'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.' [‎298] (321/448)

Their Qmalry
In their Rings they wearAgats orTurquoifes, which ft ones moft delight them; fpme have
their Names or fome word out of the Alcoran engraven in it, with which they fometimes
ftamp their Letter: for not one Sword-man amongft a thoufand knows the ufe of letters,
the Mnllayes and Clergy that Science v who When they write, frequently do it
kneeling either becaufe that pofture is eafier, or that what they didate in that tbrm is
reputed holy. Goofe-quills they write not with,but reeds or canes, in which they imitate
the Ancients. Their paper is very gloffie, and by dropping oyl'd-colours chamletted and
veined like marble: the materials are not rags or skins but Bombafine or Cotton-woblj
courfe and requiring much toil to perfed.
In wajhing they are not lefs ceremonious than the Jews, whom they feem to imitate, by
joyning the tops of the fingers of both hands together with the thumb, which is parabo
lical ; this they do, not onely afore and after meals but when they ufe nature v and to that
end have Boys who carry an Ewer filled with Water, which in the open Streets they are
not afhamed to make ufe of.
Their Swords (Shamfheers they call them) are not ftraight as ours be^ but more
hooked and bending than our Faulchions-, of ^pure, metal, broad and iharp as any
rafour ; nor do they value them, unlefs, if the arm be good, at one blow they can cut
in twoan Afinego. The hilts are without wards, being of gold, filver, horn^ ivoryj
ebony, fteel or wood v fometimes of the Ribzuba or Morfes teeth ufually taken at iV
chora in Ruffia. The Terfian Scemiters were of that efteem in old times, that as Herode-
tm lib. 4. writes it became the Scythians God, being acccounted no lefs than fmMlacrim
Mart is. Scytha Acinaci facrificanty faith Lucian in Jove Traacedo. And Arnobim lib. 6.
Ridetis frifcis temporihus^ Per fas JhtvioSy Arab as informem Lafidern, Scythas Acinacem celuiffe.
Their fcabbards are of Camels hide, on folemn days covered with Velvet embroidered
with gold and ftones of price. They feldom ride without bow and arrows: the quiver
and cafe oft wrought and cut very artificially; the bow, fliort but ftrong ^ the arrows,
long and well headed: and albeit fome think incomparable in execution to a Gun, yet
time has been they have with that ( as we in France) in many parts of Afta obtained me
morable Vidories: thofe moft remarkable wherein loft his. Valerian and others-,
occafioning thofe Dirges of the Roman Poets, Terga converfi metuenda Part hi. And La-
can lib. 1. -
More fir ift than Parthian hack-(hot fhaft.
And Virgil in his 4. lib. Georg.
—*Thick^as a Summers jhower:
Or as a cloud of Arrows in their flight,
When the bold Parthians are engagd in fight.
And Ovid in their commendations.
Gens fuit & terris & equis & tuta fagittis, &c.
By Luc ami the Battel with Craffus faid to be invenomed,
Spicula nec folo fpergunt fidentia ferro,
Stridula, fed multo faturantur Tela Venetio.
Nor were there trufly fhafts fleet*d at the head
Aloney but alfo deadly poyfoned.
At this day of little repute in Archery unlefs they can in a full carreer cleave an 0>
range which is hung athwart the Hippo-drome, and (when paft the mark) with an
other hit the reft, turning (in his ihort ftirrops and Morocco Sadie ) backwards. In this
Weapon and their Sword they more delight than in great Ordnance, which neverthelefs
they have mounted as we could perceive at Jafquesy Or mm, and Gombrowny &c. moft of
which were taken from the vanquifhed Pormgal. Some Cannon we faw mounted at Larry
fome unmounted at Shyra^ Spahawn and other places*, but feldom ufe them in a Train
upon Field-Services *, which in fome late Battels has given the Turk, no fmall advan
tage over them, efpecially by difordering the Perfian Horfe who with that terrible noiie
^ tt ^ e The ufe of Mufquets they have had onely fince the Portugal!
aliilted King Tahamas with fbme Chriftian Auxiliaries againft the Tarky fo as now they are
become very good fhot. Howbeit, Cedrenus in his Hiftory relates That Cofrhoes the Per-
fian King (who lived about the fixth Century) invented an Engine which Guttas demitteret
tanquam