CHAPTER THIRTEEN OF THE CLOATHS, AND HOUSEHOLD-GOODS THE Cloaths of the Eastern People are no wise subject to Mode; they are always made after the same Fashion, and if the Wisdom of one Nation appears in a constant Custom for their Dress, as has been said, the Persians ought to be mightily commended for their Prudence; for they never alter in their Dress, and they are no more addicted to change in their Colour; their Shadowings and Make of the Stuffs. I have seen some Cloaths that Tamerlain wore, which they keep in the Treasury at Ispahan; they are cut just in the same Manner as those that are made at this time of Day, without the least difference. I have plac'd on the side several Pictures of Men and Women, dress'd after the Persian Manner, to the End that you may have a more distinct and quick Idea of their Dress, than by a Description. (Alas, these are not included in this document.) The Men wear no Breeches, only a pair of Drawers lin'd, which hang down to their Ancles, but which have no Feet; they are not open before, but must be undone when they have occasion to make Water. You must take Notice, that the Men put themselves all in the same Posture with the Women, when they are doing the Works of Nature, and in that Posture they untie their Drawers, and pull 'cm down, tho' but a little way, and after they have done their Occasions, they get up and tie em again. The Shirt is long. and covers their Knees passing over their Drawers, instead of being put into them. It is open on the right Side, upon the Pap, to the Stomach, and on the Sides below, as ours are, having no Neck to it, only stitch'd as the Shifts of our Women are in Europe. The Women, who are rich, and sometimes the Men, new border the Neck of the Shirt or Shift, with an Embroidery of Pearl, about a Fingers breadth, upon solemn Occasions. Neither the Men, nor the Women in Persia, wear any thing at their Necks. The Men put a Cotton Wastcoat, which they fasten before, upon their Stomachs and falls down to their Hams, and over it a Robe, which they call Cabai, as wide as a Woman's Petticoat, but very strait above, passing twice over the Stomach, and is fasten'd under their Arms, the first round under the left Arm, and the other which is uppermost, under the right Arm. This Gown is cut sloaping, in the Manner you see it in the Figure, which is on the Side. The Sleeves are narrow, but as they are much longer than they should be, they Plait 'em at the Top of the Arm, and button 'em at the Wrist. The Gentlemen likewise wear the Cabai after the Georgian Manner, which are not different from others, only that they are open upon the Stomach, with Buttons and Loops: Tho' this Wastcoat be very well fitted to the Back, yet they tie two or three Sashes upon it, folded double, about four Fingers wide, Rich and Genteel, which makes 'em a wide and strong Pocket, to put what they have in, with greater Security than in our Breeches Pockets. They put over the Robe a short, or close-bodied Coat, and without Sleeves, which they call Courdy; or a long one, and with Sleeves, which they call Cadabi, according to the Season. These close-bodied Coats are cut like the Robes, that is to say, they are wide at Bottom, and narrow at Top, like Bells; they are made of Cloth, or Gold Brocade, or a thick Sattin, and they daub them all over with Gold or Silver-Lace , or Galloon, or they Embroider them; they are Furr'd, some with Sable-Skins, and others with the Skins of the Sheep of Tartag, and Bactriana, the Hair of which, is finer than that of the Horses, and of no longer Curl than the Gold-Sand. There is no better Fur, nor warmer than those Sheep-Skins. The close-bodied Fur-Coats have a Facing of the same Fur, that is in the inside, which comes from the Neck to the Breast, like a Tippet; and next to it, underneath, there is a row of Buttons, quite down, which are more for Ornament than Service, for they seldom button their close-bodied Coats. The Stockins are of Cloth, and all of a Piece, as I have said, that is, they are cut like a Sack, and not according to the Shape of the Leg; they come but just up to the Knees, below which they tie them; they put a Piece of red Leather, very well stitch'd, to the Heel of them, to hinder the Heel of the Shoe, which is sharp, from doing it any harm, and piercing thro', which it would do in three or four Days time. It is only since the Persians traded with the Europeans, as well by the Means of their Armenian Subjects, as of the European Companies, that they have worn Cloth-Stockins in Persia. No body wore them before that time; and the King himself covered his Legs, as the Soldiers, Carriers, Foot-men, Country People, and abundance of the common People do to this very Day, by wrapping a coarse Linnen Cloth round their Legs, about six Fingers