last Stage of our Journey towards _Constantinople_. In my Way thither
there grew abundance of _Narcissus’s Hyacinth’s_, and (as the _Turks_
call them) _Tulips_, which we beheld, not without Admiration, that
in the midst of Winter, which is not favourable to such Flowers in
other Countries, the Ground should be so garnished by them. As for
_Narcissus’s_, and _Hyacinths_, all _Greece_ abound with them; and
they are so odoriferous, that, by reason of their Multitude, they
are offensive to those Heads that are unaccustomed to such Kind of
Smells. But the _Tulip_, hath little or no Smell, but its gaudiness and
party-colouredness is its greatest Commendation. The _Turks_ are great
Admirers of Flowers, so that, though they are Parsimonious enough in
other Cases, yet for a stately Flower, they will not scruple to give
some _Aspers_. And the Truth is, these kind of Flowers, though they were
presented to me as a Gift, yet they cost me a great deal of Money; for
some _Aspers_ were always expelled in requital. Neither is there any
other way of treating with a _Turk_, but by opening the Purse-strings,
as soon as any _Christian_ comes among them; neither must he think to
shut them again, till he go out of their Country: While he is there,
he must scatter his Coin, and if he get no other Advantage by it, yet
it makes them more tractable. For the _Turks_ are so ill-natured, and
such under-valuers of all Nations but their own, that without this
Open-handedness, there were no more living among them, for Strangers,
than in the most desolate and uninhabited Places, by reason of the
excessiveness either of Cold or Heat; but with the Bait of Liberality,
you may catch a _Turk_ at any Time.
About the mid-way between _Hadrianople_ and _Constantinople_, there is
a little Town, called _Chiurli_, memorable for the _Overthrow_ which
_Selimus_ received in a Battle against his Father _Bajazet_, out of which
he escaped by the Swiftness of his Horse, called _Carabonluch_, i. e. a
_Black Cloud_, and so fled to the _Cham_, or the _Precopeian Tartar_, who
was his Father-in-Law.
Before we came to _Selimbria_, which is a Town standing on the Sea-side
in our Way, we saw the Ruins of an old Wall and Ditch, which were made
by the later Emperors of _Greece_, which reached from that Sea to the
_Danow_, to secure all that was contained within that Fortification to
the _Constantinopolitans_, against the Incursions of the _Barbarians_;
and there goes a Story, that when that Wall was a Building, a certain old
Man delivered his Opinion to his Wife, _viz._ That that Wall would not
so much secure what was within it, from the Hands of the Infidels, as it
would expose and subject it to their Rage and Fury, in regard it would
add Courage to the _Barbarians_ to assault it, and weaken the Courage of
the _Grecians_ to defend it.
At _Selimbria_ we had a most pleasant Prospect of a calm Sea; and ’twas
very pleasant to us to behold the smooth Water, and to gather Cockles on
the Shore; yea, to behold Sholes of _Dolphins_ sporting in the Water,
which, with the Warmness of the Air, was exceeding delightful. It can
hardly be imagined, how mild the Weather was in those Parts, though
sometimes it be a little more boisterous at _Chiurli_; but here there is,
as I may call it, a _Thracian Gale_, and an incredible Sweetness of Air.
When we came near to _Constantinople_, we passed over two pleasant Arms
of the Sea, upon a Bridge built over them. I may safely say, That if
those Places were cultivated by Art, as they are naturally pleasant, the
Sun never shone on a better Country; but, alas! they seem to mourn for
the Neglect put upon them by the insulting _Barbarian_. Here we had our
Fill of choice Sea-fishes, which were even taken in our Sight.
When I lodged in those Inns the _Turks_ call _Imaret_, I usually
observed, that the Cracks of the Walls were all full of Pieces of Paper;
and thinking something was the Matter, but not knowing what, I took out
some of them, and finding nothing writ therein of any Consequence, I
was more earnest to know of the _Turks_ the Reason of their so doing;
especially as I had observed the same Thing in other Places of _Turkey_
before. At first they scrupled to tell me, as thinking perhaps that I
would not believe them; or else, not being willing to impart so great
a Mystery of Things to such an Alien as myself. This made me the more
inquisitive, till at last some of them, with whom I became more familiar,
told me, That the _Turks_ gave a great deal of Difference to Paper,
because the Name of God may be written in it: And, therefore, they will
not suffer the least Bit of Paper to lie upon the Ground, but presently
they take it up, and thrust it into some Chink or Hole or other, that
so it may not be trampled under Foot; and hitherto, perhaps, their
Superstition may be tollerable, but mark what follows.
