The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 03Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 03
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
[Sidenote: The Turkes Ambassadour to the Sophie.] At this time the great
Turkes Ambassadour arriued foure dayes before my comming, who was sent
thither to conclude a perpetuall peace betwixt the same great Turke and the
Sophie, and brought with him a present in golde, and faire horses with rich
furnitures, and other gifts, esteemed to bee woorth forty thousand pound.
And thereupon a peace was concluded with ioyfull feasts, triumphs and
solemnities, corroborated with strong othes, by their law of Alkaron, for
either to obserue the same, and to liue alwayes after as sworne brethren,
ayding the one the other against all princes that should warre against
them, or either of them. And upon this conclusion the Sophy caused the
great Turkes sonne named Baiset Soltan, a valiant Prince (who being fled
from his father vnto the Sophie, had remained in his Court the space of
foure yeeres) to be put to death. In which time the said Turkes sonne had
caused mortall warres betwixt the sayd princes, and much preuailed therein:
the Turke demanded therefore his sonne to be sent vnto him; and the Sophy
refused thereunto to consent. But now being slaine according to the Turks
will, the Sophy sent him his head for a present, not a little desired, and
acceptable to the vnnaturall father. Discoursing at my first arriuall with
the king of Shiruan of sundry matters, and being interteined as hath bene
before declared, the sayd King named Obdolocan, demaunding whether we of
England had friendship with the Turks or not: I answered, that we neuer had
friendship with them, and that therefore they would not suffer vs to passe
thorow their countrey into the Sophy his dominions, and that there is a
nation named the Venetians, not farre distant from vs, which are in great
league with the sayd Turks, who trade into his dominions with our
commodities, chiefly to barter the same for raw silks, which (as we
vnderstand) come from thence: and that if it would please the said Sophy
and other Princes of that countrey, to suffer our merchants to trade into
those dominions, and to give vs pasport and safe conduct for the same, as
the said Turke hath granted to the sayd Venetians, I doubted not but that
it should grow to such a trade to the profit of them as neuer before had
beene the like, and that they should be both furnished with our
commodities, and also haue vtterance of theirs, although there neuer came
Turke into their land, perswading with many other words for a trade to be
had. This king vnderstanding the matter liked it marueilously, saying, that
he would write vnto the Sophy concerning the same: as he did in very deed,
assuring me that the Sophy would graunt my request, and that at my returne
vnto him he would giue me letters of safe conduct, and priuiledges. The
Turkes Ambassadour was not then come into the land, neither any peace hoped
to be concluded, but great preparation was made for warre, which was like
much to have furthered my purpose, but it chanced otherwise.
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