Matters to the Grand Signior as would infallibly produce a Peace It had been easie for Cardinal Mazarini whose Counsel the Queen follows in all Things to have hindred this Mans Voyage But those who are acquainted with the Picque that is between them conclude That the Cardinal consented to his Commission on purpose to lay a Train for his future Disgrace as knowing the Boldness of his Temper was far from being seconded with equal Wisdom and Conduct and that though he was prone to undertake Great and Hazardous Actions yet he never had the good Fortune to accomplish any Thing of Moment They that know this Gentleman's Character say That any Example will encourage him to rush into Labyrinths and Perils And where Examples are wanting he is Ambitious to be made one himself He fears not to tread in the Footsteps of such as have miscarried in the most Desperate Enterprizes but promises himself Success where a Thousand have fail'd In fine he is esteemed the rashest Man living I send thee this Description of the French Ambassador that thou maist communicate it to the Sovereign Divan It will be no small Advantage to know the Temper and Qualifications of Foreign Ministers residing at the August Port Especially at this Juncture whereon the Fate of Christendom depends Besides there cannot be too great Caution us'd to obviate the subtile Trains of Cardinal Mazarini who I fear is contriving no kind Offices to the Ottoman Empire I kiss the Hem of thy Vest Illustrious Bassa and bid thee Adieu Paris 2d of the 7th Moon of the Year 1646. LETTER VII To the same THE Captain Bassa has the Reputation of a Good Seaman among the French They highly applaud his expeditious Relief of Canea and no less commend the Secrecy with which he landed his Army and took the Town of Retimo The French are generally great Criticks in Military Affairs and are not so partial to the Honour of the Christians as to deny the Praises that are due to an expert Leader among the Mussulmans Yet they are inconstant and seldom retain the same Sentiments long Every Circulation of their Blood begets new Friendships new Opinions new Censures In this they seem to inherit the Vices of the Ancient Gauls as well as their Country A Roman Emperour who made War in this Nation has left excellent Memoirs behind him wherein among other Things he describes the Nature of the Gauls their Dispositions and Genial Inclinations He that shall read his Writings which were penn'd above Sixteen Hundred Years ago and shall converse with the present French will easily conclude That the Latter are a Living Transcript of the Former and that their Humours and Actions are exactly copied from his Words Yet in Nothing does the Character of the Primitive Gauls suit more truly to the present Inhabitants than in their furious Onsets in a Battel and their equal Readiness to Flight Their First Assault seems to speak 'em More than Men their Second Less than Women and they seldom venture on a Third Wilt thou know then how they obtain so many Signal Victories It is by Stratagems and Money Where they cannot circumvent their Enemies they corrupt a Party of 'em with Bribes and Pensions Thus they purchase their Conquests with a more powerful Metal than Steel The Force of Gold to which all Things yield lays Cities and Provinces at the Feet of this Invincible Monarch But I pray Heaven so to prosper the Armies of the Empire founded on Vertue that this Infidel Prince and all the Nazarenes may experience their Gold to be as Ineffectual as their Swords against the Valour and Just Revenge of the True Believers Paris 2d of the 7th Moon of the Year 1646. LETTER VIII To the Venerable Mufti Sovereign Guide of the True Believers THou who art all Goodness the Arch-Type of Clemency and Vertue wilt not number me among the Importunate for so often troubling thee with Disputes of our Holy Law I ask thee no Common Questions neither am I captious seeking Occasions to darken what is Apparent or invalidate the Testimony of Him who touch'd the Hand of God I revere the Holy Oracles and the Book not dictated on Earth Every Chapter I read in the Alcoran makes me bless the Angel who took so many Flights to bring down the Sacred Pages from Heaven And my Reverence is encreas'd towards that Volume of Glory when I consider it was not hastily compos'd every Versicle being the Product of Divine Premeditation Doubtless it excells all the Writings in the World No Scripture before or since has approach'd to the Mysterious Elegance of those Celestial Lines Yet methinks I find a great Profundity of Wisdom in the Treatises of the Ancients Thou wilt say My Station requires me to read Men more than Books being not sent hither to Contemplate but to act for the Interest of my Master and the Ottoman Empire 'T is true my Business is now to unravel the Designs of the Infidels but bear with me if I tell thee That in Order to this I took no wrong Course when in my Younger Years I apply'd my self to Books which are but Men turn'd Inside out or Metamorphos'd into Letters against who thus surviving themselves the Stroke of Death cannot prevail Those who have erected Statues of Gold Silver Brass or Marble to the Memory of departed Heroes can but transmit the Effigies of their Bodies to Posterity which thou knowest is the Ignobler Part of Man And herein they come short of the Aegyptians who have the Art of preserving the Bodies themselves Incorruptible for a Thousand Generations But they who left their Writings to Posterity have oblig'd the World with an Immortal and Lively Image of their Mind This is properly the Man and lives for ever when the Body is consum'd in the Grave and the Statue perhaps is eat up by Time or demolish'd by Envy Pardon this Digression Oraculous and Vnerring Mouth of God I have a great Deal to say and cannot comprehend it in a few Words It has been enjoyn'd by our Holy Doctors That a Mussulman should not read the Books of Prophane Infidels But tell me thou who art the Resolver of Doubts Whether this Precept is extended to all without Exception or Whether a Dispensation may not be allow'd to such as read those Books with One Eye whilst the Other is fix'd on the Law which balances the Mind with Truth The Alcoran tells us That the Devil has inserted some Falsities in the Best Writings But is it not possible for a Man to separate the Good from the Bad I read in the Book of Glory many remarkable Things concerning Alexander the Great But is it unlawful also to peruse what has been writ by others of the Life of that Famous Warriour and Holy Prophet Both Grecian and Roman Historians have related his Adventures in Asia his Battels with Darius the Persian Monarch and Porus the Indian They praise his Continence and modest Regard to Sysigambis and her Daughters when they
is oblig'd to keep in Constant Pay some Millions of his Subjects and Strangers For he is in the Midst of Enemies even amongst his own Subjects There are above an Hundred Sovereigns in his Empire who perpetually by Turns molest his Government refusing to pay Tribute and raising Armies against him Whereby it comes to pass That he is at an Infinite Expence to defend himself and carry on those Endless Wars Thou thy self having observ'd That once in Two Moons there is an Indispensible Necessity of paying these prodigious Armies Not a Soldier throughout his Empire having any Thing to live on save the Wages he receives of the King Consider also that this Monarch always keeps some Thousands of the finest Horses in the World near his Person such as cost him Thousands of Roupies apiece Besides a Thousand Elephants with an Incredible Number of Mules Camels and other Beasts of Burden to carry his Wives his Goods and Provisions when he takes the Field That whole Cities even as Large as Constantinople are obliged to follow the Kings Camp for Subsistence their Livelihood altogether depending on the Army Add to this the Immense Charges of his Seraglio his Castles and Sea-Port Towns with all the other Necessary Expences of the State and thou wilt conclude That when this Potentate comes to cast up his Accompts he will find himself a Poor Man But I shall cloy thee with a Rehearsal of such Things as thou canst not be a Stranger to Only tell me Whether one of the Raias or Princes subject to the Mogul be the real Descendent of Porus the Ancient King of India in the time of Alexander the Great I have been told by several Travellers that there is such an One that his Name is Rana and that an Hundred of the Idolatrous Princes pay Homage to him as to their Natural Sovereign Thou confirmest the Truth of what has been so often reported in these Parts That the Prince of Java has Six Fingers on each Hand and as many Toes on his Feet But that seems very strange which thou relatest of a certain Language among the Indians which is not Vulgarly spoken but that all their Books of Theology the Pandects of their Laws the Records of their Nation and the Treatises of Humane Arts and Sciences are written in it And that this Language is taught in their Schools Colleges and Academies even as Latin is among the Christians I cannot enough admire at this For where and when was this Language spoken How came it to be disus'd There seems to be a Mystery in it that none of their Brachmans can give any other Account of this save That it is the Language wherein God gave to the First Creature he made the Four Books of the Law which according to their Chronology was above Thirty Millions of Years ago I tell thee my Dear Brother this News has started some odd Notions in my Mind For when I consider that this Language as thou sayest has nothing in it Common with the Indian that is now spoken nor with any other Language of Asia or of the World and yet that it is a Copious and Regular Language learn'd by Grammar like the other Maternal Languages and that in this Obsolete Language Books are written wherein it is asserted That the World is so many Millions of Years old I could almost turn Pythagorean and believe the World to be within a Minute of Eternal And where would be the Absurdity Since God had equally the same Infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness from all Eternity as he had Five or Six Thousand Years ago What should hinder him then from exerting these Divine Attributes sooner What should retard him from drawing forth this Glorious Fabrick earlier from the Womb of Nothing Suffer thy Imagination to start backwards as far thou canst even to Millions of Ages and yet thou canst not conceive a Time wherein this Fair Unmeasurable Expanse was not stretch'd out As if Nature her self had engraven on our Intellects this Record of the World 's Untraceable Antiquity in that our strongest swiftest Thoughts are far too weak and slow to follow Time back to its Endless Origine The Revolution in China surpasses the Common Changes in Kingdoms and Empires There is Something excessively Tragical in the Catastrophe of that Royal House Brother in beholding that thou hast seen Humane Nature in a Trance And thou art so thy self if after this thou canst be fond of any Thing on Earth Traveller adieu Paris 25th of the 1st Moon of the Year 1647. LETTER XXII To Afis Bassa SEveral Dispatches have been lately sent between this Court and that of Sucdeland containing rather Matter of Compliment than any Thing of Great Importance Queen Christina has been very Ill which has occasion'd Letters of Condoleance from the Queen-Regent of France Those which come from that Part say That General Torstenson is made a Count and the Dignity entail'd to his Posterity in Recompense of his Eminent Services to the Suedish Crown These Letters add That there have pass'd some high Words between Monsieur Chanut and the Sucdish Secretary of State And that the latter in going out of the Chamber where they discoursed laid his Hand upon his Sword with these Words Monsieur Chanut Were is not for the Fence which the Law of Nations has raised about your Person I would answer you in another Language To which Monsieur Chanut replied That he wore a Sword to defend himself and his Private Honour as well as any Suede in the Kingdom The Occasion of this Quarrel was the great Resort of Roman Catholick Strangers to Monsieur Chanut's Chappel which gave disgust to the Suedes who allow not the Exercise of the Roman Religion within their Territories They castrate all the Priests of that Communion whom they find and prosecute the Laity with rigorous Penalties But Monsieur Chanut pleaded the Law of Nations And when the Secretary told him That the Queen permitted him and his Family the Liberty of their Religion but desired him not to admit any other Persons of what Nations soever This Minister replied That he could not receive as a Favour or Permission from her Majesty the Liberty of Exercising his Religion since he held it only of his Master the King of France who had sent him thither and that he would not shut the Door of his Chappel against any that would come in That their Law which according to their own Calcule was made above Two Thousand Years after the Foundation of their Estate could not abrogate the Law of Nations which is Eternal That this Perpetual Law gave particular Privileges to certain Persons and especially to the Ministers of Foreign Princes That their New Law such as it was being only made to maintain the Publick Worship respected not what was done in the House of a Foreign Minister by a Special Privilege it being of no Consequence to the State whether such Foreigners served God or not or whether they worshipped Him in a Right
should be written on any Schedule that she should have no Power to hurt the Infants they dismiss'd her After this God compassionating Adam's Solitude gave him another Wife call'd Eve This Tradition confirms the Vision of the Prophet and we need not doubt That the Earth was Inhabited before Adam's Time And if that be granted why might it not be Peopled for Millions of Ages as well as for the smallest Term that Ignorance or Error may assign to its Duration I have discoursed with several of the Jewish Rabbi's and Christian Doctors on this Subject Men of abstruse Learning and sublime Thoughts Yet I can find but a few who are emancipated from the Prejudices of a Superstitious Education They have been from their Infancy prepossess'd with a false Notion of the Works of God believing them to be Finite both in Extent of Space and Time They circumscribe this Visible World within I know not what Flaming Circle and believe the First Matter it self to be but Five Days Older than Adam taking each of those Days for the Space of Four and Twenty Hours wherein the Sun finishes his Diurnal Circuit through the Heavens They consider not That according to their own Bible there was Light and Darkness and consequently Day and Night before the Sun was Created But how long those Days and Nights were is not determin'd by Moses Yet in another Part of their Bible it is said That a Day with God is a Thousand Years and a Thousand Years is a Day So that according to this Interpretation Adam was not Created till above Five Thousand Years after the Beginning of the World Yet when I bring this Positive Place of their Own Scripture against the Nazarene Sages they shuffle it off with empty Evasions and rather than believe the Indesinite Antiquity of the World they contradict their own Sence and Reason invalidate the Testimony of a Prophet deny their Faith and appear Unmask'd Insidels Both they and the Jews have corrupted the Truth with many Errors and we must seek farther for the Original Science of Nature The Illuminated of God have always taught That the Earth was Inhabited long before the Appearance of Adam And all the Eastern Sages believe a Series of Generations to have dwelt on this Globe for Indeterminate Ages I have a Brother lately come from the Indies He relates strange Things of certain Books which are onely in the Hands of the Brachmans They are written in a Language which none understand but these Priests yet a Language as Copious as any other and taught in their Colleges by Rule These Books contain a History of the World which they say is above Thirty Millions of Years Old They divide the Term of its Duration into Four Ages Three of which they say are already past and a good Part of the Fourth Now I would fain know who wrote these Books and at what Time and where this Language was spoken They call it the Holy Language saying that it was the First spoken on Earth It is strange That no History should mention so Divine a Speech We have the Chronology of the Latin and Greek and can give an Account when and where they were spoken though they are now grown Obsolete and no otherways to be learn'd but in the Schools and Academies This argues the Antiquity of the Bramins Language and Books in Regard they fall not within any other Record save their own which says they are as Old as the World For if this Assertion were false the Imposture would have been discover'd as soon as broach'd and the Learned Sages of the East would quickly have disprov'd so manifest a Lye There seems to me something Extraordinary in this Pretension of these Indian Philosophers and I would gladly be convinc'd of the Truth Methinks it is an Illustrious Idea of the Divine Perfections when one conceives all this Vast and Endless Concatenation of Beings to flow from the Eternal Nature as Rays from the Sun And that they can no more be separated from it than those Beams can from that Visible Fountain of Light It will not be difficult then to Interpret the History of Moses by this Register of the Bramins and reconcile the Six Days of the one with the Four Ages of the other since a Day in the Divine Sence may amount to Millions of Years as well as to a Thousand And it will be more congruous and agreeable to believe that after the Birth of the First Matter there elaps'd Many Ages before it was wrought into such an Infinite Variety of Appearances as we now behold and that the Five Days which Moses computes before the Production of Adam might be some Millions of Years In which Time the Divine Architect gradually drew from the Abyss of Matter the Sun Moon Stars Plants and Animals which may serve also to Illustrate the Vision of thy Holy Ancestor with which I begun this Discourse Adieu Sublime Intelligence of the Torrid Zone and favour Mahmut with a Transcript of thy Thoughts concerning these Things But if thy Silence shall condemn my Presumption and Importunity I will wait for thy Answer till the Platonick Year when according to the Doctrine of that Philosopher we shall all be alive again Paris 19th of the 4th Moon of the Year 1648. LETTER XIV To the Mufti IN a former Dispatch to thy Sanctity I have acquainted thee with the Insurrections in Palermo mentioning the Fear of the Viceroy lest the French in that Island should then take their Opportunity to revenge the Proverbial Cruelty of the Sicilian Vespers If thou art unacquainted with that Tragedy I will inform thee in Brief About Three Hundred and Threescore Years ago there Reign'd in Sicily one of the Royal Blood of France they call him Charles of Anjou He had French Garrisons in all the Cities of that Kingdom But these Soldiers committed so many Insolencies as rendred 'em Odious and Insupportable to the Natives who therefore resolved to exterminate them The French are very Licentious in their Conquests neither sparing Men in their Anger nor Women in their Lust They make no Difference between the Noble and the Vulgar but sacrifice all the Regards of Honour and Civility to their Impetuous Appetites They were guilty of innumerable Rapes and Violences in Sicily among the Meaner People and sometimes extended their Rudeness to Persons of the Best Quality It was common for them to affront both Virgins and Matrons as they went along the Streets by thrusting their Hands under their Garments on Pretence of searching for hidden Arms. Among the Rest the Wife of a certain Lord in Palermo going to pay her Devotions at the Temple was seiz'd by the Command of the Captain of the Guards and strip'd Naked before all the Soldiers in Order to discover certain Treasonable Papers which they suspected she carried about her But finding none she upbraided the Captain with Inhumanity in offering so gross an Affront to a Lady of her Rank He seeming to be sorry for
