An account of a late voyage to Athens containing the estate both ancient and modern of that famous city, and of the present empire of the Turks, the life of the now Sultan Mahomet the IV, with the Ministry of the Grand Vizier Coprogli Achmet Pacha : also the most remarkable passages in the Turkish camp at the siege of Candia and divers other particularities of the affairs of the port / by Monsieur de La Gvillatiere, a French gentleman ; now Englished.

ATHENS Ancient and Modern: WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT STATE OF THE EMPIRE OF THE TURKS. Book II. (Book 2)

THe Gulf of Engia is that which an∣ciently was called the Saronick Gulf from the River Saron which dis∣charges it self into it, on the West side to∣wards

Hexamele the present name for the Isthmus of Corinth. This Gulf is denomi∣nated from the Isle of Engia (formerly fa∣mous by the name of Egina) and so power∣full at Sea, that the Inhabitants of that Island were once in a condition to dispute for Soveraignty with Athens it self. The length of the Island is near four and twen∣ty leagues, bounded on the East by Saint George d' Arbora that lies in the mouth of it, and on the West by the ruines of the Ca∣stle of Policastro, which is but two leagues from Corinth. From the Cape de Colomnes to Porto-Lione is twelve leagues, and they lie S. E. and N. W. one of another.

This Coast has been so much infested by the Christian Corsairs, especially since the Wars in Candia, that their habitations at present are all removed a full league from the Sea. Our Modern Geographers injure them as much, for 'tis strange that a Gulf so famous in old times among the Ancients, should at present be utterly forgotten, and that our Maps should agree so little about the position of Laurion, Munichia, Sala∣mis and Egina. We have affirmed that Laurion lies three leagues to the Westward of the Cape de Colomnes, and convinced those Maps of errour which have placed it on the side of the Euripus, and this we have

done, not only by the sight of the Moun∣tain of which Thucydides makes mention when he speaks of the other, but also by ••he nature of the ground where formerly ••here were Silver Mines; for some of our Virtuosi caused several pieces of that Earth to be brought to them, and found in the darkness of the colour, in the weight and dissolution, all the qualities of Ore, and Earth mingled with Veins of Silver.

When our Vessel was North and South of the Mountain of Laurion, we could see the Sands upon the Shore, and the sharp Rooks in the Island of Engia, which render it ••naccessible on all sides but the North-West where the Town is placed that gives name to the Island; the condition of which City •• shall give you more conveniently here∣••fter. The length of the Island from East ••o West is five good leagues; the breadth ••n the widest place is but three: It lies ex∣••ctly in the midst of the Gulf, and the Gulf ••s twelve leagues over: As soon as we were ••n the Canal, we had a sight of Phalerum ••he Old Port of Athens, before Themisto∣••les advised to fortifie the other. There ••s now nothing left about that Harbour but ••hree or four Cabbins, forsaken by the In∣habitants, and pulled down and ruined by the Corsaires: The anchoring is very good,

and a Ship ride in it at ten or twelve fa¦thom water: Upon the Banks there are se¦veral Excellent Springs to which the Ship•• that pass by do frequently send for fre•• water. From this Phalerum to Athens i•• but a league and a quarter, and in that plac•• the City is nearest the Sea. Our Captai•• had much ado to restrain our Gallants, wh•• would fain have been landing at Phaleru•• because the Learned Museus who invente•• the Sphere, and discovered to us the use o•• it, was buried there about three thousan•• years since. Drelingston declared that h•• had come from Orleans to Paris on purpos•• to see in the Church of St. Nicholas d•• Champs the Tomb of the Excellent Gassen¦dus, who in his Astronomical Observation •• has followed the footsteps of the said M••¦seus, and that with the same curiousity h•• had visited in the Church of Saint Gen••¦viesve the Tomb of the incomparable do•• Cartes, whose new Hypothesis is the won¦der and envy of all Scholars. He affirme•• it was an honour due to the memory of grea•• persons, and that the Emperour Charle•• V. being in the Low Countries, disdain¦ed not to visit the Sepulchre of Buckeldi•• the famous fisher for Herrings, who firs•• found out the way of keeping them i•• pickle, and salting them; and as if his ow••

••••ngle visit had been too little, he took a∣••ong with him his Sister Mary Queen of ••ungaria.

About a quarter of league Westward, ••n the bank of the River is to be seen the ••lace where formerly was the Fortress of Munychia so often mentioned in History ••or the beauty of its Harbour, and the Temple of Diana.

The most part of our Maps do place Mu∣••ychia four leagues from Phalerum, mista∣••ing its distance, and Angle of position. ••t is called at present Macyna, but deserted ••s the rest of those Towns are. It is situa∣••ed so as to hinder the sight of the other Harbour where we designed to have come ••o an anchor, but the wind rising, we were ••riven upon the Isle of Salamis called now ••ndifferently Colouri, and Santa Broussia: The Proverb sayes, It is an ill wind that ••lows no body profit; and it was verified with us, for our Virtuosi had a great cu∣••iosity to be peeping about that Island, be∣••ause it was of old under the Dominion of Telamon and Ajax, and was famous for the ••irth of Euripides, and the defeat of Xerxes ••is Fleet: But the weather was bad, and continued so all Easter day, so that we could ••ot get a shore as we desired.

Easter day was Celebrated very devout∣ly,

the whole crew were at publick Pray•••• with great decency and attention: O•••• two Germans being Lutherans, did thei•• Exercises of Piety by themselves: Thei•• Easter day, and the Greeks falling out tha•• Year on the same day with ours, with th•• difference only, that they reckoned it th•• Eleventh, and we the One and twentieth •• April.

We came to an anchor betwixt the littl•• Isle of Psytalle (which indeed is but a Rock •• and the Island of Colouri. The Rock •• Scyradion lying East of us, towards th•• Coast of Athens. I shall not trouble 〈◊〉〈◊〉 self to tell you the great noise that Psyt•••• and Scyradion made formerly among th•• Ancients, for I am now in a place so ferti•• in Miracles, I need no more than ask whe•• you would have me begin.

We could easily perceive the Rock calle•• Ceras, upon the point where the Canal 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Colouri is most narrow, and nearest th•• Country belonging to the Ancient Eleu•••• and Megara, which Rock is memorable fo•• being the place where Xerxes upon his Si••¦ver Throne beheld the Battel betwixt hi•• Fleet and the Grecian.

To the N. E. of this Rock there is •• good Harbour called Porto-Longo, or th•• Harbour for the Gallies. Here there is con¦••tantly

a passage-Boat that goes from Co∣••••uri to Athens and back again, the di∣••tance betwixt them being no more than ••wo leagues.

The next morning being the 22. of April, ••ur Troop of Travellers put themselves on ••oard a Shallop to go ashore at Coluri: I ••ore them Company, and we came into a ••arrow Creek to the Southward of the Isle: We landed at the farther end of the Creek, where we found about a hundred Caves, ••nd about twice as many pittifull Cabbins, which is all they have to show for their Capital City, and is the miserable remain∣••er of the whole Kingdom of Ajax. The ••umber of the Inhabitants amounts not to ••bove four hundred: When ever they de∣cry a Vessel at Sea (though never so small) ••hey betake themselves immediately to their ••oles, and if possible, those holes that are ••••rthest off, for fear it should prove a Cor∣••aire, by whom they are frequently visited, ••arried off, and sold in foreign Countries: They no sooner perceived us, but they fled ••n mighty confusion, and we could easily ••ear the noise which they made in driving ••heir Cattel, and forcing them into their Caves. One of our Company over-took ••n old man whose legs were too feeble to ••arry him off; we comforted and convinced

him by our Caresses and Behaviour that •• were no Corsaires, insomuch that he carri•••• us to the mouth of a Cavern, and havi•••• secured them upon his word, five or six •• the Islanders came out to us: We used the•••• kindly, demanding Victualls only for o•• Money, and something we gave them o•••• and above; upon which a Signal being ••¦ven, the Men and Cattel, and all began •• appear: We bought very good Partrid•••• at the rate of a Timin a douzen, and as •• were told we bought them too dear; th•••• the Timins were currant, but they told •• they would not pass at Athens, (where th•• were cryed down, because the Italian M••••¦chants had brought thither great quantiti•• of false, which they had coyned private •• upon the Mountains of Genoa) howev•••• they knew how to put them off in the Is•••• of the Archipelago. They brought us •• feed in a little Church, but the Vicar w•• gone to Athens. We scrupled it much, a•• told them, that to eat there could not co••¦sist with our reverence for the place: The•• were much pleased at our preciseness, b•• told us, That seeing it was God that ga•••• us to eat, they saw no reason why we shou•••• refuse to make use of it in his house. T•••• Wine they provided was indifferently goo•• but their water was excellent, and fetch••••

from a spring not far from the Church: But these poor wretches have cursed that Spring a thousand times, for being the oc∣casion of so many Visits from the Cor∣saires.

I do not question but in our walk we met (though we did not know it) with the Closet where Euripides composed some of his Tragedies; for History tells us, that for fear of interruption, he made them in one of the privatest Caverns of the Island, and we saw good store of them. Euripides was born in this Island of a poor Woman, who got her living by selling of Herbs: to expi∣ate the meanness of his Extraction, he came to Athens, where he studied Physick under Anaxagoras, Rhetorick under Prodicus, and Morality under Socrates; so that in that Age Learning was necessary to com∣pleat and adapt any thing for the Stage.

We returned to our Ship again about ten of the Clock, where we found the Consul of Genoa and his Dragoman or Interpreter (for every Consul has one allowed him, to facilitate his Negotiations with the Turks) our Captain agreed with them concerning the ordinary Duties that each Vessel pays at Porto-Lione, that is to say, two per Cent. to the Consul; as much to the Dragoman, and three per Cent. to the Vaywode, who is

the Master of the Custom-house at Athen•• They agreed likewise about the Presents •• be made to the Turkish Officers, and part••¦cularly to the Cady, who having a powe•• to lay what Tax he pleases upon Merchan•• Goods that are brought into that Harbou•• by Strangers, does many times use hi•• own Liberty, and act without any regar•• to justice if he be not presented. Fro•• Athens the Commodities exported are pri••¦cipally Silks, Oyls, Skins, and a kind •• Gauls which in times of Peace the Ve••¦tians buy in great quantities, and use in d••¦ing. If a Ship puts into that Harbour•• though it neither buys nor sells, nor ex¦ercises any sort of Commerce, yet it pay •• Crown for anchoring to the Consul of i•• own Country; but paying two per Cen•• the Consul is obliged to look after thei•• Effects, and to a particular care of the In¦terest of their Nation. He is Judge, an•• determines in all Controversies about Trad•• betwixt the Merchants of that Country b•• whom he is imployed: He is the Chi•••• Person concerned to extend their Jurisdict••¦on, and vindicate their Priviledges: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 short, his Authority is so considerable, tha•• it is the occasion of great jealousies, an•• many times the ruine of the Competiton▪ For those Christian Countries (who hav••

no Ambassador nor Resident at Constanti∣nople, and are constrained to put them∣selves under the protection of some setled and established Consul) are in perpetual dif∣ference, and obliged to be continually pre∣senting and greasing the Bassa's and San∣giac's to countermine their Competitors: And it is no small part of the cunning of the Turkish Officers to seem to incline to one Nation, to spur up the rest in their Con∣tributions. By this Artifice they squeez Money out of the Merchants of all Coun∣tries, pretending sometimes to take cog∣nizance of their disputes, and to bring them before their Turkish Tribunals, and the su∣rest way to divert them is to present them liberally. The Armenians do likewise create us much trouble, for having no right of Consulship of their own, the other Con∣suls repine to do their business, which turns often to their ruine. Formerly there was only the Emperours Ambassaddor Resident at Constantinople, and he medled not in matters of Trade; but for these four or five years, since the taking of Newhausel, and the peace that followed thereupon, a Company was erected in Vienna that Tra∣ded by the Danube into Turky, and the Emperours Ambassador there invested with the priviledges of the Consulship; for in

that Court there are no other Consuls, but Ambassadors and Residents.

The French Nation being allowed a Church in Athens; for the maintenance o•• it, every French Vessel is forced to pay five Crowns, besides what the Vaywood exact of us more than of other Nations: But 'tis probable the Reputation of our King, and his Arms, and the prudence of our Ambsas∣sadours will put a stop to their Extortio•• in a short time: Nevertheless hitherto thi•• has been no advantage to the Affairs of ou•• Consul Monsieur Chastagner, though he re∣tains the Title and Priviledges of Consu•• of Morea, and has under him Vice-Consul at Patras, Napoli, and other places; upo•• which score he is about resigning to one o•• his Brothers: All charges born, the Con∣sulship brings him not in clearly above fiv•• hundred Franks per Annum. He complain¦ed much of Monsieur Giraud, attributin•• most of our losses in that nature to his pri¦vate intelligence with several Merchants o•• other Nations, by which they have bee•• perswaded to commit their Affairs to th•• Protection of the English Consul, to th•• no small detriment of our own: And doubtless it will be much worse if Girau•• be made Consul for Genoa, as I was ad∣vised he would be before I came from

Athens; whereupon I took a resolution, and was much incouraged in it by my friends. The love and interest of my Country work∣ing strongly upon my mind (though with Monsieur Giraud they seemed utterly for∣gotten, otherwise he would never have promoted the Interest of another Country at that time in Hostility with France) I thought it discretion to provide in time a∣gainst the Rencounters I might have with him. I considered that if I passed for a Frenchman in Athens, I should be obliged in duty and inclination to defend the rights, and propagate the Interest of our Consul in all our Conversations; and the little Figure I made in the World, would add but little to the advantage of my Coun∣try by all the clutter I could make: Besides, I had occasion to be beholding to our Cap∣tain, with whom that would have put me at variance; so that I spake to all our Crew to let me pass for a Genoese to avoid those unprofitable Contests, and they did as I de∣sired.

In a word, about one a Clock at noon we arrived at Porto-lione, it being not a∣bove three Leagues from thence to Coluri; yet in that little distance we observed there were Currents that ran directly upon the Coast.

