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 I.

To Bedredin, Superiour of the Con∣vent of Derviches at Cogni in Natolia.

WHEN I first open'd thy Venera∣ble Letter, my Heart on a sud∣den became fresh as a Garden of Roses, or a Field of Cinna∣mon and Myrrh, whose Odours are Exhal'd by the West-Wind. In my Breast there sprung

up a Fountain of Joy, serene as Crystal, and refreshing as the Waters of Euphrates.

I contemplate thee as a Cedar among the Trees of the Forest, or as the Durable Oak of the Desart. May Heaven prolong thy Life, till the Sound of the Trumpet.

The Commands with which thou hast ho∣nour'd me, came in an Acceptable Hour. I have receiv'd them with a Complacency which I cannot express. My Eyes were so fix'd on the Lines of Great Purity, that I could not for a long Time take them off. Thou hast hit the Mark of my Affection, in em∣ploying me to write what the most Impartial Historians say of Jesus, the Son of Mary, the Christians Messias.

That Holy Prophet, was Honour'd by his very Enemies. Josephus a Learned Jew, who liv'd in his Time, and wrote the History of that Nation, makes worthy Mention of him.

So did many of the Gentile Philosophers, though they oppos'd his Disciples and Follow∣ers. Porphyry, whom the Christians commonly repute as a bitter Enemy to their Profession, yet calls Jesus, Wise, Blessed and Divine. That Sage, was exasperated against a certain Sect of Nazarenes in his Time, whom they call'd Gnosticks. These corrupted the Do∣ctrines of Plato, and the Theology of the An∣cients; wantonly mixing Humane Fables with Divine Truths. Against these, Porphyry sharpen'd his Pen, and not making a Dif∣ference between them and other Christians,

drew upon himself the Ill-Will of them all. Yet he retain'd a Profound Attach for the Messias.

Wouldst thou know the Circumstances of this Holy Prophet's Birth? They were Glori∣ous, even in Obscurity. For, though his Fa∣ther and Mother were then upon the Road to Jerusalem, Strangers at Bethlehem, and forc'd for want of Room in the Carvansera, to lodge in a Stable with an Ox and an Ass, where the Messias was born, and laid in a Manger; Yet in this Contemptible State, there came some of the Magi out of Persia and Chaldaea, who brought Presents to the Holy Infant; And having laid at his Feet Gold, Myrrh and Incense, they prostrated themselves on the Ground, and praised God, the Most High King of All, in that he had honour'd them with a Sight of the Messias.

This was in the 43d Year of the Reign of Augustus Caesar, the Roman Emperor. At which Time, one Herod was President of Ju∣daea. This Man being inform'd, That certain Noble Strangers were come out of the East to Jerusalem, he sent for them, and enquiring the Occasion of so tedious a Journey, they gave him this Answer.

Peace be to thee, O Sultan; There was of Old Time a Prophet of Great Fame in our Nation, who, among other Predictions that have since come to pass, left also this in Writing:

That in Palestine should be born a Child of Heavenly Race, who should Rule over

the Greatest Part of the World. And by this Sign, Ye shall know the Time and Place of his Birth: A strange Star shall appear in the Firmament, which shall direct you to the very House where you may find him. When therefore Ye shall behold this Star, take Gold, Myrrh and Incenss; and following the Conduct of the Star, go and offer these Gifts to the Young Child; Then return immediately to your Own Country, lest some Grievous Calamity befal you.

Now this Star has appeared to us, We are come to perform what was commanded Us.

Herod said to them, Ye have done well. Go therefore and seek diligently for the Infant; and when Ye have found him, come and tell me, that I may go and pay him Homage also.

But they never return'd to him again. Wherefore, Herod in his Anger and Jealousie, commanded all the Infants in Bethlehem to be Strangl'd, that had not been Born above Four and Twenty Moons. But the Father and the Mother of the Holy Infant, fled away with him into the Land where it never Rains, the same Night that the Magi came.

What I here relate to thee, Sage Bedredin, is taken out of approv'd Historians: For, many among the Gentiles, wrote of these Things besides the Christians.

