Interest However on the 3d. Day of the 5th Moon some Scots enter'd into the Lodgings of the Embassador and having dispatch'd him with several Wounds made their Escape It is not certainly known who set these Assassins at Work People descant variously as their Affections byass them Some reflect on it as a Judgment Justly inflicted by God though by an Vnjust Act of Men on one who had been a Notorious Promoter of his Sovereign's Death Others censure it as a most Impious Sacrilege in Regard the Persons of Embassadors are by the Law of Nations esteem'd Sacred and Inviolable and the Injuries which they suffer are interpreted not only as done to their Masters who send them but to all Mankind As if Human Nature it self were wrong'd in the Persons of Publick Ministers Indeed there is no Method of establishing or conserving Friendships and Alliances between different Nations if their Agents be not secured with an Immunity from Affronts and Violences The French relate a pretty Passage of one of their Kings who before he came to the Crown being Duke of Orleans had receiv'd very ill Usage in his Travels from a certain Italian Lord call'd the Baron of Benevento After this Prince was possess'd of the Kingdom the same Italian Lord was sent Embassador from the Viceroy of Naples to congratulate his Accession to the Throne of his Ancestors Some French Courtiers who had been Witnesses of the Injuries this Lord had formerly done to their Master now perswaded the King to Revenge himself by causing some gross Indignities to be done him whilst he had him in his Power To whom the Wise Monarch reply'd It becomes not the King of France to revenge on the Embassador of Naples the Injuries which the Duke of Orleans receiv'd from the Baron of Benevento 'T is said the English Nation have demanded Satisfaction of the Hollanders for the Murder of their Embassador but were answer'd That they themselves ought first to Expiate the Murther of their King The Scots have Revolted from the New Government in England and are yet in Suspence Whether they shall set up the Son of the Late King or Form themselves into an Independent Republick The Irish are stedfast to the Interests of the Crown And many Islands in America subject to the Kings of England have now deny'd all Obedience to the New English Government which seems to tend towards a Democracy There is much Talk of one Cromwel the General of the English Forces in Ireland This Man from a Private and Obscure Estate is ascended to the Dignity of a General having purchas'd this Command by his Conduct and Valour The French extol him for the Greatest Souldier of this Age And if Fame be true he is no less Statesman As a Mark of the Respect I owe thee thou wilt receive with this Letter a Pistol of Curious Workmanship which being once charg'd will deliver Six Bullets one after another If thou acceptest this small Present it will be an Argument of thy Friendship Paris 19th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1649. LETTER XVI To the Venerable Mufti I Have often wondred at the Lethargy wherein the Nazarenes seem to be drown'd They forget what they read in their own Bibles They there encounter with Expressions which savour of the East Every Page of the Written Law relishes of the Dialect which is Pure and Lively though the Translators have cropt the Flower of the Sence I have read their Bible in Greek Latin and French but none of these Languages express to the Life the Original Hebrew Nor can it be expected It is impossible to screw up the Dull Phrases of Europe to the Significant Idioms of Asia We may as well expect Dates to spring from a Reed And for that Reason it is forbidden the True faithful to Translate the Volume of Light from the Original Arabick Which is no other than Hebrew in its Ancient Purity This is the Language of those who dwell above the Seventh Orb. 'T is the Dialect wherein God converses with the Pages of his Divine Seraglio Wherein all the Records of the Celestial Empire are writ And when he issues out Orders to the Ministers and Bassa's of Heaven Hasmariel the Secretary of the Immortal Divan uses no other Character or Speech but that which is peculiar on Earth to the Sons of Ismael the Inhabitants of the Region on the East of the Red Sea In fine this is the Language wherein the Omnipotent thought fit to discover his Pleasure to Mortals Believe Mahmut when he tells thee with profound Submission that he has taken some Pains to pry into those Languages which have been the Channels of Divine Knowledge I have been peculiarly ambitious to study the Anatomy of Oriental Words And it would be no Hyperbole to say I have learn'd to dissect even the very Syllables Wherein the various placing of Points and Letters alters the Sence or at least makes it Ambiguous So Significant and Mysterious are Our Sacred Characters I speak not this in Peevishness or to vindicate my self from the Contempt which Ichingi Cap ' Oglani has put upon me I have no Emulation in that Point Nor can any little