Part 6

They make this Drink thus; they dilute this Milk with cold Water, and then cram Bread into it. This they use in the hottest Weather, and when they are more athirst; and we our selves found great Benefit by it, in our greatest Droughts. It is a Repast very grateful to the Palate and Stomach, and of admirable Vertue in quenching the most vehement Thirst: There is abundance of it ready made for Sale in all the _Turkish_ Inns, or _Caravasera’s_, as well as all other Sorts of Soop. As for hot Meat, or Flesh, the _Turks_ don’t much use them in their Travels; their usual Dyet, on the Road, are _Syllabubs_, _Cheese_, _dry’d Plumbs_, _Pears_, _Peaches_, _Quinces_, _Figs_, _Raisins_, and _Cornel-berries_; all these are exposed to sale in great earthen Platters boiled in clean Water; every one takes what he likes best. Those Fruits, with Bread, is his Food; and the Water which remains, serves for Drink. Thus their Meat and Drink stand them in very little; so that I dare say, one _Christian_ spends more Money, on his Belly, in one Day, than a _Turk_ doth in twelve; yea, their most solemn Feasts consist of _Wafers_, _Cakes_, and such-like Junkets, together with several Dishes of _Rice_, with some _Mutton_, and _Pullet_; for _Capons_ are not yet known in _Turkey_; but as for _Pheasants_, _Thrushes_, and Birds called _Figeaters_, they never so much as heard of their Names. But, if _Honey_ and _Sugar_ be mix’d with the Water, the Drink is like _Jove’s Nectar_ to them. One Sort of their Liquors I had almost forgot, ’tis this. They take _Raisins of the Sun_, and bruise, or grind them in a Mill, and then put them into a wooden Vessel, pouring a certain Proportion of hot Water upon them. This Mixture they stir about a little, and then cover the Vessel close, and suffer it to ferment a Day or two; if it works well, then they add Lees of Wine to quicken the Operation. When it first begins to ferment, if you taste it, ’tis over-sweet, and that makes it more unpalatable; but afterwards it acquires something of an Acid Taste, which, mix’d with the Sweet, is very grateful to the Palate for about three or four Days; especially if it be mixed with Snow, of which there is plenty at _Constantinople_ at all times. This Drink they call _Arabsorbet_, i. e. the _Arabian Potion_. It will not keep long, but grows sour in a very little Time. ’Twill fly up in your Head, and make you reel as bad as any Wine, if you drink too much of it; and therefore, the _Turks_, by the rules of their Religion, are forbidden to drink it. For my Part, I liked it very well; yea, that sort of Grapes was very acceptable and refreshing; in many Places they keep them all Summer long. The way of preserving them, they told me, was this: They take large Bunches of Grapes ston’d (as the hot Sun quickly ripens them in those Countries); these they put into a Wooden or Earthen Vessel, in the Bottom whereof, they first lay a Line of groun’d Mustard-Seed; then they spread a Line of Grapes upon it; thus with a Lay of Grapes, and a Lay of grinded Mustard-Seed, they fill it up to the Top; and, when the Vessel is full, then they pour in new _Must_, as much as will fill all the Interstice; then they shut it close, and so let it stand till the hot Time of the next Year, when Men stand most in need of Drink. Then these Vessels are broach’d, and the Grapes, with its Liquor, are set to sale. The _Turks_ like the Liquor as well as the Grapes; but I did not so well like the Taste of the Mustard-Seed, and, therefore, I caused the Grapes to be washed, and then, when I was most thirsty, they gave me great Relief. I hope you will give me leave to commend a Food to you, that did me so much good, seeing the _Egyptians_ esteemed their Herbs and Plants, which were contributory to their Health, as so many _Deities_. But ’tis Time for a Wanderer to return back into the Way.

