Their Empire owes the continuance of its being to the severity of the Government, which oftentimes takes place without regard either to Justice or Equity, and to their frequent Wars, which prevent all occasions of Mutiny and Faction among the Soldiers, which happen frequently when unimploy'd. So that tho' Ambition may put a warlike Sultan upon enlarging his Territories by new Conquests, yet reason of State forces a weak and effeminate Prince, such as was _Ibrahim_, to make War for his own Security. Their Politicks are not owing to Books and Study and the Examples of past times, but to Experience and the plain Suggestions of Nature and common Sense: They have Rules of Government, which they firmly adhere to, holding the Reins strait, especially being cruel and inexorable to Criminals of State, who never are to expect any Mercy or Pity. Their Councils formerly were open, and their Designs known, and proclaimed before Hand, as if this had been a Bravery becoming their Greatness, and that they scorned to steal a Conquest. But they have learned since the Art of dissimulation, and can Lie and Swear for their Interest, and seem excessive in their Caresses to the Ministers of those Countries, which they intend to Invade. But their preparations for Arming are made with so much Noise, that an ordinary Jealousie is soon awakened by it to oppose them, in case of an Attack. They seldom or never care to have War at both Extremes of the Empire at the same time, and therefore they are mighty sollicitous to secure a Peace with _Christendom_, when they intend a War upon the _Persians_: And as much as is possible, they avoid quarrelling with two Christian Princes at once, being usually at League either with _Poland_ and _Muscovy_, when they War upon _Hungary_, and so on the contrary; dreading nothing more than an Union of the _Christian_ Princes, bordering upon them, which would prove so fatal to their Empire, and quickly put a Period to their Greatness. For hereby they would be put upon a necessity of making a defensive War to their great Loss and Disadvantage, and at last either be forced to beg a Peace of the _Christians_, or run the hazard of losing all, by a further Prosecution of War.