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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57997	The history of the Turkish Empire, from the year 1623, to the year 1677 Containing the reigns of the three last emperors, viz. Sultan Morat, or Amurat IV. Sultan Ibrahim, and Sultan Mahomet IV, his son, the thirteenth emperor, now reigning. By Sir Paul Rycaut, late consul of Smyrna.	Rycaut, Paul, Sir, 1628-1700.; Knolles, Richard, 1550?-1610. Generall historie of the Turkes. aut; Manley, Roger, Sir, 1626?-1688. History of the Turkish Empire continued. aut; Rycaut, Paul, Sir, 1628-1700. Memoirs. aut; White, Robert, 1645-1703,	1687 (1687)	Wing R2407; ESTC R8667	720,857	331

by a common and unanimous Suffrage elected Francesco Erizzo then Doge General of the Sea judging that their Arms would prosper under his Command which had formerly been successful under the auspicious Conduct of his Ancestors and he though a Person of seventy four Years worn out with Age and Cares of the Publick did yet chearfully consecrate the remainder of his days to the Service of his Country But whilst he prepared to crown the end of his Life with the Glory of this important and generous Enterprize Death terminated all his Intentions leaving him with the honourable memory of his past Actions and with a Lawrel hanging over his Head which had his Life continued had been planted on his Brows But that this Accident might not give interruption to the weighty Affairs now in had Molino took his place and proceeded in his Voyage and Designs and arrived with the Venetian Fleet at the Island of Corfu In the mean time the Turkish Fleet careened and fitted themselves at Navarine with all Necessaries to assault Candia in which interim advice came to Canea that the the Bailo was imprisoned at Constantinople by a Letter from Soranço himself which he had dropped from the Window of his close restraint and dispatched by one of his Confidents with a Vessel express which was not sooner arrived than it was that Night confirmed by all the Beacons or Watch-Towers of the Country who having discoverd the Turkish Fleet far distant as Sea gave a general Alarm by the Fires they made The next Morning being the 23 / 13 of June they discovered the whole Fleet near Cape Spada which being drawn up in the form of an half Moon took up a vast tract of Sea and sailing slowly with fair Weather and a smooth Sea displayed themselves with the greatest terrour imaginable to the Islanders At length the lighter Vessels began to edge in with the Bank of Gogna which is a place distant about eighteen miles from Canea and were followed by the grosser and heavier part of the Armata And now before I proceed farther I should make a pause and describe the Antiquity the Geography and the present State of this famous and renowned Island but that is already performed so distinctly and elegantly by other Pens that it shall be sufficient for me to declare here in brief terms how this Kingdom became the Patrimony or Possession of Venice In the Year 1204 a Sale thereof was made to this Republick by the Marquess Bonifaccio of Montferratto by an Instrument sealed the 12th of August at Adrianople and signed and delivered in the presence of Marco Sanudo and Ravano du Verona Ambassadours in the time of Enrigo Dandola Doge but the People of this Island not consenting unto the sale opposed themselves against it until the Venetians by force of Arms procured their Obedience and confirmed their purchase by a double Title Hereupon such noble Citizens as adventured their Lives in his acquisition obtained the Estates of the Rebellious Greeks being obliged in proportion to the Lands they held to maintain Men and Horse at their own Charge and are therefore called the Feudatary Cavalry So that the whole Country is divided into three parts viz. the noble Venetians or Cavalry secondly the noble Candiots or Colony which were Infantry that came to inhabit from Venice and thirdly the Greeks or Natives of the Country which never rebelled but took part with the Venetian State the first two speak Italian and are of the Roman Church the others speak Greek and conserve the Right of that Religion The Ottoman Fleet now touching the Shoar at Gogna took Livery and Seizin quietly of that flourishing Isle of Candia where they Encamped a while to refresh their Forces and prepare all things in order to their Conquest In the mean time the news hereof alarmed all Venice and not only hastened them in the expedition of their Fleet but warmed their applications to all Christian Princes from whom they craved help in the general defence of Christendom which some at first imagined would have been granted as it was once in the time of the Holy War or that those whom the Declaration of a common Crusada or Devotion or sense of Religion could not move yet at least the consideration of their Countries Defence or the maintenance of a Bulwark of Christendom might perswade to wage Arms against the Turk as a Common Enemy but what cold Apprehensions the Christian Princes entertained hereof both the faint Supplies and Assistances they administred and their bloody and vigorous Wars one against another have abundantly testified to the fatal loss and ruin of that Country And though in the beginning there were better hopes by means of the Pope's earnest intercession with all the Princes of Italy to whom he shewed a fair Example by uniting his own Gallies with the Venetian Fleet and amongst the rest prevailed also with the Republick of Genoua to employ their Gallies in this Noble Enterprize which tended to the Glory of God and the common Safety and Preservation of Italy yet that Leaven of vain Punctilio's which hath so often betrayed the Christian Cause to the advantage of the Turk gave a stop for some time to these Proceedings For before they would enter into Arms they desired the Genoeses that the right of bearing the Flag should first be determined in favour of their Admiral before that of Toscany or Malta And though the Pope to take away this occasion of dispute proposed to have no other Flag worn besides his own under which all Italian Princes without impeachment of their Honour as Auxiliaries and Military Adventurers might promiscuously wage War yet this could not appear satisfactory to the Genoeses who not only took this occasion to demand the precedency before Toscany and Malta to which the G. Duke who was not inferiour in State and superiour in Title and the Malteses who time out of mind and by Decree of Charles the Fifth claimed Precedency on the Seas before them would never assent but also thought fit to avail themselves in this Conjuncture to obtain from the Pope the Grant of a Royal Court and that Treatment which is given to Kings or Crowned Heads But because these Demands seemed to contain those Difficulties in them which could not be granted without the manifest displeasure of other Princes the Pope resolved to afford what assistance he could from himself and therefore granted a Levy of a thousand Foot out of his own Dominions with free liberty to buy what Ammunition and Provisions were to be found in the Ecclesiastical State with imposition of a double Tithe or Tenth on the Goods and Dominions of the Clergy so that these Succours of the Pope and the Auxiliary Forces of Naples Toscany and Malta under the Command of Prince Ludovisio General of the Church being united to the Venetian Fleet did speedily compose a most puissant and formidable Force however by reason of Dissentions amongst the Commanders and other Misfortunes derived

