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
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
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
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
THE CONFUSION OF MUHAMED'S SECT OR A Confutation of the Turkish ALCORAN Being a Discovery of many secret Policies and practises in that Religion not till now Revealed Written Originally in Spanish by Johannes Andreas Maurus who was one of their Bishops and afterwards turned Christian Translated into English by I. N. LONDON Printed for H. Blunden at the Castle in Cornhill 1652. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE OLIVER St. JOHN LORD CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE COURT OF COMMON-PLEAS JOSHUA NOTSTOCK Dedicateth these With himself and service Materiall Errata's PAge 5. line 18. for God read that Idoll p. 7 l.21 for elsewhere r. hereunder p. 8. l. 6. for and r. as p. 11. last l. r. took thence p. 17. l. 10. expunge and p. 25. l. 12. for 583. r. 683. p. 28. l. 17. for Ideot an r. an Ideot p. 40. first line r. which are p. 68. last line for ripe fruits r. fruits ripe p. 69. l. 11. r. And who conceived p. 75. l. 18. for said r. sayes p. 151. l. 13. for Sunè r. Sun p. 196. l. 23. for Mcores r. Moses The Contents THe Preface to the Translation wherein something is sayd of Muhamed according to Baudier a little differing from our Author The Authors Preface CHAP. I. page 1. OF Muhamed's life the place of his birth his Parents and Ancestors when he began and finished his Sect and dyed CHAP. II. Pag. 36. Of the Alcoran what it signifies of the matters therein contained and of how many Songs it is composed who collected it and reduced it into four Books in the order it is now in how many years Muhamed was Composing it how it begins and ends and which are the first and last Chapters CHAP. III. Pag. 54. Of Muhameds Suné what it 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 CHAP. IV. Pag. 62. Severall Arguments which may bee framed and brought against the Alcoran proving that it is false of it self and is not the word of God And also against the Suné proving that it is of it self a ridiculous thing and fit for men of little knowledge and judgement CHAP. V. Pag. 88. Of divers fooleries and untruths which are in the Alcoran from whence we may conclude that the Alcoran is not the word of God CHAP. VI. Pag. 103. Of divers offences which the Moores took whilst Muhamed was instituting his Lawe and Sect by reason of which offences divers Moores became more carefull and wise revolted from Muhamed and returned to their former Sects and wayes of Worship CHAP. VII P. 117. Of Muhamed's Wives and Virgins and how many proffered themselves to him without Contract of mariage by a speciall Law which he made for himself and of the jars differences dissensions and offences which hapned betwixt Muhamed and his Wives and Slaves CHAP. VIII P. 130. Of Muhamed's Dream and the Vision which he sayes he had when he ascended to heaven by a Ladder and rode upon Alborac And of the things which he says he saw that night in Heaven Paradise and Hell CHAP. IX P. 154. Of the Paradise and glory which Muhamed and the Alcoran promise unto the Moores in the world to come how many Paradises there are how they are called and how many kinds of glory the Moores shall have in Paradise Chap. X. Pag. 167. How the Alcoran contradicteth it self in divers places of divers things in the Alcoran which are unseemly and superfluous Likewise of some Miracles which Muhamed sayes he wrought though they rather resemble gulls than Miracles CHAP. XI Pag. 194. How the Christian Faith is approved for good holy and true by the Alcoran it self and the Suné CHAP. XII P. 208. That Christians should not wonder why Muhamed's Sect hath so increased and that the Moores should not be so presumptuous and say as they usually do that if their Religion were not good it had never propagated so much Likewise how Muhamed's Disciples carried themselves after his death and what discords contests and murthers were practised amongst them for Dominion and the Vanities of this world The Preface to the translation IT pleased the great God who hath in himself the fulness of all goodness and happines and to whom nothing can contribute the least advantage though he could not receive yet he may communicate and therupon he created The World as the shadow of his own Substance and the footsteps of himself But the Creation abode not in that estate in which he made it the Angels onely excepted but through the Sin and fall of a part of the Angels and of Man brought it self to a far greater distance from God from the state of a Shadow it ingulphed it self into perfect Darkness and set it self at a more remoteness from him who is the father of Light and therupon was devolved into a Night of Sin Ignorance Sorrow and what not Mischief which is but the naturall consequence of the absence of God who is Light Life Love and Being and all things which import Goodness The Creature being in this evill state God through his just and infinitly-wise ordination gave it an Head an usurper sc the Devill sutable to it's deplorable and dark condition Hence since Man's sin Satan Kings it over them who is the Abaddon and the Apollyon Apoc. 9.11 And hence he is called The God of this World in 2. Cor. 4. 4. And the world lying in darkness he is made The Lord and Ruler thereof Ephes 6. 12. Yea the Apostle John carries it higher for in 1. Joh. 5.19 He sayth The whole world lyes in the Devill that as Believers are in the Son Jesus Christ in ver 20. So in a sence Unbelievers are in the Devill who is the father and first author of all the darkness in this visible creation From which time forward the devill hath and still doth King it in the world To which the Prophet Daniel doth witness in chap. 7. where he describing the Monarchies that were and should be he saw them represented under the type of Beasts devouring cruell and savage Beasts which representation fully answers the depraved nature of Satan who inspired those Beasts and acted in them to the fulfilling of his beastly will And not only hath he seized on this Government but he pleads a Right therto as doth appeare in his dialogue with our Saviour in Luke 4.6 for when he had shewed him all the Kingdoms of the world he saith All this power will I give thee and all the glory of them for that is delivered to me and to whomsoever I will I give it And â—bserve that our Lord in his answer to â—he Devill doth not deny what he had â—aid or prove him a Lyar but waving â—he antecedent he only denies the consequent that from such premisses it will â—ot follow that therefore he should be worâ—hipped for no temporall reward can abâ—â—lve
