158 Wh Persian Travels Book IV. 



large City, being almoft a League and a half long , and near upon half as much 

 broad. There are two principal Streets which contain near upon the whole length, 

 one whereof has on each fide a row of Tchinars, the roots whereof are refrefli'd by a 

 fmall Channel of Water, which by a particular order the Armenians bring to the 

 City, to water their Gardens. The mod part of the other Streets have alfo a row of 

 Trees, and a Channel. And for their Houfes, they are generally better built, and 

 more chearful than thofe of IJpthan. 

 îee the Defcri- How they came to be fetled here, I have already defcrib'd : And now the number 

 mon of Zul- oT Inhabitants is ftrangely increas'd by the acceflion of lèverai other Christians of 

 ■* a< divers Sects , as Jacobites, Copbtes, and Neflorians , who formerly liv'd in the Suburbs 



of Ifpahan. Neither was Sha-zAbas fo cruel in tranfplanting the Armenians away 

 out of their own Country -, for they were all at that feafon poor labouring men, 

 who knew not at all what belong'd to Trade. Since that time they are grown very 

 rich : fo that the Armenians have no caufe to be covetous of the Habitations of their 

 Anceftors. And now I will tell you how they came to be fuch great Proficients in 

 Trade. 



Sha-Abas, who was a man of a great Genius, and aperfonof great undertaking, 

 confidering that Perfia was a barren Country, where there was little Trade , and by 

 confequence little Money, refolv'd to fend his Subjefts into Europe with raw Silks, 

 fo to underftand whence the beft profit would arife, to bring Money into his Country. 

 To which purpofe , he refolv'd to make himfelf Mafler of all the Silk in his own 

 Country, by purchafing it himfelf at a reafonable rate, tax'd by himfelf, and to 

 reap the gains by his Factors : and withal, thought it neceflary to feek an Alliance 

 with the great Kings of Europe , to engage them on his fideagainft the Turk. He 

 firft fent to the King of France , Henry the Fourth. But he dying before the Am- 

 bafTador arriv'd , anfwer was made the Ambaflador, That if the King of Terfia 

 had any thing to fay to the King of France, Lewis the Thirteenth, he muft fend a 

 new Ambaflador, which was never done. 



Three or four years after he fent an Ambaflador to the King of Spain , accom- 

 pany'd with a Per fan Merchant of JJpaban, putting into their hands a confie' erablc 

 quantity of Bales of Silk. He alio fent along with them a Portuguez. Auftin-Friar, 

 to be their Guide and Interpreter. The Per/tan Merchant would have fold the 

 Silks, as was the King's order, and have bought a Prefent more becoming. But 

 the Ambaflador over-rul'd by the Friar , refolv'd to prefent the King of Spain with 

 the Bales of Silk. The Merchant not able to oppofe the Ambaflador , returns home 

 forthwith to give an account to the King , who approv'd his management. The 

 AmbafTador proceeds, and coming to the Spaniflj Court, prefents his Bales of Silk 

 to the King , whoask'd the Ambaflador whether his Maftertook him for a Woman, 

 that he had lent him fo many Bales of Silk tofpnv, and immediately fent away the 

 Prêtent to his Queen , prefenting the Ambaflador but very meanly : who thereupon 

 feeing the Errour he had committed, made haft home -, but upon his return , the 

 Per fan King having notice of the ill fuccefs of his Negotiation , caus'd his Belly to" 

 be ript op'n in the publick Market-place. 



About fifteen years after , he trufted a confidcrable quantity of Silk with a 

 Merchant's Son or Ijpahan:, and fent him to Venice : who when he came there, took 

 a (lately Lodging , and fpent his Money at a ftrange rate, efpecially among the 

 Courtifans -, to maintain which expence , he continually fold great quantities of Silk. 

 The V metians feeing a private man live fo fplendidly among them, and not believing 

 fo great a quantity of Goods could belong to one fingle Merchant , but rather 

 imagining him to be a Factor for fome Company who fuffer'd for his folly, wrote to 

 all the Ports of the Levant , and having intelligence who he was, the Senate thought 

 fit to feize his Perfon and his Goods , before he had confum'd all } at the fame 

 time giving a civil account to the King of Perfia, what they had done. To which the 

 Per fan King return'd a moft obliging Anfwer of Thanks, fending withal an intelligent 

 Per fan Merchant to take an account of what was left , to whom the Venetians were 

 very punftual. As for the Prodigal Per fan , who thought it not his wifeft way to 

 return into Per fa , what became of him is not material to this Story. 



Sha-Abas by thefe Experiments obferving the little Inclination of his Subjects to 

 Trade, who were naturally addicted to Pride and Expence, which is no part of a 

 Merchant's bufinefs, call his Eyes upon the Armenians , men able to endure the 

 \ ' labour 



