Germany it self is so enfeebl'd by their repeated incursions that all the Emperour can do is to make dishonourable and costly Compositions buying a Precarious Peace with little less Charges than would serve some more Fortunate Prince to carry on a Glorious and Successful War Neither is the State of Venice in any better Condition of Defence the Turks having par'd away whole Provinces from that once flourishing Common-wealth and by their continual Invasions and Hostilities reduc'd her to a Necessity of Merchandizing with the Ottoman Port for Peace Which is no sooner concluded but on the least Pretence is broke again by those who hold themselves not oblig'd to keep Faith with Christians Behold at this Time without Provocation on the Part of Venice or a Declaration of War by the Grand Signior the late League broken on a sudden and in a most Clandestine Manner Behold Candy environ'd with their Fleet by Sea and her fertil Plains cover'd with Armies of Mahometans by Land Behold her Cities in the Hands of her Enemies and her Villages laid Desolate her Nobles put to the Sword and her Merchants led into Captivity In fine behold this afflicted Common-wealth yet struggling with her Fate and sending her Ambassadors to all the Princes and States of Christendom Demanding or rather in a suppliant Manner Imploring their Assistance Yet she finds little or no Help from any but the Pope and the Knights of Malia And his Holiness has enough to do to preserve the Patrimony of the Church from Violence The State of Genoua is too intent upon her Traffick to regard the Calamities of her Neighbours And all the Princes of Italy have such Diversions at Home as render their Application to Things Abroad very Cold and Indifferent In the mean while the Turks gain Ground double their Strength and encrease their Victories Oh Deplorable State of Christendom Is there no Redress for these Miseries Yes surely there is and such a Redress as only lies in Your Power Great Minister to apply which in the Experiment I dare assure will prove Effectual I do not pretend to the Visions and Inspirations of Peter the Hermit who garbl'd Secular and Divine Offices and arming himself in Habiliments of Steel went Dragooning up and down Christendom at the Head of a Confused Rabble to render himself Popular and acquire the Triple Character of Pilgrim Priest and Captain The ill Success of his rash Expeditions shew'd That he was only stung with a Religious Caprice and that God approv'd not his Folly I do not go about to propose another Crusade or contrive a Way to shed whole Deluges of Humane Blood with no other Consequence than to stain History with the Sanguine Memoirs of Christendom's Vanity and Misfortune Besides that would be found Impracticable in this Age which was easie to put in Execution Five or Six Hundred Years ago The World is not so Devout now as it was in those Days neither are Men so prompt to run the Risque of their Lives on Religious Errands for the Honour of being esteem'd Martyrs 'T will be difficult to find out a New List of Godfrey's Baldwin's Guy's and other Hero's to lead the Champions of the Cross through all the Hardships of Sea and Land so many Hundred Miles into Remote and Desolate Regions to combate not only with Flesh and Blood but with Famine Pestilence And all the Miseries of Human Life And as if this were not enough to sheath their Swords also in each others Bowels for Punctilio's meer Trifles of mistaken Honour and ill-tim'd Emulation And all this only to purchase the Empty Title of King of Jerusalem or the Precarious Authority of a Grecian Emperor Both short liv'd Honours the One to be lost in a little Time with all Palestine to the Saracens the Other depending only on the Pleasure of the Multitude Such were the Glorious Fruits of the Christian Arms in those Days Such the Triumphs attending Our Victories These the Trophies which our Fathers erected to their own Disgrace when after a War of so many Years they left the Holy Land in a worse Condition than they found it and of so many Hundred Thousand Men as marched thither threatning the utter Subversion of the Saracen Empire there scarce return'd enough to disperse the News of their own Overthrow Waving therefore these Visionary rash Expeditions I now propose to Your Eminence an Undertaking which tho' it may make less Noise in the World yet carriâ—… more Probability of Success and will not only promote the Interest of France but redound to the Advantage of all Europe No Man who is acquainted with History can be ignorant what Claims the Kings of France have made to the Empire of the West since the Days of Charlemaine the Royal Predecessor of his Present Majesty who was dignified with the Imperial Title by the Sovereign Bishop Neither is it unknown by what Artifices the House of Austria have procured the Translation of this Sacred Authority to their Own Family Your Eminence is sensible by what Tyrannous and Unjust Methods they have maintain'd themselves in this highest Pitch of Humane Glory and not content with this how they have aspir'd after the Monarchy of the Whole World All the North have groan'd under the Burden of their Insupportable Tyranny And their Encroachments on the South have render'd that Line little less Infamous They spare neither Civil nor Ecclesiastical Rights in the Pursuit of their Ambition not even the Patrimony of St. Peter which has ever been esteemed Sacred and Inviolable by Christian Princes they have sack'd Rome it self and led the Supreme Pastor of the Church into Captivity What should I speak of the Hollanders Suitzers Grisons and other Nations which impatient of the Austrian Yoke revolted from their Cruel Masters and have ever since asserted their Liberty by the Force of their Arms What should I mention the frequent Troubles in Bohemia Transylvania and Hungary when the Inhabitants of those Countries grown desperate with their daily Oppressions have bravely endeavour'd to redeem themselves and their Posterity from perpetual Servitude but for Want of a Powerful Protector have been forc'd to yield to their Old Masters That Incestuous Race are grown Odious to the Whole World Even the Princes of the Empire are forced to smother their Resentments when they Elect One to possess the Imperial Diadem whom they cannot but hate That therefore which I aim at in this Address is to represent to Your Eminence how easie it will be in this Juncture for his most Christian Majesty to recover the Imperial Crown which of Right belongs to None but the Successors of the renown'd Charleinaine and which even the greatest Part of the Germans themselves wish to see plac'd on the Head of Lewis XIV Most of the Electors are already inclining to the Interests of France It will not be difficult to win the Rest The Hungarians c. long for a Deliverer And the other Provinces beyond the Danube will freely open the Gates
