Remarks upon the manners, religion and government of the Turks together with a survey of the seven churches of Asia, as they now lye in their ruines, and a brief description of Constantinople / by Tho. Smith ...

REMARKS upon the MANNERS, RELIGION, and GOVERNMENT of the TURKS.

THE Turks are justly branded with the cha∣racter of a Barbarous Nation;* 1.1 which censure does not relate either to the cruelty and severity of their punishments, which their natural fierceness, not otherwise to be re∣strain'd, renders necessary and essen∣tial to their Government; or to want of Discipline, for that in most things is very exact, and agreeable to the Laws and Rules of Polity, which Custom and Experience hath established as the grand support of their Empire; or to want of ci∣vil Behaviour among themselves, for none can outwardly be more respectful and submissive, especially

to their Superiors, in whose power it is to do them a mischief, the fear of which makes them guilty of most base compliances: But to the into∣lerable Pride and Scorn wherewith they treat all the World besides.

Their Temper and Genius,* 1.2 the Constitution of their Government, and the Principles of their Educa∣tion enclining them to War, where Valour and Merit are sure to be en∣couraged, and have their due re∣ward; They have neither leisure nor inclination to entertain the stu∣dies of Learning or the Civil Arts, which take off the roughness and wildness of nature, and render men more agreeable in their conversati∣on. And though they are forced to commend and admire the ingenuity of the Western Christians, when they see any Mathematical Instrument, curious Pictures, Map, or Sea-Charts, or open the Leaves of any Printed Book, or the like; yet they look upon all this as a curiosity, that not only may be spared, but what ought to be carefully avoided, and kept out of

their Empire, as tending to soften mens minds, and render them less fit for Arms, which they look upon as the best and truest end of life, to enlarge their Greatness and their Conquests.

But it is not so much their want of true and ingenuous Learning, which makes them thus intractable and rude to Strangers,* 1.3 as a rooted and inveterate prejudice against, and hatred of all others who are of a different Religion. It is not to be ex∣pected, that where this principle pre∣vails, and is look'd upon as a piece of Religion and Duty, they who em∣brace it should be guilty of any act of kindness and humanity; except when they are bribed to it with hope of reward and gain, or forced to it by the necessities of state, or wrought upon more powerfully, as it were a∣gainst their wills by the resentments of some favours and kindnesses re∣ceiv'd, which may happen now and then in some of better natures and more generous tempers.

How mean and contemptible thoughts and opinions soever we have of any,* 1.4 yet common huma∣nity obligeth us to restrain and keep them in from breaking out in scur∣rilous and reproachful language, espe∣cially when there is no provocation; but the rude malice of the Turks scorns to submit to these general rules of civility, who are so far from being sensible of the indecency of it, that they triumph and glory in it, as if it were not only an act of bra∣very and gallantry, but a just proof of their zeal, and most becoming and worthy a Musulman.

This hatred they are very care∣ful to instil into their Children from their very infancy,* 1.5 as a most ne∣cessary part of their Education, next to the belief of one God, and of Mahomed his Apostle and Messen∣ger. I must profess, it raised my wonder oftentimes to see little Boys, whose tender age seemed no way ca∣pable of such resentments, upon the sight of Franks (for by that gene∣ral name they most confusedly call

the Western Christians) passing by, to leave their sport and play, and with great vehemency of passion, and with a fury above that of Chil∣dren, exclaim upon them, and not satisfied with this, throw stones at them, with a most strange and seri∣ous concern, upbraiding them with their infidelity, as if they had learn∣ed nothing else from their Parents.

