Sister of Aaron Observe O Moore the great error which the Alchoran committeth in this place and how he takes one person for another putting the Virgin Mary for the Sister of Moses and Aaron who was called Mary the Prophetess and there were above 1500. years between them Now can we call a Scripture which erres in so much time the Word or Scripture of God And if it were as some learned Moores say that even as God would and Commanded that Sarah Abraham's Wife should conceive her son Isaac when she was already ninety years old and was forty years past the time of conception So also God had preserved this Mary the Sister of Aaron that from her Jesus Christ our Saviour the Messias should come This reason is not good because in the second Chapter of the first Book he relates the conception of the Virgin Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ and how she was offered in the Temple for the service of God and that the Priests in those times cast lots which of them should have the tuition of her and the said Chapter sayes that the lot fell upon Zachary and that he took charge of her And in the same chapter sayes further that this Mary had communication with the Angels and talked with them and that she was fed and nourished with celestiall food which ye may read thus in the Arabick Ogna id calati c. and likewise he sayes in Arabick O quullenie da hale c. i. e. That the Angell said to Mary O Mary certainly God hath chosen adorned and exalted thee above the women of all generations and sayes further that one day Zachary went into Maries Oratory he having the keyes and there found her eating food which he had not given her and he said O Mary whence hadst thou this food seeing I have the Keyes of the Oratory and she answered him that God sent it her The Commentators of the Alcoran say upon this place that the food which Zachary found Mary eating was ripe fruits out of their season This was the same Mary to whom the Angell Gabriel came as appears in the same Chapter which is called in Arabick Sorathe alehamran i. e. a Song of the generation of Joachim the Father of the Virgin Mary I have set down this here for the greater demonstration and proof that this Mary was she unto whom the Angel Gabriel came with the salutation saying Hayle Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee and that conceived Jesus Christ of the Holy Ghost This salutation is in Arabick thus Oya Maryemujune c. Wherefore O Moore I conclude that this Mary was not the Sister of Aaron for the Sister of Aaron was not in the time of Zacharias the Father of St. John Baptist as this Mary was And Muhamed was deceived here by the name of Moses father who in Arabick is called Hembram by which name Joachim our Ladye 's father is called in Arabick And thus O Moore I tell thee that the reason which the Moores give of Maries being Aarons Sister is invallid seeing it is proved by the same Alcoran that this Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ lived in the time of Zacharias above 1500. years after the other Mary So that wee must say that Muhamed and the Alcoran take one person for another and erre in so long time A thing which is not sutable to a Prophet nor to the Scripture of God and therefore I say that Muhamed was neither a Prophet nor the Alcoran the Scripture of God And hence it appears how the Cutler 's made him erre and put one thing for another in the Alcoran and transpose the Histories of the Prophets out of due place putting the first last and the last first as shall hereafter appear so that it hapned to Muhamed with his Cutlers as the Proverb sayes When the blind leads the blind they both fall into the ditch The fourth Argument is from what he sayes in the third Chapter of the third Book the words in Arabick are O qualacad c. i. e. That God sent the Alforcan which is the same with the Alcoran unto Moses and Aaron for a Light and admonition to the just If the Moores say that Alforcan doth not signifie the Alcoran I will prove the contrary by the same Alcoran which in the second Chapter of the first Book sayes Onzele athorata y aliugile y nezele alforcane haleique i. e. God inspired the Thora the Gospell and the Alforcan into Muhamed and the same is in the seventh Chapter of the third Book in Arabick Otabaraque c. i. e. blessed be he that caused the Alforcan to descend upon his servant Muhamed for to admonish the Nations whence it appears from the Alcoran it self that Alforcan imports as much as Alcoran and therefore O Moore I conclude that Muhamed and the Alcoran erre likewise in this passage in saying that God sent it to Moses and wee need not wonder if Muhamed lay down this error seeing he sayes further in the Suné that David read all the Alcoran whilst they sadled his Mule for hee that sayes the one may as well say the other and he that makes one girdle may make a hundred And if thou sayest O Moore that by the Alcoran is meant the Psalter of David I say and prove the contrary by the Alcoran it self which in Arabick sayes thus O qualacad ateyne deude Zabora i. e. God sent and gave the Psalter to David hee doth not say that he gave him the Alcoran And the said Muhamed in the Suné sayes that God sent the Thorah to Moses the Gospel to Jesus Christ the Son of Mary the Psalter to David and the Alcoran to Muhamed And so I tell thee that thou hast no other answer than silence And knowest thou not O Moorish Alfaqui * Chief Priest in the Mahometan Religion who canst say the Alcoran by rote that