Purchas his pilgrimes. part 2 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. III.

The third Voyage of Master IOHN SANDERSON to Constantinople.

FRom London to Grausend, the eleuenth of Februarie, 1598. The fourteenth, tooke shipping in the Hector, lay at Tilburie two dayes. To the Downes the seuenteenth, lay there eight dayes, came to Dartmouth the third of March, rid there foure dayes, and came to Plimouth the eighth. Set sayle three or foure dayes after, and in May, [ 10] 1599. arriued in Alexandretta, hauing touched at Argier and Zant by the way. In the sayd moneth of May wee departed, coasted all along the North-side of Ciprus, passed close by the seuen Capes, came and cast Anchor at Roades, I went also at this time ashoare there. Thence wee went and came with the Ship a ground at Samos, the Iland where Esop was borne; so sayled by Sio and Metelin; were also a ground about Cape Ianesarie in some danger, and with much adoe wee came off at last, pulling the Ship off with our Boate and skiffe at the sterne, by strength and la∣bour of the Marriners. Hauing doubled that Cape, I tooke a small Barke and went to Galipoli, and thence to Constantinople, where the Hector arriued about the fifth of September. At her en∣trance the Port in tryumph discharging the Ordnance, they lost a Man who was parted in the middle, being busie about cleansing a Peece in the fore-castle. At this my third and last being [ 20] in Constantinople, of one of the Coens, an ancient and very learned Iew Priest, I did with much intreatie and my money, get a very old Booke: it was the fiue Bookes of Moses in foure Langua∣ges. I presented it to my Brother, Doctor Sanderson, hee lent it Doctor Barlow, hee to Doctor Andrewes: They vsed it in their Translation at Cambridge, and did returne it to Bishop Barlow. The Bishop dyed, and I thinke one Iohnson his Sisters sonne hath it, who as I heard had the re∣sidue of the Bishops bookes.

I went to visite the Sepulcher of that fore-named Master Edward Barton late Ambassadour, who lyeth Interred (according to his alwayes desire) vnder an Oliue Tree, before the entrance into the Monasterie on the top of Calcos Ile; a Stone of white Marble is layd vpon him, Letters thereon engrauen of his Title and Decease. Other places I went to also, which I had beene at in [ 30] former times. And some strange actions, other then formerly the like had happened in their most cruell Executions, I note not.

Yet can I not let passe to relate, that a Iewish woman of the greatest credit and wealth in Con∣stantinople, was brought out of her House and stabbed to Death in the Vice-royes yard, thence by a window in the Serraglio wall where the Grand Signior, Sultan Mahomet stood to see; shee was drawne with Ropes to the publikest place in the Citie, and there (betweene a Pyramed pil∣ler erected by Theodosius, and the Brasen tripled Serpent) layd for the Dogges to eate, who did deuoure her all saue her bones, sinewes of her legges, and soales of her feet. Her head a 1.1 had been carryed vpon a pike through the Citie, and alike her shamefull part; also many small peeces of her Flesh, which the Turkes Ianizaries and others carried about tyed in a little Pack-thred, shew∣ing [ 40] to the Iewes and others, and in derision sayd, Behold the Whoores flesh; one slice of her I did so see passe by our doore in Galata. Her b 1.2 eldest Sonne the next day in like manner cruelly stab∣bed and murthered in the sayd Vice-royes court; dragged thence and layd by his Mother, but was so fat and ranke that the Dogges would not seaze vpon him, or else they were satiate with the Womans flesh the day before, who was a short fat trubkin. So together with his Mothers bones the next day was this body burned in that place. Her second Sonne became Turke to saue his life; so would his dead Brother, if hee could haue had the fauour. The third Sonne a young youth, their wrath being appeased, they permitted to liue. This was an act of the Spahies in spite of the Great Turkes Mother; for by the hands of this Iew woman shee tooke all her Bribes, and her Sonnes were chiefe Customers of Constantinople; who tooke all the gainefull businesse in∣to their owne hands, doing what they listed. The Mother and Children were worth Millions, [ 50] which all went into the Great Turkes Cofers. After this their Mala Pasqua, for it was at their time of Passeouer, the chiefest Feast of the Iewes.

After this, the Spahies had a great fling at the Head of the Capie Agha, who was the Great Turkes chiefe Seruant and Fauourite, but by meanes partly of the Admirall Sigallogli, alias Sinan Bassa, Vizeir, and fiftie thousand Duckets of money amongst them, they were for that time paci∣fied. But since my comming away it is written mee, that they haue got his Head and the Heads of one two or three more, and forced the Grand Signior to come foorth and see the Execution done. I thinke not good heere as I said before, to note their Crueltie in sundrie sorts of Execu∣tions, yet some I cannot let passe. Their vsuall punishment for Adulterous women, is binding [ 60] in a Sacke and so throw them into the Sea. Seuen I haue seene so vsed one Morning, in the time that the Eunuch Hassan Bassa gouerned Constantinople, when the Great Turke was at the Warres. But for such crueltie and other actions, the c 1.3 Queene Mother got his Head at her Sonnes returne.

