all things necessary for man's sustenance Of their Beverage THey have three sorts of drinks the first made with Sugar and Honey mingled with Water The second of Raisins the stones taken out and boyled in Water whereto they add some Rose-water and a little perfect Honey and this is to be sold in most parts thorow Turky for it is sweet and puffeth up the belly The third is made of a Fruit called Pechmez into Must and hath a kinde of Honey-taste and colour with it this mingled with Water is given to their Servants The Houses where they sell are frequented as Osteries in Italy or Taverns with us Turks for the most part drink onely Water they are not suffered to buy or swallow Wines and who happens to be accused and proved to have drunken thereof his testimony in all occasions and actions in invalid and yet in private Christian houses they do not abstain Of their manner of eating WHen they go to Dinner they first strow Mattresses on the floor and spread upon them Carpets or Pillows some sit on the bare ground Their Tables are made of skins and plaited to be drawn open more or less like to a budget They neither sit as we do nor lie along on elbowes as the ancients but like a cross of Burgondy with leggs infolded they sit Taylor-wise They alwayes Pray before they eat then eat greedily and hastily but with deep silence and in that time their Wives secluded from them Men-servants after twelve yeers age are never suffered to co-habitate in houses where Women are but under such age they go about the houses serving their Master's occasions Captive women have never liberty to go abroad unless their Mistresses or Ladies go to Vineyards Graves of Friends departed Baths or Gardens out of Town which they often do for recreation sake and otherwise are kept strict at work in houses not suffered to converse with other captive Servants as shall be more at large declared in the following Chapter Their dishes are commonly placed at such distance one over another as 't were on Pillars that each man may make choice of three which pleaseth best They eat three times a day but quick therein unless at a Feast where they sit all day CHAP. II. Of the afflictions of Captives and Christians under the Turkish Tribute WHen the King of Turks makes Expeditions against Christians amongst divers sorts of Merchants there alway follow him on Camels a mighty number of Buyers or Scorcers of Children or Men who in hope of getting Slaves carry with them bundles of long Ropes wherewith they easily tye together fifty or sixty men These traders purchase of the Souldiery or Free-booters whomsoever the Sword hath not devoured which is granted them upon condition that the King may have the tenth of what is traffick'd for the rest unto themselves to sell Nor is there any Merchandize so profitable amongst them nor so frequent as anciently among the Romans who called things fairly bought their proper Goods and Rights as just as that of Slaves How the Turks imploy their slaves THe youth and aged of both Sexes whom Chance by tenths appropriates to the Turk he thus disposeth the elder in yeers he sells for Husband-men who yet are rarely or cheap bought for they seldom escape the Sword their age making them less vendible Young men and Maidens they confine them in Seraglio's there to be instructed in useful Arts for future times But first they must deny their Faith in Christ and then be circumcifed And thus initiated in their Ceremonies they diligently examine their physiognomies and the several lineaments of their bodies and then the whole composure and according to conceived strength forwardness of wit and dispositions they are destinated to learn Laws of the Country or discipline of Wars and in the mean time are allowed a dayly stipend of two or three Aspers sixty whereof make five shillings which they conceive a liberal sufficiency for diet and clothing until they are fitted for imployments In the elements of War they thus are trained according to each strength they first have given them a light bow skill and strength increasing they have a greater and a heavier so by degrees they are fitted for expedition They have Instructors severe Exactors of their dayly Exercises and whensoever they erre much from the mark so often are they cruelly whip'd with scourges These are inrolled in the order of Bow-men Others are instructed and made fit for Janizaries who have appointed Masters and Teachers every day to fight two together with Cudgels Others an horrid thing who have more lovely faces are so close cut that nothing like Man is left them and this not done without great and eminent danger to life and if the party escape death his health is for no other use but their most wicked lusts and after youth 's grown aged they are put to the offices of Eunuchs to attend on Ladies Concubines Horses Mules and some Kitchin-imployments The condition of Virgins and other Women SUch as are of extraordinary beauty comeliness or composition of body are chosen out for Concubines mean and indifferent Faces are appointed Matrons hand-maids amongst whose offices some are so filthy and so loathsome as were before though somewhat uncivilly related Others are set to womens work as spinning carding weaving It is free for none of them to profess the Christian Faith or hope of liberty during life There is some content in hope but these have none How private Turks use Prisoners HItherto hath been spoken how the Kings use Captives now how private men their Prisoners newly taken first they threaten them with