THE First Volume OF LETTERS Writ by a Turkish Spy Who lived Five and Forty Years Undiscovered at PARIS Giving an Impartial Account to the Divan at Constantinople of the most Remarkable Transactions of Europe And discovering several Intrigues and Secrets of the Christian Courts especially of that of France from the Year 1637 to the Year 1682. Written Originally in Arabick first Translated into Italian afterwards into French and now into English The Second Edition LONDON Printed for Henry Rhodes near Bride-Lane in Fleet-street 1691. Mahmut The. Turkish spy Aetatis suae 72. F. H. Van. Hove sculp TO THE READER I Here offer you a Book written by a Turk whose Matter is as instructive and delightful as the Manner of finding it was strange and surprizing I do not doubt but you would know where 't was written and perhaps whether the Author be living and whether you must expect a Romance or a real History Hear then in short what will fully satisfie you The Curiosity of seeing Paris made a Man of Letters leave Italy in the Year 1682 where being arrived he found such Diversions as caused his stay longer than he intended Scarce had he been Two Months in Paris when by changing his Lodging he discovered by meer Chance in a Corner of his Chamber a great heap of Papers which seem'd more spoil'd by Dust than Time He was at first surprized to see nothing but barbarous Characters and was upon the Point of leaving them without any further search if a Latin Sentence which he perceived on the top of a Leaf had not retained him Vbi amatur non laboratur si Laboratur labor amatur The Surprize of the Italian was yet greater when after having considered these Characters with more Attention he found them to be Arabick which Language was not altogether unknown to him which made him look narrowlier into them where he found That they treated of Affairs of State that they contained Relations of War and Peace and discoursed not only of the Affairs of France but of those of all Christendom till the Year 1682. The curious Italian was in no small Impatience to know how and where these Memorials had been writ and by what Adventure they came to lie so neglected in a Corner of his Chamber But before he further informed himself he thought it expedient to transport these Manuscripts into another House as a Place of greater Security He afterwards questioned his Landlord with great Precaution concerning the Papers and he inform'd him even to the least Circumstances He told him That a Stranger who said he was a Native of Moldavia Habited like an Ecclesiastick greatly Studious of small Stature of a very course Countenance but of surprizing Goodness of Life had lived long at his House That he came to lodge there in the Year 1664 and had staid Eighteen Years with him that being gone abroad one day he returned no more and they had had no certain News of him since He was about Seventy Years old had left Manuscripts that no Body understood and some Moneys which was an Argument that his Departure was not premeditated He added That he had always a Lamp Day and Night burning in his Chamber had but few Moveables only some Books a small Tome of St. Austin Tacitus and the Alcoran with the Picture of Massaniello whom he praised very much calling him the Moses of Naples He said further That this Strangers greatest Friend and whom he saw often was a Man which most People took for a Saint some for a Jew and others suspected to be a Turk According to the Landlord's Report he came to Paris in the Year 1637 being then but Twenty Eight Years of Age. At first he had lodged with a Flemming he went oft to Court Moneys never failed him he had Friends and passed for very Learned As for his End this Man thinks he died miserably it being suspected that he had been thrown into the River The Italian being sufficiently instructed by what he had heard applyed himself to the Study of the Arabian Language and as he had already some Knowledge in it he quickly learnt enough to Translate these Manuscripts which he undertook a while after and he examined with care the Truth of what the Moldavian had writ confronting the Events he met with the Histories of those Times and to succeed the better searched the most approved Memorials having had Access into the Cabinets of Princes and their Ministers These Letters contain the most considerable Intrigues of the Court of France and the most remarkable Transactions of Christendom which have been sent to several Officers of the Ottoman Court. By these may be known the Perspicacity of this Agent of the Turks and by him the Prudence of those that command in that Nation who chose the better to penetrate into the Affairs of Christians a Man who could not be suspected by his Exterior who was deform'd but prudent and advised and for the better concealing him