Mahmut The. Turkish spy Aetatis suoe 72. F. H. Van. Hove Sculp THE Third Volume OF LETTERS Writ by a Turkish Spy Who lived Five and Forty Years Undiscover'd at PARIS Giving an Impartial Account to the Divan at Constantinople of the most Remarkable Transactions of Europe And discovering several Intrigues and Secrets of the Christian Courts especially of that of France continued from the Year 1645 to the Year 1682. Written Originally in Arabick Translated into Italian and from thence into English by the Translator of the First Volume LONDON Printed by J. Leake for Henry Rhodes near Bride lane in Fleet street 1691. TO THE READER OUR Arabian having met with so kind Entertainment in this Nation since he put on the English Dress is resolv'd to continue his Garb and visit you as often as Convenience will permit He brings along with him many Foreign Commodities to gratify the Various Expectations of People His Cargo consisting of Jewels and other Rarities which are the Genuine Product of the East and some Kinds of Merchandise which he has purchased here in the West during his Residence at Paris It will be Pity to affront this Honest Stranger by raising Scandals on him as if he were a Counterfeit and I know not what This will appear Inhospitable and Unworthy of the English Candor and Generosity To speak without an Allegory in this Third Volume of Letters as in the former Two you 'll find an Exact Continuation of Modern History acquainting you with all the Memorable Sieges Battels and Campagnes that were in Europe from the Year 1645 to 1649. As also with all the Remarkable Negotiations and Transactions of State Embassies Leagues and Overtures of Princes the Policies and Intrigues of Publick Ministers especially those of Cardinal Mazarini the Great and Stupendous Revolutions and Civil Wars in England China Naples Turky and Paris the Prodigious Rise of a Poor Young Beardless Fisherman to the Height of Sovereign Power the Dismal Tragedies of an English King and a Chinese Imperor with the Murder of a Turkish Sultan And all these intermix'd with Proper and Useful Remarks Pleasant and Agreeable Stories couch'd in a Style which being peculiar to the Arabians cannot be match'd in any other Writings that are Extant If his Philosophy will not abide the Test of our Learned Virtuosi yet it may pass Muster in a Mahometan since it is taken for granted That the Men of that Faith rarely apply themselves to such Studies or at least not in the Method us'd in Christian Schools They may have the same Idea's of Natural Things as We but they express themselves in a different Manner As for his Morals they are Solid and Grave and such as could not be reprehended even in a Christian Writer if we reduce what he says to Vniversals For abstracting from the Particular Obligations he had to his Native Religion and to the Grand Signior whose Slave he was there will be found little Difference between his Ethicks and ours He every where recommends Loyalty Justice Fortitude Temperance Prudence and all those other Virtues which are requisite to fill up the Character of a Hero or a Saint And who will not bear with him for Patronizing the Religion and Interest in which he was bred it being Natural for all Men to adhere to the Notions they have suck'd in with their Mothers Milk In this also he shews great Moderation and a more unbyass'd Temper than one would expect from a Turk Which may in Part be ascrib'd to his Studying in the Christian Academies his Conversation with the Learned'st Men in Paris and some of the most Accomplish'd Persons in the World Hence it was that he was accus'd by his Superiors at the Ottoman Port of Inclining to Christianity or Atheism as he takes Notice in his Apology to a Religious Dignitary in the First Letter of the Third Book of this Volume Pag. 255. to which the Reader is referr'd for farther Satisfaction In his most Familiar Letters such as this last mention'd and others to his Intimate Friends you will find some Expressions discovering a certain Fineness and Strength of Thought which is not very Common in Christian Writers Which is an Argument That the Mahometans are not all such Block-Heads as we take 'em for And though his Picture which we have affix'd to Our Translation since we had the Italian Tomes represents no Extraordinary Person yet you know Juvenal's Remark Fronti mulla Fides And it has been a Common Observation of one of the Greatest Philosophers in this Age That by his Outward Aspect no Man would guess what an Illustrious Soul lodg'd within If you would know how the Italian came by this Picture for in his Preface he asserts it to be the True Effigies of this Arabian he says That being acquainted with the Secretary of Cardinal Mazarini and frequenting his House he saw a Picture hang in his Closet with this Inscription at the Bottom TITUS DE MOLDAVIA CLERICUS Aetatis suae LXXII He ask'd the Gentleman who this Titus was who inform'd him That he was a great Traveller and understood many Languages especially the Sclavonian Greek and Arabick on which Account Cardinal Richlieu and his Successor Mazarini had made great Use of him and That the Latter had caus'd that Picture of the Moldavian to be drawn and hung up in his Closet from whence he had it Our Italian being satisfy'd after some Discourse about him That this Stranger was the very Arabian whose Writings he had so happily found got leave of the Gentleman to have a Draught of the Picture taken by a Skilful Limner which he afterward plac'd in the Front of his Translation There is one of these Letters Pag. 306. wants a Beginning in the Italian Copy Which the Author of that Translation takes Notice of in his Preface saying That by some Accident or other the Arabick Paper had been torn asunder and one Part was missing There needs no more be said but to acquaint the Reader That we are going forward with the English Translation of these Letters as fast as we can So that in all Probability you may expect a Fourth Volume before Christmas Wherein you will find more Particular Remarks on our English Affairs with Political Discourses on the Original and Dissolution of Governments As also many Curious Passages during the Wars of Paris which have not hitherto come to Publick View In fine you will there be inform'd of all the Remarkable Events that happen'd at that Time either in Peace or War on the whole Globe Adieu A TABLE OF THE LETTERS and Matters-contained in this Volume VOL. III. BOOK I. LETTER I. MAhmut an Arabian at Paris to Nathan Ben Saddi a Jew at Vienna p. 1. He exhorts him to be prepar'd for the Worst Events To stand upon his Guard against the Christians but above all to beware of himself He tells him a Story of Carcoa Nathan's Predecessor II. To the Kaimacham 7 Of the Transylvanian Agent 's Business at the French
grieve for the Loss of one of his Wives who ran away with his Slave Relates a Story of an Italian Lord. XIV To Solyman his Cousin 185 He reproves him for deserting the Publick Assemblies of the Faithful and following of Schismaticks XV. To Hasnadar-Bassy Chief Treasurer to the Grand Signior 187 Of the Duke of Enguien's Triumphant Entring into Paris after the taking of Dunkirk XVI To Ibrahim Hali Cheik a Man of the Law 189 Touching the Suppressing of Brothel-Houses in Paris XVII To Mustapha Bassa of Silistria 192 He attributes the Loss of Asac to the Valour of the Moscovites A Character of that People with the Manner of the Czars Succession in Former Times XVIII To Solyman Kyzlar Aga Chief of the Black Eunuchs 196 He acquaints him with the Death of the Prince of Conde The Character of that Prince with a Brief Account of his Life XIX To the Kaimacham 199 Of the Count d' Harcourt's Disgrace in Decamping from before Lerida The Success of the French Arms in Italy Of a strange Fountain in the Isle of Elbe XX. To Bajazet Bassa of Greece 201 He acquaints him with his Suspicion of some deep Designs in the French Court. Of a Fellow who rais'd a Sedition in Paris XXI To Pestelihali his Brother 206 He thanks him for the Journal of his Travels Congratulates his Escape from Male and Female Thieves tells him a Story of the Mogul's Father and another of a Merchant's Widow in the Indies With other Discourses of that Nature XXII To Afis Bassa 218 Of a Quarrel between Monsieur Chanut the French Ambassador at Stockholme and the Suedish Secretary of State The Repartee of a French Embassador to the King of Spain XXIII To the Mufti most Venerable and worthy of all Honour 222 A Comparison of the Three Ministers of State Ximenes Richlieu and Mazarini XXIV To Danecmar Kesrou Cadilesquer of Romania 228 Of the Perfidy of the Scots in selling King Charles I. to the English Parliament A Story of Bishop Hatto XXV To Ragel Hamet Antiquary to the Sultan 234 Remarks on Old Magical Statues and Images Of the Palladium and Ancilia Of the true Name of the City of Rome XXVI To the Vizir Azem 238 Mahmut acquaints him with his Return from Orleans The Reason of the great Conflux of Strangers to that City XXVII To the Aga of the Janizaries 240 Of Joan d' Arc the Maid of Orleans XXVIII To Dgnet Oglou 244 Of Eliachim's falling in Love with a French Lady on the Road as he accompanied Mahmut to Orleans XXIX To the Captain Bassa 251 Of the Bold Proposal which a Sea-Captain made to Cardinal Mazarini And of a Magnificent Ship which Queen Christina presented to this Minister BOOK III. LETTER I. TO Bedredin Superiour of the Convent of Dervises at Cogni in Natolia 255 He makes an Apology for his Faith against such as slander'd him Of a Hermit then living near Paris who had almost doubled the Years of Bedredin II. To Murat Bassa 262 Of the Christians Joy for their Victory by Sea and Land A Comparison between Sultan Ibrahim and Sultan Amurat. III. To Mahomet Techli Bassa of Bosna at his Camp in Dalmatia 266 He reproaches him with Cowardise in Decamping from before Sebenico IV. To Achmet Bassa 268 He tells him of an Attempt to Murder Queen Christina in her Chappel V. To Cara Hali a Physician at Constantinople 272 He Discourses of the Manna in Calabria some of which he sends him VI. To