Hamilton’s account of the east indies. 303

blew up and fcorched many of the King’s men, which fo frightened the reft, thatthey turned tail, and fled without ftriking one ftroke, fo Meriweys made an eafy con-queft of the city, and found the King weeping, and deferted by his bafe and treacherouscourtiers. But Meriweys foon put an end to his melancholy, by ordering his head tobe ftruck off, which was forthwith executed, and put on the point of a lance, and car-ried through the city three days fucceflively, as a ipectacle. The prince royal, or theyoung Sophi feeing his father’s affairs in fo wretched a condition, had left the city,and went to Taurus or Teverize before Meriweys came. Meriweys carried himfelfmighty civilly to the citizens, but made the Englilh prisoners, and feized what moneyand goods could be found of theirs, and alfo the Dutch company’s effects, but not theirfervants perfons. It was reported, that the Englifli loft about 6o,oool. and the Dutch 210,000. But the truth of thefe reports are belt known to themfelves.

When the old King had a mind to honour the Englifli factory with a vifit, as I fawin a letter from Mr. Bruce, the company’s agent, that he fometimes did, and one par-ticularly in his agency, he magnifies the honour done to his mailers, above what theDutch could ever obtain. He relates how he and all the factory, great and fmall,were ordered to leave their houfe, and chamber doors and ware-houfes all open, for hisMajefty and his feraglio companions to ramble through, and take fuch things as bellpleafed him and his minions ; and there was a table left in the dining-room, fpreadand furnifhed with the richeft lweet-meats and fruits.

I believe the company was not very ambitious of having many fuch honours con-ferred on them, fince they were obliged to pay for them. And when the King has amind for fo me new concubines, he iffues out orders for all men and youths to departout from their houfes in the ftreet, that he is pleafed to vifit, and to leave all the ladiesin poffeflion till his Majefty furveys them; and the penalty of difobedience is death.He generally makes his progrefs through the Armenian quarters, becaufe the faireftand moft beautiful are amongft their children.

The religion, by law eftablilhed for near eleven ages, is Mahometan, of the feet ofAlii; but the ancient religion was Parfi, or worlhippers of the fun and fire. Thefounder of it was Zoroafter, whom they ftill venerate. About the ninth century of theChriftian sera, the Mahometan zealots, according to the laudable way of fome Chrif-tians, raifed a perfecution againft the Parfis, whole wholefome feverities made manyprofelytes; but fome obftinate rogues, who would not change for a worfe, were law-fully murdered, or obliged to run their country, fo that at prefent there are but fewleft in Perfia, and thofe that are left, are protected by their poverty and habitations,which are in deferts or hills little frequented.

There are vaft numbers of Armenian Chriftians in Perfia, whofe religion is tole-rated.. Their former country of Armenia is now the province of Erivan . There aremany fubftantial merchants of. Armenians , who inhabit Julfar, a town near Ifpahan, andthev fend faftors all over India to carry on trade; and fome come to Europe on thatfame account..

The Mahometans in Perfia, to encourage profelytes to their religion, have a law,that if a fon of an Armenian turns Mahometan, all the father’s eftate becomes his,and all who continue Chriftians are excluded, which fometimes makes great divifionsand alterations in a family.

In baptifm they immerfe, but do not fprinkle. The prieft muft officiate in his facer-dotal garb, with a crown on his head, and muft have two afliftants in holy veftmentsalfo, but without drowns.. Their titulary faint is St. Gregory, of whom they tell many

ftrange