'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.' [‎158] (199/1024)

The Persian Travels BookIV
large City, bdng almdft a League and a half long, and near upon half aSf ,
broad. There are two principal Streets which contain near upon the whole lena^
one whereof has on each Tide a row of Tchinars^ the roots whereof are refreft’dbv
firull Channel of Water, which by a particular order the Armenians bring to l*
City, to water their Gardens. The molt part of the other Streets have alfoaro^r
Trees, and a Channel. And for their Houfes, they are generally better bulk, and
more chearful than thofe of Ifpaban.
Defm- How they came to be fetled here, I have already deferib’d: And now the number
lal ' of Inhabitants is ftrangely increas’d by the accefTion of feveral other Chriftians of
divers Sedfs, as Jacobites, Copbtes, and Nejiorians, who formerly liv’d in the Suburbs
cf Jfpahan. Neither was Sba-Abat fo cruel in tranfplanting the Armenians away
out of their own Countrey, for they were all at that feafon poor labouring men
who knew not at all what belong’d to Trade. Since that time they are groyvn very
rich fo that the Armenians have no caufe to be covetous of the Habitations of their
Ancdicrs. And now I will tell you how they came to be fuch great Proficients in
Trade.
Sha-AbM,who was a man of a great Genius,and a perfon of great undertaking
confidering that Perfia w^s a barren Countrey, where there was little Trade, and by
confequence little Money, rtfolv’d to fend his Subjedfs into Europe with raw Silks
fo to underhand whence the hell profit would arife, to bring Money into his Country
To which purpofe, he ufolv’d to make himfelf Mafter of all the Silk in his own
Country, by purchaiing ithimfelf at a reafonable rate, tax’d by himfelf, and to
reap the gains by his Fadfors: and withal, thought it needfary to feek an Alliance
with the great Kings o£Europe, to engage them on his fide againft the Turk. He
firftfent to the King of France, Henry the Fourth. But he dying before the Am-
baflador arriv’d, anfwer was made the AmbafTador, That if the King of ferfu
had any thing to fay to the King of France Lewis the Thirteenth, he trmft fend a
new Ambaffador, which was never done.
Three or four years after he fent an AmbafTadpr to the King of Spain, accom*
pany’d with a Perfian Merchant of Ifpaban, putting into their hands a confiderable
quantity of Bales of Silk. He alfo fent along with them a Portuguez Auftin-Fm,
to be their Guide and Interpreter. The Perfian Merchant would have fold the
Silks, as was the King’s order, and have bought a Prefent more becoming, But
the Ambaffador over-rul’d by the Friar, refolv’d to prefent the King of Spain with
the Bales of Silk. The Merchant notable to oppofe the Ambaffador, returns home
forthwith to give an account to the King, who approv’d his management. The
Ambaffador proceeds, and coming to the Spanijh Court, prefents his Bales ofSilk
to the King, who ask’d the Ambalfador, whether his Mailer took him fora Woman,
that he had fent him fo many Bales ofSilk to fpin ^ and immediately fent away the
Prefent to his Queen, prefen ting the Ambaffador but very meanly: who thereupon
feeing theErrour he had committed, made haft home - , but upon his return, the
Perfian King having notice of the ill fuccefs of his Negotiation, caus’d his Belly to
be ript op’n in the publtck Market-place.
About fifteen years after, he trufted a conflderable quantity ofSilk with a
Merchant’s Son otIfpaban, and fent him to Venice: who when he came there, took
a {lately Lodging, andfpent his Money at a flrange rate, efpecially among the
Courtif ans •, to maintain whicly expence, he continually fold great quantities of Silk.
The Venetians feeing a private man live fo fplendidly among them, and not believing
fo great a quantity of Goods could belong to one fingie Merchant, but rather
imagining him to be a Factor for feme Company who fuffer’d for his folly, wrote to
all the Portsof the Lezyaw/, and having intelligence who he was, the Senate thought
fjt tofeize his Perfon and his Goods, before he had confum’d all •, at the fame
time giving a civil account to the King of Per ft a, what they had done. To whichthe
Per fun King return’d a moft obliging Anfwer of Thanks, fending withal an intelligent
Perfun Merchant to take an account of what was left, to whom the Venetians were
very pun&ual. As for the Prodigal Perfian, who thought it not his wifelt way to
return into Perfia, what became of him is not material co this Story.
Sha-Ahas by thefe Experiments obferving the little inclination ofhisSubje&to
1 rade, who were naturally addidfed to Pride and Expence, which is no partofa
Merchant’s bufinefs^ caff his Eyes upon the Armenians, men able to endure the
'A labour