few Women Perhaps thy Mother's Milk hangs yet on thy Chin thou art not wean'd from the Discipline of the Nursery Was the Strong Fortress of Sebenico of so small a Price that thou shouldst basely decamp from before it because a few Females appear'd on the Walls Is this the Way to aggrandize thy Master What will the Christians say to this Cowardise Nay what do they not say already The News of that Siege had reach'd all Parts of Europe the Nazarenes were big with Expectation of the Event Now they know it they laugh both at thee and at all the Mussulmans Thou hast brought a Disgrace on the most Exalted Empire in the World What if thou didst lose Two Thousand Men before the Walls of that Fort Is that a sufficient Justification of thy raising the Siege Our Glorious Sultans do not use to win Cities and Castles without Blood neither do they spare to sacrifice the best Part of their Army to the Honour of their Arms whilst our Indefatigable Soldiers have mounted on Heaps of Slaughter'd Spahi's and scal'd the Battlements of their Enemies Whereas thou wert afraid of a few Stones that the Women hurl'd on thy Men from the Walls Thou art more effeminate than Sardanapalus It were fitter for thee to handle the Distaff and Spin for thy Bread than to draw a Sword in the Field of Honour It is a wonder thy own Soldiers do not abandon thee being asham'd to serve under so Weak a Commander I counsel thee speedily to recover thy lost Reputation by some notable Service Let not Perils affright thee but remember that true Fortitude surmounts all Difficulties and that thou canst not pass into the Temple of Honour but through that of Vertue It is not my Part to project for thee The whole Country is before thee Thou knowest or at least oughtest to know the Motions and Strength of thy Enemies Do something speedily that shall speak thee Wise and Valiant Thou hadst better lose thy Life so than by a Bow-string Take this Advice as a Mark of my Friendship for Mahmut uses not so frankly to reprove those whom he esteems his Enemies Adieu Paris 15th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1647. LETTER IV. To Achmet Bassa NOT long ago arrived here a Courier from Suedeland bringing Letters from Queen Christina and Monsieur Chanut the French Resident at Stockholme Among other Matters they give an Account That on the Twenty Seventh Day of the Seventh Moon that Great Princess had like to have been stabb'd in the Midst of her Guards surrounded with her Courtiers before the Altar of her God at an Hour when all the Subjects of that Kingdom were on their Knees to render Heaven Propitious to Her and the Publick That Day there was a Fast proclaim'd through all Suedeland and he was esteemed no Good Subject who did not repair to the Publick Solemnities The Queen to give an Example went at the Third Hour of the Day to the Mosque of her Palace attended by the Great Officers of State and a Numerous Train of the Nobility When the Preacher as is the Custom had made an End of speaking all that were present fell on their Knees to perform the appointed Devotions But it being the Fashion of the Nazarenes to utter some secret preparative Oraisons the Men covered their Faces with their Hats to be more recollected While all Eyes were thus veil'd a certain Fellow snatching the Opportunity steps from his Place and without making any great Noise by large Strides advances unseen to the Rails which enclose the Pavement next to the Altar where the Queen was on her Knees But in leaping over he was perceived by a certain Nobleman who immediately cryed out to the Guards to stop the Assassin They cross'd their Partisans but the Villain hurl'd them one against another with so great Violence that while they were striving to recover their entangled Weapons he got quite through them At which time the Queen also raising her self up at the Noise push'd the Captain of her Guards who kneeled beside her He starting from his Place leap'd between the Queen and the Murderer who was now within Two Paces of her He seizes the Wretch and upon immediate Search they found Two long sharp-pointed Knives about him without Sheaths One in his Bosom the Other in his Pocket The Prison being in the Castle or Palace of the Queen under her very Apartment she was not willing he should be carried thither but ordered him to be reconducted to his own Chamber which was in the College of Stockholme he being an Ecclesiastick of the said College Commanding also a good Guard to be set over him which was performed accordingly As soon as the Wretch saw himself in his Chamber he said aloud That when he went out in the Morning he little thought of ever-returning again having undertaken an Action in doing of which he expected to lose his Life They used all Diligence imaginable in discovering the Authors of this intended Murder but could learn Nothing more than that this Fellow was a Lunatick whom at Certain Seasons an Unaccountable Fury spurred on to many Extravagancies Yet some suspect that he was hired by the Lutheran Clergy to give this Execrable Blow who were apprehensive that the Queen hearkning too much to the Insinuations of her Tutor who was a Calvinist would Innovate the Establish'd Religion of the Country If this be a well grounded Suspicion it follows at the best that Religion which ought to correct the Morals of Men and have an Influence in restraining their Exorbitant Passions is become the Corrupter of their Manners and the Fomenter of the most Enormous Crimes But this is common among the Christians who being divided into Innumerable Parties distinguished by as many Several Names yet each Sect is so sure that their Way is the only Right Path to Salvation that they spare for neither Murders Sacrileges nor Treasons to proselyte the Rest to their Opinion being unwilling that any should live who are not of the same Mind with them The King of France and the Queen-Regent received the News of Queen Christina's Delivery from this Designed Blow with much Joy the Interests of both Crowns being at this Time closely intermingled I can inform thee of Nothing more Remarkable at present save That certain Letters are intercepted which the Duke of Bavaria had written to the Duke of Wirtemberg and the Elector of Cologne The Contents of which discover that the Duke of Bavaria is not far from a Reconciliation with the Emperor and that in the mean time he only waits the Event of Things to direct him in the Choice of his Party God confirm thee in thy Integrity that thou mayst never waver or swerve from the Service and Duty thou owest the Grand Signior Paris 28th of the 9th Moon of the Year 1647. LETTER V. To Cara Hali a Physician at Constantinople THOU hast heap'd many Favours on me yet I have never had an Opportunity of making the least
