Phorcys Neptunes sonne here lived and by the transcendent excellencie of their beauties their yellow haires curling like Snakes and deshevelling about their naked shoulders turn'd the beholders into a stupid admiration and by Perseus his report of that their faculty gave Poets some ground whereon to build their fiction Leaving those wee steered Westward and past by many parts of the New found world as some men call it Guiana Florida Virginia Nova Anglia parts of Norumbega and the gulph of Mexico where I have seated my selfe a while and will defraud the Reader of some patience by travelling to find out the first Discoverer a Question not a little controverted Madoc ap Owen Gwyneth discovered America above three hundred yeeres before COLUMBUS ALbeit I have formerly in a line or two vindicated the honour of our Country lost in the greater part by protract of malitious time and wane of well-willers to defend it I desire to speak more largely here and give you the ground of my conjecture That Madoc sonne of Owyn Gwyneth discovered the Westerne world now call'd America three hundred and odd yeares before Columbus not to detract from that mans worth but that the truth may prevaile and the memory of our Heroick Country-man revive having gaspt too long in hatefull ignorance and oblivion for if analogie of language and authority of good Authors may be credited it may peradventure be accepted of yea amongst Critticks gaine entertainment In the first place it may be asked whence Madock's resolution came I answer From an innate desire to travell and to avoid domestique broiles he put that in action which some old prophetique sayings gave him light and encouraged him in 'T is very like he had read Plato for what part of the world has ever more affected learning than the Britians who in his Dialogue 'twixt Tymeus and Cricius discourses of a great vast I le West from the Atlantique Ocean and named ATLAS as bigg as Asia and Africa put together Some Humination hee had also out of Aristotle and Theophrastus their Books of Rarities writ two thousand yeares agoe relating how some Merchants passing thorow the Straits of Gibralter were by tempest driven whither wind and Sea compelled them so farre West that they finally discried land but un inhabited It may be 't was some of the Azores but what ere it was it proved a Magnet of encouragement to illure future Ages to discover Westward and doubtlesse was a prime cause of finding out the Westerne Continent Hanno also is supposed to have landed there Questionlessed he adventured farre far in regard they had no Compasse to returne by into the Atlantique Seas but which way he sail'd is disputable West some say some say Southward Pomponius Mele and Lampridus affirme the land was South from Carthage hee discovered if South then no part of the West-Indies the Canary Iles perhaps the Atlantiades the Gorgades Ascention or Saint Helens who though they carry not the Epithite of Great yet the Novelty considered and the Distance the word great may be affected Some but I beleeve them not carry him to Madagascar if that hee discovered a great I le indeed But then sure he would have found out the Red Sea not comparable to the dangers he had past in doubling Cape Tormentoso and made his journey home lesse dangerous Virgil the best of Latine Poets from some varicinating Notion seemes to point at it in the 6. lib. Aenead where hee prophesies vast extent of Caesar's Dominions Iacet extra sydera Tellus Extra Anni Solisque vias ubi coeliser Atlas Axem humero torquet Stellis ardentibus aptum A Land beyond the Stars dothly And the Sunnes way Atlas that beares the Sky The fire fit Star-fraught Pole doth wheel therby Which though Servius understand of the Sunne-burnt Aethiops others otherwise interpret it inconsiderat Laudinus is one of them who cannot be perswaded that any part of Aethiopia exceeds the Tropicks an idle conceit and which in fol. 15. I have refuted but see his reason for it the word extra he moderates to pene extra a witty comment But Donatus parodically takes Solem pro Die and Annum pro Nocte the Sun for Day the Yeare for Night which granted Virgil has neither prophecie nor wonder The truth is as Lod. de la Cerda notes the Poet meanes thus Augustus Caesar should conquer beyond Mount Atlas a famous part of Afrique Morocco now of old Mauritania not included within the burning Zone out of which Apollo never wanders Extra sydera nimirum Zodiaci whence we gather that Virgil meant not of America But in a more perfect way Seneca Nero's Master fore-tells the discovery he conceales the place in his Medaean Tragedy The Time will one day be Guided by providence whom you shall see The liquid Ocean to enlarge her bounds And pay the Earth a tribute of more grounds In a inplest measure for the Sea gods then Shall shew new worlds and rarities to men Yea by his leave who all great acts commands See Thule lesse North by farre than other lands Venient Annis Secula seris quibus Oceanus Vinculd rerum laxet ingens Pateat Tellus Typhisque novos Detegrat orbes nec sit terris Vltima Thulè Madoc from these lights discerned it And least any may thinck the man to whon we erect a Trophy of so great honour an obscure or illiterate man not worth a memory let 's in a line or two speak his discent and quality and then the particulars of his vovage He was brother to Prince David sonnes of that famous Owen Gwynedd Prince of Wales who for above thirty yeeres governed wisely with great courage and good fortune his Father was Gruffith ap Conan that did homage for some lands in England to William the Conquerour at S. Davids and descended lineally from King Rodri Mawr or Roderic the great glorious in many conflicts and victories against the savage Saxon in those foure great battells especially at Berthem Bangelu Monegid and Anglesea in the yeere from Adam 4820 from the nativity of our Blessed Saviour 846. such time as Burchred King of Mercia Athelwolfe King of the West-Saysses Meiric and other valiant Princes by sad tryall found him fortunate which suffice to illustrate Madock's quality every way exceeding honourable It followes why they put to Sea upon discovery The Annalls of those times to this day happily preserved tell us That so soone as Owen Gwynedd or Venedotia was dead the custome of Gavelkind which has confounded Wales became a Subject of implacable hate amongst his sonnes Iorwerth or Edward sirnamed Dwryndwn from his broken nose Howel and David whose peculiar ambition banisht all generall kinds of love due amongst friends and brethren Iorwerth albeit he was eldest was held incapable of the Crowne in respect of his lamenesse and other deformities Howel also was thought unworthy by reason his Mother was an Irish Lady with which Nation they had then some difference David had least right
deg the best Townes and Ports of strength and trade are Meacco Ozacca Tenze Fyrando Fuccate or Falcate Sacay Cratez Tenkeday Oringaw Vosuquis Machma c. Of these Meacco a mediterran City is call'd the Metroplis Surunga next and next it Ozacca honoured with the Court somtimes till of late viz. 1615. a rebellious fire subverted and incinerated not it only but many other Townes in that wealthy Province Meacco is as big as Florence but not so beautifull proud in a sweet and spatious river in many low but comly houses and memorable in abundance of stately Temples or Fotiquees full of guilded Mannad'as or Idolls to which above all other Nations the Japonians are most addicted the Jesuits industries seminaries there producing small growth instead of a happy harvest reaping scorne and catholique apostasre Neither their grave aspect nor subtte sophistry neither their many miracles there nor their collegiat bravery having that force to make them thought other than feditious vain-glorious and avaricious such is the reward of Hipocrisie in shew seeming desirous to do others good in truth ayming at their universality gaine and hope of Conquest The government is Monarchicall above threescore petty Kings do homage and prostrate their massy Coronets to be encircled and to illustrate the Emperiall Diadem from whose frowne a punishment and affliction worse than common death usually is darted such is his power his awe such their vassalage their opinion of their Governors The Country is most part mountanous but full of floods trees corne grasse and mineralls every way presents Villages swarming with heithen Inhabitants the North and East parts of Iapan are lesse peopled than the South and West and those much more savage and barbarous cruell trecherous idle lascivious and awed by no Law nor any way industrious The old Roman way of execution is here usually