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death_n	book_n	life_n	write_v	4,779	5	6.1891	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51887	The second 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 1642 to the year 1682 / written originally in Arabick, translated into Italian, and from thence into English, by the translator of the first volume.	Marana, Giovanni Paolo, 1642-1693.; Bradshaw, William, fl. 1700.; Midgley, Robert, 1655?-1723.	1692 (1692)	Wing M565CA; ESTC R35015	169,314	394

of Grief streight disappear Not that I would have thee think I am fond of dying but I consider Death as the unavoidable Fate of all Men and that therefore it is reasonable to be chearful since that which no Man can escape will one Time or other release me and every Man from the Miseries of this Life This Thought recovers me from the worst Effects of Melancholy and I believe the Damned themselves would sometimes be in a good Humour if they had but the least Glimpse of Hope that they should one Day be deliver'd from their Torments For whatsoever sorts of Men there are in this Life I cannot think there be any Stoicks in Hell And now I have entertained thee with Company and Solitude with Books and Men with Life and Death with Earth and Hell let us take one Step farther and refresh our selves with the Remembrance of Heaven the Joys of the Bless'd in Paradise which certainly is the best Relief of Anxious Thoughts the most perfect Cure of Melancholy the Guide of Life and the Comfort of Death God grant that thou and I may see each other and drink together in the Arbours of Eden and kiss the Daughters of Paradise Paris 14th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1643. LETTER XIX To the Testerdar or Lord Treasurer KIngdoms and Empires like Men have their Lucky and Unlucky Seasons Spain seems for a considerable Time to have been under a Cloud as if her Guardian Fate began to droop and were not strong enough to check the rising Grandeur of France It has been an old Observation That those whom God consigns over to Ruine he first infatuates It was a Grand Oversight in Don Francisco de Melo to constitute the Duke of Alburquerque General of his Horse For he thereby so disgusted the Spanish Officers in his Army that emulating the Honour of this young Portugueze the greatest Part of them deserted in the very Nick of Time when their Presence was most necessary to confirm the Battalions already shrinking from the furious Onset of the French This gave the young Duke of Anguien an intire Victory and has crowned him with glorious Laurels while Don Francisco de Melo by this ill Conduct has quite lost his Reputation and is forced to resign up his Commission to another This Battle was fought before Rocroy and may be reckoned as a Parallel with that Bloody Battel of Leipsick between the Imperialists and Suedes on the 7th of the 9th Moon of the Year 1631. A Day which was remarkable at Constantinople on the Account of that terrible Lightning which surprized the late Sultan Amurath in his Bed Many other extraordinary Events signalized this Day in England France Germany and other places which occasioned the great Astrologer Herlicius to call it a Day of Blood Such another was this Unfortunate Day to the Spaniards at the forementioned Battel of Rocroy where they lost an infinite Number of Men with all their Field-pieces and a Hundred and Fifty Colours He that created the Moon and the Constellations in Heaven to distinguish the Times and Seasons guard thee from the Influence of Malignant Stars and from the Destroyer who ranges the World on certain Critical Days Paris 12th of the 9th Moon of the Year 1643. LETTER XX. To the Vizir Azem at the Port. IT is Time it is high time most Sage Minister for the Ottoman Sword the Sword of Justice to be unsheathed not against an open Enemy but against its professed Friends and Subjects The Head of the Bassa of Cyprus is become a Burden to him as likewise those of Mitylene Sio and Lemnos They plot Mischief against the Throne that is established in Equity they are ungrateful to their Sovereign who hath exalted them they are become unworthy of the Honours with which they are dignified I could hardly believe the first Reports of this Treason till I were at length fully convinced by undeniable Testimonies that it was too true Yet it is a Secret even in the French Court I alone have discover'd this Mystery by the Means of a Jew and a Grecian both my Agents in those Parts and Men whom I can confide in The Business is this The Bassa's and Governours of the Isles before-mentioned have conspired together to divide themselves from the Body of the Ottoman Empire and to make the Islands of the Aegean Sea a Commonwealth Independent on the Throne which governs the World The Bassa of Cyprus is the Ring-leader of this Conspiracy and that Island is to