Arabia to these Provinces Wherefore this City is much frequented by Merchants as well Persians and Arabians as Benjans and Jews and to that purpose are built many Caravanseras for the accommodation of strange Merchants that come thither with their Commodities This City hath been much ruin'd by Earthquakes one of which in Anno 1400. threw down above a hundred Houses and another Anno 1593. above three hundred or as Texeira affirms five hundred at which time also many Water-Cesterns and the greatest part of the City Walls were spoil'd The ancient Castle formerly built by a Georgian call'd Melek on a Stone Rock on the East side of the City was also cast down A League from Lar is a Caravansera call'd Charcaph The last Place in this Dukedom of Lar at the entrance of the Country which belong'd to the King of Ormus when he was absolute Master of his whole Kingdom on the Main Continent of Persia and Arabia is Abi Dunger Concerning the Climate we cannot say there is any great Cold at Lar the Air being so temperate that in March you can scarce get into the City for the abundance of Flies and Gnats which in great Swarms fill the Air. But in June there blows such a hot and dry Wind that on all Places over which it passes it leaves Impressions as of Fire and withal scorches the Faces Hands and Legs of Strangers to their great trouble and pain call'd therefore by the Persians Bad Semum that is An infectious and burning Wind. The whole Country of Lar is very destitute of Water for there are neither Brooks Springs nor Wells onely in several Places on the Road are plac'd Troughs which catch the Rain-water which serves for the accommodation and refreshment of Travellers Mr. Herbert says this Water is very unwholesom and occasions many Distempers as well in the Inhabitants as Strangers viz. Rheums Sore Throats and Worms in the Legs which causes Itching and Lameness and is not to be cur'd without taking out the Worm and this must also be done with great care for if the Worm chance to break it causes Putrefaction and Numbness in the Part affected which is only to be remedied by continual cutting and slashing of the Flesh There is nothing worthy of praise in all the Country about Lar but the Charitable Inclinations of divers of the Inhabitants who besides the Cesterns which the ancient Kings of Lara and their Governors made for the Publick good and Refreshment of the Inhabitants and Travellers which come daily hither in their last Wills appoint certain Persons to build with their Estates Cesterns Caravanseras and Alms-houses some great and others little according to their Capacities and Zeal in their Religion and by this means there are so many Cesterns that the adjacent Plain is full of them and the Water therein is very clear and cool in Summer notwithstanding the great Heat About Lar and the Parts adjacent are several sorts of Fruit-trees as Oranges Lemmons and the best Dates in all Persia Most of the Inhabitants live on Dates partly by making them their Food and partly by selling and bartering them for other Necessaries Between Lar and Gamron grows abundance of Assa Foetida by the Maleyans and Javanners call'd Hin The ancient Inhabitants of this Country were Arabians of which there are yet many living SCHAMACHIE Schirwan or Scerwan in ancient Times call'd Media Atropatia or Little Media The modern Names of Media Atropatia THis Province anciently a Kingdom is at this day in the Countrey Language call'd Schirwan and Xirwan or Xyruan and generally by the Europeans Serwan Magin supposes Xyruan to comprehend all Media though it be onely a part as Minadoi Leunclavius Olearius and others have observ'd who take it onely for old Media or Atropatia Our Mr. Jenkinson will have the same to be Hircania But Schirwan is rather the Northern Media as appears by the nature of the Soil for accordtng to Herodotus and Strabo that part of Media is mountainous as the Countrey now call'd Schirwan is found to be The Bounds This Province conterminates in the East with the Caspian Sea on the West with Georgia on the North with Albany and somewhat higher with the wandring Tartars which inhabit between Mount Caucasus and the River Volga and in the South it juts out against Great Armenia where the River Canack running betwixt serves for a Boundary and thence passes on till at last it comes to limit Great Media It s whole length is accounted about a hundred Miles The Metropolis of this Province of Schirwan is by divers Writers differently nam'd by Bizarro and Barbaro Sumachia by others Samachia and by the Spaniards Namachi but the common Name is Schamachie of which Namet here is but one City in Media or Persia notwithstanding Ferrarius in his short Geography makes mention of two one anciently call'd Ciropolis and the other Samunis It lies in 84 Degrees and 30 Minutes Longitude and 40 Degrees and 50 Minutes Latitude about six days Journey from the City Derbend or Demircapi by reason of the turnings and by-ways which you must travel through the Mountains but it is not above two days Journey along the Caspian Sea through Bacuy and the Mountains of Lahats and very passable either on Foot or on Horseback The Cammels commonly go the first Way finishing the Journey according as they are laden It is situate in a Valley betwixt Mountains which prevent its being seen till you come just upon it The Castle thereto belonging stands on a Hill near the City Walls which together with the City was built as the Persians affirm by King Schirwan Sehach The Description of the City Schamachie This City formerly was much bigger in circumference than at this day having been much ruin'd in King Abbas's time by the Turkish Wars It was anciently divided into two parts each being severally inclos'd with a Wall but the foremention'd King seeing that the Turks aim'd at nothing but strong and well fortifi'd Places for the better maintaining of their Conquest and never medled with open Villages also observing that the Forts lying in the middle of the Countrey and not on his Borders did him more hurt than good he caus'd the Walls of the Southern part of the City to be pull'd down and likewise those that inclos'd the Cities Tauris or Tabris Nachtzuan and Kentze This South part of Schamachie lies like a peculiar Town separated from the Northern by a little Hill which serves as a publick Market-place to both It is said that when the Turk conquer'd this City and went about afterwards to fortifie it he demolish'd the Persian Tombs to repair the City Walls with the Material thereof The North part of the City lies at the foot of another Hill and being somewhat less than the foremention'd South part is surrounded with a sleight Stone Wall so ruin'd that though the Gates which are five in number belock'd you may get into the City at any time of the Night over the
Man of Persia call'd Heid Ibrahim Heid Ibrahims Tomb. held in great veneration amongst the Persians as a very ancient Monument and left undemolish'd by Tamerlane who destroy'd all things else hereabouts It is Chappel-like inclos'd with a Stone Wall having before the access to it two fair Courts in the first whereof appear many Tomb-stones whereon are Engraven in Arabick several Inscriptions under it are also divers Vaults which receive a glittering Light through little low Windows In one of the deepest Vaults stands a high Stone Altar with two Steps on the one side a Door leads into a Penetrale or Withdrawing-Room the Floor whereof is cover'd with rich Tapestry at the upper end hangs a Table of Stone with this Inscription in Arabick To God I commit my Actions he is my Helper On the right-hand is another Vault which contains eight Chappels or sepulchral Monuments and from that you enter into a third wherein stands the Tomb of the Prophet himself round about which are plac'd great Candlesticks with Wax Tapers which are kept continually burning and from the Roof hang also Lamps So choice are the Persians of this Tomb that they do not willingly admit any Strangers to see it Near the Village Pyrmaraas stands another celebrated Monument in a Rocky Mountain Tirihabba's Tomb. in which lies bury'd a Saint call'd Tirihabba the Master or Instructer of Heid Ibrahim over the Door of it stands written O God open this Door This Tirihabba as the Persians say was always on his Knees incessantly praying clad in a grey Coat upon which his Disciple Heid Ibrahim obtain'd from God that his Tutor after his Decease as well as in his Life-time might be found in a zealous and praying Posture whereupon it is reported that after his Death he continu'd in that Posture as if he had been living with other such like Stories not over easily to be credited Round about Tirihabba's Tomb are divers Caves cut in the same Rock furnish'd with Beds where the Pilgrims Lodge when they come to make their Offerings DERBENDT By the said Village next to Ibrahim's Tomb is a Cavern seventy two Foot long and twenty broad Vaulted with square Stones in which the Inhabitants preserve Snow Ice and Water in the Winter against the Summer for themselves and their Cattel because there is little good Water else thereabouts Pyr Mardechan 's Tomb. Two Leagues and a half from Schamachie towards Ardebil stands the Tomb of a Saint call'd Pyr Mardechan whose Memory is also in great Adoration amongst the Persians The City Ere 's On the Borders of Armenia lies the City Ere 's or Aras near the River Aras whence it takes Denomination at this day call'd Arisbar once the first City of Serwan on that side of the Countrey but much ruin'd and in a manner quite desolate On the Borders of Servan towards Georgia stands the City Sequi and on the Confines of Media the City Giavat The Situation of the City Derbend The City Derbend by the Turks call'd Demircapi or rather Temircapi that is Iron Gate lies West of the Caspian Sea in 85 Degrees Longitude and 41 Degrees and 30 Minutes Northern Latitude according to Olearius's observation It extends in length from East to West half a League and hath in breadth from North to South and from one Gate to the other onely four hundred and fifty Paces The Waves of the Caspian Sea upon which it stands beating against the Walls blocks up the Passage on that side which together with the inaccessible Mountains on the other side gives it the foremention'd Name of Temircapi or Iron Gate to the Kingdom of Persia it reaches on one end to the foot of the Mountains on the other to the Sea Not onely several Writers but also the Inhabitants to this day affirm that this City was built by Alexander the Great whom they call'd Iscander as a Retreat or place of repose for his Army and from his own Name call'd Alexandria whereas in truth he onely erected the Castle and Wall on the South side but that on the North side was built by Nawschirwan an ancient King of that Countrey The Walls are high and broad built of that sort of Stone before mention'd which seems commix'd with broken Mussle-shells Over one of the Gates of the Wall which was built by Alexander are certain Lines written in Syriack Characters and in another place Arabick with some strange Hieroglyphicks worn out by Time and not legible d ee Description of the City This City is divided into three parts the uppermost stands upon an acclivity of the Mountain being the Residence of the Governor fortifi'd with Guns and Garrison'd with five hundred Soldiers of two several Nations viz. Ajurumlu and Coidurscha The middle part inhabited by Persians hath been several times ruin'd once by their own King Emir Emse Chodabende's Son when he re-took the City from the Turkish Emperor Mustafa to whom the Townsmen had freely surrendred it The lower part being not five hundred Paces long hath at this day very few Houses left standing being now nothing but a parcel of Gardens Orchards and Plough'd-Lands It is said that this part was formerly inhabited by the Greeks wherefore it is to this day by the Persians call'd Schaher * Junan probably from Iones Junan that is The Greeks City Both the Walls are founded on Rocks The Shore also about Derbend being all very Rocky is altogether unfit for Anchorage and unsafe Harbor for Shipping On the Mountains which are very wooddy above the City appear the Ruines of a Wall which as they say extended fifty Leagues along the Caspian Sea it appears by some parts of it yet remaining of six Foot high to have been of equal breadth with the present Walls of the City which are so broad that a Coach may drive upon them Moreover on the upper side of the City stand several Castles apart on several Hills whereof two the nearest to the Town being built square are kept in indifferent good Repair and well Garrison'd There are also divers woodden Watch-houses from whence they have a clear and large Prospect and can timely see the approach of any Enemy there being continual Watch kept in them Amongst other Remarks near the City Tzumtzume's Tomb. is the Tomb of Tzumtzume of whom the Persians relate this following Story Eissi a great Prophet amongst the Persians passing by there on a certain time and finding a Man's Scull lying on the Ground desirous to know whose Scull it was pray'd to God to make it again a living Person whereupon he became immediately so inspir'd that he breathed the Breath of Life into it and asking who he was he reply'd Tzumtzume once a wealthy King of this Countrey who possess'd a great City abounding with all things That he had spent daily forty Cammels load of Salt A certain number for an uncertain had forty thousand Head of Kine forty thousand Stage-players forty thousand Servants who wore Pearls
Muscur This Countrey of Muscur is every where very pleasant to the Eye affording a green Prospect till November The Soil is fertile producing plenty of Barley Rice and Wheat besides all manner of excellent Fruit and Trees of delightful shade and harbor to melodious Birds The Cattel lie abroad in the Fields as well in Winter as in Summer so that they have little need of providing Hay more than what just serves for Travellers and Strangers The Vines grow up and down without Planting and run upon the Elms or such like Trees as in Italy There is likewise variety of wild Fowl here especially Pheasants also store of Hares and a sort of Foxes call'd by the Inhabitants Schacal having thick Wooll on their Backs white Hair under their Bellies black Ears and a less Tail than ordinary which they call Tulki In the Lakes and Pools about the Village Mardow are abundance of wild Swans which are commonly taken in the Winter much esteem'd for the fineness of their Down The Rusticks keep Buffalo's which are us'd in their Draughts their Fodder is Schenbile or Grecian Hay with which whole Fields are Sow'd it is Mow'd when green and given Seed and all to the Buffalo's which makes their Milk so rich that it yields Cream two Inches thick of which is made excellent Butter They never make Cheese of Cows Milk but all of Sheeps ISFAHAN The Province of Parthia or Erack The modern Names and Bounds of Parthia THe Province anciently nam'd Parthia is at this day call'd Arach Harach or Erach as also in the Countrey Language Erack and by some Jex but according to Texeira its proper and true Name is Hyerack or as Olearius will have it Erack But it is to be observ'd that the Name Hyerack or Erack is given to two distinct Provinces one whereof lies in Arabia or as Olearius says it comprises Bagdat or Babylon and was anciently Assyria and is by some nam'd Eracain the other lying in the middle of Persia and is generally call'd Erack Agemy or Erack Atzem whereas the first hath the Denomination of Erack Araly This Province of Erack borders Eastward at Arie and by a long Road at Corazan on the West it conterminates with Media on the North with Hircania and juts Southerly towards the Wilderness of Caramia The Metropolis of Erack is Ispahan the other chief Towns are according to Olearius Casuwin or Casbin Solthanie Sencan Caschan Ebbeher Saway Rey Hemedan Com Scha-Herrisur Dercasin and Theheran The City Ispahan by Josaphat Barbaro is call'd Spahan by Contareno Spaa or Spaam by Peter Bizarro Aspacham Spaha was by the ancient Greeks for its largeness nam'd Hecatompolis that is A hundred Cities A little before Tamerlanes time it was call'd Sipahan partly from its populousness and partly because there the Armies had their Rendezvous for Siphan is the same with the ancient Persian word Sipa which signifies an Army wherefore they at this day call the General of an Army Sipesalar but since Tamerlane's time it hath had the Denomination of Ispahan by transposing the Letters and placing the I before the S. An Arabian Writer call'd Ahmedbin Arebscha who writ the Life of Tamerlane calls this City Isbahan and some modern Writers of the Persians Isfahan Situation and Bounds of the City Ispahan This City lying in 32 Degrees and 26 Minutes North Latitude and 86 Degrees and 40 Minutes Longitude is situated upon a Plain and half environ'd with Mountains at three or four Leagues distance viz. towards the South and South-West with the Mountains Demawend and towards the North-East those of Jeilack Perjan It is eight Leagues in circumference with its Suburbs but it is fenc'd onely with a a slight Wall of Earth six Yards thick at the bottom and not above a Foot on the top with several Stone Redoubts The Moat about the same is almost quite dry insomuch that one may go over it dry-foot in several places both in Winter and Summer The Castle which is also the Treasury is built pretty strong and Plaister'd over with Lime On the South-West side of the Town runs an indifferent large Stream call'd Senderuth which springing out of the Mountain Demawend divides it self into two several Branches call'd Haws and Burke Besides which there are divers Wells and Springs up and down so that the whole City is very well serv'd with Water Out of the same River runs a third Branch just above the City into a Park of Deer call'd Hazartzirib and in another place it is convey'd in Pipes under Ground into the King's chief Garden call'd Tzarbag a little below which Allawerdich Chan of Schiras built a fair Stone Bridge cross the Stream Schach Abbas during his fourteen years Reign made it his principal Business to lead another Stream which passes on the other side of the Mountain Demawend through the said Mountain though in a manner all Rock into the River Senderuth employing daily a thousand Men about it allowing each man four Abas a day but by reason of the excessive Cold and abundance of Snow which falls thereabouts they were never able to work above three Moneths in a year which very much retarded the Work yet through the alacraty of the Nobles and Grandees in assisting the King it was brought to a great forwardness and had been quickly finish'd had Schach Abbas liv'd but after his Death his Successor never employ'd a Man about it The Description of the City This City was also twice laid waste by Tamerlane first when he conquer'd it and next when it rebell'd against him In Schach Ismael's time it began to flourish a little but when Scach Abbas by reason of its pleasant Situation remov'd his Royal Seat from Casvyn thither he not onely enlarg'd and beautifi'd the City with fair Buildings but also made it very populous by reason of the great concourse of People that flockt thither from all parts insomuch that at this day the Inhabitants thereof are estimated to be above five hundred thousand Every House of the City which much enlarges it hath two fair Gardens being generally much esteem'd by the Persians who though they beautifie them not so much with all manner of various colour'd Flowers as is usual in Europe yet they Plant them very handsomly with divers sorts of Fruit-trees Vines and especially the Tzinar Tree besides which they adorn them with pleasant Fountains and conveying the Water from one Pipe to another cause them at their pleasure to overflow the whole Garden Persons of Quality have also commonly two or three Pleasure-houses in every Garden which are better furnish'd than their Dwelling-houses Besides the Citizens ordinary Habitations there are several Palaces in the City which are not so beautiful without as within they are for the most part built of Sun-dry'd Brick and square Tile and after the Persian manner many two some three and others four Stories high each having a peculiar Name the Cellar they call Sirsemin the lower Story or Hall Chane the Rooms
