'A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters. Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672. And Finished 1681. Containing Observations made of the Moral, Natural, and Artificial Estate of Those Countries: Namely, of their Government, Religion, Laws, Customs. Of the Soil, Climates, Seasons, Health, Diseases. Of the Animals, Vegetables, Minerals, Jewels. Of their Housing, Cloathing, Manufactures, Trades, Commodities. And of the Coins, Weights, and Measures, Used in the Principal Places of Trade in Those Parts.' [‎29] (66/506)

I
lot Only, ^
sd to
^ Throne^
.entto appoint
,hldr /n, nUhi
jC h (who are inadj.
Partly to fcogtbfe
^pparent, andpi^
jreatMan.andoffe
loter oftym^i
xtrad,
^ this poorGeotl
)le Life, no one tA:,
ly: But upon tkoii
after him ofliisdli
1 poor and leancb
he the King,^
ingnoi
Lord to
I'ould exf
ho are become tie f®
:ttoP
el and -Attends
ian profound^ ^
Treat point of
nhrttmbe^
now began to teK®
farther, W
ijapl
, an
ng fent ^
) Court in ow
y^Sayiflr
remcntk/fl
'tiem
through Divers Climates.
The barba
rous Cuftom
of Poyfoning
among the
Eajiern Mo-
narchs.
Gulconda is the
Metropolis,
and gives
Name to the
Kingdom.
The Prime
Minifter an
Eunuch.
The Wealth
how raifed.
The Army
how paid.
on a barbarous Cuftom of the Eaftern Monarchs, who when any
Subjed becomes fufpedled, fend them alike honourable Prefents with
thofe in Favour, which in their receit only (hall teftify to the World
the King's Difpleafure, though they whom they are defigned for,
live not to know the caufe, being poyfoned by them before they can
plead for themfelves. But he was afiured no ill Intentions were to
wards him when fpeaking with the King face to face, he declared
him his Succeflor to the Crown, which not long after he was efta-
blifhed in by the Death of his Matter.
His Refidence is at Gulconda, the Metropolis, and bearing the
Name of the Kingdom, fifteen days journey Weft from hence.
Under him Siegmanjaffa orders the whole Realm, amaffing great
Treafures ( though he himfelf pays Homage to the Great Mogul ^
exacting every Man's Eftate when he # pleafes, mulding them at his
own Will, fqueezing the common People to perfed Penury; Be-
fides the Reverfions of Great Mens Eftates, he has large Revenues
from his Diamond Mines, which he lets out yearly to thofe bid moft.
His Expences are inconfiderable, I^is Subjeds in their diflindt Pro
vinces maintaining his Soldiers, of whom he has a ftanding Army
of I il Hundred tl?oufand Horfe and Foot, when all together; befides
Two hundred Elephants in continual readinefs, which are provided
for by the Farmers of his Revenues. • .
All that hecorifumes is on his Voluptuoufnefs, with which he is
fwallowed up. .
The Kingdom of Gulconda extends from 10 deg. Niw?#-Latitude, The bJgnefs
to 19 deg. I along theCoaftsof Coromandel, and up into the Coun- ^ heKing ''
try Three hundred (which is a Mile and a quarter) though ^
in fome places thinly inhabited.
The next in Dignity to Siegmdnjaffa, is the Governor of Media-
patan, an Eunuch alfo, and a Slave to Siegmanjaffa, who came through
the Town while we were here, waited on by a Noble Train, befides
Soldiers and Followers; having an Elephant led before his Palenkeen,
which none prefume to do, unlefs the King honour them therewith;
nor to ride on any but Females, unlefs of the Royal Family, who
may only mount a Male to ride in State through their Cities. His
Subftitute here is a Chids Moor, who takes charge of the Stores every
Night. -
Over the Gentues they keep a ftrid hand, entrufting them with no
Place of Concern, ufing them as Mechanicks and Servitors, to few
of them attributing the Title of Merchants; though in this Town
of Moors and Ttrfians there are many Owners of good Trading
Veflels.
The Ferfians have planted themfelves here through the Intercourfe
of Traffick as well as Arms, being all of them at their firft coming,
low in Condition; but infpired by the Court-Favour, and making
one of their own Nation always their Executors, they arrive to Pre
ferment. Nor are any of thefe fo exempted when they grow too
hch, to be deplumated by the fame hand.
Their way of living is truly Noble, having a Retinue which be*
fpeaks their Greatnefs as they rife in Fortune or the King's Grace.
Magnate
TheGoVernor
of Mechlapa*
tan.
The Perjimni
Favourites at
Court.
Their Port
andGrandcur.