'Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan: interwoven with such remarkable occurrences as hapned in those parts during these later times. As also, many other rich and famous kingdoms in the oriental India, with the isles adjacent. Severally relating their religion, language, customs and habit: as also proper observations concerning them.' [‎321] (344/448)

Mahomet x ^oddjuiofs Alcoran.
But e re he could fimfh this new^model by him called an Alcoran, or Laws more refem
blmgOrdmancesofWar than Inftrudions to conquer Luft,-as onehasnotedi the P^'
fan luddenly broke in among them, and in memory of their late hoftility and plunder
retaliates them lb to purpofe,that Mahomet (to fave his life) made nf? of his Dromedary
leaving the reft of his company to the fury ofthePo-y?^. romeaary,
W ' th ^ fad heart Momet haftens back to of old, and
then the ftony Arabian Metropolis:) but when he calls to mind his miferable eftate, bv
this laft defeat being abndg d bothofmoney and men, yea fuch men whofe impulfe was
prepared to propagate his Alcoran, confnmes in the meditation, and by his fretfulnefs
and inceflant vexing had at that time like to have made death his Executioner
Some fafer way he therefore ruminates. And in the firft place, to his unquiet
fpirit and enrich himfelfj layes clofe fiegeto a Woman of great wealth and by
fome thought Qupen ofCorafan-, whom after an amorous alfault he won, and of her begot
three Sons and three Daughters, namely and T<«W, which three died
young, Fatymaand Zaynah (both married to Om-Kakhom and
\Vives to oldAhnboker. But his ftomach growing weak, one fort of Meat began to loath
him, for Chodam was ftale, and others better fancied him: In his Alcoran he therefore
thought fit to allow carnalhberty, the better to excufe himfelf who was fo infatiatelv li
bidinous that he is not alharaed to become a prefident, and countenance his incontinencv
by a Law. Accordingly, and with folemnity (as &«-£>/<■« a Writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. of his belief reports)
he efpoufed j1yf ce the beloved Child of his Son-in-La w Ahuhoker. A Child (though
hometsWife) Iwellmay call her, for atthat timelhe exceeded notfix years: vetfoonaf-
ter fo acceptable to her Husband, that he calls her his beft beloved, didlates a whole
Chapter in her commendations •, and for her love to him, and civility to others • for her
witty conceits andskill in Story and Languages, flie is made fuperlative, and intituled
Mother of the Faithful^and (contraryto a tenet in his Alcoran) defired to be buried in
her Grave, as by old Ahnboker his Survivor afterwards was performed. His third Wife
WMMmam (or Mamrya which is Mary) of whom he begat Ebrahim-Caffen who at the ace
of fix months by the arrow of death was directed the inevitable way. Zay nab (the repu
diate of Ben-Hartah) was his fourth and laft Wife, (for of Concubines he had above an hun
dred, .but in no Author any of their names recorded.) This was a Lady credulous of Vifi
ons, (and magnes mendacii credulity is the magnet of lies •,) for fhe verily believ
ed that his Epilepfie was occafionedby an Angels conferring with him, fothat amonslt
Mahometans fhe alfo is firnamed a Mother of Muifulmen or true Believers.
But that his Dodrine might not want a confirmatiou by Miracles, fome ofthofehis
bofome friends and other familiars, taught Doves to feed out of his ear, and Camels to
exped their food from him, which blazoned his holinefs: (albeit ever llnce Semiramis
her time, whowasfed and educated amongft Doves, in the Oriental parts Doves have a
more than common eftimation.) However, by this pradife he not only eluded his fa
miliars, but alfo put all Arabia into an expedation of fome extraordinary confequence
So as having by the help of Sergm an Italian, a neft of uncleannefs,a Monk, a Sabellian, a
ducontented wretch for miffing the Bifhoprick of Byz.anth y and otjohn ot Antmh anun-
lound and heretical Neftorian, two fubtil fpirits, (who as Latlmim faith, by mixing
truth with falfhood and fowing the feeds of errour difturbed the tranquillity of all thinesO
by fuch help, or rather by the help of fuch, he finiihed his Alcoran in the year of our blef-
fed Lord God 620. at that time being aged forty fix. Itfo tranfported him, that from
Methat to Mecca he goes to have it credited •, but therein his predidion failed him ^ for
fo foonas the Arabs perceived his defign (being formerly acquainted with his birth and
breeding) they banifli him, and (but for his Wives relations) there had crulhed him and
his Cockatrice Egg, which was but then hatching. So that involved with more per
plexity now than ever, he was at his wits end, and once refolved to burn his Book and
return to trading: but Sergttu whofe Intereft was involved pacified him, telling him,
fo great a Work could not but be attended with oppofition. The difanimated Prophet
revives upon this, and apprehends this afflidion propitious to his memory : fo that to
Jathreb he goes, where for two years he fecludes himfelf from company^ therein imi
tating other Law-givers *, as Pythagoras, who concealed himfelf ten years, Zoroafier twen
ty, and Socrates for fome certain time: fo Mahomet having finifhed his plot, and com
manding the accompt or iEra fince obferved by his Sedaries to commence from his late
perfecution, he again adventures, and by gifts and other perfwafions attraded fo many
followers that within feven years his Alcoran was received in Mecca : from this root
branching put fo many feds as in fhort time infeded all the Orient.
Mahomet (whofe name Arabically .fignifies Deceit, and many times Convenmt rebus
Tt nomina
jii