horses mules and cammels in another place carpets garments and felts of all sorts and in another all kind of fruits as Muske-mellons Anguries Pomegranates Pistaches Adams apples Dates Grapes and Raisons dried in the Sun In this place do sit daily twelue Sheraffes that is men to buy sell Pearle Diamonds and other pretious stones and to exchange gold siluer to turne Spanish dollers to great aduantage into Persian coyne and to change the great peeces of the Persian coyne as Abbasses Larines and such like into certain brasse monies for the poore They wil also lend vpon any pawne that with as great interest as our diuellish Brokers and Scriueners take in London Finally the strength of this Citie consisteth not in walles and bulwarkes but in the souldiers that are continually maintained in and about this Citie for out of Casbin and the villages belonging vnto the same are maintained twentie thousand souldiers on horsebacke howsoeuer in this kings fathers time were leuied but twelue thousand Two places neere to this Citie are very remarkable the one is the Citie Ardouil the other Giland Ardouil is a Citie foure daies iourney from Casbin and two from Soltania A Citie of great importance where Alexander the great did keepe his Court when he inuaded Persia. It is a towne much esteemed and regarded by reason of the sepulchers of the kings of Persia which for the most part lie there intombed and so is growne a place of their superstitious deuotion as also because it was the first place which receiued the Persian sect wherein Giâ—â—â— the first Authour thereof did reside and raigne A sect or superstition very commodious to the Christian Commonwealth because it hath bred great contentions and warre among the Mahumetane nations which before were so vnited together by Mahomets deuice that they seemed to be more then friends and in league one with another The Author of this nouelty was as we said before one Giuni a man well descended among the Persians who contemning al worldly honour râ—ches pleasure as meere vanities trifles led such an austere kind of life with such coÌ„tinency contempt of the world as that the vulgar people began to haue the man in singular admiration for the opinion they had conceiuâ—d of his vpright life rare vertues The fame of thiâ— new Prophet as so he was accounted was growne so great in the Persian kingdome that the people without number resorted out of all parts of Persia vnto the Citie Ardouil to see the man And he the more to seduce the people being by nature inconstant and superstitious began to perswade them that the three first successours of Mahomet were vniust and vnlawfull vsurpers of that dignitie and that iust Aly Mahomets sonne in law onely ought to be named the lawfull successour that he alone ought to be called vpon in their prayers for helpe and that all honours should be giuen to him and taken from Abubacher Omar and Ottaman as from persons that were vndoubtedly damned Finally he taught them onely to receiue the writings of Aly as of others most authenticall to reiect Abuchacher Omar and Ottaman with their writings as most wicked accuâ—sed whoÌ„ the Turks had euer and yet do honour worship as the true successors of their Prophet Mahomet and his sincere interpreters together with the aforesaid Aly whom the Persians do only acknowledge and therefore in their prayers doe commonly say Cursed be Abubachar Omar and Ottaman and God be fauorable to Aly and well pleased with him Which their difference about the true successor of their Prophet in whom was no â—ruth hath bene and yet is one of the greatest causes of the mortall warres betweene the Turkes and the Persians and not the diuers interpretation of their law as many haue written which among the Tuâ—ks and Persians is all one This superstition was first broached as we said by Giuni afterwards maintained by Sederdin after him by Giuni the second then by Haider Erdebil afterwards by Hysmael the great Sophy it increased wonderfully that Persia seemed to enuie the glory of Cyrus and Darius After the death of Hysmael it was maintained by King Tamas his sonne who raigned with lesse felicitie being much damnified by Solyman the Turkish Emperour After Tamas succeeded Aidere the second who raigned but certaine daies and houres and then followed Hismael the brother of Aidere who troubled all the Cities of his kingdome with manifold hurly-burlies after him Mahomet surnamed Codibanda this kings father more vnfortunate then all the rest and lastly the king that now is who by his valour hath so largely dilated the confines of his kingdome that it seemeth he hath as it were founded it anew The description of HIRCANIA THe other place neere to Casbin remarkable is the countrey of Gilan in the Prouince of Hircania very famous in antique time Sundry names are giuen vnto it by the Barbarians some call it Girgia or Corca from a certaine Citie which stood in the same others Straua from a part of this kingdome others Messandra as Minadoâ— Mercator calles it Diargument and in ancient time Hircania so much spoken of by the Poets for the huge woods and fierce Tygers that abound there Westward this kingdome bounds vpon Media Eastward on Margiana Southward on Parthia and the Coronian mountaines and Northward on the Caspian Sea The North part of this kingdome is ful of thick woods shadowiâ— gâ—ones wherein grow diuers sorts of trees but specially Câ—daâ—s Beeches and Oakes a fit harbour and shelter for Tygers Pantheâ—s and Pardies which wilde beasts make the passage in those places very dangerous but neere to the Sea side it is full of pasture and very delightfull by reason of the manifold sweete springs which issue out of the mountaine neere adioyning Many principall Cities are there in this countrey as Bestan Massandran Pangiazer Bachu and Gheilan Cities of such state and condition as deserue to haue a Gouernour of the same dignitie that the Bassa is with the Turkes Concerning Bachu it is a verie ancient hauen-towne very commodious for ships to harbour in as also profitable to vent commodities by reason that Ardouil Tauris Ere 's Sumachia and Derbent ly not many daies from thence Neere vnto this towne is a verie strange and wonderfull fountaine vnder ground out of which there springeth and issueth a maruellous quantitie of blacke Oyle which serueth all the parts of Persia to burne in their houses and they vsually carrie it all ouer the countrey vpon Kine and Asses whereof you shall oftentimes meete three or foure hundred in company Gheilan and the rest stand likewise altogether in traffick Gheilan being but foure easie daies trauell from Casbin and very neere vnto the Caspian Sea A Sea that is very commodious and profitable being in length two hundred leagues and in breadth an hundred and fiftie without any issue to other Sea to the East part of this Sea ioyneth
