i8a 



The Persian Travels Book IV, 



Rolling-pin , and bak'd upon Plates of Tinn'd Copper. This Bread is never eat'n, 

 but only ferves for a Table-Cloth to prelèrve what falls from the Dimes, and what 

 every man leaves particularly upon his own Plate , which is all wrap'd up in the Lea- 

 ther and giv'n to the poor. Next to that they let upon one end of the Sifird a fort 

 of mod excellent Bread two foot long , and one broad , then which never was better 

 eat'n in the World. By and by follow'd Boy I'd and Roaft flefh and fifh , with two 

 Chefts of Limons of Mazandran , and Granates from Schiras. 



After we had made a large Breakfaft , the King was pleas'd to put me upon a dif- 

 courfe of my Travels into the Indies^ and ask'd me what Princes I had had accels to, 

 and how many I knew by their faces? Then caufing a Satchel to be brought him , 

 he open'd it himfelf , and fhew'd me lèverai portraitures in Miniature. Presently I 

 knew Sha-Gehan , Anrenge-Zebe , and three of his Sons-, the King of Cjolconda and 

 Vifapour ; Sha-£ft-Kan,M\ù two RayJs. Among the reft he fhew'd me a Terfian Lady's 

 Picture and gave it me :, to the end , laid he , that your French Ladies may lee how 

 our Per fan Ladies are clad. After that he fhew'd rrie the Pictures of two Venetian 

 Curtifans, the one a Widow , and the other a Virgin , with a Parrot upon her 

 hand clad after the French mode. Upon which the the King putting the queftion to 

 me which I lik'd beft? I reply 'd that fhe pteas'd me bell who had the Parrot upon her fift. 

 And why not the other faid the King? Becaufe , anfwer'd I, me looks like one 

 that had renounc'd the world. Thereupon the King falling into a laughter, and 

 turning toward Father Raphael ; Patri , Patri, faid he , is it pojfible thatfach a Lady 

 as this fhould have renowned the World ? This led us into a difcourfe of beauty , 

 wherein when the King demanded* my opinion , I told him that Womens beauty 

 depended very much upon the Cuftom of the Country y for that in Japan Women 

 with broad faces were molt in requeft -, in China fmall feet were admir'd \ in the Ifles 

 of Borneo and Achen , Women the blacker their Teeth were , the more they were 

 belov'd -, that in the Ifland of Macaffer , to make their Women lovely , they pull 

 out four of their Teeth when they are young , to put in four of Gold in their 

 room -, as I have feen a Captain of Java , who pull'd out four of his fore Teeth , 

 and fet four Diamonds in their place. In fhort, I told His Majefty that in his own 

 Dominions full Eye-brows which meet together were highly efteem'd , whereas the 

 Women of France pull them up by the Roots. But which , faid the King, doftthou 

 like beft , the black or the fair? Sir, continu'd I, were I to buy Women as I 

 purchafe Diamonds , Pearls, and Bread, I would always choofe the whiteft. With 

 that the King fell a laughing , and orderd me a brimmer in his own Cup , which 

 was a great Honour indeed. From hence we fell into a more ferious difcourfe con- 

 cerning the prefent State of Europe , fpeaking very low , and the reft of the Com- 

 pany retiring all the while out of hearing. Only I obferv'd that there was one Lord 

 middle ag'd , and clad after the Georgian mode , who flood within five or fix paces 

 behind the King , and that many times as the King drank , he only wet his Lips , 

 and gave the reft to that Lord to drink , which when he had done , he retir'd again 

 to his place. Upon inquiry I found he was the Kings Uncle by the Mother's 

 fide. ' 



While we were talking of ferious things the Curtifans were bid to retire out of 

 the Hall , which they did, into a Gallery that look'd upon a Garden, where" they 

 late , where immediately a Sofra was laid before them cover'd with Fruits arid Sweet- 

 meats , and one of their Society continually powr'd out the Wine which they drank 

 round without intermiflion : One would have thought they fhould have been fuddl'd -, 

 yet when they came in again , no man could perceive they had been drinking. 

 After they had Danc'd awhile, they were ■ order *d to retire again, and the King 

 fent for his Mufick , which was both Vocal and inftrumental -, his Inftrumental 

 Mufick confifted of a kind of a Lute, a Guittar, a Spinet, and two or three Bafe 

 Flutes. He had alfo in the Gallery where the Curtifans were , a large Ebony Cabi- 

 net eight foot high, adorn'd with feveral Silver figures, which prov'd to be an 

 Organ that went alone. It was part of the prefent which the Muscovite Ambafladors 

 made the King, which he order'd to be fet a going, that we might hear it as we 

 fate. No fooner had the Organ ftop'd, but the Curtefans were call'd in again, 

 and the King caus'd the Gold Ladle to goroun'd , commanding that no man fhould 

 leave a drop. When every man had done, the King was pleas'd to ask nie which 

 of the Curtifans I thought to be handfomeft ? Thereupon I rofe up, and takings 



War 