it sayes in above 300 places that God gave the five books to Moses which he calls in Arabick Athorata and saies likewise in above as many places that God gave the Gospel to Jesus Christ and the Azabor i. e. the Psalter to David and in a thousand such places he doth not any where say that Alforcan signifies the Athora nor that the Psalter signifies the Alcoran therefore consider this well and thou wilt see and know the truth The fifth Argument is from what is said in the first Chapter of the first Book concerning two Angels called Harod and Marod who are hanged by the eye-lids in a Cave in the City of Babylon and are there tormented untill the day of Judgement the which he expresseth thus in Arabick O guame unzile c. signifying what hapned to the two Angels called Harote and Marute in Babylon The gloss upon this text sayes That God sent two Angels as Judges to the City of Babylon to doe judgement in that City unto the people and every night they ascended into heaven and descended every morning and sayes
is that which he speaks of in the first Chapter of the first Book which in Arabick saies thus Oniz Uquum c. i. e. O yee Moores your Wives are your ground therefore cast seed into them as you please which Text or verse is filthie villanous and immodest of it self and extreme superfluous but the Glossers of the Alcoran in expounding and excusing it have polluted it more saying that those words as yee please doe not intend otherwise than at the usuall Orifice but also that a man may lye with his Wife after what manner hee pleaseth either standing side-wayes filewayes or in any other posture So that although the Text of it self be filthie and baudie yet the Gloss and Comment thereon is far worse Now tell me O Moore what thinkest thou of this verse of the Alcoran Indeed such discourses ought not to be written in a Book which you say is the word of God at least all the Moores must say that God will here teach you how you should use your Wives which is not a reasonable excuse for we doe not read that God taught Adam which way he should lye with his Wife though they were the first married Couple in the world therefore I say that this verse is superfluous and base and the gloss far more filthy for the Scripture of God should not mention a thing so naturall to men especially in the seventh age of the world and which is not only naturall to men but also to bruit beasts and birds Now speak thou Moore who art beyond the Seas Dost thou not observe the bashfulness which the Camels use in this Act for when the Male will Couple with the Female hee never doth it but in the night and in some obscure place where he may not be seen of Man or beast and if such modesty or bashfulness be found amongst bruit beasts how much more ought it to be used amongst men Likewise the Alcoran sets down another filthiness and baseness saying in the first Chapter of the first Book that the Moore who repudiats and puts away his wife once yea twice may take her again if the parties be agreed but if he puts her away the third time he cannot take her again untill she have known another husband Now tell me O Moore if thou regardest God what avails it this woman that the first and second time she must only return to her husband and that the third time she may not return untill she have lyen with another husband for it seems to be very void of Reason and is an immodest and a very superfluous expression and it doth not become God or a Prophet to speak of such things this is what hee saith in the first Chapter of the first book The words are in Arabick thus O Attalcaco c. i. e. that a woman repudiated once or twice may return to her husband but if she be repudiated the third time she cannot return to her former husband untill another husband hath had to doe with her Likewise the Alcoran saies and laies down many superfluous things which have no reason in them and are altogether unnecessary as is the story of King Alexander whom they call in Arabick Dulzarnaini in the twelfth Chapter of the second-second-Book where hee saies that this King Alexander went to the place where the Sun setteth and from whence it riseth and that he daily saw the Sun set in a hot Fountain the which oppugneth Philosophie Likewise in the same Chapter he relates another story of what befell Moses and his servant and Enoch whom they call in Arabick Alhadir of which story there is no mention in all the Bible Now tell me O Moore who art an Astrologer whether it be consonant to Reason and truth that the Sun which is in the fourth heaven should daily set in a hot or a cold fountain doth it not appear to thee O Moore to be against Astrologie and Reason Likewise he tells another story of King Alexander in the same Chapter how he lockt up the Lake with bars of Iron and melted Lead that those of Gog and Magog might not pass divers other the like stories the Alcoran mentions which are unreasonable and altogether needless and which I omit because I would not be too tedious But observe and consider O Moore that if the said Histories were true they would all be found in the Bible but because they are not true therefore are they not found any where but in the Alcoran and not in any Authentique writings wherefore I say that Muhamed had done enough is he had inserted into his Alcoran the histories which are in the Bible But in regard he put down nothing but what the two Cutlers told him he hath inserted stories like the persons Now speak O Moore and compare the