Busbequius’s Travels INTO TURKEY. (continued 3)

As for the Death of Achmet Bassa, another of your Enquiries, I shall give this short Relation. Some say, he was put to Death for being too much affected to Mustapha, and for favouring underhand the counterfeit Mustapha, and encouraging Bajazet in his Designs. Others say, that being a mere Robber or Swash-Buckler at first, but advanced for his Audacity, Valour and Skill in military Affairs, to that high Dignity, the Punishment of his former flagitious Life, was only deferred to the last Period of it. And some were of Opinion, he was executed only to make Way for Rustan; for Solyman, having promised Achmet never to take away the Seal from him, so long as he lived, to make a collusive Performance of his Word, he caused him to be put to Death, before he did it. Some said, that Solyman gave it out, ’Twas better to die once, than a thousand Times over; for the Fear of the Loss of his Grand Viziership, and much more his Survival thereupon, would have been as a thousand Deaths to him. Whatever was the Cause, the Manner of it was this: He came early in the Morning into the Divan, (or Council-Chamber) being ignorant of what was designed against him: By and by comes the Messenger to him from the Sultan, telling him, that he must die. He was a Man of a great Spirit, and received the Message as undauntedly, as if it had nothing concerned him; only, when the Executioner drew near, to do his Office, he pushed him away, as thinking it dishonourable for a Man of his Dignity to die by the Hands of an ordinary Executioner: But, casting his Eyes round about the Company, he espied a creditable Person, that was his Friend; him he desired to do that last Office for him, and he should take it as a great Kindness at his Hands. His Friend, upon his iterated Request, undertook it: Only Achmet advised, not to draw the Cord, or Bow-string, so as to dispatch him at once, but when he had strained it a little, then to remit it, that he might breath a while, and afterwards to pull it as hard as he could, until he were dead; wherein his Desire was answered. Thus Achmet was willing to taste (as it were) of Death, before he drank his full Draught of it. Upon his Decease Rustan had the Grand-Viziership bestowed upon him.

As for my Return out of this Country, which you desire to hear of, all I can say is, Facilis descensus Averni. He that brought me hither, will, when he sees good, bring me back: In the Interim, I solace my self in the Company of my old Friends, my Books, which never fail to afford me Relief both Day and Night.

Constantinople, June 12.

SIR,

What you have heard, is very true, in every particular; for it is most certain, that all my Collegues are returned Home, and poor I am left behind, alone. And, whereas you put several Questions to me, as, what Fate, or what malevolent Star, kept me back from accompanying them in their Return? And why I did not shake Hands with that barbarous Country, to enjoy the wish’d for Comforts of my own? And withal, you demand, what memorable Matters I have seen or heard of since I wrote last? Promising to give Credit to whatever drops from my Pen, as if it were as true as Gospel. And moreover, you desire to know the course of my Studies, and how I relieve my self, both in my Solitudes and Sufferings? And whether I go abroad, or always stay at home? All these Demands put together, will engage me to write rather Commentaries or Diaries, than a single Letter, especially, since you are very earnest to know, how Bajazet’s Matters stand, concerning which, you say, there are various Reports with you. You claim a Promise from me, and unless I perform it, you tell me you will commence an Action against me, and have already drawn your Breviat. To pursue your Metaphor, let me persuade you to stay a while, Leniter qui sæviunt, sapiunt magis, says the old Proverb, no Haste to kill true Men: But if you are so much given to Law, take Use and Principal too, rather than I will answer your Suit, for I am averse from Lawing. And besides, the distance of Place is so great between us, that if I should put in an Exception to your Plea, yet your Writ would hardly abate. But, however it be, I will rather satisfy your Desires, than contend with you in the least. When my Collegues (whose Names I gave you in my last Letters) perceived, that our three Years Abode in this Place had produced little Good hitherto, either to the making of a firm Peace, or the continuing the Truce; and that small Hopes of either did appear for the future, they laboured with Might and Main to be dismissed by this Court; and when, with much ado, Solyman’s Consent was obtained therein, (for ’tis no easy matter to get a Dismission from hence) the only Question was, whether we should all go, or only those of us that came first, and so had been longest there? For cunning Solyman, that he might not seem over desirous of Peace, by retaining one of us, remitted the Matter wholly to our own Choice. In these Circumstances, my Companions thought it very adviseable, and for our Master’s Service, that one of us should stay behind; and I my self was of the same Mind: But we resolved to dissemble our Sentiments, and conceal them from the Turks, so that, as often as we had any Discourse with them on that Subject, I always pretended an utter Unwillingness to stay behind. ’Tis true, I told them I came thither to reside as Ambassador in Ordinary; but it was on Supposition, that Peace would be made between both Empires. That not being yet done, I did not see how I could well stay, but to the Damage, and against the Will of my Master, and therefore it was best that we should all return together. Thus I reasoned before them, that so I might stay on better Terms, rather by their Entreaty than by my own voluntary Offer. I knew well enough, that, if we all went away, it would not only open a wide Door for a War, but it would even quite shut out all Hopes of Peace; which latter was not despaired of, if I staid behind: For, whilst Dispatches were sent to and from both Princes, it would spin out a great deal of Time, in which Interval something or other might fall out of advantage to our Cause; so that it was better to do any thing, than to precipitate our selves into a fierce and cruel War; and yet I was not ignorant, how prejudicial my Stay would be to my self, for thereby my Care and Labour would be doubled, in regard one was to do the Work of two or three: Besides, many Inconveniencies might occasionally arise, especially, if the Issue of my Transactions did terminate in a War: And yet, I must tell you, he that undertakes the Office of a public Ambassador, must post-pone all such private Difficulties, and make light of them, in comparison of the public Good of his Prince and Country. And I had a fair Opportunity to manage this Affair by the Complaisance of Rustan, who was very desirous of my Stay; for that subtle Vizier easily foresaw, what a shrewd Step towards a War it would be, if we should all be gone and leave the Negotiation for a Peace unfinished. The old Fox was averse from War, upon this Account principally; he foresaw that, if Solyman made an Expedition into Hungary, it was impossible to prevent the Discords of his Children; for if Selimus were willing to be quiet, yet Bajazet would attempt Innovation, especially since he was favoured by himself, his Wife, and Mother-in-law; and such Commotions, he knew, would be fatal to him: And therefore, when we were once at his House, he made a long Harangue to my Colleagues, advising them what to say to their Master at their Return, in order to a Peace. As for me, he advised me by all means to stay behind, and not to desert a Business so well begun, till it came to the desired Issue; and there’s no doubt, said he, but the Emperor, your Master, who always shewed himself inclining to Peace, will approve well-enough of your Stay. However, I continued deaf to his Request, as far as with Safety I could, and insisted on my Return; which egg’d him on the more, to persuade me to stay: What, says he, will you cut off all Hopes of Peace for ever? Our Emperor longs for nothing more than to send an Army into Hungary, and he had long since done it, if I had not made use of some female Instruments (meaning his Wife and Mother-in-law) to dissuade him; yea, as it were to pluck him back by the Sleeve; and therefore, if you be wife, don’t rouze a sleeping Lyon to destroy you. Upon this I began to yield a little, and was less peremptory in my Refusal to stay; only I told them, my greatest Remora was, I was afraid of their unjust Reproaches; that, if Matters succeeded not as they would have them, the whole Blame would be cast upon me (though it was not in my Power to help it) and therefore they would make me feel the Fruits of their Indignation. But Rustan bid me be of good Cheer, whatever the Event were; if unsuccessful, it should not be imputed to me; if I would but stay, he promised to take me under his Protection, and next he would treat me (to use his own Words) as if I were his natural Brother. I told him, I would consider of it; and so we parted for that Time.

The next Day we were called into the Divan, (so they called their Council-Chamber) and then the same Part was acted over again; only Rustan carried it a little more covertly, and reservedly, because of the Presence of other Bashaws. There, at last, I yeilded to stay behind, only leaving a Memorial with them of this Import, that I staid behind unknown to my Master, and therefore I would leave all my Concessions to his Arbitrement, to cancel or confirm: As for myself, I would be responsible for nothing, nor oblige myself by any Promise, whatever issue God were pleased to give of my Negotiation. This Memorial was of great Service to me afterwards, in difficult Circumstances, so that the Bashaws could not, for shame, treat me so severely in their Resentments, as otherwise they would have done.

Thus, Sir, you have an Account of my Stay behind my Fellows, with the Reason of it. They left Constantinople about the latter end of August, 1557. The Winter following, the Grand Seignior went to Adrianople, as his Custom was, both to strike a greater Terror into Hungary, upon the Report of his nearer approach thither, and also for the Conveniencies of his Hunting, (for there the Winters are colder than at Constantinople,) both which he thought conducive to his Health. The Country thereabout is full of Marshes and Stagnant Waters, by reason of the nearness of many Rivers; so that there are abundance of Water-Fowl, as wild-Ducks, Geese, Herons, Storks, Cranes, Bitterns, &c. To catch them, he makes use of Hawks, or a lesser sort of Eagles, which are so used to the Sport, that, though the Fowl fly up to the Clouds, they’ll fetch him down from thence; but, if they fly lower, then they truss them, and with a mighty Force strike them with their Bills to the Ground. I am told, that some of his Falcons are so disciplin’d and expert, that they will venture on a Crane, even in that part of the Body where the Wing joyns it; and by this means the Crane’s Bill can do them no hurt, and so they tumble to the Ground with their Prey: And yet sometimes the Hawk pays dear for his Boldness; for, if he do but miss his Gripe never so little, presently the Crane runs him through with his Bill, and down he tumbles dead to the Ground.

