assistance of the Protestants in Germany he ask'd permission to enter the City under pretext that he had fall'n sick by the Way and the next Morning sent to acquaint the Mayor and Echevins of the Town that he was desirous to communicate an Affair of great importance to 'em before his Death When he saw 'em all met together in his Chamber he started up and thrust his Poniard into the Mayor's Breast for a Signal to his Followers to stab the rest of the Magistrates And immediately after the Execution of that cruel Treason the French run about the Streets crying Vive le Roy and made themselves Masters of the Gates and afterwards of the whole City About the end of the same Year it was in vain besieged by Charles V. who was forc'd to make a shameful Retreat by the Duke of Guise who defended the place Since that unsuccessful Attempt Metz remain'd still under the Dominion or rather Protection of our Kings For the Inhabitants carry'd all their Appeals before the Imperial Chamber at Spire till Lewis XIII establish'd a Parliament in this place extending its Jurisdiction over Toul Verdun and the Country of Messin The Emperour complain'd of this Innovation nor was the Contest that happen'd on this Occasion entirely decided till the Peace that was concluded in 1648. Besides the Parliament the King erected a new Court of Judicature here some Years ago which has had the Impudence if I may use that Expression without exposing my self to the same Censure to cite before it Kings and Sovereign Princes to yield Homage and Fealty for some Territories over which they pretend to have a Right of Superiority as the Counties of Chini and Alost the Dutchy of Deux-Ponts and several others This is the only City in France where Jews are permitted to settle and there are even some Towns in Alsace where they dare not lodge one Night At Strasburg they are forc'd to pay thirty Sous at the Gate before they are suffer'd to enter the City and I have been often surpriz'd at the extraordinary dexterity of the Toll-gatherers in discovering a Man of that Nation From Metz I came to Nanci the chief City of Lorrain and Residence of the Dukes of that Name 'T is hardly possible that a Town which has chang'd its Masters so often shou'd be remarkable for its Riches However 't is very well fortify'd and the same Prince by whose Orders 't was almost entirely ruin'd in 1661 was afterwards pleas'd to repair it The River Meurte passes by the Walls and fills the Ditches which are of a considerable Depth The City is divided into the High and Low Town and the Ducal Palace which is seated in the former is a very large Structure of an admirable Architecture and adorn'd with many fine Pictures Among its other Rarities there is a Humane Figure of Wood consisting of several Pieces fitted together with so much Exactness and Art that it may be made to imitate all the Motions and Gestures of a living Man S. George's Church is particularly remarkable for the Magnificent Tombs of the Dukes that lie interâ—d there About seven or eight Years ago this City was depriv'd of two of its noblest Ornaments the famous Culverin that shot a Bullet to S. Nicholas a Village two large Leagues from Nanci and the Brazen Horse that carri'd the Statue of one of the Dukes of Lorrain These are certainly the finest cast Pieces in France and were always thought too heavy for Carriage till a certain Engineer undertook to remove 'em and succeeded in the Attempt The latter was design'd to support the King's Statue in the Place of Conquests at Paris but was found to be of too small a size and the other was carry'd to Dunkirk The Inhabitants of this City and in general all the Third State or Commons of Lorrain are still extremely devoted to the Interest of their true and natural Prince and scruple not to express their Affection to him on all Occasions with a certain innocent Frankness which together with their Clownish way of Speaking is esteem'd by the French rather worthy of Laughter than Anger But the Nobility are so dazzl'd with the glaring Prospect of Court-Preferment that they seem to have quite forgot the loss of their ancient Privileges which were so great under the Government of their Dukes that they were in a manner Sovereign Princes whereas at present they are reduc'd to an equal Level with the rest of the Gentlemen of the Kingdom I stay'd not at Nanci but continuing my Journey towards Dijon arriv'd at Langres in Champagne This City is seated on a Mountain almost inaccessible on all sides but the Inhabitants have no reason to be proud of the strength of its Situation which makes it a kind of Prison for the Descent from the Town is extremely uneasie and a Man may without Vanity boast of his Lungs if he can climb from the bottom of the Hill to the Gate without losing his Breath The People of the Country call this the Maiden-City both because it has not been taken for several Ages and by reason of its Fidelity to the Crown The Bishop is both a Spiritual and Temporal Lord and has the Title of Duke and Peer of France The next Day I pass'd thro' one of the most charming and