'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.' [‎235] (256/448)

Nimrod, Belus, Ninus, Jjfyrian Monarchs. ;
as the firifc Foundation of Bah el is attributed to him, fo is the firft Kingdome •, as ap
pears by Gen. 10. 10. where 'tis faid, The beginning of his Kingdom was Babylon^ Erech,
Accad and Calneh in the Land of Shinaar. And out of that Land A\hur (or as fome Tranfla-
tions, Nimrod) went forth and builded Nineveh and Calah, which is a great City. This is
he whofe name derived from the Hebrew Marad, renders him Rebellis contra Deum &
JSfaturam : He, who by reafon of his Tyranny became a Proverb, Qu'afi Nimrod robuflm
Senator coram Domino. By Berofm called Nymbroth , by others Saturnm Babylonicm ,
whole Father was Chufo or Jupiter Belm ; and his Father Cham called Jupiter Chamon ^
agreeable to that of Tz.etz.a-, Reges omnes olim vocavermt Joves, &c. And after five
and twenty years rule as King, died about the year of the World 1844. his body be
ing buried at Babylon fay mofl;, albeit one Author I meet with finds fome part of him at
Perfepol /.
To Nimrod fiicceeded Belm his Son, ftiled Jupiter Babylonicm-, Baal, and Bel, which
in Caldee fignifie the Son, or Soveraign Lord. This Prince at the age of threefcore
years gave place to Ninus who imitating his great Anceftors, added to his Empire
Arabia, Armenia^ and thofe Countreys that verge upon Baclria : and to deifie his Fa
ther Belus ereded his Statua in Gold, which he commanded to be worfhipped. This is
the firft Idolatry any Storie mentions. After fifty years, S emir amis (the Daughter of
Becreta an Afoalonite, her Father not known in Hiftory) being made his Wife, fo cap
tivated his reafon, then in dotage, as prevailing that fhe might command the Empire
five days, made fuch ufe of her power as within that time the King wasfent to his long
home; fo as then fhe fwayed the Scepter without control: and being ofa mafculine fpirit
fo greatly enlarged the AITyrian Empire that fhe not only added Ethiopia and Battria,
but alfo the Eaft-lndies, Quo prater illam & Alexandrnm nemo intravit, faith an old
Hiftorian : but of that laft had little reafon to boail,feeing that fhe was (though unwilling
ly) forced to a retreat over Indus by Staurobates'y in paifing which, all but twenty of
that great body of thirty hundred thoufand Foot, and ten hundred thoufand Horfe, with
near a hundred thoufand Chariots of War (as Ctejias writes) miferably perifhed. Never-
thelefs, to recount the wonderful things together with the memorable conquelts fhe ef
fected both at Babylon and other places, would be to repeat what is fpoken concerning this
Virago in the late defcription otBabylon and other parts. Her Death (after forty two years
rule) is varioufly reported ; fome affirming that flie was flain by her Son Ninus in his Fa
thers vindication •, others, that fhe died a natural death •, or was metamorphofed into a
Dove, which in her memory the Babylonian Princes bore afterwards in their-royal Banner
or Enfign.
Ninus her Succeflbr, by fome Writers called Ninias, and by otherfbme Zaneis^Mars
and Amraphely is fuppofed to be that Prince whom Abraham overthrew with Chedorlaomer
the Perfian King near Damafcmmthz refcue of his Nephew Lot, as recorded in Gen. 14.1.
Chedorlaomer King of JLlam, i. e. Terfia, whether that was his proper name or given
him from the Regal Tire or Garment he wore upon his head which was termed Ghedar
orCydaris, or that he was calledfrom his duskie complexion, is doubtful: But
more certain, he is that fame whom the Tznch. za\\s Cheyomarraz, Father to Siamech v
to whom in order fucceeded Owchang, Jamjheat, Zoac, freydhun, Mamcher, Nawder,
Afraciab, (whom fbme fuppofe Achemenesy) Baz.ab, Kay cob ad, Shelomo, Chozxao, Loraz*-
pes, &c. But being as yet inqueft of the Aflyrian line, return we to Ninus, who begun.
his Reign A. M. 2000. andfinifhed it after thirty eight years Rule, being fucceeded by
Arius, by fome called Thuras after whom followed feven and thirty Emperours, the
laft of whom was Sardanapalus who begun his Reign over that gregt Monarchy A. M. 3124.
but by all Hiitorians faid to be a Prince fo degenerating from the warlike Spirit of his
great Anceftors, that he is ftiled Vir, muliere corruptior •, and not without reafbn, feeing
he was fo effeminate, that he not onely wholly fequeftred himfelf from men, but gave
himfelf up to the fociety of his Wives and Concubines, both in habit and exercife imita
ting tjhem : A Prince that wanted Plato for his Tutor, who was fofar from Sardanapalus his
opinion that Cratios egit quod mas fuit nonfcemina, thanked God that he was a-man and
not a woman. So as it was not without difficulty that ArbaBus his Median Lieutenant ob
tained admiffion into his Palace at Nineveh i where he found the Emperour moft delicate
ly attired not with an Ornamentum Virile but in a Ladies drefs befpangled with rich Jewels
and fpinningof Silk amongft the females. Neverthelefs, after due reverence fainting
him with a Salve Domine Imperator, the Emperour returned him this puling anfwer, Ne me
die Dominum prccor, ego emm fum Domina : At which, aftonifhed, the General withdrew %
but fo diffatisfied, that fo valt a Monarchy and fo many Sons of Mars fhould be fubjeded
under fopufillanimous a Prince, as he immediately founded the Trumpet of Rebellion,
H h 2 and