SIR,
I received your Letter, wherein you acquaint me, that you have heard of my second Voyage into Turkey; on which Account you express your Wonderment, that I would venture to visit that uncouth and barbarous Country, once more. And withal, you desire to know the Issue of my Journey: How I found Matters at my Return to Constantinople; what Entertainment I met with there; what proportion of Health I enjoy; whether my Life be pleasant to me, or not; and, in fine, what Hopes there may be of my speedy return to Germany. To all which you oblige me, upon the score of our ancient Friendship, to give particular and express Answers; which, to gratify you, I shall accordingly do.
Know then, in the first Place, that you were not mis-informed as to my Return into Turkey; the thing is most true: Neither could I avoid the Journey, as being oblig’d thereunto by Promise; and you know every honest Man is as good as his Word. My Case was this: The Emperor Ferdinand, my most gracious Lord and Master, designed me as his Lieger Ambassador to Constantinople; but his Design was grounded on this Supposition, that a Peace would be first settled betwixt the two Empires. Articles of Agreement, however, being not yet fully accorded to, nor wholly rejected, there was no reason I should slip my Neck out of the Collar, till the Matter was brought to some certain Issue; either a firm Peace, or a perfect Rupture. And therefore, when I foresaw what a Bushel of Troubles I should run my self into, by my Return, I had much rather a fitter Person had been substituted for the Employment; but no body being willing to accept the Charge, I was, in a manner, forced into the Service; it being my Duty to comply with, and obey, the Will and Pleasure of my gracious Master: For as soon as ever he return’d from the Imperial Diet to Vienna, and was informed by me of my Transactions with Solyman, the Ottoman Emperor, he immediately laid his Commands upon me to prepare my self to return, and to carry back his Answer to Solyman’s Letters. ’Tis true, it was the depth of Winter, when I was commanded to return to Constantinople; and, besides, ’twas a very rainy, cold and tempestuous Season; and my Message too was so severe, that I was like to have no Thanks for my Labour. Here, perhaps, you may twit me in the Teeth, what! Twice to the same Place? To which I answer, twice, and oftner, if there be need; for commendable Enterprizes, the mere hazardous, the more Praise-worthy.
’Twas in November when I left Vienna, to undertake my second Voyage to unhospitable Pontus. I will not grate your Ears with the Relation of the Enterprizes of my second Journey: I was too vexatious, I fear, in giving you an Account of my first.
It may suffice to tell you, that I went the same Stages, in a manner, that I did at first. So then, to Constantinople I came, in the beginning of January, having lost one of my Retinue, who died of a Fever in the way. There I found my Collegues in good Health; but a mighty Change was made in the Turkish Affairs: Bajazet, Solyman’s youngest Son, had escap’d a great Danger, and was reconciled to his Father: Achmet Bassa, the Grand Vizier, had been strangled, and Rustan, his Predecessor, was restored to his Place of Grand Viziership, of whom more hereafter. But, at present, I shall acquaint you what coarse Entertainment I met with from their Emperor, his Bashaws, and other great Men among them. For their Bashaws (as the manner is, before they introduce an Ambassador to their Prince) being desirous to hear of me, in general, the purport of my Message; as soon as they understood, that my Master Cæsar would not recede a jot from his Right, but did punctually insist upon it, as just and equal, that the Transactions with the Widow of John late Vaivode of Transylvania and her Son (being made without Fraud, Force or Covin,) should be strictly observed, they were in a mighty Chafe: For you must know, that a long Series of happy Success, hath so elevated the Minds of this People, that they make their own Wills, forsooth, the sole Rule of all Reason, Right or Wrong. On which presumptuous Principle, they carried it very haughtily towards us; and told us the extream Danger we should run into, if we offer’d to appear before that Prince with such an imperious Message. When such menacing Words could not deter us from demanding Audience, they gave us to understand, that they would have no hand in our Admittance; for do ye think, (said they) that we are such brazen-fac’d Fellows as to bring you, with such sawcy Answers, to our King? No, said they; it will be a plain Mockery to him, which he will never take well at your Hands. Do you not know, proceeded they, that he is come back from Persia with a victorious Army; where, his Successes have so exalted him, that he hath put his own Son to death, as emulous of the Empire? Whereby you may guess at the severity of his Passion. He longs for, and courts, a fair Occasion to send his hardy and well-disciplin’d Army into Hungary, to enrich them with the Spoils of that Country, and to add the residue thereof to his Empire. And therefore, if you be wife, don’t rouze a sleeping Lyon; for thereby you will but hasten your own Miseries, which are coming on fast enough of themselves. Such were the Harangues of the Bashaws to us; and the rest of the Turks were of the same Mind. The mildest Punishment they denounced against us, was, that two of us would be cast into a nasty Dungeon; and the third (which was to be my share) would have his Nose and Ears cut off, and so sent back to his Master.
