SIR ROBERT SHERLEY, SENT AMBASSADOUR IN THE NAME OF THE KING OF PERSIA, TO SIGISMOND THE third, King of POLAND and SWECIA, and to other Princes of EUROPE. His Royall entertainement into CRA- COVIA, the chiefe Citie of POLAND, with his pretended Comming into ENGLAND. Also, ____ The Honourable praises of the same Sir Robert Sherley, ______ _______ given unto him in that Kingdome, are here likewise inserted. LONDON Printed by I. WINDET, for John Budge, and are to bee ____ _____ sold at his Shop at the Great South doore of Pauls. 1609. A2v [blank] A3 TO THE WORTHIE and Noble affected Gentleman, Sir THOMAS SHERLEY, Father to that Illustrious sparke of Honour and vertue, Sir Robert Sherley. ______ _______ ___________________________________ SIR, Not long since it was my happinesse to meete with ___ ____ _____ __ ___ __ __________ __ _____ ____ a little Poeme in Latine, as full fraighted with the prayses _ ______ _____ __ _______ __ ____ _________ ____ ___ _______ of your worthie renowned Sonne, as is his brest with __ ____ _______ ________ ______ __ __ ___ _____ ____ Vertues; which no sooner mine eie had visited, but the ________ _____ __ ______ ____ ___ ___ ________ ___ ___ generall fame of his Noblenesse, invited me to make his ________ ____ __ ___ ___________ _______ __ __ ____ ___ prayses as generall, and because it had beene _______ __ _________ ___ _______ __ ___ _____ A3v ___ a great injurie to his worthinesse, that but one tongue _ _____ _______ __ ___ ____________ ____ ___ ___ ______ should sound forth his Encomiums, who in so Many tongues ______ _____ _____ ___ __________ ___ __ __ ____ _______ hath purchased glory, thought it a part of humanitie, and ____ _________ ______ _______ __ _ ____ __ __________ ___ the office of a native Countriman, since his honors were so ___ ______ __ _ ______ ___________ _____ ___ ______ ____ __ spatious and generall, to make his prayses speake more ________ ___ _________ __ ____ ___ _______ ______ ____ tongues then one, and amongst all, especially, I chose the _______ ____ ____ ___ _______ ____ ___________ _ _____ ___ voice of his owne Countrey, as the fittest Trumpet of his _____ __ ___ ____ _________ __ ___ _______ _______ __ ___ fame, for whose honor hee hath chiefly adventured his life _____ ___ _____ _____ ___ ____ _______ __________ ___ ____ and Fortunes; To you therefore the happie Father of so ___ _________ __ ___ _________ ___ ______ ______ __ __ worthy a Sonne, I Dedicate both my love and labour, Knowing ______ _ ______ _ ________ ____ __ ____ ___ _______ _______ Page 2 the universall taste of his Noblenesse cannot come to the ___ __________ _____ __ ___ __________ ______ ____ __ ___ deere thirst of his Country more pleasing, then to your _____ ______ __ ___ _______ ____ _________ ____ __ ____ soule, Joyfull. ______ ________ .b A4 To the Reader. __ ___ _______ Reader. This Persian Robe, so richly woven with the prayses onely of Sir Robert Sherley (thy Countriman) comes to thee at a lowe price, though it cost him deere that weares it, to purchase so much fame, as hath made it so excellent. It is now his, for ever, Thine so long as it is his; for every good man (as I hope thou art) doth participate in the Renowne of those that are good, and vertuous. A4v He hath bene a traveller a long time, give him now a welcome home; the Armes of his owne Country embracing him, will bee more joyfull to him, then all those of so many forraine Kingdomes, with which he hath so often beene honoured. If a man that hath ventured through the world, may deserve thy love, thou canst not chose, but bestow as much of it upon him, as upon any. Looke upon him truely, and thou shalt find a large generall Chronicle of time writ in a little Volume. Hee comes laden with the Trophyes of Warre, and the honors of Peace. The Turke hath felt the sharpnesse of his _____ sword, and against B1 the Turke is hee now whetting the swords of Christian _____ PRINCES. Much more could I speake of him, but that I should doe wrong to the common Lawes of civilitie, by taking away that Reverence from Strangers, whome (from Countryes afarre off) you shall presently heare giving ample testimonies of his Noblenesse. Vale: _____ B1v [blank] B2 Newes from PERSIA and POLAND, touching Sir Robert Sherley, ______ _______ being sent Ambassadour to divers Princes of EUROPE, fam'd aswell for his Wisedome and experience, as for his knowledge and understanding of many Tongues. Albeit that man can receive his Birth but from one