in Flanders And some are of Opinion that 't was this happy News which emboldned the Court to snatch from the People their Darling their Idol the Man from whose Courage they expect a Redress of all their Grievances Indeed one may say it would seem safer for a Traveller in the Desarts of Arabia to tear from a Lioness her Young One. For the Heads of the Faction waited but for such an Opportunity to set all in a Flame And the ill Success of the Court in this Action shews That it is dangerous to provoke the Multitude For presently we were all in Confusion the Burgesses in Arms the Shops shut up the Streets Chained and all the Avenues of the Palace barricado'd The Rabble marched up and down the Streets threatning Destruction to Cardinal Mazarini and all his Party The Parliament were forced to become the Messengers of the People to carry their Petitions or rather their Commands to the Court being threatned also if they failed of Success For they protested Unanimously that they would not lay down their Arms till the Imprisoned Counsellor was Released The Queen appeared at first Inexorable and sent these Senators away with Denial and Scoffs wishing them Joy of their New Honour in being made the Porters of the Rabble And the Young Monarch incensed to see his Native Royalty thus Prophaned by his Subjects bent his Brows and casting a Look divided betwixt Majesty and Disdain on the Senators uttered these Words Sirs Shall it always be a Custom thus to molest the Minority of your Kings Or do you think Our tender Years incapable of the Common Sense of other Mortals that you presume thus Insolently to invade our Right Accuse not the Multitude nor make them an Vmbrage to your Sedition I know the Authors of these Tumults and shall find a Time to make 'em feel the Weight of my Displeasure Think not that I wear this Sword only for Ornament laying his Hand fiercely on the Hilt or that the Blood of my Renowned Ancestors is grown degenerate or turned to Lees within my Veins Go tell your Factious Comrades There sits this Day upon the Throne of France a King who though he 's Young yet has a Spirit and Memory which will outlast his Pupillage With that he commanded them out of his Sight Yet notwithstanding this the People threatned to bring their Darling away by Force if he were not Released in Two Hours There were above a Hundred Thousand of them in Arms and it might have proved a dangerous Insurrection But the Queen at the Second return of the Senators hearkning to the Advice of Mazarini and the Duke of Orleans and remembring the late dreadful Effects of Masanello's Tumult in Naples releas'd the Prisoner who was conducted Home last Night in Triumph by an Infinite Crowd of People who filled the Air with Shouts and Acclamations It is discoursed here That the Prince of Conde will speedily return to Paris From whom both the Court and the Faction promise themselves new Grounds of Triumph During these Commotions Mahmut fails not to act his Part being at no small Expence to maintain a certain Number of Strangers whose whole Dependance is on me These I instruct to mix themselves with the Rabble to insinuate into them hateful Notions of Cardinal Mazarini and the Court They buz up and down the City like Flies in this hot Season and sting the Multitude to Fury with their Stories I spare no Cost to procure the Cardinal's Ruine That pernicious Wit comes not short of his Predecessor Richlieu being as active in embroyling Foreign States witness the Revolutions of Portugal Catalonia England and Naples in all which he had a principal Hand and is ever projecting how to aggrandize his Master And the Universal Success of the French Arms in Germany Flanders Italy and Spain has left him Nothing worth a Thought but the Destruction of the Osman Empire Eliachim brings me News every Hour how my Mirmidons succeed for he acts abroad in the Streets while I keep my Chamber during the Tumults being of Demosthenes's Mind who when the Athenians were in an Uproar took Sanctuary in the Temple of Pallas and prostrating himself before the Altar of the Goddess uttered these Words O Pallas I fly to thee for Protection defend me from Ignorance Envy and Inconstancy for I love not the Society of the Owl the Dragon and the People Yet whether in my Chamber or Abroad be assured Illustrious Prefect of the Imperial City that Mahmut divides his Time between the Vows he makes and the Services he does for the Grand Signior Paris 3d. of the 9th Moon of the Year 1648. LETTER XVIII To Achmet Beig THIS Court is now in Mourning for the Death of Vladislaus late King of Poland Whilst the Politicians are canvasing the next Election Those who Side with the House of Austria favour the Succession of Prince Charles But the French are for Casimir their former Prisoner The Duke of Bavaria is also dead They say he died of Grief to see his Country exposed to the Insults of a Victorious Enemy For all his Forces were intirely defeated The Prince of Conde has taken Ipre in Flanders and the Arch-Duke of Austria has rendred himself Master of Courtray without drawing a Sword or firing a Gun The Mareschal de Rantzan has made an unhappy Attempt to surprize Ostend a Sea-Town in Flanders For carrying his Forces by Water as soon as he had Landed his Men a Tempest rose and drove all his Ships out to Sea So that being encompassed by a numerous Army of his Enemies and having no Way to escape he and all his Troops were made Prisoners From the Sea we have Advice that there has been a Combat between the Duke of Richlieu Commander of the Naval Forces sent to assist the Neapolitan Revolters and Don John of Austria Admiral of the Spanish Fleet on that Coast But the Issue of the Battel is not yet known Though most People guess the Victory to be on the French Side in Regard Cardinal Mazarini had by the Advice of an Indian Ship-wright caused all the French Ships to be plastered over with Allom so that no Fire-Ships can hurt them The Spaniards make great Use of these Fire-Ships in all their Sea-Fights having learn'd to their Cost from the English what Damage these Vessels do when they formerly lost their whole Armada which they before termed Invincible and with which they sailed to Conquer that Island From Catalonia the Posts bring News which pleases the Wives and Friends of the Soldiers in those Parts For the Mareschal de Schomberg has cut in Pieces the Spanish Army taken Tortosa by Assault where the Soldiers found a Booty of above Fifteen Hundred Thousand Livres A Courier is come from Suedeland who brings an Account of a late Formidable Conspiracy in Russia against the Life of the Czar The greatest Part of the Moscovite Grandees were concerned in this Plot designing to Change the Form of Government and divide that