superstition and strength of fancy in the minds of the Vulgar And the rumors in the Camp that the Vizier upon a false Alarm of the approach of the Enemy towards his Quarters had commanded the Army to retreat administred fury and courage to the Christians and fear and amazement to his own from which errour and timidity was occasioned that slaughter which ensued on which discourses and reports dangerous discontents daily increasing in the hearts of the souldiery it is thought they would have vented their passion and revenge on their General had he not at a publick Assembly of all the Heads and Commanders of the Army cleared himself freely by charging the miscarriage of all upon the Grand Signior having acted nothing but with Authority of the Imperial Command promising with as much speed as honour and safety would permit by agreement and composition of Peace to bring the War to a conclusion And this contrivance and art was that as is supposed which for the present secured his life for the Soldiery were greatly terrified and possessed with a dread of the Christians and amazement upon every Alarm For the old and experienced Commanders and Veterane Souldiers were either destroyed by the secret Proscriptions of the Vizier Kuperlee or slain in the Engagements of this Year and the Asian Spahees and other Soldiers having Wives and Children and Possessions to look after were grown poor and desired nothing more than in peace and quietness to return to their homes So that nothing could come more grateful to this Camp no largesses or donatives could pacifie the minds of the Soldiery more than the promises and expectations of a Peace The Sultan during these disturbances and misfortunes was preparing for a hunting Journey to an obscure Village called Yamboli The Grand Signiors hunting at Yamboli about three or four days travel from Adrianople designing to drive all those vast Woods along the Black Sea for Game where he had a small ruinous Seraglio The Queen-Mother the Chimacam with all the Court were to accompany him The Equipage and Pomp he went in perswaded many that the design of that Journey was grounded on other causes of Policy than what were generally penetrated Some conceived that the Vizier contrived his Journey thither to divert him from opportunities of receiving intelligence from Spahees and others of the true state of the Camp and management of Affairs Others judged it might be to avoid in that obscure place the mutinous seditions of the Soldiery On what consideration soever it might be the Grand Signior having spent some time abroad returned again to Adrianople with all his Retinue without doing any thing more important than killing great numbers of wild Beasts and ennobling those Wildernesses and Woods about Yamboli with the fame of his renowned Hunting Keblelee Pasha being slain as we have said before Serinswar who was Husband to the Viziers Sister the Vizier bestowed the Widow on Husaein Pasha of Silistria And much about the same time the Grand Signior considering that his own Sister by the death of her old Husband Ishmael Pasha slain in the last Battel led a single life conferred her in Marriage upon the old Mahomet Pasha whom before we have related to have been Kahya to the Vizier late Pasha of Darbiquier and now of Aleppo who as an Honour charged with a weight of troubles and other inconveniences seemed thankfully to receive her and though he was a man of Ninety years of age and had long since forgot the solaces of the bridal Bed yet according to the custom of Marriage with a Sultana he was ingaged to divorce his former Wife with whom he had past the Summer and Winter of his age and as a constant Husband was still uxorious in his love So that in the midst of Wars where some found Graves others found Marriage-beds and reason of State found a Vacation to conjoyn Mars and Venus without interruption of ruder Enterprises The Great Vizier after his defear marched to Stultweissenburg or Alba Regalis to recruit and refresh his Army and expect the Recruit of the Pasha of Aleppo who was said to bring with him about Eight thousand Soldiers From Sultweissenburg the Turks with the gross of their Army returned to Strigonium Vizier sends for the Princes of Moldavia and Valachia and here the Vizier not unmindful of the shameful flight and rebellious return of the Princes of Moldavia and Valachia to their own Countries without his order or permission sent one Messenger after the other in great haste and fury after the Turkish manner to recal those Princes to the War and that laying aside all excuses whatsoever they should immediatly with what Forces they could collect repair again to the Camp. The Princes of Moldavia and Valachia recalled to the Wars The Princes weary of the War and fearful of the Viziers evil intentions to take away their lives endeavoured to excuse their flight alledging that their People would not obey or follow them to the Wars in any considerable numbers and that now it being the end of the Summer new Levies would be of great expence and of little benefit and disenable them from paying their yearly Tribute of which notwithstanding their consumption of Treasure in the last Expedition they were like to find no ease or relaxation though a burden too great for their harassed and impoverished Country to support But these excuses were no arguments to resolved Turks so that Commands came doubled and trebled one after the other full of threats and menaces to march forward with what Forces they could collect the Messengers assuring them That there was no design prepared against them by the Vizier but what was friendly and of good intention At length the Princes not able to remain longer without a censure of Rebellion to the Port with heavy Hearts and light Purses set forwards with about fifteen hundred men a piece sending before such sums of Money and Presents as they hoped might mollifie and prepare their access to the Vizier whilst they themselves marched slowly to afford longer time to the Operation of this Physick The Prince of Valachia had intrusted about Forty thousand Zaichins to an Officer of his called his Vestiario or Master of his Wardrobe whom he had sent before him therewith to make his access ●asie and safe to the Vizier Of whose faith that he might assure himself the better he made him swear before the Holy Altar and take the Communion thereupon that he would be faithful and active in this Negotiation The Vestiario thus departing Fides Graeca or the honesty of a Greek added to his religious Vows common promises and protestations but no shoner was he a few Miles distant from his Master before he tired in his Vows and altered his road from the Vizier to the way leading to Constantinople declaring as he went That his Prince was become Rebel and was fled and that he not to be Partner in his perfidiousness was hasting to

