THE HISTORY OF THE WARRES BETVVEENE THE TVRKES AND THE PERSIANS Written in Italian by Iohn-Thomas Minadoi and translated into English by ABRAHAM HARTVVELL Containing the description of all such matters as pertaine to the Religion to the Forces to the Gouernement and to the Countries of the kingdome of the Persians Together with the Argument of euery Booke a new Geographicall Mappe of all those Territories A Table contayning a declaration aswell of diuerse new and Barbarous Names and Termes vsed in this History as also how they were called in auncient times And last of all a Letter of the Authors wherein is discoursed what Cittie it was in the old time which is now called Tauris and is so often mentioned in this History Imprinted at London by Iohn Wolfe 1595. Faultes escaped in the printing Folio Line Reade 16 13 make his comming 76 24 to pay his Capigi Ianissaries withal for lxxxv Maidini 97 28 Mustaffa with all his troupes 133 24 gouernour of Nassiuan 147 7 ranne all headlong and as it were 167 14 confirmed in Aleppo by the 207 21 brought into Teflis with so great quiet 217 6 towardes Heri 233 20 Cicala Bassa 239 27 that all the Chans  30 being with all  31 accompanied by all his said Army 303 31 farre to pleasure him 327 18 dant and fertile To the most Gracious and Reuerend Father in God IOHN by the prouidence of God Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitane of all England and one of the Lords of her Maiesties most honorable Priuie Councell MOst Reuerend and my singular good Lorde May it please your Grace with honorable fauour to accept of this paper-Present which by starts I haue drawne out of Italian into English Sondry reasons there were that at the first about three yeares agoe moued me to begin the translation thereof but because they are such as concerne matter of estate where withall I list not to meddle for feare of burning my fingers I thought it good rather to conceale them then in printe to publish them The onely occasion that caused mee after so long time hauing layed it aside to take it vp againe and finish the same was the graue iudgement of S r. Moile Finche a right worshipfull knight in Kent who this last Sommer beeing with you at your Maner of Beakesbourne vpon speech then had about the great preparations of the Turke agaynst Christendome and the huge victories that he had atchieued vpon his enemies that sought to weaken him did verie highly commende this booke and the Author thereof whose eloquence although my english pen cannot possibly reache and expresse yet is it trulie and faithfully doone in as plaine and significant Termes as I could whereuntoo I was once minded to haue added certain aduertisementes and collections as well out of the old auncient writers both sacred and prophane that haue written of the most stately magnificent Empire of the Medes and Persians in times past as also out of Leunclaius others that haue lately written of the moderne and present estate thereof which hath scarse a shaddow of the antique gouernement wherewith it was then ruled gouerned But that matter grew to be so long that I gaue ouer my purpose therein least the volume should haue waxen too great I was also minded to haue inserted into this Treatise a certaine Prophesie touching the Catastrophe of the Turkish kingdom which Antonius Torquatus of Ferrara did deliuer to Matthias king of Hungary in the yeare of our Lord 1480. De Regnorum Europae Mutationibus But because he doth peremptorily set downe that the Turkes shall fall into the handes of the Christians about the yeares 1594. 1595. and that the house of the Ottomans shall vtterly decay in their thirteenth or fourteenth king and that it shall not exceede that nomber nor passe the yeare of our Lord 1596 He shall pardon me if I do not beleeue him nor commend his credit to future posterity For with great griefe it must bee vttered wee see all thinges go so quite contrarie to this prognosticon and the power of the Turkes growe so huge and infinite and their enemies so diuided and weakened that vnlesse God come downe as it were out of an Engine to protect the Gospell of his Sonne Iesus Christ and the Professors thereof I feare greatly that the halfe Moone which now ruleth raigneth almost ouer all the East wil grow to the full and breede such an Inundation as will vtterly drowne al Christendome in the West God for his mercies sake rebate her Hornes with the glorious shine of his brightest Sonne The houres that I haue employed in writing this translation were stollen from your Graces grauer businesses whereon I should haue attended And therfore no man can by any right chalenge the same from you nor I in duetie offer it to any other but to your Grace whose wholy I am and must be of whom I may truely and iustly say as Oedipus saith in Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord God long maintaine your Grace in all honor and health vnder the most blessed gouernement of our most happy renowmed Queen ELIZABETH for the continuance of the peace of this Church of England and comfort of all those that are bound to honor and loue you At Lambehith this New-yeares-day 1595. Your Graces most humble Seruant at commaundement Abraham Hartwell The Authors Epistle to the Reader ALthough Strabo doo write that the writinges touching matters of Persia had alwaies but small credit euen vntill his time and therefore it may seeme likely that I who haue taken vpon me to wryte such thinges as haue happened in those cuâ—â—ries within the space of nyne yeares ought greatly to feare lest these my writinges should haue the very same successe that they had yet I haue thought it necessary to aduertise the reader that for that respect I did not surcease or refuse to publish this my history though indeed for dyuers other wantes and defectes it may seeme peraduenture not soe worthy to appeere before the learned persons of this present age But rather euen for the selfe same cause it may rest assured that without manifest wrong iniury it caÌ„not be despised or discredited For if those former Historiographers if algates they were euer worthy of that name haue deserued that little credit should be yelded vnto them this default was imputed vnto them not for any despite or reproch but in iustice and in reason because as Strabo himselfe saith they louing more to delight then to profit inserted many fictions many fables in the truth purity of the History And so the things that happened in deed being mingled and confused with such as were cogged and fained they that read them could not be so truly enformed of those aduentures and actions as they desyred and peraduenture as they had great neede at that time to be instructed in But I haue written this history with a full and sound
mountaines and still to iourney eastward leauing behind them the Mantian marish the Cittie of Coy and the Caldaran champaines which whether they be the Champaines of Araxis or some other neere vnto them let other men vse their owne iudgment for wee can hardly certify the truth of that particularitie But if Tauris were Terua which is in the middest of Great Armenia then should they not neede to make this iourney For neither should they trauell so much towards the east neither should they leaue behind them either Coy or the Mantian Marish or the Caldarane Champaines This opinion of mine is no lesse confirmed to be true by others also that comming from the furthest partes of the East Indies doo first arriue at Cassan a famous Citty of the Persian kings and then trauell to Tauris from Tauris to Coy and to Van making alwaies about eight or nyne daies iourney towardes the west which could not be so if Tauris were either Terua or Tigranoama or Tigranocerta Like vnto these reasons is that also which may be drawen from the iourney that is vsually made from Tauris to Babylonia For as euerie man doth testifie and namely Angiolello in his viage lately made into Persia they trauell by south southweast Which is a manifest token that Tauris is iust in the situation of Ecbathana not of Terua For whosoeuer trauelleth from Terua to Babylonia hee must of force trauell not by south southweast but by southeast These are the reasons whereby I haue beene perswaded not to leaue this parcell of my history to remaine in such doubt but haue taken vpon mee resolutely to decide the same Which although they be very pregnant and strong yet shall I account the better of them if your W. will willingly accept of them and vouchsafe to continue the reading of this my letter vntill you vnderstande also in what sorte Iouius and his followers haue on the other side confirmed their opinion For three causes doo they belieue that Tauris should bee Terua The first Argument is drawen from a verie subtile consideration which they haue touching the similitude likenes of the names of all those places whereof they doo find that many auncient Citties doo yet at this day retaine the first nomination although by the alteration of speeche it bee somewhat different from the same As for example the Turkes call Constantinople by the name of Stambul which is a terme borrowed from the Grecians who call this Cittie Stimboli And this terme which the Graecians do vse was first brought in whiles their Emperours raigned at what time the Citty of Constantinople was called by excellencie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the Cittie and such as went thither or came from thence vsed to say euen as we vse also at this day to say of Rome We go to the Cittie we come from the Cittie alwaies vsing the terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Greek worde being corrupted by the common people of Graecia began first to bee Stimpoli and afterwardes being more deformed and depraued by the Turkes it came to be Stanbul The like may bee said of the Cittie of Charsa which Ptolomee calleth Corsa of Anguri which in old time was called Ancyra of Euphrates and Araxis the one being now called Frat and the other Arais of Cesarea which still is called Caisarie of Alexandria which yet is called Schenderie of Ioppa which is called Iaffa of Antiochia which is called Tachie of many others among whom Terua may also be nombred which afterwarde with a small alteration of the worde came to be called Taruis Teruis and Tauris To this first argument they added also a second For they say that those which trauell from Amida beeing at this day called Caramita the cheefe Cittie of Mesopotamia go to Teruis do passe ouer the riuer Tigris which riuer runeth from the one side of the Mantian Marish vnto the other side thereof with such swiftnes that it is likened to an arrow and thereof it purchased the name of Tigris which it hath at this day as Strabo teacheth vs Neither doo they passe ouer any other Riuer of fame there And that is a manifest token that Tauris is in Armenia euen in the very situation of Terua Besides these two reasons they haue also a third argument fortified vpon the relation and report of those Armenians that come to Venice to Rome and to other partes of Christendome from whom it may be peraduenture that Iouius tooke his information For all these haue geuen and at this day doo giue vndoubted testimony that Taruis is in truth in Armenia Which testimonie if it bee true then must it needes bee concluded say they that Taruis can be no other but Terua These three argumentes I haue not deemed to bee so pregnant sure as that they do deserue or enforce that I should commit the truth of mine opinion to the authority of Iouius And therefore rather then I wold yeeld vnto them I haue founde out a most easie way to resolue them and to aunswere them most sufficiently Wherevpon concerning their first argument I say that although the similitude of wordes do fall out well in many matters yet in many other it doth greatly erre may easily deceaue vs. For whosoeuer should go about to recon vp all the Citties and all the Riuers and all the Mountaines and all the Prouinces hee should finde a great want and errour in the most parte of them And therefore wee will alledge some fewe of them by whose example a man may know the slender force of the reason that is drawē from this similitude of words And in truth what similitude hath Damasco with Siam Ierusalem with Godz Arsacia with Casbin Persepolis with Siras Bithinia with Bursia Calcedon with Scutar Tyrus with Sur Ptolemaida with Acri Derbent with Alexandria Albania with Zuiria Iberia with Gurgistan Atropatia with Siruan Mesopotamia with Diarbech Appamea with Aman Seleucia Pieria with Soldin Anazarbo with Acsara Arabia Faelix with Giamen Cilicia with Caramania and many others the recitall whereof wold bee troublesome and tedious And in deed with great reason ought we to hold this for an vncertaine kind of argument which is taken from the liknes of wordes For those nations that haue gouerned these regions haue not alwaies had one and the selfesame regard in naming the places which they had subdued But as in some of them they haue still retained their verie proper names although their language hath made them somwhat to differ as in some aforenamed may be seen and as now of late we haue obserued in Cipris which yet they call Cupros So in some others altogether forgetting their former names they haue called them by diuers names according to diuers occasiōs in diuers respects Yea and Iouius himselfe saith that Amida was called by the Turkes Caramita for the blacknes of the earth and we also besides the obseruation of Iouius doo