Spur of Pedantick Ambition make me forward to contend with a Man whose whole Talent consists in knowing and remembring other Mens Works as if he had studied at Athens only for this End to learn the facetious Art of turning his Brains into a Catalogue of Books But I reflect on the Learned among the Nazarenes who are chiefly to blame having the Custody of the Book delivered to 'em from the Jews And among them the Translators of that Volume are past Excuse for they have deflowr'd the Original and robb'd the Virgin Language of its Beauty and Honour While the Rest are Witnesses and silent Abettors of the Rape in concealing the Indignity has been done to the Letters Form'd by the Finger of God and full of Divine Mysteries In thus accusing the Christian Interpreters of the Bible I do not patronize the Critical Whimsies of the Jewish Caballists They are exploded by all Men of Sence Yet there is a Medium between the Excess of that affected Niceness which has rendred the One Ridiculous and of that study'd Carelessness to which the Obscurity of the Other is owing As the Hebrews by pressing the Letters too close have squeez'd out Divine Chimaera's so the Christians in using too slack a Hand have scarce gain'd a gross Draught of Common Human Sence leaving the Genuine Elixir of the Writer's Meaning behind I will not lay much to the Charge of the Translators employ'd by Ptolomy Philadelphus King of Aegypt These were no Christians nor yet in the Number of those who Adored the Celestial Bodies and Elements Nor did any of them pay their Devotions at the same Altar with that Aegyptian Monarch who was a Worshipper of the God Serapis But they were Jews Seventy or Two more in Number as the Tradition goes And being every one Commanded severally to Translate those
Surplusage of Happiness Which thou wilt not fail to possess if thou inheritest the Vertues of that Bassa as well as his Office May his Soul now taste the Reward of his Just Life And I doubt not but he has made an happy Experience of my Wishes He sits down in Quiet under the Trees of Eden His Head encompass'd with a Garland of Flowers which never fade Vested with the Immarcescible Crimson and Purple of Paradise He reposes on his Bed of Delights whilst Beautiful Pages serve him in Vessels of Gold set round with Sapphires and Emeralds He drinks the delectable Wine which never Inebriates and eats of the Fruits every Morsel of which prolongs his Life for a Thousand Ages He hears Nothing but the Voices of such as are full of Benediction and Joy The Virgins of Paradise salute him with a Grace which cannot be express'd They chaunt to the New-come Guest Songs of Immortal Love To the Stranger from Earth they tell their Passion in Strains which ravish his Heart He is dissolv'd in a Thousand Ecstasies This is the Reward of a Pious Mussulman a Wise Minister a Just Judge of the Faithful Follow his Example and thou shalt be translated into his Company For he is in a Goodly Place near the Spring-Head of Perfect Bliss Thou wilt expect some News from me as a Testimony of my Respect And I cannot pretend there is none stirring at a Juncture when all this Part of the World is so full of Action or at least of Counsels Here has been great Rejoicings lately for the taking of St. Menehoud a Strong Town in the Hands of the Prince of Conde All the Officers of the French King's Army endeavour'd to dissuade him from the Siege of this Place but Cardinal Mazarini over-rul'd their Arguments and having reprov'd their groundless Fears caus'd it to be invested and attacqu'd the 22d of the 10th Moon Some say he had a Party there Yet it held out till the 27th of the last Moon at which Time it was surrender'd upon Articles to the King who was there in Person with his Brother the young Duke of Anjou the Queen the Cardinal and the whole Court They return'd to this City the Ninth of this present Moon They were receiv'd with great Acclamations and seeming Joy by those who wou'd have triumph'd more heartily had they been defeated or forc'd to raise the Siege For the Citizens of Paris wish well to the Prince of Conde's Arms Not so much out of Love to him as in Hatred of his Enemy the Cardinal-Minister And they are sensible that this Successful Siege will redound wholly to the Cardinal's Honour by whose sole Orders the Place was invested It is discours'd as if this Minister has some new Design on Foot to conquer the Kingdom of Naples This is certain a Mighty Fleet is fitting out to Sea Whither bound no Man knows but those of the Cabinet among whom the Cardinal is Chief In the mean while the Common People listen after certain Prodigies that have been seen in the Air. They say a Flaming Sword appear'd lately to rise in the North and take its Course South-Eastward From whence People make various Prognosticks as their Passions or Interests inspire ' em Some are of Opinion it presages the Conquest of Naples by this King 's Arms. Others apply it to the New Common-Wealth of England and to the Victorious Sword of Oliver who