be the Capital Seat of their New Republick The Governours of the Five Greater Isles are to be called the Sovereign Counsellors of State By these all the Affairs of the Archipelago are to be managed Onely the Bassa of Cyprus shall be supreme and have the casting Voice in all Cases of Dispute The enclosed Papers contain the perfect Model of their New Government the Articles and Propositions on which this Rebellious designed Commonwealth is to be built with the Names of the Chief Conspirators subscribed Permit me Sage Minister to set before thy Eyes the Occasions of these Treacherous Designs It has been the Custom of the Port to connive for a considerable time at the Oppressions Rapines and Exactions of the Bassa's and Governours of Provinces to suffer them to harass the People under their Jurisdiction to pillage and spoil them of their Moneys Goods and Estates till they have amass'd together vast Sums of Money And then it has been as usual for the Sultans upon the least Complaint to send the Bow-String to the Criminal Bassa Whatever may be pleaded in Defence of this Method in former Times my Opinion is that it may prove dangerous now And if I may be permitted to speak freely I have Reason to think that this was one Ground of the designed Treason in the Isles of the Aegean Sea Formerly those who were removed to these Commands were not so well versed in the Maxims of Policy nor so apprehensive of the Cabinet Secrets of State But now the Age is refined Men are more subtle jealous and selfish than they were Nature teaches all Men to preserve their Lives with utmost Diligence The Bassa of Cyprus who is the Ring-leader of this Conspiracy has been let alone in a long Course of Tyranny and Oppression over his Subjects by which means he has heap'd to himself prodigious Treasures His guilty Mind told him that Complaints would be made against him and that one time or other he must be strangled He knew that his Gold would be thought better to become the Sultan's Seraglio than his own and that he had been long enough in his Office to serve the Politick Ends of State Revolving these things in his Mind he quickly concluded that the Crimes he had been guilty of in his Government would draw upon him inevitable Ruine unless he prevented it by committing greater And that as Oppression of his Subjects had made him Rich so Treason against his Sovereign must make him safe He

himself toward his Wife and exhorts him to keep a good Conscience XXIX To the Kaimacham p. 103 Of the Surrender of Perpignan of Olivarez his hindring its Relief and his being distracted at the News of its Loss Of Cardinal Richlieu's falling into Disgrace and his Restauration to the King's Favour XXX To Nathan Ben Saddi a Jew at Vienna p. 107 Of the Receipt of his Letter with Carcoa's Journal and Legacy He desires him to order his Bills better for the future XXXI To the Venerable Mufti Prince of the True andVndefiled Faith p. 109 He discourses of Christ's Incarnation of the Angel Gabriel's brushing the Moon with his Wing and causing the dark Spots in that Planet Of Renatus des Cartes XXXII To the Vizir Azem at the Port. p. 113 Of a Greek Merchant who was forc'd out of his Country by the Insolence of the Janizaries XXXIII To Cara Haly the Physician at Constantinople p. 114 Touching the various Sects of Mahometans and Christians Of the Golden Age and many Absurdities taught by the Mahometan Doctors BOOK II. LETTER I. TO the Kaimacham p. 119 Of Cardinal Richlieu's Death of his Descent Education Preferments and the Jealousie of the Grandees II. To the Venerable Mufti p. 122 On the same Subject and of the Cardinal's Legacies His Character III. To Jasmir Sgire Rugial an Astrologer at Aleppo p. 125 He Paraphrases on his Name drolls on his Profession and wishes him to return to his old Trade of teaching Pigeons to carry Letters IV. To the Grand Signior's Chief Treasurer p. 128 He excuses the Infrequencies of his Letters mentions the King of Persia's Death relates the Surrender of Tortona and the Marriage of the Prince of Savoy with his Niece V. To Darnish Mehemet Bassa p. 131 Of Cardinal Julio Mazarini Richlieu's Successor VI. To Isouf his Kinsman p. 133 He desires him to make an Offering for him to Sheh Boubac a Santone at Aleppo the Story of Syntana Fissa he requires an Account of his Travels VII To Mahomet Bassa of Damascus p. 136 Of Mansour the youngest Son of Facardine the brave Emir of Sidon And of a Battle fought before Leipsick VIII To the Venerable Mufti Arbitrator of the Problems and Mysteries of Faith p. 138 He answers all the Scruples of his former Letter to the Mufti and asserts the Bodily delights of Paradise IX To the Kaimachan p. 146 Of the extraordinary Honours done to the Prince of Morgues by the French King as a Reward of his Services X. To Achmet Beig p. 148 Of the Design which the Spanish Ambassador