There live many Merchants in Pera, Italians by Birth, who are very assistant in relieving Christian-Prisoners; but one of them deserves to be particularly mentioned, for the absurdity of his Opinion, differing from all the rest. He was an Italian Greek, that is, one who resembles both those Nations in his Birth and Manners. When his Country-men were mercifully busied in relieving Prisoners, he could never be persuaded to give one Farthing towards so pious a Work; and, being blamed for it, his Answer was, (which he uttered in a barbarous and blunt Italian Style, the Greek being more familiar to him,) I know not, what these Men are; but this I know, that the just Judgment of God hath brought them into this miserable Condition. For my part, I will not oppose the Will of God; let them abide in that Place God hath allotted them. You, who so boldly withstand what God hath decreed, may pity them if you please; but I will not spare a Doit to release them, though you use never so many Arguments to persuade me: But enough of this vain and foolish Fellow. This Loss at Sea, together with the Misfortune of Bajazet, struck a great Terror into me, that the Turks, made more insolent thereby, would hearken to no Conditions of Peace. This publick Calamity was seconded by a private one; the Plague was got into my House; one of my faithful Servant died of it, and the rest were terribly afraid of the Infection.
But, before I speak of that, there was another Case surprised me, arising on this account.
Solyman grows every Day more and more Superstitious in his Religion. He used to delight himself in Musick, and in the chanting of young Singers; but all this was laid aside, by means of a certain old Sibyl, noted for Sanctity, who told him, that, if he left not off that Sport, he would be severely punished after his Death. He was so moved herewith, that he cast his Musical Instruments, though richly studded with Gold and Jewels, into the Fire and burnt them: And, whereas he formerly eat his Meat out of Silver Dishes, now he was persuaded to use none but Earthen Platters. He was also prevailed upon by her to forbid the use of Wine, wherein she told him too great a liberty was used, which his Prophet would be angry at, if he longer suffered it. Hereupon an Edict was published, that for the future no Wine should be imported into Constantinople, either for Christians or Jews.
This Edict did much concern me and mine, who had never used to drink Water; and what Wine could we have, if it were forbid? Our long absence from our Country, and the uncertain issue of our Embassy, were a sufficient Mortification to us, without this other Inconvenience of change of Diet, which must needs indanger our Health. Hereupon I desired my Interpreters to intercede for me in the Divan, that I might retain my ancient Right. The Bashaws Men were of different Opinions in the Case; some alledged, we ought to be content with Water as well as they; for what would the Neighbourhood say, if Christians may drink Wine, and themselves be strictly forbid the use of it? If Christians in the midst of Constantinople, might guzzle what Wine they please, the stink of it will spread far and near, and profane all; yea, the Mussulmen themselves, when they came to us, would return belching out the smell of Wine.
Hereupon we were likely to be cast in our Cause; but at last a more favourable Judgment went for us. That the sudden change would be intolerable, and occasion many Diseases if not Death itself. Whereupon we were allowed the freedom of one Night, to get in what Wine we could, which was brought to the nearest Landing-place, from whence we were furnished with Horse-Carriage to convey it to my Lodging with as little Observation as might be, all being done in the Night. Thus I stor’d myself, and kept my Priviledge.
Some of the Grecians play’d a pretty prank with the Sultan on this Account. When they knew that he was to pass through a Road full of Vineyards on both sides, they set a great many Labourers at work to root out the Vines; some of them they laid in the Highway; others they loaded on Carts. The Emperor passing by, and demanding the Reason for so doing, they answered, That since by his Edict they were forbid the use of Wine, they were cutting down their Vines to make Fuel for the Fire. For shame, says Solyman, forbear! you do not understand my Command aright; though I forbid the use of Wine, yet I allow the eating of Grapes, as one of the best Fruits that God hath allotted to Mankind; only you are not to squeeze out their Juice, and tun it up in Hogsheads, and so you may make a pernicious use of it. What will you cut down Apple-trees also, because they bear not Wine? Get you gone you Buzzards, and spare your Vines! Thus the Greeks were fool’d in their Project.
