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The last Account from Fez, in a Letter from one of the Embassy to a Person of Honour in London, containing a Relation of Colonel Kirk's Reception at Mequinez, by the Em∣perour, with several passages in Relation to the Affairs of Tangier.
MY LORD,
THis second account of our Journey into Barbary, is a debt I owe your Lord∣ship by my promise in my first, with Humble dependance on your Lordships Goodness to Pardon the Imperfections of both. Leaving the Alazar the 7th of February, we were Conducted on our way by the Alcade of Tituan, who used us with such extream Care and Kindness, that though we met with many Ob∣jects worth our Observation, yet nothing so much, as the Civility and Complement we found from the Chief Men of this Wild and Rude Race of People; in seven days march we arrived at Mequinez, which is the Versailles of this Kingdom, Situated so well for Security and Pleasure, that it's the chosen Seat of this King Muley Ishmael: It has been the House of the Successors and First Princes of the Blood; But the King refusing to live at his Capital City of Fez, has so much Beautified and Enlarged this Place, that in time it will be a most Agreeable and Magnificent Palace. About a Musquet shott off he has laid the Foundation of a New Castle which by the Misery and Slavery of 500 Christian Slaves continually working upon it he intends to Build in the nature of a Cittadel to contain his Guards and Houshold. Their Lines and Fortifi∣cations is a thin Wall with Flankers after the manner of German Bourges which though they be not rampiers of Defence against us in Europe, yet they are sufficient against any offensive War, they are capable of amongst themselves. It is a great mistake that is repre∣sented to us in England, of their being informed by French, and other Engineers. They scarcely know the use of Cannon, but by the direction of some few Christian Slaves, Men they take Prisoners. The next day after our Arrival, Col. Kirk was received by the King in his Garden, being accompanied only with four of his Chiefest Councellors and Alcades; his Bashaws and General Officers of the Army waiting at the Gate with the Guards. After he had delivered his Letters and made his Complement, the King re∣turned more favorable answers then could be expected from a Prince so Haughty, that his Person is very rarely accessible by any body; he told him, that in return of the Honour he did him in his Complement, he would grant him four years Peace and if by any Spyes he could be informed. of a breach of Peace Committed by his Officers, he would punish them with extream Severity, and in great Zeal he was pleased to tell us we were nothing so much Christians, as the Spaniards or French; they Worshipping the Cross and Images, but that our Opinion was much nearer Paganism, and that he would Pray to God to give us Grace to forsake Christ and follow Mahomet. After many other expressions in this Infidel manner he told us he referred the terms of the Treaty to Alcade Omar of Alcazor who is his Vice-Roy over all his Majesties Dominions, and whose Character is so extraordinary as well for Goodness as Greatness, that had I as much Capacity as Zeal, I would have described it to your Lordship, that the King our Master might know how much his Majesties affairs may be advantaged by the Honesty and Justice of so well Principled a Moor, who has been so industriously kind to the Proceedings of this Treaty, that it has been his pains alone that has ren∣dred