloaths as their Bodies so that they may very justly be said to live like beasts Which yet admits of some distinction according to the situation of several parts of the Countrey it being certain that the English Pilot who went from Denmark with Godtske Lindenau of whom Mr. Pereire makes mention and who took his course more towards the South-west met with a people much more docile and less Savage than that which Lindenau met withall towards the North. Our three women who had been taken at the entrance of Davis-streight were rational enough and easily learnt what they were taught One of them imitated pretty well a head or hand I was drawing with a piece of Charcoal and the other came in a short time to do those things which women and maids ordinarily employ themselves about in our parts They danc'd after a strange manner but with such exactness as to time and cadence that the King of Denmark having a Ball danc'd at Flensbourg would needs bring in those three Groenlanders who came off very hansomly to the satisfaction of all But they would never be got to learn our language though they pronounc'd the Danish and German words dictated to them very distinctly There is no money in the Country being yet so happy as not to know the value of Gold and Silver Iron and Steel they most esteem and prefer a Sword or a Hatchet before a Golden Cup a Nail before a Crown piece and a pair of Cisers or a Knife before a Jacobus Their trucking is thus they put all they have to sell together and having pick'd out among the Commodities that are brought to them what they like best they put them also together and suffer those they deal with to add or diminish till such time as they are content with the bargain What they most value are Knives Cisers Needles Looking-glasses Iron and Steel and the Commodities they sell are the fat and Oyl of Whales the skins of Sea-dogs and Calves the Horns or rather the Teeth of the Fish Towak whereof Mr. Pereire makes a large and true description in his Treatise of Groenland It is granted to be an excellent Antidote against poyson but it is long since men have been undeceiv'd in the opinion they had of it The Duke of Holstein hath one that is eight foot and two inches long and weighs eighteen pound but the King of Denmark's is six inches longer There is also in Groenland Talk and Marble white and of all other colours and it hath been argu'd from the vapours which were seen rising out of the earth at the place where the English Pilot came ashore that there are Mines of Sulphur It is reported also that in the time of Frederick II. King of Denmark some Oar was brought thence whereof the hundred weight yielded twenty six Ounces of Silver which is the more credible in that it is certain the more Northerly parts of the Countrey produce both Gold and Silver since there hath been seen at the King of Denmark's a Wedge of Silver of sixty Marks which had been taken out of the Mines of Norway Of the Groenland Religion I must confess I could never have any accompt but it is most likely they are Pagans and Idolaters for we have in our custody an Idol which we bought out of the Study of Doctor Paludanus a Physician at Enck-huysen who had fasten'd a Note to it expressing it's being found at Davis-streight And indeed our Groenland women presently knew it and called it Nalim-qui-sang 'T was very roughly made of a piece of Wood a foot and a half long cover'd with Feathers and a hairy skin having about the neck Sea-dogs Teeth The women would make me understand that the Children were wont to dance about those Idols and our Groenland women were seen in fair mornings to prostrate themselves and weep at sun-rising whence it is to be inferr'd that those people adore the Sun Zeiler in his Itinerary says that the Groenlanders are for the most part Sorcerers and sell Winds as the Laplanders do but that 's more than the Danes have observ'd in their Voyages Only it was noted among those that were in Denmark that when any of them fell sick one of the Camerades lay down upon his back by him and the sick person sitting up bound about his head who ail'd nothing putting a stick between the forehead and the cloath that bound it the other raising up his head so as that the sick person might at first think it light afterwards heavy pronouncing and muttering certain words After which he begun again and he who had his head bound up leaned it down very heavy at first afterwards more lightly the sick person still continuing his prayers and imprecations none being able to guess at the mystery of this Ceremony They have neither Magistrate nor Superiour among them their condition is equal in all things only he that hath most Children most Bows and Arrows and kills most Wildfowl is the richest and most considerable among them For the colour of these people it might be admir'd that in the coldest Climate in the World the Men should be of an Olive-colour or rather swarthy if what Pliny saies be true that it is the heat of the Sun that burns the skin and makes the hair curl and that cold whitens the skin and makes the hair of an Ash-colour But we find the contrary by experience not only in the people we have spoken of but also in those who live at the Magellan Streight who are white though as near the Sun as the Negroes of Africk The Inhabitants about the Cape of good Hope are black and yet the Spaniards and Italians as also the Persians who are in the same degree are white The Ethiopians are but of a duskish colour and the Malabares and Inhabitants of the Isle of Cedon who are equally distant from the Line are black In like manner all over America there are no Blacks but only at Quaerca though that vast part of the Universe reaches from one Circle to
the other through all the Climates of the World 'T is no more than conjecture to say that this diversity of colours proceeds from certain qualities of the Country and Air whereof the causes are not known Nor is there any more certainly to affirm that that colour in the skin proceeds from the constitution of the body since that in any Climate whatsoever the conjunction of a Black Man and White Woman shall produce a swarthy Child or of such a colour as the Spaniards call Mulatas which is so much the more probable in that the Sun does not alwayes blacken but on the contrary whitens some things as Wax and Linne it being also known that the Sun makes a picture look more lightsome and that the Portuguez expose their hair thereto to take off somewhat of their dy But to give a more Christian accompt thereof it may be said with the Learned Mr. Bochart in his incomparable Phaleg That the black colour is a mark of the curse in the posterity of Cham which spread it self in these places of Asia and Africa where the Negroes live But it is time we return to our Muscovites whom we shall consider first in relation to their habit and stature then to that of their humour and manner of life They are for the most part corpulent fat and strong and of the same colour as other Europaeans They much esteem great beards when the mustaches hide the mouth as also great bellies so that those who are well furnish'd about the mouth and have good fat paunches are very considerable among them The Goses or Great Duke's Merchants whom we found in the Antichamber when we were brought to our publick Audience had been chosen particularly for those two perfections for the greater honour of their Prince The great Lords shave their heads persons of lower condition cut their hair and Priests and others belonging to the Church wear their hair so long that it hangs down over their shoulders to half their backs Those Lords that are out of favour at Court let their hair grow and hang negligently about their heads thereby expressing their affliction no doubt after the example of the antient Greeks whom the Muscovites are apt to imitate in all their actions The Women are well proportion'd neither too big nor too little having passable good faces but they paint so palpably that if they laid it on with a brush and had a handful of meal cast in their faces when they had done they could not disfigure themselves as much as the paint does But the custom is so general that the most handsome must comply lest they should discred it the artificial beauty of others whereof we saw an example in the wife of Knez Iuan Borissowits Cirkaski who was the handsomest Lady of all Muscovy and was loath to spoil with painting what the rest of her Sex took so much pains to preserve thereby but the other Women inform'd against her and would not be quiet till their husbands had forc'd that Prince to give way that his wife might dawb her face after the ordinary manner So that painting is so common in Muscovy that when any are to be married the Bridegroom that is to be sends among other Presents some paint to his Bride as we shall see anon when we come to speak of their marriages Married Women put up their hair within their Caps or Coifs but the Maids let their hang down their backs in two tresses and tye it at the ends with a piece of Crimson-silk Children under 10 years of age as well Girls as Boys have their hair cut all except two mustaches which are left over the temples so that there being no difference in their habits that of their Sex is discovered only by the brass or silver Rings which the Girls wear in their ears Their habit is somewhat like that of the antient Greeks Their shirts are broad but so short that they hardly cover the thighs They are not gather'd at the neck but lin'd with a triangular piece from the shoulders to the reins which piece is sow'd down with Crimson silk Some have under the Armpits and in the seams a fringe of silk of the same colour The more rich have the neck-piece which is an inch broad or better the end of the sleeves and the breast embroider'd with silk of several colours and sometimes Gold and precious stones and leave open so much of their Wast-coats that the embroidery and the two great Pearls or buttons of Silver or Gold which fasten the shirt before may be seen Their Breeches are large and gather'd towards the waste so that they may be made larger or streightned as our Drawers Upon these they wear a kind of VVastcoat which they call Kaftan reaching to the knees with the sleeves so long that they cannot thrust their hands through without making many folds upon the arm The Collar of this Wastcoat is above half a quarter both in height and bredth so that it covers the head behind And because that is very much seen the better sort face it with Plush or Satin Upon the Kaftan they wear a close Coat which falls down to the mid-leg and is called Feres These are adorn'd with cotton and indeed both the Kaftas and Feres are made of Cotton Taffeta Damask or Satin according to their quality who wear them VVhen they go abroad they put on a Garment that reaches down to their heels made of a violet colour or dark green cloath with buttons behind down to the bottom Those of the Knez and Bojares are made of Damask Satin or other rich stuff Of this last kind are all the cloaths taken out of the Great Duke's VVardrobe for those persons by whom he is attended at publick ceremonies Their Feres or Hongrelines or close Coats have a very broad Collar falling down upon their shoulders with loop-buttons of Gold and Silver nay some with embroidery at the open places before and the sides The sleeves are as long as the Coat it self but narrow so that when it is on they hang down and have this convenience that they serve to hide a cudgel or stones wherewith they many times surprize and kill those whom they intend to rob All Muscovites wear Caps instead of Hats The Knez Bojares and Ministers of State have them of black-Fox skins or Sables half an ell high when they are present at any publick Ceremonies but in their houses and about the City they are of Velvet lined with the said Furrs but with narrow brims layd all over with buttons and loops of Gold and Silver or embroider'd with Pearls The common People in the Summer time wear Caps of some coarse stuff and in-Winter of cloath lin'd with Sheep skins or some ordinary Furr Their boots are short as those of the Polanders and picked towards the toe and are made of Russia Leather or Goats skin brought from Persia They have not yet the art of dressing Spanish Leather nor the invention
Election might raise among themselves resolv'd to take in a forein Prince The Polanders still countenanc'd the second Demetrius so far as that they forc'd the former's Widow to acknowledge him for her husband and expected satisfaction for the affront they had received at Moscou at the marriage of Demetrius so that the Muscovites willing to satisfie the Polanders and not finding any Prince near them so well qualified as Vladislaus eldest son to Sigismond King of Poland sent to the King his father to desire that he might accept of the Crown of Muscovy The King consented but the Treaty agreed upon among other Clauses had this that Iohn Basilouits Zuski should be taken out of the Monastery and with some other Lords of his Kinred should be put into the hands of the King of Poland who kept them a long time Prisoners at Smolensko where Zuski at last died and his body was buried near the High-way between Thorn and Warsaw Stanilaus Solkouski was in the mean time advanc'd with his Army to the very Gates of Moscou with order to revenge the death of Demetrius and the Polanders who were Massacred with him But news coming of the conclusion of the Treaty they laid down their Arms and Stanislaus had order in the Prince's name to receive homage from the Muscovites and to stay at Moscou till the Prince were come thither in person The Muscovites were content and having taken the Oath of Allegiance they reciprocally administred it to him and permitted him with a thousand Poles to enter the Castle and to keep a Garrison there The rest of the Army stay'd without the City not doing any thing at which the Muscovites might conceive any jealousie On the contrary there was much kindness shewn on both sides till that the Poles having crept by degeees into the City to the number of above six thousand took up the Avenues of the Castle for their quarters and began to incommodate the Citizens and to become insupportable by reason of their insolences and the violences they dayly committed upon Women and Maids nay upon the Muscovian Saints at which they shot off their Pistols So that the Muscovites not able to endure them any longer and impatient for their Great Duke met together on the 24. of Ianuary 1611. in the place before the Castle where they made a noise and complained of the outrages which they daily received from the Polanders saying it was impossible for them to maintain so great a number of Soldiers that their Trade was destroy'd that they were exhausted to the least drop of their blood that the new Great Duke came not which made them apprehend there was something ominous in it that they could live no longer at that rate and that they should be forc'd to those remedies which nature had furnish'd them with for their safety if some other course were not taken The Muscovites having weather'd out all these calamities proceeded to the Election of a new Great Duke and chose Michael Foederouits the son of Foedor Nikitis a Kinsman but far remov'd of Iuan Basilouits This man had forsaken his wife for God's sake as they call it and became a Religious man whereupon he was made Patriarch and in that dignity chang'd the name of Foedor into that of Philaretes The Son who was of a very good nature and much inclin'd to Devotion hath alwayes express'd a great respect for his Father taking his advice in affairs of greatest importance and giving him the honour of admittance to all publick Audiences and Ceremonies at which he alwayes gave him precedence He died in the year 1633. some few dayes before our first Embassy The first thing this new Great Duke did after his establishment was to make a Peace with his Neighbour Princes and to abolish the memory of his Predecessors Cruelties by so mild a Government that it is granted Muscovy hath not had these many ages a Prince deserving so great commendations from his Subjects He died Iuly 12. 1645. in the 49th year of his age and the 33. of his reign The Great Dutchess his Wife died eight dayes after him and his son Knez Alexei Michalouits succeeded him The reign of Michael Foederouits was very quiet But as in the times of Boris Gudenou and Iohn Basilouits Zuski there were Counterfeit Demetrius's so in Michael's time there started up an Impostor who had the boldness to assume the name and and quality of Basili Iouanouits Zuski Son to the Great Duke Iuan Basilouits Zuski His name was Timoska Ankudina born in the City of Vologda in the Province of the same name and son to a Linnen Draper named Demko or Dementi Ankudina The Father having observ'd somewhat of more than ordinary wit in him had brought him up to writing and reading which having attain'd he was look'd upon as a very excellent person among those who have no further acquaintance with Learning The excellency of his voice and his skill in singing Hymns at Church recommended him to the Arch-Bishop of the place who took him into his service wherein Ankudina behaved himself so well that the Arch-Bishop having a kindness for him married him to a Grand-Child of his This Allyance which might have been very advantageous to him prov'd the first occasion of his ruine for he presently began in his Letters to assume the quality of Son-in-law to the Weywode of Vologda and Vellicopermia Having after the Arch-bishops death squander'd away his Wife's fortune he came with his Family to Moscou where upon the recommendation of a friend of the Arch-bishop's he found an employment in the Novazetvert that is the Office where such as keep common Tip-ling-houses are oblig'd to take the Wine Strong-water and Hydromel which they sell by retail aâ—d where they give an accompt of what they have spent He was made Receiver there but became so unfaithful that the first Accompt he made he could not bring in what was due to the Prince by 200. Crowns and in regard they expect a great exactness upon such an accompt in Muscovy he put his invention upon the rack to make up the said sum To that end he went to one of his fellow Officers named Basili Gregorowits Spilki who had Christen'd a Child of his and done him several kindnesses when occasion required and told him that one of the chiefest Merchantâ— of Vologda one to whom he was very much oblig'd being come to the City he had invited him to Dinner and would be glad to let him see his Wife intreating him to lend him his Wife's Pearls and Rings that he might present her in a condition suitable to his employment The other did it without any difficulty nay without any thing to shew from the other of his having receiv'd them though they were worth above 1000. Crowns But Timoska instead of pawning the Jewels to make up his accompts sold them made use of the money and confidently averr'd that his friend had not lent him
Astrachan and the Caspian Sea there is only wast grounds and heaths and so barren a soyl that being not able to bring forth any kind of Corn all that Country even the City of Astrachan it self is forc'd to send for Wheat to Casan whence there comes such abundance that it is cheaper at Astrachan than it is at Moscou Below Zariza lies the Isle of Zerpinske It is twelve werstes in length and the Souldiers of the Garrison of Zariza send their Cattel thither 〈◊〉 The Cosaques of those parts having observ'd that the Wives and Daughters of those Soldiers crossed over to the Island without any Guard went thither one day after them surpriz'd ravish'd and sent them back to their husbands without doing them any other mischief Behind this Isle there falls into the Wolga a little River which rises out of the Don but it hath hardly water enough for little Boats which I conceive may be the reason why Geographers represent it not in their Maps there being only Isaac Massa who hath put it into his and calls it Kamous The heats were there abou ts so great in the moneth of September as that of the Dog-dayes is not more insupportable in Germany yet the Muscovites affirm'd they were but ordinary Sept. 7. The weather chang'd and a Tempest following we could not advance much Having sayl'd ten werstes we saw on the right hand a Gibet erected upon a high reddish Hill It was the first we had seen in those parts and we were told it was set up by the Weywode of the next City for the execution of the Cosaques he should take within his Government and that he gave them no other quarter but that their Camerades suffered not the bodies to hang there above five or six dayes The same day an humour took the Ambassador Brugman to cause all the Servants belonging to the Embassy to come before him to whom he said that he had reason to believe that there were many among them who express'd little kindness and respect towards him and if occasion serv'd would do him all the ill Offices lay in their power and consequently that his desire was that the Musicians the Guards and the Lacqueyes should take their Oaths to be faithful to him Answer was made him that his distrust was ill-grounded that they saw not any reason why they should be oblig'd to a thing so extraordinary and that they were so far from having any ill design against him that on the contrary they were all ready to lay down their lives to do him any service but that they intreated him for his part to spare them as much as might be and to treat them more mildly than he had done which he promised to do but it was one of those promises that are either kept or broken The same day we met with a great Boat the Master whereof sent some Mariners aboard us to desire us to pity their sad condition and to relieve them with a little bread in the extremity they were in having not eaten ought for the space of four dayes They told us it was three weeks since they came from Astrachan and that they had been robb'd in their way by thirty Cosaques who had taken away all their Provisions VVe gave them a sack full of pieces of bread for which they gave us thanks with their ordinary Ceremonies bowing their heads down to the ground Forty Werstes from Zariza lies the Isle of Nassonofska and opposite thereto on the right hand a great flat Mountain of the same name Between the Isle and the Mountain there is a kind of a Grott where the Cosaques had some years before kill'd a great number of Muscovites who had lay'n there in ambush to surprise the others In the evening a certain Fisher-man brought us a kind of fish wâ—ich we had never seen before The Muscovites called it Tziberika and it was above five foot long with a long and broad snout like the Bill of a wild Drake and the body full of black and white spots like the Dogs of Poland but much more regular unless it were about the belly where it was all white It had an excellent good taste and was at least as pleasant as that of Salmon he sold us also another kind of fish much resembling a Sturgeon but much less and incomparably more delicate whereof there are abundance in the Wolga The 8. The Caravan which we had left at Zariza came up to us near a Cape called Popowitska Iurga upon this accompt that the son of a Muscovian Pope or Priest who had sometime headed the Cosaques and Bandits was wont to make his retreat and appoint his rendezvous at that place They count from Zariza to that place 70. werstes and thence to the Mountain of Kamnagar which lay on our right hand 40. werstes The River thereabouts is full of Isles and Sand-banks by which the Caravan was no less incommodated than we were though their Vessels were much less than ours Twenty werstes lower there is a very high Island four werstes in length called Wesowi near a River of the same name which falls into the Wolga on the right hand Thirty werstes lower the wind forc'd us into a corner where the River of Wolodinerski Vtsga falls into the Wolga But in regard we were loath to let slip the opportunity of making a great dayes journey which the fairness of that wind put us in hope we might do we with much difficulty made a shift to get out and afterwards pass'd by the Country of Stupin thirty werstes from the City of Tzornogar which was the first we were to come at the next day Ten werstes lower the Wolga puts out a second branch on the left hand called Achtobenisna Vtsga which joyns its waters to those of Achtobska whereof we spoke before Thence we sayl'd five werstes further where the whole fleet cast Anchor near the Isle of Ossina which is seven werstes from Tzornogar So that that day we got 135. werstes or 27. German Leagues that is at the least as far as it is from Paris to Saumur From this Countrey quite down to Astrachan on both sides of the River there grows abundance of Liquorice having a stalk as big as ones arm and about some four foot high The seed of it is much like a vitch and lies in cods upon the top of the stalk The Champain part of Media is cover'd therewith especially towards the River Araxes but the juyce of it is much sweeter and the root much bigger than that which grows in Europe Sept. 9. There rose a wind which soon grew into a Tempest and brought us about noon before the little City of Tzornogar where we stay'd It was but some nine years before that the Great Duke had given order for the building of this City which lies 200. werstes from Zariza some half a League lower than it is now but the great floods having wash'd away the
their affection were but slight earnests of the friendship we were to expect from them after our arrival into Persia. The 29. we were visited by the Myrsa or Tartar-Prince whom we had met two days before returning from his sport He made us a present of some wild Geese which he had taken and invited us to go along with him a-Hawking the next day which we had accepted but the Weywode would not permit it as we said before Septemb. the last the Weywode sent us a Present of some of the Country Preserves to wit Ginger-bread and the juyce of Goosberies reduc'd to a Past whereof some was dispos'd into the form of great Cheeses some flat and some in Rolls It was in taste somewhat sharp and picquant and not unpleasant The Muscovites put of this kind of paste into most of their sawces October the first the Secretary of the Embassy with two other Officers of the retinue were ordered to go to the Weywode about some business He receiv'd me with much civility made me set down by him and gave me a very favourable audience But before he answer'd the Proposions we had made to him he made great complaint of the unhandsome treatment which Rodivon our Pristaf whom the Great Duke had order'd to conduct us as far as Astrachan had received from the Ambassador Brugman He had given him very uncivil language and had call'd him Bledinsin Sabak c. never considering that he was employ'd by the Great Duke He told us further that to his knowledge the Pristaf was a person of honour and prudent in the management of his charge but that it was a great indiscretion in the Ambassador to treat him after that rate though Rodivon had not done his duty and that he should rather have made his complaints of him to his Czaarick Majesty or at least to those who represent the Prince's Person at Astrachan of whom he might have expected satisfaction That he could not believe the Duke of Holstein would take it well no more than the Great Duke that any publick Officer of his Country should be treated in that manner That he was oblig'd by the concernment of his charge to make those remonstrances to us but that there was not on the other side any reason the whole retinue should suffer for his mis-carriage and that that should not hinder him from giving us a speedy dispatch as indeed he immediately did The dayes following were spent in carrying aboard the Provisions which we had bought for the prosecution of our Voyage Our own people had bak'd Bread and Bisket and had brew'd a certain quantity of Beer We had bought of the Tartars twenty fat Oxen at between eight and fourteen Crowns a piece as also several Barrels of Salt-fish intending to go to Sea with the first opportunity And in regard we knew not what kind of sayling it was on the Caspian Sea and that it was represented to us as very dangerous by reason of the shallowness of the Wolga thereabouts for several leagues together besides our Muscovian Pilot we hired certain Tartars of the Country who promis'd to go before us in a Boat and to bring our ship into the main Sea Accordingly Oct. 10. we left Astrachan about noon having very fair weather taking our course towards South and South-west But we had not got a league ere a contrary wind rising forc'd us to the shore and kept us there all that day and the next We there receiv'd the visit of a certain Myrsa or Tartar-Prince a very handsome graceful person and one of the most considerable in those parts who presented us with a Mutton and a Barrel of Milk We observ'd that near Astrachan and for the most part all along the River Wolga the Earth produc'd Simples in great abundance and of incredible bigness The Herb which the Latins call Esula grew there as high as a Man and the Root of Angelica was as big as a Man's arm The Tempest being over the 12. we set forward but could get but a league that day We got not much more the 13. and were forc'd to cast Anchor near a little round Mountain on our left hand 15. werstes from Astrachan The Muscovites call this mountain Tomanoi-gor We gave it the name of the Snakie Mountain by reason of the abundance of Serpents we met with there It was full of Caper-trees and had abundance of the Herb called Semper-vivum of several kinds as Sea-house-leek Prickmadame c. The Plain which is at the foot of this Hill affords one of the most delightful Prospects of the World and that for several leagues together At night we saw in a Boat the Strelits who had convoy'd the Poslanick as far as Terki They told us there was no danger in our way and that they had come it in 24. hours The 14. the wind North-north-east we continu'd our Voyage and came in the afternoon over against a Chapel called Zuantzuk 30. werstes from Astrachan Hereabouts is the best fishing in the Country The Tartars call it Vtschu and it belongs to the Convent of Troitza or of the Trinity at Astrachan The River Wolga in this place divided into several Chanels making so many Isles which are covered all over with Bushes Canes and Ozier as is also the Coast of the Caspian Sea as far as the River Koisu There is among the rest one Isle named Perul 15. werstes from Vtschu in which we saw a house built of wood of a considerable height having on the roof of it a long pole with a Sheep's skull at the top of it and we were told it was the Sepulchre of a Tartarian Saint near which the Inhabitants as also some among the Persians when they either take a Voyage or are safely return'd home sacrifice a Sheep part whereof serves for the Sacrifice the rest for a Feast after the Sacrifice Having ended their Prayers and Devotions the Sheep's head is put on the top of the pole where it is left till it be either reliev'd by another or fall off of it self The Muscovites call this place Tataski Molobitza that is to say The Sacrifice of the Tartars Behind this Isle on the left hand there were upon a high but very smooth ascent a great number of Hutts At night we came to another Fishing-place 15. werstes from the Sea where the River is shut in with a Palizadoe and kept by a hundred Muscovian Musketiers who keep a guard there against the Cosaque Pirates In this place we saw a great number of Dog-fishes or Sea-hounds as also of that kind of Fowl which Pliny calls Onocratalus whose Beaks are long round and flat at the extremity as a Spoon beaten out Putting its Beak into the water it makes a noise not much unlike that of an Ass whence it hath the name but particularly we took notice of a kind of Geese or rather Cormorants whereof we made mention before The Muscovites call them Babbes the Persians
spend the whole night in Prayers Towards the dawning of the day they come down and go to the City of Meca where their Hetzas or High-Priest makes a Procession conducting through the chief streets a Camel which is appointed for the Sacrifice The Hair of this Camel is a very precious Relick among them whence it comes that the Pilgrims throng to get as near as they can to the Beast and to snatch off some of his Hair which they fasten to their arms as a very sacred thing The Hetzas after he hath walk'd the Beast sufficiently leads him to the Meydan that is the great Market-place and puts him into the hands of the Baily or Judge of the City whom they call Daroga who attended by some other Officers kills him with an Axe giving him many blows in the Head Neck and Breast As soon as the Camel is dead all the Pilgrims endeavour to get a piece of him and throng with such earnestness and so confusedly with Knives in their hands that these Devotions are never concluded but there are many Pilgrims kill'd and hurt who are afterwards allow'd a place in their Martyrologies After all these Ceremonies they go in Procession about the Mosquey they kiss a Stone which was left after the finishing of the Structure and they take of the Water which passes through a Golden Chanel over the Mosquey and carry it away as a Relick with a little piece of a certain Blackish Wood of which â—ooth-picks are commonly made When the Pilgrims are return'd from their Pilgrimage they are called Hatzi and they are as it were Nazarites dedicated to God in as much as it is unlawful for them to drink Wine ever after From this Pilgrimage and the Sacrifice perform'd at Meca we shall take occasion to insert here what the Persians and Turks relate of that of Abraham as Mahomet hath dress'd up the story falsifying the truth of it in all its circumstances They say in the first place that Abraham was the son of Azar who was Graver to Nimroth King of Egypt and that he married Sara who was so beautifull a Woman that the King having cast his eye on her Abraham grew jealous and carried her away into Arabia but finding that she bore no Children he there bought a Slave named Hagar whom he carnally knew and by her had Ismael Hagar being near her time and not able any longer to endure the ill treatment she receiv'd from Sara resolv'd to run away Abraham coming to hear of her discontent and fearing she might make away the Child especially if she came to be deliver'd without the assistance of some other Women follow'd her and found her already deliver'd of a Son who dancing with his little feet upon the ground had â—ade way for a Spring to break forth But the water of the Spring came forth in such abundance as also with such violence that Hagar could make no use of it to quench her thirst which was then very great Abraham coming to the place commanded the Spring to glide more gently and to suffer that water might be drawn out of it to drink and having thereupon stay'd the course of it with a little Bank of Sand he took of it to make Hagar and her child drink The said Spring is to this day called Semsem from Abraham's making use of that word to stay it After this Sara pray'd to God with such earnestness that he gave her her son Isaac Some time after Ismael's birth the Angel Gabriel appear'd to Abraham and told him that God commanded him to build a house upon the River which Ismael had given the rise to in answer whereto Abraham representing that it was impossible for him to build any great structure in the midst of a Desart where there was nothing but Sand the Angel reply'd that he should not be troubled at that and that God would provide Accordingly Abraham was no sooner come to the place appointed him by the Angel but Mount Arafat forc'd out of its quarries a great number of stones which roll'd down from the top of the Mountain to the side of the little River where he built a house which hath since been converted to a Mosquey and is the same where the Pilgrims of Meca do their Devotions The Structure being finish'd there happened to be one single stone remaining which began to speak and to complain that it had been so unfortunate as not to be employ'd in that Edifice But Abraham told it that it should so much the rather be comforted in as much as it should one day be in greater Veneration than all the rest put together and that all the faithfull who came to that place should kiss it This is the stone we spoke of before These people say it was heretofore all white and that the reason of its being now black is that it hath been constantly kiss'd through so many ages Some years after the same Angel Gabriel appeared again to Abraham who was grown a very rich and powerful man and told him that God intended to make the highest tryal that could be of his affection and gratitude and that he would have him in acknowledgement of so many favours to sacrifize his son to him Abraham immediately consented and being return'd home bid Hagar call up her son and put on his best Cloaths that he might be the better look'd on at the Wedding to which he intended to carry him They departed the next day betimes in the morning and took their way towards Mount Arafat Abraham carrying along with him a good sharp knife and some Cords But as soon as they were gone Sceithan that is to say the Devil represented himself to Hagar in the shape of a man reporach'd her with the easiness wherewith she had consented that her son Ismael should go from her and told her that what Abraham had related to her concerning the Wedding to which he was to bring him was pure forgery and that he was carrying him streight to the Shambles Hagar ask'd him why Abraham would use her so since he had alwayes express'd a great tenderness to her son The Devil made answer that God had commanded it should be so whereto Hagar reply'd that since it was God's good pleasure to make that disposal of him it was but fit she should comply therewith Whereupon the Devil pressing harder upon her and treating her as an unnatural Mother endeavouring by those aggravations to bring her into rebellion against God she pelted him away with stones The Devil's endeavour proving unsuccessfull that way and too weak to overcome the obstinacy of a woman he apply'd himself to Abraham reviv'd in him the tendernesses and affection of a Father represented to him the horrour of the murther he was going to commit and remonstrated to him the little likelyhood there was that God should be the Author of so barbarous and abominable an action But Abraham who was acquainted with the subtilty and artifices of that wicked spirit sent him