The Shore at Porto-lione bends into three several bows, which do make so many Har∣bours, all of them excellent for anchoring shelter, and largeness, and sufficient to justi∣fie the wisdom of Themistocles, who pre∣ferred them to the Haven at Phalerm. Fou•• hundred Sale of Ships may ride there very safe at nine, ten, twelve, and in some pla∣ces at fifteen fathom water. To the West∣ward they are covered by the Island of Bel∣bina, now called the Island of Blenda, no inhabited at present, and useful only in fur∣nishing wood for the Ships. Of the thre•• Harbours the middle is properly Porto-li¦one, and runs N. N. E. the entrance is nar¦row, and it is that which makes it so safe▪ Upon the Rocks in the Sea may be seen th•• piles of stone to which the Chain is fastne▪ for the stopping up of the Harbour. In th•• bigger Harbour there is a lesser for the Gal¦lies, and that is it which the Italians ca•• Darse, or Darsine. The Ancients calle•• one of these three Ports Aphrodiston becaus•• of the Temple of Venus that was near it▪ another they called Cantharon from Canth••¦rus, and the third was called Zea, as bein•• designed for the unlading of Corn. W•• were no sooner landed, but the first thin•• we did was to Curse the Romans and thei•• barbarous Consul Sylla, who having abo••••

1754 years since sacked the City of Athens, destroyed Pyraeum into the bargain. It was with great displeasure we surveyed the solitude and desolation of Porto-lione; we were all of us inquisitive after the famous Temples of Jupiter, Minerva, and Venus, and the five Portico's, which being joined together, were called Macra Stoa, in imi∣tation of that which was at Athens: We enquired after the Theatre of Bacchus, of which Thucydides and Xenophon made men∣••ion. Of the Tribunal of Phreattys, and ••he famous Library of Appollicon where his ••ncomparable Writings were found, which ••re now lost, and memorable by nothing ••ut the mention made of them by Diogenes Laertius. We enquired after the magnifi∣••ent Arsenal, a Master-piece of that inimita∣••le Architect Philo, for the admirable con∣••eniences made for the receipt and security ••f the Gallies: after all which we required ••ery earnestly one among another, (for ••esides our selves there was not one person ••o be seen) where those times were when ••our or five hundred Ships sailed out of ••his Port together: when multitudes of ••eople on one side, and Seamen on the o∣••her, were heard reciprocally to shout out ••••ier Agati tuki, Farewell to you: Euploia, •• good Voyage to you: and Pronoia Sozouza,

Providence keep you. What are become, said we, of all their famous Admirals, their Commanders of Squadrons, and the two Magistrates which they called Apostles, or Commissioners of the Navy? In a word, where are all those Trierarques or rich Ci∣tizens, who were obliged to build at their own expence a certain number of Ships ac∣cording to their respective Estates? What a most excellent order, and how beneficial to the publick was it, as soon as a Citizen was arrived at an Estate of 18000 Livers to have him denominated a Trierarque, and obliged at his own charge to set out a Ship▪ If his Fortune was double, he furnished out two, but he was not constrained to se•• out above three though his Estate was ne∣ver so immense. When there were no•• Citizens enough to be found able to ex¦pend 18000 Livers, several of them wer•• laid together, and built a Ship among them▪ but then it was laid so impartially that n•• body could complain. If any though•• himself aggrieved, he had no more to d•• but to make it appear that his Neighbou•• was better able than himself, and he tha•• was proved so, was sure to be put in hi•• place. Thus was this noble and ingeni¦ous people as it were distracted betwixt th•• love of Literature and Navigation, whil••

each Parent was enjoined to teach his Chil∣dren both to Read and to Swim.

Pyraeum had formerly the glory within the compass of its walls to see some of the first Schools of Philosophy in the world: For in that, as in other Countries, the gross ignorance and brutality of former A∣ges having contracted a strange depravity and corruption in their Manners; in process of time there came forth a small number of virtuous and ingenious persons, who ap∣plied themselves to more regularity in their lives, and to discover what was most rare and obscure in the nature of things, and for their good inclinations, and the happy progress they made, were called Philoso∣phers. I shall tell you once for all, You must not be surprized if you meet in this description some slight and imperfect touch∣es of the Ancient Philosophy, which do sometimes fall in naturally enough, and without any Violence or Constraint; and indeed we had as good never have gone to Athens, if contenting our selves with an Inventory of the old pieces of Marble, we should have neglected that which made them so glorious whilst they were united and standing. Nor can I bring my self to believe that men of any Curiosity or Learn∣ing would ever have forgiven me, should I

have passed by several things, because they were nor visible to my eye.

Athens then having produced several Philosophers, it was at Pyraeum that one of them called Antisthenes, undertook to set up a particular Sect: For still as the most Learned among them established any new Hypothesis, those of his party and opini∣on asserted his Principles, and formed themselves into several Sects under different appellations. Antisthenes was the first of the Sect of the Cynicks. The word imports originally a Dog, from which their do∣ctrine is not altogether abhorring, as be∣ing much less gentle and refined than the rest. It admits nothing of Natural Philo∣sophy, Logick, nor Mathematicks; it re∣lies wholly upon Morality, and that the most austere and rigid in the World. To render a man wise, it requires that he be∣gins with an extream contempt of himself, and to enure him to it, the Rules prescrib∣ed have in them more of insolence that instruction: For to decry their Vices, they reproach men with scandal, so that it is from their barking and snarling at every mans miscarriages that they are called Cy∣nicks. The History of Crates and Hypar∣chus justifies that appellation by other rea∣sons that I shall not mention in this place;

and it is possible it was given them like∣wise from the place called Cynosarges, which was a part of the Suburbs in Athens, where they settled themselves after they had quitted Pyraeum.

All that is now to be seen of Pyraeum is only a fair Marble Statue of a Lion that gives the present name to that famous Port. It is placed gaping with his face towards the Sea, and as it were ready to leap into all the Ves∣sels that come in there to anchor, Themisto∣cles his Tomb was formerly not far from it. There is a little Caravanserael (but not built as in Turkie) which serves for the ••odging and entertainment of Passengers, and to lock up their goods; and being therefore so inconsiderable, I will not trou∣ble you with its description. That at Por∣to-lione is but an ill favoured kind of Hall, where, in case of Rain, they lay by what is unladen there, to be carried to Athens, or what is brought from thence to be shipp'd in that Port. All the settled and establish∣ed Caravanseraels in Greece, are these which follow: Two at Thebes, one at Megara, one at Corinth, one at Arcadia, one at Napoli de Romania, one at Tripolissia or Dropo∣lissia, two at Messitra, and one at Lace∣daemon.

Upon an eminence on the Shore stands an

old Town, or Phanal, which the Athenian call Pyrgo, and the Italians Torre del foc•• For the whole Town of Pyraeum two po•••• Greeks are perpetually upon the Watch i•• that Tower of Pyrgo, whose business it is t•• give warning of the Corsairs, setting u•• their Colours by day as soon they deser•• any Ship at Sea, and in the night hanging ou•• lights, to give alarm to the Country about besides which there is a fire made constantly every night upon the Platform. All along upon the Shore, at a competent distanc•• there are several Pyrgo's for the same pur¦pose, and two men always as Sentinels▪ The Tower that makes the first discovery of a Man of War, throws down a light∣ed Fire-brand over the Wall to give notice to the rest; and doing all of them the same the Signal is taken: The whole Country immediately in Arms, and the word passing from one to another to know where the Signal was first given, they repair thither with the greatest part of their strength. If nothing be discovered, the fire is suffered to go out in each Tower, and serves only to admonish the Corsairs that they are up∣on their Guard. But to elude their diligen∣ces, and frustrate their Signals, the Cor∣sairs do frequently furl up their Sails, other∣wise a Vessel of two hundred Tun will be

seen by those Sentinels six or seven leagues. A larger Vessel is seen farther, and if two Ships be at Sea, they can discover one ano∣••her three or four leagues, unless they furle up their sails.

At Pyraeum there are still to be seen great quantity of square stone of which the Walls were made that joyned it to the City, and upon the Road to Athens there were many more: They are generally Cubique, and those of the Foundation cramped together with iron, which was the Workmanship of the old and eminent Athenian Conon. But that which was most wonderfull in the For∣tifications about Pyraeum, was, the Famous Wooden Tower that Sylla could not burn; the Wood of which it was built having been prepared with a Composition of A∣lume that the Fire could not touch; but though fire could not, it is now quite de∣voured by Time.

Having walked for some space, we had Horses brought us from Athens, and mount∣ing, had not rid far, before the Magnificent Temple of Minerva (which stands in the Castle, and appears very statelily over the Walls) presented it self as the first consider∣able object to our view.

And here I cannot but acknowledge my own weakness, you may call it folly if you

please: At the first sight of this Famous Town (struck as it were with a sentiment of Veneration for those Miracles of Anti∣quity which were Recorded of it) I start∣ed immediately, and was taken with an universal shivering all over my Body. Nor was I singular in my Commotion, we all of us stared, but could see nothing, our ima∣ginations were too full of the Great Men which that City had produced. We fan∣cied every step we made, that we met ei∣ther Theseus, or Socrates, Alcibiades, or some other of those Reverend Persons: I could not contain my self, but cryed out, Adsunt Athenae, unde Humanitas, Doctrina, Religio, Fruges, Jura, Leges ortae, atque in omnes Terras distributae putantur, de qua∣rum possessione proper pulchritudinem, etiam inter Deos certamen proditum est. Ʋrbi (inquam) quae vetustate eâ est, ut ipsa ex sese suos Cives genuisse dicatur: Au∣thoritate autem tantâ, ut jam fractum prope & dehilitatum Graeciae Nomen, hujus Ʋrbis laude nitatur: You may remember it in Tully. The ruines of the Walls were called formerly the Long Rampires, of which there were two, the Northern by which we passed, and the Southern that ran along by the Sea to Pyraeum; from thence to Mu∣nichia, and from Munichia to Phalerum,

and so to the Walls of the Town; so that the circumference of the Ancient City of Athens was compleatly two hundred Fur∣••ongs, which is about seven Leagues. And History mentions, that at convenient di∣stances these Rampires were flanked by lit∣tle Towers that were inhabited. The rode by which we passed along upon the Nor∣thern Rampire, was called formerly These∣••us his way; of which Boccaneyra remem∣bered us in the Verses he cited out of Pro∣pertius:

Inde ubi Pyraei capient me littora portus, Scandam ego Thescae brachia longa viae.

Accordingly there was a Temple consecra∣••ed to Theseus, and a little farther two Mo∣numents, one of the Famous Poet Menan∣der, the other of Euripides. About the midway betwixt Athens and Pyraeum there was a great Well set round very handsom∣••y with Olive Trees, which rendered it very pleasant: We took this Well for the Foun∣tain, that was formerly by a certain Chap∣pel Consecrated to Socrates; for in those days Temples were Dedicated to Illustri∣ous Men, as well as to the Gods.

The descents and incursions of the Chri∣stian Corsaires is the cause that there are no

Country-houses above a League from Por¦to-Lione; but beyond that distance to¦wards Athens, there are many little House set about very beautifully with Vines an•• Olive Trees; and behind them each has i•• Garden full of Oranges, Citrons and Pom••¦granats; they have plenty of Fountains an•• Water-works, most of their Gardens bein•• furnished with Engines to break and d••¦sperse the waters as it comes out of th•• Pipes; and the Engines are generall•• wrought by a Horse. The Athenians a•• present call a Country-house Spititon Ch••¦rion, and a Garden Perinoles.

We could scarce see the Town before w•• were in it, because it stands upon a littl•• Eminence behind the Castle, which bein•• just in our face, hindered the prospect there of. We alighted at a house taken up fo•• us not far from a Church, which they ca•• Agios Jannis, or the Church of St. John.

And now being arrived at Athens, whic•• was the main object of our Voyage, yo•• would have just cause to be offende•• should I neglect an opportunity that offen•• it self so freely for your entertainment, an•• not endeavour to give you the most faith¦full and succinct description both of he•• passed fortune, and present condition, see¦ing that what has been said hitherto, seem••

but preliminary, and as it were to prepare ••he way for the knowledge of that. I do ••ot question, but in other Authors you may find a considerable part of what I have ••resented to you here: It would be strange ••n speaking of the place where Athens stood formerly, I should write of nothing but what was new of a Town so universally fa∣mous, and reputed the Mother of Arts, and ••he Theatre of Valour and Policy.

The happy times in which this City flou∣••ished, were so fertile in wonders, and we ••ave had so few Ages since that have pro∣••uced such Eminent Men, that I do not doubt your excuse, if I give you a parti∣••ular specification of those memorable years ••hat remain still Sacred by so great and so glorious Events: But not to interrupt or ••ivert my Discourse, you will find in the Margin of these Memoires the number of Years reduced from the Epoche of the Olym∣••iads to our own; by which you will dis∣••ern the time passed betwixt such an acci∣••ent and the time present.

Of all the Ancient Cities in Greece, none ••as preserved its name with better success ••han this City of Athens. Our Geogra∣phers have thought good to alter it, and ••all it Setines: The Greek and Turkish In∣habitants, and the Neighbours about, call ••t Atine.

I will not trouble you with the differe•••• names it bore, before the Goddess Miner•••• (whom the Greeks called Athena) gave •• her name in despite of the jealousie and o•••• position of Neptune, who would have giv•••• it his own. It is most certain, the Inhab••¦tants of old, called it by way of Excellen•• Asti, or the City: And the Romans, •••• the same Spirit of Ostentation designed t•••• same. The year of its Foundation was n••¦ver yet known. [ 3226] In the time of Cecrops (t•••• first of Her seventeen Kings (wh•• Reign began 3226. years since) •• was but a Burrough, though h••¦noured with the Residence of its King, a•• the Title of Metropolis in that Countre•••• so that Athens was built above eight hu••¦dred years before the City of Rome.

Theseus their Tenth King observing t•••• People to be affected with Countrey liv•••• and by the means, being dispersed up a•••• down at a distance one from the other, a•••• consequently exposed to the irruptious •• their Nighbours; [ 2904] he incorporat•••• the wealthiest of them into a Cit•••• and by that Union gained to hi••¦self the Title of Founder of Athens. Th•• City and Country was a long time G••¦verned by Kings, but with a limited A••¦thority; nevertheless the people, in lo••••

with their Liberty, abolished Monarchy, and in the place of their Kings, Created their Archontes, whose Power was almost equivalent with the power of the Doges or Dukes of Venice; thirteen of them were perpetual, and succeeded one another, and seven had their Authority limited to Ten Years: After these, the Sovereign Power was put into the hands of Nine Magistrates, the first with the Title of Archonte, the se∣cond of King: Their Dignity lasted but a Year, yet these latter Archontes were so considerable, that the Athenians reckoned their Years, and distinguished their times from the Order of their Creation. [ 2292] In pro∣cess of time Draco gave them those Famous Laws that were said to have been written in blood, by reason of their excessive rigour: But twenty four years after, they were abolished by Solon, who supplyed them with Laws much more gen∣••le and humane.

The Laws of Solon Established a Popu∣••ar Government, till Pisistrates usurped the Soveraignty of Athens, and having left it ••o his Two Sons Hipparchus and Hippias, ••he first was slain by Harmodius and Ari∣stogiton, with the assistance of a fair Athe∣nian called Leena, to whom they had made great Courtship: This Leena being taken

into Custody by the Tyrants Guards, and threatned the torture, unless she discovered her Accomplices, she chose rather to bite out her tongue, than suffer it to betray he•• Gallants: [ 2181] And this Heroick action of Lee∣na's hapned the same year that Lu∣cretia was the cause that Tarqui•• was banished out of Rome.

Liberty being restored to the Athenian•• three years after, by the flight of Hippia••, he called in the Persians who lost the Fa∣mous Battel of Marathon: [ 2148] Ten years af∣ter they returned, with intention to Sac•• the City of Athens, but in a few months time they were defeated again in a Sea-fight at Salamis.

After the Victory at Salamis, the Re¦publick of Athens was in its highest eleva¦tion: Its greatest Captains, its greate•• Philosophers, and its most Ingenious Ar∣tists were living in that time; and neve•• was any City so fertile in Illustrious Men Pericles was the person by whose Conduc•• it arrived at that Grandeur.

But the Lacedemonians growing jealou•• of their greatness, made War upon the A¦thenians, and after several ingagements Ly¦sander the Lacedemonian General, havin•• rather surprized than vanquished them in •• Sea-fight, came afterwards to besiege th••

City of Athens, and forcing it to surrender upon very hard Conditions, he e∣stablished in it the thirty Tyrants, [ 2072] ••o famous in History.

[ 2068] After four Years Servitude, Thrasibulus •• Citizen of that City, slew the ••hirty Tyrants, drove out the Lace∣demonian Garrison, and by degrees ••onquered the Lacedemonians, partly by ••he Arms of his own Country-men, and ••artly by exciting the Thebans under the Command of Epaminondas.

