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A07894 A briefe chronicle, of the successe of times, from the creation of the world, to this instant· Containing, the originall & liues of our ancient fore-fathers, before and after the Floude, as also, of all the monarchs, emperours, kinges, popes, kingdomes, common-weales, estates and gouernments, in most nations of this worlde: and how in alteration, or succession, they haue continued to this day. Munday, Anthony, 1553-1633. 1611 (1611) STC 18263; ESTC S112963 308,814 636

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chéefest mishappes amongst the Barbarians Whereupon it is saide that euen then a great number of persons with-drewe them-selues from the firme Land to the Isles where Venice at this instant is builded hasting thither from all other partes especiall vpon the arriuall of this cruell Enemie Attila Some of the better sort of Padua first began the retreat and being come to the entrance or issue of the Riuer which was then very déepe whence the name of Rialto hath remained to the same place as deriued of the word Riuealto they there laid the first foundation of the Cittie of Venice The meaner people of Paduaj enforced by the selfe same feare fled thence and began to people themselues in Chioggia Malamocco and Albiola Some of them of Aquileia at the same time betooke themselues to the Marshes or Fennes of Grada and vpon the fresh returne of Attila the people ranne in mighty affluence along the sea Coastes to the neighbouring Isles They of Aquileia bestowed themselues in Grada a place néerest to firme Land yet engirt with Waters They that fledde from Concordia made vse of Coarli and the Attinois sixe little Islands néere to one another which they gaue names vnto according to the Names of the Gates of their former lost and ruined Citties To wit Torcello Maiorbo Buriano Muriano Amiana Gonstantiaco These seuerall places where at this present the citty of Venice is seated were in elder times very straite or narrow Islandes and néere vnto each other sauing onely that they were separated by the pleasing course of Riuers which ranne into and returned againe from the Sea according to the changes of his fluxe and reflux Nor in these straites were then any dwellinges to bee discerned but onely of Sea-Fowles that flew thither from the Seas to sport themselues vppon the Sunnie banckes and Fishermen also would some-times there put in for harbour The Paduans that tooke vp the Rialto were the first that beganne to builde and it was in the very same place where the first Foundation of the Citty was laid namely the 25. day of March in the yeare of our Lord 421. and second yeare of the raigne of Pharamond first King of the Gaules or French-men in the time also of Pope Boniface the first and of the Emperour Honorius Whereby it plainly appeareth that at one and the selfe-same time began both the kingdome of France and the Commonwealth of Venice And that both the one and the other haue continued to this present for twelue hundred yeares very little either more or lesse This Cittie so newlie begun encreased dailie both in people and buildings But sée what happened vppon a suddaine a Greeke Carpenters House or rather he was one of the Shipwrights named Entinopus falling a fire consumed in a moment with a violent continual embracing 24. faire new built Houses Which when these new-come Inhabitantes perceiued and fearing that Heauen was offended with this their manner of beginning forgetting God and seruing their owne appetites They fell all to praier and made a solemne vow to builde a Church in the honour of God and in memory of the Apostle S. Iames at which very instant time a mighty tempest of raine as suddainelie fell whereby the rest of the new-begun Cittie was happilie preserued That Church is yet at this daie plainelie to be discerned with the markes and appearances of great antiquity euen in the very midst of the Rialto And it was then consecrated by foure Byshops to wit Seuerianus Bishop of Padua Ambrose Bishop of Altina Iocundus Bishoppe of Treuisa Epodius bishop of Vderzo a Priest was there appointed to performe diuine seruice The first foundations of this famous Citty were men of honest repute Noble and rich For the ancient Venitians at the change of their abiding brought with them thither their Wiues and Children with the very wealthiest mooueables which they had and so at leisure withdrew themselues to places of a more secure dwelling But béeing impeached by incurssions of the Hunnes to Till the Groundes vppon the Sea Coastes such as had any meanes or apt commoditie gaue themselues to fighting and to make Salt or to transport the goods of their neighbors estéeming the benefite thereby gotten to bee no more dishonest or vnbefitting then to Plough and husband the grounds of others As for the wealthier sort they addicted themselus to Traffick Merchandizes with strangers and by their frequent