most generous of all my Slaves I command thee to revenge my Death with the Blood of sixty thousand Janisaries and Spahees good Forture shall accompany thy Arms and Victory shall crown thy Labours During these Intrigues and Difficulties of Reconciliation Abassa spoiled the Lesser Asia and the Persian King conquered the City and Province of Bagdan or Babylon took Kur Asan Pasha an old Souldier Prisoner possessed himself of Mosul and Leska on the Persian Sea and meeting no considerable opposition he divided his Army into four parts The first was dispatched into Mesopotamia commanded by the King himself The second made Incursions into Palestine The third infested the Coast of the Black Sea and the fourth marched towards Mecha with hope and design of sharing all the parts of the Eastern Empire Ali Pasha who opposed the King in Mesopotamia was slain and his Army wholly defeated so that the Province became a Prey to the Enemy the success in Palestine was equally fortunate by the revolt of Damascus a place of great Riches and Importance the Coast of the Black Sea was greviously infested and a Port taken near to Trapezond and little opposition being made at Balsora the Town was taken by that Army in their March towards Mecha and the parts of the Red Sea where they rendered themselves Masters of Medina the City of their Prophet Mahomet To repair these losses and to encounter numbers so strong and valiant in all parts the Vizier was dispeeded with a powerful FOrce to the Town of Bagdat but by reason of Mutinies and Tumults amongst the Souldiery Matters found not the success expected and the Garison making valiant and vigorous Sallies against the imbecility of the Turkish Souldiery which were always most obstinate and stout to oppose their own Commanders obtained an advantage in every Attempt by which discouragement many forsaking their Colours The Siege raised at Bagdat the Turks overthrown the Siege was raised with dishonour and the Interest of the Turk impaired and almost irreparably lost in those Provinces This News arrived at Constantinople that the Camp was risen and fled by Night that they were forced to burn their Tents and Provisions and to break their great Artillery and cast them into the Euphrates that the Miseries in the Army had been such by Famine and Pestilence and want of all Provisions and Ammunition that the like was never known that the Vizier had beheaded three of his Pasha's that so he might cast the whole blame upon them and that now retreating with his Army into the Turkish Dominions the Persians pursued them in the Rear and for ten days did execution on them making the best use they could of their Victory which Relation filled the Hearts of all People with sadness and disordered the Counsels with confusion The Cause of which will Success according to custom being imputed to the General he was deprived of his Office and sacrificed to the Fury of the Janisaries These Troubles were increased at Constantinople by the Addresses which the Prince of Transylvania made unto the Port by his Kapi-Kahya or Agent representing to the Grand Signior That he wanting Heirs Male to succeed him in his Principality the States at a Diet had with common consent elected his Lady for his Successor and therefore desired confirmation from the Port. In excuse of her Sex he alledged the urgent Necessity of the present Times which perswaded rather to admit of the Government of a Woman than that his Principality should for want of an Heir fall into the Hands of the powerful Family of Austria To make good this Demand Duke John of Weymar and Count Mansfelt Duke of Weymar and Count Mansfelt join with the Prince of Transylvania arrived in Silistria to whom the Prince of Transylvania joined his Troops and Morteza Pasha of Buda wrote to the Port that he was marching towards Vatz to meet the Prince and confer with him concerning these Designs The Emperor 's Resident at Constantinople greatly exclaimed against these Proceedings which something troubled the Counsels of the Turks who in that Conjuncture were unwilling to give beginnings to a new War so that besides fair Words they promised to write such Letters to the Pasha of Buda as should give a stop to the Investiture of the Princes But to say truly the Instructions given were in such ambiguous terms that they in effect left the whole Matter to the Discretion of Morteza to act as he judged most agreeable to the State of Affairs on the Frontiers and security of the present Peace Thus did the Turkish Court seek to ward off the blow of a War with Germany and yet secretly nourished and encouraged it by giving Orders to the Pasha of Buda to take up his Winter-quarters with the Prince of Transylvania and to follow his Directions but yet so to govern Matters with Caution as not to engage too far on uncertain Grounds or doubtful Hazard but to embrace Propositions of Peace if offered with Honour and Security In prosecution of these Rules Morteza observing that Weymar and Mansfelt having united their Forces with Gabor had formed a considerable Army and were able to fight with Wallestein General of the Imperialists joined also his Forces to theirs judging it a prudent and politick Design to wage a War at the Blood and Expence of others With these Encouragements and with the favour of a good Opportunity The Emperor's Army defeated the Confederates fell upon the Army of Wallestein near the River Gran who not being able to withstand their Force and Fury was put to flight and pursued in the Rear with great slaughter and endeavouring to pass the River on two Bridges of Boats were closely followed by the Prince's Forces who gaining the Pass put the whole Army into great amazement and resolved to pursue them to the Gates of Presburg or Vienna Notwithstanding this Success the Prince of Transylvania observing the backwardness of his Allies to contribute the Succours of Men and Mony which they had promised and fearing that the unfortunate Estate of the Turkish Affairs should cause the Sultan to disown the War dispeeded a Messenger to the Emperor in the Winter-season to excuse the Constraint upon him of taking up Arms and to offer Terms of Accommodation and Peace But the Emperor refused all Treaties until such time as Gabor had separated himself from his Allies and from association with the Turk Upon which Answer Gabor retired to Cassovia and Morteza to Pesth This Compliance gave beginning to a Treaty at Komara where the Commissioners on part of the Emperor of the Grand Signior and Prince of Transylvania assembled All Parties seemed inclinable to War and yet with occult Intentions to make Peace being necessitated thereunto by the urgency of their distinct Interests The Emperor was urged by his Wars with the Protestants of Germany and apprehension of Forces from England in favour of the Elector Palatine then King of Bohemia The Grand Signior was encumbred by

