to be traced and such as deserve to be revived clearly the language they left there the religion they taught the Savages manifested it otherwise how come those many Brittish words not much altred from the dialect amongst the Mexicans whence had they the use of Beads of Crucifixes of Reliques c all which the Spaniards as we tcad in Lopez de Gomera and others confesse they found amongst the Canibals and those of Acusano and Culhuacan at their first landing in America Yea some tradition and reports amongst the Mexicans that about the time that Madoc was there a strange people came thither in Corraughs or Ships who taught them some knowledge of God and by whose examples they became more civill and industrious testified by Columbus Franciscus Lopez Coztezo Postellus and other Castilians of quality that of Fernando Cortez Anno Domini 1519 Ambassador and Generall for Ferdinand and Isabell is also remarkable In some discourse betwixt him and Mutezuma second sonne of Antzol and Father of Quabutimoc last King of Mexico the Ambassador observing the Indians to have many ceremonies the Spaniards used demanded of the King who first instructed them who answered Cortez That many yeeres ago a strange Nation landed there a civill people and from examples of piety they received them but how they were called or whence they came he could not satisfie him Another time in an Oration of thanks which Mutezuma returned them for some favours hee thus told them One chiefe cause of my especiall affection to your Nation is this I have many times heard my Father say hee heard his Grandsire seriously affirme out of a continued tradition That not many Descents above him his Progenitors came thither as strangers by accident in company of a Noble man who abode there a while and then departed but left many of his people behind him and that upon his returne most of those he left died and that from him or some of them they thought they themselves discended A speech agreeing with our Narration and that this people were Welsh rather than Spaniards or others the Records of this voyage writ by many Bardhs and Genealogists confirme it memoriz'd also by those learned Poets Cynwric op Grono and Guten Owen who lived in Edward the fourths time and by Sir Meredith ap Reese a valiant and learned man living in the yeare 1477. and of Madoc in this Eulogie Madoc wif ' mwydic wedd Iawngenau Owen was Gwynedd Ni funnum dyr fyenaid oedd Nada Mawr ond y'm oroedd Madoc ap Owen was I call'd Strong tall and comly not inthrall'd With home bred pleasure but to Fame Through Land and Seas I sought the same Made more orthodoxall by Welsh names given there to birds rivers rocks beasts c. as Gw'rando with us and them signifying to give eare unto or hearken Pen-gwyn referd by them to a bird that has a white head and to rocks of that resemblance the Iles Chorrhoeso the Cape of Bryttain Gwyndowr white-water bara bread Mam Mother Tate Father dowr water pryd time Bu or Buch a Cow Clugar a Heathcock Llynog a Foxwy an egg Calaf a quill Trwyn a nose Nef heaven and others Welsh words and of the same signification whereby in my conceit none save detracting Opinionatists can justly oppose such modest testimonies and proofes of what I wish were generally allowed of Nor is it a phantasie of yesterday many worthy men of late and antient times have revived it such are Cynwrie ap Grono Meredith ap Rhyce Guten Owen Lloyd Powell Pris Hackluit Bronghton Purchas Davys c. Enough to satisfie the welwillers of truth too mush foe Zollists and such as delight in opposition This no doubt had it beene so deservedly knowne and Catholiquely beeeved as it merited then had not Christopher Columbus a man in truth honourable and idustrious Americus Vespusius Magellan nor others caried along with them all the honour in so great an enterprise Nor had Prince Madoc beene defrauded of his memory nor our Kings of their just right and Title to the West Indyes a secret fate as it were miraculously renuing their claime by Columbus his proffering the discoverie and wealth of those Countries to our King H. 7. nor then had his Holinesse nor his Catholique Majestie had that plea nor immediate Interest grounded upon the Genoans discovery as many Jesuits and State-politiques have so vehemently so late disputed for Farre be it from me or any honest man to detract Columbus or to derogate from his deserved glory It may be his discovery was as Madocks was meerely from his owne skill genius and magnanimity without knowledge of Madocks former being there or of encouragement from old conjectures his greatest reason I know was that so much of the 360 degrees could scarce be Ocean that he might as well discover Westward as the Portugalls had done East to the other Indies But this I would withall have also granted That this his voyage was after the other of our Country-man three hundred and two twenty yeares and that the Spaniards have not so much right to those Countries I meane of America as our King has so long as they arrogate their claime from a primier discovery Columbus was borne at Gugureo at Nervi some say not far from Genoa a man of a modest nature studious and well read in the Mathematiques and of that chiefly in Navigation His first encouragement of going West upon discovery grew as say the Spaniards from his perusing an Ephemerides writ by a Spanish Mariner who had beene forced into the West Indies by tempest and died at Columbus his house upon his arrivall this is a Spanish lye invented meerely to derogate from his worth and that an Italian should not master so much glory Whither Columbus had any illumination from old Poets or that he had seene or heard of Madocks journey Westward who knowes for what Nation formerly knew not the acts of English-men better than themselves otherwise Polidore Virgil that craftie Monck had not andertooke to illustrate to his and our shame the English Cronologie nor Verstegan alias Rowley dar'd to make us all Teutonicks from both which wee suck to many egregious falshoods Columbus armed with much confidence sends his brother to our King Henry the seventh the wisest in his time and most noble if too much avarice had not swayed him whose ill hap it was to slight the Messenger and his Message from his incredulous heart and the poverty of Columbus who in his passage had been imprisoned by Rescalls and nakedly after much intreaty delivered Upon the Kings refusall he desired the French King to Patronize it but hee hearing that King Henry had refused derided him who had beene for ever discouraged had not Ferdinand the Spanish King after long suit accepted of the motion and trusted him with two hundred men in two small Ships at the earnest snit of Iohn Perez de Marchena at that time Rector of the Monasterie of Rabida a great Mecenas
buried at sea hearing of our passing by accompanied with all his loving kindred came to invite us to his home he was apparelled in a long robe of cloth of gold his head was wreath'd with a huge Shash or Tulipant of silk and gold he bestowed a banquet and hearty welcome with an invitation of longer time but after mutuall thanks and ceremony we return'd a long farewell and thence hastned towards Damoan where as wee descended a steep hill wee past by a large black Tent stuft with above thirty antick women as many men I thought they had been solemnizing their Taurilia and Boalia but it prov'd a wedding the bride was of ten yeeres the groome of thirty she a Venus he a Vulcan many bride-maids came out to admire at us wee staid awhile no lesse wondring at them their faces hands and feet were painted in divers formes of birds beasts castles and flowers resembling our predecessors in Brittaine in Caesars time their leggs were chain'd with voluntarie fetters of brasse and silver which in their Morisco Pastorall made them appeare more excellent in that sport than any description of the Arcadian Sheepheardesses wee gave them a a small offering and so left them that night making Damoan our Manzeil or Lodging Damoan whether the relict of Ghabor or Halah is incertaine but by the Jewes in these parts call'd Iehuds their long captivity and abode here seemes to be one of them is a Town well known unto the Persians some write it Damawan but erroneously The North Pole is elevated at this place six and thirty degrees twenty minutes longitude 88. It is included by the skirt of Taurus in the Kaboncharion Province part of Ghelack and the limit of Medya North a Towne pretty well watered a branch of Gozan refreshes her peopled most part with Jewes who in this place are two hundred Families The Buzzar is built aloft and scarce worth the climbing to except it be to buy wine and fruit which is had here in plenty and at easie prices Two dayes wee stay'd in Domoan to recreat our wearied bodies on the thirteenth of June we departed thence and that day rode to Bomaheem five and twenty miles from Damoan And now we are in Medya a word of her it takes name either from Medeus sonne to Iason and Medaea th' infortunate daughter of King Aeta or from Madai third sonne of Iaphet sonne of Noah on the North it has mount Taurus has Parthia South confin'd by Bactria to the East West by Armenia and Assyria Media was anciently divided into two as Trogus Adephius Strabo and others witnesse Atropatia Tropataena in Ptolomy Atropataena in Pliny from Atropatus one of Alexanders men and Azarka or Sheervan i. e. milky Plain At this day t is sub-divided into Gheylan Gheylae in Ptolomy Caddufia in Pliny Deylan Vaaz-pracan and Thezican those are Atropatia in which we might include part of Armenia Sheirvan has Aderbayon Harran Sultavia and Tabriztan A rich and puissant Country it was in the worlds Infancie but whether by the consuming hand of warre or Gods justice in revenge of so many holy Christians Chozroë massacred I cannot say this I can that it is a barren and miserable soile compared with the Phoenix of Iles great Brittain who in her selfe exceeds the best compacted pleasures of these Asiatique Provinces It has beene fruitfull you may say if Pope Pius the second had good information out of Strabo lib. 11. an Hippobotos or horse pasture here nourishing fiftie thousand breeders but little grasse is to be found at this day over most part of the Persian Monarchy as you may see if you please to journey thither But in stead of them as many Camells abound here in sandie Desarts and crop the boughes of trees or shrubs such as they meet with a beast albeit generally known yet may have a small memoriall The Dromodarie and it are of one descent but varie according to the Countrie they breed in in Bactria where of old were reckoned a thousand Cities and Persia they have but one gib or bunch the Arabian is doubled The males in one moneth every yeare burne with too much heat and grow foaming frantick towards copulation yet in that distraction cannot be brought to commit incest nor will they goe any whither without their consort the females are not so cholerick they couple backward goe great ten moneths commonly have but one young one at one birth which they suckle two yeares apart from companie not loosing their milk till a second conception They live threescore yeares labour much feed little refraine drink three dayes but then quench their thirst immeasurably their milk is cordiall their flesh ranck and lean yet in Asia preferr'd before Beefe Veale Pork in that Mahomet's Alcaron or Ozmon's Parady licentiats it This Kingdome was first conquered by Semeramys some say by her simple husband Nynus Anno mundi 1900. Ninus was sonne of Belus deified by names of Bel Baal and Iupiter Babylonicus sonne of Nymrod call'd Mars by some by others Saturne sixt sonne of Cush Chams eldest sonne the cursed brat of Noah or thus Noah had Cham father of Cush begot some say in the Ark father of Nymrod who begat Baladan father to Berodac predecessour to Nabuchadnezar father of Evel-Merodach father of Bel-shazzer who as Daniel fore-told was the last of that Assyrian pedegree Darius Medus supplanting him Anno M. 3426. by some call'd Cyaxares secundus whose daughter and heire was married to Cyrus the Fortunate who by slaughter of Astiages became sole Monarch of Persia Since when it has groaned under twenty changes but wee will not speak them here for by this time we are hous'd in Tyroan TYROAN by her continued greatnesse and Antiquity seemes to be that Rhazunda mentioned by Strabo and Ptolomy It is seated in the midst of a faire large Plain which albeit it be invironed with hills of stupendious height in most parts at good distance yet some wayes it affoords a delicate Horizon The ayre here is fresh and sweet in the morning and towards Sunset but in the Sunnes perpendicular glances wee found it hot and raging the houses are of white bricks hardned in the Sunne above three thousand houses are numbred in Tyroan of which the Dukes Buzzar are the fairest and most observable yet neither so excellent as to beget wonder the Market is divided some part thereof is open and some arched a sweet rivolet playes wantonly in two streames through the Towne fertilitating the Groves and Gardens who for such a favour returne a thankfull Tribute to the Gardiner adjoyning the Citie the King has a spatious Garden succinct with a great Towring wall of mud as much in circuit as is the Citie The house wherein we lodged overtopped all the other and from whose highest Tarrasse early one morne I tooke a dainty prospect both of Towne and Country every house top was spread with Carpets whereon each night slept the Master of the house and his Seralio some I
