The glory of England, or A true description of many excellent prerogatiues and remarkeable blessings, whereby she triumpheth ouer all the nations of the world vvith a iustifiable comparison betweene the eminent kingdomes of the earth, and herselfe: plainely manifesting the defects of them all in regard of her sufficiencie and fulnesse of happinesse. By T.G.

CHAP. VI. TVRKY compared, and her imperfections layd open.

ALthough the Grand Signeur is the onely * 1.1 absolute Prince in the world, as hauing the liues, lands, and wealth of his sub∣iects liable to his wilfulnesse, and impe∣rious controling of whom hee please; yet commeth hee farre short of a King∣domes happinesse, religious administra∣tion, or generall blessings of a countrey, especially our ex∣ample, where Salomon established his Princes and Nobles in propagato sanguine, where the Israelites pitched euery man vnder the tents of their fathers houses, and armes of their family, where Israel eat and dranke in mirth, and all sorts were ouer-shaded with their vine-yards and figg∣trees in quiet, where the marchant trauelled in peace, and grew rich without repining, where many marchants were entertained from forraine countries, and well-commed with noble hospitality, where neither witch, begger, whore, or vsurer were permitted, and where plenty opened her lap, affoording equall distribution to all commers, who were either marked with merit, labour, vertue, or valour,

and because you shall haue pleasure in a little variety, we will thus search the wounds of this gouernment, and dis∣couer those defects, which must needes exempt her from exemplary happinesse, how euer she may swell with a big swolne face of territories and conquests, and first concer∣ning the cruelty and tyrannous slaughters amongst them∣selues.

To begin with the fundamentall firmnesse of their go∣uernment * 1.2 and greatnesse, and the cheefe cause of expatia∣ting the Empire: it consisteth all in aduancing of slaues, and cutting off any one, whether brother, sonne, and sometimes the fathers, who are either a barre in the plea∣sant walke of their soueraignty, or giue the least cause of suspition through competition or popularity. As for the name of slaue; the greatest Viceer must acknowledge it, as the infallible position of establishment, a law ratefied by Mahomet, confirmed by custome, and strengthned through the obedience of all his vassals, as you may collect by that famous history of Mustapha, the principall Bashaw vn∣der * 1.3 Mahomet the first, who when hee saw the great Empe∣rour effeminately ouercome with the loue of Hyrena the faire Greeke, and that there was suspition of ill successe in the warres, by this retardance and ouer-passionate satisfa∣ction of pleasure, he aduentured to reclaime him from such neglect of his army, and tooke vpon him by some formall aduice, to diuert him from vilipending the Otthoman glo∣ry; but how he proceeded, with what prostitution, with how many tearmes of slaue, and miserable wretch, and how vnlookt for hee escaped with life, after hee lay groue∣ling on the ground, as resolued to die, our common stages can relate, and the story hath pregnant authority from many famous authours, who all conclude, that how euer

he remembred himselfe, and with a sterne repining at Mu∣stapha's audaciousnesse, with much a doe pardoned him from cruell execution: yet the beautifull Grecian shrunke vnder the stroak of a sauage hand, & •…•…e the next day (after a glorious shewing her with admiration to the whole ar∣mie) strucke off her head, and most barbarously, as he in∣ferred, to satisfie the army, deliuered him and them from further suspition of his effeminatenesse: in which fury he approached Adrinopolis, & neuer desisted till he had laid it prostrate before him. But if you would be acquainted with the true condition of their tyranny & imperiousnes, then looke vpon the new admission of their Emperours, into the sublime chaire of Maiesty, and you shall heare him commanding all his brethren to bee strangled before him, except one; reserued, if the time allow it, for propagation of children, who likewise vpon the Turkes suppliment that way, shall miscarry by one meanes or other: yea, some∣times it happens, that when the aged father, or eldest bro∣ther is contented to admit of his sonne or yonger to the coparcinary of administration, or if you will, absolute power in the Empire, by reason of impotency, age, luna∣cy, or other naturall defects, they are most inhumanly re∣warded with death, as Zelimus poysoned his father Baia∣zet, and the sonnes of Soliman the Magnificent shouldred one another into the pit of destruction.

Concerning the subiect; nobility they neuer suffer in continuall discents, nor permit any man to grow rich, mighty, or popular, otherwise then may stand with the pleasure of the Emperour, which is apparant by the de∣struction of many worthie Bashawes and Seruitours, who (when the Doctors of the Law haue concluded the mat∣ter by priuate conference) are commonly carried by a

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confessing that Mordecai had not bin rewarded; but secret politicians supplied the roome, intimating still and still matter against him, which kindled the fire of the Empe∣rors ielousie to such a blaze, that nothing but his personall appearance could quench the same.

