The Booke of this Religion is named the Alcoran, the whole body of which, is but an exposition, and glosse on the eight commandements he affixed; whereupon dependeth The Law of Mahomet.the whole Mahometanicall Law: First, every one ought to beleeve that God is a great God, and onely God, and Mahomet is his Prophet. Secondly, every man must marry to encrease the Sectaries of Mahomet: Thirdly, every one must give of his wealth to the poore: Fourthly, every one must make his prayers seaven times a day: Fiftly, every one must keepe a Lent, one moneth in the yeare, this Lent is called Birham, or Ramazan: Sixtly, Be obedient to thy Parents; which Law is so neglected, that never any children were, or are more unnaturall then the Turkish be: Seaventhly, thou shalt not kill, which they inviolable keepe amongst themselves; but the poore Christians feele the smart thereof. Last and eightly, Doe unto others, as thou wouldst be done unto thy selfe, the performers of which have large Sophisticall promises ascribed them.
This new coyned doctrine, was no sooner wrapt up in his execrable Alcoran, but he began to spit forth his abhominable and blasphemous heresies: Affirming, that Christ was not the sonne of the most high, nor that [IV. 148.]Messias looked for; denying also the Trinity, with many other prophane blasphemies. The worke concluded, for the better advancement of his purpose, he married the daughter of the chiefe Prince of his owne tribe: By which new affinity, he not onely seduced his Father in law, but also the whole linage of that family; by whose acceptance, and conversion, he also confederated with other associates, and waxed dayly stronger. Contending continually to divulgate his name, aye more and more, he assembled his new Alcoranists: exhorting them to assist him in the besieging of Mecha, which Citizens had in derision rebuked his law, and absolutely disdained his Mahometanicall illusions: and promised to them, in such a well deserving attempt, both eternall felicity, and the spoiles of these his contradictors; perswasively assuring them, that God would deliver all the gaine-sayers of his Alcoran into his hands. By which allurements they being moved, rose to the number of 3000. in Armes, and menaced Mecha, but the Citizens put him to flight, and so was he thrice served; till in the end he wonne their City: wherein after his death Mahomets Tombe.he was intombed in an Iron Coffin: Which betweene two Adamants hangeth to this day (as I have been informed of sundry Turkes, who saw it) which confirmed in them a solid beliefe of his erronious doctrine.
But now of late the Turkes growing more circumspect then they were, and understanding the derision of Christianes concerning their hanging Tombe, and because the Turkish Pilgrimes were often suffocate to death, with a fabulous desart in going to Mecha; they have transported Mahomets Tombe now to Medina; which is a great deale nearer to Damascus, and at the entry of Arabia fœlix; in a glorious Mosquee, where the Tombe being close ground set, and richly covered with a golden [IV. 149.]Cannopy; they have inhibited that any Christian shall come neare to it by two courses, to wit. twenty foure miles, under the payne of death: which indeed they keepe more strictly in execution, then Princely Proclamations are obeyed, observed, or regarded with us; either for regall statutes, or generall benefits of Common-wealth: their continuance being but like the miracle of nine daies wonder; returne againe from whence they came frustrat of power, and robbed of obedience. From this time that he vanquished Mecha, casting out the Greeke Officers, (for then all Arabia was under the Constantinopolitan Empire) the Saracens began their computation of yeares (as we from Christs Nativity) which they call Hegira, and begunne about the yeare of our Redemption, 617. Concerning which time, that Mahomet compiled his divellish Alcoran, beginning his Empire; nigh about the same time it is observed that Boniface the third begun his Empire, and Antechristian title, for Phocas having killed the Emperour Mauritius, his Wife and children: To secure himselfe of Italy, ready to revolt from such a Tyrant, made Boniface universall Bishop and head of the Church.
This Boniface was the threescore and fourth Bishop, & The first title of Popes.first Pope of Rome: Which was immediatly thereafter confirmed by Puppin the French King, who also had murdered his Master and Prince; and lastly was ratified by Paleologus, whose sonne Constantine about 14. yeares thereafter, had his head stroake off, his wife and daughters put to cruell death, his Empire quite subverted, in the losse of 12. Kingdomes, and 200. Cities, being the just judgements of God upon the sonne, for the fathers sake, who assigned such an ambitious charge unto that perverse Papality: After which predominant titles and falsified [IV. 150.]power, what long controversies and disputes were betweene the Pope, and the Councels of Carthage, Calcedon, Ephesus, Allexandria, and Nyce. This Papall prerogative begun with bloud, and murther, continueth in bloud, and massacres, and (doubtlesse) in the ende shall perish, and be confounded with bloud, and abhominable destruction.
