Selected quad for the lemma: blood_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
blood_n	eat_v	flesh_n	spirit_n	5,261	4	5.5821	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51894	The fourth volume of letters writ by a Turkish spy who lived five and forty years undiscover'd at Paris : giving an impartial account to the Divan at Constantinople of the most remarkable transactions of Europe, and discovering several intrigues and secrets of the Christian courts (especially of that of France) continued from the year 1642 to the year 1682 / written originally in Arabick, translated into Italian, and from thence into English, by the translator of the first volume.	Marana, Giovanni Paolo, 1642-1693.; Bradshaw, William, fl. 1700.; Midgley, Robert, 1655?-1723.	1692 (1692)	Wing M565CH; ESTC R35021	169,206	386

Bodies since the one as well as the other Act according to their Nature In a Word of all the Innumerable Sects into which the Mussulman Empire is divided I cannot expect entire Satisfaction from any for if they appear Orthodox in Some Tenets in Others they are manifestly Heretical Yet I cannot but set a higher Value on Some than Others as their Doctrines and Practices approach nearer to Reason and Truth For I am not yet such an Academick as to ask that Mock-Question What is Truth Doubtless our Fathers knew it and the Messenger of God was sent to Divulge it on Earth But if Ignorance Superstition and Error have banished it from Courts and Cities let us seek it in the Desarts Perhaps we may find this Wanderer among the Rocks and Woods or 't is possible She has sheltered her self in some Den or Cave as hoping for greater Favour from the Wild Beasts than from the Society of Men. If Truth be no where to be found Entire but has divided her self among the Different Religions and Sects in the World then rather than miss of this Divine Jewel I will search for it in Fragments and whatsoever is Rational and Pious in any Sect I will embrace without concerning my self in their Follies and Vices After all the Munasihi seem to me the onely Orthodox and Illuminated of God who declining the private By-Ways of Schismaticks walk in the High Road of Pristine Justice and Piety following the Steps of the Ancients and obeying the Traditions which know no Origin Among these thou appearest as another Pythagoras confirming them by thy Example in an Innocent Life enduring the utmost Severities of Abstinence rather than be Guilty of shedding the Blood of those Creatures which the Great Lord of All Things Created to enjoy the Herbage of the Field and to partake of the Common Blessings of Nature as well as We. To thee therefore I have Recourse as to an Oracle Tell me O Sacred Sylvan am I not obliged to obey the Inspirations of my Nature or Better Genius which tells me 'T is a Butcherly and Inhuman Life to feed on slaughtered Animals Did not all those who aim'd at Perfection among the Primitive Disciples of the Prophet abstain from Murdering the Brutes 'T is true the Messenger of God did not positively enjoin Abstinence from Flesh yet he recommended it as a Divine Counsel And those to whom he Indulged the Liberty of Eating it he ty'd up to certain Conditions Do not all the Religious Orders Preach up Abstinence both in their Sermons and Lives I make no longer Doubt but the Corruption of Manners and Voluptuousness of Men are the Causes that this Ancient Sobriety is now disus'd and slighted My own Experience confirms me in this Opinion who have often attempted to live in Abstinence but by the Force of a Voracious Appetite suffered my self to be carry'd back to my Old Intemperance Yet in Eating Flesh I have been precisely careful to observe the Prohibitions of our Holy Prophet so long as it was in my Power I never Knowingly tasted of Blood nor of any Thing Strangled or knocked down But it is Impossible for me to Assure my self of this or that all the Flesh I Eat was kill'd in Pronouncing that Tremendous Name which gave it Life Neither could I Once escape a Necessity of Eating Swines Flesh But I abominate my self for this Involuntary Crime And to obviate the like Temptation for the Future I will taste of Nothing that has Breath'd the Common Air being inclined to believe the Metempsychosis Which if it be true I wish for no greater Happiness than that in my Next Change my Soul may pass into the Body of the Camel which shall carry thee to Mecha Paris 14th of the 1st Moon of the Year 1650. LETTER II. To Minezim Aluph Bassa MY Intelligence from the Imperial Port sometimes arrives late either through the Neglect of Kisur Dramelec to whom that Care is committed or through the Badness of the Roads which many Times are Impassable Besides the frequent Stops and Interceptions of the Posts in this Time of War Which is the Reason I do not always hear of the Alterations at the Seraglio and the Changes that are made in the Governments of the Shining Empire till many Moons are pass'd Who is exalted or who made Mansoul are Things to which Mahmut is for a Time a great Stranger Therefore thou hast no Reason to be offended that I am thus late in sending to thee my Congratulatory Address But rest confident that I wish thee encrease of Happiness like the Sprouting of the Palm As a Mark of my Duty and