the Children of Abdalla singing and crying out as loud as they were able their ja Hossein and that with such violence that it chang'd the colour of their countenances Having 〈◊〉 thus about an hour they return'd to the City and went in Procession with their Banners and Torches through the principal streets The tenth day concluded the Devotions of the Festival In the morning there was an Oration made in honour of Hossein with the same Ceremonies in a manner as we had seen at the Festival of Aly at Scamachie These Ceremonies were performed in the Court of the Mesar of Schich-Sefi where near the Chancery they had planted a Banner which as it is reported was made by the daughter of Fatima the daughter of Mahomet who caus'd the Iron-work of it to be made of a hors-shooe which had belong'd to one of the horses of Abas Uncle to Mahomet by the Father side which Schich Sedredin the son of Schich-Sefi had brought from Medina to Ardebil They say that this Banner shakes of it self as often as they pronounce the name of Hossein during the Sermon which is made in honour of him and that when the Priest makes a recital of the particulars of his death how he was wounded with seventy two Arrows and how he fell down from his horse it may be seen shaken by a secret agitation but withall so violent that the staff breaking it falls to the ground I must confess I saw no such thing but the Persians affirm it so positively that they think it should not be any way doubted May 24. about noon the Governour sent the Ambassadors notice that they concluded the Festival that night and that if they would be present at the Ceremonies which were to be performed they should be very welcome and he would take it for a great honour done him but it must be with this condition that complying with the Law of the Mussulmans they were not to expect any Wine at the Collation he intended to treat them withall In the cloze of the evening the Ambassadors went to the Governour 's Palace who met them at the street door And whereas the Ceremony was to be done in the Court they were intreated to take their places on the left hand where they had prepared Seats cover'd with Tapistry for them and their Retinue who would have been much troubled to sit as the Persians do There were set before them upon a Cloath wherewith they had cover'd the ground several Vessels of Porcelain with Suger'd and Perfum'd waters and near the Table brass Candlesticks four foot high with great Wax Candles in them as also Lamps fill'd with rags dipt in Suet and Naphte The Governour took up his place at the entrance of the Court on the right side of the Gate and fate upon the ground Our people had standing before them great Wooden Candlesticks or Branches holding each of them twenty or thirty Wax-Candles There were fasten'd to the Walls thousands of Lamps of Plaister all fill'd with Suet and Naphte which cast so great a light that the house seem'd to be all on fire They had drawn cross the Court certain Cords whereat hung Paper-Lanthorns which gave not so full but without comparison a more pleasant light than that of the Lamps and Cresset-lights The Inhabitants of Ardebil are distinguish'd into five quarters or professions who meet each by it self and intreat some of their Poets whereof there are a very great number in Persia to write them some Verses in commendation of Aly and Hossein and making choice of those among them who sing best they go and give the Governour a Serenade who receives kindly and bestows a Present of water sweetned with Sugar on that band which is most excellent either as touts invention or Musick These Musicians being come into the Court drew up in five bands in so many several places and presented themselves one after another before the Governour but for the space of two hours they may be rather said to cry out and roar than to sing after which they all came by order from the Governour to make a Complement to the Ambassadors and wish'd them a happy journey and good success in their Negotiation at the Court In the mean time there were dancing at one place in the Court seven youths all naked excepting only those parts which modesty would not have seen by all They called that kind of people Tzatzaku and their bodies from head to foot were rubb'd over with Suet and Naphte insomuch that their black skins being more shining than jet they might very well be compar'd to so many little Devils They had in their hands little stones which they knock'd one against the other and sometimes they smote their breast with them to express their sorrow for the death of Hossein These Tzatzaku are poor boys who disguise themselves in that manner to get some small matter by it which is that they are permitted during the time of the Feast to beg Alms for Hossain's sake At night they do not lodge at their Homes but ly in the ashes which are brought out of Schich-Sefi's Kitchin Some instead of Suet rub themselves with Vermilion that they may make a more lively representation of the blood of Hossein but at this time there were not any such After these Ceremonies the Governout entertain'd the Ambassadors with noble fire-works which most of the Persians took very ill at his hands and thought it not over religiously done of him to give such Divertisements to the Christians during the time of their Aschur which ought to represent only things conducing to sadness and affliction These fire-works consisted of several very excellent and ingenious inventions as of little Castles Towers Squibs Crackers c. The Castle to which they first set fire was three foot square the Walls of Paper of all sorts of Colours They lighted first several small Wax-Candles about the moat of it which discover'd the figures painted on the Paper There came out of it Squibs and Crackers for an hour and a half or better before the Castle it self took fire Then they set fire to another invention which they call Derbende It was a kind of Saucidge about six Inches thick and three foot long casting at first at both ends a shower of fire and afterwards several Squibs and little Serpents which falling among the people set their Cotton Garments on fire while they fir'd several sorts of Crackers which in the air were turn'd to Stars and other figures They set fire also to several boxes but what we most admir'd was a great kind of fire-work which was fasten'd to the ground with great Iron Chains and cast out fire at the mouth with so dreadfull noise that we were afraid it would have burst at last and scatter its fiery entrails among the company This fire-work they call Kumbara There were some who carry'd Paper-Lanthorns upon long Poles which were also fill'd with squibs and
in the Persian and Turkish Languages but all excellently painted richly bound and cover'd with Plates of Gold and Silver carv'd and branch'd The books of History were enrich'd with several representations in colours In the Neeches of the Vault there were above three or four hundred Vessels of Porcelane some so large as that they contain'd above 40. quarts or Liquour These only are used at the entertainments which are brought from the Sepulchre to the King and other great Lords who pass that way for the holiness of that place permits not that they should make use of any Gold or Silver Nay it is reported of Schich-Sefi that he out of an excessive humility made use onely of Woodden Dishes Thence we were brought to the Kitchin the Door whereof was also cover'd with Plates of Silver and all things within it were so handsomly ordered that it was not a little to be admire'd The great Cauldrons were all set in a row and seal'd within the Wall along which pass'd a Pipe which by divers Cocks supply'd all the Kitchin with water The Cooks of all degrees had every one his place according to their functions and employments This Kitchin maintains every day above a thousand persons accompting those belonging to the house and the poor among whom they distribute thrice a day Pottage Rice and Meat to wit in the morning at six at ten and in the after-noon at three The two morning-meals are upon the accompt of Schich-Sefi who to that end lay'd a foundation of fifty Crowns per diem and the third is an Alms bestow'd there by order from the King of Persia. Besides these there are so many Alms distributed there upon the accompt of private persons that there is not only enough to maintain the poor but there is much over and above which is sold to those who are asham'd to beg At the time of these meals or distributions they sound two Timbrels which as they say were brought from Medina with the Banner of Fatima by Schach Sedredin Going out of the Kitchin we entred into a very fair Garden where we saw the Sepulchres of Sulthan Aider Schach-Tamas and several other Kings of Persia which were in the open air and without any thing over them but a smooth stone The principal Lords whose Sepulchres are to be seen in this Meschaich are 1. Shich-Sefi the son of Seid-Tzeibrail 2. Schich-Sedredin the son of Sefi 3. Schich-Tzinid the son of Sedredin whom some Europaean Authors erroneously call Guined 4. Sulthan Aider the son of Tzinid who was flead alive by the Turks 5. Schich Aider the son of Sulthan Aider 6. Schach-Ismael the son of Schich Aider 7. Schach Tamas the son of Schach-Ismael 8. Schach-Ismael the second of that name the son of Schach-Tamas 9. Schach-Mahomet Choddabende son of Schach-Ismael 10. Ismael Myrsa brother of Choddabende 11. Hemsa Myrsa 12. Schach Abas sons of Choddabende Schich-Sedredin ordered his Sepulchre to be built after the death of his Father by an Architect whom he had brought along with him from Medina and according to a Model which he drew of it himself by Miracle for the Persians affirm that both he and his Father wrought many which was that having commanded the Architect to shut his eyes he ravish'd him into an extasie during which he gave him a sight of the Model according to which he would have that Structure built and according to which it was afterwards done Schich-Tzinid adding thereto the great Court and several Houses augmented it so as that now it seems a very noble and spacious Castle whither there comes every day so great a number of persons to Discourse or Walk that there are few Princes Courts where there are more seen The foundations of several Kings its vast Revenues and the Presents which are daily made thereto do so augment the Wealth of it that some conceive its Treasure amounts to many Millions of Gold and that in case of necessity this Mesar might raise and maintain a very powerfull Army and that it would furnish more ready Money than the King could himself Besides the Farms and Dairies which depend on it it hath within the City of Ardebil two hundred Houses nine publick Baths eight Caravanseras or Store-houses that great Vault which is called the Kaiserie all the Meydan with its Vaults and Shops a hundred other Shops in the Basar and the Market-places where Cattel Wheat Salt and Oyl are sold. The Astasnischin or Regraters and Hucksters and those who sell Commodities in open Market having neither Shops nor Stalls pay certain duties thereto It is possess'd about Ardebil of thirty three Towns or Villages and in the Province of Serab of five Villages In the City of Tauris it hath sixty Houses and a hundred Shops and two Villages without the City several Caravanseras and Baths in the City of Casuan as also in the Province of Kilan and Astara The duties of Abschur and Eleschur in the Province of Mokan belong to it and one moyety of those of Chalchat Kermeruth and Haschteruth not accounting what the Tartars and Indians who make profession of the Persian Religion send thither nor the Presents which are brought from all parts in consequence of the Vows which they are wont to make in great Journeys in their Sickness nay indeed in any business of Importance which they very Religiously perform Besides all these there are so many Gifts Donations and Legacies made to it that there passes not a day but a man shall see going thither Horses Asses Camels Sheep Money and other things All these things are receiv'd by two Persons who are oblig'd by an Oath to be faithful to that sacred place and they are called Nessurtzchan from the word Nesur which signifies a Vow and they have an allowance out of the revenue of a fair Village which is within half a League of the City called Sultanabath which was granted by Schich Ismael to that purpose These Commissaries are every day in an apartment on the left hand as a man goes into the Metzid Tzillachane and are set on both sides of a Chest or Box cover'd with crimson Velver into which they put the Money that is brought them as they do also that which arises by the sale of those Horses Camels and Asses which are bestow'd on the Sepulchre for the Oxen and Sheep are kill'd and distributed among the poor They give those who bring them a small Present which is a handful of Anniseed and they are given to understand thereby that their Souls shall enjoy serenity and blisse in the other VVorld They also give the Pilgrims who come thither to do their Devotions a Certificate of their being there and of the Prayers they said there which serves not only for a Testimony of the profession of their Religion but also for a protection against several disgraces and misfortunes nay which is more for the saving of their Lives Accordingly our Interpreter Rustan having resolv'd to leave us and
his way like a Torrent yet express'd a certain respect for those things which were though out of superstition accompted sacred Near this Mosquey there is also to be seen another great Gate of free-stone between two Pillars twenty fathom high which seems to be antique and had been built at the Ceremonies of some Triumph but it begins now to decay The City hath about six thousand Inhabitants who wondred very much to hear us relate that some of those who have published their Travels into Persia would make the World believe that the cold weather forc'd them in the Winter time to forsake the City and change their Habitations For it is so far from being true that there are many places in Persia where the cold obliges the Inhabitants to change their Habitations that on the contrary it is an effect ordinarily caus'd there by the Heat True indeed it is that there are some places in that Kingdome where the cold is very incommodious by reason of the scarcity of firing as for instance near Eruan at a place called Deralekes as being seated between two Mountains and especially at the Village of Arpa But it is not so great as to oblige the Inhabitants to change their Habitations for they only quit their upper Rooms and retire into Cellars built very deep under ground not only to serve them for a place of retirement in the Winter time against the cold but also in Summer against the heat Iune 25. we left Sulthanie after we had staid there three dayes which were spent up and down the Country in getting us fresh Horses and Camels The sick persons who by reason of their weakness were not able to ride on Horse-back were dispos'd into such Chests as the Women make use of when they travel The Persians call them Ketzawhea and they are put on Camels backs like Carriers packs The Physician and my self were set upon the same Camel whereby we were put to two great inconveniences one proceeding from the violent Motion caus'd by the going of that great Beast which at every step gave us a furious jolt and the other from the insupportable stink of the Camels whereof there being but one Boy to guide eight or ten they were ty'd one to another and went all in a file insomuch that the infectious smell of all that went before came full into our Noses We departed two hours before Sun-rising and travell'd that day six Leagues through a very fertil Country all arable and pasture Lands leaving on the left hand the little Mountains called Tzikitzâ—ki where the King of Persia's best Race-Horses and Mares for breed are kept About noon we took up our Lodging at the Village of Choramdah which lies on the side of a little River having so many Trees and Gardens about it that it is not without reason that name is given it which signifies a place of Pleasure The 26. we departed thence in the night and travell'd five Leagues or better over Mountains and Valleys The 27. we departed at mid-night and having travell'd five Leagues we were got by Sun-rising near the City of Casuin or Cashan but that the Daruga who had the Command of it might have the leisure to set his affairs in order for our entrance our Mehemander carried us to a Village were we staid above two hours till such time as the Daruga came to receive us This entrance was not accompany'd with the same Ceremonies as we had seen in other places in regard the Governour having not the dignity of Chan could not express the same Magnificence Yet was it handsom enough in as much as the Daruga came attended by five or six hundred men horse and foot There came also to meet us an Indian Prince accompany'd by some Gentlemen on horse-back of his own Countrey and follow'd by a great number of Lacqueys and Pages He came in a kind of Chariot having one other person with him in it The Chariot was drawn by two white Oxen which had very short necks and a bunch between the two shoulders but they were as swift and manageable as our horses The Chariot was cover'd above and lay'd over two Wheels which instead of an Axletree turn'd upon a piece of Iron made so crook'd at the middle that it bore the weight of the whole Chariot The Charioteer sate before and guided the Oxen fasten'd to a Beam which was made fast to the Horns with a Cord drawn through their Nostrils Being come within 500. paces of the City we met with fifteen young Ladies excellently well mounted very richly clad in Cloath of Gold and Silver c. having Neck-laces of great Pearls about their necks Pendants in their ears and abundance of other Jewels Their faces were to be seen contrary to the custom of honest Women in Persia. Accordingly we soon found as well by their confident carriage as the accompt given us of them that they were some of the Eminent Curtezans about the City who came to entertain us with the Divertisement of their Musick They march'd before us and sung to the sound of certain Hawboyes and Bag-pipes that went before them making a very extravagant kind of Harmony And that we might be sure to see the City we were carried quite through it and Lodg'd on the other side thereof As we pass'd through the Meydan we saw several persons playing on Timbrels and Hawboyes who joyning with the other Musicians accompany'd us to our Quarters The people came also thither in great numbers some of them having it put into their heads that there were in the Ketzawehas some great Beauties whom we carried as â—â—â—ents to the King but when they saw sick persons with great beards coming out of them they hung down their heads and made all the haste they could away I found this City conformably to the Calculation of the Persians and Arabians at 85. degrees Longitude and at 36. degrees 15. minutes Latitude It is one of the principal Cities of the Province of Erak which is the ancient Parthia wherein is comprehended as well Sulthania as all the other Cities froth this place as far as Ispahan It was antiently called Arsacia and it is seated in a great sandy Plain having within half a dayes journey of it Westward the great Mountain of Elwend which reaches towards the South-west as far as Bagdat or Babylon The City is a farsang or good German league in compass but hath neither Walls nor any Garrison kept in it by reason it lies at so great a distance from the Frontiers Yet hath it with these disadvantages above a hundred thousand Inhabitants whereof if there were occasion for them a good part might be put into Arms. Their Language is the Persian but somewhat different from the common Dialect whence it comes that it is not so intelligible to the other Persians being much after the rate that the German Language is to the Hollanders The houses are all of Brick bak'd in the Sun according
to the Persian way having not any Ornament without but within they are very well furnish'd as to Vaults Wainscoats Paintings and other Houshold-stuff The Streets are not pav'd whence it comes that upon the least wind the City is fill'd with dust It hath no other water than what is brought by aqueducts from the Mountain of Elwend into Cesterns wherein it is preserv'd No house almost but hath a particular place for the keeping of Ice and Snow for the Summer VVe were forc'd to get into these to avoid the excessive heat Heretofore the Kings of Persia had their ordinary residence at this place at least ever after Schach-Tamas transferr'd the Seat of the Empire from Tauris to this City Some attribute that translation to Schach-Ismael though the continual VVars he was engag'd in suffered him not to stay long in any one place But it is not question'd but that he built the noble Palace which stands near the Maidan which hath belonging to it a fair Garden adorn'd as well without as within with Guilding Painting and such other embellishments as are in use among the Persians There was another Garden opposite to this Palace which was above half a league in compass and had several little Structures within it This was one of the most pleasant Gardens that I ever saw not only by reason of the great number of all sorts of Trees as Apples Pears Peaches Apricocks Pomegranates Almonds and other Fruit-trees but also by reason of the fair walks of Cypress and the Trees called Tzinnar which gave us a very pleasant Prospect This City hath two great Market-places Cartwright names the bigger of the two Atmaidan and says that in the Persian Language it signifies a Horse-market I could never find that in any part of Persia there was a Market purposely for the buying and selling of Horses whereupon considering with my self that the Persians who call by the general name of Maidan all those Markets where all things are indifferently sold I imagine that Author's mistake proceeded hence that being ignorant of the Arabick he read Atmaydan for Almaidan al being the Article without which the Persians and Arabiaas never pronounce the word Maidan The greater of these Maidans or Market-places is somewhat longer but not so broad as that of Ardebil and hath on the South-side several great places built by some of the Chans and Persian Lords The most magnificent amongst them are those of Allawerdi-Chan Governour of Schiras that of Aliculi-Chan President of Justice that of Mahomet-Chan Chan or Governour of Kentze and that of Sehich-Achmed-Chan who was great Provest in the reign of Schach-Abas The other Market-place is called Senke-Maidan and is towards the West part of the City In both the Market-places as also in the Bazars or Shops and Store-houses which are in the cover'd streets there may be seen a great number of Merchants and abundance of Commodities which are to be bought there at a very reasonable rate I my self bought Turqueses there which they call Firuse and are found in great quantities near Nisabur and Firusku of about the bigness of a Pea nay some as big as little Beans for two shillings or two and six pence at the most Rubies and Granates were also very cheap there In the Evening after the shops are shut there is on the East-side another kind of Commodity exposed to sale to wit a considerable number of the Cabbeha or common Traders who there prostitute themselves to any that will take them up They all sit in a row having their faces cover'd with a Veil and behind them there stands a Bawd whom they call Delal who hath by her a bed and a quilted coverlet and holds in her hand a Candle unlighted which when any Customer comes she presently lights that he may look the Wench in the face and order her to follow him whom he likes best among them On the East-side of the City lies the Church-yard where there is to be seen in a fair Mosquey the Sepulchre of Schahesade Hossein one of the sons of Hossein at which the Oaths taken in Law-sutes are administred a custom which is also observed in all other parts of Persia at the places where there are any Sepulchres of Saints or those of any of their kinâ—ed Whence it comes that the Persians when they make some difficulty of crediting what is said to them immediately ask Scahe Sade Hussein pile Musef that is dar'st thou affirm that upon the Saints Sepulchre or upon the Alchoran Besides this Mosquey or Metzit there are about fifty more 〈…〉 whereof is that which they call Tzame Metzid where they assemble on Fridays 〈…〉 prayers There 〈…〉 the City of Caswin many Caravanseras for the convenience of foreign Merchants and a great number of publick Baths There is one behind the Garden belonging to the King's Palace which they call Haman Charabe It is now half destroy'd and there is a story told of it which I conceive pleasant enough to deserve insertion into this Relation They say that there lived heretofore at Caswin a very famous Physician named Lokman a black Arabian who had acquired so great reputation not only by the Books he had written in Medicine but also by many other excellent productions of his understanding that the Inhabitants have still a very great Veneration for his memory Nay it is to be found in their Kulusthan that they gave him the surname of Wise when in the 2. Book ch 16. they say Lokman hakimra kuftendi Aedebeski amuchti Kust es biedbahn Herstze ischan kerdend men pertis Kerdem That is that the wise Lokman being asked one day by what means he had attain'd so great Learning and Knowledge he made answer it was by means of the ignorant and uncivil for he had always done what was contrary to what he had seen them do This Lokman having attain'd a great age and being upon his death-bed sent for his Son and told him that he would leave him an inestimable Treasure and having commanded to be brought him three Glasses full of certain Medicinal waters he said they had the vertue to raise up a Dead man to Life if they were apply'd before the body began to corrupt That casting upon the Deceas'd the water which was in the first Glass the Soul would return into the Body that upon the pouring of the second the Body would stand upright and that upon the third the Person would be absolutely alive and should do all things as before that however he had very seldome made use of this Experiment out of a fear of committing a sin by undertaking to intermeddle with that which is reserv'd to God alone and that out of the same Consideration he exhorted him to be very careful how he made use of it as being a secret rather to be admir'd than put often to experience With these exhortations Lokman dying his Son was very mindful of the advice he had given him and
made crooked in the middle The King of Persia who knew on what occasion he was sent Ambassador to him made him stay three whole years before he gave him audience ordering him in the mean time to be magnificently treated insomuch that some few dayes before our arrival the King had sent him besides many before a Present of three thousand Tumains which amount to fifty thousand Crowns the Ambassador himself it seems defraying the expence of his House-keeping The Ambassador on the othe other side demean'd himself suitably to this magnificence for he spent the three first dayes after his audience in bestowing the Presents he had brought along with him Those he made the first day were in the name of the Great Mogul those made the second in the name of the Prince his Son what he did the third was upon his own accompt We were credibly inform'd that the Presents made by him amounted to above a hundred thousand Crowns His business was to intreat the King of Persia to put into his hands the Myrsa Polagi Prince of the Blood and Nephew to the Mogul who had been forc'd to retire into Persia to save his Life which he was in danger to lose as he had done his Kingdome The King excus'd himself and generously made answer that it were a breach of the Laws of Hospitality to deliver up a Prince who out of an assurance of his friendship had taken refuge in his Kingdome that he was oblig'd in honour to treat him as a Friend and a Guest and to give him entertainment as long as he should think fit to stay in his Countrey This was all the Answer the Ambassador could get in relation to the Embassy but that he might be assur'd they had no great kindness for himself in particular secret orders were sent to Hassan-Chan Governour of Herath which is the most considerable of any place towards the Frontiers of the Indies that he should stop in their passage four or five hundred Horses which the Ambassador had bought and sent away by small parties that at his coming he might find them ready upon the Frontiers for the Indian Horses are small and ill-shap'd whence it comes that the Indians are so desirous to have some of the Persian breed The Ambassador storm'd alleg'd his quality and urg'd it as an affront done his Master in his person and that the King of Persia who knew he had bought them and had permitted him to do so was no doubt willing he should take them along with him But Hassan-Chan made answer that he was King in his own Province that if he did ought prejudicial to the King's service his Life should answer for it and that he would not suffer any Horses to go out of the Country it being to be fear'd they might afterwards be brought to serve in the Warrs against his Majesty to whom he was to give a strict accompt of all his actions So that the Ambassador was forc'd to leave the Horses behind him and to sell them at such rates as the Persians would give him for them As for the Indians in general they are good Natur'd Civil Friendly and their Conversation not unpleasant provided they be not injur'd but so apt to resent any thing of affront that they are never satisfy'd without their Blood by whom they are offended We know it otherwise than by hear-say The next day after this unhappy engagement to wit the 8. of August we chang'd our Lodgings and to prevent any disorder that might happen especially upon the accompt of the Indians the King caus'd prohibitions to be made that not only any of the Ambassadors Retinue but also of the other Indians nay even the Merchants of that Nation whereof there are above twelve thousand in Ispahan should upon pain of Death be seen in the streets till we were gotten within the City And that we might be the more secure we found attending near our Lodgings some of the Guard who went along with us to our new Quarters which we were permitted to fortifie at the weakest places against any attempt might be made by the Indians who might easily and with advantage have assaulted us in our Quarters by reason it was of a vast extent they having openly threatned to do it The Structure comprehended four great Courts through two whereof there ran a Rivulet twenty five foot in breadth planted on both sides with that delightfull Tree called Tzinnar which made two very pleasant walks The same Rivulet ran through some of the Halls and Galleries and went under ground under the main part of the Lodging which was design'd for the appartment of the Ambassadors There was in the midst of it and below a spacious Hall built eight square with a fair Fountain and at every side of the Octagone a Door which led into several Chambers The first Story had the same appartments but this over and above that the Windows serv'd for Doors some whereof led into Galleries and Balconies that look'd into the Garden some towards the Hall so that a man might out of any Chamber see what was done in the Hall In the midst of the Hall there was a Fountain the Basin whereof was of Freestone During our aboad at Ispahan we were supply'd with all things upon the King's accompt being allow'd every day sixteen Sheep a hundred of all sorts of tame Fowl two hundred Eggs and a hundred Batmans of Wine with Fruit and spice in such abundance that we might have made very good Cheer had it not been for their ill management thereof who had the disposal of them and who squander'd away the Provisions not only by Connivence but also by the express order of one of the Ambassadors I mean him of Hamborough who sent them to them Armenians and many times to common prostitutes Whence it came that some times our people made but one meal a day nay some dayes the servants and others had no cloath laid at all Aug. 10. the Ambassadors sent some of the Retinue to Alexis Savinouits Ambassador from the Duke of Muscovy to treat with him concerning their common affairs and in regard the Persians were not well pleas'd to see us in our own Cloaths we put our selves into the Muscovian fashion as coming somewhat nearer their mode About this time dyed some of our people who had been Wounded in the Engagement with the Indians and among others one of our Guard who had been hurt in the knee with a poisoned Arrow Our Harbinger died also the same day but it was of a Bloody-flux which took him after he had been sufficiently shaken by a Tertian Ague and dispatch'd him in a few dayes VVe buried them both in the Church-yard of the Armenians in that part of the Suburbs which is called Tzulfa August the 16. the Ambassadors had their first audience of the King who sent them word that they should also have the honour to dine with him and to
