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A18071 The preachers trauels Wherein is set downe a true iournall to the confines of the East Indies, through the great countreyes of Syria, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Media, Hircania and Parthia. With the authors returne by the way of Persia, Susiana, Assiria, Chaldæa, and Arabia. Containing a full suruew of the knigdom [sic] of Persia: and in what termes the Persian stands with the Great Turke at this day: also a true relation of Sir Anthonie Sherleys entertainment there: and the estate that his brother, M. Robert Sherley liued in after his departure for Christendome. With the description of a port in the Persian gulf, commodious for our East Indian merchants; and a briefe rehearsall of some grosse absudities [sic] in the Turkish Alcoran. Penned by I.C. sometimes student in Magdalen Colledge in Oxford. Cartwright, John, of Magdalen College, Oxford. 1611 (1611) STC 4705; ESTC S107677 77,355 114

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for age is ready to goe downe to his graue They doe adore and worship the Diuell to the end he may not hurt them or their cattell and very cruell are they to all sorts of Christians in which regard the Country which they inhabite is at this day termed Terra Diaboli the land of the Diuell They participate much of the nature of the Arabians and are as infamous in their Ladrocinies and robberies as the Arabians themselues They liue vnder the commandement of the great Turke but with much freedome and liberty For Selymus the second hauing a great multitude of them in his army against the Persians they did him little seruice performing no more then what well pleased themselues This theeuish company did sundry times arrest our Carauan affirming that their Prince had sent for a Dollor on a summe of goods without the payment whereof being fiue seuerall times demanded wee should not passe through their Countrey One Village of note is there in this Country wholly inhabited by the Curdies being fiue dayes iourney from Caraemit and three dayes iourney from Bitclish called by the Countrey people Manuscute This Towne is seated in a most fertile and fruitfull valley betweene two mountaines abounding with pasture and cattell and about a mile from it is an Hospitall dedicated to St. Iohn the Baptist which is much visited as well by Turkes as Christians who superstitiously affirme that whosoeuer will bestow either a Sheepe Kidde or some peece of money to releeue the poore of that place shall not only prosper in his iourney but obtaine forgiuen●sse of all his sinnes To the Gouernour of this Village we paied for our custome a Shaughee on a summe of goods and so were dismissed The next day following wee passed ouer many craggy and steepe mountaines and at the last rested our selues and wearied beasts on the banke of Euphrates being the outmost bounds on this side of Mesopotamia and so entred the day following on the borders of Armenia the Great which is by some distinctly deuided into three parts the North part whereof being but little is called Georgia the middle part Turcomania and the third part by the proper name of Armenia The description of ARMENIA ARmenia was founded by Armenius one of the companions of Iason who wonne the golden Fleece at Colchos for after Iason was dead Armenius hauing gathered together a great multitude of people and wandering vp and downe the Countrey in the end hee founded the Towne of Armenia neere vnto the mountaines out of which the Riuer Tygris springeth constituting many good and wholsome lawes whereby from time to time the Countrey of Armenia was gouerned by Kings of their owne Nation vntill such time as the house of the Ottamans subdued the same It is now called Turcomania and was the first seate of the Turkes after their first comming out of Scythia who left their naturall seates in that cold and bare Countrey to seeke themselues others in more pleasant and temperate Countries more Southerly stirred vp no doubt by the hand● of the Almighty who being the Authour of all Kingdomes vpon earth as well of those which hee hath appointed as scourges wherewith to punish the world as others more blessed This people thus stirred vp and by the Caspian ports passing through the Georgian Countrey then called Iberia neere vnto the Caspian Sea first ceased vpon this part of Armenia and that with so strong an hand that it is by their posterity yet holden at this day and of them called Turcomania of all other the most true progeny of the Turkes These Turcomanes of a long time vnder their diuers leaders in the manner of their liuing most resembling their ancestours did roame vp and downe with their families and heads of cattell after the manner of the Scythian Nomades their Countrey men without certaine places of aboade yet at great vnity amongst themselues as not hauing much to loose or wherefore to striue This people did not only notably defend this Countrey thus by them at the first possessed but still incroched farther and farther and gayning by other mens harmes became at length dreadfull vnto their neighbours and of some fame also farther off Whereunto the effeminate cowardise of those delicate people of Asia with whom they had to doe gaue no lesse furtherance then their owne valour being neuerthelesse an hardy rough people though not much skilfull or trained vp in the feates of warre But to leaue these Turcomanes for a while wee will returne where we left This Countrey of Armenia hath for it vtmost bounds northward Colchos Iberia and Albania all which are now called by the Tartars Comania Colchos was that famous Prouince so much spoken of by the Poets for the fable of Medea and Iason and the golden Fleece the inhabitants now are called Mengrellians a Nation most barbarous and sauage selling their Sonnes and Daughters to the Turkes for litle or nothing Iberia is now called Georgia and Albania Zuiria Westward it confronts vpon Euphrates and Armenia the lesse Southward on Mesopotamia with that which the Curdies inhabit and Eastward on the Riuer Araxis which watereth the South part of Armenia and almost diuideth from Georgia A d●scription of the people of Armenia as they are at this day AT our first entrance into this Countrey we trauelled through a goodly large and spacious plaine compassed about with a row of high mountaines where were many Villages wholly inhabited by Armenians a people very industrious in all kinde of labour their women very skilfull and actiue in shooting and managing any sort of weapon like the fierce Amazones in antique time and the women at this day which inhabit the mountaine Xatach in Persia. Their families are very great for both Sonnes Nephewes and Nieces doe dwell vnder one roofe hauing all their substance in common and when the father dyeth the eldest Sonne doth gouerne the rest all submitting themselues vnder his regiment But when the eldest Sonne dyeth th● gouernment doth not passe to his sonnes but to the eldest brother And if it chance to fall out that all the brethren doe die then the gouernment doth belong to the eldest Sonne of the eldest brother and so from one to another In their dyet and cloathing they are all fedde and cladde alike liuing in all peace and tranquility grounded on true loue and honest simplicity To discourse how populous this nation is at this day is needlesse since they inhabit both in Armenia the greater and Armenia the lesse as also in Cilicia Bithinia Syria Mesopotamia and Persia. Besides the principall Cities of the Turkish Empire be much appopulated with them as Brusia Angori Trabisonda Alexandria Grand-Caire Constantinople Cassa Aleppo Orpha Cara-●mit Van and Iulpha Some of this nation affirmed vnto vs that the chiefest cause of their great liberty in the Ottoman Kingdome is for that certaine of their Kings bare great affection and loue vnto Mahomet their lewde Prophet in
that all those Countries were theirs which lay along the Riuer from the Mountaine Taurus vnto the desart of Arabia The description of MESOPOTAMIA BEing ouer the aforesaid Riuer we arriued at Bi r and entred into the famous Prouince of Mesopotamia which North-wards bounds on a part of Armenia the Great where the Altar of Hercules stood South-ward on the desart of Arabia Eastward on Assiria and Westward on Armenia the lesse The Hebrewes were wont to call this Kingdome Aram Nearot Syria amongst the Riuers as the Iewes doe at this day The Greeks call it Mesopotamia because it lyeth betweene two great Riuers which watered Paradise Euphrates and Tygris The Turkes doe call it Diarbech This Prouince of it selfe is most fruitfull but by the Turkish warres much ruinated and wasted neuerthelesse there are some Cities of great importance The description of Bir. BI r called by Ptolomey Barsina is an ancient City but very ruinous It is very famous for the situation being built on the side of an high craggy mountaine hauing the Riuer Euphrates running close vnder the walles therof and a most delightfull valley yeelding abundance of graine and other necessary prouision But because this towne is not much esteemed by the Turks but left open to the fury of euery enemy I will be sparing to speake thereof and so passe to the rest The description of Orpha ABout two daies iourney from this vnrespected towne we came to Orpha a City of great account and estimation which many suppose to haue beene the famous City Edessa which Seleucus the next King after Alexander the Great built For hauing conquered Asia and Syria Functius reporteth that he beganne to build townes and Cities as Antioch Laodicea Seleucia Apamia B●rouea Pellum and Edessa and they are not deceiued because that as yet there remaineth certaine monuments of Baldewine in Latin letters who after his brother Godfrey was possessed of Ierusalem is reported to haue taken Edessa and there raigned The aire of this City is very healthfull the Countrey fruitfull only wood excepted and therefore in steede thereof they burne the dung of Camels and other beasts dryed in the Sunne This City is built foure-square the West part standing on the side of a rocky mountayne and the East part trendeth into a spacious valley replenished with vineyards orchards and gardens the walles are very strong furnished with great store of artillery and containe in circuit three English miles and for the gallantnes of the site it was once reckoned the Metropoliticall seate of Mesopotamia howsoeuer it is now translated to Caramida or Caraemit There is in this City a fountaine full of fishes so vsed to hand that they will receiue any sustenance that shall be offered vnto them both Iewes Armenians and Turkes reported vnto vs that this fountaine was Iacobs-well and that here hee serued his Vncle Laban twise seauen yeares for faire and beautifull Rachel The gates of this City were much battered a little before our comming by Eliazgee the Scriuano and the rebels his followers The successe whereof so much tormented the haughty minde of Mahomet the Turkish Emperor as that it would scarce suffer him to thinke of any thing else