The nauigations, peregrinations and voyages, made into Turkie by Nicholas Nicholay Daulphinois, Lord of Arfeuile, chamberlaine and geographer ordinarie to the King of Fraunce conteining sundry singularities which the author hath there seene and obserued: deuided into foure bookes, with threescore figures, naturally set forth as well of men as women, according to the diuersitie of nations, their port, intreatie, apparrell, lawes, religion and maner of liuing, aswel in time of warre as peace: with diuers faire and memorable histories, happened in our time. Translated out of the French by T. Washington the younger.

Of the estate of the warres of the Persians nowadaies.

Chap. 5.

AS for the state of the warres of the Persians: there are verye puissaunt and warlike, hauing a good number of horsemen. Their men at armes are armed with curats, of shelles, bucklers, roundels and targets of steele. Bourgonnets and headpeeces of yron, garnished with feathers, hauing the right arme and hande armed, and doe fight with a launce or light speare. Their horses are great and couragious, and are barded with leather. Moreo∣uer, they are set foorth with strong and large bowes, shooting arrowes like vnto those of the Tartaries, and are so gyuen

vnto the seruice of their king (aswel for y^e opiniō that they haue that hee hath some heauenly and diuine spirite in him,* 1.1 as also for the oth that they owe vnto their religion) that there can be no daunger so great, wherein they wil not hazard thēselues without any feare of death. The deputed of the gard of the So∣phia, are maintained at his charges & expences, and at a time appointed, they haue by auncient custome, giuen amongst thē armour, horses, gownes, tenthes and victuals, whē he marcheth in the field he is enuironed with them for the suretie & gard of his person. And often chaunging his place, seeking the moste frutefull groundes of his regions for fouriage, doth visite the most noblest townes of his prouinces. Afterwards at the point of the warres, the Dynastes Barons, Tetrarches, and vassals of the auncient nobilitie are by publike edict called together to doe that which they shalbe commaunded, & in time ordeined, doe repayre to their ensignes well appointed. Of these there may be about 50000. on horsebacke, part of them armed as before I haue said, & part of them with som priuie coat made of diuers plates of yron. They fight with speare & dart, coue∣ring their bodies with their shields & targets. There are more∣ouer those which are named to be of the royall citie Sciras (in the which are made armors most excellent, which are the most esteemed, and nearest like vnto the Assyrians in valiantnesse, hardinesse, dexterit••e, & renowme, more then any other nati∣on of the East partes. As for the Armenians being subiects vn∣to the Persians they doe fight the most part of them on foote, and comming in the face of the enemie, hauing fixed in the ground a long rowe of dartes, doe defend themselues as with a ramparde against the furious brunt of the horsemen, and do fight with arrowes & short weapons. They haue moreouer for their aide the Iberians and Albanians inhabiting on the moūt Ca••case sent by their kings vnto them being friendes and al∣lied vnto the Persians, and neighbours vnto Medea and Arme∣nia, the greater part whereof beeing halfe christians doe beare vnto the Turkes the like hatred, which they of Persia do.

Notes

• * 1.1

  opinion of the Persians to∣wardes their Kinge.