thereby he might give some jealousie to the Rebels as if he designed to make a Peace with Venice to have more power and better leisure to make his War against them This Counsel though prudently given had yet little influence on the humour of the Pasha who continued his March fortifying himself in the most advantageous Passes of the Country But what was most bold of all his actions and rendred his pardon beyond the clemency of his Soveraign was the proclaiming a Youth of twenty years of Age then with him in his Army to be the Son of Sultan Morat and consequently the lawful Heir of the Crown and that in right of him he had taken possession of a great part of Asia and was marching towards Constantinople with resolution to dispossess Sultan Mehmet and exalt this lawful and undoubted Heir on the Throne of his Ancestors This and other rumours from Persia that that King taking the advantage of these disorders was making preparations to regain Bagdat or Babylon and revenge himself of all those cruelties which the Turks had inflicted on his Subjects and Country increased the fears and cares of the chief Ministers of State Notwithstanding which Chusaein Pasha prosecuted his business no less in Candia than formerly in hopes to put an end to the War there before the end of the Summer and in order thereunto he received a Recruit of five and twenty thousand men from the Morea But the daily increase of the Pasha's Forces and his approach towards Constantinople as it was a matter of the highest consequence so it required the most prudence and caution in the management In the first place therefore by Fetfa or Resolve from the Mufti the Pasha was declared a Rebel and guilty of High Treason against the Sultan notwithstanding which a Chaous was dispatched with Letters of Pardon if now repenting of his fault he would disband his Army and return to his former obedience he should be received into grace and favour The Pasha received the Chaous with the same Ceremony and honour as if he had been an Ambassadour being willing to consider him under that Character rather than under the notion of a Pursuivant or Officer sent to affright him into his Duty and in answer to the message replyed That it was not in his power to condescend to any conditions for that since he had assumed the Cause of this Youth who was the Son of Sultan Morat concealed to that Age by his Mother for fear of the power of his Uncle he could not assent to any terms or conditions less than the Exaltation of him to the Ottoman Throne and so carrying this Young Man with him as a property whereby to cover his Rebellion with the Guise of Justice and Duty he maintained a Court for him after the Ottoman fashion and causing the Tagho or Standards to be carried before him he permitted him to give Audiences send Dispatches and to take on him all the royal marks of Empire The Army of the Pasha was by this time encreased to seventy thousand Men one Part of which he sent towards Scutari and another towards Smyrna which alarm'd all the Countries round about and gave the Grand Signior such cause of apprehension that he tryed divers means and made many propositions of honours and benefits to the Pasha whereby to allure him to obedience One while he offered to him the Government of G. Cairo but that being rejected he endeavoured to raise men in Asia to oppose the progress of his Armes of which some numbers being got into a Body and perceiving the formidable Force of the Pasha revolted and joined themselves to his Party This extremity of Affairs caused the Grand Signior not only again to proclaim the Pasha a Rebel but to give liberty to his people to destroy him and his Souldiers in any parts where they should encounter them In pursuance of which Licence a Village in Asia having killed twenty five or thirty of the Pasha's men which came thither to refresh themselves the Pasha was so enraged thereat that he caused his Souldiers to put Man Woman and Child to the sword throughout the Village And in this manner the Affairs of the Turks remained in the greatest Confusion imaginable through the whole course of this year 1658. ANNO 1659. NOR did this Year begin with better Omens of success for to the other dangers was added a report that the Persian had taken the Field with two hundred thousand Men for recovery of Bagdat or Babylon which was the Ancient Patrimony of his Forefathers so that the Grand Signior being rendred thereby more willing to agree and accommodate Affairs with the Pasha proffered to him the Government of the Province of Soria for ever paying only a yearly homage of a hundred thousand Sultanees in lieu of three hundred thousand which that Country always yielded But the Pride of the Pasha scorned a proffer of so mean a consideration having nothing less in his thoughts than the entire enjoyment of the Empire or at least to partake an equal share thereof with the Sultan Forthe hopesof the Pasha encreasing with his Army which was now grown to eighty thousand men he took up for some days his head-Quarters near the Fortress of Tocacaia within ten days March of Smyrna and thence approaching