Kerker Hassan Bassa 277 Of the Revolution in China VII To Darnish Mehemet Bassa 286 Of Masanello and the Revolution in Naples VIII To Solyman his Cousin 291 He again reprehends his Manner of Life and perswades him by the Example of his Grandfather to observe the Laws of Purity IX To the Kaimacham 296 Of the Cruelty executed by the Turkish General on a Christian Priest Of the Veneration the Ancient Mahometans paid to Scanderbeg's Bones Of Porsenna's Generosity X. To the Mufti 301 Remarks on the Spanish Misfortunes the Insurrection in Sicily and particularly on the Revolution in Naples He prays him to furnish Nathan Bed Saddi with Religious Books XI This Letter wants the Title and Beginning 306 Of the Christians Revenge on the Son of Ali Sangiac-Bey of Lippa for the Sufferings of the Christian Priest The Extravagant Revenge of an Italian Captain XII To the Venerable Mufti 308 Of Cardinal Mazarini's supporting the Tumults in Naples Remarks on the Duke of Guise his Attempt to succour the Revolted A Description of the Extent and Riches of that Kingdom XIII To Abdel Melec Muli Omar Superintendent of the College of Sciences at Fez. 315 He Discourses about the Duration of the World The Vision of Omar Successor of Mahomet Of Adam's First Wife Alileth That the Earth was Inhabited for Many Ages before Adam XIV To the Mufti 323 He relates to him the Tragedy of the Sicilian Vespers Of a Woman and her Daughter that were Immur'd Seventeen Years by a Scribe in Naples XV. To the Kaimacham 327 He informs him what Reason he has to be jealous of Cardinal Mazarini's Designs against the Ottoman Empire Osmin the Dwarf 's Dexterity in prying into the Cardinal's Secrets and those of the Grandees XV. To Pestelihali his Brother 332 He farther commends his Journal A Rare Example of Indian Charity Of the Ingenuity of the Chinese Of the Conquest of that Kingdom by the Tartars He discourses of the Original of Nations and the Unmix'd Blood of the Arabians and Tartars Of a Guâ—… â—…in Two Thousand Years Old XVII To the Aga of the Janizaries 339 Of the Famous Victory the French obtain'd at the Battel of Lens Of the Tumults at Paris and the King of France's Speech to the Senators Mahmut informs him how he imploys certain Agents to foment the Publick Sedition XVIII To Achmet Beig 344 He acquaints him with the Death of Uladislaus King of Poland for which the Court of France was in Mourning as also with the Duke of Bavaria's Death Of the French Campagnes in Flanders Of a Sea-Fight between the French and Spaniards Of a Formidable Conspiracy against the Czar of Moscovy XIX To the Mufti 347 He seems to approve of Sultan Ibrahim's being Depos'd c. Censures his Attempt on Sultan Amurat's Widow and his Rape of the Mufti 's Daughter The Continence of the African Scipio The Stratagem of Athenodorus the Philosopher He incites the Mufti to encourage the Translation of Greek and Latin Historians XX. To Chiurgi Muhammel Bassa 351 Of the Conclusion of the Peace of Munster Of the Troubles of Paris and the Duke of Beaufort's Escape out of the Castle of the Wood of Vinciennes XXI To Dgnet Oglou 353 He complains of the Vnjust Proceedings of the Conspirators against Sultan Ibrahim Refuses to Defame him after his Death Owns that he did but Dissemble in his last Letter to the Mufti Of the Statue of a Famous Wrastler which fell down and crush'd to Death a Man that through Envy went to Demolish it
the Presence of the Mufti in any Point of Language or Learning But I had rather charitably believe 't was thy Ambition not thy Malice which gave Birth to those Calumnies thou hast vented against me Thou enviest me the Honour of serving the Grand Signior in this Station thinking thy self capable of discharging this Office more successfully than Mahmut I censure not thy Abilities but I think 't is best for every Man to be content with his own Condition since Destiny distributes the Employments of the World among Men by Rules into which we cannot penetrate Thou art Master of the French Tongue but dost thou think that a complete Qualification for a Man in my Post Art thou fit to converse in the Court of a Foreign Prince who canst not govern thy Tongue in that of thy Native Sovereign Thou art yet to learn a Courtier 's Master-piece which is To dissemble even the necessary Art of Dissimulation That is as the Arabians say To have a Veil upon a Veil or as the Italians To have a Mask with a Natural Face on the Outside Thou art so far from this that thou canst not yet draw perfectly the first rough Strokes of a Counterfeit To speak plain hadst thou by an Artificial feigning of Friendship to me made Way to insinuate thy Story into the Belief of the Grandees thou might'st have prais'd me to my Ruine But to go bluntly to Work without preventive Encomiums discover'd at once the Weakness of thy Judgment and the Strength of thy Passion giving the Ministers Occasion to think There was less of Truth than of Design in thy Accusations For the Future I advise thee to mind thy Books and Scholars and meddle not with Mahmut whose Business is to study Men. Adieu Paris 5th of the 10th Moon of the Year 1645. LETTER XI To the Reis Effendi Principal Secretary of State WITH extream Joy I have received the certain News of the taking of Canea by the Invincible Ottoman Arms. I must confess when I first apprehended the Intentions of Sultan Ibrahim to make War with the Republick of Venice I was apt to hearken to some thinking Men in this Court who making their Observations of the Sultan's indulging himself in Female Pleasures conjectured from thence as by a Common Rule that he would not have discovered such a Martial and Active Spirit in asserting the Honour of the Ottoman Empire His dext'rous concealing his Designs even to the very Execution of them has struck a Damp into all the Courts in Europe insomuch as Cardinal Mazarini this Day told the Queen-Regent That he doubted lest Sultan Ibrahim would prove another Junius Brutus who being the Nephew of Tarquin One of the Primitive Kings of Rome for some Years counterfeited an extraordinary Simplicity and Weakness of Spirit but having privately secured a Faction to his own Interests by Popular Arts he to gain the Sovereignty chang'd the Form of Government procur'd himself to be made Consul and discovered a Genius surpassing in Policy and mature Judgment all his Predecessors Though the Cardinal's Comparison be disproportionate to the Grandeur of the Sovereign Emperor of the World who cannot without a vast Injury be post-pon'd in Virtue Wisdom or Power as a Second or Imitator of any Prince upon Earth Yet the Character holds good in the Main That he has timely and maturely dissembled the most Sublime Abilities and Endowments a Sovereign Prince is capable of rend'ring thereby by his Enemies secure and careless till at length all those Illustrious Attributes exert themselves on a suddain breaking forth like the Sun from an Eclipse at once dazling the astonish'd World and surprizing the Enemies of the Ottoman Empire in the Slumbers which proceeded from the Contempt of his Sacred Majesty I thought indeed once that the Venetians would have been in a Condition to have fac'd the Ottoman Navy and disputed their farther Progress on the Seas I expected no less than that they would have made some huffing Attempts on the Isles of the Archipelago that they would have enter'd the Hellespont brav'd the Dardanels and sailing forward would have block'd up the Ottoman Navy in the Propontis or driven them into the Euxine Sea for Shelter And who could have thought otherwise had they been provided for a War But our Sage Emperor by Secrecy which is the very Soul of all great Undertakings has anticipated their very Fears and leap'd upon the Prey while the Keepers were asleep Had the Christian Princes and States laid aside their Private Punctilio's and Animosities when the Venetians first made their Application to them for Assistance it might have prov'd a doubtful War But instead of generously uniting their Forces in the Common Defence of Christendom they began to divide their Interests and Hearts one from another and that upon the vainest Motives in the World One State disputing with Another about Precedency of Posts in the Army which proceeded to that Height as to frustrate the Main Design For the Pope himself at last is forc'd to raise the greatest Aids the State of Venice are like to have joining his Galleys with theirs and sending a Thousand Foot on Board at his own Cost Thus does Divine Providence out of the Discords of Christian Princes draw Occasions to enlarge the Sacred Empire of the Mussulmans and to spread the Ottoman Conquests o'er the Western World Paris 20th of the 11th Moon of the Year 1645. LETTER XII To the Magnificent and Redoubtable Vizir Azem IT appears that the Queen of France is very Indulgent to her Generals having call'd Home the Duke of Enguien from the Toils of War This Prinee neglecting the Wounds he receiv'd in the Battle of Allersheim not many Days after fell into a violent Fever So that he was carried in a Horse-Litter to Philipsburgh with no small Danger of his Life As soon as he recover'd his Health he was commanded to return to France and the Charge of the whole Army committed to Mareschal Turenne Such Tenderness is never shew'd to the Invincible Ottoman Generals neither would they esteem it a Favour but a Disgrace When they go to the Wars they make no underhand Leagues with the Elements to spare their Bodies but are resolv'd to combat with Cold Heat Hunger Thirst and all the Hardships to which Soldiers are liable as well as with the Swords of their Enemies They take no other Armour against the Rigorous Frosts of a Russian Winter or the Scorching Sands of a Persian Summer but an Unshaken Resolution an Invincible Patience and a Mind incapable of bowing under the Worst Misfortunes They are not angry with the Weapons of their Adversaries when they carve in their Limbs the Marks of an Honour which will far outlast the Pain of their Wounds and in their Flesh hew deep Characters of an Immortal Fame and a Renown which shall know no Period They are not parsimonious of their Blood but court their Enemies to spill it on the Ground from whence it will spring up in Lawrels and