destined his ordinary Abode in one of the greatest and most peopled Cities of Europe During his being at Paris which was Forty Five Years he has been Eye-witness of many great Changes has seen the Death of two great Ministers of State has seen that Kingdom involved in War without and within He was scarce setled in Paris but he was witness to the Birth of a King who surpasses those that preceded him in a time when the Queen's Barrenness caused the King her Husband to despair of ever having a Son that should succeed him During the Course of so many Years he hath seen Cities revolt and return again to the Obedience of their Sovereign Princes of the Blood make War against their King and Queen Mary de Medicis Wife Mother and Mother-in-Law to some of the greatest Kings in Europe die in Exile in Cologne He speaks frankly of the Princes of Christendom and explains his Sentiments with Liberty He saith The Emperor commands Princes the King of Spain Men and the King of France sees Men and even Kings obey his Orders He adds That the First commands and prays the Second sees oft times more effected than he commanded and that the Third commands many brave Souldiers and is well nigh obeyed by Crowned Heads There appears no Hate or Animosity in him in what he writes against the Pope In Discoursing of the Emperor and King of Spain he says That both of them having Provinces of such vast Extent they are not much concerned at the Losses they sustain He believed that England was more powerful than the Empire and Spain he might have added France at Sea He apprehended more the Counsels of the Republick of Venice than their Arms. He magnifies what passed in the Wars of Candy which the Venetians supported with so much Bravery against the Forces of the Ottoman Empire The Genoeses with him are perfect Chymists He speaks of the last Plague and last War that this Commonwealth hath been afflicted with he touches something of
I have not are incessantly in Action They watch without ceasing as I do on what passes and thou mayst assure thy self that the Divan shall be fully and certainly advertized of all things The Pope keeps here as his Ambassador a Prelate called a Nuncio The Emperor of Germany the King of Spain those of England Swedeland Denmark and Poland the Electors and several other Princes of the Empire entertain also Embassadors to observe the Motions of this Prince who often breaks all their Measures The States of Italy do also the same there are in this Part of Europe Princes and Republicks These little Sovereigns are more jealous than others of their Interests and do more concern themselves in all Affairs which pass The Republicks likewise use greater Precautions in their Conduct than the Monarchs do The Republick of Venice has acquired a great Reputation France keeps a good Correspondence with her the Embassador of that State living here with all the marks of Grandeur and the same Prerogatives granted to those of Crowned Heads Neither Persia nor Moscovia keep any Publick Minister here yet perhaps they may have some that give Private Intelligence to their Masters As to what concerns the Princes of the Indies they seem not to me to have any Interest here so that they have I believe no Agent in these Parts either publick or private If the name of Spy be mean or dishonourable I know no body that is called one for I being unknown my Reputation therefore runs no hazard I serve without being observed But to speak plainly What are the Embassadors and Agents of Princes but secret Spyes as I am who under pretence of keeping a Correspondence between their Masters inform them of what they can discover in the Courts where they are sent Thou shalt be sufficiently inform'd by the Bassa of the Sea of Piccinino's Adventure he will shew thee what I have written However here are Sixty Galleys lost and our greatest Consolation is that we shall not want means to be revenged If the Christians have cut off one of our Fingers we ought to pluck out both their Eyes 'T is said here that this Admiral is made Prisoner by the Venetians if this be true his Confinement must be very uneasie to him But all People are not agreed whether he be a Prisoner or no for some maintain he is at Constantinople where he justifies himself with his usual Arrogance laying all the Fault on the Renegado who commanded the Admiral of Algiers I have recommended to the Bassa of the Sea the Enterprize of Loretto If thou hast leisure to examine the Project thou wilt find though I am no Captain nor Mariner what I have hinted is worth regarding The knowledge which I have of the World of the Manner of living of the Christian Princes and Priests of Rome together with the other Notices I have required by the reading of Histories should make me considered as a Man that is able to offer at great Things