by the Assistance of Almighty God first in this Kingdome of Valentia I converted and guyded to the way of Salvation many soules of Infidell Moores which were in danger to bee lost in hell and were under the power of the devill from thence I was called by the most Catholick Princes the King Don Ferdinand and the Queen Donna Isabella to goe preach in Granada unto the Moores of that Kingdome whom their Highnesses had Conquered where by the will of God who would so have it and my preaching an infinite number of Moores denying Muhamed were Converted to Christ And a little while after I was by their favour created a Canon and was again called by the sayd Christian Queen Donna Isabella to come to Arragon for to emplay my self in the Conversion of the Moores of that Kingdome who to the great despight and dishonour of our Crucifyed Saviour and to the dammage and perill of Christian Princes still to this day perish in their error But this her Highnesses most holy intent could not take effect by reason of death surprizing her And I that I might not remain idle set my self to translate all the Law of the Moores that is to say The Alchoran and the glosses thereon and the 6 bookes of the suné out of Arabick into the Arragonian toung moved thereunto by the command of the right Reverend father Martyn Garcia Lord Bishop of Barcelona and Inquisitor of Arragon my much honoured Lord to the end that in the Charge which I had from his Grace to preach to the Moores I might Confute and vanquish them by the authority of their own Law which I Could not easily have done without translating it Finally when that was done that I might not hyde the desire which God had given mee for their Conversion I determined to compose this present treatise which shall be divided into twelve Chapters and herein briefly to collect the fabulous fictions ridiculous discourses Impostures bestialities fooleries Vilanies inconveniencies impossibilities and Contradictions which that wicked Muhamed hath sowen and dispersed in the books of his Sect thereby to deceive ignorant people especially in the Alcoran which he sayes was revealed to him in one night by an angell in the City of Meka notwithstanding else-where contradicting himself he affirmes that he was 20 years Composing it I have entituled this Work the Confusion of Muhamed's Sect and my intent in publishing it was that even the weakest Judgements may perceive that in Muhamed's Law there is not any groend or reason how it can bee true and that the ignorant Moores being vanquished by the testimonies of their own nation might know the Error wherein they are and whereunto their false Prophet hath led them I say the ignorant because no men of knowledge amongst them doe beleeve in Muhamed but on the Contrary doe esteeme their Sect to bee false and very bestiall and finally to the end that they might all come in to the holy Law and true End for which they were Created And likewise to the end that not onely wise Christians but also the weakest knowing the various faith of the Moores on the one hand might laugh at their insolencyes and beastlines and on the other hand might lament and bewayl their blindness and perdition Wherefore after this said Treatise had been viewed and Corrected by the Reverend Doctors Mr Soler Officiall of Valentia Canon and Dean of Letida and Mr Jasper Pertusa Canon of the See of Valentia and Mr Jerosme Fuster and Mr John Sola masters in sacred Divinity whereunto ex abundante was added the authority of the Right Reverand and noble Lord Don Mercader Bishop of Tortosa and grand Inquisitor of this Kingdome I endeavored to have it printed and sent into the World for publick good entreating the Curteous Readers if they find any thing in this Treatise well spoken that they would attribute it to God from Whom it proceeds and what may bee evill that they impute it to my small knowledge and insufficiency in the examining and persuing the whole Treatise which with my self I Submit to their benign correction and to the holy Roman Church as a Catholick and a faithfull Christian The Confusion of Mahomet's Sect c. CHAPTER I. The first chapter treateth of Muhamed's life the place of his birth his parents and ancestors when hee began and finished his Sect and his death MUhamed was born in the city of Mecca in Arabia the happy and was the son of an eminent Citizen of that place Called Abdalla Motalib This Abdalla Motalib had eleaven brethren the eldest whereof was Buggelino 2 Bulehebin 3 Hessin 4 Butelib the 5 Corasi the 6 Tanin the 7 Hanza the 8 Alabez c. These two Hanza and Alabez dyed Moores but the other nine Vncles and Muhamed's father dyed Idolaters and were all opposers and mortall enemyes of Muhamed and fought many battailes against him and his Moores in defence of their Idolatry Judging it better to dye Idolaters than to follow his Sect though both their wayes were evill and erroneons Muhamed's parents his Vncles the people of Meka and the Countreys adjacent worshiped an Idoll by them called Aliethe Aluza which Idoll was erected in a tower in the midst of the Temple of Meka This tower was then and is yet called Elcaba and Alkible of which Idoll and Tower wee shall speak hereafter Muhamed's father dyed and lest him Posthumus his mothers name was Imina the daughter of Guabbin she dyed 2 years after his birth and so he became an Orphant and a Nurse called Lina or Alima fosterd him untill he was sixteen years old The descent of Muhamed according to a certain book called Azar which containes a History of his life and death and is as authenlick and of as great authority amongst the Moores as the life of Jesus Christ our Lord is amongst us Christians is thus viz. That Muhamed descended of Ismael the son of Abraham and Hagar Sarah's handmaid from which Hagar the Moores are called Hagarens and ought not to be called Saracens because they do not descend from Sarah the lawfull wife of Abraham but from Hagar who was Sarah's handmaid as wee see in the 16 and. 17 Chapters of Genesis The said book Azar sayes that Abraham had two sons Isaack the son of Sarah and Ismael the son of Hagar and that Ismael the son of Hagar founded and built the temple of Meka and it was called Beitalla i. e. the house of God it is likewise called Beithalla Alharan i. e. the house of God prohibition or excommunication and the reason why it is called prohibition is because that Abraham as that book says fower months in the year forbad and prohibited hunting in the territories of Mecca which the Idolaters afterwards observed and kept in reverence to the Idoll which they erected in the sayd Tower Elaabba And the Moores retain and observe the same Law to this day The second chapter of the first book of the Alcoran saies that the temple of Mecca
was the first temple that was ever built in the world the words in Arabick are thus Oinne agnele beytin c. And the book Azar further says that after the said temple of Mecca was built Abraham divided the land of Canaan and Ismael dwelt in the City of Mecca and maried an Egyptian woman an Idolatress by whom he had twelve Children which also appeares by the. 17 Chapter of Genesis the eldest of which was called Nabayoth 2 Caydar or Kedar 3 Abdael 4 Nabsam 5 Masna 6 Douma 7 Massa 8 Haded 9 Thema 10 Iackour 11 Naphis 12 Kedma All these 12 sons of Ismael were Idolaters and spread 12 sorts of Idolatry in the greater Arabia Arabia the Happy Armenia and Persia some of them worshiped the Sun others the Moone others the Angells others Fyre others an Idoll called Bohinun and others a tree called Detulamar and they of Mecca and the Countrey adjacent worshiped an Idoll called Alliethe and Aluza above-mentioned which was erected in the said Tower Alkibla towards which Tower all Moores turn their faces when they make their Zala i.e. prayer and swear by it The said book Azar further sayes that Caydar the second son of Ismael erected the said Idoll in the said tower because Abraham and Ismael had assisted at the building of the said temple and that Caydar commanded that a feast or Easter should annually be celebrated in honour to God and in memory of his grandsires sacrifice when he was commanded to sacrifice his son Isaack in whose stead God