descend in great abundance from whence there are lesser Pipes that convey the Water under Ground which supplies with much variety several artificial Fountains which gliding from thence fall into a Lake on the farther side of the Garden The Suburbs of Ispahan About this City of Ispahan are several Suburbs the greatest of which they call Tzulpha having in it three thousand Houses and twelve Mosques or Churches which in beauty are not inferior to any within the Walls being the Residence of rich Armenian Merchants whom Schach Abbas remov'd from Armenia thither they pay the King yearly two hundred Tomans for Tribute On the other side of the River Senderuth lie the Suburbs Tabrisabath otherwise Abasabath so call'd because Scach Abbas brought the Inhabitants thither from Tabris Another part of the Suburbs call'd Hassenabath is inhabited by Castilians brought thither from Georgia they are great Merchants and like the Armenians travel from one Countrey to another The Manners and Religion of the Kebbers Another eminent part of the Suburbs lieth on the West side and is call'd Kebrabath and the Inhabitants thereof Kebbers who are also rich Merchants they have long Beards and wear other fashion'd Clothes than the Persians viz. long wide Coats which are open in no place but about the Neck and on the Shoulders where they tie them together with Ribbons The Women go without Shoes and bare-fac'd They are accounted a civil and courteous People Extracted from an ancient Pagan Family and to this day suffering themselves neither to be Baptiz'd nor Circumcis'd They have neither Temples nor Priests neither do they with Hottinger's good leave worship the Fire as the ancient Kebbers did When any one dies they drive a Cock into the Fields out of the House of the Deceased which if it be caught by a Fox then they believe that the Soul of the Deceased is taken up into a better World but if this proof chance to be hindred by any Accident then they try another way on which their assurance chiefly depends viz. they carry the Corps clad with their best Apparel and adorn'd with Gold Chains and other Ornaments to the Church-yard where they set the Body up against the Wall propping up the same by placing a Pole under the Chin where if the Fowls of the Air pick out the right Eye then they assuredly believe the Soul to be ascended to Heaven but if the left they judge it to be gone to Hell They have also two sorts of Graves in one they tenderly lay the Bodies of their supposed Saints and into the other those whom they believe to be Damn'd are thrown headlong In a small circumference about the City Ispahan are reckon'd a thousand four hundred and sixty Villages and Hamlets all inhabited by Weavers The City Jarustan A League from Ispahan and seven from the Village Mahier lies the City Jarustan pleasantly situated as it were in the midst of a Garden on the Bank of a River It is full of Inhabitants and hath plenty of all manner of Provisions and several fair Structures but one more magnificent than all the rest surrounded with a Gallery and containing many handsom Rooms the biggest and chiefest whereof is built after the fashion of the Chappels belonging to the Jesuits Cloysters in Europe with many Windows on the top The Persians tell us that this Structure was formerly a Colledge wherein Schach Thamas's time Disputations were held Near this House is also a Garden with several Springs and Fountains in it but not always flowing KOM SABA In the Way from Casbyn to Ispahan are several Places whence Salmon is brought salted from Kilan where the best Salmon is caught in the Mouth of the River Araxes From Ispahan runs a straight and pleasant Way on both sides of which are several fair Houses and delightful Gardens Situation and Description of the City Cashan The City Caschan or Cashan lies according to the Persians in thirty five Degrees Longitude and thirty four Northern Latitude But Olearius after three days observation found the same to lie nine Minutes more Southerly It being built long extends half a League from East to West and is surrounded with Walls and Bulwarks of a clayie sort bf Earth round about the same is good arable Land On the South side of the City is a kind of a Tilt-yard with a Post in the middle where the Persians use to run at the Ring On the left side of the foremention'd Way is one of the King's Orchards in which are two Banquetting-houses one near the High-way and the other in the middle which last hath very many Windows which according to the manner of the Persian Gardens open the Doors into as many Walks two Doors amongst the rest generally stand open opposite one against another the Walls are a Yard thick When the King comes hereabouts he commonly takes up his Residence in this Garden Cashan is one of the most populous and greatest Cities of Trade in all Persia having many fair Houses stately Caravansera's and above all a magnificent Bazar and Maidan set out with arch'd Portico's and Rooms and being every where so neatly built that no City in Persia is comparable to it It is inhabited by all manner of People but especially Persians and Indians who have every one their peculiar Trade or Manufacture which they exercise in Shops open to the Streets but most of them are Weavers of Cloth-of-Gold and Silks The several Names with the Description of the little Town Natens Twelve Leagues from Caschan lies the little but pleasant Town call'd Natens but by Contareno in the Description of his Travels Nethas and by Clavius and Herbert Natan by Ananâ—as Jesâ—i by Texeira Yazd and by Thevet Jex from whence it is said that this Province hath receiv'd the Name of Jez The several Streams of fresh Water which run through the same make the Countrey very fertile in the production of Corn and Grapes It lies in a pleasant Valley at the end whereof towards Ispahan appears a fruitful Mountain over which they travel to Ispahan The Valley is full of little Villages interspers'd with neat Gardens and lying at so small a distance from each other that they seem to be one entire Town and therefore have no peculiar Names Opposite to the City lie two high spiring Rocks or Mountains on the highest of which stands a Turret which Schack Abbas built in commemoration of a Falcon that conquer'd an Eagle for the foremention'd King travelling by this Place took up one of his Falcons which spying an Eagle broke loose and flying at him after a long and fierce Combat brought him down According to Mandeslo's observation the Tower on the foremention'd Mountain is built of eight-square Brick or Coctile Stone and runs up sharp with a glaz'd Roof about which is a narrow Walk The Arch underneath is eight Paces crossways and by the multiplicity of Windows and Doors is very light Besides this there are several other Structures upon
what occasion built we find not on the said Mountain but the greatest Wonder is how such a quantity of Brick or Stone could be carry'd up such a vast heighth it requiring above three hours time to get to the top by reason of the steepness of the Mountain Situation and Description of the City Saba The City Saba is by the Persians accounted to lie in eighty five Degrees of Longitude and in thirty of Northern Latitude but Olearius hath found the same to lie fifty six Minutes more Northerly and Rui Gonzales de Clavaco places the same in thirty Degrees and eighteen Minutes Northern Latitude The Plains about the City are in some places Morassy the City it self built on a Plain which on the right side hath the Mountain Elwend which rising exceeding high appears very pleasant at a distance This City which is not very big lies inclos'd with a slight Wall and hath many ruin'd Houses The glory of this City is the Gardens and Orchards which are full of Pomegrate and Almond-Trees Not far from the City the Inhabitants plant Rice and Cotton in which their chief Trade consists The City Rhey A day and a halfs Journey Eastward from Saba in the same Latitude lies a City call'd Rhey now very ruinous and the adjacent Countrey red and infertile occasion'd as the Persians say from a War rais'd against Hosseyn one of their great Saints by Omarsand who getting the better and having possess'd the Countrey by right of Conquest suddenly had a Curse upon his impiety in shedding innocent Blood for he had slain Hosseyn in Battel whereupon the City then populous and the Countrey fertile suddenly became desolate and barren Situation and Description the City Com. Eleven Leagues from Saba lies the City Com which according to the Persians observation lies in 85 Degrees and 40 Minutes Longitude and in 34 Degrees and 40 Minutes Northern Latitude but Olearius makes the same to lie 18 Minutes more Southerly viz. in 34. Degrees and 23 Minutâ—o Northem Latitude Com an ancient City and by Ptolomy call'd Guriane was formerly very big as appears by several Ruines of Houses and of an old Wall at a good distance round about it It lies in a Plain like Saba and being inclos'd within a Wall hath the Mountain Elwend on the right side which appears white with sandy tops at a great distance from whence descend two Streams which are convey'd through the City in a broad Chanel which by melting of the Snow in March often overflows much of the Town and some years the Flood hath been so great that it hath wash'd away many Houses but in the Summer it is pretty dry The Suburbs belonging to the City extend half a League When any Strangers come into this City the Women either through Superstition or the Jealousie of the Men are not suffer'd to shew themselves and especially to Frenchmen yet nevertheless they make shift sometimes to procure private access Description of the Village Casmabath A days Journey from Com lies the great Village Casmabath where the Houses are most of them joyn'd to one another with Arches Four Leagues from Com lies another Village call'd Caem Abao According to Texeira Erack comprises also the Cities Nahaoand Targazin and Damaoand formerly counted within the Jurisdiction of Aderbajon Davity tells us that Damaoand is the City which Minadoi names Diagman and places the same on the Borders between Persia properly so call'd and great Media Texeira also writes that the City Taharon is the same with Giem which Davity would have to be John the Persian's Guieche being the Metropolis of a Kingdom near Aderbajon Swaert also places in this Province the Countrey of Thaparstam which he supposes to be the ancient Pathienne a Countrey lying Northward and the Passage through inaccessible Mountains and troublesom Ways into Hircania but this is certainly the Countrey Taberstam which Texeira onely names with Hinel its Metropolis The City Casbin Casbin as the same Texeira and Olearius have it is a City belonging to the Province of Parthia or Erack notwithstanding John the Persian makes it a peculiar Kingdom and is in some Maps plac'd near Aderbajon in others farther towards the North-East than Rey Xarear It s Situation and Description The City Casbin or Caswin by others call'd Casbin and formerly Arsatia lies as the Persians and Arabians inform us in 85 Degrees Longitude and 36 Degrees and 15 Minutes Northern Latitude as Olearius hath also observ'd It is situate on a barren and sandy Plain about half a days Journey from which on the South side begin the high Mountains Elwend which extend South-West towards Bagdat or Babylon The City is a League in circumference hath no Walls nor any Soldiers in Garrison because it lies a great way from an Enemy yet as they say hath a hundred thousand Inhabitants out of which on all occasions a good Army might easily be rais'd The ordinary Houses are built of Stone after the Persian manner which though they seem mean on the out-side yet are handsome and well contriv'd within having several Apartments white or else curiously Painted All the Streets being unpav'd and the Ground naturally sandy the least Wind raises Dust and makes it very troublesom walking to the Inhabitants There are no Springs nor Wells but all the Water is convey'd from the Mountains in Pipes laid under Ground into publick Cisterns where it is free for every ones use There are also many Conservatories wherein they keep Ice and Snow to use in Summer The City hath two great Maidans or Market-places the chiefest whereof is call'd Atmaidan being somewhat longer than that of Ardebil though not so broad On the South side thereof stand large and magnificent Structures built most of them by the Princes or Chans of Persia In the Bazars or Shops of this Market-place as also in the Senke Maidan which lies more Westward commonly all manner of Rarities and rich Merchandizes are to be had at reasonable Rates especially Turkoises Rubies and Granates But after Sun-set another kind of Trade is driven on the East side of the Maidan viz. divers Cahbeha or Girls of Pleasure stand in a long Row with cover'd Faces holding up their Coats and behind every one of them an old Woman call'd Delal who carries a Cushion and Blanket or Cotton Quilt on their Backs and an unlighted Candle in their Hands which as soon as any one comes and discourses with the Cahbeha she lights and presents the Party whereupon he turning up their Vails bids her whom he fancies best follow him In this City are likewise above fifty Metzids or Temples Temples whither the Persians daily go to their Devotions the chiefest is Tzame Metzid towards the South not far from the Maidan where their Sabbath or Friday Meeting is principally celebrated There are also many well built Caravansera's for strange Merchants and likewise many publick Baths The King's Palace Near the great Maidan is a large and
and barbarous Cruelties of Osman's Soldiers But in the Year 1603. Abbas having obtain'd the Crown of Persia march'd with great expedition to Tauris and what with the inclination of the Citizens towards him by reason of their extream aversion to the Turkish Government and the use of the Cannon he brought with him which till that time the Persians scorn'd as not becoming valiant Men after six Weeks Siege took the City Notwithstanding all the several Brunts that this City underwent Minadoi affirms that Anno 1607. it had six Leagues in circumference but since that time also the Calamities and Ruines of War have fall'n heavy upon it especially in the Year 1618. wherein Schach Abbas caus'd it to be wholly deserted and lest desolate upon the Turkish Armies approach The Countrey about Tebris may all be over-flow'd The Towns and Places of note in Aderbeitzan The most eminent Places near this City are 1. Salmas not far from which Scander and Joonxa Sons to Cara Issuf defeated Xarock the Son of Tamerlane 1. Maragag or Mararga 3. Cuzaculan 4. Sancan 5. Sofian perhaps the ancient Sofia Sancan by the common People call'd Sengan but by the Learned Persians Zengian that is to say Sighing of the Soul was of old before its destruction by Tamerlane and divers Invasions by the Turks a great City for Commerce and Trade and full of handsom Buildings and had also another Name for it receiv'd this Denomination of Sencan from a Tartarian King of the Family of the Usbechies who having taken and demolish'd it put all the Inhabitants to the Sword and thereupon it is become at this time a little unwall'd Town and meanly built It lies on a Hill between Tebris and Sultanie upon a parching sandy Ground and in some places overgrown with low Brambles Half a League from the City on the right side runs a Ridge of the Mountain Taurus in the Countrey Language call'd Keider Peijamber from one of their old Prophets who is said to lie there bury'd It extends from North to South as far as Curdistan At the foot of this Mountain lies a pleasant Valley wherein are several Villages as Keintze Hazimur and Camal By Sengan run two Ways Northerly though the one which leads to Tebris bends more Westerly and the other on the right hand leading to the City Ardebil more towards the East Three Leagues Northward from Sengan flows a a Brook in the Countrey Language call'd Sarmusack Ciai The Situation of the City Sultania The City Sultania a Boundary between the Province of Arack and Aderbeitzan lies in 84 Degrees and 5 Minutes Longitude and in 36 Degrees and 30 Minutes Northern Latitude three days Journey Northward from Caswin or Casbin on a pleasant Plain It hath on each side pretty high Mountains especially on the right side where stands the foremention'd Moâ—ntain Keider It is much more in length than breadth and appears at a great distance by reason of its many high Houses Spires and Turrets but the Walls very much decay'd and ruinous It is said that in former times it was one of the most eminent and stateliest Cities in this Countrey Sultania built by Sultan Choda bende About half a League from this City on the right hand of the Way which comes from Hamedan stands a large Stone Gate and Tower belonging to the City and is said to be the remainder of an old Palace which as likewise the whole City was built by Sultan Muhammed Chodabende a Tartar of the Family of the Usbechies out of the Ruines of the City Tigranocerta of which Tacitus makes mention in several places as appears by the Name of Sultania for till after his time the Kings of Persia did not Intitle themselves Schach but Sultan as the Turks do at this day as also from an Inscription on his Tomb yet to be seen The Fields about this City as the Inhabitants relate were formerly very unfruitful but King Chodabende Cultivating the same made it not onely very fertile but also exceeding pleasant moistening it with Water which was convey'd a great way under Ground in Pipes They add moreover that the same Night that the foremention'd King dy'd who was going about to add to the Building of the City and to fill the same with a new supply of Inhabitants fetch'd from other Countries the People that were then in it began to leave it insomuch that in that Night fourteen thousand Women march'd out of the same on seven thousand Cammels two on each Cammel Nevertheless after this it flourish'd for some time and was daily increasing in Riches and Repute when Chotza Reschid King of Persia whom Josaphat Barbaro calls Giausam upon a Mutiny of the Inhabitants destroy'd a great part of it and not long after Tamerlane compleated the destruction thereof There remains a great part of the Walls of a very strong and sumptuous Castle which was also the King's Palace built of Freestonâ— with many square Towers of which some are yet to be seen but the onely Structures standing yet in view are two Meschaiches or Mosques wherein Sultan Mahumeth Chodabende lies bury'd The Description of Chodabende's Tomb. the Inscription on whose Tomb as we said before speaks him the Builder of Sultania all things about the same being exceeding curious and above all it s three Gates though not of Copper as Bizarro writes yet of polish'd Steel The greatest Gate which is opposite to the Maidan or Market cannot as they say be open'd though never so many Men endeavor it unless they speak these words Beask Aly Buckscha that is Be open'd for Aly's sake and then it turns so easily upon the Hinges that a Child may open it The Roof is very high and rises by degrees towards the middle into a round Tower The Walls are overlaid with white and blue glaz'd Stones form'd into several Shapes and Characters It hath a Gallery or long Walk jutting out like a Balcony over which are certain Repositories where there lie several Arabian Books some a quarter of a Yard deep and three quarters long the Characters in them are three Inches long and every second Line neatly written with Gold and Ink all transcrib'd out of the Alcoran Several Leaves of one of these Books came to the hands of Olearius who kept them as a great Rarity At the farther end of this Temple in the Way towards the Meherab or Altar the Tomb of the Sultan Mahumed Chodabende appears through a very fine polish'd Grate which is accounted a great piece of Art because it is made of Indian Steel each Bar about the thickness of a Man's Arm and all of them so neatly joyn'd together that no Joynts are seen it is said that it was cut out of a whole Piece as also the Gate and that seven years were spent in India about the making of them Moreover there are two great Guns to be seen in the same Emerad or Mosque with a Mortar-piece each plac'd on Carriages with four Wheels besides Demi-cannons
the troublesom Valley of Perdelisk and the other extends Eastward Three Leagues from Chivi lies another Village call'd Hoin and beyond it a Valley that is scatteringly inhabited Five Leagues from the before-mention'd Hoin appears the City Scial at the foot of a Mountain so inconsiderable that it is scarce worth the mentioning from whence you go through narrow Roads very foul and troublesom which brings you first to Derram in the Countrey of Taron where all the Fields quite to Caswin are Planted with Cotton Eight Leagues from Derram is the Village Ibrahim so denominated from the Builder thereof A League farther runs the Stream call'd Chizil-Uzen which augmented with several Brooks and Rivulets falls into the Caspian Sea From thence you soon arrive at Caswin The Province of Iran or Carabach Situation and Description THe Province of Iran by most especially by the Vulgar call'd Carabach lies between two famous Rivers viz. the Araxes and Cyrus now call'd Aras and Cur It compriseth part of Armenia and Georgia or Gurtz and is divided into sixteen Counties viz. Cappan Tzulfa Schabus Sisian Keschtas Sarsebil Eruan or Iruan Kerchbulach Achstawa Aberan Schorgel Sarschat Intze Thaback Meleck Thumanis Alget and Vzilder In these Counties are several fair Cities Villages and Fortresses of which the best known are Berde Bilagan Schemcur Kentze Bercuschat Nachtschuan Ordebat Bajefied Macu Magasburt Tiflis and Tzilder It is a very fertile Countrey abounding especially in Silk and hath been often Invaded by the Turk who borders upon it Drangiane or Sagistam Borders of Sagistam DRangiane at this day call'd Sagistam borders in the North and West with Aria in the East with Arachosia or Cabul and in the South at a part of Gedrosia The several Names of its Metropolis According to Olearius and Ananias the Metropolis of this Province is call'd Sistam which Ananias will have to be the City Propstasia of Ptolomy otherwise nam'd Phrada whereas Davity saith Sistan and Sagistam are two several Provinces and will rather have the City which Anaâ—ias calls Asiam to be the Propstasia of Ptolomy by reason of the similitude in the Names which will not hold good if as some are of opinion Sistan be a contraction of Sagistan The other Towns according to the same Ananias are Bigui which is the Begis of Ptolomy Canasi Mulete Bachagi Aeloud perhaps the ancient Aricada of Ptolomy and Timocaim of which last Marcus Paulus Venetus makes mention The chief Towns The chiefest Towns in this Province according to Olearius are Sistan Chaluck Ketz c. Ptolomy also places the River Drange in this Province which glides Southerly from the side of the Mountain Bagoe In the Maps and by Ananias this River is call'd Ilment but the whole Countrey being surrounded with Mountains hath so pent it up that it can scarce find any Passage There are but few Towns in this Province the People are under the Subjection of the Persian Sophi and use Persian Manners and Customs Here Texeira makes us believe contrary to the receiv'd Opinion that there is a Mountain on which some of the Persians to this day worship their ancient God Orimasda or the never-dying Fire The Countrey of Nixabur or Nisabur Situation of Nixabur THe Countrey of Nixabur is by Texeira plac'd between that of Carason Usbeck Tartary and Turkestan The Metropolis is also call'd Nisabur and according to Olearius not far from Mesched being in 102 Degrees and twenty Minutes Longitude and in 38 Degrees and 40 Minutes Northern Latitude The Countrey is full of Sandy Desarts which are in a perpetual motion as if they boyl'd though there be no Wind. Near the City Nisabur lieth a Mountain on which are found excellent Turkoises so call'd perhaps from the Name of the Countrey in which the Hill lies namely Turkestan The Province of Kilan or Gilan Denomination and Situation of Kilan THe Province of Kilan or Gilan by the Ancients call'd Hircania hath receiv'd that Denomination from a peculiar People nam'd Kileck It lies between high Mountains and the Caspian Sea like a Cross on an even Plain which being clayie Ground is much fertiliz'd with many Brooks and Rivers that fall from the neighboring Mountains but in some places it was heretofore unpassable by reason of the Water untill King Abbas rais'd a Cawsey which crosses the whole Countrey from Astarabath to Astara so that you may now travel with great ease It conterminates in the South with the Province of Erack in the North with the Caspian Sea and in the West and North-West at Schirwan or the Mountains of Schamachie and the Plains of Mocan This Province af Gilan is divided into twenty Counties Division in which there are several Towns Villages and Hamlets viz. Kisilagatsch Maschischan Buladi Cilekeran Disekeran Rihk Lahetzan Deschtewend Lengercunan Schichkeran Howe Lissar Kesker Masanderan Marancu Astara Nokeran Lemur Tzeulandan Rescht and Astarabath You enter this Province on the South from Erack through a narrow but well known Road by Writers call'd Caken or The Straight of Hircania but in the time of Alexander it was call'd Pylae and is the same which Olearius calls now The Caspian Gate The Way is very narrow through which you come into the Province of Kilan At the Mouth of this Pass are two Streams that coming from the right and left side of Erack conjoyn their Waves and gliding along come at last to a Stone Bridge which being Vaulted and accommodated with several Rooms of Entertainment supplies the place of a Caravansera and passing thence divide again and fall by two Mouths into the Caspian Sea Beyond the Bridge you come into a fair Road which presently divides it self into two Ways one leading to Ardebil and the other to Kilan the first is very troublesom and dangerous by reason of many Rocky Descents and steep Passages incumbred with great Stones and often so narrow that a Camel and a Horse can scarce pass one by another but the right Way that leads to Kilan is rather worse having such Caverns and Precipices that Travellers are forc'd to walk afoot and lead their Horses over the Mountains of which at the same Season one side is very cold and the other extream hot but more Northerly through Kilan are very pleasant Shades with all manner of Fruit-Trees and others fit for Timber In a Valley near the Stream Isperuth lies a Village call'd Pyle Rubar encompass'd with Hills Though this Village be at the Entrance into Kilan yet the Persians will not allow it to belong thereto but to the Mountains of Tarum A League from Pyle Rubar in the middle of the River Isperuth are to be seen the Ruines of an old Wall and Bridge destroy'd as they say by Alexander the Great The Country of Rescht The County of Rescht borders North on the Caspian Sea West with Kesker and East with the River Isperuth It hath a City of the same Name which is also the Metropolis it stands two Leagues