From the Bank of the River _Halys_, which the _Turks_ call _Aitoczu_, we came to _Gonkurthoy_; from thence to _Choron_, and from thence to _Theke Thioi_, where the _Turks_ have a stately Monastry for their _Priests_ and _Monks_, called _Dervises_. Those _Dervises_ told us a great Story of a certain Man, called _Chederles_, of an huge Stature, and graveness of Mind answerable thereto. They suppose it was the same with our St. _George_, and ascribe the same Exploits to him; as the saving of a Virgin by the Slaughter of a huge and terrible _Dragon_. To which they add many Fables and Imaginations of idle Brains; as that he travelled over several Countries far and near, and at last came to a River, whose Waters made those that drank them immortal; but in what Part of the World this River is, they cannot tell us; they say, moreover, that it lies somewhere in a great Cloud, or Mist of Darkness, and that never a Man saw it since _Chederles_. As for _Chederles_ himself, he was made Immortal, and so was his Horse, by drinking the same Water, who now, both do invisibly travel over the World, delighting in Wars, and appearing therein to the most Valiant, or to those who implore his Aid, of what Religion soever they be: Such ridiculous Fancies do they please themselves with! To which we may add, other Things as absurd as those before-mentioned, That he was one of the Friends and Companions of _Alexander the Great_. For, the Truth is, the _Turks_ keep no just Account either of Times or Ages, but makes a confused Hodge-podge of all History. When they have a Mind to it, they scruple not to say, _That ~Job~ was Master of the Horse to King ~Solomon~, and that ~Alexander the Great~ was General of his Army_; with such-like Stuff.

In that Monastry, or Mosque, there is a Fountain that bubbles forth very clear and limpid Water; it is built about and cover’d with most excellent Marble, and they ridiculously would have People believe, that it had its Original from _Chederles_’s Horses, which he pissed in great Plenty in that Place. They also told us many _Rodomontado_’s concerning the Companions of _Chederles_, concerning his chief Groom, and also concerning his Nephew by his Sister, all which were buried near at hand, and their Sepulchres there to be seen; and when any Suppliants come to pay their Devotions to them, they would have persuaded us, that they receive great Relief thereby; yea, they superstitiously affirm, That the Fragments of the Stones, and the very Earth itself, on which _Chederles_’s Feet stood, when he staid for the Dragon, if drank in any Liquor, are very good against Fevers, the Head-Ach, and the Diseases of the Eyes. All the Country thereabout, is full of Dragons and Vipers, so that, in the hot Season of the Year, they are so thick, basking themselves in the Sun, that the Ways are almost unpassable for Travellers.

I had almost forgot to tell you, that, whereas, the _Greeks_ do usually paint St. _George_ on Horseback in their Temples, with his Squire behind him, holding out to him a Cup of Wine as to his Master, he being (as they believe) their _Chederles_; they laugh heartily at that Spectacle.

At this Place, we were near our Journey’s End, for now we had but one Stage more to _Amasia_; and that was _Baglison_; from thence we reached _Amasia_, _April 7_, and thirty Days after, we left _Constantinople_. As we were coming, some _Turks_ met us, to gratulate our Arrival, and to introduce us with Honour.

_Amasia_ is, in a manner, the chief City of _Cappadocia_, where the _Turkish_ Governor of that Province usually had his Residence, for the Administration of Justice, and where he usually forms his Camp. But that Town, ever since _Bajazet_’s Time, seemed to be very unlucky, and of late, the miserable Case of _Mustapha_ hath confirmed it to be an unfortunate Seat. _Strabo_ writes, that he was born there. It lies on the Side of two opposite Hills, the River _Iris_ dividing the City of the midst, running between them; so that from each Part you may look down upon the River, as from the Seats or Stairs of a Theatre; and one Side of it is conspicuous and open to the view of the other. It is so encompassed with Hills, that there is but one way to it, either for Coach or Waggon.

The same Night we came thither, there happened a great Fire, which the _Janizaries_ quenched, as their manner is, by plucking down the Houses adjoining. Upon occasion of this Accident, give me leave to inform you, that the _Turkish_ Soldiers are well-pleased when a Fire happens; for, whereas they must be employed to quench it, and usually do it by ruining the contiguous Houses, they have thereby an opportunity to rifle and plunder both; so that they themselves do oftentimes privily set Houses on Fire, that so they may filch and steal what they can out of them; as I remember once, when I was at _Constantinople_, there were frequent Conflagrations of Houses. ’Twas plain, they could not happen casually, but must be set on Fire a purpose, and yet the Authors could not be found; but the Fault was commonly cast on some _Persian_ Spies that were in Town: At last, upon a diligent Search, ’twas found that the Soldiers had stirr’d up their Fellows, that were a Ship-board, to do the Feat; that so, during the Fire, they might enrich themselves with the Spoils.

