from thinking too seriously on the Sentence he has Pronounc'd in Parliament against the Prince of Conde One knows not well how to blame the Prince of Conde's Proceedings nor yet to accuse the King of Injustice Neither is it proper for a Mussulman-Slave to decide the Controversy Our Principles and Laws are different from Theirs And he that is esteem'd a Patriot here in the West wou'd be Condemn'd for a Rebel without Hesitation in any Part of the East where but One God in Heaven and One Sovereign on Earth is acknowledg'd by the Subjects of every Kingdom and Empire But in France the Princes of the Royal Blood are Invested with such a Power as renders it difficult for those under their Command to distinguish 'em from Supream Monarchs Yet not One of them possesses a Government Equal to that of the Bassa of Egypt or Superiour to his of Aleppo I have spoken of these Princes formerly in some of my Letters to the Happy Ministers of Him who when he pleases can make the Greatest Sovereigns the Squires of his Stirrup And therefore 't will be needless to say any more on that Subject but only to acquaint thee That the French Court tho' they cannot relent of the Rigour they have us'd toward the Prince of Conde yet seem willing to compound the Business with his Son the Young Duke of Enguien and by a Subtle Artifice to strike Two strokes for the State at once A Great Duke of this Realm has been lately dispatch'd to the Duke of Orleans to propose a Match between his Daughter and Conde's Heir Whereby the Estate of the Prince of Conde will fall to the Duke of Orleans's Possession during the Minority of the Young Couple This is a Wheedle to reconcile the King's Uncle to the Court who has been a long Time estrang'd But 't is thought his Displeasure is of too deep a Dye to be wash'd off with Court-Holy-Water I have no more News to tell thee save the Death of a certain Prince whom they call the Duke of Elboeuf And it is of no Import to the Divan whether a Hundred of these Infidel Princes die every Day or no so long as the Grand Signior lives and is ever supply'd with Faithful Ministers For His Health I pray before the Sun peeps o'er the Tops of the Eastern Mountains and after he hides himself in the Valleys of the West Neither do I rise from my Knees at the Five appointed Hours without an Oraison for Chornesan and the other Bassa's of the Port. Paris 10th of the 6th Moon of the Year 1654. LETTER XI To Sale Tircheni Emin Superintendant of the Royal Arsenal at Constantinople THOU that hast the Charge of the Ammunition design'd for the Conquest of the World art fittest to receive the News of a Terrible Blow lately given to a City of the Infidels in Flanders This Place is called Gravelines whereof I have made Mention in some of my former Letters On the 29th of the last Moon the Powder of the Magazine there took Fire whether by Accident or Design is not certainly known But the Damage it has done is very great It is reported That a Third Part of the City is blown up and the Chief Fortifications about it with the Outworks of the Cittadel Three Thousand Mortals had their Breath exhausted by the Violent Convulsion of the Air and were sent into Another World well season'd with Salt-Peter Besides a vast Multitude of all Sorts that were bury'd in the Ruines of the Houses Some say a certain Person coming to buy some Powder of the Steward of the Magazine as they were knocking out the Head of a Powder-Barrel the Hammer struck Fire Others report That this Person who pretended to buy Powder was a Spy or Private Agent of Cardinal Mazarini in those Parts And that by his Master's Order he had prepar'd a certain Artificial Fire enclos'd in a Shell or Box and that at a certain determin'd Period of Time it would cause the Box to flie in Pieces and scatter Flames almost as subtle and penetrating as those of Lightning Having therefore this little Instrument of Mischief ready and being instructed in all Things he with the Steward enter'd the Vaults where the Powder lay under Pretence of buying some for the Governour of Brussels And when they had open'd one of the Barrels he thrust his Hand among the Powder as though he wou'd take up some to look upon at the same Time dextrously conveying his little Shell or Box into the Barrel knowing that in an Hours Time it wou'd work its Effect In the mean while seeming to dislike that Barrel they open'd another which he bought and so departed Within an Hour afterwards all the Countries round about were astonish'd at the Dreadful Blow which made the Earth to tremble They say it was heard beyond the Seas into England Thus the Contrivance of this Tragedy is fasten'd on Mazarini and such is the Hatred the People bear to this Minister That if an Earthquake shou'd happen in these Parts I believe they wou'd accuse him as