Heg.1123.

molish the important citadels built upon the JC. 1711.
Palus Mæotis, and deliver all the cannon and
ammunition of thefe fortreffes into the hands of
the grand feignior; that the czar fhould with-
draw his troops from Poland, give no further
disturbance to the few Coffacks that were under
the protection of the Poles, nor to thofe that
were fubject to the Turks; and that for the fu-
ture he should pay the Tartars an annual fubfidy
of forty thousand fequins ; an odious tribute
formerly impofed, but from which the czar had
delivered his country. *

At laft the treaty was going to be figned,
without fo much as making mention of the king
of Sweden. All that Poniatowski could obtain
of the vizier, was, to infert an article, by which
the Ruffian emperor bound himself not to incom-
mode the return of Charles XII. and, what is
very remarkable, it was ftipulated in this article,
that the czar and the king of Sweden fhould
make peace,
if they thought proper, and could
agree upon the terms.

On thefe conditions the czar was permitted
to retire with his army, cannon, artillery, colours,
and baggage; the Turks fupplied him with pro-
vifions, and he had plenty of every thing in his
camp two hours after the figning of the treaty,
U 2
which

VOL. IV.

*The grand vizier wanted to have prince Cantimir delivered up to the Porte as a rebellious fubject; but the czar would never confent to it. He even fettled upon that prince lands in the Ukraine, with a confiderable penfion. AUTHOR.

J.C. 1711. which was begun, concluded, and figned the 21st Heg. 1123. of July, 1711.

Juft as the czar, now extricated from this terrible dilemma, was marching off with drums beating and colours flying, the king of Sweden arrived, impatient for the fight, and happy in the thoughts of having his enemy in his power. He had ridden poft above fifty leagues, from Bender to Jazy. He arrived the very moment that the Ruffians were beginning to retire in peace but he could not penetrate to the Turkish camp without paffing the Pruth by a bridge three leagues diftant. Charles XII. who never did any thing like other men, fwam across the river, at the hazard of being drowned, and traverfed the Ruffian camp at the risk of being taken. At length he reached the Turkish army, and alighted at the tent of count Poniatowski, who informed me of these particulars, both by letter and perfonally. The count came out to him with a forrowful countenance, and told him that he had lost an opportunity, which perhaps he would never be able to recover.

The king, inflamed with refentment, flew ftraight away to the tent of the grand vizier, and, with a stern air, reproached him with the treaty he had made. "I have a right," fays the grand vizier, with a calm afpect, "either to make peace

or war." "But," adds the king, "haft thou "not the whole Ruffian army in thy power ?" "Our law commands us," replies the grand vi

1

zier, with great gravity, "to grant peace to our J.C. 1711.
Heg.1123.
"enemies when they implore our mercy." "And
"does it command thee," refumes the king in
a paffion, "to make a bad treaty, when thou
mayeft impofe what laws thou pleafeft? Hadft
"thou not a fair opportunity, if thou wouldst
"have embraced it, of leading the czar a pri-
"foner to Conftantinople?"

The Turk, driven to this extremity, replied
very coldly: "And who would have governed
"his empire in his abfence? It is not proper that
"all kings should leave their dominions." Charles
made no other answer, than by a smile of indig-
nation. He then threw himself down upon a fofa,
and, eying the vizier with an air of contempt and
refentment, stretched out his leg, and, entangling
his fpur in the Turk's robe, purpofely tore it:
after which he rofe up, mounted his horfe, and,
with a forrowful heart, returned to Bender. Po-
niatowski continued fome time longer with the
grand vizier, to try if he could not prevail upon
him, by more gentle means, to extort greater con-
ceffions from the czar; but the hour of prayer
being come, the Turk, without answering a single
word, went to wash and attend divine fervice.

The fortune of the king of Sweden, now fo different from what it had formerly been, harraffed him even in the moft trifling circumftances. On his return, he found his little camp at Bender, and all his apartment, overflowed by the water of the Niefter. He retired to the distance of fome

miles,

J.C. 1711 miles, near the village of Varnitza; and, as if he Heg.1123. had had a fecret foreboding of what was to befal him, he there built a large house of stone, capable, on occafion, to sustain an affault for a few hours. He even furnished it in a magnificent manner, contrary to his ufual custom, in order the more effectually to attract the respect of the Turks.

Charles truggles much against his bad fortune,

'He likewife built two other houses, one for his chancery, and the other for his favorite Grothufen, who kept a table at the king's expence. Whilft Charles was thus employed in building near Bender, as if he had always intended to remain in Turkey, Baltagi Mehemet, dreading more than ever the intrigues and complaints of this prince at the Porte, had fent the refident of the emperor of Germany to Vienna, to demand a free paffage for the king of Sweden through the hereditary dominions of the house of Austria. The envoy, in the space of three weeks, brought back a promise from the imperial regency, importing, that they would pay Charles XII. all due honors, and conduct him fafely into Pomerania.

Application was made to the regency of Vienna, because Charles, the emperor of Germany, who had fucceeded Jofeph I. was then in Spain, difputing the crown of that kingdom with Philip V. Whilft the German envoy was executing this commiffion at Vienna, the grand vizier fent three bashaws to acquaint the king of Sweden, that he muft quit the Turkish dominions.

The

Heg.1123.

The king, being previously apprifed of the J.C. 1711. orders with which they were charged, caused intimation to be given them, that if they presumed to make him any propofals contrary to his honor, or to the respect that was due to his character, he would have them all three hung up immediately. The bashaw of Salonichi, who delivered the mesfage, disguised the harshness of the commiffion, under the most refpectful terms. Charles put an end to the audience without deigning to give them an answer. His chancellor Mullern, who ftaid with the three bashaws, briefly explained to them his master's refusal, which indeed they had fufficiently understood by his profound filence.

'The grand vizier was not to be diverted from his purpose: he ordered Ifhmael bashaw, the new feraskier of Bender, to threaten the king with the fultan's indignation, if he did not immediately come to fome refolution. This ferafkier was a man of a mild temper and engaging addrefs, which had gained him the good will of Charles, and the friendship of all the Swedes. The king entered into a conference with him, but it was only to tell him, that he would not depart 'till Achmet had granted him two favors: the punishment of his grand vizier, and a hundred thousand men to conduct him back to Poland.

Baltagi Mehemet was fenfible that Charles remained in Turkey only to ruin him. He therefore took care to place guards in all the roads from Bender to Conftantinople, to intercept the

king's