a man alwaies of great authoâ—ity Next vnto this order is another called Esahul to the number of a thousand distinguished also vnder particular Captaines and the chiefe Captaine is called Esahul-Bassa All these are maintained by certaine townes and villages which are feudataries to the crowne of Persia and they receiue at certaine times of the kings armour horses apparrell and tents euery one as he is in place and degree with this strong garrison is the King daily attended vpon and maintaineth the Maiestie of his Court especially when he rideth in prograce And for the gouernment of this Citie there is besides the King and the Prince twelue Sultanes but three especially are appointed by the King for the generall gouernement of the whole Empire hauing their seuerall distinct charges One hath the care of all martiall affaires throughout the kingdome and the other two receiue all the reuenewes keeping a iust account thereof which two we may call Treasurers Next vnto these are the Mordari two great Chancellors whose office is to write all orders commaundements and letters concerning the gouernment of the kingdome one of them keepeth the Seale and the other the Pen. Besides these there are two Caddi that is two Iudges who make answere and giue sentence onâ—ly in matters of controuersie and ciuill quarrels but as touching criminall causes they haue no further authority then to frame examinations of witnesses and to make declaration thereof which they call the Sygil and this Sygil they deliuer vp into the hands of the Sulâ—an that is either gouernour of the Citie or else of the Empire and he causeth execution to be done according to custome And looke as Hispaan is gouerned so other Cities haue the selfe same Magistrates all being at the kings disposition and appointment Concerning the Church gouernment there is in this Citie first the chiefe of the law whom they call the Mustaed-dini a wicked and prophane Priest and in the other subiect Cities are certaine peculiar heads obedient to this chiefe Priest who are not chosen and displaced at his pleasure as the popish Bishops are by the Pope but by the king himselfe who is not onely a King but a Priest as Mahomet and Aly were But to auoid trouble the King granteth that fauour and putteth ouer that burden from himselfe vnto others to whose iudgement he also referreth himselfe whensoeuer any consultation is touching their law or prophane superstition Vnder this great Priest are Califes and these doe daily execute seruice in the Moschees or Temples The chiefe of these Califes is he that putteth the horne vpon the Kings head when he is first inthronized A ceremony once performed in Cafe neere Babylon but since Solyman the Turkish Emperor won Assiria from the Persian it hath beene sometimes performed in Casbin and sometimes in Hispaan Finally the inhabitants of this City do much resemble the ancieÌ„t Parthians in diuers things but specially in their continuall riding They ride on horseback for the most part on horsback they fight with the enemy they execute all affairs as wâ—l publike as priuat on horsebacke they go from place to place on horseback they buy and sell and on horsebacke they conferre talke with one another and the difference betweene the Gâ—ntleman and the slaue is that the slaue neuer rideth nor the Gentleman neuer goeth on foote Besides the nature of this people is arrogant seditious deceitfull and very vnquiet but that the fiercenesse of their nature is much restrained by the kings seuere gouernement To sensuality they are much inclined hauing three sorts of women as they terme them viz. honest women halfe honest women and courtezans and yet they chastice no offence with like extremity as adultery and that as well in the halfe honest woman as in the honest Last of all they are full of craftie stratagems and are breakers of their promise a vice that is very inbred in all Barbarians Not content with any mans gouernement long and louers of nouelties For testimonie whereof wee may auouch those ancient poysonings wicked treacheries which were plotted not onely by subiectes against their soueraignes but also by children against their naturall parents for the name of father were in so small estimation with those fiftie sons of Artaxerxes that with one consent they all conspired to murther him The which monstrous impietie euer since hath beene practised in this nation sometimes the father with the children sometimes the children with the father and sometimes the children with one another For instance whereof we may take Abas that now reigneth who being gouernour of Heri whilst his father raigned did not onely conspire to haue his eldest brother Emirhamze the hopefullest Prince that euer was in Persia to be betraied into the hands of the Turkish generall in the yeare 1586 but also by force of money and gifts perswaded one of his owne Eunuches to kill him who was no sooner corrupted put his treason in practice and vpon a sodaine in the night time as he slept on his pallet stroke him through his bodie with a launce and so the most resplendent and bright shining Lampe that euer was in Persia was vtterly extinguished And not content with this impietie towards his brother did shortly after condescend as the full report goeth to haue his aged father Mahomet surnamed Codibanda poysoned without either regard of his fatherly maiestie or reuerence to age or naturall pietie that so he might ascend into the kingdome Infinite also are the calamities which he hath brought since he came to the crowne on the houses of the ancient Persian Nobilitie Notwithstanding howsoeuer by the shedding of much bloud he was saluted King vpon the death of his father yet hath he so carried the matter that now he is exceedingly beloued and honoured of his subiects in so much that when they will confirme any thing by solemne oathes they will sweare by the head of Abas the king and when they wish well to any man they vsually say King Abas grant thee they desire This Prince is verie absolute both in perfection of his bodie and his minde but that he is in religion a professed Mahumatine excellently composed in the one and honourablie disposed in the other Of an indifferent stature neither to high nor to low His countenance verie sterne his eyes fierce and piercing his colour swaâ—ffy his mustachees on his vpper lip long with his beard cut close to his chinne expressing his martiall disposition and exorable nature that at the first a man would thinke to haue nothing in him but mischiefe and crueltie And yet he is of nature courteous and affable easie to be seene and spoken withall his manner is to dine openly in the company of his greatest courtiers delighting much in hawking and hunting accompanied with his nobilitie and the Ambassadors of forraine Princes He will oftentimes runne leape and proue masteries with his chiefe courtiers being