And, to strike the greater Terror into us, the Turks, who passed by our Lodgings, gave us many a sour Look; which was an Argument, that they intended some cruel Deportment towards us. And the truth is, from that Day forward, they used us more coarsely than ever; they kept us up close as Prisoners rather than Ambassadors: They suffer’d no body to come to us, nor permitted any of us to go forth, and the rest of their Carriage was as intolerable. Thus have they treated us these six Months past; and I know not how long they will continue these Severities; but, come what will, we submit to the Will of God, our Cause is just and honourable, and that gives us Relief against their vigorous Extremities. But leaving the Narration of our own Misfortunes, I shall answer your Desire, in giving you an Account of the Story of Bajazet. For the clearer Explication thereof, I must acquaint you, that Solyman had five Sons; the Eldest, begot by him on a Concubine, near the Bosphorus, was called Mustapha, of whose unhappy End you have heard before; but by another Wife, named Roxolana, he had four, Mahomet, Selimus, Bajazet and Giangir. Mahomet liv’d till he was married, (for the Turks call their Concubines, Wives) but died soon after; so that Selimus and Bajazet of this latter Venter only remain’d alive. As for Giangir, he came thus to his end: When News was brought to Constantinople, that his Half-brother Mustapha was put to death, the Youth, being of a timorous Mind and infirm Body (for he was crook-back’d) fell into a grievous Passion, upon the Imagination that the like Fate did hang over his own Head; for he could promise safety to himself no longer than his Father liv’d. If his Head were once laid, he that was his Successor, would certainly kill all his Brethren, as emulous of the Kingdom; not one of them would be excepted, and himself, being among the Number, must look for the same Fate. This Thought struck him into a Disease, even as if the Bow-string had been already about his Neck, which cost him his Life; so that now only Selimus and Bajazet remained. Selimus was the Elder, and ’twas known to all, that his Father design’d him for the Empire; but Bajazet was most favoured and doted upon by his Mother. Whether it were out of Commiseration to prevent his inevitable Ruin, or else out of motherly Indulgence, or whatever else the Reason was; this is certain, if her Vote could have carried it, Bajazet had certainly succeeded in the Empire after his Father’s Death. But she must give way to his Father’s Will, who was fully resolv’d, come what would, that Selimus, and none else, should succeed him. Bajazet was not ignorant thereof, and therefore he turned every Stone to stave off his impending Fate, and, if possible, to prevent his Ruin by grasping at the Throne. And his Hopes were encreased by the favour of his Mother, and of Rustan the Grand Vizier, who was thought to have espoused his Interests. Having two such Pillars to support him, he thought with himself, ’twas far more glorious to hazard his Life in contending with his Brother for the Empire, than to die obscurely by the Bow-string, as a Victim to his Cruelty.
Bajazet having this Project in his Head, began to pick Quarrels with his Brother, and to maintain a Faction against him; neither was it long before a proper Occasion offered itself for him to begin his design’d Enterprize, of rising in Arms upon the account of Mustapha’s Death, and the Disgust of many thereupon. For the Truth is, Mustapha was so well belov’d in his Life-time, and so much lamented at his Death, that those who had placed all their Hopes of Advancement in him alone, were almost unwilling to live after him; so that they did but wait for an Opportunity to revenge his Death, or to die as he did. Others, who were conscious to themselves that they had favoured his Party, and therefore were obnoxious to the present Power, did not care what Hurley-burlies they made; ready they were for any Innovation, only they wanted a Leader. In this case, they did not well know what to do. As for Mustapha himself, they knew he could not be recalled from the Dead; yet it was in their power to suborn and set up a feigned Mustapha in his head, as if the true one had been yet alive. This Design pleased Bajazet (who was the contriver of the Plot) best of all, as most conducing to the accomplishment of his Purpose. Hereupon, by his Emissaries, he procures a mean Fellow, but bold and ready witted, to counterfeit himself to be Mustapha; and his Pretence was the more plausible, because his Stature, Physiognomy and Meen of his Body did somewhat resemble Mustapha’s. This Man began first, to shew himself in that part of Thrace which was above Constantinople, towards the Danube, Moldavia, and Valachia. This Place he thought the most opportune to raise a Party, because it was full of Horse; and that part of the Turkish Militia did most favour Mustapha. Here he starts up, as if he had fled in Post-haste from some remote Place, with a few in his Company; which he pretended were for his own Security. His Followers being asked by the Country, who he was? They answered, at first, whisperingly, that he was Mustapha. Hereupon they were more desirous to know the Truth; and then he was forced