histories which Moses mentioneth in his five Books called in Arabick the Thora and observe their order and their Chapters and how they follow each other in order and good Computation and what distance of time there was from Adam unto Noah and from Noah unto the Deluge and from the Deluge unto Abraham and from Abraham to Moses and from Moses unto David and from David to Jesus Christ our Lord without fayling in a day or a moment of Time whence it truly appears that it is Divine and truly inspired by God and ordained by his will and then O Moore observe the order of the histories of the Alcoran and thou shalt see that he keeps no order or succession of time for he puts the history of Abraham before that of Noah and the history of Joseph before Abraham and the history of David before Moses and doth not make the Accompt true for he saies that Mary the Sister of Aaron was the Mother of Jesus Christ and that the Virgin Mary was the sister of Moses and Aaron wherein his accout faileth above 1500. years Thou shouldest likewise O Moore consider that Moses hath set down the Historie of the Creation of the World once in the first Chapter of Genesis and sets down the History of Adam and Eve once and how they sinned and were cast out into the earth once in a Chapter by it self he hath also set down the history of Noah and of the Deluge and of the Ark once so also are set down the Histories of Abraham Lot Jacob Joseph Moses David and of all the Patriarks and Prophets each history once and each orderly in its Chapter and thou wilt see O Moore and observe that Muhamed sets down the said histories in the Alcoran 12. 15. 16. 20. times yea even without order for he puts the last first and the first last and so thou wilt come to know that the Alcoran is not of God nor sent from God by his Angell as Muhamed saies Now tell me O Moore what availeth it or what Reason is there to insert the same History so often and every time in Rymes and Consonance after the manner of measured verses Hence it was that
and be revenged and to expell men from their Houses and Lands Towns and Cities desiring to make himself a great Lord in this world that he might attain to whatsoever he desired and such as he was such were his Disciples after him full of pride vanity and vain glory cruell avaritious and Vindicative which appeared to be true by their carriage towards each other for one killed another and others those which followed to be revenged of each other viz. The Fathers on the Children and the Children on their Fathers so that they were all murderers through their ambition to be Lords Caliphs Princes and Kings We read in the Suné that Hosman the third Caliph Muhameds Son-in-Law was slain by the sword of Haly Muhameds Couzen-german which sword was impoisoned by Axa Muhameds wife so that with Axa's assistance Haly to make himself Caliph committed cruell murther for we read in the Suné that Hosman was slain with the said sword in his own house and when he was dead was cast on a Dunghill and there lay three dayes neither durst any of his friends touch him or carry away his dead Corps till it began to stink I relate this for to shew the great cruelty which Muhameds Disciples did practise and their little charity to this Hosman who was Caliph and Muhameds Disciple and his double son-in-Law for he had marryed two of Muhameds daughters Likewise Haly the 4. Caliph was slain by one of Hosmans Kinsmen called Moagua who slew Haly whilst he was making his Zala or prayer in the Mosque and casting him down gave him such a blow that he struck his head from his shoulders and this Mohagua being afterwards Caliph was killed by one of Halys sons called Alhuzemi who was afterwards Caliph And afterwards this Alhuzemi who was son of Haly and Nephew of Muhamed that is to say son of his daughter was afterwards slain by a Kinsman of the said Moagua's who caused his head to be cut of and laid in a Platter and so had it served up severall dayes at his table and thus this destruction and slaughter of the Caliphs continued until the 30th Caliph which I prove by the book above quoted called Quietebe Alimeme that is the Book of the Caliphs and Kings wherefore I conclude and say as was the Master such were the Disciples and therefore the Proverb saies well when the head akes all the Members are distempered also For conclusion I will here insert one Article which I forgot to set down in the Chapter of wives You must know that Muhamed contracted marriage with the said Axa who was Ubequar's Daughter when she was six years old and consummated the said Marriage with her when she was but eight years old which thing I prove by the said book Azar upon which I would ask thee O Moore and would have thee resolve me whether it was fit for Muhamed to consummate Marriage with a little girle of eight years old which is almost a homicide and a sin against nature especially in such a man as Muhamed and who at that time had seven wives together Speak O Moore in Gods Name was it not a great vice and was he not a man Luxurious beyond measure wherefore O Moore I intreat thee to consider all this above for it is all spoken to give thee light and to the end that thou mayest come to the knowledge of what thou dost not understand for the truth is there are very few of the Alfaquies of the Moores who understand their own Law and of the other Moores not one and I doe assure thee that what I have written in this Book is not of malice but because I thought it necessary