Mirza a tragedie, really acted in Persia, in the last age : illustrated with historicall annotations / the author, R.B., Esq.

ANNOTATIONS

READER,

IF, by perusing the former pages, thou de∣servest that name, Thou hast in them perhaps met with divers historicall matters, which, unexplained, may de∣fraud thee of the content I wish thee, therefore I here offer thee a Key for every Lock, ANNOTATIONS, which, if thou shalt find usefull, I am glad I inserted them, if superflu∣ous, they cost thee nothing, for they are so few, the•• have not swell'd the Play to a much greater rate. I will not trouble thee with tedious digressions upon the Poetick Names and ••••gments strew'd up and down the Poem; those, if thou beest Learned, thou knowst already, if not, a Dictionary may inform thee, and spare my paines. I only touch, and that lightly, upon such historicall con∣cernments, and customary rites of the Persians (essenti∣all to our Scene) as every Scholar is not bound to know, for to such chiefly I wrote this Tragedy.

ANNOTATIONS UPON THE FIRST ACT.

[(1.)THE Murder of our Sire,] This King Abbas, being a younger Son, was onely King of Heri (near Tartaria) by birth; but, aiming at the Persian Empire, he, to make his way to it, privily murdered his Father, Ma∣homet Cod••band, or purblind. Herbert's Travells. pag. 89.127. &c.

[(2.) And me] viz. Emir-hamze-Mirza, King Abbas his Elder Brother, whom also he murdered, as standing between him and the Crown. A crime most usuall in these Eastern Princes, especially, in Persia, in this line of Guzpan Acuculu, (or white sheep) of whom few attended patiently the death of their Predecessours, but, by impious means, la••oured their own untimely establishment. Herb. p. 100. &c. Of Emir-Hamz's bravery and prowesse, See more in the 32. note upon the fourth Act.

[(3.) The Mogul,] Emir-hamze mirza's Ghost irritating his Brother Abbas to revenge him upon himself, bids him act those things upon his Son, which his very enemies shall pitty, (not without the example of the matchless Johnson, who, in his Catiline (which miraculous Poem I propose as my pattern) makes Sylla's Ghost perswade Catiline to do what Hannibal could not wish,) of the Persians Enemies, I set the Mogull in front, against whom our Prince Mirza served in Person,

in his Fathers wars, and gained much from him, towards Candahor; The great Mogul, according to others, Mogor or Emperour of East India, bo••ders upon the Persian by the River Oxus, and is at continual enmity with him, somtimes for Religion, somtimes for Empire; though it is no smal let to the accquests of the Mogul against him that the Frontiers of Persia are on every side hem'd in with those outstreatches & branch∣es of Caucasus, which the Grecians call Paropamise, more defen∣sive then any artificiall rampire to Persia, making it inac∣cessible to the Moguls horse, wherein the chief sinewes of his force consist. About the year 1300. (as Barros writes) the great Sanosardin King of Delos, conquered much of these parts, and attempted the Conquest of all Asia, but died by the Persian Powers. The present Mogul boasts himself of the race of Tamberlain (which abridgeth his antiquity) and saie•• he is the tenth from him. The probable opinion indeed is; that they descended of the Tartar, or from the antient Massa∣getae from whose coasts they came, whose chief City is Shamas∣cand, from whence came Tamberlain. A word of this Princes Puissance may not seem superfluous, because it magnifies our conquering Mirza; his bounds are one way divided from the Persian by the River Indus, betwixt which, and Ganges hee swaies far and wide? a territory no lesse puissant then pleasant, a temperate air, over a fertile soyl, abounding with all sorts of commodities, rich and curious; stately beasts, as the best horses, Elephants and Dromedaries; precious stones, especi∣ally Diamonds and Cornelians; most delicious spices and fruits, among which is most of note a Tree they call Moses, whose fruit is so delicate, as the Jewes and Mahometans (which are the religions of those parts, the last swaying the first) believe to be the same that tempted Adam. This Prince en∣joyes 47. Kingdomes, the chief are Mandao, Citor, Bengala, Delly, (where he keeps his Court) and, to name no more, Cambaia; a Kingdom enjoying a City of the same name, consisting of 130000 houses, this one Province is also repor∣ted to have 60000. Burroughs; a number great and admi∣rable, if we compare it to the best of our European Kingdomes: to name but two: Ptome saith there are in France (excepting Burgundie, and, as I take it, Normandie) 27000. Burroughs, having parish Churches; though D' Juigne will have the number of Parishes 132000. Guiccardine recounts that in the Netherlands within the Territory of the 17. Provinces, are 208▪ walled Townes, and 150. Boroughs, enjoing the privi∣ledges

of Cities, and 6300. Villages having parish Churches. In Bohemia are 780. Towns, and 32000. Villages. But because no absolute judgement can bee made of the power of any Province by the number of parishes, see the forces of Cambaia: Maffeus writes that Bandurius, who, about the year 1536, ruled in Cambaia, (by what right he d••termines not,) had under his standard 150000. horse, wher of 35000. were barbed, and 500000. foot among these only 15000. were forraigners, & some 80. Christians, French, and Portugals. The force that this Prince can on a short warning bring into the field, are reputed 300000. horse, infinite foot, proportionable ships, and 50000. Elephants; beasts which they yet find usefull in war, so that in the year 1571. Idalcano had 60000. of them at the Siege of Goa. Nor let any wonder that this Prince ingrosses not all the Orient, for he has as potent neighbours as himself; as the King of Barma, the Persian and others: besides, he is so shut up with Rocks, as he has no good egresse for his Armies; nor have those vast multitudes of men so much true strength as they carry terror; they sink with their own weight, are long gathering together, but not long held together; the numberlesse Army Marhumedius led against Cambaia, did not onely wast the regions where through it passed, but by devou∣ring all things that the earth yeilded, bereaved its selfe of sustenance: against such mighty impressions the way is to draw the warre out in length, and onely to stand upon the defensive: for such armies will soon waver, either for want of provision, scarcity of coin, infection of the air, or infirmities of their own bodies; as the inundations of Attila into Italie, and of Tamberlain into Asia, were but as running marches in comparison of what the Romans, Grecians, Macedonians, Cartha∣ginians, English, Guales, and Portugals, have done with more nimble power••; 800. onely of which last named, at Demain upon the Coast of Cambaia, setled in spight of this mighty Mogor, as another small number of them did at Diu, at which two places they have built, and do maintain two most invin∣cible Citadells, th••t shut up the whole gulf of the Cambaian Sea; a greater detriment to him then the losse of an inland, Kingdom; for on one side he has no haven, and on the other the Portugals are his jealous neighbours.

[(4) And Turk] He is another, and the greatest of the Persians Enemies. He enjoyes an Empire the greatest that is, or perhaps that ever was from the beginning, comprehend∣ing the better part of the antient, threefold division of the Earth. His government is like his Neighbours Tyrannycall,

his strength lies in his Janizaries, as the Moguls do in his Nairs. His Religion is Mahumetan, of which sect he is the chiefe patron, and more then slights the Persian, for being lesse zealous then himselfe, so that in ballancing the state of Christianity with Mahumetism; I have heard these two Princes, compared to the two Kings of France, and Spain, the French to the Persian, the Spaniard to the Turk. For the state of those differences, and for the quality of the Ottoman Empire, I refer the Reader to the most elaborate, and accurate discourse of M. Sandys, and M. Knolles his Turkish History, &c. See more of the Turk in the third note upon the second Act.

[(5) The Tartar] or great Cham, against whom also our Mirza had wat••es, and gain'd much from him, east of the Hyrcanian Sea. Herb. p. 9••. Of this Princes Empire, larger then strong, see Paul Venetus, who first broke the Ice in describing of those parts, Monst. l. 5. Cosmogr. Ortelius, Mer∣cator, &c.

[(6) BAHAMAN] A Prince that had reason to wish as ill to the Persian, as any of the rest, and deserves to live again in a Tragedy; his story is briefly this: About fifty years since, King Meleck Bahaman raigned in Larry Joon, a small and crag∣gy territory, in the straits of Mount Taurus; his onely a••me tending to preserve his birth right, and that his grey hairs might go in peace to an eternall dormitory: but Abbas the victorious Persian, set wholly upon conquest, and now at leasure, having subdued Hyrcania, pret••nded that this moun∣tainous Prince, took opportunity to ••ansack his Caravans, anticipate his progresse to the Caspian Sea, &c. Reasons though but conjecturall, of fo••ce enough to make Abbas send Methiculi with 30000 chosen men against him: Bahaman hear∣ing it, plants Garrisons in places of defence, leaves the rest, being not able to take the field, & secures himself, his Queen their two Sons, and 10000 Souldiers in his Castle of Ryna, before which inaccessible fortress, when the Persian came, de∣spairing by reason of its incredible height, and perpendicular ascent to expugne it, he turns force to fraud, desires a parley, presents offertures of amity, s••conds them with presents, and strong invitations to the aged King to come down, as well to banquet, as strike a league with him, engaging all the Gods he knew, for his safety; which strong allurements so wrought upon the old King, as he broke through all the teares, per∣swasions, and prayer, of his Queen, Sonnes, and Souldiers, strongly carryed by his destiny, to the Enemies Tent, where

indeed he was feasted all day, but deteyned prisoner at night; then summons the Persian, the two young Princes to yeeld the Castle, and descend, or their Father should die: they refuse, the Persian assaults, is forc'd to retreat with losse, so sore to his Army that it mutined, and vow'd to return home; the Generall knowing his Masters severity, considered, that to return without victory, were to run into the nooze; first he releases Meleck Bahaman, perswades him, he used this dis∣courtesie but to try him, and gives him his choice of returning up to his Sonnes, or perswading them to come down too, and seal the easie Articles, a Copy of which were with their Fathers doting Letters sent up to them; the Souldiers disswade them from crediting the Persian, but the Queen, to enjoy her husband, provoked them down, where they are entertain'd with all the greatnesse, and feign'd affection, that so great an intended treachery could devise: whilst they were here congratulating with their Father, (the Generall then in company) at sight of a private token, three Souldiers in an instant whipt off their heads with their Scimiters, and ere it was divulg'd abroad, by inviting the Queene and the rest, by counterfeit seals and tokens, to come down and partake of their joyes, for the new contracted league, they made them descend and yeeld the Castle, some of which received destru∣ction, others mercy. Herbert. p. 110. &c.

[(7) The Arabian] the last of the Persians Enemies that I here recount, though not the least, against whom our Mirza expressed most heroick prowesse, in distressing of their Bassora, (among other atchievements) a Towne where Tygris and Euphrate, empty themselves into the gulph of Persia. Herb.

[(8) Set equal with the Gods] Plutarch writes, that the Persians honour their King as the Image of the God of nature; his words are these, recounting that Themistocles desired Colonell Artabanus, to help him to the presence of the King, he makes him answer thus: Amongst all the good Lawes and Customes we have, we esteem this above the rest, to reverence and honour our King, as the image of the God of nature, who keepeth all things in their perfect life and state: wherefore if thou wilt fashion thy selfe after our manner, to honour the King, thou maist both see him, and speak with him: but if thou hast any òther mind, then must thou use some third person as thy meane. Plut. in vita Themist. & Justinus. lib. 2.

Ismenias being sent by the Thebans, after their defeat of

the Lacedaemonians, at the battel of Leuctres into Persia, to King Artaxerxes, to desire his compliance, being commanded to keel to the King, he let fall his Ring at his feet, and stooped to ••ake it up, whereby it was thought of some, that he did it to kneel to the King. P••utarch, in vita Artaxerx.

[(9) And as ador'd, as is the Sunne our Brother] That the Persians adored the Sun, is as clear as the Sun, if any doubts it, to be informed, he needs but open any Book that treats of that Kingdome; but, to point to one, let him consult Justines first Book, there where he treats of the fortunate choice of Darius, Sonne of Hystaspis to the Monarchy, his horse (which beast they hallow to the sun) seeming first to salute their rising God: see more in the seventh Note, upon the second Act. That the Kings of Persia yet took upon them so great state, as to claim kindred to this adored Planet; I find by their inscriptions, and directions of Letters and Pattents. Sapores, Sonne to Mizdates, Monarch of Persia, in the yea••e after our Saviour 315. w••ote thus to Constantius the Empe••our: I Sapores, King of Kings, equal to the starres, and Brother to the Sunne and Moon, &c. And Chozroes (Father of Ormizda) who ruled Persia, Anno Dom. 542. Enstiles himselfe thus to the Emperour Mauritius: I Chozroes, great King of Kings, Begler beg, (or Lord of Lords) Ruler of Nations, Prince of peace, salvation of men, among the Gods, (a man good and ever) among men (a God most glorious) the great conquerour, arising with the Sunne, giving lustre to the night, a Hero in discent, &c. As blustring and blasphemous Titles and Epithites, gives the great Turk to himself, as witnesseth M. Sandys. Tra. l 1. p. 47. Nor do any of these Oriental Monarch go less, everyone think∣ing himself greatest, so good opinions have they of themselves for particulars see Herb. p. 129.130.

[(10) Higher then that in Spawhawn] Spawhawn, though it stands in Parthia, is the imperiall City of all the Persian Monarchy, and the best built; 'tis by some called Spaan, by others Spahan, Jespaa, and Hispahan, as their severall Dialects concord; in her infancy she was called Dura, (but whether that Dura, wherein Nebuchadnezzar erected his golden Coloss, I know not) the ancient Greeks called it Hecatompiles, from its hundred Gates, (as the Isle of Crete Hecatompolis, as having so many Cities) the Persians Hyperbolically term her for her greatnesse, Half the world, though her circuit is not now much above nine English miles, and in that the better halfe is Gar∣dens; her form is near round, like Paris, the number of inha∣bitants

300000. at most. In this City is a monument of our Abbas his mercilesse cruelty; being a Pillar, compact of severall heads, of men, Antilopes, Bucks, Goats, Buffols, Elephants, and Camels; 'tis at the base about 20. foot in compasse, in height about 60: It was erected upon this occa∣sion; when Abbas was proclaimed King, the Spawhawnians would not admit him, but charged him with the death of Mahomet his Father, and the murther of Emir-hamze the Prince, his elder Brother. This netled Abbas who stoutly swo••e for this Rebellion he would chastise them bravely, and cut off 40000. of their heads, to raise a Pillar of terrour and admiration, as a ready Sacrifice unto Mahomet. At length he Conquers, and ransacks the City, kills 1000. of them, and mi••dfull of his oath, gives order to behead 40000. A lamen∣table cry is raised, but to small purpose, (the vow of the Per∣sians never alters,) nor could he be disswaded, till the Mufti (or sacred Messenger) assures him, Mahomet by reve∣lation told him his oath might be dispensed with, so 40000. were beheaded, no matter what; at length he consented, whereupon ensued a massacre of all sorts of beasts, of whose heads this barbarous Columne was reared, higher then any Mosque in that City, though now grown ruinous, Herbert. p. 89. &c.

[(11) The Buzzarr] In our language the Market place, H••rbert. p. 147.

[(12.) Your great Ancestors from MORTYS ALLY] the present King of Persia will have himself of true discent from Mortys-al••y, or Haly, an honor he conceives so great as he puts it among his titles. This Ally was Cosin to Maho∣met, the Persian Prophet, to whom he gave in marriage his daughter Fatyma born of his first wife, and made him his heir, and head of his superstition, by the title of Caliph: but after his death Abubacer Father of Aissa, Mahomets 2d. wife, taking ill the preferment of Ally, by the aid of Omar and Ottomar Mahomets kinsmen (whose desires were, in hope of succession, by rea∣son of the old mans years, and for kindreds sake, rather to see Abubacer then Haly Caliph) resisted Haly, and set up himself, after him Omar and Ottomar succeeded; Omar was slain by a slave, Ottomar in a private Quarrell; after them Haly reigned; against him arose Mavius, who accusing him as accessary to the death of Ottamar, caused him to be slain, near Cafe, a City some two daies journey from Babylon, where he lies buried; and there, in his honour, the Persian Kings have

ever since used to be consecrated; the place is called Massa∣dell, or the house of Haly. Ossan or Hussan his Son was p••o∣claimed, but resisted by Mavius, and by him poisoned, about the year 657. He had twelve Sons, eleven whereof were murdered with him, and with him lay buried at Cafe, or Massad; the twelfth Son escaped, from whom the now King derives his pedegee, his name was Mahomet Mahadin, alias Musa, or Prince Cherisim. The Persians so highly honour Mor∣tys-ally, as still they place him in their devotions with Mahomet, and sware by his name; their usuall oaths be∣ing by Serrey Mortys Ally, the head of Mortys-Ally or Serrey Shaw, by the Kings head; and putting one finger upon their eye, and then you may beleeve them, if you list, they honour no less his son Hussan, whose death they yearly celebrate with many ceremonies, nine severall daies, in great multitudes, in the streets altogether, crying out Hussan! Hussan! so long, and so fiercely, till they have spent their voices; on the ninth day they find him (whom they imagine lost in a Forrest) or one in his place, and then in a tumult, crying out Hussan! Hussan! with drums, fifes, and all sorts of loud Mu∣sick, they bring him to the Mosque, where after some adora∣tion and thanks giving, their Orgie end. Most believe that Hocem, or Mahomet Mahadin, is not dead, but strongly expect his return to convert the world, wherefore, their Prophet Mahomet also having promised them his second glorious coming after 1000. year (which they seriouysl late looking for and seeing themselves gulled by such credulity, began to stagger, till the Mufti assured them the figures were mistaken, and that upon better view of the Originall he found 2000. when he would not fail to visit them) till the first thousand years end the King of Persia, ever kept in the Mosque of Massadella, a horse ready sadled, richly camparison'd, and well attended, which, with one of his daughtrs, he reserved for Mahomet the Prophet, or for Mahadin his Nephew, first come, first sarved. The lineal descent of this King of Persia from Mortys Ally (superfluous and tedious here to insert) as also of the difference in religion between the Persian and Turk raised by his family. An. 1375. or at least by Syet Guynet who pretended to be so, read at large in Mr. Herberts Travells, and Mr. Sandies his Relation.

[(13 & 14) CYRVS and DARIVS] The Alpha and Omega of the Persian Monarchy, when it was the second and greatest in the world: and stretched from East to West, from India to

Ethiopia, if it can be that any is not yet acquainted with the memory of these two m••ghty Princes, they may soon be so, by the means of Quintus Curtius and Iustine. They were both the most fortunate and unfortunate; the one overcome by Thomyris Queen of Scythia, the othor by great Alexander. The two examples they w••re of the fragility of mundane g••eatnesse, whe••eof the last, that led an Army of 1000000. fighting men against Alexander, professed it his mishap at his death, that hee had not werewith to requite Polystratus for a draught of cold water, but was forced to leave it to his noble Enemy to do. And the first, that possessed so large a Domini∣on, and had 200000. men to attend his fall, was content with this modest Epitaph over his narrow do••mitory: O man whatsoever thou art, and whencesoever thou comest, for I know thou shalt come: I am Cyrus that conquered the Empire of Persia, I pray thee envie me not for this little earth that covereth my body. Words powerfull enough to pierce even the heart of Alex∣ander, considering the instability of worldly things, as wit∣nesseth Plutarch in vit. Alex.

[(15) Would ope MAHOMETS shrine] Mahomet the Saracen Law giver died in his 63. year (his great Cly∣macterick) giving his seduced sect a promise of his Resur∣rection the third day after; till when they kept him unburied, and as Anthonius writes, 30. daies after the reckoning; till smelling he was a lier, the air being infected with the mon∣strous stink of his carkass, by Abubecher (or Ebbubecher) his Father in law, he was purified, entomb••d, and laid in a new Sepulcher, at Medina Talnby, some two daies journey from Mecha; to which place is daily resort, by such of his sect as have zeal to Pilgrimage; and those not onely are ever after accounted Syets, or holy men, and cannot lie from that time forward, but their Camels and apparell also are of such esteem, that they never after do them service in vile carria∣ges or servile occasions. The lay people are not permitted to approach, much lesse to look into his Monument. But the vulgar Tradition that he hangs in an Iron Chest attracted to the roof of a Mosque by a loadstone there placed, I find approved of by few good Authors, therefore wave it. Sandys, Herbert. &c.

—No where are

[(16) Two Kings in safete but in Teneriff] Teneriff is one of the Canary Ilands, in the Atlantique Sea, in former ages called Fortunate. Plinie counts onely six of them, others ten,

but the moderns reckon their number 7. viz. Grand Canaria, La Palma, Teneriffa, Lancerota, Hierro, La Gomera, and Forte ventura, their commodities are Honey, Wax, Sugar, and the best Sack; They were unknown to Romes greatnesse, being first discovered (as Galvano writes) by a French Gentleman, called John de Betancour, An. 1417. though some report it of another, and in the year 1330. at which time the inhabi∣tants were rather monsters then men; they knew no God but Nature, were ignorant of the use of fire, they shaved their heads with flints, their Children were given to Goats to suck, they cultivated the earth with hornes of Goats and Oxen. In Gomera, they had their wives in common, they gave adorati∣on to all Aetheriall Bodies. Their Dead they washed exceed∣ing clean, then put the carkasse into a Cave, standing up∣right, with a staff in his hand, and a pale of Milk and Wine placed by him; good Coadjutors to his imaginarie Pilgrimage. They were conquer'd by Don Henerico Infant of Spain, Anno 1418. De' Juigne saies long before, viz. in the year 1346. or thereabouts. But my purpose was onely to speak of that one of them, Teneriffa equall to the rest in circuit, or if not, ex∣ceeding them in height; allowing it's immediate ascent from the Ocean, the high peak is by most Geographers reputed 15. miles high, happily the highest in the world; by reason of its affinitie with the middle aerie Region, seldom without snow, it is seen by Seamen in a Serene skie, 120. English miles, and serves as an apt Sea-mark. In this Ile they had a Custome, and I think among the Natives continued, (which occasioned this note) to have ever two Kings, one dead, the other living, keeping him that died last unburied all the reign of his Successour, pe••haps to be to him a memento of Mortality, and so a Monitor to rule well. Herb. p. 3. &c.

[(17)—Sworn by the Eight Refulgent Orbes] This (though a ranting one) was one of King Abba's usuall oaths when hee was serious. Herbert recounts more of this strein, as by his Crown, by the eleven hundred names of God, and the honour of his Prophet Mahomet, and by his Fathers soul, which last I made use of (170. lines) before. To swear by the souls and ashes of the deceased was no lesse frequent among the Antients then Moderns: to instance but in one example: Ovid making Briseis avouch to Achilles her own chastity, and Aga∣memnos civility towards her, makes her take these imprecati∣ons.

Per tamen ossa viri subito mala tecta sepulcro, Semper judicis ossa verenda meis. Perque trium fortes animas, mea numina, fratrum, Qui bene pro patria, cum patriaque jacent,Epist. 3.

••or by my Fathers bones, too ill interr'd, Bones by me ever to be honour'd, By my three valiant Brothers souls, my Pride, That bravely for, and with, their Country dy'd.

[(18) Sultan] in our language as much as an Earle. Herb. p. 171.

[(19) My Country Phoenix] Mirzas wife, who speaks this, was (according ••o Master Herbert) an Arabian Princesse, of which Country Plinie (L. 6. c. 28.) with the consent of all or most Authors, makes the Phoenix: nor could any land bring forth such a Princesse as we would have her seem, but that which produces the Phaenix, a bird Claudian calls Far Superis, equall to the Gods; but because his rare Epigram of this rare Bird is too long to be inserted here, I will shut up these Annotations upon our first Act, with what Ovid sings of this precious Fowl, in as precious numbers.

Vna est, quae reparet. se{que} ipsa reseminet ales, (Assyrii Phoenica vocant) nec fruge, nec herbis, Sed thuris lacrymis, & succo vivit amomi. Haec ubi quinque suae complevit saecula vitae, Ilicis in ramis, tremulae{que} cacumine palmae, Vnguibus & duro nidum sibi construit ore. Quo simulac casias, & nardi lenis aristas, Quassa{que} cum fulva substravit cinnama myrrha; Se super imponit: finitque in odoribus aevum. Inde ferunt, totidem qui vivere debeat annos; Corpore de patrio parvum Phaenica renasci. Cum dedit huic aet••s vires; on••ri{que} ferendo est; Ponderibus nidi ramos levat arboris altae: Fertque pius, cunasque suas, patrium{que} Sepulchrum. Perque leves auras Hyperionis urbe potitus Ante fores sacras Hyperionis aede reponit. Ovid. Met. l. 14.

One Bird there is repairs and sowes agen Her self, call'd Phoenix by th' Assyrian. Frankincense tears her happy life (not grain Or herbes) and juyce of Amomum sustain. On Oak or Palm, when the (*) 1.1 fifth age is past She with horn'd beak and tallons builds a neast. This strew'd with Cassia, bruized Cinamon Delicious Nard, and yellow Myrrh; thereon She sitteth, and her age in odors ends. A little Phoenix thence, 'tis said, ascends, To live as long; Grown strong, and fit to bear So sweet a load, her Parents Sepulcher And her own Cradle loosing from the Tree, Upon her wings with devout Piety She to (*) 1.2 the City of the Sun conveighs, And it in's Fane, before his Altar laies.

See the Tradition of the Phoenix excellently enquired into by Doctor Brown, in his Pseudodoxia Epidemica. l. b. 3. cap. 12.

ANNOTATIONS UPON THE SECOND ACT.

[(1) NOr hope we better fruit since that the Persians Begun to follow the Lacedaemonians.—]

Bringing in a Persian, taxing the Lux∣ury of his Countrymen, I make him bewail that

that the Persians followed the Lacedaemonians, when indeed nothing is truer then the contrary; the Grecians being then (exemplarily) valiant and wise, Martiall and Learned; the Persians (as Plutarch taxeth them) wholy bent upon softnesse ••nd ease, riches, pomp and vanity, curiosity and fair women: Yet is the Antiphrasis antient, and recorded by Plutarch, the occasion this: In the time of the reign of Artaxerxes over Persia, the Lacedaemonians seeing the Persians lost in riot, de∣termined to deliver the Grecians that dwelt in Asia from the Persian bondage, and to that end perswaded their King Agesi∣laus to undertake the expedition. He invaded, and at his first conflict overthrew Tisaphernes, Artaxerxes his Lievtenant, and made most of the Cities held by Grecians rebell against him. Artaxerxes to divert the war, sent into Greece Hermocrates, a Rhodian (of great credit with him) with a marvellous summe of mony to bestow in raising a faction in Greece to in∣vade Lacedaemon, now their powers were abroad; Hermocrates so wisely executed his commission, as he raised the chief Ci∣ties of Greece against Lacedaemon, so that all Peloponnesus being up in armes, the Ephori (or controllers of the Senate) at Lacedaemon were forced to intreat Agesilaus home again: so much sharper, even in those daies, was gold then steel, and that Agesilaus sorrowfully leaving Asia, said to his friends most wittily: that the King of Persia had driven him out of his Realme with 30000 Archers: (the Persian Coin being then stamped with an Archer, having a bow in his hand) He gone, Artaxerxes takes armes, and by the revolt of Conon, Generall of the Athenians, won that memorable Sea-fight near to the Ile of Gnidus, by which he drove the Lacedaemoni∣ans from their whole jurisdiction by Sea, which made him formidable to all Greece. Then rose up Antalcidas a corrupt Grecian, (being a Citizen of Sparta, the Son of one Leon) who being impowr'd by his Country, made between them that fa∣mous infamous league called Antalcidas peace; for he favou∣ring Artaxerxes his affair, procured by this treaty, that the Lacedaemonians left unto Artaxerxes all the Cities of Greece in Asia and all the Iles, to enjoy quietly, and tax at his Plea∣sure; Peace thus concluded with the Grecians, (if so shameful a Treason, reproach, and common Infamy to all Greece may be called a peace (saith Plutarch) as never war fell out more dishonorable for the vanquished) Artaxexes, that otherwise hated the Lacedaemonians to the death, (as Dinon writes) did yet seem highly to favour Antalcidas, insomuch

as once he took a Garland of flowers, wet it with the mos•• precious and sweet Oyls prepared for the feast, and sent it to Antalcidas, a person well deserving such a Garland, who wa•• so bold to dance before, the Persians, mocking and counter∣feiting Leonidas and Callicratidas, two of the valiantest men o•• Greece, wherefore one said at that time, in the presence of King Agesilaus, O how unhappy is poore Greece at this day, when th•• Lacedaemonians come to follow the Persians? But Agesilaus pre∣sently answered: Not so, but rather the Persians follow the La∣cedaemonians; so wisely taxing the levity of Antalcidas, whom (though the businesse of this Note is now over) I will trace to his end, being it cannot be far off, nor fair: shortly after the Lacedaemonians lost the battel of Leuctres, and therewith the signiory they had kept so long over all Greece, though they had lost their reputation before, for consenting to so dishono∣rable a peace. Whilst Sparta flourished, Artaxarxes continued to make much of Antalcidas, and called him his friend, but af∣ter this losse, he being sent into Persia, to request aid for the Lacedemonians; the King so disdained him, denying him, and his request, that he returned back to Sparta, as a man knock∣ed on the head; and there also, seeing that his enemies mock∣ed him, and fearing that the Ephori would call him to ac∣count for abusing his Country, he starved himselfe: so just reward found his treachery from a Prince, wise enough to to slight the Traytor, when he had serv'd himself of the Trea∣son. Plut. in vit. Artax.

