Full translation from the text of the eyewitness Christophoros Perraivos (Historical event of 1822, published in 1836):

“The Albanians did not oppose their opinion, so as not to add more suspicions to them, but the very next day the pasha, along with his other companions, went to greet the Souliotes, taking with him a guard of about a hundred soldiers, and when they approached to about fifty paces, the pasha called out these words to the Souliotes:

“Besa për besë…”

“Even without this word, O our pasha, we have always kept and do keep the besa toward everyone,” the Souliotes replied.

After embracing one another, they sat down on the grass and, after a few usual questions about health, the pasha began to express himself to the Souliotes in this manner: that it benefits them to submit to the Sultan, and any requests or agreements they may desire for their homeland, the commander-in-chief, as the plenipotentiary, accepts and confirms them on behalf of the Sultan; and that they should not take upon themselves the entire burden of the nation, but should care only for their own…”