commanded him to sacrifice a sheep and hereupon they of Mecca and the Countrey adjacent did annually sacrifice sheep and severall other beasts in honour to that Idoll and from all the Countrey about Meka they came to visit this Idoll and the temple of Meka and to celebrate the said Passeover which feast and Pilgrimage is the same which the Moores now use and have used ever since Muhamed's time and the Pilgrimage or visitation called Alhage which the Moores now use is the same which the Idolaters used and all the ceremonies which the Idolaters used in the times of Idolatrie the Moores at this day annually use the very same when they goe to Meka and that by an express command in their Law and sect and even as the Idolaters did forbear the killing any wild beast or bird by hunting in the Countrie of Meka fower months of the year which are 2 before their Passeover and 2 after out of the reverence they bear to the said Idoll yea so strickly that they would not kill a lowse or a flea and hence the Moores call these months prohibited and forbidden the Moores do at this present use and observe the same and divers other Ceremonies which the Idolaters used in the said Passeover and Pilgrimage or Alhage as wee said above and shall declare further here-under The said book Azar assirmes that the said Caydar the second son of Ismael was the man that instituted those Ceremonies from which Caydar Muhamed descended and hence this Caydar is in Arabick called Gead dealharab i. e. grandfather of the Arabians That book likewise sayth that the said Caydar erected a black stone in the said Tower right against the said Idoll that those who went into the temple might know that the Idoll stood in the Tower right against that stone and that in stead of the Idoll they should kiss that stone which was then and is at this present called The blessed stone I shall else-where tell you that Muhamed worshiped this stone and magnified it in the temple of the Idoll and used much reverence to it and in his Law and sect commandeth that this stone be worshiped and kissed and that the kissing and adoring of this stone is an Article of his Law and that it is at present in the same place where it was at that time when the Idoll was in being and I shall prove as well by the Alcoran and by Muhamed's suné That Muhamed was an Idolater It appeares plainly that the descent of Muhamed from Caydar the second son of Ismael unto his parents was from Idolaters to Idolaters for the space of 2800 years or there abouts Now observe and tell mee O Moore how that saying of Muhamed in the book Kised Alanuar i. e. the book of Flowers can be understood where Muhamed sayes that he proceedeth of a most perfect generation and that God sent him in the best times of the world knowest thou not O Moore that during all the aforesaid time of 2800 years viz. from Caydar unto Muhamed that they were all Idolaters a rude beastly and very ignorant people as the Alcoran testifies where he calls the people of Mecca Zuféhe i. e. Blockheads and Asses and knowest thou not that from Caydar unto Muhamed there can be no other descent than that Caydar begat an Idolatrous son and that son begat another Idolater and that Idolater begat another and such a succession yee find untill Muhamed's grandfather for it sayes thus Motalib an Idolater begat Abdalla Muhamed's father who was also an Idolater and this Abdalla begat Muhamed an Idolater Now observe O Moore and consider the generation of Jesus Christ the son of Mary and thou shalt find that he descended from Abraham the father of Isaack and from Jsaack the father of Jacob and from Jacob the father of Judah and from Juda the father of c. and from one to another untill our Lady the Virgin Mary and thou shalt see that they were all Patriarks prophets Heroes perfect men and Saints and wilt acknowledge that this generation of Jesus Christ is better than the generation of Muhamed and observe likewise the time of Christ how it was adorned with Prophets prophecies Saints and Priests who worshiped in the temple of God the sacred house of Jerusalem which the Alcoran calls the blessed house of God and compare Muhamed's Temple wherein Idolatry then raigned more than at any time before or since with the temple which Jesâ—â— Christ and this Virgin his mother frequented which was the Temple of God sanctifyed served and honoured by Prophets and holy Priests and Compare the father and mother of Muhamed and thou wilt see the difference between the father and mother of Jesus Christ and the father and mother of Muhamed and if thou sayest that Jesus Christ had no father I answere that the Alcoran sayes that he was Conceived of the holy Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin Mary and as yee take the Virgin Mary for the mother of Jesus Christ so you must take the holy Ghost for his father who is true God and if all that proceeds from God is God seeing the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father to the Son you must beleeve that Jesus Christ is the son of God and thus you see the difference between the father and mother of Muhamed and the glorious father and mother of Jesus Christ and Contemplating upon all this aforesaid and considering of it well according to reason and truth thou
wilt find that Muhamed doth not come from a high and excellent generation nor in the best times of the world but in a vile time and of a vilde generation notwithstanding that his originalls which were Abraham and Ismael were holy and good But let us return to Muhamed under the tuition of his nurse Alima The book Azar sayes that when Muhamed was 4 years old he went forth on a certain day with the Nurses son to bring home the Cattle and he being in a field alone the Angell Gabriel came to him in the appearance of a man cloathed with a garment as white as snow and takeing him by the hand led him behind a little hill and there with a razor lanced his breast cut out his heart and took a drop of black matter which the Moores say is in every man in the world and that the devill tempteth men by it which the Angell took from him that he might not be tempted of the devill at any time and after it was taken out the Angell put his heart into his brest again and it became whole as it was before and this the book Azar sayes was the first miracle that Muhamed wrought Concerning which I shall make an argument in due place in the Chapter of offences which shall be the sixth Chapter and so Muhamed remayned with his nurse till he was 16. years old The said book Azar sayes that when Muhamed was 25 years old he took to wife a certaine rich Cosen german of his called Gadisa which was his first wife This womans former husband was a rich merchant and kept many Camells and slaves and traded as a Carryer from Mecca into Syria Persia and Cayre with whom Muhamed made severall journies untill he dyed Muhamed and Gadisa lived together in wedlock till he was 38 years old and Muhamed had 3 daughters and 1 son by her the eldest daughter was called Fatima the second Zeyneb the third Umicultum and his son was called Cazin and dyed at 22 years of age The same year that Muhamed took the said gentle-woman to wife he did an act of Idolatry whereby I will prove to the Moores that he was an Idolater and it was thus Yee must understand that it chanced that year that the people of Mecca repaired a breach which was in the Tower where the said Idoll stood and were constrayned to take the Stone from it's place having repayred