the whole earth hee did therefore ordaine this signe of circumcision both to distinguish those of the seede of Abraham from the other prophane peoples of the world as also to be for a token and remembrance of the blessing promised to them and by them to the world Howbeit though all those of the posteritie of Abraham had this signe of circumcision amongest them yet amongest infinite Nations descended out of his loynes hee made especiall choise of the Israelites who came of Iacob the nephue of Abraham by Isaac choosing them onely for his peculiar people And amongest the Israelites also out of the twelue Tribes descended from the twelue sons of Iacob he preferred the Iewes being of the Tribe of Iuda from whome hee woulde haue the Messiah and Sauiour of the worlde to descend in whome onely and chiefely his promise made to Abraham was fulfilled and finished Wherefore as the couenant of Circumcision was purposely instituted at the first to bee a signe of a blessing promised to Abraham in his seede and for the distinguishing of Gods people from the prophane and heathen Nations of the worlde So was the same to continue onely vntill such time as all nations shoulde bee gathered into one faith and societie vnder Christ the Messiah who by his comming in the flesh of the seede of Abraham and by the preaching of his Gospel hauing brought that blessing vpon the world which was promised hauing broken downe the partition wall that was betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles the ceremonie of Circumcision was from thencefoorth vtterly abrogated and ought to haue ceased and to haue beene discontinued But the Iewes amongest whome especially circumcision was euer and most religiously continued in the stubburnnes and blindenesse of their hearts opposing themselues against the Diuinitie of Christ the Messiah and against the trueth of Christian religion and persisting with obstinacie in the obseruation of their ancient rites and traditions they haue stil retained and obserued this ceremonie of Circumcision and doe euen to this day continue the same amongst them in all partes of the world wheresoeuer they liue dispersed And they will not see that the same is nowe conuerted from a holy and sacred sacrament to a most idle and vaine ceremony And that it is left vnto them by the iust iudgement of God as a worthie clogge and burthen to their faithlesse soules and consciences rather than as a token of any Good or Blessing to be expected from him Nowe as the Iewes haue shewed themselues most obstinate in the blindnesse of their hearts by the retaining of this ceremonie and their olde traditions so the Turkes likewise no lesse vaine in the idlenesse of their owne imaginations haue and do vse Circumcision as a speciall token or marke of their fond and superstitious sect euen by the institution and ordinance of their prophet MAHOMET who therein as in many other things hauing immitated the Iewes did either take it vp and borrow it from them or else beeing himselfe an Ismaelite by discent and so deriued from Abraham his mother also being a Iew borne and so both his parents being come of two circumcised nations hee did therefore in the inuention and framing of his new law and blasphemies shew his great affection to this ceremonie of Circumcision and inserting the same amongst his other traditions he commaunded it to be obserued of his disciples and followers In regard whereof the Turkes also obseruing the lawe of MAHOMET do impose and obtrude it vpon all those that shall be any way admitted into the societie of their religion And their order is that not onely all the male children of naturall borne Turks should in their infancie be circumcised but that all others also both men and children shalbe the like who shal either voluntarily or by constraint be brought to the embracing of their religion Touching the order obserued by the Turkes in the circumcising of their children it is in this manner When the childe is come to be of eight yeeres of age which is the vsuall and ordinary time appoynted for to circumcise them they doe first of all inuite all their friends kinsfolks familiar acquaintance to a great and solemne feast against the which they doe make prouision of diuerse kindes of flesh such as they may lawfully eate and of others the most daintie and and costly cates that can be gotten The richer sort do commonly vse to kill a fatte Oxe within which being dressed they do inclose the carcas of a sheepe and within it an henne and in the same an egge Al these thus inclosed each within other they doe cause to be roasted whole and all together for the greater glorie honour of that day The feast vsually is kept in the dwelling house of the father whose childe is to be circumcised where also the ceremony of circumcision is to be performed For in the middest of their festiuall dinner the childe being brought in amongest the guests there commeth vnto him a Surgeon who being skilfull and expert in that Art taketh the foreskin of his flesh betweene his fingers and drawing it close together doth holde it fast with a little paire of tongs Then doth one