This is the general civility of the Turks,* 1.6 who vouchsafe us no other title when they speak of us in their ordinary discourse, when they seem most calm and mild, when their zeal and malice does not boil over in fu∣ry and madness, then that of Gaour, or Infidel; and to disgrace and de∣ride us the more, they usually pre∣face it with some obscene words, which are now grown a common mode of speech among them, and so frequent in their mouths, that up∣on any the slightest accident that crosseth them, if a stone that lies in their way does offend them, if their Horses are unruly or do but stumble, if their Buffaloes and Asses

trip or stand still, they vent their passion and displeasure in the same beastly language. When their passi∣on swels and rages, and prompts them to shew a higher degree of con∣tempt and hatred of us, then bre Domuz, you Hog, is the word; (the very mention of which adds to their disorder, and gives their blood a new fermentation) ranking us with those impure Creatures, which they ac∣count so execrable, (as if we were e∣qually impure), and from whose sight and touch when they are alive, and no less from the taste of their flesh, they so carefully and religi∣ously abstain. We are not yet ar∣rived at the height of their rudeness and barbarity; this is not the worst reproach and abuse they put upon us; it is not enough they think to compare and rank us with Beasts, unless they pronounce us Devils too; and maintain with great noise and confidence, that we stink in the Nostrils of God Almighty.

In Cities, and places of Trade,* 1.7 where Merchants reside, there is pro∣vision made by capitulations and ar∣ticles, accorded by the Grand Signor to their respective Soveraigns, for the security of their persons and e∣state, which interest alone makes them submit to. For as dull and as heavy as they are, they are mighty sensible of the benefit and advantage they receive by foreign Trade. They themselves not caring to traffick out of their own Empire, either out of a principle of pride, as if there were more of state in it, that all sorts of Merchandises are brought to their doors, without their seeking or fetch∣ing; or of laziness and fear, not willing nor daring to undergo the hazards and fatigues of Sea-voyages; or for want of skill in the art of Na∣vigation, in which they are very blockheads and bunglers, confessing, that God has given both the know∣ledg and command of the waters to the Christians; all which added to the natural dread and aversion they have of the Sea, make them con∣tent

themselves for the most part with the Trade of the Black-Sea, sailing for the most part terra terra, or of Alexandria, the great Scale and Port of Caire, and the other parts of Egypt which lye toward the Mediterranean; though often∣times molested in the one by the Cossacks, who in times of war come down the Borysthenes with their Fleet of Boats, and thence coast all along to the very mouth of the Bos∣phorus, as by the Malteses in the other. And I am induced to believe, by arguments of very great proba∣bility, that if the Trade of Christen∣dom were wholly interrupted by wars, and the Silk-trade particularly diverted and turned out of the Do∣minions of the Turk, either by the way of the Caspian Sea, or which would be more feisible, by lading it at Gombroon, and so joined to the Indian Trade, (both which projects were mightily approved of by Ab∣bas that victorious King of Persia, and great enemy of the Turks), to avert so great a mischief, they would

quickly vail their Turbants, and de∣scend from their high terms, and quit their disdainful and proud thoughts, as if the Christians could not live without their friendship, and submit to more advantageous conditions of peace and commerce.

But notwithstanding these privi∣ledges,* 1.8 and the superaddition of the Law of Nations to that of common nature and humanity, as if their tongues lay not under the restraint of an Edict, and Religion gave them a licence to be rude, they do not abstain oftentimes from reviling Am∣bassadors themselves, as they pass along the Streets, with their Nati∣on and their Retinue to their Audi∣dience, though the Janisaries who are their Guards and in their pay, are concern'd and think fit to dis∣countenance and chastise such an in∣solence.

Here is not indulged the liberty of Christendom,* 1.9 of running up and down the Streets and by-Lanes of Constantinople, and being too curi∣ous; for besides the affronts that

are every-where to be met with, there is danger of being thrust into some private House, and after some days or weeks sent over to Asia, or ship'd for Tartary; and though examples of such violent seizures are but few, yet custom grounded upon such like fears, makes it necessary to have the company and attendance of a Souldier, which is necessary to desend one from the open assaults of Turks, either spirited with Wine and Rackee, or with the zeal they have brought with them from Mecca, (for these religious Pilgrims, who have visited the Tomb of their Pro∣phet, are very fierce) who will draw their Knives and Ponyards;* 1.10 and whatever the design be, whether only to affright, and to shew what they would do, if their Emperor had not forbid it; yet in such a scuffle the accident may prove very dange∣rous and fatal too, and only this way is to be provided against.