[(2) The Turkish Moon] The half moon, or Crescent, is the Turks Armes, nor do they honour that Planet onely in their Ensignes, but also in their devotions, superstitiously gratulating the discovery of the new Moon, esteeming him happy that discovereth it first, and by the course thereof, do reckon their year. Sandys l. 1. p. 56.

The Persian Emperours Coat Armour, is a Lion passant Gardant, the sun orient upon his back. Herbert. p. 151.

[(3) Ottoman blood] Ottoman is the name of the family of the Grand Signior. The Turks arriv'd to the dominion of the goodli∣est portion of the Earth, from so obscure an original, as the same is rather conjectured at, then positively delivered by any. Some (after the manner of most Nations) derive them from the Troians, led thereunto by the affinity of the names Turci and Teneri, Philip of Mornay, the noble & learned Frenchman, (in his work of the truth of the Christian Religion) deduce them, and the Tartars from the Jewes, viz. from the ten Tribes

which were by Salmanaser King of Assyria, in the time of Oseas King of Israel, carried into captivity, and by him confined in∣to Media, and the other unpeopled Countries of the North, (2 King. 17.) His reasons are probable, and worthy of consi∣deration, but to long for this note. Indeed themselves boast, that they are of the seed of Abraham, & his servant Hagar, and call themselves Ishmalites; this is also assured by their Alcoran, which calls them Hagarens, but that is such a fardel of forge∣ries, as it is no argument to beget credit, and themselves are so ignorant of their own antiquities, that their Histories are rather confused notes, then perfect Chronicles. Others will have them of the legitimate off-spring of Abraham, by his wife Sarah, and from her called Saracens. But the most probable op••nion, grounded upon the Authority of the greatest Cosmo∣graphers, (as Pomponius Mela (l. 1. cap. ult.) Plin. secun∣dus (lib. 6. cap. 7.) and Ptolomy (in the description of Sar∣matica Asiatica) is that they were a people of Scythia, at what time, and for what causes they left their cold and barren seat, to seek a better more Southerly, is no lesse controverted: Blondus, and Platina, will have them enforced with want to follow their better fortune, Anno Dom. 755. with whom Se∣gonius agrees in the cause of their remove, but not in the time or place when, or whereby they departed: he will have the yeare 844. and that they issued by the streights of Caucasus, the others by the Caspian streights, which (saith Sabellicus (Eunead 9. lib. 2.) some of themselves report. With Segoni∣us, our most exact Mr. Sandys agre••s in the time, with the o∣thers in the way they took for their remove. So that ming∣ling the currents of Opinions and Authors, in the seventh or eighth Century of years after our Saviour, these people of Scythia, then called Turcae or Tusci, expelled, or by force of ill neighbours, or famine, entring by the streights of the Caspian Mountaines, by strong hand possest themselves of Armenia the greater, called thereupon Turcomania, as it is at this day, multiplying by the daily accession of their Countrimen, being in Religion Pagans, and living in wandring troops, like the people about Techoa, or Dea-chow (which signifies the Towne under a hill) in the Kingdom of Larr, (of which see more in the 23^d Note upon the 3^d Act) whom the Persians call Vlo∣ches, or Shepheards, or as of old did the Scythian Nomades, a people about Maeotis, thus described.

Nulla domus, plaustris habitant, migrare per arva, Mos, at{que}errantes circumvectare penates.

No house, but wains have they; their mode's to range The fields, and oft their Gods new seats to change.

Now the Saracen Empire waining by the division of the Mahometan Princes, Mahomet Sultan of Persia, distressed by the Caliph of Babylon, and the Indians, intreated aid of the Turkes, who sent him 3000. souldiers under the conduct of Tangrolipix, Prince of the Selzuccian family (for so the Greeks call him, though others Togra Mucalet, the Son of Mikeil, others Sidoc, or Sadock names (its like) corrupted of his Family) Mahomet by his aid vanquished Pysastris the Caliph, the Arabi∣ans not being able to endure the Turkes Archers. The Turk now desires to leave the Persian, and return over Araxis; but the Sultan, desiring to compell his father service, denied it; whereupon Tangrolipix not being able to keep the field against such numbers, betook himself to the Carmanian Deserts, spoil∣ing the Persians Subjects; Against him Mahomet sent 20000. soldiers, who were soon defeated by stratagem; which victory so flesht the Turk's as (being now increased by fugitive) hee fought Mahomet soon after with 60000. men: which battell Mahomet seeing lost, betook himself to flight, intending for Spawhawn, but between it, and Rustans Tomb, fell and brake his neck; So by the consent of both Armies was Tangro∣lipix elected Sultan, and founded the Scythique or Turkish Em∣pire. To Persia he added the jurisdiction of Babylon (or Bagdat now) which continued in the Ottoman Tyranny till the year 1625. When ABBAS the victorious King of Persia, (or ra∣ther MIRZA his Son) beat them out of it, as also out of Tauris, Van, and the greater Asia (of which see more in the seventeenth note upon the fourth Act) yet continued Tran∣grolipix the spirituall jurisdiction to the Caliphs successour, in honour of their false Prophet, the Turke having now em∣braced the Mahometan superstition, as the best means to esta∣blish his new Empire, begun about the year 1030. such time as Edward the Confessor ruled England, and about 200. yeares after the Turkes eruption out of Scythia. Axan succeeded his Father Tangrolipix, after him the Empire fell into petty divi∣sions, till Ottoman head of the Oguzian family no lesse by f••aud then force united it under himself; who taking advan∣tage

of the jarrs between the Christians, and some wrongs they did to him exasperating him, in those 27. years that he reigned, he annexed Bythinia, Cappadocia, and most of those strong holds that border on the Euxine Sea to his Empire, and left it intire to his Son Orchanes, who also much augmented it, and l••ft it to his Son Amurath, &c. since which, with marvellous fortune it has grown to that stupendious bulk, that I hope will ruine it, for so long as the Christian armes are thus mise∣rably imploy'd against themselves, so glorious a work is more then we can hope from them. Ottoman atchieved the Sultan∣ship Anno 1300. in him began the race still continued, called in his honour the Ottoman Race, though they are indeed the Oguzian family; give me leave to shut up this long note with a short poeticall summary of this Ottoman, a man vigilant and hardy, and happily the best, as well as the first, of the Turkish Emperors of that name.

Multiplici lassatae Asiae res clade premuntur, Hinc Sarracenus, Tartarus inde ruit. Mutua Christicolae gladios in vulnera stringunt: Graecia funesta seditione perit. Impiger interea nova concipit Ottomannus Concilia, & valida surgit in arma manu. Et vasta Turcis regno fundamina turbae Ponit: & in multo sanguine Sceptra levat. Phi. Lonicerus Hist. Turc. lib. 2.

On Asia, torn, and tir'd with endlesse war Here rush'd the Saracen, the Tartar there. In mutuall wounds the Christians force is spent, And poor Greece falls with civill discord rent. Mean while quick Ottoman new Counsells takes, And at the world his armed hand he shakes. The basis of the Turkes vast sway did found, And his new Scepter bath'd in many a wound.

Philip du Mornay, Pliny, Blondius, Platina, Pomponius Mela, Sabellicus, Segonius, Ptolomie, Sandys, Herbert, Turkish History, D'Juigne.

[(4) Shiraz wine] Shiras is the Metropolitan City of Persia,) for Spawhawn is in Parthia) she arose out of the

ruines of Persepolis (of which read in the 12th. note upon the third Act) some confound the name, and think the Ci∣tie's the same; others, that they once joyned, though they are now 30. Eng••ish miles distant; which distance, and the high craggy Mountains interposing them, seem to confute that opinion. It's seated upon the River Bindimire, the Persians pronounce it Sheiras, some Syras, and such will have her built by Cyrus, and from him called Cyropolis: others from Jamshet, fifth King of Persia, and so from Noah. But its most probable, its derivation is from Sheir or Milk (being fruitfull in Pasto∣rage) as Aleppo from Halip; which Synonymies are taken for plenty and pleasure; many Towns in thes•• parts ag••eeing so, as Whormoot, a Town of Dates, D' Achow, a Town upon a Hill, De Gardow, a Town of Walnuts, Eri the head City of Aria, so abounding with Roses, it may thence take the name. That Shiras arose of the ruines of Persaepolis at least, most agree, though built in a distant place; as wee see Tauris from Echatane, Bagdat from old Babel, Jerusalem towards Mount Calvary, Cairo from Memphis, Tunis from Carthage, Constanti∣nople f••om Bizantium, Rome now in Campus Martius, and many other Cities which altering their seate, though but a league, some have got other denominations, some to eternize their repairers, some from their scite. The compasse of Sh••ras is about nine miles, pleasantly seated, and well adorned with beautifull Mosques, and most delicious Gardens. It is a Proverb among the Persians, Quando Suars erat Siras, tunc Caiarus erat ejus Pagus. A twinkling Tradition, and implies much; For best fruits, gallant men, handsom women, and good wine Shiras bears the bell; especially for wine; for about it growes the best grape in Asia, so that the name of Shiraz wine is every where famous, being no lesse cry'd up in Persia, then the Lesbian or Thracian wines were in Greece, or then in Italy were the Falernian or Massican, or now is that they call Lachrymae Christi (which made the Dutch man wish Christ had wept in his Country) or that of Monte Fascone, which made the German Bishop immortall, as the story goes, and as you may read it in Mr. Raymonds Mercurio Italico. pag. 62. The Shiraz wine is chiefly a Meat wine, somewhat like the French, but better tasted, though more intoxicating, Herbert, &c.

[(5.) By the life of MORAT] The Turkes also swear by the life of their King, a Custome antient, in all places: Joseph in Aegypt learnt to swear by the life of Pharaoh, or as

some render it, by the health of Pharoah, so the Remish, Gen. 42.15. This Morat or Amurath the 4^th of that name, and 11^th Emperour of the Turkes, reigned when this Tragedy was really acted in Persia, from him our Mirza won Babylon or Bagdat, in the 3^d or (as some say) 4^th year of his Raigne, (see the third Note upon this Act.) He was one of the Sons of the greet Achmat, and came to the Empire in the yeare 1623. (aged fifteeen yeares) after the murder of his elder Brother Osman, and the short troublesome Raign of his Uncle Mustapha.

[(6) Tulipant.] Tulipants, Turbants, & Shashes, are the head Ornaments of the Turks and Persians. The Turks all of them wear white Shashes & Turbants, the badge of their Religion; as is the folding of the one, & size of the other of their vocations and quality. Shashes are long Towels of Calico wound about their heads: Turbants are made like great Globes, of Calico too, & thwarted with rolles of the same, having little copped Caps on the top, of green or red velvet, being onely worn by per∣sons of rank, and he is the greatest that wears the greatest, the Mufties (or Prelates) excepted, which over-sizes the Em∣perours; yet is his bigge enough according to Mr. Sandys, who reports, that Sultan Achmet, wore a Turbant, in shape like to a pumpion, but thrice as great. And though many Orders have particular ornaments appointed for their heads, yet wear they these promiscuously. It is yet an especiall fa∣vour in the Turk to suffer the Christian tributary Princes, and their chiefest Nobles, to wear white heads in the City. The Persians also wind about their heads great rolles of Calico, but some of silk and gold, somewhat higher, but not so bulkie as the Turkish Tulipants; a little fash of gold, or fringe, hangs down behind, as do our skarfes, which ornament they lately borrowed of the Arabian. In Triumphs they wreath about their Turbants long chaines of pearles, Rubies, Tur∣quoises, and Emeralds of no small lustre and value. The King wears the contrary side of his Tulipant forwards, which is all the difference in habit 'twixt him and others. These Turbants they keep on continually, it being a shame with them, to be seen bare-headed: (perhaps because generally they wear no haire on the head or chin, (but on the upper lippe they have very long whiskers, and turned down-ward) some onely re∣serve a lock of haire upon the top of the head, as a certaine note that Mahomet at Doomes-day, will distinguish them from Christians, and by it lift them up to paradise) so that Mr

Herbert remembers as a singular favour, the civility of this King Abbas, to Sir Dodmore Cotton, Embassadour from our late King Charles to him, Sc. When the King drank to the Embassadour his royall Masters health, seeing the Embassa∣dour put off his Hat, the King put off his Turbant, and bare-headed took off his cup, to the admiration of all the Court, to see so unusuall a Grace from so haughty a Prince, bestow'd upon a Christian Embassadour: another of his favours to him was, that whereas he thinks it honour enough to let the great Turkes Embassadour kiss the hem of his Garment onely, and perhaps by especiall Grace, his foot; he gave the English Embassadour his hand, and with it, pull'd him downe, and seated him next to himselfe crosse-legged, after the Asian mode.

[(7) MITHRA] the same with the Suns, or rather the Idol of the Sun, anciently adored by the Persians, nor have Ma∣hometisme yet justled out that old superstition, but only mixed with it, so that Mr. Herbert affirms, that in Spawhawne its selfe the Imperiall City (of which before in the tenth Note upon the first Act) at the appearing of every new Moon, they go out to worship it, and each day at Sun set in every ward of the City, they beat their Kettle Drums, till he arises with the Antipodes: at that time, and at his first looking into our Horizon, a well voyced Boy from the Tarrass, or top of their Temples, sing Eulogies to Mahomet and Ally, and then each layick Pagan falls to his devotion, whatsoever hee is about. Their prayers are in the Arabique, their Negotiations in other Languages. Of old, in a Cave were the Rites of Mithra solemnized; from whence they drew an Ox by the hornes; which, after the singing of certaine Paeans, was sacrificed to the Sun. Zorastes placeth him between Oremazes and Arimanius, the good and bad Daemon, for which he took that denomination. His image had the countenance of a Lion, with a Tiara on his head, depressing an Ox by the hornes. I find him mentioned by Grotius, in his Tragedy of Christ's passion, but more to our purpose by Statius, Theb. l. 1.

ANNOTATIONS UPON THE THIRD ACT.

[(1) CAucasus] This is the highest mountain in Asia, yet was it in the generall Deluge fifteen Cubits under water, Gen. 7.20. Its of long extent, and serves for limits to Scythia, to separate it from India, dilating it selfe almost through the whole North, but under divers names; that part which stretches from Maeotis in Scythia, towards the Indian Sea where it arises, Pliny will have called Tau∣rus, (lib. 5. cap. 27.) Some parts of it, the Indians call Imaus, other Paropamissus, Circius, Coatras, Niphates, Sarpedon, Coragus, &c. These out-stretching branches of this Mountaine, en∣co••pass some whole Kingdoms, of some they ••unne by the sides, to others are a defensive Rampire; sometimes they wholly shut up passages, sometimes make them inaccessible: Difficulties more injurious to the Morgor, then any other Prince, rendring his Horse, his chiefe strength, of small service, of this quality are the frontiers of Persia, and the Kingdome of Sa••lastan, on every side hem'd in with that part which the Grecians call Paropamis (as I said before in the third Note upon the first Act. Segestan is likewise so invironed, that the River Il••mento (were it not for searching out infinite crooked windings through naturall vallies) could hardly find passage to pay his tribute to the famous Ganges. Notwith∣standing all these excrescencies of this Mountaine, all agree that the highest part of it is Caucasus, so called quasi Cas∣pius, as being neer the Caspian Sea. By reason of the height, and and so snow perpetually on it, it is uninhabited, producing little but salvage Trees, and poysonous herbs, and is barren even to an expression: so that Virgil making Dido exclaime against Aeneas, for his unkind attempt to leave her, could not put better words into her mouth, then

Nec tibi diva parens, generis nec Dardanus auctor Perside; sed duris genuit te cautibus ••orrens Caucasus, Hyrcanaeque admorunt ubera Tigres. Aeneid. 4.

Thou art not Venus Son, nor Dardans seed, But faithlesse, thee dire Caucasus did breed On churlish cliffes, and Hyrcan Tygers feed▪

(At the Hyrcanian Tygers I glance in the eighth Scene of the fourth Act) Caucasus by reason of the stupendious height administers much ease and certainty to the observati∣on of the stars, which have given so great a reputation to the Scythians to bee good Astronomers; this according to Lactantius and Cicero (lib. 5. Tusc) is the reason the Poets feigned Prometheus to be chained here, and to feed an Eagle with his breast, for stealing fire from Heaven (not here to dilate any further upon the Mythology of that Fable) mean∣ing by him a studious man, and Astrologer; his name imports wisdome and fore-sight, (as Epimetheus the contrary) hee passes for Son of Japetus, and Father of Deucalion, though some will have him begotten by Mercury, of Reason, upon Mount Caucasus, because of the commodiousness of the place, for the aspection of Stars. But the occasion of this Note, was what I find noted by Boetius in his Philosophicall comfort (lib. 2.) Out of Cicero his Scipio's Dream, speaking of the narrowness of Fame, viz. that in his time the name of the Roman, Common∣wealth had not sworn over the River Ganges, (of which in the next note) nor reached over this hill Caucasus; and yet it was then in the most flourishing estate, fearfull even to the Parthians, and the rest of Asia minor.

The same I find in Plutarch, who indeed makes Pompey (in vit. Pomp.) in chase of Mithridates passe by those Nati∣ons that inhabit about Caucasus, and conquer the Albanians and Iberians, but they are still of this side of the hill, the Iberians (as himself say) stretch out unto Mount Moschium, and to the Realm of Pontus, the Albanians lie towards the East & mare Caspium. So true is it that the greatest Empires have hidden fates allotted them, and certain periods both of time and place. Nor doth Lucan in his muster roll of Pompeyes forces set down any from beyond the hill, nor over Ganges, though just up to them; in that agreeing with Plutarch, who

also agrees with him, where hee makes Ganges the utmost bounds of Alexanders Conquests; no small fame to this hill and river to bound the Roman and Macedonian Empires, to remember the Poets words is not superfluous, at least so much of them as concern Ganges the subject of the next note.

Movit & Eoos bellorum fama recessus, Qua colitur Ganges, toto qui solus in orbe Ostia nascenti contraria solvere Phaebo Audet, & adversum fluctus impellit in Eurum. Hic ubi Pellaeus post Tethyos aequora ductor. Constitit, & magno vinci se fassus ab orbe est.Phars. l. 3.

The farthest East range of these famous warrs, Where Ganges flowes, the onely stream that dares Crosse rising Phaebus, and with horrid might Force 'gainst the Eastern wind his rouling tide. Here the Pellaean, stop'd, was forc'd confesse His boundlesse mind then this one world was lesse.

[(2) From Ganges head to towring Atlas foot] The strange and unusuall course of this River Ganges, crosse to the Sun, you have seen well described by Lucan. It takes its source in the Mountains of Scythia, as most believe, though some say in the Mountains of Tartarie, others, that it is uncertaine, as that of Nile. It traverseth the East Indies, giving a name to the Country. Gangeticus, id est, Indicus: So Lucan speaking of the arrivall of the ••pring, and of the Suns drying up of the winter fogs, saith,

Et quas sentit Arabs, & quas Gangetica tellus Exhalat nubulas.Phars. l. 4.

—He doth exhale The fogs that India, and Arabia feel.

It was (as many write) one of the four Rivers that bounded Paradise, and the first mention'd in holy writ, by the name of Pishcon, or Phison. (Gen. 2.) It was called Ganges from a King of Aethiopia of that name, so saies Suidas. It is very large in all its course; Pliny (lib. 6. cap. 18:) makes the narrowest part of it to be eight miles over, the broadest twenty, and the depth more then 100. foot.

Arrianus in his History of Alexander, assigneth the first place unto it, making it excell Nilus; which must be granted (ac∣cording unto later relations) it doth, at least in depth and breadth, if not in length: For the Magnitude of Nilus con∣sisteth in the dimension of Longitude, and is inconsiderable in the other; what stream it maintaineth beyond Scyene or Asna, and so forward unto its originall, relations are very im∣perfect, but below these places and farther removed from the head, the current is but narrow; and the History of the Turks relates, that the Tartar horsemen of Selimus, swam over the Nile from Cairo, to meet forces of Tonombeius, last Sultan of Aegypt, more then the valiant Macedonians durst under take to do at Ganges (though they had before done as much as the Tartars did at Nile, in wading through Hydaspes, up to their breasts with their harnesse on their backs, to meet King Po∣rus) not so much deterr'd by the report of the Kings of the Gangarides and the Praesians on the other side ready to receive them (with 80000. horse, 200000. foot, 8000. Chariots, and 6000. Elephants) for numbers were not terrible to them, but gave hopes of the richer prey and brighter fame,) but they were dishartened to combate the waves, understanding by the Countrymen, that it was 32. furlongs over, and 100. fadom deep. So Plutarch (somewhat differing from Pliny, though their measure will admit an easie reconcilement.) With an impetuous tide it rages; for which I must quote Lucan again, who speaking of Caesars going to assault Corsi∣nium a Town of the Peligni, when L. Domitius the Gover∣nour had cut off the bridge of the River, three miles from the Town, makes him thus bravely encourage his Cohorts to passe it, despising the petty difficulty, and vaunting that hee would do, if need were, now he had begun the War, what Alexander could not,

—Non si tumido me gurgite Ganges Submoveat, stabit jam flumine Caesar in ullo, Post Rubiconis aquas: equitum properate catervae. Ite simul pedites: ruiturum ascendite pontem. Phars. l. 2.

I'd ore; though Ganges here row'd all his might: Now Rubicon is past; no rapid tide Shall Caesar stop; on wing'd Troops, like hail, Follow brave Foot, the sinking bridge assail.

A speech worthy Caesar. This River is by the Indians held so sacred, as many of them drown themselves in it, esteeming it efficacious to wash away their sins; and the Princes whose dominions it washes, exact great Tributes of such as bath in it; well therefore might Lucan in the fore cited Verses, mea∣ning India, say

Qua colitur Ganges.

Where Ganges is ador'd—

Atlas is a mountaine in Mauritania (now called Barbaria) or the Country of Marisco, towards the Gaditan streights, and the west Ocean. It was anciently called Adirim, according to Martian, Durim saith Solinus, as also Anchisa, and the Pillar of heaven, by the inhab••tants, being so high, that a man cannot discern the top thereof. It was called Atlas from a King of Mauritania of that name, the Sonne of Jupiter and Clymene, or of the Nymph Asie, say the Poets; others, of Japet, and Brother to Prometheus; He having been advertized by the Oracle of Themis, that the Sonne of Jupiter (prophesied by Hercules) should carry away golden Apples, which grew in his Hesperian Hortyard, inclosed the same with a mighty wall, and committed it to the custody of a sleepless Serpent, ad∣mitting no Forrainer into his confines; and so being unhos∣pitable unto Perseus (the Sonne of Jupiter and Danae) was at the sight of Medusas head, turned into that Mountaine which carries that name, on whose high shoulders the Starres are feigned to take their repose. So Ovid in his Metamorphosis, upon the fourth Book of which M. Sandys in his Mythologicall commentary observes, that some alluding this to a History, will have those apples flocks of large and beautifull sheep belonging to Atlas, whose fleeces were of the colour of gold; as because a River invironed those pastures, they were said to be guarded by a Serpent, or in that they were kept by one Ladon, a churlish and inhumane shepheard, or feigned perhaps of the store of gold wherewith Mauritania abounds, digged up at the foot of that Mount; the wakefull Dragon, those restless cares which afflict the covetous in the ••uition of their riches. Now Atlas flying thither, from the invasion of Perseus (figuring a Masculine and heroical virtue) and there lurking, was said to have been converted into that Mountaine, and in regard of the altitude thereof, to have

sustained the heaven on his shoulders. But Astronomically those Apples are taken for stars, shining like gold, and in figure orbicular, said to grow in the West, in that they appear not before sun set; the Zodiack, or our Hemispheare, being the Serpent: all of them supported, in regard of his excel∣lency in Astronomy, by Atlas. Some say, that ascending aloft, the better to observe the course of the stars, he fell headlong into the Sea from this Mountaine, called for this by his name, as of that aspiring height, the celestiall Columne: all agree that he is said to sustaine the Heaven with his shoulders, because he was the first Astronomer in those quarters, and a famous Mathematitian, who invented the spheare, (though others make that. Archimedes his device) and held the first light to the discovery of the motions and qualities of the celestiall bodies. Homer makes Calypso, that deteyned Vlysses seven years in her Isle of Ogygia, Atlas, his daughter, and thus sings of him and her, whilst he makes Pallas at the councell of the Gods, call her

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Daughter of Atlas, that knew every where The Oceans inmost gulfes, he that doth beare The two long poles that earth and heaven up rear.

I here put Ganges and Atlas, in opposition one to another, to express the divers ends of the world; to wit, East and West; though indeed to speak strictly, (as D^r Brown observes in his Pseudodexia Epidemica: lib. 6. cap. 7. There is no East and West in Nature; nor are those absolute and in variable, but respective and mutable points, according to different Longitudes, or distant parts of habitation, whereby they suffer many and considerable variations. For first, unto some, the same part will be East or West, in respect of one another; that is, unto such as inhabite the same parallel, or indifferent∣ly dwell from East to West. Thus as unto Spain, Italy, lyeth East, unto Italy, Greece, unto Greece, Persia, and unto Persia, China, so again unto China, Persia lyeth West, unto Persia Greece, unto Greece Italy, and unto Italy, Spain: so that the same Country is sometimes East, and sometimes West; and

Persia, though East unto Greece, yet is it West unto China. But laying the Scene in Persia, 'tis as proper to express the East by Ganges, as China, or any floud in it, as well because of their affinity, China bordring upon the Brachmans that adore Ganges, as that Ganges is the most celebrated name. These places to express the same meaning, Du' Bartas makes use of; in the first day of his first Week, he saith, That the Trumpe of the Angel in the last day, shall be heard from Atlas to Gan∣ges, meaning from the West to the East.

[(3) Let the haughty Duke of Shiras have a care, left I absolve my self of my rash oath, &c.]

Emangoly Chawn, great Duke of Shiras, and Persepolis, and Viceroy of them and Larr, got an oath from King Abbas, that he never should be beheaded, a recompence for small reason too usuall from that Emperour. (Herbert, p. 62.) Mahomet∣••lly beg had the like oath, as I hint towards the end of the Play. See more of the greatness and state of this Emangoly, in the 9th. Note upon this Act, of his martiall acquests in the 18th. and 19th. Notes upon the fourth Act. See Persepolis described in the 12th. and Larr in the 23^d Note upon this third Act.

[(4) I'l thrust him from the Government of Shiras.]