suffered they fasten malefactors to Crosses with foure nailes whether in hate to the Jesuits or of Antique custome I am not certaine but sure it is the punishment is full of torture and ignominious the Civill Japonians are vallant curteous complementall and great affectors of novelties but beyond measure jealous crafty and revengefull if injured yea divelish if exasperated They would but cannot deny themselves discended out of China banisht upon a heedlesse rebellion six hundred yeeres ago in memory of which they hate one another mortally no quarter being given to either Nation at any time nor cease the Ilanders to rob and piratize the Chyneses at all advantages at home also in their prayers abhominating them and in all complements and ceremonies varying from one another to expatiate their wrath and unnaturall distempers In any slight suspect or accusation the very children are so jealous of their reputations that in case you lose a trifle and say to one of them syrrah I beleeve you have stolen it without any pause the boy will immediatly cut off a joynt from one finger or another and say Sir if you say true I wish my finger may never heale againe murder theft treason and adultery are punisht with death either crucified or beheadded with a Cuttan an Indian sword which slices easily Towns of note and strength are Ozacca 80 leagues from Bungo a Port Towne of good note and neare the Sea strong and beautifull in nothing more famous nor observable than in the royall Castle varnished tyled and burnisht over with flaming gold rich and majesticall form'd of the best shape of excellent stone the walls every where twenty foot thick finely fram'd well polisht curiously cemented pleasant and durable circled with deep trenches full of water and for entrance and defence shewes above a dozen iron Gatest and drawing Bridges It has formerly succoured many Kings and secur'd them from the pursuit and heat of Rebels in this as memorable 't was of late yeeres made the prison of Goja-zamma Prince of Tanzey and eldest Sonne of Tiquazamma the late victorious Emperour whose Father Faxiba-zamma subjected all the petty Princes of Iapan and made them by oath and pledge agnise him and his their Soveraignes Coja-zamma upon his Fathers sudden death was as suddenly seiz'd upon by Ogosho-zamma one of the three Protectors and by him compelled to betroath his daughter and for portion was if thrust and for ever damned to this hatefull Prison Against Ozacca on the other side the river is seated Sucay a Towne well traded to by Christians Edoo is well wall'd and peopled 15 leagues thence is Oringoo a Towne affording good refreshment and excellent harbouring or anchorage Fyrando 300 leagues thence to coast thither is a Chersonesse and elevates the Artick Pole 33 degrees 30 minutes var. East 2 degrees 50 minutes where and at Fuccate the English had a residence or factory Fucate or Fulcate is pretty sweet Towne well watered and ownes a strong and defensive Castle or Fortresse a Forrest of loftie Pines and spreading Sycomores for three miles space environs it with other Groves of force against the scorching Sun delightfull to the eye yea more gratefull than any other object but which renders them ingrate and basely idolatrous under those greene trees and in many small but richly tyl'd Temples or Fotiques they adore Pan and Priapus yea Satan himselfe in his ugliest resemblances for where the Country is most inhabited and garnisht with most variety of trees grasse corne c. as 'twixt Edoo and Suringa there are erected most Fotiques there the people are most idolatrous In Meacco are 70 Temples wherein they number 3333 Chamaetirae or little guilded Devils to which they give divine respect they call them Mannadaes But more notable than the rest is that in Meacco not unlike the Rhodyan Colossus huge wonderfull This was built by Tyco-zamma and without much paine and cost was not finished 't is of Oricalke or guilded Copper its posture is fitting in a Chaire 70 foot high and 80 broad his head is capable to support fifteene men who may stand together without preasing his thumb is forty inches about and his other limbs proportionable This is the grand Pagotha the other are Dii minores or of lesse adoration No lesse notable is the Monument adjoyning in a Cloister within the principall Fotique of Meacco where are gallantly interred but to their ignominie the eares noses of 3000 Coreans a base theevish people vicinating infesting the Japonians At Dabys is another Mannada no lesse infamous and resorted to this Devill or Molech is of concave copper vast thick and double guilded its height is foure and twenty foot and would be more but that they have form'd it kneeling his buttocks resting upon his leggs after the usuall mode of the Easterne Pagans his armes are safe stretcht to the utmost and at solemne times is inflam'd within and sacrific'd unto by offering him a child which in 's embraces is fride to death in an infernall torture But of more note is another at Tenchedy East thence where Sathan visibly playes th'Impostor The Fotique is of rare
upon equall termes to combate it he flyes to the high Mountaines of Bimbery but Cassem-cawn directed by some natives so hotly pursue that they are Lords of those hills whence Iacob hasts to Sirhenakar but there also they beleaguer him whose strength in men nor walls were sufficient to repell the enemy but in despight of both is taken and manacled yea made to bend under the iron yoake of slavish bondage Cassimer is part of that part of Asia of old call'd Sogdian The North Pole is there raised 41 deg nine min. from Agra three hundred from Surat three thousand English miles distant the Province in generall is mountainous barren cold and windy Her Metropolis Shyrenaker is three miles in compasse watered by Behat a river which from Caucasus after many glomerating dances increases Indus nothing more observable than a lake eight leagues thence fifteen miles about in center is a pretty Isle bearing a faire and pleasant Palace out of which is seene variety of sports fishing hawking rowing c. This done restlesse Ecbar a while deferring the conquest of Bactria aymes at Tutta and all Indus knowing how odious Mirza Iehan by reason of his tyrannie was to his inferiours he sends Ganganna with twelve thousand men and by Boat sayling downe Ravee into Indus ere long they arrive at Tatta which for six moneths held out but in the seventh the Tyrant yeelds it up and is upon conditions entertain'd friendly and by this all Synde to Loore Bander upon the Ocean acknowledge Ecbar King of the Mogulls their head and Soveraigne Tutta or Tatta till now Tutta commanded by the Rashboot East from Ieselmeer West frō Buckor is one of the most celebrated Marts of Indya from Lahore thirty dayes journey but by Indus in lesse attained Vpon the Ocean shee has Loure-Bander three easie dayes travell thence observable in this that such ships as ride at anchor there are not so gnawed and spoiled with wormes as at Swalley Chaul Dabul Daman Goah and other places About this time Nezamshaw the old King of Decan A.D. 1593. A.H. 973. paid Nature her utmost Tribute and Melec Amber his sonne is stated in his royall Throne and dignity Ecbar is sick till he attempt the conquest to doe which he resolves neither cost nor toile should hinder it the enterprise more hopefull for that a woman was rectrix of the Marches Ganganna is chosen Generall who with instructions and thirty thousand horse from Lohore hasts to Brampore where Radgee Alychan the Governour conjoynes five thousand more and after some moneths preparation set forward towards Decan Tziend Bieby daughter to the last King heares of the Mogulls approach and to resist them fortifies Amdanagar obtaining also some Forces from the Kings of Visiapore and Golcunda in all forty thousand horse which she commends to her Martiall Eunuch Godgee Shuhel who stayes for them upon the Confines first combatting with Ally Chawn Mirza Gassem and halfe the Army the Pagans enter pel-mel without order guided only by bravery desire of conquest on both sides were many slain now one then the other part growing victorious so long so couragiously with such emulation and fury the battell continued that when Apollo weary of so much bloodshed had hid his golden tramells in Thetys bosome they ceased not but by Cynthia's pale candor renued the fight with such alacrity that of many yeares never was battell fought bravelier in eighteene houres none knowing who were more victorious till such time as Phoebus sparkling his flagrant beames againe in that Horizon Changanna falls in with his Regiment so fresh so violent that after three houres skirmish