Let me tell you a Story to this purpose, which I know will make you laugh heartily, as it did me at the first hearing it: For we are not such Cato’s, but that sometimes we may season our Care with moderate Laughter, which shews that we are Men.
’Tis the custom of the Turkish Bashaws, some Days before their Fast, (which we call Lent) to make a public Feast or Entertainment for all Comers, none are excluded; yet generally none but Servants, Friends, and Relations come. There is a Napkin made of Leather, spread over a long Tapestry on the Ground, full of Dishes; the Table will hold abundance of Guests; the Bashaw himself sits at the upper end, and the choicest Guests next to him, and then the ordinary Guests, in Ranks, till the Table be full. It will not hold all at once, but some stand by till others have din’d, which they do with great Decency and Silence; and then drinking a draught of Honey diluted with Water, salute their Landlord, and away they go. In their Places, others sit down, and a third Class after them; the Servants still taking off the old Dishes and setting on new. A certain Bashaw making such a Feast, invited a Sinziack to sit next to him; an old Man of the Sect which the Turks call Hogies, (i. e. Learned Men) sat next to him. This Hogi seeing such plenty of Victuals before him, had a mind to carry home some to his Wife, after he had filled his own Belly; but looking for his Handkerchief to fill it with Victuals, he found he had left it at home; being then in a straight, he bethought himself, and resolv’d to fill his Sleeve that hang’d on his Back; but, mistaken the Sinziack’s for his own, he stuft it full of Dainties, and stops it in with a piece of Bread that nothing might fall out. He was not to touch his Sleeve till he had laid his Hands on his Breast or Thigh, and so saluted his Entertainer, as their Custom is; when he had done that, he took up his own Sleeve and finds it empty, at which he was much amaz’d, and return’d home very sad. A while after, the Sinziack also rose from the Table, and having saluted the Bashaw at every Step, his Sleeve cast out the Dainties it was replenished with, unknown to him; and seeing a train of Junkets behind him, he blush’d for shame. The Company fell a laughing, but the Bashaw imagining how it came to pass, desired him to sit down again, and so he sent for the Hogi, and when he came, he accosted him thus: I wonder that you, an old Friend, and having a Wife and Children at home, did carry home nothing to them, seeing my Table was so well furnished. Truly, Sir, said he, ’twas no Fault of mine; but of my Evil Genius; for I stuff’d my Sleeve with Viands, and yet, when I came out, I found it empty. Thus the Sinziack was cleared, and the Disappointment of the Hogi, together with the Novelty of the Case, occasioned no small Laughter throughout all the Company. But to return to Bajazet.
His Case was desperate, between an angry Father that required to have him given up, and a false Friend, who pretended to detain him. Sometimes Solyman dealt mildly with the Persian, putting him in mind of the League between them, that they were to have the same Enemies and Friends: Sometimes he threaten’d him with War, if Bajazet were not surrendered; and thereupon he placed strong Garrisons on all the Confines of Persia; he filled Mesopotamia and the Banks of Euphrates with the Soldiers, especially the Veteran ones, whom he had employed against Bajazet, over whom Mahomet the third of the Vizier’s Bashaws, and Beglerbeg of Greece, was made General, for Selimus was returned home: Moreover, he solicited the Georgians dwelling between the Hircan Sea and Pontus, bordering on Persia to aid him against them: They answered courageously, That they were not strong enough of themselves to cope with the Persian; but if he himself came upon the Place with an Army, they would then shew themselves Men of Courage against the Persian as their common Enemy. The Hircanians also and the Posterity of Tamerlane were solicitous to join Arms. Solyman himself gave out, that he would go to Aleppo, (a City of Syria, seated on the Banks of Euphrates) that from thence he might make War on the Persian: Nor was the Persian himself without Fear; for he had often experienced the Dint of Solyman’s Sword. But the generality of the Turks were averse to the War, and look’d on it as a wicked and detestable one; and this cooled the Sultan. A great many of the Soldiers, especially the Horse, forsook their Colours, and return’d to Constantinople without leave of their Officers; and being commanded immediately to return, they did so; but so unwillingly, that Solyman plainly saw their Aversion from the Service.