This Duke Emangoly, was Governour of Shiras, where he kept his Court in a splendid manner, when he was out of Armes. Shiras you have seen enough of, in the fourth Note upon the second Act. Herbert.

[(5) I'l turn his feast of Lillies into Cypress.]

Shushan, in the Province of Elam, or Persia, (according to Nehemiah and Daniel) was one of the three royall Palaces of the Median Monarchs, one at Babylon, another at Echatan, now Tauris, the third at Susa, or Shushan. This Palace is mentioned in Hester, Cap. 1. That Ahasuerus, An. mundi 3500. ruling over the Medes and Persians, and over 127 Provinces, made a feast in Shushan to all his Nobles and Officers, lasting 180 dayes, which custome it seemes, is yet amongst them, for yearly to this day, the King of Persia celebrates a feast of Roses, and the Duke of Shiraz, or Persepolis, (who is Lord of Susiana, or Shushan) a feast of Lillies, or Daffadillies of like continuance. Herbert. p. 140. Susa, signifying a Lillie, a Rose or Joy, and so called from the Kingdom of Susiana, in which it stands.

[(6) Hyrcania] Is a noble Kingdome of Asia, now called Mozendram, it was called Corca, and Girgia (meaning perhaps Georgia, which is Iberia, 'twixt the two Seas) by some again Caspia (from its sea) and Steana, and Myrach, and by Mercator, Diargument. Tomasius will have it bounded on the East with the Caspian sea, on the South with Armenia, on the North with Albania, on the West with Iberia. M. Herbert, and most of the moderns, limit it on the North, with the Caspian sea, on the South with Mount Taurus, on the East with Zagathia, (which is part of Scythia intra Imaum) and on the West with Media, or rather some part of the lesser Armenia, upon whose tops the Ark rested. Araxis from the Turisian Mountaines (as Ptolomy writes, from Sagapene, Colthyan, Seducene) waters and fattens this peaceful Country; to perfect which, she is divided, and subdivided so oft into so many rivolets, that from an am∣ple River, ere she kisses the Caspian, she loses her pride, and gives one leave to wade through her deepest channel. The Country is full of Woods, so that the people of old, thinking to hinder Alexanders entrance, twisted one Tree to another; but he that had dissected Gordions knot, though very mystical, with the same sword annihilated their policies, and subdued them; yet with no small difficulty, not so much from their Woods, as their Wolves, Lions, Bores, Panthers, Leopards, Tygers, (so fam'd by the Poets, and remembred in the fore∣cited Ve••ses out of Virgil) and Scorpions, with which they are stored; Scorpions especially, not more small in bulk, then fierce in their venemous disposition. He that is stung, if he escapes death, is frantique twenty hours at least, and no bet∣ter remedy then (like Achilles's Speare) to turn a Scorpion into Oyl, and apply it to the place offended. The Hyrcanians think to prevent their poyson by charms, which they tie about their Armes, yet they sometimes fail them; then to excuse their charms, they lay the cause on their that dayes sinne. Though their woods could not hold out the Macedonians, yet their noxious inhabitants of them, defended them from the Romans, in some sort recompencing to the Country in generall, the hurt they do to its particular inhabitants: for Plutarch reports (In vit. Pomp.) That Pompey going to invade Hyrcania, as far as Mare Caspium, he was compelled to turne back againe into Armenia the lesse, for the infinite numbers of deadly venemous Serpents which he met with, being come within three dayes Journey of it. These Woods yet befriend them against winter colds, and shade them from the parching sun, both which in

••heir seasons are there extream; and besides hurtfull creatures they are plentifully stored with Apes for European Merchan∣dise; and Antilopes, and Red and fallow Deere for food. The ••rime Cities of this Kingdom are Farrabant, Asharaffe, Peris∣••••w, Omoall, Barsrushdea and Derbent, most watered by the Rivers Araxis, Connack, Osbel, Cyre, Rha, and Cheisell, who from the deserts of Larr, and together with the 70. mouthed Volga from Muscovia, empty themselves into the Caspian Sea. These Rivers abound with fish, and are furnished with little Canoes or Boats made of one Tree, capable to receive eight men in fair weather. In the River of Farrabant (which bears a stream of 40. paces over) are some long deep prams, sowed toge∣ther with hemp and cord (but unpitcht or calk't) in these the Muscovian Merchants sail down Volga, over the Caspian Sea, to Farrabant, to traffique for raw silkes, which they trans∣port to Mosco, and through Russia. These ships ordinarily come thither in March, and return in July. This Country be∣ing both pleasant and rich, viz. a fine Plain abounding with Corn (chiefly Rice, Barley and Ric) Wine, Honey, and ••ll sorts of fruits; and being an usefull passage into Tartarie and Turcomania, allured Abbas of Persia to attempt it, who had the fortune to win it: To hold it the better, he oft affor∣ded it his presence, residing much at Farrabant, (where hee built a sumptuous Palace) and Asharaff (where Master Herbert tells you he was when he received Sir Dodmore Cotton Embassadour from our King Charles) and in his absence there resides the Vice-roy. The people speak the Language of Persia; their apparell is like the Irish trooses; their heads have a high woollen Cap, furred with their owne sheeps skinns. They are affable, and delight in Noveltie, being much civilized (as say the Persians) since they called Abbas their Conqueror, and had the honour to afford him a Mother and a Wife, which, though not the least, shall bee the last praise of Hyrcania which I will here remember, that it produced the Grandmother and Mother of MIRZA.

[(7) The Grand Signior] The Great Turk, so called in the same sense as we call the Great Mogor, the Great Japan, the Great Duke of Muscovie, the Great Cham, the Great Duke of Tuscany, &c.

[(8) The Gelden Duke] King Abbas his Vice-roy for Hyrcania (whom I call Elchee) liking a Boy, whose Father

was poor, and under his command; against the boyes wi•••• his Parents knowledge, and the Law of Nature, made him Sodomite, which crying sin, though licensed by their Alcora•• yet force is not to be used, and therefore are Ganymeds 〈◊〉〈◊〉 each great City tollerated. The Father of this wronge Child prostrates himself before the King, and acquaints hi•• with that villany: The King seeing sor••ow and truth in th•• Peasants look, demanded of the Duke, who then was sittin•• there, how true it was; his countenance bewrayed him. Th•• King having at that instant a knife in his hand, gave it to th•• poor Father, and bad him Eunuchize him: The Duke dur•• not startle or intercede, the Law of the Persian never alters the poor man executed as was enjoyned him. The King ye•• continued to the Duke his jurisdiction. His Seraglio onel•• lost most by it. Herbert. p. 99.

[(9) —There I've disarm'd a Foe, and the most poten•• too in the whole Empire] This foe of Ally-Beg's was the above mentioned Duke Emangoly, the greatest subject in Persia; hi•• Father and Grand-father were Dukes before him, a Genealo∣gie of that Antiquity as many Sultans and Dukes in India and Persia cannot equall it, they know so little that way. Hee was one of the Kings four great Dukes, each of which hath under him 12. Sultans, each Sultan 5000. Gouzel-Bashaws, no worse warriers then the Janizaries. His Titles without ostentation were these; Emangoly Chawn, Lord of Persia, (which they call Farsee) Great Duke of Shiras, Sultan of Larr, and the Mountains of Jaaroon, Lord of Ormus, Ruler of Carmania, Mergiana, Susiana, Gedrozia, Aria, and Sigestan, Prince of the Gulph of Arabia, Great Beglerbegg (or Lord of Lords) Commander of twelve Sultans. Flowre of Cour∣tesie, second in Glory, Protector of Mussullmen, Nutmeg o•• Comfort, and Rose of delight. He was very martiall and fortu∣nate, he subdued all Larr, Ormus, and unto Jasques for his Soveraign, (of which in the 18. and 19. notes upon the 4th. Act) He got footing in Arabia for himself, in this manner: Two Arabian Princes contending for Soveraignty, he that was vanquished demanded succour from this Duke, who enter∣tained him, and with 20000. Horse fought and kill'd his Adversary, and became Lord of both their Tertitories. The relieved Prince thanks him, and desires to return home; Emangoly refused, could he with any honesty leave him that had so succour'd him; The Prince must stay, and in fine, be∣comes

his Son in Law and Father at once; for he wedded the Dukes Daughter, and the Duke his Signiory, and kept him Prisoner; the usuall fruit of Auxiliary or mercenary forces. When he hunts the Tygre, Lion, Bores and such like (which he did once in four years) hee set 20000. men to rouze them; and when they were herded together on some Mountain, he impaled it with a huge toil, of wire, cords, and wood; a toil and burden for 600. Camels, and so commanded them. Answerable to his State was his Estate, his plate and Jewells were valued at 300000. pounds. He had 300: wo∣men in his Seraglio (called there Haram) at Shira, His Re∣venues (according to the Merchants computation) were 400000. Tomaynes a year, (a Toman is 3. l. 6. s.) So Her∣bert, which of our money comes to 1328000. l. a year, a Re∣venue equall to some European Kings, not superfluous here to be ••emembred, because it shews the greatnesse of Subjects in those parts.

[(10) MORATS Horse-tail standard] The Turkes royall Standand (born by the Janizaries) is no other then a horse-tail tied to the end of the staff. So Sandys; which though seeming rude, and answerable to their Originall, doth smell much of Antiquities; Coloured Horse-hairs being a most anti∣ent Ornament for Crests; Homer sticketh the like in the Hel∣met of the gallantly a••med (though not so spirited) Paris being to fight the great deciding Combate with Menelaus for Helena.

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Then on his head his well wrought Helm he set, Plum'd with Horse-tail, that horribly did threat.

Hear how this passage sounds in French, rendred by the great Poitique and much admired Abbot of Saint Cheron, Salel.

—Et puis couurit sa teste D'vn riche armet, ayant vne grand' oreste Faite du poil qu'on voit prendre en la queuë D'vn grand cheval: tant horrible à la veuë Qu' aussi souuent que sa teste il hausoit. On eust pense que cela menacoit.

[(11) Seraglio] Those Palaces or Bawdy houses royal•• are called Seraglio's, in which the noble men and Princes in Persia, Turkie, and indeed all over Asia keep their Concubines; every great Man has one, commonly plentifully stored; E∣mangoly (as I have said) had 300. women in his: But that belonging to the Great Turk in Constantinople excells all in the world, yet his Predecessours did not more exceed others, then of late years Sultan Achmat did them in this point, ha∣ving his furnished with 1500. women, whereof more then 500. of the choicest were Virgins, all of them his slaves, ei∣ther taken in the Warrs, or from their Parents, Christian or others, but the chosen Beauties of the Empire; onely a free woman is not to be made a Concubine unlesse she consents, and herein onely is the Grand Signiors power limited. They were attended onely by women and Eunuchs, nor were they presented to the Emperor untill certain months after their Entrance, in which time they were purged and dieted accor∣ding to the custom of the antient Persians; when it was his pleasure to have one, they stood rankt in a Gallery, and she prepared for his bed to whom he gave his handkercher. This custom is still continued, and the Grand Signior sometimes bestowes some of his cast Concubines upon some of his Bassas, and principall Favourites, as rewards of prime services, which is taken for a transcendent favour; a certificate that they have pleased him, being accounted a noble Dowry. In so besot∣ted a subjection are the minds as well as the bodies of those people to the Ottoman Tyrants. For more of this subject, I re∣ferre you Mr. Sandys his Relation, and to a description of the Grand Signiors Seraglio in particular, lately published, &c.

[(12) Persepolis was the head City of Persia (according to Pliny) and of the whole Orient (according to Curtius) so called from Perseus its founder (say some) and father of the Nation. The Persians say Jamshet was the founder, whose Image is frequently carved in most places; hee ruled over Persia in nine descents from Noe, and is by Historiographers

supposed son of Ouchange, fourth King of Persia. Others will have her built by Sosarinus, who lived in the Median Dynasty, and was the third Emperor from Arbaces, who gave end to Sardanapalus and the Assyrian Monarchy, which had continued from Belus, Father of Ninus 1480. years, in succession of 41, Monarchs: Howbeit she was most beautified by Cambyses. Son to Cyrus, and second K. of the second Monarchy; and con∣tinued the mightiest City in Asia from Cambysses to Darius Codomanus Son to Arsamus, in the line of 13. Monarchs, 230. years, at which time it fell under the Macedonian Victor; whose Historiographer Q. Curtius reports her built of Cedar Trees, but improbably; for the Country produces none; if hee meant Cypresses, 'tis credible; for they every where crown the bankes of the River Byndamir, which waters this City: Adjoyning are whole Mountains of black Marble, of which the imperiall palace was extracted and cut out, in which the Kings Throne was Gold and Orientall Gemms; the Roof shined with Gold and Silver, Amber and Ivory, now a heap of ruines, by the Inhabitants called Chil-manor, or forty Towres; their Ancestors may have seen so many, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 now there are but ninteen standing, and one below to the East, though the ruines of eighty more are yet extant. The Hall was cut out of black shining Marble, wherin were placed 100. white Marble Pillars, each Pillar fifteen foot high, and forty squares round, each square three inches: From hence is a Prospect of all the Plains thirty miles about. The ascent to it is hewn out of the Marble Rock, (as if the structor presa∣ged fire and defied it) the stairs reserving their durance and beauty to this day are 95. So broad that 12. horsmen may ride up a breast. The immediate ascent is 22. foot high, at which is the Gate in breadth six paces; in height 30. foot ve∣ry elegantly hewn out of the Marble, fixt, and durable for e∣ver; engraven with a mighty Elephant on the one side, and a Rhynoceros on the other. A little further from the Entrance are two Towers or Pillars of like shape and bignesse to the former, near which is another part of the Gate, wherein is engraven a Pegasus; these are the Portalls to that Apollo sup∣ported by 100. white Marble Pillars. Adjoyning to this was another four-square Room, each square 90. paces, 360 round; it had eight doors, four of which are six paces broad, the other half so much, each door has still seven engraven Marble stones, fixt one upon another, each stone four yards long, and five quarters high, all which eight doors are ex∣quisitly

carved with Lions, Tigers, Griffins, and Bulls of rar•• sculpture and proportion; on the top of each door is in ston•• the Image of an Emperour in State, holding in his hands •• staff and Scepter, this was the Dyning room: The next wa•• the Queens and her Ladies room, 'tis Quardrangular, but no•• equall in form, 2 sides being 60, the other 70. paces. The fourth Room not yet quite obscured, was the Nursery, two sides 20 the other 30. paces long; the black Marble wals are rarely wrote with Images of huge stature, and have been illustrated with Gold, yet in some places visible: the stones so well polished they equall in lustre a steel mir••our▪ At the highest of thi•• Palace is cut, out of the pependicular Mountain, the Image of a King (perhaps Cambyses) adoring three Deities, the Fire, the Sun, and a Serpent. So far Master Herbert, of whose ex¦act description I have used the more, because none have so well done it as he; as also for the worthinesse of the subject, this having been saith Diodorus Siculus the richest (which you may guesse at anon, when you see what wealth Alexander found in it) and the most lovely City under the Sun; It had (saith the Historian) a high stately ••ower, environed with a threefold wall; the first wall was sixteen Cubits high, b••au∣tified with battlements, the second was as high again, and the third as much exceeded that, to sixty Cubits, composed of hard Marble (polished like a looking-glasse and as bright) fixt with brazen gates: To the East of which was a Hill of four Ac••es, wherein were Entombed the Monarchs of the world. Nor was the glorious Temple of Diana here of lesse credit, being (as Josephus writes) covered with refined gold. Arist. lib. de mundo, averreth the admirable ingenuity of the Persian Magi such, combined with the immense cost of those Emperours, that by well disposing of pipes in a wall, reaching to this City, they could hear in one day of all affairs, though that bulkie Empi••e, even from the Hellespont unto India. Magin in Geogr. makes this City still in circuit 28. miles, and to contain 60000 Families, notwithstanding all the injuries it hath suffered of war and fire, the one having so much wrong'd her beauty, the other diminished her In∣habitants and Treasure; for Alexander himself writeth (saith Plutarch) that he caused many of the Persians Prisoners and others to be put to the sword to secure himself against muti∣nies; and with the Kings wardrobe, and Treasure which hee found here, he laded 10000. Moyles and 5000. Camels, of which the Citizens, after his souldiers had spoiled what they

pleased in the sack, gave him in ready Gold 120000 Talents to spare the rest, yet felt it the flames of his wrath, or rather Luxury, he saying it was to revenge the injuries done by the Princes thereof to the Greeks, (so Strabo. lib. 15.) for mea∣ning to refresh his Army, he stayed here, making it his win∣ter Quarters, then preparing to go againe against Darius, he would needs revell and banquet at the Palace one day, where was the famous Thais, the Athenian Curtezan, his Concubine, (and after his death, King Ptolomies of Aegypt) she flattering of Alexander, began to utter her affection to her Country, saying, that now she held her self fully recompenced for all the paines she had taken in following of his Army over all Asia, now that she had the fortune to be merry with him in the proud Palace of her Persian enemy; but yet it would doe her much more good for a recreation, to burn Xerxes his house with the fire of joy, who had burnt the City of Athens, and her selfe to give fire to it, before so noble a Prince as A∣lexander, that it might ever be said, that the women following his Camp, had taken more dreadful revenge of the Persians, for the injuries they did to Greece, then all the stoutest Cap∣taines of Greece could obtaine, or by Land or Sea. His Courtiers accorded, and perswaded him to it; so Alexan∣der putting a Garland of flowers upon his head, led all his traine of Courtiers and Concubines, following and dancing about the Palace, whilst it burnt, his Souldiers thence taking hopes that he would return home, seeing he burnt the Kings Castle. Some Writers think, that it was not burnt with such spo••t, but by determination of the Councel; however they all grant, that Alexander did presently repent him, and comman∣ded the fire to be quenched. So Plut. in vit. Alex. such and no other is the bitter fruit of deboistnesse and Curtezans, repen∣tance, oft too late.

[(13) Beds of Gold, &c:] The aforesaid Writers speaking of Persepolis, say, that in his Bed-chamber, in the Palace Roy∣all, Darius had a golden Vine, so disposed, as it served for the Tester of his Bed, it was studded with Pearls, the artifi∣ciall clusters were Pearls and precious Rubies; his Beds pillow was bolstred with 5000 Talents of Gold, the feet, with 3000. Both Gold and Vine were given to Darius by Pythius of Bythinia: a Bed more for state then ease, and sure the richest in the world (the ready Gold exceeding a million sterling, if (as M. Peacham observes) in all Authors, where a Talent is

put absolutely, and without any other circumstance; the lesser Attique Talent is meant, which was of 6000 drams, and so worth 187^l 10 s.) The next Bed in worth that I find to this, (though infinitely behind it) is that in Prince Ludovisio's Palace neer Rome, mentioned by my friend Mr. Raymond, in his Mercurio Italico, built all of precious stones, to the value of 80000 Crowns; if this, (as his friend said) is fit to get none but an Alexander the great upon, the other was fit for none but an Alexander to enjoy.

[(14) The Muftie] The high Priest or Patriark. The Dominion both spiritual and temporal, rested for a long time after their Prophet Mahomets death in the Caliphs, till they growing great, and intending only their temporall Signiories; and the difference arising between the Turks and Persians a∣bout the succession, the first adhe••ing to Ebbubecher, the last to Haly, (as hath been pointed at in the 12th Note upon the first Act) the Princes kept in themselves onely the lay great∣nesse, and devolved the Ecclesiastical dignity (though with much abatement) upon the Mufti, or sacred messenger. Of these the Turks have one, and the Persians another, but their power in both Empires being alike, I shall speak in the singu∣lar number. He is the soveraign of their Religion, and ever resideth in the City Royal, or followes the person of the Em∣perour, who still doth rise at his approach to salute him, and sets him by him, and undertakes no high designe without his approvement. He hath power to reverse both his sentence, and the sentence of the Divan, or great Councell, if they be not adjudged by him conformable to the Alcoran; but his own is irrevocable. In matters of difficulty they repaire to h••m, and his exposition standeth for a Law. He is supream Judge and Rectifier of all Actions, as well civill as Ecclesiastical, and an approver of the justice military. The choice of him is in the Emperour, whom to please and gratifie, he usually flatters by wresting all Expositions to his mind. He is very grave in look and carriage, seldom seen abroad, and never admitting of impertinent conversation; for when any come to him for judgement, they deliver him in writing the state of the Question, who in writing, briefly returnes his oracu∣lous answer. He has his Seminary of Boyes, whom he instructs in the mysteries of their Law; nor is he restrained, nor doth he restrain himself from plurality of women, and the de∣lights of a Seraglio, a commendable recreation surely for so grave and infallible a Prelate. There are among the Turks

and Persians, under the Mufti, abo••e 70 several sorts of Reli∣gious Orders. (The Persians led by Gunets Reformation, em∣bracing the Imamian sect, which is their own from Haly; the Turks, the Melchian, following Abbubecher) as Morabits, Ab∣dals, Dervisses, Papassi, Rafadi, Cobtini, Cadileschiers &c. But I shall only need to mention the Abdals, of whom next. Sandys, Herbert, &c.

[(15) The Abdals] Are an order of mendicant Monks a∣mong the Persians. They take their name from Abdala father of Mahomet. They have no abode, vow poverty, lodge in Churches, and have provision brought them by the charitable and superstitious, of whom they are reputed holy and vene∣rable, but by the wiser wolves in sheeps skins, wherewith they go covered with the wool on: about their necks they weare hornes (like our Bedlams) which they use to blow in Mar∣kets and publick places, to assemble the people to hear them preach lying wonders, and expound the Alcoran according to their occasions or inventions, supposing their spiritual gifts ••uperiour to others in that exercise. They travell with dan∣gerous barbed staves, with which they oft rob, and do other villanies. Mr. Herbert tells you a pretty pimping story of one of them. p. 196. and 197.

[(16) The Alcoran] The Book of the Mahumetan Law. In Arabic the word imports, a gathering together of precepts: or Alfurcan, which is Redemption. It is divided into Azoara, or Chapters, which word signifies Faces, because as by the face you know the man; so by these, as by Titles, you know the contents of that division. It was composed by Mahomet their Prophet, with the help of Abdalla a Jew, & Sergius, a Nestorian Monk, who for embracing the Heresies of Arrius, Cedron, Sabellin••s, and others, was banished from Constantinople, and comming into Arabia, fell acquainted with Mahomet, whom (though formerly circumcised) he baptized, and taught to misinterpret many places of the Scriptures; out of which false glosses of theirs, they coined a new Religion, neither wholly Jewish, or wholly Christian, but rejecting in both what they disliked, and this newest Religion from him, was called Mahumetisme. So Pomponius Laetus, Joan. Baptista, Eg∣natius, &c. But the Glossers of the Alcoran, and their Book Azar (which is a History of Mahomet, authentique among the Moores, as the Gospel among us Christians) say, that those that helped Mahomet in compiling his Alcoran, were two Sword-Cutlers (Christian slaves unto one of Mecca) who

knew much confusedly of the new Testament, and out of their imperfect informations, he gleaned what served his turn, not looking for antecedents, subsequents, or coherence any where. So observes Joannes Andreas Maurus (who was once an Alfaqui (or Bishop) among the Moores, of the City of Sciatinia, in the Kingdom of Valentia, and afterwards (Circ. An. 1487.) a Christian Priest) and probable it is, that the com∣posers of that rapsody of errours, were illiterate persons, be∣cause they contradict all philosophy, sciences, History and Reason; the Alcoran being a Fardel of Blasphemies, Rabini∣cal Fables, Ridiculous Discourses, Impostures, Bestialities, Inconveniences, Impossibilities, and Contradictions. To speak a word of the chief Author Mahomet, his pe••son; he was born about the year 600 (not to mention any pa••ticular yeare, I find Authors so differ about it, and I want room he••e to reconcile them, or shew reason for ad••ering to any one) some say in Itrarip, a Village of Arabia; others, in the City of Mecca; others, in Medina Alnabi, of obscure parentage; some, that name his Father, call him Abdalla, a Pagan, p••rhaps mistaken him for one of his Tutors, such make his Mother a Jewess, and of ill repute, whom they call Emina. So uncertain was the beginning of this Impostor. Baudier saith, that his Father dying, and his Mother being left very poor, she not able to keep him, committed him to an Uncle, but he casting him off, young Mahomet was a prey to Theeves, who put him in chaines among other slaves, and in that quality being set to sale, a rich Merchant, named Abdemonople, bought him; he dying, Mahomet by marriage of his mistresse, (the Merchants wife, not effected, as was thought, without Witch-craft) attained to much riches; whereupon, leaving the exercise of Merchandize, he became a Captain of certain voluntary Arabians, that followed the Emperour Heraclius in his Persian Wars, who falling into a mutiny, for that they were denyed the military Garment, and incensing the rest of their Nation, with the reproachful answer given them by the Treasurer, which was, that they ought not to give that to Dogs, which was ordained for the Roman Souldiers; a pa••t of them chose Mahomet for their Ring-leader; but being dis∣dained by the better sort, for the basenesse of his birth, to avoid ensuing contempt, he gave it out, that he attained not to that honour by military favour, but by divine appointment. That he was sent by God to give a new Law unto man, and by force of armes, to reduce the world to his obedience; then

wrested he every thing to a divine honour, even his naturall defects, calling those fits of the falling sicknesse wherewith he was troubled, holy trances; and that Pigeon which he had taught to feed out of his Ear on pease, the holy Ghost. So went he on, to feign his messages from heaven by the Angel Ga∣briel, and to composse his Alcoran. A man of a most infamous life he was; Bonsinus writes, that he permitted adultery and Sodomy, and lay himselfe with beasts; and M^r. Smith (in his Confutation of Mahumetism) arraigns him of Blasphemy, Prid••, lyes, Sodomy, Blood, Fraud, Robbery, (for he was a common Thief, usually robbing the Caravans of Merchants as they travelled) as entitles him Heir apparent unto Lucifer; no lesse then 12000. falshoods being contained in his fabulous Alcoran.

To particularize a little: what higher blasphemy could he be guilty of, then to prefer himselfe as far before Christ, as he was above Moses? He also denyes the divinity of our Sa∣viour, and affirms, that the Holy Ghost is not distinct in pe••son, but onely an operative virtue of the God-head that inspires good motions: Many other absurdities he is guilty of concerning the Trinity, as not comprehending that glo∣rious mysterie. The Alcoran impugnes both the divine Law, and naturall Reason at once, in that assertion, lib. 4. Cap. 2. viz. That at the end of the world a Trumpet shall blow, and the Angels in Heaven, and men on Earth shall fall downe dead, and at the second sounding rise again. So it makes the Angels mortal, when who knows not that the Angels are Spir••ts, having no bodies, so cannot die, for death is no∣thing but the separation of the soul from the body? Adams sinne was the cause of his death, and his posterity; whence it followes, had he not sinn'd, neither he, nor we, had dyed. And surely the good Angels, being not guilty of the cause of death, sin must be exempt from the effect. Lucifer, and the evill Angels that sinn'd with him, by their Pride, were de∣prived of the glory of heaven, and cast into the bottomlesse pit for ever, but not condemned to die, because they were spirits. And if the Devils that sinned dyed not, how is it that the Alcoran saith, that the Angels that sinned not, shall die? Another fable concerning Angels, is in the first Chaper, lib. 1. Sc. That God sent two Angels, called Harod and Marod, as Judges to do justice in the City of Babylon, where in a Cave, for soliciting a Ladies chastity, they hang by the eye∣lids, and must so hang till the day of judgement, and the wo∣man

was transformed into the morning star. O divine Meta∣morphosis! It's like Mahomet might have heard somewhat of the story of Susanna and the Elders, and so ignorantly shuffled it into this. But to follow his Text; I would ask a Moorish Astrologer, whether the morning star be not more ancient then the City of Babylon; how then could an inhabitant of that City be turned into that star? And I would know of their Divines, why, if the Angels have bodies, the Alcoran in many places (contradicting it selfe) calls them Roch, Spirits? if they be spirits, and uncorporeal, how were they capable of knowing women, or hanging by the eye-lids? If they be Corporeal, where abouts in Babylon may one see them hang∣ing? and why doth the Alcoran confesse them to be Spi∣rits?