Gallantry the Souldiery being affrighted began to consider that they were not longer to be governed by a Woman or a Child but by the most brave Prince that ever swayed the Ottoman Scepter and thereupon for the future resolved upon an impartial Submission and Obedience unto him To encourage them in which and to reconcile their Spirits and Affections to him Morat oftentimes assembled his Souldiery at Ackmeidan where he exercised with them shooting with the Bow at Marks and at Rovers rewarding those who shot best with adding an Asper a day to their Pay besides which he distributed six thousand Hungars amongst them to demonstrate that wise Princes are used to mix Lenitives with their Rigour These Mutinies and Seditions in the Captial City encouraged Rebellious Spirits in divers other places so that a certain Bold and Audacious Fellow drawing a number of Miscreants after him possessed himself of the City of Prusa another of the same Temper called Elia Pasha made himself Master of Magnesia Rebellion in Anatolla where he committed all the Outrages which Enemies inflict on a Conquered People and being about twenty four miles distant from Smyrna so afrighted the People of that Place who were Merchants and such as lived by Trade that they fled with their Wealth and such Things as were portable lest they should be exposed to the Robbery and Spoil of Thieves and Rebels But the Beglerbey of Anatolia suffered not Elia to reign long in his lust but giving him Battel in those Plains wholly defeated him and sent twenty of the Heads of the chief Commanders to the Sultan for a Present and pursuing Elia and the rest of his Army to Magnesia besieged him in that City The Grand Signior being advised hereof and fearing lest the Siege should take up too much time and move other ill Humors in that Country dispatched Orders to offer Terms and Conditions of Accommodation with Elia which were secretly treated and great Promises made him of Favour and Rewards from the Grand Signior The easie Fool accepted the Conditions and embraced the Promises and leaving his City of Magnesia proceeded confidently to Constantinople to receive the gracious Rewards of the Sultan for his past Services At his Entry into the Seraglio in place of the Kapislar-Kahyasee or Master of the Ceremonies he was received by Officers with a Cord in their Hands who bestowed on him the gracious Reward of his Masters ultimate Favour These Rebellions were no sooner suppressed in Asia but that other Mutinies of the Janisaries Mutinies at Buda for want of Pay began at Buda in Hungary where they threw Stones at their Age and pursued him to the very Palace of the Pasha electing another into his place They also cut in pieces the Governour of Pest and bestowed his Office upon his Lieutenant To remedy these Disorders and extinguish the Mutiny the Grand Signior sent Commissioners to examine the Matter and to render him an account of the Grieveances and Demands of the Souldiers but they fearing to be surprised with some severe Acts of Justice prevented or forestalled the Inquiries of the Commissioners by acknowledging their Fault and demanding Pardon with surrender of four of the Ring-leaders to Punishment declaring That by their seducement and evil perswasions they were debauched into that disorderly course of Proceedings the Sultan accepted the Sumission and all things were quieted in Hungary Howsoever new Troubles arose in Moldavia Troubles in Moldavia for that People being oppressed over-much by their Prince Alexander made an Insurrection against him and drove him out of the Country who for refuge fled to Constantinople And the People desirous that one Bernoschi a Polonian by Nation might be put into his Place To obtain his Confirmation he came to the Port and offered himself before the Grand Signior but Morat suspecting that to obtain the Principality for himself he had secretly instigated and nourished the late popular Commotions caused his Head to be cut off in the Publick Divan Amurat had now born to him a seventh Daughter by his Slave called the Shining Star and though he was much troubled that she had not brought him forth a Son and Heir yet so much was she beloved by him that he resolved to create her Queen had not his Mother declared against it as a thing not usual for any Woman to be honoured with that Title before she had supplied the Inheritance by the Birth of a Male Child And that he might now totally extinguish the Fire of Sedition amongst the Souldiery he caused Ferdum Efendi and Saluc Age two prime Chiefs of the Spahees with eight principal Janisaries to be put to Death after which severity fearing another Insurrection he passed the Water and retired to his Seraglio at Scutari where he fortified himself It happened about that time that a Turkish Woman a Slave was found aboard a French Ship ready to sail from Constantinople which the Turks highly resented and aggravated the Crime so much against the French Ambassadour that they imprisoned his Son then embarqued and would have confiscated the Vessel and her Lading In those days the Christian Ambassadors resident at that Court kept better Union and Correspondence among themselves than they do at present so that all of them as concerned joined together to represent before the chief Ministers that such a Fault merited not so grand a Forfeiture for that it was most probable to have been committed without the privacy either of the Ambassador or Commander of the Ship. The Ambassadors then resident were Sir Peter Wych for England the Sieur Marcheville for France and Pietro Foscarini for Venice at whose warm and urgent Instances the Turks condescended to release the Vessel and the Goods laden upon her with free liberty to depart Howsoever it being represented to the Grand Signior by the Captain-Pasha who is Admiral of the Seas that one Baldasar an Armenian by Nation but Dragoman or Interpreter to the French Ambassador was a principal Instrument to move the Ambassadors to unite in this Pretence and being observed to manage the Interest of his Master with warm and earnest Sollicitations the surly Sultan grew so angry that one of his own Slaves should presume to manage a Dispute with him The French Interpreter impaled in Fury and Rage commanded that he should be immediately empaled and that he might be assured that his Sentence took effect he would see him with his own Eyes on the Stake before he would pass the Water to his Seraglio at Scutari The resolution was so sudden and the Execution so speedy that there was neither Ear lent to hear nor Time given to mediate in his behalf and the Act being performed complaints would not serve to redress a tyrannous Action now past Remedy and not to be recalled Wherefore as the Ambassadors were forced to acquiesce and patiently endure the Affront so if they would have resented it they could scarce have found one amongst their Interpreters of so bold a Spirit