know that Alexandria vpon the Caspian Sea is now termed by the Turkes Schenderia as it shold bee called by the auncient name but because it is longe and straite it came to be called Derbent and because it hath Iron Gates Demir-Capi Likewise for Casbin or as the Persians terme it Casuin let it bee which of the auncient Citties you will haue it to be it is notoriously knowen that it was so called because it was at the first a place whereintoo they were wont to banish or confine such persons as for their offences and misdemeanours had deserued that chastisement Which for that it was a place of punishment it was called by the Persians Casuin Casbin which in the Persian language signifieth Chastisement The like I might say of the city of Aleppo by the Moors called Halip which in our tongue signifieth Milke for the same Arabians do say that it was so called for the aboundaunce of milke which in the time of the Patriarches was yeelded by the heardes and flockes of cattell in those champaines But because I haue not that certaine testimony hereof which I haue of mine other examples I will not make account to build any foundation therevpon And therefore next after those thinges that I haue already noted I will set down also what I haue obserued touching the riuer that entreth into the sea betweene Beryto and Tripoli Which riuer because it runneth neere vnto a Church which was sometimes dedicated to Sainte Iacob is by the inhabitantes there called Mar Iacut which is to say the Riuer of Iacob Likewise the riuer Orontes which is nombred amonge the famous Riuers of Soria whose bankes I haue viewed euen from his springing head to his maine channell which is neere to Seleucia Pieria hath among the Arabians and the Turks quite lost his ancient name And because it is very swift in his course hath many turninges and windings so that those which swim in it are oftentimes drowned therein as though the poore riuer had in that respect the nature of a murderer therefore the Turkes and the Moores haue geuen it a name that signifieth expresly a murderer or traitor And to the end that the truth hereof may likewise be knowen in mountains also I will not conceale that which cometh to my memory touching the mountain Bacras which is also called Beilun This is a mountain lying in the ranke of the mountains that deuideth Soria from Cilicia which how it was termed by auncient writers I leaue to other men to iudge But by the Inhabitants there it hath been alwaies is at this day called Bacras for none other reason or cause but for that it is so ragged so eaten as it were and in some partes euen in the grassie plottes of it so bald and so bare that it resembleth the head of one that is scuruie which by the Turkes is called Bacras and by the Moores Beilun for so do the Moors also call that mountaine Hereby then it doth manifestly appeere that it is no sound argument which is drawen from the likenes or similitude that auncient names haue with the names of later times For all places haue not reserued retained among the diuersity of sundry languages their auncient denominations and so it seemeth to mee that this first argument remayneth sufficiently confuted As also the second which hauing no good and sound roote may easily bee ouerthrowne Vtterly false is that foundation which the followers of Iouius do vse in that place where they say that the riuer Tigris passeth from the one side of the Mantian Lake vnto the other side thereof For it woorketh not that effect which they speake of in the Mantian Marish but in the Marish that by Strabo is called Tospite and Topiti and Arassena I will not here alleadge the testimonies of later liuers as namely of Cicala himselfe the Bassa of Van nor of a thousand and a thousand marchantes and souldiers but onely the testimony of Strabo whose authority cannot be refuted as a lyer Hee in the eleuenth booke of his Geography thus writeth Armenia hath also great Lakes One is the Mantian Lake that is to say Blacke and Greene like the Sea Water as they say it is the greatest Lake next to Mwotis It arriueth euen vnto Atropatia and hath diuers salt-springes The other is the Arassen Lake called likewise Topiti for so it should be read and not Toeti as some translate it This hath Nitrum in it and teareth renteth a mans apparell and for that cause the water of it is not good to drinke The riuer Tigris departing from the mountaine neere vnto Nifates passeth through this Lake without mingling of it selfe with the water thereof by reason of his swiftnes whereof it hath taken his name for the Medians call an arrow Tigris It hath fishes of many and diuers kindes whereas the fishes of the lakes are but of one kinde onely Neere to the vtmost corner or Gulfe of the Lake this riuer falling into a great deep and running for a great space vnder the ground riseth againe neere to Colonitis and from thence courseth towards Opis and the walles of Semiramis leauing the Cordiaeâ—ns on the right hand All this did Strabo write by the authoritie of Eratosthenes in his sixteenth booke where he saith also most plainely that the saide Riuer Tigris doth not passe through the Mantian Marish but through the Topiti But no maruell it is that Iouius hath conceaued this errour coÌ„sidering how greatly hee is also deceaued when he will needs call Siras Ciropolis when likewise he saith that in Cassan there is trafficke for silkes and that this Cittie standeth in Sultania betweene the South and the West and lastly when hee putteth no distinction or difference betweene the Zogdiani the Bactrini the Ariani the Margiani the Aracosi but maketh them all one And therefore leauing these considerations it shall be sufficient for me to answere to their last argument which is drawen from the report of the Armenians who say that Tauris is situated in Armenia the great A reason in verie truth verie daungerous verie slipperie and verie deceitfull And it seemeth to me to bee altogether like to the reason of those who going about to proue that the AmomuÌ„ of Dioscorides is none other thing but the Pes Columbinus that is to say the Pigeon Foot of Mount Libanon do vse the common word of the Sorians which call that Plant Hamana being in very deed nothing els but a kind of Pigeon foot And in troth what assured credit may bee reposed in those Armenians and in such kinde of people as are vtterlie vnskilfull in Geographie who neuer read any authour that had taught them the proper Termes of those prouinces Doo wee not see what a confusion and mingle-mangle they make of the same regions Doo they not precisely call one part of great Armenia by the name of Gurgistan onely because many Georgians inhabite there And likewise on the other
side doo they not call one part of the great Media by the name of Armeni because many Armenians do at this day dwell dispersed here and there in diuers villages of that country But vnder the word Rumeli which in our language signifieth Greece how many places doo the Turkes entertertaine which are quite out of Greece And with their Natolia and Câ—ramania doo they not likewise confound as it were murder so many prouinces that it seemeth a matter impossible to find out their ancient names what man is hee then that if hee had many other meanes and many other reasons to proue the truth for the certaine acknowledgement of sundrye places would reporte himselfe wholly and absolutely to the relation of that people This is as much as I thought sufficient to aunswere the reasons of Iouius to confirme mine owne opinion All which notwithstanding I doo refer to your worshippes iudgement who as a most gentle person and a speciall frend to the truth will make that accoumpt of my reasons as they deserue Which that you will doo I humbly beseeche you and so hartely recommend my selfe vnto you From Rouigo the 17. of August 1587. Your worships most affectionate seruitor Iohn-Thomas Minadoi A Table conteyning the declaration of the Names and wordes vsed in this Historie aswell Auncient as Barbarous Wherein the letter A. signifieth the Auncient B. the Barbarous P. the Persian and T. the Turkish name or word A. ACca and Acri B. a Sea-coast Citie in Soria Ptolomaida A. according to Ortelius and Anania Adena and Adana B. a Citie in the confines of Cilicia Adana and it may be Nicopolis A. Aga B. a Capitayne or Chiefe of his companie Aggia-Chala B. the Castell Deregrine or the Castell of Strangers Aggiami Look for Cheselbas and the Persians Aleppo B. and Halep B. look for Halip Alger B. by Iouius is thought to be Iulia Cesarea A. and by Castaldo and others to be the Citie of Cirtha in Africa Altun-Chala T. the golden Castell or Castell of gold A place in the confines of great Armenia and Georgia Amadan B. a Citie of the Persians in Parthia Aman B. a Citie in Soria watred with the riuer Orontes Apamea A. Amasia B. Castaldo thinketh it to be Cappadocia A. and others take it to be in auncient times called Amasia A. Andera or Andara a Towne in Drusia where most exquisite Silkes are made Andrinopoli B. a principall Citie in Thracia Adrianopolis A. Angori B. a Citie in Cappadocia which is a Region in Asia the lesser and by Bellonius thought to be Encyra and Ancyra A. in the peregrination of Sainct Paul Antachie B. a Citie in Soria now decayed but yet worth the sight both in respect of the situation and walles thereof as also for the Riuer that runneth by it Antiochia A. Arasse B. a Riuer that watreth the South part of great Armenia almost diuideth it from Georgia Araxis A. Achlar and Ares T. Arbella B. a Citie in Assyria according to Strabo and Q. Curtius and by the error of some thought to be Taruis Arcipelago B. but in old time called Mare Egaeum A. a part of the Sea Mediterraneum that seperateth Europe from Asia Ardachan B. a Citie of the Turkes in great Armenia Ardouil P. a Citie in Media the first Seat of the Persian Sect wherein Giunet Sederdin and other their successors that were authors of the Persian superstition did reside and reigne Arz T. a Supplication a Request or an Information At-Maidan B. the high Street or chiefe Market place in Constantinople B. BAgdat B. Laonicus calleth it Bogdatis and the Italians call it Baldacco in old time Babylon A. Balbech B. a Citie in Palaestina which Bellonius taketh to be Caesarea Philippi A. and so is it accompted in the peregrination of Sainct Paul Balsara and as Frederico writeth it Bassora B. a Citie in the channell of Euphrates called by Castaldo and others Teredon A. Bassa T. a Capitaine a Gouernour a chiefe Lord. Beglerbey T. a great Lord. Bestan P. a Citie in Hircania Bey or Beg or Bech T. a chiefe man or a Lord. Bir which some call Birta B. a Citie vpon Euphrates in the confines of Soria Bruz B. a Hill in Armenia the creast of the Periardj Mountaines Brusia and Bursa B. in old time the chiefe Palace of Bithynia and called in the old time Prusia A. But Ortelius vnaduisedly thinketh that Bursa and Brusia is not a Citie but a whole Region And herein also is Castaldo deceiued if our owne sense haue not shewed vnto vs one Citie in steed of another or if we be not deceiued in deed in the verie names of them C. CAddi T. a Iudge Cafe B. a place within two dayes iourney of Babylon where Aly and his children are buried Caffa B. Anania vset h no other name although in deed Caffa now was in old time called Theodosia A. Cahaca B. a Towne so called situate betweene Casbin and Tauris Cairo B. a huge Citie in Aegypt neere whereunto are the famous Pyramides whereby a man may easily iudge that there was the most renowmed citie of Memphis Ortelius thinketh that it is Babylon but Ortelius himself setteth downe another Babylon in another table of his and placeth it in Assiria So that he maketh two Cities of one name Whereof notwithstanding it is no time now to dispute Caissar B. a place in Cilicia of no great reckoning and without any note of antiquitie Calaus T. a Guide Caldaran B. the name of certain famous Champeynes Perhaps they may be the same Champeynes which Strabo called the Champeynes of Araxis Calife P. a Priest or Prelate Canac B. a Riuer that diuideth a part of Atropatia from Armenia Candahar P. a certaine Kingdome In old time Peripaniso A. Capigi T. a gentleman Vsher. Capigi-Bassi T. the chiefe gentleman Vsher. Capigi-Larchecaiasi T. the Lieutenant or chiefe Lord of the gentlemen Vshers Caracach P. a Territorie of the Persians in Media Carachala T. the black Castell it is in Armenia but it belongeth to the Georgians Caraemit T. the black Citie It is now the Metropoliticall Citie of the Mesopotamians Iouius and others call it Amida A. Caramania and Caraman B. the black Region It is commonly deemed to be Cilicia A. Casbin and Casuin P. we may well interpret it The place of punishment And it is the Citie whether the palace of the Persian Empire was translated by Tamas and called Casbin because those that for their punishment had deserued banishment were at the first banished thither It is yet in Media the great a little more South then Tauris So that a man may verie well think it to be Arsacia A. in Strabo Casenda T. the common Treasure Look Hasna Cassachi T. Robbers by the high way Cassan B. a Citie in Parthia verie famous and rich Ortelius and the rest make no mention of it Cassangic B. a place belonging to Maxut-Chan in Armenia Cecchino or Zecchino a Venetian Duckate Chala and Chalasi B. a Towne or a