the Author of it But it seems as if all the Elements were at War against the Netherland Provinces I have already acquainted the Ministers of the Ever Happy Porâ— what Disasters befell these People by Storms at Sea and Inundations on Land After which the Element of Fire took its turn to Chastise them For in the First Moon of this Year a certain Wind-mill in the Low Countries whirling round with extraordinary Violence by Reason of a Furious Storm the Stone at Length by its Rapid Motion became so Intensely hot as to fire the Mill from whence the Flames being dispersed by the High Winds to the Neighbouring Houses set a whole Town on Fire And now the Wrath of Heaven has been kindl'd again to destroy these Infidels Yet those that survive will not be Converted Perhaps they will be ruin'd Piece-Meal even to a Final Extermination like the People of Aad and Thamod of whom at this Day there remain no Footsteps I pray God guard the Imperial City and Arsenal from all Casualties of Fire from Inundations of Water and from Earthquakes And thy own Watchful Care and Prudence will defend the Magazines in thy Custody from the Sly Attempts of Traytors and Villains Paris 10th of the 6th Moon of the Year 1654. LETTER XII To Mehemet an Eunuch in the Seraglio I Acquainted thee formerly with the first Necessity I had to drink Wine that I might the better conceal my being a Mussulman when I was made a Prisoner by Cardinal Mazarini's Order I tell thee now this Liquor is grown Habitual to me it being the Natural Beverage of the Country where I am But the French temper it with Water the better to allay their Thirst and prevent Fevers Which Custom agrees not with the Stomach of a Mahometan who when he drinks either Water or Wine loves to have them Pure without Mixture I use it moderately for my Health and to create an Appetite But
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
fighting under the Commission with the Seal I have sent a Letter to the Bassa of the Sea acquainting him with the News of this Expedition of the Cossacks Since which I am informed that these People are Headed by a famous Pirate in those Parts a Man of a daring Spirit and capable of the boldest Undertakings The French Merchants who have traded in the Black Sea give him a High Character and portend great Injuries to the Ottoman Empire from the Success of his Arms For they say he is a Good Captain both by Sea and Land I have heard several different Stories of his Birth and Education But this I am going to relate comes from the best Hands and seems most probable His Name is Pachicour a Circassian by Birth but bred up in a Sea-Town of the Vkrain near the Mouth of the Niester He left his Native Country at the Age of Twelve Years out of a Desire to see Foreign Parts Embarking himself unknown to his Parents in a Vessel of Podolia which then was ready to set sail from Bala-Clag He carry'd with him a small Sum of Money which he had purloyn'd from his Father and serv'd as a Fund of his future Fortune For arriving at a certain Town in Podolia he frequented the Keys and offer'd his Service to several Merchants one of which observing in his Face the Marks of a Promising Genius entertain'd him in his House He liv'd with him Seven Years and perform'd his Office so well that he made him his Factor to Constantinople Pachicour discharg'd his Trust there with much Profit to his Master and Honour to himself So that at his Return several Merchants entrusted him with their Goods and sent him to trade at Caffa and other Towns on the Black Sea His Judgment and Reputation encreasing with his Years he became in Time famous in all the Trading Towns And such was his Credit in the Vkrain that all the Merchants put their Vessels and Goods into his Hands So that he sail'd many Times with a Fleet of Twenty Ships having the Disposal of all the Goods committed to his Management He grew so Rich in Time by his Dealings that he was able to drive a Considerable Trade for himself And then it was he began to lay the Foundation of a Design which he has since executed His Genius was too Active always to be confin'd to this slow Way of growing Great Therefore he was resolv'd at one Blow to raise his Fortune to the Pitch he aim'd at He was the only Broker Banquier and Merchant where-ever he came It was no difficult Thing for a Man of so vast a Credit to raise an extraordinary Stock and Pachicour could easily silence the Alarms of Conscience There happen'd also a Juncture very proper for his Design For while he was at Isgaou a Port of Circassia Day and Night projecting how to exalt himself a War broke out between his Countrymen and the Mingrelians The Latter appear'd with a Navy at Sea which alarm'd all the Maritime time Parts of Circassia Pachicour whose Invention was always busy took a Hint from