Their prejudices lying so deep as not easily to be removed,* 1.11 a Christian who is not a Slave as the Greeks and

Armenians are, who seem to be be∣low their hate and scorn, will be lia∣ble to continual affronts, which he must put up and digest with a pati∣ence becoming his Religion and his prudence, and not seem much con∣cerned, but be deaf rather to the noise and ill language.

However,* 1.12 if curiosity carries one twenty or thirty miles into the Country, the danger is really great and certain, (for it is usual to seize upon straglers, if they meet them in the Fields and Woods separated from their company, where there is such great probability of securing their prey, and of their being undis∣covered), unless he throws off his Christian Habit, and puts himself into that of the Country, and goes armed and well attended. In places where Christians seldom appear, they are had in greater horror and exe∣cration; and if they meet with any civility, it is for the sake of the Ja∣nizaries who accompany them, whom they are afraid to displease; though sometimes the ill humour

will break forth into such obstinacy and peevishness, that the Janiza∣ries themselves shall sare the worse for the Christians, whom they wait upon. I remember, when I was at Sardes, not caring to lodg in the Caravanserai with our Horses, we employed our Janizaries to pro∣cure us a Lodging for a night or two in any Turkish Cottage, which the barbarous people would not give way to, (though they had the assu∣rance of a gratification above what so slight a courtesie could possibly merit) as soon as they understood we were Christians; but rejected the overture with a great deal of indig∣nation and scorn, saying, that they would upon no condition or reward suffer their Houses to be defiled by Infidels.

This opinion they generally bear of Christians;* 1.13 but they entertain a far worse of the Jews; and herein they think they mightily oblige us, and would have it taken not only as an argument of their justice, but of their good will, that they prefer

the Christians, whose valor they have so often experimented to their great cost, before them whom I found by just and frequent observation they esteem as the basest and most con∣temptible people upon the face of the Earth, and as a company of pitiful and low-spirited wretches, who dare do nothing that is gene∣rous and brave, and worthy of men. It is usual with them to say, 'tis mat∣ter of great wonder to them, that the Christians who pretend to so much wit and understanding, should believe the just and great God should give up a Prophet so famous for the holiness of life and miracles as was their Messiah (for this cha∣racter they acknowledg as most due to our B. Saviour) into the hands of so vile a Nation as the Jews, to be crucified; and therefore in com∣pliance with their gross conceptions, which are no way capable of under∣standing the Christian Religion, they imagine, that Christ escaped out of their hands, and was assumed private∣ly into Heaven, and another very like

him in stature and shape, and the other signatures of his body, substi∣tuted in his room, upon whom they executed their utmost malice and fury in putting him to so ignomini∣ous a death. They call them gene∣rally by the name Gephut; which word is corrupted from the Arabick, and though originally it might de∣note nothing but the name of that people, yet now they use it in a most disgraceful and ignominious sense, as if there could not possibly be a greater disgrace or reproach than the bare title of a Jew; tho sometimes for merriment sake, and to shew their scorn, they usually pre∣fix some opprobrious term or other, to make them more contemptible and ridiculous. But when they grow a little more serious, and recollect themselves somewhat, and change their scorn into anger, they will up∣braid them with their obstinacy and insidelity in rejecting and disbelie∣ving the holy Prophets sent by God, and particularly our B. Saviour, whom they place next their false

Prophet Mahomet. The Jews are very obnoxious to the insolencies of the Janizaries, who oftentimes to make themselves merry, throw and kick them to the ground, and pull them by the Noses and by the Ears. Against which they dare not so much as open their lips, for fear the sport should by the least ill word be turn∣ed into fury and madness. And very often, to do them the more disho∣nour, when any Criminal has recei∣ved the sentence of death, they pre∣sently hurry him away, and make the first Jew, rich or poor, they can light upon, walk with the Rope in his hand, tyed about the neck of the other, till they come to the next Tree out of Town, and then hang him. It is a great mistake to think, that the Turks admit them into their Divans, or publick Councils, as if they were privy to any of their de∣signs they have upon Christendom, or valued their information, or thought they could reveal the se∣crets of Government used among the Christian Princes. Their pride

will not suffer them to stoop so low; and the policy of the Jews in such like affairs, is far less than their ma∣lice and ill-will; and their wit and cunning is shew'n and exercised bet∣ter about Merchandise, and Brocage, and Usury, wherein they do great ser∣vice to the Turks, who are pitiful Accomptants; and are employed by them in collecting their Customs, and the making even their accounts, as knowing that their Talent lies this way, and that they are crafty and subtil in making bargains, and understand money matters very well, there being no Basha, or scarce any of fashion, who has a numerous Fa∣mily, but retains a Jew with him or about him, whose only business is to look to the expences of the House, and buy all things necessary, as Cloaths, Provisions, and such like.

