.244 The Persian Travels Book V, 



After that, the fame woman can never return to her Husband again. 



The Children derive their Nobility from the Father, whither he be born of a 

 Slave, or an Amoutba, or a Legitimate wife. The Nobility of the Ferons which 

 is call'd Negabet, is founded upon their being defcended from Mahomet. They 

 who claim that extraction, have the title of Mir or Prince : and their Daughters 

 carry the appellation of Mima or Princefs. They are very numerous and very 

 poor. But the title of Mir without a good Eftatc or high Employment fignifies 

 little or nothing. 



CHAP. XIX. 

 Of the Death and Burials of the Pcrfians. 



5 T ] 



r Is the Cuftome among the Perfians, that when the Patient lyes very dange- 

 roufly ill, they light feveral fires upon the Terrafs of the Houfe, to give die 

 People notice to pray for him. So foon as the breath is out of his body, the 

 whole houfe rings with cries and lamentations, efpecially of the women who tear 

 their hair, and fhew fuch antick poltures, that a man would think them poffcfs'd. 

 In the midft of their tears they make long repetitions of the worthy actions of the 

 deceas'd , and every foot they fet up a yelling. Then they go and advertize the 

 Cafi 9 that fuch a one is dead ; to whom the C^anlwers Serchoama Salamet-Bafoer. 

 May your head be in fafety. In the mean while he fèals a Licence to the Mour- 

 derchovr, to take the body and warn it in a houfe which is built on purpofe near a 

 running water.After that come a great number of Muullah's, with the Enfigns of 

 the Mofcjuee^ which are long ftaffs like Pikes,at the end whereof are thin plates of 

 Iron and Latten, fo weak that they bend downward with the lead: motion : the 

 bodies of the ftaves being wrapt about with certain pieces of Taftata; Thefe Moul- 

 lahs tear their throats crying out Alla* 'Alla, Alla , repeating nothing elfe, and 

 dancing fometiines upon one foot and fometimes upon another; and becaule they 

 that baul loudeft get the moft money, they put their thumbs in their ears with 

 their fingers upon their cheeks, and tear their throats with all the force they have. 

 The body being wafh'd, the cloaths of the deceas'd belong to the ' Mokrdercbour. 

 When they carry the Beire, it is the cuftome that every one that meets it, prof- 

 fers their moulders to help carry, while the others eafe therafelves ; for which 

 the Kindred of the deceas'd make fome acknowledgment. If he be a perfon of 

 Quality, all his Horfes are bridl'd and faddPd, and others perhaps borrow'd : One 

 carries his Turban, another his Scimitar, another his Bow, another his Arrows, 

 another his Buckler, and whatever elfe is of any ufe to fet forth his Quality and 

 his Courage. The biggeft Church-yard that belongs to Jfpahan, \sCalrefton- 9 

 t-^aM^ jj Ut t h ere } s not one handfome Tomb in Armenians lay a great ftonelweTEfie" 

 grave,and the rich fet up an Arch with four Pillars, under which they eat and drink 

 in the fhade when they vifit the Tombs of their Anceftors. 



Their graves are fix foot long, fix foot deep, and two foot wide, wherein they 

 lay the bodies with their faces turn'd toward Mecca ; and then they fet up two 

 tiles of each fide his face to keep the earth from falling upon it. If he be a rich 

 man, or have been a ftout Souldier, they bury with him his Turbant, Scimitar, 

 Bow and Arrows, and fet Victuals by him ; which part of the hole being made up 

 with brick, the reft is fill'd up with earth. The Moulla's alone return to the 

 houfe of the deceas'd, where they have meat fet before 'em, and are alfb farther 

 pay'd for their finging and bawling. A while after the Kindred coming to vific the 

 Heir, difcourfe him upon the contempt of thei world, tell him that it is butas a 

 Caravan, fbme of which arrive fooner at their journeys end then others. Eight 

 days after the Heir returns their vifits. As for the Grandees they order in their 

 Wills that their bodies fhall be either carry'd to Mecca or Mejhed, 



As well the Perfians as the Turks, believe that as foon as the grave is fill'd, that 

 the two Angels Neguir and Mangaer, revive the dead as far as his waft j ask him 



the 