In the Day of Judgment, say they, when _Mahomet_ shall call up his
Followers from their _Purgatory_, (to which they were condemned for their
Sins) to Heaven, to be there made Partakers of Eternal Blessedness; there
will no Way be left for them to come to their Prophet, but over an huge
red-hot Iron Grate, which they must run over bare-foot, (how painfully,
you may guess, when you imagine a Cock to skip thro’ hot-burning Coals.)
But at that Instant, (believe it if you can!) all those Bundles of
Papers, which they have preserved from being trod upon, will immediately
appear, and put themselves under their Feet; by which Means they will
pass the red-hot Iron-Grate with less Damage; so necessary do they count
the Work of saving a little Paper. And, to add to the Story, I remember
that my _Turkish_ Guides were once very angry with my Servants, for
making use of Paper to cleanse their _Posteriors_, and thereupon made a
grievous Complaint to me of their horrid Offence therein: I had no Way
to put them off, but by telling them, ’twas no Wonder my Servants did
such strange Things, seeing they also used to eat Swines Flesh, which
the _Turks_ abhor. Thus I have given you a Taste of the _Turkish_
Superstition; I shall add, That they account it a damnable Sin, if
any of their own People chance (though unwillingly) to sit upon the
_Alcoran_, (which is a Book containing the Rites of their Religion) and,
if a _Christian_ do it, ’tis Death by their Law. Moreover, they will not
suffer _Rose-Leaves_ to lie upon the Ground, because, as the Ancients did
fable, the Roses spring out of the Blood of _Venus_; so the _Turks_ hold,
That it had its Rise from the Sweat of _Mahomet_.
I came to _Constantinople_ on the 20th Day of _January_, and there found
my Collegues above-mentioned, _Anthony Wrantzius_ and _Francis Zay_;
as for the _Grand Seignior_ himself, he was, at that Time, at the Head
of his Army in _Asia_, and had only left at _Constantinople_, _Ebrahim
Bashaw_, an Eunuch, as Governor of the City, and _Rustan_, but deprived
of his Vizier-ship; however I gave him a Visit and made him Presents, as
being mindful of his former Dignity, and of the fair Prospect there was
of his speedy Restitution thereunto.
It may, perhaps, divert you, and besides it is not wholly foreign to
my Design, to acquaint you how this _Rustan_ came to be strip’d of
all his former Honours. Know then, That _Solyman_ had a Son, called
_Mustapha_, on a Concubine of his, born by the _Bosphorus_, (if I
mistake not.) This Youth was in the prime of his Age, and in great
Favour among the Soldiers. But the same _Solyman_ had several other
Children by _Roxolana_, whom he doated on so much, that he made her
his Wife, by appointing her a Dowry; for that’s the Way of making and
confirming a Marriage among the _Turks_. This _Solyman_ did, contrary to
the Custom of former Emperors, none of which had ever married a Wife,
since the Days of _Bajazet_ the Elder; the Reason was, because the said
_Bajazet_, being overthrown by _Tamerlane_, was, with his Wife, taken
Prisoner by him, where he suffered many Indignities, but none affected
him more, than the Uncivilities and Reproaches which he saw offered to
his _Sultaness_, before his Face. The Memory of which Affronts made such
a deep Impression on all those that succeeded _Bajazet_ in the Empire,
that, to this very Day, none of them will marry a Wife, that so, whatever
Chance should happen, they might never fall into the like Indignity; so
that, ever since, they beget Children on Women of a servile Condition,
in whose Misfortunes they may be less concerned, than if they were their
lawful Wives. And yet the Children begot on such Concubines, are as much
esteemed by the _Turks_, as if they were born in lawful Wedlock, and they
have as much right to their Fathers Estates.
So then, _Mustapha_, being of a promising Ingenuity, and in the Flower
of his Age; and besides, being the Darling of the Soldiers, and the
common People too, having so many favourable Circumstances attending him,
he, after his Father’s Death, was by the Votes of all designed for his
Successor in the Empire.
On the other Side, his Stepmother, _Roxalana_, with Might and
Main, laboured to prevent it, and to secure the Empire for the
Children begotten on her own Body, and thereupon presuming on her
Marriage-Relation, she ceased not to disparage _Mustapha_, and to prefer
a younger Son of her own before him. In this Design _Rustan_ was both
her Counsellor, and Assistant; they drew both in one Yoke, for _Rustan_
having married a Daughter of _Solyman_’s, by _Roxalana_, their Interests
thereupon were reciprocal.
