Infantry pinch'd with Hunger starved with Cold and overwhelmed with Misery and their Cavalry lazy and void of Experience are enough to frustrate the best laid designs of the greatest Generals Among those who deserve this Character we must reckon the Palatin of Russia Jablonouski a Lord of a fine Presence of a Noble and VVarlike and yet of a sweet Mien he is a Person of undaunted Courage accompanied with an admirable Temper and great Penetration He was first Grand Ensign of the Crown afterwards Little General and for his Valour advanced to the Supreme Dignity of Grand General after the Death of Prince Demetrius Wietsnievistski One of the Actions wherein this General signalized himself with part of the Foreign Troops was to stop the fury of Tartars and give the King time to retire under Leopold with the rest of his Army This particular will merit the Readers pardon for the Digression I shall here make to acquaint him with one of the greatest Actions of the King of Poland and the Palatin of Russia The City of Leopold is Capital of the Palatinat of Russia the Seat of the Palatin and is become famous in the History of the present Age by reason of the share it hath born in the War betwixt the Poles and the Turks But this Action of the King which we are now about to relate will consecrate its Memory to all Posterity and advance it to the highest Pinacle of Glory In the last Year of the Reign of Michael his Predecessor this City was in great danger The Turks burnt its Suburbs in 1672. and were likely to have carried this Important Place which is but sorrily fortified had not the Inhabitants come to a Treaty promised a great Summ for their Redemption and given up the principal Citizens as Hostages who were retained a long time in Caminiec But King John III. knew how to guard this City in the Sequel of the War by the most glorious Methods imaginable In 1675. the Tartars advanced very near this City which the Grand Visier had commanded them to besiege The King of Poland encamped round the Place and fortified the same with diligence though he had scarcely 5000 Men left Ibrahim Pacha and Sultan Nuradin commanded the Enemies Army which consisted of 15000 Turks and 20000 Tartars These two Generals having miscarried before several other Places sat down before Sbaracz in which there were but 40 Heidukes and 6000 Paysants who were more inclined to surrender than to fight and in effect as soon as the Enemy appear'd the Rabble opened the Gates After this Expedition Ibrahim retired to Caminiec and Nuradin detatch'd 15000 Men to block up Leopold posting himself with the rest of the Army two Leagues higher to attend the Issue which was to his dishonour for the King of Poland marched with some Squadrons against the Enemy charged them with vigor and drove them back to Nuradin's Camp whence that Tartar Prince retir'd with great Precipitation Some time after having assembled more Troops he renewed his design of investing Leopold and forcing the King's Camp and undertook it himself at the Head of 40000 chosen Men being attended with abundance of Officers of the best repute among the Tartars He began with the Attack of Slotzow which is a Castle belonging to the King 's Hereditary Demesnes within ten Leagues of Leopold on the side of Caminiec This Castle is well enough for a Gentleman's House and hath some Fortifications according to the Modern way faced with Stone but of very little Defence The Enemy attacqued it vigorously by way of Scalade with Sword in Hand The Palatin of Russia defended it with extreme bravery and forced the Tartars to retire from before this sorry Place after an obstinate Fight of five Hours duration Nuradin thinking it best to preserve his Troops that were designed for a more important Expedition would not expose them to any more Assaults but continued his march towards Leopold and possessed himself of a vast Plain below the Hills with which the Town is surrounded and upon which the King had taken his Post This Plain was covered in an Instant with the Enemies Squadrons who raised such a mighty Dust as quickly covered them from view In the mean time those of the Castle of Leopold fired some Guns to give Notice to the People of the Country to retire for their Security behind the King's Camp His Majesty having viewed that of the Tartars was nothing discouraged by their prodigious Number but gave all necessary Orders for the safety of his Camp and the City in which the Queen and the Princes her Sons were shut up He posted Guards in two places on the Right and Left to prevent a Surprize placed his Infantry in Ambuscade amongst the Bushes at the foot of the Hills which separated his Camp from the Plains possessed by the Tartars and planted his Cannon on the Heights to favour the descent of his Squadrons his eagerness to fight having quite over-ballanced his Enemies Numbers They began to skirmish assoon as they could join and the Polish Horse not finding a convenient ground at first were put into disorder but the King coming to their relief with the rest of his Troops and enlarging hi Front insensibly as his Squadrons gain'd gtound he restored the Battle where his presence seconded by his Example inspired his own Men with as much Valour as it did his Enemies with terror The Sultan quickly perceived by the disorder of his Troops that he was defeated by a Superior Power The King of Poland's Hand became dreadful to them by the weight of its blows and every one striving to avoid them that prodigious Army vanished in an instant like a Phantome Having finished this Digression I return to my Subject The Palatin of Kiow General of the Artillery is owned by all Men to be one of the bravest Officers and wisest Generals at this time in Poland and hath acquired an universal Esteem by his Gallant and Prudent Actions Those who have seen him in Battle could not but be charmed to behold his Magnanimity in exposing himself and taking care to save his Men. Those who have heard him discourse of Martial Affairs are perswaded that were he in a Country where the Art Military is regularly cultivated he would be accounted one of the greatest Captains in Europe There is moreover in Poland another Person of extrordinary Merit in that kind namely Prince Lubomirski who is no less expert in War than the Palatin and exceeds him much in Temper and Presence of Mind which contribute so much to the winning of Battles so that the same paralel might be made betwixt those two Polish Generals that was made betwixt the Prince of Condé and the Mareschal Turenne the one was incomparable for managing a Campagne and the other for fighting a Battle I would not that others whose Names and singular Endowments I don't mention here should suffer by my silence I shall do them Justice elsewhere but I thought fit to mention those
can speak Latin as well as Hungarian and in short the Generality of the Inhabitants speak it very Naturally There is scarce any Kingdom that has so many considerable Nobility Rich Lords and Powerful Families which appears from those frequent Rebellions that have happen'd in that Country and in our Days from that Rebellion rais'd by the Counts Nadasti Fragipani and Serin whose punishment contrary to the Edict of Amnesties and Impunities has fomented it again in the Person of Count Teckley who inherits the Hatred which his Ancestors bore to the Tyranny and Cruelty of the Ministers of Vienna Religion was the unhappy cause of it the Jesuites the Instruments and the Turks have made the finishing Stroke having ruin'd this vast Territory partly on their own Head and partly to relieve the Rebels From hence ensu'd the Incursion of Mahomet IV. made in the Year 1683. Afterwards the Conquests of Count Teckley in Vpper Hungary where he took Filek Cassovia Tokay Eperiez and other Places a little before Kara Mustapha a Bassa fell into Austria Not only the Genius of the Hungarians who are Naturally Treacherous and inclin'd to rebel not only the Riches of the Lords and the Fiery and Haughty Temper of the Nation but withall the Arrogance of the German Governours contributed very much to those Revolts All the World knows what great Generals and Commanders this Country has bred up who were for a long time the strongest Bulwark Christianity had against the Infidels Histories are full of the Noble Actions Memorable Battels and Sieges which have rais'd the Reputation of this Kingdom to a great Height by the Valour of its Kings or Generals both Ancient and Modern So that their Bravery has been perpetuated in all Ages and even nourish'd by the War of the Turks who could never have advanc'd their Conquest so far had not Rebellion and Intestine Divisions open'd a way to them Those of Flanders have met with a Famous Historian Strada by whose Help they have merited the Admiration of all Ages But the Wars of Hungary which are longer and more bloody would have been more memorable if a faihtful and well-inform'd Historian had wrote the Particulars of them This Kingdom formerly contain'd ten Provinces whose Standards were set up as at present at the Coronation of the Kings Sclavonia Servia Bosnia Croatia and other Countries of the Ancient Illyricum were dependent upon it Vienna still pretends That the Principality of Transylvania was one of its Provinces but this last is at present a particular Soveraignty of it self and the Turks have added the rest to the Empire of Constantinople So that we are to look upon the Kingdom in its present State as 't is bounded by Poland Transylvania Talachia Servia Croatia and Austria containing in this vast Circumference two different Countries which the Danube cuts asunder and wholly separates the One call'd Vpper Hungary which consists of Mountains Hills and Valleys the other Lower Hungary stretching it self along vast fertile and pleasant Plains from the Right side of the River taking in those great Isles which it forms from Presbourg Both these Countries are wash'd with great Rivers enrich'd with considerable Cities and fortified with Forts and Castles But the best Canton is Vpper Hungary as the Lower is the most pleasant The Ancient Romans had possession of the former a long time and refus'd not to pay their Obedience to the Emperors of that Warlike Nation which costs them no less than the Gauls It was Pannonia a Province of the Roman Empire where those Lords of the Universe settled themselves planted Colonies and kept up Armies being very well satisfied with the fruitfulness of the Soil the goodness of the Climate and the considerableness of its Situation There are still to be found a vast number of Medals the old Ruines are full of 'em the Foundations of the Cities were the Treasuries of 'em where the People doubtless did hide them either in time of War or out of Covetousness as in other Parts Those who would write a History by those Ancient Coyns or Medals cannot meet any where else with so many and so fine pieces so well stamp'd and preserv'd as are to be met with in this Kingdom and in Transylvania In the Year 1685. I brought to his Polish Majesty above two thuosand Pieces of Gold or Silver gather'd in that Country at the Instance of the Marquis of Bethune by the care of several Lords of his Acquaintance and among the rest of those of Teckley's Party And when the Germans fortify'd Nyssa in the 1619 Count Veterani collected an infinite number of very Curious Medals in digging up the Foundations of the Walls Besides this general Division of Hungary there is another particular one with respect to its Sovereingty as 't is divided between the Turks and the King 's the Successors of those who first founded this Monarchy The Turks have curtailed Vpper as well as Lower Hungary Of Lower-Hungary they have conquered all the Country from the Save to the Drave and from the Drave running along the Danube as far almost as the Isle of Schut or Komorne This Conquest reaches on the Left towards Croatia and Styria on the Right within Seven Leagues of Presbourg along the Mountains and the River Theysse which is generally comprized under one Province Governed by a Visier called from the Capital City of it the Visier of Buda In Vpper-Hungary they carried on their Conquests beyond the Theysse skirting on Transylvania and piercing into the very heart of the Kingdom where they took Possession of Temeswar Peterwaradin and other Parts of which they made a second Province under the Title of the first of those Cities The rest towards Poland and Moravia remained to the Emperor or the King of Hungary but very much curtailed by the Rebels and the strong places which the Grandees held out So that when the Turks came to Vienna only Zatmar towards Poland and some other inconsiderable Cities which that Fortress likewise covered were under the Obedience of the Emperor The State of War indeed changed the Disposition afterwards as we shall see but thus it was in this year I now speak of after the Raising of the Siege of Vienna Whilst the Grand Visier rallied the broken Forces of his Army at Buda the King of Poland marched victoriously with his towards Lower-Hungary on the Right of the River Danube on which they caused the Bridge of Toulm to fall down and to be placed below Presbourg to pass over into the Isle of Schut This Isle they traversed from one end to the other in several distinct Camps as hath been already said to the City of Komorne which is at the point of that Isle Over against which and on the left Branch of the Danube the same Bridge was brought down to pass over into the plains of Newhausel which they had a design to besiege A League lower another Bridge was cast over on Presbourg side to maintain a Communication between this City
