'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.' [‎208] (241/1024)

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208 ^ The Persian Travels „ Book V.
^ his Lodging, where he kept a young Neftonan giil^ m the Court of
a young Perfiati, Brother to one of the Kings Porters.^ The Perfian knowing hinT
feU guilty, and furpriz’d to (ce Ralph fo foon return’d, skip’t over the Wall i nt '
the Garden and fled. The next day Ralph (who knew who he was) told his
Brother of it, and defir’d him to fpeak to the young Perfian not to come any m0 re
tohis Houfei for if he did, he muft expedwhat follow’d. J
Some days after, the Embaffadors treated all the Franks ^ when Ralph be
ginning to be warm, call’d the young Perfian to wind^ and flipping home with
out taking his leave, open’d^ the door foftly, and found the young Perfian again
with his Miftrifs. Thereupon Ralph calling his Slaves to help him, bound his
arms, and ty’d him to a Tree in the Court i and fo leaving him xthere, went to
bed. By and by one of Ralph's Servants, who knew the Perfian, fell a jeering him j
which fo incens’d the Perfian^ that behaving his feet at liberty, and the fellow with
in his reach, gave him fuch a kick upon the bottom of his Belly, that he firft fwoon-
ed away, and then dy’d. The other Slaves feeing him fall, waken’d Ralph with
cries, who thereupon fnatching up a Piftol that was charg’d with a brace of Bul
lets, (hot the Perfian into the head. The Perfian being thus flain, Ralph went in
the morning to wind up the Kings Watch i and being ask’d by the King, as he
was wont to do, what news in Ifpahan, told him plainly what he had done and
the reafon why. The King upon his report told him, he had done well according
to the ftri&nefs of the Country.
The Atbemadoulet at that time was Mirza Tahe^ who hated Ralph. For the
Armenian Merchants having prefented the Aihemadoulet with feveral Watches
at a time, it happen’d that once he fent to Ralph about thirty Watches toge
ther to be mended. For which the Athemadoulet^ to gratifie him, and knowing
that he kept four or five Servants, and feven or eight Horfes, Tent him fifteen
or twenty Camels load of Straw and Barley for his Horfes. But R^Tlight-
ing fuch a prefent as that, Go ( faid he to the Athemadoukts Servant J tef th)i
Mafter, that I am neither a Horfe nor an Aft, and therefore let him eat his Prefent him-
felf. Which meflage fo provok’d the Athemadcukt, that he fiudy’d nothing but
revenge.
Thereupon the Athemadculet^ whofe bufinefs it is to attend the King when
he rifes, and to report to him the news of the Town, told him among the
reft, what Ralph had done. The King reply’d, that Ralph had confels’d it to
him already, and that he had pardon’d him, in regard he had reafbmto do as
he did. But the Athemadoulet made anfwer, that Ralph had minc’d the mat
ter •, and reprefen ted the ftory to the King far otherwife than it was, making
the worft of it he could upon Ralph's fides and the more to incite the King,
he put him in mind of the fair occafion he had to force him to turn Muftulman, there
being no way to expiate his crime, but by turning Mahometan, or fufferirg the
Law. ^The King thus over-rbl’d, fent for Ralph, Itold him, he was now better
inform d of the crime he had committed, and that he muft either turn
hemetan or dye. Thereupon the tfing fent him to Prifon. Eight days after,
the King fwho had a great love for him, and therefore troubl’d that he muft
be conftrain d to put him to death, unlefs he would turn Mahmetan,) Tent for
im again, and offer d him two thoufand Tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , after a powerful perfwafion
by words, but all fignify’d nothing. -Upon that he fent him back again to Pri-
fon. But yet remembring that he had once approv’d the fad, he fent for Ralph
a lecond time, and offer’d him ten thoufand Tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , and a Wife out of his
; aram i 'yrt* 1 all her Jewels j which Ralph refus’d, with the fame refolu-
tion as before. The King incens’d at the fiercenefs of his refolution, deliver’d
ti 0 ? *° b, ^ 0 , ther of the P art y flain > execute the Law upon him. The
Holjtem hwbafiadoTs were refolv’d to have beg’d his life j but the^ Athema-
dottlet, fmellmg their defign, would not permit them Audience. However,' the
King commanded all the Franks, and all the Armenian Clergy to be prefent at the
Execution, to fave all his blood, and put him in a Coffin The commanded alfo,
at he mould be buried at Zulpha in the Armenian Church-yard, and have a Tomb
made over him.
¥t»"T hereupon Ralph was led to the Meidan, with that triangular inftrument of
Wood which the Perfians call a Pahnk,, about his neck. This was the
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