impostor On this occasion some of the Mahometans tell us of a miracle, viz. “That the shoulder of mutton spoke, and informed Mahomet of its being poisoned;” but alas! it was rather too late, for one of his company eating greedily of it, fell down dead upon the place; and though Mahomet had not immediately the same fate, having but just tasted it, yet he swallowed so much that he was never quite well afterwards, and died of it at three years end in the city of Medina.
Mahomet having now an army of ten thousand men under his command, resolved to make himself master of Mecca; and accordingly on pretence that the inhabitants had broken the truce, he marched on a sudden, and surprised the city, which not being in any posture of defence, surrendered to him without opposition. Having taken possession of it, he put to death all those that had been his most zealous enemies; which struck such terror to the rest, that they readily submitted to his government and religion. He then proceeded to break down the images in and about their temple, and gave it a new consecration, determining to continue it in its ancient honour, by making it still the chief place of his worship, and enjoining his followers to resort thither in pilgrimage as formerly. The images of most note he found in their temple, were those of Abraham and Ishmael; but there was a multitude of others, both within and without, which the Arabians worshipped as mediators and intercessors for them with the supreme God; for the Arabians always held, that there was but one only God, the Creator and governor of all things, whom they never durst represent by any image, and whom they thought themselves unworthy to approach directly
C
