goods and Mony taken on the Martin and Hunter should be made good to Sir John Narbrough in Mony or Goods and Slaves To which was adjoyned such a submission recantation and acknowledgment for their late offence and outrage as testifyed the sorrow of their true repentance as we shall see more at large in their following Articles And now the peace being concluded Sir Iohn Narbrough returned to Malta and soon after came back to Tripoly to receive the remainder of the monies and goods agreed for the Slaves being delivered already In this interim the six Ships which had foâ—merly broken out of the harbour and sailed to the Levant hearing of the peace returned to Tripoly where great feuds and dissentions arose the Souldiery accusing Ibrahim Dei nick named Misser ogli as the beginner and Author of the War and for continuing it so long with obstinacy until they were reduced to their last extremity In fine they threatned to cut him in Peices but at length they were contented to cashier him only from his Office after which he fled into the Morea and their Vice-Admiral Mustapha Grande was made Dei in his place with whom and with the Souldiers in general now returned Sir Iohn Narbrough renewed the Articles of Peace and dated them the first of May 1676 which are these that follow Articles of Peace and Commerce between c. 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 concluded by Sir Iohn Narbrough Knight Admiral of his Majesties Fleet in the Mediterranean Seas I. IN the first place It is Agreed and Concluded That from this day and for ever forward There be a true firm and Inviolable Peace between the Most Serene King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Christian Faith c. And the most Illustrious Lords The Bassa Dai Aga Divan and Governors of the City and Kingdom of Tripoly in Barbary And between all the Dominions and Subjects of either side And that the Ships or other Vessels and the Subjects and Peace of both sides shall not from henceforth do to each other any harm offence or Injury in word or Deed But shall Treat one another with all possible respect and Friendship II. That any of the Ships or other Vessels belonging to the said King of Great Brittain or to any of his Majesties Subjects may safely come to the Port of Tripoly or to any other Port or Place of that Kingdom or Dominions thereunto belonging freely to buy and sell without the least Disturbance paying the usual Customs as in former times hath been payd for such goods as they sell And for the goods they sell not they shall have free Liberty to carry on Board their own Ships without paying any Duties for the same And when they please they shall freely Depart from thence without any stop hindrance or molestation whatsoever III. That all Ships and other Vessels as well those belonging to the King of Great Brittain or to any of his Majesties Subjects as also those belonging to the People and Kingdom of Tripoly shall freely pass the Seas and traffick where they please without any search hinderance or molestation from each other And that all Persons and Passengers of what Country whatsoever And all Monys Goods Merchandize and Moveables to whatsoever People or Nation belonging being on board any of the said Ships or Vessels shall be wholly free and shall not be stopped taken or Plundred nor receive any harm or Damage whatsoever from either Party IV. That the Tripoly Ships of War or other Vessels thereunto belonging meeting with any Merchant Ships or other Vessels of the King of Great Brittains Subjects not being in any of the Seas appertaining to his Majesties Dominions may send on board one single boat with but two Sitters besides the ordinary Crew of Rowers and no more but the two Sitters to enter any of the said Merchants Ships or any other Vessels without the Express from the Commander of every such Ship or Vessel And then upon produâ—ing them a Pass under the hand and Seal of the Lord High Admiral of England the said Boat shall presently Depart And if the Merchant Ship or Ships Vessel or Vessels produce no Pass from the Lord High Admiral of England yet if the Major part of the said Ships or Vessels Company be Subjects to the said King of Great Britain The said Boat shall presently Depart And the Merchants Ship or Ships Vessel or Vessels shall proceed freely on her or their Voyage And if any of the said Ships of War or other Vessels of his said Majesties meeting with any Ship or Ships Vessel or Vessels belonging unto Tripoly if the Commander or Commanders of any such Ship or Ships Vessel or Vessels shall produce a Pass Signed by the chief Governor of Tripoly and a Certificate from the English Consul living there Or if they have no such Pass or Certificate yet if the Major part of their Ships Company or Companies be Turks Moors or Slaves belonging to Tripoly Then the said Tripoly Ship or Ships Vessel or Vessels shall proceed freely V. That no Commander or other Person of any Ship or other Vessel of Tripoly shall take out of any Ship or Vessel of his said Majesties Subjects any Person or Persons whatsoever to carry them any where to be examined or upon any other pretence nor shall use any Torture or Violence to any Person of what Nation or quality whatsoever being on Board any Ship or Vessel of his Majesties Subjects upon any pretence whatsoever VI. That no Ship-wrack belonging to the King of Great Brittain or any of his Majesties Subjects upon any part of the coast belonging unto Tripoly shall be made or become a Prize And that neither the goods thereof shall be seized nor the Men made Slaves But that all the People of Tripoly shall do their best endeavours to save the said Men and their Goods VII That no Ship or any other Vessel of Tripoly shall have permission to be Delivered up or to go to any place in Enmity with the said King of Great Brittain to be made use of as Cosairs or Sea Rovers against his said Majesties Subjects VIII That none of the Ships or other smaler Vessels of Tripoly shall remain Cruising near his Majesties City and Garrison of Tangier or in sight of it nor any other way Disturb the Peace and Commerce of that place IX That if any Ship or Vessel of Tunis Argier Tittuan or Salli or any other place being in War with the said King of Great Brittain bring any Ships or Vessels Men or Goods belonging to any of his said Majesties Subjects to Tripoly or to any Part or Place within that Kingdom The Governors there shall
sustained on either part shall be quiet taken away and forgotten and this Peace shall be in fâ—ll 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 Iesus 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 puâ—ting up and spreading the said Flag in his Boat when he passeth on the Water and no Man whatsoever to Oppose Molest Disturb or Injury him therein either by Word or Deed. These and all other preceding Articles are to remain firm for ever without any alteration and in all other particulars not mentioned in any of these Articles the Regulation shall be according to the Capitulation general with the Grand Signior Confirmed likewise and Sealed in the Presence of Almighty God at our Castle in the noble City and Kingdom of Tripoly in Barbary the first day of May Old Stile and in the year of our Lord Iesus Christ 1676 being the twenty sixth day of the Moon Zaphire and the year of the Hegeira 1080. Halil Bassa's Seal Mustapha Dei's Seal Aga's Seal Ally Admiral 's Seal A True Coppy Examined out of Sir John Narbroughs Thomas Fowler HAving thus related the original cause proceedings and conclusion of our War with Tripoly Let us Travel to Tunis which though since the year 1655 hath ever maintained Peace with England yet the civil dissentions among themselves have administred unto us Subject of discourse and more especially since it hath some relation to Hoffse-bey whom formerly we named as Mediator of the Peace between Us and Tripoly On the sixth of September 1675. Morat Bei General of all the Land Forces in the Kingdom of Tunis dyed the most Politick and Popular Person that ever mannaged that Office his Sons Ciddi Mehmet and Ciddi Ali by the general approbation and consent of the Souldiery joyntly succeeding him in that charge But the ambition of these two young Gallants would admit no union in the Government the Elder would know no equal and the younger no superior so that it was necessary for one to govern or both to be laid aside the decision of which was referred to a full Assembly of the Turks In the mean time Hoffsey-bey Brother to Morat deceased and Uncle to the two
to the Arsenal he called the Visier Bassa the Admiral and the great Treasurer before him where it was concluded to make ready at least an hundred Gallies for the preparation whereof sixty thousand Chequines were then delivered the Visier promising to furnish the rest of the whole charge with expedition of his own purse and to take it up upon the King's Assignations Whereupon the Grand Seignior with great content did vest them as a mark of favour and gave present Commission to the Admiral to be ready to depart by the midst of April following and for his better strength he gave a command to send for Aids to Tunis and Algier which was thought requisite because it was reported that the Prince Philibert of Savoy then Viceroy of Sicily had in readiness sixty Gallies and six Gallions at Messina which force was doubted would be employed to give Succour to the Emir of Sidon or to revenge the attempt and late sack of Manfredonia so that they were with all expedition rigging and preparing the Armado in the Arsenal and for provision and prevention of the worst there was ordained twelve small Gallies and the ordinary Fleet of Frigots to keep the black Sea from the incursion of the Cossacks And though it was given out that this Army was only prepared against the Emir yet many that understood the secrets of that Empire knowing it to be too great did believe it should be sent to prevent a general revolt which was then murmured and suspected in Asia About this time contrary to the counsel and will of all his Ministers the Grand Seignior married the Grand-child of a Sultana Wife to Pertau Bassa only for her Beauty without any Pomp which was ill interpreted in that Court his Ancestors of late years not usually taking Wives especially of a Turkish race for respect of Kindred This and other inconstancies with extream Avarice made him odious with the Souldier and his daily haunting the Streets on foot sometimes disguised with a Page or two prying into houses and Taverns like a petty Officer increased his contempt even in the City Secret Order was given about the same time to Diac-Mahomet the Bassa of Canisia and to Gelut-Emirze a Tartarian to unite themselves with Bethlem Gabor against the Emperour of Germany But the Bassa of Buda did advertise the Grand Seignior that Bethlem Gabor had concluded Peace with the Emperour which news did greatly displease him being ardent in the desire of War. The Peace between the Grand Seignior and the King of Poland was not yet fully concluded but Ambassadours were weekly expected at the Port from Poland and other places to hasten a full consummation thereof Amongst which Sir Thomas Roe Knight Ambassadour in ordinary from his Majesty of Great Britain to the Grand Seignior arrived there the first of Ianuary and had his first audience of him speedily when he made this Speech unto him in English which immediately followeth MOst High and Mighty Emperour his sacred Majesty the King of Great Britain France and Ireland my most gracious Lord and Sovereign according to the antient League of Friendship and Amity of long time begun and continued between the most noble Ancestors of your Majesties and in his Royal Person confirmed by his sundry Ambassadors and Letters both to your renowned Father and your Imperial Majesty being fully determined on his part to maintain and inviolably to hold a fair and good Peace and Correspondency with your Majesty hath commanded and sent me with his Letters of Credence and friendly Present to reside as his Ambassador in your Royal Court Not doubting but your Imperial Majesty will accept them and receive me his unworthy Servant with your wonted Honour and Favour and that you will give Credit unto me in divers matters of importance which he hath commanded me to deliver in his Name comprehended in five Articles written in this Memorial And that you will be pleased to do therein according to the Royal Friendship of his Majesty and your Princely Wisdom and Iustice. The particulars whereof I desire your Majesty to read and consider at your ease and leisure and to afford me your Royal answer his Majesty resting assured he shall receive Content and Satisfaction worthy his Royal Friendship The Letter of Credence sent by Sir Thomas Roe IAMES by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Christian Faith against all those that falsly profess the Name of Iesus c. To the most High and Mighty Prince Sultan Osman Han chief Lord and Commander of the Ottoman Kingdom and Empire of the East sendeth Health and Greeting WE doubt not but you received our Letters sent you by