An Account of the Rise and Progress of Mahometanism With the Life of Mahomet and a Vindication

AN ACCOUNT OF THE

RISE AND PROGRESS OF

MAHOMETANISMWITH THE LIFE OF MAHOMET

And a Vindication of him and his Religion

from the Galawnies of the Christians

Dr. HENRY TUBBE, M.A.

OF CHRIST C URCH, OXFORD

FROM A MANUSCRIPT COm

BY CHARLES HORNBY OF PIPE OFFICE, IN 1705WITH SOME VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONS

EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND APPENDIX

By HAFIZ MAHMUD KHAN SHAIRANI

Published by Private Sgbsenjptian,under tlgo J

énepia s

L O NDO N

L U ZA C C O.

46 G REAT RU S S E L L S TREE T(OPPOSITE THE BRITISH MUSEUM)

19 1 1

PREFACE

N ofi'

ering this volume to the public, no

explanation or apology, we think , isnecessary. Nevertheless

,the reader’s

attentio n is drawn to the fact that,although it has existed in manuscript

fo r a period of nearly two hundred and fifty years, itnow sees the light of publication for the first time .The unusual character of the work, its high antiquarianvalue

,and its importance as the earliest known sym

pathetic compo sition in English literature, were sufficientwarrant fo r its publication . With this view in mind,a Fund was inaugurated, and appeal made to theMuslims resident in England. The generous and

speedy response with which this appeal has been metis most gratifying . a pleasing feature being that,through the efforts of Halil Halid Bey (the author of

The Crescent versus The Cross), and the courtesy of thedirectors of the Turkish newspapers

,the Sabah and

the Sirat-i-Mustaqim,two separate subscriptions were

raised in Constantinople, which proved to be a veryhandsome and substantial support to the Funds.It may be as well to explain that the work, although

appearing under the auspices of the Islamic Society, isno t one of its own publications, and that the opin ionsof the author should therefore not be construed as

those advocated or advanced by the Society. Thevolume provides us with a unique opportun ity of

acquainting ourselves with the early Western notionsof Islam

,which

,although long since exploded, still

PREFACE

exercise a great influence o n the writings of moderntimes. With a similar desire, an Appendix is added,which

,it is hoped

,may throw further light on the

subject. Ifthe appearance Of this publication succeedsin impressing upon the minds of Muslims the soreneed of activity on their part

,to promote Islamic

Study in the English language, we shall consider thatour labour is rewarded. It is unnecessary to remindthem of the sad reproach under which they stand

,in

consequence Of their non-activity in this direction.Certainly, we ought not to forget that, while we haveto learn so many things from the West, we shouldendeavour to teach her the real aspirations and tenetsof Islam in return . People still survive

,even in the

twentieth century, who most solemnly declare that the

Mahometans worship an idol, called Mahomet.I take this oppo rtunity of acknowledging my

indebtedness to Halil Halid Bey for the interestshown in the progress of this publication, also to themembers of the Committee

,particularly Messrs.

Muhammed Khairuddin Saggu and Syed MuhammedArif

,and to the other subscribers. My warm est

thanks are due to those English friends who haveassisted and advised me

,but

,owing to their natural

modesty,have prevailed upon me to om it their

names .The list of subscribers will be found at the end of

the volume. I hOpe they will excuse the unforeseendelay in the progress of the publication, and I beg to

assure them that all the profits accruing from thiswork will be devoted to the promotion of IslamicStudy.

H . M . K. S .

January 3 1 , Igu .

INTRODUCT ION

I. AUTHORSHIP AND DATE

F those who have written of this workand its authorship, the earliest knownis Mr. Charles Hornby, of the PipeOffice

,who transcribed it in 1 705, and

states that it was supposed to have beenwritten by Dr. Stubbe.

A few years later Thomas Magney, Rector of St.Nicholas, Guilford (sic), in his Remarks upon Nazarenas

,

1 7 1 8 , makes the following reference to a work indefence of Muslims. “A physician of some note a

few years ago wrote, as it is said, a thorough defenceof their sentiment, a manuscript copy ofwhich I haveseen, and it is surprising

,that among the many un

believing books that have lately been published, thisshould escape.” In all probability Dr. Stubbe is thephysician referred to.Mr. Wanley (who died 1 727) echoes the same

belief In the Harl. MSS Catalogue. “ I have heard,he says, that the author was Doctor Henry Stubs thePhysician ; but it is not particularly mentioned in the

large account given of him and his works by Mr.

Anthony Wood in the second volume of his AthenaeOxoniensis.

In the library of the Rev. John Disney, D.D .

074 6 sold by Sotheby,in 1 8 1 7, three copies

of this work were included, and one of these wasprobably the original manuscript Of Stubbe. With

vii

INTRODUCTION

it were also some letters,apparently on the same

subject, but neither the book nor the letters can now

be traced.

Internal evidence throws little fresh light on thequestion of the authorship or date of the work. We

find in it a reference to Sir Paul Rycaut’

s Present State

ofthe Ottoman Empire, wrongly described (perhaps frommemory) as his Relation of theTurkish Government. Asth is was published in 1 668 , and Stubbe was drownedin 1 676, the latter

’s work was probably fin ished sometim ebetween these two dates ; and if a quotation from theWestern Barbary of Lancelot Addison is no t a lateraddition

, the date of authorship is narrowed down tothe period I 67 1

— 1 676.

I I . T 11 13 HI STORY OF THE MANUsCRI pT

The manuscript which forms the text of thispublication is not only the best and earliest datedcopy known, but also the only one giving the full title .It is beautifully written

,in an Italian hand

,and contains

in all 1 69 pages, divided into ten chapters. Mr. CharlesHornby copied it with som e variations and additions

,

as he himselftells us on the title-page.On the death of Hornby

,in 1 73 9, this book

appeared in the catalogue of his library, and isdescribed as follows

39— An Account of the Rise and Progress ofMahometanism,

with the Life ofMahomet, and a Vindication of him and his Religionfrom the Calumnies of the Christ ians, and neatly bound in blue Turkey,supposed to be wrote (sir) by Dr. Stubbs.” See Catalogue of the

Collection ofthe Learned and Curious, Charles Hornby, sold byMr. Cocks on Monday the 3rd December 1 739.

We next find it in the library of the Rev . JohnDisney

,D.D.

,of Ingatestone, Essex. Disney, in early

life, was a Trinitarian, but later became a Unitarian,

and took an active part in the defence and diffusion ofthe Unitarian movement. He seems to have taken a

\flll

INTRODUCTION

special interest in Dr. Stubbe’

s work, of which, as has

been seen,he possessed three copies. This o ne bears

his book-plate,with crest

,consisting of a Lion with

the motto Vincit Qui Patitur,

” with the in itials J. D.

in the corner. In the auction sale catalogue th is copyis described by Sotheby as fo llows

(Lot ) 1 562— Account ofthe Rise and Progress ofMahometanism,

with the Life ofMahomet , and a Vindication ofhim and his Religionfrom the Calumnies of the Christians, supposed to be written by Dr.

Stubbe, copied C . H . (Charles Hornby), Ano Dni 1 705, with some

variations and additions, folio, blue mor., gilt leaves.”

This was purchased by Sir Alexander Boswell ( 1 775the son ofJames Boswell, the famous Biographer

OfJohnson,fo r eleven shillings, and thus became a part

of the Auchinleck Library. This library itselfwas soldand dispersed in 1 893 , and in So theby’s Catalogue itis again described o n page 1 3 , among the Folios, as

(Lot ) 194— Account ofthe Rise and Progress ofMahometanism,

with the Life ofMahomet, and a Vindication of him and his Religion

(supposed to be written by Dr. Stubbe) , clearly written manuscript,copied by C . H., A.D. 1 705, with some variations and additions, bluemorocco ex tra, g.e., from Sir J. Dalrymple

’s L ibrary,

Sotheby eviden tly misinterpreted the initials J . D.,

which meant John Disney,for J . Dalrymple. The

Dalrymple Library was sold in 1 8 30, and the book at

that period still belonged to the Auchinleck Library.

Bertram Dobell,its next owner

,bought it for eight

shillings,and from this firm it was purchased by the

present owner in 1 907 .

I II . OTHER MANUSCRIPTS

There are several other manuscript copies in existence. Of those mentioned below

,No s. 1 , 4 , and 5 are

to be found in the British Museum .

1 . Fragments ofan Unknown copy, scattered in No s.

Ix

INTRODUCTION

1 709 and 1 7 86 of the Sloane MSS, and described in thecatalogue as 2

1 709. The History of the Saracens and of Mahomet, chieflytaken from Pocock and Hottinger.

”

1 786. Fragment of a treatise respecting the rites and ceremonies

ofMahometans, and the justice ofMahometan Wars,

and that Mahomet did not propagate his religion bythe sword.

These two fragments, in the same late seventeenthcentury hand

,are evidently o ne and the same copy of

the work,and this fact would have been apparent to

the cataloguer could he have had the manuscriptsbefore him at the same time. This copy is probablythe earliest known

,and contains five chapters in all

,

ofwhich the first,and the first halfof the third chapter

,

which corresponds to the first chapter anda portion ofthesecond chapter ofthe Harl . MSS, No . 1 8 76 , is missing.

2 . The text from which Mr. Hornby made hiscopy. In the catalogue of the Hornby Collection(already referred to), page 1 3 , it is thus described

No . 3 I— The Original and Progress ofMahometanism the same,with number 39.

This was a folio,and was sold with the Hornby

copy already mentioned . In 1 8 1 7 it appeared in theDisney Catalogue

,page 70

(Lot ) 1 564— Treatise on the Origin and Progress ofMahomet

aniam.

’

Sir Alexander Boswell bought it for one shilling and

S ixpence,and it came into the market again in 1 893 ,

when the Auchinleck Library was so ld, and was

purchased by Messrs. Bull Auvache, who havedisposed ofthe book and are unable to trace it.

3 . No. 1 559 ofthe Disney Catalogue, page 70Stubes History ofMahomet, with his letters concerning it.

Sold to Thomas Rodd (Senior) for four shillings.

Nothing is known of the subsequent history of thismanuscript.

x

INTRODUCTION

4 . Harl. MSS, NO. 1 876, attributed by Mr. Wanleyto Dr. Stubbes. It is a folio without date or title,beautifully written, containing 2 10 pages in all

,with

the fo llowing divisions or chapters

( 1 An Account ofthe L ife ofMahomet Page 1 55(z A general Preface to the Account ofthe

Original! and Progress ofMahomet

57- 100

( 3 ) The History of the Saracens and of

Mahomet 103—193(4 ) Concerning the Justice oftheMahometan

wars, and that Mahomet did not pro

pagate his doctrine by the sword 195- 203

( 5) Concerning the Christian Additions 205- 2 10

5 . Harl. MSS, No . 6 1 89. With the exception ofaslight change in the division of the chapters

,it is the

same as No . 4 , above mentioned. I t contains manycorrections, and has no title. The cataloguer did no t

attribute it to Dr. Stubbe, and treated it as an

anonymous work. It is a folio copy, 308 pages,fairly written,

” dated 7th Julij 1 7 1 8 . Exam W. T .

”

The arrangement ofthe chapters is as followsThe Rise and Progress ofMahometanism PageOfMahomet and the Saracens

Concerning the Justice ofthe Mahometan

wars, and that Mahomet did not pro

pagate his doctrine by the swordAdditions concerning the Christians

5 A general preface to the Account ofMahometanism and Progress 240

—308

The texts,as they have come down to us

,appear

by no means intact, having suffered greatly in transcription . Words, paragraphs, sentences, and even thedivisions of the chapters in the existing copies

,do not

agree. We are at a loss to know what was the originaldivision and the title Of the work . A comparison of

o ur copy with the Harl. MSS, No . 1 8 76, shows thatnumerous variations exist between the two copies.While the British Museum copy has only five headings, our copy is divided into ten chapters. Mr.

x 1

INTRODUCTION

Hornby’s aim ,perhaps, was to present the book in the

fo rm of a narrative as well as in histo rical o rder,

necessitating a fresh arrangement,with the consequent

additio ns,variatio ns, and omissions. This, although

leaving the wo rk substantially unaltered, has resultedin occasional repetitio ns and inconsistencies

,and the

attempt has been made to eliminate these with a V iewto general harmony. Some passages

,again, have been

omitted because they militate against modern canonsof taste, o r because they break the co ntinuity of thetext. With these exceptio ns, which have been keptwithin narrow limits

,the o riginal remains untouched.

Here it must also be added that Dr. Stubbe has alwaysmade it a point to give his references

,systematically

no ted in manuscripts No s. 1 and 3 . UnfortunatelyMr. Hornby has om itted them

,as a rule ; hence no

reference is found in our work. It is sufficien t tono te here that the autho r is acquainted with almo stall the writers on the history of Judaism

,Christianity

and Islam,from the earliest period down to his own

tIme.

IV. GENERAL OBSERVAT IONS

The early accounts of the Muslims reached theEnglish shores through French and Latin sources

,

with o ccasional contributio ns from o ther languages.These accounts, generally speaking, were based on

legends and fables. As time passed on,they rew

in number and vastness, until the introduction 0 thePress incorpo rated them in book form . The sixteenthand the seventeenth centuries saw them widely circulatedin the literature of the period. These legends were of

the grossest nature, absurd, abusive,and Obscene. It

may be said, to the credit Of Englishmen, that there Isnothing in them of lo cal origin : withal

,theywere

copied,quo ted

,read and believed by all classes in this

country People read them to denounce and in

criminate the system of Islam ; the unlearned sharingx ii

INTRODUCTION

the same sentiments with scholars. Amidst thisgeneral ignorance there were some solitary figureswho

,inspired by their own philosophical reasoning

,

m editated deeply on the problem of the rise of I slam .

Doubtful of the integrity of the current opinions,they

proceeded to institute a new inquiry, to which theintroduction of Oriental Study also gave a strongsupport. The name ofDr. Stubbe canno t be forgottenin this connection . Until then England had beencontent to read the histories of Musulmans either inLatin and French, or through translations from theselanguages. It was not until Stubbe arrived on thescene that the attempt was made to produce an originalwork in the English language ; and this is the booknow before us It may not be out of place to pointo ut some ofthe chieffeatures of the work.

The author begins with a critical study of thehistory of Judaism and Christianity. His remarks asto the belief of the primitive Christians are of greatinterest. Their principal . tenet

,he tells us

,consisted

in the belief that Jesus was the Messiah,whose second

coming would restore the glory of Israel,and establish

truth and peace throughout the world. These primitiveChristians

,he further observes

,neither looked upon

Christ as the Son of God by eternal generation,nor

prayed to him ; also they did no t believe in the HolyGhost or the Trinity. Such doctrines, he maintains,would have been capital among them

,as tending to

blasphemy and polytheism . To us,who are Muslims

,

these admissions are of deep significance, especially at

the present tim e,when England is sending an army

Of missionaries to cajole us into accepting these verydo ctrines. The autho r ho lds a strong brief for thoseJudaising churches

,bewailing their fate and questioning

the authority which declared them heretic in subsequentages. The remarkable intuition with which he approachesIslam on these questions deserves our profound attention .

The want of authentic material has prevented Dr.

1t III

INTRODUCTION

Stubbe from producing a co pious life story of theProphet ; but we should not employ the modernstandard of judgment in this case, and should makedue allowance fo r the period at which the sketch wascomposed.The Prophet, according to the author, is a Prophet

monarch,something like King David. His prophetic

mission was predicted,and his military career was

built, in the atmosphere of the Christian camp. Thuspolitics, along with the prophetical mission

,play an

important part in his life. It is the legislative wisdomof the master of Arabia which has completely wonour author’s heart. Notwithstanding the misleadingcharacter and the meagreness of the material at hiscommand, Stubbe has achieved a great triumph in hisdescription of the Journey of Aly. The narrative ispurposely enlarged, with a View to acquainting hisreaders with the opinions

,sentiments

, and religiousnotions of the Musulmans. He views the characterofAly with an afi

'

ection no t unworthy of a Muslim,

and proceeds to describe the journey. Here, in theatmosphere of romance

,he unveils a profound know

ledge of pre—Islamic traditions embodying in the

speeches of Ali,which cannot fail to excite o ur

enthusiasm, passages full of the fire ofArab eloquence.Equally admirable is his masterly treatment of a

false notion,

“ The spread of Islam by the Sword,”an

idea rooted for centuries in the Western mind,and

still maintained in some quarters. He calls it “a

vulgar opinion and a palpable mistake . Hisremarkable verdict o n this po int finds abundant confirmatio n in recent writers

,as may be seen in that

great mine of learning,The Preaching of Islam

,by

Professor T . W. Arnold.

The most useful and instructive portion of thework is that which deals with the early fables of theChristians in relation to o ur Prophet. In ChapterVI II . he has particularly directed his attentio n to the

x 1v

INTRODUCTION

refiI tation of these calumn ies. Many authors havepassed remarks concerning the misconceptions and

prejudices entertained against Islam, but beyond thisvague utterance little was to be learnt from them . We

never knew the real state of affairs until Stubbe set

it befo re us. Something has been said on this topicby M . Alessandro d’

Ancona in Italy,by Renan and

Edmond Doutte in France,but in England not a

single writer can be found who has done so .

The errors inevitable in a writer of the seventeenthcentury

,who was entirely dependent upon Christian

records,are no t to be wondered at

,since we know how

meagre the info rmation was then. In some instancesthe autho r has fallen a prey to such legendary accounts

,

which were obviously received as authentic. One of

them is in relation to the home of our lady KhadI a,supposed by the author to be Syria. In early chroni es

she is spoken ofas the queen of Syria, and it is evidentthat he refers to this story when he says : “ I think Ifollow the most probable story by placing Chad a inSyria

,though she were a Coreischite. His references

to the Prophet’s serving in the Christian army underAbubecr (wrongly called uncle to the Prophet), withOmar and Osman, carry us back again to the Christianlegend which describes them as great captains, whoheaded a revo lt because the paymaster of the Greekarmy called them Saracen Dogs.” In a similar lightmust be read the alleged journey of the Prophet toSpain. Evidently this romance was invented by someSpaniard who sought to glorify St. Isidore

,the great

saint of his land. The work by Count Boulainvilliers,

which has many points in common with those of the

author,also contains this story. It is to be regretted

that the above two legends have disfigured the pagesof Stubbe

’

s work. It is owing to them that a strongcurrent of po litical considerations runs throughout thebook

,and even the political speeches ofAly are written

under their influence.6 xv

INTRODUCTION

Reviewed in its entirety, the wo rk of Dr. Stubbeproves to be a very impo rtant and healthy contributionto the literature of his time ; and it is sincerely to bedeplored that it was no t published earlier. Its appearance would have disabused the minds of Englishm en

concerning the alleged Imposture of Mahomet,”

a

popular opinio n current during the last two centuriesand not exploded until recently.Stubbe deserves to rank with Gibbo n and Carlyle

,

who se judicious writings have done so much to combatthe prejudices that warp the judgment ofEngland withregard to the Pro phet. True, he has no t

,lik e these

great masters, been fortunate enough to obtain a

hearin from the world ; nevertheless, he was the

first nglishman to cast from himself the trammelswhich, with the rest of his countrymen, he had in

herited from the M iddle Ages. There is no trace inhim of that concession to preconceived ideas and

malignant notions which one frequently observes inalmost all works on the subject by English writers ;and he speaks the truth fully and fearlessly

,without

being deterred, as many are to our day, by religiousor political considerations. It is therefore fitting thatwe should hono ur the memory ofthis great man, whosework certainly claims the appreciation ofposterity.

MEMOIR OF DR . HENRY STUBBE

HE most noted person of his age thatthese late times have produced.”

With this remark the celebratedWood opens his account of Dr.

Henry Stubbe.S tubbe was born on the a8th of February 163 I , at

Partney,near Spilsby in Lincolnshire at which place

his father,then a minister, resided. Being anabaptisti

cally inclined,he was forced to leave his ministry, and

went to Ireland, where he found employment at

Tredagh. Upon a rebellion breaking out in that country,in 1 64 1 , Mrs. Stubbe, with our author and another child,fled to England. Landing at Liverpool

,she went on to

London, where she earned her living by her needle.Her son attended the School at Westminster, and Mr.

Richard Busbie, the chiefmaster, who found the boy verytalented and promising, gave him much encouragement.Sir Henry Vane (beheaded on Tower Hill, 1662) took aconsiderable interest in the lad

,frequently helping him

with meals and money, and showing him other favours.Through his kindness

,Stubbe

,having received a King’s

scholarship, proceeded to Christ Church, Oxford. Hegraduated in 1 653 , then went to Scotland, and served inthe war, for the Parliament, from 1 653 to 1 655. On

MEMOIR OF DR. HENRY STUBBE

his return he took the degree ofM.A.,andwas appointed

the Second Keeper to the Bodleian Library, which appointment he held for three years ; being all the timemuch favoured ” by the then Head Keeper. E ndowedwith an extraordinary memory, he distinguished himselfin various branches of learning. Dr. E. Reynold, whenrestored to his Deanery in 1 659, found means to removehim from the Library. Stubbe

’

s loyalty to Sir HenryVane was the chief charge laid against him before theParliament

,and he is spoken of as one that palliated

in print Sir Henry Vane ’s wickedness Stubbe having Written A Vindication of that Prudent and Honourable

Knight, SirHenry Vane, London, 1659, Anotherwork ofthe author

,A Light shining out ofDarkness, appeared the

same year,and was looked upon as an attack upon the

clergy and universities. In these circumstances he wasej ected from the Library. He retired to Stratford-o nAvon, and started a private practice as a physician. Onthe Restoration he made a voluntary application to Dr.

George Morley,for his protection in retirement, promis

ing an inviolable passive obedience. At the Restorationof Bishops he, at the motion of Dr. Morley, receivedconfirmation. Referring to this incident in one of hisworks, he says, “ I have jo ined myself to the Church of

England, not only upon account of its being publiclyimpo sed

,but because it is the least defining, and con

sequently the most comprehensive and fitting, to benational.In the following year he went to Jamaica as physician

ofHis Majesty,but in 1 665, on account of continuous

ill-health under that climate, he was obliged to return.For some time he remained in and about London, wentthence to Stratford, and finally settled at Warwick prae

xviii

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MEMOIR OF DR HENRY STUBBE

In 1672 he wro te A Justification of the Present War

against the United Netherlands, in answer to a Dutchtreatise. For the compilation of this and A Further

Justification, eta , he was allowed the use ofthe Paper Officeat Whitehall, and was awarded a sum of two hundredpounds out of His Majesty’s Exchequer. In 1 673Stubbe published the Paris Gazette, which he wro teagainst the marriage of the Duke of York and the

Princess ofModena. For this ofi'

ence he was arrested,taken from o ne prison to another

,threatened with

hanging, and was put to a great deal of charge.”The

time when he was released is no t known . It is probablethat he wrote his R ise andProgress ofM ahometanism somewhere about this period, but the reason for its non

publication remains a mystery. Stubbs ’

s co rrespondencewith Hobbes is preserved in British Museum Addit.

32 553

CONTENTS

FACSIMILE PAGE OF MS.PREFACEINTRODUCTION.

— I. AUTHORSHIP AND DATE. II. THEHISTORY or THE MANUSCRIPT. III. OTHERscRIr

-rs. IV . G ENERAL OBSERvATIONS

MEMOIR OF DE. HENRY STUBBECRAP.

I. JUDAISM 8e CHRISTIANITYII. THE AUTHOR’S APOLOGYIII. ARABIA 8: THE SARACENS

IV. TRANSACTIONS FROM THE BIRTH OF MAHOHET

V. MAI-mum’s CONDUCT AT MEDINA

VI. THE RETURN or ALT, AND THE WARRS or MAHOIIET

VII. MAHOHET’S LAST PILORISIAGE, HIS DEATH AND BURIAI.

VIII. THE CHARACTER or MAHONET, AND FABULOUS INVENTIONSor THE CHRISTIANS

IX . ALCORAN 8c MIRACLES or MAHossET

X . JUSTI CE or THE MAHONETAN WARRS

APPENDIX .— EARLT CHRISTIAN LEGENDS AND NOTIONS OON

CERNING ISLAM

INDEX

xxi

AN ACCOUNT OF THE RISE

PROGRESS OF MAHOMETANISM

CHAPTER I

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF MAHOMETCONTEYNING AN ACCOUNT OF THE STATE OFJUDAISM 8c CHRISTIANITY FROM THE TIME OFJESUS CHRIST TO MAHOMET

HE Original and Progress of Mahometanism was one of the greatest Transactions the Wo rld has ever been acquaintedwith, wherein a new Religion was introduced which hath now maintain ’

d itselfabove a thousand years, (to the desolation in a mannerof Paganism

,Judaism,

8: Christianity) hath increasedits extent

, 81: spread its Pro selites, over more then a fifthpart ofthe known Earth, to which Judaism, including allits Co lonies

,was never equal, nor perhaps Christianity

itself.For if we consider the State Condition of

Christianity before the time of Co nstantine, o r even to

the dayes of Theodosius, we shall find that during all

that time,as the Senate of Rome, so the greatest part of

the Empire were Pagans : 8x afterwards when it wassetled 8: established by human Laws the inundation of

the Arrian Goths, 8c the general irreligion, impiety, 8cdivision into Sects (some whereofwere Idolaters), do notpermit me to think that true fervent Christianity was

,

at the time ofMahomet’s appearance in the World, soA I

RISE}hifPiibéfiES

'

S OF MAHOMETANISM

far diffused as Mahometanism is at present, 8: I doubt

that since that time the progress which the ChristianReligion has made in the Western World

,8: of late in

some parts of China, bears no propo rtion with what ithas lost in the other parts ofAsia 8: in Africk , whereit is almost extirpated by the prevailing doctrine of

Mahomet. With this new religion arose an Empiregreater then any ofthe four so famed Monarchies, erectedin a poor barren Countrey, hemm

’

d in between two

great 8: potent Princes, o ne reigning over the EasternChristians

,the other over the Persians

, 8: which verymuch augments the wonder, all this was accomplished inthe compass of a very few years, by a Man of a meanState, feircely opposed 8: slenderly befreinded.

Before we enter upon the History 8: Character of

this person, who by these actions has In’

d so much uponthe esteem of one part of the wor d

, 8: filled the restwith wonder 8: amazement, we shall endeavour as muchas in us lyes to discover the means by which he atcheived

those great things. And in order thereto,we must

consider what it was that disposed the people to such a

change, 8: thereby favoured the begining 8: assisted theProgress ofthat Stupendous Revolution.The bravest actions do often miscarr 8: the greatest

Attempts prove abortive, under very Air pretences 8:happy beginin

g? in case the antecedent causes be no t

proportionate agreable to the Designe. Never didany Republiek dwindle into a Monarchy

,nor any

Kingdom alter into an Aristo cracy or Comon Wealthwithout a series ofpreceeding causes principally contributing to such alterations. Without which Brutus had nevererected a Senate in Rome, nor had Ce sar afterwards beenable to establish himself in a power so odious to that freepeople. And if we inquire the reason why the firstBrutus could expell Tarquin, and the Second (whoseendeavours were no less for the publick good) wasno t able to overthrow Augustus 8: Anthony ; whyLycurgus, Solon, 8: others could establish those Govern

2

JUDAISM CHRISTIANITY

ments in Sparta, Athens, 8:c., which others have in vainattempted to settle in Genoa, Florence, and other places,we shall find that some considering those antecedentCauses which secretly 8: securely incline to a Changehave taken the advantage thereof, whilst the others dido nly regard the speciousness o r Justice of their pretensions without a mature Examination of what was

principally to be observed. This is certain that whenthe previous Dispositio ns interven ’

d, a Slight occasion,nay, often a mere Casualty opportunely taken hold of

,

8: wisely prosecuted, will produce those Revolutionswhich otherwise no human Sagacity or Courage couldaccomplish.I cannot find any authentick ground to beleive that

the Sects among the Jews were more ancient then thedayes of the Maccabees, but arose after that Antiochushad subdued Jerusalem, and reduced the generality of

the Jews to Paganism, when (the better to confirm his

Con nests) he erected there an Academy, placing thereinthePythagorean, Plato nick , 8: Epicurean Philosophers.This I co nceive (8: so do o thers) to have been theoriginal of the Pharisees, Saducees, and Essenes ; tho

’

afterwards, when the Maccabees had made an Edictagainst, and anathematized all that taught their Childrenthe Greek Philo sophy

,one party did justify their Tenets,

by intitling them to Sado c 8: Baitho s, 8: the others

to a Cabala derived successively from Ezra 8: Moses.The introduction of those Sects, 8: of that Cabala

,

o ccasion’

d that Exposition of the Prophesy of Jacob(Gen . xlix. The Scepter shall not depart fromJudah

,nor a Lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh

come,8: unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

From whence they did (according to that fantastic Cabala)imagine that whensoever the Scepter Should depart fromJudah

,8: the dom inion thereof cease

,that then there

should arise a Messiah of the line of David (yet hisbeing of the line of David was no t a general opinion

,

for how then could any have imagin’

d Herod the great3

RISE 8: PROGRESS OF MAHOMETANISM

to have been the Messiah, or how could Josephus fixthat character upon Vespasian) who should restore theEmpire 8: Glory of I srael, to whom all nations shouldbow 8: submit to his Scepter. I do no t read that theJews harbor’d any such exposition during their Captivityunder Nebuchadnezzar : albeit that the Scepter sodeparted at that time from the Tribe of Judah

, 8: houseof David

,that it was never resetled in it more

, aftertheir return to Jerusalem no such thing is spoken of

when Antiochus Epiphanes subdued them, prophaned

their Temple, destroyed their Laws 8: rites, 8: left them

nothing of a Scepter 8: Lawgiver,during all which time

notwithstanding they had the same Prophesies 8:

Scriptures among them,there is no news ofany expected

Messiah. But after the curiosity of the Rabbi ’s hadinvolved them in the pursuance of Mistical Numbersand Pythagorically or Cabalistically to explain them

,

according to the Gematria, then it was discovered thatShilo 8: Messiah consisted of letters which make up thesame Numerals, and therefore that a mysterious promiseof a Redeemer was insinuated thereby, 8: the Prophesyof Balaam (Num . xxiv. 1 7) concerning a Star out of

Jaco b 8: a Scepter rising out of Israel,with a multitude

ofo ther predictions (which the co ndition of their Nationmade them otherwise to despair of) , must be fulfill

’

d

under this Messiah. I name no o therProphesies, becausethey are either general 8: indefinitely express

’

d as to thetime of their accomplishment, o r else inexplicable fromtheir obscurity

,o r uncertain as to their authority, as the

weeks of Daniel, which book the Jews reckon amongtheir Hagiographa o r Sacred

,but not Canonical books.

This Prophesy likewise had a contradictory one

(Jer. xxii. where ’tis said ofConiah, That no man of

his seed shall prosper sitting upon the Throne ofDavid,

8: ruling any more in Judah also Ezekiel xxii . 26, 27 .

Thus,saith the Lo rd God, remove the Diadem,

8: takeof the Crown, this shall not be the same, exalt him thatis low 8: abase him that is high : I will overturn,

4


RISE PROGRESS OF MAHOMETANISM

the Sanhedrim,Rabbi Hillel of the linage of David.

But ten years after the birth of Christ,when Archelaus

was banish’

d to Vienna,8: Judea reduced into the form

of a Roman Province,the Scepter then seemed to be

intirely departed from Judah ; the Kingdom was nowbecome part of the government of Syria ; 8: ruled by aProcurator, who taxed them severely ; then the sense oftheir miseries made the people mo re credulous

,8:

whether they more easily beleived, what they so earnestlydesired might happen

,o r that the malcontents (taking the

advantage of their uneasiness) did then more frequently8: diligently insinuate into the multitude that opinion,it so happened that there arose about that time sundryfalse Messiahs

, 8: the world was big with expectationraised in every Countrey by the Jews (who had receivedthe intelligence from their comon Metropolis Jerusalem) ,that the great Prince was comingwho should establishthe Jewish Monarchy

,8: bring peace 8: happiness to all

the earth.These circumstances made way for the reception of

Christ ; 8: the miracles he did (fo r miracles were theonly demonstrations to the Jews

,Mar. viii . 1 con

vincing the people that he was the Messiah, they didnot stay till he should declare himself to bee so (for, Ithink, he never directly told any he was so but thewoman ofSamaria

,Joh . iv. or evince his genealogy

from David (for tho’ some mean persons call’d him the

Son of David, 8: the populace by that title did cryHosanna unto him

,yet did he acquiesce in terming

himself the Son of man) but esteemed him a Prophet,

Elias,Jeremia, and even the Messiah. And when he

made his Cavalcade upon an asinego,they cryed him

up as the descendant ofKing David. But his untimelyapprehension and the Death (together with his neglectto improve the inclination of the people to make himKing) did allay the affections of the Jews towards him ,

disappointed all their hopes,8: so far exasperated them

against him that they who had been a part of his6

JUDAISM 8: CHRISTIANITY

Retinue in that intrado of his, did now call for hisexecution, 8: adjudged him by comon Sufl

'

rage to becrucified. His disciples fled

,the apostles dIstrusted,

8: sufliciently testified their unbeleif, by not creditinghis Resurrection . But after that he was risen again, 8:they assured thereof, they reassume their hopes of a

temporal Messias,8: the last interrogatory they propose

to him is,Lo rd

,wilt thou at this time restore the

Kingdom to Israel (Acts i .After his Ascension into Heaven they attend in

Jerusalem the coming of the Holy Ghost, which Seizedon them 8: gave them the gift of Tongues for a

season, whereby they preached to the Jews, Elamites,Parthians, Alexandrians, etc. (these Salmasius Shows ;not to be absolute Strangers or mere Natives of tho seCountries

,but Jews planted there) , as also to the

proselites. These surprized with the M iracle of the

Cloven Tongues, 8: gift of Ian uages, being alreadypo ssest with the desire 8: hopes ofa Messiah, and therefurther ascertain ’

d by Peter, that Jesus whom Pilate hadcrucified was the Lord 8: Christ (Acts ii . were tothe number of three thousand imediatly baptized inhis Name ; 8: such as were to depart

,when they came

to their Colo nies did divulge the tidings and engageother Jews and pro selites to the same Beleif theApostles themselves going about 8: also ordaining othersto pi

'

each the glad tidings of a Messiah come, who, tho’

dead, was risen again (according to the obscure prediction

of David) for the salvation of Israel,8: whose second

coming would compleat the happiness of all Nations, aswell Jews as Gentiles.That wee may the better understand the way

whereby these glad tidings were spread,’tis requisite

to be inform ’

d of the condition of the Jews in thosedays. It will no t injure my relation if I translate a

peice of a letter written by Agrippa,a King in Jewry

(tho’

no t of Jerusalem), to Caius Caligula in behalf of

the holy City,8: published by Philo in his Embassy

7


to the Emperor, Jerusalem (sayes he) is the Metropolis not on] of the Countrey of Judea, but of manyother places,Ky reason of the Co lonies translated thenceat several] times either into adjacent territories, as Egypt,Phoenicia, Syria, Casio-Syria, or those more remote, as

Pamphylia, Cilicia, most parts ofAsia as far as Bythinia

8:‘

the inmost parts of Pontu s : nor is Europe exemptfrom this Jurisdiction ; the Jews being planted inThessalia, Bzo tia, Macedonia, iEtolia, Attica, Argos,Corinth, throughout Peloponesus, especially in theprincipal parts thereof: nor is the Continent onlyreplenished with this Nation

,they have setled them

selves in the cheifest Isles,as Eubaea, Cyprus, 8: Crete

I mention not those beyond Euphrates, every placewhere the Soil is rich (except a small part of Babylon8: some parcells in other Principalities) is inhabitedby Jews.To illustrate this further, let us consider the number

and interest of the Jews at Alexandria : what the glory8: power of the Egyptian 8: Alexandrian Jews was itis easy to understand out of Josephus 8: Philo. Theywere exceeding numerous there

,the cheifest Dignities,

as well military as civil,were vested in them they had

a peculiar temple built for them at Heliopolis, tho’

deserted before the time of Christ, 8: Onias for theirHigh Preist. They had alwais their distinct Rulers underthe Egyptian Kings chosen by themselves out of theirSenate to rule them for life, being Stiled axafiapxns,eOvapxns, m mpxfls, eSpasms, 8: you ma easily guess attheir splendor and Number by the allowing relationof the Rabbi ’s. He that hath no t seen the CathedralChurch (or cheif Synagogue) at Alexandria never saw

the real glory of I srael it was like a royal Palace, therewere two Porticos by which to enter into it, there werein it Seventy Chairs adorn ’

d with gold 8: Jewels according to the Number of the Elders, and a wooden Pulpitin the midst thereof

,wherein stood the Bishop of the

Synagogue, 8: when the Law was read, after the pro

8


nouncing of every benediction,a Sign was given by

the shaking of a Handk ercheif, for the People to say,Amen : they did no t there sit promiscuously, but men

of several ranks 8: professions did sit in distinct placesthere were once so many Jews there that the multitudewas double to what went first ou t ofEgypt.In the next place, let us consider the multitude at

Babylon 8: in the neighbouring territories of thosewhich went up to Jerusalem with Ezra, Nehemiah, 8:Zo robabel the number was but small, 8: those consistingof two tribes

,principally Judah 8: Benjamin, with four

orders of the Preists 8: Levites.Josephus gives us an account how wonderfully

numerous the Babylonish Jews were even in his time.Hee tels us that when Esdras had obtained leave fromX erxes, to go up to Jerusalem,

that he sent copies ofthe Letter to the Jews which dwelt in Media, ofwhomseveral repaired forthwith to Babylon with their Effects,in order to go up with Esdras. But the rest of theJews, I sraelites (saith he), would not leave that Countrey,so that only the two Tribes of Judah 8: Benjamin are

to be found in part ofAsia and Europe, subjected tothe Roman Empire ; the o ther ten Tribes continuebeyond Euphrates, being an infinite people and not tobe numbered.This Account how ten Tribes remain’d ought not to

seem strange to such as consider how St. James writeshis Catholic Epistle to the twelve Tribes which werescattered abroad, nor to such as beleive that the seventytwo Interpreters of the Bible were chosen out of thetwelve Tribes

,o r who give any credit to the Itinerary of

Benjamin Tudelensis, a Jew,who in his travels about

five hundred years ago met with great numbers of thoseIsraelites that were captivated by Salmanassar in Mediaand other neighbouring Countries. I t is to be no tedthat upon the Schism in the time ofRehoboam greatnumbers of Israelites leaving their own Countrey wentup to Jerusalem (with the Levites who were outed from

9


their oflice by Jeroboam) 8: remain’d there,the rest

being carried away Captive by the Assyrians,continued

in the Dominions ofAshur till Nebuchadnessar broughtthe Jews into the like Captivity 8: scattered them all

over his Dominions,which comprised one hundred 8:

twenty-seven provinces (Esth . viii. I t is not to beedoubted but the power 8: interest of these Jews or

Israelites was very great there about the time of Christ,if wee compare the account of Josephus with what wefind afterwards

,that they could be contradistinguish

’

d

from the Palestine Jews,had their own Targum 8:

Talmud, 8: their Republick s or Universities in Soria,

Pombeditha,Nchardes

,8: o ther places

,continuing to the

times ofTheodosius, Arcadius, 8: Honorius (nay, Beterustells us of one at Bagdad which continued till the yearof Christ 1 300, 8: was then deserted for fear of the

Arabians), they had also an infinite number ofSynagoges8: a Reverence universally paid to the Rulers, equivalentto what was shew

’

d to the Christian Bishops 8: Clergy.All these came up frequently to the great Festivals atJerusalem (as Salmasius proves out ofActs ii . wherefrom the place of their Residence they are calledParthians

,Medes

,Elamites

,etc. Besides this inestim

able number ofJews,there was a multitude ofProselites

whom they continually converted to intire Judaism, theirperpetual endeavo urs being to draw all they could totheir Religion : thus wee find Idumeans were madePro selites in the daies ofHyrcanus. In the BabylonishEmpire many of the Nations turned Jews (Esth. viii.

8: the Talmudists reckon upon Nero Cesar 8:Antoninus Pius as Pro selites. But to evince theirnumber better

,let us learn from Salmasius that the

originary Jews did never use the Septuagint in theirSynagogues

,but that it was only made use of by the

Proselyte Jews 8: their Posterity at Alexandria 8:

elsewhere. The Hellenists mentio n’

d in the Acts wereno other

,8: the Deacons elected there to provide for

the widdows were of that number, one being a ProseliteIO


ofAntioch. That they were Jewish Proselites, appearsfrom hence

,that the Gospel had not then been preached

to the Gentiles. How diligent the Pharisees were to

engage new converts, the Gospel tells us, 8: to descendto after ages

,which is of some importance to the

subsequent discourse . Dio Cassius tells us that in thetime of Adrian

,when Barchochas acted the Messiah,

many nationsjoyned with that Impostor 8: the Jews, so

that the Who e World was in a como tion, which cannotbe understood of any but entire Pro selites, for the Jewswould no t have mingled with others ; and after that

,

under the Christian Emperors, our Codes 8: Ecclesi

astical Constitutions inform us that they retain’

d thecustom of inveigling Pro selites. This being thecondition of the Jews

,and all the Nation (however

dispersed) being prepared beforehand, to entertain anytidings of a Messiah who should advance the Throneof David to an universal Monarchy

,

’tis not to bewondred that Christianity was so soon spread over thewho le Earth. But wherein consisted this primitiveChristianity which was thus diffused, certainly theprincipal Tenet which gained upon the Spirits of all

Men,was the doctrine of the comin of the Messiah ;

and it is evident that this was the findamental articlefrom whence the Christians had at first their name inAntioch

,8: which they propagated everywhere as the

sum of their Religion,that Jesus who was crucified was

the Messiah,that he was risen again

,8: would return

in Glory to restore Israel,8: establish Truth and

Peace throughout the Earth. The first part of this isapparent from divers texts

,the second seems demon

strated, hence that no t only the Jews but the Christianswere M illenaries

,8: did beleive and expect the temporal

Reign of the Messiah, 8: the union of the Jews 8:

Gentiles under one mo st happy Monarchy. No t oneof the two first Ages did dissent from his Opin ion

,

8: they who afterwards opposed it never quoted anyfor themselves before DionysiusAlexandrinus

,who lived

I I


at least 2 50 years after Christ. Of this Opinion wasJustin Martyr, 8: (as he saies) all other Christiansthat were exactly orthodox. Irenaeus sets it downdirectly for a Tradition

, 8: relates the very wordswhich Christ used when he taught this Doctrine ; sothat ifthis Tenet were not an universal Tradition in themost primitive times

,I profess I know not what Article

of our Faith will be found to be such upon the mostdiligent research. This Doctrine was taught by theconsent of the most eminent Fathers ofthe first Centurywithout any opposition from their contemporaries

, 8:

was deliver’

d by them not as Doctors, but Witnesses ;not as their Own Opinion

,but as Apostolic Tradition

it was certainly the most prevailing Argument in the

Conversion of the Jews,who

,by the Death of Christ

upon the Cross,having lost all hopes that the glorious

predictions of their Prophets concerning the Reign of

the Messiah should bee accomplish’

d under him,were

,

upon the information they had of his miraculousResurrection 8: Ascention, easily cajol

’

d with the hopesof his second coming to reign over them 8: fulfill theProphesies ; neither was there any difficulty in thisbeleif

,their minds being prepared fo r it by the like

Expectations they had already entertain’

d of the secondcoming of Moses 8: Elias. This Tenet hath been sofully handled by Doctor Mead (no t to mention someothers) that I might have declined the Allegation of

those impartial and able Witnesses,the Lord Falkland

and Mr. Chillingworth .

These were the principal Tenets of those that werethe first Christians

, 8: from whence they were denominated. As to the subordinate Doctrinals, they wereno other than these

,that the Messiah being already

come, 8: since his Ascention being upon his Return, in

order to the Recollection of I srael, the re-establishingof that Kingdom

,8: uniting of all Nations under one

Scepter (a Scepter of Righteousness and Truth), thatall persons ought to prepare themselves for this holy

I 2



that some ofthem being intire Pro selites, but no t understanding Hebrew nor reverencing that holy Language somuch as the originary Jews, they spoke Greek, and usedthe Septuagint in their Synagogues ; these were theGrecians Spoken of (Acts xi . as Salmasius wellobserves

,8: such were the Churches in Jerusalem, to

whom the Apostles appointed Deacons, all Pro selites ofthem that preached to the Gentiles, some taught themthe necessity of Circumcision, and becom ing intirePro selites. Thus did Peter (Gal. II. 1 4) and others (Actsxv. And even Paul circumcised Timothy, tho

’ theson ofaGentile Father (Acts xvi . Sixteen Bishops ofJerusalem were successively circumcised, saith SulpitiusSeverus ; and their names are mention

’

d by Eusebiusin his Ecclesiastical History (I. 4 . c. and even tho sewho derived their Pedigree so as to shew they were ofthe Kindred of Christ call’d Depo syin were alwaies of

the Circumcision,as Eusebius also tells us (I. 1 .

from hence we may frame to ourselves a prospect of

the primitive Judaizing Church,since it is certain that

the were zealous as to the Mosaical Law (Acts xxi.andvlived in a perfect conformity to the legal Rites. I t

is not to bee doubted but their Religion 8: Doctrinalsvaried much from ours, such a Sacrament as we make ;Baptism to be (sure) they had none, the Jewish Baptismextending only to Pro selites when newly made, and theirpresent Family, no t successive posterity : except wetake it in a generall sense for washing, as Luc. xi . 3 8 ,and so they might baptize either arbitrarily upon somegreat occasion, as at the preaching of John

,or out of

respect to legal or superstitious Pharisaical uncleanness,and to this alludes theApostle when he tells the Hebrewsof the Doctrine of Baptisms (Heb. vi . They thatwere circumcised resorted at usual times to the publicTemple Service (Acts iii . 1 8: 1 3 , they paid vows

,

ofl'

ered Sacrifices, and walked orderly, keeping the Law,

8: yet were believers (Acts xxi . 20, 2 3 , and thereis no t any S ign that they were Separated from the other

14


Jews, or were accounted Heretick s upon any o theraccount then that they held Jesus to be the Messiah 8:taught in his name (Acts iv. 1 7, As to the

o ther Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, neither did theyuse that otherwise then as Christ had done

, as a JudaicalRite used either at the Passover, o r constantly at Meals,the Cup ofBlessing being then distributed by the Masterofthe Household, and the bread broken 8: distributed.The use of Red Wine, the breaking of the breadformally

,8: the distributing of it ; the very names 8:

Rites are the same which were usual among the Jews ;nor was this ever don in the Jewish Synagogues

,but

at home, and, so’tis recorded, they continued daily in

the Temple, 8: breaking bread at their own houses,did

eat their Meat with Gladness and Singleness of heart(Acts 11.