the Tower they agreed to put the Stone again in it's place and to avoyd all strife and offence which might arise about which of them should set the Stone again in it's place all the gentry of Mecca cast lots and the lot fell upon Muhamed and a cousen of his Whereupon Muhamed and his cousen came to the Temple to set the Stone again it it 's place and Muhamed took off his Turbane from his head and he and his cousen layd the Stone upon the Turbane to honour it the more so he on one side his cousen on the other took up the Turbane and with great reverence set the stone in it's place and kissed it with an immense devotion and in honour to the said Idoll whence it plainly appeares that Muhamed was an Idolater and did honour and worship the Idoll and kissed magnified and exalted the stone which only thing is of it self great Idolatry And Muhamed not only kissed and adored this Stone before he was a professed Propher but also kissed and adored it after he was a publick Prophet and he commannds and layes down the adoring and kissing of this Stone for an Article of his Law and faith which I prove by the books of the Suné and by a book intituled Aericele in the Chapter of the Ceremonies of the Alhage or Pilgrimage where he sayes and Commands all the Moores which goe a Pilgrimage to Mecca when they goe into the Cathedrall of Mecca the first thing they must doe is to goe to the said Stone adore it and kisse it on the right side The words in Arabick are these Oquahale qulli c. i. e. That every Moore that goes into the Minster of Mecca must first salute and kisse the blessed Stone on the right side which Ceremony the Idolaters observed in the times when the Idoll was in that Tower Elcabba and to this day the Moores observe divers other Ceremonies which those Idolaters observed in reverence to the Idoll as namely the Behiram of the Aladees which is after their Passeover when they kill the sheep the which the said Caydar the Arabians grandsire Ismael's son ordayned and instituted in honour of the Idoll and in memoriall of the ramme which Abraham Sacrificed in stead of his son Isaack nothwithstanding many Moores yea the most part say that it was Ismael and not Isaack but their greatest Doctors say it was Isaack Likewise the Moores keep the Ceremony of the Alhage i. e. Pilgrimage which they doe once in their lives And once a yeare in the three dayes of the Passeover they kill sheep and divers other beasts as the Idolaters did likewise the Moores forbear hunting or killing so much as a lowse or a flee in all the Countrey of Mecca during the aforesaid 4 prohibited months and ye must understand that the Moores make their account and Calculation of time according to the Lunar year and not the Solar and call the twelve Moones of the year each by a particular name whereof 4 are called Prohibited months because of the said hunting forbidden them in the Countrey of Mecca which prohibition they retain from Caydar and his successors in honour to the said Idoll one of these months or Moones is called Rajab the next Quedda the third Hegia the last Moharram from which Moharram they begin their annuall account likewise the Moores observe the fast of the tenth day of the said fourth month which begins the year on which day the Idolaters fasted in reverence to the said Idoll the which I prove by a saying of Muhamed in the sixth book of the Suné where he sayes That the Coraxistes and the people of Mecca fasted this tenth day when they were Idolaters and the words in Arabick are these Oqua quenet c. Likewise the Moores observe the going about the Tower called Elcabba and going seaven times about a pit called Birsemsem which Ceremony the Idolaters observed in memoriall of Hagar and saying that when Hagar was delivered of her son Ismael she brought him to this pit and layd him by it and went to the Temple of Mecca and prayed God to cause water to come forth of the said pit And the Book Azar sayes that Hagar went about the Tower praying to the God of Abraham and went back againe to the well and did thus seaven times and that hereupon God heard her prayers and caused water to issue out of the pit and for this reason and in memoriall hereof the Idolaters went about the Tower and walked seaven times to the well which Ceremonies the Moores observe and they are
night in the house of one of the most eminent amongst them and held counsell about Muhamed and they all concluded to kill him emprison him or at least to banish him and that this was so consulted of wee may read in the second Chapter of the second book which in Arabick sayes thus Ognaid pamcoro c. i. e. That they of Mecca took Counsell to kill him or to send him into banishment or to imprison him And being so in consultation certain men who were secretly become Moores did the same night give Muhamed notice of it and he presently fled and all the Moores with him and went to Medina a City ten dayes journey from Mecca He had also notice of the preparations of the Citizens of Mecca who had set guards in the wayes perceiving that he and his Moores would flee away that night whereupon Muhamed bid all the Moores that every one should lay a handfull of embers on the heads of his horse and cast another handful into the ayr and tye the raynes of their horses reading a verse which is in the 18th Chapter of the third book of the Alcoran and is thus Oguaihalme minbeym c. i. e. That they tooke a vayl or skreen in their hands and about them so that they blinded them and they saw nothing And the book Azar sayes that by the Embers which were laid over the horses heads and by repeating the said verse the Moores and he passed through their enemies and were not perceived and so they went to Medina otherwise called Tribik where he was received for a Prophet and there dwelt thirteen years there finished his sect or religion and dyed there At Medina he found five families of Jews dwelling there and in the parts adjacent who began to dispute and question those things which he had then inserted in the Alcoran and required him to doe some miracles as Moses and the Prophets deceased had done to whom he answered That God was his witnes and that his testimony ought to suffice and that he came not to work miracles but to reduce those which wandered and went astray unto the Law of God and of Abraham of which questions and answers the Chapters of the Alcoran are full and in many Chapters he excuseth himself of doing miracles alleging unto the Jewes that divers messengers and Prophets wrought miracles and yet were not beleeved yea that those Prophets suffered persecution and with this excuse he quotes in the Alcoran the names of divers men which were never heard of nor are named any where els There he relates the history of a Prophet called Hadin alias Had and of another called Zamud alias Hud and of a third called Zaleh and of their nation called the people of Hud and of a camell who with her foale was a League in length which two beasts one day drank up the water of the City where that people dwelt and the next day swallowed up men whereupon one day they of the City slew them and because of the sin in killing them there fell a great tempest upon that people Thus Muhamed had great disputing and debating with the Jewes and himself extolled their Law that so they might be silent nevertheless they still disputed against him and laughed at the Moores and Mussellmen and set strife betwixt him and his Moores as shall appeare in due place which