was in vain for me to explain to them the Expences of the Journey and the Length of the Way to Cracow to let them understand That all that Money was no more than necessary for it The Turks who are unacquainted with those Matters never troubled themselves with these Considerations and suppos'd me to be at least some Lord of Quality They were farther confirm'd in this Opinion by the foolish Behaviour of one of those Poles that were taken with me who being releas'd at ten Days end came and embrac'd me by the Knees according to the Polish Custom and thank'd me believing that the King would never have remember'd him but because he was one of my Company Upon this Demonstration of Respect the Bassa order'd him to be examin'd concerning my Quality and this wretched Creature thinking to recommend me by raising me above the Rank of an Ordinary Person expatiated upon the great Esteem which the King of Poland had for me and upon that high Post which I held in his Court which the Bassa took for granted and it cost me fourteen Months Slavery as I shall hereafter shew During this Negotiation the King of Poland carried on the Siege of Strigonium which at first seem'd resolv'd to stand it out The Elector of Bavaria was made acquainted with this Design who order'd part of his Troops to march on that side and led them himself Upon my Return from Cracow I found him encamp'd in the middle of Presbourg and his Troops a quarter of a League beyond the Town from whence they enter'd the Isle of Schut over the Bridge that had been rais'd in that place But the Elector never came up to the Army who carried Strigonium in two or three Days and afterwards dispers'd themselves into Winter Quarters the Imperialists in the Hereditary Countries and the Poles in Vpper Hungary possess'd by the Rebels whom they were oblig'd to force thence The King of Poland having order'd the German Army and part of his Infantry to pass the Bridges caus'd General Staremberg to carry on the Assault and remain'd with half of his Forces in the Old Camp on this side of the Danube being willing by this means to share the Glory of the Conclusion of this Campaign between the Poles and the Imperialists Hereupon the Germans open'd their Trenches and rais'd their Batteries against the Upper-Town that being all that was left for the Lower-Town had been burn and the Turks all retreated into the Fortress The Assault was carry'd on vigorously they likewise batter'd down the Fortifications and the Wall to facilitate the Scaling of the Town In the mean time they were for coming closer to it and to spring a Mine for which purpose they carried the Pallisade within a foot of the Walls with their Swords in their Hands And whilst they were looking for a place to make a hole in for 't was almost all Rocky the Town Beat a Parley and desir'd to Capitulate The Germans who were for taking the Garrison at Discretion refus'd at first the Proposal of the Bassas but being oblig'd to acquaint the King of Poland with it who commanded the Army with the same Power as the Emperor himself would have done this Monarch accepted of the Capitulation and the Bassas surrender'd the Place into his Hands out of which they march'd Sunday Octob. 24. The King would have perswaded them to have retir'd into Poland for fear the Grand Visier should revenge the Loss of Strigonium upon them but they unhappy Creatures more subject than Slaves persisted in their Resolution of going to Buda giving out that they had done their Duty since they wanted Supplies in holding out the Place for 3 Days against a formidable and Victorious Army But the Plea stood 'em in no stead for upon their Arrival they lost their Lives by being beheaded or strangled Afterwards the King of Poland cross'd the River to take a View of the Place glorying in having forc'd the Turks to abandon it after they had been Possessors of it for 143 Years being settled there by their Emperor Solyman the Great He put the City into the Hands of the Duke of Lorrain who left a Governor with a very strong Garrison in it At last all the Army repass'd to the Old Camp from whence they broke up on All-Saints Day on which the King of Poland attended with a Body of Imperial Troops commanded by General Dunneval march'd by that Neck of Mountains which lie on the Left of the Plains of Barcan to enter into Vpper-Hungary and encamped that Day upon a River three Leagues beyond The Visier of Silistria and the Bassa of Caramania the Polish Great General 's Prisoners were conducted along with the Army and treated very Honourably by that Lord to whom the King had granted them as his Prize Tho' several Commonwealths-men grumbled and said They belonged to the Republick The Great General had at first sent them to his Polish Majesty as being his Sovereign and the Generalissimo of the Allies and afterwards brought them to Leopold lodg'd them in a Neat House and allow'd them as much Liberty as they could reasonably desire with Servants of their own that they sent for from Caminiec whom this Lord entertain'd to the number of seven or eight which my self saw He clothed them in Velvet treated them magnificently according to their Custom and order'd the Merchants of the City to supply them with whatever they wanted and I am sure that ' bating their Slavery those Turks far'd as well as if they had been in their own Country Tho' they had promis'd 150000 Crowns each for their Ransom and the Money came not in 7 Years after their being taken yet the General spar'd nothing of his Civility or Expences upon them which amounted every Year to 12000 Franks of that Sum. 'T is true they could not be blam'd for any Delay in this Matter since their Ransom was once brought as far as Caminiec but the Sultan was so far from contributing any thing towards it that even the Bassa of that Place seis'd upon the Money and made use of it to pay off his Garrison who were ready to mutiny for want of their Pay They wrote often to the Port desiring the Money might be re-imburs'd but they were so far from having Justice done them that on the contrary their Offices were afterwards dispos'd of to others and their Persons proscrib'd tho' they were men of great Note and an extraordinary Merit The Visier of Silistria had a Noble and Charming Aspect a comely Shape a grave Air Eyes full of Sweetness a venerable Beard a Face full of Majesty and Decorum with very fine Features His Carriage was Charming Honourable and Courteous but somewhat Stately and as of one far above the inferiour Persons of Quality His outward Form was perfectly agreeable to the Post he was in and to his Personal Merit In the Battle he gave Signs of an extraordinary Valour and when he was taken he shew'd a great deal of Constancy
numerous Retinue at his Heels and several Executioners of Justice who carry Bundles of Rods to punish upon the spot in the middle of the Street those that are complain'd of to him as he goes along Both Ancient and Modern Histories are full of Remarkable Relations concerning this Body of Infantry which have rais'd such frequent Insurrections and so many Revolts even to the Deposing of Sultans demanding the Heads of Visiers and other such extraordinary Disturbances 'T is said they are about 40000 strong The other sort of Infantry is call'd by the Turks Seymen and differ nothing from that of other Nations having nothing of Distinction either in their Privileges or in their Habits wearing a plain Cap hanging down behind call'd Calpac whereas the Janizaries have a white Turbant and green Coats as I describ'd them before in speaking of the King of Poland's Guards The Agas or Captains of these Seymen are call'd Tchorbaggey of which there is a Commander in chief in every Garrison of a Town honour'd with the Title of Yanchar-Aga and who is properly the Colonel of the Infantry of the Town This may suffice in general to give You a Light into those Particulars of which former Histories have taken no notice As to the Places of War that little Precaution which the Turks make use of to cover them may seem somewhat strange They have no Body of Guards in the Streets nor any Sentinels by Day upon the Ramparts near their Artillery nor any great number at the Gates Indeed they have nothing to fear within because the Cities they conquer are re-peopled by the Natural Turks and in process of Time the People of the Country become greater Turks than the ancient Musselmen This I observ'd at Newhausel where the Hungarians that were turn'd Mahometans were the most zealous Defenders of the Place There were in the Town but few Janizaries and Spahas of Ancient Creation some other Turks such as Greeks Asiatics and Levantines all the rest were Hungarian Horse retaining still the Habit and Language of the Country with the Religion and Notion of the true Original Turks It was they who went out in Parties and scour'd the Country round about It was they who guarded the Prisons where the Slaves were kept and the Hungarian Infantry compos'd likewise the greatest part of the Garrison The Method of fixing the Guard consists in those Nightly Rounds which a Body of Foot make going upon the Ramparts with large Lanterns and stopping at every Bastion to set up a hideous Cry calling upon the Name of the Most Blessed God and this they do without any intermission till Break of Day when they all go off even the Sentinels of the Watch-Towers These last carry their Rugs along with them to lie on and their Duty is from time to time to cry Alla in answer to those that walk the Rounds This was all the Turkish Party of Foot at least all that I ever saw at Newhausel either in the Reviews or in their Exercise and I learnt from several German Officers That during the Siege of Buda and other Places the Night Round made the same Cries and had the same Guard A great many People believe that the Office of Visier is confin'd only to one single Person and till then I was of the same Opinion but at Newhausel I was inform'd That besides the Prime-Visier call'd likewise Grand Visier or Visier Asem there were six others which compos'd the Divan or Council of the Empire But of each of these we have already given a particular Account Chap. III. Next to the Visiers are the other Governours of the Province call'd Becglerbeys who are only two tho' frequently he who is no Visier has a larger Extent of Government For Instance The Bassa of Temeswaer in Hungary has a considerable Province or Becglerbeyat compos'd of one half of the Territories conquer'd by the Turks in that Kingdom and yet he is no Visier Next to these come all the Bassas which either serve in the Army or in places of Importance who have only one Horse-tayl to which the Sultan for some Signal service adds a second and a third for which they pay 20000 Crowns in 40 Purses as has been already mention'd Here I must inform the Publick That the Name of Bassa is a Title of Honour belonging to the Person not to the Office they are in So that the Ottoman Empire hath a great many Bassas without any Office or Command and those who have any such never take upon them the Name of the Place where they are Governours but only their own Personal Title Thus for Instance The Bassa of Newhausel was call'd Assan Pacha and not Ouywar Pacha Ouywar being the Turkish Word to signifie Newhausel and so of the rest Besides this Title in common Conversation is by way of Compliment given to Private Persons and at the end of my Slavery when the Exchange was concluded upon they honour'd me with the same Title calling me Fransous Pacha as much as to say an Illustrious Frenchman Of these Bassas some are made Governors of Provinces and Cities others Serasquiers or Generals and others the General Officers in the Armies which are Subordinate to the former who all of them retain the Title of Bassa without taking upon them any new one by their Office Thus for Example The Visiers do not stile themselves The Visier of Buda of Silistria of Bosnia c. but rather Boudin-Pacha Silistri-Pacha Bosnié-Pacha The Becglerbeys and General Officers of the Army do the same The same may be said of the Title of Sultan which is not appropriated to the Grand-Signior only as most People imagine and only signifies Protector Benefactor Patron Master For all the Turks in general when they discourse together give one another this Title as we do that of Sir or Master But forasmuch as the Grand Signior the Great Cham of Tartary and their Sons or Brothers are reckon'd Patrons and Protectors in a higher sense than ordinary therefore they are by way of Eminence stiled Sultan Thus they say Mehemet Sultan which is the Grand Signior Suleyman Sultan which is his Brother Gherei Sultan which is the Cham of Tartary Galga Sultan Nuradin Sultan which are his Sons or Brothers The proper Title therefore which the Turks have given to their Emperor is that of Padicha signifying the Lord and Master of all the rest and as a token of Respect and that particular Esteem which they have for the King of France they have conferr'd upon him only that great Title of Padicha or Emperer of the French England would have given 100000 Crowns for that Favour but could not obtain it as they would have had the Sopha at the Audiences granted at last to the Embassador of Lewis the Great in the Person of Mr. De Guilleragues about ten Years ago This consists of having a Cushion-stool set upon the same Floor with the Grand Signior whereas formerly they sat below as the Embassadors of other Kings do to
the Bastion on the Right and looks more like a Postern than the Gate of a Cittadel It 's also very strait within and the Lodgings crowded too near together which would be hurtful to the Garrison if it were bombarded but three Days in the French Manner but as for the rest every thing there is very Magnificent and well covered so that the Place being well entertained might pass for one of the best of the kind The Emperor has always two Governours in this Place the one a German and the other an Hungarian according to the Priviledges of that Kingdom as at Raab and other principal Places The Isle of Schit hath some other Towns that were formerly considerable and well peopled but at present little frequented There 's abundance of large Villages in it and the whole is extraordinary fruitful It is one of the best Parts of the Kingdom of Hungary and a Canton of an enchanted Country both in respect of its Beauty and Fertilty 'T is above 20 Leagues in Circumference and in some Places above 8 in Breadth so that I look upon it to be larger than Malta Beyond the Danube on both sides there is such a Country as cannot be expressed boundless Plains watered with other great Rivers that come to enlarge this on the Right and Left such is the Raab upon which is settled the Town of that Name call'd otherwise Javarin near which there 's another Island called Little Schit by the side of the great one and the Nitra which passes by Newhausel and about 6 Leagues higher washes a Town called by its Name besides some others no less Considerable 'T was into this Island the Duke of Lorrain threw his Army on the approach of that of the Turks to secure this fine Country and the Cittadel and to cover his Troops from the Enemy without which prudent Foresight that prevented the Grand Visier the Infidels had certainly seized it on their arrival They marched up the Danube upon the Bank on the Right having left on the other side a great Body of Troops under three Pachas to augment the Hungarian Army whose General had Order to possess himself of Presburg that they might be Masters of both sides the River to hinder the Conjunction of the Germans and Poles and block up the Way of the latter to Vienna It is also said that Count Teckley when he had seised Presburg was to have made himself be crowned King of Hungary there with the same Ensigns of Royalty that their former Kings used to be crowned with but this is only a Conjecture without Foundation Whilst this Army marches towards the Country assigned them the Grand Visier advances towards Raab with a Design to build Bridges over the River of that Name that he might pass to Vienna He held as the Pachas of Newhausel informed me a General Council upon this Great Affair and against the Opinion of all those who assisted at it would undertake the Siege of that Capital City without amusing himself with little Expeditions The Visir of Buda represented to him vigorously the Difficulties of that Enterprize foretold him his bad Success and laid him under a Necessity of taking the Event of the thing upon himself which did so much vex the Ottoman General that after his Misfortune he threw the Blame upon the said Visier of Buda and the Tartar Han made the Head of the former to be cut off and the latter to be degraded Upon which those Pachas bewailing the Misfortune of their Nation sighed for the loss of the Great Kuproli and blessed his Memory remembring with what docibility he asked the Opinion of old Captains on the least Occasion Whereas Kara Mustapha his Successor believed there was none better than his own He advanced in fine as far the Town of Raab which he made as if he would besiege and took his Posts round it the better to amuse the Duke of Lorrain and that he might with more ease surprize the Place which he had only in his view Raab Yavarin or Javarin is one of the best Towns of that Country built in the same Form and of the same Size with Newhausel as to the Town but of a prodigous Extent as to the Fortifications heaped one above another all good Pieces of Turf and the Outworks admirable but not fac'd 'T is scituated near that Branch of the Danube which forms the little Isle of Schit and hath before its Walls the River of Raab which falls there into the Danube so that it may be represented as in the Point of a Pennisula betwixt those two Canals It hath two Governours as the Cittadel of Comorra and a very considerable Bishoprick possessed by the Cardinal de Kolonitz The Grand Visier encamped round it as if he would have besieged it and continued there seven whole Days during which he made three Bridges to be laid over the River Raab on the other side of the City about a quarter of a League above without Cannon shot of the Town which he hid from the besieged by seising himself of the Posts on the Neighbouring Hills that surround it so that he missed very little of surprizing Vienna unprovided the Duke of Lorrain not having perceived that Design tâ—â— very late and the Emperor who continued there without any manner of Suspicion had scarce so much time left as to go out of it Nay further the Tartars who were commanded to go and and invest it found the People quietly reaping their Harvest in the Fields within three or four Miles of Vienna and Gentlemen and Women travelling thro' the Country as if the Turks had been still at Belgrade Of those unhappy People surprized on the Roads I have seen a great Number and amongst others Col Rosemberg's Lady who was carried to Boudziac and ransomed two Years after from whom I knew this Circumstance in Poland whither she was conducted The Grand Visier passed the Raab unexpectedly as soon as his Bridges were finished and marched with great Diligence The Duke of Lorrain got before him however with the same Celerity across the Isle of Comorra and threw all his Infantry commanded by Count Staremberg into the Island of Leopoldstadt opposite to Vienna and in fine marched them opportunely into the Town with the General by the favour of those Islands through which he conducted them so that the Turks could never cut off their March He continued with the Cavalry some Days in Leopoldstat but fearing to be shut up there if Count Teckley advanced on the other side of the River and entred Austria by the River Morave He thought best to retire from that Place where he might be starved or taken without striking one Blow being locked up betwixt two Rivers and two Armies Thus he secured Vienna by his first March and by his next March he sav'd the Remainder of the Army marching out of the Island by the great Bridge to which he set Fire as soon as he passed it His foresight herein was admirable
