'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.' [‎161] (202/1024)

Chap. VII. of Monfieur
Tavernier.
and Son-in-law. They hold that thisfucceilion conhtis in elev 3 n High Prieils defcen-
dants from Haly, who makes the twelfth in this order, i. Haly, Son of Aboutalek
2, Hocefj^ eldeil Son^of Hiili, ^. HuJJein^ his fecond Son, who fuffer'd death in
defence of his Father’s Succeffion. The place where the Sunnis gave him battel
and flew hirb, is call’d Kerbela near to Babylon, and is a holy place in high venera
tion among the Perfianr. 4. Iman-zin-el-Abedin. 5. MabomeUel Bafyr, 6. lafer-
el-Scadek^ who introduc’d the Law into Perfu, that it any Cbriftian, Jew, or Idolater
turn’d Mahometan, he (hould be declar’d general Heir to his Family to the exclufion
of Brothers and Sifters, and that he might allow what, he pleas’d to his Father and
Mother. Whence arofe two mifchiefs,that fome Armenianf,Chri!hans,znd Jews turn'd
Mahumetans, to get the Fftate of the Family, and others turn’d Mahumetans, to keep
their poffdlions. 7. Moufia- Katzem. 8. Hali-el Rez&a, whofe Tomb at Me/bed is sa
highly venerated among thePerftans, as Mahomet's among the Turfy. 9. Mahammet-el*
Mad. 10. Hali-el-Hadi. 1 1. Hocen-el-Aslyri. 12. Mouhemmet el Moithadi Sbaheb-za-
man. The Per funs hold the fame belief as to the laft Iman, as we do of Enoch and
Elias\ which is the reafon that feveral people leave them in their Wills Houfes ready
furnilh’d, Stables full of (lately Horfes, and other neceflTaries for them to make
ufe of when they return to Earth again. They attribute to this Iman the Sirname
of Zahib- zaman, or Lord of Time.
Thefe two Sedfs op Sunnis and Schias over-run the three principal Kingdoms of
India, viz. the Great Mogul's, the King of Golcondts, and the King of Vtfapours.
The firft and laft being Sunnis, that is to fay, both the Kings and Lords of the
Court i for their Subje&s are moft of them Idolaters. Some Schiais there are in the
Courts of both Kings, in regard the Officers of the Army are for the moft part
Perfans, though in outward (hew they may follow the Religion of the Prince.
But the King oPGolconda Koutoub-Sba is a zealous Schiais.
I come now to the Grand Feftivai of the Perfians, which is the famous Feaft of
Hocen and Huffein. ,
Eight days before the Feftivai begins, fome of the more zealous fort black all
their Bodies and their Faces, and go naked in the Streets with only a covering about
their fecret parts. They carry two Flints, one in each hand, which they knock one
againft another, wry thing their Bodies, and making a thoufand antick Faces j and
all the while crying out, Hujfein, Hocen i Hocen, Hujfein \ which they adt and
(peak with fo much.Labour, ’till they foam again at the mouth. In the Evening*
the devout people admit them into their Houfes, and feed them very well. During
thofe days, as foon as the Sun is fet, you (hall fee at the corners where feveral Streets
meet, Pulpits fet up for certain Preachers, who prepare the people that flock to
hear them to the devotion of the Feaft. Now in regard all Ages, and Sexes go,
there is no time in all the year fo favourable for the Women to meet their Gal
lants.
In the year 1 6S’], the third of July, I faw the Feftivai by the favour of theN^r*
who appointed me a place juft againft the Vela where the King fate. This Vela
is a Room built with a jetting upon that fide of the Meidan next the Palace Gate,
one ftory high. Several Pillars fuftain the flat bottom or floor of the Vela, en
rich’d with a Grotefco work of Gold and Azure, in the mid’ft whereof there was a
Fountain that was fill’d with Water by the contrivance of a Pipe. The Stage or
Vela was op’n upon three fides, the longeft fide jetting out upon the Piazza. Upon
the Wall of the oppofite fiie, which was clofe, were to be feen feveral Englijh and
Hollanderjj both men and women pidtur’d with Bottles and Glafles in their hands, as
if they were drinking to one another. Sba-abjs the (econd caus’d this Painting to
be drawn by a Hollander.
About fev’n a Clock in the Morning Sha-Sepbi the (econd, who fince has chang’d
his name to Sha-Soilman the fecond, came and feated himfelfupon his Throne fet up
in the mid ft of the Vela, all his Nobility (landing about him. So foon as he was
late down, the Great Provojl appear’d at the end of the Piazza mounted upon a
tatrHorfe, attended by certain your>g.Lords, who caus’d the People, confiding of
the Companies of the two quarters of the City, which are twelve in all, to ad
vance to the places which were defign’d them. For formerly the Companies would
u nv ?/? r t ^ ie wa Y '» an d therefore the King to prevent diforder, order’d there
ould be a Provojl, or Mafter of the Ceremonies to place them without difturbance.