Above all they retain an immor∣tal hatred of the Persians,* 1.14 though they are their Brother Mahometans, and pay a like respect and reverence to the Alcoran, and embrace the dotages, and follies, and impostures

of it, with the same concern of zeal. The original and fundamental diffe∣rence is about the Succession, which the Persians contend to belong to Ali, not only in right of his Wife Phatima, who was Daughter of Ma∣homet; and by the last Will of Ma∣homet himself, whose Favourite he was; but also upon the account of his Valour, and other personal ex∣cellencies. Agreeable to this opinion they have of Him and his Title, they exclaim upon Abu Beker, Os∣man, and Omer, who were successive∣ly Chiefs of the new Religion, as meer Usurpers, and as Corrupters of the holy Text; they are one great argument and subject of the raillery of the Persian Poets, who make odd and ridiculous representations of them; whereas the Turks look upon them with all possible veneration, esteem them not only as the orna∣ments, but as the props and sup∣ports of the Musulman faith, and their memories are so sacred among them, that their names are usually inscribed upon the inside of their

greater Moschs, as I have often took notice of. This difference is height∣ned by different interpretations of some ambiguous Texts in their Law, and by the introduction of different Rites and Ceremonies in their Reli∣gious Worship, each fiercely accu∣sing the other of perverting the mind of their Prophet, and of innovation. Their disputes and grudges, and mutual censures and recriminations have some ages since broke out into such quarrels and feuds, that seem no way likely ever to be peiced up and reconciled. If any discourse hap∣pen concerning the Religion of Per∣sia, the zeal wherewith the Turks are presently set on fire, does furnish them with sufficient arguments of reproach. A Persian, they will tell you, is a desertor of the true faith, and an Apostate; an Heretick, who follows his own fancy, and rejects the establisht and ancient Ceremo∣nies of Religion; is altogether im∣pure, as neglectful of those washings, which their Prophet requires as ne∣cessary preparations to prayer; one

who does not know how to say his prayers as he ought, void of all sense of the true Religion; lastly, a very Infidel, kizel bash Gaour, the Infidel with the red head, alluding to the Turbants or Shashes they wind about their heads, which are usually of that colour; whereas the colour the Turks most affect is white, except the kinred and posterity of Mahomet, whose special priviledge alone it is to wear green, a colour they pretend he most delighted in, and used to go in when he was old; his name is writ with that colour in the Alco∣ran.

However this animosity might be∣gin upon a Religious account, yet it is mightily supported by interest, and managed with a great deal of dexterity and cunning by the Turks, who cherish these evil opinions and prejudices in the minds of the peo∣ple and Souldiers, especially against both Christian and Persian, the two extremes of their Empire confining upon their Territories, and so easily either find or take frequent occasion

to quarrel and war with both. By these arts they work upon the minds of the Souldiers to a greater willing∣ness of undergoing the hardships of war. With this politick Engine they thrust them upon any design, though never so unlikely or desperate. For who is so cowardly and faint-heart∣ed, or so much in love with life, as not to venture the loss of it in the cause of Religion, when the true Faith either is in danger, or is to be propagated; when they take up Arms to chastize and punish Here∣ticks and Apostates; when they fight for God, and the advancement of his cause against the profest Enemies of it? This perswasion inspires them with desperate and brutish valour, when they turn their faces upon Christen∣dom; as I shall have occasion to shew hereafter. And the same argument they use as successfully, when reason of State or ambition oblige them to make a War in Asia; a famous in∣stance of which we have in the ta∣king of Bagdat, in the year of Christ 1638, by that warlike Emperor Mo∣rat,

