Strange and Miraculous NEWES from TVRKIE. Sent to our English Ambassadour resident at Constantinople. Of a Woman which was seene in the Firmament with a Book in her hand at Medina Talnabi where Mahomets Tombe is. Also severall Visions of Armed men appearing in the Ayre for one and twenty dayes together. With a Propheticall interpretation made by a Mahumetan Priest, who lost his life in the maintenance thereof.
LONDON, Printed for Hugh Perrey neere Ivy-Bridge in the Strand, June 13. 1642.
A Strange Apparition or Vision seene to appeare at Medina Talnabi in Arabia, where Mahomet their great Prophet was buried.
THere came Newes to Constantinople of a strange Apparition or Vision, which was seene at Medina Talnabi in Arabia, whereas Mahomet their great Prophet was buried: To visit whose Tombe the Turkes vse to goe in Pilgrimage, but they must first goe to Mecha, which is some few dayes Journey off, and there they take a ticket from the Grand Seigiours Beglerbeg, else they are not allowed to goe to Medina.
This Vision continued three weekes together, which terrified the whole Country, for that no man could discover the truth thereof.
About the 20. of September, there fell so great a Tempest, and so fearefull a Thunder about midnight, as the Heavens were darkned, and those [Page 2] that were awake were almost distracted, but the vapours being disperst, and the Element cleere, the People might read in Arabian Characters, these words in the Firmament, O why will you beleeve in Lies, betweene two and three in the morning, there was seene a woman in white, compassed about with the Sun, having a cheerfull countenance, holding in her hand a Book, comming from the Northeast, opposite against her were Armies of Turkes, Persians, Arabians, and other Mahometans, ranged in order of Battaile, and ready to charge her, but shee kept her standing, and onely opened the Booke, at the sight whereof the Armies fled, and presently all the Lamps about Mahomets Tombe went out, for as soone as ever the Vision vanished (which was commonly an houre before Sunne rising) a murmuring Wind was heard, whereunto they imputed the extinguishing of the Lamps. The antient Pilgrims of Mahomets Race, who after they have visited this place, never use to cut their haire, were much amazed, for that they could not conceive he meaning of this Vision, onely one of the Dervices, which is a strict religious Order among the Turkes, like unto the Cappuchins amongst the Papists, and live in contemplation, stepped up very boldly and made a Speech unto the Company which incensed them much against him, so as the poore Priest for his plain dealing lost his life, as you shall hereafter heare.
The Dervice Speech unto the Turkes.
THe Dervice his Speech was this: That the VVorld had never but three true Religions, every one of which had a Prophet; first, God those the Iewes, and did wonders for them in Aegypt, and brought them forth by their Prophet Moses, who prescribed them a Law, wherein he would have maintained them if they had not beene obstinate and Rebellious, and fallen to Idolatry; whereupon hee gave them over, and scattered them upon the face of the Earth. Then presently be raised a new Prophet who taught the Christian Religion. This good man the Iewes condemned and crucified for a seducer of the people, not moved with the Piety of his life, his great Miracles nor his Doctrine. Yet after his death, the Preaching of a few Fishermen did so move the hearts of men, as the greatest Monarches of the World bowed to his very title, and yeelded to the command of his Ministers. But it seemes they grew as corrupt as the Iewes, their Church being dismembred with the distinction of the East and West, committing Idolatry againe by setting up of Images, with many other idle Ceremonies, besides the corruption of their lives, so as God was weary of them too, and not onely sent Divisions among them, but forsooke them, dispossessing them of their chiefest Cities, Jerusalem and Constantinople.
Yet God is still the governour of the World, and provides himselfe of another Prophet and People, raysing our great Prophet Mahomet, and giving Way to our Nation, so as no doubt we shall be happy forever, if we can serve this God aright, and take example by the fall of others, but alas, I tremble to speake it, wee have erred in every point, and wilfully broken our first Institutions, so as God hath manifested his wrath by evident signes and tokens, keeping our Prophet from us who prefixed a time to returne withall happinesse to his People, so as there is now forty yeares past by our accompt, wherefore this strange and fearefull vision is a prediction of some great troubles and alterations, for either the opening this Booke in the womans hand, doth foretell our falling away from the first intent of our Law, whereat these armed men, departed as confounded with the guilt of their owne Consciences, or else it signifies some other Booke, wherein we have not yet read, and against which no power shall prevaile, so as I feare our Religion will be corrupt, and our Prophet an imposter, and then this Christ, whom they talke of shall shine like the Sunne, and set vp his name everlastingly.
Hitherto the Company were silent, but hearing him speake so boldly, they charged him with Blasphemy, and knowing their Law, which makes all blasphemy capitall, they presently condemned him, and having the Beglerbegs consent, and warrant to the same purpose, they immediately put him to death.
As their rage against him was violent, so their execution was extraordinary, for they neither cut off his head, nor strangled him, as they usually doe to malefactors, but they tortured him by degrees, for stripping him first naked, they gave him a hundred blowes on the soles of his feet with a flat Cudgell, untill the blood issued forth, the poore Priest crying continually on the Woman that opened the Booke. After which they tooke a Bulls pizzell and beat all his body untill the sinewes crack't, and in the end they layd him upon a Wheele, and with an Indian Sword made of Sinewes, they brake his bones to pieces, the poore man crying to the last gaspe, O thou VVoman with the Booke save me, and so he dyed. At which time there was a fearefull Tempest.
Whereupon the Beglerbeg sent certaine Saphies to the Port of Sidon to imbarke for Constantinople to the end they might advertise the Emperour of these Tydings.