VOL. 4.] Manners and Customs in Modern Persia. 141 child, and if afterwards the child should I conjecture must stand in the same fall sick, the visitor immediately gets capacity as the bringers up of children the reputation of having an evil eye; mentioned in the catastrophe of Ahab's and the remedy is to take a part of his sons (2 Kings x. 5;) but if a daughter, clothes, which, with the seed of the she has a gees sefeed, or white head, Ispedan (cresses,) they burn in a cha- attached to her for the same purpose as fingdish, and walk around and around the laleh." the child. 66 This long extract must limit us to shorter characteristics, for at least our present Number. The following indicate the feelings of the Persians, and the nature of their government: "When we (the Embassy) were all lamenting the great want of population, and the ruined state of Abadeh, whose remains proclaimed it to have been once of great extent, our Mehmandar (noble purveyor) said, 'You say very true. If the King were to know the state of this part of the country, he would come here and putevery rascal to the sword!' "The Persians have no ceremony entirely analogous to our christening, but they have one called the Sheb be Khair, or "Be the night propitious," which is for the purpose of giving the child a name. If the father of the child be in good circumstances, he collects his friends together and makes a feast. He also requires the attendance of several Mollahs, and when the Mejlis or assembly is complete, sweetmeats are brought in and eaten. The infant is also brought into the mejlis, and placed near one of the Mollahs. The father of the "At Shoolgistan, we were met by a child then gives out certain names, five Turkish Tatar (courier,) with disin number, each of which is written patches from Constantinople. We separately, on separate slips of paper. perceived his delight at meeting us, by These slips are placed either within the the smile that broke out upon his solemn Koran, or under the edge of the num- face, which by the dismal account he mud, or carpet. The Fatheh, which is gave of his treatment in Persia, had the first surai or chapter of the Koran, most likely never been cheated out of is read. One of the slips of paper is its gravity. When we asked him how then taken out at random by the hand he liked the Persians, he took hold of of the father, and the child is called after the collar of his cloak, and shaking it, the name which is there inscribed. A exclaimed, God give them misfor Mollah takes up the babe, pronounces tunes! liars, thieves, rogues! see, I the name in its ear, and places the paper on its swaddling-clothes. The relations of the child then each give it money and other presents, and this custom they call the Roonemah, or shewing the face. They have still another custom which they call the Akikeh. The father of the child kills a sheep, of the flesh of which he makes broth, but cautiously preserves all the bones. He invites his friends, relations, and the poor in the highways, to partake of this food, from which he and his wife are excluded; but when the entertainment is over, he "When all the usual routine of first carefully collects the bones, and having compliments had been gone through, selected a clean place near some running and repeated over and over again, the water, he there buries them.-They Mehmandar said to the Minister, How adopt also certain ceremonies about well the Elchee talks Persian!' 'Well,' shaving the child's head-The rich said the Minister, he talks it admirahave a Dedeh, or wet nurse: if a boy, bly, He is superior to any Mollah. We the father appoints a steady man from have never yet seen such an Elchee; the age of two years to be his laleh, who none so accomplished, none so clever, have lost the head of my pipe; they have stolen my pistols. Heaven be praised that I have seen you at last.' The shaking of his coat (a very common act in Turkey) is no doubt an act of the same kind and import as that of St. Paul, who, when the Jews opposed themselves and blasphemed, shook his raiment. Acts xviii. 