from whence wée passed to Negson a or sayd where by the way fel out a tarre betwéene sir Anthony and the other Embassador because sir Anthony presumed to reprehend him for diuers misdemeanors which hée committed to the dishonor of his king and countrey Insomuch that had wée not had guarde in our company one of vs had killed another Leauing héere a while I will turne agayne to the Frier who was by this time growne into mortall hatred wyth hys fellow Frier of whome before I spake whose name was Alfonso a Frier of the order of Saint Francis Which Frier had acquainted sir Anthony that Frier Nicolao had spent his life most lewdly in the Indiaes the particularities whereof hée at large related Morcouer hée tolde hym that by reason of his licentious life the king of Spaine had sent for hym because hée did much more hurte than good in those parts but neuer would come vntill nowe that hée was going thitherward He also tolde sir Anthony that that present which hée deliuered the king of Persia in his owne name was sent by a friend of the kings from Ormous by another who had withal a letter to the king Which bearer béeing of his acquaintance hée inueigled and inticed by the gift of fifty Crownes and sayre wordes to deliuer hym the present together with the Letter to carry to the king who finally preuayled wyth hym And when hée came to Persia hée suppressed the letter but delyuered the present in his owne name as béefore is declared Vppon discouery of which villanies sir Anthony tooke hym prisoner and earried him along wyth hym as one depriued of former liberty And being come to Negson we stayed there neare hand a moneth Towardes the end whereof the Emperour sent a great man of his Court thither for to accompany and conduct vs to Musco who gaue the preheminence to the Persian Embassador in that hée was Embassadour to the Emperour from the Persian and sir Anthony but a passenger through his countrey as hée estéemed hym and so did vse at his pleasure to fir Anthonies small contentment vntill we came to Musco where wée were entertayned in the best forte they could wyth a crue of aqua vitae-bellyed fellowes clad in coates of cloth of gold which shew being ended for the first encounter those coates were put vp agayne into the Treasury or Wardrobe and wée shut vp in prison for tenne dayes yea all accesse of others to vs or we to them was thereby vtterly harred In which time wée sent to entreate that eyther our English merchants might be permitted to come toovs or that wée might goe or send to them for necessaries because we were not fitted wyth clothes as we thought conuenient for the Emperors presence Where vpon the Lord Chauncellor sent for the merchants enquyring of them what sir Anthony was and whether they durst giue hym any credite To whome they replyed that hée was nobly descended and alied euen to the best men of England yea and that they woulde giue hym credite for as much as they were woorth Here vppon they had liberty to send vs such necessaries as wée sent for but no liberty to come to vs much lesse we to them The tenth day wée were sent for to come before the Emperor after theyr order which was to lay downe in a note howe euery man shoulde bee marshalled in comming béeing all on horsebacke wherein the Persian Embassadour was appoynted by the Emperour to haue the first and chiefe place the next that Persian that was sent but to accompany sir Anthony and the last of the thrée shoulde be sir Anthony hymsefie Which when sir Anthony perceyued hée vtterly refused to goe in that order because that he to whose trust and charge the whole businesse had béene cemmitted and by whome the same was solely procured by which Persia likewise shoulde be infinitely benefited specially he being a christian and they Pagans should be put hindermost in the march that was the formost in the matter By the meanes of which refusall hée purchased the Emperours displeasure and to manifest the same first hée tooke the Frier from sir Anthony and gaue him his libertie to goe whither hée thought good Next hée daily sent his great Dukes to examine sir Anthony vpon diuers friuolous particularities to prooue if they thereby might groape out some matter of aduantage against him Thus daily hée was extreamely vexed and molested by the Emperour the Persian Embassadour withall setting on the Frier vnder-hand to deuise all the villany hée could against him as to say hée knew sir Anthony to be but a man of meane parentage and also that hee was come but as a Spic through the Countrey for purposes tending to his owne good and not of Persia and Christendome as hée pretended Whereupon they tooke all the kings Letters from him and opened them to know the purport thereof Soone after sir Anthony and the Frier were brought before the Commissioners to be further examined where sir Anthony béeing inflamed with choler by reason of his excéeding ill vsage notwithstanding the goodnesse of the cause of his comming demaunded whether the Emperour did euer purpose to send any Embassadours to any other Countries Protesting that if euer hée mette with them in any partes of the world besides theyr owne hée would indeuour to let them knowe hée was not halfe so well intreated in Ruscia as the cause of his comming of right deserued and the Emperour by the lawes diuine and ciuil ought to haue perfourmed and the rather because hée was a Christian such as hée pretends himselfe to be and came as became a christian for the generall good of al Christendome the Persian being stirred vp therevnto by his onely meanes Wherevpon the Frier in terms thwarted sir Anthony whose blood already boyled with the excesse of his choller 's heate which as then abounded And being by that gracelesse and vngratefull Frier further prouoked hee not able though instantly he should haue died for it to suppresse his heate gaue the fatte Frier such a sound box on the face his double cause of choller redoubling his might desire of reuenge withall augmenting the same that downe falles the Frier as if hée had béene strooke with a thunder-bolt Which béeing doone with that courage and high resolution which well appéered in his lookes wordes and déedes they foorthwith gaue ouer examination because they had too far examined sir Anthonies patience which well they with feare as I thinke sawe and the Frier almost past feare did farre better féele Wherevpon they went instantly to the Emperour and informed him of all that had happened and howe sir Anthony was resolued For which as by the euent it appéered hée was vsed the better For from thence forward we had liberty to go to the Englishmen of whom we were very honorably entertained and royally feasted Howbeit wée were constrained to remaine there sixe moneths expecting euery day for all this some mischiefe to be doone vnto vs