the Decans turn back leaving their heroick Captaine Godgee slaine in the field The Mogulls follow the chase fifteene miles but the Princesse Baby charges them with fresh troopes causing them retreat to Brampore till a second season Ecbar the great Mogull has notice of their successe and to accilerate another triall intreats Sha Morad his beloved sonne to levie fifteene thousand horse and from Brampore with the other Forces to spoile or conquer those meridionall Provinces merrily the youthfull Prince advances thitherward but during his stay in Brampore grew so excessively venerious and drunken that his radicall vigour became spent his lungs consum'd Suddē death of Prince Morad and death the period of his consumption His sudden farwell struck the Army with such amazement that many Vmbraves to avoyd the suspitious fury of his Father fled nor caring to inhume the carcasse Ecbar heares it sweares they had poyson'd him and vowes requitall his Chancellor the Princes Schoolemaster Abdul Fazel is sent and finding the dead Prince his owne consumer assembles Ganganna Iustoffchan Tzadok-Mamet-Chan Mirza Tzarok and such Vmbraves as were at hand affords them comfort and revokes such as had fled satisfies Ecbar whose was the fault undertakes the Princes charge after hee had sent his carcasse to Delly there to be buried and in small time subdues the Provinces of Chandys or Sanda Berar and many other wealthy places by letters he acquaints the King desires him to forsake Lohore a while having spent twelve Winters Summers there and come to Agra hoping in small time to subject Decan Gulcunda by the Persians call'd Hydrahan Visiapore and other parts of India to his Empire Ecbar A.D. 1595. A. Heg 975 orders his sonne Selym to chastise with fifteene thousand horse Radjea Rana Mardout successour to King Porus and of all the Radgees most powerfull and excellent his rebellion excepted Tzebber Chan followes him with five thousand horse Sha-Cooligan Mharem with three thousand Radgee Shagenat with three thousand and other Vmbraves and Mancebdars with other Forces which digested the great Mogull for Agray leaves Lahore the better to receive intelligences Lahore LAHORE a Citie both vast and famous is competitor for the Title of Metropolis with Agray but for circuit and bravery much more excellent the pole Artick is there advanced 32 degrees 15 minutes the ayre for eight moneths pure and restorative the streets gracefull and pav'd most are cleansed and refreshed by the river Ravee which from the Cassmyrian or Caspiryan mountaines streames most pleasantly to this Citie and after a stately flux of three thousand English miles deepe enough for Juncks of threescore Tun by Tutta flowes into Indus and with her neere Diul at 23 degrees 15 minutes lodges in the Ocean In Lahore are many things observable Pallaces Mosques Hummums or Sudatories Tancks Gardens c. The Castle is large strong uniforme pleasant and bravely seated of stone white hard and polished arm'd with twelve Posterns three of which respect the Towne the rest the Country within a Palace sweet and lovely entred by two gates and Courts the last pointing out two wayes one to the Kings Durbar and Iarneo where hee daily shewes himselfe unto his people the other to the Devon-Kawn or great Hall where every eve from eight to eleven he discourses with his Vmbraves On the
of which he had given moneys and command upon condition he would ratifie it and in no sort imagine them rebells or conspirators he was ready to obey if not he would take his owne courses Ecbar resends him a tart message and Selim to demonstate his neglect and boldnesse posts to Elabasse where he commands all sorts of Coine of gold silver and brasse to be stamp't with his owne name and motto yea to vexe the old man more affrights Anarkala his fathers wife whom he sirnamed Pomegranad and sent him of his new stampt mony a crime so strange so audaciously odious that the inraged Father curses him vowes reward and with speed acquaints his Chancellour Abdul Fazel with it who first moderates his Masters passion and then with all convenient haste accompanied with three hundred horse followes the post to do some service but Sha Shelim having intelligence how all this passed desirous to anticipate so sure an enemy he writes to Radgee Bersingh Lord of Soor thorow whose countrey hee needs must passe promising him a gratuity and the command of five thousand horse so hee would lay in wait for Abdul and send him his head the Radgee promises his best performance and with a thousand horse and three thousand foot lurks neere Gwaler and such time poore Abdul Fazel suspectlesse of any villany passes by Radgee falls upon him and notwithstanding the great advantage he had for three houres the fight was hotly continued but ore-pressing them with men and troops in the end his company were most part slaine and Abdul himselfe after twelve deep wounds taken and beheaded Selim receives it joyfully but Ecbar who loved him deerly becomes so passionate and sorrowfull that for three dayes he conceald himselfe and would not a long time after be comforted but like waves see another horror afflicting him newes of his other sonne Sha Danyel kild in the same Citty of the same disease Morad was formerly hereat he afflicts his decaying body immeasurably cryes and sighes and vowes upon Chanchanna revenge for not better regarding him who comes to purge himselfe but for some time is not admitted to Ecbars presence till by mediation of others and so returnes to Decan with an augmentation of power and dignity But the sorrow hee suffers in his rebellious sonne cooles his courage and inflames his passion some way he must tread to bring home or destroy him by perswasion or warre but feares both his sonne is so hardned and safegarded somewhat he must doe and therefore first as a King he rides against him with thirty thousand horse but by his mothers death is recalled whose body when he had most sumptuously interred in Delly in King Homayon her husbands Sepulcher he resolves to proceed against Sha Selym but his minde alters hee feares his sonne 's singular courage and way in fight and as a Father tries once more what perswasion can operate he dictates a pathetique letter mixt of love and anger reproving perswading diswading promising pardon and puts him in mind he was or should be at least his joy and comfort he had no mo sonnes nor grand children Myrad Zedda once the Princes Tutor or Schoolemaster carries it who so forceably penetrates the yeelding conceits and nature of Sha Selym that forthwith taking Perwees his little sonne along he leaves Halabassa passes Semena and after two dayes more the Wizard allowing the day fortunate with all his Umbraves he arrives in Agray and by Mortoza-Kawn is brought to Ecbars presence then in the Guzel-Chan who blushing to eye him so leads him into the Mahael or private lodging where forgetting his promise remembring the dances Selym had led him into such a rage that rapt him that The Prince submits after he had flasht terrour into his heart by the sparkling fury of his eyes and thunder struck him with a storme of mighty words with his fist he struck him so hard so oft upon the mouth that Selym throwing himselfe down requests his Father at once to punish him showes him his brest the sword and hand ready to it But Ecbar by this surfetting of choller intends no such sacrifice but commanding him to arise derides him and termes him Asse and Foole that commanding seventy thousand able men would so doltishly forsake them to trust the sugred and deceitfull promises of a reconciled Enemie That said he brings him forth againe and sends him back to prison giving all the Vmbraves his associates like welcome Radgee Batso excepted who wiser than the rest escaped By this imprisonment Sha Selym contrary to his custome abstaines foure twenty houres from Opium which next day Ecbar himselfe gave him and the third day by intercession of his Ladyes and Concubines is freed and sent to his owne home where he behav'd himselfe very orderly in princely sort each day visiting Ecbar till by some old mens malitious surmises he is restrain'd againe and the Mogull exasperated But the folly of his unnaturall and ill grounded rancour is not destinate against that object the jealousie of his braine throwing it upon Mirza Gashaw the Viceroy of Tutta's sonne for speaking one word by Ecbar ill taken and interpreted No recantation will satisfie his life must pay it the Kings Physitian is commanded to prepare two Pills of like shape but contrary operation Gashaw is trusted with them and brings them Ecbar The great Mogul poysons himself who imagining by a private mark