Page:Busbecq, Travels into Turkey (1744).pdf/265

 no small Laughter throughout all the Company. But to return to Bajazet.

His Case was desperate, between an angry Father that required to have him given up, and a false Friend, who pretended to detain him. Sometimes Solyman dealt mildly with the Persian, putting him in mind of the League between them, that they were to have the same Enemies and Friends: Sometimes he threaten'd him with War, if Bajazet were not surrendered; and thereupon he placed strong Garrisons on all the Confines of Persia; he filled Mesopotamia and the Banks of Euphrates with the Soldiers, especially the Veteran ones, whom he had employed against Bajazet, over whom Mahomet the third of the Vizier's Bashaws, and Beglerbeg of Greece, was made General, for Selimus was returned home: Moreover, he solicited the Georgians dwelling between the Hircan Sea and Pontus, bordering on Persia to aid him against them: They answered courageously, That they were not strong enough of themselves to cope with the Persian; but if he himself came upon the Place with an Army, they would then shew themselves Men of Courage against the Persian as their common Enemy. The Hircanians also and the Posterity of Tamerlane were solicitous to join Arms. Solyman himself gave out, that he would go to Aleppo, (a City of Syria, seated on the Banks of Euphrates) that from thence he might make War on the Persian: Nor was the Persian himself without Fear; for he had often experienced the Dint of Solyman's Sword. But the generality of the Turks were averse to the War, and look'd on it as a wicked and detestable one; and this cooled the Sultan. A great many of the Soldiers, especially the Horse, forsook their Colours, and re