Lopes could not execute his Commission his Army was lost on the English Seas and 't was written in Heaven That Dom Juan should live and be a King This Artifice having fail'd the Duke had recourse to another which was to send an Order to the Duke of Braganza to visit all the Forts on the Frontiers where there were strict Injunctions to detain him But he perceiving the Project of this Spanish Minister knew so well to excuse himself from undertaking this Business that he made the Designs of his Enemy to vanish this time also and got leave to retire to Villa Viciosa Those who penetrated not the Artifices of the Court of Spain were astonisht at the Accumulation of so many Favours and Honours on the Person of the Duke affirming the Court had Intentions of raising him to the Throne or bringing him to the Scaffold in which last they were not mistaken Olivarez who let slip no Occasion of laying Snares for Braganza grew the more obstinate by the Difficulties he met with He sent him a new Order to raise Troops and to lead them himself into Catalonia for the Chastisement of the Rebels this being of absolute Necessity said he in his Letters for the upholding of the Spanish Monarchy to which the Revolt of this Province caused great Mischiefs The Duke obeyed in part he raised a considerable number of Troops at his own Charge but he took care of his own Person He wrote to the Court to excuse him from that Voyage and added to his excuses most earnest Prayers representing That being sick of the World he had retired into his own Estate to lead there a quiet Life free from the Vexations of Business which obliged him to entreat his Catholick Majesty to grant him that Rest which was the only thing he desired The Duke de Braganza's Letter drew no Answer from the Spanish Minister but his Designs were discovered and the Nobility foreseeing how likely they were to be brought under a more strict Subjection began to murmur saying 'T was their Duty to rid themselves of those Oppressors who had so long peeled them and set up a New Form of Government The Poor who suffered most by the Taxes were the boldest and encouraged the rest Some were for setting up an Elective King others proposed the raising to this Honour the Family of Braganza who alone seemed worthy of it Some there were who were for putting themselves under the Domination of France and other persons of Credit amongst the People were for a Democratical Government and others again were for turning the Kingdom into a Republick The Nobility were in great Perplexity in the Choice they should make for 't was not known whether the Duke of Braganza would receive the Crown in case t was offered him again for the most qualified Persons of the Kingdom had proposed it to him There was none but D. Gaston Cattique a Gentleman as Eloquent as Stout whom Heaven design'd for the persuading of this Prince that could accomplish it He pretended to fight a Duel with a Nephew he had whom having slightly wounded he left Lisbon as a man that had brought himself into danger and wandring about from thence uncertain as it were of the place of Retreat he would chuse he went at length to Villa-Viciosa where having found Braganza in his Solitude he thus spake to him I bring this day a Crown which the Nobility of Portugal presents thee and if thou hast the Courage to receive it we are ready to put it on thine Head This Kingdom belongs to thee as the undoubted Heir of our Natural and Lawful Princes If thou acceptest of the Crown the Kingdom justly belongs to thee and if thou darest not receive it we will choose another Sovereign of greater Resolution and who is willing to command us The Scepter shakes in King Philip 's Hand by reason of the Wars made against him from all parts Consider if thou receivest not at present what Fortune presents thee thou wilt be obliged against thy Will to obey another Neither the Nobility the Clergy nor the People will any longer suffer the Arrogance of the Castilians It belongs to thee at present to declare whether thou wilt reign and be a happy Prince All the faithfull Portugueses breath after thee and desire thee for their Soveraign Resolve to accept of what is so advantageous and let us alone for the executing of our parts Dom Juan answered coldly to such a bold Proposition more affrighted at the Peril there was in such an Enterprize than flattered with the Hopes of possessing a Kingdom But in another Conference wherein the Duke was told the Conspirators were resolved to raise on the Throne another King if he came not to a speedy Resolution the Dutchess his Wife who has a Man's Heart and is more courageous than her Husband coming into the Conversation thus spake to him with great Assurance My Lord the Catholick King has sent for thee again to Court at Madrid thou wilt certainly meet with thy Death and in receiving the Crown which is offered thee thou art still in danger of it but if thou must perish which way soever thou turnest thy self is it not more honourable to dye a King in thine own Country than to dye with Chains in a Prison by the hands of thine Enemy So courageous a Discourse brought Dom Juan to a Resolution wherefore he sent Word to the Nobility of his Readiness to comply with them The Conspirators were ready at the hour appointed for the Execution of their Design Being well armed and each of them accompanied with a good Number of Young Men who were to follow them although they knew not the Design As soon as ever the Signal was given they all set forth from the Places where they were assembled and those that were farthest distant joined the nearest and all together soon possessed themselves of the Palace of the Vice-Queen they immediately made themselves Masters of the Guard finding no resistance from them and this without spilling a Drop of Bloud or doing any Violence They afterwards cryed out altogether Long live the new King D. Juan de Braganza and let them dye that govern ill They siezed on the Vice-Queen and entreated her to retire into an Apartment where she should be treated with the Respect due to a Princess but not obeyed as having Authority to command them Vasconcelli who knew himself faulty and to whom his Conscience reproached his Crimes in this moment hid himself in a great Press under an heap of Papers where having been discovered by an old Woman he had immediately his Throat cut and his Body thrown out at a Window where he served for some time a May-game to the People who left not one part of his Body free from some Mark of their Indignation One of this Minister's Domesticks threw himself out at the same Window his Master was thrown not in a design of following his Fate but of saving himself and he dyed
from a Mahometan These Barbarians are sufficiently Instructed in Morality to Teach others that which they do not always Practise themselves Vertue and Truth are respected every where Turn thee from East to West from the South to the North thou wilt find on all Sides impious Men who Blaspheme against the Deity but true Vertue has that of singular That she is always Respected and even by the most Profligate Consult once again thy Forces and thy Courage and take a better Resolution if thou art not yet well fixed in thy first Titus salutes thee out of this World and prays Heaven to give thee the Pleasures of the Happy in thy Solitude if thou beest no Hypocrite and if thou hast not yet Repented of the Resolution thou hast taken Paris 28th of the 3d. Moon of the Year 1638. LETTER XV. To Ibrahim who Renounced the Christian Religion THou hast Renounced thy Religion either to save thy Life or for some other Consideration I do not say this to make thee Scrupulous but in Quality of Resident in this Kingdom to serve here the Sultan Emperor of both Seas and of the Two Parts of the Earth Distributer of all Crowns the Grandeur of whose Majesty I beg of God may last till the last Day of Universal Judgment I advise thee to take heed not to sollicite those Infidels whose Religion thou hast abandon'd to run the same Course that thou hast done Thou hast written to thy Brother that he is become a Beggar because he Renounces his God a Thousand Times at Play and that thou art at present very Rich for having Renounced him but Once and by that thou exhortest him to turn Mussulman I thought good to write to thee That Souls are not to be gained with a Letter and a scurvy Jest Think of becoming a Good Man after thy Change of Religion and give no Occasion to the Marsilians to say That thou art Infamous because thou hast Renounced thy Faith and that we are all damned because we are Mahometans If thou dost not approve the Advice I give I shall he obliged to acquaint the Port with what shall come to my Knowledge which I shall do with Regret because thou may'st suffer by it The Great God make thee rather Wise than Fortunate Paris 28th of the 3d. Moon of the Year 1638. LETTER XVI To Dicheu Hussein Bassa AS the Knowledge which I shall have of Affairs will augment daily so I shall have the more Matter to write and will omit no Occasion to remark what occurs which I will not fail immediately to communicate Thou who with great Application observest what passest amongst Men and art desirous of knowing the most secret Transactions of Potentates thou may'st observe That there are more violent Enmities betwixt the Christian Princes of Europe than all the other Princes of the World I cannot comprehend whence it is that these Infidels cannot live in Peace and perhaps they do not comprehend it themselves It seems a Decree of Heaven That Man ought to be contrary to Man and that whilst there are Kingdoms there will be Wars and Enmities The Wars which are carried on at present in Alsace look as if they would last long The Death of Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden the second Scourge of the Imperialists who was slain Six Years since did not terminate the Differences of Germany they are greater than ever and there appears in the New Generals of the Armies vaster Designs than those in their Predecessors Perhaps they will revenge the Death of Gustave who was kill'd not as the Christians affirm but by one of the Forty Germans who had bound themselves by Oath never to quit their Swords before they had slain him as the Turkish Historians do write Duke Bernard Weymar of no less Valour than Gustave commands the rest of the Swedish Army with a good Number of French Troops and many Christian Hereticks of Germany Victory attends the Arms of this General and the Princes which are united for Defence of the Empire begin to apprehend a Captain who observes less the Rules of War than the Emotions of his Valour and whom they perceive seconded by Fortune But he doth not consider That in weakening an Emperor he doth augment the Forces of a King who will enjoy the Fruits of his Labours and suppress him in Spite of his Bravery when he pleases In the mean time I am of Opinion That it is our Interest that Weymar be always Victorious It may be said of him That he hath sold to France all but his Glory having reserved nothing for himself but Hope All that this Duke can Conquer from the Germans is for the French King who furnishes him with Troops with Arms and with Moneys besides wise Advice Cardinal Richlieu who is an able States man fails not to perswade his Master That the Places which Weymar shall take in the Empire with the Army which he Commands are the Effects of his Councils and his Majesty's Moneys The French begin to preserve their Conquests and know how to defend the place which are subject to their Power This Prince makes Acquisitions which are in truth of more Importance than they seem considerable for their Greatness He took Rhinfeld almost as soon as he had Besieged it The Place was strong seated near the Black Forest where the Garrison was furnished with Abundance of all Sorts of Ammunitions John de Wert General of the Imperial Army had reliev'd it with Nine Regiments of Horse and Five Thousand Foot He defeated Weymar's Horse took part of his Baggage and Artillery The Duke of Rohan a great Captain and great States-man was hurt and taken Fighting and the City relieved with Men Ammunition and Victuals which rendered the taking of it more Glorious They write that Two Imperial Generals the said John de Wert which had succoured Rhinfeld Enhenfort as also Duke Savelli had been taken in a Combat which preceded the Rendition of the Place besides Thirty Eight Cornets and Nineteen Foot Captains These Spoils were gained by the Blood of the Swedes and sent to the French King who after he had caused them to march through all the Streets of this Great City commanded them to be hung up in the Principal Church where I saw and considered them as Marks of the Triumphs of Policy The Siege of this Place lasted but Eightteen Days The Duke of Weymar after this Victory marched into the Marquisate of Durlach where he took the Castle of Rotelen Defended by the King of Hungary in which he found great store of Provisions and all sorts of Ammunitions which served greatly for the refreshing of his then needy Army In the mean time Duke Savelli escaped out of Prison and retired to Luzerne in Switzerland The Officers that guarded him were accused of Favouring his Escape which cost them their Heads All I write to thee is most true and thou may'st cause my Letters to be inregister'd God grant that Brisac together with all Alsatia may fall into the
defiled my Hands in Blood neither have I ever violated any Mans Bed I easily forgive my Enemies and hate above all things the Crime of Slandering If this be not sufficient to merit Salvation I do not know what is These are all my Virtues as to other Qualifications I have none I have no Knack at Thieving my Talents lie not that way were I qualified I might as most do devise means to put my Art in Practice But living according to these afore-mentioned Maxims I doubt not but I shall find Entrance into that Paradise where faithful Souls will enjoy a perfect Happiness and set their Feet on the Necks of the Enemies of our Holy Law where they shall suffer neither Hunger Thirst or Nakedness free from the parching Heats of the Sun and the pinching Sharpness of the Colds caused by the Moon where under the agreeable Shade of Trees they shall gather the preciousest Fruit standing sitting or lying and drink in Cups of Gold or Emerald the most delicious Liquors which spring from a clear Fountain and be served with inconceivable Magnificence In this divine Place they shall be more beautiful and shining than the Stars in the Firmament whose brightness enlightens the darkest Night their Robes shall be of finest Silk of a Colour more green and pleasing to the Eye than the Herbs which spring up in May and shall further receive from the Hands of God a Potion more sweet and delicious than can be imagined as a Recompence for the Good they have done during their Abode amongst Men. Thou knowest 't is impossible for me to go on Pilgrimage to Mecha seeing I am obliged to abide at Paris Thou knowest also I cannot give my self to Contemplation being forced to lead an active Life for I must not remain among the Dervises who pass their Days in Solitude serving in France as I must do our Puissant and Invincible Emperor Thou seest here what my Condition will bear accuse me not therefore for neglecting the pious Advices thou givest me I forget not so much Death as I forget that I must die Be informed of this from me There 's not a Town in the World where People do learn better to live ill than at Paris neither is there any Place where they are better taught to die I need not tell thee here are publick Academies as were heretofore amongst the Egyptians wherein dead Bodies lie exposed to publick View to make Men remember the indispensable Necessity of dying But I may tell thee there 's no Day wherein in this great Town a great quantity of Fools do not teach wiser than themselves things they have been ever ignorant of for the Gibbets and Scaffolds set up for the Punishment of the Guilty hinder the Destruction of a great many People whose Innocency is preserved by these kind of Spectacles Here the Poor who had heretofore plentiful Subsistences teach good Husbandry the Proud Humility the debauched with Women Chastity I believe there is no Part of the World where there are more Thieves and Pick-pockets and who do their Work with greater Art and Subtilty they exercise their Craft in all Places in the Churches as well as the Streets Markets and Bridges so that our People of the Morea who are thought by us to be such great Masters in this Science are mere Asses to them Adieu Paris 10th of the First Moon of the Year 1639. LETTER XI To Cara Hali the Physician I Know not whether what I thought I saw last Night in my Bed be the effect of a Dream or of a real Vision I was awakned by a great Earth-quake and which made me rise afrighted out of my Bed But informing my self by some People I found 't was but a Dream My Adventure has renewed the Remembrance of one which proved of sad Consequence to one Part of Italy Physicians are at a loss to find out the Causes of these horrible Fires which are vomited up at certain times by Mount Gibel Stromboli and Vesuvius Mountains in Sicily not far from Naples whose Roots seem to spring from Hell whence arise often filthy Exhalations Smoaks and Sulphur with Flames which cast up Stones and Ashes to the Clouds 'T is known I believe at Constantinople That towards the Beginning of the Moon of February there was lost near Naples a little Island that had Four Miles in Compass It 's related as a Thing certain That after this Isle was suddenly swallowed down into the Sea the Fire which it included not finding its usual Vent there was opened some Days after a new Way along the Coasts of Calabria near Messina There did it appear having first caused an horrible Earth-quake which overthrew a great Pile of Building which the Christians call a Steeple that belonged to a principal Church which buried under its Ruins a vast Number of People whose Devotion had at that Time brought hither Some Towns of the Kingdom of Naples suffered by this Earthquake with great Multitudes of People and Herds of Cattle which were miserably lost in the Fire by the Smoak and heaps of Ashes And amongst those that have been smothered to death are reckoned several Lords of those Countries who are Masters but of few Subjects and yet bear the Title of Princes My dear Friend Cara Hali These are dreadful Effects of Nature whose Causes will not be sound out by us Certainly these Countries of Italy must be far from Paradise seeing these Mouths of Hell if it he true as many People say they are in these Mountains do frequently ruin by these Irruptions Calabria and Sicily Naturalists affirm That these Mountains nourish Sulphurous Matter in their Bowels which is easily inflamed and issues out with more or less Vehemency and more or less Frequency according as the Matter is more or less disposed and the Subterranean Winds kindle and eject these Fires and open the Mass of Earth under which they are shut up But the Opinion of certain Philosophers who maintain That meer Chance produces these extraordinary Events appears to me very ridiculous affirming that one Stone striking another produces a Spark whence happen these great Inflammations Nay they proceed farther and would perswade us That a lighted Lamp left by Chance by those who searched into the Bowels of these Mountains to discover the Secrets of Nature might make these Flames which lighting on a combustible Matter and meeting with no hing that is contrary to 'em to extinguish them do cause these surprising Effects They also say That Lightning striking fiercely on some one of the Coasts of these Mountains may do the same thing as the Stones striking one against another or the Lamp left lighted These Opinions would not appear so ridiculous were it possible to make any Demonstration of 'em But these Events being all extraordinary and in a manner prodigious I shall willingly suffer thee to believe that 't is a Work of Nature or Hell or Chance alone which causes the perpetual Motions of these Fires which are
