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This is the laft Act of the Life of Sultan Ofman, but his Intents and great Defigns which drewe vpon him this fatall Blowe, I fuppose will not be vnworthy the Communication: the Practices, Reasons, Secretts, and Councell's of all Actions beeing the Soul of Hiftory, and res gefta but the bare Carcafs. And I am perfwaded, as many Ages haue not produced fo ftraunge an Example of the Incertenty of humane Greatnes, fo in the Difpofition thereof, and in the Waies leading thereunto, there is feen euidently the wonderfull Prouidence of God, in confounding the Councells. of the worldly Wife, who had laid a Foundation of newe Greatnes, whereby he afpired the uniuerfall Monarchy; ambitious of the Honor of Traian, in whose tyme the decayed Empire was faid, primum movere lacertos, et fenectutem imperij quafi redditâ iuventute revirefcere: and, laftly, the World may fee vpon how weake Foundations thisMonarchy was at first builded; how it is now fhaken and corrupted; how their Kings are fubiect to the Rage of a fewe Slaues; how Anarchy hath prepared yt an eafy Prey to any able Hand that would attempt it. From the Inuafion of Poland all thefe Changes tooke their Beginning. Sultan Ofman aduanced to the Throne in his Youth, full of Heat and Bloud, beeing of a great and haughty Spiritt, very couragious, strong of Body, a mortall Hater of Christians, enuious of the Glory of his Anceftours, and ambitious to raise his Name aboue any of theirs, had projected in himfelfe the Conqueft of the Remaynes of the bordering Europe. But to fo great Defignes he had one Vice that refifted all Hope of Profperity, which was extreme Auarice,

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and hee fell into the later Tymes, and decrepid Age, ubi vires luxu corrumpebantur, contra veterem difciplinam, et inftituta maiorum, apud quos, virtute quam pecunia, res militaris melius ftetit. His first Enterprize was that of Poland, moued by the Incurfions of the Coffacks, which yet he undertooke of his owne Head, without the Councell of any of his Viziers; who, in a Monarchy growne to the height by Eafe and Wealth, and perhapps longa dominatione inertes, are euer corrupt and lazy, and against the likeing of all the Soldiours, who nowe, contrary to their Inftitution, beeing married, and Fathers of a Family, entered into Trades, receuing nothing, in Warr more than in Peace, præter pericula et labores, are not eafily drawne from their owne Chymneyes. This Action he thought so easy, as he had difpofed of this Conqueft, and diuided the liue Lyon's Skynne. But beeing mett vpon the Borders with a poore Army in comparifon, he was firft arrested at Chotyn, a little Fortreffe, which he was fayne to leaue behind him untaken; and then feeking to Aduance into the playne Cuntry, by forceing the Trenches of the Chance lor of Poland, oppofed against him, he could neuer procure his Janizaries to fight, though engaging his Perfon once or twice beyond the Reguard of his Quality, and his owne Troops ready to mutyne against him, or forfake him, he was enforced at last to raise fhamefully his Camp, and to accept of any Treaty to faue his outward Honor. In this Attempt he lost aboue a hundred thousand Horses for want of Fodder, and eightythoufand Men for want of Fighting; for they would rather dye running, or pyllaging, or eating, than in the Face of the Enemy. For this Difgrace, be tcoke fo inward and rooted an Indignation against