our Subject John Chapman whereby we signified unto you our Royal Pleasure to recall and discharge our Ambassador Sir John Ayre from his Employment and Residency in your Court whom we desired you in your Frincely Favour to dismiss for our especial Service and to receive the bearer of our said Letters as Agent to remain in your Protection for the better support and maintenance of our Subjects which do trade and abide in your Dominions and for the advancement and continuance of the mutual Commerce and Friendship which hath been a long time contracted between your Predecessors and ours until the arrival of our Servant Sir Thomas Roe of whom as then we made choice to send unto your Port as Ambassador as well to propound unto you divers things necessary for the general Peace as to reside in your Court for our particular Service Notwithstanding lest the said Letters should not come safely to your Royal Hands we have thought sit again to make known our purpose of recalling our former Ambassador Sir John Ayre and to desire you to discharge and dismiss him from your Port and to receive and admit in his room our trusty and well beloved Servant Sir Thomas Roe one of the principal Gentlemen of our Court and of our Privy Chamber whom we have now expresly sent and whom we authorise under our great Seal of England as our Ambassador to reside at your Port and to negotiate in our Name and in the behalf of our Subjects abiding within your Kingdoms of whose Fidelity and Discretion as we are well assured so we doubt not but he will give you good content in his Demeanour and Negotiation with you We have also thought fit to put you in mind of those common Rovers upon the Seas who are Enemies to the Laws of Nations and spoilers of the quiet and peaceable Merchant by whom Amity and Friendship is maintained between Kings and Princes That you would please to exercise your Great and Mighty Power to chastise and destroy them as Traitors to your Honour and infringers of the sacred and publick Peace In full assurance that you will extend the same good respect unto us as your Royal Ancestors have done unto our most renowned Predecessors whereby that antient League and Commerce may be
which attended it being the consummation of twenty five years Wars and the Theatre where the whole World were Spectators was of greater value to the Turks than any other consideration and may with time prove a place of advantage to the farther increase of their Western Empire unless God Almighty by his Mercy and Providence give a stop to the progress of this Grand Oppressour year 1669. But before this Year ended behold the misery of Christendom by reason of discontents and animosities in the Imperial Court the Count Serini Prince of Croatia the Marquess Frangipani and Count Nadasti joyned with other Nobles of Hungary sent Messengers to the Grand Signior offering themselves Subjects and Tributaries to the Turk desiring his Protection of their Religion and Liberties designing to act the part of Bethlem Gabor The Great Vizier imployed himself this whole Winter past in repairing the Fortifications of Candia regulating them in some measure according to the Turkish Model and in repairing and beautifying the Town which was done with such admirable expedition that in a few months most of the houses demolished in the time of the Siege were again erected and the Churches converted into Moschs and adorned three of the principal whereof took the Names of the Grand Signior Great Vizier and Captain Pasha and were endowed by them with an honourable Revenue sufficient to maintain them in Reparations Lamps and Talismans But the Turks were not more pious towards their Moschs than the Christians were careless and cold towards their Churches for the Venetians inserted not one Article in favour of a Christian Church or a Religious House which would have been granted as soon as demanded only a Greek who was Interpreter to the Great Vizier called Panaiotti a Person of Parts and Learning at the expence of two thousand two hundred Dollars and an Armenian Merchant called Apro Chelabei at the charge of a thousand four hundred purchased two Churches for their respective Nations The Grand Signior in the mean time returned to Salonica to pass the remainder of the Winter which place being famous for multitude of all sorts of Game drew is heart and made him impatient till he arrived those Plains more desired by him than the Elysian fields for having made his Entry into that City the next day he designed to hunt but being put in mind that the English Ambassadour Sir Daniel Harvey who as we said arrived at Constantinople the year before attended his Audience he was contented to grant it to him the next morning But yet not to lose his hunting at midnight he sent Officers to the Ambassadour to prepare for the next days Audience very early and to gain time ordered his Horses to be all ready that so having dispatched that Ceremony he might immediately mount into the Saddle and pursue his Game Howsoever he was not in so much haste but he testified due respect to His Majesty of Great Britain and the esteem he had of the English Nation ordering the Capitulations to be renewed and commanding the Chimacam that if any one should break or infringe them that he should cut him off without farther argument But as to renewing the Capitulations the Chimacam falling at the Grand Signiors feet beseeched him That that particular might be deferred until the arrival of the Great Vizier whose proper power and act it was to make War and Peace and therefore for him to intermeddle about Capitulations was to invade the Viziers Authority which he durst not do without putting his life in danger or at least rendring his Person obnoxious to his irreconcileable displeasure with which the Grand Signior being satisfied ordered that the renewing of the Capitulations should be deferred until the return of the Visiier and so dismissed the Lord Ambasasadour from his Presence but this work of renewing the Capitulations was reserved for the care and conduct of Sir Iohn Finch who succeeded in the Embassy after the death of Sir Danil Harvey The Grand Signior arising from his Throne mounted into his Saddle to follow his excessive delight in Hunting which now he pursued every day without respect of cold or wet or Horses or Attendants but like an impetuous Nimrod raged amongst the timorous Hares and flying Harts over-spreading the Woods with vast numbers of poor Jews and Peasants which he had commanded forth to drive for Game not respecting the extreme rigour and Frosts of Winter by which many of those poor Wretches lying abroad in the nights were benumbed and dyed And so far did his humour transport him in this Recreation that he was discouraged at no inconvenience or labours which attended it for one day appointing his Hunting at a certain place which to pass on Horse-back was a great circuit but a nearer cut over a Gulf or Arm of the Sea he ordered his Horses round whilst he in Person attended with the Chimacam and several of his Grandees passed over to the other side in a Gally But being impatient of his Sport and not able to give time to his Horses to make their way ascended his Gally commanding them to row away with all speed and arriving at the other side some hours before His Horses could come would yet land and being weary of expectation resolved to meet them on foot through all the dirt and mire of a low and rich soil where whilst he travelled heavily and almost tired by good fortune they espied a Miller driving his Horse laden with two Sacks of Meal whom when they had called and made him to lighten his burden and take off the Pack-saddle the Chimacam himself stripped off his own Sables Vest and covered the Horse with it on which the Grand Signior mounting in great state rode like a Prince till he met his own Retinue which passage served to fill the discourse at night of that days Hunting and deserves to be chronicled with our English Dialogue between the Miller and the King howsoever we make use of it here to demonstrate the strange and passionate humour which possessed this Sultan in his Hunting Little other recreation did this Grand Signior take unless it were in the Company of his chief Sultana called the Hasaki Sultana by whom having had a Son which beginning now to play and speak reconciled much of his affection to the Female Sex but yet with that moderation and well regulated love that he confined himself wholly to this one Woman having sent for her to be his Companion in all journies and adventures of Errantry whilst the other Ladies as incumbrances and impediments to the speedy motions of the wandring Court were dispeeded to Constantinople under the Government of the Queen Mother as we have before declared of which priviledge this Sultana beginning to be sensible endeavoured to encrease and conserve the Affections of her Lord by all the arts and tricks of love imaginable for she was really or else feigned to be so enamoured of him that she pined and macerated away her self for
their places and a New Governor being set up he began to make a through Reâ—ormation and to alter and change every thing according to his own humor and pleasure In the first place he gave leave to all people to Arm in Corso or to set out Private Men of War as every one pleased and was able different to the practise of the former Pasha who reserved that benefit and priviledge to himself and next it was proposed to constitute a Divan after the manner of Algier in whom the supream power of all should be lodged In order hereunto they immediately set forth to Sea six Sail of Ships from forty to fifty Guns excellent Saylors and armed them with the best and stoutest of their Men together with four more from twelve to thirty Guns with these Ships they took many prizes belonging to French Venetians and other Nations and though they had long desired to taste also of the sweetness of English Estates yet not encountring a prize worthy the trouble and evil consequences of such a breach they for some time deferred the design which they had long meditated Till at length about the Month of August 1674. they unhappily encountred the Martin a rich Ship bound from Venice to Cadiz which they carried to Tripoly and on the 17 th of September following they seconded this outrage by other of the like nature committed on the Hunter Fregat Thomas Parker Commander bound from Ligâ—rne to Smyrna whom the Tripolines meeting with six Men of War at the entrance into the Arche-pelago they brought her into the Port of Tripoly where having plundered all the strangers goods laden upon her to the import of forty thousand dollars the particulars of all which were given under Oath of the Commander the Ship was dismissed and dispeeded on her Voyage to Smyrna with no other damage to the English then the embezelment of 726 dollars robbed or pilfered by the Souldiery together which such charge as the Consul of Tripoly challenged for his service therein This news being advised into England as a breach of Peace his Majesty out of his usual and gratious care of the welfare of Trade was pleased to order Sir Iohn Narbrough his Commander in chief in the Mediterranean Seas to demand satisfaction from that people who accordingly Sailing thither and requiring restitution of the goods injuriously taken received a denial and denunciation of War. Whereupon Sir Iohn Narbrough wrote to the Consul of Smyrna in this manner These are to advertise you that the people of Tripoly have broken the peace with his Majesty they are resolved to take all the English Ships they can meet and overcome I have been there with a Squadron of his Majesties Ships to demand restitution of the goods taken out of the Martin â—nd Hunter they refuse to make any so that now it is open War with those people I am now at Malta taking in water I intend to fit at Ligorne I suppose his Majesty will have a Squadron of Ships to look after these people of Tripoly this Summer Sir I pray signify this to my Lord Ambassador at Constantinople and to all others his Majesties Subjects where you converss that they may prevent falling into their hands in hast I conclude and kiss your hand and I remain Your Humble Servant Iohn Narbrough On board his Majesties Ship Henrietta at Malta March 15th 1674 5. Sir Iohn Narbrough having fitted himself at Ligorne and recruited with an additional Squadron of six or seven Men of War he departed for Tripoly taking under his Convoy the Vyner Bristol Merchant and Mediterranean for Smyrna and now appearing before the Port of Tripoly in a formidable manner the Pyrates began to repent of their late violation knowing that they must now either disgorge their ill got goods or prove the evil effects of War their hearts began now to fail them so that they unrigged all their Ships laying them up close in the harbour and with them for the present all thoughts of roving on the Seas for supposing that the English Ships could not lye alwaies in that Station but that bad weather or want of provisions would enforce them some time to retire they hoped in that interval to find