or eighth heaven finishes its revolution in two and thirty yeares which is false his diurnall motion from East to West compleating it selfe in foure and twentie houres his other from West to East but one degree in a hundred yeares such is the violence of the first mover Notwithstanding it may be they meane the heaven of Saturne adjoyning it whose revolution comes neere their time finishing its journey from West to East in 30 yeares And thus their Lunarie account is subject to no small errour reckning from the Autumnall Aequinox 12 Moones the number of dayes in a whole yeare 353. Our Solar computation exceeding theirs twelve dayes at least every yeare whereby it comes to passe that 30 of our yeares make 31 of theirs whence the difference arises 'twixt us and them in their Aera or Hegyrath and doubtlesse by protract will cause much more confusion Such as practise manufactures are meanly reputed of but they live oft-times verie plentifully and more securely from the jealous eye of the King than doe many great ones Inferior sort of Persians who oft deceive their thoughts that they are happier Of all others the Pesants are most miserable they can call nothing their owne such is the rapine and pride of the great Begs of the Country nay every petrie Cosel-bash dares domineere over them Yet upon too much abuse the Causee will yeeld them favourable justice Generally the Persians are facetious harmlesse in discourse not very inquisitive of exotique alterations seldome transgressing this demand Disposition if such and such a Country have good wine faire women swift horses and sharp weapons choosing rather to fatten themselves by a contented Notion than by curious inquisition to perplex their other recreations Few of them know how to read Bellona trayning them up in iron dances but honour such as have it the Church-men Clerks and Santos attracting them Some skill they have in Musick the Dorick and Phrygick a soft and loftie sort of Consort But above all Poetry lulls them that Genius seeming properly to delight it selfe amongst them Mimographers I needs must call them their common Ballads resounding out the acts of Mars and his Mistresse to which two Saints they vow their life and best devotion Elgazzuly Ibnul Farid and Elfargani first taught it them and how lame so ere the verses are their gracefull chanting and quavering after the French ayre gives it to the eare sound and harmonious And albeit the men affect not to dance themselves yet dancing is much esteemed there the Ganimeds and Layesians wanton Boyes and Girles foot it most admirably and in order I may call them Mymallonian dances the bells brasse armolets silver fetters and the like recording Bacchus They are in this practise so elaborate that each limb and member seemes to emulate yea to contend who may expresse the most taking motion their hands eyes bums gesticulating severally swimming round cōforming themselves to a Dorique stilnesse the Ganimeds with incanting voices extorted bodies simpathizing nothing but poesie mirth wine admiration condominating But were this all 't were more excusable for though each has his severall Seralio these whores seldome goe without their wages and in a higher degree of perfect basenesse these Paederasts by Hellish permission and the Alcurran affect those painted antick roab'd Youths or Catamites in a Sodomitic way not till then compleating the Roman proverb Persicos odi Puer apparatus a vice so detestable so damnable so unnaturall as forces hell to shew its uglinesse before its season Heare St. Chrysostom Cogitato quam grave illud sit peccatum ut quod ipsam Gehennam etiam ante tempus apparere coegerat The honest women never shew their faces eclipsing by a large white sheet the note of innocence and chastnesse which wholy vailes them those Beauties which no doubt are not without splendour No man daring to praise anothers wife such is their irefull jealousie and such praise commonly dishonours them A word of their circumcision wedding and burialls Circumcision is so necessarie that without it none can call himselfe a Mussulman Circumcision Both men and women use it the men for Paradise the women for honours sake or Ben-sidi-Ally lyes who so paraphrases of it from nine to fifteen the Females may the Males at Izmaels age whom they imagine was Abrahams best beloved are enjoyned it ere twelve hoping he may be able to speake his Profession A fee is to be paid amid the ceremonie for want of which the poorer sort are seldome cut as thought unfit to goe to Mahumet The ceremonie differs Circumcision as is the difference of their degree acted either at home or in the Mosques if sonne to a Mirza Chawn Sultan or Chelaby it has more pomp than ordinarie his kindred and friends in braverie and great troups assembling at the parents house as a symbol of their joy presenting him with many gifts of sundry prices and after small stay mount the Boy upon a rich trapt Courser himselfe gallantly vested holding in 's right hand a sword in 's left his bridle two Slaves goe on either side one holding a Lance th' other a Flambeaux neither without their Allegories musick is not wanting it goes before the Father next and as they are in blood the other follow in a just dependance the rest promiscuously without order the Hodgy attends them at th' entrance into their Mosque helps him to alight and hallows him To work they straightway goe one holds his knee a second disroabs him a third holds his hands others by some triviall conceit strive to win his thoughts to extenuate his insuing torment The Priest having muttered his orizons dilates the praepuce and in a trice with his silver scissers circumcises him applies a healing powder of salt Date-stones and cotton-wooll the standers by to joy his initiation into Mawmetry throw downe their Munera Natalitia and salute him by that canonick name of Mussulman If the ceremonie be at home they then provide a solemne banquet ere which be done the Boy enters well attended is uncloath'd afore them all and circumciz'd and in commemoration of such a benefit imitating Abraham when Isaac was weaned continue a feast three dayes together at the end whereof the child is led about in state bath'd and purg'd from all sorts of sinnes has a Turbant of white silk put on his head and all the way as hee returnes is saluted with acclamations But such an apostat rascall as to swill in luxurie the more or to roabe himselve with some title or advancement forgetting that for a base and momentanie applause or pleasure they disroabe their soule of everlasting happinesse such as runnes paralell with the lines of Eternitie are brought before the Caddi who upon his assent leads him into the Mosq ' and without much stirre is cut and marked for a Mahomitan or child of perdition which done that devill incarnate to witnesse his rebellion spurnes with his accursed feet the Crosse the
prevent the tortures provided for him by Ecbar and Mardout his enraged Master In this sort this famous Fort is taken which Aladin by twelve yeares siege could doe no hurt to A victory so great and valuable that Eckbar causes it be exprest in sculpture and for a Trophy placed in Agra as a wonder Hee had no time to surfet of this victory receiving letters from Rajea Bagwander Viceroy of Lahore that Mirza Mamet Hagee his brother with thirty thousand horse out of Kabul had attempted to prey upon Lahore Ecbar delayes no time but with his Army presents himselfe so suddenly to the Enemie that without any resistance or stay Mahomet flyes away leaving his men and camp to the rage of Ecbars company This occasion drew the King to view all advantagious places of defence which hee both bettered by his care and gave them in charge to such hee trusted He also takes a survay of Pang-Ob out of which he is called by letters from his mother in Agra assuring him of the rebellion of Badur-kawn Ally-Kooli-Kawn and Zemaen sent that spring against the Patanians whom in Doab they put to flight at Sambel also and at Lachnoun got a greater victory and three weekes after at Ioonpore utterly defeated them subduing to the Mogul all such Provinces as lie ingirt 'twixt Ganges and Tsatsa conquests of so great note that they grew efflated beyond measure conceiting all Indostan under like hazard and which they resolved to make tryall of But the reward and destiny due to Traytors overtakes them for Ecbar by swift marches long before the Rebels expected him pitches on the East of Ieminy the river at Agra which wounded the adverse part with such amazement that forfeiting the memory of their passed victories they begin a shamefull flight Ecbar greedily pursues them beating downe the silly men immeasurably and after long pursuit the heads are taken Allyculi-cawn is troden under foot by the inraged horses and Badur-cawn by Ecbars command and in his sight strangled this done Ganganna is sent to Ioonpore against Mirza Sulyman and the King retreats to Agra where hee fancies a pilgrimage to Asmeer a hundred and thirty course or two hundred English miles distant thence by invocation of Mandee a reverent Hodgee or disciple of Mahomet by his favour to obtaine some issue masculine after much foot toyle at every miles end a faire stone being pitcht to rest upon as yet remaining he gets thither where bare foot very devoutly he intreats dead Mondee for children this Prophet is intombed in a rich and stately monument graced with 3 faire Courts each paved with singular good stone the Fabrick after the Persian mode polisht and pargetted in Mosaick order Asmeer is under 25 degr 15 min. North lat seated upon a high impregnable mount the greater part of the City being below Asmeer fairely built of small value in resistance yet moated and wald about with solid stone not much distant is Godah once the habitacle and seat of the valiant Rashboot the country is champaigne and very fruitfully in many places affoording the ruines of much antique magnificence time and war made desolate and obscured these Ecbar coupled to the rest of his spatious Empire Ecbar by this has made an end of his oblations and in his returne visits a holy Derwis Siet Selym by name who tooke it for so great a favour that out of his delphick notions he foretold the Mogul how ere long hee should be father of three gallant men children it proved so in which regard his first borne from the Dervys is called Selym after Sha Selym the other two Chan Morad or Amurath and D'haen-sha or Danyell a prophecy so grateful to Ecbar the Mogul that there he consecrates a brave and magnifique Mosque walls the old towne Tzickerin or Sycary and from this holy occasion new names it Fettipore i.e. a place of pleasure yea grew so affected to it that he added a pallace for himselfe and a Buzzar Fettipore scarce out-beautified by any other in the Orient and had made it the Metropolis had the river affected him by whose unwholsomnesse he forsooke it from whence ruine and neglect have moatheaten her at this day prostrate and become the object of danger and misery t is from Agra eighteene miles English Whiles things were in this sort digesting newes comes to King Ecbar then in Fettipore that a great rebellion was begun in Gujurat by Ebrahim Hossen Mirza-cawn Mahomet Hossen and Ioon-cawn who had most audaciously forraged as farre as Baroch and were marching to Amadavad hoping with his troopes of Theeves and Coolyes to make a prey of that Emperiall City Amadavad undoubtedly seemes to me Amadavad to be that City Amacastis in Ptol Amadavastis in Arrhian Howbeit some say it has denomination from King Hamet who in the yeere of Mahomet 375 made it large and beautifull the pole Articke is there elevated 23 degrees 18 minutes t is at this present the Megapolis of Cambaya or Guzurat watered by a sweet river and circled by a beautifull strong stone wall of sixe miles compasse well and orderly advanc't with many pretty Towers and a dozen Posterns out of which few passe or repasse without a Passe fearing treason from Prince Badur who in our times with a hundred thousand horse ransackt Cambaya thirty seven courses hence and dayly threatens this faire Citty The streets are many pretty large and comely most shops redundant with Aromatick gummes perfumes and spices silkes cotton callicoes and choise of Indian and China rarities owned and sold by the abstemious faire spoken crafty Bannians who here surpasse for number the other Inhabitants of most note is the Buzzar rich and uniforme the Castle is strong large moated and the receiving place of the Cambayan Governour the houses in generall are of Sunne-burnt bricks low large and tarrassed adjoyning is seene the momument of a certaine pedagogue so deerly beloved by Sha-Reer the King that by a stately Mausoleum he strove to make him seeme immortall both building and pavement are of well polishtmarble It has 3 Courts of great beauty and respect one of them fastidious in foure hundred porphirian pillars framed in Corinthiack architecture conjoyning is a Tanck of refreshing water compassed with cloisters adorned with spatious windowes most of which give the observer a delicate horizon at Sesques also one houres riding thence are seene the Dormitories of many Cambayan Potentates lodged in a brave and princely Temple much resorted to by the Idolatrous Vannyans and two miles neerer the City behold the gardens and pallace of Chawn Chonna sonne to the great Byramchan the Persian an Indian Ombrave by whose valour of late yeeres the last of the Cambayan Kings in that very place by losse of his life gave conquest to this warriour and dominion to Ecbar the Mogull his Master But returne we to Ecbar who no sooner received intelligence of Hossens rebellion but with incredible haste winged with fury he gets thither each