For the rebell growing stronger and stronger by reason of the great numbers which he allured with the sw●ete name of liberty hope of prey or the good entertainement by him giuen daylie more and more resorted vnto his camp had ouer-runne a great part of the Turkes Dominion in Asia the lesse and in these parts putting all to fire and sword that stoode in his way ransacking also diuers walled and fenced Cities by the way as he went this City bearing a share in that misery for being entred into the City hee drew the citizens to a composition of fifty thousand Chekens and so departed A rebellion not only dangerous to the great Turke but also very commodious and of great oportunity to the Christian commonweale and to the Persian himselfe if at that time they had taken vp armes together Memorable also is this City then called Carras for the great battell which was fought before it betweene the Romans and the Parthians when Marcus Crassus was Generall on the one side and Surena on the other side who ioyning both their armies together there was fought a most mortall and deadly battell For there might a man haue seene a miserable and lamentable sight of the ouerthrowne Romans which were so tortured and tormented with the Parthians arrow●s that some shewed vnto their Captains their hands fast nailed to their Targets some their feete shot through and nailed to the ground some their bodies stuc●e full of forked arrowes and some wounded with speares and pikes in such cruell manner that the m●st part of t●● G●ntlemen of Rome slue t●●mselues for Publius Crassus himselfe commanded one of his Gentlemen to kill him whose h●ad after was cut off by the enemy and s●nt to his Father for a present the Fathers fortune being no better then his Sonnes for his head was cut off as his Sons was and twenty thousand Romans of great account slaine besides a great number carried captiues into Parthia Plutarch affirmeth that the Parthians so triumphed of this victory in their feasts and plaies that they made rimes and iests of both Crassus heads At this City hauing paid our custome which is a Dollor on a summe of goods our Carauan was licenced to depart and at our ordinary houre which was three of the clocke in the afternoone we set forward towards the auncient City Amida now called Caramida or Caraemit fiue dayes iourney from Orpha trauailing sometimes ouer rough and craggy mountaines and sometimes through most delightfull plaines and vallyes amongst which there is one of note enuironed about with a pale of mountaines in such wise that there is but one entry and passage In the midst whereof wee beheld the ruines of a great Fortresse built as the Countrey people report by Aladeules a mountaine King who much annoyed Selymus the first and his army in his expedition against Ismael the Persian King This plaine is very pleasant to the eye by reason of the faire meadowes and brookes wherewith the same doth plentifully abound In this place did Aladeules build diuers houses of pleasures causing the same to be inhabited with the fairest young men and women that could be found so that when he had surprised any young man he brought him to this Fortresse and gaue vnto him a drinke which should cause him to sleepe so soundly that he should so remaine a long space as though he had beene dead Then would he cause him to be carried into this valley amongst his beautifull women and to bee cloathed in rich apparell so that awaking out of his trance hee should finde himselfe another man and as though hee came into a new world Forthwith he was entertained with all kinds of pleasures which youth and lust could desire and this continued so long as one whole
army escaped the sword of the Persians There was three great Sanzaecks slaine one taken and the other sled eight hundred Iamzaries seeing themselues for●aken of their Captaine● laid downe their Harquebusiers and other weapons and yeelded themselues vpon Delymenthes his word It might then well haue beene said of the Turks which the Poet spea●eth of the night wherein Troy was ●ack● Quis cladem illius noctis qui funere fando Explicet The slaughter of that night was such as that it is of the Turkes vntill this day accounted amongst their greatest losses and the victory so welcome to the Persians that in memoriall thereof they still keepe that day which was the thirteenth of October as one of their solemne holidayes In Bithlis wee staied two dayes and at our departure paied vnto the Gouernour of the said City a Doll●r on a summe of goods and so set forwards towards the great City Van three dayes iourney farther In which trauell we had a very wearisome and painefull iourney ouer high mountaines and craggy rocks the way being exceeding narrow that a beast could hardly passe with his burden without much heauing and tumultuous shouldering The which narrow passages the Turks told vs was by the commandement of Amurat the third the great Turke cut through by the maine industry of laborers for his army to passe like that incredible worke which Hanibal with vineger wrought vpon the Alpes In this place our trauell was very dangerous by reason of a brackish lake or little Sea called the lake Arctamar which was vnder the Rocke ouer which wee passed and wee inforced to ride shoaling on the side of the said Rocke that had not our Mules beene sure of footing both the● and we had perished with an insupportable downefall i●●hat Sea Two miles from this shore in the aforesaid lake are two Ilands called the Ecmenicke Ilands inhabited only by Armenians and some Georgians which two Ilands doe bring forth and yeeld such store of cattell and plenty of rice wheate and batly that as the Island of Scycilia was called in time● past Horreum P. Romani so these Ilands are at this day the gatners and store houses for all the Countrey round abou● Being arriued at Van our Carauan rested in the sub●●bs of the said City not daring to presume to enter the City by reason that the Bassae was gone to fetch in a rebell that was risen vp in those parts in whose absence the City vnder the sub-Bassae was no better gouerned then it should be On the West side of this City lyeth a pleasant and delightfull plaine wherein the Ianizaries twise a weeke doe exercise themselues after their manner in the seats of warre On the North side runneth the lake Arctamar called in antique time the Moore or Marish Martiana or Margiana or Mantiana Strabo affirmeth that it is matchable in greatnesse with the lake M●otidis in the Kingdome of Sermatia so much spoken of by the Poets Out of this lake is caught yearly an innumerable quantity of fish like our Herring which being dryed in the Sunne they disperse and sell them ouer all the Countrey thereabout The description of Van. THis City is double walled with hard quarry stone and is the strongest Towne in all these parts being fortified with great store of brasse Ordonance and a strong Castle mounted on an high Rocke to command and defend the City It was once vnder the gouernement of the Persian but Solyman the Magnificent in the yeare 1549. with a puissant army did besiege the same which after ten daies siege was yeelded vnto him by the Persian Gouernour vppon condition that the Persian Souldiers there in garrison might with life and liberty depart with their weapons as Souldiers which was by Solyman granted and so the City was surrendred vp into his handes from the Persian King who neuersince could get the same into his possessions It is gouerned now by a Bassae who hath vnder him twelue thousand Timariots At this City wee stayed fiue daies paying a Dollor on a summe of goods and passed from thence to a Turkish Village called Gnusher the houses standing in two seuerall places the one row fit for the Winter and the other for the Sommer season Here wee beganne the ascent of the high mountaines of Arraret and about noone-tide we beheld Bruz the very crest of the Periardi mountaines now called Cheilder Monte the hils of Periardo These mountains so called are very famous by the rising of many notable great riuers which doe so fructiferate the country therabouts that the barbarous people call it Leprus which is to say fruitfull viz. First the Riuer Araxis which running out of a certaine Marish with many armes doth wonderfully inrich that champaine and drie Countrey This Riuer springeth out of the hill Taurus in this part where Periardo is situate on the side of the hill Abo and so runneth by East euen to the confines of Seruan and windeth it selfe towards the West and by North where it is ioyned with the Riuer Cirus and then passeth to Artaxata now called Nassiuan a City of the Armenians right against Reiuan another City and so watereth Armenia and coursing along the plaine of Araxis dischargeth it selfe into the Caspian Sea on the one side by South leauing Armenia and on the other side by North leauing the Countrey Seruania whose chiefe City is Eris This Riuer is deep and large but yet at this present it containeth not those maruels that Herodotus reporteth of it as also it is very hard to vnderstand that which Q. Curtius writeth touching the course thereof and that which Natales Comes hath left written of it in his History The Riuer Cirus likewise springeth out of Taurus and so descending into the champaines and plaines of Georgia charging it selfe and being greatly increased 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 Out of these mountaines also springeth the Riuer Canac which maketh as it were almost an Iland a little on this side the City Ere 's and afterwards vnite it selfe in the Channell with Araxis and so runneth into the Caspian Sea Two other mountaines are of great note in this place the one is Anti-Taurus now called Mons Niger the blacke mountaine which runneth vp into Media and the other Gordaeus the tops of which mountai●es are couered continually with white and hoary snowes The mountaine Gordaeus is inuironed with many other petty mountaines called the Gordaean mountaines on the tops whereof as we passed we found many ruines and huge foundations of which no●re son can be rendred but that which Iosephus giues saying that they which escaped the flood were so astonished and amazed that they durst not descend into the plaines and low countries but kept on the tops of those
