A relation of ten years in Europe, Asia, Affrique, and America all by way of letters occasionally written to divers noble personages, from place to place, and continued to this present year / by Richard Fleckno.

XVIII To the Lord Thomas Somerset from Marseilles, Anno 47. (Book 18)

Of his voyage and return out of ASIA. (Book 18)

My Lord,

I Have travail'd farther than ever Vlysses did, since I left Italy, and had the honour to see you last; yet write Odysses of my travails he that list, for I have nothing of rare or parti∣cular to write, but what has been heard of a hundred times before: For that little then I have seen of Asia, the Isles of the Archipela∣go, the Dardanelles, Pontus Euxine, and the Helespont, &c. consult Sands, and others travails (if you please) where you shall find them acurately and at large set down; for me, He only say of Constantinople, that for an Im∣perial seat, 'tis one of the noblest Cities I e∣ver saw, situated on two Seas with its two feet Collossean like, treading on Asia and Eu∣rope, nor did I ever see truer bravery, or grea∣ter gallantry than there, every one wearing such various coloured silks, with swelling Turbans, and flowing garments, as their streets appear just like Tulipp Gardens, whilst ours (with so many's wearing black) appear just like mortuary houses, all mourning for the dead: Here finding no commodity of voya∣ging

farther Levant, the Seas being all ob∣structed by reason of the Venetian warrs, after some two or three weeks residence, I returned again in a French Bottom, and am at last arrived at Marseilles, where I am now on point of Embarquing for Spain on an En∣glish Vessel having only Time from my ne∣cessary preparatives, to assure you my Lord, that as there is none I am more obliged to than your self, so there is none who can with greater verity say that he is,

My Lord

your, &c.