from General of the English Army is now in this very Moon exalted to the Height of Sovereign Power Governing the Nations of England Scotland and Ireland under the Title of their Protector Here are divers of his Subjects in this City and other English Scots and Irish who embrace the Interest of Charles the Son of their late Murder'd King who has been since Crown'd King of the Scots They give a different Character of Oliver yet all agree that he is a Wise Statesman and a Great General The Scotch King's Party speak contemptibly of Oliver's Birth and Education Yet thou know'st this hinders not but he may be a Man of Courage and Vertue They relate many odd Passages of his Youth which seem to me so many Evidences of an extraordinary Genius and that he is a Person of a deep Reach He tamper'd with several Religious Factions in England counterfeiting an Exquisite Piety whereby he first rais'd himself a Name among the Zealots of that Nation who look'd upon him there as a very Holy Person and one mark'd out by Destiny for Great Undertakings He soon got a Considerable Command in the Army of the Revolters Where he signaliz'd himself by many brave Actions which spoke him a Man of an Invincible Courage and Admirable Conduct So that at Length none was thought more fit than he to be General In fine he acquitted himself so gallantly in that High Office and has so wrought himself into the Affections of the People that they now look upon him as a Prophet or Saviour and the Divan or Parliament of that Nation have conferr'd on him the Sovereign Authority Those of the English which are Affected to his Interest speak Great Things in his Praise They call him another Moses or Joshua They prefer him to Hannibal Scipio and even to the Great Alexander It is difficult for them to speak of him without Hyperbole's 'T is said the King of France will court his Friendship Indeed all the Neighbouring Countries stand in Awe of this successful Hero And the Hollanders who are the only People that durst engage in a War with the English Common-Wealth now seek for Peace since he is invested with the Supreme Authority In the mean Time the Poor Exil'd King of the Scots takes Sanctuary in this Court with his Mother the Late Queen of England and his Brother whom they call the Duke of York The French King allows them all very Considerable Pensions And the Latter has some Command in the Army in Flanders There is another Brother also but little talk'd of as yet being the Youngest of the Three They are Generously entertain'd here it being the peculiar Honour of this Court to be a Hospitable Refuge to Princes in Distress Yet Observing Men say The King will in Time grow Weary of his Royal Guests It being very Chargeable to maintain them and their Burdensome Retinue Besides he will have some Reason of State to discard them if he enters into a League with Oliver the New English Sovereign who is courted on all Hands Eliachim the Jew of whom thou wilt hear in the Divan is just come into my Chamber and brings me Word that there is an Express newly arriv'd who informs the Queen of a Defeat given to the Spaniards near a City call'd Rozes which they had besieg'd in Catalonia The French were going to the Relief of this Place and the Spaniards set upon them in their March but were beaten into their Trenches from whence they fled by Night leaving Three Hundred Spaniards on the Spot almost Two Thousand Prisoners and all their
I shew to every one the Respect that is due to his Quality But I am commanded to write with Freedom to all and not to speak as if I had the Bearded Head of a Barly-Stalk on my Tongue which is apt to slip down a Man's Throat and threatens to choak him that speaks whilst it is in his Mouth This Charge I first receiv'd from the late Vizir Azem Mahomet and it has been since renew'd with fresh Instructions from others of Great Authority They all tell me with much Assurance That one chief End of my being plac'd here is that being out of the Limits of the Ottoman Empire yet holding a constant Intelligence I may freely and without Fear reprove the Vices and encourage the Virtues of the Greatest Governors and Princes among the Mussulmans Nay I am threat'ned with Punishment and the Sultan's Displeasure if I neglect any Opportunity of this Nature or appear Partial and Timorous in my Reprehensions For it seems this is judged the most ready and effectual Method to reform the Corruptions that are crept into Court Camp and City Since every Man is oblig'd to communicate the Letters which he receives from me And they are all Registred by thy Care Whereby the Grandees are compell'd either to live within the Limits of Justice and their Duty or else to be the Discoverers of their own Faults Which will unavoidably bring them into Disgrace if not to the Loss of their Liberty and Lives or at least put them to the Expence of costly Presents to make their Attonement And thou knowest some Men would almost as willingly part with their Lives as their Money which is their God