A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 15 – Subpart 19
Syria Described.
Syria bounds Northward upon Cilicia, and part of Cappadocia by Mount Amanus: on the South upon Judea, and part of Arabia-Petraea: On the East upon Arabia Deserta, and Euphrates: and on the West upon the Syrian Sea. This Country is thought to have been the habitation of our first parents before the Flood, and of Noah, and the better part of his Family, after. Hierapolis was the chief City, where was a Temple built in the midst of the City, compassed with a double wall: The Porch looking Northward was almost a hundred fathoms high: the Temple it self, was three hundred fathoms, at the top whereof stood Images of Priapus; which was their God, whom they served with filthy and godlesse vices. The Temple within shined with gold, and the Roof was wholly of the same mettall. It yeilded so fragrant a smell, that the garments of those that came into it retained the sent long after: within it was a Quire, where stood the Images of Jupiter, supported with Bulls, and of Juno sitting upon a Lyon, with a Scepter in one hand, and a distaffe in the other, adorned with many Jewels; and amongst the rest on her head, one called the Lamp, yeilding light in the night season.
Not far from the City was a lake two hundred fathoms deep, wherein was preserved sacred Fishes, and in the middest thereof an Altar of stone, crowned always with garlands, and burning with Odours.
Antioch, another City in Syria, was built by Seleucus, and was sometimes the Seat Royall of the Syrian Kings, and afterwards it was the third City in the Roman Empire: the third seat of the Christian Patriarks: and the first place where the Disciples were called Christians: but now its a Sepulchre to it self, being left but a small village.
Damascus, another Regal City, was fair, and great, every side containing fifteen miles, by it ran the River Pharphar, that watered their gardens: but Abana entered into the City, and by Conduits was carried into their private houses, both of them adding both pleasure and Profit to the inhabitants; which made Naaman prefer them before all the Waters of Israel. In it was a Synagogue of the Ismalites, a stately building, wherein was a wall of glasse distinguished by three hundred sixty and five holes, in each of which was a Dial with twelve Degrees, answering to the hours of the day, within it were bathes and costly buildings, so rich of gold and silver as seemed incredible: it had forty great Porches in the circuit of it, wherein nine thousand Lamps, all of gold, and silver hanged from the roof of them. It was ca1led the Palace of Benhadad.
Aleppo is now the chiefest City in Syria, wherein this is very remarkable, that though the Plague rage never so much (as many times it doth) yet upon that very day wherein Sol enters into Leo, which is usually the twelfth or thirteenth day of July, it immediately ceaseth, and all that are then sick amend, and such as are then come abroad, need fear no further danger. The Turks call Aleppo, Halep, which signifies milk, because it yeilds great store of milk. Its usuall here with many Christians to take a woman of the Country (provided shee bee not a Turk, for its death for a Christian to meddle with them) and when they have bought them, to enroll them in the Cadi's book, and so to use them as wives at bed, and board, while they sojourn there, and then at their departure to leave them to shift for themselves, and children.
Tripolis is a City on the main land of Syria, neer unto Mount Libanus, which is a Mountain of three days journey in length, reaching from Trypolis to Damascus: The Christians which dwell upon this Mountain are called Maronites, they are a very simple and ignorant People, yet civil, kind, and curteous to strangers. There are now few Cedars growing here, only in one place, there are four and twenty growing together, they are tall, and as big as the greatest Oaks, with diverse rows of branches, one over another, stretching strait out, as though they were kept by Art. There is no place in all the VVorld, wherein they speak the Syriack tongue naturally at this day, but only in four villages on this mountain, which are Eden, Hatcheeth, Shany, and Boloza. Neer unto Tripolis, there is a gallant plain of about a mile in length full of Olive, and Fig-trees.
Scandaroon, by Christians called Alexandretta, is in the very bottome of the Straights: The Air is very unwholsome, and infects those that stay any time there, occasioned by two high mountains, which keep away the Sunne from it for a great part of the day: the water also neer the Town is very unwholsome. Here our Merchants land their goods, and send them by Caravan upon Camels to Aleppo, distant about three days journey. Here are many Jackalls, which in the night make a great crying, and comming to a grave where a Corse hath been buried the day before, if the grave bee not well filled with many great stones upon it, they will scrape up the Earth, and devour the corps. Mr. Bidulphs Travels.
