An abridgement of the notable woorke of Polidore Vergile conteignyng the deuisers and firste finders out as well of artes, ministeries, feactes & ciuill ordinaunces, as of rites, and ceremonies, commo[n]ly vsed in the churche: and the originall beginnyng of the same. Co[m]pendiously gathered by Thomas Langley

❧The .vii. Chapiter. ¶The originall of Ma∣hometes sect••.

OF all these superstic••∣ouse sectes afore re∣hersed ther is not one so diabolicall, as the sect of Mahometanes as well for the filthi∣nesse of al vnlawfull lustes,* 1.1 as other outrageouse naugh∣tinesse, that thei occupie daily, to the greate endomagyng of christendome, and encrease of their owne infidelite

OF this vnreuerent religion,* 1.2 Ma∣homete a noble manne, borne in Ara∣bie, or as some reporte in Persie was authoure: & his father was an Hea∣then Idolater, and his mother an I∣smaelite, wherfore she had more per∣ceueraunce of y^e Hebrues lawe. This wicked plante brought vp and foste∣red vnder his parentes, and enstru∣cted like a mungrel in either of their lawes: be came experte, and of a redy witte: And after the deathe of his fa∣ther and mother, he was in houshold with one Abdemonaples an Ismae∣lite,* 1.3 whiche putte hym in truste with

his marchandice, and other affaires, and after his decease he maried his mastresse a widdowe. There he fel in acquaintaunce with the Monke Ser∣gius an heretike of Nestors sect,* 1.4 that fled from Byzans into Arabie: and by his counsaill and aduise this Ma∣homete aboute the yere of our Lorde sixe hundred and twentie, and the .xii yere of the reigne of the Emperoure Heraclius began in Arabie to found a newe secte,* 1.5 & by sedicious sermons seduced muche people and many coū∣trees. He conquered by helpe of the Arabians diuerse landes, and sub∣dued theim as tributories, and com∣pelled theim too liue after the tradi∣cion of his lawes, that he gathered out of the newe, and olde Testamen∣tes, and diuerse heresies of Nicolai∣res, Maniches, and Sabellians. He died the fourtie yere of his age,* 1.6 and his body was caried by the Sarace∣nes into a citee of Persia called Me∣cha,* 1.7 and laied in a coffyne of Iron. Caliphas succeded Mahomete but he was deposed for his supersticiō, and another of the same name was substi¦tuted in his roume.* 1.8 Homar was the

thirde,* 1.9 that reigned and he after the conquest of the Persians, wanne Hie¦rusalem, and all Siria, the yere of our Lorde fi••e hundred and fourescore in the tyme of Agathö bishop of Rome and Constantyne the fourthe Empe∣roure. This secte waxeth daily big∣ger and bigger, partely throughe the discorde of Christen princes, and par∣tely by reson of our synfull liuyng, y^• daily groweth to greater enor∣mities, that deserue the heuy hande of GOD ouer vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mahometa∣nes.
• * 1.2

  Mahomete.
• * 1.3

  Abdemona∣ples.
• * 1.4

  Sergius.
• * 1.5

  Mahomete preached se∣diciously.
• * 1.6

  When Ma∣homete died.
• * 1.7

  Mecha. Caliphas.
• * 1.8

  Homar.
• * 1.9

  Homar wan Hierusalem▪