aduenturing into diuers Countries some of them being very skilfull Miners and well experienced in the triall of seuerall Dors or Mettals hidden in the ground which by industry and endeauour they found in the earth became Finers or Triers of those Mettals and extracted from the grosser substances the purer perfections of Golde and Siluer whereby in their owne language they were tearmed Orifici deriued of the Latin word Aurifex Gold-smiths or Hammer-Men that of those refined Mettals could frame Cuppes Pots Ringes Basons Ewres or any other néedfull matter whatsoeuer both for the seruice of God in Churches and Temples and for the royaltie of Emperors Kinges and Princes So that by the consent of diuers good Authours as Liuie Florus Cassidorus Trogus Pompëius and others the first Gold-Smiths Workers in Gold and Siluer and framers of those excellent Mettals into such orderly meanes for vse within the partes of Europe liued in Venice whereas yet to this day doe remaine the very best ingenious and perfect work-men for such matters according to the iudgement of many that are to bee found in any part of the World Concerning such as remained more ordinarily at home for rare and safety of the Cittie they applied their Spirites to deuise good lawes and customes for generall benefite During which time such was their due respect of Iustice and so precise care of equitie and right to all men as among so great a number of people there could not bee any disorderly differences noted Catholique Religion they so singularly commended and the daylie presence of some reuerend Prelates who had saued themselues with their Compatriots that it augmented among them a common affection to piety And their assistance appeared very requisite not onely for the ministry of holy offices but also for retention of the Inhabitants of this new Citty in auncient piety and Religion Fearing least they might bee infected with the poyson of Arrian Heresie because nothing else made more spoyle and hauocke thorough all the Prouince except the Weapons of the Gothes and Hunnes Such was the beginning of the Citty of Venice and in such manner of liuing and in such exercises shee spent her first infancy till by her Vertues shee attained to greater groweth and grounded her selfe in her instant state and condition It hath constantly bin held that this common-wealth euer-more retained that forme of gouernment which is tearmed Aristocratia that is that the most noble and woorthiest Cittizens should guide and gouerne For although it be saide
conquered by the Christians vnder the conduct of Godfrey of Bullen and those that then remained of the Turkes retired themselues to Nicea hauing neuer after any one K. of renowne vntill this man who made himselfe a Monarch hath the first place in the History of the Turkes He was but of meane descent yet of great spirit cunning dilligent and ambitious hauing euermore in his hart a desire to raigne and pondered vpon all meanes that thereto might best aduance him In this high disposition hee founde Fortune very fauourable to him for he subdued the greater part of Bithinia tooke many fortes néere to the Pontick Sea But his very greatest honour was the surprising of Sina a Citty anciently called Sebastia He died aged in the first yeare of Phillip de Valois King of France and Edward the third King of England Orchanes Son to the said Othoman was Emperour of the Turkes after his father He would not alter a iote of this newe authority no more then his father did and whom he farre surpassed in Warlike actions By his liberality and good carriage he woon the hearts of his people pursuing on very well what his father had begunne By his industry vigilancie and prouidence he woon the Countries of Mysia Lycaonia Phrygia and Caria and tooke in Warre Prusya which is now called Bursia and which was the aboade of the Kings of Bithynia where he receiued a hurt whereof he died in the first yeare of the raigne of Io. K. of France Edward the third of England stil raigning He raigned 22. yeares leauing Soliman and Amurath his sons and successors Soliman sonne of Orchanes raigned 2. yeares after his Father He made warre vpon the Greekes passed from Asya into Europe where he vanquished the Bulgarians and tooke many places from them especially in Thrace he got the Citties of Adrianople and Philopolis Some say that he died in his Fathers life time with a fall from his horse in hunting and that very soone after his father died with gréefe And this is the reason why some doe not set him in the rank of Turkish Emperors Amurath first of that name and sonne to Orchanes was Emperor of the Turkes in the year 1350. Good Fortune attended on him as shee did on his Graundfather and on his own Father likewise But he was as contrary to his graund father by the mothers side as his father had béen to his predecessor who bereft him of a great part of Cilicia by killing his sonne Amurath incited thereto by