wide, and about three or four Ells long, just as if they were swadling a Child. This way of covering their Legs and Feet is very commodious and proper for Servants; they make them light or thick, according to the Season of the Year: It keeps the Leg tight, and when it is wet or dirty, they dry or clean it in a Moment. In the Winter time, they wrap the Feet round as well as the Legs; and in the Summer, they put their Shoes on their Feet Naked. The Shoes are of different Sorts or Fashions in Persia; but they are all without Ears, and not a bit open on the Sides; they are nail'd quite under the Heel, and they trim the Sole of the Shoe with little Nails, at the Place where the Bottom of the Foot bears, to make it last the longer. You see in the Figure the Fashion of the Shoes, which the People of Quality wear, which are made like the Womens Slippers, that they may throw them off the easier, when they are got into their Houses; because their Floors are cover'd with Carpets These Shoes are of Green Shagreen, or some other Colours; the Sole, which is always a single one, is as thin as a Past-board, but it is the best Leather in the World. None but those sort of Shoes have Heels, the rest are flat. Some have Leather at Top, the others are of Cotton, knit as our Stockins are, but much stronger; they are exactly shod with these Shoes, which they call Shoes of a Foot-Boy, or Lackey; and the Foot never turns in them; but they cannot put them on without a strong Horn; from whence it is, that you always see a Lackey have one of Iron or Box at his Girdle They climb and run to a Miracle, with those Shoes and Stockings on. Th poor People make the Soles of their Shoes of Camels Leather, because it lasts much longer than any other; but it is a soft Leather, that takes in th Water like a Spunge. The Peasants make the Soles of their Shoes wit Rags and Shreds of Linnen Cloth, threaded a breast, and very close. These Soles, tho' they are thick, yet are very light, and they can never wear them out; they call them Pabouch Quive, i. e. Shoes made of Rags. The Persian Turban, which they call Dulbend, that is to say, a Band that goes round, and which is the finest part of their Dress, is a Piece so heavy, that it is a Wonder how they wear it; there are of them so heavy, as to weigh twelve or fifteen Pound; the lightest of them weigh half as much. I had much ado at first to wear this Turban; I sunk under the Weight, and I pull'd it off, in all Places where I durst take that Liberty; for it is look'd upon in Persia to be the same thing as with us in Europe, to pull of one's Peruke: But by Accustoming my self to it, I came in time to wear it very well. These Turbans are made of coarse white Cloth, which they use to shape it, and they cover it with a fine rich Silk Stuff, or of Silk and Gold. These Stuffs of the Turban, have the Ends richly Woven with Flowers, and about six or seven Inches in breadth, which they tic in a Knot, in the middle of the Turban, like a Plume of Feathers, as you see in the Figure, which I have given you. Tho' this Dress for the Head is so heavy, they wear nevertheless under the Turban, a Chalot, or Leather Cap, stuff'd with Cotton, and stitch'd, and sometimes a Cloth one. You must believe that the Climate of Persia requires that one's Head should be very well cover'd; for there is nothing, generally speaking, practis'd in any Place, but there is a very good and proper Reason to be given for it; The constant and perpetual Custom is not a bit the Effect of this Odness and Caprice; the Climate, if I may so say, is certainly the Inventer of it, as well as the Cause of all which we see is peculiar in the Carriage of the People, and perhaps, even in their Manners, which I shall not fail to observe. They cover in Persia, generally speaking, the Stomach more than the Back, yet it is quite otherwise in the Indies, where they cover the Back most, and particularly the Nape of the Neck. The Stuffs they make their Cloaths of are Silk and Cotton; the Shirts and Drawers are of Silk; the Vests and Robes are lined with a thin Cloth, and stuffed with Cotton between to make them the warmer; the Lining also must be coarse and thin, like a Buckram, that the Cotton may keep and stick to it the better. They wear no Black in the East, especially in Persia; this is an unlucky and odious Colour, which they cannot regard; they call it the Devil's Colour: They Dress indifferently in all Colours at all Ages; and it is a very diverting Sight, to see when one walks out, or in the publick Places, a vast number of People, all in Party-colours, clothed in Stuffs L'Iitterinewith the Gold, the Lustre, and Vivacity of the Colours. The Persians, for the most part, let the Beard grow on the Chin, and all over the Face, but short, and which only