’Tis very probable that they added to theusual benediction of the bread 8: Wine some commemorations in honour of the Messiah

,which was no

Innovation or SchismaticallAct, since every Rabbi mightenlarge the Synagogue worship or private devotion of

his Disciples in that manner, and it was usual for themso to do, wherefore this could give no Distast. Andifwe beleive that they imitated Christ in the celebrationof his last Supper, as that we may (for what wasreceived of the Lord was deliver’d unto them

,1 Co r.

xi. we must believe that all the Ceremonies of theJews were intirely retain

’

d by them at such times,Seeing

that in the Evangelists we find nothing don in the Lord’sSupper but what the Jewish Rituals prescribe. ThisScaliger avoweth, Ea omnia quae Evangelio traduntur

,

in Ritibus Judaeorum Sine vlla Discrepantia eodem

modo precepta esse,

’

with whom Buxtorfe and those thatare most versed in the Rabbinicall Learning agree.But that they did never beleive Christ to be the

natural Son ofGod, by eternal G eneration, or any Tenetdepending thereon

, or prayed unto him,or beleived the

Holy Ghost,or the Trinity of persons in o ne Deity, is

as evident as ’tis that the Jews 8: they did expect noI S


such Messiah,and the introducing such doctrines would

have been capital among them as tending to Blasphemyand Polytheism. I t was Blasphemy adjudg

’

d in Christto say that he should sit at the right hand of Power

,

that Power being esteemed an incomunicable Attributeof God

,and so sufl

'

er’

d Stephen (Acts vii. 56 ,Nor did Jesus

,upon the adjuration of Caiphas

,say that

he was Christ the Son of God (Math. xxvi. Andalbeit it is manifest that the appellation of son of Godwas not unusual] among the Jews so as that theybestow

’

d it on Men, yet did they not import therebyany real Divinity in the Person (nor did Caiphas in hisadjuration mean so), but an extraordinary perfectionlodged in Humanity 8: Hyperbollically express

’

d.

Neither is it to be believed that they were ofopinionthat the death ofChrist had put an end to the ceremonialLaw as consisting oftypes and fadin shadows, since theyobstinately retain ’

d them so long a ter, 8: which is most

considerable. During this time they were instructed8: govern

’

d by the Apostles and their imediate successors.Such was the condition of the Judaising Christians

,

amongst which it is further remarkable that as theoriginary Jews did use the Hebrew Bible in theirSynagogues, however that they expounded it in Syriac 8:Chaldee

,as they do now in Spanish

,I talian

,etc. (according

to the language which the Auditory best understands),8: the Pro selites did follow the Septuagint

, 8: had a

Greek Liturgy so it hapned in Christianity the JewishConverts did use the Hebrew Bible

, and the o thersadhered to the Septuagint and as they hated each otherbefore upon the account of that d ifference, so theyseem to have retain ’

d the same passion and animosityunder the Gospel : 8: the murmuring of the Greeks(Acts vi . 1 ) perhaps derived its begining from hencethe Hebrews not releiving the widdows of those others,whereupon the Hellenist Pro selites had seven Deaconschosen out of their number to attend that care. TheHellenist related strange M iracles concerning their

16


Version, and feign’

d a Tale of seventy cells in whicheach Translator finish’

d his version, 8: upon comparing

they were found to be the same word for word. Butthe Jews say that darkness was upon the face of theEarth in the time of Ptolomy, when that translationwas made, 8: kept a Fast yearly in the month Thabath,to testify their so rrow 8: resentments for it. And tho

’

the Hellenists did reside in Judea, or reso rt thither from

Alexandria, Antioch, 8: other places, yet they heldSynagogues distinct from those of the Hebrews thus wehave the Synagogue of the Libertines, of the Cyrenians,Alexandrians, etc. (Acts vi. Such were the JewishSynagogues, ofwhich Justin Martyr 8: Tertullian speak ,in which the Septuagint was read ; such was that inCesarea, the Metropolis of Judea, whereof we read inthe Hieroso lymitan Talmud that R. Levi went to Cesarea, 8: hearing them reading the lesson in Greek hewould have hinder’d them, but R. Jose was angry, 8:said

,Must no t he read at all who cannot read Hebrew

let him read in any language that he understands, andhe dischar th his duty.This iitinction of Synagogues was upon the same

account introduced, or rather continued, amongst theChristian s

,for tho

’ the Hellenists 8: Gentiles did usethe Septuagint and Greek Service, the Hebrews didnot so , nor used they the same Gospels with the other.Such were the Nazarenes who lived at Cesarea, Berea,8: elsewhere, who used the Hebrew Bible 8: either a

Go spellpeculiar call’

dEvangelium Nazareorum, or Evangelium secundum Hebraeo s, or at least the Gospel ofMathew written in Hebrew : but with that discrepancyfrom the others, that the Church hath rejected it asApocryphall, sophisticated with sundry Fables, 8: otherwise corrupted. But the Nazarenes 8: Ebionites (theremains of the Judaising Churches) did repute thatas the only authentic Gospel

, as Epiphanius relates.And from hence, I conceive, arose that Divisionwhereby some declared themselves to be of the

B 17


Synagogue of Paul,others of Apollos

,8: others of

Cephas ; the last being the Apostle of the Circumcision,his followers retained the Jewish Rites, the HebrewScriptures, 8: Hebrew Gospel (according to what descended to the Nazarenes at Pella Berea, witha Regimen exactly Judaical. But Apollos being an

Alexandrian Jew, or rather a Jewish Proselite (as one

would guess by his name), used (no doubt) theSeptuagint

,8: such books as composed the Cannon at

Alexandria ; 8: in all probability did introduce in hisSynagogues a conformity with the Alexandrine Rites 8:government

,adding thereunto that Jesus was Christ,

which is all that I find he preach’

d (Acts xviii . ButPaul

,who dealt with the Gentiles

,did not reduce them

under the Judaical Law and Circumcision,nor enforced

them to any Uniformity, but became all things to all

(by way of condescention) that he might gain them to

Christ whence his Synagogues or Churches must needshave varied exceedingly from those erected by Peter 8:Apollos : which gave occasion to that distinction at

Corinth,some being of Paul

,some ofApollos

,8: some

ofCephas ( 1 Co r. i . From hence,ifone will frame

to himself a prospect of the first Christian ity, he mustimagine to himself distinct Synagogues of the originalJews 8: Hellenist Pro selites

,none of them subordinate

to the same Governors,but as independant as were the

Jewish Synagogues everywhere,each Synagogue having

its peculiar Bishop or Angel of the Church,and ruling

Presbyters,who were termed in the Civil Law,

8: by theJews

,Archi Synagogi and Presbyteri : tho

’ perhaps theNasi or Patriarch at Jerusalem might have an Un iversalsuperintendency over them

,as he had a power to exact

Money from all the Jewish Synagogues in the EastandWest. The Oflicers which were sent to gather hisAurum Coronarium

,or Tax, were call

’

d Apostles,and

in imitation thereof did Christ institute his Apostles.The whole Constitution of the primitive Church Government relates to the Jewish Synagogue, not to the

1 8


Hierarchy. The Presbyters were not Preists, but Laymen set apart to their Oflice by imposition of handsno Temples

,no Altars, no Sacrifices were known in

those dayes,nor was the name of Preist then heard of.

Before the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem theseApostles used to go forth and collect the said money asShekels paid to the Temple

,which was afterwards con

verted IntoAurum coronarium . In the subsequentAgesthere Is mention of the Patriarchi minores, to whom theTheodosian Code gives the Title of spectabiles (as the

other grand Patriarchs are stiled illustres 8: clarissimi),as also Primates ; there Is likewise mention ofthe Hieres,who se Oflice is not known now unless it relate to theCohen now in use among the Jews. How ancient arethe lesser Patriarchs (who seem to have ruled over theArchi Synagogi 8: Presbyters ofperticular Synagogues),I cannot tell. But since all learned men do nowagree that the Christian Church was govern ’d accordingto the pattern of the Jewish Synagogue

,there can be

little doubt but that every Officer of the ChristianSynagogues resembled those of the others as wel inOflice as Name

,8: that as they retain ’d the Rites 8:

Customs of the Jewish Synagogues in all o ther things,

even to structure (not building their Synagogues East8: West

,but contrarywise, so that the coming in was

at the East 8: they prayed to the West, in whichmanner is St. Peter’s Church built now at Rome), andin Observing the Sabath

,Pascha

,Circumcision

,etc., so

they did in their Government, 8:’tis observable that

even at this day, tho’ the Jewish Synagogues agree in

the substance of their Service, yet for the perticulersthereof there is a great discrepancy among them inseveral countries

,as we find there was in the primitive

times among the Christians .’Tis very probable also that the Judaizing Christians

were at first subordinate to the Jewish Patriarch 8:Primates (having none of their own till the Jews wereanimated against them and anathematised them), as they

I 9


8: some of

them only Mines or

Hereticks, not Seperatists (as St. Jerom saies), and theycontinued so to do in his time through all the Syna

gogues ofthe Eastern Jews.

the Jews (some of every oneanity) that the difl

'

erences were as great in Christian

gymgogues as in those ofthe Jews, wheressenes, Pharisees, 8: Samaritans made S ects, each

retaining their own Opin ions mix’

t with the Doctrine of

the Messiah, 8: hence eame those Judaising Sects, of

which such a number is recounted by Epiphanius.

We may also imagine a great diversity betwixt theJews living in the land of Promise 8: those who livedout ofit ; for the Jews did no t then, nor do now, thinkthemselves obliged to the Mosaical Rites (much less anyTemple worship), out of Palestine the criminal Lawshave no coercive power out of tho se bounds. ThePaschal lamb is no t slain in any o ther Country allgroundbesides that, ho ly Canaan is too im pure 8: profane forsuch Services 8: Rites, tho

’ they did by the authority of

their Rabbis frame to themselves many succedaneo usRites 8: retain Circumcision, the Judaical Do ctrines, 8: anopinion of their perticuler Holyness above the Gentiles.

Of these Judaising Christians or beleiving Jews do thOrigen speak as continuing to his time no t being reckon

’

d

as Heretick s, but good Christians.

AS to the Gentiles that were converted to the beleif

of the Messiah, tho’ Paul were the Apostle of the

Uncircumcision 8: did no t reduce them under the

Mosaical Law 8: Rites, yet being originally an Hebrew’

tis easy to be observed that in the settling ofthe ChurchGovernment, 8: the penalty of Excomunieation, he didintroduce in their Church several Judaical Con stitutions,accomodating thereto divers of the Pagan Ceremon ies.The intromission of the Gentiles by Baptism was no

20



on the tenth day after their birth, therefo re the Christiansout of compliance with that Supertition of the Vulgardid hereby incline them at these times to initiate theirChildren to Christ. The like Condescentio n was usedin many other Cases, as in the observation of Christmas,Newyears day, May day, Shrovetide, and the previgiland Weeks of Saints ; and the form of Churches, thepraying to the East, processions about Parish bounds,the Denomination of the Clergy by the titles of Antistites, Pontifices, Sacerdotes, and the Churches by thename of Templa andAdes, the shaving of the Clergy,the Surplice, the Antiphons, and a thousand other thingsobservable in the ancient Gentile, Christianity had no

otherOriginal. Even the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supperand all its Rites seem to be deduced hence

,the Festivals

of the Pagan Deities were usually Suppers at whichthere was great Feasting, in both which this Sacramentdid at first resemble them. They were performed inTemples

,so was this at first

,and so still continues to be.

All the names of the Pagan Misteries are fixed on thisSacrament, and its Rites Mwiietov, TeXe'ni,M a ts, and

the proceedure from Chatechumeni to Competentes, andthen to Fideles : the preparation before it

,and the

Austerities, so resembling that they easily shew whencethey were derived. But withall I must add that as theseM isteries were not everywhere the same (for in theMysteries ofM ithras they gave to the initiated a Cupofwater 8: some bread with some accessional forms ofwords), so neither were the Rites ofthis Christian Sacrament in all places alike. Where the Reverence of theMysteries were greatest andmost solemn andaccompaniedwith greater Mo rtificatio ns, there the Christians weremore strict ; where it seem

’

d rather substituted to thePagan festival Suppers, there they were more jocund, andthe xvpm xovopSoxn was no other among the Christians then these Suppers, paganical 86m m. or Po ntificum

Caenae of the Gentiles. In some places they had theirEaaipvxc or Assemblies ofmen at Festivals, these were

22


allow’

d everywhere in Greece and Alexandria, and usualamong the Gentiles, by whom they were termed Sw arm.

S w ot,Epavoi , Kam M

,and those which assembled there

Et uyaO‘

ra t,etc., they were either held upon a Reli

gion s account as the Oiaao i , o r merely for pleasure andConversation as the rest. At these feasts each personcontributed his part o r share towards the defraying theExpence, which contribution was call

’

d S upfiom,Symbo la,

or Symbolum the Associates had a kind ofAdmissionamong themselves, and the manner of assembling gain

’

d

it the name of 2 7 :14t and Kouyoowd, and usually eitherthe overplus of the money collected fo r these meetingswas laid up, o r perhaps some further Collection made fo rthe releifofneedy or distressed Members of the Societyo r against such Contingencies ; these were publicklyallowed by Authority, and held monthly, sometimes inthe Temples, and sometimes in other appointed places.He that will compare this with the Account which wehave of the Christians ’ Agape o r Love Feast

,and con

siders that tho ’ the Magistrates did not usually allow of

private Combinations o r meetings, and yet approved

these if they extended not to the danger of the

publick, Will think that the Kvptaxow Sem vos and the

Kowcom’

a Titowpcflos r xeiss were but appellations of

some such Sodalitium or Fraternity : and this seemsapparent from the Comunion of the Corinthians

,where

every man brought in his contribution offood and wine,and ate 8: drank thereof. The fault which the Apostledoth blame in them is that the Comunicants did notimpart to the rest of the fraternity that which theybrought

,but each fed upon his own Symbolum,

so thatthe poorer sort did rise hungry

,and the rich did eat and

drink to excess. He tells the Corinthians that ifthey willeat apart, they may do it at home, and not in the Churcho r publick assembly that this proceedure was contraryto the Rules and intent of such Feasts, and that therebysuch as were poor were put to shame and slighted, byreason of the meanness of their Contributions ( 1 Co r.

23


xi . St. Paul in this place speaks ofthe Sacrament ofthe Lord’s Supper, and ifwe compare this with the

Agape, we must conclude the Agape and the Comunionto be the same thin so that it is no wonder ifwe readof several waies of

gcelebrating this Supper among the

Ancients. Even in the Apostle’s time some comunicatedwith the Pa ns at their Festivals, and to the Honor ofChrist did rink of the Cup ofDivels, and did partakeof the table ofDivels ( 1 Co r. x. 20, from whencewee may observe that the Rites were the same, tho

’ theydifl

'

er’

d in the objects oftheir devotion.This being the quality oftheir Rites and Ceremonies,

let us take a view ofthe Doctrines to which the Gentileswere converted, these seem to be principally containedin the grand Tenet, that Jesus was the Messiah of the

Jews, who was to unite Jew and Gentile under one

Temporal Monarchy. To qualify the Gentiles, as

befitting subjects for that Celestial Prince, they were torepent of their sins, renounce Idolatry

,and intirely to

obey the seven comandments ofNoah, under which theJews did beleive all the Gentiles were to be concluded,if they would have any portion in the Life to come orKingdom ofHeaven.

This seems most evident from the Apostolical Decreemade by the Synod at Jerusalem,

wherein there beinga Contest about what Obligation the beleiving Gentileswere to be brought under ; whether they ought to becircumcised, and instructed in the whole Law of Mosesto keep it, or whether they should be only subjected tothe seven Comandments ofNoah. The Synod concludedon the latter. We find by the History of this Councilthat those which were for imposing the burden of theMosaical Law upon the Gentile Converts were of theSect of the Pharisees which beleived (Acts xv.Hence it appears that those ofthat Sect which entertain ’

d

the Doctrine of the Messiah,and so became Christians,

did still retain their Zeal for the Law,and the opinions

and Traditions Of their Sect, together with the doctrine24


ofChrist, yet were no t loo k

’

d upon us Heretick s, albeitit were true that Ebion and Cerinthus were the personsthat first raised the Scruple for it is certain they whichheld that Opinion were then in good Esteem with theChurch

,and were a part ofthat Apostolical Synod tho

’

o verruled,how else could there have been such aavisfiiye ie,

so great a dispute there as the Text avers (Acts xv.There were also of the Saducees which profess

’

d

Christianity,and beleived Jesus to be the Messiah, yet

denyed the Resurrection . Of such doth Justin MartyrSpeak

,in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew, where he

reckons up as a third part of Christendom those whichwere called Christians yet denied the Resurrection, andTenet of the Chiliasts. ’Tis true he esteems themas wicked and heretical persons, but reckons them as

Christians. Seeing then that the Converts did retaingenerally their former Opinions, and that Christianity itsself was but a reformation of Judaism (as Mr. Seldenmore than once inculcates), to understand the decision ofthis matter we must consult the Customs and doctrinesof the Jews in the like cases. Now the Jews had two

sorts ofPro selites one sort they call’d the Proselites ofthe Gate

,these were Strangers dwelling among them

,

which they could not convert to Judaism,so that con

tinuin

gGentiles they were only obliged to the observa

tion 0 the Law of Nature contain ’

d in what they call’dthe seven comandments of Noah. Of this sort of

Pro selites were Naaman the Syrian, the EthiopianEunuch

,Cornelius the Centurion

,and those of whom

we read (Acts 11. that there were dwelling at Jerusalem,

men that feared God,of every Nation under Heaven.

The other sort they call’

d Pro selites of Righteousnesswho were converted to Judaism

,and the intire obedience

ofthe Mosaical Law,and Rites. Now those Jews who

were the most strict and Religious in the observation oftheir Law were for reducing all their Co nverts under it,and Obliging them to Circumcision and all its otherObservances whilst others

,for secular or politic Reasons

,

25


could give their Pro selites a Dispensation in thesematters. We have an instance of this in Josephus, inhis Ant. Jud. l. 20, c . 2 , where Izates, King ofAdiabene,being desirous to embrace the Jewish Religion, but afraidof occasioning thereby a Revolt of his people ; in thisExigency he consults Ananias a Jew then in his Court,who out offear ofbeing lo ok ’

d upon as the promoter ofthat change in the King, and thereby becoming theobject of the people’s Vengeance, gave his opinion thatthe Worship ofGod being more interiour then exteriour

,

he would doubtless be excused before God, tho’ he should

omit Circumcision and the other outward Ceremonies,comanded in the Law,

being don upon so good groundsas his own Safety and preservation . But another learnedJew

,named Eleazar, coming out ofGalilee to this Court

and seeing the King read the books ofMoses, took himup roundly. Sir (sayes he) , you affront the Law ofGod

,

and thereby God himself, if you know these Comandsand do not obey them

,but if you do not know that

Circumcision is comanded, read there, and see ifyou candelay it without impiety. In like Manner the Apostles

,

who were for making all the Converts they could totheir Doctrines

,were unwilling to clog them with the

heavy burthen of the Mosaical Law,lest it might deterr

them from Christianity, and so were willing to receivethem under the terms of the Pro selites of the Gate,which the beleiving Pharisees, who retain

’

d the sameveneration fo r the Law which they had before theirConversion, did not think sufficient, but were for makingthem intire Pro selites.Thus wee are to look upon the Opinion of the

Synod and their directions thereupon only as an instanceof things comonly known to be necessary. Had it beenmeant any other way, what a confusion would there haverisen upon so great an Inovation in the Jewish Tenets

,

o r how can wee imagine that they who were so zealousfor the same would have acquiesced therein. How shouldthey suffer this additional Clause out of the Mosaical

26


Law,to be extended to the uncircumcised, viz. to

abstain from things strangled, which was permitted to

the Gentiles (Deut. xiv. But this clause is held tobe spurious in the Text by St. Ambrose

,and others ;

and really ’tis incredible that it Should ever have been inthat Decree nor can it be reputed a necessary po int inthe Decree to abstain from things offered to Idols(except we understand thereby to abstain from Idolatry)fo r Paul decides that point otherwise to the Corinthians,that it was simply lawfull for them to eat things ofl

'

er’

d

to Idols, and that ’tis an indifferent matter,except in

case of scandal, as Heideggerus doth demonstrate out ofthe place. I do take it therefore for granted that whatI have above laid down was the fundamental doctrine ofthe Gentile Christians. But I must further add, that asthe Jews retain ’

d their Tenets and usages under Christianity, so did the Gentiles many of theirs thus Pantenusand Clemens Alexandrinus mixed Stoicism with Christianity, Origen and others Platonism and Peripateticism

,

and I have read ofCynical and Epicurean Christians.And here it is to be noted that tho’ these Gentiles wereconverted to Christianity, yet not being circumcised, andby that united to the Jewish Church

,the Judaising

Christians retain ’

d the sam e shyness and contempt whichthe Jews alwaies had ofthe rest of the Nations. We findthey were offended with Peter for going to Cornelius

, a

Gentile (Acts II. Neither did they come to the sameAssemblies, or communicate with them

,except it were

upon extraordinary o ccasions, and by a paramountApostolical proceedure thus Peter having at firstassociated with the Gentile Christians at Antioch, and

eat with them,when some came to him from James he

withdrew, and seperated himself, fearing them whichwere of the Circumcision and the other Jews dissembledlikewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas was carriedaway with their Dissimulation (Gal. ii. 1 2, The samedistance continued afterwards in the Judaizing Churches,for altho’ the Jews held that the pious among the Gentiles

27


mi ht be saved, yet did they esteem them as unclean,andsuch as they might no t freely converse with or eat

with (Acts x.It may indeed be question

’

d whether the GentileChristians did not beleive the Deity ofChrist, for beingso accustomed to the Deifying, and conferring divineHonors and worship upon men,

’tis more then probablethat many did beleive him to be a God in the Pagansense as other Heroes and extraordinary men werereputed. And thus Pliny in his Inquisition afterChristianity, found that they used to sing Hymns toChrist quasi Deo , as if he were a God. And Tertullianrelating the same thing, sayes they did sing HymnsChristo and Dec , nor can there be doubt thereofor thatthere were many pieces of poetry composed by thebrethren which ascribed a Divinity to Christ. Bu t if

there be any ground for that assertion of Artemon,Apollo phon, Hermophilus, and Theodotus, the m ostlearned, subtle, and philosophical Disputants (tho

’ stiledHeretick s) of the ancient Christians : that all the firstChristians and even the Apostles themselves, were taughtand did teach, that Christ was a mere man (which wastheir Tenet), that the truth ofthis Doctrine was continuedin the Church untill the dayes of Pope Victor

, who was

the thirteenth Bishop of Rome after Peter ; and thatZephyrinus his successor d

!

i‘

d~

alter and corrupt that truthif it be true which the Arrians said, that mine

~‘

5'

ut

Ideo ts and simple persons beleived any such thing as theDivinity ofChrist, and that till the Decision at Nice themore knowing Christians did not hold him to be reallyGod : if we may conceive that they were firmly taughtthat there was but one God, and that they were too dullto comprehend or invent those subtle distinctions of

Essence,and person, Consubstantiation, eternal Genera

tion,etc . if it be certain that the Fathers after the Nicene

Council were not agreed concerning the meaning of

these uncouth Words, and that the World was long afterdissatisfied with the use of them : if such as Gregory

28



appoint them Rulers in their Churches ; besides it isnotorious that the first Bishops were elected by theSuffrage of the People, and might be deprived bythem

,that they might upon a Dissension break into

a subdivision of Episcopacies, and erect two or threeor more in one City ; and of Bishops there t was nosubordination but a parity. Yet it is easy to imaginethat during the numerousness, grandeur, and power ofthe Jews in Palestine, Aegypt, Babylon, and throughoutall Greece

,and whilst the Gentiles expected a Messiah

of the Jews to whom they were to be subjected,they

did pay a great respect to the Jews, and were much

swayed by their Dictates and Opinions. But aboutfifty years after the destruction of their City and

Government under Titus,there arose another Messiah

among the Jews who stiled himself Benchocab, or theson of the Star, to whom the famous Rabbi Ak ibbajoyned himself, and saluted him as the King Messiah,applying and accomodating to him the prophesy of

Balaam of the Star to arise out of Jacob : great washis power

,and a bloody war did he wage with the

Romans and the Emperor Adrian. After three yearshe and four hundred thousand Jews were miserablyslain by the Emperor, and vast numbers taken Captiveand sold for slaves ; those that esca ed were so an ry

Barcozab OI: ggzibba, the son of a ye. After thisAdrian marcheth wit Is VIcto rIous Army to

Alexandria (where the Jews in favour of Bencochab

had destroyed the Romans) ; there he put to death an

infinite number of Jews,— the slaughter of them everywhere was so great that the Jewish relations thereofare scarcely to be beleived. He intirely destroyed theCity and Temple ofJerusalem, and built in the place a

new City call’d after his own nam e Aelia, and a Temple

dedicated to Jupiter and other Heathen Temples inother parts of their Countrey, everywhere pulling downand destroying their Synagogues ; so that it is no t

30


to be imagined that the Jews did anywhere for somet ime after this appear imbodied in the Roman Empire.We may now conceive naturally that the Christians

m ust totally disclaim the Jews, and pretend only to a

Spiritual Messiah,since they could not have preserved

themselves but by so doing and undoubtedly no t longafter that we find mention of Preists, Temples, etc., andthe Rites of the Church did evidently comply withPaganism. What befell the Judaizing Churches, Iknow not

,but they became in little Esteem

, and sankat last urider the name of Ebionites and other Hereticks. This Revolution had a mighty influence UponChristianity, and Adrian in his letter to Servianus,wherein he gives him an account ofAegypt, doth avowthat

,all the Christians there, besides their devotion to

Christ,did worship Serapis illi qui Serapim

co lunt Christiani sunt, et devoti sunt Serapi qui seChristi Episcopos dicunt : Nemo illic Archi Synagogus Judaeorum ,

nemo Samarites, nemo Christianorum Presbyter non Mathematicus, non Aruspex, nonAliptes . ipse ille Patriarcha cum Aegyptum venerit

, ab

alijs Serapidem adorare, ab alijs cogitur Christum .

Some would have this Letter to be false or full of

untruths,since it seems incredible that the Christians

Should do so, affirming, as a further proof of thefalsho od of this passage, that the great Patriarch of

the Jews did not come into Egypt at all, and that theChristians had then no Patriarch at Alexandria or elsewhere. For my part I am of a contrary Judgment

,

and do believe that the Bishop ofAlexandria,by reason

of greatness of his power and splendor, was call’

d

Analogically o r by way of flattery a Patriarch : thisappears from Eutychius in his Origines Alexandrini,and from other Oriental Writers who speak of St.George as son to the Patriarch of Alexandria

, tho’

really In his time who lived in the reign ofDioclesian,there were none. As to the mixing of Pagan worshipwith Christianity, I shall not insist upon what the

3 1


Thurificatores (one whereof was a Pope) did uponcompulsion. But if ever there were such a legion as

that termed Fulminatrix, in the Army of the EmperorAdrian, or the Legio Thebaea (bo th famed in

Ecclesiastical Story), or any Legionary So ldiers thatprofessed Christian ity, I am confident they never hadany Dispensation from worshiping the Roman Eagle.And I am the more confirm

’

d in this Sentiment,since

even under the Christian Emperors the imperialBanner call’d Labarum was in like manner worshiped.It is certain the Aegyptian Christians were not so

scrupulous afterwards, but that they procured to themselves and executed the Office ofArchiero syna, whosepower was to superintend over and manage the PaganTemples

, Festivals, Rites, and whole religion ofAegypt.And this they continued to do until Theodius theGreat did prohibit them from it (A.O . I t is no

less strange that the Christian Emperors should for solong time bear the Office, and wear the Habit of thePontifices maximi ; that the Roman Senators whichwere Christians, should, as they went to the Senate, bepresent at the Sacrafices perform

’

d at the Altar of

Victory,about the removal whereof Symmachus and

the majority of the Senate being Pagans, did prefer a

complaint. I shall illustrate this po int with a strangerelation out ofEutychius, who was one ofthe PatriarchsofAlexandria. He tells us that when Alexander

,the

predecessor of Athanius, was first made Patriarch of

that place, he found there a Temple,and a great brasen

Idol dedicated to oneMichael, which wasmuch frequentedby the Pagans ; that the Inhabitants of Alexandriaand Egypt did keep a great Festival in Honor of thisIdoll, on the twelfth day of the Month Haturi, and

offer’

d up many Sacrafices thereto. The Patriarch hada great mind to abolish this Idolatry, but met withmuch opposition about it. At last he prevailed bysubtility he told them that this idol was an insignificantStatue, but if they would perform the same Devotion,

3 2


and ofl'

er up the like Sacrafices to M ichael the Archangel,

he would intercede with God for them and procurethem greater benefits then that Idol could. Whereuponhe broke the Idoll in peices and shaped it into a Cross

,

and call’

d the Temple St. M ichael’s Church,which

Church was afterwards called Caesarea, and was burnt

when the Western Army took Alexandria, the Festivalsand Sacrafices being continued in Honor of SaintMichael. And even stil the Cophtite Christians inMitra or grand Cairo, and in Alexandria, do celebratethe Festival of St. M ichael on that day, and offermany Sacrafices unto him. The relator is a Historianof good Credit ; and altho’ I do no t remember that Ihave read the like Sacraficing to have been perform

’

d

by Christians elsewhere, yet any man conversant inAntiquity knows that a multitude of Pagan usagescrep’t In or rather were continued

,among the Christians

and tho they did not Sacrafice, yet they brought totheir Preists at the Altar the first-fruits, as had beenformerly practised to the Rural Gods, and rather theObjects of the Devotion were changed then the thingsabolish

’

d. The same Festivals were retain’

d in a

manner to the Honor of Christ,the Virgin Mary

, and

the Saints, which were before celebrated to Mercury,Venus genetrix

,Bacchus

,and the Rural Deities.

As the aforesaid Calam ities of the Jews did make agreat alteration in Christianity, so did the frequentPersecutions by the Roman Emperors against them

,

who look’

d upon them as no good Subjects, since theyexpected a temporal Messiah, and oftentimes disclaimedall subjection to the Pagan Magistrates ; sometimesrebelling

,as in the Reign of Dioclesian did the

Christians of Alexandria, and the adjacent Countriesunder Saint George ; and in France under Amandusand Elianus. They loo k

’

d upon ’em generally as

enemies to the received and establish’

d Religion orIdolatry of the Empire, and feared the consequencesof a Change therein . Besides that the People hated

C 3 3


them upon that Account everywhere, many bickerin sand tumults happen ’d thereupon ; they also look dupon the Mortification and Monastickness of theChristians as inconsistent with the Government

,

infeebling Men’s minds and alienating them from

M ilitary Employments (the Sinews of Empire), and

spoyling Trade,by decrying Luxury and Excess

,as

wel as in diminishing the sale of cattle and otherComodities used in the Pagan Solemnities.These amongst many others (which Papinianus, as

I remember,is said to have digested into seven books

,

concerning the Justice of punishing the Christians)were the Motives upon which those Persecutions went.And tho’ Christianity were not extirpated

,it changed

much its complexion . The Opin ion of a temporalMessiah was laid aside, Subjection to the PaganMagistrate preached, many dissolute and enormousAssemblies disowned, and declared Heretical ; theChristians fought fo r the Gentile Emperors

, and

watch’

d at the Temples to defend them,declaring

them to be no Martyrs who were punished for disturbing or demolishing them. Much of their Rigorand Strictness was abo lished, o r preserved only in a

few Monasteries ; and as the Christians sufi'

er’

d thisalteration and were infected by the Conversation and

Superstitions of the Pagans, so these on the other sidebecame much altered by mixing with the Christiansthey were inclined to a Contempt of their Gods

, and

an indifferency in their Religion they were exasperatedat the haughtiness of their Preists, and the expensiveness of their Rites and Devotions. The Discipline of

the Roman Legions being extinct, and the Armiescomposed most of Forreigners, men of mercenaryspirits

,and no friends to the establish

’

d Religion,

these Soldiery beheld Opulen t Preists and Vestals,

together with their Colledges, with an envious Eye,and cared not if a new Religion were introduced, sothat they might share the spoils ofthe old.

3 4


In this juncture, and under thes Circumstances, I findConstantine to have made himself Emperor. Right hehad none, being a Bastard, and not elected nor admittedby the Senate ; his Sword was his Title

, and successwarranted it. His Soldiers were not more inclined to

him upon the Assurance of his Courage and Conductthen animated by the Hopes of Honor and Richeswhich the conquest of Italy

,and change of Religion

and Government,would instate them in. He subverted

the power ofthe Senate, removed the seat ofthe Em ire,alter

’

d much of the Religion, and gain’

d most 0 the

Sacerdotal lands and revenues by the chan e. He wasno Christian in profession till a few dayes before he diedhe was never at prayers among the Catechumeni tillthen

,nor so much as baptised

,and without that initiating

Sacrament ’tis no t to be imagined that he could be lnstructed in, o r admitted to, those Doctrines and Acts ofnearer Comun ion . All that is written contrary hereunto are palpable untruths or acts ofFlattery.

’

Tis truehis Mother seemed Zealous for Christianity

, and builtmany Churches, and he out of his spoils alo tted some topious uses ; thereby to amend the condition ofthe ChristianClergy and oblige them to him,

he endeavoured the re

ducing ofChristianity into one uniform Doctrine, to whichpurpose he assembled the Council of Nice

, and thereframed a confessional Faith. He by new Honours gavegreat Lustre to the Church, and insured his own SecularPower

,by advancing the Ecclesiastical, and that of the

Christian Bishops, these being Spies and Chek s uponhis Governours ; and since Rome and Alexandria werethe two places that had most influence upon his Empire,he and his successors advanced these Prelates to a kindof Princely Dign ity, that they might gain the greaterVeneration among the People, and equal the splendorof the Pagan Preists.

Then began Temples to be dedicated with as muchSolemnity by the Christians as ever any were by thePagans, and intitled to the Apo stles, Martyrs, and

35


Angels. For magnificence and largeness they wereequal to those of the Heathens ; and as in the fabrick 8:dedication ofChurches the resemblance ofPaganism was

introduced,so the ecclesiastical Government was made

paralel to it. Thus you read now not only of Templesand Altars

,but the Clergy are stiled Sacerdo tes

,Anti

stites,Sacrae Legis, etc ., and as the Heathenish religion

was supported by a Preistho od under the Pontifexmaximus and his Colledge

,consisting ofthe Provinciarum

Sacerdo tes, Asiarche Syriarchae, etc . (which were alsocalled Sacerdo tals), the Flamens whose power exceedednot their City or Town, the M inistri, Prefecti andHierophantae agrorum who attended In Country V illages

,just

such was the Reglement of the Christian Church,and

the Jurisdiction In a manner equal.Thus was the Empire to be balanced, but withall theChristian Emperors strengthened themselves by favouring the Jews, whose aversion fo r Ido latry was as greato r greater then that of the Christians

,the interest

they had In Persia preserved them stil In great Splendor.

No twithstanding the desolation which Hadrian had

brought upon them, they are so spread over the Earththat they cannot be destroyed, and by adhering to and

supporting each other,by marrying among themselves

and not mixing with the People of the Nations wherethey inhabit, they Escape the Comon Fate of conquer

’

d

and dispersed Nations who lose their name by beingincorpo rated into and become a part of another Peoplethus they begun to spread again

,and the Christian

Empero rs gave them not only freedom of Religion, butpermitted their Patriarch to gather his Aurum coronarium

,in the East 8: Western Empire

,and to live

with very great Pomp and Comand. The Rulers ofthe Synagogues, lesser Patriarchs, Presbyters, and othersconcern ’d in the Government of that Nation, wereexempted from Civil and personal Duties and Employments ; and by the Decrees ofConstantine, Constantius,Valentinian 8: Valens, Theodosius the great 8: Arcadius,

36



Liberty, were either directly violated o r pretences dailysought to give colour to that Injustice

,and whether they,

being driven to despair,might entertain foreign Corre

spondency, is to me unknown but not improbable.’Tis

most certain that they fomented Discords among theChristians

,and o n all occasions (as Athanasius perticu

lerly relates of the Contests at Alexandria) they did abetthe Arrians

,and adhere to them openly

,their Philo

sophers disputing for the Arrians in the Council ofNiceand as Alexandria had been the seat of the Ethnicklearn ing, Philosophy, natural, moral, and po litical, Physicks and Mathematick s, being there most eminentlyprofessed and taught : so from thence they were propagated Over the Eastern Empire, and the Philosophersthere did insensibly engage their Christian Scholars intoseveral Heterodoxies

,according as their Genius inclined

each ofthem to Platon ism,peripateticism

,8:c. It 13 most

certain that the Arrians and all the subdivisions of thatnumerous Sect were profoundly learned in those Sciences

,

and that Origen derived his knowledge from an Education under them and the Benefit of their Libraries there.The Christians hadgreat encouragements and imunities

to support them,and great Privileges were enacted fo r

such as turned to that Religion, and Penalties frequentlydecreed and oftentimes rigorously inflicted on the Pagans,so that the only thing that contributed to the prejudiceof Christianity was their divisions among themselves, Inwhich

,by mutually exposing each other’s Lives and

Doctrines, all the parties became equally contemptibleand ridiculous . Besides the petty Sects o ccasion ’d bypure ignorance, folly, o r Madness (of which kinds theCatalogues ofHeretick s do present us with many), whichwere easily extinguish ’d by the Imperial power

,or fell

of themselves,there were three potent Sects which

gave a great check to the more facil and complaisantChristianity of the Empire. The Donatists

,who pos

sessed in a manner all Africk and had some hold inItaly theArrians

,who possessed In great part the Eastern

3 8


Empire and the Novations,who were with great Repute

for purity and piety difi'

used in all places where Christianity had prevailed these three Sects being all settledunder their Episcopal Reglements with distinctChurches .The Donatists begun in Affrick upon this occasion

,

after that Persecution against the Christians ceased, thosewhom either Zeal or Passion hadmade obstinate Sufferersfor Christian ity

,detested and refused Comunion

,with

such as either had delivered up their Bibles and HolyWriters to the Pagan Emperours in obedience to theirDecrees, and fo r that reason were called Traditores, o rhad exempted themselves from Danger by paying a

sume of money which were called Libellatici,o r had

offered Incense and complied for the Season with prevailing and persecuting Pagan ism which were stiledThurificatores and a Bishop

,who either had or was said

to have delivered up his Bible,being surreptitiously

chosen and ordained at Carthage for that City, the o therBishops

,partly in vindication of their Rights which the

Ecclesiastical Constitutions had vested them in, partlyout of zeal against such a betrayer of Christianity, declined his Comunion, excomunicated all that adhered tohim

, and ordained another Bishop of the place. Thepeople generally adhering to the Donatists, the Schismwas very great

,and their party owned by 230 Bishops,

whilst the Bishop of Rome and the Italian Clergy (whohad been universally involved in those base Compliances)did adhere to the other

,as also did the Imperialists, as

finding that party more pliable and suitable to theirpolitical Ends

,and living under so lax a Discipline that

the Gentiles might upon easy Terms be admitted to theirChurches. The Donatists exasperated hereby and

finding no favour (or rather, as they said, no Justice)from Constantine the Great

,sought and found pro

tectio n from Julian the Apostate by reason of theirsubmissive and invidious address. After Julian thesucceeding Emperours opposed and oppressed them

39


with great rigor,fining them, confiscating their goods,

estreating their Churches,banishing many, and in a

manner outlawing them . But as the Resolution and

Constancywith which they suffered did ingratiate themwiththe Populace

,who are prone to think those are unjustly

oppressed who bear their punishment bravely and withpretence to Martyrdom fo r Reli ion

,so the arguments

which they used in the Defence 0 their Cause being veryconformable to the strict Christianity professed in thoseparts

,and their Custom of rebaptising those of the

other side which were converted to them,did every

way imprint in the people an Opinion or Suspicion thatthe Imperialists were scarcely to be reckoned among theNumber ofChristians. The Donatists continu ’

d till afterthe dayes ofHonorius, and being reduced to great Distress by their Persecution

,

’tis not to be wonder’d ifmanyoutrages were comitted by tho se who saw themselves,their Families and Relations

,utterly undon by such as

contrary to the general Tenets of Christianity employ’

d

Force against them .

’Tis usual fo r men in despair tojoyn with any third party, and more to be expected fromthem, being Affricans and so naturally disposed toRevenge, so that

’tis no wonder if the Conquest ofAffrick proved easy to the Goths

,who being afterwards

ejected after a long and feirce War by Justinian,the

Arrians were then no less Oppress’

d then the Donatistsbefore, their co nstant Wars having made them valiantand hold

, their Humour malicious,their sufferings

angry, and their Religion indifferent to any Novelty ;for during these Contraventions

,fo r want of instruction

by their own Clergy (who were banish’

d and otherwisehindred from performing their funct ions) o r the Imperialists, who m inded little but Ease and Ambition,and were extremely ignorant,

’tis easy to be imaginedthat they retained only a sense of some generals inChristianity, and had nothing of Ecclesiastical Government o r Order among them

,nor Sacraments

,no

,not of

Baptism, except they confirm’

d ; but stil so firmly


retained the Notion which had been whispered and

insinuated into them,that the Co nformists were not truly

Christians, that it seems to have been the great Articleof their creed.The Novations had their Original from the like

Occasion, all the I talian Clergy, except Novatus and two

mo re (as I remember), had consented to Idolatry in thetime of Dioclesian and Maximin

,and upon the change

of Condition afterwards, returned with their Followersto Christianity. This act ofthe Italian Clergy (the Bishopsof Rome being involved in it) gave a begining to thecompliant and indulgent Christians of those Ages,whereby the Discipline of the Church was ruin

’

d,and

men admitted and readmitted upon easy Terms.Novatus and his adherents who had not apostatisedwould no t communicate with such, nor readmit themupo n any Penance, not that they thought it impossiblefo r such to be saved

,but that it was not in the power

ofthe Church upon any terms of Repentance to Associate with them according to that of the Apostle (Heb.vi. 4 , 5, these were the Puritans

,as I ma call them

,

of those Ages they were men ofa strict Lit}; and with

all of a peaceful Dispo sition ; they were Orthodox intheir Judgement about the Trinity, which made thosethat adhered to the Nicene Councill to Show them greatRespect, and to own and protect their Bishops. Theseofall the Sects alone seem no t to have intermedled withthe publick affairs and Revolutions, but accquiesced so

in a Toleration, as never (that I know) to have en

deavoured anything to the prejudice of other Sects, orsinisterly to advance their own Party they continuedtill the Ruin of the Eastern Empire, their successionbeing recorded in our Church Histories, and theiroppression under the Bishop of Rome condemn

’

d bySocrates. Tho’ this Sect raised no faction in the Empire,yet it is easy to conjecture that their continuance in openSchism

,—the grounds whereofwere publickly known and

asserted throughout the Eastern 8: Western Empire4 1


together with their exemplary Lives (in which all theinnocence and true zeal of primitive Christianity seem ’

d

then to be lodged and preserved), must needs haveadded to the contempt of the Imperial Religion, as ifit were corrupted in its Discipline and Purity, and so

far to have strengthened the dissenting Parties.The Arrians were so powerful a Sect in the Empire

that the followers of the Nicene Councill were not equalto them either in Number, Splendor, Interest, or riches.If you will beleive the learned Petavius and others,they offered to try their cause and vindicate theiropinions by the Fathers who preceded the NiceneCouncil

,and at that Council were rather condemned by

a party then by the general Consent of the ChristianChurch. For Constantine, out of above 2000 Bishops,excluded all but 3 1 8 no r were those (according to someAccounts) all Bishops who composed the Council theywere pack

’

d for the purpose,and supposed to be all of

a Judgement at first,so that they were rather Parties

then Judges ; neither had the Arrians the freedom todispute their Case

,so that it is no wonder matters were

carried so high against them in the Nicene Council.But the Emperor Constantine was so little satisfied withtheir proscription that he soon recall

’

d Arrius frombanishment

,and a little before his Death was baptised

by an Arrian Bishop. Constantius and Valens wereprofess

’

d Arrians,not to mention the Goths in general .

They were protected and honoured with civil and

Military ‘ Comands by Valentinian,Theodosius, and

other Emperours. TheirDoctrine was not only confirmedby eight Councils which were at divers times assembledat Tyre, at Sardys, at Syrmium ,

and at Rimu, where600 Bishops were of their opinion

, and but three of

Name which held the Contrary,but they also pun ished

others, their Adversaries who were ofa contrary Opinionto them, with Confiscations, Banishments, and othergreivous Punishments. Whether the power of theirCheiftains, the riches of their Churches

,the Magnifi

4 2


cence of theirWorship (for they first brought Musickinto the Church), o r the fame of their Learning and

pretensions to reason,which is alwaies an invidious Plea,

and more especially to the reign ing Ignorance of thosetimes, or what else it was that raised jealousy in theEmperors

,and hatred in the People against them,

and

most contributed to their depression and Persecution, Iknow not

,but the other party again got the upper hand

of them,and persecuted them again in their turn, altho

’

to persecute for Religion were by Hilary,Athanasius,

and other Trinitarians then accounted an Art ian and

Unchristian Tenet. It is not to be doubted but afterthe dayes of Theodo sius that reason of State did mostprevail towards their Subversion least they should joynwith the Goths

,who possessed themselves of I taly,

Spain,Afl

'

rick,and other Provinces

,and became terrible

to the Byzantine Empire. Howsoever it was, it is easy tocomprehend that these indiscreet janglings

,wherein the

ruin of one party was a weakening to the other, didmuch facilitate the conquest of the Goths, who being, ifyou will credit Salvian

,very pious in their way, mild to

the conquered,and just in their dealings, the people

being weakened by their divisions,impoverish

’

d by theWickedness and Corruption of the Christian Rulers ofProvinces

,and their Depredations upon them,

and pro

vok ed by the Inso lence ofthe foreign So ldiery by whichthey ruled

,and so being as unwilling as they were

unable to resist,all parties did willingly submit to the

Dominion of the Goths, and prefer it before that of theEastern Emperours.

I come now to the Trinitarians, whom I cannot butrepresent as enemies to all human Learning. They hadCanons forbidding them to read anyEthnick book, which,being represented to them as sinful and carnal, theirblind Zeal disposed them to destroy all they metwith ofthat kind so that except some few who appearto be somewhat knowing

,we have reason to suppose

them universally ignorant. And as were the Passto rs,4 3


so were the People,their Religion consisted rather in an

outside service then inward Piety or knowledge ; theirFaith was in a manner implicite

,the M isteries of

Religion (such I call the doctrine of the Trinity and

its Dependencies) were scarce ever mention’

d to themin Sermons

,much less explicated. Hence the Vulgar

became prone to embrace Superstition,to credit M iracles

how ridiculous or fabulous soever ; Visions, Allegories,Allusions to Texts were convincing Arguments

,and no

demonstration was like a feign’

d story or Legend,o r

what might be interpreted a Judgement upon a Heretick.