Depth and Rapidity of the Danube requires Betwixt those Canals there are several small ones which cut the Islands but don't properly make distinct Arms being only Streams that proceed from the Inundations of the River The first of those Islands and the nearest to the City is a second Town as we may call it the whole Place being full of Country-houses Palaces Gardens great Walks of Trees as those of the Cours le Reins Inclosures Thickets Malls and other things that conduce to the Ornament of a Capital City The whole being inclosed like a Park with high Pallissadoes of curious Workmanship This is that they call Leopolstadt From hence we enter the City by a little Bridge and a great Suburb beyond it that joins to the Houses of the Island in which the Empress some few Years before had caused a Palace to be built call'd the New Favorita which was the principal Beauty of the Island though to speak freely all those Houses Palaces and Gardens have little Magnificence or Grandeur in them but the Place of it self is very much adorned by Nature The other Island beyond it betwixt the two great Branches of the River is greater than Leopoldstadt but without Houses being only adorned with Walks of Trees and Thickets 'T is called Tabor and communicates with the First by a large Bridge as it does with the Terra Firma upon the Austrian-shore by one yet larger This Canal is properly the great Stream of the Danube At the Head of this last Bridge there 's a little Fort upon the Bank of the River built only with Turf and Pallissados which was useful to the Duke of Lorrain favoured his Retreat and covered those that sustained the Party commanded to destroy the Bridge In all the Letters which that Prince wrote to the King of Poland about his Retreat of all those Islands he mentions only the Tabor as if he had confounded it with that of Leopoldstadt but it is certain that he possessed himself of the latter immediately from whence his Infantry marched to Vienna and into which the Tartars and Janissaries entred upon their arrival so that it was not possible for him to burn the Bridge which joins with those two Islands Yet he left Coll. Greben there to defend it till he marched his Troops over the Tabor and gained the other Bridge of the Great Canal But the Tartars seized it defeated the Detachment and took or killed Col. Greben who was never afterwards heard of Then they run to the other of which the Duke of Lorrain had time to burn part and by that means saved the Remainder of the Imperial Army Those Bridges are now rebuilt but to me they don't seem to be in the same Place and the Road across those Islands appears to be changed The City is encompassed with large Suburbs which at that time extended very near the Glacis and to which the Imperialists had begun to set fire to satifie in some measure the King of Poland and to shew some deference to his Advice for the Emperor thought there was no need of it so that they left in effect the Walls of the Houses and the Terrasses of the Gardens which the Turks made use of to place their Batteries upon and to make their Approaches so that under the Shelter of those Ruines they advanced their Trenches within 60 Paces of the Counterscarp the first Night that they opened them which was the 13th of July 1683. This fatal Experience hath since occasioned them to remove the Suburbs at a greater distance when they began to rebuild them after the Siege As to the Fortifications some of them are strong and others weak There are 12 Royal Bastions faced with Brick with Cavaliers Ravelins Half-Moons and fine Gates all fac'd with Bricks as the Bastions and adorn'd with Wreaths of hewn Stone The Ditch is large and deep part of of it dry and part full of Water The Counterscarp is very sorry ill pallissadod nor did I see any thing that deserved to be called a Covert-Way or any detached Works beyond it The side on which the Town was attack'd hath two indifferent Bastions a Ravelin before the Courtin betwixt both the whole covered with Brick with a Cavalier or Platform for Guns and a large Ditch but so little Ground within and so little space betwixt the Rampart and the Houses that there could be no Retrenchment made on it particularly the Bastion of the Court the Emperor's Palace joining close to it and the Platform of it serving instead of a Terrasse for the Appartments so that when the Turks were lodg'd at the Point of it The Count de Staremberg could not make any more than one Retrenchment and told the King of Poland when he shewed him the Breaches that he could not have held out above three Days longer notwithstanding certain Barricadoes he had made at the entrance of the Bastion and of the Streets which run into it but I am of Opinion as were all those who saw the Disposition of the Ground that it might have bin carried in 24 Hours If the Grand Visier had not despised our Supplies been less intent upon the spoil of the Town and on the Evening before the Battle attack'd the weak Retrenchment of the Garrison for all Ingineers agree that he began the Siege like an able Captain and one that was well informed of the weak Places of the Town and that there is no other Place for carrying on of Trenches but those of the two Bastions attack'd by the Turks called the Bastions of the Lyon and of the Court. This was the Condition of the Place without that within was not ill there being great Stores of Provisions and Ammunition abundance of Artillery the Citizens resolved on a long Resistance and vigorously to endure the fatigues of the Siege There was a numerous Garison for Count Staremberg brought thither above 1000 Men and was also seconded by Count Caplier Commissary General of the Provisions who defended the Place longer than the other that fell sick of a Dysenterie during the Siege But notwithstanding all this the Duke of Lorrain was very much afraid of the Town and amongst other Reasons he wrote to the King of Poland at the beginning of the Siege he acquainted him That Vienna though well fortified with Bastions ought to be looked upon to be more a Courtly than a Warlike City as being defective in Works and a regular Counterscarp that which they had not being large enough in several Places It must be owned also That it was very ill defended and as feebly attacked since the Turks having advanced the first Night within 60 Paces of the Ditch were notwithstanding above six Weeks in passing it though the Place was batter'd with seventy Pieces of Cannon of which there were twenty five of a prodigious Size and the Garison made no great Sallies but contented themselves to defend their Ground foot by foot in the common Manner I saw nothing in reality in all the
Lances And the German Cavalry had reached a Valley at the bottom of the last Mountain where the King stopt and dined before he marched up the same This March was very tiresome to the whole Army for besides the great heat of the Season they wanted Water Provisions Tents c. the Equipages staying behind in the Bottom And the King as well as Generals had only Muleteers to follow them so that His Majesty was forced one Day to eat nothing but Bread and drink only Water that was in the Flagons of the Bavarian Soldiery which they carried at their Sides During this Halt the Army made a shift to gain the top of the Hill The Germans on the left made themselves Masters of Calemberg and there planted their Cannon the Polanders on the Right took possession of the Wood and the Eminences parallel to that of the Castle In this Place they encamped the same Day being Sept. 11. to give their Troops a Breathing time and to agree on the Order of Battle in a general Council that Evening The encampment was very irregular the Ground not allowing them to make it better They were canton'd as well as they could in the Wood the Infantry being entrenched in a small compass of the open Country where they covered themselves with Chevaux de frise and with what Artillery was arriv'd whilst the Cavalry were Posted very disorderly and confus'dly in other places Nothing hitherto appear'd to dispute their Passage though the Grand Visier had certain notice of the Approach of the King of Poland by a Turk and a Tartar taken in the Mountains and sent back on purpose after they had been well examined to give Intelligence of it as Eye witnesses of the matter But that presumptuous General never troubled his head about it and continued the Siege with the same application as if he had only the Entrenchments of Vienna to force He was lodged in two places upon the Attack'd Bastions when the Succour arrived and thinking to force the Place to Capitulate before he could be brought to a Battle he only sent below Calemberg in the Bottoms and Hollows of the low Hills on the side of his Camp a Body of about Ten Thousand Men Horse or Dragoons these last fighting on foot according to the Disposition of the Ground as their Janizaries do Besides he Cannonaded the City as usual which was very pleasing to the King of Poland who upon hearing this noise declared that he had a very great esteem for the Turks since they were such brave Fellows as to wait for his coming For in the way it was sometimes suspected that they would not but in my mind without grounds since the Grand Visier could be in fear of none but him who defeated him I mean God Almighty to whom alone this success was owing He had still left above 140000 Men and the whole Quota of our Armies amounted to no more than 70000. The Empire with all its Members made about 45000 the King of Poland not above 20000 without reckoning the Volunteers which upon such an extraordinary occasion flocked from all parts and compos'd a considerable Body The Marquiss of Parelle a Savoyard brought thither at his own charge fourscore Gentlemen all Horse But the Volunteers swelled the Armies without reinforcing them and were often a greater incumbrance than a strength to them On Saturday Night September 11. They made great Fires on the Hill as a signal to the City of the Arrival of the Supplies But they saw nothing of it no more than of the Fight next day by reason of the disposition and unevenness of the Ground where this great Action passed After the Siege was raised the Governour Staremberg told the King that they only discovered the Lances of the Hussars with Perspective Glasses from the Top of the Steeple of St. Stephen's Church In the mean time the King of Poland had caus'd the Descent of the Hills to be descry'd by a French Man that was near his Person and whom he look'd upon as an Engineer because he knew some Terms of that Art This pretended Engineer had a great Opinion of his own Parts and to shew some proofs of it in this juncture he was very warm in giving a Description of the Country through which they were to march to the Turkish Camp being willing to cry down those who he said had misinform'd his Majesty on this Subject in telling him of great Plains fit for his Gens-des-Armes whereas there were nothing but Precipices Hollow Ways and Rocky Descents This Scene pass'd in the presence of the Duke of Lorrain and of other Generals of the Emperor who were offended at the disrespectful manner wherein a Man of this Character dar'd to extol himself in such an Assembly It was therefore necessary to draw up a Line of Battle according to the Disposition of the Ground and to make use of the Cavalry as well as they could since this Affair could not be decided but by beating the Enemy from their Posts and by particular Skirmishes Nor did the King of Poland at that time think of being able to reach the Turkish Camp from the Brow of the Hill in less than three Days and marked out with his Eye the places where they should Encamp Septemb. 12. and 13th by driving the Enemy gradually out of the Posts and Defiles which they held by great Platoons of Cavalry or Musqueteers on Horseback whom I before called Dragoons from their manner of fighting All those matters were settled in the Council of War held Septemb. 11. after Midnight A Scheme was drawn of the Mashalling the Forces wherein the Polanders were to be on the Right and their Generals to draw up in the form of a Half Moon in the Wood and Hills to prevent the Tarters from falling upon the Army in the Flank or the Rear whilst it was engaged with the Turks posted as might reasonably be fear'd before the Camp The Duke of Lorrain took the Left towards the Descent on the side of the Danube by possessing himself of Calemberg and the adjacent Eminences By this means he had a less compass to fetch to march to the Turkish Camp and the Attacks so that it was he properly speaking that clear'd the Trenches and Rais'd the Siege The Duke of Saxony drew up his Troops on the Right of the Duke of Lorrain and the Elector of Bavaria his on the Right of the Duke of Saxony each of these Princes keeping at the Head of his own Body The King of Poland Posted himself in the Centre of all animating this great Body with his Presence and Voice acting in all places and giving his Orders which according to the Emperor's Command were obeyed with the utmost submission The Duke of Lorrain sent a great many Adjutants to be near his Polish Majesty to receive his Orders and to convey them to all parts of the Army To the Infantry were allowed Chevaux de frise On the Advantageous Emeniences were planted what Cannon they
