Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/226

 Christians, and follow in the footsteps of his predecessors. But the Empress set herself in opposition to this, relying upon the Alcoran, which ordains that no new sultan, when he ascends the imperial throne, shall be obliged to go to war for the space of three years. She, therefore, bade Synan and the soldiers to be content, counselling rather that Synan, and other old experienced commanders, should march into Hungary. It was their duty, she said, to protect their lord and his land; indeed, what good would their office be if they could not slay the giaours without the Sultan’s presence? In that case, did they deserve the dignity with which they were for that purpose invested by the Sultan? When, through the urgency of Synan, the then vizier, and the soldiers, the Emperor was inclined to go to Hungary, the vizier immediately had all manner of military engines prepared, everything requisite for an imperial campaign got ready, and the soldiers mustered. But, through the great exertions he made for these purposes, a dysentery suddenly attacked him so violently that he was constrained to keep his bed. It was said that the Sultana corrupted Synan the vizier’s physician by bribes and splendid presents, so that he had something administered to him, and died in eight days. Great lamentation was made by the people for his death; they wore mourning for him, gave alms for the benefit of his soul, buried him with great magnificence and veneration; composed mournful songs about his heroic deeds, and sang that the light of valour and heroism was extinguished. Indeed, he was truly a man of remarkable experience, and no one in Turkey, at that time, could compare with him.

Our old aga came amongst us and informed us of his