As to the Imperial Court,I know no t well what

Religion to instal them into,for of Christianity they

had hardly anything but the Nam e. The Emperors didlong wear the Habit of the Roman Pontifices maximiand after Gratian and his successors had laid it aside,they continued to exercise the power. You will finda hundred times in the Theodosian and Justin ian Codesthat they assumed the Titles of nostrum NumenE ternitas

,Perennitas, 8:c. they made their Predeces

sors after their Death to be reputed Divi they continuedthe Circensian Games, the Obscenities of the Theatre,and Scenical women

,with a multitude of other Idola

trous and even brutal practices,for which o ne would be

astonished to read Laws extant in the Theodosian Code.As to the matter of Religion

,the Emperors enacted

what they pleased about it,and imposed it on the

generality, for in those dayes, Synodical Decrees obligedonly such as were willing

,or present and Consenting,

and you may meet with accounts of the ChristianFaith enjoyned to be beleived, by the Imperial EdictsofThedo sius, as wel as Justin ian so that I may reckonamong the Trinitarians, a sort of People who followedthe Court Religion

,and believed as their Prince

ordained,living unconfined by the Dictates of the then

declining Church.Altho’ the Trinitarians had resolved upon and sub

44



Preacher, he might in any place in the Eastern Empiremake a potent Sect instantly. And to shew how

ignorant the Clergy were at the general Council of

Chalcedon,in the time of the Emperor Marcianus

,we

find that the Greek Tongue was then so little understood at Rome, and the Latin in Greece

,that the

Bishops of both countries (being in all 630) wereglad to speak by Interpreters. Nay, in this veryCouncil of Chalcedon, the Emperor was fain to deliverthe same Speech in Greek to one party

,and in Latin to

the other,that so both might understand him . The

Council of Jerusalem for the same reason made certainCreeds both in Greek and Latin . At the Council ofEphesus

,the Pope’s Legates had their Interpreter to

expound the Words,and when Celestine’s Letters were

there read, the Acts tell us how the Bishops desired tohave them translated into Greek and read over again,insomuch that the Romish Legates had almost madea Controversy of it, fearing lest the Papal Dignityshould have been prejudiced by such an Act, alledgingthat it was the ancient Custom to propose the Bulls ofthe See Apo stolick in Latin only, and therefore thatmight now suflice ; whereupon these poor GreekBishops were in danger not to have understood thePope’s Latin

,till at length the Legates were content

with Reason,when it was evidenced to them that the

major part could not understand a word of Latin . Butthe pleasantest of all is Pope Caalestine’

s excuse to

Nestorius for his so long delay in answering his Letters,because he could not by any means get his Greekconstrued sooner. Pope Gregory the first also in

geniously confesseth to the Bishop of Thessaly that heunderstood not a jot of his Greek

,so that ’tis very

probable that the Proverb of honest Accursius was eventhen in use

,Graecum est non legitur.

” This was theCondition of Christian ity in which Justinian found itabout the year 540. He by his Conquests subduedthe Art ian Goths and Vandals in Italy and Afl

'

rick ,

46


and by severe Laws established and enforced theTrinitarian Religion, and suppressed the different Sectsand Religions in the Empire, abusing the Jews

,perse

euting the Arrians and all other Heretick s (except it betrue that he favoured the Eutychians), he raigned thirtynine years. After him succeeded Justinus the second

,

Tiberius, Maurituis, Phocas, and Heracluis,in whose

dayes arose Mahomet. I t is observable that in all thesetimes there was such a general Corruption ofManners

,

and Christian ity was so depraved, that the Church of

England and other Protestants in general reject theauthority of them,

and admit no general Councils afterthat ofChalcedon, under the EmperorMartianus. TheirReigns suggest nothing considerable to the subsequentDiscourse

,but that Christianity was then degenerated

into such a kind of Paganism as wanted nothing butthe ancient Sacrafices and profess

’

d Polytheism,and

even as to the latter there wanted no t some who madethree Gods of the Trin ity, others made a Goddess ofthe Virgin Mary

,the Reverence to the Saints differed

little from that of the Pagans to their Heroes and

lesser Gods,and then were Images brought into

Churches, tho’ not by publick authority. The Civill

affairs were in no better Condition, the Emperors werefrequently depo sed or murthered, and obscure personsby fraud or indirect means oftentimes promoted to theEmpire. Thus the Emperor Maurituis, bavin reignedlong and gain

’

d much upon the esteem both 0 his ownsubjects and the Persians, whose King, Co sroes, havingmarried his daughter] had thereupon turu

’d Christian ;yet having disgusted part of the Army by refusing or

neglecting to redeem some that had been taken prisonersby the Avares, Phocas, a turbulent fellow and only a

private Captain in the Army, found means to be declaredEmperor by them,

and marching to Constantinoplein a mo st barbarous manner murthered the EmperorMaurituis

,and his sons, and afterwards the Empress

,

with her daughters and divers of the Nobility.

’Tis47


thought that the Bishop ofRome, Gregory the great, waso ne of the main Contrivers and promo ters of thisRevolution

,having been incensed against Maurituis for

his Decree to prohibit soldiers from turning monks, butespecially because he had permitted John, Bishop of

Constantinople, to assume the title ofmcomenical Bishop,which Title the Pope declared to be antichristian (hiscongratulatory Letter to the Usurper upon his Exaltation gives but to o much encouragement to that opinion) .Phocas

,in return for these kindnesses from that See,

gives the Title of the Head of the Church and universalBishop to the Bishop ofRome ; Boniface, who wasthen Pope

,having been Nuncio from Gregory the great

to that Emperor.Co sroes, exasperated at the Murther ofhis Father-in

Law and his family,and abominating the Christians

whose great Prelate should countenance so base andbarbarous an Act, renounceth Christianity, and destroyethall the Christians in his Country who would not leavethe Melchites and turn Nestorians

,which gave an

opportunity to Nestorianism to spread its selfas it didin Persia and those Oriental Countries

,their Patriarch

residing in Mesopotamia,at Musall

, or Mansell,which

is supposed to be built nigh the old city of Nineveh.He also in revenge invaded Syria and Palestine,Sack

’

d Antioch and Jerusalem,carried multitudes

captive into Persia, and excited the Jews to a Rebellionin Palestine. Phocas, after eight years’ Reign

,having

tired the people by his enormous Cruelties and Lusts,was slain by Heraclius, who had been chosen Emperorby the Soldiers and populace

,and

,o n the other side

,

Co sroes having disobliged his subjects in turningChristian, and being in his latter dayes unfortunate inhisWarrs

, was deposed and murdered by his son Syroes,who lived but a year after, and was Succeeded byHormisdas.

CHAPTER I I

THE AUTHOR’S APOLOGY FOR THE FOREGOINGACCOUNT OF THE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS

T may perhaps seem strange that thegeneral Description of primitive Christianity, and of the manners and Tenetsof the Christians in the first Ages oftheChurch as they are represented in the

foregoing Chapter,should so much differ from the usual

Accounts thereof,which are delivered to us by the

Divines and vulgar Historians but,as far as is possible

to satisfy such scruples,I desire the Reader

,first

,to con

sider the grounds and proofs upon which I proceed, andifthe Authors I make use of be good, the Citations true,and the Facts certain and indisputable, if the progress ofChristianity be such as is conformable to the constantcourse ofhuman Affairs in such great Revolutions, thatthen he would not oppose me with discourses of

miraculous Accidents, un imaginable effusions of theHoly Ghost

,and such like

,which no reason can com

prehend nor Example paralel. Secondly, let himconsider that since we are destitute of any solidChronicles o r Annals of the Church before the dayesofConstantine the great, which was about the middle ofthe fourth Century, as Eusebius who lived in that timecomplains (except the Acts of the Apostles), whatsoeveris alleged against me must be out of Suspected or

Spurious Writers,or at least such as are partial in their

own Case, and ignorant either for want of Learning, orwant ofbooks

,and other opportunities of being rightly

informed, o r blinded in their Judgement, by a prejudicateD 49


Opinion,so that the credit of what I have written ought

no t to be lessened thereby, being agreable to the HistoryoftheActs oftheApostles

,and the real existence ofthings,

and therefore ought to be lo ok ’

d upon as a compleatRefutation ofthem all for ifwhat I say be true, as I amcertain it is

,the contrary must be false. If it be further

urged that the Relatio ns I make are inconsistent with theApologies ofthe ancient Christians, In which the Accountsgiven of the Tenets and practices of the Christians inthose Ages are so very difl

'

erent from mine that theycannot be anyway reconciled, I answer that thoseApologies ought to be lo ok ’

d upon no otherwise then asRhetorical Pleas

,and the defences ofAdvocates for their

Clients,wherein the truth of the matterwas not regarded,

but everything managed as much as possible to theadvantage of the defendant. There are instances morethen sufficient to satisfy any reasonable Man that thisCourse was taken by the Fathers, and that they were no tso scrupulous as to stick at apalpable untruth if it wouldserve their purpose. Thus Justin Martyr in hisApologyto Antoninus pius averrs that Simon Magus didM iraclesat Rome, and that he had a Statue erected to him in theReign ofClaudius Cmsar

,inscribed Simoni Deo sancto

,

ofwhich Relation there is no t aword true,so that I can call

it nothing but impudence to obtrude a story upon theRoman Emperor and People which he himselfknew tobe false

,and they might so easily have contradicted. In

like manner Apollinaris,Bishop of Hieropolis, and

Tertullian in their Apologies say that the EmperorMarcus Aurelius being reduced to great Straits for wantofwater, and in danger of having his Army destroyedby the Germans, the twelfth Legion, called Legio

Fulm inea, being Christians, did obtain such a return fromGod to their Prayers

,that at the same time a plentiful

shower supplyed the Roman Army, whilst Thunder andlightning annoyed the Enemy. That thereupon theEmperor should write to the Senate, to decree that theChristians should no t be molested, that any man might

50

APOLOGY FOR FOREGOING ACCOUNT

turn Christian, and that no Governor of any Provinceshould divert any man or turn him from Christianity ;all which story is a mere forgery

,as Vossius hath de

monstrated at large. Others of them employed themselves in compiling books and imposing them upon theWorld under borrowed Names

,and then quoting them

fo r their purposes. Such were the pretended writing of

Zoroaster,the Sybilline Oracles, and others of that kind,

out of which they amused the Pagans with prophesiesconcern ing Christ and his Kingdom

,which forgeries

have been fully detected by Causabon, Blondel, Valesius,and others. A thousand such pious frauds

, as the Stile ofthose times falsely intitled them

,might be produced had

not the labours of so many learned men in this last Agemade it needless for me to prosecu te such discourse anyfurther in this place.I must add that our Church Histories of the

primitive times seem to be chiefly deduced from the

Latin andGreek writers whogive no account ofthe Syriackor Judaizing Churches, so that we hear no news ofthelatter till Saint Jerom and Epiphanius come to representthem as Heretick s for adhering to the same doctrineand discipline which Saint Peter, Saint James, and all theApostles (except Paul) had instructed them in, and wherein they had no t been controlled during the Lives ofthosewho first founded the Church. What human authorityhad power to do it afterwards, I know not, nor how itappears that they had either corrupted their Tenets o rdepraved their Gospel, the Jews being so tenacious ofTradition, and careful oftheir records besides, were theyever heard by an indifferent Judge o r general Councill ofall the Christian Churches ? No, on the contrary, affairswere in so unlikely a posture as to that matter, that ifthey had been convened legally and fairly (as they oughtto have been), no t one of the Latin or Greek Christianscould have understood what they said, o r judged of

their allegations otherwise then according to their ownprejudicateOpinions. And this brings me to the notion of

5 1


a general Council, which is or ought to be a meeting ofall the Christian Bishops in the world, or at least of

Proxies instructed by them and their Clergy. This beingso , I may and do averr that there has never yet been ageneral Council, as it will appear to every one that readsthe Subscriptions ofthose handed down to us under thename, which have been generally picked out by the

parties or Princes to carry on Cabals or condemn someperticular opinion which made its self obnoxious to thepride o r peevishness of the Clergy, or the Jealousy ofthe State, wherein the owners of those opinions and diversothers which were no t fo r their purpose were not permitted to sit, as if those perticuler doctrines (which weregenerally abo ut metaphysical Notions which none of

them understood) had forfeited their title to Christian itybut

,on the other hand, when the ancient Fathers In a fit

of o stentation would magnify the number of theirConverts or adherents, they no t only bring into theirCatalogue all such as did profess Christianity In any wayand under how great variety soever of Rites or Tenets

,

but even such Pagans as opposed Ido latry, tho’ they no

way pretend to be followers of the doctrine of Christ,just as the Jews did reckon the Sadducees

,Pharisees,

Essenes, and other lesser Sects in the number ofJews .And as the modern Christians do compute in theEastern Church, the Grecians, Melchites or Syrians

,

Georgians or Muscovites,Nestorians

,Indians or Chris

tians of Saint Thomas, Jacobites, Coptics, Armenians,Abyssnies, and Mario nites ; and in the West, Papists,Calvin ists, Lutherans, Anabaptists, Socinians, and suchlike

,even to the inhabitants of Leiftland, when they

would make an Estimate of Christianity and its extent,and no t without Reason, for as we estimate those to beofhuman Race and give them s the denomination ofMen

who have the general resemblance,Proportion

,Speech

,

and Laughter, how different soever in their hair, size,complexion

,o r features, or inwardly In their Morality or

Rationality, so in Christianity the external profession In52



that the Christians whether of the Greek orLatin Churchduring the first four Ages of Christianity, had no otherBible then that or a version of it, and from hence theyreceived those Books which after Ages called Apocryphall : neither had our Gospel any other Original thenfrom Alexandrine or other Hellenists. The Apostleswere commanded to preach, not to write, nor do wefind that Jesus himself ever wrote but once, and thatwith his fin er on the ground.

’Tis confessed thatLuke was 0 Alexandria ; that Mark was also such ismost probable ; and as to the others ’tis evident thateither they are but versions

,or not to be intitled to any

other begining then that some Hellenists publishedthem in the name of Mathew and John. Fo r Mathew,if he writ any Gospel, may certainly be said to havewritten in the comon Syriack

,which was then the

Hebrew tongue. And the Gospel of Mark is thoughtto have been dictated by Peter, and only translated byhim into Greek, as most of the ancients inform us. It ismore then probable that the Apostles did no t understandGreek at all, the gift oftongues lasted but for that timebut ifwe should suppose them more learned then theyreally were

, and grant that they did understand theGreek tongue

,certainly they would no t have made use

of it in writing to those who could not possibly edifyfor want of understanding the very words or Charactersof such writing

,so that all the sacred books of the New

Testament (except what bears the name of Paul,who

indeed did understand Greek) may be justly supposedto be but Tran slations o r Counterfeits performed byunknown persons whose fidelity or Integrity has beenquestioned as wel by those who embraced them as

those who rej ected them . Whoever they were written by,

it is manifest they were persons very illiterate andmeanlysk ill

’

d in the Greek tongue. The following passage ofSalmasius shews I am not single in my Opinion in relationto these matters. Pro vero sane tenendu est omnes ferediscipulos Christi 8: Apostolos ut erant Idio tae 8:

54


plebaei Piscatores nimirum ,Nan tao et Portitores, non

aliam nosse lingnam praeter vernaculam hoc est Galilaeumet Syriacum idioma quod in illa Regione obtinebat etsiverum esset quod multi in Syria et Judaea, Gracecsciebant, hoc ad infimae plebis homines nihil attinebatqui vernaculam tantum noverant Graecae prorsus ignari .Scribebant igitur Apostoli idiomate suo et lingua sibifamiliari et vernacula quae pro tinus a Syris, HXASvcsro is

vel Graecis ipsis ad fidem conversis quos cecum habebantEvangangely praedicandi Adjutores et Administros in

Graecum transferebantur de quibusdam hoc certocompertum est, do al s ignoratum quia no n proditum ,

de omnibus tamen verisimile est,quia de quibusdam

verum ; non enim est disparatio corum qui gente ac

genere,vocatione ac munere pares, quod ad novi

Testamenti libros attinet ea Causa quoqus asferri potestcur multum diverse ab elegantiori et puriori Hellenistis

loquendi genere conscripti sunt ab Ideo tis quippepartim compositos dicere licet partim a Metaphrastis et

ipsis non ad modum Graecae Sermonis peritis. I havetranscribed only this passage

,but the intire discourse

upon the Sixth question there deserves to be read. Icannot beleive that either the Gospel of Mark o r Johnwere pen’d originally In Syriack (for then the JudaizingChristians would have had them as wel as that of

Mathew), or that the Epistles ofPeter, James, and John,o r that to the Hebrews (which is comonly said to be atranslation made by Clement or some other), were everpen ’d in that language

,tho’ it is certain the supposed

Authors knew no other,so that if they are not to be

derived from these Helenistical Jews, I know as littlefrom whence to fetch them as when they were written,so little certainty we have of their Original and

Authentickness.

True it is that Paul understood Greek,but his

Epistles were as little regarded as his person amongthe Judaizing Christians

, who had as had an Opinion of

him as the unconverted Jews themselves had. His55


jugling Carriage and his trimming with all parties,assuring each of them singly he was in the truth, andhis observing or dispensing with the Law according tothe humors of those he had to do with, is apparent (Actxxiii. how else could he cry there that he wasaPharisee,8: called in question of the hope and resurrection Of

the dead. And in his preaching unto the Jews,he

became as a Jew, that he might gain the Jews to themthat were under the law

,as under the law,

that hemight gain them : to them that were without the law,

as without law (being no t without law to God,but

under the law to Christ) , that he might gain them thatwere without the law to the weak

,he became as weak

and became all things to all men, that he might by allmeans save som e ( 1 Cor. ix. 20, 2 1 , Thisbehaviour of Paul

,tho’ it multiplied the number of

Christians, yet did it lay the foundation of perpetuall

schisms and heresies : for they would no t relinquish aserroneous or evil those tenets and usages which hewithout reprehension indulged them in

, and compliedactually with himself. When he had layed in themhis foundation that Jesus was the Messiah, he permittedany superstition of wood

,hay, or stubble, any variety

of doctrines not ending in direct Idolatry, assuring hisconfidents that notwithstanding this they might besaved ( 1 Cor. ii i. 1 1 , 1 2, I 3 , 14 , And who knowshow sincere

,or how complacential

,he was in his

writings,whose deportment otherwise is thus related.

I remember a Mahom etan story of Ahmed benEdris

,that Paul instructed three Princes in religion,

and taught each of them a different Christianityassuring each of them singly that he was in the truth,and that afterwards when Paul was dead, each of thempretended his religion to be the true religion derivedfrom Paul, whence arose great feuds amongst them .

To pass from this discourse to that other concerningthe Ignorance of the first Christians

,and their Enmity

to all Ethnick Learning, it appears that in the dayes56


of Christ none but Galilaeans (who were a people ingeneral contempt with the rest of the Jews) and suchas were of the lowest Rank 8: of the meanest and mostscandalous Employments, did beleive in him the wise

,

the Rulers,were such as the truth of the Gospel was

hidden from . In the dayes of Paul not many wise menafter the flesh

,not many mighty, not many noble, were

called,but the foolish things of the world were chosen

( 1 Cor. i. 26) 8: truly afterwards,till near the time of

Constantine,very few ofbetter Rank or Intellectuals did

embrace Christianity, which made the Heathens upbraidthe Christians, as men that gain

’

d only on Women andChildren

,and the poorer and more ignorant sort of

persons. Nordid they pretend to Learning, asappears outof Lactantius, Arnobius, Minutius, Felix, etc. but, onthe contrary, wwere Enemies to all human learn ing, as wemay find by the Old Constitutions of Clemens

,whereby

all the books of the Gentiles are prohibited (Clem .

Rom . l. 1 , Const. c . and by the Council of Carthagethe Clergy were prohibited to read any such books.And when after this, when Christianity became generallyreceived

,it introduced with it a general Inundation of

Barbarism and Ignorance, which over-run all placeswhere it prevailed, insomuch that Avicen, being to relatethe nature of medicinal Simples according to the

Greek Alphabet,sayes that he follows Alphabetum

Barbarorum (what I have said is notoriously true as tothis poin t

,and needs no further proof) . I shall now

proceed to the Perticular Narration of the Birth and

Actions ofMahomet , whose rise that wee may the betterunderstand ’tis necessary that we consider the SituationofArabia and search into the original of the Saracens, aNation not mention ’d by the ancient Greeks or Romans,and ofwhom there Is no account given by the Christianscontemporary to Mahomet.

57

CHAPTER I I I

A BREIF ACCOUNT OF ARABIA 8: THESARACENS

HE better to understand the History of

the Saracens and Hagarens, it is necessary to give a breif Relation , in the firstplace

,of the Arabians in general, - the

Situation,Constitution

,and Religion

thereof having had a very great Influence upon theMahometan Revolution and being interested in its production. The Arabians receiv’

d their denomination notfrom Arabus

,a son of Apollo, as the Latins imagine,

but from Araba, o ne of the provinces ofwhat is vulgarlycalled Arabia

,situate near Medina, where

’tis thoughtIsmael did first seat himself

,and which has since given

the name to that whole Peninsula call’d Arabia, which isone of the most noble parts ofAsia. It was ancientlydivided by the Arabians into five provinces or kingdoms,whose names being unknown to the European Geographers, I shall as much as is possible forbear to makeuse of

,and acquiesce in the Vulgar division of it into

Arabia petraea,faelix

,and deserta. I ts shores are washed

on three sides by the sea,having on the West the

Arabian Gulph or Red Sea,on the South the main

Ocean, and on the East the Persian Gulf, and on the

North it is bounded by Syria and River Euphrates.It is ofvery great extent and compass, being as large orlarger than Spain, France, Germany, and I taly puttogether. Pliny reckons a great part ofMesopotamiawithin the precincts ofArabia, and the Arabians are by

58

ACCOUNT OF ARABIA THE SARACENS

him stiled Syrians. As to this last,there is this ground

for it,that the Arabians call’d Alda Jamini did conquer

Syria, which province was a second time brought underthe obedience and possession of the Gassanian Arabs,who came out of Yaman or Arabia Faelix

,and were of

the tribe ofAzdenses and Aretas,whose Lieutenant at

Damascus sought to apprehend Paul (2 Cor. xi. mustprobably have been the cheif or one of their Kings

,if

Christian and Saracen Chronologers agree, several of

their Princes being called by the name of Hareth or

Areth.As to the several Provinces thereof

,according to

the distinction above proposed,and generally received

amongst the Europeans, Arabia petraea (so called fromPetra, the cheif City of this Province) is bounded on

the West by the inmost nook of the Red Sea, and partofEgypt on the north by Palestine 8: Casio—Syria onthe East by Arabia deserta

,and on the South by a track

of Mountains which disjoyn it from Arabia faslix . ByStrabo

,Pliny

,and Ptolomy it is called Nabatx a, which

name it is said to have had from Nabiao th, the eldest ofthe twelve sons of Ismael, tho

’ properly that name belonged only to those parts of it which lay next to Judaea,the soyl hereof is rich and fruitful

, and the peoplemuch addicted to trade and traflick .

Arabia deserta,or the desert

,is bounded on the

West by Petrasa and Caelo-Syria,on the north by

Euphrates,on the East by divers Mountains, which

divide it from the Country of Babylonia ; and on thesouth it is also separated from Arabia faslix by a ridgeofMountains

,the Countrey is leval, the soyl sandy and

barren,and conse uently but thinly peopled, and full

ofgreat deserts an Wasts.Arabiafx lix, o r the happy,

’

adjoyneth to south parts ofthe two others

,and runs out like a Peninsula between

the Red Sea and the Gulf of Persia it is the largest ofthe three Divisions

,containing (as it is said) three

thousand five hundred and four M iles in Compass. I t59


is by Solinus and others called Ayman, and by theArabians Yaman ; Dionysius, who lived in this part ofArabia, calls it Amaenam , or the pleasant. It does indeedexceed the others less in compass then in the fertilityand happy Condition of it

,being esteemed the most

Fruitfull and pleasant Countrey in all Asia,abounding

with Myrrhe,Balsamum,

Franck incense,Gold and

precious Stones, and so sto red with all the blessings ofNature

,that some have thought it the Seat of the terres

tiall Paradise.What share Arabia had in the Chaldaean Monarchy,

I know no t, nor whether it were ever intirely reducedunder the obedience ofone Soveraign and though it becertain that the Arabians were divided into Tribes, andwere as exact in preserving their Genealogies, and

marrying in their own Tribes, as ever the Jews themselves were

,yet the Accounts of their ancient Religion

and Learning are but very Slender,they not having had

the use of writing and Letters till a little before thebirth ofMahomet, notwithstanding which it may beconjectured that the Astronomy, Astrology, 8: otherknowledge of the Persian Magi 8: Chaldaeans wasoriginally derived from them there want no t some whohave endeavoured to prove this, but to insist thereonwould no t be to our present purpose. As to theirLanguage, it seems at first to have been little differentfrom the Hebrew, o r at least Syriac, untill one Yaarahintroduced the Arabic .

Of the Arabians there are said to be two sorts thepure Arabians, who are said to have descended from one

Joctan (or Kahtan), the son of Heber,the son ofSaleh

,

the son ofSem,the son of Noah and the Mosta-arabs,

o r deniso n’

d Arabians. For Ismael, being ejected byAbraham,

came into Arabia, seated him self at Yathreb

(S ince called Medina), and married into the Tribe of

Jorrham of the pure Arabian s, who lived in Yaman or

Aiabia faelix and from him descended the Coreischites,8: other Mosta-arabic tribes, who notwithstanding are no t

60



They did beleive there was but one great God, whom theycalled the Lord of Lords

,and in their disputations they

alledged most strong Arguments for the Unity of theGodhead. This cheif God they called Olla, or Alla

taall,the highest or greatest God. Besides this chelfGod,

they had other lesser Gods, to whom they did notattribute any intrinsicall, essential, underived power, butonly an Eflicacy comunicated by the Supreme Deity,whereby Men were imediately influenced and ruledfor which reason they adored them with a secondarydivine worship

,as Mediators and Intercessors for them .

The manner oftheirAddress to the great God was thusI give myself to thy service, thou hast no companion,but such as are in thy subjection, and thine is all that isdevoted and offered to them .

” They were of opinionthat there could be no comunication between theDivine Essence and Man but by some intermediatebeings

,to which end they thought the pure

,invisible

,

Spiritual Substances were employ’

d,and that in a sub

ordination to their influences it was necessary that thereshould be o ther intermediate visible Bodies

,as the

Celestial Planets (for these they principally address’

d

themselves to,tho ’ some had an equal reverence for the

fixed Stars), which they imagined to be the Sacella or

Mansions of these Intelligences by which the planetarybodies were animated

,as our bodies are with our Souls.

Upon this account they observed diligently their houses,

stations, rising, setting, conjunctions, oppositions, benevolent or malevolent Aspects ; they assigned to themdayes

,nights

,and hours they ascribed to them figures

and shapes, and subj ected Regions and perticular personsto them

,and this induced them to the making of

prayers and incantations, and engraving of Seals withcertain figures or characters, under the influence of suchand such perticular Planets, as

,for example

,if upon

Saturn ’s day (which was their last day of the week,denominating each day from the Planets as wee do)a man came to pray to him at the first hour

,having

6 2


his Seal on,made according to Art, and suitable

to that Planet, and he clothed in a fitting garb,and

making use ofa convenient form ofprayer, whatever heshould ask that is in the disposal of Saturn it should begranted to him,

so for the rest of the Planets whomthey called Lords and Gods. And by this gradualAscent from the Creatures to the Creator, from visibleto invisible things, they did intermediately proceed tothe Intelligences and Supreme Deity. And from hencearose the fabrick of Talismans which was in so muchuse among the Arabians, Egyptians, and other OrientalNations ; whereto they attributed such power

,and by

which Apollonius Tyanaeus is said (by the Christians) tohave effected his M iracles.Upon the same sentiments did others of the Saby

proceed,who yet went higher, so as to erect Statues and

Images to those lesser Deities to intercede for themthey supposing it necessary for Man (who is liable toso many contingent Necessities) to have his Mediatoralwais ready, that he might have recourse to him . Andseing that these planetary bodies (the Chappels of theglorious Intelligences) were itinerant and moveable

,

sometimes rising, sometimes setting, sometimes continuing under our Hemisphere, they therefore proposed toretain their influence, and preserve their benevolentpower

,by lodging it in some Statue or Image made ofa

mettal and figure agreable to this or that Planet ; thedayes

,hours

,degrees

,minutes, and all other circum

stances being astrologically observed in order thereto, andsuch sigillations

,prayers, Incantations, suffumigations,

attire, 8:c.,being used as were appropriate

,hereby they

fancied they should alwaies have their Mediators readyto assist them,

and these images they call’d vicegeren ts,

in reference to the celestial Mediators, by whose interposition man was to propitiate their superior Planets.This is the sum of their Religion, and the foundationof all that Idolatry which diffused its self thence toChaldaea, Egypt, and all parts of the World

,the

63


Chaldaean discipline being the same with this, and the

Persian Magi having no other Originall. I t will be toogreat a digression in this place to give a perticular

Account of their Religion and Customs, so that in whatis to come I shall observe only what may conduce tomy principal designe.The Saby rej ected the Jewish Canon or sacred

Books,8: relied on those which they deduced from

Edris, Seth, and other their Patriarchs and Prophets.They said that Noah preached against their Images andworship of Mediators, and therefore they generallyspoke against him . Abraham also they say was banishedby them for opposing their Image worship and

Talismans. They shaved their heads close, abstainedfrom the bloud of Animals, esteem ing it the foodof Demons, yet some would feed thereon that theymight contract an Aflinity and correspondence withthem .

The principal place for their Devotion was near theCity of Harran or Carr, which Abulfeda calls the Cityof the Saby, yet they did preserve a great esteem andReverence for the Caab at Meccha ; they kept sundryFasts whereof one consisted of thirty dayes. It is ohserved that many precepts in the Levitical Law werepurposely enacted by Moses in opposition to these Saby

,

that the Israelites might not be ensnared in their wayes.They continued in repute no t only to the dayes of

Gregory Nazienzen, the inhabitants of whose Diocesswere generally Saby, but even to the rise ofMahomet

,

who often Mentions them .

As to the Inhabitants ofArabia petre a, I have alreadyshew

’

d that they were of the Religion of the Saby. Ishall only add that they were esteemed the meanest andmost despicable Tribes, in so much that Alnabat, or

Nabateus in Vulgar speech, signified amean and despieable person.I come now to speak of the inhabitants ofArabia

the desert, which as it had been the seat of Ismael, so the64

ACCOUNT OF ARABIA 8: THE SARACENS

Inhabitants pretended to a Nobility even above those ofYaman. Of all the Tribes of the Ismaelites

,the Kore

ischites were the most illustrious their military Condition made them proud their poverty made the conquestof them as little worth the while to attempt as their situation and inaccessibility would have rendered the Accomplishment thereofdifficult, so that their speech was morerefined, and their

“

glory less stained, then that of theother provinces ; and whether the people honoured thename, or that the name was given as a title of Honorto the people, a Koreischite sign ified proverbially a

Gentleman ofQuality, as did Alnabat an inferior person,it being the general tenet of the Arabians that theKoreischites are the most noble of all the ArabianTribes, as Erpenius and Hottinger affirm. And no twithstanding the distinction of the pure Arabians and MostaArabs (which Abulfeda saith was most generally used bythe Saracens of his time), yet there want not goodAuthors who believe the ancient tribes of the pureArabians to have been extinct, and that all the ArabianTribes recorded as in being since the Saracen Recordsare originally strangers to the Countrey, some beingcalled MotaArabs, the progeny ofJoctan others MostaArabs, as coming from a remote place ; nay, some saythat Joctan was of the race of Ismael, and certain it isthey own that none of them can deduce their genealogybeyond Adnanus, a descendant of Ismael. If so theKoreischites must have been the Noblest Tribe of all

,

however it is certain that at the time ofMahomet theywere the most illustrious Tribe ; they were possessedof Meccha, the metropolis ofArabia deserta, which theArabians call the Mother of their Cities, and inhabitedin the center of Arabia, and

, which is more, had thekeeping and were Edily o r a kind of Preists of theAlcaab, Caaba, Kabe, or Caba, as it is diversely called

,

which was a Temple universally reverenced by the

Arabians, and the cheif place of their Devotions.’Tis

said that formerly it had been in the keeping of theE 65


Tribe of Chozaah of the ancient Arabick Tribes of

the race ofJoctan, who were sometime Inhabitants ofYaman

,but being forced out Of their Habitations by

innundation caused by the breaking of the banks of

the lake ofAram,they came and settled themselves in

the valley ofMarry,near Meccha, and from thence were

called Chozaites, which significes cutting of,they being

by this change seperated and, as it were,cut of from

the rest of their kindred. Here in a little time theygrew so puissant as to render themselves Master Of

Meccha and of the Caah o r Temple there,and kept the

same for severallAges, till at last falling into the handsof Abu Gabshan, a simple, weak Man, he sold the samefor a bottle of wine to Coza

,a Ko reischite, fo r which

foolish bargain he was afterwards very sorry and angrywith himself

,from whence the Arabian Proverbs,

More vexed then Abu Gabshan,”and More foolish

than Abu Gabshan (which they apply to such wisedealers and late repenters), derive their original . TheGovernment of the City and Custody of the TempleOf Meccha being thus settled in the Tribe of

Co reischites, they kept the same notwithstandingthe endeavours of the Chozaites to the contrary,descending in a right line from Cosa even down to

Mahomet.The Alcaab was so called either from its eminenceor height

,or because it was a square building. It is

also called Albait Albaran, o r the prohibited house of

Refuge. They report that Adam being cast out of

Paradise desired of G od that he might build such a

house as he had seen in Heaven,towards which he

might pray,and which he might compass about in his

Devotions,as the Angels and spirits do abou t that

celestial Mansion ; that thereupon God sent down a

glorious Light,imbodied and shaped in the form and

Model which Adam desired. After the decease of

Adam,his son Seth erected a fabrick of Clay 8: stone

in the same place according to the Model of that sent66

ACCOUNT OF ARABIA 8: THE SARACENS

down from Heaven, which Temple erected by Sethbeing destroyed by the Deluge

,Abraham and I smael

by the comand of God did afterwards build a Templein the same place

,an Angel Showing them the ground

and Model. This Temple was kept up by the succeeding Arabians. Whilst it was in the possession of theTribe of Chozaah, Ido ls were first brought into it

,viz.

Hobal,Asaph, and Nayela, by King Amrus, who being

of Yaman and a Sabian that they were Talismanical isno doubt. Afterwards, about 700 years before thebirth of Mahomet

,Abu Co rb Assad

,a king of Yaman

,

beautified it with stately Curtains. So great,so general

was their Veneration for this Temple, that when theTribe of Gatsan built another Temple to themselves inimitation of the Caah

,the other tribes for that reason

did make warr upon them and destroyed their schismatical Edifice. In this Temple were a multitude of

Idols undoubtedly accomodated to the Superstition of

every Tribe. Within was Abraham ’s Statue,attended

with a multitude ofAngels and Prophets,and on the

outside were ranked 3 60 Idols, among which wereHobal

,Asaf

, and Nayela. Hobal (which perhaps imports Habaal

,the great Baal or Bel) was the cheif

,

being a red Statue shaped like a man,holding seven

unfeather’

d Arrows in his hand . Asaf was also likea man

,and Nayela like a woman. These two are

said to have been turned into Stones for having co

m itted fornication together in the Caab . Hither didall the Tribes make pilgrimages, and in order to it didsolemnly devote themselves. Sometimes they wentround the Temple in a kind of procession

, and camebetwixt Safa and Mervah, two Stones at the foot of

two mountains near Meccha, distant from each otherabout 780 Cubits . They professed their reverence tothe great God

,and some also to his associates

,as each

perticuler person fancied, saying“Thou hast no Com

panion o r Associate besides who is at thy disposaltogether with all that is devoted to him.

” Thus they67


went thro’ each Station offering their Gifts and castingStones in certain places. The Arabians did all agreeto set certain Months apart for this Religious performance, in which it was unlawful for any tribe tomake war on another, o r for any Man to molestanother. This they all did except the Tribe of Tai

and Cathaam,and some of the Race of Alhareth el

Caab,for those people made no Pilgrimages, nor

reverenced the Caab, no r observed religiously anytimes or places as sacred .

This was the condition of Arabia, if we abstractfrom perticuler Conquests and the mixtures of Religionarising from the Jews who dwelt among them ever sincethe dispersion of Babylon , and the Christians whomeither Peter converted to Christian Judaism,

o r whichfled thither to avoid the several persecutions under theRoman Emperors in Egypt and Syria. Of theChristians,

’tis notorious that the Nestorians and

Jacobites o r Eutychians were dispersed through theseprovinces ; Arrianism was also propagated that way,all those parts being infected from the Academy at

Alexandria and the neighbouring Bishopps of that persuasion.

’Tis true nothing was more tenacious of

their Old Rites then the Arabians, but withal none moreprone to admit of novel opin ions under the speciouscolour of Religion ; and it being natural for men bycohabitation to infect each other with a mixture of

Devotion,as diseases are propagated by contagion,

it is reasonable to beleive that great numbers of themdid imbibe several of the Christian and Jewish doctrines .Thus ’tis very probable that the Arabians who werepossessed with an Opinion of their being descendedfrom Abraham and Ismael, did pay a great respectto the Jews, who were spread through their Country,as proceeding from the same comon Father, and makinguse of the same Ceremony of Circumcision (for it wasalwaies a part of the Religion of the Arabians

,as wel

as Of the Cholchi 8: Egyptians, to circumcise, but no t68



Greek Emperor for aid against the Abyssynes ; but herefusing it

, as being unsettled in his Empire, Anusherwan, King of Persia, releived them, and gain

’

d so muchpower in Yaman that he appointed them their Kingsout of the Natives. It is here to be noted that the

Christian writers call him Co sroes, whom the Arabiansand Persians call Anusherwan

,fo r Cesra or Cosroes

was a comon Name to all the Kings of Persia of thatIlace.

As to the inhabitants ofArabia petre a and deserta,I find they embraced Christianity in the time of Al

Nooman,the So n of Al Mondar

,and, according to

our Ecclesiastical History, under aQueen called Mauvia,in the reign ofValentin ian and Valens . And then theywere Trinitarians, and made War upon the Arrians ;afterwards they turned Jacobites

,and in the reign

of Justinian persecuted the other Christians in theirbehalf. Upon the Murther of the Emperor Mauritius,Co sroes, King of Persia, compell

’

d all Christians inhis Dominion to turn Nestorians upon pain of death,and set up a Nestorian Patriarch at Mansel or Musal,as I have before shewn ; and then, if we consider howsubject Arabia was to his power

,we may reasonably

beleive that the Arabian Christians,and such as had

fled thither at several times,did turn to that opinion .

But notwithstanding these Revolutions, the Reverenceto the Caah did stil in great part continue. Its Idolswere not all this while destroyed

,but a worship paid

to them, it being incident to human Nature oftentimesto change their Religion in obedience to their Princesbut inveterate Superstitions are not so easily exterminated as the outward Profession of Religion altered.

But undoubtedly the great support of this Idolatrywas the power of the Coreischites, who having theCustody of the Csab and having great advantages fromthe pilgrimages made to it

,their Interest easily per

suaded them to continue in their old way ofWorshipand to do all they could to keep it up from falling into

70


contempt and Decay. For tho’ all men do no t speakso plain as the Ephesian Silver Smith, yet whateveroutward pretences are made use of

,wee find that

Interest is the Secret spring which governs the MotionsofMankind.

CHAPTER IV

CONTEYNING THE TRANSACTIONS FROM THEBIRTH OF MAHOMET TO HIS FLIGHT FROMMECCA

HILST the Grecian Empire (as we havebefore observed) was unsettled by thefrequent change of Emperors and thedetestable means by which Phocas hadgained the Throne

,having alienated

many from the Love of Christian ity ; the EasternChurch being divided into Factions

,upon the occasion

of the Bishop of Rome promoting his new Authoritythere

,and the Nestorians 8: Jacobites or Eutychians

multiplying under their several Patriarchs to the greatdisturbance of the Church

,anathematising and being

anathematised, and the Bishops o n all sides being moreimployed in their vain Contest then in the care of

their Flocks,whereby the people were overrun with

ignorance and immersed in debauchery ; whilst Persiawas broken by intestine divisions and wars, and thepeople indifferent as to their Princes who should Rulethem

,and divided by the M ixture ofJews and Christians

spread among them in great Numbers,— Mahometarose and begun a new Religion and Empire. And inreference to him

,you will find as little integrity in

the Christian narratives as in any before : I wouldexaggerate the matter higher

,if I could

,but ’tis capable

of no greater aggravation,but that the most dissolute

Christians did publish as great untruths in their times,as did they who passed for Saints. I proceed now to

72

THE TRANSACTIONS FROM BIRTH

the particular narration about the birth and actions ofMahomet.Mahomet was born about the year of Christ 570.

Some place it in 580, others in 600, others in 620 butI follow the most probable Account

,since it is generally

agreed that he was forty years old in the year 6 10, atwhich time he be 11 his Prophesy. He was of themost noble Tribe 0 the Choreischites his father’s namewas Abdalla (Abdullah), his mother was named Amenao rEmena

,both ofthat Tribe. He was born at Meccha

and his father being curious to have his Nativity calculated

,it was predicted that he should be exceedingly

advanced by the propigation of a new Law and

Monarchy. Not long a ter his birth, his father died ;and his mother afterwards dying, when he was aboutsix years old

,his grandfather

,Abdolmutaleb (Abdul

Muttalib), took care of him ; but he dying within twoyears after

,Recomended the care of his Education to

Abutaleb (Abu Talib), uncle ofMahomet,being one of

the younger sons ofAbdolmutaleb, 8: brother ofAbdalla,the father ofMahomet.The Mahometans relate several M iracles which

happened at his birth, but would be too tedious to

mention in this place. During his infancy he gavepregnant signs of a Singular Nature, great Wit, and

good behaviour. His uncle gave him all the instruction the Countrey could afford

,which being then

divided into several Religions of the Christians,Trinitarians

,Jacobites, lNestorians, Arrians, Idolaters,

and Jews, and these each as it were refracting one the

other (as contrary Elements do upon mixture), he wasnot ignorant what Opinions each ofthese held.

So soon as Mahomet was of years sufficient toendure the fatigue of a Journey, his Uncle Abutalebhaving occasion to go to Jerusalem and Damascus withMerchandises

,took our young Mahomet with him as

well, to instruct him in the way and manner oftraflick as

to perfect him in his Education. It was in this Journey,73


that being arrived at Bozra on the frontiers of Syria,and being in the market, Bahira, a learned Monk of

that place, espy’

d him,and imediately knowing him to

be the great Prophet that was to come,made way thro

’

the Grond,and taking him by the hand

,said that he

was a prodigious Youth,that his renown should fill

both the Eastern and Western World, and foretoldthose great things of him which afterwards came to pass.The Mark which Bahira knew him by, some say, was

a Cloud overshadowing him ; others say that it was a

prophetic light or Glory which shined o n his face.Returning home as well educated as was possible,

and being perfected in all the martial Exercises of theArabians

,about twenty years old

,he gave great proof

of his valour and conduct in a fight between the

Coreischites and the Tribe of Kais Aylan, whichhappen’d in the Month Moharra

,at what time it was

unlawfull for the Arabians to fight or molest eachother, it being the time of pilgrimage to the Caab,whence the Arabians call it the wicked Warr.After this his M ilitary Genius, not permitting him

to live idle at home,whilst many of his Countreymen

served in the Christian Armies,he went into the feild

under his Uncle Abubecr,who comanded a brigade in

the Christian Service,fo r altho’ the Arabians were not

Tributaries or subject to the Christians or Persians,

yet their Countrey lying between both Empires, someof their Princes confederated with one

,and some with

the other, according as their situation made themobnoxious, and served either Prince upon certainConditions. Here he accomplish

’

d himself in civiland military Prudence, and withal discovered thedivisions and weakness of the Christians.During his stay abroad in Syria, a Noble Lady being

a widdow,altho ’ for her riches and quality she had been

courted by sundry Arabian Princes, yet having fallenin love with Mahomet

,or directed by a vision, invites

him to relinquish the Wart , and live with her, promis74


ing him a noble maintenance and to accomodate him, in

o rder to further Travels, with a large Cargo that hem ight improve his intellectuals and Estate together.He who thought according to the Opinion of hisCountrey that merchandise m ight very well con sistwith nobility

, accepted of the overture, no r is this moreto his disparagement then it is to the Nobles ofVeniceor Genoa. We find some of the greatest men have notthought it below them

,such were Vespasian, Pertinax,

Tarquinius, Priscus, among the Romans, and even of

late Spinola. Being thus accomodated, he made severaladvantageous expeditions to Alexandria and other partsofEgypt, and curiosity or ambition promptin his greatSpirit he undertook a vo iage further into A ick, fromwhence he passed into Spain (A.D. where he foundthe Kingdom unsettled in Religion ; for the Goths,having been from the begining of the ir Christianityzealous Arrians, were by their King Recaredus forcedto turn Trinitarians (A.D. and it not being so easyto extirpate inveterate o pinions as to alter the professionof them

, the populace and many others retained theirformer sentiments ; and after the death of Recaredus,endeavours had been made (A.D. 603 ) to resettleArrianism . He finding matters in this condition, is saidto have endeavoured to instil into that Nation some ofhis principles

,but that the return of St. Isidore from

Rome (whose esteem and power in that Countrey wasvery great) obliged him to return the same way hecame.This Voyage gave him an opportunity of seing

the weakness, the Secret Animosties and factions of theChristians

,not only in Spain

,but in Alfrick (where were

the remains of the Donatists and Art ian Vandals) andEgypt, and I suppo se it was in this Voyage that hediscovered the plantation and use of Rice, wherewithhe acquainted his Countreymen, recomending it to themas an excellent nourishing durable food, for which hewas so honoured, that it is stil a tradition among them,

75


that Mahomet being in Paradise (before his assumingthe character ofa Prophet) and compassing the ThroneofGod

,fell into a sweat

,and one drop falling from him

to the Earth produced rice, and another became a rose.

After his return,Chadija married him and it being the

Custom ofthe Arabians that the husband should endowhis wife upon marriage, his fortunes not being proportionable to the quality and riches of Chadija, I findthat Abuteleb made her a dowry of twenty camels, andtwelve ounces of gold

,adding this Speech, Glory be

to God who hath caused us to descend from Abraham,

and to be of the race of Ismael, who hath given us theholy land to possess

,and the Caab to keep, whereto

pilgrims from all places resort, and hath also made us

Judges,and Rulers in our Countrey. Mahomet my

Nephew, the son ofAbdalla,with whom none of the

Coreischites can compare for virtue, bravery, glory,understanding

,and wit, altho’ his riches do not equal

his birth and accomplishments (in truth, riches are

transitory as a shadow and lent to us by Heaven so asto be recalled when Allah pleaseth), is in Love withChadija the daughter of Chowailed (Khalid), and shelikewise with him

,whatsoever is demanded by way of

Dowry I will see it settled.

”

I think I follow the most probable Story by placingChadija in Syria, tho

’ she were a Coreischite, but itmakes nothing to the prejudice of my Narration if

Chadija bee supposed to live in Meccha, and there(upon a dream ) fall in love with Mahomet, and invitehim upon a large Salary to oversee her Estate, and

conduct her Merchandise into Syria and Egypt. TheArabians acknowledge the poverty of their Prophet,and for his being retained in her Service, they pleadthat it has often been the fortune of such as God hathdesigned for his Prophets, and the greatest Dignities,that they should arise from Servitude to Empire, and

by a long practise of obedience learn to comand. ThatJoseph was a servant in Egypt

,and Moses in Madian

76



thence they were propagated to the Cendian tribe, andby one Bashar (Bashshar) introduced at Meccha a littlebefore the original of Mahomet. He imediately acc

quainted himself with this new character, and addedmuch to his repute that he seemed ignorant ofnothing.

