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.

A d••scription of the people of Armenia, as they are at this day.

AT our first entrance into this Countrey, we trauelled through a goodly, large, and spacious plaine, com∣passed 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 submit∣ting themselues vnder his regiment. But when the eldest Sonne dyeth, th•• gouernment doth not passe to his sonnes, but to the eldest brother. And if it chance to fall out, that all the brethren doe die, then the gouernment doth belong to the eldest Sonne of the eldest brother, and so from one to another. In their dyet and cloathing, they are all fedde and cladde alike, liuing in all peace and tranquility, groun∣ded on true loue and honest simplicity.

To discourse how populous this nation is at this day, is needlesse, since they inhabit both in Armenia the greater, and Armenia the lesse; as also in Cilicia, Bithinia, Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia. Besides the principall Cities of the Turkish Empire be much appopulated with them, as Brusia, Angori, Trabisonda, Alexandria, Grand-Caire, Constantinople, Cassa, Aleppo, Orpha, Cara-••mit, Van, and Iulpha. Some of this nation affirmed vnto vs, that the chiefest cause of their great liberty in the Ottoman King∣dome is, for that certaine of their Kings bare great affe∣ction and loue vnto Mahomet their lewde Prophet, in re∣gard whereof Mahomet did recommend them as his kind friends to his successours, who euer since haue permitted

the poore Armenians to liue amongst them. But the true reason is, for that they are very laborious in transporting merchandise from one City to another, by which meanes through the customes which are paid in euery City, the coffers of the Grand Signior are wonderfully inriched. Vn∣to which doth well agree that scoffing taunt which Abbas now King of Persia did throw vpon an Armenian, who being desirous to forsake his Christian faith, and to em∣brace the wicked and filthy superstition of the Persians, vp∣pon hope of reward and preferment, the King did not on∣ly rebuke his tepedity and coldnesse in his religion, but sent him away with this skornefull reproofe: That an Armeni∣an now was good for nought, saue as a Camel to transport merchandise from one city to another: implying that how∣s••euer in antique times they had beene warlike and cou∣ragious, yet now they were become Buffelloes and Pul∣trones, altogether vnfit for martiall affaires.

This people haue two Patriarkes, to whom they giue the name of Vniuersall: the one keepeth his seate in the City of Sis in Caramania, not farre from Tharsus: the o∣ther in the Monastery of Ecmeazin, neere vnto the City Eruan in this Countrey. Vnder these two Patriarkes are eighteene Monasteries full fraight with Friers of their reli∣gion; and foure and twenty B••shopricks. The maintenance allowed in times past vnto each of these two Patriarks was a Maidin on an house; each Patriarke hauing vnder him twenty thousand housholds: but now that large beneuo∣lence the great Turke hath ceased into his owne hands, as if the tythe of the Church were fitter for his vnsatiable desire; then for those poore, miserable, and despised Church-men: and therefore now they are constrained to liue on the almes of the people, going continually in visi∣tation from one City to another, carrying their wiues and whole family with them.

The people of this nation haue retained amongst them the Christian faith, as it is thought from the time of ••he

Apostles: but at this day it is spotted with many absurdi∣ties. They hold with the Church of Rome in the vse of the Crosse, affirming it to be meritorious if they make the same with two fingers, as the Papists vse; but idle and vaine if with one finger as the Iacobites. They adorne their Chur∣ches in euery place with the signe of the Crosse, but for o∣ther Images they haue none, being professed enemies a∣gainst the vse of them. In keeping ancient reliques they are very superstitious, and much deuoted to the ••lessed Virgin Mary, to whom they direct their prayers. They imitate the Dioscorians in eating whit-meats on Saturday, which to doe on Wednesday and Friday were a deadly sin: neuerthelesse they will not refraine from the eating of flesh on euery Friday, betweene the feast of the Passeouer and the Ascention. They abstaine fiue Sabboths in the yeare from eating flesh, in remembrance of that time, in which the Gentiles did sacrifice their children vnto Idols. They celebrate the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary on the sixt of Aprill, the Natiuity of our blessed Sauiour on the sixt of Ianuary, the Purification the fourth of February, and the Transfiguration the fourteenth of August. The mi∣nistration of their Liturgie or seruice, is performed in their natiue language, that all may vnderstand: but in their ser∣uice of the Masse for the dead, they are most idolatrous, v∣sing at the solemnizing thereof, to sacrifice a Lambe, which they first lead round about the Church, and after they haue killed it and rosted it, they spread it on a faire white linnen cloath, the Priest giuing to each of the Congregation a part and portion thereof. For which cause they are called by some Sabbatists, and Iulianists, as too much addicted to the ceremonies of the Iewes, and deuoted to the errours of Iulian. I haue heard some Papists boast and bragge much, that both Armenians, Iacobites, and Greoians, are vnited to the Chu••ch of Rome, but I could neuer heare either Ar∣menian or Grecian ••uouch any such matter. They are (vn∣lesse some few families) so farre from yeelding obedience

vnto the Sea of Rome, that they assume all antiquity vnto themselues, as hauing retained the Christian faith from the time of the Apostles. Many Iesuites and Priests haue been sent from Rome to bring this oppressed nation vnder her gouernment, but they haue little preuailed; for neither will they yeeld obedience, nor be brought by any perswa∣sion to forsake their ancient and inueterate errours, to be∣come more erroneous with her.

Hauing well refreshed our s••lues amongst these villages, we proceeded in our ordinary trauell, but ere we had pas∣sed two miles, certaine troupes of Curdies incountred our Carauan, with a purpose and intent to haue robbed the same, but finding themselues too weake to contend with so great company, they departed vntill the next day follow∣ing, when againe they met with vs in a very narrow pas∣sage betweene two mountaines, where they made a stay of our whole Carauan, exacting a Shaughee on euery person, which to purchase our peace wee willingly paied; and so arriued that euening at Bithlis an ancient City, but a City of much cruelty and oppression, where little iustice and right is to be found to releeue distressed passengers.

Notes

• The Armeni∣ans are a po∣pulous nation.
• The Armeni••••s gouerned by two Patriarks.
• The religion of ••he Armeni∣ans is spotted with many ab∣surdities.