'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.' [‎161] (182/448)

Spahantm, i i
feveral latitudes, it may be concluded that Cazhyn or Coom was that Becatompylon which
ftolomy places in the latitude of 37 degrees 50 minutes. And both Ptolomy, Pliny and
Straho all agree, That Afpa (as without peradventure Spaham was then called) had no
more Northern elevation than 36 degrees, and withal is placed in Parthia.
Give me leave to fpeak what I find aded whiles called Sparvhawn 0 and with that to couple
our prefent Obfervation. If 1 exceed, this may excufe it, Praflat de Carthagine tacere qmm
pane a dicer e. A. D. 645. of the Heg. 25. by command of Omar then Calyph of Mecca, Siet-
yen-Jhivaket with fome troops of Arabian Horfe invaded Perfiato pluck violently away
from TezJgirds head the tottering Diadem; which at the third pull ( having twice over
thrown him) he effeded, the fplendour of that Kingdom then eclipfing: this done,
JtetuAbivakez. facked his two beft Towns, viz.. Elmedin in Chaldea ( built An. Dom. 520.
by Kozrao Son to Kobodes ; howbeit, the Alcoran fays it fprung out of Hell ^ ) and Spa-
ham in Parthia. An. Heg. 400. Mahomet the Calyph of Bagdat after his conqueft of Gu-
jurat in Mia in his return homewards plundered Spaham.Tangrolipix commonly reputed
Lord of the Zelz^uccian Family and Anceftor of the Ottomans jn. the year 1030. of the Heg.
410. (Edward the Confeflbr then ruling England, Grujfyth ap Llewellyn Wales jwas intreated
by Mahomet Prince of Perfia to aid him againft Pyfaftris an encroaching Babylonian: which
Tangrolipix (or Togrdbeg as fome call him) did, and prolpered in-, and after that de
fended him againft the invading Indian. In recompence of which good fervicesy the
TV^onely defires leave to pafs through his Gountrey, and over (which a Bridge
doth fcorn, Pont em indignam Araxis, lib. 8. cAZneid.) to vifit his Countreymen who lived
betwixt the two Seas Cajpian and Evxin: A requeft how reafonable foever it feemed,
neverthelefs ralhly deny'd by Mahomet, who indeed thought the TVIJiad a worfe defign.
But this denyal was fo unkindly refented by the Turk* that after fome paffionate expref-
fions he kept his party for fome time fecretly in the Caramanian defert, and foon brought
under command all that Countrey which neighbours the Per flan Gulph: And (vexing
to be fo confined,) foon after he marches againft the King, and at Shyraz. both Armies
met; where albeit the Per flans were twenty thoufand Horfe and Fooirand more nume
rous than the Turk-, yet was he vanquifhed. Mahomet rallying another Army of treble
the number, neverthelefs could not refift his deftiny : For, after a fliort but hot difpute
near thofe Plains, the Per flan Army was routed, and fo fiercely purfued by Tangrolipix >
that fome thoufands of the Per flans were flain, and many made prifoners; Mahomet fa
ying himfelf in the Field by the fwiftnefs of his Horfe which brought him to Spahawn;
where, in amazement falling from his beaft, he broke his neck. The Turkijh forces pur-
fuing and without refiftance entring Spaham h which when it had acknowledged Tmgro-
lipix vidor, with little oppofition he made an entire conqueft of Parthia.
Rached-bila alfo Son of Almofler~jha was flain by Ma^nd Anno Dom. 1 130. of the Heg.
5 10. and buried in Spahawn: Which few for many fhall fpeak her Antiquity in the name
flie is now triumphant in. .
I have told you how that in the Story of Ben-Abivakez. a thoufand years fince it intitles
Spahawn a Gity, but gives us no further particulars concerning it. Ben-Jonas (who faw
it four hundred feventy fix years ago ) affords her twelve miles compafs, as flie was at
that time ^ faying further, That ihe was rich and populous. Mandeyil An. Dom. 1 300.
(which is above three hundred years fince ) reports that in his time it was a noble Gity.
Anno Dom. 1474. Jofeph Barb arm was here in Vfan-Cafan's Reign, and then by the name
of Spahawn it was a Gity both great and famous,peopled with 1500000 Souls *, the Town
and Suburbs being ten miles in compafs. Rabbi Benjamin-, and Contarini the Venetian Am-
baifadour eighty years ago, relate that then flie had twenty Italian miles in circuit. And
Lemiw the Tortuguez,? fentby Albuquerq to Sha-Ifmael An.Dom. 15 13. reports her to be
^ufoending my judgement concerning their relations, I fliall give you the truth of
what I obferved. Spahawn Metropolis of the Per flan Monarchy, is feated m the Par-
thian Territory (now called Ayrac) and as umbilic to that fpacious body which at this
day is awed by the Per flan Scepter, From the Per flan Gulph ihe is removed a hundred
feventy nine farfangs, (of Englijh miles five hundred thirty feven*, ) from the Cajptan
Sea, three hundred and fixty miles Englijh^ from Shyraz,-, two hundred twenty two*,
from Babylon four hundred and fifty; fromCandahor eight hundred and feventy, and from
Caz,byn two hundred and feventy. She is in compafs at this day about nine Englijh miles,
including towards feventy thouiand Houfes, and of Souls (as may be conjedured)
contains about two hundred thoufand : for, befides Natives there are Merchants of fun-
dry Nations, as Emlifh, Dutch, Portuguez., Pole, Mufcovite, Indian, Arabian, Arme
nian, Georgian, Turk., Jew, and others drawn thither by the magnetick power of gain.
Y *t