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 XVI.

To Chusaein Bassa, the Magnani∣mous Vizir Azem, and Invinci∣ble General of the Ottoman For∣ces in Candia.

I Am not much above Forty Three Years Old, yet have seen Great Changes in the World, mighty Revolutions in Kingdoms and States, and the Death of many Sovereign Mo∣narchs, Illustrious Generals, and Wise States∣men. Doubtless, all Sublunary Things, are subject to Vicissitude. There appears Nothing Constant and Settled, but the Heavens and Stars. They indeed persevere in their Immu∣table Courses, never change their Orbs, nor start from their Eternal Posts. The Sun rises and sets at his accustom'd Hours, and the Moon exactly observes the determin'd Periods of her Encrease and Wane; These vary on∣ly, as the Seasons of the Year, with Exqui∣site

Regularity, and Constant Returns.

But here below, there is an Universal Trans∣migration and Metempsychosis of States, and Forms of Things: A Perpetual Flux and Re∣flux of Human Events. Men die hourly, and others are hourly born to supply their Places. One Age treads close upon the Heels of ano∣ther. And we who live at present, as we walk in the Steps of our Fathers, so shall we follow them down to the Grave, where our Flesh by a new Metamorphosis, shall be turn'd into the Bodies of Worms, Insects and Serpents: And what shall become of our Souls, is Uncertain.

I was born in the Reign of Sultan Achmet, from whom our present Sovereign is the Sixth Emperour, that has ascended the Glorious Throne of the Ottomans. May God grant him a Long Life, and a Series of Years bless'd with Continual Health, and Victory over his Ene∣mies. I pray Heaven also, to perpetuate thy New Office, to the last Period of the Sultan's Life; and in wishing this, I say all that can be expected.

But when I reflect on the frequent and bloody Tragedies, that have been acted in the Seraglio since I can remember, and the many Sacrifices that have been made of Sul∣tan's, Vizir's, Bassa's, and Principal Mini∣sters of State, besides the Massacres and But∣cheries of Meaner Persons; It makes me me∣lancholy, amidst the Joys I conceive for thy late Exaltation; and fills me with Fears, lest my good Wishes to the Grand Signior and Thee, who art his Right Hand, shou'd by

some sinister Decree of Fate, be almost as soon disannull'd as pronounc'd. I pray Hea∣ven avert my melancholy Presages.

The Death of the Old Queen (the News of which is lately arriv'd at this Court) does but revive and encrease my Apprehension, of Greater Tragedies to come: Because one Act of Cruelty, still propagates another. Re∣venge is Prolifick, and Mischief is never at a Stand. 'Tis true indeed, as it is not decent to insult o'er the Ashes of Illustrious Persons; so neither has a Loyal Mussulman, any great Reason to mourn for the Fall of a Woman, by whose Connivance her Royal Son, and our late Great Master, Sultan Ibrahim, fell a Sa∣crifice to the Mufti's Indignation. 'Twas an Unnatural Part in a Mother: And we may say, the Divine Justice has overtaken her, in making her Grandson sign the Warrant for her Death, with the Consent of that very Mufti, at whose Instigation she had con∣sented to the Murder of his Father.

Yet after all, may not she have left behind her a Party in the Seraglio, or at least in the State, who will study to revenge her Fall; or, however, do some Mischief to prevent their own? Let me not seem to contradict my own Arguments; and whilst I plead against Revenge and Cruelty, appear an Advocate for those Inhuman Passions. I do not men∣tion the surviving Creatures of this Unhappy Queen, to excite in thee, false Sentiments of Justice, suspicious Chimaera's of a possible Con∣spiracy, and so stimulate thee to punish them

by Anticipation, for Crimes of which per∣haps they never will be Guilty. I rather sug∣gest these Things, that after so many Trage∣dies in the Royal Family, a Stop may be now put to future Mischiefs; lest, whilst Men pur∣sue a particular and self-Interess'd Revenge, the Contagion shou'd spread, and Cruelty be∣come Universal, and Infinite.