fertil Plains in France and arriv'd at Dijon The City begins to appear at a considerable distance and presents a Traveller with the pleasant Prospect of 100 Spires that overtop the Houses for which reason Dijon is usually call'd the Town of Steeples 'T is seated on the Banks of the Oâ—che and Suson and was founded by the Emperour Aurelian tho' some affirm that 't is much more ancient and that he only repair'd it But not to invade the Province of Antiquaries I shall content my self with assuring you that 't is a very fine City The Streets are large and fair the Courts spacious the Buildings very beautiful and the Churches extremely magnificent Among the rest I cannot forbear taking notice of the famous Abbey of S. Benign which was built by Gregory Bishop of Langres after he had miraculously found the Body of that Saint 'T is one of the largest and highest Structures that are anywhere to be seen adorn'd with three Stone-Spires the heighth of which is suitable to the rest of the Building The Abbey-Church of S. Stephen is on the other Side of the City and is no less remarkable for its Beauty The Front of Our Lady's Church surpasses all the rest consisting of a large Clock-Tower all over wrought rising between two others smaller but no less curiously adorn'd which charm the Eyes of the Beholder S. John's Church the Holy Chapel the Convents of the Jesuits and Cordeliers and generally all the rest of the Churches and Convents deserve particular Observation especially that of the Carthusians without the City towards the Red Gate which is one of the richest Monasteries in the Kingdom There are a hundred Monks in it who
The Dignity and Authority of the Grand Visier Of the Bassa's and Grandees of the Empire The Weakness of the Government is the Cause of those frequent Disorders that disturb the Quiet of the Empire Of the Administration of Justice Of the Cadi's Bassa's and Vaivods Of the other Officers and their Jurisdictions Story of a Judge who was brib'd to acquit a Malefactor Several kinds of Punishment in Turkey Pleasant Stories which the Magistrates tell of each other 232 LETTER XX. The Turks believe there were Four Prophets sent by GOD Enoch Moses Christ and Mahomet Their fondness for Predestination Of the White and Black Angels Their Opinion concerning the Union of the Soul and Body Their Ablutions and Devotions Their Lent Their Charity Their Kindness to Dogs A Dog Arraign'd Condemn'd and Executed A Battel between the Dogs and Jaccals Turkish Conceits about the Plague 249 LETTER XXI Turkish Genius opposite to ours Their lazy Manner of Living Their Skill in Horsemanship Of Servants Wages Habit of the Men. Of Marriage and keeping of Concubines Punishment of Whores Of the Way which the Women take to declare an amorous Passion A Story on that Subject Severity of Husbands Another Story Habit of the Women Their Way of Painting Their Beauty and Neatness Their frequent Bathing The Turkish Music Several Kinds of Dances Puppet-Shows Of the Turkish Salutations and Civility Of Persons of Quality in Turkey A blunt Repartee 261 LETTER XXII The Slavery of the Greeks Their Habit. Dances Opinion concerning the Marks of Virginity Salutation on Easter-Day Their Separation from the Romish Church and the Reasons they give for it The Points of Doctrine in which they differ from the Romanists Of the Procession of the Holy Ghost Of Purgatory Of Communion under both Kinds Of Leaven'd Bread Of the Celibacy of the Clergy The Habit of the Priests and Religious Persons The Structure of their Churches They believe Transubstantiation And worship Images Their Manner of Painting A short Account of the Armenians Opinion of the Greeks concerning Bodies that remain uncorrupted in the Grave Funeral Ceremonies Weeping-Women Jewish Impostors Character of the Jews Their Superstition Jealousie and Habit 381 LETTER XXIII Arrival of Five Barbary Ships A particular Account of the Disorders committed by those Barbarians about a Year ago The French Consul quarrels with the Capuchins He is govern'd by the Jesuits Character of the Jesuits Ignorance of the Turks and their surprizing Neglect of the Public Interest Arabian Divination A Story on that Subject The Turks much addicted to the Study of the Philosophers Stone 301 LETTER XXIV History of Mahomet IV. Emperour of the Turks He loses the Battel of Hersan The Army revolts against him He is depos'd by the Grandees of the Empire His Brother Soliman advanc'd to the Throne The Caimacan endeavours to make his Escape in a French Vessel He flies towards the Black Sea is taken and Beheaded A new Insurrection against Soliman in which the City and Galleys are set on Fire The Emperour retires to Adrianople The Duke of Bavaria takes Belgrade The Prince of Baden obtains three great Victories and makes himself Master of several Places The Visier Ismael depos'd The Bassa Kopergli Oglon put in his Place He is kill'd at the Battle of Salankemen Proposals of Peace Story of a Venetian Captain who put himself under the Protection of France Death of the Emperour Soliman Advancement of his Brother Achmet Tragical