perfections to which though they haue ascended gradatim yet they haue forthwith fallen into a retrograde of declination till they haue beene brought to the lowest degree which misery can allot So true is that of Seneca Nulla sors longa dolor voluptas Inuicem cedunt breuior voluptas Ima permut at breuis hora summis Nemo confidat nimium secundis Nemo desperet meliora lapsis No chance is long for griefe and eke delight By course giue place pleasure hath shorter flight An houre but shorâ— that presently doth end Doth make the lowest things aloft ascâ—nd Let none too much trust in a prosperous state Let none despaire but hope for better fâ—te For in this small discourse wee shall see how vnauoidable destruction doth alwaies attend on the succession of greatnesse and aduancement on the posterity of misery as also the sacking of many Cities the depopulating of the greatest Countries the deposing of Princes and high descended families of their liues together with their Crownes and Kingdomes and that in so short a time as neuer the like was executed in the antique world Two reasons haue moued me to set downe this Iournall The one for that I haue not yet seene any that hath made a full description of these parts as they are at this day which I hope shall be performed by my selfe who spent much time in those Countries being familiarly conuersant to helpe my knowledge herein with many Sultanes and principall Commanders in the Kingdome of Persia as also diuers Ianizaries who serued in the warres betweene the great Turke and the Persian The other is for that I doe verily perswade my selfe that this discourse will breede much delight vnto any indifferent Reader when hee shall vnderstand how mighty the forces are of the Persian King a capitall enemy of the name of Christ as also in what termes he standeth at this day with the great Turke what Kingdomes he possesseth what Prouinces are subiect vnto him his worship his religion his kinde of gouernment their weapons their manner of fight their forme of battell the reuennues and expences of that Crowne and in a word whatsoeuer else is necessary to be knowen Finally you haue here described the seueral Nations Situations Cities Riuers Mountaines and Prouinces which I haue seene and passed by It is not my purpose to write any thing of the Ilands in the Mediterranean-Sea which we sailed by and are so much renowmed in old writers viz. Maiorica and Minorica Corsica Sicilia Malta Cephalonia Zant Candia Rhodes and Cyprus howsoeuer many excellent things might be spoken of them yet seeing they are so well knowen to most of our nation I omit to write binding my selfe to a true relation of what mine eyes haue seene in more remote parts of the world not respecting the iudgement of the vulgars but contenting my selfe with the conscience of truth beside which I protest I purpose to write nothing The beginning of the trauell ANd first I will beginne at Alexandretta Alexandretta now called Scanderone is a roade in the bottom of the Mediterranean-Sea on the coast of Cilicia where our Merchants land their goods to be sent to Aleppo within eight miles of this roade is Tharsus the chiefe Citty of Cilicia and the Countrey of St. Paul the place also where King Salomon sent for great store of gold and other prouision for the building of the Temple whither the Prophet Ionas also sledde when he should haue gone to Nineuie A little from this Towne did Alexander the Great giue the ouerthrow in person to Darius in ioyning of their first battell together Lying at an Anchor in the aforesaid roade the space of two houres our Ianizaries with a sufficient guard and horses for our selues were ready to conduct vs vp to Aleppo and safe-guard vs as well aâ— they might from the dangers and euils which many times in the way doth befall passengers In our passage vp no matter of importance happened many false rumours of Theeues were diuulged by the Countrey people to affright vs but we by the assistance of God arriued in safety at Aleppo being some sixe miles before our approch to the Citty encountred by many of our English Merchants to giue vs the welcome on the Turkish shore After mutuall courtesies ended they accompanied vs into the City vnto the Consull Pallace where hauing dismounted our selues we were well entertained by Mr. Richard Colethrust worthy Consull then to our worthy English nation At whose charge and expences I abode two moneths and better all which time I fell into consideration not so much of the City as of the Prouince in which it standeth offering hereby vnto my selfe two things worthy obseruation The description of SYRIA FIrst the greatnesse of the Kingdome of Syria which confronteth East-ward on Mesopotamia South-ward on Arabia North-ward on Cylicia and Asia the lesse and West-ward on Tyre and Sydon and the bottome of the Mediterranean-Sea The other the diuision of the said Kingdome which deuideth it selfe into fiue notable Prouinces viz. Palestina Foenitia Celestria Syria and Camogena The last of which fiue is that part which runneth vp to the Riuer Euphrates and to the confines of Armenia in which standeth the great and wealthy City of Aleppo This Kingdome of Syria hath diuers Cities of importance but my purpose is to speake but of those which my Iournall leadeth me vnto and which my eyes haue seene viz. Tripolis Hamath Antioch and Aleppo The description of Tripolis TRipolis is a Towne which standeth vnder a part of Mount Lybanus two English miles distant from a certaine Port which trendeth in the forme of an halfe Moone hauing on the one side thereof fiue block-houses or small Forts wherein is very good Artillery and â—ept by an hundred Ianizaries This City is as great as Bristow and walled about the walles being of no great force The chiefest strength is a Citadell which standeth on the South side within the walles and ouer-lookes the whole Towne and is strongly kept with two hundred Ianizaries and good Artillery Through the midst of this City passeth a Riuer wherewith they water their Gardens and Mulbery trees in such sort that there grow on them abundance of silke wormes where with the Inhabitants makes great store of very white silke which is the chiefest naturall commodity in and about this place Finally this roade of Tarapolos or Trapolos commonly called Tripolis was more frequented before Scanderone was found out with all sorts of Christian Merchants as Venetians Genouis Florentines Marsilians Sicilians Raguses and English men then any other Port of the great Turks Dominions Some say that the Scale is againe translated from Scanderone thither but how true it is I leaue to the Merchants to report One inconuenience this Towne is subiect vnto for right before it toward the Sea is a banke of mouing sand which gathereth and increaseth with the Westerne winds in such sort that according to an old prophesie amongst them this banke is like
