The history of Tamerlan the great taken out of Alhacent, the emperour's historian, and some other manuscripts / by the Lord de Sainctyon ; now Englished by M. D'Assigny.

CHAP. I. Of the Birth and first Years of Tamerlan.

TAmerlan signifies Celestial Grace. He was the Son of Og King of Zagatay, or of the Par∣thians, Nephew of the Grand Cham of Tartary, and not the Son of a vile Shepherd and Robber, as his Enemies have basely invented to discredit him, out of malice or ignorance; that the geatest Revenues and Riches of the Eastern Kings consist in the num∣ber of their Flocks and Herds, rather than in their Golden Mines, which nevertheless are also there to be found in their Dominions.

The Province of Zagatay, or Sachetay, lies West from the Sogdians, and is properly the ancient Par∣thia. The chief City is Samarcande, seated upon the River Issarle. It grew so mighty in riches and number of men, as well as in beauty, during the Reign of this Prince, that it may now be compared to any other City of Asia.

When Tamerlan was happily born, in his person were discoverable from his Infancy so many rare signs of a great Courage, and of a sweet Disposition, that gladded the heart of his old Father, and ob∣liged him to incourage those Gifts of Nature, by the tuition and teaching of the rarest persons and Doctors of the Country. After a good and spee∣dy proficiency, this young Prince became the de∣light, the love, and the wonder of his people. Before he was full fifteen he had learned from his Masters all that they could teach him for the exer∣cise of his body, or to grace his mind. He had some insight in the Mysteries of Astrology, and skill in Talismanical Figures, which is called the Astro∣logy or Divinity of Zoroaster and of the Bactrians, and which since hath been much us'd by the Arabi∣ans, aswell as in riding of a Horse, handling of a Lance, drawing of a Bow, and wrestling. The King his Father looked upon him then as worthy to Govern the Kingdom, in which he employed him a little after; and the rather, because he saw himself aged and weak, and desired nothing more but to sequester himself from business, and to serve God the rest of his days in the contemplation of his glorious Works.

But before he accomplished this great Design, though he had for his Son all the esteem and good opinion that he deserv'd, he was not so unadvised as to venture in such young hands the Government of his Realm, without a precaution and sufficient provision for his advice and counsel; for if he had done otherwise, he would have but expos'd his Kingdom to those dangers and losses which are not easily repair'd.

To prevent all mischiefs of that nature, he

placed near his Son, to ease and direct him in the management of Affairs, Odmar and Haly, the two greatest and wisest men of the Kingdom, noted for their Noble Birth and for their Experience in Affairs, aswell as for their other Vertues and fide∣lity to his Interest.

Tamerlan received these two great persons from his Father as the tokens of his love, and since he never undertook any thing without their advice. He embrac'd them always with so much respect and affection, that for fear of forgetting one after his decease, he wore his Ring upon his Finger, aswell to call to mind the good services that he had re∣ceived from him, as to hinder him from forgetting two rare Precepts which he had given him, when he was to sit in Judgment, and to do justice to his Subjects.

This noble way of acting soon won him the hearts of all his Subjects, so that they looked upon him as their life and soul. From hence we may observe, That a mild and loving disposition, together with an acknowledgment of good deeds, is the strongest Charm that a Prince can use to win the souls of his peo∣ple, and get their prayers and affections.

In his young days, and at his first coming to the Crown, he enjoyed quiet and peace at home, through his Fathers care to scatter and send at a distance all troublesome spirits, who might have di∣sturbed the State. But this peaceable time he em∣ployed rather in Study than in his Divertisements; instead of spending his hours in a Bath, the great∣est delight of the Parthians, he spent them in read∣ing of Arabian Books, and in meditating the Pre∣cepts of Astrology, at such moments only when he had finished his weightier Employments relating

to the Government of his Kingdom. In the dis∣charge of which he often said, That his good Genius did assist and help him, and that having so much fa∣vour from Heaven he could not but succeed in all his Designs.

He had so great a care of and so much esteem for divine matters and things, and for whatsoever concern'd the Religion of his Forefathers, that he would not be perswaded to suffer any alteration. Nevertheless he gave liberty to all Religions that teach to worship one God Creator of all things, gi∣ving this as his Reason, That his Divine Majesty did delight to be served and adored in divers manners. But he was a declared and an irreconcileable Enemy of Idols and Idolaters, whom he always vexed.

He was of a middle stature, his shoulders were but narrow, his legs beautiful, his body full and well set, a comely face with good features, and his eyes so full of goodness, mildness, and majesty to∣gether, that it was no easie matter to look sted∣fastly upon them. Therefore the Prince was wont to turn away out of modesty his eyes from him that spoke to him, that he might finish his discourse with more confidence. He had but little hair upon his Lips and Chin, it was curl'd, very thick, and of a fine Ash-colour; he wore it long, contrary to the custom of the Tartars, who shave their Heads be∣fore, leaving but some few locks behind, which they cover over with their Caps, but he had almost always his head uncovered. Therefore when one of his Favourites asked him why he had not his Head shav'd as other persons of his Country; he answered, Ʋnderstand my Friend one thing which I will tell thee, because I will thereby acknowledge thy af∣fection to me, That my Mother was of the Race of Sam∣son,

therefore in remembrance of my Forefather, she hath commanded me to preserve my hair: This is the cause of my long hair. This secret being afterwards spread abroad, gain'd to him the respect of all his Subjects, chiefly of his Army, who imagin'd there∣fore some extraordinary vertue in his hair. This belief was confirmed by his wonderful skill and strength in wrestling, because the strongest Tar∣tars were not to be compared to him, and that such as were foiled thought it an honour, though over∣come, to struggle with a Prince of so much repu∣tation.

This being the right description of Tamerlan, it is easie to be imagin'd, that rest and a quiet life was not pleasing to him. But though his aim was at Glory and Honour, he chose rather to check his Martial temper, than to invade his Neighbours, and trouble their Peace without cause. Providence that had adopted him suffered not long his courage to be without exercise: It led him upon this great Theatre of the World, there to appear in an emi∣nent manner. We shall see him next in his first go∣ings out.