shall change it let God's curse light on him And according to this commandement the Moores disposed of their Estates for one while during Muhamed's life and if any one bequeathed a third part of his goods to his parents or brethren the Will was firme by force of that commandement and verse But afterwards there came a crochet into Muhamed's head and without any verse of the Alcoran he gave a verball command clean contrary viz. he Commanded that they should in no case leave a third part of their goods to father mother sister nor brother and according to this last saying of Muhamed the Moores afterwards gave Judgement and doe judge to this day and leave the commandement of God and the verses as a thing cancelled and annulled Now tell mee O Moore Which are those like or better verses which revoke the verses aforesaid because the Alcoran in a Chapter of the first book sayes that God doth not revoke any verse but to give another like it or a better But seeing thou hast no answer but Silence thou must know that it is a great transgression to leave the commandement of God for the command of Muhamed It were no great wonder if one of God's commands did revoke another of his commands and one of God's verses revoke another of his verses because he that makes a Law may and hath authority to annull it as wee find in the holy scripture that God commandeth and afterwards forbideth as when he commanded Abraham to Sacrifice his son Isaack and afterwards would that he should not Sacrifice him but a Ram and thelike of the Prophet Jonas Therefore it is a marvelous thing and without reason and justice that the commandement of God should be revoked and abolished by a sinfull man and that they should observe what a man sayes and leave what God sayes as voyd and of no force From whence thou mayest know O Moore that the Alcoran is not the word of God because that the word of God is as God himself and none can nullifye God or his word Now then in regard the Alcoran is not the word of God Muhamed hath annulled it and rejected it for that which God hath layd down for a command of Law Muhamed commandeth that they doe the contrary not shewing any authority from God as he used to doe for divers matters and for severall acts which he did as a little hereafter shall appeare And how can it be authentick seeing Muhamed during all the time of the twenty three years in which he was giving the Law and making the Alcoran alwayes altered the verses and commanded them to doe many things by authority of the verses of the Alcoran and afterwards commanded the clean contrary and to that purpose gave authority by other verses which revoked the former verses as appears in the changing of the Alkibla where by the authority of the Alcoran he urgeth that they should not pray but in the said house of Jerusalem or in the house or Mosque of Mecca right against the tower called Elcabba and for this cause it is now called Alkibla of which Alkibla and alteration I shall say something in the Chapter of offences and thus I say that for these reasons Muhamed never commanded that his Alcoran should be collected or reduced into bookes and Chapters as now it is but kept it in the said scrowles or papers in the aforesaid ark or shrine and many of them were lost and could never be found so that if he had lived a hundred years he would still have altered his Law and the Alcoran would never have been finished and therefore he did not reduce it into the form which it now hath But it was done after he was dead when Hozman his son-in-Law was King and Caliph who was the third King after Muhamed for after Muhamed's death the aforesaid Vbequar succeeded as King and Caliph after Vbequar Homar Alhatab was King and Caliph which two were Muhamed's fathers in Law and after Homar this Hozman succeeded in the throne and he was the man who took the scrowles and papers out of the box or Shrine and put them into order and entitled the Chapters and made four books of them and in the first book put five Chapters the first whereof is called the Chapter of the Cow the second the Chapter of the Lineage of Joachim the father of our Lady the third the Chapter of woman the fourth the Chapter of the table and the fifth the Chapter of beasts In the second book he put 12. Chapters 1. The Chapter of the wall 2. Of Spoyles 3. Of the sword 4. Of the Prophet Jonas 5. Of Hud a new Prophet named by Muhamed 6. Of Joseph the son of Jacob. 7. Of Thrones 8. Of Abraham 9. Of the Ahigere 10. Of flyes 11. Of the Voyage of Muhamed 12. Of the Cave and the 7. Sleepers In the third book he put 19 Chapters 1. The Chapter of the Virgin Mary 2. Of Taha 3. Of the Prophets 4. Of the Earthquaks 5. Of Beleevers 6. Of the Light 7. Of the Gibbet 8. Of the Executioners 9. Of the Pismire 10. Of Cahaz 11. Of Spyders 12. Of Lucumen a saint and David's Friend 13. Of Bowing or inclination 14. Of the Romans 15. Of the Creator 16. Of the Saboath 17. Of additions 18. of Man 19. Of Angels In the fourth book he hath put 175. Chapters and to each a particular name so that the Alcoran hath 211. Chapters and as much is written in the first book as in the second and as much in the third as in the fourth This said Hozman who collected the Alcoran doth not in those 4. books and 211. Chapters set down all the Alcoran which the Moores in Muhamed's time read in the scrowles or papers which the said Secretaries wrote the which I prove by the book Azar and by the book of Azzifa which say that in Muhamed's time the 17th Chapter of additions in the third book was as big as the Chapter of the Cow which is the first Chapter of the first book but now it is not above halfe as big as the Chapter of the Cow so that there wants halfe the Chapter And I prove it further because that when the aforesaid Hozman collected the Alcoran he found severall papers of the Alcoran in the house of Axa Muhamed's wife eaten by mice out of which he could gather nothing they having laine behind a chest and being spoyled with damp and mice I also further prove it by the aforesaid books which say that when the said Hozman collected the Alcoran he went about asking every one what he remembred of the Alcoran some told him that they had forgotten much of it Others told him that in such a wall he should find such and such verses in writing And so amongst the walls and the Moores he got part of it yet neverthelesse he never found the verse which in Muhamed's time commanded that married persons taken in Adultery should be stoned which verse
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
