vain yet he advised me to proceed therein and amused me with good Success Upon this Encouragement I wrote to Sandaeus how fruitless Salviatus's Embassie had been yet I wisht him not to despair for if any Credit at all were to be given to a Turk there was good hope of his Affairs and then I related what Ebrahim had told me Having laid this Foundation I advis'd with some Friends who were well skill'd in Turkish Affairs they wisht me all good Success but were very doubtful of them especially seeing the King of Frances's Ambassador had been denyed and the issue of Peace was yet undetermined and moreover the Turks are hardly ever induced to release great Men yet I wrote to my Master the Emperor to let him know what Hopes I had and desired that I might in his Name beg the Release of those Prisoners To be short upon great Gifts and more Promises made to the Bussa's for their Favour in the Case the Day before St. Laurence's Day all the Prisoners were released and sent to my Lodgings Sandaeus and Leyva were at great odds one with another so that they would not eat together but I was forced to spread their Tables apart Requisena did eat with Leyva and Sandaeus with me So we went to Supper The French Ambassador's Steward came to me bringing me some Letters Sandaeus askt of him If he knew him Yes Sir said he I think you are Don Alvarez I am so said he Pray remember me to your Master and tell him that I have obtain'd my Liberty by means of the Emperor's Ambassador and that you have seen me abroad with your Eyes I see you indeed Sir said he but so that I can scarce believe my own Eyes Sandaeus did thus Accost him because his Master the French Agent would never believe that Solyman would release those great Men at the Emperor's instance And the truth is before they could obtain their Liberty their Mufty which is as an Archbishop amongst the Turks was consulted Whether a great many Turks might not be released for a few Christians for I had promis'd that about Forty Turks of an ordinary Rank who were Prisoners with us should be released for them The Mufty answered That there were two Opinions on the Case one Pro t'other Con but he was for the Affirmative It now remains that I acquaint you with the last End of Bajazet who I told you before was put in Prison by the Persians Many Messages had passed between those two Princes on that Occasion and an Ambassador came once from Persia with Presents a Tent curiously wrought Assyrian and Persian Tapistry with the Alcoran and some Beasts of an unusual sort as an Indian Ant as big as any ordinary Dog a fierce and biting Present The Cause of the Embassie was pretended to be the Reconciliation of Bajazet with his Father they were received very Honourably entertain'd with rich Banquets of which Haly sent me a part eight huge munificent Dishes full of Sweetmeats 'T was the Custom of the Romans to send Dishes from their Feasts to their Friends the Spaniards do it to this Day and the Turks from their great Feasts carry home something especially if they have Wives and Children they many times carried home whole Napkins full of good eatable Bits from my Table and tho' they pretend to Cleanliness yet they would sometimes daub their Silk-cloaths with some Collation-drops Let me tell you a Story to this purpose which I know will make you laugh heartily as it did me at first hearing thereof For we are not such Cato's but yet sometimes we may season our Care with moderate Laughter which shews that we are Men. 'T is the Custom of the Turkish Bassa's some Days before their Fast which we call Lent to make a publick Feast or Entertainment for all Comers none are excluded yet generally none but Servants Friends and Relations come There is a Napkin made of Leather spread over a long Tapistry on the Ground full of Dishes the Table will hold abundance of Guests the Bassa himself sits at the upper end and the choicest Guests next to him and then the ordinary Guests in Ranks till the Table be full It will not hold all at once but some stand by till others have Din'd which they do in great Modesty and Silence and then they drinking a draught of Honey diluted with Water Salute their Landlord and away they go when they are gone others sit down in their places and a third Class after them the Servants still taking off the old Dishes and â—etting on new A certain Bassa making such a Feast invited a Singiack to sit next to him an old Man of the Sect which the Turks call Hayges i. e. Learned Men sat next to him This Haggie seeing such a plenty of Victuals before him had a mind to carry home some to his Wife after he had filled his own Belly but looking for his Handkerchief to fill it with Victuals he found he had left it at home being then in a straight he bethought himself and resolv'd to fill his Sleeve that hang'd on on his Back but mistaking the Singiack's for his own he stuft it full of Dainties and stops it in with a piece of Bread that