an opportunity to lanch into the Seas where being clear and good Saylors they might have room enough to escape Howsoever Sir Iohn Narbrough with his Squadron continued with such diligence of the coast plying them with continual allarms standing off to sea at night and towards the land in the day that they found not the heart nor opportunity to adventure abroad until one of their Ships which had formerly been their Rere-Admiral bound with Negroes for the Morea resolved to hazard an escape but not being able to make her passage good she was forced ashoar and burnt by our Ship most of the Negroes falling into the â—nglish hands some few days after Sir Iohn Narbrough fired three of their Galeots burnt a Satee took a fisher-boat and a Sambechin with which success being encouraged and the Enemy affrighted their Ships were blocked up in Port for some months whilst ours found free passage on the Seas until that at length growing weary of so long a demorage necessity drove them to adventure abroad which two of their best Men of War successfully effected on the 8 th of September in despight of the English Squadron year 1675. being assisted with calm weather and help of their Oares four others observing the success of the former in a few days after attempted the like and escaped in the same manner And now the Commanders of English Ships in diverse Ports taking false measures on confidence that the Tripolines were blocked up in their Ports trusted themselves with unadvised security into the Seas amongst which none was so unfortunate as a Ship called the Bristol Merchant one Plummer Commander laden with eighty two Bales of Silk besides other rich commodities bound from Smyrna to Ligorne wherâ—on were several Merchants some of which having lived many years in Smyrna had acquired plentiful Estates namely Mr. Iohn Foley Mr. Thomas Laxton Mr. Iacob Turner year 1674. Mr. Phillip Gell and Mr. Tison Nephew to Mr. Foley Persons who expected a prosperous Voyage and a happy arrival in their own Country But observe here the course of humane disappointments for being imbarked on the Ship aforesaid they set Sail from Smyrna the 10 th or 11 th of September in company with the Vyner which happened to be about two or three days after the Tripolines had first broken out of their Port these two Ships by bad weather or want of due care lost company each with other in the Arche-pelago which proved a happy fortune to the Vyner for the Bristol Merchant some few days after being off of Cape Sapientia encountred the two Tripolines which first came out of Port and being Vessels of forty to fifty Guns soon made themselves Masters of a Merchant-ship laden and of mean force The Tripolines were greatly elevated with
if it had been but to look to his charge when he was come as near as he could to Alis without mistrust thought good to assay if he could by policy bring that to pass which he was otherwise with great danger to attempt by force Wherefore feigning himself to be extream sick he sent Embassadors to Alis requesting him as a friend to vouchsafe to come unto him being at the point of death unto whom he had many things of importance from the great Emperor to impart and would if he should die leave with him all his charge until Solyman should otherwise dispose thereof Alis who from his youth had always honoured the Turkish Emperors and faithfully served them mistrusting no harm came to the Bassa accompanied with his four Sons whom the faithless Bassa without regard of infamy caused presently to be put to death with their Father and so reducing all that Country into the manner of a Province under Solymans obeisance came to him with twenty thousand Men about the time that the City of the Rhodes was yielded up This is the faithless dealing of the Turks not with the Christians only but with them of their own superstition also using it as no small policy utterly to extinguish the Nobility of all Countries subject to their servile Tyranny Solyman after he had thus subdued the Rhodes and disposed of the Island as he liked best returning to Constantinople brake up his Army and for the space of three years after followed his pleasure not doing any thing worthy of remembrance During which time and many years after the rich and flourishing Country of Italy sometime Mistress of the World was miserably afflicted and rent in pieces by Charles the Fifth then Emperor and Francis the French King the one envying unto the other the glory of the Empire and he not content therewith seeking with immoderate ambition to make himself Lord of all Italy most of the other Christian Princes and States being at the same time either by the one or by the other drawn into the fellowship of that War to the great trouble and sore weakning of the Christian Common-weal Whereupon Solyman waiting all occasions that might serve for the enlarging of his Empire and annoying of the Christians thought it not a fit time for him to set his foot into Hungary whereunto he had already laied open a way by the taking of Belgrade He knew right well that Lewis then King of Hungary was but young altogether unacquainted with the Wars commanding over his headstrong Subjects especially his rich Prelates and Nobility no otherwise than pleased themselves being himself rather by them altogether overruled besides that he was in good hope that the other Christian Princes near unto him either carried away with regard of their own Estate would not or else before unto himself by League fast bound could not afford unto him any great aid or succour the Germans he knew would make small hast unto such Wars as should yield them much danger and but small pay As for the Princes of the House of Austria Charles the Emperor and Ferdinand his Brother although they were joyned unto the young King with the nearest bonds of Alliance Lewis having Married Mary their youngest Sister and Ferdinand Ann King Lewis his Sister yet was there as he thought small help to be expected from them Charles having his hands full in Italy and Ferdinand altogether careful of himself and that Sigismund King of Polonia would for the young Kings sake break the ancient League he had with the Turkish Emperors he could hardly be perswaded As for other Christian Princes farther off he stood not in any great doubt year 1526. Thus having with himself singled out this young Prince the Hungarian King whom he had in his greedy mind already devoured he set forward from Constantinople and was come on his way as far as Sophiâ— in Servia with a mighty Army of two hundred thousand men before that the Hungarians had any knowledge of his coming so blind and senseless was that State which now sleeping in security had long before lost those Eies which ever watcht and never spared cost or pains to keep the same in safety in stead of whom were others come in place sharp of sight and too too provident for that concerned their own advancement but blind as Beetles in foreseeing this great and common danger wherewith they were shortly after all quite overwhelmed until it was now brought home unto their own Doors The young King of himself but weak by reason of his youthful years and nothing strengthned by them for whom he had most done and should have been his greatest stay was wonderfully dismaied with the fame of the approach of so mighty an Enemy yet the better to withstand him he sent Embassadors with all speed unto the Christian Princes his Neighbours requesting their Aid against the common Enemy but all in vain In the mean time after the ancient manner of his Country he gave out general Summons for the Assembly of his Counsel for the Wars whether his great stipendary Prelates of duty bound to appear came with their Troops of evil appointed Horsemen and not half full who also delivered in less sums of Mony by far than of right they should have done towards the maintenance of the charge of that common War. And the temporal Nobility forgetting the warlike Discipline of their famous Ancestors as fresh-water Souldiers which had seen the Turkish Emperor in his strength and but little acquainted with some light skirmishes or small invasions in their vain bravery made light account of the Turks proudly vaunting That although they were in number but few yet they would easily overthrow the great numbers of them if ever they came to handy strokes But above all the rest one Paulus Tomoreus Archbishop of Colossa sometimes a Minorite who had before been in divers light skirmishes against the Turks with great insolency did so confidently brag and boast of the Victory he vainly dreamed of that in his Sermons unto the Souldiers and in open talk with the Nobility if he could have done so much as he vaunted of it should seem that he himself had been enough to have overthrown the Turks whole Army But when all the Kings Army was assembled and a general muster taken there was hardly found five and twenty thousand men in all horse and foot So that the foolish hardiness of Tomoreus and others so forwards to give the Turks battel was of most wise men disliked The old Souldiers and men of great experience said plainly That it was meer folly and madness with such a handful of men to give battel unto the Enemy who would bring eight times so many more into the Field as they were Wherefore some wished that the young King should be withdrawn from the eminent danger among whom Stephanus Verbetius a noble Captain of all the rest best acquainted with the Turkish Wars gave Counsel
for that he had in time of the Siege shot off the Hand of the Clerk General of the Army brought him into the Town and when they had cut off his Hands and his Nose put him quick into the Ground to the Wast and there for their pleasure shot at him with their Arrows and afterward to make an end of him cut his Throat The Bassa shortly after departing out of Barbâ—ry left Dragut the Pyrat Governour of Tripolis honouring him with the Title of the Sanzack of that place from whence he many years grievously molested the Moors near unto him by Land and the Christians by Sea. The same year 1551. Solyman notwithstanding the five years Peace before taken with King Ferdinand at his going into Persia sent Achomates his Lieutenant in Europe with a great power into Hungary who with Halis the Bassa of Buda invaded the upper part of Hungary and first took the City of Temeswar and contrary to their Faith given slew the Garrison Souldiers after that they took also the Castle of Zolnok forsaken by the Christians and certain other small Castles But laying Siege to Ersaâ— they were partly by the valiantness of the Defendants and partly by the coming on of Winter enforced to forsake the Siege and to get themselves into their Wintering places Queen Isabel King Iohn his Widdow seeing the Turks daily encroaching upon that little they had left her and that she was not able by any means to defend Transylvania against them by the advice of George Bishop of Veradium her old Counsellor agreed with King Ferdinand to deliver unto him the Government of the Country with all the Royal Dignity of Hungary for which she was to have of him Cassovia and a yearly Pension of an hundred thousand Ducats Which agreement made and throughly concluded by Baptista Castalius an Italian whom Charles the Emperor had but a little before sent to aid King Ferdinand the Queen returned into Polonia her native Country and so King Ferdinand by that means obtained almost all the Province of Transylvania and what else the Queen had in Hungary But the Bishop a little before made a Cardinal being suspected by Baptista the Italian that he favoured the Turks Faction more than King Ferdinand and by that means sought to get the Government to himself was by the Italians device suddainly murthred in his own House at Veradium an end good enough for so troublesome a Prelate Halis the Bassa of Buda proud of the good success he had the year before year 1552. understanding that divers of the chief Hungarians had withdrawn themselves into the Castle of Agria purposed in himself with all his power to besiege it and there to take them So aided by Achomates Chasan and other of the Turks Sanzacks and Captains by Solymans appointment ready at his call he came with an Army of thirty five thousand Turks and the tenth of September in the year 1552. encamped round about the Castle where after he had placed his Artillery he began a most furious Battery But doubting to prevail that way he attempted also to undermine the Castle omitting nothing that could be devised for the taking thereof but all in vain for the Hungarians by the good direction of Stephanus Dobus their Captain couragiously endured the Siege and very manfully repulsed the Enemy At length the twenty ninth of September the Enemy with twenty eight Ensigns of select Souldiers gave a fresh assault to the Castle and were by the Defendants enforced shamefully to retire at which time four and twenty Barrels of Gunpowder by mischance caught Fire and besides that it blew up divers Captains and Souldiers did much harm in the Castle to the great dismaying of the Defendants After that the Turks with incredible