we were again summoned in the morning before the same pasha, with the English ambassador, and asked whether we had now seen the exceeding great power and might of their Emperor? And whether our king could collect as many men and stand in array against them? We gave for answer that we had seen all, and never in our lives had we seen so many soldiers, and that it was not possible for our Emperor to collect such a number of men; and surely our Emperor knew nothing about the Sultan’s great forces, otherwise he would immediately treat for peace, would humble himself to the Turkish emperor, and would certainly send presents to appease the anger of so mighty a lord. Therefore, we besought him to set us free the sooner, that we might make that exceeding mighty force known to our Emperor and all the Christians. And he replied that he would do so, but that we were to remember the kindnesses shown us, noise their great forces abroad everywhere, and induce the Christians to make peace before they arrived at Erlau. And if our Emperor wished to send any of us to the Turkish emperor to negotiate such a peace, we were not to fear aught, but boldly and willingly to make ourselves useful in the matter, he swearing by the beard of the Sultan, his lord, that no harm should happen to us, but that we should be presented with distinguished gifts, handsome clothes and horses, and dismissed in safety to our own country.
When we had promised all this and much more, a letter credential and emancipatory was given us, and also one to the pasha at Buda, (five of our party having been in a tower there ever since the death of my lord the resident,) to the effect that he was to release them from
