ing to a tradition, that pafles current amongft them, a Baf- 
fa's Son by a Sultana or a Daughter or Sifter of the Emperour 
can rife no higher then to to be a Sangiacbei or Governour of 
fome Httle Province, much inferior to a Balla and under his 
jarifdid:ion. BeingT)orn of Slaves for the moft part, they 
do not pride themfelves in their Birth, very few among them 
being fcarce able to give any account of their Grandfathers. 
They have no Sirnames, but are diftinguifhed by their pof- 
feffions and places of abode, and enjoying by law a liberty 
of having wnat women they pleafe, they have little or no 
regard to AUiance or Kindred. 
Their Empire owes the continuance of its being to the fe- 
verity of the Government, which oftentimes takes place 
without regard either tojuftice or Equity, and to their fre- 
quent Wars, whicli prevent alloccafions of mutiny and facti- 
on among the Soldiers, which happen frequently wh:n unim- 
ploy d. So that tho ambition may put a warlike Sultan upon 
enlarging his territories by new Conquefts,yet reafon of ftate 
forces a weak and effeminate Prince, fuch as was Ihraimri^ to 
make War for his own fecurity. Their politicks are not owing 
to Books and Studv and the Examples of paft times,but to ex- 
perience and the plain fuggeftions of nature and commonfenfe: 
They have Rules of Government, which t'^ey firmly adhere 
to, holding the reins ftrait, efpecially being cruel and inexo- 
rable to criminals of ilate, who never are to exped: any 
mercy or pity. Their Councils formerly v/ere open,and their 
Defigns known, and proclaimed before hand, as if this had 
been a bravery becoming their greatnefs, and that they fcorn- 
ed to ileal a Conqueft. But they have learned fince the 
Art of diffimulation, and can lye and fwear for their Intereft, 
and feem exceffive in their CareiTes to the Minifter^ of tliofe 
Countries, which they intend to invade. But their prepa- 
rations for arming are made with fo much noife, that an or- 
dinary jealoufie is foon awakened by it to oppofe them, in 
cafe of an Attaque They feldom or never care to have War 
at both extremes of tl^ie Empire at the fame time, and there- 
fore they are mighty follicitous to fecure a peace with Chri- 
jiendome^ when they intend a War upon the Perfum : and as 
.much as is poffible.they avoid quarrelling with two Chriftian 
Princes at once, being ufually at league either with Voland and 
Adtifcovy, when they war upon Hungary^ andfo on the contra- 
ry i dreading nothing more then an Union of the chnftian 
Princes, 