of their Talismanni or Priests wil the Childe to pronounce the Confession of his Faith and Religion wherein he hath been formerly taught and instructed according to their manner Who therevpon lifting vp his eyes and the fore-finger of his right hand towards Heauen with a lowd voyce vttereth these words La Illah Illelath Mehemmet Iresul Allah Taure Begamber Hach that is There is but one onely God and MAHOMET his Prophet one Creator and his Prophets are equall This done to the intent hee may take away all feare from the Childe he saith that he will not meddle anie farther with him at that time but that he will deferre the Circumcision till the next day and so maketh shew that he will depart But presently returning and feigning that hee hath forgotten and omitted some-thing which is requisite in the preparation of that Ceremonie hee beginneth againe to handle the Childe as before and then vpon a sodain cutteth away the skinne putting vppon the wound a little salt and fine bumbast and so from that time forward the partie is accompted for a Musulman that is One circumcised or a profest Mahometist After this the solemnitie of their Feast continuing three whole dayes together they doo lead the Partie circumcised to the Bath with great pompe and triumph and as he goeth homewards hee is led in the middest of all the Guests who at his returne into the house doo present him with great Guifts Presents some bestowing on him rich Garments of silke veluet and such like others giuing him standing cups or boules of siluer or other plate some presenting him with money and others with horses the women giue him shirts hand-kerchers and such like euerie one according to the abilitie of their estate and calling The Females
which is at this day prescribed and obserued out of their Alcoran was for the most part reformed and perfected by his next successours at what time they had made themselues Lords of the most part of Asia Howsoeuer it was after MAHOMET had Raigned about nine or as some say ten yeares he departed this life being fortie yeares of age and as is reported dyed of poyson For hauing oftentimes boasted before his ende that the third day after his death he would rise againe and hauing therefore giuen streight commaundement that his body shoulde not bee buried nor enterred in the earth One of his Disciples called ALBVNOR being desirous to proue and make tryall of the truth of his doctrine and prophecies did secretly cause poyson to be conueied into his drinke The which MAHOMET hauing taken his body presently in all parts began to swell extreamely and so he gaue vp the ghost most miserably For twelue daies did his body lye vnburied during all which time their appeared no likely-hoode of any resurrection but his Carcasse yeelded an intollerable and most filthie stench In the end ALBVNOR comming to see him found his body torne in peeces and deuoured by Dogges whereupon gathering together the bones that remained and putting them into a coffin he caused him to be buried This was the ende of this monster of mankind who hauing filled the worlde with Idolatrie and infidelitie by his blasphemous traditions and damnable forgeries seemed to haue beene borne for the vtter ouerthrow and desolation of many kingdomes estates and prouinces and for the ruine confusion of many millions of soules Of the originall of the Turkes and how they came both to embrace the Religion and to encroch vpon the Empire of the Sarracens Cap. 2. AFter the death of MAHOMET EBVBEZER otherwise EBENBEHOR or as some call him ABVBACHER his son in law succeeded him in his kingdom And was the first whome the Sarracens called AMIRAS which in their language signifieth Prince or successour This man reigning but three yeares in that short space tooke Damascus the chiefe Cittie of Siria and made it the seate of his kingdome Likewise after two yeares siege hee tooke and spoyled Gaza Ierusalem His successour and the thirde King or AMIRA of the Sarracens was HAVMAR or OMAR who beginning his reigne in the yeare of Christ. 634. continued the same for twelue yeares with great prosperitie and good fortune In which time he subdued to his obeissaunce all Siria and Egypt Afterwards inuading Persia hee conquered that kingdome and then hauing added also Cilicia Cappadocia Mesopotamia and the Isle of Cyprus vnto his conquests he chose Babilon for the seate of his Empire And from thence forward the Sarracens called him their Amiras and Calipha of Babilon which in their language signifieth a chiefe Prince hauing souereigntie both of Empire and Religion Ouer his other prouinces wherein himselfe could not bee resident he appointed seuerall gouernours or Deputies whome the Sarracens called Suldans which worde since that time hath beene vsed in another sence as a title of greater and higher dignitie by reason of the excessiue power and soueraigne authoritie whereunto some of those Suldans afterwards attained in many of those prouinces Which being by them conuerted and augmented into great and mighty kingdomes the name of Sultan grew to be taken for an absolute Lorde and Prince and so is vsed at this day by