The last Account from Fez, in a Letter from one of the Embassy to a Person of Honour in London, containing a Relation of Colonel Kirk's Reception at Mequinez, by the Emperor, with several passages in Relation to the Affairs of Tangier.  
MY LORD,  
THis second account of our Journey into Barbary, is a debt I own your Lordship by my promise in my first, with Humble dependence on your Lordship's Goodness to Pardon the Imperfections of both. Leaving the Alazar the 7th of February, we were Conducted on our way by the Alcade of Tituan, who used us with such extreme Care and Kindness, that though we met with many Objects worth our Observation, yet nothing so much, as the Civility and Compliment we found from the Chief Men of this Wild and Rude Race of People; in seven days march we arrived at Mequinez, which is the Versailles of this Kingdom, Situated so well for Security and Pleasure, that it's the chosen Seat of this King Muley Ishmael: It has been the House of the Successors and First Princes of the Blood; But the King refusing to live at his Capital City of Fez, has so much Beautified and Enlarged this Place, that in time it will be a most Agreeable and Magnificent Palace. About a Musket shot off he has laid the Foundation of a New Castle which by the Misery and Slavery of 500 Christian Slaves continually working upon it he intends to Build in the nature of a Citadel to contain his Guards and Household. Their Lines and Fortifications is a thin Wall with Flankers after the manner of Germane Bourges which though they be not rampiers of Defence against us in Europe, yet they are sufficient against any offensive War, they are capable of amongst themselves. It is a great mistake that is represented to us in England, of their being informed by French, and other Engineers. They scarcely know the use of Cannon, but by the direction of some few Christian Slaves, Men they take Prisoners. The next day after our Arrival, Col. Kirk was received by the King in his Garden, being accompanied only with four of his Chiefest Councillors and Alcades; his Bashaws and General Officers of the Army waiting at the Gate with the Guards. After he had delivered his Letters and made his Compliment, the King returned more  answers than could be expected from a Prince so Haughty, that his Person is very rarely accessible by any body; he told him, that in return of the Honour he did him in his Compliment, he would grant him four years' Peace and if by any Spies he could be informed. of a breach of Peace Committed by his Officers, he would punish them with extreme Severity, and in great Zeal he was pleased to tell us we were nothing so much Christians, as the Spaniards or French; they Worshipping the Cross and Images, but that our Opinion was much nearer Paganism, and that he would Pray to God to give us Grace to forsake Christ and follow Mahomet. After many other expressions in this Infidel manner he told us he referred the terms of the Treaty to Alcade Omar of Alcazor who is his Viceroy over all his Majesty's Dominions, and whose Character is so extraordinary as well for Goodness as Greatness, that had I as much Capacity as Zeal, I would have described it to your Lordship, that the King our Master might know how much his Majesty's affairs may be advantaged by the Honesty and Justice of so well Principled a Moor, who has been so industriously kind to the Proceed of this Treaty, that it has been his pains alone that has rendered it acceptable to this King who is difficult of access, beyond imagination; and I am assured his Majesty's Ambassadors would have met much Impossibilities of effecting any thing, but for the use we made of this Discreet Honest Man; who has since his acquaintance with Col. Kirk seemed to do very much for his sake, and by his Influence on our affairs has prepared matters for an easy method of conclusion; we own great acknowledgements for his kind usage of us, not only supplying us plentifully with Necessaries, but in as much Fashionable Ceremony as could come from any well bred Man. After some time of Discourse the King mounted his Horse and at the head of his Guards drew towards a Plain, to give us the opportunity to observe their Exercise and Horsemanship; which as it was very different to what I have seen in other Services, so the only form I can express it by, is that of Prison base on Horse back, I have seen in France; they dividing themselves into two Bodies Skirmish and Charge by Sallies from each side, and after firing in full speed they made their Wheel, but in so much confusion, that not a word of Command can be distinguished, not so much as the King's Person, who was in the midst of all this tumultuous way of Fight without the least Art of