[ 2026] Not long after, this City was forced to ••ontend with the whole strength of a puissant League of the Inha∣••itants of Byzantium, Rhodes, and other Islands, who were not able to sup∣••ort the Tribute which was exacted in the dellespont, which Tribute was the foundati∣••n of its ruine. [ 2006] Afterwards she suffered much ••y Philip of Macedon, who gained ••he Battel of Cheronea against the Athenians and Beotians.

Neither was Alexander the Great a bet∣••er friend to them at first, but he was kind ••o them afterwards; however Alexander ••ied, and two years after his death, two ••f his Successors Antipater and Craterus ••btained a great Victory over them, and put •• Macedonian Garrison into Mynichia;

and to weaken them yet more, [ 1990] An∣tipater transported 22000 Atheni∣ans into Thracia.

Cassander, another of Alexander's Suc¦cessors usurped upon them, and invaded that Liberty which had been recovered b•• Antigonus and Demetrius great Enemies t•• Cassander; [ 1964] after which the said Demetri•••• besieged the said City, and took i•• from Lacharis a Citizen, who ha•• made himself Absolute, and his Set¦ting up for himself, gave occasion for th•• discovery of the valour of Olimpiador•••• who by unparallel'd bravery and conduc•• delivered the said Country from the Ma¦cedonians, defeating and dispersing abov•• 12000. of them: Upon which the Mag¦nanimity of these Inhabitants resuming i•• ancient force, they made us Gauls sensibl•• of the fury of their Arms; [ 1948] for the Ath••¦nian Callipus defended the passage at The••¦mopilae against a numerous Arm•• under the Command of two of on•• Kings, Brennus and Acichorius, an•• constrained them to try other ways, whic•• proved afterwards their ruine.

This was the last of the Athenian Tr••¦umphs; afterwards the Gauls tired the•• out, and exhausted their strength, so a•• from that time they never attempted an••¦thing

considerable in their own name, nor signalized themselves but by their Learning and Science: They fell again under the Dominion of the Macedonians, and could never free themselves but by the supplys of Aratus; [ 1836] and yet it must be confessed, that ••hey were the chief cause of the ••uine of the Macedonian Monar∣••hy, by exciting the Romans, who Triumphed over Philip and Perseus.

At length Aristion a Citizen of Athens, ••nvolved that Common-wealth in the great∣••st Calamity that ever befell it: [ 1754] The Hi∣••tory is visible at large in the Life ••f Sylla, who took the said City ••nd pillaged it. But Pyraeum was ••he more unfortunate of the two, for Athens was afterwards repaired, but Pyraeum was ••acked and never built since.

After this Desolation, it had continued •• most deplorable solitude, had not the ••ame of its Philosophers invited thither ••ost of the Learned Men in the World, ••nd twenty years after, Pompey the Great called so meerly upon account of the Athe∣••ians) discontinuing his pursuit of certain ••irats which he had undertaken to dis∣••erse, came to an anchor in Pyrae∣••m, [ 1716] visited the Philosopher at A∣••hens, and restored that City to

the exercise of their Old Laws; in acknow∣ledgement of which, the Athenians espou¦sed Pompey's Party; followed him in h•••• Civil Wars, and fought for him in the Bat∣tel of Pharsalia.

Their Ingagement with Pompey woul•• have been fatal to them, had not Caesa•• been more generous than Sylla: He pa••¦doned them after his Victory, using this e••¦pression (which is so memorable in History▪ These present Athenians ought indeed to •• punished, but for the merit of their Anc••¦stors I will pardon them for once: For whic•• they were not so grateful as they ough•• joyning, afterwards with the Forces of Br••¦tus and Cassius against Augustus and Anth••¦ny: [ 1710] Nevertheless, though at th•• Battel of Philippi Anthony remai••¦ed Conquerour, he treated the A¦thenians with much favour, vouchsafing •• the very height of his Fortune, not on•••• to afford them his Company for some tim•• but he caused himself to be Created A••¦chonte, and accommodated so exactly wi•••• their Old Customers, that they called hi•• frequently Philellen or Lover •• the Greeks; [ 1699] and when he w•••• beaten by Augustus at the Batt•••• of Actium, the only request he made •• him, was, that he might be permitted ••

live privately at Athens, but he was not able to obtain it; after which Augustus con∣tinued to them their Ancient Laws, but he took from them certain Islands that Mark Anthony had given them.

From that time they continued true to the Romans, only now and then some small Seditions happened of little importance: But of all Men, the Emperour Adrian was the greatest Lover of Athens; that Prince being universally skilled both in their Learning and Arts, (working with his own hands so exactly, that the best Workmen could not equal him) was pleased to be the restorer of their Magnificent Build∣ings: [ 1584] He lived there as a private Citizen, aspired to the Dignity of Archonte, Executed that Office in the ha∣bit of an Athenian, and revived the Laws of Solon: With his Empire he left his In∣clination to Athens to his Successor Anto∣ninus Pius, by whom it was transmitted to Verus, both of which came and lived per∣sonally in Athens, and made themselves popular by their beneficence: But about thirty years after, the Emperour Severus came thither, and retrenched their Privi∣ledges in revenge of some injury which he had received formerly when he was a Stu∣dent there in a private condition.

Three hundred and fifty years after Sylla had demolished them, the Emperour Vale∣rian caused their Walls to be repaired, which hindered not, but a while after un∣der the Reign of Claudian, successor to Galenus, it was sack'd by the Scythians; and about One hundred forty years after that, under the Reign of Honorius, it was taken again by Alaricus at the instigation of Stilicon.

And yet these Revolutions rendered it not to abject and contemptible, but that the Illustrious Families that were left, sup∣plied the Eastern Empire with several Em∣peresses, as I shall observe hereafter. And those Emperors contracted no inconside∣rable alliances; for in process of time, when the Empire began to decline, two of its Emperors, Alexis and Andronicus, succes∣sively married Agnes, the Daughter of Lewis le Gross. These two Marriages, and the Misfortunes that attended them, having brought the French into those parts, Bald∣win the Emperour brought his Army be∣fore Athens, but he raised his Siege, and was afterwards taken Prisoner by the Mar∣quess Boniface. The French however had possession, and kept it till the Sicilian Ve∣spers in the year 1282, when the Cataloni∣ans and Aragonois beat them out; but the

Title of Duke of Athens remained to the French a long time.

Our curious Dreslington remembred that ••t the Abbey of St. Denis, two Leagues ••rom Paris, upon a flat Tomb in the Chap∣••el, called Nostre Dame la Blanche, he had ••ead and transcribed this Epitaph, Cy gist Madame Jeanne d'Eu, jadis Cantesse d' E∣••tamps, & Duchesse d'Athens, Fille de tres ••oble homme Mons. Raoul, Comte d'Eu, & ••e Guines; laquelle trepassa en la Cité de ••ienne le 6 de Juillet 1489. Here lies the ••ody of Madam Joan d'Eu, formerly Coun∣••ess of Estamps, and Dutchess of Athens, Daughter of the thrice Noble Monsieur Ra∣••ul, Earl of Eu, and Guines; she died in ••he City of Sienna, the 6. of July 1489. ••nform your self of some Herald who this Dutchess of Athens was, and how that Title ••ame into her Family.

From the dominion of the Spaniard, Athens passed to a Family (originally of ••lorence) called Acciaoli, which Family ••ad the Soveraignty both in Corinth and ••hebes. Francus or Francis the Eighth, Prince of that House, was at length con∣••trained in the year 1455 to yield it up to ••he Valour and Fortune of Mahomet the ••econd, the greatest Conquerour of all the Turks. So then it is now two hundred and

thirteen years since it has been in the han•• of the Mahumetans. It is true in the ye•• 1464 Capello the Venetian General surpriz•••• it, but not taking the Castle, he could n•••• keep the Town. This then is one of t•••• two hundred Capital Cities which the sa•••• Mahomet took from the Christians; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 did it submit till it had seen two Empin•• and twelve Kingdoms subdued by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sword. And it was some kind of lus•• •• and reputation to the surrender of Athen•• •• that it was not conquered by an ordina•••• or inconsiderable Prince. It is remarkab•••• in History that when the said Francus w•••• expulsed, the chief Citizens of the To•••• conspired to restore him; which Cons••••¦racy was the cause that the Turks made the•• Exemplary, and took from them the Sov••¦raignty of Thebes, which they had allow•••• them till that time. Mahomet was na••••∣rally bloody and vindicative, neverthel•••••• he treated Athens with great humanit•• •• professing one day as he was walking abo•••• the Town, That his desire to be master •• it sprang not so much from his Natural a••¦bition, as from a delight he took in vie••¦ing the pleasantness of its scituation, a•• the magnificence of its buildings; and •• his great favours the Athenians are s•••• mindful to this day. The better sort of t••••

Inhabitants will never discourse with you upon any thing of Religion, but they will be sure to tell you of St. Paul, and St. Denis the Areopagite: They will show you none of their Antiquities, but they will tell you of Themistocles and Adrian; nor can they mention their State-Affairs, but with a re∣verend Commemoration of Sultan Maho∣met the Second.

Before we come to their form of Govern∣ment as it is established at present, it will not be improper in two words to give you an account how Christianity was first intro∣duced into that City.

Saint Paul the Apostle concerned himself, and took great pains in its conversion; for coming out of Macedonia he came to Athens, and disputing against the Stoicks and Epicureans, he explained to them the new doctrine of the Resurrection, and shew'd that the God which he preached to them was the same Unknown God to whom their Altar was erected. Saint Dionysius, (of the Famous Society of the Areopagites) and Damaris were two of the most conside∣rable who embraced Christianity; the Hi∣story of which is recorded in the 17. Cha∣pter of the Acts of the Apostles, and when a stranger is at any time present at the Ce∣lebration of Mass, they will be sure instead

of the Epistle for the day to read that Chapter, thinking thereby (with a piou•• kind of Vanity) to enhaunce their reputa∣tion with the Stranger, according to the natural genius and affectation of that peo∣ple.

In Civil Affairs, when by the Judges a•• Oath is to be administred to an Athenian, they open the New Testament at the 17th▪ Chapter of the Acts, and laying the hand•• of the Deponent upon that Leaf, they fan∣cy it adds much to its Religious Obligation▪ They look upon St. Dionysius as their firs•• Bishop.

In the infancy of Christianity it was fa∣mous by the Martyrdom of several persons, particularly in the year 125 there were ma∣ny Athenians that suffered for the Truth, being animated by the Example of Publi•••• their Bishop. The Emperour Adrian was then at Athens, and entered himself into the Priesthood of Ceres Eleusina; but three years after, Quadratus succeeding Publius, stopped the course of the persecution by an excellent Discourse which he made to the said Emperour at that time returned to Athens, in order to the Consecration of a stately Temple to Jupiter Olympius, and re∣paired by his care. The Eloquence of Ari∣stides the Philosopher (who was a Chri∣stian)

confirmed the Doctrine of Quadra∣tus, and he mollified Adrian very much by a learned Apology he exhibited in defence of Christianity, and dedicated to him. Some of the Calogers pretend to have the said Apology still in a Library in a Monasteryl at Medelli, some six miles from Athens.

The Church at Athens produced several considerable men, and was erected into an Arch-Bishoprick depending upon the Pa∣••riarch of Constantinople. The Metropolitan of Athens has under him at this day seven Bishopricks, two in the Archipelago, Scyros and Andros; one in the Island of Negro∣••ont called Carystehi, and four upon the Continent, Porthima, Diaulis, Heterotopia, ••nd la Valone. The Archbishoprick is va∣••ued at about thirteen or fourteen thousand Crowns a year, out of which a good part ••s paid constantly to the Sultan. The pre∣••ent Archbishop is a witty man, but no great Clerk, nor Friend to the Church of Rome: He is a Caloger, not far from Constantinople, ••or you must know, none but Calogers are ••dmitted to the Prelacy in Greece. It is not ••ong since he was advanced to that Digni∣••y; his Predecessor is still living in Athens, •• man of an exemplary Life, but dispossessed by the violence of the Port, who choosing or removing the Patriarch of Constantino∣ple

at their pleasure, have a great influence•• in the Election of Rejection of the Inferi¦our Prelates. For the most part, that Ca∣loger who has most money in his pocket and parts with it most freely, is advance•• to be Patriarch; and to reimburse himself he is glad to make such his Bishops and Archbishops as give him the largest Contri∣bution; and they in their turns take the same measures with their inferiours, so tha•• from one to another every Priest, Papas, Bi∣shop, and Archbishop contributes to th•• making of the Patriarch: And the bette•• to satiate the avarice of the Turks, ther•• are commonly resident at Athens fou•• Grand Penitentiaries deputed by the Arch¦bishop to hear Confessions, and to prescribe•• certain Mulcts and Taxes to their penitent•• according to the quality of the crime fro•• which they are absolved. The former Arch∣bishop is one of these four Penitentiaries and Director of a Monastery of Caloger•• or Nuns of the Order of Saints Basil, o•• which there are three Monasteries in A¦thens.

There are in Athens a hundred and thre•• Churches, of which four are Dedicated t•• the Virgin Mary, and called Panagia, and three more Dedicated to Saint George. Th•• Chiefest among them are Agios Dimitrios

Agios Jannis, and Agios Chiriachis. But be∣••ides these one hundred and three within ••he Walls, there are double the number within a league about the Town: 'Tis ••rue, the least Chappel passes with them for •• Church, and sometimes one single Papas ••upplys two or three of them. There is but ••ne Altar in each of them, and some there ••re in which Mass is not said above three ••r four times in a Year. The Rich Men of ••he Town have each of them Chappels at ••ome, and the great reason is, to keep their Wives and Daughters from being ga∣••ed upon in the streets, by which means it ••appens, that unless it be on great dayes, ••he Great Churches are quite unfrequent∣••d; and to take off all pretence of Gos∣••ping, the Good-wives are not permitted ••o go to Church out of their own Parish. Their Zeal for Christianity is very extraor∣••inary, and though there are few of the ••thenians, or none that follow the Disci∣••line of our Church, yet one full third of ••he Town, admit the Procession of the Holy Ghost, the Supremacy of the Pope, ••nd the most essential points in Controver∣••e betwixt us and the Eastern Church. Fa∣••her Simon de Compeigne a Religious French ••apuchin, and one of the Missionaries at Athens, is sometimes admitted to hear the

Confessions of the Arch-bishop; the grea••¦est part of the Calogers of Medelli, and th•• most considerable of the Laity in th•• City; as particularly the Paleologues, t•••• Bininzelles, the Capitanakis, the Calch••••¦diles, and several others.

Before the Old Archbishop was dispo••¦sessed by the Turks, he many times signifie•• to our Capuchins at Athens, the great d••¦sire he had to see our differences compose•• telling them expresly, that if he could see •• United with the Eastern Church, he cou•••• chearfully resign to the person who at Rom•• is made Arch-bishop of Athens, in partil•• infidelium; and he inquired very earnest after his Name and his Parts. Our Rom•• Archbishop is called Carlo Vecchi; he h•••• four considerable Dignities in the Court •• Rome; He is Secretary of the Congreg••¦tion of Bishops, a Member of the Sacr•••• Office, Counsellour to the Penitentiar•• and Secretary to the Congregation de pr••¦paganda fide: He is an Ancient Man, •• weak and declining, that the Physicians •• way of Regiment have prescribed him thr•••• dishes of Chocolat a day.

