'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.' [‎22] (55/1024)

The Persian Travels Book!
from one fide to the other: and the Foot of every Pillar, which .s of white Mmble,
is hollow’d into little Niches equal with the Floor, where the People put their
Shooes when they go farther to their Devotions. The infide of the Wal! s , s
varnifh’d in Squares of ieveral Colours, with Flowers, Cifers, and M.on Letters
intermix’d, and wrought in Embot’d work, fo well panted fo well gilded
that it feems to be but one piece of Work, cut out with a pair of Sciffars. From this
Duomo you pafs to another Idler, but more beautiful in its kind. The lower
pait is of tranfparent white Stone, of the fame nature with that in the Front, cut
in great Panes like a Door that never opens. This Duomo has no Pillars, but eight
Foot high, it is all of white Marble, where are to be feen Stones of a prodigious
length and bredth -. The infide of the Vault is a violet Enamel, painted with aU
forts of Flowers in Flat-work, buttheoutfideof both the Duomo sis cover d with
varnilh’d Brick-work, and Flowers enabofs’d ji la Morefqae. Upon the nrft the
Flowers are black upon green, upon the fecond, white Stars upon black: which
diverfity of Colours is very pleafingto the Eye.
Near the Door out of which you enter into the lefier Duomo, on the left hand,
Hands a Chair of Walnut-tree curioufly carv’d, and fatten’d to the Wall, itftands
upon a Platform rais’d fix fteps high, without any Canopy. On the right hand
Hands another Chair of the fame Wood, and an exquifite piece of Werkmanfhip ;
with a kind of State over it 01 the fame Wood, fatten d to the a . There is
a little Rail about it, and the Platform is four fteps high. On^ the South fide ot
the Mofquee there are two white tranlparent Stones, which when the Sun (hines
Upon them look red: And fometimes after the Sun is fet, you may read at thole
Stones by the refte&ionof the Sun beams. . ' r ,
Juft againft the Mofque^on the other fide is another Front, which is the only
Remain of a ruin’d Building. It was the abode of the She dolman, or the Chief Prieft,
There had been large Baths which belonged to it , but they are all deftroy’dy
fome others there were of lefs note, which are not lookt after.
In the great Piazza of Tanris ar\d in the parts adjoyning, ftands a fair Mofquee,
aColiedge, and a Caftle, which fall to decay, thefe Buildings being forfakeny
by reafon they were made ufe of by the Sounm's, which were followers of Onw.
Near the fame Church is a ruin’d Church of the whither'lhey %
St. Helena fentthe trueCrofs. There is another Molquee, which was formerly s
Church dedicated to St.John Baptift, where they fay one of his Hands was pre*
ferv’d a long time. . '
The Capuchins have a very convenient Houfe at Tauris •, for Mima-Ibrahim Go-
Vernour of the Province, whole credit is equal to the Kan of Taunt > which is the
chiefeft Command in Per favours him very much with his proteftion. This
Governour has made hirafelf very confiderabie at Court, and very much refpeacd
by the King for his indefatigable pains, and his extraordinary agility in augmenting
the King’s Revenue: having found out fuch ways for that purpofe, as never entred
into the thoughts of any that preceded him in the the fame Employment. He is very
curious to learn all the Noble Sciences, which is a quality very rare among the Per-
fans : He alfo takes great delight in the Mathematicks and Philofophy, diicourfmg
often with Gabriel de Chinon, Governour of the Capuchins Govent in Kauris. But
the great defire which Mirz.a-Ibrahitnh^dy to have his two Sons taught by the fd
Gabrielj was the chief motive that made him fo favourable to that Covent. He
bought the Friers a place to build their Houfe, and liberally furnifti d them for the
Expence of the Work*
When the Sun fets and rifes, there are a certain Company of People, who are
oblig’d to make a hideous noife with Drums and Trumpets in the Meidan, or great
Piazza of the City. They ftand upon one fide of the Piazza in a Gallery fomewhat
rais’d, which is a Cuftom obfe^v’d in all the Cities under the Per fan Government.
As you go out of Tauris upon the North-fide, there is a Mountain cloie by?
there being only the River between it. The name of it is Einali-Zeinali y and rot'
merly there ftood upon the top of it a fair Hermitage of the Armenians, which t e
Mahometans have converted into a Mofquee. At the bottom of the Mountain
ftands a Fortrefs and a Mofquee, which they let go to mine, becaufe they were m
by the Ottomans. A little farther upon the brink of the Precipice ftands a - ona-
ftcry, near to which are two Caves, where are certain Sepulchers and Marble m ^