The commonest Death for men is Gaunshing; which is, to be stripped into their Linnen bree∣ches, with their hands & feet bound all foure together at their backs, and so drawne vp with a rope by a pullie vpon the Gallowes, and let fall vpon a great Iron hooke fastned to a lower crosse Barre of the Gallowes, most commonly lighting vpon their flanke and so through their thigh, there they hand sometimes talking a day or two together, but if they bee Gaunched through the bel∣ly and backe, then are they dead in two or three houres. Thus they vse their common Theeues at Constantinople. In Cairo and other parts, they doe Stake them, a most cruell Death, yet speedie or lingring as they list to execute. But Hanging by the necke they vse in a fauour to any offen∣der who meriteth Death, yet sometimes cu••ting downe for Degges to eate. They strangle with a Bow-string their Brethren, Bassaes and other Great men. But for their Religious men false Iudges, their Lavv is to path them all to peeces in a stone Morter with woodden Mallets. And [ 10] for their false Witnesses, they are set vpon an Asse, with their faces towards the tayle which they hold in their hands, and the Inwards of a Bu••locke, powred vpon and bound about them, and so ride they through the Citie. And for any found Drunke in the time of their Ramasan (which is a Fast they haue one whole Moone in the yeere) their Law is, to melt a Ladle full of Lead and powre it downe their throats; (Their manner of Fast, is to eate nor drinke any thing, neither Water nor other, vntill they see a Starre appeare in the Euening, and then they may be∣gin and eate till Morning.) Any chiefe Officer belonging to their Artilerie if hee bee a Thiefe, is bound to the mouth of a brasse Piece and so shot into the Sea; thus I saw one vsed d 1.4 at Tophana. And alike in my time, a lamoglaine, found Drunke in their Fast, was vsed as I haue reported. I did see vpon the Gaunch Vssine Bassa, the Traytor that first rose in Asia; but hee for a more cru∣eltie [ 20] had from each shoulder bone a muskell taken out, in presence of the Bench of Vizeirs, the Great Turke also looking out at a Lattice ouer their heads. By reason of that torment he died pre∣sently vpon the Gaunch, being led from the Serraglio halfe a mile or more before hee was put thereon. e 1.5 Not long before that, a Christian Tributarie Prince called Stephano Viuoyda, being deposed of the Great Turke, after hee had enioyed the Princedome a yeere; by malice of some Great men who preuayled with the Grand Signior, was brought to the Gaunch, ledde of the Bu∣stangi Bassi.

This Bustangi Bassi is a man of account about the Turke, and the great, but not the common Ex∣ecutioner (for the Turke imployes him in strangling f 1.6 Vice-royes; throwing by night rebellious Souldiers into the Sea, and such like. Chiefe Gardner is his Office, hauing thousands Iamoglans [ 30] and their Gouernours at his command: hee keepeth the Caiks, and alwayes steereth when the Great Turke goeth vpon the water, whose Caikes are most rich and beautifull to behold, the poope all Iuorie, Ebonie, or Sea-horse teeth, mother of Pearle and Gold, set with all manner of precious Stones. To row him hee hath eightie chosen men, two and two at an Oare, twentie Oares on a side, all in white Shirts and red Caps, coloured Cloath shackshers Breeches, Cordiuan leather coloured shooes, who often in their rowing baike like g 1.7 Dogges; the reason I know not, except it bee when they heare him talke (to the Bustangi Bassi who sits at the rudder) that they dare not hearken to his talke. His Court of Dwarfes and Dumme men, alwayes follow (except the very principall who are with him) in another Caike; and many times also his Women.

Now to the Prince I spoke of; this poore Prince intreated for life at the place of Execution. [ 40] The Bustangi Bassi told him, that if hee would become Turke, hee should see what hee would doe for him. Whereupon hee turned, and vttered to such effect the words h 1.8 being content rather then dye, to bee Turke; which they call Mussulman. Which done, this cruell Dog told him, that hee was glad hee would dye in the right Beliefe, and therefore, whereas hee should haue beene Gaunched, now he shall bee but Hanged by the necke. Whereat the poore soule present∣ly repented, and cryed often and aloud vpon CHRIST, and bad all witnesse that hee dyed a Christian.

Here I leaue them to their cruelty. Now, the fourteenth of May, 1601. I departed from Si∣don, in the ship Mermaid, with my Voyage to Damascus, and the holy Land, and so ouer the highest Mount of Libanus to Tripoly; being iust three moneths. I leaue to bee seene in that [ 50] my discourse: At Tripoly for passage I remayned vntill the sixteenth of Februarie; in which time our people of the Troian passed some trouble in that bad gouerned place. Our men of the ship Troian, were most of them imprisoned in Tripoly Iayle the Castle; and fiue were in great hazard to haue beene executed: for the Emiers people accused them to haue robbed a Caramisall of the Emers, of Sope and other merchandise: but as God would haue it, the Cadie of Tripoly being a Green-head, that is one (a holy man) of the Parentage of Mahomet their Prophet: who came Passenger with me to Sidon (in the Mermaid) from Constantinople, he and his hauing beene well entreated in that Voyage, together with my very often and earnest solicitation, did to his vtmost power fauour our people so effectually, that euery one of them were freed, without fur∣ther [ 60] harme, from those false accusing Moores.

