Chap. V. of Monfieur Tavernier, 



151 



■faceted** 



4 



well, which appears by the number of Arrows brought back, he is admitted a Mafter 

 by the approbation of the King's Foot-men-, who are fuperior to all the reft. The 

 Kans or Governours of Provinces run their own Cbaters with the fame Ceremonies, 

 and in the fame manner. 



The Fortrefs of JJpahan is nothing at all confiderable. It joyns to the Wall upon 

 the South fide of the City, and is twice as long as broad , but without any defence in 

 the world , unlefs it be of fome pitiful Towers made of Earth. Here it is that the 

 King keeps all the Rarities which he has purchas'd , or that has been prefented to 

 him. For as to his main Treafure , I believe it confifts chiefly in Gold-Plate. Within 

 the Fortrefs there is a large Field , fow'd every year with Rice and Corn -, hard by 

 which (lands the Houle of the Capncbin-f rims. 



Ifpaban in general , unlefs it be the Meydan and fome few arch'd Streets where the 

 Merchants live , is more like a great Village than a City -, the Ho'ufes (landing at a 

 tliilancc one from the other, with every one a Garden , but ill look'd after, not 

 having any thing in it perchance but only one pitiful Tree : true it is that they begin 

 to build better of late days, but it is without the City. As for the Women, 'tis 

 not a pin matter whether they live out of the City or within , in regard they never 

 (lir out or doors, and as feldom go a-foot. 



The Meydan or great Tiaz.z.a of Ifpaban was the contrivance of the great Sha- 

 Akas, who had never done it, if a great Prince of the ancient Race of the Kings ' ' 

 of Terfia had not refus'd him the old Meydan , with feveral Priviledges , and the 

 Houfe that flood by it. Thereupon he defign'd this new Tiaz.z.a , to draw off the 

 Merchants, and to fpoil the old Market-place, by their departure from that quarter of //' 

 the City which is lefs inhabited at this day. It is not far from this old Meydan , that ( '' 

 the Auflin-Friars on the one fide , and the Carmelites on the other have their Habi- 

 tations. "There are alfo two fides of that Meydan entire , under the Portico's , where 

 fit only fuch people -as fell Herbs, Fruit, and Victuals -, the other two fides are almod 

 fain to decay } but when it was all (landing , it was as handfom as the new one : and 

 it is to be wonder'd , that the Prince, who built it, did not choofe the place where 

 Ski-Jbai has built his , as being near the Water, and confequently far more conve- 



nie - t * - r J f 



The great Meydan then is a place about feven hundred Paces long , and between U 



two and three hundred broad. It has Buildings upon all the four fides - , it lyes 



in length direttly North and South', the Fronts are every one Portico'd , and Ter- 



rafs'd at the top-, and on the City-fide are little Chambers nine or ten Foot high, 



which fall very much to~3ecay, being only built of Brick bak'd in the Sun. They 



are inhabited, the greatefl part of them, by the mod infamous Curtifans of the 



City. At fome Paces diftance from the Portico's , is a Channel which is pav'd with 



done , and runs round about the Tiaz.za ; Sha-Abas caus'd feveral Trees to be 



planted by the fide of it , but both the Channel and the Trees being altogether 



negle&ed , are fain to decay \ befides , that the fmell of the Water in the Summer 



time is very noyibm. 



In themidd of the Piaz.z.a (lands a kind of a May-Pole, or Mad of a Ship, where 

 the people exercife (hooting at Birds. When the King comes to fhoot , they fet 

 a Cup of Gold upon the top of the Mad , which he is to ftrike down with an Ajrow, 

 To which purpofe he mud ride full fpeed, nor is he permitted to fhoot 'till after 

 he has pad the May-Pole , turning himfelf upon the crupper of his Horfe : a remain 

 of the ancient cuftom of the Partbians, that kill'd their Enemies flying. 



The Cup belongs to him that ftrikes it down -, and I have feen 5^-S^,Grandfather 

 of the prêtent King , in five Courfes drike down three Cups. 



From this Mad or May-Pole down to the great Mofqme , they fell nothing but 

 Wood and Charcoal : from the fame Pole to the Sun-Dial upon the North-fide,are none 

 but fuch as fell old Iron-Tools, old Harnefs for Horfes, old Coverlets, and other old 

 Brokery-ware , as in our Long- Lane. 



From the Pole to another Mofqttee, to the South, juft againd the Sun-Dial , is the 

 place for all the Poulterers. The red of the Piaz.z.a toward the Palace, is always kept 

 clean, without any Shops, becaufe the King comes often abroad in the Evening to fee 

 Lions , Bears , Bulls , Rams , Cocks, and all other fort of Creatures fight which are 

 brought thither. 



Thé people of JJpahan , as in many other Cities -, are divided into two parts , the 



one 



ft 



1 



