'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.' [‎304] (327/448)

504. Thyficians.
bies •, but their beft Falcons are out of Ruffia and the Scythic Provinces : they fly com
monly at Hares, Jackals, Partridge, Pheaiant, Hern, Pelican, Poot, Eftrich, &c. Their
Lures and Hoods are fometimes embroidered or richly fet with ftones of price Th
vulgar fort delight in Morrice^dancmg, wraftiing, affanlting, bandying, fwingiiig UDo e
ropes, Ram and Cock-fighting v in which exerciles they Qvend much time : Nor do th n
value their money to fee boys dance, or lavoltoes upon the rope •, in which Heights th^
are excellent. Cats be in more requeft with them than dogs *, very large they are and t ff
by-coloured, ftreakt like thole of Cyprw. They frequently have them in their armes 3
imitation it may be of their Prophet Mahomet, who ufually carried a Cat in his 11 la
it may be likewife from the enmity the cat hath unto rats and mice, which as Phuarch^h
ferves in lib. Deodio & imjidia, were reputed enemies to fome deities the Perfiws in jJ
times worlhipped. ^
Merchants here are in eflimation : they adventure into Turkey, Rnfta, India, and othe
parts of Afia, and more feldome into Europe. Such Mechanicks as be amongft them are
induftrious and ingenious ^ whether you confider thofe that labour in Silk and Bombafin
or that dye and weave Carpets, or other Arts, with which their Bumrs abound * Be'
lides, they have a rare Art to print Flowers of all lorts in Leather and in colours • of
which they make buskins, fandals, faddles, and furniture for houfes: alfo t-h™ fl-^n r
nen cloth, which we call Pantadoes. niey itamlin-
Their Phyfiicans are great admirers of Nature, doting fo much thereon as thev make
that oft-times the firft caufer which indeed is but inftrumental or fecundary • moral" Men
they be, humane in language and garb, both which beget efteem from all that convert
with them; and did not avarice (a vice predominating .there, and by occafion of lick-
nefs in me full dearly experimented) and Magic ftudies too far fway them, I could value
them above the reft. They have degrees tranfeending one another" in Title as their skill
and femonty merits. So well as I could apprehend, thefe are learned in the Sciences
and few but are Philofophers: Neverthelefs, their-Libraries are fmall, their Books ufu'
ally Arabic, but choice and ufeful', wherein they agree with that rule in Seneca. Nonre-
fert yum mulmjed qiUm bonas habent, commonly fuch as advance their pradic- and Dro
feffion ^ andin their proper Art I perceived that they prefer Plants and other vesetiblr."
before Minerals. Some Schools 1 vifited, and obferved (as I formerly mentioned near
Larr) that according to the old Adage Nectffarmm eft filentmm ad (India , thev affe^
filence, and fitting crofs legg d wag their bodks, imagining that fuch motion advantam
ftudy and ferves for exerofe. Indeed feems to be of that judgment, Mihi neceffa
rmm eft conmtere corpus, utfiahqua caufa (piritm denftor erat, extemaret ilium jablatio, mam
profmjfs milnfenfi. The Dodors are named Hacheems (it may be radically from the H p -
brew wovd Hachajim, that is, a learned man *, or Chachan, which in old Perfan (]?nifie<i
great, or a Philofopher, or thfe fame that was, and a preferver of life •)
m the Arabic. Bw a Mountebank or Impoftor is nick-named S/WT^U,
y ds Chirurgion. They are Mafters of much knowledge, and not a little delighted with
judicial Aftrologie, and not in vain, leemg that in 2. lib. holds
Aflrorum non eflmcMca pars faemU medkim. Many Arabick Writers learned both in Na
tiira philofophy and .the Mathematicks have flourilhed in thofe parts, molt of whofe
Books tney read ; namely Hipocrates to whom the great wrote an invitatorv
n A T™*' Avicevm,
Ben-Eladib, AMecr, Rhiiz.u, Algaz^Uys znA Alhuma^r. In Geography
great Arab Cofmographer whole Works they have, ( one of whofe Maps I faw at
hrcm, and I thought differed from ours both in Lands and Seas ; it was to be fold but
what money I offered would not be accepted) as alfo from whom'thev
r ^h 1C ^ c an ^ b y fuch hel PS become admirable. Nor want they the know
edge o. herbs, drugs, and gums", witnefs the Mydan in Spahawn, than which, no place
in the world I th.nk ftews greater plenty of herbs and drugs: having alfo no left choke
of fruits, gums and odours. 1 obferved, that to fuch of usas had fluxes, they gave
f?,!?'^ r ?f on ' Poragfanad, Barberries; to purge melancholy, Aloes, Senna,
Rhubarb for phlegm, Turbith •, for colds and fweatings, oyls of Beaver, Leorards
Jackals, Herba marts, our Ladies Rofe, &c: Belides which, the Conntrey affords plenty
o, jalbanum, Scammony, Armomac, Manna, Piftacho's, Dates, Rhubarb, Opopanax
, Sarcocoila,and Afla-fetida 1 which laft is in greateft meafure found about Lahie and'
leaft charee "-nH ^ r is the epidemic Phyfick there, of
ealt charge, and moft ufefull; infomuch that fome Cities have above threefcore hum-
mums or baths •, fome fay three hundred. By which frequent bathing their skins become
very fo.c and fine, and by a continued adlivity and tendernefs of their mufcles are much