though I have not yet gained much Credit in the World The Embassador of Venice residing in this Court says That their Republick will satisfie the Grand Signior affirming that Ali is a Pyrate that the Africans have broken the Peace and that the Action of their General Capello is just and heroical and that Amurath himself will chastise Piccinino He moreover pretends that the Galleys which were taken will not be restored seeing it will be made apparent they have been lost by different Accidents I think he says they have been all sunk before the Isle of Corfou by the Senate's Order to prevent the Expectation of a Surrender the Admiral of Algiers only excepted which those Infidels have brought in Triumph into their Arsenal to preserve the Remembrance of an Event which they pretend to be very glorious to them but these Misfortunes are not extream nor past Remedy if God continues the Life of our Great Emperor and thy Health Paris 7th of the 2d Moon of the Year 1638. LETTER V. To the same THey have at length given over talking of our Losses but I give not over devising the means to be revenged of the Christians Remember that the Grand Vizir keeps in Prison a Man fit for great Things at this Time who can do the Nazarenes considerable Mischiefs and procure notable Advantage to the Mussulmen If the old Renegado of Dalmatia be yet alive he is capable of destroying all Places in the Mediterranean-Sea Advise with him about the Destruction of Lorerio There is no Corsary that has done more bold Exploits He has spent Sixty Years in coursing on the Archipelago and Adriatick-Sea where he has made horrid Devastations with infinite Prizes He has likewise most considerably damnified the Cossacks on the Black-Sea He began the Trade at Nine Years old in a little Vessel has been wounded in Twenty or Twenty two Oceasions taken Prisoner Four times by our Pyrates and thrice escaped out of their Hands And not being able to fly the Fourth time nor redeem himself by Money he redeem'd himself by his Religion which he quitted to embrace Ours and since he has been Circumcized he has brought to Constantinople above Thirteen Thousand Slaves in about Thirty Years Space He has pass'd full Five Years in the Cleft of a Rock along the Banks of the Adriatick-Sea which by his Industry he made a sure Place of Retreat Here 't was that he did himself with his Men and Vessel like a wild Beast in his Den and 't is hard to imagine how many Snares he laid during that Time for those of his own Religion He has been often pursued but could never be taken and his Name became so terrible amongst the Christians that there was no Place but dreaded him But in fine having as 't is said attempted to betray his Master in delivering into the Christians Hands the five Galleys he commanded he was sent by Order from the Grand Vizir into the Castle of Seven Towers although his Crime was not certainly proved 'T is above Two and fifty Moons since he has been there kept Prisoner and he is not onely very old but decrepid The long Penance which a Man has undergone that has done such great Things and who is accused of having done one ill one of which he is not convicted does plead for some Indulgence I shall never go about to solicit for the Liberty of a Traytor yet I must say That Men who have dared to execute great Crimes are often capable of Heroick Actions This Man was and is still at the end of his Life perhaps if thou wilt endeavour to procure him some Advantage and make him hope still greater he may repair his Fault by performing something for the good of the Empire or at least give some good Advice Thou knowest the Ancient Persians had a Law whereby their Kings were obliged Not to put a Malefactor to death for one Crime and private Persons not to chastise their Domesticks or Slaves for one Fault
other Predecessors had been before him He began to govern his Kingdom ruined by so many Wars Pillages and Concussions made by all sorts of People and so repaired it by his good Government that he was soon in a Condition to embellish it He built several magnisicent Bridges raised stately Edifices and forgot nothing which might re-establish those good Orders which the Licentiousness of the Times had overthrown But what this King designed against us as soon as he was setled on the Throne will appear at the same time to thee both dreadful and admirable As soon as ever he had made a general Peace with his Enemies he laid the Foundations of the most Heroick Design that ever Man invented wherein he shewed himself not inferior to the first of the Caesars nor the Conqueror of Asia He undertook to overthrow all the Monarchies of the World to give a new Face to all the Affairs of it and to destroy in a short time the Empire of the Ottomans But before he began such a great Enterprize he was for