Chinski laboured to diminish the Dignity of an English Ambassadour at Constantinople by alledging that he was elected by the Company of Merchants for Conservation of their Trade only and afterwards confirmed and honoured by the King yet this Argument was in no wise prevalent with the Turks who esteeming the Commission of the Prince and the Charge of an Office the only Qualification to ennoble a Person made no Difficulty to determine the Point in behalf of the English And though some Italian Writers say that the English Ambassadour gave fifteen Purses of Mony or seven thousand five hundred Dollars to the Chimacam for this Favour yet those who understand how unwillingly the Turky-Merchants part with their Mony on defence of such Punctillio's and Niceties especially where the Ambassadour might have avoided the bringing them into Dispute will more readily believe that the Turks from free motives of their own Justice and Reason judged this Honour due to the Ambassador than that he should purchase this indisputable Point by the disgraceful means of Mony. All matters being now determined between the Turks and Persia and the black Clouds blown over from the Venetians The Turkish Counsels uncertain about a War. the Grand Signior studied how and where he might turn his Arms with most Advantage he had conceived an irreconcileable pique against Ragotski and Matthew for the Causes before related but having an intention to make use of their Force against Poland or Germany or against them both together he dissembled the Passion he conceived against them and rather deferred his Revenge than pardoned the Liberty which they had exercised without his Licence or Assent Sometimes he resolved to recover Asac out of the hands of the Cossacks sometimes he thought of making War upon Poland judging himself much affronted by that King for not sending an Ambassadour to congratulate his late Successes Then he supposed that a War in Germany would be more easie and the Conquest more profitable by reason of the Riches of the People and the Fertility of the Soil to which pretences could never be wanting on the score of those Differences which always arise amongst the People of the Frontiers During these Debates and Counsels Preparations were made for War both by Sea and Land as yet uncertain where they should be imployed The Vizier returns from Persia To command them the Great Vizier was ordered to hasten his Journey from Persia whose Arrival was celebrated at Constantinople with a solemn Entry and for a particular and distinguishing Honour the Grand Signior sent him a Vest from his own Back to wear on the day of his Triumph This Vizier was a Person very austere in his Behaviour bold and valiant as he evidenced by his Actions in taking Bagdat zealous for his Master's Interest and what is rare in a Turk not much addicted to his own He had acquired a great share in the Esteem of his Master and his Authority increased as the daily Decay of the Grand Signior's Health rendred him less able for Government For now the strong Complexion of Morat began to grow feeble by excesses of frequent Debauchery his Stomach was become cold and weak not able to digest the lightest Meats his hand shook and a paralytical Distemper seized him in every part so that his Mother and the Physicians perswaded him to forsake the use of Wine as Poyson and Destruction to his Health and he whilst he was sensible of his languishing Condition like a true Penitent made many Protestations and Vows against it forbidding the accursed Poyson to be received within the Walls of the Seraglio Howsoever his kind Heart could not possibly withstand the Temptation of a Banquet to which his Pot-companions did sometimes invite him amongst which the Great Vizier would not be wanting also to please and cajole the Humour of his Master with the Liquor that he loved But his chief and constant Camerades in drinking were his Persian Favourite and Mustapha Pasha of Bosna one educated in the Seraglio promoted to the place of Selictar Aga to whom he gave the stately Palace of Ibrahim Pasha on the Hippodrome together with his eldest Daughter in Marriage These two stout Sons of Bacchus perswaded the Grand Signior to appoint one solemn Drinking-day in time of the Biram which is the great Festival of the Year and introduced by their Prophet in imitation of our Easter Morat being at this time possessed with the Spirit of Debauchery accepted the Motion and invited the two Drunkards to dinner with him The Persian provoked his Pleasure of drinking by salt Meats and by peppered and spiced Dishes the sort of Wine they most used was a sweet Malvoisia sometimes twisted and encouraged with the strong Waters called Rosa Solis of which they sucked so long and with such Excess that falling under the force of it they were insensibly carried away to their several Beds This dissolute Repast became fatal to the Grand Signior for a Fire being kindled in his Veins and Bowels he fell into a violent and continued Feaver The Physicians being called were fearful to administer Remedies lest proving unsuccessful their Lives should pay for the ineffectual Operation At length they agreed to let him blood The death of Sultan Morat but this hastened his Death For he died the fourth Day of his Feaver being the 8th of February in the seventeenth Year of his Reign and the one and thirtieth of his Age having ruled in the height of all Disorders and irregular Excesses which his youthful Years enabled him to support With his Death all his thoughts and Designs of making a War against Christendom perished having sworn after his Return from Persia to reduce all his neighbouring Countries to the Mahometan Law. His Character He was of a most cruel and implacable Disposition having amongst his other Acts of Tyranny imbrued his Hands in the Blood of his two Brothers Orchan and Bajazet as also strangled his Uncle Mustapha whose innocent Weakness had been sufficient to secure his Life against any but the most horrid Monster of human Tyranny He left no Son for though he had divers they died in their Infancy notwithstanding which his Kingred were so detested by him that he envied the Descendence of Monarchy on his Brother Ibrahim who was preserved by a strange Providence from his Fury Often saying that he wished that he might be the last of the Ottoman Line that the Empire of that Family might end with him and devolve unto the Tartar. He was certainly the most absolute Prince that ever swayed the Ottoman Empire but of no Religion seldom fasting in the Month of Ramasan contemning and laughing at the Santones and others of their Religious Orders He was very inquisitive into all Actions of the City for which he maintained his Spies and oftentimes took his Rules and Measures from Discourses of People concerning his Government He was a great Dissembler ready active and revengeful covetous to Extremity having left fiteen