End of Mustapha Aga. 314 LETTER XXV The French Ambassadour comes to Adrianople And breaks the Treaty of Peace Death of the English Ambassadour Count Marsigli assassinated An Italian turns Turk Ceremonies observ'd at the Receiving of a Renegado The Bones of a Man Twenty Foot high found at Thessalonica The Author prepares for his Departure News of Count Marsigli's Recovery 331 LETTER XXVI Death of Signior Stephano The Ship 's Company take him for a Sorcerer Description of the Isle of Millo Of Argentiere Of Zant. A pleasant Story of the Prince of Brunswick's Amours with a Courtezan Description of Ragusa Of the Government of that Republic Prospect of Venice Description of the New Lazaretto Orders observ'd there Of the Inquisition of State Spies entertain'd by that Tribunal The Author in Danger of feeling their Severity 339 LETTER XXVII Of the Eâ—tent of Venice Of its Strength Whether it be impregnable Reasons why it is not fortified Observations on the Canals Of the Streets Of S. Mark 's Place The Broglio The Procuraties The Palace of S. Mark S. Mark 's Church The Arsenal Beauty of the Venetian Palaces Of the Ridotti or Gaming-Houses 354 LETTER XXVIII Degrees of the Venetian Nobility Advantages of the poor Nobles Extravagant Ceremonies observ'd by the Venetians in their Salutations In Discourse and Letters Titles given to Persons according to their several Ranks The Doge a gawdy Slave History of Francis Moresini the present Doge The Procurator Moresini's public Entry Edicts against Luxury Of the Knights of S. Mark Of the Forces of the Republic Of the Condition of the Officers and Soldiers Of the Ships that belong to the Republic S. Mark represented under the Figure of a Lyon History of that Lyon The Venetian Nobles extremely civil to Strangers Of the Bravo's Habit of the Nobles 372 LETTER XXIX Of the Gondola's and of the Dexterity of the Gondoliers Festival after Ascension-Day Of the Venetian Ladies and the Liberty they enjoy Of the Pleasure and Advantage of Marsquerades Of the Venetian Astrologers Of Girls that come to the Fair. Of their Dress Of the Way of Buying ' em Opinion of the Italians concerning the Marks of Virginity Of the Courtezans A pleasant Story Of the Opera's and Comedies History of Pope Alexander VIII Ridiculous Opinion of the Italians concerning the French Customs 394 The END of the Contents BOOKS lately Printed THE Present State of Persia With a faithful Account of the Manners Religion and Government of that People By Monsieur Sanson a Missionary from the French King Adorn'd with Figures Done into English The Present State of the Empire of Morocco With a faithful Account of the Manners Religion and Government of that People By Monsieur de S. Olon Ambassador there in the Year 1693. Adorn'd with Figures The Life of the Famous Cardinal-Duke of Richlieu Principal Minister of State to Lewis XIII King of France and Navarre in Two Volumes 8 vo Letters written by a French Gentleman giving a faithful and particular Account of the Transactions of the Court of France relating to the Publick Interest of Europe With Historical and Political Reflections on the ancient and present State of that Kingdom By the Famous Monsieur Vassor The Roman History from the Building of the City to the perfect Settlement of the Empire by Augustus Caesar Containing the Space of 727 Years Design'd as well for the Understanding of the Roman Authors as the Roman Affairs By Laurence Echard A. M. of Christ-College in Cambridge A New Voyage to Italy With a Description of the Chief Towns Churches Tombs
such an inconceivable Abhorrence against the French that they scarce ever mention 'em but in the most reproachful Terms that Spite or Disdain can invent They look upon all those of that Nation to be contemptible Wretches and you cannot do 'em a more provoking Injury than to call 'em Frenchmen I cannot give you a more lively Representation of their implacable Hatred against our Nation than by relating a Story which I heard t'other Day When the King concluded the last Peace with Algiers Commissioners were sent on board all the Galleys and into the Baths to release all the French Slaves they cou'd find Some of these Officers perceiving a Man whom they took to be one of their own Nation standing in a careless manner without showing the least desire to be Enroll'd in their List ask'd him Whether he was a Frenchman No answer'd he What Countryman art thou then said one of the Commissioners I 'm a Native of Marseilles reply'd the Slave Very well said the Commssioners write to thy King of Marseilles that he may set thee at liberty This is no contriv'd Story but so certain and well-attested a Truth that I know some Persons who were present when the Accident happen'd Nor will the credibleness of this Relation be question'd by any who have had occasion to converse with the Inhabitants of this City or to be Witnesses of their extreme Aversion against our Countrymen If any of 'em gives his Daughter in Marriage to a Frenchman or makes a Man of that Nation his particular Friend he exposes himself infallibly to the Hatred and