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"told us how he had been treated. We, "from that hour, determined to kill the Marquis, and we fent two of our bre"thren, for that purpose, to Tyre, who "killed him openly, almost in the sight of "all the people of that city.

"SUCH were our motives for the death of "the Marquis: and we affure you, with

great truth, that Richard king of Eng"land, was no ways blameable for the death "of that Marquis; and they who have done "harm to Richard on that account, do it "without justice, and without reason.

"BE affured, we will kill no man, in this "world, for reward, or for money, unless ❝he first injure us."

THE examples which might be brought of the defperate obedience of thofe men are innumerable. Almost every Eaftern potentate, in felf-prefervation, found himfelf under the neceffity of making magnificent presents to the Sheikhu'l'jebel. The knights Hospitallers and Templars alone set him at defiance; and even compelled him in turn to pay to them an annual tribute: for he well knew, that thofe republican orders could never want a head; and that the affaffination of one or more Grand Masters might ferve only to ex

afperate, without weakening, those formidable bodies. 1

But

YET it may be observed, that the importance of thofe princes could never have rested alone upon their own ftrength. Devoted and fearless as their subjects might be, the power of many of the neighbouring potentates could foon have crushed them. their private views, jealoufies and refentments, seem to have operated with them in a manner nearly fimilar to that which has long actuated the states of Europe; and given a confequence to the Barbary pirates, to which their own force alone could never have afforded them the leaft pretenfions. Even Saladin, who, in revenge for their attempt upon his life, laid waste the country, and demolished the capital of the affaffins, was induced, from fome perfonal confideration, not only to pardon, but even to protect them. And they fubfifted with more or lefs power, till the year 1255, when they were exterminated by the Tartar prince Houlagou, grandfon of Jengiz Khan. A few, however, who had been trained up in the trade of murder, efcaped the general ruin *

* Some of the Affaffins, who fled from the fword of Houlagou, established themselves in the province of Mazenderan on the Cafpian fea; where they were deftroyed by Tamerlane towards the end of the fourteenth century.

for in the year 1271, our Edward I. who had taken the cross whilft heir-apparent, was dangerously wounded by one of those wretches in his own apartments at Acon. The affaffin, it was supposed, had been hired by the Mohammedan governor of Joppa, by whom he was fent to Edward, under pretence of negociating a truce: in confequence of which, having free access to the Prince's perfon, he fuddenly affaulted him, and stabbed him on the shoulder but Edward grappling with the villain, threw him down, and dispatched him with his own dagger. k

THESE few facts, of undoubted authority, will, I flatter myself, bring fufficiently within the line of probability The Mistaken Obedience of the Arabian Envoy: and fatisfy, at the fame time, the learned critic, that Epictetus was right, when he said, that every thing had two handles: one, by which it might be held; the other, by which it could not. Now, though the facetious gentleman has shown us, that he understands perfectly well, rifu quatere populum; yet as he poffeffes alfo the happy talent of fometimes agreeably miftaking the right handle, the old philosopher's advice might perhaps be worth attending to, Γέλως μη πολύς εςω, μηδε επι πολλοις, μηδε ανειμένος πολισθηρος γαρ ὁ τροπος εις ιδιωτισμον.

SECT. IV.

Freedom of Speech in the Eaft. Inftances of the deference of Afiatic princes to the complaints of their humbleft fubjects. Anecdote of Sultan Mahmoud. Deftruction of a gang of dangerous banditti. Anecdotes of the Khalif Haron Arrafbid. The barbarity of this prince to his fifter and Vizir. The undaunted gratefulness of an old man. Anecdotes of Hejjaje, an Arabian governor. Veneration for ideots in the Eaft. Probable origin of Royal Fefters.

THOUGH the system of Eastern go

vernment vests, too often, the almoft unlimited use and abuse of power, in the hands of men, whofe frantic caprice is a dreadful fatire upon human nature; we, nevertheless, frequently difcover, among the princes of Afia, not only an uncommon deference to the complaints of their subjects; but many inftances where the most ferocious tyrants have borne, without refentment, the fe

verest truths and the keenneft sarcasms, when delivered with a bold spirit and a ready wit. As a kind of counterpart to the preceding fection, I fhall conclude this chapter, with a few miscellaneous anecdotes on this head, without much attention to connection of fubject, or chronological order. *

THE great defert of Naubendigan, which ftretches between Perfia Proper and Khoraffan, had long been infefted by banditti, who robbed the Caravans, and murdered the merchants. About the beginning of the eleventh century, foon after Perfia had been conquered by Mahmoud, Sultan of Ghezna, a Caravan was plundered; and, amongst those who fell, was the fon of a widow. The poor woman immediately fet out for Ghezna, and demanded juftice of the Sultan for the life of her fon. Mahmoud heard her complaint with attention; and then told her, that Irac being far removed from his feat of government, it was impoffible to remedy every disorder which might happen at fuch a diftance. • Why then, fays the widow, doft thou conquer έσ more than thou canst govern? Will not 86 an account of this be required of thee at "the day of judgment?" Struck with the juftice of the widow's reply, Mahmoud was

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