the Seraglio And now Sultan Ibrahim losing all Courage at this third attempt fled into the Arms of his Mother begging her Assistance and Protection She being a bold and subtle Woman employed all her Rhetorick and Eloquence to perswade the Souldlery not to offer Violence to the Person of their Lord and Master promising that he should relinquish the Government and retire himself with a Guard into his old Lodgings Ibrahim comforted a little that he should save his Life shrunk himself willingly into his old Shell wherein he had so long conserved his Life In the mean time the Conspirators taking forth his eldest Son Sultan Mahomet set him on the Throne of his Father and planting the Sargouch or Imperial Feathers on his Head saluted him for Emperor with loud Acclamations Ibrahim continued his Imprisonment for some days with great patience but at length growing desperate and furious often beat his Head against the Wall until at length he was on the 17th strangled by four Mutes In this manner Sultan Ibrahim ended his Days which puts me in mind of the saying of a wiser and a better King than he That there is little distance between the Prisons and the Graves of Princes And this Example made a great Officer understand how King Charles the Glorious Martyr was put to Death For he I think it was the Great Vizier falling into Discourse with the Chief English Interpreter at Constantinople not then calling to mind the Fate of Sultan Ibrahim demanded How and when King Charles was put to Death Sure said he Your King must have no Power or your People must be more Rebellious and Mutinous than other Nations of the World who durst commit an Act so horrid and vile as this See said he How our Emperor is revered and observed and how submissive and obedient half the World is to the Nod of our Great Monarch To which the Interpreter replyed that to recount unto him the History and Occasion of this prodigious fact would be too long and tedious for him to hear but that the time it happened was some Months after the Death or Murder of Sultan Ibrahim which was an Item sufficient to give him a perfect understanding of what he required Sultan Ibrahim having in this manner ended his Days the Government was committed into the hands of the Grand Vizier and the old Queen-Mother which is she whom we call Kiosem in the Ottoman State and of twelve Pashaws who were to manage all Affairs with supream Power during the Minority of Sultan Mahomet who now Reigns Ibrahim was the fifth Son of Sultan Achmet born of the same Mother with Sultan Morat Educated like the other younger Sons of the Ottoman Family within the Walls of an obscure and unhappy Prison so that 't is no wonder if wanting the advantages of seeing and practising in the World he should neither have studied Men nor been experienced in the Art of Government Nor less strange is it being natural to humane Infirmity for Men who have lived under Restraint Affliction and fear of Death to become licentious and immoderate in all kind of Pleasures whensoever they pass on a sudden from the depth of Misery to some transcendent degree of Happiness and Prosperity which as I say all Men are naturally subject unto so more especially those whose Religion indulges them all kind of sensual Carnality in this Life Ibrahim was in his own Nature of a gentle and easy Temper of a large Forehead of a quick and lively Eye and ruddy Complexion and of a good Proportion in the Features of his Face but yet had something in the Air of his Countenance that promised no great Abilities of Mind And giving himself up to all kind of Effeminacy and Softness attended not unto the Government of his Affairs and therefore it was his greatest misfortune to be served by wicked and faithless Officers to whom he trusted and to whom he gave Credence wanting in himself the Talents of Wisdom and Discretion to discern their Malice The continual apprehensions that he entertained of Death during his Imprisonment had so frozen his Constitution with a strange frigidity towards Women that all the dalliance and warm Embraces of the most inflaming Ladies in the Seraglio could not in a whole Years time thaw his Coldness which was the occasion at first of that Report which spoke him to be impotent towards Women during which time he attended to his Ministers of Justice and to a management of the Affairs of his Empire which in the beginning of his Reign gained him a Credit and Reputation and raised a great expectation of his goodness and Care of his Subjects Welfare and evidence of which he gave in his Charge to the Great Vizier that he should put no Man to Death unless for Capital and Enormous Crimes But at length losing himself in Lusts and Sensualities he forsook the Helm of his Regency committing the guidance of his Empire to other Hands and as he was ignorant of War so he foolishly sported in the Calms of peace and suffering himself to be guided only by Fortune felt the Stroke thereof in his last Unhappy Fate THE REIGN OF Sultan MEHMET OR MAHOMET IV. THIRTEENTH EMPEROR OF THE TURKS ANNO 1649. SUltan Ibrahim perishing in this manner by the mutinous Violence of the Souldiery his Son Mehmet or Mahomet being a Child of seven Years of Age succeeded in the Throne During whose Minority which was to continue for the space of ten Years longer his Mother who was the first Sultana assisted with the Counsel of twelve Pashaws took upon her self the Regency and in the first place resolved to continue the War against the Venetians which Ibrahim intended to conclude having engaged himself far in a Treaty of Peace with the Bailo or Ambassador which resided at the Port for that Republick Whilst these Matters were transacting and Preparations making to prosecute the War the Malignant Humours of the Empire began to ferment unto that degree as affected the Body Politick at first with unnatural Heats which soon afterwards proceeded to a Feaver and then to a dangerous Convulsion The ill-affected Part was the Militia which is the Heart and Principal of the Life of that Government For the Spahees and the Janisaries being the Horse and Foot entred into a desperater Controversie The first judged it their Duty to revenge the Death of their Soveraign Sultan Ibrahim and in order thereunto demanded the Head of the Great Vizier as the Chief Author and Contriver of the Death of his Lord and Master The others being conscious to themselves of having by their Arms carried on the Conspiracy not only declared their Resolutions to defend the Vizier but owned that what he had acted was by their Order and at their Request and Instigation The Spahees being highly provoked with this Declaration swelled with Anger and Malice against the Janisaries and both sides being equally proud and rich could not bear each others Reproaches The Spahees being Men of

