232 The P e r. s i a n Travels Book V 



CHAP. XIII 



Of the J aft ice andTolicy of t/Je Pcrfians. 



THe Juftice of the Fcrfans is very exaft and very fpeedy. Suits are determin'd 

 upon the place without any need of Advocates or Proftors. Not but that 

 the Officers of Juftice are eafie to be corniptcd,but in their unjuft exadions, which 

 they carry as fecretly as poffibly they can, they are (boner fattfc'd then the Tvrlr 

 and if their in juftice be diicover'd, upon complaint to the .King they are punifht 

 without mercy. 



The Kans do Juftice in their Provinces,as representing the Kings perfon. Ce- 

 fidesthat, the King has a Divan Begat in every City,and the iKan places under hi« 

 a Deroga, who is like the Lieutenant Criminal in France. He has under him an 

 Aatas, who is a kind of Captain of the watch ; who goes about the itreets in the 

 night to hinder diforders, and carries all people to Prifbn that he finds abroad at 

 unfeafonable hours, if they cannot give a good accompt of themfelves. There 

 isaffo a Kelonter, that is, the chiefeit or greatelt, who Items to rdemble the Tri- 

 bune of the People among the Romans, or the Provoft of Merchants in France. 

 The Kelonter is only refponfible to the King, who places one in every City, and it 

 is his bufinefs to defend the People from the injuftice and opprcftions of the Go- 

 vernours. 



Murther is feverely punifh'd, nor will money lave the Criminal. When the 

 Murthereris tak'n, they carry him before the Divan Begxi, who makes quic'< 

 work. For he delivers him to the Parents or kindred of the perfon ilain, who 

 carry him to the place of execution, and without any companion torture him to 

 death. 



I remember the Kan of Scbiras had a Favourite, who falling in love with a 

 young Ferfian Gentleman, would needs endeavour to have the ufe of his bodv 

 One day meeting upon the Road together,and lying at night under the fame Tent 

 the Favourite about midnight came to his bed fide, and after many follicitations 

 would have fore'd him. But being violently refitted, the Favourite for madnefs 

 to fee himfelfdifappointed, and liable to bedifcover'd/tabb'd the young Gentle- 

 man to the heart, and fled to the Mountains. The Murther being divulg'd the 

 Mother, Widow and Sifter of the young man repair'd to the Km for Juftice 'who 

 willing to fave his Minion, offer'd them money: but they (corning his proffer 

 threaten'd to complain to the King. The Kan being thereupon conftrain'd to pur- 

 lue his Favourite, at length took him and lent him to Ifpakan, tellin* them tiat 

 he would not judge of the Affair, but refer it to the King. The Mother Widow 

 and Sifter immediately follow'd the Murtherer to Ifpahan ; and demanded Juftice 

 of the King with that eagernefs, that though the King had an inclination' to have 

 ipar d the Kan's Favourite for his Mafters fake, he was fore'd to abandon him and 

 to bid them pay themfelves with his blood. Immediately he was carri'd to the 

 Meydan, where the Widow firft ftabb'd him to the heart with a Dagger then the 

 Mother took her turn, and after the Sifter; and then holding a Cup to receive his 

 blood, drank every one a cup full to quench the thirft of their revenge. 



NoraretheyibexaftinthepunimmentofMurtheronlyi for they pu&Hh dif- 

 orders in houfes of Debauchery with a proportionable irriftnefs, of which 1 will 

 give the Reader two examples. A young Hollander, coming to Ifpahan, prefently 

 put himlelf into a Ferfian habit ; and going in the evening to a houfe of good ki 

 lowfhip, met with certain Perfians, with whom he hafoen'd to quarrehand beine 

 well beaten for his pains, thought it not convenient to itay any longer where he 

 had bin fo ill entertain'd. Thereupon the Dsttch Interpreter went and complainM 

 to the Athemadoptlet, who inform'd the King. The King immediately fent for the 

 people that had beaten the Hollander, and ask'd them why they abus'd a ftranger> 

 r which the others made anfvver that they faw no ftranger, but only a man clad 

 after the Ferfan garb. Whereupon the King told the Interpreter, that if the Dutch- 

 man had worn his own Country habit, his Subjects durft not have abus'd him, but 

 as the cafe ftood, he had no reaibn to punifh 'em. One 