Camels laden and men in a company not much vnlike our Carâ—iers many in a company heere in England By chance this Carauan of Persians were gone but one day before we receiued these Letters and had they bin gone foure dayes before wée would soone haue ouertaken them in regard of their heauy lading But after the receipt of these Letters it was but like the spurring of the most frée horse to hasten vs after them for without taking leaue we stole slily away and were soone with them who would not goe the direct way whither wée were bound but passed through the Medes countrey which was fiue or sixe dayes iourney out of the way on pilgrimage vnto a certaine Sanctorie a prophet of theirs whome we were mooued to accompany more for feare than for any deuotion In which country as wée passed we saw that which was ruth to sée the confused ruines of maruelous great townes which had as it should séeme flourished when the Medes triumphed and their commonwealth prospered This pilgrimage ended we went on from thence directly the course wée had determined demanding of the Persians whether we had any more of the Turkish Gouernours to passe who answered they had one that very mighty called Cobat-bag by whome we must of necessity passe At which answer it had bin an easie matter to haue found a company of poore hearts néere their maisters mouthes for to vs remained no hope but that we shuld haue bin interâ—â—â—ted there Yet as God and good for tune would som of them better bethinking themselues remembred another way through one Heyder-bags country who was neighbor to the other howbeit at continual wars with him in regard wherof we had good hope he would ayde vs. So entring the first night into this Heyder-bags countrey or iurisdiction the other hearing thereof sent vnto our company that if we would not returne and come by him hée woulde in the morning with his troupes cutte vs into gobbets Then were wée in woorse plight than at any time before notwithstanding wée resoluing to sel our blouds as déere as wée coulde since auoyde that extreamitie wée coulde not wée there vppon sooke heart of grace and about midnight wée arose with bag and baggage and so held on our course through Heyder-bags country When in the breake of the day wée might descry a troupe of horses comming towardes vs which wée verily imagined to be the ennemy but wée were luckily deceiued for it was he that gouerned that Countrey who came to our succours and safely to conuoy vs through the same hauing hadde some intelligence before of our progresse that way Which hauing passed in safetie through his gentle assistance and conduction wée were indifferent well at hearts ease albeit we had sixe dayes iourney to passe ere we should enter the confines of Persia through the Courdes country which is by interpretation the shéeus country The people whereof are altogether addicted to théeuing not much vnlike the wilde Irish so that as we passed through them euery night wée didde encampe they slily stale more or lesse from vs watcht we neuer so warily else woulde they doe but little hurte This people doe liue altogether in Tents kéeping of Cattell Hauing passed this pilfering people we then happily entred the king of Persiaes country where vpon our first entrance we thought we had bin imparadized finding our entertainement to be so good and the maner of the people to be so kinde and curteous farre differing from the Turkes especially when they heard we came of purpose to their king We passed from the bordures nine daies iourney ere wée came to Casbin where wée expected the residence of the king during all which time we passed by no great Townes woorth the noting vntil we came thither hauing sent a Currier before to signifie what wée were to the Gouernor of the Citty lest by our sodayne approch our welcome should haue bin the lesse and his maruell the more Who therevpon prepared for vs a house of the kings furnisht with such ornaments as befitted a great State We came into the cittie by night for that we would not be first séene in our trauelling apparrell Howbeit the Gouernour the next morning together with the chiefe of the kings house came with a great traine to salute sir Anthony assuring him that his comming would be right pleasing and acceptable to the king but signified vnto him that hée then was in person against the Tartares his bordurers with whome hée had warres to whome at that time he had in a pitched field giuen a mightie ouerthrowe And therevpon dismist a poste to the king signifying vnto him that there was come a christian right well attended to sée him by reason of the great fame he had heard of him Which when by the poste he vnderstoode hée made as much expedition as possibly hée could with respect had to his great affaires to come to sir Anthony There we remained some thrée wéeks before he came In which time we were banquetted and right royally intreated by the Gouernour and the kings Steward who brought vs to the kings gate to offer that homage that all strangers doe that is to kisse the entrance of his Pallace thrée times Against the kings comming wée apparrelled our selues in the best maner we could with such stuffe as we brought with vs that is to say sir Anthony himselfe in cloth of golde the vpper coate and vnder His brother in cloth of siluer the vpper and vnder Sixe Gentlemen their lower coates silke the vpper cloth of siluer Foure of his chiefest seruants in silke