Chap. VII. of Monfîeur Tavërnïer. 161 



and Son in Law. They hold that this fucccflion confifls in elèv'rt High Priefts defen- 

 dants from £fo/y , who makes the twelfth in this order, i. Haly y Son of Aboutaleb. 

 2. Hocen, eldeft Son of Halt. 3. Hujfein, his fécond Son, who fuffer'd death in 

 defence of his Father's Succeffion. The place where the Sunnis gave him battel 

 and flew him, is call'd Kerbela near to Babylon , and is a holy place in high venera- 

 tion among the Per fans. 4 Iman-zin-el-Abcdin. 5. Mahomet-el-Baker. 6. lofer* 

 el-Scadekj, who introdue'd the Law into Per fa, that if any Chrifiian, Jew, or Idolater 

 turn'd Mahumetan, he fhould be declar'd general Heir to his Family to the exclufion of 

 Brothers and Sifters, and that he might allow what he pleas'd to his Father and Mother. 

 Whence arofe two mifchiefs, that ibme Armenians , Chriftians , and Jews turn'd 

 Mahometans , to get the Eftate of the Family, and others turn'd Mahumetans to keep 

 their poffeffions. 7. Moujfa-Katzem. 8. Hali-el-Rezza, whofe Tomb at Mefiedh as 

 highly venerated among the Terfians^s Mahomet's among the Turks. 9. Mahammet-el- 

 Io'iiad. 10. Hali-el-Hadi. II. Hoc -en-el- Asktri. 12. Mouhemmet-el-Mouhadi Shaheb-za- 

 man. The Per fans hold the fame belief as to the laft Iman, as we do of Enoch and 

 Elias ; which is the realbri that lèverai people leave them in their Wills Houfes ready 

 furnifh'd , Stables full of ftately Horfes , and other neceffaries for them to make 

 ufe of when they return to Earth again. They attribute to this Iman the Sirname 

 of Zaheb-zamart , or Lord of Time. 



Thefe two Se&s of Sunnis and Schias over r run the three principal Kingdoms of 

 India , viz.. the Great Mogul's , the King of Golconddfs, and the King of Fifayour's. 

 The firft and laft being Sunnis , that is to fay , both the Kings and Lords of the 

 Court; for their Subjects are mod of them Idolaters. Some Schiais there are in thé 

 Courts of both Kings , in regard the Officers of the Army are for the moft part 

 Perfans , though in outward fhew they may follow the Religion of the Prince. 

 But the King of Golconda Koutoub-Sha is a zealous Schiais. a . <. 



I come now to the Grand Feftival of the Perfans , which is the famous Feaft of ' Sl 

 Hocen and Hujfein. 



Eight days before the Feftival begins , fome of the more zealous fort black all theii? 

 Bodies and their Faces , and go naked in the Streets with only a covering about their 

 fecret parts. They carry two Flints , one in each hand , which they knock one 

 againft another, wrything their Bodies, and making a thoufand antick Faces -, and 

 all the while crying out , Hujfein , Hocen ; Hocen , Hujfein ; which they aft and 

 fpeak with lb much Labour, 'till they foam again at the mouth. In the Evening , 

 the devout people admit them into their Houfes , and feed them very well. During 

 thofe days , as loon as the Sun is fet , you fhall fee at the corners where feveral Streets 

 meet, Pulpits fet up for certain Preachers, who prepare the people that flock to 

 hear them to the devotion of the Feaft. Now in regard all Ages and Sexes go , 

 there is no time in all the year fo favourable for the Women to meet their Gal- 

 lants; I 



In the year 1 667. the third of July , I faw the Feftival by the favour of the Nagar, 

 who appointed me a place juft againft the Delà where the King fate. This Delà 

 is a Room built with a jetting upon that fide of the Meidan next the Palace Gate, 

 one ftory high. Several Pillars fuftain the flat bottom or floor of the Delà, en- 

 rich'd with a Grotefco work of Gold and Azure , in the mid'ft whef eof there was a 

 Fountain that was fill'd with Water by the contrivance of a Pipè. The Stage or 

 Delà was op'n upon three fides , the Iongeft fide jetting out upon the Piazza. Upon 

 the Wall of theoppofite fide, which was clofe, weretobefeen feveral £«g///frand 

 Hollanders, both men and women pittur'd with Bottles and Glaffes in their hands , as 

 if they were drinking to one another. Sha-Abas the fécond catis'd this Painting to 

 be_ drawn by a Hollander. ~ : j~ 



About fev'n a Clock in the Morning Sha-Sefhi the fécond ; who fince has chang'd 

 his name to Sha-Solimah the fécond , came and feated himfelf upon his Throne fet up 

 in the mid'ft of the De'la , all his Nobility ftanding about him. So foon as he was 

 fate down , the Great Provoft appear'd at the end of the Piazza mounted upon a 

 fair Horfe, attended by certain young Lords , who caus'd the people , confiding of 

 the Companies of the two quarters of the City, which are twelve in all, to ad- 

 vance to the places which were defign'd them. For formerly the Companies would 

 ftrive for the way -, and therefore the King to prevent diforder , order'd there 

 fliould be a Provoft , or Mafter of the Ceremonies to place them without didurbance. 



X As 



