April iv.
My Lord Paget paid his last visit this morning to the vizír kayá, who presented him with a gentile horse and furniture. In the afternoon he likewise took his last leave of the reis effendi, who honoured him with the like present, and dismissed him with expressions, that witnessed the sincere and cordial respect he bore him. I shall conclude this narrative with observing only, that about Adrianople grows an excellent red wine, which I take to be that mentioned by Hesiod in his Oper et Dies, L. ii. ℣. 107, where he says: Πετραίη τε σκίη, καὶ Βίβλινος οἶνος.
An Account of a journey from Adrianople, thro Bulgaria, Walachia, Transylvania, Hungary, Germany, Flanders, Holland, and thence to England, in the years MDCCII and MDCCIII.
April viii. A. D. 1702.
This day about ten a clock my Lord Paget set out from Adrianople, and began his journey homeward with a splendid equipage. First proceeded two chiaushes, and six janisaries; then the three flags of the arms of England, the union, and St. George, after these the gentlemen of the horse, with thirteen led horses; next the agá, appointed by the government to conduct his Excellency; who was followed by four coaches, each drawn by six horses, in the last of which rode his Excellency himself, and in the first some gentlemen, who accompanied him in this journey; namely, Count Gylderstope of Sweden, Mr. George Montague, nephew to my Lord Hallifax, and his tutor Mr. Gangain.
For conveniency of carriage, and accommodations of the journey, his Excellency was furnished with seventy one waggons, which were to attend him to the extreme bounds of the Turkish empire, at the sole charge of the Port. Tho this was but the least mark of esteem, which he received from thence; as it may be reasonably computed, that they presented him to the value of near twenty purses of money, since his last arrival at Adrianople, in the following particulars. For the fitting up of his palace in that city, five hundred dollars: for the cushions and other furniture of two sophá rooms, six hundred: for a stately horse from the grand vizír, five hundred: for the rich furniture of the same, a thousand: for a sable vest at the same time, a thousand: for an horse and furniture from the vizír kayá, five hundred: for the like from the reis effendi, five hundred: for fifteen mules from the government, at about fifty dollars each, seven hundred and fifty: for seventy two horses from the same, at thirty dollars each, two thousand one hundred and sixty: and lastly for one hundred days tain, or allowance, from the Port, at the rate of fifty dollars a day, making five thousand.
This day his Excellency and his retinue travel slowly about the space of fifteen miles, and about three a clock arrive at a small village called Senigée, where we find the waggons disposed in their several stations, the apartments of each company alloted, and three tents (tho not pitched this evening) ready for the service of his Excellency; which I here mention once for all, as being the constant method of each following conáck.