202 The P eksi a n Travels Book V. 



CHAP. If. 



Of certain particular Actions which denote the Vertues and Vices 

 of the Kings of Perfia , from Sha Abbas toe firjl to Sha-Soli man 

 the frefent King. And firft of Sha- Abbas the Great. 



S Ha- Abbas, who was a paffionate Lover of Honour, fought all ways ima- 

 ginable to furnifh his Empire with the fupports of wealth and g 0o d 

 Government. He would not fuller any Indian or Banian to live as a Trader in 

 his Dominions ; they having crept in fince under the Reigns of Sha-Sefi the firft 

 and Sha- Abbas the lecond, who came very young to the Throne. Neither had 

 Sha- Abbas any reafon to permit them to trade in his Kingdom 5 for they are 

 worfe Ufurers than the Jews, and feldom it happens, but that they have all the 

 Money in the Nation, which they take up at nine or ten in the hundred , and let 

 out again upon pawns at two and a half per Cent, a month. From fuch devou- 

 ring Pelts and Vipers as thefe, Sha-Abbas thought it but reasonable to preserve 

 his people j lb that before thefe Vermin crept into Pfrfia, the Money was all 

 in the hands of the Armenians of Z alpha. And indeed thole Banians have been 

 the ruin of many poor people, of which I will only bring one example among 

 many. 



I was at Ifpaban in the year 1662, when one of thofe Banians lent fix or 

 feven Tomans p:r Cent, a month to a poor Perfian, who had utter'd feveral 

 pieces of Linnen upon the place. Thole Banians will have their interelt paid 

 every month 3 bet the Perfian had llipt three or four, having no Money to 

 pay , in regard his Debtor could not pay him. Thereupon the Baniah diinn'd 

 him perpetually, and tllreaten'd to have him drub'd till he pay'd it, according 

 to the Perfian cuftom. The Mother of the Perfian troubl'd to fee her Son haunt- 

 ed in that manner, one morning as he was going to the Aindan, bid him, if 

 he met the Banian, that he mould be lure to bring him home, and me would 

 pay him his intereft, and fome of the principal, with lome Money that me had 

 iav'd of her own. Toward evening the Banian met his Debtor, whom he rea- 

 dily follow'd home upon promife of payment. The Mother dclir'd him to fet 

 upon the Courfi, which is the place where they make their fires, it bein?; cold 

 fhowy weather, and let fruits before him to eat. While he thus eat and w'arm'd 

 himfelf, night came on apace, and the woman putting him in hopes of payment, 

 fpun out the time Co long, that the Banian not being unaccultom'd to cold wea- 

 ther and late hours, was eafily perfwaded to ftay all night at the Perfians Houfe. 

 When 'twas time to go to bed, the Banian threw himfilf upon one Quilt, and 

 the Perfian upon another. About two hours after midnight, the Mother comes 

 foftly into the Chamber, with a (harp Razor in her hand, intending to have 

 cut off the Brians head j but unfortunately milraking, kill'd Iter own Son in- 

 ftead of the Banian. The Banian having had fuch an efcape, frole cunningly out 

 of the Houfe, and declaring the murther to the Divar.-beque, or the Chief jultice, 

 He causM the woman to be apprehended, and brought before him j who con- 

 feffing the fact, he commanded her to be tyM to the tail of a young Mule 

 and to be dragged about the City till the Mule had kick'd her to death. ' 



In the year 1667, eight or ten days before I departed from Ifpahan, there 

 was a Baman found buri'd in a Street near the Capuchins houfe j they had cut 

 oft his arms and legs, and Co put him into the hole ; but buri'd him lo (hallow rim 

 the Dogs fcrap'd away the Earth, and difcoverM him ; but who committed 

 the tact, was not then known. 



Sha Abbas was not only willing that all the trade mould be in the hands of 

 his Subjects, to make profit thereby, and to draw the Money into his King- 

 dom, but he would not Puffer it to be traufported when it was brought in 

 He law that the Pilgrimages of his Subjects to Mecca, their Expences and Pre- 

 fer^ carry d out abundance of his Ducats of Gold ; therefore more politick than 

 religious, he ftrove to hinder thofe Pilgrimages as much as in him lay 5 ard 



going 



