Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz/Book 2

by Václav Vratislav z Mitrovic

 

BOOK II.

 

Of the Residence of the Imperial Embassy at Constantinople.

 

 

HESE three pashas, and many others, as well as various Turkish oflicials, whether afterwards converted to the Turkish religion, although the children of Christian parents, and although many of them had lived a consider able time in the Christian faith, are, nevertheless, not over-kindly disposed towards Christians. And it is matter of wonder that they have arrived at such great dignity; for they regulate the whole dominions of the Turkish emperor, containing numerous kingdoms and princedoms, and govern them by their wisdom and understanding, on which depend the whole management of the lands of the Turkish emperor. As long as any one of them lives, so long does he remain in honour; but when he dies, everything—were it millions—falls again into the imperial treasury, for the Emperor says to them:—“Thou hast been my man,^[1] thou hast gained wealth from me; it is a proper thing that, after thy death, it should be returned back again to me.” Their children do not inherit any landed property, unless their father secretly provides them with ready money, or helps them, in his lifetime, to some office, or procures for them an estate, or a current pension from the Emperor. Never, therefore, did I hear it said of any pasha, or observe, either in Constantinople, or in the whole land of Turkey, that any pasha was a natural-born Turk; on the contrary, they are either the kidnapped children of Christian parents, or persons captured in childhood, or persons who have turned Turks.

They told us, for instance, that Cykula Pasha was captured, when twelve years old, in a boat with his father, and that when the Turks promised him that they would release his father from captivity provided he turned Turk, he did so, wishing to aid his father. The Turks, certainly, did release the father; but sent him home so carefully that he died within three days. The son, who had become a Turk, having once tasted Turkish freedom and pleasures, proceeded gradually to worse and worse, till now he will have nothing to do with Christianity; but, on the contrary, is pasha and high-admiral, and is a great enemy of the Christians, as he showed in the battle of Erlau, in Hungary, in the year 1596. In that battle, when our soldiers had given themselves up to plundering the Turkish tents, he, with his fifteen renegades, or Christians who had become Turks, charged back again upon our men, forced them to flee, and was the cause that so many Bohemians and good men were slain.

Synan Pasha, (who was at this time mazul, that is, deprived of all his offices, and being, as it were, in disgrace with the Emperor, was living on his estates, and was the person who afterwards had us put into prison,) and Ferhat Pasha, an audience at whose house I have mentioned above, were both of an Albanian family, first cousins, and employed in feeding swine. On being taken captive they were placed, with many other kidnapped children, in the Emperor’s serail, or palace, and were entrusted to the chief cook to learn cookery; but in the ease of Synan Pasha something else displayed itself as regards his future destiny. Watching an op portunity, when the Emperor Selim was about to go out riding, and having taught himself the Turkish language, he fell on his knees before the Emperor, and humbly begged him to order him and his cousin to be taught to read and write, and not to leave them any longer in the kitchen. The Emperor, looking at his person, was pleased with his figure, and therefore immediately gave orders that so it should be. Being both taken out of the kitchen, in a short time they learned so successfully to read and write Turkish that Synan surpassed all the other boys in wit, strength, and beauty of language. The Emperor, learning this, had him instructed in riding, running, wrestling, and shooting with the bow; and herein he many times displayed such distinguished heroism before the Emperor himself, that the latter, and his courtiers, were struck with admiration, and Synan was made an itzokdan, or page. On arriving at a maturer age he begged that he might go to war with some pasha or other; and there he be haved so heroically that he obtained honour and praise above all men. He was first made an aga, or captain, and conducted himself so manfully that he was often the cause of victory. For instance, he did the Christians a great deal of harm at Famagusta, in the island of Cyprus. After this he became beglerbeg, then pasha, and lastly grand vizier. He was also engaged at the siege of Malta, conducted a campaign against the Persians, and remained some years in favour, which continued till a few weeks before we arrived at Constantinople. He was then, no one knows why, suspended from all his offices. However, as a faithful friend, so long as fortune favoured him, he never forgot his cousin Ferhat, but always helped him higher and higher, till, finally, he helped him to the highest dignity, so that Ferhat had, in our time, been made grand vizier, in the place of Synan.

With regard to Ferhat, Herr Resident Petsch related to us, that, some years ago, (at that time Herr Petsch was secretary to the imperial ambassador at Constantinople, and Ferhat a pasha,) the imperial ambassador died, (to the best of my recollection he was an Austrian gentleman, Herr von Zizing,^[2]) and when his corpse had been removed to Austria, the Emperor Rudolf thought fit to appoint and confirm Herr Petsch, seeing that he was a worthy man, as his ambassador in place of the preceding one. It being a custom among courtiers to wish each other joy of their posts, Ferhat gave orders for Herr Petsch to be visited and congratulated on his new office through his steward. The steward informed Herr Petsch that he ought to give the pasha about 1,000 dollars, and a handsome beaker. He sent him the beaker, but no money. When, therefore, Ferhat was made grand vizier he sent for Herr Doctor Petsch, and asked him, with vehement reproaches, why the annual present, which they call the tribute, had not been paid. Herr Petsch excused himself, and proved that the time had not yet come, and that no tribute had ever been in arrear; nay, he promised that he would send one of his servants to Vienna, and expressed his willingness to take measures for the tribute to be brought earlier. The vizier, having nothing else against him, had him asked, through an interpreter, where the King of Vienna (for this is the appellation they give our emperor, refusing to call him emperor, and asserting that their Sultan is the Roman emperor, as the throne of the Roman emperors was transferred from Rome to Constantinople) obtained the power of being able to make a rascally clerk into so distinguished a resident at the court of the Turkish emperor? To this, Herr Petsch answered without thinking, that, if the Sultan had the power to make swineherds and cowherds into the highest pashas, his lord, the Emperor of Rome, had the power of making a clerk into an ambassador, and of sending whom he pleased to the imperial court at Constantinople. Thereupon Ferhat smiled, and admiring his audacious language, merely said these words, in Turkish, to the bystanders: “Baka, baka, pre haranzada gaur!” that is, “See, see this audacious pagan!” Let us now pass again to our own embassy.

On Dec. 8, early in the morning, my lord ambassador Kregwitz had the ready money, 45,000 broad dollars, placed in carriages, and sent it beforehand to the imperial palace, with his dragoman, or interpreter. Then, about ten o’clock, both my lords the ambassadors rode, after the previous fashion, to the Emperor with their attendants, who went before us, two-and-two, carrying the presents of silver plate and clocks. On arriving at the first gate of the palace we saw about 100 kapigi soldiers, whom they call doorkeepers, standing by it with weapons. These kapigi are like the halberdiers or lifeguards of the Roman emperor, and their officers are employed as commissaries, or rather as executioners. For when any change is to take place among the pashas at court, or if the Sultan commands any of the principal courtiers to be strangled, the sentence is usually executed through the agency of these kapigi,^[3] who are therefore held in great honour among the Turks. Having been admitted into the first square, we saw handsome buildings everywhere at the sides, in which the court artizans have all kinds of shops and workshops, just as in front of the palace at Prague. When we got to the other side, there was a guard of similar soldiers standing at the gate, on reaching which we were all obliged to dismount; for into the third square, where the Sultan lives, no one, not even any of the pashas, is allowed to ride on horseback, but all dismount in the second square, and go to court on foot. In the second square stood many hundred very beautiful Turkish and Arabian horses, covered with embroidered housings and glittering with gold and precious stones, which were held by grooms, who, as at Prague, though in greater numbers, were in waiting in front of the palace. These grooms stand in a very cleanly and quiet manner, so that there is no shouting, laughing, and noise to be heard there; and if any horse makes a mess there are men appointed for the purpose, who immediately collect and clear it away. They afterwards dry the horsedung in the sun, beat it with a mallet through fine sieves, and make it into litter for the horses; for no straw can be obtained for litter in Constantinople. Our people also learned this from the Turks, and littered the horses in this way, and when the horses had become used to it they rested as willingly upon it as upon straw.

When we had dismounted, my lords the ambassadors went on foot through the gate into the third square, and we after them. Two pashas, counsellors of the Sultan, came out to meet and welcome them. At this gate stood several hundred janissaries. The two pashas led my lords the ambassadors into the divan or council, and we stood there also; and upon its being explained to the pashas what was to be said to the Sultan in conversation, they gave orders that nothing else should be said but what they had now heard. The two pashas went first, with their hands placed crosswise, out of the council-chamber, and proceeded to the Emperor to announce my lord the ambassador. This third square is large and clean, and the imperial apartments are opposite the gate. On both sides and also on the third side, where the gate is, the whole building is only two stories high; the eunuch chamberlains live in the apartments on the right hand, and the Emperor’s wives in those on the left. From the gate to the imperial apartments stood about two or three thousand janissaries on the right, in caps and coloured mantles, that looked as if they had been painted, and on the left as many spahis or horse-soldiers, who were, however, on foot, there being no horses there, quite up to the imperial apartments. And although there were some thousands of people there, nevertheless there was no shouting, no conversation, no moving hither and thither, but all stood so quietly that we could not help wondering; nay, even the janissaries, although furious and licentious people in war, here observed greater obedience towards their commander than boys towards their preceptor, standing as quiet as if they had been hewn out of marble. The aforesaid two pashas, when they came walking, without any suite, between these spahis and janissaries, laid both hands on their breasts, and bending their heads, did obeisance first to the janissaries and then to the spahis, all of whom, by way of reply, bent their heads almost to their knees, and stood thus stooping till the pashas had passed them all. And when the pashas had announced the imperial ambassadors, saying that they desired to kiss the Sultan’s hand, they again saluted the spahis and janissaries on both sides, returned to our lords the ambassadors, and instructed them how they and the principal persons of their suite were to behave in the Sultan’s presence. They also forbad my lord the ambassador to take any number of people with him; and he acted on their advice, not taking with him any but persons of baronial or equestrian rank. The presents of silver plate were held by janissaries in front of the Emperor’s apartment, that he might see them.