subiect and tributary to the Scepter of Persia and contrariwise both by nature and affection great enemies to the Turke This Towne was much indangered in the warres betwixt Amurat the great Turke and Mahomet Codibanda the Persian King ready to bee swallowed vp of both One while the Bassae of Reiuan on the great Turkes behalfe made an inrode vpon them with a thousand and fiue hundred Harquebusiers whom they were faine to pacifie with a very bountifull present excusing themselues that if they had beene backward in bringing vnto him their voluntary tributes it was done for feare least they should haue fallen into the displeasure of Mahomet Codibanda their King who no doubt if he● should haue vnderstood any such matter would haue been ready to destroy their Countrey and depriue them of their liberty and liues The Bassae was no sooner departed with this answere and their present but forth with Aliculi-cham was sent by the Persian King with three thousand Souldiers and with this direction that if the country were subdued by the Turks he should fight against it and if it had voluntarily yeelded it selfe vnto them hee should not only recouer it but also burne it and bring away all the chiefe men of the Countrey for prisoners and slaues To auoide which danger these poore Chiulfalini were glad to present the Persian Prince with greater and more liberal gifts then they did their enemy Bassae Thus these miserable people in the midst of armes and squadrons of the enemy were constrained what with presents and what with lies notably to preserue their liberties and their liues in safety Within a dayes iourney and halfe of this Towne is the Chalderan plaines memorable for the battell fought there on the seuenth day of August in the yeare 1514. betweene the two great Emperours Ismael King of Persia and Selymus the first Emperor of the Turkes In which battell Selymus lost aboue thirty thousand men amongst whom was Cassan-Bassae his great Lieutenant in Europe seauen Sanzacks with the two Malcozzian brethren who labouring the one to rescue the other were both together staine Besides his common foot-men of whom he made least reckoning he lost most part of his Illirian Macedonian Seruian E●irot Thessalonian and Thracian horse-men the vndoubted flower and strength of his army which were in that mortall battell almost all slaine and grieuously wounded And certainly had it not beene for the Turkes great Artillery Ismael with his thirty thousand horse-men had ouerthrowne Selymus with his three hundred thousand Turks But Selymus reseruing all his great Ordonance at his last refuge caused it to bee discharged by violence whereof such slaughter was made as well of his owne men as of his enemies mingled together what for dust what for smoke and thundering of the Artillery hauing on both sides almost lost the vse of sight and hearing and ●●eir horses being so terrified with the thundering report of the great Ordonance that they were not now to be managed the battell was broken off and the victory yet doubtfull In the end Hismael had the worst and was put to flight by reason that the Persian horses had neuer beene vsed to the noise and thundering of the artillery which they could not abide to heare The Turkish stories to expresse the terrour of this day number it amongst their dismall daies terming it the only day of doome The manner of this battel is painted in the Counsell chamber at Venice and is reported that Selymus the great Turke caused it so to bee done and sent it to the Senate there At Chiulfal we staied eight dayes and passed againe the Riuer Araxis leauing the noble Kingdome of Armenia ●alled now Turcomania because of the Turcomanes a people that came out of Scythia as before wee noted who liue as sheepheards in their tents but the natiue people giue themselues to husbandry and other manuall sciences as working of Carpets and fine Chamlets Wee were no sooner ouer but wee entred into Media which by some is deuided into Media Atropatia and Media the Great The description of MEDIA ATROPATIA MEdiae Atropatia is called by the Hebrewes Madian but now it is termed S●ruan or Seruania The bounds of this Kingdome Northwards are the Albanians and a little beyond them some wandering and vagabond Tartars called Pericorschi betweene Caucasus and the Riuer Volga whereupon it may be that the Tartarians are comprehended vnder the name of Volcenses Eastward the lake as Polycletes terme it or rather as other call it the Sea of Corazan viz. the Caspian Sea Southward on Armenia and more towards the South and South-cast Media the great The whole countrey is very fruitfull and watered with the Riuer Araxi● and Cirus and other Riuers that are famous euen in antique Writers Diuers Cities are there in this Kingdome but my purpose is to speake only of those which we saw in these parts viz. Sumachia Derbent Sechi Ere 's and Aras Sumachia is the Metropoliticall City of Sir●an and lyeth betweene Derbent and Ere 's where the Kings of Siruan vsed to keepe their great and sumptuous Courts chiefly inhabited by Armenians and Georgians In this City our English Merchants did traffique much and had an house giuen them by Obdowlocan in the yeare 1566. as reuerend Mr. Hackluit doth relate who then raigned there vnder the Persian King In this City wee saw the ruines of a most cruell and barbarous spectacle that is to say a turret erected with free stone and flints in the midst of which flints were placed the heads of all the Nobility and Gentry of that Countrey which fell out on this occasion This Countrey of Siruan in time past was of great renowme hauing many Cities Townes and Castles in it the Kings thereof being of great power able to wage warre with the Kings of Persia but through their diuersity in religion the Persian made a conquest of them razing downe to the ground their Cities Townes and Castles that they should not rebell and also putting to death their Nobility and Gentry and for the greater terrour of the people placed their heads in the foresaid Turrer About a mile distant from this Towne is the ruines of an old Castle once esteemed to be one of the strongest Castles in the world and was besieged by Alexander the Great a long time before hee could winne it And a little further off was a Nunnery most sumptuously builded wherein was buried as they told vs the body of Ameleke Canna the Kings Daughter who slew her selfe with a knife for that her Father would haue forced her shee professing chastity to haue marryed with a Prince of Tartary vppon which occasion the Virgins of this Countrey doe resort thither once a yeare to lament her death This City is distant from the Caspian Sea with Camels seauen dayes iourney and from Derbent sixe dayes iourney It was in the yeare 1578. yeelded vp vnto Mustaffa the Generall of the Turkish army without resistance who presently
the great desart countrey of the Tartars to the West part the country of the Circassians the mountaine Caucasus to the North the riuer V●lga which hath seuentie mouthes or falles into the same and to the South part ioyneth the countries of Media and Parthia This Sea is fresh water in many places and in other places as salt as the maine Ocean It hath many goodly riuers falling into it as the great riuer Volga called by the Tartars Edell which runnes at the least two thousand miles in length as also out of Syberia Yaic and Yem and out of the Periardian mountains Araxi● Cirus Canac and diuers others too long to write of And though so many goodly riuers do discharge themselues into it yet it emptieth not it selfe except it be vnder ground into the blacke Sea by Constantinople Now by the commodious site of the Sea a very profitable trade might be planted being but seauen daies sayling from Astracan to Gheilan the gaines of which passage is as I haue credibly heard say both of Persians and Armenians fifty in the hundred euen in meere Buttanosses To further which commerce and trade Abas the Persian king hath diuers times of late sent sundry Ambassadors to the grand Duke of Moscouia among other things requesting of him that merchants might haue a safe conuoy to transport their goods downe the riuer Volga into the Caspian Sea and so to Gheilan which he promised most faithfully to performe so fa●re as his power would extend I know the voiage will be chargeable yet the benefit will quite the charge were the passage safe and secure down the riuer and had we barks of our building but of fifty or three score tuns which might by reason of the great store of timber in those parts be easily builded The cōmodities to be found at Gheilan Casbin are silks of all sorts of colors both raw wrought and that in such quantity that a merchant may b●stow thirty or forty thousand pounds yearly as also all maner spices drugs pearls diamonds and rubies likewise carpets of diuers sorts with diuers other rich merchandizes the prices of which I think not meet to set down because of their ●ising falling as the market goes In exchange of which cōmodities we are to carry thither tin copper and brassel as also ca●sies for the common p●ople broade cloath for the merchants better sort of people blacke cloathes for womens garments good chamlets v●luets died in graine with purple colours and fine reds cloath of gold and tissue veluets imbroidered with gold fine holland cloath for the king and Sultanes dags and pistols complete harnesses targets of steele shirts of male stonebowes brushes and such like The only colors of cloth which are to be sent are skarlets violets in graine fine reds blacks brown blewes London russets taunies Lion colors faire liuely greens the like I am perswaded that any honest factor residing in Casbin may vent a thousand cloathes yearly wherof the Venetians haue good experience But to leaue this noble countrey of Hircania we will againe come to Casbin a principall Citie in Media where we stayed fifteene daies From Casbin we set forwards to the great and populous Citie of Hispaan lodging euery night eyther in a Persian village or in a faire Caine built of stone where we found all kinde of prouision necessarie for our selues and beastes trauailing sixe or seauen in a company company sufficient by reason of the great peace and tranquilitie which the Persians liue in aboue the Turkes and so hauing spent sixe daies wee arriued at Com a verie ancient Citie This Citie is called by Ptolomie Guriana and was so great in times past that the inhabitants affirmed vnto vs that when it was in it first flourishing estate it was twice as bigge as Constantinople but it was much ruinated by Tamerlane and euer since hath lien in the dust without repaire Cassan carrying away the trade of merchandize from her which was once the Mistresse and Ladie thereof It is well seated for water and all other necessaries hauing a spacious riuer running by it with a stone bridge ouer the same the which we no sooner passed but wee entred into the bounds of Parthia a kingdome once famous but now so mingled with Persia that the verie name of Parthia is quite extinguished among them The description of PARTHIA THis Prouince in antique writers is much renowmed Nigro doth call it Corassan and would haue the metropoliticall Citie to be Charras vnder which he would comprehend the Zagathean Tartars but herein he is much deceiued for Corassan and the Zagathean Tartars is very nigh two moneths trauell from Hispaan which is the chiefe and principall Citie of Parthia as shall be shewed in due time and place Mercator and Minadoi doe call it Arach and Alphonsus Hadrianus Iex The bounds of this Prouince Eastward is on Aria Southward on the great desart of Caramania Westward on Media and Northward on Hircania The North part is very woody and compassed about with huge mountaines ●uery plaine is inclosed with a seuerall pale of high hils belonging to ●●e same though the climate heere be subiect to much heate yet doth the countrie