them or maintaine them. This article was granted in respect of a custome
among the Persians, being Mahumetans, whose maner is friendly to receiue
and wel entertaine, both with gifts and liuing, all such Christians, as
forsaking their religion, wil become of the religion of the Persians.
Insomuch that before this priuiledge was granted, there was great occasion
of naughty seruants to deceiue and rob their masters, that vnder the colour
of professing that religion, they might liue among them in such safetie,
that you might haue no lawe agaynst them, either to punish them or to
recouer your goods at their hands, or elsewhere. For before the Sophie
(whom they say to be a maruelous wise and gracious prince) seemed to fauour
our nation, and to grant them such priuiledges, the people abused them very
much, and so hated them, that they would not touch them, but reuiled them,
calling them Cafars and Gawars, which is, infidels or misbeleeuers. But
after they saw how greatly the prince fauoured them, they had them
afterward in great reuerence, and would kisse their hands and vse them very
friendly. For before they tooke it for no wrong to rob them, defraud them,
beare false witnesse against them, and such merchandizes as they had bought
or sold, make them take it againe, and change it as often as them listed.
And if any stranger by chance had killed one of them, they would haue the
life, of two for one slaine, and for the debts of any stranger would take
the goods of any other of the same nation, with many other such like
abuses, in maner vnknowen to the prince, before the complaints of our men
made vnto him for reformation of such abuses: which were the cause that no
merchant strangers of contrary religion durst come into his dominions with
their commodities, which might be greatly to the profite of him and his
subiects.


The Articles of the second priuiledge deliuered to Laurence Chapman, which
are to be annexed vnto the former priuiledge.