Iohn Paleologus sent twelue thousand Turkes for seruice of the said Paleologus which was the source and beginning of the ruyne of Constantinople For being allured with the riches of Europe to make another voyage he passed in the Genowaies gallies six thousand Turks vnder colour of yet giuing fresh succour to the Emperor of Constantinople and to expell his enemies out of the Empire But it was with full intention to vsurpe Greece So he crossed the arme of the Hellespont Sea to Abydos seazing Calypolis and other Citties Afterward with a verie strong power he set vpon the Emperor himselfe who no way doubted him Then tooke he Seruia and Bulgaria whose Princes he foiled comming in good manner against him But one of the followers of Lazarus Despote of Seruia in reuenge of his Maisters death slaine in the fight killed Amurath in the yeare 1378. Baiazeth King or Emperor of the Turks first of that name after the death of Amurath his Father slew his elder brother Solyman by Treason and enioyed the Empyre of the Turkes alone to himselfe To reuenge the death of his Father he made warre against Marke Lord of Bulgaria both vanquishing and killing him and subduing beside a great part of his country In short while after he ran thorow the Countries of Hungaria Albania and Valachia and doing great hurt vnto them tooke many Christians whom he carried Prisoners into Thrace In regard of most bold attempts in his Martiall businesse wherein hee was both hot and sudden hee was called Baiazeth Hildrin that is to say Heauens Lightning He subdued almost all Greece being assisted with the guifts and graces of Nature both in body and mind He besieged Constantinople for the space of eight yeares the Emperor wherof was gon into France to require assistance which was granted him Neuerthelesse Baiazeth had the victory ouer the French Hungarians Germaines Seruians Mysians at once assembled against him And so returning to Constantinople with a fresh besieging and finding no meanes to preserue the Empire of Constantinople suddenly Tamberlain came against Baiazeth and gaue him battel on mount Stella where Pompey fought with Mithridates There did Tamberlain conquer him bound him in chaines of gold placing him in a Cage of yron led him in that manner thorough Asya and Syria In which miserable estate Baiazeth died and after his decease we find that there was interregnum vntil Mahomet one of his sons came Iosuah or Cyriscelebes whom some wrongly name Calapine the eldest sonne of Baiazeth after the foyle of his Father was defeated of Asya by Tamberlain led Captiue to Constantinople for the Emperor as a singular prize But he was vsed as the sonne of a Prince and soon after with great humanity in the Emp. released and sent home into Asya where he recouered his Fathers kingdome After when he had well reestablished his forces he stoutly resisted Sigismond King of Hungary who came to assaile him and had woon diuers Prouinces from him presuming that the Turks could no way reléeue him after so great an ouerthrow giuen by Tamb. But Fortune spake no friendlier to Sigismund then she had formerly don to him when he fought against Baiazeth at Nicopolis his people being al larded with arrows before they could fall into order of battell For the Horsmen turned bridle euen at the first shocke noise of the Enemy and Cyriscelebes remained conqueror who was slaine by his brother Mustapha otherwise called Musulman in the very flower of his age the yeare 1407. Mustapha or Musulman was Emperor of the Turks a very small time for his brother Moyses possessed himselfe of the State and expelled him Som name this Mustapha Orchanes the second whom they tearme to be son and heire to Iosuah or Cyriscelebes and that he was slaine by Moyses his vncle by the fathers side but Moyses quickly did suffer his deserued punnishment For loosing both goods and life together himself was also slain by his owne brother Mahometh There be that write that this Mahometh raigned next after his father Baiazeth making no mention of Iosuah or Cyriscelebes neither of Mustapha or Orchanes nor of Moyses but after Baiazeth do make his sonne Mahometh presently to follow Moyses was expulsed and put to death by his brother Mustapha or as others say his nephue Orchanes and soone after he was likewise slaine by his brother Mahometh And these twoe by some are not set in ranke with