had of murdering the Portugueze Ambas at Rome XI To the Vizir Azem at the Port. p. 152 He expostulates with him concerning the Threatnings of the Bassa's of the Port. XII To Murat Bassa p. 155 Of the Siege of Fribergh and of the Defeat of the Germans before Leipsick of the Surrender of that Place and the Confusion of the German Court. XIII To the Kaimacham p. 160 Touching Cardinal Mazarini's Conduct XIV To the Venerable Mufti Prince of the Interpreters of the Law and Judges of Equity p. 163 Of the Death of Lewis XIII King of France An Apology for his making war with the House of Austria A Rehearsal of the SpanishVsurpations Plots and Cruelties XV. To Reis Effendi Principal Secretary of State p. 169 Of King Lewis's Death That some suspected he was poison'd Of his Piety and Vertues XIV To the Kaimachan p. 173 Touching the early Discoveries of King Lewis's Valour and of the Civil Wars of France XV. To the Venerable Mufti Successor of the Prophets and Messengers of God p. 177 He gives him a large Account of the Eastern and Western Patriarchs Of the Immunities of the French Church A Description of the Mass A Character of the Spaniards French and Italians Of Reliques Of Protestants Of the Hierarchy XVI To the Kaimacham p. 188 Of the French Dauphin XVII To the Vizir Azem at the Port. p. 190 Of the Wars between Spain and Portugal A particular Relation of the Imprisonment and cruel Vsage of Dom Duartus Brother to the new King of Portugal A farther Account of Spanish Cruelties and of a second Conspiracy against the King of Portugal XVIII To Dgnet Oglou p. 196 Touching Melancholy and his Method of curing it XIX To the Tefterdar or Lord Treasurer p. 201 Of the Battel of Rocroy XX. To the Vizir Azem at the Port. p. 203 He discovers a Conspiracy of the Bassa's and Governours of the Isles in the Archipelago against the Ottoman Empire XXI To Chiurgi Muhammet Bassa p. 207 He relates a Passage at the Dauphin's Christning calculates the Number of the French Clergy talks of the King's Revenues and of the French Dragoons XXII To Egri Boinou a White Eunuch p. 213 Of the French King's Brothers of the Princes of the Blood and the Nobility of France XXIII To the Captain Bassa p. 217 Of a great Number of Slaves that escaped from Alexandria XXIV To Mustapha Guir an Eunuch-Page p. 220 Of the Murder of the Duke of Orleans his Page Of mercenary Ruffians The Duke of Beaufort suspects Cardinal Mazarini to be the Author of that Murder The Duke is sent Prisoner to the Castle of the Wood of Vinciennes XXV To Pestelihali his Brother p. 224 He desires him to send him some News of ●is Mother Invites him to an entire Friendship and to joyn with him in the Imitation of their Kindreds Vertues Discourses of his Travels in the Indies BOOK III. LETTER I. TO Ibrahim Ali Cheik a Man of the Law p. 229 Of the Wandring Jew and of Mahmut's Conversation with him on several Subjects particularly of the Ten Tribes of Israel which are lost II. To the Selichar Aga or Sword bearer p. 236 Of the Wars of Suedeland and Denmark III. To Cara Haly a Physician at Constantinople p. 239 Of a Man who reviv'd after he had been dead 35 Hours Of another who as he was carried to the Grave rose up and spoke Three times pronouncing himself damned Of the Carthusians IV. To William Vospel a Christian Recluse of Austria p. 244 Touching a Monastick Life V. To Berber Mustapha Aga. p. 248 Of the Reception which the Sophi of Persia gave the Cham of the Usbeck Tartars Of a defeat given the French by John de Werdt and General Mercy VI. To the Vizir Azem at the Port. p. 250 Of the Dardanels in the Hellespont What some French Seamen said of them A Project of Mahmut to erect Platforms along the Hellespont VII To Oucoumiche his Mother at Grand Cairo p. 252 He expresses his Joy to hear of her Health and exhorts her not to mourn in vain for her dead Husband VIII To Muzlu Reis Effendi Principal Secretary of the Ottoman Empire p. 256 Of the Hatred which Madam de Chevereux and the Duke of Peaufort bore Cardinal Mazarini Of an Old Courtier from whom Mahmut hoped to gain some Secrets IX To Signior Lorenzo del ' Casa Bianca a Genouese at Marseilles p. 259 Mahmut undeceives