to declare himself, that he was Mustapha, indeed. Having made this prosperous Beginning, he goes on to congratulate his Safety among them, and to give God thanks. First, he told them, That, when he was sent for by his angry Father, he durst not trust himself to come into his Presence; but, by his Friend’s Advice, suborned one, somewhat like him, to represent his Person, that, by another Man’s Hazard rather than his own, he might make Trial of his incensed Father’s Inclination towards him. This Man he hired with great Promises of Reward; but as soon as he came to his Father, he was strangled at his Tent-door, before he had any opportunity to make his Defence; and his dead Body was exposed to the View of the Soldiery. At which time, said he, there were some few that smelt out the Project; but most part was deceived by the disguised Lineaments of the deceased Body, and thought it was he himself that was slain. As soon as I heard of this, said he, I saw there was no Stay for me, but I must consult my Safety by a speedy Flight. I took but few in my Company, that I might be the less taken notice of and thus passing over Pontus and the Bosphoran Country, I am, said he, come hither; where I promise my self much Aid from your Fidelity, and, therefore, I beseech you lend me your helping Hand; and, seeing I am oppress’d by a wretched Step-mother, be you as forward to help me in my Affliction, as you were all ready to do so in my Prosperity. For my part, I am resolved to revenge my Wrongs, and to maintain my Life by force of Arms. For what other Course, pray, can I take? I owe my Life to my Father’s Mistake, who killed another Man instead of me; so that I plainly see, what Fate attends me, if ever I come into his Power. The miserable old Man is imposed on by the enchanting Passions of a Step-mother, whom he doats upon, and by the Ministry of Rustan, to whatsoever Attempt they please. But, thanks be to God, said he, I have got some Friends left to revenge my Wrongs, and to punish my Enemies. And, besides, I am not quite daunted, but have a great stock yet of Courage left; for I know that the Janizaries, and most of all my Father’s Court are on my side; and, then, upon hearing of my Name, I know all those who lamented me, when dead (as they thought), will joyn me, now they hear I am alive; only be you pleased to vouchsafe me a favourable Reception, and to protect me till sufficient Aid come in to me. These were his private, and also his public Harangues, where-ever he came; and his instructed Followers ecchoed forth the same Report; yea, some Men of Note whom Bajazet had suborned, sung Notes to the same Tune. Thus a great party of Men, unknown to Bajazet, were brought into the Noose. For the Matter was carried on so cunningly, that those who knew Mustapha, and saw him lie dead before his Father’s Tent, yet were afraid to believe their own Eyes, but suffered themselves to be persuaded, that this was the true Mustapha indeed: Yea, some of Mustapha’s Intimates, who knew this was but a Cheat, were yet so overfond of his Memory, that, blinded either with Fear, Grief, or Anger, they were the first that listed themselves under this Pseudo-Mustapha, as being weary of their Lives without him; which made others certainly think, that this was the true Mustapha indeed, whom Report had falsely given out to be slain. And, besides, the Impostor himself, by large Promises and great Presents, which he said were the Relicks of his former Acquisitions, (but indeed were the Supplies that Bajazet had provided under-hand) did not cease to cajole and engage his Followers. So that in a very few Days he got a handsome body of Men together, fit for a little Army; and they encreased every day.
When Solyman was made acquainted by Messages and Letters, which the neighbouring Sanziacks, had, in great trepidation, sent him, what hazard he was in by reason of the resort of such Multitudes, to this Pseudo-Mustapha; the cunning old Man knew one of his Sons must needs be privy to the Plot, and therefore, he made haste to disappoint it; chiding his Sanziacks, by Letter, that they suffered the Matter to come to such a Head, and had not rather crush’d the Cockatrice in the Egg; but, seeing they had been negligent hitherto, he commanded them to make amends for their former Remissness, and to send him presently, the Traitor and his Followers, Prisoners, in Chains, to receive their condign Punishment; and, to facilitate the Matter, he would send Aid to them, by one of his Viziers, Partan Bassa who had married the Widow of Mahomet aforesaid. However, he advised them, if they would purge themselves of their criminal Neglect, they should quell the Insurrection before his Succour came. Partan had but a few Troops with him; but they were choice Men, eminent for Courage and Faithfulness. Solyman took care to cull out Colonels, Captains, and other Commanders of that Inclination for this Service, as suspecting that others might have been corrupted, or enticed to pass over to the Tents of the Rebels; for, the Truth was, the ordinary sort of Janizaries, upon account of Mustapha’s Name, did not seem much averse from the Party; and, therefore, did not care what further Confusions might enhance the Danger on that side.