towards Constantinople the chief Ministers concluded that there was no other safety but in their Armes and that the Pasha was not to be reduced to any terms of gentleness or moderation Accordingly the Great Vizier passed into Asia with a numerous Army and speedily joined Battel with the Pasha which continued for some hours with great slaughter on one side and the other but at length the fortune of the day turned in favour of the Pasha and the Viziers Army being routed he lost all his Cannon and Baggage and he himself was forced to save himself in the neighbouring Countries where not being pursued by the Pasha he had time again to collect his torn and scattered Troops The news hereof multiplied the disorders and confusions at Constantinople to which being added the motion of the Persians and that they were to join with the Pasha as also some troubles in Transilvania caused by the unquiet spirit of Ragotski together with the ill humour of the male-contents in the City made all things appear with equal or greater danger at home than abroad Wherefore as the ultimate remedy of these imminent dangers it was resolved that the Grand Signior should go in person to the War on supposition that Reverence to his Royal Person would produce that awe on the spirits of his Subjects which was not to be effected by violence or force of Armes According to this resolution the Grand Signior passed into Asia and joining his Forces with those of the Vizier composed an Army of seventy thousand Foot and thirty thousand Horse with which marching boldly towards the Enemy the heart of the Pasha began to fail him so that calling a Council of his
into his place Sultan Morat Brother to Osman who was murthered the year before The principal Actors in this contrivance were Kiosem the Mother of Morat and the Mufti but in the execution hereof three difficulties occurred The sirst was Chusaein Pasha the Great Vizier who by reason of the inabilities of Mustapha being become absolute Lord and Soveraign of all would be unwilling to assent unto that Proposition which might degrade him of his Dignity and divest him of his Power A second obstacle was the fancy and humor of the Souldiery who having with much zeal and passion exalted Mustapha to the Throne it might be doubted that in maintenance of the same humor they would with equal obstinacy persevere in their Election A third was the poverty or low ebb of the Exchequer which at that time was in no capacity to supply that Donative to the Souldiery which was usual and customary at the Inauguration of every Sultan To forward and hasten this change and ripen this Plot the News of the Rebellion of Abassa did much contribute who with a Body of fifteen thousand Horse roved over all the Plains of Kara-hisar calling himself Avenger of Sultan Osmans Murder and Enemy of the Janisaries by whose Mutiny and Conspiracy he was put to death in satisfaction for which he not only killed all Janisaries which fell into his hands but their wives children and those allied to them he destroyed with implacable malice and bloody rage Upon this advice the Janisaries at Constantinople being moved with equal fury and desire of revenge applied themselves to their Aga proposing a speedy union with the Spahees for suppressing this Rebellion before time gave it greater growth and made the humor more stubborn and difficult to be purged At the same time also came Letters from Cicala Pasha who was dispeeded into Asia with a strong Party to give a stop to the farther progress and advance of Abassa advising that upon his near approach to the Enemy so general a fear possessed his Souldiery that most of them disbanded and forsook their Colours and that at present he had no more than five hundred Janisaries and two hundred Spahees under his Command which he found to be an unequal match to contend with the increasing power of Abassa This Intelligence served happily the occasion of the Mufti Vizier and Aga to give a turn to the desired change and supplied them with an answer to the Janisaries that they were ready to yield compliance unto their Address but that the incapacity of their Soveraign obstructed their proceedings and that the defect in the principal wheel disordered all the motions of good Government At which reply the Janisaries becoming more unquiet assembled themselves in a tumultuous manner at the Mosch of Sultan Solyman where making an Ayack Divan so called because they sit not down but stand on their legs to denote the present haste and urgency of their affair it was enacted by an unanimous consent of the Civil and Military power That young Morat or Amurat should be promoted to the Throne and that Mustapha should be deposed and because the Exchequer was at its lowest ebb and wholly exhausted by miscarriage of the Officers the Souldiers were contented to dispense with their Donative which they relinquished in consideration of the publick good reserving still their Title and Claim thereunto at times of a more happy Inauguration With this News the Vizier immediately mounted on Horse-back to signifie this universal Decree to Mustapha but he found