Affection I shall now acquaint thee with News which though it may seem of small Import to the Divan yet has startl'd all Europe It is the Imprisonment of Three of the French Princes not those of the Ordinary Rank but Branches of the Royal Stem whose Names are not unknown in the Seraglio the Residence of Fame They are the Princes of Conde and Conti Brothers and the Duke of Longueville Husband to their Sister They are the Principal Subjects in this Nation all Three having the Majestick Blood of the Kings of France running in their Veins They owe their Confinement to Cardinal Mazarini or rather to their own Inartificial Conduct The Prince of Conde is a Passionate Man and has never learn'd how to conceal his Resentments When he first return'd from the Battel of Lens in Flanders whereof I formerly gave an Account the Insurrection in Paris began The Prince block'd up the City and promis'd the Cardinal against whom alone all this Storm was rais'd that he wou'd either bring him back in Triumph to Paris or die in the Attempt He perform'd his Word and the Cardinal rode through the Streets of Paris in the same Coach with the King Queen and all the Royal Blood after the Siege was rais'd and a Peace concluded And the Prince when he alighted out of the Coach address'd himself thus to the Cardinal Now Sir I esteem my self the happiest Man in the World in that I have been able to perform my Engagement in bringing Your Eminence back to Paris and that by my Presence the Hatred which the Multitude have for your Person was repress'd whilst we pass'd through the Streets This too nearly touch'd the Cardinal And indeed the Queen with all the Rest were sensible that the Prince had too far over-shot himself in this last Expression However the Cardinal reply'd in a Kind of Modesty not wholly void of Choler and Disdain Sir You have not only oblig'd me to that Height but have done the Kingdom so considerable a Service in this Action That I fear neither their Majesties nor my self shall be ever in a State to make you answerable Compensation Those who stood by and heard these interchangeable Discourses were apt to interpret the First for a Reproach and the Second as a Menace Since it is not unusual for Great Men to over-value the Services they do

thee Examples of Abstinence in the Ancient Lacedaemonians Spartans Jews and almost all Nations of the East Nor are there wanting some Testimonies of it in these Western Parts This Kingdom of France was in Old Times Instructed by a Kind of Prophets or Philosophers whom they called Druids who took up their Usual Residence under Oaks These taught the Transmigration of Souls and therefore prescrib'd Abstinence from Flesh and shew'd to Men the Method of Worshiping God with the First-Fruits of the Earth From hence they sail'd over into Britain and planted themselves in that Island propagating the same Doctrines and were Reverenc'd by the People as Sacred Oracles By all which it is Evident That the tender Regard which the True Faithful have for the Brutes is no Innovation or singular Caprice of Superstition but the Primitive Practice of the Ancients the Vniversal Tradition of the Whole Earth Nay the Eastern Christians for the most Part live an Abstemious Life such as the Grecians Armenians Georgians Mingrelians and others that are scatter'd up and down in divers Parts of Asia These following the Examples and Traditions of the Apostles and Primitive Fathers of their Churches either taste not at all or very sparingly the Flesh of Beasts Birds and Fishes But the Nazarenes of the West boast of I know not what Liberty they have to Eat without Scruple of all Things having the Dispensation of the Roman Mufti whom they call the Vicar of God Hence it is that these Religious Libertines are not afraid to gorge themselves even with the Blood of Slaughter'd Beasts which their own Law forbids 'em to taste And they prop themselves up in their Impiety by saying That the Pope has Power to Change the Traditions and Ordinances of the Apostles and even of Jesus the Messiah himself Hence proceeds their Derision of those who shew any Tenderness to the Brutes for they are harden'd in their Gluttonous Cruelty and are but one Remove from the most Salvage Cannibals But thou Holy Man of God pity these Infidels and pray that Mahmut may be a sincere Disciple of thy Purity Paris 16th of the 3d. Moon of the Year 1649. LETTER VI. To the Kaimacham I Am return'd to my former Lodging again the Case of Eliachim being not so bad as my Fears The Occasion of his Confinement were certain Words he spoke against the Proceedings of Cardinal Mazarini and the Court in Company of such as were Officious to oblige that Minister This was done at St. Denis not far from Paris where they immediately caused him to be taken into Custody by the King's Guards who quarter'd in that Town It has cost him a considerable Sum of Money to purchase his Liberty which he now enjoys as before I had other Thoughts when I first heard the News of his being seized and that it was for some Seditious Expressions For then I call'd to Mind how he had Acted last Year by my Order during the Tumults of Paris and concluded That some Unlucky Accident had now betray'd him Which if it were so would infallibly bring me into the