my Friends know whether I am alive or dead? And truly they that have long suffered so much Damage from you, are worthy rather of Praise thanBlame, if they take any opportunity of Revenge. Let them retaliate, said Haly, provided it be within Hungary, and the Borders of it; but 'tis intolerable they should range as far as Moldavia, which is but ten day's Journey from Adrianople. To which I replied, Men of the Sword do not much study points of the Law or Civility, but use to take the first Opportunity to revenge themselves whereever it was offered. Thus I departed from him, neither did he seem at all to be angry, nor was a jot more morose in my After-addresses to him.
During these Transactions with the Vizier, the French Ambassador did me a great Favour; there were thirteen young Gentlemen (some of whom were Germans, and some Hollanders) in prison at Constantinople upon this remarkable occasion. They took Ship at Venice, in a Vessel every Year carried Pilgrims to Jerusalem, under Protection; some of them travelled on the account of Religion, others to see foreign Countries: but they all met with an unlucky Omen; for just at the time they landed in Syria, the Knights of Malta had landed some Soldiers, and plunder'd the Sea-Coast of Phœnicia, carrying away some of the Inhabitants Prisoners: Whereupon those Syrians who had lost Parents, Children and Friends, having no other visible way of Satisfaction, seiz'd on these Gentlemen in the Venetian Vessel, pretending they were some of the Pyrates; and if they did not procure their Friends to be released, they should be kept in Slavery themselves: And though they were shewed the Privilege from the Government of Venice, and were put in mind of
