hee conversed only with learned men hearing them dispute and argue upon such propositions as he offered when any doubts arised himselfe would turne the bookes and moderate their disputations that day they din'd with him and when the questions had been sufficiently disputed he gave them at their departure new propofitiōs for them to thinke upon against the next thursday To understand the humor and disposition of his people and his officers integritie he would many times goe guised into the Cittie in the habit of a priest souldier begger or Marchant It is to be noted that in those daies the Arabians used to weare vailes over their faces speaking freely of the King and his officers and soothe the company he was in whereby hee enformed himselfe both of his own faults and theirs which being discovered held his subjects in generall in such awe as when three or more were talking together it passed for a by-word Take heed least Almanzor heare you he was such an enemie to idlenesse as that he was ever busied in some virtuous exercise and made a law that all snch persons of what condition soever did not spend their time in some profitable or laudable Art should be reputed infamous he built and finished in his life time five hundred and six principall Mosquitas eightie and two Hospitalls and as many Colledges for schollers endowed them with great possessions every yeere at his own charge he bestowed in marraige one thousand mayden Orphants the almes he gave was admirable by land and sea he won 86 battails in 13 of them he was personally present and in them he took five Kings prisoners and slew one the spoile evermore was indifferently divided amongst the soldiers the widdowes and children of the slaine had their shares reserved for them in his librarie after his death there was found fiftie five thousand seven hundred twentie two volumes of books containing in wrighting one thousand two hundred nineteen Quintals of paper each Quintall being an hundred weight to get that masse together hee proclamed throughout his Dominions rewards to such as could present books which he had not wherin his bountie exceeded at last broken with yeeres and infirmities and residing in his Monasterie sometimes he would admit his antient servants to visit him His discourses for the most part were either heavenly contemplations or of his sonne desiring above all earthly joyes to heare that he were a good and a just king his sicknes increasing he sent him admonitorie Letters advising him not to presume upon his regall estate which was fraile subject to mutation within Limits vaine unasured to humble himselfe to the Creator God eternal by whom kings were ordained whose power was infinite everlasting and supreame That above all things he should be carefull to administer Justice without partialitie and avoyd severitie wherin he should imitate the King of glorie who was goodnes it selfe and from whom all our good works did spring if he swarved from his rules his Justice was Injustice his Clemencie tyrannie his Charitie avarice all his actions wicked That he ought not to be ignorant that his wisdome was but foolishnes his mercie extended but to externe things pardoning of sinnes was not in his power his Justice streched no farther then corporall afflictions over mens soules he had no power Therefore he wished him not to glorie in his earthly greatnes to contemplate upon the humane miseries wherunto all flesh is subject and that neither his vast Empire or Kingly power was able to draw one drop of raine from the Clouds nor to make a green leafe or free him from wordly vexations That hee should evermore thinke upon his end remember that he was a miserable and wretched sinner that after this life he was to render an exact accompt unto the Soveraigne King the Creator of all things that the accompt of Princes were greater and more fearefull then meaner mens which duly cōsidered he must conclude that neither himselfe his dominions or power were to be esteemed pretious Hee admonished him to beware of pride calling her the right hand of the devill the path of perdition the nurse of sin the gate of hell the principall hooke wherwith the infernall spirit draws miserable Soules into his burning lake he willed him to tread her under foot and not to overjoy in his death For if Kings had the true feeling of their duties they would rather mourne and fast at their Coronations then feast and triumph as is accustomed That he should no time make or beare with a Ly for Lyers are divels in flesh enemies to truth subverters of justice fyrebrands of sedition causers of rebellion destroyers of kingdoms to themselves thus much harmefull that when they speake truth they are not beleeved Lastly he admonished him to performe the service of God before all his other actions to adore him in singlenes of heart and humility to be just in judgements charitable and in his wayes direct and then he might be sure that God would blesse him both in this world and in the world to come from his house of Albasadin the twentith day of Rageb anno 96. Although he felt his disease incurable yet the Phisitions ceased not to put him in hope of recovery after some reproofes he thanked them for their endevors but said he the daies of men are limited and the will of God must be obeyed your learning practice connot adde unto me one daies life beyond the prefixed day wherin I must die From the begining of my sicknes I knew my disease was mortall it