Chapter XVII: Front Matter (17)

There are several islands over against the bay of _Nicomedia_; formerly called _Sinus Astacenus_, according to _Strabo_, about six or seven leagues from _Constantinople_[13].

_Prote_, so called because they approach first to it, coming from _Constantinople_, to the south of this _Prencipe_ and _Pytis_, which I take to be the same with _Pyrgos_, that lies inmost toward the bay: _Chalcitis_, in modern _Greek_, _Chalce_ or _Chalcis_. _Oxia_ and _Platy_ to the north-west. I have expressed the _Turkish_ names of the lesser and uninhabited islands elsewhere, which perchance were fantastically imposed by some _Franks_.

The _Seraglio_ is at the extream point of the north-east angle of _Constantinople_, where formerly stood old _Byzantium_, within which, towards the haven is a stately _Kiosk_, or Summer-house, from whence the Grand Signior usually takes barge, when he passes into _Asia_, or diverts himself upon the _Bosphorus_, at which time the _Bostangibashi_, who hath the principal care of the Emperor’s palace, and hath the command of the _Bosphorus_, sits at the helm and steers.

The seven towers are at the south-east extremity.

The only suburbs are to the north-west, along the haven-side; for above the hill, where the three walls begin, lies an open champaign country, except that here and there at considerable distances farm-houses are Scattered.

The haven runs in from the west, and so opens east.

At the east end of _Galata_ is _Tophana_, where they cast their great guns.

_Pera_ and _Galata_ have about six gates to the seaward. The whole tract of ground was anciently, before the times of the Emperor _Valentinian_, who enclosed and fortified _Galata_ with walls and towers, stiled Περαῖα πέραν τῆς πόλεως, on the other side of the city to the north; which is the reason of it’s name, seated on higher hills, and whose ascent is more steep and difficult.

Our modern _Geographers_, such as _Mercator_ and _Ortelius_, who herein follow _Ptolemy_, place _Constantinople_ in the latitude of 43 degrees and 5 minutes: the _Arabian_ and _Persian_ Astronomers, as _Abulfeda_, _Nassir Eddin_, _Vlugh Beigh_, and so the πρόχειροι κανόνες of _Chrysococcas_, translated out of the _Persian_ tables, place it more northerly in 45°. But by later and better observation it is found, that they have erred in assigning the latitude of this city, as of several other places. To salve these differences, there is no just ground of pretence to say, that the _Poles_ are moveable, and have changed their situation since their time; whereas it may be better imputed to their want of due care, or to their taking things upon trust, from the reports of _Travellers_ and _Seamen_, not having been upon the places themselves; which certainly is to be said for _Ptolemy_, whose Observations, as to places more remote from _Alexandria_, are far from being accurate and true. The learned Mr _John Greaves_, as I find in a manuscript discourse, very worthy of being printed which he presented to the most reverend and renowned archbishop _Usher_, took the height of the Pole at _Constantinople_, with a brass sextant of above 4 feet _radius_, and found it to be but 41°:6′; but by the observation we made in our court-yard at _Pera_ with a good quadrant, we found but 40°:58′ of north latitude.

There is no place between the _Propontis_ and the walls of the city, except just at the _Seraglio_ point, which may be two hundred paces in length, where they have raised on a platform a battery for great guns; but from the point to the end of the haven west, the space to the gates is unequal in some places about twenty paces broad, in others three or four times as many more.

The distance between _Constantinople_ and _Chalcedon_, upon the opposite _Bithynian_ shore, may be about three or four miles.

In the walls are engraven the names of several Emperors, who reigned toward the declension of the _Græcian_ empire, as _Theophilus_, _Michael_, _Basilius Constantinus_, _Porphyrogenitus_, by whose care, and at whose expence the several breaches caused in them, by the sea, or by earth-quakes, were repaired.

_Kumkapi_, or the sand-gate, lies toward the _Propontis_; this the _Greeks_ call in their vulgar language Κονδοσκάλι, _Contoscalium_, or the little scale or landing-place. Here formerly was an Arsenal for gallies and other small vessels it being a convenient passage over sea. Over this gate was anciently engraven a curious inscription, still preserved in that excellent collection publish’d by _Gruterus_[14].

_Jedicula Kapi_, or the Gate of the seven towers, so called from it’s nearness to that _Acropolis_, is that, I guess, which the _Greeks_ formerly called Χρυσῆ or the golden gate, and by some late _Latin_ writers _Chrysea_, in _Luitprandus_, _Carea_, by a mistake either of the Transcriber or Printer, for _Aurea_, for so certainly it must be mended. Over this gate was this Inscription;

_Hæc loca Theodosius decorat post fata Tyranni,_
_Aurea secla gerit, qui portam construit auro._

cited by _Sirmond_, in his notes upon _Sidonius_[15]. This gate is in the twelfth region, and was also called ὡραῖα from it’s beautiful and curious structure.

The gun-gate, formerly called _Roman-gate_, not because it leads towards the continent of _Romania_ or _Thrace_, but from St _Romanus_[16] where the last Christian Emperor was killed at the assault which the _Turks_ made to force their way into the city by it.

Near _Adrianople_-gate is a fair large mosque called _Alibassa_, upon a hill accounted the highest in the city.

The distance between tower and tower in the upper wall to the landward, may be about ninety of my paces; the space between that and the second wall about eighteen paces over.

The place, where the Lyons, Leopards, and such like wild creatures are kept, (where I saw also several Jackals) was formerly, as the _Greeks_ told me, a Christian church dedicated to Παναγία, or the Blessed Virgin, where this verse is still legible:

Κατὰ Σκυθῶν ἔπνευσας θερμὸν ἐν μάχαις.

