City is taken at one end But these mutations did not so eclipse her as Selechus Nicanor did by envy and policy Anno Mundi 3645 building a City in the conflux of Tigris into Euphrates where Coch first stood and then Alexandriae new naming it Seleucya 50 miles thence 300 stades sayes Marcellien and to add lustre to his owne by the decay of the other illured from Babylon six hundred thousand soules in small time making that late triumphant Empresse of Townes sit naked and disconsolate the reward of her incomparable pride and tyranny Ieremiahs prophesie in the 50 51 then being accomplished The violence done to mee and mine be upon Babylon Behold I am against thee O thou most proud c. The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken her high gates shall be burnt with fire she shall become a heap a dwelling place for Dragons and it shall be said how is Babylon become an astonishment a hissing and a desolation among all Nations Alexander when he took it inricht his coffers with two hundred thousand Talents of gold betrayed by Bagophanes the Eunuch and here Terrarum fatale malum sydus iniquum gentibus as a Critick calls him Alexander the worlds great victor disroab'd himselfe out of his life by quaffing too much Oxe blood to Hercules his emulated Progenitor Anno Mundi 3647 337 before the Incarnation at the age of 32 having troubled the world 12 yeeres and 8 months his death foretold him by a Calanus or Bracman Thus much concerning Babylon not that Al-Cayro in Aegypt neere old Memphis in the same place where Latopolis stood built by Cambyses the Persian and new named El-cayro by Gehoar Leiftenant to El-Cayn the Kalyph as I finde in the first and eight books of Leo's History of Afrique by the Hebrews call'd Mezraim by the Caldees Alcabyr Myzir by the Arabs and Massarr by all Armenians BAGDAT rais'd out of old Babells ruines is in 36 deg 20 min. North in 82 of longitude built in that part of Meso-potamia the Persians call Yrakein the Turks Diarbec the Arabs Iazirey the Armenians Meridin It receives the name Bagdat I suppose from Bag-Deh i. e. a Lordly Citie or from Bawt-dat i. e. a Princely garden some say from Bugiafer the Babylonian Kalyph who disburst two millions of gold to reedifie it after that cruell devastation made there by Almerick King of Iewry But long shee enjoyed not this glory for Chyta a Tartar Prince gives order to Alako his brother to divest her who accordingly sackt it with a barbarous rage and greedinesse cruelly tortured the then Lord or Chalyph Mustaed-zem but in the yeere of our Lord 762. Heg 142. Almansor or Abviapher the Calyph pittied her delapidations and taking a precise time when by a good influence of the heavens it might in future times be fortunate he begun to reare her up againe and builded the Mosq ' in that place where one Bagdet an Eremit had made his hermitage and from whom it may be 't was so called Almansor gave it another name Medina-Isalem i. e. the City of peace or as Ben-Casen thinks Deer-Assla i. e. the Church of peace An ill spirit it seemes hanted it for after shee begun to breath anew and to adorne her head with Majesty another cold Northern blast benummed her Tangrolipix or Sadoc Lord of the Zelzuccian family and father of the Ottemans takes it in despight of the Arab and Persian An. Dom. 1031 Heg 411 and forced her to bow under the yoak of miserable bondage Howbeit once more an Arabian Chalyph re-comforts her Negmeddin-Fidall-ally by name sonne to Emyr-Elmummyn after whom Addaë-daul And Siet Saife-Daddaul did their best to inlarge her and to them according to Acmad-Abu-beker followed Almostacer-bilah sonne to Almoctadi-bila Anno Dom. 1100. Heg 480. all which severall Calyphs were rich and liberall such as spared neither cost nor paine to redintigrate her bulk and memory Ismael-Sophy conquer'd it from Bajazeth but Solyman regained it from Sha-Tahamas from him the Persian King Mahomet sonne to Tamas wrested it Anno Domini 1566. Heg 946. by a neat stratagem he entred unsuspected in disguize of a Merchant fifteene hundred other Noble warriors in like habit driving into Bagdat a Carravan of three thousand Camells but upon the watch-word throwing off their gownes they brandisht their glittering blades in the eyes of the astonisht garrison The Persians kept it till the yeere of our Lord 1605. Heg 985. when it reverted to Turkish thraldome but Abbas could not suffer it for An. Dom. 1625. Heg 1005. most bravely he beat the Turqs thence and the Tartars from Van in Armenia and to this day holds both though ten times the inraged Turqs have attempted to recover it Let us now into the Towne Bagdat at this day scarce equalls Bristow in bulk or beauty the circuit may be three miles and better including fifteene thousand familes It is watered by Tigris call'd Diglat and Dyguilah somewhat broader than the Thames but not so navigable nor gentle In all this City is nothing worthy the present observation save the Bridge the Mosque the Sultans Pallace the Coho house the Buzzar and the Gardens The bridge resembles that at Rohan in Normandyl it has a plain easie passage over 30 long boats concatenated and made to separate at pleasure The Mosque is builded in the West side large round and very pleasantly rais'd of white free-stone brought from Mosul old Ninivy The Sultans house adjoynes the great market it is large but low and neere it are some brasse peeces the Turks left there against their will a little Chappell also Panch-Ally by name is note-worthy memorable in the impression of five fingers Mortis Ally by a trick that he had made in the solid stone there The Coho house is a house of good fellowship in the evening many Mussulmen assemble to sip a sort of Stigian liquour a black thick bitter potion brewed out of Bunchie or Bunnu berries more reputed of in that it increases Venus and purges melancholy but most of all from a tradition they have that Mahomet sipt no other sort of drink save this which was first invented and brewed by Gabryel in the Coho house they also inebriate their braines with Aracc and Tobacco The Buzzar in Bagdat is square and comely The Gardens are sweet and lovely all put together shew no more artificiall strength wealth nor bravery than do many neighbouring and late up-start Townes about her Twelve miles lower is seene a grosse confused Mount by some thought the rubbish of Nimrods Tower slimy bricks and mortar may be digd out of it I rather imagin it the ruine of that monstrous Temple which was erected by Semyramis in honour of Bell or Iupiter Belus Grand-father to Nynus At some distance it Is better perceiv'd than when neerer hand the insensible rising all the way it may bee occasions it what more or more properly can I apply than in our owne tongue what an old Poet warbled in
may as justly tax me of neglect I will therefore but name them and reconcile some mens mistakes in misnaming these antique Kings of Persia Cyrus is the first we can deduce a true succession from For albeit they had Kings formerly of which Chederlaomer was one as wee read in Gen. and it may be the same whom the Persian Histories call Cheyomaraz father of Siamech to whom succeeded Owchange Iamshet Zoak Fraydhun Manucher Nawder Afraciab Achemenes some think Bazab Kaycohad Salemon Chozrao Lorazpes yet the succession from him is most incertaine and doubtlesse of no grandeur in that the Assyrian Monarchie begun by Nymrod sonne of Chush sonne of Cham sonne of Noah ecclipsed it and under whose command it lay for above 1300 yeares if Berosus be not counterfetted and from Belochus who deposed Sardanapal the last Assyrian Emperour of Nymrods race and Arbaces the first founder of the Median Monarchie a confederate with Belochus to Cyrus who advanced the Persians to a Monarkique greatnesse by subduing Astiages his Grand-sire transferd the Empire to the Persian as formerly the Medes had the Assyrian 260 yeares This change hapned in the yeare from Adam 3400 after the building of Rome 287 after the first Olympiad 50 and before the incarnation of our Saviour 567 c. Persia made a Monarchy by Cyrus Of Cyrus many memorable matters might be offered but I dare not enter the Labyrinth lest I wander so farre that I may chance to lose my selfe and your patience this only be remembred that this is that Cyrus of whom the Prophet Esay fore-told some hundred yeares ere he was born of him also Nabuchadnezzar prophesied beginning thus Ast ubi Medorum jus regni Mulus habebit c. That a Mule should over-runne Lydia fulfild in Craesus and subvert the Caldean Monarchie the word Mulus had relation to his mixture of bloud his mother beinga Mede his Syre a Persian Hee married Cassandana and by her had Cambyses that reigned after him Cyrus after he had ruled thirty yeares and in that time had added to his Empire Arabia Mesopotamia Syria Capadocia Phrygia Armenia c. hoped also to subject Scythia but neere the river Oxus was slaine by Tomyris the Queene of those parts of Zagathaya but upon ransome his body was delivered and convayed to Pasagard where Alexander found his Tomb but not that wealth he thought it had contained Cambyses ruled the Persian Monarchie but nine yeares of whose reigne is little to be said save that he subdued Aegipt after which he grew so luxurious and tyrannous that all men hated him his death was imputed to divine Justice for at Memphis hee committed sacriledge in the Temple of Apys or Anubys and broke the neck of that apish god set there by the idolatrous Aegyptians but at Damascus fell accidentally upon his owne weapon and dyed by it At his death seven Noble men or Magi of Persia severally contended for the Diadem for smerdis the upstart King was discovered by wanting his eares to be an impostor of which Darius sirnamed Histaspes who by the cunning of his Groome made his horse neigh next morne before the rest mounted the Throne and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or delivery of the Kingdome from the Magi from that time to Alexanders comming was annually celebrated Darius governed happily 35 yeares the last only was infortunate by that overthrow he received at Marathon by Miltiades the noble Athenian This is he who so much favoured the Jewes and Ierusalem his death was caused by losse of that battell at Marathon and that by it hee wanted Anthina's faire daughter This Darius Histasp I imagine to be the same Gustasp who first by imposture as else-where I have remembred made his people fire worshippers To Darius succeeded his son Xerxes by the Persians call'd Ardxer an infortunate Prince for howbeit he was in his time the greatest Emperour in the world and had a worls of men and wealth to obey his humours yet what by too much confidence in them and contempt of other Princes he reaped the greatest dishonour that ever befell any Prince of Persia for albeit he entred Greece with an army of 1800000 men yet could he not prevent an overthrow given him at the straits of Thermophilae by Leonidas the Spartan Generall who had not foure thousand men and by Themistocles the Admirall neere to Salamys was equally opposed and his whole Army confounded Afrer 20 yeeres rule he died and left Arta-xerxes his son his inheritor This Artaxerxes i.e. a victorious conquerour is in Persian story call'd Ard-xer-Bohaman and by Arabian writers Tama-xerxicas this is he that married Atossa or Hester the Jew in which book he is named Ahasuerus at the end of forty foure yeeres happy government he died and Art-axerxes sirnamed Muenon in his place was crowned King some insert Darius Nothus before him Artaxerxes sonne of Artaxerxes and Parisatys daughter of Cyrus ruled Persia forty and two yeeres and at the age of eighty was buried at Persepolis Artaxerxes Ochus his sonne succeeded him who also when he had governed cruelly twenty and six yeeres was hastned but by an untimely death after his Father Arses or Arsamus his sonne investing himselfe with the Persian roabs of rule and majesty Of Arses little can bee said save that he died by the hands of the Eunuch Bagoas his Fathers murderer after his Coronation foure yeere and in his place by meanes of Bagoas Darius Codomanus by Persians call'd Darab-kowcheck i.e. little Darius was saluted King him Alexander the victorious Greek orethrew in three great battells at Arbela Amanus and Granicus the last concluded his life and six yeeres reigne Anno Mundi 3640 Persia subjected by the Greeks of the Olympiad 112 of Rome 420 and before the Nativity 333 yeeres or thereabouts Alexander worthily sirnamed Great two yeeres after died at Babylon foretold by a Calan or Indian Gymnosophist in the three and thirty of his age of his rule twelve yeeres his heart was transfer'd to Alexandria his corps interd at Babylon Alexanders Legacy bequeathing the succession not to his owne issue or kin but to the Worthiest made Pyrrha's bones revive againe discord and pride and envie emulating every of his great Captaines who by this common Motto Virtus mihi Numen Ensis quern gero challenged the Empire and ceased not to lay claime till death and warres fury cut them off Seleuchus Callynicus sonne to Antiochus Theos by survivership after long stormes seeming to steare in that unruly Ocean during whose life and fifty yeers after the Greeks awed Persia Recovered by Arbaces a Parthyan till such time as Arbaces an heroyck Parthian broke that yaok of slavery asunder and for three and twenty yeeres did what was possible to revive the more than halfe dead Persians To Arbaces succeeded Methridates who ruled twenty yeeres after whom Pampasius twelve Pharnaces eight Methridatus Medus Thirteene to whom followed Phraortes call'd by the Perses Pharug-zed Artabanus call'd Ard-Bahaman Methridates
of farre greater extent and power fifty yeeres ago till the Syamite pluckt forceably from her Dyadem many brave and wealthy Seigniories howbeit she is yet commandresse of many Ilands Monym Barongo Nogomello Duradura Cocos c. Pegu by Castaldus supposed that old City Triglipton in Ptolomy has Artique elevation 16 degrees 40 minutes a Citie walld with good stone beautified with many Turrets and parrapets and to issue out and enter in shewes foure faire Gates and twelve posternes prettily built and made more safe by that deep Moat or Trench fild with Crocodiles that circumvolves her the streets are not many but large and broad they are and seldome crooking afore every doore the houses are all low growes a pleasant tree whose fruit and wholsome shade makes them double usefull It is divided into two the new Towne and the old the old is most great and best inhabited The Varellaes or Temples and Sudatories are observable each Varella farcinated with ugly but guilded Idolls that at Dogonnee is not a little memorable for structure and ornament out-braving any other in the Orient the wildernesse about it and antick superstition might chalenge a copious description which I forbeare having other things to denotate This Kingdom is full of al earthly delights blessings of Nature Gold Silver Lead Iron also Smaragds Topaz Rubies Saphyres Garnats Emralds Espinells and Cats-eyes as also Ryce Caravances long Pepper Sugar Benoyn Musk Gum-lack Cotton Callicoes and what else a reasonable man can lust after But all these if they were centuplied are not able to make them truly happy wanting the true pearle that which the godly Merchant bought though to obtaine it he sold all his fraile wealth and possessions for albeit the holy Apostle Saint Thomas brought them blessed tidings of salvation yet they quickly lost the true light delighting to this day in obscure and loathed sinnes the Kyacks fild with base Idolatry insomuch that father Bomferrus an old Franciscan after foure tedious yeeres labour to reduce them to some knowledge of the Church of Rome came home desiring rather as did S. Anthony to preach among piggs than such a swinish generation The truth is they beleeve they know not what and Quaenam est ista simplicitas neseire quod credas sayes Hierom against the Luciferians yet some what if all be true he tells us wee gather from his observation that they beleeve the world consisting of Heaven Sea and Earth had foure Creations and for impiety was foure times destroyed by Fire by Wind by Water and by Earthquakes each Age or World governed by a severall tutelarie Numen or God miserable only in this that he was transitory and not omnipotent nor immortall they reckon that the last destruction of the world death of their last God was thirty thousand yeeres ago and that in Plato's great yeere all shall once more suffer a chaos They imagine a great Lord omniscient omnipotent and immortall lives and rules in Heaven but they do not worship him in that Satan tels them he desires it not they beleeve a revivification of the body after death and co-union with the soule and Bomferrus beleeves it confesse a three-fold receptacle of soules departed Nashac Nishac and Schua Heaven Hell and Purgatory by which that holy Frier convinces us of more ignorance than these Pagans but wee beleeve it never the sooner since the Devill is their instructer yea who dictates their profession Their habit is thin and fine it differs little from that they have in Industant and Syam but in this they varie they weare no beards they dye their teeth black in that Dogs teeth are white whom they hate to imitate they also cut and pluck their flesh to become braver than other Nations I have told you the best of Pegu the worst is also memorable In lesse than a hundred yeeres ago the Peguan Monark was farre more powerfull and formidable than at this present his Dyadem then sparkled with a gallent lustre twelve wealthy Kingdomes at that time acknowledged Pegu their Soveraigne Some of those Provinces are well knowne to us as Syam Auva Kavelan Barmaw Iangomer Tangram Cablan Lawran Meliotalk c. out of which hee yeerely extracted as tribute-money two Millions of crownes and had a Million of men to serve him at all occasions but this hardly could content him for by a two losty conceit of his Monachick greatnesse he grew efflated and to contemne others as too base to fix his eyes upon Tyranny succeeded his pride and decadence or destruction of his Empire Tyranny for the Auvan King when he found no priviledge by being Uncle to the Emperour of Pegu nor that he was his loyall subject he swells with rage and breaks asunder his silver yoak of hated servitude howeit ere hee could ripen his designes the Peguan has notice and so suddenly arrests him that in amazement he acknowleges his fault and begs his mercy but the Peguan King forthwith beheads him and to terrifie others by his example makes no difference 'twixt nocent and innocent his wife his children and forty other whom he most respected concomitating the miserable Auvan King in that sad Tragedy It was terrible Justice no doubt but rather exasperated others to new rebellions the most incenst and greatest in power was the Siam King who seeing his owne incertaine standing any occasion breeding jealousie and the least jealousie bringing death from his conquerour hee suddenly breaks out and with all the forces he could make by money or promises ere the Peguan was return'd from Auva in short time enters Pegu and apparantly made knowne his high rebellion the Peguan threatens terrible things and to effect them opposes the Siamite with an Armie of nine hundred thousand fighting men but that world of men could not contrarie the decree of a more powerfull King for such was the confused haste he made precipitated by furie such the hate his crueltie had defam'd him with and such the affright his uncles Malus Genius as Caesars did Brutus every where opposed him with that in three houres fight his monstrous multitude turne raile and willingly yeeld themselves a prey to the inraged axe of war chosing rather to dy than any way to increase the Paguan's pride so as the Siamite triumphs the Peguan hastens back to raise more men to trie a second fortune The Siamite not willing to ingage himselfe too far returnes the Peguan is almost there as soone as he all the way burning and destroying all he met with the Siam King armes himselfe with the Foxes skin he refused to fight not that he feared but that he knew an easier way whereby to assure his conquest the Pegu darts many fiery defiances calls him rebell coward and what not not dreaming of his stratagems for ere hee could leave his trenches the swift and mighty river Suhan Mean some call it sweld desperately broke ore her bancks and flasht so violent into the Peguan army that for want of boates and others