vnder-coates the vpper crimsin veluet The rest of his seruants in a prettie kinde of bombaste stuffe all the vpper coats watchet damaske our whole number being six and twenty which made a very seemly shew the fashion of our apparrell somwhat differing from the Persian Now by this time that we were thorowly thus furnished and fitted the king approched within fiue miles where he incamped from whence he sent to his Gouernour commaunding him to furnish our company the next day with horses to the end we might come foorth to méete him on the way which was performed an either part accordingly He comming in great triumph hauing borne before him aduaunced vpon pikes one thousand and two hundred heads of the conquered Tartares whose king and his sonne hée led along in triumph hauing taken them prisoners which triumph was continually more and more graced and augmented by the country as hée passed each one indeuouring according to his power to giue him welcome from the warres Himselfe being accompanied with all his nobles and great men in diuerse troupes that wee could not sée any thing all the way but men and horses with such thundering of trumpets kettle drummes carried vpon camells and such like instruments of warre that a man woulde haue thought heauen and earth were tilting together Their trumpets being all straight som two yards and an halfe in length hauing such a déepe
but the whole burden thereof to lie onely vpon sir Anthony who vndertooke the same accordinglyly Which béeing concluded and thus vndertaken wée were ready to departe from the Kings court lying then at Hasphane when suddainly there came newes of a Portingall fryer that was comming thither accompanied with two other fryers and foure seruants this fryer stayed some thrée miles off the towne and sent the other two with letters to sir Anthony whereby he signified vnto him that he was the last King of Portingales brother and that hee was sent by the King of Spaine as Procurator generall of al the East Indies Sir Anthony beléeuing it went himselfe accompanied with as many christians as he could get to the Frigot And after mutuall gréetings hée tolde sir Anthony that hearing of his great and weighty businesses and so godly a worke he being a great bishoppe of the king of Spaines came posting night and day to assist him therein Which sir Anthony was right glad of and to manifest the same the better hée brought him along to his owne house and there dislodged his brother to lodge him This being doone hée tolde sir Anthony that hée greatly desired to sée the King for that hée had a present to bestow on him which sir Anthony soone procured But now by the way this present was deliuered him in trust to be deliuered to the king howbeit hée presented it in his owne name in requitall whereof the King gaue him a Crucifixe woorth by estimation a hundred pounds and better which villany and many others sir Anthony afterwards discouered though the meane while he held him for a holy man Ere we departed from the King he would faine by the Kings Commission haue bin an Agent in the present action wherein sir Anthony was principally employed and likely he was to haue bin one with vniuersall consent but that the writings all other things therevnto incident were before perfected and finished And séeing he could be no actor as hée defired by reason thereof hee intreated sir Anthony to procure the Kings fauourable letters in his behalfe to the Pope and the King of Spaine which sir Anthony did accordingly In requitall whereof he beganne vnder-hand to deale with those of the Kings councell which had bin backewards in the beginning of these businesses who assured them that sir Anthony was not able to performe so great a negotiation Which sir Anthony perceiuing hée made all the haste he possibly could to be gone the rather because hée had waded somewhat too farre with this execrable frier who the first night he lodged in sir Anthonies house found the meanes to haue a Persian curtezan to lie with him and so had night by night during his continuannce there which if he wanted hée would hyre a boy zodomitically to vse And that he was a zodomiticall wretch it dooth appeare hereby sir Anthony at his first comming bought twoo christian boies in the market which afterwardes he bestowed on this Frier whose name was Nicolao deMelo He no sooner had them but hée was in hand with them concerning his zodomiticall villany The boyes finding whereto hée was inclined beeing incessauntly importuned by him to yéelde to his beastly desire complained to him that solde them hée likewise to the Officer the Officer to the King by meanes whereof the King espied his villany Whereuppon the king sent for the boyes from him and sent him worde that were it not for sir Anthonies sake he should loose his head Soone after wée departed taking the Frier and one of his fellowes with vs hauing eightéene dayes iourney from the Persian Court to Iegland where wée were imbarked to crosse the Caspian sea In which time the frier confessed hée was but an ordinary Augustine frier and in a gamesome vaine hée further confessed how he woulde bring mennes wiues after hée had shriuen them to his bent as taking aduantage of their confessed faultes and to close vppe this and such like good talke in the day wée shoulde be sure to take him with a whoore at night And I will tell you a ieast concerning him which I hadde almost forgotten One day at Casbin hée sent his man to a whoore féeing her with two Chickins which is two rialles to come vnto him at night taking vppon him the name of the Embassador The kinde wench being true of promise came vnto sir Anthony who demaunding the cause of her comming shee tolde him all c. So the wench went away gratis with the money the frier not daring to demaund it Thus hauing merrily passed the time with this sory Frier and being come to the place where we shoulde be imbarked wée stayed there one moneth for the Persian Péere that was to goe along with vs as before is mentioned Vpon whose comming wée presently imbarked our selues for Haster-caune which is the first landing place of the Emperour