Book XI, Chapter 70

AT Casben hild the Shawgh his Court, who thirtie yeares, and odd,
Had not been seene abroade, thereof by Prophe[…] sie fo[…]bodd.
Like Maiestie he kept, as those great Monarchs did before
The Macedons subdewed them, of Wiues he had like store,
Besides most bewtious Concubines, not lesse than fifteene score:
And yearely of the fairest Maides, & Wiues, doth make new choyce:
When much the Friends, and Husbands, of those chosen doe reioyce.
Him blesseth he to whome doth he one of his Relicts giue:
Yeat Persian Shaughs esteeme themselues the holiest Kings that liue.
For when a Christian (whom they call an Infidel, because
He not beleeues in Mahomet, nor Mortezalies Lawes)
Is cal'd to audience, least the same prophaine wheare he doth stand,
Must doffe his Shooes, and to and fro treade on new-sifted sand.
Our Soueraignes Letters to the Shaugh so Ienkinson presents,
Who, being ask't his arrant, said those Letters like Contents.
But new-made Peace with Turkie him of new-sought Trade preuēts
The Turkish Marchants, fearing least their Traffique might decrease,
Had, by that Basha, mard his Mart that then had made that Peace.
The Sh[…]ugh did also question his Beleefe, and quarrell it:
So, well appaid is Ienkinson, if well away he git,
Whome, with our letters to the Turke the Shaugh, to send was bent,
Had not the Hyrcane Murzey Posts vnto his Father sent,
And Obdolowcans Letters then disswaded that intent:
When, with a Present for himselfe, he Thence to Hyrcan went,
And theare did him the heart-trew King most kindly intertayne,
And thence dismisse with Gifts, when he no longer would remayne:
Nor onely his Ambassadors vnto his care Commends,
But moment of that Ambassie which he to Mosco sends.
There now suppose them well ariu'd, and bringing gratefull newes
Of waightie Messages, whearin the Mosick him did vse.
Conuenient time he nerethelesse, for Persian Trade attends:
Which Arthur Edwards, thither sent, succesfully theare ends.

This Edwards, and a many here vnnam'd, deserued well
In these Imployments: but of All weare tedious al to tell,
For, sauing of Discouerers we purpose not to dwell.
Els would we here reuiue, but that through Hakluits Pen they liue,
(To him, your Fames sweet Trumpetor, Yee English, Garlands giue)
A Catalogue of Names, that in this North, and Northeast Clymes,
Haue more obseru'd, and more deseru'd, than perish shall with times.
Nor be my Father here forgot: for he, amongst the rest,
Deserueth in this Generall remembrance with the best.
And here, from out those churlish Seas, with Ienkinson we sayle
To London, theare an aged Man, to tell this youthfull Taile:
How he had past All Europe, seene all Leuant Ilands, and
Greece, Turkie, Affrick, India, Sur, Aegypt, the holie Land,
And all the foresaid Lands in all imployde, and intertainde,
Of Emperors, and Kings, as if him selfe a King had raign'd.
Rest may thy honorable Boanes, good old[…] Man in sweet Peace:
Nor haue thy Phoenix-Ashes since beene barren of increase.
But late had we a Fowle like rare, vs'd oftner Sea than Shore,
Ofte swam hee into golden Strands, but now will so no more,
For, though he weare a dyuing Fowle, to Heauen did he sore.
In England, not Arabia, now the Phoenix Bird is bread,
And euermore shall theare reuiue, when shall the olde be dead:
The Maiden Empresse, and her Knights their Enterprises rare,
Which now haue pearst through euery Pole, of all admired are.

Remaineth now, that we intreate of great Achieuements done
By English, in contrarie Clymes, since first her Crowne begonne.
But ride we first at Anker, though a roomesome Sea we haue,
To listen Staffords Comforts which to Elenor he gaue.