is a vanitie to speake of impossibilities I cannot live and I thanke my God that deilivers me from the calamities of this miserable world which said he comanded his sonnes Abilqualit and Abrahen the Infant Abrahen to be brought to his presence whom he admonished to live in brotherly love that their concord would be as a wall of brasse in their defence that their dissention would hazard the dissolution acquired by him and his Ancestors and turning his speech to his yongest sonne I Comand you said he upon paine of my malediction to reverence and obey King Abilqualit your brother honor and serve him in stead of me as your Father and Lord. Then casting his eys upon Abilqualit required upon the same to love and cherish his brother Then causing himselfe to be raised in his bed he sent for his kinsmen great officers and servants unto whom he made a large speech of the miseries of this life of the eternall joyes he was going unto and prayed them to let him know whether he were indebted unto any of them for rewards or otherwise that he might take present order for their satisfaction and also humbly besought them that they would forgive him all his offences towards them as he freely pardoned them in all wherin thy had offended him for God said he will never at the latter day extend his mercies to the mercilesse and further as an argument of eheir
Almedina and tooke it by force This first good fortune wrought the effect he desired for instantly by his Army he was saluted Calipha which interpreted is King and because his creation hapned upon a Friday that day was ordayned by him to be their Sabbaoth His next conquest was the City of Mecca where he triumphed in the blood of his neighbour Citizens which was not spared and proclaimed death to all those that did not embrace his Doctrine The Princes and great men in Arabia opposite unto him assembled all their forces Mahomet being too weake was overthrown wounded and fled to Mecca yet in the end the warre continuing he prevailed and reduced the three Arabies under his subjection Grown great and glorious with his victories and at that time the Emperor of Constantinople and King of Persia being men of weake and tame Spirits he invaded their Dominions and with a conquering sword triumphed over Syria the City of Jerusalem the kingdome of Mesopotamia and Persia the great City of Babylon with other Eastern Provinces of all which as of the Arabies he styled himselfe King being now grown eldeâ— by his inordinate life in the state of his body then in yeeres which exceded not fifty seven full of glory as well in regard of his large Empire as in opinion of sanctity in being esteemed a Prophet and weary with warre with a fained holynesse under which maske he intended to take his ease sequestred himself from publique affaires committing the government of his estates to the Lievetenants within in three yeeres following which was in Anno Domini 631 the sixtith yeere of his Age and the tenth of his Reign he died Upon his death-bed he commended unto his principal Commanders the care and use of his fantasticall Law assuring them that it was agreeable to the will of God and that so long as they and their posterity should hold and maintaine it they should flourish This false Prophet and usurping Prince pretended paternally to discend from the Patriarch Abraham by his eldest Sonne Ismael and to avoyd the infamie of an unlawfull bed his successors affirmed that Ismael was the Sonne of Sara not of the bond-woman Agar whereupon the Arabians which is the undoubted name of that people are by some writers of Ismael called Ismalites by others of Agar Agarens And of Sara Sarazens but in this latter time they are distinguished by the name of Arabians Moores and Mahometans the first is proper only to those which inhabit in Arabia the Mores are the progeny of such Arabians as after their Conquests seated themselves in that part of Affrica the Manometans is the generall name of all nations that professe Mahomet as Turks Tartars Persians c. Of the successors of Mahomet until the yeere of our Lord 673 the writers vary in opinion both in name and number of the Caliphaes and in the yeeres of their reignes the reason that begat their errors proceeded from the dissention that happened about the succession amongst Mahomet's kinsmen evermore anti-Caliphaes starting up with pretended titles in opposition to him that had the Diadem whereof some were murthered and others deposed so as the writers either out of ignorance not able to discerne the truth or wilfully partiall have erred Notwithstanding their civill tumults they kept Mahomet's Dominions and inherited his fortunes for every of them added somwhat to his Monarchie where by they became fearfull to the world and potent in Asia Affrica and Europe The fourth Calipha agreed upon by Historiographers was callded Hozman or Azman husband to Mahomet's daughter who perceiving that in this upstart Religion Schisms and diversities of opinions began to rise by the helpe of his wifes mother recovered Mahomet's papers wherein his law was written which hee caused to be digested into one volume contaning foure books divided into 206 Chapters and called it the Alcoran commanding the same to be published upon paine of death to be observed by his subjects Hee was a great Conqueror and wan much upon the Christians but this discourse treateth not of his particular actions or of his successors untill the reigne of Abilqualet