place, yet is hee Borne a Freeman of all the Cities of the world. The whole earth is his Country, and he that dwelleth fardest off, is by the lawes of nature, as neer to him in Page 3 love as his kindred and acquaintance. This General Charter being given by the King of this Universall Crowne, to all Nations, hath caused men from time to time, (by the vertue of that Priviledge) to forsake the places of their first being, and to travell into other Countries. The benefits that kingdomes have gotten by this meanes, cannot in so small a volume, (as this in hand) bee comprehended. Travell is the golden Mine that inricheth the poorest Country, and filleth the barrenest with abundant plenty. It is the chaine that at first tyed Kingdomes together, and the Musicall string that still maintaines them in Concorde, in Leagues and in Unity. The Portugalls have hereby Crowned themselves and there Posterity with garlands of never dying honour. The Spaniards B2v have their names (for this) so deepely ingraven in the Chronicles of Fame, that they can never bee forgotten. The French likewise and the Dutch, have raised their glories to a nobler height, onely by these Adventures. In imitation of all whose labors, or rather in Emulation of all their Fames, our Englishmen have not onely Stept as farre as any of them Al, but gone beyond the most, and the best of them. And not to reckon those men of worth (in this kinde) of our owne Nation, whose voyages and travells (by sea and land) to set down, were able to fit whole volumes, I will onely at this time (not with a loud and shrill trumpet, as they deserve, but as it were uppon an instrument tuned and directed by another) give onely a soft touch at the Praises of this worthy Gentleman (Sir ROBERT SHERLEY) of whose adventures, dangers, and various fortunes, both good and bad, to draw a true picture in the right and lively colors; would as easily feed mens eies with gazing admiration, as the large pictured tables of others have filled them with wonder. .p Being therefore contented (at this time) to swim but in a shallow streame, of his Fame, sithence greater sayles are likely heereafter (and that very shortly) to swell with the true report of his actions, You shall understand that Sir ROBERT SHERLEY, after a long, a chargeable, and a dangerous progresse through most (if not all) the Kingdomes in EUROPE, receiving entertainment from the Princes of those Dominions, fitting to such a ghuest, desire of glorie still more and more burning within him, At the length, he left EUROPE, and travelled into Asia, receiving noble entertainment at the ____ hands of the King of Persia, In whose Court he so well and ______ so wisely bore himselfe in all his Actions, that the Persian (with much of his love, of which hee tasted most plenteously) heaped on his head many honorable favours. That common enemy of Christ and Christians, (the B3 Turke) lifting up his sword continually (for the most part) not onely against the Polack, the Hungarian, Bohemian, and ______ _________ ________ other Princes of Christendome, but also thirsting after the rich Empire of Persia, and shewing a mortall hatred to that ______ Kingdome by being ever up in Armes against it; It was Page 4 thought fit that (the Persian himselfe confessing and worshipping Christ,) Ayde should bee required at the hands of Christian Princes in the Persians behalfe, against so barbarous, so ambitious and so generall an enemy. Heerupon the honor of such an Embassy was conferred (by the King of Persia) upon Sir Robert Sherley, as a man worthy and apt to ______ ______ _______ treate with Christian princes in so weighty a businesse, hee himselfe being a Christian born, and a gentleman that had Travelled, and by experience knew the conditions, State, and pollicies of most of their Kingdomes. First therefore was he imployed into Poland, where by ______ Sigismund (the King of Poland and of Suecia) hee was _________ ______ ______ received with great magnificence, and applause both of the Polack himselfe and of his people. ______ And because it is not fit, that every Common and popular eare, should stand listning to the private businesse of Princes in a Deseignement, that concerns the Universall state of Christendome, wee will not therefore at this time bee interpreters of the Persians Embassy but rather waite ________ his expected comming who hath in charge to deliver it by word of mouth himselfe. In the meane time not withstanding (forbearing to reckon up the rich presents given by the Poland King, to Sir ______ Robert, the honors done to him, by the Polish Lords, and the ______ favors throwne upon him by the Common people) You shall bee witnesses onely, to those, (not unworthy) prayses of Him, by which his Fame (amongst Schollers of the better sort) was lifted up, at the time of his staying in Poland. ______ .b B3v A fourefold Anagram upon sir Robert Sherleys Name. ______ ________ _____ Robertus Sherlaeius. 