My lords the ambassadors, and we in their train, walked after the pashas through these troops, and did reverence to all of them on each side, taking off our hats and bending our heads, which was done to us in return by them. When we arrived at the imperial apartments, an eunuch, Kapi Aga, the chief chamberlain, came out to meet us, who, after doing obeisance and welcoming us, conducted us into the great saloon or hall, which was all hung with valuable Persian tapestry and carpets interwoven with gold and silver. Here again the pashas went once more through one room to the Sultan, and on returning asked our lord whether he had any weapon, dagger, or knife about his person. Both my lords the ambassadors having answered that they had nothing of the sort, the two pashas took them each by one hand,—a custom observed among the Turks ever since a Croat, having requested and obtained an audience, assassinated Sultan Murad, and avenged the death of his lord, Marko, the despot of Servia. The chamberlains opened a door, concealed by handsome tapestry, glittering with gold and precious stones; and these pashas conducted my lord the ambassador into the presence of the Emperor, and made a low obeisance to the Emperor. My lord the ambassador made as though he would kneel upon his knees; but the pashas, by order of the Sultan, held him up, and did not allow him to kneel upon the ground. Then a dragoman or Turkish interpreter, a renegade, or Christian who had turned Turk, was brought, and spoke in short sentences to the Sultan, at the dictation of my lord the ambassador.

First, he delivered the greeting from his Imperial Majesty, and then kissed and presented, with an obeisance, his letter credential to the Sultan, which the Sultan handed to Muhamet Pasha, as his chancellor, and asked how our Emperor was in health. After these questions my lord the ambassador stood aside. Thereupon, in the same manner and form, Herr Petsch was introduced by the two pashas, kissed the Sultan’s hand, and also stood aside. After that, having all been previously searched by the Turkish chamberlains, to see whether any body had a dagger or knife—but, of course, knowing that we should be introduced to the Emperor, we had nothing of the sort—we were conducted, one by one, by the chamberlains to the Emperor in the same room, and, when each had kissed his hand, were again conducted out of it. I cannot describe the apartment where the Emperor sat, on a place about half-an-ell elevated from the ground, and covered behind him with very beautiful gold brocade cushions, embroidered with precious stones and pearls, for it was impossible to notice it in so short a time, and, indeed, I looked more at the face of the Emperor than at the beauty of the room; only there were some balls hanging from the ceiling, which glittered very much, but I do not know whether they were made of looking-glass, or studded with precious stones.

After transacting our business, we returned from the divan in the same fashion, and the pashas invited my lords the residents to take refreshment, and placed a table for them in a separate room, where they dined sitting on chairs, although the Turks are not accustomed to eating at a table, and sitting on chairs. They entertained us, also, in the open saloon, but on the ground, which was spread with handsome carpets. But, before they gave us anything to eat, we saw how the Turkish emperor is served. First came about 200 cup-bearers, or servers, dressed almost uniformly in red silk dresses, and with caps on their heads like those of the janissaries, except that about a span above the head they were embroidered with gold. These having placed themselves in a row from the kitchen to the Sultan’s apartment, first did fitting reverence to all by an inclination of the head, and then stood close to each other, just as if they had been painted figures. When it was dinner time, the superintendent of the kitchen brought from the cook a porcelain dish, and another covered dish, handed it to the waiter nearest him, he to a third, and so on till it came to the one who stood nearest to the Emperor’s apartment. There, again, stood other chamberlains, and one handed it to another, till the viands were carried very quickly, and without the slightest noise or clatter, to the Emperor’s table. Several of them again placed themselves in a similar row to the place where the pashas and my lords the ambassadors were ready to eat, and handed the dishes from one to another till they placed them on the table. About sixteen of them, also, placed the viands in the same manner upon the floor, which was covered with carpets, first covering the carpets with handsomely-embroidered Persian leather, instead of table-cloths. Our viands were boiled and baked fowls, soup and rice, sweet mince-meat, baked matton, and salads of small, and, to us, unusual and disagreeable herbs; we had painted spoons, no knives, and no wine. When any one wished to drink, a Turk, who had at his girdle a vessel of Persian leather, distended like bagpipes, with silver-gilt trumpets attached to it, poured out into silver-gilt goblets a sweet-water compound of sugar and lemons, which they call Arab sherbet, and handed it to the guests. This water I like very well.

Having spent here about half-an-hour at dinner, we rose from table, and some janissaries, having received from us the presents intended for the Emperor, took them away to their quarters. These presents were as follows:—a large silver-gilt ewer, with a basin; a second basin, silver-gilt, with handsome twisted and chased work, with an ewer; two large cans, like water-cans, ornamented with pomegranates and flowers, silver-gilt, and ornamented with enamel; two large silver-gilt goblets, in the shape of a Turkish cap; two large silver-gilt pails, all with work of masterly workmanship; two large silver-gilt candlesticks; also, two pair of gilt snuffers; two large gilt dishes, a large gilt bottle, in the shape of a moon; a hexagonal ball, artistically adorned with chains, which twisted themselves surprisingly when the clock struck; a clock in the shape of a tower, upon the striking of which, Turkish jugglers, in the different rooms, ran about and peeped out; another strikingclock of chased work; a large square clock, a masterpiece of art, upon the striking whereof Turks ran out, mounted on horses and fought, and, when it left off striking, went in again; a long clock, on which stood a wolf, carrying a goose in his mouth, on the striking of which, the wolf fled, and a Turk hastened after him with his gun ready to shoot, and when the last stroke was about to strike, shot at the wolf; a large square smooth clock, on the top of which a Turk turned his eyes, and when it struck, moved his head and mouth. After dinner we returned to our hotel in the same fashion in which we had ridden to the Emperor.

 

List of the Persons who came with my Lord the Ambassador to Constantinople.

 

Herr Frederic Kregwitz, ambassador of the Roman Emperor, Rudolf II; Andrew Hoffman, George von Landau, Kregwitz, the brother of my lord the ambassador; Albert von Thurn, Frederic Malowetz, Gebhard Weltzer, John Frederic von Oberheim, Kaspar von Hohenfürth, Henry Schwenitz, Smil Zahradetzky, Francis Jurkowitz, Conrad Pretorius, the physician; John Pertholdt, John Seltzer, John Kapl von Turkhaus, William Wratsky, John Reinhart von Stampach, George Reitter, Ladislaw Mörthen, the steward, (who afterwards turned Turk;) Bernard Schahner, grand equerry; John von Winorz, the chaplain; Gabriel Hahu, the secretary; John Rhandleberger, the vice-secretary; my lord’s gentlemen, Eustace von Prankh, George Lasota; the chamberlains, Adam Wolfgang, John Malowekz, Mark Reindler; pages of the chamber, Sigismund Fink, Melchior Kregwitz, John Perlinger, John Wenzel Wratislaw von Mitrowitz, Stephen Lang, Balthazar von Kopet; Kasper Malek, the interpreter, or speaker; Paul Gertzemond, the cup-bearer; Luke Meminger, the purveyor; Henry Jahn, the caterer; Sebastian Hausnik, the cellarer; Frederic Seydl, the apothecary; Christopher Haas, the barber; Blasius Cyrenthaller, the goldsmith and clockmaker; John Æder, the silversmith; Michael Fisher, the painter; Christopher Warazda, the Hungarian tailor; Daniel Ragsky, the sacristan; the chiefcook, Christopher N.; the remaining cooks, John Tyngel, Philip Peckstein, Jacob Brenk; the confectioner, Wawrinetz Schmid; the grooms, John Halpach, Isaac Czoth, John Pockh; Kilian Shenkel, the blacksmith; Christopher Zikan, my lord’s coachman; John Bornamissa, Peter Weber, Janush Krabat, John Reich. These were the attendants of my lord the ambassador, besides the rest of the suite, who came with the carriages, and returned back again with Herr Petsch to Vienna.

 

When we returned to our hotel, we each got our rooms ready for ourselves, as the attendants of Herr Petsch vacated them for us, and prepared for their journey from Constantinople to Vienna. After living with us here about a fortnight. Herr Petsch took leave of the pashas, and, bidding adieu to us, left the city with great joy, for he had already, to a certain extent, perceived that some change would take place.