that one day a fair Lady came to them and complained of her husband and was so acceptable unto them that they solicited her chastity she told them that she was content to grant their desires upon condition that they would teach her their Praier whereby they ascended into heaven They through the great desire they had to enjoy her company taught her the Praier and when she had it perfect she presently repeated it and ascended to heaven and the Gloss sayes that when the Angels would have ascended again to heaven they could not and by reason of the sin which they had committed they lost the grace of Praier and remained on earth then God denounced against them that they should choose their punishment whether they would suffer it in this world or in the next and they chose it in this world and so for that sin they remain hanging by the eye-lids untill the day of Judgement The text of the Alcoran sayes that those two Angels taught the men of that place the art of Negromancy and divers of the Moores say that this woman was translated into the Star or light of the morning although it be not received for authentick and approved of amongst the Moores All this aforesaid I prove by the Alcoran by the gloss or CoÌ„ment on the Alcoran and by the Suné Now behold O Moore who art an Astrologer and a Philosopher and consider this History in thy Alcoran and thou wilt see whether there be any reason in it Likewise behold thou Moore who art a Divine according to the Moorish Divinitie which is called in Arabick Tenbid and thou wilt see whether it can be conceived by a Moorish Divine that the Angels were ever Judges on earth and whether they have ever known or can know women But thou maist say that they had ground to search this woman O Moorish Divine dost thou not conceive that such a thing doth not savour of Divinitie nor can a wise man believe it especially a Divine Likewise tell me O Moore who daily readest the Alcoran how can it consist with the Alcoran Which sayd that Angels are Spirits which is in Arabick Roch for if the Angels are Roch and Spirits as the Alcoran makes 'em then they are not Corporeall as he sayes here and in divers other places and as shall hereafter further appear The sixth Argument is upon what is said in the ninth Chapter of the second book and the nineteenth Chapter of the third book and niâ—the Chapter of Dominion or Empire in the fourth book where he sayes that the Stars lye in the first Heaven that God set them there for the beauty and Ornament of the World and to the end that they should stone the devils and that the said Stars are the keepers of Heaven that the devils may not goe into it and that God set them there for this purpose for ye must know that when the devils ascend towards Heaven immediatly the Stars goe and encounter them with fiery Darts as it is in the nineteenth Chapter of the third book the very words wherof are in Arabick thus O gualacad zeynne c. i. e. That God set the Stars in the Heaven for the beautifying of the world and as a guard against all the cursed devils and that a Star with a brand or flame of fire doth interpose against the devill that would hear the secrets and all this or little lesse all the Chapters above quoted doe alleage And hereupon the Suné says that the Stars are set in the first Heaven bound with chains of gold and that the greatest of them is as big as a great mountain And the Suné says that the devils climb up to Heaven and hear divine secrets and then come down hither and tell those secrets to divers men their familiars This Muhamed sayes in the book of Flowers and that the Stars which guard Heaven doe presently interpose and confront the devils with firebrands when they come and the devils flee from them and goe away with what secrets they have heard and reveale them to divine men Now speak O Moore who art a wise Astrologer Divine and Philosopher whether this can enter into the brains of a man of any of these professions tell me where is that Astrologer who grants that the Stars are fixed and bound to the first Heaven with golden chains hast thou not read the sayings of Philosophers who affirme that the least Star is greater than all the Earth and for what he says that all the Stars are in the first Heaven knowst thou not that the Planets are in seven Heavens each having his particular orbe and knowest thou not that the Moon is in the first and nearest to us Mercury in the second Venus in the third the Sun in the fourth Mars in the fifth Jupiter in the sixth and Saturne in the seventh highest of all Now speak O Moore what thinkest thou of this thy Scripture which speaks so many absurdities weigh and consider it well and thou wilt find that it was all dictated by the aforesaid Cutlers and not by God nor sent by the Angell of God The names of the Planets in Arabick are these 1. Hilil for the Moon 2. Ymareh Mercury 3. Zahra Venus 4. Samei The Sun 5. Musteri Mars 6. Hotared Jupiter 7. Zohal Saturne And all the Stars are in the eighth Heaven in which are the twelve Signs the first of which is called in Arabick 1. Quabsi for Aries 2. Zanre Taurus 3. Toguemen Gemini 4. Zaraton Cancer 5. Aced Leo. 6. Alhadra Virgo 7. Arinzen Libra 8. Alauce Sagitarius 9. Algidi Capricornus 10. Alhamle Scorpio 11. Adalu Aquarius 12. Alhot Pisces I have wrote all this because that thou O Moore who art a good Astrologer shouldst peruse thy books of Astrology and what the Moores Astrologers have written and see whether thou canst find what the Alcoran sayes to correspond with their writings and meanings and so thou shalt see that it is clean contrary and not Consonant to what they say and write of this matter The seventh Argument is upon what he sayes in the eighth Chapter of the fourth book and in the Chapter of Devils where he sayes that a Company of Devils came one night to hear Muhamed and the Moores read the Alcoran and in these two Chapters hee sayes that the Devils took such delight in the Alcoran that they presently beleived in Muhamed and became Moores And the words of the Alcoran in the Chapter of Devils are thus O coluhia c. i. e. O Muhamed tell the Moores that a Company of Devils heard the Alcoran and said one to another that they had heard the wonderfull Alcoran read and that they beleived it and were not miscriants against their Creatour And the words of the eighth Chapter run thus in Arabick O guaid Zarafna c. i. e. And when God sent thee a Company of Devils that they might hear the Alcoran when they heard it read they bad each other be silent
me and to any one that hath sence and discretion it seems to be a root of Idolatrie to turn ones face and to pray towards the House and Tower where the Idoll was Therefore consider O Moore and weigh all the premisses and what followes and thou wilt find that from the beginning of Muhamed's Law untill it was finished it alwaies proceeded from bad to worse was incongruous and offensive full of divers confusions scandalls and vain fancies which things give us to know that it neither was nor is the Law of God The third Offence hapned upon occasion of a very scandalous and villanous Act and great oversight which Muhamed cōmitted viz. When he sayd Mattins with the Moores which praier is called in Arabick Zalatacobbe and was reading a Chapter of the Alcoran being the 15th Chapter of the fourth book which is called the Chapter of the Starre in which Chapter he mentions the said Idol called Alethe aluze and another Idoll called Menete Azalicite and after naming them sayes that they are Idolls and wicked Devils For Muhamed reading the said Chapter and naming these two Idols in stead of saying that they were most abominable and wicked Devills sayd that they were most high Gods and that it was good to hope in them And Muhamed not onely committed an Error in reading and saying these words but also prostrated himself on the ground and divers Moores with him but some of the Moores did not prostrate themselves but told Mahumed that he had committed an error in reading so and prostrating himself And when Muhamed perceived his error he answered them saying that the Devill made him mistake and had taken away the good words of the Alcoran and inserted the words which he had spoken and that through the deceit of the Devill hee had erred in reading so and in prostrating himself The which divers of the Moores took