besieged also the Isle of Malta in the yeare 1565. whether the Knights of S. Iohn of Ierusalem had retired themselues after the surprisall of Rhodes But the Isle was manfully defended by their great maister being a Frenchman named Peter Parisot called also le Valette and Soliman was compelled to raise his siege In the yeare 1566. He died in Hungary at his siedge before the Castle of Sighet hauing raigned 47. yeares Selim second of that name Emperour of the Turks succéeded in the Empire by the meanes of Basha Mehemet after the death of Soliman his Father in Hungary which for a time was concealed and hee entred into possession of the Empire before the death of his Father was discouered He subdued Ainan in Arabia and took the Isle of Cyprus in the yeare 1571. In the end he lost his Nauall Army in the battell of Lepanto which he had against the Christians in the very same yeare 1571. But soone after he came vpon them againe and then renewed peace with the Venetians and their Common-wealth Afterward he recouered Thunis the Goulette which the king of Spaine had made vse of in Affrica And he died in the yeare 1574. hauing reigned eight yeares But all the forenamed memorable actions were performed by his Bashaes and not by himselfe for hee all the while tooke his pleasure being greatly giuen to women and wine Amurath third of that name and son to Selim was created Emperour of the Turkes and enioyed the Empire after his fathers death within eight daies in the yeare 1574. By a cruel and barbarous custome of the Contrey he caused fiue Brethren of his owne to be slaine and two Concubines of his Fathers whoe were great with Child to the end that he might solely reigne alone without feare or suspition and so be auoyded of all impeachments which he wel vnderstood might ensue by parity and such as shoulde laye claime to the like Fortune He began his gouernment somewhat yong being aged but 28. years being a woonderfull louer of his paternall Ma●ometane Religion a great Iusticer and imitator of his Graundfather Soliman He tooke som citties in Hungarie and Sclauonie which afterward were regained from him Some say that he was dull and lumpish of spirit and fell oftentimes with the falling sicknesse which made his face to look blemished and of a leaden coulour He gaue himselfe to women and great feeding for he was the Father of 102. children and yet became very grosse and corpulent Hee died in Ianuary 1595. the 21. yeare of his raigne not hauing attained to fifty yeares of age Mahometh the third succéeded his Father Amurath the third in the yeare 1595. And to shew himselfe the sonne of his father and no whit to degenerate from his Auncestors he caused 19. of his brethren to be barbarously murdered and many of his Fathers Concubines to be drowned that were found to be great with childe after his decease so that no child should remaine to trouble him in his gouernment But as cruelty and barbarousnesse doth commonly dwell in a negligent sp●rit addicted to sloth and pusillanimity euen so did not he any thing deseruing memory he being wholy giuen to his bodies voluptuousnesse He did put to death his eldest sonne and the mother of that sonne because they had inquired of Astrologers how long time hee shoulde raigne In the yeare 1603. the Sophi of Persya regained Tauris and Bages and those great countries which the predecessors of this Mahometh had invaded as hath bin already declared in our report of Selim the first and Soliman the second He died of the Plague at Constantinople in Ianuary 1604. hauing raigned nine yeares Achmet succéeded his father in the Empyre being but seauentéen years old in the year 1604. In the yeare 1605. he tooke Strigonia and some other places in the Kingdome of Hungaria It is said that in his Army he causeth his Fathers dead body to be carried embalmed and enclosed in a Coffin of Lead holding opinion that his military deseigns and exployts shall therby proue the more fortunat He hath made peace with the Emperour Rodulphus and those of the house of Austria for fifteen yeares which makes it therefore the more beléeued that hee will conuert his forces against the Sophi He now reigneth this yeare 1611. and by outward appearance couets to be feared A briefe Discourse concerning the Sarrazins the Originall of their name and what People they haue been euen to this day HAuing deliuered a shorte Suruey of the Turkish Ottomans from their first King or Emperor to the man that now gouerneth I thought it not impertinent to my purpose to say somwhat also of the Sarazins who are held to be before them and much more auncient then they Nor list I here to call in question those errors committed by Sabellicus Blondus the Tyrian Bishop Volatteranus many other graue Authors who in their writings doe tearme the Mahumetists or Turks to be Sarazins for they neuer knewe any such name neither were at any time so called but only Mulsulmans which is as much to say as people faithfull in the Law Some others who haue thought their iudgements to be much more pregnant sticke not to say that this name of Sarazin did come of Sarra the wife of Abraham of whose race the great Prophet Mahomet inuenter and deuiser of the Law or Religion helde at this present by the Sarazins and Turkes they say was discended But this opinion likewise is not receineable for they desired rather to be called Agarians in reguard of Agar handmayde to Sarra and mother of Ismaeli or else Ismaelites because they iudged themselues to be yssued of the said Ismaell bastard