Early Voyages and Travels in the Levant

Abstract

Ill selves In the Eastern capital : these rights esta- blished numerous ijnperia in imperio during the succeeding centuries In Constantinople.The Venetians obtained them early In the eleventh century ; the Amalfians In 1056, the Genoese In 1098, and the PIsans In mo, and henceforward they became so general, that the Greeks of the later empire complained that there were no wharves for them- selves, and that they could not compete with these Indefatigable foreign traders ; much as we hear complaints now amongst our own artisans of the Influx of German and Belgian workmen Into England.When the Turks took Constantinople they did little to Interfere with the existing order of things : the Genoese and Venetians got their capitulations renewed ; the right to have disputes with their fellow-countrymen decided by their own authorities ; the right to have questions between them and Ottoman subjects decided only In presence of a Vene- tian Interpreter ; exemption from the tax Imposed on Christians In lieu of military service ; and the right to appoint their own magistrates In Constanti- nople.Being a nomadic race, the Ottoman Turks cared little for commerce : their ships were the caiques of the Greeks ; their emperors wrote their decrees In red Ink, as their Greek predecessors had done ; and to the foreign traders who flocked to Constantinople they gave the same privileges that the Greek emperors had done, and, as far as they were concerned, the status quo was maintained.Meanwhile trade was passing westwards ; the time INTRODUCTION.Xlll the meanes of the french Ambassador, who, with his great bribes (receyvinge now the Pope's pay), sparethe nothinge to hinder all my desingnes in mallice, seinge the reputation of Her Majesty is so great in this port, and cheefly for the consulledge of forrestiers, W^^the Grand Signior lyttle after the arrivall of the shipp graunted should come under Her Majesty's banner, nothwith- standinge the same was formerly graunted by his father and him sealfe, proffering all other reasonable demaunds w'^^her Majesty should desire, countinge hir frindshipp before that of any other Christian Prince, rejoysinge greatly to see the shipp to come into port, and more hir princely presents, espetially the instrument and plate, whereof hee made gre^t accompt, and at the tyme apoynted mee to come present the same ; he made demonstration therof by spekinge himsealf to me w^^hath not ever bin used (as is reported) to any Cristian prince's ambassador, the manner whereof in breefe I doe hereby advize yo"" honnor." Althoughe he kept his court out of the Cittie, yett cam hee home of purpose for mee to delliver her Majestie's letter and present, and to kisse his hand, at w^^tyme I apoynted to attend upon me xii gentlemen on horsebacke, vested in cloth of gould and silver, a gentlem usher, ii pages in white damaske, 20 menn in livery gownes, xii merchaunts, desently apparelled merchauntlike in blacke, and my sealf attired as richly as I might."The captains of the Chowses and Spahees(Chiauses and Spahis) were sent to accompany and entertayne mee to the G^Signior his pallace, where first in open court before the G"^Signior, his Pashas, or Counsellors, I declared to them her Ma*^y^'s pleasure, salutations, and requests." Conferring about divers late accidents, espetially of her Majestie's forces against Spaine, and of the peace made betweene him and the French Kinge, w^^thay all seemed to dislike, we spent a smale tyme untill the banquett ordayned for mee was provided ; which being furnished, only I, Halul Pasha, the Cheefe Vizier, and a first Pasha, late general of Scelestia (Silistria), sate at one Table, the other Pashas satt apart by them sealves ; at another, a lyttle distant from us, satt the ii Cadiliskers, or cheefe Judges of all this empire, and apart from them ii of the high Tresorors ;by them satt alone the highe chaunsellors, every one served accordinge to his degree, but our Table furnished w*^the allow- ance and dayenties as are usually served to the G"" S*", in great XIV INTRODUCTION.variety and abundance ; w^^finished, order was sent by the G"" S*" that before our entrance unto him bothe I and my gentle- menn should be clothed in vests out of his Tresorie, w<=^were there scarcely found, yet had I ii, and ten for my gentlemenn ; and so, in company of the Vizeires, I entered into the presence chamber, where the Grand Sigio": satt uppon a cushion of red sattin most richly ymbrodred w'^pearls, and all his chamber floored with Eedd sattin Ritchly ymbrodered w*^gould; and, omyttinge the sumptuousnes of the sight, coming to deliver my Ambassadge unto him, I first salluted him in her Highnes' name ; secondly, declared to him the good intelligence betweene her Highnes and his father,^and of the bennefitt therof to both their domnions and subieckts ; thirdly, I ymformed him of Her Majesty's pleasure for my Confirmation in former charge of Ambassador, requiringe therein not only his Highnes' consent, but princely favour in all future occations ; and, lastly, recoiriended unto him the affayres of her merchaunts traffickinge in his domnions, wher unto hee him sealf answered as afore, sainge he did much reioyce at Her Majesty's frindshipp, and prayed God that shee might allwayes have the victory over her enemyes as hether unto.Lastly, he tould me I should receyve sattisfaction of all I desiered, Licensinge me to departe.I was accompanied with Chiauses and other his officers to my house, having binn both outward and homward Salluted w^'^divers tiers of artillery from the Shipp, for w^^and the favour of the Grand Signo'' shewed me that day ministred many dayes after occation to speak of my Entertainment." But this while thinkinge my sealf sure of all things, the French ambassador, with his bribe of 6,000 chickins,^did not only over throughe our former graunt of counsolledge of forresteeres, but all other demandes I made, besides the confirmation of our ould Capittulations, the Vizeer denienge me audience to shew reason for my just demands."[Then follows a long account of his difficulties owing to the interference of the French ambassador, and certain details concerning the war in Hungary ; and the letter closes as

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