After all this I hope thou wilt not be displeased if I perform my Duty It is not for me to be frightned with Menaces or softned with Bribes My Integrity is Proof against the Pride of the one and Baseness of the other Yet I have a great Esteem for the Treasurer and thee with other Ministers who are my Friends I could to serve such freely hazard my Liberty Fortune and any Thing but my Honour which I value at a far higher Rate than my Life Thou may'st Register it for a Truth That an English Embassador was in the 6th Moon of this Year murder'd by Villains in his Chamber at Madrid the Capital City of Spain There has been also a Great Battle fought in Scotland between the Army of that Nation who maintain their King's Interest and the Forces of the New English Common-Wealth wherein the Latter obtain'd a Signal Victory having kill'd Three Thousand on the Spot taken Nine Thousand Prisoners Fifteen Thousand Arms Two Hundred Ensigns and all their Cannon and Baggage These are Prosperous Beginnings of that Republick and redound much to the Honour of the English General Oliver whom every Body extols for a Gallant Man And I can assure thee these Western Nations are not barren of Hero's Principal Scribe of the Mussulmans I wish thy Heart may be a Transcript of the Best Copies Paris 1st of the 12th Moon of the Year 1650. LETTER XI To Solyman Aga Principal Chamberlain of the Womens Apartments in the Seraglio THese Tartars of whom I spake to thee in my last are a strange Sort of People in their Manner of Life But we must not censure 'em because we are of Kin. I speak not of my self For though I am an Arab yet the greatest part of those who serve in the Armies of the Grand Signior are descended from the Crims I mean the Spahi's and Timariots Thou know'st the Originals of these Military Orders and that they are more Honourable than the Janizaries who being Strangers by Blood are brought up to the Lure of the Seraglio They know neither Father nor Mother I speak of the Tributary Youths nor have they any Partial Fondness for their Native Country They are Educated in a perfect Resignation to the Grand Signior and his Chief Ministers Yet often disobey both and not seldom put 'em in Hazard of their Lives How many Vizirs have been sacrificed to a cunning Janizar-Aga who to prevent his own Ruine has tempted those under his Command to Mutiny and accept of no Attonement for their pretended Grievances less than the Life of the First Deputy The Rigid Fate of Sultan Osman Uncle to our present Sovereign will not be forgot by those who love the Ottoman Family better than these Bastard-Hectors Shall the Empire of True Believers be ruin'd by Renegades Besides their Discipline is extreamly corrupted they marry and follow Mechanick Trades repugnant to the Austere Manners of the Primitive Guards who were wholly attentive to Martial Exercises Were this to come to the Hands of a Janizary he would curse me to the Pains which have neither Medium nor End Yet I had once a Friend of that Order Cassim Hali the Chief Aga a brave Man and of the same Sentiments as my self He sought to reform that Disorderly Militia but was oppos'd by the Wise Men in Power He wou'd freely have sacrific'd his own Grandeur and Interest for the Good of the Mussulman Empire but was over-aw'd by those who had no other Interest but in its Ruine Thou know'st who I mean Neither am I a Stranger to the Heroick Bravery of the Faithful Solyman when he bearded the Bostangi Aga on that Account That Gardiner was of the Faction being the Son of a Janizany and train'd up in all the Practices of the Seditious It makes me asham'd when I hear the Infidels upbraid the Wisest of the Wise the Supreme Monarch on Earth with Folly for permitting this Insolent and Mutinous Soldiery to continue in the Empire And I tremble to think That one Time or other the Renown'd Off-spring of Ertogriel will owe its Ruine and Catastrophe to these Disloyal Vipers whom it cherishes in the Seraglio Much more assur'd is the French King of his Guard of Switzers whose Fidelity was never stain'd with the least Infamous Brand of Perfidiousness in taking up Arms against their Master whose Bread they eat These are Mercenary Soldiers who travel out of their Native Country to serve Foreign Princes and will shed the last drop of their Blood rather than betray their Trust Therefore they are admitted into the Palaces and nigh the Bed Chambers of the Pope and the King of France with full Confidence of their Valour and Integrity As for their Country it is barren and poor consisting chiefly of Rocks and Desarts Which occasions the Youth who are generally very strong and hardy to seek their Subsistence Abroad by serving in the Guards and Armies of Neighbouring Monarchs and States Some Regiments of the Switzers now serve in the Wars of Candy under the Standard of Venice There are Vessels arriv'd lately in some of the French Harbours which bring News of the Ill Success of our Arms in the Siege of Candia the Chief City of that Island They talk as if above Two Thousand Mussulmans were blown up in the Ninth Moon and that Chusaein Bassa discourag'd
