'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.' [‎220] (253/1024)

The Persian Travels Book V.
he order’d their eyes to be digg’d out of their heads, Sha-Sefs ci ueity went
yet farther, for he fpar’d not his FJdeft Son Sba-Abbiifi, the lawful Heir to
his Throne, ordering one of his Eunuchs to move an Iren before his eyes, roman
being able to tell the reafon. But the Eunuch com paihonanng the your g Prince, did
indeed move an Iron, but not a red hot Iron before-his Eyes a ”d teaching him
to counterfeit himfelf blind, prefervM his light till his Father lay upon his
death-bed : at which time his Father was very peamertt, for having put out the
eyes of his Eldeft Son, to whom the Throne of right belong’d. The Eunuch
feeing the King fo fadly afflided and ready to give up the ghoff a Far’d him
that he would rellore the Prince to his fight, and to comfort Him at his death,
brought the Prince with perfe6t eyes to the bed fide. The light of which pro’
long'd the Kings life till next day •, and gave him time to command all the Gran
dees of the Court to obey Sha-Abbjs his Eideft Son, as his lawful Suecdfor and
their King.
But to return to thefe blind Princes There were fevcral at Ifpahan when I was
there: and I knew one particularly j who is ftiil alive, and is a perion of ex
cellent natural parts, As blind as he is, he is a great lover of Curiofuics, and has
built him a Houfe in Ifpaban, which is worthy a mans light. He is overjoy’d
when any perfon brings him any rarities out of Europe, feeling them in his
hands, and cauling his Eunuchs, which are very apprehenliye, to tdi him the
meaning of every thing. He is a great admirer of Clock-work and Watches,
and can tell by his finger when a Watch is right in the Cafe. Jo know what
a Clock it is, he has little points fet up in the Dial-plate, and a half hand, to
the end he may not be deceiv’d which part of the hand points to the
hour. By means of certain figures which he makes of folt wax, and fets in or
der upon a Table, he will caft up an accompt very exaftly. Several other good
qualities I admir’d in him *, and it griev’d me to fee a man reduc’d to that
miferable Condition, only becaufe he was of the blood Royal of Per*
fia.
Though the Employments of the Kingdom generally fall from Father to Son,
yet the King il he pleales may bequeath the Governments of Provinces or any
other dignities to any of his Goulami which are his Slaves, if he find-them ca
pable, and thinks they may be fit for his fervice. The Father to leave the Em
ployment to his Family, labours by degrees to introduce his Son, and to obtain
the Survivorlhip for him. But if the Father dye, and leaves the Survivorfhip to
an Infant, there is generally a perfon of Age and Experience fent along with him,
Some there are alfo that obtain employments by prefenting the Favourites at
Court.
The State of Per/J* is diftinguilh’d like moft of the European States, in to three
Bodies. Thefirft is thatof the Sword, which anfwers to the Nobility, and com
prehends the Kings houlholdj the Kans^ and all the Souldiery. The fecond is that
of the Quill, comprehending all thole that belong to the Law and the Courts of
juft ices. The third is compos’d of Merchants, Handicrafts-men and La
bourers. 1 /
CHAP*