After the departure of Herr Petsch, our ambassador gave a splendid entertainment every day, and whoever of the chief Christians and Turks thought fit, might dine with him, so that scarcely any day passed without our having Turkish guests, in whose company we saw many of their customs, and asked questions about the rest. There was also assigned to us, for guard and safety, that no one might injure us, or enter into the house without the leave and knowledge of my lord, a chief chiaous from the imperial court, an old veteran, whom our lord had to keep in food daily, pay monthly wages to, and clothe twice a year. The chiaous had three servants, who never went out all at once. He being lodged on the ground-floor, close to the door of our house, and his attendants above him, they all gave attentive heed to the persons who went hither and thither, and never let any one into the house whom they did not like. There were also assigned to this chiaous, for our protection, whenever we wished to ride or walk anywhere in the city or out of the city, four chief janissaries, for whom a fixed quantity of food, monthly wages, and two suits of clothes a year, with silver trumpets and staves, had to be provided by my lord the ambassador. Orders were also strictly given them by their aga, or captain, to take care that no harm happened to any of us. The Turkish sultan gave orders to provide and deliver to us provisions daily, viz. a quarter of an ox, two sheep, six fowls, a certain measure of rice, sugar, and honey; forage for the horses, spices, salt, raisins, and wine; and a Turk, whom they call a saka, brought us water for necessary uses in leathern bags. To this man, also, my lord the ambassador gave food and annual wages. Not having anything else to do, we learnt music, of the kind each liked, and some of us learnt the art of shooting with bows and arrows.

Once upon a time some of us being curious to see the church of St. Sophia, we took a janissary with us in order to see it. We were admitted to it through special favour and indulgence, and also through presents and the intercession of the janissary, and saw it throughout. It was erected by Justinian, the thirteenth eastern emperor, and he continued building it at great expense for many years in succession; but the Turks have now made it into their own mosque, or conventicle. It is a circular and very lofty building, in the form of the Roman temple called the Pantheon, which Agrippa built, and which is now called the Rotunda; but the church of St. Sophia is much higher and wider. It has in the midst a very lofty vaulted roof, and a circular crypt, into which light enters merely by an opening made to let in the air. It has three very handsome galleries, one above the other, adorned with remarkable marble pillars, of wonderful height, and so thick that two men can scarcely embrace one of them; there are, also, many lamps constantly burning in it; in a word, I never saw a more beautiful temple. It is said that, in the time of the Christians, this church was much larger, and more extensive by many appendages; but these have long gone to ruin, and only the choir itself, and the middle part have remained. Almost all the Turkish temples are built upon the model of this. In this temple there is still a picture of the most Holy Trinity in the ceiling, near the imperial seat, formed of good mosaic work of various colours, which the Turks leave in its original form; but they have put out the eyes of all the persons, and Sultan Selim shot an arrow at this picture, and pierced the hand of one Person, and the arrow still sticks in it.

Close to this temple are the tombs of the Turkish emperors, and of some of their wives and children, who have been strangled. These are of a circular form, like a kind of chapel, and covered with a lead roof. Each sultan’s, or sultana’s, coffin is wrapped in valuable and beautiful scarlet, and covered at the top with gold brocade. At the head of each coffin is a turban, made of very beautiful and fine linen, which they wore on their heads while living, as well as a very beautiful bunch of cranes’ feathers. Behind the head of each coffin stand two large wax-candles, on candlesticks, in the form of round and pointed balls, which, however, were not at that time lighted. By the side of the coffin of the Turkish Emperor Soliman was a beautiful sabre, adorned with precious stones, and a bow and a quiver, in token that he had ended his life in war. In these chapels, where the dead bodies lie, are constantly, day and night, talismanlars and hodzyaslars. Turkish monks, appointed for the purpose, who, sitting crosslegged, after the Turkish fashion, say prayers for the dead bodies, and sing mournful hymns. It is impossible not to admire the masterly manner in which this temple, and the sepulchral chapels round it, are built. Whichever way you go to the temple, there are open squares, with a very handsome marble cistern in each, in which the Turks purify themselves after their fashion, before they enter the temple. We saw not only this temple, but, by means of fees, almost all their conventicles, which are adorned with beautiful marble columns, and are certainly objects of great admiration to a person previously unacquainted with them.

The same day we also saw their imarets, or hospitals, and also their baths, and bathed in them. It is true that the Turks do not spend much money on buildings, nevertheless, the principal people lay out large sums on mosques, baths, hospitals, and inns, and have them built in an astonishingly handsome style. As regards the remaining houses, we lounged as much as we liked up and down the city, but sought in vain for beauty in either the buildings or the streets, the latter of which, by their narrowness, put an end to all agreeable appearance. Amongst the historical reliques there is the wide site of the ancient Hippodrome, or measured space for horse-racing, in which you see two copper serpents. There is also a stone column, square and wide below, and pointed at top, and two other columns worthy of mention; one opposite the caravanserai, or hotel, where we lodged, and the other in the market-place, which they call the Auratpasar, or woman-market. On this column, from bottom to top, is engraved the history of the campaign of the Emperor Arcadius, who had it erected, and his own statue placed on the top. This column may rather be called a winding staircase than a column, on account of the steps constructed in it, upon which you can ascend inside from the bottom to the top. This column, which stands opposite the house of the ambassador of our Emperor, without reckoning the pedestal or basement, and without reckoning the capital, is formed of eight entire blocks of red marble, so artistically united that it seems to be but a single stone; and, indeed, the common people imagine it to be such: for where one stone is joined to another, the suture is entwined with a laurel-wreath, and thus the juncture of these eight blocks is concealed from the eyes of people looking at the column from below, the whole of it being ornamented with a laurel-wreath from bottom to top. This column has clefts and rents from frequent earthquakes, and is fastened together with many iron clamps and rings, to keep it from falling, and is, as it were, begirt with them. Upon this pillar, as they relate, stood formerly a statue of Apollo, afterwards, one of the Emperor Constantine, and finally, one of the Emperor Theodosius the Elder. But, owing to the height of the column, violent winds, or earthquakes, have swept all these statues away.

We saw also, in Constantinople, wild beasts of various nature and form; lynxes and wild cats, leopards, bears, and lions, so tame and domesticated, that they are led up and down the city by chains and ropes. We saw also divers reptiles which we had never seen before; various birds; all sorts of juggling games with asses, horses, mules, and other animals, which take place every day on the open space of the hippodrome, which the Turks call Almayden. Here are fencers; here they shoot with bows; here are a singular kind of wrestlers naked, except that they wear oiled-leather breeches, that no one may be easily able to grasp and hold them; here they give challenges for wrestling-matches, and wrestle together, and amuse any one who offers them a few aspers.

Here, too, we saw Turkish religious feeling. A Christian, a poor Greek, brought to the place a number of thistle-finches in a cage, and a Turk went up to him and bought them; next, taking out one, he looked strangely up and down around him, and muttered something, and then, placing the bird on the palm of his hand, cried out, Allaha, and let it go; and thus he did with the rest also, having no other thought than that he was doing great honour to God and Mahomet, and might expect a certain recompence for freeing the birds from confinement. I also saw green birds there so cleverly trained that they are lured from a great distance, and if anybody holds up his hand, they fly on it, and if he has an asper in his hand, the bird takes it with his beak and carries it to his master, who gives it in return a grain or seed, and puts it back again into the cage; he repeats the same process with each bird, letting them out one after the other. One Turk had, at least, fifteen of these birds, to which we gave away and wasted a good many aspers. Hence it is manifest that in Turkey, as well as with us, knaves cheat the people out of their money by idle tricks. In this open space, as long as peace lasted between our Emperor and the Sultan, every Friday, which the Turks hallow as a Sunday, provided it was fine weather, there met about 800 or 900 young men, Turks belonging to the court, each dressed as handsomely as possible, wearing a long velvet or scarlet dress, and long trousers, drawn together at the ancles, with handsome sabres, bridles, and saddles, and, above all, exceedingly beautiful horses. These they rode, or had led by leading-reins, and each carried in his hand a long stick, as thick as a stout man’s thumb, and a fathom and a half long, like a dart, and had a small wooden hook at his saddle-bow. When they had all assembled, they divided into two parties, and, as with us a game is played among boys on foot, so they rode out against each other on horseback, threw their sticks at each other, and if any one heedlessly rode out too far, they took him prisoner, and set him on one side. When each had thrown his stick, they picked them up from the ground with their wooden hooks, sometimes at full gallop, while others showed their agility by springing down from their horses, and leaping into the saddle without help, and without making any use of their stirrups. Others again, when three or four had hurled their wands at some one, seizing in their hands, at full gallop, sometimes one and sometimes two of them, and, turning in a moment, chased again those who had chased them, and threw their sticks with good aim at their backs. They practise this stick-throwing in order, in time of war, to be able to throw darts sharply against the enemy. And their great agility is certainly matter of admiration, for, as ladies from windows, and thousands of the common people are looking at them, each seeks to display his manhood, and show his agility. Here you can see the most beautiful horses, neatly covered with Persian carpets, as the grooms of almost all pashas, begs, and other honourable lords, ride to that spot with their principal horses, leading them by ten, fifteen, or more, by leading-reins, and when one horse is tired, the youths who ride the races mount another, till all are wearied. Among these youths was a merry, pleasant fellow, who was courting the wife—others said the daughter—of a certain pasha. He had six most exquisitely beautiful horses, so that nothing could be more beautiful, and everything upon them was of gold and precious stones; and he was so swift that no one could get the better of him in a race, for he sprang down from his horse as though he flew, and taking up his wand, got into the saddle, as though he had never been on the ground, chasing the rest just like a bird, and darting away from them again, so that no one could catch him: besides, he was so quick in seizing the wands, and changing them from one hand to the other, that his agility is scarcely credible; and he, therefore, obtained praise from all. Next to him was a Moor, or Arab, the chamberlain of a pasha, who also exhibited great quickness, but was, nevertheless, not equal to the first, neither had he such swift horses. When they had played for about two or three hours, tired their horses, and galloped till they were satisfied, a kind of penalty was laid upon those who had lost, and a mahraman, i. e. a handkerchief embroidered with gold, or a bow and arrows, or something else, was given by the maidens^[4] to him who had behaved best. This is a far different knightly amusement to what there is with us; for when we meet as good friends, we do nothing but challenge each other immoderately in drinking and gormandizing, and make each other eat more than is proper, and if any one gets drunk and falls downstairs, we are delighted at having put him in this condition, and laugh at him. Moreover, if one refuses to fill his glass along with the rest, we immediately begin quarrelling, using compulsion, bullying, and other disorderly proceedings against the law of the Lord God, whence, afterwards, arise law-suits and disturbances. But enough now of this; may the Lord God himself amend us!

