place appointed for the meeting between the Embassadour and the Pasha was a certain Chiosk or Garden house belonging to an Eunuch the Aga of a Seraglio at Pera where both parties being met the Pasha declared that the Grand Signiors desires were That a Peace should be concluded on the Ancient Capitulations and that by him these Orders were to be carried unto Algier from whence he was advised that the Algerines were ready to accept those Articles if one of his Majesties Ships singly appeared about the Treaty so that the World might not esteem their condescension to proceed from Force and Compulsion Hereof Advices being sent into England a Peace ensued in some Months after but what faith these Insidels kept will be related in the Sequel of this Story the memory of which is engraven with the Point of a Diamond and the Losses which ensued thereupon to the Exchange at London deserve a particular Treatise which in the mean time many Families retain in a sad remembrance In May Advice was brought to the Lord Ambassadour how that the Anne a Frigate of his Majesties Royal Navy commanded by Captain Jonas Poole which had convoyed the general Ships to Smyrna in her passage homewards stopped at the Morca and came to an Anchor near a place in that Country called the Black Mountain commodious to Wood and Waterin to which end were landed threescore men armed with Swords and Firelocks these made havock of the Woods on all sides loading their Boats away as fast as they could and not only so but set great Trees on Fire which in that dry Season of the Year dispersed it self far and wide which being seen at a distance in the Night alarmed the people of the Country so that the Begh or Governour came down with some Force to discover the matter supposing that some Malteses or Venetians might be landed At the approach of this Body of Turks our Men quitted the Woods and shifted away as fast as they could to their Boats of which thirty eight escaped the rest falling short were intercepted by the Turks and eleven of them were killed and eleven taken Captives and of the Turks two Aga's and two or three others had the fortune to fall by some Musket-shot from our men whilst in this confusion they endeavoured to defend themselves On the news hereof our Lord Ambassadour represented the whole matter to the Vizier declaring That it was lawful according to our Capitulations to take refreshments and supply our wants in any part of the Grand Signiors Dominions and that therefore he demanded Justice on the Begh of the Morea and restitution of the Captives But the Vizier understanding that some Turks were killed in the skirmish lent not so ready an ear to these Complaints howsoever to be acquitted of the Ambassadours solicitations referred the business to the Examination and Justice of the Captain Pasha but it falling out that at that time the Consul and Merchants at Smyrna had an unhappy difference with the Captain Pasha which shall in the next place be related was the Cause that all Applications to his Favour and Justice were suspended and a slow progress made towards obtaining the liberty of those poor unfortunate men Howsoever some months after it happened that the Begh of the Morea being removed from that Government and coming to Constantinople with his whole Estate brought with him the eleven Englishmen which he had taken and offered them to sale unto the Ambassadour who considering that they were Englishmen and such as had been enslaved in actual service of their King he esteemed himself obliged both in Charity and Honour to redeem them But the Case appeared too foul to demand their Liberty by strength of the Capitulations for besides that the cutting Wood in places inhabited without permission is a Robbery and a Crime in its self not to be maintained by the Law of Nations the killing of a principal Aga and wounding others might sufficiently warrant the Turks without any Breach of Peace to detain these men as lawful Captives Wherefore the Lord Ambassadour deeming it unseemly that those who had served in his Majestics Navy should be condemned to the Turkish Gallies disbursed fourteen hundred Lion Dollars which was demanded for them which was afterwards repay'd him by his Majesty and having cloathed and provided them with necessaries for their Voyage conveyed them with the first occasions into England The difference between the English Nation and the Captain Pasha which impeded the Liberty for some time of these Captives had its Original at Smyrna where some English Merchants making Collation one Evening in a Garden were assaulted and beaten by certain drunken Levents belonging to a Gally then in Port in whose Company was a Portuguez Slave The News hereof flying to the Frank Street put all the Neighbourhood into an uproar so that divers people with such weapons as came next to hand in a sury went in pursuit of the Levents and unhappily meeting one drew him into the English Consuls house where they treated him with such blows as abated much of the heat and fumes of his Wine during which disturbance and confusion the Portuguez slave found an opportunity to make his escape The Consul knowing it some advantage in Turkie to complain first sent to the Kadi giving him to understand the ill usage of four of his Merchants whose names he gave in writing by the unruly Levents whilst they innocently and without injury to any divertised themselves in a Garden to which for the present little more was given in answer than that on a farther examination of the business the Consul should receive Justice In the mean time the Turk who had been beaten in the Consuls house resolved not to leave the Gate till he had received satisfaction for his blows and the others that were his Comrades demanded their Slave from the English which was lost by whose means and assistance as they pretend he had made his Escape The matter came now to high Demands on both sides which the Kadi either not being desirous or not of sufficient Authority to compound the Gally departed without any agreement and the complaint was carried by the Turks to the Captain Pasha who then being with his Fleet at Mytilene with little other thoughts or business was glad of this occasion to get money and therefore suddenly returned the Gally again with Orders to bring before him the four Merchants whose names he particularized to make answer to their accusation of having beaten his Levents and contrived the escape of the slave The Consul and Merchants being affrighted by this Message and Command of so great a Personage endeavoured with money to accommodate the business by force of which it was at length taken up costing in all the summ of Dollars two thousand seven hundred or thereabouts The which passage may serve for an example to such as live in Turkie that all troubles of this nature are best compounded for at first for at
