Delly, Region

1652. Cosmographie in four bookes by Peter Heylyn.

DELLY is bounded on the West, with Mandao; on the East, with the Kingdome of Botanter; on the North, with the Eastern parts of Pengab; on the South, with the Eastern parts also of the Kingdome of Agra. So named from DELLY the chief City of it, by some called Delin.

The Countrey, besides what is common to it with the rest of India, is said to be more abundantly stored than any other part of it with horses, Elephants and Dromedaries. Of the people nothing singular, except it be that many of them taking more delight in thee very than honest trades, live for the most part upon spoil: but those especially whom they call by the name of Belemi, being such of the nobility or better sort, who since the conquest of their Countrey by the Great Moguls, have lived like Out-Laws on the Mountains. Of the same temper with the Resbutes in Cambaia, and the Agwans in Sanga and Dulsinda; who rather than submit themselves to a forrein yoak, (as they count that of the Mongull) choose to forsake their proper dwellings, and all honest waies and means of living.

Places of most importance in it, 1. Delly, A City not only honoured heretofore with the residence of the Great Moguls, who from hence pass in common appellation, by the names of the Kings of Delly, and that amongst their most knowing Subjects; but beautified with many sepulchres of their antient Kings, whose funerals and Coronations were herein celebrated. And though deserted of late times, by the Great Moguls, moving their Courts from place to place, as they inlarged their Empire, and increased their conquests: yet still a great many of the Nobles, and not a few Captains and Commanders, do frequent the same; and have their houses and pleasure of retirement in it. 2. Tremel, upon the Western side of the River Mandova; but not much observable. 3. Doceti, memorable for the great battel fought neer unto it, in which Merhamed the Mongul overthrew the forces of Badurius, and therby opened a fair way to the Realm of Cambaia.

This Countrey governed a long time by its natural Princes, was at last conquered by some Moores or Saracens, comming from Persia or Arabia, but I find not which, who grew to so great power and wealth, that Sanosaradine, a Mahometan, one of their Descendants, dreamt of no less than the conquest of all India, if not of the whole Continent of Asia also. Having about the year 1300 (memorable for the beginning of the Ottoman Empire) subdued by little and little all the neighbouring Princes which made head against him; he pierced at last into Canora, now called Decan, and conquering a great part of it returned back to Delly. The pursuit of his victories he left un•o one Abdessa his Lieutenant there, who added the rest of that Countrey to his Masters territories; but kept the possession to himself, confirmed therin by Sanosaradine, with the Title of Regent. But Sanosaradine dying in a war against the Persians, left for his Successor a sonne so unlike his Father, that the conquered Provinces revolted from him unto other Masters, more able to govern and protect them. Confined unto its former bounds, it remained notwithstanding of sufficient power to prese•ve it self, from any of their equal neighbors, till the rising of the Great Monguls: whose puissance being unable to withstand, it submitted at the last to Adabar, the son of Merhamed, the second Emperor of this line: who to assure himself of the peoples loyaltie, and confirm his conquests, settled his Court a while at Delly, the chief City of it; from whence removed on the next prosporous emergency, as before was noted.