chose rather to quit the place offensive and defensive which he his birth, and retire to Medina, had now concluded with those of than to make any resistance. But Medina, directed them to repair this great passiveness and mode- thither, which they accordingly ration seems entirely owing to his did; but himself, with Abu Becr want of power, and the great su- and Ali, staid behind, having not periority of his opposers, for the yet received the Divine perfirst twelve years of his mission; mission, as he pretended, to for no sooner was he enabled, by leave Mecca. The Koreish, fearthe assistance of those of Medina, ing the consequence of this new to make head againist his enemies, alliance, began to think it absothan he gave out, that God had lutely necessary to prevent Mahoallowed him and his followers to met's escape to Medina; and havdefend themselves against the in- ing held a council thereon, after fidels; and at length, as his forces several milder expedients had been increased, he pretended to have rejected, they came to a resoluthe Divine leave even to attack tion that he should be killed; and them, and destroy idolatry, and agreed that a man should be choset up the true faith by the sword; sen out of every tribe for the exefinding, by experience, that his sution of this design; and that designs would otherwise proceed each man should have a blow at very slowly, if they were not ut-him with his sword, that the guilt terly overthrown; and knowing, of his blood might fall equally on on the other hand, that innova- all the tribes, to whose united tors, when they depend soley on power the Hashemites were much their own strength, and can com-inferior, and therefore durst not pel, seldom run any risk: from attempt to revenge their kinsman's whence says Machiavel, it fol- death. lows, that all the armed prophets This conspiracy was scarce have succeeded, and the unarmed formed, when, by some means or ones have failed. Moses, Syrus, other, it came to Mahomet's Theseus, and Romulus, would konwledge; and he gave out not have been able to establish the that it was revealed to him by the observance of their institutions angel Gabriel, who had now orfor any length of time, had theydered him to retire to Medina. not been armed. The first passage Whereupon, to amuse his eneof the Koran which gave Maho-mies, he directed Ali to lie down met the permission of defending in his place, and wrap himself up himself by arms is said to have been that in the twenty-second chapter; after which, a great number to the same purpose were revealed.

Mahomet, having provided for the security of his companions, as well as his own, by the league of

in his green cloak, which he did; and Mahomet escaped miraculously, as they pretend, to Abu Becr's house, unperceived by the conspirators, who had already assembled at the prophet's door. They, in the mean time, looking through the crevice, and seeing

Ali, whom they took to be Mahomet himself, asleep, continued watching there till morning, when Ali arose, and they found themselves deceived.

them, began to send out small parties to make reprisals on the Koreish; the first party consisting of no more than nine men, who intercepted and plundered a caraFrom Abu Becr's house Maho- van belonging to that tribe, and met and he went to a cave in mount in the action took two prisoners. Thur, to the south-east of Mecca, But what established his affairs accompanied only by Amor Ebn very much, and was the foundaFoheirah, Abu Becr's servant, tion on which he built all his sucand Abd'allah Ebn Oreitah, an ceeding greatness, was the gainidolater whom they had hired for a ing of the battle of Bedr, which guide. In this cave they lay hid was fought in the second year of three days, to avoid the search of the Hegira, and is so famous in their enemies; which they very the Mahometan history. Some narrowly escaped, and not without reckon no less than twenty-seven the assistance of more miracles expeditions, wherein Mahomet than one; for some say that the was personally present, in nine of Koreish were struck with blind- which he gave battle, besides seness, so that they could not find veral other expeditions in which the cave; others, that, after Ma- he was not present. His forces homet and his companions were he maintained partly by the congot in, two pigeons laid their eggstributions of his followers for this at the entrance, and a spider co-purpose, which he called by the vered the mouth of the cave with her web, which made them look no farther. Abu Becr seeing the prophet in such imminent danger, became very sorrowful; whereupon Mahomet comforted him with these words, recorded in the Koran; Be not grieved, for God is with us. Their enemies being retired, they left the cave, and set out for Medina by a by-road; and having fortunately, or, as the Mahometans tell us, miraculously, escaped some who were sent to pursue them, arrived safely at that city; whither Ali followed them in three days, after he had settled some affairs at Mecca,

name of zacat, or alms, and the paying of which he very artfully made one main article of his religion; and partly by ordering a fifth part of the plunder to be brought into the public treasury for that purpose, in which matter he likewise pretended to act by the Divine direction.

In a few years by the success of his arms, notwithstanding he sometimes came off with the worst, he considerably raised his credit and power.

In the sixth year of the Hegira he set out with 1400 men to visit the temple of Mecca, not with an intent of committing hostilities, but in peaceable Mahomet, being securely set- manner. However, when. tled at Medina, and able not only to Al Hodeibiya, which is situ to defend himself against the in-ated partly within and partly sults of his enemies, but to attack without the sacred territory, the

he came

from Shiruyeh, informing him of his father's death, and ordering. him to give the prophet no further disturbance. Whereupon Badhan, and the Persians with him, turned Mahometans.