This Grave Archbishop, preferred to th•• Title out of the Monastery at Medelli 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Piety as well as learning, is much ple••¦sed when our Capuchins which are thei••

••o tell him that the City of Paris esteems ••t a singular honour that Saint Dionysius the Areopagite was their first Bishop. The good Old Man in a rapture of Joy, and with great pleasure to himself replyes, You must confess then that but for Athens, France ••ad possibly never had an Apostle.

Some of our Learned Countrey-men, re∣••osing too stifly upon the Doctrine of our Times, have maintained, that the Conver∣••••on of the French was not ascribable to ••aint Dennis the Areopagite, and that he was not the first Preacher of the Gospel a∣mongst us: However our Chronology may ••ustifie them; the Universal tradition at Athens is against them, as I found by par∣••icular inquiry and disquisition. They are ••ll full of his Mission into, and his Martyr∣••om in France. It is observable, with what heat and eagerness the Common People of Athens will hear and discourse of 〈◊〉〈◊〉; for being naturally proud and passio∣••ate, they do exceedingly magnifie and ex∣••ggerate the humility of that Saint, in lea∣••ing so Noble and Illustrious a Diocess, to ••stablish himself in France. Not far from ••he Archbishops Palace there was a little Chappel Dedicated to Saint Dennis, which ••as been ruined by the fall of a Rock; and ••he Athenians have frequently solicited our

Missionaries to intercede to the King o•• France to repair it, and revive the Glory o•• their Nation among them.

As to the number of its Inhabitants, I ad¦mired to have read and heard a thousan•• times that Athens was a desart: Certainly the Travellers that have reported it, onl•• passed thorow it, and that perhaps in a rain•• day, when no body was in the streets, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the time of a Contagion, which send•• them packing to their Countrey house•• The Town consists of at least fifteen or si••¦teen thousand Inhabitants, of which ten o•• twelve hundred are Turks. No Jews coul•• ever be admitted, though there are many, o•• them in the Neighbourhood, and partic••¦larly at Thebes and Negropont; and to spea•• truth, in the whole Turkish Empire, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 places but Athens and Trebizond have pre¦served the priviledge of excluding the Jew•• though the Turkish Officers have attempte•• several times to introduce them; but to op¦pose them, the Christians underhand mad•• friends to the Mahumetans of the said Citie•• pretending that the Jews would ingro•• the whole Trade, and ruine the rest of th•• Inhabitants: Sometimes they have threat¦ned the Jews which solicited their admit¦tance, and the fear of being cudgelled pre¦vailed with them to desist, for at Athen••

they are in a great deal of danger.

About 1986. Years since, Cassander the Macedonian having given the Administra∣tion of Affairs of this City to the Philosopher Demetrius of Phalerum, he found the City to consist of twenty one thousand Citizens, ten thousand Strangers setled in the Town, and four hundred thousand Slaves; and this account was testified by Ctesicles: and it is to be observed, that by the word Citizen is intended the Masters of Families, which must needs suppose a great number of Ser∣vants and Dependants.

At present, as formerly, the people of both Sexes are well shaped, and of an Ex∣cellent Contexture, which is the reason they ••ive to be very old: We attributed much of their vigour to their diet, and their use of Honey, which the Athenians use very frequently, being excellently good. Their Physicians account their Honey for the wholsomest of their Food: But the Com∣mon People ascribe much to the Situation of their Mountains which shelter them so commodiously, from the winds; did they understand the virtue of their Simples which are there in great abundance and ex∣cellence, much would be attributed to them. The People have generally very strong and clear voices, and their Memories are admi∣••able.

Philip of Macedon described them well▪ when he compared them to the Images o•• Mercury, which the Ancients put up in the•••• Markets, and other publick places; hi•• expression was, that they were all mouth •• implying, that they were good at nothing •• but Oratory and Talk. It is a saying a¦mong those who are acquainted, with them •• that as there is not a Countrey in the worl•• where Honey is more nourishing, nor Hem•• lock more pernicious; so there is not a Cit•• where the People that are disposed to goo•• are better; nor where they apply them¦selves to ill, they are worse: Naturall•• they are very selfish, and great dissembler•• Their Women are Virtuous, Pious an•• Chaste; they never admit of Conversatio•• with any Man, unless they be well assure•• of his Virtue. The Common People hav•• no kindness either for Us or the Italians▪ the frequent injuries which they receiv•• by the sudden descents of our Corsaires, ha•• so incensed them against us, that in time o•• War they hate us worse than the Turks •• Our Privatiers appear no sooner at Sea•• but they are immediately in Arms, and the•• the Turks themselves do not use a Fra•••• with worse language than they; so tha•• our infesting them, makes us mortally odi¦ous: Nevertheless this has no influence up∣on

the better sort, who are kind and civil to strangers that live with any kind of so∣briety and reputation: Nothing is more generous than they; they are the first that will salute a stranger, the first that will pro∣pose a friendship with him; and in a word, no Man can be long a stranger in Athens ••hat has the least spark of Society: Some of our Merchants will tell you other things, ••ut then they conceal the great Reasons whereby they have provoked the Atheni∣••ns. When a man has rendered his friend∣••hip suspected at Paris, he shall find how ••nwilling people are to continue their cor∣••espondence. To be short, the Athenians ••o with admirable reputation maintain the Hospitality that was so honourable in their Ancestors.

Their Language at Athens is the most ••ure and incorrupt of all the Cities in ••reece; It is no where spoken or under∣••tood in its primitive purity but at Athens. •• Tis true, when they speak any thing, they ••o it with a tone as if they sung, which has ••iven occasion to many people to say that ••hey spoke very ill; but it is now a Pro∣••erb among the Greeks, That he who would ••peak well must have the elocution of A∣••hens, and the accent of Napoli, for Napoli ••e Romania is the Town in all Greece where

the variation of the voice is most natural•• and sweet. Most part of the Mahumetans in Athens speak nothing but Greek, fo•• want of Commerce with the Turks abroad▪ Of the Turkish Language they have seldo•• more than seven or eight words in part o•• their Creed, La hillah allah, Muhamet h•• resoul ullah. When they meet a Turk o•• another Country, they accost him by hold∣ing up their thumb in the air, and if he an¦swers not in Greek, their Conversation i•• at an end. Their habit is almost the same▪ and scarce sufficient to distinguish them, fo•• except their Turban, their habit is perfect∣ly Greek; and for the Turkish Women, they have no difference at all. There are three Mosquo's in Athens, one in the Castle, an•• that was the Famous Temple of Minerva▪ the other two in the City, and the Chief o•• them was the magnificent Pantheon built by Adrian.

As to the Form of their Government i•• Athens, there are four Jurisdictions tha•• manage the whole business of that City, o•• which three are Executed by Turkish O••∣ficers, viz. the Sardar's, Disdar's and C••¦di's; the other called the Vecchiados is i•• the hands of the Christians. The Sarda•• is Governour of the City, Commands th•• Janizaries, and the Militia round abou••

the Town: The Disdar is Governour of the Castle, and lodges in it, he has Com∣mand over the Janizaries in the City: The Cadi has his Residence in the City likewise, and is Judge both in Civil and Criminal Causes: The Vecchiados are four and twenty Seniors selected out of the best Christian Families to Regulate private Af∣fairs betwixt Christian and Christian: The Vaywode or Farmer under Keslar-Agasi has some little Jurisdiction likewise, which he makes use of when the interest of the Farm requires it.

I inquired of the most Venerable of the Vecchiados how it came to pass that their City being as populous as any in Greece, was not the residence of some Sangiac or Bey. They told me, it was an instance of the kindness which Mahomet II. had for A∣thens, because Officers of that Great Qua∣lity having alwayes great Trains and Re∣tinues, must needs be a great charge to the Cities where they reside; upon which con∣sideration Mahomet would not permit that the little Officers, that make up the Family of the Sangiac's, and are indeed so many Leeches, sucking up the blood of the Inha∣bitants, and incessantly stretching the Ju∣risdiction of their Masters, to build up their own Fortunes, should have the pillaging

of Athens, under pretence of advancing the dignity of their Lords.

The Jurisdiction of the Vecchiados ex∣tends only to the Civil Affairs of the Chri∣stians, from whose Sentences there lies an appeal to the Cadi; but to prevent those appeals, and conceal their differences from the Cadi, the Vecchiados do oftner act as Mediators than Judges, endeavouring in an amicable way to compose their controver∣sies. The most considerable among the Vecchiados are the two Paleologi, Stama∣tis, and Jannis. The two Beninzellos, Jannis, and Demetrios. Janachis Coro••∣lis, Dimitrios Periolis, Leonardus Scliros, Dimitrios Macola, Panajotti Cavalleiris, Janis Verdogonis, Polimenos Zarlis, Sta∣matis Calchondile, and an excellent person called Capitanakis, a rich Merchant that speaks Italian very well, and has a great kindness for the Franks. He lived a long time in Zant, where he contracted a friend∣ship with Taulignan the French Consul: He has a Son a very fine Gentleman. The Vec∣chiados are distinguished from the rest of the Inhabitants by a little Hat which they wear upon their heads: They hold their Offices for life, and when any of them die, his place is supplied by the suffrage of the Survivors, but with the approbation of the

Cadi. They have no precise Court, or fixed place where they assemble; sometimes they meet at the houses of the Paleologi; sometimes with one, sometimes with another, but commonly at the houses of the ancientest and most considerable among them. Their Clerk or Secretary keeps the minutes and Register of all Causes or Contracts passing betwixt the Christians in Athens for Hous∣es, Lands, or immoveable goods, (for by their Articles with Mahomet they were con∣tinued in the possession of their Estates) and their Bargains are all ratified by the Cadi. The Christians are not exempt from the duty upon Slaves, but for a small sum of money they enfranchise themselves, and for reasons which I shall tell you hereafter, even that is not collected with so much se∣verity as in other places, this Tax having been remitted or neglected since 1666.

Their Pole-money, or Tax by the Head, which they call Caratge, is at Athens two Crowns per annum, but the Women pay nothing. There is also another Tax called Avalis which the Grand Signior exacts for the security of the Seas, and this is levied upon their Chimnies, but several persons are exempt, and particularly all that are any ways serviceable in the Castle, as those who are employed about repairing the

Walls; conveying or securing the Waters; scouring the Arms; fitting the Carriages for the Cannon, and such things. When this Avalis is collecting, you shall see all the Priviledged Persons with their Patents and Letters of Exemption thronging about the Receiver: But you must know that all thei•• Exemptions derive not from one Prince; some were granted by Mahomet II. some by Solyman the Great; and others by Am••¦rath; however they will be sure to have them ratified, and that ratification is to be done at the Port by the Officers of the Divan.

The great favours that they received from Mahomet (a Prince severe enough to all other Christians) made the Athenians uneasie under the domination of the Chri∣stian Princes, and I have been told they re∣tained an aversion to them a long time: But of late they are come to themselves, and as weary of the Barbarity of the Turks, who have for some time used them worse tha•• the rest of the Cities in Greece; so as now they would willingly hearken to their ol•• temptation of Liberty, if Christendom could espouse them, or propose any power that was likely to sustain them. The Malteses, and other Christian Privateers never make any descent, or take any Prizes upon their

Coasts, but the Turks charge them with Intelligence and Combination, and attri∣bute the whole mischief thereto. Upon these pretences, they immediately take the most wealthy of the Inhabitants into Cu∣stody, and force them to great Compositi∣ons before they are dismiss'd. There are great Factions among the Vecchiados, and at present even among the three Paleologi (for besides the two that are Vecchiados, there is a third who has devoted himself to an Ecclesiastical life) For some three or four years since, upon a difference about the division of Goods, they conceived so great a displeasure and animosity to one another, that they accused one another of Treason to the Grand Signior, and of hold∣ing Intelligence with the Venetian. But the Family of the Beninzellos being nearly allied to them, has interposed, and with the exhortations and admonitions of Fa∣ther Simon, in some measure lessened their Pique.

And at length that Star, which some Ages since was so propitious to this City, shines again upon it with the same rays and emanations of Kindness; it being at this hour the happiest City in Greece, and the best protected. Its dependance is upon Keslar-Agasi, a black Eunuch that has the

superintendency of the Odaliques, or La∣dies of the Seraglio. He it is that has the sole and absolute Command of that secre•• appartment, an Office which the Grand Signior intrusts to none but the Negro Eu∣nuchs, and of them he chooses the most deformed, to give his Misses the less tem∣ptation. This Eunuchs kindness for Athens, may possibly respite its Calamities for some time, his Office being one of the most con∣siderable in that Empire, conducting much of the Sultan's private Pleasures, and ap∣proaching him in the sweetest moments of his life, and most proper for obtaining a Boon.

The present prosperity of Athens, may be ascribed to a young Virgin of this City, born in the Reign of Mahomet III. who di∣ed in the year 1604, and was Great-Grand∣father to Mahomet IV. the present Empe∣rour of the Turks. This young Athenian Virgin was called Basilia; but the excel∣lence of her beauty having brought her into the Seraglio, the Turks gave her a new name, and called her Johahi. She missed narrowly of being made Hunkiar Asaki, or chief Sul∣taness; but she was not altogether so hap∣py as three other Virgins of the same City, which came to be Empresses of the East. [Anno 421] Theodusius, the

second Son of Arcadius, married Athenais the Daughter of Leontius the noble Philo∣sopher of Athens, and changed her name from Athenais to Eudoxa, under both which she passed for the most learned, most pru∣dent, and most beautiful Lady of her time. [Anno 769] After her, Leo, Son of Constantine Coprony∣mus married Irene of the same City, but neither so fair nor so well qua∣lified as Athenais. [Anno 808] Not long after Stauracus Son of Nice∣phorus (who governed the Empire but few months) married Theophan, a beautiful young Virgin of Athens likewise. This Ba∣silia was of Christian Parents, and torn from them in her minority by the Turkish Officers that collected the Duties upon Children in those Parts, and had been informed of her excellent beauty. Her Mother, when they were carrying her away, weeping over her most bitterly, and clipping her in her Arms, conjured her to be always mindful of her Religion, and the calamities of her Coun∣try; and the good Creature never forgot what her Mother so earnestly recommended. She was put into the Seraglio about the beginning of the Reign of Achmet, an ef∣feminate and voluptuous Prince, and one, who of all the good qualities convenient

for a Soldier, had none but a faculty in making of Arrows; which rendered him so contemptible to his Janizaries, that in a Tumult, by way of insolence and decisi∣on, they told him he need not trouble himself to make his Arrows extraordinary, seeing he had not courage enough to try them upon the Christians. This being the most sensual Prince, and perhaps person of his time, it was not strange if in his Reig•• the Seraglio was fuller of Beauties than e∣ver: All the Beglerbegs or General Gover∣nours of Provinces; all the Sangiac's o•• particular Governours (convinced it would relish him very well, and was the ready way to keep them in their places, if not to advance them) sent to him daily the chois∣est Beauties they could find, adorned with rich Jewels, and furnished with Presents to be distributed among the Officers of the Seraglio and the Eunuchs, to engage them in their Interests, and to the protection o•• those who had sent them. The Keslar-Agasi was always to have the best share, for it is as he pleases, that these Beauties are admitted or not to the Caresses of the Sul∣tan. She that can make him her friend, ha•• put her Affairs in a good way, and the Belgerbegs that sent her; for the Keslar-Agasi knows well enough how and whe••

to recommend them to his Master. But Basilia or Johahi came to the Seraglio without Jewels or any advantage but her own beauty; Fortune had given her no better Patrons than the inferiour Officers at Athens who had taken her by force from her Parents, upon which score detesting their Persons, and abhorring their Vio∣lence she would not have taken their Pre∣sents, had they been in a condition to have given them. Nevertheless Custom obliged, and she ought to have done it; whereupon at her entrance into the Seraglio one of the black Eunuchs whispered her in the Ear, and told her, You must by no means do as the last did that came in before you; she made no Presents to the Officers, and so fell ••nto disgrace. She had not gone six steps, before another, an old Kadun or Gover∣ness (each of which has five Damoisels under her Tuition) being taken with the beauty of Johahi accosted her thus: What Basha is it that you desire to befriend? Your Beauty is sufficient to attone for any Crime he shall commit; Your Eyes carrying with them a protection for all his enormities. The custom of Flattery is universal, and ••he appetite of Lucre is as great, and dispo∣ses of all things as powerfully in the Sera∣glio as any where else. But 'tis very strange

the Eunuchs should be so covetous in these places, having their Fortunes settled for their lives, and no Children when they are dead to inherit the vast Treasures which they amass: This shows clearly that no rea∣son is to be required of that general weak∣ness in mankind, and that our Vices d•• flow rather from the corruption of our Na∣tures, than the necessities of Life.