same Danger This made me so suddainly change my Habitation and put a Stop to the Dispatches of the Sublime Port. I thought no Caution too much to preserve the Affairs of my Commission Indemnified and that it were better to offend in being too Wary than too Secure If I have taken wrong Measures in thus absconding 't is for want of fuller Instruction from my Superiors I wish they would honour me with Particular Rules in Case of such Emergencies Then I should steer my Course without running the Hazard of Rocks or Sands I have often desir'd to know Whether if I were discover'd I should own my self an Agent for the Grand Signior But none of the Ministers have vouchsafed to direct me in this Point Whereby I may commit an irreparable Mistake if such a Thing should happen Adonai the Jew informs me of an Attempt lately made to rob the Treasury of Venice which according to his Description is very Rich and Magnificent He says there are Twelve Crowns of pure Gold and an equal Number of Breast-plates of the same Metal set with all Sorts of precious Stones of Inestimable Value A Hundred Vessels of Agat Threescore Services for the Altar all of pure Gold enrich'd with Diamonds Sapphires Emralds and other Stones of Price There is also an Vnicorn's Horn above the Purchase of Money There are Fourteen Unpolish'd Pearls as large as a Man's Fist The Ducal Cap is valued at a Hundred Thousand Zechins With many other Rareties and Costly Ornaments too tedious to be inserted in a Letter Certainly so much Wealth was never destin'd to fall into the Hands of Little Private Thieves It is a Booty fit for Kings and great Generals the Licens'd Banditi of the Earth So many Glittering Jewels would tempt the Honesty of an Angel And he would be glad to adorn the Apartments of his Heaven with these Radiant Drops of the Sun which he sees on Earth I have met with some pretty Relations of the Boldness of Robbers but none that ever match'd the Bravery of this Enterprize which was no less than to Rob one of the most Potent States in the World of her Chiefest Treasure He wanted not for Impudence who when the Emperor Charles V. was removing his Court and all the Officers were busy in packing up the Goods enter'd the Chamber where the Emperor was and having made his Obeisance fell roundly to pulling down the rich Hangings of Tissue which by the Help of his Confederates he carried away with Abundance of Plate No Body ever suspecting but that he was one of the Emperor's Servants till the Person came whose Office it was to remove those Goods and then the other was known to be a Thief I have heard of a Spaniard who on a Great Festival when the Priests had finish'd the Service of the Altar and were retir'd to their Lodgings went very boldly and took the Golden Vessels off the Altar and carry'd them away under his Cloak as though he had been the Steward of that Church no Body suspecting any other I kiss the Hem of thy Vest Illustrious Kaimacham and pray that thou may'st monopolize the Choicest Blessings of Heaven and have thy Share of the Riches of the Earth without Danger of losing them to Great or Small Thieves Paris 16th of the 3d. Moon of the Year 1649. LETTER VII To Nathan Ben Saddi a Jew at Vienna NOW thou may'st continue thy Dispatches as before Our Fears are vanish'd Eliachim is releas'd and all Things are in Safety Thou hast no Reason to tax me with Timorousness in so abruptly forsaking my Habitation on the bare Foresight of far-fetch'd Possibilities when thou shalt consider that there is no arming against Contingencies in the Moment they arrive and that he who trusts all Things to Chance makes a Lottery of his Life wherein for One Happy Event he shall meet with Ten Unlucky Ones To what Use serves that Apprehensive

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

Affections It is written in Arabick in a Dialect so pure and perfect that the most Accurate Criticks can find no Blemish from the Beginning to the End One Part coheres exactly with the other 't is void of Contradiction All the Chapters in this Glorious Volume are of a Piece Which Excellencies cou'd not have thus met together without a Miracle in a Book divulg'd by a Man who cou'd neither Write nor Read The Success it has had in the World speaks it of Celestial Descent The Greatest Part of Asia and Africk with many Kingdoms in Europe have obey'd the Alcoran for above these Thousand Years Cou'd such a Thing come to pass without the Decree of Heaven When the Prophet and Favourite of God first receiv'd his Divine Commission he was like a Pelican in the Wilderness Solitary and without Companion Nevertheless he was not discouraged but obey'd the Orders of Heaven He saw himself in the midst of Rocks and Sands encompass'd on all Sides with Terrible Beasts Yet he despair'd not of Assistance from Above but comforted himself in the Promise of the Eternal He first preach'd to the Savage Lyons and Tygers who as if they had heard another Orpheus grew tame and sociable at his Powerful Words Those fierce Inhabitants of the Woods came and prostrated themselves before the Sent of God they lick'd his Feet in Token of Submission they environ'd the Place of his Repose as his Guards and brought him Food Morning and Evening The Prophet wonder'd that so