Refreshments of Sweet-Meats Wine and other things 'T is an inconceivable thing the Truth of which we could never learn How all that Infantry made their Retreat in a Night the darkest that ever was seen For we discovered neither Stragler nor Company except 23 Janizaries shut up in that House of the Emperor where the Grand Visier kept his Head-Quarters and laid up his Stores These Janizaries did not fly with the rest but were in that place Sept. 14. Attempts were made to force them they kill'd several Dragoons and would not submit to any but the King of Poland when he came before that Castle out of which they were allow'd to march with Bag and Baggage This great Victory so-compleat so happy and so shining cost but a very few Men the Germans lost a Prince of Crouy the Poles the two Lords above-mention'd and the whole Army about 600 Men. A great part never saw the Enemy The Palatine of Russia with his Right Wing march'd all along without a Rencounter The Emperour's Cuiriassiers never struck a stroke the Second Lines were no more than Spectators because the Enemy fled before they were come up so that properly speaking none but the Dragoons the Infantry and the Hussars bore the Fire and engag'd the Enemy We cannot tell what happen'd particularly on the Left Each Prince kept at the Head of his own Troops and none but Count Waldeck was seen next the King's Person and that but once when the heat of the Battle was near over upon which he pass'd this Compliment to his Majesty That it was a good Days-work for his Glory and for the History of his Life From this true Recital we may Discover the Falsity of that Report which was spread abroad and publish'd even in Poland it self namely That the Turks had forty thousand kill'd upon the spot Talenty the Italian Secretary whom the King dispatch'd to the Pope the next Day after the Defeat with the great Standard of Mahomet found at the Portal of the Grand Visier told such another Story in his Journey and had the Confidence to tell his Holiness himself That in leaving Vienna he travell'd four Leagues together on dead Bodies Now in the first place his Way to Rome did not lie through the Field of Battle nor through any part of the Road by which the Turks made their Retreat some of whom were cut off both this Night and on the Morrow And besides it is certain that in the whole compass of the Ground there were not above 800 dead Corps to be seen I do not speak this to lessen the Glory of his Polish Majesty which shines bright enough of it self the Greatness of the Undertaking the wonderful Success that attended it and above all that Heroical Resolution which made him leave his Dominions to come to the Relief of his Allie are enough to set it off without the help of any false Lustre Most of the Polish Senators and Generals were likewise for his immediate Return home after the Relieving Vienna that he might preserve an Army of which Poland might in the sequel of the War stand in need But the King hearkened neither to these Advices nor to the repeated Instances of the Queen He was for compleating the Business and thereby to lay the Empire under stronger Obligations to him 'T is upon those Accounts that his Polish Majesty merits Praise without the killing of 40000 Men. 'T is reported of Alexander the Great That he was highly offended with one of his Generals who in the History of his Wars ascribed false Matters of Fact to him thereby endeavouring to enhance his Glory He threw the Tablets into the River Hydaspes upon which he was when the Recital was made to him and upbraided the Author for having foisted his own Inventions into such a large Field of Praise which Truth alone was sufficient to represent On Munday Sept. 13. the King detach'd Miogensky with a thousand Horse to pursue the Enemy and cut off their Retreat This Officer when he was come over against Presburgh detach'd fifty Horse who advanced as far as Raab where they saw the Turkish Army which began to pass the Bridges very quietly It had marched twelve Hungarian Leagues the first Night and began to defile on the Morrow without any opposition The Garrison of Yavarin durst not or could not undertake the burning of the Bridges the Grand Visier having very cautiously left a considerable Body of Men to guard them They were three Days and three Nights in passing over the River and met with no disturbance Some blame the King of Poland for this who should they say have push'd on his Victory But this Charge is groundless since his Troops could not have left the Camp that Night without great danger They had been without their Equipages for three Days and could not expect that they could pass the Mountains in less than three Days more Besides the greatest Generals having finish'd what they design'd are well enough satisfied with that and never care for running after the Conquered to whom Martial Policy often thinks it adviseable to allow Bridges for their Retreat After the Departure of Miogensky the King visited the Camp and the Tents of the Grand Visier from whence in a few words he wrote the News of his Victory to the Pope and other Princes He sent a Gentleman Express to the Queen as an Eye-witness of all that had pass'd with several Pieces of that great Spoil And for the sake of this Good News the Imperial Ministers order'd the Post-Masters to demand nothing of that Courier for his Journey Afterwards the King over-ran all the Enemies Works even to their last Lodgments upon the Bastions But in the Interim some Souldier or other having accidentally set fire to some loose corns of Powder that lay about the Magazine where there were still nigh 300 thousand pound weight it caus'd one of the most dreadful Fires that could be imagin'd The Air seem'd to be all in a blaze the Earth shook and nothing could give us a more lively resemblance of the general Conflagration at the Last Day However there was some thing surprizing even in this terrible Prospect and his Majesty said That he had long wish'd to see such a Sight At last he made his Entry into Vienna through the Breaches on the same side that the Assault had been carry'd on There he reap'd the full Satisfaction of his Victory amidst the Acclamations of a City destin'd before to a miserable Slavery the Chains whereof this Hero broke The People Huzza'd him the Croud did as it were carry his Horse along and their Acknowledgments rose so high as to wish that they had a Master and Emperor like to this Glorious Monarch This they cry'd out loudly in every Street transported with such an excess of Joy and Affection as cannot admit of Moderation upon such moving Occasions as this The first thing he did was to return God Thanks for his Victory in the Church of the Reform'd
Augustine Fryars before a Miraculous Image of the Virgin where he himself prostrate on the ground sang the Te Deum However we could even then observe the beginning of Ingratitude among the Persons of Quality and the Magistrates of that City offended perhaps that the Obligation was such that it was impossible for them to make any suitable Return Neither in this Place nor in any else did we see any one of the Magistrates and with much ado a Priest of this Church was got to assist at the Ceremony The same Coldness appear'd after Dinner at the Cathedral of St. Stephen for they tarry'd a great while before they could get the Keys of the Vestry or any Tapers lighted Upon the Steeple of this Church was set up that Crescent which Solyman the Great oblig'd the City to erect when he drew his Forces from the Place at the second Siege which he laid before it in the Reign of Ferdinand The King of Poland told the Duke of Lorrain That it was requisite to pluck it down since Vienna was at present freed for ever from the Yoke which the Sultan had threatned it with Yet this was not done till three Years after the Siege was rais'd as if they thought it necessary to compliment an Enemy which dreaded the Fate of its own Dominions But there was doubtless a nicer Reason in the Case grounded upon a sort of Jealousy they had of his Polish Majesty's Glory to whom they would not be beholden for the Destruction of the Crescent This appears in the Medals which they made after the raising of the Siege wherein the Honour of the Success was attributed not only to this Great Monarch but together with him to all the Princes who were at the Action to Staremberg Caplier the Commissary of the Victualling-Office with the Magistrates and Burgers of the City as was set down in the Reverse Nay the King was not so much taken notice of as the Emperor who kept up close in the Mountains of Passau since the former was only commended for his Presence whilst the latter was extoll'd for his Counsel and Forces This very Day the King dined with Count Staremberg the Governor of the City and returned at Night to the Camp pitch'd by his Orders where the Grand Visier's was before From this place he wrote to the Queen that ingenious Letter which was afterwards translated into French and communicated to foreign Courts and has been printed in Fragments It contain'd an Historical Relation of the Matter of Fact writ in a pleasant Style rallying very handsomely on the Grand Visier who had left him says he his sole Executor and Legatée Then he gives the Particulars of the Estate he had left him and concludes in a Vein of Rallery on the Custom of the Tartarian Women who are offended with their Husbands when they return Home without a Booty You shall not object to me as those Tartarian Dames you are no Man for you come to me empty-handed But you will find me return at this time loaded with the Spoils of the Enemy God be prais'd continues he that he has not permitted those Infidels to insult over the Christians but has made them sensible of the Power of their God whose Blows they have so lately felt After this he added some Latin words of a Psalm according to the Polish Custom who even when they write to Women have a sprinkling of Phrases and Sentences of Latin in all their Letters The King of Poland had that Day he pass'd the Mountains sent the Abbot d'Oliva Hatsky one of his Chief Secretaries of State to the Emperor who being encourag'd at the New of the approach of the Christian Army return'd to Lints From Lints he came to Vienna as soon as he heard of its Relief and made his Entry on Tuesday Sept. 14. under the discharge of Cannon at the same instant that the Army decamp'd in order to remove from the noisom Smells occasioned by the dead Bodies and the filthiness of the Camp which one may imagine to be infected by a two Months Encampment of nigh 700000 Men. The Stench was so great that this Morning the Elector of Bavaria dining with the King of Poland was forc'd almost all the while to stop his Nose with his Napkin His Polish Majesty presented that Prince with three very fine Turkish Horses two Standards and some Jewels fit for a Lady's wear with a design that the Elector should send them into France to his Sister the Dauphiness He likewise gave him also a Bontchouk of the Bassa of Egypt adorn'd at the Top with an Hair Lace of diverse Colours with a Tuft of Horse-Tail round the gilded Crest which was the Summit of this Bountchouk which the Turks call Touk They are not so high as those of the Polish Generals but a great deal more embelish'd in their Warlike Furniture Upon this Occasion I cannot but observe That among the Ottomans the Quality of Bassas and General Officers is distinguish'd by the number of those Horse-Tails dy'd in red which in the Army are fastened to a Post before their Tent-doors and in their Chambers are hung up with the Sabre just by the place where they lay For 't is to be observ'd That the Turks even the Sultan himself never wear their Sabres in the Street much less in their Houses where they lay aside all their Armour upon returning from the Camp except the Poignard or Anchard The very Bassas in their Government walking in the Streets with long Gowns with a Chaplet in their Hands and no Arms and when they ride their Sabre and Mace or Truncheon are clapp'd under the Saddle on each side with a large Strap to fasten them So that excepting the Poignard which every one without distinction always wears by his Side the Turks may pass for good Burgomasters or Gentlemen of the Long Gown To put an end to this Digression I shall here observe That the Prime Visier and the six Inferior Visiers have three Horse-Tails apiece The Becglierbeys as many The Bassas by right have only one but for a Personal Distinction when they have done some Signal Service the Sultan sends another and sometimes a third for each of which they give twenty thousand Piasters or Crowns in forty Bags I must likewise here inform the Reader That besides the Prime Visier call'd by way of Eminence The Grand Visier there are six others who with him make up the Divan or Council of State of the Ottoman Empire viz. the Visier of Buda the Visier of Bosnia the Visier of Bagdet or Babylon the Visier of Bassora in Asia the Visier of Silistria and the Visier of Messir which is Grand Cairo This last Visier is call'd in General from the Name of the Province the Visier of Egypt whom the Turks esteem as a Sultan and as their Emperor by a particular Distinction of his Dignity As for the Becglierbeys they are the Supreme Governors of the Province among whom there are some stil'd
thence on the Glory and Success of the Reigning Prince who is either preferr'd before or set below his Ancestors according to the Event of these Matches Herein I have made no Additions and speak of no more than I my self was an Eye-witness of The City of Niklitsbourg therefore is the first City of Austria on that Side of it that lies towards Moravia It is situated on a Rising commanded by a very high Prominence where is seen a great Pile of Buildings very Magnificent even in their Irregularity 'T is the Castle belonging to the Lords of the Place which looks more like a Prince's Palace The City is but small but neat and encompass'd with Suburbs in one of which the Jews are permitted to settle a rare thing in those parts It is adorned with Fountains set off with a chain of little Hills that do as it were embrace it and by a pleasant Vale which lies below it From this Place to Vienna they reckon nine Leagues and by Stages ten which are very large ones The King of Poland turn'd off to the Right that he might be Master of the Dauube above over against Toulm marching to Mederich to Orkendorf to Ollebrun but the common Road is through Tastorf Volkestorf and other Villages for upon the strait Road there are no Walled Towns from Niklitsbourg to Vienna The Country is very incommodious by its Eminences and by the low Bottoms in the nature of Valleys 't is fat and fertile mix'd with Vineyards with several covert Places There are a great many Villages along those Valleys as well as in the Hilly Country and every where a variety of Prospects The largest Town on this Road is Volkestorf the last Stage from whence they reckon two more to Vienna tho' 't is only three Leagues taking in the Passage of the Danube from the first great Bridge across the two Islands The Road Volkestorf to Vienna is a vast Plain without Hedge or Bush at least for two Leagues together On the Right it is bounded with small Hills where are Villages in the midst of the Vineyard and on the Left one may see to the opening of the Mountains made on purpose they say for an Entrance into the Kingdom of Hungary and for the Passage of the Danube above seven Leagues distant from Volkestorf 'T is likewise the direct Road from Presbourg which on the same Line is no more than ten Leagues from that Village without any other Defile than the River of Moravia which is fordable in Summer and at all times supply'd with a Ferry-Boat These Countries as I have already observ'd from that River to Volkestorf were the Seat of War the Duke of Lorrain being always encamp'd therein ever since Vienna began to be besieg'd and having render'd them Famous by the Bloody Battles that he fought with the Turks and Hungarians The Reader may be the better inform'd of the Importance of this by perusing this last Description of the Road where he will meet with no Rivers nor Fortified Places nor Forests nor Defiles for that Ridge of Mountains between Moravia and Silesia is a Road good and easie enough since the Stage is perform'd in a Chariot and the Ways are broad commodious without any steep Rocks or frightful Precipices Nor are the