nothing might fall out he was not to touch his Sleeve till he had laid his Hands on his Breast or Thigh and so Saluted his Entertainer as their Custom is when he had done that he took up his own Sleeve and finds it empty at which he was much amaz'd and return'd home very sad A while after the Singiack also rose from the Table and having Saluted the Bassa at every step his Sleeve cast out the Dainties it was replenished with unknown to him and seeing a Train of Junkets behind him he blusht for shame The Company fell a laughing but the Bassa imagining how it came to pass desired him to sit down again and so he sent for the Haggai when he came he accosted him thus I wonder that you being an old Friend and having a Wife and Children at home did carry home nothing to them seeing my Table was so well Furnished Truly Sir said he 'T was no Fault of mine but I think my Genius was angry with me for I stuft my Sleeve with Viands and yet when I came forth I found it empty Thus the Singiack was cheated and the Frustration of the Haggai together with the Novelty of the Case occasioned no small Laughter amongst all the Company But to return to Bajazet His Case was desperate between an angry Father that required to have him given up and a false Friend who pretended to detain him Sometimes Solyman dealt mildly with the Persian putting him in mind of the League between them that they were to have the same Enemies and Friends Sometimes he taxed him with War if Bajazet was not surrendred and thereupon he placed strong Garrisons on all the Confines of Persia he filled Mesopotamia and the Banks of Euphrates with Soldiers
day than a Turk doth in twelve yea their most solemn Feasts consist of Wafers Cakes and such like Junkets together with several Dishes of Rice with some Mutton and Pullet for Capons are not yet known in Turky but as for Pheasants Thrushes and Birds called Figcaters they never so much as heard of their Names But if Hony and Sugar be mix'd with the Water the Drink is like Ioves Nectar to them One sort of their Liquors I had almost forgot 't is this They take Raisins of the Sâ—n and bruise or grind them in a Mill and then put them into a wooden Vessel pouring a certain proportion of hot Water upon them This Mixture they stir about a little and then cover the Vessel close and suffer it to ferment a day or two if it doth work well then they add Lees of Wine to quicken the Operation When it first begins to ferment if you taste it 't is over-sweet and that makes it more unrelishable but afterwards it acquires something of an Acid Tast which mixt with the Sweet is very grateful to the Palate for about three or four days especially if it be mixed with Snow of which there is plenty at Constantinople at all times This Drink they call Arabsorbet i. e. the Arabian Potion but it will not keep long but grows sour in a very little time 'T will fly up in your Head and make you reel as bad as any Wine if you drink too much of it and therefore the Turks by the Rules of their Religion are for bidden to drink it For my part I liked it very well yea that sort of Grapes were very acceptable and refreshing in many Places they keep them all Summer long The way of preserving them they told me was this They take large Bunches of Grapes ston'd as the hot Sun quickly ripens them in those Countries these they put in a Wooden or Earthen Vessel in the bottom whereof they first lay a line of groun'd Mustard-seed then they spread a line of Grapes upon it thus with a lay of Grapes and a lay of grinded Mustard-seed they fill it up to the top and when the Vessel is full then they pour in new Must as much as will fill all the Interstice then they shut it close and so let it stand till the hot time of the next Year when Men stand most in need of Drink Then these Vessels are broach'd and the Grapes with its Liquor are set to sale The Turks like the Liquor as well as the Grapes but I did not so well like the Tast of the Mustard-seed and therefore I caused the Grapes to be washed and then when I was most thirsty they gave me great Relief I hope you will give me leave to commend a Food to you that did me so much good seeing the Egyptians though preposterously esteem'd their Herbs and Plants which were contributory to their Health as so many Deities But 't is time for a Wanderer to return back into the Way From the Bank of the River Halys which as I remember the Turks call Aitoczu we came to Gonknrthoy from thence to Choron and from thence to Theche Theoi where the Turks have a stately Monastry for their Priests and Monks call'd Dervises These Dervises told us a great Story of a certain Man called Chederles of an huge Stature and Graveness of Mind answerable thereto They suppose it was the same with our St. George and ascribe the same Exploits to him as the saving of a Virgin by the Slaughter of a huge and terrible Dragon To which they add many Fables and Imaginations of idle Brains as that