'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.' [‎50] (721/1024)

The Hiftory of the
the work done *, and finding that the right place and order defigned by him, was not
taken > that, for Example, an Apricock- Tree fiood where an Apple-Tree Ihould hand,
and a Pear-Tree where an Almond-Tree i being heartily angry with the Aftrologer,
caufed all the Trees to be plucked up again, and laid them down, with fome Earth
about them, for next morning, the time chofen by himfelfi The News hereof came
foo'n to the Ears of the Aftrologer, who prefently told Cbab-Abas of it: He forthwith
fent for theGardnerand with fome indignation asked hxmJVbat had made him fo bold,as
to full up thofe Toung Erees be bad planted with bis own hand? That the time had been
fo 'exafily taken for them, that fo good an one would never be had again > and that fo he
had marred all. The rude Gardener, who had a Cup of Chim-Wme in his head,
look’d afide upon the Aftrologer, and grumbling and fwearing, (aid to him thefe words,
Billah, Billah, that mu\\ needs be an admirable point of time whieh thou haji taken for tbefe
Trees, Vnhappy Ajlrologer! They were planted this day Noon, and this Evening they have
been plucked up again. When Chah-Abas hearcj this, he fell a laughing, turned his back
upon the Aftrologer, and went away.
I (hall here add two Particulars, though hapned in the time of Chah-Jeban, becaufe
fuch things fall out often enough, anddo withall give occafion to obferve that ancient
and barbarous cuftom, which makes the Kings of India Heirs of the Goods ot thofe
that die in their Service. The firft was of Neikpam-kan, one of the molt ancient Om-
rabs of the Court, and who for the fpace of 40 or 50 years, wherein he had always
been employ’d in confiderable Offices, had heaped up great ftore of Gold and Silver.
This Lord feeing himfelf near his End, and thinking upon this unreafonable cuftom,
whieh often renders the Wife of a great Man, upon his deceafe, poor and miferable in
an inftant, and neceifitates her to prefent a Petition,begging fome fmall Peniion for her
fubfiftence, and for that of her Children, who are conftrained to lift themfelves for
common Soldiers under fome Omrah, who, I fay, confidering this with himfelt, fecretly
diftributed all his Treafure fo indigent Knights, and poor Widows, filled his Trunks
with old pieces of Iron, old Shoes, Rags and Bones, and locked and fealed them, telling
every body that they were Goods belonging to Cbah-Jeban the King. Thefe Trunks,
after his death, were brought before Chah-Jd>an, when he was in the Aftfembly, and
by his command inftantly opened in the prefence of all xht Omrahs , that faw all this
fine Stuff, which fo provoked and difeompofed Chah- Jehan, that he role in great fury,
and went away.
The other is only a piece of Gallantry. A rich Banean, or Heathen Merchant, being
a great Ufurer, ( as moft of them are ) who had always been in Employment, and in
the Pay of the King, came to dye. Some years after his death, his Son did extremely
importune the Widow, his Mother, to let him have fome Money : She finding him to
be a prodigal and debauched Vouth, gave him as little as (he could. This young fool,
by theperfwafion of others like himfelf, made his Complaints to Chah-Jehan, and was
fo filly, as to difeover to him all the Goods his Father had left, which amounted to
Two hundred thoufand Rupies, or Hundred thoufand Crowns. Chah-Jehan , who
foon got an itch for this Treafure, fent for the Widow, and commanded her in the,
open Affembly to fend him an Hundred thoufand Rupies, and to give Fifty thoufand to
her Son, giving order at the fame time to put her away. The old Woman, though
furprized at this Command, and perplext enough, that fhe was fo fuddenly thruft out,
without the liberty of fpeakin^, yet loft not her judgment, but with a loud voice gave
out, That ffie had fomething of moment to difeover to his Majefty : Whereupon be
ing brought in again, fhe faid, God fave your Majefty j I find that my Son hath fome rea-
fon to demand of me the Goods of his Father, as being of his and my flop and blood, and
therefore our Heir j but I would gladly kpow, what Kindred your Mayfly is to my deceafed
Husband, to be his Heir. When Chah-Jehan heard fo plain a piece of Rallery, and a
difeourfe of Parentage of the King of the Indies, with a She- Banian Merchant of Indian extraction. , or Idolatrous
She-Merchant, he could not hold laughing, and commanded fhe fhould be gone , and
that nothing fhould be asked of her.
But to return,! fhall not relate all the other confiderable things that have happened
fince the end of the War, that is, fince 1660. unto my departure, which was above b*
years aft- r s though doubtlefs that would tend much to the defign I had in relating the
other Particulars, which is, to make known the Genius and Temper of the Mogols and
Indians. This I may do in another place : Here l fhall only give an Account of five °r
fix Particulars, which thofe that fhall have read this Relation,will doubtlefs be curiou^o.