Let it suffice, that no less than Three of our Sultans, have been Depos'd and Strangl'd within these Thirty Years: Not to mention the Deluge of Royal Blood, that has over∣flow'd the Private Chambers of the Seraglio, the Prisons of the Ottoman Princes Brothers, or Sons to the Emperours formerly Reigning.

These were Barbarous Cures of untimely Jea∣lousies; and it is Pity that such Royal Massa∣cres, shou'd ever be repeated again. Why shou'd the Posterity of Ottoman, be in this Regard the only Ʋnfortunate Princes on Earth? Were it not much more Noble, and equally Wise, to take the Measures of Aethi∣opian Policy, where, to prevent Sedition and Discords about Succession, the Princes of the Blood are confin'd indeed, but to a very Plea∣sing Liberty: Whilst they have Palaces, Parks, and Large Fields at Command; are serv'd by a Princely Train, and deny'd no Lawful Pleasures, within the Pale of their Restraint: For there is an exceeding high Mountain in the Country, the Top of which is very Spacious, containing large Tracts of Ground, many beau∣tiful Seraglio's, furnish'd with whatsoever can contribute to the Enjoyment of these Princes, or

at least to compensate for their Want of grea∣ter Liberty. This Mountain, is environ'd with a high and strong Wall, having but one En∣trance, and that guarded by Soldiers; so that no Man can go in or out, who has not the Emperor's Warrant, or at least a Permission from the Prime Minister of State: For he, upon the Death of the Emperor, immediate∣ly calls a Council of the Supreme Officers, who from among these Imprison'd Princes, chuse him whom they think most worthy to suc∣ceed. The rest, who never felt the Appetite to Reign (for they are carry'd to this Place in their Infancy, and kept in perpetual Igno∣rance of State-Affairs) pass away their Time without Envy, or repining at the Exaltation of their Brother. Addicting themselves whol∣ly to the Innocent Delights of that Rural Life, or to the Study of Books, whereof they have great Plenty in their Libraries, and those al∣together treating of Matters of Divine or Na∣tural Speculation. Whereby, though they know nothing of State-Artifices, and Intrigues of Courts, yet they become able Philosophers, and vers'd in all the Liberal Sciences.

Wou'd to God our Ottoman Princes (I mean the Younger Brothers) had but half this Liberty granted them. Then the Infidels wou'd have no reason to call the Exalted Port, a Nest of Vulturs.

But we must not find Fault with the Acti∣ons of our Sovereigns, though they tend to the Scandal and Ruine of the Mussulman Em∣pire. Yet I know to whom I write these Things; having often heard thee declaim a∣gainst

this Barbarous Custom, of shutting up the Royal Off-spring in a Dungeon, without Light or Comfort during their Lives; which many Times are also Cruelly shorten'd, by the Hands of the Executioner.

But, turning our Eyes from the Tragedies of the East, let us fix 'em on the Affairs of the Nazarenes in the West.

The chief Discourse at present is, about a Marriage lately solemniz'd between the Em∣perour of Germany, and the Dutchess of Man∣tua. She is his Third Wife successively; for Polygamy is not allow'd, even to the Sove∣reigns, in these Parts, where the Priests bear all the Sway.

The Posts from Sueden inform us, of the Death of General Torstenson, of whose Exploits in Germany thou hast often heard. That Em∣pire is very Unfortunate, spending its Time and Vitals, in Unprofitable Assemblies and Con∣sults, whilst her Active Enemies, take whole Provinces from her with Ease: But this need not grieve Us.

Great Atlas of the Mussulman Empire, I wish thee the Continence of Scipio, the For∣tune of Alexander, and the Temperance of Ca∣to; who when he was marching through the Sands of Lybia with his Army, all ready to expire with Thirst, and one of his Soldiers brought him his Helmet full of Water, as a rare present in that General Distress gratify'd the Soldier for his Gift, but spilt the Water on the Ground, saying, That since there was not enough to satisfy the Whole Army, he

wou'd not taste a Drop, and that he was Un∣worthy to be a General, who wou'd not en∣dure as much Hardship as the meanest Soldier.

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