when rycaut traveled to spain to ask philip iv of spain for repayment of his father's loans, the king received him warmly. the king arranged for rycaut to attend the university of alcalá free of charge. in 1659, rycaut became the private secretary to heneage finch who was the levant company ambassador to constantinople. while there rycaut learned turkish and began writing his book "the present state of the ottoman empire." he returned to england in 1665.