Another ridiculous assertion of the Alcoran, concerning Angels, is s. 1. cap. 1. and l. 2. c. 1. &c. viz. That God made man of all sorts and colours of earth, and being formed, for some thousand of years laid him a baking in the Sun, untill he was pleased to breath life into him. Then commanded he all the Angels to fall down and worship Adam, which all did but Sathan, then an Angel of light, saying he was created of a more excellent nature, fire, and man of durt; then God cursed and cast out Sathan, who has ever since continued an Enemy to man. How did the Angels fall for not reverencing of man, when they were fallen before man was made, and en∣vying his standing, tempted him to his fall? and how could man lay a baking some thousand of yeares in the Sun, when the Sun was made but two dayes before man? Gen. 1. The Alcoran failes in point of History and Time, l. 3. c. 1. where it mistakes Mary the Prophetesse, for the B. Virg••n Mary, making Mary the sister of Moses, Mother of our Savi∣our, when there were above 1500. years between them. The reason of this mistake, might be Mahomets ignorance in Anti∣quities and Chronology, finding in Arabic, Moses his Father called Hembram, by which name Joachim our Ladies Father is also called. But by what infallible Spirit was this Scrip∣turist led, that could admit to grosse a mistake?

Another errour in Time and Reason, is l. 3. c. 3. Where he affirms, that God sent the Alforcan, which is the same with the Alcoran, (as Andreas Maurus proves) unto Moses and Aaron, for a light and admonition to the just: and yet, l. 1. c. 2. He sayes, God inspired the Thora, the Gospel, and the Alforcan (or Alcoran) unto Mahomet: how can this agree

with the former? or with what followes in the Book called Sunè, (or way of Mahomet) viz. That David read all the Alcoran, whilst they saddled his Mule, unlesse Moses, David, and Mahomet, had been contempora••ies? and yet again in a∣bove 300. places in his Alcoran, he sayes, that God gave the Athorata or five Books, to Moses, the Gospel to Jesus Christ, the Azabor or P••alter to David, and the Alcoran to Ma∣homet. He also faulters in the time wherein he was composing of his Alcoran, in one place telling us he was twenty yeares about it; in another place he sayes, that it was revealed to him in one night, in the City of Mecca, by the Angel Gabriel: so frequent a••e contradictions with him, though neither of these assertions are absolutely true; for he was 23 yeares com∣posing of it, ten y••ars at the City of Mecca, eleven at Almedi∣na, and two in the cave of Mecca. He dyed in the 63^d year of his age, and he began to call himself a Prophet, and to compile his Alcoran in his fourtiteh year. But how could David, if the Alcoran had been made in his time, have read it all over in the time that his Mule was saddled? when (as Andreas Maurus reports) when the Caliph, because of the multiplicity of papers that Mahomet left, summoned all the Doctors to Damascus, and out of them, chose six to Epitomize all his Books of the Alcoran and Sune; each of those six com∣posed one Book and the rest of his writ••ngs were thrown into the River, even so many Books and bundles of Papers, as loaded 200 Camels? For Mahomet, because he was illiterate and could not write, kept a Secretary, who wrote the Chap∣ters of the Alcoran for him, giving out that God sent them by the Angel, as occasion required. These he kept in a Chest, and that he might alter, expugne, or add at pleasure what served his turn, he would never have collected and reduced into Books, as they were by his Son in law Hozman, after his death King and Caliph, who made the foresaid Epitome: at which time, the Papers being sought for, many were: found in his house, having lain behind Chests, so spoiled with damp, and eaten with Mice, as nothing could be made of them. A good∣ly Scripture! when the power that inspired it, could not pre∣serve it from Mice! or if nothing Materiall was lost, the Author was guilty of superfluity, and so of vanity. The Moores took scandall, as well they might, at those revocations and alterations of above 150 Verses of the Alcoran, annulled by others, called ••evocatory Verses.

If they were inspired by God, it was unjust they should be

abolished by a man. That Mahomet made his Religion serv•• his occasion, appears by this: Baheira a King of the Jacobit•• presented unto Mahomet one Marine, a young beautifu•• Jewesse, with whom the old Leacher was taken in Adulter by two of his wives, whom Andreas Maurus calls Axa an•• Hafeza; they re••uked him, having done an Act unwo••thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Prophet, or holy man. He promised to abandon her, if the •• would passe by this one slip, and keep his credit; but bein•• by them surprized the second time with her, they went f••om him to their Fathers houses as repudiated wives: upon the publishing of it the Moors murmured, the Pagans jeered, and Mahomet was disgraced and troubled, his wives Fathers being potent men, so he had no way but to have recourse to his old remedy for all sores, the Alcoran, wherein he razed out of th•• 6. Ch. of the light, in the 3d. Book that verse that comman∣ded that married persons taken in Adultery should be stoned▪ called the ver. Lapidation, & composed a new Ch. the content•• wherof are; that it is lawful for all Mussulmen (or true believe••s) to lie with their slaves, & that their wives ought not to repine at it: and that Mahomet did not sin in his late Act, knowing thi•• Law would come, but his wives sinned in publishing what he did in secret, and that God warned them to return to him So he cleared himself, repaired his credit, pleased his sect by this Licentious liberty, and got his wiv••s again, who returned well satisfied and very penitent, and now might hee use his young slave by the Law. Th••s Chapter is called the Chapte•• of Prohibition. l. 4. because his wives would have prohibited him his freedom. Most insatiable he was in this point, and made particular Laws for himself; as that he might repudiate any of his wives at pleasure, and none might marry them; which kept them in obedience: but he might take any ones repudiated wife, or any that profered her self, or admitted of his sollicitation; and whereas others might marry two, or three, or four at most, hee might have as many wives as hee pleased. The Book Assamiel (or the Book of the good customs of Mahomet) praising him, and speaking of his virile strength, saith, that in one hour, he lay with all his wives, which were 11. The Book Azar saith he married fifteen wives, and had 11. together, besides four who proffered themselves by Vertue of the foresaid Law. Caelius reports hee had forty wives, yet took he away his servant, Zeideus his wife, and whose else he pleased; saying it was fit he should do so, that the greater number of Prophets and holy men might issue from him. A life worthy or such a Prophet! and author of

••uch a Religion! a good Religion sure when hee affirmes the Divells were converted to it, l. 4. c. 8. and in the Chapter of Devills, he saith, that a company of Devils came one night to hear Mahomet read the Alcoran, and took such de∣light in it, that they presently believed in him, and became Moores, and shall go in to Paradise, and return to their first Stations, and in the mean time imploy their powers to con∣vert men to Mahumetism; there onely he saith true; But since the Devills are Mahomets friends, why doth he in his Alcoran command his sect to apply themselves unto God for defence against evill and cursed Devills? and will them to say when they begin to read it, O ahudu billehi mine Saytani ragini, i. e. Preserve me O God from the wicked Devill! Repugnances all along! The Alcoran s. 2. c. 11. speaking of Mahomets wondrous journey to Heaven, saith that he passed through the eight Heavens, whereof the first is made of Silver, the second of Gold, the third of a Pearl, the fourth of an Eme∣rald, the fifth of a D••amond, the sixth of a Carbuncle, the seventh indeed of light. But if the six lower Heavens be Metalline, why doth the Alcoran say in another place, that they were made of smoak? It saith, that the starrs are bound to the first Heaven with Chains of gold, and that the great∣est of them is as big as a Mountain, set there to stone the De∣vills with fiery da••ts (perhaps meaning the gellies wee se•• fall sometimes) when they come to listen to hear Gods secrets. Mahomet might go in, but his friends and Disciples (or ra∣ther tutors) the Devills may not listen at the door. But I would hear any Moorish Ast••ologer that has read Ptolomy, and understands the Sphear and Astrolabe, deny that each star is as big as the earth; why saith Mahomet then as a Mountain onely? he was indeed a modest Person, and would not say more then he knew. What can any of his Disciples, seeing him tie all the starrs to the first Heaven, think of him, that knows the Planets are in seven Heavens, each having a particular orb? The Moon is the first and nearest to us, Mercury is in the second, Venus in the third, the Sun in the fourth, Mars in the fifth, Jupiter in the sixth, Saturn in the seventh, highest of all, and all the starrs in the eighth Hea∣ven, in which are the twelve signes: which starrs how should we see if the Heavens under them were metalline and not diaphanous? When the moon many times interposing Eclipseth, and hideth the Sun from us; because the Moon is an obscure body, as the clouds somtimes hide her; much more would she

first Heaven if it were of Silver, being not transparent, hide all the stars from us for ever. So that all that are not blind may here confute Mahomet, He saith in his Sune that the earth is fixed upon the top of an Oxes horn, and that this Oxe stirring his head causes Earthquakes. But where then doth the Oxe himself stand, or what eats he? or if the Prophet starves him he must die, and then the Earth must be destroy∣ed. O brutish Atlas! I had almost said, more brutish Pro∣phet! It had been kindly done of him to have given this la∣borious Ox Pastorage in Paradise, as he doth the sheep his Priests kill at their Passeover, and as hee did the Ram that carried him on this strange Celestiall discovery, whom he names Alborac, and sometimes calls a white ram, sometimes a black, the small difference betwixt black and white breakes no squares with him; well, Alborac boggled, and would not let Mahomet bestride him, till he promised he should be the first beast that should enter into Paradise; and yet he saith the Ram that Abraham sacrificed was fed forty years there; how then could Alborac be the first? yes, otherwhere he makes him the same beast; how then did Abraham sacrifice him? or if hee was fed forty years in Paradise, Andreas Maurus would fain have him give him by the rule of Multiplication, an Arith∣meticall account how many thousand Trickles hee cast in Paradise during those forty years: but the illiterate Impostor was not accountant good enough to tell him. Horrid and ridiculous are the Blasphemies and fooleries hee recounts of that his voyage to Heaven; as that he approached to God within little lesse then two shots of a Crossebow; and that God gave him many Lawes and Priviledges; as that he should be the most excellent, and select Creature that ever hee created in Heaven or Earth; and that he should be the gene∣rall Redeemer, so that he had the impudence to call himselfe Almebi. i. e. He that takes away sins. But leaving these, I had rather make my self sport with his fopperies; He saies he saw Angells in the first Heaven of all shapes, of Birds, Beasts, and what not, especially many Cocks; and t••ere was one grand Cock whose feet stood upon the first Heaven, and his comb reached to the second Heaven. This Cock and the other Cocks in Heaven prayed for the Cocks on Earth (as the Oxen in Heaven for the Oxen, and Asses in Heaven for the Asses on Earth, &c.) and when this great Cock crowed all the Cocks in Heaven answered him, and all the Cocks on Earth crowed too. In the third Heaven he saw the Atropos

or fatall Angell, so big, that from one eye to the other was 70000. daies journeies. Such stuff is his whole web, tolera∣ble for mirth, did not the consideration that he hath seduced so many Nations, and his Blasphemies, and abuses of the Patriarks and Prophets distast the Christian Reader. But of all Antients Solomon is least beholding to him: indeed hee makes him a wise man, but, (as ignorant people take the name,) a most notorious Conjurer, being carried up and down by Devills frequently, and having them as familiar as himselfe had. This impostor ventured at miracles too, affirming divers of himself, but hath no witnesse for any one of them. To give a tast of them. Alc. l. 4. in the Chapter of the Moon, and in the Book Azar he saith that at his Uncle ••ugellins request to confirm his Doctrine, he made the Moon come to the midst of Heaven and be at the full, (whereas she was then but 21. daies old) then she divided her self in the midst, and fell to the Earth, and one of the pieces went through the hole of one of his sleeves, the other piece through the hole of the other sleeve, and both pieces came out of the collar of his Coat; speaking and saying that he was the Pro∣phet of God, then joyned, and returned to Heaven. Yet, as this divine Jugler confesses, could not all this convert his Uncle, nor doth he bring his Uncles testimony or any others for the truth of it. Some will have the Turkes give a Crescent from hence, in honour of their Prophet: many others of his lying wonders I might recite, as that of the Angels lancing of his brest, and pulling out of the black Coar out of his heart, That of the Trees bowing to him, and that of the other two Trees comming at his command to shade him, when in the fields, in a hot day, he had occasion to untruffe; and infinite other of his contradictions and repugnances I might remember, as that of King Alexanders Journey from the East to the West, where he daily saw the Sun set in a hot Fountain; which oppugneth Philosophy, as the journey doth History, &c. But with these I have tired my self, and I am sure the Reader much more. Yet give me leave to remember one of his absurdities more, though none of the least. viz. That at doomes-day he shall turn himself into a great Ram, and all Mussulmen into Fleas, they shall hide themselves in his spacious fleeces, and thus burthened, shall he travell till hee comes where he can skip into Paradise; there he assumes his proper glory, and gives them new shapes, new strength, Wine, brave women, &c. as you may read at large in the

eighth note upon the Fourth Act: and this absurd fooler is generally credited by his whole Sect; so just with God i•• it to give them up to believe lies and Doctrine of Devills, fo•• that they accounted Christ crucified to be but foolishnesse. Thi•• Legend of lies they say was written upon the skin of th•• Ram that Abraham sacrificed; an absurd Tradition; for nei¦ther could that skin hold it, nor was that Ram flead; or if h•• had, how could their Prophet so many years after have rod•• upon him to Heaven and Hell, &c. It is held by the Mahu¦metans in no lesse veneration, then the old Testament by the Jewes, and the New by us Christians. They never touch it with unwasht hands, and a capitall crime it is, in the reading thereof to mistake a letter, or displace the accent They kisse it, Embrace it, and swear by it: calling it the book of Glory, and director unto Paradise. It is written in Arabic Rhime, without due proportion of Numbers: and must nei∣ther be written nor read by them in any other Language. It containeth according to Hozmans reformation four books: the first Book has five Chapters, the second twelve: the third 19. and the fourth 175. in all 211. Mahomet the second is also said to have altered it much; he and many others seeking to reconcile those repugnances wherewith it so abounds, even in the Positive Doctrine; which inclines me to Andreas Mau∣rus his opinion, that they were ignorant Persons that helped Mahomet to compose it; Sergius had more knowledge then to have err'd so grossely, whether it was that Sergius that was Patriarch of Constantinople and author of the Monothelites He∣resie (as some contend) I determine not, or whether hee was onely a banished Hereticall Monk from thence. An•• yet the coherence betwixt Mahomet and the antient Here∣tiques, of all whose puddle streams Sergius had drank deep, (and its like the poor Cutlers were free) leads me to think him his Tutor. I will onely briefly give you a touch of the harmony betwixt their Discords, and leave you to judge who composed the Lesson. Mahomet denies the Trinity with Sabellius. He said it was ridiculous to think that Christ was God, and therefore with Arrius and Eunomius he calls him a Creature, and with Carpocrates a holy Prophet. He maintain'd with Cedron that it was impossible that God should have •• Son, because he had no wife. He denyed with the Manichees that Christ was crucified, but (saith he) one was crucified in his place, who was very like him; with the Originists he will have the Devills to be saved at the end of the world; with

the Anthropomorphites he will have God to have the form and members of a man; with Cerinthus he places the chiefest feli∣city of man in carnall pleasures; with Ebion he doth admit of Circumcision. In imitation of Menander he calls himselfe the Saviour of the world; with Nicolas of Antioch he taught and practised Luxu••y; Yet with the Eucratitae he forbids the use of wine, &c. yet like his predecessors he baited his hooks speciously enough in some places, commanding upright dea∣ling, amity, Reverence to Parents, Charity, to hate conten∣tion and Murder, &c. and speaks reverently of our Saviour, and B. Lady, and indeed of all in some ••laces: excluding no Religions out of his Paradise, hee is so kind; Moses he saies shall bring the Jewes, Christ the Christians, and he his Mahu∣metans; but the chief place & glory must be theirs; theirs the b••st Gold, sweetest Rivers, and most beatifull Damozels; and good reason he should be master in his own house. But I have swell'd this note to a rambling Treatise, and have yet much adoe to take my pen off, yet I will force my self to it; and refer you that would know more of the Alcoran to Car∣dinall Nicolas de Cusa, his examination of the Alcoran. Lod. Vives. l. 4. de veritat. Relig. Christ. Ricoldus in his computati∣on of the Lawes of Mahomet. Barthol. Hungarius. Johannes de terra Cremata, and Guil. Postells, in their books against the Mahumetans, Saracens, &c. Sandys, Herbert, D'Juigne, Johan∣nes Andreas Maurus his confutation of Mahomets sect, and the Alcoran its self, t••anslated out of the Arabic into Latin by Theod. Bibliander; for the late published English Translation I cannot commend its faithfulnesse. I had almost forgotten, (though quoted above) Baudier his History de la Religion des Turcs, &c.

[(17) To make all Lands and Goods hereditary, &c.] The Turks and Persians content themselves with very mean low buildings, few above two stories high, some of rough stone, some of timber, some of Sun-dryed brick, the Marble being used onely about the Princes Palaces and the Mosques, though the Countries in some places are plentifully stored with it, (especally about Persepolis,) the people rather choosing to hoard their wealth, then by making a magnificent show to tempt their Princes to take it from them, or at best from their Children when they die; for no Possessions are hereditary, but all at the wil of the Emperour, so absolute is his Tyranny and the peoples slavery. Sandys, &c.

[(18) Tomaynes] A Toman is a Persian coine, worth 3 l. 6 s. sterl. Herbert.

[(19) Balsora] A Town where Tygris and Euphrates emp∣ty themselves into the gulph of Persia. This Town is famous for the birth of Elhesin-Ibnu-Abilhasen, the greatest Doctor of Antiquity, he taught the Persians and Arabs 80 years after Mahomets death. Herbert.

[(20) Bizantium] A Maritime City of Thrace, the seat of the Turkish Empire. Eusebius saith, it was built by Pausanias King of Sparta, 663 years before the incarnation of our Savi∣our: others will have Pausanias onely to re-edifie this City, then called Bizantium of Biza the founder, and taken by assault but a little before from the Persians, since which it still increased in fame, but by nothing more then by the two fa∣mous sieges she endured, both times holding out three years, once taken, once not; the last was in the time of her 31 Em∣perour, Leo Isauricus, about the year of our Lord, 718, when Caliph Zulciman besieged her, and after three years space, and the losse of 300000 men desisted. At this siege was that fire invented, which we for the violence of it, call wild fire; and the Latines, because the Greeks were the Authors of it. Graecus ignis, by which the Saracen ships were no lesse molested, then the Romans were at the siege of Syracusa by Archimedes his engines, or military burning-glasses, the like stratagem was used at this Town of Constantinople, about the the year 500. in the reign of the 14th Emperour Anastatius, in whose time the City suffered much by the Scythians, till Proclus, a famous Mathematition, with artificial Glasses, fired 3000 of their Gallies.

The first siege was long before, when she sided with Pescennius Niger, against the Emperour Severus, and held out three yeares against him, and almost all the forces of the world, During this time, she endured such a famine, that men meeting in the streets, would (as it were) with joynt consent, draw & fight, the victor stil eating the vanquished. For want of Artillery to discharge on the assailants, the Citizens flung at them whole statuas of brasse, and the like curious Imagery. Houses they plucked downe to get Timber for shipping, the women cut off their hair to inch out their tacklings; and having thus patched up a Navy of 500 sayle, they lost it all in one Tempest. When (starved out) they had yeelded, the Conqueror (having put to the sword the chiefe of the No∣bles, and given the rest as a spoile to the Souldiers) disman∣tled

the Towne, and left it almost in Rubbish: yet there appeared such signs of beauty and strength in the very ruines, Vt mireris, (saith Herodian) an eorum qui primi extruxerunt, vel horum qui deinceps sunt demoliti, vires sint praestantiores. About 106 years after this, she was rebeautified by the Christian Emperour Constantine the Great, who called it after his own name Constantinople, and removed the seat of his Empire hither. He called it also New Rome, enduing it with the priviledges of Rome, the Citizens of one being free of the other, and ca∣pable of the dignities of either. But the chief cause of his re∣move was, that by being near, and drawing into those parts his principal forces, the Empire towards the East might be the better defended, then greatly annoyed by the Persian. He intended first to have built at Chalcedon, on the other side of the Thracian Bosphorus; in view of this, and a little below it, whereof the Megarians were the builders, called blind by the Oracle, for that first arriving at that place, they made choice of the worse, and lesse profitable site. It is reported, that when the workmen began to lay the platform at Chalcedon, certain Eagles conveyed their lines to the other side of the streight, and let them fall right over the old Bizantium, whereupon Constantine altered his determination, and re-edified that City, as if appointed so to do by the Deity; finished it was on the 11th of May, Anno 331. and consecrated to the blessed Virgin. Rome he bereft of her Ornaments, to adorne it, fetch∣ing from thence in one yeare more Antiquities, then twenty Emperours had brought thither before in 100. among others the Placation, that huge obelisk of Theban marble; the brazen statue of Dedalian work, supposed the image of Apollo, tran∣slated from Ilium; the Trojan Palladium, &c. according to the Omen of the Eagles, this City was by destiny appointed, and by nature seated for soveraignty; it was first the seat of the Roman Emperours, then of the Greek now of the Turkish. Built by Constantine the Sonne of Helena, and lost by another Constantine, the Sonne of a Helena also, (a Gregorie then Bishop, whose first Bishop was a Gregory) to Mahomet the second, Anno 1453. 1121 years after Constantine the great had finished it, and the succession of eighty Emperours, and they have a Prophesie, that a Mahomet shall lose it; such fatal contrarieties in one and the same name may be observed. So a Baldwin (Anno 1200.) was the first of the Latines Emper∣ours in her, and a Baldwin (Anno 1260) the last. So Philip the Father of Alexander, laid the first foundation of the Macedo∣nian

Monarchy; and Philip, the Father of Perseus, ruined it. So Augustus was the first established Emperour of Rome, and Augustulus the last. Darius the Son of Histaspes the restorer, and Darius, the Son of Atsamis the overthrower of the Persian Monarchy. Warner in his Albions England, l. 8. cap. 44. ob∣serves the Letter H. to be ominous to this Iland, producing much good or ill, too long here to remember; but to return to Constantinople: Saint Andrew first preached here the Christian faith, to whom succeeded 23. Bishops, untill Saint Alexander, who was her first Patriarch or Met••opolitan; for hee alone presided over all the Greek Churches dispersed through the Orient; his Diocesse grew ample enough to inable his suc∣cessor John to contend for the Primacie with the Pope of Rome, about the year 608. in the time of Boniface the third but by the Judgement of Phocas the Emperour, the Church of Rome carried the Supremacie. Blond. l. 9. deca•• 1. Plat. Onuphr. In the time of Nicolas the first, about the year 860. Photius the Patriarch separated himself from the Roman Church, withall denying that the Holy Ghost proceeded from the Son at all, but onely from God the Father, drawing to his errou•• the whole Greek Church, in which it still per∣severeth. Zonar. Tom. 3. But since the invasion of the Turk his Patriarkship is much lessened by three Patriarchs more set up, though under him, one at Jerusalem, one at Alexandria, and one at Antioch. Here have been held many of the Generall Councells, as the second, by Pope Damasus, against Macedoni∣us, for the Divinity of the Holy Ghost. An. 381. The fifth by Vigilius, against the Origenists and Theodore, An. 553. The sixth, by Agathon against the Monothelites, An. 680. The eighth, by Adrian the second, against Photius, the iconiclast. Many brave spirits has this City produced, as Gennadius, Cassian, and that Golden Mine of Eloquence, Saint John Chrysostom, her Archbishop. It stands on a Cape of Land near the Entrance of the Bosphorus. In form triangular: on the East side washed with the same, on the North with the Haven, adjoyning on the West to the Continent, walled with brick and stone, intermixed orderly, having four and twenty Gates and Posterns; wherof five do regard the Land, and ninteen the water; being about thirteen miles in circumference. The no∣blest Structure was Saint Sophias Church, once a Christian Temple, twice burnt, but happily (in that so sumptuously) reedified by the Emperour Justinian, excceding not onely the pattern, but all other fabricks in the world; one of the Gates

thereof is by the superstitious people thought to be made of the planks of Noahs Ark: It is now a Mahometan Mosque. It fronteth the Sultans Seraglio, where formerly stood the anti∣ent Bizantium, divided from the rest of the City by a lofty Wall, three miles in circuit. That Palace, (not to describe it, but say onely it wants nothing for Luxuriousnesse or State) however enlarged by the Ottomans, was first erected by Justi∣nus, and called Sophia of his Empresse, so Agathius. Next, the Ottoman Mausoleas require regard, built of white Marble. The seven Towers called antiently Janicula, now the Arsinal. The Seraglioes, The Hippodrom for exhibiting of Horseraces are remarkable: of the antiquities, the chif are the Emperour Va∣lentinians Aquaeduct, The Column of wreathed Brasse. The ruinated Co••osse, The Historicall Pillar in the Aurathasar, (or market of women,) far surpassing both Traians, and that of Antoninus at Rome; the workman having so proportioned the figure, that the highest and lowest appear of on•• bigness. Constantines Pillar, and the reliques of his Palace, now made a stable of wild beasts. The many others are perished, so little regard the Greeks their own Antiquities, nor can they satis∣fie the inquirer of the History of their own calamities: So supinely negligent are they, or perhaps so wise, as of passed evils to endeavour a forgetfulness.

The Turkes now call this City Stambul. The ordinary hou∣ses are low and mean, of Sun-dryed brick, (as has been said) the possessions being not hereditary, they care not for sump∣tuousnesse; as also being oft subject to fires, whereof a most horrible one befell in the daies of Leo; and another not long after, in the reign of Basilicus; when amongst other infinite losses, that famous Library perished containing 120000 vo∣lumes; where in the inward skin of a Dragon, Homers Iliads and Odysses were written; a losse beyond that of Pallas's Sta∣tue. Another hapned on October. 14. An. 1607. in wh••ch 3000. houses were consumed. Nor is it a wonder, the Citi∣zens not daring to quench the fire that burneth their own houses; or pull down some to preserve the remainder: an office that belongs to the Aga and his Janizaries: who nothing quick in their assistance, do often for spite or pillage beat down such houses as are farthest from danger. So that the mischief is not onely wished for the booty, but prolonged; and not seldom they themselves begin it, by setting the Jewes houses on fire. So that the Citizens made wearie by the exam∣ple, build rather under then above ground, for the safeguard

of their goods, furnishing themselves with arched Vaults, which are not to be violated by the flame. A great part of the City is taken up in Gardens and Orchards (as Gaunt in Flanders) so that it shews from the Sea or adjoyning Moun∣tains like a City in a wood. The streets are for the most part exceeding narrow, and filled with dead walls belonging to great m••ns Seraglioes. It hath been much infested with Earthquakes; and though the air is pretty serene, yet that boystrous Tramontan from the black Sea most violently rages here, bringing often with it such stormes of snow, that in September, the Trees then flourishing, are so overcharged therewith, that their branches break, accompanied with bit∣ter frosts. The plague for the most part miserably infecteth this City, brought more by the concourse of strangers then the badnesse of the clime, and encreased by the negligence of the Mahometans, who slight and shun it not, but putting their fingers to their foreheads, say, their destiny is written there, so they boldly frequent infected Persons, and converse with them promiscuously. The populousnesse of this City we may guesse at by what Lipsius relates out of Benjamin a Iew his dis∣course of Europe. viz. That the customes due to the Emperor, out of the victualls and Merchandise sold at Constantinople onely, did amount to 20000. Crowns a day; this argues them either great eaters, (though I know it being a maritime Town, much is exported) or their number must be more then Botero accounts, sc. 700000. soules. Which though a multi∣tude, yet is no whit admirable considering its compasse; when we know there are far more in Paris, though that beautifull City is three miles lesse in circumference then Constantinople. There were counted in Paris long since 500000. Citizens besides stranges and soldiers (and those were no few that could maintain it against 100000. men led by the Dukes of Berry, Burgundy and Bretagne;) but si••ce the number is much increased; so that the Commentator upon Du Bartas will have the inhabitants to be divers millions. Yet enjoyeth she health with her pleasure and prosperity, seldom feeling pestilence, never s••rcity, so that in the better part of a years residence there, I never heard of one person dead or sick of the plague; a besom that sweeps Constantinople, of her people; To these adde a Scepter of a Mahometan Tyrant, with the insolencie of slaves: and then O new Rome how are thy thus balanced pro∣fits and delights to be valued! saith our excellent Sandys; to whose exquisite Relation I refer you for a more exact and

ample description of Constantinople or Bizantium. And though after him (he is so copious, authentique and transcen∣dent in all he did) I need name none other, you may also see others that helped me in this, and do faithfully describe Constantinople: as Sir Walter Rawleigh, Heylin, D' Iuigne, Euse∣bius, Boterus, Merc. Bellon. Onuper. Causin. &c.