he Travelled over several Countries far and near and at last came to a River whose Waters made those that drank them Immortal but in what part of the World this River is they cannot tell us in some Vtopia doubtless They say moreover that it lies somewhere in a great Cloud or Mist of Darkness and that never a Man saw it since Cherderles As for Cherderles himself he was made Immortal and so was his Horse or stately Prancer on which he rides by drinking the same Water who now both do invisibly travel over the World delighting in Wars and appearing therein to the most Valiant or to those who implore his Aid of what Religion soever they be Such ridiculous Fancies do they please themselves with To which we may add other things as absurd as those before mentioned That he was one of the Friends and Companions of Alexander the Great For the truth is the Turks keep no just Account either of Times or Ages but make a confus'd Hodg-podg of all History When they have a mind to it they scruple not to say That Job was Master of the Horse to King Solomon and that Alexander the Great was General of his Army with such-like Stuff In that Monastry or Mosch for so the Turks call their Temples and Churches there is a Fountain that bubbles forth very clear and limpid Water it is built about and clad with most excellent Marble and they ridiculously would have people believe that it had its Original from Chederle's Horse which he pissed in great plenty in that place They also told us many Rodâ—mantadâ—'s concerning the Companions of Chederles concerning his chief Groom and also concerning his Nephew by his Sister all which were buried near at hand and their Sepulchers there to be seen and when any Suppliants come to pay their Devotions to them they would have persuaded us that they received great Relief thereby yea they superstitiously affirm That the Fragments of the Stones and the very Earth it self on which Chederle's Feet stood when he staid for the Dragon if drank in any Liquor are very good against Fevers against the Head-ach and against the Diseases of the Eyes All the Country thereabouts is full of Dragons and Vipers so that in the hot Season of the Year they are so thick basking themselves in the Sun that the Ways are almost unpassable for Travellers I had almost forgot to tell you that whereas the Greeks do usually paint St. George on Horse-back in their Temples with his Squire behind him holding out to him a Cup of Wine as to his Master he being as they believe their Chederles they laugh heartily at that Spectacle At this Place we were near our Journies end for now we had but one Stage more to Amasia and that was Baglison from thence we reach'd Amasia April 7 and thirty days after we left Constantinople as we were comeing some Turks met us to gratulate our Arrival and to introduce us with Honour Amasia is in a manner the chief City of Cappadocia where the Turkish Governor of that Province usually had his Residence for the administration of Justice and where he usually forms his Camp But that Town ever since Bajazet's time seem'd to be very unlucky and of late the miserable case of Mustapha hath confirm'd it to be an unfortunate Seat Strabo writes that he was born
our shame be it spoken live at another manner of rate Virtue is little esteemed among us but Nobleness of Birth forsooth carries away all the Honour and Preferment But enough of this at present more may be spoken on this Argument hereafter and what I have now spoken about it pray keep it to your self for other Men may not be able to bear my Freedom herein To return then to my Subject I shall now present you with a surprizing Spectacle even a Multitude of Persons with pick'd Turbants on their Heads made of pure white Linen folded together in Plates their other Apparel was very costly of several sorts and colours all most radiantly shining with Gold Silver Purple Silk Velvet c. I am not able to describe the Gaudiness of the Show in one word 't was the most glorious one I ever saw in all my Life And yet in all this Splendor there was a great deal of Simplicity and Parsimony too Those who were of one Order had cloathing all of one sort there were no foolish Hems Lacings Fringes or Borders as among us which cost a great deal of Mony and yet wear out in a day or two The Silk and Velvet Suits which many of them wore though mightily embroidered yet cost not above a Ducat the making and embroidering They did as much admire to see the fashion of our Cloths as we did that of theirs Their Vests are very long almost down to their Heels which is more graceful and makes them seem taller than they are but our Apparel forsooth is so curtail'd and short that it hardly covers the Parts which Nature would have to be concealed on which Account it is less decent Besides it seems to take away some Inches from the talness of our Stature and look more Dwarf-like And yet among so great a Multitude I took notice of this