to his Friends and so a child easily forgets both Christ his Parents and his Kindred that after if he chance in company with them he shall not know them No man can express by Words the Lamentations Cries Tears and grievous sighs at this distraction of Children The Father to see his Son educated in the fear of Christ torn from him and made an instrument of Satan to oppose Christ hurried from his Mother to live perpetually with strangers leaving whatsoever is dear in blood pleasing in society or loving infamiliarity with an everlasting dereliction after listed in the ranks of those the Greeks call Fatherless and Motherless yet many of these although they have denied Christ carry about them the Gospel of St. John In the beginning was the word c. in Greek or the Arabick tongue as an Amulet or preservative in their Arm-pits and with great desire they expect the Christian Sword according to some Turkish Prophecies should revenge and free them from those great afflictions and persecutions and that if Christians do it not whatever is the cause or with what mind soever hindred all very ill deserve of Christian Religion CHAP. X. A Narration of a Papists dispute with a Turk AFter I had travelled with much labour and many dangers the better parts of the world and seen many pleasant Towns and Countries as Socrates Plato and other Philosophers had diligently done at length I arrived at the famous City of Hungary Varadinum where by chance I met one Dervis Gsielebi a skilful man in the Laws of Mahomet who having dispatched his business with the Governour he very much desired conference with some Christian about Religion on either side This motion of his being published by an Interpreter and none for divers dayes appearing to encounter him in defence of the Christian cause though many Religious persons were in that Town struck mute and speechless at the courage of one Ethnick Infidel who seemed to me like Israelites that durst not adventure on one uncircumcised Goliah provoking them This I perceiving and grieving in my spirit that in such plenty of Clerks and learned men none was so well armed with Truth as durst though by Interpreters reprove the insolence of such an Heathen and fearing that so wicked and detestable a silence in so good a cause with so bad a man would betray the truth and render our Saviour Jesus Christs Opinion with him more ignominious I my self though never called to Ecclesiastical Function undertook the charge of arguing this point of Piety with him and so a prefixed day was agreed between us when multitudes of people of each Religion came as Spectators of the event The place was in a Monastery of Franciscans the day Whitson-Sunday day of Pentecost where he moved to me first this Question Where God had his being before the Heavens and Earth and therein all things else were created Which question though it seemed to me not much pertinent to our purpose yet lest he should imagine us ignorant of our great Gods universal presence I said He then was in his own being But when that seemed to him somewhat obscure and that he did not sufficiently understand it I then told him He was where he now is Which he understanding denied in the general and said Not so but that be then was in a bright Cloud Which when he earnestly affirmed I quoted Genesis for they also read the book of Moses and the Prophets and said If God were in a cloud before the Foundation of Heaven and earth then that Cloud must be created before them both and upon further argument on this point being at last convicted he would dispute no further in it but gave me leave to propound some Question to him and for solemnity of that days sake I thought fit to say something thereof and finding these words In the name of God his mercies and the Spirit of them in their Alcoran in the Arabian Tongue and Character I desired him to read them The mystery of the Holy Trinity Which when he had considered and wondred at he said Christian from whence had you this for in the beginning of all our actions we Musselmen use these three words and prefix them to every Chapter of our Alcoran when we sit down to eat when we go to prayers when we wash our hands or other parts of our bodies these words we first pronounce and these actions finished we sprinkle our heads with water and repeat these words In the Name of God his Mercies and the Spirit of them When thus he had confessed the Truth I desired to understand from him what he meant by the word Mercies who Replied He understood it literally without other signification Then I applied my self to the mystical interpretation and divided it according to Truth into three persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and shewed them written in the Arabick tongue And when he saw I had mentioned the Son of God he questioned How God could have a Son since according to their Law and Doctrine of Mahomet God had neither Wife nor Child To whom I answered according to my weak understanding and capacity We Christians call God the Father for his Creatures sake being the first creating Cause