dumb signes in most things adore toward the Sunne honor Angels observe a Munday Sabbath abstaine from second marriages some from the first affect white garments loath coughing spitting and the like forbeare swearing and blasphemy shun pleasures drink water beleeve the transmigration of mens soules into beasts offer inanimate sacrifices deny the bodies resurrectiō hate to touch a pot or cup with their mouth but rather powre the liquor in at a good distance reverence Elders eat nor drink with men of other religions use washings much touch no uncleane thing and many other in nothing differing with the Pithagoreans as may be gathered out of Iosephus Suydas Philo Laertius and other writers Having tyred out your patience with this Sect for variety sake turne wee to another sort of Gentiles in Surrat Guzzurat the Persees a people descended out of Persia banisht hither to avoid Mahomitry circumcision upon the death of valiant Iezdgird the Persian King Anno Dom. 635. or thereabouts whose life and doctrine as it is gathered from the Daroo or Priests of this sect by Master Lord a worthy Minister for some yeeres resident in the Factory of Surat I will epitomize that we may move after this repose onward in our travailes Religion of the Persaes Into India I say these Persees came such time as Omar the second Chaliph after Mabumet had subjected Persia in 5 Iuncks from Iasquez sayling to Surrat where after some treaty with the Raieas and Bannyans they got entertainment and leave to exercise their owne religion A religion deduced from the raigne of Gustaph King of Persia Anno Mundi 3500 and before our Saviours Incarnation 500 yeeres written in their Zundavastaw or law Booke in this manner Such time as Gustasp the 14 King of Persia from Kuyomarraz by some thought Naah swayed the Imperiall Scepter of that famous Monarchy It chanced that Espintaman and Dodoo two poore people man and wife Chynaes by nation lived long together in a good report but without Fortunes blessings in estate or children howbeit at Dodooes earnest request a sonne was given her who in his conception promised by some rare and fearfull dreames the mother hatched great matters not only to the astonishment of his simple parents but amazement of the China King who out of jealousie and disposition to credit any report sought to prevent all events by killing or poysoning him but to shew a superior power swayes us and never misses to accomplish its designes tho by man never so much oppugned nothing could do him harme for fearing his parents ruine and to ease the King of his feares they all consent to give China a farewell and seek a securer abode in a region more remote and where they might more freely meditate Farre they travelled saw many rare things past over many great rivers on foot for Zertoost so was this young prophet named turned them by a trick that he had into solid Ice and after thawed them at his pleasure and many rare adventures found all which are to be left out in that religion is the marke we shoot at not staying long in any place till they arrived in Persia where they rested and intended to settle Zertoost as all good men use to doe spent most of his time in meditation and on a time especially observing the disorder of mens living sorrow overcame him and a desire to reforme them totally possessed him but finding the place he was in not solitary enough or fit for revelations away he goes not resting till he came into a dark valley surrounded and obscured by two lofty mountaines there he ingeminates his silent murmures with dejected eyes erected hands and knees bended when loe a glorious Angell whose face was more coruscant than the Sunne salutes him thus Hayle Zertoost a man of God what wouldst thou he strait answers The presence of God to receive his will to instruct my nation his prayer is granted his body purged his eyes sealed till being past the Element of fire and higher orbes he is presented afore the supreame Majesty arrayed with such refulgent glory that till he had Angells eyes put into his head he could not gaze on such a daz'ling excellency there he received his lawes no place but heaven will serve to fetch Philosophy as Laertius writes of Socrates uttered by the Almighty whose words were incompast with flames of fire such lawes such secrets as some of them are not fit to be promulgated Being upon his departure he desires of God that he might live so long as the world indured that in that protract hee might the easier make all people on the earth imbrace his doctrine God pitties his simplicity and in a mirrour shewes him the alteration of times the villany of Lucifer the misery of man and many other rarities such as quite altred his first desires so that when he had worshipped he takes his Zundavastaw or Book in 's left hand and some celestiall Fire in 's right and by Bahaman Vmshauspan the foresaid Angell who cleft the Ayre with his golden wings is set downe in that same valley where the spirit found him Zertoost by this time a man of great experience armes himselfe against all disasters and temptations and bidding his Hermitage farewell travells homeward to publish his law and joy his too long afflicted parents Satan who all this while lookt asquint at Zertoosts determinations intends to seduce him and after a short excuse for his rude intrusion protests himselfe his unfained friend assuring him the Angell had deluded him that God hated his novell indeavors that if he had loved him he had not so soone so willingly parted with him that his denying him to live till the day of doome argued Gods neglect of him that his travaile to reclaime the world was in vaine mens minds so doated upon freedome and vanity that his booke was stuft with lies and in publishing it great shame and perill should betide him that his fire was a mercilesse Element rediculous and of small use in those hot regions And in conclusion if he would reject these and depend on him hee would furnish him with all delights honours and pleasures possible give him power to do strange things whereby hee should bee worshipped for a God which if he refused he was a foole and unworthy his charity Zertoost soone saw that tempter was no better nor worse than Lucifer he bad him avoid and call to mind to his addition of terror how by his ambitious impiety he had lost heaven and how meere malice made him desirous to draw all other into like damnation he also told him how that booke he so scoft at should condemne him that fire torture him and all such black mouth'd lyers and detracters as himselfe whereat the Fiend was horribly affrighted and left him the divell is no sooner gone but on goes Zertoost and at length arrived where he found his parents who you doubt not of received him gladly to whom he imparted his passed
pens of the Aegyptians and Greeks who for want of true matter invented a thousand Fables The first threfore we can honour as sayes Osorius is Vasco de Gama or Bartolo de Dios Lusitanians anno 1497. from Adam 5467. by importunity of that excellent Prince Iohn 2. coasting hither and so into the Orient The Country is rich and fruitfull in her womb but owned by an accursed Progeny of Cham who differ in nothing from bruit beasts save forme a people by some call'd metonimically Caffarrs or Atheists Anarchy confounds order no Prince of power or policie awing them each Canton commanded by a Captaine not chosen by voice but as force urges it Captain Fitz-Herbert some yeares since ceremoniously devoted the Title to our King in a memoriall new naming two little rising Mounts 'twixt the Sea and Sugar loafe King Iames and Prince Charles their Mounts our now dread Soveraigne Give we an exact Idaea of the Inhabitants The People described Their colour is ugly black are strongly limbd desperate crafty and injurious Their heads are long their haire woolly and crispt no apparell in any place shewing more variety Some shave one side and leave the other long and curled Another cuts all away a little tuft atop excepted a third thinking his invention best shaves here and there the bald scull appearing in many places and othersome not unlike Occasion shave away all save a lock before of no use save ornament Such as have tufts or haire plait brasse buttons spurre-rowells pieces of pewter or what else the mirthfull Sayler exchange for Beefe Mutton Woodsorrell Oestrich egge-shells little Tortoises c. their eares are long made longer by ponderous Bables they hang there some using links of brasse of iron others have glasse-beads chains blew stones bullets or Oyster-shells And such as cannot reach to such jewells rather than be without have singles of Deare beaks of birds Doggs or Cats stones Egg-shells or the like their noses are flat crusht so in their infancie great lips description cannot make them greater quick crafty eyes and about their necks in imitation of the Dutch Commandores chaines have guts and raw-puddings serving both for food and complement eating and speaking both together Yet of late they have got hoopes of iron and long links of brasse grasse wreathes or greasie thongs of stinking leather Their armes are loaden with voluntary shackles of iron Jvory rusty brasse or musty copper The rest of their bodies are naked save that a thong or girdle of raw leather circles them a square peece like the back of a Glove is fastned to it serving to cover their pudenda But I cannot commend their modesty the women upon receipt of any thing returning her gratitude by discovering her shame a curtesie taught them by some ill-bred Boore our men I hope have more civility The grand Seigniors among them have better cloathing a nasty untand hide or skin of a Lyon Leopard Calfe Baboon or Sheep the haire inverted is as a roabe put about their shoulders reaching to their waste thighes and legges never covered their feet fastned to a broad peece of leather tied by a little strap resembling the Roman crepidula not alwayes worne their hands for the most part hold them not that they feare to weare them out but that their feet may have their liberty to steale which with their toes they can doe most daintily all the while looking you in the face as if they knew not how to deceive any Most of the men are Semi-Eunuchs one stone ever being tane away by the Nurse either to dististinguish them from ordinary men or that Mistresse Venus allure them not from Pallas The women also excise themselves not from a Notion of religion but as an ornament Both sex hideously cut and gash and pink in sundry works their browes nose cheeks armes brest back belly thighes and legges in Acherontick order in a word are so deformed that if they had studied to become antick they might be praised for invention Antrae lares dumeta thoros caenacula rupes They have no houses Caves and holes they delight to dwell in or Lyons dennes unfurnished but perfum'd I warrant you a whole Tribe commonly keeping together equally villanous coupling without distinction the name of wife or brother unknowne among these incestuous Troglodites feeding sleeping speaking all together without order or law in the night sleeping round a fire a Centinell regarding the Lyons their adversaries 'twixt whom is such hate and stratagems Vivitur ex rapto that one eat other the Lyon suddenly tearing some of them and they other times trayning the Lyons over cover'd pits which catches them and so retaliating slaying and eating them to day who perhaps were Sepulchres to their friends or parents the day before Other times they dawb and rub their skinne with grease and coale and so indent it drying them in the Sunne by that trick becomming Monsters to all civill eyes that look them upon By what I have said you may imagine their pallats are not very delicate Solinus calls the tawny Africans Agriophagi or Panther and Lyon-eaters we now call them Icthio and Anthropophagi a degree more barbarous than the Lyons of whom 't is said Mortuorum cadavera non gustant quod vivit corripiunt et ex comedunt But these Savages eat men alive or dead as in both kinds many poore men have lamentably made experience of Which whē they faile of dead Whales Seales Pengwins grease or raw Puddings diet them Safety is scarce among themselves for when the frost of old age benums their vigour unapting them to provide their owne food they either eat them or leave them destitute of defence upon some Mountain pittied by none where famine kills them or the ravening Lions With these no violent death nor ' stroying rage Of Lust is halfe so dreadfull as old age Non praematuri cineres nec funus acerbum Luxuriae sed morte magis metuenda senectus The lesse to be admired at for where God is not knowne what villany is unwarrantable Aristotle a Heathen I remember could make it a maxime 1 lib. de coelo Omnes homines Notionem Deorûm habent c. And another Vniversum genus humanum ubique Terrarum colit Deum verum vel falsum Which is beleev'd by most men and I dare not oppose it Notwithstanding though I made all signes and tried each way possible to discover some spark of devotion of the knowledge of God heaven hell or imortality I could not finde any thing that way no place of worship no day of rest no order in Nature no shame no truth no ceremony in births or burials meere brutishnesse and stupidnesse wholly shadowing them The women give suck the Vberous dugg stretched over her naked shoulder the shape of which Soldanias with a landskip of the Table and other Mounts loe here presented A man and woman att the Cape of good Hope Their language is apishly sounded with whom t is thought they mixe
conveigh the carcasse into a common Monument the good men into one the bad into another t is flat above wholy open plaistered with smooth white loame hard and smooth like that of Paris in the midst thereof is a hole descending to the bottome made to let in the putrifaction issuing from the melted bodies which are there-upon layd naked in two rowes exposed to the Sunnes flaming rage and mercilesse appetite of ravening Vultures who commonly are fed by these carcases tearing the raw flesh asunder and deforming it in an ugly sort so that the abominable stink of those unburied bodies in some places 300 is so loathsome and strong that did not a desire to see strange sights allure a Traveller they would prove worse seene than spoken of Nor doe the Persees delight that any stranger should goe op to view them The Buriall place of the Persees in India The History of the great Mogull LEt us now into Industan and by the best helps and enquiries we can make weave the variable History of the great Mogulls their pedegree their descent from Tartary their severall conquests and successe in Indya with other most remarkable occurrents hapning there these last 50 yeares also the description of such Cities Provinces and Forts as either enrich or support that glorious Empire the knowing which may peradventure I doubt it not finde gratious acceptance amongst the more ingenuous who know that man is the compendium of the world and admirable in his Designes which yet are crost by the awfull finger of God when men intend that which thwarts his providence Nor can you lend your eares to any nobler part of the Universe which for spatiousnesse abundance of faire Townes numberlesse Inhabitants infinite treasure mines food and all sorts of Merchandizes exceeds all Kings and Potentates in the Mahometan world his vast but well compacted Monarchy extending East and West to the Bengalan Gulph and Indian Ocean The South to the Decan and Mallabar North and North West to the Maurenahar Tartar and Persian 2600 miles some wayes 5000 in cicuit in which he has 38 large Provinces rich and containing the rest are Gujurat where we now are Malva Pengab Bengala and part of Decanee Ariacae in Ptol. together comprehending 30 large Cities 3000 wall'd Towns and such Castles as for Naturall defences seeme impregnable his yearely revenue is ordinarily accounted 50 crow of roopees each crow is a hundred leck a leck is a hundred thousand roopees a roopee is 2 s. 3 pence somtimes 2 s. six pence Howbeit out of this prodigious rent goes yearely many great payments to his Leiftenants of Provinces and Vmbraves of Townes and Forts having also in continuall pay three hundred thousand Horse and 2000 Elephants fed with Donna or Poulse boil'd with Butter and unrefined Sugar to these onely his Fiscall or Treasurer yearely giving out above forty millions of crownes his continuall warres are no lesse chargeable The pedigree of these Mogulls is thus upon their owne seales blazoned 1. Aben-Emyr-Temir-Saheb-Queran i.e. Tamberlane great Prince of the foure quarters of the world 2. Aben-Miram-Sha 3. Aben Mirza Sultan Mohummed 4. Aben Sultan Abusaid 5. Aben mirza-Emir-sha 6. Aben Baber-potshaugh 7. Aben Homayon potshaw 8 Aben Ecbar cald also Abdul fetta ghelaladyn Mahumed Achbar 9. Shaw Selim or Aben Almozapher Nordin Iangheer potshaugh Gazi 10. Sultan Curroon or Shaw Iehan now cald Sultan potshaugh Bedin Mohumet They have a larger genealogy from Cingis-chan a Prince of Tartary whom some have feigned sonne of Babur sonne of Portan of Philcan of Phonama of Bizanbeg of Shaw-dub-chan of Tomincan of Bubacan sonne of Buzamer all of them brave men as story warrants us Cingis-chan as Haithon and others say his contemporaries was at first by profession a Vulcan or Black-smith by condition a good honest simple man but the influence of heaven new moulded him in little time in stead of his hammer putting into his hands the Globe and Scepter his ambitious thoughts begun from the frequent incouragements a man in white Armour mounted upon a white phantasma gave him promising his helpe and stimulating his courage tells the vision to some chiefe hoords or cantons who give credit to his destiny and make him their generall he shewes quickly how his grosse mettall was refined by a better fire with a troop of Mogli one of the 7 hoords marching South subduing as farre as mount Belgian part of Imaus at this day cald Nigrakott and Copizat by the Indians there the sea stopt his carriere but he prostrates himselfe and 9 times over fumbles out his prayers the effect followes the hill clove asunder the sea parts in two and yeelds them 9 foot safe passage but being upon the continent he hammers out his way with rusty iron doing such marvellous feates of Armes as to a good faith seemes wonderfull I shall as briefly as may be trace his posterity to Tamberlane for from his grand-sonnes we must borrow our maine history Cingis-chan King of the South-East Tartar after some victories against the Russe and Tartarrs dyed at Ketoa kotan A.M. 1596. A. D 1228. Heg 608. An. 1228. of the Hegira 608. having divided amongst his 4 sons what was his by birth or conquest To Tusha-chan he gave the provinces royall of D'hast Kapecha Rhoz ' and Abulgharr to Chagatay-cawn Maurenahar Aygor and Chorazan to Ogg part of Bactria and Caucasus to Tuli-chan his Jewells and Treasure Tusha or Tuxichan dyed two yeeres after his father Kagathay dyed in the yeere 1242 both of them without issue whereby their Seigniories discended upon Ogg ' or Ogtay-chawn who in all his affaires at home and abroad really prov'd himselfe the sonne of Cingis-chan compelling all the Persian Monarchy as farre as Babylon to acknowledge him their soveraigne but in the yeere 1252 was conquered by death followed the fate of his predecessors commended his Monarchy to his infant sonne Gayuc-chan and him to be ordered by the care and providence of Minchonna his wife but in the third yeer impartiall death cald him also away and gave Manchu-cawn sonne to Tuli-cawn youngest Tetrarch advantage to claime the soveraignty of all by right of surviving succession This young Prince by such an accident mounted to the Imperiall greatnesse perceives the eyes of all about him inflam'd with envy and threatning his expulsion inraged by the villany of some that whisperd out his guilt in the last infants death so that albeit hee was armd with integrity and a just Title he contracts for his defence with some confining potentates and gave them the honour and command of severall provinces of his Empire upon condition they would hold of him in chiefe and be ready upon all occasions to defend him To Rablay-cawn he gave Ketoachotan and the royall City Cambaleck to Vlakuc-cawn his brother Persia Chusistan and Cherman and to Chun-cawn Gaznehen but ere hee had occasion to try the malice and inconstancy of his men or chance of warre death summond him away Anno 1260 but not
