the President of the Council of Justice come to me And this was the second Artifice made use of to seize the Unfortunate Luarzab without striking a Stroak Presently therefore he was laid hold on but Abas durst not put him to death for fear of a Revolt in Georgia He sent him therefore into Masanderan or Hyrcania hoping that the bad Air of the Country would kill him but seeing that would not do he remov'd him to Shiras and at length took the following occasion to put him to death The Grand Duke of Moscovy had been a long time sollicited by the Georgian Princes to intercede in his behalf to Abas Who was therefore at the Charge of a Costly Embassie meerly for that purpose Thereupon Abas who was a Person of a quick Wit and never idle gave order to the Governour of Shamaki a City upon the Caspian Sea where the Ambassadors of Moscovy first enter into Persia to try what he could do to discover whether the Ambassador came only upon Luarzab's account or no and whether the Moscovite did take his part to that degree that there was any likelyhood of a Rupture To which the Governour sent word That the Ambassador came only to serve Luarzab that he was a very great Lord and that his Instructions were very positive for a punctual Answer Upon which Abas who was resolv'd not to release the Georgian Prince nor yet could refuse him his Liberty at the request of the Duke of Muscovy wrote to the Governour of Shiras to rid Luarzab out of the World so that his Death might seem only to have happen'd by accident Which was accomplish'd to his desire and the News was brought to Abas two Days before the Arrival of the Moscovite Ambassador Abas made the Courier tell his Tale in publick at what time he seem'd to be strangely troubl'd and surpriz'd Good GOD said he this is Vnfortunate News indeed How came he by his Death Sir answer'd the Courier he went a Fishing and as he was casting his Net fell into the Pond and there stifl'd himself I 'll make an Example of his Guards reply'd the King for taking no more care of him Soon after the Russian Ambassador had his Audience at what time after the Banquet was over and that they had drank pretty hard the King sending for him near to his own Person Well said he Mr. Ambassador and what is 't the King of the Russes my Brother desires of me Thereupon the Ambassador began to unfold his Commission and declare the Purport of his Embassie but when he had once let slip Luarzab's Name I believe reply'd the King you have heard of the Misfortune that has befallen that Young Prince I am extreamly griev'd for him I wish to GOD he had not been dead for I should have done with all my Heart whatever your Master could desire in his behalf Thereupon the Brother of Luarzab was made Governour of Georgia in his Room being turn'd Mahumetan before that and call'd by a Persian Title joyn'd to his Georgian Bacrat-Mirzah or the Royal Prince Abas also left an Army in Georgia to oppose Taimuras Who at first continu'd the War with such Succours as he obtain'd from the Turks and Christian Princes joyning upon the Caspian Sea into whose Territories he was retir'd for Sanctuary But seeing those Petty Assistances did him no good he went to the Turk and implor'd Aid of the Turk Which he obtain'd and a great Army of Turks was sent into Georgia who defeated the Persian Forces and re-established Taimuras in the Kingdom of Caket But he enjoy'd it not long for so soon as the Turks were retreated Abas return'd into Georgia and chang'd the whole Face of Affairs He built Fortresses which he fill'd with Natural Persians He carry'd away above Four and Twenty Thousand Families of which he plac'd the greatest part in Masander or Hyrcania Media Armenia and the Province of Persia removing into their Rooms both Persians and Armenians He also intermix'd Mildness with his Severities to try how far that would avail to keep the People in order He likewise made an Agreement with the Georgians which he confirm'd by Oath for himself and his Successors That their Country should be free from Taxes that there should be no Alteration of their Religion That he would not pull down their Churches neither would he erect any Moschees That their Viceroy should be always a Georgian of the Race of their Kings but a Mahometan Of whose Sons he that would change his Religion should be Governour and great Provost of Ispahan till he succeeded his Father Abas dy'd in the Year 1628. And so soon as Taimuras had Intelligence of his Death he re-enter'd Georgia and caus'd the Georgians to Rebel who slew their Viceroy and all the Persians that oppos'd 'em he made himself Master of all the strong Forts except Tefflis but could not keep ' em For Sefy succeeding his Grand-Father Abas sent in the Year 1631. a powerful Army against him under the Command of Rustan Can a Georgian the Son of Simon Can that same Viceroy whom the Georgians had slain He was Grand Provost of Ispahan at Abas's decease and call'd Cosrou Mirza King Sefy therefore who knew him to be a Person of great Valour and deem'd him highly provok'd made him General of his Army and Viceroy of Georgia in his Fathers Room He defeated the Georgians in several Encounters won back all Carthuel and part of the Kingdom of Caket and pursu'd Taimuras who was forc'd to betake himself into two strong places in Mount Caucasus In which inaccessible Fastnesses this Prince no less Valiant then Unfortunate held out for some Years though rather like a Fugitive that fought for his Life than a Prince that defended his Crown But receiving no assistance neither from the Turks nor Christians he went to sollicit the Moscovite but failing there likewise he retir'd into Imiretta of which his Sister was Queen with a Resolution there to end his Life not finding any hopes of recovering the Inheritance of his Ancestors There Shanavas-Can took him Prisoner when he Conquer'd that Petty Kingdom of Imiretta and setle'd his Son therein For Taimuras had always such a passion to Dye in his own Country that he would not make his escape into Turkey which he might easily have done and besides he consider'd that being Old the Turks would not have that respect for him as he might expect from the Persians Shanavas-Can carry'd him to Tefflis and wrote Word to the King that the Famous Taimuras-Can was in his Hands The King sent for him to his Court Where being very aged his Travels and Troubles of mind threw him into a desperate sickness The King lodg'd him in one of his Palaces with a great deal of magnificence and order'd his Physitians to look to him with great care Notwithstanding all which he dy'd in the Year 1659. His Body was carry'd into Georgia and Bury'd with all the Pomp and State which is usual in that Country
upon Mount Caucasus seated in a hollow place among twenty Hillocks or thereabouts from whence the Castle might be easily batter'd on every side though fortifi'd with double Walls and flanqu'd with Towers both built with Battlements after the Ancient Manner Adjoyning to this Fortress which is defended with only a few great Guns stand upon the Neighbouring Hillocks aforemention'd a large Town consisting of about 400 Houses all new and which seem to have been but lately built so that there is nothing of Antiquity to be seen but two Armenian Churches The Town is Peopl'd with Turks Armenians Georgians Greeks and Jews the Christians having their Churches and the Jews a Synagogue There is also in it an Inn newly built of Wood as are all the rest of the Houses in that place The River Kur runs along by it which derives it Head from the Mountain Caucasus and was call'd anciently Cyrus and by some Corus Strabo places the Head of it in Armenia Ptolomy in Colchis Pliny will have it spring from the Mountains of Tartary which are beyond Colchis which he calls Coraxicie because of the River Corax that springs from thence and discharges it self into the Black-Sea Which Opinions seeming so various may nevertheless be true and come all to one and the same thing For that Armenia has formerly included Colchis and because Colchis formerly was a great Kingdom as I have already observ'd The Basha of Akalzikè lodges in the Fortress and the Principal Officers and Souldiers quarter in the adjacent Villages This Fortress was built by the Georgians from whom the Turks took it toward the end of the last Age. The 13th about Two a Clock in the Morning I parted from Akalzikè travailing directly Eastward At the end of three Leagues the Plain of Akalzikè streightens to the breadth of half a League having the Mountains on both sides In that part stands a Castle built by the Turks upon a Rock on the right side of the River Kur This Rock below is encompass'd with a double Wall and round about it lies a little Village like Akalzikè which takes up all the Ground between the Fortress and the opposite Mountain and is call'd Usker having a Garison and a Custom-House under the Command of a Sanziac I was in great fear of being there stopp'd and examin'd but Thanks be to GOD they let me pass without saying a word to me For my Guide was born at Gory a City of Georgia So that upon his Answer to the Captain of the Guard who ask'd him What Countryman he was That he was a Georgian of Gory the Captain let him pass with all his Train without any farther Examination The reason is for that the Kaan of Georgia and the Basha of Akalzikè hold a very good Correspondence together which makes the Turks so kind to the Georgians Two Leagues beyond Vsker we cross'd a Mountain which parts on this side Persia from Turkey We travell'd along the Brow of this Mountain after we had cross'd it There are several Villages seated on the top of it the River Kur running below through the Vale where in several parts are to be seen the Ruines of Castles Fortresses and Churches the Footsteps of the Grandeur of the Georgians and of the Turkish and Persian Conquests After we had travell'd ten Leagues till it was Night we stopp'd at a little Village The 14th we travell'd not above four Leagues the way being very rugged in those Mountains where you meet with several narrow Paths and close Passages where you cannot force your way together with the Ruines of many Fortresses We stopp'd in the Plain of Surham at a great Town near the Fortress which is call'd by the same Name It is a very lovely Plain full of Copses Villages Hillocks Houses of Pleasure and little Castles belonging to the Georgian Lords The Country is all over well Till'd and in a word it is a very delightful Spot of Ground The 15th I travell'd ten Leagues nine through the Plain and the other at the passage of a Mountain somewhat high which parts it from Gory I saw nothing on every side but fair Villages lovely Fields well Manur'd and every where the Ground very fertile We left upon the right Hand before we ascended the Mountain a great City lying almost all in Ruines as not containing above Five Hunderd Houses inhabited whereas formerly by report it contain'd above Twelve Thousand However there belongs to it a Bishop and a great Church built before the Georgians were reduc'd under Subjection Night overtook me upon the Descent of the Mountain before I arriv'd at Gory I went directly to the Residence of the Italian Capuchins Missionaries of the Congregation de Propaganda Fide to whom I had Letters of Recommendation Not above three Years ago they had a Dwelling at Cotatis and then they thought also to have spread themselves into Mingrelia and to have settl'd there But the Continual Wars in that Country and the Robberies perpetually there committed the King either not being able or not caring to prevent 'em constrain'd 'em to retire back into Georgia So that the Opportunity of meeting with 'em was very acceptable to me in regard they were able to give me what Advice and Assistance I stood in need of For that reason I presently made my self known to 'em and told 'em That the King of Persia had sent me into France to do him particular Services that I had his Orders and a Command directed to all the Governors of the Empire to give me Respect and to serve me upon all Occasions and with all Conveniencies I should stand in need of Afterwards I acquainted 'em That having chosen to return into Persia by the Black-Sea and so through Mingrelia I had been surpriz'd by the Wars in that Country and had undergone a Thousand Hardships so that not finding any way securely to bring along with me those things which I had brought for the King I had left 'em in the Custody of my Comrade and was come into Georgia to desire Assistance and therefore I most affectionately besought 'em to give me the best Advice they could and to take that Compassion of my Hardships and Troubles to which Charity and other Considerations oblig'd ' em Upon which the Good Fathers were concern'd for my Misfortunes the hazards I had run and for the Person I had left in Mingrelia And they assur'd me to do for me what ever lay in their Power so soon as they should have permission from their General for that they had no Power to act without first consulting him and without his Approbation That he was at Trifflis the capital City of Georgia two small days journey distant and that my best way would be to go and waite upon him And indeed they gave me so many reasons to constrain me to go that I resolv'd it without any more to do and to that purpose hir'd Horses forthwith The Superiour also order'd a Lay-Brother whose Name was Angelo of Viterbo to
that we were sent to the Theatins of Mingrelia As for my Lacquey I had dismiss'd him before I went to Tefflis This Rascal had plaid me a Thousand Roguish Tricks and had once endeavour'd to have ruin'd me and I have already related how he serv'd me at Gonia The Capuchins advis'd me to have him sent to Prison till my return and then to prosecute him But the deep sense I had of GOD's Favour towards me enclin'd me to pardon him altogether I fear'd to provoke the Wrath of Heaven should I at a time that Heaven was so merciful to me have presum'd to seek the Extremities of Justice and Rigour And therefore I paid the wicked Rascal for all the time that he had serv'd me and let him go after I had fully discover'd all the Rogueries and Mischievous Qualities that I knew of him and had given him good Advice to mend his Manners But my Kindness wrought nothing upon him the Fellow was mad that I had dismiss'd him and gave me those Testimonies of his Discontent that were enough to forewarn me of some fatal Consequence of his Revenge So that I could have found i' my Heart to have laid him in Irons and had I said the least word the Capuchins would have done it in the Twinkling of an Eye as being in great Credit at Tefflis But I forbore prevented by that Fate which Governs all Things I was wholly inclin'd to pity for I expected and desir'd it too much my self not to shew it to another and it was no more then what seem'd acceptable to GOD. And we shall see hereafter how he shew'd himself pleas'd with what I had done by delivering me from a Dangerous Snare which the Traytor had laid for me I return'd to Gory the 21st The 22d we parted thence and lay six Leagues from Gory at a Village upon the Road to Akalzikè which I had Rid in my first Travels in those parts The 23d we departed by break of Day and presently left the Road of Akalzikè upon the Left-hand At Noon we arriv'd at a small Village call'd Aly lying nine Leagues from Gory and seated among the Mountains Two Leagues beyond that we pass'd a Streight which is fenc'd with a great Gate of Carpenters Work and separates Georgia from the Kingdom of Imiretta from whence we rode one League farther and stopp'd at a little Village The 24th we travell'd seven Leagues in the Mountains which were full of Snow that fell in great Flakes the Mountains themselves which are a part of Mount Caucasus being cover'd with very high Trees There we thought we should have lost our selves for the Snow being very deep cover'd all the Paths and Tracks that we could not see our way but at length we came to a Village call'd Colbaure where we lay This Village consists of about Two Hunderd Houses all in a direct line and so far distant one from another that it is above three Miles from the first to the last The 25th we travell'd not above nine Miles the bad Weather the Snow Cold and Obscurity of the Air in those high Mountains hindring us from going any farther however at last we lodg'd at a Village containing about thirty Houses The 26th the Air clear'd up it had done Snowing nor was it so bitter Cold so that we travell'd Eighteen Miles among the Mountains cover'd with thick Woods Yet the Road was indifferent in regard the Ascents and Descents were not very steep And we lay at a small Village by the side of a great River The 27th we Ferry'd over the River and travell'd Three Leagues in a Country like that which we had pass'd the Days before And descending the Mountain we came into a large and fair plain extending as far as we could see and lodg'd at a Village call'd Sesano This Valley is almost a League broad from one end to the other and it is very fertile and very pleasant as being water'd with several Streams extending it self as far as Mingrelia and being the most pleasant part of all Imiretta The Mountains with which it is surrounded are cover'd with Wood and Villages for the greatest part of the Mountains are till'd and full of Vineyards In this Valley we found the Air to be as warm as if it had been Spring and very little Snow Sesano lay near to a Castle belonging to an Ancient Lady who was Aunt to the King of Imiretta who lay sick at the time that we arriv'd there Who hearing that there was a Capuchin come to the Village sent for him to discourse with him For in that Country they look upon all the Missionaries to be Physicians Nor was the Fryer unwilling to visit her hoping to procure some assistance from her in our design But two Hours after he had left me I was surpriz'd to be overtaken by another Capuchin with a Horse and a Guide The cause of whose following me so close was to give me Intelligence that the Lacquey which I had dismiss'd was come from Tefflis to Gory where he had discover'd all that he knew of my business swearing to ruin me and that he was gone no body knew which way Which surpriz'd me very much For I mistrusted some such thing I desir'd the Capuchin therefore to tarry with me gave him a Thousand Thanks and highly applauded the great Zeal and Affection of the Society toward me which they had testifi'd by such an evident and Generous Demonstration and indeed they could not have given me more apparent tok'ns of their kindness The 20th we travell'd Five Leagues in the Plain already mention'd which is very full of Villages and Woods and the soyl so extreamly fat that our Horses had much a do to poach along After we had travell'd Six Miles we left the Fortress of Scander upon the right Hand The People of the Country call it Scanda and affirm that Alexander the Great built it For the Eastern People call that Victorious Prince by the Name of Scander They tell ye farther that he built Seventeen Places more which he call'd by the same Name And perhaps this might be one of the Seventeen and the same which is mention'd by Q. Curtius in his Seventh Book Which I am inclin'd to believe by its Situation for it is seated at the foot of a Mountain It is now of no force consisting only of two square Towers without any Wall with some Lodgings round about nor does it's Antiquity seem to exceed about 300 Years About a League from Scander we pass'd through Chicaris a Village consisting of about Fifty Houses It goes for a City in Imiretta though it have neither Walls nor any thing more remarkable then any other Villages we put in and lay at a place a League from thence The 29th and 30th we stay'd there For our Guides would go no farther The news of the Wars of which all the Travellers upon the Road gave us Intelligence melted their Hearts i' their Bellies They cry'd out we should carry 'em to certain Death
