After having passed over this wearisome road in the midst of dangers and across swamps, we arrived at Erzerum, where are to be found many Armenians, for it is a town with a great trade, lying upon the Turkish frontier. There we remained six days.
Good bread and plentiful supplies are found in the town, but the Turks there are dishonest boors ; they examined our baggage with great severity (a common occurrence in this town, one of which all travellers complain). We were able, however, to conceal several presents that we were carrying for the King of Persia. At the end of the six days we left the town and continued our journey. After marching for two days, we came to a fortress built in the rock on the top of high ground; at its foot was a small town called Hassamcala (Hasanqala'h). When we had passed that place, and on the same day, the men of Erzerum examined our baggage a second time, to see if there were no merchandise hidden by us; and although we had very few things, they insisted on our paying customs dues a second time, finishing up by cursing us as they bade us farewell. However, we had made over to an Armenian the swords that we were taking as a present for the King of Persia; we had also confided to him a box in which were the letters of the embassy. This man had taken another route, and overtook us during the night at a place where we were free from the attempts of such-like people.
Next day we continued our march, and after going on for eight days we reached a stream called the Aras, over which one has to cross several times. In the end, by slow degrees, we arrived on Persian territory, where we had the consolation of being both freer and more honoured than in the country we had just left. In due time we came to Erivan, a region which once on a time belonged to the Armenians, and thus there are still a great many of them living there. Erivan is situated just in front of a great mountain called Ararat. They say that it was on this mountain that the Ark of Noah rested. At a distance of some ten leagues from the town the mountain looked as if entirely covered with ice on its summit, and when the sun shone on it, its appearance was splendid. There are many
brooks at the foot of this mountain, and the ground is covered throughout the year with sweet-smelling flowers. The town is enclosed by very thick and strong walls of earth, so that cannon would not be able to do as much damage as they would on a wall of stone, the reason being that the stones fracture while the earth does not. The country round is fresh, fertile, delicious, abounding in oil and fruit. We halted for ten days.
We drew up at a spot near Erivan, whence the Armenians who were with us went to inform the Cam (Khari) } or governor of the place, that an ambassador had come from the King of England, Charles II., son of King Charles I., and was on his way to the King of Persia. On receiving this information the Khan sent at once to compliment him on his arrival, and invited him to enter the town. On the following day, according to the usage in regard to all ambassadors who come to the King of Persia, we were well received in the greatest pomp by the governor, who gave a banquet, and presented to the ambassador four horses and several pieces of silk. Then he issued orders that every day our wants were to be carefully attended to ; we and our animals were to be fed plentifully. We remained in this place ten days, receiving numerous visits and passing our time agreeably, the pleasure being enhanced by seeing ourselves in a land of plenty, and in the midst of a people more polite than those we had just left behind. When we were ready to make a start, the governor sent a horseman and several armed men on foot to accompany us, as it is the habit to do for all ambassadors. These men go on ahead and get ready whatever is required for food and repose in the villages. Thus we were relieved of all trouble and exertion.
At the end of five days we arrived with our followers at the town of Tauris (Tabriz). This town is the same as the ancient Ecbatana, built by Arfaxad, King of
the Medes, as may be read in the Book of Judith chapter i. At present it is inhabited by people of various nationalities : there are many Armenian merchants ; many carpets are manufactured, and also pieces of silk, velvet, and brocade. Although the governor was not actually present in the town, having gone to one of the provinces, my lord was acknowledged as an ambassador, and treated as is the custom for such. We dwelt for some thirty days in this place, where we equipped ourselves and got ready new clothes to be worn on our arrival at the court of the King of Persia. He was then at Casbin (Qazwin). We were forced to have new clothes, those we had being of Turkish pattern.
Before entering the town I noticed an open place where stood two pillars which marked the distance that a stick had been thrown by Sultan Morad (Murad) the Grand Signer, when he came to take Tabriz. But it seems almost impossible that a man should be able to throw a stick so far. I noticed also that the town is fairly large, surrounded by gardens which contain fine trees yielding good fruit. There are many mulberry trees, so that they have much silk, of which they make various kinds of stuff.
At the end of thirty days we started again, accompanied as before, and with the same retinue. As we went along, I saw that the land did not produce so many trees, nor was water so plentiful as in Turkey ; for in Persia they are forced in many places to bring water from a great distance through underground channels. They make big holes to see if there is running water underneath, and whether it is sufficient. In the open country there are certain dry plants on which the sheep subsist and grow fat. They have very long and broad tails from which much fat is obtained, and their wool is excellent. The skins of these sheep are very soft, and the wool curly; it is usual to make fur coats from them, and also hats. I have also noticed in Persia that there
is no firewood, and in place of it they burn cow-dung, also the droppings of camels, horses, asses, and sheep.