Calamities made him sell his Estate and travel into these Countries where he might enjoy himself with more Liberty Profit and Ease It is a Dishonour to the Ottoman Port the Seat of Justice the Sanctuary of the World to suffer such Disorders to be committed without due Chastisement within Sight of the Seraglio and by those who have the Honour to guard the Person of the Sultan I represent these Things to thee knowing thy Justice will administer a speedy Remedy to these Distempers of the Soldiery Otherwise should they be suffered to go unpunished we may expect that not only these Islands but all Grecia will in Time be dispeopled Paris 25th of the 11th Moon of the Year 1642. LETTER XXXIII To Cara Haly the Physician at Constantinople SUffer me to converse with thee after the Manner of Friends with Freedom and Familiarity I have often discovered to thee the Distempers of my Body now I will reveal those more dangerous ones of my Mind And I know not whether they are Distempers or Cures of such I have writ to the Mufti on the same Subject in Part but with Caution and Reserve With thee I will deal frankly and pour into thy Bosom the Secrets of my Heart I am dissatisfied in many Things pertaining to Religion 'T is true I cannot think or speak of our Holy Prophet but with infinite Attach and Veneration yet I owe something to my Reason I will believe the Messenger of God was true and perfect but is it a Crime to think his Successors were but Men subject to Frailty and Errour Their Divisions immediately after the Death of our Great Lawgiver justifie this Reflection since the fatal Schism continues to this Day Either the Persians or We must be in the wrong Grant which thou wilt it follows that the Truth was no sooner sown in the World but it sprung up in Mortal Heresies and I find no other Assurance that we are in the Right but the Assertion of our Doctors the Followers of Osman and Ebubecher who for ought I know are no more exempted from Errour than the Disciples of Haly. Both Sides believe the Holy Prophet yet both at Infinite Distance in their Interpretations of his Law Each Party boasts they have the True Sence of the Divine Oractes and curses the opposite for Hereticks Truth cannot be repugnant to it self From this Original Schism well near a Hundred several Sects have sprung each maintaining different Interpretations of the Law While Truth can be but One where shall a Man be sure to find it amongst so many Pretenders to it Think not that I am going to turn Christian because of this Liberty I take to search for Truth For the Case is the same or worse among them Jesus whom our Holy Prophet calls the Breath and Word of God the Reformer of the Law of Moses knowing the Secrets of Hearts and working Miraeles preach'd to the Jews Repentance good Works the Resurrection of the Dead the Day of Judgment the Joys of Paradise and the Torments of Hell He chose Twelve Disciples to disperse his Doctrine over the World But they likewise had Dissentions among themselves after that God had taken the Messias up to Paradise Each Apostle leaving different Traditions behind him in the Countries where he taught Hence sprung the Difference between the Churches of the East and West and those in Aethiopia One following Peter and Paul Another believing John the Third defending the Traditions of Matthew And from these greater Schisms have sprung innumerable smaller Sects and Heresies Each Church and Party Excommunicating Damning and Cursing all the Rest yet all believe they shall be saved Thus is the World at Odds about Religion persecuting biting and devouring one another because they cannot all think alike A singular Argument of Religion and a special Encouragement to gain Proselytes These Considerations have made me a Sceptick in Controverted Points of Faith and Matters of Opinion Onely in this I am fixed That I believe in One Eternal God and reverence his Holy Messengers and Prophets But if an Angel from Heaven should tell me monstrous and incredible Stories of Things repugnant to the common Sense and Reason of all Mankind I would desire him to excuse me if I suspended my Belief I admire the Golden Age when the Infant World had not yet learn'd Bigotry when Humane Reason was not corrupted with Divine Fables and Natural Conscience was the Oracle to which all resorted for Solution of their Doubts before Superstition had begun to dress the Deity in frightful uncouth Shapes Then harmless Innocence could shew her naked Face which now is fain to go disguised No Man was put to Death for Words or Thoughts of Things above his Reach No crafty Numa then had fobb'd upon the Credulous People his feign'd Aegeria Nor Golden-tongu'd Pythagoras could impose the forged Whispers of his Eagle on the silly Crotonians for Sacred Oracles No Wonder-working Magician had led the Rabble by the Nose with his Infernal Juggles but pure and undebauched Reason taught Men to lead Immortal Lives on Earth Tell me O Learned Haly canst thou believe That the Divine Architect had no other Way to make Man than by laying him a Thousand Years broiling in the Sun Or that there is an Apple-Tree growing very near the Throne of God Or that the Angels can stride some Hundred Thousands of Miles at once Can we not go to Paradise unless we swallow these strange Notions Is it not enough to believe in God and Mahomet his Prophet except we will receive all for Truth which the Doctors tell us I Fast and Pray at the appointed Times and sometimes oftner I give Alms I love all the Creatures of God that remain in his