Scorn of all his Neighbours And if a Maid shou'd receive a Visit from a Frenchman she might for ever despair of finding a Husband in her own Country To conclude The People of Marseilles are in all respects diametrically opposite to us only I must except from this general Rule the Nobility of this City and of the Country in which 't is seated than whom there are none of their Quality in France that can lay a juster Claim to Antiquity of Descent and Politeness of Manners nor any that are better affected to his Majesty's Service The Language of Provence is extremely harsh and unpleasant especially in Marseilles and the Territory that belongs to it where the Pronunciation is as Guttural as in Arabia You can hardly imagine what a vast Alteration the very Sound or Accent makes in a Language There is scarce any difference at all between the Words of the Dialects that are us'd in Provence and Languedoc and nevertheless this is as amorous and agreeable as that is rough and uncouth A Stranger is never more sensible of the Truth of this Observation than at his first Arrival And I remember that the very Day on which I came to this City I was astonish'd at the intolerable Clownishness with which a handsome young Lady pronounc'd these Words to diswade one of her Kinsmen from quarrelling with an ordinary Woman Hai mon Cousin said she laché stata quelle femme non sabais pas qua cau à la teste dau Diable This made me tell a Gentleman who some Days after ask'd my Opinion of the Women of Marseilles That I admir'd their Beauty but cou'd wish they were dumb because their Speech was such a Bugbear that all the Charms of their Countenance cou'd never retain a French Lover If you were acquainted with their Humour reply'd he you wou'd be easily convinc'd that the very Reason you alledge wou'd make 'em in love with their Pronounciation Marseilles is one of the most populous Cities in France but the third part of those who reside in it are Strangers The old part of the Town is neither very large nor fair The Streets are narrow crooked and uneven by reason of its Situation on a Hillock but 't is at least double of what it was thirty Years ago The Cours or Publick Place for taking the Air is exactly in the middle of a long and very streight Street that reaches from the Gate of Aix to that of Rome and separates the Old from the New Town 'T is 1000 Paces long which is only the third part of the length of the Street and in all other respects is like to that of Aix Four Men are hir'd by the City to Water it twice a Day in Summer that the Dust may not offend the Gentlemen and Citizens who flock thither every Evening in such Multitudes that a Man can hardly turn himself in the Croud The Houses that Border it are built pretty regularly but are not so fine as at Aix The New City is well built the Streets are broad streight and light and besides 't is considerable for the Quality of its Inhabitants for all the Officers of the Galleys the Gentry and the richer part of the Citizens chuse to live in it The Extent of the Walls of the City has been considerably augmented within these three Years for besides what they containâ—d before there is a large Space enclos'd behind the Arsenal for a â—lace of Arms which when finish'd will be 300 Paces square The King bestows the Ground about this Place on those who will build Houses on it provided they observe the Lines mark'd out for that purpose By means of this new Addition the Abbey of S. Victor is advanc'd further within the Town being a Monastery of unreform'd Benedictines who acknowledge no other Superiour but the Pope in Ecclesiastical Cases There are 50000 Livres a Year annex'd to this House for the Maintenance of eighteen or twenty Monks who know very well how to enjoy all the comforts of so plentiful a Revenue The Neighbourhood of these Independent Gentlemen is so great an Eye-sore to the Bishop of Marseilles that he has several times endeavour'd to make 'em consent to the Re-union of their Monastery with the Chapter of the Cathedral offering 'em all the Privileges of the Canons with the Coadjutorship of the Bishoprick for their Prior But they have hitherto kept themselves from being dazzl'd with the seeming Advantageousness of these Proposals The present Bishop is of the Family of Vintimille descended from the Counts of Marseilles and Nephew of Cardinal Fourbain Janson his Predecessor in the Bishoprick He is well-shap'd handsome not above thirty Years old has very much the Air of the Court and might be reckon'd a very handsome Man if his Teeth were somewhat smaller and more evenly set He is a Man of Sence and good Breeding of a pleasant Wit and agreeable Conversation He is none of those morose Censurers who affect a certain Surliness and ill Humour on all Occasions His Life is a convincing Argument that the Pleasures of this World are not altogether inconsistent with Devotion He plays hears Opera's visits Ladies and if we may believe the common Report is not hated by 'em Yet all these must be acknowledg'd to be innocent Liberties since he always preserves a due regard to the Laws of Decency and never seems to be guilty of any