to make and collect such a discourse seeing I had received ability from God to doe it and I render infinite thanks to God and our Lord Jesus Christ for that he hath illuminated mee by the light of his grace and hath drawn me from such obscurity and so great Darkness and therfore I say with the Prophet David this verse which he singeth Even as a bird Out of the fowlers Ginn Escapes away Right so it fares with us Broke are the netts And wee have scaped thus I Render thee thanks Almighty God who livest and reignest for ever and ever for all thy benefits and especially O heavenly father I give thee thanks for that not for my merits but of thy meer mercy thou hast been pleased to let me have a place in the Company and assembly of Christians I humbly beseech thee that with stedfast purpose I may keep the faith which I promised in Baptism and that so I may have a place amongst thine Elect in glory through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen FINIS
was called Ayate ragime i. e. the verse of Lapidation which was in the sixth Chapter of the Light in the third book so that the Alcoran was larger and had more verses in the dayes of Muhamed than it now hath Now tell mee O Moore who never knewest or heardest such things what thinkest thou of the Scripture which you so much reverence that when ye take it in your hands ye kisse it and swear by it and keep it like a God and call it Alkitib Alhazim i. e. a glorious book and Alcoran alhadin i. e. the Mighty Alcoran so that indeed ye hould it for a God I tell thee O Moore that if it were from God and the word of God that of it which is lost had not been lost and the Mice had not eaten those notes in Axa's house that verse of Lapidations had not been lost Observe then O Moore consider this and thou wilt know thy error be converted to God God will have mercy on thee if thou lovest thy self and if thy soul be dear to thee and so I will conclude this second Chapter CHAP. III. The third Chapter of this Treatise discourseth of Muhamed's Suné what the word signifies of the six books thereof and what they contain their names and the reason of the Collecting of them who collected them and when they were collected corrected and reduced into the order they are now in SUné Signifies a Way or Law or the following of the sayings actions and counsels of Muhamed which his disciples wrote after his death and after his Disciples the Moores transcribed copied the disciples books augmented and abridged them and wholy altered Muhamed's deeds and words whence proceeded so great a confusion in all the books that what he in his life time commanded negatively they laid the same down affirmatively and what Muhamed had commanded and set down in his Law affirmatively they set the same down negatively insomuch that this Law was like to be destroyed and never used more Upon which ground and because of the great dammage and difference which hapned in the Muhametan Sect and to prevent the utter losse of the same an Alkalife or King of the Moores caused publick Proclamation to be made through all his dominions that all the Learned men Alfaquies and Docters should repaire to him to the City of Damascus and should bring with them all the books that could be found written of the Suné and of Muhamed's words and works Whereupon all the Learned men then lieving amongst the Moores came thither and brought all the books of the Suné Then the said Caliph or King of the Moores commanded that six Alfaquies and learned men who were best instructed read in the Suné should be chosen from amongst them whereupon out of two hundred learned men which repaired thither six were chosen the first or principall of which was called Muâ—lin the second Bohari the third Buhora yra the fourth Anecery the fifth Aâ—ermindi the sixth Doud Then the said Caliph called these six learned men unto him and commanded them that they should goe alone into a house with all the books which till then could be found of the Suné and that each of them should by himself collect one book of all the sayings and deeds of Muhamed which he should conceive to be true and that they should each entitle his book with his own name So these six men went into a house with all the books which the Moores had gathered from all parts and each of them collected a book and entituled and called it by his proper name and they presented them to the King or Caliph who after the said six books had been viewed and examined by all the other docters there assembled commanded that all the other books should be cast into a great river near Damascus called Adegele whereupon having laden two hundred Camels with the multitude of books which were brought thither they cast them into this river Likewise the King gave notice by a Decree or publick Proclamation throughout all the countries of the Moores that no Alfaquy should dare to read or keep any book but the six aforesaid and that none should mention any saying or deed of Muhamed but such as should be found written in the said books and that all Moores and Musselmen or beleevers of Muhamed should receive these books for as true and authentick as if they were the very Alcoran it self and that they should not be lesse reverenced amongst them than the Alcoran it self All which the Moores observe and have these books in as great reverence as the Alcoran it self and the words thereof are amongst the Moores of as much yea greater authority than is the Alcoran I have the more enlarged my self