Love I am not guilty of Theft Murder nor Adultery I never forswore my self nor bore False Witness Yet when I am recollected I think my self the worst of all Men I think of every Peccadillo I commit with inexpressible Regret If all this is not sufficient to acquit me a true and good Mussulman no Man I hope will blame me if I joyn with an eminent Man in these Western Parts and wish my Soul among the Philosophers Paris 25th of the 11th Moon of the Year 1642. The End of the First Book LETTERS Writ by A SPY at PARIS VOL. II. BOOK II. LETTER I. To the Kaimacham THOU maist remember a Letter I sent thee concerning the Death of Mary de Medicis Queen-Mother and Dowager of France wherein I also spoke of the sudden Sickness of the Cardinal of Richlieu with the Reports Opinions and Prophecies divulged on that Account What Spirit soever inspired those Prophets 't is certain the Event justifies their Predictions For the Cardinal died this very Day being the Fourth of the last Moon in the Year at his Palace in this City being not full Fifty eight Years of Age. I am not very Credulous of Apparitions Ghost and such like Themes of vulgar Superstition yet 't is evident the Cardinal

Master was overcome with Wine The Lord not thinking it convenient to leave a Prince of the Blood in such a Place at that Time of the Night caused his Servants to take him up and carry him to his own Lodgings who for the greater Conveniency left his Cloak behind upon the Couch As soon as they were gone the Duke's Page puts on the Cloak and being also tyred with watching laid himself down to sleep The Duke not long after awakes and call'd for his Page not knowing where he was The Servants of the French Lord immediately ran to the Page but found him dead upon the Couch being stabb'd through the Heart Thou mayst imagine what a Surprize the whole Court was in when this Accident was known Next Morning strict Inquisition was made into this Affair but nothing brought to light onely 't was observ'd that about Three a Clock in the Morning an unknown Person was seen by the Centinels to be let into Cardinal Mazarini's Apartment The Business is hush'd up yet people spare not to whisper that the Cardinal was privy to the Murder adding that the Blow was given by Mistake the Page being supposed to be the Duke as he lay wrapt up in that Remarkable Cloak It is common in these Infidel Countries for great Men to hire Ruffians to execute their Revenge And these Fellows are as prompt and dextrous at a private Murder as our Mutes are to execute the Pleasure of the Grand Signior when he commands them to strangle any Offending Bassa But they will have half the Price of their Villainy before-hand and the Residue when 't is accomplish'd Thus is innocent Blood become a Merchandice They Traffick for Assassinations and a Man cannot call his Life his own since at that very Instant it may be bought by another I have not heard that such a detestable Wickedness has ever been practis'd in the Empire of the Mussulmans much less in the Seraglio's of our Sultans which are the Mansions of Justice and Vertue One of the Grandees of France whom they call the Duke of Beaufort takes incessant Pains to find out the Author of this Murder He is a mortal Enemy of Cardinal Mazarini and would give half the Revenue of his Dukedom could he remove him out of the Kingdom He insinuates very plausible suspicions into the Minds of the Courtiers to render him odious He dares not openly accuse him of being Accessary to the Page's Death having no Evident Proofs against him but he endeavours to create in all Men a Belief that he had a hand in it He has consulted a Magician who has shew'd him the Figure of the Murderer in a Glass and by another Effect of his Enchantments has presented him with a Picture drawn from the Magical Portraiture in the Glass which the Duke has caused to be imitated by the Skilfullest Masters in France sending the Copies in great Numbers to all Parts of the Kingdom with Orders to the Governours of Towns and Cities especially such as are on the Frontiers and Sea-Coasts to cause all Travellers to be brought before them and confronted with the Picture that so if possible the Murderer may be discover'd who will not fail to be put to all the Tortures they can invent to draw a Confession from him That Cardinal Mazarini had contrived the Murder of the Duke of Orleans though by Mistake 't was executed on his Page But the Cardinal is even with him having accused him to the Queen of designing to Murder him whereupon the Duke is sent Prisoner to the Castle of the Wood of Vinciennes This makes the Creatures of Beaufort to murmur and say There is a higher Hand than the Cardinal 's alone in the Contrivance of this Murder Libels are scatter'd up and down the Streets and 't is said that the Ghost of the Page has been often seen to walk in the Royal