expence of 90000 lac of roopees trebled They delay not but with extremity of rage assayle him and in two houres by villany of Amir-chan and Sheirgodgee his chiefe Captaines who betrayed him get the victory forcing him into the castle which for two dayes kept safe but in the third was by treason entred his men slaine his treasure taken and to make him incapable of future ambition has his eyes put out Sultan Bullochy not suffering him to be killed That done they againe proclayme Bulloch Emperor of Industant and Lord of the Moguls and send Eradet with 20000 horse against the Virago Queen who hearing how ill her sonne had sped and doubting treason in her Army lets fall the Majesty of her spirit sighs at the perfidy of her brother grieves she slew him not when she had him in her power complaynes of her owne wickednesse in continuing so long inraged against Mahobet-chan deplores her abusing his valiant sonne and with a dejected eye beholding the sudden eclipse of her glory and the inconstancy of her Friends she wraps all up in dismissing her guard and disroabed of her bravery submits to Bulloch's mercy who comforts her gives her his oath of safety and during his reigne affords her all respect and freedome But long this good Prince injoyes not his soverainty for Assaph-chan seeing all as he desired speeds away a sure post with letters to Curroon who made such haste that in 14 dayes he runne 2500 of our myles to Daita 8 course from Necanpore and from Brodera or Radjepore 120 to the East in Decan there finding him overjoyed with such good newes and sending his excuse to Melec-Amber the Decan King hasts on with Mahobet-chan Zulpheckar-chan and 7000 other rashboots and mancibdars through Guzurat to Amadavad where by Saffin-chan he is welcomed there hee slept not long for making Agra the object of his race he bids farewell to Saffin-chan and with a greater troope feeding them with great promises when he had the crowne in three weeks travell comes to Agra where he claymes the Imperiall Title and is by his owne favorites proclaymed King by name of Pot Shaw-Iehan then giving notice to his Father in law Azaph-chan how farre and with what successe he had travelled as also that so long as Sultan Bulloch was living his owne greatnesse was but counterfeit Assaph-chan flesht in former homicides and not caring how so he could fixe the Dyadem on Curroon at that tyme tottering he makes Radgee Bandor of his counsell who forthwith without examination of right or wrong posts to Lahore and with Assaph-chans keyes enters the hummum or Bath where the innocent Princes were and with a horrid speed and infernall cruelty strangles them all to lead Curroon through such a bloody path unto the crowne In this miserable sort A.M. 5598 A. D. 1628 A. H. 1008 dyed young Bulloch but three moneths Emperour of Industant or great Mogul in that massacre accompanying him Sultan Sheryar Sha-Ethimore and Sha-Hossen the baptised sonnes of Prince Daniel two sonnes of Sultan Perwees two sonnes of Sultan Morad or Amurath all whose carcasses were without any respect buried in a garden in Lahore neere the entrayls of Iangheer but their heads as an assurance of their death sent to Curroon to glut his eyes by so horrid a Spectacle with infernall ambition The murther of the royall blood of Industand being known to Chan-Iehan Zied-chan-and other Umbraves they are orechardged with amazement and feare they see Assaph-chan guilty but want power to question him especially by inquisition hearing it was Curroons commandement they heap up a thousand maledictions on their heads and crave vengeance from above to recompence them Curroon peceives the Empire storming at him but his incantations quickly quiets them And now after much toyle having through the Ocean of inconstancy arrived at the port of greatnesse and ease as he thought he gives order for his solemne coronation which accordingly by a generall assembly of the great Umbraves and Nobles of his Empire is performed by second proclamation assuming the Name of Sultan-Sha-Bedyn-Mahumet Then he orders the affaires of his Monarchy placing and displacing at his pleasure the Seraglio of his father is shut up Normall and her three daughters are confined stricktly Assaph-chan is made second in the Empyre and next him Mahobet-chan Abdul-chan is released Channa-ziedchan is made viceroy of Bengala againe Ambassadours from Persia Arabia Tartaria and Decan come and joy him in his greatnesse Divers Radgees as Radgee-kessing from Nagor Chan-Azem from Azimeer the puissant Radgees Mainsingh Tzettersingh and Ghessingh from Fettipore with 50000 horse move with great and solemne state to Agray whither after six weeks came Assaph-chan Zadoch-chan Eradet-chan Rustan-chan Saffin-chan and Mirgomley to all whom he gave thanks for ther severall Favours remitting and putting in oblivion all offences and insults during his rebellion After which he proclaymes a Iubile celebrated by all men there with all sports and delights possible Thus has Curroon through a sea of blood attayned the highest port and dignity of the eastern world surrounded with delights and guarded by a power in his conceiving unresistable but these sinnes he makes nothing of have apparantly in these our tymes drawn downe the heavy Iudgments of God almighty both in taking his beloved wife away the week of his inauguration since when he has made his daughter by that dead Lady his wife incest of so high a nature that that yeare his whole Empire was so wounded with Gods arrowes of plague pestilence and Famine this thousand yeares before never so terrible 1634 1014 The sword also seemes to threaten him the Persians having snatched from him Kermaen and Candahar the Tartar Kabull Sheuph-Almuck indangers Tutta and Lourebander Radgee Ioogh with his Coolyes trouble Brampore and two counterfeit Bullochyes have sowne the seed of an universall rebellion The event of all is in the hands of God who in Infidells hates sinnes of blood incest and dissembling wee will close this story with a caveat from a heathen but of more reason and temperance Quid ille qui Mundum quatit Vibrans corusca fulmen Aetneum mann Stator Deorum credis hoc posse effeci Intor videntes omnia ut lateas What that great Iupiter the world that shakes When Aetna's thunderbolts in hands he takes Think'st thou from him who all the world doth see In lurking holes concealed close to bee To end all at our being in his country he came within two dayes journey of Surrat and in a ceremoniall way the English merchants ships thundred out his health by 200 great shot which he most thankfully accepted of T is high tyme now to renew our Travaile Diu. Adjoyning this and in the Cambayan Territorie is Diu or Dew in former times call'd Delta frō a resemblance of that in Egipt Patala Patalena and Hidespa as Arrhian Pliny and Strabo have it seated at th'entrance into the gulph in the latitude of 22 degrees 18 minutes North from Ormus
985. of ours 1605 by a stratagem Emangoli-cawn Duke of Shyraz overthrew him by to satiate the hungry ambition of Abbas his Master and which is rare considering the great poverty of his Country for the Kings part loaded away with treasure seven hundred Cammells The captiv'd King Ebrahim had his life and a noble pension promist him hee enjoyed them but awhile an unexpected sword of death betraying his hopes without which the Dyadem sat not right upon the head of Shaw-Abbas the soveraigne Nine dayes we staid in Larr a shame it were if in so long time we had noted nothing Lar is from Gumbroon seven small dayes riding from Shyraz foureteene from Babylon twenty a very poore Towne it is as being parcht with the scalding Sun defaced by rage of warre and thrown down by many fearfull Earth-quakes Anno Domini 1400 it shook terribly and made five hundred houses prostrate to its Tiranny Anno 1593. of their account 973. she boasted of five thousand houses but see how vain is the pride of man that very yeere the earth sweld with such a dreadfull tympany that in venting it selfe it made all Larr to quake and in fine would not be supprest but by the weight of three thousand houses turned topsi-turvie quashing to death three thousand men in their destruction The old Castle also on the East side of the Towne it owes its foundation to Georgean Melec though built atop a solid rock groand in a like affrighting downfall and to me it seemed strange a City so strongly so surely founded should be so subject to such unnaturall commotions Whither it be as Democritus dreamt from the gaping Sun-torne earth quaffing in too greedily too much water and like a glutted drunkard overcharging her caverns vomits it up in a forcible and discontented motion or whether as Aristotle teaches from vapors ingendred in the bowels of the earth and loth to bee imprisoned in a wrong orb rends its passage by a viperous horrid motion or whether from subterranean fires the ayre inflamed upon sulphur or such exuberances of nature I dare not conclude but leave such theories to those that study Meteors Let us therefore see what Larr now is Larr the Metropolis of this Province is not wald about in that Art is needlesse the lofty rocks on East and North so naturally defend her besides a brave Castle at the North quarter mounted upon an imperious hill not only threatens an enemy but awes the Towne in a frownig posture the ascent is narrow and steep the Castle of good stone the walls are furnisht with usefull battlements whereon are mounted twelve brasse cannon pedroes and two basilisks the spoiles of Ormus within the Castle wall are raisd a hundred houses stored with men most part soldatts who have there a gallant Armory able to furnish with Lance Bow and Gun three thousand men it is a fort without of a stately frame within is no lesse commendable the Buzzar is also a gallant fabrick the materiall is good chalkie stone long strong and beautifull a quadrant I cannot call it the sides are so unequall t is cover'd atop archt and in piazza sort a kinde of Burse wherein each shop showes ware of severall qualities the Alley from North to South is 170 of my paces from East to West a hundred and sixty the ovall in center is about a hundred and ninty a building to speak of the Asiaticks in some hundreds of miles scarce to be parrelled Neere this Buzzar are coyned the Larrees a famous sort of money shap'd like a long Date stone the Kings name stampt upon pure silver in our money valuing ten pence The Mosques here bee not many one especiall Mosque or Deer it has round either shadowing out Aeternity or from a patterne of the Alcaba the holy Temple in Mecca whose shape they say Abraham had from heaven in some part varnisht with Arabick letters and painted knots garnisht in other parts with Mosaick fancies t is low and without glasse windowes wodden trellizes excellently cut after their invention supplying them the entrance is through a brazen gate neer which is hung a Mirrour whether to admire their tallow faces in or internal deformities I know not some lamps it also has for use and ornament some Prophets rest their bones here take one for all Emeer-Ally-zedday-ameer a long-namd-long-bon'd if his grave bee right long since rotten Prophet the older Prophet the