in Soria wherewith they measure Corne. It is a little bigger then the bushell of Padua that is fower bushels and a halfe Venetian measure Malan B. a Citie in Parthia Mar delle Zabacche B. in old time called Palus Moeotica A. the Fennes of Moeotis Mar di Bachu B. in tymes passed Mare Caspium and Mare Hircanum A. It is also at this day called the Sea of Corazum Mar Maggiore the great Sea And Mar Nero the black Sea sometimes called Pontus Euxinus A. Mar Morto the dead Sea sometimes called the Lake Asphaltitis A. Marant B. a Citie neere to Armenia in the confines of the Medians or rather within Media Maras B. a Citie in Cilicia called by Bellonius and Ortelius Maronia A. Marmara B. a Citie vpon the Sea-coast of Thracia Masandran B. a Citie in Hircania Massiat B. a Citie in Parthia Masul T. a man cassiered or depriued of his Office in English Iack out of office Mecca B. a Citie in Arabia Foelix where some think Mahamet was borne and where he is also buried Mengrellia B. sometimes the Region of Colchos A. famous for the golden Fleece Meschita B. the place where the Barbarians do meete together to say their prophane prayers in English a Temple or a Church Miana B. a Citie situate in the borders of Media the greater of Persia and of Parthia It is peraduenture so called by the Riuer that is neer vnto it whose name is Miana Miriza and Mirize P. the title of a Prince in Persia. The Kings chiefe Lieutenant Moldauia a Region in Dacia Mordar P. a Chaunceller The Turks call him Tescheregi Mucaren the first moneth of the Turkish yeare much agreeing with our Ianuary Mufti T. the chiefe Priest Mustaed-Dini P. the same which the Turkes call Mufti The chiefe Priest N. NAplos B. in old time called Napoli A. in Samaria peraduenture it was in time past Nephthalim A. Nassiuan B. a Citie in Media the greater or els in the confines of Media and Armenia Some think it to be Nasuana and others take it to be Artaxata A. Natolia in the opinion of Bellonius comprehendeth all the Regions of Phrygia Galatia Bithynia Pontus Lydia Caria Paphlagonia Lycia Magnesia Cappadocia and Comagena Neneruan B. a place in Armenia bordering vpon Georgia Nisabul B. a Citie in Aria Nisaur B. a Citie in the confines of Parthia and Hircania Nosul T. a Taxe or collection of Corne. O. OLti T. a place belonging to the Turkes betwene Erzirum and Ardachan P. PAngiazar B. a Citie bordering vpon Hircania and Media the greater Passin Look Hassan-Chalasi Persiani The Persians They are also called Aggiami Cheselbas Sofiani Persiani of the Prouince of Persia Aggiami of the Region Azemia or Aggiamia Cheselbas of the Redd-marke which these people weare in their Turbantes and Soffians of the Sofi who is their chiefe Gouernour Peruana-Giol T. the lake of Sclaues It is in Armenia Phasis A. a Citie in Colchis called yet at this day Phasis and Fas. Porta a Gate but principally in this Historie it is taken for the Court of the Turkish Sultan because all his Counsailors and chiefe Gouernours of his kingdome do vse to sit in the Gate of the Emperours Court to heare and dispatch causes aswell priuate as publike Portugall in old time called Lusitania A. R. RAfadi B. a man of a false Religion of a false faith Rama a Towne in Palaestina which Castaldo calleth Lidda Peraduenture it was that Rama A. which mourned and wept for the great slaughter of the holie Innocents Math. 2. Ramadan T. one of the solemne feastes of the Turkes It is also the proper name of a man and the name of a Moone For as we haue twelue Monethes with their seuerall proper names so haue the Turkes their xij Moones with their seuerall proper names also Reiuan B. a Citie in Armenia It may be it is Terua in Ptolomie But I do not altogether agree with him in that point S. SAffetto B. a Citie in Galilie inhabited by the Iewes Saha or Shah P. the great King or Sofi of Persia. Saitan-Chalasi B. the Castell of Satan or the Deuils Castell in the confines of Armenia and Georgia Salmas B. a Citie betwixt Tauris and Van but Southward to them both Sancazan B. a place neer to Tauris famous in this Historie aswell in respect of some battells there foughten as also of the death of Generall Osman who died there Sangiacco B. a Lord or a kind of Captaine Sardar T. Captaine of the Iannizzaries Captaine of the Armie and properly the Generall Saru B. a Citie in Media the greater Sasuar B. a Citie in Parthia Sciam B. the Citie of Damasco Look Damasco Scutar and Scutari B. sometimes called Chalcedon A. a Citie in Asia right ouer against Constantinople Some do erroniously call it Chrysopolis A. Sechi B. a Citie in Atropatia bordering vpon Georgia Seida and Seit B. in old time called Sidonia A. a Citie on the Sea cost in Drusia Sembran B. a Citie in Parthia Semitarra B. a Scimitarre a long crooked Sword A Faulchon Ser B. a Riuer sometimes called Cirus A. that watreth the South part of Georgia Sessa Look Tocca and Turbante Siec B. an old wise Religious learned and prudent man A man of good and holie life Siliurea a Citie in Thracia called Sâ—lymbria Which the Persian calleth Selimbria and Nicolo Nicolio Seliurie Sinibra or Simbra In Ptolomie A. It is now called Erzirum fower daies iourney distant from Trabisonda Siras B. some call it Persepolis A. and some Ciropolis A. It is the chiefe palace of the Region of Persia. Siruan and Siruania B. sometimes called Media Atropatia The Hebrewes called it Madian A. Siuas B. in old time Sebastapolis A. a Citie in Natolia Soffi and Sofito P. an auncient word signifying a wise man learned and skilfull in Magike Naturall It is growen to be the common name of the Emperour of Persia. Soffian B. a place neer vnto Tauris It may be perhaps the auncient Soffia Soldin B. a Citie vpon the Sea-coast of Soria destroyed long ago It was called in old time Seleucia Pieria A. within fiue miles whereof the Riuer Orontes dischargeth it self into the Sea But Castaldo in his description of Asia doeth not describe it in deed as it standeth Soria B. in times past the Region of Syria A. Spahini T. a companie of Turkish Souldiers so called Spaoglani B. a companie of foote-men inferiour in degree to the Iannizzaries Stambul by the Turkes and Arabians so called in steed of Constantinople Subassi B. The Lieutenant or Captaine of a Garrison or Guard Sultania a Citie in great Media Sultano or Sultan B. a Captain A great Lord It is verie often vsed for the Emperour of Turkie as Sultan Amurath the great Turk Amurath Sumachi and Sumachia B. the chiefe Palace of Atropatia Sunni B. a man of sound faith and sincere opinion in matter of Religion Sur B. a Citie vpon the Sea-coast of Soria in old time called Tyrus A. T. TArtari
yet was it disclosed to the Persians by the meanes of three youngmen who in the life of Osman had the charge of his precious stones of his iewels and of his gold and now hauing gathered together the best the cheefest and the fairest of them and also the goodliest and the fairest horses that the Visier had were fled to the King of Persia and reuealed vnto him the death of the Generall The comming of these youngmen was most acceptable both to the king also to the prince aswell for the iewels gold as also for the aduertisement of Osmans death who reasoned among themselues that it was not possible for so great cowardise and so dishonorable a kind of fighting and ordering of an Army to proceede from the vertue and valour of Osman of whome they had had too manifest a triall and experience in times past and therefore they were thereby encouraged to put in practise some new and strange kindes of exploytes and by attempting the vtter ouerthrow of the Turkish remnant to giue them an honorable Farewell And therevppon the Persian Prince hauing gotten together fourteene thousand men went to follow the Turkes who had now raised their Campe and were remoued to pitch their Tentes neere to a certain streame of salt-water not farre from Sancazan where also the said Prince caused certain fewe Tentes to be pitched about fower or fiue miles distant from the Turkish Campe the foresaid brooke running in the middest betweene the two Enemies armies Now it was the purpose of the Sofian Prince to haue assayled the Turks in the morning whiles they were loading their cariages hoping in that confusion to haue wrought them some notable mischiefe but the Turkes had caught a certain spye of his who reuealed all vnto them And therefore they did neither arise so earely in the morning ás their maner was nor load their stuffe vntill such time as they were all armed and on hors-back trusting by that means to rebate and to quaile their enemies assaults The Persians were greatly discontented when they saw this warie and vnvsuall maner of the Turkes raysing of their Tentes and perceaued that some inkling had been giuen them of the purpose which they had intended And yet considering that if they should loose this occasion they could not haue any other good oportunitie to annoy them vntill the next Spring they vtterly resolued to venture the assault and hauing obserued that the Rankes of their Artillarie were on the right side of the Armie they began to enter in the sight of euery man vpon the left hand But the Turkes made a wing presently on that side and so vncouered and vnbarred their Artillarie against the assaylants to their great losse and danger Howbeit they were so nymble and quick to shrowde themselues vnder their Enemies armie to auoid this mischieuous tempest that being now come verie neere to the Turkish Squadrons they must needes send out people to encounter them and ioyne present battel with them They were purposed before assoone as they saw the Turkes begin to stirre to haue brought them towards their side into a verie filthy and deepe Moore which being then drie yet breathed fourth a most stinking and foggie ayre neyther was it doubted of or feared by any but onely by those that were acquainted withall and borne there aboutes and so verie boldly they went towards that place entycing their enemies to follow after them But the Rebell Maxut-Chan and with him that other Traitor Daut-Chan who had knowledge of this treacherie as being well acquainted with those places perceaued the policie of the Enemie and particularlie gaue notice thereof to Cicala Bassa who presently caused a great compassing wing to be made commaunding them to set vpon the Persians and to giue them a continuall charge The commaundement of the Captaine was put in execution and so their fore-front opened it selfe wyth verie large and spacious Cornets vpon the Prince who no sooner saw this kind of order but by and by he perceaued that his intended Stratageme was discouered Whereupon without any stay he began to retyre and called all his people after him But they could not be so readie and quick to flye but that three thousand of them remayned behind all miserably styfled and ouer-trodden in the myre with verie little dammage or losse of the Turkes And this onely battell among the fiue that were fought vnder Tauris and in those quarters was it that was lesse hurtfull to the Ottomans then to the Persians The Prince returned to the pauilions of the King his father and told him the whole action how it had fallen out together wyth the departure of the Enemie And so the Turkes came to Salmas where the death of their Visier was published From Salmas they went afterwardes to Van where they took a surueigh