The three English brothers Sir Thomas Sherley his trauels, vvith his three yeares imprisonment in Turkie: his inlargement by his Maiesties letters to the great Turke: and lastly, his safe returne into England this present yeare, 1607. Sir Anthony Sherley his embassage to the Christian princes. Master Robert Sherley his wars against the Turkes, with his marriage to the Emperour of Persia his neece.

The Continuation of Sir Thomas Sherleys miserie in his imprisonment in Constantinople.

SIr Thomas beeing thus returned into pri∣son, and his old torments renuing, hauing small hope of life, and lesse expectation of release, euery houre awayting the execution of his doome; a certaine Iewe dwelling in the Ci∣tie, vnderstanding his imprisonment, and his vild manner of handling; and that he was also a Gentleman of account, and estimation in his Country: in pittie and compassion of his estate, found the meanes to come and speake with him in prison: where, after a few salutations, the Iew reasoned with him in this manner. As you are a stranger both by your birth, and lan∣guage, to this Nation; so you also seeme to bee strange and ignorant of their Natures & Con∣ditions. I haue heard of your long imprison∣ment, and though I know not the cause, yet I grieue much at the manner of your handling. You shall doe well in this, rather to follow my counsell, that haue a little experience of their cu∣stomes, then wilfully to cast your selfe away by ignorance. Be ruled by me, and make promise of this great summe of money to the Bashawe,

but take a long time for the paiment. It can bee no way preiudiciall to you, if you way your owne state, and his case aright: for if your King hold his amitie with the Turke, and that the league bee continued, whereof there is yet no doubt, you may before the prefixt day taken for the payment, by the benefit of your King, bee freed without ransome. If that faile, and a farre lesse summe be brought in the meane time, and that he findes there is small hope of more; they will rather accept that, though it be little, then hazard your life, and so loose all. And I will al∣so giue you a further comfort, which though it proceedes but from mine owne opinion, with∣out particular intelligence of any such matter, (for in this blindfolded state of Turkie, men may obserue, howbeit knowe nothing, but to obey:) This Bashaw, this great aduersarie of yours, that now hath your life in pursuite, is like ere long to loose his owne, for the nature and qua∣litie of his place will not hold an officer long.

Sir Thomas hauing a Woolfe by the eare, wherein there was danger, either to hold or let goe▪ doubting whether he were best follow the counsell of a Iewe, or trust the cruelty of a Turke: yet hauing well wayed his wordes, wherein he could finde nothing that sauoured of deceipt, hee thought it best to follow his aduice. And so hol∣ding that determination, he found means short∣ly

to send vnto the Bashaw, to whom he promi∣sed fourtie thousand Chickeno's, conditionally to haue reasonable day for the paiment, and in the meane time to be vsed like a Gentleman, to bee kept in a house by himselfe, and not to bee troubled with all manner of Rascals: to haue allowed him two hundred Aspers a day for his diet, which is tenne shillings sterling, and a ser∣uant to waite vpon him.

The Bashaw was glad to receiue this proffer, and promised him more then he demanded: that he should haue a good house, and a faire garden; that he should haue two hundred Aspers a day allowed him, and two seruants, at his choyce, either men or women to attend vpon him: and that for his money he should haue good meate, & wine, because (quoth the Bashaw) I wil haue you contented.

Though Sir Thomas was glad of this proffer, yet was there an occasion ministred very soone after to dislike it: for the next day the English Embassadour wrote vnto him that hee was as sorry for his error, as for his imprisonment, and that hee intangled himselfe into an intricate laborinth; out of the which, he could not winde himselfe, without payment of the money. He therefore aduised him, to reuoke his promise, and by no meanes to accept the Ba∣shawes proffer: for if he did, he was either tied to

his worde, or his life to the Turkes disposing: and to comfort him withall, hee told him that within tenne daies hee would procure his release, get him home to his owne house, and become his Baile.

Whereupon Sir Thomas trusting the Em∣bassadours promise, refused the Bashawes prof∣fer, and so was carried backe into his olde pri∣son, where with great miserie and distresse, hee lay long after.

About Michaelmas after, this Visior Bashawe his great Aduersarie was hangd, according to the Iewes Prophecie, which gaue him cause to entertaine a newe hope of his Deliuerie: for presently vpon the death of the Bashawe, hee wrote agame to the Embassadour, requesting him that now he would remember him, or ne∣uer, for nowe was the time, if it pleased him to extend his eredit in the Court, to procure his Release, his Aduersarie beeing dead, and no barre in the way to hinder it: and this hee did with the greater instance importune, because (quoth hee) I am not able to holde out long, hauing endured so many grieuous, and strange afflictions: and beeing so much weakened with the tedious and miserable indurance of the same.

Howbeit, the Embassadour returned him

this discomfortable answere, That hee coulde doe nothing, till there were a newe Visior Ba∣shawe ordained in his place, and then he would doe what he could for him.

It was tenne daies before there was a new one made: As soone as hee was installed, the Embassadour (as Sir Thomas was infor∣med) dealt with him for his libertie: but to no purpose, for the Bashaw answered him, that it lay not in his power to doe him any good, for that hee was a prisoner belonging to the great Turke, and therefore could not bee deliuered without his consent. Wherupon the Embassa∣dour preferred a petition to the great Turke in his behalfe, who presently gaue commande∣ment hee should bee enlarged the day follow∣ing, which was Thursday: and vndoubtedly, had the Embassadour not slacked this matter, but presently laied hold vpon the Turkes com∣maund, it had beene an easie matter to haue set him at libertie that night. But whether it was the too much confidence that hee had in the Turkes variable and vncertaine humour, or that other businesse and intendements of his owne carried his thoughts other waies▪ or that it was so ordained, that Sir Thomas his mi∣series should not yet haue ende, I cannot tell, but the matter of his release was lingred, till

the Sunday following. At which time, vpon new aduertisements the commandement of his libertie was reuersed, and hee retained stil in prison, loaden with more cares, and lesse hope then euer he had.