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

The description of Sieras ancient Persepolis.

* 1.1THis Citie is situated on the banks of Bindamir, a great and famous riuer, which courseth through Persia, and the kingdome of Lar, and so emptieth it selfe into the Per∣sian Golfe, and was once the Metropoliticall seat of all the kingdome, vntill of late yeares, Hispaan hath gained that priuiledge from her. Notwithstanding it is large & spacious containing very neere ten miles in circuit, and lieth iust in the road way which leads from Hispaan to Ormuz. Plinie did call it caput Persiciregui, for so it was during the Mo∣narchy, the head Citie of the Persian kingdome, which continued famous many yeares together, being stuffed with the spoyles of the whole world: for Alexander when he tooke it, found in the treasury fortie thousand talents of gold, euery talent being sixe hundred crownes by Budaeus his computation.* 1.2 And the same t••me at the request of a drunken strumpet he set this gallant Citie on fire, himselfe being the first president in that wofull misery, which in short time was quite burnt downe to the ground as Dio∣dorus Siculus relateth. Which vnhappy mischance Quin∣tus Curtius on this manner bewaileth: Huno exitum ha∣buit Regiatotius Orientis, vnde tot gentes ante i••ra petebant patria tot regum, vnicus quond••m G••aecia terror. &c. Such a miserable end befell to the re••all Citie of all the Ea••••, whence so many Nations did deriue their lawes and cu∣stomes; which was the seate of so many kings, and in times past the onely terour of Greece.

So that in and about this towne are to be seene the ru∣ines of many ancient monuments: as two great gates, tha•• are distan•• one from the other the space of twelue miles, which shewes the circuite of this Citie, as it was in the time of the Monarchy, to be both large and spacious. On the South side we viewed the ruines of a goodly Pallace, ••••ilded as they say by King Cyrus, a Palla•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••agni∣fied

by Aelianus in his first booke de animalibus. cap. 59. And on the North side the ruines of an old Castle, which seemes was gyrt about with a three-fold wall: ••he first wall being foure and twentie foote high, adorned and bea••••i••ied with many Tu••rets and spires: the second was like vnto the first, but twice as high; ••nd the third was foure square, be∣ing foure score and ten foote high. All fabricated of free stone. On each side were twelue gates of Brasse, with brazen pales set before them very curiously wrought, all which did shew the magnificence of the founder. On the East side of this ruinous Castle, some foure ac••es of ground distant, is a mountaine, on which was erected a goodly Chappell, in which most of the Persian kings in anticke time were intombed. And though this Citie hath endured sundry mutations and changes, yet is it not to be esteemed one of the least Cities in Persia: for out of it in short time is leuied twentie thousand horsemen well ar∣med. Besides it is one of the greatest and most famous Cities of the East,* 1.3 both for traffike of merchandize; as also for most excellent armour and furniture, which the armorers with wonderfull cunning doe make of yron and steele, and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of certain hearbs, of much more no∣table temp••r and beautie, then are those which are made with vs in Europe; not onely Headp••ec••s, Curiaffes, and complete armours, but whole caparisons for horses, curiously made of thinne plates of yron and steele.

Now by the s••tuation of this towne on the ri••er Bin∣damir,* 1.4 a verie profitable trade for the East Indian compa∣nie might be at Batan, an hauen towne in the Persian Gol••e, which trende••h in the forme of an halfe Moone, hauing a little pretie Iland, as a most commodious shelter, in the mouth of the same, whereby a sh••p of fiue hundred ••unnes and better may ride at pleasure. Very desirous is the Persian King that our shipping should come thither, or to any oth••r port in his dominions; prom••sing often∣times

times (as may be iustified very probably) that it should be lawfull for vs to builde and fortifie,* 1.5 and to enioy all priuiledges in as ample manner as his owne subiectes; and that if the Portugals in Ormuz should offer vio∣lence to our shipping, that then hee would become their professed enemie: whose league of friendship (I am assured) they dare not in that Iland breake, stan∣ding so many waies beholding to the Persian King as they doe. Besides where wee planted in Batan, the King would quickly cut off the greatest trade of Merchan∣dize eyther of raw silke or Indico from Tauris to Con∣stantinople, and turne it vnto that harbour. There wee should haue a speedie vent for our broade cloath, Car∣sies, Tinne, and Lead, and haue in barter for the same whatsoeuer eyther the kingdome of Persia or India doth affoorde. So that in mine opinion to haue Batan for a resting and refreshing harbour after our tedious say∣ling through the great Ocean, were farre better then Bantam in Iaua, or Aden, or any other port in A∣rabia Felix; places altogether of wrong and oppres∣sion, where little iustice is to bee found being so farre from Constantinople: Whereas Batan standeth in such a Countrey as is full of peace and tranquilitie, ha∣uing a most iust and vpright Prince (the onely true stay of traffike) Lord of the same, whose onely care and endeuour is to maintaine and vpholde the trade of Merchandize. But to leaue these thinges to the Merchants, wee come now to the Kingdome of As∣siria.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The riuer Bin∣damir.
• * 1.2

  Alexander at the request of a strumpet fi∣••eth Pe••sepolis.
• * 1.3

  Excellent ar∣mour made in Syras.
• * 1.4

  Batan a com∣modious por•• towne in the Persian Golfe for the East Indian company.
• * 1.5

  The riuer Ies∣dri ninneth close by Batan.