When the Viceer perceiued the danger of such ouer∣watchings, and began to be acquainted with too many princely messages, he absented himselfe a while, and with dilatory excuses laid as it were open his suspition of the Emperors ielousie against him, whereupon followed an obstinate deniall of comming, lest the affaires of the king∣domes might be intermitted; and when that serued not the turne, he determined to stand on his guard, till at last the Gran Signeur was aduised not to regard him at all: whereupon the Mufti was called to councell, which is their principall Churchman, who together with diuers Doctors of their law resolued, that he was too dangerous to liue, and yet policie must be vsed in cutting him off: When the foundation of this building was laid, letters were contriued from the Prince vnto him deceitfully im∣porting thus much: That he had great cause to be thank∣full to the great Prophet Mahomet for his indulgent care ouer the house of Ottoman, euen in these suspitious times to prouide, that a man of such courage, wisdom, and mag∣nanimity gouerned the sterne of the ship of his affaires, & like a discreet pilot knew how to conduce the barke of the Common-wealth to safe harbour. He accordingly assumeth the glory to himselfe, with full resolution, that either the yong Prince durst not finde fault, or nothing was fault-worthy, like Aesops asse, who supposed, that the Lyon would be terrified with his braying. For at last he came to the Emperors presence into the Seralio, who was

taught to entertaine him with a politicall acceptation, which lasted a while, and with the continuance of 14 daies seemed to wipe out the print of former vnkindnes: But when the day of his fatall destruction approched, (after the yong Prince had bin a hawking, and meeting with cer∣taine inhabitants of Bogdonia, and the borders of Russia, who made petition vnto Him for diuers redresses, gaue them a kinde of audience) hee was sodenly sent for to a priuate conference, which he verily supposed, according to some speciall inferences, tended to that purpose: nor did he once rebate the glory of his former iollity, but went at least with 300 Ianisaries, and his other officers toward the gates of the Seralio, where by the way the Haga or Captaine of the Ianisaries met him to tell him, how the Prince was retired to a Caska by the sea side, and he must goe through the garden, and enclosure of Roe-bucks vn∣to him, which he performed accordingly, and neuer seem∣ed once staggering in his resolutions, till he came to the yron gate, and saw his company prohibited to enter, and the gate fast barred, as soone as he was admitted.

Here he must needs passe through a guard of Capogies, who demanded his Semiter, which he furiously denied, and with increase of rage and choller railed vpon them all. But they being too well instructed to forbeare any such opprobrious speeches, spared a reply of words, and tooke an opportunitie to ouer-master him with the company, who most cruelly cut him all to peeces: yet some would raise the Emperors ielousie from a suspition of loue to his mother, who taking a fitting opportunitie, as was imagi∣ned, came with him to admonish her sonne from his pede∣rastria, or accompanying with boyes, but belike they per∣formed it with vnseasonable wisdome; for in his furie he

spurned her away, and bad him remember, he was but a slaue. Some report that the first motiue of the Emperors displeasure was occasioned by reason of his buildings, which ouer-looking some priuate walkes in the Seralio, was both irkesome to the maiestie of the Prince, and a dore to let in his euerlasting hate, to which there wanted not the seuerall suggestions of many flatterers, and tem∣porizers. But let his death, and the cause be what it will, there is no gaine-saying their wilfulnes, nor moderating their rage and tyrannie, witnes his fathers killing of his elder brother, a Prince of great expectation: but comming one day (though he did it with reuerence and teares in his eyes) to put him in remembrance of the Ottoman glory, and inlarging the Empire, which euery Prince had done sauing himselfe, the admonition was so vnsauoury, or the ielousie of his vertues so forcible, that he beat him to death with his owne hands, to the amase of all the Iani∣saries and soldiers: insomuch that the grandmother, a woman of excellent parts, who is yet liuing, had like to haue perished in the hurly-burly. To which may be ad∣ded, this yong Princes dislike of one of his Concubines, whom he shot to death in his gardens. I could here in∣sert many other stories of their cruelty, and tyrannous supplanting one another, murthering Bashawes, destroying Princes, and letting loose the streames of all rage, wilfull∣nes, and distemperature: but you will say I gleane but out of anothers haruest, and time is too pretious to spend it in idle relations, I will therefore leaue you to the origi∣nall, and only for the strangenes make a breuiate of Mu∣stapha's tragedy, who was so cruelly murthered by an in∣temperate Prince, intoxicatedby the cunning of a mali∣tious strumpet.