this to accomplish his Plot. Expedition was his chiefest Game Therefore he speedily made the utmost Use of his Credit among the Podolian Merchants and other Foreigners residing at Isgaou And when he had amass'd together prodigious Sums of Gold for which he only gave them Bills of Exchange he privately sends away this huge Treasure with all his Jewels Tissues and other Rich Merchandise to his Fathers House who liv'd not many Leagues from this Town Within Two Days after this the Mingrelian Fleet made a Descent at Isgaou sack'd it carry'd away Two Thousand Captives and went to their Vessels again Pachicour who knew how to make an Advantage of this Opportunity privately fled after his Wealth as soon as the Mingrelian Fleet appear'd before the Place And it happ'ned that most of his Creditors were made Slaves and transported to Mingrelia He had no Need to take any farther Care but how to secure his Riches from his Pilfering Neighbours For the Circassians are all Profess'd Thieves He therefore makes haste to his Father and having gratified him for his Trouble he in a short Time purchas'd Four Men of War with which he sets up for a Pirate infesting those Seas and Robbing all the Merchants except those who had formerly entrusted him His Bounty and Valour charm'd all that serv'd him And his Fame spreading with his wonderful Success many Circassians put out to Sea and join'd with him So that in a little Time he made no small Figure in the Kingdom of Neptune Seeing himself Commander of a Powerful Navy he found out quickly the Mingrelian Fleet and engaging with them got a Glorious Victory Soon after a Peace was concluded and Pachicour was declar'd Admiral of all the Circassian Sea-Forces To whom the Mingrelians were oblig'd by Treaty to join theirs and to obey Pachicour's Orders In a little Time this fortunate General became so famous that the Cossacks sent to him an Agent and enter'd into a League furnish'd out Three Hundred Vessels and join'd the Circassian and Mingrelian Fleets This is the Bottom of the New Expedition which makes so loud a Noise in these Parts Thou who art Master of the Arsenal wilt know what Measures are fittest to be taken against this bold Infidel if he persists to break the Peace of the most Serene Empire Yet though he is an Enemy let us not envy him the Praises that are due to his Wit and Courage He seems to surpass the Sneaking Thieves of his own Nation and undertakes Nothing but Sovereign Cheats and Noble Thefts such as would pass for Vertuous Actions in a Man of a Higher Birth I do not plead for Robbery nor take the Part of an Infidel but if I had Time to tell thee some Heroick Passages of this Pirate thou wouldst say he is worthy of a Generous and Favourable Usage should he become a Captive In another Letter I will oblige thee with a Relation which will not be unwelcome to a Man who gives not Sentence with the Vulgar I had more to say on another Subject but I am interrupted Pardon the Effect of my Duty to the Grand Signior Paris 19th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1649. LETTER XV. To Melec Amet Bassa THere is News arrived here lately of the Murder of the English Embassador at the Hague His Name was Dorislaus He was sent by the New Governors in England to make an Alliance with the States of Holland and to satisfie them in Reference to their late Proceedings against their Sovereign 'T is said his Negotiation would have had but little Success in Regard the Prince of Orange who is President or Chief over the States and who married the Daughter of the English King takes to Heart the untimely Death of his father-in-Father-in-Law and cannot be reconciled to his Murderers Yet 't is to be thought that Princes are no farther touch'd with one anothers Misfortunes than concerns their
so Short they thought it improbable that any Mortal should live to see this Solemnity repeated The Modern Jubilee was first Publish'd by Boniface IX Bishop of Rome in the Year 1300 of the Christians Hegyra At which Time he promis'd Full and Entire Remission of Sins to all who should resort in Pilgrimage to Rome that Year After him it was Celebrated every Hundred Year accoring to his Institution till the Days of Clement VI. Who at the Instance of the Roman Citizens reduc'd it to every Fiftieth Year Then Vrban VI. another Pope reduc'd it to the Thirty Third Year And last of all Paul II. contracted the Interval to Five and Twenty Years Which Space of Time has been observ'd by all his Successors to this Day If thou wouldst know the Reason why they have thus alter'd the Periods It is for Profit For in the Year of Jubilee there is a vast Conflux of People from all Parts of Europe Who bring a far greater Treasure into the Roman Coffers than they carry away from that City Though the Pope 't is said is very