the Meat upon the Rice to wit Mutton boyl'd and roasted tame and wild Fowl Omelets Pies Spinage Sowâ—-cruds c. insomuch that many times there was five or six sorts of Meat in the same Dish This is done by design and for their own convenience in regard that not sitting at a Table opposite one to another but all of a side as the Monks do and consequently one man being not able to reach to several Dishes they are served several sorts of Meat in the same Dish But as we imitated the Monks in our manner of sitting so were we as silent as they are at Meals for there was not a word spoken all the time we were at Meat unless it were that the King himself whisper'd twice or thrice to the Chancellor But there was not that silence observ'd at two or three other Entertainments we had at the Court afterwards for then the King was pleas'd to fall into some discourse with the Ambassadors concerning the affairs of Europe and particularly concerning the Warrs of Germany We had also while we were at Dinner the Divertisement of their Musick and the Activity of those Curtezans The Musick consisted of Lutes Violins Flageolets Hawboies and Timbrels which he who play'd upon the Timbrel accompany'd with a wretched inharmonious Voice which disorder'd the little Consort there was in their pretended Consort The Dancing of the Women was more regular and though it was not consonant to the Musick nor the way of Dancing among the Europaeans yet was it not undelightfull but had its cadences and exactness as well as ours While we were at Dinner there lay hid in a Door which was cover'd by the Hangings over against the place where the Ambassadors sat a Persian who understood the Portuguez and Italian to observe their Demeanour as also what discourse they might have with their Interter that he might give an accompt of what they said concerning the fashions and manners of that Court The relation he gave in to the King of what the Ambassador Brugman had said of the Pictures and the Entertainments and the manner of Life of the Persians prov'd to his disadvantage and Prejudice Our Interpreter was a Portuguez an Augustine Frier about forty years of age His name was Father Ioseph of the Rosary a good natur'd man obliging and complaisant and a person that understood himself very well inasmuch as having liv'd four and twenty years in Persia he was excellently well skill'd in the Language and throughly acquainted with the humour and customs of that Nation In his discourse with the Ambassador Crusius he made use of the Latin Tongue and spoke Portuguez to the Ambassador Brugman They sat at Dinner about an hour and a half and then the Cloath being taken away there was warm water brought to wash their hands Which done the Lord Chamberlain cry'd aloud Suffre Hakine Scahe douletine Kasiler Kuwetine alla dielum that is Make us thankful for this repast prosper the King's affairs give his Soldiers and Servants courage this we pray thee O God whereto all the rest answer their Alla Alla. Grace being thus said they rose up and went out of the room one after another without speaking a word according to the custom of the Country Our Mehemander came also to tell us that we might withdraw when we pleas'd as we immediately did making a low Reverence to the King After this first audience we were permitted to receive the Visits of all other Nations who have any Commerce at Ispahan as the French Spaniards Italians English and Dutch They came often to see us and contributed much to our Divertisement during the aboad we made in that City The English were the first that gave us a Visit. Their Factor whose name was Francis Honywood came to our Quarters the 18 of August accompany'd by a considerable number of Merchants who to express the affection they bore us had all put themselves into the German fashion though otherwise they went according to the mode of their own Country The Factor was an excellent good natur'd man and excessively civil He immediately made proffers of his service to us and afterwards made them good upon all occasions and kept us company most part of that day The 22. The King sent the Ambassadors a Present of Fruits as Melons Apples Pears Grapes Quinces and others and along with it thirty great Flaggos of most excellent Schiras-Wine The 24. the Ambassadors had their first private audience concerning their Negotiation at which was the King himself in Person attended by the Chancellor and a great number of the Lords of the Councel This conference was not had in the Divan-Chane but in another apartment into which we were brought through a spacious Gallery and afterwards through a fair Garden where those of our Retinue found their Divertisement while the Ambassadors with their Interpreter were employ'd about their affairs The King had the patience to stay there two hours and better and as we came out thence Dinner was going in whereto all the Company was invited all being placed and treated in the same manner as we had been before Aug. the 28. the Augustine Friers came to intreat the Ambassadors to honour them with their Presence the next day at the Celebration of the Festival of their Patron St. Augustine They desired the same favour of the Muscovian Posâ—anick Alexei Savinouits as also of an Armenian Bishop and the English Merchants who though of a different Religion and that in Europe they would have made some difficulty to be present at the Ceremonies of the Roman-Catholick Church live like Brethren and true Christians among their common Enemies There were in the Monastery in all but six Spanish Monks and yet they had built a very vast Structure with a very fair Church belonging to it which had two Steeples but somewhat low a stately Cloister several Cells and a large Garden The Ambassadors went thither on Horseback in regard that though the Monastery were within the City yet was it above a League from our quarters and the Religious men who receiv'd them at the entrance of the Monastery conducted them straight to the Church which was adorn'd with abundance of Pictures and Gilt in several places They presently began Mass during which we had pretty good Musick for one of their Monks had some skill upon the Organ and our Musicians had brought thither their Lutes and Violins After Mass we were carried into the Garden near a Fountain and under the shade of a Tree the branches whereof were so full of Leaves and so woven one within another that they compass'd the Fountain and in several places reaching down to the ground they made convenient seats The Clock striking twelve we were brought into a fair Hall where we were feared at three several Tables which were plac'd all along the Walls after the same manner as may be seen in the Monasteries of Religious men in Europe The Tables were
Horse and upper Garments which he did every day while the Hunting lasted The morning was spent in Hawking the Hawks were let out at Herns Cranes Drakes nay sometimes at Crows which they either met with by chance or were set purposely upon About noon we came to an Armenian Village where we found a great number of Tents of divers colours pitch'd after an odd kind of way which yet made a very pleasant Prospect After the King had been brought by his Grandeâ—s into his Tent they came for the Ambassadors who with some of their Gentlemen and Officers Dined with him There was nothing extraordinary Fruits and Conserves were brought in first and afterwards the Meat upon a kind of Bier or Barrow which was cover'd all over with plates of Gold and it was serv'd in Dishes of the same metal In the after-noon the Mehemandar carried the Ambassadors to be Lodg'd in another Village about a quarter of a League from the place where the King had his Tents The Inhabitants of those Villages are Armenians and they are called Desach and Werende from the Countrey where they liv'd before near Iruan whence they were heretofore translated by Schach-Abas to the end that living near Ispahan they might be employ'd about the Vines When they understood we were Christians they entertain'd us much more kindly and made us several Presents of Fruits and Wine Scferas-beg and some other Lords gave the Ambassadors a Visit to be merry and participate of a Collaiâ—â—on with them They brought along with them two of those fallow Deer which the Pesians call Ahu's and some Herns which we sent to Ispahan The King coming to hear that the Mchemandar had Lodg'd us in another Village was very much displeas'd at it and commanded that we should be brought the same night to be Quarter'd in the next house to that where he was Lodg'd himself which was accordingly done and our Supper was brought us out of the Kings Kitchin in Dishes of Gold The 18. betimes in the morning the King sent the Ambassadors word that he would go with very few persons about him a Crane-Hunting intreating them that they would bring along with them only their Interpreter out of this respect that the Cranes might not be frightned by the great number of people and that the pleasure of the Hunting might not be disturb'd by too much noise The Ambassadors took only Father Ioseph along with them but the sport was no sooner begun with the day ere they sent for all the Retinue They had made a great secret way under-ground at the end whereof there was a field about which they had scatter'd some Wheat The Cranes came thither in great numbers and there were above fourscore taken The King took some of their feathers to put into his Mendil or Turbant and gave two to each of the Ambassadors who put them into their Hats That done they rode up and down the fields and spent the time in Hawking till that drawing towards noon the King went to take his repast in the same house where he had Dined the day before and was in a very good humour They had sent for his Musick thither At night he sent to entreat the Ambassadors to come only with six persons along with them to the hunting of the Drake and Wild-Goose at a place half a League from the Village They all alighted within two hundred paces of the place where they expected the sport and went into a great Hut built of Earth near which they had hidden the Nets upon the side of a small Brook where there is abundance of fresh-water Fowl The King caus'd us to sit down all about the walls of the Hut and oblig'd us to help him off with some Bottles of excellent Wine which was all the Divertisement we had that day For not so much as one Bird appearing we return'd to our quarters where the King sent us cold Mutton boyl'd and roasted sowr Sheeps milk which they account a great delicacy Cheese and several Vessels full of Citrons and other Fruits raw and preserv'd The next day was our greatest day for sport the King having ordered to be brought to the field a great nâ—mber of Hawks and three Leopards taught to hunt but very few Dogs Having spent some time in beating the bushes up and down and found nothing the King carried us into a great Park which was above two Leagues about The Persians call it Hazartzirib that is a place where a thousand bushels of Wheat may be sown It was compass'd with a very high Wall and divided into three Partitions In the first were kept Harts Wild-Goats Deer Hares and Foxes In the second were kept that kind of Deer which they call Ahu's and in the third Wild Asses which they call Kouhrhan The King first commanded the Leopards to be let in among the Ahu's and they took each of them one Thence we went to the wild Asses and the King seeing one of them at a stand spoke to the Ambassador Brugman to fire his Pistol at it and perceiving that he miss'd it he took an Arrow and though he Rid in full speed shot it directly into the breast of the Beast Another he took just in the Fore-head and afterwards he wounded others in several places He never fail'd though he alwayes shot Riding in full speed He was as well skill'd at his Sword as at his Bow for perceiving one of the wild Asses could hardly go he alights and going directly to the Beast gave it a blow with his Sword over the Back with which single blow he cleft it down to the Belly He struck another with his Cymitar over the Neck with so much strength and slight that there wanted not an inch of his having cut it clear off One of the Chans took the King's Sword wip'd it clean and put it into the Scabbard Then we all went to another small Partition that was in the middle of the Park At the entrance of this enclosed place the King commanded one of the two Huntsmen who carried his Fowling-piece after him to shoot at a wild Ass which had before been wounded with an Arrow The antienter man of the two thinking it a disparagement to him that the command was directed to the younger would needs prevent him shot at the Beast and miss'd The company laugh'd at him which put him into such madness that suffering the King to go on he returns to his Camerade drew his Sword upon him and cut off the Thumb of his right hand The wounded party makes his complaints to the King who immediately commanded the others head to be brought him but upon the Mediation of several of the Grandees his punishment was changed and he had only his Ears cut off The Executioner I know not upon what inducement cut off but some part of the Ear which the Grand-Master Mortusaculi-Chan perceiving and thinking the man had foul play done him to have ought of his Ears left
of Eunuchs When they are come into the field they get on Horse-back carry Hawks on their fists and use their Bows and Arrows as well as the men Only the King and the Eunuchs stay among the Women all the rest of the men are about half a League from them and when the sport is begun no man is to come within two Leagues of them unless the King send for him by an Eunuch The Lords of the Court in the mean time hunt some other way The King return'd from this Hunting Nov. 26. so Drunk as were also most of his Lords that they could hardly sit their horses They made a halt at the said house called Tzarbach and had engag'd themselves into that Debauch upon a great Bridge which is at the entrance of the Park where the great Lords had danc'd in his Presence and found him such excellent sport that those who did best had great Presents bestow'd on them It was observ'd to be his particular Humour that he was very liberal in his Debauches and many times gave away so much that the next day he repented him of it Some eight days after this great Hunting-match we had an example of his Liberality in that kind For one day being desirous to drink in the after-noon and most of the company having left him there being with him only the Eahtemad dowlet and some Eunuchs he caus'd a great Cup to be fill'd which he ordered to be presented to the Chancellor with a command that he should drink his health The Chancellor who was not given to those Excesses would have excus'd himself but the King drew out his Sword set it by the Cup and bid him take his choice either Drink or Dye The Chancellor finding he had the Woolf by the Ears and not knowing how to avoid drinking takes the Cup in his hand and was going to drink but perceiving the King a little turn'd about he rises and gets away The King was extremely incens'd thereat and sent for him but upon answer brought that he was not to be found he gave the Cup to an Achta or Eunuch He would also have excus'd himself pretending he had not Drunk any Wine for a good while before and that if he took off that Cup it would infallibly be the Death of him but the King was not satisfy'd with those excuses and taking up his Sword would have kill'd him if a Mehater or Gentleman belonging to his Chamber had not prevented him yet did he not do it so clearly but that he himself was hurt in the Leg and the Eunuch in the hand The King who would have his will finding all had left him address'd himself to one of his Pages theâ—â— on of Alymerdan-Chan Governour of Candahar who was a very handsom young Lad and ask'd him whether he had the courage to venture at the drinking off of that Cup. The young Lad made answer that he knew not what he might be able to do and that he would do his endeavour whereupon kneeling down before the King he took several draughts of it At last thinking it too great a task to go through and finding himself animated by the Wine and the King 's obliging expressions who still egg'd him on to Drink he rises cast his arms about the King's neck kisses him and says Patscha humse alla taala menum itzund ' Ischock jasch wersun that is I pray God grant the King a long and happy Life and the Prince was so much taken with the action that he sent to the Treasury for a Sword whereof the Handle Scabard and Belt were beset with precious stones and presented him with it and bestow'd on another Page who had help'd off with some of the Wine another very rich Sword and a great Golden Cup. But the next day he was so cast down and so Melancholy that Riding abroad into the Country he was not able to hold his Bridle They put him into a better humour by getting from the Pages the best Sword and the Golden cup giving them some Tumains in ready Money The 19. of November the Eahtemad Dowlet or Chancellor made a great Feast for the Ambassadors in a most fair Hall which as soon as a man came to the entrance of it wonderfully charm'd the Eye For in the midst of the Vestibulum there was a great Fountain out of which came several spouts of water The Hall it self had on the upper part of it towards the Roof several Pourtractures of Women cloath'd in several Modes all done after some Europaean Copies and under them the Walls were set all about with Looking-Glasses to the number of above two hundred of all sizes So that when a manstood in the midst of the Hall he might see himself of all sides We were told that in the King's Palace in the appartment of his Wives there is also a Hall done all about with Looking-Glasses but far greater and much fairer than this The entertainment which the Chancellor made us was very Magnificent all the meat being serv'd in silver Dishes We had the Divertisement of the King's Musick and Dancing-women all the time we were at Dinner during which they behav'd not themselves with the same respect and reserv'dness as they had done in the King's presence when we din'd at Court but shew'd tricks much beyond any thing they had done before one whereof I observ'd which I think almost Miraculous One of these Women having plac'd in the midst of the Hall a Vessel of Porcelane two foot high and taken several turns about it took it up between her Leggs with such slight that not any one of us perceiv'd it and kept on the Dance with the same ease and with the same slight return'd it to the same place not making one wrong step all the time These Women are calllled Kachbeha's and they are employ'd not only in this Divertisement but it any other that may be expected from Women Those who entertain their Friends what quality soever they be of will not have them want any Diversion they can desire and the Persians who are great Lovers of Women will not omit at their treatments that sport which they most delight in Whence it comes that there is no great Feast made in Persia at which these Dancing-women are not brought in as a necessary part of it The Master of the Entertainment proffers them to his Guests and he who hath a mind to any one of them rises from the Table goes into a private room with her whom he most fancies and having done his work comes to his place again and the Woman goes to the Dance without any shame on the one side or notice taken of it on the other Those who make some difficulty to venture themselves with such common Ware refuse the Master's kindness with a Complement and thank him for the honour he does them There is but one City in all Persia to wit that of Ardebil where this custom is not suffered which
is done upon the accompt of the Sanctity of the place which is so great that Schach-Abas thought himself oblig'd to banish thence all the publick VVomen Dinner being ended the Musick and the Dancers withdrew and the Ambassadors with the Chancellor made some Progress in their Negotiation and in the mean time we were carried a walking into the Garden where they treated us with Fruit and Conserves As to this Eahtemad dowlet his name was Tagge and he was about sixty years of age having one eye black the other blew a full face but yellowish or inclining to an Olive and very high colour'd whence it came that he was ordinarily called Saru Tagge He wore no beard as being an Eunuch and upon that occasion we shall here give a short account of him and his fortunes which we think may deserve insertion in this place though there are various relations thereof Some affirm that Saru Tagge being yet very young and his employment being to Copy out Writings in the City of Keintze he fell in love with a young Boy and not prevailing with him to consent to his brutality he forc'd him The Boy 's Father made his complaints to Schach-Abas then King of Persia who commanded that Saru Tagge should have his Syk so they call the privy parts with all its dependences cut off Others relate that Schach-Ahas condemn'd him to die and that Tagge coming to hear of it cut off himself those parts with a Rasour sent them to the King with this request that having himself punish'd the Members which had offended his Majesty would be pleas'd to let his head alone which had done no more harm and might one time or other be serviceable to him and that the King astonish'd at the strange resolution of the man conceiv'd an affection for him and finding him an understanding person made him Secretary in his Court of Chancery Schach-Sesi having with his own hands kill'd Taleb-Chan this man's Predecessor sent Tagge the Golden Ink-horn which is the Badge of the Dignity of Chancellor The 21. following the Chancellor invited the Ambassadors to a second entertainment by express order from the King that they might make some further progress in their Affairs They had a very long conference together after which we were treated at dinner but not with the same Magnificence as the time before The 29. the two Brothers Seferas and Elias-beg came to visit the Ambassadors who would needs have them stay Dinner Elias-beg endeavour'd all he could to be merry himself and to make others so but we easily found it was done with some violence and that his heart answer'd not his outward demeanour The reason of it we understood from his elder brother who told us that the King had a great kindness for them and did them very great favours but that it was a dangerous thing to jeast with him and that he had a very sad assurance of it in his brother who being much respected at the Courr for the freedom of his humour and his divertive conversation the King told him one day that he wanted not any thing save that he was not of the Mussulman's Religion and that he could not do him a greater pleasure than to suffer Circumcision Whereto Elias-beg reply'd smiling that that might happen one time or other intreating his Majesty not to speak any further of serious affairs but to prosecute his Divertisements There was no more said to him of it for a good while but upon occasion of the Clock-makers constancy the king sent him word that he should remember the promise he had made to be Circumcis'd He would have excus'd himself pretending what he had spoken was in jeast but those whom the king had sent to him would not be shuffled off with that answer took him and Circumcis'd him by force Elias-beg confirm'd what his elder brother had told us but with this protestation that he was nevertheless a Christian in his Soul and that he would die in the profession he had ever made of that Religion December the second Abasculi Beg our Mehemandar came and brought us the Presents from the king to wit to each of the Ambassadors a Horse with the Saddles cover'd all over with plates of Gold and the Bridles having great buckles of the same Metal Two Garments according to the Persian wearing together with the Mendils and Mianbends that is the Turbant and Girdle of Gold Brocado according to the mode of the Countrey Moreover to be divided between them both two hundred and five pieces of fifteen sorts of silk stuffs Satin Damask Darai Taffata Cotton c. and two hundred Tumains in money which amont to just three thousand three hundred and seventy Piastres or a thousand French Pistols towards the expences of their travel in their return The five principal persons of the Retinue had each of them a Satin Vestment and another of Taffata with Flowers of Gold and Silk The other Gentlemen had each of them one of Taby with Flowers of Gold but the rest of the Retinue had not any thing sent them The Ambassador Brugman seiz'd the money bestow'd some of it among those of our Company who stood in need thereof to buy things necessary for their journey and distributed the rest among some of his Armenian friends The next day Decemb. 3. the King sent to invite the Ambassadors to Dine with him once more which was to be the last Treatment we were to have at Court The Mahemandar told them it was the custom that they should have upon their own cloaths the best of those Garments which the King had sent them The Ambassadors at first made some difficulty to have that complyance but when they were told it was a custom observ'd by all Ambassadors and that no doubt the King would take it very ill at their hands if they presented themselves before him without the marks of his Liberality they at last resolv'd to do it and after their example all the rest of the Retinue We Dined in the Hall of the Divan Chane and all things were performed with the same Ceremonies as at the first time Only this happened more than ordinary that while the fruits were yet upon the Table the Chancellor ordered to pass before the King the Present which he is wont to make every year once and sometimes twice for reasons whereof we shall give some account hereafter This Present consisted in twelve excellent Horses very richly cover'd forty nine Camels loaden with Turkie Tapistry and other fine stuffs of Wool fifteen Mules a thousand Tumains or fifty thousand Livers in money forty pieces of Gold and Silver Brocado and several other stuffs and Commodities whereof there was such abundance that it took up an hour and a half ere all were pass'd by to be dispos'd into the Treasury in as much as for every Tumain there was a several person who carried it in his hand in a silken Purse of several colours
to make use of it With their soft beds they also cover them with a Hair-cloath lined with a kind of soft coarse cloath They also fasten them by the hinder feet to a stake that in case they should break or slip their Haltars they may not get away or hurt the other horses All the manage they bestow on them consists only in accustoming them to start away as Lightning at the beginning of a Race and they call those Horses which exceed in swiftness Bad-pay that is Windy-heel'd If their Horses be White or Grey they colour the Main and the Tail and sometimes also the Leggs with Red or Orenge wherein the Polanders and Tartars are wont to imitate them They do not in any thing make so great ostentation of their expence as in what is employ'd about the harness of their Horses which they sometimes cover with Plates of Gold or Silver and adorn the Reins Saddles and covering-Cloaths with Goldsmiths Work and Embroidery Yet is not this custom of so late a beginning but that there may somewhat of this kind be observ'd out of the most antient Authors of the Greek History They have also a great number of Mules which for the most part are used only for Riding The King himself and the Chans ordinarily Ride upon these and they stood us in good steed when all other kind of Riding had been very troublesome to us in our sickness They yield as good a rate as Horses so that a Mule though none of the best nor very handsome is sold at least for a hundred Crowns I was told there were some white ones but they are very rare and highly Valu'd and I must confess I never saw any Asses are very common all over the East but in Persia more than any where and especially at Ispahan where there is an infinite number of them in regard they allow not Carting within the City Those who drive them have at the end of their Whip a great Bodkin fasten'd with a chain wherewith they make a noise and are perpetually pricking of this Creature which seems to be more cold and heavy in this Country than any where else The heats are so great in Persia and the weather so constantly fair and clear in the Summer that it is not to be much wondred they should have such good and excellent Fruits As for those which are spent in the Kitchin they are there in greater abundance but incomparably better and more savoury than in Europe Among others the Onions are so big in the Province of Tarum near Chalcal that one of them will weigh three pound The Cabbages are there curled very tender and of an excellent rast Their most precious Fruits are Melons and as their care in the ordering of them is extraordinary so they have every year great quantities of them They sow them all only in good mold yet are there not any but what are very excellent There are two sorts of them to wit those which they call Kermek from the work Kerm which signifies hot in regard they are eaten in Summer and they come betimes and are fully ripe in Iune These are as yellow as Gold and the sweetest of any The other sort they call Charbusei pasi and they come not to perfect maturity till Autumn These are very big and weigh thirty forty or fifty pound weight They are kept not only all the Winter but even till there are new ones to be had and this is done with such industry that to distinguish them from the new ones a man must put his finger to them and see whether the Rind gives way and by this means they are never without Melons They have a way also to keep Grapes by wrapping them up in green Reeds and hanging them up to the roof of their Chambers There is yet a third sort of Melons which they call Scammame and are no bigger than Orenges but these are wrought or embroider'd having amidst the embroidery red yellow and green spots They are not very good to eat but the scent is very pleasant and for that reason the Persians carry them in their hands There is yet another sort of water-Melons which they call Hinduane in regard the first of them were brought out of the Indies as we said elsewhere iâ— the description of the City of Astrachan where we had some occasion to speak of this kind of Fruit. It is very big and yet the stalks of it are so small that the Persian Poets use them in their Inventions to make a comparison between them and the Wall-nut Tree which being a great and lofty Tree yet brings forth but a Small Fruit to shew that many times a person of Mean Birth may do very noble actions and that on the contrary a Great Prince may do things that are poor and unsuitable to his extraction They have also several sorts of Citrulls or Citrul-Cowcumbers and among the rest one which they call Kabach and may be found among the Herbarists under the name of Cucurbita Lagenaria They are about â—he bigness of a man's Head and sometimes bigger and have a long Neck They are eaten green and before they are come to their full Maturity for when they are ripe the Rind dries and grows as hard as the Bark of a Tree or boyled Leather and the meat within is so consum'd that there being nothing left but the Seed the Persians use them instead of Flaggons and make Drinking Cups of them They have yet another kind of fruit not known in Europe which they call Padintzan They are like little Melons or rather Cowcumbers The fruit is green save that at the end towards the stalk it is somewhat of a Violet Colour The Seed is round and long and of a pretty bigness This is not eaten raw because it is a little bitter but being boyl'd or fry'd in Butter it is a delicate Dish The Climate of Persia is excellently good for the Vine There is no Province in the whole Kingdome which doth not bring forth excellent Grapes but in regard the Mahumetan Law forbids them the use of Wine they accordingly neglect the cultivation of the Vine They say that the Prohibition made in the Alchoran against their drinking of Wine is grounded on a reason which they think very good and seems to us pleasant enough to deserve a small Digression in this Relation They say then that God desirous to comfort Mankind especially the poor for the injuries and affronts which Great Lords and Wealthy Men are apt to do those who have any dependence on them sent into the World two Angels named Haroth and Maroth and forbad them particularly three things to put any person to Death to do any wrong and to drink Wine Now it happened that a young and very handsome Woman liv'd in some discontent with her Husband would needs have these Angels to undertake the arbitration of the difference that was between them and to gain
his commands This extremity forc'd them to follow the King into his Favourite's Chamber into which he got ere Murschidculi-Chan was awake so that the King having found him lying on his back with his mouth open gave him the first blow over-thwart the mouth The rest gave him each of them a stab but Murschidculi-Chan being a very stout man had the courage to get off his bed and put himself into such a posture as should have given them more fear than he had receiv'd hurt from them and no doubt he had dispatch'd some of his murtherers had it not been for one of his Grooms who coming in at the noise with a batle-axe in his hand the King said to him I would have the life of Murschidculi-Chan who is become my Enemy Go dispatch him and I will make thee a Chan. The Groom did his work as the king commanded went streight to his Master and dispatch'd him The next day the king put to death all the relations and friends of Murschidculi-Chan that so he might be absolutely eas'd of all the disturbances which their discontents might have given him and conferr'd on the Groom the Dignity of Chan with the Government of Herat. This Execution happened in the year 1585. which was the first of the reign of Schach Abas The first actions of Schach-Abas made a sufficient discovery of his abililities in order to Government and that there was no necessity of his being any longer under the Eye and Conduct of another All his thoughts were bent upon recovering the great Provinces which the Turks and Tartars had usurp'd from the Crown of Persia and he made an absolute resolution to declare a War against both those Nations upon that score Being one day at Caswin he took a walk out of the Citie and ask'd the Lords who follow'd him whether there could be a nobler Countrey than that where they then were There were some took the freedom to tell him that it was iudeed an excellent good Countrey yet was it not to be compar'd with the Province of Fars much less with that of Chorasan especially that part of the said Province which the Vsbeques had taken from Persia in the time of his Father's reign Upon this discourse he immediately resolv'd upon a War against the Tartars and having rais'd a powerfull Army he entred Chorasan Abdulla Prince of the Vsbeques met him and at first with some advantage over him in regard the Plague which was got into Abas's Army and the unseasonable weather kept it from being in action The two Armies were neer six moneths in sight one of the other but at last Schach Abas set upon Abdulla and forc'd him to retreat to Mesched Schach Abas continu'd three years in Chorasan Abdulla being not in a condition to disturb him in his new Conquest and when he attempted it he was so unfortunate that his Army was not onely defeated but also he himself with Tilem-Chan his Brother and his three Sons who were in the Army fell into the hands of Schach-Abas who order'd them all to have their heads cut off Afterwards Schach-Abas went to Ispahan and found it so excellently well situated and the Countrey about it so pleasant that he resolv'd to make it the Metropolis of the Kingdom beautifying it to that end with many Magnificent Structures and among others the Allacapi or Sanctuary and the Sumptuous Mosquey Mehedi of which we have given an accompt already In which Magnificence the Lords of the Court were desirous to imitate him by building many rich and noble Palaces After these victories he march'd against the Turks and having understood by his Spies that the Garrison of Tabris thought of nothing less than a War he got together with as little noise as might be a little Army with which he went in less than six dayes from Ispahan to Tabris though it be ordinarily eighteen dayes journey for the Camels Being come to the passage of Scibli within four leagues of Tabris where the Turks kept a party rather to receive the customs upon Commodities than to hinder the entrance of the Persians he with some Officers left the Army and advanc'd as far as the Turn-Pike The Turks imagining they were Merchants the Secretary of the Custom-house address'd himself to Schach-Abas and ask'd him for the duties Schach-Abas told him that he who carried the Purse was coming behind and having caus'd Dsulfakar-Chan to come up to him he bid him give the other some money but while the Secretary was telling it he order'd one to dispatch him made the Soldiers who kept the Post to submit and pass'd over his Army Aly Bascha Governour of Tabris having intelligence hereof got some Troops together at lest as many as the distraction of his affairs would permit him to do and went to meet Abas but there being a great inequality between the Forces on both sides he was overcome and fell into the hands of the Persians In the midst of the Citie there was a Citadel built by Hassan Padschach otherwise called Vssum Cassan which the Turks kept a moneth after but at last it was taken by intelligence and afterwards demolish'd Thence he went to Nachtzuan but the Turkish Garrison quitted the place upon the first news they receiv'd of the Persian Army's coming towards it and retreated to Iruan Schach-Abas ordered also the demolishing of the Citadel of Nachtzuan called Kischikalaban and went and lay before Iruan which he took after a siege of nine moneths This Conquest facilitated his reduction of all the other Cities and Neighbouring Provinces all which were reduc'd save onely the Fortress of Orumi the strong and advantageous situation whereof being on the point of a Rock putting him out of all hope of taking it by storm He besieg'd it eight moneths together but finding that the Kurdes did him more mischief than the Turks themselves though they were a free people and had no dependence on the Grand Seignor he gain'd the affections of the chiefest among them by Presents and Promises putting them in hope of all advantages on his side if they would help him to take in that place and promis'd them all the booty they should find there The Kurdes who live onely by Rapine were willing to serve him upon those terms But Schach-Abas having receiv'd that service from them and taken the Fort by their means sent to invite the chiefest among them to come and Dine with him He had his Tent made with so many turnings and windings and had those so done over with Cloaths that they who came in saw not such as were but six places before them He had planted two Executioners in the way who dispatch'd his Guests as they came into the Tent and this course he took with them out of an apprehension they might do the Turks the same services he had receiv'd from them He made Kahan Chan Governour of Orumi and the neighbouring Province and marching still on he became Master of all between the Rivers of Cyrus