The Empire of Persia Described.
Persia at this day hath many famous Provinces subjected to her Command; as Persia, Parthia, Media, Hyrcania, Bactria, Sogdiana, Evergeta, Ar…a, Drangiana, Margiana, Paropamisa, Caramania, Gedrosia, Susiana, Arabia, Chaldea, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Iberia, and Mengrellia, twenty Noble Kingdomes of old: The whole Empire is bounded East, West, North, and South, with India, Arabia, the Caspian and Persian Seas. In length from East to West is one thousand three hundred and twenty miles; and in breadth from North to South; its One thousand four hundred fourscore and eight miles; So that the whole Circuit is about Four thousand miles: the Revenues of the Persian King, amount yearly to the sum of one million and one hundred and ninty thousand pounds sterling.
The Persians are usually big-boned, strong, straight, and proper: Of an Olive colour, the women paint, the men love Arms, and all love Poetry. No part of their body is allowed hair, the upper lip excepted, where it grows long, and thick: they turn it downwards: the meaner sort reserve a lock in the middest of their head, by which they believe Mahomet will pluck them up into Paradise. Their eyes are black, their foreheads high, and their Noses hooked; upon their heads they wear Shashes of great rowls of Calico, silk, and gold, the higher, the more beautiful: They wear no bands, their outside garment is usually of Calico, stitched with silk, quilted with Cotton; the better sort have them farre richer, of silk, silver and gold; their sleeves are straight and long, their garment reaches to the Calf of the leg, their wasts are girt with Towels of silk, and gold very long: next their skin they wear smocks of Cotton very short; their breeches and stockings are sowed together; from the ankle to the shooes they are naked; their shooes have no latchets, sharp at the toes, and turn upward.
Circumcision is so necessary, that without it none can call himself a Mussulman: Both men and women use it; the women at any time from nine to fifteen: the men at twelve, which was Ishmaels age, when Abraham circumcised him, whom they make their progenitor. Their ordinary houshold furniture is a Pan, a Platter, and a Carpet▪ their diet is soon drest, and as soon eaten; their Table is the ground, covered with a Carpet, over which they spread a Pintado cloth: before each man they lay four or six thin Cakes of Wheat: for every one a wooden spoon, their handles almost a yard long, and huge big mouthes: Their only meat is Pelo, dressed after diverse manners. It consists of Rice, Mutton, and Hens boiled together, to which they adde various sauces, &c. Their drink is Sherbet, made of fair water, sugar, Rosewater, and juice of Lemmons mixt together.
The chief Cities in Persia described. The City of Lar described
Lar is the chief City in the Province of Larestan. Its not walled about: In that Art is needlesse, the lofty Rock, so naturally defending her: shee hath a brave Castle on the North Quarter, mounted upon an imperious Hill, not only threatning an enemy, but awing the Town with her frownin… posture: the ascent is narrow and steep: the Castle of good stone: the walls are furnished with good battlements, whereon are mounted twelve brasse Cannons, and two Basilisks (the spoils of Ormus) within the walls are one hundred houses stored with souldiers, who have there a gallant Armory, able to furnish with Lance, Bow, and Gun, three thousand men. The Buzzar or Market-place, is a gallant Fabrick; the materials, a good Chalkie-stone, long, strong and beautiful: Its covered a top, arched, and containing in it a Burse, or Exchange, wherein the shops are stored with variety of wares: the walk from North to South is a hundred and seventy paces: from East to West one hundred and sixty: the Oval in the Center is about one hundred and ninety. The Mosques or Churches are not many: One especially is round, figuring eternity: in some places engraven with Arabick letters, and painted with knots, and in other places with Mosaick fancies. Its low, and without glasse windows, woodden trellizes (excellently cut after their manner) supplying that want: Here are the fairest Dates, Orenges, Lemmons, and Pomecitrons in all Persia: at easy rates you may have Hens, Goats, Rice, Rache, and Aquavitae. The Inhabitants are for the most part naked, being a mixture of Jews, and Mahumetans; their habit is only a wreath of Calico tyed about their heads, a cloth about their loins, and sandals on their feet; the rest naked. Herb. Trav.
Shyraz described.