of their Armie found wanting therin about fower score and fiue thousand persons and some say more At Van all the souldiers were dismissed into their owne countries and Cicala gaue notice to the King at Constantinople of all that had happened I my self also was in Constantinople at the same time when the postes arryued that brought word of these great aduentures First was published the death of Osman for whom there were many signes of verie great sorrow and together with his death were blazed the blouddie and mortall actions that were performed so that it seemed all the whole Citie was greatly discomforted and diuerse times in those few dayes by sundry persons in many places and particularly in the house of Mahamet Bey one of the San-Giacchi of Cairo my verie great friend I heard much rayling vpon the King many curses of this warre and infolent maledictions of these many mischiefes Then was dispersed the great fame of the new Fortresse erected in Tauris of the sacking of that Citie and of all the losse that hapned therein And lastly there was a general Edict published in the Kings name that through all the Cities of his Empire they should make solemne feastes shew other expresse tokens of mirth and reioysing which the Turkes call Zine And therupon all the Artificers in Constantinople with diuerse goodly and sumptuous shewes with musicall instruments and bountifull banketting performed the Kings royall commaundements There was also woord sent to the Embassadours of Hungarie of Fraunce of Venice and of other countries that they should doo the like But they all aunswered with one accord that it was neuer the custome of Embassadours to make anie signe of reioysing but onely when the King himself in person returned from the like victories In the mean time great consultation was at Van how they might attempt to send succours to Teflis in Georgia whereof there was a rumour spread abroad that it was yelded to the Georgians which in deed was a lye as at an other time the like report was also And while they were thus in
Castell Chan P. and also vsed in Tartaria and is the same that the Turkes call a Bassa Chars B. peraduenture it is that which Ptolomie calleth Corsa A. Checaia T. a Deputie or Agent Cheiserie B. we think it to be Caesarea in Palaestina A. a litle from Ioppa Ptolomie saieth it is Caesarea wherof Strabo maketh mention It hath many notes of antiquitie Cheselbas B. a Red-Capp It is a title giuen to the Persians who are also called the Soffians the Cheselbas the Persians and the Aggiami Look Persians Chianichie B. a place neere to Ragusa verie famous because it was the natiue Countrie of Ebrain Bassa sonne in law to Amurath Chiaus T. a Nuntio or an Embassadour Chielder-Giol B. the Lake of Chielder for Giol signifieth a lake and it may be thought without any error to be the Poole of Euphrates A. Chielder Monte B. the hilles of Periardo Chielebi B. a Gentleman Chiulfal B a Towne in Armenia yet inhabited at this day by the Georgians Chiuri-Chala B. a new Territorie in Georgia that is to say inhabited of old by the Georgians but yet comprehended vnder Armenia Clisca a Territorie in Armenia and in old time possessed by the Georgians though now in the handes of the Turkes Codabanda P. Blind or weak of sight Hodabanda signifieth the selfe same thing but other writers erroniously pronounce it Hodabende Coran B. a Citie in Parthia Corfu a late word a famous Island called in old time Corcyra A. and according to Ortelius Corfinio A. Coy B. a Citie in the borders of Armenia and Media betweene Van and Tauris Culbat B. a Citie in Parthia Cur B. a Citie in Parthia Curchi-Bassi P. Captain of the Curchi who are the souldiers that are appointed for the guard of the Persian Kings Court Curdi B. a people which many think to be the Parthians A. But we cannot possiblie thinke them to be so wherein we agree with Castaldo Curzolari B. in old time called the Echinades A. which are certain Rockes verie famous by reason of the victorie by Sea obtayned by the most happie and fortunate League of the Chatholikes against the Turkish fleet Cussestan B. a part of Assyria D. DAgmat B. a Citie in the confines of Parthia and of Media the great Damasco A. a Citie in Soria Look Sciam Deftardar T. a Treasourer or Chamberlein Demir-Capi T. the Iron-Gates Demir-Capi is also called Derbent It is a Citie sometimes called Alessandria A. neere to the Hircanian Sea It is called Derbent because it is in figure narrow and long and Demir-Capi because there were the Iron-gates that were sometimes the entrance into Scythia Demotica B. a Citie in Thracia famous in regard of the banishment of Sinan-Bassa into that place wherof mention is made in the Historie Lib. 5. Derbent B. a Citie called Demir-Capi Derbent signifieth streit or narrow Diarbech B. the Countrie of Mesopotamia Diuano B. a place of audience or a Counsaile-house It is sometimes taken for the audience it selfe and sometimes for the Counsaile it selfe Don B. the Riuer sometimes called Tanais A. in Sarmatia Dreuis and Deruis B. a Religious person an Heremite E. EDel B. sometimes called Volga A. a famous Riuer in Sarmatia within Europe Emir B. a common name among the Arabians and the Drusians vsed for a Prince a Duke a chief Noble man Eres B. a Citie in Atropatia Erzirum B. we think it to be Simbra in Ptolomie Essahul P. a troupe of Souldiers beionging to the Guard of the Persian King F. FAchi B. a Master of Ceremonies a Master of Religion Famagosta B. a new word corrupted from the vulgar Greeke which calleth it Famausta in old time it was Salamina in Cyprus A. Farssi P. the Region of Persia. G. GAngiara B. a sharpe crooked dagger Gaza A. a Citie in the confines of Iudea and in the way that leadeth towards Pelusium A. Genge B. a Citie of the Persians in Armenia the greater Gheilan B. a Citie in the Region of Gilan which Castaldo calleth Geli Giamen B. a Prouince in Asia where Arabia Felice is situated Gianizaro B. a degree of Turkish Souldiers so called Giauat B. a Citie of Atropatia in the confines of Media the greater Gien B. a Citie of the Parthians Giol T. a lake or a poole Giurgi-Chala T. the Georgian-Castell now possessed by the Turkes It is in the confines of Georgia and Armenia Godz B. the Citie of Ierusalem Gogna and Conia B. a Citie so called and in old time Iconium A. the chiefe Citie of the Lycaonians Goletta B. a famous Island Gori and Gorides B. a Territorie in Georgia Grin B. a Territorie inhabited by the Georgians situated on the hither side of Araxis Gurgistan and Georgia B. the Region that contayneth all the auncient Iberia and part also of Armenia the great The inhabitants of the Countrey do call all that Territorie Gurgistan which is inhabited by the Georgians In which point Negro Anania and Pius secundus are not well aduised because they think that Georgia is onely Iberia Guuergi-Chalasi B. a Castell situate in the middest of a little lake towards Tauris H. HAlip an Arabian word and signifieth Milke It is a verie famous Citie in Soria which Iouius calleth Alapia Bellonius calleth it Hierapolis and Qillanoua being in a notorious error for this point calleth it Antiochia For Antiochia is two dayes iourney distant from Aleppo more toward the Sea as we our selues haue seen with our eyes Hasna T. It signifieth Treasure Store Money collected aswell for publike as for priuate vses although properly it is onely taken for the publike Treasure or for the Kinges monyes Hassan-Chalasi T. The Castell of Hassan It is also called by the Turkes Passin It is a new erected thing betweene Erzirum and Chars situate vpon the bankes of the riuer Euphrates Heri B. a Citie in Aria Hispahan B. a Citie sometimes in Parthia I. IEsselbas B. a greene-Cap A certain people betweene the Bactrians and the Sogdians so called because they did weare Greene-Capps on their heads Imammadulasis B. a Citie in Parthia Imbrahur-Bassi T. Master of the Kings horse Isnic B. a Citie in old times called Nicea A. in Bithynia neere to the Moore Ascania A. Istigelu and Sagialu B. a Renowmed familie both at Casbin and also ouer all the kingdome of Persia. L. LAke-Actamar in old time called the Moore or marish Martiana or Margiana or Mantiana A. and according to Strabo it is in Armenia the greater Lake of Esseecchia in old time called the Marish Lychnitis A. in Georgia Lake of Isnic in old time the Marish Ascania A. in Bithynia Lake Tospite or Toeti it is in great Armenia Lizza B. a Citie by the Sea-coast in Soria called in old time Laodicea A. Lori B. a Fortresse in Armenia sometimes belonging to the Georgians but now possessed by the Turkes M. MAcadems B. a word vsed among the Drusiani for a Deputie an Agent or a chief Factor For an Emir or Lord in Drusia Look the 7. Booke Macuco B. a Measure
and Tatar B. the Tartarians inhabiting Scythia and Sarmatia Tatar-Chan B. the chiefe Lord or Gouernour of the Tartarians He is called the great Chan of Tartaria Tauris and Taruis Read the Letter to S. Mario Corrado in the end of this booke Techisnandan B. Certain Mountaines in Caramania Deserta Teflis and Tiflis a Citie in Armenia but belonging to the Georgians Teftis T. a Processe or Bill of complaint put vp by the Plaintife Teracan B. a Citie in Parthia Tocca B. the round Roll which the Barbarians vse to weare on their heades It is also called Sessa and Turbante Tomanis a Citie in Armenia but belonging to the Georgians verie famous for the notorious treacherous straites that are neer it Trabisondo B. a Sea-coast Citie vpon Pontus Euxinus called in old time Trapezuntium A. Triala B. a place in Armenia renowmed for a number of Churches there which held of the Romish Religion Triala B. a Sea-coast Citie in Asia and 〈◊〉 Triala B. a white Roll which the Barbarians were vpon their heades Look Tocca Turbat B. a Citie in Parthia Turcoman a Citie betwixt Tauris and Casbin Turcomanni a people mingled among the Turkes and Persians Turcomania the greater of old called Great Armenia A. Tursis B. a Citie in Parthia V. UAn B. a Citie in the Martian Marish Visier B. a chiefe Counsailour or Gouernour generall of the State of Turkie Vlac and Volacchi T. Postes or Currors to run of a message in hast Vlu-Bassi B. the Captain of a certain number of Souldiers but not so high in degree as an Aga is Z. ZAffo and Giaffa B. a Citie by the Sea-side in old times called Ioppa A. Zagatai B. certain Tartarians comprehended vnder the name of the Sogdiani Zaghen B. a City in Armenia inhabited by the Georgians Zaini T. a noble companie of valiant Souldiers Zanga B. a Citie in great Armenia Zante B. an Island in the Ionian Sea called in old time Zacynthus A. Zine B certain festiual signes and shewes of publike ioy Zuiria B. a Region lying at the rootes of Mount Caucasus towards the Hircanian Sea and was called in old time Albania A. FINIS The warre in Persia commodious for the state of Christendom The causes that moue the author to wryte this historie A peace betweene Tamas Soliman the conditions thereof Soliman Selim dead Tamas dyeth Tamas leaueth eleuen children Tamas his last will The simulation of Ismahel Why Mahamet was called by surname Codabanda Mahamet lo ueth not the charge of a king Abas Mirize Mahamets sonne in Her Emir Hamze Mahamets sonne Ismahel called to Casbin to be crowned king of Persia. Stirres in Casbin Periaconcona sister to Mahamet Aidere Ismahel yet elder in yeares then they The singular boldnesse of Aidere Aidere procureth to bee made king be fore Ismahel The subtilty o Periaconcona to entertayne Aidere Aidere stalled king in Casbin Aidere acknoledging his publike derision ssieth all fearefull among certaine women Aidere beheadded by Sahamal his vncle The head of Aidere throwne among the conspirators Ismahel putteth to death many kinsfolkes and frendes of his dead brother Aidere Euery man bewaileth the cruelty of the new king Ismahel Ismahel publisheth a new superstition New publike griefes new deathes happening by occasion of Ismahel The Califfe of Casbin depryued of his eyes by the commandement of Ismahel A rumor spread that Ismahel would passe to Babilon with an army King Ismahel suddenly perished the manner of his death Periaconcona parleeth with the captaines of Persia. The answere of the Captaynes to Periaconcona Amurat at the stirres in Persia entreth into mind to make warre vpon them An auncient custome of the Turkes Amurat intentiue to the matters of Persia. Mahamet Codabanda resolueth to come and be crowned King Periaconcona beheadded New stirres and mischeefes in Persia. Sahamal the Georgian flyeth from Casbin into the mountayneâ— Leuentogli desyrous of innouation The people of Seruan euill affected towardes the new king Vstress the Bassa of Van aduertyseth Amurat of the stirres in Persia. Amurat is confirmed in his opinion to make warre Amurat in peace with the Christian Princes Amurat in peace with the Christian Princes Amurat taketh counsell of his Visiers Turkes make no accompt of breaking Promisse Mahamet the Visier aduiseth to make warre The generall conclusion of them all Two difficulties found in the resolution to make warre The difficulties aunswered Mustaffa Bassa the infamous hath great hope in this warre Mustaffa preferre th the valour of the Latines before the valour of the Georgians Persians Discord dangerous to a common wealth Amurat protesteth to the Visiers that of this warre he would both reape profit and honour The opinion of some touching the manner of the warre The opinion of others A third opinion The deliberation of Amurat Amurat goeth not in person to this warre and the reasons why Order giuen by Amurat to the borderers to annoy Persia. Vstref doth much harme to the borderers Mustaffa elected Generall of the Turkish Campe against the Persians A. 1577. Mustaffa at Chalcedon Mustaffa at Erzirum The muster of the army in Erzirum The Aâ—esâ— potamians The Assyrians and Babilonians The Sorian The Natolians The Iewes Philistims The Caramanians The Grecians The Constantinopolites The men of Erzirum Voluntary men little inferior to the number of stipendaries but better armed Places that sent no souldiers this yeare to the warres of Persia. 