'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.' [‎239] (260/448)

Croefus and 'Babylon fubdued.
took the City but in it an incredible mafs of treafure, and which-was molt confiderablT
the King himfeif, whom the Conquerer notwithftandiug his alliance fet upon a high
pile of Wood, which when ready to be inflamed he lamentably cryed out,
which cym demanding the reafon of, was by the relation fo convinced both as to his
own mortality and the chance of war, as in princely prudence he not only repealed the
fentence, butreftored him though not to the Kingdom yet to his good opinion. The
people neverthelefs foon after endeavouring their liberty were not only utterly difarm-
ed, but in policy fo trained up in eafe and licentioufnefs that they who before were a
redoubted and warlike Nation became effeminate and amongft men of honour of no
efteenh The Caldeans by this blow given their friends began to apprehend their an
proaching troubles, and that Cyrm would make their Countrey the feat of war. So
that in the firft place they vidualled Babylon with provifions of all forts fufficient for a
twenty-years fiege. But Cyrm pre-ordained for the conqueft of that City and Empire
not 10 much from that prophetick acclamation otNtbuchodomfor which fome allude ,
to, That a Adule jljould fubdne Lydia and fubvert the jijfyrian Afonarchy-) the Mule fisnifv-
ing his mixture of blood; as from that election of the Almighty, 45. 1. above
100 years afore his birth. That as his Anointed he Should fubdue Nations, looje the loins of
Kings, &c. and (which was his greateft truft) fulfil the pleafure of the Almighty, Jay in? to
Jerufalem, Thou pah be built, and to the Temple, Thy Foundation pall he laid, Ifa.
which accordingly he pioufly endeavoured in the hrfl year of his Reign, making a De
cree to build Gods Houfe, reftoring the fandified Velfels (which Nabuchodonofor took
thence,) to Shephaz.z.ar one of the Princes ofjudah, Ew. i.S,& 5. 14. w^hich was a Com-
miffion very warrantable for this great enterprize. The City was compalfed with a Wall fo
high and thick as defervedly made it one of the Wonders of the World. It was, faith Diod
Sic 3 6 5 furlongs about, in height 3 65 foot, and fo broad that fix Chariots could well pafs
in front ^ the great River Euphrates ran through the middle of the City, well-nigh double
the breadth ot the Thames at Lpndon, which neverthelefs made communicable
by a Bridge, the like whereof was not in all the World: the Garrifonalfo was well
man'd, fo abundantly vidualled and provided with neceflaries of all forts and barricadoed
with brazen Gates fo ftrongthat the befieged held it impregnable. But God having
decreed the end, direds the means ; for, as prophefied in Jeremy chap. 51. verf. 1 1.
Sufcitavit Dominm jpiritum Re gum Medorum j ^ contra Babylonem mens ejus eft ut perdat cum.
Accordingly DarimtteMede and his Nephew Cyrus perceiving how impoffibie it was to
take the City by battery orftorm, and how well they within were furnifhed with vidua!,
contrive another way, (probably taking their defign from the Princefs Nytocris, who
when the Bridge was built diverted the ftreambyflucei (for a large deep (luce fhe cut a
mile above the City, which turned the Channel and gave it another courle till they had
laid their Foundation, and raifed the fuperftrudure fo high as needed.) Accordingly
whiles Belpaz.zjtr was lulling himfelf in his vain-confidence, Cyrm by feveral fluces and
trenches which the pioneers and many hands cut and efFeded in that foft and eafie
ground, fo drained the ufual channel that it became dry as fore-told by Jeremy chap. 5 1.
v. 31. And whiles the befieging Prince was carroufing with his Satrapa's, their Wives
and Concubines, as formerly remembred and recorded by the Prophet Baniel chap
verf. 2. and by Jchap. 51. verf. 57. the befiegers made the eafier entrance, lb as
the City wasfurprized, and the befieged then found it their belt play tofave themfeives
by flight, in which many fell by the Sword others in the City^ amongft whomy
Beljhazzar himfelf, whom wine and fleep had miferably prepared for it. By which fub-
verfion this great City that formerly knew no fubjedion but fat as Emprefs of the Worlds
now begun to relilh the mutability of Fortune and was forced to bow under the Per fan
Yoak*, for the Vidornot content with dif-robing her of her Imperial drefs gave her as
a prey to the infulting Souldier. A fad judgment^ but no doubt by divine difpenfation
both to bringhertoaftrid account for her notorious Idolatry, and to compenfate the
cruelty and taunts upon fundry occafions expreffed towards the captivated Jews, as we
findjparticulariy denounced by the Prophet Jermy chap. 5 1. verf. 24. Sic reddidit Babyloni
& cimEiis habitatoribm Caldea omne malum fuum quodfecerunt in Sion, and alfo that the world
by the mine of this mafterlefs piece might know, there is a fet time for the undoubted
diffolution of the whole *, and that mans impiety is a forceable attradive of Gods Indigna
tion and Vengeance.
The Fame of this great enterprize was fuch as with little trouble ferved to reduce the
reft of Afta : But unable to forbear giving the reyns to his boundlefs defire, his great
fpirit would not be fatisfied whiles his Empire had any bounds i fo that he marched with
a numerous force againft the Scythians, Tomyris Q^een of the Majfagetcs, (a people
fome