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
Boynou the white Eunuch I Am still alive and in Health my Fear has proved vain and I have escaped the Cardinals Hands without any Danger which will make me hope the same good Fortune should he ever send for me again But thou shalt not know his Business with me that being a Secret I am obliged to conceal Thou hast I hope received the long Letter I wrote thee containing several Particulars of Henry IV's Life I send thee now several of his Sayings which may be termed Sentences Read them with Attention they are as pleasant as profitable for Mustapha's Use who will find this great King to have had an Invincible Courage in Adversity and great Clemency and Generosity when he was in his Prosperity he was Valour it self amongst the Souldiers Wife and Pleasant amongst his Courtiers terrible in Battles easy and free amongst the Ladies full of Heat when any Action offered it self and Courteous and Affable to all sorts of Reople Henry dyed in the same Manner as most of our Sultans that is to say a Violent Death He had lived Fifty Seven Years and some Months and reigned about Twenty Years Several of his Courtiers named him like the First Caesar All Womens Husband because 't was believed he never saw any that he fancied but he obtained her He had Fourteen Children Six by the Queen and the others by Four of his Mistrisses She who was called the beautiful Gabrielle of the Family of Estree seemed to have more Power on his Heart than all others he often carried her about with him in his Army and to the Places he besieged in Person Henry was wont to say 'T was as difficult to know how to Love well to prepare a Feast and to dance at the same time agreeably as to draw up an Army for Battle consisting of several Nations And when he was more advanced in Years he said He loved Dancing for it made him appear Young He loved Play for it shewed he could be angry and Ladies because he said he believed a Man ought to love all the Days of his Life He was so impatient at Play when he lost that he seemed to be as much concerned at the Loss of an Hundred Crowns as at the taking of a City from him He often disguised himself like a Peasant to approach his Mistrisses without being known and he has often carried on this Humour to that Degree as to drive Asses laden with Fruit and sometimes carry a Truss of Hay on his Shoulders When he was peaceably setled in his Kingdom he said to those who were his greatest Intimates That he that grew weary at Difficulties did not deserve those Things which might be acquired without Trouble I saw my self a King said he without having a Kingdom an Husband without a Wife a Captain without Souldiers and Liberal without having any thing to give I have had in fine a Kingdom Children in lawful Marriage my Troops are numerous and I can dispose of several Millions This Prince has been wounded several Times has received Three Wounds in the Wars and Three others on his Throne in the Calms of Peace The Actions which have gained him most Glory have been the winning of Four Battles whence he came out Conqueror having very few Troops and his Enemy having very numerous Armies the general Peace he gave to Europe the Reconciliation of the Venetians with the Latin Church which had excommunicated them and the great Project I spake to thee about in my foregoing Letter The Pope's Nuncio having one Day asked him How long he had made War his Answer was All the Days of his Life and my Armies have never had any other General but my self He was seen once for Forty Hours together on Horse-back and he led at that Time an unhappy Life yet he bore up with invincible Courage which made his Souldiers call him the King of Iron At the same time he held a Morsel of course Bread in one Hand he would with the other form on the Ground the Design of an Entrenchment and when he would shew his Friends the finest Gallery of his Palace he would at the same time lead them down into his Stables to see his Horses He was wont to say That a King who would reign happily must not do all things which he may He had such a Greatness of Mind and was so merciful That he pardoned those who conspired against his Life He shewed oft to those that were about him a Souldier that was a Stranger and had wounded him in a Battle whom he recompensed for doing his Duty and made him one of his Guards Tho he was not Learned yet he read Books of his Religion and took a singular Pleasure in History and conversing with learned Men. Hearing one Night the Annals of France and being almost half asleep in his Bed he bade his Reader continue his Reading for he would sleep no more that Night Having laid Siege to a most important Place in a most cold Season he slipt one Night wrapt up in his Cloak to the Places where the Labourers were at Work and heard a Souldier there cursing both God and him yet without concerning himself any further he whisper'd in this Souldier's Ear God hears thee and the King too for all thou knowest if thou canst not Work hold thy Peace and be gone The Night following the King setting to work himself to excite others he caused this Souldier to be called to him and thus spake to him Help me to remove this Earth and do not swear for now the King hears thee To correct the Vices the Injustices and Violences of others he did not use Lessons but gave Examples And one day that he heard one of his Captains in a Rage for that his Creditors had seized on all he had to his Horse and Sword he thus spake to him I that am thy Sovereign have paid my Debts and sold all that I am worth for that End and thou that art my Subject ought to do the same thing without murmuring And then taking him apart he gave him some Jewels to help him out He often shewed the Marshal de Biron to his Friends and thus spake to them about this Captain This Man knows to Act as well as Talk and I have a great Love for him Yet he sometime after caused him to be put to Death having Three times pardoned his Disloyalty This Captain having continued his Plots against his Life and against the State yet remembring he had loved him he would spare one part of the shame of his Punishment and therefore ordered he should be executed in Prison A Scholar Two Monks and a Fool attempted at several times to kill him and as I have already told thee he was several times wounded and at last received a Mortal Stroke A Woman that had undertaken to Poison him was burnt alive and this foolish Creature said at her Death thinking to lessen her Crime That having foreseen the King was to have been
extream Passion at any one's daring to offer him a Match so greatly beneath him when Madam de Combalet was the Widow of a Gentleman of a mean condition and Neece to a Cardinal whom he hated and himself a Prince of the Bloud The Cardinal's Messenger desirous his Negotiation should succeed was not repelled by this Affront He insisted on the Vertue of the Cardinal's Neece saying she would be courted by the greatest of France and added farther in Commendation of this Lady That she was a Virgin altho' married because her Husband out of respect dared not approach her and that Heaven had so ordered it that this Adventure should be found written in the Anagram of her Name This Minister could not dissemble his Vexation at the Refusal his Choler became excessive and he resolved to practise his usual Maxim of violently persecuting those whose Friendship he had sought with most Eagerness He therefore wholly set himself against this Prince spake all the Ill he could of him publickly threatned his Enemy but he valued him not looking on the Cardinal as beneath his Notice In the mean time the Cardinal plotted to put his Threats into Execution and brought the King in to countenance him by his Authority which obliged the Count to absent himself and make a Voyage into Italy to avoid the Storm he was threatned with Yet his Voyage lasted not long and at his Return the Cardinal did all he could noâ— to win him he procured him suitable Employs in the Armies and made him at length be declared General of that which the King sent on the Frontiers of Picardy Yet this haughty Prince received all with Indifferency saying openly That a Captain was given to the Army and not an Army to a Captain The Grandees of the Court who observed afar off what past in this Intrigue instead of mollifying the Count's Humour did all they could to sharpeâ— it The Duke of Orleans the King's Brother whâ— was always this Minister's Enemy linkt himself with Soissans exhorting him not to yield to the Cardinal's Pursuits and it is said he drew a Promise from him under his Hand that he would never accept of the Marriage proposed and they afterwards swore Fidelity to one another and thaâ— they would joyn together for the Destruction of the common Enemy and for this effect they took measures with Prince Thomas of the House of Savoy who is at present General of the Spanish Army in Flanders They also brought the Duke de Valette and several Lords of the Kingdom into their Party Almost all the Conspirators were for killing the Cardinal and the time of the Stroak should be when he visited the Quarters of the Army which besieged Corbie but the Count alone would not consent to dip his Hands in the Bloud of a Priest But the Duke de Vallette who saw the Danger wherein he was when the Conspiracy came to be discovered resolved to shelter himself by the blackest Treachery that could be imagined he discovered to the Cardinal all the Accomplices of which the Count de Soissans having Notice he speedily withdrew to Sedan I shall not make thee Inincible Leader a Description of this Place which regards on one side Luxemburg and on the other France it not lying in my way to make Draughts of Fortifications like an Engineer but to give thee a full Account of what the Infidels do and discover their Designs whereby thou mayst gather what may make for the Advantage of our great Monarch whose Power cannot be shaken but by the entire overthrow of the Universe Sedan is a Dominion which formerly belonged to the Dukes of Cleves who were Sovereigns of it and at the same time Dukes de Bouillon When the Count was in this place he thought himself safe the Mareschal de Bouillon who was the Master of it by the Testament of the last of this Family declared himself of his Party either to make War together against the Cardinal by open Force or drive him out of this Kingdom or to get rid of him by Death Here it was they made their secret Treaties with those who commanded for the Spaniards in the Low Countries and a Prince of the House of Lorrain entered into their Cabal He bearâ— the Cardinal as much as ill will and appears as resolute as the rest for his Destruction he is called the Duke of Guise There wanted only to this Party the Duke of Orleans the King 's only Brother and therefore the Duke of Guise dispatched a Messenger to him who sold in one day both his Master and all the reâ—â— that were of the Conspiracy He discovered aâ— the Secrets of the Cabal and the better to carry on his Deceit he caused himself to be apprehended and thrown into Prison having given his Dispatches to the King's Brother which he had before shewed the Cardinal This Traytor was noâ— contented with revealing these Gentlemens Secrets who had sent him but also made it appear That the Prince the King's Brother was guilty as an Accomplice of the others Rebellion Thuâ— these great men grown desperate at the Discovery of their Projects which were indeed contrary to their Sovereign's Interests and the Kingdoms were forced to throw themselves into the Arms of the Spaniards and to joyn with them They have raised Troops amongst their Vassals and Friends and openly declared themselves and fought with great Valour as I have already mentioned in the beginning or my Letter The King's Army has been very ill handled and it appearâ— that the Advantage was wholly on the Confederateâ— side but it has cost the Count of Soissons his Life who was General and Chief of the Party and it is at present disputed to whom is due the Honour of the Victory I prostrate my self continually at thy Feet to kiss with all Humility the Dust of them assuring thee thou hast in me a most faithful Slave that will never change Paris 15th of the 8th Moon of the Year 1641. LETTER VI. To Solyman his Cousin at Constantinople POntius Pilate was an honester man than thou He although a Pagan excused himself of the false Sentences he should pronounce on the Christion's Messias by washing his Hands before the Jews who sought his Death And thou that art a Mahoâ—etan as I am and washest thy whole Body in the Baths at Constantinople in the Presence of our Friends accusest and condemnest me rashly without any scruple Thou usest me like a Rogue so maliciously art thou set against me who am of the same Religion which thou professest How canst thou justifie the Hatred thou bearest me in endeavouring to make the Kaimacam believe I have been corrupted by the Cardinal who is the King of France's Chief Minister Adding that he ought no more to heed my Letters and Relations sent to the sublime Port where lie prostrate all the Powers of the World as not written by an Arabian but by a Sacrilegious Heretick That I deceive the Mufti so venerable for the Authority which
Liberty to ask of thee If the King of Portugal accepted the Combat and killed the Duke of Medina which of the two would have been declared Infamous Whether there be any Certainty in the Decisions made by Arms I am willing to think Justice is on the Side of the Conqueror But if on the contrary the Event of the Duel be uncertain I take it to be a foolish thing for the Duke to expose himself and thus Affront the King his Brother-in law In short the Duke's Prudence is not to be admired in this Occasion and Braganza has had the Advantage on his Side seeing he has shewed by his Conduct that he is effectually King of Portugal I cannot but call these Christians Fools who suffer such Customs among them and yet adore a Messias who is a God of Peace and who calls us Barbarians when they are the only People that teach us and all other Nations the Arts of single Combats which is the most pernicious Custom that can be introduced amongst Men who cut one anothers Throats oftentimes on slight Occasions and become Prodigals of that Treasure with which the Immortal has intrusted them Neither can I any more approve of Kings and Princes of the same Beliefs making War with one another as we see every Day amongst those who profess the Christian Religion which yet as far as I can find scarcely permits any Wars but such as are Defensive Pardon this tedious Letter excuse my Conjectures in it and honour me with thy Commands which will be respected by me as so many Obligations Paris 25th of the 6th Moon of the Year 1642. LETTER XXV To the Invincible Vizir Azem at Constantinople WE hear of nothing now-a-days but Wars and Conspiracies Seditions Treasons Infidelities and Revolutions of State and it is in the Kingdoms of Vice wherein these Plagues of Heaven make these Disorders I mean in the Christians Countries Infidelity reigns amongst the People of Catalonia England and Portugal the Revolutions which have hapned in Barcellona have no Example the Defiance or the Challenge of a Subject to a King as is that of the Duke of Sidonia to the King of Portugal as his Brother-in-law and his Enemy does equally surprize all the World We have reason to think that God is angry with the Christians when we consider Flanders Germany Italy and the Frontiers of Spain pestered with Wars which they make one against another The Animosity of most of the great People of France against the Cardinal Favourite enduces them to lay Plots against his Life whence we may see that great Places are good for nothing but to expose men to great Dangers The last Conspiracy discovered against the Life of D. John IV. of Portugal raised to the Throne by the Nobility and betrayed by the same Nobility not by the whole Body of them but by a small Number of those who had taken an Oath of Fidelity to him as well as the rest does plainly shew us That there is nothing in this World whereon a Man may rely with any Certainty and that here are many People who undertake just Actions by the Motions of an unjust and turbulent Spirit which cannot suffer Things to remain long in a quiet State and aspire continually after Change and to whom every Thing is good that is new I shall relate to thee in few Words this last Event Thou hast been informed of the others by the Letters I have written to thee Invincible General of the Ottamon Armies