'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.' [‎265] (288/448)

Firjl appearing Turks.
That year the Ga^ars {to&ztife Heraclim) under the condud of Ziebit broke through
the Cajpian ftraits and did the Terfiansvmtix mifchieff, but to the Roman Army expreft no
fmall fervice by that adion: This was the firft appearance, or time the Turks were taken
notice of, who from fo obfcure a beginning, in few years after made a conqUeft of moft
of Afia, with a great part of Europe and Afrique. Anno Vom. 626. Sarbaras with a ve-
ry great force entred Thrace, pillaged Cdlcedon a Town built by fafon and Arvidi) much
traded to, being in view of Byaanth and the Bofphorm. After that they laid liege to Conflan-
tinopky and for ten days, more or lefs,ftormed it: but fuch was the noble refolution of the
Chriitians,andfuch her natural defence, that the Terfians could not enter, fo as upon no
tice that Heracltus^ was approaching they raifed their fiege and made a fafe, though diflio-
nourable, retreat into their own Quarters. Anno 628. the Emperour having refolved to
retaliate the Per/tans for their former violence againfl the Romans and their Friends, with a
confiderable Army entred Armenia, and in along fought Battel obtained a great vidory
over the Per fan. After which he pur filed Cofrhoe and made a forcible entry into Ctefiphon,
which after he had foundly plundered, he totally demolilht and fired: Ctefiphon was a Ci
ty in Snfiana, not far from Apamia and Babylon, but upon Tygris ' 7 not a little famoufed in
Writers-, built it was hyBelochus, who by the death of Sardanapalm began the Ajfyrian
Empire, albeit Amianus lib. 2 3. writes Vwdanes inftimt Ctefiphon & rex Tacorns amplifica-
vit: the P erf an Kings ufed to keep their Court, during the Winter feafon, there: Bafl %
Cyril, NazSanaen, and other grave Authors are of opinion that at this City the To wet
of Babel wasereded. Hovvbeit moft are of another opinion, for other Writers place it
in the Vale of Shynaar, where Babylon upon Euphrates was built, being about two days
journey from Ctefiphon: nor are there any remains of Nimrods Tower at Ctefiphon. To
return, Cofrhoe when he heard that Sarbaras had fped but ill in Thrace, and had : e-delivered
Calcedon to the Chriftians, inflamed with paffion fends an alTafTinate to murther him: by
ftrange hap the Emperour's Son having notice thereof, in honour acquaints the Geneial
therewith •, who, by this ingratitude of Cofrhoe, raifed a very dangerous Rebellion. Cof
rhoe when he faw things fucceed thus infortunately, fell into aFeavef firft, and then a Flux
infeebledhim.fo, that upon his death-bed he nominated for his Succeflbr his Son Mardefes
begot of Syr a his beloved Wife: but e're he could fet the Crown upon his head, Mar die-
fa was flain by Syroes his Brother, before his Father's face: an ad lb horrid that Cofrhoe
bitterly curfes the fratricide •, but Syroes (as bloody a Viper as ever lived) heaps greater fins
upon his Head> by commanding fome Villains to fhoot Cofrhoe : at that inftant, his loathed
Soul calling to mind his like cruelty to Hormifda his Father, could not but acknowledge that
God was juft in that retaliation, infomuch that in anguilh of Soul, he breathed out his
wretched Spirit, having reigned, or rather troubled the World, full fifty years.
Sofoonas Heraclim heard of Cofrhoes death he hoped the old quarrel was at an end ;
that year therefore he travelled to the Holy City and prefented Zachariat then Patriarch
with the Crofs of Chrift found by Helena (a Britiih Lady) Anno Dom. 326. May 3.
raviflit thence by Cofrhoe, and refcued by Heraclm, as I lately remembred. His trium
phant entring there was the i^th. of September 628 : the fame year that Boniface publiihed
to the World his Catholick Supremacy ^ and in or near which time Mahomet divulged his
Alcoran.
Syroes (by Teixera called Chobad-Xirvihe, in the Tarich or Annal of time' Scyrviah) in
the fixth year of his reign had the reward of a parricide, for he was cruelly murdered by
Barbaras. Sarbaras by the Perfians called Shawryr by Shicard Sharibar, the third month
of his reign alfo flew Ardchyrben Xirviah right Heir to the Crown : but eight months
after that, himfelfwas flain by Joon-flja or Shyn-fiaw, Lord of that part of Taurm now
called Larry-foon. The SuCcerfbrs to this Prince are incertainly delivered. The Roman
Authors from him to the Conqueft of Mahomet, reckon three Kings of Perfia, the Arabs
fix, the Perfians five, the Tarich four, Teijhera feven, the Armenians eleven, which will
be difficult to reconcile *, Joon-ftia at the end of three months was baniiht by Tman or
Tnran DoB natural Daughter to Cofrhoe, She had as bad a fate,' for at the end of fixteeii
months fhe was made away by poyfon, but died much lamented: to her followed
Zeddahs, by the Tarich cdWedfan-ku-kar-connah y by Elmacyn, Gafcan-Zedda who ruled
nine months and then dyed: to him fucceeded Auvrmy DoB {Cofrhoes young , ft Daughter)
who after fixteen months Government dyed i and left ShezJr (or Kenir) to fucceed her:
He alio at the end of fix weeks was flain by Phorog~Zeddah (Shyrtar fbme call him) who af
ter a like way died of poyfon Tefdgyrd followed,who was forthwith made away by Borna-
rym\ hzhy Hormifdas, Captivated, and the Kingdom conquered by Mahomet and his
Arabians, being the laft of thofe twelve vanilhing Turrets which Cofrhoe in a perplexed
Vifionfaw one night after he had been reading and admiring -Ariftotle, as he himielf re
Mm
latede