when the Janisaries return'd and told the Commander that the Person had made his escape Which made him vent his Rage upon the La quey who was in a strange Agony between Fear and Madness at what time he began to open his Eyes and to perceive that GOD had confounded his Malice by his missing your Comrade with all that he carry'd under his care Thereupon I gave an accompt to the Commander of all the Villanies and wicked Tricks which the Rascal had committed in your Service and how liberal and kind you had been to him nevertheless in paying him his Wages That Evening the Commander invited me to sup with him at his own Table for he understood I was a Physitian and presently fanci'd himself to be ill So that I made him up some Medecins as well for himself as for some of the Souldiers that were in the Fortress He order'd an Italian Renegado to be my Guards at what time your Lacquey would have had him laid me in Irons for fear I should make my escape For the Rascal study'd a Thousand Tricks to do me a Mischief But the next Day the Queen and Janatelle sent two Gentlemen to the Commander to demand my Freedom as being their Physitian and the King 's also and about Noon there came two Gentlemen more from a great Lord of the Country whose Wife lay sick and he had been inform'd that I was a Prisner in the Fortress for Debt Thereupon he sent to the Commander of the Fortress to release me and he would pay my Debt but alas there was nothing more clear then that I ow'd nothing However I must give Twenty Five Crowns to the Commander which being paid I was set at Liberty notwithstanding the Noise and Clamour of the Lacquey who press'd that I might not be releas'd and told the Commander That there would be a Thousand Crowns giv'n to purchase my Liberty rather then let me lie So soon as I was free they carry'd me to the Lords House to whom I was beholding for my Liberty from whence I sent to Chicaris to know what News by the return of which Message I understood that you were gone to Tefflis and your Comrade was return'd to Mingrelia Some few Days after Father Justin arriv'd at Chicaris and understanding there where I was he came to me and then having repaid the Twenty Five Crowns which the Lord had disburs'd for my Deliverance out of Prison we return'd to Chicaris Where in two Days your Comrade arriv'd with all that was left behind of yours in Mingrelia who told us what Road he had tak'n to miss Cotatis To which purpose he had Ferry'd over the Phasis six Leagues from that City at what time the Ferryman told him That the Rogue who had laid so many Snares for us had giv'n two Crowns to give him Intelligence of your Comrade's Passage and that the Villain was under the Guard of four Janisaries who had order not to let him escape for that the Commander was resolv'd to make him perform what he had promis'd him And thus you see said he that hitherto all things have luckily succeeded and that GOD has confounded that Villain in his Wickedness whose Justice questionless will not permit him to escape the Clutches of the Turkish Commander without receiving some Punishment It was now late nevertheless my Comrade and I could not go to Supper till we had discours'd of the happy Issue of our Labour and of all our Misfortunes of which what I have recounted is but a part of the Truth nor till we had breath'd out to GOD our Ardent Thanksgivings for his Infinite Goodness his Omnipotent and his Miraculous Deliverance For we expected no such thing when we were in Tribulation And indeed who could have hop'd to have sav'd all when we were in such imminent danger of losing all The next Day following we cast up the Accompts of our Losses in this Disastrous Journey and found that it did not amount to more then above one per Cent. of all that we had sav'd and fortunately brought to Tefflis without any thing being either broken or spoil'd GEORGIA I mean all the Country so call'd which is under the Persian Jurisdiction borders at this day to the East upon Circassia and Moscovy to the West upon Armenia the Less to the South upon Armenia the Greater to the North upon the Black-Sea and that part of Colchis which is call'd Imiretta which in my Opinion is all that Country which the Ancients nam'd Iberia Georgia extended formerly from Tauris and Erzerum to the River Tanais and was call'd Albania being bounded as I have describ'd it It is a Country very full of Wood and very Mountainous that enclose a greater Number of pleasant Plains that run out in length but are not proportionable in breadth only the middle of Georgia is more even and level then the rest And the River Kur which most Geographers call Cyrus runs through the midst of it It takes its rise in the Mountain Caucasus a Day and a half 's Journey from Akalzikè as has been said and empties it self into the Caspian Sea I have seen some old Persian Geographies that place Georgia in the Greater Armenia The Moderns make a particular Province of it which they call Gorgistan and divide into four parts Imiretta of which we have spoken the Country of Guriel wherein is comprehended all that is under the Government of Akalzikè the Kingdom of Caket which extends it self very far into Mount Caucasus and is properly the Ancient Iberia and Carthuel which is the Eastern Georgia and which the Ancient Geographers call the Asiatick Albania The Kingdoms of Caket and Carthuel are under the Persian Dominion and this is that which the Persians call Gurgistan but the Georgians give it no other Name then that of Carthueli Which is no new Name as being to be found in the Writings of several Ancient Authors although somewhat corrupted especially St Epiphanias who speaking of these People calls 'em Cardians It 's reported that the Grecians were the first who gave 'em the Name of Georgians from the word Georgoi which signifies Husbandmen Though others will have this Name to derive it self from that of St. George the Patron Saint of all the Christians of the Greek Church There are very few Cities in all Georgia as has been observ'd though there has been many more formerly in the Kingdom of Caket But now they lie all in Ruines unless one which is also call'd Kaket And I heard say while I stay'd at Tefflis that these Cities were very large and sumptuously Built as may be well enough conjectur'd as well by that which is not as yet altogether destroy'd as by the ruines themselves Now these Northern Inhabitants of Mount Caucasus those Alans Suans Huns and other Nations so greatly fam'd for their strength and Courage and by the Report of many People another Nation of the Amazons were they that continually harrass'd and ransackt this little Kingdom of Kaket
their Penitents that confefs the taking of another Bodies Goods to bring the Goods to Them and not to restore 'em to the Right Owners so that Restitution is never made There are several Bishops in Georgia an Archbishop and a Patriarch whom they call Catholicos Whose preferments when Vacant are supply'd by the Prince though a Mahometan who generally prefers his kindred and Relations so that the Present Patriarch is his Brother As for the Churches in Georgia they are something more cleanly kept then those in Mingrelia And in the Cities you shall see some that are very decent though they are altogether as nasty in the Country The Georgians as all the other Christians that surround 'em to the North and West have a strange humour to build all their Churches upon high Mountains in remote and almost inaccessible Places Where they view 'em and bow to 'em at the distance of three or four Leagues but seldom or never go into 'em and we may boldly assert that the most part of 'em are hardly open'd once in Ten Years They erect 'em and then leave 'em to the Injuries of the Weather and for the Birds and Fowls of the Air to build their Nests in I could never find out the Reason of this Extravagance the Answers of all Persons of whom I enquir'd being altogether as extravagant 'T is the Custom The Georgians however are fully perswaded that whatever Sins they have committed they shall obtain Pardon by building a little Church Though for my part I am apt to believe they build 'em in such remote and inaccessible Places to avoid the Charges of Adorning and Repairing of ' em And now I come to the Relations and Histories of the Conquest of Georgia by the Persians which are so numerous that I should have been silent in this particular if those Authors had agreed among themselves or if I had found they had been rightly inform'd Briefly therefore here is that which I have met with in the Stories of Persia themselves Ishmael the Great whom our Historians have Sirnam'd the Sophy after he had subdu'd the Countries that lie to the West of the Caspian Sea of Media and part of Armenia and that he had expell'd the Turks out of all these Places made War also upon the Georgians though they had sent him numerous Succors at the beginning of his Reign The event of which War was successful to him as having reduc'd 'em to pay him Tribute and give him Hostages Now Georgia as well as the Kingdoms of Kaket and Carthuel had several Petty Kings call'd Eristares Feudataries and always at Wars one with another Which was the Reason or at least the Means that most contributed to the Ruine of the Georgians They pay'd their Tribute during all the Reign of Ishmael and his Successor Tahmas who was a Prince of great Courage and fortunate in War During his Reign Lnarzab rul'd in that part of Georgia which is call'd Carthuel and is as I have said the Eastern Georgia and borders upon Persia Eastward This King lest two Sons behind him between whom he divided his Kingdom Simon the Eldest and David the Younger But being both ill satisfi'd with their Division they made War one upon another and in those Wars both desir'd Tahmas to assist ' em The Younger Brother was beforehand with Simon To whom Tahmas return'd for answer That he would put him in possession of all his Fathers Dominions if he would turn Mahometan David accepted the Condition embrac'd the Mahometan Religion and went and surrender'd himself to the Persian Army which was already enter'd his Dominions to the Number of Thirty Thousand Horse upon which he was presently sent to Tahmas who lay then at Casbin So soon as he had got the Georgian Prince in his Clutches he wrote to Simon to the same effect as he had written to his Brother that is to say That he should quit his Religion and come to him if he intended to enjoy the Kingdom of his Ancestors Simon finding the Persian Army pressing too severely upon him surrender'd his Person but would not abjure his Religion But Tahmas being now Master of both the Princes and of the Country of Georgia sent the Eldest Brother Pris'ner to the Castle of Genghè near the Caspian Sea and made the other Governour of Georgia changing his Name from David to Daoud-Can which denoted him to be of the Mahometan Profession Which done he took an Oath of Fidelity from all the chief Georgian Lords and carry'd away their Childern and David's also as Hostages into Persia After the Death of Tahmas the Georgians shook off the Persian Yoak as did also the most part of the Provinces of Persia and they were at Liberty during the Reign of Ishmael the Second which did not last above two Years and during the first four Years of Mahomet Kodabendè that is The Servant of GOD who sent an Army into Georgia to reduce 'em to Obedience Daoud Can fled upon the Approach of the Army At what time his Brother Simon a Pris'ner as I have already declar'd near the Caspian Sea laying hold of the Opportunity to re-enter into his Dominions became a Mahometan and was made Can of Tefflis under the Name of Simon-Can During the Reign of Mahomet Kodabendè dy'd Alexander King of Kaket leaving Three Sons and Two Daughters Of which David was the Eldest a Prince whose Courage and Misfortunes have render'd him renown'd over all the World under the Name of Taimuras Can which the Persians gave him At the time of his Fathers Death he remain'd in Hostage at the Court of Persia whither he was carry'd by King Tahmas as has been said He was bred up with Abas the Great being almost of the same Age with great Magnificence and exact Care where he had inbib'd the Customs and Manners of the Persians certainly much better then those of the Georgians So soon as his Father was Dead his Mother a Beautiful and Prudent Princess by the Georgians call'd Ketavana but Mariana in the Histories of Persia wrote a Letter to Kodabendè to this effect Sir My Husband is Dead I beseech yee to send me my Son Taimuras to Reign in his stead and withal I send you his Brother for Hostage in his Room Thereupon Taimuras was sent back after he had tak'n the Oath of a Tributary and a Vassal At the beginning of the Reign of Abas the Great Simon King of Carthuel already mention'd ended this Life leaving the Kingdom to Luarzab his Son then a Child under the Tuition of his Prime Minister a Person of great parts but of a mean Extraction call'd by the Georgians Mehrou and by the Persians Morad who was also Governor of Tefflis and Govern'd the Kingdom almost with an absolute Authority This Mehrou had a handsome Daughter with whom Luarzab was passionately in Love and by whom he was as passionately belov'd Nor could the Father by any means that he could use prevent the two Lovers from seeing one another
are of a Peculiar sort of Workmanship and shew the curiosity of the Artist For they are built one over the other and the uppermost is much higher and larger in the Diameter then that below which serves for a Basis to the other There are also three Hospitals in the City very neat and well in repair however there is no body lodg'd within 'em only they give Victuals to those that come twice a day These Hospitals at Tauris are call'd Ach-tucon that is Places where they spend a great deal of Victuals At the end of the City to the West upon a little mountain stands a Hermitage a very neat piece of Workmanship which they call Ayn Hali or the Eyes of Haly. This Califf whom their Prophet made his Son-in-Law was as the Persians report the most lovely man that was ever seen so that when they would signifie any thing that is extreamly handsom they say t is Haly's Eyes This Hermitage serves the Taurisians for a place of Devotion and the way to it for a walk of Pleasure Without the City of Tauris to the East appears a great Castle almost gon to decay which they call Cala-Rashidé It was built above 400 years ago by Cojé Reshid Grand Visier to King Kazan The Story reports that their King had five Grand Visirs because he did not believe that one could suffice to dispatch all the affairs of so great a Kingdom Abas the Great seeing that Castle ruin'd and judging it advantageously seated as well to defend the City as to command it caus'd it to be repair'd about fifty years since but his Successors not being of his opinion let it go to Ruin There are also to be seen the Ruins of the Principal Edifices and Fortifications which the Turks built there during the several times that they were Masters of it So that there are very few Rocks or Poynts of Mountains joyning to the City where nothing but the Ruins of Forts and Heaps of Rubbish are to be seen Of which I carefully survey'd a great Part but I could not discover any thing of Antiquity There is nothing to be digg'd up but Bricks and Flint Stones The onely Edifice that remains most entire among the Turkish Buildings is a large Mosquee the inside of which is inlay'd or rather pargetted with transparent Marble and all the Outside variegated in Mosaic work But the Persians account the Place defil'd because it was built by the Turks whose Faith they abominate Among the heaps of Rubbish of which I have spoken without the City to the South appear the Ruines of the Palace of the late Kings of Persia And to the East those of the Castle where they say Cosroes lodg'd and where he laid up the Holy Cros for Security and all those other sacred Spoyles which he brought away from Jerusalem The Piazza of Tauris is the most spacious Piazza that ever I saw in any City of the World and far surpasses that of Ispahan The Turks have several times drawn up within it Thirty Thousand Men in Battel Toward the Evening this Piazza is fill'd with all the meaner sort of People that repair thither for Sport and Pastime Where some are for Gaming some for Tricks of Activity some for seeing Jack-Puddings and Mountebanks act their Drolleries some for Wrestling others for Bull and Ram-fighting others for repeating Verses some reciting Stories in Prose and some to see Wolves dance The People of Tauris take great delight to see that sort of Sport insomuch that they bring those Dancing Wolves a hundred Leagues an end after they are well taught And such as are best instructed are sold for five hunder'd Crowns a piece many times also great Quarrels arise about these Wolves which are not easily appeas'd Nor is this Piazza empty in the day time as being a Market for all sorts of Provisions and things of small Price There is also another Piazza at Tauris which appears in the Plate before the demolish'd Castle call'd the Castle of Jafer-Pacha This was a Place for the Rendezvous and exercise of the Souldiers belonging to the Garrison now it serves for the Shambles where they kill and dress all sorts of large Meat which is sold in all parts of the City I have with great diligence endeavour'd to understand the number of the Inhabitants in Tauris but could never have a just account but I think I may truly reck'n it to amount to 550 Thousand Persons yet several Persons in the City would make me believe there could not be less than Eleven hundred Thousand The number of Strangers also which are there at all times is very great for that they resort thither from all parts of Asia Nor do I know of any sort of Merchandize of which there is not there a Magazine to be found The City is full of Artists in Cotton in Silk and in Gold The fairest Turbans in Persia are there made And I have heard several of the Principal Merchants of the City affirm that there are above six thousand Bayles of Silk wrought out in Manufacture every year The Trade of the City extends all over Persia and Turky into Muscovy Tartary to the Indies and over the Black-Sea The Air of Tauris is cold and dry very good and healthy nor can any man complain that it contributes to any bad disposition of Humors The Cold continues there a long time in regard the City is expos'd to the North for the Snow lies nine months in the year upon the tops of the Mountains that surround it The Wind blows almost every day Morning and Evening It also rains very often unless it be in the Summer nor is the Sky but seldom without Clouds any season of the Year It is seated in 38. deg of Latitude and 82 of Longit. It abounds with all things necessary for human Support so that a Man may fare there deliciously and very cheap The Caspian Sea which is not above forty Leagues distant affords 'em Fish And some they also take in the River of Agi before mention'd but that is only when the water is low The usual price of Bread is three pound for a penny and of a pound of Flesh Three half pence In the Summer there is great plenty of Venison and water Fowl But they kill very little Venison or other wild Beasts There are also Eagles in the Mountains one which I have seen sold by the Country people for a groat Persons of Quality let fly the Sparrow-Hawk at the Eagle which is a Flight full of Curiosity and much to be admir'd For the Sparrow-Hawk soaring above the Eagle stoops of a sudden with that swiftness strikes her Pounces into his sides and with her wings continually beating upon his head sends him in a short time to the ground Yet sometimes it happens that both the Eagle and the Sparrow-Hawk come both to the Earth together In the same manner the Sparrow-Hawks will many times stop the flight of hunted Stags and render the Chace much