Whereupon Solyman, seeing he could not get Bajazet alive out of the Persian’s Hands, (who feared his Revenge, if ever he came off clear,) thought of the next thing, which was, to have him strangled there; and he hop’d to obtain his End this way, because the Persian had lately acquainted him by Letter, that he had been very remiss in so great an Affair. I have sent divers Ambassadors to you, said he, but you send nothing to me but empty Letters, or Messengers; and therefore, to convince me that you are real in the Business, send considerable Ambassadors of your prime Nobility with whom I may transact, according to the greatness of the Affair. As for himself, Bajazet had been a great Charge to him, before he could be taken, and therefore ’twas fit an Account should be had of those Expences. Solyman thereby saw that Money was requir’d, and therefore by the Advice of his Bashaw, he resolved to take any other Course, rather than to involve himself in an unnecessary War with the Persians. Hereupon Hassan Aga, together with an old Bashaw, one of the Bed-Chamber, was sent by Solyman into Persia. They departed with ample Commission, in the midst of Winter; they made great haste, insomuch that they lost several of their Retinue in the way: At last, they came to Casbia to the Sophia, and desired to see Bajazet; they found him in a nasty filthy Prison, his Beard and Hair so long, that till he was shav’d he could hardly be known; but then Hassan knew him by the lineaments of his Face, having been brought up with him from a Child, and therefore he was chosen as the fittest Person for this Embassy. It was agreed, that the Persian should be repaid what he had laid out, and should have many rich Presents besides, and then Bajazet was to be put to Death. Hassan returns and gives an account to his Master, who thereupon sent the Expences by him, with the Gifts, which were guarded by the Turks to the Confines of Persia. Thus Hassan again returned to be the Executioner of unfortunate Bajazet with his own Hand, for so Solyman had commanded. When the Bow-string was about his Neck, he desired but one thing before his Death, which was, to see his Children, and to take his last farewell of them, by the only Thing he had left to give, a parting Kiss; but that was deny’d. This was the end of Bajazet and his unfortunate Designs; the way he took to save himself was his Ruin. His four Children under-went the same Fate. As for the new-born Infant which he left at Amasia, whom his Grandfather had removed to Persia to be educated there, when his Father was dead, a trusty Eunuch was sent to Persia to destroy him too; but the Eunuch being somewhat tender-hearted, procured a certain Porter, a hard-hearted Fellow, who car’d not what desperate things he undertook, to dispatch the Child. This Fellow went into the Room, and as he was fitting the String to the Child’s Neck, the poor Infant lifted up its self as well as he could, and embracing him in his Arms, offered to kiss him; which did so mollifie his wretched Heart, that he fell down in a Swoon. The Eunuch stood at the Door, and wondering at the Delay, went in and found the Fellow lying flat on the Ground; whereupon he was forced to execute the Charge himself, and so strangled the poor innocent Child. By this Passage it appears, that Solyman spar’d his Nephew hitherto, not out of any Principle of Mercy, but out of an Opinion the Turks have, that Matters, if they succeed well, are pleasing to God; and therefore, as long as ’twas uncertain, what might be the event of Bajazet’s Designs, he would not imbrue his Hands in his Child’s Blood, lest, if Bajazet had succeeded, he might seem to have resisted the Will of God: But, when Bajazet was slain, he thought God had determined the Controversie, and that his Son also might not be spared, lest the Proverb should be verified, Of an ill Crow, an evil Egg. I had along Discourse with my Chiaux upon this Subject, when I was in the Island before mentioned, and had liberty to sail from one to the other. It happened once, that as we were returning in our Skiff, the Wind being against us, we could not double a Promontary that reach’d pretty far into the Sea, but were forced to land and take our Dinner a-shoar; for I always carried ready-dress’d Provision along with me in the Vessel for fear of the worst; and their Turks were also forced to land, by the same Stress of Weather. Our Table was spread in a green Meadow; my Chiaux and my Interpreter sate at Table with me. Mention being occasionally made of Bajazet, the Chiaux began to inveigh bitterly against him for taking up Arms against his Brother. I pleaded for him, and said, he was worthy of Pity, who was forced to do what he did: There was an inevitable Necessity upon him, either to submit himself to a certain Death, or to save his Life by taking Arms. However the Chiaux persisted still to call it an execrable Undertaking; whereupon I argued thus; you accuse Bajazet as guilty of an horrid Offence; but you acquit Solyman, the Father of your present Emperor, who took up Arms against his Father. We do so, said the Chiaux, and with Reason; for the Event shew’d, that what he did, was by God’s Approbation, and predestinated in Heaven. If you argue from Success, said I, then the wickedest Fact, if it prosper, may be imputed to God as the Author; and then he may be made the Author of Sin, if Good and Evil must be interpreted only by Events. We dwelt a while on this Discourse, and were very eager upon it, whilst either of us defended his own Opinion. We alledg’d many places of Scriptures; Can the Vessel say to the Potter, why hast thou made me thus? I will harden Pharaoh’s Heart: Jacob have I loved; but Esau have I hated: and others of like import.