from the Caspian Shore and half a League Eastward from the Persichan by the Arabians call'd Husan plac'd in 85 Degrees and in 10 Minutes Longitude and in 37 Decrees Northern Latitude to which Olearius adds 35 Minutes The Houses in the City are not so beautiful as in other places though most of them are cover'd very artificially to keep out the Rain which falls there very often and in great abundance About the Houses are Planted Orange-Trees which bear twice a year There is also a Maidan or great Market-place which is very well supply'd with all sorts of Provision for the Table to be had at a very cheap Rate The Villages that belong to this County are Kisma Pumen or Fumen Tallum Scheft Dilum and Massula This County hath several Rivers which descending from the Hills are very well stor'd with Fish which yield the King a good Revenue by granting Licences to such as take them They discharge their Waters 〈…〉 the chiefest Persichan half a League Westward from the City Rescht More Westward Chestecan a little League farther Westerly Pischeru and Lissar over which lie several high Bridges and at last follows the Stream Tzomus The County Kesker The Territory Kesker borders Eastward with Rescht Northerly with the Caspian Sea and in the West with Lissar In this County are three and twenty Towns and Villages the first and chiefest is Kesker which gives Denomination to the whole Countrey the rest are Schacherruth Curab Enseli Dulab Schab and more Northerly Ruesseru Mianschaker Sengerbasara Howe Choseckkadehene Lenkeran and Kisikgatz and between the Mountains Kuawer Marancu Deschtewend Subel Drich Malule Busler Dubilcha Tifebihi and Talischeran The City Curab Curab vulgarly call'd also Kesker is situated like Rescht in a Wood two Leagues from the Caspian Shore yet hath great Respect and Priviledges as being the Birth-place of Schach Sefi the Son of Sefi Myrsa whose Queen fell in Labor as he went his Progress that way This County of Kesker hath store of fertilizing Streams the chiefest whereof are Feslei and Nasseru and boasts also a great Lake call'd Enseli abounding with Fish The Countrey of Kilan in the South is full of Woods and juts with two Promontories into the Sea one Eastward from Mazanderan and Ferabath and the other Westward from the Province of Astara In the Province of Lissar Westward from the Stream Nasseru run fourteen Rivulets the chiefest whereof are Dinatsar three Leagues from the Stream Nasseru Schiberu Chalesera Alarus and Nabarrus which last runs in the Province Lissar by the Village Sengerhasara More Westerly are many other Rivers the eminentest whereof in the Counties of Howelemur Nokeran und Astara are Lome Conab and Beskeschan over which lie great Bridges In the Province Astara the Stream Choskedehene disembogues into the Sea near a River of the same Denomination Choskedehene signifies properly A Dry Mouth because the Sea in that place is so shallow that no Fish can get over the Sands into the River Decription of Astara In the Territory of Astam lies the Town Astara which though it be the Residence of the Chan yet it hath no Walls Westward beyond Astara lies the Mountain Schindan before made mention of and upon it a Village call'd Schach Sahadan Borders of the County of Langercunan The County of Langercunan borders in the East with the Sea in the West with Astara and in the North at Maschischan This County hath a narrow Passage towards the side of Astara because at the foot of the wooddy Mountains which reach down to the Shore it is border'd by a deep Morass through which onely runs a narrow Cawsey at the farther end whereof a River call'd Serdane glides from the Mountains beyond which is the Village Lenkeran wash'd by a Brook nam'd Warasaruth This County and Village hath the Denomination of Anchor-Ground and Haven notwithstanding there is onely a little Inlet where the Land runs into the Sea with two Horns like a Half-Moon one of them lying before Lenkeran is cover'd with Woods and the other before Kisilagats with Canes None but small Boats can go into the same by reason of the shallow Water and is also very dangerous to Anchor in the Wind blowing hard from the North-East wherefore the Boats are generally hal'd ashore The Curtzibachi or Governor hath this Harbor and adjacent Villages for a part of his Revenue notwithstanding others say it belongs to Ardebil Through this Countrey from the Village Lenkeran to Kisilagats four indifferent deep Brooks under several Bridges râ—n into the Sea In the County Kisilagats about half a League from the Shore lie three or four Isles in the Sea viz. Saru so call'd from the redness of the Soil Alibaluch and Kellechol all which as also the main Shore are cover'd with Reeds The unwall'd Town Kisilagats signifying Red Mold lies two Miles North-West into the Countrey on a Plain near a Brook call'd Willeschi It was formerly bought by Sulsagar Chan of Ardebil and after his Decease Inherited by his Son Hossein Sultan who had possession of it in the Year 1635. The Kilan Mountains extend from hence North-Westerly and lessening stretch to the Desart of Mocan Not far from hence in a Hilly Countrey lie the Counties Cuawer Marancu Deschtewend and others and in the neighboring Mountains the Village Dubil otherwise call'd Chatifekekis which Village those People that inhabited it in the time of Schach Abbas were for their leud manner of living their promiscuous Sensualities Rapes and Incests committed one amongst another rooted out by the said King and the Village re-peopled with new Inhabitants Nature of the Soil The rich Countrey of Kilan hath a fat clayie Soyl and in some places where it is low deep Morasses Moreover between the Mountains and the Caspian Sea is a smooth Plain moistned by many little Brooks and Streams which fall out of the Mountains into the Sea It was formerly a troublesom Way to travel but Schach Abbas caus'd a Cawsey to be made through all Kilan from Astarabath to Astara by which means it is both safe and convenient to travel either on Foot by Horse or with Camels Productions of the Countrey The most peculiar Products of this Countrey are Silk exceeding large Grapes Tobacco Oranges Pomegranates Figs and Calabashes The Stock of the Vines about Astara grow generally to the thickness of a Man's Body the Calabashes are guided up by Poles like our Scarlet Beans for if they lie on the Ground they are apt to rot Wild Beasts The Mountains which look upon the Caspian Sea are overgrown with Woods wherewith indeed the whole Countrey of Kilan is environ'd and they abound with wild Beasts as Hogs Deer Goats with Horns of an exceeding length but not so crooked as those of Europe besides Beasts of prey as Tygers Leopards Wolves and Bears the first of which are so numerous that they are brought ten or twenty at a time to be sold and taught to follow the Chace in
the same length reckoning from Araxis to the River Indus a thousand eight hundred and forty English Miles and the breadth from Oxus to the Persian Sea eight hundred and ten Botteras makes the breadth from North to South to be eighteen Degrees a Tract of eight hundred and ten Miles But Olearius confutes all these Writers in this Point and affirms That Persia hath 12 Degrees in breadth from North to South for if you take the utmost Limits or Corners which lie at both the opposite Seas viz. the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf you will find that the City Hasum by the Inhabitants call'd Resht is situate scarce two Leagues from the Caspian Sea under 37 Deg. and Ormus at the Persian Gulf in 25 Degrees so that the extent of this breadth is but 12 Degrees a Tract of two hundred and eighty German Miles Its Borders This Kingdom hath for Borders in the East the River Indus the Mogol's Countrey as also the Countrey of Zakatey On the West it conterminates with Diarbek and Great Armenia the Countries of the Turks the River Tigris and the Lake Giocho on the North it verges with the Caspian Sea or Bachu besides the Tartars from Usbeki or Zagatey and a part of Muscovy to the Eder or Vola and on the South is partly wash'd by the Persian Gulf the rest limiting with Ormus and a little part of the Indian Sea Cluverius affirms That the Empire of Persia is on the North inclos'd with the Caspian Sea the River Oxos and Mount Caucasus on the East with the River Indus in the South with the Indian Sea and Persian Gulf and in the West with the Euphrates and Tigris the Nifean Mountains and River Araxis The same Borders are set down by Golnitius viz. on the East the Stream Indus and a part of Tartary on the North the Tartars besides the Oxos and the Caspian Sea on the West the Turks the Lake Giocho and Euphrates Tigris and Araxis and on the South the Persian Gulf call'd Elkatist and the Indian Sea In ancient Times Persia also compris'd the Countries of Gedrosia Carmania Drangiana Arachosia Paropamisis Bactriana Marigana Hyrcania Aria Parthia Persis Susiana Assyria and Media most of them in this Age having receiv'd new Names as shall be made appear more at large hereafter The same Cluverius divides the Modern Dominion of the Sofi into the following Countries or Provinces to wit Sark Cusistan Elaran Tarsi Arak Elsabar Diargment Corasan Sablestan Candahar Sigestan Sigesimur Kirman and Goadel besides the Kingdom of Ormuz and the Indian Province of Guzaratte but this last is now under the Great Mogol This Dominion comprehends the Province of Persia or Forsistan which comprises the Regions of Lahor and Sofian Servan Adherbajon Arak or Hierak divided into the Provinces of Casbin and Armadan the Countrey of Guilan or as Texeira saith Gheylon or Kilan Sayabat Strava Diargument besides the Substitute Countries of Mazandaran beyond which Texeira places along the Caspian Sea Bostam Sabzabah and Nixabur formerly Metropolises of so many Kingdoms but of late reduc'd to peculiar Lordships or Dominions But the Persians at this day possess Korazan Candahar the Kingdoms of Sistan and Hucenche besides the three Kingdoms of Curdistan one of which is peculiarly call'd Malaga or Miraga containing part of Chaldea and Assyria and extends to Bagdat Sagistam Tabastan Kablestan or Sablestan Nimruz Stakar Lorestan or Luristan Ciran Eri Kirman and several other Isles are also under the Jurisdiction of the Persians The most eminent Provinces in Persia are at this day as Olearius affirms Pasargadas the most South-East Province of Persia Erak Fars Schirwan Kilan Adirbeitzan Thabristan or Mazanderan Iran or Karabach Chorasan Sablustan Sitzestan Kirman Chusistan Tzisire and Diarbek Others make the Kingdom of Persia to contain the Province of Persia in the Country Language call'd Fars Erak Adirbeitzan Iran or Karabach Drangiane or Sagistan Nixabur Kilan Mokan or Mogan Betziruan Mazanderan Chusistan Carmania Gedrosia or Cirkan Kache Guadel Nakran Mogostan Lorestan Chorazan Siston Aria or Erie Dagestan and Amadan The Province of Persia or Fars THE Province of Persia anciently call'd Persis from which the whole Kingdom is so call'd is in the Country Language nam'd Fars and Farsistan which last properly signifies The Country of Fars for Stam in the Persian Tongue generally signifies A Country Niger besides several others call it Azamia and the Turks according to Megisser Farsik It is a great Country and hath on the East the two Carmania the West part thereof borders at Susiana now call'd Suse or Suster otherwise call'd Kusistan the North verges with Media now Sarch and the South shoots to the Persian Bay or Sea of Ormus The Coast of Persia is every where an open and sandy Plains and without Harbors yet the Inhabitants call all those Places where Boats can put in Brendor that is A Haven The Sea-Coast of this Province comprehends the Country inhabited by the Nautaques Arabians and Mihelus or Nichilu which have their Name from that Sea-Coast and maintain themselves by Piracies They pay Tribute to the Sefi yet some of them own the Portuguese and Sail freely with their Passes which secures them from being molested by the Portuguese Carraks On the Bay of Persia stands the Fort Rexel and more Northward into the Country lies Resh Ceyfadin that is The Tract of Sand of Ceyfadin The Metropolis of this Province is Schiras by the Italians and Sir Walter Raleigh nam'd Siras and according to Mr. Herbert from the pronunciation of the Persians themselves Scheraz By reason of its Situation on a Plain some term it Imurezam that is A Plain-City Ben Jonas calls it Syahaz Osirus Niras Sephanus Cynebatha and Ctelius Cyropolis though mistaken as Mr. Herbert affirms because all the ancient Geographers place the City of Ciropolis near the River Cyrus in Hyrcania lying in 39 Degrees and a half Northern Latitude whereas Sciras lies in 28 Degrees and 44 Minutes Aelian affirms That there is a Ciropolis in India and Pliny hath observ'd a River of the same Denomination in Armenia but none of the Ancients make mention of any City of that Name yet nevertheless Garcias de Sylva and Fiqueroa certainly believes Schiras to be the ancient City of Ciropolis lying in the Province of Pasargadas Herbert would have Scheraz to be deriv'd from the word Sheer which signifies Milk in the Persian Tongue or else from Sherap which is A Bunch of Grapes for no Place in all Asia affords better Vines Some but especially Philips of Ferrara would have Sciras to be the ancient City Persepolis or at least that Sciras was built out of its Ruins on the same Foundation but this is a grand Mistake because Schiras is not an ancient City and the Place where Persepolis stood is above ten Persian Miles to the Northward from Schiras Yet nevertheless Mr. Herbert affirms that Schiras was raised out of the Ruins of Persepolis Some ascribe the building of this City to Jamshid
fifth King of Persia who as the Chronicle makes mention was succeeded by Chedorlaomer not long after the Death of Noah Botterus tells us That Schiras was built when Grand-Cair was but a Village but according to the Registers of the Country it was built not above seven hundred and fifty years ago a considerable time after the Arabians made themselves Masters of Persia Moreover if ancient Traditions may be credited which are there certainly believ'd this City is much elder especially if it be true what is related of an Asian General call'd Jenpsit who is said to have liv'd many Ages before their Account of Time And though they differ amongst themselves in the Time and Reign of the foremention'd Heroe yet 't is very probable that he liv'd a thousand years after the Flood They affirm that he was the Person who made the great and strange cut Channel which so abundantly waters the whole Country of Schiras by undermining and cutting through the great Mountains that lie between the City and Springs and thereby brought them to their present Perfection and by this means they furnish the City with such an abundance of Water that if all the Channels were cut into one they would make a very large River The City of Schiras lying in 28 Degrees and 44 Minutes Northern Latitude is situate about ten Leagues from the Ruins of Persepolis near the Stream Bendamir or Bendimir on a great Plain inclos'd with Mountains except on the side where you go over a Bridge from Pasa into the same two Leagues distant from the City but on the North scarce half a League This City was formerly much bigger and had many more magnificent Buildings than at this day as plainly appears both within and without its Walls And the Arabian Geographer Ulug Becig Nephew to Tamerlane affirms that it was in his Time three Leagues and a half in Circumference The like bigness Contasing ascribes to the same as also the number of twenty four thousand Houses In the beginning of this Age Schach Abbas to punish the Insurrection of one Jacob Chan Governor or Lord of Schiras pull'd down that part of the Wall which was then remaining and fill'd up the Moat and Trench which surrounded the City Both without and within the City are many Mosques or Temples amongst which some are built very magnificent and beautiful and especially one which being of an extraordinary bigness hath a much higher Steeple upon it than any of the other These Towers which the Persians call Alcorons are narrow but high having without two or three Galleries one above another from whence the Marabouts a sort of Priests publickly read their Prayers with a loud and strong Voice three times a day and walking round about the Gallery that they may be the better understood There are very few handsom Structures either without or within the City except the Mosques for besides three Royal Palaces of which one is in the City and the other two in the Suburbs there is not one fair House 't is true that of the Chan or Sultan thoug it be not very beautiful on the out-side yet large and hath many Painted and richly Gilded Apartments within besides Galleries Gardens Orchards and pleasant Walks All the other inhabited by Citizens and other eminent Persons are small and mean the Rooms except the Hall and two or three Chambers are so little that an indifferent Tradesman here hath better Accommodation than a Nobleman there The City hath several Gates one of which respects the River Pasargadas and is call'd Darvaza Pasa that is The Gate of Pasa anciently Pasargadas it is very little and supported only by the Relicks of an old Mud Wall Opposite to this Gate towards the West is another call'd Darvaza Achem that is Iron Gate at which begins a very fair Street above 2000 Paces long and every where exactly 90 Paces broad On each side of this Street is a Wall of about sixteen Foot high Plaister'd over with Mortar and without any Houses behind are spacious Gardens and Orchards full of Fruit-trees and curious Banqueting-houses which belong to the King and are neatly built with large Galleries and pleasant Prospects In this fair Street the Persians run Races and perform their Exercises on Horseback At the end of the Streets stands the King's Palace very handsomly built with Balconies and Terrace Walks Before the Court you ascend by two Steps to a little Plain which is rais'd higher than the Street At the Entrance and near the Gallery in the midst of the Plain lies a fair and large Pool of Water Most of the Inhabitants of the City appear every Friday being the Mahumetan Sabbath in a spacious Plain both on Foot and Horseback and are there Exercis'd and Train'd and afterwards dispose themselves to other Recreations as they think fit Near the King's Palace is a fair House with a pleasant Garden the Work of the Great Ismael Sofi very curiously built three Stories high in the second of which among other very convenient Apartments is a large and spacious Hall having in the middle an Arch'd Lover full of Glass Windows In this Apartment as also in the rest on this Story are divers Pictures of Women most of them Cloth'd after the Italian manner Under the Galleries which surround this Structure two are much bigger than the other one of which being over the Gate looks into the Street and also to that Gate of the City which is call'd Darvaza Pasa The other standing above the first is over the Gate through which you pass to go into the Garden and respects the West Each of these have three Doors one against another so that being in the Hall which is in the middle of the Edifice you have the Prospect not only of the foremention'd Streets and Walks but also of the City Gate and that of the Haram or Seraglio in the middle of the Garden which may justly be accounted a Wood of all sorts of Fruit-trees divided into Walks but those of the Cypress and Palm are the chiefest which begin at the Court Gate and extend nine hundred Paces in length and thirty in breadth the Walks are very straight and even Planted on both sides with tall Cypress-trees which are so big that three Men can scarce fathom them and so high and straight that they represent great Obelisks At the bottom of the Trees is rais'd a Gravel Path or Bank somewhat higher than the middle Walk and about five or six Foot broad where all People walk for they go not into the middle part because that must be kept always green At the bottom of these Cypress-trees on the out-side of the Walk runs a pleasant Brook which afterwards dividing it self into several Branches waters all parts of the Garden At the end of the Walk is the Haram or Seraglio built after the same manner as the House before mention'd but not so large nor high It is erected on a Plain rais'd seven Foot higher than the Garden On
