'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.' [‎204] (225/448)

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twelve Tribes, was but fiiiall in comparifon, fcarce amounting to the third part ot France.
So as wonderful.it is to confider what increafe they had, both by what we read upon num-
bring the People by foah, and the force they brought when Afa out of the two Tribes of
Judah^nd Benjamin drew into the field againft Zerah the Ethiopian 580000 men. As
alfo by what Jofephm writes were aflembled in Jernfakm when befieged by Fefpafian and
his Son. Yet fince they were baniflied their own Country they have not fince either had
King, High-Prieft, Countrey or Town they could call theirs : but like Vagabonds live
fcattered over the Face of the whole Earth: So as they who once were the chofen People
of God, and in confideration of whom all others were of no efteem for fandity, whole
dread was to be upon all the Inhabitants under Heaven, whofe fame fhould make the
Univerfe to tremble whiles they obeyed the Lordfor their Apoftafie and Idolatry are
now rejeded, and that dreadful Prophecy of Jer. 24. 9. purfuant to that curfe of
Mofts pronounced Dent. chap. 23. verf. 37. and of Ezek^ chap. 5. verf. 15. where God
threatens to deliver them to be removed into all the Kingdoms of the Earth to their
hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a by-word and a curfe in all places whither he
would drive them, to the full extent we fee accompli/hed. For indeed, not only what
the Chriftians retort them for their hatred to Chriil, the Prophets and Apoilles ^ the very
Heathen accufed them as MWydpaww or enemies of Mankind, towards whom they bore an
irreconcileable hatred fay Diod. Siculm and Tacitm I. 5. being of all Nations the worft,
Amian. de Marco Imp. and as people that of old time moved Tedition, Jizr. 4. 15. info-
much as they were termed Foetentes , & vel fortmtworum occtrrfam oculis horrehant, animo
perfequebanmr, men avoiding the very fight of them if by chance they met them. And
though 1 am perfwaded (by what I have feen) they are at this day the moft numerous of
any one People in the world were they drawn together into a body yet being difperft,
they appear asifthey were but few. Further, albeit when they were in the promifed
Land, of all others they were the moft prone to Idolatry, even when they had light and
all the whole World befides fat clouded in darknefs yet being now under captivity and
fevere fubjedion where-ever they inhabit, they keep ftridlyto the Tradition of their
Anceftors, reading the Pentateuch, and abhorring Idols^ So that though by reafon of the
curleafore-mentionedand their unbounded avarice they be the moft contemned people
upon the earth yet by us are to be pitied, being the off-fpring of Abraham the Friend
of God - , and forafinuch as that in Ij'aiah 14. 3. 'tis promifed the Lord will in the end
give them reft from their forrow,and from their fear, and from their hard bondage. For
as Dent. 30.4. albeit they fhould be caft out even to the ends of the earth, yet from
thence wili the Lord gather them, and bring them into their own Land, the Land which
their fore-fathers poflelled. With which agrees 32.37. That he will gather them
out ofall the Countreys wherein he hath fcattered them in his indignation, and return
them to their own land, where he will caufe them to dwell in fafety. Which fome think
will be accomplifhed at their converfion and not before : according to that of Zeoha-
mchap. 12. verf. 10. They fhalllook upon him whom they have pierced, and fliall
exprefs their repentance by lamenting for him as one mourneth for his onely fon; for
m that day the Lord will oppofe himfelf againft all Nations that lhall come againft
mjakm. In the mean time (^with grief be it fpoken) we find tkem every where, in a moft
obdurate condition. But to return.
Eaft of Damoans high peak is a Town callediVoi;^, in which were about a hundred
ramines. A young man Son to Hodge Snare or Ajhuerm (the Perfian Merchant that died
m London Anno Dom. 1625. and Brother to Mahomet whom we buried at Sea) hearing
o our palling by, came out accompanied with feveral of his friends and kindred
to invite us to his houfe which was about a mile thence: He was apparelled in a robe of
Cloth of Gold, had upon his head a Tulipant of Silk, and was gallantly mounted. His
Mem was good, fo was his Civility: prevailing with the Ambalfadour to go a little
out 01 his way to accept a Collation, luch as the Countrey and fmall warning could
a ? 7 / 11 was ^ lth chearfulnefs as gave his Lordfhip and reft of the Company good
is action. Thence we halted towards Damoan : where as we deftended down a fteep
7a Af k Tent I)itched ina Pleafant place near the Road,filled with above
irty Women a ^Men, who at firft I thought were folemnizing their Boalia and Parana-
u a ^dmg. Staying there a while we faw the Bride, about ten years
o age, ut the Groom was thirty. Many Bride-maids came out to admire us, whom
a . s wondered at: for their faces, hands and feet were upon that folemn occafion
rW % ^ J 31710 ?? wlt ^ beafts, caftles and flowers*, their arms and legs
^^with mamho s or voluntary bracelets, or rather fetters of Brafs and Silver, which
eir Monfco made them appear not unlike the Arcadian Shepherdeffes as defcribed in
Roman-