For this Reason, the Grand Seignior ordinarily every Year, a little before Winter, goes to Adrianople, and returns not again to Constantinople, till the Frogs begin to be troublesome to him by their croaking. Thither Rustan, a while after, sent for me by Letter; he appointed some Horse to guard me on the Way, and Sixteen Janizaries; whether as a Guard to me, or upon me, I leave to you to judge. We made long Journeys; for he advised us to make hast. On the Third Day my Janizaries, being on Foot, began to grumble; the Ways were dirty, as is usual at that Time of the Year, and they complained, that they were often forced to march more Miles in a Day, than they were used to do; and that, if their Emperor were there, they could hardly endure it.

Their Complaints troubled me not a little, because I was loth to disoblige this sort of People, and therefore I consulted with my Servants, how I might allay their Discontents, and make them willinger to Travel. One of mine told me, he had observed that they were much taken with a certain kind of Caudle, Gruel or Pottage, which my Cook used to make of Wine, Eggs, Sugar and Spices: Perhaps (says he) if they have some of that for their Break-fast, they will be plyable. This seemed but a mean Expedient, yet we resolved to try it, and the Success answered our Expectation; for, after this sweet Soop, it being also further heated with a Glass or two of Wine, away they trudged as merrily as could be, and told me, they would accompany me, on the same Terms, to Buda, if I pleased.

When I came to Adrianople, I was forced to hear the Railings, rather than the Complaints of Rustan, concerning the plundering Excursions of the Hungarians. And, by way of Answer, I was as ready to complain to him of the frequent Depredations and Mischiefs, which the Turks did in Christian Countries. No marvel, said I, if we retort like for like; for I had just then received an Express from Cæsar, my Master, informing me, what Breaches and Contraventions the Turks had made of that Truce, which at the Departure of my Collegues, was agreed upon: How they vexed the poor Peasants with continual Inrodes, robbing them of their Goods, and made themselves, their Wives and Children, Slaves.

I must not forget to acquaint you, that the same Day, a Messenger came to me with an Express from Cæsar, my Master. There happened an Earthquake at Adrianople, from which he took an occasion to tell me, that he perceived the same (so he judged it) at Nissa, S. Sophia and other Places through which he Travelled, so that the Air, included in the Bowels of the Earth, did seem to have kept Pace with him, by some subterraneous Passages or Caverns, and to have travelled as far in a Day under Ground, as he himself had done on the Surface of it. This Conjecture afterward seemed to be confirmed, upon the Relation we received of an Earthquake that happened in Constantinople four Days after, which seemed to be the same imprisoned Air, that had made its Way, under Ground, even to that City also.

I leave the Matter to your Judgment; but this is certain, that Earthquakes are very frequent at Constantinople; for once, when I was there, about Mid-Night, my Lodgings did so shake, that it was almost ready to fall. This Accident awakened me, though fast asleep, and, having a Watch-Light burning by me all Night, when I saw here a Cup, there a Book, a Table, Board and Stone all tumbled in a Heap together, I was at first astonished at the Novelty of the Spectacle, till I had recollected myself; and judging it to be the Effects of an Earthquake, I then retired to that part of the House which I thought most secure from falling. The same Commotion of the Earth continued some Days, but not with like Violence. Yea, over all that great City, and especially in my Lodgings, and in the Temple of S. Sophia, you might see the Walls, though very thick, to crack and gape by reason of the Clefts made by such Earthquakes.

Well; I staid about three Months at Adrianople, made a Truce there for Seven Months, and in March was attended back again to Constantinople. When I came thither, I was quite weary of being mew’d up in my old Lodging, it was so close, and therefore I dealt with my Chiaux, (a sort of Officers among the Turks, which serve for divers Employments, of which Attendance on Ambassadors is one) that I might have Liberty, as other Ambassadors had before me, to hire an House at my own Charge, where I may have the Benefits of Gardens, Orchards, and a free Air to breath in. The Chiaux was not averse to my Proposal, for he saw that the Grand Seignior’s Interest was concerned therein, who was wont to hire Houses for Ambassadors, at the yearly Rent of 400 Ducats; and now all that Expence would be saved: Hereupon I went to a House, or Island rather, hired with my own Money, where there was a broad Field adjoyning, which I resolved to turn into a Garden, and to relieve my wearisom Embassy, in managing and planting it: But, see the Spight of it! When the Chiaux found, by Experience, that he could not have so strict an Eye over me in an open House that had many Ways to it, with a large space of Ground near it, as he had in a Caravansera (which Word you know the meaning of, by my former Letters) because this latter was fenced with Cross-barr’d Windows, and, besides, had but one Passage into it, he began to change his Mind, and thereupon made his Address to the Bashaws, who by this Time were returned from Adrianople, that I might retire from my former Lodging: And I was to look upon this as a great Courtesy too; for some of the Bashaws, in a Debate betwixt them, concerning the Disposal of me, were of Opinion, that, now I was alone, a less House would serve my turn, and so some Charge might be saved; But the more moderate Party carried it, that I should return to my old Quarters.

If you desire a Description of the House I lodged in, take it thus. It is situate on a Rising Ground, in the most celebrated part of Constantinople; in the Back-side of it there is a pleasant, but somewhat distant, Prospect to the Sea, which yet is not so remote from it, but that you may easily discern the Dolphins skipping and playing therein: And also at a vast distance a Man may see Mount Olympus in Asia, which wears a snowy-white Cap all the Year; it lies open to the Wind from every Quarter, which by ventilating the Air, makes it more wholsom and healthy. But the Turks are so envious to their Christian Tenants, that they would cut them off from as many Conveniencies as they can, and therefore they do not only set Iron Grates before their Windows, but also add Iron Boards and Planks to hinder the Prospect, and the free Passage of their Air; and by this means they stop the Mouths of Neighbouring Turks, who are apt to complain, that they can do nothing in their Houses but the Christians must overlook them. The House is built in a Quadrangular Form, with a large Square in the midst, wherein there is a Well.

The upper part of the House, which is all of it that is inhabited, is divided into Galleries, which go round it, and into Lodging Chambers. The Galleries look down into the Quadrangle within, and without are the Lodgings, which have all a Passage into them; there are a great many of them, but they are small and uniform, as the Cells or Chambers of Monks are with us. The Front stands over against the High Way leading to the Seraglio; and the Grand Seignior, every Friday (which is their Sabbath, as the Lord’s Day is with us) passes by it to his Devotions, so that Ambassadors may easily see him out of their Windows. And the Family, together with the Chiaux and the Janizaries, do obeysance to him in the Porch, or do re-salute him rather; for the Fashion of the Turks is, that the Greater doth first of all salute the Less, and therefore the Grand Seignior as he passes, first salutes the People with a Nod of his Head; and then they very officiously pay their Court to him, with Acclamations and Shouts.

The lower Part of the House is designed for the Stabling of Horses; and, to preserve it from Fire within, it is all built with Vaults or arched Roofs, and without it is covered with Lead. ’Tis true, such kind of Building hath some Advantages; and it hath as many Inconveniencies to ballance them: For all things are made therein for necessary Use, but nothing for Delight and Pleasure. There is nothing of Beauty or Novelty that can entertain your Fancy; no Garden belonging to it, to give a Man the Pleasure of a Walk; there is neither Tree, Shrub nor green Herb, to delight your Eye; you have only many wild Beasts as your troublesome Inmates and Companions. Snakes you have in abundance, store of Weesels, Lizards and Scorpions; so that sometimes when you would fetch your Hat in the Morning, from the Place you left it in the Night before, you find it surrounded with a Snake, as with a terrible Hat-Band; And yet these Animals afforded me some kind of Diversion in my Solitude, (for you must give me leave to tell you all my Entertainments). I once saw a Weesel fiercely combating with a Snake, and though the whole Family look’d upon her, yet she was not terrified therewith; but though her Adversary struggled, and made what Defence he could, yet she victoriously haled him into her Hole. Another Time I saw a Weesel carrying her young Weesling from one part of the House to another; and, as she was so doing, she leap’d down upon the middle of the Table, where I and some of my Guests were sitting after Dinner, having the young one in her Mouth, which she very fairly left among us on the Table, and skip’d no farther than the Door, as if she had waited what Event would betide her Youngling. When we had satisfied ourselves with the Sight of that (yet sharpless) Animal, we laid it down upon the Ground, and then the Dam ran hastily, and snatching it up, carried it to her desired Place. Another time I saw either a Snake, or a Dragon, or a Serpent, trod to pieces by the Horse’s Feet, in the Stable; her Belly was very big, and, after I had caused it to be opened, I found three huge Mice therein. ’Twas a wonder to me, how such a slow and creeping Animal could catch so swift and so running a one; and, after he had catch’d him, how he could swallow him down, by reason of the narrowness of his Throat and Jaws. But my Wonderment was soon abated, when I beheld another Snake seize upon a mighty Toad; and, after he had him in his Mouth, he began at the hinder Part, and had devoured a great deal of it; and yet the Toad was still alive, and did what he could with his Fore-Feet to deliver himself from his Enemy. ’Twas in this very Posture, when I saw it first; which made me admire, and to be almost of the Opinion, that I saw a Monster, an Animal with two Feet, and a Tail as long as a Serpent; but when I drew nearer, and perceived what it was, I hit the Snake with my Staff, to make him let go his Prey, which at last he endeavoured to do, that he might creep the nimbler away; but, whether he would or no, the Toad stuck in his Throat; yet, at last, when with much-a-do, he had shaken him out, he could not shut his Mouth, but continued gaping, in an ugly Posture, till we killed him. Such a Staff, if we may believe Pliny, hath a kind of magical Virtue to help Child-bearing Women in the Time of their Labour.