In sundry places he had conversed with the Nestorians,

Jacobites,and Arriana, by them he had been informed

of the vanity of Idols and Talismans, of the Unity of .

Godhead, Providence, Virtue and Vice ; by conversingwith the Jews and Jewish Christians, he became verywell versed in the Scripture, the doctrine of the oldand new Testament, and the Traditions of the severalsorts ofChristians, especially ofthose Judaising Churcheswhich Peter had planted all along from Jerusalem toBabylon and thro’ Mesopotamia, no r is this all which Ifind written ofhim ,

for Rodericus Toletanus assures methat he was well acquainted with natural Philosophy.In fine the Arabians had such an esteem ofhis un iversalknowledge, that they beleive he understood all things ;tho’ the Arabians did much affect the glory of beingeloquent and excellent Poets, yet in those qualities didMahomet surpass them all as well in the sublimity of

thoughts and witiness of parables and apologues,as in

the choice of words and Phrase and harmony of

Numbers. To all which his learning and educationhad much contributed. Being asked how he attainedto so refined a language, he told them that he hadlearned it from the Angel Gabriel

,who had taught him

the dialect of Ismael himself. Thus Mahomet gain’

d

upon the admiration and esteem of all men.By way of gratitude to his Uncle Abu Talib

,he

contracted a particular friendship with young Aly, hisson

,and instructed him in writing and all manner of

knowledge. Aly was of a brown complexion,a little

man with a belly somewhat large, he had a contempt ofthe world

,its glory and pomp, he feared God much,

gave many alm s, was just in all his actions,humble and

affable of an exceeding quick wit,and ofan ingenuity

78


that was not comon, he was exceeding learned, no t onlyin those sciences that terminate in speculation, but thosewhich extend to practice. In his company did Mahometspend much of his time, and Ali was so surprised withthe extraordinaryAbilities ofhis Cousin that he did beleivehim to be no less than a Prophet. Nor was it an

unusual thing for prophets to arise and to be owned inArabia

,the comon Traditions of the Nation and the

Sabian principles did incline them to beleive it possiblethat under certain configurations Of the Stars, a Prophetmight be born and that he might do great M iracles

,

certain it is they were much addicted to judiciary Astrology and there is a tradition that the Nativity of

Mahomet had been calculated, and it had been predicted,by a Jewish Genethlia that he should be a great Prophetand Prince. Abu Maason saith of him

,in defence of

those who write that he was born in the latter end of

the night as Elmacin, 8ze.,necessariofuisse M ahamedem

fuisse natam in fine Noctis guando libra medium Caeli

teneret, media nocte ‘vero meridiem transij sset signum Tauri,alias enim Prophetiam ct Principatum ci competere non

potuisse, neither was it held unusual among them for a

Prophet to bring his Coran or Sacred Writ derived fromGod, as they held that Edris and Seth did, so did Zaradast o r Zoroaster, Moses also his Laws, and Isa and hisApo stles their Gospels, so did Manes

,the anther of the

Sect of the Manichees, a sect diffused thro’ Persia and

Arabia even at that time, which they avowed to be theincorrupt word ofGod nor were the Manichees singularherein

,the Gnostick s, Nicolaitans, Valentinians, Montan

ists, and others ofthose early sects had their sacred writs,which they reverenced and contemned as spurious

,the

Testament or Canon of the Trinitarians ; and that theNazarenes and Churches planted by Peter had theirpeculiar Gospel, I have already shew

’

d.

Whilst the esteem of Mahomet thus began to grow,

and that the people look ’

d upon him as an extraodinaryperson

,the death ofMauritius with its odious Circum

79


stances having taking of from the value ofChristianity,

andCosroes having destroyed all the Christians in Persia,or made them revolt to Nestorianism,

and having wastedandmade desolate Palestine, Jerusalem , Syria, and Egypt,and those Arabians who usually adhered to the Christiansand served for pay, being discontented that Mauritiusfirst

,and then Phocas, denied them their salaries, and that

they were involved in the troubles and Calamities whichCo sroes brought upon the Christians, Mahomet discovered a fit opportunity to erect a new Empire amongthe Coreischites. It did not a little contribute thereto thatthe other Arabians of Yaman had joyned with Co sroesand shared in the rich Booties of Egypt. After thisHeracluis having murthered Phocas and gained theThrone, he marched against Cost osa, whom he defeatedin three general Battles and carried the war into Persia,having in his Army a brigade of the Scenites, or desertArabians, comanded by Abubecr. These misfortunes didcreate such troubles in Persia, that Co sroes resigned hisKingdom to Medoro ses, one ofhis sons but Sirocs, hisother son

,disgusted at this, puts his Father to death,

assumes the Crown, and makes an ignominious peacewith the Emperor. Now were the inhabitants ofYamanmiserably divided

,and broken into Factions

,and dis

quieted with the troublesome consequences of sodisastrous aWar. Those Scenites who had served valiantly under Heraclius, finding no acknowledgements proportionate to their Merits, were sufliciently discontented.

Mahomet hereupon gains to his Friendship Abubecr,surnamed the Just, Omar and Osman

, all persons of

great power and esteem among the Coreischites ; theywere men of mortified Lives, and so unconcerned inambitious Aims and private Ends, that they were able togive any party a luster, and to any cause the face of

justice and piety.

Now begun allArabia the desert to ring with the FameofMahomet, and (Otsman and Aly being his Secretaries)his divine Poems were divulged, then which nothing was

80



which he the more fomented in them by framing hisPoems to the great God, magnifying him in his discourses

,and frequently in publick crying, “Allah, Allah,

Howa CobarAllah l” (God,God, the great God I) . Hav

ing given these Testimonies of his Piety, and in his discourses inlarging in the defence ofthe Unity of the Deity,by which he had in a great measure prepared the mindof the people

,he begun openly to inveigh against the

mediator Gods or Idols erected in and about the Caah.

He told them that the Caab was the Temple ofthegreat God

,that Abraham and Ismael had dedicated it to

his worship alone,that the introduction ofthe idols was

a novel practice that the Prophets and Patriarchs,

especially Abraham,Isaac, and their Father Ismael, did

worship God without associating any with him thatall associating of others with the great God either inworship o r Essence, o r in both, was Idolatry, and therefore the Coreischites and other Arabians who did worshipthose Idols were Idolators so were those Christians whoeither held a Trinity of persons o r Trinity ofGods

,or

did hold the Deity of the Virgin Mary : so were alsothose Jews who did associate Ozair or Ezra to the greatGod. He affirmed that God had neither son, daughter,nor associate. He quoted Locman

,or Luqman

,who was

in great Credit among the Arabians,for his witty

apophthegms and Fables, and whom most ofthe learnedimagine to be iEsop, the author of the vulgar Fablesbut Mahomet either feign

’

d o r met with other Storiesofhim. He fixeth him in the time of King David

, and

introduceth him,giving this advice to his son

,

“Oh,son,

do not thou joyne with God any Companion .

These discourses o ccasion ’

d Mahomet a great deal oftrouble

,fo r the cheif of the Coreischites, the Rulers of

Meccha and others that were devoted to Idolatry and

Sabyism ,begun to resent these proceedin

gs,some

opposing him out ofReligion, and others out 0 interest,fearing that this Doctrine might destroy the glory oftheCaah, and prevent the usual re sort to it, and so extin

8 2


guish the repute of the Coreischites, whose Honour andprofit seem

’

d now at stake . Mahomet,on the other

hand, did all he could to strengthen his aim . To this endhe contracts a marriage with Ayesha

,the daughter of

Abubekr, who was a man of great power and interest

among the Coreischites,and used all manner of addres

to increase his party. Yet the number ofthose who firmlyadhered to him was but small

,and he knew very well

that the respects of the Vulgar not cemented to him byreligious Tye was too mutable to hazard the success ofany lasting dangerous Designe upon their affections. Hemade sallies into the Countries and endeavoured to drawthem into his party

,wherein he so far prevailed that altho’

he could not engage them into his Religion or defence,

yet by his demeanour and his eloquent and sageapophthegms he confirmed them all in the opinion thathe was a Prophet. He daily spread abroad relations ofhisdiscourses with God and his Conferences with the AngelGabriel

,and used such a Sagacity in discovering all Plots

and Councils held against him,that his fOllowers beleived

God almighty did reveal all to him .

Tho’ he had not yet gained a strength sufiicient to

make any attempts,yet he had drawn the jealousy of

the Coreischites upon him ,so that the Magistrates of

Meccha used their endeavours to destroy him , and madea Decree forbidding all men to joyn themselves to himbut all their attempts were vain, during the life ofhisUncle Abutalib, the reputation of that prudent and

ancient person having made the populace conceive thebetter opinion ofMahomet fo r his having been protectedand countenanced by him,

who had taken that perticularcare ofhim as to forbid any to approach the presence ofthe Prophet having a sword or any ofi

'

ensive weaponabout him. But after his death, who dyed at aboutEighty years Of Age, and abo ut the n inth o r tenthyear after Mahomet’s first appearance as Prophet

,the

government of Meccha falling into the hands of

Abusofian, the son of Hareth, of the house of Ommia8 3


(who was one of the most violent opposers ofMahomet),this advantage strengthned the prosecution against himand his followers, which terrified some so far as to deserthis party and hindred all others of that place frombecoming his Proselites, so that the number of his constant friends and stedfast followers of his Religion didno t exceed forty. Yet did not these difficulties abate thecourage ofMahomet, he proceeded with a steddy resolution in the work ofhis Apostleship. Not long after this,his party was strengthned by the addition of Seventythree resolute men and two women, who came to himfromAwas 8: Chezra. They came with great Devotion andtook Oath to the Prophet that they would live and dyein the profession of the Faith of Ismael

,their comon

Parent 8: Patriarch and first propagator under Abrahamof the Religion of Islamisme, or worship of o ne God.Mahomet, who knew well enough the importance of

giving his party a specious Appellation,denominates his

followers Moslemin, or worshippers of one God, and hisadversaries he calls Associates, invidiously enough ifwe consider what influence these Appellations wouldhave upon such as look no further then the Names andappearances Of things.Out of these last he chooseth twelve as principals

or Doctors, and, finding small hopes of making anyprogress at Meccha, sends them away to Medina topreach up his new Religion there

,which they did

so well,that in a short time a very considerable party

there declared fo r him and promised to assist him .

Medina, then called Yathrib, was the second City of

Arabia deserta, distant from Meccha ten dayes Journeyo r 270 miles ; the wayes were difficult to pass, and theSituation thereofso convenient that he might upon anyoccasion retire into Yaman or Arabia faelix, or o thefwisedraw any converts or aid thence or even out of Persia.

It is observable that the more remote the people are

from the Court, Church , or CheifCity, the less Devotionthey retain for them, and that frontier places by reason

84



cut him of,one whereofhe escaped by hiding himself in

a Cave till the pursuit was over. He arrived at Medinathe twelfth day of the month, which the Arabians callRabia

,the first which answers our 24 th of September

,

whei‘e he was received with great Acclamations of hisfreinds, and lodged at the house ofChalid Abu Job, oneofthe cheif of the party who invited him thither

,where

he continued till he built a house for himself and a

Mosque for the exercise ofhis new Religion .

86

CHAPTER V

MAHOMET’S CONDUCT AT MEDINA, THE EMBASSYOF ALY TO THE AGARENS AND SARACENS

ND now we see him seated at Medina,where he erected aProphetical Monarchy

,

and intitling God and the Angel Gabrielto his Dictates he imprinted a greaterawe thereof in his followers, and was

more absolutely obeyed then force orTerror could otherwise mak e him. He declares that after Moses, theJewish state being corrupt and apostatised from the Lawgiven them by Moses

,and grown wicked in their Lives,

Isawas sent to reform them and all the World by a spiritofMeekness that the Jews persecuted and would havecrucified him

,but that the divine Providence substituted

a Phantasm in his stead, and so he was only put to deathin Efligie, being really translated into Paradise, and

that he should save all at the last day who beleive inhim, mortify themselves to the World, and observe hisPrecepts. That God finding that the mildness of Isa

had no t proved effectual,had now sent him who was the

Comforter promised by him, to protect his followers

from further Persecution,and to propagate the doctrine

ofthe Prophets and ofIsa,who all taught that there was

only one God ruling the world by his Providence, a

rewarder ofthe just, 8: a pun isher ofevil-doers.The Christians who had been so persecuted by

Cosroes, and finding their Condition very uncertain

amongst the Arabians, according to the humours or

interests of the Governours,were glad of his Rise, and

8 7


magnified his undertaking. No less pleased were theJews

,who being reduced to a mean Condition by reason

that the wars of Persia, and the animosities 8: jealousiesof the Greek Emperors, had ruin

’

d and abolish’

d all

grandeur and extinguish’

d their oUniversities, Patriarch,8: Governments, they hoped by fomenting the cause ofMahomet, so to embroil Arabia that they might drawadvantages from thence to aggrandise themselves, and at

last either destroy Mahomet, or see him reduced tosuch Straits as should oblige him to turn to them and

become Jew. But Mahomet was too politick to be

deceived by the Jews ; however he cajoled them,he

trusted them least ofall,and turned their designes upon

their own heads.He now begun to think of raising an Army, which

he found would be necessary, and consequently Moneyto raise and maintain them. The security which hegave

,to the Jews and Christians that they might live

quietly under him without molestation brought a greatdeal of riches into the publick Treasury, and tho seSecurities were observed with so inviolate a Faith thatit was a great invitation to the next neighbours to comeunder his Government

,and made those afar ofwish him

prosperity and increase ofEmpire. AS to discipline,the

Arabians had the repute of being the best and the mostactive Horsemen in the World tho’ their horses werelean

,they were bo ld and well managed, they were fed

with smal sustenance,and could endure the want ofwater

in an extraordinary manner. The Exercises of the

Arabians on horseback were to Shoot an Arrow and

spurring their horses to catch it before it came to theround ; to see an arrow shot at them and to avoid itSy stoo ping, o r hanging on either side of the horse as

occasion required,and imediately put themselves again

in a posture of defence, they would hit the lest visiblemark with Sling

,Bow

,o rJavelin. Water was their con

stant drink their food,course bread

,the flesh of goats

or camels,milk (new o r sour), cheese, pulse, and espe

8 8



Children,it had been in use among them from the

time of Ismael,if no t before ; but it was don in the

thirteenth year, as I smael was circumcised. Mahometnot only continued this Custom among the Ismaelites,but extends it to all

,not out of complaisance to the

Jews,who circumcise on the eighth day, as to continue

an inveterate use among his own Countreymen, theneglect whereofwould have bred a great distast in thatPeople whereas his imposing thereofupon Fo rreignersbecoming Musulmen imprinted a greater sense of thenecessity of that Ceremony in the minds ofArabians,and was readily submitted to by the converts beingalso justified by the Mosaical president of circumcisingProselites.

Mahomet had Meccha frequently in his thoughts.He considered that place as the centre of Arabia and

Metropo lis of Arabia deserta ; he knew of whatimportance it was to be Master of the chelf City, andthat the sovereignty ofArabia were half gained if hecould possess himself of that City. He had alreadygained the esteem of the populace, who reverenced himas a Prophet

, and were satisfied of the truth of theM iracles related of him they admired and perpetuallysung his poetry

,and thought it a great Honour to their

Tribe 8: City to have so eminent a person among them.

They were Witnesses of his Valour and Piety, and saw

his deportment 8c the Doctrin he preached to be suchas they needed not fear oppresion from his Cruelty,Extortation from his Avarice

,nor Tyranny from his

Government (for Tyranny does no t consist in theunlimitedness of power

,but in the extravagant use of

it) . TheMilitaryMen,Scenites andNomades, saw in his

religion all that could oblige them to him,since his

designe will involve them in war which would furnishthem with opportunities to gain Honour 8c Riches ;and the others who were Artisans and Tradesmen saw

that under him they should find all encouragement andprotection

,since they should neither bee compell

’

d to90

MAHOMET’S CONDUCT AT MEDINA

Warr no r exhausted with burthens. They saw theresort to the Caah lessen ’

d, so that the continuance ofthese divisions would be to the ruin of theirHonor andprofit, and were otherwise very sensible of the troublesand Hazards of a Nation broken into factions eachparty wherein was weak and, which is worse, dissolute 8cinsolent. They saw tho

’ the Rulers and prevailingparty in Meccha were against Mahomet

,yet the most

upright, just, and popularwere for him that the Prophetretired from Meccha out of tenderness to the peoplelest they should be imbroyled in civil Dissensions, andthe Holy Caab defiled with blood that Abubecr, Omar,Otsman

,and Aly had relinquished all to adhere to him

and at Meccha divers freinds of the Prophet who wereimprisoned and tortured for befreinding and retaininga Veneration for him

,were continual objects of their

comiseration . Balal, Zohaib, Cabbah, Ammar, Aves,Abuhanden, 8c Sohail, with many others, were cast intoprison

,and cruelly treated, the resolution with which

they underwent their Tortures wrought effectually uponthe comonalty, who pitied those that suffered so galantly,and could not without astonishment hear them in themidst of their torments Eccho out the Exclamation ofGod, God, the great God, and Mahomet his Apostle.”

They saw that the Coreischites which opposed Mahometwere in profession at best but Idolaters

,but really were

men of no religion,

affirming that God bein all

sufiicient needed not any outward Testimonies 0 theirDevotion

,altho’ for their own interest they persuaded

the people that they might be secure of his benignityby ‘

free

jypropitiating the Associate Gods. It was

in vain or the Coreischites to go about to excite othersto a cordial defence ofa Religion which they themselvesseem

’

d not heartily to beleive, and’tis probable that

an Accident then latel happen’d and fresh in theirMemories did no t a lit e contribute to the contempt ofthe Idols and thereby to the reception of Mahomet.One Gawias Abu Abdoluzza, a Preist or Sacristain to

9 1


one oftheir principal Idols, having one day by negligenceno t shut up the doo r, two foxes came in and

upon the Statue, he coming in and perceving what hadhapned, thought that if the Idol was unable to avengeitselfof the foxes, it was less able to help others, uponwhich he broke out into this expression : “ Is he theLord whose head the foxes defile, surely he is despicable.

Oh , yee Tribe of Salem (these were the worshippersof that Idol) , assuredly this Statue doth yee neither goodnor hurt hee neither procures nor hinders yourhappiness, and having so said he broke the Idol in

peices. Mahomet honoured this man with aMemorialin his Alcoran

,and changed his name, which signifies an

erroneous person,or son of a worshipper of Uzza, an

Arabian Deity, into Rashed Ebn Aba Rabohi, that is,an orthodox person, the son of one that worshipped hisLord.

While the affairs were in this posture at Meccha,and the Coreischites thus perplexed, Mahomet’sdifficulty was to adjust the interest of Meccha and theCaah to his new Religion . In order thereto he declaresthat his journey to Medina was not a flight from or

desertion ofMeccha, but a Religious pilgrimage to theplace where Ismael first settled himself and whence theCoreischites originally proceeded ; he calls it the Hegira,or Journey, taken out ofDevotion, and the Companionsof his flight he intitles Almo Hajerin, or the devoutPilgrims. In this apellation he made use of a

Paronomasia in which he alludes to the Nation of theAgarens, a warlike and potent people living thereabouts,called in Arabic Elhagiar, and by Strabo 8c PtolomyAypacoz,Agrei, and theircheifCityAgra ofthesementionis made in the Chronicles that the Hagarens wereovercome by the Reubenites ( 1 Chron. v. Suchanother anagramatical Allusion he made use of instiling his Sect Alislam,

which consists of the sameletters as Ismael

,only transposed. These Agarens are

mentioned in the Roman History for their valour.92



impose upon their understanding o r force their Will.The Coran, or the writin of Mahomet

,accquainted the

Agarens with the heavenfy wisdom of the Prophet, andthe carriage of his Emissaries convinced them of hissoveraign prudence and Conduct. They were astonishedwhen they saw the Motto of this incomparable tr00p“Dominion belongs to God alone and observed theirDeportment when dismounted and disarm

’

d that theyequalled the most pious Monks in their Devotions andthe most liberal Princes in their Alms ; that theirAfi

'

ability, Humility, and detestation of all Riot andLuxury and vain Glory was such as the world oughtto receive as Examples

,since no age had produced any

for the Moslemin to act by, and they were their own

presidents. But that which most endear’d this peopleto them was that at their first approach they saluted thepeople ofAgra with that exclamation so well known tothe Arabians— Allah, Allah, Howa Cobar Allah (God,God, the great God !) and that they carried in theirStandard the Lunulet or half Moon, the ancient Armsof the Ismaelites

,which they had seen placed on the

head of Asturte, or Ashtaroth,the great Goddess of

Arabia and Syria, to whom these Countries had beenimemorially devoted, and with which the Ismaelitesused to adorn them selves and their Camels, as we finddid Zaba (Saba) 8c Zalmunah

,two Ismaelitish Kings

(Jud.viii . 2 I , for so the Jews expound the Shahoronimin that place.The Moslemin were received with all the expressions

of joy 87. welcome imaginable,yet they declared a greater

satisfaction in the sense that they were welcome thenin any empty and luxurious Expressions of it. Theyexcused themselves upon this Conduct that it was notany Scorn of their Entertainment

, or that they did notthink themselves happy to have given so good a begining to their Negotiations ; but that the wisdom and

felicity ofMan cheifly consisted in Serving the greatGod, that the joy of this world was but Imposture, that

94

MAHOMET’

S CONDUCT AT MEDINA

a Man was to consider there was a time when he wasnot in being, and there would be a time when he shoulddye, that the interval] between both was so short, andso uncertain

,that the only difference between Men was

their good actions in this Life,and their rewards in the

future ; that he mistakes his Course who placeth hisConfidence in any but God, and m isplaceth his delightswho takes pleasure in any thing but what is agreable tohis Will .After these and such like discourses

,the sun begin

ing to decline,they desired the opportunity of a

Retirement,and Water to wash themselves

,wherein it

was perticularly observed with what Care they wash’

d

their Eyes,Ears

,Nose

,Mouth

,8: Hands

,for which

they gave this reason, that tho’ our knowledge was bred

in us by our senses, which were as the windows tolet in the Li ht

,and if duly imployed were the

Instruments 0 the Soul to discover the wonderful]works of God. Yet human Nature was so inclined tomisapply them,

and to be led by them into an Excessof sensuality

,that Men ought to have a diligent watch

over them,and to remind the Moslemin hereof

,the

Prophet had appointed them such Washings alwaies

before their Prayers ; and undoubtedly such memorialsare not only efficacious to restrain Men from Vice

,but

very acceptable to God, being silent Testimonies of anAversion from sin, and of a resolution to be cautelousfor the future.After this they went to their Sallah o r Prayers. They

begun with the solemn introduction ofAllah, Allah,HowaCobarAllah, then they proceeded thus in the wordsof the first Chapter of the Alcoran, Glory be to theLord ofall Creatures (the Compassionate, the Merciful),the King ofthe last Judgment, we worship thee, we invokethee

,assist us in our necessities, lead us in thy wayes,

bring us into the path of those to whom thou hastdon good

, and not into the way of those upon whomthou hast poured out thy wrath, nor into that of such

95


as thou sufferest to go astray. These and o ther prayersout of the Alcoran, repeated with great zeal and inwardSincerity, added much to the good Opinion the peoplehad of them and their Prophet. At their Prayers theyturu ’d their faces towards Meccha and the Caab, as if

they paid as much Reverence to the Temple ofMeccha,built by Abraham and Ismael, as ever Jew did to that ofJerusalem

,which was interpreted by the Arabians as a

Novelty,and l iable to exception, till they were assured

that the Kiblah was changed from Jerusalem to theCaab , and that it was the pleasure of Heaven that allMo slemin should pray towards the Temple of Ismael.This reaso n was satisfactory because it made for theglory of their Pro

genitor. The prayers the Moslemin

went to again be o re bedtime, and those which theyrenew

’

d in the morning at break of day administeredfresh cause ofadmiration and discourse, and the more forthat it was observed that the Moslemin did express somesignes of reverence to Venus, or the morning star,which had been an ancient Deity of the Arabians ; andthat in the subsequent week they did observe as a kindof Sabbath the Giuma or Friday, which had beenalwaies a day of weekly adoration to the GoddessUrania (portraied corniculate o r with a crescent on herhead) in Arabia. I t is certain that in the wholeAlcoran there is not any precept for the observationof this Giuma. Mahomet, understanding the wontedSuperstition of the Arabians, continued the solemnity ofthe day, altering the object oftheir worship to that of theone great God thus he retained the Lunulets upon theMosques and in their ensignes, suggesting new reasonsfo r Customs grown sacred, and no t to be abolishedwithout hazard to his main designe. Cum igitur not:

institumm Jed relictum a M abumedefl erit Fartam Giuma,

quad Uranide carniculatae sacrum est, a cam iculata aj asE5 vetunirsima qfigie Lunalarus apud ea: Hana: mauamvidetur,

”saith Selden, in his treatise DeD57: Syria. And

it is agreed by the mo st knowing in the Oriental96



beleived the message, the rest demanded as a miraclethat he would produce a camel out ofsuch a rock, whichSalehus did, and that camel foaled another, yet theypersisted in their infidelity, and in contempt hamstring

’

d

the camel, whereupon the Almighty caused a thunder toarise

,and destroyed them all

, the houses wherein theydwelt yet remaining, which the Agarens were not

strangers to. That this was the Doctrine whichAbraham taught when he was banished their Countrey,and which Ismael afterwards established

,when he

settled himself in Arabia. Aly doubted not that theyhad a traditional knowledge preserved in their Songs ofthe time when Idols were first brought into the Caab

,

and that it was an inovation upon the true Religionplanted by Ismael, who together with Abraham builtthat Temple. He told them that besides the introduction of a Multitude of Idols and associate Gods

,the

Religion of Ismael had been depraved, and in a mannerabolished, by the mixture of Lyes and Fables

,and that

God had now at length been pleased to extend hismercy to the Arabians, the Jews having lost their Coran,which Moses gave them

,and made Ozair o r Ezra

an Associate with God, receiving a Coran (by which ismeant the Canon ofthe Scripture

,and the Cabbalawhich

the Jews derive from Ezra) of this as if it were fromthe great God, destroying the Prophets and persecutingIsa when he was sent to reform them. The followersof Isa having also lost the Coran sent to them

,and

associated Isa and Mary his Mother with God,and in

most places introduced Idols into their Churches andhouses. That now God had raised a Prophet out ofthe linage of Ismael to publish the truth

, and restorethe doctrine of Ismael to its purity. The Caab, sayeshe

,we reverence more then any Co reischite at Meccha,

and since it hath pleased God by his Prophet to removethe Keblah thither, towards that wee direct our faceswhen we pray. The pool of Zemzam we hold no lesssacred then they, tho

’ not upon an Idolatrous Account,

98

MAHOMET’

S CONDUCT AT MEDINA

because we know that when our Mother Hagar wasdelivered of Ismael, he, dancing with his little feet, madeway for a Spring to break forth, but the water comingforth in such abundance, and with such violence

,that

Hagar could make no use of it to quinch her thirst(which was then very great). Abraham coming to theplace

,comanded the spring to glide more gently

, thatwater might be drawn out of it to drink

, and havingthereupon stayed its course with a little bank of sand,he took of it to make Hagar and the Child drink thesame spring is to this day call

’

d Zamzam,from Abraham

making use of that word to stay it. We honour thoseStones which they so Idolatrously worship

, they are

neither Mars,Bacchus, nor Venus. The last within the

Cloisters or Co urt of the Caab, on the ground inclosedin an iron gate called Makam Ibrahim

,or the place of

Abraham,is the stone whereon Abraham stood when the

Caab was built, the impressions ofhis feet remain in it,the print of the right foot being deeper then that of theleft the other, called the Black Stone, which is rivetedto the Wall in a corner ofthe Caab, on Bassa side, is noIdol neither

,but one of the precious Stones in Paradise

brought thence by Adam , carried up to Heaven again atthe Deluge, and brought to Meccha again by the AngelGabriel. When Abraham built the Caah, it was at firstas white as Milk, but the sins ofMen have caused itscolour to degenerate into black. We are so far fromdetesting the Caab, or hindring the pilgrimage thither,that it is a fundamental Article of our Religion toundertake it

,and none can be a true Musulman

,who

doth no t think himself absolutely obliged to go thitherto perform the usual Rites, and do his Devotion at

those Stones,no t as now it is don

,but out of piety to

the great God only, and reverence to our holy proenitors, the Stones are blessed memorials ofAbraham,

glagar, and Ismael, not objects ofDevotion. We doubtno t but there is a benediction attends such as piouslykiss the Black Stone, and stooping do pass under it.

99


There is a heap of stones near the way, betwixt Medinaand Meccha, where the Idolaters do now cast each threestones in their peregrination in honour ofMerk olis or

Mercury. See, said Aly, to what a height of Idolatry thetrue Muslamitical Religion of our Father Ismael iscorrupted. After the Gaab was built, and I smael grown aStripling

, the Angel Gabriel appeared to Ibrahim

, and

told him that Go intended to make the highest tryalofhis Affection and gratitude, and that he would havehim in acknowledgment of so many favours to sacraficehis son to him. Abraham imediately consented, and,returning home, bid Hagar call up her son, and put onhis best cloaths, that he might be the better look

’

d on at

a wedding to which he intended to carry him. Theydeparted early the next morning, and took their waytowards Mount Arafat, Abraham carrying with him a

sharp knife and some co rds. But as soon as they werego ne

,Sceithan (that is to say, the Divel) representing

himself to Hagar, in the shape of a man,reproached

her with the easiness wherewith she had consented thather son Ismael should go from her, telling her that whatAbraham had pretended concerning the wedding towhich he was to carry hifh was a mere forgery

, and thathe was carrying him to the Shambles. Hagar askedhim the reason why Abraham would use her so

,since

he had alwaies express’

d a great tenderness to her son .

The Divel made answer that God had comanded it shouldbe so whereto Hagar replied, Since it was God

’s goodpleasure to make that disposal of him

,it was but fit he

should comply therewith : whereupon the Divel pressing harder upo n her, and treating her as an unnaturalmother, endeavouring by those aggravations to bringher into Rebellion against God

,she pelted him away

with Stones. The Divel’

s endeavour proving unsuccessfull that way, and too weak to overcome the obstinacyofa woman, he applied himself to Abraham

,revived in

him the tenderness and affection ofa Father,represented

to him the horridness of the Murder he was going to100


m at m oo lus OF MAHOMETANISM

make tryal ofhis Faith. He bid him unbind his son,and

sacrafice a he-goat which at that instance came into theplace

,and which Abraham accordingly offered to God

for a burnt-offering. The three stones which Hagar,Abraham,

and Ismael threw at the Divel are yet to beseen near the highwa

‘y betwixt Arafat and Meccha, and

the two great heaps o stones there have been made partlyby our Muslemitical Ancesto rs

,partly by the deluded

Idolaters. Ofthe first, each used to bring three stones tobe cast at the Divel, at the same place where these heapsare, to the end he might not distract them in theirDevotions at the Caab or Mount Arafat. 1 know

,added

Aly, that the Jews, and the pretended fo llowers of Isa,do say that it was Isaac that was to be sacraficed, butthis is one of the Corruptions of their Coran, for the

intendments of God were greater towards Ismael thenIsaac, for which reason Sarah was made barren till ourFather was born this Sarah foresaw, and therefore hatedhim

,and Abraham understood, and therefore took such

care ofhim (as also did the Angel Gabriel) . In I smaelwas circumcision first celebrated. I t was concerningIsmael that the promise was made to Hagar

,I will

multiply thy seed exceedingly,it shall not be numbered

for multitude. The generation of Hagar was greaterthen the generation of Sarah. I t shall reign to theEast, and to the West, and God shall let them rule overall the Nations ofthe Earth. Behold, renowned Agarens,your illustrious Ancestors veiw the Countrey that youand your brethren are possessed of, the three Arabiaswith the rich appanages

,in Mesopatam ia and Syria

compare these with the narrow and barren land of

promise designed for the progeny of Sarah,enquire how

often they have been totally conquered and carried awayCaptive into foreign Countries

, and their Templedestroyed, whilst you retain your ancient habitations.Nor can any Monarch boast of an intire Conquestof the most valiant Agarens ; the Caab hath indeedbeen profaned with Idols

,but never destroyed nor

102


totally alienated from the worship of the greatGod.

These discourses raised in the Agarens not only a

great Attention,but in an instant seem ’

d to have gain’

d

them to the party of the Prophet. They heard with a

great deal of pleasure the glory of their extraction, theshare which their progenitors had in the Love of thegreat God

,who had made so great promises to their

Tribes and was so mindful of the desert Countrey of

Arabia as to designe it to be the seat of the most potentand renowned Empire in the World. These fellows thatunderstood no other delicacies then sower milk, and

parched peas or beans ; no better array then what thehair of their goats or camels

,and that coarsely spun and

worse woven,did yield them no other beds and palates

then the ground ; no other riches then a few Camels, alean horse or two

, and a bow and arrows no o ther Deitythen a few mistaken stones

,which at a pilgrimage to the

Caab they o r their ignorant Ancestors had brought homeand devoutly worshipped

,o r, if any had been more

illuminated, their religion mounted no further then tomak e some ill favoured Cringes to the Moon and

mumble an Orison to the morning Star, crying, Allah,Allah, Howa Cabar l for this was their old form ofPrayeror Doxology. These fellows, I say, now begun toimagine themselves the darlings of Heaven, the heirs ofParadise and Monarchs of the Universe and since theynow comprehended the true original of the presentreligion

, and what it was from whence they had degencrated, they resolved to be as good Mo slemin as theirFather Ismael

, and to own that worship which all the

Prophets had preached and adhered,especially it being

more facil and easy then their Idolatry and presentsuperst1tion.

It is one of the most difficult parts of a Prince toadjust Employments to their M inisters, and to makeuse of suitable instruments for carrying on each Affair.The spritely youth and fire of Aly did not a little

103


contribute to the happy success of his Negotiation his

good mein, his prudence and other virtues made the

greater impression, because they were set of by an Agem which they were extraordinary his courtesy was

such as compell’

d his Enemies to quell their passion,and render

’

d his friends his slaves. Such was his eloquenceand reason that he seem ’

d to have charm ’

d their senses, Scpossessed himselfofall the Afl

'

ections oftheir Souls heprepared their Courages as he pleased, infused boldnessinto the most fearful, ambition into spirits incapable of

it, and which even then did not apprehend what theywere instigated by

,and persuaded the most impetuous

and undisciplined to such a moderation and regularity ofmilitary discipline as might be subservient to their greatEnds,— the Example of his small but well - trainedRetinue conduced not a little to this last point.The Agarens were all Eyes and all Ears

,and their

souls distracted between what they saw and what theyheard, but the approach of Noon gave Aly and his

Companions occasion to withdraw from their presenceto prayer, and so they had the greater liberty to recollectthemselves. Dinner being brought in, which was servedwith more plenty and neatness then is usual among theArabians, the illustrious Pilgrim and his Associates declined to tast of any thing that appear

’

d to be moredelicate then ordinary

,and the Viands added nothing to

the Entertainment ofthe Moslemin but as they testifiedtheir welcome and the kindness oftheir freinds, they saiditwas the comand ofthe Prophet that theMoslemin shouldno t indulge themselves in such sensual pleasures in thislife

,God having reserved them for the divertisements of

Paradise and the future world that here our bodies arefrail and our senses easily glutted, so that such momentary delights are not worth our serious thoughts andregards that they did but efi

'

eminate and intenerate thebody and beset the soul that Courage and luxury wereinconsistent

,and since the great God did by the Prophet

call forth the Moslemin to extirpate Idolatry and propa104



that fo rreigners held that he was fostered there, but thiswas a corruption oftrue I slamism,

that both the Idol andthe liquor intituled to him were now to be banished, andthe Arabians to know that Baccha signified no morethen great and renowned, and, however now depraved,was at first a Religious Exclamation in praise of thegreat God. That whatever pleasure there was in wine,those sensual pleasures are inconsiderate in this Life,and therefore God had reserved the intire satisfaction ofour Senses till we come to Paradise, where all suchdelights will have their perfect Relish 8: Gusto, our

immortal bodies being qualified with senses never to bedulled with Satiety.Hereupon he related the Dialogue in the Alcoran

betweenMahomet andAbadias,aJew. Abadias demanded

of him what use there would be ofWine in Paradise ?The Prophet answered, Your question is so subtil, thatI must return a double answer to one Interrogatory. Ishall therefore satisfy you why it may be drunk there,and why not here . There were two Angels, Azot(Harut) and Marot (Marut), sent down by God fromHeaven into this world to instruct and govern Man

kind,with this Caution

,that they should never judge

unrighteously or drink wine. This being known, manyrepaired to them for Justice

,which they impartially

administered. Amongst others appeared before them a

very beautiful woman to complain against her husbandto incline them to favour her Case, she invites them todinner

, and treated them magnificently,charging her

servants to ply them with wine, to the drinking whereofshe also frequently urged them in short

,they were made

exceeding drunk, and then feeling those impressions fromher beauty which before they were not sensible of, theyimportuned her to that Compliance which the mostamorous sigh after. She promised to consent providedthat one of them should accquaint her with the waywhereby they come down from Heaven, and the otherwith the passage up thither, which they accordingly did

106


and she having disengaged herself mounted strait wayto Heaven

,which when God perceived

,informing himself

ofthe manner ofher Arrival,he turned her into the morn

ing star,that she might there shine with as great Lustre as

she did on Earth. The two Angels being call’

d to an

Account were ordered to choose whether they wouldsuffer Torments in this World

, or in the world to come.They elected the first

,and remain hung to this day in

Iron chains with their heads downwards in the Abyss ofBabill. What say you now

,Abdias is not reasonable that

Wine should be prohibited here on Earth, and yetallowed hereafter ?The Agarens hereupon fell into admiration of the

Coran, and did not doubt but he who published suchdivine things must be the Apostle of God and an

I ntimate ofHeaven. They were convinced that it was no tfitting for men on Earth to drink wine

,since

’

fi'

t had soill Effects upon those pure angelical bodies. They thenperceived the reason why their first Progenitors paid a

reverence to the morning star,that they did not worship

the star as the Idolaters did since,but '

uttr’

d an Allah,Allah

,Howa Cobar ! to the Honour of God, who had

placed that bright Star in the firmament to put them inmind of the inconveniences of drinking Wine on Earth,where our Life is an errant to serve and glorify God,(not to pamper ourselves), and to accquaint them with thefuture pleasures ofthe celestial Paradise.Tho’ all the Topics that Rhetorick its self could

yeild would not have persuaded them so powerfully asthis sin

gle Apologue

,yet the abstinence from Wine

being 0 so great importance to the preservation of

Civil St military Discipline,mutual Freindship, Obedi

ence,Dispatch

, and Secrecy, without which the ArabianMonarchy could no t be atcheived, Aly thought fit toenforce that point by a second relation. That theProphet being invited by a Freind to an Entertainmentat his house

,chanced in his way thither to be detained

at a nuptial, where he admired the innocent cheerfulness107


and M irth ofeach guest,how freindly they embraced and

kissed each other and rendered mutual Testimonies ofunfeigned Love. And enquiring of the Master of thehouse what it was that created in them so debonair andcomplaisant an humour, he was told that this was theusual Effect ofWine, and that they had drunk some ;whereupon he pronounced a blessing upon that liquorwhich produced so amicable a Disposition in the breastsof Mortals. The Prophet thereupon departed ; and as

he returned the next day, called there again, but foundthings in another Condition then when he left themhere lay a scatter

’

d leg, and there an arm lop’

t of, some

he saw lye cripled, and others mangled 8: bereft ofEyeswhereupon enquiring what could be the occasion of sobloody a Fray among those who were so freindly before,the Landlord told him that this was the usual consequenceofdrinking Wine

,that after that they had drunk hard they

became mad,and from misunderstanding one another

proceeded to blows,so had killed some andmaimed others.

Upon this Mahomet changed his benediction into a

Curse, and prohibited his followers from ever drinking

wine. Here Aly put a period to these kind of Discourses and Dinner being concluded, now he found theAgarens sufficiently at the devotion of Mahomet, hedetermined to accomplish the main ends of his Nego taition by an additional Harrangue to this purpose.Valiant sons of Hagar 8c Ismael : If I thought it

needful to speak any more to you to convince you of

the truth of the Religion our Prophet teacheth, o r ofthedivine authority of the Coran, each line whereof is a

durable M iracle which will alwaies appear to be so, aslong as the language of Ismael doth continue upon earth,since no human Wit or Learning can produce any thingequal to the lest Surat or Chapter thereof if this werenecessary

,I would insist upon further arguments and

new motives to persuade you to Islamism, the sumwhereof is by the Testimony of the Gabriel himselfavowed to be this.



which God by his Prophet doth sumon you If youbehold the Condition ofthe GreekMonarchy

, and Christendom in general, all things will appear easy to youtheir subjects are so exasperated by oppression

,so

debauched in their manners, so indifferent in theirReligion

,and after so many quick Revolutions

,by the

death of the Emperor Mauritius and Phocas,and the

usurpation of Heraclius,so unconcerned who shall

govern them,that there needs only the attempt to effect

the conquest of them. There is no unity in theirCouncils

,no duty nor obedience in the soldiery so

defrauded in their Pay during the reigns ofMauritiusand Phocas. There is no Conduct or prudence in theirGenerals or Comanders, no union in their Church, youshall no sooner advance your Standard

,but the Arrians

will become your freinds ; the numerous Jacobites andNestorians will enlarge their divisions and choose ratherto live peaceably under your protection

,then anathem

atised, scorned, hated, persecuted, and depressed underthe Melchites. ’Tis natural forMankind to endure morepatiently 8: willingly the Rule of a Forreigner, and onediffering in profession from them

,then to be tyrannised

over and trampled upon by one of their fellows ofthesame Religion

,and no better extraction then themselves

and those potent Sects will bear with content a Yoakunder which the domineering Melchites will groan .

They are not unaccquainted with the Arabian force, yourArmies have lately carried Terror over all Syria

,Palestine

,

and Egypt this a parcel] ofyou did,but heretofore under

Queen Mauvia you vanquish’

d the Armies of theEmperors Gratian and Valens, and forced them to suefor peace. In the time of Justinus, who precededJustin ian, King Almandar made the like conquest, andobliged the Emperor to send an Embassy to him for

peace and lately, did not a party of the Saracens underCo sroes, in the time of Phocas and Heraclius

,over

run Egypt, and add to the victories of the Persian King ?

I must tell you,renowned Agarens, tho

’ others know1 10

MAHOMET’

S CONDUCT AT MEDINA

your puissance, you never understood it yourselves. Youhave alwaies been the Stipendaries and Apennage to theRoman and Persian Empire ; you have, as it were, beensubject sometimes to the one, and sometimes to theother. We find that Arabia hath been divided betwixtbo th, and Aretas hath fought in favour of Justinian

,

whilst Almondar hath fought against him,and Co sroes

hath appo inted Princes to one party, and the GreekEmperor to the other. And what have you acquired byall the Victories you have gain

’

d, and the services youhave rendered to the Greeks ? Have they continued toany ofyou the usual pay ? are they not indepted to you inlong arrears ? and what answer have they made to yourjust demands .

7‘ They have no money to spare forAgarendogs ] Certainly you deserved a more civil return

,and

you need no t that heaven should excite you by aProphetto revenge this Indignity make them feel your power,and once more convince them how necessary your freindship 1s to them

,by letting them see you can be their

Masters. Bostra or Vostra gave birth and original toMarcus Julius Philippus, and an Arabian swaied oncea Roman Emperor, but deprived him of the Empire.To effect this let us not live divided under more pettyPrinces then we have tribes, let us all unite into one

Monarchy. We are all ofone Language and one parentage ; we are allAgarens, all Ismaelites .

’Tis a pitiful thingto see into what necessities the petty Princes are reducedto maintain themselves, and to how many real Evilstheyare exposed to conserve that vain Image ofLiberty, andthat sweet delusion ofsoveraign Authority that doth bewitch them ; they consume themselves in expences for

their defence,and give almost all they have that nothing

may be taken from them. They are obliged to observeall the fancies and notions of freinds and Enemies. If

they subsist,it is no t by their own strength, for they have

none,but either by the weakness of their neighbors

,or

because their Countries are of so little Concernment asnot to excite in any ambitious mind the desire ofcon

1 1 1


quering them,o r they are under shelter from the inter

prises ofo ne by the Jealousy of the other, and conservetheir liberty by reason that their ambitious neighbo urshinder each other from seizing on them and becomingtheir Master. Consider with yourselves how often yourdivisions and subdivisions have made you a prey to theinvading Persians or Romans. Have you not seen theRoman Armies at your dores, and been almost reducedto desolation under Trajan, Severus, and others ? Haththere ever been aWar betwixt tho se two po tent Empires,in which Arabia hath not been harrassed, 8: the blood ofthe Ismaelites shed on one or both sides Think ofthecalamities you have endured, and examine from whencethey have sprung. Enquire what renown Arabia wasarrived to under Odenatus and Zenobia, which had stilbeen greater but that some of your petty Princes wereinveigled and bought of to combat the others. YourEnemies confess they owe more to your petty Princesthat would be mercenary then to their own Forces whichyou singly bafled. Independancy is an empty Name if

pt

overty, ww ,eakness and contempt be the Consequences of

an, d a comodious subjection is to be preferr

’d beforeat shadow of Soveraignty and a precarious insignificantpower : the liberty is greater ; the repute greater ; theriches greater and all more secure ifa smal Principalitybecome the accessional of a powerful] Monarchy

,then if

it subsist of its self. I speak no t this that our Prophetdemands, o r that God enjoyns that you should lay downyour power at the feet or submit it to the disposal of

Mahomet. No, he is designed o ur Prophet, not our

Emperor,and brings us no laws but what are to guide

us to heaven, or which God enjoyns to be observed here.When a nearer veiw shall have convinced your Eyes

,as

Fame no doubt hath fill’d your ears,that he is altogether

averse to the concerns of this World : that he 13 so farfrom depriving any Ismaelite of his Liberty

, that hewould set even a bird free if he saw him incaged

, and soremote from Ambition and Avarice that the greatest

I I 2



and it was not his intention to take Meccha by force,but

by surrender,since by assaulting and storming the City he

could not chuse but profane or violate the respect he hadfor the Sacred Caab. Aly now prepares to depart fromAgra, and on the morrow hastens to Saraca, which wasthe cheifCity of the Saracens. I find St. Jerom 8020

men and many of the ancients were of opinion that theSaracens were denominated from Sarah, the wife of

Abraham, and that they took that name to conceal their

descent from the handmaid Hagar ; but this is so

ridiculous a conceit that Scaliger, Fuller, Hottinger,Pocock

,and all the intelligent Moderns laugh at it for

the Saracens never did claim kindred with Sarah or

renounce Ismael or Hagar, but avowed that the majestyand greatness of Hagar was to transcend that ofSarah.I could willingly assent to Fuller that (Saracens beingusually by writers taken fo r all the Scenites and Inhabi

tants of the desert Arabia) they were so called fromSarak

,which in the Syriac tongue signifieth empty and

barren, their Countrey being such. But since Hottinger

thinks it strange that the Arabians should give themselves a Syriac name and no t an Arabic, I shall decline that,tho

’ I can as little think they would admit of a namethe Arabic Sarak, to shark (serq) o r steal privately,

”

which yet is the opinion of Scaliger, Hottinger, and

Valesius, tho’

Dr. Pocock dislikes it,they being publick

robbers, not private. He thinks, therefore, they werecalled Saracens from Shark ion, which signifies the East,because they lived Eastward of Judea

,which reason

had been better if the name had been ofJewish Extraction but in that o r the Syriack language it signifies nosuch thing, nor could the Saracens call themselves so

,

there being others more Easterly then they ; nor couldthey do it in reference to the Western Arabians, theybeing thus termed in History before anyArabians weresettled in the Western World contradistinct from them.