themselves in the most fertile Regions of Asia professing themselves Mussulmans or True Believers Thus passed the Light of God from the Face of Ibrahim to his Posterity by Successive Generations till at Length it rested on the Face of Mahomet Our Holy Lawgiver and was encreas'd with admirable Splendors by the frequent Visits of the Angel Gebrail He took the Root of Evil out of the Prophet's Heart brought him down the Alcoran from Heaven and gave him Victory and Honour call'd him by a New Name THE SEAL OF THE PROPHETS carried him to the Throne of God through Legions of Devils that waited below the Moon to destroy him And finally made his Sepulcher Glorious and resorted to by the Believers of all Nations on the Earth I send thee this Abstract of the Mussulman History to the End thou maist see what Pretensions the Children of Ismael have to the True Law which you of the Posterity of Isaac would monopolize to your selves As if God had not sent Prophets to all Nations to lead them into the Right Way and not into the Way of Infidels Nevertheless take not these Things on my Credit but examine the Records of thy own Nation and the History of past Times Weigh all Things in the Balance Consult thy Reason which is an indeficient Light to those who follow it Your Law was once Pure and Uncorrupted but in Time the Devil inserted many Errors He seduced your Fathers they return'd upon their Steps and fell back into Idolatry Then God raised up the Messias to reform all Things but Him ye rejected And when he was taken up into Paradise ye reported That He was hang'd on a Tree In this the Nazarenes are your Fools and fight against themselves Whilst they assert as you do That he who is Immortal and Triumphant among the Hundred and Twenty Four Thousand Prophets Was Crucified betwixt Two Thieves Thus bringing a Reproach on the Apostle of God and on their Own Faith in believing Things inconsistent with the Goodness and Power of the Divine Majesty Without Doubt Jesus the Son of Mary is Ascended Body and Soul into Paradise Who whilst he was on Earth said Worship One God Your Lord and Mine Let me not seem importunate or troublesome I seek not to circumvent thy Reason but to direct it Think Seven Times before thou Change Once I will procure thee Books of our Law Peruse them with Judgment and tell me then Whether thou hast ever seen any Writing comparable to the Alcoran The Majesty of the Style speaks it above Humane Original It is exempt from Contradiction from the Beginning to the End It confirms the Old Testament which thou believest It is all over cloath'd with Light Doubtless it is no other than a Transcript of the Book written in Heaven If after all thy Search thou shalt determine otherwise follow thou Thy Law and I will follow Mine We both Worship One God Lord of the Vniverse Paris 10th of the 5th Moon of the Year 1646. LETTER XXXI To the same LET not the Fear of displeasing those of thy Nation hinder thee from embracing the Truth God shall protect thee from the Malice of Vnbelievers Thy Interest is already great among the Mussulmans our August Emperour will augment both that and thy Honour Take hold of the strongest Knot and adhere not to Tagot The Cleanliness and Delicacy of the Mussulmans may invite thee which far exceeds that of the Jews and yet is void of Superstition We only obey the sincere Dictates of Nature which teach us That so long as the Soul dwells in this Mansion of Flesh it partakes of Bodily Pollutions 'T is to avoid these we abstain from certain Meats and Drinks which cannot be touch'd without Contamination To this End do we observe that superlative Niceness in our Washings and Purifications which discriminates us from all the World beside Doubtless Our Law is but the Law of Moses refin'd and sublimated from the Dregs of adventitious Error Write often to me and whatever Reasons may prevail on thee not to change thy Religion let no Arguments tempt thee to swerve from thy Fidelity to the Sovereign of Sovereigns on Earth the Grand Signior in whose Veins runs the most Exalted Blood of Humane Race Here is a Report in this City That the Elector of Brandenburgh will demand the Queen of Sueden in Marriage let me know if it be true That I may inform the Ministers of the Lofty Port from whom Nothing ought to be concealed that occurs of Moment betwixt the Two Poles Inform me also what passes of remarkable in the Assembly of the Deputies at Munster and whether it be true That the Danube has lately overflow'd its Banks and carried away Four Hundred Houses in its rapid Course Such Stories are told here by those who know not how to pass away their Time but in hearking after Foreign News to furnish themselves with Matter to amuse the Credulous and beget Admiration of their Intelligence I have sent thee a Watch of my making If thou acceptest it with good Will 't is a sufficient Acknowledgment May God whose Presence fills the Vniverse disclose himself to thee in the Way of Salvation and continue to breathe good Motions into thy Soul Paris 10th of the 5th Moon of the Year 1646. LETTER XXXII To the Kaimacham A Donai the Jew has much improv'd himself in his late Progress through Italy He is grown a perfect Statesman having found out the Way to penetrate into Secrets and to dispatch Business without any Noise He may prove very serviceable at Venice during the present War of Candy His Acquaintance in that City gives him Access to the Cabals of the Senators who spare not over their Wine to whisper the Counsels of the State and to descant on the Measures that are taken to defend that Republick against the Invincible Prowess of the Ottoman Armies It is publickly known That they have sent Embassadors to the Crown of Moscovy that of Poland and to the Cossacks inviting them to enter into a League against the Grand Signior But few are acquainted with the Private Treaty they are making with the Bassa of Aleppo We owe this Discovery to the Diligence and Wit of this Son of Israel He has drawn the Secret from the Mouths of several Eminent Counsellors of State and assures me That the Senate have made such Proposals to that Governour as cannot fail of inducing him to Revolt This may prove of ill Consequence if not timely preyented The pernicious Example of this Bassae may incite others to tread in his Steps especially his Neighbours of Sidon and Damascus who have for a long Time meditated a Sovereignty Independent of the Throne which first establish'd 'em in those Charges Besides the single Forces of this Bassa will be able to give a powerful Diversion to the Arms of the Empire already engag'd in Candy Dalmatia and other Parts by Sea and Land He says the Venetians speak much in Praise of this Bassa's Justice whereof
were his Captives his Inviolable Friendship to Ephestion whilst living and the affectionate Tears he shed for him after his Death Yet they condemn him of cruel Ingratitude for sacrificing Clitus to his Choler and the Fumes of Wine who was a Faithful Friend a Valiant Soldier and once had saved his Life in a Battel They cannot pass over the Burning of Persepolis without some Reflections on the unmanly Softness of this Warriour who to please his Concubine gave Orders that the Fairest and most Magnificent City in Asia shou'd be set on Fire The Persians boast That that City was built all of Cedar That Cyrus had wholly displanted not only Mount Libanus but the choicest Nurseries of that fragrant Wood through all Asia to build this glorious City in Emulation of Solomon King of the Jews who was by other Princes thought to value himself too high for building the Temple at Jerusalem of the same Materials They add That Alexander found in this City Ninety Millions of Caraclâ—… in Gold That after the Debauch was over and the Flames had consum'd to Ashes this Phoenix of Asia the Conquerour wept and commanded the Mony he had found there should be expended in raising Another in its Room more glorious than the Former but That Thais who had perswaded him to ruine it was the onely Obstacle to its Re-edification For such was her Empire over this Monarch That he could deny her Nothing What I have said of Persepolis is recorded by Persian Historians Other Writers make some Mention of it but not so particularly There are some also who mention his demolishing of Tyrus a City so Ancient That 't is said to be first built by one of the Grand-children of Noah of whom thou knowest the Alcoran speaks often They tax him also with Cruelty in causing Two Thousand of the Chief Tyrians to be crucified as a Sacrifice to Hercules Thou art best able to Judge Whether this be agreeable to Truth for what Mussulman will believe That the Victorious Prophet was guilty of so Barbarous an Idolatry The Method he took to subdue this Impregnable City is an Argument of his Invincible Courage and that there is Nothing Impracticable to a Mind arm'd with Resolution and Perserverance Tyrus was situated above Half a Mile in the Sea when the Macedonian demanded a Surrender The Citizens trusting to the Strength and Heighth of the Rock whereon they liv'd for 't was a perfect Island and to their Distance from the Shore of the Continent bid Defiance to him whom God had ordained to subdue all Nations between the Extremities of India and the Pillars of Hercules The Conquerour enflam'd at their Refusal of offer'd Peace prepares for an Assault He attempted without the Miracle of Moses to make a Path for his Army through the Sea He follow'd the Steps of the Babylonian Monarch who not Three Ages before had joyned this Proud Nest of Merchants to the Firm Land Twice his Industrious Soldiers rais'd a Caussey above the Waves to the very Walls of Tyrus and as often was their Labour defeated by the Watchful Tyrians When the Third Time he prov'd successful and in Spight of all their Resistance by Fire and Sword after a Siege of Six Moons he scal'd the Walls of that Queen of Maritime Cities and convinc'd the World That no Humane Force could put a Stop to his Conquests whom Destiny had appointed to chastise the Nations of the