Part 13

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 foelix; in a glorious Mosquee, where the Tombe being close ground set, and richly covered with a golden 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 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.

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 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 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.

But when these Infidels please to abuse poore Christian women against their husbands will, they little regard the transgression of the Christian Law; who as well defloure their daughters, as their wives; yet the devout Mahometans never meddle with them, accompting themselves damned to copulate (as they thinke) with the offspring of dogges. The Turkes generally, when they commit any copulation with Christians, or their owne sexe, they wash themselves in a South running fountaine, before the Sun rising, thinking thereby to wash away their sinnes.

[The Turkes Justice.] If a Turke should happen to kill another Turke, his punishment is thus; after he is adjudged to death, he is brought forth to the market place, and a blocke being brought hither of foure foote high; the malefactor is stripd naked; and then layd thereupon with his belly downeward, they drawe in his middle together so small with running cords, that they strike his body a two with one blow: his hinder parts they cast to be eaten by hungry dogges kept for the same purpose; and the forequarters and head they throw into a grievous fire, made there for the same end: and this is the punishment for man-slaughter.

But for murder or treason he is more cruelly used, for being convicted & condemned, he is brought forth before the people, where in the street there is an exceeding high Stripad erected, much like to a May-pole: which tree from the roote, till it almost come to the top, is all set about full of long sharpe iron pikes, and their poynts upward: The Villaine being strip'd naked, and his hands bound backward, they bind a strong rope about his shoulders and cleavings: And then hoysing him up to the pillow or top of the tree, they let the rope flee loose, whence downe he falles, with a rattle, among the iron pykes, hanging either by the buttocks, by the breasts, by the sides, or shoulders; and there sticking fast in the ayre, he hangeth till his very bones rot and fall downe, and his body be devoured being quicke, with ravenous Eagles, kept to prey upon his carkas for the same purpose.

[Turkish marriages.] But now I come to their nuptiall rites, their custome and manner of marriage is thus: If a man affecteth a yong mayd, he buyeth her of her parents, and giveth a good summe of money for her, and after she is bought, he enrolles her name in the Cadies Booke, witnessing she is his bound wife, bought of her father. Loe, this is all the forme of their marriage: This being done, the father of the woman sendeth houshold-stuffe home with the Bride; which is carried through the streets on Mulets or Camells backes, the two new married folkes marching before, are conveyed with musicke, their owne acquaintance, and friends unto his house.

The Turkes in generall, whensoever they loath or dislike their wives, use to sell them in markets, or otherwise bestow them on their men-slaves: And although their affection were never so great towards them, yet they never eate together, for commonly the women stand, and serve their husbands at meate, and after that, they eate a part by themselves, secretly; without admission of any mankind in their company, if they be above foureteene yeares of age. They goe seldome abroad, unlesse it be each Thursday at night, when they goe to the Graves to mourne for the dead, alwayes covering their faces, very modestly with white or blacke masks, which are never uncovered, till they returne to their houses. Many other ceremonies they have, which would be too prolixe for me to recite. And notwithstanding of all this externall gravity, amongst these hirelings, yet there are in Constantinople above 40000. brothel-houses, Turqueski as Libertines; in any of which, if a Christian (especially Francks) be apprehended, he must either turne Turke, or Slave all his life: But the women by policy apply a counter-poyson to this severity, for they accustomably come to the Chambers of their Benefactors and well-willers, or other places appointed secretly, whereso they learne either a French Syncopa, or an Italian Bergamasko.