the People dancing before with their Instruments of Musick and the horses being cover'd with Housses and gingling an infinite number of little Bells which together with the Acclamations of the Rabble made a strange confused and yet pleasing noise Some Villages there were that mutiny'd and refus'd to send in their Corn but the punishment of the Inhabitants of Ispahanimcha strook a terrour into the rest For the General had sent to this Place being a great Town consisting of four thousand Houses two Leagues distant from Ispahan one of his Officers with a Command from the King to send at the set Price two hundred Sacks of Meal to the Capital City for their present necessity The Townsmen made answer 't was nothing to them if there were such a Famine in the City for that they had paid all their duties and Impositions for the last Harvest that they had something else to do then to send their Corn and their Meal to Ispahan Market and that those that wanted might come to them for that they were not bound to sell but in their own Town Thereupon the Officer remonstrated to the Principal of the Village that it was the Kings pleasure and shew'd 'em the Kings Warrant which he had in his hands to which their answer not being with that becoming reverence which became 'em the Officer laid his hand upon his Sword thinking to have frighted 'em into obedience But the Country fellows not understanding his hard words fell upon the Officer beat him almost blind and tore the Kings Command crying out 't was a Cheat and Counterfeit The General highly offended at this Insolence of the Countrymen gave the King an account of it who order'd him to inflict such punishment as the Offence deserv'd Upon which he sent two hundred of his Guards who Drubb'd to excess the Principal of the Ringleaders He also set a Fine upon their heads of a hundred thousand Crowns which was mitigated to a third part tho after many Petitions and Submissions with a Present to the General of a thousand Pistols which was all paid down upon the nail At the same time the General also found a way to revenge himself upon the Armenians for refusing him a kindness which he ask'd 'em making use for his pretence of this Commission which the King had given him to furnish Ispahan with Corn. These Armenians are Christians born in Ispahan so call'd because they are originally Natives of Armenia from whence Habas the Great transplanted 'em into the heart of the Kingdom At present their principal Colony is without the Walls of the Capital City in a place adjoyning separated from the City only by the River the Persians also call 'em as we do Armeni for the same reason They also call the two Armenia's the one Armen the Great and the other Armen the Less Now Hali-Kouli-Kaan at his first coming to Court being in want of money to put himself into an Equipage and to go forward with his Buildings and not knowing where to have it one day that some of the Armenians came to him about business demanded of 'em which were accounted the most wealthy of all their Country-Folks Upon which they nam'd him five or six and among the rest Koga Zachara The General remember'd his name and two days after when another Armenian came to present him some Petition or other he ask'd him whether he knew the Merchant Zachara who making answer that he did the General bid him go and seek for him Now the Armenian little thought that the General had meant the rich Merchant which the former had mention'd but another of the same name who with his two Brothers manag'd the Kings Money and had always considerable Sums i' their hands to purchase in Foreign Countries such Curiosities of value which might please the King This latter therefore the Armenian fetch'd And the General believing him to be the Merchant Zachara caus'd him to sit down by him for two hours together and receiv'd him so civilly as to make him stay and dine with him After Dinner Koga-Zachara said the General canst not thou do me the kindness to lend me two hundred Tomans which are about a thousand Pistols I expect in a short time considerable Sums of Money and then I will repay thee with Interest and upon any occasion thou shalt see I know how to be grateful to those that oblige me To which the Armenian repli'd Not only two hundred but two thousand Tomans if your Lordship pleases This answer pleas'd the General insomuch that he shew'd himself highly satisfi'd and ask'd him if he could not send him in the money the same day To which the Armenian understanding what he had to do repli'd Sir said he the money shall be sent in when you please to command it but I must beg the favour first to give me the liberty to speak one word We are two Brothers and my self his Majesties Factors the one is in the Indies the other in Europe as for my self I reside here as you see all the Money that we turn and wind is the Kings and then it will be requisite that the Receipt which you give me should be seal'd with the Kings Signet and then you may have the Sum you desire The General then saw he was mistaken for he could not meddle with the King's Money and chafing in his mind dismiss'd the Merchant believing the Armenians had nam'd this person to him on purpose to baffle his request by putting him to desire a kindness of the King's Factor of whom it was not proper for him to borrow Money However it was only an Error caus'd by the mistake of the Person where there were two of a name For in regard that the Armenians are only call'd by the Proper names which they receive in Baptism never using any Sirnames it happens that there are several persons that go by one and the same Name However the General resolv'd to try once more and two days after he found an opportunity to make a second Request For the Keloanter or chief and sole Governour of the Armenians and who has therefore that Title given him which signifies Greatest having made some Presents to the King for which his Majesty sent him a Royal Habit put it on and being attended by the most considerable persons of his Nation went to return his humble Thanks to the King and to kiss his feet After that according to custom he goes with all his Company to pay his Visits to the Grandees of the Court and to return 'em his Thanks for having contributed to the Honour done him to have the Royal Vest bestow'd upon him When he came to the Generals House the Grandee caus'd him and all his Company to sit down and after the usual Complements he desired 'em to lend him two hundred Tomans assuring 'em that he would repay 'em again with Interest and be their Protector upon all occasions at Court But they who knew how usual a thing it
Grandees pay thee there is nothing that I should take thee for less than the King of Persia By the name of God does it become thee to run a rambling over these Mountains with a Covey of Women and at the same time cause the Lords of thy Kingdom to have their bones broken with ignominious Bastinadoes The King heard this Reprimand without seeming to be any way disturb'd only in a careless manner order'd an addition of Bastinadoes to be given him besides those of which he already complain'd Upon which Generous and Couragious as he was losing all manner of Patience he draws his Sword and throwing himself at the Kings feet Let 'em said he Bastinado me again here is my Sword to punish my self your Majesty may do with me what you please and put me to what Torments you think fit but if a Person of my Quality must be subject to Bastinadoes what must a poor Kest-Bash expect for so they call the Souldiers that compose the Persian Militia The Monarch pleased with this generous Repartee would neither Sentence him to Death as he deserv'd by the Laws of the Kingdom nor to the Cudgel but only Banish'd him to Casbin But he was joyfully surpris'd when he receiv'd the Patent for a Government which not only restor'd him to his Liberty but at the same time conferr'd upon him one of the most important employments in the Kingdom I confess I know not what may be thought of such Politicks as these as hunt in Jails for men of Merit to advance the disoblig'd by long Imprisonment to the most considerable places of Trust in the Kingdom and to commit to his care a Province and strong Hold which on that side the Country may be said to be the Key of the Kingdom Of necessity the King must be strangely assur'd of the fidelity of his Subjects For there is no question to be made but that if a Governor of Kandaar will call in the Indian and sell him that Place but that he may have several Millions of Money for his Service and have what advancement he pleases himself in that Empire as is apparent by one Example in the time of Sephi I. During these Revolutions in the Court of Persia four Commissioners arriv'd from the Muscovite Cosaques who but two Months before had made a most furious Inrode into Persia on that side where Hyrcania lies upon the Shore of the Caspian Sea But before we speak of the Invasion it will be necessary to tell the Reason In the year 1664. according to our account there arriv'd at Ispahan a famous Embassie from Muscovie wherein two Embassadors were concern'd with a Train of about eight hundred Men and the Presents which they made the King were valu'd by appraisment at five thousand Tomans or seventeen thousand five hundred pounds Sterling They consisted of two Coaches enrich'd with most sumptuous Embroideries Flanders Horses and Beasts of their own Country as black Foxes white Bears and Doynes But the chiefest wealth of the Present lay in the prodigious quantity of Sables which the Persians call Samur These Embassadors as it was believ'd came only to Traffick and to have permission by vertue of their Title of Embassadors to import and export what Goods they pleas'd without paying Custom And indeed 't was thought that they sold in Sables only at Ispahan as many as came to 280000 l. Ster by which you may judge of the rest Nevertheless the King of Persia entertain'd 'em very civilly at first and allow'd 'em their expences which was tax'd at ten Tomans or 35 l. Sterling per day which they rather chose to take in Money than in Victuals to the end they might lay up the best part To which purpose they liv'd most wretchedly and in the Magnificent Palace which the King had assign'd 'em they laid their tails among the Costly Moveables wherewith it was furnish'd like so many Dogs For which reason the Persians look'd upon the Moscovites as the most paltry narrow-soul'd and infamous among all the Christians and in derision call 'em the Yusbeks of Europe thereby expressing the small esteem they have of 'em for the Yusbeks are the most abject People of all the East The King therefore disdaining the Infamy of these Ambassadors and seeing that indeed they were sent by their Master for no other reason then to Traffick to sell their Furs and other Commodities and to carry away Stuffs Leather and other such like Merchandizes out of Persia but especially Mony abus'd 'em at length and made little account of ' em One of 'em dy'd and the other return'd home with his tatter'd Train without any honour shewn him or hardly any answer given him The Grand Duke highly resented this Affront but dissembl'd his Choler for the present in regard he durst not meddle with Habas but understanding at the beginning of the Year 1665. that he was dead and that the Scepter of Persia was fall'n into the Hands of a Young Prince he resolv'd to take his revenge tho he were unwilling to enter into open and declar'd Hostility and therefore that he might strike and not be seen he incites and encourages the Cossacks next adjoyning to the black Sea orders 'em to march along the Lake Moeotis and so to fall into Persia upon Hircania side with this Caution that they should take care how they mention'd him or acknowledg'd that they had any Correspondence with him but only that they had undertaken the Enterprize upon their own Heads which is no more than what was reported and believ'd at the Court of Persia The Cossacks were easily persuaded and therefore embarking to the number of six thousand in forty large Barques such as use the Caspian Sea which are long and broad Vessels but shallow built to avoid the Rocks that lie two or three foot under water and in each Barque carrying two Pieces of Cannon they cast Anchor first near Ereck a small City upon the Borders of Guilan or Hircania where they landed to the number of four thousand and finding the Place without Soldiers and the Inhabitants no way prepar'd for defence they pillage and plunder it and after a great slaughter of both Sexes retreat in great hast with all their Booty to their Vessels that lay out at Sea as far as they could for fear of being discover'd Moreover for the more crafty management of their Game they sent four of their chief Heads in the Nature of Embassadours with Letters of Credence to the Court and the Governour of Shamaky order'd his People to convey 'em to Ispahan where they arriv'd soon after the news of their Irruption They were civilly entertain'd a Lodging was assign'd 'em and their Expences defray'd as is usual for other Embassadours Soon after they demanded Audience of the King but that was deni'd 'em because they were not of sufficient Quality to claim that Honour However it was concluded that the Prime Minister should grant 'em Audience which they accepted There they set forth
a Beast like a Fox but much bigger Zerdava's which is a Furr that resembles a Martin with the Furrs of other Beasts that breed in the Mountains of Circassia Which is all to be had among these People They Exchange their Commodities after this manner The Ship-Boat Rows close to the Shoar and they that are in it are well arm'd Nor will they suffer a greater Number of Cherks to come nearer the place where the Boat lies then they themselves are For if they see a greater Number approach they presently put out to Sea When they are come so near as to talk one to another they shew their Commodities agree upon the Barter to be made and presently make the Exchange however it behoves 'em to stand upon their Guard all the while For the Cherks are Infidelity and Perfidy it self and it is an Impossibility for 'em to find an Opportunity to steal but they take their Advantage They are a People altogether Savage formerly Christians but now of no Religion not having so much as the Light of Nature among ' em For I look upon their Superstitious Customs as nothing which seem to be a Mixture borrow'd from the Christians and Mahumetans their Neighbors They live in Woodden Huts and go almost Naked Every Person is a sworn Enemy to those that live in the Provinces round about ' em The Inhabitants make Slaves one of another and sell one another to the Turks and Tartars And for their Ground the VVomen Till and Manure it The Cherks and their Neighbors live upon a kind of Paste made of a very small Grain like to Millet and they who have Traffick along these Coasts will tell ye a Thousand Stories of the Barbarous Customs of these People However there is no safety in believing the Reports which are spread abroad either of those that live upon the Sea-Coasts or of those that inhabit farther up in the Country in regard that no body travels thither and all that we know is by means of the Slaves that are brought from thence who are all meer Savages from whom there is nothing to be learnt of Certainty This is the reason why I have made no more Descriptions of Places in my Map of the Black-Sea which is at the beginning of this Book chusing rather to leave a space for the Circassians and Abca's void then to fill it up upon the Credit of People so illiterate who for the most part can hardly tell the North from the South The Abca's border upon the Cherks possessing about a Hunderd Miles of the Sea-Coast between Mingrelia and Circassia However they are not altogether so much Savages as the Cherks but they are equally inclin'd with Them to Thieving and Robbery The Seamen also Trade with 'em with the same Precautions as with their Neighbors already mention'd They stand in need of the same Commodities as their Neighbors and make their Exchanges in Slaves Furrs Does and Tigres Skins Linnen Thread Box Wax and Honey The 10th of September we arriv'd at Isgaour Which is a Road belonging to Mingrelia pretty safe in the Summer and there the Vessels that Trade into Colchis lie so that we saw seven great Ships there when we arriv'd in the Road. Presently our Captain fasten'd his own Vessel to four Anchors two at the Prow and two at the Poop and carry'd his Masts and his Yards ashoar As for Isgaour it is a desert place without any Habitations only according to the Number of Traders that come thither they build up Huts and Booths of Boughs as they find themselves secure from the Abca's which does not often happen But besides those Huts there is not one House to be seen Now before I enter into the Relation of the Hardships which I suffer'd and the Dangers I underwent in Mingrelia I shall give ye a Description of the Country and Parts that border about it without intermixing any thing Dubious or what I have not learnt by exact Information Colchis is situated at the end of the Black-Sea To the East it is enclos'd with a little Kingdom which makes a part of Georgia which by the People of the Country is call'd Imiretta by the Turks Pacha tchcouk or Pacha Koutchouk as much as to say the Little Prince to the South by the Black-Sea to the West by the Abca's and to the North by Mount Caucasus In length it lies between the Sea and the Mountains in breadth it extends from the Abca's to the Kingdom of Imiretta The Corax and Phasis famous Rivers in Ancient History at present call'd Coclours and Rione serve for its Bounds while the first parts it from the Abca's the second from Imiretta The length of Colchis is a Hunderd and Ten Miles at most the breadth Sixty Which I know to be true not only by the concurring Report of the People of the Country but also as having cross'd it my self from one end to the other It was formerly Fortifi'd against the Abca's by a Wall Sixty Miles in length which has been laid in Ruines these many Years So that now the Thick Forests are its chiefest Defence and its greatest Security The Inhabitants of Caucasus that border upon Colchis are the Alane's whose Country was formerly the Northern Frontier of Armenia the Suane's the Gigue's the Caracioles or Cara-cherks a sort of People more Barbarous then their Names These Cara-cherks as they are call'd by the Turks that is to say the Black Circassiens are the Northern Circassians The Turks so call 'em though they are the fairest People in the World by reason of the Foggs and Clouds that continually dark'n their Skie Formerly they were Christians and some Relicks of their Customs they retain and some certain Ceremonies also they observe yet at present they profess no Religion but live by Robbery and Rapine utterly ignorant of all Arts and Sciences and having nothing that may entitle 'em to Humanity but their Speech They are much taller and more portly then other People fo furious in their Looks and speaking with such a terrible Tone that you may easily thence discern their Dispositions and their Courage to be no less savage Their very Countenances are frightful to look upon more especially when you come to experience their Civility and understand 'em to be the most resolute Assassins and most daring Robbers in the World The Ancient Kingdom of Colchis was not so small a Kingdom as now for it extended on the one side to the Palus Maeotis and the other way as far as Iberia The Capital City was also call'd Colchis seated at the Mouth of Phasis upon the Western side of the River and that was the Reason that Mingrelia was formerly call'd Colchis for that Mingrelia is bounded by this River to the East Our Modern Geographers have seated another City which they call Fasso in the place where Colchis stood but this I know my self to be a grand Mistake All the Oriental People call Colchis Odische and the Colchians Mingrelians though I could never