We were also admitted, in company with the janissary, into the stables of the Turkish emperor, and gazed with pleasure upon his exceedingly beautiful horses. These stables are of several kinds; in some are the principal horses for the Sultan himself, in others, trotting and ambling horses, mules for carriages, dromedaries, as well as entire colts, &c, which are brought every year from Barbary and Arabia for the Emperor. These have a mane and tail devoid of hair, and are then like stags. At the proper time they are put into open yards to be fed up, and are anointed with a certain salve to encourage their growth, after which they grow a very beautiful and slender tail. The Turks do not use their horses for riding before four years old, and they can stand so much the more work, because they do not exhaust and knock them up so much in their youth as we do in Bohemia. We went, afterwards, into the Emperor’s pleasure or summer house, and also into his garden, but that could only be done at certain hours, lest anybody should be there. Here we saw most delightful spots, many kinds of flowers, most pleasant parterres and lawns, delightful vales, flowing streams, and abundance of groves, not so much artificially constructed by men, as growing spontaneously by nature. Here goddesses formerly dwelt; here the muses had their seats; here learned men selected spots for meditation in private. Thus, after gazing on everything thoroughly, and gathering nosegaye of sweet-scented flowers, we sincerely lamented that this most beautiful spot, and the whole of this most delightful region, should remain in the power of the Turks. Furthermore, we saw the serail of the janissaries, where they live, and keep themselves in a very tidy condition, possessing guns, sabres, and battle-axes, beautifully polished, and hung up in cloth cases and sheaths. In this place the atchamoglans are instructed in all manner of military matters. The serail is not far from the first mosque which Sultan Mahomet caused to be erected, in honour of the taking of the city, on the place where the Christian church of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul had previously stood.

In Constantinople there are also large gardens, surrounded with walls, on which cats usually jump and assemble, waiting at certain hours for people to come and give them alms. For it is customary among the Turks to boil and bake paunches, lights, livers, and pieces of meat, and carry them in wooden buckets up and down the city, crying out, “Kedy et, kedy et!” i. e. “Cat’s meat!” A kitchen-boy also carries on his shoulders a number of spits, upon which are baked pieces of meat, liver, and spleen, and cries in the streets, “Tiupek et, tiupek et!” i. e. ”Dog’s meat!” till they ring again. Behind him run three-score dogs or more, looking to him to be served. The Turks buy this food, distribute it to the dogs, and throw it to the cats upon the wall; for these superstitious and barbarous people imagine that they obtain especial favour in the eyes of God by giving alms even to irrational cattle, cats, dogs, fish, birds, and other live creatures; and, therefore, they consider it a great sin to kill and destroy captured birds, and prefer to ransom them with money, and release them into their previous state of freedom, that they may fly away. They also throw bread to fishes in the water for them to live upon. They have a custom of distributing bread, meat, and other victuals to cats and dogs, of which a very large number are found daily in the streets, at certain places, and definite times; and it is an undoubted truth that on the walls of these gardens the cats breakfast in good time in the morning, and assemble for the second time at the hour of the evening meal, in large bodies out of the whole city, and stand on the look out; for we went purposely to these walls, listened to their caterwauling, and, with greatlaughter, watched how they ran out of the houses and assembled. So, too, we several times saw Turkish matrons and old women buying pieces of meat on the spit from the kitchen-boys, or from the public kitchens, which are not far from this place, and handing them on a long stick or wand to the cats as they sit on the walls, muttering meanwhile a kind of Turkish prayers. Pieces of raw meat are also carried about the city on spits, which the Turks buy and throw up to the kites, which fly about in crowds, and catch them in their claws. We, too, bought some of this meat for fun, and threw it to the kites, and watched, with great merriment, how they tumbled over one another as they flew to seize the meat. A countless number of these kites fly over the city, and the Turks allow no one to shoot or injure them, saying that it is a sacred bird, because, in the time of Mahomet their prophet, when he began to build a temple in the midst of Mecca, these kites brought him things that were not at hand in sufficient abundance for the building, e. g. sand, stones, lime, and water, and loyally assisted their Mahomet in building the temple. It is in the same city, Mecca, that the body of their false prophet lies very magnificently entombed.

There are, also, in Constantinople certain persons who, for the sake of a Divine recompence, carry everywhere about the city fresh spring water in leathern bags, with tubes in them like bagpipes, out of which they pour the water into tin cups, and whosoever wishes to drink, be he Turk, Christian, or Jew, they give him to drink. Many in their last wills give directions for this, and appoint perpetual wages for persons who serve in this manner.

A great many fowls go also about the city, one after another in a row, and sometimes by tens, twenties, and even fifties, and their guide, who leads them from one house to another, and asks for alms, is either afflicted with defective sight, or blind of one eye. To these no one ever refuses alms, for they hold them for holy people, because they are said to have been at the city of Mecca, and to have visited and seen the most holy tomb of Mahomet. On this account, therefore, desiring nothing for themselves in this world, and not wishing to gaze any longer on vanities, they voluntarily heat an iron red hot, and, strewing a certain powder upon it, hold their eyes over it until they are dissolved, firmly believing that, in recompence for this their blindness, they will be first in favour with Mahomet, and able to obtain an easy access to him for other Turks.

The common Turks have also a very large number of superstitions, and, amongst other things, we observed that, when a Turk saw a piece of paper on the ground, he immediately took it up with reverence, and thrust it into a crevice, just as with us, when a piece of bread lies on the ground, many people kiss it and place it on one side that it may not be trodden upon. When we asked the reason of this honour paid to the paper, our janissaries told us that it was because the name of God was written upon it; and they firmly believe that at the last judgment, when Mahomet summons the Mussulmans, his followers, to heaven out of the places where they are enduring punishments for the sins they have committed here, in order to make them partakers of eternal felicity, it is impossible to get to him by any other way but over a large red-hot iron grating, over which each must go with bare feet. Here, it is said, a great miracle will take place; for every piece of paper which has thus been preserved by their instrumentality will suddenly betake itself thither, spread itself under their feet, and prevent them from feeling any harm or pain from the heated iron. The janissaries, therefore, considered it most wicked in us when they saw how the whole suite used paper for the most odious and contemptible want, and begged us to beware of doing so. Neither do the Turks permit even a rose to lie on the ground, because, as formerly the ancient pagans said that the rose came into existence through Venus, so these superstitious people have allowed themselves to be persuaded and believe that the rose grew from the sweat of Mahomet. But I will now stop, that I may not busy myself overmuch with such empty nonsense.

When we had seen everything in the city, some of the attachés obtained leave to sail across the arm of the sea to the city of Galata, which is for the most part inhabited by Christian merchants, Greeks, Italians, and others of divers nations. The ambassadors of the French and English kings, the Venetian, Ragusan, and other ambassadors, have also their hotels in that city. I, too, not wishing to be last, asked leave along with the rest, and my lord the legatus ordered them to take care of me, as I was the youngest of all, for youth is there in great danger. As we sailed across the strait we saw various fish swimming about; and when we arrived at the town, with two janissaries in attendance upon us, we entered the house of a certain Hanslong, a German goldsmith, who had settled there, and was employed, as a tradesman, by the sultanas. This person gladly welcomed us, and saw our arrival with pleasure. He had a Greek cook, a very handsome person, who was his concubine. For, without a certain permission and payment, a man may not maintain any woman openly, and take her for wife. Nay, in order for permission to be given him to marry, after the Turkish form, he must make application before the cadi, or judge, and pay well for it. In obtaining such a permission the following custom is observed:—the person who desires to take a wife comes with her before the judge, declares his name and hers, and must declare before him what he is willing to give her as alimony, should he divorce her, and what furniture and goods she brings to him; all which the cadi orders to be entered in a book. Should he be unwilling to cohabit with her any longer, he pays her the alimony, and restores her goods, and she must depart. She may then take another husband, and he another wife. If they have had children, the husband is bound to maintain and provide for them. The goldsmith sent to market immediately for all kinds of excellent sea-fish, and ordered her to prepare us good viands. He had another woman, too, in his house, who also acted as cook. These two women prepared for us, in a short time, a remarkably good dish from oysters, long-heads, round-heads, and all kinds of exceedingly well-tasted sea-frogs, and also gave us abundance of lemons, pomegranates, oranges, and salads, for everything of the sort can be bought as cheap there as plain apples with us. Above everything else, he gave us a remarkably good red Greek wine, and, indeed, treated us so well that all of us, janissaries and all, got tipsy with the wine. At first I would not drink it; but at last, hearing such commendations of it, everybody saying that never in their lives had they drunk better wine, I, too, allowed myself to be persuaded, inquisitive boy that I was, and drank with great relish two goblets, about half-a-pint, though afterwards I felt the effects of it, as a dog does those of fat bacon. When the proper time came’ we bade adieu to our friendly host, and thanked him, begging him to visit our house in return, and started upon the sea. As soon as I got into the boat, my head whirled round with me in such a manner, that I did not know where I had placed myself. In the first place the strong wine got into my head, and in the second the wind disturbed it still more, so that when we got out on the shore the janissaries were obliged to lead me through narrow streets, where there were few people, for I could not even stand on my feet. And as no one could go into our house without being seen by everybody, my lord the ambassador was at a window and saw me led along tipsy, was exceedingly angry, and wished to have me punished immediately. Seeing, however, that I was quite unconscious, he put it off till the morning, and severely reproved his gentlemen-in-waiting for not taking better care of me. They excused me by saying that I had only drunk a single goblet of wine.