Waggon Boat Horses nor any other convenient Carriage If your Affairs oblige you to undertake a Journey tho' not above 100 Leagues you must wait three Months for a Caravan which after all will not Travel above four Leagues a day and carry no other Provisions but Rice Bisket and Salt Beef on which you must make a shift to live and encamp every Night till you arrive at your Journies end where if you have not the conveniency of Lodging with a particular Friend 't will be in vain to enquire for the King's-Head the White-Cross or the Golden-Lyon You must e'en creep into a Han with a hundred Wretches whose Brutishness is altogether insupportable and reckon your self happy when ye can find such a Lodging which after all is better than Encamping with the Caravan You will perhaps think it impossible to represent a more frightful Idea of Travelling but I can assure you that all these Inconveniencies are not comparable to those which they who Travel to Persia or cross the Desarts of Arabia must resolve to undergo They must Travel six Months together expos'd to all the Inconveniencies of bad Weather and for the most part in burning Sand where there is neither a Stalk of Grass nor a Spring to quench their Thirst Besides they are perpetually in danger of being surpriz'd by the Arabs who rob and kill all that come in their way But all these Incommodities may be either more easily avoided or supported than those terrible Distempers that usually seize European Travellers who are not accustom'd to such hot Climates and fatiguing Journeys I shall take this occasion to relate a Story of one of my Friends who return'd not long ago from Poland whither he went about the beginning of the last Year by the King's Order in the quality of an Interpreter with Monsieur de Chateauneuf's Chancellor call'd Beauchesne He was seiz'd by the way with a violent Fever and Looseness which brought him so low and made him so troublesome to the Caravan-Bachi or Captain of the Caravan that his Companions wou'd have left him to perish without assistance if that Officer had not been afraid to run the hazard of offending the Ambassador yet he assur'd me that all their respect to Monsieur Chateauneuf cou'd not have protected him if the Fever had seiz'd on his Head and so made him incapable of sitting on Horseback But these are not the only disadvantages which Travellers suffer in this Country they are expos'd to a thousand other vexatious Accidents and are constantly plagu'd with the Brutish Humours of the Camel-drivers We are wont to complain of the Sawciness of Carriers and Coach-men but I assure you they wou'd be reckon'd very mild and tractable in this Country where every Camel-driver is as haughty as a Lord and the poor Traveller must keep in his Post under pain of a Bastanado which he must take very patiently for if he shou'd offer to return the Blow I wou'd not ensure his Life for all the Money in the Caravan I thought my self oblig'd to give you a faithful Account of all these Inconveniencies which most Travellers study to conceal that if any of your Friends have a mind to undertake the same Voyage they may at least have the advantage of knowing what they are to expect which they cou'd not have done if I had only given you a view of the pleasant and bright side of a Traveller's Entertainment For my part I must confess I had so strong an Inclination to Travelling that I know not whether I shou'd have stopt on this side China if I had not met with so many discouraging Rubs But my Curiosity is wonderfully abated of late and I 'm so perfectly cur'd of my gadding Humor that I 'm resolv'd to confine my self hereafter to Europe and to Travel only in such Places where I may find at least a piece of Beef and a pair of clean Sheets at Night Since I had occasion to mention Beauchesne's Journey to Poland 't will not be improper to give you a short account of the cause of it The Turks being informed of the great Losses which the French sustain'd during the Campaign of 1689. and of the ill-fortune that attended His Majesty's Arms in Flanders where the Mareschal D' Humiere was unsuccessful in the only attempt he made began to give less credit to the French Ambassador's smooth Harangues and to desire a Peace with the Emperour The Grand Visier spoke of it several times to Sir William Trumbal and Monsieur Collier the English and Dutch Ambassadors and sent Orders to His Master's Envoys at Vienna to hasten the desir'd Accommodation And certainly the Grand Signior had reason to wish for a Peace for his Affairs were in a very hopeless condition At the beginning of the Campaign his Troops suffer'd a considerable disadvantage in Croatia where they lost above 2000 Men with several Ensigns and the Bassa who Commanded ' em The Prince of Baden afterwards Routed 'em thrice in three memorable Battels and they saw themselves expos'd to all the Insults of the Imperialists who talk'd of nothing less than of Besieging Constantinople Temeswaer Canissa and Waradin the only places they possest in Hungary were