Imiretta is a Country full of Woods and Mountains like Mingrelia but the Vallies are more Lovely and the Plains more Delicious where you may meet much more easily with Bread Meat Pulse and Herbs of all sorts There are also in it some Iron-Mines Money goes among the People of this Country and is Coyn'd in the Kingdom and here ye also meet with several Towns But as for their Manners and Customes they are the same as in Mingrelia The King has Three good Castles one call'd Scander seated upon the side of a Valley and two in Mount Caucasus call'd Regia and Scorgia both almost inaccessible as being built in places that Nature her self has ingeniously fortifi'd the River Phasis running before ' em The Prince had also not long since another Fortress call'd Cotatis bearing the same Name as the Country round about it which perhaps may be the same place that Ptolomy calls the Region of Cotatene But the Turks are at present Masters of it The Kingdom of Imiretta has had under its Jurisdiction the Abca's the Mingrelians and the People of Guriel after they had all Four shaken off the Yoke of the Emperors of Constantinople first of all and then of the Emperors of Trebisond But then in the last Age setting up for themselves and revolting one from another they have been ever since at continual Wars one with the other They who lay next the Turks implor'd their assistance who readily took 'em into their Protection and then made 'em all Tributaries one after another The Tribute of the King of Imiretta is Fourscore Boys and Girls from Ten to Twenty Years of Age. The Prince of Guriel pays Six and Forty Children of both Sexes and the Prince of Mingrelia Sixty Thousand Ells of Linnen Cloath made in the Country The Abca's also were made Tributary but they seldom pay'd any thing and now they pay nothing The King of Imiretta and the Prince of Guriel send their Tribute to the Basha of Akalzike but a Chiaux gathers it in Mingrelia ' When I came to Akalzike the report went that the Turks would take possession of these Countries under the Government of a Basha not knowing any other way to prevent the perpetual Wars that apparently ruine and depopulate the Countries However it be now the Turks formerly forbore to take possession of it in regard that the Precepts of Mahumatism could not conveniently be there observ'd because the best nourishment in those Countries is their Wine and their Hogs Flesh which are both prohibited by the Mahometan Law besides that they have no Bread and the People live scatter'd upon and down the Country so that where-ever the Turks should build their Fortresses they would not be able to Command within their reach above Seven or Eight Houses Upon which Considerations they left those Provinces in their Ancient Condition and are satisfi'd only to keep 'em under Subjection for a Nursery of Slaves which yeilds 'em every Year no less then Seven or Eight Thousand And the same Reasons and Obstacles most apparently discourage the Turks from Incorporating into the Body of their Empire those Vast Plains of Tartary and Scythia and the wide Regions of Mount Caucasus For if the People that inhabit those parts were united into Cities and strong Places there might be a way found to reduce 'em and keep 'em in Subjection But which way is it possible to subdue a People that change their Habitations every Month and all their Life-time wander up and down the Country The present Prince of Mingrelia is the Eighth since that Country first revolted from the Dominion of Imiretta These Princes of Mingrelia all give themselves the Title of Dadian as much as to say the Head of Justice from Dad a Persian Word that signifies Justice from whence the first Race of the Kings of Persia was call'd Pich-Dadian that is to say the first Justice To denote that they were the first Men whom the People of that vast Country establish'd over 'em for the Administration of Justice among 'em and to maintain every one in the enjoyment of his own Property The King of Imiretta gives himself the Title of Meppe which signisies a King in the Georgian Language Both which Meppe and Dadian boast themselves to be descended from the King and Prophet David The Ancient Kings of Georgia also assum'd the same descent and the Kan of Georgia among the rest of his Titles calls himself the Issue of that Great King by Solomon his Son The King of Imiretta also in his Letters assumes a more Haughty and Pompous Title then the other calling himself King of Kings Now so soon as our Vessel was come to an Anchor in the Road of Isgaour as I have already said I went a Shoar with the Greek Merchant who was my Guide For I expected to have met with Houses where I might have found Provisions and some other Relief Nor were these hopes without any Ground to one that saw no less then Seven Vessels together at an Anchor in the Road but I was utterly deceiv'd for I found nothing at all The Coast of Isgaour is all cover'd with Wood. Only they have levell'd and lay'd open about a Hunderd Paces from the Sea side a certain spot of Ground about Two Hunderd and Fifty Paces long and Fifty broad which is the Grand Market of Mingrelia In this there is one Street containing on both sides of the VVay about a Hunderd small Hutts made up of the Boughs of Trees fasten'd one to another of which every Merchant takes one There he lies and keeps Shop tho with such VVares only as he thinks he shall sell in Two or Three Days But as for those which he has bought and such for which he does not see any Probability of a quick Vent he keeps 'em in the Vessel there being no kind of Security a Shoar There was nothing else to be had at this Market nor a Country-Man's House to be heard of in all the parts there about Thereupon my Guide spoke to some of those that came to the Market to bring us some Gom which is that sort of Grain by them made use of in stead of Bread some VVine and other Provisions which the Country-Men promis'd to do but fail'd in their VVords So that I was surpriz'd and very much troubl'd to meet with nothing for our own Provisions began to grow short nor to see any thing at such a Market but a Company of Slaves Chain'd together and about a Dozen of Tatter'd Fellows with Bows and Arrows i' their Hands who it seems were the Officers of the Customs and look'd more ready to Rob then relieve us But I was much more surpriz'd and perplex'd when I heard that the Turks and the Prince of Guriel were coming into Mingrelia that the People took Arms and had begun the VVar Pillaging and Ransacking their Neighbours and clearing the Country both of Cattel and Inhabitants I must confess I depended very much upon the Theatin Missionaries in
but which most People were assur'd was begot by Levan But this Young Prince whose Name was Vomeki did not Reign long For the Vice-Roy of that part of Georgia which is under the Dominion of Persia dispoil'd him of his Principality and reinvested in it Levan's Lawful Heir after he had invaded Mingrelia and the Territories of Imiretta Which Invasion being an Accident that happens to be genuinely apposite to this Recital I shall only give a short accompt of the occasion The Deceas'd King of Imiretta who was call'd Alexander and who dy'd in the Year 1658. had Two Wives the First was the Daughter of the Prince of Guriel call'd Tamar whom he divorc'd for her Adulteries after he had had a Son and a Daughter by her The Son who was call'd Bacrat Mirza Reigns at this present King of Imiretta The Daughter is Princess of Mingrelia the same that I have giv'n ye such an accompt of that would have both Robb'd and Marry'd me to her Friend The Second Wife which Alexander Marry'd was call'd Darejan a Young Princess and Daughter of the Great and Famous Taymur Razkan last Soveraign King of Georgia He had no Children by her and left her a Widow after he had been Marry'd to her four Years They talk Wonders of her Beauty and her alluring Graces So soon as his Son-in-Law Bacrat came to the Throne she wou'd have had him to Marry her Bacrat was not then above Fifteen Years of Age so that the Charms of her Beauty could not make those deep Impressions upon his Heart as being so young that the Evil Customs of his Country had not yet corrupted him VVhich was the Reason that he abhorr'd the Proposal and return'd disdainful Answers to her Courtship Darejan therefore finding she could not support her self upon the Throne immediately advanc'd to his Bed a young Person of Twelve Years of Age her Kinswoman call'd Sistan Darejan the Daughter of Daitona the Brother of Taymur Razkan whom Bacrat Marry'd at Fifteen Years of Age as has been already said So that Darejan assur'd her self of the Soveraign Power and of keeping the King and Queen continually under her Guardianship But Bacrat as young as he was perceiv'd his Mother-in-Laws Design and one Day gave her apparent Testimonies of his Disgust Upon which Darejan to satisfie Bacrat assur'd him that she would forbear to take any Authority upon her Who being a good-natur'd well-meaning Prince easily believ'd Darejan and restor'd her to his former Confidence not dreaming of the Treason that she was meditating against him To that purpose she feign'd her self sick and sent for the King to come to her who went accordingly with a great deal of Frankness and VVillingness at what time certain People that she had posted in her Chamber seiz'd and bound him Presently she order'd him to be conveigh'd to the Fortress of Cotatis the Principal City of the Country the Governour of which place was her own Creature Soon after she came thither her self sent for all the Grandees whom she had gain'd to her Party and of whom she was assur'd and with them consulted for five Days together what to do with the King Some advis'd her to put him to Death others to pull out his Eyes which latter advice she follow'd and so the Prince was depriv'd of his sight VVhich happen'd Eight Months after the Marriage of that poor Prince which they said moreover he had not fully then consummated Among the rest of the Lords that were of Darejan's Party there was one with whom she was passionately in love whose Name was Vactangle Him she Marry'd and caus'd him to be Crown'd King in the Fortress Which highly incens'd the rest of the Lords who thought themselves all affronted by his Advancement Thereupon they fell oft from siding with Darejan joyn'd themselves with the contrary Party took Arms and call'd to their Assistance the Princes of Guriel and Mingrelia offering the Kingdom to which of the two should first come to their Aid Vomeki Dadian was the first that appear'd in the Field with all the Forces of his Country and soon reduc'd under his Subjection all that part which held for Darejan except the Fort of Cotatis However he laid Siege to that also but for want of Artillery he could do little good against the Besieged only that he kept 'em from stirring forth out of their Walls and it would have cost him a long time before he could have brought 'em to a surrender had it not been for the Politick Contrivance of a Lord of the Country whose Name was Ottia Chekaizè who brought that to pass by his Wit which they could not do with all their Force He went to the Fortress full of a feign'd Despair occasion'd by the Prince of Mingrelia he made Darejan believe that he was reduc'd to that extremity that he knew not where to find a more secure Sanctuary that he came to throw himself at her Feet to beg her Pardon and desire her Protection against that Prince Darejan fell into the Snare She believ'd whatever Ottia said and that his extraordinary Zeal for her Interests was true She admitted him into her Council soon after encreas'd by the Bishop of Tifflis and the Catholicos of Georgia whom the Viceroy of that Country had sent her fearing lest they in whom she most confided should betray her But this same Runagate deceiv'd 'em both as quick-sighted as they were He told Darejan in their hearing That considering the Condition of her Affairs there was no other way to expel the Prince of Mingrelia to regain what he had won and to Reign securely but to have recourse to the Turk That her best way was to send her Husband to Constantinople for Assistance and the Confirmation of his Coronation That the Kingdom of Imiretta was Tributary to the Port and that the Grand Signior had both Right and Power sufficient to restore the Country to Peace and fix him in the Throne Darejan was Charm'd by this Advice and while he that gave it offer'd to assist in the Management of it and to Conduct Vactangle to Constantinople she threw her self at his Feet not having Words enough to express that Acknowledgment which she had in her Heart Vactangle took only two Men along with him to the end he might Travel with the more Security and Privacy Thus being soon ready the cunning Ottia Chikaizè his Guide caus'd him to set forth out of the Fortress about Twilight and carrying him through By-ways to bring him the more insensibly to the Besiegers brought him in less then an Hour into their Camp The Prince of Mingrelia caus'd his Eyes forthwith to be pull'd out and sent that Night to Darejan to let her know that he had her Husband Pris'ner and that he had put out his Eyes This News surpriz'd her so that her Courage and Resolution quite fail'd her and in a short time after she surrender'd the Fortress which was plunder'd from Top to Bottom Insomuch that it was certainly
reported that the Prince of Mingrelia carry'd thence a very rich Booty and among the rest Twelve Wagons of Silver Plate and Moveables For as it was said the Kings of Imiretta had heap'd together such a vast Quantity of Plate that every thing within the Palace was of Massie Silver even to the Steps and Footstools Which is no difficult thing to believe in a plentiful Country and where there is a good Trade and adjoyning to Countries which were formerly very Wealthy and where it appears that Money was not then in use there being very little that is stirring at present The Prince of Mingrelia also carry'd away along with him the King and Queen of Imiretta the wicked Darejan and the unfortunate Vactangle her Husband but to the Viceroy of Georgia he generously return'd the two Prelates which he had sent to the Princess to be her Privy Counsellors The Viceroy of Georgia is call'd Shanavas Can being descended also from the last Soveraign Princess of that Country but he turn'd Mahumetan to make himself capable of enjoying the Viceroyship under the Persian He has only two Lawful Wives who are both Christians of which the one is call'd Mary the Sister of Levan Prince of Mingrelia who gave the first occasion to this Relation This Lady when she understood how the detestable Shilakite had excluded the lawful Heir in favour of a Son which she had before she was Marry'd to Levan daily importun'd the Prince her Husband to undertake her Nephews Cause and to settle him in the possession of his Principality to which he was the true and lawful Heir But the Viceroy would not act Hand over Head by force in this Affair For Mingrelia being Tributary to the Turk he durst not declare open Hostility against that Country without the knowledge and consent of the King of Persia But at length a favourable opportunity offer'd it self For so soon as the Prince of Mingrelia was enter'd into the Kingdom of Imiretta as has been already said Darejan who was near Kins-woman to the Georgian Viceroy and had been bred up in his House and Vactangle her Husband sent and offer'd the Kingdom to Archylas his Eldest Son if he would come and drive out the Mingrelian The Viceroy made this offer known to the King of Persia and assur'd him withal that he would add that Kingdom and Mingrelia to his Empire if he would but give him leave to Conquer ' em To which when his Majesty had sent him his consent he muster'd all his Forces and march'd toward Imiretta But he was no sooner enter'd the Kingdom when news was brought him that a great Georgian Lord taking the advantage of his absence was up in Arms and preparing to ransack all the Country Upon which he march'd back again with all his Forces against the Rebel defeated and put him to Death and then return'd toward Imiretta The Grandees of the Kingdom that invited him in had rais'd Four Thousand Men which was a great Army for a Country so bounded as that and this number too Augmented every Day some flocking out of fear of His Power others allur'd by the charming Fame of his Valour So that he found little or no Resistance either in Imiretta or Mingrelia Prince Vomeki retir'd amongst the