found contrary Winds put into Rhodes from whence loosing with more favourable weather they unfortunately met with 6 Malta Gallies excellently well Manned and provided The Admiral Gally immediately Boarded one of the Saiks and took her Manned only by Greeks by whom they were informed of the condition quality and Cargo of the greater Ship which gave heat and resolution to the Souldiery In like manner with little Opposition the Gallies called the St. John and Joseph possessed themselves of one of the lesser Ships which being laden only with Timber brought from the Black Sea to build Ships at Alexandria was of little value having 40 Turks aboard 8 Women and a Child which sucked at the Mothers Breast In the mean time the three other Gallies called the St. Mary St. Lorenzo and Victory attacked the great Gallion and having cast their Iron Graples into the Ship with the motion of the Ship the Irons gave way and broke only that of the St. Lorenzo held fast so that the whole force of the Ship both of small and great Shot was poured in upon the Gally to their damage and loss of men In the mean time the Admiral Gally came in to their assistance and Assaulting the Ship on the other Quarter made a Diversion of their men and having thrown in their Graples they scaled the sides of the Gallion as if it had been a Fortress where being entred they remained for some time at handy-blows with the Turks but at length all the Gallies coming to their help having made an end of subduing the other Ships the Turks were forced to retire under Covert of their Decks which they defended still with singular valour wounding the Christians with their half Pikes through the Gratings But in fine the Captains of the Gallies perceiving that this was not the way to compel them to a speedy Surrender ordered several Musquetiers out of every Gally to fire in at the Windows and loop-holes of the Ship by which having killed their Commander in Chief their Valour and Constancy began to fail and desirous to save their lives with loss of Liberty and Estates they cast down their Armes and begged mercy In this Engagement were killed the Captain of the St. Mary and seven Gavaliers of which five were French one Italian and one German the Admiral himself and the Captain of his Gally were both wounded 79 Souldiers and Mariners killed and 132 wounded of the Turks it is not certain how many fell in regard as they were killed according to Custom they cast them over-Board the Eunuch himself though always educated in the softness of the Seraglio and in the Conversation of the Female Court yet in the end concluded his days like one of the Masculine Sex fighting valiantly with his Sword until over-whelmed by his Enemies by which it is observable that those persons loss not their Courage with their virile parts for it hath been known in former days how that Eunuchs have been Generals in the Turkish and other Armies and Conducted their affairs with admirable Courage and Success The prize which the Christians had gained in this manner was very considerable for besides the Gold Silver and Jewels which were theTreasure this Eunuch had amassed in the Reign of three several Sultans they gained 350 Slaves besides 30 Women some of which were young and Virgins so that there was not a Souldier or Seaman who had not a considerable share of 〈◊〉 proportioned unto him With this Fortune towing their prizes they in a short time came to an Anchor in the Port of Calismene in the Island of Candia called antiently Phenice on the South-side of the Island remote from all Venetian Garrisons and where as it is reported they were supplyed with no Provisions excepting a small quantity of Biskot which was furnished by a Country Fellow who for that very cause was shot to death Front hence the Gallies departing arrived in Malta with their Prizes where they were received in great Triumph The young Son of the Eunuch for so we call him was reported to be a Son of the Grand Signior sent into Egypt to be Educated and was accordingly saluted 〈◊〉 and reverenced by the Grand Master the same Opinion was dispersed and confirmed in all parts of Europe and the Errour for many years maintained at the expenoe of the Religion until the Boy growing up to a good Age and not judged worthy of a Ransom or enquiry after by the Turks it was thought convenient for him to put off his State and Greatness and become a Fryer and I think a Dominican and this is he who now goes under the name of the Padre Ottomano The news hereof arriving at the Ottoman Court Sultan Ibrahim was transported with Anger threatning Destruction and Ruin unto Malta besides he shewed a most inveterate Passion against the Venetians for not guarding the Seas from his Enemies and for relieving them in their Ports In which Rage and Fury he put his own Captain Pasha to death and Summoned the Christian Ambassadours braving them all for the little respect was shown to his proper Shipping and in short was angry with all but reserved the effect of his wrath to be poured on the Venetians to which this accident administred the first original and will afford us ample matter of discourse in this ensuing History For the Grand Signior first made his Complaints against Venice to their Minister or Bailo then residont at Constantinople called Soranço alledging that contrary to the Articles of Peace they had afforded Provisions and Entertainment to his Enemies in Candia and at a time when having made prize of his own Ship and Domestiques of his Seraglio they seemed with more extraordinary demonstrations of Hospitality than usual to receive them into their Harbours To which the Bailo made Answer That his Majesty was ill informed of the true state of those matters for that the Port to which the Malteses came had neither Castle nor Fortress belonging to it but was an open wide and unfortified place for if the Grand Signior is not able to defend those Ships from careening as they have often done before Rhodes it self how was it possible for the Venetians to drive them from the Seas and deny them the use of that Salt Water which hath neither Fort nor Castle to reach and Command them With which Answer Ibrahim seemed to remain satisfied and matters appeared so appeased on the side of the Venetians that Soranço though a person of a most acute and penetrating judgment imagined nothing less than a War and though he was assured otherwise by something that the English Ambassadour had discovered in that matter yet because it came not first from the report of one of his own Interpreters he would not seem to believe or give credit thereunto notwithstanding the strong probabilities that might perswade it Indeed Christian Ministers must necessarily with much difficulties and less inspection govern and penetrate affairs in the Turkish Court than in