say 't was out of Fear that he would joyn with the Emperor's Forces By this thou may'st know what Opinion the Infidels entertain of the Measures taken by the Sovereign Divan They descant at Liberty whilst I send up Vows to Heaven for the Exaltation of the Ottoman Empire Paris 4th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1645. LETTER III. To the Instructed in all Knowledge the Venerable Mufti HAil Holy Interpreter of the Sacred Law may the Divine Light guide thee beyond the Errors of Humane Frailty I am amongst Infidels Enemies to Truth who yet seem as certain of being in the Right as thou art sure they are in the Wrong They hate us with an Inveterate Hatred I must dissemble my Resentments whilst with the lowest Prostrations to the Vnity I celebrate his Glorious Mercy who has sent us such a Star to guide our Feet into the Way of Peace The Christians scoff at the Faithful People as divided into several Sects Would my Death could wipe out these Reproaches and vindicate the Honour of the Holy Profession I could retort that Error shews it self infinite in them but I must hold my Peace and restrain my self lest my Zeal transport me beyond Discretion Remembring I am not sent here to dispute but to act secretly for my Great Master whose Empire be extended over all the Habitable World These poor Wretches boast much of their Traditions their Sacred Synods and Fathers as if we ever wanted Holy Men working Wonders and penetrating into the profoundest Mysteries by only wiping their Eyes with the Dust of their Feet They talk much of Faith and Reason at which I smile as knowing it to be only Education Yet as the Worst of People have something that is Good so these are not wholly destitute of Devotion They pray often but not so often as the True Believers it being as thou knowest a just Exception against a Witness amongst us That he prays not Six Times a-day They pray to Men and Women deceased whereas thou knowest there is no Deity but One. They fast often but not so strictly as the assisted with the Vertue of the Supream Dispenser of Graces They are Charitable but this hinders 'em not from excluding all from the blest Abodes who are not of their Belief Whereas thou affirmest who art the Resolver of all the Problems of Faith That it will go well at the Last Day with all Honest People seeing these have all the same Object of Worship and their Different Religions are but as so many Different Ways which lead a Man to the same Place of Rest like various Roads to the same City These Christians whip themselves often with small Cords which Humour they say was set on Foot by an Hermit's Preaching and Example Not many Countries distant from that where I am there happ'ned such an odd Instance of this Extravagant Zeal which was to be heightned it seems with the Fumes of Wine as plainly justifies our Prophet's Wisdom in charging the Faithful to avoid it It was particularly the Custom of several People in this Place in their Processions to whip themselves till the Blood streamed down their Frocks which were so made as to cover their Faces and leave only their Backs bare One of these Zealots distrusting the Firmness of his Constitution had taken such large Draughts of this intoxicating Liquor that reeling up and down with his Whip in his Hand and his Head against the Walls he was followed by all the Boys of the Town hooting after him which so lessen'd the Repute of this sottish Religion as made 'em abstain for the future from this pompous Usage of it What low Thoughts have these People of the Almighty Lord of All when allowing him to be Omnipotent yet represent him to themselves and others as delighting in Cruelty Whereas thou knowest this Passion is only to be found amongst the Weak and Miserable That the Divine Preserver of Men may continue thee long for the Edification of his Elect are the passionate Wishes of the meanest of thy Servants Mahmut Paris 4th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1645. LETTER IV. To Mustapha Berber Aga. WOuld to God I could converse with thee Face to Face in the Seraglio as in former Times I vent many passionate Wishes to Constantinople that happy Residence of my best Friends the Nursery of my Childhood the School of my Youth and I hope the future Repository of my Old Age. When I think of that City 't is with a Passion hardly second to that which I cherish for the Place of my Nativity In Arabia 't is true I first saw the Light of the Sun but 't was in Greece I receiv'd the more friendly Illuminations of the Moon the Splendors of the True Faith which though they disclose not to us so clear a Prospect of the Earth and all its Gayeties yet they present us with an unveil'd Discovery of the Heavens and Stars shewing us Paradise with its glittering Inhabitants the purpl'd Colonies of True Believers Champions and Martyrs of the Eternal Vnity In the Desert I left my Father or rather he left me before I found my self being but an Infant when he dyed but in the City I found Friends which is not a less endearing Title He gave me but my Birth whereby I enter'd on the Stage of Miseries with which he soon after left me to struggle before I could distinguish Misery from Happiness But they gave me Education which taught me how to shun those Evils which are the Natural Consequences of our Birth So that in the Main I am more indebted to them than to him Let it be how it will I cannot cease to love them and often wish my self with them This is Second Nature And because I cannot have my Desires fulfill'd in that I gratify my self by often writing to them Should I make Comparisons thou wilt say I am a Flatterer Suffice it to tell thee That thou art one of the Number whose Remembrance affects me with sensible Complacency Yet I cannot write to thee nor any of my Friends so often as I would without entrenching on the Obligations I have to the other Ministers of the Sublime Port. I send Dispatches to all by Turns sacrificing my Private Regards to the Expectations of the State and the Pleasure of my Superiors Had I been at Liberty I could have sent thee the earliest News of the Slaughter which the Germans made Three Moons ago in the French Army at Mergentheim 'T is not too late now to say something of it The Imperialists owe that Triumph to the Candor of Turenne and the degenerate Craft of the Duke of Bavaria who to lull the French in a Fatal Security sent an Agent into France to negotiate a Peace with deceitful Overtures and Umbrages commanding also that none of his Soldiers should dare to call the French their Enemies Yet some lay the Blame of this Overthrow on the Suedes whose unseasonable Suspicion of a Private Treaty between the French and
