'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.' [‎160] (201/1024)

71* Persi
ftraneers, and never ftining out of their houfes. There are fome Armenians fp^
Italian and French, as having learnt it In Europe.
There are in Zulpba fifteen or fixteen Churches and Chappels of the Armenian,
among which you arc to count two Nunneries for Women. There are in 7 ^
Artin.Ftms, Carmelites, and Capuchins, and in Zulpha fusts. 1 he >/^ that
came laft have but alittle Houfe, but to make them amends they have a large Garden,
Though the number of the Religious Teachers is far greater then the number of
Hearefs: for in all Ifpahan and Zulpha, take the Franks that come out of or
born in Perfia, as well Men as Women, there are not fix hundred perfons that profef s
the Catholick Religion. As for the Armenians, they are fo obftinately fix’d to their
own Religion, that they will hear of no other -, and nothing but Money has fotne.
times caus’d them to feign the embracing of another. Friar Ambrofe a Capuchin (hid
awhi eat Zulpba, to whom feveral of the principal Armenians came to School t 0
learn 1 French, in hopes of eftablifiiing a Trade with France. But the Amenm
Archbifhop and Bilhops fearing left the Children fhould be infeded with fome other
Religion,excommunicated all Fathers that fent their Children to School.And finding
that they little regarded the Excommunication, they (hut up the Church doors, and
ftir’d up the People againft the Religious Franks h fo that Father Ambrofe was forc’d
to leave Pcr^, and retire to _
Moreover there are in Ifpahan both Jews and Indian Idolaters. Nor are the Jv?,
fo referable and beggarly, as they feem to be;they intrude, according tocuftonynto
all Bufinefs •> fo that if any has a mind to buy or fell any rich Jewel, he need do no
more but fpeak to them. In the Reign of Sba-Abas, the Athemadoulet perfected then)
fo grievouily, that either by force or by cunning he caus’d them to turn Mabometm
but the King undemanding that only power and fear had conftrain’d them to turn,
fufter’d them to refume their own Religion, and to live in quiet.
There are about ten or twelve thoufand Banians in Ifpahan,whoate known by their
yellow Complexions,or rather by a yellow Mark made with Saffron upon the top of
their Foreheads. Their Turbants are lefs than ufual, and their Shoes are almoiilike
ours, embroider’d with Mowers a-top. They are all Bankers, and very knowing in
Money. The greateft part of the Money of the principal Money’d men of Ifskn
is in their hands for improvement fake. So that if you want a confiderableSum,yoii
may have it the next day upon good Security,and paying a fevere Intereft,which thofc
Banians will fqueez up fometimes to iS per Cent. But if it be not very privately
exacted and paid, the Law of Mahomet, which forbids the taking of Intereft, lays
hold upon the whole Sum, andconfifeatesit every Penny.
C H A P. VII.
' '' • ' • *> ^ '
Of the Religion of the Perfians Feafi
Huffein, and the Gamtl-Feaft.
T H E difference among the Mahometans, doth not confift in thfc different
Explanations which they put upon the Alcorans but in the feveral Opi
nions which they hold concerning the firft Succdlbrs of Mahomet, from
which have aris’n two particular Sedfs entirely oppofite i the Se&
the Smnis, and the Se6t of the Schiais.
The firft, wfio are of the Turkijh belief, maintain that Abm-bakgr fucceeded im
mediately to Mahomet, as his Vicar or Vicegerent *, tohim 0 »wri to Omar OfjnM
to Ofman Mortuz- Aliy Nephew and Son-in-law to Mahomet by Marriage of nis
Daughter. Th2it Ofman was Secretary to Mahomet, lyctfon ot Courage, as well
as the other three; and that they were all valiant Souldiers, and great Captains,
who extended their Conquefts more by force of Arms than by Reafon. And thence
it comes that the Smnis will not allow of Difputes, but propagate and maintain
their Religion altogether by force.
The Schiais, who are of the Ferftan belief deteft Abou-baker, Omar, and
Ufurpers to the Succeffion of Mahomet, which only belong’d to HAy, his N e P ^