There is no tide or running back of the water on any side of the _Bosphorus_, into the _Black_ sea, as[17] some have imagined, whose mistake might possibly arise hence, that the wind being at north, and blowing hard, the current sets more violently at such times against the several headlands, jetting out into the channel, which admits of several turnings, and so the waters are forced back to some little distance: or else because when the south-wind freshens and grows boisterous, it makes a high rolling sea in the _Propontis_ and _Bosphorus_, and being contrary to the current, gives a check to it, so that it becomes less sensible, and is easily stemmed. Where it is narrowed, the distance seems to the eye to be scarce a mile over from one shore to another; where broadest, not much above a mile and a half, unless where it runs into the deep bays, which by reason of their shallowness only harbour boats.

The channel certainly is natural, and not cut by art, as some have idly fancied, not considering how the _Euxine_ sea should discharge itself otherwise of those great quantities of waters, poured into it by the _Ister_ and _Tanais_, now called _Don_, and the other rivers, whereby it becomes less salt, even very sensibly to the taste, than several parts of the _Mediterranean_.

The fish, by a strange kind of instinct, pass in vast shoals twice a year, autumn and spring, through the _Bosphorus_, that is, out of one sea into another; of which the _Greeks_, who live several months of the year upon them, take great numbers, and supply the markets at easie rates; the cormorants and other ravenous water-fowl, which the _Turks_ will not suffer to be destroy’d, or otherwise molested, preying also upon them.

The weather in some months is very inconstant, great heats and colds happenning the same day upon the change of the wind.

The winters at _Constantinople_ are sometimes extraordinary severe. I have heard it related by several old _Greeks_, as a thing most certain, that the _Bosphorus_ was frozen over in the time of _Achmed_, and that a Hare was coursed over it. It happened thus; that upon a thaw, huge cakes of ice came floating down the _Danube_ into the _Black Sea_, and were driven by the current into the _Bosphorus_, where, upon the return of the frost, they were fixed so hard, that it became passable. In the year 1669, there was ice in the haven, to the great amazement of the _Turks_; and some were so frighted at this unusual accident, that they look’d upon it as a dismal prodigy, and concluded that the world would be at an end that year. The _Aguglia_, or Obelisk, in the _Hypodrome_, is betwixt fifty and sixty foot high.

The historical pillars in _basso relievo_, raised in honour of the Emperors _Arcadius_ and _Honorius_, may be in height about an hundred and forty seven feet.

_Alexus Comnenus_, lies buried in the patriarchal church against the wall, and his daughter _Anna Comnena_, the historian, who lived about the year of _Christ_ 1117. They pretend to shew there, the relics of St _Anastasia_, who suffered martyrdom under the Emperor _Valerianus_, and of St _Euphemia_, virgin and martyr, who lost her life most gloriously for Christ’s holy religion at _Chalcedon_ under _Dioclesian_.

In _Sancta Sophia_, there are pillars so great, that a man can scarce fathom them at twice. At the end of the gallery that joins the other two, each about thirty of my paces wide, there is a piece of transparent marble, two or three inches thick. In the north gallery, upon the pavement, is a reddish sort of a marble stone, brought, as the _Turks_ and Christians relate, from _Palestine_, on which they fable, that the Blessed Virgin used to wash the linnen of our Saviour.

I observed but one step from the body of the church to the _Bema_, or place where the altar formerly stood.

The great mosque at _Chasim-bassa_ on _Pera_ side to the west, was formerly a church dedicated to St _Theodosia_.

_Gianghir_, a mosque so called upon a hill at _Fondaclee_ near _Tophana_.

In _Constantinople_ there are several narrow streets of trade, closed up with sheds and penthouses, which I suppose were in use before the _Greeks_ lost their empire, and are the same with the σκεπαστοὶ καὶ φρακτοὶ δρόμοι, in _Chrysalaloras_’s Epistle, p. 119. But besides these places, several trades have their distant quarters. The streets are raised for the most part on each side for the greater convenience.

Not far from _Suleimania_, is the house of the _Aga_, or General of the _Janizaries_, which so often changes it’s masters.

_Pompey_’s pillar, as the _Franks_ erroneously call it, is of the _Corinthian_ order, curiously wrought, about eighteen foot in height, and three in diameter.

_Beshiktash_, a village within three or four miles of _Constantinople_, towards the _Bosphorus_, where lies buried the famous pirate _Ariadin_, whom the Christian writers call _Barbarossa_, who built here a handsome mosque, having two rows of pillars at the entrance. The captain Bashaw usually, before he puts to sea with his _Armada_ of gallies, visits the tomb of this fortunate robber, who had made several thousand Christians slaves, and makes his prayers at the neighbouring church for the good success of his expedition.

They reckon in the city above a hundred public baths, every street almost affording one. They are esteemed works of great piety and charity, there being a continual use of them, not only upon the account of religion, but of health and cleanliness: For their diet being for the most part hot spiced meats in the winter, and crude fruits in the summer; their liquor fountain water or coffee, to which we may add their lazy kind of life (for walking is never used by them for digestion, or otherwise in the way of diversion) frequent bathing becomes necessary.

There are several receptacles of water under ground, and one particularly under the church of _Sancta Sophia_, as I was informed; but I did not think it worth my curiosity to descend into it. These were of great use to the poor _Greeks_ in the last fatal siege; but the _Turks_ are so secure, that they do not think that they deserve either cost or pains to keep the waters sweet, or the cisterns in repair.