Upon an high Hill, that hangs over and commands _Amasia_, there is a strong Castle, wherein the _Turks_ have a continual Garrison, either to curb the _Asiaticks_, who are not very well pleased with the _Ottoman_ Yoke (as I shall shew anon) or else to bridle the _Persian_, who many times make large Excursions even as far as this Town, though at such a vast distance from them. In this Hill there are some ancient Monuments, which, perhaps, were the Sepulchres of the _Cappadocian_ Kings.

As for the Houses and Streets of _Amasia_, there is little or no Beauty in them. Their Houses are built of Loom, as they are in _Spain_, plain at top without any Roof, and what covering they have is of Loom or Clay too. They have some old piece of a Pillar, Cylinder or Roller, which they turn up and down to stop any Chink or Crevice, made either by Rain or Wind. The Inhabitants, in former Times, lay down to sleep in the open Air. As for Rains, they are not great, nor frequent in those Parts; but if at any time a Shower falls, the Loomy Droppings from the Eaves, do wofully dirty the Cloths of those that pass under them. I saw there a certain young noble Person, living not far from me, at his Supper, after the old _Roman_ fashion, lying on a Bed. As soon as I came to _Amasia_, we were introduced to compliment the supreme Vizier _Achmet_, and the rest of the _Bashaw_’s, for their Emperor was then gone abroad; we treated with them a while concerning the Contents of our Embassy; and because they would not seem to prejudice us, they lent us a favourable Ear; referring all, however, to the Will and Pleasure of their Emperor. When he came home, we were led into his Presence, for Audience; but he entertain’d us (and the Reasons we alledg’d in the Speech we made him, according to the Command of my Master) with a sour and frowning Look. He sate upon a low Throne, not above a Foot from the Ground, but it was all covered over with rich Tapestry, and with Cushions exquisitely wrought. His Bow and Arrows lay by his side, he himself (as I said) looked sternly upon us; and yet there was a certain Majesty, mix’d with Severity, in his Countenance. Each of us, as we entred the Room, was led up towards him by some of his Bed-chamber Officers, who held us by the Arm, (for so they use to introduce Ambassadors, ever since a certain _Croatian_, desiring to speak with _Amurath_, and drawing near to him so to do, slew him in revenge of the death of his Master, _Mark_ the _Despot_ of _Servia_, who was killed by the said _Amurath_): and afterwards, as if we had kiss’d his Hand, we were led backward to the opposite part of the Room; for the _Turks_ count it an unmannerly thing to turn any of their Back-parts to their Prince. From thence I had liberty to declare our Master’s Commands; but they suited not with his lofty, imperious Spirit, who thought that nothing ought to be denied him, for they were daring and high; so that he, as disdaining them, said nothing but _Giusel, Giusel!_ (i. e.) _Well, Well!_ And so we were dismissed to our Lodgings.

At our Audience there was a very full Court, for a great many Governors of Provinces were there with their Presents; and, besides the Imperial Horse, _Spahi’s_, _Janipagits_ and _Ululags_, there were also a great number of _Janizaries_. But, among this vast number of Courtiers, there was not so much as one more eminent for Birth and Parentage; each one, by his Valour and adventurous Atchievements, was the Carver out of his own Fortune. Their Honour ariseth from their Preferments; so that there is no dispute about Precedency, but every Man’s Pre-eminces is according to the Office which he bears. And those Offices are distributed at the meer Will and Pleasure of the Prince, who does not regard the empty Name of Nobility, nor value a Rush the Favour of the Multitude, or of any other particular Man; but, considering only the Merits and Disposition of the Man, he rewards him accordingly. And, by that means, Employments are bestowed upon such Persons as are best able to manage them; and every Man hath an opportunity to be the Hammerer out of his own Honour and Preferment. Those which at present are the greatest Officers under their Emperor, were mostly the Sons of Shepherds or Neatherds; and they are so far from being ashamed of the Meanness of their Original, that they glory therein among one another; and account it more Praise-worthy to be the Advancers of themselves, than if they had Honour transmitted down to them from their Ancestors.