all sorts of meancing sharp words promises and allurements to entice them to Circumcision which if yeilded to they are treated somewhat more courteously but then all hope of ever returning to their Country is clean cut off and whosoever endeavours it burning is his appointed punishment Such as are thought more firm and less fugitive are admitted to their Masters Military imployments and can onely be made free when age hath made them useless and then he is rather turned off then remitted orderly or when the Master by hurt in War or danger of death bequeaths him liberty They are permitted marriage but their Children are disposed at the Master's pleasure which makes the more understanding sort utterly abhor marriage They who refuse Circumcision are miserably and unhumanely treated of which I have had the experience of thirteen yeers sufferings nor can I express in words the great calamities of such people How Christians ignorant in mechanick Arts are used THe condition of such unskilful men is wretched Those whose toyl brings profit are onely in reputation with them and therefore learned Men Priests and Noble men who have lived in retiredness and pleasures when they fall into the hands of Turks are of all most miserable the Merchant or Manscourser bestows no cost on them as scant vendible they walk with naked head and feet and often their
whole bodies no new cloaths succeed the old worn out they are hurried through Mountains Rocks from place to place Winter and Summer and have no end thereof till death or that they finde a foolish Purchaser that they think buyes ill Merchandize but no man is so happy or esteem'd amongst them for Age Art or Beauty that they being sick will leave behinde them First they are whipped to go on if they cannot do that then they are put on horseback and there not able to sit upright their bellies are tied on horseback no otherwise then a sack of Corn or Cloak-bag if he die he 's strip'd of all cloaths and thrown into the next ditch to be devoured by dogs and vultures How Prisoners newly taken are used THey do not onely binde them in endless chains but in their journey also manacle their hands they march the distance of a large pace one from another that mutually they do no hurt and tye their hands lest with stones they mischief do their Masters that when sometimes they lead great multitudes as ten times five hundred chain'd together the strength of whom if hands at liberty to throw stones might much annoy them At night when they rest their feet are likewise chained and exposed to all injuries of weather The condition of Women is a little more humane they who have strength of limbs are driven on foot those more tender are set on horses such as are infirm and cannot ride are put in baskets or ripiers as we use geese Afterwards their condition is sadder either they are included in strong Turrets or forced to endure the wicked lusts of their Merchants Where still they are is ever heard vast and hideous howlings of both sexes suffering violations from them neither doth the age of leaven or six yeers defend them from those vitious actions a people incomparable wicked both against nature and before libidinous How used that are exposed to sale AT the break of day they are brought to Market like droves of sheep or herds of goats Merchants appear prizes are set if the prisoner be liked his cloaths are stripped off he is viewed by the buyer all members suveyed tryed and throughly searched for faults in joynts or arteries if he please not then returned to the owner and this is done until he finde a purchaser When bought he 's carried to some heavy servitude to plow keep sheep omiting baser Offices They endure there many unheard examples of calamities I have seen men tyed together with yokes to draw the plow Maidens are severely forced to perpetual labours separated from the sight of men nor are they suffered speech or conference with other Servants If any man be taken Prisoner with wife and children him some great person willingly purchaseth to be imployed in his Country-house in Tillage Vineyards Meadows Pastures and Children born of them are all his Slaves and if they persevere in Christian Faith a certain time is alotted them to servitude and then made free their Children notwithstanding continue Slaves at the Master's will and imployed where he pleaseth for they have no certain nor enrolled Estates of Lands and so no assured seats of residence If after making free they desire to return to their Country they have Letters Patents given for their Journey But to such as abjure the Christian Religion no certain time of bondage is prescribed them nor right of return all hopes of their liberty totally depends upon the Master's pleasure and when they have got freedom they pay the Tenths as other Turks but freed from other Taxes with which Christians are burthened Of Captives made Shepherds THe Husband man hath an hard and sad condition but the Shepherd far more grievous they always live in solitariness night and day covered onely with the roof of heaven The Master and the Wife have some small Tents no shelter for the Shepherd unless at spare times compelled to work on Tapestry or Carpets Every month they change their Pastures and drive their flocks from one Mountain to another Some Masters that have more humanity now and then give small rewards which the Servant keeps as his proper Goods and preserves to bear the charge of a return to his Country if ever he get liberty but these largesses are seldom done and then