and sole preserver of all created who was for ever in the same Essence he now is in and will be for eternity and is the first Person in the Trinity We believe the Son who by Mahomet in the Arabick phrase is called Rahman and signifieth Mercies so changed by him to be likewise God not according to flesh for God is a spirit born of a Woman but of the Essence and substance of God omnipotent begotten by God the Father and so took humane flesh by the Holy Virgin Mary suffered for us died and was buried and according to the saying of the Prophets arose again the third day and ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the Right Hand of God the Father there to judge the quick and the dead to render immortal happiness to those that have faith in him and to the unfaithful everlasting punishment I then presented him a Crucifix and said Behold this now and see if Mahomet did unworthily call the Son of the Eternal God by the Name of Mercies when with Armes thus stretched forth he calls poor sinners to his embraces saying Come unto me all ye that labour and are burthened with sins and I will refresh you And to render him more capable of the Trinity I pointed to the Sun saying You have a fair similitude here As there is but one Sun that hath Form Heat and Light So there is but one God and Father who hath â—the Son and the Holy Spirt which you call Rucahim consisting of three Person equally of one substance and from eternity coexisting This comparison wrought in him a belief in God the Father his onely begotten Son and the Holy Ghost a Trinity in Unity And when he had heard my weak discourses of
their praying their bodies are ever in great motion and agitation wherewith they marvellously afflict themselves with loud cryings and fierce ejaculations so as oftentimes their strengths and spirits failing they sink unto the ground and if it happen any of them conceive her self with child she then assures her self that pregnancy proceeds from the favour of the Holy Spirit and when delivered the Infants born are called Sons or Souls of the Holy Ghost This hath been related to me from their Hand-maids for I nor ever any man else were ever present at that spectacle At mens devotions I have been often present with my Master whose customs are in manner following in their prayers they ne're take off their Turbants coverings of their heads but with the tops of their fingers gently touch them in token of taking them off they fall upon their knees and often kiss the ground they hold it for great wickedness to have a Christian present at their mysteries for they believe their Churches as they say to be polluted by men unwashed and that Christians use no such Lavatories Every Church in Turkie hath a peculiar place for Baths and washings with lodings for a Priest Now here the Priest ascends his Pulpit reads a piece of the Alcoran and sometimes expounds it and there preaches about two hours his Sermon ended two boys come up to him who pronounce their prayers singing with responsals which Songs being ended the Priest with the whole People in a low voice beating upon their sides repeat these words There is but one God which for the space of half an hour they do and so depart But this manner of prayers and ceremonies of preaching and singing are not done every day unless in time of Lent Festivals some Sundays and most observe the Fridays for religious worship Of their Lent They keep their Lent by fasting one month and one week every Year but not always the same for if this Year they fast out January the next they fast out February and keep on that course so as in twelve Years space they dedicate to God in lieu of tenths one Year and twelve Weeks Travellers and sick persons are excused from present fastings but are enjoyned to supply it by fasting so many daies at other times When they fast all that Day they taste nothing not so much as bread or water then the Stars appearing it is lawful for them to eat of all things which are not strangled or Hogs-flesh which they esteem as Carrion most unclean Their Lent being past they observe Easter for three days with great solemnity anointing the nails of their Feet and Fingers with an Oyl which they call Chna which makes those nails to shine like Gold and with the same they sometimes stain or colour the hoofs and tails of Horses This Tincture holds very long and can hardly be wiped away so as until new nails thrust out the old they still retain that dye but nails of the hand by frequent washing abate in time Women do not only anoint the nails but their whole Hands and Feet also with that Oyl Of their Circumcision They Circumcise not on the eighth day as the Jews do but when the new-born arrive at the age of seven or eight years and be of perfect speech the mysterie whereof is from the words of confession required before Circumcision which are some of those sentences afore-mentioned in their Churches which they repeat and give assent thereto by holding up the Thumb of the right hand The Youth is not for this mysterie brought unto their Church but is circumcised