before hee had nominated Vlacuk-cawn for Emperour who proved of another spirit his best delight being to dance in Armour to Bellonaes Trumpe and to defend his owne in despight of all his adversaries by his owne vertue without secundary props or other allyances he first quiets his domestick broyles composing peace at home then magnifies his excellencies in forraine parts in circling and adding to the lustre of his dyadem Babylon a great part of Arabia and in Syria Aleppo and Damascus all which during his life he kept in subjection and loyalty and ruled with much magnificence to the yeer 1270. when by the extremity of his disease finding death at hand hee calls his 3 sonnes afore him exhorts them to unity divides his lands among them dyes and at Meragah 15 farsangs from Tauris was solemnly buried Habkay-cawn the eldest had the provinces of Hyerac Mozendram and Korazan comprehending Medya Parthya Hyrcania Bactria and Sogdiana To Hya-Shawmet Aro Adarbayon part of Armenia and Iberia comprizing Salmas Coy Nazivan Maraga and Merent Cities of quality To Tawdon-cawn the Seigniories of Dyarbec and Rabaion or Mesopotamia part of Syria and what was made fruitfull by Euphrates and Tygris And to his sons by another venture Nicador-oglan and Targahe-cawn he gave money portions Habkay-cawn that yeere dyed at Hamadan in Persia and made protector to his sonne Nycador-Oglan A.M. 5245. A.D. 1275. A. Heg 655. who so long and with such delight represented the young King that by a divellish art and ambition he sent him to an untimely grave and establishes himselfe by name of Hameth-cawn but all his raigne is so pursued by divine vengeance that in the yeere 1275 he dyes mad and is buried at Cashan in his place came the right heire from banishment Argon-cawn who by the people is joyfully welcommed and at his Coronation assumes the name Tangador-habkay zedda sonne to Habkay-cawn This man swayed the Scepter 5 yeeres with much tyranny not only massacring Nycadors sons and alliances but amongst the Innocent bath'd his sword in blood so that hee became hatefull to his owne and stimulated the Parthian to revenge by whom in a battell hee is overcome and by Argon-chan upbraided with his cruelty yea to compensate the like measure is cruelly tormented his belly ript open and his guts given to the doggs To Tangador the inveterate Enemie of all Christians succeeds his brother Giviatoc-chan who in the fourth yeare of his reigne perisht by Balduc-chan his Uncle who also after five yeares rule died issue-lesse Badu sonne of Targahe youngest sonne to Vlacuk-chan by assent of all that Nation succeeding in the throne of greatnesse whose affections he answered with so much respect clemency and care that never any before him was more belov'd and honored howbeit when he openly profest himselfe to be a Christian the peoples regard drew back and many treasons fomented by Satan were hatched against him so that at last he was slaine or rather martyr'd by Gazun-chan Cozen to Tangador who had small cause to bragge of his treachery or time to surfet of his glory for by the permissive hand of God in Cazbyn when he lest suspected treason hee is wounded to death by his owne houshold-servants Anno 1305 and of the Hegira 685 and lay long time unburied His brother Aliaptu Abuzayd or Mahumet ben Argon by many attempts and shewes of valour purchased the restlesse Diadem to whom followed Hoharo-mirza or Abusaid Bahador-chan anno 1337 who consumed his life in venerous exercises so that for want of issue the Kingdome became a Theater of many troubles no lesse than 30 at one time contending for the Soveraignty whereby the distressed people were compelled to look for help from home And none more safe to trust to than the Lord of Samerchand Tamberlayne much famoused for his justice and victories against the Sarmatique Tartar Praecopense and Chynaeses Him they invocate by many presents of their love and a letter fill'd with hideous complaints describing their miseries the confusion of their Kingdome and insufferable pride of the thirty competitors The Scythic Emperour promises his best ayde and with fifty thousand horse forthwith enters Persia without doing any hurt save against the Tyrants all whom he persecuted with such fury that in three moneths by the industry of the Inhabitants they are all taken and made to quaffe their farewell in the bitter cup of tormenting Death for which the people urged Tamberlayne to accept the Diadem and to establish it by all meanes possible in his posterity But after seven and twenty yeeres most honourable and succesfull government in that time captivating the great Turk Bajazet whom hee brought away in an iron Cage subduing all Asia yea in eight yeares conquering more Kingdomes and Provinces than the Romans did in eight hundred this Monarch of the Asiatique world is subjected by imperious Death intombed anno 1405 of the Heg 785. at Anzar in Cathayo leaving his sonnes and grand children to inherit his victories Ioon-gwyr Hameth-cheque Myramsha and Mirza-sharock by some call'd Soutochio and Letrochio of which Ioon gwir died three yeares before his father in Palestine leaving two sonnes Mamet Sultan and Pyr-Mahomet which Pir Mahomet was by his Grandsire placed in Gaznehen and Industan where he ruled till Pir Ally slew him villanously Hameth Chec was slaine in Laurestan some say in his fathers last combat with Bajazet Myramsha the third sonne was slaine in battell anno 1480 by Chara-Issuff the Turkoman in Aderbayon but left issue Sultan Mahumed from whom the great Mogul is descended and Mirza-Sharoc the youngest of Tamerlans sonnes surviving the other held most parts of the Empire till dying in the yeare 1447 he left Aberdayon or part of Media to Mirza Ioonsha sonne of Kara-Issuf the Turk new entred Persia Whiles Miramsha's issue preserve the splendour and magnificence of the Tartarian Emperour Myramsha by some call'd Allan-Chan left issue as is said Mahumet call'd Aben Mirza Sultan Mahomet who died anno 1453 leaving to his sonne Barchan at his Coronation new named Mirza Sultan Abuzaed many rich and spatious Provinces as Badashon Gaznehen Cabul Sistan Kerman Chorazan and Khoemuz all which were not sufficient by bribe not force to secure him against the incensed Persian who having endured much affliction for triall of conquest at last Ioonsha with Acen Ally his sonne grand sonne to Kara Issuff were beaten downe and Vsan Cassan call'd also Acembeg Lord of the White Sheepe governed Vnder this Vsan Cassan an Arminian the people fall upon Sultan Abusaid and in a pitcht field vanquish him and eighty thousand men himselfe slaine three hundred Elephants taken and all his Countries ransacked yet by reason of many discords amongst the Persians they revived and set Abusaids sonne upon the Throne by name of Aben Mirza hameth cheque whose foure and twenty yeares were spent in sweet ease and plenty At 's death his Empire descends anno 1493 upon his brothers sonne Babur Mirza named upon the addition of his
greatnesse Aben Babur Padshaw intituled prince of Maurenahar Balke and Samerchand but in the seventh yeare of his reigne is expeld his Kingdome by practise and conspiracie of Sha-Mahumed called also Sha beg chan who layd claime to the Crowne pretending hee was sonne and true heire of Aben-Mirza-hameth-cheque late Emperour being as hee said by craft stolne from his Nurse and conveighed amongst the Ouzbeag Tartars whence for some offence he had made hee fled with his lawlesse troopes enters Indya and attempts the conquest where after hee had tyrannized long time A.M. 5502. A.D. 1532. A. Heg 912. was in the yeare 1532 of the Mahometan account 912 sore against his will compell'd to trot the knotty path of inevitable destinie leaving no issue so that the Crown descended by right of Inheritance upon the eldest sonne of Aben Babur Homayon by name who suffered no small affliction by the malice and envie of Mirza Kameron his younger brother that confederated with Tzeerchan and by long practise forced him into Persia where he was royally entertained and after three moneths stay sent with great and royall succours back againe This also is remarkable the story of it is painted in Lohor palace that king Badur thirsting after the conquest of Indya disguises himselfe and thirty Noble men in his company in the habit of Kalenders or Friers as if they were upon a Rummery or pilgrimage The better by this craft to espie their advantage but being in Delly the greatest Citie of the Potan King could not so behave themselves but that Tzecander the King discovered them who pardoned them upon condition they would sweare never to attempt the conquest during either of their lives But when both were dead Homayon Baburs son entred dispossest Abram and Shec-Sha-Selym Secanders sonnes of the Diadem Howbeit Tzeerchan a brave Bengalan Prince fights against this new come Tartar foiles his Army neere Ganges forcing him into Persia where hee married the Kings sister and with her and Byram chan and two hundred horse and returnes is reseated in Delly and acknowledged King Homayon son of Babur great-grand-son of Termir-Lan or Tamberlain being re-invested with the Imperiall Title and Diadem of Indostan by meanes of Tamas the Persian King and returned triumphant by the overthrow of Tzeer-chawn the intruding King of Patan who anno dom 1550. and of the Hegira or Mahomitan account 960. died disconsolate Homayon I say after hee had committed his eldest son Abdul Fetta Gelaladin Mahomet a while after sirnamed Eckbar to the trust and care of Beyranghano chawn a discreet and valiant man being in Delly having one evening chawed too much sence confounding Opium hasting to his Orisons upon the watch-word from a high Tower suddenly he slipt downe forty steps or degrees which so bruised him that after three dayes torment he deceased leaving Achbar his son inheritor to his Greatnesse and miseries A.M. 5522. A.D. 1552. A. Hcy. 932 This hapned in the yeare of our Lord God 1552. from which time to this yeare out of our owne and Belgick fragments congested by de Laet I think it partly convenient with our other passages and observations of Indya to present these which to the observant may prove acceptable Ecbar having by help of Beyrangano-Kawn and Chawn-Channa his son dispeld some clouds caused by Abdal-Chawn was with solemnity crowned King or great Mogul in Delly after which hee bent his whole endeavours to enlarge his Territories and make knowne that he was verely the great grand son of victorious Teymerlan In the first taking full revenge of Hemow who had formerly chased Turdichan but three months after by mischance of warre comming under command of Badur chawn his head is cut off and eleuated in Delly and that Province for some time quieted then by Ally Cooclinchan he subdues Doab by some call'd Sanbal a Province surrounded by Ieminy and Ganges fruitfull and well peopled at that time Beyramgano-chan otherwise call'd Byramchan the Persian aging fast and tyred with the fopperies of this world having well discharged the trust repos'd by his old Master and finding Ecbar warie and valiant to regard the dignity of his Empire obtaines leave to spend the residue of his time at Mahomets Sepulcher in contemplation but in his Roomery in the way to Medina at Pathang in Cambaya is wounded to death by an obscure slave of his whose father he had formerly slaine so that by Abdal Radgee his son not fourteene yeares old and much sad company this great Captaine is brought back to Agray and there buried Ecbar laments his death though thought an Agent but nothing can recover him hee labours to forget it and spends some time in building the Castle at Agra formerly of mud but by him pull'd downe so altred that it scarce admits comparison through all Asia t is of durable stone polisht and so spatious that it comprehends three miles circular is built upon the pleasant banks of Shemeny circled with a strong stone wall moated and to be entred by many draw Bridges has foure brave gates many bulwarks and counterscarps to defend it Agray from Surat East seven hundred and seventy miles the Navel of Agraâ— the Moguls territories and Empresse of Indya has 28 degr 37 min. North latit is watered by Ieminy Iomanes in Pliny and Hynamanes in Poliaenus his 8 lib. Semiramidis which from Delly glides hither and commixing with Ganges flowes into the Bengalan Sea Agra was of old call'd Nagra and ere that Dionysia whence some say 't was founded by Bacchus but I beleeve it not partly in that Fettipore till of late no longer than fifty yeares agoe bore away the fame for beauty and grandeur and in that Bacchus sayes S. Augustine was contemporary with Moses in the yeare from Adam 2515 rather from the river Agranis which hence streams into Ganges as Arrian lib. de Indicis has it The shape is semilunary like London the streets long and narrow and nasty of seven miles continuance in part 't is wall'd about the ditch the remainder which too oft smels infectiously From Agra to Lahore through a delicate shade of trees are five hundred miles To Brampore one thousand to Asmeer two hundred to Surat seven hundred and seventy Radgee Rana the most potent and noble Prince of Indya at this time lost his strong and stately Castle Chyttor by treason of Zimet Padsha his substitute not content therewith till he had made many inroades into Gujurat in contempt of the Moguls forces Echar is glad of the occasion hasting with fifty thousand horse to be revenged Some months he spent in besieging it but so fruitlesly that he attempts the conquest by stratagem undermining the Fort and to the admiration and terrour of the besieged blowes it up with powder causing such a breach as himselfe and twenty thousand men immediatly entred pel-mel with such haste fury that Zimet the rebell perceiving treaty of no value gathering in one his Family consum'd himselfe and them in flames to
Castle Ieloore is by Gidney-cawn an Apostat Mahometan betrayed to the Mogull tho to his own brothers confusion Ieloor taken The fame thereof afflicts many Princes of the Rajeas each of them labouring to conserve their owne against this overspreading Tartar some couragiously defie his greatnesse of which ranck is Roop Mathii a Lady both faire and valiant her face was fitter to subdue Mars then any Javelin yet she confides more in her lance than in her beauty so that cheering up her obedient troopes very bravely she spoiles the Mogulls dominions but in the midst of her boast and hopes shee is affronted by Adam-cawn a hard-hearted warriour who with his regiment so furiously opposed her that most of her Pattans were slaine and her selfe tho shee might have lived to prevent shame and inchastity by poison gave over being Masoffer-cawn also this yeere 1588 of the Hegira 968 conspires against Ecbar in Guzurat first he strangles Gotobdas Mamet-cawn the Kings Viceroy in Amadabat and some Ombraves then seizes upon all the Forts advantageous places for the bettering his villanous rebellion but by Abdall Radgee Beirangana-cawns sonne is vanquisht and fearing to obtaine pardon destroyed himselfe as did the late nam'd Amazon The report of whose death was no sooner bruited but the fame also of Mirza Mahomet Hackim brother to Ecbar his death occasions Ecbar to assure himselfe of Cabul which during Hackims life was impossible but using with all kind respect his wives and children yea giving Chabec-cawn Hametbeg and Mamet Maxuen-cawn his best Vmbraves large wages and command in Mesulipatan Orixa and other places at the same time Zebbar-cawn late President of Kabul and ovated for his victory that yeere against Maxuen-cawn Bama-cawn and other rebells in Bengala is made Viceroy of that Province and Radzia Thormiel cald to Fettipore such time as Radgee Ramgiend Lord of Bando a Province adjoyning to Agra redundant onely in sand and stones by perswasion of Radgee Bhyrmiel presents himselfe to Ecbar at Fettipore and inrolls his countrey as a member of the Mogulls Seigniory by whose example many other petty Gentile Kings came and submitted unto Ecbar and yeerely as a symbol of their love and acknowledgement of subjection present him their daughters to bee his concubines to the Mogull a gratefull tribute and for their better satisfaction to court them in at Praije an 110 course from Agra Chrysoborca in Pliny advances a triumphant pallace upon a promontory where Ieminy empties her selfe into Ganges the materiall is hard stone fram'd pollisht with great beauty calls it Elabasse in nothing more observable Elabass builded then a deep dark cave in which are preserv'd as holy relicks divers deformed Pagotha's rediculously supposed Babba Adam Mamma Evah Seth Enosh and Methuselah whom they affirme were created and lived here and to whom from all parts of India resort innumerable Bannyans for benediction first purifying themselves in Ganges reputed holy and no doubt excellent for we find that a pint of Ganges water weighes lesse by an ounce then any other water and shaving off all haire as uncleane excrements and without them meritorious the whole is surrounded with a triple wall the first of quadrated red stones and highest the inmost of white retaining an Obeliske fifty cubits high and as many under ground to make it durable fixt there it may be by proud Alexander In this which many Potan Kings formerly in vaine attempted by reason of the rivers the King spent a myriad and two hundred thousand of roopees Here also they shew a holy Tree which many Potan Kings have sought to eradicate and destroy but never could prevaile in it Neere Elabasse also is worth our seeing the stately Tombe which Iangheer built for his first wife Raja Mamisenghs sister who poison'd her selfe upon the report of her sonne Sultan Gushroes rebellion The Mogulls affaires succeeding thus fortunately no clouds no tumults appearing Ecbar broaches new Chymeraes and fancies the intire conquest of Purop Patan Chormandel yea of all Bengala to the South and to stretch his Empire North as farre as Tartary to further which he heares that Abdul-cawn sonne and heire to Skander-chan King of Maurenahar part of Tartary was comming to Fettipore to visit him he prevents the most part of his journey meets him at Lahore where he was with much ceremony entertained but after small stay departed home againe Newes being brought King Achbar that Mirsa Sharoph in Badaxan had beene miserably abused by the Ouzbeg Tattars the King resolves their punishment but as more considerable bends towards Orixa that he might at once lord it over Ganges At Atteck he orders his Army to Radjea Byrmiel he gave one part to Iehan-cawn another to himselfe the third Byrmiel leads the Van ' and outstripping the Army falls furiously upon the Patanians who by th' incouragement of Zel-Ally receive them with no lesse fury but answer blow for blow so long so bravely that Byrmiel is beaten downe with most part of his inconsiderate Army Ecbar by such as fled heares the tragedy and inflam'd with desire of conquest and revenge hastens upon them and with such order and force that Zel-Ally and Turkoft are discomfited fifteene thousand slaine and Bengala subjected the conquest of Kandahor is next recorded for hearing of a great variance twixt the two Princes Hussan and Rustan sonnes of Mirza Beyram the Kandahor Governour and the Persian he consederates with the two young men and sends Chabeec-cawn with five thousand horse who at midnight are let in by the two brethren and the Citty made a vassall of Ecbars greatnesse but in short time Abas the Persian King reducted it from the Indian Ecbars Ambition growes endlesse so he can overcome he cares not how nor where he conquers for hearing of the old King of Maurenahars death hee covets to become his successor First to espie their strength and winne black hearted fauters to his intentions hee sends Tzedder-cawn and Hackeem-cawn to work it who under pretence of comforting Abdul-cawn play their parts and at the yeeres end returne well doctrinated the great Mogull reserves the practice for himselfe but perceiving Cassimeer interposing and not under him sends Ally Mirza in Ambassie to Iustoff-cawn a fearefull King that if hee would with his sonne forthwith come to Lahore and do homage to him he should re-accept his seniory and his best power at all times to defend him if he would referre it to the chance of warre he would dethrone and make him a perpetuall slave and his son a stranger The Casmirian King affrighted at it goes instantly to Ecbar and confirmes his vassalage but Iacob-cawn his sonne not able any longer to dissemble flies home and is so followed by such as loved him that he expells the Indians out of the Citty and is acknowledged King but his Halcyon dayes are of small continuance for Ecbar stormes and accilerates Ally Mirza and Cassem-cawn with thirty thousand horse to fetter him they chase him not daring