jarring continued untill he got power and then he began to suppress the Jews and fought eleven battailes with them overcame them and slew most part of them and the survivors had their lives given them by the Moores and became their subjects and tributaries and from thence forward he began to combate against the people of Mecca and they of Mecca opposed him as shall be shewen hereafter But that I may not be tedious I will conclude this Chapter and running through the eleven following Chapters I shall finish this treatise and the life of Muhamed and of all that he did whilst he was at Almedina CHAP II. The second chapter treateth of the Alcoran what it signifies of the matters therein contained and of how many songs it is composed who collected it and reduced it into four books in the order it is now in and how many years Muhamed was making it how it begins and ends and which are the first and last chapters ALcoran signifies a lesson or Collection of Chapters or songs though it be also called by another name Alforzan i. e. scattered verses and Chapters because he was so long in making it and the Chapters thereof are called suar and one alone is called in Arabick Surah The Alcoran treateth of divers things and especially of the Sect or Law of Muhamed and of what the Moores should beleeve and doe of the hope of reward in the world to come for the Good and of torment for the Wicked It also treateth of things permitted and forbidden to the Moores aswell of food and drink as of women with whom they may or may not marry also it speaks of the Creation of the world how God Created Adam and Eve how they sinned and were cast out of Paradise and came to the earth how the evill Angells sinned and what was the cause of their sin and how they lost the Caelestiall glory It also speaks how God sent Moses to bring the people of Israel out of the Captivity and power of Pharaoh how the Jewes received the Law what befell them at their going out of Egypt how they had Manna sinned and worshiped the calf and how they passed the red sea wherein Pharaoh was drowned It also treateth of divers other histories although he hath put them confusedly and out of order as the Cutler 's related them It also speaks of the prophets of the old Testament although he mentions divers which are not named in any author It likewise containeth the admonitions which Muhamed used to the people of Mecca and his threats to induce them to beleeve his Sect. It also speaks of glory and discourseth of the glory which the Moores shall have in Paradise as also of Hell and of the paines and torments which are there It speaks of the wonders which God dayly doth and of the mysteries and divine works which we dayly see in the heaven earth and sea It also speaks of the Virgin Mary of Jesus Christ our Lord of the mysteries of his nativity and life and of the miracles that he wrought and of the Euangelists and of the true Law which Jesus Christ hath given us as it shall fully appeare in the eleventh Chapter of this Treatise Furthermore the Alcoran mentions divers frauds and much filthiness used by Muhamed and divers contrarieties and repugnancies which have no reason in them and divers excuses which God accepted from Muhamed and made for him upon severall dishonest and immodest cases which Muhamed committed in his life as wee shall shew in the Chapter of Offences and Wives Finally in the Alcoran are many examples of Iudgements wherewith
God chastised men in old time because of their sins Of every thing in order This Alcoran was begun in Mecca in the year of our Lord 630. which was the fortieth year of the said Muhamed's age the first Chapter thereof was that which the Angell Gabriel gave him in the cave when he said read O Muhamed which Chapter is called The Chapter of the pen and the last Chapter was made at Medina and is called The Chapter of fate i. e. the Conquest and the last verse was that which sayes O college c. i e O Muhamed tell the Moores that nothing is forbidden them to be eaten or drunk except murrain bloud and swynes flesh upon which verse I shall make an argument hereafter in the tenth Chapter of this treatise This said verse is now written in the fourth Chapter of the first book called the Chapter of beasts During the ten years at Mecca he made certain Chapters or Soré which called Asoar Mikia i. e. Chapters or songs made at Mecca and during the eleaven years that he dwelt at Almedina he made the other Chapters called Soar Medina i. e. songs made in Medina and not at Mecca so that those which were made at Mecca were not made at Medina And he doth not make this distinction without cause whereof I shall speak ere long in dew place Now forasmuch as he could not write he kept a Clark or Secretary who wrot the scrowls of the Alcoran for him and Muhamed gave out that the Angell Gabriel came to him from time to time with the verses of the Alcoran which God sent him as occasion required and as soon as the Angell had privately told him the verses he presently commanded his clark to write them in a Scrowl or note and to give them unto the Moores to learn them by heart and afterwards he took them again and put them into the said shrine or box of the Mensegina afterwards he took a Secretary called Abdalla Celen who before was a Jewe and this man was his Secretary ten years and forasmuch as he had formerly been a Jew and well read and instructed in the Law of the Hebrews he at last perceived and took notice that all that Muhamed dictated to him was forged and not given by God yet notwithstanding he would and did make triall of it for his satisfaction and it was thus whensoever he was commanded to write such and such verses he would turne the end of the verse to another meaning changing the words and order but not the rime nor consonance For ye must understand that the Alcoran is all in rime and consonance of meeter so that when he was commanded to write at the end of a verse alla hazizum haquimun he wrote alla cemilum halimum that is when Muhamed commanded him to write God is gracious and wise the said secretary wrot God is a hearer and Judge And when he bad him write that God was Almighty and most high he would set down that God was mercifull and gracious and thus the said secretary continued seven years changing the end of the verses and when they were changed Muhamed did not perceive it whereupon the Secretary concluded that if it were a thing from God so much time would not have passed but Muhamed would have had knowledge of it either from God or from his friend the Angell All which I prove from the book called Azzifa and by the book Azear so the secretary seeing this renounced his office and turned Jew again as he was at first and the said books say that Muhamed had another secretary who also renounced his office upon the same reason Now speak O Moore and consider what a Law yee have in the Alcoran and how doe yee observe it yea if a Moore change a letter or corrupt a clause or correct one accent of it he must presently be stoned by the Law and Suné How came it to passe that Muhamed suffered so many verses to be changed and in so many years could not perceive that the Jew abused him but gave out himself to bee the greatest Prophet that ever came into the world and so thou wilt come to know that if the Alcoran had been sent from God to Muhamed by an Angell he would have been informed and have had notice of this aforesaid and the Alcoran would have been corrected and the Jew punisht