most laudable Circumstance 't was all hush not so much as a word spoke among them all nor no humming noise as among a tumultuous Multitude no justling one of another but every particular Man quietly kept his own Station The Heads of them which they call Aga's had Seats to sit upon such as their Serasquiers or Generals their Brigadiers Colonels and Captains but the Commonalty stood on their Feet Among the rest I most admir'd the Ianizaries though there were some Thousands of them yet they stood at a distance one from another Stock-still as we say as if they had been Statues So that I who was at some distance from them thought verily they had been so till being advised to salute them as the manner is I saw them all bow their Heads by way of Resalutation unto me When we passed from this Show behold there was another pleasurable one which entertain'd us and that was their Horse-Guards in their March to their Quarters they Rode upon gallant stately Prancers excellently well Trapp'd Equipp'd and Shod Thus we were dismissed but with little hopes of obtaining what we came for On the 10th of May the Persian Embassador came to Amasia and brought with him rich and gallant Presents as many choice sorts of Hangings Babylonian-Tents curiously wrought within with many sorts of Needle-work gallant Horse-Trappings and Saddles Scymiters made at Damascus whose Handles were studded with Jewels and Shields of curious Workmanship but that which exceeded them all was the Alchoran so they call the Book containing the Rites and Ceremonies of their Religion which they fancy Mahomet compos'd by Divine Inspiration and which is accounted the most Noble Present of all They quickly accorded with him on Terms of Peace so that it concern'd us to be cautious who were to find greater obstruction in our Negotiations with them And to assure us that the Peace was confirm'd betwixt them they omitted no manner of extraordinary Respect to their Embassador For the guise of the Turks is as I told you before to be excessive on both sides either in bestowing Honour on their Friends or in heaping Reproaches on their Enemies Haly Bassa Deputy to the Grand Vizier treated the Persian with a sumptuous Dinner which he made in his Garden a place far distant from us and separated also by the interposal of the River yet we could see the Manner of it well enough for I told you the place was seated so steep on both sides the Hill that the Eye might easily discover what was done on each side This Haly is a Dalmatian by Birth a Man of a good Wit and which is strange in Turky very courteous to Strangers The Table at which the Bassa and the Persian Embassador sate was covered over with a Canopy and the Dishes were served up after this manner There were One Hundred Youths which attended like Waiters all of them alike habited first of all they entred one by one at a small distance from one another till the Train of them reached up to the Table where the Guests were a sitting they had nothing at all in their Hands that so they might not be hindred in saluting the Guests which was done in this manner They laid their Hands on their Thighs and bowed their Heads downwards to the ground when this Ceremony was perform'd then he that stood next the Kitchin took a Dish and gave it to the next Page immediately before him he handed it to a Third and he to a Fourth and so from one to another till it came to him who stood next the Table and he delivered it to the Hands of the Gentleman Sewer who plac'd it on the Table And thus One Hundred Dishes or more were serv'd up to the Table in excellent Order without any Noise at all and when that was done then those Waiters or Pages saluted the Guests a second time and so returned in the same Order they came in only of course those that were last before went out first and those which were nearest the Table brought up the Rear Thus the Second Course was also serv'd up so that the Turks are great Admirers of Order even in the smallest matters which we Christians are apt to neglect even in things of greatest Moment At some distance from the Embassador sate his Attendants with some Turks of Quality with them Peace being thus made with the Persians as I told you before yet we could get no good Terms of them at all only we obtain'd an Half-Years Truce till I could send to my Master and know his Answer I was sent to be Leiger Embassador there but in regard there was no Peace settl'd betwixt both Empires the Bassa's thought it advisable for me to return to my Master with Letters from Solyman their Emperor and I was to return with an Answer from his Imperial Majesty if he thought fit Hereupon I was again introduc'd into Solyman's Presence and had Two large Embroider'd Vests reaching down to my Ancles clapt upon me they were so heavy that I could hardly stand under them my Family also that attended me were all Clad with Silk Garments of