Ajaman and Giaman by ben Ally In the first is Kedar oft named by the Psalmist In the second the mounts Horeb and Sinai as also Iathrip and Mecca places of account among the Sarracens The Happy call'd now Mamotta is unhappy in Medina Telnabi but joyed in Iobs birth-place and Saba by Ptolomy Save now nam'd Samiseashac many other Towns noteworthy Adedi Neopolis Phocidis Abissa Teredon Areopolis Zebitum Acadra Iathrib Alata Mocha Ezion-geber Acyna Munichiates Ambe and others converted at this day into other names as Aden Zieth Zidim Iemina-bahrim Huguer Medina Zarvall Oran Danchally Muskat Imbum Zama Moffa Lazzach Gubelcama Balsora Massad or Mosqued-Ally Cuface Damarchana Barag Eltarch and many more now under the Ajamites or Saracins but in old times distinguisht into these Provinces the Sabaei whence Guilandinus saies the Queene came to heare Solomoms wisdome and the three Magi the Panchaia Alapeni Moabiti and Caedari bordering the desert Aorzi Nabathea Nabaths birth-place eldest sonne to Ismael Atramitae Massabathae Canclaei Stabaei c. enough to disturb our memories And I cannot but note how that the Hebrew Chaldy Arabick and Siriack drilling from the Hebrew Greek nor Latin in their times epedimic are now no where spoken save by derivative and that the heathen gods Iove Saturne Marz Apollo Iuno Diana Venus and thirty thousand moe once idolatriz'd all the earth over are now no where invocated all oracles ceast at the passion of our Saviour We will leave Arabia and passe by without smelling or tasting her magick delicacies and rest satisfied in a word or two of her present tongue and how the moneths differ in severall dialects Arabick English Persian Malle Salt Namack Sammach Fish Mohee Moihee Water Obb Narr Fire Attash Hattop Wood Yzom Degang Hens Moorgh Sallet Oyle Rogan-cherough Sammon Butter Rogan Bedda Egges Tough-morgh San a Dish Shecky or paola Cobbeer Great Buzzurck Sackeer Little Cowcheck Annestre I buy it Man mechorre Vntan aphe have you Dare suma Beet a House Connah English Greek Hebrew Arabick Siriack Aegyptick Turkish Aethiop Persian September Maimacterion Tizri or Ethanim Muharram Eylooll Toph Ramazan Turh Farwardin-maw October Puanepsion Bul or Marchisuan Sawphor Teshrin-owl Paophy Schewal Paap Ardabehish November Anthesterion Chysleu Rabbioul-owl ' Teshrin-auchor Achir Silhcade Hatur Chodad-maw December Poseideon Tebeth or Tevet Rabbioul-auchor Kanoon-owl Cojac Scilhydze Cohia Tyr-maw January Gamelion Sebeth or Sevet Yowmadul-owl ' Kanoon-auchor Tibhi Mucharren Tubah Mordad-maw February Elaphebolion Adar or Veadar Yowmadul-auchor Siubat Machir Sepher Amschyr Sharyr-maw March Moonuchion Nisan or Abib Radiab Adarr Phamenoth Rabuil-oul Parmahath Mihe-maw Aprill Thargelion Jarr or Zyn Sabaan Nisan Pharmuthy Rabuil-auchir Parmuda Aban-maw May Skirrophorion Syvan Ramulan Ejarr Pachon Gemaziel-oul Pashnes Adur-maw June Hecatombayon Tamuz Schowl Itaziran Paynhi Gemaziel-auchir Peuni Dei-maw July Matageitnion Abb Heidull-kaida Tamuz Epiphi Rbezib Epip Bahmen August Boedromion Elull Heidull-hazia Abb Mesorhi Saban Musrhi Asphendermaed Leave we Arabia and crosse the Gulfe cald the Babylonian sea by Plutarch in the life Lucullus and Yowmachama by the Syrians by some Mesendin cald also by the Persians Deriob Farsistan and by Arabians Bohar el Naharim by Turks Elcatiph But beware by Sir Robert Sherlyes example of Cape Guader Dendrobosa in old tymes not farre from Goadell in five and twenty degrees and where the Compasse varies 17 degrees 15 minutes An infamous port and inhabited by a perfidious people Under pretext of amity they allured Sherley and his Lady ashoare A. 1613 where but for a Hodgee that understood their drift honestly revealed it they had been murdered with Newport their Captaine and meerly to play the theeves with them Come we then to Iasques or rather Iezdquis Iezquird sonne of Shapore King of Carmania dying here Pliny seemes to call it Cassandra a Towne upon the Gulph in five and twenty degrees eight and fifty min. lat in Carmania seated Cherman now cald confind by Macron South and North by Persia South from Ormus forty leagues A place fortefied by the Portugall who built a strong castle here planted it with seventeene cannon oâ—… cannon pedro two culverins two demiculverins foure brasse sakers and a thousand musquets unable altogether to resist the English who in dispight of their utmost bravery to revenge the death of Captaine Shilling slaine the yeare before tooke it the second of February 1622 but unwisely by our men given to the Persian who now keep it and by shooting of so many peeces as they see ships give an Alarme to Ormus and they to Gombroon loth to be intrapt by too much confidence In this channell we begun the Ormuzian strait Ormus is as it were the umbelick of the gulph flowing from Balsorack to cape Rozelgate next morne we came in view of Kishmy a pettite castle not farre from Iasques Kishmy where also they give warning how many ships or friggats they see danceing upon the gulph and next night of Larac Larac another small Isle upon the Arabian shore foure leagues from Ormus Iland ORMVS is at this day a miserable forlorne city and I le although but a douzen yeares ago the onely brave place in all the Orient Est solitudo magna megalopolis If all the world were made into a ring Ormus the gem and grace thereof should bring Si Tarrarum Orbis quaqua patet Annulus esset Illius Ormusium gemma decusque foret An Ile though none more wretched yet not unknown unto Antiquity by name of Organa and Geru as Varrerius has it of Necrokin and Zamrhi to the Tattars of Ormusia in Iosephus libr. I. de Iud of Harmozia in Arrian of Armuzia in Pliny of Armuza in Ptol. of Vorocta in Niger of Ogyris in Thevet and seemes by Pliny Curtius and Rufus out of Dionysius to be the buriall place of that famous Prince Erethreus from whose name the Redsea was denominate Ogyris looks into the sea from whence Carmania and the place of residence Where princely Erethreus liv'd whose fate This Tomb conteins in mountains desolate Ogyris inde salo premit caput aspera rupes Carmanidis qua se pelagi procul invehit undis Regis Ereth rei tellus hic nota sepulchro Tenditur nudis juga tantum canibus horret Named Ormus by meanes of Shaw-Mahomet an Arabian Dinast who An. Dom. 700 for more safety crost over from Kostac in Mogestan Margastana of old to Iasques a place hatefull to Mirza Bahadin the fourteenth King after him that for most quiet removed An. D. 1312 of the Heg 692 to this I le and from that Harmuz part of Maceta twelve leagues from Kostack where his predecessors dwelt so named it From which time to this it was ever disturbed first by Ioonsha the Persian King slaine by Vsan Cassan who for pearles broke through Lar and forced Melec Nazomadin into Arabia and againe recoverd by Mirza-codbadin 5 yeares after viz. An. 1488 but long slept not so for An. 1507 Alfonsus Albuquerq the Portuguise after much adoe subjected it to
easily perceived had three some six women about them wrapt in linnen the curiosity or rashnesse rather might have cost me deerely the penalty being no lesse than to shoot an Arrow into his braines that dares to doe it The Carravans lodge here exceeds the Mosque the men in this Towne are proud the women lovely both are curious in novelties but the jealousie of the men confines the temper of the weaker sexes yet by that little they adventured at we might see Vetitis rebus gliscit voluntas One Zenal-chan is the Sultan of this Citie a man of no worth in our opinion he had been Ambassador from Shaw-Abbas to Rodulph the second German Emperour but his late imployment his favour with Abbas his wealth his vexation for Nogdi-beg his Cozen made him so proud so discourteous that albeit the Ambassadour sent to visit him hee return'd no thanks he took no notice of his being there The pole Artick is elevated in Tyroan thirty five degrees forty minutes fourescore in longitude From Tyroan we rode to a Village call'd Charah a base inhospitable place it affoorded us no sustenance but torment so much as the scalding sands and frying Sunne could operate as in too great measure we had experience of From hence to Taurys is two dayes riding The Carravans-raw is thus shaped Carravan-raw TAVRYS the late Median Metropolis takes name from that prodigious mountaine Taurus under which t is builded The Turk and Perse call it Taberyz in the worlds adolescencie 't was known by other names of Achmetha as I read in Ezra after that of Echatana spoken of in the Apocrypha of Amatha also as Cortestan and Cordina others have called her by analogie some have placed her in Syria from a Citie Egbatan converted into Epiphania by Antiochus The primier founder of this noble Citie is Arphaxad as we find in Iudiths History Anno Domini 3290. some say Dejoces predicessor to that valiant Phraortes who flourisht in the yeare of the world 3300 the sixt Dynast of Medya after Arbaces who begun it from Adam 3146. It was agrandiz'd not built as Pliny dreamt of by Seluchus 300 yeares after who at that time begun to build Seleucya 200 pharsangs thence to eclipse the pride of mighty Babylon Such time as shee was called Ecbaton she was farre greater than at this present It was fifteene Italian miles about sayes Strabo The walls were strong and stately seventy cubits high and fifty broad beautified with many loftie Turrets and battlements within were numbred many great and excellent Pallaces that which Daniel built the Mausoleum afterwards of the Median Kings was most magnificent and which remained undemolisht in Iosephus his time and some whiles after That built by Darius was no lesse memorable most part whereof was of Cedar wood the roofe studded and plaited with burnisht gold of both which nothing now remaines save memory and ashes I can hardly say memorie since it is become a question whether Tauryz be old Ecbatan and whether it be in Media or no. If to be under Baronta Diodorus Polybius and Ptolomy call it Orontes if to be in 36 degrees 50 minutes if to have the ruines of Tobyas his grave if to be the buriall place of Kings if to be the Metropolis time out of mind if to be the Citie from Ierusalem N. E. foure hundred forsangs can make it Ecbatan or if the authority of Ananias Petrus de la valle Leunclavius Teixera and of Ortelius will serve let it then be Ecbatan and in Medya Ptolomy's conceit of Tabryz mistaken in the Tau a Gamma printed erroniously for it to be in Assyria by Cedrenus in Armenia by Chalcondyles in Persia by Niger in Pers-Armenia or by Paulus Venetus in Parthya what were these conjectures but from the Monarchique Arch-Titles as Assyrian Armenian or Parthyan as they swayed then and chiefly from the mistake how Armenia is devided part of Armenia major extending South of Araxis into Atropatia a part of Medya and from whence the name Pers-Armeniae is compounded for by Abulfeda Vlughbeg and others the latitude of Taurys complies with Ecbatan At this day Tabryz is great and well peopled traded to from farre albeit it keepes a Garrison It is compast with a mud wall five miles about the houses are flat a top their materiall Sunne-dried Bricks the Buzzar large the Gardens lovely that to the South-East planted by King Tamas was famous but the Turks horses have lately grazed there It wants water in the greatest measure yet of that is not wholy destitute What it lacks in that fire and flame supplies it the Sunne warres rage and civill broyles having more than sufficiently parched her To passe by the mutations of the Empire the Turks first passage six hundred yeares since Tamberlayns rage and the like remember we those two deadly factions the Envicaydarlai and Namidlai for three hundred yeares persecuting one another with implacable wrath drawing into their quarrell nine other Provinces who grew so hatefull amongst themselves that not only this Citie but Medya Armenia were therby half depopulated the Gibelyns nor Roses outmatched them They made an easie entrance to any invader Selym the grand Signieur first espies it and to become an eye-sore to Tamas sonne of Izmael their inveterate Adversarie sends a Bashaw who ransackt it Anno Dom. 1514. Heg 894. without much resistance And Anno 1530. Solyman seconded it with so much furie that it flam'd many dayes the insatiate Turks pillaging without mercie and turning topsie-turvie all they met with and into a Chaos those elaborat walks and gardens Shaw-Tahmas so much gloried in It reviv'd againe and againe is made prostrate to Ebrahim Bassa's luxurie sent by Solyman at the villanous instigation of Vlemus a Persian Traytor and brother in law to the King At which time Anno 1534. Heg 914. the greedie Turks new ransackt it But Anno Dom. 1585. Heg 965. it groaned under most affliction when Ozman the wrathfull Bassa and slave to Amurat the third subdued it and perpetrated all sorts of hostile crueltie till thirtie yeares after by that incomparable Pagan Prince Emyr-hamze-myrza elder brother to Shaw Abbas it was regained rebuilt and fortified against the future insolence of those Barbarians Taurys is distant from Cazbyn seven dayes easie journey from the Mare Caspium as many from Araz six from Derbent eight from Spahawn seventeene from Shyraz thirty from Ormus fifty and from Babylon thirty Next night we made our Manzeill at Sangurrabaut a Town consisting of an hundred Cottages In this place we buried a civill Gentleman Mr. Welflit our comrade under a broad spreading Chenoar tree and fixt a brazen scrole over him which spoke his Name and Nation Mors tua non careat fletu linquamus amicis Maerorem ut celebrent funera cum lachrymis We have deplor'd thy death th' insuing yeares Thy kin shall pay thee Tribute with their teares Next night we slept in the open fields under a bespangled Canopie the Firmament and next in Shaw-De i.e.
the pillar of Faith issued from Solomon David Indah and Abraham Syons prop extract from the Virgins hand sonne of Saint Peter and Saint Paul by the spirit of Nahu by the flesh in these more vagrant than thy other restlesse motions and in vain dost thou seclude thy selfe from view of man by a thin lawne since in thy welling impostumes thy Portraict is discovered a Canker spreading North after the other way to that other kind of Christian by name Inanowich a tyrannick Muscovite whose Coronation Anno Domini 1584 was celebrated with wonderfull magnificence besides his furrs loading himselfe two and thirty bubbles ostentation Welfare Aurelius Saladyn and Tamberlane Heroes as great as victorious and as terrible to the world as any of these monsters wee have named who all their lives detested flattery blusht at their praises and thought themselves unworthy any fastidous Epethites at their burialls causing their wynding-sheet to bee displayd as an Epitomè of all they merited and this a high and oft proclaimed Pulvis Vmbra sumus fumus fuimus c. We left Cazbyn at ten at night therby avoyding Sol's too much warmth and at his first discovery from the Antipodes got into Perissophoon a small Towne but memorable in the sweet coole water we had there to quench our thirst with an Element more usefull than fire in Sun-burnt Asia Our next Manzeil was at Asaph at Begun our next observable in a royall Carvans-raw or Hospitall of charity erected at the cost and care of Tahamas late King of Persia and did the water too brackish and unhealthy there but correspond with other delights it might better merit commendation To Saway we got next night a Towne both great and fruitfull but that it is the ruine of old Tygranocerta as Bonacciolus guesses at I shall never credit that it was Messabatha or Artacana I more easily beleeve it The Pole is here raised 35 degrees 7 minutes a City I may call it It pleasantly upon a rising hill gives ground to twelve hundred houses a sweet rivolet from Baronta refreshing it from which and the peoples industry the thankfull earth retributes a Tribute in variety of choyce fruits and grain as Wheat Rice Barley Figs Pomgranads Olives and Honey the seven the promist land in the 8 Deut. 8. is commended for but whether it bee the relict of Vologocerta built by Vologeses the Parthian I know not I am sure of this no place I ever came in more delighted mee for Aëriall musick of all the Quire the Nightingale twenty together here call'd Bulbulls clayming the preheminence And after so much melancholy with Ovid let me chirp for company Scribere me voces avium Phylomela coëgit Quae cantu cuncta sexuperat volucres Duleis amica veni noctis solatia praestans Inter aves eteanim nulla tibi similis Tu phylomela potes vocûm discrimina mille Mille potis vatios ipsa reserit modos Nam quamvis aliae volucres modulamina tentent Nulla potest modulis aequidare tuis Insuper est avium spatiis garrire diurnis Tu cantare simul nocte dieque potes I must salute the curious Phylomel Which all the birds in singing doth excel Come pretty friend my solace in the night In all the Grove I find no such delight A Thousand warbling Notes thy throat displayes Which thy sweet musick chants as many wayes The vulgar birds may strive to equall thee Yet never can attaine like harmony Their mirth doth last no longer than the day But thine doth chase the silent night away Our next nights travell was over large plains elevated in many parts by artificiall mounts cut into many trenches shewing many famous ruines of passed warres Notable no doubt in many gallant skirmishes and most memorable in Luoullus his captivating Methridates that learned King of Pontus but what that grand Epicure fortunatly got Marc ' Crassus the most covetous and richest Roman lost after his impidus sacriledge at Ierusalem ravishing thence the holy relicks and so much treasure as out-valued six Tun of gold puft up with so much wealth and his victories amongst the Jewes resolves with his fifty thousand men to forrage Persia but Herodes sonne of Methridat the third couragiously opposes him cuts his Army in peeces takes his baggage and the avaritious Consul by Spurnia the Generall is made his prisoner and to glut his thirst divine vengeance so ordering as Tomyris did to Cyrus the Parth ' serv'd Crassus so forcing him to quaffe health to death in pouring downe his throat molten gold and by which Tryumph the Romans power was exterminate in Parthia 53 yeeres before the birth of Christ yet long the Romans sorrowed not for Mark Antony five yeeres after by his Generall affronted them with better successe the Parthians fight nor flight at that time helped them their Prince Pacorus by death disminating them affrighted in greater measure when Phraortes Mezentis some name the parricide depos'd the valiant Orodes from crowne and life treason the Devills vertue perpetrating that the Romans could not do by generous conflict Antony attempts revenge and conquest but adverse luck made him thrive in neither Augustus in whose reigne our blessed Saviour became flesh and Ianus Temple Was opened did by treaty what his predecessors could not do by force prevailing with Phraortes to vaile bonet to the Romans sparkling Dyadem But 230 yeeres after one Artaxerxes a native Persian and royally discended shakes off that loathed servitude not only out-braving the Roman but by a three dayes fight and victory over Artabanus revived the Persian title and name Parthia for above 500 yeeres formerly monarchizing Alexander Severus from Iulius Caesar the 24 Emperour succeeded Heliogahalus or Bassianus the lustfull and receives a pragmatick letter from the new King to re-deliver what antiently adorned the crowne of Persia It repugn'd the Roman Majesty and thereupon marches to give an account but in carelesse passing over Euphrates is so suddenly charg'd by Artaxerxes that hee is routed shamefully his bad luck not ending there for Maximinus the Thracian bereaved him of his Empire the German villaines of his life his vertuous mother Mammaea Origens proselite associating in his death as shee had in glory formerly Licinius Valerianus sirnamed Colobus under-took to rule the Empire and took upon him to over-rule the rising Persian but his big words nor great Army could not do what a Supream Judge had decreed otherwise for Sapores with an undaunted company denies him entrance and in the tryall the Romans were miserably defeated and which was worse Valerian himselfe is imprisoned and to his dying day to the astonishment of all proud Tyrants made a foot-stoole for Sapores to tread upon whensoever he mounted the Justice of Almighty God herein was singularly manifest by compensating the cruell Emperor in this odious servitude for his intollerable pride and rigor against the innocent Christians many thousands of whom he martyr'd amongst whom Saint Lawrence cruelly broyled upon a gridiron But wee have
