neighbouring _Sanziacks_, had, in great trepidation, sent him, what
hazard he was in by reason of the resort of such Multitudes, to this
_Pseudo-Mustapha_; the cunning old Man knew one of his Sons must needs be
privy to the Plot, and therefore, he made haste to disappoint it; chiding
his _Sanziacks_, by Letter, that they suffered the Matter to come to such
a Head, and had not rather crush’d the Cockatrice in the Egg; but, seeing
they had been negligent hitherto, he commanded them to make amends for
their former Remissness, and to send him presently, the Traitor and his
Followers, Prisoners, in Chains, to receive their condign Punishment;
and, to facilitate the Matter, he would send Aid to them, by one of
his _Viziers_, _Partan Bassa_ who had married the Widow of _Mahomet_
aforesaid. However, he advised them, if they would purge themselves
of their criminal Neglect, they should quell the Insurrection before
his Succour came. _Partan_ had but a few Troops with him; but they were
choice Men, eminent for Courage and Faithfulness. _Solyman_ took care to
cull out Colonels, Captains, and other Commanders of that Inclination
for this Service, as suspecting that others might have been corrupted,
or enticed to pass over to the Tents of the Rebels; for, the Truth was,
the ordinary sort of _Janizaries_, upon account of _Mustapha_’s Name, did
not seem much averse from the Party; and, therefore, did not care what
further Confusions might enhance the Danger on that side.
The _Sanziacks_, as soon as ever they received _Solyman_’s threatning
Dispatches, began to bestir themselves, and to rouze up one another so
that happy was he, that could do most Damage to the growing Party of the
Impostor. Some of those that were going in to him, they intercepted;
those that had already join’d him, they laboured to discourage by
terrible Menaces and Denunciations of the Danger they were in. In the
mean time, the Forces of _Partan Bassa_ were marching on, and being
almost come up to the Place, the Party of the Tumultuous, which were
not yet fully settled, seeing so great Preparations, made against them,
began to be discouraged, (as is usual with Men in such Circumstances)
and to drop off one by one; and at last the whole Body of them most
shamefully left their Leader, and shifted for themselves, the belt they
could. Their feigned _Mustapha_, with his chief Partisans and Setters
on, would willingly have done so too; but he was so watch’d by the
_Janizaries_, that he was taken alive, and sent Prisoner to _Partan_,
who, with a strong Guard, sent him to _Constantinople_. When he came
thither, _Solyman_ put him on the Rack, and by that means found out
the whole Plot; how his Son _Bajazet_ was at the bottom of it, and had
resolved, if they had not been so soon dissipated, to have join’d them
with a considerable Force, and so either to have marched directly to
_Constantinople_, or else (if Opportunity had served him) to have fought
out his Brother; but being slow in his Actings, his Design was nipp’d
in the very Bud. When _Solyman_ had thus ferreted out the Design to the
bottom, he caused him and his Abettors to be thrown into the Sea at
Midnight, not thinking it convenient to have the Matter divulg’d among
his own People, or that foreign Princes should be acquainted with the
domestic Differences of his own Family.
As for his Son _Bajazet_, he was mightily exasperated against him for his
foul Offence, and was meditating in his Mind what grievous Punishment he
should inflict upon him. In the mean time, his Wife being a prying Woman,
and therefore allowing him but little space for his Anger to vent and
cool itself, at last falling into Discourse with him of the Affair, she
began to excuse her Son, laying all the Fault on his youthful Imprudence;
and that some of his Ancestors also had been necessitated to undertake
the like Attempts. For (says she) ’tis a natural Instinct in all Men to
do what they can for themselves and their Friends, and to save their
Lives, if they can; especially, young Men, in the fervour of Youth,
are apt to be drawn aside by ill Counsellors to pernicious Attempts;
and, therefore, it was but reasonable that his first Fault should be
pardoned, because, if he repented, his Father had gained a great Point in
preserving his Son; but if he relapsed again into the same Crime, then
the Father was at liberty to inflict deserved Punishment on him, for
both Offences, at one and the same time. But, proceeded she, if you will
not pardon him for his own sake, yet be pleased to do it for mine; and
spare our own common Flesh and Blood: For how, think you, can I bear it,
that, of two Sons which God hath yet left me, your Severity should rend
one of them from me? And, therefore, she intreated him to moderate his
Anger, and not to let loose the Reins to Cruelty, though he had never so
just an Occasion. Almighty God (said she) though most Powerful and Just,
yet doth not always exert his highest Severities, but tempers them with
Indulgence, else Mankind would be quickly destroyed. And, if Clemency
may be shew’d to any, to whom, pray, more properly than to a Man’s own
Children? _Bajazet_, for the future, will certainly keep within the
bounds of his Duty, and the Fear, wherein he now is, will certainly be
turned into the highest Degree of filial Obedience for the future. If you
please to spare his Life, the Sense of your Indulgence will work this;
for nothing is so obliging to generous Minds as Courtesies received. The
Memory of his Pardon will restrain him from running a second time into
the like Offence; and I my self will undertake for him, that for the
future he will carry it towards you, as a most dutiful and obedient Son.