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the Janizaries, and so justly, that he often lamented himfelfe, and complayned, he was no King that was fo fubject to the Infolency of his owne Slaues, vpon whom he spent great Treasures; and yet they would neither fight in Warre, nor obey in Peace, without exacting new Bountyes and Priuiledges. Dekui Baffa, a Man of a great Wit and Courage, lately called from the Eastern Parts, where he had long gouerned with Honor, to this Action, who came in, though late, yett in a very braue and warrlike Equipage above all other his Capteynes, was fodainly made great Vizier; the former, Huzein Baffa, being in the fame Difgrace common with the Soldiour, though not in the fame Fault. This Man was neuer bredd at Court, but had lued many Years in Action, and fo had neither Faction nor Dependence here, butt ftood upon himfelfe and his owne Meritt; and beeing now, vnlooked for, advanced to this high Dignity, he wrought vpon the King's Difcontent, and nourished it, and in Conclufion told him, That it was true, he was no Emperour, nor could be fafely aliue, while the Janizaries had that Power which they lately vfurped: informing him, that they were corrupted from antient Inftitution, and were lazy Cowards, giuen ouer to Eafe and Luft; et animo per libidines corrupto, nihil honeftum inerat. But if his Majeftie would pull vp his Spirits, and follow his Advise, he would prouide him a newe Soldioury, about Damafcus, and from the Coords, of Men euer bredd in the frontire Hardnes and Warre, of great Courage and Experience; and that of them he should erect a new Militia, that fhould wholly depend of him, enterteyning only forty thousand in pay, which fhould allway be his Guard; and that in the Diftribution of euery Prouince,

Prouince, he should constitute, that the Beglerbegh in his Gouerment should trayne some of the Inhabitants, who in all Occafions fhould be in readiness; and hereby he should spare infinite Treasures spent vpon thefe Drones, that cat vp his Eftate, and with. Men of newe Spiritts and Hopes he fhould be enabled to doe greater Matters then any of his Aunceftors. But, with all, he defired the King to communicate this Counfell to no. Man, nor to truft his Life vpon another's Secrecy. Delauir Bassa neuer leuealing himself to any butt the King, who, extreamely pleased with this Aduife that flattered his owne Humour, confented, and remitted all to the Vizier's Direction, who was a true Soldiour and a very wife Man, able by his Creditt in Afia to perform all he had undertaken; for he was exceedingly beloued in thofe Parts, very rich, and had kept Damafcus, whereof he was Gouernour, for himfelfe in the last Rebellion. Vpon this Conclufion betweene them, it was firft agreed, that the King fhould pretend to goe in Perfon against the Emir de Saida, who was moued to take Armes really, to affift in the Defigne. But they vfed it to couler the Departure of the Emperour, which,. when it was well weighed, it was found that then the Army of Janizaries must be kept together, which could not agree with their Ends. Hereupon the Journey of Mecha was diuvlged, that the King might, vnder the Shadow of an holy Pilgrimage, goe out with fmall Trayne, and difperfe those who were fufpected to him; and for this Preparation was made, but fomwhat too. grofsly, by melting of all the Plate, Saddles, Furniture of Houfe, Lamps of Churches, and whatfoeuer elfe could be more eafily conueighed away

in Mettle, with all the Jewells and Treafury. This gaue the firft Sufpicion, which was confirmed by diuers vnaduised Words lett fall by the King, of Difdayne against the Cowardife of the Janizaries, and that he would fhortly find himfelfe Soldiours that fhould whipp them; and lastly, difiniffing all his Houfhold, except fome fewe Elect, the Discontented obferued and betrayed him. Delauir Baffa kept his owne Secrett, and in the meane tyme prepared by his Frends in Afia ten thoufand about Damafcus, tenne thousand from the Coords, befides thofe in readiness of the Emir de Saida, and all vpon pretence of defending the Borders of Perfia, as hauing Intelligence of fome Chaunge in those Parts; and gaue order, that ail these fhould meet the Kinge at Damafcus, where he would prefently cutt off his Guard, and flay there vntill he had regulated his new Army and Difciplyne, and then to retorne tryumphant to Conftantinople, and vtterly root out the Order of Janizaries, Spahees, and Timariotts, and to exauctorat all their Capteynes and Officers, to fettle a new Gouerment, and to chaunge the Name of the Citty. And all thefe Things fucceeding,. he then refolued, with his new Soldiours, to attempt the Recouery of his Honor in Christendome; in the meane tyme, to hold a diffembled Frendfhipp there in all Parts. Certenly this was a braue and well-grounded Deffigne, and of great Confequence for the renewing of this decayed Empire, languifhing vnder the Infolencies of lazy Slaues, if God had not deftroyed it; it beeing very true, that the Turkish Emperour stands at the Deuotion of his owne Troopes for Peace or Warr, Life or Death; and is, in effect, nothing but the Steward or Treasurer of his Janizaries. If this Project