reign of Schach-Abas began to grow so odious and insupportable to the Grandees of the kingdom that some had the confidence to cast a Note into Myrsa's Chamber whereby they discover'd to him that if he would not stand in his own way he might immediately succeed the king his Father and that if he would consent to the Execution of the Design they were engag'd in to that end they would soon show him how the business was to be effected Sefi conceiv'd a horrour at the Proposition whereby he was to be a complice in his Father's death and thereupon carried the Note to the king accompanying his free and innocent proceeding with so many protestations of the sincerity of his intentions and an absolute dependence on his Father's will as might well satisfie any other mind less distrustfull than that of Schach-Abas He could not forbear expressing outwardly that he was very well satisfy'd with his Son and commended his affection and piety but he afterwards fell into such frights as depriv'd him of all rest and oblig'd him to change his Lodging twice or thrice in a night with such disturbances as he conceiv'd he could not be deliver'd of otherwise than by the death of his Son According to these apprehensions being one day at Rescht in the Province of Kilan with the whole Court about him a Flatterer so heighten'd the distractions of his mind by the false Alarm he gave him of a new Conspiracy of Myrsa's with several of the great Lords of the kingdom against him that he resolv'd he should dye He thought at first to employ in that Commission Kartzschuckai-Chan General of the Army or Constable of Persia and would have oblig'd him to kill his Son with his own hands This Lord was Originally descended from an Armenian Family born by Father and Mother-side of Christians and had been stollen away in his youth by the Tartars who had Circumcis'd and sold him to Schach-Abas The freedom and sincerity of his disposition and demeanour had gain'd him the friendship of the whole Court and his courage had so well setled him in the king's favour that having by his means had several great victories over his Enemies he had conferr'd on him the Command of his Army and look'd upon him with such respect that he never call'd him by any other name than that of Aga that is the Captain The king would needs put him upon this important service as considering him to be the person who of any in his kingdom was the most oblig'd to him for his Fortune But the grave old Man having laid down his Sword at the kings feet and cast himself by it told him that he was so infinitely oblig'd to his Majesty that he would rather lose a thousand lives than that he should be ever reproach'd to have imbru'd his hands in the blood of any of the royal Progeny so far was it against his Soul to commit a Crime of that nature and by putting to death the Heir of the Crown execute a command which the king could not impose upon him without regret and which were no sooner put in Execution but he would repent him of it Schach-Abas was satisfy'd with this excuse from him and made the same Proposition to a Gentleman named Bebut-Beg whom he found not so scrupulous as Kartzschuckai-Chan This man having undertaken that Commission went immediately to Sefi Myrsa and having met him coming out of a Bath riding on a Mule and accompany'd only by a single Page layes hold on the Bridle stayes the Mule and sayes Alight Sefi Myrsa it is the pleasure of the king thy Father that thou should'st die and thereupon throws him down The unfortunate Prince joyning his hands together and lifting up his eyes to Heaven cries out O my God! what have I done to deserve this disgrace Cursed be the Traytor who is the occasion thereof But since it is the pleasure of God thus to dispose of me Gods will and the King 's be done He had hardly the time to speak out those words ere Bebut gave him two stabs with a Chentze which is a kind of Ponyard ordinarily worn by the Persians in their Girdles wherewith he laid him dead upon the place The body was dragg'd into a Fen not far thence where it continu'd above four hours In the mean time the news of this Murther being brought into the City the people ran in multitudes to the Palace threatned to force the Gates and would have the Authors thereof deliver'd up to them in so much that the Chans who were afraid that in the fury of their first insurrection the people would wreak their malice indifferently on all they met forsook the king and got away The Queen Myrsa's Mother understanding that her Son had been kill'd by the king's express order was so overcome with grief that not minding the humour of the Prince she had then to do withall who could not endure the lest opposition she ran into the king's Apartment and not thinking it enough to reproach him with his inhumanity and the barbarous death of an innocent Prince and one whom he had tenderly lov'd she flew in his face and beat him with her first But the king instead of being angry with her was at an absolute loss and at last made her answer with tears in his eyes What would you have had me to do News was brought me that he had a design upon my life There is now no remedy what 's done cannot be recall'd On the other side Schach-Abas had no sooner heard of this execution but it repented him of having commanded it and express'd no small regret that he had proceeded with so much precipitation in a business of that importance He thought it not enough to acknowledge it done by his order but would needs continue ten dayes shut up in a place where he would not see the light of the Sun as having all that time a Handkercher over his eyes He liv'd a whole moneth and eat no more than what was purely necessary to keep him from starving He went in mourning a whole year and all his life after he wore not any thing about him that might as to matter of Cloaths distinguish him from the meanest of his Subjects And in some fort to eternize the memory of the Prince he caus'd the place where he was kill'd to be encompass'd with a high Wall made a Sanctuary of it and allow'd it a certain Revenue for the entertainment of a great number of poor people The first ten dayes of his greatest mourning being over he went from Râ—scht to Caswin where he would needs entertain the Chans whom he any way suspected and the Flatterer who had made him jealous of the Prince at a Dinner but he caus'd poyson to be mixt in their Wine and kept them so long at Table till he saw them all dead in the place The action of Bebut-beg was indeed recompens'd with the charge of Daruga of Caswin and some time after with
but consisting of choice men and he follow'd him in person with the whole Army He himself got into the Citie and sent Kartzschugai-Chan to meet the Turk whom he wearied out with perpetual skirmishes for six moneths together At last he gave him battel disorder'd and defeated him forcing him to fly as far as Netzed Upon the first news of the Victory Schach-Abas left the Citie to go and meet Kartzschugai-Chan and being come neer him alighted and said to him My dearest Aga I have by thy means and conduct obtain'd so noble a Victory that I would not have desir'd a greater of God come get up on my Horse 't is fit I should be thy Lackey Kartzschugai was so surpriz'd at this discourse that he cast himself at his feet intreated his Majesty to look on him as his slave and not to expose him to the derision of all the World by doing him an honour so extraordinary as that it was impossible he could any way deserve it But notwithstanding all his intreaties he was forc'd to get up the King and the Chans following on foot onely seven paces Schach-Abas had many other Wars against the Turks but the most signal Victory he ever got over his Enemies was at the reduction of the Citie of Ormus which he recover'd from the Portuguez six years before his death Of that an account shall be given in the subsequent Travels of Mandelslo About the end of the year 1629. he took a journey to Ferabath in the Province of Mesanderan which was the place he most delighted in of any in his Kingdom but he there fell so ill that perceiving he should not escape he sent for four Lords of the chiefest of his Councel to wit Isa-Chan Kurtzibaschi Seiul-Chan Tuschmal or Councellor of State Temerbey Ouwogly or Lord High-Steward and Iusuf Aga chief Gentleman of his Chamber who being come to his Bed-side he told them That firmly believing the sickness he was then in would be his last it was his pleasure that his Grand-Child Sain Myrsa should succeed him and assume his Father's name obliging them all solemnly to promise him that after his death they would religiously execute his Last Will. The Astrologers had told Schach-Abas that Sain should reign but eight moneths at most but when these Lords would have spoke to him of that Prediction the King made answer Let him reign as long as he can though it were but three dayes it will be some satisfaction to me to be assur'd that he shall one day have on his head the Crown which was due to the Prince his Father 'T was conceiv'd he had had some poyson given him upon which presumption the Hakim Iusuf his Physician order'd him hot bathing for eight dayes together and for four dayes afterward another kind of Bath of Cows milk but all these remedies being either ineffectual or too weak he seriously prepar'd himself for death even to the appointing of the place where he would be interr'd But that the people might not certainly know it he commanded the Ceremonies of his Funeral should be Celebrated in three several places at the same time to wit at Ardebil Mesched and Babylon but the more general report is that the body was carried to Babylon and thence to the Netzef of Kufa neer the Sepulchre of Aly upon this accompt that Schach-Abas going to Kufa soon after the reduction of Babylon and looking on the Netzef said he had never seen a more delightfull place and that he should wish to be there interr'd after his death What ere became of his body certain it is that he dy'd in the year 1629. having liv'd 63. years and reign'd 45. He discover'd the strength of his memory and understanding in the order he took at his death that it might be kept secret till his Grand-Child were assur'd of the Succession commanding that they should expose his body every day in the same Hall where he was wont to administer Justice set in a Chair of State with his eyes open his back turn'd to the Hangings behind which stood Iusuf Aga who ever and anon made him lift up his Arm by means of a silk string and answer'd those things which were proposed by Temir-beg on the behalf of such as were at the other end of the Hall and who were thereby perswaded that Schach-Abas was still alive This was so well personated that his death was conceal'd for the space of six weeks While Temir-beg and Iusuf Aga expos'd at Ferabath the Carkase of Schach-Abas as we said before Seinel-Chan made all the haste he could to Ispahan whither he brought the news of the King's death to the Daruga Chofrou Myrsa and having consulted with him about the means they should use to advance Sain Myrsa to the Throne they went together to the Appartment of the Princess his Mother which is called Taberick-kale and intreated her to put the young Prince into their hands The Mother who still had before her eyes the violent death of her Husband believing it was some fiction and that they had order from Schach-Abas to Murther the Prince lock'd her self up in her Chamber and made all passages so fast that these two Lords being out of all hopes to perswade her and being afraid to let slip the opportunity of executing the deceas'd Kings last Will after they had lain three dayes at the Princesse's Chamber door sent her word that if she would not open they should be forc'd to break it Upon this message she at last opened the door and presented to them the Prince her Son but conceiving it was in order to his present execution with these words Go child to the same place where thy Father is here are the murtherers ready to dispatch thee But when she saw those Lords prostrate themselves and kissing the Prince's feet her fright was turn'd into perfect joy The Lords conducted the Prince to the Palace-Royal where they set him in the Divan-Chane upon a Table of stone on which were as many Carpets which they call Kalitse Ahdalet or Carpets of Justice as there had been Kings of Persia of his Family in as much as every King at his first coming to the Crown causes one to be made for him and having sent for all the Chans and Lords who were about Ispahan they Crown'd him kiss'd his feet and wishing him a long and happy Reign setled him in the Throne of his Ancestors Immediately after the Ceremonies of his Coronation he took the name of Sefi according to the desire of Schach-Abas and bestow'd on the Chosrou Myrsa the Dignity of Chan with the name of Rustam as desirous by that means to revive in his person the memory of the great Heroe so highly Celebrated in their Histories and Romances It is reported that Schach-Sefi came into the World with his hands all bloody and that Schach-Abas his Grand-Father hearing of it said that that Prince should often bath his hands in blood Accordingly till the time of our
heard The next morning the Princess sent for Seinel-Chan to her Tent door to hear from him all the circumstances of that Conspiracy but as soon as the king heard that Seinel-Chan had spoken to his Mother he was so incens'd thereat that he went and kill'd him with his own hands in the presence of the Princess This certainly was one of the greatest persons in the kingdom who ought his fortune to his conduct and the trust wherewith he had serv'd Schach-Abas in several affairs of great importance whereof we shall here allege only one example Schach-Abas being to send a solemn Embassy to Lahor to the Great Mogul about the differences there were between them for the Frontiers of Candahar would needs employ in it Seinel Chan as being the person whom of all his Ministers he repos'd greatest confidence in and as he took leave of him in order to his departure he said to him For this employment I have made choice of thee Seinel out of the assurance I have of thy fidelity whereof I expect the utmost demonstration in this Embassy For as this shirt sticks close to my back so would I have thee to be so tenderly concern'd in my interests that thou do no thing in this charge that may be prejudicial either to my reputation or my service Seinel-Chan promis'd him his utmost care and was as good as his word For being come to the Moguls Court he refus'd doing him reverence according to the custom of the Countrey by putting both hands first to the ground and afterwards upon his head but he entred the Room with a grave and setled gate and only saluted the king with his Salomalek The Indian Prince was so troubled at it that he sent to intreat him to demean himself otherwise and to render him the same respects as the Ambassadors of Persia were wont to approach him withall Nay he would have prevail'd with him to do it by the proffers he caus'd to be made him of several considerable Presents but perceiving that nothing would work with him he bethougth him to make opposite to his Throne a Door so low that Seinel-Chan could not come in at without stooping and consequently not avoid doing him reverence But Seinel-Chan found means to elude that Artifice and entred the king's Chamber backwards so that the first part that came within the Door was his britch This irreverence put the Mogul out of all patience so that he not only forbore making him those Presents which are ordinarily made Ambassadors and in those parts are of no small value but also forbad his people to supply him with the ordinary Provisions which reduc'd him to such extremities that he was forc'd to sell his Plate and what ever there was of Gold or Silver about the Saddles and Trappings of his Horses to subsist The Mogul made his complaints to Schach-Abas of this demeanour of Seinel Chan and the king pretended to be troubled at the little respect he had rendred the Mogul but he made it appear on the contrary that he was well satisfy'd with his behaviour towards that Industhan Prince For not long after he honour'd him with the Title of Chan and bestow'd on him the Government of Hemedan Terkisin Kulpcjan c. to be enjoy'd by him during his life but upon condition he should be alwayes about the Court as having one of the chiefest places in the Councel Seinel-Chan being thus kill'd the Princess Schach-Sefi's Mother who conceiv'd a horrour thereat represented to him how much he was to blame for treating in that manner one of his Grand-Father's most antient servants one that had done himself so great services at his comming to the Crown and the king seem'd to be somewhat troubled thereat But he reflected not much on those Lectures since that not many dayes after the Chancellor the Lord high Steward nay his own Mother found not better treatment from him as may be seen in the following relation The king being during the foresaid expedition encamped in the Mountain of Sehend within a League of Tauris and the Lord High Steward named Vgurlu-Chan being one day to command the Guard about the king at which the Chans are oblig'd to be personally present when the king is in the field it was his misfortune to go and Sup with Tabub-Chan Chancellor of the kingdom who had also invited the Dawatter that is the Secretary of the Closet whose name was Hassan-beg and a certain Poet. Supper being near ended the Kischitzi-baschi that is the Captain of the Guard named Mortusaculi-Chan came to give Vgurlu-Chan notice that it was time to come to the king's Tent. But the Chancellor unwilling to dismiss his Guests sent away the Kischitzi-baschi and told him that there was no great necessity of Vgurla-Chan's being there in person and that the king being but a Child would take no notice of Vgurla's absence and so he might set the Guard well enough without him The Captain reiterated his instances for his coming away and press'd the high Steward to come and do his duty and told him that otherwise he should be oblig'd to make his complaints thereof to the king The Chancellor importun'd with this discourse commanded his people to thrust Mortusaculi-Chan out of Doors which they did but so roughly that he was hurt in the face He went all bloody as he was to the king and gave him an account of what had pass'd at the Chancellor's The king commanded him to say nothing of it but the next day the Chancellor being at Dinner with the king and sitting in his ordinary place the king having commanded him to come near said to him What does he deserve who eating the bread and living by the pure favour of his Master is so far from paying the respect due to him that he slights him The Chancellor made him answer he deserves death Whereto the king reply'd Thou hast pronounced thy own sentence Thou art the person who living only by my favour and eating at my Table hast had the insolence to treat me as a Child in the discourse that pass'd yesterday between thee and Mortusaculi-Chan The Chancellor would have justify'd himself but the king not giving him the time to do it run him into the belly with his Cymitar The Chancellor as he fell down only cry'd out Ha Padschach-Aimahn and the king commanded his Rika who are a part of his Guard who carry Pole-Axes and many times do the work of Executioners to cut his head into little bits There happened to be one of the Pages who conceiving a horror at that cruelty turn'd aside and would not look on it which the king observing laid to him since thy sight is so tender it will be of no great use to thee and commanded his eyes to be immediately put out The Execution of Tabub-Chan was soon follow'd by that of Vgurlu-Chan who receiv'd his by the king's command from the hands of Aliculi-Chan Divanbeg or President of the Counsel who was sent to
bring him his head Vgurlu was coming out of the Bath and going to put on his Cloaths when Aliculi-Chan came to him Vgurlu seeing him coming in attended by two servants was a little startled at it though they were very good friends and said to him Wo is me dear friend I fear thou bringst me no good news Aliculi-Chan made answer Thou art in the right my dear Brother the king hath commanded me to bring him thy head the only way is to submit whereupon he clos'd with him cut off his head made a hole in one of the cheeks thrust his finger through it and so carry'd it to the king who looking on it touch'd it with a little Wand and said It must be confess'd thou wert a stout man it troubles me to see thee in that condition but it was thine own fault `t is pitty were it only for that goodly beard of thine This he said by reason his Mustachoes were so long that coming about his neck they met again at his mouth which is accounted a great Ornament in Persia. Mortusaculi had his charge conferr'd on him Hassan-beg who had also been at the Chancellor's Feast receiv'd the same treatment and the Poet who was afterwards fasly accus'd of having put this Execution in Verse and sung them in the Maidan was conducted to that place where they cut off his Nose Ears Tongue Feet and Hands whereof he died some few dayes after Not long after this Execution the king sent for the Sons of these Lords and said to them You see I have destroy'd your Fathers what say you of it Vgurlu-Chan's Son said very resolutely what do's a Father signifie to me I have no other than the king This unnatural answer restor'd him to the Estate of the deceas'd which otherwise would have been Confiscated to the king but the Chancellor's Son was reduc'd to great misery and had not any thing allow'd him of all his Father had enjoy'd for his expressing a greater Resentment of his death than Complyance for the king The king being come to Caswin issued out his commands that all the Lords and Governours of Provinces should come to Court They all obey'd this order save only Alymerdan-Chan Governour of Candahar and Daub-Chan Governour of Kentze who thought it enough to assure the king of their fidelity by sending him each of them one of their Wives and one of their Children as Hostages but the king thought not that submission sufficient whereupon Alymerdan-Chan absolutely revolted and put his person and the Fortress of Candahar under the Protection of the king of the Indies Daub-Chan understanding by the Achta or Groom of the king's Chamber who had been sent to him how dangerous it were for him to come to Court took the advice of his friends and resolv'd to retire into Turkey To effect his design he thought good to try how his servants stood affected towards him and having found there were fifteen among them who were unwilling to follow him he caus'd them to be cut to pieces in his presence writ a very sharp Letter to the king and carried away all his Wealth along with him to Tamaras-Chan a Prince of Georgia his Brother-in-law and went thence into Turkey where he still liv'd at the time of our Embassy and was much respected by Sulthan Ibrahim Emperour of Constantinople The king to be reveng'd of both sent their Wives to the houses of publick prostitution and expos'd the Son of Daud-Chad to the brutality of the Grooms about the Court and the common Executioners of the City but Alymerdan's Son by reason of his beauty was reserv'd for the king's own use Sometime afterwards the king sent orders to Imanculi-Chan Governour of Schiras Brother to Daud-Chan to come to Court He had notice sent him of the intention the king had to put him to death but he made answer that he could not be perswaded they would treat him so ill after he had done such considerable services to the Crown but however it might happen he would rather lose his life than be out of favour with his Prince and become a Criminal by his disobedience According to this imprudent resolution he came to Caswin where the Court then was but he was no sooner come ere the king ordered his head to be taken off Schach-Sefi intended to save the lives of Imanculi's Children and no doubt had done it had it not been for the ill Office which was rendred them by a wicked Parasite who seeing the eldest Son of them at the king's feet aged about 18. years his friends it seems having advis'd him to make that submission told his Majesty that he was not the Son of Imanculi but of Schach-Abas who had bestow'd one of his Concucines in marriage on the Father being before hand with Child by him That word occasion'd the death of that young Lord and fourteen of his Brethren who being conducted to the Maidan were all beheaded near their Father's body The Mother made a shift to get away with the sixteenth into Arabia to her own Father's who was a Prince of those parts and as we were told he was living at that time and had his Habitation at Helbise three dayes journey from Besre or Balsara The bodies of these executed persons remain'd three dayes in the Maidan in the open air till that the King fearing the lamentations which the Mother of Imanculi made there day and night would have rais'd the people into an insurrection commanded them to be taken away The Persians do still bemoan the death of this Imanculi-Chan out of a remembrance of his liberality He was the Son of Alla-Werdi-Chan who upon his own charge built the Bridge of Ispahan and who was as much look'd on as any Lord in Persia for the noble actions he had done in the Wars The King's cruelty was as great towards the Ladies as his inhumanity towards the men For about that time he kill'd one with his own hands and committed several other murthers When he intended any Execution he was ordinarily clad in Skarlet or some red stuff so that all trembled when he put on any thing of that colour These unheard of cruelties frightned all that came neer him and put some upon a resolution to shorten his dayes by poyson but that which they gave him prov'd not strong enough so that he escap'd the effects of it with a sickness of two moneths As soon as he was recover'd he caus'd and exact enquiry to be made whereby it was discover'd by means of a Woman belonging to the Seraglio who had been ill-treated by her Mistress that the poyson had been prepar'd in the appartment of the Women and that his Aunt Isa-Chan's Wife had caus'd it to be given him He reveng'd himself sufficiently the night following for the Seraglio was full of dreadfull cries and lamentations and it was found the next day that he had caus'd a great Pit to be made in the Garden wherein he had buried forty Women alive whereof some
ruin'd houses where we had many things stollen from us We continu'd there all the 4th and the Mehemander to show he had forgotten all former differences treated us so well that day that we had all the reason in the World to be assur'd thereof The Muscovian Ambassador who seem'd willing to have a little debauche oblig'd us to pass away the night with him Ian. 5. we travell'd five leagues to a Caravansera named Schaferabath But ere we were all got out of the Citie of Kom we found the Sun eclips'd soon after his rising It was not quite three degrees above the Horizon when the Moon depriv'd us almost of all sight of it and so overshadow'd it that to my judgement in the greatest obscurity the eclipse was three parts of four Neer this Caravansera and on our right hand we discover'd the Mountain of Kilissim which is not very high but encompass'd of all sides with several barren and stony Hills which produce nothing but Salt as do's also all the neighbouring Champaign which is all white by reason of the Salt and Saltpeter This Mountain as also those of Nachtzuan Kulb Vrumi Kemre Hemedan Bisâ—tan and Suldus supply all Persia with Salt which is digg'd out of them as out of a Quarry The Persians speaking of the Mountain of Kilissim have this expression Kim keder kelmes that is those who go it up come not down an equivocation wherein many of our people have been mistaken in so much that they have set down in their Journals that the said Mountain is so dangerous that such as go up it never come down again Whereas the true meaning of those words is onely this that they who go up that Mountain come not down that is that as long as they are getting up they do not come down in as much as both cannot be done at the same time The Persians affirm indeed that Schach-Abas one day commanded one of his Hunts-men to go up to the top of it and that he did so and made it appear by the fire he made there and that he never return'd thence and that it could never be known what became of him but this is onely a made story The sixth we continu'd our journey but ere we were well got out of our Quarters the Ambassador Brugman's horse fell down under him in a very plain way He had not onely the right Arm put out of joynt by the fall but his brains were also so disorder'd that we thought he would hardly ever be his own man again But indeed we had all a sad day's journey of it in regard most of our horses tir'd nay mine falling down dead under me I was forc'd to make use of my man's who went afoot and carried the Portmantle upon his head We lodg'd that night at Saba where we stay'd all the next day to give the Ambassador Brugman some rest to recover his senses The 8. we left Saba betimes in the morning and travell'd that day nine leagues to a Caravansera named Choskera In our way we lost one of the Mules which being stray'd some distance from the rest had been driven out of the way by some Peasants They were pursu'd to the next Village where the Mule was found with some part of its burthen in a house among a great many Women who had made a shift to unload the beast but finding themselves surpriz'd and fallen into the hands of strangers they cry'd out as if they had been undone The Thieves were got away so that all could be done was to bring away the Mule with what was left As soon as we were lodg'd in this Caravansera the Ambassador Crusius gave order for the seizing of certain Sea-men who had committed several insolences at Saba but they put themselves in a posture of defence and endeavour'd to make an insurrection in the Retinue in so much that we were oblig'd to disarm them by force and to put them into Irons wherein they continu'd till our coming to Scamachie In all this quarter and till we came to the Mountain of Kilan the weather was cold enough and the Snow upon the ground was above half a foot deep Ian. 9. having travell'd about three leagues neer an old uncover'd Caravansera named Hetzib we met with a Lord whom the King of Poland sent Ambassador to the King of Persia. His name was Theophilus de Schonberg a person though well advanc'd in years of a very good countenance He was a German by extraction and yet in the discourse that pass'd between him and the Ambassadors which lasted above an hour he spoke altogether in Latine but taking leave of us he discover'd himself to be a German He told us among other things that the King his Master had given him a Retinue of 200. persons but that the great Duke of Muscovy would not permit him to pass with so many which had occasion'd him to stay six moneths at Smolensko whence he had been forc'd to send back most of his people and reduce them to the number he then had about him which was 25. persons He also deliver'd us some Letters from the Armenian Archbishop whom we had met at Astrachan and told us there were arriv'd in that Citie some Provisions which had been sent us from Nisâ—novogorod We saw that day on our right hand a very fair Countrey-house which the King had built upon the Hill call'd Kultcbe for the convenience of hunting We intended to lodge the next night at the Village of Araseng and to travel that day but six leagues but the Inhabitants told the Harbinger whom the Mehemandar had sent thither to take up Quarters that they would not receive us and that if we attempted to lodge there by force they were able to prevent it and make us repent our rashness not dissembling the design they had to cut all our Throats if we came within the Village They had not forgotten the affront which the Kaucha or Judge of the Village had receiv'd at our first passage that way from the Ambassador Brugman who having desir'd water to wash his hands and the poor man having brought him troubled water such as the Brook did afford cast it in his face and the pot at his head so that we were forc'd to travel on The Villages of Dowlet Abath and Ketzisan taking example by that of Araseng in like manner deny'd us entertainment and forc'd us to travel on three leagues further to the Village of Kulluskur through such a bad and slippery way that most of our Horses were several times on their Noses nay it was day ere some got to the Quarters I was lodg'd at the Parson 's of the Parish and sent several times to desire him to come in and Sup with me But he would by no means come and walk'd all night without Doors grumbling that his house was profan'd by drinking Wine in it and eating such Meats as are forbidden by the Law of Mahomet Ian. 10. we had
of Feet in memory of the beginning of our Saviour's Passion They all came to Church where the Priest wash'd the right foot of the Men and the left foot of the Women and made thereon the sign of the Cross with Butter which had been consecrated to that purpose And that done he was cast into a Chair by twelve men who rais'd him up into the air with exclamations of joy and kept him there till he had promis'd to treat them with a Dinner The 25. the Armenians began their year and in regard that day fell on their Easter they made a great Procession out of the City The Chan would needs see it and made a great extertainment for us during which the Armenians stood with their Banners Crosses and Images before his Tent. Which they did only to please the Persians in as much as when the Muscovian Ambassador who was troubled to see those poor people stand there so long in that posture sent them word that they might be gone with their Images they made answer that they ought not to stirr thence without express order from the Chan. The Armenian Women gave us the divertisement of their dancing in three Companies which successively reliev'd one another The Chan gave us another kind of sport by letting loose among the People two Wolves ty'd to long Ropes to be drawn back when they pleas'd He caus'd also the head of one of those wild Beasts which they call Ahu's to be cut off at one blow with a Cymitar That was done by this sleight first they gave the Beast a blow over the back which made it lift up the head so that they could hardly miss it That night I was stung by a Seorpion The 26. came to Scamachie Imanculi whom the King of Persia sent Ambassador to the Duke of Holstein our Master The Chan invited him to Dinner with our Ambassadors The next day they had a long conference together for the regulation of our journey for which we set all things in order The 29. Imanculi Sulthan came to visit the Ambassadors to take leave of them and to assure them he would follow within eight dayes Abasculi-Beg our Mehemandar took also his leave of us and return'd toward the Court and we had another appointed us named Hosseinculi-Beg who was ordered to conduct us to the Frontiers of Persia. The 30. we left Scamachie accompany'd by the Chan and Calenter who with a great body of horse brought us half a league out of the City where he treated us magnificently Having mutually taken leave with the greatest expressions of civility the Chan return'd with his Company to Seamachie and we took our way towards Pyrmaras whither we came in the evening after we had travell'd that afternoon three leagues March the last we were on our way by eight in the morning and we got that day six leagues all over mountains whence we had not the sight of so much as one Village At night we came into a Valley to the Village of Cochani where we lodg'd April 1. we travell'd seven leagues over hills and dales till we came to the Village of Bahel otherwise called Surrat from the fruitfulness of the Country especially by reason of the abundance of Millet growing there beyond what any other part of Persia affords The 2. we got out of the mountain into the plain Country leaving the Rock of Barmuch on the right hand and coming within a quarter of a league of the Sea We saw as we pass'd by within the space of five hundred paces above thirty sources of Nefte which is a kind of Medicinal Oil. There are among the rest three great ones into which they go down by sticks plac'd there to serve instead of a Ladder fifteen or sixteen foot into the ground A man standing above at the pits mouth might hear the Oil coming out in great bubbles sending up a strong smell though that of the white Nefte be incomparably more pleasant than that of the black for there are two sorts of it but much more of the black than of the white We travell'd that day six leagues and lodg'd at night at the Village of Kisicht not far from the Sea The third we got two leagues and lodg'd at night at Schabran having pass'd over three little Rivers There lives in the mountains of these parts a certain people call'd Padar They live only by rapine and course up and down the high-wayes for twenty leagues about to rob Travellers We were told that the day before they came to the Village to inquite how strong we were how we march'd and what Guard we kept in our quarters The Mehemandar and the Inhabitants advis'd us to keep a strong Guard and to keep close together as well in our march as at our quarters Whence it came that ever after we kept still in sight of the Baggage The Inhabitants of Schabran are in their Language called Kurâ— which occasion'd the mistake of diverse of our people in their Journals who thought they were the people called Kurdes But it was a great oversight in as much as the Kurdes live in Kurdesthan which is the ancient Chaldaea a Province far distant from that we now speak of Apr. 4. we travell'd four leagues through a hilly yet very delightful Country We overtook by the way a Caravanne of Muscovian and Circassian Merchants who were very glad of our Company to secure them against the incursions of those Robbers There appear'd one of them who would have taken notice of our march and strength but the Mehemandar immediately commanded out ten or twelve Persians who pursu'd him into the Wood where they lost him He had stoln an Ox and being forc'd to leave him behind the Mehemandar made a Present of him to the Ambassadors In the afternoon we came to Mischkar a Village lying in a fenny place within two leagues of Niasabath where our ship was wrack'd The Inhabitants of the Village who took us for enemies had left all and were got into the Woods but understanding afterwards upon what accompt we came they had the confidence to return to their houses We found in the house of one of their Priests many fair Manuscripts The fifth we travell'd eight leagues through woody roads and deserts to the Village of Koptepe We saw by the way the Sepulchre of one of their Saints named Pyr Schich Molla Iusuf and met with a party of five and twenty Horsemen well mounted and well arm'd They said they were Country people of the adjacent Villages and that they were forc'd to go in strong parties and to travel so arm'd to secure themselves against the Robbers thereabouts but they look'd more like such themselves For we understood afterwards that the inhabitants of the Village where we lodg'd that day were Padars Their houses were built upon the ascent of certain little hills half within the Earth being encompass'd about with a knot of trees which made a delightful prospect