But to return to the Story of the Pestilence which was within the Walls of my House. I went to Rustan to beg leave for me and my Family to remove into a less contagious Air; this I desired not with any great confidence of obtaining my Request, (for I knew the Rigidness of his Nature,) but only to shew my care for the Health of my Family. He told the Messenger, he would acquaint Solyman with my Desire, and, if I came the next Day, I should have his Answer. Accordingly I sent and received this from him; that the Emperor wondered what I mean in desiring to move my Habitation; Is not the Pestilence God’s Arrow, which will always hit his Mark? If God would visit me herewith, how could I avoid it? Is not the Plague, said he, in my own palace, and yet I do not think of removing? And so I was forced to stay in a Pestilential and Infected House.
But Rustan died of a Dropsy soon after, and Haly, then Second Vizier succeeded him. He was a prudent and courteous Person as any was among the Turks. I sent him a Present, a large Garment of Silk, by way of Congratulation upon his new Dignity. He returned me this obliging Answer, That he would always be my Friend, and upon any occasion I should not scruple to make my Address to him. And I found him as good as his Word; for, when my House a while after was re-visited with the Plague, which swept away many of my Servants, and amongst others, my chief Physician; I sent the same Message to Haly which I had done to Rustan before; who answered me, for his part he was very willing I should remove my Habitation; but that it were better for me to ask leave of the Sultan himself, lest, said he, if he casually light upon any of your Servants walking at random up and down, he should take it very ill that so much liberty was granted them without his knowledge: And yet, proceeded he, I shall propose the matter so cautiously to the Prince, that I do not doubt of his Assent. And accordingly, soon after I received a Message from him, that I might remove whither I pleased. Whereupon I chose an Island called Principo, for my Dwelling, about four Hours Sail from Constantinople. It was the pleasantest of all the little Isles contiguous to that City, for the rest have no Village at all in them, or but one at most; but this has two.
The Physician, I lately told you died at my House of the Plague, was my old Friend Dr. Williams, the Faithful Companion of my long and tedious Pilgrimage. The occasion of the Sickness was this: It seems, among the rest of the Prisoners I had redeemed, one, as the Event declared, who was sick of the Plague. My Physician constantly attended him, till he got the Infection himself. He had that Angularity of Opinion, that there was no more Fear than Danger; for at the same time, said he, there are wont to arise other Diseases, which Men are apt to think is the Pestilence; so that Pestilential Remedies are usually applied to every common Sore or Boyl. Thus he flattered himself, even when he was deeply infected; yet he did not suspect it to be the Plague, till it was past Remedy, and he was ready to die under the Hands of his Attendance. The Day before he died, he sent me word he was better; and desired to see me, if I pleased to bestow a Visit upon him. I did so, and sat a great while by his Bed-side. He told me how very ill he had been, and that his Sight, as well as his other Senses, had been so weakened, that he knew no body; but now, said he, my Senses are restored, and if I could be freed from a Distillation that almost stops my Breath, I should presently be well; and at my Departure, I told him, I heard he had a Tumour in his Breast. I have so, says he; and thereupon he threw aside his Blanket, and shewed me his Breast: But there is no Danger, says he, in it; for it came from buttoning my Doublet, which I put on too strait. Towards the Evening, according to custom, I sent two of my Servants to watch with him, and while they were putting on him a clean Shirt, he himself espied a Purple Spot in his Breast, which they told him was but a Flea-bite; and by and by he discovered more Spots and larger ones. No, said he, there are not Flea-bites, but Tokens of near approaching Death; and therefore us spend this Night in Prayer and holy Conference preparatory to my latter end; which he did, and in the Morning, with full assurance of God’s Mercy, he departed this Life.
Thus was I bereaved of my dearest and most useful Friend, and the Common-wealth of Learning had also a great Loss of him; for he had made many curious Observations in his Travels which he intended to publish, and would have been very useful to the World, if Death had not prevented his laudable Designs. His Skill and Faithfulness was so much prized by me, that, if the Times had differed me to return, I knew none fitter to leave in my place at Constantinople than himself, had he out-lived me.