History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

78 HISTORY OF THE PARSTS. [CHAP. II,

kindly lent material aid in transmitting it to the Embassy and thence to the Shah. The grievances complained of were these: that the Persian Zoroastrians were liable to forcible conversion by the Mahomedans ; that property belonging to a Zoroastrian family was confiscated wholesale for the use and benefit of individual proselytes and their perverted descendants, notwithstanding the existence and prior claims of lawful heirs; that property newly purchased was liable to be taxed for the benefit of the “‘mullas” to the extent of a fifth of its value; that new houses were forbidden to be erected and old ones to be repaired ; that persons of the Zoroastrian persuasion were not allowed the use of new or white clothes; that they were prevented from riding on horseback; and that such of them as were engaged in trade were subjected to extortionate demands under pretence of enforcing Government custom dues. The appeal was favourably received, and the petitioners were assured that measures for the immediate relief of the sufferers,

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with one exception, that of the “jazia,’ would be immediately adopted and enforced. ‘This reply did not realise all the expectations of the Parsis, who rightly felt that so long as the ‘‘jazia” existed it would leave the door open for all sorts of enormities ; and they therefore persevered in their efforts to procure its total and permanent extinction. His Majesty the Shah was thanked through the British ambassador