Mozendram Sablestan Maurenahar Sirgian Hery Sigistan Stigias Kalsistan Carmawn Laristan Chusistan Iaziry Keldhan or Ajaman Darbeq Arminy Carkash and Vaspracan The whole Empire is terminated on East West North and South with India Arabia the Caspian and Persian Seas From Candahor equi-distant with Oxus in Bactria to Babylon East and West it stretches foure hundred and forty farsangs Extent of the Empire or of English a thousand three hundred and twenty miles in seventy dayes usually travelled and from Giulphall or Ielphy neere Van in Georgia to Cape Gwader in 25 degrees the furthest part of Gedrosia or Macron on Indus North and South foure hundred ninety and six farsangs or a thousand foure hundred eighty and eight English miles in eighty dayes commonly journeyed from which we may compute the circuit is not lesse than foure thousand miles The North and East is most part fruitfull in grasse in corne in fruit the South and West except where rivolets are sandy mountanous sterile and inhospitable the vehement heat scorches the earth and makes it barren and from whence the soyle yeelds no exhalations the mother of clouds and consequently wants rain to madifie but in stead of it God has blest them with frequent breeses But how miserable so ere it seemes to others The Kings revenue the Persian King makes many happy harvests filling every yeere his insatiate coffers with above three hundred and fifty seven thousand Tomans a Toman is five markes sterlin in our money 1190000 pound sterlin a great revenue the more to be admired at since he extracts it from raw silke customs and cotton not thinking any way meane or dishonourable that brings in money So thought Abbas and thence deriv'd that unkinkly trade of sending into the market his dayly presents of fruits and flowers for without some piscash was no saluting him a kind of thrist His domestick pollicy he not only boasted of I imagin as Ageslaus did of his polt-foot but seemed to complain of the too great nicity of other Kings And no doubt if all the Potentates of the earth were inquired after none would parallell this late old Monach of Persia for startagems in good husbandry for so to respect the man we had best call it He could finely dart his wonder upon such such a Town by report or letter confessing his amazement at sight of some great Elephant or Tower of gold he heard they had acted they dare not reason against it they know the meaning and in pure gold get such a present if rich and heavy then t is dainty work though never so disordered if otherwise then no way praised Ninety wall'd Townes are under his command the Villages are above forty thousand none of which escape his policy for though they practice nothing lesse than gold-smiths work and imagery yet hee salutes them with a false report desiring to see experimentally whether fame had not beene a niggard in their elevation they embrace the complement and returne him in pure gold the Icon of an Elephant Cammell or Dromedary some a Pegasus a Cesterne or Bath some send to gaine his love and some a Babel or representation of such a great Citie as they know will take him by comparison considering which I lesse admire that vast treasure of Mammonisme commonly taken out for ostentation at the receit of Ambassadors or Travellers of note such as in Mosendram our eyes were glutted with In warre no Asiatick Prince was master of more Art or sure experience at home his Genius travaili'd with no fewer fancies none withou its certaine end to agrandise his treasurie A Merchant I may also call him having many thousand factors frugall and skilfull under him all which hee sends through the wide universe with each his stock of money or silke or carpets to make money of some of them returne in three in five some none exceeds seven yeeres to give their account to the Kings infinite advantage if they have loytered or accidentally lost and returne meane profits they had as good behang'd hee is so incredulous and wrathfull but when they come home multiplyed and with increase to his liking he rewards them with large thanks a woman from his Haram a horse a sword a Tulipant but after a small repose packs them abroad againe re-assuring them of his good affection and that after such a voyage they shall end their motion in a happie rest but seldome does it till death or diseases force him to it that they and theirs shall enjoy such necessary summes as conduce to make them fortunate but in event finde that old proverb too too true Pollicitis dives quilibete esse potest Againe from Indostan Tartary and Araby every yeere move towards Persia many Carravans furnisht with rich and rare commodities as Chyna ware sattens silks stones rich Tulipants c. of whose approach hee has quick notice concerning which either hee gives a private command that none shall dare to traffick with them by that forcing them to his owne prices or affronts them upon entring his Dominions with a false alarme as that the passage further is long and hard and dagerous or that the late darth makes the country incapabde to entertaine them by such heathen Mathematicks so startling them that rather than move back to such hazards or go on to incounter such or to incur his hatred they oft times condiscend to any mart sometimes receiving money for their goods or by exchange for what the Persian Emperour can best spare to his owne and others dispersing those new merchandizes at stretcht rates yea at the height of ignoble avarice and having coyne or bullion to prevent its pilgrimage into other regions hee molds it into plate of huge assize or the like too heavie to go farre worke very poore in value rich and ponderous Besides by that law of Persia hee makes himselfe heyre to all that dye puts the young ones to some way of life warre or merchandize none daring to call his title into question hee also expects annuall presents from all men of quality take notice of one mans offring a yeere or two before our being in Persia the Duke of Sherazz was hee that sent it foure hundred sixty and five thousand florens coyned forty and nine goblets of good gold seventy two refined silver and so much of other valuable rarities as in all burthen'd three hundred Camells a gallant present a sure medicine to expell his melancholy But this might all be tollerated were Astraea any where adored but contrarily abhorred bribery aad corruption in Justice renders so brave a Prince too much distempered Quid faciant leges ubi sola pecunia regnat Aut ubi paupertas vincere nulla potest Where money over-rules what good do lawes Or where the poore is crusht without a cause For albeit 't is said that the lawes of the Medes and Persians never alter yet doubtlesse in so many changes as have hapned there their lawes may be corrupted or altered At
One-ewch Charda or Chaharda Fourteene One-dewrt Pounzda Fifteene One-beash Shoonzda Sixteene One-alté Hawda Seventeene One-yedté Hashda Eighteene One-seckez Nouzda Nineteene One-dockoz Beest Twenty Ygarmy Yec-beest Twenty one Ygarmy beer Dota-beest Twenty two Ygarmy eckee Se-beest Twenty three Ygarmy ewch Char-beest Twenty foure Ygarmy dewrt Sounce-beest Twenty five Ygarmy beash Se Thirty  Chehel Forty  Pangoh Fifty  Phast Sixty  Haftat Seventy  Hashtat Eighty  Navat Ninety  Satt One hundred  Da hazatt or hazar One thousand  The Religion of the Persians THE Persian Religion at this day varies not from the Turks in any particle of the Alcoran and yet they account one the other Hereticks and are no lesse zealous and divided in their profession than wee and the Papalins a devision begun Anno Domini 1400 by a Syet of Ardoveil a Citie in Media the better to advance the Sophyan Title to the Crowne derived from Mortis Ally their famous predecessor cosen and sonne in law to Mahumet which Ally albeit hee had just right to sit as Kalyph at Mecca next to Mahomet yet in his despight three other men stept up before him and during their lives kept him in slaverie and withstood him These three Abuboker Omer Ozman are by the Turks most venerably accounted of but by the Persians as appeares by their cursing them in a prayer made by Syet Gunet as impostors doggs and hereticks whereby is sown such mortall hatred betwixt these two potent Monarchs that to Europs good they abominate each other with implacable hatred MAHOMET sonne of Abdar a Pagan and Emma a Jew was borne at Iathreb or Itrarip Iezrab in Postellus now Medyna in Arabia the yeere from the Creation 4544 of Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour 574 Iustinian at that time commanding the Roman Empire and Cozrhoes father to Hormizda the Persians His parents being mean and poore he was forced to serve an apprentiship and with much patience served Zayed-ben-Hartah a rich and famous Merchant who dying left his servant so good a legacie that Mahomet was thought worthy any woman in Mecca but by reason of those incessant broyles commenc't by Cozrhoe and inflamed by the Romans Traffick decayed and most men danc't to the shrill brazen sound of Bellonaes musick Mahomet amongst the rest serving for pay first with Heraclius and then the Persian not caring much who was victor so he was on the safest side by both their confusion to plot some way or other to advance himselfe both in a terrhen dignity and as a Deity nor did he erre in his prediction for what by his great estate and good fortune in the warres he soone threw off the qualitie of a common man and got a companie yea at length an Armie of so many Tattars and Arabians that he dared to assault the infeebled Christians and became victor yea by stratagem mingling with the credulous and gladded Persians upon a watch-word cut asunder and confounded the Persian Armie Which done hee blusht not to extoll himselfe to all his troops deciphering the misery of Persia and horror of Roman bondage acquainting them also with the great discord ' mongst Christians of that inhumane villanie perpetrated upon Mauritius by Phocas then Emperour his detested servant and of Pope Boniface's usurpation of the title of Universall Bishop contrary to the good will of all the World and what Pope Gregory the great had lately branded Iohn the Constantinopolitan Patriack with as the Antichrist in that sixtie six good Bishops of Rome from Lynus seven yeeres after the passion to that Pope then teaching never desired it That hee himselfe was ordained from the begining of the world to eclipse the pride of that Pope to instruct the world in a better and more plausible way than either Moses did the Jewes or Christ the Christians that hee was the Comforter promised yet sayes that he came to give his Law by the sword and not by miracles and to advance the Arabians name and dignitie above all other Kingdomes in the Universe The amazed Savages admire his boldnesse and though some thought basely of him most part hoping hee could effect his promises give credit to him and atttend his revelations But ere he could finish his new moulded work the inraged Persian suddenly steales among them and in memory of their late kindnesse retaliates them so fiercely that Mahomet to save his life posts away leaving the rest to the mercilesse furie of the Persian Mahomet with a sad heart arrives safely in Mecca Mocura and Munychiates in old writers the Arabian Metropolis but when he cals to mind his miserable estate by this last defeat being cheated of his moneys and men yea such men as hee had prepar'd to help forwards his ambition hee consumes in the meditation and by his faint-heartednesse and constant vexing had doubtlesse made Death his executioner had not Satan physicke him Some safer way he intends to take than in Mars his rugged fields so full of cost and blood-shed And therefore in the first place to solace his unquiet spirits inrich himselfe he laies seige to Chodaige or Aediga a woman of great wealth and worship by some thought Queene of Corasan whom after a few amorous assaults he won and of her begot three sonnes and foure daughters named Ebrahim Tajeb and Taher all three dying young Fatyma and Zaynab both married to Mortis Ally Om-Kalthom and Rachya wives to old Abuboker Mahomets stomack grew weak and one sort of meat begun to loath him Chodaige was stale and others fancied him he therefore purpos'd in his Law then in hatching to allow all sorts of carnall liberty and to incourage them by his example solemnly as Ben Casen a writer of his beleife sayes espoused Aysce the beloved child of his sonne in law Abubocher a child though Mahomets wife I well may call her at that time not exceeding six yeeres old yet so pliable to the delights of her wanton husband that hee calls her his best beloved and dictates a whole chapter to her praises so that for her affection to him her courtesie to others her witty conceits her skil in history and language she is intituled Mother of the Faithfull and contrarie to his tenet in his Alcoran in whose grave hoping there also to imbrace her Mahomet desired to be buried as was by old Abubocher afterwards performed His third wife was Miriam or Mamrya of whom he begot Ebrahim Cassen who at the age of six months by the arrow of grim death was directed the inevitable way of his brethren Zaynab the repudiate of Ben-Hartah Mahomets master was Mahomets fourth and last wife concubines hee had above a hundred but in any Author I find not named a Lady of singular perfection and so credulous of his feigned visions and that his epilepsie was caus'd by an Angells glory oft conferring with him that by all Mahomitans she is also named a second Mother of Mussulmen or true beleevers These his bosome friends and
time that this Cock crowed all other Chanticlears upon earth re-ecchoed him The second heaven is of gold such gold as has beene seven times tried in the fire The third is of pearle in this heaven hee saw innumerable troops of Saints and Angells each of them saluted him by his name and he prayed for them Amongst the rest he took notice of Adam Enoch Abraham Samuel David Salomon c. all whom he knew by revelation and of which some he taxed others hee commended as occasion served him The fourth heaven is of Smaragd and where he saw infinite companies of other Angells who made a mighty noise and incessantly praised God and well they might make a noise for sayes Mahomet every Angell there was a thousand times bigger than the globe of the earth and each had ten thousand heads every head threescore and ten thousand tongues and every tongue praised God in seven hundred thousand severall languages amongst them he noted one especially Phatyr or the Angell of Mercie a creature of that vast frame that every step he trod was twelve times more than the distance is twixt both the Poles Mahomet inquired of him why he wept so fiercely the Angell replied that it was out of his compassion to see the deplorable estate and vanity of man This is that same Angell that has the Holy Quill or pen in keeping a pen of orient Pearle so long that an excellent Arabian Courser in five hundred yeeres continuall galloping can hardly reach to the further end of it with this pen God registers all things past present and to come the Inck he writes with is pure Light the Character so misterious that none but he and Seraphael can understand it All the hundred and foure holy Books are written by this Quill viz. those ten which Adam received Seth had fifty Edris or Enoch thirty and Abraham had the rest it also writ Moses his Law Davids Psalmes Christs Gospell and Mahomets Alcoran The fifth heaven was of Diamonds where hee saw a mighty Angell and of all others the wisest hee had as many heads and tongues and voyces as any two others had in the inferior Orbe and had the keeping of that Book wherein all men in the world have their names written he did nothing but turne over the leaves and blot out one name or another for by that as by the arrow of death they died suddenly The sixth was of Turquoisse the Seventh of Alahal some interpret it fire others pure light or breath congealed All these circumvove one another like Pearles or Onyous but herein is the miracle they be translucent and yet of mettalls a rare Philosophy above all is the heaven of heavens full of light and silence immense and within which all other bodies are comprised but it incomprehended there Mahomet saw the throne of God rich beyond expression very great also for it was supported by seven Angells each of them so wonderfully great that a Faulcon if he were to flie a thousand yeeres incessant flight could scarce go so far as is the distance of one eye from another about the Throne hung foureteene candles everlastingly burning the length of every of those candles as Mahomet measured was from one end to another as much space as a good horse can ride in five hundred yeeres there hee saw the Almighty who bad him welcome and laid his hand upon Mahomets face his hands sayes this blasphemous deluder were a thousand times colder than Ice for all which Mahomet in shame of his owne basenesse blusht for shame and swet with feare but with his long finger hee swept away the sweat from his brow and threw it into Paradise rare sweat Each drop he notes them to be six turn'd into some rare thing or other one drop into a Rose another into a graine of Rice the other foure into foure learned men Ac'met Sembelin Abuhamed Melec-zed and Seh-vaffin After hee had sufficiently instructed himselfe in many mysteries and was assured of Gods favour he descended with his Alcoran but how he got it entertained how notoriously it has blasted the earth and poysoned most parts and Iles of Asia and Africk Angells it requires another place to have it spoken here only let us note the mad conceits he fancies of Angells the last judgment Paradize hell c. Angells are either good or bad both are subject to death the good because they consist of flame an Element to sin because Lucifer an Angell by ambition was expulst Paradise The bad Angells are imprisoned in Doggs Swyne Toades Wolves Beares Tigres After the day of Doom they shall be tormented in hell some millions of yeers but must in the end by vertue of Mahomets law be delivered Day of Doome The great and generall Judgement is as certaine as the day of Death and will happen suddenly such time as all the world is wrapt in a carelesse security the Angells know not the time till Mahomet point it out by a great and fearfull Duell twixt death and him whom in the end hee makes to fly away but by that combat becomes so inraged that he destroyes all living creatures in the world suddenly for new arming himselfe in flaming brasse in each quarter of the world hee sounds his dreadfull Trumpet whose affrighting clangor not only makes men beasts fishies birds and like creatures dy but the Angells also give over living and lastly Adriel himselfe whom God commanded to follow the rest in the ineviâ—aâ—le path by wrapping his iron wings about him and strangling himselfe with such a dreadfull noyse as is scarce imaginable After this ensues a terrible and universall Earth-quake followed by a violent shower of purling brimstone which must devoure all grasse trees and vegitable Creatures yea the Pallaces of the proudest Tyrants and turne topsi-turvie the earth water and other elements into a confused lump Forty dayes it must rest in a disordered Chaos in which time Almighty God shall grasp it in his fist and beholding it say to this effect Where are now the haughty Princes the cruell Tyrants lacivious wantons and greedy earth-wormes of the earth which said he will for forty dayes and nights space incessantly raine downe a gentle shower of mercy and by a gratious breath reduce the world into a most glorious estate after that hee will call up Seraphyel and bid him take his Trumpet in his hand the Trumpet is of purest gold and above five hundred yeeres travell from one end to another at the first sound will ensue a revivification of Angells and Men at the second the Angells re-assume their glorious roabs and men their naked flesh againe Iudgement Michael the Arch-Angell perceiving the Tribunall rais'd upon a high mount in Iehosaphats vale he approaches with his mighty ballance and poyses every man their good and bad deeds in either cale such whose good deeds out ballance their evill actions are put upon the right hand the other on the left after that they are loaden with
3 and then Herodes slaine by Phraortes his cruell sonne At this time Crassus the rich and famous Roman was slaine and twenty thousand Romans at Carrhas by the Parthians a foule blemish to the Romans till soone after Ventidius Mark Anthonies Liefetenant purged it by a new victory in which Pacorus the Kings sonne was by that valiant Roman slaine and the Empire acknowledged Augustus Caesar over them who deposed the Paricide and made another Phraortes King in his roome At this time was ecchoed the golden song Pacem te poscimus omnes a time most fit to entertaine the Prince of Peace Christ Jesus our Saviour who as then became flesh and dwelt amongst the sonnes of sinfull men To Phraortes 2 succeeds these severall Dynasts of Pathia Orodes or Daridaeus Vonones Tereditates the last of the Arsacidae slaine treacherously by Artabanus to whom these Bardanis Goterys Vonones 2 Vologeses Artabnus 2 Pacorus Chozroes Phamaspates Vologeses 2 Velogeses 3 and lastly Artabanus vanquisht by Caracalla by Macrinus slaine Howbeit in him the hopes of Persia slept not but rather joyed at the farwell of that strange race Redacted by the Persian for upon that advantage the Empire seeming distracted 'twixt two severall affections one Artaxerxes Chobad before but to speed the better he assumes this pleasing name steps forth and with a Majestick grace modestly chides his Country-men for their sloth and faint-heartednesse and that now or never the occasion was offered of reviving their name and redacting the Persian Empire to her former freedome and lustre the people admire the man and by his name doubt not that bee was a true Persian so as with an uoanim assent they crowne his temples with the Dyadem and resolve under him to dye or to dispell that cloud of bondage which the Parthian had so long wrapt them in For three dayes the fight continued twixt those two neighbour the stake was freedome and Monarchie at length the Persian has the victory and Artabanus the Parthyan King by his death pat this late triumphant Empire into bondage After that he vanquisht the Roman Emperour Alexander Severus but in the 15 yeare of his reigne is himselfe by imparriall death vanquished An. Dom. 243 Sapores his sonne begun to reigne And here Teixera may be taxed who assures us that Artaxerxes late named or as they call him Ardkhyrbabba-cawn i.e. Father and Lord to men of warre reigned contemporarie with Caesar Augustus This same Sapores is by the Persians call'd Shaw-Pot by Teixera Scbabur by Schicard Xahur-Xabulketaph or Dbul Aktaf a Prince sufficiently couragious but basely cruell He over-ranne Syria Cilicia Mesopotamia Capadocia Armenia c. but returned with many curses for his crueltie and had next yeare beene retaliated by Gordianus the Roman had not this Emperour dyed by the hands of Philippus a rebell that slew him at Ctesiphon But which efflated Sapores above the rest was the rare overthrow he gave two yeares after to Licinius Vilerianus sirnamed Colobus Roman Emperor who after he had inhumanly triumphed ovet St. Lawrence thousands of other Christians whom he made Martyrs or witnesses in an open field Sapores vanquisht him betray'd some say by Macrinus his Liefetenant and to his dying day made that proud Roman his footstoole to mount upon verifying the old said Saw Superbos sequitur ultor a tergo Deus After he had tyrannised twenty yeeres hee dyed Anno Domini 273 and before the Hegira or Mussulmanish accompt 347. To Sapores followed Ormisda Cherman-sha say the Persians who at the end of thirteene months dyed and Vararanes for three yeeres till death prevented succeeded him to him Narses Tesdgird say the Persians who after sixteene yeeres rule died also and left to inherit his sonne Vararanes 2 cognominated Seganese by Persians calld Baharan who in the first quarter followed the common fate Narses a stranger succeeding him This Narses made bitteer warre with the Armenians and Mesopotamians at which Galerius stormed but his being the Roman Emperor could not dant Narses nor privilage him from being beaten yet in the second conflict is victor and Narses for griefe and shame burnes himselfe after he had eight yeers ruled Persia Misdates his sonne reighned seven yeere after his fathers death to whom followed Sapores an Anti-Christian for the Romans did not rage more furiously against the Christians in the lesser Asia than did this Tyrant in the great he was a posthumus and the crowne set upon his mothers belly even before his birth acknowledging him their soveraigne hee was the Romans inplacable enemy by no threats no bribes no reasons to be pacified he fired Nisibis not valuing that Bacchus was there borne and suckled after which in his owne Dominions he martyrd as Ecclesiastick writers report from the yeere 337 to 347 above thirty thousand Christian for in those dayes those eastern parts were most part Christians the names of many of those noble Martyrs you have in Sozimen he also affronted but with bad successe Constantius the Roman Emperour who dyed of griefe so soone as hee heard what cruelties Sapor had perpetrated upon the Citisens of Singara Bizabda Aminda Bombyca c. Mopsicrive a Towne under mount Taurus in huming him No better luck had that malicious Apostat Iulian who when he had done his worst against the Christians endeavored the subversion of Persia but most strangly he is peirced with a Persian dart in the night and expires with a tandem vicisti Galileë and in his place Iovanian with the joyfull cry of all his Camp Omnes sumus Christiani was saluted Emperour of the Romans He could do but little good against the Persians and therefore returnes towards Constaninople but in the way is arrested by grim death after hee had beene but eight months Emperor Sapores about that time also sighed out his affrighted ghost at the age and reigne of seventy one Anno Mundi 4350 Anno Domini 380. and Artaxerxes his brother ruled after him who dyed in the 11 yeare of his reigne Sapores followed him after five Varanes sirnamed Cermizat him after 10 yeares and to him succeeded Yezdgyrd a constant friend unto the Romans and as Socrates Scolast reports a Christian converted by Maruthas Bishop of Mesopotamia sent into Persia to that end by Pope Innocent and Theodosius the Emperor The Persian Stories say he apostatized who can tell the truth of it this is certaine that in the 20 yeare of his reigne Anno Dom. 426 hee dyed and that Varanes 4 or Baharan inherited his royalties By all Writers this Prince is taxed for his perfidie lust and crueltie especially against the Christians In their defence Theodorus junior sends Artaburus with a gallant Annie Vararanaes diffiding in his owne requests ayd from Alamandurus a Saracen whose Armies when they met were so many that they covered the earth for many miles with their innumerable numbers At Babylon both meet but ere the battell begun such a pannique feare struck the Pagans that they fled amazedly by