about it a hundred other Shops in the Bazar the Cattel Corn Salt and Oyl-Market the Afrabnischins which are those that sell their Goods in Tents of the Villages belonging to Ardebil thirty three belong to the said Tomb as also five Houses in Serab in the City Tabris sixty Houses and a hundred Shops besides two Villages near the City several Caravansera's and Baths in the City Caswin as also in the Provinces of Kilan and Astara in the Plains of Mochan the Villages Abchur and Eleschur with divers others in the Counties Chalchal Kermuth and Hascheruth besides what comes out of Tartary and India where several Places inclin'd to the Persian Religion pay also Tribute to the same Moreover it is a Custom amongst the Persians that when they go to Travel or undertake any Business of concernment or when they are in Sickness or Trouble they make great Vows to Schach Sefi which they perform as surely and willingly as they would desire to be sav'd nay many of them when they come to celebrate the annual Obsequies of their Saint bring great Presents with them and often in their Wills and Testaments leave their whole Estates to the foremention'd Tomb where also there are daily Offer'd Sheep Horses Camels Money and other things Those that bring the Presents receive a handful of Anniseed in testimony that their Souls shall receive an extraordinary Consolation for the same The Presents are receiv'd by two sworn Stewards by them call'd Nessurtzian from the Arabick word Nessurt which signifies a Promise or Vow they sit every day in a House on the left side near the Metzid Tschillachane where between them stands a round Coffer cover'd with red Velvet into which is put the Money through a slit at the top The Camels Horses and Mules that are Offer'd are immediately sold and converted into Money but Sheep and Oxen are kill'd and distributed amongst the Poor To these Stewards Schach Ismael gave the Revenue of a large Village call'd Sultanabeth a League from the City Ardebil for their Maintenance but Anno 1618. this Village was demolish'd by Schach Abbas upon the approach of the Turkish Army together with the City Ardebil ARDEBIL Opposite to this Tomb is another little Chappel in which several eminent Persons also lie bury'd Four Leagues from Ardebil near Sultania Village Bâ—sun lies Busun a large Village with several other smaller thereabouts in a Valley full of good Pasturage for Cattel Five Leagues from Busun is another Village call'd Sengoa Sengoa beyond which are several steep Mountains and four Leagues farther another pleasant Valley with a remarkable Fountain Not far from this Valley Northwardly appears the Mountain Taurus by the Persians thereabouts call'd Perdelis near which on the South side is a Cavity which is worn by time above three Miles deep from the top of the Mountain and two Miles broad and serves for a Receptacle or Den for Thieves by whom Travellers sustain great mischief if they have not a considerable Party in company with them Through this Chasme or Gap runs the River Kisilosein which from thence precipitating it self River Kisilosein and descending through Kilan at last disembogues its white Water into the Caspian Sea Four Leagues from this Valley lies the Village Keintze and two Leagues from thence on the right hand a Village call'd Hatzimir and six Leagues farther there is another Town call'd Kamal beyond which lies Sencan to the Southward whereof appears a large Sandy barren Desart The City Caxem Caxem which Texeira calls Cahem and which Davity places in Margiana is the first City in Media upon the Road from Pâ—rsia It is considerably large comprising at least five thousand Houses standing on a Plain where sometimes they feel excessive Heats being under 32 Degrees and 5 Minutes Northern Latitude In this City is a very long Street being rather a Market-place full of Shops with all sorts of Commodities which though it be not so long as that of Schiras yet is much broader and beautifi'd with Trees that stand ranging on both sides and are a shade to the Houses But that which is most ornamental to this City is their stately Caravansera built An. 1610. being able to Lodge very many Strangers with all accommodation and convenience of Reception Near this stands a stately Palace erected by King Abbas which though but indifferent on the out-side yet magnificent and beautiful within and indeed one of the best contriv'd Houses that the King hath in his whole Dominions within whose Walls having pass'd one Garden you enter into another larger than the former being the Haram or Seraglio for his Women and surrounded with a Hedge of delicate Fruit-Trees The City Caxem is none of the biggest nor the least in this Province yet the Kings of Persia always held the same in great esteem partly because the People were civil and quieâ— and in their Dealings just and honest and party for its Wealth and flourishing Trade in all manner of Silk-Stuffs but especially the best and fairest Carpets of all Persia made in the Villages belonging to the Jurisdiction of this City none in all Persia comparing with them except those of Ispahan The Weavers live all together in a little part of the City inclos'd with a Wall and all those other Workmen who prepare and make ready the Silk But the Suburbs are much more pleasant than the City it self being full of delightful Gardens and having many fair Caravansera's for the reception and accommodation of Strangers There is no Water about this City but what is in Wells which nevertheless is very wholsom Moreover there is little good Water all the way between Ispahan and Casbin by reason of the thirsty and hot Earth but this want is supply'd by the abundance of Snow which lies thick on the tops of the Mountains all the year A days Journey from this City is a Village Village Cencem call'd Cencem whose adjacent Hills exhale bituminous and sulphureous Vapors which makes the Air very unwholsom especially in the Night when these Vapors chiefly rise they also make the Summer Heats extream sultry This Town hath onely one small Mosque in it and that not remarkable for any thing that may require a Description In the Year 1617 it had a hundred and fifty Families but the next year following they had been all swept away with a pestilential Distemper had not the Spanish Agent Garcias de Silva coming there by chance in his way to Hispahan given them advice to be Let-blood which prov'd a present Remedy Places lylng between Ardebil and Caswin In the Way from Ardebil to Caswin according to Della Valla lie these Places viz. Halfa League beyond Ardebil is a Village in the Turkish Language call'd Task-Chiesen that is Stone-cutters Town from the Artificers that Carve there in Stone Four Leagues farther stands Tagi Bujur and five Leagues beyond that Chivi where the Way which leads to Caswin parts into two Roads one whereof runs through
colour'd Silks which they use for Carpets Boxes Cabinets and other curious Wood-work Inlay'd with Mother-of-Pearl which by the Portuguese and others are carried from thence to India Tatta is one of the most eminent Provinces for Traffick of all India Many great Barques by the Inhabitants call'd Risles and Capuses come fraighted with all sorts of weav'd Stuffs Sugar Anniseeds and other Commodities down the River Sind from Lahor Multan Agra Dely Nandou Citer Utrad and other Places and putting into the Haven Lowribandel lay the said Commodies aboard of bigger Ships for Ormuz where they are unladen by Netherlanders Portuguese and Mahumetans The Inhabitants are all Mahumetans yet by reason of the great Trade which is driven in this Countrey there are commonly People of all Religions found in the same The Great Mogol Ecbar first conquer'd this Territory The Provinces of Sorit Jesselmeer and Attack SOret The Borders a small but rich Province borders Eastward at Zurratte in the West at Tatta in the North at Jesselmeer and in the South at the Sea The Metropolis is call'd Janagor or Ganagor The Territory of Jesselmer The Limits or Jesselmure verges Southward at Soret Eastward at Bando Northwards at Attack and Westward at Buckor and Tatta The chief City bears the same Denomination with the Countrey The County of Attack conterminates in the West The Bounds with Haiacan the River Indus onely parting them in the North it is bounded with Penjab and in the East with Jenba and Mando The Metropolitan Town bears the Name of Attack The Province of Penjab or Pangab The Name THe next is the Province of Penjab or Pangab which in the Persian Tongue signifies Five Waters for its Situation between five Streams viz. the Ravy Behat Obcan Wiby and Sinde or Sindar all which discharge their Waters into the Indus and make a great Lake somewhat Southward from Lahor The City of Lahor The chief City of this Territory according to Terry is Lahor but others affirm Lahor to be the Metropolis of Multan The City being very large and ancient is one of the most eminent Towns in all India and is no way inferior either in bigness or beauty to Agra It lies in 35 Degrees and 50 Minutes Northern Elevation and hath large and well pav'd Streets The Air in and about Lahor is very healthful The Air. There are also many remarkable Structures in the same as the Palace Mosques Hamans or Baths Tanks or Springs Gardens and many other delightful Places It is a spacious and fruitful Territory and the most pleasant Spot of Ground in all India and is that part of it which according to Della Valle was in the time of Alexander the Great Govern'd by King Porus. There is a Castle which being very large strong and artificially built in a delightful place of white hard polish'd Stones hath twelve Gates three whereof respect the City and the other nine lead into several parts of the Countrey Within this Castle is a stately Palace into which you enter through two Gates and two base Courts and after you have pass'd through the last you come to two parting Ways the one leading to the Durbar or Joreo where the King appears daily before the People and the other to the Diwanchane which is a great Hall wherein he spends part of the Night viz. from eight of the Clock till eleven with his Omrahs On the Walls of this Castle are Engraven the Images of Kings Princes and other Great Men as Schach Selim the great Mogol Ecbar's Son sitting on a rich Carpet under a costly Throne with his Son and his Brothers d' Han Schach or Daniel and Schach Morat on his right Hand and opposite to him Emorza Sherif eldest Brother to Chan Asorn With many other Persons of note The River Rawy which springs out of Mount Caximir and runs through the same with several Rivulets having finish'd a Course of three hundred Miles along a deep Navigable Channel discharges its Water into the Indus near the City Tatta not far from Diul It lies in 23 Degrees and 15 Minutes Northern Latitude The Kingdom or Territory of Caximir THe Kingdom of Caximir or according to some Cascimir and Cachmire by Mercator taken to be the ancient Arachosia or Archotis of Ptolomy and by Herbert for the ancient Sogdiana The Borders borders in the North at Mount Caucasus in the North-West at the Province of Banchish the Indus onely separating them in the South-East at Penjab in the West at Cabul and Northerly at the Kingdom of Maurenahar Jarrick conterminates this Kingdom with that of Rebat It is but a small Countrey and lies as Texeira tells us fifteen days Journey from Lahor and according to Herbert in 41 Degrees and 9 Minutes Northern Latitude about three hundred Miles from Agra Jarrich gives the Name of Syranacar both to the chief City of this Kingdom and to the Countrey it self lying in 30 Degrees Northern Latitude About three Leagues from the City is a Lake or Pool of sweet Water about fifteen Miles in circumference Navigable for great Ships yet not above half a League broad In the middle of it lies a pleasant artificial Island with a Royal Banquetting-house therein whither as Jarrick affirms the King resorts when he intends to recreate himself in catching of wild Geese and Swans Through the midst of this Lake as also through the Countrey glides the Stream Behat or Bhad which by its trending or meeandring Bays makes many Islands and at last unites it self not far from Jahor with the River Indus or as others say with the Ganges which last is somewhat improbable because of its distance towards the East Another River call'd Chanab by Jarrick Chenao and by Terry Nilab having also its original in this Countrey unites it self likewise with the Indus The Countrey abounds in Rice Wheat and other Provisions and also hath plenty of Grass Woods Gardens and Springs Of the Roots of their Mulberry-trees they plant Vines This Countrey formerly lay under Water The ancient Histories of the Kings of Caximir make mention that this Countrey was formerly a great Lake and that a certain ancient Man call'd Cacheb open'd a Passage for the Water through the Mountain of Baramoule But this seems to be incredible yet not but that this Countrey was formerly overflow'd with Water but to open a Passage for it through the foremention'd Mountain is a thing altogether impossible the Mountain being so very high and broad rather an Earthquake to which this Place is very subject opening the Earth swallow'd up a part of the Mountain and so open'd a Passage for the Water But however it was dreyn'd It s Extent and Situation Caximir is no more a Lake but at present a most fertile Soil about eighteen Leagues long and three or four broad interlac'd with many little Hills It is the farthest part of Indostan to the Northward from Lahor and inclos'd by Mount Caucasus the Mountains of the
Cambaya erected in a Temple which is much frequented by the superstitious Benjans A Mile from the City is the Garden and Palace of Chanchonna Son to the great Byram Chan of Persia The Countrey of Cambaya to Amadabat is for the most part desolate and uncultivated In the Way are several Pits each above thirty Yards deep in which is salt Water though at a great distance from the Sea it is drawn out by Oxen. The Countrey about Amadabath is nothing but a vast Wilderness and the Ways very dusty and troublesom for Travellers The High-ways are Hedg'd in on both sides with a certain Fruitless and Leafless Plant which shoots forth onely little long Stalks of a deep Green both Winter and Summer out of which when broke asunder drops a milky Juice like that of green Figs and being very sharp eats into that part of the Skin on which it drops The Fields which border the High-ways are full of Ambe-trees which bear a Fruit like great Olives and also af Tamarind-trees Without the City are many great Tombs of Marble erected by the Moors and are much statelier than their Houses A League and a half from the City lies a great Village call'd Zirkes or Sirkesia where there is a very magnificent Tomb the whole Structure with its Floors being all of polish'd Marble and distinguish'd into three parts one whereof rests on a a hundred and forty Marble Pillars each thirty Foot high curiously adorn'd with Festunes and Pedestals after the Corinthian Order This Structure is said to be the Tomb of one Cacis Tutor to one of the Kings of Zurratte to whom they ascribe great Sanctity and Wonders and that the said King who with three other Kings lies buried in another Chappel built the same in commemoration of his Tutor At a certain time of the year most of the Mahumetans come hither in Pilgrimage firmly believing thereby to obtain pardon for their sins On one side of it is a large Pond About a Mile from the City is another fair Tomb of an eminent Mahumetan Merchant call'd Hajom Majom who being enamor'd of the Beauty of his Daughter and threupon Ravishing her was Beheaded by the King's Command and buried here with all his Family wherefore the Inhabitants to this day call the same Betychint that is The uncover'd shame of your Daughter De Stadt Souratte The Water of the foremention'd River is convey'd round the said Banquetting-house not far from which you come into another Garden over a high Stone Bridge four hundred Paces long and though this Garden be but small yet it is very pleasant and high and hath also at the end against the Bridge a brave Banquetting-house The Water in the droughty Season is drawn up but of the Wells by Oxen and put into two great Stone Cisterns before the Banquetting-house This Garden wherein commonly young Women Bathe themselves in the foremention'd Cisterns is call'd Nicunabag that is The Garden of Precious Stones and is said to have been made by a beautiful and rich Lady There is yet another delightful Garden with a Banquetting-house which was built by the Great Mogol Ecbar in commemoration of his conquering the last King of Zurratte call'd Sultan Mahomed Begeran in that very place whereby the Kingdom of Zurratte became subject to the Great Mogol Ten Leagues from Amadabath lies a little Town full of pretty Houses and Pagan Temples call'd Niervant Six Leagues from the said City also lies another Town call'd Mamadabad on the Bank of a pleasant River on the North side of it is a fair Palace The Inhabitants of this Town are for the most part Weavers Description of Suratte The City Surat or Surratte according to Davity the Village Surastra or Syrastra of Ptolomy is for its neatness by the Moors call'd The Mogol's Beard and lies in about 21 Degrees and about 30 Minutes Northern Latitude near the River Reinier or Reunier otherwise call'd Pani Hind that is The Water Indus and Tapi or Tapti and Tyndee two Leagues up into the Countrey from the Bay or Gulf of Cambaya The City extending along the Banks of the foremention'd River built square lies open towards the Water but inclos'd on the Land-side with Mud Walls and dry Ditches It hath three eminent Gates which are lock'd every Evening the one leads to the Village Brion which is a Throughfare for those that travel to Brotcha Cambaya and Amadabat the other to Brampour and the third to Nassary It is adorn'd with many fair Houses with flat Roofs built after the Asiatick manner There are also many stately Palaces in this City which for its defence hath a strong Castle near the River built after the manner of the Romans and surrounded with Walls of Free-stone and deep Moats which receive their Water out of the River Reinier It is an ancient Structure built by the Inhabitants long before the coming of the Portuguese into these Countreys or as some say by the Romans According to the Relation of the Inhabitants to Mandeslo the Turks coming thither with many Ships out of the Red-Sea and conquering several Places built this Fort which hath but one Gate towards the side of a great Plain or Market and is very strongly guarded none daring to come into the same but those that are upon Duty nor are any Persons Listed to serve in the same but native Indostans the Rasbutes though valiant Soldiers often mutinying against the Mogol the Benjans and Usbecks being accounted Enemies and the Benjans and Cambayans never serving for Soldiers accounting it a great sin to shed Blood Next to the Castle is the Nabab or Sultan's House and next to that the Custom-house and the Market to which the Inhabitants of the neighboring Villages and Strangers bring their Goods to sell The City Surratte is very populous and inhabited partly by native Indians and partly by Strangers and Foreigners for Trade The Indians of these Parts consist generally of Zurrattans Cambayans Benjans Brahmans Decans and some Rasbutes who are all generally Idolaters or Mahumetans the last mention'd are the smallest number and the Benjans are the richest driving the greatest Trade All these People live very quiet one amongst another for the Great Mogol though himself a Mahumetan makes no distinction amongst his People of several Religions but gives them Offices alike both at his Court and in his Army Amongst the Foreigners or Strangers the English and Hollanders drive the greatest Trade here besides which there are Portugueses Arabians Persians Armenians Turks and Jews wherefore Suratte is accounted one of the most eminent Cities for Trade in all India both in respect of its Haven and because the convenience of carrying the Commodities through all Suratte from Cambaya and other Places draws the Merchants thither The English and Dutch Traders have many fair Houses in the City very convenient to dwell in and also to stow their Goods The People of several Nations have each of them a Church here and their own Teachers Without
or Fatipor by Jarrick call'd Fateful or Pateful by Cowert Fetterbat and by Herbert Fettipour was anciently call'd Tzikkerim or Sykary and lies twelve Kours or four Leagues from Agra This City was upon the following occasion built by the Great Mogol Ekbar viz. At his Return from Asmer whether he went to visit the Tomb of Mandy he visited St. Derwis or a poor Monk call'd Seid Selim that is Seid Selim who accounted himself highly honor'd that God had employ'd him to tell Ekbar that in a short time he should be the Father of three beautiful Children and indeed Ekbar to acknowledge the Kindness would have his eldest Son call'd Selim the second Chan Morad or Amurath and the third The Haen Schach or Daniel nay this Prophecy was so acceptable to Ekbar that he caus'd a fair Mosque to be built there and inclos'd both that and the ancient City Tzikerim or Sykary with a high Wall and from that time caus'd it to be call'd Fettipore that is A Place of Delight nay his Affections were so strongly inclin'd to this City that he built a Palace there and also a Bazar or Exchange the fairest in all the Eastern Parts resolving farther to make it the Metropolis of the whole Kingdom for which it stood very convenient being seated on the Bank of a River yet the unwholsomness of the Air forc'd him to leave the same since which time it is become a ruin'd and desolate Place Robert Cower affirms that this City is much bigger than London and is adorn'd with a Temple very artificially built though much decay'd The whole Tract of Land between this City and Agra is always throng'd with People like a Market The City Bian is four Leagues from Fatipor beyond which are the Towns Ladana Mosabadan and Bandason next lie Asmeer or Esmeer where the Great Mogol Ekbar had a large House or Stable in which he commonly kept six hundred Elephants and a thousand Horses The City Asmeer lies in 35 Degrees and 15 Minutes Northern Latitude on a high and inaccessible Mountain twenty five Leagues from Agra The greatest part of the City lies at the foot of the Mountain well built but ill fortifi'd notwithstanding the Wall is of good Stone A Prophet one of Mahomet's Disciples lies buried there in a stately Tomb to which belong three pleasant Yards pav'd with Free-stone polish'd after the Persian manner Not far from hence is Godach formerly the Residence of an eminent and very valiant Rasbout Some place the City Fatipor in the Province of Bando At every half Leagues distance between Agra and Asmeer stands a Pillar or Column resembling those which the Romans us'd to erect at the distance of a thousand Paces At the end of every twenty five Mile there is an Inn or Place of Entertainment for Men and Horse where certain Women constantly give their attendance and get ready such Victuals for every one as they desire for which and their Horse-meat they pay Three pence There are also fair Houses at every ten Miles distance which were built by the Great Mogol Ekbar for the convenience of his Women when he took a Journey to Asmeer to visit the Tomb of Mandy Mahomet's Disciple The whole Country being water'd by the Stream of Jemna aboundeth with Corn Lemmons Oranges Cherries Pears Apples Plums and other Fruit amongst which are Grapes which being preserv'd are as big as Damas Pruins There also grows abundance of Anil or Indico and store of Cotton Saltpetre is likewise very plentiful here and all sorts of Poultry Falcons Pheasants Partridges Hearns and Wild-ducks Here are also great store of Goats Cows and Hogs and Fish in such abundance that Eighteen pence will purchase enough to feed three hundred Men. In Agra are generally kept four Markets where besides Provisions divers other Goods are sold From Persia and China are Transported hither considerable Quantities of Gold and Silver Cloths which though slighter are yet dearer than those of Europe In this City as also in Lahor the Inhabitants drive a great Trade in Anil or Indico and at Bandason there is vast quantities of Course Wooll Cotton Lances Bowes Javelins Swords and other Arms. In Lahor are commonly kept two Markets The Inhabitants drive also a great Trade to Forein Parts When the King resides at Agra no Stranger is permitted to stay there above twenty four Hours unless they give him an account of their Business and of what Quality and Country they are but none are permitted to see him without a Present In this City the Netherlanders keep a Factory for their East-India Company who maintain four or five Persons which formerly made a great advantage on Scarlet Cloth great and small Looking-glasses and other Merchandises and also by buying of Indico which grows about Agra but especially at Bianes two days Journey from thence whither travelling twice a Year they have built a Lodge or Store-house there where they buy in all those Stuffs or Cloths which come from Jelapour and Laknau about six or eight days Journey from Agra But at this time it is said the Gain is nothing so considerable whether it be because the Armenians drive that Trade themselves or because Agra lies so far from Suratte that one Accident or other doth generally befal their Caravans which are constrain'd to travel by the City Amadabad through the Raja's Country to avoid the bad Ways and Mountains which lye on the side of Govaleor and Brampour which is the shortest way The Country of Bulloits THE Bulloits which by Robert Covert are call'd Pythagoreans border on one side at the River Andere which seperates them from the Country of Kanawe or Brampour otherwise Chandisch and Surratte and on the other side at the River Tamlao or Tamliko which is the Boundary between them and the Kingdom of Agra The Towns of this Country are Gorra Sandaye Erasmie Zingrene Barrandon Tranado Zajoberdee and Haud Gorra lieth a days Journey from the River Andere and is about two Leagues in Circumference Two of the King's Sons formerly maintain'd a long War about this City till Thei le King of Ostlohm obtain'd the Victory and after a seven year peaceable possession thereof he was also conquer'd by the Great Mogol the sixth of Tamerlain's Successors who made himself absolute Master of all this Country Two days Journey from Gorra is the City Sandaye beyond which about twenty two Leagues further lies Erasmie and seven Leagues further Zingrene eight Leagues from which is the City of Barrandon After six days Journey from hence through a thick Wood you come to the City Tranado eight Leagues beyond which is Zajoberdee and nine Leagues further Haudee which hath a Castle built on a Rock and fortified with many Guns A days Journey from thence flows the River Tamliko which falls into the Indus at the Place where it separates the Indostans from the Bulloits In this Country near the City Zajoberdee is great plenty of Corn and about Zingrene great abundance of Oats and Beasts But