notice of and being offended with it turned to their former sects and wayes of worship Thus Muhamed was not free from temptations though hee gave out that the Angel Gabriel took the black coar out of his heart Wherefore O Moore you must acknowledge that that is not true which Muhamed saies in the first Chapter That the Angell launced his breast and took forth his heart and cut out the black coar or filthy matter to the end that he might not be tempted of the Devill at any time For if that had been true the Devill had not now tempted him nor had made him say what he did nor had he magnified the Idols and prostrated himself to the ground to worship them whereof divers took notice as we said before And when Muhamed knew that the people were offended and that all the people of Mecca and the Moores and Jewes murmured against him and his Moores hee instituted a Verse which is written in the fourth Chapter of the third Book which is in Arabick thus Guame alcerne c. That God never sent any Prophet which was not tempted and when hee read the words of God the Devill would be busie and put some other words amongst them Neverthelesse saies he God commandeth to take away the evill and confirm the good and by this Verse Muhomed informed the Moores that that had befallen him from the Devill even as the like had befallen other Prophets and that God commanded that the evill words should be razed out of that Chapter and good words should be put in and that they should not marvell at this much lesse be offended at it and so upon this Verse the offence ceased and the Moores were silent This thing and offence is known but to few of the Alfaquie's and Doctors of their Law And I tell it thee O Moore that thou mayest know it if thou desirest the salvation of thy soul and that thou mayest acknowledge the truth and follow it There was another thing also at which the Moores were offended viz. when Muhamed took away his servant Zeidin's wife whereof we made mention above which act was very dishonest villanous and scandalous especially in such a one as Muhamed who thought himself a Prophet and the most perfect messenger that ever came into the world Muhamed having at that time nine wives and his servant onely one the which Muhamed took from him and added to his other nine and so his servant Zeiden remained wifelesse And this act hapned in this manner Muhamed knowing that his servant Zeiden had a fair wife and she being Muhamed's kinswoman one day Muhamed went to Zeidens house to visit her and having seen her told her that when her husband Zeiden came home shee should tell him that the Prophet Muhamed had been there and had seen a good * A Lobster or Crab 't is an Arabick Proverb as we say He found a dainty dish for his own Table Crab for his doore These very words are written in Arabick in the book Azar and doe import that Zeiden had chosen a good and fair wife for him When Zeiden came home his wife related unto him how Muhamed had been there and had said these words unto her which she could not understand But Zeiden presently told her the meaning of them saying that she was the Crab and the Door was a house and signified the master of the house At last Zeiden told his wife that Muhamed would have spoken with him for no end but to command him to put away his wife that he might have her Now tell me O Moore what meant Muhamed by those words and whether are they the words of a Prophet and holy man and what was his intent and what opinion had Zeiden of Muhamed when he presently conjectured and told his wife what Muhamed would doe And when Zeiden went to Mahumed's house and asked what his pleasure was Mahumed answered him that he must repudiate his wife because hee would have her himself and hereupon Zeiden went home and related the whole matter to his wife and after many tears and lamentations on both sides the married couple parted and the very same day Muhamed married her For which act the Moores were offended and murmured saying that it was not the act or deed of a Prophet nor of a holy man And although thereupon Muhamed was much ashamed yet he quickly ran to his remedy and made and composed certain Verses of the Alcoran and caused his Secretary to write them and presently gave them unto the Moores to read the which Verses are in the 17th Chapter of the third Book and run thus Gua id teculo c. i. e. O Muhamed when thou biddest thy servant Zeiden to take his wife again thou sayest that with thy mouth which thou meanest not in thy heart and wouldest conceal that which God knows very well to wit the love and affection which he bare to this woman and so God told him that seeing her husband Zeiden had already had his share in her God had commanded that Muhamed should marry her and that none should be offended
who Created all things visible and invisible was God did acknowledge and believe the Prophets Patriarks and Messengers of God and believed the Scriptures which God sent by his servants and also gave credit to the Evangelists the Thora and the Psalter and believed Jesus Christ and the other things above mentioned so that I say that although Muhamed in his time did some wicked things as we have said before for which divers Moores were offended at him yet nevertheless they never lost the faith which they had of God and the things aforesaid for although they were ignorant they acknowledged that Idolatry was a wicked thing and the way to destruction and so they have continued till our dayes believing all that Muhamed made them believe Wherefore I say that if Muhamed would the Moores had believed in Jesus Christ and had been all saved but he conceived that if they had believed truly he should not have been reputed for a Prophet nor a Law-giver nor a great Lord and this detestable Ambition deceived Muhamed and after him deceived his Disciples as here under will appear so that Muhamed made the Moores believe a great part of the Christian Law but not all for fear lest they should become Christians he also made them believe a great part of the Jewish Law but not all for fear lest they should become Jewes and made them also believe the Alcoran and the Suné and so many other fooleries which wee have mentioned above that he might make them Moores and Musselmen In this manner the Sect of the Moores increased not by any reason or excellency it had in it self for if Muhamed had begun his Sect among Philosophers Logicians and Astrologers and a Nation that had had any Law it had never had any progresse the which the Apostles of Jesus Christ did for they preached the faith of Jesus Christ amongst the most learned of all the Jewes and amongst the Astrologers Logicians and Philosophers of the Gentiles yea without Arms or Battells and only by their preaching the Law of Jesus Christ and his Gospell and by their miracles they converted all the World to the Catholique and Christian faith besides the Disciples of Jesus Christ wrought not that conversion meerly by preaching and doing miracles but also by disputing and arguing of the truth and by confuting Heretiques and wicked men who gainsaid them and thus the Christian faith was agitated and exalted by disputations untill it inlightned all places the which the Law or sect of Muhamed cannot endure for Muhameds sect will not be questioned by Disputation nor be examined by naturall reason for so the Alcoran commands in the ninth Chapter of the third Book where he saies Guale tugedilo c. i. e. never dispute