at last ran their Gally ashoar on the Asian side near Palormo from whence they were brought back to Constantinople and there by sentence of the Captain Pasha fourteen of them had their Legs and Arms broken and so suffered to dye in that torture and afterwards their Bodies were thrown into the Sea to the terrour of all other Slaves who prefer a miserable Life at the Oar before the torments of some hours in dying Though the Turks have their Affairs but ill managed at Sea and their success accordingly fortunate yet their preparations for Land services are more expedite and executed with that secrecy and speed that oftentimes Armies are brought into the Field before it is so much as rumoured by common mouths that any designs are in agitation For though it was now Winter yet the design against Germany went forward Forces were daily sent to the Frontiers Cannon and Ammunition for War transported by way of the Black Sea and the Danube Orders issued out to the Princes of Moldavia and Valachia to repair their Wharfs and Keys along the River for the more convenient landing of Men and Ammunition and to rebuild their Bridges for the more commodious passage of the Tartars That Horses should be provided against the next Spring for drawing all Carriages of Ammunition and Provisions their Magazines stored with quantities of Bread and Rice their Fields well stocked with Sheep and other Cattel and that no necessaries be wanting which concern the victualling or sustenance of a Camp The Tartars were appointed to have in a readiness a hundred thousand Horsemen to make Incursions on the Frontiers Likewise the Pashaws of Darbiquier Aleppo Caramania and Anatolia received their orders and seven and twenty Letters accompanied with as many Vests after the Turkish manner were sent to as many Pashaws of the Empire to dispose the strength of their Countries in a Warlike posture so as to march when the Grand Signiors Commands should require them to attend his designs And that the occasion of the War might appear the more justifiable it was resolved That no Acts of Hostility or other Breaches of Peace should be pretended than the Fort built by the Count Serini being a matter really against the Articles of the last Peace the Demolishment whereof the Ottoman Force intended to make the principal end of their first Enterprize in which if they encountred any opposition from the Emperor the Cause of their War would be then the more plausible for as yet the Emperour had not fully declared his approbation of that Work raised by Serini as agreeable to his Assent or Pleasure On the other side with no less caution and labour did the Christians endeavour to secure their Frontiers by raising their Militia and reinforcing their Garisons and especially to perfect the new Fort near Canista which as it was thought so considerable as to countervail the inconveniences and miseries of a War so the Turk thought it neither honourable nor secure until he had seen it razed and levelled with the ground All things thus growing black and stormy round about that nothing seemed less probable and it may be said less possible than an accommotion Behold on a sudden an Accident fell out at Rome from whence this War with the Turks received its life and heat which becalmed much of the fury and storm on the Christian Consines and inclined matters in Germany towards propositions of Peace fearing that Italy who had begotten this War was not able as things stood to contribute towards its maintenance and support The occasion was this It happened that in the streets of Rome the French Ambassadours Coach was assaulted by the Corsi Natives of the Ifle of Corsica which are of the Popes Guard the Page killed at the Boot of the Coach and the Ambassadours Lady wounded whether this barbarous act was designed against the Person of the Ambassadour by any Persons of Eminency or malice of the People is little to the purpose I have now in hand only the King took this Affront so heinously that for the present no acknowledgments or satisfaction the Pope could make could allay his just resentment or any thing be imagined possible to expiate this indignity besides a War The News of this Division between the Son and the spiritual Father filled all the Ministers of Constantinople with much Joy and with subject of Laughter and expectation of the Event judging now that their daily Prayers for the Discord of the Christian Princes amongst themselves were heard and granted since they had so far availed as to disunite the very Oeconomy of Christendome And now they imagined that this difference would have a forcible influence on their Affairs in Hungary and either incline the Emperour speedily to a Peace or otherwise to undertake a War on disadvantageous terms Things had an issue accordingly for in a few Weeks after advice came by Post from Ali Pasha then at Tentiswar that his Salam-Chaous called Chusaein who had long since been sent to Vienna with more distinct Demands of what the Turks proposed and being supposed through his long stay to be detained a Prisoner was again returned and with him had brought the Baron of Goez as Internuncio sent to Ali Pasha to receive a more particular Information of the Turks propositions for that the Emperour pretended he was not as yet throughly satisfied therein And thus matters beyond all expectation began to incline to an agreement in regard that Rome being now in danger herself not by the Turks but by the Christians held herself uncapable to administer that Fuel to the Fire of War which She had promised so that the League treated there beginning to fail the Emperour grew faint and the Princes cold in their Preparations wishing some Course could be effected which might bring matters to an accommodation Such were the Discourses and imaginations of the Turks In which condition we leave the state of Affairs until the beginning of the next year and in the mean time it may not be from our purpose nor tedious to the Reader to record what befel this year most remarkable to the English Nation and their Trade in Turky which also may be beneficial by instruction of past examples to such who shall for the future be concerned in the Traffick and business of the Levant What Remarkable Accidents befel the ENGLISH NATION and their Trade this Year in TURKY THE Messengers from Algier as before related having promised better Obedience for the future to the Commands of the Grand Signior obtained a new Pasha for their City and Country thereunto belonging who before his departure was enjoined by the Grand Signior to dispose Affairs with the Earl of Winchelsea his Majesties Ambassadour at Constantinople as might demonstrate his dispositions towards a Peace and his desire that the Algerines should do the like and accept of that Clause in the Articles prohibiting the search of English Ships either for their own or Strangers Goods The