But, for my Part, I was not content with the Native Animals of that Country, but fill’d my House with Outlandish ones too; and my Family busied themselves, by my Order, to our mutual Contents, in feeding them, that we might the better bear the Absence from our own Country: For seeing we were debarred of human Society, what better Conversation could we have to drive Grief out of our Minds, than among wild Beasts? Otherwise, Stones, Walls and Solitudes had been but lamentable Amusements for us.

Amongst these, Apes led the Van, which making us good Sport, occasioned great Laughter amongst us, and therefore you should seldom see them without a whole Ring of my People about them, delighting to observe their antick Tricks and Gestures. I also bred up some Wolves, some Bears, some broad-horned Stags (vulgarly miscalled, Bucks) and common Deers; also Hinds, Lynx’s, Ichneumons or Indian Rats, Weesels of that sort which you call Ferrets and Fairies: And, if you would know all, I kept also a Hog, whose noisome Smell was wholsome for my Horses, as my Grooms persuaded me: So that, in my Nomenclature of other Creatures, ’tis not fit I should omit my Hog, which made my House to be mightily frequented by the Asiaticks. They came thick and three-fold to see that Creature, which is counted unclean by them, and by the Books of their Religion they are forbid to eat it, so that, it being a prohibited Animal among them, they never saw one before. Yea, all Turks are as much afraid to touch a Hog, as Christians are to come near to those who are infected with the Plague. This Humour of theirs being known, we put a pretty Trick upon them; when any body had a mind to send me a secret Message, which he would not have my Chiaux know of, he put it into a little Bag, together with a Roasting-Pig, and send it by a Youth: When my Chiaux met him, he would ask, what he had there? Then the Boy, being instructed before, whisper’d him in the Ear, and say, that a Friend of mine had sent me a Roasting-Pig, for a Present: The Chiaux, thereupon, would punch the Bag with his Stick, to see whether the Boy spake Truth or no; and when he heard the Pig grunt, he would run back as far as ever he could, saying, Get thee in, with the nasty Present! Then, spitting on the Ground, and turning to his Fellows, he would say; ’Tis strange to see how these Christians do dote on this filthy impure Beast; they cannot forbear eating of it, though their Lives lay at stake. Thus he was handsomely choused, and the Boy brought me what secret Message was sent me. I kept also a great many sorts of Birds, as Eagles, Jack-daws, Muscovy Ducks, Balearick Cranes, and Partridges; yea, my House is so full of them, that, if a Painter were to draw it, he may take from thence the Copy of Noah’s Ark. Besides the Delight that I and my Family take in these Creatures, to counterpoise our long Absence from our own Country, I got also this Advantage by them, that now I know, by Experience, what I could hardly believe when I read it in Books. You know a great many Books are full of strange Stories, what ardent Love some wild Beasts have to Mankind: I could never give Credit to such Relations, but looked upon them as Romances, till I saw with my Eyes, a Lynx, which I got out of Assyria, so passionately affected towards one of my Servants, though known to him but a little while before, that for my part I could not think but she was in Love with him: For, whenever he was present, she would mightily fawn upon him, and in a manner embrace him, and almost kiss him. Whenever she was about to go away from him, she would gently lay her Claws on his Cloaths, as labouring to retain him; and, when he was gone, she would eye him; and whensoever he was in Sight, would hardly ever remove her Eye from that Quarter. During the Time of his Absence, she was very sad, but upon his Return she would skip and be jocund; she could not endure he should be at any Time absent; for one Time, when he went with me beyond Sea, to the Turkish Camp, the Lynx pined away by degrees, would not eat a bit, but at length died.

I was troubled for his Loss, for I had designed him, with another choice Ichneumon (which I had) as a Present for my Master Cæsar; and the rather, because of the exceeding Beauty of his Skin, which made him look quite different from other Lynxes: The best of the kind are bred in Assyria, from whence this came, and their Skins are sold here for fifteen or sixteen Crowns of Gold apiece. I question not, but these were the Babilonian Pells or Skins, so much famed and valued amongst the Ancients, of which mention is made in Law-Books; in the Title of Publicans.

If you please to hear me, I’ll tell you another story of a Bird: I have, among my other Birds, a Balearic Crane, which differs from the ordinary sort of Cranes by a white Plume of Feathers, that grows hanging down from both her Ears; and besides, all the fore-part of her Neck-Feathers were black, and the Turks adorn their Turbants with it; and there is some Difference in their Bigness. This Balearic Bird was mightily affected with a Spanish Soldier, whom I had redeemed out of his Chains; when he walked abroad, the Bird would walk with him, though for many Hours together; when he stood still, so did the Crane; when he sat down, she would stand by him, and suffer him to handle her, and stroke down her Feathers, whereas she would not suffer any body else so much as to touch her; whenever he was gone from Home, she would come to his Chamber-door and knock against it with her Beak; if any body open’d it, she would look all about, to see whether he were in the Room; and, not finding him, she would traverse it about, making such a shrill Din and Noise, that nothing living could endure it; so that we were forced to shut her up, that her Noise might not offend us. But when he returned, as soon as ever she fixed her Eyes on him, she would make to him, clapping her Wings with such an antick Posture of her Body as Dancers in a Jig use to do; or as if she had been to prepare herself for Combat with a Pygmy. In fine, she at last used to lie under his Bed at Night, where she laid him an Egg. Thus I have given the story of the Loves of brute Animals towards Man, now prepare your Ears for another Story of a contrary Import, viz. the Cruelty and Ingratitude of another Brute towards Man. I had a Hart, that lived very quiet and tame with me for many Months; but, when her rutting or coupling Time came, she grew on a sudden so wild, that, forgetting all our Respects, she flew upon every body that she met, as if she would have killed them with her Horns, so that we were compelled, for our own Security, to hamper her, and to shut her up in a walled Place; but one Night, she broke from her Prison, and ran amongst all the Horses, which, as I told you, in Turkey, use to stand all Night in the Yard, and where she made such a Tumult amongst them, that she forced the Grooms to drive her to her Hold; she wounded many of them, which set them into a Rage, so that at last they drove her into a large Stable, and there I gave them leave, with what Weapons came next to hand, to destroy her: She defended her self stoutly at first; but they, being forty to one, at last felled her, and made her pay for her breach of Hospitality. When she was dead, I cut her in pieces, and made a Feast for the Ambassadors that then resided at Constantinople. It was a Hart or Stag, of a huge Bulk, such as use to come in the beginning of Autumn, out of Hungary into Austria, at rutting Times. I bought him of some Beggars, that made a Gain of that Trade; they used to carry him about, and where they ask’d Alms for God’s Sake, at the name of God they used to bow their Heads, and the Stag by Custom had learned to do so too; so that the Vulgar did admire the Beast, as if he had some Sense of a Deity, and therefore he got a deal of Gain to his Keepers. This Stag, by reason of his Talness, I also designed as a Present to Cæsar.

Having made mention of Turkish Beggars, give me leave to acquaint you with the nature of those kind of People in this Country. There are fewer Beggars here than amongst us, and they are commonly Pilgrims that travel up and down, pretending some appearance of Piety or religious Profession. Some of them, besides their Poverty, pretend Distraction and Simplicity; and this sort is very much esteemed among them, for the Turks count all Madmen and Fools to be certainly designed for Heaven; and therefore they look upon them as Demi-Gods here on Earth. Some of those Wanderers are Arabians, who carry Banners before them, wherewith, as they say, their Ancestors fought against the Christians, for the Propagation of the Mussulman Religion. Those that are of this Rank are not ordinary Beggars, neither do they ask Alms of all Passengers, but in the Evening they offer you a Tallow-Candle, a Lemon or a Pomegranate, and force it upon you; but you must give them double or treble the Worth; and by this means they seem rather to sell than to receive gratis. For the rest, they which beg amongst Christians are set to do servile Offices amongst the Turks. If a Slave become lame, his Master is bound to maintain him, and yet the veriest Cripple amongst them brings in his Master some Profit. I remember, once I redeemed a Spanish Officer, bought by a Turk, who was maimed in all his Limbs, by reason of his Wounds, and yet his Master found means how to make him get his Living; he sent him over into Asia, to look to the Flocks of Geese which he kept there; and by his Care in feeding them, he brought in sufficient Gain to his Matter.