you with the Jewes or Christians Wherefore I say and conclude that Muhamed withdrew the People of Mecca and Arabia from the error of Idolatry and brought them into heresie doing like those who administer fatall Physick which they hide in good tooth some food and they who eat thereof thinking they eat some delicate Cates are poisoned Thus did Muhamed introducing and mingling his false Law and his Impostures and delusions among the holy and good things of the Old and New Testament yea with things of the Law of Nature and so he made a Law and Sect which destroyes those eternally that believe it even as adulterated medicines kill those that take them And let this be sufficient for the first cause or reason of the propagation of Muhameds Law The second Cause of the growth and increase of Muhamed's Law was thus Muhamed seeing that divers rebelled against him for the causes aforesaid and returned to their former opinions and required him to doe miracles and to cause signs to appear from heaven as Noah did with the Ark and Moses who caused Manna to fall from heaven forty years and made twelve Fountains of water to spring out of a Rock and divided the red Sea into twelve Passages and Muhamed not being able to doe the like he thought his Law could not bee advanced any other way than by the Sword to wit by fighting with unbeleevers and bringing them to the obedience of his Law by force and for that purpose he began to make verses in the Alcoran saying that God commanded them to fight against the unbeleevers and rebellious and upon that Argument made a Chapter which is the third Chapter of the second Book all in the Tearms and commands of a Warriour Wherein he sets down one verse which is called the Verse of the Sword and from this Verse the whole Chapter is called the Chapter of the Sword which Verse is in Arabick thus O Zaltihum c. i. e. slay the Enemies and Unbeleevers and so they shall be tormented and confounded by you in the Suné he saies thus Ozatiluanne c. i. e. Kill them untill they all become Moores and beleevers Which command Muhamed hath reiterated in divers Chapters of the Alcoran but indeed he used great policie in it and brought his purpose about very subtilly to wit that in such a kind of War there must be some partiality and certain particular Captains or otherwise it could not be for which purpose he sent for ten Men who were already converted to his Sect of the chiefest of all Arabia felix and Arabia magna men much followed and potent and of themselves expert in Arms and well exercised in the Art of War the first and chief of them was called Ubequar the second Homar and these two were Muhameds fathers-in-law The third was called Hozman who collected the Alcoran The fourth was Alifrello a Cousin of Muhamed and these were all of Muhameds kindred The fifth was called Talha The sixth Azubere The seventh Zadin The eighth Zahedin The ninth Abdorazmen and the tenth Abuhobeyde These he convened and assembled under a Tree abroad in the fields and there began to preach a Sermon to them which were too long to repeat here In brief hee told them that he was sent from God for to withdraw his People from Idolatry and that they knew that there were divers Jewes and severall other Rebellious persons who opposed his Law and that it was necessary that his Law should be advanced and exalted above all other Lawes which Verse is inserted into the third Chapter of the Sword of the second book then he read to them the Verses and Chapters which were in the said Alcoran and told them that God had expresly commanded this way of making warre and that for his part he could doe no good in it without having Captains and Leaders for that purpose These Commanders and Gentlemen found it not good that he should have any other than themselves and were content to take the charge upon themselves and to side with Muhumed and those of his party and resolved to dye both they and theirs in the advancing of the Law of Muhamed and in making war against their own Fathers Mothers Brethren and
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
and after they had heard it read they all went and admonished their people saying O our people know ye that wee have heard a book read which is inspired since Moses which book shews the right way of Truth wherefore come yee and obey the Prophet and beleive in him and God will pardon your sins and deliver you from cruell torments and whosoever will not obey the Prophet and beleive in him shall not dwell long on earth and shall have great torments All this is in the Arabick verbatim as in our tongue and ye may read it in the Alcoran in the two fore quoted Chapters Which is not onely against reason and against divine and humane Law but is also a great heresy and a horrid blasphemy being against God Angels and men against all Scripture and the very Alcoran it self For tell me O Moore who daily readest the Alcoran doth it not direct thee to apply unto God for defence against evill and cursed Devils and Commandeth thee that when ever thou takest in hand to read the Alcoran thou must say in Arabick O ahudu billehi mine Saytani ragini i. e. Preserve me O God from the wicked and cursed Devill In divers places the Alcoran sayes that ye must resist the Devill because he is the manifest enemy of men and yet here the Alcoran sayes that they are become the friends of men God Muhamed and the Angels Doest thou not conceive that this contradicts the Commandement of God who cursed the Devill and for ever deprived him of his favour and when he sayes that God pardoned their sins who became Moores he contradicteth and opposeth the very Angels For all the good Angels fought against the evill Angels and vanquished them and drove them out of Paradice and they fell from their seats for ever and yet the Alcoran sayes that the Devils must goe into Paradise and be pertakers of glory with the Angels and return to their first Stations Doth it not appear unto thee O Moore to be injustice in God that the Devils whom he hath for ever rejected should return again into his glory Behold O Moore and consider this grosse error which Muhamed hath inserted in his Alchoran and thou wilt perceive that it is not the word of God nor a Law given by him The eight Argument is from the eight Chapter of the fifth book and the Chapter of Decoquer at in the fourth book where he sayes that brutish and irrationall creatures shall rise again at the day of Judgement and that God shall judge between them this Muhamed sayes in the Suné The words of the Alcoran are thus in Arabick Oguame mindelbetin c. i. e. that all the beasts of the earth and all the foules of the ayre shall rise again in the day of Judgement And in the Suné he sayes that God shall so doe justice betwixt the creatures that the beast that hath been gored with ahorne shall have satisfaction from the beast that gored it Likewise he sayes in the Sunê that all the sheepe which the Moores kill in their feasts or Passeovers shall rise at the day of judgement and pray for the Moores who caused them to bee slain And sayes further that when the Angell St. Michael shall weigh the good and bad works of men these sheep shall come and lye in the ballance of their good works so that the good works of such a man shall weigh more than his evill works And for this reason the Moores kill many sheep in their feast or passeover although they are not bound to kill above one Now tell mee O Moore who