6." If they used the poor Tatar ill, there was no bounds to their fiattery of the Ambassador, or Elchee as they call him. At Shiraz, 142 Manners and Customs in Modern Persia. [VOL. 4 none so learned. Sahib Kemal (an account of their respective offices. After accomplished gentleman; Sahib Akl they had stood some time before the (a man of sense ;) Sahib Kalem (a good King, he said, 'Well, have you brought pennan Sahib Fiker (a man of re- me no Peeshkesh (present)? They flection.') To all this there was a remained silent. chorus around, of Belli, belli, belli. "Where are the 70,000, the arrears Then the Minister turned to another of the tribute of Fars; of course you man on the other side of him, and said, have brought that?" Mirza Ahady loud enough and expressly for the answered, That all that was due had Ambassador to hear, Did you ever been sent.' The King then turned to see any one so charming as the Elchee; Mahomed Nebee, who answered the so much better than all other Elchees?' same thing. 'Call the Ferashes,' exThe Ambassador, in praising the cli- claimed the King, and beat these mate of Shiraz, said, 'It is so fine, rogues till they die.' The Ferashes that I should have thought mankind came and beat them violently; and never died here, had I not seen those when they attempted to say any thing tomb-stones,' pointing to some that we in their own defence, they smote them had just past. Barek allah!' (wonder- on the mouth with a shoe, the heel of ful! wonderful!) exclaimed the Meh- which was shod with iron. The King's mander; 'Did you hear that?' he wrath increased with the violence of roared out to the Minister; What a the blows that were administering, until wit is the Elchee!' Then he repeated it became so great that he ordered them the joke to the Minister, who again to be thrown out of the window, which cried out Wonderful! wonderful!' as was more than seventy feet from the did all the others." ground. At this critical moment came It would be reckoned a want of com- the Ameen-ed-dowlah, who entreated mon politeness to omit this sort of com- the King to spare their lives, saying, that pliment. A boy of 16, son to the Vi- he would be security for the payment zier of Fars, when he went first before of their arrears. Upon this the royal the King, and His Majesty to encourage anger ceased, and he permitted the him said, "Come, take courage, draw culprits to depart by the less expedinearer," exclaimed in a faltering voice, tious mode of the staircase." 'I beseech your Majesty not to order A more tragical fate awaited the me farther-I am overpowered, Mi- owner of the house where the Embassy souzum-I burn;' so early are they was lodged, Mirza Baba, who fell rich, made courtiers. and was put to death. Mahomed Nebee Khan, the father of this flatterer, had grown rich, and was sent for by the King : Another horrid circumstance gives celebrity to this house, for in one of its small rooms was immured, literally "Before he ventured to enter the bricked up, Saduk Khan Cheghaugee, capital he sent for his son, who was an whose crime had been what is here attendant on the court, of whom he in- called making the Ada ut sultanet, or quired what were the King's intentions aspiring to the crown; but having been towards him, and what fear there might discomfited in a battle near Casvin, he be for his safety. The King, in order was persuaded to give himself up to to cloak his game, conferred the dignity the King, provided that his blood was of Khan on the son, previous to seeing not spilt. To this the King gave his the father, which so blinded him, that promise and kept it, for he was starved he entered the city in full confidence of to death." the Monarch's favour. He had been accompanied by Mirza Ahady, the Governor of the great districts of Corbal and Fasa, and his coadjutor in his systems of extortion. They were called upon to appear before the King some days after their arrival, and were then informed that they were to give an his hand, was paraded about, the chief Another rebel who incited the Turcomans, on being taken and brought to the camp, had a mock crown put on his head, armlets on his arms, a sword by his side, and, mounted on an ass, with his face towards the tail, and the tail in VOL. 4.] Remarks on Inns, &c.-Cross Keys-Crown-Merchant. 143 of the camel drivers exclaiming, "This was bastinadoed, and had his eye put is he who wanted to be the King." He out. was mocked and insulted by the people, The strong coincidence between these turned into ridicule by the Looties or details, and the most affecting part of Buffoons, who forced him to dance and our own scripture history, is a striking play antics against his will; whoever illustration of the permanence of Easchose spit in his face; and, finally, he tern manners. REMARKS ON INNS, &c. From the Gentleman's Magazine. THE CROSS KEYS. kept a station or shop, is now confined to a seller of pens, ink, and paper; and a Mercer, which formerly was synonimous with