500. peeces of small artillary with Mustaffa 500. peeces of small Artillary with Mustaffa Many loades of money Taxes and Tenthes for corne and cariage Trabizonda but 4. small daies iourney distant from Erzirum Mustaffa departeth from Erzirum to the ruines of Chars An excessiue raine Somefall sicke Mustaffa departeth from Chars The mountaines of Chielder The artificiall manner of encamping which Mustaffa vsed The King of Persia moued by the fame of this expedition made against him dissembleth his hatted toward the Sultans Tocomac generall of the Persians Order giuen by king Mahamet to Tocomac Commandement giuen ouer all Persia to gather men against the Turke The places whence the souldiers were gathered The disobedience of many Embassadors from Georgia The army of the Persians â—x thousand and no moe The manner how the Persians are armed their conditions Tocomac with his host commeth toward Chars Tocomac sendeth spyes The errour of the Persian spyes Tocomac falleth into the same errour that the spyes did Tocomac commeth boldly to assaile his enemyes The Persians obtaine a happy and fortunate victory Mustaffa is moued against the Persian conquerors and succoureth his owne people The Persians endure the assault The Persians retire through the benefite of the night Mustaffa returneth to his rentes The Persians newes to Casbin Mustaffa sendeth postes with newes of the battell to Amurat. 5000. heades and 3000. Persians aliue presented to generall Mustaffa The arte of Mustaffa his cruelty A bulwarke made of heades Embassadors from Manucchiar the Georgiano Manucchiar honorably receaued by Mustaffa The speech of Manucchiar The aunswere
resolution neuer to decline from the truth not to suffer that vpon any occasion whatsoeuer any thing should bee discoursed therein but that which eyther I my selfe haue seene or possibly could vnderstand to be true Wherein although I haue found many difficulties and vsed great labours aswell through the ignorance of the people who being not able to tell me any other name of the Cittyes of the cuntries of the fieldes of the Riuers of the hilles but onely the barbarous names of them they made the certaine knowledge of those places wherein these battells were foughten to be very difficult vnto me As also because it was very requisite that I should haue an eie to the seuer all qualities of dyuers nations who are sometimes giuen to lying and by whom many thinges are wont to bee spoken and many thinges concealed for their owne particular respectes Notwithstanding I haue endeuored by all the best meanes I possibly could to discharge my duty therein ouercomming these such other difficulties with continuall conference among dyuers men in dyuers places to the end I might find them agree together in their reportes and expecting withall that Tyme it selfe would at last bring forth the truth Neither did I euer content my selfe with the first or second aduertisement deliuered vnto me but alwaies iustified the first with the last by conferring together the testimonies of both sides And lastly without regard of danger of expenses or of labour I haue enformed my self of euery particularity that possibly I could by such men as were esteemed no liers but men of great authority who were present for the most part at al these actions Which purpose and resolution of myne was greatly fauoured and assisted by three priuate extraordinary meanes First by the credit and authoritie of Theodoro Balbj and Giouanni Michele being then the right honorable Consulles in Soria for the Venetian Senate two most noble prudent and valorouse subiectes of the State of Venice who most magnificently without sparing of any costes did fauour me herein in all my other studies where vnto I applyed my selfe in those countries Secondly by the familiar conuersation which I had with one Christoforo de Buonj cheefe Interpreter to the said most honorable Lordes a person of great valour well frended and beloued among those nations and aboue all of singular faith and dexterity Thirdly by my knowledge in Phisicke which I was not squemish to practise among those people to the end I might the better without ministring any suspition to any man enter into their most secret important aduertisementes and so by this meanes to purchase familiarity in the principall howses of those Citties wherein for the space of almost seuen whole yeares together I liued and was entertayned And of thus much it shall be euen sufficient to haue aduertised the readers who without any other Apologie or iustification of mine mayrest contented and satisfied with my desyre which hath beene to represent vnto the world Accidentes that haue happened so far off so strange and so important that thereby they may reape great profit both in peace and warre Which satisfaction if I shall obtaine of their gratitude I shall thinke my selfe to haue gayned enough in lieu of all the trauelles of all the dangers of all the expences that I haue susteyned I shall rest assured that I haue not beene an vnfruitfull labourer herein The First Booke The Argument The causes that moued the Author to write this Historie The Originall of this warre The causes of the same warre Aidere beheaded Ismahel the king vseth great cruelties publisheth a new Religion and spreadeth abâ—â—ad a speech that he would passe into Babylonia Amurath resolueth to moue warre against Persia. Periaconcona beheaded New stirres in Persia wherof Vctres Bassa aduerti seth Amurath who therby is confirme in his opinion to make this warre Consultations at Constantinople of the maner how to manage this warre Amurath will not in person go with the Armie but choseth Mustaffa Bassa to be his Generall who passeth to Chalcedon and from thence to Erzirum where he mustereth and surueigheth his Armie and then departeth for Siruan Mustaffa a trueth at Charâ—â— goeth vnder the Mountaines of Chiâ—lder and there encampeth himselfe artificially The King of Persia sendeth Souldiers against the Turkes and ouer them he maketh 〈◊〉 the Sultan his Generall Tocomac cometh toward Chars he findeth out his Spies and being deceiued by his Spies he doth confidently assault the Turkes At the first Tocomac doth happely ouercome the Turkes but afterwardes he was discomfited and saued himselfe by the oportunitie of the night The particular of the Victorie Manucchiar the Georgian yeeldeth himselfe to Mustaffa and is interteined by him The warres betweene the Turkes and Persians I Write the sondry successes of the warre betweene Amurat king of Turkie Mahamet by surname caled Codabanda king of Persia both of them among the Barbarians beeing most mightie most warlike Princes A warre not onely long bloudie but also very commodious and of great oportunitie to the Christian Common-wealth for that it hath granted leisure to the Champions of Christ to refresh and encrease their forces being now much weakened by warres both Forreine and Ciuill A matter in truth rather diuine then humane there being now newly arisen among the Turkes fresh hopes of victories by meanes whereof contrary to the custome of such contentions the wrath of these two Princes was drawne in length which if they had bene conuerted against Europe might haue made our state most troublesome and turbulent These successes and all the rest that together with the like motions haue come to passe sometimes intermingling among them the priuy treacheries of the Tartarians sometimes the oppressions of the people of Drusia and sometimes also the insolencies of the Arabians I here take in hand to describe being therunto moued principally vpon two occasions The one is for that they all seeme to me of themselues very worthy to be knowne both of the men that liue at this day also of those that shall come after vs neither haue I as yet seene any man that hath made any full or true report thereof Which notwithstanding I hope shalbe herein performed by my myselfe who haue bene entertained almost seauen whole yeares during the said warres partly in Soria partly in Constantinople and by occasion of my practise in Phisicke haue bene familiarly conuersant with many Bassaes Embassadours and other great men aswel Persians as Turkes that haue beene agentes and dealers in these affaires The other is for that I doe verily persuade my selfe that I shall breede great profite and delight to all nations Christian by the reading of this history wherein they shall vnderstand how mighty the forces are of these two enimies of the name of Christ and in what termes they stand euen at this day by meanes of which knowledge it may peraduenture fall out that our Christian Princes
thinking themselues to be of a sound and sincere opinion did alwayes call themselues Sunni that is to say men of a good faith and on the other syde they called the Persians Rafadi that is to say men of a false faith and going-astray onely because they forsooke those first successors of Mahamet Abubacher Omar Ottoman whom they belieue to bee the lawfull heyres of that cheefe dignity And in this sort began the Persian superstition and not as some thinke from the dyuers interpretations of the Alcoran much lesse from the execution of the law of Aly. For as touching the Aleoran they doo all expound it after one and the selfe same manner and as for Aly hee neuer framed any lawe but onely confirmed that which he found already ordayned by Mahamet their onely law-maker Besydes that the Turkes doo reuerence Aly together with the other three Abubacher Omar Ottoman as him that was also a successor to Mahamet But the Persians although indeed they worship Aly yet for all that they doo not onely not reuerence the other three but curse them hate them as impious and damned persons Afterwardes the Persians were called Cheselbas of a certaine red marke which they carried on their heades by an ordinance that was instituted for the same by Arduelle who was esteemed a very holy man Which name was confirmed afterwardes in the succession of Ismahel who renued the name of Sofi being first vsurped by Giunet for his inuention of the superstition that was spread abroad by him and so continuing the said name of Sofi euen vntill our age among the people of Asia who by the forces of Alexander were in old tyme subdued with a nomber of other nations that were famous in those dayes if Quintus Curtius may be beleeued for the value of their iewelles for the beauty of their bodies and for the excellency of their dogges Of this name Sofi and Sofiti many particularities we could rehearse if we were not afraide to depart from our matter now in hand and therefore differring them till some other occasions it shal be sufficient to repeat with diligence to note that the first man which merited this name was Giunet who because hee found out this notable sect obtayned the name not onely of Siec but also of Sofi although in deed he had not gotten the name of Saha and that because he gaue his mynd rather to matters of learning and studye then to matters of Armes gouernment After whose example there succeeded three other who were content to be called by the name of Siec but not of Sofi vntill that after thē there succeded Ismahel who contemning the name of Siec was called Saha that is to say King did in such sort enlarge the boundes of his kingdome that in respect of his greatnes men will hardely beleeue at