art endowed with reason and discretion what thinkest thou of this aforesaid is it not an unreasonable thing and Contrary to all divine and humane Lawes yea against the very Alcoran it self because in the second Chapter of the second book of the Alcoran he sayes these words in Arabick Oinne Sarra c. i. e. that the worst beasts before God are those which are deafe and dumb which understand nothing as if he should say that bruite beasts are deaf without understanding and dumb without reason and judgement And in regard they are without reason and judgement therefore they are not lyable to punishment in this world for any hurt they doe for these beasts daily kill other beasts and divers men but a beast is not to suffer for the death of another beast nor for the death of a man as wee often see a bull bayted kill two or three men without being punished for it because that as the Alcoran sayes they are deaf without understanding and dumb without reason and judgement How is it then that the Alcoran sayes here that beasts shall rise to judgement If wee say that beasts shall rise to judgement at the last day wee must also say that those beasts which have done good works shall be rewarded and goe into Paradise and those which shall have done evill works shall be punished in hell the which Muhamed sayes and affirmes in the Suné though the Alcoran say it not And in the Suné Muhamed sayes that the sheep which the Moores kill at their Easter shall goe into Paradise He likewise sayes that the Ram which Abraham Sacrificed instead of his son Isaack was fed forty years in Paradise the which the Moorish Alfaquy's also say in their sermon at the feast of the Adabeyes The words in Arabick run thus O faatehu c. i. e. that the Angell Gabriel brought a black ram to Abraham which had fed forty years in Paradise Furthermore Muhamed in the Suné speaking to the Moores concerning his transportation to heaven sayes that Alborac would not suffer Muhamed to bestryde him except Muhamed would promise him to let him goe into Paradise the Suné sayes that Muhamed then promised Alborac that he should be the first beast that should goe into Paradise whence it appeares O Moore according to what the Suné affirmes that beasts shall goe into Paradise the which is contrary to truth and against reason One thing I will say O Moore in this place concerning the Ram which Abraham Sacrificed which was fed and pastured forty years in Paradise viz that thou shouldest give me an Arithmeticall account how many thousand Trickles did that Ram cast in Paradise during those forty years the which you may find by the rule of multiplication What thinkest thou now O Moore of such and so great a foolery and a thing so worthy of laughter In breife all that the Moores beleeve and hold is corporeall and terrene and not spirituall aswell in respect of this mundane life and conversation as in respect of the glory which wee are to have in the world to come And in Muhamed's Law or Religion it is not sufficient to say that men eat and drink in Paradise but he comes to the impudence as to say that bruit beasts goe eat and drink in Paradise and so I conclude that the Law the Prophet and Scripture which treateth and speaketh of such
with the Prophet for the same The Glossers say that Muhamed for his greater justification and for fear lest the Moores should be further offended bade his servant Zeiden to take his wife again The Comentators say that God said to him Muhamed through fear of men saies one thing with his lips but concealeth in his heart the love hee bears to this woman Wherefore I God command and am content that thou marry her since her husband hath had his pleasure of her and I God doe this that thou mayest not be grieved The text and glosses say all this Verbatim which is the greatest cruelty bawdery and wickedness that two Pandars could plot together and then to excuse himself from God and make Verses saying that God was pleased with him and that God did it to content Muhamed and to satisfie his desire telling the Moores that God was pleased at it All which is proved by the Alcoran which writes it as I sayd before and by the book of Azar which relates all this at large Now tell me O Moore in what Law or Commandment doe wee read that a Married man should love another mans wife and should endeavour to take her from her husband Nay first tell me how did Mahumed understand the tenth Commandement which God gave unto Moses in Mount Sinai which sayes Thou shalt not covet anothers wife which Commandements Muhamed in his Law hath commanded to be observed And then tell mee thy thoughts upon this inordinate affection which Muhamed bore to Zeiden's wife which inordinate affection God himself publisheth in the Alcoran which sayes that God knew the love and affection which Muhamed bore in his heart to this woman though he concealed it and for fear of men made shew otherwise For thou mayest well know that he that doth such things is not neither can bee a Prophet nor a messenger of God nor a Legislator or Law-giver CHAP. VII The seventh Chapter treateth of Muhamed's wives and Virgins and how many profered themselves to him without Contract of mariage by a speciall Law which he made for himself and of the jarrs differences dissentions and offences which hapned betwixt Muhamed and his wives and slaves I Say and prove by the book of Azar that Muhamed maried fifteen wives and had eleven wives together besides slaves and of all his wives had but two Virgins and had also four wives who profered themselves to him by vertue of the said speciall Law And O Moore if thou dost not know that Muhamed had nine wives together I prove it by a book called Assamiel which is the book of the good customes of Muhamed where praising Muhamed and speaking of his virill strength it sayes that in one hower Muhamed lay with all his wives which were eleaven The words of the said book Assaniel are in Arabick Thus O guamin c. Which Text might well have been omitted and better have been silent of such things than to publish them for it is unseemly to make a vertue of vice and to apply carnall and luxurious things to sanctity and good customes and to say that God was pleased served with such basenes as which we have already shewn and shall further shew in this Chapter And I further prove it by the said book Azar and by a book called Almazhedi which say That when Muhamed died his nine wives were present which nine wives continued widdowes and so died by a speciall Law which Muhamed made for himself as shall hereafter appear And the four presented wives which Muhamed had he got them by a particular and speciall Law which he made for himself For ye must know that Muhamed made two Laws one general Law for all the Moores and himself and another Law for himself in particular which Law he made in four Cases The first commanded that no Moore should take or marry any of his wives whether repudiated or widdowes by which Law his said nine wives remained widdowes and never maried again The second speciall Law was for the profered wives where he commandeth in the 17th Chapter of the third book that what wife soever would profer her self to the Prophet Muhamed he might take her and bee married to her without any Contract of marriage and this was onely permitted to him and not to any other Moore The third speciall Law was That whereas there was a generall Law and commandement in the 3. Chapter of the first book of the