The same Night we came thither, there happened a great Fire, which the Janizaries quenched, as their manner is, by plucking down the Houses adjoining. Upon occasion of this Accident, give me leave to inform you, that the Turkish Soldiers are well-pleased when a Fire happens; for, whereas they must be employed to quench it, and usually do it by ruining the contiguous Houses, they have thereby an opportunity to rifle and plunder both; so that they themselves do oftentimes privily set Houses on Fire, that so they may filch and steal what they can out of them; as I remember once, when I was at Constantinople, there were frequent Conflagrations of Houses. ’Twas plain, they could not happen casually, but must be set on Fire a purpose, and yet the Authors could not be found; but the Fault was commonly cast on some Persian Spies that were in Town: At last, upon a diligent Search, ’twas found that the Soldiers had stirr’d up their Fellows, that were a Ship-board, to do the Feat; that so, during the Fire, they might enrich themselves with the Spoils.
Upon an high Hill, that hangs over and commands Amasia, there is a strong Castle, wherein the Turks have a continual Garrison, either to curb the Asiaticks, who are not very well pleased with the Ottoman Yoke (as I shall shew anon) or else to bridle the Persian, who many times make large Excursions even as far as this Town, though at such a vast distance from them. In this Hill there are some ancient Monuments, which, perhaps, were the Sepulchres of the Cappadocian Kings.
As for the Houses and Streets of Amasia, there is little or no Beauty in them. Their Houses are built of Loom, as they are in Spain, plain at top without any Roof, and what covering they have is of Loom or Clay too. They have some old piece of a Pillar, Cylinder or Roller, which they turn up and down to stop any Chink or Crevice, made either by Rain or Wind. The Inhabitants, in former Times, lay down to sleep in the open Air. As for Rains, they are not great, nor frequent in those Parts; but if at any time a Shower falls, the Loomy Droppings from the Eaves, do wofully dirty the Cloths of those that pass under them. I saw there a certain young noble Person, living not far from me, at his Supper, after the old Roman fashion, lying on a Bed. As soon as I came to Amasia, we were introduced to compliment the supreme Vizier Achmet, and the rest of the Bashaw’s, for their Emperor was then gone abroad; we treated with them a while concerning the Contents of our Embassy; and because they would not seem to prejudice us, they lent us a favourable Ear; referring all, however, to the Will and Pleasure of their Emperor. When he came home, we were led into his Presence, for Audience; but he entertain’d us (and the Reasons we alledg’d in the Speech we made him, according to the Command of my Master) with a sour and frowning Look. He sate upon a low Throne, not above a Foot from the Ground, but it was all covered over with rich Tapestry, and with Cushions exquisitely wrought. His Bow and Arrows lay by his side, he himself (as I said) looked sternly upon us; and yet there was a certain Majesty, mix’d with Severity, in his Countenance. Each of us, as we entred the Room, was led up towards him by some of his Bed-chamber Officers, who held us by the Arm, (for so they use to introduce Ambassadors, ever since a certain Croatian, desiring to speak with Amurath, and drawing near to him so to do, slew him in revenge of the death of his Master, Mark the Despot of Servia, who was killed by the said Amurath): and afterwards, as if we had kiss’d his Hand, we were led backward to the opposite part of the Room; for the Turks count it an unmannerly thing to turn any of their Back-parts to their Prince. From thence I had liberty to declare our Master’s Commands; but they suited not with his lofty, imperious Spirit, who thought that nothing ought to be denied him, for they were daring and high; so that he, as disdaining them, said nothing but Giusel, Giusel! (i. e.) Well, Well! And so we were dismissed to our Lodgings.
At our Audience there was a very full Court, for a great many Governors of Provinces were there with their Presents; and, besides the Imperial Horse, Spahi’s, Janipagits and Ululags, there were also a great number of Janizaries. But, among this vast number of Courtiers, there was not so much as one more eminent for Birth and Parentage; each one, by his Valour and adventurous Atchievements, was the Carver out of his own Fortune. Their Honour ariseth from their Preferments; so that there is no dispute about Precedency, but every Man’s Pre-eminces is according to the Office which he bears. And those Offices are distributed at the meer Will and Pleasure of the Prince, who does not regard the empty Name of Nobility, nor value a Rush the Favour of the Multitude, or of any other particular Man; but, considering only the Merits and Disposition of the Man, he rewards him accordingly. And, by that means, Employments are bestowed upon such Persons as are best able to manage them; and every Man hath an opportunity to be the Hammerer out of his own Honour and Preferment. Those which at present are the greatest Officers under their Emperor, were mostly the Sons of Shepherds or Neatherds; and they are so far from being ashamed of the Meanness of their Original, that they glory therein among one another; and account it more Praise-worthy to be the Advancers of themselves, than if they had Honour transmitted down to them from their Ancestors.