Liberal of that which they call the Treasure of the Church Which is a certain Fund of Merits and Superabundant Graces left by the Messiah and his Saints in the Custody of this Prelate to supply the Defects and Infirmities of Sinful Men. And they believe 't is only in his Power to dispose of this Heavenly Wealth to whom he pleases They talk also of Indulgencies and Pardons whereby the Holy Father can redeem Men from all Sin and the Punishments that are due to it And this Wonderful Prerogative they say does not only benefit the Living but extends even to the Souls Departed whom the Pope according to their Persuasion can free from the Torments of Purgatory and at his Pleasure admit into the Gates of Paradise We that are Mussulmans cannot declaim against the Doctrine of Praying for the Dead since it is practis'd by all the Faithful Neither have we Reason to inveigh against Indulgencies or Releases from Penance But that the Power of granting and dispensing these Favours should be only reposited in the Christian Mufti will not accord with the Faith of a True Believer We know who swore by the Hoofs of his Swift and Faithful Elborach which in One Night carry'd him a Journey of Six Moons that from thenceforth the Key of Aaraf or the Place of Prisons was committed to him Doubtless the Omnipotent can transfer his Commissions when and to whom he pleases If he once gave this Authority of Remitting Sins to the Messiah and Peter his Lieutenant does it follow that all Peter's Successors the Califfs of Rome have retain'd this Privilege There have been many Good Men in that Seat and not a Few Wicked Some Prophets and some Magicians A Catalogue interpers'd with Saints Martyrs Butchers and Devils But 't is evident they forfeited their Authority when they declin'd from the Truth from the unblameable Profession of the Divine Vnity and resisted the Messenger of Heaven sent to correct their Errors reform their Vices and reduce Mankind to One Law of Purity and Light I write not Partially nor am I imbitter'd against the Patriarch of the Romans He is a Man like others subject to the Will of Destiny The Babylonian Califfs and those of Egypt Successively enjoy'd the same Power transmitted to them from the Prophet who seal'd up all the Former Dispensations Yet in Time through their Sins they forfeited their Authority together with their Empire when the Bright Osmans Conquer'd All Things Then was the Prophetick Office translated to our Mufti the Guide of those who possess the Sepulchre of Mahomet To him all the World ought to have Recourse for Solution of their Doubts Direction in their Lives Absolution from their Sins and for the Passport of Immortality the Fefta requir'd of all that enter the Gates of Paradise But all Mortals are Naturally tenacious of whatsoever advances their Honour and Interest Kings hug Empty Titles that yield them no Profit And the Roman Bishops are unwilling to acknowledge themselves divested of the Privileges which were once annex'd to that Chair of Peter They shew the Keys the Symbols of a Power which they have lost And the Credulous Nazarenes believe that Heaven and Hell are Open'd and Shut at their Pleasure On the Eve of the Messiah's Nativity the Present Pope Knock'd Three Times with a Golden Hammer at the Gates of the Principal Mosque in Rome Which were then Open'd to signifie the ensuing Year of Jubilee when the Christians are persuaded that Heaven is open to all that visit Rome in this Holy Time I wish thee a Life of many Jubilee's Paris 9th of the 3d. Moon of the Year 1650. LETTER IV. To the Flower of High Dignity the Most Magnificent Vizir Azem WHEN I first heard the News of the Troubles that have been at Constantinople the Deposition of Mahomet the late Vizir Azem and the Advancement of the Janizar-Aga to that Dignity I imagin'd it had been Cassim Hali. But it seems that Brave Old Soldier is elevated to a more Lofty Station He has enter'd the Immortal Possessions being translated to an High Seat For I understand he has his Rest in Paradise On that Hero be the Mercies of the Supremely Indulgent Whilst I turn my self to thee his late Successor in that Military Honour but now the Lieutenant of the Shadow of God I touch the Earth Thrice with my Forehead when I salute thee Great Prince of the Vizirs in Token of my Humility and Reverence and in Remembrance of my Original That I who am but the Product of Dust a meer Worm may not commit an Indecency when I address to the Bright Image of our August Emperor who is the Type of the Sun In speaking to Persons of thy Immense Power I strive equally to shun Flattery and Disrespect endeavouring to deport my self with an Even Course between those Two Extremes as Mariners steer between Scylla and Charybdis These are dangerous Places in the Sycilian Seas All Europe Celebrates