‘The perillous and most unhappy voyages of John Struys, through Italy, Greece, Lifeland, Moscovia, Tartary, Media, Persia, East-India, Japan, and other places in Europe, Africa and Asia. Containing, I. Most accurate remarks and observations of the distinct qualities, religion, politie, customs, laws and properties of the inhabitants: II. A due description of the several cities, towns, forts and places of trust, as to their site and strength, fortifications by nature, or art, &c. with other things worthy of note: and III. An exact memorial of the most disastrous calamities which befell the author in those parts (viz) by ship-wrack, robberies, slavery, hunger, tortures, with other incommodities and hardships’ [‎297] (362/470)

C hap .- XXVilf. The Voyages of lohn Struys. " ^
The Pilgrims that Offer any thing here , be it more or lefs have a
Maniple of Confccrated Annife given them, together with a Certifi- i6 7 >.
cat, that they have vifited and ofFe. ed at this Holy Place. This Ticket
or Schedule they call Syaretname, whicii is kept and fhown by the
Party, upon Occafion , who is thereby capable to fervc the Kina;
in certain Offices fuitable tothe Value of what he offered: althothe
Commiflioners fomtimes willing to favour any indigent Perfon,
have the Opportunity to raife their Fortunes by granting them fuch
a Billet, or letting a greater Value upon upon the Offering; fothat
flfere is Cheating as wellinthofeSaCred'Funaions, as in Temporal
Negotiations. . •
The faft Revenues of this Mejchair that arc fettled in the Town of r / ;f
xjirdeyil, is the R,ent of 200 Dwelling Houfes, 9 Hamans , or Hot-
baths, 8 Caraivanferas, the Majdav, wfth all the Buildmgs and Shops
round about ; as alfo the Kayfery , or Exchange, 100 Shops in the
Bafar. The foil and Impofitioris of all Merchandifes whatever. Of
the 5 7 V illages that are within the J urifdidion of Ardchil, 3 jaccrew
to this Sanduary, and 5 in the Province of Serab. In the City labris
it hath 100 Dwelling-Houfes, and the like number of the moft emi
nent Shops in all the Town, and 2 Villages within the J iu'ifdiaion
of the fame. In Cafom are feveral Carat and Baths , as alfo in
Kildn Aftrarath , and Mokan , befides many other Revenues that
are fettled upon it in divers Provinces, which could I have given an
account of, would fall too tedious , and tire the Patience of my Rea
der' fo that it's probable that this incredible Treafure. which from
time to time is accumulated , upon this (^reputed) Sanctuary muft
needs exceed the Royal Trefury it felf, and has alwaies more ready
Money gathered fo from a fuperftitious Zeal, than the King is able
to levy and paralel with all the Impofitions within his Realm and
Dominions.
Befides this famous and moft pompous Royal Sepulchre, ^frde-
hil flouriflies mainly in Traffic and Merchandife, for hither throng
all the Traders of Giftm , Georgia^ Kurdijian and other Countreys-,
Befides the Profit that the Citizens do receive from the continual
concourfe of ftrangcrs.and Pilgrims from Places both neat and remote.
It is alfo a great f horow-fare from the Northern Regions to ifpaaaa
and receivs a confiderable Benefit of Caravans and PafTengers, who
P p eom-