[(21) Has cut an Asinego asunder, &c. This is the usuall triall of the Persian Shamsheers or Cemiters, which are crooked like a crescent: of so good mettall, that they prefer them before any other, and so sharp as any Rasor. The hilts are without ward, most have them of steel, some of Gold, the poor of wood. The Scabbards in solemnities they beset with stones of value. Herbert.

[(22) Some Magus] The Magi among the Persians, were those Philosophers that held the place of Priests and sacri∣ficers, reputed so cunning as they attributed more then na∣turall knowledge unto them, in expounding of dreams, and presaging of good or evill events. There were some of this order in all nations; The Greeks called them onely Philoso∣phers; The Indians, Brachmanes, and Gymnosophists; the Gauls and Britons (amongst whom they had their chief seats in Anglesy in Wales) Druids, Bardes, and Semnotheans; The Aegyp∣tian, Priests; The Italians, Augurs, and Aruspices; The Jews, Prophets, and Cabalists, from their Caballa or book of Do∣ctrine and Traditions, which the Rabbines say was together with the Law of Moses, delivered to the Hebrews; The Baby∣lonians and Assyrians called their Southsayers, Chaldeans (as our vulgar do all they account cunning women, Gypsies or Aegyptians) not that they all were of that Country, but because Belo••hus Frisc. 5. Monarch of Chaldea was the Author of divination by the flying of birds, called Auspicium; to these I might adde the Scottish weirds and many more. But to leave the names of the Professors, and say somthing of the art its self; of Southsaying there were four kinds among the Romans, Ovid alludes to them in this Distic.

Hoc mihi non ovium fibrae, tonitrusve sinistri, Linguave servata, pennave dixit avis. Trist, l. 1. Eleg. 8.

Nor left hand thunder taught me this, nor sight Of a sheeps Entrailes, nor Birds noise, or slight.

1. Auspicium the Auspices, quasi Avispices ab aves aspiciendo, fore∣told things by obse••ving the flight of Birds, either on the right or left; hence is avis sinistra interpreted, good luck; because the givers right hand, in bestowing a benefit, ••s opposite to the receivers left hand. So that in that place of Virgil

Saepe sinistra cava praedixit ab ilice cornixEcleg. 1.

Th' ill boading Crow croak'd this f••om th' hollow Elm

the Epithet Sinistra is not to be applyed to the Crow as flying on the left hand (for that had been lucky) but as the word is in other things received; so it presages evill; for vice versa to the common acception, in these preposterous rites of south∣saying, the left hand is taken for the best: So Intonuit laevum is rendred, it hath thundred luckily: So Ovid speaking of Romulus his prayer for successe in building of Rome, makes him receive this prosperous answer.

Ille precabatur: tonitru dedit omnia laevo Jupiter: & laevo fulmina missa polo. Augurio laeti jacient fundamina cives, Et novus, exiguo tempore, murus erat. Fast. lib. 4.

So pray'd he: Jove with left hand Thunder sign'd And lightning flash'd from th' left of Heaven, his mind. All, at the Omen joy'd, foundations laid, And the new wall, in a short time, was made.

Perhaps Sinistra avis is accounted lucky à sinendo, because the gods thereby did suffer them to proceed in their purposes. Therefore Tully saith, lib. 1. de divinatione, A sinistrâ cornice ratum & firmum augurium fieri: and in the Law of the twelve Tables it is said, Ave sinistrâ populi magister esto. The Grecians from hence in the judgement of Lipsius called the left hand 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifying, the best. They also made

great Judgement from the number of birds that appeared in the time of divination; hence Romulus was promised the Em∣pire before his brother Remus, because hee had seen the double number. Of this Ovid, speaking of the contest between them, which should build the City,

Nil opus est, dixit, certamine Romulus, ullo. Magna fides avium est; experiamur aves. Res placet, alter init nemorosi saxa Palati: Alter Aventinum mane cacumen init. Sex Remus, hic volucres his sex videt ordine, pacto Statur: & arbitrium Romulus urbis habet. Fast. l. 4.

There nee••s, quoth Romulus no strife at all, G••eat faith to Birds is given; on Birds lets call. Of G••ovy Palatine this climb•• the height, And that of Aventine, with springing light. Remus saw six birds, th'other twelve, good stil, The compact holds, and Romulus builds at will.

Much was guessed from the nature of the birds that appear∣ed, whence the same Romulus, seeing the Vultures, was, saith Florus; (cap. 1.) plenus spet urbem bellatricem fore: ita illi assue∣tae sangùini & pre••ae aves pollicebantur; of which Stadius, Florus his commentator; Vultures ideo potissimum in auguriis observatos ••e••tatur Plutarchus, quod rarissimè & nisi fortuito conspiciantur; quòd innoxij sint, nec xerapto vivant, & sui generis cadavera non devorent. Hence comes the Phrases, bonis avibus & auspiciis, with good luck, malis avibus, with ill luck; and because they would begin nothing inauspicatò, id est, without the counsell of the Augures, hence auspicari rem hath been t••anslated, to begin a matter. Fr. Sylvius in orat. pro Cluentio.

2. Aruspicium. The Aruspices did divine by beholding the Entrails of beasts sacrificed, and were so called ab aras aspi∣ciendo, as also Extispices, ab exta inspiciendo; the Entralls of a beast being in old Latine called Exta. They observed whe∣ther the beast to be sacrificed came unto the Altar willingly, without plucking and haling; whether he died without much strugling, and loud bellowing; at one blow, or many; whe∣ther any unlucky object was seen or heard by them, whilst they were sacrificing. When the beast was slain, they obser∣ved whether the bowels were of an unnaturall colour, whe∣ther

they were not ulcerous, exsiccate, or impostumated; or whether there was any part wanting or superfluous: as at Ju∣lius Caesars last sacrifice the beast wanted a heart, the worst of signes, and was followed with as ill luck. Augustus found two galls in his sacrifice, whereupon the credusity of the City concluded a hope of peace with Antonius; and the conjunction of persons in choler with each other. (Not that the one beast did live without a heart, or that the other had two galls; but the Devill to keep up this Tuscan superstition, foreseeing, or at least guessing at the fate of the Emperours, stole away the heart from Julius Caesars breast, and convey'd another gall into Augustus's) Moreover they would divide the bowells into two parts, in partem familiarem, whence they foretold what should fall to themselves and their friends, and in par∣tem hostilem, whence they gathered predictions touching their enamies. Hence Manto in Seneca describing the entralls of the sacrifice, saith,

Hostile valido robore insurgit latus. Oedip. Act. 2. Scen. 2.

The enemies side with swelling tumours rise,

meaning by Hostile latus Partem hostilem. As the sacrifice was burning, they considered whether the flame of the fire was smokie, whether the smoak rolled and tumbled in the air; wheth••r it were of any continuance or no: these were unfortunate tokens. These last which observed the fire and smoak, were called by a more peculiar name, Capnomantes, Smoak-Augurers, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 fumus, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Vates. The Romans were taught this art by the Hetrusci, Hetrurians or Tuscans; They learnt it of one Tages a little Devill (boy I should say) who arising to certain Plowmen out of a fur∣row, taught them this skill, and vanished. So Cicero, de divi∣nat. and Ovid Met. l ult.

3. Tripudium. This kind of conjecturing is called Auspicium coactum, quoniam necesse erat offa objectá cadere frustum ex pulli ore, cùm pascitur. Cic. de divinat. l. 1. The word Tripudium is used by a Syncopation for Terripudium, as much as Terripa∣vium, i. e. rebounding of any thing cast on the ground: for pavire is the same with ferire: Others say, Tripudium quasi tritio pedum. So Hubert. in lib. 60. Ep. fam. Cic. It was a

Divining by the rebounding of crummes cast to Chickins in a Coop by the Pultarius or Bird-Prophet, in the morning: If the Chickens came slowly to them, or not at all, but walked up and down, or set sullen, neglecting the bread; the enterprise inquired of was displeasing to the Gods: but if they came hastily, and eat greedily of the crummes, so that some fell out of their mouths again, the design should bee prosperous; and this was called Tripudium Solistimum. The Chickens were sullen the same day that Tiberius Gracchus was slain, and again they had the pip, in the first Punick war, when Publius Claudius unde•• went the same fate; who, as Val∣erius Maximus records, so contemned the Tripudary Augurati∣••ns, as he commanded the holy Poultry to be cast into the Sea, saying, Quia esse nolunt, bibant, seeing they will not eat, they shall drink. These men died, not because the Pullets would not feed; but because the Devil foresaw their death, he contrived that abstinence in them. So was there no natu∣••all dependence of the ev••nt upon the s••gn, but an artificiall contrivance of the sign unto the Event. An unexpected way of delus••on, and whe••eby he more easily led away the incir∣cumspection of their beliefe. And perhaps their own despair ••nervated them and rendred them the more easily their enemies prey; as Machbed the usurper of the Kingdom of Scotland, and murderer of his Master King Duncan, about the year of our Lord 1040. being told by some witches, that he should never be slain by any man born of a woman, was rega••dlesse of dangers, till comming to charge Mackduffe, (Governour of Fife, f••ghting for the right heir, Malcolm Conmor) understanding that he was cut out of his mothers womb, she dying before her delivery, and so not naturally born, he was so daunted th••rewith, as, though otherwise a man of good performance, he was easily slain by Mackduffe. So strongly do the Devills amphibolous oracles or riddles work with them, in whom they gain credit, commonly to their overthrow. This Tripudary Soothsaying seems to have its ori∣ginall from the Lycians, who to know future Events went to the Fountain sacred to Apollo, into which they cast baits, of which the fishes neglect was a sign of ill luck, as the contrary of good.

4. Augurium. This kind of soothsaying was said to be inven∣ted by Cara King of Caria a Province in Anatolia, west of Lycia. It was called Augurium ab avium garri••u, from the chirping and chattering of birds. The Colledge of the Augures at Rome

was first appointed by Romulus himself, being very expert in South-say••ng, There were at first but three Augures, of each Tribe one. So Pomp. Laetus. The word Augure by the Trope Synecdoche, signifying all sorts of divining; Servius Tullius, the sixth Roman King when he divided Rome into four Tribes or Wards, added the fourth Augure, all elected out of the Patritij or Nobility. Quintus & Oneius Ogulinus, being Tribu∣nes got five others to be chos••n out of the Commonalty, at w^ch the Senate decreed, that the number should never exceed nine, notwithstanding Sylla being Dictator, added six more; the eldest was called Magister Collegij, or Rector of the Col∣ledge. The custome was, that if any other Priest was convict∣ed of any notorious offence, he should be d••scharged of his Office, and another constituted; but the Augures for no crime could be dismissed. When he divined, he sat upon a Tower, in a clear day (holding in his hand a crooked staffe, called Lituus) in his Soot••-••aving Robe, called Laena, and in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, à calefa••iendo, f••om heating, be∣cause it was well lined within, being garded on the out-side with purple and crimson gards; his head was covered, and face towards the East, so his back was West, his right hand South, and his left Northward. He quartered out the Heaven with his staffe into certain Templa, or Regions, observing in which the Birds did appear; then killing his sacrifice, and muttering certain prayers called Effata, he pronounced sen∣tence. Nothing was confirmed without two lucky tokens, one after another; nor was any thing gain-sayed by the appea••∣ance of one onely evil token. Although Plutarch tells us (in vit. Pyrr.) that when Antipater, Lysimachus, and Pyrrhus, met to be sworn upon the sacrifices, to articles of peace betweene them; there were three beasts brought to be sacrificed, a Goat, a Bull, and a Ram, of which, the Ram fell down dead of himself before he was touched, whereat the standers by derided, but the South-sayer Theodotus, perswaded Pyrrhus not to swear, saying that this Omen d••d threaten one of the three Kings with suddain death, for which cause Pyrrhus concluded no peace. The distinctions of south-sayings have been taken some from the event, thence called Prospera, or Adversa; some from the manner of their appearing, and that was either wish∣ed, called Impetrativa, or unwished, or Oblitiva; some from the diversity of things that offered themselves in time of divining, and so there were five distinct sorts. Observations first, Of Thunder; Second, Of flying, or chattering of Birds; third

of Crummes cast to Pullets; Fourth, Of Quadrupeds, which either should crosse the way, or appear in some unaccustomed place; Fifth, Of those casualties whereby the Gods testifie their anger to us, called Dira, because thereby, Dei ira nobis innotescit, as falling of salt towards us at the Table, shedding of wine upon our Cloathes, bleeding so many drops, &c. as also voyces heard none know whence, or unnatural to the to the speakets, as the Buls crying in the second Punick War, Cave tibi R••ma, and such voices as Cadmus heard when he overcame the Serpent; Val. Maximus gives you many of those P••odigies, and Iosephus among the signs of the distruction of Je∣rusalem, and Lucan recounting the Omens that threatned Rome with civil wars. So Iulius Caesars death was divined by the clattering of the A••mour in his house, and the poysoning of Germanicus, by the sounding of a Trumpet of its own accord, an Owl schreeching in the Senate house, was deemed omi∣nous to Augustus, and a company of C••owes accompanying home Seianus with great clamours, unlucky to that high Favourite; so was the shole of Ravens that hovered over the French Host at Cressy, (a little before our King Edward 3^d and his brave Sonne the black Prince engag••d and routed it) too much observed by some there present. So, as Homer sings, (Iliad. l. 12.) The Trojans storming the wall, or Rampir•• which the Greeks had cast up to secu••e their Ships, saw an Eagle trusse a Serpent, but the Serpent so stung her, that she let her fall among them; which Omen daunted most of them, especially Polydimus; but how causelesly appeared by Hectors slighting the Augury, and his successe that day, though afterwards in the grosse, the Omen proved true. They also observed what Objects they met fasting, and stumbling at the Threshold at going forth, and a thousand such fooleries; so because Brutus and Cassius met a Blackmore, and Pompey had a dark or sad coloured Robe on at Pharsalia, these must needs be presages of their overthrow, which are scarce Rheto∣rical sequels, concluding metaphors from realities, and f••om conceptions metaphorical, inferring realities again. But I am too tedious, for more of this, I refer you to Cicero de divinatione. Fenestella. Pomponius Laetus. L. Florus. L. Ampleius, Godwin. D' Juigne, &c.

Of the Indian Sooth-sayers, or Gymnosophistae, Plutarch tells us Alexander took ten, whose discreet answers to his hard Questions, argued their wit no less then their judgement. The Brittish Bards were accounted very cunning, and the

Aegyptian Barchmans most famous, so that Pythagoras left his Country to converse with them; nay, his thirst and passion after this excellent commerce was so admirable, that he made nothing of circumcising himself, that he might with the more freedom and lesse suspition, pry into their profoundest myste∣ries. The same design led Thales, Eudoxus; Apollonius, nay Plato himself into Aegypt, and Democritus, Empedocles, and the same Pythagoras and Plato into Persia, to comprehend (saith Plutarch) the Arcana of Philosophy and Divinity. For Magic in those dayes, was nothing else but that perspective science by which the hidden works of Nature were brought to light, and things natural distinguished from miraculous, good from bad, which made the worthiest Princes, especially those of Persia studious in it; nor were they permitted to go∣vern that had not some light therein; But as it is the course for all things to degenerate, so was this divine and excellent science corrupted. It was, say they, taught by Adam to his Sonne Seth, it was polluted and depraved by Cham, and his posterity, led by an impious curiosity to patch out Philosophy with Necromancy, and by charm; and spells, to inquire that of evill Spirits, that by study they could not obtaine by na∣ture. The Hebrewes according to S. Clement (l. 4. Recog.) at∣tribute the invention of evill Magick to Mizraim the Son of Cham, others to Cham himselfe, who raigned in Bactria, called by prophane Authors Zoroastres. He wrote divers Books of Enchantment, containing 200000 Verses, burnt by Ninus King of Assyria after his Conquest. Pliny, l. 30. cap. 1. It took its source from three principal Arts, Physick, judicial Astro∣logy, and Religion. Some divide it into infinite sorts, but as the Mountaine Caucasus running through many Countries, takes of every one a name, yet is still the same mountaine: So is this the same science, however called by its several pro∣fessors. But the chiefe were three sorts.

1. The Persian, invented by Zoroastres, Zorad••s, or Cham.

2. The Judaic introduced as they say by Moses, but more probably by Jamnes and Jotapa or, Mambres (Syrus calls them Jannis and Jambaris) who were with reason thought to be the Inchanters of Pharoah, we finding in 2 Tim. 3. mention made of Jannes and Jam••res (or as some render it, Jamnes and Mam∣bres) that withstood Moses. The third was the Grecian Ma∣gick, mentioned by Homer in his descriptions of Proteus, Circe, and the Syrenes. It was brought into Greece by Hosthanes a

Persian, that accompanied Xerxes, and afterwards published by another Hosthanes, at the suit of Alexander the Great. But of all, the Persian Magi were most renowned, no lesse for their stanch Religion and lives, then curious search into the se∣crets of Nature; they assisted at the service of the Gods, made prayers and sacrifices, believed the Resurrection and Immortality of the soule; they thought the world subsisted by their prayers, rejected Idols, busied themselves in presaging events, believing the Gods obeyed them, and that the aire was filled with Spirits, with the Manichees, making two prin∣cipal, the one good, whom they call Iupiter and Horosmades, the other bad, named Pluto and Arimanis. They held promis∣cuous Copulation lawfull, otherwise lived in great austerity, rejecting exteriour ornaments, and and the use of Gold. They ever held a wand in their hands, and went cloathed in white, as a mark of the candor and simplicity of their lives, they lay hard, eat ill, drank worse; bread, hearbs, and cheese, being their food, and their drink water, as having a touch of the Pythagorian sect, they abstained from all food that had life, or rather Pythagoras learnt that of them. Diog. Laert. l. 1. de vit. Philos.)

This Sci••nce once of such esteem for its sublimity, and being so farre elevate from the common, and by the exercise of per∣sonages of greatest honour and antiquity, is now by superstiti∣on joyned with the invocation of infernall spirits rendred odious. Some make two sorts of Magick, Naturall and Divine, one lawful, the other unlawful; ••he natural consists in the searching of the causes of all things, which is no more then the consummation of Philosophy. The Divine part is diabolical, being the abuse of natural things, joyned with the familiarity of wicked Spirits, so Iamblique (Livre des mysteries des Aegyptiens) with whom agree Proclus & Porphyri∣us, lib. de Sacrif.) he calls the first Theurgie, which is good and approvable, and may be termed the white or natural; the other Geotie, or Necromancie, which is evil and damnable, vulgarly termed The black Art, and is divided into divers Classes, comprehended in these five, by Hugues de Saint Victor, (Liu. 6. chap. 5. De Son Erudition Didascalque.) The first he calls La mantique, or Divination, which is thus subdivided.

1. When it is applyed to the dead, it is called Necromancie.

2. When to the Earth, Geomancie.

3. When to the Water, Hydromancie.

4. When to the Air, Aeromancie.

5. When to the Fire, Pyromancie: It is practised with divers ridiculous Utensils, as Bas••ns, Looking-glasses, Hatchets, &c.

The second sort he calls Mathematique Ma••ic, comprehend∣ing three Species. 1. Aruspicium 2. Auspicium (of b••th which before) and 3. L'Horoscope, when by the Con••tellation or Ascendent of any one, and Calculating his Nativity, we make judgements of his Fortune; this is judicial Astrology. The third he calls Sortilege, or a Lot, when people cast D••ce for their fortune, as in the Shepheards Calender, or any other way. The fourth Witchcraft; when by Ligatures, Charmes, Spells, ung••ounded Amulets, Philters, or compacts people make use or evil Spirits to serve them: and the fifth, Les Prestiges, which we may render Legerdemain, or Deceptio visus, Phantasmes and illusions, when by the artifice of the Devill, things seem as they are not, as Witches to be turned into Cats, Wolves, to which to give credit, is perhaps as great an errour, as to affirm there are no Witches at all. One Ingre∣dient in their Rites, is the blood of Infants, which to obtain, Ovid seems to believe, that they turn themselves into the shapes of such familiar and houshold creatures as Cats, Owls, &c by a ce••tain Oyntment; and this themselves have con∣fessed upon examination at Pompelona, Anno 1583. yet surely but illuded by the Devill, and their melancholy to their own destruction; for if the Devil cannot annihilate or destroy, how can he contract a body? therefore wise Judges have ad∣monished, that men should not give too rash a beliefe to the confessions of Witches, nor yet to the evidence which is b••ought against them, because Witches themselves are imagi∣native, believing oft times, that they do what indeed they do not. It was repo••ted of the Neuri, a Nation of Scythia, that they could turn themselves into Wolves, and again assume their true shapes when they pleased. And Sabinus reports, how one accustoming to change himself into a Woolf, and again into a man, was taken and brought before the Duke of Prusia, accused by the Peasants for worrying their Cattel: a deformed fellow, and not much unlike a beast. He had a scar on his face, the mark of a wound which was given him by a Dog, when he was a Woolf, as himself reported. He confessed, that twice every year he was converted into that shape, first about Christmas, and again at Midsummer; at which times h•• grew salvage, and was carried with a certain natural desire to converse with Wolves in the woods, afflicted with pain and hor••or, while the hair was breaking out of his

skin, and befo••e he was throughly changed. For a tryall, he was shut up in prison, & carefully guarded, but continued un∣altered; by which it appeared that this, as the like, proceeded from a kind of distraction, and strength of the abused imagi∣nation; the Devill doubly deluding both themselves and such as behold them, with phantastick resemblances, although Bodin affirms and strives to maintain the contrary. For the other ingredients of witchcraft, as the Spume of the Moo••, (their fautresse) or the dew of the Night, soperiferous herbes, pollutions of holy thing••, &c. I refer you to Ovids Met. l. 7. treating of Medeas bath for Aeson, and Master Sandys his learned Comment thereon: To Father Lewis Ri∣cheome, his Pilgrim of Loretto, cap. 7. of the Pilgrims return, &c. To Delrius disquis. Magic. and to our elaborate Poet Laureat, Johnson, his Masqve of Queens, in which inimitable Poem he has treasured up all the knowledge of the Antients, of this Theam, of which all or most of the Antient Poe••s wrote something, bringing in some Witch; Homer Circe in the Odyssi; Theocritus, Simatha in Pharmaceutria; Virgil Alphesibaeus; Ovid, Dipsas, in amor. Medea and Circe in Met. Titul••••, Saga; Horace, Candida, Sagana, Veia, Folia; Seneca, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and the Nurse, in Herc. Oete; Petr. Aubiter, Saga in frag; Lucan, Ericto; and Claudian Megaera. lib. 1. in Rufinum; still attributing to them such diabolicall and odious qualities as are sufficient to render them detested, and deter others from their wretched society, were it but for the penury, sluttish nastinesse, and deformity in which the Devill commonly keeps these his servants.

That grand enemy of man not being able to draw many to this grossenesse of evill, willing rather to play at small game then to stand out, have won them to a conceit of his smaller wares, though they will not seem to drive a solemn bargaine with the Merchant, such are Philtres, Charmes, Ligatures, Characters, and other superstitious waies in the cure of com∣mon diseases; what naturall effect•• can reasonably be expected, when to prevent the Ephialtes or Night-mare we hang up an hollow stone in stables? when for warts we rub our hands be∣fore the Moon, or commit any maculated part unto the touch of the dead? when for Amulets against Agues we use the chips of Gallows and places of Execution? which kind are most frequent in Germany and Flanders, where when one is sick, all his acquaintance bring him their medicinall charms, so usuall there, as I was there cred••bly informed, that a Prea∣cher

sitting himself powerfully to inveigh against Witchcraft, about the beginning of Lent, found so good successe, as that before Easter, more then 500. persons brought him their charmes and renounced them, Of this sort (no lesse then the Familiars, in some of those parts sold in shops) is the custom among some of their soldiers to be made Hard, Spit-free or Shot-free, &c. the Devill seconding hereby the expectations of men with Events of his own contriving, to obtain a bloody advantage, for he begets not onely a false opinion that his deceits are naturall causes, but such as leadeth the open way of destruction. Of this sort the Sympathetick, Powder and Weapon Salve seem to me, unlesse I could salve that Action in Philosophy, Non datur actio indistans. Though they be sometimes successefull, tis not to be imputed to the beliefe of the Patient, or efficacy of the ingredients, which can have none at distance, but rather to some previous compact with the Devil; to whom rather then to be beholding for my life, I would choose to die; and however it be approved by many, yet not being plain to me; I should rather trust my body, if wound••d, to the care of an ordinary Chirurgion, knowing, what 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Faith is Sin; and might expect more comfort of my health procured by a known lawfull, then if it had been obtained by a doubtfull means. Under this head may I put Palmistry and Judiciall Astrologie, which not seldom fail: but if they be grounded onely upon naturall Causes and peo∣ple that have the same Ascendent and Lines must have the same fate, how came Jacob and Esau to have so different For∣tunes, when their Births were so connexed, as the one had hold of the others heel? if in that short time the whole revolution of the Heaven changed, what certain Judgment can be made? And in Palmistry, why should it be confinable unto man, when the rules of it are common to beasts? as in the forefoot of the Moll, especially of the Monkey, there is the Table Line, that of Life, and of the Liver? This prying into the Arcana Dei let the wise counsell of Cato the prudent Heathen disswade.

Quid Deus intendat, noli perquirere sorte. Quid statuat de te, sine te deliberat ipse. lib. 2. de Morib.

Seek by no Divination Gods intents: He without thee has fixt all thy events.