Now we talk of Slaves, give me leave to digress a little, and to propose a Quære, whether he did well or ill with Christendom, who first brought up the use of Slaves among them? I know there are many Inconveniencies that attend the Condition of Slaves, but they are over-balanced by the Advantages accruing thereby; especially if a just and merciful Slavery were allowed by some public Law, as was of old among the Romans; for then, perhaps, we should not need so many Gallows’s and Gibbets as we have among us, to restrain those, who set an high Price on their Life and Liberty; to maintain which, their Poverty prompts them to the most audacious Attempts: Liberty, without an Estate to maintain it, is none of the best Counsellors. All Men cannot bear Poverty and Freedom; Mankind, in general, is not so form’d by Nature, as to rightly to govern himself. No, he stands in need of a better and wiser Conduct than his own; otherwise, there will be no end of his Transgressing; for so some Beasts will always be terrible to Men, unless their Fierceness be restrain’d by Manacles and Bonds. But in this case of Slavery, the weaker Mind of the Slave is govern’d and steer’d by the Authority of his Patron or Master; and, on the other side, the Master is maintained by the Labour of his Slave. The Truth is, both publickly and privately, the Turks make a very great Advantage of their Slaves; if any Houshold-work be to be done, the Slave is ready to perform it; and, therefore, they have a Proverb among them, He can never be poor, that hath but one Slave. But then for Works without Doors, if there be any Rubbish to be carried out, or Preparation made for any great Building, the assiduity of Slaves quickly performs what is enjoined them. This I take to be one Reason, why our present Buildings do not arrive to the Magnificence of the Ancients; we want Hands (or Slaves) to carry on the Work. I might instance also, that servile Hands and Heads have been great helps to the Learned, to attain their so much celebrated Learning and Knowledge. What I have hitherto discoursed about Slaves, you will look upon as an Amusement; and so, pray, take it.

This I can a assure you of, that the Turks, in their way, do make a huge Advantage of Slaves; for if an ordinary Turk bring home one or two Slaves, whom he hath taken Prisoners in War, he accounts he hath made a good Campaign of it, and his Prize is worth his Labour. An ordinary Slave is sold among them for 40 or 50 Crowns; but if he be young, beautiful, and have Skill in some Trade besides, then they rate him at twice as much. By this you may know, how advantageous the Turkish Depredations are to them, when many times, from one Expedition, they bring home five or six thousand Prisoners.

The Romans of old, were not ignorant of this gainful Trade; which made them set an high Rate on 20 or 30 thousand Persons, which they sometimes took at the sacking of Cities, as their Writings shew. But a Turk, upon the like Sack, would make ten times five hundred Crowns of his Prize, though by the rules of their Religion they are not to make Slaves of any of their own Sect; nor to disfranchize them, or set any Price on their Heads.

But to return from this large Digression: I formerly acquainted you with my Sport in Hunting; it follows, in course, that I must say something of my Fowling. The Turks are favourable to all Beasts, as also to Birds; and especially to Kites, because, they say, they eat up the Carrion, and keep the Streets clean and wholsome; and, therefore, abundance of these Birds fly up and down the Town, as fearless of Gin or Snare, so that they are almost tame; and when you whistle to them, they come about you; throw them up Meat in the Air, they’ll catch it with their Claws. Once I caused a Sheep to be killed, and called the Kites to prey upon the Entrails. I cut them in pieces, and threw them up into the Air; by and by came ten or twelve or twenty Kites, and a while after so many of them, that they almost shaded the House; and they are so bold, withal, that if you hold out a piece of Flesh, they will be ready to snatch it out of your Hands. In the mean time, I stood with my Cross-Bow behind the Pillar, and sometimes when I shot, I made the Tail or Feathers of one or other of them to fly off, and sometimes I gave one or two a mortal Wound, and made them tumble down; but this I did privately, when the Doors were shut, that so I might not provoke the Turks to Indignation.

I must tell you, I have Partridges too (to acquaint you with my whole Stock of pleasurable Recreations). You would wonder, as I my self did at first, how tame they are. They were brought from Chios with red Feet and Beaks; they were so troublesome to me, by standing at my Feet, and picking the Dust out of my Velvet Pantofle, with their Beaks, that they might dust themselves therewith, that, to be rid of the Molestation, I was forced to shut them up in a Chamber, where, in a short time, they grew over-fat and died, as my Servants told me; yet Pliny says, in a certain Place, that Hares and Partridges never grow fat. You have yet but small ground for your Wonderment; but, pray, prepare your Ears for what follows.

The Isle of Chios is full of these Birds, and they live with the Inhabitants in their Houses; every Country-man, almost, keeps more or less of them under his Roof, as their Estates are, or their Minds serve them. A public Keeper whistles them out in a Morning, and they run to him in the Highway, and follow him into the Field (as Flocks of Sheep do their Shepherds with us): There they stay all Day to feed and bask themselves, and in the Evening he whistles for them again, and then they covey together, and return to their old Lodgings. The Custom arose from hence, as they say: As soon as ever the Partridges are hatch’d, the Country-men take them up and put them in their Bosoms, between their Skin and their Shirts; thus they carry them about a day or two, ever and anon moist’ning their Mouths with their own Spittle. This Courtesy doth so oblige the young Birds (for Partridges, as well as other Birds, are mindful of human Civilities, if I may so speak) that they cannot forget their Fosterers; and yet Care is to be taken, that they stay not out in the Field all Night; if they do so two or three times, they quickly forget human Hospitality, and return to their own natural free Life in the open Field. I have taken a great deal of Pains to procure such a Fosterer of Partridges to send him to Cæsar, to teach Emperors that aviary Discipline. ’Tis true, I never saw this done with my own Eyes; yet so many credible Witnesses have affirm’d the Truth thereof, and I believe it as well as if I had seen it. And I give equal Credit to the Story, I am now about to tell you.

It is so known a Truth in this Country, that he were an absurd Man that would offer to deny it. They that come to Constantinople from Egypt, (as many do continually) affirm it for certain, that Chicken are not hatched, as with us, by a Hen sitting abrood upon them, but there are some appointed Officers, that, in Spring-time, gather all the Eggs of the Neighbourhood and put them in a certain kind of Oven, which they make of Dung and Trash heaped up together, and by the heat of the Sun and the hot putrid Vapours, the Chicken in due time, are animated and break their Shells; and then the Owners come to claim the Chickens, which the Overseers of the Work deliver out to them, not by Tale, for that would be too tedious, but by Admeasurement. I mention this the rather, because I read of such a Passage in Vopiscus, where the Emperor Adrian, being angry with the Egyptians, inveighs against them with this Sarcasm; I wish them, says he, no greater Curse, than that they may always feed on their own Chicken, which, how they are hatch’d, I am asham’d to tell. So that, without Question, this was an old Custom among the Egyptians; and, therefore, Adrian upbraided them with their Food, which he looked upon as obscene, being begotten by Dung and Dirt. You may think, perhaps, that I am mistaken; but I leave the Matter with you, and shall now hasten to acquaint you with the rest of my Diversions.

Be pleased then to know, that I have also a breed of brave Horses; some from Syria, others from Cilicia, Arabia, Cappadocia, together with divers Camels, Sumpture-horses, and all Utensils fit for a Journey. For I would have the Turks believe, that I have now executed all my Master’s Commands, and wait only for my Dismission to return home, which I press with great Importunity, knowing that, by reason of the present Discord among them, and the War between the two Brothers, I may obtain the better Conditions of Peace from them.

As I take Pleasure in my Horses on other Accounts, so especially when in an Evening I behold them brought, one by one, out of their Stables, and placed in the Yard, that so they may enjoy the Night-Air in Summer-time, and rest more sweetly. They march out so stately, shaking their Manes on their high Necks, as if they were proud to be seen; and they have Fetters on their Forefeet, and one of their hinder Feet is tied with a Cord to a Stake.

There is no Creature so gentle as a Turkish Horse; nor more respectful to his Master, or the Groom that dresses him. The reason is, because they treat their Horses with great Lenity. I my self saw when I was in Pontus, passing through a part of Bithynia, called Axilos, towards Cappadocia, how indulgent the Country-men were to young Colts, and how kindly they used them soon after they were foled; they would stroke them, bring them into their Parlours, and almost to their Tables, and use them even like Children. They hung something about their Necks, like a Jewel, even a Garter which was full of Amulets against Poison, which they are most afraid of; and the Grooms, that are to dress them, are as indulgent as their Masters; they frequently sleek them down with their Hands, and never use any Cudgel to bang their Sides, but in case of great Necessity. This makes their Horses great Lovers of Mankind; and they are so far from kicking, wincing, or growing untractable by this gentle usage, that you shall hardly find a masterless Horse among them.

But, alas! our Christian Grooms treat Horses at quite another rate; they never think them rightly curried, till they thunder at them with their Voice, and let their Club or Horse-whip, dwell, as it were, on their Sides. This makes some Horses even to tremble when their Keepers come into the Stable, so that they hate and fear them too: But the Turks love to have their Horses very gentle, that, at a word of Command, they may fall down on their Knees, and in this Posture receive their Riders.

They will take up a Staff or Club upon the Road, which their Rider hath let fall, with their Teeth, and hold it up to him again; and when they are perfect in this Lesson, then, for their Credit, they have Rings of Silver hung on their Nostrils, as a Badge of Honour and good Discipline. I saw some Horses, when their Master was fallen from the Saddle, that would stand Stock-still, without wagging a Foot, till he got up again. Another time, I saw a Groom standing at a distance, in the midst of a whole Ring of Horses about him, and, at a word of Command, they would either go round, or stand still. Once I saw some Horses, when their Master was at Dinner with me in an upper Room, prick up their Ears to hear his Voice; and when they did so, they neighed for Joy.

And yet this is usual and common to all Turkish Horses, that they run forward with a stiff and stretch’d-out Neck, so that they cannot easily be stopp’d or hinder’d in their Course, but by fetching a large compass about. This in my Judgment, is the fault of the Bridles they wear, which all over Turky are of one Make, and not contrived harsher or tenderer, according to the Tenderness of the Horse’s Mouth. I must also acquaint you, that the Turks do not Shoe their Horses as we Christians do; our Shoes are very open in the middle, but theirs are broad-web’d Shoes, that so their Feet may be less endangered in Travelling. Their Horses do also live longer than Ours.

