'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.' [‎61] (732/1024)

fufpition from Aureng-Zebe, and to give him to underftand, that he hath in a manner
no fhare any more in the Kingdom : But that in the mean time a Son of his, that is
kept hid, grows up, the Father watching for a fit time to declare him King, and f 0 to
laugharthe Agreement made with Aurerfe-Ztbe. Of this, rime will (hew us more ;
in the mean time, let us confider fomcwhat of the Intercfts of Vifapour.
The Kingdom of F/p^w i^ath alfo not been wanting to fupport it felf, though the
Mogol do almoff continually make War againft it *, not fo much as if he of Vifapour
were able to bid head to the Mog&lian Forces, but becaufe there is never any great effort
ufed againft him. For it is not very frequent there, no more than ’tis elfewhere for
Generals of Armies to defire the end of a War •, there being nothing fo charming, as
to be in the head of an Army, commanding like little Kings, remote from the Court
It isalfo grown to a Proverb, That ZW is the Bread and Life of the Soldiers of In-
dojlan. Befides, the Country of Vifapour is on the fide of the Mogol's Dominions of
a very difficult accefs, upon the account of the fcarcity of good Waters, Forage, and
Vi&uais i and becaufe Vifapour, the Capital City, is very ftrong, and fituate in a dry
and fieril Country, there being almoft no good Water but in the Town. And hil
ly , becaufe there are many Forfreffies in that Country , feated on Hills hard to
climb.
Yet notwithftanding all this, that State is much ffiaken, if confidering that the Mo*
gol hath taken Paranda, the Key, as ’twere, of that Kingdom i as alfo that fair and
ffrong Town Bider, and fome other very important places: But principally,becaufe the
laft King of Vifapour died without Heirs Males, and he that now calls hrmfelf King, is
a Youth, whom the Queen, Sifter of the King of Colbpnda , hath raifed, and taken
for her Son ( a favour tor which he hath made an ill return, having (hew 5 d no efteern ^
for this Queen after her return from Mecca, under the pretext of fome ill demeanor in
heron a Dmbh'VcM that carried her to M>kj :) Laitly, becaufe that in the diforders
of that Kingdom, the Heathen-Rebel, Seva-Gi, above difeourfed of, found means to
fejze on many ftrorsg Holds, moftly feated on fteep Mountains, where he now adeth the
King, laughing at the Vifapour, and the Mogol, and ravaging the Country everywhere
from Suratte, even to the Gates of Goa, This notwithftanding, if he wrongs Z7p-
pour one way, he helps to fupport it another, forafmuch as he is refolutely bent 3 againft
the Mogol,' preparing always fomeAmbufti, and cutting fo much work for his Army,
that there is no difeourfe, no apprehenfion but of Seva-Gi } infomuch that he hath
come and lacked Suratte^ and pillaged the Ifle of Burdes, which belongs to the Portu-
guefe, and is near the Gates of Goa.
The feventh Particular, which I learn’d atGolkpnda, when I was come away from
Dehli, is the death of ChakVfdjan *, and that Aureng-Zebe had been exceedingly aifedf-
ed therewith, having difeover’d all the marks of grief, that a Son can exprefs for the
lofs of his Father: That at the very hour of receiving that News, he went towards
Agra j that Begum Courteous or formal title for (usually Muslim) women of elite status, especially of Turko-Mongol lineage. -Saheb caufed theMofquee, and a certain place, where he was at firft
to flop, before he entred the Fortrefs, to be hung with richly embroider’d Tapifteries:
That at his entring into the (he prefented him with a great Golden Bafon
wherein were all her Jewels, and all thofe of Chah-Jeban \ a ( nd in (hort, that (he knew
to receive him with fo much Magnificence, and t© entertain him with that dexterity
and craft> that ffie obtain’d his pardon, gain’d his favour, and grew verv confident with
him. '
To conclude, I doubt not, but moftof thofe, who (hall have read my Hiftory, will
judge the ways taken by Aureng-Zebe, for getting the Empire, very violent and horrid*
I pretend not at all to plead for him, but defire only, that before he be altogether con
demned, reflexion be made on that unhappy cuftom of this State, which leaving the
fucceffion of the Crown undecided,' for want of good Laws, fetling it, as amongft us,
upon the eldeft Son, expofeth it to the Conqueft of the ftrongeft, and the moft fortu-
nate> fubjeding at the fame time all the Princes born in the Royal Family, by the con
dition of their Birth, to the eruel necellity either to overcome, or to reign, by deftroy-
ing all the reft, for the affurance of their power and life, or to periffi themfelves, for
the fficurity of that of others: For I am apt to believe, that upon this Confideration,
the Reader will not find Aureng-Zeb fo ftrange as at firft it appear’d. How
ever I am perfuaded, that thofe who (hall a little weigh this whole Hiftory,will not take
Aweng-Zebe for a Barbarian, but for a great and rare Genius, a Great States-man, and
a Great King.
A Letter