word Tag or Dag which in their Language signifies a Mountain because they live between the mountains and in the plain at the foot of the mountains which are twenty or thirty leagues distant from the Caspian Sea toward the West They inhabit all along the Sea-coast Northward as far as Terki about forty leagues taking the way we came The mountain it self in some places comes within half a league of the Sea and in some it is two or three leagues from it there being in the plains very fruitful and pleasant fields unless it be towards the Sea-side where it is all heathy and barren The Inhabitants are of a yellowish and dark complexion inclining to black they are well set and have strong limbs dreadfully ugly in their faces and wear their hair which is black and greasy falling down over their shoulders They are all barbarous and savages Their cloathing is a long close Coat of a grey or black colour of a wretched coarse cloath over which they wear a Cloak as coarse or haply of Sheep-skin On their head they wear a square Cap made of several pieces of cloath and their shooes are of Sheep-skin or Horse-hide all of one piece and sow'd to their feet over the instep and at the sides They are circumcis'd and have all the other Ceremonies of the Turks professing the Mahumetan Religion but are so slenderly instructed therein that it is not to be wondred they have so little devotion They live by the Cattel they breed whereof the Women take care while the men go up and down a-robbing making no conscience to steal away the children of their nearest relations to sell them to the Persians and others Whence it comes that even among themselves they live in perpetual distrust one of another Their defensive Arms which they put on and off with their Cloaths are a Coat of Mail a Head-piece and a Buckler and the offensive are the Cymitar Bows and Arrows and the Javelin there being not any so poor among them but is furnish'd with these Arms. They put all Merchants to a ransome and sometimes rob them of all so that the Caravannes which pass that way are either so strong as to make their party good against these Tories or go by Sea to avoid them They fear neither Persians nor Muscovites in regard no Army is able to follow them into the mountains into which they retreat when they are pursu'd All this Country is not subject to one Prince on the contrary every City almost hath its particular Lord. They call him who is the chiefest among them the Schemkal He succeeds his Predecessor by an odd way of election For upon the death of the Schemkal the other Lords or Myrsas meet and sit down in a ring into which the Priest of the place casts a golden Apple and the person who is first touch'd thereby is made Schemkal Yet is not his power so absolute but that the other Lords participate thereof they having only for him a certain respect and compliance and that not very great We came into this Country as we said before on the 14. of April We travell'd that day five leagues passing through several Villages and pleasant fields and lodg'd at night in the Country of Osnun whom some call Ismin at a Village named Rustain which was also the name of the Lord of it He sent to meet us his son attended by fifteen persons on hors-back well arm'd who after the first Complement fell off on the left hand and went into a Wood and we took the right We quarter'd in the fields near a Village fortifying our selves with the Baggage and securing our selves against the surprises of those Robbers by a good number of Sentinels plac'd at all the avenues The young Prince return'd to our Quarters in the evening but visited only the Muscovian Ambassador only to learn of him who we were and what there was to be gotten of us We intended him a Present of 12. Duckats and three pieces of Persia-Satin had he honoured the Ambassadors with a visit but he thought it enough to do it by two of his Officers whereupon we only saluted him with the firing of two great Guns charg'd with bullets just at his departure from the Muscovian Ambassador's to take horse The 15. we prosecuted our journey through a hilly Country and had in our way good Hunting There started so many Hares that in a short time we took nine Having travell'd six leagues that day we came at night into the Seigneury of Boinack and lodg'd near a Village of the same name upon the ascent of a hill which was so steepy towards the Sea that we were secure as to that side and we fortify'd our Camp with the Baggage which we drew up like a half-moon well flank'd The Lord of Boinack hath not many Subjects but in recompence abundance of Cattel wherein all his Wealth consists The Ambassador Brugman was incens'd at the people's looking on us as a thing they had never seen before and would have had some Muskets discharg'd among them but without bullets only to frighten them and was enrag'd that those he spoke to would not execute so impertinent a command which no doubt had cost us all our lives For those Barbarians who were wicked and daring and discover'd that they wanted only a pretence to set upon us grumbled that any should think it much they stood there and were confident enough to tell us that the ground they were then upon was rather theirs than ours and that they had as much right to be there as we had That we might have forborn threatning them that they acknowledg'd we were too strong for them but that upon the least sign the Schemkal should give them they would come with such a force as were able to dispatch us all though we were twice as many That they car'd for neither the King of Persia nor Duke of Muscovy that they were Dagasthans and acknowledg'd no Superiour but God They would not at first suffer us to go for water without paying for it but finding that the Well where it was to be had was within the reach of our great Guns and that we set things in order to force our way to it they retreated and left us The Schemkal sent us word late over-night that we should not offer to go away the next morning till he had search'd our baggage to see whether we carried any Merchants goods The Ambassadors return'd him answer that they were not Merchants but Ambassadors and that consequently they might pass all places without paying That they would stand upon their privilege and that if the Schemkal offer'd them any violence they should do what were consonant to the law of Nature and Nations to prevent it But we heard no more of him I heard since that the Polish Ambassador whom we met in our journey out of Persia and of whom I gave some account before coming
engraven upon a square pillar certain unknown characters which have nothing common with either the Greek Hebrew or Arabian nor indeed with any other language There are twelve lines of these characters which as to their figure are triangular Piramidal or like obelisques but so well graven and so proportionate that those who did them cannot be thought Barbarians Some believe they are Telesmes and that they contain some secrets which Time will discover Besides these there is also a great Court upon the same ground-work which is ninety paces square having on each side two gates whereof some are six others but three paces wide all built of a very well polish'd marble whereof the several pieces are eight foot in length and three in breadth In another Court there are represented in carv'd-work in marble battels triumphs and Olympick games very well done and with an exact observance of proportion Upon every gate is represented a man with a graceful countenance sitting and holding in one hand a Globe in the other a Scepter though the Kings of Persia never sate in that posture I had the curiosity to get up on high where I found the figure of a King at his devotions adoring the Sun Fire and a Serpent It is not easie to affirm whether the Architecture of this Palace be of the Ionick Dorick or Corinthian order the building is so ruin'd though there be yet as much left as would find work for a good able Painter for six months 'T is a thousand pities that no body hath yet had the curiosity to have it graven had it been only out of this motive that the barbarous people thereabouts ruine it daiâ—â— more and more and convey away the stones to carry on private buildings Aeâ—ian sayes that the Grand Cyrus was grown famous for the Palace he had built in the City of Persepolis whereof he had himself laid the foundation Darius for that built by him at Susa and Cyrus the younger for the pleasant Gardens which he had himself planted and cultivated in Lydia If this be the same place which Diodorus Siculus makes mention of it is certain that both as to greatness and magnificence it exceeded all those of that time He sayes it was encompass'd with three walls of Marble whereof the first was 16. the second 32. and the third 60. ells high with the gates and balconies of brass The work of so many years and all that wealth were destroy'd in a few hours by Alexander the great who upon the perswasion of a common Prostitute caused it to be fired as Quintus Curtius gives an account of it in his History Having view'd these Antiquities which with those of Derbent were all we met with in our Travels I prosecuted my journey the 28. of Ianuary and got that day ten Leagues to the City of Sehiras In this City I met with four Italian Carmelites who have a very handsome well built Monastery there and enjoy an absolute liberty of conscience under the jurisdiction of the King of Persia. There had also been heretofore a Monastery of Austin-Friers but they were forc'd thence with the other Portuguez when the City of Ormus was taken from them Schiras is the chief City of the Province of Fars at 29. degrees 36. minutes seated in a very pleasant place at the foot of certain Mountains upon the River Sendemer heretofore called Arâ—xes which disembogues it self into the Persian Gulf. We were told the City had been much bigger then it is now though there be in it at present above ten thousand houses which I the more easily credited in that we found all about it and half a league beyond the ruines of the gates and walls of a great City Whatever Nature supplies mankind withall not only for necessity but also for pleasure is here to be had in great abundance as Wheat Wine Oranges Lemmons Pomegranats Almonds Dates Pistachoes c. and the lovely Cypress-trees afford a pleasant shade against the excessive heats The best Wine of all Persia grows hereabouts and in such abundance that it is transported all over the Kingdom especially to the Court where the King and great Lords drink not any other 'T is more sprightly and more pleasant then Canary but in regard no person of quality but drinks of it and is willing to treat his friends with Schiras Scharab it is dear enough at Ispahan where it is sold at half a Crown a pottle The soil hereabouts is very fertile and produces abundance of Wheat and Fruit. The Sheep which are of an Ash-grey colour with an eye of white have their wooll curled or frizled and their tails are so big and so fat that they weigh 18. or 20. pound The adjacent Forrests afford abundance of Mastick which the Country people gather in dishes fastned to the Trees It is at first green but the Air in time corrupting it gives it the brown colour it is of when brought into Europe I stayed eight dayes at Schiras as well to rest my Horses as to fortifie my self against the hardship I was to expect in my future travel it being a hundred Leagues to Ormus through a Country where I should not find what I left behind me at Schiras which is doubtless the principal City of Persia for Wine and Women and affords so great enjoyments to those who can use these two things with moderation that the Persians are wont to say that if Mahomet had tasted the pleasures of Schiras he would have desired God to make him immortal there I left it the fifth of February and passed by two Caravanseras and took up my lodging at the third having travell'd that day ten Leagues through a fair even way The sixth I got seven Leagues having a very bad way but in sight of many Villages whereof the prospect was the more pleasant by reason of the Date-trees all about them The seventh I passed by one of these Caravanseras and got that day ten Leagues taking up my quarters in the little City of Scharim in the middle of a Forrest of Date-trees The five dayes following were the most troublesome of all my life For the eighth of February we got but five Leagues through the most horrid way in the world I cannot imagine how people made a shift to travel that way before Imanculi Chan of whom somewhat hath been said elsewhere who was so cruelly put to death with all his children by Schach Sefi caus'd it to be repaired with incredible expence when at this day a man cannot pass but in great danger of his life by reason of the uneven and narrow wayes between steepy mountains on the one side and dreadful precipices on the other where I very narrowly avoided a mis-fortune which happens there very often For my Horse's hoof which I was leading by the bridle being fill'd with snow he stumbled upon me forc'd me out of the way so as that had I not caught hold of a wild Almond tree which
be rais'd out of it two hundred thousand men able to bear Arms. There is no Nation in all the East but hath some Commerce or other at this place but most of the Inhabitants are Mahumetans and all the Merchandizes that are imported into it or exported out of it pay ten in the hundred There are above forty small Cities and above three thousand five hundred Villages that depend on the jurisdiction of Agra which extends it self above sixscore Leagues about The Country is delightful and very fertile producing abundance of Indico Cotton Salt-Peter and other things wherewith the Inhabitants drive a vast Trade There are two Festivals which are celebrated in this place with extraordinary Ceremonies one whereof is that of the first day of the year which with the Persians they call Naurus Nauros or Norose which signifies nine dayes though now it last eighteen at least and it falls at the moment that the Sun enters Aries In order to the celebration of this Festival before the Derbar or Kings Palace there is erected a Theatre fourteen foot high fifty six in length and forty in breadth having all about it a row of Pillars after the manner of a Balcony cover'd with rich Tapistry Near this Theatre there is erected another building of painted wood and embellish'd with Mother of Pearl into which go some of the principal Lords about the Court who nevertheless have their Tents pitch'd in the first Court of the Palace filled with all they have that is rich and magnificent whereof they make the greatest Ostentation they can that day The Predecessors of this Prince who now reigns were wont to go into all these Tents and to take thence any thing they liked but now the Ceremony is otherwise For the King accompanied by the seven Ministers of State go up into the Theatre where he sits upon Velvet Cushions enbroidered with Gold and Pearls and stayes for the Presents which are to be made to him The Queen is in a certain Gallery whence she sees all the Ceremony yet is not seen her self Departing thence he sits upon his Ordinary Throne where he receives the Presents of the people which he continues to do for eighteen dayes together Towards the end of the Festival the King in his turn makes his Presents to the Lords which consists in Charges Employments and new Honours which he distributes among those that have given him most The Mogul's birth-day is celebrated with the Ceremonies following He begins the day with all manner of divertisements which over he goes to the Palace of the Queen his Mother if she be living and causes many Presents to be made her by the Grandees of his Kingdom After dinner he puts on the richest clothes he hath and covers himself all over with Gold and precious Stones and being thus rather loaden then adorn'd with inestimable wealth he goes into a Tent where he is expected by the Lords of the Court in which finding a pair of Scales he weighs himself These Scales are of massy Gold as are also the Chains by which they hang and are all beset with precious Stones He puts himself into one of the Scales and into the other there are put several bags of Silver one bag of Gold some precious Stones some pieces of Silk-stuffs Linnen cloath Pepper Cloves Nutmeg and Cinnamon Wheat Pulse and Herbs and there is an exact account kept of the difference of weight there may be between one year and another The King gives away with his own hands all the money among the poor and the rest are bestowed on the Benjans That done the King seats himself in his Throne and causes to be cast among the Grandees Nuts Pistachoes Almonds and several other Fruits of Gold but so finely wrought that a thousand of them weighed not thirty Crowns This some would boggle much to admit for a Truth yet certain it is that it hath been seen that the value of ten Crowns bestowed in these trifles filled a great Basin of them so that all the liberality of this powerful Monarch could not amount to a hundred Crowns The Festival is concluded with a great Feast at which the Mogul entertains the Lords of his Court with whom he passes away the night in drinking They celebrate also another Festival which they begin ten dayes after the new Moon of the moneth of Iuly much after the same manner as the Persians celebrate their Aschur The Indians observe this Festival in honour of two Brethren named Ianze and Iawze servants to Haly who being gone in Pilgrimage to a particular place of Devotion upon the Coast of Coromandel the Bramans and other Pagans of those parts set upon them and forc'd them to retreat into a Castle where they besieg'd them These holy Persons maintain'd the Siege a long time but being resolv'd not to drink of the Water which the Pagans had prophan'd by casting a Lizard into it a Creature for which the Mahumetans have an aversion because of its uncleanness they took a resolution to make a sally upon the besiegers and killed many of them but at last they were overcome by the great number of their enemies who left them dead upon the place There are carried about the City Coffins covered with Bows and Arrows Turbants Cymitars and Garments of Silk which the people accompany with sobbings and lamentations in commemoration of the death of those holy Persons Some among them dance at the Ceremony others strike their Swords one against another nay there are those who cut and slash themselves so as that the bloud comes out in several places wherewith they rub their clothes and by that means represent a very strange procession Towards night they set up several Figures of men made of Straw to personate the Murtherers of those Saints and having shot a great many Arrows at them they set them on fire and reduce them to ashes And this they do with so much fury and animosity that should there be any of the Pagans in the Streets at that time they would run the hazard of their lives whence it comes that during these Ceremonies they stir not out of their houses The Mahumetans of those parts celebrate also another Feast in the moneth of Iune in memory of the sacrifice of Abraham at which they kill He-Goats which they eat at the Entertainments they make among themselves that day Certain it is that the Mogul stands very much upon his descent in a direct and masculine I ne from Temirlanque that is to say Temir the lame who is commonly called Tamerlan who was of the Family of Chinguis-Chan King of Tartary Scach Choram who was living at my being in those parts was a younger Son of Scach Iahan's and had usurped the Crown from Prince Polagi his Nephew whom we found at Caswin at our coming into Persia. He might be then about sixty years of Age and had three Sons whereof the Elder was about 25. years of age but he had not
and the Corps was set upon an Elephant to be carried through the City to serve for an example to others He who upon this Tragedy came next into play went with an undaunted courage towards a Tiger which he was to engage with in so much that his deportment was such as raised in the minds of the Spectators a certain confidence of his obtaining the Victory But the Tigre who it seems was too cunning for his Adversary fastened on his throat killed him and tore his body in pieces The third Champion that came upon the Stage instead of being any way frightned at the misfortune of his two Camrades came very chearfully and couragiously into the Garden and went straight towards the Tiger who flesh'd with the precedent success run at his Adversary with a design to make quick work with him but the Indosthan though a man of low stature and a wretched countenance struck off at one blow the two fore-paws of the Beast and having by that means got him down he soon dispatch'd him The King immediately ask'd him his name whereto he made answer that it was Geily whereupon there came in a Gentleman who presenting him from the Mogul with a Garment of Brocadoe said to him Geily receive this Garment from my hands as an assurance of the Kings favour who sends it thee as a pledge thereof Geily having made several low reverences putting the Garment to his eyes and breast and afterwards holding it in the Air and having made a short Prayer to himself he at last pronounc'd aloud to this effect My Prayers to God are that the Mogul 's glory may be equal to that of Tamerlan from whom he is descended may his Arms prosper may his Wealth be increased may he live seven hundred years and may his House be established for ever Upon this there came to him two Eunuchs who conducted him to the Kings Chamber at the entrance whereof two Chans took him between them and so brought him to the Kings feet After he had kiss'd them and was rising up the Mogul said to him It must be confessed Geily-Chan that thou hast done a very great and glorious Action I bestow on thee that name and quality which thou shalt enjoy for ever I will be thy Friend and thou shalt be my servant Thus was the doing of a single Action the Foundation of a mans Fortune who was not so much as known before but grew famous afterwards by the Charges he had in the Mogul's Armies It was my design to make a little longer stay at Agra but there happened an accident which oblig'd me to change my Resolution nay forc'd me to leave a place where I thought my life in danger For being one day fallen into discourse with the Persian servant who ran away from me at Surat I perceiv'd coming towards me an Indosthan a person of a goodly presence and as far as I could judge of quality who immediately asked me whence I came and what business I had in those parts I made him answer that I was an Europaean that I came from Germany and that the desire I had to see the Court of the most powerful Monarch in all the East had brought me thither He told me that if he were not much mistaken he had seen me at Ispaban and that questionless I was the person that had kill'd a Kinsman of his at the Engagement which had happened between the Indians and the Germans This discourse had almost put me out of countenance but upon a little recollection I told him that I had never been in Persia and that I came from England by Sea to Surat which the two English Merchants who were then in my company affirmed to be true But he who did me the greatest kindness in this extremity was my old Persian servant who swore by his Mahomed and by his Hossein that what I had told him was nothing but the truth Whereupon the Indosthan went away but discover'd by his deportment that he gave not over-much credit to what we had said and for my part I conceiv'd it but prudence to be distrustful of a man who had expressed his good will had there been occasion to do me a mischief and would no doubt have revenged his Kinsmans death of which my conscience told me I was guilty Upon these reflections I left Agra with a Caffila or Caravan that was going to the City of Lahor which lies sixty Leagues further into the Country I had the company of two Dutch Merchants and our travelling was so much the more pleasant in that our way was but one continued Alley drawn in a streight line and planted on both sides with Date-trees Palm-trees Cocos-trees and other kind of Fruit-trees which gave us a continual refreshing shade against the heat of the Sun The sumptuous Houses which were to be seen up and down the Country the Apes Peacocks Parrats and other Birds found us very much sport One day with a Pistol-shot I kill'd a great Serpent which I met with in the way and afterwards a Leopard and a Roe-buck but the Benjans of whom there were many in our company took it very ill at my hands and reproach'd me with my cruelty in that I deprived those Creatures of a life which it was not in my power to give them and which God had not bestow'd on them but that he might be thereby glorified in so much that when ever I handled my Pistol they either express'd their trouble to see me take a pleasure in violating in their presence the Laws of their Religion or they intreated me for their sakes not to kill them and when I had made them understand that I would in any thing comply with their desires they on the other side had all the kindness imaginable for me The Country about Lahor is very fertile and brings forth all sorts of Fruits as also Wheat and Rice in abundance much beyond any other Province of that great Kingdom The City is scituated at 32. degrees 30. minutes elevation upon the little River Ravy or Ravée which with four other Rivers falls into the Indus which upon that occasion is called Pangab or five-waters as we have said elsewhere It is very delightfully seated especially towards the River on which side it hath many fair Gardens The Kings Palace is within the City from which it is divided by a high Wall and hath many spacious Appartments There are also many other Palaces and great Houses for the reception of those Lords who ordinarily follow the Court And in regard most of the Inhabitants are Mahumetans there is in this City also a great number of Metzids or Mosqueys and bathing places for their ordinary Purifications I had the curiosity to go into one of their Baths to observe their way of bathing I took along with me my Interpreter who was by Profession a Broker and went into one of their Baths which was built according to the Persian
a drying in the Sun where it grows hard and is reduc'd into that form wherein it is brought into Europe Borax or the green Earth which the Goldsmiths make use of in the refining of Gold and Silver is found in a Mountain in the Province of Purbet under the jurisdiction of the Raja Biberom towards great Tartary whence there is brought also good store of Spikenard Quicksilver Musk and Copper as also a certain colour which dyes a very beautiful brown The Borax grows in the River Iankenckar which at his coming out of the Mountain falls into the River Maseroor which crosses the whole Province and produces that Drug which grows in the bottom of the River as Coral doth The Inhabitants of Guzuratta call it Iankenckhar and keep it in Pouches of Sheep-skin which for its better preservation they fill with Oyl The Hingh which our Drugsters and Apotheciries call Assa foetida comes for the most part from Persia but that which the Province of Vtrad produces in the Indies is the best and there is a great Traffick driven in it all over Indosthan The Plant which produces it is of two kinds one grows like a Bush and hath small leaves like Rice and the other resembles a Turnip-leaf and its greenness is like that of Fig-tree leaves It thrives best in stony and dry places and its Gum begins to come forth towards the latter end of Summer so that it must be gathered in Autumn The traffick of it is so much the greater in those parts upon this account that the Benjans of Guzuratta make use of it in all their Sawces and rub their Pots and drinking Vessels therewith by which means they insensibly accustom themselves to that strong Scent which we in Europe are hardly able to endure The Amphion Offion or Opium which is spent in Europe comes from Aden or Cayro but that which is sold in the Indies comes out of the Province of Gualor in Indosthan and is nothing but the juyce which is got out of Poppy by an incision made therein when it begins to grow ripe All the Eastern Nations are great Lovers of it in so much that the young people who are not permitted the use of it and the meaner sort who are not able to buy it will boyl the Poppy it self and eat of the broath which is made thereof And whereas the Poppy among them is called Pust they thence call those Pusty who make use of that broath instead of Opium The Persians affirm that they were the first who made use of it and that all other Nations did it in imitation of their Grandees who took it at first to provoke sleeping They take every day a small pill of it about the bigness of a Pea not so much in order to sleeping as that it should work the same effect as Wine does which infuses courage and great hopes into those who otherwise would not discover much of either The Caffees or Messengers who travel into the Country take of it to hearten themselves but the Indians make use of it for the most part that they may be the better fitted for the enjoyments of Women No doubt but it is a poyson which kills if a Man do not accustom himself thereto by little and little and when he hath so accustomed himself he must continue the frequent use of it or he dies on the other side It so weakens their Brains who take it continually that they run the hazard of losing the use of their Reason and the principal functions of their Understanding and become in a manner stupid if they recover not themselves by the same Remedy We have spoken already of Lacque and shall have occasion to say somewhat of it elsewhere We shall therefore here only add that in Guzuratta there grows abundance of Cummin Ginger and Mirobalans which they traffick much in both dry'd and preserv'd with brown Sugar There are also several other Drugs which have their use in Physick There are found in the same Kingdom Diamonds but not many Pearls Emeralds Granats or Garnets Agats c. Alablaster red Marble Jasper-stone which the Inhabitants have the Art to polish above all others There is but one kind of weight all over the Kingdom of Guzuratta which they call Maon that is to say a hand which weighs fourty Ceers and makes thirty pounds and a half each pound containing sixteen ounces and a Ceer weighs eighteen Peyses which is a kind of brass money that makes about twelve ounces They have two kinds of Ells the lesser makes but half an Ell and a sixteenth part of the measure of France and nineteen of the greater sort make thirteen Ells three quarters of the same measure They have also two sorts of Money to wit the Mamoudies and the Ropias The Mamodies are made at Surat of Silver of a very base alloy and are worth about twelve pence steel and they go only at Surat Brodra Broitschia Cambaya and those parts Over all the Kingdom besides as at Amadabath elsewhere they have Ropias Chagam which are very good Silver and worth half a Crown French money Their small money is of Copper and these are the Peyses we spoke of and whereof twenty six make a Mamoudy and fifty four a Ropia They also make use of Almonds whereof thirty six make a Peyse as also of certain Shells which they call Kaurets and are gathered on the Sea-side eighty whereof amount to a Peyse Spanish Ryals and Rixdollars are worth there five Mamoudies in regard they covert them into their own Coins with much advantage by the change they make either to weight or alloy and many times as to both They esteem the Larris of Persia the Silver whereof is very good They have also a certain Coin of Gold which they call Xeraphins and is worth about thirteen Ropias and a half but there are very few of them The Chequines and Ducats of Venice are more common there and are worth eight and a half and sometimes nine Ropias Surat money according to the change and the rate set on the money which rises or falls according to the plenty or scarcity of money upon the place where it is paid There is abundance of counterfeit Money coin'd in the Indies whence it comes that there is no payment made but it is done before these Changers whom they call Xaraffes who have their Shops at the corners of the principal Streets and for a small matter secure the goodness of the Money which they are so well acquainted with that they immediately discover whether it be counterfeit or not Their ordinary way of accounting is by Lacs each of which is worth a hundred thousand Ropias and a hundred Lacs make a Crou or Carroa and ten Carroas make an Areb A Thei l of Silver makes eleven twelve or thirteen Ropias current money A Massas and a half make a Thei l of Silver ten whereof make a Thei l of Gold