[The Emperors Concubines.] As for the great Turkes Concubines, they are of number eight hundred, being the most part Emeeres, Bashawes, and Timariots daughters: The third and inmost part of the Seraglia is allotted for their residence, being well attended at all times with numbers of Enuches, and other gelded officers: Every morning they are ranked in a great Hall, and set on high and open seats: where when he commeth, and selecting the youngest and fairest, he toucheth her with a rod; and immediately she followeth him into his cabine of leachery, where if any action be done, shee receiveth from the Head-Clarke her approbation thereupon, which ever afterwards serveth her for a conditionall dowry to her marriage, with much honour and reputation besides: And if any of them conceave, and the child borne, it is suddenly dispatched from this life: [A hundred Concubines changed every moneth.] The oldest hundreth, every first Friday of the moneth are turned out, and another new hundred come in to make good the number: Their entrie and issue is alwayes at one of the posterne gates of the Parke, toward the sea side, and joyning nigh to their Pallace: Whence crossing Bosphore, in an appointed barge, they both goe and come in one day, from and to the Galata, which I my selfe did see three several times: The oldest and last hundred that are every moneth dismissed, they depart from the Galata, home to their Parents and severall Countreys, rejoycing that they were counted worthy to be chosen and entertained to be their Emperours Concubines. The custome of the great Turke is, every Friday being their Sabboth day after divine service and dinner, to run at the Glove in a open place before all the people, with some Hagars, or yong striplings that accompany him; who have the Glove hanging as high on a sticke, as we have the ring with us: And truely of all the Turkish Emperours that ever were, this Achmet was the most gentle & favourable to Christians; who rather for his bounty and tendernesse might have beene intitulated the Christian Emperour, then the Pagane King: for he dissanulled all the exactions that had beene inflicted by his predecessors upon his tributarie Christian subjects; and cancelled the custome or tythe of their Male children, abrogating also that imposition on their Female dowries.

The Lent of the Turkes is called Byrham, which continueth the space of a moneth once in the yeare: In all which time, from the Sunne rising to his setting, they neither eate nor drinke: And at their prayers (especially in this fasting) they use often to reiterate these words Hue, hue, hue, that is; He, he, he, alone is God; or, There is but one onely supreme Power; which they doe in derision of Christians, who (as they say) adore three Gods. They have also this sinister opinion, that at the day of Judgement, when Mahomet shall appeare, there shall be three displayed Banners, under the which all good [The Turkes Paradise.] people shall be conducted to Paradise: The one of Moses, under the which the children of Israel shall be: The second of Jesus, under which Christians shall be: The third of Mahomet, under the which shall be the Arabs, Turkes, and Musilmans: All which, they thinke, shall be elevated to severall honours; and they in promotion shall be discerned from the rest, by Chambers made of resplendant light, which God will give them; wherein they shall have banquetings, feastings, dancing, and the best melody can be devised; and that they shall spend their times with amorous Virgins, (whose mansion shall be neare by) the men never exceeding the age of thirty yeares, and the Virgines fifteene, and both shall have their Virginities renewed, as fast, as lost.

They hold also this, as a confident article of their Beliefe, there are seven Paradises in heaven, the pavements whereof are laid with gold, silver, pearles, pretious stones, and garnished with stately buildings, and pleasant gardens, wherein are all sorts of fruit, and Princely Pallaces; through the which runne Rivers of milke, honey, and wine.

The first Paradise, they call it Genete Alcholde, the second Alfirduzy, the third Anthinak, the fourth Reduasch, the fift Azelem, the sixt Alcodush, that is holy, and the seventh Almega, that is, the greatest. And that in the midst of this last Paradise, there is a stately tree, called Tubah, the leafe of which is partly of gold, and partly of silver: whose boughes extend round about the wals of this seventh Paradice, whereon the name of Mahomet is written, neare to the name of God, in these words, Alla, illa, he, allah, Mahomet Rezul allah. The which words are in such reverence amongst the Turkes, that if a Christian should happen, unadvisedly to repeate them, he is adjudged to a most cruell death, or compulsed to renounce his Christian Religion.

[The Turkes Lent.] Their Lent lasteth thirty dayes, called Byrham, some name it also Ramadan; induring which time, they eate nor drinke nothing from Sunne rising to its setting downe: but when night commeth they Cormandize at their selfe pleasures: Their moneth of Lent is our January, where every day after their severall devotions, they goe to solemne playes; and all kind of prophane pastimes: counting that best devotion, which is most sutable to their dispositions; allotting fancy to follow their folly, and blindnesse, to overtop the ignorance of nature, drawing all their drifts within the circle of destruction: But indeed, as they are blind, in the true way of sacred worship; yet are they masked with a wonderfull zeale to their devoted blindnesse; surpassing farre in shew, and observations, the generall Professours of Christianity, and all the Ceremonies can bee annexed thereunto: Theirs running on with the flouds of ignorant affection, and ours distracted with the inutile novelties of superfluous Schoole questions: which indeed do more distemper the truth, than render God to be rightly glorified.

