Cb^p.XX. of Monfieur Tave r n i e r. 245 



the reafon of Faith, and which way he laid his Prayers, and that according to his 

 merits they ufe him well or ill. As for the torment of Souls before th^Refhr- 

 reftion, that only confiits in a grief for not having arriv'd to thofe perfections 

 and Sciences to which they might have attain'd, and confequently for nut having 

 attain'd to that perfection which God requir'd of them. Others hold that the 

 Souls of the unfortunate arc tormented with Dreams and Vifions ; but that the 

 Souls of the happy always en;oy the fight ofpleafing ob/ecl:s ; till the Sahcb- J- 

 ^aman, or Mailer of tune (hall come to confirm the Law of Mahomet, who ihall 

 kill Dcdgar, who is like our Antichrift, with his own hand 5 at which time all 

 then alive Ihall dye in an inftant, and then lhall happen the general Rdurreftion 

 which they call Moavsdet-hcchrc. That the fame Bodies and Souls fhall unite to 

 appear at the day of Judgment before the Throne of the great Judge of the 

 world 3 and that to go thither they mult pals over a bridge calfd fytferat, fhar- 

 per then the edge of a razor, which neverthelefs the Muilulmen fhall pife over 

 without any danger with the fwiftnefs of a bird. But that misbelievers (hall fall 

 as fbon as ever they let their ieet upon it, and fhall fall into a torrent of fire a- 

 mong a thousand Devils arm'd with Cramp Irons, Pincers, and tenter-hooks. So 

 that.it is a kind of a Proverb among the Per fans, if a man cannot obtain of ano- 

 ther the Julfice of his bargain, or to yield to right, mil, fays he, before thou 

 pajfef Polferat, thoufu.dt rcjhre it me double, for 1 will rake hold of thy Coat, and 

 hinder thee from getting over till thou hafl given me fat isfuQion-, But the craftier 

 fort laugh at this, and make anfwer with a fmile, Wdl, well, we wUl venture 

 {tumbling as we pafs aver Polferat. The Porter of Paradife whom they call Rn~ 

 fan fhall open them the gate. There they fhall lit upon the banks of the great 

 Katiffcr, which is a fountain where their Prophet fhall give them of the water to 

 drink out of a Ladle, and that afterwards they fhall have a great number of women 

 created on purpofe for them, with all forts of molt delicious food, And for fear 

 of fouling this place of recreation and holinefs with the excrements of eating and 

 drinking, they lay, that thole things fhall always evacuate in a perfum'd fweat, and 

 that they them'el, cs fhall always remain in that condition. Others more reria'd, 

 and not believing material enjoyments, affirm that Beatitude confifts in the perfect 

 knowledge of the Sciences ; and for the fences they fhall have their fatisfacTion 

 according to their quality. 



CHAP. XX. 



The Author dep.irts from Ifpahan to Ormus, and describes the Road to 



Schiras. 



[ Set forth out of Ifpahan the 24 of Feb. 166c. in the afternoon, and ftai'd a 

 -*■ League from the City, in a field whither fome of my friends would needs ac- 

 company me. About ten a clock at night, I fet forward again, and travell'd till 

 break of day j and then I came to a place where the Radars kept guard half a 

 league from a great Town cal I'd Ifpjhancci^, which you are to crofs. About ten 

 a clock in the forenoon I came to Mahiar, where there is a very good Inn. But 

 the Land between this and Ifpahan is all very barren and without wood. 



The 26th, three hours after midnight, I fet forward through a dry Plain, which 

 begins to grow more fruitful, about a League from ComJJoe a great City, where 

 I arriv'd by eleven a Clock in the morning. In it arefeveral Inns, and indifferent 

 handfome ones, confidering that they are built only of Earth. This City is com- 

 pos'd of a row of Villages that extend about half a League in length. About 

 three quarters of a League on this fide the City ftands a neat Aiofejuee with a pond 

 full of fifh. But the Moullahs will not permit you to catch any, faying that they 

 belong to the Prophet to whom the Mofquee is dedicated. However becaufe it is 

 a fhady place in the Summer, Travellers rather choofe to lye by this- pond,then t© 

 tout themfclves up in the City. 



G g 2 The 