pertinacy the twelfth of October fiercely assaulted the Castle from morning until night and for desire of revenge and hope of spoil left nothing unattempted for the gaining of the place but were by the greater valour of the Hungarians beaten back and with great loss enforced at last to give over the assault Thus the Bassa nothing prevailing by force attempted by great promises and large offers to have brought them out which he understanding to be nothing regarded and his Letters scornfully burnt brought on his Souldiers again and gave unto them in the Castle a most furious assault but with no better success than before for having lost many of his best Souldiers he was enforced to retire So after he had in vain six weeks besieged the Castle he was glad to raise his Siege and to retire to Pestum After whose departure there was found twelve thousand great Shot wherewith he had battâ—red the Wall. In this Siege six thousand Turks were slain and of the Hungarians but three hundred King Ferdinand glad of this Victory made Stephanus the worthy Captain Vayvod of Transylvania and bountifully reâ—arded the other Captains and Souldiers as they had well deserved Henry the French King who together with his Kingdom had as it seemed received the hereditary Quarrels of Francis his Father against Charles the Emperor had by his Embassador the Lord of Arramont so wrought the matter with Solyman that the more to trouble the Emperor he sent a great Fleet into the Tyrrhenum or Tuscan Sea which in the year 1553 and the year following year 1553. did great harm upon the Coasts of Calabria Sicilia Sardinia as also in the Islands of Elba Corsica Cerbe and Maiorca and such like places on the Frontiers of the Emperors Dominions yet were the Turks in most places notably again repulsed by the people of those Countries The same year Solyman seduced by Roxolana sometime his fair Concubine but then his imperious Wife and Rustan Bassa his Son in Law most unnatuâ—â—lly murthred his eldest Son Mustapha the mirrour of the Othoman Family Which tragical Fact the like whereof both for the treacherous contriving and inhuman execution hath seldom times been heard of I have thought good here in due time to set down in such sort as it is by most credible Writers of that time reported Solyman after the manner of the Othoman Kings who to avoid the participation of their Sovereignty use not oftentimes to Marry but otherwise to satisfie their pleasure with such beautiful Concubines as it pleaseth them to make choice of out of the fairest Captives of all Nations most daintily brought up for that purpose in the Court had by a Circassian Bondwoman a Son called Mustapha who for his wonderful towardliness and rare perfection was amongst the Turks had in such expectation and admiration as that they in nothing accounted themselves more happy than in the hope laid up in him whose noble carriage was such as thereby he so possessed the minds of all Men in general but especially of the Men of War that he was reputed the glory of the Court the flour of Chivalry the hope of the Souldiers and joy of the People Whilst he thus grew encreasing
year when the Infant is able to make Confession of his Faith where lifting up his Finger he speaks these Words which are graven in their Temples in the Arabian Tongue There is but one God whose Prophet Mahomet is one God and equal Prophets The Circumcision being ended they feast three days together and then they carry the Circumcised to a Bath with great pomp after which the Guests conduct him to his House and present him with Gifts The Women are not circumcised but onely speak the words If any Christian abjure his Faith and indure Circumcision as they often do by reason of their Tributes and Vexations they are led through the Town with great honour and rejoycing of the People who do also give unto them and they pay no Tributes Mahomet's Law denies the Divinity of Iesus Christ to please the Arrians who were then powerful It is full of Fables to please Idolaters and it gives liberty to the flesh which is pleasing to most men They confess one God and honour Iesus Christ not as the Son of God but as a Prophet born of the Virgin Mary They neither honour nor allow Images Friday is their Sabbath as Sunday is ours They observe a Lent of thirty days which they call Ramadan during which they eat nothing in the day time but when night comes all meats are indifferent but Swines flesh yet they abstain from Wine and Women They have their Easter called Bayran which continues three days in which they enjoy all pleasures but this Feast is not always prefixed for that they account not the day according to the course of the Sun but of the Moon and therefore they do carefully observe the New-Moon and salute it They have no Bells in their Mosques neither do they suffer the Christians which live there to have any They put off their Shooes when they go into their Mosques and take them again at their coming forth Wheresoever they sit in their Churches or Houses they have Tapestry Coverlets or Mats under them they are not much given to Contemplation or Learning yet the Turkish Women being married and having Issue are careful to breed up their Children and to be instructed for the which there are many Schools where they read their Laws to the end they may serve in their Mosques and be able to govern the Common-weal The Turks by Mahomet's Law have leave to marry as many Wives as they can maintain and a Turkish Woman being once with Child her Husband never toucheth her untill she be delivered but lies with his slaves out of the House where his Wife remains They have a certain kind of marriage made at pleasure which they call Kebin the which is many times practised by Strangers who being out of their Country contract with Women whom they are to enjoy during their pleasure and when they cast them off they give them a certain sum of Money and keep the Children The Cadies or Judges allow not this kind of contract especially amongst Christians unless it be with an Oath of marriage A Turk having had the Use of a Christian Woman they are both condemned to dye unless she will abjure her Faith the like is observed betwixt a Christian and a Turkish Woman if they have been found together Divorce is allowed among them in case of Barrenness and Incontinency There are four orders of Religious Men among the Turks which differ in their Living Habit and Ceremonies These be the Terlaques Deruis Kalenders and Huquiemales and these last are very vicious and wicked Imposters deceiving of the common People The Deruis is a strict Order living in Contemplation much like unto the Capuchins among the Romish Papists The Turks forbear to blaspheme either God Christ or Mahomet or any other Saint whatsoever and they punish blasphemy severely They converse with Christians and Eat and Traffick with them freely yea sometimes they marry their Daughters and suffer them to live after their own Religion But they hate the Iews and despise them as the basest people in the world They have an assured Confidence that he that shall duely observe the Laws of Mahomet shall have eternal Life and a Paradise full of Delights and contrariwise they that shall break the Laws of their Alcaron are threatned with Hell and eternal Death yet they have an Opinion that he that believes in the Alcaron when he dyes shall be undoubtedly saved To conclude this Relation with some few lines of their Humours and Dispositions they write of them that they are gross witted idle and unfit for Labour They are exceeding covetous and corrupt above all other Nations for Justice is sold to him that offers most They are humble among themselves and obey their Superiours with great silence They are proud and insupportable to Strangers thinking none fit to be compared with them They are given to Gluttony and Drunkenness and will spend whole days together in Feasting and will drink with excess if it be in private for that it is forbidden by their Law. They are vain-glorious proud and deceitful never keeping their words but when it may be to their profit They are much inclined to Venery and are for the most part all Sodomites They are very superstitious giving credit to Dreams and Divinations and they hold that every mans Destiny is written in his Forehead which cannot be altered or avoided Thus I have continued this History for eleven Years having informed my self out of the best Authors and Intelligencers I could find that concern this subject I should have been glad that some which have resided at Constantinople most part of this time would have assisted me with their Observations which should have been for the general good of our Nation but I hope notwithstanding the Reader shall find content and satisfaction A CONTINUATION OF THE TURKISH HISTORY From the beginning of the Year of Our Lord 1620 until the ending of the Year of Our Lord 1628. Collected out of the Papers and Dispatches of Sir Thomas Roe Knight his Majesties Ambassador with the Grand Seignior during that Time. By M. B. year 1620 BEfore we come to speak of the great Preparations made by the Grand Seignior in the Year 1621 to invade the Kingdom of Poland and those by that King to resist him I hold it necessary briefly to set down the Causes and Reasons of the ensuing War. The Chrim Tartar confining upon the Dukedom of Russia and Borders of Poland made many Incursions and did great spoil upon the Cossacks within that Province of Russia and other parts belonging to the Kingdom of Poland and carrying away People of all Ages and Sexes made sale of them within the Turkish Empire Now Iean beagh-Ghiray-Han Prince of the Tartars being wholly dependent on the Ottoman Emperours his Majesty of Poland sent many several Ambassadors to complain at that Port That notwithstanding the ancient League between him and the Ottoman Family the Tartars greatly spoiled his Countries which was both unjust and
make any such Additions as should be requisite agreeable to their Law and conformable to the antient League and that therein his Majesties Ambassador should find no Difficulty for they honoured his Majesty and were resolved to give him assurance of their will to maintain a true Friendship and therefore desired the Ambassador to draw and prepare the Capitulations and send them to him and the Chancellor who would consider them and being such as were fit to be granted the Ambassador should have speedy order To the Second the Visier answered with great Subtilty First justifying the occasion of the War and imputing the Fault to the Cossacks maintained by the Pole to rob even at the Port of Constantinople therefore that the Emperour could not in Honour but chasten and destroy them having first by message demanded Justice against them and now his Master being ingaged with great charge and in his Honour he could make no Peace with them who had beguiled him pâ—etending that they had no other intention but the War because having raised his Camp and dissolved his Army the Polacks now scorned him and kept no Faith neither sending Ambassador nor Messenger no not any Letter since their return That therefore they could not hearken to any Condition and that his Majesty of Great Britain did not value the Honour of the Grand Seignior in this motion To the Third he replied That the motion for the Prisoners was unseasonable because in order it should follow the general Treaty and making Peace which if finished his Majesty of Great Britain should find that for his sake all those mentioned in the Memorial should be free except only the Prince Coreskie who had been the cause of many Troubles and had made escape from Prison formerly To the Fourth he made Protestation in the Grand Seignior's name against the Pyrats offering that his Majesties Ambassadors should have what Commands what Message he would desire in company of any Englishman To the Fifth he replied It was an old obsolete Quarrel and that the Ambassador did him Injury to press him when in the time of three former Visiers his Predecessors could obtain no Relief therefore he would not look back upon the Actions of other Men nor rake among the Bones of the dead but he desired the Ambassador should rest satisfied that while He had the Honour to govern there should no wrong be done unto the English Nation and that he would hear all Complaints so as no man should need to look back upon his Actions This perfunctory Answer did not much satisfie his Majesties Ambassador but that he desired some other of Effect being loth to accept of Generalities and therefore required a direct reply for his own discharge which was promised after much pressing by the Visier who had first undertaken the same The long stay of the Duke of Sbaraskie chosen extraordinary Ambassador by the King of Poland to consummate the Peace between him and the Grand Seignior did much trouble the Emperours Court and especially the Visier who procured the Cessation of Arms but that a Letter was writ by the King of Poland which did a little prolong their hopes In the mean time the Emperour divulged a pretence to visit Mecha the Tomb of Mahomet his