Germans hindred Torstenson from joining the former and expos'd Turenne with his raw and unexperienced Forces to the numerous Army of veterane Imperialists 'T was a Fatal Engagement and the French lost many brave Men besides an Hundred and Fifty Commanders taken Prisoners Fifteen Hundred of the Common Soldiers Fifty Ensigns with many Waggons and Four Mules laden with Money It is reported that whilst Turenne in the general Retreat and Flight of his Army betook himself to Mergentheim as he lay on his Bed the first Night one of his Officers was coming to alarm him with the News of the Germans Approach to that Town but unfortunately stumbled at his Chamber-Door With the Noise of which Turenne awaked and fearing some Attempt on his Life leap'd off his Bed with his drawn Sword and making toward the Door just as the Officer open'd it he run him into the Heart By which Mistake he himself and the Troops that were in the Town with him had like to have fallen into the Hands of the Bavarians But receiving Notice of their Approach accidentally by some other means he withdrew his Troops out of the Town by a contrary Road and escaped the Pursuit of his Enemies This Victory has given new Courage to the Imperialists and has not much dispirited the French who are by this Loss enflamed with greater Ardors meditating a speedy Revenge The Genius of this Court seems to be undaunted breathing Nothing but War I shall not fail to send thee such Intelligence as will demonstrate That Mahmut passes not away his Time in vain I pray the Sovereign of as many Empires as there be Worlds to distinguish thee by some particular Mark of his Favour from the Crowd of those he makes Happy Paris 4th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1645. LETTER V. To Shashim Istham a Black Eunuch AT length thou hast condescended to beg my Pardon for the Calumnies thy Tongue has loaded me with I am not ill pleased with thy Letter It abounds with elegant Expressions of thy Sorrow for an Offence to which thou hadst no Provocation Thy Submission tho' late abates my Resentment and if thou performest thy Promise 't is banish'd The first Crime so ingenously acknowledg'd claims a Title to Forgiveness Let Eternal Oblivion seal it I am not by Nature revengeful I rather blush for Shame than grow pale with Anger at him that injures me Yet Self-Preservation will rouze our Choler which is the most active Humour and precipitates many to violent Courses The Effect it has on me is to put me on my Guard lest he who has wrong'd me without any Signs of Repentance should continue his Malice to my Destruction But thou hast dispers'd all my Suspicions by thy seasonable Address and if I cannot pronounce thee Innocent I will believe thou art not Incorrigible The best Advice I can give thee is henceforwards to attend to thy own Affairs and refrain from those of others remembring the Arabian Proverb He that peeps in at his Neighbour's Window may chance to lose his Eyes There is a great deal of Wisdom couch'd in these short Sentences They are not the Product of one Man's Experience nor of a few but they are the Result of Vniversal Observation And our Country has been happy above others in the choice of her Proverbs This that I mention'd is peculiar to the East Yet I can produce an Instance whereby 't was lately verified in the West There is hardly a Night passes in this Populous City wherein some Murder is not committed in the Streets Two Nights ago a Man was found dead on the Ground whereupon a Tumult was gathered about his Bleeding Carkase Among the rest a Fellow came crowding in inquisitive what should be the Matter Those who stood by beholding his Cloaths bloody which he was not sensible of himself seized on him as the Murderer His wild Looks encreased their Jealousie and the incoherent Words with which he endeavour'd to excuse himself rendred him Guilty in the Judgment of the Rabble They carried him before a Cadi by whom he was strictly examin'd He stoutly deny'd the Fact and no Proof could be brought against him but his stained Cloaths 'T is the Custom here to put to the Torture Persons suspected of Capital Crimes in Order to draw a Confession of the Truth This they did to this poor Wretch and in the Extremity of his Pains he acknowledg'd he had kill'd his Wife that Evening but was altogether Innocent of this poor Man's Death who was Murder'd in the Streets All the Torments they inflicted could force no other Confession from him save that which his real Guilt prompted him to make For which he was condemned to Death according to the Laws Thou seest by this that had he gone about his Business without prying into other Mens Matters he might have escap'd a Discovery But that mediing Itch of the Imprudent betray'd him not without the particular Direction of Fate to a Death which indeed he merited but not on the Score of the murder'd Man whom he went out of his Way to see Thou wilt say this Story is not applicable to thy Case since thou hast never yet embru'd thy Hands in any Man's Blood I tell thee what I have said was not design'd as a Reflection on thy past Offence let it be forgotten but as a Caution for the future not to engage thy self in Matters out of thy Sphere For a busie Body is never without Trouble Above all I counsel thee to practise the Government of the Tongue which is a great Virtue especially in the Courts of Princes The Arabians say That a Wise Man's Soul reposes at the Root of his Tongue but a Fool 's is ever dancing on the Tip. Thou hast no Reason to take in ill Part the Freedom with which I advise thee for thy Good unless thou thinkest thy self too Old to learn But I have a better Opinion of thee than to rank thee among Pythagoras's Asses I have said enough for a Friend too much for an Enemy It is in thy own Choice to make me which thou pleasest Adieu Paris 4th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1645. LETTER VI. To Zelim of Rhodes Captain of a Gally THOU hast never vouchsafed to acknowledge the Advice I sent thee some Years ago of a Christian's Design against thy Life Perhaps he wanted an Opportunity to put his Revenge in Execution that Way and therefore the Caution I gave thee look'd like a false Alarm Thou trustest in thy Courage the Strength of thy Vessel the Multitude and Fidelity of thy Slaves and thinkest thy self invulnerable But let me tell thee That neither thy Courage nor thy Vessel can defend thee from the Stroke of Destiny and thou hast no greater Enemies than those who eat thy Bread Whether it be the Continuance of thy Cruelty or the Natural Regret of Servitude has rend'red them so I know not but if what I am inform'd of be true thou art the miserablest Man in the World Wert