produce all sorts of delicate fruits only Oliues excepted being watered with many prettie riuers which flow from the mountaines The natiue people were at the first a most base vile and obscure people d●iuen out of the cold countries of Scythia at that time when the Assirians and Medes flour●shed and they continued so a long time after when the Persians gained the monarchy from the Medes yea and after Alexander had conquered Persia they were so rude and barbarous that no Macedonian Prince would take vpon him to be king of Parthia But in processe of time they became very valiant and great souldiers for after they serued in the warres one while vnder Eumenes another while vnder Antigonus and after vnder Sel●ucius Nicanor and then vnder Antiochus commaunders of great account they grew so famous by their seruice that finding themselues strong enough they made head against Antiochus and reuolted from him making choyse of a king among themselues who in short time brought such renowne to the Parthians as that they enla●ged their confines and augmented their territories in such m●nner that Parthia once despised and contemned of the M●cedonians within the raigne of eight kings became sole Lady com●aundresse ouer all the countries from the mountaine Caucasus to th● riuer Emphrates subdoing Persia Media and Assiria sacking and d●spoyling the great and wea●thie Citie of Babylon in so much that their fame spread vnto Rome a Citie that could neuer abide any kingdome or countrey to flourish but it selfe These were they that gaue the great ouerthrow to rich Crassus of Rome who minding more his gold then the guiding of his armie was slaine himselfe and many thousand Romanes the Parthians with exprobration of his thirst after
the three verses concluded That Sardanapalus enioyed that being dead which liuing he neuer had but so long as he was in feeding his panch Intimating that all pleasures which are not reduced to necessity and honestie are very reprochfull Here also raigned and dyed Saneherib who at his returne from the beseeging of Ierusalem was slaine by his two sons Adramelech Sharezar as he was in the temple worshipping Nisro●h his god Herodotus relates that after his death an image was set vp v●to him with this inscription Learne by me to feare God for a memoriall of Gods iudgement against him Finally that this city was farre greater then Babilon being the Lady of the East the Queene of Nations and the riches of the world hauing more people within her wals then are now in some one kingdome but now it is destroyed as God foretold it should be by the Chaldaeans being nothing else then a sepulture of herself a litle towne of small trade where the Patriarch of the Nestorians keeps his seate at the deuotion of the Turkes Sundry times had we conference with this Patriarch and among many other speeches which past from him he wished vs that before we departed to see the Iland of Eden but twelue miles vp the riuer which he affirmed was vndoubtedly a part of Paradise The description of the Iland of Eden THis Iland lyes in the heart of the riuer Tigris and is as we could guesse in circuit ten English miles and was somtimes walled round about with a wall of strong defence as appeares by the ruinous foundation of bricke which there remaineth And howsoeuer the beautifull land of Eden is now forgotten in these part● with those flourishing countries of Mesopotamia Assyria Babylonia and Chald●a being all swallowed vp into meere Barbarism yet this Iland stil retains the name of the I le of Eden Now whither this Iland were the very Eden of Paradise is not probable but certaine it is that that garden of Pleasure which God chose out to set Adam into was seated in the lower part of the Region of Eden afterward called Aram fluuiorum or Mesopotamia a country which Southwards stretcheth it self ouer the great riuer Euphrates toward Shinar nie Babylon and Northwards containeth that continent of Mesopotamia Assyria and Armenia which is watred with Tigris between mount Taurus and Seleucia That there was such a Paradise as the garden of Eden vpon earth is without all dispute because the Scriptures tell vs of it And the Lord God planted a Garden Eastward in Eden and there he put the man whom he had made gen 2.8 And it is said of Caine that he dwelt in the land of Noa towards the East side of Eden gen 4.16 The Prophets likewise doe often make mention of the land of Eden and the inhabitants thereof As in Esay 37.12 where after Gozan and Haran and Reseph the Prophet speaketh also of the children of Eden which were at Telasser And the Prophet Ezechiel in the. 27. chap. and 23. vers bewailing the desolation of Tyrus sheweth what Merchants resorted thither and among many other nations he reconeth the merchants of Eden Now as they make mention of the land of Eden so also of the garden it selfe How is this land wast which was like the garden of Eden Ezech. 36.35 And in the Prophet Ioel. 2.3 the land is as the garden of Eden before him By which places of scripture it is euident that the garden of Eden was a certaine place vpon the earth which God chose out aboue all other places of the world to set Adam into after he had created him And that the very Eden of Paradice was in this contrey is plaine by the relation of Moses who saith that it was eastward in Eden that is it lying eastward as this countrey doth from Indaea For so it is sayd that the Lord God planted a garden Eastward in Eden which quarter of the world is to be vnderstood eastward in respect of Iud●a Besides this countrey standeth in the most excellent temper of all other to wit fiue and thirty degrees from the Equinoctiall line and fiue and fifty from the North-pole in which climate the best wines the most delicate fruits the sweetest oyle and the purest graine of all sorts are this day found in great aboundance Againe the very riuers which course through this countrey doe make good that the very Eden of Paradice was here planted For Moses describeth that a riuer went out of Eden to water this garden and from thence deuided it selfe into four● braunches and we find by experience that Tigris and Euphrates running through this country of Eden doe ioyne in one and afterward taking seuerall waies a part doe water both the land of Chus and Hauilah as Moses relateth the true seates of Chus and his sonnes beeing then in the valley of Shinar in which Nimrod built Babell and not in Ethyopia as some would haue it And as for the land of Hauilah that country ioyned to Persia eastward where Hismael and his Sonnes dwelt for they dwelt from Hauilah vnto Shur that is towards Aegipt as thou goest to Assiria Gen. 25.18 And therefore they that make the riuer Pison to bee Ganges doe contrary both Scripture experience and reason For how can the riuer Ganges which runneth through the great Mogors country in the East-Indies be a braunch of those riuers which watred Eden since the riuer Tigres though it rise in the same quarter of the world is distant from Ganges aboue foure thousand miles And as for them that would haue the riuer Gihon to bee Nilus doe dreame of an impossibility because the riuer Nilus is farther distant from Tigris and Euphrates then Ganges is being begotten in the mountaines of the Moone in Ethyopia almost as farr●e off as the cape of good hope which our East-Indian shippes doe double and falleth into the Mediterranean-Sea whereas Euphrates springeth as we haue said out of the Mountaines of Armenia and falleth into the golfe of Persia the one rising South which is Nilus and running North the other rising North which is Euphrates and coursing South threescore three degrees one from the other Finally this country aboundeth with all kind of fertility and happinesse though not in that exquisit manner as before the fall of Adam because it was accursed in special like as all the earth in generall yet thus much I find written of it Strabo maketh mention of the South-part of Armenia which is the North border of Eden or a part thereof to bee a region which aboundeth with most pleasant fruites and delightfull trees alwaies greene and florishing witnessing therby a perpetual spring not foūd elswhere but the Indies only And Q. Curtius writeth on this maner As you trauell on the left hand of Arabia famous for plenty of sweet odours there lieth a champain country placed between the two riuers Tigris and Euphrates and is so fruitful and fat a soile that
that therefore many trauellers haue bin deceiued who suppose that they haue seene a part of that tower which Nimrod builded But who can tel whether it be the one or the other It may bee that confused Chaos which we saw was the ruines of both the Temple of Bel being founded on that of Nimrod In a word their were burnt in t●is Temple an hundreth thousand talents of Frankincence in a yeere as Herodotus relateth This Temple did Nabuchadnezar adorne and beautifie with the spoiles of Ierusalem and of the Temple of Solomon all which vessels ornaments Cyrus re-deliuered And Xerxes after him euened this Temple with the soile which Alexander is said to haue repaired by the perswasion of the Chaldeans I denie not that it might haue been in his minde so to doe but hee enioyed but a few yeeres after the taking of Babilon and therefore could not performe any such worke But to returne where wee left To this city were the Iewes carried captiues and so thereof it was called the captiuity of Babilon A captiuity so well known to heathē writers that they make mention of it For they expresly affirme that in the time of Ioachim King of Iuda Ieremie the Prophet was sent vnto them from God to foretell them of extreame calamity because they worshipped an Idol called Baal whervpon as they relate Ioachim commanded Ieremy to be burnt a liue But Ieremy tels them that the King of Assiria should put them to sore labor make them to digge a channel to saile out of the riuer Euphrates into the riuer Tigris wherevpon Nabuchadnezar did set forward with a mighty army spoyling Samaria winning Ierusalem and leading away King Ioachim prisoner Yea they doe set downe the very time of the captiuity viz. that it should last three score yeers and ten and that Nabuchadnezar at his returne to Babilon was stricken with madnesse and did cry out for a certaine time night and day to his subiects the Babilonians that so great a mischiefe would shortly fall vpon them that all the power of the Gods should not stay it For quoth he an halfe asse of Persia shall come make you thrals foreshewing that Cyrus should bee the man which should both build againe the Temple of Ierusalem and subdue Babilon So that now wee may iustly aske what is become of this proud city which once held the world in awe Where are her conduits the rarenesse of her bathes the hugenesse of her towers the greatnesse of her Temples the beauty of her princely palaces a number of other monuments of her kings vanities Alas time hath worne them out and we may say Miramur perijsse homines monumenta fatiscunt interitus Saxis nominibusque venit Why wonder we that men doe die Since monuments decay And towers fall and founders