of Rusciaes countrey to Persia ward Vpon the Caspian sea which wée were to crosse wée were two moneths before wée landed which time wée indured with much paine and no lesse feare hauing besides the naturall roughnesse of the sea very much foule and stormy weather by reason whereof wée had béene like to haue suffered shippewracke which twice strooke on ground so that wée were constrained to disburden the same of a great parte of our substaunce Howbeit in the end God so blessed vs that in two moneths wee came to our wished harborow Where being arriued the Gouernor hauing intelligence of our landing sent a Captayne with a guarde to receiue vs and to conduct vs to the castle of Haster-caune where was landed but the day before an Embassadour that the King of Persia had sent a moneth before onely to make our passage through the Emperour of Ruscia his countrey From which castle to Musco towne we were by riuer and by land tenne wéekes passing All which time sir Anthony and his company with the other Embassadors and their attendants were all at the charge of the Ruscian Emperour for so is the custome of that Country to all Trauellers of that nature as long as they are passing through his dominions who eates such meate as is brought before them gratis hauing withall a guarde set ouer them so that they are little better then prisoners as long as they are within the limites of his territories From Haster-caune we pasit by bote along the mighty Riuer of Volgo vntill we canie to a towne named Negson which was seauen weekes passage In which time wée sawe nothing woorthy the noting but thrée or foure woodden Eastles or Blocke-houses to guarde that Riuer which Riuer dooth bring maruellous great commodities to the Emperour and to the whole countrey Diuerse Tartars passing from place to place about that Riuer liuing in little houses made vpon whéeles and are carried too and fro hauing aboundaunce of cattell liue so in subiection to the Emperor paying him tribute c. One onely faire Cittie we saw all that while called Gassane wherein wee were
A new and large discourse of the Trauels of sir Anthony Sherley Knight by Sea and ouer Land to the Persian Empire Wherein are related many straunge and wonderfull accidents and also the Description and conditions of those Countries and People he passed by with his returne into Christendome Written by William Parry Gentleman who accompanied Sir Anthony in his Trauells LONDON Printed by Valentine Simmes for Felix Norton 1601. A new and large Discourse of the Trauelles of Sir Anthonie Sherley Knight by Sea and ouer Land to the Persian Empire IT hath béene and yet is a prouerbiall spéech amongst vs that Trauellers may lie by authority Now whether this Prouerbe hath had authoritie from that authority which some Trauellers haue vsurped neuer by iustice granted to lie or whether their report albeit most true yet excéeding the beliefe of those auditors that wil beléeue nothing that falles not within their owne ocular experience or probabilitie of truth squared by the same whether I say from one or both of these grounds this prouerb hath sprung I am vncertaine but certaine I am diuerse there are entiteling themselues Trauellers for crossing the narrow seas to the neighbour partes of Picardie peraduenture or the lowe countries perhappes from thence take authoritie to vtter lies in England at their returne by retaile which they haue coyned there in grosse And as sure I am that many honest and true Trauellers for speaking the truth of their owne knowledge for in the world are many incomprehensible miracles of Nature yet because it excéeds the beliefe of the vnexperienced home-bred vulgars they are by them concluded liers for their labour How could a man from his birth confined in a dungeon or lightlesse Caue be brought to conceiue or beléeue the glorie and great magnificence of the visible celestiall and terrestriall globes with the wonderfull workes of the great Author of Nature in the same Nay were such a one sodainely transferred to the toppe of some mountaine or lofty Turret in a sommers day from whence he might beholde the glory of the heauens replenished with that most admirable Cresset who for his glittring and diuine glory prouokes many nations of the world to performe diuine adoration therevnto To sée I say those resplendant and cristalline heauens ouer-cannoping the earth inuested most sumptuously in height of Natures pride with her richest liuery the particularities whereof were they described according to the trueth of their nature it might bréede a scruple in the naturall man whether Man were for transgression euer vnimparadized or no. And such a man of whome I speake woulde like a soule sodainely transferred by the handes of Angells from earth to heauen be beheauened with the ioy he would conceiue by reason of so glorious a prospect and such soule-rauishing and sense-bewitching obiectes The application héereof is apparant for were men méerely home-bred and in that respect but as the man confined to his Caue abroad in the eminent and oppulent places of the world as also in the most remote and obscure corners of the same and there with insearching and well discerning eies to behold the rarieties surmounting admiration therein included he would no doubt be rapt vp with ceaselesse wonderment or wondrous amazement at the sight and consideration of them For mine owne part I am resolued to make a true relation of what mine eies saw not respecting the iudgement of the vulgars but contenting my selfe with the conscience of the truth besides which I protest I purpose to write nothing This by way of preamble now to the matter Therefore first landing at Vlishing we were honourably receiued and entertained of sir Robert Sidney lord Gouernour of that garrison from whence we went on foote to Middleborough where we tooke a small hoy that caried vs that night to Sierichzee From whence we then tooke our iourney to Somerdicke From whence wee likewise crosst the water the next morning and at night we lay at Brill Hitherto we passed on foote hiering poore souldiers to carry our baggage by reason