The Portuguez drive a great trade there especially with the Merchants of Ditcauly and Bauda which lye but three or four Leagues from Goa buying Pepper at seven Ryals the Quintal or hundred weight and at eight when they pay for it in Stuffes or some slight Commodities made of Iron as Snuffers Hinges c. made in Europe There is in the Kingdom of Cuncam a certain people called Venesars who buy the Wheat and Rice which is brought to the Market in Cities once a week and sell it again in the Country of Indosthan and the other neighbouring Provinces into which they go with Caffilas or Caravans of five or six and sometimes nine hundred or a thousand Beasts loaden with which they carry their Families especially their Wives who are as expert at their Bows and Arrows as the Men and by that means becomes dreadful to the Rasboutes who never durst set upon them nor yet the Couliers who exercise their robberies on all without any distinction upon this encouragement that the Rajas who should punish them protect and connive at them There are two sorts of money in the Kingdom of Cuncam to wit the Larims or Laris which come from Persia and the Pagodes Eight Persian Laris make a Pagode which is worth ten Laris of Dabul They have also a certain small brass Coin which they call Basaruiques nine whereof make a Pâ—ise and eighteen Peyses a Laris. But in regard there is no City nay indeed no Village which hath not some Coin or other peeuliar thereto it is impossible to assign the just value thereof Besides there is such abundance of counterfeit money that though there be no payment made but in the presence of the Xaraf or Money-changers yet it is a very difficult matter to shun it for the Changers themselves thrust in what is not current among that which is notwithstanding the penalties appointed by the Laws to be inflicted on those who either make or put off counterfeit money which are very rigorously put in execution They make use of the same weights as they do in the Kingdom of Guzuratta save that twenty Maons of Surat weight makes twenty seven of Cuncam and the ordinary Maon which consists of forty Ceeres and sixteen Peyses makes twenty seven pounds each pound making two marks They have a particular weight for the Pepper which they call Goemy and weighs twelve Maons four Maons make a Quintal or hundred weight and twenty make a Candy The King of Cuncam or Visiapour is a Tributary of the great Mogul's especially ever since the disorders which happened under the King Idal-Scach which were occasion'd as you shall find in the ensuing relation In the time of Sulthan Ibrahim Schach the Father of Idal-Schach there was belonging to the service of the Master of the Chappel or the Kings Musick a certain Slave named Chauas a person of understanding and courage of a pleasant humour and so taking a Conversation that the King who had particular notice of him begg'd him of his Master and preferr'd him after several other employments to the oversight of that apartment where his Wives and Concubines were lodg'd But it prov'd his misfortune one day that the King calling to him for drink they gave him of a bottle that smelt of Oyl upon which the King commanded him to leave his presence Yet was not his disgrace so great but that the King had yet somewhat of the ancient kindness for him for he made him Captain of the Castle-gate and bestow'd on him the Government of the City which he manag'd with so much conduct that the King being upon his death-bed and Mustapha-Chan his Favourite refusing to undertake the Regency during the Princes Minority who was then but ten years of age that great and important charge was conferr'd on Chauas who had the Dignity of Chan long before His Regency for the space of ten years had the approbation of all the people but Idal-scach being come to the twentieth year of his age began to think it irksome to be under the tuition of a revolted Slave and openly to condemn the familiarity of his conversation with the Queen his Mother He had also engag'd the State into a very unjust and extreamly destructive War upon this account that he paid yearly to the Mogul's Deputies the tribute of thirty Millions of Pagodes which the King ow'd him yet afterwards he caus'd them to be robb'd at their return by persons set on purpose to do it who brought him back again all the money The Mogul Scach Iahan who was then living made his complaints thereof at first as of a disorder which Idal-schach was oblig'd in justice to take some course to prevent but finding himself abus'd and laugh'd at he entred Cuncam with an Army of two hundred thousand fighting men where he laid siege to the Castle of Perinda which certain Hollanders who had been sent prisoners thither helpt to maintain for the space of two years till such time as a peace was concluded with the Mogul after the death of Chauas-chan who was kill'd as followeth Idal-schach not able any longer to suffer the extraordinary and unjust power of his Guardian to be exercised over him as we said before made his complaints against him to the Governours of Provinces and places of trust intreating them to advise and assist him against the usurpation of Chauas-chan They met together and sent a Message to the Regent that their King having attain'd an age fit to govern the Kingdom himself it was time he return'd into his hands the administration of Affairs to which end it were fit he came out of the Castle and liv'd in the City as the other Grandees of the Kingdom did giving him withall to understand that if he slighted these Remonstrances of theirs they should be forc'd to employ some part of the Kingdoms Forces to oblige him thereto But Chauas-chan being very unwilling to devest himself of an Authority which he had been possest of for so many years and over-confident of the affection of his Creatures as also of that of the people which he had made it his main business to acquire during the Regency by a liberality truly Royal made no reflection on these Remonstrances till he found some of the great Ones with an Army of thirty thousand men at the City Gates Being reduc'd to this extremity he took a resolution which proved his ruine For imagining that the people had so great an affection for him as to proclaim him King in case there were no other he resolv'd to make away the Prince and to kill him with his own hands To that end and full of this design he goes out of his Chamber one night while the Army was not yet come within five Leagues of the City and being come to the door of the Kings Lodgings the Guards having made no difficulty to let him pass and finding it lock'd contrary to the custom he would have
all sorts of Victuals as this Isle Zeilon Fowl Fish Venison Poultry Butter Milk and Honey are at extraordinary low rates as well as Ananas Bannanas Cocos Iacques Mangas Oranges Lemmons Citrons and all other sorts of Fruits They eat of all things in general even of Pork and all sort of Cattle except the Oxe Cow or Buffle Wine they drink not no more then the Mahumetans who dwell amongst them and enjoy a full liberty of Religion These Islanders are of the same Religion as other Pagans in these parts They bear great reverence to their Bramans who observe a more austere way of living and eat not of any thing hath had life by reason that for the whole day they adore the first Beast they meet with at their coming out of doors in a morning Maids are here married at the age of ten or twelve years And they burn their dead Corps Fimala Derma Suri Ada had gotten some tincture of Christian Religion if at least it be to be found amongst the Portuguez it was soon raz'd out by the compliance he had for the Cingales and after his decease his Successors fell back to Paganism There are some amongst them who adore the head of an Elephant wrought in wood or stone and say their intention is to obtain wisdom for they are of opinion the Elephants of Ceilon are not only more knowing then other Elephants but further that they out-go men in judgment In their houses they have a Basket wherein they put such things as they design for an offering to their Pagodes to whom they have a particular devotion in their sicknesses because it is from them alone they look for remedy They hold as matter of faith that the World shall not perish so long as their grand Mosquey which may be seen at a great distance from the Sea between Punto de Gallo and Monte Calo shall be extant Another particular opinion they have of a Mountain in this Island call'd Pico d' Adam and say it was there that the first Man was fram'd that the Spring on the top of this Mountain rose from the tears Eve shed for Abel and that the Isle of Ceilon was part of the terrestrial Paradise To conclude they are very docile and willing to acknowledge the errours of their Idolatry in so much that there were great likelihood of their conversion if Christians would undertake these long Voyages as much out of a religious zeal as worldly concernments All the other Kings of Ceilon except the King of Candy pay tribute to the Portuguez but 't is so inconsiderable that the Princes think it not worth while to take Arms to free themselves from a subjection which consists but in a bare acknowledgment For the King of Matecalo who is not the least considerable amongst them payes annually but fifty Duckates The Island produces Pepper but their chiefest Commodity is Cinnamon They find here Mines of Brass and Iron and certainly there is both Gold and Silver especially in the Kingdom of Candy but the King will not permit a search to be made for the discovery thereof Their rich Stones they permit not likewise to be sold to Strangers which are there found in great abundance but there is so great plenty thereof that it is impossible but some may be had under hand for they are found in the heaps of Gravel and in the Town of Candy nay after the Rain hath washed down the Earth of some neighbouring Mountains the Inhabitants find them in the currents of Water and though they are oblig'd to bring them all to the King 't is impossible that Order should be exactly observed The Island likewise yields Timber and Stone for building the Soyl produces Corn Oyl and Wine if any Man will take the pains to plant the Vine Cotton several Roots for Dyers Ginger Cardamoms Mirobalans Corcoma and divers other Medicinable Drugs Nutmegs c. but particularly so great a quantity of Rice that the whole Coast of Caromandel is furnished from hence Likewise here is so great a quantity of Cinnamon that the Hollanders buy it for a hundred and twenty eight Livres forty eight Souls the Quintal or Hundred weight The chief Maritime Towns of the Isle of Ceylon are scituated at this distance following that is from Punto de Gallo Westward Alican 9. l. Verberin 1 l. Calutre 3. l. and Colombo 6. l. Nogombo 5. l. le Gilan 5. l. Putalon 10. l. Maunar 18. l. Eastward to the Coast of Matecala Bellingan 4. l. Mature 2. l. Duâ—dule 1. l. Tamnadar 1. l. Halpilana two Leagues and a half Attalle 3. l. Veleche 9. l. Tansilir 7. l Trincoli 12. l. Matecalo 5. l. and thence to the River of Trinquamale 10. l. To go from Colombo to Candy the way lies through Tranquero grand that is the great Fort or the great Rampier 3. l. Maluana 2. l. Grouabley 3. l. Settavecca 3. l. Grouenelle 2. l. Mumera tuate 4. l. Duiely 3. l. Matappety 2. l. Altonnar 1 l. Ganiattany 1. l. Ballene 1. l. Cady 1. l. From Matecalo to Candy the Road is as follows Aldea de Nore 1. l. Occatoâ—y 2. l. Viador 2. l. Neguritti 5 l. Niluale 2. l. Vegamme 4. l. Vintane 6. l. Vendro 5. l. Candy 4. l. The Calm staid our Ship hard by this Isle for near upon three weeks which I imploy'd in inquiring of our President and certain Iesuits who were aboard our Vessels into this pleasant part of the Indies which I had never seen and merits to be known by the Description I shall make from the report of these persons amongst whom there were some who had spent there the best part of their lives I will then begin with the place where we were and faithfully deliver you all I could learn of those Kingdoms and Provinces which without question are the wealthiest of any in the World Towards the Cape of Comory or Comorin where we then were are likewise those Islands the Portuguez call Maldivas or Maldivar They extend along the Coast of Malabar having the Cape upon the North and taking up about sevenscore Leagues by Sea which divides them into such small parcels that they are esteem'd near upon a thousand Some are inhabited others not by reason they lye so low the Sea often drowns them as it doth likewise the Skirts of the Continent near Cochim and Crangonar The Malabares say that heretofore they were joyn'd to the Continent and were separated by the Sea which in some places hath left such narrow divisions that an active man might leap from one side to the other The Capital City which consists of four Islands and gives them the appellation of Maldives or Naldive is a place famous for trading and the Residence for the King of all the Islands Except Cocoes which are there in great abundance they produce little notwithstanding the Inhabitants by industry make very neat Garments both of Silk and Thread brought from other places in so much that set aside
other Women on Elephants but not to be seen as being in certain wooden Closets gilt The rest of the Houshold and six hundred of the Guard come in the Rear which by this means consists of fifteen or sixteen thousand persons As to their Procession upon the River they observe the order following First in the head of this Fleet march about two hundred Noble men each in his several Barge where they sit in a gilt Cabin and each Barge row'd by three or fourscore Slaves Then follow four Barges assign'd for the Musick and next follow about fifty Barks of State each having fourscore or fourscore and ten Rowers and after these come ten other gilt Barges in one of which the King is seated in a Throne of Gold attended by divers Noble men all upon their knees before him and amongst them one of the chiefest Mandorins who bears his Standard The Prince follows after him in another Barge and after him comes the Queen and the Concubines And lastly in a great number of other Barges the houshold Servants and the Guards so as that this Procession consists of twenty five or thirty thousand persons who come either to see the magnificence of the Ceremony or to adore their Prince Since the thirds of all real Estates fall to the King we may well suppose his Revenue to be very great but this advantage comes not near the profits accrewing to him by the Commerce which by Factours he holds with Strangers for his Rice Copper Lead and Salt-peter He hath in his Country good store of Gold and the Customs he hath of all Merchandizes both coming in and going out bring considerable sums besides the Presents which Governours of Provinces are obliged to make him every year A great profit likewise he raises by Commerce with ready Money into China and along the Coast of Coromandel which yields him yearly two thousand Cattys of Silver advantage He hath throughout his Kingdom abundance of Officers for managing of his Revenue and receiving his Moneys which as Mendez Pinto sayes amounts annually to twelve Millions of Duccats but principally in the City of India whither they repair from all other parts once a year to make their accounts The greatest charge the King is at next his Houshold is in building places and Mosquees rewarding Services and maintaining his Guards the rest comes into the Treasury which by this means swells almost to infinity Most Cities have their particular Jurisdictions and Judges for Administration of Justice to take an account whereof there is a Council appointed in the City of India consisting of a President and twelve Councellors who give a definitive Sentence and decide all differences brought before them by way of appeal 't is nevertheless allowed them sometimes to prevent these Sentences by a Review before the Privy Councel but this happens not frequently by reason the Charges are so great very few will undertake it They plead by Councellors and Atturneys both by word and writing but in presence of both parties who are to enter a Summary of the Plea in the Recorders Register But besides Counsellors and Atturneys you have here the Pettifogger who is inseparable so as Suits sometimes last whole Ages here as well as in other places In Criminal matters they have an extraordinary and summary way but much after the same form and manner used in France First They inform then imprison then examine the Parties are brought face to face and where evidence falls short they are put to the Rack upon pregnant presumptions The Steward records the whole and makes report to the Judges who upon the criminal Confession or Deposition of Witnesses give Judgment and cause the Sentence to be executed immediately without appeal save that they never put any to death without the Kings express Order in whose power it lyes to confirm the Sentence or pardon the Party as he pleaseth Their punishments are severe rather cruel The slightest Crime is punished with pecuniary Fines Banishment or Transportation For Theft they suffer amputation of Hands or Feet or are condemned to perpetual slavery The ordinary punishments of these Countries are unknown there but condemned persons are cast alive into boyling Oyle according to the atrocity of the Crime but alwayes with Confiscation of Goods for the benefit of the King and the Judges In want of sufficient Testimony they make use of certain extraordinary wayes for Conviction or Justification of the Criminal which they do by consent of all parties with the Judges permission who allows them to maintain what they say by Water by Fire or by boyling Oyl When they submit to the Tryal of Water the Accuser and the accused party are both let down along a great Pole which is planted in the River and he that stayes longest under water gains the day as he that patiently holds his Hand longest in boyling Oyl Others who chuse the tryal of Fire are to go five or six steps very slowly in a great Fire and that betwixt two Men who lean as hard as they can upon their shoulders But the way they hold most infallible for their justification is to swallow a Pill of Rice over which their Priests have pronounced some words of malediction which he that swallows without spitting is so clearly justified that his friends attend him in triumph to his habitation The Kings Armies consist chiefly of his Subjects for though besides five or six hundred Iaponeses who bear the reputation of Valour throughout the Indies he hires sometimes both Rasboutes and Malayes the number is notwithstanding so small that 't is inconsiderable The King now reigning had taken so great an aversion for the Iaponeses on suspition they had a design upon his person that he put some to death and expell'd the rest Yet since that he hath given way for their return to their ancient trust but as I said they exceed not the number of five or six hundred His Subjects are obliged to go to the Wars at their own charges so that according as occasion requires he calls out the hundredth the fiftieth the twentieth the tenth and sometimes the fifth man besides those the Noble men at their own charges bring along with them a sufficient Guard of their persons By this means he raises at a small charge a most puissant Army wherein there shall be sometimes three or four thousand Elephants though he seldom raise an Army of above fifty or threescore thousand men His Infantry are well enough disciplined but very ill armed only Bows and Arrows Swords Pikes and Bucklers without Fire-armes Nor are their Horse better appointed as being but poorly mounted so as his chiefest strength consists in his Elephants which are train'd to the work and carry each three arm'd men but many which are brought out with the Army are employed about the Baggage Great Artillery they have but manage them ignorantly Their Naval Forces are in as ill condition as their Land consisting in
a multitude of Frigots and Gallies well furnished with Artillery but their Souldiers and Sea-men are inexpert There is an infinite number of Barks for service against the Enemy upon the River as advantagious to them as at Sea by reason his Neighbours are rather worse provided then he but all his Forces joyned together were not sufficient to oppose a Spanish English or Holland Fleet yet this Princes Predecessors have often had great Victories over their Enemies while Martial Princes have had the Conduct of their Armies The Kings of Pegu and Siam have at all times pretended to a sole Monarchy over all the Kingdoms in these parts and without dispute Pegu had something the better but the continual War they have held as well for this as other differences hath so wasted the Frontiers of both these Kingdoms that the Armies are not able to subsist there any longer and so necessity forced them to conclude a Peace which since they break not but by incursions of some flying Army of twenty or thirty thousand during the Summer Season The last War the King of Siam made upon the Kings of Iangoma and Langsgaugh were purely out of ambition for the Soveraignty they pretended to over those Kingdoms 'T is not long likewise since the King of Cambrodia a Tributary to the King of Siam revolted whereupon Siam enters his Territories with a potent Army but was opposed so vigorously that he was forced to retire The Kingdom after this enjoyed a long peace till the deceased King having caused his Brother to be murthered to establish his Son upon the Throne one of the Princes of the Bloud took occasion to usurp the Crown as I shall immediately tell you This Usurper made shew as if he would espouse the interests of the State against the Kings of Pegu and Auva and especially against the King of Cambodia though he would not enter into open Hostility with them because he might have enough to do to stand arm'd against the designs the right Heirs might have upon his person He continued likewise the same friendship for the Hollanders his Predecessour had testified to them since he took their part against Fernando de Silva Governour of the Manilles This Portuguez taking the confidence to set upon a Holland Frigot upon the River of Menam in the year 1624. the King seiz'd upon his Vessel and forced Fernando to restore the Frigot Since which time the Siameses have been continually vext by the Portuguez in their Traffick with China though the Hollanders assist them effectually against their Enemies and declare highly for them as they lately likewise assisted the King of Siam with six Ships to chastise the Rebels of Patany For certain the King of Siam keeps more Elephants then any other Prince of India and herein consists his chiefest Forces For though the Indians affect this Beast of what part so ever he is yet have they a particular esteem for those of Siam for their make their strength and as they call it for their apprehension They take them here as they do in Pegu bringing into the Forrest fifteen or twenty tame Females which being as it were Decoyes suffer themselves to be led up and down till some of the wild Elephants herd with them and so are by little and little betrai'd into a large Court well wall'd about to which you enter by a double walk of Trees which as well as the Court is shut up with strong Rails As soon as the Elephants are in then are the Females let out one by one at another Gate leaving the wild by themselves Within this Court are two four-square Partitions divided with Pallizadoes like Cages the one in the middle the other at the side of the wall The posts whereof they are made are set at such distance that men may with ease pass in and out to vex and provoke the Beasts but they must make a swift retreat within their Appartment when this formidable Foe pursues them This is the most acceptable divertisement can be presented to the King who with the Nobility of his Court is ever present at this hunting After the Elephants are by this kind of hunting sufficiently tired they drive them into another close Pen no bigger then their bodies made of strong beams where they tye them by the legs to three or four tame Elephants whereupon hunger and acquaintance with the others in three or four dayes bring them to live as they do Sometimes they hunt them in the Forrest and open Champion with tame Elephants till at last they fasten them by the legs together and so by force drive them away but this not without conflict and danger Sometimes in the Kingdom of Siam they meet with white Elephants All over India they have a veneration for this Creature but the Siameses and the people of those parts say they are the Kings of the Elephants in so much as the King of Siam when he meets with one causes him to be served in Vessels of Gold to walk under a Canopy and allows him a Princely train In the year 1568. the King of Pegu understanding that the King of Siam had two white Elephants sent a solemn Embassy to request he might buy one of them and that he would set a price upon him which the King of Siam refusing the King of Pegu resolves to fetch him with a powerful Army He found such slender resistance in Siam that the King seeing his Kingdom and chief City in the hands of his Enemies took poyson whereof he dyed though that Conquest cost the King of Pegu the lives of five hundred thousand men Raja Hapi King of Siam who lived about the year 1616. acknowledged at that time the Soveraignty of the King of Pegu but this was only till he could find opportunity to free himself from this subjection as he did few years after For entering the Kingdom of Pegu with a powerful Army he laid â—iege to the City of Aracam resolved not to move thence till he had taken it In effect he rais'd not the Siege but not being able to force the City and unwilling to break his Oath he built a House near it where he dyed This Prince was so famous for his cruelty that 't is reported of him that being sick and hearing two of his Concubines laugh in an anti-chamber he commanded they should be immediately cut to pieces He had a Favourite called Ochi Chronwi whose ambition swell'd to that height that he brought four or five hundred Iaponeses into the Kingdom cloath'd like Merchants to be imployed to murther the King and settle him upon the Throne This design took no effect during the Kings life but he being dead Ochi Chronowi seiz'd on the Crown and caused himself to be proclaimed King The Son of Raja Hapi had friends sufficient to cast out this Usurper but he was not fortunate enough to keep the Crown in his possession for he was likewise slain and left it to
and Cotton sufficient to cloath the Inhabitants This Island was heretofore divided into ten Kingdoms but Men making this Voyage only for Traffick they are contended to visit those only next the Sea and omit to travel further into the Country where doubtless Riches are to be found unknown to the maritime Inhabitants The Portuguez give us account only of two Mediterranean Kingdoms which they call Andragidan and Arunau as also those of Achim Pedir Pacem Camparam Zâ—nde and Mancabo all on the Sea-side and on this side the Line The Hollanders for advance of their Commerce in the Isle of Iava have discovered the Kingdom of Polymbam beyond the Line and have made there a most firm establishment as may be seen in their Relations The Portuguez have there nothing at all but have freedom of Trade except hindred by the Hollanders The King of Achim hath united to his Crown the Kingdoms of Pedir and Pacem with almost all the Northern Coast of the Isle but he that reigned there in 1596. when the Hollanders first sailed into those parts was a Fisher-man that usurp'd the Crown and in the Siege of Polymbam was slain leaving only one Son of five moneths of age under the government of his Father in Law Which young Prince dying his Grandfather succeeded to the Crown and that was he the Hollanders treated with in the year 1668. The City of Achim stands in a wide Plain upon the side of a very broad River but so shallow that the least Boats get in with difficulty It hath neither Gates nor Walls the Houses all built on piles and covered with Coco-leaves The Castle or Palace Royal stands in the middle of the Town which on two sides hath most excellent pleasant Forrests well stored with Apes Herns and all manner of Birds The Natives are flat-fac'd and of an Olive colour they cover their body with a Cotton or Silk Shirt and their head with a light Turbant of the same stuffe Children go stark naked only Girls have their secret parts hidden with a Silver-plate The Inhabitants of Guzuratta Malabar Negupatam Bengalan and Pegu and all Strangers that live among them cloath themselves after the same manner The Castle is fortified with a good Wall and Pallisado and well flanked so as the Artillery commands all the Avenues and streets of the Town The Houses in the Castle are built of the same matter and same form of those of the Town by reason the River which often overflows drowns them sometimes to the first story The piles that support them are gayly wrought and the Houses covered with Canes They enter into the Castle by seven Gates one within another which are neither curious nor strong Without the Kings special Licence none but the Life-guard and Women enter the Pallisado all others must sue for Audience or expect till the King sends for them Such as present themselves to him do him reverence with their hands joyn'd and lifted above their head crying Daula tuaâ—con that is Long live the King He never recreates himself but with Women or appears in publick but either to see Cock-fighting to bathe in the River or hunt the Elephant He is serv'd only by Women or Eunuchs He uses his Subjects as slaves and governs by four Sabanders who are next in authority to him His Laws are fevere and punishments extreamly cruel so as one shall there meet a multitude of people without either hands or feet and have been so mutilated for miscarriages not worth the name of Crimes The King of Achim as almost all that inhabit the Coast of Sumatra is a Mahumetan for which reason I shall not need to say any more of their Religion only that they begin their Lent with the new Moon in the twelfth moneth and end it at the new of the next moneth observing abstinence all day during that time till night Whence it comes that their impatience to see the end of their Lent makes them still gaze in the West fixing their eyes up to the Heavens to find the new Moon which is no sooner seen but they fall to feasting and jollity for the remainder of that night In Sumatra they get no Corn but Rice sufficient of which the Inhabitants make good varieties particularly Cakes with Oyl they have plenty likewise of Beef and Buffles Goat and Mutton though none but the King hath priviledge to breed Sheep Oranges Lemmons Bonana Tamarindes Batalas Reddish Sprinage and Lettice in great abundance they drink Water or Arac made of Rice or Cocoes There is in Sumatra a Tree in the Malayan Language called Singadi in Arabia Gurae the Canarians call it Parizaticco the Persians and Turks Gul the Decanins Pul and the Portuguez Arbor triste de dia. It puts forth an infinite number of branches very small and full of knots from every knot comes two leaves like a Plumb-leaf save that they are as sweet as Sage and are covered with a beautiful white Every leaf hath its bud which opening thrusts forth small heads whereof each hath four round leaves and from each head comes five flowers composing as it were a Nosegay in such manner as the fifth is seen in the middle of the rest The flowers are white as Snow and a little bigger then the Orange-flower blows immediately as the Sun is set so suddenly that they are produced as 't were in the cast of an eye This fecundity lasts all night till the return of the Sun makes both the flowers and leaves drop off and so strips the tree that least greenness is not to be found upon it nor any thing of that admirable odour which perfum'd the Air and comprehended all that Asia affords of sweetness The tree keeps in this condition till the Sun hath left the Horizon and then it begins to open its womb again and deck it self with fresh flowers as if in the shades of night it would recover it self out of the affliction which it is put into by that Planet whose return enlivens the rest of the Universe There is not in the Island a Tree more common then the Cocoes and in regard 't is general through the Indies I will give here a brief description of it and first tell you there are four sorts thereof That which bears the fruit called Cocoes which are the Nuts of the Country is the most considerable not only of any Tree in this Country but indeed of any other part of the world This Tree not above a foot diameter grows in body exceeding high having not a branch but at the top where it spreads as the Date-tree The fruit comes not out of the branches but beneath out of the body in bunches or clusters of ten or twelve Nuts The flower is like that of a Chesnut and it grows only near the Sea or upon the River side in sandy ground and nevertheless grows so lofty that except the Indians who by practice climb it with as much agility and
without divers belonging to it The housing is poorly built of Straw or Reeds upon piles made like those at Achim They cover their Houses with Cocoe-leaves and the sides of thier lodging Rooms have only Curtains for freedom of the Air which is exceeding necessary in this hot Climate For preservation of their Wares they have Store-houses of Stone but they are covered only with Straw so that to secure them from fire which is but too frequent amongst them they lay great pieces of Timber over the Roof and cover it with Sand that the fire may not find passage The Rooms in their Houses are only divided by partitions made of Canes called Bambus which they slit so thin that a Horse-load serves for all the Rooms in a House At the Houses of Persons of Quality at the first entrance you come into a square Court where the Guard is and where the Master of the House speaks with such as have business with him under a little Shed covered with Canes or Cocoe-leaves In one of the corners of this Court stands the Mesquite where at noon they do their Devotions and not far thence the Cistern where they wash themselves Being entred the House you find on both sides of a narrow Gallery several little Niches for Slaves to rest in who watch for their Masters security by reason they are all afraid of being surprized and killed by their Enemies in the night All Forraigners as the Inhabitants of Bengala Guzuratta Malayans Abissins Chineses Portuguez and Hollanders lye out of Town Here are three great Market places where Merchants meet daily The grand Bazar or Exchange is towards the East part of the Town and is the meeting place of forreign Merchants as Portuguez Arabians Turks Chineses Quilins Peguans Malayans Bengalans Gusurats Malabars and other Indians who are there from the break of the day till nine of the clock and then break up The second Market place is before the great Mesquite divided from it by a Pallisado To this place Women resort with Sacks and a weight of three pounds they call Gantam who buy Pepper of the Country people at eight or nine hundred Caxas the Gantam But the Chineses who are very skilful in this Trade forestall them sometimes for they go to the Peasants and buy all they have by the lump before hand Betwixt the Pallisado and the Mesquite stand Women that sell Bettele Araca Bananas Melons c. and some there are sell fine Cakes to be eaten hot A little higher on the right hand are Armourers who sell small pieces of Cannon Pistols Sword-blades Battle-axes Knives c. Not far thence there are others that sell Sandal-wood white and yellow and on the left hand are Confectioners that sell Sugar Honey and all sorts of Sweet-meats liquid or dry Near to that is the Bean-market where are sold all sorts of Beans black white red yellow green and grey at three hundred Caxas the Gantam Next to this is the Onyon-market where Merchants that sell Cloath by whole-sale come and such as deal in return of Money and assurances of the return of Vessels Hard by this is the Poultry where besides tame Fowl they sell also Kids Geese Pigeons Parrats c. Coming thence you meet three wayes one going to the Chineses Shops another to the Herb and Pulse-market and the third to the Shambles By the way to the Chineses Shops on the right hand are some Jewellers who for the greater part are Choroacones that is Persians or Arabians who sell Rubies Hiacinths Turquesses Granats c. And on the left hand is the place for the Bengalians with their Toyes and small Wares On the backside of this Street the Chineses sell their Silks raw and colourâ—d Damask Velvet Sattins Brocadoes of Gold and Silver Purcelane and Cabinets and works of Lacque c. By the way to the Hearb-market upon the right hand upon the Strand are the Bengalians with their small Wares On the left hand Merchants of Linnen-cloath and at the lower end of this Market married Women have Seamsters shops but men are forbidden to come there under pain of a forfeiture Then you come to the Hearb-market where are a multitude of Simples unknown to us Turning thence you see the Fish-market then the Shambles with Stalls full of Beef Buffles and Venison then the Spice-market where Women sell Pepper Cloves Nutmegs Mace c. and all sorts of Gums and Drugs to Europeans unknown and the Rice-market where likewise they sell Earthen-Ware and Salt whence they pass by the same way they came to the place where Merchants and Masters of Ships meet about their Affairs The sale of these Commodities lasts but till nine of the clock and then opens the Market before the Pacebam or Palace Royal where are sold all sorts of Victuals as likewise some Pepper which they truck with the Chineses About noon the Market in the Chineses quarters begins where nothing is sold but for the Table We told you before that next Bantam Tuban or Tubaon is the chiefest Town in Iava and in effect is stronger then all the rest and although not so great as Bantam 't is at least as handsome and as well built The Palace is exceeding spacious and hath very fair Appartments where Elephants and other Beasts have their several quarters Each Elephant hath his lodge built upon four pillars with a post in the middle to tye him to The rooms are filled with Chests and Hampers for the baggage when the King goes his Progress Near to his Lodgings is a place where his fighting Cocks are kept every one his Pen apart and every one his Keeper as likewise the Parrots which are much before those they bring into these parts The greatest part of a beautiful flame colour with a great golden spot on the back the out-sides of their wings blew and red and the in-side a lovely carnation They are too tender to indure the inconveniences of a long Voyage besides the Indians highly esteem them for that they love their owners and delight to be made much of by them The King of Tuban whom the Hollanders saw in their third Voyage to the Indies delighted much in these Creatures as likewise in Dogs Horses and white Ducks by much larger then ours He had four legitimate Wives six Sons and two Daughters besides natural Children a great number by Concubines which he kept in several Appartments His Bed was raised some distance from the ground built like an Altar of great Stones whereon lay a Quilt and certain Pillows of Sattin filled with raw Silk The Chief Commerce they have at Tubaon consists in Pepper which they carry to the Isle of Body where they truck for Cloath and Stuffs of Cotton and Silk which afterwards they bring to Banda Ternate the Philippines and other parts to truck for Cloves Mace and Nutmegs The Inhabitants for the greatest part live only on Fish They wear no other Garment then a Linnen-cloath about the Loyns only