Souanes into the Fortresses of Mount Caucasus inaccessible to the Cavalry So that the Georgian Prince had nothing to do but to Ransack and he carry'd away a very Rich Booty out of both Countries They report that it was there that he plunder'd the greatest part of the Gold and Silver Plate of which his House is full He settl'd in Mingrelia his Nephew Levan's Grand-Child to whom the Principality belong'd of Right and affianc'd him to one of his Nieces whom he promis'd to send him Which done he caus'd his Son Archylus to be Crown'd King of Imiretta but he knew not how to be rid of Vomeki For he was unwilling to leave him a Fugitive in the Mountains where he was retir'd fearing lest when he was gone he should come down from the Mountains and disturb the unsettled affairs of Princes hardly warm in their Thrones But a Grandee of Imiretta whose Name was Kotzia put him out of that pain For he wrore to the Souanes that the Viceroy of Georgia desir'd to rid himself absolutely of Vomeki that he would give 'em great Rewards and Immunities if they brought him his Head but if they deny'd to gratifie him in so small a Matter he threaten'd their Country with Fire and Sword The Souanes therefore readily condescended and having slain Vomeki sent his Head to the Georgian Prince Which done he retreated and carry'd along with him the two Blind Princes Bacrat and Vactangle to the end no Friend of theirs in his absence might be embolden'd to undertake any new disturbances in their Favour and left the Princesses their Wives at Cotatis Which Inhuman separations he made for the sake of his Son the King of Imiretta who became so desperately in Love with Bacrat's Wife that he resolv'd to take her from her Husband and Marry her After the departure of the Viceroy of Georgia several Grandees of Imiretta conspir'd against their new Soveraign For some had been ill us'd others could not brook the Power and high advancement of Kotzia whom Archylus's Father had appointed to be his Sons Prime Minister nor his Domineering Haughtiness and severity towards ' em Thereupon they wrote to the Basha of Akalzike that they wonderd to see him sit still with so much indifferency while the Viceroy of Georgia ravag'd a Kingdom and Principality Tributary to the Turks nay reduc'd 'em under his Subjection and carry'd away their Lawful Princes Pris'ners and set up in their Places his own Friends and Kindred That therefore they besought him to let 'em know whether it were the Port that abandon'd 'em to the Capricious Humours of the Persians or whether it were the Dread of their Forces that ty'd his Hands at a time when the Honour and Interest of the Grand Signior lay at Stake To which the Basha return'd for answer That he had sent Intelligence to the Port of the Invasion made by the Georgian Viceroy and expected Orders every Hour which when he should receive he would let 'em know what was necessary to be done Soon after he wrote word that his Orders were come and that as soon as the Forces which the Basha's of Erzerom and Carrs both Provinces of Armenia had Instructions to send him should be joyn'd with his he would deliver 'em from the Georgian Yoke That in the mean time they should get ready to joyn with him with all the Forces they could raise and that they should cause Kotzia to be murder'd for fear his Forces his Prudence and his Reputation should put a stop to the Enterprize and that by his Death the new King of Imiretta might be without any Counsellor to assist him The Chief Conspirators were the Grand Steward of the Houshold and Bishop Janatelle who also
The Amazons lay bordering upon it above to the North. Wherein as well the Ancient as Modern Geographers agree Ptolomy fixes their Country in the Asiatic Sarmatia which is now call'd Tartary to the West of Volga between the River and the Hippic Mountains and there it is that the Northern part of the Kingdom of Kaket exactly lies Quintus Curtius says also to the same effect that the Kingdom of Thalestris was near to the River Phasis And Strabo is of the same opinion speaking of the Expeditions of Pompey and Canidius I confess I never saw any Person in Georgia who had been in the Country of the Amazons but I have heard many of 'em tell Stories of those People And they shew'd me in the Prince's Palace a large Female habit of a course Woollen Stuff and peculiar for its Fashion and Shape which they said was the Garment of an Amazon that was slain near Caket in the last Wars Shortly we may hear farther news of these Famous Warriours for the Capuchins of Tefflis told me they would send two Missionaries into their Country the Congregation having order'd that they should be dispatch'd thither I had once a long discourse with the Prince of Georgia's Son upon this Subject at what time among other things he told me that Five Days Journey beyond Caket toward the North there liv'd a Numerous People of whom they had no knowledge at all who were continually at War with the Tartars which they call Calmac and the same with those which we call Calmouqus that the several People that inhabit Mount Caucasus are continually at Wars one with another and that it signifies nothing to make any Peace or Truce with 'em as being a sort of Savages that have neither Religion Government nor Laws Therefore they that lie next to Caket make frequent Inroads into the Country which obliges the Viceroy who is the Eldest Son of the Prince of Georgia to be always ready in Arms to repel those Barbarians Upon the Information which I gave the Young Prince of what the Greek and Roman Historians related concerning the Amazons after I had discours'd for some time upon that occasion his opinion was that they were some particular People among the wandring Scythians as the Turcomans and Arabs who submitted themselves to the Soveraignty of Women like the Achineses that those Queens made use of Persons of their own Sex to serve 'em and to follow 'em where-ever they went And as for their riding a Horseback like Men it is easily apprehended and as easie to be credited and that they also were Arm'd For in the Eastern Countries all Women bestride their Horses like Men and some of 'em mount their Horses and ride 'em as well besides that the Princesses also wear Daggers at their sides But as for the Mutilation of their Breasts and other particulars reported of the Amazons we reject 'em and rank 'em among the Fables with which the leasing Greeks had the Impudence to fill their Histories according to the Sarcasm of the Latin Poet. The Province of Carthuel contains no more then Four Cities Gory Suram Aly and Tefflis Gory is a small City seated in a Plain between two Mountains upon the Bank of the River Curr at the Foot of a Hillock upon which there is a Fortress Built which is Garison'd by Native Persians It was Built in the last Gurgistan Wars about Forty Years since by Rustan Can General of the Persian Army and an Austin Monk who was then at Gory drew the draught of it However the Fortress is a place that is not able to make any great defence its principal strength consisting in its Situation having a Hunderd Men within it Nor is the City that lies under it but very small the Houses and Market Places being all Built of Earth The Inhabitants however are all very Rich and Wealthy And it is very well stor'd with all things necessary for Human support at a cheap rate Suram is indeed no more then a Town not above half as big as the City of Gory but the Fortress adjoyning is large and well Built having within it a Hunderd Men in Garison Near to Suram is the Country call'd Semashè Which in the Georgian Language signifies Three Castles The People of this Country boast That Noah dwelt in this Country after he came out of the Ark and that his three Sons built 'em every one a Castle I say nothing here of Aly because I have spok'n of it in another place The Temper of the Air is very kindly in Georgia being very dry cold in the Winter and hot in the Summer Their fair Weather does not begin till May but it lasts till the end of November The Soyl must be well water'd or else it proves very barren but that care tak'n it produces all sorts of Grain Herbs and Fruits in abundance Georgia is therefore as fertile a Country as any can be imagin'd where a Man may live both deliciously and very cheap Their Bread is as good as any in the World their Fruit is delicious and of all sorts Neither is there any part of Europe that produces fairer Pears and Apples or better tasted nor does any part of Asia bring forth more delicious Pomegranates Cattel are very plentiful and very good as well the larger sort as the lesser Their Fowl of all sorts is incomparable especially their Wild-Fowl Their Boars-Flesh is as plentiful and as good as any in Colchis The Common People live upon nothing else but young Porkers of which there are abundance in all parts of the Country and indeed there is no better Food in the World then this Meat beside that the People of the Country assure us that it never offends the Stomach let 'em eat never so much Which I believe to be true for though I eat of it almost every Meal yet it never did me harm The Caspian Sea which is next to Georgia and the Kurr that runs quite through it supplies it with all sorts of salt and fresh Fish so that we may truly say That there is no Country where a Man may have an Opportunity to fare better then in this And with the same boldness we may assert That there is no Country where they drink more or better Wine The Vines grow about the Trees as in Colchis and they daily transport great Quantities of Wine into Media Armenia and to Ispahan for the Kings Table As much as a Horse can carry which is 300 weight costs no more then Twelve Shillings I speak of their best Wine for the common sort is cheaper by half and all other Provisions are at a proportionable rate The Country of Georgia also produces a great Quantity of Silk tho not so much by half as most Travellers report But the People of the Country know not how to weave it and therefore they carry it into Turkey to Erzerum and the parts adjoyning where they drive a great Trade The Complexion of the Georgians is the most
Lay-Brothers The City of Tefflis is very well peopl'd and there are as many Strangers resort thither as to any place in the World For it drives a great Trade and the Court is very Numerous and Magnificent beseeming the Capital of a Province being never without several Grandees of Note As to the Name of the City I could never learn the Etymology of the word They say the Persians gave it that Name Certain it is however that the Georgians do not call it Tefflis but Cala that is to say the City or the Fortress which is indeed a Name that they give to all Spacious Habitations encompass'd with Walls Which makes me think that because they have no other Wall'd City in all the Country they would give it no other Name but Cala. Some Geographers call it Tebele-Cala or the Hot City by reason of the Baths of Hot Waters within it or else because the Air is not so cold nor so boystrous as in the other parts of Georgia Neither could I learn the Time when the City was founded nor the most remarkable Revolutions that have befallen it For my part I do not believe its Antiquity surpasses Eight Hunderd Years It has been twice under the Power of the Turks Once in the Reign of Ishmael the Second King of Persia and the second time in the Reign of his Successor Solyman becoming Master of it at the same time almost that he took Tauris The Persian Tables place it in 83 Degrees of Longitude and 43 Deg. 5. min. of Latitude It is also call'd Dar el Melec or the Royal City as being the Metropolis of the Kingdom The 10th the Superiour of the Capuchins gave the Viceroy Notice of my Arrival I desir'd him so to do considering with my self that having Servants and Luggage and being lodg'd at the Capuchins House my Arrival could not be conceal'd from a Prince who had Intelligence even of the most trivial Things that pass'd in Tefflis much more of my Adventures in Mingrelia of which many People had spread a report Besides I was glad to see him and shew him the King of Persia's Passports directed to all the Governours of Provinces wherein I was effectually recommended For I made no Question but the Prince upon the sight of those Orders would make me Welcom and grant me a Convoy if I should have occasion for the rest of my Journey Shanavas-Can understanding who I was and that the deceas'd King had employ'd me into Europe upon his own Service and Affairs order'd the Superiour to tell me in his Name That I was Welcom that he was glad of my Arrival and that I would do him a Kindness to come and see him as soon as I could which I was neither in a Condition neither was I resolv'd to do so soon being resolv'd to stay till I was ready to depart because I would not be oblig'd to go every Day to Court Therefore I desir'd Father Raphael who was his Physician to tell him That I was overjoy'd at the Honour which he had done me and that I would not fail to pay my Duty to him so soon as I had put my self into a handsom Equipage but that I was so out of order that I could not stir abroad these Ten Days I know not whether Father Raphael made a true Report to the Prince or whether the Prince believ'd him for so it happen'd that about Twelve a Clock in the Forenoon he sent a Gentleman to tell me That since I was come to Town in a Week of Mirth and Jollity while he Feasted every Day at Court he desir'd that I would come and see him I was surpriz'd and troubl'd at the Message and therefore I desir'd the Superiour and Father Raphael to let the Prince know That I could not yet stir abroad and that he would be pleas'd to condescend that I might stay till the Sunday following before I receiv'd the Honour which he was pleas'd to do me Which Message the Capuchins promis'd to deliver but fail'd They went to the Court 't is true but return'd the next moment to tell me That the Prince was impatient to hear what News from Europe But the truth of it was that they had an extraordinary desire to produce me They were desirous to shew the King of Persia's Agent whom they asserted to be one of their own Nation to the end themselves might be the more respected and they desir'd my Comrade and my self to put on our most Sumptuous Habit and to enlarge for their sakes the Present which we intended for the Prince In which particular I was willing to gratifie 'em and in whatever else I might conveniently do as being glad of an Opportunity to acknowledge the signal Kindnesses they had done me It was almost Noon when we went to the Palace accompany'd by the Superiour and Father Raphael who attended to be assistant to us The Prince was in a Room of State a Hunderd and Ten Foot long and above Forty broad built upon the side of the River and all open on that side The Ceeling which was all of Mosaic Work was plac'd upon a great Number of Pillars Painted and Gilt between 35 and 40 Foot high The whole Room was spread with very fair Carpets The Prince and principal Nobility were sitting near three little Chimneys which with several Brasiers warm'd the Room to that degree that the Cold was not felt Shanavas-Can when people approach'd near him caus'd himself to be Reverenc'd the first time like the King of Persia Himself They fell upon their Knees Two or Three Paces distant from his Person and bow their Heads to the Ground Three Times one after another Which manner of Saluting the Eastern Princes the Europeans have always scrupl'd to observe And indeed it being impossible that a Man should prostrate himself in a more humble posture such a Prostration should only be us'd before GOD himself So that sometimes they excuse themselves from using this manner of Salutation by saying they are of another World and understand not the Complements of the Country For my part I made my Obeysance with three Bows without Kneeling Afterward two Gentlemen led me to take my place but I would not sit above the Capuchins though the Gentlemen press'd me so to do and the Steward of the Houshold who stood upon his Feet in the middle of the Room For I was willing to do 'em that Honour that they might have Honour done 'em by others Which the Superiour was so glad to see that he would needs have me take place of his Companion While I was paying my Obeysance a Gentleman who had receiv'd from me at the Hall Door the King of Persia's Letters Patents which I held in my Hand and the Present which I had brought for the Prince and lay'd 'em in order in a large Silver Voider set down the Voider at the Prince's Feet Presently he took the Patent open'd it and rising up from his Seat put it to his Lips and