chastised But in regard hee was neither Prophet nor the Alcoran the word of God therefore the Jew proceeded altering the verses at his pleasure and Muhamed knew not of it Divers Moores took offence when he caused the Alcoran to be written because that one day he would cause verses to be set down commanding some and forbidding other things and another day he would dictate and cause other verses to be written forbidding what he had before allowed and permitted them and making that Lawfull which he had before forbidden and thus yee shall find in the Alcoran above one hundred and fifty verses of those contrarieties and repugnancies which are called revoked verses because they are revoked and annulled by other verses called revocatory verses which they expresse in Arabick by Hacen and Mausoh Moreover Muhamed injoyned the Moores to read certaine verses and this rumination of verses continued a year or two and afterwards they forgot them and when they told Muhamed that they had forgot their verses and desired him to repeate them again to them it seemes he could not remember them himself and he would answer them that God made him forget them but the Moores reproved him and told him that if they were verses from God he ought not to forget them and if he could not remember them why did he not get them to be inspired into him again seeing his friend the Angell Gabriel conversed with him but he on the contrary instituted a verse to reprove them in the first Chapter of the first book which sayes in Arabick Omenen Zehamin c. i. e. That God doth not suffer any verse to be revoaked or forgotten but for to send another like it or a better as if he would say that the verses lately forgotten could not be called to remembrance again because God had already in exchange given the like better verses So that by his great subtilty and cunning he had as many excuses as faylers and a salve for every sore What wilt thou say O Moore unto those verses in the Alcoran in the first book and Chapter viz Oya aynhe alledine c. which in Prose signifies That God had expressely commanded on penalty that whosoever doth the contrary incurs great transgression and sin and what was it to wit when a Morish man or woman are like to dye they have power to make a Will and thereby to bequeath a third part of their goods to their parents brethren and next kindred and in the verses aforesaid he sayth that this commandement must be permanent and just amongst the righteous and whosoever
that at the day of judgement every body shall receive its soul and men shall rise with soul and body for to give account to God at the last judgement and every one with his body shall receive glory or punishment Now then if this be true how is it that the Suné says that men receive glory or punishment in the grave and how can it enter into the brains of a Divine or of any man of knowledge that the body should put on the soul like a shirt And suppose it were true and that the soul did cloath the body like a shirt nevertheless this body is not a man that can be examined or tormented neither is the soul of it self Man for Man cannot be so called but when he is living and composed of soul and body together How then can the body answer without a soul or the soul without a body and how can the body when it is a Carkasse and lump of earth feel the Bastinado's or blows of a Mace So that O Moore and Wiseman as thou thinkest thy self to be thou hast no answer but silence and to acknowledge that all this is vanity and the words of men ignorant and of small understanding I would also O Moore that thou shouldst tell me how will the two white Angels accompany this dead body when it is full of worms and when it is corrupted and stinketh horribly and what blows can the black Angels give if the body be all filth Worms and Earth and yet the Suné sayes that they shall beat it thus untill the day of judgement So that O Moore thou must believe that the words of the Suné carry no good reason with them as neither doe the words of thy prophet Muhamed And here I will conclude this fifth Chapter CHAP. VI. The sixth Chapter treateth of divers offences which the Moores took whilst Muhamed was instituting his Law and Sect by reason of which offences divers Moores became more cautious and wise rebelled against Muhamed and returned to their former Sects and wayes of Worship THe first offence was upon the translation and vision which Muhamed had one night and his ascension to heaven by a Ladder and his riding upon Alborack and for the things which he said he saw that night in heaven as shall more at large appear in our eighth Chapter for which the Moores took offence and rebelled against him The second offence was upon the altering of the Alkibla viz. when Muhamed dwelt at Mecca and began his Sect he commanded them to make their praiers and Zala towards the holy temple of Jerusalem i. e. that when they praied they should turn their faces towards the temple of Jerusalem which command and practice continued among the Moores 12 years ten years at Mecca and 2 years at Medina which were two years after the banishment which Banishment of Muhamed is called in Arabick Alhigera Now when Muhamed and the other Moores were in Medina there were also divers Jewes who told the Moores that Muhamed commanded his followers to make their praiers towards the holy temple of Jerusalem towards which place the Jewes also made their praiers Likewise the Jewes told them that Muhamed commanded the Moores to fast the same Fast as the Jewes did and so the Jewes told them that they Moores followed the custome of the Jewes in their manner of fasting and of making their praiers towards the holy Temple of Jerusalem which two commandements of fasting and praier are written in the first Chapter of the Alcoran and upon occasion of the Jews talking in this manner and their disputing with Muhamed and the Moores about their fasting and praier Muhamed commanded the Moores that they should never observe the Jewish Fast more but should fast in the month of Ramadan The observation of which month of Ramadan was commanded in the second year of Muhamed's being at Medina twelve years after he began his Law and if the Moores are jgnorant that they fasted the Jewish Fast I prove it by the first Chapter of the first book of the Alcoran which in Arabick sayes thus Oya aynhe c. i. e. O yee Moores fasting is commanded unto you as it was commanded to the former And the comment sayes that those former were the Jews and by vertue of this command the Moores observed the Jewish fast 12 years and untill Muhamed commanded them not to observe it longer but to fast in the month Ramadan and this other command is in the same book and Chapter and is in Arabick thus Osabro ramadan alledi onzele fihi Alcoran i. e. That thence forward they should fast in the month Ramadan in which month the Alcoran was inspired And moreover the same year he commanded them to chang the Alkibla upon the same Reason of the Jewes disputing and that they should not pray any more towards the holy Temple of Jerusalem but onely towards the Minster or temple of Mecca in Arabâ—a It sayes in Arabick thus Ofaqueli gâ—â—ageheque c. which signifies O Muhamed when thou praiest turn thy face towards the temple of Mecca and ye Moores turn your faces directly towards that temple wheresoever ye be ye must turn your faces towards the said temple of Mecca so the Moores upon these commands left off the Jewish fast and began to