land some perisht but Euphrates without any pittie ingulpht 100000 of those miscreants and by that losse he Persian King is heart-broken after he had tyrannized 20 yeares and another Vararan 5 of that name placed in his stead hee tooke truce with Martianus the Emperour and after 17 yeeres left both life and crowne Perozes succeeded him call'd Pheruz by the Persians a Prince more rash than valiant in the 20 yeere of his reigne the warres of Scythia made an end of him Valens or Belax and Ialas was then chosen King he ruled 4 yeeres to him Cabades call'd also Chobad and Canades dethron'd by Lambases in the 11 yeere of his greatnesse which Lambases or Blases was also deposed by the Nobles of Persia in the 4 yeere for that hee had set forth an Edict that all women should be us'd in common and Canades is re-established but at last through his too much curtesy to his vile brother is made blind and the other mounts the Throne againe At this time great warres commenced 'twixt the Roman and Persians the Persian storming that at their perswasion Zatus sonneto Gurgenus King of the Lazarrs a part of Colchos or Mengrellya had received Baptisme at Constantinople Iustyn the Emperour witnessing for him at the Font. After that this Persian Tyrant had full gorg'd himselfe with the slaughter of many thousands of the Lazarrs and Armenians Death summons him to an unwilling accompt after 30 yeeres tumultuous reigne and Cozrhoe his son they call him Chezir is solemnly crowned the Persian King About this time the Roman Monarchy in the West took end Chozrhoe of all the Tyrants of Persia was most wicked and desperate hee first concluded peace for 110 yeeres with Iustinian the Roman Emperour but quickly broke it and to the utmost of his power inraged them 't would bee endlesse to speak his restlesse motion his barbarisme his hypocrisy In meere malice he put to death his brother Balax and Aspebides his aged Uncle the people murmur at him and to be even with them he commands them to follow him into Syria where hee ingages their valour and at Palmyria is beaten soundly but so exasperated that he ransacks Barrhosa Antioch Selucia Apamea and other parts in Phoenicia also hee gluts his mischiefe there hee forced Euphemia a Christian Lady and of her begot Hormisda who succeeded him hee also there compelled the chast Nymnhs of Daphné to offer incense to him as to a Deity and for their kindnesse ravisht them He consumed the great and stately Temple dedicated to St. Michael the Arch-Angell and accompted it no sacriledge to rob other Churches hee besieged Sergiropolis but is forced thence dishonourably he attempts the spoile of Ierusalem but hearing that Bellisarius in his time the most rich and wretchedly poore of men was approaching hee renues his league with the Romans but purposes not long to keepe it for next yeere hee forrages Armenia and Phoenicia Anno Dom. 556 Iustyn the Roman Emperour enters Mengrellia and by death of Nachorages the Persian Generall got a happy victory Cozrhoë next yeere assauts Edissa but fruitlessely for at Sagarthon that yeere the Christians vanquisht him An. Domini 574 he commands Artabanus or Adaarmanes with a great Army to enter the lesser Asia accordingly they spoyle Syria and unpeople Antioch in Iberia also and Armenia they entred with no lesse voracity At this time Armenia received the Christian Faith and the Romans have cōplaints sent them of Cezrhoes his cruelty Iustin sends Tiberius elected Caesar to quiet him His Army was great and consisted of many Nations French Italians Peonians Illirians Misians Massagets Isauriaus c. towards Armenia he marches to meet with Cosrhoé Cesarïa the Cappadocian Metropolis he soone mastered and after long toyle comes in view of the Enemie The Persians were strong and lustie The signall of battell was no sooner given but each man in a wrathfull posture hastned to vent their furie Cosrhoe by a sigh presages his overthrow but doubts it more when when Cursé a Scythian that led the right wing of the battell entred with rare courage into the body of the Pagan Armie and mastred all the Persian-baggages but the losse of that fight did not so much grieve him as that his Fire-god was falne into the hands of his scoffing Enemies Many night stratagems he invented to recover it but all to no purpose so that seeing it past recoverie it broke his heart at Ctesiphon after hee had reigned 48 yeares leaving this report behind him that to the Christians he was cruell to the Greeks perfidious to the Persians lustfull and tyrannicall In his place his sonne Hormisda Ormous by the Persians hee is call'd was crowned Monarch of Persia Anno Dom. 580 of the world 4550 His eight yeares rule was troublesome For in his 3 yeare Mauritius son in law and Liefetenant to Tiberius and also Emperour afterwards hammered the face of Persia he ranged where hee pleasd and did what listed him albeit to prevent it Tama Cosrhoé Adaarman Alamandure and Theodorique did what they could to hinder him Anno Dom. 589 Philippicus with some Roman Legions entred Persia especially to comfort the poore Christians who were threatned by the Magicians to be slaine all of them that yeare by myracle Cardarigas the Persian Generall supposes they were forced thither by a fate uncontroleable but the event prov'd such as in sted of the Christians above 30000 Persians were slaine by the great valour the great Captaines Philippcus Heraclius and Vitylian manifested amongst the superstitious who depended upon some supernaturall helps so long that Nature no whit defended them Barames a noble Persian by hap escaped but not a second disadventure for Hormisda grew so madded at his late overthrow that hee forces Barames to weare womens apparell and with a Distaffe in 's hand to disport the insulting multitude but this jeere cost him deerely for Barames flies into such parts as loved him and inceases Byndois a potent Persian against the King by whose confederacie they raise so great an Armie and passe to Shyraz so privatly that ere many knew of their approach they enter the Citie and imprison the King yea that same day crowne his sonne Chozroes King the barbarous Traytors executed their wrath upon the Queen her children whom most cruelly they sawed asunder at which Hormisda expresses all the simtoms of an inraged man his son cannot comfort him because his beloved wife was irrevocable Cosrhoes in passion commands some villaines to temper him whose crueltie prov'd such as drubd the wretched King to death an act so infernally devillish that all Persia cursed him Vpon their mutterings he growes tyrannicall but Barames that had mounted him wich the same hand thinks to pull him downe the King acquainted wich his intent commands this and that man to raise some force to punish him but into such hate was he growne that none would obey him whereby to save his life he flies with Cesarca his wife to Byzanth his
Parents dreadfull ghosts everie where hanting him But by the Christian Emperour Mauritius and his Empresse is with his Queene and little ones courteously welcommed After he had repos'd a while the Emperour assisted him with an Armie commanded by Narses and Commentiolus to re-invest him in his Empire into Hyeropolis and Martiropolis they easily entred at Daraz the Rebel Barames affronted him with an Armie of Scythique-Persians but such was the courage of the Christians that Barames was vanquished Cosrhoes returnes the Christian his thanks in teares of joy and knowing nothing would better please them than his conformitie he presented them with a rich Crosse of great value in jems and gold and returnes that other which Theodora wife to Iustinian had devoted brought from Antioch by Chosroé the elder and dedicates another made at 's owne charge circumscrib'd with an hypocritick Motto thus beginning Hanc Crucem ego Chosroes Rex Regum c. misi c. Quoniam ope Sancti Sergii Martiris honorabilis contra Baramum iniquissimum adepti sumus votum fecimus c. Nos auream Crucem lapill◠distinctam ad ejus Templum missuros c. una cum Cruce quam Instinian Imp. ad Templum ejus misit quam Cosrhoes Rex Regum c. filius Cabadi nostri proavi c. advehit c. ad Aedem Sancti Sirgii mittendum curavimus c. as you may find at large memorized by Baronius A Dish of gold also he dedicated with this inscription Ego Cosroes Rex Regum c. haec in Disco inscribenda curavimus non ut spectentur ab hominibus c. Nay he went further in his hypocrisie hee gave out to indeare the Christians his owne hated him that he affected to be a Christian but how politique so ere he was his Queene Cesarca found him a dissembler Shee good Lady to espouse Christ fled to Constantinople and there received baptisme most joyfully Cosrhoes followed her with 60000 men and when he saw she was not to be recovered without he would become a Christian he also was baptized and all such as followed him to the amazement of the Asiatique world as P. Diaconus has it in his 4 lib. 16 ch In Victor also and in Iohn Abbot of Biclar as is extant in his Epistle in these words In his ergo temporibus quibus Deus omnipotens prostrato veternosae heresis veneno pacem suae restituit Ecclesiae Imp. Persarum Christi fidem suscipiens c. But of speak of his Apostasie his crueltie against the Christians and other barbarismes he afterwards perpetrated would rather require a volume than to be confin'd to so small a narration as I intend to all of them For so soone as he heard of the massacre of Mauritius his wife and children by Phocas a Captaine in his Armie and of the arrogance of Boniface the Romish Bishop who at that time assumed the title of universall Bishop he rejects Lilius the Roman Ambass Apostatises yea vowes to sacrifice himselfe in Mauritius his quarell or be revenged on that villanous Phocas and thence-forward he revives his Pagan titles in all his letters and proclamations beginning thus Cosrhoes King of Kings Lord of Lords Ruler of princes Salvation of men c. By such his blasphemie he hoped to assure his owne he was once more a Pagan Anno Dom. 603 with an Armie of 100000 men he entred Syria there in Palestine and Phenicia doing all the mischiefe imaginable All the lesser Asia parched in his inflamed furie hee harried the poore Christians as farre as Chalcedon takes Capessa and Edyssa Anno Dom. 612 hee heares of the untimely deaths of Narses and Phocas his enemies beheaded by Heraclius the Emperour That yeare also he sackt Apamea Cesaria Cappadocia c. but at Antioch is overjoyed with a victorie he obtain'd against the Christians This encouraged him to over-runne Palestyne Ierusalem also where hee derided Zacharius the Patriarch and transferd the Crosse thence to Shyraz in Persia hee subdued Aegipt also Alexandriae and Lybia and made the blackt fac't Aethiopians admire his frenzie The Roman Empire had reason to be affrighted when they felt his wrath in Anatolia chiefly in Ancyra the Galatian Metropolis 'T is reported that in that out-breaking he slew 300000 Christians agrandiz'd by the Jewes who followed him and payd readie money for many Christians whom without mercie they slaughtered Heraclius sent 70 Roman Gentlemen to mediate Peace Saes the Persian Generall threatens them as spies and barbarously beat them back againe Heraclius is so impatient at that high indignitie as with a good number of men he fought with Saes and gets the victorie Saes for his payment is by Cosrhoes command flayed alive and Sarbaeras made Generall Heraclius Winterd in the Pontique Regions Sarbaras with a monstrous Armie passes through Cilicia and one Moone-shine night assayled the Romans whom he thought to have found unprepared but by that haste lost 50000 of his men and gave a brave encouragement to the Christians Cosrhoe next yeare sent Sarnabassa to trie his fortunes Heraclius requires a truce but Cosrhoes vowes revenge and never to rest vexing the Christians And to that end sends Sathyn into Trepizond but at Azotus Heraeclius affronted him and had the victorie At Gazacot Cozrhoes dares the Roman Emperour with an Armie of 50000 Persians never was battell better fought nor more doubtfully but at length the Persians flie away yea Cosrhoes upon a swift Arabian Courser posts to Theobatman hoping there if any where to finde safetie But such was the generall hate he had plunged himselfe into that he distrusts that Santuarie Heraclius resolves to ferrit him but Cosrhoes hearing of his approach thinks it more safe to flie away than looke for help from that helplesse Deity Heraclius when he had throughly searched that idolatrous place and could not find him is sorrie but rejoyces againe that his Deastri were there to execute his wrath on The people some he slew the rest he banished the Flamens he sacrificed to their Idoll the Pyree he incinerated and made other common fire be commixt with that they boasted they had from heaven and together made it consume the whole Citie into ashes at Gazacot also hee did the like where was another Pyree infinitly resorted to by those Idolaters An abomination taught them by Zertoost in King Gustasps time and seemes to mee either that which Moses forbad the Israelites that they should not let their seed or children passe through the fire to Moloch which some think was a brazen hollow heated Statua or as the Sepharuites practis'd of whom 't is said that they burnt their children in the fire to Adrammeleck and Anammelec the Gods of Sephervaim as is in Levit. 18.21 and in the 2 Kings 17.17 and 31. and concerning which Idolatry we read in Lucian Strabo lib. 15. Procopius lib. 2. de bello Persico Agathias lib. 2 c. Amongst other things which Heraclius found there in that Temple dedicated to the Sun was
one Deaster or image of Cosrhoes which the people worshipped the frame was round resembling heaven his head was wreathed with the Sun the rayes spread themselves to the umbelique or navell of the image on one side was the Sun againe depicted on th' other the Moone and Starres his brother and sisters and under his feet the Angels with Crownes and Scepters attending him bat albeit the work was rare and the materiall of refined gold yet did the good Emperour throw it into the fire to incorporate it with his Diety Cosrhoes by this had gathered a fresh Armie out of Hyrcarnia and bids Shae-Rablecca to forrage Albania but they stood so excellently upon their defence that Rablacca returnes till Sarbaras with new forces forc't him back and much hurt questionlesse had they done had not Heraclius speedily entred and rooted them both in one day yet neither knowing it Mahomet the Prophet was in Heracliu's Armie till now and about this time begins the Hegyra or flight of that false Prophet from Mecca whose people threatned to kill him for his innovation and doctrine Anna Dom. 622 and of the Emperours reigne 13 Sarbaras past his Armie over Euphrates of purpose to trie the fortune of warre with Heraclius who so soone as hee knew his intent gave him reason to repent his arrogance the good Emperour himselfe discharging his duty so excellently with such excellent courage that Sarbaras upon view of it cryed out thus to Cosma his Companion O Cosmal seest thou with what courage the Emperour fights certainly hee alone is able to vanquish all our multitudes That Winter the Emperour marched to Sebastia and crossing the river Halys made Paphlagonia his rendezvous But Cosrhoe swels with passion and combines with Lucifer that by diabolicall Witchcraft he might vex the miserable Christians against whom hee raged with all sorts of cruelty and ere he gave a farewell to this world once more ventures a battell with the Romans 150000 men he musters up and divides them in three to Sayn one part to Serbaras another to himselfe the rest imagining by some or all of these to doe wonders Sayn with his 50000 went against the Emperour Sarbaras with his 50000 marcht to Constantinople and Cosrhoe stayes upon the frontiers Heraclius divides his also into three the one to hasten into Thrace the other to bestow a Camisado upon Sayns Quarter the last hee led himselfe into the Lazic Territories to which place the Gazarrs a sort of Turk came to serve him Theodore in small time rais'd Sayns Armie his Chrysolocae assisted by hayle from heaven so direfully thundring on them that all men there saw that God fought for them Sayn was a slaine in that battell but in stead of a decent buriall the Persian Tyrant array'd his carcasse in raggs persumed him with dogs turds and slasht his sencesse trunck into a thousand peeces That yeare the Gazarrs to gratifie Heraclius under conduct of Ziebit broke through the Caspian straits and did the Persians much mischiefe and to the Roman Armie exprest no small affection Anno Dom. 626 Sarbaras with infinit troopes entred Thrace pillg'd Calcedon a towne built by Iason and Argias much traded to in view of Bysanth and upon the Bospherus After that they layd siege to Constantinople and for ten dayes incessantly laboured to enter it but such was the excellent courage of the Christians such her naturall defence that the Persians could not prevaile but upon notice that Heraclius was approching they rais'd their siege retreated shamfully Anno 628. the Roman Emperour entred Armenia and in a long fought battell obtained a mervailous great victorie After which hee demolisht Ctesiphon and pursued Cosrhoe who when he heard that Sarbaras had sped but ill in Thrace and had re-delivered Caloedon to the Christians inflamed with passion he sends a villain an Assassinate to murther him but by strange hap the Emperors sonne had notice of it and acquaints the Generall who by this ingratitude of Cosrhoe begun to raise a dangerous rebellion Cosrhoes when he saw things succeeded thus infortunatly in anguish of soule breath'd out his spirit a Fever first and then a Flux so taking him that after he had reigned 50 yeares upon his death-bed he nominated as King his sonne Mardesae begot of Syra his Queene who ere hee could set the Crowne on 's head was slaine by Syroes his brother yea before his fathers face an act so horryd that Cosrhoe bitterly curses him but Syroes the most bloudie viper that ever liv'd heaps greater sinnes upon his head by commanding some villains to shoot him to death at that instant his loathed soule call'd to mind his like cruelty to Hormisda his father and acknowledged that God was just to his retaliation So soone as Heraclius heard of Cosrhoes death he imagines all his quarrells ended that yeare therefore he travell'd to the holy Citie and presented Zacharyas the then Patriarch with the Crosse of Christ found by Saint Helena a Brittanish Lady 3 May 326. and ravisht thence by Cosrhoes as I lately remembered His triumphant entring thither was the 17 of September 628 the same yeare that Boniface published to the world his Catholique Supremacie and in which Mahomet divulg'd his Alcoran Syroes by Teixerae call'd Chobad-Xirvihé in the Tarich or Annal of Time Scyrviah in the sixth yeare of his reigne was slaine by Sarbaras Sarbaras is by the Persians call'd Shawryr by Shicard Shiribar in the third moneth of his reigne he slew Ardohyr ben Xirviah right heire to the Crowne eight moneths after that is himselfe slaine by Ioen-sha or Shyn-Shaw Lord of part of Taurus The successours to this man are uncertainly delivered The Roman Authors from him to the conquest of Mahomet reckon three Kings of Persia The Arabs 6. The Persians 5. The Tarich 4. Teishera 7. The Armenians 11. How can I therefore reconcile them The most plausible is this That Ioon-sha at the end of three moneths was banisht by Tuwan or Turan Doct naturall daughter to Cosrhoe She had as bad a fate at the end of sixteene moneths shee was poysoned and dyed much lamented to her followed to Iazan-Zeddahs by the Tarich call'd Ian-ku-kar-connah by Elmacyn Gaescan-zedda who ruled nine months to him succeeded Azurmy Doct Cosrhoes youngest daughter who after sixteene moneths dyed and left Shezir or Kezir to suceed her who also at the end of six weeks was slaine by Phorog-Zeddah or Shyriar as some call him who after like time dyed of poyson and Yesdgyrd followed who was forthwith made away by Bornarym and he by Hormisdas the last of those 12 vanishing Turrets Cosrhoe saw in a perplexed vision one night after he had beene admiring Aristotle The Period of Pesia's command was now accomplished Such time as Hormisda after five yeares rule ten some say others six was slaine by Omar the 2 Calyph after Mahomet at which time viz. Anno 640 and of the world 4610. and from the yeare of the Hegira 20. by whose fall Persia