names Doe perish cleane away For first she was subdued by the Medes then by the Persians after by the Grecians then by the Saracens then by the Tartars after that by the Persians againe now by the Turkes So God doth appoint and God doth disapoint states and commonwealthes according to the decree of his Eternall will sinne being the only cause of his anger his anger the cause of all calamities and subuersion of Kingdomes according to that of Syrach Regnum a gente in gentem transferetur propter i●iustitiam Because of vnrighteous dealing and wrongs and riches gotten by deceit the Kingdom is translated from one people to another The description of Arabia FRom the ruines of old Babilon wee set forwards to Alepo traueling for the most part through the Desart Arabia This country of Arabia hath on the North Palestina and Mesopotamia on the East the golfe of Persia on the South the maine Ocean of India on the West Egipt the red-sea It is deuided into three parts the North-part whereof is the desart Arabia the South-part is called Arabia Foelix and the middle betweene both is Arabia Petrosa It is not my purpose to write any thing either of Arabia Foelix or Arab●a Petrosa because they lie not in the compasse of my trauell onely it shall not be amisse to insert a word or two of Mahomet and his superstition who was borne in this country and hath seduced the greatest part of the world with his abominable religion Concerning Mahomet the people of Mecha where he lieth intombed doe altogether condemne him both for his robberies and murders And himselfe in his Alcoran confesseth himselfe to be a sinner an idolator an adulterer and inclined to women aboue measure and that in such vnciuil termes a I am ashamed to repeate And concerning his Alcoran wherein hee hath inserted the precepts of his inuention there is no truth in it For first vpon paine of death it may not bee disputed vpon whereas the truth loues triall so that though the Arabians Turkes and Persians will not spare to say and that vauntingly that the doctrine of Mahomet is diuine conformable both to the old new Testament yet as good as they make it you may not examine it or call it into question as if a man should say behold you are paide in good money but you must not weigh it neither looke vpon it by day-light 2 Besides his Alcoran is pestred with a number of fables and falsities as nine hundreth vntruthes whereof two are most grosse that Abraham was the sonne of Lazarus and Mary the sister of Aaron 3. Againe it pointeth out at things sensible and corporall and not to things internall and spirituall for Mahomet most blasphemously reporteth in his prograce vp to the throne of God that hee felt the hand of God three-score and ten times colder then any yee that he saw an Angel that had a thousand heads a diamond table of a thousand miles in length and a Cocke of a wonderfull bignesse which is kept vntil the day of doome that then by the shrilnesse of his crowing the dead may be raised and further he setteth it downe that the diuell is circumcised with this leasing also that the starres are very candles hung out euery night from the firmament 4. And for his promises to all such as call vpon him faithfully are meere carnal and earthly such as I am ashamd to name being fit for none but Heliogabalus and Sardanapalus 5. His precepts are indulgent to periury giuing leaue to haue as many wiues as a man will to couple themselues not only with one of the same sex but with bruit beasts also to spoile one anothers goods and none to be accused vnder foure witnesses 6. For his miracles he wrought none at al but hee confesseth that God sent Moses with miracles and Christ his forerunner with miracles but for himselfe he was to come with fire and sword to force men to obey his law whereas the truth doth draw men of their own accords rediculous also is that which hee writeth of himselfe how when hee was a child an Angel
to swallow vp and ouerwhelme the Towne for euery yeare it increaseth more and more and eateth vp many Gardens and Orchards albeit they vse all pollicy to diminish the same and to make it firme ground The description of Hamath THree dayes iourney from this Towne in the mid-way to Aleppo standeth Hamath a City of great Antiquity and very famous in the Scripture for it was deliuered vp into the hands of Dauid by Toi who was King of the same It standeth on a very goodly plaine replenished abundantly with cornemand cotton-wooll but is much ruinated and falleth more and more to decay and at this day there is scarse one halfe of the wall standing which hath beene very faire and strong but because it cost many mens liues to winne it the great Turke will not haue it repaired commanding these wordes to be set ouer the Castle gate which standeth in the midst of the Towne in the Arabian tongue Cursed be the Father and the Sonne that shall lay their hands to the repairing of this place The description of Antioch NOt farre from this Towne is the famous City Antioch which in ancient time was called Epidaphane or Epiphane and of the Hebrewes Reblatha sometime the Seate of the Syrian Kings and afterwards the Metropoliticall City of Syria hauing vnder it an hundred and fifty Bishops famous for many things but amongst the rest because it was the seate of the blessed Apostle St. Peter and because it was the first place where the professors of Christian religion tooke the name of Christians This City lyeth vpon the Riuer Orontes in Scripture called Farfar about twelue miles from the Sea and was once strongly fortified both by nature on the one side by high broken Mountaines and on the other side by Art being compassed about with a double wall the vttermost whereof is of hard stone of an huge bignesse and the other of bricke with foure hundred and sixty towers on the same and an impregnable Castle at the East-end thereof whereunto was ioyning a deepe lake comming out of the great Riuer which wa●ereth the South-side of the City But in the yeare of Grace 1187. Saladin Sultan of Aegypt dealt so cunningly with the Patriarke that by his meanes the Castle otherwise almost impregnable was for gold betrayed vnto him By meanes whereof Saladin in a short time became Lord and Master of that famous City which was hardly gained by the whole power of the Christians after eleuen moneths siege and with it fiue and twenty Cities moe that depended of the fortune thereof with all the Prouinces belonging thereunto and so now at this day the splendor and beauty thereof is altogether Eclipsed by the Turkes there resting and remaining in the midst of the ruinous walles a small village to be seene Close by the walles of this ruinous Towne runneth the Riuer Orontes which courseth through the large and spacious plaine of Antioch being numbred amongst the famous riuers of Syria whose bankes I haue viewed euen from his springing head to his maine channell which is neere to Selencia Pieria now called Soldin This riuer amongst the Turkes and Arabians hath quite lost his auncient name but because it runneth very swiftly in his course and hath many turnings and windings so that those that swimme in it are oftentimes drowned as though the poore riuer had in that respect the nature of a murderer therefore the Turkes and the Moores doe now giue it a name that expresly signifieth a murderer or traytor The description of Aleppo FRom this miserable towne we spent a dayes iourney and halfe to the rich and wealthy Citie of Aleppo which in ancient time was called Heliopolis and was that ancient Haram mentioned so often in Scripture The Moores doe call it Halip which in our tongue signifieth milke for the same Arabians doe say that it was so called for the abundance of milke which in the time of the Patriarkes was y●elded by the heards and flockes of cattell which fed in those champaines This Citie standeth in the Prouince of Camogena which runneth vp to Euphrates and to the confines of Armenia and is now become the third capitall citie of the Turkish Empire And well it may be so accounted since it is the greatest place of traffique for a dry towne in all those parts for hither resort Iewes Tartarians Persians Armenians Egyptians Indians many sorts of Christians all enioying freedome of conscience and bringing thither all kindes of rich merchandise the trade and trafficke of which place because it is so well known to most of our nation I omit to write of The ayre of this Citie is much pleasing and delightfull to a sound and healthfull body but very piercing and dangerous for such as haue receiued any contagion at Scanderon and therefore it is not good for any passenger to lie long at that roade but to hasten at his first arriuall so soone as he can vp farder into the Countrey This City lyeth vpon the Riuer Singa which as some report a Souldier of Grand Caire drew from Euphrates and hath a channell vnder ground which produceth many fountaines both publike and priuate yeelding no small pleasure and contentment to the inhabitants It containeth in circuit foure hils vpon one of which is raised a goodly Castle hauing a deepe ditch intrenched round about and a bridge ascending step by step with foure gates before you can passe into the Castle it selfe being guarded with a strong and sure garrison of foure or fiue hundred Ianizaries both to curbe the rebellion of the City and to keep it from forraigne inuasion The walles of this City are about three English miles in compasse and the suburbs almost as much more and round about for foure miles space are goodly Gardens Orchards and Vineyards which beare abundance of delicate fruits and of the best Wines which are notwithstanding very deare by reason of the quantity thereof that there is sold and eaten The number of people which resort to this City may easily be comprehended sith betweene the City and the suburbs in the yeare of Grace 1555. there dyed of the plague more then an hundred and twenty thousand persons in three Moneths No building of importance is here to be seen saue the Temples or Moschees and Caines all fabricated of hard quarry stone arched and vaulted with Cesternes full of water in the middest of the Courts In a word this City is one of the most famous Marts of the East the customes that are paied by our English nation the French the Venetians the huge Carauans which come from Balsara Persia Mecha are exceeding great and therefore may well obtayne the third place of the Turkish Empire Neuerthelesse it hath indured diuers changes and sundry alterations being in the yeare 1177. betrayed and taken from the Christians by Saladin Sultan of Damascus but afterwards in the yeare 1260. it was againe recouered by Haalon the Tartar who hauing receiued the Christian faith was sent