THE FOUR EPISTLES OF A. G. BUSBEQUIUS Concerning his EMBASSY INTO TURKEY Being Remarks upon the Religion Customs Riches Strength and Government of that People As also a Description of their Chief Cities and Places of Trade and Commerce To which is added His Advice how to Manage War against the Turks Done into English LONDON Printed for I. Taylor at the Ship and I. Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-yard 1694. To the Right Honorable POWLETT St. JOHN EARL of BOLINGBROOKE And Baron of St. Iohn of Bletsoe My Lord THE Translator of this ingenious and most useful Piece not surviving to see it publish'd upon Perusal of the Copy I found the excellent Performance and Merit of the Work did not only deserve just Care of the Impression but also some Eminent Person to Recommend its Appearance in the World I embrac'd the Opportunity I had often wish'd of expressing in some measure my Respect and Zeal for your Lordship wherein I do but Comply with all Admirers of true Worth and Honour Every Body will allow that a better Guardian could not be Chosen for this posthumous Offspring and your Lordship will easily pardon my imploring your Protection of an Orphan The Historical Part of this Treatise is so Iust and Exact and the Remarques in it discover so much of Observation Experience and Iudgment that it seem'd a proper Offering for your Lordship's Acceptance who are particularly happy in a sensible and just manner of Thinking Nor has your Lordships Felicity Terminated in a true Discerning of Things you have reduc'd your Sentiments to Practice and prov'd the Iustness of your Notions by a singular and constant Regularity in your Life You have hereby brought an Accession of Reputation to the memory of your Noble Ancestors by preserving each Virtue of theirs with its utmost Lustre even in a vicious Age. You continue to convince the World that Temperance and Conversation Management and Liberality are consistent Virtues Prudence Iustice and Charity have carry'd an Ascendant in the whole Course of your Actions You have not only been happy in having early made Choice of a good Principle to direct you but in a constant Adherence to its Dictates You were from hence instructed to express upon all Occasions a Hearty and Noble Concern for your Country which is the true and ancient Test of English Worth and I must do our Country the Right to say they are highly sensible of it as appears by that worthy and just Character which is universally given of my Lord Bolingbrooke Your Relations and Friends have the next share in your Kindness and among the latter I may truly Rank all Persons of Merit You have declin'd no Opportunity of Obliging any Man of Desert and through your whole Life have not given Occasion to make so much as One Man your Enemy Wherefore I am safe in what I have said of your Lordship and the World will only forgive my saying so little in consideration of that Modesty which is Conspicuous amongst your Other Virtues Wherefore I shall only beg Pardon for surprising you with this Address and Permission to subscribe my self among the rest of your Admirers My Lord Your Lordships most devoted Humble Servant N. TATE The Four EPISTLES OF Augerius Gislenius Busbequius Concerning his Embassy into TVRKY EPISTLE I. SIR AS I promised you at parting to give you a full Account of my Journy to Constantinople so I shall now make good my Word and I hope with Advantage too For I shall also acquaint you with my Adventures in my Travel to Amasia as well as That to Constantinople the former being less used and consequently far less known than the later My design herein is to allow you a part of the Solace of what happened pleasurable to me for so the ancient Friendship betwixt us obliges me to appropriate no Joy to my self but to communicate the same to you but as for what happen'd incommodious to me as in so long and tedious a Journey some things must needs do those I take to my self neither would I have you concern'd in them at all for the Danger being now past the more grievous they were to suffer the more pleasant will they be even to my self to remember and commit to Writing You are not ignorant that when I returned from England after the Solemnization of the Marriage of King Philip and Queen Mary at which I was present as an Attendant in the Train of his Excellency Don Pedro Lassus who on that occasion was sent thither as an honorary Embassador by Ferdinand King of the Romans my most gracious Lord I say you are not ignorant how the said King Ferdinand by his Letters summoned me to this Journy I received his Commands by Letter when I was at Lisle on the 3d of November and I made no longer stay than to visit Busbec only to take my leave of my Father and Friends but taking Tornay in my way I hastned to Brussels where I met the aforesaid Don Lassus who spurred me on to the Voyage shewing me the King's Letters to him too commanding him to press me forward So that I immediately took Horse and made what