hee knew the right one bids Gasha swallow one and himselfe the other Gasha ignorant of any deceit by chance devoures the best and Ecbar is poysoned too soone too late the miserable Mogul perceives his mischance repents his choller and for shame concealing the cause after foureteene dayes violent torment and trialls to expell the poyson yeelds up his ghost and having victoriously reigned five and twenty yeares in the 73 yeare of his age is by all his Umbraves with all possible state and solemnity in Tzekander three course from Agra in a new begun Monument buried and Sha Selym though a while resisted by Radgee Mansingh and Chan Asem who in vain endeavoured to make his sonne Cushroo Mogull Sha-Selym crowned great Mogull nominated by Ecbar as they alledged with such ceremony as was requisite is crowned by name of Iangheer King In the yeare of our Lord God 1604. and of Mahomet 984. We are now to present you upon the Asiatique stage various Scaenes compos'd of a miscelany of subjects excellent and remarkable A.D. 1604. A.H. 984. Iangheer so now we call him by mediation of Morteza Chan Cooly Mametchan and others receives Sultan Coshroe or Gushrow his late competitor and sonne into favour and to begin his greatnesse in the good will of his people receives Cham Asem and Radgee into grace againe But Cushrooe struck by his own guilt suspects his pardon counterfeit and entreats by letter Hussanbeg Viceroy of Cabul his old friend to meet him neere Fettypore with some Forces that by his love and care he might
Delly of many times could do against it notwithstanding all which Martasa after much danger of ambushments in that thick Wood seventy miles broad and trouble in passing his men over high and fearfull rocks lay eight months before it and then in despight of their best defence entred it and subjected it to the Mogul though he lived not three months after to meditate his victory Which when Iangheer heard with a mixture of joy and sorrow he leaves Cassemeer and removes to Lahore where Sultan Cushrooe the true idea of misery is by perswasion of the Queene and Assaph-cawn taken from Cawn-Iehan and put to Curroon to be his keeper At that time Iangheer affected his sonne Curroon beyond measure imagining no honour too much no command too great for so brave a Prince so hopefull a warrior so that little knowing what would follow hee gives him the charge of forty thousand horse and attended by Godjea-Abdul-Hussan and other great Umbraves hastens him to the conquest of Decan and to spoyle the Kingdomes of Gulcunda and Visiapore for omitting their annuall Tribute of three pound weight of Diamonds This yeare 1619 of Maho. 1029 Abdul-Azies-cawn succeeds Bador-cawn the Ouzbeg in his command of Candahar Cawn-Iehan is made Leifetenant of Mult'an and Buchor Sultan Perwees of Pathan and Radgee Bertsingh Bondela and Abdul-cawn Governours of Kalpi are commanded to raise some forces and follow Sultan Curroon into Decan Sultan Currowne by this time having leavied his forces A.D. 1619. A. Heg 999 and made all ready for his enterprize upon Decan first commands all men to intitle him Sha-Iehan or King of Hearts then with his whole Army in goodly equipage travels to Brampore the Rendezvous and whither Abdul-cawn and Radgee Bertzingh according to command come and wait upon him with Thedder-cawn his Cosen and many other Rashpootes of quality Curroon for by that name wee can best remember him swelling beyond measure to see himselfe Generall of so brave an Army dallyes not but with all speed gives order to Abdul cawn Lala-Ragee Bertzingh Abdul-Hassen and many other Umbraves to begin the Warre with Melec-Amber and that he the residue would follow them Mirza Mackey and Shadour-cawn march to Gulcunda against Cotobel Melec and Ma'met Tacky to Visiapore against Adel-cawn either to receive by force or faire meanes the accustomed tribute due to the Dyadem of Iudustant Abdul-cawn in the first place to effect his Commission Bellagate passes on without any let to Bellagate a fastidious mountaine twixt Cunca and Decan and for ought I know may be Hippocura in Ptolomy Curroon bringing up the other part of the Army at fifteene miles distance to succour the Van on all occasions the King of Decan at all advantages seekes to intercept them opponing in many petty skirmishes but Abdul-cawn formerly acquainted with his rodomontadoes passes on burning and spoyling what they met withall not resting till they came to Kerki the Kings best house which they levelled with the ground inriching themselves with store of prey and treasure Kerki reducing Berar and Chandys into subjection and forcing composition from all the Country as far as Amnadagar and Tribute from the Kings of Gulcunda and Visiapore Iangheer is over joyed with so much good Fortune and to relish it the better solaces himselfe in his sonne Perwees Gardens beyond the river Ethaman Dowlet Queene Normals Father dyed at that time his great estate is by the King given to his daughter and Assaph-cawn but his Office is confer'd upon Godgee Abdul Hossen Curroon also who sate as Emperour in his owne ambition with a greedy eye respects the Diadem but perceives his imprisoned Brother interposing in the way but such is the violence and magicke of pride and tyranny that it runs on not caring how though masqued with never so much deformity he feignes himselfe sick his disease is horrible nothing can recover him save his eldest Brothers death Ganganna is of his infernall councell who applauds his humour and promises his recovery he presently acquaints some Mancebdars in the exployt of all which rascall troope Reza or Rajea Bandor a very villain is quickest of apprehension and least scrupulous Curroon as if he knew nothing is conveighed out of Brampore to better his health whiles that incarnate Divell at an unseasonable houre in the night knocks at Goushroo's chamber A.D. 1620. A. heg 1000. who as awakened out of a fearfull dream starts up and demands his errant the villain replyes he came from the Mogul his Father with order for his delivery The miserable Prince affrighted with his Ravens voyce and suspecting treason desires him to stay till the morne the villain without further parlee perceiving no entrance by entreaty breaks open his doore grapples with the amazed Prince gets him downe and strangles him that done he layes him in his bed locks the doore and trots away as if the Prince dyed of some imposthume and hee had done nothing Curroon has quick newes of his Brothers death and inwardly rejoyces but ere Sun-rise his afflicted wife Cawn Azems daughter goes to visit him where finding him speechlesse and by his contus'd face murdered never did poore wretch shed more teares or shew more passion by tearing her faire hayre deforming her sweet face so fiercely so amazedly that her Father and all his family heare her and see it to their griefe and admiration But when they see the cause also they wonder not none of them forbearing to expresse their sorrow after severall modes without moderation All Brampore rings of this Treason suspects the author and curses him but Curroon cloath'd with deceipt comes thither falls upon the corps and expresses so much sorrow that many durst have sworne that he was innocent After two dayes ceremony they bury him and Curroon writes his Father word of his brothers sudden death concealing the occasion Iangheer weeps and afterwards growes mad with rage suspecting some violence but not knowing upon the sudden how to discover it he feeds upon melancholy and discontent writes back a letter of reproofe and threats to Curroon and his Umbraves swearing revenge when they least suspected it commands the body to be digd up and brought with solemne state to Elabasse where hee interres him in his Mothers monument sends for Chan Asem and his afflicted daughter comforts them and takes them for his constant companions to Sultan Bullochy or B'lochy his grandson sonne to Prince Gushrooe he intailes the Imperiall Crowne gives him the command of ten thousand horse and by Chan Asem his Grandsire of the blood royall of Tartary to be educated Curroon by his Fathers love to Sultan Bullochy perceives himselfe disregarded and thenceforth not caring to please him flies out into rebellion And Abdul-chan winding his aymes without leave taking forsakes the Army and packs to Kalpi to his government but by the Mogull who was still desirous to continue the Decan warres is rebuked and made to returne Yet ere long he is revoked for at