who was present there in per∣son, and not long after died of ex∣cessive drinking of Wine, to the great joy of Poland, which he threatned to invade with his well-disciplin'd Troops, full flesh'd with blood, en∣raged to revenge the affront and dis∣grace of his Brother Osman. For as soon as an expedition into Persia was resolv'd upon, and determin'd in the Seraglio, the Church-men had orders to sound the alarum in their Pulpits, for the better animating and encouraging the Janizaries, who otherwise would have had no very great mind to it. And they perform∣ed their part mighty well by their popular and furious preachments, telling them over and over, that the Persians had made a defection from the true Faith; that they had per∣verted the sense of the Divine Law, by their wicked and false interpre∣tations and glosses; and how highly they would deserve of the great God of Heaven and Earth, of Mahomet his Prophet and Apostle, and of the whole Musulman Religion, if they

would fight stoutly. Every Mosch rung with zealous exhortations to fight for the cause of God, and the Souldiers longed to be at it before the time. And to keep firm their good resolutions, the Mufti, whose sentence and determination they re∣vere as most sacred and binding, and little less than infallible, having or∣ders from Court so to do, sends forth his Brief all the Empire over, (a Copy of which in the original lan∣guage I have laid up in that great Repository of all curious as well as useful and necessary Learning, the most famous Bodleian Library at Oxon) wherein he thunders up∣on the heads of the poor Persians, charging them with Apostacy. He makes them guilty of damnable He∣resies and Errors, which he endea∣vours to shew in several branches and particularities; he solemnly pro∣nounces them accursed of God, and not worthy to live upon Earth, as∣sures them that it is a meritorious work, and what will be rewarded in Paradise, to root them out, and more

meritorious than if they destroyed the Christians; and not contented with this peremptory sentence, as bloody and cruel as it is, but as if it were too mild, he condemns them to the pit of Hell, and very devout∣ly prays God, that there they may serve for Asses, and be condemned to the drudgery of carrying the Jews upon their backs, not being able to wish them a more vile or more disgraceful employment. Thus extreme violent and deadly is their hatred of Sects; and I would to God the false Religion of Mahomet only afforded instances of it.

This contempt and disesteem of all others is the natural result of the over-weening conceit and false valuation they have of themselves;* 1.15 they proudly stile their Port the Refuge of the World; and fancy the glory and majesty of the Roman and Greek Empire to be devolved upon them by a most just right; and that other Princes stand in awe of them, and are no better than Tributaries, and do them homage, because they

judg it their interest to send their Ambassadors and Ministers to reside among them; custom that had its beginning from the too forward com∣pliance and condescension of those who courted the favour of the Grand Signor, this way passing into right, that no Ambassador can in the least assure himself of a civil reception, except he bring his presents along with him, upon his arrival at the Imperial City.

The chief ground of this their arrogance is a mighty confidence and persuasion,* 1.16 that they are the chosen of God, to whom he has re∣vealed his Will and his Law by Ma∣homet the Seal of the Prophets, as they stile him; that they are in the right way which leads to Paradise, while others wander in by-paths of error, and consequently are the only true Believers (for so Musulman sig∣nifies) which is become the general name,* 1.17 by which they distinguish themselves as Mahometans, of such a particular denomination from all other Religions in the world. They

are ashamed of their Scythian origi∣nal; it does not comport with their present grandeur, to look back and remember what poor vagabond lives their Ancestors lead upon Mount Imaus, how they wander'd to and fro with their Goats and Kids, and how not being able or willing to sup∣port their poverty by their labour and industry, they betook themselves to the more gainful trade of spoil and robbery. For the old name of Turk is altogether laid aside and despised by them, as ominous and of an evil sound, as if an alteration of condi∣tion had made them quite another Nation, and they seem desirous to forget it, and therefore never menti∣on it themselves, and take it amiss and are very angry and look upon it as an affront, if any Christian call them by it. Such as depend imme∣diately on the Emperor, and are en∣rolled in his service, and receive his pay, for distinction and for honour assume to themselves the title of Os∣manli, out of respect to the name and memory of Osman, to whose

valour and prudence they owe the first beginning of their Empire; and to shew their duty to the Ottoman Family, whose Slaves they glory themselves to be; but the name of Musulman, which Religion bestows on them, and equally respects all, is that they are most pleased with, and desire chiefly to be known by.