[The Turkes opinion of hell.] As concerning their opinion of Hell, they hold it to be a deepe Gulfe, betwixt two Mountaines: from the mouth whereof are Dragons, that continually throw fire, being large eight leagues, and hath a darke entry, where the horrible Fiends meete the perplexed sinners, conveying them till they come to a bridge, that is so narrow as the edge of a Razor: whereupon these who have not committed haynous offences, may passe over to Hell, but those who have done Buggery (as the most part of them do) and homicide, shall fall headlong from it, to the profoundest pit in Hell, where they shall sometimes burne in fire, & sometimes be cast into hot boyling waters to be refreshed. And for the greater punishment of the wicked (say they) God hath planted a tree in Hell named Sajaratash, or Roozo Saytanah, that is, the head of the Divell, upon the fruit of which, the damned continually feed: Mahomet in one of the Chapters of his Alcoran calleth this tree, the Tree of Malediction.

They also thinke the tormented soules may one day be saved, providing they do indure the scorching flames of Hell patiently. Thus, as briefly as I could, have I layd open the opinions of the Turkes, concerning their Heaven and Hell, before the eyes of these, who peradventure have never bene acquainted with such a ghostly Discourse.

[The number of all the Emperours in East and West.] And now I thinke it not amisse to reckon you up in generall all the Romane and Greeke Emperours, that have bene from the beginning to this present time, both in the East, and in the West, with the number of the Turkish Emperours also: Beginning now at Julius Cæsar, the first Dictatour of Romane Emperour, to Constantine the Great, who transported the seate of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople, he was the three score and fourth Emperour: And from Constantine the Great in the East, to the first made Emperour in the West, there were thirty nine Emperours: of whom Constantine the sixth, sonne to Leo the third, with Irena his wife was the last sole Emperour, and she Empresse of East and West: After whose death and overthrow, Charlemaine was called in to Italy to danton the Lombards, who had oppressed that region, and the peace of the Church for two hundreth yeares: He chased them from Rome, Apulia, and from all Italy, and was therefore declared by Pope Leo, the Romane Emperour of the West: from Charlemaine to this present Ferdinando that now raigneth, Charlemaine being the hundreth and fourth, there were forty and one Emperors: So in all, with this Emperour Ferdinando, lately Duke of Grasse, the number amounts to of these Emperours, counting from Julius Cæsar to Constantine the sixt, the last sole Emperour of the East, and after him, from Charlemaine the first Emperour of the West, to this time, their number have bene a hundreth and forty sixe Emperours.

Some whereof were Greekes, which cannot perfectly be set downe, in regard some were Empresses, and others suddenly elected, were as suddenly murthered or poysoned.

Now to reckon the Turkish Emperors, I will first begin from the time that the Turkes tooke a Monarchick name, under the name of Ottoman, even to Mahomet the second, the first Grecian Emperour, beginning, I say at Ottoman, the sonne of Orthogule the first Emperour of the Turkes, and the first that erected the glory of his Nation; there were nine Emperours to Mahomet the second: And from him to this present Amurath, that now raigneth, there have bene eleven Emperours: The number of which are onely twenty, and or they come to thirty, they and theirs, I hope, shall be rooted from the earth.

[The beginning of the Turkes.] The Originall of the Turkes, is sayd to have bene in Scythia, from whence they came to Arabia Petrea, and giving battell oft to the Sarazens, in the ende subdued them, and so they multiplied, and mightily increased: the apparence of their further increasing, is very evident, except God of his mercy towards us prevent their blood sucking threatnings, with the vengeance of his just judgements.

The Sarazens are descended of Esau, who after he had lost the blessing, went and inhabited in Arabia Petrea; and his Posterity, striving to make a cleere distinction betweene them, the Ismaelites, and Jewes, called themselves (as come of Sara) Sarazens; and not of Hagar, the handmaide of Abraham, of whom came the Ismaelites, neither of the race of Jacob, of whom came the Jewes. But now the Sarazens being joyned with the Turkes, their Conquerours, have both lost their name, and the right of their discent.