1 Heus Labor, Tueris Res. ____ ______ ______ ____ 2 Servus, ast Hero Liber. _______ ___ ____ ______ 3 Libertas, ero Servus. _________ ___ _______ 4 Virtus, Labores sere. _______ _______ _____ Encomions or Praises, as well upon the Name,as the negotiation of Sir Robert Sherley, an English Knight, sent Ambassadour from the King of the Persians, to the Princes of Europe. ________ ______ Mercurius, seeing the Embassadour ready to take his _________ journey, resigneth unto him his office, as being messenger or Herald to the Gods, according to the fiction of the Poets, and with that office bestoweth the gift of eloquence upon him, because he may have power to perswade the princes to whom he is sent: and withal, addes a wish, that those Page 5 Christian Kings whom he is to sollicite, may not be cold in joyning their forces together, but that they may enter into an honorable, a pious and inviolable league against that common enemy, the Turke. _____ Mercuries speech. Thou (O Sherley) beeing borne an Englishman, art sent _ _______ from the Persian Empire to the Kingdomes that _______ B4 lye in Europe, thy place is full of honour, thy message of ______ waight: discharge thou therefore boldly those thinges, which the great Lord of Persia, commands thee to doe. It is ______ not chance, that throwes this high office upon thee, but a full Synode (or Parliament) of all the Gods, doe appoint thee to bee their Messenger, to the great Kings of the earth. For this cause, I that am Heavens winged Messenger, seeing thee ready to depart, present myself thus before thee, and uttering onely so much, as in the letters of thy name lyes mystically hidden, and that is this Heus Labor,---------tu Res hoc ore Tueris ____ _________________ ___ ___ ___ ______ Persarum.---------- O exceeding Labor! yet thou art the man, that must defend the state of the Persians, even by the force of my ________ eloquence. Go on therefore, be thou Mercurius in the Courts _________ of Kinges. I give thee my place; I give it to thee, that art more worthy of it then my selfe. O that the princes of Europe, would knit an indissoluble league together, with thy ______ Master (the Persian Monarch,) and tye all their Sinewes to one Arme, that a noble Warre may be begotten. Let Bellona _______ (the goddesse of battailes) breath courage into the breasts of souldiers; and let no Country bee dishonoured by bearing men, that have no hearts to come into the fielde. O let not that covetous Dragon, which once watched the golden firmament, sleepe in the bosomes of Kings, and with his poison, infect them with that covetous disease of hoording up gold. Cast off (O you Princes) your sensuall pleasures, and let it bee your Ambition to weare Garlands of Oake, which are the Crownes of Conquerors. Prefer immortall Fame before all those Dangers, over which you must of necessity passe, be they never so invincible in the shew of undertaking, and aspire onely to that life which shall remaine, when your bodyes lye dead. Heaven (in your doing so) shall smile upon your enterprises. Hell shall bee conquered, and that hel-hownde broode of Maho- _____ B4v met bee utterly confounded. Universall peace shall Crown ___ the world, and the Barbarous Turks, feele the Sinewes and puissant Arms of Europe. ______ To the Nations (unto whome the Ambassadour is sent, on great and serious affaires, as rightly may be cojectured.) A desire and wish is made, that all Kings in Christendome, may entertaine this holy Warre, with the same courage, Page 6 constancie and zeale, that the Persian doeth. _______ Hearken O you Polanders, Italians, French, and you Germaines; Enrich your Chronicles, with an Act of a wonder never heard of in the world before: For beholde, a Brittaine, is sent on a royall message, from the King of the Persians. A Brittaine is sent, but who is it? Such a one hee is, as by his name (beeing before Anagramatizde) hee may apparantly be deciphered. Ast Liber, Servus Hero. ___ ______ ______ _____ Free-borne and a servant onely unto his