that time Abbas King of Persia with 30000 men besieges Kandahor pretending it a member of his Empire The Citie was defended by Azief-chan a Captaine of great valour and honesty who for sixteene dayes kept it in despight of the Persian but perceiving his Company too weake if they entred hee writes to Iangheer desiring speedy assistance Iangheer is neerely touched with his distresse and promises him immediate succour so that posting to Lahore he convocates his Vmbraves for advice and help and first commands Chan Iehan then Liefetenant of Multhan adjoyning Kandahar with such force as he had in readinesse to haste thither the Enemy in the interim attempting day and night the entrance whiles Iangheer the great Mogull ruminates whom to make his Generall at last by his owne assent and choise of all his Vmbraves hee fixes upon Abdul-chan by that by Curroons leave againe returned This famous Captaine readily accepts the charge speeds to Lahore and is imbraced with such sudden joy by the Mogull that hee presently contracts his faire grand daughter D'haen Shaws child to Mirza-chawn Abdul-chawns eldest sonne and so with fifteene thousand choise Cavalry and one hundred Elephants five thousand of which hee himselfe brought with him makes haste to give battell to the victorious Persian But ere hee could attaine thither Iangheer having notice that the Persians were too strong to be beaten and had vowed the conquest by letters commands Azief-chan to surrender it unto the Enemy but he doubting they were counterfeit holds out till by a Mine a great part of the wall is blown up and Abbas is entring which when Azieph-chan saw hee mediates their yeelding it up upon condition they might depart safely with their baggage Abbas who onely aymed at the Citie condiscends has it given him wherein hee places Ally-Koli-cawn and returnes to Spahawn whiles Assuph and Abdul-chan easily goe back to Lahore where with welcome by Iangheer they are entertained CANDAHOR has Artick elevation foure and thirty degrees Candahor and longitude from the first Meridian 98 degrees The Province South is reasonable fruitfull and redundant in all good things yet by reason of so many Carravans passing and repassing from Lahore to Persia all sort of provision is very deere and the passage in regard of many rascall troopes of Puttans Agwans and Coolyes which like the inhospitable Arabs prey upon all Caffilaes chargeable and dangerous The Citie is not very spatious but strong made defensive by many helps of nature and industry to the South and East it is surrounded with an advantagious wall to the West and North with high and precipitious mountaines The Suburbs also tho not well defended are large adding to the Citty beauty and wealth nothing wanting save good water which there all the way to Spahawn is brackish and the earth for most part barren and uncomfortable Iangheer by the crafty perswasion of Assaph-chawn sends him with peremptory command to the Castle-keeper of Agra that without delay hee should transferre the treasure thence to Lahore where hee then was and resol'd to be of long time abiding It was a message of much wonder to Ethamat-chan considering the strength where it was kept his owne honesty the danger of convaying so great a masse of gold and silver a journey so long so chargeable and dangerous These and many other perswasions hee used to Assaph kawn but in vaine had they beene trebled So that on the one side haste threats and the Mogulls command is urged on the other delay disswasions and diverting Iangheers meaning to another sense is objected on either part so violently that from words blowes became their uncivill moderatours But in that exercise Assaph-chan for all his greatnesse found himselfe weakest finding the Eunuchs Guard so strong and Ethabar-chan Provost of Agray to second him so that he craves their pardon and after some toyle by many dissimulations at length wins them to his purpose But whiles the Eunuchs are preparing for the journey this deceitfull man with all speed posts away a swift Zantell or Footman to his sonne in law Curroon then upon the confines of Decan advising his speed and to ambush 'twixt Agra and Delly for his Fathers Treasure The Prince compos'd of courage and ambition receives the letter with much joy Curroon prepares to rob his Fathers Exchequer and without any check of conscience or respect of loyalty immediatly commands all his Vmbraves out of such Provinces his Father had assign'd him even from Brampore to Surrat and all Gambaya to Amadabat the Governors of Surrat Baroch Iaunbasser Medapore of the marittim coast Goga Diul Nagsary Mangerelpore and Onnepore as also out of Mandow Gandersee Oudepore Baraer Amnadagar c. in a rebellion and enterprise so infamous and full of perill desirous to ingage all his Lieutenants to bring them under like hatred and in some sort to oblige their dependance upon his acts and fortunes and so with a brave and sturdy Army of 70000 horse he sets on towards Mandoa if he intended a contrary Progresse Mandow Mandow threescore courses from Brampore is a Towne both antient and famous seated on the side of a lofty precipitious hill and ambitious in a Castle strong and stately imcompast with a defensive wall of five miles the whole had fifteen mile circuit but the Citie later built is of lesse assise yet fresher beauty whether wee behold the Temples in one of which are intomb'd foure Kings Pallaces or Fortresses especially that Tower elevated one hundred and seventy steps supported by massie pillars and adorn'd with gates and windowes very observable and built by Chan Iehan who in it is buried This Citie was lately owned by the Kings of Delly till such time as Homayon the Mogull rapt it from Sheck Sha Selym King of Delly at his returne from Persia whither Selym had forced him From Baroch 't is distant 150 English miles Curroon after two dayes rest in Taxapore hasts away with such velocity that his Army ignorant of his intent thought hee was mad every day posting above forty miles so that in thirteene dayes with all his troopes he attained Fettipore from Brampore neere 500 miles yea ere Ethabar-chan knew of his being in the Country but as it fell out he made more haste than good speed for long hee could not lurck with such a company without the knowledge of Ethamat-cawn the carefull Treasurer who as if all the Enemies in the world were approaching unloads the Camels of their pretious burthens convaies it in again fortifies the Castle and sends quickly to Iangheer of his sonnes trayterous intention who is astonisht above measure and presently sends every way for assistance to Sultan Perwees out of Pathan to Chan-Iehan out of Multhan and for Mahobet-chan out of Kabull whiles Curroon perceiving he was discovered with his whole Army divided amongst severall Captaines Ganganna Rustan-chan Radgee Bickermanse Mirza-Darab Sayet-chan Mahomet Tackjeck Tsossally c. shew themselves in front of Agray making a bravado
ever since their attempt of Elabas not only betray his hopes by hovering back but are overjoyed when they behold Mahobet-chans company recovered and Radgees Elephants wounded and madded with rage to execute their wrath upon their owners Radgee Rhiem slain and in the end Radgee after as much proofe of courage and skill as could be in man slaine and his whole squadron confounded in this miserable sort perisht one of the ablest men of India and Abdul-chan most basely guilty of his death revenge pursues him for finding it high tyme to give over looking on and do something he sees Perwees entring with Radgee Zissing Radgee Ziand Radgee Bertzing and their Army Curroon also falls on doing what lay in the power of man the battell now pelmel enduring for five houres with a great deale of martiall skill and bravery Curroon is hurt in the arme Perwees though upon his Elephant is by Derrhachan woùnded in the side and but for the excellency of his mayle had there dyed In the end the Kings Army grew victorious by the unresistable fury Mahobet a fresh affords them the rebells pusillanimously opposing that new torrent of destruction gaze a while and then remembring the injustice of their side grow pale with feare so as in the end they turne tayle and flie amayne resolving not in haste to undertake such an occasion Curroon is not able to alter it his old accursed fate pursues him and therefore striking the ground with his lance he leaves the battell escapes away and with 4000 horse of such as loved him he flyes to the inexpugnable Castle of Rantas yielded by Monbark and wherin he had placed Radgee Gholam one of the murderers of Prince Gushrooe leaving the residue of his Army to sip the bitter cup of death the glory of a great and famous overthrow to his brother and Mahobet-chan and the spoyle of his campe to Radges-Bertsingh who from out of it brought of gold silver precious gemmes Elephants