is the utmost Northern part of the Mogol's Jurisdiction The Chiefest Towns thereof are call'd Decalce and Purhola The County of Gor lieth North-east from Kakares and is very Mountainous The River Sersily takes its Original in this Country and after long Course Southerly discharges it self into the Ganges The Metropolis bears also the name of Gor. The Provinces of Pitan Canduana and Patna THE Province of Pitan conterminates Northwards at that of Kakares Eastward at the River Sersily Southward at the Territory of Patna and Westward at that of Siba It is water'd by the Stream Canda which empties it self on the Borders into the Ganges The Chief City is nam'd Pitan The County of Canduana verges Westward on the River Sersily which divides it from Pitan This and the Territory Gor are the furthest Limits of the Mogol's Jurisdiction to the North-east The Metropolis is call'd Carhacatenca The Province of Patna borders Westward at the River Ganges Eastwards at Sersily and the County of Jesuat and Northwards at Pitan The Territories of Jesuat Merat and Vdessa THE Territory of Jesuat borders on the West at that of Patna and on the East at Merat The Chief City thereof is call'd Raiapore Merat joyns On the East to Udessa and on the West to Jesuat It is a Mountainous Country and hath Nariel for its Head City The Province of Udessa is the furthest part of this Jurisdiction Eastward and hath Jekanat for its Metropolis The Kingdom of Decan THE Kingdom of Decan is according to Juan de Baroes generally taken for the whole Extent which the Country of Cuncan comprehends because the Inhabitants call that Tract of Land Cuncan which extends it self along the Sea from North to South to the River Aliga and from East to West from the Sea to the Mountains of Gate So that these People are call'd Cuncanyns and not as the Portuguese improperly stile them Canariins But the Coast of Decan which extends Eastward to the Mountains of Gate is call'd The Kingdom of Decan and the Inhabitants Decanyns and as Linschot hath it this Country is also call'd Ballagate that is The Upper Gate for Balla signifies Upper and Gate A Mountain Or rather the Country of Ballagate by Ananie call'd Bilagate is that Land which extends over and among those Mountains as appears by the Description of Linschot who makes three Kingdoms of this Country dividing it into Ballagate Decan and Cuncan All these three Countries taken together border on the North at the Kingdom of Cambaye or Zurratte with the Stream Bate between both and also at the Kingdom of Orixa on the East at the Kingdom of Narsinge on the West at the Sea on the South at Canara being parted by the River Aliga This Country extends it self along the Sea above 250 Italian Miles or as Ananie saith full sixty two German that is from the Mouth of the Stream Bate to that of Aliga or rather as Juan de Baroes hath it from Chaul to the River Aliga in Sintacora is sixty five Spanish Miles But Texeira and other Modern Writers rightly distinguish the Country of Decan from that of Cuncan or Visiapour by its extent to the North calling that Country Cuncan which extends to the South and that which lies more to the North and nearer to Cambaye Decan Decan borders on the North at Cambaye on the East at the Mountain of Ballagate on the South at Cuncan and on the West at the Sea It extends from the South to the North along the Sea-coast of Sifferdan to Negotana a Tract of twenty Leagues and runs up into the Country near Cambaye The Metropolis of Decan according to Texeira is call'd Hamedanager by Ananie and some others singly Danager by others Amdadanager who place it up in the Country and make it the King's Residence affirming That he made this the Seat of his Realm because of the pleasant Situation of the City and the delightful Gardens about the same Yet there are some that make Beder or Bider by Barbosa call'd Mavider the Metropolis of all Decan and Residence of the Kings Next to this is reckon'd the City of Decan In this Kingdom lies also a City built near the Sea-shore which Texeira calls Chaul but Baroes Chiaul by Della Valle Ciul and Chaul and by Barthema Ceuul which by Castald is taken for the ancient City Camane of Ptolomy It lies ten Leagues to the Southward of Bazzain in 19 Degrees and 50 Minutes of Northern Latitude two Leagues from the Sea near a River which by the help of the Flood coming from the Sea brings up Ships close to the Walls of the City It runs up a great way into the Country from whence it takes its Course trending through Hills and Valleys till it discharges it self into the Sea making a spacious Haven in the midst of the Bay below the City The Portuguese have two Forts here whereof the one was built Anno 1520. by Diego Sequeira who obtain'd leave of the King for it The other built by the Moors is on the other side of the Haven viz. on the Right hand when you enter into it To the Southward of this Haven lies a famous Mountain in the Portuguese Tongue call'd Il Morro di Ciul that is A Member of Ciul which commands both the City and Harbor having a Fortress built on the top which is in a manner inaccessible and belong'd formerly to the Moors of Decan that is to Nizam Schiah King or Lord over all the adjacent County This Fortress was conquer'd by the Portuguese who with discharging their Musquets at an Elephant which was by the Moors plac'd to defend the Gate with a great Chain in his Mouth so frighted him that he remov'd to one side and permitted the Portuguese to creep under his Belly and make themselves Masters of the Place But others relate that the Place was taken after this manner viz. When the Portuguese had first with a handful of People defeated a considerable Party of the Moors and put them to flight they retreated to the Fort Il Morro di Ciul where they thought to be secure from the fury of the Portuguese but an Elephant being wounded in the Battel and retiring amongst them towards the Fort fell down dead at the entrance of the Gate which then could not be shut against the Portuguese who by firing boldly upon their Opposers soon made themselves Masters of the Place which since that time they have made much stronger and by that means defended the City Chaul from the continual Assaults of the Moors Pyrard tells us That there are two Cities call'd Chaul in one of which inhabit abundance of Handicrafts and Tradesmen In this City is a famous Temple dedicated to the Goddess Crangene Without the City is a Toll-house Also the Chief Church of the Portuguese stands near the Sea-shore not far from which is a Cloister of the Jesuits with a Church dedicated to St. Peter Southward from Chaul by the Sea lies a Place by Barbosa
of the City Mirisdie Mirisdie otherwise Mirdsy is a large and desolate City fortified on the South-west side with a strong Castle which is so well furnish'd with Men and Amunition that the Great Mogol after the conquering of many Towns and Fortresses could not subdue this Castle with his whole Army It is adorn'd with a Metzid built after the Moorish manner in which lie buried two Kings of Dely which died about 500 Years ago their Graves being adorn'd with Hangings and other rich Ornaments are frequented by the Inhabitants and travelling People who shew great Reverence to the same Two Kos from Mirdsy lies the Village Epour and three Kos further on the Banks of the River Koecenna are two Towns the one call'd Great and the other Little Graeen about a Cannon-shot one from another Five Leagues and a half-from the River Koecenna is the great and rich Trading City Asta with the Villages Toncaa and Astacka in the Road about two Kos and a half one from the other between which two Villages is a Barry or Hamlet Three Kos from Asta stands the large and well-built City Ballouwa and three Kos further two Towns about a Cannon-shot one from the other call'd Oerem and Jesselampour the last of which hath a strong Castle with high Walls wherein the Governor for the King of Visiapour hath his Residence Two Kos from thence is a Village nam'd Taffet and three Kos further another call'd Cassegam and two beyond that the decay'd City Caljaer Two Kos from Caljaer is the Village Galoure and six Kos beyond that the City Tamba and Village Winge near the City Quelampour and another Town call'd Domo The City Tamba is large and well Peopled built along a Running Water which hath its Original out of the River Coyna Two Kos from Tamba is the Village Morel two beyond that Suppera and four Kos further Beloure two more from hence lies a great Village call'd Werad nine Leagues from the Ballagatean Mountains Not far from this place is the Village Patan formerly the Residence of a famous Robber call'd Hiewogy who forc'd Tribute from all Travellers which none could hinder him from notwithstanding all possible means were us'd to prevent it for so soon as any Forces were sent against him he immediately fled into the Mountains which were naturally inaccessible Another Village call'd Helewaek lies about three Kos beyond Werad by which runs the River Coyna Three great Kos or a League and a half from the River Coyna on the Mountains of Ballagate is the Village Gatamata so call'd in respect of these Mountains for Gata in the Persian Tongue signifies A Mountain and Mata Above or On the top Three Kos further lies another Village call'd Poly at the foot of the foremention'd Mountains which by reason of their steep narrow and Rocky Ways are very troublesom to travel Two Kos from Poly or the Foot of the Ballagatean Mountains is the Village Combaerly and sixteen Kos from thence at the River Ghaybeer a great Village nam'd Chipolone from whence is a passage by Water to the City Dabul All Goods that come out of the Country of Decan are carried in Boats from thence to Dabul and so farther up into the Country which makes this Place to be very populous and plentifully stored with all manner of Provisions The Merchandises and Commodities which are brought thither by Water pay for each Kandy or 450 Pound weight one Laryn and a half Freight to Dabul Four Gau or twelve Leagues from Chipolone down the River Helewacko lies the City Dabul or Dabrul anciently very famous but of late much ruin'd by the Wars and decreas'd in Trade It lies in 18 Degrees Northern Latitude or as others affirm in 17 Degrees 45 Minutes and is built along the Shore of the River Helewacko ten Leagues from Chaul It lies open onely on the South-side which fronts the Water where are two Batteries planted with four Iron Guns On the Mountains are several decay'd Fortresses and an ancient Castle but without any Guns or Garrison On the Northern Point where the Bay begins stands a little Wood which at a distance appears like a Fort and below this Wood near the Water is a white Temple or Pagode as also another on the South Point on the declining of the Mountain besides several other Temples and stately Edifices This City was taken from the King of Idalcan by the Portuguese Anno 1508. but was afterwards won from them again and ruin'd by the English Two Leagues Southward from Dabul lies a Promontory or Cape by the Portuguese call'd Dabul Falso that is False Dabul because in sailing by the same they often find themselves deceiv'd taking it for the Point of Dabul which it very much resembles Beyond this Cape is a Bay by them call'd Enceada de los Brahmannes that is The Bay of the Brahmines because many Brahmines dwell thereabouts Beyond this is the Ragiaputa and the Cape Caraputa the Enceada or Sea-Bay Calasi or Calesci lying not far from the Cape Carapeta and next to that Tambona Four Leagues from Dabul lieth the Bay of Zanguizara in 17 Degrees and a half of Northern Latitude Twelve Leagues from Zanguizara or rather from Dabul and twenty from Goa lies the Haven and Road of Ceitapour in 17 Degrees and 20 Minutes Northern Latitude behind an Island which secures it from all Winds This Haven hath at the lowest but three and at the highest not above six or seven Fathom Water Beyond the River three Leagues from this Island and the Road Ceitagour lies the City Rasapour one of the eminentest Towns of the Kingdom of Cuncan and Visiapour Travelling from the Sea-side about Goa up into the Country to the Metropolis Visiapour you pass by and through the following Cities and Villages First A great City call'd Ditcauly lying three Kos from Goa Not far from thence near the River Madre de Dios lies a Castle call'd Ponda Banda a mighty City is about one Gau or three Leagues from Ditcauly two from Goa two from Wingerla and three and a half or nine Leagues from Ballagate It is built near the River Dery which glides by this City into the Sea having broad Streets with many fair Buildings and several Pagodes or Temples Between Banda and the Ballagatean Mountains lie several Villages as Amby two Kos from Banda and Herpoli four Kos Eleven Kos from thence on the other side at the Foot of the lowest of the Ballagatean Mountains is the Village Amboly beyond which near the River Herenecassy is another Village of the same Name A Cannon-shot from Herenecassy in the Valley between the Mountains of Ballagate is a Dorp call'd Berouly and two Kos further another call'd Weseree three Kos further Outor six and a half more Berapour half a Kos beyond Matoura and one more the pleasant Village Calingra close planted about with Trees A Cannon-shot from Calingra is the Village Cangier a little beyond a place by a general Name call'd Bary for all those Places
that is The Armenian Stone Amongst many other Beasts which breed in Persia there is one peculiar to this Province which the Persians call Castar and the Spaniards Adives and is perhaps the Hyena of the Ancients They breed for the most part in the Hedges about Schiras and are as Garcias de Sylva affirms a kind of Dogs bred first in Barbary They come in great companies out of the Hedges in the Night to seek for Prey making a hideous howling They are naturally so subtile that if they were not so very greedy they could not be taken They tear up the Graves in the Fields and devour the Dead Bodies and often when hungry they venture into Houses where if they find any thing they call their Companions by making a great noise whereof the Inhabitants taking notice surround and catch them This Province of Persia comprehends the ancient Kingdom or Dukedom of Lar or Lara with a Metropolis of the same denomination from whence the Laryns a Coin so current in all the Eastern Countries had their name as we observ'd before The Province of Lara is by Figueroa accounted part of the old Carmanie as Oëssa commonly call'd the Kingdom of Monbareca the other part besides the Countries of Mogosthan This ancient Dukedom was formerly possess'd by a peculiar Prince who Govern'd with an Arbitrary Power and not subject to the Crown of Persia The last Prince according to Gaspar Bernardino was call'd Abrahi Mochom but by Della Valle Ibrahim Chan by Figueroa Hambrain Chan and by our Mr. Herbert Erahim Cawn an Atheistical and bloody-minded Person But Alvaredy Chan Sultan of Schiras invading him Anno 1602. by the Command of Schach Abbas storm'd the City of Lar and kill'd the King besides all the Nobility and Gentry to the number of five thousand causing also the Castles to be pull'd down and the Walls thrown to the Ground leaving nothing standing that was of any Strength or Consequence And in this manner the Kingdom of Lar was joyn'd to the Crown of Persia and added to the Dominion of Schiras The City Lar at Lara is a very ancient City and of great note amongst the Arabians being the Metropolis as Figueroa supposes of the old Carmanie It is situate in 27 Degrees and a half of Northern Latitude at the end of a great Plain so enclos'd with Mountains that they leave onely a little Opening or Way which leads to Schiras When this City was first built cannot certainly be resolv'd Some ascribe the Age thereof to that of our first Forefathers others say it was founded not much above a thousand years ago The Walls of the Houses are made of Sun-dry'd Bricks and Clay and plaster'd over with a kind of Mortar made of chopt Straw and Earth which the Persians use in all their Buildings especially in the Provinces of Lara Querman and Persia Most of them are but one Story high having few Windows and those very small and cover d with Lattices or stopt with Mats In this City is an ancient Palace formerly the Residence of the Prince with a large Court before it which had stood empty a considerable time when the Chan of Schiras came to Lar to take possession thereof Here are likewise two other remarkable Places The one a Castle or Fort the other the Bazar or Exchange The first being almost half a League in circumference is built of Free-stone on the West side of the City on a little Hill and fortified with thirty eight strong Bulwarks which defend the City from any outward Attempts and also Commands it Figueroa affirms That the Castle covers the whole top of the Mountain which is Oval and fortified with a Stone Wall and a Breast-work with divers Loop-holes for small Shot It is very large in circumference and hath a Well with excellent Water above two hundred Fathom deep for it reaches quite down to the City yet is the Water nevertheless very easily drawn up with a Wheel turn'd by an Ox. The other Place of note in this City is the Bazar that is A Street full or Shops like the Exchange This Bazar was the Work of Alvaredy Chan the before-mention'd Sultan of Schiras and is without doubt one of the fairest and best in all Asia It consists of an exact Square enclos'd within high Walls of white Stone each Square being 150 Paces and in every one a large Gate through which you enter into a fair Walk that opens into four Rows of Shops each twenty Foot broad making a Cross-way in the middle whereof is a very high Turret full of large Windows built on four Arches of Stone which taking their beginning from thence cover the four Walks The Materials so neatly painted and polish'd that they out-vie Marble The Ground is also very curiously pav'd In four other Squares but much less than the former are four other small Cross-ways which have also a Turret in the middle of each from whence as from the great one run four other lesser Arched Walks of fifteen or sixteen Foot broad Almost in the middle under the great Turret or Arch is a Spring of Fresh Water which is brought thither in Pipes from Places far distant and convey'd from thence to all Parts of the City In the Bazar are sold all manner of Merchandises as well in the Shops by the Inhabitants as by Foreign Merchants who stay here all day to vend their Goods and return to their Lodgings in the Evening when the Bazar is lock'd up and guarded by a Company of Soldiers appointed for that purpose In some of these Shops are sold both Green Dry'd and Preserv'd Fruit as also In-land Bread call'd Hapas or Curichas But the Country-People which bring their Commodities to sell have no peculiar Shops but lay their Merchandise on Stalls before the Shops leaving a sufficient space between for the People to pass Near the Bazar is the Mint where they Coin the Laryns before-mention'd There are few Mosques here but amongst those which are there is one built round to represent Eternity after the same manner with the Alcaba or Holy Mosque at Mecha which Schach Abraham is said to have brought from Heaven On some Places thereof are Arabian Letters Cyphers and short Sentences graven after the Mosaick manner It is a low Structure having in stead of Windows onely Carv'd Ballisters The Entrance into the same is through a Copper Gate near which hangs a great Looking-glass There are also many Lamps some of which are kept continually burning and others hang onely for Ornament Some of the Persian Prophets lie here interr'd and amongst others one call'd Emir Ally Zedday Amir who if what they affirm upon Oath may be credited hath been there above 1500 Years viz. 600 Years before Mahomet yet nevertheless they stick not to affirm that he was a good Muselman or Mahumetan At Lar is the usual meeting-place of the Caravans or Cafilas which travel from Persia Querman and other Places to the Isle of Ormus and come from thence and