To these Intreaties she added Tears and Caresses, so that the old
Man, who was Uxorious enough before, could no longer withstand her
Importunities, but changed his Mind; and, instead of punishing, resolved
to pardon his Son; but on this Condition, that he was to come into his
Presence, and receive his Commands. His Mother, being exceeding glad at
the good Success of her Interposal, was not wanting to the Occasion;
but presently acquainted _Bajazet_ by Letters that, whenever he was sent
for, he should not scruple in the least to come to his Father, for she
had wrought a Reconciliation betwixt them, so that not the least spark
of Discontent lay now covered in his Mind against him. Upon the Receipt
of this good News, _Bajazet_ resolves to trust his Father, yet not
without some Relicks of Fear; he reflected ever and anon on his Brother
_Mustapha_, whose Example warned him of the Danger he underwent. However,
conquering his Fear, come he did to the place of Conference appointed
by his Father; it was called _Carestrane_, some few Miles distant from
_Constantinople_.
You must know; that, now-a-days, ’tis the custom of the _Turkish_
Emperors, never to permit any one of their Sons, when once they are grown
up, to set their Foot within the Gates of _Constantinople_, (whilst they
are alive) for fear they should ingratiate themselves with the Soldiery,
and so set up for themselves. As he was alighting from his Horse, some
of his Father’s Servants were at hand to take away his Sword and Dagger.
This struck his guilty Conscience into a little Fear, though it were
accustomed to be done to others, that they might come unarmed into their
Emperor’s Presence: But his Mother, who had placed her self on purpose
near his Passage, looked out at a Window, using these Expressions, _Chear
up, chear up, my Son!_ By which Antidote he was very much heartened and
relieved.
As soon as ever he came into his Father’s Presence, the old Man bid him
sit down, and then began to blame him very severely for his Rashness,
in taking up Arms so causelesly. They may be looked upon, said he, as
taken up against my self: But, grant you took them up only against your
Brother, yet it takes off little from your Offence; for, if you had had
your Wish, the _Ottoman_ Religion would have been quite shaken, if not
overthrown, by the domestic Discords among our Family, (on the Heirs
whereof it doth depend); so that, if you be a true _Mussulman_, such a
Crime ought to have been far from your Thoughts. I might aggravate your
Crime (said he) by telling you, that you aspired to the Government in
my Life-time, which is so contemptuous a Thing, that your Offence is
almost inexpiable: Nevertheless, I am resolved to pardon you, and to
shew my self a loving Father, rather than a just Judge, that so for the
future you may leave all to God; for Kingdoms, and the Governments of
them are not disposed of by Man’s Pleasure, but by the Will of God. If
he hath decreed that you shall have the Kingdom after me, no Man living
will be able to hinder it: But, if God had otherwise determined, ’twas a
mad Thing in you to go about to resist his Will; for that were to fight
against God. And, therefore, let me advise you to be quiet; and not
disturb your peaceable Brother, nor interrupt the Quiet of my old Age;
for, I will assure you, if you commit a second Offence of this Nature, I
will be so far from Pardoning you, that you shall have the Severity of
Justice.
_Bajazet_’s Answer was very submissive, acknowledging his Fault, and
promising Subjection for the future. Whereupon _Solyman_ called for
Drink, and caused it to be given to his Son, (as the Custom is) which
was a Sherbet, made of Sugar, and the Juice of certain Fruit. _Bajazet_
had rather have let it alone, as fearing it might have been his last
Draught, but he could not handsomely refuse it: So he drank a little, and
his Father drank a little after him; which freed him of his Fear. Thus
_Bajazet_ was dismissed, and sent away to his Government, his Congress
with his Father having been far more auspicious, than his Brother
_Mustapha_’s was.
