'The travels of Sir John Chardin into Persia and the East Indies, through the Black Sea, and the country of Colchis. Containing the author's voyage from Paris to Ispahan. To which is added, the coronation of the present King of Persia, Solyman the III.' [‎88] (511/594)

The Coronation
asaln before he had time to recover his ftrength. For which
reafon he was always pale, and his Body imparted its own
weaknefs to his Mind, and render'd him unht for buimels to
which the Grandeur of his Quality call'd him.
All this while the Des-tth encrciis d at Ifpahuu-y ^nd the poor
people cry'd aloud againft the exceffive price of it. And indeed
there were many caufes of this Scarcity; Firft, the laft years
Harveft did not amount fcarce to the half of what they ex
pelled j for the Locuft had devour'd the Ears. Then the whole
Train of the Court was come all together of a fudden to Ifpahan
before they were expected, lb that they had tak'n no care to lay
in their Stores againft Winter. Moreover, at the King's firft
coming to the Crown, the greateft part of the Officers of the
Empire coming to preient themfelves before Him, and a vaft
number of private perfons crouding together about bufinefs, or
for curiofity, the Multitude of Inhabitants was encreas d to above
half as many again, fo that of neceffity the Price of Provifions
muft be double in Proportion. But the chief Reafon that all
things were fo dear was the bad appearance of the Harveft at
hand, which promis'd no better then the laft year. For in
regard the Harvefts in thefe Climates are generally reap'd in the
Months of June and July, it is eafie to conjedure in March and
Jpril what the year will produce. And therefore the Com
Merchants perceiving that there would be an infallible fcarcity
of all forts of Grain, enhans'd their Prizes, and would not
part with what they had, but ftaid till the Prizes were at the
hiaheft, fo that the probability of a dearth to come caus'd a
prefent Famine. Laftly, the ill Government was in part a great
caufe of the fcarcity, for that the Laws were not obferv'd,and
the Magiftrates neglected their duty, without fear of being pu-
nifli'd. And this was theRealbn that the Mochte/ek y or Chief of the
Government, receiv'd Bribes of thofe that ibid necelfary Pro-
vifions, and therefore to gratifie'em he publifh'd every Week
the Prizes of things as thofe people defir'd j that is to lay, at an
excefllve rate, and three quarters higher then in the time of the
deceas'd King. For we are to obferve, that it is a Cuftom in
Verfta, that every Saturday the Chief Juftice fets the Price of all
Provifions for the Week following, which the Sellers dare not
exceed under great forfeitures. This Knavery then of the
Judge of the City Government, who ftood in no aw of the
fuperiour Government, was the caufe that all things were fold at
double and treble the Rate they ought to have been.
The