for age is ready to goe downe to his graue They doe adore and worship the Diuell to the end he may not hurt them or their cattell and very cruell are they to all sorts of Christians in which regard the Country which they inhabite is at this day termed Terra Diaboli the land of the Diuell They participate much of the nature of the Arabians and are as infamous in their Ladrocinies and robberies as the Arabians themselues They liue vnder the commandement of the great Turke but with much freedome and liberty For Selymus the second hauing a great multitude of them in his army against the Persians they did him little seruice performing no more then what well pleased themselues This theeuish company did sundry times arrest our Carauan affirming that their Prince had sent for a Dollor on a summe of goods without the payment whereof being fiue seuerall times demanded wee should not passe through their Countrey One Village of note is there in this Country wholly inhabited by the Curdies being fiue dayes iourney from Caraemit and three dayes iourney from Bitclish called by the Countrey people Manuscute This Towne is seated in a most fertile and fruitfull valley betweene two mountaines abounding with pasture and cattell and about a mile from it is an Hospitall dedicated to St. Iohn the Baptist which is much visited as well by Turkes as Christians who superstitiously affirme that whosoeuer will bestow either a Sheepe Kidde or some peece of money to releeue the poore of that place shall not only prosper in his iourney but obtaine forgiuenâ—sse of all his sinnes To the Gouernour of this Village we paied for our custome a Shaughee on a summe of goods and so were dismissed The next day following wee passed ouer many craggy and steepe mountaines and at the last rested our selues and wearied beasts on the banke of Euphrates being the outmost bounds on this side of Mesopotamia and so entred the day following on the borders of Armenia the Great which is by some distinctly deuided into three parts the North part whereof being but little is called Georgia the middle part Turcomania and the third part by the proper name of Armenia The description of ARMENIA ARmenia was founded by Armenius one of the companions of Iason who wonne the golden Fleece at Colchos for after Iason was dead Armenius hauing gathered together a great multitude of people and wandering vp and downe the Countrey in the end hee founded the Towne of Armenia neere vnto the mountaines out of which the Riuer Tygris springeth constituting many good and wholsome lawes whereby from time to time the Countrey of Armenia was gouerned by Kings of their owne Nation vntill such time as the house of the Ottamans subdued the same It is now called Turcomania and was the first seate of the Turkes after their first comming out of Scythia who left their naturall seates in that cold and bare Countrey to seeke themselues others in more pleasant and temperate Countries more Southerly stirred vp no doubt by the handâ— of the Almighty who being the Authour of all Kingdomes vpon earth as well of those which hee hath appointed as scourges wherewith to punish the world as others more blessed This people thus stirred vp and by the Caspian ports passing through the Georgian Countrey then called Iberia neere vnto the Caspian Sea first ceased vpon this part of Armenia and that with so strong an hand that it is by their posterity yet holden at this day and of them called Turcomania of all other the most true progeny of the Turkes These Turcomanes of a long time vnder their diuers leaders in the manner of their liuing most resembling their ancestours did roame vp and downe with their families and heads of cattell after the manner of the Scythian Nomades their Countrey men without certaine places of aboade yet at great vnity amongst themselues as not hauing much to loose or wherefore to striue This people did not only notably defend this Countrey thus by them at the first possessed but still incroched farther and farther and gayning by other mens harmes became at length dreadfull vnto their neighbours and of some fame also farther off Whereunto the effeminate cowardise of those delicate people of Asia with whom they had to doe gaue no lesse furtherance then their owne valour being neuerthelesse an hardy rough people though not much skilfull or trained vp in the feates of warre But to leaue these Turcomanes for a while wee will returne where we left This Countrey of Armenia hath for it vtmost bounds northward Colchos Iberia and Albania all which are now called by the Tartars Comania Colchos was that famous Prouince so much spoken of by the Poets for the fable of Medea and Iason and the golden Fleece the inhabitants now are called Mengrellians a Nation most barbarous and sauage selling their Sonnes and Daughters to the Turkes for litle or nothing Iberia is now called Georgia and Albania Zuiria Westward it confronts vpon Euphrates and Armenia the lesse Southward on Mesopotamia with that which the Curdies inhabit and Eastward on the Riuer Araxis which watereth the South part of Armenia and almost diuideth from Georgia A dâ—scription of the people of Armenia as they are at this day AT our first entrance into this Countrey we trauelled through a goodly large and spacious plaine compassed about with a row of high mountaines where were many Villages wholly inhabited by Armenians a people very industrious in all kinde of labour their women very skilfull and actiue in shooting and managing any sort of weapon like the fierce Amazones in antique time and the women at this day which inhabit the mountaine Xatach in Persia. Their families are very great for both Sonnes Nephewes and Nieces doe dwell vnder one roofe hauing all their substance in common and when the father dyeth the eldest Sonne doth gouerne the rest all submitting themselues vnder his regiment But when the eldest Sonne dyeth thâ— gouernment doth not passe to his sonnes but to the eldest brother And if it chance to fall out that all the brethren doe die then the gouernment doth belong to the eldest Sonne of the eldest brother and so from one to another In their dyet and cloathing they are all fedde and cladde alike liuing in all peace and tranquility grounded on true loue and honest simplicity To discourse how populous this nation is at this day is needlesse since they inhabit both in Armenia the greater and Armenia the lesse as also in Cilicia Bithinia Syria Mesopotamia and Persia. Besides the principall Cities of the Turkish Empire be much appopulated with them as Brusia Angori Trabisonda Alexandria Grand-Caire Constantinople Cassa Aleppo Orpha Cara-â—mit Van and Iulpha Some of this nation affirmed vnto vs that the chiefest cause of their great liberty in the Ottoman Kingdome is for that certaine of their Kings bare great affection and loue vnto Mahomet their lewde Prophet in