covers the Skin; but the Ecclesiasticks and Devots wear it longer: Their Rule is to take the Chin in their Hand' and cut off that which is below it. The Soldiers likewise are excepted, and the old Cavaliers, who wear no other Beard but two great and thick Whiskers, which they suffer to grow to such a length that they can tuck it behind their Ears, and keep it there like a Crotchet. Abas the Great, call'd Whiskers the Ornament of the Face, and gave more or less Pay to the Soldiers according to the length of their Whiskers. As for the long Beards which they wear in Turky, they are held in Abhorrence by the Persians, they call them Brooms for a Privy, or House of Office. In this manner the Persian Habit is made, which seems to be the same with that, which, as it is said, Cyrus gave to the Persians, consisting in long Robes and a Turban. The Habit of the Women resembles, in a great many things that of the Men; the Drawers fall in the same manner down to their Ancles, but the Legs of them are straiter, longer, and thicker, because the Women wear no Stockings. They cover their Feet with a Buskin, which reaches four Fingers above the Ancle, and which is either Embroider'd or of the richest Stuff. The Shift which they call Comis, from whence, perhaps, the Word Chemise or Shift comes, is open before down to the Navel: Their Vests are longer, and hang almost down upon their Heels: Their Girdle is small, and not above an Inch wide: Their Head is very well cloath'd, and over it they have a Vail that falls down to their Shoulders, and covers their Neck and Bosom before. When they go out, they put over all, a great white Vail, which covers them from Head to Foot, not suffering any thing to appear, in several Countries, but the Balls of their Eyes. The Women wear four Vails in all; two of which they wear at Home, and two more when they go Abroad. The first of these Vails is made like a Kerchief, falling down behind the Body, by way of Ornament: The second passes under the Chin, and covers the Bosom: The third, is the White Vail, which covers all the Body: And the fourth is a sort of Handkerchief, which goes over the Face, and is fasten'd to the Temples. This Handkerchief or Vail, has a sort of Net-work, like old Point, or Lace, for them to see through. The Armenians, contrary to the Mahometans, have even at home, their Faces vail'd down to their Nose, if they are Marry'd. This is that their nearest Relations, nor their Priests, who have the Liberty to Visit them, may only see part of their Face: But their Daughters don't wear this Vail but just to their Mouth, for the quite contrary Reason, which is, that they may see enough -to make a judgment of their Beauty, and make a Report of it. The Custom of these Vails for the Women, is the most ancient of any thing which their Histories speak of: But it is difficult to know, whether it was Pride, Vain-glory, or Modesty, which induc'd them to wear 'em first; or whether it was the Jealousy of their Husbands. Neither the Women nor Men wear Gloves; they don't know what it is to put on Gloves in the East. The Head-dress of the Women is plain; their Hair is all drawn behind the Head, and put in a great many Wefts; and the Beauty of that Headdress consists in having those Wefts thick, and falling down to their Heels; and if the Hair be not long enough, they tie Wefts of Silk to lengthen them: They trim the Ends of these Wefts with Pearls, and a Knot of jewels, or Ornaments of Gold and Silver. The Head is no otherwise dress'd under the Vail or Kerchief, but from the End of a Fillet, cut or hollow'd Triangularwise; and this is the Point that covers the Head, being kept upon the top of the Fore-head by a little Fillet, or String about an Inch broad. This Head-band or Fillet, which is made of several Colours, is small and light: The little Fillet is Embroider'd, in Imitation of Needle-work, or cover'd with jewels, according to the Quality of the People. This is, in my Opinion, the ancient Tiara or Diadem of the Queens of Persia; none but the Married Women wear them; and this is a Mark whereby they are known to be under Authority. The Girls have little Caps instead of the Kerchief, or the Tiara. They wear no Vail in the House, but they cause Two tresses of their Hair to hang down upon their Cheeks. The Cap of young Women of Condition, is fasten'd with a Stay of Pearls. They don't shut up the young Women in Persia, till they are six or seven Years of Age; and before they come to that Age, they go out of the Seraglio sometimes with their Father, insomuch that one may see them. I have seen some of them prodigiously Handsom; one may see their Neck and Breast, than which nothing in Nature can be finer. The Persian Dress gives one the Liberty of seeing much more of the Waste than ours does. 41 