Eleventh Emperor of the Turfa.

Twelfth Èmpeì
1544. *" ar y> if poffible, to diflwade the Bailo from a
C^ysj belief of any Hoftility defigned againft his Republick
j to inculcate which) none waseftcemed
!'„; to proper an Infiniment as the old cheating Hogi*t
who was the firffc Motive to the War \ a
E Preacher who imagined that the excellency of
his 'Religion afforded him a priviledg co fòilify,
H lye, and commit any Aft for advantage thereof,
though never to contrary to Truth and Morality.
WE This Santone, with the Teffiraony of one or
two more grand Profeflbrs, with many Al/everations
and Vows, endeavoured to periwade the
Bailo, of the Grand Shroior's good Intentions
towards Vtnfct, and his fixed Resolutions to deftroy
Aûdt/t. And though the Concernment
which chofc godly Elders mewed» and the earneftnefs
they ufed, whereby to inculcate a Credence
to what they affirmed, were enough to
difêover their contrary fntentior» \ and though
it h laid, that the Venetians could not heartily
believe what they fo ftrongly fufpeftcd \ yet
hereby, and by the common vogue of the People,
they abated much of their Caution and
Heat, which they otherwifê bad ufed induePrc-
r-.'- : parutions and Provifions againlt an Evil fo fatal
and deftructive in the lequel.
TUbtgbt- The firifc Ad of Hoftility was committed by
*jj. War} bot being encountered by tome barbarous
Veffels, whoaflailedhim for a Merchants Ship
of fmafl Force, were received fo warmly that he
funk one of them, Wich which the reft left him
and fled, relating at Conßdnrmoplr, that they
had been, ill treated by the Venetians, and that
they gave the Arie Auault upon them, bccaufe
they were called to the Afliftancc and Service
of the Grand Signier.
The Fleet and Land Forces being already pot
to Sea, the Report and Opinion ftifl continued,
that the War was deiigned againft Malta
; wherefore fach as apprehended the Hazard 1 ?,
and were acquainted with the Difficulty of fuch
an Enter prize, began to inform the Grand Sigp
- nior how impoffible it was that this Action
fhould be accompanied "witfi good fucceß. "To 1
m. Which Arguments he made no other reply,, than
by a feemrog obftinacy, refolvcd with the Öc-
9 toman Sword, to cut aH thofé Knots and Difficulties
winch oppofed Hud In the Work. At
: • length one $*U* Efendi, a Preacher, who had
obtained fome more than ordinary Efteem with
the Grand. Signior, acrvMêd bitn. That before
he commenced a Work of that importance, he
fhould inform Kmfelf af the true trace of that
Place, from a certain Aga, who was fetch/re 1
turned from Malta. The Grand Signior being
very willing to hear any thing of this nature,
caHed the Aga» who related to him how impregnable
both the City and Calile were-7 how
the Knights were provided againft all" AflauJts i
that the Iflind it felf is only a Rock, not containing
Earth enough for an Army to intrench ;
that the Approaches mult Be made by the Pick-
Axe and Mattock, itjieingalï Stone, fn fhort,
¥ it was not a place tir be taken in one Summer,
and the WUger coming on, it affording no metter,
nor provifions 01 it felf, was not capable
of relief in Seas fo ftonny , and from Countries
H fo remote, without hazards, loflês, and frequent
Ship wracks. Jbrahipi, who had defigned' all
\I along to make War upon Cen&V, feemed little
concerned or moved at this Difcoutfe. "fhe
Gallics and Ships which were now all inareadurcis,
being come forth to the Seraglio point,
of thè Turfa
the Grand Signior entered his Grand ChioskJ 164^,
fituated on the Bank of the Sea 1 where the Sei o-y^tj
Mar Aga, General, end all the Chief Commanders,
came to perform the ufiial Ceremonies
of Obedience and Duty before their Departure*
At this folcmn Aflcrably the Grand Signior de- H
dared, That his Intentions were to make War
upon the Infidels, according as every one fhould tt]
underftand by his refpeclive CommifHons, which
fh/o«ld now be delivered unto them : That he
expected the higheft Demonftrations of Courage
in them imaginable, and what was agreeable tji
the Conductors of the Ottoman Armies : That
Reward and Punifhment were in his Handsj and
that he refolved to difpenfe them according to
their Merits: That they Atonici not doubt of all
doe Affifrance and .Succours; for ti? had fo well
contrived, and fo juftly fitted all his Meafures,
that he was already provided of Men, Timber!
Ammunition, and Mpfty fufficient to maintain
and catty on this War for f:ven Years; At
which they a|| gave a /bout, and declared, tbao
they were ready to fpend their Blood and Lives
irt Execution of his Commands. Whereupon
every one received a rich Coftan, or Veflr, and
the General a Scimitar fet with Diamonds , who
being a young Man of about 2tf, or 27 Years
of Age, had a Council of fix graver Paflia's al*
lowed him ; and then the Coinmiffion for the
War was brought fottìi feafed, with Orders not
to open it, until they were paft the Dardanelli.
Rereat tfte noife of great and furali-Shot from
the Gallies and Ships, refounded through att-Co»-
\fi*mhnfa and the Commanders- repairing to
their Veflels, the Aflèmbly broke up, and every
thing was put in a poffare to make Sail. ..
ft Was now the Jalt day of >#»#, 1045, old 1 54^
Style, when the 1 Fleet Ärft broke ground, which
J
conffffed of 73 GalKes, befides the 8 Gallies of
Barbary, z Mahons, or Gaileaflès, one great
Gallion called the Suk*m^ ro Ships of Alcxaii-
Idrfitf t of Tum, and TO of Eng'ifh and Dutch.
Ships, which coming to Conßantipople for Trade,
were there pre/Ted into the Service, with about
300 SaHts and CaràntUûals, which carried Soul*
diers, 'Provifions, Ammunition, and' Ucenfils
for War. Their Militia conflftcd of 7000 Jantfiries,
r4000 Spaheesi and about 50000 Tfa
nlariotS} and other Souldiers, with about 3000
PioniersÎ theft all were to RendezvOus*at Sek-,
wÊ
where they arrived the 7^ of Mtj. But before
their departure from Cmßantinvple, the Baifo
Strang, or thd Venetian AmbafladoV, thought
fit, in Complement, and fbîrfifcövery, to make
a »ifit to'the Captain-Pafha, by Whom he was;
received wkh trank Conrtefy, and aflurance of
Frkndtôip -, fo that though he fWpecìed the
worf!, yet could he coìteci* no certain affurarices
of Peace, or Wat"; however he advißd Signier
C**f/nm>, then Govcrnour of Candig. chat
though he could not certainly peneratemro the
bottom of the Tüfks Deften, yet he apjprehendedthaft
the Storm-might fall on that Kmgdom,
underfrandhtg that the Captain-Pafha Was not
well inclined towards the moft Serene Rcpublicft-:
'wherefore, he ought to be watchful and
drcumfpedt, yet with as little demonffrarfon of
jealoufy aa was poffible j fo»that ft the Turks
fhonM there arrive, he mould afford them all H
conveniertcies of Watering, Provifions, and
other RefrefhfflentS.
The Fleet being departed from 5e&; for iV