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J.C.1709 him and tents were likewife provided for all the

Heg.1121.

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lords of his retinue. Some time after, the prince built a house in this place; the officers followed his example, and the foldiers raised barracks, fo that his camp insensibly became a little town. As the king was not yet cured of his wound, he was obliged to have a carious bone extracted from his foot; but as foon as he could get on horseback again, he refumed his wonted labours, always. getting up before fun-rifing, tiring three horses a day, and exercifing his foldiers. By way of amusement he fometimes played at chefs; and as the characters of men are often difcovered by the most trifling incidents, it may not be improper to obferve, that he always advanced the king first at that game, and made greater use of him than

of

you fhall fet out. My moft formidable and invincible emperor does not
let any one know his fecrets; but he has made his preparations fecretly, and
he works after he has gotten rid of those who are perfidious. My most
amiable emperor has made use of these words: By the foul of my ancestors, I
will conduct the king of Sweden to the place of bis deftination. The king of
Sweden is my brother. Once more don't listen to what your enemies fay. If
it please God, the field will be our own. My foul, have respect for your
I love
gentleman; without him your affairs would not be fettled. §
him as if he were my child, because he has expofed himfelf for you, and
served you with integrity. That your days may be happy is the fincere with
of The Poor Derviche.

cc Poffcript. It is fortunate that Sarai interpofes. Without her I fhouldnever have known your affairs. My most majestic fon, endeavour to keep in with her. Your affairs will be fettled to your wishes. Don't be uneafy about Sarai; fhe is in your intereft, and, whilft I have life, you may always depend on me. My foul, you know that my beloved emperor ftands alone and is devoured with chagrin; but the wicked ones will meet their deferts; the field will remain to me, and to you likewife." AUTHOR.

§ Note. The gentleman alluded to is general Poniatowski,

of any other men, by which mean he was always J.C. 170 9. a lofer.

Heg.1121.

cence of

to Charles.

At Bender he had all the neceffaries of life Munifiin great abundance, a felicity that feldom falls to the fultan the lot of a vanquished and fugitive prince; for, befides the more than fufficient quantity of provifions, and the five hundred crowns a day which he received from the Ottoman munificence, he drew fome money from France, and borrowed of the merchants of Conftantinople. Part of this money was employed in forwarding his intrigues in the feraglio, in buying the favors of the viziers, or procuring their ruin.

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occupation

Turks.

A number of ftrangers came from Conftan- Charles's tinople to fee him. The Turks and the neigh- among the bouring Tartars came thither in crowds; all respected and admired him. His rigid abftinence from wine, and his regularity in affifting twice a day at public prayers, made them fay: this is a true Muffulman. They ardently wished to march with him to the conqueft of Mofcovy.

'Charles XII.'s envoy prefented memorials in his name to the grand vizier, and Poniatowski supported them with all his intereft. This nobleman's address fucceeded in every thing; he was always dreffed in the Turkish fashion, and had free access to every place. The grand feignior made him a present of a purfe with a thousand ducats; and the grand vizier faid to him I will take your king in one hand, and a fword in the

VOL.IV.

R 2

other,

J.C. 1709. other, and bring him to Moscow at the head of Heg.1121.

Charles
XII.'s

hopes con-
ftantly de-

two hundred thousand men. This grand vizier was called Chourlouli Ali bafhaw; he was the fon of a peafant of the village of Chourlou. Such an extraction is not reckoned a difgrace among the Turks, who have no rank of nobility, neither that which is annexed to certain employments, nor that which confifts in titles. With them the dignity and importance of a man's character depend entirely upon his personal services. This is a custom which prevails in most of the eastern countries; a custom very natural and which might be productive of the moft beneficial effects, if posts of honor were conferred on none but men of merit; but the viziers for the most part are only the creatures of a black eunuch, or a favorite female flave.

The prime minister foon changed his mind. The king could do nothing but negotiate, and ceived in the czar could give money, which he diftributed Turkey. with great profufion; and he even employed the

money of Charles XII. on this occafion. The military cheft which he took at Pultoway furnished him with new arms against the vanquished king; and it was no longer a question at court, whether war should be made upon the Ruffians. The czar's intereft was all powerful at the Porte, which granted fuch honors to his envoy as the Mufcovite minifters had never before enjoyed at Conftantinople. The czar thought he might even

demand,

Heg.1121.

demand, that general Mazeppa fhould be put J.C.1709. into his hands, as Charles XII. had caufed the unhappy Patkul to be delivered up to him. Chourlouli Ali bafhaw could refufe nothing to a prince who backed his demands with millions. Thus, that fame grand vizier, who had formerly promised, in the most folemn manner, to lead the king of Sweden into Mofcovy with two hundred thousand men, had the assurance to make him a proposal of consenting to the sacrifice of general Mazeppa. Charles was enraged at this demand. It is hard to fay how far the vizier might have pushed the affair, had not Mazeppa, who was now seventy years of age, died exactly at this juncture. The king's grief and indignation were greatly increased, when he learned that Tolstoy, now become the czar's ambaffador at the Porte, was ferved in public by Swedes made flaves at Pul. toway, and that thefe brave foldiers were daily fold in the market at Conftantinople. Nay, the Ruffian ambaffador made no fcruple of declaring openly, that the Muffulman troops at Bender

were

1

Mazeppa, prince of the Coffacks, who had quitted the alliance, or ra ther the dependance, of the czar, to join Charles XII. Patkul, the general of the Livonians, in rebellion against Charles XII. had been fent ambassador to king Auguftus by the czar. One of the articles of the peace concluded between king Auguftus and the king of Sweden was, that Patkul should be delivered up to him as a rebellious subject and a traitor. Auguftus, preffed to conclude the peace, violated the law of nations, by delivering to the king of Sweden a man invested with a facred character; and Charles XII. violated it ftill more, by having this fame ambassador broken alive on the wheel, who was guilty of nothing but having claimed, in arms, the privileges and rights of his nation.

AUTHOR.

J.C. 1710 were placed there rather with a view to fecure Heg.1122. the king's perfon, than to do him any honor.

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Charles, abandoned by the grand vizier, and vanquished by the czar's money in Turkey, as he had been by his arms in the Ukraine, faw himself deceived and defpifed by the Porte, and almost a prifoner among the Tartars. His attendants began to defpair. Himself alone remained firm,, and never appeared in the leaft dejected. Convinced that the fultan was ignorant of the intrigues of Chourlouli Ali, his grand vizier, he refolved to acquaint him with them; and Poniatowski undertook the execution of this hazardous. enterprise. The grand feignior goes every Friday to mofque, furrounded by his folacks, a kind of guards, whofe turbans are adorned with fuch high feathers, as to conceal the fultan from the view of the people. When any one has a petition to present to the grand feignior, he endeavours to mingle with the guards, and holds the petition aloft. Sometimes the fultan condescends to receive it himself; but for the most part he orders an aga to take charge of it, and upon his return from the mosque causes the petition to be laid before him. There is no fear of any one's prefuming to importune him with useless memorials and trifling petitions, as they write lefs at Conftantinople in a whole year, than they do at Paris in one day. There is ftill lefs danger of any memorials' being prefented against the minifters, to whom the fultan commonly gives them

unread.

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