upon this point because that in some cases they follow the sayings of Muhamed and leave the sayings of the Alcoran as of no effect which sayings of Muhamed are contained in the six books aforesaid so that the word of God which in their opinion is the Alcoran is made voyd by Muhameds sayings as is declared in the preceeding Chapter and as shall further appear in the eleventh Chapter In this manner was Muhamed's Sect restored and for this the Moores hold and esteem the said Caliph for a Saint Nevertheless I say that in most part of what these learned men gathered and collected in those six books they have incerted severall contrarieties and divers sayings and doings of Muhamed which contradict each other and doe not agree one whit Which hath caused the four opinions which the Moores have in their Law and retaine in their Sect which were raised afterwards by four doctors the first whereof was called Melich the second Assafihi the third Alambeli and the fourth Abuhamfa and yee must understand that the said difference in opinion is practised by the Moores in their washings which they use when they make their Zala or praier and not onely in making of their Zala but also in their fasts and in severall other Ceremonies and customes but especially in those things which appertain to Judicature so that each opinion in it self differs from the other three Of Melech's opinion are all the Moores of Medina and of all Africk and all the Moores which are and were in Spain Of Assafihy's opinion are the Moores of Meka and the Country adjacent all those of Arabia the Happy and the Great those of Baldeck and Damascus Of Alambelii's opinion are the Moores of Armenia and Persia and of Buhamfai's opinion are the Moores of Syria and Alexandria but in Grand-Cair all the four opinions are followed I mean that those Moores are divided into four parties or Sects viz. one holds Melich's opinion another Alssafihy's opinion another is of the third opinion and another of the fourth opinion the which proceeds from the great and innumerable multitude of people in that City So that by reason of those six Books and of those four opinions Muhameds Sect hath alwaies
things is not the Law nor the Prophet much lesse the scripture of God for all the premises doe impugne Truth Reason Philosophy Logick Astrology and chiefly Theology but not that Divinity of the Moores which speaks not of spirituall things but of Corporeall and Terrene CHAP. V. The fifth Chapter of this Treatise discourseth of divers fooleries and unthruths which are in the Alcoran from which wee may conclude that the Alcoran is not the Word of God IMprimis That history which the ninth Chapter of the third book relates of King Salomon of which story there is no mention in all the Bible and in Arabick it is thus Oguahosira c. i. e. That King Salomon arayed his Armies and Squadrons aswell of men as of devills and birds and that Salomon led his Armies unto the river of Pismires then a Pismire cried out and said to the other Pismires O ye Pismires goe into your habitations and Salomon will not distroy you neither shall ye perish by his Armies and that Salomon woundred at the saying of this Pismire and praised God The glosse sayes that Salomon heard the voyce of this Pismire a Leagues distance The Story in Arabick proceeds and sayes thus Ofata facada c. That Salomon assembled the birds and found that the Whoop was wanting and out of her place whereupon Salomon threatned the Whoop and said that if she did not give account whether she went he would torture her and put her to death The Arabick proceeds and saies Ocalet inni c. i. e. that the Whoop answered Salomon and said that she knew that which Salomon knew not and said that shee had been in the countrey of Saba where shee found the Queen of Saba the Lady and Princesse of Saba Then Salomon said to the Whoop That he would see whether shee spake a truth or a lye and Salomon sent a Letter to the Queen of Saba by the Whoop threatning that if shee would not obediently come to him he would come and ruin her countrey The text of the Alcoran prosecuting this history sayes thus in Arabick Ocale ayuquum c. i. e. That Salomon knowing that the Queen of Saba was on her way would have her Royall palace brought thither before her that shee might see his power whereupon Salomon called two devills and asked them which of them could soonest bring the Queen of Sheba's Royall Palace thither before shee arived One of the devills told him that he would bring it in the twinckling of an eie the other told him he would bring it before he could stirr from his seat so this devill brought the Palace in an instant When the Queen of Sheba came to Salomon and found her Royall palace brought thither before her self was come shee marvailed and said that Salomon's power was very great I have inserted all this aforesaid into this Chapter for two reasons first that all the Readers may know what fables and lies the Alcoran treateth of and relateth secondly to shew that Muhamed layes down nothing in the Alcoran but what the two Cutlers told him and as they informed him and for this cause the people of Mecca said that the Alcoran was nothing but old stories and in divers places of the Alcoran it is said in Arabick Ocalu inhede ille azatero aleguelin i. e. That the Alcoran was nothing but ancient stories What the Comment sayes upon the premises is most ridiculous amongst other things it sayes that Salomon carried a bed with him three miles in