On his arrival at Ispahan, Richard Steel delivered his letters to Sir Robert,[158] who durst hardly read them, except now and then, as by stealth, fearing lest the Portuguese should know of them. He afterwards said it was now too late to engage in the business of our nation, and seemed much dissatisfied with the company, and with the merchants and mariners who brought him out. But at length he said he was a true-hearted Englishman, and promised to effect our desires. On the 19th, the friars being absent, he carried both of us to the master of the ceremonies, or _Maimondare,_ and took us along with him to the Grand Vizier, _Sarek Hogea_, who immediately called his scribes or secretaries, and made draughts of what we desired: namely, three _firmauns_, one of which John Crowther has to carry to Surat, one for Richard Steel to carry to England, and the third to be sent to the governor of _Jasques_, all sealed with the great seal of the king. The same day that these firmauns were procured, being the last of September, Sir Robert Shirley set out for Shiras in great pomp, and very honourably attended. [Footnote 158: Of the landing of Sir Robert Shirley, see Peyton's first voyage before; and of the rest of his journey see the second voyage of Peyton, in the sequel.--_Purch._] _Copy of the Firmaun granted by the King of Persia._ "Firmaun or command given unto all our subjects, from the highest to the lowest, and directed to the _Souf-basha_, or constable of our country, kindly to receive and entertain the _English Franks_[159] or nation, when any of their ships may arrive at Jasques, or any other of the ports in our kingdom, to conduct them and their merchandize to what place or places they may desire, and to see them safely defended upon our coasts from any other Franks whomsoever. This I will and command you to do, as you shall answer in the contrary. Given at our royal city, this 12th of _Ramassan_, in the year of our _Tareag_, 1024. [October, 1615.]" The chief commodities of Persia are raw silks, of which it yields, according to the king's books, 7700 _batmans_ yearly. Rhubarb grows in Chorassan, where also worm-seed grows. [Footnote 159: Frank is a name given in the East to all western Christians, ever since the expedition to the Holy Land, because the French were the chief nation on that occasion, and because the French council at Clermont was the cause of that event.--Purch.]