Mony Goods and Slaves to the aforesaid Sir John Narbrough Knight And moreover we do engage our selves and successors That if any Injuries for the future be done contrary to these Articles by the Government and People of Tripoly to the King of Great Britain and his Subjects if upon demand of satisfaction from the Government and people of Tripoly We or they refuse or deny to give satisfaction therefore so that a War be occasioned thereby between the King of Great Britain and the Government and people of Tripoly We do engage our selves and successors to make restitution for the Injuries done and likewise to make satisfaction to the King of Great Britain for the full charge and damage of that War. XX. That no Subject of the King of Great Britain c. shall be permitted to turn Turk or Moor in the City and Kingdom of Tripoly being induced thereunto by any surprizal whatsoever unless he voluntarily appear before the Dei or Governor with the English Consuls Druggerman three times in twenty four hours space and every time Declare his Resolution to turn Turk or Moor. XXI That at all times when any Ship of War of the King of Great Britain c. carrying his said Majesties Flag at the main-top-mast-head appear before the City of Tripoly and come to Anchor in the Road That immediately after notice thereof given by his said Majesties Consul or Officer from the Ship unto the Dei and Government of Tripoly They shall in honour to his Majesty cause a Salute of one and twenty Cannons to be shot off from the Castles and Forts of the City and that the said Ship shall return an Answer by shooting of the same Number of Cannons XXII That presently after the Signing and Sealing of these Articles by us Halil Bassa Ibraim Dei Aga Divan and Governors of the Noble Kingdoms and City of Tripoly all Injuries and Damages sustained on either part shall be quiet taken away and forgotten and this Peace shall be in full force and vertue and continue for ever And for all Depredations and Damages that shall hereafter be Committed or done by either side before Notice can be given of this Peace full satisfaction be immediately made And whatsoever remains in kind shall instantly be restored XXIII That whatsoever shall happen hereafter that any thing is done or committed by the Ships or Subjects of either side contrary to any of these Articles Satisfaction being Demanded therefore shall be made to the full and without any manner of Delay and that it shall not be Lawful to break this Peace unless such satisfaction be denyed and our Faith shall be our Faith and our word our word and whosoever shall be the Cause of the breaking of this Peace shall assuredly be punished with present Death Confirmed and Sealed in the Presents of Almighty God the fifth day of March Old Stile and in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ one thousand six hundred seventy five Being the last day of the Moon Zelheldga and the year of the Hegeira on thousand and eighty six WHereas there were several Articles of Peace and Commerce between the most Serene and Mighty Prince Charles the Second by the Grace of God King of Great-Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Christian Faith c. And the most Illustrious Lords Halil Bassa Ibraim Dei Aga Divan and Governors of the Noble City and Kingdom of Tripoly in Barbary lately made and concluded by the said Lords on the one part And by Sir John Narbrough Knight Admiral of his said Serene Majesties Fleet in the Mediterranean Seas on the other part and by them confirmed and Sealed in the Presence of Almighty God the fifth day of March Old Stile And in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 1675 / 6 being the last day of the Moon Zelhedga And the year of the Hegeira 1086. Since which time of Confirming and Sealing the aforesaid Articles of Peace and Commerce The aforesaid Lord Ibraim Dei being fled away from the Government of the City and Kingdom of Tripoly in Barbary Now we Halil Bassa Aga Divan Governors Souldiers and People of the aforesaid City and Kingdom of Tripoly have Choosen and Elected Vice Admiral Mustapha Grande to be Dei of the aforesaid City and Kingdom of Tripoly to succeed Ibraim Dei in the aforesaid Government And now we Halil Bassa Aga Divan and Governors Souldiers and People of Tripoly aforesaid having seen the aforesaid Articles of Peace and Commerce which were lately made and concluded as aforesaid And having seriously perus'd and fully considered all particulars therein mentioned Do fully approve of all and every the aforesaid Articles of Peace and we and every one of us do now by these presents consent and agree to and with Sir John Narbrough Knight aforesaid for the just and exact keeping and performing of the said Articles And do accept approve ratifie and confirm all and every of them in the same manner and form as they are incerted and repeated in the preceding Articles aforesaid hereby firmly engaging our selves and successors assuring on our faith sacredly to maintain and strictly to observe perform and keep inviolably all and every the aforesaid Article and Articles of Peace and Agreements for ever And to cause and require all our Subjects and people of what degree or quality whatsoever within the City or Kingdom of Tripoly in Barbary or Dominions thereunto belonging both by Sea and Land punctually inviolably carefully and duly to observe keep and perform all and every the aforesaid Article and Articles thereof for ever And our Faith shall be our Faith and our word our word and whosoever shall at any time violate and break any part of the said Article or Articles of Peace they shall be assuredly punished with greatest severity and his or their heads shall be immediately cut off and forthwith be presented unto any Officer whom the most Serene King of Great Britain c. shall Authorize to make Demand thereof It is further agreed that the Subjects belonging unto the most serene King of Great Britain c. Trading unto the Port of the City and Kingdom of Tripoly in Barbary aforesaid or to any Port or Place of the Dominions thereunto belonging in any Merchants Ship or other Vessel belonging to the said Serene Kings Subjects shall not pay so much Custom by one per Cent. for whatsoever Goods or Merchandize they sell or buy as other Nations do for the Customs of the like Goods or Merchandize notwithstanding whatsoever is Specified in the Second Article aforesaid to the contrary And that the most Serene King of Great Britains Consul residing in Tripoly aforesaid shall have Liberty at all times when he pleaseth to put up his said Serene Majesties Flag on the Flag-staff on the Top of his House and thereto continue it spread as long time as he pleaseth likewise the said Consul to have the same Liberty of putting up and spreading the said Flag in his Boat when he

