For, you must know, as soon as Solyman heard his Son was gone from Amasia, he commanded a great many Sanziacks and Bashaw to follow, and upon pain of Death, to bring him either alive or dead: But all in vain, for Bajazet fled faster than they could pursue. The Bashaws aforementioned, paid dear enough for letting him escape; for Solyman put him out of his Place, but Selimus put him to Death, together with his two Boys, though not before they had been most detestably used. Selimus and Mehemet Bassa, and the Beglerbeg of Greece, pursued Bajazet at a greater distance. Solyman was much troubled when he heard of his Escape, as being well assured, he would make towards Persia; and thereupon he was about to gather all his Forces, both Horse and Foot, together, and so march away to declare War against Persia: But his wiser Counsellors stopped his March, alledging the hazard he would run amongst an ungrateful Soldiery: And besides, say they, what if Bajazet out of his Temerity and Rashness should send a Company about Pontus and the Palus Mæotis, and so march back to Constantinople, in the Emperor’s Absence, where he might, by promising Liberty to Captives, and to the Agiamoglans, get upon the Throne, now vacant? These Advices restrained Solyman from his Intention.
Bajazet, all along his March, caused Labels to be fixed to the Doors of the Houses, that he would give double Pay to all the Soldiers that would revolt to him; which made Solyman’s Soldiers suspected by their Officers, and the rather, because the common Soldiers talked very freely in favour of Bajazet. After much ado, Bajazet escaped to the River Araxes, which is the Bounds betwixt the two Empires of Turkey and Persia; and after he had pass’d this River, he scarce thought himself secure, but appointed some of his own Soldiers to guard the Banks, that so the pursuing Sanziacks might not pass over: They, however, being but few, were easily discomfited before the Turkish Commanders pass’d farther into Persia; till at last they met with a great Body of Persian Horse, whose Commanders demanded of them, why they invaded another Prince’s Territories? Their Answer was, they were to fetch the fugitive Son of their own Prince. The Persians told ’em, ’twas contrary to the League to come armed into their Dominions; there was Peace betwixt Sagthamas and Solyman, which they ought not to violate: As for Bajazet, their Prince would do what was fitting; in the mean time they should retreat to their own Country. With this Reprimand they direct their March backward. In the mean time Messengers are immediately sent from Persia to Bajazet, to bid him return, and to know the cause of his coming, and also to spy out what Forces he had brought with him. Bajazet answers, that his Brother’s Insolency, and his Father’s Displeasure, had driven him out of his own Country, and he was come to Persia, as the only Refuge for an oppressed Prince; and therefore, in consideration of the uncertainty of future Affairs, he hoped he would afford him Protection, being destitute of all Things. The Persian answered, he was not well advised to repair to him who had made a Peace with his Father; by which they were both bound to serve the same Friend and Enemy, and that League he could not violate: Nevertheless, since he was come, he bid him welcome, and promised he would do his utmost to reconcile him to his Father. Thus his first Entertainment in Persia was promising enough; nought but Congratulations, Feastings, friendly Entertainments, and Merrymakings, by which subtle Men disguise their Meanings; nay, there was a talk of a Match between Orchanes, Bajazet’s Son, and one of the Sophi’s Daughters; and they gave him Hopes, that the Sophi would never be at quiet, till Solyman had bestowed upon him the Government of Mesopotamia, or Babylon, or Arzerum; for there, say they, you may live commodiously without Fear, as being at a great distance, both from your Brother and your Father too; and if either of them should deal hardly with you, you will have a Father-in-law to fly to, who will afford you Sanctuary. Such Discourses were received among the Vulgar, to divert Bajazet’s thoughts from the apprehension of present Danger. The Sophi sent many Ambassadors to Solyman on this Errand; but whether he dealt sincerely with Bajazet to reconcile him to his Father, or no, might be a great question, since in the mean time, he contrived all ways to destroy him; for Sagthamas was in a mighty Fear, lest he should nourish a Serpent in his Bosom, and that which encreased his Rancour, was, the wicked design of some, who persuaded Bajazet to attempt the destroying of Sagthamas; for one of Bajazet’s Commanders was heard to say, Why do we not kill this Heretick, and possess his Kingdoms? For, without doubt, he will one day be the Ruin of us all. These wild Discourses coming to Sagthamas’s Ears, put him upon a Project more necessary than plausible; for Bajazet had not many Forces, but very warlike ones; and there were many valiant Men among them that were ready to attempt any Invasion, and therefore he had reason to fear. He was conscious, also, that he had added new Kingdoms to his own, as being conquer’d on pretence of Religion; and who would secure such sickly Subjects, who were weary of their present State, and coveted a Change? To these nothing could be more reasonable than the coming of Bajazet. As yet, however, he is more in my Power, than I am in his, and therefore it were best to improve the Opportunity, and treat him no longer as a Guest, but as an Enemy to be chained up. To compass which, no Method was more adviseable than to sever him from his Forces, for then he may be more easily trapp’d; by open Force ’tis hard to seize him, his Soldiers being well train’d and disciplin’d, but mine slothful, unaccustomed to Arms, and, besides, at a great Distance one from another. Hereupon Bajazet was advised to disband his Army as unnecessary. He could not withstand the Proposal, though Intelligent Men foresaw the Danger and Consequence: But, alas! He that was under another Man’s Roof, must now be at their Beck, who maintained him; especially, since it would breed a Suspicion, if he entertained so much as a thought of Perfidiousness in his Host that entertained him. Hereupon his Men were divided, never to see one another again, and quartered where the Persians pleased; and, being put here and there, were, very shortly after slain by them, and their Arms, Horses, and all else they had, fell a prey to the superior Numbers of the Destroyers. At the same time Bajazet was clapp’d up in Prison, with his Children; and, to encrease the indignity of the Thing, he was haled even from a Feast, to a Dungeon.
