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CHAP. II.
Of the Saracene Name, Nation, and proceeding in Armes.
PLINY lib. 6. cap. 28. mentioneth among other Arabian Nations the Saracens: placing them neere to the Nabathaeans. Ptolomey a 1.1 likewise nameth the Scenites so called of their tents, which with themselues, their flockes, and substance they remoued vp and downe from place to place. Posteritie hath called all these Tent-wanderers (saith b 1.2 Scaliger out of Ammianus Marcellinus) Sarracenes: and so doth Ptolomey in the next words call the next adioining people, seating them in the Northerly bounds of Arabia Foelix. In the same Chapter he setteth downe Saraca, the name of an Ara∣bian. Epiphanius lib. 1. saith that the Tribes of the Agarens or Ismaelites, are now called Saracens. c 1.3 Some later Authors haue written, that because Ishmael was the sonne of Hae∣gar a bond-woman, his nicer posteritie haue disclaimed that descent, and deriued their pedegree and name from Sara. Iosephus Scaliger, in his Annotations vpon Euse∣bius Chronicle, after that he hath cited the former testimonie of Ammianus, and of Ou∣kelos on the 37. of Genesis, addeth the authoritie of Stephanus; who affirmeth Sara∣ka to be a region of Arabia, neere the Nabathaeans, of which hee thinketh that the Saracens borrowed their name. We know (saith Scaliger) that the Arabian Nomades are so called: for Sarak in Arabian soundeth as much, that is (furaces 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) thee∣uish or robbers, such as the Cosakes, Tartars, &c. De Sara, perridiculum: To call them Saracens of Sara is ridiculous; for then either they must be called Saraei, or she Sa∣raca. d 1.4 Marcellinus thus writeth of them; This people stretcheth from the Assyrians to the falles of Nilus: all warriours, halfe naked, in couloured iackes. None plow∣eth or planteth, but they wander vp and downe without houses or lawes; their life being alwaies in flight. Their wiues they hire and Couenant with for a time: which breede childe in one place, and bring forth in another, and neuer rest. Their foode is Venison, Milke, Hearbes, and such foules as they can take: the most, that wee haue seene, know not the vse of Wheate or Wine. Like Kites they snatch their prey, but stay nor by it, whether they winne or loose. They are such, as the Romans neede neuer wish them their friendes or their enemies. In the time of Iulian e 1.5 they made out-rodes and spoiles on the Romane prouinces, because they were denyed their wonted stipends by Iulian, who told them that he had better store of Iron then golde.
This name Saracene may well befit that course of life which they embraced: for in the more Southerly parts of Arabia, they are more ciuill and rich, dwelling in Cities, and haue quicke trade, which all are wanting about Medina and Mecca, places so renowned by the life and death of Mahomet. Neither doth it seeme probable that those which were called Agarenes in the continued succession of so many ages, as appeareth 1. Chron. 5. 10. and Psal. 83.6. would after grow ashamed of that: or that Ishmael, which derided the hopes concerned of Isaac the sonne of Sara, would nourish his posteritie in the same hope, or leaue to them any honourable memorie of Sara, vvho had reiected him together vvith his mother. Yea, and their owne superstitious Legend proueth the contrarie, as shall appeare in the next Chap∣ter.
This robbing and rogueing people liued in much obscuritie, vntill that dark∣nesse brought them to light, and a Religion newly stamped by Mahomet, in a secret and iust iudgement of GOD, for the contempt of the trueth, vvas by as new a kinde of preaching (viz. force of Armes) obtruded on the luke-warme vvorld. For vvhen as Mahomet, (of vvhose life solloweth a large discourse) had obserued that sicke state of the Empire affected vvith Iewish rebellion,