Chapter PARIAH-ARRACK to PASEI of P by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

et de Chorasan.”—Mandelslo (Paris, 1659), 213.

1648.—“They (the Persians of India, i.e. Parsees) are in general a fast-gripping and avaricious nation (not unlike the Benyans and the Chinese), and very fraudulent in buying and selling.”—Van Twist, 48.

1653.—“Les Ottomans appellent gueuure vne secte de Payens, que nous connaissons sous le nom d’adorateurs du feu, les Persans sous celuy d’Atechperés, et les Indous sous celuy de Parsi, terme dont ils se nomment eux-mesmes.”—De la Boullaye-le-Gouz, ed. 1657, p. 200.

1672.—“Non tutti ancora de’ Gentili sono d’vna medesima fede. Alcuni descendono dalli Persiani, li quali si conoscono dal colore, ed adorano il fuoco. … In Suratte ne trouai molti. …”—P. F. Vincenzo Maria, Viaggio, 234.

1673.—“On this side of the Water are people of another Offspring than those we have yet mentioned, these be called Parseys … these are somewhat white, and I think nastier than the Gentues. …”—Fryer, 117.

” “The Parsies, as they are called, are of the old Stock of the Persians, worship the Sun and Adore the Elements; are known only about Surat.”—Ibid. p. 197.

1689.—“… the Persies are a Sect very considerable in India. …”—Ovington, 370.

1726.—“… to say a word of a certain other sort of Heathen who have spread in the City of Suratte and in its whole territory, and who also maintain themselves in Agra, and in various places of Persia, especially in the Province of Kerman, at Yezd, and in Ispahan. They are commonly called by the Indians Persees or Parsis, but by the Persians Gaurs or Gebbers, and also Atech Peres or adorers of Fire.”—Valentijn, iv. (Suratte) 153.

1727.—“The Parsees are numerous about Surat and the adjacent Countries. They are a remnant of the ancient Persians.”—A. Hamilton, ch. xiv; [ed. 1744, i. 159].

1877.—“… en se levant, le Parsi, après s’être lavé les mains et la figure avec l’urine du taureau, met sa ceinture en disant: Souverain soit Ormuzd, abattu soit Ahriman.”—Darmesteter, Ormuzd et Ahriman, p. 2.

PARVOE, PURVO, s. The popular name of the writer-caste in Western India, Prabhu or Parbhu, ‘lord or chief’ (Skt. prabhu), being an honorific title assumed by the caste of Kayath or Kayastha, one of the mixt castes which commonly furnished writers. A Bombay term only.

1548.—“And to the Parvu of the Tenadar Mor 1800 reis a year, being 3 pardaos a month. …”—S. Botelho, Tombo, 211.

[1567.—See Paibus under CASIS.

[1676–7.—“… the same guards the Purvos y^t look after y^e Customes for the same charge can receive y^e passage boats rent. …”—Forrest, Bombay Letters, Home Series, i. 125.

[1773.—“Conucopola (see CONICOPOLY). … At Bombay he is stiled Purvo, and is of the Gentoo religion.”—Ives, 49 seq.]

1809.—“The Bramins of this village speak and write English; the young men are mostly parvoes, or writers.”—Maria Graham, 11.

1813.—“These writers at Bombay are generally called Purvoes; a faithful diligent class.”—Forbes, Or. Mem. i. 156–157; [2nd ed. i. 100].

1833.—“Every native of India on the Bombay Establishment, who can write English, and is employed in any office, whether he be a Brahman, Goldsmith, Parwary, Portuguese, or of English descent, is styled a Purvoe, from several persons of a caste of Hindoos termed Prubhoe having been among the first employed as English writers at Bombay.”—Mackintosh on the Tribe of Ramoosies, p. 77.

PASADOR, s. A marlin-spike. Sea - Hind., from Port. passador.—Roebuck.

PASEI, PACEM, n.p. The name of a Malay State near the N.E. point of Sumatra, at one time predominant in those regions, and reckoned; with Malacca and Majapahit (the capital of the Empire of Java), the three greatest cities of the Archipelago. It is apparently the Basma of Marco Polo, who visited the coast before Islam had gained a footing.

c. 1292.—“When you quit the kingdom of Ferlec you enter upon that of Basma. This also is an independent kingdom, and the people have a language of their own; but they are just like beasts, without laws or religion.”—Marco Polo, Bk. iii. ch. 9.

1511.—“Next day we departed with the plunder of the captured vessel, which also we had with us; we took our course forward until we reached another port in the same island Trapobana (Sumatra), which was called Pazze; and anchoring in the said port we found at anchor there several junks and ships from divers parts.”—Empoli, p. 53.

1553.—“In the same manner he (Diogo Lopes) was received in the kingdom of Pacem … and as the King of Pedir had given him a cargo of pepper … he did not think well to go further … in case … they should give news of his coming at Malaca, those two ports of Pedir and Pacem being much frequented by a multitude of ships that go there for cargoes.”—Barros, II. iv. 31.

1726.—“Next to this and close to the East-point of Sumatra is the once especially famous