I have seen a Horse of theirs as lusty at 20 Years old, as ours are at eight; yea, they say, in the Stables of the Emperor, there are Horses of 50 Years old; and which, for some great Merit, are exempt from Labour, and feed daily at the Grand Seignior’s Charge. The Turks, in Summer-nights, when the Weather is very hot, do not keep their Horses in their Stables, as we do; but cover their Backs with Horse-cloths, and so bring them forth into the open Air (as I told you before); and for Litter, they have only dry’d Horse-dung, which they save all the Year long, and spread under them for their Bedding: As for Straw, they make no use of it at all, either for Litter or Feed. Their usual Food is a little Hay, and a small quantity of Barley; with this Meat they grow not fat, for their Masters love lean Horses as being fitter for Race, and Burden, than foul-bodies ones. The cover them with Horse-cloths, both in the Winter and Summer, only they are thinner in One than in the Other. This contributes much to the smoothness of their Hair, and is also a good relief to their chilly Horses, which cannot endure the Cold.

In those Steeds, as I lately told you, I take a great deal of Delight; when, about Sun-set, they are brought out of their Stables, and placed in a row in the Yard; where I call each Horse by his usual Name, as Arabs, Caramanian, &c. whereupon they fall a Neighing and give a Glance of their Eyes and stare at me. Sometimes I go down among them, and give to each of them a piece of Melon-rind out of my Hand, which makes them know me so well. Thus you see, what Shifts I am put to, to drive away my Melancholly.

I have also six She-Camels, which I keep by me, ready to carry my Baggage, as I pretend to the Turks; but my true Design is, to bring them to my Master the Emperor; if peradventure he, or other Christian Princes, may have a Fancy to breed out of them because of their great use.

There are two things which the Turks make mighty Advantage of, and those are Rice among the Fruits of the Earth, and Camels among the Beasts of the Field; both of them very convenient in their several Kinds, for long Expeditions. As for Rice, it is not easily spoil’d; it affords very wholsome Nourishment, and a little of it will serve a great many People. And for Camels, they’ll carry huge Burdens; they will endure Hunger and Thirst to admiration; and also they require little Attendance. One Keeper will look after six or eight of them, and no Creature in the World is more obsequious to his Owner than the Camel; and for currying of them, they do it not with a Curry-Comb as we do, but with Brushes, as we do our wearing Apparel; they rather kneel than lie down, on the naked Ground; and in this Posture they offer themselves to be loaded; if you lay too much on their Backs they’ll grumble a little, and refuse to rise; for their Backs will be easily broken under over-great Burdens, especially in Ways that are slippery and dirty. I was mightily pleased to see them stand all round in a Ring, and with their joined Heads, take Water or other Food, out of the same Bason or other Vessel, with such agreement among them. When Fodder is scarce, they live upon tops of Brambles or Thorns; and, when their Chops are bloodied in gathering them, they eat them down most sweetly.

The Scythians send a great many Camels to Constantinople; but the most part come from China and Assyria: From those Countries, there are whole Droves of them; and they are so cheap, that a Mare of a good Breed is worth an 100 Camels; wherein, perhaps, they respect more the Scarcity of Mares than the Cheapness of Camels; for good Mares are so scarce in that Country, that he that gets but one, of that sort, thinks himself a very Crœsus for Wealth. They try whether they are good or no, if they can run down a steep Hill, and not trip or stumble. When the Grand Seignior goes upon a Military Expedition into the Field, he carries above 40,000 of these Camels with him, and as many Mules for Burden; and these he loads with all sorts of Victuals, especially with Rice. They also carry Tents, Arms, and other Utensils of War, upon them; especially when he marches into Persia.

For, you must know, that the Countries over which the Sophi, or, as the Turks call him, Chisilbas of Persia reigns, are not so fruitful of Provisions, as our European Countries are. The Reason is, because the Custom of the Inhabitants is, upon the Approach of an Enemy, to destroy all before them, that so Fire and Famine may send him farther off; so that if the Invader bring not great Store of Provision with him, he will be in danger of Starving; and if he once do approach his Enemy, yet he doth not presently open his Store of Provision, but reserves it for his Retreat; which, he knows, must be through those Places already wasted by such a Multitude of Men and Beasts, that, like Locusts, have before pillaged all the Country. Then, indeed, the Grand Seignior’s Stores are opened, and some small Allowance given out daily to the Janizaries, and other Dependents of that Prince, enough to keep them alive, and that’s all. As for others, it goes hard with them, unless they have made some Provision for themselves before-hand; and some of their Soldiers, especially the Horse, are so fore-sighted that, in Prospect of such Difficulties, they carry a led Horse along with them, with Viands and other things to support them, if need be. Upon this Horse they usually carry some Blankets, that they may spread abroad, as Tents, to defend them from Sun and Rain; also some other Cloaths to wear, and withal two or three Wicker Baskets, full of the best Flower they can get, with a small Pot for Butter, some Spice and Salt; with these, in case of Necessity, they kill their Hunger. They take out a few Spoonfuls of their Meal or Flower, and pour Water upon it; then they add a little Butter, and so seasoning it with Spice and Salt, they set it on the Fire, and when it boils, it swells so that it will fill a large Platter.

They eat of this twice or thrice a Day, as their Store holds out, but without eating Bread with it, unless they have brought some Biskets along with them: And with this thin Diet, for want of better, they can live a Month or two, till they come to richer Quarters. There are some of them who carry dried Beef, grounded to Powder, in a kind of Snap-sack; that’s a more nutritive and choice Viand amongst them: And sometimes they eat Horse-Flesh, for in a vast Army a great many Horses must needs die, and if any of them be more fleshy than others, they make a great Feast for hungry Stomachs. And those who have thus lost their Horses, (for you must know that too) when the Grand Seignior or Vizier removes his Camp, stand in a row before him in the Way he is to march, with their Saddles on their Heads, signifying hereby the Loss of their Horses, and by that mute Sign begging Relief towards buying a new one; and their Prince gratifies them, at his Pleasure.

Thus the Turks surmount huge Difficulties in War, with a great deal of Patience, Sobriety and Parsimony, reserving themselves for more favourable Circumstances. But our Christian Soldiers carry it otherwise; they scorn homely Fare in their Camps; they must have dainty bits, forsooth, such as Thrushes, Black-birds, and banquetting Stuff. If they have not these they are ready to mutiny, as if they were famished; and if they have them, they are undone: Their own Intemperance kills them, if their Enemy spare their Lives.

When I compare the Difference between their Soldiers and ours, I stand amazed to think what will be the Event; for certainly their Soldiers must needs conquer, and ours must needs be vanquished; both cannot stand prosperously together: For on their side, there is a mighty, strong and wealthy Empire, great Armies, Experience in War, a veteran Soldiery, a long Series of Victories, Patience in Toil, Concord, Order, Discipline, Frugality and Vigilance. On our side, there is public Want, private Luxury, Strength weakened, Minds Discouraged, an unaccustomedness to Labour or Arms, Soldiers refractory, Commanders covetous, a Contempt of Discipline, Licentiousness, Rashness, Drunkenness, Gluttony; and, what is worst of all, they used to conquer, we to be conquered. Can any Man doubt, in this case, what the Event will be? ’Tis only the Persian stands between us and Ruin. The Turks would fain be upon us, but he keeps him back; his War with him affords us only a Respite, not a Deliverance: When he once makes Peace with him, he will bring all the Power of the East upon us, and how ready we are to receive him, I am afraid to speak. But to return from whence I digressed.

I told you before, that the Turks use to carry their Arms and Tents on Horse-Back to the War; but they are such as chiefly belong to the Janizaries, for the Turks are very careful to have their Army healthy, and fenced against the Weather; let him defend himself as well as he can against the Enemy, that’s to his own Peril; but the Public takes care for his Health. Hence it is, that the Turkish Army is better cloathed than armed. They are afraid of Cold, as of their greatest Enemy; and therefore, even in Summer-time, they are treble-clothed, and their inmost Garment (call it a Waistcoat, or whatever you will,) is made of coarse Thread, which keeps them very warm. And, to defend them also against the Cold and Showers, Tents are carried about for them at the Public Charge; and every Janizary is allowed as much Space in the Tent as the Dimensions of his Body are; so that one Tent can hold twenty five or thirty Janizaries; and that thick Cloath, I speak of, is also supplied out of the public Store. When it is distributed among them, they take this Course, to prevent Quarrels; the Soldiers are ranged in the Night in Files, in a Place appointed for that purpose, and so many Cloaths are brought out of the Store as there are Soldiers, and every one takes his Dole in the Dark; so that, if it be better or worse, he has no cause to complain. And, for the same Reason, their Pay is weighed out, not told, to them, lest any one should say, he was forced to receive light or clipt Money; nor do they stay till the very Pay-day, but receive it the Day before. The Arms that are carried are chiefly for the use of the Horse, called Spahi’s; for the Janizaries do usually fight on Foot with Musquets, at a Distance, and therefore, when an Enemy is near, and a Battle expected, the Armour is produced; but usually such as is of an old Make, and are part of the Spoils obtained from former Fights and Victories: These are distributed among the Horse; their other Armour is but a light Buckler. You may easily think, how odly such Armour will fit on a Man which is given out so hastily. One’s Breast-plate is too narrow; another Man’s Helmet is too loose; another Coat of Mail is too heavy for him to bear. Every Piece hath some Fault or other; and yet they must not complain: They count it Cowardly so to do; for they resolve to fight, be their Arms what they will, so great Confidence have they in their Victories, and in the frequent Use of their Arms. Hence it is also, that they put their old Foot on Horse-service, which they were not used to before; for an experienced Soldier (they say) will do valiantly, either on Horse or Foot-service. In my Judgment, the Old Romans were of the same Mind, and especially Julius Cæsar, who was wont to say, That his Soldiers would fight well, even though they were perfumed; for when he horsed the ten Legions, upon a Conference he was to have with Ariovistus, what was his Intent, think we? but that they should fight on Horse-back, if there had been need, though they were used to Foot-service before; and we know amongst the Romans, their Foot-service was quite another thing from Horse-service. But if you say, Cæsar’s Design was only to horse his Men for Carriage, but to make use of their Service on Foot, certainly he had run a great Hazard thereby, if when Ariovistus’s choice Horse were within a Stone’s Call of the Romans, and might have fallen upon them, the Legion was then to dismount their Horses, to be disposed of, and ranged into a Foot-Tertia, or Brigade, in an instant: With us, this would seem very absurd. However it be, this is certain, that experienced Soldiers will manage a Fight after a different Order than we do; so the Romans did of old, and so the Turks do at this Day, with too good Success. So much for that Subject.