him so stupid as if he had been insensible of the Message and his Mother wanting power to resist this strong convulsion gave way to necessity and seemed to embrace what she could not oppose Thus Mustapha falling from the Heaven of his Throne to the Abyss of his Prison seemed to return unto his centre for being only by the wild-fire of Fortune carried as far aloft as the force of popular powder could reach he afterwards by the meer weight of his earthly temper returned with the like quickness of motion to the place from whence he ascended Hereupon Sultan Amurat a Youth of about fourteen years of age was brought forth to the people and placed in the Throne with all the acclamations and rejoycings of the people And being taught by his Mother in a feigned manner to refuse acceptance of the Empire he pretended that the Exchequer was exhausted and that therefore he was not able to demonstrate the affection and esteem he had for them and that since they had killed their former Sultans he was fearful lest the tenderness of his age should betray him to the like violence but the Souldiery having not the patience to hearken to his excuses immediately carried him to the Divan where having cloathed him in white they seated him on a Safraw erected with four Pillars studded with precious Stones the Covering of which was of Crimson Velvet richly embroidered with Gold and Oriental Pearl And being so seated the Mufti with all reverence approached and kissed his hand and then turning to the people he demanded of them if they were contented with that Prince whom they now beheld in the Seat of the Ottoman Kings to which they having given assent by their loud acclamations Morat with a becoming gravity encharged the Mufti to take care that Justice and the Law be executed and so retired to his Lodgings with general satisfaction The next morning he was carried by Water to the Mosch of Jub in the Suburbs of Constantinople where according to the Solemnity of the Ottoman Empire having performed his Corban or Sacrifice and having his Cemiter girt to his side by the Emirsheriff he mounted on Horse-back and with a magnificent Train entred by the Gate of Adrianople In the mean time Mustapha who was more worthy to bear a Fools Cap than an Imperial Diadem was conducted to Prison and more narrowly guarded than formerly howsoever no man offered to take away his life the persons of Fools and Idiots being sacred in esteem of the Turks and the least injury offered to them accounted irreligious and unlucky Morat was of a lively countenance full-fac'd dark hair of a black and lively eye ruddy and sanguine Complexion and in every degree of a promising and hopeful Aspect but his exteriour appearance did not correspond with the internal cruelty of his violent Spirit having some similitude with the Swan which hath white feathers and black flesh The Great Vizier who assisted at this Solemnity was as we have said Chusaein Pasha a person of self-interest who had wasted and consumed the Treasury and converted a great part thereof to his own benefit he was a Tyrant hated of all men and supported himself by no other Art than bribing of the Souldiery and to his other Crimes he added that of having unjustly persecuted Halil Pasha and deprived him of his Office his power not reaching to the taking away his life which being reserved for better times he was again recalled
found contrary Winds put into Rhodes from whence loosing with more favourable weather they unfortunately met with 6 Malta Gallies excellently well Manned and provided The Admiral Gally immediately Boarded one of the Saiks and took her Manned only by Greeks by whom they were informed of the condition quality and Cargo of the greater Ship which gave heat and resolution to the Souldiery In like manner with little Opposition the Gallies called the St. John and Joseph possessed themselves of one of the lesser Ships which being laden only with Timber brought from the Black Sea to build Ships at Alexandria was of little value having 40 Turks aboard 8 Women and a Child which sucked at the Mothers Breast In the mean time the three other Gallies called the St. Mary St. Lorenzo and Victory attacked the great Gallion and having cast their Iron Graples into the Ship with the motion of the Ship the Irons gave way and broke only that of the St. Lorenzo held fast so that the whole force of the Ship both of small and great Shot was poured in upon the Gally to their damage and loss of men In the mean time the Admiral Gally came in to their assistance and Assaulting the Ship on the other Quarter made a Diversion of their men and having thrown in their Graples they scaled the sides of the Gallion as if it had been a Fortress where being entred they remained for some time at handy-blows with the Turks but at length all the Gallies coming to their help having made an end of subduing the other Ships the Turks were forced to retire under Covert of their Decks which they defended still with singular valour wounding the Christians with their half Pikes through the Gratings But in fine the Captains of the Gallies perceiving that this