Holy Prophet when the whole Army of the Primitive Mussulmans was like to have perish'd of Thirst And then how will the Western Philosophers dispose of all the Vapours which they say are Exhal'd from this Globe and afterwards Condens'd into Clouds I tell thee that 's but a Loose Notion of such Retentive Bodies as the Clouds seem to be And 't wou'd tempt one to ask What the Vessels are made of which hold those Condens'd Exhalations so that they do not fall at once upon our Heads and overwhelm us but only destil in small successive Showers Drop by Drop to refresh the Barren Parts of the Earth and serve the Necessities of Men And why the Rains fall in the Indies and other Regions of the East whole Moons together without Intermission the Rest of the Year being dry Whereas in other Countries the Periods of the Weather's Alteration are uncertain and in some Parts it seldom or never rains at all Doubtless the Works of the Omnipotent are Inscrutable And tho' it may be an Argument of a great Wit to give Ingenious Reasons for many Wonderful Appearances in Nature yet 't is an Evidence of small Piety or Judgment to be positive in any Thing but the Acknowledgment of our own Ignorance Now I have made as Wide an Excursion from my first Discourse as the Moulia did who began an Oration in Praise of Noah's Ark and ended with telling a Tale of an Armenian Wheel-Barrow But I will not forget that I was speaking of the Promise which the Rotterdam Enginier has made of his Machine That it shou'd Effectually break all the Force of Spouts which wou'd render him very Serviceable to Merchants as a Convoy to defend them from those Terrible Bug bears to Sailers For the Corsair tells me that these Spouts very often occasion Ship-wrecks either by entangling the Masts of a Ship and so overturning it or by breaking in the Encounter overwhelm it with water and so sink it He says likewise that the Christian Pyrates are accustom'd to use a certain Charm against these Spouts They have a Knife whose Haft is made of the Bone of a Man's Right Arm And every Vessel is bound to provide One or Two of these Knives when they loose from the Shore They buy 'em of certain Persons who have the Character of Magicians And when they see a Spout at some Distance from 'em at Sea the Master of the Vessel or any Body else takes this Enchanted Knife in his Right Hand and holding the Book of their Gospel in his Left reads some Part of it And when he comes to a certain Versicle which mentions the Incarnation of their Messiah he makes a Motion with his Knife towards the Spout as if he wou'd cut it in Two Whereupon immediately the Spout breaks in the Middle and all the inclos'd Water falls into the Sea But I tell thee he who gives Credit to the Stories of Charms or the Projects of Men pretending to excell all the Rest of their Race has more Faith than is requisite to him who reads Aesop's Fables since in perusing that Ingenious Figment we are only desired to believe the MORAL 'T is thought by some That this Enginier will by the Natural Clockwork of his Heels be much more nimble than his Vessel in flying the Disgrace which will attend him if his Phantastick Project prove unsuccessful In my next thou shalt hear of Pachicour Paris 12th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1653. LETTER XVIII To Murat Bassa THE English at present make the greatest Figure and Noise of all the Nations in the West Spain Portugal and even France it self court the Friendship of that Island since the Inhabitants have form'd themselves into a Commonwealth It appears as if the English were but newly awaken'd to a Sence of their own Strength and by thus rouzing themselves had alarm'd all their Neighbours However it be This King has sent an Embassador to the English Court to break the Negotiation of the Spaniards there and to establish a Peace between England and France if possible One cannot tell what to make of the Maxims of these Infidels For at the same Time the Banish'd Heir of the English Crown takes his Sanctuary in this Court Where he is caress'd and made to believe Great Things they will do toward his Restauration But Interest supersedes all Arguments of Affection and Consanguinity They are more sollicitous here for the Success of their Embassy than for the Right of the poor Exil'd Prince He is call'd the King of Scotland having been solemnly Crown'd in that Kingdom since the Death of his Father And entring into England with an Army of Scots was routed and having narrowly escaped the Trains that were laid for his Liberty and Life at length landed in this Kingdom where he has been entertain'd with much seeming Affection But the Dread they are under of the Victorious New English Commonwealth makes 'em begin to talk of his Departure from hence The Prince of Conde has taken Rocroy Which was the first Place where he signaliz'd his Arms and the Infant-Reign of this King about