and Steward of the Emperour's Laws who is the Soveraign of Soveraigns and by those which the Kaimacam and the Bassas have received from me who are obliged to give thee an Account of whatever comes to their Knowledge Several of the great ones in Portugal and amongst them some of the new King's Kindred hatched a Conspiracy against him and resolved to put the Kingdom again into the Spaniard's Hands and entirely ruin the Family of Braganza The principal Author of the Conspiracy was D. Sebastian de Mattos Archbishop of Brague the Count Duke d' Olivarez's Creature to whom he owed his Fortune The chief who conspired with this Seditious Priest were the Marquis de Ville Reale and the Count d' Armamar these two Men of great Birth and Credit soon drew several others into their Party some by the Hope of Recompences and others through Weariness of obeying their new Sovereign or weary with the new Form of State which they thought might change to their Advantage They long held a secret Intelligence with the Catholick King 's Council who promised them all possible Assistance for the Execution of their Design and after that infinite Recompences This Conspiracy was to produce a dreadful Tragedy wherein all the Bloud of the Royal House and Family of Braganza was to be spilt The King was to be the first Victim with his Children and the Queen his Wife D. Duart also was to be put to Death who was kept close Prisoner in the Castle of Milain A Domestick affectioned to his Master and who was attentive to what past delivered the King and Family of Braganza out of this Danger He was ordinarily employed in secret Intrigues and made frequent Courses into Spain to discover the Designs of the Court of Madrid He met by chance in an Inn a man who seemed of a mean Condition born in the Kingdom of Bohemia with whom having entered into a strict Friendship as it happens usually amongst Travellers he came to discover he was often dispatched by the Catholick King 's principal Minister on Affairs of great Weight and that he expected in a short Time to raise his Fortune to a considerable Pitch being entrusted with Packets of Letters containing Things of the highest Importance to the State The crafty Portuguese soon discerning he might get out Secrets of great Concernment from this imprudent Man for the good of his Master resolved to kill him in a desart Place where they were to pass which he did having first made him drunk with strong Wine Assoon as he had done his Work he stript him and found Letters and Instructions to the Conspirators which he speedily carried to D. John who thereby discovered the whole Conspiracy Others say that D. Alphonso of Portugal Count de Vermissa having been solicited by the Achbishop of Brague who thought he could easily bring him into the Conspiracy being discontented at the King for taking away from him a great Office went to his Soveraign and freely discovered to him the Conspiracy which had been made to deprive him both of his Crown and Life And 't is added That this Count appeared since one of the hottest of the Accomplices till the very Instant wherein they were to execute their Project at which Time they were apprehended and punished as they deserved Others say the Duke of Medina Sidonia the King's Brother-in-law who appeared to the Accomplices to be of the Plot gave notice of it to the King his Brother In fine the Conspirators were executed
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
the late Conspiracy against this State by Raggi and Torne and to shew that he understood their History he says somewhat of Vachero and Balbi Thou wilt see Reader by the Progress of the Work what this secret Envoy of the Ottoman Port thought of the other Princes of Italy and those of the North And I have drawn his Picture because thou maist understand better what I give thee of him This Arabian for he declares himself in his Writings to have been of that Nation having been taken and made a Slave by the Christians was brought into Sicily where he applyed himself to Learning He studied Logick in his Captivity and applyed himself much to History he overcame them by suffering with Patience the Blows of his Master who often beat him for endeavouring to acquire those Lights which this Brute had not And finally after much Labour great Assiduity and long Watchings he came as he writes himself to understand Greek and Latin Authors he had commerce afterwards with the best Masters and during his sojourning in the French Court he joyned Experience to the Knowledge he had acquired He explains himself neatly and speaks of Things with great Frankness His Style shews a great liberty of Spirit and never Passion and if it appear that he accommodes himself to the Fashion of the Court one may see that it is not out of design to please but that he wisely conforms himself sometimes to the Genius's of Nations Thou wilt find in his Letters Wit and Learning If sometimes he appears tart 't is to shew his Vivacity not disoblige and he appears all over fully instructed in Ancient and Modern History He is very reserved when he blames and seems perswaded when he praises When he speaks to the great Men of the Port his Style is very grave and he changes when he writes to meaner Persons He never tells News that he is not assured of nor thinks of divining Things that seem obscure to him He gives rare Lessons when he writes of the Revolutions of Catalonia the Kingdoms of Naples Portugal and England which happened in our Days with strange Circumstances terrible Murders and the Death of a Potent King Martyr'd by his own Subjects upon a Scaffold before his own Door He weighs much the Duke of Guise's hardy Resolution of going to Naples to succour the Revolted there and he reasons not as a Barbarian but like an able States-man and wise Philosopher on the Rise and Ruin of States He always discourses with Liberty and what he says is filled with solid and agreeable Thoughts He speaks sometimes of the Cruelty and Tyranny of the Turks of the Violence of the Ministers of the Port and upon the precipated Death which many of the Sultans Basha's and Vizirs are forced to suffer But this Language is only to his Friends and Confidents However though these Letters be neither Greek nor Latin nor written by a Christian they contain nothing of Barbarous and though the Ignorant be in great Numbers amongst the Turks there are yet Men of great Understanding that write the Annals of the Ottoman Empire though they are not easily come by for their Books not being Printed they scarce ever reach us We may notwithstanding believe That amongst this Nation that we term Barbarous there are great and wise Captains good Men and learned Authors as we have amongst us Generals without Conduct Hypocritical Votaries and ignorant Fellows that pretend to be Masters To justifie what I affirm of the Turks let us but consider their Victories which have gained them so many Kingdoms their Power at Sea their Exactness to punish Crimes and to reward Merit As for Printing they would never endure it amongst them A Grand Vizir's judgment of it was remarkable which shews rather their Prudence than any effect of their Ignorance A famous Printer of Holland by Religion a Jew came to Constantinople bringing Presses with him with Characters of all Sorts of Idioms particularly Arabick Turk Greek and Persian Letters with design to introduce the use of Printing into that great City As soon as the Vizir was informed of it he caused the Jew to be Hanged and broke all his Engins and Millions of Characters which he had brought declaring it would be a great Cruelty that One Man should to enrich himself take the Bread out of the Mouths of Eleven Thousand Scribes who gained their Livings at Constantinople by their Pens Peruse Gentle Reader what I offer without fear of tiring thy self or being deceived As Christian Authors think of nothing ordinarily but of writing Panegyricks in hopes of Reward we have reason to believe not to find all the Truth in their Works Interest and Passion do often make good Princes pass for Tyrants and unjust and cruel Princes are sometimes transferred to Posterity for Models of Justice and Clemency This occasions Histories which issue from so corrupt a Source to serve like a pitch'd Field for Modern Writers where the one and the other combat for the destruction of Truth the one falsly reporting what they have heard and the other by as badly representing the things they seem to witness Most Princes will have their Altars and then 't is no wonder if there are Priests found to sacrifice to Falshood and Idolaters to deface the Statue of Truth There is no General that will not always seem Conqueror and Princes never confess their Losses which occasions a Confusion and the Actions of Men do thereby become doubtful How many times have we seen both the Victors and Vanquished make Bonfires for their Successes And in our Days we have known the French rejoyce and the Spaniards and Germans sing their Te Deum for the same Thing As we are perhaps now less just than in Ages past it is difficult to write Things as they are particularly during the Lives of Princes whose History cannot be writ without Fear nar the Truth said without Danger For these Reasons we ought not to question the Credit of our Arabian who reports with Liberty what came to his Knowledge Besides he being an universal Enemy to Christianity and a concealed one neither disobliged or gained by any and religiously true to his Prince whom he adores as a Divinity it cannot be imagined that he says any thing for Fear or Favour As these Relations have been read with Attention and diligently examined we may be assured of an exact History abounding in considerable Events and this History being separated into Letters as the Author writ them the Reader may read them without repining If he will not acknowledge the Translator's Pains let him at least receive the Labours of a dead Man with Civility one that never dreamt his Memorials would be Printed and that served his Master faithfully These Sentiments made him exactly follow that Sentence of S. Austin found in the Front of his Works Where Love is there is no Labour and if there be Labour the Labour is loved The Translator hath thought fit to retrench some
of Titus the Moldavian and with a little Cassock of black Serge which is the Habit I have chosen I make two Figures being in Heart what I ought to be but Outwardly and in Appearance what I never intend Carcoa at Vienna furnishes me with Bread and Water supplying me with just enough to Live and I desire no more The Eggs here are dearer than Pullets with you It is to him that I will address my Letters Eliachim the Jew came to see me who seems to be sufficiently informed of what passes in the World and will be an useful Man to me Yet I will never trust him more than I need Although I have a Dispensation from the Mufti for Lying and false Oaths which I shall be obliged to make yet I have still some Qualms on my Mind However our Sovereign must be served and I can commit no Sin as long as this is my sole End Aâ— for the Intelligence which I shall send none shall come from me but what is true unless I be first deceived my self It will be hard for me to mention any thing considerable of a City which is not to be viewed in One day I having been there but Seven 'T is peopled like the Borders of the Sea with Sand the Inhabitants lodging to the very Cock-lofts and Houses are built on the Bridges This great City is divided by a River and both â—arts of it are joined by a great Bridge of Stone â—ell built and very stately In the midst of it is â—en an Horse of Brass with the Statue of Henry 〈◊〉 which bestrides it whose Heroick Actions â—ave justly surnamed him The Great and he seems â—ill to command this Capital of the Kingdom â—he other Bridges being full of Houses are not â—en appearing as if they had been made for the â—ity not the River The King's Palace is an ancient Building yet reâ—ains a certain Majesty which denotes the Granâ—eur of its Master Within it appears a Desart â—or the Court is always abroad or in the Army A Church-man term'd at Rome a Cardinal is â—he principal Minister of State his Name is Arâ—and du Plessis Cardinal of Richlieu He is esteem'd 〈◊〉 great Politician a Man of Wit and Action and â—very way fitted for the Place he holds All the People make Vows to Heaven That â—heir King may become a Father for the Queen â—as been barren these many Years I go into the Churches as a Christian and â—hen I seem attentive to their Mysteries I hold â—ur sacred Alcoran in my Hands addressing my â—rayers to our Holy Prophet and thus behaâ—ing my self I give no Offence I avoid Disputes â—ind my own Concerns and do nothing which â—ay endanger my Salvation Preserve thy Health and expect to hear from â—e as oft as the Interest of our Great and Mighty Monarch requires who is the Master of my Life â—nd Affections I make thee no Present of my Services for they â—e devoted to that Lord whose Slave thou art as well as I. The Letters I write for the future shall â—e directed to the Ministers of the Divan Live with the Piety of a good Mussulman and the Prudence of an able Minister and preserve the Treasure as thine own Heart which thou knowest is the last expiring Paris 11th of the 9th Moon of the Year 1637 according to the Christian Style LETTER II. To the same Hasnadarbassy I Had too good an Opinion of my self and did not sufficiently consider to whom I wrote when I attempted in so little a time to give thee an account of the Court of France and how this King lives An old Arabian was wont to say To have a perfect Knowledge of Things we must know them more than Once and forget them Thrice to the end that learning them a Fourth time they may become perfectly our own This will instruct me how to write to my Friends hereafter not as I understand Affairs but as they ought to be understood For once well done is better than twice ill done I think I may say the Spaniards want Ground themselves by taking an handful from others Two and twenty of their Galleys with some other small Vessels have taken two small Islands named St. Margaret's and St. Honorat's which lie over against Provence and are barren and unprofitable Places and will serve to little purpose unless for Ports and 't is also a question how long they will hold them The War betwixt these two Nations is like to continue especially from the death of the two Italian Princes Victor Amade Duke of Savoy and Charles Gorague Duke of Mantua I believe it an Effect of Providence that these Two Nations know not their own Interest or knowing it neglect it Heaven is more kind to us for as our Empire transcends all others in Strength and Greatness so it does in Unity and Concord by which means 't is in our Power to make War or live in Peace The Christians never consider the Advantage they lose and the Good they may acquire by attacking of us whom they yet hate and treat as Barbarians The Archbishop of Bordeaux is at present General of the French Naval Forces who though a Priest is yet permitted to turn Tarpaulin and Soldier For my part I understand not how a Prelate of his Rank can forsake his Flock his Altar and his Function If what the Christians say be true but that is nothing to us and the King of France being so enlightned a Prince and imploying him as he does he must needs be a good Seaman and Soldier To say no more in this Matter For Princes of what Religion soever they be are always sacred and not to be approached but with Respect seeing their Doings lie above the Reach of a common Capacity I would fain hear of the Grand Signior's Health for when he is well all the World is so to me and without him I am nothing I will not write so soon to the Grand Vizir being desirous to write what passes here with more Exactness I am in this Place like a Man lost in Confusion for this Town seems rather a Province than a City All is Hurry and Noise every Body brushing about after Action The Men for the most part are for Martial Exploits either at Sea or Land and as to the Women they are not idle employing themselves as becomes them either in the Shops or Kitchins Yet they take more care to shew themselves than ours do to hide themselves Dâ— thou be careful of thy Health for I shall never bâ— Miserable having thee to my Friend Paris 25th of the 10th Moon of the Year 1637. LETTER III. To Darnish Mehemet Bassa I Have been at a Ceremony which I am willing to see often to give an Account of it in my Letters 't is the Te Deum which Christian Princes cause to be sung in their Churches on the gaining any considerable Advantage over their Enemies which Te Deum is an Hymn composed by two of their Saints to
