The Turkes have a custome, when they are maisters of any Province, to extermine all the native Nobility, [IV. 169.]chiefely these of the blood-royall of the Countrey: And neverthelesse they permit to all and every one of theirs to live and follow his owne Religion as he pleaseth without violence or constraint.
Amongst the Turkes there is noe Gentility, nor Nobility, but are all as ignoble and inferiour members, to one maine body the great Turke, lineally descending of the house of Ottoman: whose magnificence, puissance, and power is such, that the most eloquent tongue cannot sufficiently declare: His thousands or Janisaries, Shouses, and others dayly attending him: which are the nerves and sinewes of the Warlike body of his whole Monarchy and imperiall estate: His hundreds (besides his Queene) of Concubines, hourely maintained by his meanes, and monethly renewed: His Armies, Bashawes, Emeeres, Vizier-bashawes, Sanzacks, Garrisons, and Forces here and there dispersed amongst his dominions, would be impossible for me briefly to relate. The inhumane policy of the Turkes, to avoid civill dissention is such, that the seede of Ottoman (all except one of them) are strangled to death: Wherefore, as Augustus Cæsar said of Herod in the like case, it is better to be the great Turkes dogge, then his Sonne. His Daughters or Sisters are not so used, but are given in marriage to any Bassa, whom so they affect; yet with this condition; the King saith to his Daughter, or Sister, I give thee this man to be thy slave; and if he offend thee in any case, or be disobedient to thy will, here I give thee a Dagger to cut off his head; which alwaies they weare by their sides for the same purpose.
Noble Persians.The Persians differ much from the Turkes, in nobility, humanity, and activity, and especially in points of Religion: who by contention thinke each other accursed; [IV. 170.]and notwithstanding both factions are under the Mahometanicall Lawe. Neither are the Sonnes of the Persian Kings, so barbarously handled, as theirs; for all the brethren (one excepted) are onely made blind, wanting their eyes, and are alwayes afterward gallantly maintained, like Princes. And it hath oftentimes fallen out, that some of these Kings, dying without procreate Heires; there have of these blind sonnes succeeded to the Empire, who have restored againe the seed of that Royall family.
And now the great advantage, that the Turkes have dayly upon the Persians, is onely because of their Infantery, which the Persians no wayes are accustomed with, fighting alwayes on Horse-backe; neither are the Persians adicted or given to build Forts, or Fortifications, neither have they any great use of Munition, but exposing themselves ever to the field in the extreame hazard of battell, become ever doubtfull in their victories: whose Babylon regained by the Persians.courage and valour cannot be paraleld among all the people of the Easterne world, as Babylon in their late and last fortunes may give sufficient testimony thereof.
THE FIFTH PART
Close bounded Hellespont, Earths Mother sport
I leave: longst the Æolid lists, I Smirna court:
Thence Samothrace, and Rhodos, I accoast,
Which Lilidamus Viliers, manly lost: