all to no purpose. The _Bailo_ of _Venice_ was applied to, because under
the Protection of that Republick they fell into this Danger: He granted
there was all the reason in the World they should be released; _But what
Justice_, said he, _can we obtain among such an inhuman and barbarous
People?_ In the mean time I applied all the Relief I was able, to their
distressed Condition: But one day, far beyond my Expectation, they all
came to my House, and told me, they were sent as a Present to me by the
_French_ Ambassador, who had obtained their Liberty. I was mighty glad of
their Releasement, and sent great Thanks to the Ambassador, whose Name
was _La Vigne_. The manner was thus; when he was about to take his leave
of the Sultan, and to kiss his Hand, as the Custom is, he thrust a piece
of Paper into it, wherein he desired that the Gentlemen might be released
in favour to his Prince, because their Voyage was occasioned upon the
account of a Pilgrimage for Religion. _Solyman_ granted his Request, and
released them presently: Whereupon I supplied them with Accommodations
for their Voyage, and sent them first to _Vienna_, and then home into
their own Country.
This _La Vigne_ at first was very strict and vexatious to me, and used
all his Arts to bring me into the _Bashaws_ Dislike without any Fault of
mine: He told them, I was a Subject to the King of _Spain_, born in the
_Low-Countries_, and that I served the _Spaniard_ more than the Emperor;
that I acquainted him with every thing that was done at _Constantinople_,
and had Emissaries in Pay, who related to me the very Secrets of that
Empire, amongst whom was _Ebrahim_ the chief _Druggerman_ of _Turkey_.
This he did, before the Peace was made between _Spain_ and _France_; but,
when those two Princes were agreed, he took the first opportunity to
retract what he had spoken.
_La Vigne_ was a Man of a prodigious Liberty of Speech; he would tell
all he knew, let it be taken how it would. This made _Rustan_ himself
to avoid his Company; whilst at the same time others were backward
to converse with _Rustan_, because of the sourness of his Humour. He
sent once to _Rustan_ to desire Audience: He told the Messengers, his
Interpreters, that he might send his Errand by them, for his Business
might be as well done in his Absence as in his Presence. Yet _La Vigne_
would needs come himself, where he spoke that which grated _Rustan_’s
Ears. _What do you think_, says he, _that you have got ~Buda~, ~Gran~,
~Alba Regalis~, and other ~Hungarian~ Towns, from the Christians by Force?
No, I deny it utterly; ’tis our Dissention that gave you Opportunity to
take them: If there had not been continual Wars between the Kings of
~France~ and ~Spain~, you would have been so far from possessing those
Towns, that ~Charles V.~ would hardly have suffered you to live quiet
at ~Constantinople~ it self._ At which Speech _Rustan_ was so provoked,
that he told him, _What dost thou tell me of the Kings of ~Spain~ and
~France~? If all the Christian Princes join their Arms together against
my Master, he cares not a Rush; he will easily conquer them all._
And thereupon he withdrew himself into his Bed-chamber, and bid the
Ambassador be gone. I must needs acquaint you, in this place, with the
Relations I have heard concerning that People which inhabit the _Tauric
Chersonese_, who are reported to have been originally _Germans_, as
their Speech, Manners and Countenances seem to declare. I had a great
desire to meet with any body of that Nation, from whom I might procure
some Tracts written in that Language, but I could not obtain it; yet at
last I met with an Accident which in part satisfied my Desires. There
came two Envoys from that Nation to the Sultan, to make some Complaint
or other; and my Interpreters lighting upon them, did (as I had desired
them, if ever they had Opportunity) invite them to Dinner to my House.
One was a tall Man, carrying an ingenuous Simplicity in his Countenance,
so that he seemed either a _Flemming_ or a _Batavian_: The other was
shorter, of a well-set Body, and browner Colour, a _Greek_ by Birth, but
by frequent Commerce with that People, he had got much of their Language,
and seemed to forget his own. Being asked concerning the Nature and
Manners of that People, he answered very pertinently, that they were a
warlike Nation, that inhabited many Towns thereabouts, from whence the
Cham of _Tartary_, when he pleased, used to draw forth 800 Musketeers,
the chief Prop of his Army. Their chief Cities were two, one called
_Mancup_ the other _Scivarin_. He added much more concerning the Tartars
and their Barbarity; yet he confessed that there was some very ingenious
Men amongst them. If you asked of the highest Affairs, they would answer
briefly, yet very much to the purpose. Insomuch, that the _Turks_ said
frequently and justly of them, that _other Nations had their Learning
in their Books, but the ~Tartars~ had eaten their Books, and had their
Wisdom in their Breasts, from whence they could draw it out as they had
occasion, as Divine Oracles._
They are slovenly in their Deportment; for, if you set any Soop before
them, they eat it not with a Spoon, but with the hollow of their Hands.
Their Meat is Horse-flesh; not roasted, but heated under the Saddles of
their Horses, to which Hunger was their best Sauce.
Their Prince is served in Silver, his first and last Dish being a Horse’s
Head, as Butter is served up first and last with us. He repeated many
_German_ Words, amongst others, which were unintelligible to us; perhaps
his Memory fail’d him, so that he mix’d home-bred and foreign Words
together; to every Word he added the Article _Tho_ or _The_. The Words
which were ours, or little different from them, were these:
Broe, _Bread_.
Plut, _Blood_.
Stul, _a Stool or Seat_.
Hus, _a House_.
Wingart, _a Vine_.
Reghen, _Rain_.
Bruder, _Brother_.
Schwester, _Sister_.
Alt, _Old Man_.
Wintch, _Wind_.
Silvir, _Silver_.
Goltz, _Gold_.
Kor, _Wheat_.
Salt, _Salt_.
Fisct, _Fish_.
Hoef, _the Head_.
Thurn, _a Gate_.
Stern, _a Star_.
Sune, _the Sun_.
Mine, _the Moon_.
Tag, _a Day_.
Oeghene, _the Eyes_.
Bars, _a Beard_.
Handa, _the Hands_.
Boga, _a Bow_.
Miera, _an Ant_.
Rinck, _or_ Ringo, _a Ring_.
Brunna, _a Fountain_.
Waghen, _a Waggon or Coach_.
Apel, _an Apple_.
Schieten _to shoot an Arrow_.
Schlipen, _to Sleep_.
Kommen, _to come_.
Singhen, _to Sing_.
Lachen, _to Laugh_.
Criten, _to Weep_.
Geen, _to go_.
Breen, _to roast_.
Schwalch, _Death_.
_Knauen Tag_ was _Good-day_ with him; _Knauen_ was _Good_; and several
such Words he used, not well agreeing with ours, as,
Jel, _Life, or Health_.
Jelisch, _alive, or well_.
Jeluburt, _let it be well_.
Marzus, _Marriage_.
Schuos, _a Spouse_.
Baar, _a Boy_.
Ael, _a Stone_.
Menus, _Flesh_.
Rintsch, _a Mountain_.
Fers, _a Man_.
Statz, _the Earth_.
Ada, _an Egg_.
Ano, _an Hen_.
Telich, _a Fool_.
Stap, _a Goat_.
Gadeltha, _Beautiful_.
Atochta, _Evil_.
Wichtgata, _White_.
Mycha, _a Sword_.
Lista, _a little_.
Schedit, _Light_.
Borrotsch, _the Will_.
Cadariou, _a Soldier_.
Kilemschkop, _drink up your Cup_.
Tzo Warthata, _as thou hast done_.
Jes Varthata, _he did it_.
Ich malthata, _I say_.
When he was desired to number, he said thus, _Ita, tua, tria, fyder,
fyuf, seis, sevene_, just as we _Flemmings_; for you _Brabanters_, who
speak _German-like_, do highly value your selves, and laugh at us, as
if we pronounced _Seven_ more coarsely: He went on reckoning _Athe,
nyne, thiine, thiinita, thiinetua, thiinetria_, &c. _Twenty_ he called
_Stega_, Thirty _Treithyen_, Forty _Furdeithien_, an Hundred _Sada_, a
Thousand _Hazer_. He also sung us a Song in that Language, which began
thus:
_Wara wara ingdolou:_
_Scu te gira Galizu._
_Hæmisclep dorbiza ea._
Whether these People be _Goths_ or _Saxons_, I cannot tell; If _Saxons_,
then, I suppose, they were transplanted thither in the time of _Charles_
the Great, who dispersed that Nation into many remote Countries, as
appears by the Cities of _Transilvania_, which to this day are inhabited
by _Saxons_; and possibly he might transplant the rest of the Nation
as far as _Tauric Chersonese_, where they still retain the Christian
Religion, though surrounded by the Enemies of it: But if they are
_Goths_, then I judge they chose their Inhabitants there next to the
_Getes_, and perhaps most of that Tract of Land between the _Gothick_
Isle and _Procopia_, (as now ’tis called) was heretofore inhabited by
_Goths_. Hence we read of the Names of sundry _Goths_, as _West-Goths_,
and _East_ or _Ostro-Goths_, who over-ran the World with their Victory,
and were the great Seminary of Multitudes of Barbarians. This is all I
could hear of these _Procopiensians_ concerning the _Tauric Chersonese_.
Let me now tell you something of the City and Country of _Cathay_, which
I learned of a certain _Turkish_ Pilgrim, who use to travel over the
World on account of Religion, and to worship God on high Mountains and
desert Places. He had travelled over a great part of the East-Country,
where he was acquainted with the _Portuguese_; but, having a desire to
visit _Cathay_ also, he joined himself to some Merchants, who in great
Numbers used to travel to this Country. ’Tis a Journey that not many
will undertake, it being so dangerous, and the way thither so full of
strange Nations, who use to plunder Travellers in their passage. When he
left _Persia_ behind him, he came to _Samarchand_, to _Borchar_, and to
_Taschan_, and other Towns inhabited by the Successors of _Tamerlane_.
When he had passed by these Places there were large Desarts, and some
Countries inhabited by wild, and others by a more civilized People; yet
the Country was generally poor, so that they were forced to carry their
Victuals along with them on a drove of Camels: This Company they call
_Caravans_. After some Month’s Travel they came to the _Streights_,
entring into _Cathay_, (for you must know, that a great part of that
Country is _Mediterranean_, and encompassed by such huge Mountains and
Rocks, that it is accessible but in a very few Passages, where their King
hath his Guards and Garrisons). When the Merchants come thither, they are
asked what they bring? Whence they came? and how many they are? When the
Guard is informed of the Truth, they make a Smoak by day, or else kindle
a Beacon by night, which gives warning to the next Beacon, and so from
one to another, till they come to _Cathay_. This Advice cost them but
some Hours, which otherwise would take up many Days, the way is so long.
When News is brought to the King, he sends backward by the same way of
Conveyance what his Pleasure is, whether they shall _all_ be admitted
to enter, or only _some_, the rest being either excluded, or made to
stay longer. When they are admitted, they are guarded all along to their
several Inns or Lodging-places, where they may have all things for their
Money, till they come to the King himself. Here every one brings forth
his respective Ware, and offers it the King, whose Privilege it is, to
buy what Ware he pleaseth in the first Place; and then they sell the rest
to the best Chapman. This they must do within certain limits of Time, and
then they must return; for the _Carthayans_ cannot endure that Strangers
should live long amongst them, for fear they should infect their
Country-Manners. Thus the Merchants are dismissed in a very friendly
Manner, and return by the same Stages they went.
This Traveller told me, that they were a very wise People, and lived
in good Order and Government, having a distinct Religion of their own,
differing from the _Christian_, _Jewish_ or _Mahometan_; but nearest to
the _Jewish_, except their Ceremonies.
Printing hath been in use among them for many Ages, as appears by their
several printed Books: For Paper, they use the Cases of _Silk-worms_;
it is so thin that it will bear Printing on one side only, the other is
blank. In this City, he said, there were a great many Shops full of Musk,
which was the fresh foame of a certain Beast as big as a Kid. A Lion is
highly prized amongst them; there are none of them in that Country, and
therefore they value it at a great Rate, and will pay well for it. This
is what I could learn of this Wanderer concerning _Cathay_; believe it
as you please. I asked him further, whether he had brought back any rare
Root, Fruit or Stone, out of that Country? He told me, he had brought
nothing but a little Root for his own Use, which he bit and eat a little
of, when he was faint or cold, and it would presently warm and relieve
him; and thereupon he gave me a piece of it, telling me I must use it
very sparingly: I desired Dr. _Williams_, my Physician, then alive, to
taste of it, who, by its biting and inflaming the Mouth, judged it to be
a root of the _Wolfleaf-tree_.
Let me now tell you another wondrous Story of another wandering _Turkish_
Monk. He wore a Cap and white Cloak down to his Heels, with long
Hair, such as Painters draw the _Apostles_ with. He had a promising
Countenance, but was a meer Impostor; and, yet the _Turks_ admired him
as a miraculous Man. My Interpreters were persuaded to bring him to
me, that I might see him. He dined with me soberly and modesty enough;
afterwards he goes down into the Yard, and upon his return, he takes up
a huge Stone, and struck with it divers times upon his naked Breast, as
many Blows as would have felled an Ox: Then he took a piece of Iron, that
was heated in the Fire on purpose, and thrust it into his Mouth, where
he stirred it up and down so that his Spittle hiss’d again; ’twas a long
piece of Iron, thick and quadrangular in that part which he thrust into
his Mouth, and it was red-hot as a live Coal: Then he put the Iron into
the Fire again, and after I had made him a Present, he saluted me and
departed. My Domesticks wonder’d at the Trick, all but one, who pretended
he knew more than all the rest; _Oh_, says he, _he is a meer Cheat_; and
thereupon he takes hold of the stronger part of the Iron, pretending
he could do as much as the Juggler. He had no sooner grasped it in his
Hands, than he threw it away, and his Fingers were well burnt for his
Audaciousness, so that they were many days a curing. This Accident caused
his Fellows to laugh, and jearingly to ask, whether the Iron were hot
enough yet, and whether he would touch it again or not?
The same _Turk_, while he was at Dinner, told me, that the Prior of their
Monastery was a Man famous for Sanctity and Miracles, for he would spread
his Cloak over a Lake near adjoining, and sitting on it, would row up
and down whither he pleased: And that he would strip himself naked, and
be tied to a Sheep newly kill’d, tying Arms to Arms, and Leg to Leg, and
so would be thrown into the hot Oven till the Sheep were bak’d fit to be
eaten, then he himself would be taken out without any harm at all: You
will not believe this; neither do I, only I relate what he told me; but
that part concerning the red-hot Iron I saw with my own Eyes.
And yet I must tell you, the Matter is not so much to be admired; for,
without doubt, the Fellow, when he went down into the Yard to fetch a
Stone, had fortified his Mouth, against the Violence of the Fire, with
some such Medicines as you know are to be met with; for I remember once
in the Market-place at _Venice_, I saw a Juggler take melted Lead, and
wash his Hands with it, as if it had been common Water: But enough of
this.
I told you before, that I had a little more Freedom some time before
_Rustan_’s Death, which was very grateful to me on one Account, because
it gave me an Opportunity to converse with Strangers and others which
frequented my House, whole Acquaintance might be instructive to me; and
yet this Liberty was not without its Inconvenience; it gave my Servants
opportunity to straggle abroad, and sometimes without the _Janizaries_,
and so they met with many Affronts, which cost me some trouble: I’ll
tell you of one, by which you may judge of the rest.
Two of my Servants passed over in a Boat to _Pera_; they went alone,
either because the _Janizaries_ were not at home, or else they thought
it needless to take them; one was my Apothecary, the other Master of my
Wine-Cellar. When they had done what they went for, they hired a Boat to
carry them back to _Constantinople_; they were scarce sat down in the
Boat, but there came a Youth from the _Caddy_, or Judge of that Place,
commanding them to come forth, for the _Caddy_ must be wafted over in
that Boat: My Servants told him, there were Boats enough to carry over
the _Caddy_, besides that which they had hired, and therefore they would
not stir: Hereupon he endeavoured to force them; so that from Words they
came to Blows. This being done in sight of the _Caddy_, who was coming
down to the Boat, it made him run to help the Boy, (who was thought to be
his _Ganymede_) but the Steps towards the Sea being slippery, by reason
of Ice, (for it was Winter) he fell head-long into the Sea, and had been
drown’d if his Companions had not relieved him: Hereupon a Clamour was
raised all over _Pera_, and the _Turks_ would have it that my Servants
had laid Violent Hands on the Judge, and had almost drown’d him. My
Servants were seized and carried before the Judge in Capital Cases: They
fetch out Clubs, and Stocks to put their Feet in, that they might beat
them, as their manner is, on the Soles of them. In the interim one of
my Servants, an _Italian_, cried out in a Rage, _Beat, strike, Dogs,
strike! we are wronged, we are innocent! we are Servants to ~Cæsar~’s
Ambassador, and doubtless when your own Emperor shall know how we are
abused, he will make you smart for it_. One of the _Turks_, hearing him
cry out so boldly: _D’ye think_, said he, that One-ey’d thing is a Man?
No; for certain, he _is an One-ey’d ~Cacodæmon~_, (for he had a Blemish
in one of his Eyes.) The _Waywode_ also, that is, in their Language, the
Judge, perceiving the Boldness of the Man, was at a stand what to do; but
thought it best to send them to _Rustan_: Thither went the whole Rout,
with a pack of false Witnesses, ready to give their Testimonies against
the Innocent; for the _Turks_ count it meritorious to give in false
Evidence against a _Christian_; you need not summon them to appear, they
came of their own accords, as it happened in this Case: They all cried
out before the _Grand Vizier_, that those Rogues had beaten their Judge,
and, if they had not been seiz’d, would have drowned him: My Servants
denied the Crime they were charged with, alledging that they were falsly
accused, and that they were my menial Servants. By this Time _Rustan_
perceived that there was more Noise than Truth on his Countrymens side;
yet, to still the Fury of the inraged Multitude, he told them he would
punish them severely; and he sent them to Prison. The Prison was a
Safeguard to them against the Fury of the Multitude; he then examined
Witnesses, the most credible among them, and found my Servants were
Guiltless, and that all the Fault lay at the _Caddy_’s Door. In the mean
time I sent my Interpreters to demand my Servants; but _Rustan_ thought
fit to refer the Matter to the _Divan_, lest, if the _Sultan_ should hear
of it, he might suspect, that a Bribe had made him partial and negligent
in the _Caddy_’s Case. I had at this time some intimate acquaintance with
_Haly_, to whom I sent my _Druggerman_ with a grievous Complaint, that
I might not suffer Wrong to the end of the Chapter; _Haly_ undertook my
Cause, and bid me rest confident that the Business would soon end to
my Satisfaction. But _Rustan_ came not off so handsomely; he feared
it might be thought that Money had inclined him more to favour me, and
therefore had rather the Business were made up with the _Caddy_; he
wished, therefore, I would offer him a few Ducats to appease him, 25
were enough. I gave him Thanks for his Advice, and told him, that if
he desired me to throw so many Ducats into the Sea, I would willingly
do it for his sake; but that Money was not so much to be considered in
this case, as Example: _For_, said I, _if he that did my Servants an
Injury, must be paid for his Labour, a larger Fund than mine would not
suffice; for if a Man tear his Clothes, while he is intending to do my
People an Injury, he knew where to have Money to buy new ones, which was
an unworthy thing, and by no means to be indured by me._ Thus were my
Servants, by the Mediations of _Haly_ sent home to me. When the _Bailo_
of _Venice_ heard of their Release, he sent for one of my Servants
present, and desired to know of him, what that Business had cost me?
_Not a Doit_, said he. Then said the _Bailo_, _It would have cost me 200
Ducats before I could have come off._ But the poor Judge suffered most
of all; for he was put out of his Office, the _Turks_ accounting it an
absurd and hainous thing to be beaten by a _Christian_, as he confessed
he had been.
As for the Release of the _Spanish_ Commanders, it was obtained by my
Mediation; they were these, _De Sande_ Commander of the Land Forces,
and _Leyva_, and _Requesne_, the one Admiral of the _Neapolitan_, the
other of the _Sicilian_ Gallies. In short, I’ll tell you how I compassed
their Release: The Peace made between the Kings of _Spain_ and _France_,
did much trouble the _Turks_, as being inconvenient to their Affairs,
especially considering that they were not comprehended in it, as at first
they thought they should be; yet they dissembled the matter at present,
but sought for an Opportunity to shew their dislike of it. _Solyman_ had
writ to the King of _France_, that he agreed to the Peace, yet would have
him remember, _That Old Friends are not easily made Enemies, nor Old
Enemies, Friends_.
This Disgust of the _Turks_ was of no small Advantage to my Affairs: To
which _Haly Bassa_’s Affection, and _Ebrahim_’s great desire to shew his
Gratitude to me, did very much contribute.