Selected quad for the lemma: city_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A49623
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The last account from Fez, in a letter from one of the embassy to a person of honour in London containing a relation of Colonel Kirk's reception at Mequinez, by the Emperour, with several passages in relation to the affairs of Tangier.
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One of the embassy.
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1682
(1682)
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Wing L467; ESTC R2464
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5,063
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4
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by the Law to die are brought to receive their Doom from his Majesties Sword or Launce which Office is not sufficient to satisfy his inclinations to Blood he destroys several every day by fits of Rage and ill humors This violent Nature in this mighty Sultan does not only make his Common Slaves but Chiefest Officers approach him with great Consternation which though it would be great inhumanity any where else yet it 's in some degree Necessary here This Savage race of People is not to be deterred from Insolencies and Crimes but by hourly and horrid examples of Punishment and the Wheels of Government have their only motion from a constant and absolute stream of Tyranny As Force of Arms is the only preservation of their State so it is alone the means of attaining it This King mounting his Throne by stepping upon his Brothers Children and successors So that all young Princes of the Blood not having the Force and Affections of the Countrey at Command are born either to a Goal or a Halter they never failing to confine or strangle them for the Security of him that Reigns One of the Kings Nephews Muley-Hamer escaping this destiny has the intire Command of the Kingdom of Sus the whole Country revolting to him and entends to shew his Title to the whole Empire By rendezvouzing a vast Army near Morocco the King in order to prevent him is making great preparations for War his Camp being three Leagues off from hence and intends at the appearance of the next Moon which they religiously observe as a signal to take the Field so that this Summer may produce considerable action by the motion of two great Armies Having received invitation from the King to see the City of Fez which is the Metropolis of this Kingdom about twelve Leagues from this place the 25th of the last Month we were conveyed out of Town by the Alcade Omar who at that time Discoursing with an English Boy that we had borrowed for an Interpreter after a most obliging manner gave him his freedom from further Slavery and presented him to Col. Kirk very generously desiring him to receive him with the same frankness he gave him which good Nature in a Moor I shall always admire The next day we arrived at that part of the City they call New-Fez which is divided from the old by a River where the greater part is the Kings Pallace the Out-Walls being of great Circumference One of the Sultanesses or Kings Wives is a Renegado Christian who has her Court there and her Son of the age of twelve years having the Command of this City Pallace sent us his Complement and Invitation to see him and his Court which we did the next day and passing the Out-Guards we were conducted to a stately Room where the young Prince was seated upon a Carpet after the Turkish manner attended by his Governor and other Men of Quality who after receiving us with very civil expressions gave us the liberty to look about us and to view what was extreamly delightful their walks being adorned with rows of Orange-Trees that grew through a pleasant and glittering pavement of painted Tyles the Aqueducts and Canals of Water springing in the middle represent a most Pleasant and Beautiful Scene and Charming prospect for the inward apartments their Furniture being the Queen and her train we were not permitted to come near so that from thence we were had to the largest and most stately Stable I ever saw for length and breadth capable to hold above 200 Horses and supported with lofty Pillars of at least fifty foot high being refreshed and cooled by artificial Vaults of Water underneath necessary against the heats of this Climate They use neither Rack nor Manger but fasten them by the four feet in the nature of a Tramel and feed them on the ground The next day we were conducted through the streets to take a full view of Old-Fez Which we observed to be very populous and by the marks and ruines at a distance to have been anciently a City extraordinary large Former Ages have had the Honour to find this famous City in great Beauty and Glory but time hath laid a rough hand upon it and render'd it so deformed that her founders would not in the least know her again which besides superiour Effects of Providence is occasioned by a continual rapine these Heathens practise out of Ambition who shall Command Their Mosques Churches Bathes for Structure and Ornament are great Monuments of the Vertue and Ingenuity of their Ancestors But as true Religion and Learning has deserted this People so has all manner of Art to that degree that by their neglect and laziness they must in half another Age become a heap of Rubbish and Confusion After passing the Morning in the streets of the Town the Governor did us the Honour to invite us to Dinner at his House and receiving us with the Ceremony of his Guards in their Arms and seated at his Gate after the State and Manner of the Country Complemented us with great Respect and Kindness the inward Courts of his House delighted us extreamly the Canale and the Water-works with rows of Orange-Trees not being much unequal to the beauty of the Kings Pallace our Cheer was extraordinary plentiful and pleasant after their manner and served by the Officers of his Guard with all manner of grandeur When we entred the House we were extreamly delighted it being Furnished with Carpets and Hangings after the richest Turky Fashion The Governour and chief Magistrate of the City after waiting our Dinner time sate down to a Collation of their own our Table and Stools being both equal on the ground and with brimmers of pure Element we made a sober conclusion of our entertainment we diverted our selves three days at the place and at our return to Mequinez the King was pleased to send for us and after examining our opinion of Fez and our usage there he expressed himself extreamly satisfied with Col. Kirk telling him that as he had advanced so far into his Country and put himself into his Majesties hands he would esteem him as one deserving his Princes favour by hazarding so much for his Service but in return of the Value and Faith he had in his word he should find greater favour then any Man was ever known to have from him and though he had great reason to dislike the Ambassadours proceedings in distrust of him and using him with so great delaies yet for his sake he would admit him his presence and told him as long as he remained in Tangier there should never be any Gun fired at the place but that it should be furnished with Provisions and Benefits of a hearty Peace which he believes will be more necessary for us at so far a distance then a Chargeable War he desired Col. Kirk to furnish him with some few Guns for his own shooting And as he performed his promise to him in these small things he would make a faithful return in whatsoever should concern a long and continued Peace After Discoursing very morally of Trust and Honour perceiving an English Slave at his labour his Majesty after a very Gracious manner gave him his Liberty and gave him to Col. Kirk I could enlarge upon this subject but I am already guilty of Interrupting your Lordships more weighty affairs though with no other design but to shew how much I am My Lord Your Lordships most humble Servant FINIS London Printed for Walter Davis in Amen-Corner