that the frost was so great that horses were not able to passe and the way vnusuall From the Brill the next day we crosst the water and landing we had waggons that conueyed vs and ours to the Hage where no sooner being alighted but that sir Anthony attended by vs went to visite his Excellency consociated with master Gilpin the Quéens Agent thither where continuing not past an houre to complement with the Prince he withdrew himselfe to his lodging to repose himselfe whither not long after his Excellencie and the States sent fiftie great flaggons of wine togither with his Passe through his Countrey whereby he was to take conuoy as he thought requisite The next day to Leiden so to Vtricke to Dewborough and then to Collen the passage wherevnto was somewhat dāgerous by occasion wherof we had sir Nicholas Parkers troupe of horse to conuoy vs thither our company hauing 25. of his horses to ride on 25. more of his troup besides the cornetbearer to accompany vs to Collen which we did in 6. daies spending one night merily The next morning sir Anthony giuing the troupe that were his conuoy a bountifull rewarde sent them backe againe wée taking our iourney forewardes thorowe those partes of Germanie as Frankeford Norembege and so to Augusta altogether by coach From whence wee hired horses to passe the Alpes in respect that it was not passable by coach And from thence we were tenne dayes passing to Venice whither we went with resolution to aide the duke of Ferrara in his warres against the Pope who good duke fearing the Popes curse gaue ouer the warres as the Pope would howbeit we remained in Venice tenne wéekes In which time sir Anthony went to the Duke thereof who entertained him with all princely complement sending him to his lodging a roy all banquet of all kinde of confected swéete meates and wine in great aboundaunce which continued a long time Who likewise commaunded that we should haue libertie to sée any thing in the cittie worthy the sight which accordingly we saw to sir Anthonies no small cost for in his rewards he was there and elsewhere most royall To write of the fashions and dispositions of the Germans and Italians were a matter not woorth my paines because it is so well knowne to all men that knowes or haue read or heard any thing therefore I will goe forward with our iourney and write of matter more nouellous and lesse knowne to my home-bred countreymen for whose sake chiefly I haue compiled this Discourse In Maie next folowing our departure from England we set forwards from Venice in an Italian ship which we had compounded with amongst others to conuey vs to Aleppo but by occasion of some iarres wée hadde with some Italians passengers as wée were in the ship they landed vs in an Iland of the Venetians called Zanc vnto which place wée were two and twenty dayes passing the captaine assuring vs that we
we hoised vp saile and put our selues to Sea thitherward abandoning our selues to all the rouing aduentures of Fortune being accompanied with an other boate which helde her direct course whither we were bound which was taken as afterward appéered and her men drowned But as God woulde haue it to whome as well for that as all our other many many preseruations beyond all probabilitie and expectation we were infinitely bound our boate by the way being taken by an indirect winde to that our direct course we thereby fell downe vpon Tripoly Who being guided by an omnipotent and neuer-failing Pilote we passed out of the sea into that famous riuer Orontes along the which we held our course vp into the countrie the Ianizaries or souldiers thereof flocking about vs threatning that if they might not haue what they demaunded they would cul out such of our company as best pleased them to serue their zodomiticall appetites and most vile and villainous purposes This while we sent to Antioch not thrée dayes iourney off for certaine Ianizaries to safeconduct vs thither which Ianizaries were of our Interpreters acquaintance who being come the other left vs immediately and so we passed to Antioch conducted by the Ianizaries which we sent for thither where we remained sixe or seauen dayes for the company of certaine Merchants that were bound to Aleppo béeing six dayes iorney from Antioch betwéene which Cities in the way were from time to time diuers robberies committed by some two hundred Arabs vntill that instant that wee were at Antioch where we heard that the Ianizaries of Aleppo issued out against these robbers part of whom they killed and the rest put to flight by meanes whereof our passage was cléered to Aleppo whither we were bound and where we were right well entertained by the English Consulles and the rest of the English merchants There we remayned about some sixe wéekes at the English houses and feasted for the most parte while wée there continued And being examined by the Bashaw of that place touching our intendement sir Anthony aunswered that wee were Merchants desirous to trade to the vtmost confines of his countries which was graunted by the Bashaw with his Passe together with the English Consulls and vice-consulls Leauing héere awhile to prosecute our iorney I will speake somewhat of the fashion and disposition of the people and country whose behauiours in point of ciuilitie besides that they are damned Infidells and Zodomiticall Mahomets doe answer the hate we christians doe iustly holde them in For they are beyond all measure a most insolent superbous and insulting people euer more prest to offer outrage to any christian if he be not well guarded with a Ianizarie or Ianizaries They sit at their meat which is serued to them vpon the ground as Tailers sit vpon their stalls crosse-legd for the most part passing the day in banqueting and carowsing vntill they surfet drinking a certaine liquor which they do call Coffe which is made of a séde much like mustard séede which wil soone intoxicate the braine like our Metheglin They will not permitte any christian to come within their churches for they holde their profane and irreligious Sanctuaries defiled thereby They haue no vse of Belles but some priest