To say something of the Sortilegium or Divination by Lots. To determine doubfull matters by the opening of a book, and letting fall a staff, are ancient f••agments of Pagan supersti∣tion. The first an imitation of Sortes Homericae or Virgilianae, drawing determinations from Verses casually occuring. The same was practised by Severus, who entertained ominous hopes of the Empire, from that Verse in Virgil, Tu regere impe∣rio populos Romane memento; and Gordianus who reigned but few daies was discouraged by those words, Ostendunt terris hunc tantum fata nec ultra esse sinunt. Nor was this onely performed in Heathen Authors, but upon the sacred Text of scripture, as Gregorius Turonensis hath left some account; and as the practise of the Emperor Heraclius, befo••e his expedition into Asia minor, is delivered by Cedrenus. The decision from the staff is an Augurial Relique, and the practise thereof is accu∣sed by God himself; Hosea 4.12. My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them. Of this kind of Rhab∣domancy was that practised by Nabuchadonosor in that Caldean Miscellany, delivered by Ezekiel. cap. 21. The King of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two waies, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with Images, he looked in the liver. At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem; That is, and Estius expoundeth it; the left way leading unto Rabbah the chief City of the Ammonites, and the right unto Jerusalem; he consulted Idols and Entrails, he threw up a bundle of arrowes, to see which way they would light, and falling on the right hand, he ma••ched towards J••rusal••m. A like way of Belomancy or Divination by Arrows hath been in request with the Scythians, Alanes, Germans, Africans, and Turks of Algier. And (though by a more obvious witchcraft) Cingis the first great Cham of Tartary, about the year of grace, 1162. b••fo••e he joyned battell with Vncham, one of the Kings Tenduch, consulted with his Divi∣ners of the successe: they taking a green reed, cleft it asunder, and wrot on the one part the name of Cingis, and Vn∣cham on the other, and placed them not farre asunder. Then fell they to muttering their Charms, and the two reeds a fighting in the sight of the whole Army, Cingis reed over∣came the other, whereby they foretold the joyfull newes of

Victory to the Tartar, which accordingly happened. So Theodatus the Gothe (about the year 534.) being in warrs with the Romans, and willing beforehand to know his suc∣cesse; was advised by a Jew to shut up a number of swine, and to give some of them Roman names, the others Gothish. Not long after, the King and the Iew going to the sties, found the Gothish Hoggs all slain, and the Roman half un∣bris••ell••d: whereupon the Iew foretold that the Gothes should be discomfited, and the Romans much weakened, and so it fell out. This kind of Divination some call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and hath been prohibited by a generall Councell, and is with its other kinds often condemnd and threatened with punishments by God himself, by the mouths of his holy Prophets, especially Ezekiel. If any think that Elisha p••actised Belomancy when by an arrow shot from an Eastern window, he presignified the destruction of Syria, and when according unto the th••ee stroaks of Ioash, with an arrow upon the ground, he foretold the number of his victories, 2 Kings 13. they may know that that was done by the spirit of God, who particular'd the same, and determined the stroaks of the King unto three, which the hopes of the Prophet expected in twice that num∣ber. From the same spirit proceeded those cures in Scripture, by means not to us effective. The Divine power either procee∣ding by visible means, or not, unto visible effects, is able to to conyjoyn them by his cooperation. And the••efore those sensible waies which seem of indifferent Natures, are not idle ceremonies, but may be causes by his command, and arise unto productions beyond their regular activities. If Nahaman the Syrian had washed in Iordan without the command of the Prophet, its like he had been cleansed by them no more then by the waters of Damascus. There is no cause to doubt if a∣ny besides Elisha had cast in salt, the waters of Iericho had not been made wholesom. There was some naturall vertue in the plaster of figs applyed to Ezechias, and gall is very mundifi∣cative, and was a proper medicine to clear the eye of Tobit; which carrying in themselves some action of their own, they were additionally promoted by that power, which can extend their natu••es unto the production of effects beyond their cre∣ated efficiencies. And thus may he operate also from causes of no power unto their visible effects; for he that hath deter∣mined their actions unto certain effects, hath not so emptied his own, but that he can make them effectuall unto any other. So cannot the Devill, having no power of his own, as a crea∣ted

essence, but that onely that is permitted to him, all which he stretches to make himself seem equall with God; so that we may call him Gods Ape, assuming the annexes of divini∣ty, and the prerogatives of the Creato, ••rawing into delusive practise the operation of miracles, and the prescience of things to come. See more of this in Doctor Browns ••seu. Epid. l. 1. cap. 10. & 11. lib. 5. cap. 21. & 22. The Devill hath also made men believe that he can raise the dead, that he hath the key of life and death, and this leads me to Necromancie, which is divination by the dead; when to foretell some event, some dead body is called up: as Lucan. lib. 6. makes Pompeyes Son Sextus go to the witch Erictho, to enqui••e the issue of the war, she quickens a dead carkasse that informes him, then by a spell laies it again. The like was acted in the body of Sa∣muel by the W••tch of Endor, when King Saul went to learn of ••er what event his war with the Philistines should have, al∣though whether done by divine permission, or diabolicall illusion, is as yet in controversie. But more probable it seems, since the Divell can transform himself into an Angell of light, that he assumed the shape of Samuel. Insomuch that the apparitions of Saints and Angells (of no small danger to the credulous and unstable) are not secure from deception. For to me it seems hard, that the Devill should have power of of the body of a Saint, and holding that the dead do rest in the Lord, that we should yet believe they are at the lure of Devill: that he who is in bonds himself, commandeth the fetters of the dead; and dwelling in the bottomle••••e Lake, the blessed from Abrahams bosom. The opinion of the reall Resurrection of Samuel is chiefly grounded upon that in Ec∣clesiasticus (praising Samuel) cap. 46. v 2. After his death he prophesied, and shewed the King his end, and lift up his voice from the Earth in Prophecie. Such expound those words in the story. 1. Sam. 28.19. To morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me, in the Grave, onely, in the state of the dead: farther they cannot go; for if it were the Prophet, had he ••poken o•• the particular place wherein he was, he would not have spo∣ken so generally, take the place either for Heaven, or Limbus patrum. for the••e we may fear Saul and his two Sons Abina∣dab and Malchishua never came: If it were the Devill, and meant local Hel; to have spoken plain, he should have said thou and thy two sons; for Ionathan the Eldest and friend of David, was flain too, but left us pious hopes of his better

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condition: but that plainnesse of speech he might wave to keep up the controversie, making it his work to sow dissenti∣on; as also to speak here like himself, elsewhere, all whose answers and Oracles were amphibolous and misticall: But for more of this I refer you to Saint Augustine, lib. 2. q. ad Sim∣plician: where he proposeth both the opinions as pro∣bable.

But to reassume the businesse of note, the Magi: Magus sig∣nifies as much as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Sapiens, a wise man: so were the Philosophers in Persia and the East named, though now by the corruption of the Science, its an odious name, Magician aliàs Conjurer, though we might as well deprave the name of Divine, it certainly comming à Divinando, from those antient Diviners or Sooth-sayers. So Tyrannus at first did onely signi∣fie a Monarch and absolute King, but came afterwards by the abuse of Royall Authority to be taken for a cruell and evill Prince; In like manner the word Lacrones signified of old such as were the guards of Princes; but grew in time by their disloyalty to be understood of Robbers and Thieves. Out of the Magi the antients chose them Kings, and chief officers; Cambyses second Monarch of the Medes and Persians, at his expedition into Aegypt, constituted Patizithes, one of the Magi, Vice-Roy in his absence. And the Magi or wisemen led by the star to Bethelem to adore our Saviour were Kings, as say Saint Hierome, Saint Augustine, Saint Chrysostom, Saint Anastasius, Saint Isidorus, Tertullian, and Remigius: perhaps Kings of Cities or some narrow Territories or Topacks, such as the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Kings of Ierico and Ai, the 31 Kings that Ioshua subdued, and such as the friends of Iob are thought to have been; but their number is not ex∣pressed, much lesse their names, in Scripture; Saint Augustin saith they were three, perhaps led thereunto by the number of their gifts. For their names Franciscus Maurelicus hath them in his Martyrologe, agreeing with the written Tables annexed to their reputed Tombes in Collein in Germany, viz. The first was called Melchior, an old grave Person, who offe∣red Gold as unto a King. The second Gasper, a young man, who presented Frankincense as unto God. The third Beltha∣zar, a Blackmore, who offered Mirrh, as unto a Man ready for his Sepulchre. That they were Kings of Collein is the vulgar opinion; but though Collein was the chief City of the Vbii, then called Vbiopolis, and afterwards Agrippina, in

honour of Agrippa, Nero's Mother, and lastly Collein by the by French, who there planted a Colonie, yet do no story say there were three Kings thereof. Besides, then they after their return would probably have converted their Sub∣jects, it being their proper vocation, they being (saith Chry∣sostom) baptised and made Bishops by Saint Thomas the Apostle; but according unto Munster their Conversion was not w••ought untill seventy years after, by Maternus a Disciple of Saint Peters. Lastly, the wise men came from the East; but but Collein is seated West from Ierusalem; for Collein hath of Longitude 34. degrees, but Ierusalem 72. A more probable opinion it is, that they were of Arabia, descended from Abra∣ham by his second wife Keturah, and this the aforesaid Table allowes; Fi••st, because they came f••om the East, and so is Arabia in respect of Ierusalem; as also, because in them was fulfilled the Prediction of the royall Prophet, Psalm. 72. The Kings of Arabia shall bring gifts. Their bodies are said by Eckius and others to have been translated by Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine, unto Constantinople: From thence by Eustorphius Bishop of Millain unto Millain; and finally brought unto Collein by Rainoldus Bishop thereof, An. 1164. of which place they may be called Kings rather from their Sepulchre then Territory.

The Brittish Magi also, or Druides were their Magistrates, they took their name and beginning (as some will) from Druis, fourth King of Britain, great Grandchild to Samothes, (supposed to be Mesech Son of Iaphet, who some make the first King here, saying he here first of any arrived and peo∣pled this Ile, An. Mundi 1787. after the Flood 131. years, and before the Incarnation of our Saviour 2158. He came into Europe together with Gomer and Fuisco or Aschenas foun∣ders of the Western and Southe••n Gauls and Germans. He in∣habited the North and East parts of Gaul and Germany, from the Alpes to the Rhene, from the Pyrene Hills to the River Seine, and so to the Brittish shore, and the Iland it selfe) such will have Poets called antiently Bardes (and among the Welsh Barthes to this day) from Bardus the royal Orpheus of this Isle, fifth King thereof, and Son to Druis.

They also will have the Magi of all Nations of Brittish ex∣traction, taking the science of divine Philosophy, and the Name too, from Magus Sonne of Samothes, and second King of Brittaine, the same man that to perpetuate his name, built

among the Gauls, Neomagus, Sitomagus, Rhotomagus, Novio∣magus, &c. though his Science shall out-last his Towns. These Brittish Magi, might as well send their Name as Learn∣ing, to the East, their King Sarron (say they) Sonne to Magus, and third King of Brittaine (to whom they impute the first foundation of Schools and Vniversities in this Isle, and elsewhere) by them perswaded, sent by Timagen, and others of them, the first knowledge of Lite••ature, to Athens and Aegypt. But it seems the Brittish learning, like their wool, thriveth better in a hotter Cl••me then their own; for they tell us, that Bladud (8th King of England, then called Leo∣gria of Locrine, Son of Brute, first King of that Division) studied at Athens, and brought thence four Philosophers, who professed the Sciences at Stamford, where he founded an Vniversity which flourished till S. Augustines time, when the Pope did interdict it for Heresies (perhaps that of Pelagius) that then sprung amongst the Saxons and Brittaines. So M^r Harding, Slatyer, Palae-Albion, &c. (though in our more au∣thentique ••ecords, I find not any thing like an Vniversity at Stamford, till in the Raign of King Edward 3^d upon some contention between the Southern and Northern men in Oxford; many of the Scholars removed thither, and there held publique Schools of all sorts of learning, but left it again, and returned, being commanded so to do by the Kings Proclamation, & thereupon it was ordained in the Vniversity, that the Scholars in taking of their degrees, should make oath, not to read publiquely at Stamford to the prejudice of Oxford.) This King Bladud, was held so great a Magician, as that he founded Bath, and the three hot medicinable springs there by his Art, then called Caer Badon, by the old ••rittons, from Badon or M••ns ••adonicus not far off, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Hot waters, by Ptolomy, and by Antoninus, Aquae Solis, respecting their nature. Here Bladud one day practising Necromancy, decked himself with feathers, and presum••ng (Icarus like) to fly, fell, and brake his neck upon the Temple he had the••e built to Apollo, He raigned 863 years before the incarnation of our Saviour; from this Bladud, many will have Magic (his great Masterpiece) called the Black Art, a far fetch'd Etymo∣logy, but perhaps as well Black Art from Bladud, as Magick from Magus K••ng of Brittaine. These relations are not altoge∣ther to be derided, though they seem to have been composed by some more affectionate to the honour of their Country,

then the purity of story; they are attested by learned and worthy ••ens, and (though none need to feign any thing to honour Great Brittaine (as she lately stood) it's just such should find more credit, then that impudent Detractor Poly∣dore Virgil, that maliciously compiled her story to abuse her, by leaving out, nay burning and embezling her best and most ancient Records, Monuments, and Legier Books, that his own might not be contradicted, (having a large Commis∣sion under the Great Seal, to make search for all Antiqu••ties that might make for his purpose;) yet for all this, he hath ill luck to write nothing well, save the life of King Henry the seventh, wherein he had reason to take a little more paines then ordinary, the Book being Dedicated to Henry the eight his Sonne, though even in that piece he is so far excelled by our eloquent Lord Verulam, as I must either retract that Poly∣dore wrote well, or allow it but to make him the better foyle to Bacon, who shews there was no need of Italian help to the Brittish History.

One great Art of the Magi, was the Exposition of Dreams amongst them, believed of gran•• importance, holding, that though sleep be the Image of death, Dreams are the portrai∣ture of ••ife; though Cassius reasoning with Brutus about the apparition to him in Sardis, laboured according to his Epicu∣rian sect, to Father all upon deception, and the strength of imagination; (Plut. in vit. Brut.) And though Dreams are more often Histories then presages, grounded upon things that are in being, and which we have seen; for the imag••na∣tion which is the Couch and Nursery of Dreams, rep••esenteth commonly what she hath received; yet Dreams are not al∣wayes of nature, but also of the inspiration of God, as Jacob's Ladder, Joseph's Sun and Moon, and 11 Stars, Pharoahs fat and leane ••ine, &c. So Rich••ome Pilg. Loret. and as D' Brown observes, Rel. Med. There is surely a neerer apprehension of any thing that delights each of us in our Dreames, then in our waked senses, & Paulò post, The slumber of the body, seems to be but the waking of our soules: It is the ligation of our sense, but the liberty of Reason. With him, seem to agree Galen and Aristotle, in their singular Tracts of Sleep. And M. Sandys, in his Com∣mentary upon Ovids Met. l. 11. Defines Dreams, those Images which are formed in our sleeps by the various discursion of the spirits in the brain (the spirits being the Chariot of the soul) which follow concoction, when the blood is least

troubled, and the phantasie uninte••rupted ••y ascending va∣pours. These the Poet divides into three kinds, the one im••∣tating the Rational, the other the Animal, and the third the Inanimate: the first called Morpheus, which signifies Form; the second Icelos by the Gods, which is similitude; but Phobe∣tor or fear, by Mortals, in regard of the terrors apprehended by beasts and Monsters; and the last Phantasius, of the Ima∣gination. And as the Cogitations of Princes, far differ from those of the vuigar, so their Dreams are unvulgar and diffe∣rent: to this purpose M. Howel in his vocal Forrest, Oftentimes the conceptions of Kings, are as farre above the Vulgar, as their condition is, for being higher elevated, and walking upon the bat∣tlements of soveraignty, they sooner receive the inspirations of hea∣ven.

As sleep was created to recreate the body, and free the mind from care for a season; so, Dreams are sometimes sent to ter∣rifie the guilty (as those that the Usu••per Richard the third is reported to have had, the night before the great deciding battel at Bosworth field). Sometimes they are to confirm the good (as those that the Earl of Richmond (afterwards King Henry the seventh) had on the aforesaid night) and they are not seldom prophetical (as they proved to those two Prin∣ces.) So Ovid (it being the businesse of Poets, in the contem∣plation of Nature, to represent things that are not as if they were) makes Morpheus present her d••owned Husband Ceyx, to Alcyone in a Dream, and ••aesars wife Calphurnia, foresaw her Husbands Tragedy in he•• sleep, but examples are innumer∣able; yet such divine Revelations w••re often imitated by Spirits of darknesse, to beget a superstition, which in the end so increased, that Aristides compiled an Ephemerides of his own Dreams; and Mithridates of those of his Concubines. But the Romans finding the inconveniences thereof (because all Dreames without distinction of Causes, were drawn to Divi∣nation) forbad the same by a publique decree, though they, more politiquely then wisely, made their Religion and Au∣guries ever serve their occasions, as Machiavel observes at large in his discourses upon Livie. Much ado I have to take off my hand from describing their method in expounding of Dreams, as to dream of the dead, signified receiving of Money, to dream of waters and green fields, the d••ath of friends, &c. As also their manner in procuring of Dreams, as wrapping themselves up in beasts skins, and lying on their backs before

the T••mples, with a branch of Misletoe in their hands, or laying of an odd number of ••ay-leaves under their pillows, which they held efficacious to produce t••ue D••eams, &c. But such superstitions I had ••ather ••mit, s••eing I need not tell them to the lea••ned; nor am I willing to teach them to the ignorant, whom I refer to the Text, where they shall see (bor∣rowed of the inc••mparable Sir Philip Sidney) that

— Wisdom and virtue be, The only Destinies set for man to follow, &c.

[(23) Larr] Larr is a sandy Kingdom, adjoyning upon Susiana, almost wholly a Dese••t, being for 400. miles toge∣ther sterile, full of loose sand and danger, having high hills on each side without Grasse, River, or Herbage. It hath for the seat of justice, a City of the same name, seated under the Latitude of 27 degrees and forty minutes North, fourteen dayes jou••ney distant from Shiras. This City is ancient, and had about fifty years since 5000 houses in her, of which 3000 were overturned by an Earth quake. 'Tis now famous onely for a strong Castle, and handsome Buzzar; the Castle is built at the No••th end, upon an high aspiring Mountaine, well stored with Ordnance brought f••om Ormus: the order and Scituation of this Fort and Fabrick, equalizing, if not preceding any other in Persia. Here is a Mosque or Temple, framed in some part with Mosaique work, and round in figure; at the entrance hangs a Mirror or Looking glasse, wherein Mahometans behold their defo••mities. This Church lodges the g••eat long named, long buried P••ophet Emyr-ally-saddey-a∣meer, whose sleep (they say) has been 1500 years long in that Sepulcher; they expect his Resurrection shortly to wait upon Mahomet, of whom he prophesied 500 years before his birth.

This Town affords Dates, Orenges, Aqua-vitae, or Arack, &c, but is very ill watered; some Maps place it by a great River, wherein they mistake so exceedingly, that the••e is not any River within 100 miles of it: Rain is also a great stran∣ger here, not a shower somtimes in five years, when it falls, it brings incredible joy and profit to the people, and sun-burnt Country, though sometimetimes no lesse detriment; for not long since, such a violent storm of Rain unburthened it self near to Techoa, that caused such a suddain deluge and Cata∣ract, as a Caravan of 2000 Camels perished by it. The people are black and needy, amongst whom many miserable

Jewes inhabit, and have their Synagogues. This City and Province, were under the great Duke of Shiras, of whose re∣ducing of it to the Persian Crown, see the 19th Note upon the Fourth Act. Herbert. &c.

[(24) BAIAZETS Cage] see the 10th Note upon the Fourth Act.

ANNOTATIONS UPON THE FOURTH ACT.

[(1) BIzantiums walls of fire] The ancient walls of Bizantium, or Constantinople, were said to be of a just even height, every stone so cemented together with brass Couplets, that the whole wall seemed to be but one entire stone. Some affirm the same of the outmost wall of Jerusalem. The Epithet Fiery, I ascribe to Bizantiums wall, it being built of brick and stone intermixed orderly. So was Thebes said to be walled with fire, being walled with flint-stone, in which that fierce element is most predominant.

[(2) Good Gelden] meaning Elchee. See the 8th Note upon the third Act.

[(3) Hircania] See the sixth Note upon the third Act.

[(4) The valiant Amazones] In Cappadocia, about the Ri∣ver Thermodon, which runs through Anatolia, into the Euxine Sea, the Amazones were said to inhabit, so called, either quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because they used to fear, or cut off their right paps, that they might be no impediment to their shooting, or throw∣ing of their lavelins; or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sine pane, because they used not bread: or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because they used to live together, or from a Queen of Ephesus, Priestesse to Diana, called Amazona.

They were, according to Pliny, Justin, &c. a people of Scy∣thia, that valiant Nation, which at several eruptions, dilated its self over the whole world, (therefore stiled by divers

Authors, the Mother of all inundations, Vagina Gentium, & Officina generis humani) famous it was in both Sexes, the men being founders of the Parthian and Bactrian, and the women of the Amazonian Empire, about the year of the world, 2100. the occasion this, in the time of Sesostris King of Egypt, the Scythians b••oke into Asia, b••inging with them their wives, and houshold Gods; but there happening a quarrell between the rest of the Nobility, and Plinos and Scolpythus the Ge∣nerals, those two separated themselves, and their faction f••om the ••est, and s••ated between the Rive••s ••anais, and Therm••don in Cappadocia, a long t••me they combated, and oft defeated the Themiscyrii, who were the inhabitants of that Region, but at last, by a st••atag••m of th••irs▪ lost their Army. Their wives now doubly vexed, (both with ••xile and wid∣dowhood, and the extr••mity of g••ief,) and fear, producing the usuall effect, despe••atenesse, they not only def••nded their bo••ders against but set upon the Con••ue••ors (weal••ed be∣fore by their Husbands) and not onely overcame them, but infinitely inlarged their ••ominions, under the conduct of Marpesia and Lampedo, their two Queens, late wives to the two forenamed Captaines; then finding the sweetnesse of Rule, they not only resolved to continue Widdows, but made so such as yet were not, by mu••dering all the men in the Coun∣try, pe••mitting none either to stay the••ein, or to enter in, but some ••ew for drudges. They proclaimed themselves Daughters of Mars, and defied the wo••ld, of which they conquered a g••od part, acco••ding to Justin, lib. 2. Their two Queens, Marpesia and L••mpedo, made war by turns, they sub∣dued the better parts of the continent of Europe, and many Cities in Asia, where they built Ephesus, (though it was per∣fected by Andronicus the Sonne of Codrus) and many other Cities.

Part of the Army they sent home with a noble booty, the rest that stayed to defend Asia, was overpowred by concourse of the barbarous Nations, and put to the sword, together with their Queen Marpesia, in whose place succeeded her Daughter Orithya in the Throne, famous no less for her martial a••chieve∣ments, then her inviolate chastity. At length having by War obtained peace, for successions sake, they used during two months in the spring to accompany with their Neighbours, especially with the Sarmates, saith Pliny, (lib. 6. cap. 7.) who were their subjects, with the Gelae and Leleges, saith Plutarch (in vit. Pomp.) The female issue they trained up

to war, searing the left breasts of the noble women, lest they might hinder their wearing of shields; and the right breast of the common women, that they might not impede the••r drawing of Bows. The Male issue (say some) they killed, others say they sent them to their Fathers when they were weaned, breaking the leggs and arms of those few whom they reserved for drudgery, that they might be uselesse for war, and fit only for procreation and husbandry. Grown thus fa∣mous, it was fit they should be honour'd with the contention of Hercules, which happened thus: The King for whom that stout Hero performed his twelve Labours commanded him, as a thing impossible to fetch him the Armour of the Amazonian Queen; He with Theseus, and the choice youth of Greece, shipt in nine Gallies, and assail'd their Country, at such time as their valiant Queen Orithya was making war abroad, so that he found the lesse trouble in over-coming the other Queen An∣tiope: Theseus took Hippolyta Antiopes sister prisoner, married her, and of her begat Hippolitus. Hercules took the other sister Manalippe, and for her Ransom, took the Queens Ar∣mour, and returned to the King that sent him. Orithya to re∣venge it upon the Greekes, demanded aid of Sagillus, King of the Scythians, who sent her a Noble Army of Horse, led by his Son Panaxagoras, but then the Athenians vanquished. To Orithya succeeded Penthesilea, who got fame before Troy: She being slain, her people continued their feminine Empire till Alexanders time, their Queen Minthia, alias Thalestris, after she had obtained 14 days company with him to have issue by him, dyed, and with her, the name of the Amazones: so Justin. Plutarch in vit. Thes. (agreeing with Seneca) calls the Amazon that Theseus took Antiopa, and alledgeth the authorities of Hellacanus, Menecrates, Pherecydes, and Herodotus for it, that he made that voyage alone, after Hercules's. Dion saith, he brought her away by stealth, not force, invited her to his Ship, then hoisted sayl. Clidemus the Historiographer, agrees with Justin; but which sister soever it was, either Antiope, or Hippolyta, (though Theseus his naming his Son by the Amazon Hippolitus, as most say (though Pindarus saith he called him Demophon) rather inclines me to believe it was Hippolyta) it's certain the Amazones invaded Greece to revenge it; to do which, that they passed over the arm of the sea called Bosphorus Cimmericus, being frozen, as Hellacanus reports, is scarce cre∣dible, more like it is that they came by Land; for in Thessaly, (through which they could not passe without fighting) there

are seen some of their Tombs, about the City of Scotusa, hard by the Rocks called the Dogs head: that they subdued the Country about Athens, and much of the City too, is evident in that they pitched their Camp in the very City, and fought Theseus in the place (called Pnyce) adjoyning to the Tem∣ple of the Muses: This also the Graves of the women that dyed there do testifie. Theseus having sacrificed unto the Goddess Feare (according to the advice of the Prophesie he had received) gave them battel in the month of August, on the same day on which the Athenians do solemnize the feast Boe∣dromia. Clidemus writes the circumstances of the fight, which was fierce and hot, in which the Athenians were repulsed se∣verall times, and at last it proved little more then a drawn Battel. After four months, peace was made, by the meanes of Hippolyta, (though some say she was slain fighting on Theseus's s••de with a Dart, by Molpadia) in memory whereof, the Pillar which is joyned to the Temple of the Olympian ground, was set up in her honour. However it's certain, the war was ended by agreement; for a place adjoyning to the Temple of Theseus bears record of it, being called Orcomosium, because the peace was there by solemn Oath concluded; and the sacrifice also doth truly verifie it, which they made to the Amazons before the feast of Theseus, time out of mind. That of the Poets, that the Amazones made war with Theseus, to re∣venge the injury he did to their Queen Antiopa in refusing her, to marry Phaedra, seems but fiction, though indeed after the death of his Amazonian Queen he married Phaedra, whose violent lust was the ruine of his noble Sonne by his Heroine Lady, to wonder expressed by Seneca in his excellent Tragedy, Entituled Hippolitus. What ever was the cause of the War; it was so well managed, as it seemed not the enterprise of a Woman; so Plutarch. Others Epitomizing the story of the Amazones, say, they were a Race of warlike women in Cappa∣docia, managing couragious Horses, expert themselves, and instructing their Daughters in military exercises, and became so famous and formidable, that in the end it drew on the courage of Hercules, together with the desire of Hippolita's rich Belt to assail them; and that Hippolita and Manalippe, sisters to the Queen Antiope, challenged Hercules and Theseus to single Combat, and were at last (to their eternall credits) hardly vanquished. Hercules (say they) slew Antiope, and took Hippolyta prisoner. whom he gave to Theseus his companion, as the reward of his merit in that service. In this War he so

weakned their forces as they became a prey to their Neigh∣bours; who after a while extinguished in those parts both their name and Nation. Penthesilea with the remainder fly∣ing her Country, assisted Priamus in the warrs of Troy (for the innate hatred which her nation bore to the Greeks) of which Virgil.

Ducit Amazonidum lunatis agmina peltis Penthesilea furens: mediis{que} in millibus ardet, Aurea subnectens exertae cingula mammae Bellatrix; audet{que} viris concurrere Virgo. Aeneid. 1.