Black Hair is most in Esteem with the Persians, as well the Hair of the Head, as the Eye-brows and Beard: The thickest and largest Eye-brows are accounted the finest, especially when they are so large that they touch each other. The Arabian Women have the finest Eye-brows of this kind. Those of the Persian Women, who have not Hair of that Colour, dye and rub it over with Black to improve it: They make themselves likewise a black Patch or Lozenge, not so big as the Nail of one's little Finger, a little under the Eye-brows; and in the dimple of the Chin another little Purple one; but this never stirs, being made with the point of a Lancet. They likewise generally anoint their Hands and Feet with that Orangecolour'd Pomatom, which they call Hanna, which is made with the Seed or Leaves of Woad or Pastel, ground, as I have describ'd it above, and which they make use of to preserve the Skin against the heat of the Weather. Observe likewise, that among the Women, the smallest Wastes are the most esteem'd. The Ornaments of the Persian Women are very different; they dress their Head with Plumes of Jewels pass'd into the Fillet of the Fore-head; or with knots of Flowers instead of them: They fasten a Crotchet of Precious-Stones to the Fillet, which hangs down between their Evebrows; a row of Pearl, which is fasten'd to the Top of the Ears, and g@es under the Chin. The Women in several Provinces have a Ring pass'd through their Nostril, which hangs like an Ear-ring. This Ring is thin, and big enough to be put upon the middle Finger, and at the Bottom there are two round Pearls, and a round Ruby, between, set in it. The Women Slaves particularly, or those who are born Slaves, almost all wear these Rings; and they are so large in some Countries, that you may wear them upon your Thumb: But at Ispahan the Natural Persians don't bore their Nose at all. The Women of Caramenia Desarta do worse, they bore their Nose at the Top, and put a Ring through there, to which they fasten an inlay of Jewels, which covers all one side of their Nose. I have seen a great many dress'd in this manner at Lar, the chief City of that Province, and at Ormus. Besides the Jewels which the Persian Ladies wear at their Head, they wear Bracelets of Jewels, of the bigness of two, and almost three Fingers, and very loose round the Arm. The People of Quality wear Rows of Pearl: The young Girls have nothing commonly but little Manacles of Gold, about the thickness of a tagg'd Point, with a Precious Stone, at the Place where it shuts. Some of 'em likewise wear Fetters made like these Manacles, but that is not usual. Their Necklaces are either Chains of Gold or Pearl, which they hang to their Neck, and which fall below the Bosom, to which is fasten'd a large Box of Sweets. There are of these Boxes as big as one's Hand, the common ones are of Gold, the others are cover'd with Jewels; and all of them are bor'd through, fill'd with a black Paste very light, made of Musk and Amber, but of a very strong Smell. One lives and is reviv'd with Perfumes in the East, instead of being incommoded by them, as we are in these cold Countries. As for Rings, there is no People in the World wear so many as the Women in Persia: And to say it at once, they have their Fingers loaded with them. One may Dress after the Persian manner very reasonably, both Men and Women, yet there is not a Country where Luxury and Shew abound more in the Men as well as the Women: For what relates to the Men's Dress, a Right Turban can't be bought under fifty Crowns; the finest cost twelve or fifteen hundred Livres; and to be well dress'd, one must buy those of three or four hundred Francs or Livres a-piece. They wear 'em, it's true, a long time, but then they must have several for change: Besides, it is customary, every New-Years Day, to new Cloath throughout; and when their Relations marry, one may buy Robes handsome enough for twenty or five and twenty Crowns; but they change every Day: The People of Quality seldom wear one two Days together; and if there fall but the least drop upon it, let it be what it will, it is in their Opinion, a spoil'd Robe; another must be put on immediately: Their Sashes likewise cost very dear; they wear Brocaded ones, from twenty to an hundred Crowns Value, and one of Camel's Hair over it; The Workmanship of which is so fine and curious, that it costs almost as much: And if one will wear Sable, there is still another Reckoning to be made; for one can't have a handsome close-body'd Coat under three thousand Livres, and the finest under as much again. An Officer, whose Pay does not amount to above twelve or fifteen hundred Livres, puts on a new Dress which shall cost him more. This Luxury of the Persians is the Cause of their Ruin as much as any thing else; for