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 VI.

To the Kiaya Bey, or Lieutenant Ge∣neral of the Janizaries.

I HAD once a great Intimacy with Cassim Hali, the brave Aga, who now is no more on Earth. That Honest Old General, merited all Men's Love: Follow thou his Example, and in Time his Post will fall to thy Lot. Thou art already in the last Advance to it; let no Airy Vice make thee Giddy, and give thee a Fall. 'Tis a Common Aphorism, That Health, long Life, and Honour descend from Above. But if they do, I tell thee, 'tis like the Rain, which only then does good, when it penetrates the Earth, and moistens to the Root. An Humble Heart, is like a kindly Mold, receiving the Dews of Heaven with Advantage and Profit: but Pride is a Rock, which spatters away the Blessings showr'd down on it.

Perhaps thou wilt be affronted at my blunt Way of Writing. Yet assure thy self, I ho∣nour thee more than a Thousand Flatterers.

I am not sent hither to study Nice Expressi∣ons, but to serve ••he Grand Signior with In∣tegrity. Besides, I know thou hast not been accustom'd to the soft Entertainments of La∣dies Chambers, but the Rough Dialect of War. It is thy Honour to be unacquainted with the Delicacies of Discourse, Diet, or Dressing; Things only fit to enervate a Man's Courage, and change his Heart into that of a Woman. Thou know'st how to handle the Curiass and Lance, the Sabre and Shield, the Bow and Gun; and art perfectly vers'd, in all the Mi∣litary Terms of Art. A Discourse of Sieges and Campaigns, storming of Forts, and plun∣dering of Camps, is more agreeable to thee, than all Tully's Oratory, or the finest Strains of the Persian Poets. I am therefore confident, thou wilt not take it ill, that I address to thee in a Style void of Artifice, yet full of Real Respect and Love.

If I counsel thee, 'tis for thy Good; and I am commanded to express my Sentiments with Freedom. Besides, I have a Personal Privilege to advise thee, the Right of a Friend: Which thou wilt acknowledge, when I tell thee, that I once had the Happiness to save thy Life, as we travell'd together in Arabia.

Thou canst not but remember that Passage, and how that in heat of Youthful Blood, thou had'st provok'd an Emir to kill thee in the Sight of the whole Caravan, had not I fallen at his Feet, and told him, Thou wert a Stranger to the Customs of the Country.

Believe me, I do not reproach thee with this, but only make Use of it, as an Argu∣ment to convince thee, That the same Mo∣tive which prompted me 〈◊〉〈◊〉 interpose my self at that Time, between thee and Certain Death, induces me now to give thee Warn∣ing of a Precipice, of which thou art in Dan∣ger. Every one gives thee the Character of a brave Man, and no Body dislikes thee the Worse, for being of an Air as Fierce as a Tartar. All this becomes a Man of the Sword; And they say, thou dost every Thing with a Martial Grace.

But I am told likewise, that thou art Guil∣ty of Avarice: and that for the Lucre of Presents, thou enrollest Men in the List of the Janizaries, who are not fit to serve in the Wars; such as are House-keepers, Persons entangl'd with VVives and Children, with Debts and other Encumbrances: That they only appear on certain Days in the Military Habit, and then return to their Domestick Business, without ever regarding the Discipline of the Royal Chambers, or thinking them∣selves oblig'd to learn the Art of War: That thou in the mean Time takest their Pay, and many Additional Bribes, whilst they are only contented with the Title and Privilege of a Ja∣nizary, to shelter themselves from Justice, and protect them in their Rapine and Villanies.

I tell thee, shou'd this be known and prov'd against thee, it wou'd be to thy Ruine. But I hope better Things, and that these are only the Surmizes of thy Enemies. For, thou

knowest, that none ought to be admitted into that Ancient Order, but the Tributary Sons of the Nazarenes; who being in their Infancy listed in ••he College, know neither Father nor Patron, save the Grand Signior, who is the Common Parent and Protector of the Osman Empire. On his Service is all their Zeal and Courage fix'd, having no private Byass, no partial Inclinations, to warp them from the Fidelity they owe their Great Ma∣ster. They are devoted to Indefatigable Toils and Hardship, during their whole Life.

This was the First Institution of the Jani∣zaries, though through the Corruption of the Times, they have much degenerated from their Primitive Rules. But thou, who art honour'd with an High Command, wilt signa∣lize thy Vertue and Loyalty, in reforming these Abuses, and in not suffering the College of Men of War, to become a Receptacle of Rogues and Drones.

Such Disorders as these, have promoted the Intestine Broils of this Kingdom. I say not, that they are the Original Causes: Yet 'tis a great Diminution of Sovereign Majesty, when a King shall find his Own Armies fight∣ing against him, as they do at present here in France. How many Mutinies and Rebel∣lions have been rais'd by the licentious Jani∣zaries at Constantinople: When laying aside all Respect and Duty, they have not spar'd to violate the Seraglio it self; but entring within those Sacred Walls with Bands of Arm'd Men, have turn'd all things Topsy-Turvey, seiz'd on

the Imperial Treasure, chang'd the Domestick Officers of their Sovereign, and sometimes chas'd him from his O••••n Palace, to the Hazard, if not to the Los•• of his Life?

If thou would'st know what they are do∣ing here in France, the Men of Arms are cutting one anothers Throats, whilst the Rabble are burning their Neighbours out of their Houses.

Two Days agoe, the Multitude assembled in the Streets, and having beset a certain Pa∣lace in this City, they put Fire to it, resol∣ving to kill all that should attempt to make their Escape out of the Flames. A Per∣son of Quality coming out to pacify them, fell a Victim to their unbridl'd Rage: And had not the Duke of Beaufort (of whom I have often made mention in my Letters) in∣terpos'd his Authority, they had murder'd all that were within those suspected Walls.

Sometime before this, the Mareschal Tu∣renne took a Place of Strength from the Prince of Conde; who in Lieu of it took St. Denis, a Town not far from Paris, wherein there is a Temple, which the French say, is the Rich∣est in Europe. But they are laught at by the Italians, who boast of far Richer Mosques in Venice, Milan, Naples, and Rome.

The Duke of Lorain plays fast and loose with the Prince of Conde. He enter'd the Kingdom with an Army, pretending to espouse the Prince's Quarrel, but was quickly bought off by the Queen, so that he is now gone to Flanders again; by this Action leaving a

Free Passage to the King's Army under Mar∣shal Turenne, to ••ange whither they please, which were before block'd up by his For∣ces.

Four Days agoe there was a Bloody En∣counter, between the Troops of the Prince, and those of Marshal Turenne, in one of the Suburbs of Paris. Neither cou'd boast of the Victory, though the Battel lasted Five Hours. But at length, the Prince of Conde's Troops retir'd into the City, being frighten'd with the Main Body of the King's Army, which appear'd on the Neighbouring Hills.

Illustrious Janizary, fortify thy Heart with all the Necessary Retrenchments of He∣roick Vertue: And rather than Surrender to Temptations of Vice on dishonourable Terms, run the Hazard of a Storm.

Paris, 6th. of the 7th. Moon, of the Year 1652.