Philosophy Notwithstanding there are not so many in Persia as in Europe which learn the Liberal Arts and Sciences yet they highly esteem those that study therein which they corruptly call Filosuf The Persian Phylosophers in Matters of Phylosophy and other Sciences highly esteem the Christian Books especially such as treat of Morality natural Phylosophy and Religion They also hold Disputations with great Confidence concerning the Mystery of their Religion with People that are or another Opinion quite contrary to the Turks who out of stubborness will not admit any to speak thereof Their Universicies For the Instruction of their Knowledge there are several Universities or Schools in the Cities which they call Madresia or Madressa and the Scholars Mederis the Chiefest whereof are at Ispahan Schiras Ardebil Mesched Tebris Casbijn Com Jest and Schamachie to all which the Sedder or Governor must allow a sufficient Maintenance which he receives from such Countreys as are free from Tribute and other Taxes to the King as Cochtzeh by Erwan Utzatznik near Carabach Tabachmelick lying between Georgia and Carabach and also Agdasch and Kermeru What they study The Learning in which they instruct them is Geometry Surveying Poesie Astrology moral and Natural Phylosophy Physick and Law They have all Aristotle's Works translated into Arabick and call him Danja piala that is The Cup of the World for as we may use the Cup to refresh our selves so we may likewise to inebriation so according to their opinion we may use and misuse Phylosophy for they say that strong Liquor and Phylosophy make good Orators but excess of both makes wise men Fools They teach their Youth Arithmetick so soon as they can write and read the Common-people use the Indian Figures but the Learned the Arabian Their Poesie and Orations are comprised in short Lessons and are studied both together because their Histories and Disputations are mixt with Verses and other Eloquent Expressions Their chief Book is as we said before Culustan that is Rose-Valley made by the famous Poet Schich Saadi Their chief Books and some Years since Translated into the German Tongue by Olearius it consists not onely in pleasant Prose but delightful Verses and therefore every Persian hath this Book in his House nay some there are which carry it in their memory and are therefore accounted very learned this they repeat at all Feasts and other Merry-meetings Delight in reading Histories Moreover they delight much in reading of Histories especially those of Aly's Life and Death as also of Hossein Aly's Son which are written in a lofty Style They have likewise several other Books as Chronicles as well of their own Kings Reigns and Wars as other eminent Transactions and these are term'd Mirchond Emveri Tzami Walehi Nussegri and the like amongst which the chiefest is Mirchond who in an excellent Style hath written a Persian Chronicle in Four Volumes which are there sold for two hundred Crowns but we cannot credit the Persians much in their Histories and Matters of Religion because they often mix fabulous Invention with real Truths The number of Books that treat of Philosophy are but small in these Countreys and those few are in the Hands of the most learned Persons who keep them as a great Treasure The Books that are generally sold there are either Romances or Verses treating of their Law besides which they have no Books worth mentioning Arms. THe Persian Horse-men are arm'd with Bowes The Housemens Arms. Arrows and a bending Sword like a Scymetar their main strength consists in the Cavalry and though their Horses are small and lean yet they are strong and swift The Hilt of their Swords is onely a cross Bar yet sufficient to defend the Hand and for the most part set forth with inchased work the Scabberds are either of red or black Leather and plated after the same manner as the Hilt their Belts are narrow and plain without any other Ornament or Colour than the skins naturally bear their Bowe-men are call'd Curtschi and their Musquettiers Tufenktschi for they have Musquets and also Pistols which they say Schach Abbas first brought in use among them They also have some great Guns which they use more in their Fortifications and Sieges than in a Field Battel Yet Anno 1604. Schach Abbas had one hundred and fifty Cannons when he beat off Vlutzali Bassa from Cigale They use many Stratagems In former times the Persians always engag'd their Enemies on Horse-back but since the use of Musquets was brought amongst them they have made a Body of Foot which in these last Wars hath done them great Service Moreover they are very subtile in contriving Plots and Stratagems to circumvent their Enemies At the Siege of Iruan Anno 1633. the Persians had a sort of Poyson in little Glasses which they shot with Darts into their Enemies Forts by which means they so infected the Air that it swell'd the Inhabitants Arms and Legs to an extraordinary thickness and by that means made them unable to resist Their defensive Arms are Brest-plates Shields Coats of Mail and Helmets The Soldiers of Persia made up of three Bodies The Soldiers of Persia are made up of three sorts The first sort are Turkomans which are like Hirelings and have Ziefs that is Pensions which the Sons inherit from their Fathers and are bound to furnish the King with a certain number of Horse as often as occasion shall require The second sort is that which Leunclaivus and Soranzo call Corrises or Coridsches but in the Turks Language might more properly be call'd Curchins or Georgians which receive no pay but have onely their Dyet Horses Apparel Arms Tents and all other Necessaries The third sort are Friends and Allies viz. Armenians and other Georgians who are Enemies to the Turks Four Degrees in their Militia In Persia are four Orders or Degrees in their Militia the first are Musquetiers or they that use Fire-arms not many years since brought in by King Abbas through the perswasions of Sir Anthony Sherley one of our three famous Sherleys so much celebrated in former times All the Musquetiers are Natives and Inhabitants of the Cities Musquettiers Towns and Villages though more dwell in the Villages than the Towns or Cities and they are accounted Tat or ignoble and may not wear the Tag but the common Turbant Formerly they continually fought on Foot yet march'd on Horseback like our Dragoons All the Captains of these and other Companies are by a Turkish Name call'd Juzbassi that is The Head of a Hundred for Juz is a Hundred and Bassi the Head notwithstanding they often have above two hundred and sometimes under one hundred in their Companies Those that dwell in several Provinces or Places meeting at a general Rendezvouz march together to the Army either with the Chans of the Province or else alone especially those that have no Chans Those of Mazanderan are accounted the best Musquettiers but there are more beside them
Journal ten thousand Curdes Subjects to the Turk deserting their Countrey went and desir'd other Lands of Schach Abbas King of Persia who giving them a sufficient Maintenance occasion'd a War between the Turks and Persians They have absolute Command in some parts of their Territory as in Gozire a City of Mesopotamia built on an Isle in the River Tigris and in the Mountains by the Inhabitants call'd Tor. The Inhabitants are very valiant and are look'd upon to be able to do great prejudice to the Turk against whom they commonly maintain War Their Arms are Bowes Arrows Shields and Simiters Their Religion Their Religion is that of the Mahumetans either according to the Turkish or Persian way as they see convenient Moreover they are strongly inclin'd to divers Superstitions which are peculiar to them and savor much of Idolatry Some affirm that they worship the Devil because he should not do them or their Cattel any hurt Many Chaldean Christians of the Sect of the Nestorians or Jacobites live in the Dominion of the Curdes and Serve them in the Wars THE EMPIRE OF THE Great Mogol AND INDIA Of India in general India why so call'd INDIA is so call'd from the River Indus and the Word East generally added to India because it is the most Easterly part of Asia and hence America or the New-found World has borrow'd the Name of West-India in opposition to it It s Division Extent and Bounds Ptolomy affirms that anciently and to this day India is divided into two great parts whereof one which extends from the River Indus to Ganges is by the Persians call'd Indostan that is The Countrey of Indus and by the Greek and Latine Writers India intra Gangem or India within Ganges The other part is call'd Mangi or India extra Gangem or Without Ganges The first comprehends all the Countreys under the Great Mogol's Jurisdiction as also the Kingdom of Narsinga or Bisnagar Kannara Orixa the Coast of Cormandel and Malabar the Kingdom of Golconda and many others The second part without Ganges contains the Kingdom of Bengala Arracan Pegu Siam Malacca Cambaya Champa or Tzampa Lao Cochinchina besides many lesser and lastly the vast Empire of China Both these parts also comprehend divers Islands amongst which Japan if so it be is the most Eastern as also the most eminent This whole vast Countrey according to the ancient and modern Writers conterminates on the West with the River Indus the Countrey of Arachosia and Gedrosia on the South with the Indian Sea on the East with the Eastern Shore and on the North with some Branches of Mount Taurus or Imaus a part of Taurus Texeira tells us that India begins at the end of the Kingdom of Macran The largeness of its Circuit lying in 106 Degrees of Longitude and extends to 159 from East to West a Degree being reckon'd to be fifteen Leagues a Tract of eight hundred Leagues in a direct Line India also extends from North to South from the Equinox to the Cape of Malacca almost to the 40. Degree the utmost part of China a Tract of about six hundred Leagues not reckoning the Indian Isles some of which lie a great way to the Southward of the Equinoctial The most eminent Rivers of India are the Indus and Ganges Rivers which come from the Northward out of the Mountains Imaus and Caucasus by the Inhabitants according to Castaldus call'd Dalanguer and Nangracot and both as the Inhabitants affirm spring from one Head though some Geographers make the distance between them to be a hundred and eighty Leagues and others but a hundred and thirty though the first seems most probable because the Ganges takes its course Easterly and the Indus Westerly Philostratus places the Head of the River Indus in Mount Caucasus and makes the same in some places to be a League and a half broad and transplanting abundance of Soil along with it which like the Nile in Egypt makes the adjacent Grounds exceeding fertile MAGNI MOGOLIS IMPERIVM The Course of the River Indus The Indus or Send thus enrich'd with the Waters of other Rivers takes its course Southward through the Provinces of Attack Backor and Tatta and near the City Dul which gives its Denomination to the same it discharges its Water through two Mouths into the Ocean and not through seven as Texeira affirms These Openings are in 23 Degrees and 35 Minutes Northern Latitude Most Maps and many Geographers are greatly mistaken in placing this River as if it fell into the Sea near the utmost Point of the Gulf of Cambaya but this is a great error and as wide from the truth as the whole Countrey of Zuratte is broad for the Indus runs not from the East to Zuratte as it should do if it disembogu'd at Cambaya but the River which discharges its Water into the Bay of Cambaya is another call'd Mehi The River Indus hath divers Isles especially near its Mouth which are very pleasant and fruitful and one City nam'd Varaxes Pliny affirms that nineteen Rivers contribute their Waters to the Indus the chiefest whereof are the Hydaspes now call'd Moltan which receives four other lesser Streams the Catabra the Hypasis and Acesina The Course of the River Ganges The River Ganges now call'd Gangia arises from Mount Caucasus and bends its course to the South through or between the Rocks of the Province of Siba and soon after becomes very broad then proceeding on its course Southward it receives by the way the Waters of thirty Rivers as Ananias saith or according to Pliny ninety so that it swells exceedingly and spreads above four Miles in breadth yet not above eight Fathom deep and at last after a long course falls through many Mouths into the Sea the chiefest whereof and most Westerly is Satigan or Satiguam so call'd from a City of that Name built on its Banks a Sea-port Town where the Portuguese us'd to drive a great Trade the other being the most Easterly is also near a famous Sea-Harbor and is call'd Chatigan both which are under the Jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Bengala The Ganges at last discharges its Water through two noted Mouths into the Bay of Bengala These Mouths Ptolomy places in the eighteenth and nineteenth Degree of Northern Latitude but Barros and Linschot set them in twenty two or twenty two Degrees and a half Accounted holy and why Those of Bengala as the same Linschot writes affirm the Head of Ganges to be in the terrestrial Paradise and therefore account the Water thereof holy and for that cause the Benjans and other Indian Heathens go thither in Pilgrimage to bathe themselves and to drink of it and the Inhabitants of Bengala lying on their Death-beds cause themselves to be thrown into the said River or at least to have their Feet dipt in A Pint of Water a thing very remarkable of the Ganges Lighter than other Water is not above half so heavy as that of
Arrow who by that means was bereav'd of all his Strength insomuch that he was afterwards no more than an ordinary Brahman Thus with Prasseram's Power also ended his Altar after a Reign of a thousand years after which Ram's Altar immediately commenc'd Ram's or Ram Kata's otherwise Dajeratha Rama's Altar the Seventh Rams of Ram Katas anders Dajerratha Ramas autaer de zevende There was at the same time in the Countrey of Assouthan a Ragia or King call'd Dasserat who had three Wives one of which nam'd Consila bore him a fair Son which by the Brahmans was call'd Wissote Ram who grew up in extraordinary Wisdom and Knowledge The second Wife Keggy bore a Son nam'd Barrat the third nam'd Sonnettry bare two Sons the one call'd Lekkerman and the other Setteroukan Ram was by the Brahman Wismawerter instructed in all Arts and Sciences in which he made so great a progress that after many extraordinary Atchievements he went up to Heaven and left his Authority to Hanneman a great Ape who had been his Assistant on Earth to whom he promis'd that he should be immortal that consecrated a Pagode in honor of him and that he would always protect his Servants on Earth This concluded the whole work of Ram's Altar and also the Tretangke or second Age which had lasted one Million two hundred sixty nine thousand years of which Ram had Reign'd two thousand years For the good Services done by the Apes to Ram in his time they are held in great veneration by the Indians and in the Kingdoms of Pegu Ceilon and other Places they set up several Figures of Apes in their Pagodes and this is affirm'd by Linschot who saith That in former Ages there was no greater nor more precious a Relick in all India than an Apes Tooth which being tipt with Gold and beset with Precious Stones was kept in a Pagode on the Mountain Piko d' Adam on the Island Ceilon to which place the Indians went in Pilgrimage from all places thereabouts nay some came thither out of several Countreys lying four or five hundred Leagues from thence The Portuguese coming to this Island about the Year 1555. to assist the lawful King who was depos'd by a Rebel they went up the foremention'd Mountain where ruining the Pagode they found nothing else but a small Cabinet full of Precious Stones and the Apes Tooth all which they carrry'd to Goa which when the Kings of Ceilon Bengala Bisnagar and others heard they sent Agents to the Portuguese Vice-Roy at Goa to request the restauration of the Tooth proffering as a Ransom for the same besides many Presents a Sum of seven thousand Ducats of Gold which upon the perswasion of the Arch-bishop was refus'd by the Portuguese who burnt the Tooth and threw the Ashes into the Sea Kistnas or Cristnas or Krexno the eighth Altar IN the beginning of the third Age Duapersingke a Ragia call'd Cans otherwise Campsa of the Family Brommerakkes who are a degree above the Deytes in the City Mottara lying about twenty or twenty five Miles beyond Agra the Court and Metropolis of the Great Mogol near the River Siemmena or Jemni This Ragia having a young Sister call'd Denki otherwise Deweki whose time being according to the Custom of the Countrey near at hand to be Marry'd he sent through all the City to find a young Man that might deserve her but what care and diligence soever he us'd he could meet with none whom she could fancy wherefore he sent some Persons on the same Errand to the next City Goggel or Gokalam lying three Miles from Agra on the opposite side of the Stream Siemmena The Agents at their return brought word that they had sound a pious Brahman call'd Wassendeu or Wassoudewa whom they judg'd might very well deserve her The Ragia Kans upon their recommendation sending for him gave him his Sister in Marriage and when she had attain'd to the twelfth year of her age and the Brahman to the nineteenth or twentieth the Chan according to Custom shew'd them to all his Subjects after which he commanded Denki and a certain Brahman call'd Naret experienc'd in the Art of Astrology or rather Cheiromancy and lately come into that Countrey to come before him requiring the said Brahman to look in Denkies Hand and to tell him whether she should be fortunate or unfortunate rich or poor have few or many Children be short or long liv'd live joyfully or sorrowfully what degree of Honor she should attain to and in short what would happen to her strictly charging him to declare the plain truth without flattery or dissimulation The Brahman looking into her Hand upon the Kings Command and having view'd the same bespake him after this manner My Lord and King according as the Lines appear here she will be the Mother of seven Children viz. six Sons and one Daughter the last whereof will bereave you of your Life and Crown and Reign in your stead This Prognostication of being destroy'd by his own Blood made the King exceeding sorrowful insomuch that he commanded Denki to depart out of his Presence as not worthy to see his Face nay he gave order to lock her and her Husband up in the Castle and to set strong Guards about the same and commanded all the Midwives that as soon as ever Denki was Deliver'd of a Child it should immediately be brought to him which was accordingly perform'd for no sooner was the unhappy Denki Deliver'd but the Infant was instantly carry'd to her Brother who forthwith kill'd it Thus he did six several times viz. to five Sons and one Daughter and when Denki had Conceiv'd the seventh time and Kans inform'd thereof he caus'd a stricter Guard to be kept upon her than before locking her up in a Chamber with seven Iron Doors and setting a hundred Soldiers to guard them strictly charging them that as soon as they heard the Child cry they should give him notice thereof that he might dispose of it as he had done of the rest In the Moneth Sawanne or Srawanam which is our August on the Day Aerhem being the eighth of the dark Moon the time of her Delivery approaching she was exceedingly troubled to think that this her last Child of which she expected to be Deliver'd should be so cruelly murder'd as all the former had been Sitting thus melancholy she was on a sudden without pain about Midnight deliver'd of a most beautiful Son whose Face was resplendent like the Moon in the Full insomuch that he enlightned the whole Room At this Denki rejoyc'd exceedingly and wondred not a little at her beautiful Son but very much lamented to think what hard fortune was decreed him But Mahadeu who had inspir'd this Child with his Divine Power gave him also Speech so that he comforted his sorrowful Mother with these Words viz. That she should rest satisfied and he would find means to escape his Uncles bloody Hands and also deliver her from her Imprisonment And turning to his Father he
valiant of them use they often put their Enemies to flight This Countrey was formerly Govern'd by a peculiar King and belong'd not long since to the King of Pattan but of late hath been subdu'd by the Great Mogol who in the beginning kept his Court in the Metropolis thereof The Inhabitants are most of them Moors or Mahumetans the rest Heathens who live very miserably for being subdu'd by the Moors who bereav'd them of what they formerly possess'd they are forc'd to range up and down the Countrey from one place to another and are therefore call'd Joguez The Kingdom or Province of Mando or Bando THe Province or Kingdom of Mando otherwise Bando by the Inhabitants according to Texeira call'd Mandou and by Purchas Mandao borders in the East at Agra in the North at Dely in the West at Jesselmeer and in the South at the Province of Malway The Description of the City Maudo The Metropolis which bears one and the same Name with the Province hath six Miles in circumference It lies on a high Mountain the top whereof is flat and spacious The Ascent to the City is very high and steep and troublesom to walk up Not far from the foot of the Mountain is a large Town call'd Achabar Pore by which glides a broad River call'd Narbodag The top of the Mountain is overgrown with shady Trees in such a manner that it is very pleasant to â—â—hold either from the foot upwards or from the top downwards This wooddy Mountain serves as a Recess for Lions Tygers and wild Elephants In this City the Great Mogol hath a House or spacious Palace built of square Stone in which he often resides Not far from this Palace is a Cave cut in a Rock which is no less artificial than pleasant by reason of its coolness The Countrey is barren sandy and mountainous full of Lions Tygers and wild Elephants and produces great plenty of Costus in the Malayan Tongue call'd Pucho and Amphion or Opium There is also abundance of Azur with which the Inhabitants Trade to China Cambaya and Ormuz It is said that the valiant Amazones Reign'd in this Countrey but at present they retain nothing of their Predecessors Qualities but onely to Ride well on Horseback with half Boots and Spurs Whenever the Queen Rides abroad she is accompanied by at least two thousand Women on Horseback The Province of Malway or Malva THe Province of Malway or Malva bordering in the East at Narrat in the South at Chilor and in the North and West at Jesel is very fruitful The chief City thereof is call'd Rantipore the other Towns are Toda and Upen which Thomas Rohous makes to be the Metropolis A pretty way from the City glides the Stream Cepra which is a Branch of the Ganges which is said to fall into the Bay of Cambaya Near this Stream lies the City Callenda formerly the Court of the Kings of Mando or Bando The Territory of Sanga or Chitor and Vtrad THe Territory of Sanga or Chitor formerly a great and ancient Kingdom borders in the North-East and East at Malway in the West at the Mount Ranas and Jesselmeer and in the South at Zurratte and Chandi half way between the Towns Chitor and Asmeer The City of Chitor anciently a glorious City The Metropolis is also call'd Chitor but anciently Taxila and was the chief City of India when King Porus went to Fight against Alexander the Great It lies in 25 Degrees Northern Latitude on the top of a high Mountain inclos'd within a Wall of about ten Miles in circumference Before the ruine thereof it was a fair City not onely for its Buildings but also its Bulwarks and Walls for which reason it was in the Countrey Language call'd Citor that is The Fan of the World It may compare for antiquity with any City in India but at present it is not above three Miles in circumference There are yet above a thousand ruin'd Temples seen in the same several large though decay'd Palaces besides many stately Columns There is onely one Ascent which leads up to the City to which they go through four stately Gates along a Path cut in a Rock The chief Inhabitants at this day are Birds and wild Beasts which the Benjans hold in great veneration By whom destroy'd This City was formerly possess'd by an ancient Prince call'd Ranas whom King Gelaladin Acbar forc'd in the latter end of the former Age to leave his Kingdom and to flie into the Mountains from him call'd Ranas where he setled in the City Odipore to which he was forc'd by a long Siege which the Inhabitants werre not able to hold for want of Provisions The City when surrendred was by the Conqueror laid waste and so continues at this day Others affirm that Badur Sultan of Cambaya Besieg'd the City and that when the Inhabitants saw no likelihood to preserve it any longer they burnt all their Gold and Silver Precious Stones and other things and also themselves insomuch that above seventy thousand perish'd by the Fire which lasted three days together after which Badur enter'd the City Not long after the Kingdom of Cambaya was totally subdu'd by the Great Mogol The Province of Utrad conterminates with that of Chitor and lies near the City of Sinde The chief City thereof bears the same Denomination Productions of the Province of Vtrad This Countrey affords Sal Gemmae or Stone Salt by the Inhabitants call'd Geucar a Name deriv'd from Geu which signifies Barley and from Car which signifies Salt This Province also produces a certain Dreg or Gum by Physicians in the Latine Tongue call'd Assa Foetida and in English for its ill scent Devils-Dung Avicenna and other Arabians call it Altit the Indians Juden and the Benjans Inguh or Hing That which grows here is the least bitter of any The Plant which produces it is of two sorts the one is a high Tree or Bush with little Leaves not unlike those of Rew the other is like a Raddish and hath several great and small Stalks with Leaves almost like the Fig-tree This Plant grows best in Mountains and barren places it is gather'd in Harvest for about die latter end of the Summer the Gum begins to run out of it Theophrastus Dioscorides and others take this Gum to be the Juice of a Plant which they call Laser or Laserpitium The Benjans of Zurratte use this Gum in all their Meat and account no Dish or Sawce to be well made without it They also anoint all their drinking Vessels therewith nay they are so us'd to it that the strong scent which turns the Stomach of others is sweet and pleasant to them The Kingdom of Zurratte or Cambaya THe Kingdom of Cambaya hath receiv'd that Denomination from the Portuguese who so styl'd it from the City of Cambaya which being a Sea-port Town is better known to the Portuguese than any other in this Countrey by reason of the vast Trade which they drive there