was not the way to compel them to a speedy Surrender ordered several Musquetiers out of every Gally to fire in at the Windows and loop-holes of the Ship by which having killed their Commander in Chief their Valour and Constancy began to fail and desirous to save their lives with loss of Liberty and Estates they cast down their Armes and begged mercy In this Engagement were killed the Captain of the St. Mary and seven Gavaliers of which five were French one Italian and one German the Admiral himself and the Captain of his Gally were both wounded 79 Souldiers and Mariners killed and 132 wounded of the Turks it is not certain how many fell in regard as they were killed according to Custom they cast them over-Board the Eunuch himself though always educated in the softness of the Seraglio and in the Conversation of the Female Court yet in the end concluded his days like one of the Masculine Sex fighting valiantly with his Sword until over-whelmed by his Enemies by which it is observable that those persons loss not their Courage with their virile parts for it hath been known in former days how that Eunuchs have been Generals in the Turkish and other Armies and Conducted their affairs with admirable Courage and Success The prize which the Christians had gained in this manner was very considerable for besides the Gold Silver and Jewels which were theTreasure this Eunuch had amassed in the Reign of three several Sultans they gained 350 Slaves besides 30 Women some of which were young and Virgins so that there was not a Souldier or Seaman who had not a considerable share of 〈◊〉 proportioned unto him With this Fortune towing their prizes they in a short time came to an Anchor in the Port of Calismene in the Island of Candia called antiently Phenice on the South-side of the Island remote from all Venetian Garrisons and where as it is reported they were supplyed with no Provisions excepting a small quantity of Biskot which was furnished by a Country Fellow who for that very cause was shot to death Front hence the Gallies departing arrived in Malta with their Prizes where they were received in great Triumph The young Son of the Eunuch for so we call him was reported to be a Son of the Grand Signior sent into Egypt to be Educated and was accordingly saluted 〈◊〉 and reverenced by the Grand Master the same Opinion was dispersed and confirmed in all parts of Europe and the Errour for many years maintained at the expenoe of the Religion until the Boy growing up to a good Age and not judged worthy of a Ransom or enquiry after by the Turks it was thought convenient for him to put off his State and Greatness and become a Fryer and I think a Dominican and this is he who now goes under the name of the Padre Ottomano The news hereof arriving at the Ottoman Court Sultan Ibrahim was transported with Anger threatning Destruction and Ruin unto Malta besides he shewed a most inveterate Passion against the Venetians for not guarding the Seas from his Enemies and for relieving them in their Ports In which Rage and Fury he put his own Captain Pasha to death and Summoned the Christian Ambassadours braving them all for the little respect was shown to his proper Shipping and in short was angry with all but reserved the effect of his wrath to be poured on the Venetians to which this accident administred the first original and will afford us ample matter of discourse in this ensuing History For the Grand Signior first made his Complaints against Venice to their Minister or Bailo then residont at Constantinople called Soranço alledging that contrary to the Articles of Peace they had afforded Provisions and Entertainment to his Enemies in Candia and at a time when having made prize of his own Ship and Domestiques of his Seraglio they seemed with more extraordinary demonstrations of Hospitality than usual to receive them into their Harbours To which the Bailo made Answer That his Majesty was ill informed of the true state of those matters for that the Port to which the Malteses came had neither Castle nor Fortress belonging to it but was an open wide and unfortified place for if the Grand Signior is not able to defend those Ships from careening as they have often done before Rhodes it self how was it possible for the Venetians to drive them from the Seas and deny them the use of that Salt Water which hath neither Fort nor Castle to reach and Command them With which Answer Ibrahim seemed to remain satisfied and matters appeared so appeased on the side of the Venetians that Soranço though a person of a most acute and penetrating judgment imagined nothing less than a War and though he was assured otherwise by something that the English Ambassadour had discovered in that matter yet because it came not first from the report of one of his own Interpreters he would not seem to believe or give credit thereunto notwithstanding the strong probabilities that might perswade it Indeed Christian Ministers must necessarily with much difficulties and less inspection govern and penetrate affairs in the Turkish Court than in
