I SPENT the first Day of my coming to Ispahan, and all the next, in receiving Visits from the Europeans of the Place, from several Persians and Armenians, with whom I had contracted a Friendship after my first Journey thither, and with whom I consulted about the Conduct and Management of my Affairs. The Court was very much alter’d from what it was the first Time I saw it, and in the greatest Confusion; almost all the Noblemen belonging to the late King were dead, or in Disgrace. Interest, and Favour, were in the Hands of certain young Lords, who had neither Generosity nor Merit. The Prime Minister, nam’d Cheic Ali can, had for fourteen Months past been under Disgrace; three of the chief Officers of the Crown discharg’d his Duty: But the worst thing of all for me, was, that they talk’d of restoring his Place to him, and reinstating him in the Royal Favour; for he being on one Hand a great Enemy to the Christians and Europeans, and on the other, inaccessible, by Recommendations and Presents, and having always made it apparent during the time he was in Office, that he had nothing more at Heart than to inlarge the Treasure of his Master; I had Reason to fear, that he would hinder the King from Purchasing the Jewels, which I brought by the express Command of the late King his Father, and made according to the Patterns which I had receiv’d from his own Hands: This Consideration made me come to a Resolution immediately of notifying my return to the King; my difficulty lay in the Choice of an Introductor to the Nazir, who is the great and supreme Intendant over the King’s Household, his Wealth, his Affairs, and over all those who are employ’d in them; I mean, who I should pitch upon to give the first Admittance; I was advis’d by some to Zerguer bachi, or chief of the Jewellers, and Goldsmiths in Persia; others propos’d Mirza Thaer to me, the Comptroller General of the King’s Household. I had done better to have trusted to the Conduct of the first, as I found afterwards, but because I had known the Comptroller General a long time, I resolv’d to put my Trust in him.
On the 26th, the Superior of the Capuchins took the Trouble of going to visit him in my Behalf. I beg’d of him to tell him, that an Indisposition hinder’d me from coming to pay him my Respects, but that the Goodness he had shewn me six Years before, made me take the Liberty of Addressing my self to him, to be presented to the Nazir, or Super-intendant, for that I was sure I could not be introduced by a better Hand; that I most humbly intreated him, to represent to that Minister, the Order which I had receiv’d from the late King, to go into my own Country, and get him some rich Works of Jewels made there, and bring them to him my self, which I had accordingly perform’d in such a Manner, that I durst perswade my self it was not possible to do better. To this I added great Promises of Recompence, which I knew was necessary to be done in such Cases. The Answer I had from this Lord was, That I was welcome, that I might depend upon him, and that he would, to the best of his Power, answer the Expectations I had of his good Offices towards me; but that I might assure my self, the King had but little Inclination for Jewels, that the Court was very bare of Money, and that to my great Misfortune, the Prime Minister, who was a Man so averse to those sort of Expences, and so disingag’d from all Interest, was again coming into Favour; that he order’d this to be told me not to discourage me, but to dispose me to sell them cheap, to make a great many Presents, to take a deal of Pains, and have a World of Patience; that as for the rest, he would notify my Arrival to the Nazir, in the best Manner he could, and that I should place my Hopes in the Clemency of God. The Persians always conclude their Deliberations with these Words, being as much as to say, that God will give Overtures to those Affairs, which Men are in Pain to bring about with Success.
I at the same time receiv’d a Piece of News, which confirm’d those Advices. This was, that the Day before, the King getting Drunk, as it had been his daily Custom almost for some Years, fell into a Rage against a Player on the Lute, who did not play well to his Taste, and commanded Nesralibec, his Favourite, Son to the Governour of Irivan, to cut his Hands off. The Prince in pronouncing that Sentence, threw himself on a Pile of Cushions to Sleep. The Favourite, who was not so Drunk, and knowing no Crime in the condemn’d Person, thought that the King had found none neither, and that this cruel Order was only a transport of Drunkenness, he therefore contented himself with Reprimanding the Player very severely, in that he did not study to please his Master better; the King wak’d in an Hours time, and seeing the Musician touch the Lute as before, he call’d to Mind the Orders he had given to his Favourite against the Musician, and flying into a great Passion with the young Lord, he commanded the Lord high Steward to cut off the Hands and Feet of them both; the Lord Steward threw himself at the King’s Feet, to implore Mercy for the Favourite; the King, in the extream Violence of his Indignation and Fury, cry’d out to his Eunucks and his Guards, to execute his Sentence upon all three; Cheic-ali-can, that Grand Vizier who was out of his Post, happen’d to be there, as good Luck would have it, he flung himself at the King’s Feet, and embracing them, he beseech’d him to show them Mercy; the King making a little Pause upon it, say’d to him, thou art very bold to hope, that I should grant what thou desirest of me, I who can’t obtain of thee to resume the Charge of Prime Minister. Sir, reply’d the Suppliant, I am your Slave, I will ever do what your Majesty shall command me. The King being hereupon appeas’d, Pardon’d all the condemn’d Persons, and next Morning sent a Calaat to Cheic-ali-can: By that Name they call the Garments which the King presents great Men to do them Honour; he sent him besides the Garment, a Horse, with a Saddle, and Trappings of Gold, set with Diamonds, a Sword and Ponyard of the same kind, with the Inkhorn, Letters Patents, and other Marks, which denote the Post of the Prime Minister.
Jean Chardin's Travels in Persia
