‘The perillous and most unhappy voyages of John Struys, through Italy, Greece, Lifeland, Moscovia, Tartary, Media, Persia, East-India, Japan, and other places in Europe, Africa and Asia. Containing, I. Most accurate remarks and observations of the distinct qualities, religion, politie, customs, laws and properties of the inhabitants: II. A due description of the several cities, towns, forts and places of trust, as to their site and strength, fortifications by nature, or art, &c. with other things worthy of note: and III. An exact memorial of the most disastrous calamities which befell the author in those parts (viz) by ship-wrack, robberies, slavery, hunger, tortures, with other incommodities and hardships’ [‎332] (399/470)

332. The V oyages of lohnStruys. VoY.HIi.
afcended feveral fteps , and went thrd a very ftately Gate of fair
ityz. w i 1 j te anc { fpeckled Marble y" but underftood very well that no Chri-
ftian was permitted to enter, left they [liould pollute it; however being
Ihorn after their manner, and having no difcrepanee of Habit whereby
they might lufped. me to be any other than a very I went
boldly in to view all that was to be feen, which a privat Perfon and a
Layman was permitted to view, for the innermoft Vault is not to be
leen unlefs of Princes and the Spiritualifts. Above the faid Vault
hung feveral golden Lamps , which burn,continually, and as the
Watchmen told us the Coffins that flood below were of mafly Gold.
In this Sepulchre they, told us were preferved the Bones of and
his Wife., of Shem, Ham and together with the 5 Sons of
Shem, yiz>, x^Ashur, Arphaxad, ^Aram and El aw , by whom
* see the City * Per fetalis is faid to be firft founded of old called Elamus,
phuV, Thi s was told me by an old , with whom I had fom Difcourfe,
who alio laid that he had the keeping of fom old Kegifters and Anti
quities. Here they alfo ffiow feveral Skeletons and Pieces of Bones
to Pilgrims in Golden Diffies, which theyfay are the Bones of
and of his Grand-child Elam \hut
From this Temple we pofted forward to the Ruins of the Royal
Fort called SchUmnar, , on Tz,ilniinar , or according to the variety of
the Dialers Cehdminar, which is as much as to fay fo
called from fuch a number of Columns that it has formerly had > altho
the number is now fufficiently diminiffied, partly by the negligence
of the Terfiansy in reparation of the fame, and partly from other Occa-
lions which make'em to ufe fom of the Stones of this faid Caftle:
belldes the great disefteem which the have for Heathcnifh
Antiquities, rather inclined to rafe and demolifh, than maintain and
repair the , Relifts of Gentilifm, efpecially wloat has bin built to any
fuperftitious End. Thofe Pillars that remain ftill whole are 9 Cubits
high , and about Five in compafs at the Bails. I told about 18
or 20 of thofe faid Pillars that were whole to the Chapiter. It retains
ftill the name of K. Darius his Palace that being his Manfion-houfc.
The ancient Greek and Latin Writers afcribe the Founding of it to
Cyrus , but the Perfmns to one , which I prefame cannot
lie reconciled: but however their Difference in Opinion be, certain
ifeis that the.Founder mull have bin a mighty Prince , who hath
raifedi