great Grace was given to the Beasts of the Earth He prais'd the Creator of All Things and his Mouth was full of Benedictions He bless'd the Day and the Night and the Obscurity that comes between them He bless'd the Dews that fall at the Rising of the Odoriferous Star and the Refreshing Winds that stir the Leaves of the Trees at Midnight And in the Morning he pray'd That all Men might become True Believers Doubtless God had granted his Petition had not the Angel who carry'd up his Prayers to Heaven met with the Devil a little on this Side the Orb of the Moon who stole from him some of Mahomet's Words so that the Prayer ascended Imperfect to the Throne of the Merciful Nevertheless a Great Part of Men became Believers And more shall be added to the Number In a little Time the Solitary Prophet saw himself at the Head of a Numerous Army all Voluntiers who resorted to him in the Wilderness as they were Inspir'd from Above The Mighty Men of Arabia oppos'd the Sacred Hero They led the Flow'r of the East against him But they accelerated their own Fate and Incens'd their Angry Stars The Elements took up Arms against them and the Meteors fought in Defence of the Messenger of God Lightning and Hail with Stones of Fire blasted the Troops of the Infidels And terrible Storm● of Wind buried whole Armies in the Sands Thus the Host of the Mussulmans became Victorious without drawing a Sword and the Empires of the Wicked fell to the Possession of True Believers Persia Babylon and Egypt were subdued and embrac'd the Vndefiled Truth The Alcoran was receiv'd from India to the Mauritanian Shore From the Rising of the Sun to the Going down thereof this Holy Profession is made with one Consent There is but One God and Mahomet his Prophet Now Nathan consider whether ever the Law of Moses had such Footing in the World or the Children of Israel cou'd boast of such Vniversal Conquests Your Little Kingdom has had its Period long agoe and both that and all the Empires of Asia and Africk are swallow'd up in the All-conquering Monarchy of the Osmans Your Tabernacle Temple City and Sacrifices are quite Extinct Your Nation is Scatter'd over the whole World without Lands or Possessions that they can call their own Neither is there Prince Priest or Prophet to whom you can have Recourse for Delivery from your Misfortunes Come out therefore from the Synagogue which lies under the Scourge of Heaven Shake off the Malediction And being Purified join thy self to the True Believers who are Bless'd in this World and shall be Happy in Paradise Or at least stand by thy self and follow thy Own Light Adieu Paris 22d of the 3d. Moon of the Year 1654. LETTER VI. To Dicheu Hussein Bassa THE Policies of Cardinal Mazarini are no Secrets at the Imperial City Now he is about to play his Master-piece He has all along maintain'd Pensioners in the Service of the French Grandees No Man of Prime Quality cou'd be sure he entertain'd not at his Table some Creature of this Minister Disguizes of all Sorts both for Body and Mind were never Wanting to Men dextrous at Treachery and Officious to do Mischief But now he is setting Spies of another Character on the Princes of the Blood and the Chief Nobility of France Women are to become his Private Agents Females of his Own Blood true Italians and brought up under his particular Care and Management In a Word his Sisters and Nieces Five of them are newly come to this City having been Conducted hither by the Cardinal's Secretary accompany'd with a Considerable Retinue of Courtiers who went to meet them some Leagues from Paris 'T is said That one of those Ladies is a great Beauty and that the Young King having seen her Picture fell in Love with her This is certain the Prince of Conti has Married one of them With whom the Cardinal has given his Palace and Two Hundred Thousand Crowns in Dowry They talk as if Another of them was to be Married to the Duke of Candale and a Third to the Son of General Harcourt And as if Mazarini were Emulous of Joseph's Character and Authority in Pharaoh's Court he has sent for his Father also with all his Family to come and reside in France He is resolv'd to stock this Kingdom with Sicilian Blood a Race of Mazarini's Who by Instinct as well as by Rules shall carry on the Design he has laid and either raise this tottering State to the Height of his Model or absolutely ruine it For that Active Spirit cannot take up with Mediums 'T is said That the Duke of Orleans resents very Ill the Cardinal's Ambition in Marrying his Nieces into the Blood-Royal That Prince will not be prevail'd on to come near the Court But rather favours the Prince of Conde and the other Malecontents Whence some People are apt to presage another Turn of Affairs before-long For the Generality of the French are Inclin'd to the Prince's Party There is great Caballing all over the Kingdom and the Cardinal strives to push his Interest forward by all the Methods of a Cunning Statesman He knows the Prince of Conde's Spirit too well to dream of a Reconciliation And he has a double Interest in the Ruine of that Unfortunate General his own Preservation and the Aggrandizing his Niece the Princess of Conti Who by the Fall of her Brother-in-Law will be Mistress of his Estate He is endeavouring