'Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan: interwoven with such remarkable occurrences as hapned in those parts during these later times. As also, many other rich and famous kingdoms in the oriental India, with the isles adjacent. Severally relating their religion, language, customs and habit: as also proper observations concerning them.' [‎215] (236/448)

Mahomet Ally-beg
After thirty days ftay in Caz,byn> about the midft of Jdv we willinelv^Tf^r n
to the P-/- Court. But e're we go far let mc give ^
his reward, that others may know him. His Rirt-h ninr^ v w • // ^ 11 Ir i enc i
figuifies to fruftifie, ) his ^ Sh 4T
thc Mackave/Uan Motto verified, Tfiat a drachm of good Fortune is bearer than a pound
of Vertue. In a happy minute jMbasby accident calling his eye upon him. Maefck in-
Mon it had it feeins •, for from a very mean condition he was called to Court robed
in gold, and quickly made the Magnet of Pcrfia. So that we fee there h no Soul fo
bale, but is capable in fome degree of exalted Vertue; as appears in this exampk: For bv
being a Favourite he quickly became^^w^m ocdt .-and of fuch reputation that he was
ackowledged the dolof the time^intruftedby theKing, andjn a flirt fpaa acquate
ed not onely with the Intrigues of State, but quickly learned to fteer the Helm ofX'
fia His yearly m-comeat our being there by many was eftimated ^^^&upwards
of looooo pounds Sterling: which may well be, feeing fcarce any Mir*a Cawn Sultan
oMrheg that depended on the Pot-jhaugh's fmiles, but in an awftl complement had no
other way to make him their Friend but by forae annual pifcalh or other. His Wealth and
Favour with the King made him vain-glorious, and with delight beheld himfelf in a faiTe
glafs,which reprefented him much greater than he was: An humour (as one well obfer ves)
fo poyfonous, that it ufually fwells the bladder of Vanity with fo much wind of Amb
tion as makes Men conceive they lhall evermore be Fortune's darling; But Fortune not
feldom in fport, like the Eagle with the Tortoife, raifes them aloft, on purpofe to make
their defcent the greater A Favourite therefore in the height of his profperity, ought
in prudence to contemplate his flippery ftanding and how that Fortune is in nothfng
fo conftant as Inconftancy. His prefence was comely ^ his countenance pleafant, made
the more amiable by many complemental fmiles: He was of a big full Body; large eves
and nofe be had, and muftachoes in excefs: at this time aged about forty, a third of
which he had been Fortune's Minion. But no fooner was old Ahhas by impartial Death
ftruck from the Helm of Perfia, and young Soffee made the Royal Steer-man, when
met s fupercihous looks were humbled; yea, his fplendor (in the fetting of his Mailer)
quickly darkned: fo as we fee that true which fayes, That ordinarily Advancement and
Honour change Mens minds from better to worfe; Solm Fejpafianus ( fayes the Hiftorian)
mutatm inmcluu. For Mahomet-Jlly-beg his imperious difpolition and avarice heaped
moft Mens contempt upon him, infomuch as any now dares brand him with becoming
Epithctes ; and his Eftate being fo valt, the very weight threatned to prels him to ruin
In this we alfo fee. That Vertue is the beft bafis for Nobility; An ornament that
gives Princes Courts the heft luftre •, albeit Favourites and great Officers feldom trace
her fteps, as if inglorious-, but fuch rather as fiiit with their ambition, and have a
tendency to delight and advantage. This makes the People figh, beholding the wicked in
authority. Proverbs 29.2. Of all others the moll affrighted him when
he darted him frowns of death: But ( mnfemper fertet a black mill
of unexpeded deftrudion fuming from young brows (of the right Hock) fent
Emangoly firll to an untimely grave,and foon after the BegMeghk Son to bear him com-
panv: neither to be defcended of loval and Prinrphr Qjrpc Tr\ IriTrfj ALU*,, ^,,^-1, _c
• i , j o-- — -—- aus ouu lu uchi iiim com
pany: neither to be defcended of loyal and Princely Sires, to have Abbas his Oath of
fafety, to be Protedor of Perfia during the nonage of the Infant-King, tohavefamou-
fed the Crown by many heroick femces, nor to be Emangoly-cawn could repel the deadly
fhaft of jeaioufie*, but in the meridian of his courfe and glory, in the extreme of his
hopes, and when fo long a fare-well was lead thought on, he and his are hewn down,
making good that of the Satyric Poetj jidgenerum Cereris fine cade & imlnere pauci Defcerf"
dmt Tyrami ; His pride amongftthe Natives, perfidy to the Englijh, his cruelty at
in Arabia, crying for revenge. In which examples we fee fulfilled. That as nothing
is more proud, fo nothing is more miferable than Man. Whiles Mahomet-Ally-beg Ihakes
off his rags of difcontent, and afrefti ingratiates himfelf ^ at this day moving in a fphere
of greatnefs.
Abbas the Per fan Emperour was of ftature low, of a quick afped, his eyes fmall
and flaming, without any falpebra or hair over them: he had a low forehead, but a
high and hawked nofe, fharp chin, and after the mode of Perfa was upon the chin
beardlefs ^ his muftachoes were exceeding long and thick, and turned downwards. He
was born in the Year of Mahomet 038. King of Hery fifty Years, Emperour of Perfia,&c:
forty three, died aged feventy in the Year of our account 1628. of their <ty£ra 1008.
in CazJaeen. His Heart, Powels and Carcafs were parted and buried in Ally-Mofched, in
Cazhyn ) in Ardaveil, or at Coom fome fay; fo as few it feems know the certainty of this
diftribution.
The