haste I could to Vienna My Journy thither was very troublesome both by reason of my unaccustomedness to ride upon such inconvenient Horses as I could then get and also because the Season of the Year was not fit for Travel the Weather being tempestuous the Ways dirty and the Days short so that I was forced to borrow a great part of the Night and to pass through uncouth and almost unfrequented Ways in the dark not without the great hazard of my Life Assoon as ever I came to Vienna I was introduced into the Presence of King Ferdinand by his Secretary of State the Heer Iohn Vander Aa That Prince received me with the respect he used to shew to those Persons of whose Probity and Faithfulness he hath conceived a great Opinion He was pleased to entertain me with a large Discourse what Advantages he had promised to himself from me and how much it concerned him that I should undertake this Embassy and that speedily too for he had solemnly promised the Bassa of Buda That the Envoy he was to send should be in Buda without fail about the beginning of December next and for his part he was unwilling the Turks should take any advantage to break their Agreement upon pretence that he had failed in performing of his There were but 12 Days to the time prescribed a space little enough to prepare for a short Journy much less for so long and tedious a one and yet some of those ten Days were to be cut off too by a Journy which the King commanded me to make to Comora to visit Iohn Maria Malvezius for the King my Master thought it very advisable for me who had then but little Acquaintance in the Turkish Affairs to consult that experienced Person and to be informed by him ore tenus of the Manners
divers Colours in this posture I stalked along like Agamemnon or some such piece of Gravity in the Tragedian and so I took my leave of their Emperor having first receiv'd Letters to my Master Seal'd and wrapt up in Cloth of Gold and the chiefest of my Attendants were also admitted to take their Leaves and thus after we had taken our leaves of the Bassa's I and my Collegues departed from Amasia Iune the 2d The Custom is That Embassadors at their departure have a Dinner provided for them in the Divan so they call the place where the Bassa's sit to Administer Justice but this is done only to their Friends that Complement was omitted to me because Affairs were not yet in an Amicable posture between them and us If you Ask me What manner of Man Solyman was I 'le tell you He was an Ancient Man his Countenance and the Mean of his Body was very Majestick well becoming the Dignity which he bore he was Frugal and Temperate even from his Youth tho' he might have taken a greater liberty to himself by the Rules of their own Religion In his Younger Days he was not given to Wine nor to Masculine Venery which the Turks much delight in so that his very Enemies could object nothing against him on those accounts but that he was too Uxurious and his over-Indulgence to his Wife made him give way to the Death of his Son Mustapha yet that Crime was vulgarly imputed to that Ascendent she had over him by reason of her Inchantments and Amatory Portions This is certain that after he once took her for his lawful Wife he never had Carnal Knowledge of any other Women tho' their Laws did not forbid him He is a very strict Observer of the Mahumetan Religion and is as desirous to propagate That asâ— to enlarge the Bounds of his Empire He is now Sixty Years of Age and for a Man of his Years he enjoys a moderate proportion of Health and yet his Countenance doth discover that he carries about him some hidden Disease 't is thought a Gangrene or Ulcer in the Thigh yet at solemn Audiences of Embassadors he hath a Fucus to paint his Cheeks that he may appear sound and healthy to them and thereupon be more dreaded by Foreign Princes their Masters Methought I discovered some such thing at my Dismission for his Countenance was as foure when I left him as it was at my first Audience Having thus taken my leave I began my Journy in the Hot Month of june and the Heat thereof was so excessive that it cast me into a Fever 't is true it was a remiss and gentle one yet it came every Day to which was added an Hoarsness and Defluction of Rheum from the Head and it held me till I came quite to Constantinople The Persian Embassador left Amasia the self-same Day that I did and we went both out of the City the same way for as I told you before there is but one Passage into or out of that Town it is so shut in by the circumjacent and unpassable Hills But the Way quickly doth divide into Two one to the East which the Persians took and another to the West which was our Road. In the open Fields about the Town we saw the Turkish Camp pitch'd with abundance of Tents I shall not entertain you with the Stages of my return they being the same with those of my Journy thither only we made a little more speed and sometimes Rode Two Days Journy