never have the Honour to be admitted into Our Paradise But thou who believest the Doctrines Clear and Intelligible and hast kiss'd the Garment of the Sent of God wilt not suffer thy Reason to be blinded by the Enchantments of these deluding Fair Ones but so love Women as still to remember thou art a Man which is something more Sublime Paris 1st of the 12th Moon of the Year 1645. LETTER XVII To the Kaimacham IT is hard to guess where the French Victories will terminate Either Fear or the Desire of Novelties opens the Gates of most Cities to them and when that will not do the Force of their Cannon makes a Passage into the strongest Holds of their Enemies and puts whole Provinces under their Subjection Their Enemies say That the French never besiege a Town but their first Assaults are made with Bullets of Gold and when that will neither prevail on the Governour nor win a Party then they only try the Force of the courser Metal Yet this will appear but a Slander if thou considerest a late Action of the Duke of Orleans when he lay down before Bourburgh He had scarce finish'd his Trenches when the next Morning an Arrow was found with a Letter fastned to it not far from his Tent. The Letter was directed to the Duke and subscribed by the Governour of the Town The Contents of it were to signifie to him That if he would give him Fifty Thousand Pieces of Gold and continue him in his Office he would the next Night open the Gates and let in his Army and that before Mid-day he would send a Messenger to know his Pleasure The Duke waited the Arrival of the Messenger who seconded what his Master had said But the Magnanimous Prince in stead of accepting his Offer sent him back to his Master with this Message That he came not before the Town as a Merchant to purchase it at the Price of a needless Treason but as a Soldier at the Head of an Army flush'd with continual Victories Summoning him forthwith to surrender at Discretion That being the only Way to experience his Generosity This Year has been signaliz'd with much Action in Flanders Catalonia and Italy The Field was shared among many brave Generals The Duke of Orleans had the Command of the Army in Flanders where he took the Forts of Vandreval Bourburgh Link Dringhen Bethune St. Venant Guisca Lens Mardike Lillers Mening and Armentiers These Places were won by several Parties under the Commands of the Mareschals de Gastion de Rantzan and the Duke of Guize who all acted in separate Bodies under the Duke of Orleans Nor was the Count d' Harcourt idle in Catalonia where he succeeded in the Charge of the Mareschal de la Mothe The first Effort of his Arms was the retaking of Agramont which the Spaniards had seiz'd a strong City and which kept a large Part of Catalonia in Subjection From hence he marched toward Roses one of the most Important Places for Strength under the Spanish King's Dominions and govern'd by an experienced Soldier who fail'd not to defend the Place to the last Extremes but after a Siege of Two Moons was compell'd to yield for Want of Provisions After this the French General cut off Seven Hundred Spaniards who were posted to hinder his Passage over a River The next Day the whole Armies meeting in the Plains of Liorens there was a furious Encounter in which the Spaniards lost Ten Regiments of Horse on the Spot the Rest threw down their Arms and yielded The Marquess of Mortare one of the Spanish Generals was taken Captive with other Persons of Note among which was the Standard-Bearer of Spain Yet this was but the Engagement of One Wing For when the Other enter'd the Combat the Slaughter was dreadful Of the Spaniards were slain Six Thousand Horse and Sixteen Hundred Foot And Three and Twenty Hundred of them were made Prisoners The French lost not above Three Hundred in all and had but a few wounded This Battel has brought infinite Glory to the Count d' Harcourt After which there happen'd Nothing remarkable in Catalonia save the taking of Balaguier which is like to end this Years Campagne on that Side Prince Thomas of Savoy commanded in Italy but had no great Number of French in his Army the Main Body being drawn off to serve in Catalonia Yet vexed to see the Success of the Spaniards who had possess'd themselves of a Strong Castle and kept the Field in a Bravado as if he were not able to face them he raised some Recruits and enter'd the Milanez where he took the City and Castle of Vigevano After this designing to return into Piemont he found all the Passages block'd up by the Spaniards who had a far greater Army than his Yet assuming Courage he attempted to pass the River Moura and the Enemy presenting themselves to oppose his Design he gave them Battel and killed Five Hundred and Threescore of them among which were Nine Officers of Principal Command and Quality On his Side were lost Two Hundred Common Soldiers and Twelve Officers among which was his Brother Prince Maurice of Savoy These are the Chief Actions on that Side As for Portugal there has happened Nothing in that Kingdom worthy of Remark I have in this Letter Sage Governour of the Imperial City observ'd the Method thou enjoined'st me I have acquainted thee with whatsoever has Occurred in the present Wars of France and Spain during this Year 'T is discoursed here That the Venetians will lay Siege to Canea next Spring in Hopes to recover that Important Place from the Arms of the Victorious Ottomans The Duke of Orleans will be on his March to Flanders toward the latter End of the next Moon resolving to make an early Campagne being alarm'd with the late Loss of Mardyke which the Spaniards took by Surprize without much Bloodshed having not the fourth Part of a hundred men kill'd on their Side Whereas when the French took it from them it cost five Thousand Lives of the best Souldiers the King of France had in his Army The Hour of the Post will not permit me to say more than that I am the humblest of thy Slaves Paris 14th of the 12th Moon of the Year 1645. LETTER XVIII To Dgnet Oglou I Will not make Tryal of the Virtue of Friendship at this Time in the Way that Philosophers propose to be used between such as own that Title I will not complain of the Dolors I undergo that so by making thy Compassion share them with me I may ease my self of a Part. It appears to me a pusillanimous if not an unjust Action for a Man to transfer his Sufferings by discovering 'em to his Friend and designedly throw that upon another which is scarce tolerable to himself I am sick and Custom has rendred this almost as Natural to me as Health My Constitution is not Proof against the envenom'd Arrows that are shot from the Stars Nor am I
