2 36_ The Persian Travels Book V 



they lay their hands upon their itomachs, and bow, which is their mannef of fa- 

 inting the Company that tarries for them. After lbme kw Compliments, they 

 get a Horfeback, attended by all their Vifitants, who accompany them to the 

 King's Houfe, in expectation of fome kindnefs, by vertue of their favour. The 

 favours which the King ufually does to fuch people, is to fend them to the Gover- 

 nours of Provinces with a Hawk or a Calaat, with order that the laid Governours 

 remember the Serjeant Porter. 



The Kan being advertiz'd that the Calaat is coming, he rides forth of the City 

 to meet it, attended by all his principal Officers, the" chief of the City, and the 

 greatcft part of the Inhabitants. The Juglers alfo mult give their attendance, to- 

 gether with the Drums and Trumpets, and all the Mufick-makers. They rendez- 

 vouz ufually in a Garden one or two leagues from the City, where the King's Mef- 

 fenger ftays with the Calaat. So foon as the Governour perceives htm, he makes 

 a low obeyfance, and a Prayer for the King ; giving God thanks for that the Kin? 

 is pleas'd to prcferve him in his memory : then he puts on the Calaat, which is 

 according to the quality of the Governour: fometimes the RoLc alone ; fome- 

 times Robe and Cloak : fometimes Robe, Cloak, Girdle, and Bonnet j to' which 

 if he be a Grandee, are added the Scimitar and Dagger: which method is alfo' 

 obferv'd toward Embaffadors. When the Kan has put on the CaUat, he returns 

 to the City with all his Retinue, goes to the King's Houfe 5 (Tor the King has a 

 Houle in every City,; kiiles the Columns of the Gate, and makes certain other 

 Prayers for the profperity of the King : At length he rides home, where he makes 

 a great Feaft, fhewing the Calaat to all perfons that come to him, who by way of 

 complement cry Moubarel^bajhtt, that is, may it be bleft t and prove a nod omen 



The Perfians are not much addicted to play : for befides, that the Law forbids 

 it ; the Mejhaldar-Bajki has a power to fine and punifh Gameiiers,as I have laid 

 already. For which reafon he has fpies, to which the meaner fort of people dare 

 not refufe entrance into their Houfes : but the richer fort laugh at em j and will 

 give 'em nothing. Among the Per/Ian Games, there is one game at Cards which 

 the Perfians call Gengefe. We have but four diftincT marks \ipon ours but they 

 have eight. They alfo play at a kind of Chefs, and at TriUrac ; which two Games 

 are moft in ufe. The Shopkeepers play in the Streets with little Marble- bowls 

 not much unlike our Childrens Bowling-ftones. But as for Bowling-greens or 

 Tennis-Courts, they know not what they mean. * 



Neither the Perfians nor any of the Eaffern People accuftom themfelves to 

 walk as we do. And therefore when they fee us walking to and fro together in a 

 Garden-Ally for two or three hours together, they are amaz'd. They only fpread 

 a Carpet in the faireft place of the Garden, and let themfelves down to contem- 

 plate the verdure of the place : and if they rife, 'tis only to pull the fruit from 

 the trees. For they love to eat what they gather themfelves, never caring for 

 what others have handl'd. 



The Men never dance, only the Women of Pleafure, which are always fent for 

 to their Feafts i where they dance open-fae'd, and mew a thousand poftures to 

 divertifetheCompany.Their juglers are every jot as good as oursjbut whereas ours 

 make ufe of Balls, they fhew their tricks with large Hen-eggs. Their Dancers 

 upon the Ropes far exceed ours. I have feen fome of them that have ty'd a Rope 

 to the top of a high Tower, and faften'd the other to the ground, and then walk- 

 ing up to the top with their counterpoifes in their hands, have laid themfelves up- 

 on the Rope upon their backs, and have flid to the bottom with a fwiftnefs like 

 lightning. 



The PerjUns are altogether as fuperftitious as the Tmks. Before they fay their 

 Prayers they are oblig'd to warn : every one having a Refervatory for water in 

 his own Houfe, which is always full of water. They plunge their heads in the 

 water, wafh their mouths, rub their forheads $ and if a man fhews them any nafti- 

 nefs in the VelTel, there's water enough, they cry, for purification j though, if it 

 be Pond-water, it muft be four or five foot deep. But if it be Running-water 

 the leaft quantity in the World ferves to purify 'em, and render em fit to pray ! 

 while they ground their bcliefupon this maxim of the Law of Mahometan if it 

 fhould run through Pxfbkttl, or Camels-dung,it would be fufficient for purification. 

 There is one fort of warning appointed by their Law, which is, to go to their 



Baths 



