C hap. VH. of Monfieur Tavernier. 225 



three months the Governor of the Province takes a review of all the Souldiers 

 in his Province, and caufes them to be exercis'd in his own prefence. They are 

 order'd to moot at a mark, and they that hit it, are fure to have fome reward 

 from the Governor. When the King fends for any part of his Infantry, they pre- 

 fently know who is to lead 'em j and they are all lulty, and well clad, never put- 

 ting on their belt Clothes but when they mufter, or march into the Field. They 

 pay to the King little or nothing: for of all their Cattel great and final), they pay 

 but one in the hundred to him, and one Absjfc, or t$ Sous of our Money, 



The EJhekr^grf, or chief of the Kejheksbis, who are the King's Guards, and 

 carry a Musket with a very wide bore. They were but lately inltituted by the 

 yitbemat-doulet, when he intended to deftroy the Divan-begui. This Officer has 

 about 2000 men under him, of which be dilpofes every night a certain number, 

 round about the Palace. When the King fits in Council, he ftands there with a 

 Battoon in his hand, and throws himfelf to the ground when the King beckons to 

 him to come and receive any command from his mouth. The Topigi-Bajhi is the 

 Matter of the Ordnance, and ehief of the Sea-affairs, but he has little to do in 

 either employment. For, as for the Cannon, there are only fome two or three 

 pittiful Guns in fome of the Frontier-towns : And for Ships, there are none in 

 pcrfia but what come from Europe or the Indies to Ormns or Balfara. The Per- 

 fans themfelves have no other Ships than fome few large Barks in the Per fan- 

 Gulph, and in fome parts of the Cafpian-Sea, where they keep a Fleet againit the 

 Vsbeck. Tartars, the Kalmoukcs, and other people. 



As for the Kaus or Governors of Provinces, they are generally chofen out of 

 the body of Cor fchPs and Goulams ; who are handfbm perfons, and generally much 

 more Valiant than the natural Per fans. For the natural complexion of the Per-* 

 fans is not good, as may be feen by the Gaures, the original Inhabitants of the 

 Countrey, who are for the molt part tann'd, and ill-fhap'd. So that there is hardly 

 a Per fan, from the King to the meaneft of his Subjects, who is not a Georgian, or 

 fprung from the loins of Georgidns. For they fetch a great number of Slaves 

 out of Georgia j by the frequent Marriages of whichwomen, the Georgian Valour 

 and Beauty are become Natives of Per fa. 



The Kans or Governors of Provinces are as fo many petty Kings, fear'd and re- 

 fpefted by all the people. And when they are fettl'd, they are never depos'd, bur 

 upon repeated complaints of their exceffive Tyranny. There are fome of thefe 

 Governments that yield the Kan (even or eight thoufand Tomans. But they are 

 bound to prefent the King every year at Nourons, or New-years- tide. 



Under the Kans there are alfo Governors of leffer quality, who are alfo im- 

 mediately preferr'd by the King, and cannot be depos'd by any perfon but him-' 

 felf. If they ubufe their Authority, the complaints brought againit him are firfr. 

 carri'd to the Kan, ; which, if they concern the Government of the Kingdom, 

 the Kan is bound to inform the King thereof. But if the complaints are not 

 confiderable, then the Kan may do Jultice himfelf, and make the Sultans know 

 their duty. 



There is yet a third fort of Governors, call'd ^f-pbs, who are the King's Lieu- 

 tenants in places where he had Kans in former times; or where he ought to have 

 themftilf, but only to lave charges. For in the Provinces where Kans Govern, 

 they and their Officers, almoft equalling in name and number the Officers of the 

 King's Houfhold, devour all the profits of the Province, but what the Kan is ob- 

 lig'd annually to pay. 



By what I have wrote as well concerning the King's Houfhold, the Governors 

 of -his Province?, and the Officers of his Army, it may be eafily concluded that 

 the King of Perfa\ Court is the molt magnificent and glorious of all the Courts 1 

 of Afia; an3 befides, that it is the molt Polite and Civil of all the Orient, 



CHAP. 



