The Plants collected by the worthy Author Dr. Leonhart Rauwolff , in his Itinerary , were curiously preserv'd by the late Isaac Vossius , in four large Volumes , and justly esteem'd by that great man as the most noble Rarity and Ornament of his Bibliotheque , which when it came to be sold to the Vniversity of Leyden , was particularly valued by the Great Heer van Beverning , for these Volumes of dry'd Plants collected by our Author in his Travels of the Eastern Countries ; and tho' some perhaps may give a slight Character of him , for a Mistake or two about Prest●r John and the Unicorn , yet if they consider , that he only relates what he accidentally heard of them from others , they ought to take that part only as a Story told him upon the Road , as he himself indeed delivers it . But this may very truly be said of Rauwolff , that whatever he writes upon his own Observation or Knowledge , is most faithful and sincere ; therefore it was not without Reason , that Carolus Clusius and the two Bauhines ( all very good Judges ) depended so much upon him , and made such frequent and honourable mention of this Itinerary .

But because some might think that the aforementioned Journey of Dr. Leonhart Rauwolff was consin●d to too narrow a compass of Ground , and to some Countries not much frequented , as Arme●ia , Mesopotamia , Assyria , Babylonia , Judea . &c. we therefore consulted a Friend , how to render the Piece more useful to the Publick , who advised us to extend it to many other places of the Levant , where Rauwolff never travell'd , as Greece , Egypt , and other adjacent Countries , bordering near the Sphere of Rauwolff's Itinerary : This being thought most serviceable to the Republick of Learning , we immediately concluded to supply and enlarge Rauwolff with a Second Tome , out of some of the most renowned Travellers of those parts of the World , such as Bellonius , Alpinus , Veslingius , Mr. Greaves , Mr. Vernon , and many others of great Fame and Reputation for their excellent Observations in the Levant , as Dr. Smith , Dr. Huntingdon , Dr. Spon , Sir G. Wheeler , &c.

To these we have added something of Arabia Felix and Ethiopia , which curious persons may be desirous to read , being taken from Original and Authentick Voyages .

Lastly , We prevail'd with Mr. Ray to draw up three Catalogues at the end , containing the Trees , Shrubs , and Herbs growing in the Levant part of the World , together with their various synonimous Names , which do much illustrate and beautifie the whole .

But before we take Leave , a Point of Honour , of Candor and Ingenuity ought not to be forgotten , which is a decent acknowledgment of the Writings from whence the several parts of the Second Tome were extracted , for the benefit of the Reader ; these were Clusius's Edition of Monsieur Belon's Itinerary , by Plantine at Antwerp . The Egyptian Observations of Alpinus , printed at Padua and Venice . The Pyramidographia of Mr. Greaves . The Collections of Voyages and Travels , by Ramusio , Hakluyt , Purchas , and Thevenot . The Philosophical Transactions published by Mr. Oldenburg , at London , and afterwards by Dr. Plot at Oxford : To which we may add some of the most learned Missionaries of the Church of Rome into foreign Countries ; such we mean only as applied themselves to Topographical and Philosophical Observations , as Father Alvarez , Father Lobo , Father Tellez , and Father Vansleb , who , setting aside the business of their Calling and Mission , are not only worthy of entring the List of Gentlemen Travellers , and Virtuoso's , but of appearing in a Protestant Kingdom . From all these we fetcht Materials for the forming and raising our Second Volume , which we cannot but hope will prove beneficial and grateful to the Publick , seeing we had no other design in it , than purely that of pleasing and instructing , as well as of enlarging the Empire of Knowledge .

But when I began to consult Authors concerning them , finding a great many others , no less useful and advantageous in Physick , that were said to grow in Greece , Syria , and Arabia , &c. I was highly therewith pleased , chiefly when I found also those fruitful places of the Eastern Countries described , which several Authors , and above all the Holy Scriptures have mentioned ; and from thence I was enflamed with a vehement desire to search out , and view such Plants growing spontaneously in their Native places , and propounded also to my self to observe the Life , Conversation , Customs , Manners , and Religion of the Inhabitants of those Countries . And although I did not then immediately put this my design in execution , but delay'd for several years , doing mean while what Service I could to my Native Country , yet I embraced the first opportunity that offer'd it self of accomplishing it : For when my deceased Brother-in-law Mr. Melchior Manlich wished me to take a Voyage into the Eastern Countries , to find out their Drugs and Simples , and other things convenient and profitable for his Trade , and did promise me requisite Charges , and a considerable Salary , I immediately accepted his agreeable Offer , and readily embraced so often-desir'd an opportunity , and addressing my self instantly to the Magistrates of this City ( for I was then in their Service ) craved Leave to go ; which I had no sooner obtained , but I began my Travels into the Levant : What I saw , learned , and experienc'd , during the space of Three years , ( for so much time this Journey took me up ) not without great danger and trouble , I consigned all in good order , as it occurred daily , in a Pocket-Journal , to keep as a Memorial of my Life .