subiect and tributary to the Scepter of Persia and contrariwise both by nature and affection great enemies to the Turke This Towne was much indangered in the warres betwixt Amurat the great Turke and Mahomet Codibanda the Persian King ready to bee swallowed vp of both One while the Bassae of Reiuan on the great Turkes behalfe made an inrode vpon them with a thousand and fiue hundred Harquebusiers whom they were faine to pacifie with a very bountifull present excusing themselues that if they had beene backward in bringing vnto him their voluntary tributes it was done for feare least they should haue fallen into the displeasure of Mahomet Codibanda their King who no doubt if heâ— should haue vnderstood any such matter would haue been ready to destroy their Countrey and depriue them of their liberty and liues The Bassae was no sooner departed with this answere and their present but forth with Aliculi-cham was sent by the Persian King with three thousand Souldiers and with this direction that if the country were subdued by the Turks he should fight against it and if it had voluntarily yeelded it selfe vnto them hee should not only recouer it but also burne it and bring away all the chiefe men of the Countrey for prisoners and slaues To auoide which danger these poore Chiulfalini were glad to present the Persian Prince with greater and more liberal gifts then they did their enemy Bassae Thus these miserable people in the midst of armes and squadrons of the enemy were constrained what with presents and what with lies notably to preserue their liberties and their liues in safety Within a dayes iourney and halfe of this Towne is the Chalderan plaines memorable for the battell fought there on the seuenth day of August in the yeare 1514. betweene the two great Emperours Ismael King of Persia and Selymus the first Emperor of the Turkes In which battell Selymus lost aboue thirty thousand men amongst whom was Cassan-Bassae his great Lieutenant in Europe seauen Sanzacks with the two Malcozzian brethren who labouring the one to rescue the other were both together staine Besides his common foot-men of whom he made least reckoning he lost most part of his Illirian Macedonian Seruian Eâ—irot Thessalonian and Thracian horse-men the vndoubted flower and strength of his army which were in that mortall battell almost all slaine and grieuously wounded And certainly had it not beene for the Turkes great Artillery Ismael with his thirty thousand horse-men had ouerthrowne Selymus with his three hundred thousand Turks But Selymus reseruing all his great Ordonance at his last refuge caused it to bee discharged by violence whereof such slaughter was made as well of his owne men as of his enemies mingled together what for dust what for smoke and thundering of the Artillery hauing on both sides almost lost the vse of sight and hearing and â—â—eir horses being so terrified with the thundering report of the great Ordonance that they were not now to be managed the battell was broken off and the victory yet doubtfull In the end Hismael had the worst and was put to flight by reason that the Persian horses had neuer beene vsed to the noise and thundering of the artillery which they could not abide to heare The Turkish stories to expresse the terrour of this day number it amongst their dismall daies terming it the only day of doome The manner of this battel is painted in the Counsell chamber at Venice and is reported that Selymus the great Turke caused it so to bee done and sent it to the Senate there At Chiulfal we staied eight dayes and passed againe the Riuer Araxis leauing the noble Kingdome of Armenia â—alled now Turcomania because of the Turcomanes a people that came out of Scythia as before wee noted who liue as sheepheards in their tents but the natiue people giue themselues to husbandry and other manuall sciences as working of Carpets and fine Chamlets Wee were no sooner ouer but wee entred into Media which by some is deuided into Media Atropatia and Media the Great The description of MEDIA ATROPATIA MEdiae Atropatia is called by the Hebrewes Madian but now it is termed Sâ—ruan or Seruania The bounds of this Kingdome Northwards are the Albanians and a little beyond them some wandering and vagabond Tartars called Pericorschi betweene Caucasus and the Riuer Volga whereupon it may be that the Tartarians are comprehended vnder the name of Volcenses Eastward the lake as Polycletes terme it or rather as other call it the Sea of Corazan viz. the Caspian Sea Southward on Armenia and more towards the South and South-cast Media the great The whole countrey is very fruitfull and watered with the Riuer Araxiâ— and Cirus and other Riuers that are famous euen in antique Writers Diuers Cities are there in this Kingdome but my purpose is to speake only of those which we saw in these parts viz. Sumachia Derbent Sechi Ere 's and Aras Sumachia is the Metropoliticall City of Sirâ—an and lyeth betweene Derbent and Ere 's where the Kings of Siruan vsed to keepe their great and sumptuous Courts chiefly inhabited by Armenians and Georgians In this City our English Merchants did traffique much and had an house giuen them by Obdowlocan in the yeare 1566. as reuerend Mr. Hackluit doth relate who then raigned there vnder the Persian King In this City wee saw the ruines of a most cruell and barbarous spectacle that is to say a turret erected with free stone and flints in the midst of which flints were placed the heads of all the Nobility and Gentry of that Countrey which fell out on this occasion This Countrey of Siruan in time past was of great renowme hauing many Cities Townes and Castles in it the Kings thereof being of great power able to wage warre with the Kings of Persia but through their diuersity in religion the Persian made a conquest of them razing downe to the ground their Cities Townes and Castles that they should not rebell and also putting to death their Nobility and Gentry and for the greater terrour of the people placed their heads in the foresaid Turrer About a mile distant from this Towne is the ruines of an old Castle once esteemed to be one of the strongest Castles in the world and was besieged by Alexander the Great a long time before hee could winne it And a little further off was a Nunnery most sumptuously builded wherein was buried as they told vs the body of Ameleke Canna the Kings Daughter who slew her selfe with a knife for that her Father would haue forced her shee professing chastity to haue marryed with a Prince of Tartary vppon which occasion the Virgins of this Countrey doe resort thither once a yeare to lament her death This City is distant from the Caspian Sea with Camels seauen dayes iourney and from Derbent sixe dayes iourney It was in the yeare 1578. yeelded vp vnto Mustaffa the Generall of the Turkish army without resistance who presently