closely Block'd up without any hope of Relief Thus 't was plainly the Interest of the Turks to accept of the Proposals that were made by their Victorious Enemies But the King's Interest was on this occasion directly opposite to that of his Allies He dreaded the fatal consequences of such a Resolution and left no means unessay'd to prevent its taking effect He cajol'd the Grand Signior more than ever and flatter'd him with the hope of making a separate Peace with the Polanders since they had already enter'd into a Negotiation with the Tartars and had sent Deputies for that effect to Count Tekeli who was to perform the Office of a Mediator between ' em This Stratagem produc'd the desir'd effect and the Turk was the more easily deluded because he knew that not long before there happen'd a sort of Quarrel between the Courts of Poland and Vienna For the Emperor had granted his Protection to the Moldavians and on that score was to receive the same Tribute which they formerly paid to the Turks The King of Poland pretended a right to that Province as an ancient Fief of his Crown But the Emperor wou'd not give him any satisfaction and even refus'd to answer the Polish Ambassador's Remonstrances on that subject In the mean time the French and Turkish Ambassadors at the Court of Poland were not idle Spectators of so favourable a Juncture they endeavour'd to foment the difference and Beauchesne was dispatch'd thither with several Instructions both from the King his Master and from the Grand Visier But all their Negotiations were unsuccessful for they cou'd not prevail with the King of Poland to break his Confederacy with the Emperor I will not trouble you with an Apology for the length of this digression into which the way of
yet come to your knowledge While the whole City was in a terrible Combustion and the Leventi animated by a Desire of Plunder were seeking an Occasion of breaking forth into fresh Disorders there came a whole Troop of 'em to the French Ambassadour's Palace and in a very insolent Manner desir'd him to receive a certain beggarly Greek whom they brought along with 'em to be his Drugger-Man or Interpreter At first Monsieur de Girardin rejected the Proposal telling 'em that he did not want a Drugger-Man and would not take one upon their Recommendation but seeing they began to be unruly and threaten to set Fire to his House he grew more complaisant and receiv'd the Drugger-Man more civilly Nor can he be blam'd for suffering himself to be hector'd by the Rabble since 't is certainly the wisest Course to submit on such Occasions After the Sedition was quieted Soliman retir'd to Adrianople for he did not think himself safe in a City that becomes the Sultan's Prison upon the first breaking forth of an Insurrection and after that time he never resided in it He conferr'd the Dignity of Grand Visier on one Ismael Bassa a Man without Experience and one who had nothing to recommend him but the Favour of his Master No sooner was he intrusted with the Administration of the Government but the Empire was over-run with those Disorders and Confusions that are the natural Consequences of the Unskilfulness of the Principal Minister of State Several Bassa's began to form Cabals and enter into separate Associations Some espous'd the Interest of the Sultaness the Mother of the depos'd Mahomet who plotted to restore her Son others declar'd in Favour of one Jeghen Bassa who pretended to be of the Ottoman Race some resolv'd to be independent without acknowledging any Head of their Party and all in general resus'd to submit to the present Government In the mean time the Emperour carry'd on the War very prosperously for the Duke of Bavaria took Belgrade by Storm and the Prince of Baden after he had defeated the Bassa of Bosnia made himself Master of the whole Province The next Year was remarkable for more Signal and Glorious Advantages for the Prince of Baden who commanded the Imperial Army in Hungary fought three Battles successively and obtain'd as many important Victories The first Battle was fought near Passarowitz where the Turks lost seven Thousand Men a hundred Pieces of Cannon all their Bombs Carcasses Mortars Powder Tents c. The second Victory was obtain'd on the 24 th of September near Nissa where the Serasquier who commanded in Person cou'd not prevent the Loss of all his Cannon and eight Thousand Soldiers The third Battel was fought near Widen and during the Heat of the Action the Imperialists carry'd the Town by Storm Besides the Prince of Baden had taken Nissa Zwornick Nowigrath Arsowath and several other Places which open'd a free Passage into Bulgaria and Macedonia and from thence into Romania so that if the War had been carry'd on for some time with the same Vigour and Success the Imperialists might have advanc'd to the Gates of Constantinople But in the beginning of the last Year the Visier Ismael was depos'd and succeeded by Kopergli Oglou Bassa of Scio. 