paying all the Debts of the Crown and his own in particular which amounted all together to near an Hundred Millions and 't was a prodigious thing to find so much Money without selling the Kingdom or engaging the People yet it is true that he got this Money and paid those Debts with it He was for dividing Christendom into Fifteen equal Dominations Five of which should obey Kings that were so by Succession and Six to be subject to Kings that were Elective and the Four remaining should be Republicks By this Division he left the Pope the Countries belonging to the Church and added thereunto the Kingdom of Naples with the Homage of Sicily and the greatest part of Italy modelled into a Republick with Obligation to give the Pope every Year a golden Crucifix and Four Thousand Sequins Only Venice was left in the Condition 't was in with its Laws and Customs But there were allotted to this Republick Kingdoms and Isles which were to be taken from us in the Archipelago with an Homage to the Roman Prelate of an Embassy to kis his Feet and at the End of every Twenty five Years a small Statue of Gold representing St. Peter whom they term God's Vicar on Earth Flanders should make a Republick with therest of the Low-Countries which would be a Loss for the Spaniards and to this Republick should be added some of the neighbouring States The Franche County Alsatia Tirol and Trante were added to the Democratical State of the Swisses with the Homage every Fifteen Years of an Hunting Dog with a golden Collar about his Neck fastned to a Chain of Gold which this Republick should present to the Emperor of Germany This Emperor should be obliged to renounce the aggrandizing of his Family and only dispose of vacant Fiefs the Investiture of which he should not bestow on any of his Kindred and there should be a Law inviolably observed in the Empire That never Two Princes of the same Race should enjoy successively the Imperial Crown The Dutchy of Milan should be added to the other Provinces belonging to the Duke of Savoy together with the Title of King of Lombardy The Kingdom of Hungary should be enlarged with the Principalities of Transylvania Walachia and Moldavia And the King who was to be Elective should be chosen by the Suffrages of the Pope the Emperor of Germany the King of France England Spain Swedeland Poland and Denmark and Bohemia should be submitted to the same Laws France England Spain Poland Swedeland and Denmark should not change their Form of Government when for the general Affairs these Kingdoms were to be subject to the Universal Republick of which the Pope was to be the Head Things thus established Henry was to be the Umpire of all Christendom to decide all Differences which might happen between the aforesaid Princes and States with Fifteen Persons chosen from amongst the most famous for Learning and Arms which could be found among these Fifteen Dominations and besides these there was to be established a great Council consisting of Sixty other Persons for all the Differences which might happen in all the Kingdoms and Republicks between those who govern'd them and this great Assembly should make their Residence in the Capital City Rome Every State was to be obliged to furnish a certain Number of Troops and Summ of Mony to make War against the Turks and the Business of Poland and Swedeland should be to make War together against the Moscovites and Tartars There were afterwards Three Generals to be chosen by common Consent for the conquering of Asia one for the Sea and Two for the Land and Three hundred Thousand Foot entertained with One hundred and fifty Thousand Horse and Four hundred Pieces of Canon and the Naval Army was to consist of an Hundred and fifty Vessels and one Hundred Gallies and a Fund was to be raised for this of an Hundred Millions of Gold This Treasure was to be put into the Pope's Hands the Isle of Malta was to be the Store-house of all things belonging to the Sea the Port of Messina the Arsenal for the Gallies and the City of Metz one of the principal Magazins for the Land Forces All the Christian Princes were to be obliged to lessen their ordinary Expences and to contribute to this great Design according to their Ability There were to have been several Spies in Constantinople in the Habit of Greeks who were persectly skill'd in the Eastern Languages to observe the Motions of our Empire And besides these Forty resolute Men who were at a certain Time and Signal to set Fire to the Seraglio and Arsenal and several other Quarters of the Town There was found in this Hero's Closet after his Death a Memorial written with his own Hand wherein he had already markt Twelve Embassadors for several Places in Christendom for the negotiating of so great an Affair and the Pope and Republick of Venice and Duke of Savoy had been already