at the Divan certain scruples and jealousies amongst them which immediately quashed all our Negotiations and instead of confirming the Peace produced a War For the Divan being met they were afraid to release the Ships lest the Souldiers who had sent them in being then abroad should call them to question for it at their return and not to release them might be an occasion of a War which not succeeding according to their desire the causers thereof might be called into question and punished for it of which still remained the fresh memory of late Examples In this Dilemma of their affairs they resolved to make the Act herein to be of general and publick assent and to that end they Assembled a Grand Divan calling the Captains of Ships and Gallies then in Port unto their Council who without hesitation or questioning other matters declared that the three English Ships were lawful prize and that it was no longer requisite to maintain the second Article of freeing Strangers goods on English Vessels it neither being the design nor interest of Algier to benesit all Christendom by their Peace with England this Sentence was followed by the whole rabble of the Divan with cry and noise to which the wiser sort notwithstanding our Plea and reasons to the contrary which lasted for full two hours were forced to condescend and concur in the same vote Howsoever by importunity and something of the force of reason which in the most blind and obscure minds of men hath something of forcible violence we obtained the release of the three Ships upon discharge of the strangers goods and payment of their Freight But the second Article of Peace forbidding the search of English Ships for Strangers Estates or their Persons was declared null and no longer to be maintained nor the Peace likewise unless his Majesty would accept it upon that condition to which end they wrote this following Letter The Letter of the Government of Algier to his Majesty GReat and Christian Prince King of England After Health and Peace c. Since we have made Peace with You unto this day there have no injuries nor damages been offered by Vs. Your Ships that have been as Prizes for Your sake we have let free not offering them the least injury nor diminishing any thing from them in the least until such time as Your Consul gave Vs Counter-passes that what Ships were found with them to be let free and those that are without them to be brought in And we have found divers without them which for Friendship sake which is between Vs We have let go free Now from henceforth if that we find any of our Enemies goods or men in Your Ships we shall take the goods and men paying the freight to their Port. And we shall desire you as soon as you shall receive this our Letter that you will send your answer hereunto for we shall think it long until we receive it from you and for the future what Ships shall be brought in without a Pass-port we shall take them and detain them here until such time as we have an answer from You which pray send without delay The end of the Month Sefar 1074 which was then in the Month of September 1663. In this manner a second War broke forth in the space of two Years by which a person may judge of the inconstancy and unsteady humour of this People who but three days before gave us all the evidence of fair correspondence and Friendship and it is probable that when they entered the Divan they came not with resolutions or thoughts of War however accidents and occasional Discourses each with other following the cry and humour of some rude Savage person which leads the rest carried all things with violence towards a breach So that by what preceded and from these following reasons it may be concluded impossible to maintain a sirm and lasting Peace with this People First Because these people are composed of the worst sort or scum of the Turks and worst of Christians which are Renegadoes who have renounced God and their Country and a Generation of people who have no Religion nor Honour Peace cannot be longer expected or maintained than fear or interest enjoins them to compliance Secondly The Government of Algier being popular and in the hands of a vile Commonalty who are ignorant persons guided by no Rules or Principles unsteady in all their Councils not resolving or consulting any thing before they enter the Divan do commonly follow that resolution which they perceive to be carried on with the greatest noise and therefore are a people not capable of Peace or Friendship Thirdly This irrational Commonalty is over-awed by a heady Souldiery who are only then affrighted into a Peace whilst a stronger force compells them into good manners But when that power and punishment is withdrawn they again harden their hearts like Pharaoh and then when the temptation of rich Merchant men presents it self their natural inclination to Piracy returns and their Covetousness again prevails and then they curse the Peace and the makers of it and without remorse break their Articles and their Faith having neither honour nor Conscience to restrain them Wherefore unless the Heads of the chief Causers of the War be given in satisfaction or money paid for the expence and Hostages given for security of it it can never be expected that a lasting Peace should be maintained with this people the proof of which hath been made appear by the sequel of affairs and by those Wars which have ensued since this time And now let us return to the Wars in Hungary and become Spectators of those Transactions which were then the general concernment of the Eastern and Western World The Proceedings of the War in Hungary WE left the Grand Vizier on his March towards the parts of Hungary with an Army as computed to consist of eighty thousand fighting men and of about seventy thousand designed for Pioniers and other necessary services of the Army In this march the Vizier out of design to slacken the Warlike Preparations of the Christians and to discover the inclinations of the Emperour to Peace desired a Treaty that if possible matters might be reduced to terms of accommodation The Resident of Germany was then in the Army but he not being impowered singly for any such Treaty the Baron of Goez then with Ali Pasha at Temeswar was sent for and being arrived were both called into the Viziers Tent at Belgrade to whom it was proposed That in Case the Emperour desired a Peace he should resign into the hands and possession of the Sultan Zekelhyd Zatmar Clausenburg aliàs Colosvar with the late built Fort of Count Serini without which no Sacrifice could appease the anger and give a stop to the progress of the Ottoman Armes Whilst these Propositions by Post were dispatched to Vienna the Vizier proceeded in his Journey to Strigonium now called Gran to which place after sixteen Days time
