Chap.VI. of Monfieur Tavernier. 29 



get in to this Court , efpecially fuch whofe Habits and Àfpeft they do not like ; 

 But as I cloth'd and carry 'd my felf, I never was deny'd entrance into any place 

 either in Per fa or India. 



In this firft Court , on the left hand as you enter j are little Chambers , where 

 they that receive the Alms which by the Foundation of the Mofquee are to be 

 diftributed every day, come and eat their proportion, and then go their ways. Thole 

 Chambers ferve as an Afylmn to thofe that cannot pay their Debts , as at the Mofquee 

 of Ardeïàl. Neither are thefe Priviledg'd places like ours , where they that retire 

 muft live at their own Charge : For in Per fa they are fed at the Expence of the 

 Mofquee ; and being in that manner freed from Care j their Friends more eafily bring 

 their Creditors to Compofition. 



Out of the firft Court you pals into a fécond , which is larger, and all pav'd ^ and 

 from that into a third , which is lquare, and rais'd like a Terrafs. You enter into it 

 through a large Gate , at the end of an open Pafiage, where ftand the Lodgings of 

 the ModUlfs. 



Out of that Court by an afcent of Brickwork of ten or twelve Steps, you enter 

 into a fair Court, which is alio rais'd like a Terrafs } in the midft [whereor is a fair 

 Fountain. It is continually fill'd by little Pipes of Water which run into it , and is 

 empty'd by others that carry the Water into lèverai parts of the whole Endofure. 

 There are fome Buildings in this Court, but one of the fides of it is taken up with 

 the Front of the Mofquee , which is no difpleafing Structure. There are three large 

 Gates belong to it , very well expanded , according to the mode of the Country ; 

 with a Brick-wall before , about the height of a Man , with Holes in it for Light, 

 made like a Lozange. The Threfhold of the middle Gate is cover'd with a plate 

 of Silver-, and between thefe three Gates and that of the Duomo , are feveral 

 Doctors, that hold Books in their hands, and read perpetually. 



This Mofquee is Octagonal , and at every angle is a fmall wooden Door of Walnut- 

 tree, varnifh'd with grey and yellow. The Tomb of Sidi-Fatima is at the farther 

 part of the Mofquee , there being only room for one Man to pafs between the Wall 

 and the Tomb. It is encompals'd with a large Silver Grate , fixteen Foot lquare ; 

 the Bars whereof are round , and knob'd in thofe places where they crofs each other ^ 

 it is lighted by feveral Lamps of Gold and Silver: which altogether is very pleafing 

 to the Eye. The infide of the Mofquee, to the elevation of the Angles that fupport 

 the Duomo, is compos'd of fquare Tiles varnilh'd over with divers Colours ^ and 

 the Cupola of the Duomo, as alfo the Vault of the Portico of the Mofquee , is a Morefco 

 piece of Painting in Or and Azure. Upon each fide of the Mofquee, and near the fide 

 where the Tomb of Sidi-Fatima Hands , appears a great Hall, where the Royal Alms 

 are diftributed to the Poor,which confift of Pilaw and other diet,very well dreft.From 

 this Tomb you turn to the left hand toward an Afcent , diftant five and twenty or 

 thirty Paces \ and at the top of this Afcent is a Door, over which there an is In- 

 fcription in Honour of Sha-Abas the Second. The Door being open'd, Ihews you 

 the place where the Body of that King repofes : and through another Door with 

 a Grate in it, you may difcover, under a fmall Duomo , the Tomb of ShaSefi his 

 Father-, which is cover'd with a Carpet of Cloth of Gold. They were conti- 

 nually at work upon the Tomb of Sha-Abas, which they faid, they would make very 

 famous. 



I had not been two hours in Kom , but a multitude of People ran by the Inn Gate, 

 all in extraordinary haft. Asking what the matter was , they anfwer'd me , that 

 it had been a day long defign'd for the two Trophets to fight. Thereupon I went 

 to the Piazz.a , which was fo crowded , that I had much ado to get to fee. In the 

 firft place a fuffkient number of Tumblers and Puppet-players , divided into two 

 Bands , kept the middle of the Piaz.z.a , and made a furncient Ring for the Combat. 

 Each Band held a Bull by the Horns , one of which they call'd Mahomet , and 

 the other Holy : and whether it were by accident , or by the cunning of the Bull- 

 Mafters , after an obftinate Combat , wherein the Beafts foam'd again with heat 

 and rage ; Mahomet at length quit the Field , and yielded Haly the Victory. Then 

 all the People Ihouted for joy , and all the Piaz,z.a was fill'd with the noife of 

 Flutes and Hautboys -, and every one coming as if it were to adore Haly , cry'd out, 

 'Behold the Works of (fod , that Haly has made ! At length they bring the Bull 

 Haly under a Gate , with his Head tum'd toward the People - where after they 



