206 



The Persian Travels Book V, 



thoufand Tomans a year. But in the year 1667, the King abated him eight 

 thoufand Tomans, in regard he had taken from him a fmall part of his Govern- 

 ment to pleafure a Favourite. 



Befides what thé Governour of Scbiras pays to the King in ready Money, 

 he is obligM every year to fend him a prefent of all the rarities that grow 

 or are bred in the Province. Thefè Prefènts coniïft in Horfes, of which there 

 is the beft breed of any Province of Per/ia. InGranates,. Oranges, and Le- 

 mons, fweet Oils and Waters of feveral forts, efpecially Oil of . Rofes, with 

 which the women rub their bodies and heads ; and the water of a certain 

 Flower that grows upon a tree not much unlike our Willows, which water is 

 call'd Arak^Bilmujhe, which is a great refrefhment to thofe that ufè it; be- 

 fides other Oils and Ellences which the Governour is oblig'd to prefent. Yet 

 were he only oblig'd to prefent the King, the expence might be born well 

 enough; but for fear of being difplac'd by any other Favourite, he is cor- 

 ftrain'd to make Friends of all the other great Lords and Favourites at Court ; 

 which there is no way to do, but by continual prefents. Whereas the ancient 

 Kans, who were a kind of petty Soveraigns in their Governments, were only 

 wont to fend a few Baskets of new Fruits in their feafon for the fervice of 

 the Kings Table. To defray this expence, the GovernotHrs are forc'd to ty- 

 rannize over the people ; who when they come, as many times they do, two 

 or three Villages together, to complain to the King, are forc'd after long wait- 

 ing, to return with empty Purfes home again, by reafon that they who fhonld 

 give them admiflion, are the only perfons that debar them from it ; and pa- 

 tiently tofubmit to the Extortions of the Vi7i.it ; which is a piece of policy pra- 

 ctis'd iikewife by all the other Kans and Govemcurs of the Perfm Provinces. 

 As for Sba-Sefi himfelf, he was very fevere, and one whofe punifhments oft'n 

 amounted to acts of cruelty. One day being a hunting, a poor Countryman 

 appear d from behind a Rock, with a paper in his hand, being deputed by the 

 Village to make fome complaint to the King. But while the poor man cry'd 

 for juftice, the King without making any anfvver, (hot two arrows into his body 

 and flew him. That which mov'd Sba-Sefi to this act of cruelty, was becaufè 

 he had fome of his Wives with him in company. For then there is no mercy 

 to thofe poor people that happ'n to be in the way where the King chances 

 to pafs by ; no not for them that are in the Country round about, where the 

 Eunuchs have order to kill all men they meet. When the King gives notice 

 of his intention to carry his Wives into the Country, this is call'd Courouk^\ 

 and there is nothing more troublefome nor more inconvenient in the world to 

 the poor people that live in the Villages through which thefe women are to 

 pafs j for upon notice giv'n them, they muft leave their Houfes for a League 

 or two of either fide. When there is a Couro>/\ at Ifpaban, let the weather be 

 never fo bad, the people muft leave their Houfes, and if they have no Friends 

 in fome diftant quarter to retire to, they have no way but to repair to the Moun- 

 tains. Such is the excefs of the jealoufie of the Kings of Perfia ; which indeed 

 derives it felf to all his Subjects, who will not permit their women to be feen 

 by any but their own Husbands. 



The Perfans both men and women are fo addicted to take Tobacco, that 

 to take their Tobacco from them, is to take away their lives. So that if the 

 King mould prohibit Tobacco for any time, he would lofe a good part of his 

 revenue. However Sba-Sefi in a humor having once forbidd'n Tobacco to be 

 taken in any part of his Dominion, his Spies ( that are in every City ) found 

 in the Indian Inn two rich Merchants of that.Nation fmoaking their nofes. Imme- 

 diately they were feiz'd, bound, and carry'd to the King, who commanded forth- 

 with that Juftice mould be done upon them in the Meidan> which was that 

 they Ihouldi pour melted lead down their throates till they were dead. ^ 

 The people thought the King had only intended to have fcar'd them, and 

 would have repriev'd them upon the place. Infomuch that four Banians went 

 to the Atbtmadoulety and offer'd to pay two thoufand Tomans into the Kings 

 Treafury, fo that he would be pleas'd to fpare the two Merchants lives. The 

 chief Minifter made the propofal, but the King falling into a paffion, and asking 

 the Athemadonlet i whether thofe Indian Dogs thought that a King of Perfia wotdd 

 0dl .;" r. d 3 . '< feW 