this day the intollerable oppressions which those Prouinces in truth haue suffered and endured And herein is Paulus Giouius found to haue erred also where he writeth that this Ismahel was the first of all the Persian kinges that merited the name of Sofi which indeed he did rather renewe in his owne person hauing receaued the same from Giunet the first authour of the damnable superstition who first tooke that Tytle vpon him This Persian superstition was first brought in by Siec Giunet the Sofi afterward maintayned by Siec Sederdin and after him by Siec Giunet the seconde then by Siec Aider called by Giouius Arduelle and at last so encreased emenlarged by Ismahel the Saha and Sofi that vnder his gouernment Persia seemed to enuy the glory of Cyrus Darius After the death of Ismahel it descended to Tamas who reygned with lesse felicity then his father did being many a time and often greatly damnifyed by Soliman and after Tamas succeeded Aidere the second who raigned but for certaine dayes and houres as the Historie setteth it downe and then followed Ismahel who troubled all the Citties of his kingdom with manifold hurley-burlies last of all the king that now is being more vnfortunate and vnhappy then all the rest And euen as Giunet founder of this sect being a man that was esteemed to be wise and holy did renew the name of Sofiti which for many ages past had beene extinguished in Asia and in other his successors Sederdin Giunet the second Aidere Sisopi who were contented onely with the bare name of Siec so was it agayne reuyued in the sprouting glory of Ismahel who did so largely dilate the confines of his kingdome that it seemed he had as it were founded it anew and yet afterwardes it was suppressed againe in his successors Tamas Aidere Ismahel Mahamet who leauinge the names of Sofiti and Siec retayned onely the Tytle of Saha In this sort began encreased and declined the kingdome of the Persians who were followers of the diuision and superstition of the false law of Mahamet What the occasions were why in so shorte a space so famous and redoubted a kingdome began to declyne it shalbe declared hereafter for that it is now tyme to proceed in the narration of more important matters beginning at the Geographicall description of the kingdome it selfe wherein it shall behoue the reader to walke with good circumspection because the confynes thereof are set downe neyther so ample and large as they were in the tyme of Ismahel nor lesse then they were at such tyme as these warres were moued For Ismahel had in such sorte enlarged the limits of his Empire by his new deuised superstition that hee had not onely stretched them on the East beyond Aria and on the South vpon the red sea in the Golfe of Persia but on the West also he had made the Georgiani tributaries subdued the Armenians the Mesopotamians the Babilonians the Assyrians and threatned that he would Lorde it euen to the confynes of Europe But this so notable felicity of his continued no long time because both he himselfe was dispossessed by those that were mightier then he was and after his death Tamas was so straitly shut vp euen into the innermost places of his kingdome that it were but a small matter for wryters to describe the compasse and quantity of that which was left For being depryued of Bithynia of Mesopotamia of Armenia and of Assyria the poore Persians had much adoo to retaine the people of Georgia and Atropatia at their commandement and deuotion but auoyding the outrages and incursions of the Turkes they were inforced to transport their Regall seat to Casbin to forsake Tauris the auncient Pallace not onely of these princes but also of all the other kings of those prouinces And therefore setting asyde the first felicity and large compasse of this kingdome the memory whereof can serue to no other purpose then to bewayle so great a decay and to teach vs that we ought not to put too much confidence in wordly riches nor wax proud in the great
authority of rule and gouernement measuring the state of this realme as it was when these warres began we say that for the North part beginning at the very vttermost East of the sea of Baccu and coasting all that Sea and then entring into Seruan and Georgia euen vnto Mengrelli and so a little lower vnto Chars lying in the champaine country vnder the mountains of Periardi called Chielder where also is erected a Castell called Childerum for defence of the borders you haue the description of all that the Persians possesse on that syde From thence drawing a lyne by the East and rolling the same ouer the Lake Actamar and ouer Coy in the champeine of Caldaran then carrying the same lyne towardes the South to the Citty of Salmas and a little higher towards Seresul euen to the channell of Euphrates there is comprehended all the West parte of this kingdome From the channell of the sayde riuer where the Bassora lyeth coasting all along that syde of the sea euen vntill the mountaines Techisnandan and more towardes the East to the kingdome of Candahar there making an end of that compasse all the South parte of this present Empire is figured The East whereof is included betweene the borders of Corassan and of the Tartarian Iesselbas euen from the Citty of Samarcante on the east parte of the Casptan Sea otherwise called the sea of Baccu The compasse appeareth to bee very great and of importance comprehending in it many prouinces not onely famous in our tymes but also much more glorious in the daies of those Auncients for that in the West is included with the countrey of Georgia parte of Turcomania and of Cussestan in the North Seruania the countrey of Gheilan and Massandran in the East Candahar Corassan and Heri and in the South all the kingdome of Fars the cheefe Citty whereof is Siras with Caramania the Desert In the very middle and Centre of this Circle are the Territories of Casbin Cassan and Hispahan So that in the beginning of this warre the King of Persia ruled ouer all these prouinces Georgia sometyme called Iberia Seruania otherwise called Atropatia Tauris with the territories belonging vnto it called in times past Media the Great Gheilan or Gely Masandran or Hircania more inward Parthia Aria Candahar or Peripaniso Farsi or Persia and parte of Cussestan in old tyme called Assyria All these prouinces in times past subdued by the Macedonians the Graecians and Barbarians wasted by so many mutations and States and outrages of Armyes haue also lost their auncient names and according to the seuerall languages therein vsed haue had dyuers and sondry appellations which as a man may probably coniecture are in truth those that are last named Of all which prouinces Anania Pius the second of happy memory Negro the Venetian some other late Geographers haue beene so bould as to wryte many thinges rather fabulous then true after the example and imitation of those that are so greatly reprehended by Strabo and Thucydides therefore avoyding the danger of lying and laying also a side for this time the History of thinges Naturall Miraculous and Poeticall for of Poeticall matters especially the particular Geography of Danaeus reporteth we will onely speake of such thinges as will serue our turne for the better knowledge of the State and condition of this kingdome Tamas had vnder him and so he left the kingdome to Ismahel in whose time and by whose meanes these warres were raised threescore and tenne Gouernementes all bearing the Titles of Sultans Chan so that in his whole Empire he had seauentie Citties of such state and condition as they deserued to haue a Gouernour of the same dignitie that the Bassa is with the Turkes as shall be declared in the exposition of Names Now what they were it would be a very hard matter precisely to know yet some of them we haue learned and the principall thereof peraduenture were Sumachi Sechi Eres Seruan Derbent Caracach Ardouil Tauris Reiuan Genge Hispahan Masandran Gheilan Heri Cassam Siras Starabat Chilmisnar Candahar Iesed Sapanec Sultania Bargo Cum Coran Seua Casbin and others all which haue Iurisdiction ouer many Villages and Townes from whence there are leauied many men of warre Hispahan onely hath in her gouernement twelue Sultanes Casbin three Sultanes the king Heri three also and Abas Mirize Candahar three and Rustan Mirize Of all these places to make an exquisite description Geographicall to tell the Mountaines the Riuers the Champaines the Distances the Situations the Altitudes of the Pole and such other particularities it would not be an enterprise fit for our handling except we would insert many lies therein as a nomber of writers haue heeretofore done therefore seeing neither the battels of the Turke haue entred into those partes nor any thing happened in them that requireth any great diligēce of discourse Let that little bee sufficient which wee haue already touched in this History by occasion of Abas Mirize and of the Turcomanni and returning to Georgia to Seruan and to Media the Great with a peece of Armenia we will vse our best diligence euen as neede shall require and our informations will serue vs. Georgia then is that prouince which in auncient tyme was called Iberia which on the West is bounded vpon Colchis at this day called Mengrellia on the East vpon Media Atropatia at this day called as we said afore Seruan on the North vpon Albania now called Zuiria and on the South vpon Armenia the Greater now called Turcomania whereof it doth also possesse a parte so that Iberia and part of Armenia is comprehended vnder this name of Georgia It is for the most part full of hills woods rockes and ruynes and hath abundance of silkes fruites wilde beastes and Faulcons It is watred with many famous riuers and so was euen in the tyme of Strabo but principally with the riuer Cirus whose gulfe openeth in that country and is ioyned with Araxis The riuer Araxis springeth out of the hill Taurus in that parte where Periardo is situate on the syde of the hill Abo and so running by East euen to the confynes of Seruan windeth it selfe towardes the west by the North where it is ioined with Cirus and then passeth to Artaxata a cittie of the Armenians right against a place which is very famous in this warre called Reiuan and so watring Armenia and coursing all along the playne of Araxis which peraduenture is the champaine called Caldarana dischargeth it selfe into the Caspian Sea at this day called the sea of Corazun and of Baccu on the one syde by south leauing Armenia and on the other syde by North leauing Seruania whose cheefe Citty is Eres which is so famous in this booke as in fit place it shalbe shewed It is a riuer very deepe and large but yet at this present it contayneth not those meruails that Herodotus reporteth of it as also it is very hard to
vnderstand that which Quintus Curtius wryteth touching the course thereof and that which Natalis Comes hath left written of it in his history Cirus likewyse springeth out of the same hill Taurus and yet in Armenia and so descending into the Champaines and plaines of Georgia charging it selfe and being greatly encreased with other riuers it is ioyned with Araxis and so maketh his issue also into the Caspian sea This riuer the inhabitants of the countrey at this day call by the name of Ser in their owne language but the Turkes call it Chiur the other Riuer both the one nation and the other doo vniformely call Arasse In that parte of the land where Araxis insinuateth it selfe betweene Media Atropatia and Armenia it receaueth into it diuers Riuers that spring out of the hilles of the said region of Armenia among which is Canac very famous in this history which making as it were almost an Island a little on this syde of the Citty Eres vniteth it selfe in the Channell with Araxis as in his place shall be shewed This Prouince is in habited by sundry Earles Dukes Lordes aswell in the plaine and champaine as also in the rough and mountaine cuntrey and these inhabitants are for the most part Christians yet obseruers of the rytes and schismes of the Graecians stout people stronge of complexion and obstinate in their opinions The principall Potentates of this Prouince besides many others that enioy whole Counties and diuers Lordships are the Widow and her Sonnes Manucchiar and Alessandro the Sonnes of Lauassap deceased Dauid and Simon Leuentogli who by his countrymen is called Schender and by vs Alessandro surnamed the Great Giusuf the Sonne of Gori old Sahamal of whome wee made mention afore when we wrote of the death of Aidere and the sixt is Basacchiuc Sahamal keepeth his gouernement betweene the territorie of Siruan and of Alessandro by nation rather an Alano then a Georgiano and hath one Sonne which succeeded after him when Osman