Penthesilea on the numerous Bands Rusht with her Crescent-shielded Amazons▪ A golden Bend swathing her seared Breast. Bold maid! that durst with armed men conte••t

She was there slain by Achilles or by Pyrrhus his son. Pliny reports that she was the first that invented the Battellax••. Plutarch saies part of the Amazones did inhabit on the side of the Mountain Caucasus that looketh towards the Hyrcanian Sea. And Plato affirms that there was a Nation of Amazons in his time in Sarmatia Asiatica, at the foot of Caucasus: from whence it should seem their Queen Thalestria came into Hirca∣nia unto Alexander, that she might have a Daughter by him, who participating of both their spirits might conquer and de∣serve the world. But Strabo doubts by the uncertainty of Au∣thors (though in the story of no Nation do Historians punctually ag••ee) and the unlikelinesse thereof, that there ever were any such women: And Palephates writes, that the Amazones were a People couragious and hardy, who wore linnen shashes on the••r heads, and gowns to their heeles (as now the Turkes do) suffering no hair to grow on their faces; and therefore in contumely were by their Enemies called women. This opinion may be made yet more prob••ble by that of Plutarch, in vit. Pomp. viz. that in the battell that Pompey fought with the Albanians by the River Abas. there were cer∣tain Amazones, on the barbarous Generall Cosis his side, who came from the Mountains that run along the River Thermo∣don; for after the Victory, the Rom••ns spoiling the dead, found

Targets and Buskins of the Amazons, but not one womans bo∣dy. Goropius a late Author conceives them to be the wives and sons of the Sarmatians, who invaded Asia, together with their Husbands, and after planted in Cimbria; which he endea∣vours to prove by ce••tain Dutch Etymologies: This conceit some will have arise from what others write, viz. that they were called Sauromatides, from their feeding much upon Lizards, in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Francis Lopez and Vlrichus Schimdel find them in the Riv••r Orellana in America: called thereof the River of Amazones: and Edward Lopez affirms, that there are of these in Monomotapa in Africa, ninteen degrees South∣ward of the line; the strongest guard of that Emperour as the East Indian Portugalls acknowledge. Some of the antients place Amazones in Lybia, among whom were the Gorgons under their Queen Medusa, subdued by Perseus. Cael. l. 6. cap. 12. Silius Ital. l. 2. The Moderns send us to the Islands of Japan; next to the Taupinamboaus to find women that burn their right breasts not to hinder their combating. Possidonius a∣grees with Strabo l. 4. Geogra. in making mention of a cer∣tain Iland of the Ocean near to the River Loir (which some think to be Noirmoustier near Poictou) where were women that permitted no men amongst them, but went by Troopes to acccompany with the Samnite Gauls, and after conception returned to their Ile. So D' Juigne.

[(5.) Phineus Harpyes] Phineus the son of Agenor, some make King of Phoenicia, some of Thrace, some of Paphlagonia, but most of Arcadia; he having pulled out the eyes of Cram∣bus and Orythus his Sons by Cleopatra (otherwise called Har∣palyce) his first wife, daughter to Boreas and Orythia, at the instigation of their Step-mother Idaea, the daughter of Darda∣nus King of Scythia, was himself st••uck blind by the divine Vengeance for his unnaturall cruelty, the ravenous Harpyes being sent to devour his food, and contaminate his Table: but the Argonautes in their Journey to Colchos being curte∣ously entertained by Phineus (a Prince of their blood and ••lliance, he having likewise informed them concerning their voyage, and given them a Pilot,) sent the Boredes, Calais ••nd Zetes the winged Issue of Boreas (now reconciled for the ••njury done to his innocent Nephewes) to chase them away; who pursuing them as far as the Strophades (two small Ilands ••n the Ionian Sea, now called Strivalii) were there com∣manded by Iris to doe no further violence to the Doggs of Jupiter, whereupon they desisted, and the Ilands of their re∣turn

were named Strophades (a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Conversio) being before called Plotes. So the Fable, of which Virgil.

—Strophades Graio stant nomine dictae Insulae Ionio in magno; quas dira Celaeno, Harpyae{que} colunt aliae: Phineïa postquam Clausa domus: mensas{que} metu liquere priores. Tristius haud illis monstrum, nec saevior uila Pestis, & ira Deûm stygiis sese extulit undis. Virginei volucrum vultus faedissima ventris Proluvies, uncae{que} manus, & pallida semper Ora fame.—Aeneid. l. 3.

—Isles I'th' Ionian Sea, in Greek Call'd Strophades, did dire Celaeno seek, And th' other Harpyes when they'd (frighted) flown Phineus barr'd gates, and Table once well known. No Monster's worse then they, a fiercer Plague The wrath of Gods ne'r rous'd from Stygian Lake. They're Foul with Virgin faces, purging ere Their Paunches, arm'd with tallons bent to tear, And still with famine pin'd.—

The Harpyes are feigned to be the daughters of Neptune and Tellus, of old esteemed the Parents of Monsters, some lay them to Neptune alone, the Sea (for the most part) being Father of Prodigies; and not without cause, for according to Thales Milesius, all things are ingendred of Humour, whence it commeth that the Ocean is called Father. Some will have them take their name of Harpalyce Phineus his wife, being sent to revenge the wrongs done to her Sonns; but it seems more probable that they were so called of of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Rapio, be∣ing the Emblemes of Rapine and wrong. They are said to be Virgins, in that barren; because goods so gotten descend but seldom to posterity. To fly, in that they are swift in extorting; to be covered with plumes, for cloaking their prey; and to have talons of vultures, for griping and fast holding of their ill gotten riches. These qualities are also charactered in their names, Aello, Ocypetes and Celaeno, signifying a taking away that which is anothers, celeritie in the Act, and subtilty in concealing: those three Virgil mentions, Hesiod names but the two first; Homer calls the last Podarge, and saith that of her the wind Zephyrus engendred the Chariot Horses of A∣chilles,

named Balius and Ximphus. The Harpyes are said to have the faces of women, in that Avarice, of which they are the Hieroglyphicks, allures with a beauteous pretence, but ends in a Serpent; to this allusion some Mythologists, and a∣mong them our excellent Sandys, restrain the whole Fable, ma∣king Phineus said to have put out his sonnes eyes, in having abandoned wisdom and Liberality; to have lost his sight, and to suffer perpetuall Famine, in that so blinded with Ava∣rice, that he could not see into h••m••elf, nor afford himself the necessaries of life. The Harpyes (called elsewhere his Daugh∣ters) are his covetous desires, not suffering him to eat of the meat that was set before him, himselfe polluting it with his sordid disposition, being infected with Solomons evill, to have riches, and not a heart to use them; therefore tormented with furies, those being said (as Servius observes) to be afflicted with Furies, who covetously abstained from the use of their own, excellently expressed by Virgil in the punish∣ment of Tantalus Aen. l. 8. Calais and Zetes import a calling of himself to account, and a diligent inquiry into his own condition, by a speedy Reformation, expelling those ravenous Harpyes, though forbidden utterly to destroy them, in that they are the Dogs of Iupiter, the Ministers of his wrath upon the covetous, who are ever their own Tormentors. Neither is this Fable of the Harpyes unnaturally wrested to Flatte∣rers, Delators, prodigall Sycophants and greedy Officers, who devour the Treasure, and pollute the fame of Princes, abused in their trust, and blinded in their understandings: Calais and Zetes are no other then timely advice and swift execution (they are therefore winged) in freeing Courts of such Monsters. Natales Comes makes a somwhat different My∣thologie, understanding by the Harpyes, the winds, l. 7. My∣thol. Du Bartas (in his third day) called the petty fogging Lawyers Harpyes; it being a common Metaphor to expresse any by, that are rapacious, injurious, or blood-suckers of poor people. The misery Phineus sustain'd by them, and his happy deliverance from them, are wittily described by Ronsard in his Hymn of Calais and Zethes.

[(6) M••y all the Scorpions of Cushan sting thee.] Cashan (or for the better sound, Cushan) is a famous City in Parthia; some six miles distant from Spawhawn the Metropolis. The people are orderly, and more given to trade then in the ••eighbour Cities. Silkes, Sattens, and cloath of Gold are her

ordinary Commodities, plentifull, and at a reasonable 〈◊〉〈◊〉. She is well seated, well peopled, and well built. Here is a Carravansraw or common Inne, which exceeds all in Persia, and is fit to entertain the greatest Prince in Asia, yet built by King Abbas onely for Travellers to lodge in, upon f••ee cost. 'Tis two large stories high, the material Brick, varnished and coloured with knots and Arabian Letters, Po••es of Azure, red, and white. From the Basis 'tis built six foot high of good stone. The Fabrick is Quadrangular, and each proportiona∣ble Angle 200. paces. In the middle is a fair large Court, whereof in the midst is a foursquare Tanck, or Pond of pu••e Water, about it are spacious and fragrant Gardens. This civi∣lity of the King to strangers is second••d (as they say there) even by the stinging Scorpions and Serpents that infest this City and the neighbour Country in great abundance, whose Love and understanding the inhabitants report to be such to Travellers, as that they never hurt them. Th••se Scorpions so numerous here, as it is a frequent curse throughout all the Persian Empire, May a Scorpion of Cushan sting thee. Herbert.

[(7) My Vncle and my Grandsire] meaning Emir-hamze-Mirza and Mahomet Cadoband. See the fi••st and second not••s upon the first Act.

[(8.) Paradise] The Paradise which Mahomet p••omises to his sect exceeds the vanity of a Dream, and all old wives Fables; though it is to be more then conj••ctured that he took his Pattern from the P••ets Elyzium, but hath so far misto•••• his copy, as of an ingenious Fancy, to present an absurd ex∣travagancy. Thus Tibullus describes Elyzium.

Sed me, qui facilis tenero sum s••mper amori, Ipsa Venus c••mp••s ducet in Elysios. Hic choreae, cantus{que} vigent, passim{que} vagantes, Dulce s••nant tenui gutture carmen aves. Fert cassiam n••n culta seges, totos{que} per agros, Floret odoratis terra ••enigna rosis. Ac juvenum ser••es teneris immista puellis I ••••it, & assiduè praelia miscet amor. Il•••••• est quicun{que} rapax mors venit amanti, Et gerit insigni myrtea serta coma. Fleg l. 1. Eleg 3.

But me, whose heart to soft Love easily yields, Venus shall lead to the Elyzians fields. Here Song and dance abound: Their slender throats The tripping Birds still strain for pleasing notes. The wildest shrub doth odorous Casia yeeld, And Roses each where paint the beautious field. Youths mixt with tender Virgins there disport, And still encounter in an amorous sort. What Lover e're untimely dies is there, A Myrtle wreath crowning his glorious hair.

And thus Virgil, speaking of Aeneas his going thither to visit his Father Anchises:

Devenere locos laetos, & amaena vireta, Fortunatorum nemorum, sedes{que} beatas. Largior hic campos aether, & lumine vestit Purpureo: Solem{que} suum, sua sidera norunt. Pars in gramineis exercent membra palaestris; Contendunt ludo: & fulva luctantur arena. Pars pedibus plaudunt choreas, & carmina dicunt. Nec non Threicius longa cum veste sacerdos, Obloquitur numeris septem discrimina vocum. Jam{que} eadem digitis, jam pectine pulsat eburno. Hic genus antiquum Teucri, pulcherrima proles; Magnanimi heroës, nati melioribus annis. Ilusque, Assaracus{que}, & Troiae Dardanus author. Arma procul, currus{que} virum miratur inanes. Stant terrae defixae hastae: passim{que} soluti Per campos pascuntur equi, quae gratia currum, Armorum{que} fuit vivis, quae cura nitentes Pascere equos eadem sequitur tellure repostos: Conspicit ecce alios dextra, laeva{que} per herbam Vescentes, laetum{que} choro paeana canentes, Inter odoratum lauri nemus; unde supernè Plurimus Eridami per sylvam volvitur amnis; Hîc manus ob patriam pugnando vulnera passi: Qui{que} sacerdotes casti, dum vita manebat, Qui{que} pij vates, & Phaebo digna locuti: Inventas aut qui vitam excoluere per artes; Qui{que} sui memores alios fecerè merendo: Omnibus his nivea cinguntur tempora vitta: AEN. l. 6.

Fair Greens they reacht, places of joyfull rest, Sweet Groves, and happy Mansions of the blest, Here larger air with purple rayes the fields Of their own Sun and stars possessed, guilds. In flowry meads some strive with foot and hand, Some try their strength upon the golden Sand. Some dance, and chear their measure with a song. The Thracian ••oet, in ••obes grave and long, Renowns on seven sweet strings his sacred skill, Now stopps his hand, now strikes his Ivory quill. Teucers old stock, a noble race, here stood, Magnanimous Hero's, born when times were good. Ilus, Asaracus, and who Troy did found. Their empty Chariots he admires: ith' ground Their spears stuck fast, their bruised Arms laid by And charging Horses grazing carelessely. Look what delight steeds Arms o•• Chariots were To them alive, they still the same were here. Others he saw on either side advance Themselves, and sing glad Paeans in a dance, Shaded with odorous Lawrel Groves, whose sides Silver Eridanus wash with frequent tides. Here triumph those did for their Country die, And Priests that kept their vow of Chastitie. Poets that sung layes worthy of their God, Such as invented Arts for humane good, And those whose merits have their names renownd, All their blest heads with snowie Garlands bound.

Again, in the person of Musaeus,

Nulli certa domus: Lucis habitamus opacis, Riparum{que} toros, & prata recentia rivis Incolimus. —ibid.

No certain seats have we: curld shadie woods Cool Banks, and meads stil fresh with Chrystal floods We do enjoy.—

Mahomets Paradise, according to the Alchoran, lib. 1. cap. 2. is as big as Heaven and Earth, which is all the world: but where is it then? or else we must say, that God hath created another world besides this; but it were end lesse as bootlesse, to question Mahomet for absurdities. The Alchoran in another place, saith, that God created seven Paradises, or seven Man∣sions, each of which is called a Paradise: these are all wrought with Gold and Silver, Pearls and precious stones, and have divers Palaces Halls, Chambers, and Gardens, stored with fruit Trees, two of each sort; under which Palaces runne Fountains and Rivers of water, milk, hony, & most sweet wine. In the midst of Paradise (as the Alcoran affirms, and the Sunè describes) is a Tree called Tuba, as big as all Paradise, whereof some leaves are of Gold, others of Silver, and the branches thereof cover the walls of Paradise. The Sunè sayes, that in every l••af of it, the name of Mahomet is written, joyntly with the name of God, running thus, Le ilche ille allah Mahumed razolloa, (i. e.) There is no other God but the Lord, and Mahomet is his Messenger. The Al∣choran (l. 3. c. 19. in the Chapters of Sacrifices, of Mount Sinai, of the Glorious, of the Falls, and of Man, l. 4.) describes how these Paradises are furnished, and adorned with Ta∣pestries and B••ds, with Curtains and Vallens of Cloath of Gold, of Purple, of silk, not forgetting the Quilts, Chairs of Gold, and precious stones, &c. Together, after what manner the Moores shall sit and lie on these Beds and Couches, ever jocund and merry, not knowing Care or Grief. The said Chapters describe a Fountain in Paradise, called Celzebile; and another called Zengebila, the waters whereof are whiter then snow, and sweeter then honey; but more especially, there is the rare fountain called Alcauzar, (by a singular Chapter Al. l. 4.) reserved for Mahomet alone, though a strange ingrossement; for he saith it is 70000 days journeys in length and breadth (70000 is a frequent number with him) and the water hereof purer and sweeter then of the rest. In this Fount are many Bowls, Glasses, and drinking Vessels, as the••e a••e stars in the firmament. The said Chapters men∣tion and describe the Pages which are alwaies in Paradise, called in Arabick, Guildemin Mohalledun, (i. e.) eternal Pages, not of the race of men; they are as beautiful as precious stones set in Gold, and are cloathed in silk, green, purple, and Zun∣duz. (i. e.) Tissue upon Tissue. These wait continually with

full Cups, Flaggons and Beakers of Gold and Silver. The said Chapters treat of the chast Virgins which God hath created for Paradise, called Horhim, and in the singular num∣ber Hora; they are reclused, well watched, and guarded in their Palaces; their Garments are wonderfull, and their beauty is as the light: Nay, Mahomet in the Sunè saith, that if any one of these Virgins should appear at Midnight, she would enlighten all the world like noon-day: and if she should spit in the Sea, all the water in the Sea would become as sweet as hony.

Furthermore, the said Chapters mention their Carkanets, Rings, Jewels, Coronets, and Trinkets of all sorts, which are prepared in Paradise for them, and that these Virgins are not of humane race, but are continually created for the Musselmen, they dayly have their lost Vi••ginities restored, continue ever young, (there, as here at 15. and the men as at 30.) and are ever free from natural pollutions. The Sunè mentions a feast, which God will make to men and wom••n in Paradise, which it calls Hadrate Alcoduz, God makes this feast in the Paradise, called Genetu Alcoduz, (i. e. The Para∣dise of the Holy, and is the sixth in order among the seven hin∣••ed at before. Mahomet sayes also, that after a time, he will by virtue of his generall Redemption release the Moores who have deserved Hell fire; they shal come out of Hell black & burnt, and he will bring them to his fountain Alcauzar, wherein they shall wash and become white as snow; being so purified, he will lead them to the other Moores that never deserved Hell. After this he saith, that God shall command the Angel Gabriel to take the keyes of the Paradise of the Holy, for to make his feast there, which keyes are kept by another Angel, of whom when Gabriel demands them, the said Angel shall put his hand to his mouth, and shall draw forth thence 70000 keyes, each of which is 70000 leagues in length: and when the Angel Gabriel shall assay to take up the keyes, he shall not be able to lift them, because of their great weight, hereupon he shall return to God, and say, Lord, I cannot lift the keyes from the ground because of their great weight, and God shall say unto him, go again, and call upon my holy name, and the name of my friend Mahomet, and then take the keyes and bring them hither: then shall Gabriel call upon those names, and take up the keyes and bring them unto God, with which keyes he shall open the said Paradise of Alcoduz, where they

shall find a Table made ready, of a Diamond 7000000 dayes journeys in length and breadth, with seats of Gold and Silver about it, and on it spread Napkins and Table-cloaths richly wrought and woven. Then shall God command all the Moores to sit down at the Table, and the foresaid Pages shall attend them with their golden Bowls, and set before them most delicious Cates and Fruits of all sorts, and skenk unto them the Wine and Water of Paradise. They having eaten and drunk, the Pages shall come with rich apparel for every Moore, wherewith they shall deck themselves, and put their Jewels and Bracelets on their Arms, Legs, and Hands, and Rings into their ears; then the immortall Pages shall enter again, every one with a dish in his hand, and in the dish a Citron, and shall present to every Male of the Moores; as soon as they shall smell every one to his Cit••on, one of the aforesaid Virgins shall issue out of it most gallantly attired, and pe••fumed as the sp••ing, and beautifull as the morning; she shall imbrace her Moore, and he her, and so shall they continue in that sweet Act, embracing each other the space of fifty years together, without rising or separating from each others body, all the while ••ioting in the sweets of youth and beauty. After they shall have thus taken their pleasure (saith Mahomet) God shall say, O my servants, now ye have eaten and drank, and are cloathed, and adorned with ••ewels, and have taken your pleasure in my Paradise and glory, I will now shew you my glorious face; he sayes, that God shall remove the vails which he hath on his face, and shall shew his glorious visage to all the Moores, and they shall all fall to the ground, through the brightnesse which shall proceed from the face of God, and then God shall say, O my servants, arise, and rejoyce in my glory, without fear of ever dying, much lesse of being sad or discontented to eternity; Then (sayes he) they shall lift up their heads, and behold God face to face, in which vision they shall take unspeakable solace. Then shall they all go from this to the other Paradises, to wit, every one accompanied with his Virgin, shall go into his own Palace or Mansion, there eternally eating, drinking, and taking his pleasure, joyful, and void of fear, of death, or hurt.

Lastly, Mahomet promises, that he himself, at his own cost and charges, will make another feast to all Musselmen, at his sweet fountain Alcauzar, with his own hand, giving to every one of them to drink of the water thereof, whereof who so

drinks (he saith) shall never thirst; the greatest truth a∣mong so many Gulleries, wherein Andreas Maurus makes him∣self sport with these two defects. The first is, that whereas Mahomet holds forth so magnificent Palaces, and is so careful of contriving and furnishing of them with all sorts of conve∣niences, he makes no mention of Easements; especially ha∣ving spoken of so much eating and drinking, and of such laxative things too as Hony and sweet Wine. The second defect is, that he that loved Women so well▪ doth not make thei•• gl••ry & pleasure equal to the mens; he gives the men fine easie Wenches, and why should not the women in like man∣ner, have their eternal servants? They must needs take it discourteously; nay instead of Glory and Pleasure, he gives them anger and sorrow, which they must necessarily feel when they see their Husbands which they had in this world, embracing other women fifty years together, and they left comfortlesse like Widows. Such is the absurd glory of Ma∣homets delusive Paradise; yet with these fooleries is half the world bewitched, the impostor cunningly debelling and forbidding all learning, lest the light thereof should discover the grosseness of his absurditi••s, as it surely doth in those few that can attain it, under so strict a restraint: as Avicen that great Philosopher and Physitian, who flourished about 500 years since, when Mahometisme had not yet utterly ex∣tinguished all good literature, who was by linage an Arabian of a Royal house, in Religion a Mahometan, but by Country and Habitation a Spaniard, and Prince (as some write) of Corduba, he (fo••ced by the strength of his Reason) in his Books De Anima, & De Almahad, strives to vindicate the most intelligent of his Sect, from the literal belief of this Elyzium, and excuses his Prophet for proposing it so fraught with sen∣sual delights, as meerly allegorical, and necessarily fitted to ••ude and vulgar Capacities; for (saith he) if the points of Religion were taught in their true form to the ignorant dull Jews, or to the wild Arabians, employed together about their Camels, they would utterly fall off from all belief in God. But its like he here makes his Prophet (as some Com∣mentators do their Authors) speak more then he ever meant, being ashamed of him in grosse, as appears Tract. 9. cap. 7. & se••. where laying down for a while his outward person of a Mahometan, and putting the habit of a Philosopher; in his Metaphysicks seemeth to make a flat opposition between the truth of their faith received from their Prophet, and the

truth of understanding by demonstrative Argument. But how∣ever Avicen and the Learned may see into the folly of their Doctrine (to which they are yet held by Interest, and that strong charm, Reason of state) the vulgar and illiterate look no further then the Letter, swallowing all with an implicit faith, so strong in them, as that the poor Azapi or foot soldi∣ers being covetous of these delights in Paradise (promised (by an high policie) most eminently to such as die for their Country) make nothing to p••ecipitate themselves into the most horrid gulphes of eminent danger, nay, even to fill up ditches with their bodies for the Janizaries to march over, and mount the walls of assaulted fortresses. See the Alcoran, Johannes Andreas Maurus his confutation thereof. Sandys. Herbert. &c.

[(9) Cowes eyes] Mahomet promises that the Virgins in his imaginary Paradise shall have great Cow eyes (as big as eggs) which they have in principall repute; affected both by the Persians, Turks and Grecians, as it should seem from the beginning. Homer attributes it, as an especiall excellency unto Juno;

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Then Iuno with the Cowes fair eyes replied.

So Master Sandys, (the exactest of all Translators) and Mr. Chapman render it, and the Latin Heroic Translation ••eads, Juno oculis veneranda bovinis: though in the vulgar version it is but magnis oculis praedita Iuno. We meet with the same verse again in Homer, Il. 4. as if the best of Poets knew not a more honourable attribute then this to ascribe to the Queen of Gods; the Cow of all beasts having the fairest eye, fullest of spirits, and of their true colour too, black, which hue they ever preferr'd in womens eyes and hair. Anaceron bids the Pain••er draw his Mistresse so, Ode 38. & 39. with hair black and shining; dark arched, eye browes, circular and almost meeting; and Eyes black and sprightly. And Ovid Loves chief Priest, his judgement is

Est etiam in fusco grata colore Venus. Amor. l. 2. Eleg. 4.

The Nut-brown beauties ever taking were.

And again,

Leda fuit nigra conspicienda coma.ibid.

Leda was lovely shaddow'd with black hair.

The Turkish and Persian Ladies dresse themselves still as after these patterns: they put between the eye-lids and the Eye a certain black Powder with a fine long pensil, made of a minerall brought from the Kingdom of Fez, and called Alcohole; which by the not disgracefully staining of the lids, doth better set forth the whitenesse of the eye: and though it troubles for a time, yet it comforteth the sight, and repelleth ill humours: Into the same hue (but likely they naturally are so) do they die their eyebreis and eyebrowes: (the latter by Art made high, half circular, and to meet, if naturallly they do not) so do they the hair of their heads as a foyl that maketh the white seem whiter, and more becoming their other perfections. So Mr. Sandys, Tra. l. 1.

[(10) An Iron Cage &c.] Bajazet fourth King of the Turkes (having possessed himself of the greatest pa••t of Thrace, subdued much of Greece, with the Country of Phocis; and twice, though in vain, besieged Constantinople) An. Dom. 1397. (having an Army of 500000. men) encountred with Tamberlan•• (whose force consisted of 800000. Tartarians, or, as some write, more, viz. 400000. horse, and 600000. foot) near unto Mount Stella in Bythinia, a place destined for Conquest to strangers, Pompey having there vanquished Mi∣thridates: Bajazet (with the losse of 200000. of his People) was overthrown, and being brought before Tamberlane, was by him asked, what he would have done with him if it had been his fortune to have faln into his hands? He answered, he would have inclosed him in a Cage of Iron, and so in Triumph have carried him up and down his Kingdom: Tam∣berlane commanded the same to be done to him; professing that he used not that rigour against him as a Prince, but ra∣ther to punish him as a proud ambitious Tyrant, polluted with the blood of his own Brother Jacup. Bajazet (late one of the greatest of Princes, now the scorn of Fortune, and a by-word to the world, shackled in fetter and chains of gold,

and as some dangerous wild beast) coop'd up in an Iron Cage, made open like a grate, that he might be seen on eve∣ry side, and so carried up and down through Asia, to be of his own Subjects scorned and derided; and, to his further dis∣grace, being upon festivall daies used by his g••eatest ••n••my as a footstool to tread upon when he mounted his Horse; and at other times scornfully fed, like a dog, with c••u••s fallen from his Table;) having for two years, with g••eat impati∣ence, linge••d out this most miserable th••aldom, finding no better means to end his loathed life, he did violently beat out his b••ains against the barrs of the Grate wherein he was inclosed. An. 1399. Yet of his death are divers other reports; some say that he dyed of an ague, proceeding of sorrow and grief: others, that he poisoned h••mself: The Turks affirm, that he was set at Liberty by Tamberlane, being by him beforehand poysoned, whereof he dyed three daies after his inla••gement; but the fi••st is the most generally received opinion concer••∣ing his death. His dead body, at the request of his Son Ma∣homet, was by Tamberlane sent to Asprapolis, from whence it was afterwards conveyed to Prusa, and there lieth buried in a Chappell near unto the great Mahometan T••mple, without the City, Eastward, by his beloved wife Despina, and his el∣dest Son Erthogrul; and ha••d by in a little Chappell lieth his crime, his brother Jacup, whom he in the beginning of his reign murdered. Turc. Hist. &c.

[(11) My treachery to the English it alledges; That helpt me to take O••mus &c.]

Ormus is an Ile within the Gulfe of Persia, about twelve miles from the Continent, in old time; known by the name of Geru, before that Ogiris, some say from the famous Theban of that name. Its circuit is but small, about fifteen miles; nei∣ther doth it procreate any thing note-worthy, salt excepted, of which the Rocks are participant, and the silver shining sands promise sulphur; but however bar••en, its much famed for a safe ha••bour, and for that it standeth conveni∣ently for the traffick of India, Persia, and Arabia; so that the customes onely afford the King thereof (who is a Mahome∣t••n) no lesse then 140000 Xeraffes yearly (a Xeraffis is as much as a French Crown, or 6. s. sterling.) Some will have appertaining to the Crown of it, a part of Arabia foelix, and all that part of Persia that is environed with the Rivers of Tabo, Tissindo, and Druto, together with the Iland of Bolsaria, not far fom it, and divers other Iles in the Gulf. An. 1506.

it became tributary to the Portugals (still permitting the King, but as their Liege-man) who first fortified it, and built a City of the name of the Iland, about the bignesse of Exeter, with some Monasteries and a fair Market-place, though now little; but the Castle retains that former beauty which gave occasion to that universall saying of the Arabians.

Si terrarum orbis, quaqua patet annulus esset, Illius Ormusium gemma decus{que} foret.

If quaint Art could into a Ring compile The world, the Diamond should be Ormus Ile.

