Chap.XIV. of Monfieur T r X77jTNT7i^ 2^7 



a Dodor of the Law, and defire him to open the Al-couran, and to tell them the 

 iiliie of their bufmefs. Thereupon the Doftor muttering fome ftrange words AkourAn fs 

 opens the Book, and if he meets with affirmative commands, he declares tluM C p 0okof 

 undertaking (hall profper. If negatives, he diflwades from the enterprize I re-cnrid : Tf >r° 

 member a Gardiner belonging to the Capuchin Friers, would needs go to one of ks cx.cc!- J 

 thole Mo'ALib's, to know whether he fhould get by an Ox that he was about to !- Cnc ^ as wc 

 buy. Whereupon the Moullab aflur'd him he fhould reap great profit by his bar ble' lhC Bl " 

 gain: but quite contrary, the Ox dy'd upon his hands within three day* to the ' 

 great aftonifhment of the Gardiner. When a Capuchin tax'd the Moullab for the 

 falfities of his pretended Art, the Moullab rcply'd, that God knew that the Gar- 

 diner would fpend his Money upon lewd Women, and therefore took from him 

 the means and fupport of his debauchery. 



They alfo ufe a fort of divination, which is call'd Rambe, by even or odd the 

 Matters of which myftery, call'd Rammals, keep Shops on purpofe to delude the 

 people. When they fee people coming, they have perfbns fuborn'd on purpofe - 

 who holding out their hands (hut, ask the Rammal what he thinks they have in 

 their hands. The Rammal at firit feems to be at a ftand } throwing certain Dice 

 call'd Kiabetain, the fpecks whereof are fbme even, fome uneven -, but when there 

 are people enough gathered together, he tells point by point how many fpecks his 

 fellow-Cheat has in his hands. Who counterfeiting aftonifhment, encourages the 

 poor filly creatures that ftand gazing, to» fpend fomething for a lye which they fell 

 them. They alfo make ufe of the Faal; which is to open a Book,& by numbers even 

 or odd, to prognofticate good or bad fortune. In their interpretation of dreams, 

 the Interpreter foretells the future to him that enquires conformable to what he 

 fays he faw in his dream. He has a great Book lying before him, full of little 

 Pictures and Grotefio-work, wherein he ftrives to fhewthe people fome Fantafm or 

 Apparition, which they will tell you they faw in the night. Thefe cheats are 

 ufually practis'd about the Palace, where all the idle people flock together} as al- 

 fo upon the Road to Zulpha i where they lye upon the Road to catch the filly 

 Paflengers. 



The Perfians are mightily addided to ill language, and foul-mouth'd reproaches. 

 So that when two men fall out, inftead of righting with their fifts, they fight with 

 their tongues, and curfe one another. But they never blafpheme God : for if 

 they mould hear one fwear, or wifh themfelves at the Devil, they would cry out 

 in an aftonifhment, Is not that Fellow a fool to give himfelj upon trufi to the Devil, 

 and renounce Paradife ? When they would affirm any thing to be true, all their 

 Oaths are Ser-az*ire-Jha t By the Kings beloved bead; or, Erva pigumbir, by the 

 Spirit of theProphet. I remember once at Galata, walking with fome of the 

 French Embaffador's Servants, we faw two Turks at Cuffs 3 after they were par- 

 ted, one of them gave the other a thoufand curies j to which, the other reply'd 

 no more than only this ; I wifh, faid he, thy Soul may have no more repofe in 

 Paradife^ than the Hat of a French-man has in this World, alluding to our manner 

 of falutation, and putting off our Hats lb often as we do. 



The Per/ians are naturally great Diffemblers and Flatterers $ and they make it 

 their ftudy to acquire efteem and applaufe. They love to give and receive Pre- 

 fents : more efpecially to prefent the King. Which Prefenrs are valu'd, and ac- 

 cording to the eftimate, they muft fend ten per cent, to the Serjeant Porter, and 

 five per cent, to his Deputy : which, if they do not pay willingly, they are fote'd 

 to pay : which I faw the Deputy of the Holland-Company fore'd to do. 



The Luxury and the Expences of the Perfians is exceflive, as I have in feveral 

 places obferv'd. And though it be againft the Law of Mahomet to make ufe of 

 Gold or Silver-plate, which fets afide that metal only for Commerce and for Mo- 

 ney ; none but the poor obferve that Law, for the rich make no fcruple to tranf- 

 grefs it. 



The Perfians are very much accuftom'd to make mutual Vifits one to another at 

 their folemn Feftivals, and to wifh one another good cheer, and a merry feafon. 

 The more noble fort ftay at home to expeel: the Vifits of their Inferiors } after 

 that they get a Horfeback, and return their Vifits. The Curtifans continue their 

 Vifits all the year long, and going to the Noble-mens Houfes, ftay in the great 

 Hall till they come out of their Harams. Whither, when the Noblemen come^ 



F f they 