in One. In fine we came to a Constantinople Iune the 24 th You must needs think I had a troublesome Journy of it having such a Companion with me as a Quotidian Ague all the way so that when I came thither I was almost nothing but Skin and Bone Yet as Lean as I was when I came to rest and by the Advice of Quaquelben my Physician used warm Baths I quickly recovered One thing I observed in the method of my Cure that when I came out of the warm Bath he would sprinkle me over with cold Water which tho' it were troublesome to me at the present yet I found that it did me much good Whilst I staid at Constantinpole there was a certain Person that came from the Turkish Camp in Asia who told me a Story that I shall acquaint you with because it shews that the Asiaticks are not very well pleased either with the Religion or the Government of the Turks 't was this Solyman says he as he was returning Home was forc'd to Lodg one Night in the House of a certain Asiatick and when he went away in the Morning his Host brought a great deal of Perfume and us'd a great deal of Ceremonies to cleanse and purge his House as if it had been polluted by such a Guest as Solyman when Solyman heard of it he caused the Man to be Slain and his House to be levelled with the ground This Punishment the poor Man underwent for his Aversion from the Turks and his Propensity to favour the Persians I staid about Fourteen Days at Constantinople to refresh my self and then I entred on my Journy back again to Vienna But I was entertain'd with an Inauspicious Omen even a very sad Spectacle just as I was gone forth of the Gates of Constantinople I met whole Waggon-Loads of Boys and Girls which were bringing out of Hungary to Constantinople to be sold no Merchandize is more frequent amongst them than that For as when we leave Antwerp we meet with all sorts of Merchantable Commodities Importing into the Town so here ever and anon there passed by us abundance of Poor Miserable Christian Slaves which were going to be sold in the Markets to a perpetual Bondage there was no distinction of Age Old and Young were driven in Herds or Companies or else were tied in a long Chain as we use to tail Horses when we carry them to Fairs when I beheld this woful sight I could not forbear weeping and bemoaning the unhappy State of poor Christendom And if that Miserable Spectacle were not Afflictive enough for a new Traveller take another bad and mortifying Occurrence My Collegues had commended some of their Retinue to me which were weary of living in Turky that they might be of my Train in returning to their own Country I granted their Request and having Travelled Two Days Journy I perceiv'd one that was Chief among them called a Vaivode from his Office was carried Sick in a Coach one of his Feet being bare without any Stockings he would not suffer it to be covered for he had in it a Plague-sore which he found more easie to keep open We were much troubled at this sight as fearing that Infectious Disease would spread further but the poor Man liv'd but till we came to Adrianople and there departed this Life Upon his Death another Mischief did succeed as soon as the Breath was out of his Body the rest of the Hungarians ran in greedily to the Prey one caught
the Vessel say to the Potter Why hast thou made me thus I will harden Pharaoh 's Heart Jacob have I loved Esau have I hated and others of like Import The Turks that were not far from us admir'd at what we Contested so earnestly about and after we rose from the Table my Chiaux went to them they gathered themselves in a Ring about him and I saw them hearkning to the Discourse he made with great Attention and at last at Noon they were all silent and Worshipped God according to their Custom I thought long till my Chiaux returned to me again that I might know why he prated so amongst his Comrades I was afraid tho' he was a fair Condition'd man yet that he might Represent what I had spoken to him to my prejudice At last when the Wind ceased we went Aboard again and followed our Course The first thing that I did was to ask of my Chiaux What serious Discourse he held with his Country-men He smil'd and made me this Answer We were disputing about Predestination and I told them what you had alledg'd Con and Pro bywhich it was plain that you had read our Books and was well read in the Scriptures so that there was nothing wanting to your Happiness but to turn to our Religion which in the Prayers you saw us make we desired of God When News was brought to Constantinople that Bajazet was dispatched I was afraid that our Affairs which were in an hopeful way of Conclusion would now meet with a Rub at last the Misfortune of Bajazet might overturn all make the Turks more Insolent to undo what was done and to propose harder Conditions I had passed over some Difficulties as the Loss of Gerba and the Imprisonment of Bajazet and the Vaivoods expulsion out of Moldavia but there