'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.' [‎145] (166/448)

T* erfepolis.
triumphs or other causes of rejoycing. The front is artificially engraven into the fimi
litude of Men and Beafts in various poftures v as Men combating with Lions and other
wild Beafts of iundry Ihapes, and Bea.fts one againft another. Among the reft is the
figure of a Horfe preparing to defend himfelf againft a Lion ; but fo rarely fancied as
gains the Sculptor praife fuffic.ent, the pofture is fo natural fuch as when that A?t
was moie inperfedion, would hardly have been bettered. Over and on each fide the
door through which we entred, are carved in the Marble feme Men armed with Sword
and Pike and forae with Targets i over whofe heads upon the Architrave are Chara
ders engraven which like the reft prov'd adverfe to our intellea.
Near that is a fecond fubterranean pailage into another fquare Chappel, ftronglv ar
died and fupported with four white well-wrought Marble pillars,each about feven yards
high', (for ns prefumd that the greateft part of this pile was vaulted underground)
Near which is a fair Arch of like ftone, whereupon is engraven a Man of an extraor
dinaryfize wearing his hair extraordinary long and curl'd both upon head and beard
the laft or which is cut fquare alter the mode of the aged devout • his head is
covered with a flat round Cap, and at his feet (in lign of Eminency or Conqueft) a Lion
couchant is placed. Another Man a few fteps thence holds a Crooking ftalF, Mace or
other enfign of Magiftracy in one hand, and a Lamp in the other. Several Pike-men
alio feem to guard the place, who appear onely trom the wafte upwards Ni^h thpfp
is another Sovereign Prince (in thefe particulars 1 repeat not, feeing they'are ftveral
gures) royally feated in a Chair of State. In his right hand he holds a lone Scepter fuch
as I have formerly mentioned. On the one fide an Officer of State advances his Mace
or fuch like Enfign towards the Prince's head. A little higher a Man is placed upon
one knee, and by his bowing pofture ( albeit his face be turned towards theNorth-weft)
feems to fupplicate fome Deity. On either fide the Prince in two feveral ranks ftand
many Flamens whofe heads are filletted ( for 'tis that gave them their Names) and in their
facerdotai gaiments holding up their hands and joyning them together, dancins andre
joycing as m old times was ufed in to the Sun, their Not far thence is
the like Story; in phis onely differing, here the Prifoner being upon his feet makes his
profpeft towards the Eaft, with his finger either faluting the riling Sun, or feeming to
Contemplate Heaven. 0
, A fewpace 8 thence are figured two Giants who by pure force fubjed two Lions whom
they hold down by their hands faftned within their hair. Nigh them are placed another
Guard of Foot armed with Spear and Sword, as it were fafeguarding fome notable
Pnfoner. Adjoymng that is the image of another Sovereign Prince, in habit and po-
Iture little differing from the former •, only the Scepter here rather refembles a Bifhops
or FaftoraUlafi; which he holds ered in his right hand. At firfl: view I imagined it
was the Image of an Arch-flamenbut more deliberately, That it rather reprefents fome
Sovereign Prince. Now, albeit of late times Kings amongft the Infidels in fome parts
imitate our Europaan Monarchs, not onely in ftatc but alio in their Regal Ornaments
of Grown and Scepter ^ neverthelefs of old the variety was far more in thofe diftin-
dions For (that I may not exceed my bounds) in Per/ia, the Diadem, the Mythr^the TL
ara and the Cydaru, .with the Wreath or Chaplet were the Regalia of old, as now the
Mandtln with which the Shaugh, and with the JPn^aree the Moml^ head is adorned.
Amongft thefe the Mythra, ( which fome make one with the Cydaris, as in Zcch. 3.
where after the vulgar Latine, Cydaris is tranflated Myter) was not leaft in efteem with
Kings, feeing it gave the agnomen to the Ferfian King Chedor-Laomer ; albeit the Priefts
of Jupiter and the Sun were in folemnities and noted Sacrifices alfo permitted to wear
it. Ihe Diadem was a Royal Band, faith Pint. Vita Demetrii ; and properly flgnifies a
Roll or wreathed Head-band: or a filk Ribbond wreathed about the forehead, laith
pmfm, which were firft attributed to the Heathen gods, as were Crowns of gold. Bnt
in after Ages Diadems were worn by Kings and Sovereign Princes, who inftead of
Crowns had Maces, which were in no.lefs veneration. Maces by fome being worfhip-
ped as godswhence it is that the Images of the Heathen Deities ufually had Scepters or
Maces in their hand, Juflin /. 5. A Wreath of blew and white filk imbroidered with
precious ftones, which the Surana crown'd Cyrm with, and then invented. Diadcma
erat purpureum, Quint. Curt. lib. 6. Regis cognati JJiadematageflahanty Xenofh. lib. 3. The
Mythra in like fort was.an ornament for the head; made of pure fine linnen^ as we find
recorded Exod. 28 .39. and of like ufe as furr'd-'Caps be with Kings and Princes, when
they wear their Crowns. The Myter being put upon Aaron's head, the holy Crown was
put upon the Myter Exod. 29. 6. and being an ornament for the head, was with little
variation worn by Women as well as Men: Mythrx cram capitis ormmenta, mdieribm
^ fropri^