And what great debate was of old by the Romane Emperours, in abolishing out of their Churches, the Images and Idols of Stone, Iron, & Timber, &c. that for many hundreth yeares they were not suffered to be seene: And at the beginning of the Papality, and a long time after, the Emperours prohibite them, and diverse Popes have confirmed, and approved the same: Yet succeeding Popes, and the Empire being divided in East and West, introducted againe, the dregs of their olde Hethnish and Romish Idolatry.Romane Idolatry: and yet they will not be content with the bare name of Images, but they impose a surname or epithite of sanctity, tearming them holy Images. Truely I may say, if it were not for these Images, and superstitious Idolatries, they assigne to them, the Turkes had long agoe bene converted to the Christian Faith.
I have seene sometimes two thousand Turkes travelling Turkish Pilgrimes.to Mecha, in Pilgrimage; which is in Arabia felix: where many in a superstitious devotion, having seene the Tombe of Mahomet, are never desirous to see the vanities of the World againe: For in a franticke piety they cause a Smith to pull forth their eyes: And these men are called afterward Hoggeis, that is, Holy men, whom the Turkes much honour, and regard: and are alwayes led about from towne to towne by mens hands, and fed, and regarded like unto Princes; or like the Capushines that scourge themselves on good Friday, met, and homaged at every passing Streete, with prayers, gifts, and adorations.
[IV. 151.]Some write, that Mahomet in his youth was a Souldier, under the conduct of Heraclius, who imploying certaine Arabians in an expedition to Persia, not onely denied them their wages, but told them, that, that was not to be given for dogges, which was provided for the Romane Souldiers. Hence some mutinies arrising in the Army, he, with certaine Arabians, his Country-men, by faction, separated themselves, and revolted: Whereupon Mahomet, encouraging them in their defection, was chosen their Captaine; and so for a certaine time they continued rebellious Runnagates, Theeves, and Robbers of all people. The subtilty of this dissembler was admirable; who knowing that he was destitute of heavenly gifts, to worke miracles, feignd, that God sent him with the sword: He also promised, at the end of a thousand yeares to returne, and bring them to Paradice; Mahomet hath broke his promise.but he hath falsified his promise, for the time is expired forty yeares ago. And they imagining, that he is either diseased, or become lame in his journey, have ascribed to him another thousand yeares to come. But long may their wicked and faithlesse generation gape, before he come, untill such time, that in a generall convocation, they be partakers of his endlesse damnation in Hell; unlesse it please the Lord in his mercy to convert them before that time.
Mahomet, chiefly prohibiteth in his Alcoran, the eating of Swines flesh, and drinking of Wine, which indeed the best sort do, but the baser kind are dayly drunkards: Their common drinke is Sherpet, composed of Water, Honey, and Sugar, which is exceeding delectable in the taste: And the usuall courtesie, they bestow on their friends, who visite them, is a Cup of Coffa, made of a kind of seed called Coava, and of a blackish colour; which they drinke so hote as possible they can, and is good to [IV. 152.]expell the crudity of raw meates, and hearbes, so much by them frequented. And those that cannot attaine to this liquor, must be contented with the cooling streames of water.
Oppression of Turkes.It is incident to Turkes, which have not the generosity of mind to temper felicity, to be glutted with the superfluous fruites of doubtfull prosperity. Neither have they a patient resolution to withstand adversity, nor hope to expect the better alteration of time. But by an infused malice in their wicked spirits, when they are any way calamited, will with importunate compulsion, cause the poore slavish subjected Christians, surrender all they have, the halfe, or so forth, sometimes with strokes, menacings, and sometimes death it selfe; which plainely doth demonstrate their excessive cruelty, and the poore Christians inevitable misery. And yet being complained upon, they are severely punished, or else put to death, for committing of such unallowable Ryots, being expresly against the Imperiall Law of the Turke, concerning the quietnesse and liberty of the Christians.
I have often heard Turkes brawle one with another most vilely, but I never saw, or heard, that they either in private or publicke quarrels, durst strike one another, neither dare they for feare of severe punishment, imposed to such quarrellors: But they will injure and strike Christians, who dare not say it is amisse, or strike againe. It is a common thing with them, to kill their servants for a very small offence, and when they have done, throw them like dogges in a ditch. And oftentimes (if not so) will lay them downe on their backes, hoysing up their heeles, bind their feete together, and fasten them to a post, and with a cudgell give them three or foure hundreth blowes on the soles of their feete: Whereupon peradventure, some ever go lame after. Their servants are [IV. 153.]bought and sold, like bruite beasts in Markets; neither can these miserable drudges ever recover liberty, except they buy themselves free, either by one meane or other. Their wives are not farre from the like servitude, for the men by the Alcoran, are admitted to marry as many women as they will, or their ability can keepe. And if it shall happen, that any one of these women (I meane either wife or Concubine) prostituteth her selfe to an other man besides her husband; then may he, by authority, bind her hands and feete, hang a stone about her necke, and cast her into a River, which by them is usually done in the night.