For thus they argue, Virtue is not propagated from our Parents, but is partly the Gift of God, and partly acquired by good Discipline, and by our own Labour and Industry; so that, as no Son hath his Father’s Skill in Music, Arithmetic or Geometry, derived to him from his Birth, so neither can Fathers bequeath Virtue as an Inheritance to their Children; for the Soul, say they, is not communicated with the Father’s Seed (so that a Son must necessarily be born alike qualified as his Father was) but it is infus’d into his Body from the God of Heaven. Thus in that Nation, Dignities, Honours, Offices, _&c._ are the Rewards of Virtue and Merit; as on the other side, Dishonesty, Sloth, and Idleness, are among them the most despicable things in the whole World. And by this means they flourish, bear sway, and enlarge the Bounds of their Empire every day more and more. But we, _Christians_, to our shame be it spoken, live at another manner of rate; Virtue is little esteemed among us, but Nobleness of Birth (forsooth) carries away all the Honour and Preferment. But enough of this at present: More may be spoken on this Argument hereafter; and what I have now said about it, pray keep it to your self, for other Men may not be able to bear my Freedom herein.

To return, then, to my Subject; I shall now present you with a surprizing Spectacle, even a multitude of Persons with picket Turbants on their Heads, made of pure white Linnen folded together in Plates; their other Apparel was very costly, of several Sorts and Colours, all most radiantly shining with Gold, Silver, Purple, Silk, Velvet, _&c._ I am not able to describe the Gaudiness of the _Show_; in one Word, ’twas the most glorious one I ever saw in all my Life. And yet, in all this Splendor, there was a great deal of Simplicity and Parsimony too. Those who were of one Order had Cloathing all of one sort; there were no foolish Hems, Lacings, Fringes or Borders, as among us, which cost a great deal of Money, and yet wear out in a day or two. The Silk and Velvet Suits, which many of them wore, though mightily embroidered, yet cost not above a Ducat the making and embroidering. They did as much admire to see the Fashion of our Cloaths, as we did that of theirs. Their Vests are very long, almost down to their Heels, which is more graceful, and makes them seem taller than they are; but our Apparel (forsooth) is so curtail’d and short, that it hardly covers the Parts which Nature would have to be concealed; on which Account it is less decent. Besides, it seems to take away some Inches from the Tallness of our Stature, and look more _Dwarf-like_. And yet, among so great a Multitude, I took notice of this most laudable Circumstance; ’twas all _hush_; not so much as a word spoken among them all, nor no humming Noise, as among a tumultuous Multitude; no justling one of another, but every particular Man quietly kept his own Station. The Heads of them, which they call _Aga’s_, had Seats to sit upon, such as their _Serasquiers_, or _Generals_, their _Brigadiers_, _Colonels_ and _Captains_; but the Commonalty stood on their Feet. Among the rest, I most admir’d the _Janizaries_; though there were some Thousands of them, yet they stood at a distance one from another; Stock-still, (as we say) as if they had been Statues: So that I, who was at some distance from them, thought verily they had been so, till being advised to salute them, as the manner is, I saw them all bow their Heads, by way of Resalutation, unto me. When we passed from this Shew, behold there was another pleasurable one, which entertain’d us; and that was their Horse-Guards, in their March to their Quarters. They rode upon gallant stately Prancers, excellently well trapped, equipped, and Shod. Thus we were dismissed, but with little hopes of obtaining what we came for.

