❧ A briefe and true Report of S. Anthony Shierlie his iourney into Persia, reported by two Gentlemen who haue followed him in the same the whole time of his trauaile, & are lately sent by him with Lette [...]s into Englande. September 1600.
FIrst, Sir Anthony Shirley departing frō England, landed at Vlishing, & so went to Colleme, from thence to Frankeford, then to Nuremberg, & so to Augustus: Thence taking his Iourney ouer the Alpes, he ariued at Venice, where he staide two Moneths, & from thence (after honorable Entertainment by the State and Duke of Venice) he tooke shiping and crossing the straightes passed the gulfe of Zante, so came to Candie, then to Rodes, and so alongst the coast of Cipres to Antioch where he landed, and in fiue dayes space marched to Aleppo and staide there six wéekes: From thence he passed with a Caruan to Beere in Arabia. There he & his company made Boates, & therein passed downe the Riuer of Euphrates vnto Arabia, where he presented the King with a very rich guift or present. Thence he departed towardes Babilon, staide there sixe wéekes, and at last met with a Caruan bounde for Persia, in company whereof, he passed the desarts of Same [...]ay, being all sandie and very painefull to passe, and are two Moneths trauail from thence to Casbine in Persia: At which place he met with the great Sophie, by whom he was most honorably receiued and entertayned.
For before his ariuall (vnderstanding of his comming) [Page] he sent Horses Leagues for him and his Companie to trauaile vnto Casbine, the imperiall cittie of Persia, where findeing him on horsebacke (as the manner is) he offered to haue kissed his foot, but the great Sophie refused it, putting his hand betweene Sir Anthony Shirleys Mouth and his Foote. Then did his Maiestie presently appoint a very faire and lardge house fit for him and his Company to abide and rest themselues in, and daylie sent all manner of Dyet vnto him (limmiting him a short time wherein his pleasure was to giue him Audience) at which time Sir Anthony resorting vnto the Court, made his Oration in Italian, as followeth.
¶ The true Coppie of Sir ANTHONY SHIRLIES Oration to the Sophie, as followeth.
I Am so assuredly frée from any iust imputation, that I will not draw into suspicion so noble a cause (as this of my comming with circumstances,) which though they beare the name, yet are in substance nothing but vncertaine Excuses that betoken a fault: whereas trueth séeketh no starting-holes, but as a Pilgrim (who followeth the motion of his affections) is come from farre, to yéelde and pay vnto vertue his Zeale and Deuotion, and to none other end, if it may please your Maiestie to accept the consecration of his poore Carcas vnto you, which my minde hath caried hither to be made an Offering or hanging vow in the Temple of your most singuler vertues, being brought to this point by the Extremitie of my desires, with expenses of much time, and not without great perill: which though it be no Present in any degree of woorth estimable to such a Prince: it may please your Maiestie to remember, that the pitch of an Eagles flight, doth farre surmount [Page] the fluttering of a Flie, and that common base Mindes are not Capable of such Noble Thoughtes, as might raise themselues with the true seeking of thiese your most rare & worthie parts, which haue drawn me to your Presence: whereof I haue hearde men speake with wonder, & now they giue me cause to think my selfe most happie. And therefore I humblie beseech your Maiestie, when you haue read the Historie of the inward thoughtes of my minde, you will vouchsafe to iudge hereof, not as of conceiptes hanging of the thréedes of flattering tearmes: but that you will be pleased to vnderstande through the concience of your owne vertues, that wordes of neuer soe great magnificence, are but the least parte of so high and excellent deserte, and that the lesse I am able to display their dignitie with my speaches: the more will I with my Bloude make proofe of my zeale towardes them, if at any time I may be made worthie to be Commaunded by your Maiestie.
I am a Souldier whose profession is cleane contrarie to wordes, which shall sooner faile me, then my courage to greater effect. Yf the present be acceptable to your Maiestie, I shall estéeme it as a most singuler good happe vnto me: but much more, if it shall be imployed. For it would be but a very idle ende and conclusion of so long a trauaile, full of so many perrills, if it were knit vp with wordes only, and a very poore and slender haruest of so feruent Affection, if it should bring foorth onely Buddes or Blossomes, and no sounde Fruite: and finally too méeke a Subiect for your Maiesties most excelent vertues, if my deuotion and obseruances were not sealed with my Bloude, the which I do humble and fréely offer at your Maiesties féete, to be shed and spent, at the least signe and token of your Maiesties pleasure.
SInce which time, Sir Anthony Shirley hath receiued all the familliar and kinde Entertainment at the great Sophies handes, that coulde possiblie be deuised.
It hapned within a small time after that Sir Anthony Shirley came thither, the Turke sent a very Principall Basha to the great Sophie vppon an Imbassage, after whose comming, the great Sophie dined one day publikelie: where he feasted both the Basha, and Sir Anthony and his Company also, placing them on his right hande, and the Basha, and his traine on the left.