Ten Years ago Which the Superstitious interpret as an Omen of Ill Luck to the King This Sort of People are led by Maxims void of Reason And so there is no Regard to be given to their Observations Yet some of the Wiser Sort think this will prove a long War That which amuses People most is the small Concern the Prince of Conti and the Dutchess of Longueville shew for their Brother's Cause For while the King was on his March against the Prince of Conde they came and submitted themselves to him and were received to Favour Those who are apt to suspect an Intrigue in every Thing say That this Reconciliation is only feigned on their Part it being a Means to serve their persecuted Brother with greater Security and Success Others are of Opinion that it is Real especially on the Prince of Conti's Part Since he and his Brother had never any good Understanding There has been a Battle lately fought between the French and Spanish Forces in Italy Wherein the Spaâ—iards lost Twelve Hundred Men and the French above Half that Number of their best Soldiers So that the King of France may say with a Famous General Victories attended with so little Advantage will ruine rather than enlarge an Empire Bassa in the midst of thy Grandeur I wish thee Health which sweetens the Worst Events As for me I 'm like one hovering between Two Worlds Paris 15th of the 9th Moon of the Year 1653. LETTER XIX To Afis Bassa THE Gods of the Nazarenes one wou'd think were studying how to perplex their Adorers These Western Parts abound with Prodigies and Surprizing Events More especially the Low Countries feel the Strokes of a Hand which by making ' ern smart seems to put 'em in Mind They 're too high in their own Conceit For several Weeks we have been alarm'd from thence with the Tragical Stories of Ship-wrecks
will cease to Perswade thee to a Change I have a great deal more to say but the Hour of the Post calls on me to conclude my Letter In my next I will fully answer all thy Arguments In the mean Time let not Custom and the Dictates of the Synagogue supplant thy Reason but remember thou art a Man Paris 27th of the 3d. Moon of the Year 1653. LETTER XV. To the Sublimely Wise the Senior of Excellent Dignity Abul-Recowawn ' Grand Almoner to the Sultan THou art placed on a High Seat Eminent among the Faithful and the Eyes of the Distress'd are fix'd on thee Thou art the Patron of all the Miserable To thee as to a Sanctuary flies the Man whose Misfortunes have bereav'd him of all other Hope Whose drooping Spirits can find no Comfort from the Rest of Mortals His last and only Refuge is to thee who art the Faithful Steward of the Grand Signior's Liberalities Let not too much Prudence supersede thy Charity The Wicked and the Innocent have Equal Access to thee And it ought to be so for no Man at first can distinguish between the One and the Other by their Outward Aspect Yet a little Examination and Converse will shew the Difference There are those who get large Possessions under the Masque of Poverty There are Impudent Beggars who make a Trade of imposing on Human Compassion and sport themselves in this humble Method of cheating People of their Money whilst imagining they bestow it on Persons really Indigent it is thrown away on Counterfeits Villains and Infidels On the other side I have seen true Objects of Pity Men reduc'd to the last Extremities who wou'd rather perish than expose their Condition to any save the Great and Noble They esteem such to be Wise Men Generous and Considerate of the Accidents which commonly befall Mortals They think to these they may freely unbosom themselves tell their Wants and claim Relief without the Hazard of a Reproach which wounds more deeply than a short Denial Thou mayst know them by the Modesty which appears in their Faces says our Holy Prophet and that they are soon repuls'd To such as these give plentiful Alms and do not repine For it is as a Profitable Merchandize sent to Remote Countries which though ventur'd on the Uncertain Waters yet in Time by the special Blessing of Heaven shall return with Seven-fold Interest Nay give to all that ask For it is better to misplace our Charity on Nine Unworthy Persons than to deny an Alms to One that is really in Need. Besides it is not for the Honour of a Sovereign Monarch that any Person in Distress shou'd depart from his Court sad or discontented for Want of Relief I have in some of my Letters glanc'd at the Vices of these Western Nazarenes and have not been altogether silent as to their Vertues Among which their Charity is very Conspicuous The French relate a pretty Passage of a certain Cardinal a very Good Man and one that by the Multitude of his Generous Actions gave Occasion for the World to call him the Patron of the Poor This Ecclesiastick Prince had a constant Custom Once or Twice a Week to give Publick Audience to all Indigent People in the Hall of his Palace and to relieve every one according to their various Necessities or the Motions of his own Bounty One Day a