'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.' [‎223] (244/448)

Cajhan,
claws broke ofFand buried in the Earth, will become Scorpions,
The Africans report. That 'tis a prcfent cure to anoint with
writes, how that one ftung with a Scorpion was helped by drinking Frankincenle S
the fculpture of a Scorpion refolved into powder. Howbeit, the ufualremed5
is to Weed and bathe the affeded part with Scorpions oyl; or otherwife to hold it over
the head of the Scorpion, firft being foundly bruifed.
This noblo City is in compafs not lefsthanT^or Norwich, about four thoufand Fa
milies being accounted in her. TheHoufes are fairly built, many of which are parm-
ted without and painted :, the Mofques and Hummums are in their cupoloes curionflv
ceruleated with a feigned Turquoife: the Buzj^ar is fpacious and uniform: furnifhed with
r k 9 x a 7 ma 1 S ! C t an ? c J r P ets ^s, filk and gold, and of courfe thrumd-woolno part
of the World having better or better coloured. Here are alfo ftore of Spices and odier
Merchandize. Befides, the People here (the fruit of Induftry ) be more civil, no? fs
adive, and as trim and rich in their attire as I could obferve in any other part- and
by reafon they allow few to be idle, here are full Manufadures of Silks, Sattens and
cloth of gold cunofly wrought and coloured, no better in the World •, and in fuch plentv
that one Cartwright an EnjrliJh Merchant who was there about the Year 1600. fpares Vor
to averr, That there was then more Silk brought in one Year into Cafhan, than broad
C oaths are into LorJov. Here alfothey have a lingular Art in dying or colouring of
Silks, and ftaining of Linnen-cloth like the Indian-]?antadoes. They alfb make verv en
nous lively flowers and knots, and in beautiful colours upon Leather which are verv
foftmg and for feveral ufes. In a word, a more induftrious and civil People or i
Town better governed Perfia elfewhere has not. Here is no want of pleafure neither
abounding m Gardens, Fruits, and Corn, by the elaborate Tymars made to frudifie!
which being cultivated, retribute a gainful acknowledgment. The in this
City is very noble, nay I may fay an unparallel'd Fabrick of that kind, by manvdesrees
preceding ail other Carravans-raws we law in Perfia , this being both large enoueh' and
ht enough to lodge the Court of the greateft Potentate in Afia. A Royal foundation it
is, being built by Abbas for Travellers to repofe in^r^, and to exprefs his magnifi
cence as well as charity. The whole Building is grounded with Marble, rifin^ from the
ground fix foot ^ therelidue is brick arified in the Sun, pargetted and adorned with
knots and fancies of Arabic Charaders, m azure, red, and white colours laid inOvl
after the mode of Perfia. It is a perfed quadrant; for each angle from one another are
two hundred paces, the whole eight hundred. In the umbilic of this Court is a fauare
Tank filled (by an Aqme-dud) with cryftallin water. This royal Inne has alfo adiovn
mg it fuch Gardens as rather exceed than want to difplay the founders munificence'
Here is not any other memorable Antiquity that I could hear of, fave that Nycador oj
lan theUfurper who died frantick was buried here Anno Heg. 655. and he fcarce worth
the Memory. More than which I have not to fay concerning this City, other than that
feveral conjedures by learned men have pafled, Whence the Wife-men came that pre-
fented our blelTed Saviour with their offerings, who were without doubt the firil-fruits
and called of the Gentiles •, waiting the accompliihment of Balaams Prophecie mentioned
in Numb, 24.. 17. There Jhall oome a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter Jhal/ rife out of Ifrael
md jhallfmtte the corners of Mozh, and deflroy the Children o/Seth: which was gathered
more from this of their Prophet than any other Aftrologic computation. Now that
they were Gentiles is evident ^ that they came from the Eaft, undeniable : But from
what City or Province nolefs difputablethan theplace of their burial. ThewordMam
is proper to Perfia, Perfia is Eaft from Bethlehem ^ fo as fbme are of opinion they came
from hence ^ others fay from Shujhan where then flourifhed an Academy. Neverthe-
lefs, the people here have a Tradition, That thofe three Wife-men or Kings went hence •
which fome fay were intombed in Cullen- Howbeit, Melchior perfwades us they came
from Sheba in Sabea : and Ex orientali Arabia regione, Reges ad colendum Chriflum vemrmt
jaith Pofiellm, The Kings came from the Eaft part of Arabia to worlhip Chrift. Others
labour no lefs to bring them from the Omerits in Ethiopia South. From Babylon other-
lome think they came ; from Ormus fome would have them a conjedureas likely as it
was Faradife. Ceyloon and Taproban have been thought their Countrey: But if you
pleafe to truft Friar Oderic of Friuli, Cajhan was it. And his conjedure is not amifs,
leeing that TheophylaB and other ancient writers, as alfo Saint Chryfofiom in his <5. Horn.
upon Saint Matthew affirms, that the Magi who came to worlhip Chrift, were Perfian
Princes But feeing this is a work of fuch difficulty, let me rather bufie my brains in
queit of what a Magm was> fince Simon Magus through his black Art has in common
acceptation rendred the name odious 5 and under which Ti tle, Witches, Sorcerers, En
chanters,