fourteen thousand. This penfion was not paid for fome years on account of the war in Hungary: and what was the confequence? One of the Arabian princes in the year 1694, with feveral thousands of his countrymen, attacked and plundered the caravan going in pilgrimage to Mecca, and made them all prifoners. The neighbouring Basha's were fent against him; but the prince defeated them all by a stratagem, and put them to flight. Among the prifoners who had been taken was the moft illuftrious Chan of Tartary, whom the Arabians dismissed upon his parole, that he would carry their com plaints to the Sultan, and procure the continuBance of the penfion. He stood to his engage ment, and never ceased importuning the Othman court, till the arrears of the penfion were duly paid. But notwithstanding this penfion, the Arabians, as often as they find a lucky op~portunity, rob and plunder the Turks as well as other travelers. An inftance of the fame kind happened lately, and is related in the London Gazette of Feb. 11. 1758. 7 fe Memphim evocavit, et fumma liberalitate profecutus eft: quorum exemplo fiebat, ut cæteri quotidie accederent, acceptif que muneribus in verba ejus Continuo jurarent. Pauli Jovii Conftantinople, "December Hift. Lib. 18. p. 1064. Edit. (4) Prince Cantemir's Hift. December 23. The Mecca caravan, which has "been lately plundered by the Arabs, was at"tacked by a numerous body of that people; "fome say, from 30 to 40,000. The action "lafted 16 hours. They first cut off the Bafha "of Sidon, who marched out as ufual to fupply "the pilgrims with provifions; he was killed in "the engagement; then they turned and at"tacked the caravan. The Emir Hadge, or "commanding Bafha, offered them 1000 purses A of money to defift; but they refused any "terms, being determined by a mere principle "of revenge, for their tribes having been laid afide as conductors or guards to the caravan, and others fubftituted in their place; and it is thought the removal of their favourite, Ezade"Bafha, from that poft tot Aleppo, had salfo "fome share in it. At the return to Damafcus of the fugitive foldiery, who convoyed the caravan, thofe in the town rofe up in arms "against them, as traitors to their faith; a great flaughter enfued, and continued fome time; but there are advices fince, that all is quieted there. The Basha of the caravan fled to Gaza, " with about 15 or 16 of his people, and it is thought he will lofe his head. The riches "loft to many cities of this empire, which are "either taken by the Arabs, or dispersed in the deferts, deferts, are computed to amount to an immense fum, as they are fupplied from India "with all forts of valuable merchandize, fpices, &c. by that canal. A like accident happened " in the year 1694, under Ahmed the 2d." So conftantly have the Arabs maintained the fame Spirit in all ages; and there is no power that can effectually controll them. Armies have been fent against parties of the Arabians, but without fuccefs. Thefe free-booters have commonly been too cunning for their enemies and when it was thought that they were weil nigh furrounded and taken, they have ftill efcaped out of their hands. So well doth this particular prediction relating to fome of the tribes of the Arabians agree with that general one concerning the main body of the nation, (Gen. XVI. 12.) He will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's band against him: and he fall dwell in the prefence of all his brethren. But tho' the Arabians fhould efcape out of bis band, yet Egypt should not escape, but fall under his dominion together with the adjoining countries. He fall ftretch forth his band also upon the countries, and the land of Egypt fhall not escape. But he fhall have power over the treasures of gold and of filver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: O 3 Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his fteps. (ver. 42, 43) We read, faith (5) Jerome, that Antiochus did these things in part but what follows relating to the Libyans and Ethiopians, our doctors affert, agrees better with Antichrift; for Antiochus did not poffefs Libya and Ethiopia. Theodoret too (6) affirms, that these things alfo by no means fit Antiochus, for he neither poffeffed Libya, nor Ethiopia, nor even Egypt itself. This prophecy then cannot belong to Antiochus; and indeed the proper application is to the Othman emperor. He fhall ftretch forth his hand alfo upon the countries: This implies that his dominions fhould be of large extent; and he hath ftretched forth his band upon many, not only Asian and European, but likewife African countries. Egypt in particular was destined to submit to his yoke: And the land of Egypt shall not escape; but he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of filver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the conquest of Egypt, with the neighbouring countries follows (5) Hæc Antiochum ex parte feciffe legimus. Sed quod fequitur, per Libyas et Ethiopias tranfbit, magis nofiri afferunt Antichrifto convenire. Antiochus enim Libyam quam plerique Africam intelligunt, thiopiamque non tenuit. Hieron. ibid, next (6) Και ταύτα δε ήκισα αρμονίες TW AUTIOXW UTE yag AIBUS, TE Αιθιοπίας εκρατησεν, ετε δε αυλης Tus Ayuzlu. Et hæc item minime conveniunt Antiocho; qui neque Libya, neque Ethiopia, neque etiam ipfa Ægypto potitus next in order after the conqueft of Judea with the neighbouring countries, as in the prophecy, fo likewife in hiftory. The Othman emperor Selim, (7) having routed and flain Gauri fultan of Egypt in a battle near Aleppo, became master of all Syria and Judea. He then marched into, Egypt against Tumanbäi the new sultan, whom also having vanquished and taken prisoner, he barbarously ordered him to be hanged before one of the gates of Cairo: and fo put an end to the government of the Mamalucs, and eftablifhed that of the Turks in Egypt. The prophecy fays particulary, that he should have power over the treasures of gold and of filver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: And history informs us, that (8) when Cairo was taken, "the "Turks rifled the houses of the Egyptians, as "well friends as foes, and fuffered nothing to "be lock'd up or kept private from them: and "Selim caufed 500 of the chiefeft families of "the Egyptians to be tranfported to Constanti ་་ nople, as likewife a great number of the "Mamalucs potitus eft. Theod. ibid. p. 691. (7) Prince Cantemir's Hift. in Selim I. Sect. 16. p. 156, &c. Savage's Abridgment of Knolles and Rycaut, Vol. I. P. 240, &c. Pauli Jovii Hift. Lib. 18. et Rerum Turc. Com 04 ment. in Selymo, Leunclav. Annales Turc. p. 341. Edit. Paris. p. 265. Edit. Venet. Pandect. Hift. Turc. Cap. 207, &c. (8) Savage, ibid. p. 246, & 248; Pauli Jovii Hift. Lib. 18. (9) Savage, |