that Degree as to discover our failings to each other and to suffer them Seeing I am at present far off and by consequence the more exposed to Criticks and ill Offices do not forget the Interests of thy Friend Watch Day and Night for the Advantage of my Life Observe search and endeavour to penetrate what People discourse of me and what is said concerning me at Court Our Great Emperor sent me hither to observe what passes here and render him an Account I know I am where I ought to practise what I am commanded to do but I do not yet know whether I shall return to the place where I would willingly end my Days Most things are done on that side but they are not all equally performed I have therefore more just Reason to apprehend that all Men do know that I shall acquit my self with Fidelity of the Orders I have received Consider how far his Unhappiness doth extend who serves another who is Master of so many Millions of Subjects I will inform thee of two Things whereof thou shalt tell the first to the Bassa of the Sea and the other to the Musti's Vicar We are told that the King of England hath set forth a Vessel upon the British Ocean of such Prodigious Greatness that it exceeds all others as well in Force as Vastness It is Armed with One hundred and twenty Brass Guns It draws Unrigg'd Seventeen Foot of Water and its Bulk is Eleven hundred Tun. 'T is reported that it cost Two Millions of Piasters and as if it were the King of all other Ships it is called The Sovereign The Second News is a Prodigy that happened in Upper Saxony which finds but a little Credit with the Wise but is easily believed by the Women and the Common-People They say That at Dresden one of the Duke of Saxony's Courtiers having cut a piece of boiled Beef there issued so much blood out of it that the Elector's Table was wholly covered with it which extreamly troubled this Prince looking upon the Adventure as a Presage of Famine and War Let me hear often from thee and of our Friends but make no Confidence to any of that which is betwixt us Thou shalt learn from me Secrets of great Importance provided thou be Faithful and Discreet God grant thee in an Instant the Good which I shall wish to acquire in my whole Lise Paris 15th of the 11th Moon of the Year 1637. LETTER VII To the Invincible Vizir Azem SEeing thou hast acquired the Knowledge of Things present by thy Prudence and rare Understanding and hast desired me to inform thee of those Things which shall happen in the Places whither thou hast sent me I will endeavour to penetrate the Affairs the most secret to the end that nothing in this World may be hid from thee At present there are but few Actions in Christendom which deserve to be reported and thou art sufficiently instructed in the Affairs of France and touching the Person of her King I expect to inform thee of Events which at the same time may divert thee and instruct thee This Prince is called Henry the Just He cannot be called the Happy for having as yet no Son to succeed him there will be always Occasions of Trouble in his Kingdom Nor is there any Hopes that the Queen may prove with Child by Reason of her long Barrenness If the King will resolve to be divorced from her and take another it cannot be effected without Rome and Rome the Mufti and all their Priests will according to their usual Manner raise so many Difficulties and be so long before they determine that it will be a hard Matter to extort from them that Consent which the Laws of the Christians render necessary for the dissolving a First Marriage Certainly this Slavery which doth thus subject the Christian Princes is hard but it is a Point of their Law which being of no Importance to thee I will trouble thee no more with it This defect of a Successor in the King of France is of great Advantage to the Spaniards and one would think Heaven had created this Nation to be Enemies to the French It seems moreover there is a secret Violence which entertains an Antipathy betwixt the Two Nations which enforces a belief that there can never be a solid Peace betwixt them Thou hast already understood from those I writ to and who dare hide nothing from thee what has happened here during the small time of my sojourning in these Quarters I will not repeat little Things the Greatness of thy Genius and the Eminency of thy Employment have put thee far above every Thing that is not Extraordinary that we ought to inform the of nothing but transcending Events I will not entertain thee with the taking of the Old Town of Sally nor of the Disorders in the New Thou wilt have learned more swiftly from the Coasts of Africk Advices of the Hostile Acts which the English have committed with their Ships of War against that City which the King of Morocco protects The Attempt was great and is discoursed of here as a hardy Enterprise The Vastness of thy Understanding will easily judge of the Consequence They say here that the King of France has writ to Rome that he will willingly resolve to make a long Cessation of Arms with his Enemies If that happens this Repose will serve but to encrease the Forces of both sides which may hereafter render the War more cruel In the mean time 't is thought they design a General Peace but Time will discover to the Politicians what we cannot at present divine This Court is Great and Magnificent It stays not long in a Place and is very seldom at Paris being in the Camp amongst the Armies or for Pleasure in the Country The Genius of the Courtiers is different but they have an equal Inclination for two Things very opposite War and Love and apply themselves to both with much Constancy The Religion which they call Protestant and which has been the occasion of so much Disturbance to the Kingdom is now low by the Surrender of Rochell which was as thou knowest the principal Bulwark of those of that Party It seems this King will imitate our Mighty and Formidable Emperors and will regulate his Conduct by thine in not suffering within his State two Religions which are opposite The Kingdom is notwithstanding as yet full of Trouble Cardinal Richlieu who holds the Helm of Affairs in France as thou directest that of the Empire of the World seems as may be said in the midst of a Tempest and hath Reason enough to apprehend Danger for there are an infinite number of People who follow the Standards of Luther and Calvin who have no other Thoughts but of his Ruine In the mean time the Power of France seems mighty Great and 't is to be apprehended it may in Time augment infinitely Thou knowest Invincible Bassa what the Ancient Gauls did in Old Time They were
XXIV To the Kaimakam THE King of France hath sent forth another Army I have already informed thee that this Prince hath already Three Armies in Three Parts of Europe There is one in Piemont commanded by Cardinal la Valette another whereof Prince Henry of Condè is Generalissimo which they hope will quickly take Fontarabia and a Third commanded by Marshal Chatillion which besieges St. Omer The Duke of Longueville is at the Head of the Fourth which is entred into Burgundy with design to ruine the French County defended by Duke Charles of Lorrain one of the Emperor's Generals So many Armies and so many Captains march against the Spaniards This Nation sufficiently manifests her Force she is attack'd on all Sides and resists and defends her self on all Sides This vast Extent of Countries which the Austrians possess though separated from each other makes that they are always employed in defending themselves but they will be eternally exposed to lose without any Appearance of Gain Thou knowest that the true Secret of preserving Union amongst the Good is to entertain perpetual Differences amongst the Bad and thou wilt see that all the Adventures of this Country will render Us Invincible What I tell thee is a true Saying The French at Present are too powerful with so many Troops so many Armies by Sea and Land which are seen in the Provinces of their Enemies The other Christians are in continual Apprehensions The Embassadors of Princes which reside in this Town and Court observe with great diligence so many extraordinary Things but say nothing they do like me they write and advertise their Masters I am afraid thou wilt take no Pleasure in the Relations I make thee of the Successes of so great a Power but I ought to let thee know the Truth Affairs are carried on here with much Art The Ministers serve with great Fidelity and are very secret Cardinal Richlieu hath an entire Ascendant over the King's Spirit and to say Truth is a Person of great Merit They say he aspires to true Glory and will place the Crown which Charlemain wore as Emperor of the West upon his Master's Head If the good Fortune of France marches always at this Rate the Misfortunes of its Enemies must be excessive The manifold Wars which this Monarch undertakes and Richlieu counsels him do in the mean Time make the People who bear the Burthen by the Taxes which they are forced to pay murmur besides their Grief for the Loss of their Parents and Friends slain in these Wars The Cardinal fears Peace and apprehends his Enemies may destroy him if they have leisure to cabal against him Thus he finds his Interest in the War and the Armies support his Authority I cannot yet make any certain Judgment of him nor have a perfect Knowledge of his Manners no more than of the Extent of his Genius because the Man hides many Things during his Life with a Dress which will be discovered when he dies We can see which are his good Inclinations and it is not easie to penetrate into a Discovery of the Vices which he is inclined to In few Words he has much contributed to the â—eace of France divided by Diversity of Religion â—e hath succoured Italy and manifested there the â—ower of the King his Sovereign has weakened â—e Empire of Germany by the War he hath carâ—â—ed into her Bosom by the joynt Forces of the â—rinces of the North and them of France at once â—nd no less weakned the Power of the King of â—pain Thou that knowest every thing that passes and last Intelligence from all the Parts of the World canst truly judge of Affairs which makes thee know and foresee all that may prejudice the formidable Empire of the Mussulmans Paris 20th of the 7th Moon of the Year 1638. LETTER XXV To the Kaimakam ALL is in Peace here the War being carried on abroad The Court continues to make Vows for the Queen's Health and happy Delivery They seem not so much concerned for the King's Welfare as the Queen's every Body being perswaded That the Happiness of France depends on her safe Delivery I writ to Ghiurdgi Muhamet that he should mention the Queen's being with Child as a doubtful Thing and which might vanish but at Present it is most certain for she will shortly be brought to Bed She lives in great Repose for fear of hurting her self she scarce stirs out of her Bed-Chamber and every body endeavours to please her There is News from Provence of the arresting of a King's Son by that Governor The Prisoner is Brother to Uladislaus King of Poland 'T is said that the King of Spain had made Prince Casimir Vice-Roy of Portugal in Recompence of the Troops of Cossacks he had formerly raised to defend the County of Burgundy They add that being embark'd at Genoa upon one of the Gallies of that Republick for Spain to take Possession of the said Charge with a small Train of Domesticks and Count Konickpolski who called himself Uladislaus's Embassador with the Marquiss of Gonzague his Kinsman being arrived in Provence and visiting with Care all the Ports and Fortresses this gave no small Cause of Suspicion to the French He staid four Days privately in Marseilles but his Galley was arrested at Bouc the last Port of France by Orders of this King 'T is not yet known what obliged France to make a Person of this Quality Prisoner having nothing to do with Poland and King Lewis XIII having no particular Pique against Prince Casimir But the Secrets of State being only known to them that govern Kingdoms I pretend to penetrate no further but content my self to write what they do and what they say Thou who in the Absence of the Vizir Hazem art the Glory of his Highness's Council art best able to discover the reason of so extraordinary a Novelty The most knowing Persons at Court say this Prisoner will suddenly be set at Liberty and that having no War that may authorize his Detention it would be unjust to retain him The Event will teach me who am Ignorant and them that will divine that which perhaps no body knows at present May it please the Great God Master and Soveraign Moderator of all Things that the Intelligences and Guesses which I give may always be profitable and agreeable and that thy Life may be of eternal Duration for the Happiness of our Great Emperor and his Empire Thou shalt suddenly know whether Prince Casimir be retained longer in Prison or set at Liberty I would that King Uladislaus were in the same misfortune in the hands of the Janizaries and that he as well as his Kingdom were Slaves to the Invincible Sultan King of Kings to whose Power may it please the divine Goodness and the wisest of his Prophets to subject all the Countries of the Infidels and then to place him with his Wives and all the Prophets in his Paradise Paris 20th of the Seventh Moon of the Year 1638. LETTER XXVI To the
been advertised by some Divine Revelation and will pass for Prophets and amongst these there are many Religious Observe how far theâ—â— Superstition extends The Court has dispatched many Expresses into all the Provinces of France and others have been sent to all the Embassadors to give Notice of this Birth to their respective Princes A Priest who is a Bishop hath baptized this Child without any Ceremony in Presence of the Chancellor of France the Princes Princesses and Grandees of the Kingdom the further Solemnity being reserved for another time The King commanded Te Deum to be publickly sung being the Hymn which is usual to all Christians to thank God for extraordinary Successes Nothing is seen in the Streets of Paris but Bonfires and Fountains of Wine which run Day and Night The People testifie their Joy and the Fires are so great on all Sides that it looks as if the City were to be reduced to Ashes Amongst so many Subjects of Joy the King has wherewith to afflict him having been for some Days tormented with a violent Tertian Ague and it cannot be but he must have his Spirits agitated with so many Wars at once He has Armies against Spain in Flanders Italy Burgundy and the Empire in Germany without mentioning his Naval Forces and the Designs and Pretentions which he doth not yet declare Thou maist be confident that Leagues will be formed against him and Conspiracies against his State The Great Ones of the Kingdom are not asleep having long since had Designs to humble the Favourites and Ministers whose Deportments displeased them and to make themselves Masters of Affairs and the Government I have a Plece of News to tell thee but receive it as coming from a Woman not Mahmut I seldom send that for assured which in Appearance is not Truth What I am gâ—ing to say will undoubtedly seem ridiculous The Women give out that the Dauphin has Teeth and the Nurses will witness it Those who easily believe Wonders publish this as a most certain Truth The People who add Faith to the most Incredible things raise Stories upon this and are full of pretended Auguâ—ies But there being no Law that obliges us to believe that which we find Incredible thou maist therefore receive this News as thou pleasest and look upon it as useless and excuse me They give the King the Title of Saint which they add to that of Just because of his great Piety in devoting his Son before he was born to the Virgin which the Christians say is the Mother of their Messiah with his Kingdom People and Person which he hath put under the Protection of the Mother of his God which he has made appear by Prayers Processions and extraordinary Alms. This Ceremony is ordinary enough with these Infidels who by an inexcusable Idolatry devote their Towns and dedicate their Temples to Men that are dead whom they call Saints worshipping them afterwards upon their Altars and invoking them in their Distress I have nothing more at present to write to thee God give thee always the Grace to be just to thy self and others Paris 16th of the Ninth Moon of the Year 1638. LETTER XXIX To the Captain Bassa THE Birth of the Dauphin of France happened this Month whereof I forthwith advertised the Kaimakam I find my self in a great City where they feast continually to testifie the Love they have for the King the Queen the Young Prince and the State Joy spreads equally the most miserable to whom Fortune has given nothing but Tears do now divert themselves The Women rejoyce yet most and it seems this Adventure regards them principally There is not one of 'em that would not lie in all the Maids would be Mothers and the most advanced in Years do not now despair It seems here that God only hears the Prayers of the French for they believe the Queen had never been with Child if the People were not holy Thus all believe that they owe it to a Miracle of Heaven not of Nature that the Child is born and for that reason he is called Given of God If this be so thou must conclude this Prince will be very Great and much to be redoubted who hath God for his Father and is Heir of a great Kingdom To say the truth France was never so flourishing besides the great Armies they entertain by Sea and Land But that which appears most important to me is their vanquishing the Hugonots and defeating the Rebels The Birth of a Successor does much heighten these Advantages and causes a great Happiness to this Kingdom I have my Share in the Feasting being obliged to do as others for to what purpose should I appear afflicted Before I relate to thee a bloody Combat of Galleys which was fought in the Sea of Genoa I will inform thee of a ludicrous one in that of Marseilles which resembled those Spectacles the Ancient Romans exhibited with so much Pomp and Magnificence called Naumachies The Count of Alais Governor of Provence caused four Galleys two against two to combat first with Cannon and afterwards with Small Shot and lastly to board with Swords and Pikes which was a fatal Presage for two Nations who ran in search of each other through all the Ocean and exhibited a sad Spectacle by Battles where a Number of valiant Men were seen to perish Five and twenty Spanish Galleys appeared on the Coasts of Provence where it was said they were come to surprize some Maritime Place But the Count of Harcour General of the Armies of the Levant for the King having given them Chace some of them retired to the Coasts of Genoa where they were attacked by a like Number of those of France which had still followed them since they were seen before Marseilles It was the First of this Month that they fought Never appeared more Valour never was Combat more terrible and 't is scarce conceivable what Blood was shed Thou who art a great Captain and an excellent Sea-man mayst guess These thirty Galleys having began their Combat with their Cannon and Muskers the Sea was in a little time coloúr'd with Blood and covered with dead Bodies Each Galley having singled out his Enemy the Fight was the more bloody and obstinate 'T is said this Battel was seen from the Walls and Tops of Houses in Genoa which were crowded with Spectators and looked on with the same Concern as if they had fought for the Empire of Italy The Victory cost much Blood which the French pretended to seeing they took six Galleys from their Enemies amongst which was The Royal Patron of Spain the Captain and the Patron of Sicily with Eight hundred Prisoners having themselves lost but three Galleys which were taken by the Spaniards The following Night there arose so violent a Tempest that the Sea had well-nigh swallowed the Victorious and the Vanquished The French lost the Royal Patron of Spain which breaking loose retired into a little Port of the River of Genoa where the