condescend affirming that there was none but Iewes and Christians vnder his conduct and withall bestowed on him a bountifull present of two hundred and fiftie dollors which was leuied amongst vs. By this time we came to the full borders and outmost bounds then of the great Turkes dominion so farre as the Othoman Empire on this side doth extend and so entred into the territories of the Persian King both which are deuided by the high mountaine Duz●m and by a pretie riuer that runneth at the foote th●reof This night we rested at a Persian village called Darnah much ruinated but seated in a very delightfull place both for springs of water ●nd plentie of all things For heere we bought foure hens for fiue pence a kid for ten pence and thirtie egs for two pence From Darnah we spent three daies further to Soltania a very ancient Citie trauelling by many Persian villages and finding euery man at his labour and neighbour with neighbour going from one towne to another which bred much contentment and made vs wonder at the great peace tranquilitie which the commons of Persia liue in aboue the commons of Turkie The ruines of many faire Christian Churches we beheld but not without pitie built all with great arches and high towers lauorated with gold and other rich paintings to the beautifying of the same And verily I take them to be those Churches which Cosro● King of Persia destroyed who being in a battell discomfited fought betweene him and Heraclius the ●mperour reaked his teene and malice on the Christian Churches throughout his dominions The description of Soltania AT Soltania we safely arriued This Citie is called by Ptolome Heraclea but by others Tigranocerta because of the wonderfull ruine of the huge buildings and was in times past one of the royall seates of the Persian Kings but it was much ruinated by the Scythian Tamerlane when with a world of people he ouerran these countries it retaineth now no shew of the ancient majestie but onely in the Churches by him spared This desolate towne is on euery side enuironed with huge mountaines whose tops are to be seene a far off alwaies couered with deep snowes called in ancient time Nyphates Caspius Coathras Zagras taking their beginning no doubt of Cancasus the father of mountaines which ioyning one to another some one way some another doe deuide most large and wide countries Before this towne lieth a very great and spacious plaine memorable for that dreadful horrible tempest which fell on Solyman the Turkish Emperour and his whole armie in the yeare 1534. For whilest he lay incamped in these plaine fields with his Army there fell downe such an horrible and cruell tempest from the mountains as the like whereof the Persians had neuer seene before at that time of the yeare being in the beginning of September and that with abundance of rain which froze so eagerly as it fel that it seemed the depth of Winter had euen then of a sodaine beene come in for such was the rage of the blustering windes ●triuing with themselues as if it had beene for victory that they swept the snow from the toppe of those high mountaines and cast it downe into the plaines in such aboundance that the Turkes lay as men buried aliue in the deepe snow most part of their tents being ouerthrowne beaten downe to the ground with the violence of the tempest and weight of the snow wherein a wonderfull number of sicke souldiers and others of the baser sort which followed the campe perished and many other were so benummed some their hands some their feete that they lost the vse of them for euer most part of their beasts which they vsed for carriage but specially their camels were frozen to death Neither was there any remedie to be found for so great mischiefes by reason of the hellish darknesse of that tempestuous night most of their fires being put out by the extremitie of the storme which did not a little terrifie the superstitious Turkes as a thing accounted of them ominous Many of the Turkes vainely thought that this horrible tempest was brought vpon them by the charmes and inchantments of the Persian Magitians whereas it was vndoubtedly by the hand of God which bringeth the proud deuises of Princes to nought The description of Casbin FRom Soltania we spent foure daies trauell to Casbin passing by many villages where we paid a Shaughee a peece to the Beg or gouernour of the village not as a custome but as a free grat●ity and so entred into the territories of Casbin a Citie very wealthy by reason of the Kings Pallace the great concourse of merchants which resort thither It was in ancient time called Arsacia as in Strabo but now termed Casbin which in the Persian language signifieth chastisement or a place of punishment because the kings were wont to banish or confine such persons as for their offences and misdemeanours had deserued such chastisement This Citie is seated in a goodly fertile plaine of three or foure daies iourney in length furnished with two thousand villages to serue the necessary vses thereof but euill builded for the most part all of bricks not hardened with fire but onely dried in the Sunne as are most parts of the buildings of all Persia. It is now one of the seates of the Persian Kings Empire which was translated by King Tamas this kings Grandfather from Tauris who built one goodly Seraglio for himselfe and another for his women and hath beene euer since continued by his successors though the king that now raigneth make most of his abode in Hispaan fourteene daies iourney farther towards the East There are three places in the Citie most of note viz. the Kings Pallace the Bassars and the At-Maidan The gate of the kings Pallace is built with stone of diuers colours and verie curiously ennameled with gold on the seeling within is carued the warres of the Persian Kings and the sundrie battels sought by them against the Turks and Tartars the pauements of the roomes beneath and chambers aboue are spread with most fine carpets wouen and tessuted with silke and gold all ensignes and monuments of the Persian greatnesse There is likewise in this Citie sundrie Bassars where in some you may buy Shasses and Tulipants and Indian cloth of wonderfull finenesse in others silkes of all sorts as Ve●uets Damasks cloth of Gold and Siluer in others infinite furres as Sables and Martine out of Muscouia and Agiam furres brought from Corassan In a word euery speech hath a seuerall science or trade wherein is sold whatsoeuer is fit and necessary for the vse of man The At-Maidan is the high speech or chiefe market place in this Citie and is foure-square containing in a circuit verie neere a mile and serues as a Bursse for all sorts of Merchants to meete on and also for all others to sell whatsoeuer commodities they possesse so that in one place is selling of
and oppression where little iustice is to bee found being so farre from Constantinople Whereas Batan standeth in such a Countrey as is full of peace and tranquilitie hauing a most iust and vpright Prince the onely true stay of traffike Lord of the same whose onely care and endeuour is to maintaine and vpholde the trade of Merchandize But to leaue these thinges to the Merchants wee come now to the Kingdome of Assiria The description of ASSIRIA FRom Siras hauing spent eight daies trauell and better we entered into the Prouince of Susiana now called Cu●estan but in old time Assiria The bounds of this Countrey Northwards is on the South part of Armenia Eastward on a part of Persia Westward on Mesopotamia and Southward on a part of the Persian Golfe which part is 〈◊〉 of fennes and marish bogges without either port or hauen The climate in that part is exceeding hote and very much infested with bituminous matter which both spoiles the growth of trees and corrupt the waters whereby it comes to passe that the people are not long liu'de And howsoeuer this countrey was that land wherein the first Monarchie was setled so that many excellent things might be spoken of it yet since it hath endured so many mutations and changes by the outrage of armies that it hath lost her ancient name I will be sparing to write thereof least I should write many things rather fabulous then true and therefore laying aside the danger of lying I will passe vnto those townes and ruines which I haue seene The description of Susa. TRauelling two daies farther from the entrance into this Kingdome wee rested at Valdac once the the great Citie Susa but now verie ruinous It was first built by Tythonus and his sonne Memnon but inlarged by Darius the sonne of Histaspis In the building whereof Memnon was so exceeding prodigall that as Cassiodorus writeth he ioyned the stones together with gold It was once one of the regal Cities of the Kings of Persia and was so rich that Aristag●ras did in this maner cheere vp the harts of his souldiers when they came to besiege it Hanc vos vrbem si animose ceperitis iam cum Ioue de diuitijs licet certetis If you can winne this Citie couragious souldiers you may striue with Iupiter himselfe for riches which Alexander had good experience of when he found fiftie thousand talents in wedges of gold besides siluer and great store of coyne Behold saith Q. Curtius that in an houre which many kings had heaped together for posteritie falleth now into the hands of a stranger In a word such was the beautie and delectablenesse thereof for situation that they called it Susa which then in the Persian tongue signifyeth a Lilly but now it is called Valdac of the pouertie of the place Close by this ruinous towne swimmeth the famous Riuer Choaspes which after many turnings and windings through the countrey of Susiana dischargeth it selfe in the Persian Golfe The water of this riuer is very delicate to the tast so that it is no meruaile though the Persian and Parthiā kings in times past would by their good wils drink of no other water For which purpose they had vessels of gold and siluer to carry the same after them whensoeuer they eyther did ride in prograce or goe to the warres Xerxes as Varr● relateth being on a time exceeding thirstie caused proclamation to be made throughou● his campe that if any soldier had any water of Choaspes left he should be well rewarded And it so fell out that a small quantitie was found which though it was exceeding muddie by reason of carriage yet that mightie Prince dranke freely of it Of such account was ●his riuer in ancient time Hauing passed ouer this riuer we set forward towards Mosul a very antient towne in this countrey sixe dayes iourney from Valdas and so pitched on the bankes of the riuer Tigris Here in these plaines of Assiria and on the bankes of Tigris and in the region of Eden was Nineuie built by Nimrod but finished by Ninus It is agreed by all prophane writers and confirmed by the Scriptures that this citty exceeded all other citties in circuit and answerable magnificence For it seemes by the ruinous foundation which I throughly viewed that it was built with foure sides but not equall or square for the two longer sides had each of them as we geffe an hundreth and fifty furlongs the two shorter sides ninty furlongs which amounteth to foure hundred and eighty furlongs of ground which makes threescore miles accounting eight furlongs to an Italian mile The walles whereof were an hundreth foote vpright and had such a breadth as three Chariots might passe on the rampire in front these walles were garnished with a thousand and fiue hundr●th towers which gaue exceeding