Soveraigne. Hee, even hee, is sent to you (O you Nations of Europe,) from the confines of the Persians, bringing along ______ ________ with him, the name of his Lord, and with that name, the sound of an Approaching warre. The destinies begin to promise some great matter: The God of Battailes (heereupon) speakes cheerefully. God himselfe prepares the Armour; muster your selves together therefore (O you Kings) and with a religious defence, draw your swords against the Turkes. C1 A gratulatorie compendious Speech, to Sir Robert Sherley, commending both his Vertue, and present Fortune. O Sherley, thou that art an honour to the Persians, ________ aswell as to the Britaines: within whose head dwelleth _________ experience and wisdome, and upon whose tongue eloquence writeth her charmes: whatsoever hee was, that at first durst say that Fortune was Blind and that shee bestowed extraordinary benefits upon undeserving men, let him know, that all this while hee hath bin in an error: for Fortune had more eyes then Argus, when shee Crowned this Englishman _____ with so many Persian honors and offices, That Monarch (O thou Renowned Britaine) whose sword is dreadfull to the Thracian Tyrant, makes thee a partner in the cares and ________ burdens of his empyre: for he hath seene, yea he hath ever seene, and found thee constant in execution of all his just and Royall commandes. The Empire of the Persians is here commended: The Kings and ________ Princes of Europe being called to give witnesse, how much ______ glory the dexteritie of Sir Robert Sherley, hath added to the Persian Monarchie: Upon which, he appeares to the _______ Persians a Gentleman of such merit, as that England may very ________ _______ justly accuse Persia of wrong, for detaining him from her. ______ The fame of the Persian Empire doth not grow up only in _______ a meane Soiuldier, for their Cities are full of re- C1v nowned and worthy Captains: from the Ancient discipline and Page 7 Stratagems of warre, are the glories of the Persians sprung ________ up and continue famous, But (O thou honoured Englishman) shee derived her first principles from thy practice and knowledge. Farre be my words from the base servitude of flattery: for within a short time, Kings shall rise up as witnesses of what I speake. Let thine owne Country envy the kingdome of Persia for enjoying this honor, (which by thee ______ is given her) yea, let her challenge thee to be delivered backe againe as her owne, yet let her clayme be made in such manner, that England and Persia, may not grow into quarrell _______ ______ about thee, But rather thus let them both share thee. Let rich Persia enjoy thy presence, and reckon thee in the ______ number of her Citizens, and bee proud in the possession of a man, so worthy: Let England glorie that shee alone, is _______ happy in thy Birth, and that she beares the honor of giving thee thy name. But howsoever (O thou, the Dignitie and Luster of two renowned Kingdomes) Goe thou on, in thine intended ambassage, and performe these Heasts, which the great Persian thy Lord hath imposed upon thy Integrity. _______ A short speech uttered as it were by the whole body of the Polish Court, to Robert Sherley Ambassadour from the invincible King of the Persians. ________ It is not thy rich garments Embroydered so thicke with gold, and woven by Grecian workemen, that drawes our eyes into admiration by beholding thee: It is not thy sparkling Jewels, nor those costly pretious stones C2 that adorne thy Robe, which dazle our sight. It is not thy comely ryding, nor skilfull managing of that Thracian courser, upon whose back thou sittest, whilst the proud beast it selfe, Champs on the glistering bit in disdaine to bee so curbed, that makes us to looke after thee, It is not that victorious Semyter of thine, wherewith thou hast made _______ the earth drunke so often with so much bloud of those, that are enemies to the Persians, that causeth us to stand gazing at thy presence: No it is the beauty of thy minde wherewith our eyes are inchanted. It is the excellent musicke of thy tongue, that so ties our eares to thy charmes, Thou being able to speake and to answere so many severall nations, in their owne proper languages. Englands Complaint to Persia for her ________ ______ Sherley. O Persia! thou glorious kingdome, thou chiefe of ______ Empires; the Palace sometimes where Wisedome onely kept her Court, the Land that was governed by none but wisemen: Yet must I tell thee, and