them There is besides another sort of Ants about the length of a Mans finger and red but these are only in the Fields where they live on the barks of Trees and Herbs As concerning the Trees and Fruits in the Isle of Iava amongst others there is the Areca whereof we spoke a word by the way in the precedent Book The Portuguez call the Tree that bears it Arre quero the Arabians Faufell and Malayans Pynang It is a kind of Cocoe but not so great nor the leaves so big and broad The Fruit is like a Date Nature incloses it in a husk which opens not till it flower and when it ripens the shell falls off the fruit remaining at the branch It hath scarce any taste but it moistens the mouth dyes the lips red and the teeth black The Indians lap it up in a Bettle-leaf mix a little Chalk or Lime with it and chew it rather out of custom then for any pleasure though they hold that it strengthens the Stomach and Gums and is a topical Medicine against the Scurvy and in effect there is scarce an Indian that is subject to this Disease or troubled with the Tooth-ach This Drug will make some people to be drunk that all things seem to turn round but that dizziness is presently over The Mangas grow on Trees not much unlike our Nut-trees but they have not so many leaves They are of the bigness of a Peach but longer and something bending like a Crescent of a light green drawing a little towards the red It hath a great shell that encloses an Almond of greater length then breadth and eaten raw very distasteful but roasted on the Coals not unpleasant 'T is useful in Physick against the Worms and the Diarrhaea It ripens in October November and December and being perfectly ripe 't is full as good as a Peach They get them while they are green and put them up in Salt Vinegar and Garlick and then they call them Mangas d' Achar and they serve in stead of Olives There are likewise wild ones which they call Mangas brauas of a pale green too but brighter then the other and full of juyce which is immediate death without a present Antidote The Ananas is one of the loveliest pleasantest and wholsomest fruits of the Indies It grows on a bush and hath leaves like Semper-vivum The fruit at first is green but being ripe turns Orange or Aurora coloured drawing a little to a red shap'd like a Pine-apple for which reason the Portuguez who met with this fruit first in Brasil called it Pinas but 't is tender and easie to cut They are yellow within of a delicate scent they are eaten in Wine but the excess is dangerous for Feavers The juyce is so sharp that if one wipe not the Knife they are cut with next morning it will be found eaten The Tree is so apt to grow that a sprig will take root in the earth though it have not past two or three leaves be half withered and have been cut fifteen dayes before The Canarins call this fruit Ananasa the Brasilians Nava and in Hispaniola and the other Western Islands they call it Iajama 't is as big as the larger sort of Lemmons or the middle Mâ—lons excellent both in scent and taste At distance they look like Hartichoaks only they are not so picked as the leaves of that Plant. The stalk is like that of a Thistle and every stalk bears but one and that at the top of it for though many times it puts forth at the side other stems yet the fruit that comes of them is very small and seldom comes to maturity They have of them in March and then they are very pleasant for the juyce hath the taste of sweet or new Wine and is exceeding easie of digestion but it heats and often brings a Feaver In Iava there is another fruit called Samaca 't is as big as a Citron the colour green something drawing to a red full of juyce that is tart and toothsom and within hath divers black kernels the leaves are like those of Lemmon-trees but not so long They put them up in Salt or Sugar and use them as Tamarindes against burning Feavers Inflammations of the Breast and pains in the Stomack and Fluxes Tamarinds grow on great Trees full of branches whereof the leaves are not bigger then nor unlike to the leaves of Pimpernel only something longer The flower at first is like the Peaches but at last turns white and puts â—orth its fruit at the end of certain strings as soon as the Sun is set the leaves close up the fruit to preserve it from the Dew and open as soon as that Planet appears again The fruit at first is green but ripening it becomes of a dark grey drawing towards a red inclosed in husks brown or tawny of taste a little bitter like our Prunelloes Every husk contains three or four little Beans in a certain skin which is that the Portuguez call Tamarinho The fruit is viscous and sticks to the fingers but of so good a taste that the Indians use it almost in all Sawces as we do Verjuyce but 't would turn a mans stomack to see them cook Meat with this Drug for squeezing it between their hands the juyce that runs through their fingers looks more like a Medicine then a Sawce These Trees bear twice in the year and grow every where without being planted or otherwise looked after Physitians use this Drug against burning Feavers heat of the Liver and Diseases in the Spleen and infused a night in cold Water it purges gently The Tamarinds brought to our parts are either salted or preserved in Sugar The Inhabitants of the Isle of Madagascar where there grows plenty of it call it Quille and the Iavians Sunda assu The Portuguez gave it the name of Tamarinthes for the resemblance the fruit holds with the Date in Arabia called Tamar as if they would say Dates of India The Malabars call it Puli and the rest of the Indians Ampuli The Tree is as big as a Walnut-tree full of leaves bearing its fruit at the branches like the Sheath of a Knife but not so straight rather bent like a Bow The Indians when they would transport their Tamarinds take them out of the husks and make them up in Balls as big as a Mans fist unhandsome to look on and worse to handle We told you before that 't is common to plant Pepper near to a sort of Canes by the Iavians called Mambu in which the Tabaxir is found 'T is true in the Isle of Iava there was never any of them found but again 't is certain that on the Coast of Malabar Coromandel Bisnagar and near to Malacca this sort of Cane produces a Drug called Sacar Mambus that is Sugar of Mambu The Arabians the Persians and the Moores call it Tabaxir which in their Language signifies a white frozen liquor These Canes are as big as
three days they make choyce of one of these three on whom they bestow besides several other Titles the quality of the Prince's Nurse In order to her establishment in that Function she is brought into the Prince's Chamber whom she finds in the arms of one of the chiefest Ladies of the Countrey by whom he had been kept from the time of his birth and after the Nurse hath spurted a little of her milk into the Childes mouth he is delivered up to her All these Ceremonies as also those performed at the ordinary Feasts are very great and they are at this day performed with the Dayro who still enjoys a very considerable Revenue sufficient to defray all the charge and continues the same grandeur his Predecessours have been possess'd of though the force of the Empire hath been devolv'd into other hands as we shall now relate The charge of General of the Army was heretofore the greatest of any in the Kingdom as is that of Constable in France and it was invested ordinarily though contrary to the rules of good policy in the second Son of the Dayro About a hundred and twenty years since it happened there was a Dayro who having a son he exceedingly doted on would needs out of an imprudent compliance he had for the Mother consent that he should participate of the Royal Dignity and it was ordered that it should pass alternately from one to the other every three years But the son willing to make his advantage of the occasion found means so to insinuate himself into the affections of the great Lords and the Soldiery during the three years of his Reign that he resolv'd to continue it contrary to the exhortations of his Father who too late repented him of his devesting himself of an authority which indeed is not communicable This was the first disturbance that ever had been seen in Iapan inasmuch as both Father and Son being equally invested with the quality of Dayro the people conceived they might without any crime take up Arms for either However most of the Lords detesting the ingratitude of the Son joyn'd with the General whom the Father had appointed to reduce his Son to obedience who was defeated and killed in that Civil warr The General finding himself well established in his charge followed the example of the Prince and abusing the lawful power whereof he was seized made his advantage of it to settle himself in the Throne after the Dayro's death yet leaving the lawful heir with the quality of Dayro all the outward appearance of his former greatness This demeanour of the Generall 's occasioned a second Civil warre which was thought the more just out of this respect that in this the people took up Arms against an Usurper who had not the quality of Dayro nor consequently the Character for which the Iaponnesses have so great a veneration Accordingly this war had the same success with the former for the Usurper was defeated and executed But this second General took the same course as his Predecessour had done so that by this second Usurpation the Countrey was reduced to an absolute Anarchy wherein all were Masters there being no Prince nor Lord nay hardly a Village but was engaged in war against some other These disorders gave occasion to a Soldier of Fortune named Taycko to appear at first in the head only of fifty men with whom he did such exploits that he soon improved that handful to a very considerable Army His first adventures were the taking in of several Castles and small Cities but within a while after his thoughts flew much higher and he proved so fortunate in his designs that within less then three years he became absolute Master of the whole State He left the Dayro the external part of his former greatness and thought it enough to be in effect what the other was only in appearance The Dayro on the other side perceiving it was impossible for him to prevent that establishment comply'd therewith and chang'd the quality of General of the Army to that of Emperour Taycko who could not expect much quietness in his newly acquired fortune if he removed not those Lords of whom he conceived any jealousie resolved to keep them at a distance from the Court and to that end he sent the chiefest of them with an Army of sixty thousand men into the Countrey of Corea with order not to return thence till they had conquered that Province They there met with such resistance that they were near seven years reducing that Nation to obedience Taycko in the mean time feeding them with fair hopes and animating them to prosecute a design of so great concernment to the State They were forc'd to obey but being impatient to return to their own habitations they committed such exorbitances as made the Inhabitants of Corea desperate insomuch that not able any longer to endure the burning of their houses the murthers and other violences done them they sent an Embassadour to the Court who to deliver his Country out of the miseries it had suffered for so many years made a shift to poyson Taycko who some days after dyed The Army in Corea was immediately disbanded and the Lords who had the command of it return'd to their several homes Taycko being on his death-bed and considering with himself that he could not hope to derive the succession to his Son who was but six years of age if he made not some powerful Person Protector during his Minority sent to Ongosschio one of the greatest Lords of the Country desiring him to undertake the tuition of that young Prince Ongosschio accepted it and to give Taycko the greatest assurance he could expect that he would be faithful to him promised him by an act signed with his blood that he would deliver up the Crown to Fidery so was the young Prince called assoon as he were come to the fifteenth year of his age and that he should be Crown'd Emperour by the Dayro The disorders of the late Civil Warrs were yet fresh in every mans memory so that there was a general joy conceiv'd to see the Regency in the hands of a person excellently qualified for the execution thereof Ongosschio was indeed a person of very great endowments but he had withal too much spirit and ambition to be reduced to a private life after he had been possessed of the Soveraign Power for so many years He had obliged Fidery to marry his Daughter yet could not so near an alliance smother so that predominant passion in him Whence it came that he immediately gave out that Fidery was grown so distrustful of him that he was forc'd to stand upon his guard and to raise an Army to oppose that which Fidery was going to get together against him He gave out also that Fidery would needs be treated as Emperour and discharge the Functions thereof before the Dayro had acknowledged him to be such or Crown'd him in that quality Accordingly
then his Revenue amounts to But what helps to ruine them is the Order they receive from the Emperour to supply him ever and anon with men and mony to carry on the publick Buildings which he does rather to drain the Purses of these Lords then out of any necessity obliging him thereto The greatest Lords when they build a Pallace do ordinarily make two Gates thereto one for their own use and the other for the Emperours passage into it The latter is much larger then the other and made all of Joyner's work excellently varnish'd carv'd into branch-work and gilt Assoon as it is hâ—ish'd it is cover'd with boards against the injury of the weather and is not uncover'd till near the time of the Emperour intends to honour the house with his presence to dine there and assoon as he is departed thence it is shut up and so kept ever after out of this respect that having serv'd for a passage to the Emperour 's Sacred Majesty it were a profanation if any private person should pass through it after him It is also to be observ'd that the Emperour never dines above once in any house belonging to another man and that they are three whole years in making all things ready for his Entertainment Accordingly he hath notice of it three years before and in the mean time all the furniture of the house is made and marked as is also all the Plate with the Arms and Characters of the Emperour and after that time they are never more used but kept very safe as things not to be employed in any thing after they have once served the Soveraigns person So that this Expence and that which they are at in the Entertainment which the Master of that House is obliged to make for the whole Court for three months together were enough to beggar an ordinary King Another thing lies heavy on these Lords is the Presents which the Emperour makes them For upon his return from his ordinary Hunting which is that of the Crane a bird there very highly esteemed he is wont to send some of those he hath taken to such as he hath most kindness for But that Present costs him at least half a years Revenue in Feasts Presents and other publick Entertainments which he is obliged to make in acknowledgment of the favour done him by his Majesty in sending him a Bird taken by a Hawk put off from his Sacred Hands It is not long since that the Lord of Zatiuma treated the Emperour at a Dinner in a Palace which was then but newly finished but he got well by the expence he had been at For the Emperour made him a Present for his Horses so they call the Gratifications he makes his Favourites by an addition to his former Revenue of two hundred and fifty thousand Crowns per annum The Grandees never take any Wife but what they have from the Emperours hands and it is of her alone who is given by him that the Children are to be born who are to inherit their Estates Accordingly they look on her and respect her as the person from whom they expect Heirs for the propagation of their Family and upon that account recommended to them by the Emperour He who expects to have this honour done him builds a Palace purposely for her reception furnishes it very richly and allows her a Retinue consisting of a great number of Women and Maids to accompany her and wait on her Women go not abroad but once a year to give their Relations a Visit and then they are seen in the streets with a Retinue of thirty forty or fifty close Palanquins wherein are carried so many Maids of Honour accompanied each of them by their Waiting Gentlewomen and other Women marching in a File on both sides of the Palanquins which are varnished over and gilt All the remainder of the year the women stir not out of their houses into which there are not any men permitted to enter save only some of the Wives nearest Relations who sometimes have the freedom to see them but very seldom and that in their Husbands presence It is his business on the other side to make the restraint as little burthensom as may be to them by allowing them all the divertisements and recreations which honest women can take finding them Gardens and Parks for walking Ponds for fishing keeping all sorts of living Creatures for their pleasure and entertaining them every day with Musick and Plays But they must expect to end their days in this restraint and renounce the conversation of men inasmuch as the least suspition is here as unpardonably punished with death as any other manifest crime not only in the person of the Lady but also in all about her Her Attendants are commonly some of the handsomest young Gentlewomen in the Province who always stand before the Master and Mistress with such respect that they study to answer laugh and hold their peace upon the least sign made them They are ordinarily distinguished into Bands or Companies consisting of sixteen Gentlewomen who have each a Governess over them They are clad in Silk flower'd painted or embroidered of different colours or liveries For one Band is in a red livery with girdles and head-cloathes of a green colour another white with girdles and head-cloathes red another yellow with girdles and head-cloaths of a sky-colour and so of the rest The Gentlewomen who are received into the service of these Princesses at fifteen or twenty years of age oblige themselves most of them for the remainder of their lives but such as are taken into it while they are yet children are sometimes afterwards married to Gentlemen Soldiers or others of the menial Servants who have some Office about the House and whose Allowances are upon that Account augmented but such as are not married at thirty must not expect to change their condition otherwise then by being advanced to some more honourable Employments among the women It is the custom of the Countrey that Women should be instructed betimes not to meddle with any kind of business whatsoever insomuch that they never speak of any such thing to their Husbands These on the otherside make it their brag that they are enabled with such a strength of parts and understanding as to leave all serious thoughts behind them at their own Lodgings when they leave those to go into the appartment of their Wives where their discourse is altogether of mirth and divertisement If a Woman should trouble her Husband with the least discourse about business she would immediately put him out of humour make him change his countenance and oblige him to retire without so much as speaking to her But this she will be sure to avoid though out of no other motive then this that another might not have those enjoyments of him which she by her imprudence would deprive her self of For they affirm that a woman is bestow'd on man mearly to serve and
of age have more piercing Wits and are more searching and inquisitive then our youth is at seventeen or eighteen years of age They are not sent to School till they are seven or eight years of age upon this account that as they affirm Children are not capable of instruction before that time and that they are apt to learn only naughtiness and unhappy tricks one of another The Masters when they meet with dull Boys never either chide or beat them for that but teach them to read and write by degrees by raising an emulation in them to do as well as others and by this course they improve them much better then if they treated them harshly it being to be observ'd that it is an incorrigible Nation expecting to be mildly treated and seldom to be bettered by soul means and blows They never swath the Children but as soon as they are brought into the World the Midwife having wash'd them in cold Water thrusts them into the Sleeves of their Iaponneses and by that means they so harden them against heat and cold that many times such as scarce have the use of their legs will crawl stark naked of all four about the House and into the Fields The eldest Son being come to Mans estate the Father resigns his charge to him or if he be a Merchant makes over his Trade to him with the better half of his Estate assigns him the best Lodgings in the House and goes with the rest of the Family to another part of it or if he be a person of ability he resigns the whole House to him and takes another mannaging what he hath reserved of his Estate for the advancement of his other Sons if so be he hath any The Daughters have no part of the Fathers Estate no not even when they are married in regard they would not have Wives to make any advantage of their Dower so that if the Brides Father should on the Wedding-day send a sum of Money to the Bridegroom he returns it back again with great Complements and sends word that he would not have his Father-in-Law think that his Addresses to his Daughter proceeded from any other motive then the desire he had of his alliance and consequently that he expected not to make any advantage of his Estate They are so ambitious and highly conceited of themselves that it is seldom seen a Iaponnese does any thing wherewith he might be reproached but on the contrary they would rather lose their lives then betray their honour Of this I shall here insert an illustrious Example In the time of the War between Fidery and his Guardian the King or Prince of Cocora who had discovered some inclination to the contrary party was forc'd to leave his Wife and Children as Hostages with Fidery who hearing that the Prince of Cocora had openly declar'd for his Adversary sent word to his Wife that his pleasure was she should come and live within the Palace She would have excused her self by representing to Fidery that she was a Wife and as such ow'd the Prince her Husband the same obedience as her Husband ow'd to the Emperour so that if his Majesty expected she should do what he would have her his best course were to apply himself to her Husband that he might command her to do it Fidery seeing her constancy sent her word that if she came not he would have her brought thither by force But the Princess considering with her self that if she left her House it would be a dishonour both to her and her Husband withdrew her self with her Nurse and Children and some of the menial Servants who proffer'd to dye with her to a Chamber into which she caused Gun-powder and Wood to be brought and having made her Will and writ a Letter to her Husband she put both into the hands of a trustly Person with order to depart as soon as he had seen the Powder set on fire and by this means gave an extraordinary Demonstration of her constancy They are also very punctual in the performance of what they had promised those who desire their assistance or protection For no Iaponnese but will promise it any one that desires it of him and spend his life for the person who hath desired him to do it and this without any consideration of his Family or the misery whereto his Wife and Children may be thereby reduced Hence it comes that it is never seen a Malefactor will betray or discover his Complices but on the contrary there are infinite Examples of such as have chosen rather to die with the greatest torment imaginable then bring their Complices into any inconvenience by their confession Iapan is so rich and abundant in all things that some few Merchants excepted who trace into the Indies there is hardly any Iaponnese who meddles with the venting of any forreign Commodities The greatest Commerce which is carried on there is that of the Chineses who have continued theirs in this Country ever since the Island was first peopled The Spaniards and Portuguez have traded thither these six or seven score years and the English had no sooner begun but they gave over their trading into those parts by reason of the small advantage made thereby Those of Siam and Cambodia were wont to send thither yearly two or three Ionques but this is also given over especially since the Dutch bring them the Commodities of Iapan at a lower rate and with less danger then they could fetch them themselves The chief Trade is at the City of Meaco whither most of the Merchants as well forreigners as those of the Country bring all their Commodities and where they have their Agents and Factors to distribute them over all the Island The Commodities which Forreigners bring to Iapan are about four or five thousand Picols of Silk and abundance of Stuffs of Silk Cotton Thread c. above two hundred thousand Deer skins about a hundred thousand other Hides Hemp Linnen-clothes Wooll Garments Cotton Quicksilver all sorts of Gums and Medicinal Drugs Spices Cloves Pepper Sugar Musk a sort of Wood called Sappan and Calambac Purcelan Camphir Borax ' Elephants Teeth Coral and all kind of Mercury which the Chineses bring The Chineses and Iaponneses have heretofore lived in very good correspondence in so much that there hardly passed a year but the Kings of those two powerful States visited one another by reciprocal Embassies This friendship continued till the Iaponneses who lived in China became so insolent as to ransack a whole City and to ravish all the Women and Maids that fell into their hands The Chineses resented the affront as they ought and killed all the Iaponneses they met withall The King of China considering of how dangerous consequence it was to afford refuge to a sort of people who had the insolence to commit such an action in the time of peace banished them his Kingdom for ever ordering the Decree to be graven in
reside in it and that it is bloud in effect though of a different colour They do not eat the flesh of either Bulls or Kine nor that of any tame beast but love wild Fowl and Venison and are much addicted to the hunting thereof They have Cedar-trees which are so big that they make Pillars of them for their greatest Edisices and Masts for their Ships Poverty is not so criminal or infamous in Iapan as it is in several places of Europe where the rich are only accounted vertuous They hate Calumniators Swearers and Gamesters but they have also their Vices which much eclipse their other good parts They are rather of a brownish Complexion then white strong and well set enduring paints taking and the inconveniences of the Seasons with incredible patience They endure hunger and thirst heat and cold without any trouble and are no otherwise clad in Winter then they are in Summer The Iaponneses are distinguished into five Orders The first is that of Kings and Princes and such as have civil or military Charges and Employments who are all called by a common name Tones The second is that of Ecclesiasticks whom they call by a general name Bowzes The third is that of Gentlemen and Merchants The fourth that of Tradesmen and such as relate to the Sea And the fifth that of Labourers and such as work by the day The general administration of Affairs is in the hands of three principal Ministers of State the first whereof superintendency is over Ecclesiastical affairs hath the quality of Zazo he who hath the disposal of Charges and Offices is called Veo and he who hath the oversight of things relating to the War is called Cabacama There could not be hitherto had any true account of the Emperour of Iapan's Revenue but it is certain that he makes above two Millions of Gold of the Rice which his own Demesne affords him every year It is also certain that the Emperour of Iapan is so powerful that Taicko whom we spoke of before finding himself well settled upon the Throne had a design to pass over into China with a Fleet of two thousand Vessels for the building whereof he had already cut down Timber which he might have done with the more ease upon this account that the Iaponneses are incomparably a more warlike Nation then the Chineses But in regard there is not any thing makes a greater descovery of the greatness of this Monarch then the Ceremonies of the Interview between him and the Dayro whereof we promised before to give here a short description we think fit to that purpose to insert in this place the Extract of a Relation made by the Director of the Dutch Commerce in Iapan who was at Meaco in the year 1626. This Author sayes that being at the Emperours Court in the moneth of October in the year aforesaid with some others of the Deputies of his Nation he was desirous to see the Procession which was made there on the 25. of the said moneth To that end they went the 24. and with the retinue took up a house which they had hired near the Dayro's Palace in regard the next day it would have been impossible for them to pass the Streets On the said 25. of October as soon as it was light they found the Streets and tops of Houses full of people The Streets were rail'd in on both sides from the Dayro's Palace to the Emperours having files of Souldiers all along and the middle of the Street strew'd with white Sand all laid so even that nothing should retard the Procession or disturb its Order These Souldiers who were part of the Dayro's Guards part of the Emperours were all clad in white having on their Heads Casks of black Lacque by their sides two Cymitars and in their Hands a Nauganet that is a Iaponnese Pike The first appearance was that of a great number of the Domesticks of these two Princes going to and fro as also that of several Porters or Sedan-men who carried in great square Chests which were of black Lacque and gilt the baggage of the Dayro to the Emperours Palace Then followed in forty six Palanquins carried each of them by four men so many Maids of Honour belonging to the Dayro's Wives who went in that equipage to the Emperours Palace The Palanquins were of a fine white Wood painted with Verdure garnished with brass Plates very neatly made and five or six foot high After them there came one and twenty other Palanquines of a kind which they call Norrimones varnish'd with black and gilt Next them there came twenty seven other Norrimones of the same bigness with the precedent but made with Wickets and Windows for so many Lords of the Dayro's Retinue who were carried in them to the Emperours Palace having every one before him a gilt Umbrello covered with very fine Cloth They had about them a hundred and eight Pages clad in white and behind them four and twenty Gentlemen armed as if they were ready to engage in a fight These had on their Heads a kind of Bonnets of black Lacque with a little Plume of Feathers of the same colour and under their Iaponnesses they had long and narrow Breeches of Satin of several colours embroidered with Gold and Silver with Buskins varnished with black and gilt at the extremities By their Sides they had Cimitars the Hilts whereof were gilt and Bows and Arrows at their Waste and over their Shoulders Scarfs richly embroidered the ends whereof hung down on the Cruppers of their Horses No doubt they had cull'd out the goodliest persons in the Country of this Ceremony for they were all the handsomest persons both as to Body and Countenance that could be seen Their Saddles were varnish'd over and gilt the Seats embroidered and covered with Tigers and Lynxes Skins their Trappings were of Crimson Silk twined and the Horses had their Mains tied up with Gold and Silver Thread and they had on the Breast and Crupper a kind of Net-work of twined crimson Silk and instead of Shooes their Hoofs were done about with plain crimson Silk Every Horse was led by two Lacquies and two other Lacquies carried two great Umbrelloes covered with a very fine and transparent cloth and upon that a covering of Scarlet fring'd with Gold Another Lacquie carried a Nanganet or Pike the top whereof was also covered with a piece of red and black cloth Every Horsman had eight Pages clad in white and arm'd with two Cymitars according to the mode of the Country This body of Horse serv'd for a Guard for the three chiefest of the Dayro's Wives who followed it in three Coaches of so extraordinary a making that we shall not think it much to afford them a short description They were at least twenty or twenty five foot in height ten or twelve in length and five or six in breadth having on each side three and before two Windows with