fresher profit zeale and charity oft times worship antiquity but how can I credit them that he was a Mahometan they say if that will not please they sweare hee died a thousand five hundred yeeres ago six hundred yeeres before Mahomet and yet a Mussulman their faith admits no questions nor answers or if it did wee will not trouble it For I see variety of good fruit close by to which I have a better appetite here are the fairest Dates Dactills in Latin from their finger like shape Orenges Lemons Pomcitrons you find in Persia if those will not please you buy here at easie rates Goats Hens Rice Rach and Aquavitae but for their water wee drest our meat with it the people drink it they call it Ob-baroon which in the language of Persia signifies rain-water but with farre more reason I may call it Aqua-Mortis death seeming to bubble in it A base qualified water it is whether that their Tancks or Magazeens are ill made or nastily kept and by that the water is corrupted or whether the raine of it selfe is insalubrious and loathsome I cannot tell but both it may bee makes it so bad as it is so unsapory so ill to the gust as worse water for taste and especially for property can scarce be relished as little of it came in my belly as could be borrowed from extremity of thirst and I suppose I had good reason to forbeare it for it causes Catarrhs breeds sore eyes ulcerates the guts and which is more terrible than the raest it ingenders small long worms in the legges of such as use to drink it and which sort of vermin is not more loathsome to look upon than painfull to the itching disease of them that breed 'em by no potion no unguent to bee remedied they have no other way to destroy them save by rowling them about a pin or peg not unlike the treble of a Theorbo the most danger being this that if in the screwing the worme chance to break it makes them very dolefull Musick for it endangers the leg apt to gangreen and but by lancing hardly curable The water is the naturall cause of this strange malady and seemes to mee to bring the venome from the region where t is generated for commonly the clouds here at Larr are undigested as in the Tornadoes I have formerly spoken of and unagitated by the wind Nor do the clouds distill their raine in drops as is usuall in colder regions but in whole and violent irruptions dangerous both in the fall and no lesse hurtfull in the using
resembling a Castle commanded by Daut or David Chawn brother to the Duke of Sheraz an Apostate for which he was made an Eparch and honourd with three silly temporary Tittles bought with losse of an eternall Crowne of happinesse he has here a pretty Carvan-sraw and Summer houses for his owne delight wherein are five neat roomes curiously painted in Imagery and imbost with gold his Gardens are also sweet and prettily contrivd into grotts mazes vollieres and the like equall to that of Aladeul ' at Caramit for his Assassinates but nasty and deformed if compard with Paradize from Amno-baut we rode next day to Commeshaw a Towne boasting in a thousand houses and much Antiquitie It may be either that same Towne which Pliny cald Parodana or that Ore-batys in Ptolomy Sir Robert Sherley was once her Governour under that wicked parricide Constandel chawn but it seems they bore small love to either of their memories neither vouchsafing to bid us welcome as most Townes did we hitherto past through although I have omitted to speak their ceremonies nor a lodging a base respect to so noble a passenger At this place Persia is limited and where Ayrac or Parthya takes her beginning Chiraef Gardon-achow Nowbengan Kazeron Pherushabad Estacher Nabandioem are reckned Townes in Farsistan I have but named them But that you may the better go along with us and especially in that the latest Maps of Persia are so erronious both in rivers the scituation of places and their true names for to say truly none of them have five right names I have therefore inserted this of the Persian Empyre in which neither the position of Places are false nor names of Townes fictitious or borrowed THE PERSIAN Empire Next day we got to Moyeor agrandiz'd by a thousand families but none of their houses compare with their dove-houses for neat and curious outsides they have some excuse for it some of them are descended not from Columba Noae but from those holy Pigeons who fed at Mahomets eare and advanced his reputation not a little perswading the simple people they brought him newes from some bad Angels concerning their happinesse Next night we were usherd to Spawhawnet by a servant of Meloyembegs the Kings Fiscall who intreated the Ambassadors to repose a day or two there till Spahawn had fitted it selfe for a solemne intertainment where whiles we repose we may remember that most of those Manzeils we have past from Chehelmanor to his place are twixt twenty and thirtie miles asunder The whole distance is somewhat above two hundred miles as I computed them The tenth of Aprill wee set out from Spahawnet a village six miles South from Spahawn when we had gone a farsang three miles we were stayed by the way to taste a banquet in a spacious garden of the Kings whither the English Agent and such other Christian Merchants as were in Spahawn came out to attend our Lord Ambassador a mile neerer the Citie the Visier the Sultan of Spahawn Meloyembeg and Hodge-nazar the Armenian Prince with foure thousand horse and innumerable foot came to bid us a happy entrance the fields two miles from the towne were replenisht with vulgar men women and childen the Bannyans like caterpillers swarmd about us all together in a volley of thundering acclamations cried out Hoshomody Suffowardy the better sort Hoshgaldom i.e. welcome heartily welcome forty kettle Drums Fifes Tabrets Tymbrels dancing wenches Hocus Pocusses and other Anticks past my numbring inobled the ceremony the bridge was full of women on both sides many of them in faire deportment unmasqued their faces The first place we alighted at was the Conna-potshaugh the Kings Pallace placed at the West side of the Medan or great Market there the Noble men kneeled downe and tessalemd three times kissing the Kings threshold and as many times knocking their heads against the ground in an awfull obeysance Sir Robert Sherley sizedaed also and contented them a Coselbash ended the ceremony in a panegyrick to this purpose That the Fame and excellency of Shaw-Abbas was so great as had attracted a great Prince and other Gentlemen from the extreamest Angle of the world to see whether fame had been partiall in his magnificence no wonder since his radiant beames spread themselves over all the Universe that done some bottles of good Wine were lavisht out after which with a continued clamour of the Plebeyans we were conducted to a brave house of the Kings at the South-East end of the City through which a deep broad water had its course into the Sindery The fourth day after our being in Spahawn the English Agent banqueted our Lord Ambassador and shewed us a rich and hearty welcome to agrandize it at night a Tanck of water was beset with lighted Tapers artificially uniting the two contrary Elements squibs also and other fire-works that made all the City gaze and gape with wonder Next day Hodge-nazar was visited at his house in Ielphea a Christian he professes himselfe but I must be bold to tell him his house is furnisht with such beastly pictures as no way relish of honest or Christian invention amongst our other cates we had a rosted pig a meat to Jew and Persian infinitely offensive the Wine flagons and Bowles here were of purest gold I desire to speak a little of these Armenians that the rest of our Travailes may be woven with more ease and fewer mixtures These Armenians are cald also Ielphelyns from the City they dwell in here nam'd from their Metropole neere Ararat In habit they differ not from the Persians but live in equall freedome they professe Christ and account Saint George their Patron from whom some think Georgia takes name and not from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Husbandmen they and the Georgians are habited alike this is their greatest difference that the Georgians excell in warre the Armenians in merchandize this Image may well represent them both A Georgian man and woman They both are honored by the memory of twenty thousand Martyrs in the last persecution Sapores tyrannising then ore Persia the Country derives her name from Armenus a Thessalian Iasons kinsman It is divided into major minor the greater is confind by Tartary to the North by Media and Assyria to the South the West and East with the Euxin and Caspian seas It includes Colchis Albania Georgia Iberia c. obscured in other barbarous names as Zuria Goweria Mengrellia Turq'mania Cara-culia Gurgee Haloen and Sarlochya from Gog and Magog and to which place the ten Tribes were brought by Salmanasser the Assyrian They have two Patriarchs or Protomists one at Ierusalem the other at Syna in Arabia sometimes they reside at Sis neer Tharsus or at Ecmeazin neer Rhivan or Ervan in Shervan Antioch their old Sea they dare not chalenge They have the three first generall Councells in great honour study the Latin tongue rare in Asia they have twelve titular Bishops three hundred some say poore but no way despicable They have the old and
and care to uphold his dignity against Tartar and Persian his great cost and quarrelsome neighbours yet such was his good fortune policy valour and mutuall love twixt him and his subjects that though often invaded he stood secure yea lived to heare the ruine of many his late enemies his only aime tending to preserve what his predecessors had justly made him heyre unto and that his gray hayres might go in peace to an eternall dormitory Thus thought Bahaman and added his endeavors to compleat his thoughts But Abbas the ambitious Persian returning from the conquest of Mozendram forcing Shalley-mirza sonne of King Abdalla-cawn to become his pentioner looks up upon Taurus which seemed to threaten his undaunted heart and vowes to bee no longer bearded by that mountanous King taking his Motto out of Tacitus id aequius quod validius charging him also that from his lofty dwelling hee peered into his two Kingdomes Medya and Mozendram by that advantage ransacking his Townes robbing his Carravans illuring his wormes anticipating his progresse to the Caspian Sea and diverting many rivers into other sources which springing upon Taurus stream'd gallantly into Hyrcania Shervan without whose felicitating those Provinces became barren and barbarous Meleck Bahaman readily answers Abbas and finds his drift comparing him to that fable of the Wolfe who drinking at the spring-head quarrelled with the silly Lambe for troubling his draught by quenching his flagrant thirst at the stream below Whiles Abbas in an impatient delay resolves to try the chance of war appointing Methiculibeg with an army of Coosel-bashawes to perfect his designes and not to descend thence without victory It could not be so secretly intended but aged Bahaman has intelligence of his immediate purposes At first it troubled him in that his gray haires were more propense to ease than tumult Yet lest his subjects from his example might be discouraged he throwes away his dull thoughts and as a common father provides for safety in armes and victualls furnishing his large Cittadell for many yeares siege yea omitting nothing that might intitle him a carefull and expert Souldier In each defensive place he plants a Garrison and makes every part naked and comfortlesse where the Enemie might march that in nothing he might be advantagious to the Persian That done he mews himselfe his Queene two sonnes and ten thousand able men in his defended Castle not fearing any thing they could attempt against him The Persian generall with thirty thousand men mount upwards and at their first ascent find the way so tedious made more dangerous by many dismall showres of Darts and stones thundering on them that they grumbled at such stratagems and would needs tumble downe againe till Methiculibeg by many promises of reward and exposing his owne head in the front of danger drew them up and after some petty skirmishes incampt himselfe before this Castle where he was told the King and victory was included When they had long viewd this inaccessible fortresse they halfe dispaired of subduing it Such was the height of that Castle and such the perpendicular ascent two excellent defences Art and Nature had inricht it with Some Attempts he made invalidable to shoot their Arrowes at it was one with ayming at the Moone Small shott they had and many Lances but of small force to batter rocks so that after many tedious bravadoes wherein the Persian had stones for payment the Generall finding force not valuable turnes Matchiavillian He summons