The Turks, that were not far from us, wonder’d what we were so earnest about; and after we rose from the Table, my Chiaux went to them. They gathered themselves in a Ring about him, and I saw them hearkening to the Discourse he made, with great Attention; and at last, at Noon, they were all silent, and worshipped God according to their Custom. I thought it long till my Chiaux returned to me, that I might know why he prated so amongst his Comrades; I was afraid, though I had ever found him a good Man, that he might represent what I had spoken to him, to my Prejudice: At last, when the Wind ceased, we went aboard again, and followed our intended Course. The first thing I did, was, to ask of my Chiaux, what serious Discourse he held with his Country-men? He smil’d, and made me this Answer: We were disputing about Predestination, and I told them what you had alledg’d Pro and Con; by which it was plain, that you had read our Books, and was well read in the Scriptures, so that there was nothing wanting to your Happiness, but to turn to our Religion, which, in the Prayers you saw us make, we desired of God. When News was brought to Constantinople that Bajazet was dispatched, I was afraid that our Affairs, which were in a hopeful way of Conclusion, would now meet with a Rub at last; the Misfortune of Bajazet might over-turn all, make the Turks more Insolent, undo what was done, and propose harder Conditions. I had passed over some Difficulties, as the Loss of Gerba, and the Imprisonment of Bajazet, and the Vaivode’s Expulsion out of Moldavia; but there were two terrible ones, Bajazet’s Death, and another, which I shall speak of by and by.
Haly sent one of his Domesticks, to tell me, that Bazajet was dead for certain; that therefore, I should not defer the Peace, in hopes of his Success: That I should remember, Princes of the same Religion are more easily reconcil’d, than those of contrary ones are; and, therefore, I should hesitate no longer, nor seek Knots in a Bulrush, as the Proverb is.
This Message troubled me much; yet, because I thought the Account might not be true, I sent up and down the Town amongst my Friends, to know what Certainty they had of Bajazet’s Death: They all returned me answer, That he was most certainly dispatched: Whereupon, I resolved to draw in my Sails; there were no Hopes for me to obtain better Conditions; it were well, if I could maintain my Ground, and stick to my former without any change: The Emperor of the Turks had seen them, and was not much averse to them; some small Alterations were made; something I wished I could have added; other Things were dubiously expressed, which an ill-natured Interpretation might raise Scruples about. I did my Endeavour that these might be taken out, or corrected, and made more favourable on our Side. My Master Cæsar had seen and approved those Conditions; yet still I could not satisfy my self, till something more favourable was added. Whilst I was doing this, I was accosted with Haly’s Message as aforesaid.