hereafter be a material subject of our History And thus much to my best remembrance I received from the mouth of that Venetian Minister In the mean time the Grand Signior though he continued his Sports and Hunting without regard to the violent heats of the Summer yet he began to entertain something more of warm affection towards his Women and to be reconciled to that Sex in contemplation of his little Son who beginning now to play and prattle afforded him matter of entertainment in the Apartments of his Women so that he affectionately doting on his Queen gave order for increase of her Revenue and Attendance and appointed the best Artisans of Adrianople to make her a Crown studded with very precious Stones to adorn her Head of which he was so impatient that he ordered the Goldsmiths to work in the Seraglio permitting them scarce time to eat or sleep until it was finished In recompence of which affection of her Sultan this Lady so corresponded that she appeared passionately in love practising certain pretty tricks of swooning and of an uneasie condition in his absence which so endeared him in all respects to her that it was said the Sultan kept himself constant to this Queen only and contrary to the custom of other Emperors and permission of the Turkish Laws made use of the multitude of his other Women only for Slaves or Attendants to the greater state and adoration of his beloved Queen And now the Grand Signior at the perswasion of the Vizier and others of his Council resolving to winter at Constantinople certain Women of the lower rank were dispatched before as fore-runners of the removal of the Court and being in the Seraglio at large without observance and awe of their usual Spies two of the boldest Wenches finding a Cradle wherein the Royal Infants were usually laid adventured to pick out the best Jewels of which some were very good Stones and afterwards laid it up again in a private place where it was not easily found Not many days after the Queen-Mother wanting the Cradle of so much value and antiquity where many of the young Sultans had lain sent to the Seraglio at Constantinople to fetch it thence But it not being found inquisition was made into all secret corners the Wardrobes were searched but nothing appeared to the great fear of those to whose care it was committed one accusing the other to acquit himself In fine the matter was so traced that some whispers there were concerning those in whose hands the Cradle not long before was seen to remain The Women having guilty consciences were amazed in being so closely followed and fearing the matter should be perfectly discovered entred into consultation what course they should take to save their lives and their honour In fine they both concluded that in such an extremity desperate remedies ought to be used than which none was better than to set fire to the Seraglio by which means either the thing sought for would be esteemed for burnt and consumed by the fire or in so great a loss it might be hoped that matters of smaller moment would not be remembred Wherefore the bold Wenches without other consideration gave fire with their candle to the roof of Cedar of which wood most of the Womens rooms in the Seraglio are made which in a moment made such a flame as with the help of a little wind was carried through all the quarters of the Womens Apartments and thence took its way to the Divan Chamber and other considerable parts of the Court where many Records and Registers of Law were consumed to ashes together with one of the lesser Treasuries where much richess which endured not the test of fire perished and the whole Seraglio had run an evident hazard had not the Bostangees and other Servants of the Court ventured far into the flames in which many of them miserably perished The fire being quenched and the Women afterwards I know not how detected to have been the Authors thereof were sent to Adrianople and being there accused were strangled by the immediate order of the Grand Signior But the destruction of that considerable part of the Seraglio was no impediment to the Grand Signiors return to Constantinople being rebuilt with that speed and industry equal or excelling the magnificence of the former that the day prefixed for the Journey thither was not prolonged by reason thereof Howsoever the Grand Signiors aversion to the place made the wheels of his Chariots move slow and the quickness of his Attendants grew slack and cold observing so much displeasure in their Emperor to the place designed For though he was pressed by the Vizier to begin his Journey and could not handsomly refuse to comply with the time appointed yet to defer this resolution as long as was possible he contrived a long way of Meander towards Constantinople forming his Journey in Company with the Great Vizier by way of the Dardanelli upon the Hellespont on pretence of viewing the Fortifications of the new Forts raised at the entrance of that Streight and sending some Provisions from thence for Relief of Candia wherefore the Captain-Pasha was commanded to Sea with three Gallies and at Gallipoli to attend the Grand Signiors arrival being to transport him thence to the Castles and back again And the design being now resolved and hot to prosecute the War in Candia for transporting thither a numerous Army it was concluded That the Captain-Pasha should propose to the English Ambassadour the Grand Signiors desire of fifteen Sail of Ships with consent of our King for this service the Turks paying what reasonable Rates should be demanded But the Earl of Winchelsea then Lord Ambassadour modestly replied That though His Majesty of England did always entertain a good affection and a zealous disposition towards the Affairs of the Grand Signior yet at present the War with Holland and ill understanding with France made his occasions for his own Shipping more urgent than usual and the time most unseasonable to press his Majesty in this particular by which reply and several other excuses of the Ambassadour the Captain-Pasha perceiving an aversness to the Proposition and that Christians unwillingly arm Turks against the Cross gave an account of this discourse to the Grand Signior and Vizier who immediately gave order for the building of sixty Gallies against the next Spring which with what they had before would make up above an hundred Sail. The Rendezvous of this Fleet together with Saykes and other Turkish Vessels from thence to transport the Vizier and his Army for Candia was appointed to be made at Malvoisia of the success of which we shall have occasion God willing to discourse in the following Year which gave a beginning as we may say to the total loss of that Country and to that famous Siege which in History will bear the Fame of one of the most memorable in the World And as a preparation thereunto and as a supply of