But the Inhabitants call it Gazoraste or Zurratte and the Persians The Countrey of the Gaores or Cow-Worshippers because they adore those Beasts Some suppose Zurratte though improperly to be the ancient Gedrosia because Gedrosia is without the Limits of India and this Countrey or Kingdom within wherefore the King of Cambaya is call'd King of the first India The Extent and Limits of Zurratte This Countrey extends into the Sea like a Peninsula having a great Bay on each side the one lying towards the South is eighteen Leagues broad at the entrance of the Mouth but grows narrower and narrower and runs up North-East and by East above forty Leagues It verges in the West and South at the Indian Sea in the North it hath a broad ridge of Mountains and beyond them the Territories of Soret Jesselmeer and Bando in the East Chitor and Candish in the South the Kingdom of Decan with the River Gate between Maffaeus borders this Countrey in the East upon the Kingdom of Mando and other Provinces belonging to the Tartars or Mogols in the West with the Countrey of the Nautaques or Gedrosians in the North at the Kingdoms of Dulcinde Sanga and Chitor and in the South at the Indian Sea and the Province of Decan The Limits of this Countrey extended formerly much farther viz. from the Indian Sea to Gualor or Gualer eight days Journey from Amadabat The Sea-coast of this Kingdom which is very large extends according to Twist above four and forty Leagues along the Sea according to Maginus a hundred and fifty Italian Miles viz. from Circan to the River Bat yet Zurratte doth not extend to Circan lying beyond the Indus which proves the Limits of Maginus to be erroneous This Countrey is full of Towns Villages Hamlets and People and reckon'd formerly twenty thousand inhabited Places besides many more ruin'd by the Wars and at present under other Dominions The Sea-port Towns The chief Sea-Ports are situate on both the Bays as followeth Between Cape Jaquete eighteen Leagues from the River Sinde to the City Diu a Tract of thirty Leagues lie Gigat Cortiane Mangalor Choras Pattan Patepatan Corimer and Diu between which and Cambaya being a Tract along the Sea of thirty three Leagues are the Towns of Madrelaba Mocas Talaia Gundim Goga and Cambaya Next you come to the City Goga lying twelve Leagues farther from Cambaya In these two Promontories of the City Cambaya and Jaquette is comprehended a part of the Kingdom of Zurratte with the mountainous Countreys of the Resbites From the City of Cambaya to the Stream Bate or rather to that of Nagotava are seventy Leagues in which space lie the Towns Machigan Gan and the City Baroch where the River Narbada hath its original Eight Leagues farther is the Mouth of the famous Stream Japety or Tapte on whose Banks lie the Towns Zurratte and Reinier or Reiner Farther along the Coast towards the side of Decan are the Towns Noscary Gandiu by Robert Covert call'd Gandeve and Balsar all three lying about two Leagues up into the Countrey the first six the second nine and the last fourteen Leagues Southward from Zurratte with great Havens convenient for many Ships Next you come to Daman Danu Tatapor Quelmain Agacim and Bazain There are yet along the Coast the Towns Maim and Nagotava four Leagues from Chaul which belongs to Decan and also the Town Bate near a River of the same Name in the utmost Limits of this Kingdom Besides this City there is another call'd Sabaja six Leagues from Gandiu and Nawdon three days Journey from Zurratte between which Towns you travel two days Journey through pleasant Fields without any Villages Many other Towns there are which lie up into the Countrey and amongst others Amadabat the Metropolitan of this Kingdom which deserves a large Description The City Amadabath or Ahmedabath THe Metropolis of this Kingdom of Zurratte is not the City of Cambaya though the Portuguese have given the whole Kingdom its Denomination from thence But Amadabath or Ahmedabath otherwise Amadavar and Hamed Ewat that is The City of Homed or Amad for Bath in the Persian Tongue signifies a City and Amad or Hamed is the Name of the King who laid the first Foundation thereof nine hundred years ago Mr. Herbert tells us That the City Amadabath is very ancient by Ptolomy call'd Amastis and by Arrianus Amadavastis and that King Hamed onely enlarg'd the same Anno 375. after Mahomet's flight from Mecha Amadabath is one of the four Cities where the Mogol as a peculiar Favor keeps his Court. It lies in the middle of the Countrey in a delightful Plain on the Bank of a small River call'd Saker Mati a Branch of the Indus in 33 Degrees and 10 Minutes Northern Latitude or according to Herbert in 23 Degrees and 18 Minutes but according to Mandeslo in 24 Degrees and 109 Minutes Longitude eighteen Leagues from Cambaya sixty two or as some say forty five Leagues from Zurratte and sixteen from the Sea It is surrounded with a Wall of Free-stone about six Miles in circumserence forty Foot high and fifteen thick and fortifi'd with many round Turrets About the Wall runs a Moat about six Paces broad though quite decay'd and in many places dry The Streets are streight and broad yet lie unpav'd and very troublesom to walk in by reason of the Dust which by means of the continual Drought is very great The chiefest Streets are planted on both sides with Coco Terri Orange and Tamarind-trees The Houses which are for the most part built of Sun-dry'd Brick are pretty large but very low and flat after the Eastern manner There are likewise several Bazars or Exchanges the biggest and most eminent whereof is call'd Bazari Colam that is The great Bazar or Exchange It is a broad streight and long Street full of Shops on both sides in the midst thereof stands a Stone Structure cross the Street like a Bridge on three Arches in a triangular manner Beyond this Edifice is also in the midst of the Street a great Well inclos'd within a square Earthen Bank the Water in it is very useful to the Inhabitants who flock thither in great numbers to fetch the same Near the end of this Street stands a great Portal with its Front towards the Street between two Towers and is the Gate of a small Burrough in the Persian Tongue call'd Cut. Near this Burrough at the end of the Street Maidan are two Galleries one on each side rais'd a little from the Ground where the King's Edicts or Proclamations are generally read going from hence through a great Gate on the right hand you behold at a little distance from thence on the left side the Vice-Roy or Governor's Palace or Castle which as others say lies in the midst of the City on the Bank of the River inclos'd within a Wall of Free-stone This Castle which is accounted the best and strongest Fortress which the Mogol hath in all India except that
the City the Inhabitants have many pleasant Gardens and Banquetting-houses along the side of the River Chief Remarks in Suratte Amongst the Remarks which this City hath the chiesest is a mighty Pond with divers Angles rais'd with Free-stone in a manner like Steps on which the People descend to the Water in the middle of which lies an Isle that none can have access to but in a Boats or by swimming On one side of this Pond is a pretty long broad and deep Channel or Moat over which lie several Bridges that lead to another larger Pond which here would be accounted a great Lake though there it be look'd upon as a very small one This also hath many Angles and is wall'd about with Free-stone with which also the sides of the Moat are strengthned Between the great and lesser Ponds near the Moat stands a Tomb of two eminent Mahumetans which kill'd one another This Pond or Pool was in the beginning of this Age made by a rich Inhabitant of this City with the expence of his whole Estate insomuch that his Daughter became miserably poor none of the Townsmen once relieving her though her Father had for their accommodation and the publick good exhausted all his Treasure The Pool is call'd Gopi Telau from the Builder whose Name was Gopis Without the City towards the Sea side is a every pleasant Garden which formerly belong'd to the King of Suratte It is but little yet full of Trees Plants and Herbs There is also a little Kiosk or cover'd place built at the end of the Garden over a large Pool which is no less commodious to the Inhabitants than the Pool at Suratte Not far from thence stands a Mosque also built over a Pond before the Gates thereof sit commonly many People on the Ground begging Alms of those that pass by Within the Mosque near the Wall in a narrow dark Corner stands a little Marble Pyramid call'd Pyr that is Old which perhaps is the Burying-place of one whom they worship as an ancient Saint There is generally a great resort to this Mosque not onely of Mahumetans but also of Heathens or Idolaters who give sufficient testimonies of their superstitious and ridiculous Worship The Entrance is always crowded with People especially Women those that go into the Mosque strow Flowers and Rice for an Offering to which purpose there stand many at the Door who sell the same But the Idolaters are much more zealous herein than the Mahumetans On the North side of the City is another great Pool encompass'd with a Wall of Free-stone having eighteen Angles each twenty five Yards broad The Legend of Oman Hidal Chan. with Stone Steps to descend In the middle stands the Tomb of the Builder call'd Omar Hidal Chan a Mahumetan who as the Inhabitants relate was a General in his Life-time they also tell many strange Tales of him viz. That he Encountred with the Devil and conquer'd him but out of compassion releas'd him again That he convey'd the Stones to this Building by Leopards and Tygers And that he threw the Mountain Morna lying not far from Derman with his own Hands from the ancient City Reinier In this Pool they gather Rain-water which in the dry Seasons for it often happens that not a drop of Rain falls there in a whole year is wholsomer to be us'd than the Water out of the River Reinier which is brackish with the ebbing and flowing of the Sea On the North side of the City stands an Indian Wonder-tree under whose Boughs and Shadow may lie three or four thousand Men. Under the same Tree is a Chappel in which a Benjan Saint call'd Gemsch lies buried Before the Door stands an Image in a very horrid shape Divers Lamps burn night and day in this Chappel whither a great number of Idolaters repair to perform their Devotion About a League and a half Northward from the Mouth of the River Tapti or Reinier The Haven or Harbor of Sohali and four or according to Mandeslo two Leagues from the City of Suratte is a Road or Harbor by the Inhabitants call'd Sohali or Swali or Suhali from the neighboring Village It extends North-East and by East and South-West and by West under 21 Degrees and fifty Minutes between the Main Continent and the Sand-banks which are dry at low Water or very shallow It is defended from all Winds except the Southern and a Musquet-shot broad at the Mouth where the Ships lade and unlade and hath at high Water seven and at low five Fathom with a hard and even Ground The Goods are from thence carried by Land which is very plain in Carrs or in Boats up the River to the City Suratte The English and Hollanders have several Huts along the Shore where they first unlade their Commodities and afterwards put them into their Store-houses It is impossible for any Ship to ride at an Anchor here from May to September by reason of the great Storms and Tempests mix'd with Thunder and Lightning which to avoid the Ships go to the Cape of Comori Cormandel and Bengala till such time as the foremention'd blustering Season is over and then they return again All the Countrey about Surratte is very plain and the whole year round very green and pleasant About the Village Sohali grow many Coco Tamarind and other Fruit-trees Both within and without the City are many Gardens full of all sorts of Fruits as Oranges Lemmons Citrons Peaches and others Not far from the City lies a very fruitful Grove of tall Coco-nuts Citrons Oranges Tamarinds and other Indian Fruit-trees and is not only able to furnish the City with Wood but also the adjacent Towns nay they whole Province with Timber for the building of Houses and Shipping Fertility of the Soil The Soyl about the City is also very fertile and yields abundance of Rice Barley Beans and what else is requisite for humane subsistance There are also many excellent Pastures and consequently abundance of Cattel as Buffaloes Oxen Sheep Goats and all manner of Venison as also many Asses but few Camels and Horses This City under whose Jurisdiction are above four hundred Villages is Govern'd by a Sultan who determines all Cases in Surratte and the adjacent Villages and receiving the Customs and Revenues sends them to the Mogol Besides him there is another Officer appointed by the Mogol to Govern the Castle with whom the Governor of the City hath nothing to do they live both very magnificently especially he of the City the King's Standard being always carried before him and the Drums beating when he goes out The Derivation of the Name and Situation of Cambaya The City of Cambaya first receiv'd that Denomination though corruptly from the Portuguese for its right Name is Cambewath or Cambebath that is The City Cambe It lies in a pleasant Plain in the innermost Jaws of the great Gulf of Cambaya so call'd from the City near the Shore of the River Meli or Mai otherwise
to Cambaya you may see a great Village call'd Giambierser or Junbuglar otherwise Jambouser A Tomb whereto Pilgrimages are made Between Brotcha and Amadabat is the Tomb of a certain Mahumetan Saint call'd Polmedony being highly reverenc'd by the Inhabitants who out of a mad zeal go thither in Pilgrimage believing that they shall merit great things thereby and that they may seem to be the more penitent they load themselves with Iron Chains and Stones by which means they imagine they shall obtain fair Children Health Riches and what else their Hearts can wish or desire Description of Goga Goga is a Town or great Village lying about three Leagues from Cambaya near the Sea side where the Gulf or Bay of Cambaya grows narrower and appears like a River It is a pretty large Town but hath neither Gates nor Walls except towards the Sea side where there is a Wall of Free-stone near which is the Road and Place of Rendezvouz for the Portuguese Frigats which come as Convoys to their Merchants Ships and when laden conduct them to Goa and other of their Factories About nine Leagues Westward from Goa lie two Villages call'd Pattepane and Mangerel Bysantagan a City Bysantagan a great City lying in the midst of Surratte boasts twenty thousand Houses large Towers and Temples and in the middle of it a great Pool wherein the Inhabitants both Men and Women bathe themselves every day It is inhabited by Brahmans and was formerly but a mean Village but is come to its present splendor by the fertility of the Soyl about it which drew many People thither from other Places Pattan a very large City Pettan a large City six Leagues in circumference is surrounded with a Wall the Houses built of Stone In the middle of the City is a most magnificent Mahumetan Mosque built formerly by the Heathens on a hundred and fifty Pillars of Marble and other Stone Besides this there are many other fair Structures and without the City divers pleasant Gardens but most of them being decay'd have left their ruin'd Heaps to testifie their former splendor On the East side of the City stands a great Castle surrounded with high Walls and strong Towers and is the Residence of the Governor The Inhabitants are most of them Benjans who are exceedingly perplex'd by the Coelies being certain Robbers that dwell in an adjacent Territory who often force them to pay Contribution to the great prejudice of their Trade Cheytepour is a Town of Village lying six Leagues from Pettan and forty five from Amadabat built on the Banks of a pleasant Rivulet Messane an open Village lying seven Leagues and a half from Cheytepour hath an old decay'd Castle where the Governor resides with two hundred Horse A little League from Amadabat is a Village call'd Jessempour which hath a great Sary or House of Entertainment for Travellers A League and a half farther is another great Village nam'd Batova with a large Pool Three Miles from Batova is a Village nam'd Canis which lies near a River of the same Denomination Fourteen Leagues from Amadabat and nine from Brotcha is a little Town call'd Nariadet or Niriaud or Nieriaut built with fair Houses and Pagan Temples Seven Leagues and a half from Nariadet lies the Castle Wasset with the Villages Sejantra and Amenogy between both two or three Leagues one from another It is an old decay'd Structure built upon a high Hill near a River which falls into the Bay of Cambaya There are generally a hundred Horsemen in Garrison who in the King's Name receive one Ropia and a half for every Carr which the Caffilas drive by this Place Brodera a Countrey Town lies between Amadabat and Brotcha one and twenty Leagues Eastward from the first and thirty Westward from the last on a sandy Plain near a small Rivulet nam'd Wasset It was built by a Heathen call'd Rasia Ghie Son to Sultan Mahomed Begeran the last King of Surratte about a League and a half from old Brodera then call'd Radiapora which by this means was ruin'd and left desolate all the Inhabitants going to the new Brodera This Town or City which is surrounded with Walls and Bulwarks of Chalk and Stone hath five Gates one whereof is lately stopt up for want of a Way On the West side is a large Suburb inhabited by Weavers and Dyers who are for the most part Benjans Ketteyans and a few Moors Two hundred and twenty Villages are under the Jurisdiction of this City seventy five whereof pay Tribute to the Governor for the maintaining of his Soldiers the rest are by the King given to several of his Officers that by some heroick Exploits or good Service have oblig'd him in requital whereof he gives them the Revenues of the foremention'd Villages to maintain them Within the City are ten magnificent Houses Gardens and Tombs whereof one very stately built in the midst of an Orchard is the Tomb of a mighty Lord and all his Family Besides all these there are five pleasant Gardens full of Fruit-trees Flowers and Herbs On the East side right before the Gate that leads to Brotcha is a pretty deep Pool about half a Furlong broad and flank'd on one side with a Stone Wall from whence the Inhabitants fetch all their Water On the East side also about eight Leagues from Brodera lies a Village call'd Sindickera and five or six Leagues Westward from Brodera are eight or ten Village more which are all under the Jurisdiction of Brodera some Leagues from which towards the side of Amadabat lies a Castle or Fortress on a Mountain surrounded with a Wall near a small Brook More Northerly is an old decay'd Town call'd Surbrodra where there is a Custom-house Next to that is the Village Amemoygra where there is a Well of excellent Water Daman a large City with a Castle The City Daman lying on the right hand at the coming in of a Sea-Bay forty Leagues South-East from Diu in 20 Degrees Northern Latitude It is a great City situate near a River at the Sea and fortifi'd with a strong Castle Della Valle affirms that it is not very big but well built and surrounded with strong Walls like a Fortress This City was in the Year 1559. conquer'd by the Vice-Roy Constantine for the Crown of Portugal Conquer'd by the Portuguese for when the Portuguese had with the consent of the Inhabitants built a Fort near the City for the securing of their Trade the Inhabitants endeavor'd afterwards to force them from thence but the Portuguese being well fortifi'd oppos'd them and in a short time made themselves Masters of this Place making it an Example to all the Kings of India especially the Great Mogol who being warn'd by the Fall of his Neighbors would not permit any Europeans to build Forts in his Dominions nor give them a Foot of Land in possession The Blacks Natives of this Place Converted to Christianity are the best Musquetteers of all India of
which they have given sufficient testimony for about the Year 1644. when the Great Mogol's Son Besieg'd this City with ten thousand Men they behav'd themselves so bravely that the said Prince having lost a great number of his Men was forc'd to retreat from thence in a confus'd manner The Portuguese possess several Isles near Daman which pay Tribute to the King of Salsette wherefore he is call'd Choura of Daman Southwards from which lies a Place near the Sea call'd Dary beyond which is the Bay Kielme Mahi so call'd from two Villages lying near the Sea the one nam'd Kielme and the other Mahi and beyond them appears the City Bazaim The City Bazaim Sixty Leagues Southward from Deman near the Island Salsette lies the City Bazaim which Mercator affirms to be the Borace of Ptolomy in nineteen Degrees and a half Northern Latitude By reason of the many Rivers and Brooks the Way between Bazaim cannot be travell'd in less than three days The City being pretty large hath a convenient Harbor The whole Coast produces much Rice Pease and other Grain Oyl and Coco-nuts In the beginning of this Age many Houses were swallow'd up by an Earthquake in the room of which none have since been built On the Main Continent near the Island Salsette de Bazaim the Portuguese have a Fort call'd Manora and also a Village with many Hamlets near it â—â— Bay ende Stadt DABUL gelegen â—â—de noorder breetsâ—â—â— The Rock Asserim The Fortress or Rock of Asserim lies up some Leagues farther into the Countrey up which they generally climb bare-foot that so they may take the surer footing it being very high steep and slippery insomuch that those who ascend the same are in great danger of falling from the top to the bottom or else if they ascend on the other side they climb up by Ropes with which they hoise up Cows and other things which they want And though this Rock lie between many other which may easily be ascended yet it is so high above them that it seems to be a Fortress which Commands over the rest And as this Place is the Key to all the rest which the Portuguese possess to the Northward in India so it is likewise a great Eye-sore to the neighboring Kings who have for that reason practis'd divers ways to conquer the same which to prevent the Portuguese are continually upon their Guard especially at those Places which yield a good Prospect On the top of the said Rock is a large Plain surrounded with many great Stones which they throw down upon those that come to invade them Not onely the Soldiers but also the Inhabitants of the Place watch every Night and carry Torches made of a kind of Wood like Canes which last a long time and cannot be put out by any Wind or Rain which rather makes them burn the better This Place is also a Sanctuary for all Criminals who repairing thither for shelter are receiv'd and kept there for Soldiers which with their Wives and Children amounted formerly to about seven hundred The Portuguese conquer'd this Rock in the time of the Governor Francis Borrero The Countrey of Surratte The Countrey of Surratte is interlac'd by many Rivers viz. the Nardabat which takes its course by the City Brotcha and divides it self into two Arms about four Leagues from the City towards the South near the Village Hansoot in some places it is one and in others two Miles broad and is divided by many other Streams which have Passages into the Sea The Soil is for the most part clayie and mix'd with Sand except near the City where it is all Sand it extends East North-East and West South-West The other Rivers are Wasset and Bate which last springs out of the Mountains of Gate and falling into the Gulf of Bambain divides the Kingdom of Decan and Countrey of Surratte or Cambaya The Tapta otherwise Tyndee also glides between the Countrey of Surratte and that of the Benjans The River May otherwise Mehi or Guandari along whose Banks the City of Cambaya is built is dry at low Ebb except in three or four places which having always about four or five Foot of Water are dangerous to wade through without a good Guide because of the strong Current that is in them This River ebbs and flows daily seven Fathom perpendicular At High-water the Ships come to an Anchor close before the City but are left quite dry at Low-water The Ground being sandy and mix'd with Clay is much better and easier for those Vessels that lie dry upon it than if it were hard Sand. About a League Southward from Cambaya glides the River Mihi whose Shore must be travell'd at the low Ebb of the Sea and not without great danger because the Sea rising flows up above five Leagues and at low Tide you are forc'd to wade through two or three deep places if any one should venture to wade through at the coming in of the Tide he would undoubtedly be swallow'd by the Sea for when the Water flows with greater strength and higher than ordinary for it observes no Rule but rises and falls more or less according to the course of the Moon it carries and washes away both Horse and Man and oftentimes with such force that an Elephant cannot withstand the same nor all his weight prevent him from being carried away wherefore all travellers wait for a certain time to wade through the same viz. when the Sea is low which is at the new Moon at which time they may go over it in Coaches or on Horseback without any danger Coaches are commonly held fast on both sides that they may not be overturn'd by the Waves those that go on foot strip themselves naked and tying up their Clothes carry them on their Shoulders many times a whole Caravan with abundance of People travel over the same some in Coaches some in Waggons some on Horseback and others on foot both Men and Women stark naked accounting it neither shameful nor immodest The Soil between both viz. between the said River and the City Cambaya is firm and hard and is not overflown though plain and not far from the Sea In most Places of the Kingdom is excellent Water except in the City of Cambaya where there is great want of it There are several Pools of Water in the Towns and some of them so big that the Inhabitants filling them in the Winter have enough to serve them all the year In those Countreys which lie near the Indian Sea is a certain rainy Season or Winter viz. four Moneths in the year beginning in June when the Sun enters into the Tropick of Cancer and ending in September If it Rains out of the Season it is unusual but betokens a fruitful year for in the other eight Moneths the Weather is so serene and clear that there is scarce a Cloud seen in the Skie neither doth it rain constantly during the foremention'd four Months as in Goa but
