( i6 ) 
dry, and therefore it could not but be a very deftrudive Liquof 
to one’s Health. One Dodor there prelent made anlwer, that 
BeTigiaxIahj an ancient and much*relpe(fled Phyfician of Arabia, 
who liv’d near the Time of Avicenna, had written in his Treatife 
of Medicines and Foods, that the Bunn Icorch’d and confum’d the 
Phlegm, and therefore could not have thele Qualities which they 
attributed to it. The Phylicians reply’d, that Bengiazlah did not 
mean the Coffee- Fruit, but another Plant of the fame Name, 
tho’ of different Virtues. They added further, that fuppofing it 
to be amongfl the Number of indifferent Things, yet fince the 
Ufe of it occafion’d fuch Enormities, it was fafefl; for Mujfulmen 
to hold it unlawful. 
This Decifion gain’d the Voices of the whole Company, and 
many, out of Prejudice and miftaken Zeal, affirm’d that Coffee 
had dilorder’d their Senles. One among the reft laid, that it in- 
toxicated like Wine, which occafion’d a general Laughter, becaufe 
in order to judge of that, he muft have drank of both Liquors, 
contrary to the Precepts of his Religion j and being ask’d whe- 
ther he had ever drank Wine, he imprudently anfwer’d in the 
Affirmative j and was thereupon condemn’d to fuffer the Bajli- 
nado , the ordinary Punifliment among Mahometans for this 
Crime. 
The Mufti of Mecca alone, a great Divine, and by Profeffion 
a Lawyer, flood in defence of his Favourite Coffee, oppofing 
the Decifion of the Affembly with great Warmth 5 but all he 
gain’d by it, was the Mortification of hearing himfelf loaded 
with Reproaches by the miftaken Zealots 5 for the Governor, 
principally by the Inlligation of his Imam or Confeflor, conti- 
nu’d firm in his Relolution to deftroy it. 
Thus was the Ufe of Coffee folemnly condemned, as being 
againft the Law ^ the Sentence was pronounced in the ftrongeft 
and moft lofty Terms, being afterwards fignd by the Governor 
and the greateft part of the Dodlors 5 and an Exprefs was im- 
mediately difpatched with it to the Soudan of Egypt their Sove- 
reign. At the fame time the Governor iffued out a ftridl Pro- 
hibition to fell or drink Coffee either in publick or private, under 
the fame Penalties which are incurr’d by thofe who difobey the 
Precepts of Religion. The Officers of Juftice vifited ftridtly all 
Quarters of the Town, iliut up all the Coffee-Houfes, and burnt 
whatever Coffee they could lay their hands on, whether in the 
Warehoufes of Merchants, or in the Poffeffion of particular Per- 
fbns. The Lovers of Coffee, of whom there was a great num- 
ber, did not however fubmit altogether to thefe Orders ; they 
4 contT 