Bowels of the Empire under the Command of Monsieur la Feüvillade who under pretence of applying themselves to the assistance of Christendom were suspected to come with intentions to advance the interest of their King and force the next Diet to elect him King of the Romans in order whereunto and in consideration of farther assistance they demanded several Towns in Hungary to be delivered into their hands and made extravagant Propositions for Winter Quarters all which considered made the German Ambassadour more tender how he entered into Disputes with the Turk which might prejudice the essential points of the Peace or occasion a new War more destructive to Germany through the dangers before intimated than by the Arms and Hostility of the common Enemy These Considerations made the Ambassadour less zealous in the matter of Transilvania and in all others which were not really conducing to his Masters immediate service so that having no other difficulty remaining than the liberty of the Captives on the day of his last Audience with the Vizier being the 8 th of November he urged with more earnestness their Release which was in part granted those of the Gallies were delivered from their Chains and Oars but such as were of greater Quality in the seven Towers were detained untill the Emperor had on his part released the Turks of Quality in like manner and though it was agreed in the Article That Captives should on both sides be released yet the Vizier interpreted it to be in respect to Number and Quality of which I remember to have heard often Complaints and especially of those poor Gentlemen then under Irons and restraint who though afterwards received their freedom yet for the present endured more torment in their minds than if they had never been put in expectation to enjoy their hopes At the end of the Audience the Ambassadour proposed something in behalf of the Religious of Jerusalem That certain places of Devotion might be restored them which were injuriously taken from them by the Greeks and also that Licence might be granted for re-Edification of some Churches and Monasteries destroyed in Galata by the late Fire To the first of which the Vizier answered That the Franks with the Greeks of Jerusalem should have a fair and equal Tryal at Law about the possession of those places in difference and Justice and Right should be done unto the injured but the latter Proposition he positively denied for being a matter contrary to their Law and Religion was not dispensable by his Power nor ought he to expect a Complement from him or Gratuity of that nature which was inconsistent with the honour and conscience of the Donor but that in any thing else he was ready to yield to his Desires whereby he might understand the value he put upon his Person using this Expression That he was more satisfied that the Emperour had designed so illustrious and worthy a person to this Embassy than if he had sent him a hundred thousand Dollars more of Present and at the Conclusion of the Audience vested both the Ambassadour and Resident with Sables which ended with all imaginable satisfaction and mutual contentment On the 21 th of the month of November arrived at Constantinople Monsieur De Ventelay Ambassadour from the French King to the Grand Signior who was Son to the Sieur De la Haye the former Ambassadour a person much talked of before he arrived a generous and an accomplished Gentleman and one well practised in the Affairs of that Country To understand which story the better we must look back to the former Year at the beginning of which during the German War and that the Vizier remained in his Winter-quarters at Belgrade a Corrier with Letters from his most Christian Majesty to the First Vizier arrived who concealed not the occasion of his coming nor the contents of his Letters with that secrecy but that those who were imployed in the Translation of the Papers into Turkish made it publickly known to be no other than a recital of the many provocations his most Christian Majesty had received from the Pirates of Barbary containing a List of the Ships Men and Goods they had from time to time seized and made Prize in vindication of which indignities to his Honour and in protection of his People he could not do less than make a War upon those Pirates for as yet the advice was not come that the French had deserted Gigeri in which for the foregoing reasons the Grand Signior ought not to judge himself concerned And for the Succour given the Emperour it was not afforded as King of France but as one of the Princes of the Empire in which capacity by virtue of his Tenure he was obliged to contribute such Forces on the like emergencies and distresses of the Empire And if the foregoing reasons were available with the Sultan to induce him as in reason he ought to believe he continued in perfect friendship with him without breach of Articles he was then ready to send his Ambassadour to reside at the Port provided it might be Monsieur De Ventelay Son to Monsieur De la Haye late Ambassadour there who was the person that had some time since received indignities from the Vizier Kuperlee that so his Majesty might receive satisfaction by having the very person of Monsieur De Ventelay honoured by extraordinary demonstrations of respect in reparation of the former affronts This Messenger having translated his Papers obtained licence to ride Post to the Vizier and in the frosts and extremities of the weather in Jannary set forward on his Journey but in his passage through Adrianople visiting the Chimacam and desiring his licence in like manner to ride Post to the Vizier on publick affairs received such a lesson of scorn and disdain vented with the extremity of choler against the French Nation in publick Divan with terms undecent to be repeated and that in farther resentment if he were First Vizier he would refuse to accept any friendship or alliance with them but since he was inferiour to the Great Vizier he would dispeed him to the Camp and grant him a Command for his Post. But it seems this Corrier being arrived at Belgrade was received with better terms and more courtesie by the Vizier who had learned by experience of the late Christian Wars and proof of the Valour of the French Nation that the Propositions of that King were not lightly to be contemned And therefore consented that Monsieur De Ventelay might freely come using their common expression that the Arms of the Port are always open to receive the addresses of Friends Allies and Confederates With this Message and Letters the Corrier was dispatched by way of Ragusi with safe conduct and what else was requisite for his securer passage No doubt but his most Christian Majesty was the more urgent that the person of Monsieur De Ventelay who was the subject on whom formerly the Turks had exercised such