but as a miserable enticement to servitude thinking thereby to withdraw their hopes of shifting from them To such as deny Christ and are circumcised knowing they dare not run away no like indulgence offered Escapes of prisoners out of Europe European Slaves may more easily escape then those sold into transmaritime Regions they pass Rivers onely that may be swimmed over others with great difficulty must pass the Hellespont Such as intend escapes usually attempt it in Harvest season to hide themselves in Fields of Corn and by it live The Nights they Travel the Day lie close in Corn Woods or Marshes and rather chuse to be devoured by Wolves then brought back to their Tyger-Masters Out of lesser Asia WHo flye from thence repair to the Hellespontick Sea between Callipolis and those Towers of Sestos and Abidos now called by the Turks Bogaz Aser that is Castles on the mouth of the Sea where the Waters are straight and narrow hither they come with Saws and Ropes cut Timber-Trees and tye them fast together to serve and save themselves for shipping carrying nothing with them but salt If Winde and Fortune favour in three or four hours they are wafted over if otherwise they perish in the Sea or reforc'd again upon the Coast of Asia if safely pass they then betake themselves to the Mountains and by inspection of the Pole and the Star Bootes they tend their way North-ward and sustain themselves with Acorns and Herbs sod in salt If many flie together in society sometimes in Night they set upon the Shepherds and what they finde of Victuals take from them sometime they kill and are sometime killed or taken and returned to their old Masters and Drudgeries but the several dangers of travelling consumes more then escape by shipwrack the enemies sword wilde beasts and starving hunger The punishment of Fugitives SOme are hanged up by the heels and most cruelly scourged and if commit murther the soles of his feet are all slashed into furrows and salt stuffed in Some have great iron Chains fastned on their necks and forced to wear them day and night and as long as the Master pleaseth The charity of Greeks and Armenians to Captives DEath and confiscation of all sorts of Goods is inflicted on those who undertake procure or assist Captives in their flight or running away yet notwithstanding both Greeks and Armenians cease not to entertain them being Christians to hide them and in disguises to conduct them unto shippings of the Venetians or other Christians and freely give them good provisions and all things necessary for their journeys nor do they spare or omit any kinde of piety towards them for they confess to have had heard the
These Men spend all their lives and hopes under the protection of a Goddess Fortune having a Proverb with them What is written will befal them that is What that Goddess hath printed on the head at each Man's Nativity cannot be possibly avoided though he were preserved in a Castle unexpugnable The actions of these men are writ in verses and sung by all Men that others stirried up by like praise and honour might with like audacity advance against an Enemy couragiously and valiantly and for each victory of these Men their stipends are doubled and are obliged attendance on their King on horse-back with Lances Swords and Iron Clubs some have Targets some none and are paid as well in Peace as War The order of their Foot THeir first are Bow-men with Arrows Bows and Javelins they are distinguished from Janizaries by coverings of the head The second is of Janizaries who instead of Bows have Guns with short Hatchets all these are gathered from amongst Christians living under Tribute by force snatched from their Friends being young circumcised and educated as aforesaid These fight most valiantly against Christians yet have but slender stipends for their maintenance some four five or six Aspers a day of which sixty make a Crown English And these are prohibited on pain of death to come on horse-back unless sick There are some few likewise sons of Turks made Janizaries There is a third order whom they call Azaplars whose stipends determine with the War and are all sons of Turks These use a longer Lance with Swords and red hats or bonnets or other coloured cloath with crooked angles like half Moons and so distinguished by Arms and Habit from th' other orders There is a fourth of the Grecian sect who have no other stipend then freedom from paying Tributes and Tenths They commonly attend the Turks horse of pleasure keeping them at their own charge and well managing them for war Of the Turks Pavilions WHen the King removes from Constantinople to any Expedition of War he carrieth with him double Tents that when one is planted this day th' other is carried to the next station ready to receive him the day following the number and magnitude of these Pavilions is such that afar off they seem no less then Cities round about the King's Pavilion are the Tents of Princes and great Men encompassing his in circle Then the horse-men of Arms two or three together have their Tent the foot-men have the like for discipline sake and to keep them from cold Air. When the body of the Army moves Yeomen footmen clear the wayes and here and there make heaps of stone or piles of wood for ease and direction of the passage so as even in darkness of the night they can hardly erre The Army moveth at midnight and till mid-day following marcheth The King rides between two Bassa's talking with him before whom marcheth some of the order of Janizaries on horseback bearing