Patent I was fully discharg'd But I was afraid lest the Prince would make use of that pretence to view my Goods whether I would or no. And this was that which encreas'd my Fears and made me insist upon having an Officer to conduct me For my reason told me that such a Provision would render the Viceroy more responsible for any Accident that should befall me and that my Guide would secure both my Person and my Goods And indeed the greatest part of my Fears were dissipated when I saw my self quite free of Tefflis for then I began to conceive good hopes of all the rest of my Journey That Day I travell'd two Leagues through a Passage of the little Mountain that lies to the South of the City and lay at a Great Village call'd Sogan-Lou or the Place of Onions built upon the River Cur. The 1st of March I travell'd Eight Leagues in a fair Plain where the Road was indifferently streight leading to the North-East Within three Hours I came to a Village consisting of about a Hunderd and Fifty Houses call'd Cupri-Kent or the Village of the Bridge Because there is a very fair Bridge that stands not far from it built upon a River call'd Tabadi This Bridge is plac'd between two Mountains seperated only by the River and supported by Four Arches unequal both in their Heighth and Breadth They are built after an Irregular form in regard of two great Heaps of a Rock that stand in the River upon which they have laid so many Arches Those at the two ends are hollow'd on both sides and serve to lodge Passengers wherein they have made to that purpose little Chambers and Portico's with every one a Chimney The Arch in the middle of the River is hollow'd quite through from one part to the other with two Chambers at the Ends and two large Balconies cover'd where they take the cool Air in the Summer with great delight and to which there is a Descent of two pair of Stairs hewn out of the Rock Adjoyning to this fair Bridge there stands an Inn now ready to go to decay However the Structure is Magnificent having several Chambers with every one a Balcony that looks out upon the Water Neither is there a fairer Bridge nor a more beautiful Inn in all Georgia The Second we Travell'd Nine Leagues among Mountains very rugged and difficult to cross So that we were twelve Hours ere we got to our Journeys end though we Travell'd at a good rate About Sun-set we arriv'd at a great Village call'd Melik-Kent or the Royal Village built upon a point of one of those High Mountains The Third we Travell'd eight Leagues i' the Mountains where we were much perplex'd and where we did nothing but ascend and descend At length we lay at a Village as big as Melik-Kent The Fourth we Travell'd only three Leagues and before Noon we came to a Town that consisted of about Three Hunderd Houses call'd Dily-jan It is seated upon a River call'd Acalstapha at the Foot of a High and Dreadful Mountain which together with the rest that we pass'd the preceding days was a part of Mount Taurus There was every where great plenty of Water and here and there some Plains that were but small but very fertile The Goodness of the Soyl thereabout is not to be imagin'd nor the Number of Villages that are to be seen on every side There are several that stand so high-rais'd upon the points of the Rocks that you can hardly have a sight of ' em The most part are inhabited by Georgian and Armenian Christians but not intermix'd Those People having such an inveterate Antipathy one against the other that they cannot live together nor in the same Villages In all these Mountains are neither Inns nor publick Houses however Travellers are lodg'd in the Countrymens Houses very conveniently where there is plenty both of Meat and Drink For my part I wanted nothing for my Guide rode still before when we were got about half way so that when I came to the Village I still found a large Chamber empty Stables a good Fire and Supper ready The first days Journey I would have paid my Landlord but my Guide would not permit me telling me 'T was not the Custom and that I should rather give Him what I intended the Man of the House Which was the reason that the next Days I only caus'd something to be given in private to the People where I Lodg'd And indeed 't is very good Travelling with these Guides for they cause yee to be diligently attended All Night long my Chamber was guarded by the People of the Village who kept Watch as well in Obedience to the Commands which were laid upon 'em as for my Security though there was no danger to be fear'd The most part of the Houses of these Villages are in truth no more then Caverns For they are hollow places made in the Earth The rest are built of great Beams of Timber up to the Roof which is made like a Terrass and cover'd with Turf Only they leave a hole open in the middle to let in the Light and let out the Smoak which hole they stop up as they please themselves Which sort of Caverns have this Convenience that they are very warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer nor is it an easie thing for Thieves to break into ' em The Borough of Dily-jan and all the Country round about for six Leagues distance to the North and South and very far to the East and West belongs to Kamshi-Can and is call'd the Country of Casac It holds of Persia and depends upon that Kingdom after the same manner as Georgia that is to say it is always Govern'd by its own Natural Princes from Father to Son Abas the Great subdu'd it at the same time that he Conquer'd Georgia The Inhabitants of Casac are Mountaineers stout and fierce Originally descended from those Cosaques that inhabit the Mountains to the North-East of the Caspian Sea The Fifth we Travell'd five Leagues over that dreadful Mountain already spok'n of There are two Leagues from the Town of Dily-jan which stands at the very Foot of the Hill to the Top another of even Ground to the Top of all and two Leagues of Descent again A tedious Days Journey which I thought would have kill'd me For I was troubl'd with a terrible Dysentery which forc'd me to alight altogether and then two Men held me up as I went and a third lead my Horse The Mountain is most dreadfully laden with Snow there being nothing else to be seen at the Top neither Tree nor Plant. The Road also lay through a narrow Path of Snow hard'nd by the Feet of Horses and Travellers so that if they did but slip their Feet out of the Path they sunk up to the Belly in the looser Snow Nor is there any passing over this Mountain when the Snow-falls or when the Wind blows for then the print of the
the Bodies of St. Andrew and St. Matthew were found there and that the Scull of the Evangelist is still preserv'd in the Church belonging to the Monastery When I came to Erivan I alighted at the House of an Armenian of my Acquaintance whose Name was Azarias He was a Person extreamly persecuted by those of his own Nation because he had been at Rome to turn Roman Catholick and Disciple to the Colledge for the Propagation of the Faith and for endeavouring to settle the Capuchins at Erivan I found him indispos'd and in Bed However he rose to give Notice of my Arrival fearing to come into trouble if he deferr'd it till the next Morning To which purpose he went to Court but could not see the Governor who was retir'd into the Apartment of the Princess his Wife Nevertheless an Eunuch did his Message The Eighth the Governor sent a Person to give me a Visit and to tell me I was Welcom Whereupon Mr. Azarias undertook to go in my behalf and return him my humble Thanks and withal to let him know who I was Upon which the Governor shew'd an earnest desire to see me as soon as I could and some part of the Jewels I had brought along with me Afterwards he ask'd how many Servants I had and order'd Mr. Azarias to inform him whether I had rather Lodge in the Fortress or in the Inn which he had built and to bring him word speedily For my part I made choice of the Inn as well for the Security of the Place as for that a Man shall never there want Company because of the great resort of Merchants thither besides that Travellers alighted there every day Thereupon the Governor order'd me one of the best Apartments The Ninth I went thither betimes in the Morning and spent all that day in setling my self in my Lodging About Noon one of the Governors Officers brought me an Order from the Steward to send for from the Office Bread Wine Meat Trouts Fruit Rice Butter Wood and other Necessary Provisions as much as would suffice six Persons The Quantity of every thing is regulated never augmented nor abated but the Proportion allow'd for one Person is so large that two may well be satisfy'd with it The 10th the Governor sent so earnestly for me to come to him and bring him part of my Jewels that I could no longer defer it I found him in a very large Cabinet or Study very Decent and very Light There was also with him the Head Surveyor of all the Mints of Persia who at that time was come to Erivan and four other Lords He receiv'd me with an Extraordinary Civility three times told me I was welcome and set before me Sweet Meats and Aqua Vitae of Moscovy Presently I presented him with the Kings Patent and that of the Grand Master already mention'd Of both which he made great accompt and spent an Hour in Enquiries after European News as well concerning the late Wars and the present Estate of Christendom as about Arts and Sciences and what new Discoveries had been made therein Another Hour he spent in considering and viewing the Pretious Stones and Jewels which I shew'd him He gave me to understand that among the Persian Poets Emraulds of the old Rock were call'd Emraulds of Egypt of which they believ'd there had been a Mine in Egypt which was now lost and at length after he had lay'd by what he lik'd himself and what he thought would please the Princess his Wife he stay'd me to dine with him Dinner being ended he honour'd me the other half Hour with his Company and then dismiss'd me commanding an Officer in my hearing to go to the Caravanserai and charge the Inn-Keeper to be careful as well for my security as to give me all Content And he was moreover so kind as to tell the Officer farther that he made him my Memander who is as it were a Gentleman-Waiter and such as are appointed to attend upon all Persons of Quality to take care of their Persons and the same Evening he sent me besides a Present of Moscovy Aqua Vitae This Governor bears the Title of Becler-Beg or Lord of Lords For so they call the Deputy Lieutenants of large Governments to distinguish 'em from those meaner Governours whom they call Can's He has also the Title of Serdar or General of the Army So that he is one of the Principal Lords of Persia and one of the most Judicious and most refin'd Politicians in the Kingdom He is call'd by the Name of Sephi-Couli-Can or the Duke the Slave of Sephi He enjoy'd one of the most Noble Governments of the Empire in the Reign of the Deceas'd King but through some Intreague among the Women he fell into disgrace three Years before the Death of that Prince The Wife which he has Marry'd is of the Blood Royal by the Mothers side And this Princess it was who at the beginning of the present Kings Reign restor'd her Husband to his Majesties Favour from whom in a little time he obtain'd the Government of Erivan the most considerable in the Kingdom and which yields him the fairest Revenue no less then Two and Thirty Thousand Tomans a Year which are above a Hundred and Twelve Thousand Pounds Sterling The Fines Presents and indirect ways to enrich himself are worth him Fifty Thousand Pounds more And doubtless this Lord is the most wealthy and most Fortunate of all the Kingdom The King loves him the Court has a Veneration for him and his two Sons are the Kings only Favourites the People under his Government Love and respect him because of his Popularity his doing Justice and for that he is not so oppressive and given to extortion as others So that he deserves the good Fortune he enjoys for besides these good Qualities he is Learned and a great Lover of Arts and Sciences The 11th this Lord sent to invite me to the Nuptials of his Stewards Brother where he was I found him pleasant and in a very good Humour For he had receiv'd at the opening of the Gate an order from the King by a Coolom-Sha who came from Ispahan in Thirteen Days This Order related to an affair of great Importance For several Sultans who are Lords of Countrys and Governours of strong Holds having refus'd to obey his Orders and having made great complaints against him to the King and his Ministers He on the other side had justifi'd his own Rights and Prerogatives upon which his Majesty had given Sentence in his behalf and had sent him an order to Command Obedience Which Order the Coolom-Sha was to see Executed and to cause Satisfaction to be giv'n to the Governour Coolom-Sha signifies the Kings Slave Not but that they who bear this Title are as free as other the Kings Natural Subjects but they take it as a Mark of their perfect Devotion to their Soveraign as being that to which they were bred up altogether in their Infancy For the Imployment of
Villages But the Officers entrusted to raise the Money had so far out-stretch'd their Commission in the outrages and violences which they committed as to demand and levy double the sum which was impos'd All which the Patriarch well knew but conniv'd at it for the advantage he was to receive thereby And he would fain have been handling the first Money that was brought to Erivan but the Governor was so far from suffering him to meddle that he would not pay above half to the Customer of Constantinople's Trustees So that of three thousand five hundred pounds which were rais'd for his Satisfaction he would not part with above two thousand for the payment of the debts The Patriarch complain'd of this Injustice but could have no Remedy All the Governor said to him was this that if the Customer of Constantinople were pai'd in time 't was as much as he could require and that it did not belong to him to take Cognizance what was levy'd for that purpose But perhaps he could not chuse but be disturb'd with the Cryes and Curses of his own Nation for they were bitterly enrag'd against him and his Proceedings And therefore he resolv'd to appease 'em withdraw himself from the oppression of the Governor of Armenia which made him make his escape with a design to make his Complaints to the Court The Governor on the other side having notice of his flight sent away to the neighbouring Governors to stop him and he happen'd to be at Tauris when the Express arriv'd there But the Armenian Inhabitants of the City preserv'd him not so much by concealing him in any private absconding Place as by their Presents to the Grandees and for that the Injustice that was done him in his private affairs was so publickly notorious that it was no more then what was reasonable for them to let him have his Liberty to go to Ispahan for Redress The 6. Rustan-Bec Muster-Master General of the Army sent to give me notice of his being come to Town For he understood at the Governors house where he lodg'd that I was arriv'd at Tauris So that I went to visit him the same day and to renew the friendship which I had contracted with him in my first Travels He is a Personage the most eminent for his Witt and Valour of any other in the whole Kingdom He is Brother to the Governor of Candabar who was accus'd for being Accessory to the Robbing of the Indian Caravan His Father was Governor of Armenia and Abas had a great affection for this Rustan-Bec for the sake of his Learning his Courage and his Gracefull Aspect Nor was it above a year before that the King had given him a Commission to go into the Province of Azer-beyan to take a review of the Forces and Ammunitions there and now his Commission was out by which as I understood he had gotten above ten thousand pounds His Company and Discourse extreamly pleas'd me for he shew'd me several Mapps of the Province which he had newly made of which he promis'd me copies and reaching down a Plain-Sphere which had been lately printed in Europe he shew'd me several Faults in it I also supp'd with him nor would he let me go til midnight The 7. he did me the Honnor to give me a Visit and to spend all the Afternoon in my Chamber The 8 and the three days following I made it my business to fetch away such parcels of Goods from Tahmas-Bec and Mirza-thaer which they refus'd to buy after I had bargain'd with 'em for what they made choice of tho all that I sold to both came but to a thousand Crowns and that without Profit So that I had much ado to agree with 'em however I was paid when we all concluded The one pretended in abatement of my price his Fathers being a Favourite at Court the other the great Credit which his Brothers and his Unckle Mirza-Sadec being Lord High Chancellor had with the King and forc'd me to take Letters of Recommendation which they freely offer'd to compensate the Profit which I should have got by my goods For a man would hardly believe the Caresses the Flattery the engaging and familiar Behaviour which the Persians Grandees will condescend to for their own Interests how slight soever And they behave themselves with such an Appearance of Sincerity that a Traveller must very well understand the Genius of the Country and the Court to avoid being cully'd by their kindnesses The 13. I went to take my leave of Rustan-bec whose occasions call'd him to Ardevil two days after He did me the favour to permit me a long discourse upon the best way to manage my affairs at Ispahan and how to come off with most advantage and success To which purpose he gave me very good advice and Letters of Recommendation to his Kindred and for Cosrou-Can Collonell of the Musketeers who was one of the most powerful and considerable Lords at Court Of which the Translation follows word for word GOD. We send to the most illustrious Lord of the Earth and we give his most noble and generous heart to understand that Mr. Chardin a French Merchant the Flower of the Christians who had been sent into Europe by the deceased King who has now his a Habitation in Heaven to fetch from thence several costly Pieces of Jewellers work is now return'd and lately arriv'd at this Royal City of Tauris The Friendship and Confidence which we had formerly contracted together induc'd him to impart his business to me and he requested of me since the great King who sent him into Europe was flown away to the Kingdom of Spirits and become a Citizen of Paradice that I who am his Intimate Friend would b recommend him to a Person considerable for the Prudence of his Conduct and the Grandeur of his Dignity and who perfectly knew how to doe kind offices to the end he might make use of him as a Conveyance to bring him into the presence of the noble most high and most Holy King He has been also particularly inform'd by me who am your Intimate Friend of the Great and Royal Qualities which you possess and being charm'd by the Recitals which I made of 'em he discover'd to me his extream desire to have the c Honour to be recommended to the Favour of the d Slaves of your Highness I therefore who am his Real Friend recommend him to your Glorious Cares and whatever shall concern his Affairs and Interests He relyes very much upon your Royal Favour and assures himself that your Highness understanding his Business by this Letter from my self your Servant will use your endeavour that the Costly Jewels that he has brought shall come to the Blessed hands of the most noble King A Favour so generous will fill this Illustrious Christian with large hopes and all other Merchants of his Nation whom Trade and Commerce draws to this Kingdom a The word which I have translated Habitation signifies properly an Eagles