condescend affirming that there was none but Iewes and Christians vnder his conduct and withall bestowed on him a bountifull present of two hundred and fiftie dollors which was leuied amongst vs. By this time we came to the full borders and outmost bounds then of the great Turkes dominion so farre as the Othoman Empire on this side doth extend and so entred into the territories of the Persian King both which are deuided by the high mountaine Duzâ—m and by a pretie riuer that runneth at the foote thâ—reof This night we rested at a Persian village called Darnah much ruinated but seated in a very delightfull place both for springs of water â—nd plentie of all things For heere we bought foure hens for fiue pence a kid for ten pence and thirtie egs for two pence From Darnah we spent three daies further to Soltania a very ancient Citie trauelling by many Persian villages and finding euery man at his labour and neighbour with neighbour going from one towne to another which bred much contentment and made vs wonder at the great peace tranquilitie which the commons of Persia liue in aboue the commons of Turkie The ruines of many faire Christian Churches we beheld but not without pitie built all with great arches and high towers lauorated with gold and other rich paintings to the beautifying of the same And verily I take them to be those Churches which Cosroâ— King of Persia destroyed who being in a battell discomfited fought betweene him and Heraclius the â—mperour reaked his teene and malice on the Christian Churches throughout his dominions The description of Soltania AT Soltania we safely arriued This Citie is called by Ptolome Heraclea but by others Tigranocerta because of the wonderfull ruine of the huge buildings and was in times past one of the royall seates of the Persian Kings but it was much ruinated by the Scythian Tamerlane when with a world of people he ouerran these countries it retaineth now no shew of the ancient majestie but onely in the Churches by him spared This desolate towne is on euery side enuironed with huge mountaines whose tops are to be seene a far off alwaies couered with deep snowes called in ancient time Nyphates Caspius Coathras Zagras taking their beginning no doubt of Cancasus the father of mountaines which ioyning one to another some one way some another doe deuide most large and wide countries Before this towne lieth a very great and spacious plaine memorable for that dreadful horrible tempest which fell on Solyman the Turkish Emperour and his whole armie in the yeare 1534. For whilest he lay incamped in these plaine fields with his Army there fell downe such an horrible and cruell tempest from the mountains as the like whereof the Persians had neuer seene before at that time of the yeare being in the beginning of September and that with abundance of rain which froze so eagerly as it fel that it seemed the depth of Winter had euen then of a sodaine beene come in for such was the rage of the blustering windes â—triuing with themselues as if it had beene for victory that they swept the snow from the toppe of those high mountaines and cast it downe into the plaines in such aboundance that the Turkes lay as men buried aliue in the deepe snow most part of their tents being ouerthrowne beaten downe to the ground with the violence of the tempest and weight of the snow wherein a wonderfull number of sicke souldiers and others of the baser sort which followed the campe perished and many other were so benummed some their hands some their feete that they lost the vse of them for euer most part of their beasts which they vsed for carriage but specially their camels were frozen to death Neither was there any remedie to be found for so great mischiefes by reason of the hellish darknesse of that tempestuous night most of their fires being put out by the extremitie of the storme which did not a little terrifie the superstitious Turkes as a thing accounted of them ominous Many of the Turkes vainely thought that this horrible tempest was brought vpon them by the charmes and inchantments of the Persian Magitians whereas it was vndoubtedly by the hand of God which bringeth the proud deuises of Princes to nought The description of Casbin FRom Soltania we spent foure daies trauell to Casbin passing by many villages where we paid a Shaughee a peece to the Beg or gouernour of the village not as a custome but as a free gratâ—ity and so entred into the territories of Casbin a Citie very wealthy by reason of the Kings Pallace the great concourse of merchants which resort thither It was in ancient time called Arsacia as in Strabo but now termed Casbin which in the Persian language signifieth chastisement or a place of punishment because the kings were wont to banish or confine such persons as for their offences and misdemeanours had deserued such chastisement This Citie is seated in a goodly fertile plaine of three or foure daies iourney in length furnished with two thousand villages to serue the necessary vses thereof but euill builded for the most part all of bricks not hardened with fire but onely dried in the Sunne as are most parts of the buildings of all Persia. It is now one of the seates of the Persian Kings Empire which was translated by King Tamas this kings Grandfather from Tauris who built one goodly Seraglio for himselfe and another for his women and hath beene euer since continued by his successors though the king that now raigneth make most of his abode in Hispaan fourteene daies iourney farther towards the East There are three places in the Citie most of note viz. the Kings Pallace the Bassars and the At-Maidan The gate of the kings Pallace is built with stone of diuers colours and verie curiously ennameled with gold on the seeling within is carued the warres of the Persian Kings and the sundrie battels sought by them against the Turks and Tartars the pauements of the roomes beneath and chambers aboue are spread with most fine carpets wouen and tessuted with silke and gold all ensignes and monuments of the Persian greatnesse There is likewise in this Citie sundrie Bassars where in some you may buy Shasses and Tulipants and Indian cloth of wonderfull finenesse in others silkes of all sorts as Veâ—uets Damasks cloth of Gold and Siluer in others infinite furres as Sables and Martine out of Muscouia and Agiam furres brought from Corassan In a word euery speech hath a seuerall science or trade wherein is sold whatsoeuer is fit and necessary for the vse of man The At-Maidan is the high speech or chiefe market place in this Citie and is foure-square containing in a circuit verie neere a mile and serues as a Bursse for all sorts of Merchants to meete on and also for all others to sell whatsoeuer commodities they possesse so that in one place is selling of