I return, further to acquaint you, how indulgent the Turks are to all irrational Animals. ’Tis true, a Dog is counted an obscene and nasty Creature by them, and therefore they will not harbour him in their Houses; but they nourish a Cat as a chaster and modester Creature, in their Judgments. This Custom they received from Mahomet, their Law-giver, who was so much in love with a Cat, that, when one of them fell asleep upon his Sleeve, as he was reading at a Table, and the time of his Devotion drew near, he caused his Sleeve to be cut off, that he might not awake the Cat by his going to the Mosque.

However, though the Turks have so ill an opinion of Dogs, that they wander up and down the City of Constantinople, and have no certain Masters, so that they are Keepers of Streets and Lanes, rather than of any certain House, and they live upon the Offal which is cast out of their Houses; yet, if they see any Bitch great with young, in their Neighbourhood, they give it Bones, and some Relicks of their Table: This they count an office of Pity amongst them. When, on this Account, I blamed them for performing such Offices to a Brute, which they would hardly do to a Man, though a reasonable Creature, like themselves, and to be sure, not to a Christian; their Answer was, that God had given Reason to Man, as a Fence against all Perils, and yet he did abuse it, so that if any Inconvenience or Trouble happened to him, it was his own Fault, and therefore he deserved less Pity: But God had bestowed no Boon on Brutes, but some natural Notions and Appetites, which of Necessity they must obey; and therefore they were to be relieved by Man’s Help and Commiseration; and for this Reason they take it very ill, if any brute Creature be put to Torment at his Death, or that Men should take any Pleasure in tormenting them. This had like to cost a Venetian Goldsmith, that lived here, very dear, of late. The Story is worth telling. This Goldsmith did delight in the art of Fowling, and among other Birds, he once took one about the bigness of a Cuckow, and almost of the same Colour; he had no great Beak, but his Jaws were so wide and large, that, when they stretch’d asunder, they did gape most prodigiously, so that a Man’s Fist might be thrust into them. The Man wondering at this strange kind of Bird, caus’d him to be fastened to the upper Lintel of his Gate, with his Wings spread abroad, and his Jaws so extended with a Stick, that he gaped hideously. The Turks came often by his Door, stood still, and looked upon it; but when they saw the Bird did move, and was alive, then taking Pity on it, Out! they cried, What an abominable thing is this, that an harmless Bird should be so tormented? Whereupon, out they call the Man of the House, and drag him presently, by Head and Shoulders, to their criminal Judge, where Sentence was likely to be pronounced upon him, to be soundly bastinadoed; but the Bailo of Venice (so they call their Ambassadors or Residents there) hearing of the Matter, sent presently one of his Servants to demand the Man, and the Turkish Cadi was so merciful as to let him go; but many of the Turks grumbled at his Freedom. Thus the poor Goldsmith scaped a Scouring: I laughed heartily at the Story, for he told it me himself, as coming often to my House, and in what a terrible Fright he was in for the time; and, to oblige me the more, he brought me the Bird to look upon. ’Tis of the same Form, as I lately described; it flies about in the Night, and (as they say) will suck Milch-Kine, so that I am apt to believe ’tis the Goat-Sucker of the Ancients. Such Commiseration do the Turks use towards all sorts of brute Animals, especially those of the winged Kind.

Over against my Lodgings there is a tall Plane-tree, whose spreading Boughs make a delightsome Shade; under that Tree, sometimes Fowlers sit with abundance of such Birds to sell in Cages. You shall have the Turks buy several of these Birds for a small Matter; and when they have bought them, they’ll let them fly out of their Hands. The Bird presently flies up to the Tree; there she picks her Feathers, and cleanseth them from the Filth contracted in the Cage, and then she spreads abroad her Wings, and chirps. The Turks that bought them, say, don’t you hear how glad this Bird is, and how he gives me Thanks for his Liberty?

If this be so, you’ll say, What! are the Turks such Pythagoreans, that they count all Brutes sacred, and will eat none of their Flesh? I lay not so; but, on the contrary, they’ll eat any Flesh set before them, either boil’d or roasted; only they count Mutton the properest Meat, because Sheep are made for the Shambles, as they say; yet they would not have Men to make a Sport at killing of them, as if they rejoyced in their Torment. Some of them will by no means be persuaded to kill small Birds which sing in their Fields and Woods; nay, they think it some Injury done them, to restrain their Liberty by caging them up. But all Turks are not of that Mind; some of them keep Nightingales in their Houses, for the Melodiousness of their Tunes, and in Spring-time they let them out to hire, to sing. I knew some, that carried Linnets about, so well instructed, that if a Man shew’d them a piece of Money out of his Chamber, though it were at a great distance from them, yet they would fly up to fetch it; and if the Man would not let it go, they would sit upon his Hand, and so accompany him from one Room to another, still pulling at the Money; and when they had got it, as if they remembred their Errand on which they were sent, when their Master whistled to them in the High-way, down they would fly to him again; and, as a Reward for the Money in their Bills, he would give them a little Hemp-seed. But I shall proceed no further in such Stories as these, lest you should think me a second Pliny, or an Ælian, and that I were designing to write an History of Animals.

I preceed then to other Matters, and shall give you an Example of the Chastity of Turkish Women. The Turks take more Pains to have their Wives modest, than any other Nation; and, therefore, they ordinarily keep them close up at home, and hardly suffer them to see the Sun; but if any necessity calls them abroad, they go so hooded and veil’d, as if they were Hobgoblins or Ghosts. ’Tis true, they can see Men through their Veils or Hoods, but no part of their Bodies is open to Man’s View; for they have this Tradition among them, that it is impossible for a Man to look on a Woman, especially if she be young and handsome, without desiring to enjoy her; and by that Desire the Mind is excited, and therefore they keep them all covered. Their own Brothers have Liberty to see them; but their Husband’s Brothers have not the same Permission. The nobler and richer sort, when they marry, do it with this Condition, that their Wives shall never set a Foot out of Door; and no Person living, either Male or Female, be the Cause what it will, shall ever have leave to see them; no, not their nearest Alliance in Blood, except only the Father and Mother, who, at Easter, (their Bairam) are permitted to see their Daughter; and, in lieu of this Strictness, if the Wife have Parents of the better sort, and she bring her Husband a large Dowry, the Husband, on his part promiseth, that he will never have any Concubines, but will keep to her alone.

In other Cases, the Turks have as many Concubines as they will, besides their lawful Wives; and the Children of both are equally respected, and have as much Privilege one as the other. Their Concubines they either buy, or take them in War, and, when they are weary of them, may sell them in the open Market; only if they have Children by them, then they obtain their Liberty. This made Roxolana stand upon her Terms with Solyman, in having brought him forth a Son, when she was a Slave, and thereby obtain’d Manumission. Hereupon she refused to submit to his Will any longer, unless he married her; which he, doting for Love, wou’d do, against the Custom of the Ottoman Princes.

A lawful Wife, with them, differs from a Concubine, only upon the account of her Dowry, which a lawful Wife hath, but a Concubine hath not. And when once her Dowry is assigned her, then she is a Mistress; Governess of the House, and all the other Women under her. And yet the Husband hath leave to lie with which of them he pleases at his Choice; and when he makes known his Pleasure to his Wife, she bids the Maid of his desires prepare herself for his Bed; and she obeys; perhaps, more joyfully than her Mistress commands her. Only Friday Night, which is their Sabbath, the Wife claims as her due, and she thinks herself wrong’d, if her Husband defraud her thereof; other Nights he may lie with which of his Slaves he pleases.