Alcoran that every Moore might marry one two three or four wives and no more Muhamed excepted himself and had power to marry as many wives as he would in the 17th Chapter of the third book The fourth particular Law was concerning equality amongst wives which the Morish Laws require of every Moore that hath two three or four wives aswell at board goverment as at bed and if the husband doe otherwise the wives which find themselves agreeved may warn and summon him before the judge Except Muhamed who was not bound to observe this Law neither did it extend to him as yee may see in the 17th Chapter of the third book where Muhamed terrifying his wives sayes that they should be content with whatsoever Muhamed would give them and whensoever and with whichsoever of them he would please to bed take his pleasure and depart and that they should be content with every thing and should not take distast nor be gerived but should take delight to doe his will and rejoyce in all things The words in Arabick say thus Turgimen te seu min c. i. e. O Muhamed thou shalt love which of thy wives thou wilt and shalt dismiss to turn away which thou pleasest with such condition that they shall be content with all things and shall be quiet and not sorrowfull at all for thy doings The Moores read all this text but understand it not for did they understand it they would not continue Moores and Musselmen Now speak O Moore thou reader of the Alcoran how often hast thou read this and delighted thy self with the sweet sound of the words and hast not thought or conceived what the words mean therefore hence forth observe and read and consider what thou readest and thou wilt find many things without reason and justice And thus you must understand that this fourth speciall Law and the Verses aforesaid were made by reason of certain Gentlewomen Muhameds repudiated Wives who were not so well governed as the rest but complained to Muhamed entreating him to regard God and his Conscience and to make them equall to his other Wives and seeing they also were his Wives that they might not be neglected unto whom he answered with the verses above saying That God would have it so and that for his part he was not to follow the Moores in the matter of equality And they having understood and heard the verses and that God had sent them to him because of them they were content to take all things patiently But nevertheless they all said
that God loved Muhamed exceedingly seeing hee alwaies sent him Verses and Chapters for every purpose and according to his own desires And this appears to be true by another most shamefull and scandalous Act which Muhamed did upon which he composed almost a whole Chapter for to satisfy his desires and to repair his honour giving out that God sent this Chapter to him and the Moores for to give them a new generall Law which Law much pleased the Moores then living those which followed and those now living as will here under appear For yee must know that a certain King of the Jacobites called Baheira presented to Muhamed a very beautifull maiden being a Jewesse called Marine of 15. years of age with whom Muhamed fell in love and sought opportunity to lye with her which at last he did with this Lasse was Muhamed taken and surprised by two of his wives whom he best loved and were the most noble and principall of them all wherof the one was called Axa the daughter of Ubequar and the other was called Hafeza the daughter of Homar And being thus by them surprized with the said young girle they reproved Muhamed telling him that he had done a thing unworthy a Prophet or a married man and had committed Adultery against all his Wives whereupon Muhamed sought reconciliation and told them that if they would keep it secret he would swear to them by God never to doe the like with the said Marine again and so they were perswaded to keep the thing secret but nevertheless like discreet Women they told him that if he came again to the said Marine it should be lawfull for them to repudiate him and be divorced from him So that what Muhamed had done did hereupon remain secret certain dayes but nevertheless the affection and love which Muhamed bore to this young Lasse and the jealousy and diligence of his two wives was so great that at last they took him again with the young Wench and hereupon being much enraged they went to their Fathers houses as repudiated Wives upon which occasion the secret was published and Muhamed disgraced and the people being much offended murmured and spake a thousand blasphemies whereupon Muhamed was much cast down confounded aswell for the disgrace and divulging of the secret as for his two Wives who were the most dearly valued and noblest that he had and for these reasons Muhamed was quite dasht out of countenance but being a very subtile and crafty man he had presently recourse to the remedy of the Alcoran unto which he composed a Chapter and made a new Law for all the Moores that they might lye with their slaves with as much freedom as with their Wives notwithstanding that their Wives were angry and repined at it as his Wives had done the which Law he put in the beginning of the Chapter thereby to gain the favour of all the Moores and in the said Chapter is set down how Muhamed was excused and did not sin and that his Wives ought not to publish any thing which he did in secret and that God warned his Wives to return to him and thus Muhamed cleared himself and repayred his credit and got his two Wives again who were thereupon satisfied and became conformable and returned very penitent to Muhamed And so Muhamed lay with his slave the young Girl by authority of the Law which he inserted in the said Chapter Whereupon all his Wives said that he did whatsoever he pleased like God and that God sent him Chapters and verses purposely to satisfy his will The Chapter which Muhamed made and composed upon the aforesaid occasion is called the Chapter of Prohibition in the fourth book and sayes in Arabick thus Oya ayue c. Which signifies O Prophet because that to content thy Wives thou wilt prohibit what is lawfull for thee therefore know that God permitteth you Moores freedom to lye with your slaves which was not permitted from the beginning And so the Chapter proceeds and sayes thus And when the Prophet committeth a secret to any of his Wives which they publish if yee Wives will repent before God good will betide you but if yee will remain repudiated from Muhamed his Creator will give him other Wives Moores believers devout Virgins and Widows All this the said Chapter contains verbatim So that when Muhamed had caused the Chapter to be written by his Secretary in a table-table-book or scrowl he made him to read it to the Moores and when the Moores heard it and read it they were much pleased with such a Law whereby they might lye with their slaves and upon the giving of this Law and Capter they were reconciled to him and favoured him so much that they all went and exclaimed against his Wives and told them that God threatned them if they would not return to him Insomuch that their Parents went to Muhamed to entreate him to receive them again because they desired no man but himself And so with this Law and Chapter all things were in peace Now speak O Moore and consider that Muhamed is not blameless in his actions although the said Chapter doe much favour him For although in this Chapter he permits the Moores to lye with their slaves yet