From the print before mentioned, it appears that Sir Robert did not make his public entry into Rome until the September following: he afterwards proceeded into Spain. It was not until 1611, that he arrived in England; to which event, the want of information as to his employment of the intermediate time, obliges us to pass. Honest John Stow must here take up the tale. After stating what is before quoted, and that Shah Abbas had given in marriage to Sir Robert, "Teresia, the daughter of Ismy Hawn, Prince of the City of Hircassia Major," he proceeds to give an account of what he was much more likely to be better informed, than of the circumstances with which he commences his relation. “The Persian,” he continues, "employed him, unto sundry princes in Europe, and sent him in especial embassy into England, unto King James; he arrived here in summer, 1611, and the 2nd of October following, he had audience at Hampton Court, where he delivered his letters, and shewed his commission. All which purported the Persian's great love and affection unto his majesty, with hearty desire of amity with the King of Great Britain, with frank offer of free commerce unto all his Highness's subjects throughout all the Persian's dominions, &c. This Earl Sherley was entertained and respected as an honorable ambassador: he brought hither with him Teresia his wife, big with child, who was shortly after

delivered of a son, unto whom the Queen was godmother, and Prince Henry * was godfather, who called the child, Henry, after his own name. The ambassador staid in England above a year after that, and having received the King's gracious letters to the Persian, by which time, as his Majesty had appointed, there was a well-furnished ship provided to transport him, his wife and servants, into the parts of the East Indies, and to land him as near the Persian dominions as they could: and, upon his departure from the ship, that then, as the King had ordained, they should deliver unto the ambassador £500, in money, to bear his charge by land, and do him what farther kindness they could. He embarked at Dover, this

* Sir Robert wrote the following letter to the prince, requesting him to do him this honour.

"MOST RENOWNED PRINCE,-The great honours and favours it hath pleased your highness to use towards me, hath emboldened me to write these few lines, which shall be to beseech your highness to christen a son which God hath given me. Your highness in this shall make your servant happy, whose whole longing is to do your highness some signalated service, worthy to be esteemed in your princely breast. I have not the pen of Cicero, yet want I not means to sound your highness's worthy praises into the ears of foreign nations and mighty princes; and I assure myself, your high-born spirit thirsts after fame, the period of great princes' ambition. And further, I will ever be your highness's most humble, and most observant servant,

"ROBERT SHERLEY."

"London, this 4th November, 1611.

"To the high and mighty Prince of Wales."

month of January 1612. He left his son Henry in England. Captain Thomas Powel of Hertfordshire, whom the King now honored with knighthood, accompanied the ambassador both coming and going. He was colonel of 700 horse under the Persian. He, at this time, married an English woman, who went over with him. Captain Newport was selected captain of the ship for transportation of this lord ambassador and his retinue; and, because his voyage is extraordinary from others, I have here set it down very briefly. They went hence by the Canaries, and in April they came to the cape of Bona Speranza, where they refreshed themselves with water and victual. From thence they sailed to the great island called St. Laurence, formerly called Madagascar, where they took in fresh water again. From thence they went to an island called Mohelia, and there they refreshed themselves with all manner of delicate flesh and pleasant fruits. This is one of the most pleasant and fertile places in the world. And from thence they sailed into Arabia Felix, unto a city called Dophar, where, through extreme foul weather, they remained there twenty-eight days; and from thence they sailed into the mouth of the gulph of Persia, where it was meant the lord ambassador should have landed, but finding the place very inconvenient, they sailed thence to Godel, where a revolted duke from the Persian, with his forces being there, sought, treacherously,

to surprise the ambassador, and to take the ship with the merchants, their goods and all; but, by God's providence, the duke's treason was discovered by a Persian hermit, by which means the English were miraculously delivered from extreme danger. From this place they set sail again, and went into the river Synde, where Captain Newport very safely landed the lord ambassador, and Sir Thomas Powel, with their wives, and all their company that embarked with them from England, where they were most joyfully and honourably received of the governor and of the inhabitants of the country, which country is under the Great Mogul, upon the borders of Persia."*

In 1623, Sir Robert Sherley again arrived in England, as ambassador from Shah Abbas. Sir John Finnett,† master of the ceremonies to James I., gives a curious and amusing description of his reception at the English court, and of the occasion of his departure.

* Walter Payton gives a more particular detail of this voyage to Persia, but his relation possesses no particular interest. Vol. i., p. 488.

+ Finnetti Philoxenis. Some choice observations of Sir John Finnett, knight, and master of the ceremonies to the two last kings, touching the reception and precedence, the treatment and contests of foreign ambassadors in England. Legati ligant Mundum.

Lond. 8vo. 1656.

L

"The 19th of January, [1623-4,] having received directions from my Lord Chamberlain to repair to Newmarket for attendance of Sir Robert Sherley, (arrived ambassador from the King of Persia) to his audience, which, by his majesty's appointment, he was to have there, with the advantage and commodity of his near abode at Saxham (his first rest after his landing and long travels, and whence his sister, the Lady Crofts, sent to me to London, to prepare his access to his majesty.) As soon as he was come to court I sent my man to him, with notice of my coming thither to serve him; and having received answer of his desires to be despatched for his speedy return, I acquainted both the Duke of Buckingham and master Secretary Conway with the cause of my coming, and the address I had from my Lord Chamberlain to him, too, for my further government. So, the 27th of January, I was sent to Saxham with the King's coach only, and five gentlemen (the King's servants); and parting thence the next morning early, in obedience of a command sent post to me thither from my Lord Duke after midnight, that the King, having assigned the audience for the afternoon, would have me bring the ambassador by ten in the forenoon, we came with three coaches, besides the King's, to court, where, conducting him immediately up to the prince's privy chamber, (which, in absence of his highness, was purposely hung for honour to the ambassador,) he was