Divorces are made among them for many Causes, which Men easily pretend; and when a Wife is divorced, her Dowry is restored, unless she be put away on a dishonest Account: But Women have but few; to instance some among those few, this is one, if their Husband do not allow them due Maintenance; and if they offer to abuse them against Nature, (a Crime usual among them) then the Wife goes to the Judge, and tells him, she can no longer endure to live with her Husband; when he asks the Cause, they say nothing, but pull off their Shoe from their Feet, and turn it up and down, which is a Sign among them of the unlawful use of Copulation. The greatest sort among them, that have abundance of Women, set Eunuchs to guard them, not such as have only their Stones taken out, but such whose Yards are also impaired; because other wise they think, such as have lost their Stones only, may desire the use of a Woman, tho’ not for Generation, yet for Pleasure. The great Men also have Baths at their own Houses, wherein they and their Women do wash; but the meaner sort use public Baths.

A Turk hates bodily Filthiness and Nastiness, worse than Soul-Defilement; and, therefore, they wash very often, and they never ease themselves, by going to Stool, but they carry Water with them for their Posteriors. But ordinarily the Women bathe by themselves, Bond and Free together; so that you shall many times see young Maids, exceeding beautiful, gathered from all Parts of the World, exposed Naked to the view of other Women, who thereupon fall in Love with them, as young Men do with us, at the sight of Virgins.

By this you may guess, what the strict Watch over Females comes to, and that it is not enough to avoid the Company of an adulterous Man, for the Females burn in Love one towards another; and the Pandaresses to such refined Loves are the Baths; and, therefore, some Turks will deny their Wives the use of their public Baths, but they cannot do it altogether, because their Law allows them. But these Offences happen among the ordinary sort; the richer sort of Persons have Baths at home, as I told you before.

It happened one time, that at the public Baths for Women, an old Woman fell in Love with a Girl, the Daughter of a poor Man, a Citizen of Constantinople; and, when neither by wooing nor flattering her, she could obtain that of her which her mad Affection aim’d at, she attempted to perform an Exploit almost incredible; she feign’d herself to be a Man, changed her Habit, hired an House near the Maid’s Father, and pretended she was one of the Chiauxes of the Grand Seignior; and thus, by reason of his Neighbourhood, she insinuated herself into the Man’s Acquaintance, and after some time, acquaints him with the desire of his Daughter. In short, he being a Man in such a prosperous Condition, the Matter was agreed on, a Portion was settled, such as they were able to give, and a Day appointed for the Marriage; when the Ceremonies were over, and this doughty Bridegroom went into the Bride-chamber to his Spouse; after some Discourse, and plucking off her Headgeer, she was found to be a Woman. Whereupon the Maid runs out, and calls up her Parents, who soon found that they had married her, not to a Man, but a Woman: Whereupon, they carried the supposed Man, the next day, to the General of the Janizaries, who, in the Absence of the Grand Seignior, was Governor of the City. When she was brought before him, he chide her soundly for her beastly Love; what, says he, are you not asham’d, an old Beldam as you are, to attempt so notorious a Bestiality, and so filthy a Fact?

Away, Sir, says she! You do not know the Force of Love, and God grant you never may. At this absurd Reply, the Governor could scarce forbear Laughter, but commanded her, presently, to be pack’d away and drown’d in the Deep; such was the unfortunate Issue of her wild Amours. For you must know, that the Turks make no noise when secret Offences are committed by them, that they may not open the Mouths of Scandal and Reproach; but open and manifest ones they punish most severely. I am afraid the Relation of that dismal Example hath grated your Ears. I shall, therefore, now endeavour to make you amends, by acquainting you with a pleasant Story, which, I believe, will go near to make you smile. ’Tis this.

Upon the Account of the Troubles in Hungary, there came lately a Messenger to me, with an Express from my Master, the Emperor. The Bashaws would not let him bring his Letters directly to me, as they were wont to be brought, but they carried him first into the Divan. The Reason of this their unusual Procedure, was, because they would fain know what Cæsar’s Letters did contain, before they were delivered, in regard they suspected I dealt not faithfully with them, in communicating my Master’s Sense, but that I suppressed some of his Concessions. The Messenger was cunning enough for them; for, having some inkling of the Matter before-hand, he hid Cæsar’s Letters, and only shew’d them those that were directed to me, from some particular Friends. Their interpreter, Ebrahim, a Polander by Birth, had acquainted them before, that the Letters, that brought any secret Commands to me, were not written in an ordinary Character, but in a new kind of Marks, called Cyphers. As they were searching all my Letters, at last they light upon One, that was wrote to me by a Friend of mine, a Secretary of Burgundy. Ebrahim saw, through the thinness of the Paper wherein ’twas writ, some shining Letters, which were not of an ordinary sort. O! says he, now I have found it out; don’t you meddle with any of the rest of the Packet, for here’s the Secrecy in this. Whereupon the Bashaws commanded him to open, read, and interpret it to them, and they all stood listning to hear the News; but Ebrahim told them plainly, that he could not read one Letter of it. That’s strange, says the Bashaws; what, did you never learn the Christian Alphabet; or have you forgot it? Says Ebrahim, this sort of Character is only known to those who are Secretaries to Princes: They did not well understand him; but however, say they, if it be so, why dost thou not make haste to the Secretary of the Bailo of Venice, or of Florence? Ebrahim presently makes haste to them, and shews them the Letters; (they were writ in might such a Character that a Child ten Years old have read them;) but both those Secretaries, when they saw the Letter was superscrib’d to me, threw it back again before they had well look’d upon it; alledging, in Excuse, that such kind of Letters could be read by none, unless by him who had another Cypher to unfold them. This was all the Answer Ebrahim could get of them. Upon his Return to the Bashaws therewith, they could not tell what in the World to do: At last, starts up one (I could not tell his Name) saying, there is a Patriarch in Town, and old Man, and a Christian, and, besides, a great Scholar; if any Man can read these Letters, it must be he. When they came to the Patriarch, he told them, he could not read a Tittle of them, for they were not writ in Greek, Latin, Hebrew or Chaldee. Thus they were disappointed there also. At last, Haly Bassa runs to Rustan (otherwise a Man not ready to jest) and says to him Cardassi (Brother in Turkish), I remember, I had once a Servant, an Italian, who was skilled in all Letters and Tongues, I do not question but he could have read the Letter; but, alas! he is lately dead. At last, they being at a stand what to do, thought it best to send the Letters, which they could make no use of, to me. I knew all the Matter by Ebrahim beforehand, (neither could it be kept secret); whereupon I began to stamp and fret that they had intercepted my Letters against the Law of Nations, and in Contempt of Cæsar who sent them; and, withal, I bid Ebrahim stay, and to Morrow he should see that Letter translated for the Bashaws. The next day, when Ebrahim appeared in the Divan, they asked of him, whether I could read those Letters? Read them, says he! as easily as his own Name; and thereupon he produced some of them translated before them, viz. what I had a mind to discover. Whereupon, says Rustan, this Ambassador is but a young Man, and yet we see he can understand what the old Patriarch could not so much as read; without doubt, if he live to be old, he will prove a very Nonsuch of a Man. For that reason it was, or perhaps some other, that a while after, having Conference with Rustan about our Affairs, he treated me more familiarly than he used to do, (which was a rare thing in him) and at last he ask’d me, why I would not turn to their Religion, and to the true Worship of God? If I would do so, he promised me great Honour and a large Reward from their Emperor Solyman. I told him, I was resolved to continue in that Religion, wherein I was born, and which my Master, Cæsar, did profess. Be it so, replied he; but what then will become of your Soul? I subjoined, I hope well for that too; whereupon he, after a little Pause, broke forth into these Words. ’Tis true, indeed, and I am almost of your Mind, that they who live holy and modest Lives in this present World, shall obtain eternal Life in the next, be they of what Religion they will. That’s an Heresy, that some of the Turks have taken up, neither is Rustan thought to be a true Mussulman in all Points. The Turks thinks it a Duty, and a work of Piety in them, to persuade a Christian they have any good Opinion of, to their Religion; for then they think, they shall save a Soul from Destruction, and that they count a great Honour to themselves, and the greatest Charity they can do another Man, to make him a Convert to their Religion.

I shall now acquaint you with the Effects of another Conference I had with Rustan, whereby you may see what daily Feuds are between the Turks and Persians, upon the account of Religion. He ask’d me, one time, whether the War did continue between Spain and France? I told him, it did. ’Tis strange, says he, that they should fall out that are of one and the same Religion: I replied, ’tis no otherwise between those two Princes, than ’tis betwixt you and the Persians. The Dispute is not about Religion, but about civil Right; Provinces, Cities and Kingdoms, which both lay claim to. You are quite mistaken, says Rustan, we are not of the same Religion with the Persians, but do count them a more Profane and Heathenish sort of People than you Christians are. But to return to the Affairs of Hungary.

Since my last Return to Constantinople, Matters in Hungary have received a very great Alteration, it would be too tedious to describe them particularly; and, besides, it were not conducive to my Design. Isabella, Wife to King John, is returned into Transilvania, together with her Son, having refused the Transactions and broken the League made with the Emperor Ferdinand; and the Transilvanians, terrified by the Turkish Arms, have again submitted their Necks to the old Ottoman Yoke. Matters succeeding thus prosperously with the Turks, they are not therewith contented, but grasp at all Hungary too; and, besides other Places, they resolved to besiege Sigeth, which signifies in the Hungarian Language, an Island, or Place naturally very strongly situated. And for this purpose they chose a General, who, upon the account of the Prosperity of his Arms in former times, created great Confidence in his own Men, and struck as much Terror into his Enemy: His Name was Haly Bassa, an Epirot, who had had good Success in Hungary before, and especially in the Battel, wherein he overthrew Sforza Palavicino, and the Bishop of Five Churches. He was sent for from the utmost Bounds of the Turkish Empire towards Persia, and came with great Expectation to Constantinople: My Collegues were yet here with me, pressing for a Dismission. ’Twas the pleasure of the Bashaws that we should see him, in regard we counted him, as they thought, the very Thunder-bolt of War.