Camels horses and slaves of both sexes great abundance Sultan Curroon in his strong Castle and at such a distance has tyme to ruminate upon his miseries and with a discontented mind sees how insensibly he precipitates his hopes at that instant fixed in the center of affliction and as an aggravation to his melancholly heares of Mahobet-chans re-approach towards him He thereupon disparks his Seralio and flyes thence to Potan with Assaph-chawns daughter only in his company who had lately brought him a dainty gyrle and by a Zantel or Post dispatches letters to Darab-chan then in Bengala to levy some forces and meet him at Radgee-Mahal where he expected him Mahobet-Chan Prince Perwees and captived Ganna pursue Curroon scarce resting day or night till they came to Rantas where hearing which way he tooke they chase him to Patan but there also they misse of him having sure tidings of his flight to Radgee Mahal At Patan they breath awhile and hearing of Darabs obsequiousnesse to Currown they get his aged Father Ganganna by letters to dehort him and to promise him requitall so he would joyne with them Darab incensed by Mahobet-chans severity to his father and supposing his perswasions forced and counterfeit most unluckily denyes and goes on to levy men to support the rebellion Prince Perwees proclaymes him Traytor and allots 4000 roopes to him would bring him to his campe alive or dead The tyme-serving greedy Multitude knowing Currown was fled not only bring Darab-chan but his children and kinseman Morad sonne to Sha Nabarkhan all whose heads are struck off and sent to Perwees and by Mahobet-chans command presented to Ganganna by that a wretched Father and thence as a Trophy of their care and terror of others unto Agra on poles to be elevated The report of this untoward massacre is soone knowne to Curroone so that he bids farewell to Mahal and flyes to Medenpoore and thence to Odjea but is quested after by Mahobet to Medenpoore where missing him he stayes for Prince Perwees and sends Baker chan 8000 horse in the pursuit after him At this Oudee or Oujea a citty in Bengala felicitated by Ganges are many Antick Monuments Oudee especially memorable is the pretty old castle Ranichand built by a Bannyan Pagod of that name about 994500 yeares ago after their accompt from which to this the Bannyans haue repayred to offer here and to wash away their sinnes in Ganges each of which is recorded by name by the laborious Bramyns who acquiantes this Pagod with their good progressions and charitable offerings A.D. 1623 A.H. 1003 During these domestique broyles Melec Amber perceiving the season advantagious to recover what he had lost advances with 50000 men and so unexpectedly chardges Laskar-chan Mirza Mametsheir and Ebrahim Hossen that they had no warning for defence but are compelled to give up their Forts and suffer the Decan to re-enter what was his owne by law of Nations 15000 Indians were slayne and as many were expelld the country the 3 Umbraves also are sent prisoners to Daultebad to attend the pleasure of their conquerer Bacherchan having commission to persecute Curroon procrastinates not but in few weeks attaines O' djea where the Prince though he had 5000 horse and 300 Elephants dared not abide him battell possest with feare and so terrified with precedent dangers that he flyes into Gulcundah Curroon flies into Gulcunda contrary to Bacherchans expectation who desired battell The King of Gulcunda receives him with counterfeit welcome and attends him where he passes with 12000 horse pretending to safeguard him but Curroon saw it was rather to secure his Dyamond mynes at that tyme open too prevalent a bait for his needy Army Melec Amber with lesse suspition and more subtilty heartily glad of his rebellion thereby debelitating the Mogul and securing his owne Monarchy sends an Ambassadour to Curroon well attended with letters of much affection and plenty of money and other necessaries with an invitation into Decan where at all assayes he should command his service Curroon rejoyces in this sun-shine of happinesse and accepts his motion but after three moneths commorance in that country weary of idlenesse he projects the recovery of his old Eparchy of Brampore and so without longer advice bids Amber farewell and with ten thousand horse divided amongst Abdulchan Mahumet Tackhieck and Iacup-chan shewes himselfe before Brampore but is forbid entrance by Radgee Rustan set there by Sultan Perwees which so inrages Curroon that after he had breathed out a thousand fruitlesse curses and threats he assalts the wals with incredible haste and violence but is also so churlishly compensated by valiant Rustan that with great losse he retreats to Chan-channaes curious gardens there to ruminate howbeit Abdul-chan is so transported with flame that he mounts againe and advances with his Standard yet in the meridian of his hopes is dejected by valiant Rustang ' and forced to fill the ditch with carcasses of his too forward followers Mahomet Tackieck at twilight tryes
beaten and unable any longer to abide the heavie strokes of their Iron adversaries Assaph-cawn flies up and downe like a distracted man upbraiding intreating and using all meanes possible to re-incourage them but feare had slaine them the Rashboots swords had flasht too much terror amongst them to revive againe so that with a sad heart upon his Arabian Courser he flies away with Mirza Abontila his sonne to a Castle not farre distant thence but by accident are espied and chased by Mirsa Byrewer Mahobets third sonne and are forced out and shackled in silver fetters are also brought to Attack and there kept whiles Mahobet-cawn and his Army galloping in the Aire of good fortune beat downe the Queenes forces at that time more willing to die than fight so that without more let they proclaime themselves Lords of India and prey upon infinite riches of all sorts in the Lescar now scattered and triumphed over The old Mogul not scared with Belloma brazen noyse and clangot was found sleeping yea luld in Morpheus golden bed till by Mahobet-cawn hee is awaked and assured of his welfare upon a stately Elephant they conveighed him to Attack leaving slaine behind him twelve thousand men and many Umbraves of note Mirza Cassem Radgee Doola Abdul-Gallec Abdul Samet Mirchan Godgee Shawarchan and others and taken prisoners Iangheer Queene Normall Assaph-cawn Mirza Abontila his son Sultan Bullochy Sultan Sheriar Sha Ethimore Sha Hossen Eradet-cawn Mokendaschan Mocrib-cawn and Molena Mahomet all which to the amazement of the world are led prisoners to Kabull to expect the pleasure of their conquerour Now is Mahobet-cawn elevated upon the majestick chariot of command and glory yet resolves in no sort to derogate from the splendor of his Master his only aime being to cleare his honour from scandall and to retaliate his enemies what in his friends hee had formerly suffered Normall now clouded with shame and misery is brought forth and by the monster multitude exclaimed on so that by assent of Mahobet and many other Umbraves she is censur'd to be beheaded Not till then did shee perceive the thorny path shee had too long walked in nor meditated upon the mutability of Fortune nor till then could she frame her ambitious heart to feare or servitude But seeing no remedy she armes her selfe with patience and craves a farewell of her Lord to whom after much ado she is admitted where she prostrates her selfe cloathed in so much sorrow repentance that Iangheer melts into compassion and intreats Mahobet for her freedome The request seemes grievous unto Mahobet but loath in any thing to discontent him or shew disloyalty hee condiscends Normall is pardoned and set at liberty and becomes more inraged by this his lenity and complement the residue of the royall prisoners are used with all respect and noblenesse Eradet and Molena Mahomet excepted who by too much rigor are inraged and Molena died Zadoc-cawn sped best for before the fight upon some occasion iarring with his brother Assph-cawn he fled to Mahobet and is for his service made Viceroy of Lahore and Cassem-cawn by mediation of Moweza-begem his wife sister to the Queene restored to his government of Agray and Madaffor-cawn displaced so that now Mahobet swayes Indus'tan till by vicissitude of time hee decayes and all things are redacted to better order and existence Curroon is at this time in Decan lurking till hee might espie some good advantage to recover his lost fame and once more shake off the dishonourable Title of a Rebellious exile but when newes is brought him from Assaph-cawn of the almost incredible change the Empire had and with what a dismall vayle