Bassa depriued him of his life for his treason that was discouered whereof shall be spoken in place conuenient He dwelleth in a rough high mountaine by the Turkes called Brus whose top is couered continually with white and hoarie snowes he is in religion by his owne choice a Soffian although by nature a Georgian hee is in money poore but in shaking a launce and shooting a darte very valorouse few cities or rather no one place woorthy the name of a citie doth hee possesse but certaine Villages and some base Townes hee hath and the people that is subiect to him is altogether a fauage people and giuen to robbery and flight Giusuf is in deede by countrey by nation and by religion a Georgian although touching his religion hee hath alltogether abandoned the name of Christ and hauing voluntarily reuolted to the Turkes hath chaunged his Grecian Faith into another religion that among all wicked religions is most impiouse He hath his place at Gori and his territorie lieth on the West bordering vppon Basacchiuc diuided from him by the Lake of Esecchia and on the East vpon the Countie of Derbent He being brought into a narrow streight by Osman Bassa on the one side and by the whole Campe on Teflis side resolued himselfe to yeeld to the Turkes as in fitte oportunitie shall be declared The Widowes yonger Sonne called Manucchiar is he that came to yeeld his obedience to Mustaffa as wee haue tolde you before and the elder is named Alessandro of whome we shall speake sufficiently when we come to describe his misery She holdeth many â—ownes but hath put her elder Sonne in possession and left vnto him the vniuersall care and charge of her whole estate which afterward was fraudulently taken from him by Amurat and by his yonger brother Manucchiar Her territory lieth in the confines of Chars on the West the State of the two brothers Simon and Dauid on the East watred with a Riuer by the Turkes called Chiur which perhaps may bee some braunch of Cirus The pallace of this Dominion is Altunchala so called in Turkish and in our language may bee interpreted the Golden-Castell there is besides a very commodious and remarkeable place called Clisca and also Carachala so tearmed by the Turkes and signifying in our tounge the Obscure or Blacke-Castell and diuerse other Iurisdictions both of Townes and Castels This pallace aswell on the side of Teflis as on the side of Chars is compassed with the rough mountaines of Periardo and with horrible thicke woodes very fit for treacherous ambushes and in all respectes most daungerous for an Army But Altunchala it selfe lieth in the middest being as it were most cunningly defended by nature There follow as ye go towards the East rather in Armenia then in Iberia the places that sometimes beloÌ„ged to Lauassap but now enioyed by the two brethren Dauid Simon of their fathers valour and of their fathers estate both by nature by vertue the rightfull heires although in truth they had greatly desyled themselues with a beastly change of their religion whereby they did wonderfully obscure their glory being otherwise worthy of singular commendation and principally Simon who by his knowledge in Arte military and by his learning in matters of Poesie and Philosophie had merited the grace and familiarity of Ismahel the Sonne of Tamas whiles he was in captiuitie in Persia of whome we shall haue occasion to speake hereafter in due time But what vertue could there be in them glorious and renowmed which was not obscured by this soule fault committed by them both it being the occasion why the one and the other were not onely depriued of their goods their State and their honour but also that they abandoned wholy the most sacred and glorious name of Christ. For Lauassap their father beeing dead who by his last will and testament left Simon his Sonne to be his Successor in the kingdome not onely because he was the elder in yeares but also because he excelled his brother in valour Dauid being of an intollerable nature greatly enuying his brothers succession ouer-greedie of glory and rule began to seeke meanes how to driue Simon out of his State with force and Armes to arriue to that place whervnto neither the will of his father nor the lawes of nature could bring him And therfore withdrawing himselfe into the field being followed by a kind of people desirous of Nouelties and rather louing seditions and tumultes then easie peace and quiet rest he began to take vp those rentes which his brother did yearely expect from such places as lawfully were subiect vnto him conuerting to his owne vse whatsoeuer he could by any meanes most vnhonestly vsurpe and by these spoiles making his followers and souldiers more bounden vnto him he did in such sort increase his squadrous that being waxen very terrible to all Georgia hee put his brother Simon also in a marueilous great feare who hauing
their fleete on the great sea into the Channell of the riuer Fasis by the coast of the Albanians leading Abdilcherai the Tartarian into Seruan and by these two straites carrying all their Army as in fit places it shall be set downe As ye walke towardes the North on this syde of the lake Essecchia which perhaps is the marish called Lychnitis there standeth the Cittie Basacchiuc with certaine other Townes and Citties for a long time subiect to Basacchiuc being a Lord of that name Who was allwaies more rusticall and vnciuill then all the rest as one that dwelt far out of the ordinarie waies by which the Turkish Armie made their iourney and by that meanes neuer endured the like troubles and inconueniences that others did so that in all these stirres and hurly-burlies among his neighbours withdrawing himselfe into these fortes made and framed by nature he sat as it were in a watch-tower to behold the accidents of this doubtfull warre Which rest certainely he had not so quietly enioyed if the Tartarians had not fayled in their promises made to Amurat whose breach of promise did in deede frustrate and thwaâ—t many important enterprises and singular conquestes that Ofman the Bassa had plotted in those quarters Now the Sonne of Leuent called by the inhabitantes there Schender and by vs Alessandro surnamed the Great and brother of 〈◊〉 hath his state betweene Reiuan Siruan wide of Tomanis and though it be accounted among the Georgian States yet is it situate rather in Armenia the Greater in the borders of Atropaiia then in Iâ—eria This man in steed of armes hath continually vsed prayers and presentes and as he that more then all the rest lay open to the passage through Siruan and dwelt neere to Reiuan and Teflis he was likewyse subiect to the Persian fury yet for all that he handled the matter so well with the Turkes on the other syde that by his rich and liberall gifts in steed of armes and wepons euen in the greatest heates of this warre he kept himselfe equally vntouched and free from the violence both of his foes and frends His cheefe pallace is Zaghen fruitfull of silkes he hath also Grin and diuers other villages townes he surpasseth at this day all the rest of his neighbour Georgians in riches money enloyeth withall greater tranquilitie and quiet then they all He was in tymes past greatest affected to the Crowne of Persia but since the tyme that Tamas sought by vniust and vnlawfull meanes to depryue him of his state and in his rowme to substitute his brother Ixis who being become a Persian and hauing giuen himselfe to Tamas and to Satan like a wicked wretch gaped after it aboue all thinges in the world he then began to repose small confidence in the Persian succours and resoluing with himselfe to remaine a Neuter he followed the campes of the conquerours and fauoured the Ensignes and name of those that were mightiest And in this case standeth the state of Georgia at this day But the countrey of Siruan which on the West is ioyned with this Prouince whereof wee will make but a briefe discourse hath also on the North syde the Albanians and a little beyond them some wandring and vagabound Tartarians called Pericorschi betweene Caueasus the riuer Volga whereupon it may be that the Tartarians are comprehended vnder the name of the Volcenses on the East it hath the lake if with Polycletes we may so terme it or rather as other call it the sea of Corazan on the South syde Armenia and more toward the South and southeast Media the greater The Metropoliticall citty of Siruan is Sumachia situate betweene Derbent and Eres and as Derbent lyeth in the way for the Scythians so doth Eres make way for the Armenians and Medes to enter into the country that is subiect to the said Citty All Atropatia was subiect to the Persian King and was obedient to him being induced thereunto first by Aydere and afterward by Ismahel Sofi sauing onely that it seemed the people of Derbent did ordinarily loue rather the fame and renowne of the Turkes then the gouernement of their natiue Prince sticking also to the auncient religion which Aidere shooke and Ismahel subuerted The whole countrey is fruitefull and watred with Araxis and Cirus and other riuers that are famous euen in antique writers and principally Eres which yeelded in tymes past great store of those fine white silkes commonly tearmed by the marchantes Mamodean silkes whereof at this day there is not to be found no not a very small quantity by reason of the monstrous ruines and ouerthrowes that haue happened in those countreys The king of Persia maintained in Derbent and Eres after the naturall Lord was driuen out of them by Ismahel certaine gouernours with the tytle of Sultans and in the Citty of Sumachia one onely Gouernour with the tytle of Chan who ruled both ouer Sechi also ouer the other Citties that were subiect to that iurisdiction But Derbent as we haue already written eueÌ„ as it was the last citty on that side which was subdued by the Sofi made more resistance then all the rest in receauing the superstition of the Sofiti or Cheselbas insomuch that Aidere left his carcase vnder her walles euen so though at the last it was ouercome yet did it alwayes remaine most affectionate to the first faith opinion that it held when the law of Mahomet had not yet tasted of the Schisme of the Sofians howbeit it could neuer fynd opportunity to receaue the Turkish captaines into her and so vtterly shake-of all obedience to the Cheselbas Betweene Seruan and Tauris is situate the countrey of Caracach fertile and rich in corne and cattell very commodious for the feeding of Beastes in situation not greatly subiect to windes by reason that it lyeth rather alow then aloft but yet pleasant and temperate and it seemeth that this countrey on that side bordereth vpon the Atropatians and the Medians where the Cittie of Tauris standeth euen at the rootes of the mountaine Orontes which according to Straboes opinion is a portion of Taurus Of this Cittie we haue sufficiently spoken in this History much more largely in the Letter which in manner of an Appendix wee haue added in the end of this worke for the more manifest declaration of our opinion touching the recognition of this place the reading wherof may peraduenture more distinctly expresse the Geography of these countries And now taking this Cittie of Tauris for the middell or as it were the Center in a circle wee will also vse it for an obiect in all the considerations which very briefly wee shall heere ser downe All those that come from Van or from the Lake of Vastan and make their voyage towardes Media doo arriue at Tauris trauelling alwaies by East or by East by North being nyne dayes iourney or thereabouts and leauing Coy