Apartments In the mean Time I wait all Opportunities to do the Grand Signior some effectual Service snatching every Contingency which many advance the Ottoman Interest Neither am I forgetful to oblige my Friends The Great God preserve thee from untimely Death and give thee Favour with the Sultan Paris 30th of the 11th Moon of the Year 1643. LETTER XXV To Pestelihali his Brother WHEN I wrote last to thee I thought I should have taken a farther Journey than thou Asia was the designed Stage of thy Travels but I look'd on my self at that time as bound for another World And therefore having no hopes of ever seeing thee again in this I gave thee a solemn Adieu It is now Four Years since that Letter was writ during which thou hast seen many strange Things in the East while I have observ'd some Remarkables in the West Thou art return'd safe to Constantinople and I am still alive in Paris I am overjoy'd to hear I have a Brother living I hope thou wilt not be sorry that I have hitherto escaped the Stroke of Death We two are the onely surviving of all our Race let us love one another as though there were Nothing else in the World for us to love As for our Mother I know not whether she be on Earth or in Paradise The last Letter she sent me express'd her Grief for the Death of her second Husband since which Eighteen Moons are elaps'd and I have heard Nothing of her I desire thee if thou hast any Tenderness for Mahmut to satisfie me whether she be living or dead Perhaps she is married again and may be removed into some unknown Country I am perplex'd with a Thousand Anxieties about her Remember That the Tribe to which we belong was none of the most Obscure in Arabia Let us imitate the Virtues of our Kindred without medling with their Vices In such a Family it will not be difficult to find some good Examples and such as are worthy to be follow'd Let us learn Temperance from One Prudence from Another Magnanimity from a Third and the Rules of Piety and Justice from them All. This I take to be a proper Method to acquire an Excellency in Vertue and to root good Habits in us it being certain that Practical Examples have more Influence on Men than the most pithy and sage Instructions Who can reflect on the Incomparable Modesty of Vseph my Father's Brother and not to be charm'd Thou mayst remember with how sweet a Grace of Mildness and Condescention all his Actions were adorn'd He was esteem'd the most Polite Man in those Parts From him we may learn to bear Injuries patiently and not to grow peevish at the Impertinences of the Vulgar not to be of a rugged Temper Fierce or Revengeful but to be always of an even Deportment pursuing all Men with Civilities and good Offices the very Nature of which brings its own Reward along with it if there were no other the Mind being fed with an inexpressible Complacency after such Generous Performances Mehmet Ali our Kinsman was a Man of singular Government and Moderation He was

Moors with Cruelty and the Mussulmans of the Indies with Atheism Nor does he spare to reproach the Christian Churches He taxes the Roman and Grecian with the Pompous Idolatry of the Heathens He accuses the Aethiopian of Judaism the Armenian of Heresie and says that the Protestants if they would live according to their Profession would be the best Christians He told me he was in Rome when Nero set Fire to the City and stood triumphing on the Top of a Hill to behold its Flames That he saw Saladine's Return from his Conquests in the East when he caus'd his Shirt to be carried on the Top of a Spear with this Proclamation Saladine Lord of many rich Countries Conquerour of the East ever Victorious and happy when he dies shall have no other Memorial left of all his Glories but only this poor Shirt He relates many remarkable Passages of Solyman the Magnificent whereof our Histories are silent and says he was in Constantinople when Solyman built that Royal Mosque which goes by his Name He knew Tamerlain the Scythian and told me that he was so call'd because he halted with one Leg He pretends also to have been acquainted with Scanderbeg the Valiant and Fortunate Prince of Epirus He seem'd to pity the insupportable Calamity of Bajazet whom he had seen carried about in a Cage by Tamerlain's Order He accuses the Scythian of too Barbarous an Insult on the Unfortunate Sultan He remembers the Antient Caliphs of Babylon and Aegypt the Empire of the Sarazens and the Wars in the Holy Land He highly extols the Valour and Conduct of the Renowned Godfrey of Bulloigne He gives an accurate Account of the Rise Progress Establishment and Subversion of the Mamalukes in Aegypt He says he has washed himself in the Two Head-springs of the River Nile which arise in the most Southern Part of Aethiopia That its Encrease is occasion'd by the great Rains in Aethiopia which swell all the Rivers that fall