lighted Candles in time of night Certain Captains follow them with iron Clubs round pointed who keep off men from sight of the King a good large distance amongst these are numbers of the King's Guard and amongst them a Chariot of Women and Boyes fitted for use of the Turk and his Nobility These great Men go some before some follow these Captains with great multitudes of Souldiers horse and foot and all conditions some for stipend some for plunder but all men Their carriages of Beasts THen follow a multitude of Camels Mules Horse and sometime Elephants laden with Victuals Pavilions and all necessaries for military uses and where the Turk pitcheth his Tent there every one according to his condition as in a City sets up his habitation Boothes for Taylors Bakers Butchers Sutlers and all sorts of Victuallers some sell dainty flesh and fowls and when fresh meat cannot be had then what is brought upon their Beasts they expose to sale bisket dry meats cheese curds and milk All Turks are generally most patient in suffering hunger thirst and cold They seldom lodge in Towns but field it in their Tents neer water-springs Rivers or Meadows taking more care of their cattel then themselves content with little and course diet curds mingled with water bread with milk sometime bisket master and servant eat together They keep deep silence in the night they neglect stirring after fugitives for fear of raising clamours which are forbid upon great mulcts and punishments but when they go to rest or rise to march all with an unanimous noise cry out Allah Allah Allohu that is O God thrice repeated Of justice exercised in War THere is so much severity in military discipline that no Souldier dares unjustly seize on any thing of anothers for if he do he dies without mercy They have amongst them certain Guardians Defenders of all Passengers from Souldiers violence with Boyes of eight or ten yeers old carrying bread eggs fruit oats and such-like things to sell These Guardians are bound to free and preserve all Orchards Gardens Closes they pass by so far that they themselves dare not touch an Apple Pear or Grape or any such-like thing without the owners license otherwise they lose their heads When I was present in the Turkish Army in an Expedition against the Persian I saw a great Commanders head with horse and servants all three cut off because that horse had been found grazing in another mans pasture unsatisfied for Celebrations of a Turkish victory WHen a Conquest is declared the Cities straight throw themselves into all delights and joyings At entrance of night for good auspice of the solemnity Torches Wax-candles Lamps Fire-brands Fire-works and all things that give light are everywhere disposed of throughout the City with Garpets costly Hangings Tapestry and Silken Silver and Gold Vestments their houses all are covered but especially that way by which the Emperor entreth The chiefest triumph is made in Constantinople his conftant residence unless occasioned by war into some other Region And he is bound by Law at every three yeers end to undertake some expedition into Christian Territories for advancing or defending his own Kingdom I verily believe and do confess for those dayes he celebrates for Victory no Mortal eye nay not the Moon or Sun did ere behold a spectacle more glorious and resplendent for order number silence richness state and magnificence in all kindes It is impossible for onely man to be exalted to a loftier degree of sublimation then this Pagan when triumphful Of their hunting and hawking NO Nation under the Sun delights so much in hunting as doth the Turkish they 'll follow game through rocky steepy craggy mountains and that on horseback taking diversities of Beasts but if any chance to be killed or suffocated by dogs or chase they never eat thereof nor any Christian that lives in those Regions and if they kill wilde Boars they give them to the next inhabiting Christians Musselmen being forbidden to feed on Hogs flesh The Turk hath multitudes of Faulkoners
discoursings he spies some dogs walking in the Church and doing something against an Altar an evil custom and to be condemned by all and asked whether it was lawful for Beasts to enter our Churches and blushing with shame not knowing how to defend this negligence of Christian Pastors I told him It was neither lawful nor seemly and desired him to conceive it a meer negligence of Officers When he heard this he commended it very much and desired me to instruct him in our Saviour's Prayer which I gave him after in the Arabian Dialect CHAP. IV. A Lamentation for loss of Christians destroyed AFflicted with an infinite and incredible sorrow most high and mighty Monarchs and Governours of Christian Commonwealths to see the sad condition and most miserable being of our Brethren under the Turkish slavery whereof some seduced from the bosome of our Church to heretical unhappiness others with civil and hostise sword slain murthered and cast to devouring Beasts others made captive to perpetual servitude and most cruelly afflicted They all by me in lamentable sobs and groanings complain O monstrous mischievous ambition of ill men and wicked covetousness of ruling How many equal souls consecrated to God's Divine Worship have you betrayed to Death and to the Devil How many Principalities and Kingdoms of great Kings and all sorts of Nobility have you destroyed How many walls of stately Towns have you demolished How many sumptuous Palaces and strong stately Castles have you levelled with