The famous historie of MVSTAPHA.

SVltanus Soliman surnamed the Magnificent, amongst * 1.4 many others had one beautifull Concubine called Rozza, or Roxalana, but more properly Hazathia, on whom he so doted in his later times, that all amarous dal∣liance with the rest was neglected for her sake, as if plea∣sure and delight attended her, though shee were but his slaue. Thus he so followed the humors of this wanton woman, that at last the noble Prince Mustapha his eldest sonne was prohibited his presence, and his former chil∣dren slightly regarded, in respect of hers: which when shee had fully apprehended, and politikely entertained, the next businesse was to make vse of the same, yea such vse, as cunning fauourites, and newly aduanced officers con∣triue, who suspecting some sudden alteration, and percei∣uing the Prince cannot last long, care not by what meanes they enrich themselues, and many times runne in the race of indirect courses to establish their hopes.

Wherevpon shee wonde vp her wilfulnes on the pesti∣lent bottome of Rustan Bashawes ambition, who had ma∣ried her daughter, and hauing likewise corrupted the principall Mufti to second her enterprise, they all com∣bined a league of amitie, and proiected to cast the Empire on her owne sonnes: which was no sooner ratified, and confirmed betweene them, but on a sudden shee became very deuout, and being rich with the fauours and presents bestowed vpon her, proposed a meritorious worke for her soules health by erecting some religious monument or Mosque, which was intercepted by the high Priest, as

discouering the invaliditie of the same, because shee was yet a slaue, and therefore laboured in a busines, whose me∣rit and effects must tend to the good of another. This caused such a dissimiled pensiuenes, that Soliman himselfe was in a manner exanimated to behold the darling of the world in such a confusion and heauines: shee againe well lessond how to act her part, filled the scene with teares of disconsolation, related all occurrences from the begin∣ning, and finely vrged, how her godly zeale had certaine obstacles, which must be remoued, ere her former alacrity could gaine the field of this sullen meditation and vnto∣ward sadnes: whereupon the Doctors and Interpreters of the Alcaron were sent for, and commanded to deliuer the truth without praeuarication, who thus animated, dis∣couered the secret most plainely, and with impudent asse∣uerations concluded, that she had iust cause to complaine, & insist on the meanes to procure her redress, which made such impression into the ouer-worne heart, and easily-per∣swaded disposition of the Emperor, that he presently ma∣numitted hir, & by sound of trumpet proclaimed her free∣dome, and so cheered her, that he might the better reioyce in her company. But when shee had thus raised her selfe vpright vpon the honorable steps of liberty, shee stood vpon higher termes, and was not ashamed to assure him there was another lesson to be taken out, than now to dally with her as his slaue: for being free it was against the law of Mahomet to be commanded as a strumpet, and therefore, how euer he could dispence with religion, and ouer-awe the same, shee would not, nor durst betray her soule, as a delinquent in such impiety: yet she prostrated her life before him, and was ready to yeeld her necke to the blocke, if so it pleased him to inforce it. Here againe

were the Doctors summoned, who maintained her cause, and with exceeding admiration at her piety and zeale fell humbled on the ground before him, with request not to cast her headlong to destruction, and damne her soule for euer, which so enflamed him, as Nititur inuetitum, that without looking aduisedly on the pretended mischiefe, and searching too narrowly in the closet of her deuises, in a foolish passion he solemnely married her.

This is that she long expected, and raising her thoughts with her fortunes, after much variety and infinite passages * 1.5 in the Common-wealth, she now studied nothing but the aduancement of her family; which could not be done vntil the worthy Prince Mustapha his eldest sonne by a former wife was thrust into a slaughter house, she quickly brought him into the danger of suspition (for euen good Princes are iealous in points of soueraignty) and cunningly in∣ferred, that she affected not his popular loue, his great concurses, his strengthning of Amasia, his entertaining of Embass: from Tartary, his taking vp such beautifull virgins out of Georgia and Mengrelia, with diuers other probabi∣lities, that he determined a present enlarging of his great∣nesse: which was as quickly apprehended; as politickely vrged, and nothing could satisfie the Emperor, but the present sending for Mustapha, who although he was fore∣warned of the mischiefe, and aduised to stand on his guard with full resolution, that the army was firme vnto him: yet remembring it was his father commaunded, and how obedience was a duty befitting a sonne; but principally laying a firme foundation on a cleare conscience, and an vncorrupt heart, he came to Constantinople, but was wel∣comed as Husbandmen doe their cattle into pleasant fields for to make them the more fit for the Butcher. Thus

followed the tragedy of this noble and worthy Prince made the tennis ball of Fortune, the misery of a doting iealous man, the florishes of an impudent cunning wo∣man, the vanity of an ambitious idle Bashaw, and the hy∣pocrisie of a deceitfull imposturing Priest. For the Father strangled his sonne the iewell of the Empire, and perished after the action with vntimely griefe. The villanous wo∣man raised her sonnes to the dignitie; but they quickly supplanted one another, which tumbled her into the pit of destruction. The Bashaw shrunke vnder the pressure of confusion: the Priest was disappointed and strangled; and the whole gouernment tossed with the tempestuous billowes of distruction.