As for the Death of _Achmet Bassa_, another of your Enquiries, I shall
give this short Relation. Some say, he was put to Death for being too
much affected to _Mustapha_, and for favouring underhand the counterfeit
_Mustapha_, and encouraging _Bajazet_ in his Designs. Others say, that
being a mere Robber or Swash-Buckler at first, but advanced for his
Audacity, Valour and Skill in military Affairs, to that high Dignity, the
Punishment of his former flagitious Life, was only deferred to the last
Period of it. And some were of Opinion, he was executed only to make Way
for _Rustan_; for _Solyman_, having promised _Achmet_ never to take away
the Seal from him, so long as he lived, to make a collusive Performance
of his Word, he caused him to be put to Death, before he did it. Some
said, that _Solyman_ gave it out, ’Twas better to die once, than a
thousand Times over; for the Fear of the Loss of his _Grand Viziership_,
and much more his Survival thereupon, would have been as a thousand
Deaths to him. Whatever was the Cause, the Manner of it was this: He
came early in the Morning into the Divan, (or Council-Chamber) being
ignorant of what was designed against him: By and by comes the Messenger
to him from the _Sultan_, telling him, that he must die. He was a Man of
a great Spirit, and received the Message as undauntedly, as if it had
nothing concerned him; only, when the Executioner drew near, to do his
Office, he pushed him away, as thinking it dishonourable for a Man of his
Dignity to die by the Hands of an ordinary Executioner: But, casting his
Eyes round about the Company, he espied a creditable Person, that was
his Friend; him he desired to do that last Office for him, and he should
take it as a great Kindness at his Hands. His Friend, upon his iterated
Request, undertook it: Only _Achmet_ advised, not to draw the Cord, or
Bow-string, so as to dispatch him at once, but when he had strained it a
little, then to remit it, that he might breath a while, and afterwards
to pull it as hard as he could, until he were dead; wherein his Desire
was answered. Thus _Achmet_ was willing to taste (as it were) of Death,
before he drank his full Draught of it. Upon his Decease _Rustan_ had the
_Grand-Viziership_ bestowed upon him.
As for my Return out of this Country, which you desire to hear of, all I
can say is, _Facilis descensus Averni_. He that brought me hither, will,
when he sees good, bring me back: In the Interim, I solace my self in the
Company of my old Friends, my Books, which never fail to afford me Relief
both Day and Night.
_Constantinople, June 12._
_SIR_,
What you have heard, is very true, in every particular; for it is most
certain, that all my Collegues are returned Home, and poor I am left
behind, alone. And, whereas you put several Questions to me, as, what
Fate, or what malevolent Star, kept me back from accompanying them in
their Return? And why I did not shake Hands with that barbarous Country,
to enjoy the wish’d for Comforts of my own? And withal, you demand, what
memorable Matters I have seen or heard of since I wrote last? Promising
to give Credit to whatever drops from my Pen, as if it were as true as
Gospel. And moreover, you desire to know the course of my Studies, and
how I relieve my self, both in my Solitudes and Sufferings? And whether I
go abroad, or always stay at home? All these Demands put together, will
engage me to write rather Commentaries or Diaries, than a single Letter,
especially, since you are very earnest to know, how _Bajazet_’s Matters
stand, concerning which, you say, there are various Reports with you.
You claim a Promise from me, and unless I perform it, you tell me you
will commence an Action against me, and have already drawn your Breviat.
To pursue your Metaphor, let me persuade you to stay a while, _Leniter
qui sæviunt, sapiunt magis_, says the old Proverb, no Haste to kill true
Men: But if you are so much given to Law, take Use and Principal too,
rather than I will answer your Suit, for I am averse from _Lawing_. And
besides, the distance of Place is so great between us, that if I should
put in an Exception to your _Plea_, yet your Writ would hardly abate.