acquainted with it In the mean time this King had an Army already of Forty thousand Foot with Eight thousand Horse and he was under Petence of visiting the Frontiers of Flanders thence to begin the Execution of his Project affirming That as to his own part he had no other Pretension but the Glory of delivering Christianity from the Tyranny of these Barbarians 'T is said he applied himself for Ten Years together in searching the Means to make his Project take he gave great Pensions to the Cardinals at Rome and in Germany to several Officers and he had in France besides the Troops I have already mentioned Four thousand Gentlemen who were so devoted to him that they were ready to mount on Horseback on the least Order from him He had already Fifteen Millions in the Bastil and he that had the Superintendancy of his Treasure promised to add thereunto in less than Three Years Forty other Millions without touching the ordinary Revenues I have no
into their Protection having also subdued them by Force of Arms. They add That this Francis I. continued a great while to send them Governors and that it was by the Valour and Resolution of Doria that this Republick recovered its first Liberty These are the Discourses that People make at Paris the Entertainment of idle Persons as also of our Politicians It will be a hard Matter to tell what the King thinks and what are the Sentiments of his Council Consider in the mean Time with what Impudence People discourse here they presume to decâ—â—e Affairs of State they divide and accommodate Differences they support and ruine Common-wealths and Kingdoms but this is no new Thing the People in all Times having taken the Liberty to censure the Actions of Soveraigns It is not for enlarging my Letter That I write these Particulars of the History of Genoa But being an Ancient Nation which hath formerly wearied the Courage of the Romans by their Enterprizes and Opposition and have performed upon our Seas great and noble Actions The Osmans have her therefore in Consideration and the rather because we possess many Countries and considerable Places that were under their Dominion in Asia minor upon the Black Sea and in the Archipelago I shall ever recommend all thy Words and Actions to Almighty God and pray him to hinder thee from falling into Error and prosper all thy Undertakings Paris 24th of the 5th Moon of the Year 1638. LETTER XXII To the same HEnry of Bourbon First Prince of the Blood of France marching by Bourdeaux came upon the Frontiers of Spain where he besieged Fontarabia strongly seated upon the brink of the Ocean His Army is made up of Twelve Thousand Foot and Twelve Hundred Horse The two Nations have had several Encounters and Skirmishings wherein the Loss and Gain have been equal on Land But the Spanish Affairs go so ill at Sea that thou wilt wonder at the great Losses they received there The French have burnt Two Gallions upon the Stock that were a making and six others intirely finished which had not been yet at Sea They have further taken Eleven great Ships whereof Six were richly loaden for the Indies besides the Equipage and Munitions of War with Two old Gallions that were of no great use They further took a prodigious number of Cannons which lay upon the Shore One hundred whereof were Brass all with the Arms of Austria If all this I write be true as I verily believe it is we may say that this Prize where there were more than a Hundred and fifty Pieces of Ordnance was no mean Purchase I say nothing of the great Quantity of Artillery mounted upon the Ships and Gallions for fear of troubling thee with the News of so great a Victory wherein the French gained so many Vessels and such great Riches as will suffice to equip a great Fleet. The Prince besieges the Place and presses it but the Spaniards defend themselves bravely and â—uch Blood will be shed there The Priest of Bourdeaux which these Infidels call the Arch-bishop was come thither with Sixty Sail whereof Forty two are Men of War and the rest Attenders with some Fireships filled with Bituminous Matter which inflames easily to burn the Enemies Ships where they can come at them so that there is nothing wanting in the Armies by Sea or Land This Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux makes more noise at present than the Pope and 't is credible that what he has done will gain him great Favour with his King He has with as much Courage invested Fourteen Galleys and Four Frigats which came from the Neighbouring Ports to the Relief of Fontarabia with Three thousand natural Spaniards He fought six Hours together with this new Army which he entirely defeated having burnt and sunk all these Ships except one Galley which was stranded and rendered useless The Admiral of Spain with Eight hundred Men was blown up which was