of Attendants who aspire to Employs of such as are in Offices and several other Persons who are desirous to be Witnesses of his Actions Those who threaten him in secret do but increase his Courage and make him more carefully stand on his Guard and those who have most Experience of the World affirm this Cardinal knows too much to be surprised Hear the Recital of one of the least of his Actions whereby thou maist figure the greatest and give them the due Price they deserve For Three Years together was observed in this Cardinal's Anti-chamber a Man who was â—ot far advanced in Years and as assiduous to make his Court as he was modest in his Discourse very reserved and patient and which is very rare at Court was never heard to complain The Cardinal who pretends to read the Souls of Men and who is inferior to none perhaps in this Art caused this Person who had so long attended to be called to him and thus spake to him I know who thou art and how long time thou hast spent in observing me although thou outwardly appearest a French-man thy great Patience assures me thou art of another Climate get thee to Rome and wait but half the time in the Pope 's Anti-chamber as thou hast done in mine and I doubt not but thou wilt penetrate into the most hidden Secrets Part then immediately for Italy and observe the Actions and Motions of the Wisest and most Dissimulative Court in the Universe discover not thy self to any body send me an Account every Week what thou canst discover and in this manner thou wilt be useful to me and avoid Idleness My Secretary will give thee a Cypher and my Treasurer has order to give thee what 's necessary for thy Voyage as well as to keep thee when thou art at Rome The Cardinal studies to extend the Bounds of the Kingdom and for that purpose consults those who can any ways advance his Projects especially the King being now certain of a Successor by the Birth of the Dauphin who seems very likely to live long All Hands are employed at Toulon and Marseilles for the fitting out of Galleys and other Vessels and 't is thought the chief Designs of this Minister are on the Coasts of Italy I am told he was heard to say That the Romans could never have conquered all the World as they did had they not before been Masters of Italy That Hannibal had the same Design and after Hannibal Pope Alexander VI. intended to see whether such a Design would take Effect but his Pride and Cruelty made all his Projects prove abortive and that he could meet with greater Success than Hannibal could he be so happy as to obtain one Thing And here he ended his Discourse He so greatly minds whatever passes in the Royal Family and Kingdom that he can discover as he pretends all the Thoughts yea and the very Dreams of the Grandees Governors of Provinces and those that command in Places He says he has learnt several useful Things in the Relation given us of the Government of the Chineses having from them the Way of discovering the most difficult Matters without its appearing he does any Thing for this Purpose And this is the Method of governing he observes in this Kingdom wherein are so many restless Spirits He maintains near all People who are in any considerable Offices Persons that depend only on him and who are known to no body else who in all Places wear mean Cloaths and incessantly watch over the Actions of the Officers and give him notice of whatever passes He makes use of these kind of People about his Master's Embassadors in foreign Courts He always carries a Book about with him which he calls Richlieu's Soul which Book contains the Designs the Interests the secret Practices and Inclinations of all the Princes who hold a Correspondence and have any Tyes with France and on whom France has any Pretensions The most skilful Astrologers in Europe have also sent him the Horoscopes of all the Kings and great Men with their Judgments touching the Term of their Lives and what they may probably undertake in all Times This Cardinal said on another Time That he kept a great many Couriers yet he could well enough spare them That he knew what passed in remote Places as soon as what was done near him He once affirmed he knew in less than Two Hours That the King of England had signed the Warrant for the Execution of ...... If this Particular be true this Minister must be more than a Man Those who are his most devoted Creatures affirm he has in a private place in his Closet a certain Mathematical Figure in the Circumference of which are written all the Letters of the Alphabet armed with a Dart which marks the Letters which are also marked by their Correspondents And it appears that this Dart ripens by the Sympathy of a Stone which those who give and receive his Advices keep always at hand which hath been separated from another which the Cardinal has always by him and 't is affirm'd that with such an Instrument he gives and receives immediately Advices This great Man who knows all these reports only laughs at them yet he says with a serious Air That God has given him Two Angels one White and another Black to inform him of both good and bad Matters and that with their Assistance he shall overthrow the Cabals of his Enemies He sent some Days past a Man to the Gallies that was accused for cutting in pieces the King's Picture but having been better inform'd and knowing t was his he told those about him That this Man should be pardoned because he had done no Hurt to the Original Here are Theaters and Feasts preparing to entertain the People in Honour of the King and Cardinal and 't is whispered that the Queen is again with Child Heaven preserve thee ever from the Sultan's Anger and all other Misfortunes which may sowre the Comforts of thy Life Paris 25th of the first Moon of the Year 1639. LETTER XIV To Egri Boynou the white Eunuch IF thou goest into Prussia in Bithynin as thou writest above all Things remember to prepare thy self not to live long and never to inform the young Sultan Mustapha of the Misfortune of the Grandson to Solyman the Great and Son to poor Bajazet whom his Grandfather caused to be strangled in his Infancy This unhappy place makes me fearful of thy Life as well as that of the Prince's the Care of whose Education is committed to thee I cannot forbear weeping every time I call to mind what passed between the Victim and the Executioner Thou thy self toldest me That this unhappy Child embraced and kissed several times him that was to give the Fatal Stroke even in the Moment when he was putting about his Neck the Silken String which was to strangle him All Asia is informed of the rest of the History and 't is known That this Child altho
in the Beginning that having lost a Battle he was obliged to fly for Six Months together with the rest of his Army and to traverse almost throughout all the Provinces of the Kingdom without taking any Rest for Fear of being surprized Thou hast never read I believe of any Captain that made a Flight of that durance before him The Queen his Mother being a Woman of a masculine Courage and Firmness of Mind dyed poysoned by a pair of Gloves At Nineteen Years of Age he married the King's Sister who then Reigned named Charles IX and never any Wedding was solemnized with such bloody Tragedies 'T is hard to believe what an infinite Number of Hugonots was then massacred the Design was secretly laid during the Celebration of the Wedding and executed Six Days after at full Noon 'T is said that in one Day all France was died with the Blood of these poor People there being at least an Hundred thousand of them slain amongst which were Twenty Lords of great Consideration with the Great Admiral of the Kingdom and at the fewest Four thousand Soldiers massacred in Paris Henry did not perish on that unhappy Day but he was very near Death and the King having called him thus spake to him with an angry Tone and fierce Countenance Henry thou art alive because I would spare thee but I will not spare thee if thou persistest in thy Heresy Choose one of these two things either the Mass or Death If thou knowest not what the Mass is I will shew thee in another Letter This Prince chose to go to Mass rather than to lose his Life and therefore publickly abjured the Religion he professed These two old Men affirm That Nero or Caligula's Court were never corrupted as that of France was then No People were more in Fashion than Buffoons and never did the worst sort of Debaucheries so abound Sorceries Empoysonings Assassinations and all other Sorts of Crimes were permitted in such a Manner that all the Laws and good Order seem'd to be overthrown 'T is not known whether the King of Navarr took up his former Religion through Policy or some Corruption he saw amongst the Catholicks however he return'd some Time after to Calvinism whereunto he was so obstinately addicted that having lived several Years in this Sect he was forced to offer great Violence to himself to enjoy peaceably the Kingdom of France and accommodate himself with the Pope of Rome and to make again publick Profession of the Roman Religion Never any Prince more loved Women than he did This Passion prevailed over him all the Days of his Life and there were Two different Natures observable in his Person An Invincible Courage in the Field and such a Passion for Women as made him be often seen to Weep amongst them He has had greater Weaknesses than Hercules and he gloried in them He challenged the bravest Man in all France the Duke of Guise to a single Fight but the King interposed his Authority to hinder the Combat This King performed an Action during his Youth which our Dervises would have certainly set down in their Registers as greatly remarkable On a certain Day wherein he was to fight a pitched Battle being on Horseback in the midst of his Army he made publick Reparation to a young Woman whom he had deflowred and spake in these Terms I have forced this Woman you see here and used Threats when Entreaties would not bring her to my Lust Let all that hear me detest the bad Example I have given And as for your part whom I have thus wronged choose an Husband and receive from me such a Portion as may seem in some sort an Amends for the Injury I have done you It seems as if this so laudable an Action was approved of by Heaven for having immediately hereupon given Battle he overthrew a mighty Army with a few Troops The Ladies who bore Henry no Ill-will for his Tenderness to their Sex greatly interessed themselves in the Affairs of War wherein this Prince was always Head of the Hugonot Party and they gave Occasion to a Proverb which lasted a great while There being some who were for making a Peace and others for War This War was called The Ladies War This Prince had been in so many Fights that I believe one may truly say in this particular never any Prince came near him For who ever in one Day was in two Battles and came off victorious King Charles IX dying during this Time the Queen-Mother sent for her other Son in great Diligence who had been elected some Months before King of Poland by the Death of Sigismond Augustus 'T is said that Charles's Successor having been advertised of the Death of the King his Brother fled in the Night from Cracovia only with Two Persons who were his Confidents and retired to Venice and 't is said That the Courtisans of this famous City having assured the Crown to our Henry for having been infected with this Distemper which the French call the Neapolitan Disease and other Nations the French-Pox he became incapable of having Children to perpetuate the Crown in the Branch of Valois After his Death which was violent and perpetrated by a Christian Dervise Henry III. dying without an Heir and his Throne being sought by different Pretenders Henry to whom alone his Birth had given Right became Master of it by his Patience his Fatigues in War and his Courage made him vanquish all Obstacles He maintained his Right with an unparallel'd Valour and carried himself with the greatest Prudence yet his greatest Successes are owing to the Greatness of his Heart He met sometimes with Disadvantage but oftner came out Conqueror from all Engagements and 't is observable he was the prouder after the Battles won because he had before appeared extraordinary familiar with the Souldiers who had helped him to win them He was wont to be often in his Stables to see his Horses and often slept amongst these Creatures whom he termed his most faithful Courtiers How difficult soever the way was which was to lead him to the Throne he would not be disheartned these Difficulties serving only to increase his Courage He saw the Spaniards confederated with his Enemies yet he alone without any other Assistance but of some few faithful Troops sate down before Paris which was the most famous Siege since that of Jerusalem by Titus He reduced the Inhabitants of this Capital of the Kingdom to live on the most abject Meats one can imagin after they had consumed the Rats Mice Dogs and Cats which were for some time the richest Delicacies the best People of the Town could meet with But he was for all this after he had given several Assaults forced to raise the Siege and accommodate himself with the Prince who commands all the Priests amongst the Catholicks and he again renounced Calvinism wherewith he was infected and which served as a Pretence to his Enemies He was crown'd in the same manner his
Children and hinder them from devouring one another That he would cause sharp Nails and Rasors to be fastened to the Seats where the Judges sate that those who suffered themselves to be corrupted might sit thereon and indeed in this particular I cannot but wonder at the Christians Blindness We see oftentimes decided in one only Campaign the Differences of Two great States but a Suit in Law for Twenty Sequins shall often last a Mans whole Life and perhaps be entailed on his Heirs But hear a remarkable Example of the Sincerity of this Sovereign There were who would have perswaded him to have apprehended the Duke of Savoy who came to Paris to terminate some Differences he had with him He answered those that advised him with this That Francis I. one of his Predecessors had learnt him A Prince was more obliged to do what he had promised than to obtain what he desired that 't was in his Power to have apprehended a Prince far more considerable but would not do it suffering the Emperor Charles V. to pass out of his Kingdom who had come therein on his Word after this added he shall Henry give such an Example to Princes If the Duke of Savoy has often broke his Word with me it does not therefore follow I must imitate him Crimes can never be authorised by Examples The same Duke of Savoy having asked him What Revenue he drew from his Kingdom He answered him in these Terms I draw as much as I will because I make my self beloved whence it is that my Subjects count all our Estates are common He answered very pleasantly to a Prince's Envoy who came with a Complement of Condoleance for the Death of his Son who had been dead near a Year That he was no longer grieved at that Loss seeing God had given him Two more since A Captain of great Reputation having said That the Kings Liberalities tho several Times reiterated could not oblige him to love him Henry sent him Word He would heap so many Favours on him that he would force him at last He oft used this Proverb That more Flyes are taken with a Drop of Hony than a Tun of Vinegar A Monk entertaining him one Day about Military Affairs Open your Breviary Father said he and shew me where you learnt these fine Lessons One Day a Taylor presenting him with a Book of Politicks he said to the Chancellor who was there present Monsieur Chancellor cut me out a Suit of Cloths here 's a Taylor who understands your Trade and tells me how I shall govern my Kingdom One Day when the Pope's Nuncio was at a great Feast where there were between Twenty and Thirty Ladies of great Beauty he told this Prelate He had been in several Battels but never found himself in so great Danger before Nothing seems more agreeable than the Answer he made to the Provost of the Merchants of Paris who was urgent with him to consent to an Impost which was to be laid on the Fountains of the Town to furnish the Expence of Forty Deputies of the Switzers who came into France to renew their ancient Alliance with this Kingdom and his Answer was That this Magistrate should find some other Expedient than to change Water into Wine which was a Miracle that never any Body wrought but Jesus Christ who is as thou knowest the Christian's Saviour and for thy further Instruction 't is necessary for thee to know The Switzers love Wine above all Things in the World and that not without Reason This Prince went to the Wars at the Age of Fifteen and at Seventeen killed an Enemy and in the Year following he saved the Life of one of his Captains and had his Horse killed under him He was in Five Battles and in more than an hundred Combats and at the Siege of above Two hundred Places He sustained Seven different Wars in which his Enemies aknowledged that he had Fifty five Armies upon him at several Times and in different Places and always obtained some considerable Advantage Those that have given him the Term of Great have given him his true Name He was highly esteemed by all Nations and thou knowest very well that our Sultans tho the mightiest Monarchs in the Universe have admired this great Prince's Fortune and Valour Above Fifty Historians have written his Life above Five hundred Poets have published his Praises I will leave thee at present the Liberty of comparing this King with those whom thou wilt choose from amongst the Hero's If Mahomet XI has not done more than him he may be compared to him in Warlike Actions with this Difference That King Henry conquered the Gauls who were of his Patrimony and Mahomet conquered Twelve Kingdoms and an Empire because he was perswaded that all the Earth belonged to him Henry subdued the City of Paris and Mahomet made himself Master of Constantinople The King of France left an infinite Number of Marks behind him of his Grandure on Marble and in the Writings of famous Authors and Mahomet left only on his Tomb those which shewed what he had designed to execute but never could do it which was to take Rhodes and subdue proud Italy We must also acknowledg there was never found in any Mahometan Prince the admirable Clemency of Henry shewing himself herein greater than in vanquishing his Enemies Contrary to Mahomet who shewed only great Kindness to an Ox whom he caused to be carefully fed because he would never forsake the Tomb of his Master whom this Prince had killed abiding always by it and expressing his Sorrow by horrible Bellowings In all other Occasions he was very cruel far from the Humor of this French King who heapt Benefits on those who drew Blood of him Mahomet by a barbarous Cruelty caused the Bellies of Twenty of his innocent Pages to be ript open to discover him that had eaten a Melon in his Garden Henry was a great Lover of Ladies and an extream Admirer of that Sex and Mahomet jealous of the too great Beauty of his Mistriss cut off her Head himself in a full Divan And farther if Mahomet gave in the East a great Example of Justice in putting his own Son to Death for deflowring the Daughter of the Bassa Achmet in a Bath Henry gave a greater in his own Person in repairing at the Head of his Army the Outrage offered to a young Girl from whom he could not fear any vexatious Consequences Be sure however be silent in these Judgments I make and shew thy self discreet if thou intendest to hold any Correspondence with me Imitate the Bees gather from so many Flowers presented thee what appears to thee sweetest and most proper to form Mustapha's Mind and supple his Spirit like Wax I could relate to thee more Things touching this Henry but there 's no Necessity of writing all that thou maist have space to imagine what such a Prince might have done who had re-established his Fortune by his Valour alone Let me know of