or Persia with the Caramanian desert as also the Kingdome of Lar which frontiers on Ormuz Prouinces so great and large that in ancient times were able with their multitudes to couer the face of the earth and to drinke the â—iâ—â—ers drie And to make himselfe more strong within the bowels of his kingdome he hath subdued the Turcoman nation that were rebellious in his fathers time as also he hath ruinated the houses of most of his ancient nobilitie as of late Amet-chan Lord of Gheilan Rustâ—n Mâ—râ—ze the King of Candahar Emir-Miran the â—ord of Iest and Ebrain-chan the gouernour of Lar who would neuer in his fathers time Mahomet-Codibanda send in their aide against the cruell enâ—mies â—f their common liberty but impeach and molest their soueraigne as much as they could leauing many times the poore King to escape with his life But now the King hath drawne all the aforementioned prouinces into his owne possâ—ssion and is able to carry all his force clâ—ere without interruption which at the least may be two hundred thousand strong and better And for his souldiers they are for the most parâ— very valorous and noble which bâ—ing compared with the Turâ—ish people who foâ— the most parâ— are very â—â—scall of vile race are by good right very highly to be esteemed For the naked Turkish horse-man is not to be compared with the Persian mâ—n at aâ—mes who comes into the field armed with a strong Cuiras a sure head peece and a good target whereas the Turkish Europeian hoâ—sâ—men altogether naked vse only a square or crooked buckler wherewith they doe scarcely couer themselues and the Asian horsemen bucklers maâ—e of soft reeds wound round and couered with some kinde of silke Againe the Persian horseman weareth his poudrons and gantlets and beareth a staffe of good Ash armed at both ends fighting with them as occasion serueth at the staffe after the manner of the Numidâ—ans and with doubling and redoubling their often thrust from on high doe easily wound or kill the vnarmed Turks with their horses whereas the Turkâ—sh horseman after the manner of the Grecians doe couch their staues in their rest and so that the first course most commonly break the same being made of light and brittle fire and so presently come to their scimaâ—ars or horseman mace being in all other things farre inferiour to the Persian man at armes And for the Turkish archers on horsebacke they are in no respâ—ct to be compared with the Persians who are well mounted and surely aâ—med vsing both greater and stronger bowes and shoote more deadly arrowes making small account of the Turkes So that all things well consiâ—ered the Persian is now able to deale in field with the great Turke hauing both numbers of souldiers good store of shot and other warlike furniture as also which is the chiefest stay of a state obedience of his subiects And verily when Persia was at the weakest had not the Turkish Emperours Selymus Solyman and Amurat beene allured either by treason rebellion or intestine discordes they would neuer haue taken that warre in hand And so much of the Persians forces And as for the miserable thraldome that the poore Christians doe endure vnder the Turkish tyranny we thanks be giuen vnto God in these Northerne parts of the world may behold with safety but not without pitie when we rightly consider how that the people among whom our Sauiour himselfe conuersed at what time his beautifull steps honoured this world with those Churches in Grecia which his Apostles so industriously planted so carefully visited so tenderly cherished instructed and confirmed by so many peculiar Epistles and for whom they sent vp so many seruent prayers are now become a cage of vncleane birds filthy spirits doe possesse them The Turke with his Curaam and Mahomet with his Alcoran are Lords of these places So that now the Grecians haue lost their liberty which their ancestors had many times before to their immortall praise worthily defended against the greatest Monarches of the world and are now so degenerate by the meanes of the Turkish oppression that in all Grecia is hardly to be found any small remembrance of the ancient glory thereof Insomuch that whereas they were wont to account all other NatioÌ„s barbarous in comparison of themselues they are now become no lesse barbarous then those rude nations whom they before skorned Infinite are the miseries which they from time to time haue endured vnder the Turkish tyrants and so great hath beene the fury of that barbarous Nation that no tongue is able to expresse or pen descâ—ibe For what tongue is able to expresse the miseries that the poore Greekes indured when the imperiall Citie of Constantinople was taken and spoiled by Mahomet the great in the yeare 1453. when the cruell tyrant could not content himselfe with the spoile and riches of that faire Citie but caused also as he sate feasting with his Bassaes and great commaunders most of the chiefe Christian Captaines both men and women of whom many were of the Emperors line and race to be in his presence put to death deming his feast much more stately and magnificent by such effusion of ChristiaÌ„ bloud There might a man haue seene the poore Christian captiues driuen vp and downe by the mercilesse soldiers as if they had beene droues of cattell or flocks of sheepe It would haue pittied any strong heart to haue seene the noble Gentlewomen and great Ladies with â—heir beautifull children who flowed in all worldly wealth and pleasure to become the poore miserable bondslaues of most base and contemptible rascals who were so far 〈◊〉 shewing them any pity as that they deligâ—ted in nothing more then to heape more more misery vpon them making no more reckoning of them then of dogs There might the Parents see the wofull misery of their beloued children the childreÌ„ of the parents the husband might see the shameful abuse of his wife the wife of her husbaÌ„d generally one friend of another yea such was their malice to the Christian faith that they coÌ„uerted the temple of Sophia built for God to be honored in into a stable for their horses making it a place for the executioÌ„ of their abhominable vnspeakable filthinesse yea the image of the crucifixe they also tooke down put a Turks cap vpoÌ„ the head therof so set it vp shot at it with their arrowes afterwards in great derision carried it about in their campe as it had beene in procession with drums playing before it rayling spitting at it calling it the God of the Christians which I note not so much done in contempt of the images as in despight of Christ the ChristiaÌ„ religion Neither haue they committed these outrages monstrous cruelties in Grecia alone but in other parts of Christendom also as Italy hath sundry times tasted of their cruell incursions bloudy inuasions Besides Seruia Bulgaria Transiluania Moldauia
