238 The Persi a n Travels Book V, 



fervc for ornament. This Jufticoar is either of Cloath, or Tiflue ; which in Win- 

 ter is lin'd with Martins, or elfe with a grey Lambskin that comes from KoraUn 

 And indeed the Perfians love diveriky of colours in their habits: for their Jufticoar 

 is of one eolour,their Veft of another,their Breeches of another; and their Shooes 

 efpecially the Womcns. are green, red, yellow, or violer. The Girdle and Tmban 

 are always of ftrip'd Stuif, unlefs it be the Moy.lUlSs % which are always 

 plain. 



Befides all this, in the Winter they wear a long Cloak down to their heels, with 

 fleeves of the fame length, lin'd with rich Furs. The Perfons of Quality, and 

 fome of the meaner fort of people make no more of Cloath of Gold and Siver 

 then we do of Druggets. A man that has but feven or eight Tomans a year, (hall 

 fpend five*' in Clothes j which excels in habit is crept down among the Rabble fo 

 that a man can hardly tell the Servant from the Matter. And it is a'Proverb among 

 • the Perfians, Corbebe Lebas, fine Clothes make Men eltcem'd at Cour-t. Neither 

 Sha-Abbas the Second, nor his Grandfather Sha- Abbas the Firlr, would allow of 

 this diforder, but that Men mould go clad according to their conditions. For one 

 day., feeing one of his Servants with a pair of Cloath of Gold- breeches, deman- 

 i ded what wages he had r but when he underftood that it was nothing neer 



fufficientto maintain him at that rate; to deter others from the like vanity, he 

 order'd him fo many Bafl^hidoes upon the fbles of his feet, that he dy 7 d in aVew 

 days. Others fay that the Fellow being furpriz'd at the King's Queition, made 

 him anfwer, that being troubPd with the Gout, he had been advis'd to wear that 

 fort of Stuff for its warmth. To which the King reply\l, that he had been told 

 a very bad remedy, and that he would (hew him a better and a fhortcr way 

 to cure the Gout, and fo commanded him to be drubb'd, as before is rela- 

 ted. 



In regard it is very cold in Perfia, they make ufe of three forts of Furs. The 

 Lamb and Fox's skin for the meaner fort, together with the Cat's and Fox's skin. 

 But the third fort, which is the Martin's Fur, is for Grandees of the Court, and 

 other Perfons of high .Quality. They have alfb a way to make Caflocks that 

 will keep out the rain, the wind, and the cold, which are made of Ktrmath 

 wool, as our Felt-makers make their Hats. 



And now I have fa id 'tis cold, give me leave to tell ye how they warm them- 

 felves. In all Houles there are little Chambers, in the middle whereof there is 

 aftmare hole about a foot deep, and three or four foot long, according to the 

 bignefs of the Chamber. Over the hole is a thing like one of our Tabourets, 

 which covers the hole with a large Carpet, to keep in the heat of that which is 

 kindl'd in the hole j fo that being plac'd under the Tabouret as far as the waft, 

 though as cold as ice before, in a minute you fhall be almoft in a fweat, and be 

 ready to fall a-fleep, if you take not a great care. All the Nobility have Cham- 

 bers with Chimneys, where they fet the Wood upright; the Mantle-tree comes 

 forward, low, and femi-circular. It is two or three foot deep, and as many wide, 

 to avoid fmoaking. 



They are full of their Compliments, which they call Travel a : and their man- 

 ner of fafutation is quite different from ours. For they never uncover their 

 heads, but bow, and Jay their right-hand upon their brefts. When they come 

 into the company of their Betters, they fall upon their knees to let themfelves 

 upon their heels, which is a mark of refpecT. 



The Women in Perfa are very richly habited ; but their habit is all of 



a piece, though little different in fhape from the Mens. It is open before, 



and comes not down below the calf of the leg. Their Girdle is not ty'd fafr, 



but hangs carelefly : their Sleeves are alfo clofe to their arms, and reach to their 



wnits. Upon their heads they wear a little Bonnet rais'd like a little fpire, and 



adorn'd with pretious Stones, according to their Quality $ from which Bonnet 



talis a veil behind, which is very graceful. They wear Breeches like the men, 



and their Shooes are almoft like theirs. The Women of Ormus wear only a fin- 



gfe pair of Breeches with a fhift over them. The Armenian Women wear 



belides, a little Jufticoar without fleeves, and upon their heads, a fine Linnen- 



Coittyd under their chins. Their hair is gather'd into a long trefs, to which 



they fometimes add more, which is falfe, to make a long lock that is done 



up 