When we came to him, he received us courteously, and made a great Harangue to this purpose: That, “we should study Peace, and rather than suffer Hungary to be wasted with Fire and Sword, we should accept those Conditions, which the Grand Seignior had offered us.” We answered him, that “we desired nothing more than Peace; provided it might be had upon tolerable Conditions; but those which they offered, were against the Honour and Dignity of our Master.” Thus we took our leaves, after he had treated us with a Cup of Water diluted with Sugar. This Haly was an Eunuch, but the Constitution of his Body did seem to add to the vigour of his Mind: He was low of Stature, bloted in his Body, of a Bay-coloured Countenance, a sour Look, frowning Eyes, broad Shoulders and sticking up, between which stood his Head, as in a Valley. Two Teeth were prominent in his Mouth, like Boar’s Tusks, his Voice hoarse; in a Word, he was the Fourth Fury.

The Day after he makes great Preparation for his Expedition into Hungary; where having spent some Time to provide Materials, he at last marches against Sigeth, and beats off those which were repairing Babock, a Castle of Cæsar’s; but Cæsar, being acquainted long before with his Design, lends Ferdinand, one of his three Sons, a young Man, yet comparable, for greatness of Mind, to any of the old Generals, to oppose the Torrent of Haly Bassa’s Force, and by his Valour to retrieve Affairs in Hungary: He had no great Forces with him, but with a select Body of Horse he faces Haly’s Army; the Turks that were present, related to me, that ’twas a goodly Sight to behold the Splendor, Order and Boldness of those Forces. Haly, being naturally of a fierce Disposition, and having a far greater Army, was even mad to think that a handful of Christians should dare to look him in the Face.

There was a moorish Piece of Ground between both Armies, which could not be passed without great Danger; Ferdinand had no need to pass it, for his Design was only to relieve Sigeth, and to raise the Siege: But Haly Bassa, was not in the same Circumstances; for, unless he would make a base and unhandsome Retreat (as the Event afterwards shewed) ’twas altogether necessary for him to do it; So that he, seeing to what Straits he was brought, resolved to put all upon hazard, and accordingly he bent his Bridle, to turn his Horse towards that inconvenient Place; when, behold! one of the Sanziacks, that was near him, whose Name I remember not, taking Notice of the extream Danger he was running into, leap’d from his Horse, and taking the Bashaw’s Horse by the Bridle, Sultan, says he (for so the Turks call the great Dignitaries among them) Here you see into what a Jeopardy you were like to cast both yourself and your whole Army; you don’t consider what an incommodious Place this Marish is: The Christians are ready on the other side with Arms in Hand and Courage in their Hearts, to receive us, when we are half drowned and half covered with Mud; and thus they in good Order will assault us, being disordered and out of our Ranks, and will make use of all our Imprudence, to obtain a most assured Victory over us: Nay, rather moderate your Anger, and return to yourself and reserve so many brave Men, with yourself for the Service of your Prince, and for better Times. Upon this Speech, Haly, as if he had recollected himself, drew back; and there was not any Turk amongst them, but was forced to confess, that the whole Army was sav’d by the Advice of that Sanziack.

When this matter was carried to Constantinople, though the Vizier and the Chief Bashaws could not deny the Thing, yet they thought it dangerous to suffer the Example of so audacious a Fact in the Sanziack to pass unpunished: ’Tis true, they did mutteringly commend both his Fidelity and his Prudence; yet to suffer Disobedience to a superior Officer to pass without due Punishment, they thought it a dangerous Case in Military Discipline, so that he was called back to Constantinople, and there was cashiered for a Time; and when this Offence was sufficiently punished, as they thought, they bestowed upon him as good a Command; so that every Body saw his Punishment was inflicted rather for the preservation of the Discipline of War, than for any dire Merit of his Offence.

Haly, a while after, having lost a great Part of his Army, by the Charges and Ambuscades of the Hungarians, made an ignoble and shameful Retreat to Buda, where for very Grief he breathed out his hateful Soul.

But Arch-duke Ferdinand, on the other side, returned to Ferdinand his Father, with the deserved Laurel of Victory, having performed an Exploit, not only of great Advantage for the present, but of much greater Benefit to future Ages, by the Example it gave; for hereby he made the Turks to know that if they proceeded on to press upon Cæsar, he wanted neither able Soldiers, nor expert Commanders to chastise their Insolency.

Yet the Turks of those Borders did not carry it with any great Modesty; for, while Haly was yet encamped at Sigeth, our Men had scaled the Walls of Gran, and taken the City, having a Castle near it of the same Name, where they got a great deal of Booty, and carried away the Inhabitants, being mostly Women and Children.

A Messenger was sent immediately to Haly, to acquaint him of the Loss; who coming into his Presence, by the very Consternation of his Countenance portended some great Mischief to have happened to them. The Bassa presently asked him, how Things went? and what was the Cause of his great Fear? Sir, says he, the Enemy hath taken and plundered Gran; which great Blow occasions my Grief. A Blow, Fool, says the Bassa! tell me of a Blow when I have lost my Genitals (to which he pointed with his Hand) that shew me to be a Man. Thus did he scoff at the Consternation of the Messenger, not without the Laughter of the By-standers, and undervalued the Loss of Gran, which was easily recoverable.

Moreover, in Croatia and the adjoyning Countries, several Inroads were made by both Parties, and each side did alternately suffer for their over-boldness and supine Security. Let me give you an Instance, which, as it gave me joy, will not, I dare say, be unpleasant, to you to hear of. It happened, indeed, some what before the Passage at Sigeth lately mentioned; but in Writing an Epistle, I do not strictly observe the Order of Time.

News was brought to Rustan, from those Parts, that a certain Confident of his, whom he highly esteemed, and called Cousin, had fallen upon a Party of Christians, as they were celebrating a Wedding, and being at a sufficient Distance, as they thought, from the Turks, counted themselves secure; when behold this bold and unwelcome Guest, with Armed Forces, came in upon them, spoiled their Mirth, slew some, and took some Prisoners, among whom was the unfortunate Bridegroom, with his un-bedded Spouse: Rustan did much rejoyce at this Exploit, and in all Companies highly commended the Stratagem of his Kinsman, for performing it.

A pitiful Case, you will say, rather to be lamented than related: But these are the Tragical Sports of insolent Fortune; yet Revenge followed him at the Heels, Rustan’s Laughter was soon turned to Sadness: For a little while after one of the Deli’s, or mad Sparks, a sort of furious Horsemen among the Turks, so called by their outragious Boldness, came post to him out of Dalmatia, and told him, that a parcel of Turks had made an Excursion into the Enemies Country, and had got great Booty, but seting no bounds to their Avarice, they, at last were encountered with a Party of Christians, Dragoons or Musketeers, who totally routed them, slew many Sanziacks, and among them his Achillean Cousin, lately so much extolled by him. This sad News made Rustan burst out into Tears, so that his fit of Laughter was justly requited. But hearken to the close of the Story, which is not unpleasant: When this Dalmatian Trooper, who brought the News, was asked by the Bassa, in the Divan, How many were there of you? He answered, above two thousand five hundred: And how many of the Christians? I think, says he, they were not above five hundred, unless there were more of them in ambush, as we suspected. Fie for Shame, said the fretting Bassas! what! a regular Army of Mussulmans (so they call the Men of their own Religion) to be beaten by so small a handful of Christians! You are goodly Warriors indeed! fit to eat the Sultan’s Bread, are, you not? The blunt Fellow, nothing dismay’d, replied, you are quit beside the Cushion; did I not tell you that we were beaten by Musketeers? ’Twas the Fire defeated us, not the Valour of our Enemies. We had come off Conquerors, if we had contested by Valour only; but who can fight against Fire, the fiercest of Elements? and what Mortal can stand, if the very Elements fight against him? This bold Answer of his, being as saucily pronounced, made the By-standers ready to burst out into a Laughter, though on this sad occasion to them.

This Matter did very much raise my Spirits, which were quite sunk at the Remembrance of the former Mis-hap of the Marriage-Feast. This Story informs us, that our Pistols and Carbines, which are used on Horseback, are a great Terror to the Turks, as I hear they are to the Persians also; for once, there was a Fellow that persuaded Rustan, when he accompanied his Prince in a War against Persia, to arm two hundred Horse of his Domesticks with Pistols: For those, said he, will be terrible to our Enemy, and will also do great execution upon them. Rustan hearkned to his Counsel, and furnished out a Party, as advised; but, before they had marched half way, their Carbines or Pistols were ever now and then out of Order; one thing or other was broke or lost, and scarce any Body could mend them: Hereupon this Party was useless. The Turks were also against this Armature, because it was slovenly (the Turks, you must know, are much for cleanliness in War); for the Troopers Hands were black and sooty, their Cloaths full of Spots, and their Case-boxes that hung by their Sides made them ridiculous to their Fellow-Soldiers, who therefore jeered them, with the Title Medicamentarii, or Mountebank Soldiers; hereupon they apply themselves to Rustan, complaining of this broken, useless Armour, which could do no Service against an Enemy, and entreating to have their usual Weapons again, their Bows and Arrows; which, are readily granted them.