no small Misfortune to the Spaniards who lost upon this Occasion a great number of Souldiers and Seamen And 't is believed they will not be able to appear before their Enemies in Sea this great while If so many Losses suffered by a Party are not advantageous to the Grand Seignior because the other is grown so much the stronger thereby he will however gain this Benefit by it That the French and Spanish being both Enemies to our Nation and Religion our Affairs will be in greater Security when of two Enemies we see one suppressed The French publish by their Joy and continual Feastings the Advantage they receive from these Successes And these Infidels have reason to rejoyce their Victory having all the Agreements possible it is indeed great and their Loss very inconsiderable They say there were but Twelve of the Ships of France disordered and that they lost not above a Hundred Seamen and very few Officers Here hath been made a large Relation of this Victory and 't is graved in Copper to the end it may be made publick in all its particulars and the Memory of it conserved to future Ages Since the Loss of the Armado surnamed The Invincible which Philip II. sent into England in the Year 1588. to make War upon a Woman we have not known that Spain suffered so great a Loss This is the only News I can tell thee at present So many Armies as are in continual Action will furnish Matter enough hereafter to divert thee by reciting the Follies of these Infidels who seem to destroy themselves daily and ruine their Affairs to gratifie Us by their Defeats and make Us triumph Paris 17th of the 6th Moon of the Year 1638. LETTER XXIII To Afis Bassa IF thou always followest thy Inclination and thy natural Honesty thou wilt be indefatigable in faithfully serving the Sultan and thou wilt not be averse to him that esteems thee and loves thee Read what I write to thee and publish it when thou hast read it that the Council may know that it is resolved at the Diet held at Stockholm the Residence of the King of Sweden to continue the War against Austria and that the Duke of Weymar and the General Banmer begin already to combat the Imperialists Thou wilt see Spain and Germany attack'd on so many Sides and by such powerful Enemies that 't is credible there may happen such vast Losses to all these Christians that the True Believers will have Occasion to rejoyce and to hope yet the aggrandizing of the Great and Most Mighty King of Kings Sultan Amurath Master and absolute Soveraign of both Seas and Vanquisher of all Nations This King hath sent an Army into Picardie under the Command of Marshal Chatillion to besiege St. Omer a very strong Place in Artois belonging to the Spaniards several Villages and Towns of Consideration being already burnt and pillaged The faithful Slave Mahmut salutes thee gives thee a friendly Kiss and wishes thee all Sort of Prosperity Paris 24th of the 6th Moon of the Year 1638. LETTER
Bassa's and moreover Twelve Princes Tributary to the Port. 'T is also said Bagdet is a Place not to be won by Force that a River the swiftest in the World runs through the midst of it and that the place has an Hundred Gates of Brass and its Walls which are very high be defended by three Hundred Pieces of Cannon That the Persian Forces are great enough to tire out the Ottoman Army and that the example of Cha Abbas Father to the Sophy who now reigns over the Persians will encrease their Valour and Obstinacy to suffer the greatest Extremities rather than to think of a Surrender The rash Resolution of this King Abbas in the last Siege of this Great City is so cryed up and magnifyed here that scarce is there any Room left for the Praises of Amurath This Prince's passing and repassing more than once in a Bark in the Sight of Two Hundred Thousand Turks to advertize in Person the besieged of the condition of Affairs and to give them a fresh Courage assuring them they should be soon succour'd and having at the same time about him wherewith to hinder him from falling alive or dead into the Hands of his Enemies was an Action which they think is above all Elogium's and appears to them greater than Story could ever parallel 'T is said That this King carryed in his Bark two great Stones fastned to one and the same Cord to put them on his Neck to sink himself into the River which was of an unfathomable Depth in case he was discovered To which they add That Amurath who can never have his Fill of Bloud will recompense thy Services in the same manner he did thy Predecessors These Infidels hold moreover other Discourses which are very impertinent confounding such things as are true with false as they do the Justice and Liberality of the Generous and ever Invincible Sultan with the Cruelty and Avarice wherewith they reproach him 'T is said likewise That the Sequins