The aqueducts, which answer to those glorious aqueducts near _Pyrgos_, and convey the water to the great cistern near Sultan _Selim_’s mosque, are in that part of _Constantinople_ which lies between the mosque of _Mahomet_ the Great and _Shazade_.

The _Turks_ began to besiege _Constantinople_ on the fifth of _April_, and took it the twenty-ninth of _May_, on _Whitsun_-tuesday morning, 1453, or as the _Turks_ reckon in the year 857, of the _Hegira_, or flight of _Mahomet_, the twenty-second day of the first _Jomad_.

The chapel where _Ejub Sultan_ is interred, at whose head and feet I observed great wax candles, is inclosed with latten wire grates, for the better accommodation of such religious _Turks_, as come to pay their respect to the memory of this great Musulman Saint. In the middle of the area, there is raised a building sustained by excellent marble pillars, ascended by two several pair of stairs, where the new Emperor is inaugurated, and where he usually goes in _Biram_ time.

_An account of the city of ~Prusa~ in ~Bythinia~, and a continuation of the historical observations relating to ~Constantinople~; by the reverend and learned ~Tho. Smith~, D. D. fellow of ~Magd. Coll. Oxon.~ and of the ~Royal Society~._

_Montanea_, formerly called _Nicopolis_, according to _Bellonius_, or rather _Cios_, the bay hence called _Sinus Cianus_, lies in the bottom of a bay about fourscore miles from _Constantinople_, and is the scale or landing place for _Prusa_, from which it may be about twelve miles; in the middle way to which, is the village _Moussanpoula_.

_Prusa_, now call’d by the _Turks_ _Bursia_, the chief city of _Bythinia_, is seated at the foot partly, and partly upon the rising of the mount _Olympus_, which is one of the highest hills of the lesser _Asia_. It’s top is covered with snow for nine or ten months of the year, several streams of water flowing down the hill continually, accounted very unwholsome from the snow mixed with it. In the upper part of the city to the north-west, lies the Seraglio, which is walled round; but the Emperors not residing here since their acquists in _Thrace_, or scarce making visits to this imperial city, and none of their sons living here of late, according to the former policy of the _Turkish_ Emperors, who did not permit their sons, when grown up, to be near them, but sent them to some honourable employment, accompanied with a Bashaw or Cadi, to instruct them in the arts of war and government; it lies now neglected and despoiled of all it’s ornaments.

In this part also are the sepulchres of _Osman_, the founder of the family which now reigns, and his son _Urchan_, who took the city, near a mosque, formerly a Christian church dedicated to St _John_, and where was formerly a convent of religious, built by _Constantinus Iconomachus_, where I saw the figure of a cross still remaining upon the wall. Here hangs up a great drum of a vast bigness, such as they carry upon the backs of camels, and I suppose is one of those which they used in the taking of the place.

In the lower part, near the bottom of the hill, _Norad_ II. the father of _Mahomet_ the Great, lies buried; near whereunto was formerly the metropolitical church of the holy Apostles. The _Bezesten_, or exchange, seems to be much better and larger than the great one at _Constantinople_, as are the several _Caravanserais_ built for the use and accommodation of Merchants and travellers; in one of which, the Rice-chane, I took up my quarters.

Without the city, toward the east, is the mosque and sepulchre of the Emperor _Bajazid_ I. whom the _Turks_ call _Jilderim_, or lightening, and the _Greek_ writers λαίλαψ. Not far from hence, is the mosque of _Mahomet_ I. and his sepulchre. Toward the west, upon the side of the hill, is the mosque of _Morad_ I. whom they call _Gazi_, or the Conqueror, near which he lies buried. There are in the whole about 124 mosques, several of which were formerly Christian churches, and between fifty and sixty chanes. The castles built by _Osman_, when he besieged the city, are slighted and altogether unfortified, the one to the north, the other to the south-west.

At _Checkerghe_, about a mile and a half out of town, are the hot baths, much frequented both by Christians and _Turks_. They are made very convenient to bathe in, and are covered over, that they may be used in all weathers. Among others, there is a large round bason, where they usually divert themselves by swimming.

What opinions the _Turks_ have of our Blessed Saviour, and the Christian religion, I shall briefly shew, as they lie dispersed in several chapters of the _Koran_, according to which they frame their discourse whensoever either zeal or curiosity puts them upon this topic; for _Mahomet_, upon his setting up to be the author of a new religion, finding such a considerable part of the world professing the doctrine of Christ, with all the mysteries of faith therein contained, was cast upon a necessity of saying something both concerning him and it. By which it will appear how great the power of truth is above imposture and subtility, and that as the devils in the possessed confessed, though against their wills, Christ to be the son of God, so this _Dæmoniac_, in the midst of all his forgeries and lyes, and ridiculous and childish narratives, not being able to contradict the universal belief of the Christians of that, and the preceeding ages, founded on the history of the Gospel, hath been forced to give testimony to several particulars of it.

They confess then, that Christ was born of a pure spotless Virgin, the Virgin _Mary_, chosen by God, and sanctified above all the women in the world; and that the angel _Gabriel_ was dispatched out of heaven, to acquaint her with the news of it. That such a kind of miraculous and supernatural birth never happened to any besides, and that Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and that he wrought mighty miracles, for instance, that he cleansed lepers, gave sight to the blind, restored sick persons to their health, and raised the dead.