Earth That Chapter in the Alcoran which speaks of this Renowned Worthy tells us That he marched so far Eastward till he came to a Country where the Sun rises This Passage the Christians ridicule saying That the Sun rises and sets in all Countries and that there is no Stated Point of East and West in the Fabrick of the World since the same Place which is East of one Country is West of another Thus the Despisers of our Holy Law cavil at the Alcoran and say 'T is compos'd of Old Wives Tales a Rude Indigested Collection of Eastern Romances and Superstitious Fables calculated for the Meridian of Ignorance first promulg'd in the Savage and Unpolish'd Desarts of Arabia and afterwards propagated by the Sword through those Countries whose Vices had banish'd their Learning and render'd them flexible to a Religion whose highest Pretensions consisted in Gratifying the Senses These Criticks consider not at the same Time That they argue against the Old and New Testament which is esteem'd the Alcoran of the Christians wherein there is often Mention made of the Rising and Going down of the Sun of East and West as proper Points or Marks from which to take the Situation of Countries Assuredly in this they are captious For though there be no stated Point of East or West in the Globe yet India being the nearest Region of this Continent to that Part of the Horizon where the Sun daily first appears it has not without Reason gain'd the Additional Epithet of East And 't was here the Macedonian Hero sweat because he could conquer no farther unless he would have begun a War with the Fish of the Sea There are many other Passages related of Alexander's Temperance Moderation Justice Fortitude and such like Vertues and something of his Vices But I will not tire thee with all that is said of this Invincible Monarch nor trace him in all his Marches through Asia I will not trouble thee with what they say of his Journey into Aegypt and aspiring to be call'd the Son of Jupiter Ammon his being poyson'd at Babylon in the Height of all his Triumphs and the Cantonizing his Empire among his Chief Captains Whatsoever in these Histories is agreeable to the Holy Alcoran I acquiesce to what is repugnant to that Summary of Truth I reject as a Fable Tell me thou Sovereign Resolver of Doubts Whether on these Terms I may not read the Writings of Infidels Books are a Relief to the Mind oppress'd with Melancholy and especially Histories which also bring Profit by rightly informing us of the Transactions of Past Ages So that Things which were done Thousands of Years ago are made present to us Where then is the Crime in reading these Memoirs of the Ancients Is it not consistent with the Faith of a Mussulman to read these Histories because they were penn'd by Heathens Must we reject all that the Pagans did or said Why then are the Works of Plutarch had in such Veneration by the Princes of Our Law I tell thee I not onely read Plutarch Livy Tacitus Xenophon Polybius with many other Historians that were Pagans but I improve by their Writings Such rare Examples of Vertue such Illustrious Patterns of Justice such Solid Precepts of Morality as these Authors abound with cannot in my Opinion hurt any Man who desires to square his Life by the best Rules I read also the Poets whose Fables and Parables seem to me but to veil many excellent and profitable Maxims of Human Life The Story of the Birth of Typhon his Warring with Jupiter and his
much obscur'd by Misfortune Not long ago he catch'd a Gentleman in a Crime which expos'd him to the Laughter and Contempt of the whole Court but not to the Cardinal's Hatred He had been recommended to this Minister by a Lady of the Court for whom he had a great Esteem On which Account he had free Access to the Cardinal's Presence and would always mix with his Retinue But his Curious Patron had observ'd something in his Carriage which gave him Ground of Mistrust For he would always place himself as near as he could to a certain Table in the Chamber where the Cardinal gives Audience There is a Drawer under this Table which commonly stands half open it being the Place where all Petitioners throw in their Bribes or Presents It not being seemly for a Prince of the Church to take Mony himself The Cardinal observ'd that this Spark always had his Eye glancing on that Drawer as if he coveted what was there contained However he took no Notice but gave him all the Opportunities imaginable to do his Pleasure yet still one Accident or other hinder'd the Gentleman from executing his Design which was to borrow some of the Gold that lay in that Drawer At length it happ'ned that the Cardinal having appointed some Curious Pageants to be made in Honour of the King's Birth-Day he with several of the Courtiers stood looking out of the Windows to see these Triuphant Shows pass by The Gentleman taking this Opportunity whilst he thought all Eyes were intent on the Gayeties without slips to the Table and takes out of the Drawer a Bag of Gold putting it up in his Pocket and retiring to the Window again He imagined that no Body had seen him and therefore hugged himself in the Thoughts of his Booty When the Show was over and the Company withdrew from the Windows after a while they all took their Leave and departed And among the Rest this Gentleman Thief was going out But the Cardinal desired him to tarry in that he had something to say to him The Gentleman stung with the guilt of what he had done fell a trembling and was ready to drop down at the Cardinal's Feet But he bid him be of good Comfort saying thus to him My Friend what thou hast done is not hid from me If thou hast not Gold enough I will double thy Sum. Therewith he gave him another Bag of equal Value saying withall Go thy Way and see my Face no more I pardon but canont trust thee Wouldst thou know by what Means the Cardinal discovered this Theft He always wears on his Finger a Ring in which is set a Jewel of Inestimable Value it being a Natural Mirror and discovering all Things that are done in the Room though behind a Man's Back 'T was on this Stone the Cardinal cast his Eye when the Gentleman thought he was looking out of the Window Therein he beheld him go to the Table take out the Money and put it in his Pocket Thou seest how curious this Minister is to stock himself with useful Rarities May that Great Chancellour of Heaven the Angel who beholds in the Divine Essence as in a Mirror whatsoever is done on Earth and records all Human Actions in the Book of Judgment never discern any Thing in Mahmut which may render him worthy to be excluded the Presence of God Paris 12th of the 2d Moon of the Year 1647. LETTER XXIV To Danecmar Kesrou Cadilesquer of Romania THOU that art Principal among the Judges of High Dignity the Illustrious Ornament of Three Empires the strong Support of Equity who preservest Reason and correctest Vice I congratulate thy deserved Honour And in doing so I wish Encrease of Joy to all the Faithful Osmans The Knowledge which thou hast acquir'd in the Law of Nations and in the most perfect Sanctions of our August Monarchy has made thee famous through the Seven Precincts of the Earth and has vested thee with the Robe of Sublime Honour the Gift of the Lieutenant of God I made Choice of this Occasion at once to perform my Duty and to acquaint thee with a National Villainy such a Violation of the Publick Faith of a Kingdom as it will be difficult to Parallel The Civil Wars of England are known throughout the World And thou art no Stranger to the Particular Intelligences I have sent to the Sublime Port concerning that Nation Since that Time the Rebels have by Degrees gain'd Ground of their Vnhappy King chasing him from One Place to Another Till at Length finding that neither by Arms nor Treaties he could reduce them to any Terms of Reconciliation and being Besieged in one of his Cities which was not in a Condition to hold out long this Vnfortunate Monarch was forc'd to disguise himself and escape by Night wandring through Unfrequented Ways and enduring much Hardship He at length threw himself upon the Faith of the Scots who had solemnly engaged themselves upon Oath to defend him against all his Enemies whatsoever The Scottish Army was then in England being hired to assist the Rebels Whence some take Occasion to accuse this Prince of Rashness and too much Credulity in seeking Protection from those who first began the Rebellion and who had stain'd the Records of Scotland with the Blood of many of their Kings But Innocency is void of Suspicion and therefore because his own Intentions were sincere he knew not how to be Jealous of others However the Scots at First seem'd to act the Parts of Loyal Men. And when they were threatned by the English Rebels and their Pay was stopp'd with Declarations also issued out against their Proceedings they continued to assert the Justice of their Deportment in receiving and defending their Injur'd King who had fled to them for Succour They detained him thus from the 4th of the 5th Moon of the Year 1646. to the 30th Day of the 1st Moon of this present Year At which time having agreed with the English Parliament for the Sum of 400000 Sequins as the Price of their Sovereign they delivered him up to the English Commissioners deputed by the Rebels for that Purpose The French Ambassador was at that time in the Scotch Army Who having been a a Witness of their Detestable Perjury took his leave And being attended with a Guard of Light-Horse to the Sea-Port at parting he pull'd out a Piece of English Money valued at Half a Crown And asking the Captain of the Guards into how many Pieces of Coined Silver that Half Crown might be divided he answer'd Into Thirty For so much replied the Ambassador did Judas betray his Master Thou wilt better comprehend the Force of this Repartee when thou considerest that according to the Christians Belief this Judas was a Slave of Jesus the Son of Mary and that for Thirty Pieces of Silver he betray'd that Prophet to the Jews But these Infidels have found out Ways to elude all Engagements and Promises They couch their Oaths in Words more Ambiguous