great Prophet contrary to the Counsel and instance of all his Visiers that knew not the secret and even to the hazard of a general revolt for they were jealous that under colour of that Voyage he had some other design and it was feared the Duke would not proceed to follow him at random nor treat with his Deputies left at the Port For the Polacks seemed in performing and assuring the Peace a little too glorious of their good Success year 1622 and the Nobility not so obedient to the King as that he could absolutely command which did both trouble their Agents at the Port and discontent the Turks so that a little motion of the Cossacks or Tartars at that time spoil being both their livelihoods had kindled new Fires and had disturbed or quite broken the Peace In the mean space the Grand Seigâ—ior writ his Letter to his Majesty of Great Britain in answer to his Royal Letter by his Ambassador wherein was contained a Satisfactory reply to all the particulars of those five Articles delivered unto him And the Grand Seignior made such demonstration of great care to give his Majesty all content and satisfaction that his Letter was presented to the Ambassador with Ceremonies of Honour requiring that it should be sent by an express Messenger and gave command for a safe conduct for that purpose The true translated Copy whereof doth immediately follow Prince Osman ever victorious To the Mighty Prince renowned among the Majesties of the Princes of the Law of Iesus obeyed of the great Potentates followers of the Messiah the only director of the important Affairs of the Nazarene People Sovereign of the Limits of Power and Honour Lord of Advancement and Authority the most Glorious IAMES King of Great Britain France and Ireland to whose last days We wish all Felicity THIS our Imperial Letter arriving you shall know that your Honourable and Famous Ambassadour and worthy Knight Sir Thomas Roe is with your Royal and acceptable Letter come unto our happy Port the refuge of the Princes and Commanders of the World. Whereof the sincere Contents and Substance was That our antient Capitulations should be renewed and divers Articles therein reformed and explained and some others inserted And whereas certain Customers and other Officers of our Empire have often transgressed our Royal Agreements and done many Violences and Injuries to the Merchants your Subjects that for the time to come they may be secured from all Oppression and concerning the Affairs of the Polacks that the Enmity and War lately begun between us and them might be converted into Peace and Friendship and that there should be established a sincere League and Amity as in the Time of our Ancestors And that divers Noblemen of Poland and one of your Majesties Subjects now detained in our Captivity should be set at Liberty Complaining also against the Inhabitants of Tunis and Algier That they who have violated our Imperial Capitulations Amity and League ought to be duly punished And lastly That whereas one of your Subjects named Arthur Garaway from whom upon a pretension there was a great fine taken and other wrong done unto his Person you desire that his cause may be with Iustice renewed All which being made known unto us with prudent and mature Deliberation we have duely weighed and perfectly conceived them Wherefore by the favour of the great and prosperous God we do promise that in all these matters propounded we will imploy our Imperial Care and Diligence And we have already given our high and express Command that our antient Capitulations should be renewed and confirmed And such Conditions as are correspondent to the Peace Amity and League between us shall in due form be granted
was sitting on Cushions in a little Room with a Fire and his Feet covered several Pashaws Pages and other Officers standing by him His Excellency and Sir Thomas Bendysh were seated on Two Velvet stools where first the Earl of Winchelsea having presented the King's Letters to the Vizier wrote in Parchment and put into a bag of Cloth of Gold Sir Thomas Bendysh began to inform the Vizier that this was that honourable Person of whom he had formerly acquainted him was coming to reside for Ambassador in his place That he was of that Nobility and relation to our King that had not his Majesty intended highly and in an extraordinary manner to Honour and oblige the Grand Signior he would not have exposed his Kinsman and a Person extraordinary to the hazard of a Voyage so long and dangerous as this Then the Earl of Winchealsea began to speak and relate the happy restauration of the King his Master to the Throne of his Ancestors extolling his Power Greatness and Clemency in pardoning all but such who were engaged in the Blood of his Father That in his passage to Constantinople he had by Command of the King touched at Algier endeavouring to renew the former Articles of Peace and release an English Lord meaning the Lord Obryan taken Captive by them contrary to the Articles of Peace but without success not being able to reduce them to any Terms of Reason or Justice And enlarging in his Complements with assurances of the friendship which the King his Master desired to conserve and maintain wiâ—h the Grand Signior as a token thereof he acquainted him that he was the first Ambassador sent abroad by his Master since his happy return before he had designed or appointed any to Christian Princes The Vizier readily answered That it was but Reason it should be so since the Grand Signior was an Emperor and they but Kings and he the greatest and most Soveraign Potentate of the World And that as to the Business of Algier he would take care of it and do him Iustice. This having passed Two China dishes with Sherbet were brought forth and given to the Two Ambassadors and Two larger bowles of the same to their Attendants Then the Present was brought forth and laid before the Vizier consisting of Twenty Vests Four of them were of fine English Cloth of several colours Four of several coloured Velvets Fourof several flowred Stuffs with Gold and Silver Four of watred Tabbies and Four of Sattins In recompence hereof both the Ambassadors were vested with Six others which Vests are of no great matter of use or value more than that they are evidences and badges of the Vizier's favour After this his Excellency with Sir Thomas Bendysh arose and departed wearing these Vests until they were passed without the Gates of the Viziers Palace and then they delivered them to be carried by their Servants as the others did and so his Excellency returned to his House at Pera with an appearance of a fair Correspondency and with assurances that the Capitulations and friendship should be maintained and conserved with a strict and inviolate Faith. The day of giving pay to the Janisaries drawing near the Ambassador's Audience with the Grand Signior was deferred until that time for with that occasion the Court would appear in the most solemn manner and the attendance of the Soldiery would render all things more great and powerful In the mean time the Grand Signior often took a view from his Seraglio of the Plymouth Frigat and frequently rowed round her in a Boat and some say he once came Incognito aboard to see her at length he was so pleased with her that he fancied her to be a very proper Vessel to carry Soldiers and Ammunition for Candia but proposing his Thoughts and intentions to the Vizier he was disswaded from the demand or constraint of the Ship being admonished that this was a matter unpracticable and uncivil towards a Prince who on confidence of Amity and Alliance with him had adventured his Ship within his Port. The Twenty sixth day of February being Pay-day of the Janisaries the Lord Ambassador had Audience of the Grand Signior which was performed in this manner His Excellency with Sir Thomas Bendysh departing from his House with his retinue on Horse-back by break of day in the Morning was met on Constantinople side by the Chaous-Bashee and his Chaouses and by them conducted to the Seraglio We rode through the first Court which was very spacious and then we alighted from our Horses and walked through another Court leading to the Divan or place of Judicature at the upper end of which the Great Vizier was seated on his right Hand sate Five Viziers of the Bench of which the Captain-Pasha or Admiral of the Seas was one on the left were the Two Kadileschers or Chief Justices one of Anatolia and the other of Romelia and by them the Tefterdar Pasha or Lord Treasurer with Three other Pasha's The floar of the Divan was covered with Carpets and on them a richer covering of Bags of Money for payment of the Janisaries The Two Ambassadors with about Six or Seven of their retinue amongst which I was one being admitted in and placed at the lower end their Excellencies approached toward the Vizier and were seated near unto him on Two stools covered with Crimson Velvet and some Discourse and Complement having passed between them they retired to another part of the Room that they might give way to Business In the mean time the payment of the Soldiers went forward every Churbagee or Captain taking from the heaps the Pay of his Soldiers and laying the Bags on their Shoulders made up to the Viziers and having kissed the Hem of his Vest on his Knees he retired with great Humility and hast from him passing away with his side towards him it being very unseemly amongst them to turn their backs to Personages of that Dignity The Payment being over Three small Tables were brought in the first of which was covered with a Silver Voyder at which the Two Ambassadors sate with the chief Ministers but the Great Vizier by reason of his Age and Weakness retired into another Room The other Two Tables were covered with a mixed Mettal which served in the place of a Table-Cloth at which the others sate We had no Knives Forks nor Plate but only Wooden Spoons were laid for us which was sufficient in that manner of eating for their Meats are most boyled and conveniently received by the Spoon or are so well roasted that they are easily parted with the Fingers The dishes were served in by one at a time but so fast that we had scarce tasted of one before it was snatched away to make place for another and I think there might be about Twenty several changes in this manner at the end of all to conclude our Feast a great Bowl of Sherbet was brought in and we drank of it as large draughts as we pleased Being risen from
by His Majesty for Ambassador to the Grand Signior in the place of Sir Daniel Harvey who dyed in August 1672. at his Country-house not far from Constantinople His Excellency entred the City on the first day of Ianuary 1673 4. rejoycing the English Factory with the sight of their new Ambassador that Office having been now void for the space of sixteen months who was welcome also to people of the Country judging him fortunate for arriving at the Feast of their great Biram nor less pleasing was the News thereof to the Court especially to the late Pasha of Tunis whose Goods and Monies taken by one Dominico Franceschi out of an English Ship called the Mediterranean in her passage from Tunis to Tripoli this Ambassador had recovered from Ligorne and Malta which being an action without example was greatly admired and applauded by the Turks and esteemed an evident demonstration of that great Interest and Power which the Glory of our King hath acquired in Foreign parts and of the singular dexterity of such a Minister About the 18 th of March Sir Iohn Finch arrived at Constantinople being transported to the Dardanelli on his Majesties Fregat the Centurion and thence on a Gally hired at Smyrna for that purpose Some few days after his arrival the Grand Signior and Vizier being at Adrianople the Lord Ambassador had audience of the Chimacam whom he saluted with this speech I am come Ambassadour from Charles the Second King of England Scotland France and Ireland sole Lord and Soveraign of all the Seas that environ his Kingdoms Lord and Soveraign of vast territories and possessions in the East and West-Indies Defender of the Christian Faith against all those that Worship Idols or Images To the most Powerful and mighty Emperor of the East to maintain that peace which hath been so useful and that commerce which hath been so profitable to this Empire For the continuance and encrease whereof I promise you in my station to contribute what I can and I promise to my self that you in your will do the like But to proceed to the Wars The Pâ—landers being thus prosperous made use of their success and the sharp cold of the Winter-sâ—ason to make their Incursions and Winter-quarters through all the Principalities of Moldavia for they being born in cold Countries and accustomed to the Snows and Frosts were more patient and enduring of extremity of weather than were the Turks who were brought forth from more mild and moderate Climates so that neither could the Poles be driven out from those Countries nor Keminitz be relieved by them until such time that the Sun getting high and thawing the Snows and warming the Earth prepared a season fit for return of the Turks