Cities I have mention'd any Obstruction by their Situation since 't is not necessary to go through them and Travellers leave them on the Right or Left when they have nothing to do there There are no Fortified Places nor deep Rivers to pass over nor any narrow Ways to march through So that all was open from the Danube to Vistula or at least to Oder which is a large and deep River but such as the Tartars might have swam over or pass'd by the Bridge of Ratibor which was left unguarded Such an Incursion would have been a fatal Blow to the Emperor's Affairs by ravaging three of his best Provinces at least Austria and Moravia may be reckon'd such as well for the Richness of their Soil which surpasses Silesia by the large Vineyards that are in both as also for the number of their Cities more considerable and better built than those of that Dutchy The Wines of Austria and Moravia are not indeed very rich they are of an Orange colour and have a Flavour neither perceptible by the Eye nor the Palate yet they are sold very much in those Provinces and at Vienna they drink none else From Niklitsbourg to Keysselstorf two Leagues one Stage From Keysselstorf to Canschtorf two Leagues one Stage From Canschtorf to Volkestorf two Leagues one Stage From Volkestorf to Vienna three Leagues two Stages These are all very large Villages and built either of Stone or Mud or Brick The first Stage is very long the next three Hours Riding at least but the last are common ones There is also a Stage set up from Vienna to Presbourg but in time of Peace there is no need of going through Vienna but leaving it on the Left you may travel in a strait Line from Volkerstorf across the Plains to the River of Moravia and thence to Presbourg By this means one saves four Leagues of the Way and avoids the double Passage over the Danube once over the Bridges of Vienna and again in a Ferry-Boat over against Presbourg But because that Road was not safe during the first Year of the War by reason of the Inroads which the Hungarians made into Moravia I always went by Vienna in the two Journeys I made from the Army to Cracow viz. from Vienna to Fichau call'd by the Germans Wischo four Leagues two Stages which are very short through a pleasant Champian Country wherein formerly there were three Villages like those about Paris which the Tartars levell'd with the Ground From Fichau to Mutschultembourg four Leagues two Stages From Mutschultembourg to Presbourg two Leagues one Stage In leaving the first of these Places one meets with a Barrier of high Hills on the Right which shut up the Passage and make a very narrow Defile between the Mountains and the Danube A League farther you pass through another straiter than the former and that is the Gate or Opening which is descry'd from Volkestorf compos'd of two steep Rocks which on both sides situate one over against the other straiten the current of the Danube In the midway of this Passage is a large Town enclos'd with Stone Walls with a lofty Gate through which one enters into the Defile there being no other Entrance for the Danube flows along on the Left and the Wall reaches on the Right along the Mountain to a Tower that is seated on the Top the which is very high and steep This Place is call'd Hamburgh and might formerly have been a well-built City at present 't is all in Ruines as well as the rest From thence one enters into a pleasant and fertile Plain bounded on one side by the River and on the other side by those Green Hills which opening wider and wider gives a
large and boundless View of the finest Country that can be imagin'd At the City of Presbourg situate on the Left across the Danube you have the most charming Prospect and Landskip that any Painter can possibly invent or draw One passes the River on a Magnificent Floating-Bridge large enough for above ten Coaches During the first Campagne it was taken away and a Ferry-Boat only clap'd in its room The next Year it was set on the River again and is certainly the best contriv'd Machine and admirably well built being surrounded with Ballisters or Rails on the Four Sides 'T is so contriv'd that one may walk upon it as upon plain Ground and is guided by the Stream without Oars or Helm only with a Pully whose Cable is fastened to a train of small Boats that lye across the River at an equal distance from each other The Reader will still perceive the Retreat of the Grand Visier to be the more surprizing when he here considers the Defiles through which he was to march before he could so much as reach his Bridges which lay at Raab and he will be able to judge Whether Miogensky that Brave Commander that Leader of the Famous Brigade did not pursue them highly in being able to come up with the Rear of the Enemy I shall shut up this Chapter with a Latin Epigram made by the Bishop of Puy Brother of the Marquis of Bethune who had married the Queen of Poland's Eldest Sister Those who are skill'd in Latin Poetry say 't is smart and has something of the Attick Poignancy in it 'T is only a Distich and runs thus Dignior Imperio numne Austrius anne Polonus Odrysias acies hic fugat ille fugit CHAP. IV. The sequel of the Campagne in Hungary with a particular Account of the Battles of Barcan and the Taking of Grana or Strigonium THE precipitate Retreat of the Grand Visier from before Vienna could not be pursued for the Reasons assign'd in the former Chapter So that he had Leisure enough to pass his Bridges at Raab and to get to Buda with the Remains of his Army He made a stand at that place as being out of Danger and the Letters which he there receiv'd from the Sultan with new Marks of his Favour and fresh Standards comforted him a little in his Misfortune But being order'd to cover the Frontiers which his Defeat might have laid open to the Poles and Imperialists he rally'd his Forces gave some Subsistence to the Soldiers rous'd up the Courage of the Commanders that they might be in a posture of opposing the Christians in case they were minded to prosecute their Victory and to lay Siege to any place within the Grand Signior's Dominions Tho' the Army was not well satisfied with the Grand Visier who did not duly pay them and whose Pay was found in good Ducats in his Chest that were left to be rifl'd by the King of Poland yet they rallied without any more ado being animated with a Spirit of Mahometism which serves that Nation instead of true Glory The New Cham of Tartary cross'd the Danube over the Bridge of Buda and took possession of the City of Pest with the Country round about it to serve as a cover from thence to the Mountains where Count Teckley was advanc'd in the Bottoms He reinforc'd the Garrisons of Newhausel and Strigonium and sent a Body of Horse to the latter of these Places there to pass the Bridge and to guard that Pass where was a Fort of Earth staked and pallissadoed call'd Barcan For the better comprehending of those Motions by the Knowledge of the Country you are to take Notice That the Danube joyning its Streams at the Foot of the Citadel of Comorne and at the Extremity of the Isle of Schut forms one single and large Channel between great and open Plains on the Left and a narrow Mountainous and covert Country on the Right as far as Buda being about twelve Leagues distant from that Isle That these Plains are full of Villages large Towns and small Cities whose Inhabitans manure the Land under the Cannon of Newhausel to which they contribute and whither they carry their Commodities to sell The City is situated in the Centre of those Champian Countries and is the most advanc'd Place which the Turks have on that side of Lower Hungary The Country on the Right beyond the Danube is less fertile and manur'd Mountainous and Woody yet Populous having several strong Cities or Castles which makes the Visiriat of Buda The nighest of those Places towards Germany is Strigonium seated at the foot of a Hill almost on the Banks of the Danube and 't is there where the Turks have their first Bridge to pass over to the Plains of Newhausel and by this communication to guard the Conquer'd Country On the same side with Strigonium lies the City of Buda of the same situation of the former but a great deal more considerable with such another Bridge to pass to Vpper Hungary and relieve the Places that are on that side at the foot of the Mountains The Passes of those two Bridges are defended on the Left side of the River the first by a very great Fort where are abundance of Houses fortified with high Pallisadoes with two Gates but uncover'd and liable to be attack'd on all Sides This Fort is call'd Barcan The second Bridge is defended by a large fortified City call'd Pest. But whereas the Turks had been settled for above 140 Years in all this Country which Solyman II. sirnam'd The Great had in part conquer'd those Places were look'd upon as the ancient Patrimony of the Sultan The Turks never dream'd of any change either in Religion or Government Buda was the Capital City of Turkish Hungary and by the Forts with which it was either cover'd or surrounded within six Leagues of Comorne it might pass for the Centre of the Ottoman Empire Upon this account it was that the Visier there made a stand and Rendevouz'd his new Army He took up his Quarters there with the best part of the Army thereby to cover the Frontiers of that Visiriat and sent the rest cross the Danube to guard the Passes of the two Bridges that they might be in a Readiness to hinder the Christians from advancing in the Plains of Newhausel or towards the Neighbouring Mountains This is the Ichnography of the Country in General let us descend to that of the Places contain'd in it in Particular STRIGONIUM Strigonium call'd by the Germans Gran by the Italians Grana by the Inhabitants Estregon from whence the Turks have nam'd it Ostrogon is a City whose Houses are built with Wood. It is situated at the foot of a large Mountain which the Danube washes inclos'd with Stone Walls pretty well built having Turrets and Batteries on them but without a Trench or any other kind of Defence On the Top is a Fortress call'd the Upper Town where the Governour and his Garrison are quartered This Fortress has no
other Fortifications beside very thick Walls well built and Rampier'd defended with Towers Angles and other ancient Flankers by which the Walls of the Lower Town are joyn'd to those of the Upper That side which faces the Danube is very pleasant and the Communication of the Lower City with the Fortress very easie by paths than run along the Descent to a small Gate But the side which looks towards the Champian Country is very steep on the Top where is a Rocky Crest that surrounds the Fort and its Walls at the foot of which is a Pallisade in the nature of a Counterscarp to keep off the Enemy For as soon one has gain'd the foot of those Walls he is cover'd from all the Attempts of those that are upon them Over against this side is just such another Mountain parallel to the former and call'd in German Thomasberg where formerly was a sort of Fortress of which nothing is now remaining but the Foundations and from whence one might cannonade that of Strigonium The Lower City had several Houses in the out-parts upon the Plain a Mosque upon the Bank of the Danube near the Bridge to which they went through a small Gate open'd in the Wall over against it This Bridge was one of the longest that ever was seen the middle built on Boats the two ends on Piles The River is of an extraordinary Breadth its Banks pleasant its Current running in a strait line the passage all about of wonderful variety It was formerly a considerable Arch-Bishoprick whose Title is still bestow'd on Prelates of high Dignity And of late Years we have met in the Learned World with an Archbishop of Strigonium whose Writings have furnish'd matter of Dispute to the most Famous Universities of Europe and have establish'd a lasting Reputation to their Author This City is still the Metropolis of a Country of a large Extent which made up one of the best parts of the ancient Kingdom of Hungary BUDA Buda was the Capital thereof and the Residence of the King who had there a Magnificent Palace It lies below Strigonium six large Leagues and on the same side divided into the Upper and Lower Town the latter seated on the Declivity and at the Foot of a large Mountain the former stretch'd out on the Top of it where it stands being very narrow about the middle but very long and the two Extremities widened out like Places-d ' Armes Neither of these Towns have any Fortifications The Lower Town is inclos'd only with Walls the Upper flank'd with round Towers with a good Trench a double Circumvallation in several parts of the Ancient Mode and with those Pallaces of King Matthias at the end which enters into the very Substance of the Walls and make a principal part of them The whole is built with Brick and well rampier'd yet of easie Access the Declivity of the Mountain not being very rough and the Top being almost all of it commanded by other Risings proper to mount Cannon on The River runs behind that Hill on which the City stands so that one cannot get betwixt them and to cut off their Supplies one must either seise upon Pest which is on the other side at the Head of the Bridge or stop up the Danube below Buda towards the Isle of Saint Andrews which is not far from thence The Turks call the Place Boudim and have made it the Title of a Visier I likewise look upon it as one of the Chief Visiriats by the Extent of its Government and the Importance of the Province which is one of the richest and largest of the Ottoman Empire which comprehends the whole course of the Drave a very considerable River upon which or its Marshes on each side is the Famous Bridge of Esseck of near two hundred Leagues Length and which opens a Passage into Servia Bulgaria Bosnia and other Ancient Provinces of the Turkish Dominions The Province of Buda made a great part of Lower Hungary and one of the Ancient Pannonienses stretching it self from the Danube towards Sclavonia and across that River as far as the Mountains of Vpper Hungary and the River Theysse taking in the City of Agria with its Dependencies At present 't is the most considerable Province of the Ottoman Empire which reaches to the Borders of Austria on one side and to the Frontiers of Poland on the other HUNGARY But for the clearer Apprehending the course of this Country we ought here to say something in general of the Kingdom of Hungary one of the largest richest most fertile pleasantest and most populous Countries of all Europe Tho' it is in a great measure rob'd of those rare Qualifications and has been the Seat of War Revolts and Bloody Catastrophes for two hundred Years together still it is the best of all the Estates that belong to the House of Austria It wants nothing and what it has is altogether Admirable Its Mountains furnish you with Golden Mines its Coasts with the richest Wines in the World for the Best comes not near those of Hungary made in certain Parts and of certain rich Grapes dry'd in the Sun call'd Vvae siccae Vvae passae The Fruits of the Country are likewise Extraordinary You there meet with a kind of black Plums of a delicate Taste and so suitable to the Constitution of an Humane Body that the Physicians say proverbially That they will do you no harm eat as many as you will of ' em unless you swallow down Tree and all The other Fruits so much boasted of in hot Countries grow here in great plenty Water Melons and others on dry Land without meeting with so much as one of 'em naught And there are three or four sorts of them or of different colours being white green red within Hungary abounds no less in all other things requisite for the Pleasure or Necessities of Life so that it needs not to borrow any thing from its Neighbors but on the contrary can lend to them of its own stores This has render'd it very populous and enrich'd it with great Cities large Towns and stately Castles Most of the first owe their Original to the Ancient Romans who planted Colonies in this Country the Names of which are still retain'd in that general corruption of Languages Such are Poson Sabine and Tyrnau which are Famous Cities of this Kingdom founded formerly by Piso Sabinus and Tyrnavius The Inhabitants of those Places still retain the purity of the Language of their ancient Masters 'T is certain that no place of Europe speaks so good so Proper Elegant and Fluent Latin as Hungary Even the Language of Augustus's Time is not degenerated neither in the Stile nor the Pronunciation 'T is still cultivated with Care in the Universities of this Kingdom of which the Colleges of Tyrnau and Cassovia are the most Famous and noted as the Best Universities of France and the Ancient Conimbrian and Complutensian Academies of Spain The Post-Masters are not admitted into that Office unless they
in Chains and come thither by leave of the Governor of Komorne to negotiate for his Ransom which the Bassa propos'd likewise in Exchange for mine I wrote what he desir'd but without any hopes of being heard and the Interpreter stay'd still at Newhausel to make an end of the Business But the Replies from the Camp were so unsatisfactory that the Bassa kept his Word with me and the Interpreter himself very narrowly escap'd the Bastinado The great Squire of the Crown wrote to me of the Injustice and my Friends to whom I had sent for Linnen and Cloaths fearing that their Kindness would retard my Deliverance left me witout a supply and out of Love refus'd to send me so much as a Shirt The Great Squire wrote likewise to the Bassa telling him That his falsifying his Word so uncommon among the Turks would fall heavy upon the two Prisoners of the Great General whose Legs Arms and Necks they would load with Irons but he never concern'd himself about them and sending back the Interpreter with the Number agree'd upon kept me still in Slavery and Misery CHAP. V. Containing the March of the Polish Army and it's Conquests in Upper Hungary with the King 's Return into his Territories the latter End of the Year 1683. AFTER the Taking of Strigonium the Armies as aforesaid separated and the Turks retir'd a great way into their Provinces Count Teckley at the same time gain'd the Mountains in order to re-inforce the Garrisons of his Dominions The Grand Visier put Buda into a posture of Defence in case of a Siege which seem'd unavoidable since the Germans were within six Leagues of it had no River to pass nor any Fort of Consequence to dispute by the way thither For the next Year when the Duke of Lorrain laid Siege to this Important Place he open'd the Campaign by taking of Veyssegrad and Veissembourg two Forts beyond Strigonium in the Country that lies round Buda Afterwards the Grand Visier march'd for Belgrade to present his Head to the Sultan who tho' he was his Father-in-Law yet would not Pardon him this his Second Defeat His Death-Warrant was brought to his House and the Officers in presenting it to him clapp'd a silk cord about his Neck with which he was strangl'd after he had kiss'd the Sultan's Warrant and the fatal Instrument of his Justice The King of Poland took his March towards Vpper Hungary leaving the River Theysse on the Right which separates the Christian from the Turkish Hungary and even the Christian Part of that Country was at that time in Rebellion As he went along he attack'd the Places which lay in his way the first was Zetzen which the Turks call Setchan scituated on a small Rising in the midst of uneven Plains which began by little and little to rise into Hills and then into Mountains till they made that Chain of Hills with which Hungary is surrounded and separated from the States of Poland Zetzen is a small Town enclos'd within Walls and a deep Trench but narrow at the Bottom and easie to be pass'd over The Gate had a Retrenchment of Pallisades made of large pieces of Timber in the nature of a Ravelin and Guards within some pieces of Cannon on the Walls with a Garrison of about Six hundred Men Horse and Foot commanded by an Aga or Captain call'd by the Turks Tchorbaggey i. e. An Officer of Foot of great Note The Army appear'd before this Place November 10. 1683 and the King took a View of it in order to attack it the next Day They saw a place in the Walls which had a Breach made up with Pallisades There and at the Gate the Dragoons and the Infantry carry'd on the Assault with Sword in Hand The General d' Henoff attack'd the Gate where the Prince's Regiment forc'd the Pallisade very vigorously in spite of a whole shower of Musket-shot with which several Officers and Soldiers were kill'd or wounded Afterwards they seis'd upon the Body of the Guards that were lodg'd in the Pallisade and were just upon breaking open the Gate when the Aga hung out a White Flag and desir'd to be gone This was granted him and the Garrison march'd out without Arms and without their Bag and Baggage However the Capitulation was not duly kept by an Accident that had nothing to do with the Taking of this Town For the King was ordering the Garrison to march out when his Envoy return'd from Newhausel with News of the Bassa's falsifying his Word with respect to me This rais'd a Resentment in that great Monarch's Breast and oblig'd him to make a Reprisal on the Turks of Zetzen of whom he mark'd out 30 with his Cane as they went out of the City beginning with the Aga his Son the Priest and others of greatest Note belonging to that Garrison telling them That he detain'd them as Prisoners not to forfeit the Promise given them but to revenge the Treachery of the Bassa of Newhausel who detain'd a Servant from him contrary to the Chartel of Exchange He added That two of them might go to intercede for their own Liberty by obtaining that of the other and that in the mean time the other 28 should be kept in Chains The Aga's Son and a Janizary were deputed for this Negotiation which came to nothing On the contrary the Bassa offended that they had deliver'd up the Town sent them away with Threats upbraiding their Cowardise and faint Resistance which the Sultan would be sure to punish with Death if ever they should return into his Dominions That therefore they were safer in their Slavery and might tarry with the Poles or free themselves by other Exchanges That the Frenchman was his Slave for whom he would have Money not Men. So that these two Mussulmen were surpriz'd to see a Bassa prefer his own sordid Interest before the Ottoman Blood and vex'd that they could do no good for their Comrades made use of that Liberty they had retiring to Buda and leaving the rest in the Prisons of Transchyn a City of Hungary upon the Wag towards the Frontiers of Moravia whither the King of Poland had sent them and where for 14 Months they suffer'd all the Misery imaginable as I did at Newhausel being abandon'd to a wild Despair I had said before That the Dragoons together with the Infantry were commanded to carry on the Assault of Zetzen The Count of Maligny the Queen of Poland's Brother who was General and Colonel in particular of the King's Regiment of Dragoons advanc'd as far as the Pallissade to animate his Troops by his Presence and Example which was of great use for the carrying on the Attack with Success for his Dragoons were without a Leader their Lieutenant Colonel Nam'd Galetski being found by the Count hid behind one of the great pieces of Timber of the Pallisade with his Pistol in his Hand where he had no need to fear the Firing from the Walls I was willing to mention this to give
the World an Idea of the Gallantry of the Polish Officers who most of 'em desire to die calmly in their Beds whereas even Lieutenant Generals and Mareshals of France are for falling in the Field of Honour and at the Head of their Troops The City of Zetzen being thus surrender'd was guarded at first by the Polish Infantry and the Head-Captain of the Prince's Regiment Nam'd Des Forges a Frenchman and a Gentleman belonging to the Queen was plac'd in it as Commander in Chief The King gave the Inhabitants leave to go out with their Families A great many Women and Children follow'd the Soldiery after which the King put the place into the Hands of General Dunneval who took possession of it for the Emperor and made a stand there with his Detachment from whence he sent them into Winter Quarters His Polish Majesty continu'd his March after he had spent four Days about Zetzen and advanc'd towards Cassovia one of the Chief and Strongest Cities of the Kingdom fortify'd formerly with a Citadel which Count Teckley had won the Year before and demolish'd as he did the Fort of Fileck The Emperor had assign'd those revolted Cities for Winter Quarters to the Polish Army which they must first be oblig'd to force tho' they were well garrison'd so that there was no staying in an Enemy's Country with such a Handful of Men being continually harrass'd with Hungarian Parties and the Peasants who cut off several of our Army The Soldiery dead almost with Hunger and Cold oblig'd to pass Rivers half froz'n over and often swell'd above their Banks went to dry themselves in the adjacent Villages sought for some shelter on every side and were killed by the Rebels who destroy'd more of our Army that way than they had by the Battles of Vienna and Barcan Nay they were oblig'd to Count Teckley for that small number which did at last arrive in Poland For he being always the King 's trusty Friend and keeping the Engagements made between them advis'd him to draw off betimes being not able any longer to prevent the Cutting off of his Passage through the Mountains after which the Rebels would quickly make an hand of his Army The Turks were in such Expectations of it that News was brought to Newhausel of the entire Defeat of the Polish Troops which infallibly would have been had Teckley preferr'd the Interest of his Party before the Obligations he had with the King to whom his Majesty stood indebted for all the Glorious Successes of this Campaign The Turks had so certain an Intelligence of this that sometimes after they caus'd this Ring-leader of the Rebels to be arrested as we shall shew in its proper place The King of Poland would not venture too nigh Cassovia but encamp'd on one side out of the reach of the Cannon The Town fir'd briskly upon our Troops as they march'd along within sight of the Place and the Garrison sally'd out upon the Stragglers So that staying there only one Night they the next Day pass'd the River above Cassovia and so to continue their March to Eperies another Capital City of Hungary larger and of greater Trade than the former but not so highly Dignify'd seated at the Foot of the Mountains of Crapak upon one of the Rivers that run to Cassovia For this City is scituate in the very Centre where two large Rivulets joyn together which in going through the City make but one single River and thus through the same Channel disembogue themselves into the Theysse below Tokay These two Rivulets spring from those very Mountains and form a kind of Peninsula reaching from the Foot of the Mountains to Cassovia being a handsome Tract of Ground Eperies is upon that River which is on the Right The King approach'd it in order to besiege it so that the Cannon play'd into his Camp even beyond the Tents of his Head-Quarters Upon His Arrival the Garrison sally'd out upon our foremost Squadrons and skirmish'd with them all that Day On the Morrow they fell upon the King's Dragoons at Mid-day who quickly mounted their Horses and repuls'd the Sallyers On the third Day the King broke up from thence to seek out Winter-Quarters elsewhere Instead of Eperies which had been assign'd for his Hussars and his own Regiments He led the Army directly to Czebin three Leagues beyond in the Mountains where he arriv'd the Second Day after he had left Eperies From the Camp that lay betwixt he detach'd Miogenski with his Brigade to go and take a View of Czebin and the adjacent Places The Horse of the Town sally'd out upon his Troops Miogenski retreated into several Houses and Barns which the Disposition of the Ground had conceal'd where he form'd an Ambuscade Thirty of his Cavalry being detach'd advanc'd further up in the Plain in order to draw out the Garrison who fell into the Snare and very vigorously pursu'd our Men to the Place where they had Orders to face about but the rest of the Brigade coming up they began a regular Fight which ended in the Retreat of the Rebels who left behind them several slain and several Prisoners Miogenski had a Horse kill'd under him and his Nephew took an Hungarian Officer After this the King appear'd before the Place where the Lithuanian Army first joyn'd him It came to Cracow the latter end of September and for two Months together kept skirting upon the Frontiers or in the Entrance into Hungary leaving every where behind them tokens of their March in the open Countries and against the Peasants This very much offended Count Teckley and the Polish Court who had order'd the Lithuanian Generals to prevent any Disturbance or Acts of Hostility from being offer'd to the Subjects of that Prince These Generals began to Cannonade Czebin when the King arriv'd before it and the Town which held out against the Army of Lithuania surrender'd upon Articles to his Polish Majesty He spake very civilly to the Officers exhorting them to return to the Obedience of the Emperor their lawful Sovereign But they very freely told him That they had rather die than submit to the German Yoke begging Leave that they might follow him and serve in his Army Accordingly they did attend his Majesty for some Days but after he was advanc'd a little in his March they return'd back to Czebin from whence they beat our Troops even without charging them The same was done in other Places of these Countries where any Garrison had been left At last the whole Army return'd into Poland with the King who took his March through Lubownia the First City of his Territories and arriv'd at Cracow on Christmas Eve Lubownia is a Starosty in the Mountains 8 Leagues off Eperies and 12 or 15 from Cracow As to Czebin 't is scituated in a Bottom enclos'd with good Walls and Forts a large Trench and several Stone Bridges reaching to the Gates The Inside is vere well built as are all the other Cities of this part of Hungary which