the End the Guardian Genius of the City should not be entic'd from them by the Enchantments of their Enemies the True Name of the City of Rome was kept Secret even from its own Inhabitants Insomuch that Valerius Soranus was put to Death for publishing it to one of his Friends Many have guess'd at this hidden Name Some saying it was Valencia Others that it was Velia a Third Sort call it Anthusa But there is no Certainty in their Conjectures For the Pagans were above all Things careful to conceal the Names of their Cities and Patron-Gods knowing that those Spirits would not forsake them till they were call'd forth by their Proper Names They us'd also to chain the Images of their Gods to the Altars lest they should depart from them by Stealth Thus the Tyrians when Alexander besieged their City and they understood from the Priests that Apollo the Guardian of Tyre was displeas'd with 'em they fastned his Image with strong Fetters of Iron So dealt the Spartans with the Image of Mars And this was the Common Practice among those Idolatrous Nations As for Us who have receiv'd the Law Clear and Intelligible and believe in the Vnity of the Divine Essence We use no Charms our Selves neither do we fear the Magick of the Vncircumcised All our Confidence is in God and the Protection of his Prophet We go boldly to the Wars whilst we fight in Defence neither of Statues nor Fictitious Reliques but of the Volume replenish'd with Truth and Light the Book brought down from Heaven by an Angel Paris 17th of the 4th Moon of the Year 1647. LETTER XXVI To the Vizir Azem I Am now returned from Orleans whither I went in Obedience to thy Appointments And not without Abundance of Pleasure to my self it being the Time of Year when all Things conspire to make a Traveller pass his Time away with Delight Yet my Return was Melancholy in Regard I could not accomplish what I aim'd at nor be in a Capacity to render thee that Satisfaction thou requirest either in buying the Jewels or in establishing any Correspondence Those who informed thee of the Germans inhabiting that City were mistaken in their Character they being onely a Society or Corporation of Students and no ways concerned in Traffick or Merchandize They told thee right in saying There are a great Number of Strangers in Orleans I think the Imperial City which commands the World cannot boast a greater Diversity of Languages than are spoken daily in the Streets and Houses of Orleans There are some almost of all Nations residing in that City Wouldst thou know the real Occasion of this mighty Conflux of Foreigners It is that they may study that which the Nazarenes call the Civil Law which is there professed as in an Academy erected for that Purpose by Philip the Fair one of the Kings of France If thou knowest not the Meaning of the Civil Law It is a Collection of the Ancient Roman Laws drawn from above Two Thousand Books of their Scribes by the Command of the Emperour Justinian for a Standard of Equity in those Corrupt Times in that Universal Relaxation and Decline of Good Government This is the Attractive which draws so many Strangers from all Parts of Europe to that pleasant City Where besides the Opportunity of improving themselves in the most Honourable Profession among the Nazarenes next to that of the Priesthood they enjoy a pure and serene Heaven a fruitful and delicious Part of the Earth and the Company of the most obliging and courteous People in all France 'T is for this Reason the Germans among other Nations flock to Orleans and through the Favour of the French Kings have obtained a Privilege beyond other Nations that is to Incorporate themselves into a Society of Students Neither is there any such Thing as Merchandize known among them If I have not answer'd thy Expectation Supreme Prince of the Bassa's blame not Mahmut but accuse the Germans of Orleans for not exchanging their Studies for Traffick or rather blame those who presumed to tell thee this far-fetch'd Fable In finishing this Letter I bow my Head to the Floor of my Chamber and kiss the Paper which shall have the Honour to be touch'd by thy Illustrious Hands Paris 1st of the 6th Moon of the Year 1647. LETTER XXVII To the Aga of the Janizaries THOU hast heard of the Assyrian Scythian and Roman Heroines These were all Valiant Leaders of Armies Women of Honour and Renown Now I will inform thee of a Female which France has brought upon the Stage of War According to the Orders which I receiv'd from the Vizir Azem I took a Journey to Orleans last Moon Where on the Third Day after my Arrival beholding a Solemn Procession in the Streets of that Populous City attended with some uncommon Ceremonies and Rejoycings my Curiosity prompted me to enquire the Occasion of it Thou maist imagine I did not apply my self for Information to the Multitude who take up Things on the Common Credit of Fame which does not always deliver the Truth I address'd my self to those that were acquainted with the Records of the Town who told me That this Solemnity was yearly observ'd on the Eighth Day of the Fifth Moon in Memory of their Deliverance from the English who besieged this City and were beaten from before it by Joan d' Arc a Maid of Lorrain in the Reign of Charles I. This Virago seem'd to be the Tutelar Angel of France For to her Valour and Conduct that Monarch ow'd the Recovery of his Kingdom almost lost to the King of England this being the last Place of Importance which had not received English Garrisons After she had rais'd the Siege she pursu'd the Enemy gave them several Battels defeated them took their Generals Captive reducâ—d all the Cities to their former Obedience and never sheath'd her Sword till she saw her Master solemnly crown'd at Rhemes Yet at length she herself was made a Prisoner by the English and was publickly burnt for a Witch at Rouen The Inhabitants of Orleans have erected Brazen Statues in her Honour They celebrate her Praises and esteem her a Woman Divinely Inspir'd to save her Country Yet the more Intelligent Sort say That she was neither Witch nor Prophetess but only a Maid of good Wit and Courage whom some of the Princes of the Blood-Royal had instructed to act the Part of a Missionary from Heaven That so by pretending Visions and Revelations she might raise the Courage of the French now almost dispirited by their many Losses and whom Nothing less than a Miracle could perswade to abide the Field against the Victorious English This is certain that she distinguish'd the King though disguised like a Peasant and in a Crowd of People She went boldly up to him and saluted him by his Title to the Astonishment of those that stood by She sent a Messenger to bring her a Sword of Antique Workmanship that lay hid in a Tomb in one
Germans hindred Torstenson from joining the former and expos'd Turenne with his raw and unexperienced Forces to the numerous Army of veterane Imperialists 'T was a Fatal Engagement and the French lost many brave Men besides an Hundred and Fifty Commanders taken Prisoners Fifteen Hundred of the Common Soldiers Fifty Ensigns with many Waggons and Four Mules laden with Money It is reported that whilst Turenne in the general Retreat and Flight of his Army betook himself to Mergentheim as he lay on his Bed the first Night one of his Officers was coming to alarm him with the News of the Germans Approach to that Town but unfortunately stumbled at his Chamber-Door With the Noise of which Turenne awaked and fearing some Attempt on his Life leap'd off his Bed with his drawn Sword and making toward the Door just as the Officer open'd it he run him into the Heart By which Mistake he himself and the Troops that were in the Town with him had like to have fallen into the Hands of the Bavarians But receiving Notice of their Approach accidentally by some other means he withdrew his Troops out of the Town by a contrary Road and escaped the Pursuit of his Enemies This Victory has given new Courage to the Imperialists and has not much dispirited the French who are by this Loss enflamed with greater Ardors meditating a speedy Revenge The Genius of this Court seems to be undaunted breathing Nothing but War I shall not fail to send thee such Intelligence as will demonstrate That Mahmut passes not away his Time in vain I pray the Sovereign of as many Empires as there be Worlds to distinguish thee by some particular Mark of his Favour from the Crowd of those he makes Happy Paris 4th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1645. LETTER V. To Shashim Istham a Black Eunuch AT length thou hast condescended to beg my Pardon for the Calumnies thy Tongue has loaded me with I am not ill pleased with thy Letter It abounds with elegant Expressions of thy Sorrow for an Offence to which thou hadst no Provocation Thy Submission tho' late abates my Resentment and if thou performest thy Promise 't is banish'd The first Crime so ingenously acknowledg'd claims a Title to Forgiveness Let Eternal Oblivion seal it I am not by Nature revengeful I rather blush for Shame than grow pale with Anger at him that injures me Yet Self-Preservation will rouze our Choler which is the most active Humour and precipitates many to violent Courses The Effect it has on me is to put me on my Guard lest he who has wrong'd me without any Signs of Repentance should continue his Malice to my Destruction But thou hast dispers'd all my Suspicions by thy seasonable Address and if I cannot pronounce thee Innocent I will believe thou art not Incorrigible The best Advice I can give thee is henceforwards to attend to thy own Affairs and refrain from those of others remembring the Arabian Proverb He that peeps in at his Neighbour's Window may chance to lose his Eyes There is a great deal of Wisdom couch'd in these short Sentences They are not the Product of one Man's Experience nor of a few but they are the Result of Vniversal Observation And our Country has been happy above others in the choice of her Proverbs This that I mention'd is peculiar to the East Yet I can produce an Instance whereby 't was lately verified in the West There is hardly a Night passes in this Populous City wherein some