poor Widow encourag'd with the Fame of his Generosity came into the Hall of this Cardinal with her only Daughter a beautiful Maid about Fifteen Years of Age. When her Turn came to be heard among the Crowd of Petitioners the Cardinal discerning the Marks of an extraordinary Modesty in her Face and Carriage as also in her Daughter he encourag'd her to tell her Wants freely She blushing and not without Tears thus address'd her self to him My Lord I owe for the Rent of my House Five Crowns and such is my Misfortune that I have no other Means to pay it save what wou'd break my Heart since my Landlord threatens to force me to it that is to Prostitute this my only Daughter whom I have hitherto with great Care Educated in Vertue and an Abhorrence of that Odious Crime What I beg of your Eminence is That you wou'd please to interpose your Sacred Authority and protect us from the Violence of this Cruel Man till by our honest Industry we can procure the Money for him The Cardinal mov'd with Admiration of the Woman's Vertue and Innocent Modesty bid her be of good Couragâ— Then he immediately wrote a Billet and giving it into the Widows Hands Go said he to my Steward with this Paper and he shall deliver thee Five Crowns to pay thy Rent The poor Woman over-joy'd and returning the Cardinal a Thousand Thanks went directly to his Steward and gave him the Note Which when he had read he told her out Fifty Crowns She astonish'd at the Meaning of it and fearing this was only the Steward's Trick to try her Honesty refus'd to take above Five saying She ask'd the Cardinal for no more and she was sure 't was some Mistake On the other side the Steward insisted on his Master's Order not daring to call it in Question But all the Arguments he cou'd use were insufficient to prevail on her to take any more than Five Crowns Wherefore to end the Controversy he offer'd to go back with her to the Cardinal and refer it to him When they came before that Munificent Prince and he was fully inform'd of the Business 'T is true said he I mistook in writing Fifty Crowns Give me the Paper and I will rectify it Thereupon he wrote again Saying thus to the Woman So much Candor and Vertue deserves a Recompence Here I have order'd you Five Hundred Crowns What you can spare of it lay up as a Dowry to give with your Daughter in Marriage If I mistake not this Cardinal was call'd Farnese But whatever his Name was this was an Action truly Heroick and which has but few Parallels It will be much for the Glory and Interest of the Shining Port if thou sometimes by an extraordinary Largess raisest the Fortune of deserving Men and puttest them in a Capacity to serve the Grand Signior At least such Bounty will oblige 'em not to dis-serve him Among the Rest permit me to recommend the Case of Ebnol Berwana Kayemas thy Countryman He was once Possessor of a fair Timariot but was turn'd out by Sultan Ibrahim to gratify a Creature of Shechir Para. Thou know'st the Life of that Infamous Woman I say no more Paris 2d of the 5th Moon of the Year 1653. LETTER XVI To the Captain Bassa THou that art a Man of War delightest no Doubt to hear of Combats and Battels And I tell thee That since the Beginning of the World there have never been known such dreadful Sea-Fights as during the present War between the English and Dutch It seems there is an Emulation sprung up in the Latter They grudge the Inhabitants
of Britain the Character which has been given 'em from all Antiquity Of being the most Victorious on that Element of any Nation on the Earth 'T is possible there may be some more particular Grounds of their present Quarrel to which I am a Stranger But assuredly they have pursu'd their Animosities very eagerly on both Sides And let the Occasion be what it will the Dutch are still Losers I sent thee an Account of a Combat between their Fleets last Year since which they have had many other Engagements And 't is said here that during this War the English have taken from the Dutch near Two Thousand Merchant Vessels have Sunk and Burnt many of their Ships of War slain some of their Chief Commanders spoil'd their Trade and reduc'd 'em almost to as great Streights as when they first courted the Protection of the English against their Sovereign the King of Spain from whom they had then newly Revolted But the most terrible Conflict was on the Second of this Moon wherein the Dutch had Seven and Twenty of their Greatest Ships either sunk or burnt Two Thousand of their Seamen and Soldiers kill'd and a Thousand taken Prisoners with many Captains That Great General Trump whom I mention'd in my Last was slain in this Fight after he had perform'd Prodigies of Valour The French say that during the Heat of this Engagement Trump being excessive Thirsty call'd for a Bowl of Wine which his Servant had no sooner deliver'd to him but a Cannon-Bullet took his Hand off just as he was retiring from his Master The brave General touch'd with a Noble Compassion spilt the Wine on the Deck saying It is not fit that