it doth not follow but that Muhamed committed Adultery Because the Chapter was published and the Law given to the Moores after Muhamed had known the slave and had been twice taken with her And besides that Chapter doth not acquit Muhamed from the guilt of perjury because he sware and engaged his faith to his Wives that he would never touch the said young Wench again So that although the Chapter doe favour Muhamed and the Moores were pleased with the Chapter and the loose liberty which they got thereby nevertheless O Moore thou must confess that Muhamed is guilty of such things as doe not become a holy man much less a person so high and excellent as ye make Muhamed yea the most holy most perfect and most choice creature that God ever created as he calls himself and as ye say in Arabick O Muhamed hayri halquilleh i. e. That Muhamed is the most chosen man of God and if you give him so high a title and he himself assumes it and is so called it had been very reasonable and just that he should have been the chastest honestest and truest man in the world for a mans conditions should agree with the title and dignity of the man Finally O Moore I desire thee to observe and consider hitherto what works and actions the Alcoran and the Suné are full of and compare them with the works and deeds which the Evangelists of Jesus Christ our Saviour hold forth and thou shalt see how the deeds and works of our Saviour agree with his dignity and his holy names who is called in the Alcoran Hice Almaceh quelimetu allah guaroh allah i. e. Jesus the Christ the word of God and the spirit of God of which three names no
crow also and whilst Muhamed stood wondring at it this great Cock began to crow and all the Cocks in heaven crowed with him and presently afterwards all the Cocks on earth crowed also The said book sayes That from this place they ascended to the second heaven which was made of beaten gold and knockt at the gate and the Porter asking who was there the Angell Gabriel answered it is I and Muhamed the friend of God is here with me and as soon as he had named Muhamed presently the gates of that heaven opened of themselves and they went in and saw upon all the gates of that heaven the name of God written together with the name of Muhamed which is in Arabick thus Ole ilehe ille allah Muhemed razolo allah i. e. This God is the onely God and Muhamed is the Messenger of God It sayes that entring in at the gate of this second heaven they found Noah a very old gray-headed man Muhamed embraced him and Noah was very glad to see Muhamed and to speak with him and Noah made application to him and entreated him to remember him when he came to God Hee sayes that in this second heaven they found a great multitude of Angels half as many more as were in the first heaven and of very wonderfull and great shapes amongst which was one Angell who stood on the second heaven and his head reached to the third and one of his hands to the East and the other unto the West end of heaven and many other wonderfull things they saw here And from this heaven they ascended to the third heaven which was made of a pretious Stone and there they met with Abraham being an old hoary man and the Angels in this heaven were far more in number than those of the two other heavens and much greater and amongst them they saw an Angell who from one eye to the other had the distance of 70000. dayes-journey Which Angell held a book in his hand and never did any thing else but look on the said book and expunge what was therein written and write anew therein Muhamed asked the Angell Gabriel who this Angell was and what it was he read in that book and what he wrote and expunged The Angell answered and told him that this Angell was called in Arabick Malach almenti i. e. The Angell of the dead And the book which he had in his hand was the book called in Arabick Alhaunhe ahnafod i. e. the preserved book wherein are the names of all men that are born and the Angell noteth and calculateth the years and dayes that every one must live and when any mans dayes are expired hee expunges such a mans name and presently the man dies on earth Likewise he writes down the names of all men that are born and the dayes of their life and how long they shall live so that this Angell hath no other office but to put in and expunge out of this book He sayes that from thence they went to the fourth heaven which was made of a very pure Emerauld in which heaven they found Joseph the son of Jacob who greeted Muhamed and made great application to him and there they saw many more Angels than were in the other heavens and of far greater bodyes amongst which there was one great Angell which made great lamentation Muhamed asked the Angell Gabriel wherefore this Angell lamented so and Gabriel answered him that that angell lamented the sins of men and those which went to hell From thence they went to the fifth heaven which was made of a Diamond where Moses was who made application to Muhamed and in this heaven were as many Angels as in the other but farre greater And so they ascended to the sixth heaven where was John Baptist who saluted Muhamed and in this heaven they saw a multitude of Angells far greater than any of the former and this heaven was made of a Carbuncle In the seventh heaven they met with Jesus Christ unto whom Muhamed made application and this heaven was made of the Light of God and here they saw many more Angels than in the other six heavens and far greater amongst which was one that had seventie thousand heads and every head had seven hundred thousand tongues and each of these tongues had seven hundred thousand voyces with all which voyces or languages they praised God day and night Likewise amongst these Angels were divers which alwayes watched without ever shutting their eies others alwayes bowed their heads without ever erecting themselves others lay alwayes prostrate and never arose and others praised God with such loud voyces that they put their fingers into their ears lest they should become deaf with the noise of their voyces In this seventh heaven the Angell Gabriel took his leave of Muhamed and told him that he might not goe further and that now God would guide him himself Muhamed saies that he began to ascend certain sublimities and hights and through so much rain and snow that hee became so wearied and tyred that hee could goe no farther and at that instant Muhamed heard a voyce saying in Arabick thus Oya Muhamed anden gualirabach cellem i. e. O Muhamed approach and salute thy Creator Whereupon Muhamed drew neer to the voyce and saw so great a light that it troubled his sight He sayes that God had on his glorious face seventy thousand vayles of Devine light and the Text of the Alcoran in the third book sayes that Muhamed approached God within two bowe-shots or little lesse In Arabick it is thus O zumen c. i. e. That Muhamed approached God within little less than two shots of a Cross-bow Muhamed sayes further that so great a light proceeded from the vayles which God had on his face that hee could not behold the visage of God Nevertheless Muhamed sayes that God interpos'd his hand for a shadow unto Muhamed but he could not endure it by reason of the great cold which proceeded from it He saies that in this place God spake to him and gave him divers Commandements of the Law and told him many secrets and yee must know that if I should write all the things which Muhamed sayes hee saw that night a ream of paper would not contain them Muhamed sayd as the book Azar reporteth that this night God granted five things unto him which were never given to any Man before nor since The first was that he should be the chiefest and most elect creature that God ever created either in heaven or on earth which the Arabick calls Hayriall quilleh The second was That he should be the most excellent and most Honourable Lord of all the sons of Adam at the day of judgement the Arabick says thus leydo qualidiademe y aume alquima The third was That he should be the generall Redeemer which in Arabick is said Safey Mustafa and for this cause Muhamed is by another name called Almebi i. e. he that takes away sins The fourth was