son to the forenamed Abraham But let vs leaue these false etymologies which neither carry or yeeld any true likelihood come to the very Originall of the name Sarazin The error grew from hence that some short while before Mahomet or Muhamet as others tearms him arose and began to extend himselfe as well towards Suria as Persya there liued then in the Rocky Arabia and Idumea certain Arabes who made their abode or dwelling and yet doe to this day vnder small Tents or enclosures and hadde not any other trade or maintenance for their liuing but by thefts and robberies which they daily exercised vpon all passengers were they Turks Christians Pagans or whatsoeuer Of which Robbers and Théeues the Countrey coulde neuer be fréeed nor can be at this day as such doe faithfully affirme who haue trauailed on pilgrymage to Mount Sinai in Ierusalem And the Turkes themselues doe confesse that when Deuotion drew them forth on Pilgrimage to the city of Medinat al Nabi that is to say the Citty of the Prophet scituate in Arabia foelix where the Sepulcher of Mahomet is and when likwise they doe yet passe thorow the very greatest solitudes and desarts as many times the Christians doe They finde them to bee peopled with these wicked
many Princes Prelates of France who went and besieged Damieta where they were ayded by the knightes hospitallers Templers and the City was soon after surrendred to K. Lewes in the yeare 1250. Then did the Soldan of Egypt giue battel to the christians wherein King Lewes with his brethren Charles and Alphonsus the King of Cyprus as also the Great maister many knights of the hospitalers Templers were all taken prisoners Whych surprizall caused an attonement betwéene King Lewes and the Soldane the hospitall Knights lent mony to King Lewes to pay his ransom In the year 1251. Villebride the great maister dyed in the City of Ptolomais succéeded by election 18 Guillaum de Chasteau-neuf or de Castelno of the spéech of Auuergne He was a great obseruer of Iustice pope Alexander 4. gaue to the knights hospitallers the castle lands of Bethania in the yeare 1256. In his time the Christians lost their vtmost hope of any succour from the Princes of Europe and in the yeare 1280. the Great Maister of Castelno died when as the Hospitall Knights of S. Iohn elected in his sted 19 Hugues Reuelle or Reuel in the tyme of Pope Vrban the fourth who gaue to the knights of S. Iohn Mont-Tabor 1261. and in Anno 1262. they bought the Castle of Assur but in the following two yeares they tooke from the Sarazins a Castle named Lilion whereuppon the Soldan of Egypt concluded to worke the ruin of the Knights Hospitallers and as an instance he forcibly tooke from the saide Knights in the year 1265. the Castle of Assur at the surprizal wherof there were slaine to the number of 90. knights of S. Iohn which greatly abated their power and repute And in the yeare 1267. the Knights hospitallers and Temples were assailed and much confused in battaile by the Sarazins néere to the City of Ptolomais for they wasted and spoiled al the countrey thereabout In the yeare also 1270 the Knights of S. Iohn lost the Castle of Cracquo which was assaulted by the Soldane and all the knights within it were put to the sword It is likewise saide that this Great Master Reuel assisted King Lewes in the voyage to Tunis where the said King died of the plague and that in the ende about the yeare 1278. the Great Maister Reuel ended his daies hauing helde fiue Chapters or assemblies of the Brother-hoode of S. Iohn wherein manie notable Statutes were made for gouernement and reformation of the Order 20 After his decease Nicholas Lorgus was chosen Great Maister who not to swerue a iot from his predecessor wel knowing that nothing sooner procureth the ruine of Common-weales Comminalties then discord and dissention tooke such paines to reconcile the Knights hospitallers with the Templers that he drew them to accord and made them good friends In the yeare 1282 the Knights of S. Iohn woon a famous victorie against the Sarazins who proudely came to besiedge the Castle of Margate their very principal Fortresse which was very manfully defended by the Hospitallers and in the ende quitted at composition by the knights who returned with their Ensignes displayed to the Citty of Ptolomais And in the yeare 1288. Lorgus the Great Maister died with very griefe because hee saw the Christian affaires in the Holy land dailie to fall from il to worse without any means or hope of remedy 21 In the same yeare Iohn de Villiers a Frenchman borne was created Great Maister of the Order In his time the Citty of T●ipoly was taken from the Christians by the Infidels as in like manner were the citties of Sidonia Ba●uth in the yeare 1289. all which were ransacked ruined and burned and the citty of Tyre brought vnder the Soldanes subiection whereon the christians of Ptolomais were gladde to séeke their owne peace During which time the Great