'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.' [‎143] (164/448)

T'erfepolk.
trance •> probably typifying their Alyihra or the Sun with leven gates which the Terfians
had irl divine adoration, myfterioully reprefenting the feven Planets. Adioynin? this
was another which in pacing I found how two fides thereof were twenty, the other two
thirty of my largeft paces: The walls here (as of the reft) were of black Marble'
but fo incomparably polifhed and glazed, that we beheld it with admiration: For fe-
veral parts of-it were as bright and fplendent as Tuch or Steel-mirrour, fo as we could
very perfedly fee the reflex of our faces and bodies when we ftood before it In
other fome places the gold alfo that was laid upon the Freez and Cornilh, as alfo upon
the trim of Veils, was alfo in as perfed luftre as if it had been but newly done * which
is to be wondred at, the violence of weather to which 'tis expofed and length of time
(being upwards of two thoufand years ) difly confidered : An Art of great value with
the Ancients and longeft preierved amongft the Monafticks as we find upon figures and
capital Letters in old VellamManufcripts and Bibles-, but fince, well-nigh loft, or by
our Painters now a days but meanly imitated. The fculpture on both fides the wall has
for ornament variety of figures fomewhat larger than the life, (unlefs thatMeninthofe
times were greater than now they are',) fome of which Images reprefent Sovereign
Princes, as by their fitting, habit and ornaments may be imagined^ for they are feated
in antique Chairs of State, the hair upon their heads being very long and crifb, and
about it fome wear high-peaked Tiara's, which Venetian Ducal Cap moft refembles j
and in little, the Tag or Iharp point the Moz.endram CooWs have that are lined with cu-
nous wool; or that you fee worn by the old Inhabitants of Ferpa in my following De-
fcription of Spaham. Others have Caps that be flat and round, and other fome more
high and folding like Caps of State, which together with the long Robes or upper Vefts
they wear is refembled by thofe our Knights of the Garter ufe at St. George's Feaft, or
Inftallation of the Knights of that moft honourable Order; differing onely in the fleeve
which is more large and purflmg,like thofe we fee worn by Bilhops, fave that thefe be *
wider and loofer at the hand. In their hand one holds a half-pike, another aPaftoral
ilafF, others ihort thick Truncheons or Staffs of Command^ a General's weapon is his
Truncheon, a Souldiers his Sword', the one ferving for Command, the other for Exe
cution and in the other hand they hold round Balls or Mounds, lignifying ( as I fup-
pole) Sovereign Dominion. Amongft other attendants, two Officers of State are re
markable : for one of them holds a Sumbriero over his head, which probably was not fo
much for fhade as State, and gave rife to the Royal Canopies which in thofe primitive
times and after were ufed: the other ereds a Mace or like Enfign of Honour crooking
towards the end, in thofe days doubtlefs reckoned amongft the Regalia.
Upon the Freez and Architrave over the heads of the Images are fome Charaders in-
fcribed which differ from thofe I lately mentioned,bearing(fo well as the diftance would
fuifer me to judge) a little refemblance with the Letters anciently of ufe amongft the
Georgians which were corrupted from the Greekj And if fo, it cannot be withftood.
That as to moft Nations the Syrians have given Language, fo unto the Greeks Arts and
Sciences of moft forts owe their original; and concerning whom in Travel (to Ipeak:
the truth) we meet with more memorials of Antiquity than we find extant of fucceed-
ing Romans, or indeed of any other Nation. In lefler figures are reprefented the Sa
trap or Per fan Nobility; who with their Arms ftand on the one fide of thofe Maje-
ftick figures, and on the other the Magi or Arch-flamens, fome of which hold Lamps,
others Cenfers or perfuming-pots in their hands. I queftioned fome of the beft fort of
Per fans then in company, whom they thought thofe Princes did reprefent ? One faid.
He fuppofed Keyomarras , another Jamjheat or Shem-jheat Noejhano, i. e. Shemflim Noe,
quarm Rex Per far mn *, as Saddi in his Rofarmm wittily fancies: a third y4aron or Sampfony
a fourth Afl~char, i. e. Ard-fnr the laft of the Per fan Kings in the hundredth defcent
from Adam, though I think it means Ahafmerm (whom fome make the founder of
this Palace •, which I cannot think was a Temple, both from the variety of Rooms and
afcents, as alfo from the nature of the Story pourtray'd in fculpture-,) and another Zul-
niman as they call Solomon: whereas I expeded that in thefe various conjedures
their famous Champion would have had mention, concerning whom I have formerly
given my appsehenfion.
Now for as much as the remaining figures or Images are many and different, yea lb
many, as in the two days ftay I was there it was impoffible I could take the full of what
I am aifured an expert Limner may very well fpend twice two months in e're he can
make a perfed draught-, for to fay truth, this is a work much fitter for the Pencil than
the Pen: the rather, for that I obferve, how that Travellers taking a view of fome rare
piece together from the variety of their fancy they ufually differ in their obfervations •,
."4?