That he is a great Prophet, sent by God to convert men from the vanity and error of their false worship to the knowledge of the true God, to preach righteousness, and to correct and restore the imperfection and miscarriages of human nature; that he was of a most holy and examplary life; that he was the true Word of God, the Apostle, or Embassador of God; that his Gospel was revealed to him from heaven, and that he is in heaven standing nigh to the throne of God. They blaspheme indeed with a bruitishness and stupidity only befitting _Turks_, the mysteries of the Holy Trinity, and of the Divinity of our Blessed Saviour, and deny that he was put to death, and say, that another in his shape was crucified by the _Jews_, and that he himself was assumed into heaven in his body without dying at all, and consequently they will not own, that he satisfied Divine Justice for the sins of the world; so great an affinity is there between the heresy of _Socinus_ and professed _Mahometism_.

I could never yet see any _Turkish_ translation of the _Koran_: they cry up the elegance of the stile, which being enthusiastic and high flown, by reason also of the tinkling of the periods, is very delightful to their ears, who seem to be affected with rhime mightily. Though I suppose it is upon a more politic account, that they are so averse, as to the translating it into their vulgar language, not out of respect to the sacredness of the original only, whose full commanding expressions they think cannot be translated without a great diminution to the sense; but to keep it in greater veneration among the people, who might be apt to slight and dis-esteem it, should it become thus common among them. It is enough that the Priests and learned men explain the difficult passages of it to the people, and write commentaries for the use of the more curious and inquisitive. The _Persians_ on the contrary, think it no disparagement to the _Arabic_, or profanation of the sense, to translate this cursed book into their own language, and copies are frequent among them.

The Grand Signior’s women are usually the choicest beauties of the Christian spoils, presented by the Bashaws or _Tartars_. The present _Sultana_, the mother of the young Prince _Mustapha_, is a _Caddiot_, the _Valide_, or the Emperor’s mother, a _Russian_, the daughter of a poor Priest, who with her relations were seized upon by the _Tartars_, in an incursion which they made into the _Muscovites_ country. She being received into the Seraglio by her beautiful complexion and cunning behaviour, gain’d the heart and the affection of Sultan _Ibrahim_, (a man wholly addicted to soft pleasures, and who seldom cared to be long absent from the womens apartment, but chose to spend his time among them.) Having the good fortune to be the mother of the Prince _Mahomet_, the eldest son of his father, who now reigns, she had all the honours that could possibly be done her, and was the beloved _Hazaki_, or chief concubine. During this height of splendour and glory, the court removing from _Constantinople_ to _Adrianople_, distant about an hundred and twenty miles, as she was passing in great state, attended with her guards through the streets of the city, in a coach much like our carriage waggons, but that they are letticed to let in the air, for no one must presume to stare or scarce look upon the women, much less must they themselves suffer their faces to be seen in this jealous country, she out of curiosity looking through the holes, saw a poor Christian slave in a shop where sugar and such like wares were sold. Upon her return she sent one of her Eunuchs to enquire for the person, and to ask him several questions about his country, relations, friends, and the time when and how long he had been a slave; his answers were so particular and satisfactory, that she was soon convinced of the truth and certainty of her apprehensions, when she first cast her eyes upon him, that he was her brother, and accordingly it proved so. Whereupon acquainting the Emperor with it, she immediately redeem’d him from his patron, and having made the poor wretch turn _Turk_, got him considerably preferr’d.

The Bashaws for the most part are the sons of Christians, taken into the Seraglio, near the Emperor’s person, and so are preferr’d to considerable governments, or else they raise themselves by their conduct and valour. _Mahomet_ Bashaw, in the time of _Achmet_, whose eldest daughter he marry’d, was the first natural _Turk_ that was made chief Vizier, having before been Captain Bashaw. The chief Vizier _Mahomet Cupriuli_ (who settled the empire in the minority of this Emperor, when it was ready to be shaken into pieces, and dissolved by several powerful factions in the state, and by the mutinies and discontents of Janizaries and Spahis, who drove different ways) was an _Albanese_ by birth, the son of a _Greek_ Priest, whom out of the height of his zeal for _Mahomet_, he made turn _Turk_ in his old age, and converted the Christian church in the village where he was born into a mosque. This man also forbad the Dervises to dance in a ring and turn round, which before was their solemn practice at set times before the people, which they would do so long, till they were giddy by this swift circular motion, and fell down in a swoon, and then oftentimes upon their recovery from such trances, they pretended to revelation. The church-men are not very kind to his memory, looking upon him as a man of little or no religion; and they give out that if he had lived, he would have forbid their calling to prayers from the spires of their Mosques, and hanging out lamps; both which they look upon as solemn and essential to the exercise of religion; but he as the effect of bigottry and superstition.