God had wholly destroy'd the Family of the Kutteries therefore he resolv'd to renew the same by a Prince and ordain'd that the Kings for the future should be Extracted out of the Family of the Brahmines the chiefest whereof that were then living having been preserv'd by Wistney were call'd Ducerat The first Child which was born after this universal Destruction was ordain'd to be the Race of Kings and Princes who being zealously brought up manag'd both the Affairs of State and Religion Governing the People with great Wisdom and Piety according to their several Tribes perform'd many heroick Acts and was a Protector of all Brahmines and other Spiritual Persons His Name was Ram and by his Just and Pious Life attain'd to that Dignity that his Name is to this day exceedingly honor'd amongst them for in their usual Salutations they with a loud Voice cry Ram Ram that is I wish you Health and all Happiness 'T is certain many Just and Pious Kings Reign'd after him but as all things do daily degenerate so in process of Time receding farther and farther from their original Purity they grew proud and ambitious insomuch that they acted daily contrary to the Commandments comprehended in the Book of Bremaw These hainous Enormities did once more so highly incense the Almighty that he gave Power to Ruddery to open the Earth that it might swallow them up alive except a few of each of the four Tribes which he preserv'd to re-people the World anew with And in this manner ended the third Age of the World Soon after God commanded that the World should be re-planted by those that were preserv'd which was one Kysteney or Kistna who was a famous King Wise and Religious and one of the most comely Persons of the former Age. He propagated Religion with great Zeal insomuch that during his Life there was great Reformation amongst the People and very hopeful beginnings of Piety and Honesty When by Kysteney's coming Wistney's time was expir'd God as they relate took him up to Heaven there being no further need of his Service here below because there would be no other World after this fourth Age which now in being will according to the Opinion of the Brahmines last much longer than any of the former and that after its ruine Ruddery will be taken up to Heaven likewise They call these four Ages by four several Names viz. the first Kurtain the second Dnauper the third Tetrajos and the fourth Kolee The manner of destroying this last Age will as the Brahmines relate be much more terrible than any of the former to wit by Fire at what time Ruddery will gather all his Powers together as absolutely necessary for the execution of so grand a Destruction The Moon will shine red the Beams of the Sun will be like the Flames of burning Brimstone Thunder and Lightning will make a dreadful noise the Sea will change into all manner of Colours and Fire and Smoke will cover the surface of the Earth the four Elements of which the Heavens were first made will maintain War against one another and the World being thereby utterly destroy'd will resolve into its first Primordia The World will be destroy'd by Fire as they suppose for this reason That it must be extinguish'd by that which gave it beginning and because it consists of Earth Water Air and Fire therefore it must be destroyd by these four Elements for the former Ages on which this Opinion is grounded were destroy'd the first by Water the second by Wind and the third by Earth therefore the fourth and last must be consum'd by Fire This being finish'd Ruddery shall carry all humane Souls up to Heaven there to rest in the Bosom of the Almighty but all Bodies will decay for they deny the Resurrection of the Body affirming That Heaven is too pure a Place for such gross and unclean Bodies The Kingdom or Territory of Chandish or Sanda THe Kingdom or Territory of Chandish otherwise call'd Sanda is by Robert Covert call'd The Land of Heathens or Countrey of the Great Can of Canouwe formerly the Overseer of the Great Mogol's High-ways Jarrick calls this Country or a great part of it The Kingdom of Brampour or Brampore or Barampour from its Metropolis It borders in the West on the Kingdom of Surratte in the South at Dekan having the Dukedom of Parthapsha between in the North at the Provinces Chitor and Malway and in the East at Berar A certain English Writer borders the same on the one side upon the Kingdom of the Benjans from which it is separated by the Tynde or Tasy and on the other side upon the Country of Bulloits having the great Stream Andre between and is suppos'd to lie in 28 Degrees Northern Latitude Terry affirms this Kingdom to be a mighty and populous Country and the South part of the Mogol's Dominions It is divided in the middle by the River Tynde or Tasy which makes the Country conveniently pleasant and fruitful about those Places through which it flows though for the most part it is a barren unwholsom sandy and dry Tract of Land the Metropolis thereof is call'd Brampore or Barampour by Herbert and Jarrick Breampour and lies in 28 Degrees and 3 Minutes Northern Latitude 220 Miles Eastward from Surratte 420 from Asmeer and 100 from Agra Herbert holds the same to be the ancient City Baramatis of Ptolomy and signifies Brachmans Pous or The City of the Brachmans because it was formerly and is still to this day an University of the Brahmines Jogues or Gymnosophists The City lies low in a healthful and spacious Plain it hath many Streets but very narrow their Houses are indifferent handsom though low Purchas renders the same to be a very fair City much bigger than London and the most famous and richest which the Mogol possesses On the North-East side of the City is a large strong Castle or Fort on the Banks of the Stream Tapy This City was formerly the Metropolis and Residence of the King of Dekan who was in process of time driven from thence Not far from thence is a Garden or Chan Channa in which are many delightful Springs and Fountains The City is for the most part inhabited by Benjans Before the Town in the River Tapa stands an Elephant most curiously Carv'd of Marble which the Benjans worship Anno 1600. the Great Mogol Ekbar after having conquer'd the Kingdom of Dekan made himself Master of this City Brampour which was then desolate and deserted by King Miram who was fled to the Fort Syr which for its Situation and Strength is the most considerable of all the Country and impregnable for it lies on the top of a high Mountain and is three Leagues in circumference surrounded with three Walls which are so made that the one may conveniently defend the other for though Ekbar besieg'd King Miram with a hundred thousand Men yet he could not conquer the same by Force but only by Policy and Treachery In
the Mogol continually employ'd who after he had us'd all possible means in vain having no great Guns at hand wherewith to batter down the Walls at last resolv'd to try if he could purchase the Inhabitants to a Surrender by great Sums of Money which to accomplish he sent to the Governors very considerable Presents of Gold and Silver whereby he did so cool and abate their Courage that none of the seven Successors of the Realm durst assume the Government for they perceiving the Generals to be fearful and their Courage no longer to exert it self could foresee and expect nothing but the sudden loss of the Place and accordingly it so fell out for after a few Days the Fort was surrendred and with it the whole Kingdom was subjected to the Mogol who got peaceable possession thereof with an invaluable Treasure He received all the Inhabitants favourably except the imprison'd King and the seven successive Princes whom he dispersed into several Provinces allowing King Miram three thousand and each of the other two thousand Ducats per Annum for their Maintenance The Province of Berar and Narvar THis Country of Berar lies on the South side of the Kingdom of Chandâ—â— and Borders on Surratte and the Mountains of Rana The Metropolis bears the Name of Shapore The Province of Narvar is moistned by a great River which discharges its Water into the Ganges The Chief City is call'd Gehud The Province of Gwaliar or Gualier THe Province of Gwaliar or Gualior otherwise Gualier hath a City which bears the same Name The Mogol hath a vast heap of Treasure which he keeps in this Country in a very strong Castle Garrison'd by a Company of well Disciplin'd Soldiers who also Guard such of the King's Prisoners as are Persons of Quality The Kingdom of Agra or Indostan THe Kingdom or Province of Agra is so call'd from Agra the Royal Metropolis of the Great Mogol's whole Kingdom besides Dely and Lahor Others call it Indostan or Indoustan which signifies The Country of Indus for Stan in the Country Language is A Country or Province and Indus is the Name of the River Indus which moistens the Country It borders on one side upon the Stream Paddor which separates it from the Henderons and conterminates on the other side with the River Tamliko or Tamlou which is a Boundary between this and the Country Inhabited by the Bulloits The Metropolis bears the same Name with the Province of Agra and lies in 28 Degrees and 7 Minutes North Latitude on the Banks of the River Jemini which glides by its Walls and disembogues near the City Andakoda into the River Ganges two days Journey from Agra According to Herbert this City was formerly call'd Nagra and anciently Dionysia and was built by Bacchus but this seems incredulous because within this hundred years the City Ratipor was far more beautiful and bigger than that of Agra which is believ'd to have had its Denomination from the River Arrany which as Arrian affirms falls into the Ganges It was built by King Ekbar after his Conquest of Surratte and for its pleasant Situation made choice of for the Mogol's Court and chief Place of Residence It lies almost Triangular or as Herbert saith Semi-Circular surrounded with a strong Walk of Free-Stone and a Moat of a hundred Paces broad The Circumference of the City is reckon'd to be twelve German Miles The Streets which are very straight are dirty and three Leagues and a half long In the Northern part of the City not far from the River lies the great and famous Royal Castle or Residence of the Kings which is the most beautiful and glorious Piece of Work in all Asia It appears outwardly like a City containing five hundred and twenty Paces in circumference The Structure is for the most part built of Free-stone with many Galleries and Piazzaes very stately after the manner of the Country At the Entrance of this Castle stands the Royal Court of Judicature in the Persian Tongue call'd Diwanchane before which is a large square Maidan or Plain planted about with Trees under which Persons of Quality in hot Weather walk to cool themselves In the middle of the Plain stands a Pole having a Bird on the top of it at which they shoot with Bows and Arrows Opposite to this Court stands a large square Building call'd Karchanay Schah that is The King's Treasure-house with eight Arch'd Vaults in which are kept the greatest part of the Mogol's Treasure Two of these Cellers are reported to be full of Gold and two of Silver in the seventh are kept Pearls Gems and other such like Rarities and in the eighth are contain'd all such Presents as are sent from forein Princes by Ambassadors Behind this Treasury stands another large square Palace with a very delightful Garden and is call'd Hara Michan that is The King 's Womens Lodgings for in it are kept twelve hundred of the King's Concubines which are guarded and waited upon by six hundred Eunuchs Others describe this Court thus It is three or four Leagues in circumference surrounded with strong Walls of red Stone and broad Moats with Draw-Bridges it hath four Gates one on the North which is very strong the second on the West side is call'd Citsery near the Bezar or Market Within this Gate is the King's Court of Judicature where he decides all Differences and behind that is the King's Hall the Seat of the Vice-Roys Within this Gate is also a Street built full of Houses and about a Mile long The third Gate call'd Achabaerbederiwage that is The Gate of King Achbaer lies on the South side and and leads to the King 's Derbaer the Royal Throne or inner Court before which is a small Court surrounded with Golden Rails and cover'd on the top with Carpets to keep off the heat of the Sun beyond it is a Gallery in which stands the King's Throne adorn'd with Gold Diamonds and Pearls and all sorts of Precious Stones No Person is permitted to approach this Place without being call'd except the King's Sons which standing near him cool him by continual fanning of him with Fans in the Country Language call'd Pankhamh and the Chief Secretary Within the foremention'd Court none are suffer'd to enter but Ommirades or Omrahs which are Dukes and great Lords Opposite to this Place hang golden Bells which are rung by those that have sustain'd any prejudice and are thereupon admitted to speak to the King to make their Complaints to him but not without great danger if their Cause be not just In this Place the King appears every Afternoon between three and four a Clock besides thousands of other People which take their Places according to their Qualities and with the King stay there till the Evening hearing all forein Letters which are read by the Setretary and determining all other Businesses Hither are also brought his Horses and Elephants which are try'd by some of his Servants appointed for that purpose Within this third
this Province How the King came to be dispossest The Persians Invade Georgia Luarzab Imprison'd and Murther'd Fol. 88 The Persian quits the Country The Georgian Women much desir'd by the Persian Nobility Teimuraz flies to the Turks who assist him with a potent Army Fol. 80 The Province of Guriell with its Situation Fol. 90 The Province of Mengrelia anciently Colchis The Borders of Mengrelia The Air The Inhabitants afflicted with many Diseases The Rivers in this Country ibid. Their Sturgeon of divers kinds Their Venison Birds Beasts c. Fol. 91 Several sorts of Mengrelians Their first Money Trade with the Turks Houses c. Fol. 92 Their Habits Their homely Manner of Entertainment Recreations Nuptial and Funeral Ceremonies Fol. 93 Of their Physicians How they go to War Their Charity to Strangers Their Government The Royal Seat of the Dominion The Occasion of the first Revolt Fol. 94 The present King of Megrelia call'd Dadian Conquers the Abcassians and makes War upon Imereti Dadian an excellent Prince Their Punishment of Malefactors Fol. 95 Their manner of determining Differences The Wealth of their Patriarchs Their Bishopricks Of their Priests Of their Baptism St. Georges Feast Fol. 96 Their Fasts Superstitions and Ceremonies at Funerals Fol. 97 Avogastes or Avogasie Its Borders and several Names with the Chief Towns thereof ibid. The several sorts of People about Mengrelia and Mount Caucasus The Inhabitants of Mount Caucasus their manner of Living Riches Trade Habit Wars Fol. 98 The People call'd Lazi or Curten and what they be ibid. The Black Sea The several Names of this Sea Subject to frequent Storms Why frequented by the Cossack c. Fol. 98 The Province of Circassia Who the Circassians are The Rivers Bounds and Lords of the Country How they are Govern'd The Situation and Description of the City Terki Fol. 99 How Garrison'd The Habits of the Circassians Their Employments Language and how they Govern their Children Fol. 100 Their manner of Living What Arms they use Their Encouragement of Theft Their different Opinions in Religion Ceremonies us'd at the death of the Nobility Their Degrees c. Fol. 101 Albania The Cities and Chief Towns of Albania The Air and Government of this Country Fol. 102 The Province of Curdistan Its Bounds and the Habit of the People ibid. Their Language Living Government and Religion Fol. 103 THE EMPIRE of the GREAT MOGOL AND INDIA Of India in General INDIA why so call'd It s Division Extent and Bounds The largeness of its Circuit Its Rivers Fol. 104 The Course of the River Indus The River Ganges with its Riches The Lake Chiamay Fol. 105 Their floating Bridges Mountains Beasts c. Fol. 106 Their Fruits and Plants as Betel Areka Cate with their several Uses Fol. 107 The general Name of the Inhabitants Their Division into several Tribes The Brahmans highly esteem'd Fol. 110 The Original of the Brahmans Fol. 111 The several Sects of the Brahmans Fol. 112 Their way and manner of Living with their Habitations Study and Government Fol. 114 The Ceremonies at the Birth of their Children c. Fol. 116 A strange Fable of their Immortal Elixir The manner how they Marry their Children Fol. 117 The Punishment of Fornication Their great Observation of Good and Bad Days c. Fol. 118 Their Account of Time Fol. 119 The Fabulous Story of Gasjendre Mootsjam and their several Superstitions with the Sick and at the Funerals of their Deceased Fol. 120 The Liberty of their Women and in what manner they are oblig'd to accompany their Husbands into the other World Fol. 121 Burning not allow'd by the Mahumetans The Funeral Ceremonies of the Brahmans Fol. 122 123 A pleasant Quarrel betwixt a Christian and an Indian Fol. 123 Cages for Birds like Hospitals Their great love for Cows ibid. Strange Marriages of Bulls and Cows Fol. 124 Why the Indians have Cows in great esteem ibid. The Brahmans forbid the eating of Flesh and why ibid. The Soudras and Settreas condemn'd by the Brahmans for eating of Flesh The Brahmans Diet c. ibid. The Fast-days of the Brahmans The Fast Dauli The Diet of the Indians Fol. 125 Their several sorts of Liquor c. Fol. 126 Their Apparel Places of Recreation Furniture of their Houses The Indians go always Arm'd The manner of Living of the Nobility and Persons of Quality Fol. 127 The Women good Dancers Their Games and Pastimes The manner of the Great Mogol's Hunting What Beasts they chiefly Hunt Fol. 128 The manner of Hunting the Lion by the Great Mogol Their Language and manner of Writing Fol. 129 A brief Vocabulary of the Malayan Tongue ibid. The Court Language is wholly Persian Fol. 134 The Creation of the World in Ten Bodily Appearances of Wistnow or Mahadeu Of the Creation of the World ibid. The Mountain Merowa The four Ages of the World The ten Appearances of Wistnow They acknowledge in some measure a Trinity Fol. 135 They believe a general Conflagration of the World ibid. Matsias or Matx Altar the First The Charge of Bramha ibid. Caurams or Courmas Altar the Second The Riches of the Sea ibid. Waras or Warrahas Altar the Third Mahadue's strange Shape in his third Appearance Fol. 136 The Giant Hirnac's Representation ibid. Narsings Altar the Fourth Hirenkessep's Request to Bramma His Edict ibid. Vannams Altar the Fifth begins with the Second Age call'd Tretrsingke The Request of Vannam to Bell Ragia c. Fol. 137 Prasserams or Paresje Ramas Altar the Sixth Braman and Braminin a Married Couple she being barren they both retire into a Wilderness and there pray to Mahadeu to give them Children who grants their Desire Fol. 138 Reneka Murther'd for what Reason and how restor'd to Life again Fol. 139 Rams or Ram Katas otherwise Dajaratha Ramas Altar the Seventh Rawan's Request to Mahadeu Fol. 140 Kistnas or Cristnas or Crexnos Altar the Eighth Narret's Prognostication of Denki c. Fol. 142 The Opinion of the Wonders of Kistna ibid. Bhodes or Boudhas Altar the Ninth The Description of Boudhas c. Fol. 143 Callenkyns Altar the Tenth It s Description and Continuance c. ibid. Of their Religion in general A General Toleration in India Their Vedam or Law-Book what it contains ibid. The Brahmans Opinion of God The Extract of Garrouda and Annemonta Mahumetanism profess'd in some Places Their high esteem of Ramma Idols giving Answers like Oracles Their Belief and Opinion of the Immortality of the Soul Fol. 144 The Commandments imposed by the Brahmans The several Pagodes of Wistnow and Eswara in Carnatica Strange things related by the Brahmans of their Pagodes Fol. 145 The manner of Worshipping Wistnow and Eswara Fol. 147 The Feasts Gawri Dewi and Tsewartre with divers other Festivals peculiar to several Sects Fol. 148 Their Worship of several Deities Fol. 149 The Brahmans Belief concerning the Transmigration of the Soul Fol. 150 Places accounted Holy and visited by the Brahmans Fol. 151 The Religion Customs and Constitutions of the Hassenists or