The XLII. ADVERTISEMENT.
The Immense bulk of the Ottoman Empire which was thought by the wisest men to be everlasting, doth now of it self so destroy it self, as it threatens present ruine.
THe vast Fabrick of the Ottoman Empire, (as is well known to all those that deal in Pernassus) is of so large a circuit, as it seems to be a great City, the walls whereof being built (though the Princes thereof be barbarous and illiterate) in an excellent way of politick Architecture, are of so solid materials, and with so corresponding Bul∣warks, Courtines, Platforms, Ditches, Ravelins, Scarfes, & Counter∣scarfes, as it was not onely thought by many of those who of late did consider it, to be as eternal as the world, but seemed as if by means of those Emperors who are still more and more ambitious to make it greater by the addition of new appertiments, it would like Nero's golden house, possess whole Pernassus; the strong Bulwarks of Tauris, Servan, Giorgia, Darbecca, and most of all those of Armenia, are not only almost all of them faln to the ground, but that strongest Bastion of the lesser Asia, hath lost so large a collop, as it threatens sodain ruine; so as those walls which seemed to be everlasting, do now of themselves moul∣der away and fall to ruine. A novelty which makes the beholders wonder very much, and puts them in minde of the instability of hu∣mane greatness; for though nothing appear more potent and immor∣tal to the eyes of men then great Empires, yet we see they sodainly and easily are overthrown. For if a man will demolish a Tower which is strongly built, he must labour long about it with Canon and Pick-axe; but to the ruine of any Empire how great and potent soever, one onely puff (though but very weak) of a Princes folly, or of a