They have a mighty honour and esteem for Physicians, for tho’ they are of opinion, that they cannot with all their art prolong life, the period and term of it being fatal, and absolutely determin’d by God, yet they often consult them upon any violent sickness or pain, in order to make the time allotted them in this world more pleasant and easy. It is extraordinary rare, that a natural _Turk_ makes Physic his profession and study. They who practise it among them, when I was in _Turkey_, were for the most part _Greeks_ and _Jews_, who know nothing of chymical medicines, but follow the usual methods, which they learn’d in _Italy_ and _Spain_, the former having study’d in _Padua_, and the latter in _Salamanca_, where they pass’d for good Catholics. And I remember I met with a certain Jew Physician, who had been a Capucine in _Portugal_. During the tedious siege of _Candia_, the Vizier, what with melancholy, and what with the ill air of the camp, finding himself much indisposed, sent for a Christian Physician, Signior _Massalini_, a subject of the Republic of _Venice_, but marry’d to a _Greek_ woman, by whom he had several children, who was our neighbour at _Pera_, an experienced able man, to come speedily to him, and made him a present of about a thousand dollars, in order to fit himself for the voyage, and bear the expence of it. By this worthy gentleman’s care he recover’d his health, and would not permit him to depart till after the surrender of that city, which might be about seven months after his arrival there, treating him in the mean while with all imaginable respect. During our short stay at _Bursia_, one of our Janizaries accidentally discoursing with a _Turk_ about us, whom they knew to be _Franks_, told him that there was a Physician in the company, who had been lately at the Grand Signior’s court at _Salonichi_ with the _English_ Embassador, and was now upon his return from _Constantinople_ to _Smyrna_, where he lived. This presently took vent, and the _Turks_ thought that they had got a man among them that could cure all diseases infallibly; for several immediately came to find us out in behalf of themselves or their sick friends, and one of the most considerable men upon the place, desired the Doctor to go to his house to visit one of his women sick in bed, who being permitted to feel her naked pulse (for usually they throw a piece of fine silk or curle over their womens wrists at such times) soon discover’d by that and other symptoms and indications of her distemper, that opening a vein would presently give her ease, and recover her; which he did accordingly; for which he received an embroidered handkerchief instead of a fee, and gained the reputation of having done a mighty cure.

They have little of ingenious or solid learning among them; their chief study next to the _Koran_, being metaphysical niceties about the Attributes of God, or else the maintenance of other odd speculative notions and tenents, derived down to them from some of their famed masters and holy men, whom they pretend to follow. Their knowledge of the motion of the heavens, for which the _Arabians_ and the other eastern nations have been so deservedly famous, as their Astronomical Tables of the Longitude and Latitude of the fixed stars, and of the appulse of the Moon to them, fully evince, is now very mean, and is chiefly studied for the use of Judiciary Astrology. The great instrument they make use of is an Astrolabe, with which they make very imperfect observations, having no such thing as a Quadrant or Sextant, much less a Telescope, or any mechanical engine, to direct and assist them in their calculation. Their skill in Geography is as inconsiderable; I remember I heard the Captain Bashaw, whom they stile Admiral of the Black and White Seas, meaning the _Euxine_ and the _Mediterranean_, ask this silly question, Whether _England_ were out of the Streights? and another time the _Caymacan_, or Governor of _Constantinople_, hearing that _England_ was an island, desired to know how many miles it was about, in order, we supposed, to make an estimate of our King’s greatness and strength, by the extent and compass of it.

One of the great Astrologers of _Constantinople_, having heard that I had a pair of globes in my chamber, made me a visit on purpose to see their contrivance, being introduced by a worthy gentlemen of our own nation. After the first ceremonies were over, I took my terrestrial globe, and rectify’d it to the position of the place, and pointed to the several circles both without and upon it, and told him in short the several uses of them; then shewed him how _Constantinople_, beared from _Candia_, at that time besieged, _Cair_, _Aleppo_, _Mecca_, and other chief places of the empire, with the other parts of the world; at which he was mightily surprized to see the whole earth and sea represented in that figure, and in so narrow, a compass, and pleased himself with turning the globe round several times together. Afterwards I set before him the celestial globe, and rectify’d that, and shew’d him how all the noted constellations were exactly described, and how they moved regularly upon their poles, as in the heavens; some rising, and others setting, some always above the horizon, and others always under, in an oblique sphere, and particularly what stars would rise that night with us at such an hour; the man seem’d to be ravish’d with the curiosity of it, turning this globe also several times together with his finger, and taking a pleasure in viewing the motion of it; and yet this silly animal pass’d for a conjurer among the _Turks_, and was look’d upon as one that could foretel the events of battels, the fates of empires, and the end of the world.

They have no genious for sea-voyages, and consequently are very raw and unexperienced in the art of navigation, scarce venturing to sail out of sight of land. I speak of the natural _Turks_, who trade either in the Black Sea or some part of the _Morea_, or between _Constantinople_ and _Alexandria_; and not of the pyrates of _Barbary_, who are for the most part renagado’s, and learnt their skill in Christendom, which they exercise so much to the terrour and damage of it. A _Turkish_ compass consists but of eight points, the four cardinal and four collateral; they being at a mighty loss how to sail by a side-wind; when by hauling their sails sharp they might lie their course, and much more, when they are in the winds eye, not knowing how to make tacks and boards, but chuse rather to make haste into some neighbouring port, till the wind blows fair. An _English_ and _Turkish_ vessel, both bound for the bay of _Salonichi_, at the time of the Grand Signior’s being there, pass’d together out of the _Hellespont_, but foul weather happening, the _Turk_ got into _Lemnos_; while our men kept at sea, and pursued their voyage, and after three weeks stay returned back to us, observing in their way, that the _Turks_ remained in the same place where they left them, for want of a fore-wind to put to sea in.