were two terrible ones at Bajazet's Death and he hired another that I 'll speak of by and by Haly sent one of his Domesticks to me to tell me that Bajazet was dead for certain that therefore I should not defer the Peace in hopes of his Success I should remember that Princes of the same Religion are more easily Reconcil'd than those of contrary ones are and therefore I should use no more Pergiversation nor seek Knots in a Bulrush as the Proverb is This Message troubled me much yet because I thought that the Relater might be partial I sent up and down the Town amongst my Friends to know what certainty they had of Bajazet's Death They all returned me answer That he was most certainly dispatch'd Whereupon I resolved to pluck in my Sails there was no hopes for me to obtain better Conditions it was well if I could maintain my Ground and stick to my former without any change The Emperor of the Turks had seen them and was not much averse from them some small Alterations were made something I wished I could have added other Things were dubiously expressed which a malign Interpretation might raise Scruples about I did my endeavour that these might be taken out or rendred and made more favourable on our side My Master Caesar had seen and approved those Conditions yet still I could not satisfie my self till something more favourable was added whilst I was doing this I was accosted with Haly's Message as aforesaid I met also with another grievous Rub some Noblemen of Hungary had Revolted from the Vaivoodans of Transilvania to the Emperor i. e to speak the truth had returned to that Duty and the Garrisons also which they commanded yielded to Cesar. This new Accident might have disturbed all for the Turks had a specious pretence to alledge That while Conditions of Peace were on foot once such Alteration ought to have been made if Peace were cordially desired all Things were to be return'd to their Pristine State but let Revolters speed as they pleased what they had possessed ought to be return'd to the Vayvode their Client and Vassal But Haly was so far from pressing this that one express Condition was that those Things should be ratified which he willingly assented to But the Ambassadors who came lately from the Vayvode were very much troubled at it they rub'd upon the gall'd place and filled the whole Court with their Clamours that their miserable Master was deserted the Law of Alliance broken and Enemies preferred before ancient Friends All the rest of the Bassa's were moved with their Complaints only Haly stood firm to me so that the Articles of the Peace were not altered at all For my part though I knew that the Terms would be allowed by my Master Cesar yet because there want not Sicophants in Prince's Courts who go about to obscure the best Services of their Ministers especially if Strangers I therefore thought it fit to leave all to the Pleasure of my Master I told Haly that though the proposed Condition did not fully answer the Expectation of my Master yet I hoped he would Acquiesce therein if an Agent of theirs were sent along with me to explain the Things that were obscure upon which any Controversie might arise and that Ebrahim seem'd to be the fittest Man for this purpose by whom Cesar might write back his full Mind concerning the whole Project this was easily assented to Thus an end was put to this long and tedious Business 'T is a Custom that when Ambassadors upon fair Terms depart from Constantinople the Bassa's do entertain them with a Feast in the Divan but I was willing to wave that Badge of esteem because I would have all left in suspence and referr'd to the good Will and Pleasure of my Master I had a mind before my departure to buy some gallant Horses and therefore order'd my Servants to go often to the Markets to see if they could find any such Haly being inform'd thereof had some of his own brave Horses to the Fair to be sold My Servants had their Eye presently on 'em and asking the Price they told them 120 Duckets they offered 80 not knowing whose they were which was refused to be taken A Day or two after the same Horse with two more near as good were sent me by Haly for a Present one was an Arabian ambling Nag exceeding well shap'd When I gave him Thanks for my noble Present he askt me Whether I did not think that Horse which my Servants offered 80 Duckets for was not more worth Much more said I only they had a Command from me not to exceed that Price till perhaps some sudden Defect might afterwards shew that I had bought Horses too dear He advis'd me also how to Manage their Turkish Horses as that I should give them but little Meat that I should make but short Journeys at first till they were us'd to the Roads and that I should make nine or ten Days Journey to Adrianople which us'd to be compassed in five He gave me also a choice Vest wrought with Gold and a Box full of Alexandrian Treacle the best in the World and a Glass full of