HOW WE WERE SENT FOR TWICE TO THE ROYAL PALACE AT QAZW!N
At the end of thirteen days we arrived at the city of Qazwin, where the king, Xaabas (Shah 'Abbas), was. We were conducted to a house made ready for the purpose ; and after three days a captain came, accompanied by several cavalry soldiers, to visit the ambassador on behalf of the chief ministers of the king. He presented congratulations on our arrival, with many compliments and offers of service. Subsequently the ambassador paid a visit to the chief minister, called Etmadolat ('Azamat-ud-daulah), which means ''Modesty of Wealth," by whom he was well received with many polite speeches and compliments, in which the Persians are never wanting. Between them there was much conversation in the Turkish language, the chief object of which was directed to finding out what presents we had brought for the King of Persia; secondly, to know the ambassador's rank, so that the proper honours might be paid to his person. Hearing from the Armenians that he (Bellomont) was of a great family, 'Azamat-ud-daulah sent to Smyrna to obtain information whether or not he were of the great family that he claimed to be. Meanwhile, after eight days from our arrival, we were sent for to the royal palace, into which we went through numerous gates, ending in a large courtyard, in the midst of which stood two beautiful trees full of shade. Beneath them were two lions fastened with heavy golden chains; before each lion was a large golden basin full of water. Also below each tree stood a well-dressed man with long moustachios reaching to his shoulders, in his hand a short spear all of gold, with his face turned towards the royal
seat. We wont on our way, and next came to an open liall, which hatl t\
An horn allerwaids the king ai lived in great state, wlieieupon .ill iosc to then led, and ctosscd their hands on their breasts, and made a how with lowered heads. This, tOO, was (lone by the ambassador, SCCing that this Was the CUStoiu o! that eourt. Then, approaching the king, he delivered to him the letter, winch the king took with his own hand, ami placed in that of the chief minister, who stood at his side.
The king seated himself in his place, and the master of ceremonies, who was close to the ambassador, pointed out to him his place, which was the lifth on the right hand. He was to sit there. On taking his
<
br /> seat he picsented a hi east plate, a headpiece (lIMW and sword mountings, all ot tine work made at Paris. All these were accepted by the king, who looked at
thr amhassadoi \ilh a pleased tace, saying to him
that he was delighted at his coming. All this was spoken through an interpreter, an Armenian, who
Was in our employ. Then he asked after the health ot the King ot Kngl.md, inquiring it he had any
brothers, if he were married, how old he was, and
whether he- was loved by his people. To all these questions the ambassador replied ; and after the lapse 4 ot one hour the king rose, saying to the ambassador that he .should take lesi and ireoxei horn his fatigues. Meanwhile he torwaided to Kspahao (Isfahan) the
letter brought by the ambassador m order to have
it translated by a I'apuchiu trial named Kiev Raphael Pumaiis, well acquainted with the I'm kish and 1 Yi siau languages, a priest of great nines, loved by the king and all the court.
The letter having been translated, the king sent to the ambassador an imitation to come to Court,
THE SHAH'S BANQUET n
where he gave him a banquet at his own table. It was given in the hall already described, which was decorated with rich brocade and handsome cushions. In the assembly was the king seated in the midst of ten persons. That is to say, on his right hand 'Azamat-ud-daulah, then three of the great officials, and in the fifth place the ambassador, and on his left hand other five men, who were the chief generals then actually present at court.
Below the royal seat, which was raised the height of a foot, there were on each side thirty persons, all men of rank and position.
They placed in front of the king twelve large basins of gold filled with polas (puldo} of various kinds, and four dishes of different roast meats, six porcelain vessels holding various other meats, and several boxes having their covers ornamented with all sorts of precious stones. Each of those who were on the two sides of the king had the half of what the king himself had placed before him, and the sixty who were farther down, away from the king's side, had each of them four basins of pulao. At this banquet wine was absent; and although the king knew how to drink a drop or two, on this occasion he refrained as a matter of dignity. When the first course was finished, the second was brought, consisting of much fruit and numerous sweet dishes.
The reader will be pleased to learn what puldo means. Puldo is rice cooked with many spices: cloves, cinnamon, mace, pimento, cardamoms, ginger, saffron, raisins, and almonds, to which is added the flesh of sheep, or fowls, or goats, and the whole dressed with plenty of butter. They make these puldos of many sorts and of different flavours.
When the feast had ended, the king rose and said to the ambassador that he might start for the city of Isfahan, for which he himself would set out in a few days. This sending off of milord was because they were waiting for the answer from Smyrna, whether
it was true that he had been sent as an ambassador by the King of England, Charles II., and whether he was of the rank that he claimed. At the end of six months the answer came, as I shall mention presently. Meanwhile we had spent fifty days in this city of Qazwin, and every day there came to us food in abundance for every one of our people, with sufficient wine, and whatever was necessary for our animals.
The city of Qazwin stands in the midst of several mountains; it has sufficient water, many gardens, and much fruit, a fitting place for the holiday resort of a king, however great he may be, where he can go out after game, with which the country is well supplied.
We came out of Qazwin to start for Isfahan, and neither at the time of leaving nor during the journey were the accustomed supplies delivered to us. None the less, we managed to make our journey in sufficient comfort, and in twelve days we reached Isfahan, where there was made over to us as a dwelling a large house with a lovely garden. It was the property of the general of the king's artillery, who was then in Qazwin. There we fed ourselves at our own expense.