thrée times in the day mounts the toppe of their church and there with an exalted voyce cries out and inuocates Mahomet to come in post for they haue long expected his second comming And if within this sixe yéeres as they say he come not being the vtmost time of his appoyntment and promise made in that behalfe they haue no hope of his comming But they feare according to a prophecie they haue the Christians at the end therof shal subdue them all and conuert them to christianitie They haue wiues in number according to their wealth two thrée foure or vpwards according as they are in abilitie turnished to maintaine them Their women are for the most part very faire barbed euery where and death it is for anie christian carnally to know them which were they willing to doe hardly could they attaine it because they are closely chambred vp vnlesse it be at such time as they go to their Bastoues or to the Graues to bewaile their dead as their maner is which once a wéeke vsually they doo and then shall no part of them be discouered neither but onely their eies except it be by a great chaunce The country aboundeth with great store of all kinds of fruit whereupon for the most parte they liue their chéefest meate being Rice Their flesh is Mutton and Hennes which Muttons haue huge broade fatte tailes This meate most commonly they haue but once in the day all the rest they eate fruite as aforesaide They eate very little béefe vnlesse it be the poorest sort Camels for their carriage they haue in great abundance but when both them and their horses are past the best and vnfit for carriage the poorest of their people eate them They haue one thing most vsual among them which though it be right wel knowne to all of our Nation that knowe Turkie yet it excéedeth the credite of our home-bred countriemen for relating whereof perhappes I may be held a liar hauing authoritie so to doe as they say and thinke because I am a traueller But the truth thereof being knowne to al our Englishmen that trade or trauel into those partes is a warrant omnisufficient for the report how repugnant soeuer it be to the beléefe of our English multitude And this it is when they desire to heare news or intelligence out of any remote parts of their country with all celeritie as we say vppon the wings of the winde they haue pigeons that are so taught and brought to the hand that they will flie with Letters fastened with a string about their bodies vnder their wings containing all the intelligence of occurrents or what else is to be expected from those partes from whence if they shoulde send by camells for so otherwise they must they should not heare in a quarter of a yéere for so long would they be in continuall trauel As for example when any merchandize are to come out of the east Indies to Mecha or else-where of like distaunce pigeons are carried from Mecha or Aleppo before hand which is a quarter of a yéeres passage then they tie as before is mentioned the said letters about the pigeons acquainting therby their factors what commodities they haue and what are like to prooue most vendible by meanes whereof whiles their camels are thrée noneths in comming they know what merchandize is fit to be kept and what to doe away Now to returne where I left and so to goe forward with our iourney wée passed from Aleppo through the heart of the Turkes country the strength whereof is very small whereof the christian Princes are ignorant as it séems for if they knew it as we do that with al circumspection obserued it doubtlesse they would with no great difficultie vtterly
harsh and horrible voyce that it would amaze a man to heare them if he neuer heard them before At length we were brought into the presence of the King as hée thus passed in triumph wee all dismounting our horses to kisse his foote as the maner is sir Anthony first who offering to performe that complement the king out of speciall and vnusuall fauour put his hand betweene his mouth and his foote and would not permit him to doe it so all the rest in order kissed his foote which béeing done the king called sir Anthony vnto him tolde him that hee was right heartily welcome to him and to his country which ere his departure he saide he should find indéede Who suffering not sir Anthony to reply caused his horse to be brought and so we rode on next to the king Where in a while after we might sée a great troupe of curtezans of the citie come riding richly apparelled to salute the king and to welcome him from his warres Their apparel little differing in fashion from the mens but only in their head attire and vpper coats They weare bréeches and ride astride as men do and came with such a crie as the wilde Irish make The multitude of people were so great consisting of Actors and Spectators that we has much adoe in sixe houres to passe thrée miles which was from the place where we met the king to the market place of the Cittie Vnto which at length being come the king brought vs to the doore of the house where we should alight scituate in the same commaunding one of his great men to place vs therein whilst himselfe rid about some houre or two to sée the shewes and matters of triumph perfourmed Which being done he returned to sir Anthony where being set vpon the ground with carpets vnder him according to the custome of the countrey commaunding stooles to be brought for sir Anthony and his brother there sir Anthony made his Oration which being endes the king discoursed with him of his trauelles of his natiue countrey the manner of gouernement there and of diuerse other things that accidentally became then subiect to their discourse the particularities whereof sir Anthony answered to the kings high contentment and further possest the king with such a burning desire to inuade the Turks dominions by reason his strength was so small as before is mentioned and then at large sir Anthony vnfolded that he would on the very necke of that his late victorie before his blood was colde as it were haue entred into action against the Turke to the which sir Anthony ceased not to animate him for a double grudge hée bare him