'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎12] (41/1024)

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The Persian ‘Travels. Book I
for a Canopy: in the midft whereof is a Chair fet fbr theTarnarriT"
thence has a full view of both fides the Gallery ; with two other Chai W f rom
hand, for two Archbifhops: the other Archbifhops, Monks, and Gueftff^! ^
long Tables. The Meat which they brought us was feveral forts of Pilaw Jj
■'veral Difhes of Fifh, among the reft excellent Trouts. The Pilaw wa« f'
in forty wide Plates, fo well fill’d and fo large, that they were every one as much o
a Man could carry. They were all fet down upon the Ground before thePitri T
who then Pray’d and gave Thanks. Then fix Bifhops with Ladles took out the M ’
out of the great Platters, and putting it into IdTcr, ferv’d both the Tables Em
one had alfo his earthen Pot of Wine, which was very good, and was fill’d up!
when it was empty. The Patriarch and the two Archbilhops eat nothing but r
Eggs, and a few,raw Herbs; no more did the other Archbilhops that fate at the
At the end of theFeaft, aBifhop comes with a Paper and Pen and Ink inh*
Hand, and asks ©f every one what he pleafes to Subfcribc for the Benefit of the
Church} then every one propofing, according to his Devotion, the Bilhop writes
down the Names of the Perfons, and the Sum which they mention *, which he comes
and gathers the nextday. There are forae rich Merchants that will give two ToMm
but the meaneft Servant will give an Or. The Bifhop having done writing, the Ta’
ble was clear’d, and then they brought us Melons and other Fruits. In afhort
while after the Bells rung to Evening Service, andthePeopIe went to Church.
After EveningService the Patriarch fent for me to behold a Combat of
of which there are great ftore in that Country, fome ferving to Till their Ground'
while the Female ones yield ftore of Milk, of which they make Butter and Cheefe ,
and which they mingle with all forts of other Milk: There arc fome of thefe female
Beafts that will give twoand twenty Pintsof Milk aday.
They brought us into a wide Enclofure, to behold the Sport, wherein there
were^eight Bufalo's.' To provoke them oneagainft another, they Ihew them a Red
Cloth, which puts them into fuch a Rage, that there were two that dy*d with the
ftroke of their Horns upon the place, and there were none of the reft which were
not very much lam'd. The Sport being at an end, they bring a great quantity of
Wood, which they pile together on purpofe to fet it on Fire. When the Wood
Was heap dm as big a Pile as they intended, one of the Archbilhops prefen ted ala-
per of white Wax to all the Company, both Matters and Servants, who every
one agreed with him what they (hould give the next day for their Tapers. The
Tapers being lighted, the Patriarch with a Stick like a Biftiop’s Crofier, march’d
before, Tinging an Hymn, attended by all the Perfons both Ecclefiaftica! and Secular,
Ijll they had in that manner walk’d three times about the Pile. When the Pile
C r m u L ishtC< ^ J herewas great ftriving who fhould have the Honour. One
of the Merchants offer d a quantity of Oyl, for Lamps for the Church; another
out-did him, and a third proffer’d more than he; and the Honour of Lightingthe
i? given to him that offer d moft. Immediately upon that every one put out
his laper: For they efteem it a moft precious bufinefs; believing that the lighting
. thofeTapersinaStorm > and throwing it into the Sea, is a prefent Charm
agamftShipwrack. For fay they, The Virgin ATary^ forty days after (he was
brought to Bed, went to Jerufalem with Jofefh and her Son; and going into the
emple met old Simeon^ who taking the Child in his Arms, began to fing the Song,
Jjirdnovp let thy Servant, Ike. the Song being ended, all the People began to cry
that Chrift was born, and topublifti it about the City. Now in regard it was
Night, every one ran out with Torches in their Hands, and fomemade Fires before
their Doors, where Chrift: was to pafs along. This Feftival among the Armenians
is like that of Candlemas-fay and they call it in their Language, Ter en Areche?
Where is the Lord f The Armenians, Mafters and Servants, drank ail Night to make
an end of their Carnival: while the Patriarch was bufie in dreffing up the Church with
its gayeft Ornaments.
1 could not believe there had been fo much Riches in the Chriftian Churches
^derthe Power of the Mahometans. It is not a hundred Years fince this Patriarchal
Church was in a much meaner Condition: Butfincc the great Sha-Ahas put the
Armenians upon Traffick, they have very much enrich’d themfelves: For as they
go'* great Gains} fo they made great Vows, and gave largely to the Church:
, » , wherein