'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.' [‎148] (169/448)

may fi CT nifie on the one fide the terrene power and dominion thofe Kings had over
fo many Kingdoms or Provinces', and the other, a myfterious type ot the feven great
Planets which the Per fans had in adoration, Deos enim illos ejfe feptem P lamas quos Anu
mam credidit Jmiquitas, faith Poflellw. And albeit this Pagodzs to form be moft ter
rible to behold, yet in old times it feems they gave it reverence •, and to qualifie the
dreadfulnefs of the figure, thofe more recent tell us that it reprefents the greateft Prince
Tcrfia ever had, both in reference to extent of Empire and to the power he had over In
fernal Spirits whom by magick fpells he ufed to bind and loofe as he liftedfo great a Ne
cromancer do s they feign Jamjheat to have been. According to the courfe of their Stories
he lived about an hundred years after Keyomarraz. whom fome imagine to be that Kidor*
Laomer( IGfter in the Hebrew, fo called from the Kidaris or Royal Cap he wore ) van-
quifhed by the Patriarch Abraham. But having occafion in fev^ral places to remember
this Jamjheat, here I lhall fay no more.
Upon the King's left fide are placed a ftand of pikes :• oppofite to which in a little
lower ftation is placed a Man who by his pofture and garb appears to be in a diftreffed
condition v for albeit he be in the prefence of the King, he feems neverthelefs to expo-
ftulate with fome principal Officers ^ and either from guilt or elfe upon view of that
deformed monfter to be in fome kind of aftoniihment fo well as the Sculptor's genius and
hand could humour it. Below the guard are twenty Flamens placed •, fome of which
with their hands point upwards towards the King, others towards the Sun, and the reft
downwards towards the Temple of Anaya. Two ranks of other Flamens, fifteen in each
rank are placed on each fide the Altar-, who by their mimmick geftures and elevation
and conjundion of hands exprefs their Epnicia by this mode and manner of rejoycing-,
unlefs it were an antique form of worfiiip which probably they then ufed unto their Pa-
gods. Some of thefe have their faces towards the King, who alfo had his fhare of ad
oration *, but others turn their backs glancing fide-ways upon the Pagod, whom in this
dance they half environ. Lower are figured eighteen or twenty Lions in a row, every
couple looking towards one another. In the lowermoft place oppofite under the Altar
is a door, or rather mouth of a Cave, which gives entrance into the Chappel that is
fupported by pillars. Mr. Skinner ( who travelled thofe parts more lately)allures me it
is yet open and remaining in the fame condition I have defcribed.
Near thefe are the remains of a large Sepulchre or Coffin of ftone, prefumed to be the
dormitory of fome remarkable though unknown Perfon : for both the Villagers there
abouts are filent in if, and 'tis the lefs inquirable, feeing that it was the cuftom of the
Monarchs of Perfia to have their Corps let down into deep holes or pits purpofely bored
within the fides of Mountains; as this day appear abundantly by the lignals upon the
Hills about Perfepofay where the Bodies of the greateft number of thofe that preceded
Alexander the Great were interred, as I fhall hereafter note. About a bow-fhoot hence
to the Southward upon the Plain or lower ground is a high Column inperfedion; but
of what ufe at fuch a diftance I apprehend not.
To concludefor Jn magnis voluijfe fat eft, This is the fum of what I have to fay re
lating to this unparallel'd Antiquity and (when in perfedion) incomparable Strudure,
which has fo far the precedency, that Don Garcias de Sylva Figuroa ( Ambaflador A. D*
1619. to Shaw Abbas from Philip the Third of Spain) upon his view, not onely prefers
it before all he faw at Rome, but concludes That it is undoubtedly the only Monument
in the World at this day extant without impofture; yea, far exceeding (faith he) all
other Miracles of the Earth we can either fee or hear of at this day. Give me leave there
fore to add. That here ( where I may fay Materiam fuperabat Opus,the Materials are rich
but much more eftimable the Workmanfhip ) Nature and Art feem to confpire towards
the creating amazement and pleafure both in Senfe and Intelled •, the prefent ruines re
taining fuch a majefty as not only exprefs the Founder's magnificence, but in the behold
ing ftrike a fenfible impreffion (if not of veneration yet) of admiration *, in fuch efpe-
cially as have a due efteem of Silver-hair'd Antiquity. Is it not therefore great pity
that fome llluftrious Prince or other Noble Perfon valuing rarities^ has not e're this
fent fome Painter or other like Artift to take a full and perfed draught of this fo an
cient Monument? the rather, feeing that the Inhabitants of Shyraz, but principally the
Villagers at Mardajh and other People thereabouts put no value upon it; but contrarily
(finding that albeit fometimes they gain, yet moft times they lofe by free-quarter of
Soldats and others who out of meer curiofity repair thither,) in barbarous manner
fpare not to deface and tear afiinder what they can in fpight, and under pretence of
ferving their common occafions *, albeit by the Dukes of -SW^they have at fundry times
been puniihed for it j in fb much as thefe rude Rufticks have barbarian-like done it
more