They say,* 1.18 as well as the Jews, we have Abraham to our Father; all the Prophets are theirs, Moses, Samuel, David, and the rest. A Jew thinking to put a trick upon a very zealous but ignorant Turk, who was discoursing upon this argument, told him, that they had one Prophet however peculiar to them, which they could not pretend to or chal∣lenge in the least, naming the Pro∣phet Habakkuk; to which the other could not tell what to reply, having never heard of him, till having re∣course to his Imaum, or Parish-Priest, and understanding from him, that Habakkuk was a good Musulman, he finds him out, and beats him soundly for daring to go about to

rob them of one of their greatest Prophets. In this they triumph and applaud themselves; this is the con∣tinual subject of their most solemn thanksgivings to God, that he has made them Musulmans, in such like form as this, which I have met with, Praised be God who has made us to be of the stock of Abraham, and of the seed of Ishmael, and hath given to us an holy Religion, and a House to which all Strangers resort, and has appointed us to be Judges over men.

In a Religion,* 1.19 which is made up of folly and imposture and gross absur∣dities, which abstracting from the common and fundamental principles and notices of Natural Religion, has nothing in it to recommend it self to the choice and acceptance of any sober and wise man, no subtil, no grave discourses of learning or rea∣son, not so much as an argument, that looks like probable, is to be expected for the defence of it. Their strength lies more in attacking other Religions, than establishing their own.

What they commonly object against the Christian, argues a stupidity on∣ly befitting Turks, as being the re∣sult of a gross fancy, that entertains no other idea's of things than what are derived from material and sen∣sible objects. With their foolish and idle imaginations the great myste∣ries of our Religion can no way suit; concerning which they ask blasphemous and most shameful questions, and they think this a sufficient confutation; though it must be sadly confessed, that for the sake of some novel Doctrines, and especially that of Transubstantia∣tion, which interest and a misappli∣ed zeal and a superstitious fancy have brought into the Church, they loath and abhor the very name of Christianity, for this reason, because they think they cannot be Christi∣ans but upon the hard and impossi∣ble condition of first disbelieving their very senses.

The liberty their Religion allows in gratifying the corrupt inclinati∣ons of nature,* 1.20 is so far from being

a bar and a prejudice to it, that it sets it the more closely upon their minds; the doctrine of it being so agreeable to the example of their Prophet, who was of a hot lustful temper, and pleased himself with variety of women. By this with an equal cunning he both justified his own practice and drew in such great numbers of men, of as bad a tem∣per and complexion as himself, to embrace a Religion so charming and so pleasing to flesh and blood, which proposed the grossest satisfactions of sense in Paradise as the reward of their belief. And least virtue and modesty should make opposition a∣gainst this brutish licentiousness and sensuality, as well as reason and dis∣cretion dislike and find fault with the gross follies of it, he takes his Sword into his hand, and strangely infatuated with Enthusiasm, to which a distemper of body inclin'd him, (for that he first cheated himself, seems to me as plain as a demonstra∣tion) and mistaking the dreams of folly for Divine inspirations, pretends

God having tried several ways, which the obstinacy and wickedness of men had render'd ineffectual,* 1.21 was resol∣ved at last upon this, and bring men over to the true Faith by violence and force of Arms, whom tenderness and mildness could not move and work upon. This was his chief war∣rant (for he pretended but little to Miracles, and those few he is said to do are very idle and frivolous) ta∣king advantage of the distractions of the time he lived in, and of the horrid ignorance of his Countrymen of Arabia, which fitted them for any new impression, when Religion was broken into so many Sects and Parties, and a horrid dissoluteness and corruption of manners had o∣verspread their Empire.