But, however it be, I will rather satisfy your Desires, than contend
with you in the least. When my Collegues (whose Names I gave you in my
last Letters) perceived, that our three Years Abode in this Place had
produced little Good hitherto, either to the making of a firm Peace,
or the continuing the Truce; and that small Hopes of either did appear
for the future, they laboured with Might and Main to be dismissed by
this Court; and when, with much ado, _Solyman_’s Consent was obtained
therein, (for ’tis no easy matter to get a Dismission from hence) the
only Question was, whether we should all go, or only those of us that
came first, and so had been longest there? For cunning _Solyman_, that
he might not seem over desirous of Peace, by retaining one of us,
remitted the Matter wholly to our own Choice. In these Circumstances,
my Companions thought it very adviseable, and for our Master’s Service,
that one of us should stay behind; and I my self was of the same Mind:
But we resolved to dissemble our Sentiments, and conceal them from the
_Turks_, so that, as often as we had any Discourse with them on that
Subject, I always pretended an utter Unwillingness to stay behind. ’Tis
true, I told them I came thither to reside as Ambassador in Ordinary; but
it was on Supposition, that Peace would be made between both Empires.
That not being yet done, I did not see how I could well stay, but to the
Damage, and against the Will of my Master, and therefore it was best
that we should all return together. Thus I reasoned before them, that
so I might stay on better Terms, rather by their Entreaty than by my
own voluntary Offer. I knew well enough, that, if we all went away, it
would not only open a wide Door for a War, but it would even quite shut
out all Hopes of Peace; which latter was not despaired of, if I staid
behind: For, whilst Dispatches were sent to and from both Princes, it
would spin out a great deal of Time, in which Interval something or other
might fall out of advantage to our Cause; so that it was better to do any
thing, than to precipitate our selves into a fierce and cruel War; and
yet I was not ignorant, how prejudicial my Stay would be to my self, for
thereby my Care and Labour would be doubled, in regard one was to do the
Work of two or three: Besides, many Inconveniencies might occasionally
arise, especially, if the Issue of my Transactions did terminate in a
War: And yet, I must tell you, he that undertakes the Office of a public
Ambassador, must post-pone all such private Difficulties, and make light
of them, in comparison of the public Good of his Prince and Country.
And I had a fair Opportunity to manage this Affair by the Complaisance
of _Rustan_, who was very desirous of my Stay; for that subtle _Vizier_
easily foresaw, what a shrewd Step towards a War it would be, if we
should all be gone and leave the Negotiation for a Peace unfinished. The
old Fox was averse from War, upon this Account principally; he foresaw
that, if _Solyman_ made an Expedition into _Hungary_, it was impossible
to prevent the Discords of his Children; for if _Selimus_ were willing to
be quiet, yet _Bajazet_ would attempt Innovation, especially since he was
favoured by himself, his Wife, and Mother-in-law; and such Commotions,
he knew, would be fatal to him: And therefore, when we were once at his
House, he made a long Harangue to my Colleagues, advising them what to
say to their Master at their Return, in order to a Peace. As for me, he
advised me by all means to stay behind, and not to desert a Business so
well begun, till it came to the desired Issue; and there’s no doubt, said
he, but the Emperor, your Master, who always shewed himself inclining to
Peace, will approve well-enough of your Stay. However, I continued deaf
to his Request, as far as with Safety I could, and insisted on my Return;
which egg’d him on the more, to persuade me to stay: What, says he, will
you cut off all Hopes of Peace for ever? Our Emperor longs for nothing
more than to send an Army into _Hungary_, and he had long since done it,
if I had not made use of some female Instruments (meaning his Wife and
Mother-in-law) to dissuade him; yea, as it were to pluck him back by the
Sleeve; and therefore, if you be wife, don’t rouze a sleeping Lyon to
destroy you. Upon this I began to yield a little, and was less peremptory
in my Refusal to stay; only I told them, my greatest Remora was, I was
afraid of their unjust Reproaches; that, if Matters succeeded not as they
would have them, the whole Blame would be cast upon me (though it was not
in my Power to help it) and therefore they would make me feel the Fruits
of their Indignation. But _Rustan_ bid me be of good Cheer, whatever the
Event were; if unsuccessful, it should not be imputed to me; if I would
but stay, he promised to take me under his Protection, and next he would
treat me (to use his own Words) as if I were his natural Brother. I told
him, I would consider of it; and so we parted for that Time.
The next Day we were called into the _Divan_, (so they called their
Council-Chamber) and then the same Part was acted over again; only
_Rustan_ carried it a little more covertly, and reservedly, because
of the Presence of other _Bashaws_. There, at last, I yeilded to stay
behind, only leaving a Memorial with them of this Import, that I
staid behind unknown to my Master, and therefore I would leave all my
Concessions to his Arbitrement, to cancel or confirm: As for myself,
I would be responsible for nothing, nor oblige myself by any Promise,
whatever issue God were pleased to give of my Negotiation. This Memorial
was of great Service to me afterwards, in difficult Circumstances, so
that the _Bashaws_ could not, for shame, treat me so severely in their
Resentments, as otherwise they would have done.
