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 X.

To Cornezan Mustapha, Bassa.

THE Fame of Christina Queen of Sueden, has, no doubt, reach'd thy Ears: I have made Mention of her in several of my Let∣ters. That Royal Virgin, is now about to surrender her Crown to her Cousin, whom they call Charles Prince Palatine. This is a Volun∣tary Resignation: And her Motive is said to be, a strong Inclination to Solitude and a Pri∣vate Life; being esteem'd, the most Ac∣complish'd and Learn'd Princess of this Age. But those who pretend to know more than others, say, That the True Ground of her abandoning the Kingdom, is a Resolu∣tion she has taken to change her Religion, and embrace the Faith of the Roman Mufti, which is forbidden by the Laws of Sueden.

Thou wilt smile at the Proposals, which this Queen sent to her design'd Successor; and his Answer to them.

In the first Place, She will keep the Greatest Part of the Kingdom and Revenues in her own Hands.

Secondly, She will be no Subject; but alto∣gether Independent and Free.

Thirdly, She will have Liberty to travelinto Foreign Countries, or into any Part of that Dominion.

Lastly, She will not have the Offices of Trust, or any other Gifts that she shall have disposed of to her Favourites, revok'd by her Successor.

To these Articles, Prince Charles Answer'd,

• First, That he will not be a mere Titular King, without Dominions, nor without such a Revenue as is Necessary to defray the Royal Expences, both in Peace and War.
• Secondly, That he will suffer no Competi∣tor, Equal, or Sovereign in his Kingdom.
• Thirdly, That he will not run the Hazard of her Intrigues in Foreign Courts.
• Lastly, That if he be King, he will dispose of Preferments as he thinks fit. And, in Fine, That he will not be the Shadow of a King, without the Substantial Prerogatives of Sove∣reignty.

'Tis added, That when the Queen heard his Reply, she said aloud, I propos'd those Ar∣ticles only to try his Spirit. Now I esteem him Worthy to Reign, who so well understands the Incommunicable Rights of a Monarch.

This Intelligence comes by a Secretary to the Spanish Embassador who is newly come out of Sueden, to Negotiate at this Court a Ten Years Truce between France and Spain.

Here is likewise an Embassador from Portu∣gal, who acquaints the Court, That the Por∣tugueze have Expell'd the Hollanders out of the Places they held in the East Indies. But, if our Merchants bring true Intelligence, the Tartars will Exterminate all the Franks that are in China.

In the mean Time, the Young King of France, passes away his Hours in Dancing, seeing of Plays, and other Recreations, pro∣vided with vast Expence by Cardinal Ma∣zarini, to divert him from medling with Pub∣lick Affairs, and from thinking too seriously on the Sentence he has Pronounc'd in Parli∣ament, against the Prince of Conde.

One knows not well, how to blame the Prince of Conde's Proceedings; nor yet, to accuse the King of Injustice. Neither is it proper for a Mussulman-Slave, to decide the Controversy: Our Principles and Laws, are different from Theirs: And he that is esteem'd a Patriot here in the West, wou'd be Con∣demn'd for a Rebel, without Hesitation, in any Part of the East; where but One God in Heaven, and One Sovereign on Earth, is ac∣knowledg'd by the Subjects of every Kingdom and Empire.

But in France, the Princes of the Royal Blood, are Invested with such a Power as ren∣ders it difficult for those under their Com∣mand, to distinguish 'em from Supream Mo∣narchs. Yet, not One of them possesses a Government, Equal to that of the Bassa of Egypt; or Superiour to his of Aleppo.

I have spoken of these Princes formerly, in some of my Letters to the Happy Mini∣sters of Him, who when he pleases, can make the Greatest Sovereigns, the Squires of his Stirrup.

And therefore, 'twill be needless to say any more on that Subject, but only to acquaint

thee, That the French Court, tho' they can∣not relent of the Rigour they have us'd toward the Prince of Conde, yet seem willing to com∣pound the Business with his Son, the Young Duke of Enguien; and by a Subtle Artifice, to strike Two strokes for the State at once. A Great Duke of this Realm, has been lately dispatch'd to the Duke of Orleans, to propose a Match between his Daughter and Conde's Heir. Whereby the Estate of the Prince of Conde, will fall to the Duke of Orleans's Pos∣session, during the Minority of the Young Couple. This is a Wheedle to reconcile the King's Uncle to the Court, who has been a long Time estrang'd. But 'tis thought, his Displeasure is of too deep a Dye, to be wash'd off with Court-Holy-Water.

I have no more News to tell thee, save the Death of a certain Prince, whom they call the Duke of Elboeuf. And it is of no Im∣port to the Divan, whether a Hundred of these Infidel Princes die every Day, or no, so long as the Grand Signior lives, and is ever sup∣ply'd with Faithful Ministers.

For His Health I pray, before the Sun peeps o'er the Tops of the Eastern Mountains, and after he hides himself in the Valleys of the West. Neither do I rise from my Knees at the Five appointed Hours, without an Orai∣son for Chornesan, and the other Bassa's of the Port.

Paris, 10th. of the 6th. Moon, of the Year 1654.