Leisure to apply themselves to Study For then it was difficult to purchase Books there being but few and for those they were obliged to the Labour of the Scribe Hence it came to pass That onely such as had Plenty of Mony and a strong Inclination to Knowledge monopoliz'd the choicest Manuscripts into their Hands and bequeath'd them as a Legacy to their Off-spring But since the Invention of Printing Books are infinitely multiply'd grown Cheap and Common And those Histories and Sciences which before were shut up in the Latin Greek or some of the Oriental Languages are now translated into the Vulgar Speech of every Nation whereby the lowest Sort of People who can but read have the Privilege to become as Knowing as their Superiors and the Slave may vye for Learning with his Sovereign This makes the Nazarenes upbraid the True Faithful with Ignorance and Barbarism because Printing is not suffered throughout the Mussulman Empire They consider not the bad Consequences of this Art as well as the good And that the Liberty of the Press has fill'd the World with Errors and Lyes Besides they are Strangers to the Education of the Mussulmans who are generally taught the Arabick and Persian Tongues from their Childhood In which Two Languages how many famous Histories have been writ There is no Point of useful Wisdom which is not compriz'd in the Writings of the Eastern Sages And as for unprofitable Treatises and Pamphlets with which the Europeans abound they are superfluous and burdensome bringing a double Loss both to Writer and Reader while they rob them of their Time and Mony and commit a Rape on their Understandings Add to this the Fatal Effects which this deprav'd Indulgence of Printing has produc'd in Christendom What Sacrileges Massacres Rebellions and Impieties have overflow'd most Parts of the West in this licentious Age What Hatred among Christians What Seditions among Subjects Diversities in Religion Contempts of all Law both Divine Natural and those of Nations The Vices at which former Times would have blush'd nay at the very naming of which our Fathers would have started as at a Prodigy are in these Day committed openly without Shame without Contradiction whilst there are Authors who dare publickly assert the Cause of Impiety and patronize all Manner of Prophanations But thou who hast the Honour to guard the Incorruptible Seat of Justice and Vertue the Bright Throne of the Osman Emperours who are the Shadows of God on Earth hast made such a Choice of Books as commends thy Wisdom and the Sincerity of thy Morals Thou wilt not suffer thy Imagination to be tainted with those enchanting Idea's of Evil which are drawn by the Pens of some Elegant Writers All that thou seekest in Books is to inform thy Understanding rectify thy Judgment and enflame thy Affections with the Love of Vertue To this End serve the Divine Precepts of our Holy Doctors and other Learned Sages the Writings of Philosophers and the Examples of Renowned Heroes From these thou gatherest Strength to practise the Four Maternal Vertues and all the Good Qualities that spring from those Roots Go on and encrease in the Graces and Accomplishments which shall render thee Worthy to be made the Subject of a Particular History while the Old shall recommend and the Young shall covet nothing more passionately than to read the Life of Cassim Hali Janizar-Aga Mahmut salutes thee with a Kiss of Affection Reverence thy self and all Men will Honour thee So taught Pythagoras Paris 17th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1646. LETTER XI To the same I Had forgot to perform in my other Letter what thou commandedst me Yet knowing the Esteem thou hast for Women of Vertue and rare Endowments and with what Pleasure thou readest their Stories I should never send any Dispatch to thee wherein there is not a Relation of some Heroine I will be more diligent hereafter to observe the Disposition of my Superiours and will endeavour to procure a Collection of the Lives and Characters of all the Famous Women that have been Recorded in History In the mean while hear what the French say of Christina Queen of Suedeland of whom thou requirest a Description She is the onely Daughter of Gustavus Adolphus the most Victorious Prince that ever govern'd that Nation and one of the most Successful Warriours in the World As his whole Life was led in the Field so there he received an Honourable Death being slain in the Battel of Lutzen Some say by the Treachery of Duke Albert who had in Appearance deserted the Emperour and offer'd himself a Voluntier to Gustavus Adolphus I formerly mention'd this Duke and that he was kill'd by a Suedish Lady If the Suspicion of the Suedes be well grounded and that Duke Albert was really Guilty of the Murder of Gustavus it may be This was the Motive which brought those Amazons into the Field to revenge the Death of their Prince But it is impossible to be assur'd of the Truth among so many different Opinions When the French speak of Gustavus Adolphus they cannot restrain their Words on this Side a Panegyrick They say he was a Prince above all Praise 'T is certain his very Enemies admir'd his unimitable Courage and matchless Fortune I have sent thee the true Effigies of his Face wherein thou wilt see a most agreeable Mixture of Majesty and Benignity creating Respect and Love at the same Time in the Beholders He was so familiar with every one as if he had forgot himself as well as he was a Stranger to Pride He was a great Student in his Youth and made himself Master of Latin French and Italian being also perfectly skill'd in Ancient and Modern Histories He had a wonderful Faculty in discovering Impostures a dextrous Wit in Time of Danger and Difficulty being Ready at Counsel and swift in Execution and as cunning at a Stratagem as he was bold at an Onset He was Liberal to his Officers and to all Men of Merit but a severe Punisher of Disorders in his Army And that which Crown'd all the rest of his Vertues his Piety to God was singular and worthy of Remark The French relate a Memorable Saying of this King when he was once in his Camp before Werben He had been solitary in the Cabinet of his Pavilion some Hours together and none of his Attendants durst interrupt Him Till at Length a Favourite of his having some important Matter to tell him came softly to the Door and looking in beheld the King very devoutly on his Knees at Prayers Fearing to molest him in that Sacred Exercise he was about to withdraw his Head when the King spied him and bid Him come in saying unto him Thou wonderest to see me in this Posture since I have so many Thousands of Subjects to pray for me But I tell thee That no Man has more Need to pray for Himself than He who being to render an Account of his Actions to None but God is for that Reason more