Spectator with zeal to his Sect and Prophet until the Turkish Souldiery who inhabit the Borders glutted with so much cruelty towards their Neighbours began to murmur and at length to speak aloud That to destroy Captives in cold blood was an action against the Law of Arms and might be revenged by their Enemies with like examples of cruelty since none there present being all Souldiers were secure from the misfortunes and mutabilities of War The Vizier over-hearing these whispers of the Souldiery gave a stop to the cruelty of the Executioners and sent such as survived to different Prisons in Buda Adrianople and Constantinople I have seen not far from Strigonium the heads of these Wretches thus miserably butchered thrown up into a heap the beards and hair of those that lay undermost still growing the earth which sucked in their blood became thence stenched up and barren and the white bones and carkasses of their bodies lay dispersed and scattered in a large field so that I could not but call to mind the massacred Legions under the Conduct of Quintilius Varus in Germany and those albentia ossa and the barbarous Altars flowing with the Roman blood and I could as passionately fancy to have seen the angry Germans return to appease the Ghosts of their Country-men with decent Burial as I was sensible of Germanicus his zeal when he adventured to contaminate his Augurs Office by his too forward Humanity and Religion towards his Country and Parentage But this cruelty of the Vizier was recompensed by Count Serini not long after who having had some success against Arnaut Basha and his Army of whom he had slain six hundred men and such as he took alive in cold blood he dismembred and tortured and having of some cut off their hands and plucked out their eyes sent them to report the reason of this inhumane and merciless usage to the Vizier In the mean time Forcatz advised General 〈◊〉 the Governour of Rab of this defeat and how the flower and strength of his Garrison was destroyed and that if he were not immediately supplied he should be forced to abandon his Fort and leave all to the fury and mercy of the Enemy Hereupon a thousand Germans were sent for succour with all sorts of Ammunition and Provisions requisite but the Turks after their Triumph before Strigonium returned and marched on so fast towards Newhausel having passed the Danube that certainly they had intercepted this Recruit had not Forcatz amused their minds and for a while stopped their hasty approach by advancing a white Flag to the top of the Walls as if he had had a design of Treaty and Surrender of the Town upon Conditions so that here the Turkish Army made a halt and for three or four hours time remained with expectation when Conditions for the Surrender should come every one wondering to see the Flag of Truce erected and so much silence in the Fort and yet no appearance of a Message In this interval and breathing of time the Succour safely arriving within the Town the white Flag was changed to colours of defiance to the great astonishment and anger of the Turks Whereupon the Vizier drawing somewhat nearer began to intrench and begirt the Town on the 4 th of August which was defended by three principal Officers viz. Count Adam Forcatz the Marquess Pio an Italian and one Lucatelli an old and experienced Souldier But the Vizier before he would offer any violence to the Town thought sit to summon them in this stile That through the Grace of God and the Miracles of our Prophet who is a Son of both Worlds and by whom there is Happiness and Glory I that am the first of the Council and General of the most Mighty Emperour of the Turks that is the King of all Kings of the Earth To you Adam Forcatz that are the Chief among all the Nobility of Hungary do make known That through the Command of my most Gracious Lord the most terrible the most puissant and most mysterious Emperour I am come with his Forces before Newhausel to reduce it to his Obedience Wherefore if you shall deliver up the place to Us you shall have liberty to march out with what belongs unto you from the highest to the lowest and he that would rather stay shall keep his Goods and Estate but if you will not yield we will take it by force and every man of you from the highest to the lowest shall be put to the sword If the Hungarians did but know the good intentions of the mighty Emperour they and their children would bless God for him Peace be to the obedient The Christians not submitting to these Summons the Turks continued to make their nearer approaches and being now at a convenient distance raised two great Batteries on which they mounted a hundred Pieces of Cannon and from thence made such constant shot as shaked the Churches and almost levelled the most lofty Buildings with their foundations The 14 th of August was designed for a general storm so that before break of day Faggots and Rubbish were brought to fill the Ditches and sealing Ladders to ascend the Walls but though the Ottoman Forces were puissant and their Assault they made fierce and brisk yet they were received with that gallantry by the Defendants that the Trenches early in the morning were filled with the