Chap. VI. of Monfieur Tavernier. 159 



labour of long Journeys, fober perfons, and great Husbands, and fuch who being 

 Chriftians , might more freely Trade among the Chriftians •, and made choice of 

 them , as being moft proper and fit for Trade. Whereupon , picking out the mod 

 judicious among them , he deliver'd to every one lb many Bales of Silk , according 

 to their Capacity ; for which they were to pay at their return , a reafonable Rate 

 tax'd by the King , who allow'd them what more they got for their Expences and 

 Gains. Thole people in a fhort time became lb expert , that there is not any ibrt 

 of Trade which they will not now undertake-, for now they run as far ss-T^p^, 

 Java> and the Philippines, and indeed over all the Eaft , except China and Japan. But 

 it' they do not thrive, they never return •, as being a place where they muft either 

 give an exact Account , or elfe fuffer the quick and levere Juftice of Drubbing, which 

 never fails thole Factors that are ill Husbands for their Mailers. 



And indeed the Armenians are fo much the more fit for Trading , becaufe they 

 are a people very fparing % and very fober-, though whether it be their virtue or. 

 their avarice , I know not. For when they are going a long Journey, they only 

 make provifion of Bbket, lmoak'd Buf aid's flefh, Onions, bak'd Butter, Flowr, Wine, 

 and dry'd Fruits. They never buy frefh Victuals , but when they meet with Lambs 

 or Kids very cheap in the Mountainous Countries*, nor is there one of them 

 that does not carry his Angle to fifh withal, when. they come to any Ponds or 

 Rivers. All thefc provifions coll them little the Carriage. And when they come 

 to any Town where thev are to Hay, they club five or fix together, and lye in an 

 empty Chamber which they furnifh themfelves-, every one carrying his Mattrefs, 

 his Coverlet, and his Kitchin-Inftruments, which is a great piece of Thrift. When 

 they travel into Chriftendom , they carry along with them -Saffron, Pepper, Nutmegs, 

 and other Spices*, which they exchange in the Country-Towns for Bread, Wine, 

 Butter, Cheefe , Milk-Meats , and other Provifions which they buy of the poor Wo- 

 men. When they return out of Chriftendom, they bring along with them all forts 

 of Mercery-ware , and Pedlery-ware of Noremhcrg and Venice ; as little Looking- 

 glailes, trifles of Tin enamePd , falfe Pearls, and other things of that nature } which 

 pays for the Victuals they call for among the Country-people. 



In the beginning of their Trade, there return'd very few Caravans into > Per 'fm 

 without two hundred thoufand Crowns in Silver, befide Englijh and Dutch Clothes, 

 fjoeTiffues, Looking-glalfes, Venice-FcavU , Cochenel, and Watches-, which they 

 thought moft proper for the Sale of Perfia and India. - 



At length thole Armenians became lb exquifite in Trade, that feveral of them 

 have left Eftates of two , fome twenty thoufand Totns.ns. But the richeft among 

 diem was Qtgia, or Monfieur Pctriu, who left forty thoufand Tomans in co'yn'd Money* 

 befides his Horfes, Furniture, and Lands in the Country, his Jewels and Plate ^ all 

 which are never reckon'd a Merchant's Eftate , but only the ready Cafh with which 

 he trades. Cotna Pctrvu was very much efteem'd for his Charity, and the great 

 Church which he built, which is a kind of Covent, with aBifhop and Monks. Nor 

 is the fair Market-place , all environ'd with Shops , a little beholding to his Gene- 

 rofitv. 



The Armenians of Zalpha have this advantage over all the Chriftians of the Eaft, 

 that they enjoy Lands and Priviledges, the King not permitting the leaft injuftice 

 to be done them , nor that any Mahometan mould live at Zalpha. They have alfo 

 theprivilcdge to be as well clad as the Perjians, and to make ule as they do of Bridles 

 of Gold and Silver. Their Wives alfo are very richly habited, in ftrip'd Sattins 

 purfl'd with Gold , and other rich European Silks. 



The King names whom he plcafes among the Armenians to be their Chief-, whom 

 . they call Kelonter, who judges all their difference; , and taxes them to make up the 

 Sum which they are to pay to the King every year. 



The Language of the Armenians is either vulgar or learned : the learned is only 

 Us'd by the Ecclefiafticks , in reference to their Religion. They write like us, from 

 the left to the right, having found out peculiar Characters about four years fince. 

 They have three Languages very natural to them , which however are very different : 

 the Armenian , which is their ancient Country-fpeech , which they have prefcrv'd 

 from Father to Son •, the Per fan, which is the Language of the Country where they 

 live -, and the Turkijh , of which they make very much ufe in courle of Trade. As 

 for their Women , thev i'peak nothing but the Armenian , as having no cemverfe with 



ftrangcrsj 