Johahi returned no answer to these Mer∣cenaries, but in these words, which she re∣peated often in the Seraglio; I should d•• you no service if I should tell you the City where I was born, seeing it is too poor t•• afford you any considerable advantage; ma∣naging by little and little with great pru∣dence what her Mother had so seriously re∣commended for the advantage of her Coun∣try. She was put immediately into the Cu∣stody of the Kadun Kiaia, which is the Principal Governess of all the Damoisell•• and as she was carrying her into the Chuck chuck Oda or Chamber of new Comers, th•• Sultan was by the way recreating himsel•• with seven or eight of his Favourites: A•• the news of her arrival, he put an end to his sports, all the preparation was laid by and a mortal jealousie seized upon the re•••• of the Nymphs, who upon such occasion are, betwixt fear and curiosity, under strang••

agitations; and indeed where are the Ri∣vals that would not tremble upon such an Alarm? Those only who are rejected are pleased with such accidents, and do com∣monly pronounce the new Comers the hand∣somest they ever saw in despite to those for whom they had been refused. It was ob∣served, the Sultan expressed no great im∣patience to see her, which gave some satis∣faction to the Favourites: He only demand∣ed whether she was as handsom as was re∣ported, and immediately four of the Oda∣liques proffered their service to go see, and their report was already determined, at least the Sultan believed it so; for being well acquainted with the humours of that Sex, he conceived they would readily speak a∣gainst their minds, and being envious of one anothers greatness, commend that cun∣ningly which perhaps they did not ap∣prove; and condemn that which privately they admired. The Sultan understood well enough the power of their jealousie, and knew how to interpret their character of Johahi. But he had no occasion to make ••se of his skill; the Messengers never came back, which was of great advantage to the Athenian, for he concluded they were un∣willing to give him a description of the ••ranscendency of their Rival. Upon this

presumption he ran to her himself; he saw her, surveyed her, and liked her so well, he entertained himself two whole days with her, and for a long time made all his Court∣ship to her.

The first thing she did was to enquire in∣to, and consider all the Caballs, and In∣trigues of the young Damoiselles, resolv∣ing to take her measures a quite contrary way. Being one day with the Sultan in a Kiosque or Pavillion that looked upon the Sea, she slily took opportunity to insinu∣ate the ambition and Corruption of his fa¦vourites who sold all the Offices of the Empire by the mediation of his Eunuchs bartering for all publick Employments both of War and of Peace. The Sulta•• being then in a good humour, had sent fo•• five or six of his beloved Odaliques to ad•• to his mirth: When they came near, Joh•••• presented them to the Sultan in a smilin•• but malitious way, adressing herself to hi•• in this manner (which sufficiently shows th•• great veneration the Turks have for thei•• Emperour) God prolong your blessed day•• The Holy Prophet preserve you; See, Sir, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 troop of fair Ladies, ambitious to approac•• the King and Soveraign both of the Lan•• and the Sea: and then (not staying for th•• Sultan's answer) she presented them to hi••

one after another, adding with profound respect, The blessing of God go with you: The peace of the Holy Prophet make your days happy: This, Sire, is the Basha of A∣lepo, presenting one to him who but two days before had obtained that Bashaship for a person who had bribed her suffi∣ciently. This, Sire, is the Bey of Mesitra, and this the Cadi of Trebazond, but he has but two days to be Cadi, for there is another offers a thousand Sequins more. For my part, Sir, (the great Prophet bless your Reign) I aspire to nothing but a place in your favour and affection; and that I would purchase with the best and dearest of my blood: I leave the disposal of the great Offices to my Companions; let them leave me the heart of my Soveraign and we shall be all contented. The Sultan smiled, and being alwayes ready to gratifie his Oda∣liques, he commanded Johahi to ask some∣thing of him, and in merriment reproached her by her Generosity. Johahi (who to compass her designs, had proposed other Methods than what were practised by her Companions) instead of snatching at the opportunity, replyed with great modesty to the Sultan; The favour of our Prophet protect you, the Great God preserve you: Do not divert me, Your Majesty is not sensible

of my avarice, my Petition is for your heart and affection; in gaining that I should be more rich, and in requesting it I have been more selfish than all the rest of your slaves▪ In this manner she dallied a long time, re∣fusing the liberality of the Sultan, insomuch that he was forced to delude her, and caus•• presents to be delivered underhand to the Eunuchs and Caduns in Johahi's name, a•••• if they had been sent from her: Whe•• they came to return their thanks, she wa•• amazed, and for some time believed it be •• mockery, and done to reproach her for th•• omission of a Custom that had been pra¦ctised by every body else: But by degrees she perceived it was the generosity of her Gallant who had prevented her desires: Al•• this did not transport her, or tempt her be∣yond her former Moderation: But at length he grew angry, and being impatient of ex∣pressing his Love to her by some consider able boon, he told her in some heat, that h•• could be as proud as She, and that since Jo¦hahi despised his favours, he was resolve•• to receive no more favours from her. Jo¦hahi saw now was her time, she repaire•• immediately to the Keslar-Agasi, and desi¦red him to go along with her to the Empe¦rour, and being come into his presence, sh•• addressed in this manner; Behold, Sir, you••

slave, I am now in need of your bounty, the great Prophet sanctifie your days, and showre down perpetual health and happiness upon Your Sacred head: I shall beg nothing of Your Majesty, but for those persons that are nearest Your most sublime Throne: Why should Your Majesties vast Bounty exhaust it self abroad, when in Your own Court You have such excellent objects? My first Peti∣tion is for Your Majesties most sublime and incomparable self, that You would have more care of Your own health, and ease, and sa∣tisfaction. In my own particular, I should be too happy if Your Great Majesty would vouchsafe to Grant my Petition; but most of all, if any pains or diligence of mine could procure, or, but in the least contribute to them. God make you victorious over your Enemies, and may our good Prophet pour down his blessing into your heart. There is not a person in Your Majesties vast Empire to whom I can pay any thing more justly ••han to this Keslar-Agasi before you: And I know nothing that I can ask for him so properly, as the Government of the City where I was born. Confer, I beseech you, upon a Slave that has been so faithfull to Your Sacred Majesty and Your Interests the Revenue of Athens, and permit him to sub∣••titute under him Kiais and such Officers as

may not abuse Your Divine Authority, as o∣ther have done before them, of whose vio∣lences and extortions my miserable Parents have many times given me sad and deplo∣rable Relations. Her request was imme∣diately granted, yet not without regret in the Sultan, to see that she was not to have the profit of it her self, and that she had found out a way to draw a boon from him, without being obliged her self to call him Benefactor. By this means, the City of A∣thens became dependant upon the Keslar-Agasi, and the Revenue ever since accrued to the Successors in that Office. That Ke∣slar-Agasi sent thither a Deputy or Farmer with express Order against Rapine and Ex∣tortion, which Order was not only execu∣ted then, but has been observed ever since. After she had laboured so happily for the benefit of her Countrey, Johahi proved with Child, and the Sultans Love (which formerly was volatile) being fixed in her, transported with hopes of a Son to inheri•• his Empire, he was so forward as to settl•• him a Family. He appointed him a Validi-Agasi, or Chief of the old Sultanness black Eunuchs, and an Eschatradeler-Agasi o•• black Eunuch that has the Tuition of the Sultans Children; but She died in labour and the Child, which was a Son, with her

who had doubtless been concerned in the Empire, being born a full Year before the unfortunate Osman who succeeded Achmet. The Sultan was infinitely grieved for the loss of Johahi, and being jealous that some of his she-favourites had given her a lift, (which is a practise too common among them) he clapped two or three of the most suspected of them into the Old Seraglio, which is never done but when the Sultan dies, to whom they were Favourites. This Grant which was given by Achmet to the Keslar-Agasi, has been ever since continued to that Office; but he who was most Ge∣nerous, and from whom the City of Athens received the most honourable protection, was slain in that great and dangerous Sedi∣tion in Constantinople in March 1655.

This is the Story that was told by a black Eunuch, that the Keslar-Agasi sent to A∣thens to take possession of his new De∣measnes: What honours would have been shown? what Statues and Monuments ere∣cted to this Johahi by the City of Athens, had she been born in an Age when that poor Town was more flourishing and grate∣full? At present it is content to receive any benefit, without inquiring from what hand it comes. The good man Capitanakis, and a Caloger called Hyeros Monachos Dama∣shinos

(who gave us this account) seemed to be much concerned that the memory of this Johahi was almost lost in that City, though in other things (perhaps less consi∣derable) not only events, but names, and other circumstances of above 3000. Years standing, are Recorded.

The Revenue of this Demeasn is Farmed every year to him who gives most, and yet it seldom amounts to above 7 or 8000 Pi∣asters; and though he who Rents it, is but really a Farmer, yet he takes upon himself the quality of a Vaywode. The best part of the Revenue is the Customs; he receives likewise the tenth of their Avelanade that grows about Athens. This Avelande is a kind of Akorn which they use for Dying, but it is most proper for Tanning of Lea∣ther. When this Vaywode is an austere man, and values himself, as he does who is at present in the place, all people fear him, and even the Cadi himself. To give you an instance. Father Lewis of Paris (a zealous Capuchin now, though formerly a Lieutenant Colonel in the Regiment of Monsieur le Mareshal de la Motte Fauda••∣cour) being Catechising one day in Athens, as an incouragement to a Boy in whom he found great hopes both of Memory and Judgment, he gave him an Agnus. As the

Lad was going from him, a Turkish Boy snatched the Agnus away out of the hands of the Christian. Father Lewis being by, and apprehending Profanation, stopped the Turk, would have it again, and laying hold of his Vest, the Boy struggled, and his Vest was torn. Some Mahumetans standing by, and glad of the occasion, cried out a Chri∣stian is beating of a Turk, which with them is no less than Capital. A Tumult was imme∣diately raised, the Cadi sent for, and im∣mediately he gave Sentence against the poor Father, who submitted with all meek∣ness. The Consul privately sent a dozen Loaves of Sugar to the Vaywode, and gave him an account of Proceedings: The Vay∣wood repaired to the place, reprehended the Cadi for his forwardness, and told him he would examine the business himself, and see it decided next morning: Immediately he discharged the Father out of Prison, and delivered him to the custody of the Consul; at night he went himself to the houses of the Informers, and threatning to drub them, he made them recant, by which means he rescued the poor Capuchin in despight of the Cadi. This Father is at present very well, and lives in Napoli di Romania.

Tuesday the 23. in the Morning, the first thing we did was to secure our selves of the

protection of the Turkish Officers, to whom we presented several curiosities, and after∣wards made them a Visit our••••lves: Bian∣chi would by no means be perswaded along with us for reasons that he kept to himself. For our Interpreter, we made choise of a Janizary, a haughty supercilious fellow, but one who knew every body, was well known himself, and spake Italian very well. In a word, our confidence in him was so great, that we refused Cajetas the English, and Baptista Jannis the French Dragoman, who were each of them pro∣posed to us. The Sardar and the Cadi were not then in Athens; some three or four days before the Sardar was gone to one of his Country Houses not far from Lep∣sina; We therefore addressed our selves to the Disdar in the Castle, but more in curi∣osity than duty. When a Stranger or Greek himself desires to go into the Castle, he must have the consent of the Disdar, who sends his Ring for their safe Conduct; and the Servant by whom his Ring is sent (receiv∣ing a Present, either from Greek or Stran∣ger) showing his Ring, the Guards suffer him to pass, as we found by experience.

In the time that Athens flourished, the Castle stood in the middle of the Town, and was called indifferently Glaucopion,

Parthenon, Cecropia, Polis, and Acropolis, at present they call it Castro. It is situate upon a Mountain which the Ancients called Tritonion, because dedicated to the God∣dess Minerva, called formerly Tritonia, or Tritogenia. As we were making our Tower, to get up to the Castle, we saw at the top of the Rock a Caloger or Nun of the Or∣der of St. Basil, who kept the door of a much frequented Church that stands in the hol∣low of the said Rock: The Church is call∣ed Panagia, as being dedicated to the Vir∣gin Mary, we being willing to bestow the first fruits of our curiosity upon it, went in, and found it very handsom, and richly a∣dorned by the care of the Lady Govern∣ness.

As soon as we were come forth of the Panagia, I perswaded our Companions to look about them more seriously, for it was thereabouts that the Grotto was, which a∣mong the Ancients was so Famous for the adventures betwixt Apollo and Creusa, Daughter of a King of Athens; which Grot∣to was afterwards by the Athenians turned into a Temple, and dedicated to Apollo and Pan: And thanks to the hardness of the Rock, there is the most entire relique of all the Monuments remaining of the Old Athens; and of this Grotto Euripides makes

mention in two or three of his Tragedies. The hollow Rock that is near it was called Macrae Petrae, and it was admired by some of us (more verst in Warlike Affairs than the rest) that the Christian Corsaires, a∣mong their many Designs and Enterprizes upon the Turks, never thought of making use of that hole as of a Mine half made to their hands for blowing up the Castle, which in their judgment ten or twelve Bar∣rels of Powder would easily and effectually have done: but this was only whispered among our selves, for the Turks are very shy in those points, and we had our Janizaries always at our heels.

It is most certain, that about eighteen months since, a Greek of the Island of Can∣dia who had lived long in Athens, came privately to Daniel Justiniani, Commis∣sary and Treasurer-General for the Vene∣tian Fleet, and proposed to him the pilla∣ging of Athens, which being an open Town would have been no hard matter, and for the Castle, he would have taken that by the hole I mentioned before; to effect this, the Candiot desired only eight hundred Men, and three or four Field-Pieces (more for terrour than execution) with ten barrels of Powder for springing the Mine. It is said, that at first Justiniani rejected his pro∣position,

upon the score, that the Plague was in Athens, and he was fearful the Troops which he imployed in that Enter∣prize should bring the Sickness into the Ve∣netian Fleet: But afterwards having con∣sidered it better, he Communicated with Francisco Cornaro, and Zorz Foscarini, two Noble Venetians that served in Candy, and all three of them resolved to have broke it to General Morosini, and the Pro∣veditor Cornaro; but in the very nick, the Venetians, having the better against the Turks in a Sea-fight upon the Coast of Can∣dia, changed their minds and took other measures.

