Part 1. Travels into L e v a n t. 761, 
CHAP. LXXXIIL 
"The Hiftory of I>on Philippo^ Trince of Tunis. 
HAving Sojourned a pretty while in M^ypt, and found no Company to Tra- 
vel with farther, fome other Confiderations likewife prompting me, I 
reiolved to return into ChnJlendom. I took the occafion of a great Englifh 
Ship, called the Recovery^ which lay at Bouquer^ ready to fet fail for Legvrn ; 
there were good French Ships at Alexandria-, where I might have been very 
well Accommodated. But for greater Security, I chofe rather to go in an 
Englifti Ship, becaufe the Englilh were at that time in Peace with thofe of 
Barhary. I alfo chofe that PafFage, as having a great defire to fee Tmts^ where 
that Ship was to touch, to land Don P/jz7/p/>o, with feveral other Barbary Men 
who were on Board of her ^ and becaufe I had got a pretty familiar Acquain- 
tance of him during this Voyage, I think it will not be amifs to give here a 
fhortview of his Hiftory, according as I had it from himfelf by pieces, and a 
certain S?ci/i;?w, who had waited upon him ever fince he arrived in Sictly. 
Don Philippe, whofe Turkiih name is Mahomet, is the Eldeft Son of the late 
Dey Ahmet, fourth Dey QÏ Tunis, who was a very auftere Man, but yet fond of 
this Son, that was the Eideft of feveral other Boys he had. This Prince /l^^s- 
homet being very young, was made General of the Galleys of Biferta, and 
made an Expedition with them; after which, (being as yet but feventeenor 
eighteen years of Age ) his Father Married him to the Daughter of the Balha 
of Tripoly, againft his Inclination, who loved not the Lady, though fhe was 
very Beautiful ; but he was forced to DilTemble, for fear of provoking his 
Father, who was fo violent a Man, that his Anger was always Fatal. The 
Marriage was Celebrated with all imaginable Magnificence, and for the fpace 
of three days, there was nothing but Feafting, Plays, Tilting, and other Di- 
verfions, the Father fparing no Charges in Celebrating the Solemnity of the 
Wedding. In the meantime, though this Prince was greatly Refpeded, yen 
he refolved to quit all his Hopes, and efcape into a Country where he never 
had been, and was unknown^ he carried on his D fign fo cunningly and fe- 
cretly, that nothing of it was fufpeded till he was gone. Pretending one day 
to go take the Air in fome place beyond Goktta, he went into a little Boat with 
four or five Chriftian Slaves, and fome Moor^, to row them. When he was 
paft the Goletta, and got a pretty way from it, he put afhoar fome of his Moors 
upon pretext of fending them for fomething, and then going off to Sea, and 
a little after, making a fign to the Chriftians, that it was now time for them 
to declare themfelves, and begin -, he Ihot one of the Moors that remained 
with an Arrow ; and the Chriftians aflifting him, all the reft were quickly 
killed, or forced to leap into the Sea, of whom fome fwam aflioar. They 
then directed their Courfe towards Sictly, and fucceeded fo well in it, that in 
two days time they arrived at Maz.ara. The Vice-Roy of Sicily was no fooner 
informed of it, but he fent for the Prince to Palermo, where he was lodged in 
the Profefs-Houfe of the Jefuits, and being there inftruiCted in the Chriftian 
Religion, he was afterwards Baptifed in the Cathedral Church, by the Arch- 
Bifiiopof Palermo, the Vice-Roy being God-Father, and the Vice-Qpeen God- 
Mother, who named him Don Philippo. He went from thence to Rome, where 
he was well received and much honoured by the Pope, who gave him good 
Prefents. He went to Spain, where the King allowed him a Penfion, and re- 
tiring to Falemia, he fell in love with a Spanifli Lady, of no great Fortune, 
but very Witty, who played very well on the Lute, and Sung to admiration 
( which was enough to engage the Prince, who is a pafiionate lover of Mufick) 
he Married her privately, and was at fome Charges about it. In the mean time 
the King of Tmis being informed that his Son was fled into Chriftendora, fell 
into fuch a Rage, that he put about twenty to Death, Slaves and others, and 
among the reft, the unfortunate Wife of this Prince Mahomet^ ( whom for 
the 