Maister went to Brundusium with the Great Maister of the Templers to sollicite the christian Princes of the Croisade and the Soldane came to assaile the citty of Ptolomais which was vertuously defended by the Knights of the Hospitall and Temple with many braue sallies forth vpon the besiedgers Especially the Great Maister Villiers who was sore wounded with long sustaining the whol charges of the Barbarian Infidels the Knights Barricadoing themselues in a quarter of the Citty which yet was afterward taken on Friday the 18. of May the same yeare 1292. With this great losse the Christians were driuen out of the holy land 191. years ten months thrée daies after it had bin Conquered by Godfrey of Bullen The Great M. with the rest of his Knightes fled for safety to the Isle of Cyprus where they were very kindly entertained by the K. of the Island who assigned to thē the Templers the Citty of Limosson which was a Port Towne or Hauen on the Sea There did they inhabite and there did the Great Maister assemble two generall Chapters one in December 129● and the other in October 1293. making therein dyuers good Statutes for the Order and in the yeare 12●● he dyed at Limosson then succéeded him 22 F. Odo des Pins borne in Prouence in the time of Pope Boniface the eyght He incurred the hatred and disgrace of the knightes of his Order by reason of his negligence and couetousnesse And there was a purposed determination to depriue him of his Great maistershippe but it was impeached by the Pope to auoide scandall and at length he was cited to appeare at Rome in person to answere to the complaintes of the Hospitallers and thitherward he trauailed But before he could sée Italy he dyed by the way in the year 1296. hauing in the precedent yeares held two generall Chapters at Limosson Hee caried also along with him a manuscript Chronicle wherein hee had appealed certaine letters of the Popes containing excommunication whereby he pursued and reléeued his owne appeale 23 The Knights hearing the death of theyr Great Maisters des Pins elected at Limosson the twenty foure day of March 1296. F. Guillaume de Villaret to succéed him who was of the same Countrey of Prouence and Prior of S. Gilles where he was at the time of his election But hauing intelligence thereof he trauailed immediatly to the Kingdome of Cyprus and gouerned in his charge very prudently In his time Vsau Cassanus King of the Tartares became a Christian and recouered the Citty of Ierusalem where hee placed the Knightes Hospitallers and Templers in Garrison in the yeare 1300. Hée tooke the Citty of Damas likewise but it was quickly regained by the Infidels and the Hospitallers and Templers returned then to Cyprus againe where the Great Maister departed out of this life in the yeare 1308. hauing helde fiue generall Chapters at Limosson and séene the vtter ruine of the Knights Templers 24 The great Maister being dead Folquet de Villaret of the same Nation of Prouence was elected in his roome He was a man of liuely spirit and great courage and
to our Sauiour descended and he himselfe according to the flesh Of whom they kéepe a very solemne memory and aboue any other of the Apostles thinke reuerently of S. Thomas the Apostle Of the Kingdome of Persia PErsia hath carried the same name from the beginning to this day containing in it these Regions Lar and Requelmall The principall Citty thereof is called Siras in elder times tearmed Persipolis which is gouerned by the Sophy Great Lord of all Persia and Azimia called by our elders Assiria and the Kingdom of Dearbech sometime named Mesopotamia And Seroan that was Media and Parthia now called Iex with Hirca nowe tearmed Coraxan Sarmania nowe Dulcendano and Asia nowe at this instant called Hetti All these seuerall Regions with the greater Armenia which is a part also of them are gouerned by the great Sophy and their greatest or chiefest Cittie is named Tauris being built in the midst of the Mountain Taurus foure daies iourney off from the Caspian Sea Next vnto Tauris there are other Cittyes as of Soltauia Concassan Spahan Corazan Lera Mora Sarmachand Gesti Far Siras and Ormuz a Citty in the Persick Sea which at this day is called Mare Misindia In this Citty is great commerce of Merchandize made with the Portugales and there they fish for great aboundance of Pearles There are other Citties also Cureh Iex Casmine Coy with infinite Castles On the West side of Tauris are the Caspian Mountaines which are nowe called the Mountains of Arath And on the Bacchan Sea aunciently named the Caspian Sea are these Citties Sumacchia Derbent Bacchan and Mamutaga All these Prouinces and their Regions are very barren because they haue small store of Riuers the greatest whereof is called Bindarin but in former times they entitled it Bragada Concerning the gouernment obserued among the Persians it differs farre from all the other Mahumetists because they hate Nobility and relying on the