'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.' [‎227] (248/448)

to HtiYuu to avoid idolatry •, which place was betwixt BahylonmA Nineveh> where before
the Flood was the terreftrial Paradife. But by the Cddeans this Ninm was called Hercii-
lesy for Hercules flares fuer ant. Diod. Sic. I. 5. names 3. Cicero 6. and farro 24.
This adive Princefs reigned forty years *, during which, (he enlarged the Empire
from Ethiopia to India : Of that high courage as news being brought when flie was dreflin^
"her head how that was revolted, fhe prefently vowed never to perfed lier drefs
till the City was reduced. S emir amis as Ihe enlarged the Empire by her forces, fo did
fhe her fame by fundry great and memorable <ids : For befides the elegant Gardens ihe
made in Media-, at Babylon likewife upon many high pillars of ftbne fhe made a Garden
which for the manner and curiofity thereof was accounted one of the Wonders of the
World, and by a deep channel brought Water thither from the River Orn^to exprefs
her puifTance, faith D/W. Sk. /. 4. r. 7. or rather to Ecbathan, after that cutting the Cafyian-
Strait •, contrading Euphrates, and building over it the nobleft'Bridge any ftory ever men
tioned*, raifing twoObelisks m Babylon the leaft of which was a hundred and thirty foot high
and five and twenty in thicknefs,hewn and brought thither down Tygris, from Ararat) She
alfo ereded two incomparable Palaces on either fide Euphrates, one towards the Eaft, the
other towards the Weft end of Babylon •, the firft extending thirty,the other fixty furlongs *,
and each compalfed with a ftately Wall. But tranfcending thofe, in the center or middle
oftheGity iheraifed the nobleft building in the world : It was a fquare Tower of black
poliihed Marble, every fide being a thoufand paces (entred by four Gates of burnifhed
Brafs,) the height of the firft was a quarter of a mile: Eight Towers rofe one upon
.another, gradually diminifhing: nine furlongs high and ten broad faith Diod. in little
imitated by that Maufolmm Au^ufii which was built many Ages after in Rome 'twixt the
Tyber and Via Flamima, thought to refemble that which Artemifta dedicated to the Carian
King. At the culmen or top was a Chappel, wherein was a fumptuous Bed and Table
of Gold, and in which were placed three Golden Images reprefenting Ops, and
Jmoy i. e. her Father-in-law Belm, her Husband iV/w^ and her felf: Statua's twelve
cubits high, of pure maffieGoldi continuing amongft thofe Idolaters for many fucceed-
ing generations the moft reverenced Idols in the World : that of Jupiter weighed iooo
Babylonian Talents, that of Ops the like, that of Juno 800: there were alio placed
two ft and ing Cups weighing thirty Talents two perfuming pots, and three other large
VefTels all of pureGold^one of which weighed 1200 Talents: thofe Pots were of ufe there,
for (as faithin that Temple was yearly confumed in Fankincenfe to the value
of 100000 Talents: a Temple un-defaced, until about the year from the beginning of the
World 3490 in a frantickfit it was demolifhed by after his beating by Leomdas
and Themiftocles the Grecian Land and Sea Generals. This Grand idol had for many
Ages been had in divine venerationib as the Reformation had been commendable had
it proceeded from a better principle. From the top of the higheft Tower, and by reafon
of the continual lerenity of the Sky, the Caldean Aftrologers (whofe skill in that Art
they fay was pradifed 3600 years before Alexanders conquefts, which if true, reaches
to Enochs time) precifely obferved the Planetary motions, and though they could not
hear their rowling harmony, yet thence they had the exad light and magnitude of the
Stars, their heliacal acronical matutine and vefpertine motions, rife and fall i the
progrefs of the Sun ^ the conftellations, afpeds and influence of the Planets, &c.
for in that Art during thofe times they had the greateft Knowledge of any Aftrolo-
S ers -
Now though the heart of S emir amis was put into an orb of Gold above, yet her body
was interred below. And as Xerxes ranfacking for treafure above, in lieu thereof
having opened the place where (a greatAftrologer aswell as King) was interred,
he onely found a large veifel of glafs which contained his body in fwimming byl which
for 1600 years had it feems continued in that condition; fo Baritis afterwards in like
hopes of wealth violating her tomb below, difcovered her Coffin ^ upon the opening
of which, fuch a peftilential fmell vapoured thereout as not Onely killed fome that were
fpedators but infeded the greateft part of Afia. The like memorable example hap
pened Anno Bom. 170. upon a mans forcing open a Shrine of Gold in the Temple of
Apollo *, whence inftead of the treafure that avaricious wretch expeded, there iffued
forth fuch an infedious breath as firft killed the man, then infeded the whole City, and
foon atter overfpread fuch a vaft fpace of the earth, as it is thought half mankind
died of that peftilence; which ceafed not till it had un-peopled the greateft part of the
Univerfe. But concerning this great Emprefs accept that fhort charader Berofm j^ives
her, H&c Virago, militia, triumph is, divitiis, ViBoriis & Imperio, omnes mor tales antecejfit;
Nemo etenim huicfoemim comparandus eft. And as to the City? albeit Nimrod begun, it was
Gg 2 ' . exceed-