reported of this little Serpent That by Natural Instinct being sensible when a Magician is about to utter Words which being heard will ensnare it lays one Ear close to the Ground and with its Tail stops the other to the End the Enchantment may have no Effect Admit not any Man to thy Conversation who shall attempt to warp thee from the Simplicity of the Faith and Obedience which thou owest to the Apostle of God Without Water there is no Purity on this Side the Grave That Element has a Force in it of which thou art not aware 'T is the Third in the Rank of Living Principles 'T is the Tabernacle of the Winds The Seraglio of the Generative Spirit The Stage of Wonders In fine it is the Purifier of every Thing that has Breath Thou knowest that to serve the Necessities of the Prophet and his Army Vnderstanding and Speech was given to a Fountain in Arabia which having promised to follow him to the Place of his Repose made a Channel through the Desart and kept Pace with the Troops of the Faithful till they came to Medina Talnabi That so the Submissive to the Will of Heaven might not want that Element without which Life it self would be a Burden and a Curse And yet thou speakest contemptibly of Water as a very Indifferent Thing whether we use it or not any other ways than to quench our Thirst Thus making no Difference between the many Advantages we reap from that Element and that Common Use to which the Beasts put it In how many Places of the Alcoran does the Holy Prophet record the Mercy of God in giving us Water that is Fresh and not Salt How does he celebrate his Wisdom and Goodness for directing the Clouds to barren and dry Places Thou canst not be Ignorant that it is one of the Encomiums of Paradise that there are Gardens wherein flow many Rivers And after all this wilt thou dispise so Holy and Blessed a Gift without which Earth and Heaven Men and Angels could not be completely happy Go learn then of the Indian Idolaters who have never heard of the Book of Glory Go learn of these Barbarians to prize this Sanctify'd Creature They travel many Hundreds of Leagues to bathe themselves in the Waters of Ganges With those Incorruptible and All-purging Streams the Brachmans fill certain Vessels and transport the Invaluable Liquor to the Utmost Parts of that Wide Empire They travel on Foot sometimes Two Thousand Miles together each Man with his Load of that precious Water to supply the Wants of those who live so remote from the River So that a Bottle of it is many times sold to the Princes and Nobles for Two Hundred Sequins or Eight Hundred Roupies And yet for all this those very Princes would not die with a safe Conscience had they not at least once in their Lives made a Pilgrimage to this Renowned River and bath'd themselves in the Waves which blot out Sins O Cousin let the Example of these Infidels make thee blush at thy Impiety and excite thee to a diligent and indispensible Practice of Cleanness So shalt thou have a Sound Mind in a Healthy Body And the Angel of thy Nativity will not shun thy Person Adieu Paris 7th of the 12th Moon of the Year 1647. LETTER IX To the Kaimacham THE Defeat of the Venetians and Morlacks in Bosna has reached these Parts That News is not unwelcom to Mahmut But I could wish our General had used his Victory with more Moderation The Christians term him Barbarian Salvage Devil Incarnate and load him with Execrations For having taken Prisoner the Captain of the Morlacks he caused him to be flead alive and afterwards to be Impal'd This Captain was an Ecclesiastick They call him Stephano Sorich and in Honour of his Zeal and Fidelity they entitle him the Good Priest They applaud his Magnanimity and Courage in Battel and no less do they extoll his Constancy during the Torments of so Cruel and Ignominious a Death But I tremble to think of the Blasphemies and Curses they utter against our Holy Prophet and all the Mussulmans For this Cruel Execution has scandaliz'd the Nazarenes and imbitter'd 'em even to Fury Their Revenge is implacable They would go to Hell themselves provided the True Faithful might be Damn'd for Company What will our Divine Lawgiver say Or what Apology will our General make when the Sent of God shall charge him with driving so many Thousand Souls into an Irreconcilable Hatred of the Vndefiled Faith For they look not on this as the Action of a Private Man but of one who represents the Person of our August Sovereign the Great Protector of the Law brought down from Heaven They suppose him to be honour'd with the particular Instructions of his Master And therefore they say the Sultan has authoriz'd this Unheard-of Cruelty and that our Religion countenances Tyranny and the most Nefandous Methods of shedding Innocent Blood I am no Advocate for Infidels yet suffer me to vindicate Nature which is the Common Parent of us all Suffer me to be Solicitous for the Honour of our Holy Profession which is blemish'd by this Inhumane Murder What Offence had this Unhappy Captain given that deserv'd so dire a Punishment Was it because he fought valiantly and perform'd Wonders in Defence of his Country This is Nothing but what becomes every Honest Man to do And had our General been truly Brave he would have entertain'd his Prisoner with a Respect due to his Merit Who was a more Inveterate Enemy of the Mussulmans than the Renowned Ischenderbeg Prince of Albania Who more Valiant or Successful against the Ottoman Armies It is Recorded of him That he never shun'd a Battel never fled from his Enemies never shrunk from Perils nor was ever wounded but once in all his Life And yet he sustain'd a Continual War from Two Successive Osman Emperors defeated Seven Vizirs with their Forces took all their Ammunition and Baggage and in several Combats slew with his own Hands above Two Thousand Mahometans Our Fathers did not basely revenge themselves for all this but cherish'd a Veneration for this Heroick Enemy and honour'd the very Dust of such an extraordinary Person For after his Death having conquer'd Albania they sought out his Tomb where they performed their Devotions as at the Sepulcher of a Prophet They open'd the Dormitory of the Desunct Warriour and with Religious Solemnity took up his Bones sharing the Honour'd Reliques among them and wrapping them up in Silk wore them continually at their Breasts esteeming them as Sacred Amulets against Misfortune Surely our General would blush at an Example of so great Vertue But perhaps he was incensed because his Captive was a Priest Mistaken Zeal might prompt him to this horrid Butchery Thou who art Justice it self wilt not approve his Bloody Passion when thou considerest That the Priests of Jesus are Men as well as others and if they live in Error the Fault is in their Education