his Brother 〈◊〉〈◊〉, expecting to receive an undoubted argument of the Will of God therein, from the good or bad fortune of the Father. And from the same rule they conclude much of the Divine approbation and truth of their Religion, from their Conquests and present Prospe∣rity.
They are of opinion that every mans destiny is wrote in his fore∣head, which they call Narsip or Tactir, which is the Book wrote in Heaven of every mans fortune, and is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no contrary endeavours, councels or wisdom to be avoided; which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is so firmly radicated in the minds of the vulgar, that it causes the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to throw away their lives in the most desperate attempts, and to esteem no more of their bodies, then as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or rubbish to fill up the trenches of the Enemy; And to speak the truth, this received asertion hath turned the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as much to account, as any other of their best and sub∣tilest Maximes.
According to this Doctrine, none ought to avoid or fear the Infecti∣on of the Plague; Mahomets precepts being not to abandon the City∣house where Infection rages, because God hath numbred their dayes and predestinated their fate; And upon this belief, they as familiarly attend the Beds and frequent the company of Pestilential persons, as we do those that are affected with the Gout, Stone or Ague. And though they evidently see that Christians, who fly into better Airs, and from infected habitations, survive the fury of the years Pestilence, when whole Cities of them perish and are depopulated with the Disease; yet so far is this opinion rooted amongst them, that they scruple not to strip the contagious shirt from the dead body, and to put it on their own, nor can they remove their aboad from the Chambers of the sick; it being the custom in the Families of great men to lodge many Servants on different Palets in the same room, where the diseased and healthful lie promiscuously together, from whence it hath happened ofter, that three parts of a Pashaws Family, which perhaps hath consisted of two hundred men, most youthful and lusty, have perished in the heat of July and Augusts Pestilence. And in the same manner many whole Fami∣lies every Summer have perished, and not one surviver left to claim the inheritance of the house; for want of which the Grand Signior hath become the proprietor.
Though the Mahometan Law obliges them not to abandon the City, nor their houses, nor avoid the conversation of men infected with the Pestilence where their business or calling employs them; yet they are counselled not to frequent a contagious habitation, where they have no lawful affair to invite them. But yet I have observed, in the time of an extraordinary Plague, that the Turks have not confided so much to the precept of their Prophet, as to have courage enough to with∣stand the dread and terrour of that slaughter the sickness hath made; but have under other excuses fled to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and private Villages, e∣specially the Cadees and men of the Law, who being commonly of more refined wits and judgments then the generality, both by reason and ex∣perience have found that a wholsome Air is a preserver of life, and that they have lived to return again to their own house in health and strength, when perhaps their next Neighbours have through their brutish ignorance been laid in their Graves. And this is the opinion