Thus have I satisfied your Desire, in acquainting you with what has been hitherto done with Bajazet: ’Tis time now to consider what will become of him for the future: Some think he will retreat to Babylon, or such-like Province, on the Borders of each Empire, to be Sanziack thereof. Others think it a desperate Case, and that there is no hope of his Life, either from Solyman or Sagthamas; but that he will either be sent back hither to be put to Death, or strangled in Prison there.
For the Persian weighed every thing in his Thoughts, when he put Bajazet in Prison; he knew him to be of an aspiring and courageous Spirit, far superior to his Brother; and that, if he should succeed his Father in the Empire, it might do Persia much more Mischief than ever Selimus could; for he was but a slothful Prince, and not at all for a War, and therefore some thought he would never escape out of his Hands; for to be sure he can never be a Friend to one he hath injured so much. Some think one thing, and some another: For my part, I think it will be an intricate Business. For, as Bajazet is in Troubles, and the Issue undetermin’d, they will not easily make War on Christendom at this Juncture. They labour to obtrude on me certain conditions of Peace, having some Letters that will please my Master, but they allow me no Copy of them, as heretofore they used to do; so that I suspect Fraud in the case, and therefore do peremptorily refuse to send those Letters to Cæsar, unless I first know their Contents; and if they deceive me by a false Copy, then the Blame lies at their Door, not at mine: By this means I shall free my Master from answering their captious Letters; for I am sure he will accept of no conditions of Peace but such as are honourable. But, you’ll say, if you refuse to accept of their conditions of Peace, ’tis one step towards a War. Let that be as it will, I judge it more adviseable to leave all free to the events of future Ages: But the not sending their Letters, if that be a Crime, I shall take up on my self; and I shall easily clear my self, if the Issue of Bajazet’s Affairs do not answer their Expectation; since it is yet very difficult, though not impossible, for the Turks are not irreconcileable to those Ambassadors, who study to do their Master the best Service they can amongst them. And besides, the declining Age of my Prince will be some advantage to me, who the Bashaws thinks is fitter for rest and quiet, than for the Fatigues of an unnecessary War. ’Tis true, my Pains will be prolonged hereby, but I shall think them best bestowed, if they succeed at last.
Thus, Sir, I have written you a Book rather than a Letter; and if I have offended you in it, the fault is yours rather than mine: What I did was at your Request, and Readiness to please a Friend, hath always been counted a Vertue in Friendship. Yet I hope these Things will be as pleasant for you to Read, as they were delightful for me to Write; for, let me tell you, as soon as I put Pen to Paper, I love to wander abroad in my Mind, that so I may as it were, deceive my Confinement as long as I can, and converse with you as if we were together. What things seem frivolous and needless, you must take, as proceeding by word of Mouth in familiar Conferences among Friends. Men may be allow’d to tittle tattle in a Letter, as well as in common Discourse. If I were to write Inscriptions for Churches and Temples, to be seen of all Men, Circumspection and Care must be used; but not when I write to you and a few private Friends. I aim not at Fame; if my Lines please you, I have enough. You will say, perhaps, I might have written better Latin: I grant it; but what if it were beyond my Ability? It was not for want of any good will; and yet, let me ask you, what good Latin can come out of uncouth Greece, or barbarous Turkey? If you have any Value for my Letters, you shall have more of them after my Return to Vienna, if ever God permit me to return: If not, excuse the last Trouble I shall give you. Farewell.
Constantinople, June 1st.
SIR,