length and as much in breadth all wrought of gold and silver which bed was carried by Devils the riches of the Curtains and Vallens of the said Bed was unexpressible And further that the birds attended this Bed in such an Order that they flew touching each others wings and served for a Canopie or shadow to Salomon that the Sun might not scorch him And that when the Whoop was gone to the sayd Country of Saba her place was left open through the which the Sun-beams shone and touched Solomons face Whereupon Salomon grew angry and threatned the Whoope as is aforesaid telling her that he would torture her and cut off her head Now speak O Moore what think you of this Story Consider that it hath no reason nor any semblance of truth in it nor is it to any purpose or necessary to mention or allege such a story much lesse of such a man as Salomon and which is not mentioned in all the Scriptures of the old and new Testaments Observe likewise O Moore the threats and menaces which Salomon used to the Whoope of torture and death which thing and story is more like the tales and feigned stories which are used to little Children than the sayings of a holy Prophet and a holy Scripture which the Moores say the Alcoran is So that I doe hence conclude that the Scripture which handles such things is not the Word of God and the Prophet that speaks such fables is not a Prophet of God Likewise O Moore thou oughtest to consider that if the things aforesayd were true they would not have been forgotten to have been put into the old Testament untill they were inserted in the Moores Alcoran wherefore you may well conceive that this aforesaid neither is true nor ever was Furthermore in the fourteenth Chapter of the third Book he brings in another story of Salomon which is in Arabick thus O same dellehum c. i. e. That Salomons death was not revealed to the Devils but only by the worm that eat Salomon's staff whereby Salomon sell down and so the Devils perceived and knew that hee was dead which till then they knew not Which story is enlarged thus That Salomon had imprisoned severall Devils and kept them tormented in Dungeons with chains and fetters of Iron and when Salomon was like to dye he commanded that his body should be embaulmed and that they should cloath him as though hee were alive and set him in his royall Throne to make the Devils believe that he was living and what Salomon thus commanded was done and they put a staff into his hand and fixt it in the ground that hee might sit the stedier and surer in the Chair and that a worm came out of the earth and eat thorow the staff and so Salomon fell down whereby the Devils knew that Salomon was dead and so they came out of the pains and torments wherein he had put them All which seems to be and is a greater fable and lye than the former though they are both two great Impostures and of little reason and judgement Now tell me O Moore whether the things aforesaid are Credible and worthy to be inserted into the Scriptures of God to say that the Devils had not knowledge of Salomons death when they daily saw Salomon in his Throne and saw that he neither eat drank slept rode on horse-back administred justice nor did any thing which hee used to doe when hee was living who can believe these things
and all that which St. Luke in his Gospell sets down about the mystery of the Incarnation verbatim Concerning the glorious Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ he makes mention in the first Chapter of the third Book wherein he again relates the Salutation and all the mystery of the Nativity which birth was most miraculous and joyfull and the Moores in Arabick call it Almilid and the Moores and Musselmen all the world over doe annually that night use great feasting dancing and great melody especially in the Moresque or mosk of Sciativia in the Kingdom of Valentia and of this glorious Nativity the Alcoran saies in Arabick in the said first Chapter of the third Book thus O Fane dehe c. i. e. That when the Virgin Mary was in Labour she lay under a Palm tree the glossers say that this tree had been dry 30. years and the Chapter goes on and saies that when Jesus Christ was born he told his Mother that if she would shake the tree there should presently good and ripe Dates fall from it the which she did and the tree became green and brought forth good ripe Dates the Moores say that this Palm-tree groweth to this day and is fresh and green and doth annually bring forth dates I Relate this to the end that we may see how great reverence the Moores bear to Jesus Christ and doe esteem him more than any Saint or Prophet in the world which the Alcoran testifies in the second Chapter and fourth Chapter of the first Book saying that Jesus Christ knew the secrets of mens hearts raised the dead healed incurable diseases and caused the blind to see and the dumb to speak all which the Alcoran saies not of Muhamed nor of any other Prophet Furthermore the Alcoran sets down divers excellencies of Christs Disciples whom he calls haguarquin i. e. pure and chaste and saies that they did miracles above nature as he writes in the eighteenth Chapter of the third Book that St. Mathew St. Peter and St. Paul did two miracles in Antioch viz. That they cured a man of a Leprosie and raised the Kings daughter who had been dead five daies by which miracles all the men of Antioch were converted to the faith of Jesus Christ which story the Moores read in the Arabick but understand it not in