Visier Successor to Cara Mustapha Pacha took particular care to secure his Frontier-Cities and rais'd a Body of his Best Troops to be as a Supply to those whom the Germans should offer to besiege being not in a capacity of entring upon the Offensive this Year The Council of Vienna resolv'd upon Assaulting Buda leaving Newhausel behind them knowing it would surrender of it self after the Taking of that Capital City from whence it had all its Supplies For 't is to be observ'd That notwithstanding the Taking of Barcan Lewents and Strigonium yet the Turks had free Communication between Newhausel and Buda where they had a Bridge The new Bassas sent to Newhausel in the Year 1684 arriv'd there without any obstruction and the Bey my Patron went once during the Winter to Buda and return'd back as easily only making use of the Night and the Windings of the Mountains Upon that occasion I had a Sight of that Famous City which was the best fortified of any in Hungary and was rich populous full of Jews and Merchants The Grand Visier after the Raising of the Siege of Vienna had put into the Place his Friend Cara Mehemet Pacha and appointed for his Assistant a Brave Soldier call'd by way of Exaggeration The Devil his Name was indeed Chaitan Ibraham Pacha as if the first Word which signifies Satan was the Sirname of his Family The Duke of Lorrain open'd the Campaign be-times and march'd directly to Strigonium where his Bridge was laid Part of his Army pass'd before Newhausel a little on the Left almost within reach of their Cannon and encamp'd three Days above within sight of the City during which time the Bassa sally'd out with all his Cavalry to harass the German Army from whom they took a great many Men and Women with Provisions in abundance After this the Army continu'd its March pass'd the Danube carry'd in a few Days two strong Places scituated upon the Hills on the Right side of Strigonium and afterwards went to lay Siege to Buda Whereas the Imperial Army was not very numerous it could not form any large circumvallation nor could it entirely surround the Place There were great Intervals in the Line by which the Grand Visier had several Opportunities of throwing Men and Ammunition into the City The Duke of Lorrain assaulted first the Lower Town where he carry'd two very large and well-guarded Trenches He caus'd the Town of Pest on the other side the Danube to be carry'd by Storm where he broke the Bridge of the Turks and left a small Detachment to hinder the entring in of any Succours that might be brought upon the River He had the sole conveniency of this very River which might have brought all necessary Provisions into his Camp with Recruits and fresh Troops without any danger of being intercepted Yet the Germans did not either know how or else could not take any Advantage from that Conveniency for the Army wanted every thing at the end of the Siege Bread being as scarce with them as in the besieg'd City The Ammunition was scarcer and I have heard of very creditable Persons that they were forc'd to eat Man's Flesh besides that of Horses The Lower Town was taken in a short time The D. of Lorrain continu'd his Assaults on the same side to come up to the Wall of the Upper Town stretch'd as I observ'd before on the Edge of the Hill widen'd at each end and fortify'd with a double Retrenchment That Prince omitted nothing that might make himself Master of the Place no more than the Bassa did to defend it The Jews serv'd him herein very zealously push'd on with a desire of preserving their Riches which was as dear to them as their Religion and Country The Supplies of Men and Provisions which he receiv'd by several Reprisals refresh'd his Garrison and besides it was but faintly attack'd They carry'd their Works to the very bottom of the Wall and endeavour'd to undermine it in two several Places and the Mine that was made at one of the round Towers was charg'd three times together to make a Breach The Turks countermin'd it and the first time took the Powder out of it the second had no effect and at last when it was blown up it threw it towards the City instead of throwing it into the Trench and so fortify'd the place on that side They were no more successful in other parts The Assaults were frequent but always repuls'd with Vigour The Artillery play'd constantly but without success and they cast in not above three or four Bombs in a Night In a word they spent three whole Months together before this City without being able to make the least Lodgment upon it and they ruin'd the Imperial Army which lost near 28000 Men among whom are reckon'd 500 of the Bravest German Officers The Elector of Bavaria arriv'd at the Camp towards the end of September with his Troops and took his Post on the Right of the Imperial Army over against the Palace of King Matthias which is the Point opposite to that which had been attack'd The Council of War held after his coming concluded to carry on a fresh Assault on that side as being the most easie to batter and force The Elector of Bavaria sent before-hand a Trumpeter to the Bassa to summons him to surrender The Bassa admitted the Trumpeter into the City hearken'd calmly to his Proposal told him That he understood of that Prince's Arrival and had not fail'd to have beaten any one but himself by Cannon-shot from an Eminence where he was one Day posted to take a View of the City but that he was willing to spare him and had that consideration for his Person Afterwards the Bassa order'd him to be shewn the Place and an inner Intrenchment which render'd it stronger than at the beginning of the Siege He shew'd him his Magazines furnish'd with Provisions and Ammunitions for above six Months longer and his Garrison standing to their Arms being very Numerous and very Resolute After this the Bassa ask'd him upon what account he was oblig'd to surrender and then dismiss'd him with a Present of 20 Ducats of Gold The Siege therefore continu'd with fresh Vigour and new Attempts In the mean time the Bassa of Newhausel made his Advantage of the Enemy's besieging that City He had plac'd Detachments of his Cavalry for half a League round his Town and went often to visit them Every Week he went out in Parties sometimes towards Lewents another time towards Komorne and then towards the River Wag to Goutta to Nitria and to all the Parts round about his Government to seek for Provisions and never return'd empty-handed So that he preserv'd his own Stores and supply'd the City very plentifully with the Spoils he took in the Enemy's Country Twice or thrice he advanc'd towards Buda to get Intelligence of the Siege One Day he entred at Noon into the Isle of Schut and ravag'd the Borders of it In a word this
for his good Will I convinced him that I ought to restore that Money to Mehemet Spaha as I afterwards did I departed by Post from Vienna and arrived at Cracow where a Canon Chancellor to the Prince of Poland a Man of great Merit and sweet Behaviour kept me three Days and treated me admirably after which I reached Reetchouf a Castle belonging to Prince Lubomirski the Podstarosta or Captain whereof gave me a Calash which brought me to Yaroslave and there I found the Equipages of the Queen's Father with one of his Gentlemen who brought me in three Stages to Zolkief where the Court was 'T is eleven great Leagues from Yaroslave in a straight Line leaving Yarvorouf on the Right I had found at Przevorska a City belonging to the great Marshal of the Crown Prince Stanislas Lubomirski about two Leagues above Yaroslave the Troops of the Elector of Brandenburg which two Commissaries of the Republick were conducting to the Frontiers of the two Estates and this was the only Rencounter worthy of Remark for me because of the Kindnesses shown me by the Officers and above all the General who made me a Present of a Case of Pistols of great Price which I bestowed as a small Mark of my Acknowledgment upon Pr. Lubomirski who liked them so well that he has always worn them since out of his Goodness and by an obliging Distinction which heaps further Obligations upon those I owe him already The End of the First Part. SOME LETTERS AND OTHER PIECES Whereof mention has been made in this first Part. The two first Letters which I put here may at first seem to have no Reference to what is related in those Memoirs but they are not useless to give an Idea of the Genius of the Port under the Ministry of the Grand Visier who besieged Vienna and they will also serve to expose the haughty and scornful Humor of that Ottoman General A LETTER FROM Monsieur De Guillerague Ambassador of France at Constantinople Wrote to the Marquis de Vitri the King 's Extraordinary Ambassador in Poland Dated at Pera from the Palace of France August 8. 1681. I Had resolved to send away my Family but just as they were ready to imbark a Messenger sent by the Consul of Smyrna acquainted me That on July 18. M. du Quene anchored at the Mouth of the Harbour of Scio with six Men of War and a Fire-Ship and that after a very short Negotiation to oblige the Governour of the Castle to turn out some Tripolins who had sheltered themselves under his Canon he fired so furiously for 4 Hours together that he shattered them The Castle also fired some Guns to which M. du Quene answered Some Houses were damaged many Tripolins killed as also several Turks of the Town and some Mosques were pierced through in many Places This Action has caused great Commotions at the Port several Councils have been held to which the Mufti and all other great Officers were called Janisaries were sent to the Castle of the Dardanelles Couriers were sent to several Places The Captain Bassa had Orders sent him to return into Port as soon as possible with the Gallies The Consternation they were in cannot be imagined Some were of Opinion to arrest me and some Officers advised more rigorously They threatned to hang me and all the French within their Dominions They sent to Scio for the particulars of the Damages and of the Enterprize I have Notice given me that I shall be called to Audience I shall perpaps speak as I ought and I have good Reasons to alledge which are drawn from the express Terms of the Capitulations I have supported the Affair hitherto without indecency and I hope that notwithstanding all this terrible Image of Preparations to destroy all I shall terminate the Matter to the Glory of the King Perhaps Sir you may find something of a Gascoigners Security in what I wrote to you But in fine it is good to act with cold Blood The Turks fancy that the King inclines to declare War with them I assure them that his Majesty will entertain the Ancient Alliance if the Port is disposed thereto and that he has no other design than against Rovers and the Rebel Subjects of the Grand Senior who ought not to be received into his Ports The Affair of the Mosques does above all things vex the Mussul-Men who are extreamly bigotted to their Religion and to every thing that relates to it externally I tell them That some chance shot might have done them some damage but that if the French had done it designedly the Disorder would have been much greater It is also true that M. du Quêne had no Design to shoot against the Mosques and that he thought only of battering the 7 Tripolin Vessels I still hope notwithstanding their Menaces that my Family may depart in 8 Days time and that my Reasons will be heard Another Letter from M. de Guilleragues to the Marquis de Vitry Dated the 8th of September 1681. from the Palace of France at Pera. IT is proper to inform you Sir That the continual Piracies of the Tripolins have obliged the King to send a Squadron of Men of War into those Seas under the command of M. du Quesne with orders to attack those Robbers even in the Harbours of the Grand Senior M. du Quêne anchored the 23d of July in the Mouth of the Harbor of Scio Having known that eight Tripolin Ships were there he signified to him who commanded in the Fortress of the Grand Senior that he came as a Friend and that the Emperor of France was an Ancient Allie of the Emperor of the Turks But that he had express Orders to extirpate the Pirates who by the Terms of the Capitulation were called Rebel Subjects and abandoned to the Vengeance of our Emperor The Governor gave no Answer The Tripolins were very numerous They had made themselves Masters of the Town and Harbour M. du Quêne after having tarried in vain for an Answer let fly his Cannon among them He shattered the Tripolin Ships several chance Shot damaged the Houses and Mosques and killed 200 of the Inhabitants The Fortress fired upon the King's Ships they answered and beat down a part of it This News caused a great Commotion at the Port I acquainted them that the Difference was only with the Tripolins That the Emperor my Master designed to entertain an Amity between the two Empires That the Men of War had done nothing contrary to the Capitulation That if they should do the least hurt to a French Man it would be taken as a Declaration of War the Consequences whereof would be terrible and that there was no Appearance that the Grand Senior would break a Peace which has been anciently established between the two Empires to support Robbers Several Councils have been daily held Orders were given to augment the Garisons of all Places of Strength Such great Commotions were never seen nor such an Alarm In
A Letter from the Emperor to the King of Poland wrote by his own Hand Dated at Passaw Aug. 24. 1683. To the most Serene Lord the King of Poland my most dearly beloved Brother and Neighbour I Have seen by Your Majesty's Letter wrote with Your own Hand dated the 15th Instant how that You have already sent a good part of Your Army before and given order that they shall join very speedily with the Troops of Lithuania and the Cossacks and that You had begun Your march on that great Day of the Feast of our Lady with Your whole Army to come and succour with all Your might my City of Vienna which is ready to surrender being closely besieged by the most powerful Army of the Turks So puissant and opportune a Succour makes me sufficiently to see the brotherly Love You have for me to preserve my Dominions as well as the Zeal You have for the Good of Christendom So I return You most hearty Thanks and shall endeavour upon all Occasions to acknowledge Your brotherly Love I have been also willing to confess the same by this my devout Acknowledgment which will be presented by the Count de Schafsgoutz who will acquaint You that I am to set out to Morrow for Lintz in order to be nearer the City and have News of it the sooner and to have an Opportunity to consult more easily with You to whom I wish a perfect Health and all Prosperity Your Majesty's most Affectionate Brother and Neighbour Leopoldus A Letter from the King of Poland to the Pope Dated at Ratibor Aug. 24. 1683. This Letter properly speaking is only the rough Draught drawn by the King himself and wrote with his own Hand from which I copied it For he afterwards gave this rough Draught to an Italian Secretary who translated it into his own Language with the Ceremonies and Titles agreed on LAst Year I ordered the Imperial Minister at my Court to acquaint his Master That Vienna would be besieged the beginning of this because I had Advice of it from good Hands So soon as the Confederacy and the Diet were over I caused my Secretary to write to Cardinal Barbarini that in case Vienna should be besieged I would go in Person to succour it I received the News of its being besieged on the Twenty Third of July between Warsaw and Cracow In a Months time I have raised an Army without Money for the Provinces have scarce begun to pay their Contributions I gathered together the Troops that were in Podolia towards Caminiec and those which cover the Frontiers of Ukrania I caused them to make long marched insomuch that in a little time they have marches above an hundred German Leagues without having had Rest or Intermission And seeing I have Advice every Moment that the City which has been besieged only forty Days and defended by a whole Army is notwithstanding reduced to a great extremity I send part of my Army before with the Lieutenant General who will join the Duke of Lorrain the Day after to Morrow But seeing every Body wants my presence and that my Hussars Cannon and Infantry can march but four German Leagues a Day I take this Day some Troops of light Horse with me and by the Blessing of God shall be upon the Banks of the Danube by the last Day of this Instant to see and determine with the Duke of Lorrain and the other Generals how and by which way we shall succour Vienna and we shall forthwith pass the River which we wish to render yet more glorious by the defeat of the Infidels Let your Holiness now judge if you ought to give Credit to those who would have made you believe that the Polanders would do nothing this Campagne and that the King would never go out of his own Kingdom The King and his Army shall be sooner at the Gates of Vienna that one could have expected to have heard of his departure out of his own Territories And then you may reflect whether or no one can do more for a Friend and Allie but in so far as it concerns the good of the Church and Christendom I and my Kingdom shall be always ready to shed the last drop of our Blood as a true