They trouble not themselves with reading the histories of other nations or of ancient times, much less with the study of chronology, without which history is very lame and imperfect; which is the cause of those ridiculous and childish mistakes, which pass current and uncontradicted among them. For instance, they make _Job_ one of _Solomon_’s Judges, and (_Iscander_) _Alexander the Great_, Captain General of his army. They number _Philip_ of _Macedon_ among the ancestors of our Blessed Saviour, and believe that _Sampson_, _Jonas_, and St _George_ were his contemporaries. In this they are more excuseable than their false Prophet _Mahomet_, who in his _Koran_ has perverted several historical notices in the writings of the Old Testament, and is guilty of vile and absurd _Pseudo-chronisms_. To remedy this defect, of which he was very conscious, and the better to understand the state of Christendom, and the particular kingdoms and republics of it, the late great and wise Vizier _Achmet_, made his interpreter _Panagiotti_, a learned _Greek_, at leisure hours, even at the siege of _Candia_, as well as at other times, read several ancient histories to him, and render them _extempore_ into the _Turkish_ language, and particularly _Blaeus Atlas_, with which he was mightily pleased, and made great use of, and truly gained the reputation of a solid and judicious Statesman, as well as Soldier among the Christian ministers, who in the ordinary course of their negotiations apply’d themselves to him.

Tho’ their year be according to the course of the moon, and so the _Turkish_ months run round the civil year in a circle of thirty three years and a few odd days, yet they celebrate the _Neuruz_, which signifies in the _Persian_ tongue, the New-year, the twenty first day of _March_, (on which day the Veneral Equinox was fixed by the _Greeks_ and other _Oriental_ Christians, in the time of the Emperor _Constantine_, who made no provision for the προήγησις ἰσημερινὴ, or procession, which in process of time the inequality between the civil and astronomical year must necessarily produce) at which time the Cadi’s and other annual magistrates, and farmers of the customs take place, and reckon to that day twelve month again.

In their civil deportment and behaviour one towards another, the left hand is the more worthy and honourable place, except among their Ecclesiastics; and the reason they allege is, because they write from the right hand, and the sword is worn on the left side, and so is more at his disposal, who walks on that hand. The chief Vizier accordingly in the Divan sits at the left hand of the Mufti, each maintaining their right of precedence, according to this way of decision.

In their Mosques they sit without any distinction of degrees.

Some of the more zealous _Turks_ cause to be engraven on their scymeters and bucklers a sentence out of the sixty first _Surat_, which is concerning fighting or battle-arrey, and contains encouragements to fight in the way and path of God, as the Impostor’s words are; for which he assures them, besides assistance from heaven, to help them to get the victory over their enemies, and that God will pardon their sins, and bring them to Paradise. Thus spirited with zeal, a _Turk_ lays about him with fury, when he is a fighting, and seems ambitious of dying to gain the delights of Paradise, at least indifferent whether he dies or lives.

The _Turks_ are, as to their temper serious, or rather enclining to morosity, seldom laughing, which is accounted an argument of great vanity and lightness. They perform the exercises which they use in the way of diversion, as shooting and hunting, with a great deal of gravity, as if they designed them more for health than for pleasure; and this too but seldom. The better and richer sort who have nothing to do, sitting all day at home, lolling upon a Sofa, or raised place in their rooms, and taking tobacco, which their slaves fill and light for them; and if they retire in the Summer or Autumn for a week or fortnight, to some convenient fountain in a wood, with their women, it is chiefly to enjoy the refreshments of the cool air. In the times of triumph indeed for some great success obtained against the Christians, when the shops are open for three nights together, and hung with lights, as well as the spires of the Mosques in curious figures, they are guilty of extravagant mirth, running up and down the streets in companies, and sometimes singing and dancing after their rude way; but this fit being over, they soon return to their former melancholy. In the coffee-houses where they use to resort to tipple, there is usually one hired by the owners to read either an idle book of tales, which they admire as wit, or filthy obscene stories, with which they seem wonderfully affected and pleased, few of them being able to read. These are the schools which they frequent for their information, tho’ in times of war when things went ill with them, their discourses would be of the ill government; and the Grand Signior himself, and his chief ministers, could not escape their censures, which manifestly tending to sedition, and to the heightning of their discontents by their mutual complaints, and by this free venting of their grievances during the war at _Candia_, the wise Vizier seeing the evil consequences that would follow, if such meetings and discourses were any longer tolerated, commanded that all the public coffee-houses should be shut up in _Constantinople_, and several other great cities of the empire, where the malecontents used to rendezvouz themselves, and find fault upon every ill success and miscarriage, with the administration of affairs.

The custom of the _Turks_ to salute the Emperor, or the Vizier Bashaws, with loud acclamations and wishes of health and long life, when they appear first in their houses or any public place, is derived from the _Greeks_, who took it from the _Romans_. This was done by them in a kind of singing tone; whence _Luitprandus_, Bishop of _Cremona_ tells us, that in a certain procession (προέλυσις) at which he was present, they sang to the Emperor _Nicephorus_ πολλὰ ἔτη, that is, Many Years, (which _Codinus_, who lived just about the taking of _Constantinople_ by the _Turks_, expresses by τὸ ψάλλειν τὸ πολυχρόνιον, or by τὸ πολυχρόνιζειν, and to wish or salute by πολυχρόνισμα) and at dinner the _Greeks_ then present wish’d with a loud voice to the Emperor and _Burdas_, _Ut Deus annos multiplicet_, as he translates the _Greek_.

The _Turkish_ coin in itself is pitiful and inconsiderable, which I ascribe not only to their want of bullion, but to their little skill in matters relating to the mint. Hence it comes to pass, that Zecchines and Hungars for gold, and _Spanish_ Dollars and Zalotts for silver stamped in Christendom pass current among them, most of the great payments being made in them, they not caring either through ignorance or sloth, to follow the example of the _Indian_ or _Persian_ Emperors, who usually melt down the Christian money imported by the Merchants into their several countries, and give it a new stamp. The most usual pieces are the Sheriphi of gold, somewhat less than a _Venecian_ Zecchine, and Aspers, ten of which are equal to six pence _English_ and some few Asper pieces. A Mangur is an old ugly copper piece, eight of which make but one Asper, and is not I think a _Turkish_ coin, but rather _Greek_. They have no arms upon their coin, only letters embossed on both sides, containing the Emperor’s name, or some short sentence out of the _Koran_.

