'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.' [‎236] (257/448)

6 Miferable end of Sardanapalus.
and drew Bdochm the Babylonian. Governour into his confpiracy. Whiles Sardan^d m
was handling his DiftafF, the two Generals brandilhed their Swords and marched up
with all their force againit Nineveh the great*, fo called in Jonas chap, s-veif. i L a
City of three dayes journey, 480 furlongs in compafs faith the Hiftorian, which if true,
was a hundred furlongs more than Babylon. Diod. Sic. places Nineveh wyon. Euphrates
contrary to all other Hiftorians: threefcore miles about faith Herodotus, and fo gallantly
feated upon Tigris^ that by the Prophet Zefhany chap, i.verf. 15. fhe is kiltdgloriofa ci-
vitas, habitans in confidentia,dicens in cordefuo, Egofum^ extra me non eft alia amplim - agio-
riousCity, faying in her heart, lam, andbeiides me there is none, (or none greater:)
but withal Civitas fangHintim, which haftened its defbruftion.
The Rebels quickened their march thinking to furprize the City, which (notwith-
ftanding the Kings negled) was fo well fore-feen, victualled and man'd, but which was
moft, commanded by fo faithful a Governour, that it not only bad defiance to the befieg-
ers, but ilfuing out at convenient times, forced them fundry times to retreat to a fur
ther diftance ; The City by this means held out upwards of two years •, infomuch as the
confpirators defpaired of taking it; had not a luperiour Power who fets periods to all
Dominions fodilpofed, that by the over-flowing of Tigris' (as foretold by the Prophet
Nahum 1.8. and 2. 6.)' near twenty furlongs of the Wall fell (a Wall that was a hundred
foot high, and withal fo broad, that upon the Rampire three Chariots might pafs on
breaft, adorned with 1500 Turrets,) that great and unexpeded breach giving the Enemy
defired entrance. The miferable Emperour then in defpair, retired to his Palace, and
inviting his Women into the place where his Jewels and Treafure lay fets fire to it, where
by all was quickly confumed, himfelf for company. Such was the woful Exit of that
great Prince, who zsjuftm obferves. Hoc folo imitatm eft firum, in this onely Ad exprelt
his manhood. The Coin then melted in that Flame is by confent of Writers computed
One hundred millions of Talents in Gold, and one thoufand millions of Talents in Sliver ^
which in ours amounts unto Twenty thoufand and five hundred millions of pounds: a
fum not parallel'd in any ftory, and incredible, did not the greatnefs of that Empire,
and the long time his frugal predecelfors had been amalfiiig itp convince towards
it.
Thus this great Monarchy which had continued glorioufly commanding the World
about 1350 years, had its firft though not ultimate period in a fuccelfion fromiVzw-
rod: And being divided between the two great Captains, agreeable to their former Go
vernments arrogated to himfelf and with the adjacent Provinces;
(albeit fome give Ferjia to Achemenes Son of Perfes-, who contributed a confiderable
alfiftance tothetwo other confpirators in this great enterprize, and from whofe loins
Cyrm the great defcended, who afterwards fubjeded the Ailyrian and Median Empires
under that of Terfta :) but Belochus took for his (hare Babylon and the Eaft of Ajfyria, Ni
neveh included.
ArhaBus (who in fome Authors is alfo called Arbaces) by this fall of Sardanapalus
raifed to himfelf the Sovereignty of Media, and dying, was fucceeded by Mmdanes:
but fome omitting him fay Sofarmus, who after thirty year's gave place to Medidus ; and
he alter five and twenty fays Heylin, forty fays Raleigh, did the like to Car die as *, who
after thirteen years rule bequeathed the Royal Scepter to Diodes, as Sir Walter Raleigh
calls him, Dejoces Heylin : the difference concerning the time of whofe Reign is nolefs,
the one giving him feventeen, the other fifty three years in Government. This Dejoces
firft founded Echatan, fayes Heylin', by Dodor Vfter the reverend Primate reputed
Arfhaxad whom Nabuchodonofor Hew in the Mountains of Ragan, lib. Judith c. 1. v. 15.
Neverthelefs, I find that the diftance of time between Dejoces and Nabuchodonofor to be
upwards of eight years : So that how to make Dejoces and Arphaxad one, is more diiH^
cult than to agree the Foundation of the Town, feeing Arphaxad is not faid to build
the Town, but the Walls and Towers thereof, verf, 14. Now albeit the City was fadly
plundered and defaced or demolifhed by the Alfyrian Emperour •, neverthelefs it was
r ^ 1 !i e t> in t ^ me ^ tmQ good Authors report that Daniel the Prophet re-
edmed a Royal Palace for the King, which for elegancy of ftrudure and value of mate-
rials was comparable to any other then extant. Dejoces dying A- M. 3291. was fuc-
ceeded by PW^aaPrinceof great courage and fuccefs, who died before the Walls of
tnevehy leaving the Median Crown unto Cyaxares his Son. Who during his forty
years rule profecuted the Aifyrian War, and laid clofe fiege to Nineveh •, but was forced
o witnaraw, having notice that a great body of Scythian Horfe had invaded his Coun-
ey, and there relied: This was an un-expeded chance of War, and as Herodotus lib. 1.
reports, aad no other way to recover his right, than by inviting the moft confiderable
Field-