For my own part, when I heard of this design, I concluded it rejected upon ac∣count of difficult execution, for the Guards in the Pyrgo or Watch-Tower in Porto-Lione, are too diligent to have been surpri∣zed, or to have failed giving timely Alarm to the Athenians, though dispersed up and down in the Country by reason of the Plague: Besides, the distance betwixt A∣thens and Porto-Lione (where their descent must have been made) would have given the Athenians leasure to have got into a body, and endangered the retreat of the Venetians, though they had come in a body of four thousand men; and as to the blow∣ing

up the Castle by that hole in the Grot∣to, I thought it unpracticable in respect of the height of the Rock, which is of such a nature, that the breach cannot be favour∣able; for let the Rock fall which way it will, it will fall into the Mine, and leave such heaps of rubbish as will require ano∣ther Mine to remove, which is not to be done without more time than is consistent with those sudden attempts; in a word, the Venetians durst not venture upon it.

From the Panagia we passed on towards the Castle, and nothing could be more re∣markable than the way by which we went: It was made of the ruines of the old Lyce∣um, the Famous School where Aristotle taught his Philosophy. It is now level, and very pleasant, but nothing to be seen of the old Palaestra where their Champions wre∣stled. Upon this flat it is, that in time of War, their new raised men are exercised, and prepared for the Field. Upon certain dayes in the year, the Athenians dine pub∣lickly upon it, where they have no want of water, being supplyed by the ruines of an old Aquaeduct. We fell into mighty To∣pographical disputes about the place where formerly stood that Famous Fountain call∣ed Panopis, whose waters have been since diverted. That Fountain was called also

Diocharis, as being not far from a Gate of the City of that Name: There are some wooden Pipes to be seen, but nothing so big as has been mentioned by very credi∣ble Authors. The Trees which have been planted are so shady and delightful, that it is become the common walk of the Town, and is therefore called Peripatus, and que∣stionless, it was the convenience of that, which invited Aristotle, gave him oppor∣tunity of teaching his Disciples as he was walking, and the name of Peripateticks to his Followers.

To dilate upon their Doctrine would be superfluous, seeing it is at this day the great Theme of our Schools: I shall only say, that their great study is to understand the proprieties of Nature, and the force of se∣cond causes. Their Morality is pleasant, affirming, that to arrive at the Summum Bo∣num, and make our lives happy in this World, our Virtue must be beholding to the advantages and commodities of our Bodies: Corporis commodis compleri vitam beatam putant. As to passions, they are so far from eradicating them, that they be∣lieve them necessary. Theophrastus upon the flight of Aristotle taught in the same School, and had above two thousand Scho∣lars.

In this Lycaeum was also kept the Court of the Polemark, who is the third of the nine Archontes: The first of the Archontes by way of excellence was called Archonte; the second, King of the Sacrifices; the third Polemarque; and the six others pro∣miscuously by the name of The smothetes. This Tribunal in the Lycaeum was princi∣pally for strangers, for in time of War the Polemarque was Captain-General of all the Forces of that Common-wealth; and in time of Peace, he was Judge in all Causes and Controversies betwixt Strangers and the Inhabitants of that Town.

Not far from this Tribunal stood a Sta∣tue of Heros Lycus or Lycius the Son of Pandion; which Statue represented a Wolf, and by every Tribunal in the City there was a Statue of the same Figure.

About sixty yards from thence, upon a•• Eminence, as Herodotus observes, are to be seen the ruines of the Areopagus, that Renowned and Majestick Court, whose Members are never mentioned in History, but with great Veneration for their tran∣scendent Integrity and Justice. It was de∣nominated Areopagus from Ares, a Name which the Greeks had given to Mars; and the first Cause that was ever heard in it, was an Impeachment against him, for hav∣ing

slain one of the Sons of Neptune. Per∣haps you may remember how those Pagans are reproached with it by Lactantius; Vos homicidam Martem consecrastis ut Deum, quod tamen non fecissetis, si illum Areopa∣gitae in Crucem sustulissent. But Lactantius prevaricated, and did not say all, for this Homicide was judged by twelve of their Gods before the Court of the Areopagitae was erected. Authors do not agree upon their number; some will have them Thirty one, others Fifty one, and others above Five hundred, which makes it probable that in different times their number was different. All the rest of their Magistrates were annual, only the Areopagitae were for life. They held their Court always in the night, and in the dark, that they might dispatch their business with more intenti∣on and impartiality, when free from all objects that might work upon their affe∣ctions, and dispose them unjustly either to severity or pity. But it was a general practice in all Courts for the Judges to sit in the open air in places uncovered: Their Salaries were all equal, and paid out of the Publick Money, besides a Fee of about Three half pence in every Cause. In Cicero's time the Romans entered them∣selves among these Areopagitae, and referred

several knotty and ambiguous Causes to their decision.

On the left hand of the Areopagus we passed by a Hill exactly of the height of the Castle, it is called Trajans Arch, from the ruines of a Triumphal Arch which Trajan caused to be erected upon it: but anciently it was called Museon, from Musaeus who used to recite his Verses there. The Citta∣del which the Macedonians built there to bridle the Town; and the brave exploit of Olympiadorus, who (with twelve more) beat out the Garrison, have made the place very memorable in History. Some of our Fellow Travellers having taken a fancy (from the great noise that at this day the name of Adrian makes in that City) would needs have it that that Arch was dedicated to him, but it is a mistake of you will be∣lieve common report, which calls that Hill at this hour Trajans Arch.

There is but one avenue to the Castle and that not imbellished as of old with the famous Ante-Port called Propylaea, whose magnificent structure cost as many Talents as amounts of our money to Two Millions and six hundred Livers, which went very high in an age when the Salary of one of their Soveraign Judges was but 4 d. per diem. This Propylaea is at present nothing

but rubbish, yet even that shows it to have been noble and great. On the side of it there is built a place for a double Court of Guard, but the building is very indiffe∣rent.

Formerly the Keys of this Fort were de∣posited in the hands of some considerable man, who notwithstanding (by a certain diffidence in the Government) was to keep them but one day: and the person was chosen by lot. Afterwards it was intrusted with one of the Epistatae or Prytanes, of whom you shall hear more hereafter: Only this by the by: There were three sort of Animals that never were admitted into this Castle; Dogs, because of their nastiness; Goats, lest they should crop the branches of the sacred Olives; and Crows, as being forbiden by Minerva. The reasons you shall have afterwards.

Part of the Garrison was in Arms at the Gate, not so much in complement to us as to show the exactness of their Guards, though we had sent them a Present before. The whole Garrison consisted of about 300 men; they would have them thought to be Janizaries, but they were but so many dead pays, and the Soldiers when called to their Arms, were born and bred in that Country, and far short of that Martial Or∣der,

of which more another time. In all the Turkish Territories there are such sort of people which take upon them that name to make them more formidable; and all a∣long upon the Frontiers where the Garri∣sons are inforced with Janizaries, and where there is a necessity of good Soldiers, these are looked upon as the refuse of their Militia, and called by way of contempt Muhanat or Poultrons, as I said before. In the Castle of Athens there are about three hundred of them; they are upon the Guard only in the day time; for as soon as it is night the Children of these Janizaries walking round within the Works, with continual shouts and cryes would perswade us of their vigilance and readiness, and especially upon the arrival of any strangers they are more clamourous than ordinary, to signifie the carefulness of their Parents, and strike us with greater terrour, and ap∣prehension of them, whilst in truth the good men are either asleep in their beds, or a∣broad about their business, being most of them Mechanicks. That part of the Wall which they call Cimonion (which is towards the South) is covered over with a kind of Herb they call Parthenon or Matricaria like our Mother-wort, of which you may see more in Plutarch in his Life of Sylla. There

is nothing so much of it on the other Wall called Pelasgicon: These Walls are old and decayed, but well supported by Buttresses in several places: The Greeks are obliged to keep them in repair, and their Privi∣ledges are preserved to them for their pains.

The Artillery belonging to the Castle, consists of twenty Pieces of Canon; their Carriages are alwayes in very good Order, and it is part of the Christians Duty to keep them so: We made our Visit to the Dis∣dar, who received us very civilly: He was a corpulent Man, well enough behaved, and had two Sons, one already in the Army in Candia, and the other preparing to go thi∣ther: The latter was a very handsom Youth, with a great skar upon his lip, that he had got with darting of a Javelin after the man∣ner of the Turks, and being cured by a bal∣som which Father Simon gave him, he re∣tained a great kindness for him, and did him many good Offices to his Father; and his Father was so sensible of what he had done for his Son, that he never since comes that way, but he stops at his door, and sa∣lutes him in Greek with a Callimera Patera, or, Good Morrow Father, which is frequent∣ly followed with a Visit, and great expres∣sions of favour. He treated us with Sher∣bet

and Perfumes, and other kind of Civi∣lities, which we had bespoke by our more solid Presents: His Ceremonies were not long, but they tired our whole Company, which the Disdar perceiving, understand∣ing our Curiosity, and observing our eyes still sixt upon the Temple of Minerva, he commanded it should be opened, and Or∣dered the Kiaia to attend us.

This Temple was built by Pericles (in the place where the Old Temple was burnt by the Persians) and all People and Crea∣tures were imployed in the building of it, as you may see in Plutarch in his Life of Cato the Censor. Callicrates and Ictinus were the Chief Architects, and Ictinus (be∣ing of the greater reputation of the two) left us a description of it in a Book which he writ expresly, but it is lost; and indeed the building it self is little better, for be∣fore this time nothing considerable would have been left of it, had not Adrian ap∣plyed his care, and repaired it; to whom we are obliged for whatever is memorable or antique in Athens: I wish Posterity may find the Turks as well inclined to preserve them.

After this Temple had for a long time been made use of in the worship of Miner∣va, the Christians turned it into a Church,

And called it Santa Sophia: The Turks have turned it since into a Mosque. I hope one day to show you a draught that I took of it, by which you will at one glance dis∣cover so much beauty and magnificence, as will attone for the resolution I have taken of losing no more time in describing it thus, than barely in letting you know, that the Dorick Order is no where so excellent as there. That it is so Noble and Magni∣ficent without, that the very Sea-men be∣take themselves to their Perspective-Glasses as far as they can see: That the Frontis-piece is most beautifull, and the Portico's (which make the Wings) with the Figures wherewith they are adorned, do add ex∣ceedingly to it.

Upon this Frontispiece it was, that with great Joy and Veneration we read that Fa∣mous Inscription mentioned in Scripture, To the unknown God: It is not ingraven upon the door of a little Chappel, as some People would have it, who do not remem∣ber, that in the Mosco's there are neither Chappels nor Altars permitted to remain.

Nevertheless you must not conceive that this was one of those Inscriptions which gave occasion to Saint Paul to discover to the Athenians that God of whom till then they had been ignorant. The Christians of

the third Century had set them up in me∣mory of the Ancient Inscriptions which Epimenides caused to be ingraven on the Altars in the time of Solon, as we are told by Diogenes Laertius; and Pausanies gives us an account of the situation of those Altars in Phalerum, and in the Province of Elis.

Among the Statues on the out-side of the Temple, the best work is a Marble Statue of a Lion. They have all of them been in great danger of pulling down by the scru∣pulosity of the Mahumetan Religion, which forbids the Image of any Animals, and up∣on that score several of them are maimed; but at length some civiler than others, ex∣plained their Law with more favour to the Statues, and preserved those of them which are left; and yet the kindness of the Officers could not have done it, had not Divine Providence Cooperated; for at our en∣trance into the Mosco, the first thing our Ja∣nizary shew'd us, was, a Picture of the Vir∣gin Mary, one of her Eyes being shot out with a Musket bullet by a Turk: The Sto∣ry (though not at all to their advantage) is commemorated by the Turks as well as by the Christians; the Turks aggravate it, and will tell you that the sacriledge was punished miraculously, the bullet rebound∣ing

upon the Malefactor with such violence that it struck out his brains; but the Chri∣stians (whose testimony is looked upon as more credible) say only that he immediate∣ly lost the use of his right Arm, and con∣tinued lame ever after.

The building within is not so rich as with∣out, but it is as regular; It is but of late years that it has been discernable, and that was by removing the trash wherewith it was full by reason of the Mahumetan Offer∣ings: For it seems the place where this Temple stands has had in all Ages a Power to incourage and spur men on to Devoti∣on, there being a certain kind of fatality that determines Men and Cities to peculiar Practices and Customs. The same Star that made Athens superstitious in times of Ido∣latry, that made them so fervently pious in times of Christianity, has made them as zea∣lous under the Discipline of the Turks. 'Tis not above fifteen years since this Temple of Minerva was one of the most Celebrated Mosquos in all Turkie; to which Reputa∣tion it was advanced by the Dervices, which are a sort of Religious Turks; and before the present Grand Visier (Chief Mi∣nister in the Port) provoked by their frauds and collusion in matters of Religion, had banished them out of Europe to Cogna where

they were Originally Instituted, they made no reckoning even of their Dervices till they had been in Pilgrimage at the Mosque in Athens: These sort of Pilgrims had (as they thought) adorned the inside of this Temple with pieces of Taffaty and old Scarffs which they had hung up and displayed in every corner. There was not any of their Devotes (for each Order has its Devotes) but fastned to the Walls some little Banner or other of Red and Yellow Taffaty, and now and then of Yellow and Green, which are the Colours the Spahi or Turkish Ca∣valry carry in their hands upon any solemn Cavalcade. Others of them who had been in Foreign Parts, would hang up some bau∣ble they had brought from thence; and o∣thers that were Artificers, when they had made any thing extraordinary, would give some of them to their Mosque, and hang them up against the Wall: but this clut∣ter of Offerings is almost quite laid aside.

Standing so high as it did, it was strange, me thought, to find it so dark; but by the wisdom of that excellent Architect Ictinus it was contrived with very few windows, that it might with more force and solidity resist the assaults of the winds, which for want of free passage do many times make a great noise in the Mosque; and the Lamps,

according to the Custom of the Turks, be∣ing very numerous, and hanging thick with gilt wires, the wind strikes them one against another, and makes a noise very unpleasing to the ear.

It is only at Prayer time these Lamps are lighted, and indeed they give but little ad∣vantage to the common light of the Temple; and yet we were no sooner entered, but we were suprized with a more than ordinary lustre, refracted from two bright polished Stones, placed close by one another in the main wall towards the bottom of the Mosque. They seemed to be two large Lamps that cast an extraordinary light, and as we advanced the light seemed to in∣crease. Their Colour was not unlike the Carbuncle, and some body had had the cu∣riosity to examine them; for in one of them there is a little hole, made I suppose to that purpose. The jet Mirror or Looking-Glass in the Abbey of St. Denis is nothing so il∣lustrious. Their Figure is rectangular, or a long square, each of them about three foot long, and a foot and a half broad. We having observed that the Turks which were with us looked upon them with more than usual respect, had not the confidence to touch or examine them any farther lest we should have been guilty of some great profanation.

Besides the Kiaia interposed, and we were obliged to the more formality, the Iman of the Mosque making towards us himself, accompanied by the Talismans and his Kod∣gias, which are one to the other in the same subordination as the Parsons, and Vicars, and Curates among us. It was no little favour which the Disdar had done us in preparing the Iman, and disposing him to be civil to us, who of himself was a severe and rigid man, having been a Kodgias in Asia, where the Mahumetans are so scrupulous, that if a Christian be taken in any of their Mosques, he has no way to get off, but either by apo∣stasie or death.