Iacob Myramamolin surnamed Almanzor which interpreted is the defendor of the law of God sonne to Abilqualet Calipha of the Arabians who seeing his sonnes abilitie to govern himselfe by reason of yeres exceeding 70 unable to mannage publique affaires in the yeere of Christ 675. resigned his Scepter unto him Without comparison hee was the greatest Monarch then living upon the earth The seat of his Empire as his predecessors accustomed was at Zarvall in Arabia Foelix from east to west his dominions were bounded with the river Indus in Asia and the Atlantick seas which in length exceeded the Roman Empire The conquests he made were admirable all which in this collection are omitted untill the 37 yeere of his reigne in which he attempted the conquest of Spaine abreviated out of two Arabique writers translated into Spanish in anno 1606. Both the Authors living in his time the one a Captaine in that war and the other for 20 yeeres together of Almanzors chamber and after his death a Provinciall Governor in Arabia Foelix In the yeere of our redemption 712. Don Roderigo in the right of Don Sancho his elder brothers Soone then in minoritie swayed the Spanish Monarchie having so faire a Jewell in his possession and unwilling to loose kingly power after so long use of it his impostumed heart swolne with Ambition poysned in the center restles and care full he only held and approved such Counsel without respect of conscience or honor as might worke his end The way to fixe the Crown to his head which while his Nephew lived sat loose was to deprive him of his life Anagilda mother to Don Sancho fearing what shee suspected and suspecting no lesse then there was cause had a watchfull eye over her sonne as much afflicted how to avoyd harme as Don Roderigo was perplexed how to contrive it The first project was to poyson him at a banquet but the mothers care prevented the innocents danger that failing hee corrupted one Ataulpho his Favorite to kill him Ataulpho not prodigall of his life which he knew to be in danger both in hot and cold blood after a murther perswaded Don Roderigo to frame some coulourable accusations against him and once in prison hee might at leasure without any perill act what he listed Ataulpho was presently sent with commission to apprehend Don Sancho then resident in Cordova promise of reward gave him wings in his post at midnight the Prince was taken in his bed carried out of the towne and committed to guard Anagilda though greived beyond expression with the accident yet being a Ladie of great spirit armed such servants and friends as shee had pursued Ataulpho besiedged the Castle where hee and her sonne were tooke it by force him prisoner slewe the rest and recovered the Prince which done trussing up her treasure and jewels with a small trayne
particular governments Though the traitorly Protector liked not the reply nothing squaring to his end yet he gave him not over hoping at last to win him to his bent but he like an honest loyall Patriot stifly persevered in his disswasions after many assaults seeing no end of the Protectors tentations afflicted in his Soule to ease himselfe and give remedy to the danger which necessarily must ensue if he smothered it unto himselfe he resolved to breath it out unto Mura the Governor of the Moroccoes then being at the Court and highly esteemed for his valour wisdom wealth and dignitie unto him he discovered the treason to prevent it they found no other meanes so good as to know what course the protector would take in the execution therof wherfore it was agreed that Abenzulayman should seeme to like of the motion he repaired to the protector approved the designe who told him that he had resolved upon poyson as the safest from danger and least subject to hurt which was not by the other contradicted Abenzulayman with a heavie heart returned to Mura and in detestation of the intended plot they resolved to take the Protectors life but if they failed in the enterprise lest perill might ensue to the yong king and his mother Mura by consent went to the Monastery to give her a foreknowledg of it who at the first stood fearefully amazed but by Mura's stronger spirit received comfort and he poasted back to the Protectors Court In this meane while the Protector attended his treasons and sent the king for a present a rich garment imbroidered with pearle and stone artificially and substantially poysoned The carefull Queene fearing what she found true would not suffer the King who was glad of his new Coat to put it on but the same night fastned it about a Greyhound who in the morning was found dead swolth and readie to burst The Queene like a wise Ladie dissembled her just displeasures returned letters and messengers of thanks both in the kings name and her own and earnestly desired him to make his present repaire to the King about businesse of importance which could neither admit delay nor his absence Against his comming guards were set upon the gates by whom he was taken bound and brought to the Queene where being charged of manifest treason which could not be denyed he was suffocated in a vessell of water his dead bodie laid upon an Asse and carried through the streets a cryer published the cause of his deserved death Mura and Abenzulayman had their severall hopes to succeed in the Protector-ship but the Queene foreseeing the troubles that might ensue either in joyning them in commission or to preferre the one before the other