8 



Tbc Persian Travels Book V. 



ferve for ornament. This Jufticoar is either of Cloath, or Tiffue ; which in Win* 

 ter is lin'd with Martins, or elfe with a grey Lambskin that comes from Korafan, 

 And indeed the Perfians love diverfity of colours in their habits: for their Jufticoar 

 is of one colour,their Veft of another.thtir Breeches of another; and their Shooes, 

 efpecially the Womens, are green, red, yellow, or violet. The Girdle and Turban 

 are always of ftrip'd Stuff, unlefs it be the MonlUlSs^ which are always 

 plain. 



Befides all this, in the Winter they wear a long Cloak down to their heels, with 

 fleeves of the fame length, lin'd with rich Furs. The Perfons of Quality, and j 

 fome of the meaner fort of people make no more of Cloath of Gold and Siver, 

 then we do of Druggets. A man that has but fcven or eight Tomans a year, (hall 

 fpend five in Clothes; which excefs in habit is crept down among the Rabble, (b 

 that a man can hardly tell the Servant from the Matter. And it is a Proverb among 

 the Perftans, Corbebè Lebas, fine Clothes make Men efteem'd at Court. Neither 

 Sha-Abbas the Second, nor his Grandfather Sha-Abbas the Firft, would allow of 

 this dilbrder, but that Men fhould go clad according to their conditions. For one 

 day, feeing one of his Servants with a pair of Cloath of Gold-breeches, deman- 

 ded what wages he had f but when he underftood that it was nothing neer 

 fufficient to maintain him at that rate ; to deter others from the like vanity, he 

 order'd him fo many Baftinadoes upon the foies of his feet, that he dy'd in a few 

 days. Others lay that the Fellow being furpriz'd at the King's Qneltion, made 

 him anfwer, that being troubl'd with the Goat, he had been advis'd to wear that 

 fort of Stuff for its warmth. To which the King reply'd, that he had been told 

 a very bad remedy, and that he would {hew him a better and a (horter way 

 to cure the Gout, and ib commanded him to. be drubb'd, as before is rela- 

 ted. 



In regard it is very cold in Perjia, they make Life of three forts of Furs. The 

 Lamb and Fox's skin for, the meaner fort, together with the Cat's and Fox's skin. 

 But the third fort, which is the Martin's Fur, is for Grandees of the Court, and 

 other Perfons of high Quality. They have alfo a way to make Caffocks that 

 will keep out the rain, the wind, and the cold, which are made of Kerman- 

 wool, as our Felt- makers make their Hats. 



And now I have faid 'tis cold, give me leave to tell ye how they warm them- 

 felves. In all Houfes there are little Chambers, in the middle whereof there is 

 a fquare hole about a foot deep, and three or four foot long, according to the 

 bignefè of the Chamber. Over the hole is a thing like one of our Tabourets^ 

 which covers the hole with a large Carpet, to keep in the heat of that which is 

 kindl'd in the hole ; fo that being plac'd under the Tabouret as far as the waft, 

 though as cold as ice before, in a minute you mail be almoft in a fweat, and be 

 ready to fall a-fleep, if you take not a great care. All the Nobility have Cham- 

 bers with Chimneys, where they fet the Wood upright ; the Mantle- tree comes 

 forward, low, and femi-circular. It is two or three foot deep, and as many wide, 

 to avoid fmoaking. 



They are full of their Compliments, which they call Tave&ea : and their man- 

 ner of falutation is quite different from ours. For they never uncover their 

 heads, but bow, and lay their right-hand upon their brelts. When they come 

 into the company of their Betters, they fall upon their knees to let themfelves 

 upon their heels, which is a mark of relpect. 



The Women in Perfia are very richly habited ; but their habit is all oT 

 a piece, though little different in fhape from the Mens. It is open before, 

 and comes not down below the calf of the leg. Their Girdle is not ty'd faft, 

 but hangs carelefly : their Sleeves are alfo clofe to their arms, and reach to their 

 wrifts. Upon their heads they wear a little Bonnet rais'd like a little fpire, and 

 adorn'd with pretious Stones, according to their Quality i from which Bonnet 

 falls a veil behind, which is very graceful". They wear Breeches lifie the men, 

 and their Shooes are almoft like theirs. The Women of Ormus wear only a fin- 

 '.gle pair of Breeches with a fhift over them. The Armenian Women wear 

 1- , a little Jufticoar without fleeves, and upon their heads, a fine Linnen- 

 Coit v 'd under their chins. Their hair is gather'd into a long trefs, to which 

 they lumttimes add more, which is falle, to make a long lock that is done 



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