thy Praises and Extols thy Justice for releasing the Ambassador of Venice Imprison'd in the 4th Moon of this Year They say since thy Assumption to this Important Trust the Ottoman Port is Reform'd and grown more Civiliz'd For the Franks esteem all the Followers of the Prophet who could neither Write nor Read as Barbarians Here is much Talk about the Defeat given to Our Forces in Hungary The French spare for no Encomium's on the Bassa of Buda who fought valiantly till his Legs were shot off and then caus'd himself to be carry'd up and down through the Army to encourage his Soldiers Neither do they diminish the Glory that is due to his Son who receiv'd his Death in defending his Father at what Time the Old Captain was taken Prisoner But they blame the Conduct of him who Besieg'd the Fort of Clissa in Regard he undertook it in the Wrong Season of the Year The Defect of a General 's Judgment in such
both among themselves and toward Strangers Avoiding Pleasures as Enemies to the Mind and esteeming Chastity the very Cement of all Virtues Therefore they despis'd Marriage as an Entanglement to Men devoted to Contemplation They had also an Equal Contempt for Riches No Man of this Sect call'd any Thing his Own though 't were his Lawful Inheritance But their Possessions were in Common and Equally distributed It was among their Mysteries to Anoint their Bodies frequently with Oyl and as often to wash 'em with Running Water They neither bought nor sold nor frequented the Publick Places But every one communicated freely such Things as he possess'd to him that stood in Need. Thus there was a Reciprocal Exchange of Kindnesses and Assistance according to every ones Faculty and Power They were very Assiduous in Watching Fasting and Prayer Curious in observing the Various Names of the Angels which they frequently repeated Invocating those Happy Beings as the Ministers of the King Eternal And those who were exercis'd in this Kind of Religious Life arriv'd to so great a Constancy of Mind that neither Racks Fire Sword or any other Tortures could ever move 'em to Renounce their Law or speak the least Word in Contempt of their Institution Nay they would rather suffer Martyrdom than be prevail'd on to taste of any Thing that had Life in it For they were strict Observers of the Law which commands Perpetual Abstinence from the Flesh of Animals It was an Establish'd Article of their Faith That as soon as the Vnion of Soul and Body was dissolv'd by Death the Former by a Natural Inclination ascends to the Skies even as Sparks flie Upward when freed from the Gross Earthy Matter in which they lay Imprison'd I have here given thee a short and true Character of the Essenes Of which Sect all Christians own the Messias to be a Favourer if not a Member in Regard he no where is Recorded to have upbraided them as he often did the Pharisees Sadduces Herodians and the Rest Time will not permit me to say more at Present concerning that Venerable Prophet But if thou would'st have a Perfect Idea of all his Vertues and Sanctity of Life turn thy Eyes Inward and fix 'em on thy self For thou art a Lively Transcript of the Holy Jesus Paris 1st of the 1st Moon of the Year 1654. LETTER II. To the Venerable Mufti THOU hast heard of the Jesuits an Order of Nazarene Dervises All Europe abounds with them and they have attempted to settle themselves at the Sublime Port and several Places of Asia Besides their Actual Possessions in the Indies where they are very Numerous and Powerful They are esteem'd the Richest Order of the Roman Church tho' the Constitutions of their Founder oblige them to Perpetual Poverty But what will not the Sacred Hunger of Gold tempt Men to For the sake of this Charming Metal they can Dispense with Antiquated Laws and Dull Melancholy Vows These Religious Persons have lately spread about a Letter in Print which they pretend comes from one of their Order in Armenia This Dispatch relates a Strange Accident that has happen'd at the Sepulchre of our Holy Prophet upon whom rest the Favours of the Eternal For it affirms that in the Eighth Moon of the last Year the Shrine which contains the Body of the Heavenly Missioner fell from the Roof of the Sacred Mosque to which they say it adher'd by Vertue of a Magnet fasten'd in the Cantrel of the Arch And that at the same Time the Pavement of the Temple open'd and swallow'd up that Venerable Ark whâ—â—â—in were Reposited the most Holy Reliques in the World And that from the Chasme there issu'd out a Flame like that of Sulphur accompany'd with such a Smoak and Intolerable Stench as caus'd all the Pilgrims that were present to swoon away Whereupon many of them are since turn'd Christians This Forgery is believ'd here by those who never examine any Thing their Priests tell 'em but take all on