to witte for being such a mortall ennemy to Christ and for vsing them so like mortall ennemies being christians howbeit that expedition was for a time deferred yet neuerthelesse fully resolued on These and the like made the King instantly to conceiue so excéeding well and grew more and more into such liking of sir Anthony that once a day at the least he would send for him to conferre and complement with him yea sometimes hée must be sent for to come to his bed-chamber at midnight accompanied with his brother for that purpose The king continued in that towne about some thirty dayes where many nights the people entertained him with spectacles and shewes in their Basars which we doe call shoppes all couered ouer head as the Royall Exchange At which alwayes we must méete the king Their manner is to make the greatest shew of those wares they haue in foure long stréetes in the middest whereof is a round kinde of stage couered with costly carpets whereon is layde all kinde of fruites confections and wine for the king to banquet withall After that he hath séene all the shewes towardes night they set vp as many lights as possible can stand one by another consisting all of lamps so that by estimation there burneth at once in those foure stréetes a hundred thousand lamps so close vpon and round about their stalls vpon the ground that a man can hardly put his hand betwéene each lampe After which sights he goeth to that place appointed for the banquet where banqueting till midnight béeing solaced all the while with all kinds of musicke of Instruments and voice with boyes and Curtezans dauncing strange kinds of Iigges and Lauoltaes without which Curtezans no banquet be it neuer so costly hath any rellish with them Howbeit no mans wife comes thereat neither is it possible or if it be very rarely for a man once to sée a woman if shée be once married and her husband liuing no though it be her owne naturall brother So iclous are husbands of their wiues loues and chastities and such cause of suspition is there amongst them in that respect There is a custome in that country that if the King purpose to make any man great by enoblizing him he hath a very rich chaire sette with stones carried after him wherein he placeth that man at his banquet in publike assembly This chaire was brought for sir Anthony to sit in and he by the King placed therein accordingly Which made the people much to admire that accident in that hee vouchsafed that high fauour to a stranger without desert or experience of his wórth whereas accustomably he would haue great proofe of a mans worthinesse before he would so vouchsafe to dignifie him Instantly as he caused sir Anthony to sit he gaue him his owne girdle from about him for a further fauour which was all of some golden stuffe very curious and costly thrée yards long and an ell broade Thrée dayes after he sent a Present to sir Anthony béeing a certaine demonstration of the great estimation he hadde him in Which was fortie horses furnished with saddles c. foure of which were very rich and faire fit for the proper vse of any Prince twelue camels for carriage together with fix mules foure and twenty carpets most of them rich and faire thrée Tents or Pauilions with all other necessaries of house last of al six men laden with siluer The steward that brought it tolde sir Anthony that the King had sent him that to defray his charges till the next remoue which was ten dayes off I néede not speake more of the Kings bountie let the world by this imagin the rest and how he entreated Sir Anthony And albeit the fashion and mauer of the Persians is not vnknowne to many of our English nation as hauing by their owne trauells attained that knowledge or by reading or credible report bin informed thereof Yet somewhat to speake touching the same I hold it not altogether amisse for the better information of those my countrymen that doe not so well know it For their sitting at meate on the ground with their manner of foode and féeding it is much after the Turkish guise Their deuotion as the Turkes but somwhat different in religion As the Persian praieth only to Mahomet and Mortus Ally the Turke
or to be sent into some parte of his country to be kept where wée shoulde not haue heard from our friendes in haste which we feared worse then death Yet in the end wée were eftsoones sent for before the priuy councell where sir Anthony had his charge to be gone which was no small ioy to vs all But the day before wée left Muscouia it was my fortune to sée the King and his Quéene in cerimonious and triumphant manner passing out of the Citty with a great Image and a huge Bell to offer to a certayne Friery some thirty miles off which was performed in this sorte First all the morning diuers troupes of horse passed out of the Citty to stand ready to receiue him at his comming out of the gate About midday the King setting forwards his guard formost all on horsebacke to the number of fiue hundred all clad in stammel coats riding in ranke thrée and three with bows and arrowes and swords girt to them as also hatchets vnder the one thigh After the guarde were ledde by twenty men twenty goodly horses with very rich and curious saddles and ten more for his sonne and heire apparant béeing a childe of twelue yeeres of age After which was ledde in like sorte twenty beutifull white horses for the Quéenes chariots hauing onely vppon them a fine sheete and on theyr heades a crimesin veluet bridle After them came a great number of Friers in theyr rich coapes singing carrying many pictures and lights After them followed the greatest parte of the merchants of the Citty Next them was ledde the Kings horse for that day together with his sonnes the kings saddle and furniture most richly besette with stones of great price and beauty Then followed the Patriarch wyth all the Archbishoppes Bishoppes and great Prelates singing in their coapes very rich and glorious hauing huge Images borne before them béeing very richly inlayed with pretious Iems of diuerse colours and lights about them Then followed the king himselfe who had in his left hand his sonne