'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.' [‎358] (405/506)

' • h "j tii
i rl H f ■ ;| .
'■ f I
558 ThtTreftnt State PERSIA.
Letter V.
Their Habit,
and the Perji-
an Standard
Red and
White.
Their Privi
leges.
I
■■ I
tial grounds this new Order enjoys not only the Name of Suffees
but the Emperor himfelf will be their Captain, and fuffers none elfe
to head them, and thence takes on him the fpecious Name an$ Title
of Grand Suffee j and to perpetuate their Memory, has given it in
delibly to SpabauH, for this reafon joined with the former, to be
led Suffahaun.
To diftinguilh thefe from the others, who cloathe themfelves in
Green Attire, and forbid it to any elfe, they wear an high Red Vel
vet Cap, plaited at top like a Cap of Maintenance ; whence on a
Wooden Creft they fix a little Brafs Ball, tied on with three wreathen
Chains, which they bting down ftrait to the fore-part of the Bonner
whofe lower Brim is bound about with a White Safh, and fome-
times a Plume of one Feather is fet up with the Creft, much after the
fame Fafliion the Noble Senators wear in the King s Prefence: Befidcs
which they have a Surcoat of Scarlet Cloth, as it were in defiance
to the Grafs green of the SiaJs ; fo much monopolized by them
that in Turky, if any other wear it, he pays dearly for his Folly!
The Grand Sign'tofs Standard is alio of that Colour, being called
Mahomet's Banner: In oppofition to whom, the Grand Suffee txe&sz
double-pointed Bloody Sword in a White Field, and brings it out in
honour of Mortis Ally.
To his adopted Kindred (now Regulars under him, their Chief)
are many Privileges granted, and by them to beheld inviolable.
. They are allowed a peculiar Miffa y or Service, in a Chappel apart
in the Alacoppe y or place where the Grand Council fit, where they
attend the King, or one in his ftead, every Friday Night, at the Sa
crament of Holway, ( or Wafer made up in Sweetmeats,') in Imita
tion of the Shew-bread.
When any one has run into Debt, or committed any Capital Crime
as Murther, Adultery, Theft, or the like; if the "one to defraud
his Creditor, and the other to avoid the hands of Juftice, make their
hxape to the ALtcoppe, the firft Gate of the Palace-Royal, or to the
Kings Stables, and implore their Protedhon, and they engage for
t ! u "' Refuge, it is a Piacular Offence to force them thence; nor wilt
t ey rcfignthem to the Emperor, though he command them to be
taken from their Sandtuary.
Nor are they fo wholly devoted to companionate others Afflidi-
ons, as to defend their own Rights ; for whofoever's Face the Em-
pcror commands them to cover, they are dead in Law; nor will
they Icruple being Executioners, no more than the Roman Lidors,
W^n f w and the latter of which are their proper
Weapons of War, as well as a fit Badge of their Office.
1 Number cannot enlarge its felf to all of their
w'Tn ^ I are , ! lterr P erfed among the common People,
fome following Trades and Husbandry, and others other Employ-
^ e " ini "g .f I ways their Habit, which none of the Vulgar
feauC™ fi 0°' j ' i ' r vcr P rov oked ; but taking off their Suf-
{Z J , j an 'pHg lt ' kyig lt down reverently, they will not
in rh,. m rai or them to purpofc ; being careful
" nar rn ^ an ^ lle 10 ° ff er no Indignity to the Order, while they
revenge themfsjves on the Perfons.
Befides ,