The fourth volume of letters writ by a Turkish spy who lived five and forty years undiscover'd at Paris : giving an impartial account to the Divan at Constantinople of the most remarkable transactions of Europe, and discovering several intrigues and secrets of the Christian courts (especially of that of France) continued from the year 1642 to the year 1682 / written originally in Arabick, translated into Italian, and from thence into English, by the translator of the first volume.

LETTER XX.

To Enden Al' Zadi Jaaf, Begler∣beg of Dierbekir.

I Have not the Honour to know thee in Person, but have heard of thy Fame. So Mortals are unacquainted with the Secrets of the Fixed Stars; yet we observe their Lu∣stre and Rank, and the Figure they make in those Remote Worlds.

Thy Exploits among the Curds and Georgians, are not unknown in these Parts. The Franks that travel in the East, have transported hither such a Character of thy Magnanimous Actions, as makes all Men of Honour in Love with thee: And I have conceiv'd a particular Veneration for thy Vertues. May God encrease them with thy Hours, and grant thee a Monopoly of Bliss.

Thou art plac'd in an Eminent Seat, and may'st with Reason be call'd Lord of Lords, as thy Title imports; for thou art Possessor of the Terrestrial Paradise, if we may give. Credit to the Tradition of the Ancients. They tell us, that for a Time Adam dwelt there, with his Second Wife, and that the particular Place of his Abode was an Island, encompass'd with the Rivers Euphrates, Ty∣gris, Pison, and Gihon. From whence it was call'd Mesopotamia by the Greeks; Which

signifies, A Region environ'd with Rivers.

All the West of Asia, have a profound Re∣spect for this Country. And the Jews relate strange Stories of a Tree in Dierbekir, which grew Five Hundred Miles high, in the Days of Adam; which they say, was cut down by an Angel, lest Man, should climb to Heaven by it before his Time. For, it seems, Ambition was a Vice, early as our Nature; and Adam was no sooner sensible that he was a Man, but he aspir'd to be a God, or something like One: So great a Charm there is in Honour and Authority.

They say also, that Abraham was born in this Region. However, 'tis certain, if there be any Certainty in Records and Histories, that he resided there a considerable Time. But thou knowest best, what Traditions thy Subjects have of these Things.

The Chinese and Indians laugh at all this, as a Romance of Later Date, than their Chro∣nicles; which make those Extremities of the East, to be the Stage of the first Mortals. Instead of Adam and Eve, or Alileth, they assert the Names of the Original Parents of Mankind, to be Panzon and Panzona: Whose Off-spring, they say, continu'd Ten Millions of Years; but at length, were all destroy'd from the Earth, by a Tempest from Heaven. After whom, they tell us, God created Lon∣tizam, a Man with Two Horns, each as big and tall as a Tree in that Country, which they call the Plant of God, being the Largest and First of all Vegetables. This Man's

Horns being Prolifick, according to their Tradition; out of the Right, sprang a Thou∣sand Men every Day for a Hundred Years; and as many Women out of the Left, in the same Space. From whom descended all Mortals of both Sexes to this Day; tho' we are much diminish'd in Bulk, through the General Decay of Human Nature. For, these People affirm, That the First Race of Men, were all Gyants: But that through Intem∣perance and other Vices, their Off-spring shrunk by degrees into smaller Dimensions, till at Length they arriv'd at the present Stature, and appear'd like Pigmies in Compa∣rison of the Primitive Sons of Loutizam. In Confirmation of this the Indians shew to Tra∣vellers, some of their Temples hewn out of vast Rocks, with the Images of those Gigantick Men, who they say, were employ'd in the Work. These they honour, as Hero's or Demi-Gods.

I do not relate this for Truth, but only to divert thee, in representing the different O∣pinions of Men. God only knows, how to separate the Truth from Falshood in Histo∣ries.

But to return to Dierbekir: This Country is Famous for the Tower of Babel, built by Nimrod and his Followers; at what Time, the Languages were confounded, as Moses relates. 'Tis Remarkable also, for the Battel fought between the Parthians and Ro∣mans at Harran, and for the Death of Ca∣racalla, the Son of Severus, Emperour of

Rome, who was Murdered by Macrinus, the Roman General. These Emperors were all call'd Caesars, as the Kings of Egypt were call'd Pharaoh's and Ptolomies▪ It seems, the Word Caesar, was first apply'd to Julius the Roman Dictator, for that his Mother dying under the Pains which were to give him Life, her Belly was ript up, and he drawn forth from her Womb by the Hands of a Surgeon. In Memory of which, he and all his Successors were call'd Caesars; that Word signifying [drawn forth by Violence] But, whatsoever the Manner of his Birth was, this is Certain, that he and Forty of his Successors, were hur∣ri'd out of the World, by untimely Death: For, they either laid Violent Hands on them∣selves, or were Murder'd by Traytors.

If thou wou'dst have any News out of these Parts, the Chief Discourse at Present is, of a great Victory obtain'd by the Polanders a∣gainst the Cossacks and Tartars. And I cou'd wish this were all: But the Nazarenes are continually made joyful, with the Success of the Venetians against the Arms of the Invin∣cible Empire. They beat us by Sea, and baffle all our Attempts by Land. We have not got an Inch of Ground in Candia, during the last Campaigne, but lost many Thousands of Men, and brought the Name of the Sublime Port and Victorious Mussulmans, into Contempt and Scorn. Where the Fault lies, God knows. 'Tis too Melancholy a Theme, to insist on Particulars.

Don Juan of Austria, has also besieged Bar∣celona by Sea and Land.

Several Arrests of Parliament, are here publish'd against the Prince of Conde and his Adherents; and, 'tis reported, the King will recall Cardinal Mazarini from his Banish∣ment.

Illustrious Prince, and Governour of a Hap∣py Region, I beg thy favourable Construction of this Address. And thus in Reverence I desist, full of Dutiful and Affectionate Vows for thy Prosperity.

Paris, 19th. of the 12th. Moon, of the Year 1651.