'Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan: interwoven with such remarkable occurrences as hapned in those parts during these later times. As also, many other rich and famous kingdoms in the oriental India, with the isles adjacent. Severally relating their religion, language, customs and habit: as also proper observations concerning them.' [‎172] (193/448)

Hahary. Terifcow.
bearded yet fcorns to honour his overthrow by an Army> well knowing he had many
Chevaliers about him, by whole courage he little doubted to reduce him: but fuch was
thefamethat went of this Thiefs fortitude, that by their demur Jhhas apprehends their
fear and for anger grows pale at it. Keverthelels, e're he could give his rage a vent, an
Armenian undertakes the work', whom the King embraces: and having breathed frefh
courage into the hardy Chriftian, being excellently mounted as a Paflenger he fingles "
out the Thief who doubted not to mailer fo fair a beaft with fmall oppofal. Such con
fidence had he in his valour, that it was his cuftome to give fair play b ufually commands
ins his Company to look on at a diftance, albeit more than one entred the ilrait: So
that in fhort fpaee this pair met, and engaged each other with Sword and Buckler*, the
Armenian followed his blows with fuch dexterity, that after fome bloodfhed, upon a
clofe he gave Death a free paflage: A Vidory nobly attained ; yet fo irkfome to his
men (whofe lives depended upon his fafety) that like robbed Bears they fell upon the
Vidor •, who doubtlefs had then and there expired, had not fome Coofel-bafhaws that
were fpedators relieved him by whofe fudden falling on, the Thieves were quickly &-
crificed unto their Mailer. The Chriftian thus returning to Court Crowned with Law-
rel. Abbas adds to his luftre and gives him a Command, fo unfupportable to the weak
foul of this Champion, that further to cajole the King he denies his Faith, and turns In
fidel, though abundance of tears were fhed by his Countrymen as diffwafives from it.
But fee the end of his Apoftafie: The King albeit he had caufe to favour him by reafon
of his good fuccefs againil the Tartars ', yet Jealoufie (or rather Divine Vengeance) fo
Hung old Abbai) that without any known occaiion, or acquainting any man with his rea
fon, he commands Lollabeg to cut off his Head fuch time as he was linging a Lullaby to his
good fortune.
Our next nights Manzeil was at Halvary, (eighteen miles from Ghezz,,) a Village
pretty well built, and delightfully feated, and where the Earth was mellowed by a fweet
Rivolet that purls from the tops of Taurus ; alfo the ground was moll part of the year ap
parelled in green, requiting the painful Husbandman with a due acknowledgement of
Olives, Walnuts, Wheat, Wood, and other things,. Bidding an unwilling farewel to
that pleafant place, the next night we rode twenty miles, to Perifcow, i. e. a broken or
divided Mountain; and by the pofition thereof may probably be the iffue of that which
Ttolomy calls Arfitis. The Town is fometimes honoured with the King's refidence: not
that the beauty of this Houfe (which is but ordinary) allures him, but for that there is
choice hawking, Phefants and other game more abounding there than in moll other parts
ofParthia. The Pole is here elevated fix and thirty degrees. The Town isrefrelhed
with very fweet water: thefcituation is uponthe brow of a high well wooded but (a-
greeable to its name) divided hill, having on each fide a Ileep accefs j whofe top has
been crowned with a l^yrge Caftle, which now by age or war (the canker-worms of all
temporaries) is moth-eaten 5 her ribs only appearyexpreffing defolation. One Mahu-
med then commanded the Town •, and albeit trulled with the Sword and Scale, I fe&r. he
was Aftrea's corrupted Servant: No marvel then if in a difcontented humour fhe left the
Earth *, for we can witnefs, that in Perfia (efpecially in Perifcow) Jullice was corruptly
ballanced. At our entrance into the Town, (to extort a bribe from our Embafladour)
he hanged one Per fan, (at leall we were fo made to believe,) cut off another s Nofe, and
mutilated a third, to (hew that his Laws (like Draco's) were writ in blood : Viftera im-
pornm fant crudelia, their delinquency was for the felonious Healing a trifle of two Ihil-
lings value from a Footman ferving the Englijh Agent. Another was ready to be truifed
up-, but fecret notice was given our Ambafladour, thatif hepleafed tobeg his Life, up
on prefenting the Governour with fomething, it Ihould be granted him : This was the
main defign *, and though well enough feen, our Ambafladour very gladly ranfomed him.
Complaint was alfo then made againll a Farmer for thraihing a Whore againil her will:
The Perfian Rhadamanth 'twixt jeail and earneil bids geld him and hang his Stones at her
Ears as two Pendants, fuch as to him the Gulph of Perfia afforded none fo precious- The
poor wretch humbly befought him to fpare his ufeful parts, the like did his aftonilhed
Wife; fo as after mediation of Friends, and thirty pound Fine, upon promife to grind
in his own Mill ever after the execution of the fentence was remitted. But each Man
cried out, A fevere Cenfor is this Daragmd* Who never read, as 1 fuppoie, how that
Nemo ]nre Natura cum detrimento all mm locupletior fieri debet, or (which might be his -
own Lelfon) that Avarus omnihm eji malm, fed jibimet pejfimm. The barbarous Gauls in
deed had fuch a Cuilonie, Si fur aver it quod valet 40 denar. aut moechabitur, Del cafiretur, &c-
But here many times thefe Satrapa'shaveiuch tricks to extort bribes that the iubied has
good caufe to clamour out,
G old