Josepha with the Electoral Prince of Saxony; upon both which Occafions the Imperial Court made the fullest Display of its Magnificence.

As to the Entry of the Ambaffador, I may venture to say, it was only magnificent on the Part of the Imperial Court, for in Truth the Mahometan's whole Train and Equipage were very in confiderable. This Ambaffador's Name was Ibrahim Bafha; he had 600 Men in his Retinue, but they were all very fhabbily rigg'd. Till the Day of his Entry he ftay'd in a Camp, which he had caus'd to be form'd Two Leagues from Vienna; I went thither with fome Friends to fee him: He receiv'd us with very great Civility, and made us a Prefent of Coffee and Sweetmeats. During this Collation I took a minute View of the Infide of his Tent, which was really ftately, and the largest that I ever faw: On the Ground there was a noble Carpet spread, and over that a Sort of Foot-cloth of Crimson Sattin, embroider'd with Gold, on which fate the Ambassador, with rich Cufhions about him of the fame: On this fame Foot-cloth, at the Ambaffador's Right Hand fate the Secretary of the Embaffy: Round the Ambaffador there was about a Score of Turks tolerably well drefs'd, and among them Three or Four clever likely young Fellows; in particular I obferv'd a Moor there, that was the handfomeft Man I ever faw: His Drefs was richer than the Garb of the other Turks, and, as I was told, he was the Ambaffador's special Favourite. After we had talk'd awhile with him, and were taking our Leave of him, he was fo civil as to offer to fhew us his Camp, which we with Pleafure accepted, and fet out accordingly with a Perfon that the Ambaffador gave us for our Guide.

This Camp took up more Space of Ground than would have ferv'd for 2000 Men. The Tents were a great way from one another, and plac'd without any Order. Their Horfes, Oxen and Camels were all ftow'd bigledy pigledy. But the Ambaffador's particular Equipage was in a Sort of Park, inclos'd by Toils like thofe that are us❜d in Hunting: Every thing was to the laft Degree flovenly, the inferior Domestics especially were the most difagreeable Gentry I ever faw; they had not Cloaths to their Backs, but what were in Rags and Tatters; and the chief Domeftics were but little better rigg'd; feveral of them however were mighty civil to us, and defirous to regale us in their Tents.

Some Days after this our Vifit, the Ambaf fador made his Entry with great Ceremony; the Marshal of the Court went and met him Half a League out of Vienna, at the Head of the Magiftrates of the City, those made free by the Court, all the Trading Companies and Gentlemen, all well mounted and richly drefs'd: The Ambaffador was dragg'd along by a Pair of wretched Horfes in one of his own Coaches, which was a little low Chariot, made almost like the cover'd Waggons of Holland, except that instead of Wax Cloth and Leather, it was cover'd with a red Cloth. When the Ambaffador and the Marshal of the Court came near to one another, they both alighted, and after mutual Compliments mounted their Horfes There were carry'd before the Ambaffador Three Horfe-Tails and the Standard of Mahomet, which is a great Pair of Colours of green Taffeta, ali fprinkled with Crefcents of Gold: He who carry'd it was on Horseback, and that the End of the Colours might not trail upon the Ground, a Man that was on Foot held

up

up the Corners of it. The Ambaffador was preceded by all his Equipage, in which there was Half a Dozen of Waggons, cover'd with ragged Tilts, and drawn each by Four scrubbed Horses, that were led by Carters, whofe Cloaths were in a very bad Pickle. After this Equipage came the Ambaffador's Officers, and then Twelve Horses, of which the Sultan made a Present to the Emperor. Behind the Ambaffador there march'd a Company of Spabis, that carry'd Pikes, with fmall Standards at the End of them of various Colours. These were follow'd by a Company of Janizaries, who, tho' but meanly clad, made a very warlike Appearance, their Arms and Legs being both naked: The March was closed by a Regiment of Huffars.