and to the Esahul aforenamed Among all the reuenues that are gathered out of the Citties subiect to Casbin the greatest were alwaies payed out of Tauris Cassan Hispahan all Citties of great traffike where the marchandise of Europe all Asia doo arriue And these are the reuenues of this Crowne The expenses briefely are these The threescore and ten Sultanes that serue in the gouernement of the subiect Citties are payed in ready money out of the Chamber of Casbin with a stipend of three thousand foure thousand or fiue thousand Cecchins a peece The two thousand Curchi that remaine to be paide for their attendance who haue no landes assigned to them for their pay as the foure thousand abouenamed haue doe also receiue their ordinary wages out of the kinges Chamber from a hundred threescore to two hundred Cecchins a man From thence also are defraied the stipends for the magistracyes of the Iudges not onely of Casbin but of all the whole empire all the Treasurers likewise Wherof some haue a thousand some fiue hundred and some a thousand and fiue hundred Cecchins yearely The Garnisons of certayne Fortes as of Elegie neere to Nassiuan Guuergi-Chalassi Cahaca-Calassi and such like consisting some of a thousand and fiue hundred persons some of a thousand and some of fiue hundred are payed with these Reuenewes and euery Souldier of them receiues for his pay fiue Cecchins a moneth little more or lesse I do not heere reckon the expenses that go out for the pay of other base Offices of his household of the Queene of the Prince of his Children of the Temples called their Moschees of the buildinges of the gardens and such like and so I leaue you to make an accompt how much remaineth ouer and aboue for the king to put vp in his purse yearely And now hauing respect to the order of those thinges which I propounded to my selfe to treate-of there resteth nothing els but onely briefely to consider the occasions whereby it is come to passe that a kingdom so meruelously encreased is so suddenly decreased and decaied And we think the principall occasions therof were three The first because the enemy did in very short space waxe verie strong and mightie by the great conquestes that he made both by sea and by land by meanes whereof it fell out that those calamities and assaultes wherewith Persia was at sondry tymes dyuersly afflicted and trauelled did alwaies proue very grieuous and mortall vnto it The second because the empyre of Persia had no fenced citties that were able to hold out or maintaine themselues and if there were any as Van was one it was because they knew not how to fynd the meanes either to maintayne or to recouer themselues And who knoweth not that the country lying open without any resistance not onely the huge forces of the Turke but also farre lesse forces had beene able to worke these mischeefes yea and farre greater then these are The third is the conquest of all Artes that the Turke hath made in the winning and subduing of so many christian citties which are replenished with al kind of diligent study arte By which conquests the Turke hath not onely learned to vse his wonted and natiue weapons after a more mortall and deadly manner but also hath inuented new to the great astonishment teâ—rour of his enemy who hath not onely neglected to make vse of forraine instructions and to learne the true meanes to encrease his owne forces but as it were contemning all other mens wittes hath thought himselfe alone able to teach and instruct others And this is that haultinesse and ambitious conceite of the Persian who in this present misery of his owne vaunteth braggeth of great matters though all the world can see nothing but most vnhappy euentes in all his warres The fourth is the concord and celerity of the Turke whereby he hath attempted whatsoeuer he would and hath obtayned whatsoeuer he attempted yea and oftentimes before the Persians could take their Armour he hath taken their countryes The fifte which is the roote and fosterer of all the rest hath alwayes beene the discord and dissention in the kingdom of Persia and the keeping aliue of so many brethren or nephewes of the king at once and not onely the keping of them aliue but also the maintaining of them in authority in gouernement and in maiesty For hereby it came to passe that all counselles and execution of counsailes were diuided Armies weakened Captaines minds suspended and inclyning to dyuers parties to be briefe there followed a meere confusion of all thinges It is in deed a barbarous and inhumaine thing for one brother to dye his crowne Scepter with the bloud of another and oftentymes of so many of his breethren and out of all doubt it is a very harde and cruell position that a man shall not be able to rule without the making away of his deerest frendes But yet on the other syde it cannot bee but too much negligence and lenity to permit that breethren and children being of speciall ambition waxen ouer proude in their owne conceytes by reason of their princely gouernementes and authorities should stirre-vp armes one against another and in the meane while scarce leaue any meanes for the poore king to scape with his life who being by his owne bloud made euen as it were a rebell to the honour and quyet of the kingdome must needes reduce his empire into a most vnhappy state Both these kyndes of gouernementes are in extremities and therefore infected with vice and barbarisme and not to be exercised by any man And although Cornelius Tacitus saith that Great enterpryses which are recompensed with the proffit and safety of the Commonwealth may haue some iniquity or vnlawfulnesse in them notwithstanding euery Christian prince ought by all meanes to auoide them and to establish the quyetnesse of his kingdome neither with too great cruelty nor with excessiue lenity in which two poyntes all the Barbarian kinges doo ordniarily offend I had heere made an end of this booke had there not beene brought vnto me certaine bookes some written in French and some in the Latin tongue some with the tytle of commentaries and some of an History vnder the names of dyuers Authours more Poeticall then Historicall as faras I can gather in which bookes hauing found many wantes aswell concerning matters of the Persian and Turkish opinions about their lying religion as also touching the recognition of certaine auncient citties the tymes wherein things haue happened the actions themselues the voyages of the armies and many other particularities I thought it my dutye to admonishe all those that after this our age shall happen to reade those bookes and this history that they walke verye circumspectly in reading such writings And especially let them take great heed that they doo not belieue these things following namely That the Turkes follow Aly and the Persians follow Omar and
of Mustaffa Cadige the wife of Mahamet Sergio a fugitiue of Christendome The suttlenes of Mahamet to cause himselfe to be held a Saint Certaine Iniunctions geâ—en by Mahamet as it were for a law A prayer inuented by Mahamet common both to the Persians and to the Turks and to all those that professe Mahamet Mahamet was priest Prince Mahames is married to 8. other concubines The death of Mahamet Abubacher left successor to Mahamet Aly driuen out by Abubacher and spoiled of all his substance Bookes written by those first wise men Aly succeedeth in the dignity of Mahamet Aly dyeth leaueth behind him a good report Two sonnes of Aly burieâ— in Cafe The author of the Persian superstition The new praier of the Persians The sepulchre of Aly held in great reuerence The errour of P. Giouius The errour of many The Persians called Cheselbas The name of Sofi renewed in Ismahel The auncient Sofiti subdued by Alexander the great The succession of the Persian Kings The errour of P. Giouius The names of the Successors in the kingdome of Persia The changes of the Persian state The North parte of the Persian kingdome The West The South The East The prouinces of the Persian kingdome The Citties of the kingdome of Persia The prouinâ—c of Georgia The riuer Araxis The riuer Cirus The riuer Canac Sahamal the Georgian and his state The mountaine Brus. Giusuf the Georgian and his state The widdow of Georgia and her state Lauassap the Georgian and his state Simon and Dauid The history of the two breethren Simon and Dauid Dauid denyeth Christ becometh a Persian An aduertisment not to trust the promises helps of the Barbarians The promises of the Barbarians deceauable The places subiect to Lauassap Vallies and narrow cuttes in the mountaines of Tomanis Woodes and old darke Forrestes * Cerri trees lyke Poplers carrying mast fit for hogges Hard passages Strabo maketh mention of the passages into Georgia Pompeius Canidius vsed these straites The Turkes sought to occupy all the 4. entrances into Georgia Basacchiuc the Georgian and his state Breach of promise in the TartariaÌ„s dammageable to the Turke Leuentogli the Georgian and his State The Citties of Leuentogli The countrey of Siruan Polycletes callesh the Caspian sea by the name of a lake Sumachia Derbent Eres Atropatiâ— is fruitefull Eres made Mamodean Silkes Sechi a citty of Siruan Caracach The mountaine Orontes The mountaine Taurus The voiage from Van 〈◊〉 Taurus The viage from Reiuan to Tauris Nassiuan Chiulfall Siruan Salmas Siras Casbin Cassan. Hispahan Heri Corazan Ieselbas Lakes in Armenia the Great The Lake Martiano or Actamar The Lake Arasseno or Tospite The Caldaran Champaines The cheefe Priest of Casbin called Mustaed-Dini The Califes The Sultans The Deftardari The Mordari The Gaddi The order of the Persian dignities The kings Curchi The kinges Esahul The state of the men of warre in Persia. Amet-Chan Amet-Chan imprisoned by Tamas enlarged by Mahamet Rustan Mirize Emir-Miran Ebrain-Chan Abas Mirize Cussestan Turcomania Seruan The forces of the Persian kingdome whose seruice may be vsed The weapons of the Persian souldiers The Persian horses very good * Duckates The Persians valorous and noble souldiers The Persians giuen to noueltie The impiety of the sonnes of Artaxerxes the Persian king The reason why the Persians do not use Artillary or Canons The order o their battell The right wing The least wing The body of the battell The Rere-ward The Vaunt-Guarde The ReueÌ„ues of the kingdome of Persia in the daies of king Tamas The practise of the Persian Turkish kings in enhaunsing and abasing the value of their moneis The reuenues of Persia at this day Certain lands assigned for the payment of the Persian souldiers The greatest reuenues com out of Tauris Cassan and Hispahan The expenses of the Persian kingdome Fortes that haue neede of ordinary Garrisons The occasions of the declination of the Persian kingdome An aduertisement to the reader A notable raine The Turkish army remoueth towards Teflis The Lake called Chielder-Giol The Turkes at Archichelec A surueigh of the army 40000 persons wanting in the Turkish Army The Turkes at the lake called Peruana Giol The Turkes at Triala The praises of those Christian forces that tooke the holy Citty The praise of Torquato Tasso Giurgi Chala possessed by the Turkes The ambush of the Georgiani Mustaffa at Teflis Mustaffa fortifieth the walles of Teflis Mustaffa cheerefully entertaineth the embassa dors Leuentogli to Mustaffa Mustaffa receaueth Leuentogli and promiseth to passe through his territories at his returne Mustaffa and his host at the riuer Canac The subiectes of Sechi come to offer themselues to the captaine The hunger of the Turkish Army The Persian spyes taken The intelligence that the spyes gaue for vittaile Mustaffa lycenceth euery man that would go for corne and other necessaries Ten thousand seruile persons go for victuaile The Persian Captaines take counsell how to annoy the Turkes The stratageme of the Persians The ten thousand victuailers shame by the Persians Mustaffa runneth with all his hoast to succour the victuailers The order of Mustaffa his battaile The Persians repent their long aboade Great thoughtes that troubled the Persians The Persians resolue to abandon the fight and to flye Difficulties in taking their flight The Persian Capitaines saue themselues by passing the tiues The Persians drowned in the Riuer The Persians in fight shew great signes of valour Conquerours doo but little regard their promises being geuen to spoile The Demye Island made the perpetual graue of a couragious warlike people The losse of the Turkes in this battell The Persians withdraw themselues to their seuerall gouernementes Mustaffa commandeth all his hoast to passe ouer the Riuer Canac The souldiers in a tumult threaten Generall Mustaffa The answere of Mustaffa to his soldiers Lib. 4. Mustaffa first of all wadeth ouer the deep Riuer Canac Nighti was the occasion that more then half the hoast went not ouer 8000. Turkes drowned in wading ouer the riuer of Canac A meruelous kind of Foord The calamities of the Turkish hoast The Turkes refreshed with victuaile other commodities The Turkes at Eres in Siruan Eres abandened by the Persians Samir-Chan Ares Chan Persian Gouernours withdraw themselues into the mountaines The entry of the Turkes into Eres not disturbed by the enemy nor enriched by spoile and victory Mustaffa remaineth in Eres 22. daies Eres fortifyed fenced by Mustaffa Mustaffa appointeth Osman bassa to keepe Sumachia Derbent Osman Bassa frendly entâ—tayned at Sumachia The Alexandrians yeeld themselues to the Turkes Mustaffa departeth from Eres A bridge built vpon Canac to passe ouer Sahamal yeeldeth himselfe to Mustaffa Mustaffa by night looseth his way Mustaffa in the countrey of Leuent The embassadors of Leuentogli with reliefe presentes receaued by Generall Mustaffa Mustaffa at Teflis The famine of the souldâ—ers left in the Castle of Teflis Mustaffa releeueth them with meate money and wordes Great snowes breed many annoiances to the