The History of the Turks describing the rise and ruin of their first empire in Persia, the original of their second : containing the lives and reigns of their several kings and emperors from Ottoman its first founder to this present year, 1683, being a succinct series of history, of all their wars (forreign and domestick) policies, customs, religion and manners, with what else is worthy of note in that great empire.

CHAP. XIX. Mustapha the first of that Name Ninth Em∣perour of the Turks his Life and Actions.

AChmat being dead Mustapha his Brother, (the First that had been saved alive since the foun∣dation of the Ottoman Empire) succeeded him by his appointment, his Children of which Os∣man was the Eldest being too weak to sway the Scepter of so mighty an Empire. So that this Mu∣stapha, brought from a straight Prison every day ex∣pecting Death, now advanced to a Throne to rule the East, forgeting his former devout Life, began to Tyrannize over his Subjects more then his Pre∣decessors; which caused him to be hated of many, especially for that he imprisoned the French Ambas∣sador and his servants, breaking thereby the Law of Nations; upon pretence that they had been instru∣mental in the escape of Prince Coreskie out of the Black Tower, who by the assistance of a Greek Priest descended from the top thereof, on a rople Ladder drawn up by a bottom of Packthred brought in a Pie to the said Prince by the Ambassadors Se∣cretary, though contrary to his knowledge, with the Prince likewise escaped one Rigaut a French Cap∣tain, who by the assistance of the said Priest, disgui∣sed in Priestly Vestments for that purpose prepared, got passage into Italy, notwithstanding all the Ports were beset with their pursuers. Nor was the Am∣bassador only imprisoned but his servants and him∣self

evilly intreated, especially the former, two of which were put to the torture according to the Turkish manner, which is to Iay them upon their Belly on a Table, and to beat their Buttocks, the Calves of their Legs, and Soles of their Feet, with a flat staff, giving them ere they cease 100 or 200 blows, yet the Servants confessed nothing, where∣upon they caught a Weaver being a Turk, whose Shop was near the Ambassadors house: whom they tortured in the like manner, but he as the others had done could reveal nothing against the Ambassador, who for all that was obliged to pay 30000 Sultanies for his own release and his Servants. These and such like insolencies, together with the Imprisonment of young Osman and his Brethren, made the Grand Vizar, who was then on the Confines of Persia to haste to Constantinople with his Army, at whose ap∣proach Osman was taken out of Prison and Proclaim∣ed Emperour (so suddain are the changes of fortune in great as well as little affairs) and the proud Sultan Mustapha inforced for fear of the inraged Souldiers to betake himself again to his Cell, or rather Pri∣son, where for a while I shall leave him, and relate what happened during the Reign of Osman.