and in another fight Rashed-byla his sonne at Hispahawn To Masud in Gasnehen succeeded Sha-Aesolan slaine by Babaron-sha his brother Ar. Heg 499 to whom followed his sonne Cosrhao who after he had forraged India dyed A.H. 540 and in him took end the Sabutaque family In those times as Kaliphs of Babylon and part of Persia were Ghaladuddaul whose seventh successour Mustaed-zem was slaine by Cingis Chan An. Heg 580 Almostansor bila Mansor in his place governed Caldea and Persia Of those Tartars I have formerly spoken Descend wee therefore to the yeare of our Lord 1415 Heg 795. such time as Chara-Mahumed the Turk re-entred Persia Hee ruled three yeares and left Kara-Issuph to succeed him who also after three yeares dyed at Casbyn and left six sonnes viz. Pir-buda-cawn Scander-mirza Ioon sha Sha-Mahomet Abuzedda and Mirsa-Absall all which dyed untimely by envie and one anothers emulation Of those seven Ioon-shi was last and he also slaine with Acen-Ally his sonne by Acem-beg at that time the family of the Guspan Caraculu or blacksheep ended and the Guspan Acorlu or white-sheep took beginning The first were Turks the last Armenians The Armenians subdue i◠Acem beg otherwise call'd Vsan-Cassan conquerd Persia An. Dom. 1470. Heg 850. he subjected Hyrac Trakeyn Aderbayon Kaboncara Mosendram Carman and Cusistan and after eight yeares command dyed at Kazbyn in Shervan was solemnly buried He left behind him seven sons Ogorlu Sultan-Kalyl Iacob-mirza Iosias Yssuf Maczud and Zenal-beg O gorlu was poysoned Kalyl was slaine by Maczud-beg Iosias and Synall were slaine in the Turquish warres Iacob was murthered by a Whore at Tauriz and Yssuf dyed of an Impostume The seven sonnes of Vsan Cassan being all dead the Empire descended upon Baisangor Iacobs sonne hee was deposed by Rustan-beg sonne to Muczud-beg Next yeare Baisangor return'd with many of his Armenian friends but in the way dyed Rustan that yeare was dethroned by Hagmet beg sonne of Ogorlu and he by Kacem-beg and Hayb-Sultan two powerfull rebells who also by Alvan-beg were slaine and in Spahawn all of them buried Alvan-beg Baisangor's brother after he had ruled Persia five yeares An. Heg 878 was vanquished by Ismael his Aunts sonne and two yeares after Morad was slaine at Spahawn In him ended the race of white sheep who under Acem-beg had conquered Persia In Ismael revived Saint Azmully and Mortis-Ally's glory whose successors at this day rule Persia I will very briefly touch some passages of their Reigne that I may hasten to our other Travells Ismael sirnamed Sophy was invested Monarch of Persia An. Dom. 1500 Heg 880. He drew his pedegree from Mortis-Ally King of Persia Anno Dom. 750 Heg 130. In a descent of 35 Princes some of them are thus named Abi-Taleb or Abutalip had Mortis-Ally Father of Mahomet Mahadyn from whom Mutar Saint Asmully and Salyn descend to them these Shec-Sophy Eddin-Isaack sirnamed from his learning and piety Cutb'b el-eulya to whom in order are these Shec Moses or Mizra-Sedryddin Shec-Ally-Shec-Ebrahym Siet-Gunet Shec or Siet Aydar and Shaw-Ismae Whose Title to the Crowne was this Shec-Sofy such time as Tamberlane returned from his Turquish Conquests this Shec was of that holinesse and fame that that great Monarch vouchsaf't not only to visit him at Ardaveel but also to expresse his best affections Hee made no other use of the Tartars favour save to beg the lives of many thousands of miserable Persians whom by Hoharo-Mirsa's folly Tamberlane had markt out for death That act added infinitly to the Santo's credit Tamberlane dyed Anno 1437. Heg 787 and is buried at Anzar in Cathaya The Persian Saint lived but three yeares after him of whom I may say as Horace did of another Crescit occulto velut Arbor aevo Fama Sophyi Syet Gunet his sonne by the excellent report his Syre had honoured him with not only inheriting his fathers repute but so popularly beloved that he suddenly hatches the ambitious thoughts how to dispossesse Ioon-Sha of the Empire Hee attempts it divers wayes but finds none so sure as by making a Schisme in their Religion he therefore dictates a new Currawn wherein he villified accurst the three successours to Mahomet and magnified Mortis Ally adding this That he was lineally frō him descended Ioon-Sha espies his drift and seeks to kill him But he doubting no lesse avoyds it and flies into Armenia where Vsan Cassan entertained him with all respect possible and to make it more apparant bestowes his daughter Martha Kadaijon Katun the Persians call her upon Despyna daughter to Calo-Ioannes Emperour of Trepisond upon Aydar his sonne on whom he begot two sonnes Ally-Sha sirnamed Sulyman and Sha-Ismael Ally was slaine in the Cradle by Prince Iacup their Uncle Vsan Cassans sonne But Ismael found mercie from Rustan Amansor sent to murther him and who lived to revenge his fathers and brothers death upon him Aydar in the Annalls of Persia is said to have subjected Trebizonal to have him sat as Emperour 8 moneths conquerd afterwards by Mahomet first Turquish Emperour Upon Vsan Cassan's conquest of Persia he also recovered his Barony of Ardaveel but by the treacherie of Iacup at his besieging Tabriz was slaine by Pharuc-Issur the then Viceroy of Sultany and Tabriztan I have told you that Ismael in revenge of his Fathers murther and to make good his claime from Ally in two battells wherein hee vanquisht Alvan and Morod Kings of Persia made himselfe Monarch of that Empire For upon his flight into Arzenion he was so welcommed that in memorie of his Grandfires kindnesse to them when hee begd their lives of Tamberlane they all rose in his defence namely those great Tribes the Auxarchiars Romlu Sufiah Estayalu Kayridac Versabli Shamlu Zulcaderlu c. by whose help hee slew Pharuc Issup conquerd Shervan at Tabryz beat Alvan and in himselfe establisht the Empire In memory of which and the other hee gave Morod that yeere neere Shyraz hee instituted an order of Coosel-basha's in them both memorizing his discent from Mahadyn 12 sonne of Ocen of Ally and Mamalucks who then flourished Bajazet the Turk squints at Ismaels greatnesse having formerly in his appetite devoured Persia But such was Isamel's high courage vertue that he not only resisted the utmost furie of Bajazeth but also made the Tartars and Indians tremble at his fortune The Persians honoured him the Armenians loved him but the Jewes deified and assured him hee was the Messias they so long wayted for but Ismaels severity towards them upon that blasphemie made them quickly recant and rather think him a second Vespasian Ere I goe further let mee speake a word of his sirname Sophy Ismael at his Coronation proclaim'd himselfe King of Persia name of Pot-Shaw-Ismael-Sophy Whence that word Sophy was borrowed is much controverted Whether it be from the Armenian idiom signifying wooll of which the Shashes are made that enobled his new order Whether the name was from Sophy his Grandsire or from the Greek word Sophos imposed upon Aydar at
his conquest of Trepizond by the Greeks there I know not Since then many have called the Kings of Persia Sophy's but I see no proper reason for it since Ismaels sonne grand great grand sons Kings of Persia never continued that name till this that now reignes whose name indeed is Soffee but casuall Ismael the second of his reigne subjected Shervan and Gheylan Parc Hyerac and Cusistan Kerman Macron and as farre as Iasques Coom Coom was commonly his Winter rendezvous The fourth yeare by Elyas-beg he purposed to infest the Tartars but Elias through neglect was vanquisht in the way by Ocebeg-Geholy Lord of Chalat-Pherusky who at Ismaels approach fortifies his Castle but is forced out by flux and famine hee and fifty of his best men slaine and the rest pardoned Which done he hasts back to Yezd hearing that Mahomet had besieged it he quickly rais'd the siege and burned Mahomet And after hee had compounded some differences 'twixt himselfe and Morod-sha brother to Alvan Anno Dom. 1507. Heg 887 hee journeyed to Shyraz where he was solemnly crowned but next day put to death 30000 men such as were either guilty of his Fathers death or had taken part with Morod against him That yeare he hastened into Mosendram and repuls'd the Tartarrs albeit he had not above 20000 horse and Vlu-chan and his were above 300000. And to retaliate them he billited his men that Winter in Taron but so soone as the weather permitted hee entred Tuzz intending to spoile Samarchand But hearing of Sultan Ocen's death and that Shac-beg-chawn an Ouz-beg had usurped the Crowne of Corasan in the behalfe of ther injur'd Princes Ocens sonnes he entered Corasan and in a long fought battell 'twixt him and the Rhumestans slew Sha-beg-cawn 30000 Tattars and made Acen-Ally be crowned King upon condition that at his death it should hold of the Persian Dyadem That Summer he passed Oxus and slew Chamsylba the Maurenahar King sackt the strong Castle Ael-kama depopulated Dargan Farghwan Azfaker and many other strong holds in T'sogd Kennough Gaznehen Maurenaher Rhumestan Turq'stan farre beyond Balk the Ouz-beghian Metropolis and returning he sackt Tuzz Sakalkand Sikamest c. sufficiently retaliating what his own Nation had formerly suffered from the Black-sheep of that vargant Country and when he had fully glutted himsefe amongst the Tartarrs came joyfully back to Coom where he was received with all symptoms of joy possible to be expressed Next sommer he went into D'arbeg against the Turks who so soone as they had heard of Ismaels doings in Tartary entred Bagdat and exprest their utmost villanie there calling them Raffadins or Schismaticks and cutting off the noses and thumbs of many hundred Persians In their revenge Ismael affronts them with 50000 horse and in despight of what Carigy and Ally-Bashaw could do upon the bancks of Tygris he gave the Turks an overthow and that yeere seconds it by another he gave the Beglerbeg of Anatolia whereat Bajazeth stormes but Ismael to exasperate him took a Swine into his Court and names it Bajazeth madding the Grand-Senior and his Ambassador but joying the Persians to see the excellent courage of their Emperour At this time also Tekelles a favorite to Ismaels father Aydar to propagate the Reformation leads 20000 men into Trepisond whither the Armenians flockt in such abundance that that Syet entred Turquy with 200000 men as farre as Iconium in Lycaonia where hee vanquisht Mahomet and Orcan the 2 youthfull Nephews of Bajazeth Carogozes the Bassa of Asia also he triumpht over sackt Cutay and in the plaines of Ancira put to flight Ally-Bassa and his innumerable company yea had Ismael taken the advantage to have backt him he had prov'd another Tamberlain but wanting his countenance and other necessaries Ionuses Bassa neere to Anti-Taurus conquered him and which was no lesse miserable that famous Captain doing some violence to a Carravan he met with by the way is at this entring Casbyn apprehended and by Ismaels command burned Anno Domini 1511. Heg 891. Ismael recovered Bagdat Barrhyeck-beg the Sultan betraying it and opening a posterne where-through the Persians entred Mahomet Bassa being forced to flie to save his life That yeere hee entertained Lemius the Portugall Agent at Cashan who was led into the Army by Mirza Abucaca the field Marshall the which Lemius reported to Albuquerq that Ismael had 350000 Paviilions pitcht there and in the field 130000 men That yeere Bajazeth was poysonned by a Jew and in his Place Selym his younger son made Emperor of Turquy That yeere Morad sonne to Sultan Ac'mat Bajazeths eldest sonne fled to Ismael fot safety and Aladyn his brother to Campson Gaurus Sultan of Aegypt where both were welcomed Selym prepares to fetch them thence but Ismael irritates his vexation and incourages Morad with 10000 horse promising to second him by Vstref-oglan with 20000 more to forrage Turquy accordingly Morad past through Armenia the lesse and in Cappadocia shewed himselfe an adversarie Chendemus with great forces opposes him who upon notice of his Uncles approach fell back to Vstref and both of them to Anti-Taurus where Aladules quietly suffered him to passe the Mountaines into Armenia whither they knew ere-long the Grand-Senior would hunt after them Selym commands his whole forces to follow him into Persia Chendemus for diswading him slaine but Ebrahim Bass's advice after long march into Armenia he got where in the Calderan plains was fought 'twixt the Turk and Persian a most memorable battell Ismael with 30000 Persians for 16 houres maintaining the fight with Selymus and 300000 Turks and where if the Turquish Artillery bad not disordered and affrighted the Persian horse the Persian had gloriously triumphed but as it was for one Persian 10 Turks were slaine and neither of them obtained conquest the horror of it such that the Turkish Annalls call that dayes fight The day of Doom Anno Domini 1515. Heg 895 Selym returnd with new forces into Armenia but by the way strangled Aladeules be Mountanous King Ismael leaves Synal-beg to pursue his conquest of Mosendram and with 30000 horse attended Selym at Tabriz but Selym diverts his first thoughts and at an unexpected houre enters Aegypt and by the slaughter of the Sultan Campson betrayed by Cajerbeg Sultan of Aleppo conquered it and gave end to that order of Mamalucks which from Sultan Saladyne who lived Anno Heg 896. had continued with much fame and excellencie Tomambeyus sought to have restored it but Selym made his life the price of it Anno Domini 1514. Hegaria 894. Sha-Tamas was born who succeeded Ismael in the Empire in 5 yeeres after he had also Hel-cawn Som-Mirza and Bacram-cawn some call them Elias Sormiza and Barhon-cawn An. Dom. 1520. Salym the Turkish Emperour dyed and was succeeded by Solyman Anno Domini 1525. Heg 965. Ismael also dyed in the 40 of his age and his reigne 20 yeeres Ismael's foure soones did what they could to ruine the Empire by one anothers ruine Hel-cawn especially who to effect
it syded with the Turkish Emperour Vlembeg also who had married their sister laboured it But albeit Solyman did his best by his owne forces and by their treasons yet such was his ill luck that excepting Babylon and Tabryz they got nothing but sad experience for Tamas upon notice of the Turkish entry leaves Kazien Bassa and Corasan which he then had beseiged and hasts to Cashyn the Turks so soone as they had rifled Tabryz retreat but are so assailed in the rear by Delementhes still as they marched that they could not preuent the losse of 40 Cannon 3 Sansacks 800 Janisaries and of Asaps or common men above 20000 a victorie so plausible that to this day upon the 3 and 10 of Ardabehish or October t is with many signalls of joy solemnized 4 yeeres after as Morod had done to Ismael so Bajazet Solymans sonne fled to Tamas to save his life willing to part with his hopes of a Monarchy his rebellions and injuries to his father and brother had beene many and notable so as Hassan Bassa comes to Casbyn and upon assuring Tamas that Bajazeth came purposely to kill him that infortunate Prince was by that old villaine strangled and his 4 sonnes also Homer Morad Selymus and Mahomet Solyman next yeere enters Persia with 150000 men Tamas affrighted with their great ordnance hyres 5000 Portugalls from Ormus and Indya who brought 20 Cannon along with them and by whose helps the Turks were vanquished That yeere Tamas eatf ed the Ouz begs country and retorned victorious and next into Cabul whence he thought to have gone to Lahore but upon newes that Mustapha Solymans eldest sonne and brother to Bajazeth lately at Casbyn strangled was fled from his Father to him from succour he returnes and welcomes him willing any way to agrandize discord amonst the Ottomans Solyman in person with 80000 men followes him in every place hee came that loved the Persian perpetrating all sort of savage cruelty At Erez Tamas fought with Solyman but with worse successe than formerly neere Bagdat for 1000 Persians were slaine and 20000 Turks but by their numbers the Persians were forced to leave the field which when Mustapha saw fled to his Father and beseeches for Roxalana his Mothers sake pardon but it would not be his Father forthwith made him to be strangled Anno Domini 1576. Heg 956. King Tamas dyed at Cazbyn aged 68 having reigned 50 yeeres and left his eldest sonne Mahomet to succeed him hee had in all 12 sonnes and 3 daughters Maomet Ismael Aydar Sulyman Emangoly Morad Mustapha Ally Hamed Ebrahim Hamzé and Izma cawn Ismael during his stay at Cohac complots with Peria-Conconna and Sahamal-can by whose help hee strangled Aydar and beheaded 8 other of his brethren hopefull also to meet with Mahomet who being fled to Georgia finds such friends that ere long he returned with 12000 horse Curds and Georgians by whose service and the valour of Leventhybeg he arrives at Spahawn where he had newes of Ismaels death slain in his bed by Periaconconna and 4 Sultans who entred habited like women An. Dom. 1577. The same yeere that Ismael was thus slain Peria-Concanna was also made away by Salmas-Mirza at the command of Mahomet Mahomet call'd Codobanda by the Turks had many sonnes Ismael Mustapha Mir-can Guynet Sophy c. Ismael was famisht to death Caykahe Castle neere Tabriz by meanes of Massombeg the favorite the rest of his sonnes dyed untimely He had also 3 sonnes begot of Ioon-Conna Princesse of Heri and Corassan Emyr-Hamzé mirza Sultan Aydar and Abbas Emyr-hamze-mirza was the most famous active and beloved Prince that ever to this day lived in Persia When he commanded they thought nothing impossible the Turks the Indyan the Arab and Tartar feared him with 40000 horse hee vanquisht 200000 Turks neere Van and cleared Armenia of those Locusts After that with 30000 Persians and Ouzbeghians hee over-threw them at Erez and obteyned a most glorious victory Two yeeres after Anno Domini 1580. Heg 960 at Bagdat he beat the Turks at that time of Persians being slaine 10000 but of Turks 70000. Next yeere he opposed the Tartar neere to Sumachy and slew 20000 of their men and that same month of the Turks led by Mustapha Bassa 100000 but with losse of above 40000 of his owne men An. Dom 1584. Heg 964. neere Van againe he slew above 20000 Turks and with his own hands slew the Sultan of Caramit the Generall the Basha of Trebizond and 5 Sanzacks At Sancazan the insuing spring he also beat Osman the Basha who dyed to think of it and slew above 23000 other Turks At Tephlis he vanquisht Sycala the famous Basha and slew 30000 of his Turks the Prince losing 9000 Persians but by that victory regained Tabriz Babylon and all other such places as King Tamas had Anno Domini 1537. Heg 917 lost to Solyman Next yeere he took Derbent from the Turk and neere to Tephlys with 20000 horse scattered and slew 80000 Turks so dismall to Amurath that rather than see his face Mustapha by voluntary poyson at the age of 78 gave up the ghost and Acmat the renouned Ennuch resolv'd to beg rather than to see Persia againe But Synon Bassa was so puft up with his late conquests at Cyprus Malta and Aegypt that he threatens his payment and to that end with 100000 men he entred Georgia sackt Tephlys and in Shervan did many mischiefes but plague and famine puisuing him the Prince of Persia ere the Tartar could joyne with Synon bad him battell at Carse in the Turq'men confines and beat him but two dayes after lost 5000 men more and was forced back to Trepizond But at length what enemies abroad could not effect at home his brother Abbas perpetrated by poyson insomuch as in the vigor of his age and hopes of further conquest this gallant Prince goes down not aged 30 and of such force with purblind Mahomet that in few dayes after hee expired An. Dom. 1585. Heg 965. after 8 yeeres reigne and at Ardaveel by his father was some part buried Abbas had much adoe to quiet the distemper of the Persians such hate they bore him for his cruelty At Casbyn hee found most welcome they had considered the other two were irrevocable that it concerned them to have some expert man to defend them from the Turk who almost every day from Tabriz affronted them Spahawn indeed paid deerely for her rebellion The first yeere of his reigne Amurath the Turkish Emperour sent his Ambassador to Abbas to command him If he desired peace to send him his sonne Ismael as a hostage the Ambassador had better have stayed at home for albeit hee escaped with his life yet hee was miserably bastinadoed Enraged by that message hee besieged Tabriz and easily forced the Turks thence as also out of Van and all Armenia two yeeres after he beat them out of Balsorac and Bagdat yea made Dyarbec and Iaziry too hot for them By Curchiki-can he subdued Ghey-lan by