Trust The Common People bless themselves in that they were born of Christian Parents and not of the Disciples of that Wicked Impostor So they blaspheme the Man in whom the Promises of their Messias are verify'd when he said He wou'd Intercede with God to send a Prophet who shou'd lead 'em into all Truth They wou'd never be at the Pains or Cost to examine whether the Foundation of this Story be true or false All the Mussulmans who have been at that Holy of Holies know That the Body of our Divine Lawgiver reposes in a Sepulchre built after the same Manner as the Tombs of our August Emperours and other Dormitories of the Great Only with this Difference That it surpasses all the Monuments of the World in the Invaluable Richness of its Ornaments the Gifts of devout Mussulman Princes There appears always such an Insupportable Lustre of Gold and Precious Stones in every Angle of that Mysterious Recess as may well dazle the Eyes of Mortal Spectators since the Angels themselves are forc'd to 〈◊〉 Veil'd within those Majestick Walls Hence it is not hard to suppose That the Circular Refractions of such a Glittering Orb of Jewels might create the Resemblance of a Tomb suspended in the Air or cleaving to the Roof of that Glorious Edifice deceiving the Eyes of some Ignorant but Devout Mussulmans from whom this Magnetick Fable first took its Origine However it be no Man of Common Faith or but Ordinary Sense will believe That God who has for so many Ages protected the Sepulchre of his Apostle and Favourite verifying therein the Prophecy of Mahomet himself who foretold as did other Prophets before him That the Place of his Rest should be Glorious and that the Greatest Monarchs of the Earth shou'd visit it I say no Man will believe that God would at Length suffer so vile a Disgrace to happen to the Tomb of his Messenger the Resuge of Sinners But the Nazarenes will believe any Thing save the Truth They are given up to a Spirit of Delusion and Error Incapable of Light and Instruction Thus Heave 'em till the Day of Alarm and the Hour of Scrutiny When the Angels of the Test shall enter the Graves and having made Experiment of every Man's Works and Faith shall give the Just a Register of their Vertues in their Right Hand but to the Wicked in their Left Hand a Black Record of their Sins In the mean Time I prostrate my self before thee begging That when thou turnest thy Face to the House of Ibrahim and the Tomb of the Prophet thou wilt send up One Ejaculation for Mahmut that he may persevere in shunning the Errors of the Infidels Paris 19th of the 1st Moon of the Year 1654. LETTER III. To Cara Hali Physician to the Grand Signior SINCE what I wrote last in behalf of the Brute Animals is so Acceptable to thee I will comply with thy Request in continuing that Discourse 'T is certain the Ancients had another Opinion of the Beasts
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 Stormâ— 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-Brother-in-Law will be Mistress of his Estate He is endeavouring
also to make an Alliance with the Cardinal de Retz his profess'd Enemy and one rais'd by the Pope to that Dignity on Purpose to counter-balance Mazarini's Power at this Court where he is suspected to animate the King against the Court of Rome That Cardinal de Retz is now a Prisoner of State and has been so a long Time being first Confin'd by Mazarini's Orders But the Wise Minister now thinks it safer to compound with a Man whom he cannot longer persecute without drawing on himself the Revenge of all the Ecclesiasticks and especially the Thunder of the Roman Court. Therefore to reconcile Matters and fortifie himself he has propos'd a Match between his Nephew and de Retz his Niece The Court is wholly taken up with making Friendships of this Nature Which is an evident Sign they feel their Power at an Ebb and fear it will be much Lower if the Prince of Conde shou'd once take the Field in France 'T is nothing to the Mussulman-Interest which Side gets the Advantage For they are all equally Enemies to the Sent of God If I can by any successful Artifice promote the Divisions of these Infidels I shall not disserve the Shining Port. However I will still pray That those Swords may be turn'd against each Other which United wou'd hazard the State of the True Faithfull Illustrious Friend let thy Presence in the Divan be as a strong Bastion under the Covert of which Mahmut may be shelter'd from the Artillery of Evil Tongues and Sycophants Paris the 14th of the 4th Moon of the Year 1654. LETTER VII To Dgnet Oglou THOU art not Ignorant that when I first heard of the Cruel Sentence executed on our late Friend Egri Boinou on whom be the Mercies of the Creator I wrote to his Successor Ismael Mouta Faraca a Letter of Condoleance Wherein to keep a Medium