Awaking in the morning before it was day, I was informed by my companions of my good behaviour, and also of the anger of my lord the legatus. So I got up in great terror, put everything in order in my lord’s apartments, attended diligently to my duties, in hopes of obtaining favour in my lord’s eyes, and also begged the gentlemen-in-waiting for their intercession. When he was going to get up and rang his bell, I ran to him at once, before the rest, fell at his feet, and begged for pardon for the fault I had committed. But he, in great anger, explained to me how I had been entrusted to him by my relatives, in order that he might take good care of me; that on the present occasion, after asking for leave to see the city of Galata, I had so unworthily and thoughtlessly got intoxicated, that the Turks could not but have pleasure, and he sorrow and anger at it. He also explained to me in what danger I had been, and how that, had it not been for the Divine protection itself, young as I was, those janissaries might have led me away and sold me, and how he should have afterwards had to be grievously responsible for me. He added, that, before I had begun life in the world, I had learnt to get intoxicated, and that God would punish him if he were willing to overlook my fault and forgive me. It was, therefore, necessary, as an example to the rest, that I should be duly punished.

He immediately, thereupon, sent for the steward, with whom I had unfortunately quarrelled about a week before, and ordered him to give me fifty good stripes with a leather whip. I kissed his feet and begged him to excuse me, or diminish the number of stripes. The steward might have interceded for me, but he aggravated my lord the resident’s anger still more by saying, that, if such young sweet-tooths were to be borne with, they would do it still more. However, the secretary entreated, and obtained, that only forty stripes should be given me. My companions were obliged, in my lord’s presence, to prepare and hoist me up, and the steward gave me the forty stripes with interest, and took his revenge upon me. After this I streamed with blood, and was compelled to keep my bed for about a fortnight, on learning which, afterwards, my lord the ambassador was sorry that I had had so much pain, and told the rest that it might have been stopped at twenty stripes. That wine, in consequence, so stuck in my throat that all those years I used wine very sparingly, and immediately afterwards would not drink it at all, though I gladly received Turkish sherbet.

Once, in order to visit some islands in the neighbourhood of Constantinople, my lord the legatus took a boat and made an excursion down the straits to the sea, which the Turks call Karadengis, or Kara Denysy, i. e. Black Sea. This gulf, called Pontus, is let by a narrow neck or not very broad passage into the Thracian Bosphorus, twists with many windings round promontories, reaches Constantinople in a day’s voyage, and then runs into the Propontis by almost similar straits. In the midst of this place, where it flows into the Bosphorus, stands a large stone with a column, on the base of which a Roman’s name is inscribed in Latin letters. Not far off, on the European bank, stands a high tower, in which a light shines at night for the benefit of voyagers, which is commonly called a pharos. Not far from this place a small stream falls into the sea, in which chalcedonies and sardonyxes are collected. A few miles from this place they showed us a narrow sea over which Darius, the Persian king, transported his armies against the European Scythians. But almost in the midst between these two sea-passes, or gulfs,^[5] stand two castles, one in Europe, and the other, directly opposite, in Asia. The latter the Turks had already in their power before the taking of Constantinople; the former, where we lived in the Black Tower more than two years in grievous imprisonment, of which I shall give an account below, was erected by Sultan Mahomet not very long before he besieged Constantinople. He caused apartments, handsomely floored with marble, to be constructed in that tower, and dwelt there till he took Constantinople. The Turks use these fortresses instead of a prison for more important prisoners, as I, unhappy youth that I was, was compelled miserably to experience. This prison is well-beset with guards, who live in a town surrounding the fortress, and twenty-four of them are constantly employed in watching the prisoners in turn, day and night, never go to war, and are as free from duties as the men belonging to the fortress of Karlstein. This is the case in order that they may have nothing to do but watch the fortress and prisoners; a duty which they perform diligently. Therefore, save by the working of Divine Providence itself, no man ever comes out thereof to the day of his death, neither is it recorded that any one ever made his way out of that tower, except in our time, of which I will give an account in its proper place.

Afterwards, we made excursions whenever we liked to those beautiful Greek and Turkish gardens, enjoyed all manner of amusements, and were able to obtain for money all that the heart desired. We got oysters and all kinds of shells out of the sea for ourselves, shot water-birds and various other fowls, on these islands, and also conies, of which there are abundance in one of the islands, and were as happy as kings, without any want, for about a year, so that we did not wish to go home, but longed that we might enjoy so merry, carefree a life to the day of our death.

It once happened in Galata, the city opposite Constantinople, that the son of one of the principal Greek merchants, a well-grown and well-favoured young man, wished to marry. He fell in love with the daughter of another Greek merchant, a very beautiful maiden of about sixteen years old, negotiated with her parents and friends, obtained a favourable answer, and the day was named for the wedding festivity. In order to be the better able to honour his friends, he prepared to sail himself to the island of Candy for a superior class of sweet wines; and having bid adieu to his parents, and taken an affectionate farewell of his bride, started off tranquilly by sea. The Greek Christians being about to celebrate a festival, their women went to their baths to bathe, and amongst them went the bride. Here we must bear in mind that all the Turkish women, whenever they go out in the street, are entirely shrouded, except that they have a black kerchief, or veil, about two fingers wide, before their eyes, so that they can recognize everybody, but no one can recognize them. But, though the Christian Greek women are dressed in the same manner as the Turkish women, yet they do not shroud their faces, but only wear a thin kerchief over the head, and everybody can look them in the face.

Well, this beautiful and unfortunate bride, going with the rest to the bath, and not dreaming of any approaching misfortune, not only did not veil her face, but, like a young girl, stared in all directions. Just then one of the principal chiaouses unexpectedly came riding from the imperial court, with a large suite of servants, to his gardens, of which he possessed several by the sea side. Seeing the bride, he, with great excitement, admired her beauty, and cried out at the top of his voice: “Hai, hai, preruzel kisi; hai, hai!” “O, the most beautiful and lovely maiden!” Springing from his horse, he gave her his hand, and asked her whither she was going, and whose daughter she was. She, seeing so dignified and old a Turk,—for he was about eighty years old,—was frightened, fled amongst the other women, and gave him no answer; but the other women told him respectfully that they were going to the bath, that she was a bride, and whose daughter she was. He then, to be the better able to gaze at her, immediately cried out that he wished to accompany her, which they could not prevent him from doing. He walked all the way at her side, and was the more inflamed with uncontrollable love the further he accompanied her. After accompanying her to the bath, he squeezed her hand and said:—“Allah, sakla, scbibenum dzanum!” “God protect thee, my soul!” and mounting his horse, went his way.

Next day, as soon as morning came, that grey-haired old Turk rode to the maiden’s father, and earnestly entreated him to give him his daughter in marriage, promising that he would provide her with a good dower, and be a friend to her parents. Her father was greatly terrified at this request, and told him, as was the fact, that she was already betrothed, and the day named for the wedding, humbly begging him not to take it ill, and saying, that, being a simple man, he was not worthy to be connected with so distinguished a lord, and give him his daughter in marriage. The Turk, on hearing this excuse, said:—“But her boundless loveliness deserves to be loved not only by me, but by the Emperor himself; wherefore. I entreat thee, give me thy daughter!” When then the father continued to excuse himself by saying that he had already given her to another, and that, according to the Christian custom, it could not be otherwise, the Turk was enraged, and said:—“Well, I will know whether it can be otherwise or not.” Having uttered this threat, he went immediately to the imperial court, obtained leave to marry a Christian, and gave instant orders to put the father and mother of the bride in prison, and secure the damsel herself with a good guard in her own house. He then invited his friends, and prepared a marriage-feast, and sent a number of Turkish women to her at her home with splendid clothes and female ornaments, who laid so many good reasons before her that they at last persuaded her to consent to be his. Her father and mother were then released from prison.