much Rain and that the Soil is fruitful of it self whatever ancient Authors have wrote to the contrary the Parthian Air is dry to the extremest degree insomuch that for six Months together you shall neither see any Rain or any Clouds but the Soil is sandy and Nature produces nothing without good Husbandry and Pains The Country of the Parthians which was so long the Seat of the Empire of Asia is the largest and principal Province of the Persian Monarchy It is all the proper demeans of the King nor has it any Governor as the most part of the rest of the Provinces The Persians bound it to the East by the Province of Corasson or Coromitrena to the South by that of Fars which is properly Persia to the West by Azerbeyan or Media to the North by Guilan and Maganderaan which compose the Province of Hyrcania This Province extends it self at least two hundred Leagues in length and an hundred and fifty Leagues in breadth The Air is very dry and and the most healthy for the most part of any in the world It is more mountainous then level The Mountains are also very bare and to speak in general terms produce nothing but Thistles and Briers but the Plains are very fertile and pleasant where there is any Water otherwise the Soyl is very barren This large Province contains above forty Cities which is very much in Persia as not being an Empire peopl'd proportionably to its Extent The Orientals call the Country of Parthia Arac-agem that is to say Persian Arack They call it likewise Balad-el-Gebel or the Country of the Mountains for the reason 's already recited My Opinion is that the Scythians from whom as ancient Authors hold the Parthians deriv'd their Original were the lesser Tartars that inhabit to the North of Persia now call'd Yuzbecs and formerly Bactrians and that that same Arsaces who founded the Empire of the Parthians was a Native of the same Country with Tamerlan Halacou and those other Tartar Princes that made such great and famous Conquests in the Ages last past The 3d. we travell'd four Leagues keeping on to the South as when we first set out of Tauris the Road was very good only we had Mountains very near us upon the right and left hand We lay at Sirsham which is a large Inn adjoyning to three or four small Villages but seated in a sandy and dry Soyl and there the Officers that gather the Duties upon Goods transported out of the Kingdom keep their Post The 4th we travell'd seven Leagues through bushy Plains and Sands and we were forc'd to make several windings and turnings by reason of several Mole-Hills and little Sand-Hills in our way Nevertheless both on one the side and t'other at a distance we could see a Champian Country very delightful and fertile and Villages here and there which yielded a very delightful Prospect the River Zenjan wat'ring those Villages We lay at a large Caravanseray call'd Nichè built between five spacious Villages The 5th we travell'd six Leagues through a Road more pleasant and less crooked and observing the same Course as the day before and lodg'd at Zerigan a little City that contains not above two thousand Houses It is seated in a very narrow Plain between two Mountains that enclose it not above half a League one from the other The Soyl of Zerigan is fertile and pleasant and the Air wholsome and cool in the Summer The City without is surrounded with Gardens that yield both Pleasure and Profit but within the Town there is nothing remarkable but the great Ruins SULTANIE The 6th Our road lay through a Country the most lovely delightful that every Eye beheld through a fair Plain where the road was level and very straight Several pleasant Streams glide through it that render the Soyl very fertil The whole Plain is so strow'd with Villages that they are hardly to be number'd with so many Groves and Gardens that for me the most pleasant Land-skips and charming Prospects in the World We alighted after a journey of five Leagues at a Caravanserai call'd Queurk-boulag over against and within a good Canons shot of Sultanie This City is seated at the foot of a Mountain as you may see by the Draught which I have made of it It seems a far off very neat and well built and inflames a Man with a Curosity to see it but when you approach near it it ceases to be the same thing and appears less beautiful then when ye are within it Yet there are some publick Buildings very remarkable as well for the Structure as the Architecture together with about three thousand Habitations The people of the Country affirm that this City took up formerly half a League of Ground more to the West then it does and that the ruin'd Churches Mosques and Towers which are to be seen at that distance on that side stood in the heart of the City Which probably may be true seeing that Histories assure us that it was once the Metropolis and biggest City of the Kingdom nor are there many Cities in the world where there are vaster Ruins to be seen Provision also is there very plentiful and very cheap The Air is likewise very wholesome but subject to change For in all the Seasons it changes almost every hour The Evenings Nights and Mornings being cold but all the day long very hot from one Extreme to another Sultany lies in 36. deg 18. min. of Latitude and 48. deg 5. min. of Longitude and is govern'd by a Sultan Some Histories of Persia relate that this City is one of the most ancient in all the Country of the Parthians but that it is not known who was the Founder Others on the other side affirm that the foundations of it were laid when the Sun was in Leo by the order and in the Reign of Ergon-Can the Son of Abkei-Can and Grand-child of Halacou-Can and that because it could not be finish'd in his days his Son Jangou-Sultan compleated the work and call'd it Sultania or the Royal City For Sultan properly signifies a King from whence comes Seltenet the usual Persian word for a Kingdom or Monarchy And the Monarchs of Asia who reign'd since the seventh Age assum'd to themselves the Titles of Souldans from whence came the Title of Soldan given to the last King 's of Egypt and that of the Emperors of Turkey who call themselves Sultans Nevertheless I have heard some learned Men say that this City was never call'd Sultanié or Royal till the time that the last Kings of Persia who also assum'd the title of Sultans came to keep their Courts in this Place On the other side if this City were built out of the Ruins of Tigranocerta as several Modern European Authors maintain it may be said that the name which now it bears was form'd out of that Ancient Name For Certa in old Prsian signifies a City so that Tigranoterta signifies no more then the City of Tigranes who
it There are but few Mosques at Casbin The chiefest of which by them call'd Metshid-guima or the Mosque of the Congregation was founded by Haron-Reshid Califf of Bagdat in the year of the Hegyra 170. The Royal Mosque call'd Metshid-sha is one of the largest and fairest in all Persia being seated at the end of a spacious Street planted with fair Trees which begins from one of the Gates of the Palace Royal. This Mosque was almost all built at the expences of Tahmas and in his Life time his Father Ishmael having laid the Foundations but dying before they came to be even with the street There are also several handsome buildings among the Caravanserai's or Publick Inns. That which they call the Royal Inn contains 250 Channels has a large Fountaine planted with Trees in the middle of the Court and two Gates which the lead in the Court from two streets full of shops where the most costly sort of Merchandises are sold But chiefest Grace and Ornament of Casbin consists neither in Inns nor Baths nor in Bazars nor in Markets Tobacco Coffee or strong-water Houses where the Persians debauch themselves but in the great number of Palaces of the Persian Grandees which they keep in their possession from Father to Son by reason of the long residence of the Court at Casbin from time to time But there are not so many Gardens in Casbin as in most part of the other City of that Province because the soyl is Sandy and dry for want of water there being only a little River which is no more then an Arm of the River Charoud not sufficient to to supply the Grounds about it So that they are forc'd to bring their water from the Mountain in Subterraneal Channels which they call Kerises that empty themselves into Vaults thirty foot deep which though it be cool is nevertheless heavy and insipid Which want of water is also the reason that the Air of Casbin is heavy thick and not very healthful especially in Summer by reason that the City not having a running stream has neither any sinks to carry away the filth of the Town Yet notwithstanding this same scarcity of water the City abounds in Meat and all manner of Provisions for that the Plains that lie round about it are so well water'd that they feed a world of Cattel and produce a prodigious plenty of Corn and Fruits Among the rest the fairest Grape in Persia which they call Shahoni or the Royal Grape being of a Gold Colour transparent and as big as a small Olive These Grapes are dry'd and transported all over the Kingdom They also make the strongest Wine in the World and the most luscious but very thick as all strong and sweet wines usually are This incomparable Grape grows only upon the young Branches which they never water So that for five months together they grow in the Heat of Summer and under a scorching Sun without receiving a drop of water either from the skie or otherwise When the Vintage is over they let in their Cattel to browze in the Vineyards afterwards they cut off all the great Wood and leave only the young stocks about three foot high which need no propping up with Poles as in other places and therefore they never make use of any such supporters There is also great Plenty of Pistachio's in those parts where the Air is very hot in the Summer all the day long by reason of the high Mountain that lies to the North. But on the other side the Nights are so cold that if a Man expose himself never so little to the air after he is undrest he is sure to fall sick Casbin lies in 85. deg and 5. min. of Long. and in 36. deg and 35. min. of Latitude The most part of our European Chorographers who have discours'd of the Cities of Persia affirm Casbin to be the ancient Arsacia and that before it was call'd Europa till the Parthians gave it that name from Arsaces the first of their Emperors that is it the same with that City which the Greeks call'd Ragea and the holy Scripture Rages of Media Some are of opinion that it was that same Casbira of which Strabo makes mention but the Persian Histories will not allow it to be so ancient The History entitl'd Elbeijon or the Explication relates That this was founded by Shapour the Son of Ardeshir-babecon and that he gave it the name of Shaepour as much as to say the City of the Kings Son For Shae signifies a King and Pour in the ancient Persian a Son Whence the name of Sha-pour which the ancient Greeks call Sapores The History entitl'd Teduine affirms that the City which was call'd Shaepour was not Casbin and that it was not built on the same place where Casbin now stands but at least three Leagues above toward the West at the Concourse of two Rivers the one named Haroud already mention'd which springs from the Mountain Alou-vent and the other call'd Ebher-roud or the River of Ebher I have heard several Persons of Quality affirm that there are in that place vast heaps of Ruins to be seen and all Authors agree that the two Towns call'd Sartshé not far from thence were built in the Reign of Ardeshir-babecon Another Persian History compos'd by an Author call'd by the name of Ambdalla relates that Casbin had its first Rise from a Castle which the King last mention'd caus'd to be built to stop the Inroads of the Deilemites that came down from Mount Alouvent and ravag'd all the Territory That this Castle was seated in the middle of the City where is now the Royal Piazza of Casbin and that it was ruin'd by the Arabians in the time of Osman one of Mahomets first successors And indeed almost all their Histories make mention of this Castle and say that after it was demolish'd it was rebuilt again much larger then before and a great Town rais'd round about it Mousael-hadibilla the Son of Mahomet-mehdy Califf of Bagdat caus'd it to be surrounded with walls in the 170. year of the Hegyra and about a thousand paces from it built a little City which he call'd by his own name Medina-Moussi which name one large Ward or Quarter of Casbin carrys to this day Moubarec-suzbee one of the Califfs free'd Servants who had the Government of the Province and to whom the work was recommended built another City at an equal distance and call'd it Moubarekié for the preservation of his name which the Persians some time after call'd Moubarec-abad Moubarec signifying blessed abada habitation Haron-Reshid Brother and Successor to Mousa-elhadi joyn'd these three little Cities into one by filling up the void space with a great number of buildings and then order'd the whole to be encompass'd with Walls and Fortifications Which work was begun in the 190 year of the Hegyra Haron also had a design to have made it a Bull-wark against the Incursions of the Hircanians and Deilamites and a Magazine for the warr
me enquire of the People of the Country whether that Mountain was wont to cast forth fire but I could meet with no body that ever saw or heard of any such thing But this is a publick Caution to all men For they tell ye that they who desire to ascend that Mountain never come back and it is reported that Abas the Great one day sent a Foot-Boy up with a Cresset Light upon his Shoulders but that the Light presently went out and the Fellow never appear'd more This Mountain lies upon the left hand as you go to Com. To which City as we drew near we saw on every side the little Mausoleums and Mosques where the Grand-Children and Descendants of Aly lie interr'd The Persians call the first Descendants from this Califfe Yman Zade or Sons of the Apostles and these are the Persian Saints of which there are an infinite number buried in this Kingdom for they reckon four hundred Sepulchers about Com. We made this City the end of our Journey at ten a Clock at night and I was afraid I should have ended my Life there too by an Accident altogether unexpected For I alighted at the Door of the Caravanseray and held my Horse by the Bridle expecting my Groom to come and take him and what time another led Horse perceiving me at his Tail up with his hind Legs and with all his force yerk'd with his Heels at my Breast so that had I been never so little farther from him he had broken my Bones I confess I did not fall for I was supported by my Horses head but for a quarter of an hour I was almost stifl'd not being able to fetch my Breath God in his Mercy took Comparsion of me so that I escap'd the fury of the Blow tho I felt it six weeks afterwards yet not so but that I could go about my Business as I was wont KOM KOM The Tombs of the two last KINGS OF PERSIA And here I shall give you the Platform of that Celebrated Mosque so much talk'd of over all the East It has four Courts belonging to it as you may perceive by the Draught The first is planted with Trees and Flowers like a Garden being a long Square having an Alley in the middle which is separated from the Beds and Plots by a Balustrade There are also two Terrasses an each side running the full length of the Garden three foot high Upon each side of which there are twenty Chambers vaulted nine foot square one Chimney and a Portico At the Entrance into this Court upon the left hand there 's one of these deep Cellars and upon the right hand an Aviary It is a place design'd for Recreation For it is moreover encompass'd with a Canall of clear water that runs out of one Fountain at the Entrance and empties it self into another at the end Ten Disticks in Letters of Gold over the Top of the Portal compose the Inscription of this Mausoleum of which the Translation is as follows The Date of the Portal of the Tomb of the most Venerable and Pure Virgin of Com upon whom be Salvation In the time of the happy Reign of Abas the Second the Support of the World to whom increase of days This Gate was open'd in the face of the People Whoever casts up his Eyes looseth the Idea of Paradise Who has ever cross'd her Courts whose Aspect rejoyces Hearts has not pass'd 'em swiftly like the wind Masoom Vicar to the Great Pontiff whose sage Counsels teach the Sun to govern his Motion caus'd this Portal to be made by one of his Substitutes Aga Mourad the Height and Excellency of which surpasses the Celestial Throne This is the Entrance into the Palace Royal of the thrice Venerable pure Virgin descended from the House of the Prophet Haypy and Glorious that faithful Person that shall prostrate his head upon the Threshold of this Gate in Imitation of the Sun and Moon Whatever he shall demand with Faith from above this Gate shall be like an Arrow that hits the Mark that is to say shall answer his Desires Certainly Fortune shall never molest the Enterprises of him who for the Love of God rais'd this Portal in the Face of the People O thou Faithful if thou demand'st in what Year this Portal was built I answer thee from above the Portal from Desire demand thy Desires To understand this last Distich you must understand that whereas in our Alphabet there are but seven Numeral Letters or which serve instead of a Cipher as V. for five X. for ten L. for fifty c. The Alphabet in the Oriental Languages stands for Arithmetical Numbers and so for a knack of Wit which indeed requires a quick Fancy they denote the Year of any thing by words that have some resemblance to the Thing done and are compos'd of Letters which according to their arithmetical Value make up just the Year of their Epoche and the Letters of this word make 1061. Year Of which I shall produce another Example The deceas'd King of Persia caus'd a Tent to be made that cost one hundred and fifty Thousand Pounds It was call'd the House of Gold because there was nothing but Gold that glister'd in every part of it I shall give you the Description of it in another place It may be easily conjectur'd that it was a sumptuous and costly Piece as well by the Price that it cost as by the number of Camels which were requir'd to carry it that were in all 280. The Anti-chamber was made of Velvet with a Ground of Gold Of which the Cornish was embellish'd with Verses that concluded in this manner If thou demandest at what time the Throne of this Second Salomon was built I will tell thee Behold the Throne of the Second Salomon where the Letters of the last words being tak'n for Ciphers make 1057. Years Which is look'd upon as meer Gibbrish in our Language but among the Orientals passes for Wit and Ornament The second Court is not so beautiful as the first but the third is nothing inferiour to it It is surrounded with Apartments every one containing two Stories a Terrass a Portico and a Canal in like manner as the former Four large Trees stand at each Corner and cover it with their Boughs Out of this third Court you enter into the fourth by a Marble Ascent consisting of twelve Steps The Portal which is at the Top is a most magnificent Piece It is cover'd below with white Marble transparent like to Porphiry or Aggat The top of it which is a large half Duomo is painted with Moresco Work of Or and Azure laid on very thick In this fourth Court are also Chambers both at the lower end and on both sides with Terrasses and Portico's like the other three Those are the Lodgings for the Priests the Governors and Students that live upon the Revenues of that sacred Place Fronting these Courts stands the Body of the Structure consisting of three great
