126 OF AN HOLY WAR. 



man s horse sets his foot, people will come up very 

 thin. 



POLLIO. Yet in the midst of your invective, 

 Martius, do the Turks this right, as to remember 

 that they are no idolaters : for if, as you say, there 

 be a difference between worshipping a base idol, 

 and the sun, there is a much greater difference 

 between worshipping a creature, and the Creator. 

 For the Turks do acknowledge God the Father, 

 creator of heaven and earth, being the first person 

 in the Trinity, though they deny the rest. At 

 which speech, when Martius made some pause, 

 Zebedasus replied with a countenance of great re 

 prehension and severity. ZEBED.EUS. We must take 

 heed, Pollio, that we fall not at unawares into the 

 heresy of Manuel Comnenus emperor of Graecia, 

 who affirmed, that Mahomet s God was the true 

 God : which opinion was not only rejected and con 

 demned by the synod, but imputed to the emperor 

 as extreme madness ; being reproached to him also 

 by the bishop of Thessalonica, in those bitter and 

 strange words, as are not to be named. MARTIUS. 

 I confess that it is my opinion, that a war upon 

 the Turk is more worthy than upon any other 

 gentiles, infidels, or savages, that either have been, 

 or now are, both in point of religion, and in point 

 of honour; though facility, and hope of success, 

 might, perhaps, invite some other choice. But 

 before I proceed, both myself would be glad to 

 take some breath; and I shall frankly desire, that 



