of two hundred years overspread not only the greatest part of ASIA and AFRICK, even unto GADES and the Pillars of Hercules; but also passing over that strait, had overwhelmed almost all SPAIN; and not there staying, but passing the Pirenei, had pierced even into the heart of France, and divers other parts of Christen∣dom, as namely ITALY, SICILY, the famous Island of the RHODES, with many others of the MEDITERRANEAN: now divided in it self, and rent into many Kingdoms, turned their victorious arms from the Christians, upon one another, to the mutual destruction of themselves and their Empire. Amongst other the Sarasin Sultans, which forgetting their Obe∣dience to their great Caliph, took upon them the Soveraignty of Government (which admitteth no partner) was one Mahomet Sultan of PERSIA, a right great Prince, who hardly beset on the one side with the Indians, and on the other with the Caliph of BABYLON his mortal Enemy, prayed Aid of the Turks his Neighbours, who were now come even to the side of ARAXIS, the bounds of his Empire: unto which his re∣quest the Turks easily granted, in hope thereby to find a way for them afterwards to enter into PERSIA, and so sent him 3000 hardy men under the leading of one Togra Mucalet, the Son of Mikeil a valiant Captain, and chief of the Selzuccian Tribe or Family; whom the Greeks commonly call Tangrolipix, and some others, Sel∣duck,Togra, otherwise called Tangroli∣pix, sent to aid the Persian Sultan. or Sadock, names (as I suppose) corrupted of the great Family whereof he was descended. By the aid of this Tangrolipix (for now we will so call him, as by the name most used) Mahomet the Persian Sultan overcame Pisasiris the Caliph of BABYLON, his Arabians being not able to endure the force of his Turkish Archers. This war thus happily ended, the Turks desiring to return home, requested of the Sultan leave to depart, and with a safe convoy to be conducted unto the river ARAXIS, and there to have the passage of that swift river opened unto them, which was by the Persians strongly kept by two Castles built upon each end of the bridge, where∣by the River was to be passed. But Mahomet loath to forgo such necessary men, by whom he had obtained so great a Victory, and pur∣posing to imploy them further in his Service against the Indians, would by no means hearken unto their request; but seeming therewith to be discontented, commanded them to speak no more thereof, threatning them violence if they should more presume to talk of their departure. The Turks therefore doubtful of their estate, and fearing further danger, secretly withdrew them∣selves into the desart of CARAVONITIS: and for that they were in number but few, and not able to come into the open field against so many millions of the Sarasins, lived as they might, by continual Incursions and Roads which they made out of the desart Forest into the Coun∣tries adjoyning: wherewith Mahomet greatly in∣censed, sent out an Army of twenty thousand men under the Conduct of ten of his best Cap∣tains, against them: who for want of water and other necessaries, doubting to enter the desart, encamped themselves on the side of the Forest, there to consult what course to take. But Tan∣grolipix, who with his Turks lay a great way off in the covert of the Woods and Mountains, un∣derstanding of the coming of his Enemies, and of the manner of their lying, thought it best upon the sudden by night to set upon the Sara∣sins and Persians, if so happily he might over∣throw them by policy, whom he was not able to encounter in plain battel. Upon which resolu∣tion having travelled two days long march in the desart, the third day at night he suddenly set upon his Enemies, lying negligently in their Trenches, and by his unexpected coming brought such a fear upon them, that they without longer stay betook themselves to flight, every man shifting for himself, without regard of others. This Victory so happily gained, and Tangrolipix now (beyond his hope) throughly furnished with Armor, Horses, and abundance of all things needful for the Wars, kept the Woods and Forests no longer as a Thief or Out-law, but shewed himself in the open field, where daily repaired unto him numbers of Rogues and Vaga∣bonds seeking after spoil; with many other des∣perate Villains, who for fear of punishment were glad of such a Refuge: so that in a short space his Army was grown to be fifty thousand strong; and so much the stronger, for that they had no∣thing to trust unto more than the valour of themselves. Whilst Tangrolipix thus increaseth, Mahomet inraged with the overthrow of his Army, in his fury caused all those ten Captains which had the leading thereof, to have their eyes pluckt out; threatning also to attire all the Soul∣diers that fled out of the battel, in Womans ap∣parel, and so disgraced to carry them about as Cowards; and withall raised a great Army for the suppressing of the Turks.Mahomet the Persian Sultan go∣th himself with an Army a∣gainst Tangroli∣pix. All things being now in readiness, he set forward; when by the way the Souldiers whom he had so threatned to disgrace, suddenly fled to the Enemy: with whose coming Tangrolipix greatly encouraged and strengthened, resolved to give the Sultan bat∣tel. And so boldly coming on, met with him at ISPAHAN a City of PERSIA, where was fought betwixt them a most terrible battel, with wonderful slaughter on both sides. In the heat of which battel, Mahomet unadvisedly riding to and fro to encourage his Souldiers, falling with his horse, brake his Neck: upon which mischance both the Armies coming to agreement, by com∣mon consent proclaimed Tangrolipix Sultan in his stead,Tangroli∣pix by con∣sent of the Souldiers made Sul∣tan of Per∣sia. and so made him King of PERSIA, and of all the other large Dominions unto that Kingdom belonging.This was the first Kingdom of the Turks, be∣gun by the good Fortune of Tangrolipix, about 214 years after their coming out of SCYTHIA, in the year also of our Lord, 1030. Constantinus Monomachus then reigning, or a little before (ac∣cording to the Turks account) in the Reign of Romanus Argirus, Constantine his Predecessor. Tan∣grolipix by rare Fortune,Tangroli∣pix first Sultan of the Turks. thus of a mean Captain become King of PERSIA; forthwith com∣manded the Garrison which kept the bridge over the River ARAXIS, to be removed, and so free passage to be given unto the Turks his Country-men, at their pleasure to come over: who in great multitudes repaired into PERSIA, where they were by the new Sultan well pro∣vided for, and by little and little promoted unto the greatest Dignities of that Kingdom; the Per∣sians and Sarasins, the ancient Inhabitants thereof, being by these new come Guests now kept un∣der, and as it were trodden under foot. Toge∣ther with this Kingdom, the Turks received the Mahometan Superstition,When the Turks first received the Mahometan Superstiti∣on. the which they before not much abhorred, as men using Circumcision: So that hard it is to say whether Nation lost more; the Persians and Sarasins by the loss of so great a Kingdom; or the Turks, by imbracing so great a Vanity.Tangrolipix with his Turks thus possessed of the Kingdom of PERSIA, held not himself there∣with long content, but made War upon his Neighbour Princes, especially against Pisasiris the 0