'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.' [‎114] (537/594)

The Coronation o
J^ourrourks concinu'd in all the parts round about
the Prince caus'd all the handfom women to be taken up, i nd
brought to his
One day the Queen Mother had a dclire to fee the Fortrefs of
the City, where are kept all the Curiofities and rarities belong
ing to the prefent Monarch, and his Anceftors, whether Pre-
fents, or Purchas'd, or Trophies of their Conquefts. To
Which purpofe fhe perfuaded her Son to carry her thither j fo
that there was a J^ourrouk proclaim'd all over one pare of the
City, which was never known, or at leaft never rernembred by
any body then alive.
Now it haepn'd that one time, as the King was thus fporting
himfelf abroad with his Wives, an Accident/ell out, that ren-
der'd 'em ftill more unfupportable to the People. His Majefty
at that time lay in the Fields without I/pah an, under Tents, in
Harveft time, when the flieaves lay heap'd up one upon another
in the Grounds, and as he was one that greatly delighted in -
Fireworks,fome flying Rockets were prefented him one Evening
of an extraordinary weight ( for there are fome that weigh forty
pounds )of which he order'd a trial to be made. But their
extraordinary weight hindering the Ma/fie Squib from mount
ing diredly upwards, as it fliould have done, and fo not flying
very high, they made a kind of a Semicircle at a diftancc,
which carri'd 'em a great way into the Fields, where they fee the
Sheaves on fire, and burnt the Corn together with lonae houles
that flood not far oft. So that the lols was valu'd at fixteen
thoufand pounds; and the mifery was, that this accident happen d
when there was great fcarcity of Corn.
Here I cannot omit a fmall Circumflance, which has fbme
affinity with what I have already Ipoken concerning that Ipacious
place full of Trees, and Alleys that compofe the Avenues to
the Palace ; through one of which, calld the Royal Alley, the
King and his Train went always in and out, to avoid paffing
through the City. The other great Alleys were adorn d with
Beds and Borders planted with Flowers and fweet fmelling herbs,
which together with the Fountains andRowsof Trees caus da
very plealant profpe£t.
In the mean time came certain intelligence that
were enter'd into the Province of or The
Governour of the Province fent Courrier after Courrier to the
King for Orders 5 for that the Enemy was already enter'd the
Kingdom, burning and fpoiling all before 'em; and that unlefs
(peedily oppos'd, the Province would be in danger to be loft.
The