'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.' [‎20] (339/1024)

Traveh in I
n D i
A.
Part II.
when any great Lord dies, the King is Heir to all his Eftate * his Wife havin
no more then his Jewels. v ®
But to return to our Roupes of Gold v you muft take notice, that they a r
not fo currant among the Merchants. For in regard one of them is not worth
above fourteen Roapef , which make one apd twenty Livres of our Money ar
thirty Sous the Roupe^ and that there are few of thefe Roupks of Gold to b
had, but in the Houfes of Great Men ^ when it falls out that they make any pay!
ment, they will put them at a Rome of Silver, or at lealt at a fourth part of a
Ronpe more than it is worth, which will never turn to the Merchants profit
Cha-Eft-Kan the King’s Uncle, to whom I had fold a parcel of Goods at 5x5000
Roupies, when he came to pay me, ask’d me what Money I would be content to
take, whether Gold or Silver. Before I could return him an anfwer, he added
that if I would leave it to him, I fhould take Gold Routes: Nor did he give 1^
this advice, but becaufehe believ’d it would turn to his advantage : I told him
I would be rul’d by him} thereupon he caus’d his Servants to tell me out fo ma
ny Roupies in Gold, as made up the julb Sum which was due: But he would force
me to take the Ronpie in Gold for fourteen Roupks and an half in Silver, though
among the Merchants they went blit for fourteen. I was not ignorant of it * but
I thought it bqft to receive my Money according to the Prince’s humour, in hopes
he might make me amends another time, either for the whole, or part of what
I might lofe. I let him alone two days, after which I went to him again, and told
him I had tried to put off his Ronpies at the price I had received them; fothat
in the payment of 5)6000 Rottpies^ I had loft 3428 and one 16th. the Ronpieof
Gold which he forc’d me to to take at fourteen Roupits and an half of Silver be
ing worth but fourteen. Thereupou he fell into a paflion, and told me he would
fee as many Lalhes beftow’d upon the Changer, or /MW- Broker Often a local commercial agent in the Gulf who regularly performed duties of intelligence gathering and political representation. , whofe fault fo-
ever it were} that he would teach them to underftand Money} that they were
old Ronpies, and were worth more by a fixteenth part of a Silver Ronpc than
the Roupies which were coin’d at that time. In regard I knew the humour of
the Afmtc Princes, with whom there is no coutefting. I let him fay what he
pleas’d} but when he came to himfelf, and began to put on a fmiling look, I de-
lir’d him that he would be pleas’d to let me return the Summ which I had re*,
ceived, the next day} or elfe that he would be plea’sd to pay me what was want
ing, and that I would take a Roupie at i4and one \6th. lincehe afliir’dme they
were worth fo much. ThePrince for a while gave me a feurvy look, notfo much
as fpeaking one word. At length he ask’d me, whether I had ftill the Pearl, which
he had refus’d to buy. I told him I had, and immediately pull’d it out of my
Bofome, and gave it him. The Pearl was large, and of a good Water, but ill-
fhap’d} which was the reafon he refus’d it before. When I had given it to him,
well, faid he, let us talk no more of what is paft} how much will you have, in
a word, for this Pearl ? ^ I ask’d him feven thoufand Roupies, and indeed rather than
I would have carri’d it into France^ I would have taken three. If I give thee,
laid he, leven thoufand Roupies for this Pearl, I lhall make thee amends for the
lols thou complain ft of in the firft bargain. Come to Morrow, and I will give
thee five thoufand Roupies^ and that’s very fair .* Thou fhalt have alfo a Calaat
and an Horfe. I made my obeyfance to him, and defir’d him to give me aii Horfe
that fhould be young, and fit for fervice, becaufe I had a great journey to take.
The next day he fent me a Robe, a Cloak, two Girdles, and a Cap} which is all
the Apparel that the Princes are wont to give to thofe to whom they intend any
Honour. The Cloak and Robe was of Satin purfled with Gold; the two Girdles
ftrip d with Gold and Silver} the Cap was of Calicut, dy’d into a Flame-colour)
v?ith ftripes of Gold ‘ The Horfe had no Saddle, but was covered with a green
Velvet foot-cloath, edg’d about with a fmall Silver-fringe. The Bridle was very
ftrait, with Silver-ftuds in fame places. I believe the Hprfe had never been
Back d} for fb fbon as I brought him to the //o//^W-Houfe, where I then lodg’d/
a young man got upon his Back} but he was no fboner on, but the Horfe flung
and pranc’d at that rate, that having kick’d down an Hutt that flood in the Court,
he had like to have kill’d the Hollander. Finding that fuch a Refty-Horfe was
not for my turn, I fent him back to Cha-Eft-Kan^ and relating the Story to him,
1 told him I did not believe that he defir’d I fhould return into my Countrey to