Arabick it is thus Ogua drib Lehum c. Which is in prose as the Glosserson the Alcoran say that St. Peter and St. Mathew other interpreters say that they were St. Peter and St. John but they all say that St. Peter and another Apostle went to the City of Antioch and without the City found a man full of Leprosie who was called Habib Anajar a very rich man but because of his disease he dwelt out of the City unto whom the two Apostles spake and said that if he beleeved in Jesus Christ and his Law they would cure him and he was content and therupon believed and was Baptized and was presently cured and seeing himself cured hee led the Apostles to his house and set meat before them and laid them down a thousand Crowns of gold for a gratification of his health the Apostles bad him take away his money in regard that they did not those things for money but for love of their Master Jesus Christ The Text in Arabick saies thus Oguagee minazca c. i. e. That when this man saw that he was healed he went about the City crying with a loud voice saying O my people follow these messengers who lead you to the true Law and cure without money all this the Text relates and proceeds saying that because he cryed after this manner the King took him and martyrd him and the Text saies that as soon as this Martyr dyed hee went to Paradise and then he said I would to God that my nation knew that I am in Paradise and doe discourse among the honourable my sins having been pardoned these words in Arabick are Ozule yalli te caumi c. and the history proceeds in the same Chapter and saies that this King after he had martyrd this man took the two Disciples and put them in prison but they were presently helped out by a third man in Arabick the Text saies thus O faahazezne-bicelicin i. e. That God sent them a third man for to help them The Interpreters say that doubtless this third man was St. Paul and the gloss sayes that the assistance that Paul did unto the two Apostles was that he went to the King and told him that he had heard that his Majesty had imprisoned two of the Disciples of Jesus Christ the King answered that it was true then St. Paul prayed the King that his Majesty would be pleased to doe him a favour which was to let the two Disciples be fetcht from prison and brought into his presence because he would examin them what manner of men they were what Law they Preached and what miracles they wrought and that it might be they were delusions whereupon the King caused them to be fetcht out and brought before him and St. Paul then St. Paul began to examine them as though he had not known them and asked them what Law they Preached and what miracles they wrought and they answered that they Preached the Law of Jesus Christ and that in the name and by the power of Jesus Christ they gave sight to the blind and raised the dead then St. Paul desired the King to let one born blind be called for and there was presently a child brought in of five years of age stark blind and St. Paul said to the King O King let us goe to some of your Idols and their we shall see this miracle he saies that they went to the Temple and their Paul desired the King to pray to his Idols to heal the blind Whereupon the King prayd to his Idols to heal the blind child which they did not then said he heal him yee and I will believe in the God whom yee preach then St. Peter took the blind child and healed him and the blind came in seeing with fairer eyes than any one in the City then the King told them that if they would raise his daughter which had been dead five daies he would become Christian and all his people likewise and the Glossers say that at the same time they also raised his said Daughter and that all the people of Antioch were thereupon converted The Text and the gloss of the Alcoran relate all this above now tell me O Moore who bearest great devotion to this Chapter and which amongst the Moores is in as great esteem and value as the Gospell of St. John is amongst the Christians tell me what think you of this above which you never understood behold how thy Alcoran testifies that the Apostles are Saints and that St. Paul did what is aforesaid and for the Martyr the Text of this Chapter testifies that he went into Paradise for being martyred and for dying in
Kindred and thereupon took an oath and swore to have Muhamed for their Lord Prophet and Leader and he swore likewise to hold them for his sons and brethren and promised them Paradise and that they should not be bound to give an account of their sins this is contained in the 13th Chap. of the 4th Book where he saies in Arabick thus O idyobeyhune c. i. e. that Muhameds disciples swore unto him under the tree and so Muhamed with his Captains and their followers whom he had already converted began to make war and the first incounter which they had was with 300. Gentlemen of Mecca neer unto a River called the River of Bedrin where they of Mecca were all overthrown and put to the sword and afterwards Muhamed fought twelve battells against the Jewes untill hee had vanquished all the Jewes which were at Medina and the Countries adjacent and those which remained alive became tributary to the Moores and so in process of time by wars bloodshed and large promises the sect of Muhamed increased untill he at last conquered Mecca and all the Countrey adjacent and gained likewise all Arabia Felix and Arrabia Magna and a great part of Armenia and Persia before he dyed and when he was dead the