with griefe dost thou inforce me to tell thee, that against all Law of Nations, thou robbest me of my subject. Why should the right of another bee thine? It is Justice for every one to keepe their owne. But thou Page 8 makest up thy gaine by my losse. Is this Equitie? Is this tollerable? Cease to doe it: and send home (O Persia) That sonne of mine to me that am his mother: for to me onely is he due. But (aye me) the honors of his owne Country, and the palaces of my Kingdome, are by him (belike) neglected and seeme not worth the looking on; And though to the eye of the world I may perhaps appeare beautifull and great, yet in his eye, I shew no bigger then a small corner of the worlde. I doe envy thee C2v therefore (O Persia) onely for him: yet sithence I cannot ______ enjoy him, Fare thou well, O thou my darling, and with that farewell beare along with thee, the Praises which I give thee. I rob Persia, Persia robs not me: My losse is to mee ______ more honour: for the Persian Empire, borrowes her brightnes from the beames of one of the Sonnes of England. Sherley to his native Countrey. O thou my Country, if I should pay back into thy hands so much as by bond is due unto thee from me, I should then lay downe my life at thy feete. But my thoughts ayme at greater matters, It is not Breath I would pay thee, but Fame: Take thou from me so much Honor, as may make me live for ever. Liberty is the Gole to which I run, but such a liberty it is, as may free me from the common baseness of the multitude, and make me worthy to be respected by the eye of a King. Servus hero, I am a servant to that great Maister, to ______ ____ whose feete all the Persians bow and doe reverence: I am ________ his servant that I may bee his messenger, and beare the Treatyes of such a King, to other Kings in Christendome. I am destin'de out, to deliver his minde in their owne languages, to Forrain Princes and to the Monarches of the Earth. Let them therefore come together, and quicklie shall the Turkish fury bee calmed, and beeing weakened in her owne strengths, shall bee glad to kneele to the power, and mercy of others. And thou, (O my Native Country), if thou wouldest bee pleased to knit thy forces in this just and universall Warre, to what Dignities mayst thou advance thy selfe? Whatsoever is dishonourable, hath a base descention, and sincks beneath Hell, But whatsoever is C3 good and honest, lifts up the unblemished brow on high, and makes it Levell with the front of heaven. The Authors wish and request to vertue, that shee would give unto Sherley such a fruitfull harvest of his Labours, that having Conquered the hardnesse of them, his Name may aspire to the full height of his desert. Page 9 O Vertue! the noblest and boldest guide, thou that givest to men the due Crowne of Praises, prosper thou the honoured enterprises of Sherley: But touching those paths _______ which must leade him to titles of fame and honour, make them even and certaine before him; He hath no desire to have his name eaten out of the rust of idlenesse, no; hee will never unworthily sink beneath his owne proposed fortune. Another of the same Author, touching Sir Robert Sherley ______ _______ being called as it were by Fate, to manage the affaires of Foraine Princes. What is the cause that Sherley hath not all this while _______ lived in the same Country, that first lent him breath? This is the reason, a spirit so greate was not to bee contained within so small a circle, as his Country. Besides, He is the child of Fate and highly sings __ __ ___ _____ __ ____ ___ ______ _____ Of kingly Embassies to nonebut Kings. Crownde with these prayses as you heare in Poland, ______ C3v and leaving the fame of his memorable actions behind him, bending his course to other Princes of Christendome with the same Royall Embassage of honorable, and Christian confederacie against Mahomet and his Adherents, it shal not _______ bee amisse here to speake of the Kingdome of Persia, where ______ Sir Robert received such honourable entertainment, sutable ______ to his noble Actions, and the vertues of his minde, as also the maners, fashions, rites, and customes, that are and have beene observed by the Persians; and first, for their ________ Religion which they have observed of old, doing worship and reverence in their upright zeale to the Sunne, Moone, Venus, Fire, Earth, Water, and Winds, erecting neyther Altars nor Statues, but in open Fields offring their sacrifices, which Sacrifices were