These Officers advancing with great gra∣vity towards us, attributed the cause of that light to a Miracle of their Prophet Maho∣met; for the Religion of the Turks runs much upon Miracles, and we thought nei∣ther safe, nor indeed civil to contest the truth of it. The Stones being transparent, one of these two things must of necessity produce that light; either there must be two Lamps behind it, whose light is seen through, or else the two Lamps before it being placed exactly in the opposite Wall, dart their rays upon those Stones, which rays are reflected again as from a Looking-Glass. We could discern nothing behind

that might be the cause, though on the sides of it, according to the Turkish Mode, there hung great numbers of Austriges Eggs; several little Lamps without lights, and se∣veral little Globes of Crystal. Be it from which it will, it is probably designed to perpetuate the prodigy of that Golden Lamp which was placed there by Calima∣chus, the famous Sculptor, who was the first that invented the way of piercing Stone with an Augar. This Lamp was supplied with Oil but once a year, though it was to keep a constant light night and day before the Statue of Minerva: But the Ancients (though otherwise sufficiently superstitious) made no Miracle of it, supposing the du∣ration of the light proceeded from an occult property in the nature of the Wick, which as they thought was made of a sort of in∣combustible Cotton; nevertheless it burn∣ed not without smoke, for to carry it off, Calimachus had made a most admirable Pipe that conveyed it out at the top of the Tem∣ple. At present it is quite otherwise: But to settle our thoughts: with an eager and decisive tone, the Iman told us, that the first appearance of the Miracle of the two Lamps, was the very day that Sultan Ma∣homet II. turned that Temple into a Mosque. In a word, Mahomet II. is in Athens of so

great reputation, that they think all things extraordinary that are done either by him or for him.

Before these two Stones there stands a white Marble Chair formerly imployed by the Arch-Bishop, but now it is the place from whence the Iman dispences his Alchoran; and in each side of the Chair, in the main Wall there are two Cupboards, covered with two Tables of Marble, in which the Christians used to put the Ornaments for their Altar. One of those Cupboards has not been opened since the Christians had possession of that Church; and the other being rashly and audaciously opened not many years since by a Turk, there came forth so mischievous and pestilent an Air, as brought the Plague into the City, and was the occasion of a great Mortality. This is confessed by the Turks themselves, and since that time no body has had the courage to open them.

When we came out of the Temple, at a distance of about fifty paces, we saw that famous Well that is recorded as one of the Wonders in Nature; and even at this day the Athenians do esteem it one of the greatest Rarities of their Country. Its wa∣ter is salt, and of the same colour with the Sea; every time the South wind blows, it

is mightily agitated, and makes a great noise in the bottom of the Well.

Our Fellow-Travellers being impatiently and incessantly addicted to Natural disqui∣sitions, had not found a fairer subject for their dissertations. Some were of opinion that from the Sea to the Well there was some secret and subterraneous Meatus, into which the wind forcing it self, made an ebullition, or else the Sea was driven there∣by violently up to the Well, and supplied it with Salt waters. Others objected that the Spring must be there, and proceeding upon Hydraulick Principles, concluded that the Water rising naturally no higher than the level of its Fountain, could not be car∣ried from the Sea so high as to the top of the Castle Hill, but would rather have dis∣gorged into the Pits in the lower Town, where yet there is not the least semblance of any such thing. But all agreed that the noise proceeded from the force of the wind dispersing the vapours which the saltness of the Water exhaled, and that it was from the disposition of the Sea-banks, that only a South wind could come at it.

In a Country proper for Experiment, we should have weighed it with Rain and Sea-water, examining how they would have in∣corporated, and which of the three had

fallen down to the bottom: We should have tried whether Fresh-water Fish would have lived longer in it than Sea-Fish; and causing both of them with a gentle fire to evaporate, have seen which had left the most Salt. Had it been Winter we should have tried which would have been first frozen. We should have likewise observ∣ed whether the bottom of the Well had been Chalky, Gravelly, Turfy, Rocky, or Sandy; and perhaps have proceeded so far in our Curiosity, as to have taken some Criminal out of Prison, and causing him to drink it, have seen whether it would have put him into a Dysentery according to the propriety of the Sea-water.

From the Castle Hill, we could discover all the Isles in the Gulf of Engia, without the help of our Perspectives, of which indeed we durst not make use to look about as we would have done, because we were very near a steep place that is to this day memo∣rable for the precipitation of a King, and might well be a place of punishment to peo∣ple that are over-curious. It was Egeus, Father of Theseus, who threw himself down headlong 2905 years since, having from the same place where we stood, descried a far off at Sea, the black Sails of that Ship which brought back from Creet his Son,

whom he supposed the Minotaure had de∣voured; Plutarch gives you a particular ac∣count.

At a small distance upon the plain or flat of the Castle there is a small point of a Rock with nothing about it, which probably was the place where Silenus disposed of him∣self when he came along with Bacchus in∣to this Castle: In the same Court there were formerly a hundred remarkable things to be seen, and as many more in the houses that are now set apart for the entertainment of the Janizaries: Upon the Plain there were several Altars dedicated to Friendship, Mo∣desty, Integrity, Oblivion, Jupiter, Vulcan, Neptune and Minerva; so that you may observe, that in old time their Altars were not alwayes within the Precincts of their Temples: Many were in the Field, and uncovered, which the Romans called Sub Dio.

On that side where the Janizaries are lodged, nothing is to be seen but ruines, except the Arsenal built by Lycurgus the Son of Lycophron, which Arsenal appears still very Magnificent and Lofty, especially the great Tower, which is one of the first things that discovers the Castle to the Ships at their entrance into the Gulf of Engia; and I have an Opinion it was upon that

Tower that the Statue of Minerva was pla∣ced, which Statue was of such a vast big∣ness, that from the Promontory of Sunion, the casque and lance of it might easily be descried. Lycurgus built this Arsenal of Marble, and among the rest of the Ammu∣nitions, there is constantly in readiness a provision of fifty thousand Arrows.

Quite through the Janizaries Apart∣ment there is nothing to be seen but ruines of houses, that in appearance have former∣ly been very Magnificent; but the Greeks frequenting those places but seldom, we had not the help of Tradition to inform us where stood the Temples of Jupiter Tutela∣ris, Minerva the Protectress, Neptune, A∣glaura, her Sister Pandrosa, and Victoria; as likewise the Temple of Venus, which Phaedra caused to be Erected, to acquit her self of a Vow that she had made for her recovery from loving Hippolytus: These Famous Places, where of old so many Gods had Incense burned to them, are now de∣faced and profaned with the Tobacco of the Turks, at present the greatest smoaken in the world: I ventured among then rub∣bish of one of those ruined houses; In my life time I never saw so many Choughs as I saw there, which Birds are more common in Athens now than formerly, but nothing so considerable.

This great demolition considered, I do not think you can reasonably inquire after the Olive-Tree which sprang up so mira∣culously in the Castle when Minerva and Neptune had their great difference about the possession of that Country. Nor do I believe you will be more eager to inform your self of the Opisthodomos, or place of their publick Treasurie, in which there was always in deposito a thousand Talents of ready Money, kept with so much rigour for the extreamest dangers, that unless the City were in imminent hazard of pillage∣••ing, or fire, it was no less than death for any man to propose the medling with it. To be short, nor is there more to be seen of the apartment belonging to the She-Priest of Minerva, to whom it was forbid∣den to eat any coagulated Milk, but what was brought from the Island of Salamis. The House belonging to the two Virgins dedicated to the said Goddess, is under the same desolation; and, which is more re∣gretable, the admirable Statue of Diana done by Praxitiles; the three Statues of Minerva by the inimitable Phidias; the Statues of the Graces by Socrates (which, by the way, would have justified the con∣sistency of Mechanicism and Philosophy) the rich Sculptures, and admirable Master∣pieces

of Daedalus, Leocaris, Cleetas, En∣deus, and Calamis, are all lost and gone, as are the excellent paintings of Poligno∣tus, Micon, Parrhasius and Timenet; Pieces that were anciently the renowned Orna∣ments of the Castle of Athens, and doubt∣less would now be esteemed a rich Treasure, by all the Princes of Europe; But time has devoured them, and they are become only only the vain Images of a Dream, subsisting like in the same and memory of their Au∣thour.

As we were going out of the Castle, we understood it was noon, by the preparati∣on the Turks made to go to their Eoüyli, which is a prayer they make precisely at 10 a Clock, at which time an Officer on purpose, called Muczin, gets up on the top of the Mosque, and calls the Mahumetans to pray∣er, which is done by proclaiming in their language that God is great; That there is no other God but he, and that it imports every man in time to look to his Salvation: and this is the whole language of their Clocks (for in Turkie among the Mahumetans there are no other used) and upon this score i•• is, the Turks in Athens, when they woul•• deride or upbraid the Greeks by their ver∣bosity or babble, do tell them in mockery, Our Clocks (if you had wit) would teach

you to speak better: And the Renegades think they hit the Nail on the head, when in roguery they boast that their Women wear better Breeches than our Men; their Men are better shod than our Horses, and that their Clocks are better Oratours than our Advocates; and the reason of all is, be∣cause their Women wear a sort of Stuff-Drawers; their Men have a kind of Half∣moon of Iron upon their Shoes; and their Clocks deliver themselves with the afore∣said articulation.

As we came from the Castle we left the ruines of the Lycaeum upon our left hand, and being dinner time, we went directly to our lodging, without any farther observa∣tion by the way. We found our Bianchi very busie in the Garden; for having found the Sky clear, and all things convenient for his design, he had taken the opportunity, and was preparing for his Astronomical Observations; We found he had made his Horizontal, and was fixing his Meridian with such ease, that we could not get him to dinner till he had done, telling us he was resolved by the benefit of the first fair night to take the height of the Pole in Athens, by the elevation of some fixed Stars which he had observed.

After dinner we went abroad again to

view that part of the Suburbs which lies Eastwardly of the Lycaeum, and Court of the Araeopagitae. We passed by the House of Monsieur Giraud, and afterwards by the House where the Jesuites lived before they were persecuted in Athens. About the Year 1641. Father Blezeau was eminent i•• that Town for his zeal and abilities in op∣posing their Errors and Schism; and (not to mention any more of those Reverend Fathers called thither by the providence, and for the service of God) the Fathers, Richard and Tessier, of late years have ve∣ry gloriously asserted the Catholick Cause, till certain Athenian Priests jealous of the progress of their doctrine, excited the ras∣cality against them, which being much en∣couraged by the artifice of some Protestant Merchants at that time in Athens, the com∣mon people besieg'd the poor Fathers, forc'd them out of the Town, and plundered their House: but they were better treated at Ne¦gropont, where, Father Richard has already brought over several Families from the Grecian Church, and preaches daily to the Bey's Gally-Slaves which are most of them French.

About this time there hapned a remark∣able passage to this poor Father Richard. The Basha Caterzo-Ogli Caraman Beglerbeg▪

was by accident at Thebes, and upon his re∣turn to Candy, where he was Surveyor Ge∣neral of the Works under the Grand Visier, Father Richard went to make him a Visit, and took the opportunity to beg of him a protection against some desperate people that were exasperated against him by the Priests of Negropont; and having obtained it as he desired, the Basha (a gentile well-bred man) among other discourse, asked him if it was true that the Monks in France never drank Wine but in their Mass, and seemed much satisfied with their tempe∣rance: But the good Father, with a pious confidence, becoming the zeal of the Pri∣mitive Church, replied, If we never drank Wine but at Mass, we should never drink any, for what is drank there is transubstan∣tiated, and ceasing to be Wine, becomes the real blood of Christ the Son of God; to which with a most Christian eagerness he added, that all opinion to the contrary was damnable. The throng of Turkish Officers that were about the Basha, would fain have rebuked the confidence of the Father; But the Basha being more moderate than all of them, smiled and corrected them with this gentle answer: Do you not see he is a stran∣ger, and can scarce speak the language of the Country where he is? Let us be gone and

take Candy, and when we come back he will be better able to explain himself: and had it not been for the generosity of the Basha, it was not unlikely but the poor Father might have been added to the number of the Martyrs.

Not far from this house of the Jesuites, there is another where the Calogers of Me∣delli are lodged when they come to Athens▪ The Sardar's Palace is at the end of the same Street, and his Seraglio over against his Palace; all the Chelibi's of Athens have every one their Seraglio over against their Lodgings.

On the right hand towards Panagia stands the Temple of Jupiter, a magnificent Stru∣cture, but there having been formerly five or six Dedicated to the same God, we could not inform our selves whether this were the Encyclios, the Epopete, or the Phratrios; be it which it will, it is at pre∣sent a Greek Church, and stands at the end of the street.

And this let me tell you by the by, at this day the streets of Athens have no name but what they receive from some Church, Mosque, or Palace of some great Man. The Vecchiados Capitanakis (next neighbour to the Capuchins) knew not the name of the street where he lived, but called it my

street: So that we were left to our selves to distinguish the streets of Vesta, the sa∣cred Tripos, or Trivet, Polemion, and cer∣tain others which we found mentioned in History: Of all the old streets, there is none that retains its old name but the Cera∣micus; and even that is not like to keep it long, now frequently called the street of Bazar, which in probability in a short time will obtain against the other, and extin∣guish it. Unless it be this street, there is none of the rest either broad or streight, and the crookedness and oddness of their turnings at this day, answers very much to the description given of it long since by Di∣caearchus the Geographer. Atheniensium urbs amaena & humanitatem prae se ferens; at sicca tota, neque aquis bene instructa, ne∣que rectè item in plateas secta ob vetustatem: Athens is a pleasant City, and pretends much to civility; but it is dry and ill sup∣plyed with waters; nor are the streets so streight as they should be by reason of their antiquity.

The Suburbs that lye Eastward of Lycaeum, are full of Gardens, which run along as far as the Ancient Village called Amazonion, from the great Battel fought there betwixt Theseus and the Amazons. The Athenians set up a Pillar in the place, and called it A∣mazonia,

where also those Martial Women Erected a Temple, and called it Amazo∣nian; In the same place where stood the Gate of the Ancient City of Ithonia, which is now in the way to Phalerum.

These Gardens lye likewise where for∣merly was that famous place for publick Assemblies, called Pnyx, in which there were frequent and great concourses, in which many a great Orator has recommend∣ed himself to them in an excellent harangue. About the Bench or Tribunal (which stood in the middle of the Court) there was a competent proportion of Ground called Periscaenisma, for that it was roped about to keep the Multitude off from incommo∣ding the Judges: The Lithos was on the side of it, being a high Stone upon which the Publick Cryer stood, when he com∣manded silence: Not far from it there was a Sun-dial, and at one Corner a Temple De∣dicated to the Muses: On the other side stood the House where Cimon dwelt and Elpinice, from whence we passed to ano∣ther Quarter called Chrysa, and famous, as being the place where the Amazons in∣camped.

We returned into the City by the Gate which is hard by the Covent of Capuchins, and to speak truth, we might enter as we

pleased, for there was not above a pane or two of Wall standing together by the Gates of the City, and they pitifull things in re∣spect of the Ancient Gates which were very magnificent; one of them, it is true, is to∣lerably well, but of that hereafter: As we entred into the Town, on the right hand there stands a Monastery of Calogers, whose Church is Governed by a particular Calo∣ger; on the other side of the street is a Cloister of Capuchins; the Cloister was shut, and leaving it on our left hand, we passed by the house of Vecchiados Capita∣nakis, where we saw one of his Sons, but not like to be so accomplished as his Fa∣ther. Not far from it we were shown a little building, which the Athenians called To Phanari tou Diogenis, or Diogenes his Lanthorn: It is used at present for the re∣ception of Water from one of their Foun∣tains, the Ancients called it Analogaean, be∣cause it was built like a Pulpit; but there being a Cupola like a Lanthorn on the top, the Common People called it Diogenes his Lanthorn, in allusion to a capricious hu∣mour of his, when to upbraid the effemi∣nacy of those Times, he took a Lanthorn at Mid-day, and pretended he was looking for a Man.