This is the ground of their con∣fidence;* 1.22 the whole stress of their ar∣guments lies in their Scymitars; their Religion, they will tell you, cannot but be true, which has ex∣tended it self so far, and has been blest with so mighty success; that God himself has clearly decided it

in their favour, as being his Cham∣pions, and the propagators of his truth and worship against the Infi∣dels; witness those triumphs and victories they have gained over the Christians, the Empires and King∣doms they have subdued by their all-conquering and irresistible Arms; what are all these, say they, but full and satisfactory proofs and demon∣strations, that Mahomet was sent by God, and that particularly they (Turks) are his true followers, who have so great a share and part of the world; as if the Sophi and Mogul had little or nothing, and that there was no such Empire as that of Chi∣na, and America they hear the Franks talk of lay out of this world; and as if all Christendom, though brancht into so many distinct Mo∣narchies and Governments, was but a little scantling in comparison of their Empire, which by degrees has encreased to that vast bulk, next to the just judgment of Almighty God, by the follies and divisions of Chri∣stians themselves.

Sometime out of an excess of zeal, they will ask a Christian civilly e∣nough, as I have been askt my self in the Portico of Sancta Sophia, why will you not turn Musulman, and be as one of us? The usual answer is, that my Father before me, and my Grandfather before him were Christians, and that I think it best for me to continue in the Religion of my Country, in which I was born and bred.* 1.23 And indeed as they are scarce capable of any other answer, so neither is it safe or prudential to give it. It would be a piece of un∣warrantable zeal and indiscretion (not to call it by a worse name) to upbraid them of their follies to their faces, without the least hope of suc∣cess, and dispute with them in the Streets, and in their Moschs, when such like questions are proposed, a∣bout the purity and truth of the Christian Religion; and supposing that zeal should transport any one so far, that he were knockt in the head in the pursuit of his argument, he would deserve pity, and his cou∣rage

that the fear of death could no way mate, were to be admired; but I question whether he could challenge the glorious title of a Martyr, who without any just occa∣sion, much less necessity, has brought his death upon himself. The case of that poor Christian is vastly diffe∣rent, who having renounced his Faith and his Saviour, being perplexed in conscience for the great sin he had been guilty of, and informed by his Confessor, to whom he had disbur∣thened his grief which lay so heavy on him, that he could no way ex∣piate it, but by publickly professing himself a Christian again, went bold∣ly to the Cadi, and persisting in his new resolution, received the sentence of death with great comfort and sa∣tisfaction.

This shadow of an argument,* 1.24 ad∣ded to the force of education, has such a mighty influence upon their minds, that it stifles all the exer∣tions of reason and natural consci∣ence, and makes them perverse and obstinate, and so secure withall, that

'tis a sin to doubt of the happiness of their condition, as to the other world as well as to this; in justi∣fication of which confidence it is most severely forbid by the Govern∣ment to go about to convert a Mu∣sulman, and the doing of it is ad∣judged a capital crime, without the least hope of favour and mercy.

The Turks indeed knowing how generous the Franks are in order to the sfying of their curiosity, as if Money sprang up in their poc∣kets ready coined, make their super∣stition and their hatred vail to their covetousness, and will admit them into their very Churches; though sometimes I have met with a repulse at Sancta Sophia, where I used to go often to please my self with the sight of that glorious Structure; they telling us, the Caymacam, who had taken frequent notice of the re∣sort of Christians, had sent orders to keep them out, which they durst not but comply with, for a time at least.

Being at Prusia in Bithynia, the

Imperial City before they crost the Hellespont and took Adrianople, we procured a Priest to let us into a Mosch, which had been formerly a Christian Church, hard by which is the Tomb of the Emperor Vrcha∣nes, who took the City. After we had viewed it, we presented the old man, who was waiting at the door, with about half a Dollar, who per∣chance exspecting but a few Aspers, was so surprized with it, that to shew his sense of the unexspected civility, with great earnestness and devotion, lifting up his eyes to Heaven, he prayed God in his good time to make us Musulmans.