Murder is not committed in the Streets Two Nights ago a Man was found dead on the Ground whereupon a Tumult was gathered about his Bleeding Carkase Among the rest a Fellow came crowding in inquisitive what should be the Matter Those who stood by beholding his Cloaths bloody which he was not sensible of himself seized on him as the Murderer His wild Looks encreased their Jealousie and the incoherent Words with which he endeavour'd to excuse himself rendred him Guilty in the Judgment of the Rabble They carried him before a Cadi by whom he was strictly examin'd He stoutly deny'd the Fact and no Proof could be brought against him but his stained Cloaths 'T is the Custom here to put to the Torture Persons suspected of Capital Crimes in Order to draw a Confession of the Truth This they did to this poor Wretch and in the Extremity of his Pains he acknowledg'd he had kill'd his Wife that Evening but was altogether Innocent of this poor Man's Death who was Murder'd in the Streets All the Torments they inflicted could force no other Confession from him save that which his real Guilt prompted him to make For which he was condemned to Death according to the Laws Thou seest by this that had he gone about his Business without prying into other Mens Matters he might have escap'd a Discovery But that mediing Itch of the Imprudent betray'd him not without the particular Direction of Fate to a Death which indeed he merited but not on the Score of the murder'd Man whom he went out of his Way to see Thou wilt say this Story is not applicable to thy Case since thou hast never yet embru'd thy Hands in any Man's Blood I tell thee what I have said was not design'd as a Reflection on thy past Offence let it be forgotten but as a Caution for the future not to engage thy self in Matters out of thy Sphere For a busie Body is never without Trouble Above all I counsel thee to practise the Government of the Tongue which is a great Virtue especially in the Courts of Princes The Arabians say That a Wise Man's Soul reposes at the Root of his Tongue but a Fool 's is ever dancing on the Tip. Thou hast no Reason to take in ill Part the Freedom with which I advise thee for thy Good unless thou thinkest thy self too Old to learn But I have a better Opinion of thee than to rank thee among Pythagoras's Asses I have said enough for a Friend too much for an Enemy It is in thy own Choice to make me which thou pleasest Adieu Paris 4th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1645. LETTER VI. To Zelim of Rhodes Captain of a Gally THOU hast never vouchsafed to acknowledge the Advice I sent thee some Years ago of a Christian's Design against thy Life Perhaps he wanted an Opportunity to put his Revenge in Execution that Way and therefore the Caution I gave thee look'd like a false Alarm Thou trustest in thy Courage the Strength of thy Vessel the Multitude and Fidelity of thy Slaves and thinkest thy self invulnerable But let me tell thee That neither thy Courage nor thy Vessel can defend thee from the Stroke of Destiny and thou hast no greater Enemies than those who eat thy Bread Whether it be the Continuance of thy Cruelty or the Natural Regret of Servitude has rend'red them so I know not but if what I am inform'd of be true thou art the miserablest Man in the World Wert
thou only in danger to lose thy Life by a Stab a Bullet or the swift Effects of Poison it would be a Happiness in Comparison of the Method that is now taken to destroy thee And the Invisible Death which thou wert formerly to receive from a prayer-Prayer-Book would have been soft as the Stroke of Cupid's Arrow in Respect of the Tragical and Vnheard-of Fate which is now preparing for thee Think not I go about to amuse or affright thee with Chimaera's and Tales such as Nurses use to awe their Children into Compliance and good Manners What I tell thee is Matter of Fact and confirm'd by many Letters from Italy to several eminent Merchants in Paris I have seen some of them and hear that the rest agree in the same Relation They give an Account That at Naples on the Second of the last Moon Three Witches were seized and accused of practising Diabolical Arts of enchanting several Persons of doing great Mischief and in fine of having private Commerce with the Devil They stoutly denied all at first and made very subtle and plausible Apologies Insomuch as the Inquisitors were almost persuaded of their Innocence till it was suggested That their Houses should be search'd Officers were sent accordingly who after a narrow Scrutiny found some Magical Books several Vials of strange Liquors Pots of Ointment with an Image of Wax resembling a Man but partly melted There were imprinted on the Breast of the Image several unknown Characters Figures and Magical Symbols And on the Forehead was to be read ZELIM EBEN SAGRAN All these were brought and exposed before the Inquisitors of whose Office thou art not ignorant Great Deliberation was had about this unusual Emergency The Imaums and Cheiks were sent for and consulted The Witches were examined apart and put to the Torture as is the Custom in Capital Crimes Admirable was their Constancy for a considerable Time but at length overcome by the Continuance and Sharpness of their Pains they confess'd They had for some Years practis'd Magick Arts convers'd with Familiar Spirits rais'd Tempests Earthquakes and done other wicked Feats Being examin'd about the Image of Wax they declar'd That it was the Image of a Turkish Captain of a Gally whose Name was written on the Forehead And that they were hired by certain Italians who had been Slaves in the Gally of the said Captain to bewitch him to Death in the most lingring Method they could invent That in Order to this they had made this Image That every Night they met together with a Fourth of their Gang who was not to be found and made a Fire of the Bones of Dead Men which they stole from the Graves and Charnel-Houses That they laid this Image down at a convenient Distance before this Fire repeating certain Magical Words and Charms and as this Image gradually melted so the Body of the said Turkish Captain did insensibly waste and decay And to add to his lingring Death an intolerable Torment they basted the melting Image with the Oyls and other Liquors which were contain'd in the Vials and Pots That by this Means he was perpetually rack'd with most pungent and acute Pains in his Bowels Head and all Parts of his Body raging under most violent Fevers insatiable Thirst and Want of Sleep Finally That this lingring Kind of Death would continue as long as they pleas'd to protract the Dissolution of the Waxen Image This Confession though extorted from the Witches in the Midst of insufferable Torments yet was delivered without any Inconsistencies and with all the Demonstrations of a real Penitence And being seconded with the Testimonies of many Credible Witnesses who had overseen them in some of their Nocturnal Ceremonies the Inquisitors moved with a just Horror of so nefandous Abominations sentenc'd them To be burnt and their Ashes to be scatter'd into the Sea Which was accordingly executed on the Sixth of the last Moon in the Presence of infinite Spectators The News of this Extraordinary Event is fresh in the Mouths of almost all the Inhabitants of this City Yet no Man I dare say hears it with that Concern for the Turkish Captain as I do Even those among the Christians who abhorr Witchcraft would nevertheless rejoice if not only thou but all the Mussulmans were destroyed with Enchantments since they can never hope it will come to pass by the Success of their Arms. I am not credulous of every Story that is related of Witches being satisfy'd That Superstition and Ignorance has listed many in that Infernal Number who were Innocent and never deserv'd it Some having been forc'd by Racks and Tortures to confess themselves Guilty of practising Enchantments when after their Execution there have appear'd evident Proofs to the contrary Yet I cannot be sure but that there have been some in all Ages and Nations who have entred into Leagues and Associations with Devils and have been enabled thereby to perform Things above the Power of Nature However I have a Particular Desire to hear from thee and to be inform'd Whether thou hast experienc'd the Effect of their Enchantments If thou hast not bless thy Stars that thou wert born and bred a Mussulman against whom the Magick of the Infidels cannot prevail and that thou hast swallow'd the Impression of Mahomet's Seal which is of Force to dissolve and make invalid all the Charms of Men and Devils But if thou hast felt the Force of their Enchantments and pinest away with unaccountable Pains and Languors then think with thy self That thou art defective in keeping some Point of our Holy Law That Mahomet is angry with thee withdraws his Protection and exposes thee to the Malice of Evil Spirits Neither persuade thy self That because the Three Witches are put to Death thou shalt presently recover thy former Health and Ease again For so long as there is a Fourth living and out of the Reach of Justice thou art not safe Nay if she were taken and executed too so long as thy Enemies are yet alive who first employ'd these Hags thou art still at their Mercy They will search every Corner of Italy and of all Europe but they will find Instruments of their Revenge They will rummage Hell it self to gratifie their Fury The best Counsel I can give thee in this Case is To pacifie thine Enemies by extraordinary Acts of Civility to the Christians where-ever thou meetest them by using thy Slaves mildly and giving them their Freedom after a limited Time of Service without exacting a Ransom which neither they nor their Relations and Friends can ever be able to pay This will abate the Rancour of the Infidels and turn their Revenge into Kindness and Love Thou wilt every where be free from Dangers and those very Persons who now study all Means to take away thy Life will then hazard their own to preserve thee from Death Think not that I go about to persuade thee to change Temper with thy Slaves and from the Resolution and Bravery of a True