Book I 



Travels in India. 



with thefe weights they weigh all the Gold and Silver at once, provided it a- 

 mount not to above a hunder'd Tollés. For the Changers have no other weights, 

 but from one Talla to a hunder'd; and a hunder'd TolLSs come to 38 Ounces, 

 21 Deneers, and 8 Grains. As for the Gold and Silver which is not coin'd; 

 if there be much, they effay it ; and having put it to the touch, they bid to 

 the utmoft value to out-vye one another. 



In regard there are fome Merchants that have above fort)' or fifty thou- 

 fand Ducats at a time, the' Indians weigh them with a weight which is juif; 

 the weight, of a hunder'd Ducats, which is alfo mark'd with the Kings Mark;' 

 and if the hundred Ducats weigh lefs than the weights, they put in fb many little 

 lirones till the Scales are even ; and after all is weigh'd, they make good to the 

 Changer the weight of thofe little ftones. But before they weigh thefe Gold- 

 Coins, whether they be Ducats or other Pieces, they put the whole quantity into 

 aCharcoal-fire,till they be red-hot ; and then quench the fire with water,and take 

 thenvout again. This they do to find out them which/are falfe,and to melt off the 

 Wax and Gum,which is cunningly dropt upon them. to make them weigh the more. 

 Butbecaufe there are fome Pieces fb artfully hollow'd and ltopr up again, that you. 

 caimot perceive it,though they have been in the fire,the Changers take the Pieces, 

 and bend thereby which they know whether they are good or no;and thofe which' 

 they fufpecf. they cut in pieces. After they have viewed them all, they refine 

 thole which they do not take to be good, and pay for fo much as proves to be 

 gpod, as for good Ducats. All this Gold they coin into that fort of Money which 

 they call Roupies of Gold ; except thofe Ducats, which are itamp'd only upon 

 one fide, which they fell to the Merchants that come from Tartaïy, and other 

 Northern Parts, as from" the Kingdoms of Bout an y yifen y zvA other remote parts, 

 With thefe Ducats the Women of thofe Countries chiefly adorn themfelves, 

 isnging them upon their Head-attire, and fixing them upon their forheads. As 

 •<Jr the -other Ducats, that have no figures, they are not fo much as enquir'd after 

 :>y the Northern Merchants. 



As for all the other Pieces of Gold, there are great quantities of them fold 1 

 othe Gôldfmiths, to the Gold-wyar-drawers, and in general to all that Work 

 nGold. For if they could put their Metal unmade into Roupies, they would 

 lever coin ; which they can only do at the Coronation of their Kings, to throw " 

 iiîver Roupies among the people ; or to fell them to the Governours of the 

 'fovinces, and other Grandees of the Court, who then want great quantities 

 >f. them to prefent to the new King at his firlt coming to his Throne. For 

 hey have not always Jewels or 'other things rich enough to prefent him, as 

 veil as that time, as at another Feifi val, of which I fhall fpeak in due place, 

 vhèn they weigh the King every year. At fuch times I fay, they are very 

 ;lad of Gold Roupies ; as alfo to prefent to fuch Favourites at the Court, by 

 t'hofe intereft they hope to gain higher Commands, and more confiderable^o- 

 ernments. 



In one of my Travels, I found by experience the vertue of thefe Roupies, of 

 iôjd. Cha-jehan, Father of Orang-t,eb who now reigns, had given to one of the 

 |i .ords of his Court, the Government of the Province of Tata, whereof $fmai, 

 the Metropolis. Now though the very firft year of his Government, there 

 I 'ere very great complaints made againft him, by reafon of the Tyranny which 

 » e._exercifed over his people, and his great extortions, the King fiuferd him 

 ) continue four years, and then recall'd him. All the people of Tata were 

 verjoy'd, believing the King had call'd him away, only to put him to death ; 

 itt it fell out quite otherwife ; for the King carefs'd him, and gave him the 

 iovernment of Halabas, more considerable than that which he had quitted, 

 hjs kind reception, which he had at the Kings hands, proceeded from this, 

 hat before he came to Agra^t had fent before him a prefent of joooo Roupies of 

 jQld, and about 20000 Roupies of Gold more to Begum-Sahcb, who had then 

 he .whole power in her hands ; as alfo to other Ladies and Lords at the 

 >ouçt, to fupport his Reputation. All the Courtiers are very defirous to have, 

 great quantity of Gold ; becaufe it lies in a little room, and then becaufe they 

 ovet, as a great Honour,to leave vaft Sums behind them, to their Wives and Chil- 

 ten^of which' the King muft not know. For as I fhall tell you in another place,' 



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