the Turkes who haue subdued and annexed most of those kingdomes and prouinces to the Dominions and Empire of the Ottomans But to our purpose HAVMAR thus ruling ouer the Sarracens at such time as they vnder-tooke the conquest of Persia ORIMASDA or HORMISDA raigned ouer that kingdome Who being sore pressed in those warres and not able of himselfe to withstand the furie and violence of so great an enemie Hee sent for the Turkes then inhabiting within the Caspian mountaines requesting them to come vnto him into Persia and that he might haue their aide and succours against the Sarracens This was the first occasion that brought the Turkes into Asia who before that time were a people vnknowne and not heard of In so much as euen to this day it is doubtfull and vncertaine whence they had their beginning And the opinions of their originall are very diuers and different Some thinke them to be discended of the auncient Troyans but without any probabilitie or good reason of their opinion others deriue them out of Turca a Cittie of Persia And some from that part and prouince of Asia which is called Turquestan But it is thought that both those places had their denomination rather from the nation of the Turkes then that this people should be so named of those places HAITON a King of Armenia in an Historie which he hath written and some other also doe affirme them to be of the cursed seede of those auncient Israelites who being carried into captiuity by SALMANAZER King of Assiria and placed by him in diuers parts of Media and Armenia afterwards by ALEXANDER the great were shut vp within the straights of the Caspian mountaines where they continued till this time that they first came to bee knowne in Asia And the reason which they yeelde for this opinion is because the place where they liued so long hidden and concealed was neere the Tartarians In whose language the word Turke being a Tartarian word signifieth one that is accursed and a vagabond But the most probable opinion and that which commeth neerest the truth is That they are naturally descended from the bloud and brood of the auncient Scythians called Nomades who vsing to wander vp and downe in Tents as do at this day many of the Tartarians in their Hordes not hauing any townes Cities or villages and without any certaine habitations did inhabit that part of Scythia which bordereth vppon the North parte of mount Caucasus not far from the riuer Tanais where according to Plinie Pomponius Mela and other auncient writers their dwelt a people then but obscurely knowne by the name of Turkes The which Countrie being now also inhabited by the Tartars It is to be presumed that both these peoples are of one and the same discent their language not much differing or disagreeing ech from other And either of them hauing at first vsed and imitated the manners life and customes of those auncient Scithians And therefore it may well be that the name of Turke was giuen them in regarde of the wandring course of life vsed by them And whereas both the Scythians in times past and the Tartars after thē haue euer ben distinguished into many sundry peoples It seemeth that the Turkes were one speciall people of the Tartarians whose seate and dwelling seemed to bee either verye neere or within the straights and deserts of the mount Caucasus which being also called the Caspian streights are adioyning to that part of the Countrie which is neere Tanais But how so euer it be
saye that they who professe and are to obserue the lawe giuen by MAHOMET are bounde to see it most seuerely punished Besides they doe thinke by vertue of this commaundement in regard of their loue deuotion and dutie to MAHOMET that they are bound by all meanes as much as in them lyeth to amplifie and encrease their Religion in all partes of the worlde both by armes and otherwise And that it is lawfull for them to enforce and compell to allure to seduce and to perswade all men to the embracing of their sect and superstitions and to prosecute all such with fire and sworde as shall either oppose themselues against their Religion or shall refuse to conforme and submit themselues to their Ceremonies and traditions And this they doe to the intente the name and doctrine of their Prophet MAHOMET maye bee euerie where and of all nations reuerenced and embraced Hence it is that the Turkes doe desire nothing more then to drawe both Christians and other to embrace their Religion and to turne Turke And they do hold that in so doing they doe God good seruice bee it by any meanes good or badde right or wrong For this cause they do plot and deuise sundry wayes how to gaine them to their faith And many times when they see that no other means wil preuaile then they will frame false accusations against them saying that eyther they did blaspheme the name of MAHOMET or some of their Prophets or that they did argue and dispute of their law and religion or some such like matter which being strictly forbidden by their lawes is punishable by death And to proue them guiltie they will find many sometimes fortie or fiftie false witnesses to testifie averre the accusation For