If I may be admitted to deliver my Opinion, I beleivethey were one province ofArabia, which was call

’

d Saraka,1 14


and lies beyond Nabataea or Arabia petrea,the inhabitants

ofwhich are call’d Saracens, and the Country by Ptolomy,call

’

d Sapaxqm) . I am the more persuaded of the truthhereof, because Geographers in distinguishing theArabians denominate them from their perticular Regionsas the Cedrei,Agareni, Nabataei, 8:c.

,therefore I suppose

Aly to have gone to the City (as some Authors stile it)ofSaraka. In his Journey and reception there happen’dnothing that needs relating after what I have said of theAgarens, the Saracens being no less prepossess

’

d byEmisaries with the fame of Mahomet 8: his Apostleshipthen those ofAgra and their Customs 8: manners beingthe same.The most remarkable accident in the Journey

,and

which contributed much to the veneration ofAly, wasthat toward the dawning of the day. When the morningSallah, o r prayers, was to be said by the Moslemin, andthey had begun their Devotion, an unexpected fire

broke out, and consumed the cabin wherein two of thefollowers of Aly were lodged : one of them choserather to be burnt then to preserve his Life by discontinuing his prayers, upon which he was so intentthat neither the sight of the fire

,the noise and

concourse of people, nor the importunities of such as

call’

d to and pull’

d him could any way divert histhoughts o r make him express any sign that he heard orregarded them the other escaped by a timely flight.The news hereof coming to Aly, he imediately

pronounced, with extraordinary Zeal, the Allah Ekbar, o rMahometan Exclamation, God, God, the Great God and

calling fo r the Mosleman who had escaped, he toldhim that the man was happy who trusted in God thatour condition in this World being so short and

uncertain, our Wisdom and felicity consisted inresigning ourselves to the Will of God, and devotingour Hearts intirely to him. That to serve God wasour duty as his creatures and subjects, to whom it wasenjoyned our Glory as Muslem in and the way to Eternal

1 15


happiness. He declared the deceased to be a Martyr,

and prayed that God’s peace might be upon him, and his

memory glorious, who had expressed so great aDevotionto God

,and so great a contempt of Life

,that he would

no t interrupt his prayer to save himself. That prayerwas the pillar of Religion, and key ofParadise. Thatnothing ought to detain or divert a Mosleman fromhis devotion

,and he who could at such times think

upon or mind anything else, did not merit the NameofMosleman or true beleiver. That the Value of Lifeand of this World was inconsistent with a true faithconcerning the felicity of the future. That this Worldwas no other then a dead Carcass or Carrion

,and they

were Dogs which pursued it. This said,he comanded

that he who had escaped should be severely bastinado ’

d,which chastisement he endured with a great deal ofFortitude and cheerfulness, kissing afterwards the handsof him that chastised him, and making him a presentthereupon . This last Spectacle astonished the Saracensno less then the first they admired to see the patiencewherewith the Moslemin underwent their punishment

,

tho’ they received 100 stripes

,and those so cruel

that several pounds of flesh were to be cut afterwardsfrom the bruised parts to effect their Recovery. So

great was their submission that they held the firstBattoons, such as were used to these purposes

,came

down from Heaven, that all of them were sacred, and

that those who were bruised or touch’

d with thatInstrument of Justice were exempt from tormentsafter death, and that the party punished ought to kissthe hands of the Lictor, and give him thanks

,and a

present for the correction . The impressions whichthis Spectacle made in the Saracens are not easilyconjectured. Aly, who knew how to derive advantagesfrom any emergency without seeming so to do,omited nothing that might engage that Valiant Nationto the service of the Prophet. He instructed them inIslamism

,made use of all those Arguments which had

1 16


CHAPTER VI

THE RETURN OF ALY, AND THE WARKS OFMAHOMET

AVING set all things in order here, as

he had don at Agra, Aly retired backto Medina with a numerous train of

Volunteers,who came of their own

Accord to attend and guard the Prophet.They disciplined themselves there every day, and whattime could be spared from their Sallah, and theirM ilitary Exercises, was imployed in working at somehandicraft Employment

,teaching them that food was

most pleasant,nourishing

,and blesed, which every man

gain’

d by his perticular Industry and Labour, and thatGod delighted in those Alms to be given which a manhad gain

’

d himself.Mahomet received Aly with as much Honor as

became the gravity of the Apostle of God, and Alyprostrated himself before him with much Reverence.At the same time there arrived news from the Kingdomof the Abyssines

,how Giafar

,the son ofAbutalib, and

brother ofAly, had converted the Alnajash o r Negush,call

’

d Aitshama,Emperor of that Kingdom, and a

great part ofhis subjects to Islamism . This Giafar hadbeen o ne of the first of the Followers of Mahomet atMeccha

,and upon that account being a sufferer in the

general Persecution by the Coreischites upon all such aswere freinds to the Pro phet, he and divers others ofthem desired Mahomet’s permission to retire ; whichobtained, they withdrew into Ethiopia for protection,

1 18

THE WARRS OF MAHOMET

where they met with a very generous and kindentertainment from the Negush, notwithstanding theCo reischites did send Embassadors after them to thatCourt to have them deliver

’

d up as Enemys of theState. This Hegira, o r flight

, was some time before thepilgrimage of Mahomet to Medina, so that Giafar,residing in the Court of Aitshama, had time and

opportunity to instruct him in the doctrine and worshipof Mahomet, and to make him accquainted with hishistory and character.The Abyssines had alwaies used circumcision, not

upo n a Religious but civil Account, and were (as it issaid) converted to Christianity by the Eunuch of theQueen of Candace, who was baptized by Phillipp, andthat the were confirmed in it by St. Matthew and

others 0 theApostles who preached there. Undoubtedlythey were at first of the number ofJudaising Christians,and afterwards turn ’

d Jacobites, as the Arabians also did.This aflinity in Religion, in Circumcision, and in rejectingthe Melchites

,together with the puzling Notions of

the Trinity, especially in that ignorant Age (no t tomention that the Abyssines had not long before reignedin Yaman for seventy years o r more, which the Negushmight again cast his eye upon, and so be the moreready to foment a party and encourage divisions amongthem), I say all those Circumstances concurring did muchfacilitate the Conversion of the Negush. He was soonconvinced that it was impossible there should be threepersons in the Deity, and that it was absurd to beleivethat God did beget a son, and hearing that Mahometdid not only stile Isa a Prophet but su erlativelyhonoured him as the word and Spirit 0 God, heembraced Islamism . Upon this intelligence Mahometcomands Ibn Omar to prepare for an Embassy toEthiopia. The retinue had much of Splendor, and

Ibn Omar carried a Letter from the Prophet whichbegun thus “ In the name ofGod, merciful and gracious,from Mahomet the Apostle of God to Negush

1 19


Aitshama,King of the Abassines, 8:c. His reception

there was no less solemn then magnificent. Aitshama,

descendin from his Throne to receive the Letter,laid

it presentIy on his Eyes, and sitting o n the groundread the Contents, and returned a submissive answer

,

which begun with the Bismillah, or form with whichthe strict Mahometans usually begin their Discourse

,

and which 13 the Proem of almost every Chapter 1n the

Alcoran,viz In the name of God, merciful and

“

cion s,to the Apostle of God of glorious memory

,

rom Alnajash Aitshama Ben Abrahar,health

,0

Apostle ofGod, who art sent of God, 8:c. This Letterwas carried by Giafar Aritha, the son of the Negush,and sixty of the Princes of Abassinia

,who

,with the

Refugee’s,accompanied Giafar, Ibn Omar, and Aritha.

The Arrival of the Abyssines at Medina was attendedwith all the solemnity 8: Splendor which became theProphet. He comanded the Christians who were at

Medina,with their Presbyters and Monks

,to be present

at the reception and after the first ceremonies were past,having caused the people to be ranked with their facestowards Meccha 8: the Caab, ordered Giafar to readthem somewhat out of the Alchoran . He fixed uponthe Surat of Mary, and when they heard it, they wept,and publickly declared themselves Moslemin.I t is easy to apprehend what efl

'

ects this Embassyhad upon allArabia. Those ofYaman could not but callto mind their late subjection to the Abyssines, and

feared a second conquest. Those of Meccha wereterribly afl

'

righted, and suspected the Islamism of theAbyssines as a trick of State, and rather feigned thenreal. They remembered the attempt which AbrahahAlasharan had made upon the Caab

,as is before related,

which happened in the 4and year of Cosroes, o r

Anusherwan, at which time Mahomet was born, fromwhich the Arabians made a new Epoche

,and to which

there is a Surat in the Alcoran relating. On the otherhand, the adherents and Confederates of Mahomet were

1 20



Coreischites, nor the conduct of their General, couldresist the shock. Seventy of the stoutest and bravestofthe Coreischites fell that day, most ofthem Comanders,and as many more were taken prisoners, with the lossonly offourteen Moslemin, who were declared Martyrs.The spo il, which was very great, was brought to thepublick Treasury. Mahomet having so principled hisfollowers that they regarded nothing beyond a meresubsistence and the propagation of Islamism .

The fame of this Victory added much to the renownof the Prophet

,yet he did not think fit to prosecute

his Victories any further, since he resolved not to makeuse offorce against the City of Meccha out of respectto the holy Caab besides

,he did not think it prudence

to grasp at more then he could securely manage. He

knew that young Converts are not so fixed to theirprofession and party but that they easily becomefactious and mutinous o r revolt again, and that a nearerapproach to Meccha might render the Coreischites

desperate,and so alarm their Neighbours that they

might be induced to joyu in their defence.He thought convenient

,therefore

,to desist from

any further attempts at this time, and to return toMedina, and establish himself at home, before he wentabout more remote Conquests. He considered that inthe Territories he had already acquired, as also inYaman and the neighbouring Provinces of Persia, wereMultitudes of Jews

,who were not so much obliged by

the protection given them but that they would upon anyopportunity advance the interest of their own Nation,and endeavour to resettle themselves in their o ld

Monarchy at Jerusalem,as they had lately attempted

under Co sroes, and formerly upon divers occasions.Nor was he ignorant that the Jews hated him for

magnifying Isa and exalting him above Moses in theprophetic Dignity

,whom they had put to death as a

seditious person and esteemed the son of a Whore.Whereupon he resolved to secure himself of them

1 2 2

THE WARB S OF MAHOMET

before they should make any head, and by subduingthem increase the number of his Victories, ease himselfof so many underhand Enemies, and keep his Troopsin Exercise.I know not what Open cause of Jealousy the Jews

had given to the Prophet, but he dispatched Abubecrto them,

to demand that they should embrace Islamism,

repeat the Sallah, o r Mahometan prayer, pay the tenth

oftheir Estates, and “ lend to God a considerable sumofMoney.” No man was so fit for this Employmentas Abubecr, for besides his great courage he was exceeding passionate. No Jew could be a greater Bigot in hisway then Abubecr was in Islamism, they could notbeleive so little concerning Mahomet, but, on thecontrary

,he beleived as much ; he beleived all that

Mahomet said,and all that was said of him, when the

Prophet reported that he had been carried in one nightfrom Meccha to Jerusalem,

and from thence up to

Heaven. The Coreischites laughed at it as abold Figmentand Imposture, and askedAbubecr ifhe beleived it. Hereadily answered that he did no t only give credit tothat

,but beleived and would justify matters more

1ncredible than these. This warm temper of his madehim a fit instrument on this occasion, where the businesswas no t to insinuate, but to come to an open rupture.He came to the Jews and pressed them to receive thecomands of the Prophet, urging them with the M iraclesofMahomet, that being the most prevailing Argumentwith that Nation ; yet they were no t moved thereby.How confidently soever he reported them, they saidthey expected a Messias of their own, the Son ofDavid

,

whose Dominions should extend far and near ; and as

to the lending any sum of money to God, Phineas, theson ofAhuza

,demanded if their God were so poor that

he needed to take up money at interest. The insolenceof this question so provoked Abubecr that he gave hima box on the ear, declaring withall that he would haveslain him, but that the Prophet had given them a Chat tel

1 23


of Security. He departed forthwith and acquaintedMahomet with their refusal

,but mentioned not the

words of Phineas,protesting he durst not repeat their

blasphemies.Mahomet was no t at all displeased with the ill

success of the Negotiations,but presently curseth the

Jews in a perticuler Surat, declares that they are Enemiesto the Moslem in, and aim at a distinct Monarchy of

their own, that they had alwaies persecuted the Prophetsof their own Nation, and were so arrogant as to imaginethat God could not raise aProphet but from among them.

In the third year,therefore

,after the Hegira, he

set out against them,and in fifteen daies destroys their

Castles,and reduceth them under his power

,killing

Caabas,the son ofAlasrasy, who was his most bitter

Enemy.It was well for him that he distressed the Jews in

so short a time, for the Coreischites, thinking to findhim so busied there that he would not be able todefend Medina against their powerful Forces

,sent

Abusofian with 3000 foot and 200 horse and 3000

Camels (the milk of which was their food) to attack thetown. Mahomet, altho

’ he could not get together above1000 Men

, draws out his army to fight them . A bloodybattle ensued in which the Moslemin were at first Victors,but being at last overpower

’

d with numbers,and having

lost Hamza, Mahomet’s Uncle,and seventy others of

their party, Mahomet,who that day acted all the parts

ofagood Comanderand a valiant soldier since he despairedof Conquest, determined to make good his Retreat toMedina

,the neighbourhood whereof preserved him

from any great damage that day. The Coreischitesdiscovering him rallying his Men, and bravely fightingin the rear of his flying Forces

,lent all their power to

destroy him. Ochas, the son ofAbumugid, woundedhim in the lip with a Javelin, and strook out some of

his foreteeth Abdallah,the son of Sidhab, hurt him in

the forehead,and he was also wounded in the Jaws,

1 24


R ISE 8: PROGRESS OF MAHOMETANISM

encouragement of the Mahometans, and terrour oftheirEnemies

,one of them being a very valiant Captain,

and,as it were, the soul of their Army. The Reputation

of Mahomet was much encreased by his having thus,

without any loss or hazard, caused so powerful an Armyto dislodge and dissolve ; and more by the advantagehe took in their retreat, for they being seperatedMahomet pursued a brigade of them

,which he beseiged

2 5 dayes, and having reduced them,cut off the heads

of 670 of the men. This happen’d in the fifth year of

his stay at Medina.

In the sixth year he resolved not to wait theEnemies in his own Territories, but to carry the seat ofthe Warr into the Countrey of the Coreischites ; and

having in his March gain’

d several considerable Victories,

and subdued several of the Arabian Tribes, sits down atHadibia, a place near Meccha. As the Moslemin hadtheir Courages inflamed by their succession of Victories

,

and by the sight of the Caah, so, on the other hand, theInhabitants ofMeccha were no less disconsolate to seethe danger so near them , after so many fruitless expeditions

,and bein divided and distracted among themselves

(as generally iappens in such occasions) were in the

utmost confusion ; but the generous Prophet continuingin his Resolution of taking Mcocha by the surrenderrather then force, came to a Treaty with the Coreischites,which ended in a cessation of Arms for ten years tocome. One clause of this agreement was that ifMahomet o r any of his followers had a pious intentionto visit the Caab, they might come without Arms andperform their Devotions : whereby the Prophet gain

’

d

many advantages. The inhabitants ofMeccha being convinced ofhis strength were sensible of his generosity tothem and his Devotion to the Caah, and he had thatopportunity of sending in Emissaries under the pretenceof devotion, as well as the glory of having faced and

brought to composition the Capital City ofArabia. HisArmy hereupon inaugurate him solemnly (of their own

1 26


accord without any solicitation ofhis) to be their X erifl'

or Prince. He retires from Hadibia,and marches against

severall little territories that had been in Arms againsthim

, who being not included in the Cessation, and

deserted by the Coreischites, were easily subdued, andforced to pay an annual Tribute of their Dates

, and tohold their lands at the pleasure of the Conqueror

,

amongst which divers Jews were subjected upon thesame terms. In this Expedition Aly signalized himselfat the battle ofChaibar, where he seized on the Gates ofthe town

,and managed them on his Arm like a Target

this was the event ofthe seventh year.In the eighth year the Co reischites finding the

prejudice of this truce, and that whilst they stoodneuters their Allies were destroy

’

d,

renounced theCessation , and thereby drew upon themselves the forcesof Mahomet. He marcheth towards Meccha by easyJournies. When he drew near the City, the inhabitantswere so generally dispirited that many of the greatMen (being no less sensible then the Populace of theirweakness) turned, some really and others out offear

,to

the profession ofIslamism. Abbas, Uncle ofthe Prophet,and his inveterate Enemy Abusofian were of that number : the first withdrew out of the Town to Mahomet

,

the other remained behind to render the Prophet moreimportant services by his stay. Mahomet entredMeccha

without any opposition, having first proclaimed that allwho retired to the house ofAbusofian, all who shut theirdoors and offered no injury to the Moslemin

, and all

who fled for refuge to the Caah, should be secure. Hisentry seem

’

d rather a Procession to the Caah then a

Triumph. Aljannabus tells us that upon his approach tothe Temple all the‘ Idols (even the great Hobal) didprostrate themselves before him. He broke down theImages which were in andabout theCaah ; he himselfbrokein pieces the wooden pigeon which was there

,and threw

it away ; and Aly, among the rest, being busied in demolishing the Idols, and not being able to reach one

1 27


that stood aloft, the Prophet suffered him to stand uponhis shoulders til it was don.The Inhabitants imediately became Moslemin ; but

many of the Rulers and Cheifs who had been hisEnemies, and either scorned to believe him or despairedofmercy tho’ they should do it, he put to death, it beinginconsistent with the absoluteness ofthe Monarchy whichhe designed to permit a hereditary Nobility. Thepeople thinking themselves happy in their own safety,did the less mourne for those which were slaughteredand whilst their minds were set upon a peaceable enjoyment of their own, they did not think of remoteConsequences or revengin

gof others’ sufferings ; and

thus whilst every one sing y courted their Prophet andEmir

,they introduced an universal Servitude.

And now we see Mahomet possessed of the Metropolis ofArabia the desert, his Enemies subdued, and hisArmies victorious, yet doth not all this power and seriesof prosperous Attempts infuse into him new Pride or

outward Grandeur whatsoever fortune hath put into hishands, only enables him to do more good, to bestowmore Alms

, and more to advance the glory ofGod. HisMoslemin seem all to be animated with the same Spiritnor do the inhabitants of Meccha find themselvesgoverned by an Emperor and an Army, but by aProphet.Thus we see it is not arbitrary Power

,but the ostentation

and abuse of it,that renders it odious and tyrannical.

Whether it were the consummate Wisdom ofMahometthat continued him in this equable temper, or the senseofthe mutability of human Affairs in a Man who hadtryed such vicissitudes, o r that old age had secured himfrom those sallies which indiscreet Youth 13 subject to

,I

know not. This prosperous Revolution had made no

change for the worse in his demeanour,for within a few

months after the destruction of the Idols in the Caah,

there happen ’d an insurrection which endangered his newReligion and Government

,and would have dethroned

any but the Prophet.1 28



despised, nor any human strength presumed upon.That albeit Infideli and Idolatry were things odious toGod, yet Pride an presumption were also abom inableto Him. That the Moslemin were pufl

'

ed up with a

conceit of their own strength, and that now God had

defeated them to convince them of the necessity ofHisAid and Blessin in all their undertakings. That iftheywould aban on the opinion oftheir own Worth andPu1ssance, he would repair their loss by sending an

invisible Legion ofAngels to fight in their behalf.This o racle gave new Life and Vigor to the

Moslemin, and made them more punctual in theirobedience to their Emir and Prophet. He reso lved tofight Melic before the no ise of this rout should be toofar spread, well knowing that new Con uests are

alwaies unsetled, that the minds of men quie y reducedto obedience are as soon lost, and since Prosperity wasthe foundation ofhis Apo stleship, adversity would overthrow it. His success was such in the second engagement that with the loss only of four Moslem in and theslaughter of 90 infidels he gained a compleat Victory,and made himselfMaster of all their riches

, 6000 headofcattle, Goats, Sheep, and 4000 ounces ofsilver, and their wives and children taken Prisoners. TheInfidels yeilded themselves Tributaries andVassals on condition to have their Wives restored, and Melic render

’

d

himself to the Prophet and became a Musulman, whereupon Mahomet restored him to his possessions. In theninth year of the Hegira, he had no great difliculties toencounter, the remaining Wars did rather exercise thenendanger his Forces. His Followers became more fixedand endeared to him,

and they who had embraced hisReligion out offear persisted in it out ofAffection andConscience. They no longer resented the destruction oftheir Idols, seeing that Success attended the fo llowers ofthe great God : many that had been his obstinateEnemies became Converts, and the Princes of Daumaand Eila became his tributaries. He disarmed those

1 30


which he suspected, and havin his Forces in excellentDiscipline under good and faithful Comanders, and

com itted the government of Meccha to one of his

Co nfidents, he returned to Medina to visit his oldfriends and assistants.In the tenth year of Hegira he received no tidings

but such as confirm’

d the daily growth and progress ofIslamism . He received continual addresses and submis

sions from the new converts,and all Arabia seem

’

d at

his Devotion, but that in Yaman there arose one

Mo saleima who pretended to be his Associate and

partner in the Apostleship, and found many followers.But Mahomet either out of an opinion of his ownstrength and power

,or of the luxury and efl

'

eminacyofthe Inhabitants of Yaman, beleiving that such as had

much to lose would not hazard their Estates nor endurethe hardships ofWar for a new Religion , o r whetherhe thought that petty insurrections contribute to theestablishment of an absolute soveraignty, despisedthis Impostor and did not concern himself to suppresshim this year

,nor the next, which was the last of his

Life. And now bavin accompan ied the Prophet thro’

the hazards and toils of5nine years Warrs

,and seen him

peaceably established in the Government of Arabia,

his Enemies being everywhere subdued, I shall changethe scene

,and in the next Chapter describe the most

glorious Procession that ever the World has seen, and

afterwards with the death of Mahomet close that partof this Treatise which relates to the History of his lifeand Actions.

1 3 1

CHAPTER VI I

MAHOMET’S LAST PILGRIMAGE, HIS DEATH AND

BURIAL

NSTEAD of those vain Triumphs whichused to swel the pride ofConquerors, tillthey thought themselves above the sizeof mortal Men

,the Prophet arrogating

nothing of his success to his own valouror Conduct

,but acknowledging the assistance ofHeaven

in all his undertakings, he thought it his duty torender his thanks to G od in the most publick mannerpossible. To this end, as also to testify his veneration tothe Caah

,and to leave example to the Arabians in what

manner they should continue their pilgrimages of

Devotion to Meccha, he prepares to leave Medina andto perform the pilgrimage in the company of

persons,men and women, which were gathered together

to compleat the train ofthe Apostle. The Mahometanssay that Noah when he went into the Ark took alongwith him seventy-two persons, and for that reason it isrequisite the pilgrims of Meccha should amount to thenumber of and that number ought to be soexactly observed, that more must not be received as suchin any one year, but that number must be compleat ;otherwise

,they say, the angels would be obliged to make

up what were wanting, and it were want of respect tothose spirits to put them to that trouble. As you mightsometimes have seen these Conquerors ofArab1a imployedin mak in

gor mending their Cloths, cultivating Rice,

picking 0 Cats, or selling parch’

d peas,so now you will

1 3 2



his Sacrafice. Towards the dawning of the day theycome down, and go to the City of Meccha, where theHigh Preist or chief Imaum of the Caah makes a

Procession, conducting through the cheif streets a Camelwhich is appointed for Sacrafice, the hair of the Came]they account a very precious Relick, so that the Pilgrimsall throng as near as they can to the beast to snatch someofhis hair

,which they fasten to their Arms. After the

Preist hath walked the Camel sufliciently, he leads him tothe Market-place

,where the Daroga, or Judge of the

Town, attended with other Oflicers, kills him with an

Ax. As soon as the Cam el is dead, all the Pilgrimsendeavour to et a piece of his flesh

,and throng so

confusedly wit knives in their hands that manyPilgrims are hurt and sometimes kill’d.

After this Ceremony the Prophet leads the Pilgrimsto the Caah, at their first approach they with a greatshout proclaim the Allah Ekbar, or God, God, the greatGod and then the double testimony ofla Illah Mahumed

Resul Allah, the God and Mahomet the Apo stle. Theywent seven times round the precincts of the Caah, butwith a variety of postures, and some difference of pace,for thrice they went a good round trot

,and four times

they walked gravely about it, agitating their bodies and

shrugging their shoulders in a strange manner (but suchas was usual among the Arabians), this they 3 ially didas they passed between the two stones 0 Safa and

Meriah (Morvah), the sight whereof reminded them of

the sacredness of the Caab and the Judgments of Godagainst impiety and irreverence. After all this they cameto the Hagiar Alasvad or Black Stone, which he toldthem was brought from Paradise, that it was thenwhiter then Snow or M ilk

,and changed its colour by

reason of the sins of Men . Here the Prophet devoutlysaid his Prayers

,kissed the Stone

,and begg

’

d pardon forhis sins, and asked for heavenly uidance and protectionfor the future, injoyning all his ollowers for ever so to

do . This Stone is advanced from the ground about1 34

MAHOMET’S LAST PILGRIMAGE

seven handfulls or a Cubit and a half,being fixed in the

wall, and under it every pilgrim did mo st submissively

creep, weeping and deploring his sins, and prayingthat he might arrive at Paradise. Then they went tothe other Stone

,whereon Abraham stood when the Caah

was building. It ,lyes in the middle ofthe Court oftheCaab, inclosed with an iron grate, and into the prints ofhis feet (which are impressed in the Stone) they poursome water fetch ’

d from the pool Zamzam,and having

said their Prayers,they drink it up. Thence they depart

carrying home with them in a Vessel some of the SacredWater ofZamzam .

Thus Mahomet perform’

d the Pilgrimage and leftan Example to his followers how to continue it. It wasthe po licy ofthe Prophet no t to reject all Rites that hadbeen abused to Idolatry, lest by making a total chan

ge

in the substance and ceremonies of their Devotion, c

might provoke the Arabians to a Rebellion or introducea general Irreligion among them . The casting of stoneswas an usual Rite in Honour ofMercury to run withno other garment then a loose linen covering wasa part of the worship of Chamo sh. The otherCeremonies appertained to Baal-peor, which three hadbeen the Deities of the Arabians. Nay, he continuedthe Pilgrimage upon the same day on which it hadalwaies been performed, viz. on the tenth day ofmonthDulhagijah. Thus he retained Circumcision, which hadalwaies been aNational usage there. The fast ofAshurawas ofAncient observance among the Coreischites. Inlike manner their washings and rites of Cleanliness wereold usages which he confirmed. And I am confident Ihave read that the Fast Ramadan, which lasts a Month,was ofan Original more ancient then Mahomet at lestthe Saby kept one of thirty dayes.I meet with a perticular Reason, given by Ebnol

Ethir, why Mahomet undertook this diflicult and

laborious pilgrima e, and that was to convince the

Idolaters that his followers were as hardy and able of

1 3 5


body as the otherArabians, and that neither the scorching heats ofMedina, nor their strict diet and Discipline,had any way enfeebled them . For my part, I beleivethat altho’ Devotion might engage him to the pilgrimage,yet that he thought it also a prudent part to visit againthose Dominions

,and no t to invite the Envious or

Ambitious to create new disturbances by his beingtoo long absent and that he proposed by the solemnityof this Procession to manifest to the people of Meccha

that the demolishing of the Idols had neither abated theResort, Emoluments, or Honour of their City, whichwas now assured to be in a manner the Metropolis ofall the Mahometan Countries.Having performed the pilgrimage and instructed

the Moslemin in all points oftheir Religion 8:Worship,the Prophet retires again to Medina, either to keephis men in their former discipline

,or to show the

Arabians that neither his victories nor Power hadaltered him

,that he designed no Monarchy, but only

to conserve the repute of being the Apostle of God.Yet, by despising the trappings of Empire, he didnot at all abandon or lessen his Dignity, nor the realexercise of his power

,but only the Show and appear

ance thereof. But the presence of Mahomet mightat this time be more perticularly necessary at Medina,to keep those Countries which bordered upon Yamanin obedience

,for not only Mo seleima had formed a

considerable party thereabout,but in the eleventh

year of the Hegira one Aswad Absites declared himselfa Prophet in several Provinces 8: Cities ofArabia felix,and had become very formidable ; but a Musulmancall

’

d Firus of B ailan k ill’d him in his own house, andput an end to those troubles. These little insurrectionscould not create much trouble to the Prophet, who wasnow possessed of the Caab, and had at his Devotiona very goodArmy well comanded and a rich Exchequerso that doubtless had he lived longer, he had no t onlyquell

’

d these small disturbances, but in his own time1 36



to write a treatise to preserve them from the dangerof such an Inconvenience. But Omar and some othersbeing by

, and being apprehensive that the Prophet wasbecome delirious and frantic with his feavour, theyforbad any to bring him pen and ink, and so he dyedleaving no such Surat.No sooner was he dead and the report thereofspread

abroad in the City, but the Multitude flocked abouthis house

,crying, Do not bury the Apostle of God ;

he is not dead ; how could he dye who is to witnessfor us to God ? No, it cannot be he is but withdrawnaside as Isa was, and will return again, as he didto his disciples when they thought him dead. Withthese did Omar joyn, who , drawing his sword, said,If any one dares averr that Mahomet is dead, I willhim kill presently. He is not dead, but only conveyedaway for a time as Isa was, o r rather as Moses the son of

Amran was when the people missed him forty dayes.But Abubecr wisely composed the Tumult, shewingout of the Alcoran that it behoved Mahomet to dyeas well as the other Prophets, adding, if any purposedto worship, the Prophet was certainly dead, but the

God of Mahomet was the living God. There arosea further contest about the place where the Prophetshould be buried. Some would have it at Jerusalem,

where most of the Prophets were buried. Otherssaid at Meccha ; but the Inhabitants of Medina prevailed to have him buried there. So they buried himin his own house in the chamber ofAyesha, under hisbed, he having formerly told them that the Prophetswere constantly buried in the place where they died.There is a stately Temple since built by the Ma

hometans upon the place, and richly adora’d withinand without. There is in this Temple a Chapel] witha roof contrived by an extraordinary Architect. Withinthe Chapel] is a tombstone called Hayar Monaner

(Hajar Munav-ver), or the Bright Stone, said to haveapperteyned to Ayesha, the wife ofMahomet, and within

1 3 8

MAHOMET’

S LAST PILGRIMAGE

that is lodged the Body of the Prophet ; nor is the

Tomb suspended in the Air by Loadstones or any othercontrivance, but is placed on the floor and hungabout with rich Han ings of Silk and Gold, and en

vironed with rails of8iron sumptuously gilded. The

Mahometans make pilgrimages to it as to the Caab,the Prophet having promised happiness to such as

do this. They cannot approach the Tomb, but devoutlykiss the bars inclosing it.Thus dyed this extraordinary person. He was

forty years ofAge when he first begun the Apostleshipat Mcecha. Thirteen years he continued there, and

above ten years of the Hegira were ast when he died.He married Chadijah at the age 0 twenty-five years,and had issue by her VII children, who all dyed inthe lifetime of their father, except Fatyma, who wasmarried to Aly. During the time that Chadija lived(which was above 24 years after) he married no otherwife

,perhaps out of gratitude to the raiser of his

fortunes but after her death he married severall others,amongst which Ayesha, the daughter of Abubecr, hadthe greatest share in his Afl

'

ection.

How far he carried his conquests in his lifetimeis uncertain. Some say he subdued not only the threeArabias

,but Egypt

,Antioch

,Syria, Armenia, and all

Palestine (except Jerusalem) ; that he vanquished theEmperor Heraclius in a set battle

,killing of

his Men . Others,that he only secured himself of

Arabia and part of Mesopotamia and Gaza, togetherwith the passages ofMount Sinai, and some would evensubject Afl

'

rick to him . But this is certain, that according as he by his travels had inf0rm ’

d himself of theweakest parts of Christendom,

he directed his successorsto trace their steps with their Victorious Armies, whichthe did ; first subduing Palestine, then Egypt, thenA rick and Spain ; and within about fourscore yearsafter his first appearance you may read how his Mos

lemin were possesst of all those Countries, and as much1 39


more on the side of Persia and Indostan, and whichwould seem incredible were it not universally agreedto, within twenty years after his first riseYou read of nothing but of vast Armies of the Greeksbeing beaten Damascus

,Jerusalem, and Antioch taken

Egypt, Phoenicia, Syria, Mesopotamia, Judea, and

Persia subdued,and 1 700 Sail of the Saracens

’ Shipscovering the Seas, and terrifying Constantinople, Cyprus,and Rhodes. For discipline the Spartans o r oldRomans never equal

’

d them for courage and martialexercise nothing ever exceeded them . Their zeal fo rtheir Religion set an edge upon their swords whichrendred their force irresistable, and gave that incredibleprogress to their Arms, that their Empire did no t riseby slow degrees ; but as soon as their Sun was abovethe Horison it was in its Meridian, and when it willdecline no man knows.

140



prejudice to his grandeur. He perfectly understood theArt of placing his favours aright ; he could distinguishbetwixt the deserts, the inclinations, and the interests ofMen he could penetrate into their Genius’s and intentions without employing vulgar Espials o r seeminghimselfto mind any such thing. In fine such was hiswhole ‘ deportment

,and his natural freedom was so

tempered with a befitting reservedness as instructedo thers not to importune him with unbecoming proposals,but never suffered any to understand what it was to bedenied. Besides all these embellishments and qualifications

,he had a great Strength and Agility of body

,an

indefatigable Industry and an undaunted Courage suchas never forsook him in the greatest Dangers. He wasa most expert Horseman, and loved to ride the highestmettled and most warlike Horses, and since the mostminute Actions ofgreat Men are remarkable

, and oftentimes are presages of future accidents, I shall here relateo ne. He being once mounted on a brave but unrulyhorse, his freinds desired him to forsake his back, whichhe refused, adding, that it became the timerous and

effeminate to have their horses exactly managed fo r them,

but that a true Arab could not be surprised with theuntractableness ofhis horse which added to his pleasure,as a storm deli hts an intelligent Pilot, since it gives himan occasion o discovering his Skill

,and rewards the

danger and trouble by an accession ofHonour.

Thus was he furnish’

d with all the qualificationsrequisite in a person cut out for

’

eat Atcheivements

and equally qualified for Actions 0 Warr,or the Arts

ofPeace and civil Government, which notwithstandingthe Calumnies charged upon him by the Christians

,will

be evident to any one that will attentively consider theforegoing account of his Life and Actions

,which I have

extracted out of the best Authors,Arabians and others

,

but have justly rejected a eat deal offabulous, ridiculoustrash, with which most 0 the Christian Narratives ofhimare stuff

'

d. Ifyou give yourself the trouble ofperusing142

THE CHARACTER OF MAHOMET

the Christian writers who have given an Account of

Mahomet, you will find as little integrity in them as inthose I have noted before (excepting some within thislast Century, since the late improvements in the OrientalLearning), so that the dissolute Christians ofthose Agespublished as great untruths in their times as they whohad passed for Saints. It is now acknowledged by all

the learned, after a severe enquiry into the Arabianwriters

,as well Christians as Mahometans

,that Mahomet

was descended of the Principal Tribe of the Arabiansboth by his Father and Mother, as I have represented it.Notwithstanding which these faithq Authors

,how dis

sonant soever ‘in other things, unanimously agree (tho’

very falsely) that he was ofa mean vulgar Race and poorparentage, and that his Father was a Heathen and hisMother a Jewess. ’Tis certain that the Christians whichlived under the Mahometans (as Elmacin and others) domention Mahomet with great respect as Mahomet of

lorious Memory, and M ubumetes super qua pm: and

feuedictia, 8:c., whereas others have proceeded so far as tosay that he was even Antechrist, and have found out theNumber ofthe beast 666 in his name, writing it Maép e

'm ,

then which nothing can be more ridiculous. Is it notmere folly to spell a Man ’s name wrong

, and thenimagine misteries in it ? Some of the Greeks write hisname MaxapeS, others Mwyp eS ; the Latins Machumet,

Machomet, Magmed, and Maomethes ; in Arabick , ifrightly pronounced, it is Muhammed or Mohammed

,

which signifies much desired.

”I find that his Father’s

name was Abdalla, who dying, he was educated by hisGrandfather Abdol-Mutlib, and upon his decease by hisUncle Abutaleb that he travelled twice to Jerusalem

,

besides his expeditions into Egypt, Affrick , and Spainthat he conversed with the Christians of all Sects

, and itappears that he understood very well all their Tenets

,

and the most solid foundations which they went upon.Nor was he less acquainted with the Jewish Principlesand Talmudical Learning, as is also manifest by his

143


Alcoran. The State ofArabia being divided into Jews,Judaizing Christians (who had a settlement at Chocab),Judaizing Arabians, Jacobites, Nestorians, Arrians

,

Trinitarians, Manichees,Montanists, Sabaens, and Idol

aters, gave him occasion and opportunity to examineand try all Sects and Sorts of Religions but the Christians

,not considering this

,have given him two Assistants,

one Abdalla, a Jew, and Ser ius, a Nestorian Monk, andrepresent Mahomet himselfas an i

gnorant fellow who

could not Judge ofwhat they instill ’d into him,which

is the reason of such gross Errors 1n his Alcoran. But Icannot find any Abdalla besides his Father, who was nota Jew but a Coreischite, nor any Tutor o r Companionofhis called Sergius ; but ifthere were such a Sergius, aNestorian

,why did no t Mahomet adhere to Nestorianism

,

and teach that Isa was true God and true Man under adouble personality why did he not mention Nestorius andTheodorus Mopsuestensis or Diodo rus Tarso ris as holyMen o r Saints

,and condemn Cyril ofAlexandria. Neither

he nor any ofhis followers have don this as I know of. Inall their Religion we find nothing of the Nestorianism

,

which would have happened had this pretended Monkbeen the framer and compiler of it, the liquor wouldhave had the flavour of the Cask. Nor would Mahomethave declined to ca;ole so great an Interest as theNestorians then were, being so strengthened by theDecree ofCosroes, and so extended that even the Christians ofSaint Thomas in India are of that profession.On the other hand, had a Jew been his Instructor,

he would not have been,as he undoubtedly was

,so great

an admirer of Isa, of which he makes so great and frequent Declarations, saying that Isa was his predecessor,and taught the same Doctrine, that it is but justice tostile him a Christian. Nor do I beleive that he didcajole o r Love the Jews at all

,and consequently would

not form his Alcoran so as to please them . I beleive itwas out ofhatred to the Jews that he altered the Keblahfrom Jerusalem to the Caab, and it is recorded that he

144



for their Tenets as wicked Lives. That the ArabianChristians were men of just and strict deportmentappears from hence, that Mahomet saith of them thato ne might safely intrust them with any sum ofmoney,and they would restore it again

,but the Jews were such

Vilains that no man could trust them with a penny.As for the Arrians it is manifest that the Saracens

have allwaies retained a veneration for their St. George,Bishop ofAlexandria

,whom yet they do not allow for a

Prophet,but o ne oftheir Saints or Fathers

, and his Lifeis written by Kesseus, aMahometan, as if he were such.And Ahmed ben Edris, passing over the Nestorians asa foolish sort of Christian Heretick s

,brings in a fable

concerning Paul, as if he had deluded the World intoan opinion of the Deity of Isa, and given a begining tothe Heresy of Eutychius and the Jacobites. And thatan Art ian or else a Judaising Christian whom he calls anElmunin (Al Momin), o r true beleiver, did anathematisePaul thereupon, saying,We were the Companions ofIsawe saw him ; we are descended from him ; he was theservant and Apostle ofGod he never told us otherwise.And the same Author further tells us that Mahometmet with thirty of the descendants of this Elmunin o r

orthodox person, who were retired into an Hermitage,

and that they owned his Doctrine and profess’

d

Moslemism.

This that I have said I hope is suflicient to evincethat the Religion of Mahomet is cheifly founded on theDoctrines of the Nazarene Christians and the Arrians,yet I do not beleive that any of them had any hand inthe penning of the Alcoran

,for it was not composed (as

they misinform us) in a desart before he began hisApostleship, but occasionally published upon severalEmergencies, most at Medina, where, having so manyEyes upon him, he could not have had any suchAssistance in any private manner but it would have

given suspicion and umbrage in that City amongst hisollowers and so near confidents and secretaries as he

146


there retained about him or had the pretended Sergiusand Abdalla appeared publicly

,their names had certainly

been recorded by the Mahometans amongst the principalDoctors of their Law and Propagators of their Religion .

Tho’ I have cleared the matter thus far and takenaway all probability from the story of the Jew and theNestorian Monk

,yet I must endeavour to set aside the

objections raised against Mahomet for his Ignorance fo r

ifhe was so ignorant as they represent him,he must have

been only a too ] in the hands of others and had beenuncapable of composing his Coran or performing whathe did

,so that notwithstanding they might be mistaken

in the Names of his Governours or Instructors,yet the

fact must ofnecessity be true.They say his Ignorance is acknowledged by himself

in his Alcoran where he brings in God saying that hehad sent to the ignorant a Prophet from amongst them,

that is,to illiterate persons an illiterate Prophet. That

the Inhabitants of Meccha were so illiterate at that time,that they could neither write nor read

,so that it seems

sufficient of its self to prove him illiterate when it isconfessed he was born there. In fine

,that he is generally

acknowledged by the Arabians to be Nabian Ommian,that is, the illiterate Prophet. But none ofthese Arguments are ofany validity, for, first, tho

’ God should saythat he had sent to the ignorant a Prophet from amongthem, doth it therefore follow that he must be as ignorantas they ? is not the saying verified if it appear that hewas of their Linage and Countrey ? Secondly, whatnecessity is there that every one that was born and livedin Meccha should be illiterate ? may there not be an

Anacharsys in Scythia ? must the seven Sages be as

ignorant as the residue of Greece ? must not Ezra beable to read because the people could not ? (Nehem . viii.

As to his being stiled Nabian Ommian,tho’ that

title be generally given him by the Arabians,yet they do

no t agree upon the meaning thereof, some ofthem sa ingthat it was no t by reason of his ignorance, but 0 his

147


being born at Meccha, wh ich is termed Ommal Coras, orthe Mother Ci or, which is mo re probable, the Prophetof the house 0 Ommia, which family reigned over theSaracens for many generations. And, indeed, how can

they call him the ignorant Prophet, since they beleivehe knew all things, which is acknowledged by Docto rPocock ? The same Doctoracknowledges that oneWarakah

,akinsman (or, according to Abunazar, uncle to Chadi

jah), taught him to write Hebrew,

in which the Arabicanguage may be as well pen ’d, and which was thennewly pro ted at Mcecha by one that had marriedthe sister 0 Abusofian, some years before Mahometproclaimed his Apostleship ; and who will imagine thata man so subtile, 8: who had formed so vast a designe,would omitt the learning of a thing so important to hisEnds and so subservient to the promulgation of hisDoctrine as the writing ofArabic was ? I add that sinceOsman and Ali and several o thers of his followerscould write and were his Scribes 8: Secretaries

, whyshould we think it impo ssible or improbable thatMahomet could do as much ? It is further observablethat in all this Controversy as it is managed, the questionis only whether Mahomet could write and read theArabic Characters newly introduced there ? and no t

whether he were sufficiently learned to understand the

Religion and Rites, Customs and Histories, of his

Co untrey, the Religion and learning of the Jews, and of

the several Sects of Christians ? Of this there can be

no question among such as are accquainted with the

Alcoran and his Constitutions, which are such as demonstrate a profound insight into these matters, and a

knowledge of many minute particularities, so that Icannot see any just ground to conclude him illiterate,tho

’ it were more demonstrable then it is that he couldno t write o r read the Arabic Characters : for whoeverconsiders his prudent Conduct in all his Actions,whereby he raised himself from the Condition of a

private person to the Dignity and power of an absolute148



will no t ask whether it be possible to breed a Pigeonto that work so as that it should be kept or fed

invisibly ? (for otherwise it would have bred a suspicionin his followers and watchful] Enemies) , or do the featwithout prejudice to the drum of the Ear

, o r withoutdiscovering what it swallowed

,o r what it sought after,

nor whether Mahomet did own the Holy Ghost anymore then the Arrians and Judaizing Christians did ?But I would be informed what ground there 1s for thisfable, seing neither Mahomet nor his followers speak of

any such apparition of a Pigeon,nor doth any Christian

of the Arabians mention it. Grotius,indeed

,speaks of

it ; and Dr. Pocock thereupon consulted him,desiring to

know what grounds he had for such a relation ? TheReply was that he did not therein follow any Narrationof the Mahometans

, or Arabian Christians,but of the

European Christians, and perticulerly of Scaliger in his

notes upon Manilius where this is reported,and this is

all that can be said for the Story. It is to no purposeto say that the Mahometans have ever since preserveda veneration or extraordinary respect for pidgeons, sincethey give another reason for this

,and say it is because

the Prophet Noah pronounced a blessing upon thepigeon, and said she should be for ever beloved and

re rded by men for returning to the Ark with an

O 1ve branch,whilst the Raven staid to prey upon the

dead bodies which appeared after the retiring of thewaters.I am apt to beleive this story of the pigeon was by

some ignorant Person transfered from Athanasius toMahomet

,for it is reported concerning that Father

how a Pidgeon in the street flew to him and setled on

his shoulder by his Ear. This theTrinitarians interpretedas aMiracle

,but the Arrians as magical ; and, indeed, in

the Legend of Saint George, I find Athanasius reputedto be aMagician.Another fable of the Christians concerning Mahomet

is that he privately bred up a Bull which was constantly1 50


fed out of his hand, and thereby accustomed to run to

him as soon as he came in his Sight, that o ne day hefastened the Alcoran to the horns of this Bull, and as hewas discoursing to the people concerning his new Religion8: Laws, this Bull was contrived into his sight, whichimediately rushed through the croud to the Prophet andpresented him with the Alcoran, which he received withmuch osten tation ofPiety as sent to him from God, andread some of it to the Arabians there, and at the sametime a pidgeon came and brou ht a Schedule in whichwas written

,He shall be King 0 the Arabians who yok eth

this Bull. Whereupon Sergius, the Nestorian Monk,brought him a Yoak, which he easily put on the neck of

the Bull,and was thereupon saluted as King

,and the

Alcoran received as being of divine Authority. Withsuch stories as these have the Christians represented himto be the vilest Impostor in the World, and transformed

but neither was the Alcoran written all at one time, as Ihave already shew’

d,nor ever reduced into one Volume

intirely by him, but by Abubecr and Osman, nor is thereany mention of this M iracle of the Bull in the Saracenrecords when they speak ofthe wonders of the Prophet.As little credit is there to be given to that other

fable that Mahomet should promise the people of

Meccha (they demanding a Miracle) that he wouldcause a mountain to remove to him at his Summons,which not obeying his call

,he briskly said if the Moun

tain will no t come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to theMountain. Were ever greater fopperies imagined ? See,then

,the simplicity of the Christians who were deluded

,

and thought to delude, with such foolish stories as these.Yet in the Legends of their own Saints there are suchTales that one will not admire if they made no betterRomances of their Enemies.I am weary of turning over such rubbish as this

,yet

I shall give two or three stories more. Some ofthem tellus that Mahomet ordered one of his domesticks to go

1 5 1


down into the bottom of awell by the Hi hway, and as

Mahomet went by with a great train of ollowers after

him, to cry out Mahomet is the well beloved ofGod IMahomet is the well beloved of God ] Which orderbeing executed, Mahomet imediately thank

’

d God for so

pubhck a testimony of his Love, and ordered the peopleto fill up the well with stones and build a little Mosque

over the place in Memo ry of the Miracle, by whichmeans the poo r wretch was fo rthwith buried under a

ofstones and effectually prevented from disco vering the trick. TheAuthors ofthis story would have donevery well if they had acquainted us how the publickcame to know the circumstances of this sto ry as theyrelate it.They tell us that Mahomet sho uld promise his

followers to revive again in three dayes or some suchtime, and that they expected his Return there so lo ngtill his Caress grew no isom and that they still expect hisreturn, that his body is inclosed in an iron Tomb andhangs in the Air, suspended by the force of two oppositeLoadstones. Others tell us that his body is no t in thetomb

,but being deserted when it stunk, it was eaten up

by dogs,and that they put the bo nes only into the Tomb.