them above to parlee with him which granted he assaults them with many protestations of truce and friendship And that hee might the better shadow truth presents the aged King with choise Tulipants Shamsheers Pearles and other guilded baits meane enough to angle for a Kingdome intreating him to descend and taste a banquet solemnly swearing by Mortus Ally the head of Shaw Abbas by Paradise by eight transparent Orbs and other panym attestations that he should have royall quarter come and goe as pleased him no other reason inducing his invitation than a hearty good will hee bore him and hopes of agreement upon parlee The peacefull King unused to deceit and warres rotten stratagems swallowes the tempting hook and is credulous they had no perfidy His wife and sonnes disswade adding fresh examples of their hypocrisie But neither those nor the teares his men shed to beg his stay vowing their constancie to the last man could divert his destiny but downe he goes and findes the Crocodile below ready to embrace him with teares of joy but after a short banquet gives him an iron bed regarding neither vow honour nor ingagement Bahaman too late repents his dotage The Pagan Generall thinks all his owne now and therefore sends his sonne a message of intreaty upon a Speares point that if they wisht their fathers safety an end of warre truce with Abbas and new Grandeur to their fortunes they should come down all which by obstinacie would be forfeited and denied them yea prove a basis of perpetuall trouble and a common monumentall shame unto posterity Nature enriches man with reason Time with knowledge and experience Hence the two gallant youths regardlesse of the rodomantadoes of the fastidious Pagan commix discretion and pollicy throw downe this choking answer They would beleeve hee was an honest man and condiscend to any reason so the King might have his liberty to come up againe otherwise he might count them Ideots the villany and perjury to their father being so fresh amongst them from equall reason they might demand the Castle and Crowne as them by whom those things subsisted other satisfaction they would not give so vile a miscreant this excepted That the King of Persia's ill-grounded ambition would never prosper that though of long time he had politely avoyded the Epithite of a Tyrant this would rub afresh his former injustice yea anatomize him so clearely that all Asya would account him odious that all the world might tax him of dishonourable avarice who commanding over many fruitfull Provinces could not rest contented without subjugating a Nation never wronging him a King whose Ante-cessors had for more ages govern'd Larry-Iohn than Izmaels posterity had done Persia a Country so cold and barren that of more than Title he could not any way better himselfe an unholy ostentation Sua retinere privatae Domus de alienis certare regia laus est sayes Tacitus private men do well to think their owne enough great ones think all too little for their ambition Abbas must not be circumscrib'd the General remembers it So that retorting him this lawlesse title Ius mihi objectas accincto gladio without more plea invites them from their consolidated cloud to view their Fathers head off they resolutely bid him do as pleased him and to call to minde murther is inexpiable in their Alcoran Methiculibeg has torne his foxes skin with overstreching it seeing this device prove ayre knows no way now to blow them up himselfe is so finely undermined But giving his rage
the Kings Towne his Purgatorie rather if a conspiracie of loose scalding sand the burning Sun and filthie Cottages can make one the houses there differ nothing in shape nor closenesse from Ovens the people all day bake themselves in them a people so discourteous that our miserie nothing afflicted them from that hatefull Towne we hasted and next night got into Casbyn CAZBYN or Kazvyn after the lisp of Persia is that same City known to the ancient Topo-graphers by name of Arsacia from Arsaces the valiant Persian Anno Mundi 3720. from whom the ensuing Kings were stil'd Arsacidae two hundred and fifty yeeres before the th'incarnation of our Savior Christ and is accounted the first that made Medya an Empire in despight of proud Seleuchus son to the great Monarch of Syria Antiochus sirnamed Theos By command of Nycanor it was afterwards call'd Europus and lost that name too when it bended under the next conquest It is likely this was that Rages a City in Medya as appeares in Tobit whither the Angell went from Ecbatan to receive the ten Talents of our money two thousand pounds Tobias was to have from Gabael sonne to Gabrias his kinsman I am not ignorant that some imagine Edissa in Mesopotamia to be it but that is most unlikely for then what businesse had they from Ninivy to go to Ecbatan in the way no doubt or not farre deviat to Rages a contrary way leading to Edissa twixt Tigris and Euphrates besides it is said in the Apocrypha that Rages was in Medya Edissa is not and no part of Medya is neerer than a thousand miles from the holy City but Edissa not five hundred Whence the word Cazbyn is fetcht I could not learne I suppose from Cowz-van i.e. a vale of barley as Sheir-van a plain of milke c. or from King Cazvan as they call Acembeg the Armenian or that it is the relict of Casbira an old City in Strabo placed here for if I should deduce it from Chazbi as the 70 Interpreters translate it in Gen. 38.5 it would relish of too much antiquity The signification of Exile is unknown by interpretation or occasion to the inhabitants except the broacher of that conceit had recourse to the idiom of the old Parthians The North pole is in this famous City elevated 36 deg and 15 min. long 85 degrees 30 minutes by King Tamas sonne of Ismael made the Metrolis of this Monarchy the better to affront the intruding Ottomans the Kingdome it stands in is Medya the Province Sheirvan that part call'd Deylan from Tabryz a hundred and eighty miles from Hamadan the sepulture of Queen Ester Mordecay a hundred ten from Sultany the residence of six Sultans ninety from Ardavyl the Seigniory of the Abasians eighty from Gheylan seventy from Farabaut two hundred from Samarchand five hundred from Ormus eight hundred from Babilon five hundred from Ierusalem a thousand from Spahawn two hundred and seventy from Shyraz foure hundred and ninety from Kandahar five hundred and fifty miles English or thereupon It is at this day for multitude of buildings and inhabitants the chiefe in Medya and equall for other grandeur to any other City in the Persian Empire Spawhawn excepted It is seated in a faire even plaine no hill of note in thirty miles compasse overlooking her a champaigne yeelding graine and grapes but little wood saw I growing any where It has a small streame flowing from Abonda Baronta of old which gives the thirsty drink and mellowes the gardens from whence by its refreshment and the peoples industry they have abundance of fruits and roots and in varieties I think the reason why wee saw no great rivers in any place is from their forcing it into many sluces to bring it by subterranian passages to such Townes as have none but by derivative in so much that if Indus Euphrates and Ganges were amongst them I meane where the Country is most peopled doubtlesse they would make them kisse the sea in five hundred ostiums or branches Such fruits as I remember were Grapes Orenges Lymes Lemons Pomcytrons Musk and water Mellons Plums Cherryes Peaches Apricocks Figgs Gooseberries Peares Apples Pistachoes Filberds Hasel-Nuts Wallnuts Almonds and excellent Pomgranads Dates but such as came from Laristan Casbyn is circled with a complementall wall of no force in any adversity the compasse is about 7 miles the families are twenty thousand people about two hundred thousand nourisht by the Ayre and a few roots and rice such dyet as best complies with such torrid regions The Buzzars here are large and pleasant but inferiour to some about her The Mydan is uniform and beautifull the Kings Pallace and Haram are nigh the great Market low of raw-bricks varnisht after the notion of Paynim painting in blew red and yellow tinctures commixt with Arabiq knots letters azure gold the windowes are spatious trellized and neatly carved within of usuall splendor neere his gate is a great Tanck or Magazyn of water made at the common charge at our being here The Hummums or sweating places are many resplendent in the azure pargetting and tyling wherewith they are ceruleated the vulgar buildings content the inhabitants but to a busie eye yeeld small wonder or amazement the gardens are best to view and smell to but compared with those in Spahawn and Shyraz prove but ordinary and lesse fruitfull The Mosq's or superstitious houses are not two thirds so many as Iohn of Persia computed long ago above six hundred Nor those so fastidious in Pyramidall aspirings nor curious in Architecture nor inside glory as in many lesser Towns obeying Mahomet I cannot inlarge her praises save that in Spring and Autumne I beleeve it may be a temperate and inticing climat but Sommer and Winter are extreame in contraries Apollo frying them with his oblique flaming glances and Hyems no lesse benumming them with his icycles Here we met the Pot-shaw again who got into Casbyn two dayes afore us At which time forty Cammells entred loaden with Tobacco out of Indya the owners and drivers being ignorant that any such prohibition had gone out to forbid the using it the King sometimes commanding and restrayning three or foure times every yeere to shew his Monarchic power and as the humor taketh him an ill spirit directed them for Mamet-Ally-beg the pernitious Favorite wanting his piscash it seemes exasperates Abbas and he forth-with payes the men unwelcome wages commanding an Officer to crop off their eares and to benose them offering to his angry Justice the forty Cammells burthen of Tutoon or Tobacco by making a great deep hole the pipe which being inflam'd in a black vapor gave the Citizens gratis two whole dayes and nights infernall incense Let me give you somewhat to memorise Casbyn wherein have been acted many Tragick scenes in their times very terrible Mahomet the purblind King of Persia and Syre to Shaw-Abbas of himselfe was peaceable and mercifull but could rest never the quieter for such a temper Morad
considered which was his plot for Apostasie but that the Devill and Sergius who helpt him could not blaspheame nor bee suffered to derogate from their Majesty and to whom we say in the words of our Saviour to the Demoniack hold thy peace and ex ore tuo laus sordet The residue of the Book consists of Heresiarchyes against our blessed Saviour with Arrius it denies the Divinity with Sabellius the Trinity with Macedonius the holy Ghost proceeding with Manicheus the death of Christ and such like errours as to them and Satan seemed plausible In the 32 Azoara hee commands that no man be so impious to question any particle of his Law nor to dispute about it and yet in another chapter confesses that t is full of lyes 1 Commandement There is one and but one great God and Mahomet is his Prophet Sung every fourth houre both by the Muyezins Talismanni from the steeple tops of every Mosque in a cleare note Llala y-lala Mohummed resullula and the Persians by Syet Gunets direction to the honour of their Prophet Llala y-lala Mortus Ally vel-hillulla 2 Comman 'T is neither good nor just that any Mussulman live unmarried lest the professors of the Alcoran or Mahomet be thereby diminished Whence it arises that Poligamy is tolerated yea that such are thought the most honourable and brave men who super-abound in wives and concubines The chast Prophet Mahomet in the Azoara of Bacara boasts much of his owne delight and singularity therein and that he had strength at most times to satiate the lust of forty women In that chapter of Attahrim he also confesses that he oft had violated his faith and troth but it grieved him not in that hee had received pardon from God and had to witnesse it his good friends Rachel and Gabryel two holy Angels But who sees not that in this precept of his like a polite Machiavillian he had respect to the naturall disposition of the Arabians pleas'd with freedome and voluptuousnesse rather than to any vertue not caring how so by any magick he could yoak them to obedience and affectation of his Alcoran 3 Comman It behooves all Mussulmen to bee charitable and to hate contention From this command issues most good to Travellers for whereas Innes are not to be had in heathen countries stately buildings call'd Imarets in Turkie Carravans-raws in Persia Serrays in Indya are purposedly built and open for all commers never questioning their Country businesse nor religion the roomes are sweet and well kept the stables be convenient and not any is to pay ought in