'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.' [‎172] (213/1024)

2 The Persian Travels Book IV.
they dip theCrofs in the Water three times, and-every time they drop
upon if. After that they ufe the ordinary form of Baptifm, which being d 0Re
the Arch-bilhop or the Minifter plunges the Infant in the River or Pond three
faying the ufual words, I Baptife, &c. and the fame anointings as before; thcuoi;
itfeems a wonder to me that the extremity of the weather does not kill the Child,
The King of Perfia is many times prefent at this ceremony when it is perform'd at
Mahan, riding on Horfe-back to the hde of the River with all his Nobility. The
Ceremony being over he goes to Zulpha to the Kelonter s noufc, where there is ^
entertainment prepar’d for him. Neither is there any place in the World whcrea
King tnay be entertain’d with lefs charge than in Perfia. For if any private perron
invite the King, and that His Majefly pleafes to do him that Honour, tisbut forthe
invicer to go to the chief of the Officers, and to carry him twenty ’Tomans, or three
hundred Crowns, and to tell him withall, that the King has promisd to accept ofj
fmall Collation with his Slave. For then the Govephour is oblig’d tofend tothe
Houfe of him that treats the King all things neceflary for the entertauffiicnt. Elfe
it were impoffible to be done, in regard the King eats in nothing but in Gold Plate,
At the end of the Feaft the King is always prefented with fome European Rarity,
not lefs worth than four or five thoufand Crowns. Or if the perfon have no Rarity
to prefent, it fuffices to offer in a Bafon the value in Venetian Ducats of Gold, with
all the fubmiffion imaginable. Befides all this, fome Prefents muft be giv’n toiome
of the Lords and principal Eunuchs of his train * and others fent to the Queen Mo
ther, if living, and to the Sultancfi, his Wives and Sillers. Thus though the enter
tainment may be made with little trouble, yet otherwife it proves fomewhat expen-
five j though the Armenians cfZulpha are well enough able to bear the charge. I
was twice at this Ceremony upon Chriftmas day in Ijpahan. 1 he firfl time I law %
Sefi, and the fecond time Sha-Abas the fecond, who drank both fo hard, thatiti
their Drink they committed thofe crimes that very much flain d their memories:
For Sha-Sefi returning home ftab’d his Wife, the Mother ofS ha-Abas .Sha-Abas ano
ther time returning home in drink, would needs drink on, and force three wo
men to«etrink with him ■> who finding he would not give over, Role out of his Com
pany. The King perceiving them gone without taking leave, in a mad humourfent
his Eunuchs for them, and caus’d them to be thrown into the Fire, where the
poor women were burnt * for there is no refitting nor examining the Kings com
mand.
CHAP. X 11.
Of the Marriages of the Armenians.
H E Armenians Marry their Children before either party have fan eadj
other, nay before the Fathers or Brothers know any thing of it. ti
they whom they intend to Marry muft agree to what their Fathers ci
Parents command them. When the Mothers have agreed anjongmeni*
felves, they tell their Husbands, who approve what they have done. Upon t is
Approbation, the Mother of the Boy, with two old Women and a ^ rl p. corl J e
the Houfe where the Mother of the Daughter lives, and prefent her a Kjng ro
him whom they intend to betroth. The Boy appears afterwards, and t e 1
reads fomething out of the Gofpel as a bkfling upon both parties j after wmc j
give him a fum of Money according to the quality of the Father of the Gir • ^
done, they prefent the company with drink, and this is call’d a betrothing nr
ancing. Sometimes they agree a Marriage when the Children are not ^ onc
three years old •, fometimes two women that are friends being both with Gni a ^
time together, will make a match between the two Children before they are ’,
the one be a Boy and the other a Girl. So focn as they are born the Contra ts ^
and when once the Boy has giv’n the Ring, though it be twenty y ea £? a a
they are Many’d, he is bound every year upon Eafter-day to fend hw 1
new Habit with all the trimming belonging to it according to her quality ^