Koreish sent to let him know that || ter to embrace Mahometism. The they would not permit him to en-messenger being returned, Badhan ter Mecca, unless he forced his in a few days received a letter way whereupon he called his troops about him, and they all took a solemn oath of fealty or homage to him, and he resolved to attack the city; but those of Mecca sending Arwa Ebn Masun, prince of the tribe of Thakif, as their ambasador, to desire peace, a truce was concluded between them for ten years, by which any person was allowed to enter into league either with Mahomet, or with the Koreish, as he thought fit.

The emperor Heraclius, as the Arabian historians assure us, received Mahomet's letter with great respect, laying it on his pillow, and dismissed the bearer honourably. And some pretend that he would have professed this new faith, had he not been afraid of losing his crown.

Mahomet wrote to the same effect to the king of Ethiopia, though he had been converted before, according to the Arab writers; and to Mokawkas, governor of Egypt, who gave the messen

In the seventh year of the Hegira, Mahomet began to think of propagating his religion beyond the bounds of Arabia, and sent messengers to the neighbouring princes, with letters to invite them to Mahometism. Nor was this project without some success: Khosru Parviz, then king of Per-ger a very favourable reception, sia, received his letter with great and sent several valuable presents disdain, and tore it in a passion, to Mahomet, and among the rest sending away the messenger very two girls, one of which, named abruptly; which, when Mahomet Mary, became a great favourite heard, he said, God shall tear his with him. He also sent letters kingdom. And soon after a mes- of the like purport to several senger came to Mahomet from Arab princes; particularly one Badham, king of Yaman, who to Al Hareth Ebn Abi Shamer, was a dependant on the Persians, king of Ghassan, who returning to acquaint him that he had re- for answer that he would go ceived orders to send him to Khos-to Mahomet himself, the prophet ru. Mahomet put off his answer till the next morning, and then told the messenger it had been revealed to him that night that Khosru was slain by his son Shiruych: adding, that he was well assured, his new religion and empire should rise to as great a height as that of Khosru; and therefore bid him advise his mas

said, May his kingdom perish; another to Hawdha Ebn Ali, king of Yamama, who was a Christian, and, having some time before professed Islamism, had lately returned to his former faith: this prince sent back a very rough answer, upon which Mahomet cursing him, he died soon after; and a third to Al Mondar Ebn Sawa,

king of Bahrein, who embraced Mahometism, and all the Arabs of that country followed his example.

The eighth year of the Hegira

was a very

whereof had broken the truce concluded on two years before; for the tribe of Becr, who were confederates with the Koreish, attacking those of Kozaah, who were alfortunate to Ma- lies of Mahomet, killed several of year homet. In the beginning of it them, being supported in the acKhaled Ebn al Walid and Amrution by a party of the Koreish Ebn al As, both excellent soldiers, themselves. The consequence of the first of whom afterwards con- this violation was soon apprehendquered Syria and other countries, ed, and Abu Sosian himself made and the latter Egypt, became pro- a journey to Medina on purpose selytes to Mahometism. And soon to heal the breach and renew the after the prophet sent 3000 men truce, but in vain; for Mahomet, against the Grecian forces, to re- glad of this opportunity, refused to venge the death of one of his am- see him: whereupon he applied to bassadors, who, being sent to the Abu Becr and Ali; but they givgovernor of Bosra on the same ing him no answer, he was obliged errand as those who went to the to return to Mecca as he came. Mahomet immediately gave orabove-mentioned princes, was slain by an Arab of the tribe of Ghas-ders for preparations to be made san, at Muta, a town in the terri-that he might surprise the Mectory of Balka, in Syria, about three cans while they were unprovided days journey eastward from Jeru- to receive him: in a little time he salem, near which town they en- began his march thither; and by countered. The Grecians being that time he came near the city vastly superior in number (for, in- his forces were increased to ten cluding the auxiliary Arabs, they thousand men. Those of Mecca had an army of 100,000 men), the not being in a condition to defend Mahometans were repulsed in the themselves against so formidable first attack, and lost successively an army, surrendered at discrethree of their generals, viz. Zeid tion, and Abu Sosian saved his life Ebn Haretha, Mahomet's freed-by turning Mahometan. About man; Jaasar, the son of Abu Ta- twenty-eight of the idolaters were leb; and Abdallah Ebn Rawaha: killed by a party under the combut Khaled Eben al Walid, suc-mand of Khaled; but this happenceeding to the command, over-ed contrary to Mahomet's orders, threw the Greeks with great who, when he entered the town, slaughter, and brought away pardoned all the Koreish on their abundance of rich spoil; on occa- submission, except only six men sion of which action Mahomet and four women, who were more gave him the title of Seif min soyuf obnoxious than ordinary (some of Allah," one of the swords of God." them having apostatized), and In this year also Mahomet took were solemnly prescribed by the the city of Mecca, the inhabitants prophet himself; but of these no VOL. II.

I

The remainder of this year Mahomet employed in destroying the idols in and round Mecca, sending several of his generals on expeditions for that purpose, and to invite the Arabs to Islamism; where-united in one faith, and under one in it is no wonder if they now prince, found themselves in a conmet with success. dition of making those conquests which extended the Mahometan faith over so great a part of the world.