assumed the government of the King and his estate into her own hands which displeased neither Mura highly rewarded returned to the government of his Provinces and Abenzulaman had the kingdom of Tunis committed to his charge but died upon the Sea in his passage thither All things being in peace and orderly setled the Queene in her government feared and loved The yong king in perfect health suddanly when no cause of feare appeared sorrow and discomfort tryumphed the instrument of their victorie was a Spyder which accidentally falling from the roofe of the Chamber lighted upon the Kings face where he slept and bit his eyelid the venom wherof infecting the blood inflamed his face and from thence dispersed it selfe into the other parts where getting the masterie within seaven daies he died and the Queene the fifteenth day following with overmuch abstinence from meat ended her life in sorrow The death of this yong King was the ruine and utter subversion of the Sarazen Monarchy himselfe being the last of the great Almanzor's issue yet he wanted not kinsmen but their titles were intricate and ambiguous which stirred up pretenders amongst whom Abenhachech prevailing by his friends was Crowned King at Zarvall wherof Mura in the Moroccoes having notice and antient malice depending between him and the new king sensible of his own power assembled his Leivetenants and Captains and by their unanim Consent was proclamed king of the Provinces under his charge which greatnes of his was determined by his death in anno 727 106 he left two sonnes tender infants the elder not past seaven yeere old Their Fathers Kingdom was torn from them and divided by foure of his Leivetenant Governors styling themselves Kings of their Provinces namly of Morocco Fez Suz and Ducdo The Governors of Tunis and Sarsall now Argier set Crowns upon their heads and assumed the name of Kings Abentirix governor of Damasco erected his province into a Kingdom afterwards killing in a battell the new king Abenhachech was proclamed king of the Arabians and Monarch of the Moores divers other Provinces in the East revolted and became Kingdomes Habdilbar who had governed Spaine many yeeres following the example â—f Mura devored in his conceit that Monarchy but the inferiour governors tickled with particular ambitions taking hold of occasion refused his obedience yet of Cordova he made himselfe King And the Provinciall Governors of Granado Valentia Murcia Castilia Tolledo Arragon and Biscay erected their governments into kingdomes and in after tymes by their dissentions many other pettie places in Spaine were so intituled which gave advantage to the Spaniards to recover their lost Patrimony detained by the Moores from the conquest made by Tarif in anno 924 93 and not fully no gained untill in anno one thousand foure hundred nintie two Granado was Conquered by Don Ornando Catolico and Donna Isabella Kings of all Spaine Portugall excepted of seaven hundred seaventie eight yeeres This great Empire of the Arabians Sarazens or Moores begun by Mahomet increased for the space of one hundred and foure yeeres from East to West It contain'd more leagues then the Roman Empire and that excepted without all doubt it was the greatest that ever obeyed one Monarch In Europe they had Spaine the most part of France the Islands Majorca Minorca Scicillia Malca Sardinia Corfica Candia Cypres Rhodes and all most all the rest in the Mediterranean sea In Italie Puglia and Calabria and all the best maretine townes in Greece In Affrica they possest a great part of AEthiopia the Kingdoms of AEgipt Tunis Argier Tremeson Ducdo Fez Suz Morocco and others In Asia the three Arabies Persia Mesopotamia Syria the two Armenias most part of the lesser Asia and all the kingdoms to the Eastward of Persia even to the river Indus which ample Monarchy so largly extended after the yong Kings death brake as Alexanders did And as the Ambition and dissention of his Leivetenants rent his Conquest into severall kingdoms so did twentie seaven Governors of the Sarazens Empire divided and share those Dominions among them And as time reduced them to nothing so were these kingdoms in so much as at this present there is not one powerfull King upon the earth that can vaunt himselfe to be derived from the Arabian blood but the King of Morocco the rest of that Empire is now possest by Christians Turkes Persians other Mahometans and Gentiles Hee never chose rich Tyrant to his Councell nor abhorred the poore just man Hee never denyed Justice to a poore man for his povertie nor pardoned the rich man for his goods Hee never left ilnesse unpunished nor goodnesse without reward Hee never Committed to another Justice that was cleere nor darke judgment he never determined by himselfe alone Hee never denyed Justice to them that demanded it nor mercy to those that deserved it He never did correct any in anger nor promised reward in his mirth Hee never was charged with thoughts in prosperitie nor dispaired in adversitie Hee never opened his gates to Flatterers nor laid his eares to Murmurers He never Committed ill for malice nor any villany for averice He ever labored to be beloved of them that were good and to be dreaded of those that were ill He ever favored the poore man observed the just law of the godly THIS Writing of the life of Jacob Almanzor was finished in the Castle of the City of Cufa on the 4th day of the Moone of Rabek the first in the 110th yere Praised be God Amen