That he should understand all languages In Arabick it is exprest thus Ohtito jagua ni ih alquelin The fifth and last was that spoyles of warre and battaills should belong to him only which is in Arabick Ohillet c. Muhamed saies that God gave him all these things that night whereat divers Moores were offended and said that it was all fictions and lies that he never went up to heaven nor spake with God And to the end that the Moores should beleeve all that he said he made certaine verses in the Chapter of the stars in the fourth book which in Arabick run thus Oguaneginni c. which in Prose are That God swears by the Starrs that he will not suffer your freind to be tempted nor to speak untruth nor to speak vainly and that it was all a true revelation which Almighty God had shewn unto him and that he had approached God within two bow-shots or thereabouts And that God had revealed to his servant Muhamed what was revealed to him and that Muhamed's heart lied not and that Muhamed that night saw the great wonders of God and that God shewed him a very high throne in the divine Empire where is the Paradise of God All this Interpretation is drawn Verbatim from the Arabick in the Chapter aforesaid So that when the Moores read these verses they beleeved and held it for a great Miracle though divers of them were offended and returned to their former Sects In the eleventh Chapter of the second book he sayes Oguama c. That God put this Vision for a great offence to men that is in respect of their dammage who were offended the book of Azar sayes that Muhamed took leave of his Creator turned back to goe down by the same way he went up and returning to the seaventh heaven he told the Angell Gabriel all that had passed between him and his Creator And the Angell said to him O Muhamed God hath commanded me that I should lead thee to see Paradise and the secrets there and afterwards we will goe to Hell and thou shalt see the secrets of Hell and the people that are there and how they are tormented of the devill and hereupon they went first to Paradise and saw it's riches excellencies and beatitudes and the chast Virgins and youths and the rivers of water of milk of honey and of wine which are in Paradise and the fountains and their names the Palaces trees and gardens All which you shall see described at large in the ensuing ninth Chapter which is the Chapter of Paradise from whence they went to hell and saw that hell had seven gates and saw an infinite of Devills of divers kinds and figures some fetterd with chaines of fire others with ginnes and boults and divers men sitting at tables who had good meat set before them and amongst the good food also much bad and unwholesome and they left the good food and eat the bad whereupon Muhamed asked the Angell Gabriel what men those were and he told him that they were the maried men of this world who left their own good wives and went to other mens And he sayes that they saw divers men who never did any thing else but drink boyling lead and fill their bellies with it and afterwards their bellies opened and all that they had drank ran out and then they drank again and did thus perpetually And Muhamed asked the Angell what kind of men those were and he answered that they were those who eat and devoured Orphants estates in this world in brief he sayes he saw divers other things which would be too long to rehearse Now hearken O Moore and consider all that I shall say upon this vision of Muhamed and give ear to three things which I shall tell thee and give what answer to them thou canst The first is a naturall reason which cannot be understood but by reason and good judgement The second is a Philosophicall and Astrologicall reason which cannot be understood but by Astrology and Philosophy The third containes a humane and logicall reason for humane and logicall reason is that which separateth truth from falshood Now for the first which is held forth by naturall reason it is from what Muhamed in this vision sayes that the Angell Gabriel brought him a beast called Alborac on which Muhamed should have rid but she would not yeald to it untill Muhamed had promised that shee should be the first beast which should goe into Paradise upon this I ask thee O Moore what reason is there that a bruit beast should or can goe into Paradise yea as he says that this Alborac shall be the first beast that shall goe into Paradise for it he be the first it followes that there must be a second and a third Now how can it enter into the brains of a man endued with naturall reason to beleeve that bruit beasts shall goe into Paradise besides in the six books of the Suné Muhamed says that the Ram which Abraham killed was fed forty years in Paradise and says further that the sheep which the Moores kill at their Easter shall goe into Paradise so that O Moore thou canst not avoyd nor contradict any thing of this above which affirmes that beasts enter and goe into Paradise consider this therefore O Moore with thy naturall reason and thou wilt see that it is ridiculous an impudent lie and utterly false Concerning which beast Alborac I doe further aske thee O Moore who art an Alfaquy and a learned man and who hast read all the Alcoran and the commentaries thereon viz. Buhatia Buzamanim Azamahxari Acahalibi and Mahuma Miquite and who hast also read the six books of the Suné and the Recele Bulugis Halil and Almazhodi and who hast likewise read seaven hundred volumnes which the Moores have in their Laws and Sect if peradventure thou hast found any text gloss or paraphrase which mention this Alborac or from whence he came or whether he went whether he was from heaven or from earth or of what race of beasts he was or what became of him after that Muhamed came from Heaven to the gate of the Temple and so thou wilt say that there is not nor hath been any mention made of him in all the writings of the Moores although he ought to have been had in remembrance especially being a beast which had so much privilege as to be the first that should goe into Paradise Now what wilt thou answer me O Moore to this and to what I shall say further concerning this beast which is That the Moores say and believe and find in the Alcoran and the Suné that those which goe into Paradise are Mazhodin guerammum bararat i. e. That they are holy blessed honoured and Angelicall So that if this Alborac be gone into Paradise wee must say that he is blessed honoured and Angelicall And thus O Moore thou hast no other answer to this first conclusion but silence For the second I
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-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
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