Shyraz is at this day the second City for magnificence in the Persian Monarchy: It's watered by the River Bindamyr, that springs out of the Tapirian Mountains: It's each way about three miles in length; the compasse nine miles. Its pleasantly seated in the North West end of a spacious plain, twenty miles long, and six broad; environed with stupendious Hills, under one of which the City is placed: Its defended by Nature, inriched by Trade, by Art made lovely: The Vine-yards, Gardens, Cypresses, Sudatories, and Temples ravish the eye, and smell, in every part sweet, and delightful. The houses are of Sun-burnt Bricks, hard, and durable; flat and tarrassed about: the Belconies, and windows are curiously and largely trellized: the floores spred with rich Carpets: None are without their Gardens, or Forrests, rather of high Chenaers, and Cypresses: In it are fifteen brave Mosques, pargetted with Azure-stones, resembling Turquoises, without; lined within with pure, black polished Marble: the tops beautified with many double-guilt-spires, which reflect the Sun beams with a rich and delightful splendor: two excel all the rest: One of them is fifty foot high in the body, leaded, covered with gold, and blew; the walls, varnished and wrought with knots and poesies: Above, aspiring with two colums of wood round, cut and garnished with great bravery, very nigh as high as Pauls in London. The other is Quadrangular: the superficies of Arabick invention, imbost with gold, paved with Porphiry, painted with Azure, garnished with Mazes, and at their festivals made resplen…ent with one thousand Lamps and Torches. Idem.
When our English Embassador passed through this City, hee was entertained in the Dukes Palace, where all the great men of the Court and City were present, and many young Ganimedes arrayed in cloath of gold, went up and down with flagons of pure gold, to fill out VVine to such as nodded for it: they were served with a curious banquet, at the end whereof came in the Duke: Hee was ushered in by thirty gallant young Gentlemen vested in crimson Satten: Their Tulipants were of Silk and Silver, wreathed about with chains of Gold, of Pearl, of Rubies, Turquoises, and Emeralds: they were all girded with rich swords, and imbroidered scabbards, they had Hawks on their fists, each hood worth one hundred pound. To these succeeded their Lord, the Arch Duke of Shyraz, his Coat was of blew Satten, richly imbroidered with silver, upon which hee wore a Robe of a great length, so glorious to the eye, so thick powdered with Oriental Gems, as made the ground of it invisible, the price invaluable. His Turbant was of pure fine silk and gold, bestudded with Pearl and Carbuncles: his Scabbard was beset all over with Rubies, Pearls, and Emeralds: His Sandals res…mbled the bespangling Firmament, &c. Idem.
The ancient Persepolis described.
Persepolis was a City so glorious, that Quintus Curtius, and Diodorus Siculus intitle it the richest, and most lovely City under the Sun. It was a very large City, and the Metropolis of all Persia, two of the gates standing twelve miles asunder, which shews what the circuit of it was, when in her beauty and bravery. On the South side was a stately and magnificent Pallace, built by King Cyrus: On the North side stood a mighty strong Castle, which was girt about with three walls: The first wall was four and twenty foot high, adorned and beautified with many turrets and spires: The second was like the first, but twice as high: And the third was foursquare, being ninety foot high; all built of polished Marble: On each side of the City were twelve brasen gates, with brasen Pales set before them very curiously wrought. On the East arose amiably an Hill of four Acres, in which, in stately Mausoleum's, were entombed the Monarchs of the VVorld. Many rare and admirable buildings it had, amongst which the glorious Temple of Diana was the most exquisite for Art, and materials in the VVorld: The stones were of the richest Marble and Porphery, the roof of refined gold. The Pallace Royal was cut out of the Marble Rock, above two miles in compasse: the roof and windows were of Gold, Silver, Amber, and Ivory: The Seate within was of Gold, and Oriental glittering Gems: In one room was an artificial Vine, the stalk of pure Gold, the clusters of Grapes of Pearls and Carbuncles: His bolster was valued at five thousand Talents of Gold; the footstool worth three thousand Talents: so that when the greedy Greeks had pillaged three dayes, yet Alexander had for his share seventy two millions of Crowns of Gold: besides hee loaded away three thousand Mules, with two and thirty millions, and seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds in Coin. The ruines of this stately City are seen at this day with astonishment. Herb. Trav. p. 144.