Merchant, is now applied to a mere dealer in silks. The word INN-keepers, who were tenants or had been servants to Religious houses or persons would naturally assume for their sign some significant device; and to this cause in many instances may be Millener, one who sells ribands and ascribed the common signs of the Cross, dresses for women, is a corruption of the Cross Keys, the Lamb, the Cardi- Milainer, by which name the incorponal's Cap, the Crosier, and the Mitre. rated company of Haberdashers in LonThe Keys are the well known em- don was originally known, and was so blem of St. Peter, derived from the me- called from dealing in merchandize taphorical saying of our Saviour, Matt. chiefly imported from Milan. Cordxvi. 19; and crossed saltirewise, their wainer, the common legal apellation of usual forms on sign-boards, are borne a shoe-maker, as I have before menin the arms of the Archbishops of York and Cashel, the Bishops of Exeter, Peterborough, Gloucester, Limerick, Dromore, and Down. One of our antient theatres was distinguished by this sign. THE CROWN. tioned in the article "Crispin," is derived from Cordovan, a peculiar kind of leather, originally made at Cordova in Spain. There are two trading companies of the city of London, the names of which are becoming obsolete, viz Fletchers or arrow-makers, from flêche, Signs, now almost exclusively confi- an arrow; and Loriners or horse-acned to publicans, were formerly com- coutrement makers, from the French mon to other tradesmen also. The Lormiers, derived from the Latin loCrown then, as at present, was a favour- rum, a bridle or horse-harness. ite; and such was the jealous tyranny of Edward IV. that one Walter Wal- Cheapside, where Walker the grocer ker, a respectable grocer in Cheapside, was executed, as Shakspeare makes Richard truly declare, "Only for saying he would make his son CHAP AND CHAPMAN. lived, obtains its appellation from Cheap or Cheaping, the antient name of a market. A Chapman, therefore, is a market-man, and its abbreviation Chap is often used by the vulgar for any person of whom they mean to speak with freedom or disrespect. GROCER, STATIONER, merchant, MILLINER, CORDWAINER, &c. CROWN-AND-BELL, ANCHOR, &c. A Grocer at present merely desig- The Crown is often joined on our nates a seller of sugar, tea, plums, and sign-boards with some other representaspices; but its original signification was tion. The Crown and Anchor in the a wholesale merchant, one who dealt in Strand, is a tavern much celebrated for large quantities of any merchandize, or public meetings. The Bell and Crown in the gross. By a similar use of the is a large coach inn in Holborn. The figure synecdoche, or putting the whole Rose and Crown is a very frequent sign. for a part, the general name of Stationer, The principal inn at Leicester is called which originally meant any one that the Three Crowns. 144 Inns, Old Sayings, &c.-The Cup A Peg lower'-The Bowl. [VOL.4 The following anecdote was related troduced therefore the custom of markby Horace Walpole: "Queen Caroline ing or pegging their cups at certain disspoke of shutting up St. James's Park, tances, to prevent one man taking a and converting it into a noble garden greater draught than his companions. for the palace of that name. She asked Some of these peg or pin cups or bowls, my father what it might probably cost, and pin or peg tankards, are yet to be who replied, only three crowns.' This found in the cabinets of Antiquaries *; reply has been erroneously attributed to and we are to trace from their use some Lord Chesterfield. common terms yet current among us. Gallot derives the word corona, When a person is much elated, we say whence crown, from the Latin cornu, he is" in a merry pin," which no doubt horn, because the antient crowns were originally meant he had reached that pointed in the manner of horns, which mark which had deprived him of his both by Jews and Gentiles were of old usual sedateness and sobriety: we talk esteemed as marks of power, strength, of taking a man a peg lower," when authority, and empire. Hence in the we imply we shall check him in any Holy Scriptures horns are used for the forwardness, a saying which originated Regal dignity, and accordingly horn and from a regulation that deprived all those crown in the Hebrew are expressed by of their turn of drinking, or of their peg, the same word. who had become troublesome in their The English crown is adorned with liquor from the like rule in society four Maltese crosses, between which came