The fourth volume of letters writ by a Turkish spy who lived five and forty years undiscover'd 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) continued from the year 1642 to the year 1682 / written originally in Arabick, translated into Italian, and from thence into English, by the translator of the first volume.

LETTER XV.

To Kerker Hassan, Bassa.

'TIS a Custom in the Court of Rome, that every Nation of the West, has a Protector among the Cardinals there, who are Princes of the Roman Church. Such I esteem thee, in the most Exalted Court of the East.

Arabia gave thee thy first Breath: But thy own Merits have lifted thee up to the Dignity of a Bassa, a Prince of the Ottoman Empire, whose Limits far exceed those of Modern, or even of Ancient Rome.

'Tis from hence, our Countrymen address to thee, as to their Patron; using thy Power and Mediation with the Grand Signior, in all their Necessities.

Among the Rest, wonder not that the humblest of thy Slaves, Mahmut, the Son of thy Father's Neighbour, falls at thy Feet, in a Time of great Distress; in the Agonies of his Spirit, the Hazard of his Fortune, and Peril of his Honour, which he values more than his Life.

I complain not of the many repeated A∣buses and Contempts I have receiv'd from some in the Seraglio, to whom it belongs not, to meddle with Things out of their Sphere, much less to discourage the Faithful Agents and Missioners of the Grand Signior. Yet the Persecutions I have felt from their Hands, are such as wou'd drive another Man, less patient of Injuries, either to Revenge or Despair.

They have vilify'd all my Conduct in this Station; reproach'd my best Actions, with the odious Characters of Imprudence and Dis∣loyalty; and misrepresented the smallest Pec∣cadillo's (for which also, I have the Mufti's Dispensation) under the Ignominious Title of Infidelity and Atheism. In a Word, they thirst after my Blood: Nothing will satisfy their greedy Malice, but my Life.

I never was afraid to die, since I perfect∣ly understood what it is to live. Nor can I be fond of protracting my Breath, when my Great Master shall please to call for a Surrender of it, for whose Service onely it was given me. But it would render the Scene of my Death Tragical, and strew my Passage into the Other World with Thorns, to be sent out of This, under the Notion of a Traytor, who have acted my Part, without a real Blemish.

Ikingi, that Learn'd Tutor of the Royal Pages, was the first that broach'd this Enmity against me; (for I have forgot the Prevarica∣tion of Shashim Istham, the Black Eunuch, since the Time he acknowledg'd his Fault with much Candor and Ingenuity.) 'Twas that Athenian Sophist, who debauch'd the Integrity of my Cousin Solyman; and perswa∣ded the Unwary Youth, to enter into a Con∣spiracy against his Uncle. But I reprehended my Kinsman's Folly in one Letter; and his Answer, though late, convinc'd me, That he was not guilty of Malice, so much as of Rashness and Credulity. I was extream∣ly oblig'd to the Kaimacham, for his Be∣nignity

and Friendship in this Affair. The good old Minister had a real Kindness for me, and took no small Pains to penetrate into the Causes of my Cousin's eager Passion, and Ma∣lice against me. At length he found it to be only the Practices of Ikingi, who took Ad∣vantage of Solyman's Temper, equally Loyal and Flexible; insinuated into his Youthful Mind, Monstrous Idea's of me; and, in fine, set him a railing at me with a fierce kind of Liberty, wherever he came. The wise Bassa soon open'd my Kinsman's Eyes; brought him to his Sense; and the Issue of all was, that Solyman writ me a Letter of Apolo∣gy.

But since this, the Master of the Pages has laid new Trains for me, and drawn a great many more to his Party. He has corrupted Mustapha Guir, an Eunuch, and Page to the Old Queen; with whom I once held a Cor∣respondence, and, as I thought, had contra∣cted a Familiarity and Friendship. But, it seems, it was only an Appearance, without Reality. I could give thee a long List of those, whom this Academick has taught to slander Mahmut: But I will not appear so Revenge∣ful. Besides, this is not the only Grievance of which I complain.

Shall I remonstrate to thee, most Excellent and Serene Bassa, the true Cause of my Un∣easiness? I am weary of living among Infi∣dels. Favour me with thy Assistance and In∣tercession, that I may have leave to retire from this Place, and vindicate my self before the

Faces of my Enemies. And having had that Honour, rend'ring also a just Account of the Affairs wherewith I am entrusted, I may visit my Native Country, and spend the Residue of my Days in Arabia, the Scene of all our Prophet's Great Actions; the Place where I first drew my Breath. I languish for the A∣romatick Air of Admoim, the Crystal Foun∣tains, and Cooler Shades of that Happy Pro∣vince. I long to see the Groves which encom∣pass the Village of my Nativity, the Turrets of thy Father's House, and the Mosque of Hasen the Prophet. For, tho' I took no No∣tice of these Things in my Infancy; yet ha∣ving once seen 'em in my Riper Years, when I were able to make more lasting Reflections, I shall never forget these delightful Objects, so long as I live.

If this be an Infirmity, pardon it, Illu∣strious Arab, since it is Natural to all Men. Thou thy self, hast enjoy'd the Pleasure of revisiting that sweet Region: Pity Mah∣mut, who burns with Desire to taste the same.

Or, if this shall be thought too great an In∣dulgence, to the poor Exil'd Mahmut; yet it will be easy for thee, who art a Favourite, to obtain of the Grand Signior, that I may at least be recall'd from this Employ∣ment, and some body else substituted in my Place. There are those among my Enemies, who are Ambitious of the Fatigue; and I∣kingi, my Old Friend, would exchange all the Honours he is possess'd of in the Seraglio,

for this Obscure, yet Hazardous Post. 'Tis Pity but such a Man's Thirst of Perils, should be gratify'd.

But if after all that I have said, my Supe∣riours shall think it expedient to continue me here, I am resign'd: Only desiring, that from henceforth my Slanderers may be su∣spected, as Men ill affected to the Sublime Port, for traducing a Man that has waded through a Thousand Difficulties, Temptati∣ons and Perils; and serv'd the Ottoman Em∣pire in this Station, fourteen Years, without making a false Step, or Transgressing the least Point of his Instructions.

I hear that Chusaein Bassa, is made Vizir Azem. The French have a very great Opini∣on of his Valour. They are generally Impar∣tial Criticks in Martial Affairs, scorning to deny a Brave Enemy his Due Character.

We are at present barren of other News, save a New Arrest of Parliament against Cardinal Mazarini, and all his Kindred and Creatures; whereby they are declared Enemies to the State, and charg'd with a long Ca∣talogue of Crimes, whereof perhaps they were never Guilty.

Here are also some flying Reports of the Cardinal's Death: who, they say, has poy∣son'd himself for Grief of his ill Success in this Court. But I esteem this, only as the Froth of his Enemies Malice, who really wish him Dead; and, to discourage his Friends, give it out that he is so.

Serene Bassa, I commit my Affairs to thy Protection, beseeching thee, to do the Office of a Countryman and a Friend, to the be∣tray'd for God.

Paris, 26th. of the 5th. Moon, of the Year 1651.