though their Cloaths last a long time, yet they cost them abundance of Money at first. The Men of the Sword wear a Sword and Dagger by their Side, as well as every Body belonging to the Court; but the Ecclesiasticks, the Men of Letters and Lawyers, the Merchants and the Handycrafts wear none. The Princesses of the BloodRoyal have the Priviledge to wear a Dagger. They don't at all suppress this Luxury in Persia, but quite the contrary; they generally excite and encourage it. The Persians have a common Proverb, Corbat Balabas, Honour is according to the Habit. I come now to the Household-Goods, which are nothing near so expensive as they are with us in the West. The Floors are first of all cover'd with a great thick Felt, with a fine Carpet upon it, or two, according to the bigness of the Room. There are of their Carpets, that are threescore Foot long, and which two Men can't carry. Upon these Carpets, against the Wall, they spread quite round the Room Mattresses or Quilts, about three Foot wide, which they cover at Top with Coverlets, that are no thicker than a Spanish Cloth, made of Callicoe, stitch'd with white or colour'd Silk, or stitch'd with Gold, which cover the Mattresses, with a new Border of a Foot, or a little more; upon them are rang'd in Order all along the Wall large Cushions, to lean against. They put at the End of these fine Coverlets, which are the Beds of the Ancients, large SpittingBoxes of Silver, at proper Distances, which serve likewise to keep them smooth by their Weight. These are the Chairs of the East, in a manner speaking, and whereon they sit, and when one has once cover'd a Room in this Manner, it lasts a Man's Life; for these Cushions are of good Velvet, or thick Brocade, and never wear as those who use the Persian Stuffs, in our Country can sufficiently testify; tho' our Air of Europe changes and destroys things more than that of Persia, beyond Comparison. They put no other Houshold Goods in the Rooms and Chambers of the Persians; no Beds nor Chairs as we have, no Looking-Glasses, no Tables nor Stands, no Cabinets nor Pictures. The Persians sit easier upon the Carpets than we do upon our Seats, at least, I was so well Accustom'd to 'em there, that I thought my self not half so easy in a Chair, and that it was of no use to me: In effect you see, that all the bottom of the Body is rested upon those Seats of the Persians; and the Legs as well as the Thighs; whereas, in our Chairs, the Legs are quite standing. That Posture likewise keeps one much warmer in cold Weather; but one must not for all this, try that Experiment with us; for the Moisture of our Air, which penetrates every thing, would prejudice our Legs and Thighs, when we sit thus upon the Ground. I have several times put my Hand under these Felts of the Chambers at Ispahan, and elsewhere, which are laid upon the Ground without any Floor, fancying that I must of necessity find the Ground damp, but I always found it very dry. If one should cover the Ground thus with Carpets in Europe, one should find them rotten at the Year's End, most of the Countries. For the beds which they lie upon, they are plain, like their other Moveables: They consist of Mattresses or Quilts, which they spread at Night upon the Carpet in the Chamber, and a Sheet which they spread over it, and a Coverlet stuff'd with Cotton, to cover them withal, and two Down Pillows. The fine Mattresses are of Velvet, and the Coverlets are Of Brocaded Silk, or of Gold and Silver, of all Colours. In the Morning, they fold up every thing in a large Toilet of Tabby, which they put in the Wardrobe; these are the Beds of the Eastern People. They know nothing of Beds rais'd and built upon four Posts. They are Accustom'd to lie thus upon the Ground; the goodness of the Air making them dispence with Bedsteads and Curtains, which are absolutely necessary in moist Countries. I can't help recounting again the Happiness these People enjoy who live in a Climate that stands in need of so few things, in Comparison of ours; for the present Occasions being the Springs and Sources of Troubles which we endure, and the Occasion in like Manner of Vices and Passions, that disorder us. It is a great Happiness to live in a Country where these Wants are neither so many, nor so pressing. I have observ'd elsewhere, how they light their Houses, in which they seldom use Candles, but Lamps, in which they burn instead of Oil, clean Tallow, pure and fine, like Wax, and which does not smell a bit. They use sometimes Wax-Candles, and among others, those that are scented, which are of Wax, work'd up or needed with Oil of Cinamon or Cloves, or some other Aromatick. Medieval background and art for this etext courtesy of Return to theTable of Contents. Last Updated on March 24, 2001 by Lisa and Sylvia.