it was then inveloped his Father and Fatherinlaw being in such base subjection Sultan Bulloch and Prince Daniels sonnes imprisoned and his owne two sonnes with Godghee Iehan their governour brought also to Mahobet tyme-serving Madoffer-chan to abide his mercy He disputes not what Mahobet meant but what had hapned so that exasperated with a thousand fancies he gives Melec Amber many thanks and with Radgee Rhyem's sonne and 12000 horse he passes under leave Rana's territories and at last comes to Asmeer intending suddenly to surprize Agra and proclayme himselfe King but his designe by Radgees sudden death is prevented halfe his company forsaking him whereat doubting some treachery in the Asmerians into such hate his robbing and other disorders had brought him and that Mahobet-chan had sent some force against him and Sultan Perwees also had ambusht for him he makes haste to Tatta hoping upon conquest thereof to command the river Indus and Cambaya at his incamping afore it the Captaine Xeriph-Melec sends him word he had order to keep him out and that if he attempted it he should receive the entertainment of an enemy He sends him word back againe he was sonne unto his King Melec confesses it and a rebell Curroon regreets him he came to defie Mahobet-chan and to bring deliverance to his father Melec answers rather by all their confusions to graspe the Dyadem Curroon sees his fickle standing and deplores his folly but by Derra-chan is incouraged after which he assaults the Citty in great bravery but is beat off next day returning with more rage Melec forsakes the fort issues upon them kills Derra-chan and 300 men and forces Curroon to his old shift to flie to Delly but finding no welcome there hasts with his chaffed troopes to Baker twixt Lahore and the sea to breath a while DELLY is the name of a City and Province of late belonging to the Potan Kings but at this day is under the Imperiall crown of Industant the citty now in being is antient large and pretty beautifull such appearing in that variety of antick Monuments and Tombes of above 20 Kings and great ones there inhumed admired by Travellers and adored by infinite troopes of superstitious Indians Not a little famous also in that Piramyd three myles distant in old Delly where lies buried King Homayon grandfather to Iangheer by frame and inscription speaking Alexander at what tyme as now Delly was the Mausoleum of many Potentates new Delly is wald about but with small security is watred by part of Ieminy over which we enter upon a twelfve archt bridge which from a little spring in these mountaines drills to Agra and after a great increase in many meanders at Prage flowes into Ganges and with her runnes in two mouthes 200 myles asunder into the Bengalan gulfe at 22 degrees of North latitude Melec Amber so soone as Curroon was parted to get affection from Perwees also gives liberty without treaty or ransome to Laskar-chan Ebrehem-Hossen and Mirza Manout-sher and with a convoy leaves them at Brampore The same moneth Mahobet-chan received 26 leck of roopees from Channazeid-chan his sonne vice-roy of Bengala which he extracted as annuall rent out of Pattana Soughtar Banaras Sonargan and Chatigan rich and well peopled Citties upon Ganges as also out of Sondiva an isle 20 leagues from Catigan than which is none more
too high in a lustfull bravado petitiond the King for help her good man proving too weak to conquer her a dangerous impudence the King finds it to reflect upon himselfe old at that time and Master of foure thousand Concubines he promises her a present satisfaction he calls his Physitians and when Phlebotomy was held too meane a remedy they give an Assinego an ophiat lustfull potion which inrages the beast who by a forced connexion basely glutted her but in the end banisht her life also A needy souldier drawes up a catalogue of his good services and closes it in want humbly intreating favour and some stipend from his god of warre for such and such good services In bello non bis peccatur for for his saucinesse he is almost drubd with many terrible bastinadoes on the soles of his feet to death and imitating Pyso the cruell Judge in Seneca lib. 1. c. 16. examines who it was that writ it the Clarke apologizes the King quarrells at his scurvie writing and that hee should never write worse makes his hand to bee cut off giving the poore wretch just cause to ingeminate Oh! quam vellem nescirem literas Two needy knaves were brought into the Divan and condemn'd for stealing many grievous tants the Pot-shaw leveld at them assuring them they deserved death for daring to come so neere his Court so lousie and so ragged they confesse they therefore stole to wrap themselves in better cloathing Abbas is not satisfied with any reason hee commands two new vests bee brought and to apparell them but winding sheets had beene more proper for the executioner forthwith drag'd them away and upon two sticks most cruelly stak'd them upon their fundaments Such and such other was his inhumane pastime during our stay at the Caspian sea enough on such a subject by the foot of Hercules the whole body is discerned for if I should summe up his variety of tortures his men men-eating hags of hell his caniball hounds his Capigi and their death twanging bowstrings his ripping mens guts and the like what could be the effect but an odious remembrance and such is the hard-heartednesse of Mahomitans a wicked people for cruell inventions the tender mercies of the wicked are cruelties a good man is mercifull to his beast but nor beast nor men are here commiserated And albeit nothing be more commendable in Princes than Justice for it is that that makes them gods yet clemency is no lesse honourable Tully a heathen could affirme it in his oration to Caesar for the life of Lygarius Thy clemency O Caesar is most excellent yea more honourable than thy other vertues Fortune hath made thee great Nature advanc't thee higher in thy inclination unto mercy Nor can they well bee separated A Prince exalted above others in dignity and Title is tyed to an impartiall way neither hating nor fearing any but rewarding and punishing as cause requireth without which contempt or confusion followeth But to these of Abbas I cannot give the glorious Attribute of Justice since if the punishment exceed the fault it then degenerates into cruelty a vice odious to God the Father and fountaine of mercy to men by imitating their deformities conceiting any Act though never so unnaturall if moulded after such a pattern good and commendable And heathen Potentates swerving from the rule of divine Justice pamper the corrupt habit and disposition of their minds out of a monstrous appetite and opinion that they are above all law and may every way inebriate their lust by sportfull tyranny such were the inhumane games in the Roman Amphytheators such was the barbarisme Xerxes as Xenophon notes practiz'd on Masistes his brother other Satrapaes such in Dejoces father to Phraortes who utterly exterminated the Persian generosity such in most Mahumedans at this day governing I cannot chuse but adde the miserable Tragedy of his sonne the memory whereof is recent through most of Asia Abbas by divers Paramours had divers children many of which hee educated with great cost care and experience Of most hope fame and vertue where Ismael Sophy-mirza Codobanda-Sultan and Emangoly foure brave young Princes the two first begot on Gordina daughter of Simon-cawn the later two of Martha daughter of Scander-mirza both Georgians both Christians the first Lady was brought thence by Kurchiki-cawn the other by Shaw-Tamas-Coolibeg both Persians both favorites all of them so deare to Abbas that it seemed hee then had got the Elixar of earthly happinesse his wives were so incomparably beautifull his favorites so exactly faithfull his sonnes so lively the characters of his person policy and courage reciprocally joying the aged King and overjoying the warlike Persians But it is commonly observed that as the most excellent things fade perish and alter soonest so this admirable candor and perfection in these youthfull Princes quickly vanished Saturn acting it Ismael when by reason of his innate delight in Armes and many quick signes of magnanimity the Asiatick world gazed and admired him in a black infernall cloud of poyson went down to an untimely grave at nineteene in the Meridian of his splendor Soffy-mirza dogd by a like adverse destiny though elevated at first for revealing a conspiracy was in the end at equall yeeres throwne downe and crusht to death after the dumb Capigi had got a hatefull victory meere jealosie in the King commanding it Emanguly ere his