superstitious, and full of idle Ceremonies too tedious to be here rehersed: For their Kings; the golden line of them is drawn out of one family, that custome amongst the Persians never as yet suffred change or alteration, and so severe their lawes are in effect, to the punishing of all rebellious treasonable and disobedient people, that whosoever hee bee that is found repugnant in the least demeanor to the will and affection of the King, hee is presently ceazde upon by the Tormentors, his head and armes chopt off, and with his detested body throwne into some common field, without eyther grave or covering: And for their palaces and royall mansions, this hath ever beene the continued custome amongst them, that every King hath had his seate Royall erected on some high hill or mountaine, the Bowels of which hee makes his safe Treasure house, where all his riches, Jewels, and Tribute moneyes are with exceeding carefulnesse kepte hid and secret; And so much they do detest Sterility and Barennesse, that from the highest to the lowest they take many wives in marriage, counting the fruitfull propagation of the Empire, the onely happinesse Page 10 they can rayse to it, and so much they thirst after humane fruitfulnesse, that the Kings themselves C4 propound great gifts and rewards, To those that in one yeare brings forth the greatest harvest of mankinde; From five yeare olde to foure and twenty the male children practise to ride great horses, to throwe the Vulnerable and Inevitable darte, to shoote in Arbalists or long steele bowes, and all such manly exercises which shames many other Christian Coutries, and may justly upbraid them of effeminacie and Lazynesse. Their victuals for the most part, by which the common sort of people are fed and doe live by, are Acorns, and Hedge-peares, their Breade course and hard, their Drinke the running Springs, For their Apparrell, the Princes and those that live in greatest respect amongst them, adorne their bodies with a Triple robe, and another garment in the fashion of a cloake hanging downe to their knees, the inward linings all of white silks and the outward facing like poudred Ermins, In Somer for the most part they walke in purple, the winter refuses no color, about their temples they weare a great Tyara, being a stately ornament high and round with a Cone at the top, from which descends a rich ____ faire pendant of some costly embrodered stuffe, as Tissue, etc. Attirde in some of which ordinary Persian habits his Agent Master Moore is lately arrived in England, briging _____ _______ happy tidings of this famous English Persian, as also of his _______ comming to England to the exceeding great Joy of his Native _______ Country, laden with honours through every kingdome, as the deserving ornaments of his vertue and labour; And thus, ingenuous Reader, have I set down by true and most credible Information a brief Epitome of Sir Robert Sherlyes ______ ________ entertainement into Cracovia the chiefe Cittye of Poland, ________ ______ together with all those severall speeches delivered him by the Schollers of that Countrye, which although they may seeme to the nice eare of our times, not altogether so pure and polished as the refined laboure of many english wits, yet therein they strived to expresse both their fashion and affection to the worthy vertues of Sir Robert, and for a ______ tast of their Stile and manner of writing, it shal not be amisse, if you cast your eye upon these verses following, composed by a Scholler worthily reputed in that Cuntry, one Andraeas Loeaechius, and those are they which at this I ________ __________ borrow to shut up the honourable praises of our famous English Traveller. Ad illustrissimum et maximi tum ingenii tum animi virum, Dom. Robertum Sherlaeum, Equitem Anglum Regis Persarum ________ _________ nomine ad Europae PP. legatum. _______ ___ _______ Aemule Honos Animo Proavis, Lux alta, Britannae Page 11 Qui gentis pessum non sinis ire Decus; Non uni dat Cuncta Polus, sed Carmina Apollo, Mars vires, Arca Nuncius Ingenium. Haec cuncta unus habes, est vis, sunt ora deserta, Numina avara aliis, prodiga facta tibi; Persia se iactat gemino in te munere, Martis Pectore belligere; Palladis ingenio, Tantus honore licet, te Scoti haud subtrahe Vena, At Venam excedit pondere vatis Amor. Immo Censendum satis est Cecinisse Poetam Quod tibi se fassus carmine et ore rudem; Parva loquor, ne te venturis subtrahe saeclis: At Fidei, ut Famae suesce parare modum. FINIS.