Order, which makes me conclude, they are the easiest People Conquered I ever saw. Our Ranged Armies keeping their Squadrons firm, and relieving their Charge with lose Parties, after their own manner, must take their ground from them, and so consequently be Masters of the Field; but however they are a very Vigorous and Valiant Enemy, their Discipline proportionable to the confused and difficult passages of this Country, observing their Ambuscades with the greatest cunning and patience Imaginable; But what I find here most exceeding other Nations is their chief breed of Horses which for shape and speed are certainly the most Noble and Rarest Kind in the World, their Horse's Habits and Furniture, on Festival days, make up a figure of extraordinary State, and show their Emulating one another in Equipage of that Nature; and though they are plain and poor in every thing else, yet the Trappings of their Bridles and Saddles are rich and fine to an incredible degree. The King at his return home gave us the liberty to see some of his Horses, and the apartment of some of his Lions, he keeps as Prisoners of War; but though we passed the Out-Courts of his Palace, yet were not permitted to see the inward Lodgings, each Room being a several Cabinet to lock up the King's Treasure of Women, who were almost an Army of Ladies under cruel confinement, and bare subsistence of one Man's allowance. This insatiable Monarch suffers no Court to be made on the Queen's side, but with the Majesty and Jealousy of a Game Cock struts in his own Walls, and keeps all but Capons or Eunuches from his Flock of Mistresses; and here-if I may be bold with the Character of an Infidel Prince, he excels all Mankind in Barbarous and Bloody Actions; Massacre and Murder, being his Royal Game and Divertisement, which that it may not cloy his Majesty in one kind, he invents every day a new pastime of Cruelty. The day before our Arrival he threw several Moors to his Lions, taking great delight to see those Lawless Princes Public Executioners of Criminals. All that are Sentenced by the Law to die, are brought to receive their Doom from his Majesty's Sword, or Lance, which Office is not sufficient to satisfy his inclinations to Blood; he destroys several every day by fits of Rage and ill humours. This violent Nature in this mighty Sultan does not only make his Common Slaves, but Chiefest Officers approach him with great Consternation; which though it would be great inhumanity any where else, yet it's in some degree Necessary here. This Savage race of People is not to be deterred from Insolences and Crimes but by hourly and horrid examples of Punishment, and the Wheels of Government have their only motion from a constant and absolute stream of Tyranny. As Force of Arms is the only preservation of their State, so it is alone the means of attaining it: This King mounting his Throne, by stepping upon his Brother's Children, and successors. So that all young Princes of the Blood, not having the Force and Affections of the Country at Command, are born either to a Goal, or a Halter; they never failing to confine or strangle them, for the Security of him that Reigns. One of the King's Nephews, Muley-Hamer, escaping this destiny, has the entire Command of the Kingdom of Sus, the whole Country revolting to him; and intends to show his Title to the whole Empire. By rendezvouzing a vast Army near Morocco; the King, in order to prevent him, is making great preparations for War; his Camp being three Leagues off from hence, and intends at the appearance of the next Moon, which they religiously observe as a signal, to take the Field; so that this Summer may produce considerable action, by the motion of two great Armies. Having received invitation from the King to see the City of Fez, which is the Metropolis of this Kingdom, about twelve Leagues from this place, the 25th. of the last Month we were conveyed. out of Town by the Alcade Omar, who at that time Discoursing with an English Boy, that we had borrowed for an Interpreter, after a most obliging manner gave him his freedom from further Slavery, and presented him to Col. Kirk very generously, desiring him to receive him with the same frankness he gave him; which good Nature in a Moor, I shall always admire; The next day we arrived at that part of the City, they call New-Fez; which is divided from the old by a River, where the greater part is the King's Palace, the Out-Walls being of great Circumference. One of the Sultanesses, or King's Wives, is a Renegado Christian, who has her Court there, and her Son of the age of twelve years having the Command of this City Palace, sent us his Compliment and Invitation to see him and his Court; which we did the next