to leave there under a Stone at the entrance of the Haven some Letters wherein they acquaint the Ships that are coming after them with whatever had hapned to them in their Voyage and the course they take at their departure thence The water there is excellent good and so easie to come at that the taking of it in is without any trouble Cattle are very cheap their Oxen are large and have bunches on their back as those of the Indies and there are some Sheep whose flesh is extreamly delicate they have long ears and their tails are as big and weighty as a good hind quarter of Mutton They have also all sorts of wild Fowl and those Creatures that are hunted Deer wild Boars Partridges Quails c. and among the rest a kind of Geese which they call Pinguins which have no wings but stumps and consequently cannot raise themselves off the ground It is an amphibious Animal and with those stumps makes a shift to swim A man may take them up with his hands but the flesh of them is not edible it is so hard and insipid There are also Dogs or rather Sea-bears Camels Tygres Lyons and Lynxes The Inhabitants are of low Stature ugly and ill-shap'd living more like Beasts then men Their faces are wrinkled their hair full of grease and nastiness and they stink so that they are smelt assoon as they are seen which proceeds not only hence that they rub their bodies with train Oyl but also from their constant eating of raw flesh They never kill a beast in order to the eating of it but feed on them only when they die of any disease A dead Whâ—le cast up by the Sea upon the shore is an excellent dish of meat with them as is also the hot entrails of some beast which they eat with all the filth about them having only taken out the excrements wherewith some rub their faces They go naked save that both men and women cover their privy parts with a triangular piece of skin which they fasten with leathern girdle about the waste Some of the men cover their buttocks and thighs with a Lyons skin or Oxe hide drawing up the taile between their legs so that it covers not what they intend should not be seen Nay there are some who wear a skin which comes down from the shoulders to the waste and cut their faces arms and thighs in which they make divers strange incisions and characters which though they were ugly enough before adds somewhat to their deformity The women wear about their Arms and Leggs rings of Iron or Brass which they receive from strangers for their Cattle They who live near the Sea-coast feed only upon Oysters Fish such Herbs as Nature produces thereabouts and the Whales cast up by the Sea but such as inhabit further within the Countrey and are called Soltanimans live a little better though they are no less barbarous and savage then the others They do not cultivate the Ground though it be excellent good and very fertile nor do they understand any thing of improving and ordering the fruit which Nature bestows on them They all live in little Huts or in the same place with their Cattel without Beds Stools or any such superfluous pieces of houshold stuff Their way of resting themselves is to sit upon their heels They are never seen near the Sea but only when they think to drive some Trade in trucking their Cattle Ox-hides Lions Leopards Tigers-skins and Ostritch Feathers for Kâ—ives Looking-glasses Nailes Hammers Hatchets and other pieces of old Iron to their great advantage who come thither They have no knowledg at all of God nor never heard any talk of the Devil but all the mischief they fear is what may be done them by the Lyons against whom they are forc'd to fortifie themselves in the night time by great fires which they make all about their quarters May 10. Having fill'd all our Vessels with fresh water and bought ewo Oxen of the Soltanimans who were unwilling to sell any more we reimbarked intending to get ouâ— of the Bay that day but the contrary wind would not permit us The next day we sent our Boat to bring aboard us fifteen persons to wit four men eight women and three children to be transported into the Island of Pingui which is at the entrance of the Bay where those poor people were in hopes to live more at their ease upon the Carcasses of Whales which the Sea is wont to cast ashore there and to be free from the persecutions of the Soltanimans The Boat returned in the Evening loaden with all sorts of Birds especially Pinguins which had been all kill'd with sticks May 12. Being Sunday we weighed Anchor before day and got out of the Bay with a North-east Wind taking our course Westward The next day it came to North-north-east and afterwards to the North and in the afternoon we had not any at all So that we continued all the remainder of the day in sight of the coast At night it came to the South but in less then two hours it returned again to the North and about midnight we had such a Tempest that we were forc'd to take in all our Sails The 17. The Tempest which had continued ever-since the 12. grew so high that had not our Ship been very sound and of great burthen it could not possibly have resisted the violence of the winds and waves which so covered it sometimes that all upon the Deck were wet to the skin The next day the Skie cleared up and the wind was something allayed but still contrary We took the elevation and sound our selves at 34. Degrees 40. Minutes whence we concluded that we were between Cabo Falso and the Cape of Good hope and consequently that the Wind had forc'd us back 25. or 30. Leagues yet in the evening we had in a manner recover'd what we had lost but the night following the wind was so violent as if the Elements had been near their resolution into their first Chaos These extraordinary winds are called Hurricans and they come not with such fury but once in seven years though the Sea in those parts be ordinarily tempestuous We lost in that tempest two of our best Sea men who fell from the Scnttle into the Sea where one was immediately swallowed up the other had so much strength as to lay hold 〈◊〉 the rope was cast out to him and got into the Ship but falling on the sides of the Ship he had so bruised himself that he died within an hour after The contrary wind forced us into the main Sea and reduc'd us to such extremities that we were not so much concern'd in the prosecution of our Voyage as the saving of our lives in as much as had the Sea made the least breach in the Ship it had been impossible for us to escape The next day the contrary wind continuing in the same violence
from the Coasts of Africk and hath a very good Haven towards the Continent at 16. fathome water The Coast of the Isle is but one continued Rock but there grows such abundance of delicate Herbs in the Island that it may be presum'd it would afford as great conveniencies and refreshments as that of St. Helene if it were planted with Citron-trees and Orange-trees and stock'd with Cattle 'T is true it hath no fresh water but what falls from the sky which in all likelihood is the reason that seldom any touch at it though there come thither such store of Sea-wolves that in a few dayes there might be as much fat gotten as would load a Vessel of 600 Tun. These creatures are called Sea-wolves though they are more like Bears both in colour and the making of their heads save that the snowt of these is somewhat sharper They have only two paws under the breast and draw the lower part of the body after them as if it were a taile yet are they so swift that it is as much as a man can do to overtake them running It is a cruel and fierce beast which fears not to set upon two or three men together and his teeth are so close and strong that he can therewith easily break the handle of a Patizan There is also in the same place a kind of Badger the flesh whereof is as delicate and wholsome as that of Lambs the birds call'd Pinguins are there better and more tender then any where else and in regard few Ships come thither these birds and some others are so tame and so little afraid of a man that he needs only put out his hand to take them The 16th The wind was contrary we being at 32. degrees Latitude The next day and the 18. with a North-north-west and South-west wind we got 64. Leagues and came to 29. degrees 16. minutes Latitude The 19. With a good South-south-west vvind vve got 40 Leagues to the North-west and were at 28 degrees Latitude The 20. With a South-east wind we got 34 Leagues continuing the same course to the North-west The 21th 28 Leagues with the same wind and keeping on the same course The 22th 20 Leagues with the same wind and in the same course The 23th 24 Leagues with the same wind taking our course West-north-west The 24th We got with the same vvind 30 Leagues continuing our course to the West-north-vvest The 25th We had so great a calm that vve advanced not any thing at all The 26th We got but 20 Leagues vvith a little East-south-east vvind continuing the same course The 27th We got 36. Leagues vvith a North-east vvind pursuing the same course and vvere come to 21 degrees Latitude The 28th With the same vvind and holding the same course vve got 46. Leagues and vvere at 20 degrees Latitude 29th With an East-north-east vvind vve got 20 Leagues continuing the same course The 30. Keeping the same course to the North-vvest vve advanced 25 Leagues October the first a South-vvest vvinde put us forvvard 25 Leagues keeping our course to North-vvest and vve got that day to 17 degrees Latitude The 2. With the same vvind vve got 25 Leagues keeping on in the same course till vve vvere come to sixteen degrees sixteen minutes Latitude The 3d. With the same vvind and in the same course 28 Leagues The 4th With the same vvind taking our course to the vvest 20 Leagues The 5th In the same course 16 Leagues The 6th We got 15 Leagues vvith a South-east vvind and came that day to the Island of St. Helene This Island lies at 16. degrees 12 minutes beyond the Aequinoctial and vvas so called by the Portuguez upon its being discovered the one and tvventieth of May on vvhich day is celebrated the memory of Saint Helene Mother to Constantine the Great It is distant from the Coast of Angola 350. Leagues from that of the Cape of Good hope 550. and from that of Bresil 510. So that it is somevvhat strange that at so great a distance from the continent the Sea should start out an Island about 7 Leagues in compass It is so fertile that there is not any Province in Europe affords such plenty of excellent fruits and breeds so many creatures as this Island Some affirm it afforded neither vvhen it vvas first discovered by the Portuguez and that the fevv Trees they planted and the little stock of Cattle they left there hath so furnished it that it is able sufficiently to refresh all the fleets that come thither At this place a man may have at any time of the year Figs Pomegranats Citrons and Oranges and there are Goats Swine Barbary-Hens Feasants Partridges Quailes Peacocks Pigeons and great store of all sorts of Birds as also salt for the keeping of them so that Ships might be sufficiently provided with all things if they would stay there any time The Sea supplies it with more Fish then can be consumed and the Earth brings forth so many excellent Herbs that the Portuguez unwilling to retard their Voyage leave at this place their sick men who recover their health within a few days and having only a little Oyl Rice Bisket and Spice make a shift to live there till the Ships come thither the next year Its Mountains are so high that they reach above the Clouds and are seen at Sea at the distance of 14 Leagues The Trees wherewith they are covered bring forth no Fruit and are fit only for firing but the Valleys are extreamly pleasant The King of Portugal would not have any establishment to be made there upon these reflections that all Ships passing that way might find refreshment there and that it would be a hard matter to keep the said Island against all the other Nations who are concerned in its being still free inasmuch as were it not for that Vessels many times would be forc'd upon the Coasts of Guiny where water is not to be had at all times and where they should be obliged to stay for Rain which would be so great an inconvenience that many of the men would in the mean time droop and die The fertility of this Island proceeds chiefly from the daily rain which falls there but they are transient showrs soon over so that the Sun shining presently after and that by intervals it must needs very much advance the maturation of all things There are three places where fresh water may be taken in to wit where the three Rivers which come out of the Mountain fall into the Sea They breed abundance of Snakes but the Dutch eat them and prefer them before Eels At 190 Leagues North-west of the Island of Saint Helene is that of the Ascension so called by the Portuguez upon its being discovered upon Ascention-day It lies at 8. degrees 30. minutes South of the Line and hath also very high mountains but it affords no fresh water nor any other refreshment nay it hath not so much as
prudence and secrecy about publick Affairs which concern the greatness and safety of the State and that they impartially dispose punishments and rewards The Prince when he makes choice of any for his Council regards principally their Age and he bestows the place of Judicature on such among them as have most experience and are best acquainted with Affairs These fit every day to hear Causes and decide Differences They know nothing of our Military discipline but their way of making war hath something particular in it which is this All that are able to bear Arms are disposed into several Regiments and lodged in Quarters appointed for that purpose under their Colonels whom they call Iugarases so that as soon as there is any occasion the Orders are dispatched from Quarter to Quarter and by that means a powerful Army is raised in a few dayes without any need of making new Levies in as much as the places are kept for the Sons of the Souldiers who succeed their Fathers and put the Prince to no charge but what he allows them by way of salary since they bring their provisions and baggage along with them The names of buying and selling are not yet known among them for having neither Gold nor Silver coined they truck and exchange all as well among themselves as with Forreigners Their greatest Commerce consists in trucking of Hides and Slaves Of these they have only such as they take in war which being many times civil among themselves they make the best advantage they can of them They have among them some distinction of Nobility and Peasantry and call the former Sahibibos who are a kind of Knights for whom they have a great respect but not so much as they bear the Grandees whom they call Thubalas out of which rank they chuse their King provided he be full thirty years of age When the Portuguez discovered the Country of the Ialofes there reign'd a very powerful Prince named Brabiran who dying left three Sons by two several Wives By the former he had Cibitam and Camba and by the second who was the Widow of another Prince Father of Beomi Biran who was chosen King after the Fathers death His two elder Brethren envying the greatness of that Prince declared themselves so openly against him that Biran who had great assurances of the affection and fidelity of Beomi his Brother by the same Mother took him so much into favour that he seem'd to have reserved to himself only the name of King But that extraordinary favour prov'd fatal to both for Biran was kill'd by his Brethren and Beomi who thought to make his advantage of that Fratricide to get himself chosen took up Arms against the two Brethren He got together a considerable Army but being afterwards forsaken by his Friends he was forc'd to apply himself to Portugal for relief King Iohn II. having got him instructed in the Christian Religion had him baptized with all his Family and sent him back with a considerable Fleet under the conduct of Pedro Vaz de Cogna whom he ordered to build a Fort at the mouth of the River Zanaga it being his design to get further into Africk as far as the Country of Prester Iohn whereof he had but a confused knowledge But that great design proved abortive and miscarried at the beginning through the cowardice of Pedro Vaz who minding his convenience more then his honour demolished the Fort he had newly built and not able to endure the just reproaches which Beomi made him upon that occasion he kill'd him with his own hands the King of Portugal not expressing the least resentment of so base an action The Islands which the Portuguez call As Ilhas Verdes and the Dutch the Salt-Islands lye over against Cabo Verde and were not discovered by the Portuguez till the year 1472. Some are of opinion they are the Gorgonides of Ptolomy but I dare not affirm that that great Person who hath left us so confused an account of that Coast of Africk knew any thing of these Islands whereof the nearest is 70. and the most remote 160. Leagues distant from the Continent They reach from the 15. to the 19. degree and are in number ten to wit St. Iago St. Antonio Santa Lucia Sant Vincenle St. Nicholas Ilha blanca Ilha de sal Ilha de Mayo Ilha de Eogo and Ilha de Boa Vista It is probable the Portuguez gave them the general name of Ilhas Verdes or the Green-Islands either from the Cape we spoke of before or from the verdure which floats upon the water in those parts and which the Portuguez call Sargasso from its resemblance to Water-cresses The Sea is so covered there with from the twentieth to the twenty fourth degree that they seem to be floating Islands intended to block up the passage of Ships Nay this Herb is so thick thereabouts that without a pretty strong Gale of wind it would be no easie matter to pass that way Yet can it not be faiâ—â— whence the said verdure comes to that place where the Sea hath no bottom there being not any but in those parts at above a hundred and fifty Leagues from the Coasts of Africk They were desert and not inhabited when the Portuguez discovered them but now they are cultivated and bring forth plenty of Rice Millet Abruin or Turkish wheat Oranges Citrons Bananas Annanas Ignaues Potatoes Melons Citruls Cowcumbers Figs and Raisins twice a year The Islands of Mayo de Sal and de Boa Vista are so stored with Cattle that they load whole Ships thence for Brasil The same Islands yield also such abundance of Salt that the Dutch have taken occasion thence to name them the Salt-Islands The same Portuguez brought thither Barbary and common Hens Peacocks and Pidgeons which are so increased there that with the Partridges Quails and other smaller Birds whereof there is plenty people may fare very well at an easie rate There are also among others a kind of Birds which the Portuguez call Flamencos that are white all over the body and have wings of a lively red near the colour of fire and are as big as Swans They have above all abundance of Conies and the Sea supplies them with so much Fish that at all times a man may find there many Portugal Vessels fishing for the provision of Bresil Whence it may be inferred they lie very conveniently for the refreshing of such Ships as are bound for the Indies in as much as going thither they may easily put in at the Island of Mayo and coming thence at that of St. Anthony so as the Portuguez who live there cannot hinder them The Island of St. Iago is the chiefest of them as being the residence of the Governour and Archbishop whose spiritual jurisdiction extends not only over these Islands but also over all the Portuguez are possessed of upon the Coasts of Africk as far as the Câ—pe of Good hope November 4. With a North-east
among the Armenians The Baptism of the Armenians The Tragical History of a Clock-maker Is executeâ— His enterment The King takes the Ambassadors along with him a-hunting An Astrologer Crane-hunting Drake and Wild-goose-hunting Leopards A Persian Lord turns Executioner Wild-Assâ—â—esh much esteem'd in Persia. Presents from one of the Ambassadors to the King Pidgeon-Hunting The King liberal in his Debauches The Chancellor treats the Ambassadors A Hall set all about with Looking Glasses The Persian treatments have all Diversions The Chancellors name age and fortune A second conference with the Chancellor DECEM The King's Presents to the Ambassadors The Ambassadors last treatment at Court The Chancellors Present to the King The Ambassadors take leave of the King The Muscovian Poslanick dismiss'd The Presents from some Persian Lords to the Ambassadors Brugmans imprudence One of the Gentlemen of the retiâ—â—e 〈◊〉 takes Sanctuà ry Brugmans insolence The King's patience Ispahan described It s greatness The River Senderut Ispahan destroy'd by Tamberlane Its Gardens Its Fountains Their Houses Their stoves The streets The Maidaâ— The King's Palace His Guard The Sanctuary It s Citadel Another Sanctuary Tâ—e chief Mosquey of the City The Exercises of the Grandâ—es Taverns Places where The is drunk Chesse Places for Tobacco and Cahwa or Coffee Barbars and Surgeous The Basar Ispahan a place of great trade The Persian money Their brass money Caravanseras or publick Inns. French Capucius The King's stables His Garden Fruit-Trees The Suburbs Tzulfa Tabrisabath Hasenabath Kebrabath The Religion of the Kebbers Villages near Ispahan The fields about it The air of Persia. Diseases Persia is sandy and dry Cotton Domestick Creatures Sheep Goats Buffles They abhor Swine Camels Caravaâ—â— Horses Mules Asses Fruits Melons Citrulls Padintzan The Vine Why the Mahumetans drink no Wine Duschab Helwa Zutzuch Fruit-Trees Silk Nefte Salt Iron The stature of the Persians Paint their Hands and Nails Their Habit Lib. 3. Kisilbaschs The Habit of the Women Chap. 1. The Persians are very neat Iagenious Liars True in their friendships 〈…〉 The King Persia hath several Wives and Concubinâ—s Sodomy not punish'd in Persia. Polygamy allowed in Persia. The House-keeping of 〈◊〉 Persiâ—ns Their Housholdstuff Their ordinary food is Rice Which servs them for Bread Their Drink They takâ— Opium They take Tobacco Cahwa or Coffee The use of The or Tea Where the best Stuffs are made Persia yields yearly 20000. Balls of Silk Trading not obstructed by the Wars The inconvenience of Polygamy Incest tolerated Their Ceremonies of Marriage The Watch in the Night Marriage for a certain time The superstition of the Persians They are jealous Adultery cruelly punish'd Divorce lawful A pleasant story Another story The Education of their children Their Authors for reading Their Writing Their Ink. And Pens The Persian Language The Persians learn the Turkish Language Their Characters Their Vniversities Their best Authors A fabulous History of Alexander the Great The Persians inclin'd to Poetry The best Persian Poets Their Law Medicine Astronomy The Lunar and Solar year in Persia. The political Government of Persia. The quality of Sophi The Kingdom of Persia Hereditary The arms of Persia. The Coronation of their Kings Ismaelâ—â—â— Iacup Ismaeâ—â— Schach Tamas Mahomet Chodabende Emir Hemse Ismael III Ismael III kill'd Schach-Abas succeeds Engages in a War against the Tartars And against the Turks An excessive severity Schach-Abas puts to death his eldest Son Assassinate punish'd Schach-Sefi succeeds his Grandfather The beginning of his reign cruel Kills another Vncle and his three Sons Kills Seinel-Chan with his own hands Puts to death his Chancellor and others He â—â—press'd more teâ—â—rity than courage in his actions Subject 〈◊〉 wine His Wives His Concubines His death Schach-Abas succeeds his Father Dignities not Hereditary The Persian Army consists onely of Horse Their Military Offices The Persians hate Cowards The Schach's Revenue Officers of the Court Chancellor Kurtzi-baschi Meheter The Secretary of State Diwanbeki Kularagasâ— Eischikagasi-baschi The Master of the Ceremonies The Controller Tuschmal Secretary of the Closet Master of the Horse Grand Faulconer Huntsman Jesaulkor The Hakim Minarzim and the Seder The administration of Iustice. Vsury forbidden Their punishments The Religion of the Persians The Etymology of the word Mussulman Circumcision The difference between the Religion of the Persians and of the Turks The initials of the Religion of the Persians The Saints of the Persians Their Festivals Commentators upon the Alcoran Miracles Their purifiâ—â—tions Their Prayers They are very devouâ— Their opinion concerning Heaven and Hell They dedicate their Children to Saints Their Lent The Kinred of Mahomet Another sort of Religious men Their Interrments Some of the Retinue take Sanctuary DECEM The Ambassadors leave Ispahan Come to Natens Kaschan JANUA Kom The Mountain of Kilissim 1638. Brugman hurt Come to Saba Meet with an Ambassador from the King of Poland Come to Calwin The superstition of the Persians Leave Caswin Fauces Hyrcaniae A Caravansera upon a Bridge A Dreadful Road. Summer and Winter the same day The Provence of Kilan described Its Fruits The Kilek Revolt The history of Karib-Shach A strange punishment The Kilek disarm'd Theirâ—dbit The Talisch Come to Rescht Metropolis of the Province of Kilan A feast in honour of Aly. Sefi Myrzas ' Sanctuary Leave Rescht Come to Kurab Kurab Metropolis of the Province of Kelker FEBRUA The Ambassadors leave Kurab Come to the Province of Lengerkunan Leave Lenkeran The City of Kisilagats The Inhabitants of a Village extirpated A false Miracle of Aly. A harbarous action of the Ambassador Brugman Causes a Kisilbach to be kill'd in cold blood A Robber General of an Army The River Aras The mountain of Scamachie The Chan treats the Ambassadors MARC How the K of Persia assures the Chans of his favour Armenian Ceremonies The Armenians begin the year at Easter The Ambass intended for Holstein comes to Scamachie The Ambassadors leave Scamachie APRIL Sources of Nefte Padars a sort of people Come to Derbent Derbent described The Fable of Tzumtzume The Chan Tarku proffers to convoy the Ambassadors They take order for their departure The Governour hinders it Other Saints Sepulchres Leave Derbent The Tartars of Dagesthan Their habit Their Arms. The Prince of the Tartars How chosen The Country of Osnun The Lordship of Boinack Brugman 's impertinence A Polish Ambassador kill'd The Author like to be taken by the Tartars Come to Tarku Tarku the Metropolis of Dagesthan A German living among the Tartars The Ambassadors in great danger A Present sent to Surkou-Chan Who invites them to dinner Particulars of the entertainment Another Tartariaâ— Feast The Governour of Terki refuses a Convoy MAY. The Schemkal grants them passage The River Albanus Leave Andre Enter Circassia Abundance of Serpent Jerbuah a kind of Field-Mouse Terki the Metropolis of Circassia The Government of the Country Their language Habit Women Are Chaste Their Religion Their Sacrifices Their enterments JUNE The Ambass leave Terki The Deserts of Astrachan Come to Astrachan JULY A
own Sister thinking not her self secure thought it her best course to prevent her own destruction by attempting the King's Certain it is he dy'd a violent death on the 24. of November 1577. and that Periaconcona was the Contriver and Instrument of it but this was done so secretly that it is yet not known how Persia came to be rid of this Tyrant Ismael II. being thus remov'd out of the way they made a shift so far to satisfie Mahomet Chodabende his elder Brother of the danger whereto he expos'd his Person and the Country if he suffered the Crown to come to a strange Family that at last he resolv'd to accept of it but upon condition that before he were oblig'd to make his entrance into Caswin they should bring him the head of Periaconcona who had imbru'd her hands in the bloud of two of his Brethren and in whose power it was in some respects to dispose of the Kingdom She prostituted her self to several of the Grandees about the Court but particularly to Emeer Chan whom she had raised into some hopes of enjoying the Crown As soon as Chodabende came to the Government which was in the year â—578 he seem'd not to mind any thing so much as to imitate those among his Predecessors who had contributed most to the preservation and glory of the Kingdom of Persia. This is the Testimony given of him by F. Bizarrus but the Persian Authors affirm on the contrary that never any Prince manag'd a Scepter with greater negligence and pusillanimity in so much that finding himself not fit for the carrying on of any Military design he spent all his time within the Palace in Gaming and diverting himself with the Ladies That he was unfortunate to his Wars and that the common Enemy tasâ—ing advantage of his poorness of spirit and effeminacy made incursions into Persia to wit the Turks on one side and the Vsbeques Tartars on the other That both these Nations possess'd themselves of several Provinces belonging to that Crown and were not dispossess'd of them as long as Mahomet Chodabende liv'd Minadous observes among other passages that the Turks kill'd in one battel five thousand Persians and took three thousand prisoners whom the Turkish General ordered to have their heads cut off and having heap'd them up together he sate down upon the heap and gave audience to a young Prince of Georgia who was come to give him a Visit. Mahomed Chodabende dy'd in the year 1585. leaving three Sons Emir Hemse Ismael and Abas The former as being the eldest of the three Brethren was Crowned King of Persia but Ismael troubled to see the Crown on his Brother's head manag'd his affairs so well and insinuated himself so much into the affections of the chiefest Lords of the Kingdom that they conspir'd the death of Emir Hemse Ismael got him kill'd in the eighth moneth of his reign by a sort of people disguiz'd in VVomens Cloaths who being cover'd with Veils according to the custom of the Countrey came to the Schach's Chamber door and told the Guards that they were the VVives of some of the Chans whom the King had sent for and that they waited there in obedience to his commands The Murtherers were no sooner got into the Chamber but they fell upon the King and kill'd him But this death was soon after reveng'd upon the Contriver of it as we shall relate Abas Myrza that is to say Prince Chodabende's third Son was Governour of Herat and was come thence with an intention to see Emir Hemse his Brother but hearing in his way of the Murther committed upon him and having some reason to fear that the Murtherer might be advis'd to secure himself in the Throne by a double fratricide return'd back into his Government The year following Abas Myrsa being advanc'd as far as Caswin while the King was at Kâ—â—abach there happened such frequent differences between the people belonging to the two Brothers that they heightned the reciprocal distrust they had one of another Abas Myrsa had about him a Lord of great quality named Murschidculi-Chan who had acquir'd so great reputation by his prudence and courage that Chodabende had entrusted him with the conduct and education of that young Prince This Murschidculi knowing that Ismael who had express'd but too much animosity against his Brother would never pardon him and that his life absolutely depended on that of his Master and considering withall that if he prov'd the occasion of raising that Prince whom he had Govern'd from his youth to the Throne he would have a great share in the Government resolv'd to prevent the King who was already come into the Province of Karabach purposely to march in person against his Brother To effect this some of the great Lords of the Court who hoped to get into favour with Abas Myrsa corrupted one of Ismael's Barbers named Chudi who coming to trim him cut his Throat The Lords who were present at the execution and thought it concern'd them to justifie themselves kill'd the Barber cut his body into little bits and reduc'd it to ashes Thus dy'd Schach Ismael III. in the eighth moneth of his reign Abas Myrsa had already so for gain'd the affections of the Persians by his vivacity of spirit and the moderation they had observ'd through the whole course of his life that he ascended the Throne with the general satisfaction of all the people But the favour of Murschidculi-Chan who had most contributed to his advancement continu'd not long for assuming to himself the same authority over the King which he had had before while he was onely Myrsa or Prince he became troublesome and insupportable and that in so high a degree that one day the King desirous to give his opinion upon an affair of great importance which had been propos'd Murschidculi-Chan had the insolence to tell him before a full Council that he was not fit to speak of affairs of that nature they being such as were above the reach of his age and understanding The King dissembled for the present his Resentment thereof but considering that that Authority of Murschidculi-Chan would eclipse his own and expose him to the contempt of his Subjects he resolv'd to rid his Governour out of the way He complain'd of his Favorite's insolence to three Lords of his Council named Mehediculi-Chan Mahomed Vstadscahi and Aliculi-Chan of whom he thought he might be most confident but finding they demurr'd upon the business and being not too well assur'd what resolution the King would take in a business which to them was of the greatest consequence of any in the World that they endeavour'd to disswade him from it he told them it was his will that Murschidculi-Chan should die by their hands and that if they made any scruple to do it he should find means to be obey'd as on the contrary he should not be backward in requiting their services who upon that occasion should implicitly execute
that means they drive him away so far as that he is forc'd to cast himself into the Sea or at least into some River where he is drown'd There are to be seen also at Cross-ways and upon great Roads a kind of Altars loaden with Offerings for their Gods and many other impertinent Devotions may be observed among them which the Dutch endeavour to abolish by degrees by introducing Christianity into the Countrey wherein they have had hitherto good success CHINA THe great and vast Kingdom which we call China takes up the most Easterly part of all Asia Marc Paulo calls it Mangi the Tartars term it Cathay and there are some who name it also Singely or Tame The Chineses themselves give it the name of Chunghoa or Chungque whereof the former signifies the Middle Kingdom in as much as they believe they inhabit the midst of the Universe and the other the Middle Flower or Garden and know not the names given it by Forreigners save only that they know the Tartars call them Mangin that is Barbarians We affirm it to be the utmost Province of all Asia Eastward for beyond it there is only the Sea which the Chineses call Tung that is of the East It hath towards the North great Tartary from which it is divided by a Mountain of many Leagues extent and where that fails the defect is supplied by that admirable Wall which reaches from the extremities of the Province of Leaotung to the River Croceus upon the Frontiers of the Kingdom of Tibet being in length three hundred German Leagues Towards the West it hath the Kingdoms of Kiang Vusucang and Bengala and towards the South and South-west the Conchinchine and the Sea The Kingdom extends it self from the Tropick of Cancer to the fifty third Degree of Latitude and comprehends in its length all the Southern parts which lie between the hundred and thirtieth and the hundred and sixtieth Degrees But that we may speak more pertinently of it we shall with them affirm that China is sixty nine thousand five hundred and sixteen Diez which make three thousand Spanish Leagues in compass and eighteen hundred in length This account is made according to their Geometry and their Measures which they distinguish into Ly Pu and Cham. They call Ly such a space of ground as is of the extent of a mans voice Ten of these Ly's make a Pu that is about two Leagues and ten Pu's make a Cham that is a good dayes journey and according to this Calculation they find the number of the Diez which we laid down before It is divided into fifteen great Provinces six whereof to wit Peking Xantung Kiangnan or Nanking Chekian Fokien and Quangtung are maritime and the other nine are mediterranean Of the nine last those of Quangsi Kiangsi Huquang Honan and Xansi are the more Northerly and those of Xensi Suchuen Queicheu and Iunnan the more Westerly It hath besides these towards the East those of Leaotung and Corea but these do not properly belong to China There are accounted in it a hundred forty and five great principal Cities and twelve hundred sixty three of a middle sort such as might pass elsewhere for great Cities in as much as the difference of the Chinese names of Fu and Cheu which they give their places proceeds only from their qualities who have the command of them For they call Fu such places as have a Governour in chief and Cheu or Hien those where there is only a simple Mandorin though the places are many times of equal bigness The Cities are all built after the same manner square with good Brick-walls plaister'd over with the same Earth as they make the Porcelane of which in process of time grows so hard that it will not be broken with a Hammer which makes them last so long that it hath been observ'd some of them have stood above two thousand years yet is there not the least appearance of any change to be seen in them The Walls are very broad and flank'd with Towers built after the ancient way of Architecture much resembling the Fortifications of the Romans Two spacious Streets commonly divide their Cities into a perfect Cross and they are so straight that though they reach the whole length of the City how great soever it be yet may a man see from the middle the four Gates of it Several other Streets abut upon these in divers places of the City where they are disposed into Market-places and other publick conveniences The Houses are fair and well built especially those of Persons of Quality which have their Gardens Orchards Groves Fountains Conduits Ducking-ponds Aviaries and Warrens and they are painted or whiten'd on the out-side They have most of them three Doors all on the same side whereof that which stands in the middle is bigger then the other two and they are for the most part so neatly wrought that it must be confessed all we know of Architecture comes not near their excellency in it and they do all things the more magnificently in that they want neither excellent Workmen nor Materials to embellish their Structures There is no Kingdom or Commonwealth in the World where they are so careful not only of repairing the High-wayes but also in ordering all things so as that Travellers may not want any convenience in so much that a man shall find Mountains levell'd and wayes cut through Rocks yet more even and incomparably better paved then our Streets nay then even those of the City of Xuntien the Metropolis of this Monarchy whereof we shall give a short account anon when we come to the description of its Provinces The Province of Peking is so called by reason of the City of Xuntien where the Emperour of China ordinarily resides for the word signifies a Northerly Palace as that of Nanking a Southerly Palace but the true name of it is Pecheli It hath towards the East the Gulf of Canghai which divides it from Corea towards the North-east the Province of Leaotung towards the North the Wall which divides it from that of Tartary which lies beyond the Deserts of Xamo towards the West the Province of Xansi from which it is divided by the Mountain of Heng towards the North-west the Province of Honan and the River of Croceus and towards the South and South-east the Province of Xantung It hath eight great Cities to wit Xuntien Paoting Hokien Chinting Xunte Quanping Taming and Iungping which might pass for so many Provinces since there are under their jurisdiction a hundred twenty and seven Cities of a middle sort But what most think very strange is that though the more Northerly part of this Province reaches not beyond the forty second degree yet is it so cold there that from the midst of November to March all the Rivers are frozen up The Register which the Chineses keep of their Country makes it appear that there are in this Province a