But these are such figments as the Mahometans laugh at,

and deride the Christians for relat ing them . Docto rPocock refutes them mo re then o nce. I will repeat hiswords, delivered in his Speech at Oxfo rd, where he

excites his Scholars to study Arabick : Historia quibus

Curae est arArabum mauumeuta diligeutiu: waiver-cut quam

persuau m auperem,ut ita tallereurur tat ineptae qua:

iguarautz’

a im’

u: Linguae Nah: obtrusit Fubalac. Ita

fieret ar nan ultra M abam ti: Tumalum in Acre-pendulum

:amuiarm u, net falsum illias dc Reddituprami uum urgentes

Am ali: ipsiu: qua: absurd: baa: aredere dicimus, absurditatm:

nostrum derideudam prapiuaremu: ; falm que illi: m ore:

impiugcudo, wri: rqfuteua'i: inep ta: Nam e: redderemu: net

amplias illa: Saraceuarum appellation: a Sara se ariuuda:

jacture uugarcmur. Hujum adz’

sexceuta mat quibu: acturrz'

1 52



(not in the middle of the Caah, but in the midst oftheCourt or Almesjad A] haram), and retaineth the impressions ofAbraham’s feet, no t the face of Venus. Quad

4 Damasceua 69° Eutltymia asseritur, siquis accuratius

inspectet widari in cafiguram capiti: scalpra expressam quad

Vauaris esse valuut ex Arabum scripti:prabaripasse uau puta

aliu: illis lapis est sacer cui insculptamfuelpatius impressum

traduutfiguram, sad tantum afigura capiti: quantum caput a

pedibusdistautem ( uisiOculisuperstitious lippicaput apedibusdistinguere uesciaut) . In qua vestigia pedum Abraltamiimpressa cum fvel illi: inter aedificaudum Caabam insisten t

( ut iuuuit Abulfeda) , vel dum ipsi caput Ismaelis, quemfvisum wuerat uxor (ut Aimed Ebn fusef é

’ Saifiadiuusla'varet) uude c

‘

b" illi Nameu Ma!cam Ibraln'

m locus (scilicet)Abralzami vel qua statit Abralzamus.As for the rgerg

‘

agba and (mapsa. or 7 4214611, mentionedalso as Idols ofthe Mahometans by the said Euthymius

ngabenus, they are nothing else but the Safaand Marwa

o the Mahometans, between which they run in theirpilgrimages at Meccha ; and are said to be two Stones,into which a man and a woman were metamorphosed forcomitting Adultery together in the Caab

,nor are they

the objects ofanyMahometan devotion, as I have shewed.

But it is most pleasant to read how Euthym ius dothfurther aggravate the Idolatry ofthe Saracens. Ibiden

esse illis ait simulacrum Bacca Ismak ech dictumquod ipse Mohammedes adoramen observationis appellatet ut miseri Barberi adorarent precepit.” The original ofthis barbarous Idol, or rather mistake, was, that in theAlcoran there is once found the word Bebecca, whichBeidavi

,the Arabian Comentator, expounds in Mecca,

there being a Metathesis of B. for M .,and this Bacca

Ismaceth, if it be pronounced according to the Arabianmanner, signifies no more then BaccaorBecca, and is thesam e with Mecca or Macca

, 8: this Meccha, call’

d byEuthymius Bacca Ismak eth, is to be interpretedAdoramenobservationis, the place towards which the Mahometanspray (or their Keblah).

1 54


Do not such Writers as these (and such were all theChristians that writ of Mahomet

,as well Greeks as

Latins) deserve much Credit ? Can we blame theMahometans who despise the foolish Relations our

Authors give of their Prophet and Religion ? Certainlyno people are more remote from Idolatry then theSaracens

,and whatever name you give to their errors

and follies Maimonides,who was Scholar toAverroes,

and travelled thro’ Arabia 8: Egypt,and Dr. Pocock

will tell you they ought not to be thus stigmatised.That they were once Idolaters

,and, until the dayes of

Heracluis, did worship the Star Venus by the name ofCabar, or the great Goddess, is yeilded but Mahomet putan end to all such Idolatrous worship, and the Riteswhich he retained are continued to a different intentionthen they were first practised upon. So averse are theyfrom Idolatry

,and even from all images and pictures,

that they stamp no t any Efligies upon their Coins,but

only some pious sentence and so bigo tted were they asto this point

,that not only the Saracens, but the Turks

till of late,would no t receive as current any Christian

money with an Efligies stamped thereon, and they universally demolish all pictures and images where theyconquer. It must be avowed

,after all

,that they adore

no other then the true God, and if they err it is ratherin the manner then in the object of their Devotion sothat the Emperor Manuel Comnenus seems (in thejudgment of Dr. Pocock) to have goo d reason to havealtered the form ofabjuration which was imposed on theconverted Saracens (viz . I do anathematise the God of

Mahomet) into another kind ofRenunciation.

CHAPTER IX

CONCERNING THE ALCORAN 8: MIRACLES OFMAHOMET, THE PROPHESIES CONCERNING HIM8: A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF HIS RELIGION AND

POLICY

AVING in the preceding Chapter expo sedand confuted several of the Errors andfalsities publish

’

d by the Christiansconcerning Mahomet and his Reli

gion,

which,

'altho’ equally false and ridicu ous,

were greedily swallowed by the fond credulity of thoseAges and handed down as authentic without being inthe lest questioned till within these last hundred years,I shall now proceed to give an Account as differentfrom theirs as truth from falsehood, of several mattersto which these stories of theirs relate, whereby theignorance and malice of those detractors will be stillmore apparent

,and the confutations of them further

strengthened.As to the Alcoran, I have already shew

’

d that it wasnot all written at one time, but by parcells and uponseveral Occasions, and it was no small hindrance to hisprogress that for want of paper or other convenientmatter

,the Prophet was forced to write the scattered

Surats at first upon the shoulder bones of sheep and

Other cattle, from which occasion, perhaps, some Suratsreceived theirappellation as that ofthe Cow. It was neverreduced into one Volume by Mahomet

,but by the care

ofAbubecr, his imediate successor, who after the death ofthe Prophet made a collection of all that had been

1 56



so much as one chapter that might compare therewith,and thereby demonstrated to the most incredulous thetruth of his Prophesy. In the Alcoran it is said that ifMen andAngels should combine to write anything likeit,they should fail in their Enterprise.The truth is

,I do no t find any understanding Author

who controverts the Elegancy of the Alcoran,it being

generally esteemed as the Standard of the ArabicLanguage and Eloquence but they raise great exceptionsagainst it for incoherency 8: confusion, Errors in History8: chronolo and charge it with numberless trifles,fables, and aggurdities.The late learned Mr. John Gregory in the preface

to his works has this passage. I was (sayes he) askedonce by an able and understanding Man whether theAlcoran as it is of its self had so much in it as to workanything upon a rational beleif I said yes. Thusmuch only I required, that the believer should bebrought up first under the engagement of that book.

That which is everywhere called Religion hath more ofinterest and the strong impressions of education

,then

perhaps we consider of otherwise for the book its self,it

is taken for the greater part out of our Scripture,and

would no t appear altogether so ill if it were looked uponin its own Text, or through a good translation .

We see this learned Man had no t so ill an opinionofthe Alcoran, and we shall likewise find upon examination that those who have most diligently perused thatand the other books of the Mahometans, have abatedmuch of the general prejudices of the Christians againstthat Religion and its Author : and entertained morefavourable thoughts of both, then others whose aversionis kept up by their ignorance. If

Alcoran with the same indifferencybook

,we shall find that it hath this

Christian Bible, that being a Poemliberty allowed to fictionsfigurative Expressions then

ALCORAN MIRACLES OF MAHOMET

defects in Chronology and Errors in History are heretolerable

,tho’ I beleive most of those we call so

Mahomet grounded upon the ancient Accounts in theBooks of the Arabians or the general Traditions amongthem

,and upo n the Apocryphal books of the Jews and

heretical Christians (as in many cases it is evident), whichbeing respectively received as Authentic by those of theseveral Religions and the people prepossessed with them,

to have disented therefrom would have been prejudicialto his Aims

,the universal Credit of the errors being

likely to overbear the real truth ofthings. Many ofthemistakes and incoherencies therein might be voluntary,because it was a received Tradition among the Jews andJudaising Christians

,and is now made use of as an

Apology for our Scripture,that the Spirit of God in the

Prophets is not confined to the gramatical Rules andordinary Methods.It is further observable that the Alcoran being such

a Poem is not to be judged of by any Translation intoProse, much less such as we have among us. OurEnglish translation follows the French

,and the French

is very corrupt, altering and omitting many passages.There are so many stories alluded to

,such Idioms of

Arabick Poetry and of the Arabian tongue,that it is

impossible to explicate it,without the help of the

Arabick, Persian, and Turkish Comentaries which our

translato rs no t know

c

i

iqg‘,or for their Interest not

fegard1ug, have ohtra on the world such figments

as Mahomet never uttered. I have often reflected uponChristians against theno o ther then what may

st our Bible and

ves will fully justifyexcuse Mahomet by

those of the Talmud, and

or the Popish Legends, or

Fathers,and beleived by the

59


As for M iracles, Mahomet was so far from counterfeiting tho se mentioned before o r any o thers, that heconstantly rejected their Authority as impertinent andunnecessary. There were so many obtruded on theWo rld (especially by the Christians), that he sco rned thepretence, and he had these further considerations thattrue M iracles canno t be dist inguished from false by anyhuman Test ; that the wicked may do real Miracles ;that some M iracles might be derived from Magick or

be the effect of some celestial Constellation ruling the

nativity of perticular perso ns ; which last opinion wascomon among the Arabians 8: Chaldeans and the

Oriental Astrologers, so that for him to have insistedupo n M iracles among them would have been to littlepurpo se or advantage. Whatsoever of M iracles befellhim, the Coreischites ascribed to Magic, and yet theyimportuned him to move Mountains, raise the dead,produce an Angel visibly, 8:c. To all which he repliedthat the greatest ofMiracles was the Alcoran, that suchwas their unbeleif, that they would be obstinate evenagainst M iracles and find pretences to evade them ; thatthe Miracles were the works of God, no t ofMan ; thatthey were no t perform

’

d at the will of the Prophets, butthat God wrought them when, where, and how he pleased,and not only to confirm truth, but sometimes to try hispeople, and that some Prophets never wrought any.

The Protestants 1n the begining of the Reformationexcused themselves very handsomely as to this po int,but it would be tedious to transcribe their defence.We find it written expressively of John Baptist that hedid no M iracles, nor do wee read that Amos or someothers of the Prophets did any, and ofAntich rist it issaid that he shall perform great signs and great wonders,so that if it were po ssible they should deceive even the

very elect.Yet some of the followers of Mahomet ascribe to

him several Miracles, whether really don by him , tho’

no t insisted on through modesty or Po licy, or whether160



groan’

d as loud as a Camel, when he removed his Stationand made use of a pulpit, and that when he returned tothe usual place it desisted to groan. That a Camelcomplained to him of his Master, that he put him uponhard work and yet made slender provisions to feed him.

These and sundry other M iracles are related concerninghim whereupon the Mahometans do not much relyyet they say that tho

’ they were don but once or seldom,

the concurrent Testimony of so many M iracles jo nedtogether, is a pregnant Evidence of the truth 0 hisApostleship, since they are related by credible Witnesseswho would not conspire to cheat Mankind in such a

matter : which plea the Christians themselves make useof, and therefore is not to be lightly rejected but themost judicious of them insist principally upon the

Alcoran as a standing M iracle, since so many personsof singular Eloquence did attempt to write the lik e, butcould never equal it.As Mahomet allowed and approved of the Scriptures

or Canonical books of the Jews and Christians (excepting only that he alledged they had been in some thingssophisticated and altered) , so his followers have founddivers passages in them which they sayProphesy concerning Mahomet

,which they therefore insist on as further

proofs ofhis M ission, the Texts which they principallymake use offor that purpo se are these which follow.

Deut. xxxiii . 2 , God is said to have come from Sinaito have appeared in Seir, and manifested himself inParan : which they interpret that God gave the Lawto Moses in Sinai, that in Seir, which are Mountainsnear Jerusalem, he gave the Gospel to Isa, and therebyfurther illustrated the Law (in token of which Isa himselfwas circumcised, and he him self said that he camenot to destroy the Law of Moses but to confirm it) ;lastly

,they say that by Paran are meant the Mountains

near Meccha, where the same Law was perfected and

magnified by their ProphetMahomet, who is the fullnessofthe Law ofGod.

162

ALCORAN 8: MIRACLES OF MAHOMET

Psa. l. 2,It is said out of Sion the perfection of

beauty God hath shined, which the Syriac Version readsthus : Out of Sion God hath shewed a glorious Crown.The last words being in that Language Eclilan Mahmudan

,

they m istically accomodated to their Prophet Mahmud o rMahommet and interpret the Crown ofMahomet.Isaiah xxi . 7, We read,— And he saw with a couple

ofhorsem en a Chariot ofAsses, and a Chariot ofCamels .But the old Latin Version hath it : Et Vidit carrum

duaru Equitum, Ascensorem Asini and Ascensorem Cameli.

And in the Translation ofVatablus the verse runs thusIlle ergo cum contemplatus esset cantemplatiane multa et

diligenti, vidit par equitum quorum alter asino alter vero

camelo velzebatur. Where by the rider upon an Assthey understand Jesus Christ, because he did so ride toJerusalem ; and by the rider on the Camel

, Mahomet,because he was an Arabian, which people used to rideupon Camels.

Lastly,whereas Isa says in the Gospel (John xvi .

Except I go hence, the Comforter will not come to youbut if I depart

,I will send him unto you. By the

Comforter in this place, they say, is meant Mahomet,

the Paraclete or Comforter being one of his names ortitles in the Arabian language.They say, further, that before the Go spells were

corrupted by the Christians,there were divers passages

which made express mention ofMahomet, and were for

that reason expunged by them, and that a certain

Christian Preist of great note informed some of themthat there was no t extant any unsophisticated Copy of

the Gospel,except o ne in his own custody

, and anotherwhich was preserved at Paris, and that out of his copyhe read to them divers Texts which did very clearly andperspicuously prophesy concerning Mahomet.

If the application of the Prophesies,which are

generally dark and enigmatical, and like the Oracles of

the Heathens admit o a various construction,is of any

weight, the Texts above recited seem at least as plainly163


to point at Mahomet and to be fulfilled in him , as anyof those which the Christians pick out for their turn,and which they pretend do prophesy concerning Christcan be thought to relate to him for upon these the Jewsput a quite different Interpretation

,and in many cases

seem to have reason on their side, as any one may seethat will give himselfthe trouble ofperusing their books.Yet neither do Miracles nor Prophesies prove any

thing in the justification of an ill Cause. Wicked men

may put tricks upon the peo ple instead of Miracles and

deceive men by impostures, which may be carried on and

publish’

d by a confederacy, and may also wrest passagesof Scripture in vindication of themselves and theirdoctrines. If

,therefore

,the Religion which Mahomet

taught be so impure, gross, and absurd,and the means

whereby he established it so wicked and unjust as theChristians endeavour to represent them, the Authorityboth ofMiracles and Prophesies must fall to the ground

,

for no man can beleive that God will work a Miracle tojustify a false Religion, or mention the Author of sucha one without a mark of infamy.

Let us therefore look into the Mahometan Religionwhich is Summarily included in the five followingArticles or fundamentals of their Law. First, to

beleive and profess that there is but one God, and thatMahomet is his Prophet. Secondly, to be constant inthe repeating of their Sallah, or Prayers, at the appointedtimes. Thirdly, to give Alms. Fourthly, to performthe pilgrimage to Meccha. Fifthly

,to observe the Fast

ofRamadan . Of these five only the first relates to matterofFaith, the rest are. obligations of Religious duties towhich every Musulman must yeild obedience

, as to theirablutions, Circumcision, observation of Friday for a dayof Devotion, abstinence from Swine’s flesh and frombloud, they are reckoned as consequentials of the fiveprincipal Articles, as tending by an outward purity andobservance to add to, o r Represent

, the purity and

reality oftheir inward Devotions.164



to will, depends absolutely upon him, who is the Lo rd

of his Creatures, the Lord of their Works, and theorderer oftheir Motions and Counsels.They beleive the immortality of the So ul, the resur

rection of the body, and the last Judgement, that thosewho are preserved by Faith and the intercession of theApostles of God, Moses, Isa, and Mahomet from sin,do after death live in happiness until the resurrectionand day of Judgement that those who are more or lesswicked, must in the grave and in a kind of purgatoryundergo some Torments untill the last day, and thenwith more o r less difficulty they shall be saved ; butthat nothing of Evil how little soever shall escape unpunished, nor anything of good how small soever passunrewarded.This is the sume ofMahometan Religion, on the one

hand no t clogging Men’s Faith with the necessity of

beleiving a number of abstruse Notions which they canno t comprehend

, and which are often contrary to thedictates of Reason and comon Sense ; nor on the otherhand loading them with the performance of manytroublesom

, expensive, and su erstitious Ceremonies, yetenjoyning a due observance 0 Religious Worship, as thesurest Method to keep Men in the bounds of theirDuty both to GodAs to the great ch is taken by the Chris

tians against theAlcoran for the descriptions ofPurgatoryand Paradise which are therein found, I cannot butthink it very unjust

,since Mahomet has herein only

copied after the Jews and Christians. I have shewnbefore how these Reli ions

,and the divers Sects of them,

were diffused througfiArabia, and Mahomet as he continued the ancient usa es, so he retained those Principleswhich the Nation barfimbibed, and which he had theChristians and Jews to depose for. Such were thoseno t only concerning the Torments in the Grave, prayingfor the dead, and Purgatory, but also ofParadise 8: itsJoyes in the manner as he explicates them in hisAlcoran.

166

ALCORAN MIRACLES OF MAHOMET

The four Rivers of Paradise flowin with pure Water,excellent Milk, Rich Wine, 8: pure oney, are the samewith those of the Jews, saving that the Rabbins wouldhave their wine Spiced

,and they think that the Leviathan

and Behemoth will make as good dishes there as Caviare8: Botargo or Sturgeon here and they will have a RiverofOyl and Balsam ,

viands of fruit, and bread 8: butter,and thirty-seven tables made ofPearl . Doth not Jesusspeak ofeating and drinking at his table in his Kingdom(Luke xxii . and of drinking wine there (Mark xiv.25) The description ofthe new Jerusalem in the twolast Chapters ofthe Revelations doth so much resemble theParadise of Mahomet that one would hardly imaginethat any should condemn the latter as ridiculous and

gross, and yet approve the former as spiritual Truth. If

the expressions are analogous, I do no t see why they arenot liable to an equal Construction according as the

reason or prejudices ofmen do sway. For my part I conno t distinguish betwixt the paradise of the Jews and

Christians,and that which Mahomet promiseth to his

followers,and do th ink that our Notions ofthe Torments

ofthe Wicked in a lake offire and brimstone somewhereunderground

,hath as much of folly and absurdity in it

as is in any fable ofMahometans.I know they tell us that these and the like expressions

in our Scripture, such as that in Psa. xxxvi7’

9 which theLatin Translation reads thus Inebria buntur ab ubertate

Domus tuae ; c‘

j ’ de tarrente ‘voluptatis tuae potabis eas, and

divers other passages in the Psalms and other places, areno t to be taken in a litteral but a Metaphorical sense.The Mahometans make the same Apology for the likepassages in theirAlcoran and, indeed, since all the descriptions we can make use of concerning the Senses and

Nature of glorified bodies are equivocal, and deducedfrom what we are accustomed to upon earth, since Godhimself is described in Scripture

,with the parts, actions,

8: passions of a Man, wherein doubtless the Prophetsaccomodated themselves to the understandings of the

167


People,I cannot see wherein lyes the fault or folly in

giving such an account of Paradise and the future State,as may be agreable to our Senses and apprehensions.

Yet supposing we are to take Mahomet’s descriptionofParadise in a litteral interpretation, I know no t whyhe should be so blamed for representing those Joyes bysensual Delights. We cannot imagine that he therebydesigned to encourage his followers in sensuality, and tomake his Religion easy to them by indulging theirbrutal appetites, his severe prohibition of the deliciousJuice ofthe Grape is alone sufficient confutation of thatopinion. I have in the Embassy of Haly (Ali) repre

sented the sense of the Mahometans concerning thepleasures of this Life, their Precepts and Arguments areas conclusive against placing of happiness in sensualityhere on Earth, as those ofthe Stoics or Christians. YetifWee imagine that our Souls must rise with the samebodies which we have here, exceptin that our Mortalityshall put on Immortality

,since pfeasure ariseth like

knowledge from our Senses if our bodies are to be ofthe same kind

,but only glorified : we must imagine

that the same parts and the same Senses will have thesame appetites 8: pleasures or something analogous thereto

,tho’ infinitely more perfect and delightful.Let us now lay aside our prejudices and see what

there is amiss in the Mahometan Religion. TheirArticlesof Faith are few and plain, whereby they are preservedfrom Schisms and Heresies, for altho’ they have greatdiversity ofopinions in the explication oftheir Law, yet,agreeing in the fundamentals

,their differences in opinion

do not reach to that breach ofCharity so common amongthe Christians, who thereby become a scandal to all otherReligions in the world. Their ‘N otions ofGod are greatand noble

,their opinions of the Future State, as I have

shewn, are consonant to those ofthe Jews and Christians.As to the moral part of their Religion, if we consultHottinger, who has taken the pains to transcribe a greatmany of their precepts out of the books of the Maho

168



Celsus to the healthy,not to live by rule

,but use a

variety in Diet, lest they contract a Custom,the change

whereof would bee as dangerous as the continuanceinconvenient and inconsistent with daily Action and

business.I also beleive that the third Precept, concerningAlms,

was political in its Original,for Mahomet having per

suaded his followers into such a Parsimony as was

requisite to the making of them hardy, and to the

making of them welcome in their quarters, that theymight not lapse from his Institutions

,and be debauched

by riches, he obliged them to those extraordinaryAlms, which was a kind of Grecian levelling Law.

Mahomet calls it Zaco t (Zacat), which signifies as muchas Increase

,as if the giving Alms to the needy were the

principal means to augment their Riches,and this he in

culcated to them that they might not ‘ grow effem in

ate through Luxury or mutinous by means of theirRiches.Neither was there less Prudence in the precept

concerning Prayers,for the injunction of the Sallah five

t imes in twenty-four hours obliged them to a diligenceand sobriety which, perhaps, no other contrivance couldhave en ged them to

,and doth also imprint in them a

sense 0 their Religion which without Apostasy nothingcan obliterate. Besides, it is a part of that precept neverto mention any Prophet or Person whom they reverencebut with this Eulogy

,God’s Peace be with him ! of

glorious memory, 8:c. ; nor any Enemy of their Religion,but thus

,God’s Curse be upon him God keep him from

hurting us, 8:c.,which saying did fix them more and

more in their Religion 8: estrange them more and

more from their adversaries.As to the Rites and Ceremonies used in their

Prayers,Pilgrimages

,and other occasions, many of them

(if not all) were anciently used by the Arabians andprudentially accomodated by the Prophet. These are

not reckoned as Fundamentals or principal Points of

170


their Religion,but as tryals of their Obedience to the

more necessary Law. They teach that it adds to theMajesty of the Author of their Religion that there besome parts thereof, some Institutions, which transcendour Reason . That where our Intellect doth comprehend8: assent to a Rite o r Command

,as good o r wise, albeit

our Compliance be most exact 8: ready,yet our

Devotion is less then when wee intirely obey upon thecommand of God

,since in the other Case we seem

rather to follow our own Judgement then that of theLegislator. And that as in great Empires the Reverence to the Prince is best secured and established wheresome capricious 8: arbitrary Decrees intervene, and

amaze rather then inform the minds of the subjects ;so in Religion our Obedience becomes more perfectwhen we know that the divine Intellect 8: Will is notsubordinate to ours but transcends it.The Mosaical Constitutions give much Countenance

to this Plea,and an Allegorical Brain which knows how

to dive 1nto M isteries,may undoubtedly find out rich

M ines ofknowledge,Types and Figures in Mahometan

ism . Amongst these Tryals ofobedience they reckon theobservation of Friday

,Circumcision

,abstinence from

Swine ’s flesh,and bloud, 8:c. But as to the Circumcision

and those other Ceremonies purely Arabian , I take themto be extremely necessary to such an Empire as hedesigned. For his own Country No t yeilding Numberssuflicient for the pursuance thereof, this obliging all to

Circumcision, 8:c., was no less wisdom then old Rome

practised in denisoning Fo rreigners, or the Jews in theirPro selites.

It was also very wisely considered ofMahomet whenhe prohibited his Alcoran to be translated into otherLanguages

,whereby he did (as far as in him lay) oblige all

his followers to an Un ity of Language and certainlyan Unity of Language

,Religion

, and Customs conduceth very much to the strength 8: peace of a

Monarchy.17 1


I cannot in this place avoid taking Notice of someof the Political Institutions of Mahomet

,because they

seem to evince his great wisdom as a Legislator. One

is the permission of Polygamy. The Alcoran givesliberty to each Musulman to take to himselfwives two,three, or four, as he pleaseth, except he fear he is no table to render them all due benevolence. Wherein thedoctrine of Mahomet doth exactly agree with the LawofNature

,except that he puts a positive restraint in his

Law to a determinate Number, as Grotius, Saint Austin,and all the Jewish Rabbis even to Maimonides (whosesaying exactly agrees with Mahomet’s as to the Law of

Nature), do averr, as you may see in Selden . But whatthe Law of Nature doth so indefinitely perm itt, the

Mosaical Law hath somewhat moderated. For the Kingsof Israel are forbid to multiply unto themselves Wives(Deut. xvu. Yet it is evident that David had severalwives even to the number of six or eight, besides hisConcubines ; and the Rabbins tell us that the JewishKings might have eighteen wives, notwithstanding thatprecept. That David did not sin herein is plain, forGod upbraided him as with a perticular favour that hehad don him in giving him sundryWives (2 Sam . xii .And where his sins are reckoned up

,it is said

,that

David turned not aside from all that God had com

anded him, except in the case of Uriah

’

s wife ( 1 Kingsxv. As to private persons, there are Rules fixed 1n

the Levitical Law concerning such as have two wiveshow to demean themselves (Deut. xxi . And thePrecept of the Brother marrying with his Brother’sWife

,is generally beleived to conclude married persons

as well as unmarried, so that we cannot imaginePolygamy to be interdicted to the Jews. Ifwe consultChristianity, whether Polygamy be thereby prohibited toall, or only to Bishops (who ought to be the husbands ofo ne Wife, 1 Tim. iii. may be a question. TheEmperor Valentinian made a Law, that any man mighthave two Wives, and married two himself. Polygamy

172



Law. By the Mahometan Laws and Usages,a Musul

man hath no Stint as to Concubines, but they must no tbe o thers then Slaves, between whom and a Musulman(by their Civil Laws) no marriage can intervene, whereinthey exactly follow the Jewish policy. Upon inquiry Ifind that Polygamy and the use of Concubines weremost ancient and inveterate practices in the ancientWorld

,and Mahomet might thereupon comply with

them ; they were both exceedingly subservient to themultiplyin

gof subjects which are the Sinews of Empire,

and there ore prudential. They were requisite uponanother Score, because in the East and South it isobserved that there are far more Women then Men ;

and he who (pretended) to be a follower ofAbraham,

Moses, Isa, 8:c., had their presidents and the Law of

Nature to justify him in the Allowance. I do no t findthat Polygamy is a pcice ofSensuality in the MahometanReligion, no r any argument thereof: nor do I find onesentence in their whole Religion, either Alcoran or Tra

ditions, tending that way. You may sooner hope to findsuch suggestions in the old and new Testament ; andmay with as much Justice charge the Constitutions ofL curgus with Luxury, as the discipline of their Prophet.I I may conjecture another reason besides what policysuggested to Mahomet

,I would deduce it from hence

that he held (as did the Jews and Judaizing Christians),that all men were absolutely obliged by that first preceptof increasing and multiplying, which could not be fulfilled by the Steril, or those who left no tissue behindthem . And as the Mahometan Marriages have an

aspect this way, so there is nothing therein o r in theirdivorces (which last were allowed by the ancient Christian Emperours, and the Laws ofthe Goths and Franks,in many cases) which the Jews and other Oriental Nationswill not justify, as you may read in Selden

’

sTreatise concerning an Hebrew wife.Another Prudent Law ofMahomet was that whereby

he prohibited usury to his Musulmin . Itwas an ancient174


Arabian Law that every man ought to improve hisEstate, and that every one that did so should behonoured

,but they who did not should be punished.

This prudent Legislator knowing ofwhat importance itwas to an Empire that was to be great and lasting

, thatthe subjects be not too poor and needy lest that inclinethem to rebellion and Revolt against their Prince, no rexasperated against each other by reason of some growing too great by their oppressions and extortions on therest

,amended this former Law. Besides his general

Obligations to Deeds of Charity, as an addition or

means thereto, he strictly forbid all manner of Usury,so that they m ight more readily releive their necessitousbrethren either by

°

ving or lending frankly, when theyhad no t that way 0 making advantages oftheir Money.

But lest some through ldleness might rely too muchon the Charity and kindness of their Neighbours

,he

enjoyned all his Musulmen to follow some Trade orVocation, whence he derived this other benefit, that hisPeople had their thoughts and Bodies perpetuallyemployed (which is a great secret in Government, andwhich perhaps was the Reaso n of the public Showsamong the Romans, and the poo rer Tradesmenwere the better satisfied, and went on more cheerfullywith their labour, when they saw that those who enjoyedmore of the Goods of Fortune were not exempt fromit,and when their Employments could not bee accounted

dishonourable,the Prince and the basket-maker being

ofone Trade, which was another political mistery. Butlest the more scrupulous Musulmin should extend thisProhibition of Usury too farr, and imagine that Usurywas as lawfull as traflick , and that the bartering and

exchange of Goods was a kind of Usury,by which

Opinions the advantages of Merchandise and disposingof their Manufactures might be lost or neglected

,to

prevent the inconveniences which might thereby beintroduced, he declares in a Surat that God had permitted the one

,but no t the other. By this Law of

I 7S


Mahomet it is prohibited any Musulman to practiseUsury no t only with a Musulman, but with anyChristian living under the protection oftheir Monarchy

,

or any other stranger coming to inhabite among them .

Any one that considers the Civil Constitutions of

Mahomet will find perpetual Reasons to admire hissagacity and Wisdom. It was a secret of Moses thatno Israelite should practise Usury with an Israelite

, and

this was very well considering that Moses did no t

designe to enlarge the Jewish Empire, but to preservehis people intire and unanimous in their narrowPrecincts. But Mahomet propo sing vaster designes

,

prohibits it to all Strangers living under the pro tection of the Musulman, fo r had this been permitted(there being such a multitude of Christians and othersamong them), this quaestuosa Segnitie: (as Pliny calls it),the facil way of growing rich by Usury

,would have

effeminated the Mahometans ; and the frequent and

great Quarrels and Tumults arising upon Usury wouldave endangered their Empire, and rendered the Government odious and oppressive to the Stranger Subjects.But yet it is a Rule in their Law, that aMusulman maypractise Usury with a Christian living in a forreign

Territory, and by such means extort him out of his

Estate, the Reason of which is because such Personsare, as it were, in a perpetual Hostility with them and

where a warr is alwaies deemed lawful, against such

usury may be put in execution . The Mahometanreason for this, quia facultates eorum patent veluti ad

praedam,et direptia earn licita est quacunqz

foia,is the

same which St. Ambrose giveth : cui Jure inferunturArma, lzuic legittime indicantur Usurae ; quent Bella vincere

pates, de lzoc pate: o indicare te, ab lzac usuram euige, quem

non sit crimen occidere. Sine Ferra dimicat qui Usuram

flagitat, sine Gladio se de Haste ulciscitur qui fiteritUsurarius Enactor minime, ergo ubi Jus Belli, ibi etiam

Jus Usurae. Let such as please censure Mahomet asignorant, and brutish : some Writers on Politicks con

176



(tho’ with great Hazards) rather then stay the tedious

procedure which Industry andWisdom puts them upon.And therefore made this severe prohibition, the strictness whereof is such that it doth not permitt them somuch as to draw Lo tts, who shall pay a Reckoning ?Whether it were his great Prudence, o r Care for

the Worship of the true God, I shall not determine,but certainly his Legislative Care extended farr whenhe prohibited all Observation of Omens and all divination by Lotts, as Debates to do o r forbear an Action,by opening the Alcoran (as the Romans did Virgil), orshooting an Arrow into the Air, or drawing an Arrowout of the Sheaf, whereon should be written it is no t

the pleasure of God. This great Prophet would no t

suffer his Moslem in to employ anything but Reason intheir Debates. He imprinted in their minds that thereis not any such thing as Chance, no M istakes 1n Providence whereby that befalls one which God intended foranother, and that it was a folly to imagine that God wouldreveal that by the fl ight or cry of a Bird

,which he

would conceal from human Prudence, or to conceivethat a Man ’s hand could discover more then his Judgement

,o r that a wise Conduct, and the directions of the

Alcoran,were not more to be relied upon then the blind

drawing out or shooting up of an Arrow. It were an

endless Task to descant upon the particular Motivesupon which depends the Excellency ofhis Laws. Whata discourse might be made upon his uniting the Civiland Ecclesiastical Powers in one Soveraign 1 Upon hisrejecting all the Christian Scripture rather then decideamidst so great Uncertainty of Books, and so difficultRules to Judge of the Right, and to reconcile thedifferent Sects 8: opinions, was it not prudently foreseenthat it would be more easy to introduce a new Religionthen to Reform such a o ne ? and well conjectured that allinterested parties would more willingly submit to a

novel Doctrine then yeild themselves to have been all

in an error except one party.1 78


It may perhaps be urged, as an Argument of

Mahomet’s Ignorance,that he denies all Contagion in

the Pest, and other diseases in Man or Beast. But ifwe consider that Hippocrates speaks nothing of it

,that

many Physical Arguments may be brought to plead forMahomet’s Opin ion

,which yet is cheifly founded upon

the Doctrine ofPredestination,and indeed is a necessary

consequential of it,this objection will have less force

then is usually imagined. And in Refference to the

Wisdom of it, the Successes which his Followers havegained by that Opinion

,whilst the Christians yeild up

their Towns,break up their Camps

,8:c.

,upon Contrary

Apprehensions plead very highly for it.I might here expatiate in the Behalf of the

Mahometan Doctrine of Predestination did I think anydoubted but that it was the general Tenet of the Jewsand Primitive Christians, which is sufficiently proved bythe Arguments for it both in the Old and New Testament. It is certain that in reference to the Soldierynone venture their Lives in Battle

,like those who

suppose they cannot dye before their appointed time,

that all the Contrivances of Men depend upon theSovereign Will of God

,that there is no such thing as

Chance,nor any mistakes in the management ofhuman

Affairs but are all swayed by Destiny. 0. Cromwel

made this observation in the late Civil Warr,and gave

no encouragement to such Preachers as taught thecontrary.

CHAPTER X

CONCERNING THE JUSTICE OF THE MAHOMETANWARRS, WITH A VINDICATION OF MAHOMET’

S CARRIAGE TOWARDS THE CHRISTIANS ; AND THAT HE DID NOT PROPAGATEHIS DOCTRINE BY THE SWORD

T is a vulgar Opinion that Mahometpropagated his Doctrine by the Sworand no t only compelled the Arabians atfirst to receive his Religion

,but obliged

his Successors by a perpetual Vow orPrecept to endeavour the Extirpation ofChristianity andall other Religions

, thereby to render his own universal.But how generally soever this be beleived, and howgreat men soever they bee who support it, yet is it noother then a palpable M istake. It is very true thatMahomet did levy warr in Arabia, but it was with theobject of restoring an old Religion, not to introduce anew one. He taught his followers to abolish idolatryeverywhere

, and that all the World was obliged to theprofession of these truths, that there was one God, thathe had no Associates, that there was a Providence

, 8: a

Retribution hereafter proportionate to the good or ill

Act ions ofMen, just as the Jews thought themselvesobliged to bring all Mankind (as farr as in them lay)under the observation of the Law of Nature containedin the seven precepts ofNoah. But that all Mankindwere to be forced to the profession of his Religion

, or

that he compell’

d any thereto, is a falsehood. Yet had1 80



thence (which was rather an Act ofCivil prudence thenReligion), yet were they no t compelled to Maho

metanism, nor banished his other Territories.The same Omar gave the Christians the following

Security upon the taking of Jeru salem . In the nameofGod, merciful and gracious, from Omar, the son of

Alchittabi, to the inhabitants of the City of Aelia.

Security and protection is nted as to their persons,Children,Wives, estates, 8: afl

r

fheir Churches,that they be

neither destroyed, alienated,no r prohibited the Chris

tians to resort to .—And when Amurus

,the Saracen

General, under Abubecr, beseiged Gaza, He made thisdeclaration to the Christian Go vernour thereof: Our

Lord hath comanded us to fight and Conquer you,except you will embrace our Religion

, and so becomeo ur Friends 8: Brethren, pursuing the same ComonInterest with us

,so you will have us your faithfulAllies

but ifyou will no t accept of these terms, then subm itt topay us Tribute yearly, yourselves 8: your Posterity forever, to us and our Successors, and we will protect youagainst all opposition whatsoever, and you shall be inLeague with us ; if you agree no t hereunto , then the

Sword must decide our Rights, and we will not desist

until] we have subdued you, and put in Execution theWill ofGod.By this Declaration it is manifest that the Maho

metans did propagate their Empire,but not their

Religion, by force ofArms. And albeit they did notperm itt others then Moslemin to enjoy any M ilitaryor Civil Comands in their Territories o r entire Conquests, yet the Christians and other Reli ons mightpeaceably subsist under their Protection

,Fthey payed

the Tribute demanded. In Spain the Musarabic Christians, and others in their Kingdoms 8: Dominions,always lived quietly and safely under them, an inviolableJustice being preserved towards them ; and altho’ wherethey conquered

, the Rich and potent Nobility and Rulerswere generally destroyed o r reduced to no thing, which

1 8 2

JUSTICE OF THE MAHOMETAN WARRS

was don to prevent future Rebellions, yet it is observedby Scali er

,and it is an assured truth, that the vulgar

Greeks five in a better Condition under the Turk at

present then they did under their own Emperours,when there were perpetual murders practised on theirPrinces

, and tyranny over the People but they are nowsecure from Injury if they pay their Taxes. And it isindeed more the Interest of the Princes 8: Nobles, thenof the People

,which at present keeps all Europe from

submitting to the Turks. The Decree of Mahomet inhis Alcoran concerning the Mo slemicalWart s, is in theseterms : Make Warr upon those who do not beleive inGod

,nor that there is a day ofJudgement, nor that those

things are forbidden them which God and his Prophethave forbidden unto them

,nor do administer due

Justice to them who have taken Chartels of Security,and being subdued do readily pay the appointed Tribute.In this place by such as have taken Chartels ofSecurity,he means such Jews and Christians as had yeilded themselves and taken protection under him. And thusMahomet ben Ahmet expounds him .

Elmacin (who collected his History of the Saracensout of the best Mahometan Writers, and was himselfSecretary of State to o ne of their Princes) tells us thatMahomet gave protection and Security to the Pagans,Magi

,Jews

,8: Christian s

,which swore fealty to him

and paid him yearly Tribute, and that he sent Omar tothe Christians, to assure them that they should livesecurely under his Dominion

,and that he would esteem

their Lives 8: Goods, as the Lives and Goods of hisMoslem in .

To this purpo se there is extant a Compact o r Leaguebetween Mahomet and the Christians, published inFrance by Gabriel Sio nita

,and reprinted by Johanes

Fabricius, a Dantzick er, which is by him affirmed to be

authentic, and is mentioned by Selden, tho’ Grotius

takes it to be but a Figment ofthe Christians, that theymight gain favour with theMoslemin. I shall not recite it,

1 8 3


because I think it to be supposititious, but you may seeit in English, published by Mr. Ricaut in his Relation

of tite Turkislz Government (1. c. The sum of it isthat the Christians submitting to him and payin theirTributes duly shall live and enjoy the liberty 0 theirReligion

,without any molestation, and that there shall be

a perpetual Amity between the Moslem in'

and them. Inthe Alcoran also there are several] passages wherein heperm itts the Unbeleivers to hold their own Religion, anddeclares that every of them

,Jew

,Christian, or other,

might be saved if he held that there was one God, theCreator

,a day of Judgement

, and lived justly and uprightly. By all this it appears that Mahomet and hisFollowers make warr not to enforce others to theirReligion, but to enlarge their Empire, and reduce all

they can under their subjection . This is the direct injunction of the Alcoran in the place already mentioned,and is avowed by Selden and Salmasius.The Turks a ll the Territories of the Christians, Dar

Elharb, or the Enem ies’ Country, and think they have aperpetual Right to make War upon such yet it is onlyupon the grounds aforesaid

,so that the controversy

between them and the Christians is not, whetherReligion may be propagated by Arms, but whether it belawful to make War merely for the enlargement of

Empire. And herein (as in other Cases) Mahomethath the Jews for his Defenders

,whose Opinion fo r

the affirmative is generally the same with his as to thismatter. I t was heretofore the Sense of most of thePagan Emperors ; and if the Christians do no t own thesame sentiments

,few Princes do beleive or at least

practise otherwise when opportunity presents, tho’ they

cloak their Ambition with different 8: more spaciouspretences.Maimonides 8: the Jews call such Wars— Praelia

Maj estatis contra Gentes alias, ut dilatet Rex Terminas

Regni et ungent Magnitudinem ej us unacum Fama.

As Mahomet seems to have deduced his Law for an1 84



perpetual Law among the Jews that all places subduedby them should be reduced under bondage

, and theInhabitants retained in Servitude, tho

’

not absoluteSlavery. They were to live in an abject manner

,paying

a great submission, 8: an arbitrary Tribute to the Victor,

and never to bear any comand in Israel. They were alsoliable to sundry personal Services occasionally, as in thebuilding of public Edifices, Fo rtifications, the Temple,8:c. so the Nation that upon Invasion did render themselves were to be brought into Servitude and madeTributary (Deut. xx. 10, 1 Thus upon the Childrenof the Ammonites, 8:c.,

who had yeilded to the victoriousIsraelites upon (such) terms, did Solomon levy a Tributeof Bond Service

,and they wrought personally at his

public buildings ( 1 Kings ix . 2 1,22 2 Chron. viii. so

did David ( 1 Chron . xx ii.As the Mahometans do herein conform to the

MosaicalLaw,so they do nothing herein that is repugnant

to the most exact Rules ofWarr,which I find laid down

8: justified by Grotius. And if there be no Injusticethereby done to those that are made Captives, I do no tcomprehend any Reason that the Christians shouldcomplain of their hard usage under the Mahometans.But to proceed. How equitable that Mahometan

Tenet is that Wat rs are just for the Enlargement of

Empire, I shall not determine, but it must beacknowledged that it is not so barbarous or uncouthan Opinion

,but that o ld Greece and Rome, as well as

Jewry, will avow it ; and Mahomet did certainly rendera great Testimony of his Wisdom

,by introducing it

among his Followers,for as it conduced much to the

vast spreading of the Empire of which he laid the

foundation (since the Mahometans could never want apretence for making Warr upo n their neighbours), so itconduced no less to the publick Tranquility of thatEmpire which

,being erected upon a M ilitary prudence,

would be apt to run into civil Broils 8: Confusions, ifthey had not that ready way of spending the noxious

1 86

JUSTICE OF THE MAHOMETAN WARB S

Humours in fo rreign Warr. In po int of Policy greatKingdoms ought to know no period of their Growth

,

it being therein as in natural Bodies,which when once

arrived to a determinate Pitch, immediately decline and

go to ruine, so that this Opin ion of theirs contributes tothe subsistence and perpetuity of their Monarchy.How repugnant soever the continuance of Slavery

be to Christian Charity,it is no t absolutely unlawful

,

nor indeed any more repugnant thereto,then is War its

self nay, it is a Moderation of the Effects 8: Rights ofWar

,and I am sure Christian Statesmen

,as Busbequius,

8:c.,have condemned the European Policy fo r relinquish

ing so wise and so beneficial a Practise. The advantagethereby accruing to the particular Soldiers

,must needs

add much to their Courage, as also doth the daily sightof those whom they by Servitude lead

,as it were

,in a

continual Triumph . It makes them have a despicableOpinion of those Enemies whose Ancestors and

Kindred they see every day to bee their Slaves ; andthe fear of being in the like Condition makes themmore desperate in Fight

,the Indignities of a lasting

Slavery seeming worse then death to a generous Spirit ;and as to the profit which the publick gains by it, itis in vain to expect that such extraordinary peices of

Architecture and Fo rtification Should ever be performedby the Moderns as the Ancients effected by their Slaves.To conclude

,tho

’ the Principles of the Christiansseem to condemn Slavery, yet in Portugal and otherplaces it is frequently practised

,8: perhaps the Christian

Laws 8: Customs against such usage had no higher Risethen the mixing the Ecclesiastical with the civil Policy

,

and has since been retained more thro ’ ignorance and

indiscretion then out ofConscience duly informed. Yetof late We are not so scrupulous but that in the WestIndies wee keep infinite Numbers of poor Creatures ina most cruel Slavery and debarr them and their posterityfrom the benefits of the Gospel to secure to ourselvesthe benefit of their Labour, and thus by shutting them

1 87


out from that which we think the only dore ofSalvation,we do (as much as in us lyes) put their Souls in as bada Condition as their bodies

,which is a Cruelty that

Turks and Pagans would be ashamed of.Tho’ the Mahometans did not make warr for the

Propagation of their Religion,but for the enlargement

oftheir Empire, yet by the wise Course which they took,their Proselites increased with their Conquests, they didnot force the Conquered Nations by death or Torments,imprisonments or the other Methods of Persecution

,

which would but have more exasperated them and

perhaps have increased their Religion (for Martyrdomand a constancy in suffering fills the World with an

Opinion that such are certainly in the right way whoso freely lay down their Lives fo r it) but by

“ loadingthem with Taxes and Tributes

,and keeping them out

of Oflices and preferments, they not only kept them ina civil Obedience, but gained more to their Religion bythe hopes of preferment, and the great Argument ofthe blessing of God upon their successes, then theycould have don by the most sanguinary and cruelPersecution. I think this is evident from the growthand increase of Christianity under ten SuccessivePersecutions

,and its decay under the more gentle

Rule of the Saracens ; so that when we say that theReligion of Mahomet was propagated by the Sword,we must understand it only as a Consequence of theirVictories

, and not that they forced Men by slaughtersand Murders into their Opinion. I doubt Christianityowes its extension to more unjust Methods.As Mahomet persecuted none for Religion, who

beleived one God 8: the day ofJudgement,so lest of all

the Christians,who, as we have seen before, enjoyed more

ofhis Favours then any of the other Religions but helo oked upon the generality of them as a People that tho’

they outwardly professed the doctrine ofIsa, yet in theirLives and manners did not at all conform to the Rulesofhis Gospel. He told them that such as beleived in

1 8 8



they begun to complain of the obscurity 8: ambigu ity,and first rejected, then hated and avoided the holyWritt.