This _Rustan_ was the Chief of the Bashaw’s, and _Solyman_’s Prime
Vizier, having the chief Power and Authority with him: He was a Man
of a sharp and very capacious Wit, and a great Grace to _Solyman_’s
Government. As for his Original, he was the Son but of a Shepherd, and
yet he seemed worthy of that Dignity to which he was advanced, if his
sordid Avarice had not been a Blot in his Escutcheon. And to speak truly,
_Solyman_ himself observed this Vice in him, though upon all other
Accounts, he was his choice and only Favourite: And yet this Crime of his
turned to his Master’s Advantage; for being appointed by _Solyman_ to
preside over his Treasury, or Exchequer, which sometimes was very low, he
was so thrifty in the Management of that Office, that he did not spare to
raise Money, even by the meanest and most contemptible Ways. For he laid
a Tax on Herbs, Roses, and Violets, which grew in great Men’s Gardens; he
caused the Armour, Coats of Mail, Warrior’s Horses, of such as were taken
Prisoners in War, to be sold, and by such Ways as those he got together
such a Mass of Money, that _Solyman_ was very secure on that Part; upon
this Occasion, I remember, that a great Man among the _Turks_, who are
usually vindictive enough, that was a great Enemy to _Rustan_, yet (to
my Surprize) told me, That he would do _Rustan_ no hurt, tho’ it were
never so much in his Power, because his Care and Industry had advanced
his Master’s Treasury to so prodigious a Sum. There is a Chamber in the
_Seraglio_, at _Constantinople_, over which there is this Inscription,
_Here is the Cash obtained by the Diligence of ~Rustan~_.
When _Rustan_ was Grand Vizier, and had the intire Administration of
all Things in his Hands, he was able to turn his Master’s Mind, as he
pleased, so that ’twas commonly reported among the _Turks_, That partly
by the Accusation of _Rustan_, and partly by the Witchcraft of his Wife
_Roxolana_, (for she was accounted little better than a Sorceress)
_Solyman_ was so alienated from his Son _Mustapha_, that he took Counsel
to put him to Death. As to what some alledge, that _Mustapha_ being
sensible of the Designs of _Rustan_ and his Step-Mother _Roxolana_,
against his Life, did labour to preserve them, by taking off his Father,
and so seizing the Empire by force; very few do believe that Story, but
look upon it as a Fiction.
On this Occasion, let me tell you, that the Sons of the _Turkish_
Emperors are the miserablest Creatures in the World; for if any one of
them succeed his father in the Empire, the rest are inevitably put to
Death by him. For the _Turks_ cannot endure any Corrival in Government;
and besides they are egged on to this severity by their _Prætorian_
Bands, (_Janizaries_ and _Spahies_) who, as long as there is any one of
the _Grand Seigniors_ Brothers alive, never cease craving of Largesses
and Boons, and if the present Emperor refuses to grant them, they
presently cry out, _God save your Brother, God send your Brother a long
Life_; by which Words, they more than intimate their Wishes, that he were
on the Throne. So that the _Turkish_ Emperors are in a manner compelled
to put their Brethren to Death, and so begin their Reign with Blood. But
_Mustapha_ was afraid of such a fatal end; or else _Roxolana_ was willing
to translate the said Destiny from her own Children upon _Mustapha_: Upon
one or other of these Grounds, it was, that _Solymon_ entertain’d the
thought of putting his Son _Mustapha_ to Death. And the occasion fell out
opportunely, for he had War at that Time, with _Sagthama_ King of the
_Persians_, thither _Rustan_ was sent with a vast Army. When he drew near
to the Borders of _Persia_, upon a sudden he made a stop, and wrote back
fearful Missives to _Solyman_, telling him, _That the whole Empire was in
great hazard, there was nothing but Treason studied in the Army, they all
cry’d out ~A Mustapha! A Mustapha!~ yea, the Disease was grown to such a
height, that ’twas past his skill to cure it; and therefore the Emperor
himself must come immediately, if he would have the Crown sit safe on his
Head._
_Solyman_ was mightily disturb’d at the News, and therefore posted away
for the Army, and sends Letters to _Mustapha_ to come to him, to purge
himself from those Crimes, whereof he was formerly suspected, but now
openly accused; if he could do it, he told him, he need not fear to
approach his Presence. Upon the Receipt of this Letter, _Mustapha_ was in
a great Streight, if he should go to his Father, in such an angry Mood,
he ran upon his Death; if he refused, that would be interpreted, as a
plain Confession of the objected Crimes. Under this Dilemma, he resolved
upon that course, which as it had more of Resolution in it, so it was
fullest of Danger. Away goes he from _Amasia_, of which he was Governor,
