intoxication of fuccefs once diffipated, Selim perceived his error; and, that he might profit by this important conqueft, endeavoured to gain the good-will of the Mamluks; in order to which he made very little change in their form of government, and granted them very peculiar privileges, fpecified in a treaty, the principal articles of which are as follow.

Though, with Almighty aid, our invincible arms have conquered the kingdom of Egypt, yet we, from our benevolence, grant the four and twenty Sangiaks (r), of this country, a republican government, on the following conditions."

I. The republic of Egypt fhall acknow ledge our fovereignty, and that of our fucceffors; and, as a mark of obedience, shall honor, as our reprefentative, the governor whom we fhail pleafe to fend, and who fhall refide in the castle of Grand Cairo. During his adminiftration, he fhall undertake nothing contrary to our will, or the interests of the republic; but fhall advife with the Beys concerning the good of the state; and, fhould he become difagreeable to them, or

(r) Sangiaks has the fame meaning as Beys.

attempt to infringe their privileges, we authorise them to fufpend him, and lay their complaints before our fublime Porte, that they may be delivered from his oppreffion.

II. In time of war, the republic shall be obliged to furnish us and our fucceffors with twelve thousand men, commanded by Sangiaks, and maintain them till the conclufion of peace.

III. Each year the republic fhall raise five hundred and fixty thousand Aslani (s), and fend them, under the efcort of a Bey, to our sublime Porte, who shall receive, from our Defterdar, (Treasurer) a legal acquittance, to which our feal, and that of our Vizir, fhall be affixed.

IV. The republic fhall raife the like Khafna (fum) of five hundred and fixty thousand Aflani for the fupport of Medina, and the caaba, or temple of Mecca, which fhall be annually fent, under the escort of

(s) This fum has been increased to eight hundred thousand Aflani; but the Beys pretend they are obliged to be at exceffive expences, in repairing canals and fortreffes, and do not fend the half to Conftantinople, Aflani is a filver coin, worth about half a crown.

the

the Sheik El Balad (t), or the Emir Hadge, which they shall deliver to the Scherif, the fucceffor of our prophet, for the service of the house of God, and to be diftributed among the perfons who refide there, that their prayers may be obtained for us, and the faithful who believe in the Koran. (u). V. The republic fhall only maintain, in time of peace, fourteen thousand foldiers, or janissaries, but shall have permiffion to augment that army, during war, that its enemies,

and ours, may be opposed.

VI. The republic fhall also deduct, from the productions of the country, a million of couffes (x) of grain, fix hundred thousand of wheat, and four hundred thousand of barley, to be laid up in our granaries.

VII. These articles obferved, the republic shall enjoy absolute power over the inhabitants of Egypt; but, in religious matters,

(t) Sheik El Balad, the Elder of the country, is the title of the Bey who is at the head of the republic. Emir Hadge fignifies Prince of the caravan, and is the second dignity in the republic.

(a) This fum is not raised in money, but corn, and the productions of Egypt.

(x) An oval panier, made of date-tree leaves, containing about a hundred and feventy pounds weight.

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fhall

shall advife with the Mollah, or High priest, who fhall be fubject to our authority, or that of our fucceffors.

VIII. The republic fhall enjoy, as heretofore, the right of coining, and stamping the name Mafr (y); but fhall add thereto our name, or that of our fucceffors, and the governor we send fhall inspect the coinage, that the legend may not be altered.

IX. The Beys shall elect among themselves a Sheik El Balad; who, when confirmed by our governor, fhall be their head, and acknowledged by our officers as chief of the republic. If it shall so happen that our governors fhall become guilty of oppreffion, and exceed the limits of his power, the Sheik El Balad fhall have a right to lay the complaints of the public before our fublime Porte. Should foreign enemies difturb the peace of the republic, we promife, for us and our fucceffors, to protect it, with all our powers, without having a right to exact any indemnity for the expence incurred in its aid.

() Mafr is the name the Arabs give to Egypt in general, and Grand Cairo in particular, pretending that this country was peopled by Mifraim, grandfon of Noan.

Done

Done and figned, by our clemency, in favour of the republic of Egypt, in the year 887, of the Hegira, (A. D. 1517.)

From this treaty you will learn, Sir, the laft change of Egyptian government partook of Monarchy and Ariftocracy. The first in the perfon of a Pacha, the fecond in those of the Beys, who, effentially, compofe the republic, The Pacha, properly speaking, is a phantom, difpelled by their breath. The Sangiaks, at the head of provinces and armies, in reality, enjoy all the power; to their mercy are the people abandoned, in whofe favour the treaty contains not one word. May we not fay a merchant fold three or four millions of flaves, to four and twenty foreigners, for five hundred and fixty thousand aflani? Abfolute power is configned over to them. They are permitted to levy arbitrary tributes, and exercife, without reftraint, every fpecies of tyranny. Thus do despots barter nations! Thus do they submit to fuch fhame, and think not of reclaiming the facred rights they have received from nature! Selim, in the vast extent of his dominions, faw but a vile herd of flaves, whom he might difpofe of at his pleasure.

The