..._proh si scires quam morbosum, quam pestiferum; quamque contagiosum pecus istud de quo loqueris sit, tactu omnia fedant, visu corrumpunt sermone destruunt, divina et humana preturbant, inficiunt, prostrant miseros vicinos circumveniunt, radicitus expellant, funestant; ubicumque pecunias esse presentiunt, tamquam odori canes insequunt; detegunt, effundiunt, per mendacia, perjuria, dolos insidias per litas, si catera non seppelunt, extorquere illas laborant:  aliena miseria, dolore, gemitu, mestitia gaudent_.  With every word of this diatribe, the representative of the Prophet was in perfect agreement.  United in the bonds of a common hatred, than which no union is closer, a treaty between the two powers was easily concluded.  The military chiefs were converted to the advantages of friendly relations with Spain, and means were devised to calm the popular excitement.

Assisted by some monks of the Mount Sion community, the successful ambassador drafted the concessions he solicited, all of which were graciously accorded by the mollified Egyptians.  Christians were henceforth to be permitted to rebuild and repair the ruined sanctuaries throughout the Holy Land; the tribute levied on pilgrims was lightened and guaranties for their personal safety were given.  It is noteworthy that only religious interests received attention, no mention being made of commercial privileges.  More noteworthy still, is the absence of anything tangible given by the adroit envoy in exchange for what he got.  The Sultan was reassured as to the status of such Moors as might remain under Spanish rule, and was encouraged to count upon unspecified future advantages from the friendship of King Ferdinand.  A truly singular result of negotiations begun under such unfavourable auspices, though the value of concessions, to the observance of which nothing constrained the Sultan, seems problematical, and was certainly less than the ambassador, in his naive vanity, hastened to assume and proclaim.

While the text of the treaty was being prepared, Peter Martyr occupied himself in collecting information concerning the mysterious land where he found himself.  Egypt was all but unknown to his contemporaries, whose most recent information concerning the country was derived from the writings of the ancients.  The Legatio Babylonica, consisting of three reports to the Spanish sovereigns, to which addenda were later made, contains a mass of historical and geographical facts, of which Europeans were ignorant; nothing escaped the ambassador’s omnivorous curiosity and discerning scrutiny, during what proved to be a veritable voyage of discovery.  He treats of the flora and fauna of the country; he studied and noted the characteristics of the great life-giver of Egypt—­the Nile.  The Mamelukes engaged his particular attention, though much of the information furnished him about them was erroneous.  He plunged into antiquity, visited, measured, and described the Sphinx and the Pyramids—­also with many errors.  Christian tradition and pious legends have their place in his narrative, especially that of Matarieh—­ubi Christus latuerat when carried by his parents into Egypt to escape the Herodian massacre of the Innocents.