Primacy devolved to the Caliph or King Ubequar his father-in-Law in whose time the strength of the Moores was increased to threescore thousand horse-men and after this Ubequar the Dominion came to Homar Muhameds second father-in-law and these two in their times with their Moores gained all the Land of Syria and Africk and in this manner the Law or sect of Muhamed hath spread it self by force of Arms not by doing Miracles as the Law of Jesus Christ did The third cause whereby the Law or Sect of Muhamed hath augmented was by the great promises which Muhamet made to the Moores and which the Alcoran promiseth that is to say the glory of Paradise as it is declared in the ninth Chapter the Alcoran promiseth that those Moores which dye in War are not dead but living and that they eat and drink this he sayes in the first and second Chapters of the first Book in Arabick thus Oguale c. i. e. Doe not think that those who dye in War are dead for they are living with their Creator eating and drinking Wherefore the Moores when they make war choose death as soon as life and hereupon the Suné sayes that none that dye in this world when they are out of this life desire to live here again except those which dye in battail and those sayes the Suné desire to come again into this world that they might dye again in battail and enjoy again the great delight which they had in dying and from thest false promises it is that the Moores to this day have fought so valiantly and have gotten dominion over their enemies and besides he promiseth them that all the spoils should be shared equally amongst them and so also I say that if the King our Soveraign would promise this one thing unto those who would goe beyond the Seas to fight against the Moores I dare promise before God that in three years the Christians would Conquer all Africa and Asia and this is the third cause whereby the Sect of the Moores hath increased the which are against God and against our Neighbour nor hath Jesus Christ commanded any such thing in his Gospell but Peace Charity and Mercy wherwith he will reward every one that shall deserve it Now O Moore observe and consider the propagation of thy Law and by what means it was and then observe the propagation of the faith of Jesus Christ and how it is altogether founded upon Charity and Peace without shedding of mens blood without robbing or turning any man out of his own but Muhamed in the third Chapter of the second Book saies that they must expell their enemies out of their houses and behead them and kill them Now behold O Moore the difference between these two Laws and thou will know thy God and save thy soul And the Disciples of Muhamed did not only fight against their enemies and expelled them from their habitations and dominions but also made War amongst themselves killing each other for to have the Califage and Kingdom and so I say that except Ubiquar and Homar Muhameds Fathers-in-Law who dyed naturall deaths all the rest killed each other the first that dyed was Hozman whom Haly caused to be slain that he might be King Haly also dyed in the same manner one Moagua causing him to be killed and the said Moagua was slain by a son of Haly called Ahoceim and he was also killed by another and so one killed another successively to the number of thirty Caliphs of whose differences deaths battails and quarrels there is a Book written which the Moores in Arabick call Kitabu almu licu i. e. The Book of the King which Book they let none read but men of good years but this Book is not like that which we call the Acts of the Apostles and thus Muhameds Sect increased and spread by the three causes aforesaid and not by its own goodness Now consider O Moore the Disciples of Jesus Christ and what lives they lead after Jesus Christs Ascension Preaching and declaring the faith and doing miracles without Armes and without envying each other yea only to exalt the faith of Jesus Christ their Lord and Master they were persecuted and all dyed Martyrs not as the Disciples of Muhamed who as we said killed each other for dominion and to be Princes in this world but we must say as doth the Proverb as was the Captain such were his followers the which more plainly appears when we say that even as was our Lord Jesus Christ the greatest Master and as were his words works and admonitions full of purity chastity righteousness peace and other graces of clemency mercy and piety a friend to the poor and humble so also were his holy Disciples full of purity and chastity full of righteousness patience charity friends to the poor peaceable and humble and left all that they had in the world to follow their Master Jesus Christ our Lord Preaching the Christian Faith to all the world cloathed in sack-cloth armed with nothing but the Holy Ghost without killing or fighting doing miracles cleansing the Leprous healing the sick impotent and blind and raising the dead as the Alcoran it self testifies and thus the holy Disciples of Jesus Christ converted all the world as David saies There is no language tongue or speech Where their sound is not heard In all the earth and Coasts thereof Their knowledge is conferd But this was not like Muhamed and his words and works who was altogether full of pride vanity vain glory Luxury Revenge and Cruelty destitute of all vertue and charity estranged and separated from all mercy and pitty full of vices and void of chastity insomuch that all his thoughts and studies were nothing but to kill rob