carkasses of the dead and at last the Turks forced to give over the Assault with the loss of great numbers of their men The Siege still continuing and the Turks angry and inflamed with the disgrace of their late foil endeavoured to redeem their Honour by their Attempts filling up the Ditches with Rubbish serving themselves therein of the Christian Captives lately taken The Defendants on the other side by the dictates of Nature and Reason were directed to maintain their houses wives and children from the rapine and violence of an unjust Enemy so that both Parties moving from different Principles used all the Art and Valour possible for destruction each of other the noise of Cannon from the Forts raised by the Turks resounded continually in the Air and from the Town the shot were often so fortunately placed that daily besides great numbers of ordinary Souldiers many Persons of Note and Quality amongst the Turks were slain But the Turks having before this Town a greater number of Souldiers than either could come to sight or what was thought necessary to subdue it the Vizier selected from his Army a very considerable Force to enter and spoil Moravia and Austria of these were 600 Tartars joyned to a strong Force of Turks who by the guidance of the Natives passing the River Waegh spoiled and destroyed all the Country round about carrying men women and children into slavery leaving what was not conveniently portable in ashes But in passing the River they incountred a considerable Body of Germans both Horse and Foot and being opposed by them were at first forced to retreat
beds at home unconcerned in the dangers labours and hazards of those who live and act abroad can make their reflexions and pass their censures on active and ingaged men not considering the state of affairs the uncertainty of Succours in so long and distant a tract of Sea as passes between Venice and Candia subjected to winds and a thousand casualties nor yet the numerous Troops of the Enemy nor the Puissance of that Empire which for its Power Richess and the Valour of its Souldiery may be esteemed the most Potent and considerable of all the Monarchies and known Kingdoms of the Universe But what conjectures soever envious men might make of the Conduct of Marquess Villa yet the Senate of Venice applauded his labours and owned his services as being such which having merited the admiration and esteem of all the World did in a particulae manner challenge their thankfulness and acknowledgments About this time the Gallies of Malta arrived at Candia where some dispute arising touching the place of precedence in the Fleet which the Venetians denied to them they departed thence with some dissatisfaction and returned to the Westward to transport the young Empress out of Spain into Italy And now Intelligence coming to Candia by divers Letters that the Great Vizier was departed from Adrianople with a numerous Army and was already arrived at Thebes where a general Rendezvous was appointed of the whole Army with resolution to be transported from Malvoisia to that Island the Venetian Generals and Commanders in chief concluded it necessary if possible to hinder their passage and rather to fight them at Sea which was their more propitious Element than to attend their landing where they would be forced to dispute with unequal numbers and on disadvantageous terms Accordingly the Captain-General reinforced his Fleet with two thousand Foot and a thousand Horse under the Command of Count Licinio Martinoni appointing the Rendezvous to be at Argentiera to which place also Marquess Villa repaired touching by the way at Milo for refreshment of his Horse it being an Island abounding with herbage the Captain-General being for some days detained at Standia by contrary winds a Consultation was held for the more advantageous management of the War after which the whole Fleet making sail was on August the 9 th scattered by a furious storm and not being able to recover Santoxini they by good fortune fetched Stampalia an Island abounding with generous Wines excellent Fruit Partridges and other Provisions at length after various fortunes arriving at Andra which is a great and populous Island another Council of War was held where it was again concluded That all care was to be taken to intercept the Succours which the Enemy daily sent to Candia to which end the Cavalier Grimani Captain of the Galleons was ordered to cruise about the Coast and hearing that twelve Turkish Ships were lading Provisions in the Gulf of Volo he repaired thither and had the good fortune to take them with all their lading but the other Squadrons missed of the like success for notwithstanding the care and vigilance which was used all matters seemed to succeed prosperous for the Turks and adverse to the Christians the designs of the first having an issue agreeable to their intentions whilst those of the latter were always disappointed either by Nature or by Fortune or rather by that secret hand of Providence which had allotted that Island for a Prize to the Ottoman Arms. By this time the Turkish Army being at their Rendezvous at