Seer aenmerkelyke reys-beschryving na Constantinopolen, en Egypten, gedaan in het jaar 1605, en vervolgen...

CONSTANTINOPOLEN en EGYPTEN. CONSTANTINOPLE and EGYPT.

1605. How the Turks are accustomed to sit.

Into this magnificent tent my horse dealer brought me, in order to sell me to the Bassa. The Husan Bassa sat (with his feet crossed, like our tailors) in the middle of that tent on a velvet carpet; he had a tame young deer lying by him, which he stroked and for which he seemed to have much affection. As soon as he noticed us, he let me come before him, and having inspected me well, he spoke to his interpreter, telling him to say to me that if I served him honestly and piously, he would let his kindness be shown to me in all things; but if I were unfaithful, I would certainly be the most unhappy creature on the face of the earth. Hereupon, having assured him of my loyalty, I was brought to the other slaves.

Janissaries plunder the tent of their Bassa.

After the passage of three days, the Janissaries, being the best Turkish soldiers, came running upon this costly tent with naked sabers in their hands; they brought it down, plundered, and robbed everything that was in it. And the Husan Bassa himself had to save his life by fleeing and, until the riot was stilled, withdraw to Buda. This riot was instigated by the Janissaries because they had to wait for their pay three days beyond the usual time.

Riot among the Janissaries, and why.

On this occasion, I asked if this audacity of the Janissaries was not punished, and learned that large punishments rarely followed it; indeed, it had often happened that the Janissaries, at their known time and after waiting for only three days, had not received their pay, and had either left the field or killed their military commanders. But after the passage of four days, my Husan Bassa returned from Buda, having money for the entire army with him, which he immediately weighed in a scale and distributed to the commanders, by which that riot was completely silenced without further looking into the instigators.

Our army lingered here for a time longer and then marched to Belgrado. But the slaves and others...