into the Nile and cause that vast Inundation which has so much puzzled Philosophy to find out the Origin He says that the River Ganges in India is broader and deeper than the Nile that the River Niger in Africa is longer by some Hundreds of Miles And that he can remember a time when the River Nile overflowed not till Three Months after the usual Season Having professed himself an Universal Traveller and that there was no Corner of the Earth where he had not been present I began to comfort my self with the hopes of some News from the Ten Tribes of Israel that were carried into Captivity by Salmanassar King of Assyria and could never be heard of since I asked him several Questions concerning them but found no satisfactory Answer Only he told me that both in Asia Africk and Europe he had taken Notice of a Sort of People who though not Jews in Profession yet retained some Characteristicks whereby one might discover them to be descended of that Nation In Livonia Russia and Finland he had met with People of distinct Languages from that of the Country having a great mixture of Hebrew Words that these abstained from Swines Flesh Blood and Things strangled That in their Lamentations for the Dead they always us'd these Words Jeru-Jeru Masco Salem By which he thought they called to Remembrance Jerusalem and Damascus those two Famous Cities of Palestine and Syria In the Circassians also he had traced some Footsteps of Judaism their Customs Manner of Life Feasts Marriages and Sacrifices being not far removed from the Institutions of the Mosaick Law But what is most remarkable he said that he had conversed with professed Jews in the North Parts of Asia who never so much as heard of Jesus the Son of Mary or of the Revolutions in Judea after his Death the Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem or any other Matters wherewith all Histories abound concerning that Nation He said moreover that these Jews had only the Pentateuch not having heard of the rest of those Books which compose the greatest Part of the Old Testament and that this Pentateuch was written in a sort of Hebrew far different from that which is now commonly spoken by the rest of the dispersed Jews throughout the World That the number of these Jews was Infinite And finally he thought that these if any were the true Posterity of those Ten Captive Tribes Having mentioned the Destruction of Jerusalem I ask'd him where he was at that time He told me in the Court of Vespasian at Rome and that he had heard the Emperor say when he understood the Temple of Solomon was burnt to Ashes He had rather all Rome had been set on Fire Here the Old Man fell a weeping himself lamenting the Ruines of that Noble Structure which he described to me as familiarly as if he had seen it but Yesterday He says that Josephus wrote partially of the Seditious in the City being related to one of the Chief Ring-leaders whom therefore he spar'd being loath to stain the Reputation of his own Family to all Posterity I tell thee Sage Cheik if this Man's Pretences be true he is so full of Choice Memoirs and has been Witness to so many Grand Transactions for the space of Sixteen Centuries of Years that he may not unfitly be called A Living Chronology the Proto-Notary of the Christians Hegira or Principal Recorder of that which they esteem the Last Epocha of the World's Duration By his Looks one would take him for a Relick of the Old World or one of the Long-liv'd Fathers before the Flood To speak modestly he may pass for the Younger Brother of Time It would be endless to tell thee how many other Discourses we had of his Travels and Memoirs till tired with his Company and judging all to be a Cheat I took my Leave I tell thee he seems to be a Man well vers'd in all Histories a Great Traveller and one that affects to be counted an Extraordinary Person The Common People are ready to adore him and the very Fear of the Multitude restrains the Magistrates from offering any Violence to this Impostor Live thou in the Exercise of thy Reason which will not permit thee to be seduced into Error by the subtle Insinuations of Men. Continue to Love Mahmut who Honours thee without a Fiction Paris 4th of the 1st Moon of the Year 1644. LETTER II. To the Selictar Aga or Sword-Bearer JEalousie the Bane of Publick Alliances as well as of Private Friendships has carried the Arms of Suedeland into Denmark at a Time when least expected All Europe was alarmed at the News of this Surprizing Invasion it being thought that the Suedes had Work enough cut out for them in Germany However few could penetrate into the Reasons which induced them to respite the Imperialists and at the same Time carry the War into the Dominions of King Christian who by his Mediation and other good Offices between the German Emperour and that Crown merited another kind of Return than an