the ground How many lawful Owners have you dejected from eminent Estates and quiet Conditions and banished to perpetual disconsolations And although I intend not to write the acts of Princes but to delineate the calamities and tragedies of Captives I cannot forbear remembrance of that abominable discord of the Earl of Scrvia a potent and proud Prince who agreeing a shameful foul example of a vitious ambition with the Bassa of Bosnia his neighbour-Enemy and having many Castles and strong holds upon the Turkish Confines even to the River Savus which divides Illyria from Croatia and defended all those Provinces which lye between that River and the River Dravus from Turkish violences and incursions This Earl or Lord of Servia falling into variance and some petty controversies with the Nobility of Sclavonia made friendship with the said Bassa and joyning their Armies both together invaded the Sclavonians partly at difference between themselves and partly impotent wholly destroys them and their Province with fire and sword ruining their Towns and Castles some by violence and force some by craft and treachery customary with wicked men and Turks and so totally vanquished and conquered them And after a few Months had passed this Bassa beholding the Earl's rich Provinces and neighbouring with his he took or made occasions to invade him whom at length he kill'd and so reduced all his Territories under the Turkish Government Thus this seditious Atheist Traytor to his Country and his Brethren most ignominiously lost his life for such are the Turk's rewards to whomsoever by craft policy or villanous fraud he can lay hold on or ensnare The like was done with some Noble-men of Hungary whom they reduced to miserable captivity Wherefore most Christian Monarchs the cruelties of this Tyrant ought with all industry and vigilance be both feared and prevented lest considering your fair Provinces and viewing them with a fascinating eye he finde you disagreeing and thereby infeebled he assault you on all sides not onely Candia Calabria Malta and Sicily but even Italy France Spain and Germany and prove an universal scourge and terror to all Christendome They are wise who by others harms prevent their own you are concerned when your neighbours house is fired But not to trouble you in this kinde I recommend to you most prudent Governours the correction and amendment of this great error and return to the deplorable calamities and afflictions our Brethren suffer under the yoke of Tribute in the Turk's Dominions where some with chains about their necks are dragged through sharp and spiny parts of Thracia and lesser Asia with naked feet in thirst and hunger and if by labour of long journeys diseases or other griefs they die as often happens to men of Quality and bred in ease are hurl'd strip'd in the next ditch though not half dead to the care of ravenous fowls others that is young people of either sex endure perforce the filthy lusts of their buyers and their fenars with hideous cryes and howlings of violated and vitiated people the age of six yeers not defending them others ignorant in husbandry or Mechanick Arts and literated men who are least saleable are for long time driven from Town to Town from street to street and being once sold compell'd with clubs and scourges to learn Trades and dayly employments in base businesses and grievous pains others of more robustious strength are made slaves to Gallies tied by the legs with chains and most miserably tortured whose sad calamities the power of humane wit cannot express in words And if these poor unfortunate souls could have foreknown that miserable being they 'd rarther have chosen a thousand deaths If pains of life and death were e'er commix'd together yea if to live long and many days and die every hour were ever extant it is in Turky Aegyptian servitude Babylonian banishment Assyriack captivity Roman destruction are toyes and trifles to these calamities People who live as it were in the firy Furnace of the Chaldean Hur and crying up to heaven with sighs and groans O Lord how long arise and forsake us not in the end and when oppressed and grieved beyond all hope they turn their eyes again on their own Countries likewise in captivity yet wish themselves rather slaves there then where they are their prayers are not for liberty but change of place and for that cause indifferent for death or life they turn Fugitives and some leaving their flocks in deserts their Oxen at plow expose themselves to devoration some murthering their Masters and their Children some burning their houses in revenge some run away hiding themselves in Caves and hollow Trees with fearful wants and dangers which I here forbear having given the Reader some taste thereof before And now they turn their cries to you all Christian Monarchs and Governours of Commonwealths Imploring and beseeching the Pope of Rome who should be Father of our Country and all sorts of men belonging to Christ his holy Church That they uniting all sects of men in peace and concord would labour to suppress this common enemy and restore their Brethren unto liberty Imploring and beseeching the Emperor and all Imperial Princes Dukes Cities and Nobilities to cool their hot Calentures of ambition and avarice of neighbours rights and set apart domestick quarrels call together and unite their strengths against so cruel an Usurper and hostile Enemy and labour to defend their present or else recover their lost Territories and then be assured the circumspection of the