between the Tenderness I ow'd to the Loss which my Friend had sustained of his Eyes and the distrust I had of a Stranger I filled up my Letter to Ismael with Consolatory Expressions such as I wou'd have used to Egri himself had I been in his Company Believing that Ismael would read my Letter to his Blind Predecessor I plaid the Stoick and encouraged the Doctrine of Apathy Or at least I abounded in Philosophical Counsels almost as Impracticable as the other Nothing but severe Morality dropt from my Pen. And all this to cover my real Concern and Passion for Egri's Sufferings who thou Knowest was beloved by more than thee and me I told thee in a former Letter That I did not dare to trust my Sentiments though disguized to a Man who on the score of his new Preferment might become more quick-sighted than before and would soon penetrate the thin Veil of Words and Spy something in that Dispatch to my Disadvantage should I have ventured to descant on the Sultan's Severity or Egri's Merits Therefore I thought it best to pretend an Indifferency to which I am as much a Stranger as any Man in Cases that too nearly touch our Sence 'T is easie to give Counsel to another which in the same Circumstances we are far from practising our selves Then we can be full of Wisdom and grave Morals but when it once comes Home all our Philosophy vanishes There remains Nothing to be seen but a meer Sensitive Animal without Vertue or Patience My own Experience but two Days agoe forces this Confession from me when by an unlucky Blow I lost the Sight of both my Eyes for the Space of Eight and Fourty Hours 'T is true I should not have used them much during a Third Part of that Time had they not been hurt Unless thou wilt say they are serviceable in our Dreams and help our Souls to spy the Dark Chimaera's of the Night However I remember 't was no small Grief even in that Absence of the Sun to be only Sensible of the Privation by my Ears For whilst the Windows of my Soul were shut 't was in vain for those of my Chamber to be open which before this Misfortune would by letting in the Light of the Moon or Stars have convinc'd me that it was Night without being beholden to the Clocks and Bells of the Convents for my Intelligence as I was under this Affliction Then it was that in my Heart I unsaid all that I had written to the Eunuch on the Subject of Blindness and cursed the Philosopher for a Fool or a Madman who put out his own Eyes for the Sake of his Thoughts I envyed those more Happy Fools who are without Thoughts but enjoy their Sight which helps to form and regulate the Conceits of the most Wise and Thinking Men. Nay such was my Passion and Melancholy during this short Eclipse of my Eyes that I preferr'd to mine even the Life of those Dumb Animals whom Men have learned to call Irrational because they express their Sentiments by Inarticulate Sounds a Dialect which we don't Understand And I could have almost wished my self Metamorphos'd though it were into a Dog provided I might but have that Sense the Want of which renders our Humanity Imperfect and a Burden to it self Or if thou wilt blame me for such a Wish I cannot forbear thinking that Dog happier than his Master whom I have seen leading a Blind Man in a String along the Streets of Paris How prudently did that Faithful Creature act the Guide in crossing the Way if any Danger threatned his Charge as a Cart Coach or Throng of People And all this Conduct was oweing to his Eyes which made him Wiser than his Master who had he enjoy'd this Sence might not for ought I know have Surpassed his Kind Brute in the Exercise of Reason And now I am fallen on this Subject of the Wisdom of Brutes I must not forget a Story which I have read in Plutarch as also in a certain French Author of a Dog in the Court of the Roman Emperor Vespasian which would act to the Life all the Agonies and Symptoms of Death at the Command of a Mountebank who had taught him many such Comical Tricks to divert the Grandees of Rome The same Frenchman mentions certain Oxen which it seems had Learned Arithmetick For being employ'd in turning the Wheel of a Well an Hundred Times every Day when they had finished that Task would not stir a step more but having revolved that Number in their Minds desisted of their own Accord nor could any Violence compel 'em to farther Labour Who will deny now that these Oxen were Mathematicians Or That that Ship Dog had any need to study Euclid's Elements who having a great Desire to taste of some Oil that he saw in a deep Earthen Vessel and not being able to put his Head in far enough by Reason of the long streight Neck of the Pot after some Study ran to the Hold of the Ship which was Balasted with Gravel-Stones From thence he brought in his Mouth at several Times as many of those little Stones as