The tenth day, the ship Trogian was cast away vpon the Rockes in the Road of Tripoly by boysterous billowes, that broke her anchors, and should her on the shoare. The sixteenth I departed in the Edward Bonauenture, came to Scandaron the nineteenth; from thence the four∣teenth

of May, 1602. to Limiso in Ciprus, the seuen and twentieth; the one and thirtieth wee parlied with two great Ships Spaniards, and two Frigots; they durst not fight, but said they were of Malta. The seuenth of Iune, we espied seuen Gallies, which we imagined to be Spa∣niards bound for Scandaron: now, we were as high as the seuen Capes the eighth, and met there∣abouts the Samuel. The tenth, wee passed by Rhodes: Scarpanto, the eleuenth: Candia, the twelfth: Cape Sapientia in the Moria, the fiue and twentieth: Stranalia an Iland, the sixth of Iuly: at Zant the eighth wee arriued: from thence the fifth of August in the Cherubin, to Corfu the fourteenth: from thence the sixe and twentieth in Istria: the one and thirtieth Ottrenta: the seuenth of September, Rouina, Pirensa, Citta noua, an old walled Towne at the end of the Gulfe: the eighth of September in Venice. [ 10]

The fifteenth, I departed to Castle Franco, Carpanet, Grenio, Burgo, Riuer Trent, Neus, Ni∣marke, passed Ladise the Riuer, Bulsa••o, Clusa, Sterching, Matara, Churla, Riuer Tine, Mitebant, Ambergam, Sandar, Stadell, Riuer Ligh, Osburgh, alias Augusta, Susmerhausen, Leibham, Olme, Getsingen, Blochenu, Stuchert, Diefen brunt, Almatingen, Ratstat, Litstinhal, Str••sburge, Galsen∣burch, Causman, Blanhenburch, Luncuil, Portadi, Saint Nicolo-Nantes, Tull, Saint Tobin, Barlo∣ducke, Tanbuer, Russemason, Salon, Fonte, Essael, M••••il, Butchier, Fuerti, Sant Giouan, Marne, Meaw, Paris. Dico Paris the nineteenth of October. From Paris to Saint Denis, to Punt••ys, the Riuer Alnais. The twentieth, to Maine, Equie. The one and twentieth, to Roan, to Deepe, the two and twentieth. The three and twentieth, from thence in the Vantgard of the Queenes. The foure and twentieth, to Douer; from thence at eleuen a clocke in the night. In London the [ 20] fiue and twentieth being Monday, at foure a clocke in the after-noone. For all which the Al∣mightie God bee magnified.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Master Henry Lillo, the Ambas∣sadour and my selfe went of pur∣pose and thus did see these two, Mo∣ther and Sonne.
• b 1.2

  He was a goodly Gentleman Iew, some few dayes before, I had shewed him our Ship, and had tal∣ked with him at his Mothers house, and Master Paul Pinder and my selfe, were with his Mother, to whom shee de∣liuered for the Ambassadour, to send the Queene a ••••a••ana, of Ra∣b〈…〉〈…〉s from the Sultana, and ano∣ther of Diamonds from her selfe, with teares in her eyes I well re∣member.
• c 1.3

  The Queene Mother, with the Grand Sultana, and other of the Grand Sig••iors women, walking in their Serraglio, espve•• a number of Boates vpon the Riuer hurry∣ing together. The Queene Mother sent to enquire of the matter; who was told that the Viz••ir did Iustice vpon certaine Chabies, that is Whoores. Shee taking displeasure sent word, and aduised the Eu∣nuch Bassa. that her Sonne had left him to Go∣uerne the Citie, and not to de∣uoure the Wo∣men; comman∣ding him to looke well to the other businesse, and not to meddle any more with the Women, till his Masters returne.
• d 1.4

  Tophana, is their Artillerie yard, where is a great Wharfe to take Boateat, it is be∣tweene R••ph••g••∣mak and G〈…〉〈…〉ta.
• e 1.5

  To see this, Master Like the Ambassad••u••, and my selfe, went purposely and did see him on the Gaunch, being starke dead.
• f 1.6

  Hee strangled Ferrat Bassa, in the seuen Towers, first, after hee had wakened the ••a••∣sa, he shewed a little testimony of his authoritie, then turnes the wrong side of the Carpet vpwards, so the Bassa sayes his Salah, then with a boxe on the care hee asto∣nishes him, and the I••m••glans come in presently and strangle him, the Bustangi Bassi found but sixtie Chequins in his pocket, and so thence departed.
• g 1.7

  I haue often heard them vpon the water, now and then between times, many of them say, Bough, boughw••he, bough, bough, boughw••he, &c. and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pull some few strokes, and ••ut againe.
• h 1.8

  Allah, allah, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 la〈…〉〈…〉, &c. Be••••g a Mu〈…〉〈…〉.