'T was then the Turks began to hope they might see a happy Turn of Affairs they remember'd the great Actions of the famous Visier of that Name and were persuaded that this Minister wou'd imitate so glorious a Example Nor were they disappointed in their Expectation for the new Visier was not inferior to his Predecessor either in Valour Strength of Mind or any other Endowments that are necessary to fit a Man for the Management of Affairs and the Empire was quickly sensible of the Advantageous Influences of his Government I have already acquainted you in a former Letter with the prosperous Success of their Arms during the last Campagne which gave Occasion to the French Embassador to take notice of the Sympathy between the two Empires and was afterwards solemniz'd by that Triumph of which I gave you a short Description And therefore instead of troubling you with a tedious Relation of those Events which you have doubtless heard of and have not yet forgotten I shall only tell you that if that Great Man had not been kill'd at the Battle of Salankemen the Christians wou'd have had Reason to dread a fatal Revolution which they cou'd hardly have prevented any otherwise than by a speedy Peace And indeed that Design was carry'd on so successfully that every one expected a happy Conclusion of their Negotiations when they were unfortunately interrupted by the Visier's Death For he was not at all averse to the Proposal and was so far from being acted by that base Love of Riches with which the Turks are generally possess'd that contrary to the usual Maxims of his Predecessors he pursu'd no other Interest than this of the State He had often discours'd on that Subject with Monsieur Collier the Dutch Ambassadour whose Reasons made the greater Impression upon him because of the Character he had receiv'd of his Merit Capacity and Dexterity in publick Negotiations And that able Minister had prepossess'd the Mind of the Visier with such strong Inclinations to a Peace that if we may be allow'd to judge by the most promising Appearances he wou'd have actually concluded it if he had not been prevented by Death For Monsieur Collier had made so good Use of such a favourable Opportunity that almost all the Articles were agreed on and the Emperour had empower'd the Prince of Baden to sign the Treaty and had appointed the Counts of Kinsky and Straatman to be his Assistants The King of Poland and the Republick of Venice had also sent their Plenipotentiaries but instead of the much-desir'd News of a Peace we receiv'd an Account of the dreadful Battle of Salankemen in which the Visier was one of the first that lost his Life The Aga of the Janizaries the Serasquier and Ten other Bassa's of Note had the same Fate and the Turkish Army fled with so much Precipitation and Terrour that the Memory of the Oldest Men cannot furnish 'em with an Instance of so entire a Defeat They lost above 20000 Men all their Cannon and Baggage and in a word all they had in their Camp I cannot express the Consternation that was spread over the whole Ottoman Empire by the surprizing and melancholy News which was brought into this Country by some that had the good Fortune to escape who never speak of that Battle without a certain Dread and Amazement in their Countenance which gives us a more lively Idea of the Horrour of that Day than the most particular Relation that cou'd be made of the Action Monsieur de Chateauneuf takes so deep a Share in the Public Sorrow that I know not whether he cou'd support so terrible a Blow if the Visier's Death did not comfort him a little For that Minister never had the Happiness of
or Policy he chose always to depend on that Family So that the late Visier Kopergli Oglou was his particular Patron and advanc'd him to the Tophana that is the Founding or Casting of Metals of which he was Directour-General as well as of the Mint which is the most gainful Post in the Empire And besides he made a very considerable Addition to the usual Profits of that Office by inventing and introducing a certain Copper Coin call'd Mangours for each Piece was order'd to pass at the Rate of six French Deniers tho' 't was no larger than a Dutch Doit or a single French Denier so that buying the Copper at twenty Pence a Pound the Profit amounted to Six in Seven Not long after the Advancement of Kopergli Oglou Mustapha propos'd this Expedient to fill the Treasury which till this time was very empty and had Orders to coin Four thousand Purses of that Money or Two millions of Crowns So prodigious a Quantity of those Pieces cou'd not but occasion great Disorders and a general Interruption of Trade and besides those that were coin'd at the Mint there came several Barks laden with 'em from France and Thessalonica where they were coin'd by the Jews so that there are above Two hundred thousand Crowns of Counterfeit Money at present in the Empire At last People were so discourag'd at those Abuses that about three Months ago they began to refuse to take these Pieces for more than one half and at present they will not take 'em at all notwithstanding the repeated Orders of the Grand Signior who as I intimated before is not much respected in this Country The Disorders occasion'd by the debasing