There is this custom among the Turkish women. When any young man wishes to marry, he must marry rather through the information of his female friends than through the observation of his own eyes; for they tell him where a lovely, handsome, and wealthy virgin is to be found, and he may not see her, or even go to the house of her father and converse with her openly; in fact, if he looks in her face before she is his, the Turks used to consider it a sin of the first magnitude. But this is already obsolete with them; for our janissaries told us that no Turkish maiden puts up with the rule that she is not to show herself to her lover, or speak with him, and if she cannot do it openly, she, at any rate, does it secretly. They have, usually, gardens beside their houses, and in them elevated galleries, on which the women dry their clothes and veils; and if a maiden has not such a convenience at home, she goes to the house of a female friend, and having an understanding with her lover, or with his female friends, makes known when and where he is to be in attendance. She goes to one of these galleries, dressed like a goddess, and assiduously dries some clothes, sings with a loud voice, and acts as though she knew nothing about him. If, however, she ascertains that she has proved attractive to the young man, she neglects nothing that can tend to inflame love. If she pleases him, negotiations are carried on about her with her parents and friends, and should they be willing to give her to him, a certain day is appointed, when he declares the amount of the dower with which he endows her, and gives her various presents, and she, too, must say how much she brings him. All these things are inscribed in a book before the cadi, or judge.

When the wedding-day comes, the bridegroom previously sends a number of camels and mules, in proportion to the wealth of the bride, for her moveables and goods. All that she brings him is placed upon them, and carried to his house, covered with handsome carpets, and, should the families be wealthy, in red chests. When all is ready the bridegroom provides a wedding-feast, or breakfast, for his friends of the male sex in some other house, and for the women in his own, or that of his father. After breakfast the bridegroom and his friends mount their horses, the women seat themselves in carriages, and a handsome, gay-coloured, ambling jennet is sent for the bride, the mane of which is plaited with gold; this is furnished with a handsome saddle, and the requisite caparisons, to the utmost of the bridegroom’s means, and is led by a young man, while four others bear a handsomely embroidered canopy—the richer people employ none but eunuchs for this purpose—and a splendid procession is formed to fetch the bride. The bridegroom comes with trumpeters, drummers, and other music, to the bride’s house, dismounts from his horse, and enters the house among the guests. Then, after a little confectionary has been eaten, and some sherbet drunk, the bride’s father takes her right hand, places it in that of the bridegroom, and bids him to be kind to her. Upon this the four young men hasten up, a fifth brings the jennet, the trumpeters blow their trumpets, the music plays, and the bride seats herself astride on the saddle; the one walks beside her leading the horse, and the four bear the canopy over her. Her nurse, or the female servant for whom she entertains most affection, rides on a horse after her, but no one leads her horse, or bears a canopy over her. Very large wax candles, like altar-tapers, adorned with divers beautiful flowers, gilt and painted, six in number, more or less, are also carried before the bride. The bridegroom rides with his male friends and those of the bride in front, the bride in the midst, and the women in a line behind her, with great joy and triumph, and making their horses curvet merrily to the bridegroom’s house. On arriving there he assists her from her horse, leaves her with his female friends, and rides away again among his male friends.

Well, when the above-mentioned chiaous came with a great number of his male friends on horseback, and female friends in carriages, to the Christian’s house to fetch his bride, everything was done splendidly, according to the custom above-mentioned. Mules carried presents of clothes in red leather trunks covered with carpets, and the lady was conducted under a canopy from her father’s house to his on a beautiful horse, white as snow, with abundance of music of different kinds, and with very large tapers. It was said then that she had turned Mahometan, and that, therefore, the chiaous, having other wives, had immediately assigned her a separate house to live in, had given her many female slaves, and was keeping her in grand state.

Meanwhile the poor Christian bridegroom bought his wines and returned home with joy, without having the slightest idea of what had become of his bride in his absence. When he approached Constantinople the sad and sorrowful news was broken to him that his bride was already disposed of; at which he was exceedingly heart-stricken, and with great weeping bewailed his treacherous misfortune, above all things lamenting that she had married a Turk, accepted the Mahometan faith, and lost her soul. On his return to the city of Galata, her father and mother made known to him with tears what had become of her, and how it had happened, and proved by witnesses that they had been constrained to do as they had done, and compelled to give her to the chiaous. She, too, on learning that her lover had returned home, wrote him immediately a sorrowful letter, bewailing her great misfortune in having been obliged to take another, contrary to her own and her parents’ wishes, and begging him touchingly not to be angry with her. He wrote to her an answer, and this was the purport of his letter:—“Since thou hast forgotten thy soul and become a Turk, I know nothing else to say thereto save to bewail thy loss, and finally, as far as I possibly can, to remove thee from my memory, although this comes hard to me, since I have loved thee above all things in the world.”

In answer to this she sent him another letter:—“Although I am supposed to be a Mahometan, yet I remain a Christian in heart, as I was before, and perform my customary devotions.” She also begged him not to forget her, and named a day on which he could come to her in a garden, that she might meet him, relate orally herself what had happened, and how it had all happened, and gaze upon him as her lost lover, assuring him, lest he should be afraid, that she would manage it so well that he need not fear any danger. The poor young man allowed himself to be persuaded, and was found on the appointed day at the destined place alone. The lady did not long delay coming into the garden, and having first had a green tent pitched, dismissed all her maids to walk where they liked, keeping with her a single faithful confidante. When her former lover came into the tent, she told him all with tears, and begged him not to take it ill, promising to provide him with money and everything in her power, and never to forget him.

Such secret meetings on their part lasted half-a-year; but fortune, who is never constant, grudged them their happiness. He, receiving pecuniary assistance from her, used to go about splendidly dressed, to the admiration of all beholders, for he was well-made, and tall of stature, and being about twenty-four years old, boasted such beauty that nowhere in the country was a handsomer young man to be found. He was also strong in wrestling, and so good in leaping and running that his equal was not easily found; and he was, therefore, beloved not only by the Christian, but also by the Turkish youth. Having several times acted carelessly on these expeditions, he was seen by some one as he entered the chiaous’s garden. This being made known confidentially to the chiaous, he, as became a wealthy dignitary, promised to give large presents to the person who should give him information when the Christian was in the garden; and, as everything can be obtained there for money, he found no small number of spies, who watched for the Christian day and night, until, one or two hours before evening, they espied him entering the garden.

When this was made known to the chiaous, hearing of his strength and speed, and also knowing that both Turks and Christians loved him, he dared not have him arrested in the daytime. He, therefore, beset the places by which the young man had to return, and which he could not avoid, with stout fellows; and as he returned home, fearing nothing, he was seized and put in prison. The chiaous also had his beautiful wife well watched that night, and in the morning laid a complaint before the cadi, or judge, alleging that she had committed adultery with a Christian, and requiring that both should be sentenced according to law. He also made the matter known to the Emperor and pashas himself, bewailed his fate, and demanded their judgment, adding, in aggravation of the charge against them, that they had been taken in the act. Still, however, many people making intercession for them, the matter was deferred for more than a week. But as the chiaous had previously loved his wife exceedingly, even so, on the contrary, did he now exceedingly hate her, and refused to allow himself to be softened by any entreaties, but caused the mufti, or chief priest, to confirm the sentence of death against them both.

As soon as it became generally known that two such handsome people were to be led to death a countless multitude assembled, and the execution took place in the following order. First rode the sub-pasha, or imperial judge, after him other councillors, judges, and officials, with a guard of janissaries, and with heralds and other officers of justice. Upon this the young man was led out of prison with his hands bound behind his back, and an iron ring on his neck, through which a chain was passed, while two executioners, well-made fellows, in handsome clothes, (for such people are in no odium with the Turks,) held him by the chain on each side; the guard of janissaries went in front and rear, and a countless number of people on horses and in carriages looked on. When the young Greek was led out of prison a great cry arose from both men and women, that it would be a great shame to destroy such a youth, and all compassionated and advised him to become a Turk, promising that they would petition the Emperor himself to grant him his life. He, however, briefly refused to agree to their proposal, and become a Turk. The chiaous pasha, as he was led past his palace, seeing how handsome he was, sent a message to him, saying that, if he would become a Mahometan, he would contrive that he should save his life, and that the beautiful lady should become his wife; but the young man did not allow himself to be moved, but answered that he was sprung from Christian parents, had been baptized and brought up as a Christian, and would also die as a Christian.

They therefore led out the lady, also, from another prison, and placed her on a mule, round which walked a great number of veiled women; she herself was not veiled, but had her beautiful hair plaited in long plaits on both sides, in the Turkish fashion, with one plait hanging on her back behind. She wore a red carmine dress, and had very beautiful pearls round her neck and in her ears, and was certainly a very lovely woman. She wept so piteously that all had great compassion upon her. When the executioners brought her in front of the serail of the chiaous pasha, and related the offer which the pasha had made, she begged the executioners to lead her nearer the Greek, her former lover, on seeing whom she for a long time could not speak for weeping. When, after long wailing, she was able to call him by name, she begged him in Greek, with all her heart, for God’s sake, to take pity upon the youth of both of them, and to become a Mahometan, saying that they could then live together many years in joy and happiness. What the woman said to the man during that time was related to us afterwards by Greeks who heard her speak. She spoke to him to almost the following effect:—“Alas! have pity! have pity upon me, unhappy damsel that I am! and remember that we were to have been married, had not a cruel misfortune interfered with it. Cursed be the hour in which I went to that bath! My life and death are now in thy hands; harden not thy heart, I beseech thee; grant the wish of the great pasha. Have pity upon ourselves, our parents, and our friends, and be not so hard-hearted, being able to help us both, as to neglect it. Nay, rather let the sun and moon beam still upon us whilst we are young. Say—alas! I entreat with the most earnest entreaty possible—that thou art willing to become a Mahometan.” In answer to all these words he briefly answered her that she should rather entrust her soul to the Lord God, and not speak in vain.

