Damage, and against the Will of my Master, and therefore it was best that we should all return together. Thus I reasoned before them, that so I might stay on better Terms, rather by their Entreaty than by my own voluntary Offer. I knew well enough, that, if we all went away, it would not only open a wide Door for a War, but it would even quite shut out all Hopes of Peace; which latter was not despaired of, if I staid behind: For, whilst Dispatches were sent to and from both Princes, it would spin out a great deal of Time, in which Interval something or other might fall out of advantage to our Cause; so that it was better to do any thing, than to precipitate our selves into a fierce and cruel War; and yet I was not ignorant, how prejudicial my Stay would be to my self, for thereby my Care and Labour would be doubled, in regard one was to do the Work of two or three: Besides, many Inconveniencies might occasionally arise, especially, if the Issue of my Transactions did terminate in a War: And yet, I must tell you, he that undertakes the Office of a public Ambassador, must post-pone all such private Difficulties, and make light of them, in comparison of the public Good of his Prince and Country. And I had a fair Opportunity to manage this Affair by the Complaisance of _Rustan_, who was very desirous of my Stay; for that subtle _Vizier_ easily foresaw, what a shrewd Step towards a War it would be, if we should all be gone and leave the Negotiation for a Peace unfinished. The old Fox was averse from War, upon this Account principally; he foresaw that, if _Solyman_ made an Expedition into _Hungary_, it was impossible to prevent the Discords of his Children; for if _Selimus_ were willing to be quiet, yet _Bajazet_ would attempt Innovation, especially since he was favoured by himself, his Wife, and Mother-in-law; and such Commotions, he knew, would be fatal to him: And therefore, when we were once at his House, he made a long Harangue to my Colleagues, advising them what to say to their Master at their Return, in order to a Peace. As for me, he advised me by all means to stay behind, and not to desert a Business so well begun, till it came to the desired Issue; and there’s no doubt, said he, but the Emperor, your Master, who always shewed himself inclining to Peace, will approve well-enough of your Stay. However, I continued deaf to his Request, as far as with Safety I could, and insisted on my Return; which egg’d him on the more, to persuade me to stay: What, says he, will you cut off all Hopes of Peace for ever? Our Emperor longs for nothing more than to send an Army into _Hungary_, and he had long since done it, if I had not made use of some female Instruments (meaning his Wife and Mother-in-law) to dissuade him; yea, as it were to pluck him back by the Sleeve; and therefore, if you be wife, don’t rouze a sleeping Lyon to destroy you. Upon this I began to yield a little, and was less peremptory