In the year 1640, there lived in Constantinople one Giovanni Jacobo
Cesii, a Persian merchant of high repute throughout the Levant. This
man, who was descended from a noble Roman family, was on most intimate
terms with Jumbel Agha, the Sultan's chief eunuch, who sometimes gave
him strange commissions. Among other instructions which the merchant
received from the chief of the imperial harem, was an order to procure
privately the prettiest girl he could find in the slave marts of
Stamboul, where at this time pretty girls were by no means rare.
Jumbel Agha intended this damsel as an adornment for his own
household, and a personal companion for himself, and particularly
specified that to her beauty she should add modesty and virginity.
Cesii executed his orders to the best of his ability, and procured for
the bloated and lascivious Agha a Russian girl called Sciabas, as fair
as a _houri_, and apparently as timid as a fawn. Unfortunately,
notwithstanding her innocent demeanour, it only too soon became
apparent that her virtue was not unimpeachable, and that ere long she
would add yet another member to the household of her new master.
Jumbel Agha, who was at first wroth with his pretty plaything, after
the heat of his passion had passed, consented to forgive her if she
would divulge the name of the father of her expected offspring; but
the fair one, although frail, was firm, and despising alike threats
and cajoleries, declined to give any hint as to its paternity.
Thereupon her master handed her over to his major-domo to be re-sold
for the best price she would fetch; but before she could be disposed
of she was brought to bed of a goodly boy.
Some time after the child was born, the Agha, moved either by
curiosity or compassion, expressed a strong desire to see it, and when
it was brought into his presence, was so captivated by its appearance,
that he loaded it with gifts, and gave orders that it should be
sumptuously apparelled, and should remain with its mother in the house
of the major-domo until he had decided as to its future fate. Just
about this time the Grand Sultana had presented her Lord Ibrahim with
a baby boy; and proving extremely weak after her delivery, it was
found necessary to procure a wet-nurse for the heir to the sword and
dominions of Othman. No better opportunity could have offered for
Jumbel Agha. He at once introduced his disgraced slave and her "pretty
by-blow" to his imperial mistress, who accepted the services of the
mother without hesitation. For two years mother and child had their
home in the grizzled old palace on Seraglio Point, until at last the
Sultan began to display such a decided preference for the nurse's boy,
that the jealousy of the Sultana was aroused, and she banished the
offenders from her sight. Her anger was also excited against the
unfortunate Agha, who had been the means of introducing them into the
harem, and she set herself to plot his ruin. Her dusky servitor was,
however, sufficiently shrewd to perceive his danger, and begged
Ibrahim's permission to resign his office, in order to undertake the
pilgrimage to Mecca. At first his request was refused; for Jumbel Agha
was a favourite slave, and whoever obtains leave to go the holy
pilgrimage is _ipso facto_ made free. But the chief eunuch having
agreed to go as a slave, and to return to his post when he had
performed his devotions, Ibrahim permitted him to set out.
A little fleet of eight vessels was ready to sail for Alexandria, and
one of these was appropriated to Jumbel Agha and his household,
amongst whom was his beautiful slave and her little son. After
drifting about for some time in the inconstant breezes off the Syrian
coast, they fell in with six galleys, which they at first supposed to
be friendly ships of the Turkish fleet, but which ultimately proved
Maltese cruisers, and showed fight. The Agha made a valiant
resistance, and fell in the struggle, as did also Sciabas, the fair
Russian--the cause of his journey and his misfortunes. The baby,
however, was preserved alive; and when the Maltese boarded their
prize, they were attracted by the gorgeously dressed child, and
inquired to whom it belonged. The answer, given either in fear or in
the hope of obtaining better treatment, was that he was the son of
Sultan Ibrahim, and was on his way to Mecca, under the charge of the
chief eunuch, to be circumcised. The captors, greatly exhilarated by
the intelligence, at once made all sail for Malta, and there the
glorious news was accepted without question. For a time the knights
were so elated that they seriously began to consult together as to the
possibility of exchanging the supposed Ottoman prince for the Island
of Rhodes, which had slipped from their enfeebled grasp. The Grand
Master of the Order and the Grand Croci had no doubt as to the
genuineness of their captive, and wrote letters to Constantinople
informing the Sultan where he might find his heir and his chief
spouse, if he chose to comply with the Frankish conditions. It is
true that Sciabas was dead, but the worthy knights had recourse to
subterfuge in dealing with the infidel, and had dressed up another
slave to represent her. Portraits also were taken of the reputed
mother and child, and were sent with descriptive letters to the
European courts. The French and Italians eagerly purchased these
representations of the beloved of the Grand Turk; but that mysterious
being himself preserved an ominous silence. Even the knights of Malta,
who hated him as a Mohammedan, nevertheless supposed that the Ottoman
ruler was human, and when he made no effort to recover his lost ones,
began to have some doubt as to the identity of the child of whom they
made so much. In their dilemma they despatched a secret messenger to
Constantinople, who contrived to ingratiate himself at the seraglio,
and lost no opportunity of inquiring whether any of the imperial
children were missing, and whether it were true that the Sultana had
been captured by the Maltese some years before. Of course his
researches were fruitless, and in 1650 he wrote to his employers
assuring them that they had all the while been on a false scent. It
was deemed best to let the imposture die slowly. Little by little the
knights forbore to boast of their illustrious hostage; by degrees they
lessened the ceremonials with which he had been treated, and at last
neglected him altogether. He was made a Dominican friar; and the only
mark of his supposed estate was the name Padre Ottomano, which was
conferred upon him more in scorn than reverence, and which he
continued to bear till the day of his death.