The _Turks_ look upon earthquakes as ominous, as the vulgar do upon eclipses, not understanding the philosophy of them. During my stay in _Constantinople_, which was above two years, there happen’d but one, which was _October_ 26, 1669, about six o’clock in the morning, a stark calm preceding. It lasted very near a minute, and we at _Pera_ and _Galata_ were as sensible of it as those who were on the other side of the water; but, praised be God, nothing fell, and we were soon rid of the fears in which this frightful accident had cast us, being in our beds, and not able, by reason of the surprize, in so little a space to have past thro’ a gallery down a pair of stairs into the court, if we had attempted it. The _Turks_ made direful reflections on it, as if some calamity would inevitably fall upon the empire, quickly forgetting the great triumphings and rejoicings which they exprest but a few days before for the surrender of _Candia_. In the year 1668, in _August_, the earth shook more or less for forty seven days together in the lesser _Asia_ at _Anguri_ (_Anoyra_) and for fifteen at _Bacbaser_, as we heard from a _Scotch_ Merchant, who lived there; and particularly, that at this latter place, on the second of _August_, between three and four o’clock in the afternoon it lasted for a quarter of an hour; several houses were overthrown, and some hundred of chimneys fell (it being a very populous town) and yet there were but seven kill’d. The trembling being so violent, both _Turks_ and Christians forsook their houses, and betook themselves to the fields, vineyards and gardens, where they made their abode for several days.

Their punishments are very severe, this being judg’d the most effectual way, to prevent all public disorders and mischiefs. They use no great formality in their processes; if the criminal be taken in the fact, and the witnesses ready and present to attest it, and sometimes if there be but probable circumstances, without full conviction, condemn him; and soon after sentence, sometimes an hour or less, hurry him away to execution. For an ordinary crime, hanging is the usual death; but for robbery and murder committed upon the highway, by such as rob in parties and allarm whole provinces, or for sacrilege, or for any heinous crime against the government, either gaunching or excoriation, or cutting off the legs and arms, and leaving the trunk of the body in the high-way, or empaling, that is, thrusting an iron stake through the body out under the neck or at the mouth; in which extreme torment the miserable wretch may live two or three days, if the guts or the heart happen not to be wounded by the pointed spike in it’s passage. This punishment seems to have been in use among the _Romans_, _Seneca_’s Epist. 14. _Cogita hoc loco carcerem, & cruces, & eculeos, & uncum, & adactum medium hominem, qui per os emergat, stipitem._ And so in his book _De Consolatione ad Marciam, cap. 20_. _Alii capite conversos in terram suspendere; alii per obscena stipitem egerunt, alii brachia patibulo explicuerunt._ Murder is seldom pardon’d, and especially if the relations of the murder’d person demand justice.

The Circumcision, though it be a sacred rite, is perform’d in their private houses, and never in the Mosques.

The women colour their eye-brows and lids with an ugly black powder, I suppose, to set off their beauty by such a shadow; and their nails with the powder of _Kanna_, which gives them a tincture of faint red, like brick, as they do the tails and hoofs of horses, which they look upon as a great ornament. Their great diversion is bathing; sometimes thrice if not four times a week. They do not permit them to go to church in time of prayer, for fear they should spoil their devotion; the _Turks_ being of so brutish a temper, that their lust is raised upon the sight of a fair object. They are call’d oftentimes by the names of flowers and fruits, and sometimes fantastic names are given them, such as _Sucar Birpara_, or bit of sugar, _Dil Ferib_, or ravisher of hearts, and the like.

Their skill in agriculture is very mean. In their gardens they have several little trenches to convey water where it may be most necessary for their plants and flowers. They know little or nothing of manuring their grounds; sometimes they burn their fields and vineyards after harvest and vintage, partly to destroy the vermin, and partly to enrich the soil. They tread out their corn with oxen, drawing a square plank board, about a foot and an half or two foot over, studded with flints, and winnow it upon their threshing-floors in the open air, the wind blowing away the chaff. They feed their horses with barley and chopt straw, for I do not remember ever to have seen any oats among them; and they make but little hay.

For draught of great weight in their carts they make use of Buffalo’s.

Camels will travel four days together without water, and will eat tops of thistles, shrubs, or any kind of boughs: They are very sure footed, and kneel when they are loading, and live to a considerable number of years, some even to sixty.

The chief furniture of their houses are carpets, or matts of Grand _Cairo_, neatly wrought with straw, spread upon the ground; they having no occasion for chairs, couches, stools, or tables, their postures within doors being different from ours. They have no hangings, but their walls are whited and set off with painting, only adorned with a kind of porcelain; no beds closed with curtains.

They seal not with wax, but ink, at the bottom of the paper, the Emperor’s name being usually written with flourishes and in perplex’d characters; nor have they any coats of arms upon their seals, there being no such thing as gentility among them.