I should quench my Thirst with the Blood of a Faithful Slave And as soon as he had spoke these Words another Bullet took from him the Power of ever drinking again If such an Accident should happen to thee when thou fightest against the Infidels know for certain that thou shalt be immediately transported to the Green and Shady Banks of the Rivers of Wine in Paradise where thou may'st drink thy Fill in Eternal Security For he that dies fighting for the Faith is a Martyr Paris 12th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1653. LETTER XVII To Sale Tircheni Emin Superintendent of the Royal Arsenal at Constantinople I Remember I promised in my Last to give thee a farther account of Pachicour the famous Pyrate of the Black-Sea 'T were easy to perform it but a Temptation diverts my Pen another Way I remember when thou wert Chiaus I have heard thee speak of the Kingdom of Tunis whither thou wast sent by Sultan Amurat to compose the Differences that happen'd between the Dey and the Divan of that City At the same Time thou mad'st Mention of a certain Admirable Engine contriv'd to draw up Ships or any Thing else from the Bottom of the Sea And that the Divan of Tunis gave to the Artist who fram'd it an Hundred Thousand Piasters as a Reward of his Ingenuity I have read in a certain French Author of such another Device at Venice made on purpose to draw up the Famous Carrack which they call'd the Castle of the Sea This Gallion was built of a Monstrous Bulk more for State than Service and was overturn'd by her own Unweildiness as she lay at Anchor and sunk to the Bottom From whence neither that foremention'd Engine nor all the Art of Man could raise Yet the Skill of the Enginier was highly commended and the Senate honour'd him with the Title of Clarissimo and settled a Noble Pension on him during Life It is question'd whether the States of Holland will be so Liberal to a certain French Enginier who has made a Ship at Rotterdam which they say will out-do all the Miracles of Noah's Ark. This Ship is at present all the Talk at Paris Our Merchants receive Letters full of Wonders from the Low-Countreys concerning this Whirligig of a Vessel which is to move by Clockwork without Sails Oars Rudder or any Common Marine Tackle Yet shall cut her Way through the Sea with a swifter Progress than the Moon glides along the Sky or a Bullet out of a Cannon This is the Discourse of those who love to advance all that they hear to the Height of a Miracle or Romance Yet 't is certain the Artist has promis'd it shall equal the Motion of some Birds and run Twelve Leagues an Hour Neither Winds nor Tides shall forward or hinder its Course which depending on an Internal Principle of Perpetual Motion is to be directed only at the Pleasure of him who manages the Springs and Wheels So that the Master of this Vessel shall be able with a single touch of Hand to turn it to any Point of the Compass in the most Boisterous Weather that blows This Enginier farther engages that his Vessel shall make a Voyage to the East-Inaies in the Revolution of a Moon and to some Regions of America in a fourth Part of that Time If he be as good at Performance as he is at Promising he will Sail round the Globe at this Rate in Three Moons In farther Commendation of this wonderful Machine 't is said That by a New-Invented Art it shall secretly under-Water disable any Ship provided she be within Cannon-Shot and this with so sudden a force that in the Space of Six Hours it will successively sink a Fleet of a Hundred Ships of War Moreover this Artist to appear not less subtle against the Efforts of Heaven than in surpassing all the Inventions on Earth promises that his Miraculous Vessel shall at the Distance of a League cut asunder any Spouts or Cataracts of Waters which usually threaten Mariners in the Mediterranean and other Seas 'T is possible thou art very well acquainted with the Nature of these Spouts and the Danger of Ships that Sail near them Yet give me Leave to inform thee what I have heard from a certain Corsair who has often met with 'em in the Levant This Pyrate tells me that a Spout is a kind of Aqueduct between the Clouds and the Sea by which those Pendulous Cysterns Above are replenish'd with Water from the Ocean drawing it up as through a Pipe Which seems to be let down for that End at certain Seasons and in some Particular Places where the Water boyls up first above the Surface of the Briny Plain as a Signal to those Thirsty Bladders to make a Descent there and suck their fill If this be true who knows but that all the Rain to which the Earth is indebted for its Fertility comes thus Originally from the Sea For it may be made fresh either in its first Ascent through the Roscid Air or after its Reception into the Clouds by some hidden Energy of that Element or the Natural Force of the Middle Region Or at least by some Unknown Vertue perhaps not inferiour to that by which the Waters of a Bitter Lake in the Desert became Sweet at the Intercession of our