Thus, Sir, you have an Account of my Stay behind my Fellows, with
the Reason of it. They left _Constantinople_ about the latter end of
_August_, 1557. The Winter following, the _Grand Seignior_ went to
_Adrianople_, as his Custom was, both to strike a greater Terror into
_Hungary_, upon the Report of his nearer approach thither, and also for
the Conveniencies of his Hunting, (for there the Winters are colder than
at _Constantinople_,) both which he thought conducive to his Health. The
Country thereabout is full of Marshes and Stagnant Waters, by reason of
the nearness of many Rivers; so that there are abundance of Water-Fowl,
as wild-Ducks, Geese, Herons, Storks, Cranes, Bitterns, _&c._ To catch
them, he makes use of Hawks, or a lesser sort of Eagles, which are so
used to the Sport, that, though the Fowl fly up to the Clouds, they’ll
fetch him down from thence; but, if they fly lower, then they truss them,
and with a mighty Force strike them with their Bills to the Ground. I am
told, that some of his Falcons are so disciplin’d and expert, that they
will venture on a Crane, even in that part of the Body where the Wing
joyns it; and by this means the Crane’s Bill can do them no hurt, and so
they tumble to the Ground with their Prey: And yet sometimes the Hawk
pays dear for his Boldness; for, if he do but miss his Gripe never so
little, presently the Crane runs him through with his Bill, and down he
tumbles dead to the Ground.
For this Reason, the _Grand Seignior_ ordinarily every Year, a
little before Winter, goes to _Adrianople_, and returns not again to
_Constantinople_, till the Frogs begin to be troublesome to him by their
croaking. Thither _Rustan_, a while after, sent for me by Letter; he
appointed some Horse to guard me on the Way, and Sixteen _Janizaries_;
whether as a Guard to me, or upon me, I leave to you to judge. We made
long Journeys; for he advised us to make hast. On the Third Day my
_Janizaries_, being on Foot, began to grumble; the Ways were dirty, as is
usual at that Time of the Year, and they complained, that they were often
forced to march more Miles in a Day, than they were used to do; and that,
if their Emperor were there, they could hardly endure it.
Their Complaints troubled me not a little, because I was loth to
disoblige this sort of People, and therefore I consulted with my
Servants, how I might allay their Discontents, and make them willinger to
Travel. One of mine told me, he had observed that they were much taken
with a certain kind of Caudle, Gruel or Pottage, which my Cook used to
make of Wine, Eggs, Sugar and Spices: Perhaps (says he) if they have some
of that for their Break-fast, they will be plyable. This seemed but a
mean Expedient, yet we resolved to try it, and the Success answered our
Expectation; for, after this sweet Soop, it being also further heated
with a Glass or two of Wine, away they trudged as merrily as could be,
and told me, they would accompany me, on the same Terms, to _Buda_, if I
pleased.
When I came to _Adrianople_, I was forced to hear the Railings, rather
than the Complaints of _Rustan_, concerning the plundering Excursions of
the _Hungarians_. And, by way of Answer, I was as ready to complain to
him of the frequent Depredations and Mischiefs, which the _Turks_ did in
_Christian_ Countries. No marvel, said I, if we retort like for like; for
I had just then received an Express from _Cæsar_, my Master, informing
me, what Breaches and Contraventions the _Turks_ had made of that Truce,
which at the Departure of my Collegues, was agreed upon: How they vexed
the poor Peasants with continual Inrodes, robbing them of their Goods,
and made themselves, their Wives and Children, Slaves.
I must not forget to acquaint you, that the same Day, a Messenger
came to me with an Express from _Cæsar_, my Master. There happened an
Earthquake at _Adrianople_, from which he took an occasion to tell me,
that he perceived the same (so he judged it) at _Nissa_, _S. Sophia_
and other Places through which he Travelled, so that the Air, included
in the Bowels of the Earth, did seem to have kept Pace with him, by
some subterraneous Passages or Caverns, and to have travelled as far
in a Day under Ground, as he himself had done on the Surface of it.
This Conjecture afterward seemed to be confirmed, upon the Relation we
received of an Earthquake that happened in _Constantinople_ four Days
after, which seemed to be the same imprisoned Air, that had made its Way,
under Ground, even to that City also.