plotted with the Governor of Moldavia to seize his master. Mohammed
Bey fell into the trap which they had prepared for him, but succeeded
in making his escape, although grievously wounded, after a wonderful
fight, in which he killed all his opponents. In his flight he met a
shepherd who exchanged clothes with him, and in disguise and barefoot
he contrived to reach the head-quarters of the Cossacks, who were at
the time in arms against Russia.

In the Cossack camp there were three soldiers whom the _quondam_
Ottoman general had released from captivity, and they, at once
penetrating the flimsy disguise of the stranger, revealed him to their
own commander in his true character. At first he was well treated by
the Cossack chief, who was anxious that the honour of his baptism
should appertain to the Eastern Greek Church; but our prince,
designing from the beginning to make his solemn profession at Rome,
and to receive that sacrament from the Pope's own hands, was neglected
upon making his resolve known. He, therefore, stole away from the
Cossacks, and, guided by a Jew, succeeded in reaching Poland, where
the queen, hearing the report of his approach, and knowing his high
rank, received him with infinite respect and at last persuaded him to
condescend to be baptized at Warsaw by the archbishop, she herself
standing sponsor at the font, and bestowing upon him the name of John.

After his baptism and subsequent confirmation, this somewhat singular
Christian set out on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of
Loretto, and afterwards proceeded to Rome, where he was received with
open arms by Alexander VII. On his return journey through Germany he
found that the emperor was at war with the Turks; and, without
hesitation, espoused the Christian cause against the circumcised
heathen, slaying the Turkish general with his own hand, and performing