seruile fidelity of slaues eyther murther their Friendes and Kindred or put out their eyes But among the Persians the Sophy is highly respected Nobility had in Honour and many wealthy Lordes are liuing amongst them whereof not one is to bee found in the Turkish Dominions The people also are the very ciuillest in all Asia men of vndaunted courage and speciall good Warriours both on Horse-backe and foote affecting Musique Learning and Poesie wherein some attaine to no meane excellency and they are much addicted to the study of Astrology So much in bréefe concerning the Persians the rest remaineth to our Generall History of the World ¶ Of the Kingdome of Thunis THE Citty of Thunis or Tunis being very great was by the Latines called Tunetum and of the Arabians Tunus but they holde that name to be a very corrupt vocable because in their Language Tunus dooth not signifie any thing This Cittie was anciently called Tharsus as that other in Asia and was at first but a very little Cittie builded by the Affricanes vpon the Lake which was formed from the Goletta distant from the Mediterranian Sea about twelue miles But after that Carthage was destroyed then did those Citties beginne to encrease both in number of habitations and dwellers in regard that the Armies which surprized Carthage béeing vnwilling to tarry there for feare of fresh supplyes from Europe came to abide at Tunis and there they builded many Houses Not long after there came thither a Captaine named Hucha di Vtmen who gaue them to vnderstand that an Army ought not to shut vppe it selfe in any Citty that shoulde touch or bee néere vnto the Sea And therefore they made a Citty which they named Cairoan about the distaunce of thirty sixe miles from the Sea and accounted to be an hundred miles from Tunis Then did the Armies forsake Tunis and inhabited this newe Citty other people gouerning those houses in Tunis that had bin abandoned by the Armirs After this about thrée hundered and fiftie yeares the Citty of Cairoan was destroyed by the Arabians so that the Rector or Ruler thereof fled thence into the West and raigned in Buggia as also ouer all the neighbouring partes but there remained still in Tunis a Family or kindred of the said Rector or Gouernour fledde from Cairoan who still possessed the same as Soueraigne Lordes thereof About ten yeares after they of Buggia were expulsed by Ioseph the son of Tessino but beholding the humility and kindnesse of the saide Lord they left the State vnto him which continued in tranquility so long as the Family of Ioseph raigned But Abdull Mumen King of Marocco hauing regained Mabdia which had béene taken by the Christians passed homeward in his returne by Tunis where hée tooke the gouernment vpon him And all the time that Abdull Mumen liued and Ioseph his Sonne with their Successours Iacob Mansor Tunis continued in peace vnder the rule of the Kinges of Marocco After the death of Mansor his Sonne Muhamet Ennasir mooued Warre against the King of Spaine but was ouercome and forced to flight escaping backe to Marrocco where after this foile hee liued but few yeares Then was his Brother Ioseph elected King who was slaine by certaine Souldiers to the King of Tebesm Now in the Interim betwéene the ouerthrow of Muhament his death as also the murthering of his Brother Ioseph the Arabians returned backe on Tunis and besiedged it But the Gouernour of Tunis gaue notice thereof to the King of Marocco that if he sent him not some immediate succour he should be constrayned to deliuer the Cittie to the Arabes The King well considering on a case of such importance did as became a man of his high spirit and experience electing aboue all other in his Court one borne in Ciuill a Citty of Granado named Habdulnaihidi whom hee foorth-with sent thyther with the same authority as if he had gone himselfe in person Béeing accompanyed with twenty goodly great Sippes he arriued at Tunis which was then euen halfe vanquished by the Arabes But by his wisedome prouidence and flowing eloquence hee foyled the Enemy pacified the State set all thinges in good order and made the Countries entrance sure against all Intruders After him his Sonne succeeded named Abu Zaccheria who in learning and wisedome excelled his Father Hée caused to bée builded in Tunis on the West side of the Cittyes very highest part a mightie great Rocke and many goodly Pallaces in the Cittie with a beautifull Temple that had an high Tower on the top thereof round engirt with strong wals This Abu Zaccheria went likewise to Tripoli where his valour won him such renowne and his wisedome made so good benefite of the Countrey that at his death hée left an infinite Masse of Treasure behinde him Hée being dead his Sonne succéeded him who was an ambitious proude young man and would no longer suffer himselfe vnder command of Marocco because he perceiued the declining and downfall of those Lords and that the family of Marino began to