Travels into Turkey: Containing the most accurate account of the Turks, and neighbouring nations, their manners, customs, religion, superstition, policy, riches, coins, &c.Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
History
Travels into Turkey: Containing the most accurate account of the Turks, and neighbouring nations, their manners, customs, religion, superstition, policy, riches, coins, &c.
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
Turkey -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
_Solyman_ had presently a Messenger sent him of this Victory, and
immediately he posted over into _Asia_. His _Bashaws_ would not let
him go before; _But now_ (said they) _you must make haste to press
upon ~Bajazet~ in his Misfortune and to prevent his Recruit; for if
his secret Favourites should declare for him, they might cut them out
further Work. The Report of your Passage over, will both discourage your
Son and terrify all his Followers; and, therefore, make haste, lest he
serve you as sometime your Father did, who was more formidable after he
was conquered than before, so that his very Overthrow at first was the
cause of his Victory in the End._ Neither did they thus speak without
Cause; for ’tis incredible how much that Fight, though unfortunate, had
added to _Bajazet_’s Renown. That he was so hardily valorous, as, with
a small handful in comparison, to set upon the well-disciplin’d Army
of his Brother, strengthened too with his Father’s Forces; that he was
not daunted with the disadvantage of the Place, nor the roaring of the
great Ordnance, and that he carried himself in the very Battel, not as
a raw Officer, but an expert General. ’Tis true, said they, his Success
was not answerable, but his Valour was not inferior; and, therefore,
let _Selimus_ boast never so much of his Victory to his Father, this we
are sure of, that, of the two, _Bajazet_ deserved to be Conqueror; and
that we may attribute his Brother’s being so to any thing rather than to
his own Valour. These Discourses concerning _Bajazet_, shew’d him to be
Popular, and thereupon they double his Father’s Grief and Pain, and his
Desire to ruin him. Resolved he was, none but _Selimus_ should succeed
him in the Empire: For, besides that he was his eldest Son, he had been
always faithful and obedient to him; but _Bajazet_ had been rebellious,
and gaped after the Throne in his Lifetime; and he feared him the more,
because he was esteem’d a very valiant Prince, and because also he had
openly assisted _Selimus_ against him.
For these Reasons he pass’d the Sea into _Asia_, but with a Resolution
not to stir from the Shore, but to assist his Son _Selimus_’s Affairs,
only at a distance. For why, thought he, should I run any Hazard to
bring my own Forces nearer, lest my Army, not fully settled in their
Obedience, should be tempted to a Revolt.
I my self saw _Solyman_ march out of _Constantinople_ in the Year 1559,
_June 5th_, tho’ against the Will of my _Chiaux_. Let me here present you
with a Scene of Mirth, and like a Braggadocio-soldier, tell you of two
Battels I had at once; for why, I have Leisure enough (unless you count
my Cares my Study) and the larger I am in my Scribling, the more time do
I borrow from my Troubles. Hear then, what were my Quarrels.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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