of the Coin and the vast Estate Mustapha Aga had acquir'd were the Causes of his Death His Enemies had long before begun to exclaim against the Methods he took to oppress the People pretending that he was a Christian in his Heart and that he wou'd at last make his Escape to Italy with all the Treasure he had scrap'd together in the Empire which certainly had been the most prudent Course for a Man in his Circumstances But since the Desire of Riches is like the Thirst of some diseas'd Persons which is encreas'd by Drinking instead of heark'ning to the Advice of his Friends he took a quite contrary Method and sent for his Sister and Nephews thinking by that Means to vindicate himself from the Aspersions that were fix'd upon him by his Adversaries Besides he plac'd an entire Confidence in the Grand Visier and thought himself absolutely secure under the Protection of so kind and powerful a Patron but he ought to have consider'd that his Patron was Mortal and that his Interest wou'd expire with his Life 'T is plain by the Event that he shou'd have acted more warily in so dangerous a Post for I have just now receiv'd a Letter which informs me that he was strangl'd after they had given him the Torture to make him discover his Money And he was even so strangely infatuated that tho' he was not apprehended for the Space of Eight Days after the Visiâ—r's Death instead of making his Escape he chose rather to expect his Fate at his own House where he was at last arrested by the Caimacan with his Wife Sister and Nephews These unfortunate Creatures who have not yet renounc'd the Catholic Religion sent to beg Monsieur de Chateauneuf's Protection for the obtaining of their Liberty but he is too much a Politician to hazard his Interest at the Port to preserve the Honour of his Religion They begin again to talk of Peace more than ever and Iâ—m inform'd that the Dutch Ambassadour has prevail'd with the New Visier Hali to continue the Negotiations for that Effect at Adrianople whither he and the English Ambassadour Sir William Hussy will set forward in few Days and 't is generally believ'd that the Treaty will be brought to a happy Conclusion assoon as the Count de Marsigli is return'd from Vienna whither he went to receive the Emperour's final Instructions So that I hope I shall be able in my next to send you some considerable News In the mean time I am SIR Your c. Smyrna Septemb. 1691. LETTER XXV SIR I Have not forgot the Promise I made you at the End of my last Letter but I know not if you will thank me for keeping my Word since instead of the News I hop'd to send you I must acquaint you that the Negotiations for a Peace are at an End or rather interrupted for some time for 't is so much the Grand Signior's Int'rest to conclude a Treaty that without pretending to the Spirit of Prophesie I may venture to foretel that it will be renew'd In the mean time it will not be improper to give you an Account of this unexpected Accident The English and Dutch Ambassadors arriv'd at Adrianople in the Beginning of the last Month and had several Conferences with the Grand Visier in which the greatest part of the Articles were mutually agreed on and the only Difficulty that obstructed the happy Conclusion of the Treaty was the Visier's insisting upon the Restoring of Buda and the keeping of Caminiec concerning which they expected Instructions from the Emperor While Affairs were in this Posture the Plague began to rage so violently at Adrianople that the Ambassadors thought fit to retire to a Vilage two Leagues on this side the Town till the Fury of the Distemper shou'd be somewhat abated But the Baron de Chateauneuf having receiv'd new Instructions which in all probability were accompany'd with some weighty Proposals came to Adrianople tho' he was neither sent for nor expected and without the least Regard to the preservation of his Life he had the Courage to brave Death in the midst of a City where she seem'd to have fix'd the Seat of her Empire for the Plague made so terrible a Havock that there died above a Thousand Persons a Day At the same time it happen'd that Sir William Hussy was in a Gallery and perceiving a Company of Men in the Plain he had the Curiosity to send one of his Servants to inquire who they were As soon as he heard that 't was the French Ambassador he began to dread the Consequences of that Ministerâ—s Journey for he consider'd that he wou'd never have expos'd himself to so imminent a Danger and even without being call'd if there had not been some hidden and extraordinary Design in Agitation 'T is thought that the French King being inform'd of the great Progress that was made in the Treaty sent Instructions to his Ambassador impowering him to conclude a secret Alliance with the Turks and 't is but too plain that these are more than bare Conjectures for the Visier wou'd never afterwards hear the least Word of a Peace However 't is certain that Sir William Hussey's Vexation at so unexpected a Disappointment contributed not a little to his Death for you must not give credit to the Surmises of those who