Chap XIV. of Monfieur Tavernier. 235 



a Doctor of the Law, and de fire him to open the Al-couran y and to tell them the ^ 

 iiîiie of their bufinefs. Thereupon the Doctor muttering fome ftrange words,- t jjg 

 opens the Book, and if he meets with affirmative commands, he declares the the Law, fo 

 undertaking (hall profper. If negatives, he dilfwades from the enterprise. I re-cntid'd for; 

 member a Gardiner belonging to the Capuchin Friers, would needs go to one of? ts exce J* 

 tholè Moullih's, to know whether he mould get by an Ox that he was about to^" c ^ c ?^ 

 buy. Whereupon the Afeullah affur'd him he mould reap great profit by his bar-ble' 

 gain: but quite contrary, the Ox dy'd upon his hands within three days, to the 

 great aftonilhment of the Gardiner. When a Capuchin rax'd the MoulUh for the 

 falfities of his pretended Art, the MoulUh reply'd, that God knew that the Gar- 

 diner would fpend his Money upon lewd Women, and therefore took from him 

 the means and fupport of his debauchery. 



They alfo ufè a fort of divination, which is call'd Rambe, by even or odd, the 

 Mailers of which myftery, call'd Rammals, keep Shops on purpofe to delude the 

 people. When they fee people coming, they have perfons fuborn'd on purpofe ; 

 who holding out their hands (hut, ask the Rammal what he thinks they have in 

 their hands. The Rammal at firft lèems to be at a ftand ; throwing certain Dice, 

 call'd Kiabetain y the (pecks whereof are fome even, fome uneven j but when there 

 are people enough gathered together, he tells point by point how many fpecks his 

 fellow-Cheat has in his hands. Who counterfeiting aftonifhment, encourages the 

 poor filly creatures that ltand gazing, to fpend fomething for a lye which they fell 

 them. They alfo make ufe of the Waal, which is to open a Book,& by numbers even 

 or odd, to prognofticate good or bad fortune. In their interpretation of dreams, 

 the Interpreter foretells the future to him that enquires conformable to what he 

 fays he faw in his dream. He has a great Book lying before him, full of little 

 Pictures and Grotefco-work, wherein he ftrives to fhew the people fome Fantafm or 

 Apparition, which they will tell you they faw in the night. Thefe cheats are 

 ufually practis'd about the Palace, where all the idle people flock together? as al- 

 fo upon the Road to Zulpha y where they lye upon the Road to catch the filly 

 Palfengers. 



The Perfians are mightily addicted to ill îangnage, and foul-mouth'd reproaches. 

 So that when two men fall out, inftead of fighting with their fifts, they fight with 

 their tongues, and curfe one another. But they never blafpheme God : for if 

 they fhould hear one fwear, or wifh themfelves at the Devil, they would cry out 

 in an aftonifhment, Is not that Fellow a fool to give himftlj upon trufi to the Devil, 

 and renounce Paradife ? When they would affirm any thing to be true, all their 

 Oaths are Ser-az.ire-foa y By the Kings beloved head -, or, Erva pigumhir, by the 

 Spirit of theProphet. I remember once at G data, walking with fome of the 

 French Embalfador's Servants, we faw two Turks at Cuffs ; after they were par- 

 ted, one of them gave the other a thoufand curfes ; to which, the other reply'd 

 no more than only this ; I wifh, faid he, thy Soul may have no more repofe in 

 Paradife, than the Hat of a French-man has in this World, alluding to our manner 

 of falutation, and putting off our Hats fo often as we do. 



The Per/tuns are naturally great Diffemblers and Flatterers ; and they make it 

 their ftudy to acquire efteem and applaufe. They love to give and receive Pre- 

 fènts : more efpecially to prefènt the King. Which Prefents are valu'd, and ac- 

 cording to the efiimate, they muft fend ten per cent, to the Serjeant Porter, and 

 five per cent, to his Deputy : which, if they do not pay willingly, they are fote'd 

 to pay : which I faw the Deputy of the iïW/W-Company fore'd to do. 



The Luxury and the Expences of the Perfians is exceffive, as I have in lèverai 

 places obferv'd. And though it be againft the Law of Mahomet to make ufe of 

 Gold or Silver-plate, which lets afide that metal only for Commerce and for Mo- 

 ney ; none but the poor obfèrve that Law, for the rich make no fcruple to tranf- 

 grefs it. 



The Perfians are very much accuftom'd to make mutual Vifits one to another at 

 their folemn Feftivals, and to wifh one another good cheer, and a merry fèafon. 

 The more noble fort ftay at home to expect the Vifits of their Inferiors j after 

 that they get a Horfèback, and return their Vifits. The Curtifans continue their 

 Vifits all the year long, and going to the Noble-mens Houfès, ftay in the great 

 Hall till they come out of their Harams. Whither, when the Noblemen come, 



F f they 