in his Parents house I have been often present at this solemnity which is performed in manner following first the friends are all invited to a feast sufficiently furnished with all sorts of delicate flesh lawful for them to eat and almost every where especially amongst the wealthier sort an Or is killed bowelled and flayed in the body whereof they include a Sheep and in that Sheep a Hen and in her an Egge all which are entirely roasted together for the solemnity and splendor of that day Then in their Feast and time of Supper the Boy that is to be circumcised is brought to a Physitian skilful in that Art who fixing between a pair of pinchers the fore-skin of his privie Member to prevent all fear in the Boy he telleth him that the next day he will circumcise him and so departs but presently seigning to have omitted something appertaining to this preparation on a sudden he cutteth off the foreskin applying thereunto a little salt and bombace and then he is called a Musselman that is one circumcised Yet their Names are given the day of their Nativity not Circumcision After continuance of this Feast for three dayes the Boy with great pomp and solemnity is accompanied to the Baths and being returned to his House he is brought before the Guests and by them presented with gifts prepared for him some give Silver Silken Vestments some Silver Cups others Money and sometimes Horse Women present him likewise some with Shirts Handkerchiefs and such like according to the several pleasures and abilities of the Guests Women are not circumcised only they confess the aforesaid words and so made Musselmen And if any Christian voluntarily confess a Faith in Mahomet and suffers circumcision which often happens by the heavy yoke and burden of their Tribute this Man is led through all the Streets and open places of the City to the great joy and honour of the people with acclamations him also they present with gifts and after free him from all Tribute For covetousness of this profit many Greeks and Albanes become circumcised But if any be forced thereto as he that shall strike or otherwise disgrace a Musselman or blaspheme Mahomet as it befel a certain Grecian Bishop which I did see that man is circumcised and hath nothing presented to him yet shall be freed from Tribute as others circumcised Of their Priests Their great Mufty as the Pope among Catholicks cannot erre and is the highest Minister of all Religious and Lay Persons an Officer of great power and trust his conclusions and sentences in State and Church-affairs are irrevocable and his person held in most esteem and reverence next the Emperour his habit most in green being Mahomets colour There is small difference between their other Priests and Lay-men nor much from the Governours of Ceremonies such as our Bishops are neither is much learning required from them it is sufficient if they can read the ALCORAN and Musaph yet they that can interpret on the Text are esteemed most Learned because the Traditions of Mahomet are written in the Arabick not vulgar Turkish Character and they hold it most detestable to have them interpreted in the vulgar Language These Priests and Governous are elected by the People but their rewards and stipends for their labours are paid by the King They have Wives and Habits like Seculars and if their stipends be
God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost he much admired saying O God O God I nor any of our Sect could ever imagine you had such good thoughts of God for we conceive you live in darkness of understanding but by your relation it seems you have great apprehensions of him and believe God Mahomet I said what shall we do with the toys and dreams of Mahomet for besides Baptisme and the mystery of the Trinity which were had from Christians we know the Alcoran contains naught that tends to truth Then I alledged to him the fancies and silly trifles of Mahomet's two Angels called Arot and Marot whom Mahomet says that God did send from Heaven to minister justice unto mortal men commanding them to forbid drinking of wine and unlawful mixtures with women and to shew the way to Heaven to no man These Angles transgressing Divine Comandment were defiled deceived and made drunk by a Woman and shewed to Mahomet the way to Heaven whom when God saw there he asked the Angles standing by who it was that came in that shape thither And the Angels telling him it was by the error of Arot and Marot he turned the Woman into a Star and sent those Angels chained into a Well to be punished everlastingly Divers like ridiculous stories I related As that of the Beast Baraile who could speak as a man who carried Mahomet to Heaven where himself confesseth to have seen great Angels with many heads and those speaking many languages in divers tongues which is sufficiently foolish and unworthy the name of a Prophet but said I know not whether oppressed with Wine in sleep he dreamed to have seen such miracles or monstrosities in his imaginations And therefore when he inserts such follies in his Alcoran he deserves not the