aboue mentioned and in his right hand his cappe Next him came the Quéene supported on eyther side by two olde Ladies hir face euen thickely plaistered with painting as were the other Ladies according to the custome of the Countrey hir body very grosse hir eyes hollowe and far into hir head attended with some thrée score very fayre women if painting which they holde a matter religious deceiued not the iudgement of mine eie All whose apparel was very rich beset with pearle curiously wrought hauing white hattes on theyr heads wyth great round bands laden wyth pearle We neuer sawe hattes worne by any women in the Country but by them onely Next vnto them was drawne thrée huge chariots the first with tenne fayre white horses two and two the second with eight and the third with sixe in like order which chariots were al very rich and gorgeous within and without After which all the noble men passed in coaches Then was caried in a great chest the forenamed Image guarded by a great man and State of the Country with some fiue hundred vnder his commaund for the guarde and conuoy of that Image And last of all came that huge bell béeing of twenty tunne weight drawne by thrée thousand and fiue hundred men not being possible to be drawne by oxen or horses in manner following They fastned sixe excéeding long hawsers or mighty great gable ropes in six lengths to the frame whereon the bell was placed In this ranke of ropes were placed those thrée thousand and sixe hundred men with litle cordes ouer their shoulders fastned to the great hawsers drawing after the manner of our Westerne barge-men héere in England The poyse of the Bell was so gâ—â—at that passing along the stréetes of Musco being paued wyth great square péeces of timber sette close one by another the woodde of the frame or carriage whereon the bell was drawne set the timber of the stréets on fire through both the woods chasing togither so that some were faine to followe hard after to throwe on water as the timbers beganne to smoake And thus was this bell and the Image eonueyed to the Friery as hath afore béene sayde The next day following we tooke our iourney that is to say in mid Maie towards Saint Nicolas to take shipping which was some sixe wéekes passage by land and riuer During all which time we saw nothing in a maner but woods and water But being come to the sea side being the place where wée were to take ship we stayed there one moneth for prouision for our iourney In which time we were diuers times inuited aboorde English shippes where we were roially banquetted at the Agents charges and the merchants To the solemnization of which banquets we had thrée hundred hundred great shot And as we stayed there one Maister Megricke a merchant came from Musco and brought the Friers two letters wyth hym reporting that the Lord Chauncallor in satisfaction of the wrong and ill vsage he extended to sir Anthony sent after the Frier to the borders who tooke both his letters and all his substance that he had deceitfully and lewdly gotten in many yeares before in the Indiaes from him leauing him not so much as his Friers wéede and whether hée caused his throate to be cut it was vncertayne but not vnlike Thus as this lewd wretch had as peraduenture he thought passed the pikes of Gods iudgements bent against him and threatening his ruine for his seuerall villanies and that as to him perhappes it séemed hée was nowe euen entring the confines of his owne countrey furnished with Letters in his commendation from the Persian mighty Potentate to his liege lord the king of Spaine whereby hée thought to haue attained notwithstanding his former leud life in the Indies great reputation and preferment euen then was hée ouertaken wyth a vengeance and payed home with a mischiefe to the vtter losse of his Letters wherein so much hée ioyed his substance that was all his liueloode and as it is most likely of his life the leudnesse whereof brought vppon him these vnexpected yet well deserued miseries A good caueat for all those that vnder God almighties coate will play all diuellish prankes whereof there are but too many in these last dayes and therefore the worst dayes crept into his holy church in all quarters of Christendome making the same sacred house of prâ—â—er which ought with all prayer and holy indeuor to bée preserued from all pollution and polluted persons a very denne of théeues as it is in the Gospel that walke continually in shéepes clothing but inwardely they are rauening Woolues They are knowne by theyr workes From hence wée tooke shippe for Stoade béeing sixe wéekes vppon the Sea ere wée coulde recouer it In which time we were continually tossed and tumbled with contrary Windes and once had béene like to haue béene vtterly cast away so that wée all were ouerwhelmed in despayre as wée were at poynt to be in the Sea but that by Gods protection and direction we past all expectation fell vppon the Flie. Where hauing diuers Letters of sir Anthonies to his friendes in England I parted from hin he holding his course toward the Emperor of Germany from thence I came to the Tassel then to the Firme so to the Hage from the Hage to Vlushing And finally from thence to Douer where I landed in the middest of the moneth of September in the thrée and fortieth yéere of the Quéenes Maiesties raigne and in the yéere of our Lorde God one thousand sixe hundred and one FINIS I. D. of Hereford in praise of William Parry Gentleman TO creepe like Ants about this earthie Round And not to gather with the Ant is vaine Some finde out Countries which were neuer found Yet scarcely get their labour for their paine Whereby I gather there they gather not But rather scatter Better lost than found Were all such Countries Will such is thy lot Thou hast lost ground to finde out other ground Yet thou hast found much more than thou couldst lose Thogh thou couldst lose more than the Seas confine For thou hast found that none could finde but those That seeke as thou hast done for Wisedomes eine And that 's Experience no where to be seene But eu'ry where where thou good Will hast beene Tam Arte Quam Marie