As soon as I was made acquainted with their Condition, and in what want of all Things they were, I thought it my Duty to do my best to relieve them; and thereupon I sent some to comfort them, and to promise them all the good Offices that lay in my power: And, from that Day forward, my House was a common Receptacle for all the Prisoners; and I did them all the Kindness I could. For, you must know, the _Turks_ think their Prisoners well enough provided for, if they allow them Bread and Water. They have no regard to any Man’s Age or Constitution, or to the time of the Year; whether they be Sick or Well, Strong or Weak, Old or Young, ’tis all one to them; they are all treated after one and the same manner. Hereupon, I was forced to provide several sorts of Relief for several Necessities, different Diseases requiring different Cures. There lay a multitude of sick Persons in a certain Temple of _Pera_, a Town over against _Byzantium_, whom the _Turks_ cast out as Abjects; and many of them perished for want of convenient Broths to relieve their sick Stomachs, and recover their lost Strength by degrees. When I was told thereof, I dealt with a Friend of mine, a Citizen of _Pera_, desiring him to buy some Weather-Sheep every day, and boil them at his own House, to distribute the Flesh to some, and the Broth to others, as their Stomachs could bear; which was a great Relief to abundance of them: But those which were in Health, required another sort of Assistance. My House was full from Morning to Night with several Complaints. Some were used to good Diet, and a piece of brown Bread, which was their daily Allowance, would not go down so well with them; some, that used to drink Wine, could not bear the perpetual use of Water only; some wanted Blankets to cover them, having never known what it was to lie on the bare Ground; some wanted Coats, others Shoes; but the most part desired some Footing-Money to gratify their Keepers, that they might deal the more mercifully with them. Money was the only Remedy for these Mischiefs, so that every day some Guilders were expended by me on these Accounts. But these Expences were tolerable, compared with greater Sums which were desired of me; or else they prayed me to be their Surety for payment of their Ransom-Money; and herein every one, was very forward with his Pretences; one alledged Nobleness of Birth; another, that he had great Friends and Alliances; a Third, that he was a Commander in the Army, and had much Pay due to him; a Fourth, that he had Cash enough at Home, and was able to imburse me. Some boasted of their Valour in the Fight; every one had something to say for himself. When I demanded of them, whether they would be sure to repay me? God forbid, said they! For what is more unjust, than to defraud a Man who hath restored us to our Liberty, even out of the Jaws of Death?