of the near approach of the Excellentissimo Alvise de Molino Ambassadour from the Venetian Republick with propositions of peace But the Turks before they would admit the Embassy or the person which brought it to a nearer approach than a Days Journey from the Court would be resolved first whether he brought with him the Keys of Candia To which it was replied by the Interpreter That he was not able to give them satisfaction in that particular being but a mean and ordinary servant to whom the Secrets of State and resolutions of great men were not committed his Office being only to render faithfully the words and sence of his Masters and not to enter into the private thoughts and Cabinet of their Counsels To which the Chimacam proudly and barbarously made answer Go tell thy Master that unless he brings the Keys of Candia thy head shall pay for it And that he presume not in person to approach nearer unto this Court So the Ambassadour remained at a distance for some weeks and at length was transferred over to the Vizier at Candia who being more ready to hearken to propositions in hopes by some overture or other to hook in Candia gave an easie Audience to the Ambassadour and controverted several Articles and Propositions with all freedom and patience So that on the Venetians part the Surrender of Suda was offered and a Sum of money in compensation of the War The Vizier on the other side would be contented with nothing less than the Surrender of Candia and in lieu thereof to grant a Licence to rebuild Paleo-Castro an ancient Fortress But the Fortress it self of Candia being the prize and aim of both nothing could be concluded without that so that the Ambassadour in fine declared plainly That the City of Candia was maintained and defended by the Armes of Foreign Princes without whose consent it could not be resigned all the rest of the Island should be the reward of their bloud and labour only Candia was capable of no Conditions but what were imposed on it by force of Armes The Vizier whose honour could be salved and the glory of the Ottoman Empire maintained at no other rate than the subjection of Candia would hearken to no other terms or proposals so that the Treaty broke off and the Ambassadour returned to Canea there to remain until farther Overtures of an Accommodation should present It was now towards the depth of Winter when three men of War and a Fire-Ship sent by the most Christian King steered up the Hellespont with words and boastings as full of Wind as their Sails and being arrived at Constantinople vaunting of their Force as if sufficient to subdue the Turkish Dominions they uttered certain rumours that they were come to revenge the late affront offered to their Merchants to cause that money to be repaid which in late and frequent Avanias had been extorted from their Nation and to renew their Capitulations with more advantageous terms As namely That their Customs from 5 be reduced to 3 per Cent. as the English Dutch and Genoeses pay That their King be treated by the Sultan with the equal Presents and Gifts according to the Custom used with the Emperour and that at all times interchangeably Ambassadours be sent to reside in each others Dominions with other propositions which seemed as extravagant to the Turks as they appeared to others vain and to have no foundation but in the report of the Vulgar But that which was reported by the most judicious concerning these Ships was That his most Christian Majesty being made to understand perfectly the affronts put on his Nation by the Turks and not fully satisfied as is supposed with the respect they had shown to his Ambassador at Constantinople made it the chief Design of his Ships to withdraw him from thence supposing it a less diminution to his honour to have the person of his Agent subjected to affronts than of his Ambassadour to which it was imagined he might be obnoxious in consideration of those great supplies which were in the following year designed for Candia In what manner soever the Turks deemed of this appearance of Men of War to hector and brave them at their Imperial City they did yet for the present cunningly dissemble the matter giving the French fair words and what plenty of Provisions their occasions did require In what manner this Affair was transacted I shall not adventure to relate nor is it well or certainly known Yet not long after came Orders for the Ambassadour to repair to the Court at Larissa and that until the Grand Signior's pleasure was farther known the Ships of War were to be detained The Commander in chief called Monsieur d' Almeras was not a little trou bled to have his Ships thus embargued and labouring in his thoughts between the time limited in his Instructions by his Master and the restraint by the Turks he once bravely resolved to hazard his passage through the Castles but protracting the execution thereof from day to day even until the end of April at length Licence came for their departure and Orders to repair unto Vola near Larissa there to take an Ambassadour or Agent or Envoyé from the Sultan to their King For it seems the Vizier had intimated to the Grand Signior That it was not time to disgust the French King and to bring him under the notion of a declared and publick Enemy or at least to irritate him so far as might provoke him to send greater Forces than perhaps he designed the next year for Candia and that he ought to comply with the present conjuncture and salve that up for a time which he might afterwards open at his pleasure This counsel seeming reasonable to the Grand Signior and agreeable to the present necessity he ordered as I was credibly informed a thousand Dollars only to adorn his Ambassadour so pitifully do the Turks esteem of Christian Princes and so highly do they value themselves as if a Message from them would be reverenced in Christendom as a favour though brought by a Porter or a Slave But the French Ambassadour considering this allowance too mean a provision for a person qualified to appear before his Master did as it is said out of his own Purse and generous Soul contribute a far greater Sum with two Vests of Sables towards his better Equipage In this manner the Sultan dissembling an appearance of good correspondence with his Christian Majesty dispatched away his Envoyé on the Ships of War being a Person in quality of a Mutafaraca one of the same degree with a Chaous to expostulate with the King concerning several Particulars and especially his Reasons for sending for his Ambassadour without sending another according to ancient custom to supply his Office wondering much at this sudden alteration of friendship without any cause given on the Ottoman side and with these smooth and fair words the Turks imagined they might charm the Spirit of the