The Story of a Rennegado Bashaw.

IN the raigne of Amurath the third this mans father there was a certaine Rennegado Dutchman aduanced to the dignitie of a Bashaw; for so they call Christians, who ab∣iure their religion at mans estate, and are circumcised ac∣cording to the Law of Mahomet. Where by the way you must consider of that mischieuous position not to dispute of either law, gouernment, or ceremonies of their religion, but absolutely allow of the great Prophet, and the Alca∣ron as infallible verity, wherein the Romane Byshoppes tread the same measures, and interdict any man from cal∣ling their actions in question, not suffering vs to read the Canon of Gods law, nor once dispute in matters of faith, but to confirme the power of the Church as of sufficiency to direct vs in the way of truth: a most diuellish, and re∣pugnant conclusion against God and his word, who com∣maundes vs to search the Scriptures, and try the spirits.

But to our Story. This Bashaw liuing in great pompe to the outward show, seemed yet much excruciated in minde with meditation on the latter iudgement, and the sauing of his soule, whereupon he communed with one of his principall slaues to the same purpose, admitting all free∣dome of speech, and animating him so farre to deliuer his opinion, that at last hee attempted his patience in this sort. Sir you know, or at leastwise should know, that God at the first did chuse vnto himselfe a people called the Iewes, giuing them a law, priesthood, and Prince named * 1.6 Moses, who questionlesse is the Mediator still in heauen for honest Iewes imploring his assistance on earth; but when this wretched people despised the blessings of so great a God, falling to idolatry, and other horrible abuses, they were cast out of fauour, and vanished like smoake, or if you will, resembled, water spilt on the ground neuer to be gathered vp againe. Then did God select another nation called Christians, and admitted of their worthy acknow∣ledgement of Iesus Christ, whom they suppose God and man, and borne of a Virgin, and in whom still the good Christian beleeueth; this caused their increase of wealth, maiesty, and greatnesse, till at last growing wanton with prosperitie, they tooke the same or worse courses with the Iewes, and by degrees became flat Apostates, so that God was weary of them likewise, & gaue a third nation power to thrust them from their firmenesse, and disiointed their established foundation of religion, and happinesse: which was acted by the hands of Turkes, who succeeded them, and had likewise their Prophet Mahomet to instruct and direct them to loue the great God of heauen more religiously than the others, from whose supportation the maiesty you now behold, spreadeth the wings of glory

ouer the imperiall Citties both of Iewes, and Christians, namely, Ierusalem and Constantinople: nay, if you looke into Asia, we haue Tauris and Babilon; and in Egipt pos∣sesse Cairo or Memphis, and Alexandria: so that no doubt we shall multiply blessing vpon blessing, if wee continue confident toward him, and his elected Prophet; other∣wise some strange and barbarous nation shall expell and extirpate vs, as we haue vsurped ouer others. Thus then you see with what successe these three religions haue bin caried in the current of estimation both with God and man; namely the Iewes, who haue Moses to make inter∣cession for them: The Christians, who haue IESVS their Mediator; and Mahumetans, who depend vpon the me∣rits and exaltation of Mahomet. But for you, that are of no religion, nay, haue denied the faith, wherein you were borne and baptised, there is sure no redemption, but the Deuill himselfe to fetch you away. Which answere was so distasting, although as you heard, it went vnder safe conduct, that the tyrannous Lord not onely commaun∣ded him to be broken on a wheele to shiuers, but inflicted many Christian slaues in his house with the like punish∣ment, and thus much for their crueltie amongst them∣selues: now you shall see their behauiour toward Stran∣gers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Ma•…•…u∣metans are no way neere our example
• * 1.2

  The cruell gouernment of the Turks amongst themselues.
• * 1.3

  Mustapha's story about Hyrena.
• * 1.4

  The lamen∣table trage∣dy of Mu∣stapha.
• * 1.5

  Looke the Commenta∣ry, and Let∣tere de prin∣cipe in Ita∣lian.
• * 1.6

  The doctrin of the Der∣uices or mendicant Priests of Turkie.