'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.' [‎250] (273/448)

z 5 o The Tray tor BcfTus Alexander.
And feein® the very entrails of the Earth has been thus inceflantly torn for this precious
Oar as the world efteemsit, ftrange it is to confider what is become of this accumula-
ted heap, appearing that the Exchequers of moft Potentates atthisday as inmoft former
timer are rather empty than full, and that all Nations complain for a fupply, andyetthofe
many publick Treafuries would hardly amount to what was unbodied in one Exchequer in
the Worlds adolefcency *. infomuch as itjnay be prefumed that the greater part is loil;
and buried in the Sea, where it is irrecoverable j but not to be lamented, feeing
mfnejs is hut Idolatry,and 'tis not wealth but content that makes men happy Neyerthelefs,
that great wealth the Ferfian Kings were mafters of made them lo reputable witn the.fo-
wans that by them they were ftiled Reges beatijfmi j as amongft others Horace has an ailufion
in his Perfamm Rege beatior: Concluding this parenthefis with that invedive againft Ava
rice, Vlhm eft officium <vel locum tarn fa Am aut foleme, quod Avaritia molar e non audet ? And
drawing our Eyes from the profped of thefe enchanting metals I have the more liberty to
follow Alexander into India, with this caution, Non alienis Cafiris tanquam exploratory fed
Viator,
Alexander then having intelligence brought him how perfidioully Beffm had dealt with
his declining Prince, and the deaths wounds given him by thofe trayterous hands, de
layed not to give order for a fpeedy march in queft of that infamous Regicide *, the rather,
for that it wasalfo told him, Darim at his death retained fo grateful a memory for the
civility he expreifed to his neareft Relations that he heartily invocated all his Gods,
Alexander might have his defires, as to an Univerfal Conqueft of the World, accomplifli-
ed', Vrecatur Suyerum Jnferumq'-) JSfumina & Regales Deos ut Alexandra Imperium Orhis Ter*
varum omnium contingat : with which words he expired and with him the Verfian freedom,
Kit am par iter cum P erf arum Regno ficfinivit-, Juftin lib. 10. Neverthelefs, revenge quickned
Alexanders march towards Baftria , ferving withal to fpur on his defired entrance
that way into the Indies : fo as feledting twenty thoufand Foot and three thoufand
Horfe, with thofe few he defigned the profecution of his Univerfal Conqueft towards the
Eaft.
Marching therefore firft through Parthia, in fifteen dayes he paft through HyrcanUy
which by the natural defence it had in Woods and FaftnefTes might eafily have obftrud-
ed his paflagehad Beffm but endeavoured it: butfelf-guiltfufficiently tortured him ^ for
he was now become the reproach of men: and found it accordingly •, for upon Alexan*
ders coming into Mergiana not far from the City Cyropolis, built by Cyrus, he was appre
hended by his own party and brought bound to *, who abhorring his light, or
dered he fhould be delivered to Oxatres the Brother of Darius to be difpofed of as he
fliould think fit. In ultionem perfidiafratri Darii excruciandum tradidit, faith Juft in lib. 12.
This done, the Conquerour gave order for thelnterrment ofthe enbalmed royal Corps*,
which was done in military form and with as much ceremony and expreffions offorrow
as was poffible : but Alexander being the principal mourner, by the fadnefs of his coun
tenance fufficiently difcovered the anguifh of his Spirit: a generous compalfion h
and fo well refented, yea having fo forcible animprelRon upon the Souls ofthe PerftaP
Princes then attending the obfequies, as albeit the Countrey was formerly fubdu-
ed, not till by thofe tears he fhed could he make an entire conqueft over their af
fections.
This great Funeral thus performed, Alexander then pafled his Army over the River
OxHSy and afterwards the like over Jaxartes whidi Plutarch calls Orexartes, the Greeks it
feemsnot very expert in Geography took it for Tanais y Vrbem Alexandriam fuper amnem
Tanaim condidit^ad in feventeen days compafled it with a Wall fix miles about: A great
miftake, this emptying it felf into the Cafpian Sea and that into Palm Meotis or Mare di
Tanna which, in 48 degrees flows into the Euxin, the diftance 'twixt thofe two Rivers be-
inglittle lefs than two thoufand miles. Alexander Hill thirfting after the Conqueft of
India direds his courfe through the moft Southerly part of the Maffagetes Country leaving
theParopanifan hills and Arachofta on the right hand', during which he laid the foun
dation of twelve Cities: but falling into fome riot,in that diftemper flew Clytm his old and
trufty Servant. Arfter Which he intended to repofe a while at the City Nyfa built by Bacchus
upon the banks of Hydafyes^xvovj called Bodafpi and Hyrotls branches of the River Indus^ol
great repute in thofe dayes for the facred Mount and incomparable Vines there abound-
mg •> which from thence and the neighbourhood to Ararat in Mergiana and thenams it bore
gives fome goodcaufe to fancy that it was built by the Patriarch Noah and was his firft
Plantation. Hereabouts it was,where they ihewed Alexander a moft ancient Monument,
the Tomb of Cainan the fourth in defcent from Adam, who (as in the Jmhafmfol- 6.)
reigned oyer the Indians of thefe parts before the Deluge. Here he conftituted his
Argyrafttdes who had their Armour damasked and filletted with Silver. Pom