who marching according to their custom with an Army composed of great multitudes quickly compelled the Poles to retire For the Grand Signior and Vizier having both seated their Winter-quarters on the Banks of the Danâ—be were ready at the first opening of the Summer to enter their Arms into the Enemies Countries and having called the Tartars to their assistance did according to the usual custom make Incursions for depredation of Slaves Cattel and whatsoever else was portable in a running March. The Chan or King of this People was at that time greatly indisposed in his health of which he advised the Great Vizier as if he intended thereby to obtain a release from his personal attendance that year in the War But the Vizier who either supposed this excuse to be only a pretence or that he had a kindness for his Person immediately dispatched away his own Physician called Signior Masselini an Italian born a worthy Learned man a good Christian and my intimate Friend with whom maintaining a constant correspondence by Letters he wrote me That from the Grand Signiors Quarters which were at Batadog near the Banks of the Danube he arrived after seventeen days Journey in Chrim where he said he was received with singular honour and kindness by the Great Chan whom he found to be a Prince of admirable prudence gentleness and generosity but greatly afflicted with a Hypochondriacal Melancholy which being an infirmity of some years standing was with the more difficulty removed howsoever he was so far from being uncapable to follow his Army that he advised him to divert his mind with the thoughts of War which counsel having taken after thirty days abode in the Camp he found himself much more chearful than before and greatly relieved of that pressure of Melancholy and caliginous Vapours which offended his Brain We are now said he at Vssia at the Mouth of the Boristhenes which we have passed from the other side unto this where the River is nine miles brâ—ad from hence we are marching towards Bender upon the Niester to pass into Moldavid and there to joyn with the Ottoman Army The Poles have sent to demand Peace but with condition that Kemenitz be restored to them which Proposition was with great disdain rejected and will never be granted whilst this Emperour reigns These people greatly desired a Peace with Poland which the Election of Sobieski for King may probably facilitate for not only they but the Turks also dread a March into Poland and are so inveterately bent to take revenge on the Muscovites and Cosacks who lately became their Subjects that they could accept of any reasonable Terms of Accommodation with Poland I for my part found Tartary a very pleasant Country plentiful of all Provisions and the people much more courteous and obliging to the Strangers and Christians than those Turks with whom you and I have conversed Thus far Masselini writes in commendation of the Tartars and in farther confirmation hereof I have read in some Books That as to their Morals there are very few Nations to be found less vicious they are extremely severe and faithful they have no Thieves or false Witnesses amongst them little Injustice or Violence and live in union and great tranquillity the marvellous fidelity of the Captive Tartars in Poland is every day to be observed who never fail to return at the time appointed when they are licensed upon their word to go and procure their Liberties by the exchange of Polish Prisoners which they execute punctually or return themselves not failing a minute And it is observed That the Polish Gentlemen do rather trust the young Tartars which are in their Service with the keys of their Money and Jewels than any of their Houshold The time for Armies to draw out of the Winter-quarters and take the Field being now come the Grand Signior and Vizier with great numbers both of Horse and Foot passed the Danube and prosecuting their March to the Câ—nfines of Poland they relieved Kemenitz in the first place the Poles at the News of their approach rasing the Siege Thence they proceeded to Chuâ—zim a strong Fortress on the Niester taken from them in the last year by the Christians after the defeat given to Chusaein Pasha
EMPIRE CONTINUED From the Year of Our Lord 1676 to the Year 1686. By Sir Roger Manley Knight year 1676 THE History of the Turkish Empire having been transferr'd to us by Mr. Knolles very methodically and well and continued by the deserving Pen of Sir Paul Rycaut to the Year 1676 being the Twenty eighth of Sultan Mahomet the Fourth now reigning We have as well by inclination as to satisfie the desires of some Friends thought fit to prosecute so landable a Design by extending the History of that great Monarchy to our present Times And though we may be defective in skill for so Eminent an Undertaking we shall notwithstanding add Industry to our Endeavours and compensate our Failings by the candour and ingenuity of our Narrative Achmet the great Visier being dead in his way to Adrianople was succeeded by Kara Mustapha his Brother-in-Law aged about fifty and who had exercised the Office of Caimacan for many years The Grand Seignior to indear him the more to him married him to one of his Daughters though very young not exceeding five years of age according to the custom practised by the Sultans to be rid of their Daughters betimes which are always numerous by reason of the multiplicity of their Concubines and by this means to ease themselves of the Expence which they are obliged to be at in maintaining them according to their Quality In the same Month of Ianuary the strong Garison of Canisia having drawn out a Party to attack the Isle of Sexin allarmed all Croatia by their Military Executions exacting Contributions and pillaging and burning such places as did not submit to their tyranny The Turks of Newhausel did also ravage the Countrey on their side as far as Frystat But before we enter upon this stage of War it may be requisite to say somewhat of the Troubles of Hungary which preceded and their causes and how the Infidels came to be Principals in a War of Religion between Christians The Kingdom of Hungary being subdivided into Counties as in England or Communities have right to send their Deputies to the Dyets or Conventions of the Estates which ought to be summoned every three years according to the Laws of the Kingdom year 1676 This Assembly is composed of the Clergy the principal Lords the Gentry and the said Deputies of the Counties In hath the right of choosing a Palatine who ought to be an Hungarian according to the priviledges of the Nation and to have the intire direction of War and Justice The great Lords have â—o great Authority over their Vassals that they are look'd upon as so many lesser Sovereigns in their several Territories They have also great Revenues which inables them upon occasion to raise considerable Bodies of Men the People in general being strong active and valiant but covetous vindicative and inconstant The great Employments of the Kingdom were also invested in the Natives and no Strangers were to be imposed upon them or Foreigners enquarrered amongst them all which the Emperour upon his Election to the Crown was obliged to observe by the solemnity of an Oath But on the other side there being very many Arrians Calvinists and Lutherans in the Countrey they added to the aversion the Natives have to the Germans having been as they thought too severely used by them complaining that they were hindred in the free Exercise of their Religion their Churches violently taken away from them and their Ministers forced from their Duty It was farther complained that the Grandees of the Kingdom were not permitted to injoy their Priviledges of which one was That none of them should for any Crime whatsoever be convened before any Iudges but those of their own Nation Notwithstanding all this as the Emperour had sworn to maintain their Priviledges he had likewise promised to defend their Country which could not be done against the Insults of so powerful an Enemy as the Turk without an Army and those strangers living ill with the Inhabitants and they again shutting their Towns against them occasioned infinite Violences and Disorders on both sides which Repugnancy was the source of all the Troubles in Hungary The Emperour beginning to suspect the fidelity of the Hungarians by reason of the obstinacy wherewith they refused to lodge his Troops began seriously to think of securing the Kingdom to himself which being perceived he augmented by that Precaution the hatred which the Nation had conceived against him which was re-doubled by the refusal of his Generals to withdraw their Troops out of their Fortresses These Grievances did so far agitate these Spirits already jealous and dissident that they at length resolved to shake off a Yoke that seemed so insupportable Many great Lords by their particular Interest were glad to entertain this aversion which might serve for the Execution of the Designs they had already formed And thus the Spirit of revolting did insensibly diffuse it self through the whole Kingdom and the general aversion grew to that height that they of the Religion said openly that they would rather live under the Domination of the Turks than the Tyranny of the Germans whilst one of their Preachers did dare maliciously to insinuate That these Infidels would at least grant them the liberty of their Religion whilst the Dutch would rack their Consciences under pretence of reforming them The Emperour being informed of these murmurings thought it expedient to secure the Lower Hungary and so strangle the Rebellion in its birth Their reiterated pressing to have the German Troops removed out of the Kingdom gave him just cause of jealousie and besides he would not lose the expence of all his toyls and those vast charges he had been at in fortifying the Frontier places and entertaining Armies capable to oppose the Invasions of the Turks Finally he judged it absolutely necessary to reduce a Nation to their duty that gloried in their disobedience to his Orders being a King is no farther a Sovereign than whilst he obliges his Subjects to pay obedience to the Laws and his Commands And thus in short we have shewed the cause of this Revolt which yet lasts on both sides and though perhaps this digression may seem foreign to some yet being the Turks have been so mainly concerned as to become Parties in it we thought it reasonable to subjoyn it to their History And now to come nearer to the matter in hand we will say somewhat of the Maxims of these Infidels which will give us some light into their Policies And first it is a fundamental one to keep their Men perpetually imployed for Idleness ingenders indigested Humours in the Politick as well as the Natural Body which renders it infirm Another Maxim is that they do never imploy their Forces more than in one War at one time unless against weak Princes Nor do they desire to continue long in Arms against the same Enemy unless constrained by their constancy to the â—nd they may not grow too warlike and expert but leaving them by Treaties and
That such were the Ancient Customs of the Ottoman Empire which they were resolved to observe and abolish the Abuses introduced by the late Grand Seignior and his Prime Vizier Mustapha Then the Seraskier with much earnestness did exaggerate the Unjust Oppression which was practised by Christians to those of the same Faith who Inhabited the Country called Syrmium situate between the Drave Save and Danube who were barbarously spoil'd of their Cloaths robb'd of their Cattle and obliged to pay excessive Impositions against all Laws of Humanity and a regulated Government whereas on the contrary their Sultan sent Money to be distributed among the Poor Subjects to buy them Cattle and Seed thereby shewing himself a Father of the Miserable and not a Tyrant and this Charity continued he which ought to be natural to you Christians towards one another need not hinder the Hostility of Soldiers when they meet and encounter leaving the poor Country-Men in Peace who labour only for the Publick Good and the Service of that Prince whom God shall place over them I answered with applauding such Pious Maxims and that I hoped so good Dispositions would incline them more favourably to hearken to what I was to propose in the Name of my King towards the ending this Bloody War between the two Empires and that as to the Particulars he mentioned I being a Stranger knew nothing of them He then proceeded to charge Count Chizzâ—ola Commandant of Esseck to have deceived him on several Occasions after his Word given a Crime says he which will be punished by God and if the Charity of my Emperor towards the Poor Subjects and Country-men had not restrained me what wou'd have hindred me this Winter to have made Excursions even to Buda But all I shou'd have gained wou'd have been only the Tears and Curses of the Miserable I answer'd with commending the generous Clemency and Mercy of the present Government and our Conference ended with the usual Ceremonies of Coffee Sherbet and Perfumes In the Afternoon I was call'd