For thus they argue, Virtue is not propagated from our Parents, but is partly the Gift of God, and partly acquired by good Discipline, and by our own Labour and Industry; so that, as no Son hath his Father’s Skill in Music, Arithmetic or Geometry, derived to him from his Birth, so neither can Fathers bequeath Virtue as an Inheritance to their Children; for the Soul, say they, is not communicated with the Father’s Seed (so that a Son must necessarily be born alike qualified as his Father was) but it is infus’d into his Body from the God of Heaven. Thus in that Nation, Dignities, Honours, Offices, &c. are the Rewards of Virtue and Merit; as on the other side, Dishonesty, Sloth, and Idleness, are among them the most despicable things in the whole World. And by this means they flourish, bear sway, and enlarge the Bounds of their Empire every day more and more. But we, Christians, to our shame be it spoken, live at another manner of rate; Virtue is little esteemed among us, but Nobleness of Birth (forsooth) carries away all the Honour and Preferment. But enough of this at present: More may be spoken on this Argument hereafter; and what I have now said about it, pray keep it to your self, for other Men may not be able to bear my Freedom herein.
To return, then, to my Subject; I shall now present you with a surprizing Spectacle, even a multitude of Persons with picket Turbants on their Heads, made of pure white Linnen folded together in Plates; their other Apparel was very costly, of several Sorts and Colours, all most radiantly shining with Gold, Silver, Purple, Silk, Velvet, &c. I am not able to describe the Gaudiness of the Show; in one Word, ’twas the most glorious one I ever saw in all my Life. And yet, in all this Splendor, there was a great deal of Simplicity and Parsimony too. Those who were of one Order had Cloathing all of one sort; there were no foolish Hems, Lacings, Fringes or Borders, as among us, which cost a great deal of Money, and yet wear out in a day or two. The Silk and Velvet Suits, which many of them wore, though mightily embroidered, yet cost not above a Ducat the making and embroidering. They did as much admire to see the Fashion of our Cloaths, as we did that of theirs. Their Vests are very long, almost down to their Heels, which is more graceful, and makes them seem taller than they are; but our Apparel (forsooth) is so curtail’d and short, that it hardly covers the Parts which Nature would have to be concealed; on which Account it is less decent. Besides, it seems to take away some Inches from the Tallness of our Stature, and look more Dwarf-like. And yet, among so great a Multitude, I took notice of this most laudable Circumstance; ’twas all hush; not so much as a word spoken among them all, nor no humming Noise, as among a tumultuous Multitude; no justling one of another, but every particular Man quietly kept his own Station. The Heads of them, which they call Aga’s, had Seats to sit upon, such as their Serasquiers, or Generals, their Brigadiers, Colonels and Captains; but the Commonalty stood on their Feet. Among the rest, I most admir’d the Janizaries; though there were some Thousands of them, yet they stood at a distance one from another; Stock-still, (as we say) as if they had been Statues: So that I, who was at some distance from them, thought verily they had been so, till being advised to salute them, as the manner is, I saw them all bow their Heads, by way of Resalutation, unto me. When we passed from this Shew, behold there was another pleasurable one, which entertain’d us; and that was their Horse-Guards, in their March to their Quarters. They rode upon gallant stately Prancers, excellently well trapped, equipped, and Shod. Thus we were dismissed, but with little hopes of obtaining what we came for.