Religion now was no longer terminated in the purity ofthe mind

,but in the performance of certain outward

forms and Ceremonies, as ifthe Law,Rites and Judaism

,

had been only varied not abolished, and Men testifiedtheir Christianity, not so much by amending their Lives,as by exteriour bodily Gestures 8: Humiliations, and a

zealous adherence to the party they owned, insomuchthat at last there were few real Christians

,no twithstand

ing the multitudes of professors. God did not conniveat these sins and enormities, but raised up the remoteNations in Germany 8: Sythia to invade Christendom,

which they overrun,bearing down all before them like a

Torrent and since this was not suflicient to instruct 8:reform the Surviving Christians

,God justly permitted

Mahomet to sow a new doctrine in Arabia which wasdirectly opposite to the Christian Religion

,yet did in

words contain a great part of the Christian practise. Hewas first credited by the Saracens who revolted from theEmperor Heraclius, they having in a Short time carriedtheir conquests over Arabia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt,Persia, and afterwards into Affrick and Spain

, and withtheir Empire propagated their Religion .”

Nor is it a despicable Plea ofthe Mahometan's,which

is urged by Ismael Ibn Ali, a Mahometan Historian,

that at the Nicene Council in the 2o th year of the ReignofConstantine, there were assembled 204 8 Bishops, outof which he picked only 3 1 8 , and adhered to theirJudgment, anathematizing Arrius, and publishin a

Christianity different from what had been taught beforein the Church. That such a number of Bishops wassummoned as the Mahometans specify is granted by theOriental Historians of the Church (so saith Eurych ius and Josephus, an Egyptian Presbyter

,in his

Preface to the Arabic Version of the Councils), and it isconfest that all except the 3 18 did vary from the Nicenefaith ; nor is it plain that those 3 1 8 were all Bishops

,

190

JUSTICE OF THE MAHOMETAN WARB S

some accounts represent it as if there were but 23 2

Bishops, and the rest Presbyters and Monks. If that

Council were so managed, as it is most likely, Mahometwas not in the wrong when he excluded out of the

number ofChristians,such as were neither in Life nor

doctrine agreable to that Profession.I shall here set down some of the passages relating

to Isa. Isa, the son of Mary, peace be upon him,said

thus, He that greedily accumulates Riches is like him thatdrinketh salt water, the more he drinks the more hisThirst increaseth, and he desists not to drink until] hebursteth.

—Isa, the son ofMary, said to John, the son ofZachariah

,If any man say any thing concerning thee

that is true, praise God fo r it ifhe sayany untruth, giveunto God greater thanks for that

,and he will reward

that disposition of M ind in thee,and add it to the

Catalogue of thy vertues, and thus without any troubleshalt thou multiply thy good Actions— The world didonce appear to Isa in the shape of an old decrepitWoman

,to whom Isa said

,How many husbands hast

thou had ? She replied, The number ofthem hath beensuch that I cannot tell them to you. And are they alldead, then (added he), and have left thee ? The old

woman said, Nay, they did no t leave me,I destroyed

them all. Isa rejoyned, It is a wonder, therefore, thatany should be such Fools as to doat upon thee, and no t

consider how thou hast used all before them,and be

caution’

d thereby against the Love of thee — In the timeofIsa three Men travelled together, who, having found agreat Treasure, said, We want Sustenance, let one ofusgo 8: buy food, so one of them went, 8: upon the wayresolved to buy some poison, and mix it with the Meat,and by the death of his Companions

,to render himself

sole possessor of the Treasure ; so he empoisoned theMeat. In like Manner the other two agreed to kill himat his return

,and appropriate to themselves the benefit

of their Discovery. Whereupon they slew him, and

also died themselves by the poison which he had mingled19 1

RISE PROGRESS ORMAHOMETANISM

with the Meat. At that time Isa comin by with hisApo stles, said : This is the Condition 0 the World

,

behold how these three have suffered by it,these are

deceased and left behind them what they thought to beOwners of. Wo unto him that seeks Riches in thisWorld.There is no doubt but that Mahomet inserted these

Parables to wean his Musulm in from worldly desire, yetby introducing Isa as the Author of these Precepts hedid more especially recriminate upo n the Christians whodid not observe them, and justified his Conduct in debarring them from Honours and power

,and taxing

their Estates, as a means to reduce them to theirprimitive Condition of Piety and Poverty, suitable totheir self-denying Religion. These pretences were firstmade use of by the Emperor Julian thereby to depressthe Christians, and by this Stratagem did Mahomet gainto his Party all the ambitious and M ilitary, who had noother way to satisfy their Inclinations but by embracingthe Saracenical Religion . And by the same means healso rendered Christianity contemptible and weak

,and

fit only fo r subj ection or slavery ; and gave a justColour to the pretence of his Followers

,that they were

the Elmunemin (Al Momenin), or true Beleivers, and

that their Enemies,the Christians

,were not indeed

Christians, so that they seem in theirWars not to oppo sebut vindicate Isa.

192


EARLY CHRISTIAN LEGENDS AND NOTIONSCONCERNING ISLAM

N Chapter VIII the ridiculous inventionsof Christians with re rd to Islam and

its founder, fo r which3

it is difficult tofind a parallel in history

,are touched

upon by Dr. Stubbes. The subjectcalls for more extended treatment for the calumnies solong current in the West, false as they obviously are

,

have done great mischief to Muslims. These calumniescontain the early germs of the prejudices which, like anightmare, still haunt the imagination of Europeans ;and it is owing to them that I slamic studies lie undera ban

,branded by the theo logian and disdained by the

scholar. In spite of the labours of the great Orientalists,the day ofrehabilitation has not yet arrived.In the following pages I have attempted to set before

the reader some of the ideas and beliefs so popularduring the M iddle Ages and after, which have left anindelible impression upon European literature. Fo r

convenience’ sake I have divided my article into two

parts the first dealing with the Muslims in general, andthe second with the Prophet.

THE SARACENS

The Musulmans are known in Christian annals undervarious names : they are styled Infidels, M iscreants,Paynims, Pagans, Heathens, Heathen hounds, Enemies

195

RISE 8: PROGRE SS OF MAHOMETANISM

of God, Turks, Allophili, Hagarenes, Ishmaelites,Canes, Moabites, Aliens, Gentiles, etc. and occasionallyGo ths and Vandals. The most popular and generallyaccepted term,

however,was Saracens. Remarkable

statements were made touching its origin. The falserepo rt that the Saracens claimed to be descended fromSarah

,with the object of concealing their low birth

,

created widespread indignation, which is voiced by thehistorian Matthew Paris. The Saracens perverselythink ,

” he exclaims, that they are so ealled frpm Sarahwith greater truth, they ought to be called Agarenes, orIshmaelites

,

”and in suppo rt of this contention he brings

forward a genealogy of the Prophet, tracing his originto Ishmael.l The change of name advocated by himwas no t adopted

,however, and uncritical minds still

continued to eall the Musulmans Saracens, until at lastthe pioneers of Orientalism,

Scaliger and Hottinger,

were induced to pronounce upo n the matter. Investigation led them to the startling discovery that the wordSaracen was derived from the Arabic Serq,

” whichmeans to steal therefore Saracen came to mean a thiefor a robber. The same school of Orientalists suppliedadditional details, received with approbation

,concerning

the low origin of the Saracens. It was alleged thatIslam received its name from Ismael

,

aand Hegira from

Hagar while similar ingenuity was employed in tracingthe origin of the Tartars

,who were said to have pro

ceeded from tartarus,”a kind ofhell.4 The Turks

,on

the other hand,were declared to be of Trojan descent

,

seeing that they occupied the ancient city of Troy ; 5 butsubsequent writers identified them with Magog

,while

the Arabs were called Gog.

No Opinion was held with greater unanimity in theChristian Churches than the belief that the Muslims

1 English History , vol. i. p. 15. Bohn’s edition, 1854 .

3 Vide supra, p. I I4 .3 Ibid. p. 92.

Buckle’s Cim‘

lization in England, vol. 1. ch. vi.

Knolles’ Htktory qftlle Turns, p. 1 , 162 1 .

196



o ther Saracen witches are mentioned, in the history of

the Crusades, as having created obstacles to the conquestof the Holy Land.

1

The abhorrence ofswine, manifested by the Saracens ,next engaged the attention of Europeans. The keenestinterest was shown in this enquiry. With astonishmentthey exclaimed

,See, these heathens eat cats and dogs

Why,then

,do they refuse pork It was pointed out

by some that pork could not be procured in Palestine,but it was reserved fo r Roger ofWendover to elucidatethe true facts of the case. According to this eminenthistorian

,there existed an ancient feud between the swine

and the Saracens,and it is owing to this circumstance

that the Musulmans abominate pi This absurd storyenjoyed a long popularity in Ifngland, and the lastperson who made use of it was a celebrated preacher,Henry Smith, who lived in the reign ofQueen Elizabeth .

As given by Roger ofWendover,it runs thus

At a certain hour in the evening, when Mahomet was sitting in hispalace, intox icated with wine, perceiving that his accustomed sicknesswas coming on him, he hastened forth, asserting that he was summonedto converse with an angel, forbidding any one to follow him, lest he

should perish at the sight of the angel. That he might not be hurt in

falling he got on a dung heap, where he fell down, and rolled about,gnashing with his teeth and foaming ; on seeing which, a number of

swine, which were there, ran and tore him in pieces, and so put an end

to him. His wife and family, on hearing the outcry ofthe w ine, went

out and found the body of their lord for the most part eaten by them.

Collecting his remains, they deposited them with all honour in a coffer

wrought with gold and silver, declaring that the angels ofG od, scarcelyleaving his body on the earth, had carried ofl

'

his soul with joy to the

delights ofheaven.

” 3

Another explanation is found in l e (j olden Legend,which says And Mahomet told them that the cause

1 History qfthe Crusades, ch. v.

'

p. 90. T. Archer (“HistoryoftheNations

Flamers 9‘History , vol. 1. p. 74.

tu, 1849.

I 9

APPENDIX

was that the swine was made of the dung of the camelafter Noah’s Flood, and therefore it ought to be eschewedas an unclean beast.” 1

The following explanation is given by the author ofa!

“voyage to M ount Lioonm. See the reason,

” hesays, why Mahomet forbade them the use of pork,

"

and proceeds . When he had hidden under the groundsome vessels full of water

,to perform a miracle like

unto that of Moses, to show thereby that he wasgreater prophet, it happened that this animal, whichdigs always 1n the earth

,spoiled all his mystery

The question why the Saracens do no t drink winewas thoroughly investigated, after the same fashion.

Curious details are given by Sir John Maundeville, 1n

the following narrative

And also Machomete loved we] a gode Hermyte, that duelledin the desertes, a Myle fro Mount Synay, And so often wente

Machomete to this Herm te, that alle his men weren wrothe : for he

wolde gladly here this Hirmyte preche, and make his men wake alleny hte : and therefore hismen thoughten to putte theHermyte to Dethean so it befelle upon a nyghte ; that Machomete was dronken of godewyn, and he felle on slepe and his men toke Machomete

’s swerd out of

his schethe, while he slepte, and there with thei slowghe this Hermyte

and putten his swerd alle blody 1n his schethe am . And at Morrowe,whan he fond the Hermyte ded, he was falle sory and wrothe, and woldehave don his men to dethe ; but thei alle with on accord seyd, that

he him selfhad alayn him, when he was dronken, and schewed him his

swerd alle blody ; and he trowed, that thei hadden seyd cothe. Andthan he cursed the wyn, and alle tho that drynken it.

” 3

The author ofu! Voyage to M ount Libanm, quotedabove, assigns another cause to this prohibition. He

observes that the Prophet once happened to enter avillage, in the company of some soldiers ,

they pressedhim to pay for their drink, but he refused, because afterbeing drunk they would have compelled him to grantthem the use of the women of that place.

" This he

1 See the account ofthe Prophet in theVo ge to Mount Liberator, by FatherTrawls, ch. xii. p. 140-4 1 , 1883 .

199

RISE 8c PROGRESS OF MAHOMETANISM

could no t, or would no t do , therefore he forbad the

use ofwine.

”

Christians in all ages have found some excuse for

complaint, o r some cause for opening hostilities, againsttheir enem ies the Turks. In our time it is the march ofCivilization, or the cause of Progress. In contrast withthese worldly considerations, the mo tives of the M iddleAges always assumed a religious character. Faith was

the leading spirit of the time, and the faithful enteredinto war with the Muslims on some pious pretext, e.g.

to rescue the inheritance of the Lord from the po ssession of the infidels

,or to respond to the call of some

saint or angel. The disbelief of the Saracens in Ho lyBaptism and the Virgin Mary formed another justifiat ion for war. A worthier cause that stirred the faithfulwas to seek vengeance for the Blood spilt on the

Cross,”as may be seen in a reply sent by the Christians

to the Moors, who were anxious to know why the Lords

of France had attacked their country. Fro issart has

preserved the answer for us. It is to the effect that thet itle of quarrel for which they warred was Because theSon of God, called Jesus Christ, and true Prophet wasput to death by their line and generation,

”and he further

adds that they had judged their God to death withouttitle or reason. Therefore the Christians Took theSaracen's and all their sect fo r their enemies.” 1

Further,among the many wrongs that Christendom

sustained at the hands ofthe Turks, o ne is the loss oftenteeth to each Christian child

,for it is mournfully recorded

that the capture of the Holy Cross, by the Turks, occasioned this irreparable loss.” We are not told, however,whether this also amounted to a cam belli.

As fo r the motive o n the other side, a passage in

1 Ci r-ank les, p. 403 . Globe edition,” 1899.3 Buck le’s Cebz'lz'm tzbn, vol. i. ch. vi. and Draper’s Intellectual Develop

ment q urope, vol. ii. ch. vii.

200



slaughter but they not long after in that countryreceived the punishmentdue to theirwickedness.” 1

The accounts of the mythical invasion of Spain byCharles the Great are animated by the same spirit. Thesun

,it is said

,stood still for three days, to afford King

Charles an opportunity of pursuing and slaughtering theSaracens and the invasion of Charles was itselfdue tothe direct instigation ofSt. James. TheApostle seemedso keen “ to rescue his dominion from the Moabitesthat he thrice appeared to the Emperor, in a vision

,and

commanded him to undertake the holy expedition.3

On another occasion the same Charles besieged theci

éyof Pampeluna, and for three months the citizens

o ered a brave resistance : then God and St. Jameshearkened to his petition,

” the town walls fell of themselves on the ground

,and the city was taken . Charles

only spared the lives of those Saracens who consented tobe baptized ; the rest he put to the sword.‘ The signof the Cross and the bones of the saints have oftenproved useful instrumen ts in a speedy massacre of theSaracens. A similar case presents itself in the history ofthe Crusades. From the time when Peter received hisfamous letter from heaven, the interference ofProvidenceis marked at each step. Constant prodigies are witnessed.

In the beginning of the movement,the miraculous goat,

filled with the divine Spirit,assumed the lead of the

crusading host.“ The divine spirit must have had somecurious reason for appearing in the familiar garb of thePrince ofDarkness. True, Heaven

’s ways aremysterious.The Lord Jesus Christ is also made a party. Once, inthe company of the Virgin Mary and St. Peter, heappeared to a

fpriest

, and rebuked him thus : “ I madeyou master 0 Nice

,I opened to you the gates of

Antioch and in return fo r these benefits, you have lost1 Eco. Hist. Book V. ch. xxiii. p. 291 . Bohn, 1847.Hist. of Charles tile Great and Orlando, by Turpin, vol. i. ch. xxvi.

p. 49. Translated by Th. Rodd, 18 12.

1 1633 . ch. ii. p. 5. Ibid. ch. 11.

p. 5.

5 Hist. qftlte Crusades, by Ch. Mills, ch. 11. p. 50, 18a202

APPENDIX

the religious name in infamous debaucheries with Paganwomen. 1 Here the master who exclaimed, “Mykingdom is no t of this world

,

” is represented as an

invisible general of the warriors of the Cross ; while hisheartless remark

,with reference to his countrywomen,

needs no comment. It is notorious that St. Andrewimparted the secret of the whereabouts of the HolyLance, which pierced the side of the Lord on theCross

,to Peter Barthelemy.

2 At the Siege ofJerusalemby Godfrey there appeared St. George, on Mount Olivet,waving his glittering shield

,and we have just grounds

to bewail the treachery of this Arian saint.3 At theBattle ofDorylaeum,

1t is said, St. George, St. Demetrius,and St. Theodore came forth from the mountains, on

white horses,bearing white banners in their hands, and

we are told that they dealt deadly blows against theinfidels.

” 4 During a siege of the town of Afr1que 1n

Barbary, by the Christians, we hear that the VirginMary, with a host of her damsels, appeared in personto defend the Christians

,a white and red banner being

displayed before her. Indeed, as if our Lady and hercompany were no t a sufficient guard

, a mysterious dogmade his appearance and volunteered to watch.5 Thename ofthis sacred animal was Our Lady’s Dog.

We now pass on to religious controversy. Circumstances have arisen, in war or peace, which have occasionedtheological discussions between the Christians and the

Saracen s. The attitude of Christendom towards Islamwas early established, and the tactics of its intellectualwarfare determined. King Charles admonishes Argolander, a Saracen king

, thus . Oh,Argolander, how

widely do yo u err you follow the vain precepts of a1 Mill’s Crusades, ch. v. p. 124.Crusades, by Archer, ch . iv. p. 73 Hist. ofthe Nations series).

1 Mill’s Crusades, ch . vi. 149Archer

’

s Crusades, ch. 57 Hist. ofthe NationsFrorssart

’s Ckrom

’

eles, p. 403 . Globe edition,

203


man . After death our souls are received into paradiseand enjoy everlasting life, but

tyours descend to the

abyss of hell. Wherefore our aith is evidently best.Accept then baptism

, or fight and perish. To this,king Argolander

’

s rejoinder was Far be it from me,

to accept baptism, and deny Mahomet and my God !

but I will fight you on these terms ifyour faith is best,you shall gain the victory, otherwise heaven shall give itto me and let shame be the portion of the conquered.

”

He adds further,

“ If my people are subdued and Isurvive the contest

,I will receive baptism .

” 1 Louis IX .,

king of France,in an inte1

1

view with the Sultan of

Babylon,declared that he had not obtained his chief

desire, on account of which he had undertaken the

perilous journey to the Holy Land. The Sultannaturally asked what that could be. “ It is your soul,

”

replied the French monarch, which the devil claims ashis own to be thrust into the gulfof hell. The Sultansaid , We hope

,by following the laws of the most

blessed Mahomet,to attain the enjoyment of the greatest

pleasure in a future state. The French king madethe following rejoinder : “ I cannot sufficiently wonderthat you

,who are discreet and circumspect men, put faith

in that impostorMahomet,who teaches andallows so many

dishonourable and filthy actions.” He also added,

“ Ihave seen and exam ined your Alcoran , which is mostfilthy and impure.” On hearing these words,

”com

ments Matthew Paris,

a flood of tears bedewed thesprouting beard of the Sultan,

”and he was never after

wards so devoted to his Superstition as he had beenbefore 2 The historian had full confidence that thisSultan would eventually be converted to the Christianfaith.On one occasion religion was the bone of contention

between Orlando,the Rustam of the West, and Ferra

cute,the Saracen giant. The giant, who was aMusulman,

1 Hist. ofCfiarles the Great, ch. 211. p. 19.Englisb History , vol. ii. p. 504. Bohn, 1853.

204



of Musulmans. To give an instance of such piousfrauds

,I must invite the reader’s attention to a treatise,

called A Spiritual Conference, between two doctors :Sheich Sinan and Doctor Ahmed : held on their returnfrom Mecca. Profitable for every Musulman, man and

woman.

” Its translator, William Bedwell, an Englishdivine

, christened it with the following title Mohammedis Impo sturas that is, a discovery of the ManifoldForgeries, Falsehoods, and horrible impieties of the

blasphemous seducerMohammed with a demonstrationof the insufiiciencie of his law, contained in the cursedAlkoran ; delivered in a conference had between two

Mahometans, in their return from Meccha. Writtenlong since in Arabick e, and now done into English byWilliam Bedwell, London, 16 1 This work is dividedinto three dialogues. From the beginning we feel thatwe are in a Christian atmosphere. Dr. Ahmed addresseshis companion as Rev. Father, or Good Father.”

These pseudo Musulmans carry on a discussion,in

which Christian tenets are exalted at the expense of

Muslim traditions ; and the conclusion they arrive at isthat the Gospels and Christianity are true. In defianceof history, they maintain that idolatry was destroyedthroughout the world by the preaching of Christ andHis disciples

,so that

,when their Prophet Mohammed

appeared, no idol was to be found. Thereupon theyask themselves : Then what did our Prophet do to

deserve that title ? These wo rthies, who find in himalmost all the imaginary faults attributed to him byChristians

,give the sneering answer that he called

himself a true prophet, who talked to the angel Gabrieland went up to heaven, and stated that the angelsand God prayed to him. This last assertion

,which

displays a phenomenal ignorance of one of the mostcommon Muslim expressions, suflices of itself to provethe work an imposture. Neither does “The GloriousAlkoran,

”as they style it, meet with their approval.

Much to their disappointment, they find in it parables206

APPENDIX

as to such matters as the ant and smoke, and

conclude thence that it is no t a divinely inspired book.The English divine William Bedwell, in his turn, indulges in occasional ejaculations, such as “ In the Godhead are three persons, even the Musulmans confessor, May not Christians be ashamed to be taught of a

TurkeThe names given to the debaters bear every appear

ance of having been chosen with a view to representingcertain great Muslim doctors, as the champions of

Christianity ; and the same thing seems to have beendone with regard to Yaqub Alk indy, the father ofArabphilosophy, in the “Apology ofAlk indy.

” The planof this work, however, difi

'

ers from that of the one

just mentioned, for it consists of a controversy betweena Christian and a Musulman. The latter, Hashimyby name, is alleged to have invited his bosom friendAlk indy, the Christian, to embrace Islam, and his invitation elicits a letter in reply. With unparalleledeffrontery the authority of the Caliph Al Mamun,well known for a zeal that brooked no contradiction

,

is enlisted in the cause ; and we are informed thatthis great ruler, after having the two sides of the

question laid befo re him, lent his countenance to an

attack upon his religion. This is the more incredibleas the book is full of notoriously false statements

,such

as the story ofthe Christian monk Sergius, the suppo sedauthor of the Quran ; the statement that the Prophetwanted to become the leader of the Arabs, and, when hefailed in this design, assumed the prophetic oflice or

the fable that the Prophet promised to rise from the deadafter three days.

Christians, in their zeal, have gone still further.Of Islam nothing has escaped their watchful eyes. No t

content with exploring the regions of its past and

present, they have endeavoured, with the same energy,207


to decipher the dark pages of the future. The chil

dren of the Church have consulted the oracles, sacredand profane, and have seen visions of the downfall ofIslam . Volum es their utterances

Sanso vino and

countless o thers limited the life ofIslam to a millennium .

There were numerous predictions ofa diEerent character.

The astro nomers of To ledo record that Within sevenyears from the year of 1 229, a doubt will spring upamo ngst the Saracens, they shall abandon their Mosquesand embrace Christianity.” 1 The philosopher

-emperorLeo , of Constantinople, said that Islam would be

destro ed by a light-haired fam ily. In the reign of

the mpress Theodora, a pro phecy announced the

annihilat ion of the Saracens by the Macedonians. Theperiod of 1 572

- 1 575 shall see the close of Islam, was

the utterance of ano ther oracle. An Abyssinian pre

diction ran thus : Mecca and Medina shall hereafterbe destroyed, and the ashes of Mahomet and his priestsbe dissipate 3 The prophecy of the Wandering Jew,uttered at Astrakhan in 1676, assigned the year 1 700

for the breakdown of the Turks and Islam.

8 Passingo ver numerous vaticinations by Churchmen, which sprangup in consequence ofvarious interpretations ofScripture

,

I come to a famous vision,which excited great interest

in the seventeenth and the early part of the eighteenthcentury. It was a sequel to a series of long-standingprophecies. Before I relate the actual story

,I must in

form the reader that Christians are a millenarian people,

who expected the second coming of the Lord Jesus athousand years after his Ascension . Surprising as itmay seem

,they imagined that the Prophet Mohammed

had also promised his second coming, and that the

Muslims expected him at the expiration ofthe millennialperiod. Now, according to Christian calculations

,the

1 Roger ofWendover’s Flowers ofHistory , vol. 11. p. 515. Rohns, 1849.

Boyle’s CriticalDictionary , art. Mahomet. ’

Remarkable Prophecy from the Turkish Spy , byJohn Megee , 8111 edition.208



introduced by the Ministry ofMoses, another by Christ, and the last

by Mahomet ; that the Mahometans, as well as the rest, had wilfullyErred from their first Institutions, and that this Apparition predictedsome great Troubles and Alterations to them, for he said, the openingof the Book either foretold their falling away from the first intent of

their Law, as the Armed Mens disappearing seemed to intimate, or

implyed some other Book which thc

?had not yet read, and against

which no power would prevail ; there ore he feared their Religion wascorrupt, their Prophet an Impostor, and then that that Christ, whomthe talked of, should shine like the Sun, and set up his Name everlasting y. But the Mahometans were so enraged with this discourse, thatthey ut him to a cruel and torturing Death, while he Cryed to the

lasté 0h, thou woman with the Book, save me.” 1

It would be a fruitless task to inquire into the

o ri in of this tale, which created an immense sensationam?reliefin Christendom , and revived the long cherishedhope ofthe downfall of Islam . England gave it a heartywelcome

, and accordingly the first work which publishedit bore the following title

Good News to Christendom, from a merchant inAlexandria discoursing awonderful Strange Apparition

,

visibly seen for many days together in Arabia, over theplace where the supposed Tomb of Mohammed (theTurkish Prophet) is enclosed : by which the learnedArabians prognosticate the reducing and calling of the

great Turke to Christianitie, etc., London,Several other tracts and pamphlets appeared.

11 They

1 Compleat History ofthe Turks, vol. 11. chap. iii. p. 99 and 100, 1701 .1 Islamic Library.

1 The following are the titles ofsome ofthese works

Strange and Miraculous Newsfrom Turke sent to

ofa woman who was seen in thefirmament with a book in her hand at Medina

Telnabi. London, 1642 (Lowndes).TrueNewsfrom Turkey , being a relation a a Strange Apparition , or Vision

seen at the Medina Talnabi in Arabia, toget r with the s ech of the Turkish

priest (upon the vision ) Prophesying the Downfall ofMa met’s religion and

the setting up of Christ’s. London, 1664 (B. M.

Prophecies of Christopher K otterus, etc. and the miraculous conversion

of the Great Turk , and the translating qfthe B ible into the Turkish language.zud edition, 1664 (Hazlitt ).

Great and WonderfulProphecies, and AstrologicalPredictions oftheDownfallof the Turkish Empire : The glorious Conquests ofthe Emperor, and King qfPoland, against all the B loody Enemiesofthe Christian Faith . Printed for J. C.

in Duke Lane, 1684 (Hazlitt).The Prophecie qfa Turk concerning the Downfall ofMahometanism and of

2 10

APPENDIX

speak of Strange News or M iraculous News, of

a Vision or a Prophecy the narrative comeseither from Constantinople, Arabia, or Egypt. The

narrator is sometimes a merchant, sometimes the EnglishAmbassador. The date changes, as also the duration ofthis strange occurrence, which varies from three da s toa week or a fortnight. Although the versions diflhr asto details

,their theme is the same, namely, the downfall

of Islam. The contemporary histories of the Turks,

down to the beginning of the eighteenth century,also

embody this fable. Much to their disgust, the prophecyofthese prophets never came true, and we believe neverwill.

MOHAMMED THE PROPHET

There is no man under heaven who has been theobject of so much discussion

,due either to extreme

hatred or great love,as the Prophet Mohammed.

Exalted in the East and discarded in the West, theProphet has acquired a position which is difficult todefine and for which it is impossible to find a parallel.He has been a central figure

,to a large part ofmankind,

during the last thirteen centuries. His great enemieswere the infidels of Mecca, but their hostility is as

nothing compared to that shown by the Christiannations

,which casts the story of the Jews and their

detestation of Jesus entirely into the shade. It is a

strange irony offate that Mohammed, who so manifestlyhonoured Isa and respected his teachings, has beenmade the object of the grossest abuse and the vilestcalumny by the followers of Isa. Since the time whenvague rumours about the Saracens began to reach theEuropean shores, he has been considered the archthe setting up the K ingdom and Glory ofChrist

’s,for which he was condemned

and put to death , by divers cruel and inhuman Tortures Truly related as it

was taken out of the Turkish History at Constantinople, p. 1384. London, 1687(Guildhall Library).A Great Virion seen in Turkeyland, and a wondesful Pr hecy ofa Turke

concerniu the subversion fof that”em

'

re and the downfall o Mahomedanism.

Reprint , 1702 (Bib . Coll., W. C. azlitt).

2 1 1


enemy of Christianity and it has been the piousduty of devout Christians to expose what they call theimpo sture and deception of this great Antichrist.

”

There are several phases through which the historyof Mohammed has passed in Europe. The first ideathat Christians formed of the Prophet was, that he wasthe God of the Saracens, to whom divine honours wereaccorded. In the labyrinth of popular fancy, while thetitle ofTrue God wasapplied to Jesus Christ, Mohammedreceived the appellation of the False God. It wascommonly believed that he was worshipped in the formof an idol. The History of Charles the Great

,by

Bishop Turpin, the source of so many songs and

romances, can be cited as a very early work which gives usa description of this idol. The author tells us that theidol Mahomet, which the Saracens worshipped, was madeby Mahomet himself, in his lifetime ; and that, by thehelp of a legion of devils

,it was by magic art endued

with such irresistible strength that it could no t be

broken. A singular antipathy towards the Christianspossessed this idol, and through this they were exposedto imminent danger if they ventured to approach it.Even the birds of the air, it is said, were struck dead ifthey happened to alight upon it .1

A fragment of a romance, which gives us somemore particulars about the idol, is preserved in VonSybel

’

s History of the Literature ofthe Crusades.No t far from Samarkand, in a meadow, runs the

romance, the Paynim Sultan pitched his tent ; twelvethousand men sat under its shade. There, o n high, inbeaten gold, sat the Im e ofMahound,

” between fourmagic loadstones being rec in the air

,it moved hither

and thither, as the wind blew. Fourteen princes came,

and each of them made sacrifices to the idol : theygrovelled, laid their gifts before it, burnt incense, and

prayed ; and their litany ended Hear us, Oh Great1 Historrq harles the Great, ch. iv. pp. 6 and 7. Translated byTh. Rodd,

2 12



were written with the object of diffusing Christianityamong the people ; to this end the events of ScriptureHistory were turned into a series of dramas, and actedon the stage with due reverence. Mahound, to whoma great antiquity is assigned, figures as the God of the

infidels in these plays, which throw a new light uponseveral other historical events. Thus we learn fromthem that Pharaoh was a Mahometan : when pursu ingMoses

,in the Red Sea, he found himself in peril of

death, and nothing would save him from being drowned,he called upon his army to pray to Mahoun, and exhortsthem by saying

Hefe 11 pe youre hartis ay to Mahownde,He wil be nere us in oure nede.1

It is also certain that the Emperor Caesar Augustushad turned Turk. His favourite form of adjurationis,

“ I swear you by Mahowne, or,

“ I pray thee, as

thou lovest Mahown,”

or,

“ by Mahownd’

s blood.

” 1

Herod is indeed a fierce champion of Mahound,the

warm advocate of his laws. This haughty monarchappears in the garb of a Saracen on the stage

,looks as

fierce as possible, and maintains a terrible appearance.He institutes a persecution against the Christians, and

orders all Christian Dogs, who deny the law of

Mahown, to be brought before him . He delights tosee a Christian man hanged

,burnt

,thrown into a

dungeon, or torn by dragons. John the Baptist

,he

says,would have destroyed our laws

,therefore I killed

him.

11

The association of Herod with Mahound,and his

appearance in the dress of a Saracen monarch, gave riseto a very singular notion, of which we have recordedan echo elsewhere, that it was the Musulman whocrucified the Lord Jesus. The term Enemies ofGod,

”

1 York Plays, p. 91 . Edited by Lucy T. Smith, 1885.1 Towneley Plays, ix . Cas arAugustus.

” E. E. Text Society, 1897.1 The Coventry Mysteries, Play xx1x. p. 290-91. Shak. Soc" 1841.

2 14

APPENDIX

and its application to the Saracens, is another indicationof the same belief. We find Caiphas and Pilate amongthe less zealous devotees ofMahound, and to them can

be added the renowned name of Belyalle, whoseresidence, we are told, is in Hell. This personage criesout

Alle the develys, that ben in helle,Shull pray to Mahound, as I the telle.

” 1

A play called The Harrowing of Hell, again,contains a scene in which Jesus commands Satan to goto his cell. This order makes Satan sink, and whilesinking, he invokes Mahound to his aid, and criesout 2

Owt, ay ! herrowe ! helpe Mahounde !Nowe wex I woode oute ofmy witte.

” 1

Similarly, when the Holy Ghost descends, and theApostles receive the gift oftongues, and speak in variouslanguages

,the Jewish doctors marvel at this prodigy,

and draw each other’s attention by saying, Hark, master,for Mahound ’s pain,

” etc.The method with which the worship of Mahound

is conducted so closely resembles contemporary Catholicservices, that we need not detail it here. Two or threeobservations may sufiice. It is pretty certain that theSaracens prayed in Latin ; they also allowed music intheir services and sang hymns. At the close of the

service,the priest gave his benison

,and exhorted the

congregation to stand fast in the Grace ofMahoundthen he showed them the sacred relics ofMahound, aneck bone, an eye-lid,11 and so o n .

The attributes and the office of Mahound nextdemand our attention. In the first place he is a God,a great God

, Almighty God. He is also described as

p . 207.

Ma Magdalene (Part 11. Scene 26 and 27,by ew Shak . Soc. 1882.

2 1 5


St. Mahoun,”

Lord Mahown, Sir Mahown. He

is a Glorious Ghost,’

helps the heathens, watches andrules over them , and receives their souls when they die.

It appears that the mode of Christian worship grieveshim ; he is jealous of Christ’s Godhead ; hence the

heathens fight with the Christians. They carry hisimages or pictures on their crest. The Christians , ontheir part, look upon him as Sorry Mahound,

” Mad

Mahound, and last ofall, False Mahound.” 1

The fact is no t reco rded, but a beliefis current, thatMahound also suffered crucifix ion. By the blood of

Mahound,” “By the blood that Mahound bled,

”or

By the precious blood of Mahound,is the common

cry of all Paynims, whether Herod, the Sowdone of

Babylon, the Amyral, or Saladin. The adjuration byMahound is so frequent that, in several romances, itis exclusively appropriated for this purpose. The

following verses, however, contain curious variations

By Mahound’s bones ! had the wretches tarried,

Their necks without heads they should have carried !Yea, by Mahound

’s nose ! might I have patted them,

In twenty gobbets I should have squatted them.

” 1

For a long time,it appears, Mahound alone fulfilled

the duties ofGo dhead, and had no partner or associate.All early writings confirm this opinion, but the fourteenthcentury romance literature introduced new changes inthis belief. The term Saracen, which was sometimesapplied to the heathens of the West, perhaps gave riseto a confusion in the mind of the romancers, which ledto the coupling ofMahound with Apollo or Termagant.

And ther-for, swete fader myn,Peresk Mahoun and Appolyn

1

So he] me, Mahown of might,And ermagant, my G od so bright.” 1

1 fi e Siege of Milan and the Romance of Roland and Ow l, Part 11.E. E. Text Society, 1880.

1 Wit ass cience, p. 144 , in “LostTudorPla E.E.Drama Soc., 1907.1 S ir Fernmbras, p. 18 1. E. E. Text Soc., 1 79. 1 Guy ofWarm

’

th.

2 16



Bayle quo tes from the History of the Holy Wars, byFather Mabillon, that Tancred found the Statue of

Mahomet in the Mosque of Omar, seated o n a highthrone. Six strong men could not lift it, and when hewas informed that it was Mahomet, he made a verypathetic harangue to the idol, and cried out

“ It is th1s wicked Mahomet, who was the firstAntichrist. If the Antichrist that is to come were nowhere with this

,truly I would quick ly have crushed him

under my feet.” 1

The belief in the idol Mahomet survived even as

late as 1 54 2 . In that year a work was published inGermany by Henry Cnustin with the title, TheOrigin, the Scandalous Life, and the

‘fDisgraceful End of

the Turkish Idol Mahomet,with his

‘Damnable and

Blasphemous‘Doctrine.

The beliefthat the Devil resided in the idol graduallydeveloped into a peculiar notion, and finally gave a newmeaning to the word Mahound.” There is no recordofth is change, and we are left to the mercy ofconjecture.We must presume, then, that when the idol Mahounhad fallen under the axe of some knight

,and was

destroyed,there arose the devil Mahoun from its

dust. It is in this form that we are introduced to

Mahoun in Chaucer,William Langland, and others .

Mahoun in Chaucer is only an object of adjuration .

In Langland he is very active. When Christ descendsinto hell

,Satan advises his friends to close the gates

and check the progress of the enemy. Mahoun isposted on the Mongonel to throw stones. He alsofi ures as an important personage in Dunbar’s Dance0?the Seven Deadly Sins,” in which others dance tohis order.

Methought amongis the fiends of hell

Mahoun gart cry an daunce.

”

The Scotch poet seems very much enamoured of

1 See Mahomet” in Boyle’sDictionary , 1738.2 1 8

APPENDIX

Mahoun, wherefore he celebrates him in another poem,

“The joust between the Tailor and Soutar. In thisjoust Mahoun presides over a tournament. This poemfinishes with the words

Before Mahound, the heir of hell,Schines trow it gif ye list.

”

Another Scotch song, Gyre-Carling, preserved byLaing in his Popular Poetry of Scotland, commemoratesMahoun. This song describes how the mother witchof the Scottish peasantry, living on the blood of

Christian men,is driven out by the king of fairies

,and

flying to Palestine, to spite the Christians, marriesMahoun

,and becomes the Queen of the Jews.

So far we have dealt with the narratives in which theProphet figures as a supernatural being now we propo seto examine those which accept him as a member of thehuman race, and acknowledge him as an historicalcharacter. Early in the twelfth century a report spread

,

which represented him as a Christian, and graduallyeclipsed the old belief in his divinity. The episodesrelated by Hildebert of Tours ( 1 the SpeculumHistoriale of Vincent de Beavais, and the Roman de

Mahomet,by Alexander du Pont, are the chiefauthorities

for this view. Hildebert describes him as a bad devotee,

full of perfidy, who lived in the Church. He wantedto be praesul in Jerusalem . Theodosius, the goodEmperor, drives him away. The magus goes toLybia, where he stays at the house of a consul

,whom

he murders in order to replace him. The king of

Lybia being dead, he informs the people that he whotames the white bull (which he had secretly tamedunderground) will be king. Thus he became king

, and

wanted to be taken as God,but God punished him by

epilepsy. He met with a horrible death,being eaten

by pigs,and his tomb hangs in the air.11 Text in Migne

’

s Patrologie, vol. clxxi. Paris, 1708.

21 9


The Roman speaks of him as a good clerk,bo rn ofa serf in Idumea, called Avdimenef. He meetsa herm it, who predicts that Mahomet would be a greattribulation to the laws of Jesus, and false laws wouldset in throu h him. After the death of his baron,whom he ha served very well

,Mahomet induces the

widow to espouse himself. On the day of marriage hehas an attack of epilepsy, which he explains away as a

visit from the Archangel. He deceives the barons byfalse m iracles. He resides in the neighbourhood of

Mecca, surrounded by his vassals, and possessing the

choicest forests, meadows, gardens, and rivers ; hepreaches polygamy, circumcision, and the suppressionof sacraments. The Persians invade Idumea : he isunwilling to fight

,but his barons force him . After a

fierce battle he flies, under the pretence of comfo rt ingthe old fo lks. On his death his corpse was put into a

metal chest levitated in the air.1

The following is the version of the story transmittedto us by William Langland in Tiers the Plowman.

People say that Makamede was a Christian man,”a

great clerk, and a Cardinal at the Court of Rome, whohad the ambition ofbecoming pope and prince ofHolyChurch. But he was a Lusshebargh (bad coin), so ,when he failed in his design

,full ofanger and revenge,

he stole into Syria, and somehow became master ofthatland. He tamed a dove and fed it privately, day and

n ight,in his ear. When he preached, the bird came to

the clerk’s ear, and Makamede said to the peoplethat it was a messenger of heaven, trul “Very Godhimself

,

” who came in the likeness o the dove, toinstruct him how to teach mankind.11

Another view, which Bayle records, identified the

Prophet with the head ofthe Nicolaitans.When the Christians found out that, after all, the

founder of Islam was one of them, they did not hesitate

1 Roman deMahomet. Edited b

éReinaud. Paris, 183 1 .

1 Pass. xviii. pp. 3 17 and 3 18. E. Text Soc., 1873.

220


RISE 8: PROGRESS'

OF MAHOMETANISM

addressed to the contemporary Scotch po et Dunbar,he

has the following lines

Conspirator, curait cockatrice, hell’s ka,Turk, trumpour, traitor, tyrant intemperat ;Thou ireful atter-cap, Pilot a ta,

Judas, Jew, juggler, Lollard surest ;

Saracen, Symonite, proud Pagan pronunceat,Mahomet, mansworm, rebald abominable,Devil, damnit dog, in evil unsatiable,With G og and Magog great glorificat.

Only once the Prophet has been allowed to havesuitable companions. It is by the author of the TribusImpostribus, a heretic who accounts Moses

,Jesus

,and

Mohammed as three impostors.

The honour of introducing the Prophet into the

pages of English history belongs to the historian RogerWendover 1 (died 1 2 3 7 In the narratives of hisprecursors nothing is recorded of the founder of Islam

,

beyond an occasional mention of his name. Roger callshim the False prophet ofthe Saracens,

”and a cunning

magician, who entered the province of Corozon,the

queen ofwhich was Cadison . He fascinated her,

” saysthe historian, “ led her into error, and claimed to be theMessiah

,whom the Jews expected.

”Gadison

,says he

,

believing in his latent divin ity, married him,and the

Jews and Saracens flocked to him .

The historian adepts the legend of the epilepticfits

,which

,o n account of its wide celebrity, needs no

further mention ; and he describes the manner of theProphet’s death, as recorded elsewhere. Referringto this account, which was received in a letter from theEast by Pope Gregory IX .

, in the year 1 2 3 6, thehistorian Matthew Paris observes that, when it waspublished to the world, it excited the derision and

mockery ofall.1 Floaters ofHistory , vol. i. p. 73. Bohn, 1849.

222

APPENDIX

Matthew himself gives us more details. Two

Mohammeds are known to him . The first,Maumath

,

”

as he styles him,is the twenty-eighth person in a direct

enealogy from Ishmael. This Maumeth, says thehistorian

,sprang from Abdellah, son ofAbdelmudalib

,

son of Escim ,and is considered the prophet of the

Saracens. But Matthew Paris does not st0p here. Heextends his list of generations still further. FromMaumeth

,he goes on

,were successively begotten

Abdecemus, Humenla, Abilaz, Acfan, Morean, Abdelmelibo

, Maria, Abderachman (by some calledAbdimenel) ,and from him sprung Mahomet

,who is now worshipped

and reverenced by the Saracens as their chief prophet.He also gives us the life story of this last mentionedMahomet, and says that an apostate monk, who had

fallen into heresy, wrote his doctrine. The name of

this monk is recorded as Sergius or Solius. The eventofthe Prophet’s Hegira is turned into a camel-stealingepisode

,which is described thus : He (the Prophet)

seized the camel of Aige Hali and fled to Mecca,whereupon the inhabitants expelled him from the city.Next the historian states that Mahomet had no

spirit of prophecy,

”and the following is one of his

argumentsHe sent a follower of his, named Gadimelic

,with

forty soldiers to rob the merchants who were travellingwith large sums of money. These men were met byAige Hely, the son ofJesern (whose camel Mahomethad stolen), attended by three hundred men of his city,and at sight of this the robbers sent by Mahomet took toflight. This,

” says the historian, proves that Mahomethad no spirit of prophecy.

” Matthew relates thatOftentimes, too, he sent his followers by night tothe house of his enemies, secretly and treacherously toslay the inmates.” Several anecdotes of a like natureare given, and his adultery and sensuality are also described. Matthew declares that Mahomet prophesiedthat he would ascend to heaven three days after his death.

22 3


Relyin on this, says he, his people waited until twelvedays ager his death, but his prediction did not come true.