I met also with another grievous Rub; some Noblemen of Hungary had revolted from the Vaivode of Transilvania to the Emperor, that is, to speak the Truth, had returned to their Duty; and the Garrisons also, which they commanded, yielded to Cæsar. This new Accident might have disturbed all; for the Turks had a specious Pretence to alledge, That, while Conditions of Peace were once on foot, such Alteration ought not to have been made; if Peace were cordially desired, all Things were to be returned to their pristine State: but, let Revolters speed as they pleased, what they had possessed ought to be returned to the Vaivode, their Client and Vassal. But, Haly was so far from pressing this, that one express Condition was, that those Things should be ratified; which he willingly assented to. But the Ambassadors who came lately from the Vaivode, were very much troubled at it; they rub’d upon the gall’d Place, and filled the whole Court with their Clamours, that their miserable Matter was deserted, the Law of Allegiance broken, and Enemies preferred before ancient Friends. All the rest of the Bashaws were moved with their Complaints, only Haly stood firm to me, so that the Articles of the Peace were not altered at all. For my part, though I knew that the Terms would be allowed by my Master Cæsar, yet, because there want not Sycophants in Princes Courts, who go about to obscure the best Services of their Ministers, especially if Strangers: I therefore thought it fit to leave all to the Pleasure of my Master: I told Haly, that, though the proposed Condition did not fully answer the Expectation of my Master, I hoped, however, he would acquiesce therein, if an Agent of theirs were sent along with me to explain the Things that were obscure, upon which any Controversy might arise; and that Ebrahim seemed to be the fittest Man for this purpose, by whom Cæsar might write back his full Mind concerning the whole Project; this was easily assented to. Thus an End was put to a long and tedious Business.
’Tis a Custom, that when Ambassadors depart from Constantinople upon fair Terms, the Bashaws do entertain them with a Feast in the Divan; but I was willing to wave that Badge of Esteem, because I would have all left in suspence, and referred to the good Will and Pleasure of my Master.
I had a mind before my Departure, to buy some gallant Horses, and therefore, ordered my Servants to go often to the Markets, to see if they could find any such. Haly being informed thereof, sent one of the best of his own Horses to the Fair to be sold; my Servants had their Eye presently on him, and asking the Price, they told them 120 Ducats; they offered 80, not knowing whose it was; but that was refused. A Day or two after, the same Horse, with two more quite as good, were sent me by Haly, for a Present; one was an Arabian ambling Nag, exceedingly well shaped. When I gave him Thanks for my noble Present, he asked me, whether I did not think that Horse which my Servant’s offered 80 Ducats for, was worth more? Yes, a good deal more, said I; but my Orders were, that they should not exceed that Price, for fear of losing too much, in case of any hidden Defect afterwards shew that I had bought Horses too dear. He advised me also, how to manage their Turkish Horses; as that I should give them but little Meat; that I should make but short Journeys at first, till they were us’d to the Roads; and that I should make nine or ten Days Journey to Adrianople, which used to be performed in five: He gave me also a curious Veil wrought with gold, and a Box full of Alexandrian Treacle, the best in the World; and a Glass full of Balsam, which last he highly prized, complimenting me thus: Any other Present, said he, are such as Money can procure; but this is a rare Gift, that my Master cannot send a choicer to the best Friend or Ally he hath. I got it, said he, when I was Governor of Egypt, which Place I held some Years: There are two sorts of that juicy Substance; one which is drawn from the Oil of the decocted Leaves of the Shrub on which they grow, which is black and not much worth; the other distils from the Bark of the Tree when it is cut, which is yellow and genuine; and mine was of that sort. He desired likewise, that I would send him some Presents, as a Coat of Mail fitted to his large and full Body, and a strong Horse that was sure-footed (for he was so big and pursy, that no Horse could be easily found, fit to carry him) and with all kind of varnishing Matter coming from the Maple, or any other Tree, wherewith our Artists use to inlay their Tables. As for Solyman, he gave me no Gifts but common ones, such as other Ambassadors have had at their Departure, and such as I received from him formerly at my Audience of Leave; only he inveighed against the Heydukes, and the Insolency of the Garrison of Syeth: To what Purpose, is it, said he, to make Peace here, if they continue the War thus? I told him, I would acquaint my Master, and that I did not doubt, but he would redress it; and, thus by good Fortune, about the End of August, I entered upon my desired Journey, carrying with me a Truce of eight Years, the Fruits of my eight Years Abroad there, which may be continued for a longer Time, unless some considerable Change happens.