to his Father’s Camp, which was pitch’d not far from the place. This he
did either out of confidence of his own Innocency, or else presuming on
the Assistance of the Army, if any Severity were meditated against him;
whatever was the Motive of his Journey, this is certain, that he run
unavoidably upon his own Destruction; For _Solyman_ ever since he was at
_Constantinople_, had resolved to put his Son to Death; and to make the
Matter more plausable, he consulted the _Mufty_, (so the _Turks_ call the
chief of their Priests, as _Romanists_ call theirs the Pope,) and that
he might not speak to him in favour of _Mustapha_, he propounded to him
a feign’d Case, thus, ‘There was a Wealthy Merchant at _Constantinople_,
who having occasion to Travel a long Journey from Home, left the care
of his Family, his Wife and Children, and all his Affairs to a Slave
of his, in whose Fidelity he put a great deal of Confidence; now this
Slave, immediately after his departure, designed to destroy his Masters
Wife and Children, committed to his Care, and Embezil his Estate, and
to work against his Masters own Life, in case he should ever get him
into his Power; What may be Lawfully done, said he, to the _Mufty_, with
such a Slave.’ _He deserves_ says the _Mufty_ _to be Rack’d to Death._
Whether he spoke really as he thought, or whither he did not do it to
curry favour with _Rustan_ and _Roxolana_; This is certain, that the
Resolution of the _Grand Seignior_ was greatly confirmed thereby to put
his Son to Death, for he was of Opinion, _Mustapha_’s Offence against
him, was as great, as that supposed Slaves against his Master. However it
were, _Mustapha_ came into his Fathers Camp, the whole Army being very
sollicitous about the event of their Congress.
Soon after he was brought into his Fathers Tent, where all things were
hush; not a Soldier of the Guards to be seen, no Serjeant, no Executioner
in view, nor nothing of Treachery that was visible; but when he was come
into an inner Tent, Lo! upon a sudden, there started up four Mutes,
strong and lusty Fellows to be his Executioners; they set upon him with
all their strength and might, and endeavoured to cast a Cord about his
Neck; he defended himself stoutly for a while, (for he was a Robust young
Man,) as if he had contended not only for Life, but for the Empire. For
without Question, if he had escaped that danger, and had come in among
the _Janizaries_, they either out of Affection to him, whom they dearly
Loved; or else moved with the Indignity of the Thing, would not only
have saved his Life, but have gone near to have Proclaimed him Emperor:
And that was the very thing, which _Solyman_ fear’d of all things in
the World; and therefore perceiving, as he stood behind a Linnen Vail
in the Tent to behold the Tragedy, that unexpected stop was put to his
Bloody Design; he peep’d out his Head, and gave the Mutes such a sour
and minacious Look, in reproach of their remisness; thereupon they
assaulted him with renew’d Force, and then threw poor _Mustapha_ down on
the Ground, and Strangled him; and after they had done, they carried his
Corps out of the Tent, and laid it on a piece of Tapestry, that so the
_Janizaries_ might behold their design’d Emperor.
As soon as the Matter was divulged, Commiseration and Grief seized on the
whole Camp, and there was scarce a Man of any Consideration in the whole
Army, that did not approach to behold so sad a Spectacle, especially the
_Janizaries_, whose Confirmation and Rage was such, that they would have
ventured to attempt any Manner of Mischief whatsoever, if they had had
a Leader. As for him whom they hoped to be their Conductor, he lay dead
on the Ground, and therefore now there was no Way but one, to take that
patiently which was past all Remedy.
Thus they silently departed with blubber’d Eyes, and sad Hearts, to their
Tents, where they both lamented and pitied the woful Fate of unhappy
_Mustapha_, sometimes inveighing against the Madness and Rage of his old
doating Father, at other Times exclaiming at the Fraud and Cruelty of his
Step-Mother, and anon cursing the Wickedness of _Rustan_, with direful
Imprecations for extinguishing so great a Light of the _Ottoman_ Family,
so that all that Day was a Fasting-day to them, they did not sip so much
as a drop of Water; yea, some of them continued their Abstinence for many
Days after. In short, there was such a Face of Mourning over the whole
Army, which was not like to cease in many Days, that _Solyman_ in Policy,
and in a seeming Compliance with the Sentiments of his People, deprived
_Rustan_ of his Office (it being thought by his own Consent) and Banished
him, as a private Person to _Constantinople_, substituting _Achmat_
Bashaw to the _Grand-Vizier-ship_ in his Room, a Man of more Courage than
Conduct.
