as he could, and embracing him in his Arms, offered to kiss him; which did so mollifie his wretched Heart, that he fell down in a Swoon. The _Eunuch_ stood at the Door, and wondering at the Delay, went in and found the Fellow lying flat on the Ground; whereupon he was forced to execute the Charge himself, and so strangled the poor innocent Child. By this Passage it appears, that _Solyman_ spar’d his Nephew hitherto, not out of any Principle of Mercy, but out of an Opinion the _Turks_ have, that Matters, if they succeed well, are pleasing to God; and therefore, as long as ’twas uncertain, what might be the event of _Bajazet_’s Designs, he would not imbrue his Hands in his Child’s Blood, lest, if _Bajazet_ had succeeded, he might seem to have resisted the Will of God: But, when _Bajazet_ was slain, he thought God had determined the Controversie, and that his Son also might not be spared, lest the Proverb should be verified, _Of an ill Crow, an evil Egg_. I had along Discourse with my _Chiaux_ upon this Subject, when I was in the Island before mentioned, and had liberty to sail from one to the other. It happened once, that as we were returning in our Skiff, the Wind being against us, we could not double a Promontary that reach’d pretty far into the Sea, but were forced to land and take our Dinner a-shoar; for I always carried ready-dress’d Provision along with me in the Vessel for fear of the worst; and their _Turks_ were also forced to land, by the same Stress of Weather. Our Table was spread in a green Meadow; my _Chiaux_ and my Interpreter sate at Table with me. Mention being occasionally made of _Bajazet_, the _Chiaux_ began to inveigh bitterly against him for taking up Arms against his Brother. I pleaded for him, and said, he was worthy of Pity, who was forced to do what he did: There was an inevitable Necessity upon him, either to submit himself to a certain Death, or to save his Life by taking Arms. However the _Chiaux_ persisted still to call it an execrable Undertaking; whereupon I argued thus; you accuse _Bajazet_ as guilty of an horrid Offence; but you acquit _Solyman_, the Father of your present Emperor, who took up Arms against his Father. We do so, said the _Chiaux_, and with Reason; for the Event shew’d, that what he did, was by God’s Approbation, and predestinated in Heaven. If you argue from Success, said I, then the wickedest Fact, if it prosper, may be imputed to God as the Author; and then he may be made the Author of Sin, if _Good_ and _Evil_ must be interpreted only by Events. We dwelt a while on this Discourse, and were very eager upon it, whilst either of us defended his own Opinion. We alledg’d many places of Scriptures; _Can the Vessel say to the Potter, why hast thou made me thus? I will harden ~Pharaoh~’s Heart: ~Jacob~ have I loved; but ~Esau~ have I hated_: and others of like import.