elcome to M. Edward
Barton vntil then her Maiesties Agent, who (with many other great persons)
had for many dayes expected the present. [Sidenote: The Ascension arriued
at the 7 towers.] Fiue or sixe dayes after the shippe arriued neere the
Seuen towers, which is a very strong hold, and so called of so many
turrets, which it hath, standing neere the sea side, being the first part
of the city that we came vnto. [Sidenote: The ship saluteth the grand
Signior.] Heere the Agent appointed the master of the Ascension to stay
with the shippe vntill a fitte winde and opportunity serued to bring her
about the Seraglio to Salute the Grand Signior in his moskyta or church:
for you shall vnderstand that he hath built one neere the wall of his
Seraglio or pallace adioyning to the Sea side; whereunto twise or thrise a
weeke he resorteth to performe such religious rites as their law requireth:
where hee being within few dayes after, our shippe set out in their best
maner with flagges, streamers and pendants of diuers coloured silke, with
all the mariners, together with most of the Ambassadours men, hauing the
winde faire, and came within two cables length of this his moskita, where
(hee to his great content beholding the shippe in such brauery) they
discharged first two volies of small shot, and then all the great ordinance
twise ouer, there being seuen and twentie or eight and twentie pieces in
the ship. Which performed, he appointed the Bustangi-Bassa or captaine of
the great and spacious garden or parke, to giue our men thankes, with
request that some other day they would shew him the like sporte when hee
would have the Sultana or Empresse a beholder thereof, which few dayes
after at the shippes going to the Custome-house they performed.

The grand Signiors salutation thus ended, the master brought the ship to an
anker at Rapamat neere the ambassadors house, where hee likewise saluted
him with all his great ordinance once ouer, and where he landed the
Present, the deliuerie whereof for a time was staied: the cause of which
staie it shall neither be dishonorable for our nation, or that woorthie man
the ambassador to shew you. [Sidenote: The cause of staying the present.]
At the departure of Sinan Bassa the chiefe Vizir, and our ambassadors great
friend toward the warres of Hungarie there was another Bassa appointed in
his place, a churlish and harsh natured man, who vpon occasion of certaine
Genouezes, escaping out of the castles stan