renown unto the City to have their Emperour so near though it was rumoured as if the Court towards the approach of Winter intended again to return unto Adrianople In the mean time the Grand Signior took his chief delight and divertisement on the Water passing in his Gallies and Pleasure-Boats up the Bosphorus to the mouth of the Black Sea and thence returning much frequented the Gardens and Houses of Delight upon the Banks of the River and visiting all places a Country House called Therapea belonging to the Dutch Resident received the honour of his Presence which he liked so well that he took it from the Proprietor and conferred it without any consideration of money onone of his Courtiers giving out a Proclamation That no Christian Minister should possess any Seat or Habitation on the side of the Bosphorus A strange thing and what is not to be paralleled in any part of the World. About the beginning of this Year the Captain Pasha died and Zaid Ahmet Pash-ogli then at the Camp succeeded him his Father was a famous Man and in the same Charge but cut off by old Kuperlee Soon after Ibrahim Pasha General of the Army at Keminitz likewise died and his Office was conferred on Ibrahim Pasha that was Pasha of Candia of whom we have had often occasion to speak being a great friend to the English Nation The Great Vizier also was not far remote from the Confines of Death being now fallen by reason of immoderate drinking of Wine and chiefly of hot Cinamon Waters into a formed Dropsie and Jaundice In the preceding year we touched on the removal of the Tefterdar or Treasurer from his Office to the Government of Grand Cairo and the reasons for it which though it might be a preferment being the richest and most important Charge of the Empire to which the esteem the Sultan had of his parts and abilites might probably advance him yet the imploying of him at a distance so remote was certainly an effect of some displeasure whereby he or his Favourites judged him a Person not fit to remain longer near the Royal Presence Wherefore having commenced his Journey as before mentioned he arrived at Grand Cairo where he had not long continued before he began according to the natural acuteness of his mind and hugstering manner to pierce with a narrow inspection into all Affairs of that Government and particularly into the Revenue and Treasure of the Country contriving with himself by what means the disorders might be corrected and the Revenue and Tribute improved for he had an excellent Genius or Spirit in the matters of Money nothing in advantage of Interest could ever escape him so that he began to lay a new foundation in all proceedings he would not be contented with the old Taxes and Impositions and where he found Lands improved or the Customs augmented he would put in for a share of the Benefits and would reform every thing wherein he judged his Master to have been abused But though he was acute and sharp-sighted in such matters as these yet he wanted experience in the Government of Egypt for these great Beghs of this Country being alarmed with the innovations began to stand upon their Guard and to enter into private Consultations in what manner to oppose themselves to this new way of Government which looked like slavery and designs of bringing them into servitude and a subjection unknown to them and their Fore-fathers For indeed the Government of Egypt if well considered is rather Aristocratical than Monarchical for though they acknowledge the Sultan to be their Head and accept his Pasha for Ruler and pay a yearly Tribute yet the Beghs which are great Lords in their respective Countries carry the sway and Dominion in all other matters and will endure nothing with favours of oppression or innovation so that these persons grown jealous by the proceedings of the new Pasha flew into open Sedition and immediately to Arms with force of which they assaulted the Pasha's Palace took him and threw him into Prison The News whereof flying with all haste to the Ottoman Court appeared at the first apprehension or surprise as if all Egypt had revolted and gave the World occasion to discourse That the Wars were to be carried Eastward and that the sudden resolution of removing the Court to Constantinople was in order to a farther March into those parts But frequent Messages with time making the business to be better understood caused the Grand Signior to dispeed with all haste another Pasha with Commission to remove the former and to continue all the ancient Customs and Priviledges from the beginning indulged to the Beghs of Egypt with which Message and gentle words of grace and favour from the Sultan all discontents being pacified the former Pasha was released from his Imprisonment and suffered to depart and thence proce●ed to the Island of Candia where he entred on that Pashaluck succeeding Ibrahim Pasha in Charge who as before related was sent to Kemenitz to be General of the Army in place of the Pasha lately deceased But here I must not forget a story which happened during the time of this Summer whilst the Grand Signior had his abode and injoyed his Recreations in the circumjacent parts of Constantinople there was a certain Sultana which had been a cast Wench of Sultan Ibrahim who after his death having been married to some Pasha obtained her release from the old Seraglio and being also a Widow by the death of this Husband had liberty to take her habitation on the Banks of the Bosphorus or where she thought fit This Lady was called Soltana Sporcha in Turkish Modar The History of Soltana Sporcha how she came to be so nominated I cannot tell perhaps some Italian Pages of the Court might in respect to her way of living impose this Name upon her for she was no other than a Bawd or something worse making it her Profession to buy young Girls and to educate them in singing dancing and in all the ways which best accomplish Courtisans Amongst this Train of Scholars she had one more brisk and aery than the others which could sing and dance and prate incomparably and was so quick in her Reparties that she greatly delighted the Pasha's and Lords whose pleasures she atended bringing from them considerable Gifts and Presents to the enriching of her self and Mistress and became so much the talk of the Court that at length the report of her arrived the cars of the Grand Signior who being also desirous to injoy some divertisements by the pranks of this witty Girl sent to the Sultana one of the black Eunuchs for her which Imperial Command she not daring to disobey consigned her with great submission into the hands of the Messenger but with this caution that she humbly desired the Sultan not to make any attempt on her Chastity in regard she was both a Virgin and Free-woman The grand Signior having pleased himself with the wantonness of this