The Turks, on hearing this, gnashed their teeth at him with great anger, crying out,—“Hai, hai! pregaar gidy Tuipek, gidy anaseny, sigligum iste mes sentu kazdyny?” —“Ah! utterly accused traitor, dog, why refusest thou that beautiful lady?” And thus, with great clamour and tumult, they led him to execution, she, also, riding after him on the mule, weeping from her heart, while the Turks, and Turkish women, comforted and encouraged her. When they had conducted him beyond the Unkapy, (i. e. beyond the sand-gate,) under the wooden gallows itself, to which were suspended six large hooks, two executioners with their sleeves tucked up fixed the pulleys by which they intended to hoist him up. They then stripped him of his coat and all his clothes, leaving him only his linen trousers, tied his hands and feet, and drew him up towards the gallows upon these pulleys higher than a man’s height.

Just at this moment the lady rode out from the gate, which is not far off, and on seeing him swooned away. When they brought her to again she begged to be allowed to speak with him once more, and give him counsel. Being, therefore, brought under the gallows, she clasped her hands together, and, raising them up, made him a long speech with tears, recounting all their love which they had had towards each other from their youth upwards, and begged him only to say one word, that he would become a Mahometan. Amongst other things, she said to him as follows:—“But thou hast always had a compassionate heart towards me; how, then, has it turned to stone against me, seeing death before thine eyes? Alas! what, then, thinkest thou? Why art thou not in thy right mind, that thou wilt not speak to me? Alas! cursed be that love which I had for thee!” And, being enraged at him, because he would neither speak to her nor turn Mahometan, she immediately changed her love into hatred, and said to him:—“Never wert thou worthy that I should love thee so with my whole heart. Dog! traitor! pagan! Jew! die, since thou desirest thus to die; only, O that I could be freed from this terrible death, which I shall suffer guiltless on thy account! Alas! comfort me some of you, dear people!” Having said this she swooned away.

The Turks, seeing that the young man would not be converted, angrily guashed their teeth at him, and cried out that he should be thrown on a hook. Two executioners then standing on the gallows raised him about half an ell above a hook, and threw him on to it. This having been done, all the women and men also surrounded the lady, and, had there not been so strong a guard, they would not have allowed her to be drowned, and, had the chiaous met them, he would have been torn to pieces, like the celebrated Orpheus, by the infuriated women, or stoned by the Turks, who vehemently reviled him. When the lady had ended her prayers, the women took leave of her with great shrieking and weeping, although she was already quite unconscious, and as pale as a white sheet. An executioner took her down from the mule, tied her hands with one cloth, passed another round her waist, and fastened a third round her feet. He then placed her with her mouth downwards in a small boat, and rowing about two fathoms from the shore, for the gallows was close to the sea-shore, fixed a long staff in the cloth round her waist, pushed her lightly out of the boat into the sea, and held her under water till she was drowned. Then bringing a bier, and wrapping the corpse in a winding-sheet, they accompanied her to the tomb with Turkish honours. The poor young man lived hanging on the hook till the third day, and complained of great thirst, begging them to give him water, but nobody ventured to do so. On the third night some one, moved with compassion towards him, shot him through the head; but it was impossible to ascertain who it was that did it.

Another time they brought to execution the former Voyvode of Wallachia, who was going to excite the people to revolt against the Turkish emperor, and against the voyvode who had been put in his place, wishing to be voyvode again himself; but the Wallachians cut off his nose and ears and sent him to Constantinople, where the Emperor without mercy commanded him to be hung upon a hook. He was a well-made and handsome man, and knew several languages, particularly Latin, Greek, Italian, and Hungarian. We also several times saw Turks decapitated and hung. In the case of some of them they tied their hands and feet, and, after cutting their throats, like calves, let them lie and struggle till the blood ceased to flow. A cord was thrown over the neck of another as he stood on the ground, the other end of which was passed over a beam, and he was lifted about a span from the ground, and there allowed to hang. It is a certain truth that the Turks do not jest with malefactors, but make an end of them speedily.

When we had seen everything that we were permitted to see, both in the city and round the city, we asked our janissary, Mustapha, if it could be done without danger, to show us some handsome Turkish woman, that we might also know whether the women there are beautiful. A few days after he invited us to make an excursion by sea to a certain garden; and we got into a boat with him, and with the other janissaries, sailed to the garden, and entered it. The janissaries, leaving us in the garden with their servant, went into a second garden, in which they stayed a long time, and, on returning, invited us to go with them, saying that their female friends were there. We Christians—there were only four of us—went into the garden, and saw at a distance five or six Turkish women walking about in the garden. Our janissary’s servant had a pipe, made of reeds, like an organ, on which he piped a Turkish tune. At this the women were apparently terrified, and looked to see who and where the piper was; but our janissary, stepping out and showing himself, bent his head to his knees, kissed the hand of each, and begged them not to take it ill that he had brought four giaours, or Christians, into the garden. After conversing with the ladies a tolerably long time, he called to us to come to him. We came to them, and, kissing their hands, said in excuse that we had not been aware of their presence, and begged that our conduct might not be annoying to them. Not far off was a summer-house, which the ladies entered. We followed, and conversed with them as well as we could, and what they did not understand in our conversation our janissary explained to them. At length, at his urgent request, all but one unveiled; but we saw nothing particularly beautiful in them. All were brown, and black-eyed, and had dyed hair and eye-brows. They caused apples, oranges, and other fruit to be brought, and requested us to eat. After staying there a short time we took leave of them and departed.

I cannot here forbear relating the history of a Turkish lady who was acquainted with our janissary, Mustapha. She was young and tolerably good-looking. Once upon a time Mustapha invited her to an afternoon entertainment, and I provided him for the purpose with the best wine and confectionary. He was particularly kind to me as being a Bohemian. This lady had a very aged husband, who put very little confidence in her. Not knowing how to manage to be in time for the entertainment at the appointed hour, about vespers, (for then our chiaous usually went out to prayers,) she told her husband that she was going to the bath. She took with her two captive serving-women, who carried her dresses, as usual, on their heads, in copper-pails covered with carpets, and walked behind her past our hotel, not far from which stands the handsome female bathing-house which was built by Ruska, the wife of the Turkish sultan, into which no man is allowed to go under pain of death. As she went past our hotel the lady gave notice to the janissary that she would come to the entertainment. Her distrustful husband walked a little way behind her, and, as she went into the bath, posted himself opposite, and waited for her. But who can frustrate a woman’s cunning? She walked past our house in a green dress, but dressed herself in other clothes which she had brought with her, and, leaving her attendants at the bath, walked out, and came to the janissary in a red dress. He received and welcomed her in his apartment, entertained her well, and, after supper, let her out again by the little door. She went to the bath a second time, bathed, and returned home with her husband. I could not sufficiently admire this woman’s cunning, and often laughed with the janissary over the recollection of it.

Meanwhile, my lord our ambassador bought six extremely beautiful Turkish horses, one of which, a grey, was particularly handsome, and cost 100 ducats. He also ordered two sets of horse-furniture to be made, which cost him full 2,000 ducats; and when he rode anywhere on that horse he had spectators and enviers enough, who said so loudly that it was a great shame for a giaour to ride on such a horse that it eventually reached my lord’s ears. This horse was specially entrusted to me, to see that the grooms attended to it diligently. I rode it every week when we went out riding with the janissary, and used to race with the Turks on the open space of the hippodrome, or almeydan. On it I often raced, and won a supper from the Turks, which they caused to be prepared not far from our house, and we invited them to us in return, and entertained them well. Thus we spent this year in joy and merriment, so that we did not even wish for a better mode of life.

Immediately the year was out it began to go otherwise with us, for the tribute, which ought to have been paid annually, was not sent, because Hassan Pasha had made an incursion into Croatia, taken the castle of Wyhysht in Croatia, and brought, with great rejoicing, 300 Christian prisoners to Constantinople, each of whom was compelled to carry five or six stuffed heads of slaughtered Christians. The Turks, on their return from Croatia with their booty and captives, rode past our house, wearing on their turbans Brunswick hats, having by their sides large silver-sheathed daggers, scymitars ornamented with silver, and carrying spears and battle-axes. Before them rode two German trumpeters blowing their trumpets, and after them went a drummer with a drum, and a piper with a rustic pipe. After them came some hundreds of carriages, on which were many hundred women, children, girls and boys, on whom it was melancholy to gaze, and especially to see how mothers took care of their children still at the breast, and held by the hand, or carried, other little things of one or two years old. Some old grandmothers were lamenting aloud, and wailing as they held in their hands the heads of their slaughtered husbands. Then there was shouting and exultation on the part of the Turks, who were delighted at the victory, and lauded Hassan Pasha for having sent these Christians to Constantinople, as a conqueror, crying out:—“Asserim Hassan Bassa!” “God help Hassan Pasha!” In the morning they led away the tithe of the captives, which belonged to the Emperor, and sent the remainder for sale to Aurat-bazar, or woman-market. It is, indeed, a melancholy sight in that market-place, when a Christian is the spectator, how his fellow-Christian is there sold, and how he is dealt with; for there one buys the mother, another the child, another a boy, another a girl, and thus they are dispersed into different countries, and never meet each other again till death.