that t was founded from the charity of some Mahomitans who have beene knowne to spend in one of those common receptories fifteene thousand pound sterling such are in Shyraz Cashan c. they also erect Hospitalls for lame men and diseased yea for aged starved or hurt birds beasts and such like creatures 4 Conaman It behooves all Mussulmen to invocate their Prophet every day five times at least with sobriety and to attend his comming patiently Which they carefully accomplish and with such regard that when the Muyezin is heard to cry aloud from the Mosque they fall to prayer though then busied in prophane talk drinking drabbing or the like And in praying to help their memorie use Beads stop their eares and shut their eyes lest any thing might divert them in their zealous Orizons which they actuate in a quiet and silent murmur bending prostrating and kissing the ground or some relique of holy earth brought from Medina the Haram or Alcaba two holy Chappels in Mecca erected sayes the Alcoran by Abraham from the true Idea of that which Adam built in Paradize albeit some hold that he stayed there not above a day carried by Angels into heaven at the generall Deluge in every El-fata or prayer sizedaing or kissing the earth at each Epethite or name of God and Mahomet and after they have battologuiz'd Ilalay-lala they iterate another to this effect following In the name of the good and holy God Praised be the Soveraigne of all worlds the only mercifull God of Doom ' thee we serve thee wee call upon shew us the best way that which thou hast revealed to Mahumet but not that wherby thou punishest the Ungodly This also as I have noted amongst them being a meere Tautologie of the names of God and Maâ—met Bizmillah raugh mawn a raugh-heam Allhundill Alley Etto byatto almo barakatto assulwatto Attayo batto Leyla heessalem Aleyka I Iaanna nebeen rough meet Wallough heeweeber-catto Essa-lamalena Wallah Ebadulla hesolaheem Eshaddo Awla-El aha El-Allaho Eshaddai Mahummed resull-Allogh L'alla Essalamalena Ebadulla Solaheem Essalamaleekam Essalamaleeka Allyhomma Sul-hillulla Allaw Mohummed don Wallaw Wassaleem-chamma Salleata Alhumderalley Whoddaw said by all Mahomitans in Arabia Persia Indya Iava c. And though this be the most usuall yet they are not without other set formes of prayer compiled by Osman in his Parody for in the 17 Azoara Mahomet confesses that he could neither read nor write and by that famous Almotannabby who fell in his learned conceits to make his Name more venerable than Mahomet Their Elfataes are either for the safety of their Kings a happy issue the welfare of their Country thanks that they are Mussulmen Bosarmen or true beleevers and the like five times in foure and twenty houres praying or rather balbutiating orderly The houres are day-breake noone three in the afternoone sunne-set and at midnight recorded by these titles Ashaera Magreb Adelesher Kalamath and Erketh Arabically thus Dahour Lashour Mogrub Sallit Sabaha L'hair The first houre is acted by foure Tessalems or prostrations and two prayers 2. by ten times kissing the earth and five El-fataes 3. houre requires eight grovelings and foure ejaculations 4. has five Sizedaes and three orations and the last houre for a farwell has fifteen tesselems and eight repetitions after that houre to day breake t is held an ungodly thing to invocate The Persians since their reformation think it enough to pray thrice in foure and twenty houres at sob dor magareb Arabick words and which signifie morning noonee and night On the Gynmaa or Sabbath by the Persians call'd Y'owma and D'siuma by Turks Zuma-g'iuny Dumaad by the vulgar Arabs they assemble in the Mosques without seats and bells each first washing then kneeling with his face to Medina not speaking one to another spetting nor coughing scapes unpardonable 5. Command See thou observe yeerely a Month Lent a Byram c. The Lent or Ramdam call'd also Ramadan Ramazan and Ramulan begins commonly at the Sunnes entrance into Aries Libra other times no time certaine and is an imitation of our Lent or rather the forty dayes Moses was in Horeb and by some said in memory of Mahomets forty dayes hiding himselfe in the Desart flying from the rage of Mecca's Inhabitants and that in that moneth he divulg'd the Alcoran but most likely as in the 47 Azora of himselfe and 25 in which he treats of the
it syded with the Turkish Emperour Vlembeg also who had married their sister laboured it But albeit Solyman did his best by his owne forces and by their treasons yet such was his ill luck that excepting Babylon and Tabryz they got nothing but sad experience for Tamas upon notice of the Turkish entry leaves Kazien Bassa and Corasan which he then had beseiged and hasts to Cashyn the Turks so soone as they had rifled Tabryz retreat but are so assailed in the rear by Delementhes still as they marched that they could not preuent the losse of 40 Cannon 3 Sansacks 800 Janisaries and of Asaps or common men above 20000 a victorie so plausible that to this day upon the 3 and 10 of Ardabehish or October t is with many signalls of joy solemnized 4 yeeres after as Morod had done to Ismael so Bajazet Solymans sonne fled to Tamas to save his life willing to part with his hopes of a Monarchy his rebellions and injuries to his father and brother had beene many and notable so as Hassan Bassa comes to Casbyn and upon assuring Tamas that Bajazeth came purposely to kill him that infortunate Prince was by that old villaine strangled and his 4 sonnes also Homer Morad Selymus and Mahomet Solyman next yeere enters Persia with 150000 men Tamas affrighted with their great ordnance hyres 5000 Portugalls from Ormus and Indya who brought 20 Cannon along with them and by whose helps the Turks were vanquished That yeere Tamas eatf ed the Ouz begs country and retorned victorious and next into Cabul whence he thought to have gone to Lahore but upon newes that Mustapha Solymans eldest sonne and brother to Bajazeth lately at Casbyn strangled was fled from his Father to him from succour he returnes and welcomes him willing any way to agrandize discord amonst the Ottomans Solyman in person with 80000 men followes him in every place hee came that loved the Persian perpetrating all sort of savage cruelty At Erez Tamas fought with Solyman but with worse successe than formerly neere Bagdat for 1000 Persians were slaine and 20000 Turks but by their numbers the Persians were forced to leave the field which when Mustapha saw fled to his Father and beseeches for Roxalana his Mothers sake pardon but it would not be his Father forthwith made him to be strangled Anno Domini 1576. Heg 956. King Tamas dyed at Cazbyn aged 68 having reigned 50 yeeres and left his eldest sonne Mahomet to succeed him hee had in all 12 sonnes and 3 daughters Maomet Ismael Aydar Sulyman Emangoly Morad Mustapha Ally Hamed Ebrahim Hamzé and Izma cawn Ismael during his stay at Cohac complots with Peria-Conconna and Sahamal-can by whose help hee strangled Aydar and beheaded 8 other of his brethren hopefull also to meet with Mahomet who being fled to Georgia finds such friends that ere long he returned with 12000 horse Curds and Georgians by whose service and the valour of Leventhybeg he arrives at Spahawn where he had newes of Ismaels death slain in his bed by Periaconconna and 4 Sultans who entred habited like women An. Dom. 1577. The same yeere that Ismael was thus slain Peria-Concanna was also made away by Salmas-Mirza at the command of Mahomet Mahomet call'd Codobanda by the Turks had many sonnes Ismael Mustapha Mir-can Guynet Sophy c. Ismael was famisht to death Caykahe Castle neere Tabriz by meanes of Massombeg the favorite the rest of his sonnes dyed untimely He had also 3 sonnes begot of Ioon-Conna Princesse of Heri and Corassan Emyr-Hamzé mirza Sultan Aydar and Abbas Emyr-hamze-mirza was the most famous active and beloved Prince that ever to this day lived in Persia When he commanded they thought nothing impossible the Turks the Indyan the Arab and Tartar feared him with 40000 horse hee vanquisht 200000 Turks neere Van and cleared Armenia of those Locusts After that with 30000 Persians and Ouzbeghians hee over-threw them at Erez and obteyned a most glorious victory Two yeeres after Anno Domini 1580. Heg 960 at Bagdat he beat the Turks at that time of Persians being slaine 10000 but of Turks 70000. Next yeere he opposed the Tartar neere to Sumachy and slew 20000 of their men and that same month of the Turks led by Mustapha Bassa 100000 but with losse of above 40000 of his owne men An. Dom 1584. Heg 964. neere Van againe he slew above 20000 Turks and with his own hands slew the Sultan of Caramit the Generall the Basha of Trebizond and 5 Sanzacks At Sancazan the insuing spring he also beat Osman the Basha who dyed to think of it and slew above 23000 other Turks At Tephlis he vanquisht Sycala the famous Basha and slew 30000 of his Turks the Prince losing 9000 Persians but by that victory regained Tabriz Babylon and all other such places as King Tamas had Anno Domini 1537. Heg 917 lost to Solyman Next yeere he took Derbent from the Turk and neere to Tephlys with 20000 horse scattered and slew 80000 Turks so dismall to Amurath that rather than see his face Mustapha by voluntary poyson at the age of 78 gave up the ghost and Acmat the renouned Ennuch resolv'd to beg rather than to see Persia againe But Synon Bassa was so puft up with his late conquests at Cyprus Malta and Aegypt that he threatens his payment and to that end with 100000 men he entred Georgia sackt Tephlys and in Shervan did many mischiefes but plague and famine puisuing him the Prince of Persia ere the Tartar could joyne with Synon bad him battell at Carse in the Turq'men confines and beat him but two dayes after lost 5000 men more and was forced back to Trepizond But at length what enemies abroad could not effect at home his brother Abbas perpetrated by poyson insomuch as in the vigor of his age and hopes of further conquest this gallant Prince goes down not aged 30 and of such force with purblind Mahomet that in few dayes after hee expired An. Dom. 1585. Heg 965. after 8 yeeres reigne and at Ardaveel by his father was some part buried Abbas had much adoe to quiet the distemper of the Persians such hate they bore him for his cruelty At Casbyn hee found most welcome they had considered the other two were irrevocable that it concerned them to have some expert man to defend them from the Turk who almost every day from Tabriz affronted them Spahawn indeed paid deerely for her rebellion The first yeere of his reigne Amurath the Turkish Emperour sent his Ambassador to Abbas to command him If he desired peace to send him his sonne Ismael as a hostage the Ambassador had better have stayed at home for albeit hee escaped with his life yet hee was miserably bastinadoed Enraged by that message hee besieged Tabriz and easily forced the Turks thence as also out of Van and all Armenia two yeeres after he beat them out of Balsorac and Bagdat yea made Dyarbec and Iaziry too hot for them By Curchiki-can he subdued Ghey-lan by