for by the Seraskier to a Private Audience at which only his Effendi and my Secretary who was instead of an Interpreter were present I represented to him that this perillous Journey I had undertaken and by a way so unusual to Ambassadors from England was a Mark of the high Friendship and Affection which the King my Master bore to the two Empires of Germany and Turkey who resenting sensibly the fatal Consequences of so long and bloody a War commanded me to pass by Vienna there to receive the Orders and Instructions of the Emperor of the Romans towards the amicable ending of it to which good Work shou'd not the Grand Sultan and His Ministers likewise correspond it might be justly feared that the Mischiefs and Desolations hereafter ensuing wou'd call down Vengeance from God upon the Musselmen The Seraskier applauding the King 's Generous Design took notice that there never yet was between England and the Ottoman Empire either War or any alienation of Affection but always perfect Friendship which he beg'd God wou'd continue He commended the Wisdom of the present Vizier his Humanity and Treatableness and approved my Solicitous Earnestness to continue my Voyage leaving it to my Choice either to go by Land or Water I told him I resolved to go by Water as far as Rusgiuk a Days Journey below Nicopolis and to Travel thence by Land He again renew'd the Complaints made in the Divan in behalf of the Poor Inhabitants of Syrmium and press'd me to Write to your Excellency to forbid the Plundering of Villages and Excursions of the Heâ—dukes who behave themselves more like Thieves than Soldiers and that your Excellency wou'd order that they who are Peaceable and Disarm'd may continue not only in Repose but also be protected to the Benefit of that Prince to whom God shall give the Government He assured me further That whatsoever Expedient shall be proposed by the Imperialists towards the preventing such Violences he will readily agree to and cause it to be rigorously observed and in this so Christian a Cause intreated me to interpose the good Offices of my King. I do therefore beseech your Excellency to Correspond herein with Amet Passa either by Letter or by Deputies on both sides to meet on the Confines and to be pleased to inform me of your Resolution herein by an open Letter sent to the Seraskier with whom I also leave a Copy of this as I will likewise do with the Grand Vizier not designing to expose the Confidence they have in my King to the Hazards of any Accidents which might prove equally prejudicial to both Empires I took this Opportunity to shew my self equally Charitable towards the Poor Christians taken in Orsoâ—a and made Slaves as was reported after they had Capitulated to have safe Conduct into the Emperor's Territories I was answer'd That they had Surrendred themselves with condition That if Belgrade were lost they would be Prisoners of War and that the Grand Vizier was not capable of violating the Publick Faith so shamefully I demanded concerning some other Prisoners recommended to me by their Friends but was answer'd That they were all the Grand Seignior's Captives and without his express Order they could not treat either for their Ransom or Exchange He told me That all Officers were well treated and kept without Irons in a Chamber apart with their Servants at the Expence of the Grand Seignior I left 100 Ducats of Gold to be distributed by Capt. Runkel to the Poorest of them which was all the Service I could do them and of which I intreat your Excellency to give their Friends an Account A Courier being dispatched to Constantinople I have had Permission to Write to the Grand Vizier and Sir William Trumbal giving Information of my Arrival I purpose suddenly to continue my Voyage with full intention to do all the Service I can to both Empires in execution of the Commands of my King in whose Name I continue to press as desired your Excellency that some Means may be found out to prevent the Rapines daily practised upon the Poor Country People The inclosed short Letter for my Lord Pagett I intreat your Excellency wou'd transmit to him as also this Original that his Lordship being sufficiently informed may better know what to sollicite from the Emperor and what to acquaint the King my Master I am Belgrade April 30. May 10. 1691. Sir William Hussey's Letters to the Lord Pagett at Vienna Adrianople May 25. 1691. My Lord I Sent a full Account of our Arrival at Belgrade April 30. S. N. From thence we came by Water to Rustick two Days lower than Nicopolis and thence in eight Days Land-Iourney hither whence we advanced forwards two Days but met there by my Secretary and Interpreter from Constantinople with Letters and Advice from Sir William Trumbal that the Vizier was upon departure and ordered us to stay his Arrival at Adrianople We returned back two Days past
have gain'd on both sides God Almighty prosper and direct you to compleat it What you send to me pray let be clear to avoid Replies and that Count Marsigli may be perfectly instructâ—d who knowing the pâ—sture and â—â—moâ—r of Affairs here will I hope expedite their Counsels and resolve them The Iuncture seems very favourable and the Allies I believe very pressing this Opportunity lost God knows the Consequences Senior Marsigli will tell your Lordship some things I have charged to his Memory and desire your Lordship to send to my Lord Nottingham My haste and length of Letters will not permit me to use Cypher at present I have presumed to write to His Imperial Majesty and most of the Ministers to acknowledge my Obligations and readiness in their Interests which I humbly beg of your Lordship to deliver and if the Bearer who goes directly to your Lordâ—â—ip be present he can supply all that is deficient God Almighty prosper your good Offices I am with all Respect My LORD Your Lordship 's Most Devoted Servant William Hussey In the last Month of Iuly we left the two Ambassadors Sir William Hussey and the Heeâ— Collier at Adrianople where having received the News of the total Defeat of the Turkish Army with the Death of the Grand Vizier a stop was given to their present Motion towards Belgrade with intention to proceed with the New Vizier thither and there to reassume the Mediation towards a Peace for which the present Conjuncture seemed very seasonable The New Vizier was called Ali Pasha had been Pasha of Scio and Kahya or Deputy to Kupriogli the Grand Vizier now slain in Battle But whilst they were meditating of these Matters and preparing to accompany the New Vizier in 10 or 12 Days as was given out unto Belgrade it pleased God that the English Ambassador Sir William Hussey fell Sick and Died the 14th of September after 13 Days of Sickness at Adrianople he was a Person much lamented by all for his excellâ—nt Qualities and Experience in the Affairs of Turkey of which he had learned much at Aleppo and there gained a good Estate with which returning for England he Married the Daughter of that Worthy Person and Citizen Sir Iohn Buckworth after whose Death he was chosen by the Levant Company to be their Deputy-Governour in the Place of Sir Iohn Buckworth his Father-in-Law Deceased in which Office having acquitted himself for some Years with much Honour he was afterwards sent by King William and Queen Mary to succeed Sir William Trumball in that Embassy His Excellent Lady resolving to accompany him in all his Travels and Dangers patiently bore and sustained all the Fatigues and Inconveniencies of a Journey over Land which was never performed before by any other English Ambassador designed for Turkey who were always Transported either in the Companies own Ships or the King's Men of War by Sea But now things had changed their Face and as it was dangerous whilst the French were Masters of the Mediterranean Seas to expose those rich Ships to the danger of the Enemy so it was thought most convenient to hasten the Journey of the Ambassador by Land and that taking the Imperial Court at Vienna in his way he might there receive such Instructions from the Emperor and his Allies the King of Poland and the State of Venice as were most proper at that time in order to a Peace with the Sultan of which King William of England and the States of Holland offered themselves by their Ambassadors to be the Mediators Upon this Occasion Sir William Hussey with his Lady remained some Months at Vienna before he could procure his Dispatches and then the Winter coming on when the Danube was frozen up he departed not from Vienna until the Spring and arrived as we have related before in the Month of Iune of this present Year And whereas the Mediation of this Peace was of high Concernment to all Europe we shall here insert the Methods Rules and Instructions which the Emperor and his Allies gave to the English Ambassador in this Matter The first Paper given to Sir William Hussey at Vienna was dated March 1691 and called Informations for the English Ambassador designed to be Mediator of the Peace at Constantinople and which may serve to obviate the Objections which the Turks may make Annotata ad informationem à Dominis Ablegatis Turcicis ultimò exhibitam pro informatione Excellentissimi Domini Legati Anglici ad Portam Ottomanicam proficiscentis MISSIS omnibus iis quae Negotii tractandi substantiam alterare non videntur ad ea tantùm respondere visum fuit quae praedictam substantiam tangunt vel contra Legationis jura admissa praetenduntur à praefatis Portae Ottomanicae Doâ—minis Ablegatis ad concludendam pacem huc Missis Quorum in ordine primùm occurrit quod Domini Ablegati Turcici in praeterita sua informatione de Colloquio inter Eminentissimum Dominum Cardinalem à Kollonitsch illos in Coenobio PP Augustinianorum extra urben instituto commemorant in quo parum refert an Dominus Cardinalis à Kollonitsch illos Ablegatos Turcicos an verò hi praefatum Dominum Cardinalem à Kollonitsch ad Colloquium illud invitaverint in eo tamen substantia posita est quod nunc asseverent Domini Ablegati Turcici propositionem quam se Domini Cardinali à Kollonitsch tùm fecisse fatentur non ex mandato Portae verùm propriâ mentis occurrentià nunc demùm se fecisse profiteantur etenim saepe saepius per literas interrogati num super illa tractare sufficienter instructi sint Non tantùm se adaequata Plenipotentia provisos constanter responsoriis suis affirmarunt verùm etiam patefactam sibi diffidentiam Ministerii Caesarei super hac qualitate conceptam saepius repetitam aegrè demum ferre coeperunt quaestiuncularum inutilium nomine appellantes moram principali negotio per haec fieri questi sunt quod si ab initio statim ejusmodi propositionem Domino Cardinali factam non ex Portae mandato sed suâ tantùm privatâ mente originem ducere professi fuissent Ministerium Caesareum vel ejusmodi propositionem planè ab initio non recepisset vel de modo legis timandae dictae propositionis dictis Dominis Ablegatis temperamentum aliquod idoneum suggessisset quam circumstantiam cùm tacuissent tacere perseverassent Domini Ablegati Turcici eam nunc demum professi satis constat unde mora illorum detentionis causa processerit cui consequenter imputanda sit nam saepius per literas interrogati num puncta proposita Domino Cardinali à Kollonitsch ipsis copialiter transmissa menti suae conformia essent Affirmative responderunt quamvis non super iis quae Domino Cardinali à Kollonitsch proposita fuerunt aliquis Tractationis motus à Caesareo Ministerio ostensus sed tùm demùm fides rei adhibita fuit cum hanc ob causam