On the 10th of May, the Persian Ambassador came to Amasia, and brought with him rich and gallant Presents, as many choice sorts of Hangings, Babylonian Tents, curiously wrought within with many sorts of Needle-work, gallant Horse-Trappings, and Saddles, Scymiters made at Damascus, whose Handles were studded with Jewels, and Shields of curious Workmanship; but that which exceeded them all, was the Alcoran, so they call the Book containing the Rites and Ceremonies of their Religion, which they fancy Mahomet compos’d by Divine Inspiration, and which is accounted the most noble Present of all. They quickly accorded with him on Terms of Peace, so that it concern’d us to be cautious, who were to find greater obstruction in our Negotiations with them. And, to assure us that the Peace was confirm’d betwixt them, they omitted no manner of extraordinary Respect to their Ambassador. For the manner of the Turks is, (as I told you before,) to be excessive on both Sides, either in bestowing Honour on their Friends, or in heaping Reproaches on their Enemies. Haly Basha, Deputy to the Grand Vizier, treated the Persian with a sumptuous Dinner, which he made in his Garden, a Place far distant from us, and separated also by the interposal of the River, yet we could see the Manner of it well enough; for, I told you, the Place was seated so high on both sides of the Hill, that the Eye might easily discover what was done on each side. This Haly is a Dalmatian by Birth, a Man of much Wit, and, which is strange in Turkey, very courteous to Strangers. The Table, at which the Bashaw and the Persian Embassador sate, was covered over with a Canopy, and the Dishes were served up after this manner. There were one hundred Youths, which attended, like Waiters, all of them alike habited. First of all, they entered one by one, at a small distance from each other, till the Train of them reached up to the Table where the Guests were sitting. They had nothing at all in their Hands, that so they might not be hindered in saluting the Guests, which was done in this manner; they laid their Hands on their Thighs, and bowed their Heads downwards to the Ground; when this Ceremony was perform’d, then he that stood next the Kitchen, took a Dish and gave it to the next Page immediately before him; he handed it to a Third, and he to a Fourth, and so from one to another till it came to him who stood next the Table, and he delivered it to the Hands of the Gentleman-Sewer, who plac’d it on the Table. And thus one hundred Dishes, or more, were serv’d up to the Table in excellent Order, without any Noise at all; and, when that was done, those Waiters, or Pages, saluted the Guests a second time, and so returned in the same Order they came in; only, of course, those that were last before went out first, and those which were nearest the Table brought up the Rear. Thus the second Course was also serv’d up; so that the Turks are great Admirers of Orders, even in the smallest matters, which we Christians are apt to neglect, even in things of greatest Moment. At some distant from the Ambassador sate his Attendants with some Turks of Quality with them.
Peace being thus made with the Persians, as I told you before, yet we could get no good Terms of them at all, only we obtain’d an half year’s Truce, till I could send to my Master, and know his Answer. I was sent to be Leiger Ambassador there; but, in regard there was no Peace settl’d betwixt both Empires, the Bashaws thought it adviseable for me to return to my Master with Letters from Solyman their Emperor; and I was to return with an Answer from his Imperial Majesty, if he thought fit. Hereupon I was again introduced into Solyman’s Presence, and had two large embroider’d Veils, reaching down to my Ancles, clap’d upon me; they were so heavy, that I could hardly stand under them. My Family also, that attended me, were all clad with silk Garments of divers Colours; in this Posture I stalked along, like Agamemnon, or some such piece of Gravity, in a Tragedy; and so I took my leave of their Emperor, having first receiv’d Letters from him to my Master, seal’d and wrap’d up in Cloth of Gold, and the chief of my Attendants were also admitted to take their Leaves; and thus, after we had taken our leaves of the Bashaws, I and my Collegues departed from Amasia, June the 2d. The Custom is, that Ambassadors at their Departure, have a Dinner provided for them in the Divan, (so they call the place where the Bashaws sit to administer Justice,) but this is done only to their Friends; that Compliment was omitted to me, because Affairs were not yet in an amicable Posture between them and us.
If you ask me, what manner of Man Solyman was, I’ll tell you. He was an ancient Man, his Countenance, and the Mien of his Body, were very majestick, well becoming the Dignity which he bore; he was frugal and temperate, even from his Youth, though he might have taken a greater Liberty to himself by the Rules of their own Religion. In his younger Days he was not given to Wine, nor to masculine Venery, which the Turks much delight in; to that his very Enemies could object nothing against him on those Accounts, but that he was too uxurious, and his over-indulgence to his Wife made him give way to the Death of his Son Mustapha: Yet that Crime was vulgarly imputed to an Ascendent she had over him, by reason of her Inchantments and Love-Portions. This is certain, that, after he once took her for his lawful Wife, he never had carnal Knowledge of any other Woman, though their Laws did not forbid him. He is a very strict Observer of the Mahumetan Religion, and is as desirous to propagate that, as to enlarge the Bounds of his Empire.