But after I returned home again , being desir'd , nay , continually importun'd by several Gentlemen and others , my very good Friends , to communicate this my Itinerary to them , and to make it publick . At last , after many Refusals , not being able any longer to resist their Solicitations , I was prevailed upon to comply with their Desires , to publish it in Print .

Wherefore I looked my Itinerary over again , and whatever Curiosities I had observed , I did transcribe into a peculiar Diary , which I divided into three parts , according as I travelled into several Countries , and committed it to the Press , that I might communicate Copies thereof to my Friends .

It is not Vain-glory that hath prompted me to do this , but rather the Profit and Pleasure it may afford the Reader ; that those who have no opportunity to visit foreign Countries , may have it before their Eyes , as a Map , to contemplate ; and that others may be excited further to enquire into these things , and induced , by reading this Account , to Travel themselves into those parts whereof I have written , to observe that more narrowly and exactly wherein I have been too short .

But if any shall object , and say , That I might have spared this Labour and Trouble , and employed it to better purposes ; and , that the present State , Condition , Situation , and Manners of the World have been so fully surveyed and described by others , that there is hardly a corner of it left unsearched . To this I answer , That what others have written I have not transcribed into this Work , but what I have seen , experienc'd , observ'd and handl'd my self , is only mentioned here : But if any one hath already , out of the like Books printed before , learned all these things , so that nothing here propounded is new to him , I confess this my Labour is of no use to such an one , neither have I written it for him . But he that by daily experience observeth how Wars , Plagues , Distempers , and other Accidents , may and do mightily alter Kingdoms , Countries , Cities , and Towns , so that what was praised formerly as glorious and beautiful , lyeth now desolate and in Ashes , and what then was accounted barren and waste , may be now become fruitful and glorious ; he will confess , that still in our times a great many things remain to be search'd and enquir'd into , which others before us never did nor could observe , treat of , or publish . Pursuant to this the wise Solon before mentioned said , That he grew old , continually learning many things .

And Julian the Law-giver was wont to say , That if one of his Feet were in his Grave , yet he should be desirous to learn .

If this my Work doth not make or improve Divines , Lawyers , or Physicians , ( for which purpose I never intended it ) yet I hope some way or other it may be as well useful as pleasant to them and others ; for whosoever shall read in this my Itinerary , how the glorious and strong City of Jerusalem is now ruin'd , and become a heap of Stones , and great Babylon laid in Ashes , and other famous places in like manner destroyed and desolate , the Land of Promise also changed into a barren Ground , he may thence collect , that the Wrath of God is a consuming Fire , that he hath not only not spa●ed the Jews , his elect and peculiar People , which he chose for his Inheritance , but also destroyed that once fruitful Land , flowing with Milk and Honey , which tho' it self did not sin , yet he hath cursed with Barrenness , for the Transgressions of its Inhabitants , Psal. 107.30 . and turned the holy City into a desolation and solitude ; the due consideration whereof would be an effectual Motive to provoke Christians to amend their Lives and Manners ; for , if this was done in the Green Tree , the chosen People of God , what will become of the Dry , if once the wrath of the Lord be kindled .

Moreover , he that by this Book is instructed in the Manners , Customs , Laws and Orders of the People of the East , and what Tricks and Cunning they make use of , in time both of Peace and War , will know the better how to behave himself in all his Necessary Occasions of Traffick and Dealings with them .

Further , this Book also teacheth a Christian how to behave himself in his Slavery , ( if it should befal him ) towards his Master , without any detriment to his Soul or Conscience ; and how by convenient means he may procure his Liberty again .

You may also see here how many Sects of Religions there are in these places , and how there are many good and well-disposed People , which are not far from the true knowledge of God , and might easily be brought to embrace the Orthodox Christianity .