This Train pafs'd before the Palace call'd la Favorita, in View of the Emperor and Empress, and then went thro' the City, paffing the Bridge over the Danube, into the Suburb of Leopoldftat, where a House was prepar'd for him, according to antient Custom, which is, that no Turkish Ambaffador muft ever lodge in the City of Vi

enna.

The Ambaffador feem'd to be very scrupulous in his Obfervation of the Ceremonial: He was loth to confent, that the Janizaries fhould carry their Muskets on their Shoulders, when they pafs'd before the Emperor at his Palace la Favorita; and pleaded in Excufe, that the Janizaries did not march fo even in Prefence of the Sultan. He ftood alfo upon his Punctilio in fome other Trifles, to which however he was oblig❜d to fubmit, or he was threaten'd that he fhould not make his Entry. The Ambaffador on his Part to fhew his Refentment, caus'd only Two HorseTails to be carry'd erect, and the Third down.

wards;

wards; but feeing that no body car'd for his being out of Humour, he foon came to himself again, and then was treated with Civility. He feem'd to be very fond of good Order, and caus'd fome of his Domeftics, who had committed certain Enormities, to be feverely pu nish'd.

While the Ambaffador ftay'd at Leopoldftat, Vienna fwarm'd with Turks, most of whom hav ing never been out of their own Country, ftar'd with fo much Surprise at every thing they faw, that it afforded daily Diverfion to the Public. One Day I obferv'd a Turk entring St. Stephen's Church at the Time when there was no Service, nor fo much as a Soul in the Church. I was fo curious as to follow him at a Distance, and to obferve all his Motions, which made me very merry: The Place at which he discover'd the greatest Astonishment was the Choir, the Form of the Clergy's Stalls there, the Conftruction of the High Altar; in a Word, every thing was to him a perfect Novelty: But the Thing which feem'd to puzzle him moft of all was, a noble Lamp burning in the midst of the Choir: He turn'd round and round it again, and view'd it on every Side for a long while, but feem'd as much confounded as at firft, wondring to be fure how they did to kindle it. Mean time, after a little Paufe, he observ❜d a String underneath it, which he took into his Head to pull, and finding that all came towards him, he brought the Lamp down to the Ground. I obferv'd that he was mightily pleas'd that he had found out the Meaning of the Difficulty which had fo much perplex'd him; and when the Fire was fo near him, he pull'd a long Pipe out of his Pocket with so much Gravity, that I could not help. VOL. IV.

F

fmiling

fmiling; and after he had lighted it at the Lamp, he hoifted it to the Place it was in before, and then went out.

Not many Days after the Entry of the Turkish Ambaffador was the Ceremony of the Marriage of the Archduchefs Maria-Jofepha to the Electoral Prince of Saxony. The Marriage had been projected a long time, and 'tis even faid, that the Emperor Jofeph had promis'd the King of Poland in Writing to give his Eldest Daughter to the Electoral Prince, on Condition that he would turn to the Catholic Religion. Meantime, while this Match hung in Sufpence, the Electoral Prince of Bavaria enter'd the Lift, which very much embarrass'd the Court of Vienna, who did not know for which Match to determine. The Perfon employ'd in this Negotiation by the Saxon Court was the Count de Wackerbarth. Soon after him the Electoral Prince in Perfon came to the Court of Vienna, and when he was oblig'd to return, he left the Count de Lagnafco there to take Care of his Intereft; who at length obtain'd the Emperor's Confent, and the Count de F came with the Character of Ambaffador to demand the Princess of the Emperor, which was done with very great Solemnity. As I was curious to know the Ceremonies ufual upon fuch Occafions, I went to the Count de F on the Day that he was to go to the Emperor for his Audience. Who fhould I fee arrive but the Count D'Oropesa, a Grandee of Spain, Knight of the Golden Fleece, and one of the Emperor's Chamberlains, in a Coach drawn by Six Horses, follow'd by a fecond Coach and Six, with the Emperor's Arms and Liveries: His Imperial Majefty's Footmen and the Count's Lackeys walk'd on each Side of

the