beauty to the rest and a strength no lesse admirable for the nature of those times Here it was that Ninus raigned who after he had maistred Bactria and subiected vnto his Empire al those regions betweene it and the Mediterranean sea and Hellespont Asia the lesse excepted finished the worke of Nin●uie he left the world i● the yeare thereof 2019. after he had reigned two and fifty yeares After him succeeded Semiramis his wife a Lady of great prowesse and vertue who in this citty buried him so honourably and in such a sumptuous tombe that it was the onely patterne which Artemesia the Queene of Caria made for her husband Mausolus and accounted for the rarenesse thereof one of the seauen wonders of the world Vpon the Pillars whereof was set this Epitaph Mihi pat●r Belus Iupiter Auus Saturnus Babilonicus proauus Chus Saturnus Aethiops Abauus Saturnus Aegiptus Atauus Coelus Phoenix Ogyges repeating the pedegree of Ninus to be the son of Belus the sonne of Nimrod the sonne of Chus the son of Cham and the sonne of Noah Now as the Monarchie of the Assyrians began by Ninus which lasted for the space of a thousand and two hundred yeares and some adde fortie yeares more so it ended in Sardanapalus that beastly Epicure who finding his forces too weake to fight against the power of Arbaces and Belochus his two Lieutenant● the one in Media and the other in Babylon retired out of the field to his pallace in Niniuie and there caused an huge fire to be made into which hee cast himselfe and all his riches herein onely playing the man Such was the effeminate wantonnes of this King that he consumed whole daies in the nurcerie among his concubines sparing no time from incontinent exercises As appeares by the Epitaph which liuing he commanded to be written on his tomb Ede Bibe Lude Eate Drinke Play Which Epitaph Aristotle chancing to find stayed and read the first part thereof and smiling said A man wold thinke this writing fitter to be fixed to the graue of an oxe then written vpon the tombe of a Prince And hauing perused
was sent from God to open his heart and to take out that lumpe of bloud which is the cause of sinne as though the cause thereof were not spirituall 7. The effect of his doctrine is periury as that they need not to keepe any oth made with a Christian who is an Infidell and also murder as the eldest brother so soone as hee commeth to weare the crowne to strangle all the rest For instance whereof Mahome● the third this Kings father that now swaieth the Scepter at Constantinople did not onely murder his brethren but to rid himselfe of the feare of all competitours the greatest torment of the mighty at the very same time caused ten of his fathers wiues and concubines such as by whom any issue were to bee feared to bee all drowned in the sea And is it not now a wonder that the people of the Turks and Persians being both warlike and politicke magnificent and stately and to say in a word the very hammer of the world as it was said of Babylon should be thus ledde away with these vild inchantments of their wicked Prophet Mahomet I will say no more but since the darknes of Turkie and Persia is so great that it may be felt and that it is a wonder in our eyes to see such mists in those places then let vs in this land reioyce that are not onely endued with nature as they are but with a speciall inspiration from aboue besides hauing the celestiall doctrine of the euerlasting Sonne of God to guide vs vnto true happinesse For certainely the time will come when both the great Turke and his Bassaes and the Persian with his Chans shall bitterly rue the time and wish with the losse of both their eyes that they had but heard and seene as much as we haue done Let this then perswade my louing Countri-men that either shall hereafter serue in the warres of Hongary against the Turk or trade in those places vtterly to detest the Turk●sh Religion as the only way that treads to death and destruction We may conclude with Ludouicus Viues who compareth Heathenisme and Mahometisme to glasse Touch not glasse for though it be bright yet is it brittle it cannot endure the hammer and Christianisme to gold do you melt it or doe you rubbe it or do you beate it it shineth still more orient But to returne where wee left hauing spent three dayes and better from the ruines of old Babylon wee came vnto a towne called Ait inhabited onely with Arabians but very ruinous Neere vnto which towne is a valley of pitch very merueilous to behold and a thing almost incredible wherein are many springs throwing out aboundantly a kinde of blacke substance like vnto tarre and pitch which serueth all the countries thereabouts to make staunch their barkes and boates euery one of which springs maketh a noise like a Smiths forge in puffing and blowing out the matter which neuer ceaseth night nor day and the noyse is heard a mile off swallowing vp all weighty things that come vpon it The Moores call it the mouth of hell Heere wee entred on the Desart of Arabia wherein it pleased God after the deliuery of his people out of Egipts fornace to exercise them for their rebellion vnder the conduct of Moses for fortie yeeres together feeding them from heauen with Manna and giuing them drinke miraculously out of the drie rockes Three daies spent wee on this Desart and so arriued at Anna a town of three miles in length but very narrow inhabited altogether with Curdies a most theeuish people Here we staied two daies and could not bee suffered to passe without a present to the gouernor of this towne which came to a duckat a peece Close by this towne runneth the riuer Euphrates with a very swift current which doth merueilously fructiferate the country round about whereby we prouided our selues of all necessaries fit for trauaile through the rest of the Desart F●om this towne wee proceeded and euery second night through the good descretion of our guid we pitched on the bancke of the riuer Euphrates which much refreshed our selues and wearied beasts beholding euery day great droues of wild beasts as wild Asses all white Gasells Wolues Leopards Foxes and Hares And now to winde vp all in passing from Babilon to Alepo they ordinarily with Camels spend forty daies trauelling through this sory barren Desart lying vnmanured because of the scarcity of moisture Neuerthelesse great is the mutuall commerce and trade through these sandy and barren places and that by the labour of Camels which carry wonderous burdens as a thousand weight a peece and that for forty daies and vpwards They drink in these sterill and sandy places but once euery fifth day and if extremity inforce they will indure the want of water tenne or twelue daies When their burdens are off a few thistles thornes or leaues of trees and a little round ball of paste made of barley meale wil suffice them There is no lyuing creature lesse chargeable and more laborious then the Camel how beit wee vsed not their seruice by reason of the speed which the Chiaus made for Constantinople so that the trauell with the Carauan is forty daies about wee passed in eighteene daies in much security and so in great safety by the mercy of God I arriued againe in Alepo FINIS ERRATA PAg. 6. l. 26. read corn and. p. 10. l. 32. read Mildenal p. 25. l. 26. r. Maidin on an house p. 25. l. 31. r. then for pa. 28. l. 26. r. funera p. 30. l. 26. r. Ararat p. 37. l. 5. r. as p. 38. li. 21. r. was p. 50. l. 22. r. street l. 25. r. street p. 63. l. 35. r. was p. 65. l. 5. r. inexorable p. 68. l. 25. d. one p. 73. l. 8. r. firre p. 75. li. 24. r. is this p. 84. l. 1. r. Siras l. 2. d city p. 85. l. 14. r. antique ●he causes 〈◊〉 moued 〈◊〉 Authour 〈◊〉 write this ●●urnall Numb 13.22 1. Chro. 1.16 2. Sam. 8.9 The Riuer Orontes The Riuer Synga Cain●s are storehouses for forraigne Merchants * A Carauan is a great many of Camels ladē not much vnlike our carriers here in England Tedith a Village of note for the Great Synode holden there by the chiefest Iewes for the reformation of the old Testamēt The Valley of Salt 2. Sam. 8.13 Gen. 29.13.27 The Scriuano at the walles of Orpha 1603. Mahomet much troubled with the Scriuano Crassus and Surena ioyned battell together be●ore the walles of Orpha The pollicy of Aladeules to ●inne vnto ●imself despe●ate Villaines to execute his mischieuous practises A most cruell execution Euphrates One of the heads out of which Tygris floweth Gall trees Euphrates The Curdies worshippers of the Diuell Manuscu●e Eup●rate●● The originall of the Armenians The Turkes first came out of Scythia and feated themselues in Armenia The Armenians are a populous nation The Armeni●●s gouerned by two Patriarks *
The religion of ●he Armenians is spotted with many absurdities The great battell fought betweene two great Bassaes Delymenthes a valiant Nobleman of Persi●● The Ecmenick Ilands The ●ake Actamar call●● in ancient ti●● Martiana Solyman after ten dayes siege tooke the City Van. The Riuer Araxis springeth out of the hill Taurus The Riuer Cirus The Riuer Canac The mounta●● Anti-Taurus The mountai● Gordaeus Ioseph Ant●quitat lib. 1. cap. 5. Fruitfull propagation a●ter the flood Rheubarb Berosu● Manasseus Damasce● Noah wrote bookes Hierome the Aegyptian Nicholas Damascene The Riuer Araxis The Chiulfallines great drinkers of wine but no quarrellers in drinke Chiulfal much indangered in the last warre betweene th● Turke and th● Persian The mortall battell sought betweene Selymus the first Emperour of the Turks and ●ismael the Sofie of Persia. The Kingdome of Siruan Atropatia exceeding fruitfull Sumachia A most barbarous spectacle in Sumachia The Persian Prince punis●eth the inhabitants of Sumachia with diuers kindes o● tortures and death● Derbent builded by Alexander th● Great The great wall which Alexander built betweene Derbent and Testis Sechi Ere 's made Mamodaean silkes Arasse the most chiefe and opulent Citie in the trade of Merchandize that is in all Seruauia The originall of the Medes S●●chatana ●uffinus de Medioru● ori●ne The Castell which Daniel the Prophet builded Iosephus Anti. lib. 10.11 Tauris yeeldeth to Selymus the first 1514. Sacked by So●yman 1535. ●iserably ●o●led by Os●an Visier 1583. The misery of the Taurisians Tauris wonne by the Persian King in the yeare 1603. Our first entry into the Persian kingdome Great quiet in Persia. A most horrible and terrible tempest Bassars are certaine streetes of trafficke Ardouil the first place that receiued the Persian superstition The Author 〈◊〉 the Persian s●perstition The Turks and Persians differ not about the interpretation of their law but about the true successour of their great Prophet Mahomet ●he new prai●r of the Per●ians Bachu Oyle springeth out of the ground Gheilan The Caspian Sea A trade might be planted by ●he Muscouian●erchants ●erchants The barkes which must passe the Caspian sea must n●t draw fiue foote water because in diuers places it is very shoald The commodities of Persia The commodities to be carried from England into Persia. The colours of cloath to be sent into Persia The Citie Com once twice as big as Constantinople The Parthians were at the first