Mr. Henry Lello was appointed to succeed Sir E. Barton. From the Venetian Baily’s report we learn about his reception by the Sultan. He calls him Sir Henry Billoe (Von Hammer), but this is an obvious mistake. Sir Henry Lello wrote regularly to England an account of affairs as they progressed at Constantinople. His term of office is chiefly marked by a prolonged quarrel with the French ambassador, to which Dallam refers in his MS. ([vide p. 81]), to settle which the Baily of Venice, one of the Capello family, was chosen arbiter.
Sir Henry Lello’s correspondence is now in the Record Office, and from one of his letters we learn officially how the Sultan received the present which Dallam took out. I herewith transcribe a considerable portion of it as bearing very good testimony to the accuracy of Master Thomas Dallam’s MS.:—
“S. P. Foreign, Turkey, No. 4.
“Henry Lello to Sʳ Robᵗ Cecil, 21 Oct. 1599.
“Right Honorable,—I omitted the last curier, for that I could not then, nor yet cannott, advize yoʳ honnoʳ of that good succes of my ymployment heere wᵗʰ the Gʳ Signior, as I expected, by the meanes of the french Ambassador, who, with his great bribes (receyvinge now the Pope’s pay), sparethe nothinge to hinder all my desingnes in mallice, seinge the reputation of Her Majesty is so great in this port, and cheefly for the consulledge of forrestiers, wᶜʰ the Grand Signior lyttle after the arrivall of the shipp graunted should come under Her Majesty’s banner, nothwithstandinge the same was formerly graunted by his father and him sealfe, proffering all other reasonable demaunds wᶜʰ her Majesty should desire, countinge hir frindshipp before that of any other Christian Prince, rejoysinge greatly to see the shipp to come into port, and more hir princely presents, espetially the instrument and plate, whereof hee made great accompt, and at the tyme apoynted mee to come present the same; he made demonstration therof by spekinge himsealf to me wᶜʰ hath not ever bin used (as is reported) to any Cristian prince’s ambassador, the manner whereof in breefe I doe hereby advize yoʳ honnor.
“Althoughe he kept his court out of the Cittie, yett cam hee home of purpose for mee to delliver her Majestie’s letter and present, and to kisse his hand, at wᶜʰ tyme I apoynted to attend upon me xii gentlemen on horsebacke, vested in cloth of gould and silver, a gentlem̄ usher, ii pages in white damaske, 20 menn in livery gownes, xii merchaunts, desently apparelled merchaunt-like in blacke, and my sealf attired as richly as I might.
“The captains of the Chowses and Spahees (Chiauses and Spahis) were sent to accompany and entertayne mee to the Gʳ Signior his pallace, where first in open court before the Gʳ Signior, his Pashas, or Counsellors, I declared to them her Maᵗʸᵉ’ˢ pleasure, salutations, and requests.
“Conferring about divers late accidents, espetially of her Majestie’s forces against Spaine, and of the peace made betweene him and the French Kinge, wᶜʰ thay all seemed to dislike, we spent a smale tyme untill the banquett ordayned for mee was provided; which being furnished, only I, Halul Pasha, the Cheefe Vizier, and a first Pasha, late general of Scelestia (Silistria), sate at one Table, the other Pashas satt apart by them sealves; at another, a lyttle distant from us, satt the ii Cadiliskers, or cheefe Judges of all this empire, and apart from them ii of the high Tresorors; by them satt alone the highe chaunsellors, every one served accordinge to his degree, but our Table furnished wᵗʰ the allowance and dayenties as are usually served to the Gʳ Sʳ, in great variety and abundance; wᶜʰ finished, order was sent by the Gʳ Sʳ that before our entrance unto him bothe I and my gentlemenn should be clothed in vests out of his Tresorie, wᶜʰ were there scarcely found, yet had I ii, and ten for my gentlemenn; and so, in company of the Vizeires, I entered into the presence chamber, where the Grand Sigioʳ satt uppon a cushion of red sattin most richly ymbrodred wᵗʰ pearls, and all his chamber floored with Redd sattin Ritchly ymbrodered wᵗʰ gould; and, omyttinge the sumptuousnes of the sight, coming to deliver my Ambassadge unto him, I first salluted him in her Highnes’ name; secondly, declared to him the good intelligence betweene her Highnes and his father,[1] and of the bennefitt therof to both their dom̄nions and subieckts; thirdly, I ymformed him of Her Majesty’s pleasure for my Confirmation in former charge of Ambassador, requiringe therein not only his Highnes’ consent, but princely favour in all future occations; and, lastly, recom̄ended unto him the affayres of her merchaunts traffickinge in his dom̄nions, wher unto hee him sealf answered as afore, sainge he did much reioyce at Her Majesty’s frindshipp, and prayed God that shee might allwayes have the victory over her enemyes as hether unto. Lastly, he tould me I should receyve sattisfaction of all I desiered, Licensinge me to departe. I was accompanied with Chiauses and other his officers to my house, having binn both outward and homward Salluted wᵗʰ divers tiers of artillery from the Shipp, for wᶜʰ and the favour of the Grand Signoʳ shewed me that day ministred many dayes after occation to speak of my Entertainment.
“But this while thinkinge my sealf sure of all things, the French ambassador, with his bribe of 6,000 chickins,[2] did not only over throughe our former graunt of counsolledge of forresteeres, but all other demandes I made, besides the confirmation of our ould Capittulations, the Vizeer denienge me audience to shew reason for my just demands.”
[Then follows a long account of his difficulties owing to the interference of the French ambassador, and certain details concerning the war in Hungary; and the letter closes as follows:—]