They thereupon buried him and kept a further watchfor thirty days, expecting the body to be carried to

heaven .He further tells us that the first law that Mahomet

taught was “ increase and multiply.” He enjoined theSaracens to have as many wives and concubines as theycould afford ; if any one has a lesser number than hecan feed and govern, he is accused of avarice and of

transgressing the law,and mo re wives are assigned to

him by the decision ofthe authorities.1

In contemplating the sources of our historian’sinformation, we are again and again reminded of the

se-called Apology of Alk indy. Truly, there exists a

striking resemblance between the two works, and butlittle doubt can be entertained that Matthew or hisinformant had access to the Apology.

With unexpected pleasure we listen to the viewsadvanced by the famous traveller

,Sir John Maundeville

( 1 3 2 2—1 3 We do not know whether this imaginarytraveller was really worthy of the daughter of theSowdone of Egypt

,2 union which he so cordially

declined ; but we are certain that he deserves, fullwell,

” the tribute ofour humble praise. The physicians,in general, have entertained high notions of the ArabianProphet, andMaundeville is the foremost ofthem. Nowthe Machamete ofMaundeville is no t the same man ashas been hitherto considered. The cunning MagicianofWendover, the Robber of Paris

,to him is a wise,

a rich and great astronomer,” who afterwards

became the Governor and Prince of the land of

Caxrodo ne, and Maundeville attests that he governed itfully wisely. Our physician records a miracle performed by the prophet, which, sad to say, has no t

been ack nowledged by history. The door of a chapel,says he, where a hermit dwelt, began to grow large and

1 English History , pp. 14-28 . Bohn, 1852.

224



him.

”1 A little later the autho r quo tes the name of the

Clerk as Sergius, from some bo ok which he presumesto be more true than that of the dove,

”and calls him

a heretic,who fell into the heresy of Nestorius

, was

expelled from his monastery,came to Arabia

,and abode

with Mahomet. On the authority of a fresh chroniclehe is described as the Archdeacon ofAntioch

,who was

a Jacobite and preached circumcision . Further,it is

said that all the people ofArabia, including the Prophet,1 This fable, owing to its wide popularity, needs some attention. It is

universally uo ted, and can be traced back to the riod of the Speculume Roman de Mahomet , and even ofHil ebert of Tours ; on the

o ther hand, it is unknown to Roger ofWendover, Matthew ofParis, Matthewof Westminster, and Sir John Maundeville. Its introduction into England,therefore, probably took place somewhere about the end of the fourteenth

century. A reference ofth1s period is found in Piers the Plotsman , Pass, xviii.where we read

He endauntede a douue day 8: nyght here fedde,In sither of bus eris pryueliche he haddeCorn, that the colner set when hee cam in places,And in what lace he prechede 8: the peuple tauhte,Then sholde e coluere come to the clerke

’s ere,

Men e as after mete thus Makamede here enchauntede,And w en the coluer kam thus thenne knelede the uple,For Makamede to men swor hit was a message: of euene,

And 50m God self in such a co luere lyknesse

To ld bym 8: tauhte bym hou to teche the peuple,Thus Makamede in mysbyleyve man 8: woman brouhte.

It is to be noticed that the story in its early versions has a now: and no t aPIGEON. In Lewis Vertomannus

’

s Voyages it is further expanded describing hisvisit to Medina, the traveller speak s of the doues of the pr enie of the Douethat spake in the care ofMahumet in lykenesse ofthe Holy G ost,

”and assures

us that he has actually seen them. In Henry Smith (God’

s Arrow against

Atheism and Irrelzgson ), this dove becomes the angel Gabriel. It has also beenimmortalised by Shakespeare : Was Mahomet inspired with a doveP (HenryVL , Part I. Act 1. Scene About the end ofthe sixteenth century a markedchange in this legend is observed, a c EON being substituted for the DOVE,probably to avo id certain impious reflections upon Ho ly Scripture. In this formit is recorded by Lodowik Lloid, in his Consent of Time p. 292 ; byScaligerand G . Sionita ; byG. Sandys, in his Travels ; and by PeterHeylyn , inhis Description qf the Great World. Dr. Stubbe has already told us whattranspired between Pocock and Gro tius respecting this legend (p.Referring to the same circumstances, Gibbon says : Lest it should provoketheir !the Musulman’

s] indignation and Ian btar, the ions lie is suppressed inthe Arabic version !ofde Veritate Reltg. C rist., b Gro tius, translated intoArabic byDr. Pocock ], but it has maintained an edifying place in the numerouseditions ofthe Latin Text.” Ofall the eighteenth-century writers who celebratethis fable, John Sheflield, the Duke ofBuck ingham , need alone be mentioned.

He is the author of A Dialogue between Mahomet and the Duke ofGuise,”

contained in vo l. ii. of his Works, published in 1719. The dialogue opens with226

APPENDIX

wo rshipped Venus for a Goddess, whence the Saracenshold Friday in great honour.The legend touching the origin of the Saracenic

dress is equally instructive. Sergius was a monk, itsays

,therefore the Saracens use the habit (dress) of

monks,that is

,to wit, a gown without a hood.

” 1

The little treatise of Caxton’

s successor, Wynkynde Worde, next engages our attention. It appearedabout 1 5 1 5, and opens with the following attractive

a lively discourse between the Prophet and the Duke about the tricks they are

supposed to have played upon the world, from which the following extracts aretaken

G. You are merry, sir, and therefore I suppose will not be lo th to confess

some ofyour noble tqcks, as you call them.

M On condition you tell yours.

G. Agreed, and ray begin . Mine was but lay-dissembling, which ought to

give place to divine risy.

M You have hear ofmy pigeon, I warrant.G. Yes, and ofyour owls too . Could such a gross thing pass among them ?111. As easily as a Creed. Nay, at last , I might have 3 ed my pains of

teaching the pretty bird for the rabble would have fancied er at my ear, tho’

she had been all the while fluttering in their faces.

G. Nay, tho’

she had been pick ing out their eyes. For I must acknowledge

you the best of all the Bigo t-makers that ever I read of: my superstitiouscoxcombs never reach’d either the devo tion, o rmorality ofyours.

The Temple of Imposture, an anonymous poem ( 1 contains severalallusions to the legend

Thus modern Arts on Ancient Plans improve,A Bedlam-serpent swallows Mecca’s Dove.

”

The foregoing lines are illustrated by a serpent in the act of swallowing adove. The same anonymous writer elsewhere says

Perch’

d on his fingers sat the Prophet’s Dove,Well-chosen Type of universal Love.

But where the serpent lurk s the Dove’s bely

’d

All pious frauds hls Sanctity had try’d.

”

In a note the author adds This dove or pigeon was the useful agent ofacunning Master, Mahomet had taught it to pick seeds out of his ears. Nowonder that this bird, as if inspired, resorted so often to whisper some divinemessage in its master

’

s car. This call, which the bird had, was natural enough .

The appearance was supernatural and mysterious. Thus knavish Po licy dupesI crance.

”

gnIn the last century also this story found many believers, and we read it in The

Life ofMohamet,the Famous Orien tal Impostor, published by J. Lee ( 18 15) in

another work entitled Imposture, Deception , and Credulity (FamilLibrary, No . and finally in TheMysteries qfall Nations, by J. Grant, 11. 3:Mr. Grant takes it as an illustration ofOrnithomancy.

There is a passage in the New Testament which can be suggested as a

robable origin of the story ; namely, And the Holy Ghost descended in a

y shape like a dove upon him (S t. Luke v.

1 Golden Legend. See History ofSt. Pelagius and the account ofthe Prophettherein.

227


lines Here begynneth a lytell treatyse ofthe TurkesLawe called Alcoran. And also it speaketh ofMachamet

the Nygromancer.” Wynkyn de Worde gives us very

little information . We find that he has stolen,word for

word,the whole chapter of Maundeville, but has sup

pressed his name. The next thing we note is that whereMaundeville said Machamete,

”o r Machamete the

Prophet of the Saracens,” Wynkyn de Worde has

written Machamete the Nygromancer, or“Machamete

the false Nygromancer.

” This alteration marks an earlystage of a growing prejudice. What he has added as

his own is this,that Machamete in his law used a word

Accidite,’ that is to say, kill, so they kill all those who

would not believe in their law.

” By way of comment,

he says that,when their priest goes to preach their

False belief,he has a naked sword in his hands as

long as his sermon shall last,or else the sword is put

on some high place,so that every one may look at it.

The idea is, he adds, to threaten all.Andrew Boorde

,in his Introduction to Knowledge

entertains his readers with a curious story as tothe manner in which the Prophet received the Quran.The Prophet

,says Dr. Boorde

,trained a camel for this

purpose ; a book was tied to its neck, and it was sentto a neighbouring wood, under the care of a trustworthy servant. When the people had gatheredtogether

,in expectation of a mighty miracle, the an imal

was let loose by the servant, according to his instructions.The beast came straight to the Prophet and knelt downthe Prophet took the book from its neck

,read passages

from it, and exclaimed : This camel hath brought our

law,that we must keep.

The attitude of the Reformers towards Mohammedand Islam,

it may be mentioned here, is remarkable.The heralds of the Reformation, who revolted againstthe Successor of Saint Peter, still continued loyal to

22 8



Neither is John Phillip behind in addressing similarprayers to the Lord he sings

Confound the rage of rebels stout ;

Lord, be our strength and tower

As from the Turke, so shield us, Lord,From force of popish power.

1

It was John Bale ( 14 95 the Bishop of

Ossory, who compared Mahomet and the Pope, and

minutely surveyed their characters. He also directedhis attention to discovering the true meanings of Gogand Magog

,the two mysterious terms predicted in the

Scriptures. He informs us that the Holy Ghost meantnone other here by this Gog and Magog, but theRomish Pope and Mahomet with their blasphemous andwicked generations.” So glorious are

,

”says he, the

pretence ofRomish Pope and Mahomet,that they seem

unto them which regard not these warnings,the very

angels of light, and their churches mo st holy congtion

,being very devils with their filthy dregs of dark

ness. The Pope, he continues,hath in his

churches ceremonies without number. On theother side, Mahomet in his church is plenteous also inHoly observations.” The learned Bishop

,after citing

Daniel and Saint John, observes : “The Pope makethhis beast ; he is the high priest, he is of equal powerwith Peter, he cannot err, he is head and spouse oftheChurch

,and he is Christ’s immediate vicar. By this

brawling’

beast he maketh men to believe he may constitute laws keep under the Go spel, and distributekingdoms Mahomet braggeth also

,that he is

the great Prophet, the promised Messiah, the apostle ofboth testaments. Both these two maintainers ofmischief allow Moses’ laws

,the Psalter

,the Prophets,

and the Gospels, yet withal they have their own

filthy laws preferred above them,the Pope his execrable

1 Select Poetry , d ig!) devotional, d Me Resign inQueen Elisabet/l, Part II.p. 53 1. Parker Society, 1845.

230

APPENDIX

decrees, and Mahomet his wicked Alcoran theymurder men without measure. Thus, though theyoutwardly appear very virtuous, yet they are themalignant ministers of Satan, denying the Lord whichhath redeemed them.

” 1

Thus the reader will see under what peculiar circumstances the name ofTurk and Mohammed are draggedinto the great controversy which agitated Europe. Itwould have been better

,in the interest of all

,had

Musulmans been kept entirely out of this religioussquabble

,but the subject was taken up, with equal

enthusiasm,by both contending parties . Carried away

by their feelings,the fierce warriors exchanged compli

ments by calling each other Turk and Saracen ; andnever did Christendom

,as then, suspect herselfofhaving

turned Turk. We have seen the Protestant side of thequestion ; let us follow the arguments of the Catholics,which they' put forward in reply to the ReformedChurches. The learned Cardinal Peron has written a

book on this very topic : it is called Luther’

s Alcoran.

The points of agreement which this Cardinal findsbetween Lutheranism and Mahumetism, or Turcism,

concerning their faith and religion, are forty. He thenproceeds to compare persons. Foremost in his liststands Mahomet

,the Prophet of the Turks, and Henry

VII I., King of England.~ It is well

,he says, that

Mahomet and Henry lived no t in the days of Plutarchthe philompher, for if they had, continues he, he wouldhave placed them among the unworthies and mo nstersof Mankind. He remarks that Mahomet constitutedhimself a great prince

,and made it an article of the

Mahumetan faith that h imself was the supreme head of

the Church of God. Henry ran in the same linewith Mahomet. Mahomet punished such as wererefractory to his will— the like course did this EnglishAntiochus take. Mahomet had divers wives. Henryhad indeed but few wives

,yet

,when he was weary ofone

1 Bale’s Select Works, pp. 262 and 571 . Parker Society, 1849.

23 I

RISE 81. PROGRESS OF MAHOMETANISM

wife, his accustomed stra cm was commonly to accuseher of some forged disloy ty

’

an impiety,he adds

,

no t without a smile, never practised by Mahomet. Weread, continues he, that Mahomet did no t destroy anyreligious house or monastery erected before his time,but King Henry did overthrow all the Monasteries andreligious houses in England. The ecclesiastical primacyof the church was never challenged until thisMahumetan Henry,

” through more than Nemrodian

avarice,had demolished several thousands of religious

houses. In his conclusion he says that Henry mightbe reputed as great a prophet as Mahomet was. Wedo no t

,says he

,hear of anything particularly prophesied

by Mahomet ; whereas this prophetical king was ableto foretell

,divers months before

,ofwhat kind of death,

for what cause,and at what time his present living wife

(though then being good in health) must afterwardsdie.1Similarly he compares Luther with Sergius

,the

mythical apostle ofMahumetism . Sergius and Luther,says he

,were the first Apostles of their religions

the first of Mahumetism or Turcism,the second of

Lutheranism. They both were monks leaving theirmonasteries

,both of them secured their bad attempts

under the wings of temporal princes . Sergius underMahomet

,and Luther under the Duke of Saxony.

Both of them had for their maister and instructor, inplanting their several faiths, the Dcvill. Sergius hadhim originally

,not immediately ; but Luther had the

honour and favour to be instructed by the Devil] bothoriginally and immediately. Sergius and Luther didunanimously condemn the ancient Fathers ofthe Church.Sergius doth not make mention of the Sacraments of

Christ in the Alcoran ; Luther admitted only some.Sergius, by the strength of Mahomet

,did plant his

religion in many vast nations, namely, Arabia, Syria,Egypt

, Asia, and Afi'

rick , whereas by the coming of

1 Lutker’

s Alcoran , Part II. pp. 1 1 1-1 17, 1642 .

2 3 2



found themselves “ In danger to be attacked by the

Turks.

“Almighty and everlasting G od we thy rebellious children,in rest danger to be oppressed, by thine and our sworn and most

des y enemies the Turks, Infidels, andMiscreants, against thee,O Lord, have we sinned, and transgressed thy commandments : againstthe Turks, Infidels, and other enemies of the Go spel of thy dear SonJesus Christ, have we not offended but only in this, that we acknowledge thee, the Eternal Father, and thy only Son our Redeemer,with the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, to be one only true Almightyand everlasting G od. For if we, would deny and blaspheme thymost holy name, forsake of thy dear Son, embrace false religion, commithorrible idolatries, and give ourselves to all impure, wicked, and abomin

able life, as they do ; the devil, the world, the Turk, and all other

thine enemies would be at peace with us. But therefore hate theyus, because we acknowledge thee G od the Father, and Jesus Christ thySon, whom thou hast sent. The Turk goeth about to set up, to extol,and to magnify that wicked monster and damned soul Mahumet abovethy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ. 1

O O

Resuming the thread of our quest, we come acro ssA Notable History of the Saracens, published in 1 575,by Thomas Newton, who collected his materials fromAugustine Curis and other authors. This work has a

special interest for us, as it is the first which deals ex

pressly with the history of the Musulmans. Newtonis perhaps the earliest in English literaturewho mentionsThe base parentage of the Prophet. He also records

the famous legend ofthe Cofiin hanging in the air, whichhe describes in the following manner

Afterwards his kinsfolks and all ies edified a

sumptuous and magnifical Temple of brickwork,and

arched the same with a vault so pargeted with loadstones(whose nature is to draw iron unto it) that the iron coffinwherein Mahomet was inclosed, was drawn up even untothe t0p of the church and there hangeth . Fo r whichcause that place is yet with great devotion and pilgrimageworshipped ofall the East.

1 Liturgical Service: of tile Reign of Queen Elisabeth, pp . 532-533 .

Parker Society, 1847.

APPENDIX

Next in po int of time is Henry Smith ( 1 560- 1

This preacher, in his God’

s Arrow against Atheism and

Irreligion, has devoted a who le chapter to the Prophet.This is the gro ssest account that we have ever read.Sad would it have been if the history of the worldhad been left in the custody of Christians. This workis a catalogue of all the absurdities that the Christianscould invent and imagine against our Prophet, and is afine specimen of the honesty of the Byzantine and Latinauthors from whom this deluded preacher collected hismaterials. The reader will remember the tale of thecamel who is supposed to have brou

ght the Quran to

the Prophet : this author’s version o it is, that whenthe book was framed, Mahomet caused it to be boundto the neck of a wild ass. Then, while preach ing to thepeople

,he suddenly stood amazed

,as if something

extraordinary had occurred, thereupon he addressed thepeople, saying : Go to a certain desert, there you shallfind an ass with a book tied to his neck. The peoplerushed to the place

,discovered the ass

,found the book,

and reverenced the Prophet. Satan o nce, says the

preacher,being conjured to deliver his judgment respect

ing his view ofthe Alcoran ofMahomet, declared in replythat there were twelve thousand lies in it, the remainderbeing true. On this the author remarks, By all likelihood very little.” He winds up his account with theselines

There is no evidence to prove Mahomet a true Prophet ; manyprove him to be a false Prophet, and blasphemous, and resumptuous,and his religion to be a W1cked, carnal, absurd and (Else religion,proceeding from a proud spirit, and human, subtle, corrupt invention,and even from the devil, the crafty father of lies, a murderer and mankiller from the beginning.” 1

The subsequent literature that came out with regardto the Prophet is too voluminous to be noticed here.The rapid progress of the press produced numerous

1 The Warbs off] Smith, vol. 11. p. 404-12. Edited by John C. Miller.

Nicholl’s Series of tandardDivines,’1867.

23 5


works. A host of writers give us the biography of theProphet ofIslam,

two classes,Geographers andTravellers,

having directed special attention to the history ofhis life.As a rule they have little information to give us ; theyrepeat the various fables, which they copy from each

o ther. Among the geographical works the reader mayconsult that published in 1 590, by Lloid Lodowik .

1

This author uses the novel phraseo logy fo r which we areindebted to the Reformation. He says, This po iso nedscorpion and the only plague of Christians (I mean

or, Mahomet vomited his malice.John Speed is another Geographer. The story first

related by Dr. Boorde and then by Henry Smith, as tothe manner in which the Quran is supposed to have cometo the Prophet

,undergoes a further change under his

hands. He tells us itwas a Bull who brought the Quran .

’

Peter Heylyn i s another who entertains us with thesame fables. We notice a marked change in the style,which betrays the sign of growing prejudice. Here aresome specimens from him . He says This Mahometwas born in Itrarip, A.D. 572 . His father was a pagan,full of Idolatry ; his mother a Jew, blinded with superstition from which worthy couple could not but proceedso godly an imp as was Mahomet.” The description ofthe person of the Prophet had escaped the notice of all

the early writers therefore this English divine providesus with it. He says That Mahometwas oflow stature,scald-headed

,evil proportioned

,and as evil conditioned

being naturally addicted to all villanies,infin itely

Theevish,and insatiably leacherous.” 3

Travellers to the East, and the merchants of theLevant Company, seem never to tire of repeating talesabout the Prophet of the Turks. These adventurers, itseems, picked up their information from the existing

1 Consent ofTime, p,1 Account ofthe urkish Empire, in A Prospect of the most Famous Parts

ofthe World, p 180-187, b John Speed, 1646.1 A Little Bescription qt

ythe Great World, p. 606, by Peter Heylyn, 6th

edition, 1633.

236



The feeling of Englishmen had reached its climax ,and the following passage, which is copied from Apoca

lypsis, may serve as a specimen of the language of the

period and the spirit of the time

In the year six hundred twenty-two, Honorious the fifth being

Bishop of Rome, and Heraclius Emperor of the East, a transcendent

Arch-heretic, called Mahomet, exchanged heaven for earth

depraved and corrupt. He was a serious professor of diabolical arts, 3most ungodly instrument ofSatan, the viceroy ofAntichrist, or his sworn

fore runner. 1

We stand now at the close of the first half of the

seventeenth century, and I end my survey here, no t

proposing”?

fo llow the vicissitudes of the opinions heldin the su quent periods, or the influence exercised byOriental studies.

Painful as is the inquiry into Christian misrepresentations

,it has been necessary to enter upon it at length in

order to know the true state ofaffairs and to understandthe general demeanour of Europe towards us. It isbeyond my present scope to examine the extent to whichthe malignant influence of these misrepresentations hasgo ne against the true interests and spirit of Islam .

Besides the original estrangement between Islam and

Christianity,it has caused a number ofdeplorable events

in histo such as the Crusades, the expulsion of the

Moors 20111 Spain, and last, no t least, the modernattempt to rob the Muslims of their faith, in order tolure them on to belief in the doctrines ofTrinitarianism.

Is it no t time that we should show at least equal activity,instead of contemplating this hostile propaganda withindolent indifference and lett ing judgment go by default ?

1 Apocalypsis or the Revelation of Notorious Advances Of Heresie, p. 59.Translated by J. D., 1658 .

238

INDEX

Abbas, 127, 129.

Abdallah (Abdullah ), 73, 76, 143 .the Jew, 144 , 147.the son ofSidhab , 124.

Abdias, 106 , 107.Abdol-Mutlib, 143 .Ablution, 95, 165.Abrahah , 69, 120.

Abmhams 61 : 670 83 : 98 3 991 133 1

,

138. 154 .

sacrifices Ishmael, 100, 101, 102.

Abu Gabshan , 66.Abubecr, 74 , 80, 85, 123 , 156.Abusofian , 83 , 12 1, 124 , 125, 127,

129, 148 .

Abutaleb , 73 , 76, 83,mAbyssinian prophecy,Abyssynes, 69, 1 18 , 1 19, 120.Adam, 99.Adrian , 30, 3 1 , 36.

24.

Emperor, 1 18, 1 19 ;answer of, 120.

Al Mamun, 207.Al Mohajerin , 92.Alcaab , 65, 66.

Alchindus, see Alkindy.Alchoran , seeAlcoran.

Alcoran, 89, 94, 106, 164, 166, 171 ,183. 204. 206. 3 3 5. 228 ;opinion about, 158 ; trans

lation, 159, 237 ; Wicked, 23 1 ;Luther

's, 23 1, 232.

Alexander the Patriarch, 32.Alkindy, 197, 207, see Apology of.Alkoran, see Alcoran.

Almandar, 70, 1 10, 1 17.Alms, 170.

Alnabat, 01 Nabata i, 61, 64, 65.Alnajash Aitshama hen Abrahar

(Abraha), seeAitshama.Altar ofVictory, 32.

Altars, 36.Aly, 78 1 791 803 851 93 1 97s 104 1 1 151

1 18 , 126, 127, 221 , called AigoHali,

Angel 1

2

983

Gabriel, 78, 83 , 99, 129,206, 226.

Antichrist, 22 1, 237, 238 ,see also Prophet, the.

Antiochus, 3 .Anusherwan, 70, 120.Apo llinaris, bishop ofHieropolis 50.

Apo llo , 2 16, 2 17.Apology ofAlkindy, 207, 224.Apolyn , see Apollo.Apostles, 7, 13 , 14 , 26, 51 ,

Apostolic Decree, 24.A tion, 209.A353, 58—71 , 190 ; denom

ination of, 58 ; division , 58—59 ;tribes, 60 ;

51eligion of, 6 1—64 .

deserta. 59-64fa ll ! » 59, 61 1 64 °

true, 591 64 1 70'

Arghisu Christians, 70, 146 .

customs, 96.food, 88 , 89.

rabiah s, 1 14 , 180, 201 , 209discipline, 88 ; learning, 60poetry of, 8 1.

Arabic characters, 148 , 209.writing. 77. 78 x48Arabs, 196.Arafat, Mount of, 102, 133 .Arcadius, 37.Aretas, 59, 1 10.

lander, 203 , 204.

1 -97Arrians 38.40.42. 75. n o , 146. 150

account of, 42-43 learning, 33Am usi 42 , 19°

Articles, Five, 164 , 170.

Ashtaro th, 94.Ashura, see Fast ofAshura.

INDEX

Aswad Absites, 136.

5Aye-ha. 83. 138 ma

nAm t (e.g. Arot), see H .arut

Baal peor, 135.Bacchus, 105, 106.

Bader, or Beder, 12 1 , 122.

Bahira, 74.Bale, John, 230.

Baptism, 14 , 20, 200.

Barchochas, 1 1 .

Bashar, 78 .a Musulman, 137.

Battle, 124.ofChaibat , 127.ofDorylaeum, 203 .

ofTours, 201 , 202 .

Bebecea (Becca), 154 , see Meccha.

Bedwell, William, 206, 207.

Behemo th, 167.Benchocab , 30.

Bertrand de Born, 22 1 .Bevis, Sir, 2 17.Bisho 18.Bism

'

lah , 1 19, 120, 149.

Black Art, 167, 2 13 .

Stone, 99: 134 1 135°

Boorde, Dr. , 228 .

Bostra, or Vostra, 1 1 1 .Bracthan (Berkaten ), 153 .Bull, Story ofthe, 150, 151 , 2 19.

Cu ba, 65, 66 , 67, 68 , 69, 82, 98 , 120.

Idols at, 67.

Cabala. 3. 93Cabar, 153 : 155°

Calabre, 197, 2 13 .

Candace, (green of, 1 19.

Captives !

Cardan , 8 1 .

Cause ofhostility, 200, 201 .

Chadija. 74. 76. 77. I 39. 222Chadison, 222 , see Chadija.

Chaibar, 127, 137.

Chamosh , 1 35.Character ofthe Prophet,Charles the Great, 202, 203 , 2 17.

Chozaah , 66.

Christ, 6, 33 , 85, 200, 206, 209, 218 ,229.

Divinity of, 28 , 29, 45.Christendom, 1 10, 1 17, 139, 200, 201 ,

203 , 2 10, 23 1 .Christian»Army, 78 ; Arabians in, 74,

narratives of the Prophet, 143 ,149, 153 , 2 1 1-228 , 234-238 , seealso Prophet, the.

temples, 35, 36 ; notions of Islam,

1951 233hnstianityy, 26 , 46, 47, 51 ,

72 , 206 .

Alterations'

in, 33 , 34 .

Corruptions of 4s. 47. 48. 72. 189.

Divisions of, 38 , 74.Subseguent condition of, 53 , 1 10,

91 I9OChristians, 1 1 , 19, 22, 82, 85,

87. 14s. 166. 177. 182. 189.201. 2071 235

C0phtite, 33 ; Judaizing, 19, 20, 55,78

Ignorance of, 46, 53 , 56.Sects of, 52, 78, 79, 144 .

Church Government, 18 , 19, 20, 29.

Histories, 51Circumcision, 14, 26, 68 , 89, 90, 102,

1 19, 135, 165, 171 .Cnustin, Henry, 2 18 .Comets, 201 .

Commandments ofNoah, 13 , 24 .

Concubines, 173 , 174 .

comm anes 2 1 ) 351 39, 42 9 491 190;

Controversy, between Charles andArgolander, 203 ; between 01lando and Ferracute, 204 , 205between Louis 1x . and SultanofBabylon, 204.

onversion o Abyssines, 1 19, 120.

ofMeccans, 129ofMonks, 89, 1

9

46.

ofProtestants, 233 .

Converts, 130, 13 1 .Con n. 79. 98. 102. 109. 139. see also

Alcoran and Quran.

Doctrine of, 97.

Coreishites, 65, 74 , 82 , 83 , 85,91 , 1 13 , 125,127.

Chat tel of Security, see Charter of Cosroes, 47, 1 1 1 1 17.Security.

Charter

gfSecurity, 85, 123 , 124 , 182

1

Children ptized, 2 1.

Council ofChalcedon, 46.

ofJerusalem, 46.

ofNice, 3Cromwell, Oliver, 179.


INDEX

Hadibiah, 126, 127.ms" .

32. mo. 101. 102. m . 133.

1

magm a.92.93. 102. 103. 196.Hagiar (Hajar) Alaswad, see Black

S tone.

Hamza, 12 1 , 124.

Hapaa (Hafsa), 157.Harut, 106.

Hashimy, 207.

Hayar L

gonaner (Hajar Munav-ver),

13Heathens, 36, 19

65, 2 16.

Hebrew Bible, 1 17.Hebrews, 16, 17.Hegira. 92. 97. H 9. 136. 196. 223Second year of, 12 1 ; third, 124

fourth, 125 ; fifth , 126 ; sixth ,126 ; eighth , 127 ; ninth, 130.

Hellenists, 10, 16 , 17, 54 .

Henry V111. compared with the

Prophet, 23 1-232.

Heraclius 48. 1 10. 1 17, 139. 155.190, 201

6238.

He 1 53 s 14Her

r

zts

ics, 15, 20, 25, 28 , 38 , 44, 47,51 , 146.

Hermit, 199, 220, 224 .

Herod, 3 , 4 , 5, 2 14 , 2 16 , 22 1 .Heylyn, Peter, 226, 236.

Hildebert, 2 19.

Hippocrates, 179.History ofAlco ran, 156-157.Hobal, 67, 127.Ho ly Cross, 200.

GhOSt i 3 51 491 I451 I497 205:2 15, 225, 226, 227, 234 .

Honain, valley of, 129.

Howazine, 129.

Hymn ofJohn Phillip, 230.

ofRobert Wisdom, 229.

ofthe women ofPalestine, 197.

Hymns, 28 , 197, 1 15.Hyrcanus, 18 1 .

Ibn Omar, 1 19, 120.

Ibrahim,100, see also Abraham.

Idol, Mahomet, 2 12, 2 18 ; Go lden,

2 17.Idolaters, 102 , 107, 129, 135, 155,

165. x97.Idolatry, 33 , 36. 4 1. 52. 129. 135.

154, 180, 18 1 ,aversion to , 36, 155.

111015 1 671 98 1 1271 1361 154'ofArabs, 67, 127 of Mahometans,

154 ; Moorish, 2 17.

I orance ofChristians, 46, 53 , 56.

I'

terate, 147.Image ofMahomet, 2 17 ; Mahound,

2 12, see also Mahound.

Imaum ofCaab, 134.Imperial Court described, 44 .

Impostor, 13 1, 151 , 204 , 2 10, 227,237 ; Arabian, 237 ; Oriental,227.

Impostors, Three, 222.

Imposture, 149, 206, 2 12, 227.

Infidels, 197, 234 .

Iron tomb, 152, 220 coffin , 234 , see

also Tomb.Isa. 77. 87. 98. 1 19. x44. 145. 191.

192 , 2 1 1 , see also Jesus and

Ishmael, soc Ismael.

Islam, 195, 196 , 207 prophecies ofitsdownfall, 208-2 10 ; tracts dealing with its downfall, 2 10—2 1 1Reformation view of, 228-238 ,see also Islamisme.

Islamisme, 84 , 108 , 109, 1 13 , 13 3 ,18 1 ; articles of, 164, 168 , 169,170 doctrine of, 97—98 , 145.

Ismael, 60, 6 1 , 69, 82 , 98 , 99, 100,

1 14 , 196 ; sacrificed byAbraham , 100

-102.

Ismaelites, 94 , 1 1 1 , 1 13 , 196.

Israel, 4 , 12.

Israelites, 186.

Izates, King ofAdiabene, 26.

24 2

Jacobites, 45, 1 19.erusalem , 30.

Jesus, 7, 1 1 , 16, 163 , 167, 200, 201 ,202 , 203 , 2 14, 222.

the Messiah , 13 , 14.Jews; 9: 101 13 9 1 51 I6) 201 361 371

88 , 122 , 123 , 124, 125, 144 ,166, 167, 188 , 2 1 1 , 2 19, 222.

Destruction of, 30, 3 1.

of Alexandria, 8 ; Babylon, 9Yaman, 69.

Jewish Proselites, 10, 1 1 baptism ,

14 ; Arabians, 125 ; doctrine,173.

Joctan, 60, 65.Joseph. 76brother ofAbusofian, 125.

Judah.3. 6. 14s:udaizmg Christians, 19, 20, 55, 78 ,

145, 146.Church , 14 , 17, 51 , 1 19.

udas, 22 1 .udea, 6, 8 , 17, 1 14 .

udgment, Last, 166.

INDEX

ulian the Apostate, 39, 192.

ustin Martyr, 50.

ustinian, 44, 46, 1 10, 1 1 1 , 1 17, 173 .ustimis, 1 10.

Kennedy, 22 1.

Kesseus, 146.

Kiblah. 96. 98. 144. 154.Koreischites, 65, 66, see Coreischites.

Labarum , 32.

Langland, 2 18 , 220, 226.

Law ofGoths and Franks, 174.ofMahomet, 176 ; first, 224.ofNature, 13 , 172 , 173 , 174, 180.

Lawfulness ofwar, 184- 185.

43 : 57°

Legio Fulminea, 50.

Leo , the Emperor,Letter ofAgg

ippa, 7.

1 7.

Levitical, 177.Libellatici, 39.

Liberty, 1 1 1 , 1 12.

Literature, forged, 205-207.Loadstones, 1 39, 152 , 2 12.

Locman , or Luqman , 82.

Lodowik , Lloid, 226, 236.Lord

’s Supper, the, 15, 22, 24.

Lo ttery, 177.Louis 1x ., 204.

Lunulet, 94 .

Lunulets, 96.

Luther, Martin, 229, 233 .Luther

’s Alcoran, 23 1 , 233 .

Lycurgus, constitution of, 174.Lyndsay

’s Dream ,

”221.

Maccabees, 3 .Machamet, Machamete, 228 .Machomet, 143 .Machamete, 199.Machumet, 143.

Magic, 197, 2 12, 2 13 .M ed, 143 .M ometanism, see Islam andIslamisme.

Maho , 2 13 , see Mahound.

Mahomet, as God, 197 ; idol, 2 12,

2 18 ; devil, see Mahound ; as

Christian heretic, 220, 226, see

Prophet, the.Mahometans, see Moslemin, Musulmans, and Muslims.

24 3

Mahon, 2 13 .Mahoun, 2 13.Mahound, 2 12, 2 14 , 2 15, 2 19 ;msociates of, 2 16, 2 17 ; cruci

fixion, 2 16 ; image of, 2 12 ;office of, 2 15-2 16 ; worshi of,2 12

, 2 15 ; in Miracle P ys,2 13,-2 15 devil, 2 18—2 19 ;corruption ofMahomet, 2 13.Mahonne, see Mahound

Mahown, 2 13Makam Ibrahim, 99.

Makamede, 220, 226.

Mammet, 2 13Mammetry, 2 13 .anichees,Maomethes, 143 .Marcus Aurelius, 50.

Maro t (Marut), 106.Marriages, 174.Mary, 98 , surat, 120, see also

Virgin Mary.

Maumath , 223 .Maumerye, 2 1 3.Maundeville, Sir John, 199, 224 .

Mauritius, 47.Mauvin, Queen, 1 10.Mawmet, 2 13Meccans, 90, 128 .Meccha (Mecca), 65, 69, 90, 1 14 , 120,Medina. 84. 8s. 86. 124.208 209Christians at, 120.

Melchites, 45,Melic, the son ofAulus, 129, 130.

ad

i

eu ,see Valley ofMena.

er 1 135°

Mesc

ral

fy16 1 .

Messiah, 3 , 4 , 6, 7, 1 1 , 12, 13 , 15, 16,123 , 222 , 230 ; Messias , 123 .

spiritual, temporal, 33 , 34°

the Pro het as, 222, 225, 230.

Messianic prop ceydiscussed, 3, 4 ,Michael the Archangel, 33 .Middle Ages, 195, 197, 200, 213Millenaries, 1 1.Millennium,208 , 209.

Miracle, 151 152 , of the ClovenTongues. 7

Plays, 2 1 2 15Miracles, 1 , 44 , 123 , 157, 160.

ofthe Prophet, ! 161- 162.Miscrealnss 195: 3 34'Moabites, 196, 202.Moham

gied the Prophet, roe Prophet,

t e

Monkery, 53 .Moors, 200, 238 ; Moorish idols, 2 17.

INDEX

MomifiStar, 103 , 107, 153 .

Mosai Law, 185, 186.

Mosaleima (Mosailema), 13 1 , 1 36.

Moses, 76, 209, 2 14, 222.

Moslemin, 84 , 130 ; beliefand dutiesdescribed, 164 , 169—172 ; theirclaims. 97. 98. 102. 109. 1 12 ;their discourse, 94, 95 ; discipline. 93. u s. 140 ; persecuted, 91 troop of, 93 ;their views, 104 , 105God, 165- 166.Moslemism, 146.

Mosque, 84 , 1 2 ; ofOmar, 2 18.MOSIS -Al’abs, 6‘sMother city, 65, 148.Mount Arafat, 102, 133 Olivet, 203

Sinai, 139.Muhamgfd the Prophet, so: Prophet,

Musarabic Christians, 182.

Muslim women, 197.Muslims, 196, 200, 205.Musulmans, 195, 196, 229.

Mysteries, 22 , 171.

Nabataea, 1 15.Nahian Ommian, 147- 149.Nadir, 125.Names of Muslims, 195- 196 the

Prophet, 143 , 2 13 .Nazarenes, 17, 146.

Nebuchadnessar, 10.

Necromancer, 197.Negash, 69, 1 18 , 1 19 ; conversion of,

1 19.

Nero , 22 1 .

Nestorianism, 144.Nestorians, 45, 48 , 70, 146.Nestorius, 144 , 226.

Neuserus, Adam , 23 3 .New Jerusalem , 167.News, Go od, Strange, True, 2 10.

tracts, 2 10-2 1 1 .

Newton , Thomas, 201 , 234.Nice, Council of, 35, 42, 190, 191.Nicolaitans, 220.

Noah , 77, 97, 132, 150 ; commandments of, 13 , 24 , 25, 180.

Novations, 39, 4 1 , 42.Number ofthe Beast, 143 , 237.Nygromar

sicer, a Play, 22 1 the False,

22

Obedience, trial of, 171 .Ochas, 124 .

Ochinus, Bernardinus, 233 .Odenatus, 1 12, 1 17.

Old and NewTestament , 174, 179.Omar, 80, 138, 18 1 sem rity of, 182

183 ; Mosque of, 2 18."8 °

God 6 66inion concerning 1 5- 1Opinions on war, 180-18 1Otengua, 22 1 .

Orientalists, 195, 196.Origin of Arabic Letters, 77-78

Caaba, 66, 67 baptism, 2 1.

of Christian ceremonies, 22—24 ;Gospels, 54—55 Pharisees, etc.,

3 ; Mahometical doctrines , 145,146 ; Saracens, 1 14 , 196 ; of

their dress, 227.rlando , 204- 205.

Osman, see Othman.

Othman, or Osman, 80, 148 , 157.Ozair, 98 .

Pagaabaptisin , 2 1 customs, 29.

Paganism, 371 38 1 47°

PM 321 34 1 351 371 38 1 471 195°Paraclete, 163 .

Paradise, 165, 166, 168 .

Paris, Matthew, 196, 2 17, 222, 223 , 224.

Passover, 15.Patriarch , 18 ; ofAlexandria, 3 1.Paul

aI 3 1 I4 1 18 1 551 561 751 8 1 1 146.

Paynims, 195, 2 16.Peron, Cardinal, 23 1.Persecutions, 33 , 34, 40, 188 , 2 14 .

Perdao 361 72 1 1 171 140'

Persians, 1 12 , 209, 220.

Pest, 179.

Peter, St. , 13 , 14 , 18 , 78 , 202.

the Hermit, 202.Pharisees, 3 , 24.Phillip, John, 230.

Philosophers, 3 , 38, 197.Phineas, 123 , 124.

Phocas, 47, 72 , 1 10

Pidgeon, roe P'

n.

Pigeon, 127 ble of, 149-150, 226 ,227.

Pimzzr.

las disPi 3 8 3 1 109 1 131 132 3cussed, 169-170.

Pil rims, 132 , 133 .P0 itical Institutions, 172- 179.

Polygamy. 172-1 73. 174

Polytheism , 16.

Pool ofZamzam, sec

Pope, 197, 229 ; compared with

Mahomet,” 230-23 1.Ce lestine, 46.Gregory, 222.

ofSaracen , 198 , 199.


INDEX

de Mahomet , 2 19, 220.

Empire, 1 1 1-1 12 .

Romans, 1 12, 140, 175.Ross, Alexander, 237.

Sabei, or Sabians, 6 1 religion of, 6 1

deities of, 62—63° temple

Sacrifice, story of, 100-102.

Saducees, 3 , 25.

Safa and Meriah (Mervah), 134 , 154.Saladin , 197, 2 16.

Salah, or Prayer, 95, 1 13 , 1 18 , 164 ,177.

Salehus, 97.

Saracen Gru

witches, 1

Saracenic Trinity, 2 17 ; dress, 227.

Saracens, 1 10, 1 15, 154 , 155,

e, 201 .

185. 188 196, 197, 201

202 ,origin of, 1 14 , 1g6 ; ocen tion of,

197°various names

roe alto Turk and Turks.

Sarah , 102 , 1 14 , 196.

Saraka, 1 14 , 1 15Satan, 2 15, 235, 238 , his opinion of

Qumn, 235Scemtes, 80, 90, 1 1 3.

Schism, 39, 169 .

Scripture, 159, 162, 167.

Second com ing, 208 .

Security, 182 , 183 .

Septuagint, 10, 14 , 16 ,Sergius, the monk , 144 , 226 ;

called Solius, 223°

comparedwith Luther, 232.

Severus, 1 12.

Sheich Sinan, 206-207.Shoo ting an arrow, 178 .

Shoulder ofmutton , 1 37, 16 1 .

Sinan, see Sheich Sinan .

SirMahown , 2 16.

Slavery, 186, 187° in West Indies,

187- 188 .

Slaves, 185, 187.Smith , Henry, 196, 226, 235.Solius, see Sergius.

Solomon , 186.

Son ofGod, 15, 16.

Sorcery, 197.Soul, 166 .

Souls, 168 , 188 .

Sowdone of Babylon, see Sultan of

$ 195 66»

Sozomen, 1 14 .

m y !“Spelling

of Mahomet, 143 ; ofabound, 2 1 3

Spiritual Conference diseas ed, 206

St. Andrew, 203.Demetrius, 203 .

Isido re, 75.James, 202 .

Jerome, 51 , 1 14.ohn , 230.

ahoun , 2 16.

Michael, 33 .

Patrick , Purgatory of, 221 .Paul, see Paul.Peter, rec Peter.Theodore, 203 .

Stephen, 16.

Sultan ofBabylon, 2 16.Suppers, 22.

Surat, 157 ; ofcow, 156 ofMary, 120.

Surats, 1 57.Swine, story of, 198- 199.Swine

’

s flesh , 164, 171 .

Synagogue, 8 , 15, 18 , 19, 20.

Synagogues, 16. 17, 18. 30. 37distinction of, 17.

Synod at Jerusalem, 24 .

Taiph , 129.

Talmud, 10, 17.

Tancred, 2 18 .

Tartars, origin of, 196.

Temple ofImposture, 227.

Ten Tribes, 9.

Tenet ofthe Chiliasts, 25.Termagant, 2 16, 2 17.Testimony, Double, 165.Thakisy, 129.

Thamud, 97.Theodora, Empress, 208 .

Theodosian Code, 19, 44 .

Theodosius the Great, 32, 36 , 2 19.

the younger, 37.Thurificatores, 39.

Toleration , religious, of Novations, 4 1 .

Tomb, suspended, 139, 2 19, 234.iron, 152, 220, 234 .

Tom cat in the grave, 166.

Traditores, 39.

Trajan , 1 12 .

Treaty, 126.

Tribe of Cathaam , 68 ; Chezra, 84Chozaah, 66 ; Gatsan , 125Howazine, 129 ; Jorrham, 60,see also Coreishites,

INDEX

Tribes ofArabia, 60.

Tribus Impostribus, 222.

Tributaries, 130.

Tribute, 89, 127, 18 1 , 182, 183 , 184 ,186.

Trinitarians, 145, 150 ; described, 43 ,044. 45

TM ”: 151 291 4 1 1 44 1 451 471 8211 19, 205.

Saracenic, 2 17.True News, see News.Turk , 214 , 222 , 228 , 233 , 234 ; hymn

a

gainst the, 229—230 prophecies

o a Turk , 2 10 ; Pope and, 229,23o .

Turke’s Law, 228 .

Turks, 155, 183 , 184 , 185, 196 , 200,209, 229, 233 ; prayer against

the, 234.Turpin’

s account ofthe Idol Mahomet,2 12 .

Unity, 171 .

Urania, the Goddess, 96.

Usury discussed, 174—177.

Valens, 36, 37, 1 10.

Valentinian, 2 1 , 36, 42 .

Valley ofHonain, 126 .

ofMena, 133 .Various names of Mahoun, 2 13 the

Muslims, 195- 196 ; theProphet,14

vfnusr 9g: 99: 153 , 154 1 155, 227°Victory, 122 , 130, 185.Virgin Mary, 47, 82, 145, 200, 201 ,

202 , 203 .Vision , 208 , 2 10, 2 1 1 great, 2 1 1 .Volanus, Andraeas, 233 .

WanderingJew, pro h of, 208 .War, 180, 183 ,

3

3 7, 200, 201 ;Christian opinion of, 18 1 law

Yamanr 59) 60, 1 191 I3 I » 1451see also Sabei.

Abyssine in, 69 , 1 19.

Arabians of, 80, 6 1 , 62, 63 , 64 .

Yaqub Alk indy, seeAlkindy.

Zaba (Saba), 94 .

Zaco t (Zakat), 170.

Zamzam, poo l of, 98 , 99, 135.Zaradast, see Zoroaster.Zeal for religion, 140.

Zeinab, 137.

Zemzam, see Zamzam.

Zenobia,2

Zoroaster, 79.

Zygabenus, Euthymias, 153 , 154 .

247

fulnessof, 184- 185 Mahometan,180, 184, 188 ; causes of, 200,201 .

Warakah, secWarekeh.

Warekeh , 77, 148 .

Warr, 91 , seeWar.

Wars of the Prophet, 12 1 , 124, 126,129.

Washing, 2 1 , 95, 135.Weeks ofDaniel, 4.White bull, 2 19.Wild ass, 235.Wine, 105, 106, 107 , 108 , 167, 169

fable of, 199, 200.

Wisdom, Robert , 229.

Witches, Saracen, 198 .

Wives, 172, 224 , 23 1 .Women of Palestine, 197, see also

Muslim Women.

Worship ofMahound, see Mahound.

Wynkyn dcWorde, 227.

Xerif, 127.

Ximenes,Cardinal 8 1 .

SUBSCRIBERS

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C.I.E.

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a c centuate !

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An Account of the Rise and Progress of Mahometanism With the Life of Mahomet and a Vindication

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