50 to 80 Guns besides the increase of their Galiots and Brigantines on the Danube These and such like matters encouraging the Turks with the Expectation of a Peace with Poland which the French Ambassador fomented and forwarded so far that an Ambassador being sent from Varsovia to Adrianople to treat the same backed with the French Interest it was generally believed that the Peace was concluded but how true that was the Successes of the next Year will demonstrate unto us Anno 1694. THIS following Year of 1694. produced no greater Actions than the former year 1694. but yet continued still to be successful to the Emperor In the beginning of March the Grand Vizier was dispossessed of his High Office and succeeded by Ali Pasha of Tripoli the cause whereof was on a slight occasion which was this the Vizier being desirous to take some recreation with hunting Hares on a certain day his Enemies took the opportunity to bring the Sultan that way where he unluckily met with the Vizier's Dogs and a noise of hunting of which the Grand Seignior enquiring what it meant some Enemies to the Vizier answered that it was the Grand Vizier who might have employed his time in management of the Affairs of the Empire better than in Sports and Recreations reserved and more becoming the pleasures of his Master than his own but this as they added was no wonder it being his constant trade and practice With which the Sultan became so enraged that he immediately sent for him and taking the Seals from him he deprived him of his Office. Hereupon Ali Pasha was sent for being esteemed a Man of great Courage and Experience in all State Affairs and being Arrived at Adrianople in the beginning of May he immediately put forth the Horse-Tail which is a Signal that the Vizier designs his march for the Camp in 40 days afterwards and to shew his readiness and zeal for the Grand Seignior's Service he raised and equipped 3000 Men at his own Charge and out of his own Estate But here we may observe that before the former Vizier was depos'd Orders had been given that henceforward no Venetian Ships should be permitted to come into any of the Ottoman Ports under English or French Colours upon confiscation of Ship and Lading howsoever two Months were allowed for execution of the Penalty on those Ships which were already arrived within the Ports As the Grand Vizier was depos'd for the reasons aforesaid so also was the Chimacam called Calailicos Ahmet Pasha of Greek Extraction in danger of being strangled had not the Queen Mother and the Kuzlir Aga or Chief Eunuch procured the favour to have his Punishment altered and changed to an Exile into Egypt for the many Tyrannies and Cruelties he had committed and particularly for that he had taken away the Ancient Church called St. George at Constantinople belonging to the Patriarchate for some hundreds of Years before that time In his place Ieien Pasha a prudent Person and one very well practised in Affairs was constituted Chimacam and being the Nephew of the famous Kupriogli gave general satisfaction to all People and particularly to the Greeks and Christians to whom he always shewed much favour At this time as is usual there were two great Factions at Adrianople one in the Seraglio consisting of the Queen Regent the Kuzlir-Aga and other Principal Courtiers the other Party in opposition to these were the Mufti the Grand Vizier and Principal Officers of the Janizaries and Spahees To strengthen these after the Death of Osman Pasha the Selictar-Aga was chosen Chimacam being a Young Man a Chircassian by Nation of a very good understanding and for his years very well versed in Affairs This Person being promoted to this Office without the knowledge or consent either of the Grand Vizier or the Mufti but only by the Machination or Contrivance of the Kuzlir-Aga and Queen Mother rendred his Condition the more unsetled and uncertain And indeed not only the Court but all the Empire was in great Confusion by reason of the weakness of three or four Sultans successively of whom we have already given a Character and particularly of this Sultan Achmet of whom the best we can say is that he was a Good Natur'd Jolly Prince and feared no hurt nor wished it to any Person whatsoever But how the state of Affairs were in those days we may learn from a Letter which my Lord Paget wrote to a Person of Quality at Vienna dated April 24. N.S. 1694. Lord Paget's Letter SIR THEY so often change their Ministers here that an Ambassador can scarce come to treat twice with the same Person Since my arrival here at the Port they have had three Grand Viziers three Chimacams of Adrianople four Chimacams of Constantinople three Aga's of the Ianisaries three Tefterdars or Lord Treasurers two New Cadileschers or Iudges of Asia and Romelia and in short all the Great Officers of the Empire were changed the Mufti only excepted by which there was such a New Set of Idiots and Fools got into Places as would overturn the best settled Government in the World. For these Officers being only such as Chance offers it is a douâ—â—ful Wager whether he proves a Fool or a Wise Man and in case he should prove a Man of Parts yet he is suffered so short a time to remain in his Office that he is in no capacity to improve them Ambassadors unless it be at their first Audience and at that of Congedie have no Conversation or Access to the Grand Seigniors and then they affect such a sort of Grandeur as may best cover all their Thoughts by a Silence so that they give no place for any debate and a Man can never lay any foundation upon their Words For as their Ally of France scorns to be a Slave to his word so they hold it to be no dishonour to be open and esteem nothing for a Secret. It is true that very seldom or never a Minister shall receive a flat denial from a Turk for he shall train you on to the very last point and when you come to the last Argument and Upshot of all then a Sum of Money must make the Conclusion The disorders made by the Arabian Princes in the Countries about Aleppo did still continue which caused great fears and apprehensions at Constantinople it self but those Countries being far remote and distant made little alterations or noise at Court. The Negotiations of Poland at Adrianople had no success so that the Envoy was dispatched away re infectà Some few days afterwards the Tartar Han quitted the Court with dissatisfaction and all things seemed in much disorder however they talked high of great preparations for the following Campagne And to make some evidences thereof they dispatched away 1200 Janisaries from Adrianople to Belgrade moreover they sent away 32 Saiques for the Danube About this time the Grand Vizier arrived from Tripoli de Soria where he had been Pasha and
Christian Troops to the place of Rendezvous Pr. Lewis views the Troops The Forces joyn Titul surrendered to the Turks The Turks falsifie their Faith. July PeterWaradin fortified Preparations for a Battle The Turks strong in Ships hinder the Provisions of the Army Skirmishes in Parties The Armies near Pr. Lewis marches back to Salankement The Turks repulsed An Aâ—arm given The Germans in â—anger Count Bucquoy 's Regiment cut to pieces The Christians lose all their Provisions 1691. August 19th The Disposition of the two Aâ—â—mies The Battle of Salankement 1691. Aâ—gust Thâ— Christians in a daâ—â—gâ—ous poâ—â—â—re The Christians enter the Enemies Camp. The Turks land 5000 Men out of their Fleet. A New Vizier Ali Pasha The Death of the Lord Ambassador Sir William Hussey Treaties of Peace are laid aside The Army at Belgrade dispersed The Misery of the Turkish Army A Consultation held at Adrianople The Misâ—eâ—es amongst the Turks 1691. Novemb. The French Ambassadoâ— encourages the Turks He scarcely escapes the People Counsels held by the Prime Officers Complaints against the Tartars And against other Pasha's of the Army 1691. August Are Punished August The Turks pursued by the Rascians Te Deum sâ—ng A Resolution at a Council of War. Pr. Lewis made Lieutenant-General 1691. Septemb. Lippa 〈◊〉 to Genâ—raâ— Veterani 〈◊〉 Lewis continues his March. Reiâ—forces Lippa A Party of Tekeli 's Men defeated C. Schlick defeats a Party from Gr. Waradin Count Marsigli and his Chiaus at Great Waradin October 1691 October Brod. 〈…〉 Turks And fly tâ— another 〈◊〉 Which was a so dâ—serted by them and flying into the Woodâ— arâ— for the most part cut off Great Waradin Attacked The Palanca of Great Waâ—adin taken The Town Bâ—sieged Novemb. 1691. Novemb. Novemb. 10th The Mannâ—r oâ— the Blockade Pâ— Lewis 〈◊〉 oâ—f Sultan Achmet fallen into a Fever by ill News He Râ—â—â—vers The Grand Vizier sick and recovered His Qualifications 〈…〉 of Constantinopâ—e an 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 French. Resolutions at a Council oâ— War. Tumults against Copper-Money The Turks râ—sâ—lve to continue the War. A Teftish Pasha sent into Asia A Persian Ambassador at Adrianople February The Persian Ambassador's Manner of going to Audience March. The Persian Ambassador continues at Adrianople against the Inclination of the Turks A Character of the Grand Vizier The Artifices of his Son. The Arts by which the Grand Vizier was kept in his Office. Tekeli at Adrianople His Audience with the Grand Vizier The French Ambassador visits him Tekeli and the Tartar dispatched away Change of Officers The French Ambassador encourages the Turks 1692. March. Preparations for the War. Instances for a Pâ—ace promote the War. Thâ— Persian Ambassador continues at Adrianople Preparations for the War. Factions in the Court. The Grand Vizier seeks the Life of the Chimacam He is ruined thereby The Chimacam refuses to be Vizier Another Vizier named The Old Vizier Banished And his Estate seized The Soldiers at Belgrade offer to prefer another but denied The Persian Ambassador pleased herewith All at a stâ—nd until the Vizier's coming The Vizier arrives and received by the Grand Seignior A Counsel of War May 1692. The Vizier marches towards Belgrade The Ianisaries mutiny for Pay Are pacified A New Châ—macam made The Mufti recalled Waradin in great distress May. Heusler Summon's the Town They refuse to yield The Turks make Sallies and are repulsed Continue resolute to maintain the Town Howsoever they Capitulate June The 〈◊〉 march out of Waradin June The Turks repulsed by the Rascians from Titul and Titz The Croats take Behatz from the Turks Tâ—e Turks 〈◊〉 confusion â—y changeâ— Conspiracy against the Vizier July The Persian Ambassador takes his Conge of the Grand Seignior The Marquis of Loâ—and arrives fâ—om France Hâ—s Reports made to the Turkish â—ourt The Vizier promises to continue the War. The Marquis permitted to go to Belgrade Reports from the Tartars 1692. July The Turks repulsed from Portsâ—a The Ban of Croatia Attacks the Turks 1692. August The Rascians take great Boâ—ties The Campaign of the Year 1692 ends Poland 〈◊〉 Tuâ—ks 〈…〉 Sorâ—ka â—ctober 〈◊〉 Turks 〈◊〉 1692. October Raise the Siege Mr. Herbert sent Ambassador to the Turks Mr. Herbert 's Letters to the Author Tâ—e grâ—aâ—est difficulty in all this Treaâ—y was this 5 th Article about Transylvania Mr. Herbert at Belgrade His Death Old Style Reflexions on the Death of the two English Ambassadors The Grand Vizier at Belgrade A thousand French desert the Venetian Service Fires in Constantinople Debates about a Peace March. Lord Paget arrives at Adrianople His Audiences * Interpretâ—r Sultan Achmet sick of the Dropsie Changes aâ— Coâ—rt The â—ew Vâ—zier sâ—nt to thâ— Aâ—my May. The Mediators dismissed Pr â—oâ—â— for the Seâ—â— The Vizier begins his march from Adrianople Fire at Constantinople July The Turks in Asia drowned in the Waters Junâ— July 11. August The Palanca of Boskoua capitulates 1693. August The Turks make a Sally Are driven in with loss Another Sally Bombs thrown into the Town The Grand Vizier marches to relief of the Town Septemb. The Christians loss 1693. Septemb. The Siege of Belgrade raised Septemb. Brunzieâ—â— taken by Storm August Constantinople burn'd a second time this Year Corban made at Constantinople and Adrianople The Grand Viziâ—r dâ—posed Ali Pasha Vizier Chimacam Ahmet Pâ—sha banisâ—â—d April Polish Envoy's Audience with the Tartar Han at Adrianople A sham Envoy from Poland The Turks averse to a Peace with the Surrender of Caminiecâ— Thâ— Polish Envoy seâ—t awâ—â— with Disgraceâ— Mâ— Heeâ—skirk seâ—t â—aâ—k The Nogay Tartar The Grand Vizier deposed March The New Vizier Character â—f the New Vizier Sultan Achmet in danger of Death August Septemb. A Storm on the Danube A Fight by Water and Land. Septemb. The Brandenburg ers râ—infoâ—ce the Gâ—rmans The Grand Vizier raises the Siegâ— Sâ—io takâ—n by the Venetians The ill condition of the Turkish Affairs A Seditious Preacher 1694. October A Sedition quâ—lled The Sultan sends in haste for the Grand Vizier The Mufâ—â—'s 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 Letters to Exhort the Scheriff to Peace The Vizier delays his return The Turks design to recovâ—r Scio. The good Qualities of Mustapha Pasha Sultan Achmet's Deatâ— The Queen Mother Sultan Mustapha's Beginnings Sultan Mustapha his Saying The Sulâ—an's Humour February Lord Paget at Adrianople A Fight between the Poles and the Tartars The Tartars beaten The Tartars withdraw Scio regained by the Turks Thâ— Greeks in Scio fâ—vâ—â—â— by the Turks Changes at Court. 1965. March. March. All Persons Taxed A Donative refused to the Soldiers 〈…〉 The Mufti Depâ—sâ—â— the Vizier Strangled June New Orders for the Army The Grand Seigniâ—r's Severities June Septemâ— Veteranâ— dâ—fenteâ— The ill Conduct of the Imperial Army in Anno 1695. Great Honour gained by the Sultan The Sultan Orders for his Return to Adrianople The Grand Seâ—gnior marcheâ— back The Turkish Discipline The Grand Sâ—igniâ—r marchâ—s to Constantinople Novemb. The Allai or Triumph at the Entrance into Constantinople Sahin Pasha killed Tekely neglâ—cted The Venetians at Sea give a Defeat to the Turks The Pasha of Diarbekir put to Flight And the Turks defeated The Grand Seignior with the Queen Mother leaves Constantinople April A Fiâ—e at Constantinople June July The Battle of Olâ—sch The Tuâ—ks 〈◊〉 Septemb. 27 onâ— 28. October Thâ— French do greaâ— Serviceâ— Novemb. Audience of thâ— Persian Ambassador The Persâ—ans aâ—paâ—t Septemb. Preparatiâ—â—s for the Turkish â—leet Alteration of the Coyn in Turky Maritime Preparations for the Year 1697. A Storâ— oâ— the Consul and a Jew at Gran Cairo March. The Greek Patriarch a Rash Man. Tekely 's Poor State and Condition April Tekely's â—â—â—lâ—ctions August The Battle of the Tibiscus Inclinations of the Turks towards a Peace October Castle Doboy Surrenders October 1698. January June Octob. 26. O. S. Novemb.