~i 9 6 The Persian.Tw^ Book V. 



them Victuals to eat, not without fome other effects of his Liberality. 



The Cheiks Sons confidering of what a number of Slaves they were Matters 

 and that the greateft part of the people, prepofTefs'd in favour of their Father' 

 oat. of -the opinion they had of his Sanctity, took their part; the more pow- 

 erfully to engage them, fhew'd themfelves liberal to all, and when they found 

 themfelves ftrong enough, revolted againft AUmom King of Per/to, their law- 

 ful Soveraign. After many Skirmiihes, at -length they gave him Battel near to 

 Tatfris, wherein Azimout was defeated, and thin by the hand of I [mad Sophi, the" 

 Cheiks third Son, who is properly to be accounted the firft King of that Race: 

 I mean of the Race of them that did not embrace the Alcoran, but according 

 to the Interpretation of Haly, Mahomsts Son-in-Law. 



To Ifmael Sophi fiicceeded Sha-Tammas his Son, and to SkA-Tuhjmas Sba* 

 Jfmael the fecond, who reign'd but a ihprt while ; for his cruelties conftrain'd the 

 Nobility of the Country to fet up in his room Mahomet-Cod a hnde his Bro- 

 ther; though little skill'd in the affairs of Government or War. Many thought he 

 wasblind,but he was only din>fighted,through the application of a hot Iron "to his 

 eyes,by the Command of his unnatural Brother in the beginning of his reign. He was 

 the Father of Sha Abbas, that fuceeeded him, who let I'd the affairs of Per (in 

 in a very good condition. 



Sha Abbas the firft, by his Valour and good Conduct gain'd the name of 

 Great. When he came to his Throne, upon the North and Weft fide he found 

 nothing; in his power but the City of C as bin ; but afterwards, as he was a per- 

 fonage of great wit as well as courage, partly by policy, and partly by force, 

 » he recover'd feveral Provinces to the Weft, and conquer'd the Kingdoms of 

 Lar, Ormtis, and Candahar. 



Of many Sons that Sha- Abbas had, . not one furviv'd but only Sophi-Mirz.a y 

 a Prince of great wit, and dextrous at his Arms. AU the people lov'd him, 

 'which made his Father jealous of him , • that he waited for his death to 

 afcend the Throne. And that which augmented his jealoufie was, for that one 

 day being a hunting, Sophi- Mirz^a drew the firft arrow at a Boarj it being a 

 capitaT crime in Per fa to (hoot before the King. However Sha Abbas for the 

 time conceal'd his difpleafure, unwilling to fly out in fury againft the Prince, in 

 regard he hail no more Sons. But Saphi-MirKa having had a Son by a Slave, 

 which pleas'd him, Sha Abbas' s joy encreafing as the Child grew, his jea- 

 loufiealfo daily encreas'd againft the Father of the young Prince ; lb that being no 

 longer able to diflfemble his fear, he caus'd his eyes to be put out. Nay his 

 jealoufie went a great way farther j for he now fear'd the blind Prince, and 

 having therefore refoly'd his death, he commanded a Lord of the Court td bring 

 him his head. The Lord in an aftonifhmenr refusM to obey the King, and be- 

 fought him rather to take away his life, than to conftrain him to embrue his 

 .hands in the blood of his Prince. The King offended at him for his refufa^ ba- 

 nifh'd him his Court;, and the next day. gave the fame command to another 

 Lord, who without any fcruple put it in execution, and brought him, the head 

 of his Son in a Bafbh of Gold. That object of pity brought him to' hifnfolfj 

 lb that not being able to look upon fo fad a fpectacle without tears in his 

 eyes 3 upbraiding the villany of the Lord, he expeli'd him from his fight, 

 forbad him his pretence for ever, and fequefterd all bis eftate, only allowing 

 him a.Mamoudi, or nine French Sous aday. The other Lord, who had fo ge- 

 neroufly. refus'd to aid him in fo bloody an act, the King recall'd from Exile, 

 and beftow'd upon him one of the beft Governments of the Empire. ' 



Ever finctthat. time all the Male Children of the Blood Royal are Chut up 

 in the Womens Haram, where they are bred up in ignorance, having only two 

 or three Eunuchs to, teach* them to write and read, and to keep them company 

 •in their recreations, whether it be in mooting with a Bow. or riding about the 

 Qardens upon .an Afs ; for they never allow 'em a Horfe : befides chat all that time 

 th^are never permitted to fee the people. In this ruium-; ic was that Sha 

 A.bv4i bred up his little Grandfon, many days caufing hiiii, ic take Oj.ium to 

 render &i»*Bore ftupid. So that when he came to the thi -/;. after h;s .-p'r^iid* 

 fathers dea$b,; the Phyfiicians thought it convenient that he ih^uM diiak.$-;>^ 

 to reftorel&natitaj.beat, and renew his vigor. Sha Abe*. rugn'U Lii^&re. 