Shield of Christianity AN ACCOUNT OF THE Raising of the SIEGE OF VIENNA Written by Order of the Queen of POLAND THIS Account is properly an Abstract of the Letter which the King of Poland wrote to the Queen by the ordinary Post five or six Days after the departure of the Courier which he had sent the Day after the raising of the Siege who only carried the News by Word of Mouth whereof the King afterwards made an ample Relation to the Queen This is an Abstract of the Circumstances and particularly of the very Words in which the King wrote them connected together The Reader may observe some Verbosity and extravagant Praises therein but it is the Genius of the Nation and of the Polish Language which is full of Periphrases and Circumlocutions which in that Country they reck on to be great and sublime so that they make a Harangue at saluting one or for a Compliment of nothing The Victory which the King of Poland hath obtained over the Infidels is so great and so compleat that past Ages can scarce parallel the same and perphaps future Ages will never see any thing like it All its Circumstances are as profitable to Christendom in general and to the Empire in particular as glorious to that Monarch On one hand we see Vienna besieged by three hundred thousand Turks reduced to the last extremity its Outworks taken the Enemy fixed to the Body of the Place Masters of one Point of the Bastions having frightful Mines under the Retrenchments of the besieged We see an Emperor chased from his Capital retired to a Corner of his Dominions all his Country at the mercy of the Tartars who have filled the Camp with an infinite Number of unfortunate Slaves that had been forcibly carried away out of Austria On the other hand we see the King of Poland who goes out of his Kingdom with part of his Army and hastens to succour his Allies who abandons what is dearest to him to march against the Enemies of the Christian Religion willing to act in Person on this Occasion as a true Buckler of Religion and will not spare his eldest Son the Prince of Poland whom he carries with him even in a tender Age to so dangerous an Expedition as this was That which preceded the battle is no less surprizing The Empire assembles on all sides the Elector's of Saxony and Bavaria come in Person to join their Troops with the Imperialists under the command of the Duke of Lorrain Thirty other Princes repair out of Emulation to one another to the Army which nevertheless before they will enter upon Action stay for the presence of the K of Poland whose presence alone is worth an Army They all march with this Confidence The
is the best Canton of the whole Kingdom This was the Conclusion of that Glorious Campaign after which the Polish Court met at Cracow where the Queen had waited for her Royal Consort and resided there all the Winter to the end of March when it remov'd into Russia in order to take care of its own State after having sav'd that of its Allie It was debated Whether they should keep a new Army on foot to oppose the Turks who were incens'd against Poland for having violated the Truce solemnly ratify'd by an Ambassador in Favour of a Prince from whom they had not the least Hopes of Succour when they wanted it The Sultan conferr'd the Office of Grand Visier on the Caimacan of Constantinople who was another Black call'd Cara. He sent as his Serasquier against the Poles Suleyman a Bassa a Man of Esteem in the Empire who afterwards came to be Grand Visier but of the particulars of this we shall treat in the next Chapter During all these Transactions and the March of the King of Poland towards Vpper Hungary the Bassa of Newhausel tir'd with waiting for my Ransom and beginning to perceive that I was less considerable than he took me to be propos'd to me the sending a Trooper directly across the Mountains to Cracow and offer'd to release me for 3000 Golden Ducats and ten Turks instead of the 10000 he had first insisted upon Tho' I was verily perswaded that the King would never part with that Sum yet I consented to the Proposal and wrote what they desir'd me looking upon it rather as a Favourable Opportunity of sending my News to the Court and of hearing some from thence than as an Overture to my speedy Deliverance The Turk was dispatch'd and fell into the hands of a Party of Rebels who perceiving him charg'd with Letters directed says he to the King of Poland brought him before Count Teckley taking him either for an Imperialist Hungarian or for a Deserter As good Luck would have it Count Forval was then with that Prince who gave him the Pacquet to read and interpret Forval knew my Hand and came to know of my Imprisonment of which he had never heard a Word before He gave an Account of it to that Hungarian Lord praying him at the same time not only to permit the Express to go on to Cracow but likewise by his own Interest to endeavour to redeem me from my Slavery Count Teckley promis'd to do it and with my Letters sent one to the King and Forval wrote another to the Marquiss D' Arquyen to offer his Service in my Behalf From hence arose a very strict Correspondence between these Persons The Marquiss wrote to Count Teckley giving him the Title of Highness and the Count answer'd him very respectfully and omitted nothing to obtain my Freedom not directly by himself for fear of rendring himself suspected but by means of the Bey of Novigrad his particular Friend and the Intimate acquaintance of the Bassa of Newhausel who was his Superiour the Castle of Novigrad being under that Bassa's Jurisdiction Perhaps this Negotiation might have prov'd successful had it not been for the delay of the Express occasion'd partly by the deep Snows and partly by the Difficulties of the Roads which the Parties sent out on both sides made almost impassible Besides the Bassa of Newhausel died the beginning of February even before the Trooper dispatch'd by him was return'd He brought his Answers to the Turkish Captain who had taken me who commanded in the City till the Arrival of a new Bassa or rather of two new Bassas for the two who were at Newhausel died the same Month. This Captain sent me a Letter which the Marquiss of Arquyen wrote to me and desir'd to know the Contents that so he might take his Measures with the Eldest Son of the deceas'd Bassa to whose share I fell in the Division of his Father's Personal Estate betwixt him and his two Brothers Mustapha would have bought me at his Hands at a low rate that so he might have got the Overplus of the Ransom if it had been a pretty round Sum. But seeing nothing was offer'd in Exchange besides the Turks of Zetzen he left me to make my own bargain with my Patron who was not in a humour no more than his Father of delivering those Mussulmen to his own prejudice Thus all the good Wishes of Count Teckley and the pressing instances of Forval were rendered insignificant by the Avarice of this Bey my Patron formerly his Fathers Kiayia After the Death of the Bassa of Newhawsel his three Sons made a Dividend of the Spoil Household-Goods Slaves Horses and lodg'd altogether in the Place wherein the Deceased formerly dwelt waiting for the Arrival of his Successor I was in some hopes of some favourable Turn of fortune by this Death since the Bey his Eldest Son had appeared to me to be more Courteous Charitable and of a milder Disposition than his Father But I was deceived in my Expectations For this Covetous Man who could no longer enrich himself by the Contributions in which he had now no share did almost starve us to Death and kept himself but a very stingy Table So that having now nothing but a piece of dry bread every day and some days together nothing at all to eat I was reduced to such a Weakness and Faintness as brought me within a foot of the Grave Besides I was without Cloaths in a Vault that had no fire in it laid on the Ground upon two Boards without either Hay or Straw and full of Sores from the Crown of my head to the Sole of my foot Thus I lead a languishing Life having no other Support but the mercy of God for two whole Months together expecting an End to be put to these my Miseries with as much impatience as I formerly breath'd after Liberty One day I remember that I went by the door of a Stove that was kindled where I stop'd a while The Heat reviv'd my strength a little and I perceiv'd my Spirits refresh'd by this Help which gave me to understand that my Nature was only weaken'd and that when warmer Weather came I might recover of that languishing Malady However this warm Weather was still to come and Provisions began to be scarcer and scarcer every Day The Duke of Lorrain had order'd the Garrisons round about to hinder the Peasants from carrying their Goods to Newhausel Market as they had formerly done A Prohibition was made against it under the Penalty of being hang'd The City had no Wood for Firing for all the Parts round about were laid waste Its Magazines were husbanded accordingly to prevent Necessity Thus every one suffer'd alike Turks Officers Slaves and Horses Nothing comes nigh the Frugality of this Nation who are contented with a little Meal moisten'd with Coffee Tobacco Herbs and such like Things and are as happy in this their Fare as the greatest Sensualists pretend to be in their most Luxurious Diet.
Provided a City has Bread 't is reckon'd a very good City and when a Turk enters into Discourse of any foreign Country the first Question he asks is Whether it has any Bread and if he commends any Country of their own Empire 't is for that Quality Honey makes likewise one of the richest Repasts which they eat with Butter mixt with it or else spred upon Bread cold This they learnt from the Jewish Tradition Mahomet having retain'd a great many of their Customs as well as Names and inserted a great many Passages out of the Bible in his Alcoran particularly this Butyrum Mel comedes ut scias reprobare malum eligere bonum Since I am fall'n into these Digressions it will not be amiss to add what I observ'd concerning their Funeral Rites at the Bassa's Funeral As to the Essential Part of them they are much the same for all sorts of People For among the Turks they make no Distinction or Subordination of Quality Birth or Profession They are all Equal excepting their Offices which only make the Distinction so that the Sons of a Bassa and the Grooms of his Stables when he is dead are upon the same Level They eat all together without any Difference the Footman with his Master and both with the Tradesman and nothing seems below them since as they are rais'd out of nothing to the highest Posts so they fall back again from these Dignities into their Primitive Nothing Persons plac'd in an Office are the only distinguish'd Men among them and the Respect and Veneration which is paid to those Officers cannot be equall'd by any other Nation However Death equals them with the rest and their Funerals do but very little exceed those of Private Persons in in Magnificence Just as the Bassa died his Relations and Friends that were about him set up a great Cry as taking their last Farewel of him In Turky they do not weep for the Dead nor shew any other Demonstration of Sorrow Afterwards a Charcoal Fire was kindled in the midst of his Palace-Yard on which they put a Kettle full of Water and wash'd the Body as it was laid out upon a Table After this they rub'd it over with Yellow Wax and last of all wrap'd it up with Cloth Swaths as they do the Egyptian Mummies The Coffin in which he was laid was cover'd over with Red Stuff and the Deceas'd habited in his usual Dress At first upon going out of the House the Corps was carry'd on the Shoulders of Four Persons of Quality but in marching every one who met the Procession offer'd themselves to carry the Coffin a little way and were again reliev'd by the next that came for the Turks make a piece of Devotion of this Custom The Relations Friends and Domesticks of the Bassa follow'd the Bier whilst the Priests of the Mosques the Scholars and others design'd for the Religious Order of the Mussulmen went before chanting forth of Prayers till they came to the Church-Yard which is without the Walls where upon a Stone rais'd like a Pyramid near the Tomb is set down the Quality of the Deceas'd by certain Figures of the Sabre the Turbant and such like This in general is the Funeral Solemnity of the Turks after which they all return to the House of the Deceas'd as usual without any token of Sorrow being entirely resign'd to the Orders of Providence which is esteem'd by them as the Irresistible Fate which the Heathen own'd This renders them more steady in Adversity less proud in Prosperity and more patient in Misery and Slavery which they bear with a dry Eye and after an Heroical manner It is not always the Effect of a great Courage but often a Blind Refignation to Providence There are but few Nations who have a stronger Belief of and greater Aw for God than the Turks They have his Name almost always in their Mouths 't is their Signal of Battle they have a particular Standard which they call The Standard of God and marches at the Head of the Armies This Standard is Red set off with a Border in small Squares inclosing several Plumes or Festoons with Crescents In the midst is a Sabre with two Blades and a Double-guard upon one single Hilt plac'd like a pair of Compasses and all full of Writing which is a sort of Mysterious Talisman in their Religion On the Top is a large Crescent turn'd downwards spotted all over with Arabick Characters inclosing a Sun betwixt its Two Horns as do the other Eight which are plac'd Four and Four on each side of the large Crescent The spaces between are garnish'd with other Figures and the whole contains Sentences or Phrases to the Praise of the Living God There are other Standards which are wholly plain of a Red Silk and a Green Fringe That which is call'd Mahomet's Standard is Green and has a Red Fringe the Chief of which in the Tents of the Grand Visier is all full of writing without any other Figure or Finery Whether they go out or come in or enter into any Discourse they begin and end with Alla. When one among 'em relates any extraordinary Story he who hears it asks him by way of Admiration Alla Seversen that is Do you love God As if he should say Is it certainly true In short this Sacred Name is made use of with Reverence in all the Discourses and Actions of the Turks Five Times a Day they have set Prayers each Mosque having some appointed to give notice of the Hour of Prayer by certain Form which they sing out aloud upon a Balcony plac'd for that purpose round a Tower and thus they call upon the Faithful to take them off from their Worldly Concerns They begin by turning towards the Rising-Sun and afterwards turn about as the Sun does chanting forth the Greatness and Power of the Most High On Friday which is their Sunday made choice of on purpose to distinguish it from the Christian Lord's Day and the Jewish Sabbath the Ministers of the Mosques use some Extraordinary Ceremonies Three of 'em get upon the top of the Tower singing forth other Prayers beside the usual Invocation of each Day which is offer'd up only by a single Person The most Religious go to Prayers at the Mosque others say 'em at Home and others neither at Home nor at the Mosque for there are Atheists and Formalists in all Religions In the Bassa's House there is a Chaous appointed to give Notice to all the Domesticks by crying before their Chamber-Doors To Prayers Gentlemen to Prayers and the Chief of them go into the Bassa's Room and there put up their Petitions jointly with him with a loud Voice but on Fridays he goes solemnly to the Mosque in a Green Vest their Prophet's beloved Colour there to offer up the Second Prayer which is between Ten and Eleven in the Morning The Bassa of Newhausel who succeeded Alé my first Master never fail'd that Duty and distributed large Alms