Tamas-coolibeg Mozendram by Ferrat-chan Candahar and by Lolla-beg and Emangloy-cawn Larr Cusistan Carman Macron and part of Iazirey or Arabia yea to this last over-throw at Babylon he gave successively to Mahomet 3 Acmat Osman Mustapha and Amurath all of them Grand Seigniors above 20 other severall over-throwes most of which the Turks conceale and thence it is that we have them not recorded in our Turkish Histories About this time Abbas became inraged against the Georgians and upon this occasion Scander lake King of Georgia a Countrey confyning palus Meotis 'twixt the Euxin and Caspian seas by a Sarcashiâ—n Lady had 3 hopefull sonnes Scander-cawn Thre-beg and Constandell all borne Chistians but for preferment the two last named became Bosarmen or circumcised Thre-beg serv'd the Turk Constandell the Persian Constandell was naturally deforned but of such an active spirit that his bodily imperfections were not noted yet his hatefull ambition rendred him more than monstrous It hapned that Abbas vowed some revenge upon the Turk and to that end gave order to Ally-cawn to trouble them Constandell perceives the occasion right to attempt his hellish resolutions and therefore after long suit got to be joyned in Commission with the Persian Generall Through Georgia they go where Costandell under a pretext of Duty visits his sad Parents who upon his protest that his Apostasy was counterfeit joyfully welcomed him but forgetting that and all other tyes of Nature next night at a solemn banquet caus'd them to be murdered and till the Georgians saluted him by the name of King perpetrated all sorts of villanies possible But how secure soere hee stood in his owne fancie the dreadfull Justice of an impartiall God retaliated him the rest of his life proving to this hellish Assassinate infinitly miserable for first neere Sumachan Cycala's sonne the Turkish Generall wounded him in the arme and by that forfeited the victory to the Persian That same night he was also assaulted in his tent by his inraged Country-men who in his place for at the first alarme he escaped cut a Catamite in peeces his accursed bed-fellow and albeit hee so farre exasperated the Persian to revenge that he brought the whole Army into Georgia resolving there to act unparellel'd tragedies yet was hee over-reacht in his stratagems for upon parlee with the Queen his late brothers wife he was shot to death at a private signall given by that Amazon to some Musqueteers ambushed of purpose 'twixt both the Armies A just punishment for such a viper For can there be a punishment more fit Than he should die that first invented it Nec enim lex justior ulla est Quam necis artisicis arte petire sua But Abbas glad of all advantages to spoyle and conquer takes the affront as done in his despight in that Constandell was his subject and a Mahometan and therefore studies their destruction but such good reasons Ally-cawn gave him to the contrary that hee alters his first intents and seekes by conferring his best love upon young Temerisk their Infant King to oblige their affection and accordingly returned him into Georgia royally attended yea made him bee crowned King in Georgia with all ceremony requirable But long these Halcyon dayes endured not for the Grand Seniors Ambassador at Spahawn laboured by all wayes how to seperate this their Union by deceit effected it First wispering in Temerisks eares that Abbas hated him and then made Abbas beleeve that Temerisk was an undoubted creature of the Grand Seniors so that upon Temerisks deniall to come to Abbas he enters Georgia with 30000 horse where Lolla-beg at his Masters command made fire and sword equally tyrannicall Temerisk was forced to the Turk from whom he got such forces that hee re-entred Georgia and slew the Persique Garrisons yea forraged beyond Tephlys into Medya which so inraged Abbas that from Mosendram he issued with a greater Army than formerly and in Georgia made a more terrible execution firing their Churches houses and Mulberry-trees destroying their silk-wormes and massacring young and old without mercy But so soone as Abbas was gone Temerisk re-possessed his desolate Countrey and by a stratagem of Morad-cawns in some sort requited the Persian for Morad like another Zopyrus deformes his face flies to Cazbyn and is welcomed pretends that Temerisk had so mutilated him and that hee resolved to betray him to the Persian Abhas beleeves him and sends 12 famous Dukes and an Army along with him but being upon the Georgian Confines and knowing that the Persians were fearelesse of danger he issues at midnight from his owne quarter upon them with 500 voluntary Georgians whom hee had appointed should accidentally proffer their services with such hideous clamours that 11 of those Dukes and 700 men were slaine the rest so terribly affrighted that they rather chose to dye any other death than hazard any more adventures amongst those Christians Since which Abbas by meditation of his Cosel-bashaws who are most of them Georgians has firmed a sure friendship with the Georgians If I should but memorise his severall victories against the Tartar Georgian Mogull and Arabian It would be enough to make a Book voluminous But I promised to weave no circumstances for if that could have beene accepted of I had here also spoke his journey and warres of Armenia and his tragick acts against his own children which in regard I have elsewhere glanced at I have here pretermitted purposely this only be remembred That Sha-Abbas dyed Anno Domini 1628. Heg 1008. aged 70 having ruled the Persian Empire 43 yeeres and was buried part at Cazbyn part at Ardaveel in the Chappell where are intombed his famous and warlike Progenitors And albeit in the infancy of his reigne he had beene Tyrannicall yet such was the Majesty of his aspect his courage policy wisdome good fortune in all his wars that never any Prince before him was better beloved and every way by all Symptoms of Duty and respect more honoured His Care to administer Justice his Zeale to Strangers whom he ever much regarded and gave all safety and priviledges to it beeing his usuall phrase that Strangers added especially to the lustre of his Court more than any Domestiq ' magnificence his Labour to increase Commerce with other Nations his Incouragement to Souldiers his Indulgence to Merchants of his owne Nation and in a word his great Knowledge in History and Philosophy not only made him to bee adored by his owne but admired at by Travellers especially when with him they compared other Emperours and Princes of Asia who suck with delight their native ignorance and thence it was that Abbas went to his grave with such generall lamentation as made it known that he was their Father Protector and Emperour In his place was Sha-Soffy Abbas his Grand-sonne saluted King whose fathers death and his brothers I have elsewhere remembred Of Sha-Soffy I will say little save that since his being King albeit very young hee has vanquisht the Turks 4 times
albeit twice the Grand-Seignior was in person to fight with him Many of his Nobles hee has beheaded but in these things argues his just discent from Ally and is as likely as any that reigned before him to advance the Monarchy of Persia and every way to make it rich and famous To conclude Persia and this second Book give me leave to do it in this Epidicticon The Epidicticon VVHy do the wyndings of inconstant state Molest us Weaklings since the selfesame Fate Turnes Kings and Kingdomes with an equall doome Whiles Slaves too oft possesse their Masters roome So pricking Thistles choak our fairest corne And hopefull Oakes the hugging Ivies scorne Men are but Men and be they strong or wise All their Designes subject to hazard lies Millions of helps cannot support that Crown Which Sin erects Fate justly pulls it down Witnesse faire PERSIA large and rich of ground The fitter Nurse of warre In it was found Even in those golden times which Poëts vant Victorius Cyrus who yet did supplant His Father Oh that men would learne to see What life were best not what doth please the eye But out alas when they have drunk of blood That bitter potion's sweet yea even a flood Of lives food cannot their hot thirst allay Till Tomyris that blood with blood repay So hapt to Cyrus whom th' insulting Queen Upbraid with blood-shed Vengeance is too keen For in a bowle of goar dead drowned lies His crowned Temples and insatiate eyes That King aspir'd and for his itching veine 200000 Subjects there lay slaine Thus faires it still with thee proud Persia Whose various Native beauties freely may A strangers love intice Thy breath is sweet Thy Face well made a Nursery of delight Thy breasts not dry of milk thy armes are strong Thy belly fruitfull legs both clean and long Thy veines are large blood pure quick spirits hast But for thy back Oh stay there lies the wast To this faire Symmetrie of outward parts The giver great to ingage by great desarts Infused hath into thy childrens wit Wisdome and courage best to mannage it Nor wast thou Barb'rous or Indisciplin'd For had thy Eare unto its good inclind Thy Country Prophetisse fore-told thee how Hell and its wrath by Christ to disavow Since which thy Sages Kings or more than Kings If I mistake thee not their Offerings Unto my Infant God humbly present O Faith exceeding almost Faiths extent But now this Light of lights on Earth did shine See how thy Vertues retrograde decline Holy Thaddaeus whom Saint Thomas sent To cure thy King thy Flamens did present With hellish torments and with like foule hands Symon the Cananyt's good newes withstands In after times thy Cozrhoe Persia made A pond of Christian blood Nor here thou staid But in dislike of christ th' Arabian Theife Thou choose to be thy unlearned Judge and Cheife Hence hence proceed those grosse Impieties Which swallow'd greedily delight thine Eyes Blood-shed and lust the foulest out of kind Which my chast Muse is fear'd to name the rind Thou only keeps of zealous awe the heart Is foule defil'd for so thou learnd'st the Art Of lust and pride from thy curst Mahomet Whose thoughts unbounded all on Thrones was set Nor did his Successors as Prophets live But one another murdered All did grieve At Neighbours Diadems The God of Peace For those thy sinnes thy power will sure decrease And thou that oft hast felt a forrain power Once more maist feele a Scithyc race so sower That all the World shall know how greatest Kings Are thrall to change as well as weaker things FINIS LIBRI SECUNDI THE THIRD BOOKE LEt 's now abroad againe and see what Observations wee can make in the Ilands circumjacing Orientall Indya than which the world has none richer pleasanter or every way more excellent To encompasse it we must to Sea againe for without such helps there is but little travelling Apr. 13. We took ship at Swalley when being three or foure leagues off at Sea the wind came faire and made the liquid billowes swell so advantagiously that next day wee lost sight of many pretty marittim Townes at this day owned by the Portugall namely Gundavee Daman St. Iohn de Vacas Chowl Dabul c. most of them subjected by Don Albuquerq ' about the yeare after th'incarnation of our Saviour 1512 Dabul Dunga of old excepted which yeelded to the mercie of Symon Andradius Governour of Choul from whom 't was rapt by the Decanees but by that made a Basis of greater calamity For Almeyda some few yeares after by stratagem recovered and burnt it to the ground but by command of the Goan Vice-roy 't was repaired repopulated and stood victorious till Captaine Hall if I mistake not the mans name about nine yeeres agoe forced it and made th' insulting Portugall know how their bravadoes to the English were no way formidable The South point of DABUL has Artick Elevation 17 deg 35 minuts Dabul variation West 15 degrees 34 minuts It once obeyed the Monarch of Decan but at this day the Lusitanian 'T is seated at the foot of a high but pleasant mountaine whence distills a sweet rivolet beyond measure usefull in those torryd Clymats the Road gives reasonable good Anchorâ—ge The Towne it selfe is beautifull to such as view it at distance the houses are low thick and tarras't at the top serving both to lenifie the scorching flames of wanton Phaeton and to resist the quick and subtill rage of Hyem's icyles an old Castle and a few Temples or Monasteries are all she boasts of the Buzzar or Forum is but ordinarie the streets narrow are nor is her mart now notable Surat and Cambya to the North Goa and Calicuth to the South so much eclipsing her that she condoles with other her disconsolate neighbours and acknowledges a secret destinie change in Townes as well as other temporaries CHOUL in Ptolmyes dayes call'd Comane if Castaldus guesse right is subject to like varietie it is removed from the Aequi-noctiall 18 degrees 30 minuts North and was ravisht from the Emperiall Dyadem of Decan or Decanory by Almeyda that ambitious Portugall in the yeare of our redemption 1507 and in which to perpetuate his Conquest hee erected a gallant Fort or Bulwark planted it with Cannon a Castle also no lesse fortified so terrible to the Indyans as they have forborne to make them rore doubting the very clamour may undoe them The Inhabitants are a few melancholy but lustfull Portugalls and some peacefull crafty Bannyans it affoords naught else to be spoken on in this place The Expedition bearing up to speak with us both ships fell foule to speak in Neptunes language or thwart one anothers houlses by which mischance her bole-sprit gave our mizzen shrouds a churlish kisse but by a happy gale parted without farther inconvenience After five dayes sayle wee were Nadyr to the Sunne at that instant in our Verticé or Zenyth his declination then being just fifteene degrees
