Bajazet was dismissed, and sent away to his Government, his Congress with his Father having been far more auspicious, than his Brother Mustapha's was.
As for the Death of Achmet Bassa, another of your Enquiries, I shall give this short Relation. Some say, he was put to Death for being too much affected to Mustapha, and for favouring underhand the counterfeit Mustapha, and encouraging Bajazet in his Designs. Others say, that being a mere Robber or Swash-Buckler at first, but advanced for his Audacity, Valour and Skill in military Affairs, to that high Dignity, the Punishment of his former flagitious Life, was only deferred to the last Period of it. And some were of Opinion, he was executed only to make Way for Rustan; for Solyman, having promised Achmet never to take away the Seal from him, so long as he lived, to make a collusive Performance of his Word, he caused him to be put to Death, before he did it. Some said, that Solyman gave it out, 'Twas better to die once, than a thousand Times over; for the Fear of the Loss of his Grand Viziership, and much more his Survival thereupon, would have been as a thousand Deaths to him. Whatever was the Cause, the Manner of it was this: He came early in the Morning into the Divan, (or Council-Chamber) being ignorant of what was designed against him: By and by comes the Messenger to him from the Sultan, telling him, that he must die. He was a Man of a great Spirit, and received the Message as undauntedly, as if it had nothing concerned him; only, when the Executioner drew near, to do his Office, he pushed him away, as thinking it dishonourable for a Man of his Dignity to die by the Hands of an ordinary Executioner: But, casting his Eyes round about the Com-