Thebes the Great Vizier prepared to imbark and considering the difficulty of the passage thought it prudent first to make new Propositions to Signior Ballarino before he entred on this hazardous attempt supposing perhaps that the rumour of this March might have affrighted the Venetians to a Surrender of that Kingdom that they might spare the blood and charge of that War which afterwards ensued wherefore Ballarino being called from his house at Constantinople began his Journey towards Thebes on the 25 th of August accompanied by a Capugibashee and three Janisaries and in twenty three days arriving at Thessalonica now called Salonica he fell sick of a violent Feaver caused by that agitation of body in his Travels to which he was unaccustomed and for want of that sleep which he used to take after his slender dinner passing the rest of the day and night in continual watchings at first he felt only some little alterations which he hoping might pass over resolved to proceed on his Journey notwithstanding the perswasions to the contrary of Signior Patavino his Secretary with whom I was well acquainted and ever esteemed for an honest and a worthy Person but he continued resolute to proceed fearing left his delays by the way should lose him the opportunity of that moment of Treaty which was impossible afterwards to be retrieved for in his Journey he would often reason in this manner If I should stop here what censure would the World pass on me I may possibly excuse my self but in the mean time the Vizier may ingage too far in his design and frustrate all those methods and foundations which I have laid towards a Peace and then if I live I shall be over-burdened with the reproaches of the World for having abandoned the grand incumbence in its ultimate necessity which is charged upon me which will be a more sensible affliction than the agony of death My sickness will be esteemed by many to be rather dissembled than real The dead man lives in the memory of his faithfulness and constancy and the living man dyes in the indelible characters of his cowardise and misfortune These were his own words And thus travelling forward his Feaver daily increased to that excess that on the sixth day he was forced to stop at a City called Isdino where having instructed Signior Patavino in what manner he ought to manage affairs and recommending his services and children to the favour and protection of the Senate he passed to the other World being honoured by a solemn Funeral at the publick Expence and interred in the Church of St. Mark his Son Domenico Ballarino succeeding into the Office and Inheritance of his Father The Senate understanding by advices from Signior Padavino That the Vizier desired another Envoyé qualified with the Character of a publick Minister to reside with him in Candia dispatched the Secretary Girolamo Giavarina a Person of good abilities to that place And at the same time the Captain-General Andrea Cornaro pressing the Senate for licence to return to his own Country his request was granted and Francesco Morosini was appointed to succeed him in that important Charge and was accompanied at a time of so great emergency with powerful Convoys and with Recruits of Men Provisions and Ammunition sitting to carry on so pressing a War On the month of October the Great Vizier in person imbarking himself and Army at Malvoisia with many Pasha's and men expert and
active in the War passed over to the Isle of Candia resolving by strength and dint of Sword to force that strong City to obedience the main Bulwark of Christendom situated at the entrance of the Archipelago of the success of which famous Siege we shall have occasion to discourse more at large and more particularly hereafter in order unto which the Great Vizier on the last day of this Year went in Person to take a view of this City and having surveyed all sides of it apprehended that the Siege would be long and tedious and therefore returned again to Canea to take those measures which were requisite for an Enterprise of that weight and consideration In the mean time the Princes of Christendom being for the most part either in that discord amongst themselves of which the Turks have always made their advantage or else living in parts remote did not consider Candia as a Bulwark to their Dominions and therefore rendred little other assistance to the Venetians than good words and vain wishes for their success and Victory The Popes Forces only under Command of Muzeo Mattei which were in Dalmatia were transported to Candia and five hundred Foot belonging to the Grand Duke of Toscany came into their places for defence of that Country The most Christian King in return to the Embassy of Venice performed by the Cavalier Alvise Sagredo remitted to that Republick an hundred thousand Crowns and Cardinal Barberini at his expence supplied four thousand Measures of Corn. But the present Conjuncture did not seem to smile on the Venetians for all the Gallies belonging to Spain and Italy as well as those of Malta were employed in the transportation of the new Empress Margerita of Austria The Pope was