The great Sophie hath dealt very gratiously and liberally with Sir Anthony Shierlie during all the time of his being there: for the King intending a iourney from B [...]ssan vnto Hastfam, required Sir Anthony to goe with him, at which time the great Sophie sent him this guift folowing, (Viz.) Fortie Horse well furnished, whereof foure Saddles were Plate of Golde, set with pretious Stones, and two of Siluer. Fiftéene Cammels, and as many Mults for his Carriages. Three most faire Tents. Eightéene Carpets curiously wrought with Golde. 16000. Pistolets withall, Cōmaunding his Messenger to tell Sir Anthony, that the great Sophie woulde not haue him to accept them as a Present, but as thinges necessarie for his Iourney, (being but for eight dayes,) and euer since he hath bestowed many great guiftes vpon him.
Sir Anthony Shirlie is now at Prage, being sent by the Sophie, vpon an imbassage to the Emperour, and diuers other Christian Princes.
¶ The Coppie of Sir Anthony Shirlies letters of Credence from the great Sophie, to the Christian Princes.
[...]he king THere is come vnto me in this good time, a principall Gentleman (Sir Anthony Shierlie) of his owne frée will out of Europe into thiese parts: and al you Princes yt beléeue in Iesus Christ, Know you, that he hath made Friendship betwéene you & me, which desire we had also heretofore graunted, but there was none that came to make the way, and to remoue the vaile that was betwene vs and you, but onely this Gentleman, who as he came of his owne frée will, so also vppon his Desire, I haue sent with him a chiefe man of mine. The Entertainement which that Principall Gentleman hath had with me, is, that daylie whil'st he hath bin in thiese partes we haue eaten togither of one dysh, and drunke of one Cup, like two Bréethren.
Therefore, when this Gentleman comes vnto you Christian Princes, you shall Credite him in whatsoeuer you shall demaunde, or he shal say, as mine owne Person, and when this Gentleman shall haue passed the Sea, and is entred into the Cuntrey of the great king of Muscouie, (with whom we are in friendshippe as Bréethren) all his Gouernours both great and small, shall accompany him, and vse him with all fauour, vnto Moses: and because there is great Loue betwene you, the king of Mosco and mee, that wee are like two Bréethren, I haue sent this Gentleman through your Cuntrey, and desire you to fauour his passage without any hindrance.
¶ The Coppie of the free Priuiledges obned by Sir Anthony Shierlie, of the great Sophie, for all Christians to trade and trafique into Persia.
I the kingOVR absolute Commaundement, will, and pleasure is, that our Cuntries and Dominions shall be from this day open to all Christian People, and to their Religion: and in such sort, that none of ours, of any Condition shal presume to giue them any euil word. And because of the Amitie now ioyned, with the Princes that professe Christ: I do giue this Pattent for all Christian Marchants, to repaire and trafique, in, and through our Dominions, without disturbances or molestations of any Duke, Prince, Gouernour or Captaine, or any of whatsoeuer Office, or qualitie of ours: but that all Merchandise that they shall bring, shall be so priuiledged, that none of any Dignitie or Aucthoritie, shall haue Power to looke vnto it: neyther to make inquisition after, or stay for any vse or person, the value of one Asper. Neyther shall our religeous men, of whatsoeuer sort they be, dare disturbe them, or speake in matters of their Faith. Neyther shall any of our Iustices haue power ouer their persons or goodes, for any cause or act whatsoeuer.
If by chaunce, a Marchant shall die, none shall touch any thing that belongeth vnto him: but if the Marchante haue a Companion, he shall haue power to take possession of those goodes. But if (by any occasion) he be alone, onely with his seruants: The Gouernour, or whomsoeuer shall be required by him in his sicknes, shall be answearable for all such goodes vnto any of his Nation, which shall come to require them. But if he die suddainly, and haue neyther Companion nor seruant, nor time, to recōmende to any, what he woulde haue done: Then the Gouernor of that place, shall sende the goodes to the next Marchant [Page] of his Nation, which shall be abiding in any partes of our Dominions.
And those within our kingdomes and Provinces, hauing power ouer our Tolles and Customes, shall receiue nothing, nor dare to speake for any receipt from any christian Marchant.
And if any such Christian shal giue Credite to any of our subiectes (of any Condition whatsoeuer) he shall by this Pattent of ours, haue aucthoritie to require any Caddie or Gouernour to do him Iustice, and there-vpon at the instant of his demaunde, shall cause him to be satisfied.
Neyther shall any Gouernour, or Iustice of what qualitie soeuer he be, dare take any Rewarde of him, which shall be to his expence: for our Will and pleasure is, that they shall be vsed in all our Dominions to their owne full content, and that our Kingdomes and Cuntries shall be frée vnto them.
That none shall presume to aske them for what ocasion they are héere.
And although it hath bin a continuall and vnchaungeable vse in our Dominions euery yéere, to renue all Pattents: This Pattent notwithstanding shall be of full Effect and force for euer without any Renuing, for me and my successors, not to be chaunged.
FINIS.