Sure who e'er shall the just extraction bring Of this gigantic power from the spring; Must there confess a higher Ordinance Did it for terror to the earth advance. For mark how 'mongst a lawless straggling crew, Made up of Arab, Saracen, and Jew, The world's disturber, faithless Mahomet Did by impostures an opinion get: 60 O'er whom he first usurps as Prince, and than As prophet does obtrude his Alcoran. Next, how fierce Ottoman his claim made good From that unblest religion, by blood; Whilst he the Eastern kingdoms did deface, To make their ruin his proud Empire's base. Then like a comet blazing in the skies, How death-portending Amurath did rise, When he his horned crescents did display Upon the fatal plains of Servia; 70 And farther still his sanguine tresses spread, Till Croya life and conquests limited. Lastly, how Mahomet thence styl'd the Great, Made Constantine's his own Imperial seat; After that he in one victorious bond Two Empires grasp'd, of Greece and Trebizond.
This, and much more than this, I gladly read, Where my relators it had storyed; Besides that people's manners and their rites, Their warlike discipline and order'd fights; 80 Their desp'rate valour, hard'ned by the sense Of unavoided Fate and Providence: Their habit, and their houses, who confer Less cost on them than on their sepulchre: Their frequent washings, and the several bath Each Meschit to itself annexed hath: What honour they unto the Mufty give, What to the Sovereign under whom they live: What quarter Christians have; how just and free To inoffensive travellers they be: 90 Though I confess, like stomachs fed with news, I took them in for wonder, not for use, Till your experienc'd and authentic pen Taught me to know the places and the men; And made all those suspected truths become Undoubted now, and clear as axiom.
Sir, for this work more than my thanks is due; I am at once inform'd and cur'd by you. So that, were I assur'd I should live o'er My periods of time run out before; 100 Ne'er needed my erratic wish transport Me from my native lists to that resort, Where many at outlandish marts unlade Ingenuous manners, and do only trade For vices and the language. By your eyes I here have made my full discoveries; And all your countries so exactly seen, As in the voyage I had sharer been. By this you make me so; and the whole land Your debtor: which can only understand 110 How much she owes you, when her sons shall try The solid depths of your rare history, Which looks above our gadders' trivial reach, The commonplace of travellers, who teach But table-talk; and seldomly aspire Beyond the country's diet or attire; Whereas your piercing judgement does relate The policy and manage of each State. And since she must here without envy grant That you have further journey'd the Levant 120 Than any noble spirit by her bred Hath in your way as yet adventured; I cannot less in justice from her look, Than that she henceforth canonize your book A rule to all her travellers, and you The brave example; from whose equal view Each knowing reader may himself direct, How he may go abroad to some effect, And not for form: what distance and what trust In those remoter parts observe he must: 130 How he with jealous people may converse, Yet take no hurt himself by that commerce. So when he shall embark'd in dangers be, Which wit and wary caution not foresee; If he partake your valour and your brain, He may perhaps come safely off again, As you have done; though not so richly fraught As this return hath to our staple brought.