there bee certaine of their Priests of whom we shall speake hereafter who for a Ducat or some such small reward wil swear a thousand vntruths especially if it be to condemne a Christian against whom they thinke it a great honour to forsweare themselues because it may bee an occasion to make him forsake Christianity and to turne Turke For being thus conuicted by the testimony of those false wretches they haue iudgement presently giuen eyther to suffer death by being burnt or els to abiure their religion to imbrace the law and profession of Mahometism wherof it ensueth that ther scant passeth any one yeare but there is some one or other which doeth suffer martirdome for the faith of Christ but many more for feare of death do change their religion and deny their faith Of whome they doe afterwardes make so great reckoning and account that they are not onely rewarded with store of money liuings and other necessaries for their maintenaunce but commonly they are preferred and aduaunced to great offices dignities and honours All which sheweth most apparantly howe reuerently and deuoutly they doe esteeme of their Prophet and how vehemently they are addicted to the maintenance of his superstitions seeing they make no conscience of such wicked and detestable practises to gaine men to their sect and religion and to procure them to be circumcised which is the proper marke and as it were the badge cognizance of a profest Turke or Musulman For that they thinke not any man to bee rightly religious as a true Mahometist vnlesse he take vpon him this marke of Circumcision as shall bee discouered in the Chapter next following Of the Ceremonie of Turkish Circumcision Cap. 6. YOu haue hearde wherein the Turkish faith and beliefe consisteth and what opinion they haue touching the essence of the Godhead You see also how superstitiously they are addicted to to the reuerence and honour of their Prophete MAHOMET whome hauing ioyntly placed with God himselfe in theyr first Commaundement they doe also in a sorte make him partaker of his diuine worshippe And because they holde it requisite and necessarie that all the world should acknowledge him as a most holy and heauenly Prophet purposely and expresly sent from God to teach and instruct mankinde in the lawe and will of God according to such ceremonies and traditions as are commaunded and deliuered in their lawe therefore they do suppose that al men are bounden both to do him diuine honors and acknowledging him for Gods Prophet to embrace his Sect and superstitions as being to be preferred before all other lawes and professions whatsoeuer In regarde whereof they doe also esteeme and professours thereof to be a people peculiarly beloued and highly fauoured of God Thus as they haue made and coyned a seuerall and particular lawe vnto themselues making MAHOMET the sole Patrone of their Sect and the onely Obiect of their Deuotion so haue they taken vp the ceremonie of Circumcision as a speciall badge and token of their sect religion By the which they do seeme to consecrate and dedicate themselues to the profession of Mahometisme and do as it were vow all honour loue and reuerence vnto MAHOMET Imagining that no man can please nor beleeue in God aright except he honour and worship him as his best beloued Prophet Hence it is that they doe holde all other nations peoples for prophane irreligious who are not incorporated by this ceremonie into the societie of their faith and religion and they repute none for true and perfect Turkes who haue not taken vpon them this marke and seale of Turkish Circumcision which in their language they call Tsuneth The nature whereof that it may the better be discerned wee will briefly shew both what it is and howe it first began and yet is continued amongest the Iewes next how and in what maner it is vsed by the Turks and lastly shall be touched wherein these two people do differ each from other in the vse and obseruation of this ceremony Touching the thing or act it selfe of circumcision it nothing else but a cutting away of the foreskinne of the flesh of a man in his secret parts And it was ordained to be done only vpon those of the male-kind The first institution thereof was by Gods commaund and appoyntment to Abraham the father of the faithfull to whome it was enioyned as a peculiar signe or sacrament of the couenant betweene God and him vpon that promise which god had made him that he would multiply and make his seede as the dust of the earth as the sand of the sea and as the starres in heauen also that many Nations should proceede out of his loynes and that in him all the nations of the earth should bee blessed For the assurance of this promise and couenant vnto Abraham God instituted the sacrament of Circumcision and commaunded that all the male-kind of his seede should bee circumcised throughout all their generations For God hauing determined to select and choose vnto himselfe a peculiar people out of the seed of Abraham by whome he would be serued and worshipped according to the sinceritie of his owne lawe and commaundements and from whom also should proceede a blessing vppon