There was a Roman Philosopher, much a∣bout the same Time; a Man in great Esteem with Caesar. To whom he wrote a Letter, wherein he mentions the coming of the Magi

after this manner.

Certain Oriental Per∣sians, says he, have set Foot within the Li∣mits of thy Empire, bringing Presents fit only for Kings, to a certain Child, newly born in the Country of the Jews. But who this Infant is, or whose Son, VVe are yet Ignorant.

Thou seest, O Pious Dervich, that the Messias appear'd with no small Lustre, even in his Cradle. And in his Early Years, he en∣ter'd into the Temple, and disputed with the Hebrew Rabbi's, convincing them of an Uni∣versal Defection from the Primitive Law of Moses; declaring himself the Messias, and yet in Profound Humility acknowledging, That a Prophet should come after him, who should be preferred before him, the Dust of whose Feet he was not worthy to kiss. This Passage the Christians have perverted to another Sense; but the True Faithful, know it was spoken only of Mahomet, the SEAL of the PROPHETS.

The Time would fail me, to recount all the Stupendous Actions of this Man's Life: And in calling him MAN, I imitate his own Example; Since throughout the Gospel, he never call'd himself God, or the Son of God, as the Christians do, but most frequently gave himself the Title, of the Son of Man. He turn'd Water into Wine, fed Five Thou∣sand People with Five Cakes and Two small Tenches: Heal'd all Diseases, restor'd Sight to them that were born Blind, Rais'd the Dead, went Invisible through Crowds of his Ene∣mies,

and Finally, was taken up into Para∣dise.

If thou wouldst know more of this Holy Prophet; There are Historians who say, he was Initiated in the Mysteries of the Essenes, a certain Sect among the Jews.

That Nation, it seems, was then divided into Seven Classes. Among which, this of the Essenes was none of the least conside∣rable, as being the most Religious Observers of the Law. Their Conversation was full of Humanity, both among themselves, and to∣ward Strangers: Avoiding Pleasures, as Ene∣mies to the Mind, and esteeming Chastity the very Cement of all Virtues. Therefore they despis'd Marriage, as an Entanglement to Men devoted to Contemplation. They had also an Equal Contempt for Riches. No Man of this Sect call'd any Thing his Own, though 'twere his Lawful Inheritance: But their Possessions were in Common, and Equally distributed.

It was among their Mysteries, to Anoint their Bodies frequently with Oyl, and as often to wash 'em with Running Water. They neither bought, nor sold; nor frequen∣ted the Publick Places: But every one com∣municated freely such Things as he possess'd, to him that stood in Need. Thus there was a Reciprocal Exchange of Kindnesses and Assi∣stance, according to every ones Faculty and Power. They were very Assiduous in Watch∣ing, Fasting and Prayer: Curious in observing the Various Names of the Angels, which they

frequently repeated, Invocating those Happy Beings, as the Ministers of the King Eternal. And those who were exercis'd in this Kind of Religious Life, arriv'd to so great a Constancy of Mind, that neither Racks, Fire, Sword, or any other Tortures could ever move 'em to Renounce their Law, or speak the least Word in Contempt of their Institution. Nay, they would rather suffer Martyrdom, than be pre∣vail'd on to taste of any Thing that had Life in it. For they were strict Observers of the Law, which commands Perpetual Abstinence from the Flesh of Animals.

It was an Establish'd Article of their Faith, That as soon as the Ʋnion of Soul and Body was dissolv'd by Death, the Former by a Na∣tural Inclination ascends to the Skies; even as Sparks flie Upward, when freed from the Gross Earthy Matter in which they lay Imprison'd.

I have here given thee a short and true Cha∣racter of the Essenes. Of which Sect, all Christians own the Messias to be a Favourer, if not a Member; in Regard he no where is Recorded to have upbraided them, as he of∣ten did the Pharisees, Sadduces, Herodians and the Rest.

Time will not permit me to say more at Present, concerning that Venerable Prophet. But if thou would'st have a Perfect Idea of all his Vertues and Sanctity of Life turn thy Eyes Inward, and fix 'em on thy self. For thou art a Lively Transcript of the Holy Jesus.

Paris, 1st. of the 1st. Moon, of the Year 1654.