Chap.V. c/Monfieur Ta vernier. 77 



MoHey inftead of Diet, to the end he raight drefs his own Meat as he pleas'd him- 

 felf. Upon which the covetous AmbafTador accepted his offer , and two hours after 

 there was a Bag brought him of 50 Tomavs , which amount to about 800 Crowns. 

 The Frank* being offended at his bafcnefs, flighted the AmbafTador, and left him 

 to keepHoufe by himfelf, which was poor enough God knows an Onion or aTurnep 

 lerving his turn for a Meal. Some days after, he had Audience of the King, to 

 whom he prefented his Letters Credential from the Pope, the Emperour, the King 

 of Poland , and the Commonwealth of Venice. Thofe from the three laft were well 

 receiv'd , becaufe the Seals were of Gold , and for that the Paper was cmbelifh'd 

 with curious Flourifhes : but the Pope's Letters were rejected with fcorn , becaule 

 the Seals were only of Lead, as the Bulls arc ufually feaPd and for that the Writing 

 was very plain. For the Kings of Perfia , who are very nice, love things that are gay 

 to the Eye otherwife they look upon themlelves to be affronted. Dominico de S ant is 

 had better have tak'n upon him the meaner quality of an Envoy, than the title of 

 an AmbafTador, unlefs he had known better how to behave himfelf-, cfpecially being 

 To eclips'd as he was by a real AmbafTador that arriv'd at Ijpahan fome time after. All 

 the Franks went forth to meet him , and the Matter of the Ceremonies made him 

 the Tame proffers as he had done to the V raetian : but he nobly anfwer'd , That what- 

 ever it were that the King of Per fia lent him , he fhould take it for a very great 

 Honour : otherwife, if he would have eaten Gold , the King his Mafter would have 

 allow'd him 30 Mules Load. Such perlons as behave themfclves with decency and 

 a good grace, are the perlons that the Chiiftian Princes fhould fend into Perfia } 

 who are the rnoftrefin'd Wits, and the beft Politicians of all Afia. 



To conclude the Story of the Venetian , I will give you his Character. An Indian 

 naturally of a good Wit having ernbrae'd Chriftianity and an Ecclefiaftical Life, went 

 to Rome to complete his Studies which he had begun at Goa ; whither, the Pope, 

 taking an affettion to him, fent him afterward as his Vicar. Dominico de Samis 

 being then at Rome , put himfelf into his fervice , and follow'd him into the Indies, 

 where I faw him the firft time I went, in a mean condition. Upon his return to 

 Venice j where he was in no credit before , he made people believe that he underftood 

 the Trade of Afia ; whereupon fome particular Merchants trufted him with fome 

 Goods , which were caft away at Seide. Thus poor and bare he return 'd to Goa, 

 where he got 800 Crowns by a charitable Contribution. From thence he travePd 

 to Ijpahan , where he fell into the acquaintance of Father Rigordi a Jefuite , with 

 whom he went into Poland: where making his brags of the great knowledge he had 

 of the Affairs of Perfia , the King gave him that Commiffion which I have already 

 mention'd. The Emperour follow'd his Example, and the Commonwealth of Venice 

 did the fame : and to give the more luftre and authority to his Embaffy, they got 

 the Pope to joyn with them. But alas ! both Dominico de Santis , and all fuch perfons 

 as he, that go into Afia without Brains and good Behaviour , do but proflitute the 

 Reputation of the Princes that fend them. Such another was Father Rigordi , who 

 after he had been thruft out of Goa by the Portugais , went to Ijpahan , where he 

 infinuated himfelf by a Propofition which he made of Marrying the King of Perfia, 

 who was then a very young Prince , to the Dutchefs of Orleance. Under which 

 pretence he was well receiv'd and treated by the King } from whom he alfo receiv'd 

 fome Prefents by virtue of that Propofal , which was good fport to the Dutchefs when 

 ftie heard of it. 



As for the Venetian, the Atemadoulet , who was very glad to be rid of him , defir'd 

 the Muscovite AmbafTador, who was then upon his return home , to take him along 

 with him , which he did as far as the Cajpian Sea , where they take Shipping 

 for Afiracan • but there the Muscovite told him he could carry him no further : 

 thereupon he was fore'd to come back to Ijpahan, and fo to travel to Goa, whence the 

 Portugais fhipt thim home for Charities fake. But when he came to Venice, has was 

 fo far from being well receiv'd , that the Senate had like to have punifh'd him feverely 

 for giving fo bad an account of his Negotiation, 



CHAP, 



