Folio 168. To Kinsky. Has failed to receive letters and duplicates [thereof] from...

Folio 168. To Kinsky. Has failed to receive letters and duplicates [thereof] from Paget sent via Ragusa and via Transylvania, dated July 10/20 and 19/29, and July 24/Aug 3 and Aug 20/30, but has had a letter of Oct 2, 1693 from Pera di Constantinopoli which cameto Ragusa by an express and was sent by the Venetian consul to Venice and there handed to the English consul there [Broughton]. Gives contents of this letter which is entirely in cipher. Paget thinks it possible that the grand vizier, before being deposed, gave Castagnères written confirmation that Turkey would never make peace [with the Emperor]. He promises not to entertain any considerations by the Emperor towards Thököly. Nor has Heemskerck ever done so. He sharply criticizes Thököly's agents, count Sandor and Michael Inzidi, for their cunning and craftiness. Paget suggested to Inzidi that Thököly could only hope for English intercession for clemency if he turned his back on the Turks. Reports in some detail on French subsidies to Thököly. There was French and Turkish jubilation at the loss of the English merchant fleet and French successes on the Rhine and in Flanders and at the report that the Austrians had raised the siege of Belgrade which he refused to believe. Thinks that 1693 presented great opportunities to the Austrians since the Turkish army was ineffective, had not been paid, suffered from widespread desertion, and the [new] vizier was a weak man. Paget told the camaican [? of Adrianople] that England would spare no effort to persuade the Emperor to agree to a peace based on Uti possidetis, provided the Turks agreed to this beforehand. Yet, he has doubts about the prospects of a settlement leading to peace. He is unable to send more dispatches because of lack of facilities to expedite them. Letters cannot go by sea without French approval and there are difficulties in sending dispatches via Moldavia and Poland, or via Wallachia and Transylvania. Recommends that the pension paid by the Emperor to Janachiporforiti, agent of the prince of Transylvania, be renewed, as he was useful for forwarding dispatches. Expresses doubts about the reliability of Marsigli and Duval. The Arabs rebelled during 1693, and beat the army sent against them. Three months ago there were three fires in Constantinople which burnt down a third of the city, including grain and timber stores. Some few Turkish and Jewish individuals were induced to confess to arson and were hanged. Over a third of the population has died of the plague. News of the raising of the siege of Belgrade has quelled any Turkish inclination to enter peace negotiations.

Date and Place: 1694 Jan 8/18 Dresden