Title of a Prophet from any reasonable man Having heard this somewhat abashed he arose and would argue no further but led me into the Temple and shewed me certain Images carved in wood and asked me If we did worship those similitudes of men or adore them I Answered No think not we worship the stone or timber wherein these figures are engraved they are used and respected onely as records and remembrances to mens minds of the passions and sufferings of our Saviour Jesus Chrest for the redemption of our transgressions and we worship our true God in mind and spirit remembred by that Crucifix neither are you denyed the like remembrances of your great Princes and famous men nor we of holy Saints but 't is to give God thanks for their examples of holiness and our prayers to imitate their charities and pieties In these discoursings he spies some dogs walking in the Church and doing something against an Altar an evil custom and to be condemned by all and asked Whether it was lawful for Beasts to enter our Churches and blushing with shame not knowing how to defend this negligence of Christian Pastors I told him it was neither lawful nor seemly and desired him to conceive it a meer negligence of Officers When he heard this he commended it very much and desired me to instruct him in our Saviours Prayer which I gave him afterward in the Arabian Dialect The Prophesies among the Turks THe Turks are exceeding credulous superstitious relying upon Dreams Fortunes Prophesies Divinations and Destiny and have especial regard to the Enthusiasms and Freaks of whatsoever distracted or mad persons as taking them for Prophetical raptures and as men taken up with admiration and extasie of some divine and ravishing objects and therefore no wonder if they do with veneration receive those Oracles of their Priests voiced to be dictated by their great Prophet or some other person eminent for his great Piety and Holiness Among the first rank of those Predictions is that of the return of their great Prophet for which the Moors and Persians who have long lookt for his coming keep alwayes a horse ready sadled with rich furniture as priding themselves that the Miracle of the Conversion of the World shall be propagated upon that Horse from their Country To omit many more fancies of this nature As to their temporal state and Government they have a Prophesie in which they are much disconsolate viz. That as a Mahomet won Constantinople so another Emperor of that Name shall lose it to the Christians and that they shall then be brought to the utmost extremity but their Prophet Mahomet shall appear to their deliverance They have another Prophesie relating to Christendom which is turned upon this hinge They measure the continuance of their Empire by the discord betwixt the Princes of the belief of the Name of Jesus and they confess truly that this division is the only cause of their greatness the which hath made them believe that among Christians there was a bad Angel enemy to peace which they call the strong or powerful Spirit which kindling the fire of revenge and ambition in the hearts of great men draws from their affections the good of their belief to entertain them in perpetual discord during the which they promise unto themselves a firm and an assured reign So the Mufti and the Talismans praying on Friday in their Mosques demand of their Prophet the circumstance of this bad intelligence betwixt Christian Princes to the end they may enjoy the Empire which they have unjustly usurped Yet their Prophesies do not promise them a perpetual possession and behold one translated out of their language which hath alwayes made them fear the union of the Christians That is to say Our Emperor shall come he shall possess the Realm of an infidel Prince he shall take the red Apple and make it subject to his power if at the seventh year of his command the Christians sword doth not advance he shall rule unto the twelfth year he shall build houses plant vines compass in gardens with hedges and beget children but after the twelfth year that he hath held the red apple the Christians sword shall appear and put the Turk to flight By the Infidel Prince they understand a Christian Prince for so they call them and by the Red Apple an Imperial town strong and important in the which and else where the Turks shall build houses that is to say convert holy temples to the use of the Mahometan impiety for by this word to build they that have commented upon this prophesie understand usurpation of the house s of God Plant vines by these words they signifie the extent of the Turkish Empire and the setling of their colonies as we see in Hungary and Transylvania Compassing in gardens that is to say they shall fortifie the towns which they have taken from their enemies Beget Children extend the Mahometan Religion far in the Christians Countries But after the twelfth year c. within a certain time best known to God his divine Majesty opening the eyes of his clemency upon the Christians will unite the wills of their Princes kindle their affections with