which he distributed the Day whereon he was proclaimed Emperour were not by one half of the value which was set upon them That he caused Mehemet Bassa of Caire to be strangled for no other Reason but to become Master of his Wealth 'T is further added That this Prince having had advice that a Gally was taken having Seventy Five considerable Officers belonging to the Port on Board whilst he was diverting himself in a Pleasure-House at the Entrance into Asia he said by way of Jest Let 's drink the Health of these Stout Blades 'T is moreover said That having given his Word and promised a secure Passage to the brave Facardin an Arabian Prince he caused him to be stabb'd in a thousand places in his Sight But what do not they say of his destroying the Mufti and Cyril the Greek Patriarch In fine they set forth Amurath as a Sacrilegious Wretch that despises his own Religion an Heretick and Enemy to our Holy Prophet They relate the particulars of Cyril's Death which makes me doubt there be Traitors at the Port who advertise the Infidels of the most secret Matters which pass there Some say his Eloquence rendred him suspected to Amurath and that he said these Words when he was led to the Castle of Seven Towers Could I speak but once to our great Emperour he will be forced to love me or repent And 't is said That having voyaged into England he had learnt Magick there Many People believed he would introduce Novelties in Religion and for this End held strict Correspondences with the Latinised Monks and 't is known here that when his Sentence was pronounced he said He would rise again to torment the Emperour and perplex his Affairs The French haivng blamed what I now mentioned do extreamly praise the Moderation of Amurath when he took the Persian Spy who slid into his Camp in Turkish Habit and crouded amongst the True Faithful for he caressed him and sent him back with Rich Presents They also admire the Patience of this Prince in only condemning to the Gallies the Thirty Indian Pilgrims who occasioned his Fall from his Horse in the Capital City of his Kingdom For the Horse was affrighted at the Apparel of these Men and the strange Figure they made when they threw themselves on the Ground to beg Mony of him but they at the same time charge this Emperour with Brutishness for killing with his own hand immediately the Horse that threw him down The Discourses of this Nature however injurious they are be not of great Importance But if I be not mistaken there is something carrying on against us with the Republick of Venice I observe its Embassadour since the Loss we have made of Fifteen Gallies at Valentia has frequent and secret Conferences with the King and Cardinal de Richlieu As 't is not doubted but that the Ottoman Empire will be reveng'd of so deep an Injury so 't is also judged that the Venetians will use their utmost Endeavours to unite into a Confederacy the Christian Princes and 't is to be feared lest they take the Time when the Emperour is employed in the Seige of Babylon to form some Enterprize or put themselves into a Condition wherein they cannot be attacked I shall carefully observe all the Motions of the Venetian Embassadour and if need requires dispatch an express Messenger to the Kaimakan I adore thy Grandure buryed in the Dust of thy Feet Paris 10th of the 4th Moon of the Year 1639. LETTER VII To the same THe Courier not parting till the Morrow I make use of this short Time to write again to thee Brizac as I have already given Advice was taken by the Forces of France and Swedeland and the Duke of Wimar who commands the Army brags that being become Master of this Place which has always been besieged in Vain he shall take several others there being none which henceforward can resist him The Mareschal de Bannier one of the Generals of the Swedish Armies wearied out the Imperialists in Pomerania with continual Alarms He took Gratz a considerable place and has beaten Galas one of the Emperour of Germany's Generals But Fortune having chang'd her Countenance has favoured the Emperour against the Troops of the Palatin who is taken Prisoner with Prince Robert his Brother having been like to be drowned in the River of Wezer whereinto he was drawn in his Coach by his Horses who took Fright at the noise of the Cannon And these unfortunate Princes have lost in this occasion with their Liberty whatever was most precious to them The Swedes have in the mean time encreased their Strength by the Conjunction of new Troops They make frequent Incursions on the Imperialists and 't is thought this War will last a considerable Time by the great Preparations which are made on all Hands and especially by the French to whom it seems important that it should not end speedily There is News from Italy That a Discovery has been made in Piemont of new