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
Thus the _Turks_ surmount huge Difficulties in War, with a great
deal of Patience, Sobriety and Parsimony, reserving themselves for
more favourable Circumstances. But our _Christian_ Soldiers carry it
otherwise; they scorn homely Fare in their Camps; they must have dainty
bits, forsooth, such as Thrushes, Black-birds, and banquetting Stuff. If
they have not these they are ready to mutiny, as if they were famished;
and if they have them, they are undone: Their own Intemperance kills
them, if their Enemy spare their Lives.
When I compare the Difference between their Soldiers and ours, I stand
amazed to think what will be the Event; for certainly their Soldiers
must needs conquer, and ours must needs be vanquished; both cannot stand
prosperously together: For on their side, there is a mighty, strong and
wealthy Empire, great Armies, Experience in War, a veteran Soldiery, a
long Series of Victories, Patience in Toil, Concord, Order, Discipline,
Frugality and Vigilance. On our side, there is public Want, private
Luxury, Strength weakened, Minds Discouraged, an unaccustomedness to
Labour or Arms, Soldiers refractory, Commanders covetous, a Contempt of
Discipline, Licentiousness, Rashness, Drunkenness, Gluttony; and, what
is worst of all, they used to conquer, we to be conquered. Can any Man
doubt, in this case, what the Event will be? ’Tis only the _Persian_
stands between us and Ruin. The _Turks_ would fain be upon us, but
he keeps him back; his War with him affords us only a Respite, not a
Deliverance: When he once makes Peace with him, he will bring all the
Power of the East upon us, and how ready we are to receive him, I am
afraid to speak. But to return from whence I digressed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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