On the 10th of _May_, the _Persian_ Ambassador came to _Amasia_, and brought with him rich and gallant Presents, as many choice sorts of Hangings, _Babylonian_ Tents, curiously wrought within with many sorts of Needle-work, gallant Horse-Trappings, and Saddles, Scymiters made at _Damascus_, whose Handles were studded with Jewels, and Shields of curious Workmanship; but that which exceeded them all, was the _Alcoran_, so they call the Book containing the Rites and Ceremonies of their Religion, which they fancy _Mahomet_ compos’d by Divine Inspiration, and which is accounted the most noble Present of all. They quickly accorded with him on Terms of Peace, so that it concern’d us to be cautious, who were to find greater obstruction in our Negotiations with them. And, to assure us that the Peace was confirm’d betwixt them, they omitted no manner of extraordinary Respect to their Ambassador. For the manner of the _Turks_ is, (as I told you before,) to be excessive on both Sides, either in bestowing Honour on their Friends, or in heaping Reproaches on their Enemies. _Haly Basha_, Deputy to the _Grand Vizier_, treated the _Persian_ with a sumptuous Dinner, which he made in his Garden, a Place far distant from us, and separated also by the interposal of the River, yet we could see the Manner of it well enough; for, I told you, the Place was seated so high on both sides of the Hill, that the Eye might easily discover what was done on each side. This _Haly_ is a _Dalmatian_ by Birth, a Man of much Wit, and, which is strange in _Turkey_, very courteous to Strangers. The Table, at which the _Bashaw_ and the _Persian_ Embassador sate, was covered over with a Canopy, and the Dishes were served up after this manner. There were one hundred Youths, which attended, like Waiters, all of them alike habited. First of all, they entered one by one, at a small distance from each other, till the Train of them reached up to the Table where the Guests were sitting. They had nothing at all in their Hands, that so they might not be hindered in saluting the Guests, which was done in this manner; they laid their Hands on their Thighs, and bowed their Heads downwards to the Ground; when this Ceremony was perform’d, then he that stood next the Kitchen, took a Dish and gave it to the next Page immediately before him; he handed it to a Third, and he to a Fourth, and so from one to another till it came to him who stood next the Table, and he delivered it to the Hands of the Gentleman-Sewer, who plac’d it on the Table. And thus one hundred Dishes, or more, were serv’d up to the Table in excellent Order, without any Noise at all; and, when that was done, those Waiters, or Pages, saluted the Guests a second time, and so returned in the same Order they came in; only, of course, those that were last before went out first, and those which were nearest the Table brought up the Rear. Thus the second Course was also serv’d up; so that the _Turks_ are great Admirers of Orders, even in the smallest matters, which we _Christians_ are apt to neglect, even in things of greatest Moment. At some distant from the Ambassador sate his Attendants with some _Turks_ of Quality with them.

Peace being thus made with the _Persians_, as I told you before, yet we could get no good Terms of them at all, only we obtain’d an half year’s Truce, till I could send to my Master, and know his Answer. I was sent to be _Leiger_ Ambassador there; but, in regard there was no Peace settl’d betwixt both Empires, the _Bashaws_ thought it adviseable for me to return to my Master with Letters from _Solyman_ their Emperor; and I was to return with an Answer from his Imperial Majesty, if he thought fit. Hereupon I was again introduced into _Solyman_’s Presence, and had two large embroider’d Veils, reaching down to my Ancles, clap’d upon me; they were so heavy, that I could hardly stand under them. My Family also, that attended me, were all clad with silk Garments of divers Colours; in this Posture I stalked along, like _Agamemnon_, or some such piece of Gravity, in a _Tragedy_; and so I took my leave of their Emperor, having first receiv’d Letters from him to my Master, seal’d and wrap’d up in Cloth of Gold, and the chief of my Attendants were also admitted to take their Leaves; and thus, after we had taken our leaves of the _Bashaws_, I and my Collegues departed from _Amasia_, _June_ the 2d. The Custom is, that Ambassadors at their Departure, have a Dinner provided for them in the _Divan_, (so they call the place where the _Bashaws_ sit to administer Justice,) but this is done only to their Friends; that Compliment was omitted to me, because Affairs were not yet in an amicable Posture between them and us.

If you ask me, what manner of Man _Solyman_ was, I’ll tell you. He was an ancient Man, his Countenance, and the Mien of his Body, were very majestick, well becoming the Dignity which he bore; he was frugal and temperate, even from his Youth, though he might have taken a greater Liberty to himself by the Rules of their own Religion. In his younger Days he was not given to Wine, nor to masculine Venery, which the _Turks_ much delight in; to that his very Enemies could object nothing against him on those Accounts, but that he was too uxurious, and his over-indulgence to his Wife made him give way to the Death of his Son _Mustapha_: Yet that Crime was vulgarly imputed to an Ascendent she had over him, by reason of her Inchantments and Love-Portions. This is certain, that, after he once took her for his lawful Wife, he never had carnal Knowledge of any other Woman, though their Laws did not forbid him. He is a very strict Observer of the _Mahumetan_ Religion, and is as desirous to propagate that, as to enlarge the Bounds of his Empire.

He is now sixty years of Age; and, for a Man of his Years, he enjoys a moderate proportion of Health, and yet his Countenance doth discover, that he carries about him some hidden Disease, ’tis thought a Gangrene, or Ulcer, in the Thigh; yet at solemn Audiences of Ambassadors, he hath a _Fucus_ to paint his Cheeks with, that he may appear sound and healthy to them, and thereupon be more dreaded by foreign Princes, their Masters. Methought, I discovered some such thing at my Dismission; for his Countenance was as sour when I left him, as it was at my first Audience.