day, and passing the Outguards, we were conducted to a stately Room where the young Prince was seated upon a Carpet, after the Turkish manner, attended by his Governor and other Men of Quality; who after receiving us with very civil expressions, gave us the liberty to look about us, and to view what was extremely delightful, their walks being adorned with rows of Orange-Trees, that grew through a pleasant and glittering pavement of painted Tiles; the Aqueducts and Canals of Water springing in the middle, represent a most Pleasant and Beautiful Scene, and Charming prospect; for the inward apartments, their Furniture being the Queen and her train, we were not permitted to come near; so that from thence we were had to the largest and most stately Stable I ever saw, for length and breadth, capable to hold above 200 Horses and supported with lofty Pillars of at least fifty foot high, being refreshed and cooled by artificial Vaults of Water underneath, necessary against the heats of this Climate. They use neither Rack nor Manger, but fasten them by the four feet in the nature of a Tramel and feed them on the ground; The next day we were conducted through the streets, to take a full view of Old-Fez: Which we observed to be very populous and by the marks and ruins at a distance, to have been anciently a City extraordinary large. Former Ages have had the Honour to find this famous City in great Beauty and Glory, but time hath laid a rough hand upon it, and rendered it so deformed, that her founders would not in the least know her again; which besides superior Effects of Providence, is occasioned by a continual rapine, these Heathens practise out of Ambition who shall Command. Their Mosques, Churches, Baths, for Structure and Ornament are great Monuments of the Virtue and Ingenuity of their Ancestors. But as true Religion and Learning has deserted this People, so has all manner of Art to that degree, that by their neglect and laziness, they must in half another Age become a heap of Rubbish and Confusion. After passing the Morning in the streets of the Town, the Governor did us the Honour to invite us to Dinner at his House; and receiving us with the Ceremony of his Guards in their Arms, and seated at his Gate, after the State and Manner of the Country, Complemented us with great Respect and Kindness; the inward Courts of his House delighted us extremely, the Canale and the Water-works with rows of Orange-Trees, not being much unequal to the beauty of the King's Palace; our Cheer was extraordinary plentiful, and pleasant, after their manner, and served by the Officers of his Guard with all manner of grandeur. When we entered the House we were extremely delighted; it being Furnished with Carpets and Hang, after the richest Turkey Fashion. The Governor and chief Magistrate of the City, after waiting our Dinner time, sat down to a Collation of their own; our Table and Stools being both equal on the ground, and with brimmers of pure Element, we made a sober conclusion of our entertainment; we diverted ourselves three days at the place, and at our return to Mequinez, the King was pleased to send for us; and after examining our opinion of Fez, and our usage there, he expressed himself extremely satisfied with Col. Kirk; telling him, that as he had advanced so far into his Country, and put himself into his Majesty's hands, he would esteem him, as one deserving his Prince's favour by hazarding so much for his Service; but in return of the Value and Faith he had in his word, he should find greater favour, than any Man was ever known to have from him; and though he had great reason to dislike the Ambassadors proceed in distrust of him, and using him with so great delays, yet for his sake he would admit him his presence; and told him, as long as he remained in Tangier, there should never be any Gun fired at the place, but that it should be furnished with Provisions, and Benefits of a hearty Peace; which he believes will be more necessary for us at so far a distance, than a Chargeable War; he desired Col. Kirk to furnish him with some few Guns for his own shooting: And as he performed his promise to him in these small things, he would make a faithful return in whatsoever should concern a long and continued Peace. After Discoursing very morally of Trust and Honour, perceiving an English Slave at his labour, his Majesty after a very Gracious manner, gave him his Liberty, and gave him to Col. Kirk. I could enlarge upon this subject, but I am already guilty of Interrupting your Lordships more weighty affairs; though with no other design, but to show how much I am  
My Lord, Your Lordship's most humble Servant.  
FINIS.   

London, Printed for Walter Davis in Amen-Corner.