another to conserve their Authority which their Employs gave them at Sea and to make themselves more necessary to their Soveraigns they were always to avoid a decisive Combat that they might not ruin one another That they had moreover both signed this Treaty with their own Blood Has there not been added to this Fable That the Turkish Admiral sent to Doria a Moor who pretended to be a Fugitive from the Ottoman Army and wore two Pearls of an inestimable Price in his Ears and that in Exchange Doria had assured Barbarossa not to interrupt him whenever he pleased to invade any of the Coasts of Italy It is time that under thy Auspicious Conduct the Lives of Great Personages be cleared from those false Relations which corrupt them and be orderly inserted into the Books of the most excellent Plutarch which such a kind of Title Here 's the Rest of the Lives of Illustrious Men from the Emperor Trajan to Lewis the Just of those that have excelled in Arms Learning Affairs of State and of those who have held the first Rank in the Church in all Parts of the World and these Histories have been Collected by a Colledge of the Learnedest Men in Europe consisting of Spaniards French Italians and Germans under the Auspicious Conduct of his Eminency Cardinal Richlieu I would have three Persons of each Nation to attend this Work and who should make their Abode in Paris as being the principal City in France And I propose Spaniards Italians Germans and French as the most polished Nations and who have furnished the World with the most able Men. Now every Nation having its particular Way of Speaking and Acting the Edifice will be the more agreeable and each Architect will have greater Room to shew his Skill Those who shall read these Works will find in the Softness of the French Style wherewithal to mollifie the too severe Gravity of the Spanish Eloquence The Sincerity of the Germans ever attended with some kind of Dryness will appear without Rudeness with the Flowers and good Sense of the Italian Writers And as all the World will be interessed in this magnificent Design so we must not doubt but the wisest of all these States will take care in the choice of the Subjects which they will propose And in fine if thou wilt have the chief Men in the World thou needest not want the secret of raising up Plutarch's Be not weary of giving Marks of thy Liberality for if thou wilt have Titus Livy's become Maecenas It doth not belong to me to say in what manner 't is necessary in this occasion to separate them of several Nations and to distribute these Employs Thou art equitable and prudent so that this Work being begun the End will have a Success answerable to its Beginning I shall only put thee in Mind that thou wilt not a little contribute to render thy Immortality more Glorious if thou remembrest the Turks thy sworn Enemies being perswaded thou mayst find amongst the Ottoman Emperors Bassa's and Vizirs wherewithal to enrich the New Plutarch Let not the Greatness of the Work discourage thee how great soever it be thy Wit and Courage are above it and thou wilt not want Ancient and Modern Authors to assist thee Suetonius will furnish thee with the Lives of the Caesars which may be left entire as they are Diogenes Laertius gives as good an account of many of the Philosophers You 'll receive Advantage from the Works of Aemilius Probus Paul Jovius and several others who have acquired Immortal Reputation by the Books which they have given the Publick You will find a Draught already made of the History of Two Hundred and Twenty Eight Emperors from Julius Caesar to Ferdinand III. and Ibrahim I. the one Emperor of Germany and the other of Turky which thou shalt cause to be carefully examin'd by the Colledge to clear up such things as are obscure adding what is wanting and retrenching Events of which there is no sufficient proof and which seem fabulous and in a Word for drawing up particular Lives which are to be met with in general Histories which have been the Method of most Writers of late Ages I would have also Plutarch's Manner followed of comparing the Illustrious Men of one Nation with those of another where the discreet Writer having weighed the Reasons which make for the one and the other pronounces a Sentence which does both delight and instruct the Reader The most important Instruction then which can be given being the Secret of knowing Men perfectly who seek with so great Care to hide themselves the true means for this is the choice of Matter that the Reader may not lose his Time study in vain but gather the Fruit which all Men of Sense search for which is to know what is Good that they may follow it and Evil to avoid it On this ground you will be easily perswaded there 's greater Pleasure to behold the Firmness of Scipio who passes with one only Gally to find out Sifax than there is in considering him when he gives Battle to Hannibal in the Plains of Rama We are more edifi'd in seeing this young General a Conqueror and yet so continent as to send the finest Woman in the World who was his Prisoner to Lucius the Spanish Prince her Husband without touching her than in the Relation of an hundred Sieges of Places where the Effects which the Soldiers Fury produces Hunger and Thirst and the effusion of human Blood yields Horror instead of Diversion In like manner Sir you will acknowledge That a Prince or Captain will be more instructed by seeing Francis who lived like a King though in Prison at Madrid who caresses and recompenses Learned Men all the World over and in seeing Fabricius who refuses and despises the greatest Honours which are offered him with immense Riches and who snatches away the Poyson from the Mouth of the greatest Enemy of the Roman People than all the Combats and most bloody Battles fought by Pyrrhus Charles V. and the great Tamerlane I have made you this long Discourse as a Mark of my Obedience and Titus of Moldavia at the Feet of your Eminency supplicates you to consider That when by your Negotiations Councils and Armies which receive your Orders you shall have added new Kingdoms to that which your Master holds when for the benefit of Trade and Navigation you shall have joyned all the Seas together and when in a Word you shall raise Bridges in Paris Pyramids with more Palaces than were built by the Caesars and all the Kings of Aegypt These Pyles will not be Immortal but subject to the Injuries of Time whereas on the contrary if you send for the Twelve Architects which I mentioned to raise the stately Palace afore-cited all the World will bless the Name of Armand Cardinal de Richlieu Restorer of the Republick of Learning almost ruined and who like another Archimedes hath known by the Examples of the Vertue of Illustrious
Cabals of the Princes of the House of Savoy who designed to put by the Dutchess from her Regency and make themselves Master of the Government during the Minority of the young Duke There is a Cardinal of this Name an ambitious Man a great Lover of War and given to Liberality He would fain have the chief Share in the Government and be the Master of his Nephews Fortune This Cardinal lay concealed in the State of Genoa being cloathed in an Habit little becoming his Character and whence he sent his Orders for the Execution of whatever he had concerted with his Partisans but the Conspiracy got Wind and proved a Bloody Tragedy to his Accomplices 'T is said that this Prince having twice disguised himself in the Habit of a Peasant had entred with a Bag of Fruit on his Back into one of the most considerable Towns of Piemont to give by his Presence more Heat to his Party and that with a greater Boldness he had entred into Turin in the Habit of a Capuchin with a long thick Beard and abode there two Days not in design of ridding himself of the Prince or his Mother but to become Master both of one and the other to govern the State alone But the Conspiracy having been discovered and the Accomplices seized Fourscore of them were put to Death by the Common Hangman and he escaped by a new Stratagem A Secretary of State of Savoy is to be reckoned amongst this Number Another Cardinal who commands the Army of France sent to the Assistance of the Duke and Dutchess had also put to Death the Governour of Cazal accused of Treason though he was not fully convicted of it 'T is Written from Rome That two Embassadours from the King of Hungary who is lately Elected Emperour of Germany had made a magnificent Entrance into that great City clad after the Hungarian manner with Vests called here a la barbaresque That they had above an Hundred Horse whose Harness were of Gold and their Shoes of Silver and 't was especially observed that all the Foreign Ministers in that Court had sent their Retinue to accompany them in their Entrance that it might appear more Magnificent and that these two Embassadours of the new Emperour being arrived in the Presence of the Infidel's Mufti whom they call the Pope they told him their Prince would continue to render him the Obedience which his Father Ferdinand now deceased paid him and that he recommended to his Holiness his Person his House and his State as a new Emperour elected by the Suffrages of the Princes Electors of the Empire Observe Magnanimous Vizir the Authority of this Mufti those who are so audacious as to resist the Mussulmen will yet abase themselves at his Feet which they really kiss before they open their Mouths to speak to him The greatest Christian Princes are wont to choose from amongst the most considerable Persons of their State the Embassadors which they send with great Expence to pay their Homage to this Supream Head of their Church Moreover these Embassadors of the New Caesar have assured the Pope as from him that he will never cease to make War with the Enemies of the Christian Faith and 't is said they received this Answer That he ever respected the King of Hungary the late Elected Emperor as his Son to whom he would never be wanting in Concil and all other necessary Assistances and exhorted him to employ his Victorious Arms against the Enemies of the Cross and that on his side he would employ the Succors of his Prayers that the Church should open her Treasures by granting Indulgences and that he would besides this give Supplies of Men and Mony People who are idle amuse themselves with Discourses on future Events and those that consult the Stars to penetrate into what is to come have made a Marriage between the Dauphin of France a Prince born some Months since and the Infanta of Spain lately come into the World 'T is true that at the moment this Princess saw the Light the King of Spain and the Grandees of the Kingdom tryed who should out-do one another in Feastings to solemnize this Birth And the like was done in France for that of the Dauphin both being accompanied with extraordiary Magnificence and prodigious Liberalities The Catholick King has given the Quality of Grandee to the Duke of Modena who was Godfather to the Infanta and has declared him Generalissimo of the Four Seas with a Pension of Twenty Thousand Sequins of Gold He has moreover made magnificent Presents to the Dutchess his Wife esteemed at an Hundred Thousand Crowns and besides made Knights of the Order of St. James several Gentlemen of this Princes Court The Elector of Brandenburg has also given several splendid Entertainments in his House and State for the Marriage consummated with the Duke of Saxony's Son and whilst I am writing I am told there is a Son born to this King of Hungary now Emperor of Germany But whilst these Rejoycings are in several parts of Europe an unforeseen Tempest has ruined whole Countries in Germany the Damage done thereby in Franconia and near Francfort is incredible And it lackt but little but this same King of Hungary now mentioned being at the hunting of a Boar had been slain through a Whirlwind which having pull'd up a great Oak by the Roots of prodigious Greatness fell so near this Prince that he received some slight Hurt by a Branch of it I pray Heavens that all the Wisdom of our Holy Prophet and the Blessing of the Great God be always upon thee and in thee and ever augment thy Strength and good Fortune to the Ruin of these Persian Hereticks whose Country I hope will be subjected by thy Sword to our Dread Emperor Paris 10th of the 4th Moon of the Year 1639. LETTER VIII To Breredin Superiour of the Dervices in the Convent of Cogny in Natolia THou art happy in living long and holily too I cannot choose but reflect with Regret on thy great Age considering how infirm I am After Fifteen Days Illness my Strength quite failed me so that necessitated I was to look out for a Physician for I cannot easily commit my self to the hands of those of this Country who kill such as trust them in the same manner as if they were their Enemies When I discourse these Doctors about the State of my Health they tell me I am in eminent Danger and that my Cure is hazardous In writing thus think not I rave for I speak the pure Truth They will certainly kill me should I discover to them under what Climat I am born whereas if I tell them I am of Moldavia they may chance to do me good though that Country Air is very different from that of Arabia where I first drew my Breath To how many Miseries is the Life of Man subject especially mine when I cannot speak the Truth though it be to save my Life Pray for me Holy Dervis and if you
without its being known whether 't was by his Fall or the Musket-shot which he received The Confederates with as little trouble seized on the Gallies and other Vessels in the Ports whence they drove the Spaniards they afterwards commanded the Vice-Queen to retire This Princess thought she ought in this occasion to insist on the Greatness of her Birth she threatned the Conspirators and afterwards flattered them assuring them of the Clemency of King Philip. She set before them the Greatness of his Power and forgat not to speak of the Authority of his Favourite who must needs be much offended in this Occasion exaggerating the Offence commitred against her both as a Princess and Depository of the Catholick King 's Power But as well her Promises as her Threats were in vain and she her self was at length glad to accept Conditions from them who a while before by Connivance from the Prince might have executed an absolute Power In Eight days time all the Castilians were subdued or driven out of the Kingdom All the Forts were rendered without any trouble to the new King except the Castle of St. John which having made some slight Resistance was sold for Forty Thousand Crowns by the Governour The Duke of Braganza appeared immediately afterwards in the City of Lisbon where the People soon shewed the Affection they had for him the Prison-Doors were set open and all poor Debtors freed and a great part of the Taxes taken off Such an astonishing Success was attended with what ever might set forth the Joy of the People who solemnized the Festival with the Sound of Trumpets and the Noise of the Cannon and by Shouts and Acclamations which reached up to Heaven whom the Portugueses thanked for the Liberty which they believed they had recovered This Event was accompanied with so many miraculous things that the Wisest as well as the Vulgar were persuaded 't was markt in Heaven from all Eternity by the Finger of God The Clergy the Nobility the Citizens and Peasants were profuse in their Liberalities on this Occasion to give their new Soveraign ample Marks of their Affection and even the Poor hid their Misery that they might not lessen the Publick Joy The Spanish Vessels which returned from the New World which then entered into the Ports of Portugal remained at the Disposal of the new King the Pilots not knowing what had hapned so that the Coffers of the Prince were filled thereby as 't is said with some Millions This King was exalted to the Throne in the last Moon of the last Year and wise People do hope he will reign very happily all the Planets being too well disposed not to make him finish his Reign with the same Fortune as he began it The vigilant Portugueses have ordered out several Vessels fill'd with good Soldiers and necessary Provisions to sieze of Places and Ports which this Nation possesses in the New World and in the East Indies and 't is to be supposed they will meet with good Success if Fortune prove as favourable to them in America and the Indies as she was to them in Europe As soon as the Duke of Braganza was proclaim'd King he sent Manifesto's into all Parts and dispatched Couriers and Ambassadors to give Advice of his Promotion in the Courts of France England Holland Swedeland and Denmark 'T is not to be imagined the Joy which this