Bartholmew and S. Thomas Polycat Armagun Narsinga Mestipatan Bipilipatan and other places where of old the Assacani whence the Assassinates are placed by Strabo and Narsinga I take to be Magoza NEGAPATAN i.e. a Towne upon the river Negay has 12 deg latitude North odd minutes hot and unwholsome both in regard the wind and raines are for the better part of the yeare high and unseasonable The Towne has good water and Fruits well relisht cooling and nutritive notwithstanding the people are much vexed with Fevers Fluxes and other Diseases The people be blackish blockish and unapt for studie or exercise Heat which here predominates debelitates their appetite and invites them to too much ease the Mother of luxurie a small thin but very fine Shuddery or vaile of Lawne is drawne afore their secret parts their head also has a small wreath the rest is exposed to view and weather They want no gold stones of value nor such things as the Merchant covets but they prize them as we doe Trifles Any religion is tolerable so that some praise Mahomet some a Dog others a Crocodile and some love senselesse Pagods The Banyan wives here have more freedome to burn themselves to ashes at the Funerall of their husbands than where the Moores have command so that in this Coast the custome is usuall Their Marriages require the first place They are various the most Novell being that a Priest a Cow and the two Lovers go together to the water side where the Bramyn mutters a prayer of smal matter to some purpose which finisht in order and Symmetry they linck hands and have the Cowes tayle commixt as a holy testimony on all together the Bramin powres his hallowed Oyle and forces the beast into the river whereinto shee goes willingly yea so farre till they be to the middle in water nor returnes she nor doe they disunite till Neptune fright her but being on shore they untie holding that conjunction sacred and powerfull ever after Their Epithalamy is sung let 's heare their Funeralls when Death has cut in two their Union shee conceits her selfe a loathed carkasse to live after him shee roabs her tender body with a transparent Lawne her armes leggs and thighes are fettered with wanton chaines of love her eares nose and fingers adorn'd with Pearles and precious stones one hand holds choise of flowers th' other a Ball Embleams of immortall Paradise She goes attended with a mighty company some for love most for Novelty The Priest all the way describes the rare joyes she is going to she grants a modest smile trips on and upon sight of the flame seemes transported beyond measure she sees the carcasse of her Husband layd upon a pyle of pretious wood and when the fire begins to embrace him like a mad Lover shee bids Farwell to her Parents children and friends and willingly incorporates her selfe with fire which quickly makes them one and nothing nothing extant save fame flame and ashes Of which the Poët thus of old Et câ—rtamen habent lethi quae viva sâ—quatur conjugium pudor est non licuisse mori Ardent victrices praebent pectora flammae imponuntque suis ora perusta viris They strive to die and who best speed can make They blush grim Death so slowly to o'retake The Conquerors burn their brests yeeld to the fire And to their husbands their burnt lips aspire Some refuse to burne but are forced to shave and live as Monsters a punishment justly given they were growne so audiciously wanton that upon any distaste the liver of their abused husbands could but satisfie their lustfull boldnesse acted by venome till by Parliament this course was taken to avoyd the danger Grosse Idolatry Such is the miserable vassalage the old red Dragon cheyns this wretched people in who are so farre from commiserating their owne woe that they invent many tragick tricks of devotion to destroy themselves and to agrandize their idolatry They have a massy copper guilded Pagod mounted upon a triumphant Chariot moved by eight mighty wheeles over-laid with pure gold the Ascent is spatious and easie by many steps on which are placed upon a solemne day the Priests and many sober girles who to inrich the Divell poore knave prostitute their bodies to the libidinous flame of wicked men Oh ignis infernalis luxuria fond zeale of such besotted Parents to destinate their pretty children from a miserable infancy to the old age of hellish devotion the procession followes not unlike the Thensa us'd by the superstitious Romans or that by idolatry of the Danes reported by Ditmarus and Dado their writers happy is that man rich and poore great and base can fasten a hand to draw the Charriot yea they account them happiest who out of a frantick zeale temetariously throw their naked bodies in the way that by the ponderousnesse of the Devill and his Charriot their wretched bodies may be crusht in peeces by that thought Martyrs not knowing that their mortall silly soules flie into the fry of an endlesse flame yea more infandum such is the stupid folly of these men that they perswade their fanatique daughters to become base strumpets to please their fancy and inrich their Pagods insomuch as it is a great wonder to see so many girles at such immaturity so impudently delighted with filthy men Quid juvat durum proverare Fatum Omnis haec vaga turba libet ad manes Faciâ—tque inertivela Cocyto What helps it thus to haste your destiny In such post-haste since all this wretched fry Shall with full sayle to hell through Cocyt fly From Negapatan goe we for Meliapore MELIAPORE is a Town on the Coast of Kormandel elevating the Artick Pole 13 degr 20 min. both old and famous first call'd Calamina then Melange Meliapore after that and now S. Thomas by reason that in this place he suffered martyrdome The Towne is at this day small and poore under Moorish command and yeelds little for Trade save Cotton ware and such Commodities howbeit is exalted in her memory This was the last place where the Apostle preached after hee had converted Persia Hyrcania Bactria Sogdiana and many parts of Indya yea and many Proselites were here who embraced his soule saving doctrine and those not of the basest sort for Sygamus himselfe Emperour of this Coast was baptized and by his example other of the Nobles Howbeit the Devill so wrought by Gods permission that some apost atizd and inraged the multitude so that in a common furie they both suffered the one was shot to death the other brayned and both crowned with glorious martyrdome thirty yeares after our Saviours passion And however Abdias Babylonicus who writ that after their deaths they appeared and preached againe their former doctrine may seeme doubtfull this is certaine that in Memory of their cruell ingatitude the divine justice hath marked their posterities as some Jewes say the Tribe of Benjamin are to this day who of all others were most fierce against
blush not to proffer their Daughters or Neeces to be their bed-fellowes yea to concomitate them at bed and board during his stay the price for such a favour not equalling so high a complement but that were it lesse too much in my opinion for such Pandars and base prostitutes At the end of the prefixed time the woman returnes home well pleas'd so far from shame or losse that they rather accompt her honoured and fit for preferment But 't is dangerous to be wanton elsewhere jealousie on either side inflaming into rage which seldome dyes without one or anothers destruction I cannot but cry out upon them and adjudge them in the civil sorrow of one of their Religion but more temperance who could sigh out at sight of such absurdities Oh miserum cui peccare liceat Adultery they punish rigidly Fornication is more tollerable The young women are carelesly frolick and fearelesly merry the married melancholy and strictly observed idlenesse and heat provokes them to inchastity The men are also effeminate yea wallow in all kind of turpitude and sensuality their females are often in their sight the grape commoves them to wickednesse they delight their gust and pallat with choysest wines waters Rack Ryce and fruits both succulent and restorative and which make Venus predominate but by this their intemperance they abreviate their dayes few exceeding sixty yeeres an old age if you contemplate their lust Deaths best harbinger and the Zone they sweat in bad both both intemperate Of Siam SIAM calld Sobanna formerly a Citie and Kingdome so denominated declining North from the Aequinoctiall 14 deg is famous for power wealth and many sorts of excellencies a great part of Pegu Braama and Cambogia are tributary to him Patania also Iamohay Odjea and many other Territories watered by Ganges acknowledge him his power is great usually warring with 1000 Elephants and 200000 men The Zone is hot the men black and in such torrid places little cloathing is required a Cambolin of pure lawn of a sad colour trebled on and about their naked shoulders some tye a leather skin about their neck and as a badge of devotion gird their middles with a leathern thong and hold a Sumbrero or Umbrella in their hands to lenefie the flaming Sun but weare no Sandals that the scorching sands may so mortifie that the Tallapoi may be thought a wonder They are transcendent Idolaters carving Gods to worship after the shapes of Pan Priapus and other gotish fancies yea and in postures not to bee remembred they have Groves and Altars also whereon they offer flesh fruits flowers and many times when the Tallapoi tells them the Devill is melancholy they warble out harmonious musick and do what they can to make him merry others so sonne as Aurora shewes her golden Trammell runne to their Pagods with a basket of Ryce to be his breakfast hoping there by to prosper that day the happier The Tallapoi preach every Monday in the Market and assemble their auditory by a copper Bason But though they seeme Fryer-mendicants by profession yet what by awe for the very infernall spirits obey their in cantations and what by pollicie for they contemplate humilitie externally much the people have them in singular estimation Nor is it diminisht but agrandiz'd exceedingly by their prediction of future events and mervailous knowledge in things past and present by Magique and Morall observation resolving diswading applauding directing and pleasing all that come unto them as to Oracles from such enthusiastic Notions as Satan prompts them with in a word being Of Gods Interpreters of Phoebus layes The three legd charming Stoole the Claryan Bayes Planets Birds Language and all old assayes Interpres Divûm Qui Numina Phoebi Qui tripodas Clarii lauros quisydera sentis Et Volncrûm Linguas praepetis omnia pennae They have beene in foregoing times wicked Sodomites a sinne so hatefull to nature it selfe that it abhorres it and to deterre these catamits a late Queen rectrix commanded that all male children should have a Bell of gold in it an Adders tongue dried put though the prepuce which in small time not only became not contemptible but in way of ornament and for musick sake few now are without three or foure so that when they have a mind to marry he has his choice of what maid he likes but beds her not till the Midwife present a sleepie ophiated potion during which the Bell is loosed from the flesh and fastned to the fore-skin which hinders not but titulates the unguent is applied and the cure is perfected But to see a Virgin here at virgins yeeres is as a black Swan in regard in green yeers they give the too forward maids a virulent drink whose vertue vyce rather is by a strange efficacy to distend their muliebria so capaciously that Bels and rope ring too too easily and which is worst dull memory compels us write it the women here are not ashamed the better to allure men from sodomitry to go naked to the middle where with a fine trāsparent cobweb-lawn they are so covered that by a base device t is made to open as they go so that any impure ayre gives all to mens immodest viewes denudating those parts which every modest eye most scornes each honest thought most hates to see and think upon The Boyes paint themselves with a celestiall colour from top to toe and as an augmentation of beauty cut gash and pinck their naked skins which in mine contrarying their opinion rather breeds horror than affectation in any Traveller the men affect perfumes and practize complement The soyle is but indifferent for grasse or natures Tapisrtry but in rich stones as Dyamonds Chrysolites Onix stones Magnets Bezarrs lignum Aloes Benjamin Cotton and Mynes of Gold Silver Iron Copper and the like most uberous and made more by Silverplentifull brought from man Iapan and victualls and commodities from other parts and bought here cheaper than in any other places but most memorable in the Cabriz or blood-stone he generated the mervailous vertue being such as Osorius tells us That such time the Portuguizes warred against the bold Sumatrans they descried a Junck or Ship at Sea they made to it and were resisted boording it by Nahodabeg Captaine their inveterate adversary but after long and cruell fight they entred among the naked Indyans slew such as resisted them and amongst them Nahodabeg who to their amazement bled not albeit they had hackt him in forty places they thought it magicall till having taken from his Arme a bracelet of gold wherein set the Cabriz stone they found the reason for that was no sooner removed but that his blood issued abundantly from each wound hee had about him doubtlesse it is a most pretious stone and had it power to expell death also it were more than admirable Of Pegu. PEGU is also a renowned Kingdome of the Orientall Indya Lestarum regio in old writers confined by Syam Ganges and the Ocean a Monarchy
Gentry by The better sort are habited in silke and a sleight sort of satten the meaner in black cloth made of cotton their coats or vests are long and quilted made to tye under the left arme after the usuall garb of Asia their sleeves are also very long and at the wrist very strait their shoes are many times of such stuffe as bee their coats and soaled with cloth or callicoes some have them richly imbroydered The greatest variety amongst them is in their head attire some knit their hayre in cawles of silk of horse-hayre some and some with fillets of gold or silver others weare high caps or felts made of fine twigs round and commixt with silk of divers colours and other-some an antick sort of hat high crown'd round one halfe without brim and tawny coloured The women are commonly modest and differ not in apparell in that a like vaile of white linnen wholly couers them shewing nothing but their polt-feet which from their infancy are straitned so as to make them alla mode many of them are maymed They tollerate Polligamy and Sodomy yea what else their lustfull idle natures can dictate to please their effeminacies They are generally crafty proud lasie jealous complementall and voluptuous Musick Poetry Painting and Stage-plaies delight them exceedingly they care not what they spend in luxury and fire-works they eat in porcellane and have their dyet in many but small dishes their meat minc't and which they take up with two sticks of bone or Jvory but some have their nailes so long as may excuse them for to touch their mouths or meat with fingers is held absurd and impious their drinck is commonly hot and by its tast and colour seemes to be such a Coho potion as they drinck in Persia they drinck oft and little The Louthya's are served on the knee and much regarded they all sit upon stooles and eat on Tables And albeit no Nation in the world is more idle and gluttenous yet are no beggars to be found there if he be young and beg the whip rewards him if old or lame or blind the Hospitall releeves him Murder they punish with death theft and adultery commonly with the strappado their Justice is severe and impartiall their prisons strong their executions beheading or starving them The Mandarins are honoured the Chyam's reverenced the King adored no Subject nor Ambassador ever sees or speaks with him save his children and Eunuchs except by petition They suffer Ambassadors or others to enter China so they bring presents of valew otherwise they suspect them as spies and no way honour them The Chynaes are curious in novelties and love to see strange Arts which they also delightfully practise few of them but has skill in some thing either in tillage making China dishes or porcellane to paint sing or play well the Mathematicks they affect the civill Laws they use not letters but Characters or Hyerogliphicks of which they have above 40000 they write neither to the right hand nor to the left as the Latin and Hebrews did but right downe and simmetrically they write with pencills made of horse hayre such as they also paint with their language is most part of monosyllables they be generally Poets and Musicians affected with Rhetorick and Divination The Schollers and Merchants in this republique are much more honoured than the Souldiers bee and some reason they have for it They are so cowardly lasie and tyrannicall No people in the world more honour their King than do the Chynaes they suppose him too glorious for them to look upon they obey his will in every thing they fill his Exchequor yeerely with above a hundred millions of crownes they call him The undaunted Emperour and great Lord of the whole World Son of the Sun and beauty of the whole Earth No people whatsoever expresse more filiall respect unto their Parents than the Chyneses do they obey them at all times and every where they do nothing to displease them they marry not without their assent their childrens Names are at their disposing they honour them bee they never so meane releeve them bee they never so poore at their death expresse all symptoms possible of their loyalty and duty and seldome mourne lesse in white linnen as did the Jewes than two or three yeeres the longer they mourne they think they the better expresse affection They arrogate all sorts of excellencies whether in Art or Science as peculiar to their Nation they think their Speech the most sweet and rhetoricall of any in the world what other people have they judge deducted and borrowed from their transcendent Notions They say they are the most ancient and immixt people in the Universe and borrow nothing of any other Nation They say they first invented Letters or Characters Guns Painting Tillage and Navigation yet in none of these for all their brags can they parallell us of Europe For their antiquity I deny not but they may have continued their plantation and without much mixture admirable if so for the Tartarrs and Siamits have oft over-runne them since the first seminary begunne by Sem in those parts yet may others in that point compare with them I might nominate the Bryttains for I regard not their Lies and Histories of such Kings as reigned or such Conquests as the Chyneses obteined long before the birth of Time a hundred thousand yeeres ago unlesse wee qualifie it by the example of the Arcadians whose yeare had but ninety dayes of the Massagers who had fifteen yeeres or of the Aegyptians who had twelve yeeres in one of ours following the course of the Moone and not the revolution of the Sunne nor regarding the Dies intercalares an error most of the Orientall Ethniques are plunged in Their letters are not so succinct as ours their Hieroglyphicks come short of the Aegyptians Their Guns are not so serviceable they have them not above a span long so that they rather resemble Pistols than Guns nor are their bore nor squaring so good as ours so strong so near so mathematicall Their painting is of good colours but their designing farre short of our invention they draw the postures filthily and shadow meanly which doubtlesse in painting makes the perfection Their husbandry is without Art or Reason the graine is good the soyle rich the Zone moderate and yet their corne is neither so various so good nor so certaine as be our Harvests Their Navigation is lame they build many ships but without beauty or service nor have they much skill in sayling their Logarithms and Mathematick instruments to take the height of the Sun by failing them their Compasse also is defective for they have but eight or twelve points at most to distinguish by nor is the Magnet till of late acquainted with them for all which they say they see with two eyes we with one and that all other people be more than purblind in sottish ignorance They delight excessively in all sorts of games and voluptuousnesse