Upon this Alteration, the public Grief was somewhat abated, and the
Soldiers Rage pacified; for the Commonalty was made to believe, That
_Solyman_ at last had found out the Wickedness of _Rustan_, and the
Inchantments of his Wife; and that now he repented, though it were late,
first of his Cruelty to _Mustapha_. and thereupon had banished _Rustan_
from his Presence, and that he would not spare his Wife neither, as soon
as he came to _Constantinople_. As for _Rustan_, he pretended great
Sorrow, and departed to _Constantinople_, without seeming to have the
least hope, ever to be restored to his former Dignity.
But alas! _Roxolana_ was not content with the Destruction of _Mustapha_,
as long as he had an only Son, who was yet in his Minority, alive; for
she did not think her own, or her Childrens Security, to be sufficiently
provided for, as long as any of _Mustapha_’s Race were alive; but
she wanted a fair pretence to accomplish her Design, nor was it long
before she found One. She represented to _Solyman_, that as often as
his Grand-child, _Mustapha_’s Son went abroad at _Prusa_, where he was
brought up, the Youth of that City were wont to flock about him, to wish
him all Happiness, and particularly to pray, _That he might long survive
his Father_. And whither (said she) can this tend, but to prompt him
to mount the Throne, and revenge his Father’s Death? And to be sure,
the _Janizaries_ will take his Part, (added She;) and thus the Death
of _Mustapha_ alone, will add little Security to the public Peace and
Tranquility. Religion (proceeded she) is to be preferred before even the
Lives of our own Children; and seeing that of the _Musselmans_, (for
so they call their Religion, as counting it the best) stands and falls
with the _Ottoman_ Family; if that House fail, farewel Religion also.
And how can that House stand, if Domestic Discord undermine it? And
therefore Sir, if you prevent the Ruin of your House, your Empire and
your Religion, you must use all manner of means; nay, you must not stick
at Parricide itself; if homebred Disagreement and Feud may be thereby
prevented; for the safety of Religion will over-ballance the Loss, even
of a Man’s own Children. As for _Mustapha_’s Son, you have the less
Reason to spare him, because his Father’s Crime hath already infected
him, and there is do doubt, but, if he be suffered to Live, he will soon
endeavour to Head a Party, to revenge his Father’s Death.
By these Reasons _Solyman_ was induced to yield to the Murder of his
Grandchild, and thereupon sent _Ebrahim_ Bashaw to _Prusa_, to destroy
the innocent Youth. As soon as the Bashaw came thither, he made it his
great Business to conceal his intended Design from the Child’s Mother;
for, he thought, it would be look’d upon as an inhuman Thing in him, to
cut off a Youth, with the Privity of his Mother, and, as it were, before
her Eyes. And, besides, he was afraid the People would rise in Arms upon
the Perpetration of so cruel a Fact; and therefore at first, Fox like,
he sets his Wits at work to deceive the Mother. He pretended that he was
sent by _Solyman_, out of Respect to her and her Son, to visit them; that
his Master saw his Error in putting his Son to Death, which he now, too
late repented of; but that the crueller he had been to the Father, the
more indulgent he would be to his Son; and many such colloguing Words
he used, whereby he imposed upon the too credulous Mother, who was the
rather induced to believe him, because of _Rustan_’s Disgrace and Fall;
and to crown his Flattery, he presented them with many Gifts. This past
on for a Day or two, and then some Discourse was administred concerning
their going abroad, out of the City, to enjoy the fresh Air. And the
Bashaw, being an Eunuch, persuaded her the next Day to take a Turn in
the Suburbs, she in her Coach, and himself, with her Son, would ride
afore on Horseback. The Matter seemed not to afford any Suspicion, and
therefore she consented, and a Chariot is prepared for her; but (mark
the Fraud!) the Axle-Tree of the Coach was so made, on Purpose, that it
must needs break, when it came to be jogged in any rough Way. Thus she,
in an unlucky Time, began her Journey out of the City. The Eunuch and the
Child rode a pretty Way before, as if they had Occasion for some private
Discourse, and the Mother speeded after as fast as she was able; but
when the Coach came to the designed craggy Place, the Wheel violently hit
against the Rocks, and so the Axle-Tree broke. This the Mother looked
upon as an unlucky Omen, and therefore, in a great Fright, she could not
long be restrained from leaving her Coach, and with a few of her Maids,
from following her Son on Foot. But, alas! ’twas too late; for the Eunuch
being come to the House designed for the Slaughter, without any more
ado, shewed the Child the Emperor’s Mandate for his Death. He answered,
according to the Principles of their Religion, That he looked upon that
Command as proceeding not from the Emperor, but from God, which must
necessarily be obeyed, and so he yielded his Neck to the Bow-String.