A certain Prophecy of no small Authority runs in the Minds of all the People, and has gain'd great Credit and Belief among them, that their Empire shall be ruined by a Northern Nation, which has white and yellowish Hair. The Interpretation is as various as their Fansie. Some fix this Character on the _Muscovites_: And the poor _Greeks_ flatter themselves with foolish Hopes, that they are to be their Deliverers, and to rescue them from their Slavery, chiefly because they are of their Communion, and owe their Conversion to the _Christian_ Faith to the Piety and Zeal of the _Grecian_ Bishops formerly. Others look upon the _Swedes_, as the Persons describ'd in the Prophecy, whom they are most to fear. The Ground and Original of this fancy I suppose is owing to the great Opinion, which they have of the Valour and Courage of that Warlike Nation. The great Victories of the _Swedes_ in _Germany_ under _Gustavus Adolphus_ were loudly proclaimed at _Constantinople_, as if there were no withstanding the shock and fury of their Arms: And their continued Successes confirmed the _Turks_ in their first belief, and their Fears and their Jealousies were augmented afterwards, when _Charles Gustave_, a Prince of as heroick a Courage, and as great Abilities in the Art and Management of War as the justly admired _Gustavus_, entred _Poland_ with his Army, and carried all before him, seized upon _Warsaw_ and drove _Casimire_ out of his Kingdom, and had almost made an entire and absolute Conquest, only a few Places holding out. This alarmed the Grand Signior and the Bassa's of the _Port_, as if the Prophecy were then about to be fulfilled, who did not care for the Company of such troublesome Neighbours, who might push on their Victories, and joyning with the _Cossacks_, advance their Arms further, and make their Country the seat of a War, which might draw after it fatal Consequences. To prevent which, Couriers are dispatch'd from _Constantinople_ to _Ragotski_, Prince of _Transylvania_, then in concert with the _Sweeds_, to Command him to retire with his Army out of _Poland_, as he valued the Peace and Safety of his own Country, and the Friendship of the Grand Signior, whose Tributary he was, and by whose Favour he had gain'd that Principality: And the _Crim-Tartars_, the Sworn Enemies of the _Poles_, who at that time lay heavy upon them, were wrought upon by the same Motives and Reasons of State, to clap up a Peace with them, that being freed from these Distractions, they might unite their Forces the better together, and make Head against the _Sweeds_.