2 Tbe Persian Travels Book V. 



CHAP. XIIJ. 

 Of tbe Juftice and 'Policy of the Perfians. 



THe Juftice of the Perfians is very exact and very fpeedy. Suits are determin'd 

 upon the place without any need of Advocates or Proctors. Not but that 

 the Officers of Juftice are eafie to be corrupted,but in their unjuft exactions, which 

 they carry as lecretly as poffibly they can, they are fooner fatisfi'd then the Turks. 

 and if their injuftice be difcover'd, upon complaint to the King they are puniflic 

 without mercy. 



The Kans do Juftice in their Provinces,as reprefenting the Kings perfon. Be- 

 fides that, the King has a Divan Begm in every City,and the Kan places under him- 

 a Deroga, who is like the Lieutenant Criminal in France. He has under him an 

 Aatas, who is a kind of Captain of the watch ; who goes about the ftreets in the 

 night to hinder diforders, and carries all people to Prifon that he finds abroad at 

 unlèafonable hours, if they cannot give a good accompt of themièlves. There 

 isalfo a Kelonter, that is, the chiefeft or greateft, who leems to refemble the Tri- 

 bune of the People among the Romans, or the Provoft of Mei chants in France. 

 The Kelonter is only relponfible to the King, who places one in every City, and it 

 is his bufinefè to defend the People from the injuftice and oppreffions of the Go- 

 vernours. 



Murther is lèverely punifh'd, nor will money lave the Criminal. When the 

 Murtherer is tak'n, they carry him before the Divan Begui, who makes quick 

 work. For he delivers him to the Parents or kindred of the perfon flain, who 

 carry him to thé place of execution, and without any compalTion torture him to 

 death. 



I remember the Kan of Schiras had a Favourite, who falling in love with a 

 young Perfian Gentleman, would needs endeavour to have the ufe of his body. 

 One day meeting upon the Road together,and lying at night under the fame Tent, 

 the Favourite about midnight came to his bed fide, and after many follieitations 

 would have forc'd him. But being violently refifted. the Favourite for madnels 

 to fee himlèlf dilàppointed, and liable to be difcover'd.ftabb'd the young Gentle- 

 man to the heart, and fled to the Mountains. The Murther being divulg'dy tile 

 Mother, Widow and Sifter of the young man repair'd to the Kan for Juftice, who 

 willing to lave his Minion, offer'd them money : but they fcorning his proffer, 

 threaten'd to complain to the King. The Kan being thereupon conftrain-d to pur- 

 fue his Favourite, at length took him and fent him to Ifpahan, telling them that 

 he would not judge of the Affair, but refer it to the King. The Mother, Widow 

 and Sifter immediately follow'd the Murtherer to Ifpahan ; and demanded Juftice 

 of the King with that eagernels, that though the King had an inclination to have 

 Ipar'd the Kan's Favourite for his Mafters fake, he was forc'd to abandon him, and 

 to bid them pay themièlves with his blood. Immediately he was carri'd to the 

 Meydan, where the Widow firft ftabb'd him to the heart with a Dagger, then the 

 Mother took her turn, and after the Sifter; and then holding a Cup to receive his 

 blood, drank every one a cup full to quench the thirft of their revenge. 



Nor are they fo exact in the punifliment of Murther only j for they punifli dif- 

 orders in houfes of Debauchery with a proportionable ftrictnels, of which I will 

 give the Reader two examples. A young Hollander, coming to Ifpahan, pretf rntly 

 put himlèlf into a Perfian habit ; and going in the evening to a houfe of good fel- 

 lowship, met with certain Perfians, with whom he happen'd to quarrel^a nd being 

 well-beaten for his pains, thought Tt hot convenient tô ftay any longer whe re he 

 had bin fo ill cntertain'd. Thereupon the Dutch Interpreter went and com plain'd 

 to the jithemadoulet , who inform'd the King. The King immediately fenc for the 

 people that had beaten the Hollander, and ask'd them why they abus'd a ft ranger? 

 To which the others made anfwer that they law no ftranger, but only a rr lan clad 

 after the Perfian garb. Whereupon the King told the Interpreter, that if the Dutch- 

 man had worn his own Country habit, his Subjects durft not have abus'd him, but 

 as the cale ftood, he had no reafon to punilh 'em. One 