Adventure gave to the Catalonians The King imparting to them what had happened offered them also his Assistance and these People answered him with the same Offers And this is the end of Sixty Three Years of the Despotick Authority which the Spaniards have exercised on the Portugueses The News of so strange a Revolution having been carried unto Madrid hear and consider well the unhappy Condition of the Catholick King to whom his Favourite declared this News Sir said he I come to rejoyce with your Majesty at the good News I bring Your Majesty is now become Master of a considerable Dutchy Dom Juan de Braganza has had the boldness to make himself be proclaimed King of Portugal has thereby faln into the Crime of Laesae Majestatis All his Estate belongs to you and is devolv'd to the Crown and his Person will soon be in your Power Dom Juan was Son to Theodosius Duke of Braganza Grandchild to Donna Katharina who was the Daughter of Dom Duarte Brother to Henry King of Portugal and Philip II. King of Spain took away the Crown from this Katharine to whom it is said it did rightly belong The Titles he assumes are King of Portugal of Algraves Africk on both sides of the Sea Lord of Guinea of the Navigation and Commerce of Aethiopia Arabia Persia and the Indies This new King is not above 37 Years Old of a middle Stature but well proportioned his Face marked with the Small Pox his Hair enclining to Yellow an Aquiline Nose high Forehead lively Eyes his Mouth indifferent great and a Masculine Voice His Carriage is grave affects great Modesty in his Cloaths is temperate in his Dyet affable to all sorts of People unless Slaves and such as he believes are Hypocrites and his common Word is That mean Cloaths will keep out the Cold and ordinary Meats satisfie Hunger This Prince is not much versed in Books is of an healthfull Constitution loves laborious Exercises especially Hunting wherein he 's never tired He 's also Musically given and so light of Heel that there are few People can out-walk him He is wont to go to Bed late and rise early as knowing that Sleep does take off much from Man's Life and to compleat his Happiness he has Children of both Sexes His Wife is a Spanish Lady of extraordinary Merit to whose marvellous Courage and good Qualities he owes his Crown The Kingdom of Portugal contains 120 Leagues in Length 40 in Breadth and has several Millions of Subjects comprehending those in the Two Indies It has Three Archbishopricks and Eight Bishopricks keeping ordinarily Forty Vessels which find Ports in Eight places of the Country They can maintain Thirty Thousand Foot and several Regiments of Horse The Revenue of this Kingdom may amount to Twenty Millions of Gold reckoning in the Riches which come from the Indies Brasil Angola and several other Islands The French Monarch will hold a good Intelligence with the House of Braganza England will enter into an Alliance with her the Pope will concern himself on neither side the Emperour united by Bloud and Interest to the Spaniards will be an irreconcilable Enemy but unable to doe them any Hurt and the States of Holland will find greater Advantage than all others in this strange Revolution These are the Sentiments of those that pretend to penetrate into the Future and to know more than others And if it be true that this new Soveraign has had as all men in his place would have had a secret desire of being King he has so well concealed his Ambition that 't is to be supposed he
which is due to thy sublime Grandeur whereunto thy Merit has raised thee And having cast my self at thy Feet in Spirit seeing I cannot really kiss them I obey the Orders thou sendest me which are to me inviolable Laws Banniere the Swedish General is dead when Picolicomini one of the Generals of the Emperor's Army lay just by him In half an hours time he saved himself the Army all the Baggage and Cannon and retired with incredible Swiftness over Mountains and Forrests where the Beasts alone could make Passages having continually the Emperor's Army at his back He was a Man of great Valour had been highly serviceable to the Crown of Swedeland and acquired the Reputation of an excellent Commander The Emperor had offered him some time before great Recompences and the Dignity of Prince of the Empire if he would change his Master and forsake the Confederates Party He had also offered thinking this might more move him to make him General of his Army against the Grand Signior but he refused all these Offers his Fidelity being unmoveable This great Captain was born in Swedeland and when a Child he fell down from a high Window without receiving any Hurt which made the King imagine Heaven design'd him for some thing extraordinary He travelled much in his Youth and he was seen never tired in running to all places where there was any War sometimes in Poland and otherwhiles in Muscovia And being become General of his King's Army he soon acquired the Reputation of one of the greatest Captains of the Northern Part. He was perfectly skilled in the Art of Encamping and no body could ever better draw up an Army for Battel His way of Retreat from before an Army stronger than his must needs be admired by all the World He ever chose good Posts and when once he was possess'd of them he knew well how to keep them so that he was never defeated whatever Forces his Enemy might bring against him He has destroy'd Fourscore Thousand Men in different Rencounters and Swedeland glories in having above Six hundred Standards He was so like King Gustovus thaâ— they have been often taken for one another He was never covetous but was observ'd to be a good Husband Among so many Occasions wherein he signaliz'd himself what he did when the Swedish Army was worsted at Norlinge is most remarkable he preserved the Rest though wholly forsaken by the Allies and so ordered the Matter that he raised fresh Troops almost in an instant and gave his Party Time and Courage to rise up And this is all I could learn of this great Captain whose Reputation has given thee Curiosity Although Don Duarte de Braganza the new King of Portugal's Brother served with great Reputation in the Emperor's Army yet 't is said the Spaniards had been very urgent with this Monarch to make him be apprehended as soon as ever they heard the King his Brother was raised to the Throne But 't is said the Emperor was scandaliz'd with such a Proposition alledging this would be against the Rules of Hospitality But the Empress's Confessor found such Reasons in his Divinity as brought over the Emperor to yield he should be delivered into the Spanish Minister's Hands who conducted him with a very strong Party to the Castle of Milan whence he is not like to stir out till his Brother shall restore the Crown of Portugal to Philip IV. of Spain I shall write what remains behind to the Kaimakan who has the Honour of being thy Lieutenant that I may not the thee who art to be reverenced as the instrument of the Wills of the Master of Lights and all whose Hours are destin'd to the Government of the World May it please him who of nothing has created all things that thou maist lay one day at the Feet of the Grand Signior the Crowns of all the Monarchs who command in the Infidels Countries and become thereby the Arbiter of the Universe Paris 18th of the 1st Moon of the Year 1642. LETTER XII To the Kaimakam at Constantinople THis King here has mortified his Parliament by the Advice of Cardinal Richlieu The Parliaments are Bodies of Learned Men who decide all Affairs in the Kingdom as well Civil as Criminal and the Parliament of Paris has a larger Jurisdiction than all others and as considerable Prerogatives What I have to say on this Subject has happened from the beginning of the last Year and I now relate it because I forgat to do it when the thing happened And I will inform thee before I enter on the Matter what obliged heretofore the Kings of France to set up this great Seat of justice The ancient Kings of France gave it Authority of approving and verifying the Edicts and Declarations which they should make which was a Bar which these wise Princes would fix between the People and the Sovereign Authority Whence it appeared that Monarchy was mix'd with Aristocracy without which the Wise have thought that States could not long subsist And the Princes of this Age have submitted to a Tribunal re-established by themselves the Resolutions they take to the end they may discharge themselves towards God to whom they are accountable as well as other Men and to obtain Confidence from their Subjects in taking from amongst them Arbiters to regulate them Yet they have ever reserved the Liberty of making use of their Absolute Power as is seen in their Letters Patents where they forget not to insert these Words For such is our Will and Pleasure These Monarchs also thought hereby to have found out a way to defend themselves from the Importunities of the Grandees who often demanded such things which could not be granted without Prejudice to the whole Kingdom The Authority of the now reigning King being out of danger of being shaken or destroyed this Monarch having his Exchequer well stored has valiant and experienced Captains stout Soldiers and numerous Armies and good Fleets of Ships at Sea whereby he would make known to this puissant Tribunal That if it had been set up to assist the Kings by its Counsels when required yet it must not pretend that its Decrees should become Laws to their Sovereigns He went to the Parliament with all the Marks of Grandeur with which he is usually attended on these Days of Ceremony and with such a great Company of Lords as made the Power of this Monarch easily discerned He gave these Gentlemen to understand he would have them ratifie without more adoe the Orders he would send them which they term Edicts requiring them to be immediately enregistred He afterwards gave them an express Charge not to concern themselves henceforwards in Affairs of State and to humble them the more he declared to them That he would be henceforward the Disposer of Graces and Offices and bestow Recompences to such as deserved them He added hereunto an Order of giving an account every Year to his Chancellour of their Deportments and to come and receive every year
his Majesty's Approbation to continue them in their Offices And as a Mark of his Indignation and Authority he put by the President and some Counsellours from their Places This bold and politick Action was done as I may say in the midst of Dancings and Divertisements the more to denote the Monarch's Authority and in the time of such Magnificent Feastings as became the Pomp of the greatest Emperors in the Palace of the Cardinal for the Marriage of his Niece Mademoisselle de Breze with the Prince of Conde's Eldest Son called the Duke D' Anguien a Prince from whom the World expects great things and whom all France believes will prove one of the Famousest Princes in Christendom The Catalonians are obstinate in their Revolt their Deputies have been already seen in this Court to entreat a good Supply from this King and it is not to be doubted but they will earnestly sue for his Protection And France has already sent Troops near those Parts and its Fleet appears on the Coasts to encourage this Nation and mortifie the Spaniards There are a great many Troops raised here and this Monarch will have in the Spring eight Armies commanded by Generals of great Valour and Experience besides these two Fleets so that Germany Lorrain the Low Countries Catalonia and Italy are like to be Exposed to the Miseries of an impoverishing War Only Germany seems to me able to defend it self The vast Genius of the French-Minister astonishes all the Princes of Europe he breaks all their Measures and makes a secret War against them in their own Courts Nothing can escape his vigilant Care he keeps his own Secrets so strictly that his nearest Friends cannot discover them His Power and Authority are so great that the Princes of the Bloud are nothing in comparison of him and his Fame makes him as much respected Abroad as at Home His Friends affirm He is ignorant of nothing which is projected in Europe England is the Place which he has last attackt its Civil Wars owing their Original to his Designs I pray Heavens favour thy just Pretensions and every day increase thy Heroick Vertues Paris 15th of the 1st Moon of the Year 1642. LETTER XIII To the most Excellent and most Venerable Mufti Sovereign Prelate of the Holy Religion of the Faithful Mussulmen HE of whom I wrote so many particulars some Moons ago to obey as I ought the express Command thou laidst upon me not only is still living but is more absolute than ever in what concerns his Ministry Yet is it false that this Cardinal finding nothing more as thou writest to me 't is talked of in Constantinople to satisfie his Ambition which puts him still upon desiring something farther being become the absolute Master of what depends on the Kingdom of Lewis XIII had designs of making himself absolute Master of what concerns Religion But he was too knowing a Man to design the being the Superiour General of all the French Dervises a thing which neither the King of France nor the Pope would permit I rather think this Minister's Design has been to subject all the Christian Princes to his Master's Interests The Ottoman Empire would have some reason to be afraid were all the Roman Prelates wise enough to chuse this Man for their Pope We should see in a short time all Asia agitated by his Intrigues against the Followers of the great Mahomet and those that follow Ali would not enjoy a much greater Security Thou knowest that the greatest Marks which the Popes can give of their Piety during their Pontificat is to stir up Wars and make Leagues against us to overthrow our Empire Think then what this great Man would do were he the Head of the Christians with those Abilities and great Intelligences which he every where keeps seeing that being only a Subject and Minister of one Prince he so governs himself that there 's no Nation how far so ever distant but holds its Eyes open on his Conduct And a Pope being always chosen from amongst the Cardinals and the Pope now reigning being very old it may happen that this dangerous man shall be chosen Thou then whose pure Life makes us believe thou art a Saint pray the great God to hinder such an Event which will without question disturb the Empire of him whom he has chosen to humble all other Potentates and shew on Earth the Greatness of his power and rather than such a Misfortune should befall us pray Him that has created all things that this man's Eyes be opened to know and embrace the true Faith For it were better if I may say so without displeasing thee that this Cardinal should be a bad Mufti at Constantinople than a good Pope at Rome at the Head of all the Nazarenes 'T is said that a Foreign King consulted this Oracle for he is held in as great Veneration as if he was one what Conduct he should hold to live securely And it is said the Cardinal made this Answer That Kings should live in Fear and then they would live in Safety it being certain they would receive no Poyson from the Hands of those who do not present them their Drink no more than they can receive Wounds from those whom they keep at a great Distance from them Those who will not flatter them will not deceive them and where they shall think themselves in greatest Safety that will always be the place of greatest Danger I am perswaded grave and wise Prelate thou wilt approve of the Answer of this Minister Julius Caesar lived in the midst of Combats but dyed in the midst of the Senate Next after God it is before thee great Minister of Heaven that I humble my self entreating thee to receive graciously the profound Respects of thy Slave Mahmut Paris 25th of the 2d Moon of the Year 1642. LETTER XIV To his Mother Ocoumiche at Constantinople IT may be said I have escaped from a mortal Sickness and remain in Life only to hear the Complaints of my Friends who recite to me their Misfortunes and of my Kindred who entertain me with the Losses they have sustain'd Thou addest my dear Mother a new Torment to the Pains I already suffer by shedding so many fruitless Tears O! how cruel is my Country that gives so many Occasions of Affliction to those to whom she has given their Birth Thou hast lost the greatest part of thine Estate in the Fire of Constantinople and Death has deprived thee of thy second Husband I was but a Child when my Father dyed so that I could not judge then of thy Grief neither was I sensible of my own Loss Now that I am a Man I enter into thy Sentiments I share in thy Grief and shall do all I can to comfort thee Thou hast lost thy first and second Husband and thou hast reason to afflict thy self If the first was an honest man 't is certain the other loved thee extreamly And the Charms of thy Countenance have not a little