Abbas King of Persia finding himself bearded by the Portu∣gall commanded Emangoly Duke of Shiras to assault the Ile, who with 15000. men wan it, sackt and depopulated the City, but not without the help of some English Merchants ships, commanded by the Captains serving the East India company, Captain Weddal, Blyth, and Woodcock. Their Articles with the Persian Duke were, to have the lives of the Christans therein at their dispose, some Cannons, and half the spoil: and accordingly when the City was enter'd, after a brave and tedious resistance (forced to yield by Plague, Fluxes, and Famine) every house of quality, Magazen, and Monastery was sealed up with the signers of the Duke and Merchants; By which good o••der the Company might have been enrich••d with 2000000. l. sterling) though but their share) had it not been prevented by a base Saylers covetous∣nesse, who, regardlesse of the danger of his life, or the Christi∣ans credit, stole into a sealed Monastery, committed sacri∣ledge upon the Silver Lampes, Chalices, Church-stuffe, Cru∣cifixes, &c. and came forth laden with so big a pack as dis∣covered his theft, wh••ch, being led to the Duke, he confess'd, and was right handsomly corrected; but the greatest redoun∣ded hereby to the English; for hereby the Persians took ad∣vantage to repine before the Duke, that they sat idle whilst the English purloined away their hopes; The Duke (glad of the occasion) bad them be their own carvers, which they soon were so liberally, as they left nothing for the second commer, the confident. English all this while carrousing a∣board their ships, and bragging of their Victories and hopes; Onely Captain Woodcock had good luck and bad, lighting upon a Frigot laden with Treasure, which he made his owne

prize, worth 1000000. of Rials, but soon after, hard by the Swally Road without the Barr, he lost the Whale, his own ship (swallowed by the sands) and then his life by sorrow. The poor City is now disrobed of all her bravery, the Persi∣ans each moneth conveighing her ribbs of wood and stone to aggrandize Gombroon, not three leagues distant, out of whose ruines she begins to triumph. Ormus has no fresh water, but what the clouds weep over her in compassion of her desolation, that is preserved in urnes, or earthen Jarrs for drink, and to cool sleeping places. The priviledges which the English enjoy for their service at Ormus are, they have a Staple at the new Port Town Gombroon or Bander, (as the Natives call it) their houses, and the Dutch Merchants be∣ing apparent from the rest, by their Ensignes flying a top their Tarrasses. In Ianuary here yearly arrive English and Dutch ships from India, and here the English are not onely Custome free themselves, but their Agents receive Custom of all strangers, in recompence of their service at Ormus. D't Juigne, Heylen. Herbert.

[12) The Costermonger ALLY-BEG] The birth-place of this great Persian Favourite Mahomet Ally-beg, was Parthia, (called so from Parah, to fructifie) and near Spawhawn; his parentage so worshipfull, that he knew no farther then his Father, a man both mean and poor, Mahomet had no stomach for the warrs, and having a large bulk to maintain, and no Camelion, his education being simple, he became Coster∣monger, and by that made an hard shift for a poor living; till in a happy hour the King (then in the Hippodrom in Spaw∣hawn) in a good humour, took notice of him, viewed him, lik't him, and preferr'd him, so as in a short time he became sole Favourite, and was feared, and for that honoured every where among the Persians; for so shall it still be done to him whom King honours: Nor was their Prince, Duke, Sultan, or other, but in an awfull complement sent him yearly some wealthy present to cherish his favour, to the great increase of his possessions, though in their hearts they despised him, and undervalued the King for preferring him; as ever in such cases it happened unto Princes, but most eminently unto Lewis the 11. the French King, who advanced Cottier from a mender of stockings to be Lord Chancellor of France. Herbert. Peacham. &c.

[(13) The Caspian Sea] This Sea is so called from the Caspii a people of Scythia, whose Southern Coast it washes,

its also called the Hircanian Sea, of bounding Hircania, and Maridi Baccu, of the City Baccu; Therbestan and Mari di Sala, and many other names it takes of the places it washes. It hath on the North Media; on the West and South the Turks Empire, and the Mascovites; on the East Persia; the Moors and Arabians therefore call it Bohar Corsum, i. e. the inclosed Sea. It is absolutely the biggest of all them which have no commerce wi••h the Ocean, being near 3000. miles in com∣passe, from North to South 700. from East to West 600: the form ovall. Some say it hath a subterranean Commerce with the Euxine Sea, as the flood Zioberis was by Alexander found to have with Rhodago: At this Caspian Sea Plutarch makes Alexander astonished, deeming it not lesse then the Sea of Pontus, though much calmer (it alwaies keeping at one height without Ebbe or reflux) yet could he not imagine whence it had it sourse, but thought it some eruptive Torrent from the lake of Meotis. Over this Sea did Prince MIRZA oft make navall expeditions, into his Enemies Countries, ever returning with wealthy booties, and not seldom leaving Garrisons behind him: D' Juigne. Heylen. Herbert. &c.

[14) Driven the Mogul into his Candahor] Candahor and much of Arachosia, now Cabull (once Alexandria, (for distin∣ons sake, Arachosiae) belong••d to the Mogul, till MIRZA first distressed him in them, then drave him out, Herbert. &c.

[(15) Made Balsora, &c.] See the 19. Note upon the Third Act.

[(16) And bounded th' Tartar with the Hircanian Ocean] By regaining what ever he had gotten upon the continent of Persia, even to the Hircanian Sea, which is the same with the Caspian Sea, of which before.

[(17 I I that check't Cycala's insulting Progresse, &c.] Cy∣cala Bassa was a renegado Christian, son of a Christian Gentleman of Messina in Sicily, and his wife Lucrece, both per∣fect enemies to Mahumetism. In the Christian quarrell the Fa∣ther sacrificed his life, but the son through an unhappy am∣bition became Turk, and was circumcised by the perswasion of Ozman Baffa, Great Generall against the Persian for Amu∣rath the third; Cycala's aim was to succeed his Patron Ozman in that charge; however al Amuraths reign hee never was put up∣on any valuable employment. Mahomet the third put him in the head of a Regiment at Karesta in Bulgaria, after the famous siege of Buda in Hungary. After this he insinuates far

into the favour of Achmat son and successor to Mahomet, pre∣sumptuously promising to ruine, and utterly swallow up the Persian; being constituted Generall, he made many unfortu∣nate attempts against King ABBAS and his Son; but I over∣passe as many of his defeats by them given, to come to that most memorable in or about the year 1604. when he like a violent Torrent with 80000 men, resolved to overwhelm Persia, first powred himself upon the Georgians, (a Christian People, so called (say some) of their Patron and first Conver∣ter Saint George, Bishop of Cappadocia and Patron of England; others will have their Province (which is a part of the grea∣ter Armenia) named Georgia from the Georgi its antient in∣habitants; The people (say they) received the Gospell in the time of Constantine the great; consenting in most Doctrinall Points with the Grecians, but not acknowledging the Patri∣arch of Constantinople, having a Patriarch of their own, who is for the most part resident in his Monastery on Mount Sinai in Palestine, and hath under his jurisdiction 18. Bishops. Their Religion was since much reformed by Lodovic Gangier of the society of Jesus, and some othe••s, who in charity departed from Pera near Constantinople, crost the black Sea, and landed in Mengrellia, with intent to rectifie what was erroneous in their Religion; and were to that end curteously entertained by Th••ebis Prine of Georgia; for though the Province be under the Persian, it enjoyes its Prince of the antient race, and he his Nobility, but tributary to King Abbas.) Cycala found a stout opposition from the Georgians alone, to whose aid our MIRZA the admired Prince of Persia, by his Fathers com∣mand joyned himself with 12000 Horse, and prosecuted Cyca∣la as in the Text. First chased him to the utmost confines of Armenia, and there in a bloody battel slew 30000 of his Turks, with the losse of 9000 Persians and Georgians; and though Cyca∣la himself hardly escaped by flight, the Persian recompenced missing of him with the mas••acres of the Turkish Garrisons, regaining all that in the sad year 1537 King Tamas of Persia lost to Solyman the Magnificent 4th Emperour of the Turkes; Cycala to redeem his honour if possible (after his Apolo∣gie to the grand Signior) the very next year invades the Per∣sian again; but the Prince, hearing that the Bassa of Caramania had expresse Command to joyn with him, to prevent their conjunction, fell upon Cycala first, with 30000. men. His suddain charge and unexpected comming, routed the whole body of the Turks, of whom he slew 15000, and took

all their great Ordnance and Baggage. Cycala himself with but 300 Souldiers, with much ado escaped to Adena, to which City the brave Persian pursued him, and sat down before it. This news distressed Sultan Achmat beyond measure, who vowed to Cycala his reward, but first sent command to the Bassa of Trebezond, with all speed to succour him: The Bassa resol∣ved to try all wayes of recovery, with a vast but hastily ga∣thered Army, put himself upon his march towards the City. Cycala having got notice of his approach, the better to direct him, caused himself with 10 of his Souldiers, whom he best trusted, secretly by night to be let down over the wall of the City; having given order to the Governour, that as soon as he perceived the battel to be joyned, he should salley out upon the rear of the Persians, so by holding them in a doubtful bat∣tel to further the Victory; all which the valiant Persian doubting, he divided his Army, and leaving one body to maintain the siege, led the other against the Succours, where∣in he used so incredible expedition, as falling upon them be∣fore they could rank their battel; he made of the Turks (now confusedly and without all order, fighting more for the safe∣guard of their lives, then for any hope they had of victory) such an exceeding great slaughter, that few of them escaped his sword. Cycala himself, with only 2 or 3 more, made hard shift by getting into a little Boat, to change the danger of the Land, for that of the Water. The Persian returned to the Town, which (after many a sharp assault) he had cast in to augment his honour. Others write, that this was not a surprise, but a well fought Battel for 7 hours together, victory doubt∣fully hovering between either Champion, till (by an ambush of the Georgians) towards night she rested upon MIRZA's head. However, all agree, that the Turks that survived this day, bound themselves by oath, never to follow more so un∣fortunate a Leader as Cycala, and upon the rehearsal of his overthrow, the great Turk was so transported with rage, as he gave Cycalas Treasure to be rifled by the Janizaries & Spaheis, and to extirpate his memory, bad them pull down his Palaces; though, to have been just, he should have punished his For∣tune, for upon her lay the blame of his defeat, and not upon the mans ill conduct or cowardize. Turk. Hist. Herbert, &c.

[(18) I that gave Ormus Scepter to his hand, and brought her captive King, &c. The description of the Isle of Ormus, with the taking thereof by Emangoly, you have in the 11th Note upon this Act. It rests only to tell that he brought thence

captive, the King thereof (then Tributary to the Portugize) and the two Princes his Sons, to all whom King Abbas allowed only 5 Marks sterling by the day for their maintenance. Herb.

[(19) I that subdu'd Larrs Sandy Kingdom for him, mauger her wall of Rock, am now accus'd, &c.] As to the description of the Kingdom of Larr, enough hath been said in the 23. Note upon the 3^d Act. It remains only, to say that she was confined by a huge wall, cut by incredible labour out of the solid Rock, as a secure defence against the invading Persian, notwithstanding Abbas (to whose fortune all things were possible) commanded Emangoly to subdue it, which he did, after all the sufferings and toyls imaginable in so difficult an enterprize. He ruined one Castle, and built another, slew many of the Citizens; Ransackt the Town, and sent home to Shiras, as much Treasure as bur∣thened 700 Camels. As for the poor King thereof, though his life was granted him, when he was forging of others matters, an unexpected Scimiter (to end his stratagems) took off his head, and by the extirpation of his progeny, established the so∣veraignty unto the conquering Abbas. Herbet.

[(20) — I that won the Realm of Larry Joon, &c.] See the 6 Note upon the first Act.

[(21) What signified his wrong to the poor Christians?] About the ye••r 1609. Some envious person, in spight to the Armenian and Georgian Christians, feigned Letters as from their Patriarch to the Pope (knowing well the hatred that King Abbas bore to the Sea of Rome,) that they were willing to become obedient to the Church of Rome, and to acknowledge him head of the Ca∣tholick Church: entreating him to write to the King of Persia in their behalf, that they might freely enjoy their Conscienc••s under him: These Letters their Authors intercepted, and pre∣sented to King Abbas, who (saying, that if they would be obe∣dient to the Pope, he could expect no further service or obedi∣ence from them,) grew thereat so inraged, that no lesse then the lives of 1000 (some say 1200) of those innocent Christia••s could slack his fury, threatning to take further revenge if ••e could prove the Letters a••thentick, as some still affirm they were, but most believe them suppositions. Turk. Hist. Herb. &c.

[(22) His murdering of his Embassadour to the Turk. &c.— About the year 1612. after many conflicts between the Turke and Persian, they were both so prest by neighbour Countries, as they propounded Articles for peace; to w^ch end King Abbas sends his Embassadour to Constantinople, who returning but with mean conditions, his Master denyed the Turks Agent to confirm them, and in a rage struck off the head of his ill-advised Embassadou•• for consent in to them. Herb.

[(23) His treachery to the Magicians, &c.] Betwixt Chilmanor and Mogown in Persia, is a high inaccessible Mountain, on whose top stood a Castle, so fortified by nature and industry, as it was held impregnable; a Rebellious Sultan weary of slavery, man'd it against his Prince, the victorious Abbas, who in person came to reduce him, but after six months fruitlesly spent, could per∣ceive no sign of Victory, whereat inraged, he proposed a con∣siderable Reward to him that could by any means enter it; an old covetous Magician undertakes it, and wrought so by his Spels, that the Sultan came down, forced by the Devil, who as∣sured his pardon; but for all that, the block rewarded him for his Rebellion; and the old wizard (ignorant of his end) demanded his Reward, which the King grudgingly gave him; but then (with a forfeit of his estate) put him to death for conjuring; a quality he allowed of to compass his ends by, but condemned to recover his beloved Gold again. Herbert.

[(24) His murder of the sleeping Traveller, &c.] A peasant having travelled from India into Hircania, affecting the coolness of the grasse, fell there asleep, but by ill fortune near the path by which King Abbas rod a hunting; the King saw him not, but his Horse startled at him, whereat in his anger, he imme∣diately sent a broad arrow into the poor mans heart, and ere all his train was past, the wretch was killed a hundred times over, if he could forfeit a life to every shaft, all striving to imitate the King, as if the deed were good and laudable, in shooting nearest his heart, which many hit; so dexterous at archery are the Per∣sians, well deserving of Virgil the Epithet of Quiver'd. Her∣bert.

—Pharetratae vicinia Persidis.— Virg. Geor. l. 4.

—Near quiver'd Persia.—

[(25) His coupling of a Souldiers lustful wife to an As••nego.] A Souldiers wife making complaint to King Abbas, of her Hus∣bands insufficiency, he made her be coupled to an Asinego. whose brutish lust soon took away her life. Herbert.

[(26)—His cutting his Clarks hand off, but for not writing fair.] A Souldier presented a Petition to King Abbas, whereof, only because the writing did not please him, he sent for the Clark, ••ut off his hand, and made the Petitioner be almost drubb'd to leath, for daring to present foul writnig to his eye. Herbert:

[(27) — His wrath to th'two Pilfering Souldiers, more for ••heir rags then theft.] See that presented, as it happened in the ••irst Act, and (among these other cruelties) asserted by M. Her∣••••rt. p. 98.

[(28)—His ore ambitious murder of his brave Father, and far braver Brother.] See the 1 & 2 Notes upon the first Act, &c.

[(29) Men eating Dogs,] As the old Romans made it their pastime to behold condemned persons combat with wild beasts in their Amphitheaters, and then be devoured by them: so did King Abbas keep fierce Mastiffe Dogs, which he bought of the English Seamen for that purpose; for the same end also ha•• he men from their infancy educated to Canibalism. Herbert.

[(30) What better promises his irreligion, in taking needlesse jour∣neyes still in Lent, to avoid fasting, under pretence of Travel.] The fift among Mahomets 8 Commandements is, See that thou observest yearly a moneth Lent, and a Byram: in obedience whereunto the Mahometans fast one month in the year, which they call Ramazan, wherein they say, the Alcoran was delivered unto Mahomet by the Angel Gabriel: But very wisely they observe their Lent, for though during the day time they abstain from all kind of suste∣nance, yet as soon as the Sun sets, they add a double proportion of Lamps about their Prophets Tombs, and stick all their stee∣ples round with lights, which burn till the Sun rises (affording an object of great solemnity) the Kettles beat, and Trumpets sound, Eunuchs sing, and they bouz it lustily, and feast all night, with all variety of meats and pleasure. Such as in stead of ab∣staining from meats in the day time, during this holy month, do abstain from their Mosques, they carry about in scorn, and se∣verely chastise; but such as drink wine then, they punish with death. This day fast is observed by all but the infirm, & Travellers, who are obliged to fast so long, when they recover health, or come to the end of their journey; but King Abbas during this month, did use to ttavel upon purpose to be priviledged from fasting, being nothing careful to compensate for it at other times. Two more religious feasts they have, the Byram and Now∣rowz: the Byram begins on the 7 of Decemb. and lasts 3 dayes, observed by them as Easter is with us: then kill they their sheep or Passover, in memory of the Ram which Abraham sacrificed, in stead of his Son Isaac; but nothing else dyes, during those dayes, no not so much as a Louse or Flea, bite they never so shrewdly. This Feast of Byram, was instituted by Caydar son of Ishmael, Grandfather of the Arabians. The Nowrowz is their New-years-day, beginning (with the spring) March 10. such time as the Sun is in the Equinoctial, at which feast the Nobility have the custom of gratifying one another with gifts & presents, by them called Pishcashes. Johannes Maurus. Sandys, Herbert, &c.

[(31) —He'l forbid and tolerate, &c.] It was usual with King Abbas, to forbid and tolerate the same thing oft in one

year, as his humour, or the gain of any Minion Courtier promp∣ted him to it: among other examples, M. Herbert tells us, that at his being there, Mahomet-ally-beg (having got the monopoly thereof) hearing of 40 Camels loaden with Tobacco (with them called Tewton) comming from India to Carbeen, he cut off the Noses and Ears of the Camel-men, and put the Tobacco (now prohibited, but from his Warehouse) into a la••ge earthen pipe in the ground, and there burnt it in gross.

[(32) When thy dread hand struck off CARAEMITS head.] The Sultan of Caraemit General for Amurah the 3^d Emperour of the Turks, fought a battel neer Van, with Emirhamze-Mirz a, Prince of Persia, and elder Brother to King Abbas; wherein the Prince carried away so compleat a Victory, as with little losse on his side: there then dyed the Bassaes of Trepizond, and five Sanzacks, with 20000 Turkes; the Prince in person incountred the General Caraemit, worsted him, and with his own hand struck off his head, and mounting it upon the top of a Lance, gave it to one of his followers to be carried as a royal ensigne of Triumph to him, and terror to the Enemy. By this, and many other victories, did that excellent Prince renown himself, espe∣cially by his defeats given to the Tartars, and that most memo∣rable one given to Ozman the Turkes General, Anno 1586. at Sancazan near Cazbeen, wherein fell 23000 Turkes by his sword, and the General by grief, giving way to the brave Prince to go on in pursuit of his victory, in which he did wonders, that for the qualitie of the Countries, Towns and Enemies, the length of the Marches, and shortnesse of time, hold parallel with the Acts of no modern, so much as with them of Gustavus Adolphus, the late victorious King of Sweden. But as no violent course lasteth long, the irresistible torrents of both their Trophees were stopp'd by the dire hand of destiny; both dyed Conquerors, both in the strength of their years, both in the midst of their own strengths, and both (its fear'd) by Treason. The valiant Persian even then, when he was fair (for ever) to have free'd his Fathers Territories of the Turk and when he least feared any Treason, in the night, as he was sleeping upon a pallet, he was suddainly struck through the body with a dagger, by an Eunuch that waited upon him in his Chamber, incited to this Treason (as is generally believed) by his next Brother Abbas, who had formerly (but in vain) conspired to have betraid him to the Turkish General. Turk. Hist. Herbert, &c.

ANNOTATIONS UPON THE FIFTH ACT.

[(1) IF we cannot recover him, give out he is baptiz'd, and so in∣capable, 'Tis no new way, in India, ASAPH did it] Duke Asaph chief Favorite and Brother in Law to Shaw Selyn (or Jangheer) the Mogul, he having married (for his la•• wife) Normal, Asaphs Sister; and his Son Sultan Curroon (who af∣terwards (because by that name he was proclaimed Traytor by his Father) changed his name to Shaw Iehan, or King Iohn) having married Asaphs Daughter, he sent his Powers to set the Crown upon his Son in Law Curroons head; but the old Mogul, Selym made the Nobles swear not to accept Curroon, because he mu••dered his elder Brother, but Bloche the young son and law∣full heir of that murdered Prince. Selym being dead (not with∣out suspition of poyson given him by Asaph, Blockee is set up: The Queen Normal pretends for her Son Seriare, youngest Son to Selym: Her brother Asaph for his Son in Law Curroon, and two Sons of the old Kings elder Brothers Morad or Amurath for themselves: The other two young Princes, Asaph found meanes to murder outright, but these two last by circumstance, causing them against their wills) by some Portugals to be baptized into the faith of Christ, so making them utterly uncapable of the Crown or Kingdom (for the Alcoran forbids a Christian to wear a Crown where Mahomet is worshipped) though afterwards, for his further security, he destroy'd them at Lahore, and without further difficulty set up his Son in Law Curroon. Herbert.

[(2) The Injury, &c. See the eighth note upon the 3d. Act.

[(3) ABBA'S Thirty Kingdoms] King Abbas his title over 30. Kingdoms runs thus: The most high, most mighty, most invin∣cible Emperor, Abbas, King of Persia, Farthia, Media, Bactria, Chorazon, Candahor, Heri of the Ouzbeg Tartar, Hircania, Draconia, Evergeta, Parmenia, Hydaspia, Sogdiana, Aria, Paropaniza, Draw∣ginna,

Arachosia Mergiana, Carmania (as far as stately Indus) Ormus Larr, Arabia, Sufiana, Chaldea, Mesopotamia, Georgia, Armenia, Sarc••hia, and Van. Lord of the imperious Mountains of Ararat, Taur••s, Caucasus and Periardo, commander of all Creatures from the Sea of Chorazen to the Gulfe of Persia. Of true descent from Mortys-dly. Prince of the four Rivers, Euphrates, Tygris, Araxis, and Indis, Governour of all Sultans, Emperor of Mussulmen, Bud of Honour, Mirrour of Vertue, and Rose of delight: Though the R••••der may know that among these he claims some Kingdoms which he enjoyes not, as the Turk and others of his neighbours do sone others of these in his Poss••ssion: An usuall, thing with all Princes▪ Herbert. Lodovic. De Wellen, de Reg. Pers. &c.

[(4)—Delights as far fetch't as dear bought.] It was an anti∣en nicitie among the Persian Monarchs (still continued) that n•• wine could please their palate but the Chalydonian in Syria; ••or no bread but what grew at Assos in Phrygia; no salt but what was brought from Aegypt, (though Ormus nearer hand by much, afforded much better) nor no water but that of the River Copa••paes, the same which Pliny calls Euleus, and Daniel (cap. ••.) Vlai; it waters Shushan (now called Valdack) in Susiana, and at length imbowells her selfe into the Persian Gulfe, not far from Bals••ra; one stream of it runs 'twixt Shiras and old Per∣saepolis, over which there is a well-built bridge, called Fully∣chawn. Herbert &c.

[(5) The antient death of Boats.] Mithridates vainly boasting in his drink that it was he that had slain Cyrus (whom indeed he wounded) in his rebellious competition with his elder Bro∣ther Artaxerxes the second (surnamed Mnemon, of great Me∣mory) for the Crown of Persia, was accused to the King, who was desirous of the honour to have it believed that it was hee himself that slew him; wherefore esteeming himself touched in his credit by Mithridates his report, he condemned him to the antient death of boats, usuall among the Persians for hainous offendors, the manner this; They took two boats made of pur∣pose so even, that the one exceeded not the other neither in length nor in breadth; then laid they the offendor in one of them upon his back, and covered him with the other; then did they fasten both boats together, so that the Malefactors feet, hands and head came out at holes made purposely for him, the rest of his body being all hidden within. They gave him meat as much as he would eat, which if he refused, they forced him to take, by thrusting aules into his eyes; having eaten, they gave him to drink honey mingled with milk which they did

not onely pour into his mouth, but also all his face over, turn∣ing him full against the Sun, to tempt the flies and waspes to his face; and of his excrements in the bottom of the boat en∣gendred worms that fed upon his body, so that being dead they found his flesh consum'd with them, even to the entrals. Seaven∣teen daies together did Mithridates languish in these torments, and then died, for his folly in not contenting himself with orna∣ments and gifts which the King had given him for wounding of his rebellious Brother, but he must rob him of the honour of his death (which he knew he most desired) so procu••ing his own, Crimine laesae Majestatis. Plutarch. in vit. Artaxerx.

[(6)—Beat her brains out Ith' antient way ordain'd for poyso∣ners, &c. Parysatis the mother of Ataxarxes King of Persia, took a grudge against his wife because she thought she exaspented him too much against his Rebellious Brother Cyrus, insom••ch as in her revengfull mind she plotted the death of her daugh••er in Law the beautious Statira; the wicked determination was exe∣cuted by poyson, by the help (saith Dinon) of Gigis, one of the women of her Chamber; The King was so favourable to hi•• Mother, as he onely confined her (according to her own Peti∣tion) to Babylon; swearing that whilst she lived he would never see Babylon; but Gigis he condemned to suffer the paines of Death ordained by the Persians for poysoners; in this manner; They lay the head of the Malefactor upon a large plain stone, and with another stone they presse and strike it so long, til they have dashed the brains out; so died Gigis. Plutarch in vit. Artax.

[(7) Then burn her limbs with Cats dung.] This may seem a ridiculous kind of Punishment, but 'tis very antient, and fre∣quent all over Asia; sometimes (but by favour) it is perfor∣med with Dogs dung; So Mr. Herbert tells us that when it was told King Abbas that Nogdibeg his quondam Embassadour into England had poisoned himself (wilfully for four daies feeding onely upon Opium, not daring to see his Master, or justifie him∣self against his adversary Sir Robert Sherley, then on his journey to the Court to purge his honour before the King, of the staines which the aspersions of Nogdibeg had thrown upon him) the King said it was well he had poysoned himself; for had he come to Court, his body should have been cut in 365. pieces, and burnt in the open market place with dogs dung; but for the grea∣ter terror and shame its usually performed with cats dung, the Cat being the baser beast, as only used to destroy vermine.

[(8) Let me suck thy last breath.— &

[(9)—When thy hand shall close mine aged eyes.

The••e two concluding notes I put together because they re¦••ate to customes about the same subject, viz. the parting office of friends to friends, observed by the antient Romanes and o∣thers and still retained by the Persians and Grecians; when any one was dying the next of the Kin used to receiue the last gaspe of breath from the sick person, into his mouth, as it were by kissing hi••; (to shew thereby how unwillingly and with what regret t••ey parted with their friend) and closed his eyes be∣ing deceased. Virgil makes Anna say of her Sister Dido newly dead,

—Vulnera lymphis A••luam, & extremus si quis super halitus errat, ore legam.—Aen. 4.

—Some water, I the wound may bath, And if yet wanders any of her breath My lipps shall gather it:—

And Ovid makes Penelope (wishing that her Son Telemachus might outlive her self and his Father, write thus to her husband

Di' precor hoc jubeant, vt euntibus ordine fatis, Ille meos oculos comprimat, ille tuos.Aepist. 1.

This may Heaven grant, whilst fate in order goes, That his hand mine eyes, and thine too may close!

Statius hath both the customes together, —Socios{que} amplectitur artus. Herentem{que} animam non tristis, in ora mariti Transtulit, & charae pressit sua lumina dextra.Stat. Silv. l. 5.

She him imbrac't, delivering (in glad wise) Between his lips her cleaving soul, and dies, With his dear 〈◊〉〈◊〉 closing her sinking eyes.

FINIS.

Notes

• (*) 1.1

  Five hundred years.
• (*) 1.2

  Haeliopolis in Aegypt.