fast in the month of Ramadan and left the temple of Jerusalem and turned towards the Temple of Mecca And forasmuch as the aforesaid Idol was in the said Temple of Mecca the Jewes again opposed the Moores telling and shewing them how Muhamed made them return to Idolatry again by commanding them to pray towards the place where the Idoll was Whereupon the Moores were offended at him and acknowledged that it was a greater error to leave the holy Temple of Jerusalem and the holy house of Salomon and to turn their faces and pray towards Mecca where the Idol was towards which place all the Idolaters of the Countreys about Mecca turned their faces in honour to the said Idoll And thus the Moores began to murmur against Muhamed and sayd that it was not good to pray to the Idoll and thereupon divers Moores became wary and circumspect and turned to their former Sects and waies of worship And when Muhamed saw the great offence they took he made the Verses aforesaid and thereupon the Moores were silent and were induced to make prayers towards the Temple of Mecca saying that God was pleased with it and had commanded it by the Alcoran And this was the Moores second offence And Muhamed and the Moores continued thus five years making their prayers towards Mecca whilst the aforesaid Idoll was in the temple of Mecca untill Muhamed conquered Mecca and destroyed the Idoll and most part of the people of Mecca were slain by the sword because they would not become Moores Now tell me O Moore what thinkest thou of these five years during which Muhamed and the Moores made their praiers towards the place where the Idoll was Truly to
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
ever dying or having any hurt After this manner the Alcoran and the Suné describe the glory of the other world The said banquet shall be made in the Paradise called Genete Alcoduz but Muhamed will make another feast to all the Moores at his said fountain called Alcauzar and shall give them drink with his own hand as the Suné says and in the book called in Arabick Quitebe Alainiar i. e. the book of flowers the words in Arabick run thus Aneguaquesin hale c. i. e. that Muhumed will be at his fountain and the Moorish people shall passe by it and Muhamed with his own hand shall give every one of them to drink of the water of that fountaine and those that drink of this fonntaine he sayth shall never thirst In the said book of flowers Muhamed sayes that the water of this fountaine is whiter then milk and sweeter than honey and the buckets bowles and glasses of this fountain are as many in number as the Stars of heaven Now I will speak to thee O Moore and say something upon this glory which yee Moores are to enjoy in the other world and although I am weary and troubled with writing so many gulleryes and things against reason and all Law neverthelesse I will speak of two things which I find wanting in your Paradise and in all the glory aforesaid The first defect is that whereas the Alcoran and the Suné hold forth such and so great Paradises so stately built and so richly adorned they make no mention of Easements and that they are also magnificently built especially having spoken of so much eating and of so much drinking viz. of honey milk Claret and Hypocras The second defect is that he makes no mention of the glory of the women for whereas the Alcoran and the Suné have promised that the men shall have chast Virgins with whom they shall sport and take their pleasure as aforesaid they ought in like manner to have mentioned the women and to have given them eternall servants to have taken their pleasure with them and then the women would also have had eternall glory But tell mee O Moore what will the women who shall be at this feast say and doe when they shall see themselves comfortlesse and when they shall see their husbands which they had in this world sporting with and embracing their Virgins the space of 50 years which he says they shall remaine embraced sporting and taking their pleasures Therefore O Moore I say that the womens glory will be turned into punishment and sorrow especially when each of the men shall take his Virgin and shall goe away with her to his Mansion or fortresse and the women shall be left alone and comfortlesse like widdowes so that O Moore considering all this above thou mayest conclude that this is not a thing of God nor of a Prophet and messenger sent from God and thou wilt know that it is all as Salomon says Vanity of Vanities and all Vanity and here I will conclude this ninth Chapter CHAP. X. The tenth Chapter shewes how the Alcoran contradicteth it self in divers places And trcateth of divers things in the Alcoran which are unseemly and superfluous likewise of some miracles which Muhamed sayes he did although they rather resemble gulls than miracles THe Alcoran in the first Chapter of the first book in the first Chapter of the second book and in the first Chapter of the fourth book says that God cursed the devill and expelled him from the glory of Paradise and cast him into the bottomles pit for ever Likewise in the aforequoted Chapters it says that the devill told God that he would alwaies be mans mortall Enemy and would alwaies tempt men and torment them furthermore the Alcoran in divers places admonisheth men saying that the Devill is mans apparent enemy all which is notorious and manifest in the Alcoran And after all this the Alcoran says that the Devills shall hear the Alcoran and shall become the friends of Muhamed of men and of God and that God will pardon their sins and promiseth them the glory of heaven as appears by the Chapters of the devill and of Caf and of the glorious in the fourth book Furthermore the Alcoran contradicteth it self when he says in the first Chapter of the first book that it was given in the month of Ramadan and in the Chapter of Smoak and in the Chapter of the Holy night in the fourth book he says that the Alcocan was given in one night both which the course of above twenty years-time contradicteth during which Muhamed was making the Alcoran viz. ten years in Mecca and 13 years in Medina which appears by the titles of the Chapters of the Alcoran For there are Chapters of the Alcoran which are called Sorath Midiniya I mean that the songs or Chapters which were made at Mecca during the ten years that Muhamed dwelt there are called Sorath Mekiya i. e. songs of Mecca and the Chapters which were made at Medina during the thirteen years that Muhamed dwelt there are called Sorath Medeniya i. e. songs made at Medina and there is not mention made at Mecca in all the ten years of any of those Chapters made at Medina and the Chapters which were made at Mecca were not made at Medina Wherefore I conclude that the Alcoran was twenty three years in composing and did not descend in one night nor in one month as the Alcoran says Furthermore by the Alcoran it self it appears that it was not inspired in one night nor in one month by the Chapters and verses which were made upon severall occasions as upon actions offences and upon controversies differences between Muhamed and his wives and by the diversity of commandements and by the alterations which wee have shewn above which Acts and occurrences hapned during the thirteen years which Muhamed dwelt at Medina and there is no mention made of them at Mecca during the first ten years that he dwelt there How is it then O Moore that thou sayest the Alcoran descended in a night or in a month And if wee should say it is true that the Alcoran descended in a night or in a month then I would have thee tell mee O Moore where was this night or this month Whether it were at Medina or at Mecca if thou sayest that it was at Mecca then I answer that those Chapters which were made at Medina are not to be reputed or judged for the Alcoran and if thou sayest that this night was at Medina then I say likewise that the Chapters and verses made at Mecca are not to be reputed for the Alcoran so that take it which way you will we must say that the Alcoran says and unsays affirmes and denies the same thing Furthermore the Alcoran contradicteth it self when it sayth in the fourth Chapter of the first book that he chargeth the Moores to hold twelve things as forbidden and prohibited to be eaten In Arabick he says thus O horrimet