during which time the Pestilence the Epidemical disease of that season at Constantinople affecting with its contagion the Ships company about eighteen or twenty of them dyed thereof and all their affairs reduced to a strange consternation In this interim many and various were the disputes and contests between the two Residents sometimes they proposed to refer their differences to the decision of the English French and Venetian Ministers sometimes again finding the distance so wide and spatious between them they resolved to have their matters determined by Turkish Sentence At length the new Resident perceiving no end of this business and that the Ship lay ingaged at a great charge and as it were captivated to the great dishonour of the Republick came to an agreement to pay thirty three thousand Dollars one third whereof was to be paid in hand and the other two thirds by equal portions in the space of one year the first payment to be made after six months and the other six months after to which not only the Resident but their Merchants also entred personally into obligation In this manner the Ship being cleared and taking such lading as offered for Genoua at Constantinople sailed for Smyrna where taking another Ship of the same Country into her company departed with the Dutch Convoy for Christendom But having remained six months in Port subjected to much charge and trouble and not finding a Freight equal to the time and expence was no great incouragement to the Genoueses to continue this Trade which by good experience appears in no manner agreeable to their Country nor yielding success answerable to the long expectation of ten years past In this Year it was that the Grand Signior and Great Vizier at the instigation of Chusaein Aga the chief Customer whom we have before mentioned casting their eyes on Smyrna and finding it a place of great Trade and a convenient Port for which in ancient times it was always famous and for the same cause was frequented by Merchants both from the Eastern and Western parts of the World so that it was become the only great and considerable Mart or Scale within the Precincts of the Turkish Empire considering it I say in this manner with a benign eye as bringing great profit and advantage they began to think it worthy the Ornament of some publick Edifices founded with that Magnificence as might endure long and renew the ancient Honour and Reputation of Smyrna Hereupon they erected in the first place a Besasteen which is in the nature of our Exchange where several Shops are made and variety of Goods sold and to make the better Front towards the Sea it was founded therein on vast Stones and Piles fit to support a weighty Building The next Edifice erected was a Custom-house built into the Sea only on Piles of Timber with a handsom Front towards the Sea and this the Great Vizier judged to be a work not only necessary but also agreeable to the Majesty of his Master for until this time the Customer lived in a hired House not unlike the others which Merchants inhabit And now this House being compleated a Hattesheriff or Royal Decree came down from the Court commanding that all Ships that came into that Port either to lade or unlade should lay their sides to that Custom-house Scale and thereon discharge their Goods and receive others And now whereas the Merchants injoyed at all times in former days the convenience of having their Goods landed on and laden from their own Keys or Scales they greatly resented this innovation and as they unwillingly quit any Privlledge so they judged this not unworthy to be contended for with singular constancy and resolution the commodiousness of which was thought so considerable that it not only caused this place in former days to flourish and to be distinguished from all the Marts in the World but also the injoyment thereof invited the Inhabitants from the more elevated parts of Smyrna where was health and pleasure to the lower Bogs and Marishes exchanging health and chearful air for profit and convenience of Commerce Hereupon applications were made by all the Consuls of the Frank Nations to their Ambassadours and Ministers at the Grand Signiors Court In the mean time Trade by common agreement was interdicted at least as to the lading or unlading of Ships which continued for several days and touched somewhat grievously the English and Dutch Nations the first having two Ships and the latter six Merchant-ships in Port. The English Ambassadour being then personally at Adrianople was the first who without the assistance of any other Minister moved in this affair but found great opposition in it from the Turkish Officers who with some resentment of the present reluctancy of the Merchants declared not without passion the resolution the Grand Signior had to conform the honour of the Custom-house in some semblance with those of Christian Princes and therefore did wonder that the Christian Merchants could so easily condescend to the rules of those Custom houses in their own Countries where they were Natives and yet could not support the same in these parts where they were Aliens and Strangers And as a farther evidence of the Turks resolution to maintain this point it was said by the Vizier's Kahya that the Grand Signior was resolved to blow up both Port and Town rather than not be obeyed in his own Dominions with this Answer Merchants despairing of the success began to unlade their ships at the Custom house or to give an account there of the Goods in their Boats for the Customer was become sensible that there was not sufficient Water for ships to ride at the Key of the Custom house and did also indulge unto the Merchants several other particulars herein that so the innovation might sit the more lightly on them which he perceived was so ill resented and taken to heart And this was the first beginning in the Months of August and September when this priviledge was taken from the Merchants And in this Year also the Great Chan next to the Besasteen was in Building and the first Foundation thereof laid and the great Aquaduct brought from the Plains of Bogiaw and little Harchi-bonar Anno Christi 1676. Hegeira 1087. THis Year began with joyful News to the whole Turkish Empire all places and Cities of less renown rejoycing to hear the intentions of the Sultan to refresh and adorn again his Capital Throne of Constantinople with the Imperial Presence for that City which is the most proper Scituation of the World to be made the head of a great Empire having now almost for sixteen years wanted the Rays of Majesty and the Countenance of the Sultan became almost abandoned and forsaken of its Inhabitants so that the spacious Seraglios or Palaces of the chief Ministers and Officers of the Empire began to decay and run to ruine and the Artisans and Shop-keepers to leave their dwellings and to follow their Trade at Adrianople or in