infirm and distracted with his own domestick Affairs The Emperour was a young Bridegroom and besides the Diversion which a Wife gave him from Cares he apprehended that he might speedily receive some disturbance from the Princes of the Rhine and from Sweden in the Dukedom of Bremen The King of Spain was a Child of five years old labouring at the same time under a war with Portugal and threatned by the more powerful Arms of France on the pretence of Flanders Besides all which the Turks were as well in quietness amongst themselves as they were at peace with all other Princes so that we may expect that the force and power of the Ottoman Empire should now be turned like a Torrent to overwhelm this spot of land which seemed to be so scituated as well to resist the Waves of the Seas as the inundation of this mighty and Martial People Anno Christi 1667. Hegeira 1078. AT the Beginning of this year the Winter and Cold which chilled and benumbed the Earth encreased the heat and gave vigour and action to the Tartars who made such an unexpected incursion into Poland that they carried with them near a hundred thousand captived Souls as they were numbred before Jash in their return home The Polanders awakened hereat but ill advised resolved on a Treaty where there was more just cause for an open War and in order thereunto dispeeded an Ambassadour to the Sultan to expostulate the reason of this Breach of Peace and require justice and satisfaction on those his Subjects who had contrary to the Articles of Peace committed such actions and outrages of open hostility or at least that the Turk would not take upon him to abett the cause of the Tartars whilst the Polanders took just revenge for their late injuries The Ambassadour with this message put himself in a readiness and with a retinue of about two hundred and fifty persons begun his journey towards the end of April and on the second of May crossed the River Niestro which divides Poland from Moldavia where he was received by two of the Boiars or Moldavian Noblemen and thence conducted to Jash where the Prince of that Country resided The Ambassadour expected the Visit of the Prince according to Custom and Articles of Peace but the Prince being either forbidden by the Port or rather out of an ignorant stiffness and pride omitted to pass the Civilities of that Office but yet supplied the Ambassadour with plenty of Wine and Provisions which the Polanders enjoying freely dispensed perhaps more easily with other neglects and omissions which concerned formalities and ceremonies The ninth of June the Ambassadour arrived at Adrianople and thence was called to Demitochum a City about a days Journey distant where the Grand Signior for the sake of his hunting and divertisement remained under Tents as the most convenient lodging in that Season of the year the 25 th the Ambassadour had his first Audience with the Chimacam at which thirty five of his Retinue were vested with Coftans nothing passing but the usual Ceremonies and Complements The 28 th he had Audience of the Grand Signior but first made tender of his Presents as followeth A Crystal Cup in a Case of Gold adorned with Rubies and Diamonds 2 Baskets rarely woven with a very fine Rush. A Clock A Cabinet of Ebony supported with four Eagles made of Silver in which also was a Clock with a perspective Looking-Glass 2 Silver Cups of considerable bigness 2 Silver Flaggons A Gun which discharged twenty times 2 Spotted Dogs 4 Mastiffs 100 Ells of Holland These Presents preceding made way for the Ambassadours Audience at which he declared That the Commission from his Master the King of Poland was to make Complaints unto his Majesty of the grand Incursions the Tartars had made into Poland without any reason or cause of War and that therefore his Master did expect from him as from a just and vertuous Prince a permission for revenge and satisfaction of his injuries to enter Tartary without assuming it as any ground of Breach or Infringement of that Peace which he held with him or else that he would by his authority enjoin the Tartars to restore their Captives and their spoils and render them a reasonable satisfaction The Grand Signior returned no reply hereunto but referred that to be done by his Chimacam silence being esteemed some part of his Majesty and State which he seldom breaks but with few and haughty words This Ambassadour was a man of a bold and daring Spirit a fit Orator for such an Embassy had not his immoderate Covetousness the vice and folly commonly incident to Old Age much eclipsed many of those Vertues of which he was Master He was also a Man of a violent temper feavered to a madness in the height of his Choler which strangely betrayed him to many undecencies in his Language and Comportment For at his Audience with the Chimacam when he came to receive the Grand Signior's Answer his words were vented with that heat and so like to menaces that the Turks taking exception thereat returned his course Speeches with the like Dialect at which the Ambassadour swelled with that indignation and anger as became not the Moderation and Gravity of his Office