they are said to driue there cattaile from the pasture least they should perish by Satietie And true it is that the vngy or hay which groweth in these parts is of so strong an operatiue power to fatten that they are constrained before they giue it their cattaile to flake and coole the heats thereof with water Herodotus speaketh as an eye-witnesse that the place where Euphrates runneth out into Tigris not farre from the place where Ninus is seated is a Region of al otherâ— most excellent which bringeâ—h forth corne so aboundantly that the ord nary fields in his time did returne the seed sowne in them two hundreth fold the better places three hundreth that is thrâ—e hundreth bushels for one or at the least three hundreth graines for one corne And there is nothing that better proueth the excellency of this soile then the abouÌ„dant growing of Palm-trees in these places without the care labor of man The most of which trees do beare fruit out of which the inhabitants make both meat wine hony and whatsoeuer else the life of man begetteth at nature Pliny affirmeth that such is the fertility of the grouÌ„d that they are coÌ„strained twise to mow down their corne-fields a thiâ—d time to eate them vp with sheepe adding this singularity to the soile that the second yeere the very stubble or rather falling downe of the seed againe yeeldeth them a haruest of corne without any farther labour So that by these few collections we may gather that they are farre besides the truth which haue sought Paradise either beyond our knowne world or in the middle region of the aire or nere the Moone or as far as the South-line or the North-pole beeing meere vanities imagined in mens fancies Cardinal Bellarminâ— in his coÌ„trouersiâ—s is likewise much troubled to finde out the place where Paradise should bee whether it be in the earth or in the aire yea some are so mad that they doe peremptorily set downe that the earthly Paradise after Adam was banished thence for his sin was by God lifted vp into the aire but this as His Maiesty learnedly sheweth in his Praemonition to al Christiâ—n Monarchs free Princes and states is like one of the dreames of the Turkish Alcoran sâ—eing no such miracle is mentioned in the scriptures hâ—uing no ground but from the curious fancies of some boiling braines who cannot be content sapere ad sobrietatem We conclude then that the garden of Eden was created by God in this habitable world and that in the lower part of the region of Eden called by the Iewes Aram FluuioruÌ„ Aram amongst the â—iuers and by the Greekes Mâ—sâ—potamia conteyning a part of Shinar Armenia and reteining the name of Eden in some part vnto this day as before is declared From the Island of Eden wee returned to Mosuâ— and staied there eight daies so went down the riuer Tigris to Bagdâ—t or New Babilon beeing carried not on boat as down the riuer Euphrates but vpon certaine Zatarres or rafts borne vpon goates skins blowne full of winde like bladders Which rafts they sel at Bagdat for fire carry their skins againe home vpon Asses by land to make other voiages down the said riuer This riuer is very famous because it watered Paradise whose coursing is very strang for some part of it issuing out of the Mountaines Nifates passeth through the lake Topiti in Armenia a lake which hath Nitrum in it the property whereof is to rent and teare a mans apparell with such swiftnesse that it mingles not it selfe with the water of the said lake and therevpon it is called Tigris which in the languag of the Medes signifieth an arrow Nere to the vttermost corner of this lake it falleth into a great deepe runneth for a great space vnder ground and then riseth againe neere to Colonitis and from thence courseth towards Opis and the ruins of Nineuy and so to 〈…〉 Persian gulfe The description of New Babilon now called Bagdat BY this riuer the cittie Bagdat is very aboundantly furnished with all kinde of prouision both of corne flesh fowle fish and venison of all sorts besides great store of fruit but especially of dates and that very cheape This citty by some is called new Babilon and may well be because it did rise out of the ruines of old Babilon not farre distant being nothing so great nor so faire for it conteines in circuit but three English miles and is built but of brick dryed in the sunne their houses also beeing flat roofed and lowe They haue no raine for eight moneths together nor almost any clowd in the skie night nor day Their winter is in Nouember December Ianuary and February which moueths are neuerthelesse as warme as our summer in England In a word this towne was once a place of great trade and profit by reason of the huge Carauans which were wont to come from Persia and Balsara but since the Portugalls Englishmen and Hollanders haue by their traffique into the East-Indies cut off almost all the trade of Marchandize into the gulfs of Arabia and Persia both Grand Cairo in Egipt and Bagdat in Assyria are not now of that benefit as they haue beene either to the merchant or great Turke his tributes both in Egypt and his customes in this place being much hindred thereby Memorable not withstanding is this towne for that it was the onely place where for the space of six hundreth yeares the Mahumetane Caliphes were resident and kept their sumptuous court vntill the Tartare Prince and the King of Armenia as before is declared did besiege it and in the end tooke it with the Caliph also together with an inestimable masse of treasure Which treasure when the two Princes saw they demanded of the Caliph why he would not with the same leauy and wage souldiers for his owne defence Whereunto he answered that vnto that time he thought his owne subiects had beene sufficient enough to haue resisted any forraine enemie which they vnderstanding immediatly caused all that treasure to be carried into the castle and the couetouâ— wretch set in the midst of the same forbidding that any man should giue him either meat or drink where he miserably dyed through famine in the midst of his riches After it continued vnder the Tartar and Persian gouernment vntil it was taken by Solyman the Turkish Emperor from Tamas the Persian king who after it was yeelded vnto him according to an old superstitious manner receiued at the hands of a poore Caliph the ensignes and ornaments of the kings of Assyria so this city with the great countries of Assyria and Mesopotamia somtimes famous kingdomes of themselues and lately part of the Persian kingdome fell into the hands of the great Turke in the yeare 1534 and so haue continued euer since Prouinces of the Turkish Empire It was reported vnto Rodulphus the Emperor for a certaine truth that the king of Persia had