popular applause could hatch his ruine upon conference with a witch that hee saw by the Almuten of his nativity short life attended him growes fearfull of his Syres inconstancy and in a deep disconsolate melancholy evaporates his sad spirits leaving the expectation of hazard and soveraignty to Codobanda Sultan sirnamed Soffee who made wise by his brothers miseries so exquisitly behaved himselfe in duty to his King in a pleasing distance to the people that Abbas doates the people celebrate and an uncontroulable good Fortune seemes to dandle him Affability bounty loyalty courage and experience in Armes at home abroad the Persian Monarchy Turk Arab Mogul and Tartar admiring fearing and commending him in severall Eulogies and acclamations his owne left nothing unsaid or uninvented that might honour him his enemies without giving their thoughts the lye could not but idolize him who for all that not like our common spirits efflated by every vulgar breath upon every act deifie themselves and conceit all great additions of honour under their merits stood immovable sorry he grew so popular modestly chiding them for flattery condemned himselfe of hypocrisy by suffring his victories to bee so guilded since what he had or did was but a reflex of his Fathers vertue which he doubted might suffer an eclipse by his accumulations Oh! how execrable is this marrow fretting scab of jealousie and envie it converts that reason which only makes us Men without any regard of justice into brutishnesse yea to exceed in cruelty the most unreasonable most violent creatures Is not Abbas a King a Father does clemency belong to any
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
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
attribute so properly Is not Soffee-Sultan-mirza a Prince his sonne on whom can he more justly conferre his love in whom should vertue rather dwell where can there be a better center poore Prince the path he treads to adde lustre to his Fathers Diadem to do his Country good to be accounted commendable betrayes his steps and intices him to an affrighting precipice the more he labours to delight his Father it serves as fuell to an unjust jealousie the more hee dignifies his countries honour the more applause the people crowne him with and Abbas feares his popularity yea so farre cherishes dishonourable thoughts so much degenerates from paternall piety that without all pitty or regard of justice which makes Kings more beautifull and glorious than when circled with a Tyrants sparkling Diadem hee ruminates his speedy destruction During these his cabinet machinations the harmelesse Prince brandishes his steele in proud Arabia but after many conquests himselfe becomes captivated An Arabian Princesse of good report great beauty in such bodies usually are impaled the fairest soules and other excellent indowments fettered him but by his bravery and worth quickly redeem'd himselfe and vanquisht her Such magick has love such magnetick power is in vertue By this Lady he had in few yeeres two children Soffy and Fatyma no lesse loved by their Syre than beloved doated on by the Grandsyre Abbas a strange affection to distinguish so unnaturally to separate where nature had so strongly joyned to hate the graft and have the fruit endeared to him But that his hate might flow more currantly and lesse suspected hee lookes one way and shoots another seekes to inrage by abusing him hee lov'd most dearly Magar an Arab the Princes Tutor a sober faithfull and valiant servant Abbas calls for him and in leiu of applause or rewarding him for his sonnes noble education he lends him a sterne frowne accuses him of pride and charges him that hee had bewitcht the Prince with base ambition Magar sees not the venome prepared for him and therefore in an humble but confident excuse seekes to quiet him but the better hee apologuiz'd in his owne behalfe and the clearer hee made the Mirzaes loyalty appeare the more hee exasperates the King the higher his rage inflamed so that first hee amazes him with a volley of rigorous defamations and in that maze gives the signe a dreadfull signe for forthwith the Capigies break out and strangle him An unparaleld barbarisme an act so unbeseeming that famous King as amongst the common sort to this day it is not credited but Fames brazen shrill-mouth'd Trump sounds it abroad and ere long the Prince then in action against the Tartar has notice of his Syres injustice hee leaves the Camp and after many signalls of sorrow beseeches the King hee may know the reason of it who flashes him this thundring reason for thy rebellion he calls heaven to witnesse his integrity and obedience but Abbas provokes him further to intrap and have some colour to satisfie the world in his destruction The Prince madded with heat and passion imagines hee saw Magar a strangling and in that extasie unsheaths his sword vowing to rescue him the King sorrowes not at his distraction but at this advantage upon some faire termes disarming him calls him into another roome and pretending he was not very well goes out commanding seven big-bon'd villanies deafe and dumbe through a trap doore to issue upon him arm'd with bloody minds and deadly bow-strings their habit and weapons bewray their cruelty they needed no other interpretors the Prince admires the cause and if oratory or other submissive signes of entreaty could have gotten remorse or delay from these hell-hounds but till he knew the ground of this unnaturall project he had affoorded it but assured they were inexorable with an incomparable rage and suddennesse he flies upon them now one then another receiving such horrid blowes that ere they could fasten on him or insnare him with their ghastly twanging bowstrings hee sent three of them to the Divell and long time defended himselfe offending those blood-hounds with admirable courage and dexterity insomuch that had hee mastered any weapon hee had doubtlesse saved himselfe but wanting it his breath failed and longer his valour could not nourish him for facile est vincere non repugnantem so that at last thay fastened their noozes on him who now was as a dead man for all which the villains had triumpht in his further tortures had not the King prevented it commanding them to pinnion him and before hee could recover his sences to draw a flaming steele afore his eyes and so to blind him forbidding him the sight of what hee loved ever after wife babes friends soldiers or Magars carcasse And by this impiety Asia lost her fairest jewell Persia her Crown of honour and Mars his darling The losse of so brave a Prince is quickly rumord All Persia mourns and in many threnodies sing his farewell his Army swells with passion but seeing no remedy by a forced silence murmur their imprecations the Prince when he perceived his undoing the eye of reason lent him such a sight falls frantick hee curses his birth his fame his loyalty his cruell parent and by many contumatious threats vowes his destruction but vana sine viribus ira he findes his revenge impossible but at that conceit roares hidiously and is not to be comforted till Suliman-mirza Curchiki-cawn and other his kinsmen and quondam favorits flockt about him and by their miserable examples dictated patience for none there but in some measure had swolne big with the Kings infusion in their times and by like jealousie were crusht downe mutilated and damnd to perpetuall imprisonment In those discontented times Abbas kept his Orb moving like another Saturn now he imagines his Crowne fixt closely to his head his seat steddy every way free from stormes and other accidentall causes that might disturb his quiet he swum hourely in an ocean of delight and relisht it but nothing so much inchanted him as young Fatyma no other Syren was melodious in song or delicate in feature save pretty Fatyma if any stood in feare he is pacified by Fatyma Court and Kingdome admired his love but joyed at it for by this Lady they found a way to expell his rage and how to pleasure him the prisoners also by this Fatyma got some livelyhood for want of which they were oft times welnigh famished none but shee daring to mediate and thus by this good infant gained they what formerly they pined for food and comfort But what joy findes the blinded Prince since hee cannot participate revenge delights him more that word as musick pleases the infernall fancie of this melancholy Mirza not caring how detestable so Abbas suffered The Divell inspires new rage and blowes the coales of more than cruell assassination for albeit he loved Fatima yet hearing how his Father doated on her that begets his hate yea hatches the innocents confusion Oh! in him