also the expression of "he is a peg are fleurs de lys. From the top of the too low," i. e. has been restrained too crosses arise four circular bars, which far, when we say that a person is not meet at a little globe supporting a cross. in equal spirits with his company; It is of gold, enriched with diamonds, whilst we also remark of an individual rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and pearls. that he is getting on "peg by peg," or, It is kept at the Tower with the other in other words, he is taking greater freeRegalia, which are altogether valued at doms than he ought to do, which formabove two millions sterling. erly meant, he was either drinking out THE WASSEL BOWL. quan Henry V. fought in his crown at of his turn, or, contrary to express reguAgincourt, which preserved his life by lation, did not confine him to his sustaining a stroke from a battle axe, proper portion or peg, but drank on to which cleft it. Richard III. also fought the next, thereby taking a double at Bosworth field in his crown, which tity. was picked up by a private soldier, who secreted it in a bush, most probably in- Our custom of drinking healths, and tending to secure it for himself; but, the Wassel bowl, appear to have originbeing discovered, it was delivered to ated in the introduction of the British Sir Reginald Bray, who gave it to Lord monarch Vortigern to Rowena the beauStanley, who placed it on Richmond's tiful blue-eyed daughter (or, according head and hailed him "King" on the to other writers, niece) of the Saxon field. Hence arises the device of a Hengist. She kneeled down, and precrown in a hawthorn bush at each end seating to the King a cup of spiced of Henry VII's tomb in Westminster wine, said, "Lord King, Waes heil," Abbey. Health be to you; to which Vortigern, "Kuste hire, and sitte hire adoune, and glad dronk WVues-heil from that period not unnaturally became the name of the drin * We recollect one in the possession of the late nerable and reverend Dr. Samuel Pegge.-Edit. VOL. 4.] The Hermit in London, No. 5. 145 king-cups of the Anglo-Saxons; and this day it is the constant custom in the word Wusselis only a corruption of Glamorganshire for the country people the antient Waes hael or Wish health to bring a cup of spiced ale, which they bowl. The term Wassel occurs often call Wassel, and sing gratulatory songs in Shakspeare, and is sometimes used for at the doors of their more opulent HINYBORO. general intemperance or festivity. To neighbours at Christmas. During our short colloquy, one of her beautiful horses became what she called fidgetty, for which she promised to Horace. pay him off in the Park. The other, at starting, shewed symptoms of great friskiness, for which she gave him a few dexterous cuts, distorting, in a small degree, Ibid. AFTER waiting an hour at the her features at the same time, as much Mount for an old Officer returned from India, whom I had not seen for many years, I was proceeding across Bond Street, full of my disappointment, and looking back to the days of our childhood, when first our intimacy commenced. Filled with these melancholy pleasing thoughts, I was almost stunned by the cry of, Hoy! I turned round, and perceived a Groom advancing towards me on horseback, and a curricle coming on me at the rate of nine miles per hour. The female charioteer pulled up with difficulty; and, in doing so, quite altered the lines of a very comely countenance, for all was tugging and muscular exertion. as to say, "Will you? I'll be your mas- of I turned about, to view her as she She had a small round went along. her riding-hat on; she sat in the most coach- I was now just out of the line of danger, and the vehicle was abreast of me, when the other Groom touching his hat, and the lady recognizing me and smiling, I perceived that it was Lady -, one of my best friends, who had nearly run over me. She apologized, was quite shocked, but could not conceive how I could be so absent; and lastly, laid the blame on her horses, observing, that they had had so little work of late, that they This led me to general reflections were almost too much for her. A few civilities passed between us, with the on female charioteers in general. And, usual barometrical and thermometrical first, to acquire any talent, it is necessaobservations of an Englishman, which ry to learn the art. How is the know!are his great auxiliaries in conversation, edge of driving otbained by the fairer sex? and we parted. If a lady take the reins from her hus Ꭲ ATHENEUM. Vol. 4. |