is unhappy when they are handsome but more when they are homely and deformed The Fathers Brethren and Husbands guard the former as Cerberus guarded the Gates of Hell and the others guard themselves and look on all things with Eyes of Envy and Discontent which makes them empoyson every thing But that which happens amongst us is very different from what 's in France where Women enjoy almost a Liberty equal to that of Men. Not but that we see notable Adventures happen there witness the Queen who is Mother to a great King now reigning and yet lives in Exile and as a Fugitive amongst Strangers through the Credit of Cardinal Richlieu for whom she has not all the Deference he expected And an ancient Lady I may call her so now she does not hear me told me such things some days past on this occasion which I can scarce believe my self did I not know them to be true from elsewhere I am farther told that this Cardinal not having succeeded in the design he had of marrying his Niece with a Prince of the Bloud intended if he could to marry her to the King's Brother But there 's no great likelihood but so able a Minister must see into the mischievous Consequences into which this Promotion would bring him for it would undoubtedly draw on him the Hatred of all the great People in the Kingdom And I would not be mentioned at Constantinople for the Author of all the News talk'd of at Paris But 't is certain this Priest sent the Chancelor a venerable Person and by his Office a man of great Authority to seize on this Princess's Papers in hopes he might meet with some Letter which might favour that Design The Chancellor executed the Order he had received but found nothing of what the Cardinal pretended so that this Persecution served only to manifest this Princess's Vertue who lives in such a manner as may not only serve as an Example to all Queens but all the Women in the World Some time after this same Chancellor being come to compliment the Queen on the Birth of the Dauphin she told him in a composed manner but very pleasantly That this Visit was very different from that she had received from him about a Year past If Persons that are seated in the highest degrees be not secure from the bold Attempts of those who are infinitely below them and who are born to serve them the beautiful Ciâ—câ—ssian should comfort her self in the Misfortune she had of being accused If her Innocency be well proved she will be the more pleasing to Ibrahim and the false Accusation laid against her will be a new Charm to him whereas should she be found guilty we must grant she deserves the most dreadful Punishments for having violated if I may so express my self the Sacred Nights of the Seraglio However the young Persian was found disguised in Woman's Apparel in some of the neighbouring Stables And though he in the midst of the Torments he suffered died without confessing any thing yet it cannot be said he died innocent after such an Attempt I hope thou wilt inform me what has happened since thy last Letter and in what manner the Adventure of this beautiful Slave shall be ended I shall be much troubled for her if she be innocent and cannot be wholly free from Compassion for her if she prove guilty Leave not off writing to me and if it be possible be not weary of loving me I speak in the Presence of our holy Prophet I love thee with the same Affection as ever and I dare not utter an Untruth before him Paris 20th of the 5 th Moon of the Year 1642. LETTER XXII To the Kaimakam T IS about 60 years since D. Sebastian King of Portugal died in Africk by the Hands of the Moors and yet his Subjects will believe him still living He parted from Lisbon in the Year 1578. in the Design of re-establishing on his Throne Muley Mehemet Cheriff of Africk whom his Uncle Muley Abdelemelech would bereave of his Kingdom but in effect to endeavour at the making himself Master of Barbary His Army consisted of a Thousand Sail well furnish'd with Provisions few Soldiers but a great many Nobility This Prince was not above 25 years of Age when he formed this Enterprize he was a strong bodied Man of a moderate Stature but well set his Hair was yellow his Eyes great and full of Fire his Courage was not inferiour to his Strength and he had no violent Inclination to Pleasures which generally take Men's Minds off from gallant Actions he was temperate in all things yet very forward in Undertakings and always firm and unmovable in greatest Dangers He was a great Husband of his Revenues employing them in his Subjects Defence or to the Increase of his own Power He was agreeable to all those that waited on him and in the freest Conversations he took care not to disoblige any one by sharp Raillery or distastful Sayings and so merciful was he that he avoided all Occasions of condemning his Subjects to Death He passionately loved War but 't is thought the Expedition into Africk wherein he perished came from Spanish Counsels D. Sebastian was kill'd in fighting with an Invincible Courage The Moors say That his Enemies were so charmed with his Courage that his Death drew Tears from their Eyes He was forsaken by his own mortally wounded near the right Eye-brow and pierced with Darts in several Parts of his Body He had no Wound in his Head because he was armed but he had a great one in his Arm which seemed to come from a Musket-Bullet 'T is said he was buried in the Field near a Moor without any Ceremony Prayers or Company of his Relations or Subjects And this was the End of this Great King who made all Africk at first to tremble Although the Moors rejoyced at the Death of so puissant an Enemy that his Friends bewailed his Misfortune The Kingdom of Portugal celebrated his Funeral in a magnificent manner and the King of Spain proffered several thousand Crowns for his Body to bury him in a manner answerable to the Dignity of his Birth and Merit and that Four Kings have since supplied his Throne yet was there found a Man bold enough to maintain in the Face of all Italy that he was really D. Sebastian King of Portugal He presented himself at Venice in an Assembly of the wisest Magistrates in Europe he recited to them the Accidents of his Life the History of his Predecessors the Misfortunes he met with in Africk whence he retired into Calabria He did more for he stripp'd himself before this Illustrious Assembly he shewed them Seventeen Marks on his Body which were acknowledged with Astonishment by the Portugueses themselves to be at least very like those which they knew their Sovereign had on his Body and he also shewed that he had one Hand greater than the other and a Lip disproportionable in the same manner which were the
well-known Marks in the Person of D. Sebastian He talks of Ambassadors which he sent to the Republick he cites the Answers he had received and all he says is found conformable to the Truth He answers without Hesitation to all that is objected which makes several of the Senate believe him to be really the King and others take him for a Witch But in fine this Prince right or wrong is led away to Prison at the Solicitation of the Spanish Ambassador where having long lain he is set at Liberty under an Obligation to leave the Venetian Countries in Three Days time Some Portugueses moved with Compassion disguised him in a Dervise's Habit and conducted him secretly to Florence to transport him afterwards to Rome but the great Duke of Tuscany caused him to be apprehended and sent him to the Vice-Roy of Naples He presented himself before him with his usual Confidence and surprized all that saw him and heard him speak and seeing the Vice-Roy uncovered he said to him with great Assurance and Gravity Be covered Count de Lemnos which obliged this Minister to ask him By what Authority he took on him this Boldness To which he answered That his Authority was born with him and that he feigned not to know him and yet he ought to remember that King Philip his Vncle had sent him twice to him and that the Sword which he then wore by his Side was that which he then gave him The Sentence which the Vice-Roy gave of him was That he was an Impostor who deserved to be sent to the Galleys and should not long be from them and wherein 't is said he died some time after Yet the Portugueses have been persuaded he was their real King and do still continue of that Opinâ—on there being nothing which is able to make them change it Some Persons in the World will have him to be a Magician others an Impostor and the most ignorant will have him to be a Devil or really the King himself This is not the first Example of the Boldness of an Impostor Rome saw heretofore a Man that had the Audaciousness to publish he was the real Pompey who was killed in Egypt by the Cruelty of the young Ptolemy The Queen Artemisa found one Artemius who had so great a Resemblance with Antiochus her Husband whom she had caused to be murthered that he was not known when he put himself into the Bed of the dead King pretending to be this Prince sick he recommended Artemisa to his Subjects and did several things in favour of this Princess Under the Reign of Tiberius was there not Occasion to be surprized at the bold Answer which a Slave made to this Emperor who questioning him How he made himself A grippa answered without Hesitation in the same manner thou hast made thy self Caesar The D. Sebastian I mentioned has not been the only one in the World there have been two others one of which departing out of the Isle of Terceres who had great Resemblance with this Prince went into Portugal where he said he had miraculously escaped from the Battel he lost in Africk that he saved himself in Woods and returned into his Kingdom to give Peace to his People and deliver them from the Tyranny of Strangers but having been convicted of Imposture he was put to Death 'T is said that another being come disguised in the Habit of a Pilgrim to Madrid it self and having had a long and secret Conference with King Philip II. by whom it is suspected he was known for this unhappy Prince was by this King's Order said to be poysoned in a Banquet given him by Antonio Peres I shall write several Things to the Invincible Vizir of which I deferred to give him Notice because I would be certain of them they being of Importance and it would have been great Lightness in me to have written them on the first Reports spread amongst the People Receive always with the same Goodness the Marks I give thee of my Obedience send me thy Orders and Counsels which I pray him that has created all Things may be good and profitable to the Empire of those Precious Ones which he has enlightned with his Truth to the end they may arrive at the Eternal Glory and Pleasures promised as from his part by his Holy Prophet and I also pray him to preserve thy Life and Authority Paris 24th of the 6th Moon of the Year 1642. LETTER XXIII To the Venerable Mufti Prince of the Religion of the Turks 'T Is not known whether it be the Recompence of a good or bad Action which Cardinal Richlieu has sent with so great Secrecy Those that give an ill Interpretation to the best Things say it is not to be supposed there could be sent in a dark Night a Mule laden with Gold to an unknown Person but this must denote something very extraordinary and those who pretend to know more than others are sometimes more ignorant than those who pretend to know nothing For who can penetrate into what so crafty a Minister does in the most retired Places of his Closet His Actions are so mysterious that when he looks towards the East his Designs lie a direct contrary Way He deceives those who watch him most narrowly I cannot inform thee then of any thing certain The Matter is variously related but thus I think it was The Cardinal caused some Days past to be loaded on a Mule a great Summ of Money he ordered him to whom he entrusted the Conduct of him to go into a Wood at such an Hour telling him he should find a Man of such a Stature such a coloured Hair and in such a Habit who was to say certain Words to him whereupon he was to deliver the Mule with his Lading into his Custody It is said this Person found the Party described who would not receive the Present it being not the full Summ agreed upon That this being related to the Cardinal he sent the same Person with the Supplement of what was wanting to the Summ promised the Night following where the unknown Person received the full Payment If this Story be true as it is affirm'd here to be this is an odd kind of Way of making Presents or paying Debts But thou maist be assured this is not the first time the Cardinal has paid his Creditors in this Sort. I have been told for certain that there being arrived at Paris a Stranger ill clad of small Stature and without any Attendance he made him be paid down immediately upon his Arrival Six Hundred Thousand Crowns without any bodies knowing what became of so happy a Creditor nor from what Merit proceeded so high a Recompence though some People affirm that so great a Summ is fallen into the Coffers of the Swedish General Receive charitably the Marks I give thee of my Obedience and Desire which I have of giving thee Satisfaction and entreat our Great Prophet that I may be worthy in the other World to kiss
thy Feet and be acknowledged to be of the number of those for whom he has written his Holy Alcoran Paris 25th of the 6th Moon of the Year 1642. LETTER XXIV To Berber Mustapha Aga at Constantinople I Cannot tell whether thou hast Knowledge of the Use of Defiances which are made amongst the Christians when they be dissatisfied or offended with one another which they term Acts of Honour or the Marks of a gallant Spirit This Custom of Duels is become so common in Italy and especially in the Kingdom of Naples that the greatest Affairs as well as the smallest are therein decided by the Sword and the Gentry affirm this to be the best way of terminating their Disputes and Quarrels which belonging onely to them cannot be referred nor so well determined by the grave and cool proceedings of Courts of Justice This Invention of deciding these Differences by Arms either with the Sword or Pistol alone in a close or open Field naked in their Shirts so that one has no Treachery to fear is a Way of drawing Satisfaction for the Injuries received found out by Men of great Courage who more esteem their Honour than their Lives The offended Person sends a Challenge to him from whom he has received the Injury this note of Defiance is express'd in choice and elegant Words which invite and press the Offender to fight in such a Place on Horseback or on Foot cloathed or in their Shirts single or attended by an equal Number of Friends which they call Seconds with Sword and Dagger or Sword alone or pistol If the Challenge be received he is civilly treated who brings it and it may be has rich Presents given him But before they sight the Enemies embrace as if they were reconciled and then in an Instant following the Inclinations of their Hatred and Revenge they would one another they spill each others Blood and oftentimes their Souls go out furious through the Wounds they have made Those that have the Honour of dying in these Combats do oft refuse their Lives which a generous Enemy would give them believing they cannot live without Shame should they receive them from an Enemy But the Roman Church as a note of the Horror she conceives at these Combats shuts Heaven's Doors against the Souls of those who leave this Life without doing Pennance denying Burial to those who dye in the Field of Battle or yield them onely that which is granted in some Parts of the East-Indies to certain Women who prostitue themselves whose Corpse are thrown a Prey to the Birds of the Field and other Animals who live on Carrion It is not only in Italy People kill one another in single Combats 't is the same in France amongst the Nobility who manage these Combats in a different Sort. The best Friends tear one another on the smallest occasion and they prepare for a Duel in such a manner as will appear to thee without doubt ridiculous These Enemies sup together the Night before the Combat and often lie together in the same Bed The Friends which serve as Seconds do the same and when they are come to the Place where they be to fight a Friend is forced by the Maxims of Honour to cut his own Throat with the Man's he perhaps most loves Nothing happens more frequently in Paris than these Kind of Combats and they produce several Adventures of which I would give thee an Account had I not a particular Story to tell thee on this Subject It is of a Challenge of a Spanish Prince sent to a King whose Crown could not exempt him from a Letter of Defiance Thou hast without doubt heard of what has hapned in Lisbon where D. John de Braganza has been elected and proclaimed King of Portugal as the true Heir of the Royal Race Thou knowest also he drove the Spaniards out of his Kingdom The Duke of Medina Sedonia a Grandee of Spain and this new King's Brother-in-law could not hinder himself from being suspected of having underhand assisted this Prince to ascend the Throne whether it be true or an Artifice of his Enemies God onely knows But however it 's certain that the Count Duke d' Olivarez the King of Spain's chief Minister sent an order to him to appear at Court to justifie himself from this Suspicion he thought to clear himself perfectly from the Jealousies of the Catholick King by sending a Challenge to D. John of Braganza to oblige him to fight with him which Letter of Defiance was conceived in these Terms D. Gaspar Alonzo Peres Gusman the Good Duke of the Town of Medina Sedonia Marquis Count and Lord of the Town of St. Lucar of Barameda Captain General of the Ocean and Gentleman of his Catholick Majesty's Chamber I say that John of Braganza who was never but a Duke calls himself King of Portugal that his Treason known to all the World is detestable and in Abomination for having thrown a Stain on the Faithful House of Gusman which has never failed in any Duty to her Soveraign and for this reason defie and challenge to a single Combate Body to Body with Seconds or without Seconds this Don John heretofore Duke of Braganza leaving all this to his Choice as also the Arms or Weapons and Place of Combat Written near Valentia d' Alcantara where I shall expect fourscore days News of him and the last twenty Days I shall transport my self into the Place he shall appoint accompanied or alone with such Arms as he shall prescribe Not only the Tyrant of Portugal shall be advertised of my Challenge but all Europe and the whole World I pretend to make known in this Combat the infamous Action of D. John and in Case he does not accept of this Defiance and fails in the Duty of one who is born a Gentleman I desire this King who is only a Phantasm may perish in some sort or other I promise to give my Town of St. Lucar the principle Seat of the Dukes of Medina to him that shall kill him In the mean time I entreat my Lord the King of Spain to give me no Command in his Armies but to grant I may onely serve him as a Volunteer with a Thousand Horse which I will maintain at my own Charge till that serving him in this manner I may help to recover the Kingdom of Portugal and may bring along with me and cast at his Majesty's Fleet the Duke of Braganza if he will not fight with me in the Manner I proposed If thou shewest this Letter of Defiance to the Janizaries that Militia which is terrible to all Nations whom nothing can resist when they execute the Grand Seignor's Orders they will tell thee what such a Challenge requires from Men of Courage and explain to thee the Laws which People of Valour prescribe to themselves For my part who am ignorant of the Art of War and the Maxims of such as make Profession of Arms I shall not make any Judgement hereupon only take the