Cappadocia

Sources from old books:

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of CAPPADOCIA and the Cities thereof.

ON the East side of Galatia is Cappadocia, the chiefe City is Erzyrum, scituate on the confines of Armenia, being held the randevous for the Turkish Militia in their expeditions to Persia; and the place where when the warre is ended they are dismissed; here is the entrance into the dominions of the grand signior, and though warres happen betweene the Turkes and the Persians, yet these barbarous Nations are so carefull of Merchants and the preservation of commerce, that the Merchants of both Countries, though otherwise the Provinces be at variance, may here enter and transport their merchandize into one anothers Countrey, paying a •…all custome as acknowledgment to the Prince, carrying a Tesca•… •…or certificate thereof with them to such other places whither •…ey goe, which in it selfe protects their goods and persons from •…nger or confiscation, or other dueties▪ so that it is an ordinary •…ing to see Persia Merchants with great estates in Aleppo and Constantinople in the hottest of the warres between their two Soveraignes, to the shame, and contrary to the custome of many Christian Princes, who first prey upon the Merchants that inhabit their countries, making a warre upon their estates and persons, before they meddle with or haply hardly publish their intentions to their Soveraignes; the antient Tibarenean custome being now out •…use in Christendome, who are said never to wage war against any enemie; but they faithfully certified them beforehand both of the •…me and place of their intent and fight; and as it may be conjectu•…d, gave first a faire dismission to the subjects of their enemies, and •…onsequently to their Merchants.

Here is also Amasia, where the grand signiors eldest sonne is seen 〈◊〉 abide after his circumcision, till the time of his Fathers death, •…d the beginning of his raigne: And Trabesond, formerly an Im•…riall seate, now a small City seated upon the Euxine or black Sea, •…aving a reasonable good harbour, and where the grand signior •…aintaineth certaine Gallies to scoure these coasts: here is found •…great trade in summer for fish, which to me did much resemble •…e English herring, which they take upon this coast in good quan•…ty, and is by the inhabitants, who are for the most part Armeni•…s pickled and salted, and so preserved and sent into Caffa, Con•…antinople and other parts. Their manner of salting, and the mat•…er wherewith is likewise as strange; for the Countrey affording •…ot our common known bay salt, there is a Mountaine within •…me leagues of the City, out of which with ease they digge a •…one, to the eye appearing blacke and no way transparent; but •…eaten in marble morters with them in use, it becometh very •…hite, and is found to preserve all Meates aswell as salt de bay, and •…r merchandize is carryed thence to Constantinople and other countries, and sold in the stone unbeaten by the Rotolo, Oache or •…intar.

In this Countrey did inhabit the Amazonian Viragoes, Pen•…esilea one of their Queenes, came with her troupes to assist the Trojans, and long after Thalestris another of their Queenes came to Hyrcania to be Alexanders bedfellow, having now no memory extant of this feminine government.