of the Army the General of the Slaves and the General of the Musquetteers chiefly because they are superiour in Dignity to the two latter and for that their Employments do not tye them to be at Court True it is they were not very grateful to the Lords but for once as before there was a necessity that Inclination and Affection must give way to Duty Of these two Competitors the General of the Slaves expected the Precedency as his due in regard his Employment gave him the Preheminency which he could not dissemble but displayed his hopes and expectations in his very Countenance However he missed of his reckoning for he had not one Friend in the whole Assembly they knew him too well to be a crafty Knave of a turbulent spirit and of a mischievous humour and therefore they were all afraid if he spake first to the new King he would not forget his old tricks but would form such Contrivances at least against the greatest part of them that they should not easily disintangle themselves Upon which considerations they gave their Voices unanimously for the General of the Musquetteers Not but that they had some apprehensions of him likewise as not having altogetheer the Reputation of a sincere man only he was a Saint in comparison of the other For his Cunning did not carry him to the full extent of Malice Besides that he was looked upon as a Person of great Parts and one that understood the Court and the Interests of the Neighbouring Princes For which Reason he had been sent for some Years before in the Quality of an Embassadour to the present King of the Indies Aurang-Zeb to congratulate his coming to the Crown and had behaved himself with so much Grandeur in the Embassie that his Master gave him signal Testimonies of his Satisfaction And indeed his Rodomantadoes in that Court are strangely remarkable such as the Reader will hardly credit when I shall publish what I have collected in reference to that Embassie This Lord then being thus deputed the Assembly gave order about some other things that concerned his journey and how they should manage Affairs at Court in expectation of the New King First It was ordered that Eleven Persons should accompany the Commissioner to Ispahan that is to say two Astrologers the Munchiziim-Bachi or the Chief of those that profess that Science who was called Mirza-Baker and with him another Astrologer one of the most noted in the Kingdom whose Name was Mahamed-Saleh They were to be present at the Coronation with an Astrolabe in their hands to take the fortunate hour as they term it in the Persian Language and observe the lucky Moments that a happy Constellation should point out for Proceedings of that Importance To these they added four of the Principal Officers employed in the custody of the Treasure to carry and take care of what Jewels should be requisite for the Ceremony The other five were not then nominated in regard that every one of the Principal Officers of State had a right to appoint his own Deputy upon that Occasion Those five Commissioners who are always Persons of Quality were in their Masters names to throw themselves at the feet of the new Monarch so soon as he should be brought forth of the private Apartment of the Palace and at the Ceremony of the Coronation to represent the Person by whom they were deputed Of which the one was the Prime Minister the other the Grand Superintendant the third the General of the Slaves the fourth the Lord Chief Justice and the fifth the Principal Secretary of State In the second place it was ordered by the Lords that the General of the Musquetteers with his Eleven Attendants should set forward the next Morning before day unless the Grand Astrologer should find the Constitution of the Heavens and the Aspects of the Planets not to be favourable whereupon they should forbear till a more lucky season That then every one should depart and stay at a New Caravan-Seray which is four Leagues from Demagaan till the Twelve Persons being all arrived they might proceed altogether in their Journey And that for fear lest if they should depart in Company from the Camp Royal they should create too great a jealousie of the cause of their Journey In the third place the Lords ordained that the General of the Musquetteers should carry a Letter to his Majesty in the name of the whole Assembly which should be read in their hearing before it was put into his hands that nothing might be inserted but what was approved by all In the fourth place they unanimously agreed for the better concealing the Kings Death that every one should Officiate in their several Stations as they did before the doleful Accident hapned and pay their accustomed Attendance about the Palace That in the mean time they should amuse the People with a belief that the King was only sick and in a fair way of recovery That the Eunuchs there present and others concerned should endeavour to keep all things private in the Womens Palace and use their utmost diligence to chear and comfort up the Women for fear their loud Complaints and Moans should be heard by those without In the fifth place it was ordered that the Eunuchs with the chief Physicians should take care to embalm the Body of the deceased King to the end he might afterwards be put into a Leaden Coffin according to Custom Lastly The same Lords ordained that at the end of Eight Days all the Court should depart from the Village of Kosroes-Abaad where then it was and in regard it was impossible in so great a Hurry to travel far in a day that they would make short Journeys to Kachaan that they should order their March according to the Season and as they thought most proper to prevent all occasions that might give the People any reason too curiously to pry into the condition of the Kings Person Toward Evening the Letter which was to be presented to the New Monarch was delivered to the General of the Slaves It was put up in a Purse of Cloth of Gold drawn together with strings of twisted Gold and Silk with Tassels of the same and so knit into a Knot It was sealed with soft Wax upon which the Chief Minister put his own Seal Nor was any omitted of all those Knacks and Curiosities which the Oriental People make use of in making up their Epistles By this Letter of which I was very careful to get a Copy drawn from the Original the Lords gave His most Excellent Majesty to understand How the Great Potentate and Ruler whose place is in Paradise King Habas II. whose bright-shining Glory God increase departed this Life the twenty sixth of the Moon called Rabeya-el-esany at the beginning of the Return that is of the Return of her Light without having made any Will or given any Order touching his Successour or nominated any Person to Govern the Kingdom That as soon as they had
Indian Monarchs name should not let slip this advantage of invading Persia That he could never desire a more favourable Conjuncture then that which now invited him That there was nothing to hinder his Victorious March even to Ispahan it self for that the Prince himself was very Young wanting both Experience and Courage that he who bore all the sway under him was an old Tyrant the General of the Army but in regard of his Age unfit for War and for his other Ministers besides that they were persons that had neither Courage nor Conduct they were disgusted with the Government More then this that there was a very great scarcity in the Country of all things necessary for humane support especially in the Metropolis where there was a general murmuring against the disorders and bad management of the Government and that the general Rumours were that Persia was attacqu'd in several places In a word that the Indians could never have such an opportunity to conquer the Kingdom and retake Kand-Dar In these Letters also were enclos'd the Portraitures of the King and all the Principal Ministers and Officers of State which those Indians had prevail'd with a Painter to draw for a good Sum of Money on purpose to send to the Indian that they might be known to the Monarch of that Country This Plot was discover'd by a little Slave belonging to the Painter For about six Weeks after the setting forth of the Caravan his Master having beaten him to excess he attempted a Revenge above his Age and Condition He ran to the General of the Armie's house and desir'd he might be admitted to speak with the General in private But the Servants at first would not permit him with a trifle of no importance to interrupt the General who had always an incredible Crowd of People waiting upon him and a multitude of business upon his hands Till at length being importunate to speak with him and urging the weight of the secret which he had to discover the Guards inform'd the General who sent for him into his presence and demanded what he would have To whom the Slave made answer with an undaunted courage that it was not a secret to be discover'd but if he pleas'd to order the People to withdraw or to retire himself he should know his bus'ness in private Notwithstanding all this the General at that time made little reck'ning of what he said and they assur'd me that it was three days before the General would trouble himself to examine him Till at length the Slave persevering in his resolution never to discover any thing but to himself in private the General mov'd by his perseverance sent for him into a little Cabinet where he discover'd that his Master had drawn the Portraitures of the King and all the Grandees of the Court and had sold 'em privately to the Indians to send into India that three Dervicks such are those that out of a Religious Motive make a profession of Poverty carri'd those Portraitures into India and that they came to his Master with the Indians and hid 'em under the tatter'd Garments that they wore that they hid certain Letters also in the same manner at the same time but of which he knew not the Contents and that they went away with the Caravan for Caudar The General of the Army was at a stand whether he should give credit to the Deposition of this Slave or no. He tri'd him sometimes with threats sometimes with promises to see if he could find him any way tripping or various in his story not knowing but that it might be a falshood of the Slaves Invention But when he found him resolute in the same tale and still affirming Positively the same thing and that he affirm'd it with all the Oaths which among the Persians are esteem'd to be most dreadful and that he offer'd his Life as a Gage of what he had said the General resolv'd to dive into the bottom of the Affair Thereupon he dispatch'd away two Horsemen after the Caravan with a Warrant under the Kings hand to seize the persons that were accus'd of carrying those Letters and Portraitures Which two Horsemen in a months time overtook the Caravan and knowing the Derwicks by the descriptions which the Slave had giv'n brought 'em Prisoners to Ispahan When they were brought to the General of the Army he sent for the Slave and ask'd him if he knew those poor people and if they were the persons that carri'd the Letters and Portraitures The Slave assur'd him that they were the men and press'd 'em so home that they began to stagger in their Answers Thereupon the General caus'd their Cloaths to be search'd and their Tatters to be unripp'd and there as the Slave had declar'd he found the Portraitures and the Letters sowd up in several places All which were carri'd to the King who having seen the Contents of the Letters fell into such a passionate Rage that he resolv'd to put to death one part of the Multani Indians and to exterminate the rest out of his Dominions tho they were above twenty thousand But the Generalissimo and the Chief Minister endeavour'd to appease him and humbly represented to him that it was not reason to punish the Innocent with the Guilty In the mean time they could not make any discoveries of the Authors of the Letters for the Derwicks notwithstanding all the Torments and Tortures they were put to would discover nothing constantly affirming that they knew not who they were nor their names nor had ever been at their Houses That as for what had been found about 'em they met with those things in their Bundles at the Painters and that the Indians that brought 'em never told them either their Names or their Habitations Now in regard their Names were not subscrib'd in the Letters the General knew not what course to take to sift out the truth He had caus'd the Principal of the Multani to be apprehended to the number of two hundred but they were all releas'd again except three who paid for those that were guilty if they themselves were not the very persons for it never could be made out and the suspitions were very slight and therefore being thus in the dark it was thought sufficient to confiscate a part of so much of their Estates as they could discover which they found to amount to vast Sums of which nevertheless out of meer pity they took no more then eight Thousand Tomans or thirty thousand pounds The rest was left 'em upon their pleading that what seem'd to be theirs belong'd to Merchants that liv'd in the Indies As for the three persons that carri'd the Letters and Portraitures and the Painter they were drubb'd with a witness nor were they releas'd till their Feet were swell'd as big as their Heads with the violence of the blows At the same time Sha-Naavaz-Kaan Prince Governour of Georgia sent his Son to the Court of Persia to desire the King to bestow upon
far off So that the loss was valu'd at sixteen thousand pounds and the misery was that this accident happen'd when there was great scarcity of Corn. Here I cannot omit a small Circumstance which has some affinity with what I have already spoken concerning that spacious place full of Trees and Alleys that compose the Avenues to the Palace through one of which call'd the Royal Alley the King and his Train went always in and out to avoid passing through the City The other great Alleys were adorn'd with Beds and Borders planted with Flowers and sweet smelling herbs which together with the Fountains and Rows of Trees caus'd a very pleasant prospect In the mean time came certain intelligence that the Yusbecks were enter'd into the Province of Corason or Bactriana The Governour of the Province sent Courrier after Courrier to the King for Orders for that the Enemy was already enter'd the Kingdom burning and spoiling all before 'em and that unless speedily oppos'd the Province would be in danger to be lost The Yusbecks are a People that inhabit to the North of Persia Possessing all that Country between the Caspian Sea and the Indies under several petty Sultans or Princes absolute within themselves They are called Yusbecks at least if the Persian Etymology be true by reason of the great number of Sovereign Princes by which the Tartars are Govern'd for Yus as well in the Language of the Tartars as Turks which is but a Dialect of it signifies a hundred and Bek Lords to shew the great number of Masters by which they are Rul'd But those People reject that Etymology which they say is both false and injurious to 'em That the true Etymolgy is Yusi which signifies He in both Languages tho pronounc'd Yus by cutting off the last Vowel and Bek Lord. So that when they say Yusbek 't is as much as to say He the Lord or He is the Lord as if these People were the only People upon the Earth that are truly Lords Such is the pride of this Nation and the high conceit they have of their own merits One of the principal Lords of the Persian Court when he told me this he gave me an account of a certain petty King that Reign'd in the Molucca's in the time of Habas the Great who nevertheless assum'd to himself a Grandeur almost equal to his For he look'd upon himself to be the only lawful Lord of the East and assum'd to himself the Title of sole Monarch of it Saying withal that he knew not whether there were any other in the West but that he was well assur'd that He himself was Master of that part of the World where he inhabited For which reason he caus'd his Dominions to be call'd by way of Excellency Moulouk that is to say the true Kingdoms for tho we pronounce the word Molucca's after our Manner over all Asia they write and pronounce it Moulouk But among all those petty Princes that Govern Tartary the less there are three who are accounted the Principal That is to say the Prince of Bokora the Prince of Balke and the Prince of Carechme or Orquenge upon which the rest in some manner or other have have their dependence In the Reign of Sephi the Second which the Persians for distinction sake call Mazi the pass'd Reign he being Grandfather to the present King these Yuzbecks overrunning the Territories of Corasson or Bactriana and Margiana were pursu'd by the Persians who made a dismal slaughter among 'em after they had gain'd a most signal Victory over the Enemy killing twelve of eighteen Thousand of which their Body consisted and taking the rest Prisoners Among these Captives there was a young Prince one of the Cheiftaines of the Tartars descended from the Royal Line of Karechme or Orquenge who was call'd Abouel-Kazi or the Father-Arbiter This Prisoner being known to be what he was among the rest of the Prisoners was carry'd to Ispahan but his usage was quite different For Sephi did not look upon him as a Robber but as a Prince who was only a Prisoner of War and paid him all those Honours and Civilities due to a Personage of Royal Birth assign'd him a Revenue of fifteen hundred Tomans which amounts to six thousand pounds gave him a stately Palace furnish'd accordingly a number of Officers and a suitable Train to attend him And it was his Pleasure that the Vazier or Treasurer to the Governor of Ispahan should take care of his Person and perform the Office of a Mehmandaar who is the Person as we may say that takes care of the Guests and is the Master of the Entertainment This Mehmandaar for ten years together paid this Tartar-Prince by his Majesties Order all the Respect and Service which the rights of a most tender Hospitality could reasonably claim and such as there could not be any thing shew'd him more obliging in our best civiliz'd Provinces On the other side the Prince understood so well how to disguise the natural Savageness and Barbarity of the Tartars that you would have taken him for a Persian he behav'd himself with such a Grace and so much affability in all things So that his Majesty observing him endow'd with so many rare Qualities strain'd his affection for him so high that he admitted him into his Megeles or Royal Assemblies where he rank'd him equal with the Grandees of his Kingdom and for his maintainance assign'd him Pensions that were no way inconsiderable During his abode at Ispahan where he had liberty to go and come as he pleas'd only attended by his Mehmendaar and the Guards that were assign'd him more in honour to his Person then for a Watch on his Freedom he had still in his mind a natural hankering after his own Country his Kindred and that Sovereignty to which he was lawful Heir The Magnificence the Mildness the Beauty and delights of Persia could not eradicate out of his Breast this violent affection for the place of his Nativity For tho it were true that nothing but Barrenness and a hideous prospect overspread the Country for which he had such a lingring desire however it was the place where he was born and where he was to change the condition of a Slave for that of a Master Importun'd therefore by his own ardent desires he wrote privately to the King of Orquenge his Father and besought him to endeavour his Liberty Who having consulted what course to take pretends an occasion to send an Embassador into Persia who brought to the Prince the King his Fathers answer And at length the Prince and the Embassador agreed upon the manner of his escape And then the Embassador after a stay of six Months took his leave of the Court But then it was that the Prince when he thought the Embassador was got beyond the Bounds of Persia and that it was seasonable for him to make his escape laid his Plot in this manner He feign'd himself one day to be very ill and gave notice