In this market, in one place sit old men, in another young men of ripe age, in another place boys; there sit girls, here old women, there young girls, and in another place women suckling their children. Whoever wishes to purchase a captive leads him into one of the separate rooms, which are built on the market-place, strips him naked, inspects all his limbs, and, if he likes him, buys him; if not, goes away and looks at others, so that these unhappy people are almost every hour obliged to strip themselves of their clothes. Their food is a piece of bread, and a draught of water, and that scantily supplied. No one who has not experienced it will believe, and it is impossible to believe, how great is the misery of Turkish captives, whom the Turks value less than dogs. As long as a captive lives, so long must he work, and when he cannot work his head is cut off; truly, more fortunate is the man who desires to die in war, rather than fall into such cruel misery, as he must endure both day and night.

At this time our fortune was already beginning to creak, when the janissaries quarrelled with the defterdar, or chief tax-gatherer, on account of non-payment of their wages, and, rising in mutiny, slew his family, to the number of seven persons. This mutiny was with difficulty appeased by the chief-pasha, and the chiaous-pasha was dismissed from all his offices for not having prevented it. My lord our ambassador, knowing very well that the Turks were preparing for war, and wishing to know what plans were being formed at the Turkish court in secret councils with regard to Hungary, induced, by many gifts and payments, the agas, or imperial chamberlains, to send him, by an old woman, information of the intentions of the Turkish court; and they then informed him, amongst other things, that it was determined, in the secret council, to commence war in Hungary.

My lord, therefore, quickly gave notice to our Emperor, by way of Venice, to be on the look out in Hungary. And not only were the imperial chamberlains induced by bribes to give information, but even the Emperor’s mother herself made known to my lord the resident, through a Jewess, what she had heard from the Emperor with regard to Hungary. The Jewess was well rewarded by my lord, and brought this treasonable intelligence not to our house, but secretly to another place. The chief Turkish officials, also, informed my lord that Hassan Pasha was to march to Siseck, and take it by force. In fact, he did march to Siseck with a great number of people, and did a great deal of damage; but by the help of a merciful God, who was pleased to succour our Christians, of whom there was but a small handful, Hassan himself, his best soldiers, and a great number of chosen Turks, were slain by our men. When this news arrived at Constantinople all the city was turned to grief, and as they had before cried joyfully:—“Asserim Hassan Bassa!” i. e. “God help Hassan Pasha!” so now they lamented mournfully:—“Hai, hai, Hassan Bassa, junacher sei!” that is to say, “Hey, hey. Hassan Pasha, ’tis a pity that thou art slain!”

Understanding, therefore, and seeing that there would not be much jesting, I wished to go with Armenian merchants by land through Persia to Egypt, and afterwards to Jerusalem, from Jerusalem to sail to Venice by sea, and thence to travel home. I also gradually provided myself with all necessaries for the journey, and was only waiting for a safe opportunity. My lord was willing to advance me money, and I wrote home to my friends to send me some; for my greatest wish was, if it had pleased the Lord God, to perform such a journey and expedition into those unknown lands. But such was not the will of God. At that time, too, the sister of the Turkish emperor, whose son had fallen with Hassan in the battle, on hearing the news, ran to the Emperor, with dishevelled hair, as though frantic, and, falling at his feet, demanded vengeance on the Christians.

Our ambassador, on being several times reproached with the delay of the annual present, answered that the Turks were in fault themselves, since they had violated the armistice and truce, had taken the fortress of Wyhysht in Croatia, and had taken many hundred people captive. Wishing, however, to appease the Turks, who were enraged at this answer, he requested that permission might be given him to send some of his attachés to Vienna. When this was obtained, John Perlinger, John Malowetz, and Gabriel Hahn, the secretary, were sent off post-haste to inform the Emperor of what was projecting at the Turkish court. The two former returned again, and a certain Bon-Omo^[6] was sent as secretary. After a quarter of a year it could not be kept secret, but was universally said that there would be open war in Hungary. Synan Pasha, too, the chief enemy of the Christians, was summoned to the Turkish emperor, and was made vizier, or generalissimo of the army in the field. He came at night to the imperial court with a great number of lighted torches, and was splendidly escorted to his own palace; and everywhere, too, throughout the city resounded shouting, wishing of good-luck, and running out of doors with lights.

At this time Herr Karl Zahradetzky, from Moravia, came to us by sea, being on a pilgrimage from Venice to Jerusalem. Feeling no small deficiency in his health, he did not venture to undertake so long a sea-voyage, but stayed in our house, and boughteverything necessary, intending to return to Christendom by way of Venice. In fact, before Synan Pasha was made vizier, he had obtained letters permissory, enabling him to sail to Venice without danger, and having all his things ready packed up, was intending to start the next day. Just then Synan Pasha sent straight to us, and, in order that my lord the ambassador might come to him without delay, ordered him to be told that some necessary business required his presence. My lord the ambassador immediately had a black horse brought for him, which would not in any wise allow him to mount, and he, therefore, ordered another, the grey horse, to be saddled. When we rode to the pasha, Herr Zahradetzky wished once more to accompany my lord, and wait upon him for the last time. Our ambassador, on arriving at Synan Pasha’s, wished him joy of his new office, and declared that he was greatly delighted at his promotion. Synan smiled, and asked loudly:—“But art thou then very glad thereat? Thou oughtest not, indeed, to be delighted at aught, for I shall be more harmful than beneficial to thee and all giaours.” He then complained vehemently, and asked why the present was not brought, saying that our ambassador, as well as his suite, must pay for it with their necks. But my lord boldly proved to him that the Turks were the cause themselves, by having violated the truce. Let them return what they had taken from our people, and observe the armistice steadfastly, and the present would be sent without delay. Synan replied again, angrily:—“Return also those youths and valiant men who have been slain by your people in Hungary, one of whom was better than all the giaours put together.” He also uttered great threats, and angrily revealed his evil intent and wish to be revenged upon us, infuriating himself till he turned pale. My lord the ambassador, seeing him enraged, did not choose to dispute with him, but only said, moderately:—“Until the truce is renewed, and is steadfastly and honestly observed, and the fortresses which have been taken are restored, no tribute will be sent.”

When we were about to return home there occurred a manifest token of our future misfortune. The grey horse, on which my lord rode, would in nowise allow itself to be mounted; but bit, kicked, and reared, though it had never before done anything of the sort. My lord the ambassador was, therefore, obliged to mount his steward’s horse, and ride home. When we arrived at our house the gate was immediately fastened up with iron bolts, by order of Synan, and thus the unfortunate Zahradetzky, through staying a few weeks with us in order to see the city, was compelled to remain in the house with us, and experience all our misfortunes and grievous imprisonment; for now the Turks refused to allow him to quit the house.

We were now deprived of our allowance of provisions and everything else, and so little was given us that my lord the ambassador was obliged to send a chiaous to the pasha, and ask for permission to send out and purchase necessaries in the market with his own money. Permission was given for the clerk of the kitchen to go daily with a janissary to the market, but nowhere else, and buy necessaries. Strict orders were, moreover, given to the janissary not to allow the clerk to speak with any other Christians, or deliver them letters. Thus we remained shut up in the house, as in a prison, and no one could go out any whither.

At that time there was so great a pestilence in Constantinople that, as the Turks told us, 80,000 people died of the plague; and, in fact, as we ourselves saw from our house, people were carried in large numbers, all day long, to the grave, and even in some houses we saw two, three, or four corpses at a time being washed, fomented, and purified with warm water. It is certain that it was very grievous to us when we could see nothing else but a multitude of dead bodies. Out of our own house there died about six persons of the infection of the plague, although we used all kinds of medicines daily. We had the bodies buried in the city of Galata, according to the permission granted us. The corpses were only attended by three or four persons, and the Franciscan monks, who have six convents there, performed the funeral ceremonies. At this time more than half of us fell sick with the stench and with fright. I, too, had first an ague, and then a diarrhea, and was so seriously ill for many weeks that the physicians despaired of my recovery, and said it was impossible for me to get well any more.

During the time of this plague, for about four or five months, nothing was said about the war; but, as soon as it passed over, proclamation was publicly made in the streets to prepare for war against the giaours and the Viennese king, and that considerable booty would be obtained. After no long time a number of soldiers marched into the city from all parts, walked and rode about the city in large bodies, and when they saw any of us at the windows, made signs that they would slay us. In a word, every preparation was made for a great war. My lord wishing to ascertain everything exactly, who would be the leader of the host, and how strong they would march, did not spare money, laid out large sums on spies, obtained a clandestine knowledge of many select plans, and of the intentions of the Turkish court, wrote it all out with his own hand, and afterwards or dered his secretary to translate it into ciphers, wishing to bring it as soon as possible to the knowledge of our Emperor. These secret writings were kept in a room under the ground, in a safe place, with such secresy that nobody knew what and of what nature they were; and although the steward sometimes saw the persons who brought the intelligence, yet he could not ascertain anything.

 

 

1. Chlap; Polish, chlop, a serf.
2. Pan z Cycynku.
3. Thus Herod sent a speculator or lifeguard to behead John in the prison.
4. How the maidens gave the prize does not appear, though the German translator introduces into his text a full account of the presents showered by fair hands from latticed windows.
5. It is amusing to observe the difficulty which an inland Bohemian has in expressing marine technicalities. He here uses a metaphor from a defile between two mountains to express straits in the sea, which he above calls a “neck.”
6. This is the orthography of the original.