Finally, at the end of three months, when winter had passed, the king arrived at Isfahan, and we were obliged to leave that house where the general lived, and they made over to us another. After a few days the ambassador sent a message to 'Azamat-ud-daulah that he desired to pay him a visit, but the answer returned was that in these days, the king being newly-arrived, he was very much occupied, and he (the ambassador) must have a little patience, and that notice would be given of the time when they could meet.
Thus matters were kept in suspense till the answer from Smyrna should arrive. Finally, they learnt that without any doubt the Belmont (Lord Bellomont) had
INTERVIEW WITH 'AZAMAT-UD-DAULAH 13
been sent as ambassador, and that he was of the rank that he asserted. Three months after the king's arrival at Isfahan, 'Azamat-ud-daulah sent for the ambassador, and held with him a long conversation. I was present the whole time, quite close to the ambassador, who put me forward as his son.
In the speech he made, he (the ambassador) told how the king, Charles I., was unjustly beheaded by his subjects, who into his place had raised a man of low origin, banishing King Charles II. and his brother James from the kingdom, and persecuting them. He had, therefore, come to His Majesty of Persia to ask for help, in accordance with the friendship which had always existed between the crowns of England and of Persia.
'Azamat-ud-daulah asked in what way could his king give aid such as he required. Then the ambassador replied that he should call to mind the word given long ago by the King of Persia to afford help to the King of Great Britain, should occasion arise. That also he still owed for the expenses incurred by the King of England when he sent a fleet to take the fortress of Orumus (Ormuz) from the hands of the Portuguese, and made it over to Persia. It was also most desirable that he should assist King Charles II. at this conjuncture, by expelling from his dominions all the English who were partisans of the rebellion, and compel them to abandon their trade. By thus doing the praise of the generous acts of the famous Persian king would go through all the world. 'Azamat-ud-daulah, having listened to this reasoning with a solemn countenance, replied with a smile that he would report to the king all that had been said, and would give an answer afterwards. With this ended the interview.
When eight days had elapsed from the visit to the wazir the ambassador was invited to a grand banquet in a beautiful palace that the king had recently com-
14 HOW WE WENT A THIRD TIME TO COURT
pleted. At its gateway stood the large and handsome cannon which were captured at Ormuz. They were near a large reservoir of nice appearance and very pleasant. At this second feast which the king gave him, the ambassador was treated with great honours in deference to his embassy, 'Azamat-ud-daulah and a number of officers proceeding to the gates of the palace to meet him, and continuing in his suite until he arrived before the king. The latter caused his guest to be seated in the second place — that is to say, 'Azamat-ud-daulah came first, then the ambassador, then three of the king's officers; there being on the left hand five other persons, the greatest of the generals. The seat was larger than in Qazwin, with greater richness, and the room more beautiful. In it were sundry officials and captains, who stood.
There was not much conversation. The king only asked the ambassador whether the climate of Persia suited him; to which the ambassador replied that, after all, the climate of Persia had much resemblance to that of England, by reason of the frosts and snows that it had. I was standing behind the ambassador, and the king asked who I was. The ambassador answered that he looked upon me as his son. The king said to him that if he chose to make me over to him he would treat me very well, and thus there would be a memorial of him left at the court. The ambassador said that if I were in reality his son he would make me over to His Majesty, but as my parents had placed me in his care, he could not part with me.
This was the conversation that we had until, after one hour had passed, the table was laid ; it was much more imposing and more highly adorned than the one at Qazwin. The place wher
e the king was seated was larger, and the carpets of greater value and more beautiful. The king's whole table vessels were of gold, with covers having handles ornamented with
precious stones. In the lower seats were on each side fifty men, all nobles, including a few men of learning. Among these the king ordered me to take my seat. Each person had four plates full of pulao, also various dishes of roast and fried meat, and some of pickles. I noticed that all these men were of large frame, tall, and well made, with huge moustachios which some of them had twisted round their ears, so that they might not fall on their shoulders. All were well clad in rich stuffs, and wore enormous turbans. Many of them ate voraciously.
The first course being finished, they set before us the second, consisting of a great quantity of fruit, which in Isfahan is very plentiful. This course lasted two hours, and at the end of it the king rose and entered the female apartments. 'Azamat-ud-daulah conducted the ambassador to the end of the room, holding him by the hand, saying that nothing should be wanting on his part to do him service, with many amicable speeches, in which this kind of people are never deficient.
Some days elapsed after the above invitation, when 'Azamat-ud-daulah sent to the ambassador from the king fifty pieces of gold and silver brocade, velvet, and various-coloured silk, four pairs of handsome carpets, and 2,000 patacas, which arrived just at the right time ; for the ambassador had run into debt with certain Armenian merchants, and with this money he paid his debt. After a very few days the ambassador went to the house of 'Azamat-ud-daulah, where he remained a long time in consultation, the subject being the following:
A Pepys of Mongul India (1653-1708) Page 2