a most seruile and base people Ciuill and good gouernment The Persian law against idlenesse 〈◊〉 sort of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kings 〈◊〉 The kings garden The gard of the kings Pallace The order of the Persian dignities in Hispaan The Sultanes The Treasurers The g●eat Chancellours The Caddi or Judges The 〈…〉 The Calif●s The nature of the Persians The Persians giu●n to sensualitie The Persians verie inconstant The impietie of the sons of Artaxerxes the Persian king The Persian Prince slaine by one of his own Eunuchs The impiety of Abas King of Persia. The descrip●ion of the Persian king The Persian horses very good The weapons of the Persian souldiers The kings exercises in the A●-maidan The Persian kings correction of Iudges Herodotus See Les ombres des defuncts sieurs de Villemer de Fontaines pag. 46. Sir Anthony Sherleys arriua● in Persia. Sir Anthony Sherleys speech vnto the King Sir Anthonie Sherley sent b● the Persian King to eight seuerall Princes The deman● of the Persia● King Master Robert ●herley left as ● pledge for Sir Anthonies●eturne ●eturne out of Christiandom The great power that the Persian king is able to make against the Turke The co●ntrie● subiect to Persia The Pers●●●s bette● souldiers then t●e Turkes The miserable thraldome of the Christians vnder the Turkish tyranny The Gecian Nobility put to death in the presence of the great Turke whilst he sat feasting with his Bassaes The miseries of the Constantinopolitanes The countries which besides Grecia that groane vnder the Turkish slauery A tribute of soules paide yearly by the Christians to Mahomet that lying Prophet The king o●●ersia or late ●eare hath ●●nt fiue ●eve●●ll Embasla●●urs into ●hristendome The Persians promise vnto the Emperor The Emperors promise t● the Persian king The reasons why the Emperour leaues the P●rsian king in field to himselfe and concludes a pe●ce wit the great Turke Some parts of Ch●istendome greatly in indebted to the Sherlies No more but fiue kings in Persia. Darius Medus Cyrus Esay 44.28 2. Chro. 36.22 1. Esdras 1.2 Esdras 2. Ioseph Anti. 11. ca. 1. Herodo●us Ahashuerosh Iustin. lib. 3. Darius Longimanus Darius The Iewe● confuted Daniel 9.25 The Iewes surmise that the Messiah liueth in the world inuisibly Herodo lib. 7. As the captiuitie grew at three times So the returne was at three times The riuer Bindamir Alexander at the request of a strumpet fi●eth Pe●sepolis Excellent armour made in Syras Batan a commodious por● towne in the Persian Golfe for the East Indian company The riuer Iesdri ninneth close by Batan Herodot lib. 5. Cassiod lib. 7. ●ariar ●pist 15. The riuer Ch●aspes The description of Nineuie The magnificent building of Nineuie by Ninus Ninus reigned in Nineu●e The rich and sumptuous tombe of Ninus His Epitaph Sardanapolus the last king of the Assyrians Sardanapalus destroyeth himselfe His Epi●●ph San●he●ib slain by h●s 2. sons 2. Reg. 19 37. Herodotus lib. 2. The Description of the Region of Eden That Paradise was vpo● the earth is without all disput● Paradice planted in the country of Eden neere Babilonia The riuers which watered Paradic● The e●our of those disproued which make P●son to be Nilus Strange fertility and happinesse in the region of Eden Palme-trees in gre●t aboundance Pliny nat ●i stor lib. 18. c. 17. Bella●m lib. de Grat. primi hominis The strang coursing o● the riuer Tigris Bagdat the seat of the Caliph for sixe hundreth yeere● Bagdat won by the Tartar Prince and King of Armenia Bagdat yeelded vnto the Turkes A Caliph is a man reuerenced of all Mahometa● Princes and hath an old priuiledge in the choice confirmation of the Assyrian kings and Su●ans of Egyp● At Case the body of Aly intombed The country wherein Abra●am was born The tower of Babel The perswasion of Nimrod The diuision of languages no humane d●uice but a p●nishment of God vp● on mankind The description of old Ba●ylon ●erod lib. 1. ●rist Pol. li. 3. 〈◊〉 of Belus 〈◊〉 by Semi●ais The captiuit● confirmed b● the Heathen 〈◊〉 10. The opinion of them of Mecha touching Mahome● their Prophe● The Turkish religion a meere s●igne inuention It is ful of li●● and fables Th● promises are meere carnall pleasures Mahomet wrought no mir●cles but propagated his doctrine with fire and sword The effects of ●he Turkish religion Lud. Viues 〈◊〉 1. de ve●itate Fidei The mouth c. Hell Anna a towne in Arabia The Cam●ll a commodious beast
they are said to driue there cattaile from the pasture least they should perish by Satietie And true it is that the vngy or hay which groweth in these parts is of so strong an operatiue power to fatten that they are constrained before they giue it their cattaile to flake and coole the heats thereof with water Herodotus speaketh as an eye-witnesse that the place where Euphrates runneth out into Tigris not farre from the place where Ninus is seated is a Region of al other● most excellent which bringe●h forth corne so aboundantly that the ord nary fields in his time did returne the seed sowne in them two hundreth fold the better places three hundreth that is thr●e hundreth bushels for one or at the least three hundreth graines for one corne And there is nothing that better proueth the excellency of this soile then the aboūdant growing of Palm-trees in these places without the care labor of man The most of which trees do beare fruit out of which the inhabitants make both meat wine hony and whatsoeuer else the life of man begetteth at nature Pliny affirmeth that such is the fertility of the groūd that they are cōstrained twise to mow down their corne-fields a thi●d time to eate them vp with sheepe adding this singularity to the soile that the second yeere the very stubble or rather falling downe of the seed againe yeeldeth them a haruest of corne without any farther labour So that by these few collections we may gather that they are farre besides the truth which haue sought Paradise either beyond our knowne world or in the middle region of the aire or nere the Moone or as far as the South-line or the North-pole beeing meere vanities imagined in mens fancies Cardinal Bellarmin● in his cōtrouersi●s is likewise much troubled to finde out the place where Paradise should bee whether it be in the earth or in the aire yea some are so mad that they doe peremptorily set downe that the earthly Paradise after Adam was banished thence for his sin was by God lifted vp into the aire but this as His Maiesty learnedly sheweth in his Praemonition to al Christi●n Monarchs free Princes and states is like one of the dreames of the Turkish Alcoran s●eing no such miracle is mentioned in the scriptures h●uing no ground but from the curious fancies of some boiling braines who cannot be content sapere ad sobrietatem We conclude then that the garden of Eden was created by God in this habitable world and that in the lower part of the region of Eden called by the Iewes Aram Fluuiorū Aram amongst the ●iuers and by the Greekes M●s●potamia conteyning a part of Shinar Armenia and reteining the name of Eden in some part vnto this day as before is declared From the Island of Eden wee returned to Mosu● and staied there eight daies so went down the riuer Tigris to Bagd●t or New Babilon beeing carried not on boat as down the riuer Euphrates but vpon certaine Zatarres or rafts borne vpon goates skins blowne full of winde like bladders Which rafts they sel at Bagdat for fire carry their skins againe home vpon Asses by land to make other voiages down the said riuer This riuer is very famous because it watered Paradise whose coursing is very strang for some part of it issuing out of the Mountaines Nifates passeth through the lake Topiti in Armenia a lake which hath Nitrum in it the property whereof is to rent and teare a mans apparell with such swiftnesse that it mingles not it selfe with the water of the said lake and therevpon it is called Tigris which in the languag of the Medes signifieth an arrow Nere to the vttermost corner of this lake it falleth into a great deepe runneth for a great space vnder ground and then riseth againe neere to Colonitis and from thence courseth towards Opis and the ruins of Nineuy and so to 〈…〉 Persian gulfe The description of New Babilon now called Bagdat BY this riuer the cittie Bagdat is very aboundantly furnished with all kinde of prouision both of corne flesh fowle fish and venison of all sorts besides great store of fruit but especially of dates and that very cheape This citty by some is called new Babilon and may well be because it did rise out of the ruines of old Babilon not farre distant being nothing so great nor so faire for it conteines in circuit but three English miles and is built but of brick dryed in the sunne their houses also beeing flat roofed and lowe They haue no raine for eight moneths together nor almost any clowd in the skie night nor day Their winter is in Nouember December Ianuary and February which moueths are neuerthelesse as warme as our summer in England In a word this towne was once a place of great trade and profit by reason of the huge Carauans which were wont to come from Persia and Balsara but since the Portugalls Englishmen and Hollanders haue by their traffique into the East-Indies cut off almost all the trade of Marchandize into the gulfs of Arabia and Persia both Grand Cairo in Egipt and Bagdat in Assyria are not now of that benefit as they haue beene either to the merchant or great Turke his tributes both in Egypt and his customes in this place being much hindred thereby Memorable not withstanding is this towne for that it was the onely place where for the space of six hundreth yeares the Mahumetane Caliphes were resident and kept their sumptuous court vntill the Tartare Prince and the King of Armenia as before is declared did besiege it and in the end tooke it with the Caliph also together with an inestimable masse of treasure Which treasure when the two Princes saw they demanded of the Caliph why he would not with the same leauy and wage souldiers for his owne defence Whereunto he answered that vnto that time he thought his owne subiects had beene sufficient enough to haue resisted any forraine enemie which they vnderstanding immediatly caused all that treasure to be carried into the castle and the couetou● wretch set in the midst of the same forbidding that any man should giue him either meat or drink where he miserably dyed through famine in the midst of his riches After it continued vnder the Tartar and Persian gouernment vntil it was taken by Solyman the Turkish Emperor from Tamas the Persian king who after it was yeelded vnto him according to an old superstitious manner receiued at the hands of a poore Caliph the ensignes and ornaments of the kings of Assyria so this city with the great countries of Assyria and Mesopotamia somtimes famous kingdomes of themselues and lately part of the Persian kingdome fell into the hands of the great Turke in the yeare 1534 and so haue continued euer since Prouinces of the Turkish Empire It was reported vnto Rodulphus the Emperor for a certaine truth that the king of Persia had