Julius Pollux speaking of this Analo∣gaean,

would perswade us it was Erected by Diogenes; but I cannot think he intended the Philosopher, who was not Architect enough to repair his own Tub when bro∣ken by the Tumult; for the Athenians were fain to supply him; so that probably Plu∣tarchs Opinion is the best, that it was set up by Diogenes, a Governour of the Mace∣donian Garrisons in Attica, who drove the Athenians out of Pyreum, Munichia, Sala∣mis, and the Castle of Sunion.

From thence we passed by the house of the French Consul, which stands at the cor∣ner of a Market-place, with the Dining-room jetting out into the street, and sup∣ported by Pillars: There is a fair Foun∣tain in the Wall, and under the Fountain a large watering-place.

There is a Story told very confidently at the Consuls house, but laught at by most of the Athenians: They perswaded us that every night the Fairies came into the Con∣suls Stables, dressed his Horses, gave them many and terrible blows with their whips, and when they had done, led them out to water to a Fountain that is within his Court.

A little above the French Consuls House towards the street called the Bazar, we saw the second great Mosque of that City. It

was anciently the Temple of Venus Ʋra∣nia, built by Egeus, and repaired by Adri∣an. It was famous for the Statue of Venus done by Phidias: Vulcans Temple, called at present the Catholicon, (and now the Archiepiscopal Church in Athens) is not far from it; and it was some pleasure to us to observe that their proximity agreed with what Pausanias said of it.

From this Mosque, we went to see the House which is vulgarly called Anemoi; it was formerly the Tower of Andronicus Cyrrhestes: Pausanias makes no mention of it, and Meursius confesses he knows not where it was; but it is hard by a noted place, of which I shall speak largely else∣where. This Tower is built of Marble, in an Octangular Figure, as Vitruvius has de∣scribed, and upon every Angle Cyrrhestes caused the Figure of that wind which blew directly upon it, to be engraven: The work in Bas-relief is incomparable; but the Triton of Brass is down, that stood on the Top of the Tower, and turning freely with the wind, with a stick which it held in his hand, shew'd the place where the wind was: Nevertheless there is something more than either Varro or Vetruvius have told us of; and that is Eight Sun-dials, upon each of the flats of the Octogone one; yet only

seven of them are visible in the street, the eighth being inclosed in a Turks house that is built against one of the Angles.

And here I fancy you most eagerly in∣quisitive whether the Athenians do reckon their hours now as they did formerly, and as they reckon them in Italy, that is, by the number of four and twenty, from Sun∣rise one day, till Sun-set the next: To sa∣tisfie your Curiosity, that is not now the Custom. The Common People regulate their intervals by the Cryes which the Muc∣zins make from the top of their Mosques, at Day-break, at Noon, and at six a clock at Night: But the better sort have watches from Venice, or hour-glasses which are very common among them.

The House of Vecchiados Panajotti Ca∣valieri is right over against the House of the winds; and the famous place I hinted before is a little higher toward the Vicus Ceramicus, and called Poecile, or Porticus varia.

Of all the Porticoes that adorn this great City, this was the most considerable, and to distinguish it from the rest, it was call∣ed by way of Excellence the Portico; An∣ciently it was called Pisianactios. Whilst Athens was in its Glory, the Painters of those Times had represented with great ac∣curacie

upon the Walls of this Portico, the memorable Exploits of all the Great Cap∣tains of this Common-wealth; and which is remembred both by the Greek and Latin Authors, the Famous Artist Polignotus drew one of his Master-pieces there, and gave it freely to the City. But if you will take the Judgement of the great Scholars, they will tell you the thing that made this Por∣tico so Eminent, was the Philosopher Zeno, who built a School there for the Stoicks, a Sect that was Instituted by him, and called at first Zenonians, till this Stoa or Portico was Erected that changed their Appella∣tion: And here it was that sustained by the Testimony of Antiquity, I convinced our Camerades of the errour of Common Tradition, that at this day calls the School of Zeno a certain place without the Town, betwixt the Temple of Theseus and the A∣cademy upon the way to Thebes at the foot of the Mountain of St. George. The Do∣ctrine of the Stoicks tends principally to the subduction of our Passions, by which they affirm it possible to take off the sting and affliction of grief and sorrow, &c. and make them unpainful.

But impugning the frailties and softness of our Inclinations, with Maximes too ri∣gid and severe, they are reproached by the

other Sects for Dogmatizing against Truth, and the Experience of Sense: Doctrina non moderata, nec mitis, sed paulo asperior, & durior quàm aut veritas, aut Natura pa∣tiatur: maintaining that a Wise Man is not susceptible of Adversity, and that Calami∣ties are necessary for the exercise and tryal of our Vertue, which without agitation would languish and relax. They place in themselves the Principle of the highest Fe∣licity, affirming, that the Soveraign Good has no need of Forreign Acquisition, if it had, it would be subject to Fortune; so that the greatest disgrace or dishonour that could befall another man, ought not to af∣fect, or make the least impression upon a Stoick, because all that is good or necessa∣ry is within him, as Temperance, Prudence, Justice, &c. They do confess themselves subject to, and sensible of misfortunes; but then they master and subdue them, and though their humanity will not suffer them to be totally exempt, yet they are impreg∣nable to them; adding that their Doctrine, though charged with austerity and rigour, is worthy and suitable to the courage and magnanimity of a Man; whereas the soft and tender maximes of other Sects are only proper for the delicacy of a Woman: In short, they affirm, that the difference be∣twixt

the Stoicks, and the other Sects of Philosophers is as great as the difference betwixt Man and Woman, the one being Created for Command, and the other for Obedience.

The Learned dissertations of these Phi∣losophers, though they denominated this Portico, Porticus sapiens, were not suffici∣ent to secure it from the publick diversions, for Apuleus observes, that hither the Athe∣nians did usually come to behold their Vaulters, and persons of Activity; and at this day these sort of Spectacles are exhibi∣ted to the People in their Festivals of the Bayram.

This Portico put an end to our walk that way, for you cannot imagine that we would spend much time in contemplating places that were utterly void, though formerly there had been many Curiosities in them, nor trouble our selves with the examinati∣on of every particular relique. It would have been the ready way to have drawn all the rascality after us, who followed us up and down, and perhaps would not have let us escape with a bare derision: To prevent it, rather than to make one tedious walk of it, we chose to come again two or three times, that they might not think us ridicu∣lous and affected.

The next night being fair and serene, we imployed a good part of it in Astronomical Observation. We took the height of three several Stars as they were to pass the Meri∣dian, (viz.) of Azimech, Zubana Gienoubi, and Antares: We rectified their Longi∣tude by the Table of their peculiar Moti∣ons, and found their Declinations by their Spherical Triangles; Zubana Gienoubi be∣ing my Province I will give you my Calcu∣lation: Its Longitude answers to 10 De∣grees and 30 Minutes of Scorpio: Its Lati∣tude is Septentrional, and is but of 26 Mi∣nutes: Its declination Meridional is of 14 Degrees and 37 Minutes, and its Meridi∣onal Elevation 37 Degrees and 42 Minutes, and adding that height to its Declination, there remained 52 Degrees and 19 Minutes for the Elevation of the Equator, whose Complement (that is to say, 37 Degrees and 41 Minutes) is the height of the Pole at Athens.

The rest of their Observations accommo∣dated with mine, and we found all the three Stars without the limits of refraction; and the Moon not rising till midnight, her light gave us no impediment. The exact time of my Observation was about 25 Minutes af∣ter Midnight, which agreed not only with our watches, but with the Observations the

rest made the following days about the po∣sition of the Sun, which was in 4 degrees and 16 minutes of Taurus, and its right ascension in 31 degrees and 59 minutes; and my Star being 218 degrees 15 mi∣nutes, determined the moment of my ob∣servation.

The 24. of April in the morning we went to hear Mass of Father Simon de Compiegne, at the Covent of Capucins who were then Missionaries at Athens. Father Barnaby, whose Residence is at Napoli de Romania, is President of that fraternity: Father Si∣mon lived in a small house of Marble, though little, yet very good building: nei∣ther Meursius nor any other ancient Authour has taken notice of it, though it be called by the Common people indifferently, To Phanari tou Demosthenis, and To Palati tou Demosthenis, sometimes Demosthenes his Lanthorn, and sometimes his Palace. The Athenians never mention him, but they speak of (what Plutarch reports in his Hi∣story) the thickness of his Tongue that hindered the grace and liberty of his pro∣nunciation; and as they tell us, there it was that he made use of his pebbles to help his imperfection. The workmanship of this Phanari is excellent.

This House Father Simon bought of a

Greek for a hundred and fifty Crowns, but a while after the Greek would have put a trick upon him, pretending that he had since been informed he could not by the custom of Athens put a Stranger into the possession of any Antiquity, lest the Stran∣ger should demolish it: The Father replied, as he might very well, That he was no Stranger, and in effect he had been admit∣ted Citizen of Athens, and got Letters of Infranchisment to obviate such kind of Ca∣vils; however the business was brought to a hearing before the Vecchiados, who con∣demned the poor Capuchin, but appealing to the Cadi, it was confirmed to him upon condition he should not impair it, and that he should show it to any man who had the curiosity to see it, which shows the esteem they still have of their antiquities in that Town: and the poor Father was so unwil∣ling to disoblige them, and so careful to gain their good will by any reasonable com∣pliance, that he removed his Altar and Ora∣tory into a low Parlour within the said Pha∣nari.

But this ceremony and respect that he shewed to the Athenians did not hinder, but that at first he was treated with the same insolence that had been used to the Jesuites there; for the Capuchin being settled in

his house just about the time that the Grand Visier had banished the Dervices out of all the Turkish Cities in Europe, the Boys in Athens, who had been used to those Der∣vices (supposing the poor Capuchin had been one of them in disguise, that would not submit to the Grand Visiers order) flocked about him in the Streets, and cry∣ing out a Dervice, a Dervice, had like to have stoned him to death. But the graver sort of Athenians, nay the Turks them∣selves, and particularly the Disdar, rescu'd him from their outrage, which he gratified abundantly by his care of their Children afterwards; teaching them to Read, Write, cast Accompt, and speak Italian; and which was much more, he taught them their Catechism according to the Council of Trent, being translated into the vulgar Greek, and Printed at Venice: and though in it the Errors of the Greek Church were formally condemned, their Parents regard∣ed it not, nor took notice of the dissuasion of their Archbishop who was highly against it. Nay they proceeded so far to the con∣trary, that according to their custom the Apostles Creed, as received among us, was put in measure and set to their Musick, in so much that we heard them sing it fre∣quently in the Streets; and this may very

well be attributed to the diligence and in∣sinuation of the said Father, who by his Piety, and a certain affability peculiar to that Order, wrought himself so happily into their affections, that both Turks and Christians invited him frequently to their Houses, with so great an opinion of the in∣tegrity of his life, that during his Visits they never sent away either their Wive•• or Daughters, which was a confidence they never used either to the Calogers or Imans▪ Nay farther, twice a year he was certain to be visited by the chief Kaduns and Mahu∣metan Ladies both of the City and Castle and that was during their pastimes and li¦berties at the Feasts of their Bayrams; a•• which time transported with their freedom they took delight in those little extrava∣gancies, and would come to his House t•• play their innocent tricks, and he coul•• not quit himself of them till he had opene•• his Garden door, and sacrificed his whol•• stock of Flowers to their service; He kep•• Sherbett always ready for their Slaves, an•• the Ladies were so kind as many times 〈◊〉〈◊〉 drink of it themselves; for which boun•• of his they did him a hundred good Offic•• to their Husbands and Parents, protecti•••• him against the Enemies of his Religio•• for which, in merriment they would t••

him, they would make another inroad into his Garden.

In the Chapel of this Monastery there was a Pew and a Stool to kneel upon for the Consul Chastagner; Monsieur Giraud the English Consul had only a little Seat in a Corner. Father Simon passed only for the French Consul's Chaplain, that thereby he might oblige the King's Ministers, and ingage them to favour the progress of his Mission; and he succeeded so well, that it is there only that Chastagner appears in his character, and shows himself with all the Formalities of his Consulship; and this he did effectually some three or four years since to a Deputy from Genoa, who came to Athens to settle a Consul there. This De∣puty was of the House of Doria (a great Family as you know) and looked upon himself as a Prince: The truth is, he had a very good train, which followed always in good order when he went abroad to see the antiquities of the Town, and that kind of Ostentation goes a great way with the po∣pulacy. He gave and received Visits from all the Turkish Officers: Chastagner in his turn went to pay his respects, and expecting that Doria would have given him the Fau∣teüil, he was nettled to find that honour omitted to a Consul of France: Chastagner

resented it highly, and watched an oppor∣tunity of returning his kindness, with which in a short time the Genois themselves presented him. Doria sent one morning very early to Father Simon, to desire he would be ready to say Mass to him precisely at Eight a Clock. The Father, as Chaplain to the French Consul, was obliged to ac∣quaint Chastagner, and to know whether he would be present. Chastagner under∣standing it was at the request of Doria, thought that a fit time to be revenged, and sent word he would be there, and Father Simon should attend him. The Clock struck Twelve and no Chastagner; during which time the Genois continued in very great impatience: at length in a formal pro∣cession they perceived six Janizaries march∣ing a-breast with their Truncheons in their hands; the Interpreter Baptista Jannis followed them, after whom came ten or twelve French Merchants, and some of the Vecchiados who were friends to our Con∣sul; last of all with his train or Attendants came the Consul himself in a Red Sattin Gown lined with a rich Fur, and entering sternly (without saluting of any body) in∣to his Pew that was covered with Tapestry wrought with the Arms of France, he fell to his Prayers. Monsieur Giraud was so

civil as to give Doria his Pew; when Mass was done, Father Simon according to his usual custom made a little harangue; at that time it hapned to be in Italian, and addressing himself first to his own Consul, he gave him the Title of Illustrissimo Sig∣nore, and paid him some little Complement, after which he faced about, and addressed himself very emphatically to the Prince. Chastagner pretended to be surprized, and that he had neither seen Doria nor his Equi∣page; and turning short, saluted him, and offered him place in his Pew, but without any precedence; the Prince refused his of∣fer, and went out of the Church before the last Gospel was done.

Mass being done we went home, only one thing I forget to tell you, that the Lu∣therans that were present made no scruple of staying out Mass▪ After dinner we re∣solved to go•• e••the•• ••cademy, I mean the old Academy that gave name of Acade∣micks to the Schools all Europe over, that lab••ured to propagate and compleat all Su••••••ces and Arts. Our Fellow-Travellers expected nothing but rubbish in their walk, declaring publickly it was not to be thought that that Incomparable Fountain of Science should remain clear and pellu∣cid to this day, considering the dulness and

muddiness of the Genius of the Modern Greeks. I who had conversed them a∣broad, had not found any thing of that stu∣pidity in them: The Capuchins who took great pains in the Instruction of their Chil∣dren, are witnesses not only of their viva∣city and quickness, but that they are more than ordinarily docile, and disposed to any kind of Learning: For as they told me, a young Athenian Boy that in two dayes time gets not by heart twenty pages of his Catechism, believes himself so negligent or sottish, that he has not the confidence to appear again to his Tutor without great Mediation.