Some of them, notwithstanding their zeal for _Mahomet_ and the religion by him establish’d, retain not only a favourable and honourable opinion of our Blessed Saviour, but even place some kind of confidence in the usage of his name, or of the words of the Gospel, though it may seem to be wholly in the way of superstition. Thus in their amulets, which they call _Chaimaili_, being little bits of paper about two or three fingers breath, rolled up in pieces of silk, containing several short prayers or sentences out of the _Koran_, with several circles with other figures, they usually inscribe the holy and venerable name of _JESUS_, or the figure of the cross, or the first words of St _John_’s Gospel, and the like. They hang them about their necks, or place them under their arm-pits, or in their bosom near their hearts, (being the same with what the _Greeks_ call ἐγκόλπια) and especially when they go to war, as a preservative against the dangers of it; and indeed against any misfortune whatsoever. Some have them sow’d within their caps; and I heard of a _Turk_ who was so superstitious herein, that he always pluck’d it off, and was uncover’d, when he had occasion to make water. Some are such bigots in their religion, and so furious against Christians, that not only they treat them with all imaginable scorn and contempt, but take it ill to be salam’d or saluted by them, as if it were the effect of sawciness and unbecoming familiarity. Their malice against the Christians makes them envy the rich furs they line their vests with, and it is a trouble to these hypocritical zealots to see _Franks_ ride upon their fine _Arabian_ horses.

The respect which they shew the _Koran_ is wonderful, they dare not open the leaves of it with unwashen hands, according to the advice and command written in _Arabic_ upon the cover, _Let no one touch this book, but he that is clean_. They kiss it, and bend their heads, and touch their eyes with it, both when they open and shut it.

The Janizaries, when they attend upon Christian Embassadors to their audience, seem to appear in their bravery, and in a habit far from that of a soldier, being without either fire-arms or swords, which latter are not worn but in time of service, or when they are upon a march, or embodied, wearing a cap made of camels hair, with a broad flap dangling behind, a gilt embroider’d wreath running round it, and an oblong piece of brass rising up from the middle of their forehead near a foot, with a great club in their hand, like inferior officers of the civil government. But when they are in the camp, they throw off their upper vest and turbants, which they wear at all other usual times, as troublesome, and put on a fez or red cap, which fits close to their head, and tuck up their _Duliman_ or long coat to their girdle, that they may be the more quick and expedite in their charge.

They affect finery and neatness in their cloaths and shashes; not so much as a spot to be seen upon them, and in rainy or suspicious weather are very careful how they go abroad without their _Yamurlics_, which is a kind of coat they throw over their heads at such times.

Their pans and dishes are for the most part of copper, but so handsomely tinned over, that they look like silver.

There are thousands of Gypsies or _Zinganies_ in _Turkey_, who live the same idle nasty kind of life as they do in Christendom, and pretend to the same art of telling fortunes; and are look’d upon as the off-scouring of mankind. It is accounted the extremest point of human misery, to be a slave to any of this sort of cattle.

The _Haggi_ or Pilgrims, that have been at _Mecca_ and _Medina_, forbear to drink wine most religiously, out of a persuasion, that one drop would efface all the merits of that troublesome and expensive journey; and some have been possest with such a mad zeal, that they have blinded themselves after their having been blest with the sight of _Mahomet_’s sepulchre.

After _Jatzah_, that is, an hour and an half in the night, throughout the whole year, there is as great a silence in the streets as at midnight. The Emperor _Achmet_, in the year 1611, having made an order, that no one should presume to be out of his house after that time, which is to this day most punctually observed. The _Bostangi bashi_, who has the command of all the _Agiamoglans_ in the Seraglio, the _Topgibashi_, or such great officers, attended with a great train of armed men, walking the rounds, and drubbing such as they find abroad at unseasonable hours, of what nation or quality soever, except Physicians, Chirurgions, and Apothecaries, whom they allow at all times to visit the sick.

The _Turkmans_, (for so they are peculiarly called, as if they were the true descendents of the old _Turks_ or _Scythians_, whose wandring kind of life is described by the Poet,

Ἁμαξόβιοι { _Nulla domus, plaustris habitant, migrare per arva_
{ _Mos, atque errantes circumvectare penates._)

have no fix’d residence any where, but travel with their families and cattel from place to place, carrying their wives and children upon camels; they pitch their tents usually near rivers and fountains, for the conveniency of water, and according as their necessities require, make a longer and shorter stay. Their whole estates consists in their numerous flocks and herds, which they sell upon occasion, to supply themselves with what they want, at the towns they pass by. Their only concern is, how to enjoy the benefits and blessings of nature, without the troubles and turmoils and disquiets of life, being contented and happy in one anothers company, void of all ambition and envy, courteous and humane to strangers, that may want their help and assistance, kindly entertaining them with such provision as their folds afford. I have met with some companies of these harmless wanderers in my travels. The country lies open without any enclosures, and the property not being vested in any one, they travel thro’ the plains unmolested, and find excellent pasture every where. The _Turks_ till no more ground than will serve their necessities, being supply’d with corn from _Egypt_, and from _Moldavia_ and _Wallachia_, by the way of the Black sea, letting vast traces of ground lie waste and uncultivated; so that their sloth herein sometimes is justly punish’d with dearths.

They have nothing to shew for their houses and possessions, but an _Hogiet_, or piece of paper subscribed by the Cadi, if they have acquired them by their money, or that they were their father’s before them.

The Dervises generally are melancholy, and place the greatest part of their religion in abstinence and other severities. Some cut their flesh, others vow not to speak for six or seven years, or all their lives long, though never so much provoked or distressed. Their Garments are made of a coarse sort of wool, or goats hair: They are tied up by the vow of their order ever from marrying. Several of this sect, in the height of their religious phrenzy, have attempted upon the lives of the Emperors themselves (at whose government they have taken disgust) as _Mahomet_ II, and _Achmet_, as if such desperate attempts were fatal to bigots in all religions.