structure and daily served by a multitude of hellish Priests or Bonzees not admitted to attend there except they be young well shap't and as strong in venerie as was Hercules Every new Moon they solemnly betroth unto the Devill a Damosell whose Parents account the ceremonie happie and honourable if any be more faire or singular than another shee is selected by the lustfull Priests devoted and brought into the Temple and placed right against the Mamada or Idoll the roome is first made glorious with Lamps of burnisht gold and a preparation by incendiating Lignum vitae or other gums and perfumes such as be curious and costly by and by the Lamps extinguish by myracle and in a grosse darknesse the Prince of darknesse approaches and abuses her so shee imagines and the rather credited in that the Devill leaves behind him certaine scales like those of fishes an argument of no phantasma but by this hellish conjunction they swell not unlesse the Bonzee second it Sathan is no sooner gone but she is saluted by the Bonzees who ravish her with songs and pleasant musique which ended shee acquaints them with her fortune and resolves them in such questions as she by their instruction propounded to the Devill and he had satisfied her in shee issues with applause and ever after is reputed holy and honourable many other things I could present you from tradition but I avoyd as much as may be to insert incertainties from hence therefore faile wee West and land in Chyna where though the travaile be difficult yet suffer me to glean a little though it but expresse my industrie and care to offer you the truest Novelties Of China CHINA is the most Easterly part of Asia A Kingdome both great and wealthie famous also but scarce discovered Their jealousie and discourtesie to strangers they suffer any to enter none to returne chiefly causes it It is subject to many severall names scarce any two strange people accord in one Nomenclation and no wonder since amongst themselves they affect variety the Kings new naming the whole Kingdome at their Coronation as they fancie it Ptolomy long agoe call'd it Sinarum Regio other Geographers Seres the Moores in Industant call it Cathayo the Arabians T'synin the Syamites Cyn the Malayans Tabenzo the Japonites Thau and T'syn the Tattarrs Ham Alhacen Tangis Paulus Venetus Mangi the Inhabitants if Perera Riccius and Trigautius say true Tamen and themselves Tamegines But how various soe're that be this is not uncertaine that it is a very spatious Monarchie for it extends from 17 deg to 43 of North Latitude and to the South Cantam to the North Pequin two royall Cities seeme to terminate it But thus confined On the East it has the Sea of Iapan Corea is part of China no Ile but to the North conjoyned with the Continent On the West the Desarts of Industant On the North the Tattars On the South the Phillipinae Iles and the South West adjoyneth to Cochyn-China and Pegu with part of Siam All agree that it is square and that from any one side to another is 1500 English miles the circuit above 4000. the Country is generally champaign fruitfull full of sweet and navigable rivers and which are no lesse inhabited than the Villages and Cities be of which China has no fewer than 600 Cities 2000 wall'd Townes 4000 unwalled 1000 Castles and of Villages scarce to be numbred and many they had need to be since they give lodging to above threescore millions of men and boyes besides women which be not inrolled The whole Empire is divided into fifteene great Provinces governed by so many Quon-fu and Lausia who have their Tutans and Chyans or Deputies under them Each of those Provinces has a Metropolis full of people fairely built and very spatious But every way more excellent than the rest are these foure Paquin by some called Pasquin Nanquin or Nanton Cantam or Canton and Quinsay by them called Ham-ceu of which foure at this day Paquin is chiefe or Emperiall PAQVIN elevates the North Pole 41 degr 15 minutes and by late Geographers is accounted that same Citie which some call Cambalu watered by Polisanga and China then must bee Cathaya yea if Pantoja and Di Canti say true the Chyna Monarch is that same great Cam which M. P. Venetus and Mandevile afore him have famoused The Citie Pequin is questionlesse the most spatious and best peopled in Asia if not in the world since it has 30 Duch leagues ninety English miles circumference it includes many stately buildings and Mausoleas 24000 are numbered of the Mandarins Sepulchers the meanest of which is not without beauty and a no lesse number of little guilded Chappell 's beside 3800 Temples devoted to Idolatry It has as many Gates Posterns as be dayes in a yeer sixscore Buzzars or Market-places above a thousand Bridges of stone and such water as is every where potable This City is not above a hundred miles from that marvellous wall which Crisnagol their King Zaintzon the 117 King some say built 1000 yeeres ago to keep out the invading Tartarr a wall 1200 miles long six fathoms high twelve yards thick and such as was seven and twenty yeeres erecting by a continued labour of 750000 men NANQVIN the second Citie for grandeur and bravery till of late was the China Metropolis It elevates the Artick Pole 32 degr and is distant from the Sea 8 leagues or there abouts The City is 12 leagues about circled with three strong walls and ditches the Kings Pallace is glorious and vast the other buildings many for 200000 are reckned but meanly beautifull the Temples are above a thousand the streets fayre the people industrious from Paquin removed East six hundred miles English most part of the way is navigable CANTAM is at the South end of China in 17 deg a Towne both rich and spatious our Ships came almost in view of it from it to Paquin is two months travell QVINZAY or Ham-ceu borders Cochin-China of old the greatest at this day the most admirable for variety of antick rarities in the Orient These bee the most noted but many other great and populous Cities this great Empire conteineth generally of one shape and alike governed None be without their Meani or Temples fild with Deastri or Idols The Countrey is generally champaign and fruitfull the husbandmans care and paines make it to fructifie and repay its thanks in various tribute each Province there is well watered and few of those rivers but abound in fish which the Chyneses not only banquet on but on Frogs Snakes Rats Dogs Hogs and such food as many other Nations abhominate they fish with Cormorants The people are Olive coloured more black or white as they vary from the Aequinoctiall they weare their haire very long and fillited their eyes are commonly black their noses little their eyes small their beards deformedly thin and nailes often times as long as their fingers serving as a mark to distinguish the
take them for those the Romans call'd Crocutae the Greeks Alopecidae or Lyciscae Multum latrante Lycisca and are either an unnaturall mixture of a Bitch and Fox or doggs from Europe by diversity of ayre and soile varying in specie from what they were formerly observ'd in other things the Indian Ounces what be they but extract from Cats of Europe Spanish doggs in new Spaine in the second litter doe they not become Wolves good Melons being also transplanted into a base and barren ground turne quickly to ordinary Cowcumbers Fourteene dayes are past since we entred Gombroon the place has no such Magick to perswade us to inhabit here Our end is travell why stay we then sure wee were stayed three dayes by the Sultans superstition who upon casting the Dice if the chance prov'd right would let us goe if wrong nigro carbone notatus The foure and twentieth day the Die was right and wee were mounted our little Carravan consisted of twelve horse and 29 Camells the English Agent and other of our owne and some Dutch Merchants attended our Ambassadour a league out of the Towne where the Sultan met us who well pleas'd with the Piscash or Present our Ambassador had given him payed us all a hundred Sallams and Tesselams that is God speed you well God keepe you And lifting up his eyes to heaven his hands to his breast and bending almost unto his stirrop once more bad farewell so returned His men he all the way back played at Giochi di Canni darting at one another very dexterously Wee heard the King was solacing at the Caspian Sea whither now wee are travelling Till then let us keepe an Ephemerides or day-journey The first night from Gumbroon wee rode to Bandally sixteene English miles and most part along the gulph or to compute it in the Persian tongue five farsangs and a halfe a farsang Pliny calls it a parasang which containes thirty stades or foure Italian miles is three of ours or a Dutch league in names only different At Band Ally we found a neat Carravans-raw or Inne the Turks call them Imareths the Indians Sarrays built by mens charity to give all civill passengers a resting place gratis to keepe them from the injury of theeves beasts weather c for through all Asia we find no other receptories nor provision save what we carry along and Kitchin utensils to dresse it in also wee have our water usually in Tancks or Store-houses some made long some round pav'd below above archt and plaistered fill'd by the beneficiall raynes springs are rarely found which albeit the clouds seldome here distill their happy moisture they somtimes breake and then in churlish sort diffude to some purpose for falling in Cattaracts they quickly fill their gaping Jarrs and Cesterns Next night wee got to Gacheen five farsangs further the third night to Cowrestan seven next to Tanghy-Dolon i. e. a narrow way praise-worthy in her Lodge or Carravans-raw but especially in the sweet Crystallin water wee found there It issues from a mighty mountain three miles East thence and in an Aquae-duct sports wantonly to this Tanck whose over plus is received by another Pipe laid in an artificiall way cut marvellously through the bottome of an adjoyning rockie hill into a large Pond which richly mellowes all the Vally resembling Tempe and Town call'd Dolon surrounded with studpendious hills on every side so perpendicular as with few men may bee made impregnable a solitary place it is but exceeding pleasant when from the hill tops wee dazell our sights in view of that sandy stony sterill Desert That dayes journey was foure farsangs Our next daies travell was to Whormoot eleven farsangs thirty three miles where we found a black pavillion in it three old Arabians who out of their Alcoran ingeminated a dolefull requiem to their Brothers carcasse over which they sat their lookes were clouded with pathetick sadnesse their cheekes bedewed with briny teares intending after the Jewish mode Septem ad luctum to solemnise his farewell seven daies singing sighing weeping In teares we finde content For griefe would break our hearts without a vent Est quaedam flere voluptas Expletur lachrimis egeriturque Dolor Nigh Whormoot are Duzgun Laztan-De and other Townes where is got the best Assa-Faetida through all the Orient the tree is like our brier in height the leaves resemble Fig leaves the root the Radish the vertue had need be much it stincks so odiously But though the savour bee so base the sapor is so excellent that no meat no sauce no vessell pleases the Guzurats pallat save what relishes of it Next night we got to Our-mangell five and next day to Larr two miles short of which old City the Cawzy Calantar and other of the prime Citizens welcomed us with wine and other adjuncts of complement Wee had not rode halfe a mile further when loe an antick Persian out of a Poetick rapture clamored out a song of welcome the Epilog was resounded upon kettle Drums Timbrells and Barbarrous Jingle-jangling instruments a homely Venus attired like a Bacchanell attended by many other morisdancers begun to caper and frisk their best lavoltoes every limb strove to exceed each other the Bells brasse Cimbals kettle musick and whistles storming such a Phrygick discord that to consort we might squeak'out Their rustick pipes did jarre with notes that horrid are Barbaraque horribili stridebat tibia cantu For Bacchus then seemed alive agen glasse bottles emptied of wine clashing one against another the roaring of 200 Mules and Asses and continuall shooting and whooping of above two thousand Plebeians all the way so amazed us that wee thought never any civill strangers were bombasted with such a Triumph the noyse that Vulcan and all his Cyclops make were not comparable to these Mymallonians But his quoque finem wee got with much adoe to our lodging infinitly wearied for my owne part I was somewhat deafe three dayes after LARR is a City and Province in Persia on the North limited with Parc or Pharsistan on the East with Carmoan or Carmania has the Persian gulph to the South and to the West Chusistan or Susiana a region a thousand miles in circuit barren and flaming hot full of sand stones a few Date trees Mines and sulphur The City Lar is in the navell of Larestan and raises the North pole seven and twenty degrees and forty minutes some have more twenty eight degrees and thirtie minutes in longitude from the cape Meridian ninty degrees a very old City it is if call'd Laodicaea by Antiochus as Pinetus thinkes in Phrygia and Coelosyria were Townes of the same name in Ptolomy Procopolis by another Greek Corrha after that and now Lar or Laar as some pronounce it a name given her foure hundred yeeres ago by Laarge-beg sonne of Phiroe and grandsonne to Pilaes after whom ruled Gorgion Melec of whom their Cabala feigns wonders to whom followed eighteen Kings of whom Ebrahim-cawn was last subjected Anno hegirae