c. i. e. That God hath forbidden the Moores that which is murrain blood Swine that which is offered to Idols and that which hath bin strangled that which dyes by the thrust of a horn or by a casualty and also wild beasts c He forbids all these things in the said Chapter the which also the Moores doe hold for prohibited And in another song in the fifth Chapter of the first Book God commands and chargeth Muhamed to tell the Moores that they should say nothing was prohibited and forbidden to be eaten or drunk but murrain blood Swines flesh and that which is offered to Idols the said verses in Arabick sayes thus O Zolle agido c. So that the Moores in the first Chapter forbad twelve things and in the other Chapter contradicting themselves they forbid but four And if thou wilt say O Moore that the verses of the last Chapter are revoked by the first I prove that the first much less the last are not revoked but are verses which remain in force and vertue and which are called in Arabick Ayetum Mohquemetum i. e. decisory and valid verses Nay it is not found in all the Alcoran that any former verse revokes the second for it may be reasonable that the second may revoke the first but not that the first should revoke the second therfore I say that if the first verse is valid and decisory the second verse must likewise be valid and decisory and this was so concluded amongst the Moores viz. That both the verses should be valid and decisory What sayst thou now O Moore in this great confusion where one verse forbids twelve things and the other forbids but four for hence it plainly appears that these are not verses of God nor of a Prophet sent from God Furthermore the Alcoran in the eleventh Chapter of the second book writes that the use of wine is allowed the words in Arabick say thus O guamin Zamarati c. Which signifies that of the fruit of the dates of the Palme tree and of Grapes ye may drink and take lawfull sustentation By force of which Verse the Moores drank wine lawfully the space of twelve years but afterwards upon a fancy which Muhamed took he forbad it by word of mouth not by the Alcoran so that Muhamed contradicteth the Alcoran and thus in divers Chapters yee find that the Alcoran contradicteth it self Likewise the Alcoran sayes to Muhamed that if he doubted whether the Alcoran was of God or of man he should enquire of the Jews and Christians who had read the Scripture before him the words in Arabick are thus O fainz unte c. i. e. verbatim O Muhamed if thou doubtest or art uncertain of this Alcoran which we have caused to be sent down to thee aske of those who have read the Scripture before thee All the glossers say that they who had read the Scripture are the Jews and Christians and yet in the first Chapter of the first book he sayes that the Jews and Christians have no Law and that they erre and the same Alcoran calls the Jews cursed and the Christians erronious Furthermore in divers places he speaks well of the Jews and Christians and sayes that the Thora or Law is the true book of God and that God sent the said Law of Moses good and true by which Law the Prophets and messengers doe judge and all those who doe not judge by the Thora are unjust and unbelievers in God the words in Arabick in the fourth Chapter of the first book run thus Ogua anzelne c. i. e. verbatim We God sent the Thora which is the Law of Moses a Light and streight path by which the Prophets doe judge and they who doe not judge by this which God sent to the world are Insidels and unrighteous Likewise he says that the Gospell is the Light Life Law and Salvation of men and yet afterwards he says that the Christians and Jews have no Law and that they are cursed and erronious And if thou O Moore sayest as all the Moores generally doe That the Thora and the Evangelists are not now what they were in the time of Moses and in the time of Jesus Christ and that the Christians have altered the Gospell and the Jews have perverted the Thora To that I will answer O Moore and say that that Argument is not good for two reasons The first and principall as concerning the Thora is that the same books and Chapters which the Jews had in the time of Moses and in the time of the Prophets untill Jesus Christ the very same they have still and the Christians have alwaies had them without wanting a tittle not only the Thora which is the five books of Moses but also all the old Testament Now thou knowest O Moore that the Jews and Christians differ in Worship so that if the Jews had changed and altered the Scripture it would not have continued one and the same in the hands of the Jews and in the hands of the Christians as now it is and hath alwaies been The reason O honest Moore is because the Scripture was given by God and that Scripture which is given by God will never be lost as are the books of Muhamed's Suné As we have said above in the third Chapter The second reason is because that when Muhamed published his Reliligion it was already 600. years since the Christian Law or Religion had been Preached to all the world and so long also had the old Testament and the new been united to wit the figure and the thing figured so concordant and harmonious as if they had been both one and the same thing And seeing God commanded Muhamed to inquire of the Readers of this Scripture for his information the Scripture doubtless was then good and true and is likewise at present good and true for the same as it then was it still is and if it had been altered at the time of Muhamed God should have given Muhamed notice of it and have given him to know that at first it was good but then bad so that O Moore thou hast no right on thy side notwithstanding whatsoever the Moores and Musselmen say for he that brings the testimony of two for proof of his own cause doth yield that those witnesses are good and true not bad and reprochable because if they were reprochable and of ill fame they are not worthy to be received for witnesses now if God bids Muhamed to inquire of the Jews and Christians for his own information and satisfie himself from their two Scriptures you must conclude O Moore that those Scriptures at the time of such inquiry were good and true as still they are and will alwaies be and for this Reason O Moore thou must be silent and acknowledge that the Alcoran contradicteth it self in divers places and so I will conclude this point Concerning the superfluous and immodest things which Muhamed hath inserted in the Alchoran the first
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 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
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