Chap.XV. of Monfleur Tavernier. 177 



CHAP. XV. 



Of the Author s reception at the Court ef Perfia in his Jixth and 

 lali Foyage , and ivhat he did there during his flay at Ifpahan. 



Arriv'd at IJpahan the 20th of December , 1664. So foon as the Nazar 

 was inform'd of my arrival , he fent the Kelonter or chief of the Armenian* 

 with feven or eight more to congratulate my arriyal , and to aflure me of all 

 the kind Offices he could do me. The next day he fent the fame Armenians 

 with four Horfes •, and to tell me that the King had a defire to fee what I had brought -, 

 for which purpofe the Kelonter had order to furnifh me with men. Thereupon I 

 took Horfc , accompany'd by all the Franks that were at Zttlpha. When I came to 

 Court, I was brought into the place where all the great Ambafladors had audience, 

 where I found attending the Nazar , and Father Raphael fupcriorof the order of 

 the Capuchins , ready to deliver me my Box of Jewels which I had left with him in 

 the Coven t for more fecurity. After I had expos'd my Goods upon a fair Table 

 covcr'd with a Carpet of Gold and Silver , and that the Nazar had difpos'd every 

 ihinfi in order with his own hand, the King enter'd , attended only by three Eunuchs 

 for his Guard , and two old men , whole office it was to pull off his Shooes when he 

 goes into any Room fprcad with Gold and Silk Carpets , and to put them on again 

 when he goes forth. The King had nothing on but a fingle pair of Drawers of 

 Taffata, chequefd red and whitc,which came half way the -Leg, his feet being bare; 

 a fhort CafTock that came but half way his body , with a large Cloak of Cloth of 

 Gold with hanging-deeves down to the Ground, furr'd with Sable Martin. The 

 firft thing I fhew'd was a large Candleftick of Chryftal of the Rock , the richeft 

 piece of that nature that ever was feen. The next was a fuitof Tapeftry hangings 

 held up by fevcral men, as I had appointed. The Nazar then caus'd roe to advance 

 and do my obcyfance to the King, who prefently knowing my Face again-, Oh > 

 faid he to the Naz.au: , This is the Fringui* Aga who fold me fomany Rarities about 

 fix years ago, vthen Mahomet Beg was Athemadoulet. After that thcNaz.hr fhew'd 

 him all my Rarities as they lay in order. Among the reft I befought His Majcfty 

 by Frier Raphael, to accept of a great Steel Mirror, which when he look'd in, 

 he wonder'd to fee his Face fo big. But when Frier Raphael had told him the nature 

 of it , he caus'd it to be held to one of fiis Eunuchs, which had a monftrous Hawk 

 Nofe, the fight whereof held him in laughter and divertifement for above a quarter 

 of an hour. After that the King rctii'd , leaving me alone with the Nazar and 

 Friar Raphcl. As for my Jewels I put them up my lelf , and had a place affign'd 

 me to Lock them up and keep the Key , but for my large pieces of Goldfmiths 

 work , the Nazar committed them to the truft of one of the principal Officers of 

 the Houic. 



The next day early in the morning the Nazar fent for me and Father Raphael, 

 and made his Secretary write down the price of everything, according to his de- 

 mands. He had alfo his own Artifts to prize them*, but that I did not value, in 

 regard I knew the price much better then they. After he had fhew'd the Jewels* 

 price and all to the King , we were fevcral times before we could agree •, but at 

 length he told me , that the King would give me Twenty-five in the Hundred profit 

 for all the Stones •, leaving me the Pearls , which he thought I might put off at a ■ 

 better price in the Indies j which was an offer I could not refute , and therefore 

 I fign'd the Agreement according to the Nazar's defire : Which when his Majcfly 

 had feen , he bid the Nazar tell mc 1 fhould be his Jeweller in Ordinary, and that 

 for my fake all the Trartks fhoild be the better us'd within his Territories, and 

 that 1 ihoulc! have any favour of him that 1 dcfir'd. I befought his Majcfty to 

 give me his Patent with his Seal affix'd , whereby I might be privilcdg'd to Trade 

 in his Dominions, without paying Cuftom for fuch and fuch Merchandize , and in 

 in fuch manner as 1 fhould think fitting. I alfo befought him gracioufly to grant 

 his Protection to a Nephew of mine , whom I had left at Tauris to learn the Lan- 

 guage, that he might be fcrviccable to his Majcfty when I was dead and gone. 

 b D 2 There- 