This is the only way of taming their fierceness,* 1.25 by presenting them money, and bribing them with gifts to be civil; and so long as this plea∣sant force is upon them, they will pretend great kindness; but if they do not depend upon you, or if you withdraw your hand, they return to their natural rudeness and hatred with greater violence, which hope of gain and some present advantage

had restrained; for to be kind to Christians is against the very prin∣ciples of their Religion. Here and there may be a few, whom a sense of gratitude for received kindnesses, and a freer conversation with Chri∣stians, by reason of commerce, have soft'ned out into better manners.

As I and my Companion were walk∣ing in the Streets of Bursia,* 1.26 as they now call it, to see what remains of Antiquity we could meet with, a Gentleman-Turk (for so he shewed himself) guessing by our complexi∣ons, that there was something of Christian under our Turkish Clothes, asked our Janizaries, if we were not Franks. They readily confessed it, and upon further demand of what Country of Phrenkistan or Christendom, knowing that we were English, he invites us to his House; which civility as we were unwilling to accept, so did we not know how to refuse; but after a little consul∣tation with our two Janizaries, who were very forward for it, we went with him. Upon our first coming

in, he bids us heartily welcome, and exprest such respect and kindness, as fear of being taken notice of did not permit him to shew in the publick Streets. He entertained us with Coffee and Sherbet and Sweet-meats, according to the custom of the Country; our wonder at this un∣usual and extraordinary treatment was the more heightned, when we understood that he had been a Haggi, or Pilgrim, and had visited Maho∣mets Birth-place at Medinat Alnabi, the City of the Prophet, and Sepul∣cher at Mecca (from which places they use to bring back greater mea∣sures of zeal and fury against the Christians). But to satisfie us, he told us, that he had formerly re∣ceived very great kindnesses from an English Merchant at Smyrna, and that he was resohttp://www.thecatseyes.com / show.asp?showid=2460ved for his sake to be civil to his Countrymen where∣ever he met them. Not content with this, he would scarce give us leave to depart, proffered us the use of his House, while we stayed in 〈◊〉〈◊〉; and upon our refusal, took a solemn

farewell of us, and sent one of his Slaves to attend upon us to the Se∣raglio, which we had a great mind to look into. One may travel from the Danube to Euphrates, and per∣chance not meet with the like in∣stance of generous civility.

They observe most strictly the Rite of Circumcision,* 1.27 as the Seal of the Covenant, which God made with Abraham and Ismael, which gives them a right and title to all the pri∣viledges of the Musulman Faith. This Sacrament the Impostor Mahomet thought fit to receive, as well in compliance with the Jews, as with the custom of his Country and ma∣ny other Nations in the East, who were punctual in the observation of it, out of a strict adherence to the traditions of their Fathers, and the usage of ancient times, without any remembrance of the true ground of its orignal institution. They do not circumcise Children in their infancy, much less think themselves obliged to the eighth day; no Canon tyes them to a set time, but they are left

wholly to their liberty, and to con∣sult their convenience, so it be not defer'd beyond the thirteenth year, which is the utmost limit, (that is, if they be not deprived of an op∣portunity of doing it for want of a skilful hand) in memory of the Cir∣cumcision of Ismael, which as they alledg agreeably to the holy Scrip∣tures, was done when he was at that age. Till which time the Boys wear their Hair long, but made up into curled knots hanging over their Shoulders. The Ceremony is per∣form'd with great noise and tumult, which with them are the only ex∣pressions of their festival joy and mirth; all their solemnities being disorderly and rude, and without any decorum or discretion to ma∣nage them. The whole day is spent in entertaining their Relations and Neighbours, who are to be witnesses of the operation; for at this time they think they may fairly and law∣fully lay aside their gravity, and wholly give themselves up to mer∣riment. But as soon as Evening-prayers

are over, they prepare sor the business, which is committed to the care of a Chirurgeon, or Barber, or any other who has an easie and dextrous hand. In the mean while the Boy is brought in by his Father and Kinred, in his new Vest and Turbant, whom they flatter and ca∣ress to divert him from melancholy and fear, and to prevent him from fainting before he feels the sharpness of the Rasor; telling him, that in a few minutes he will be enrolled among the followers of Mahomet, and be made capable of the favour of God and the joys of Paradise. Sometimes they cast the Boy into a sleep with an Opiat potion, when they think he has not courage e∣nough to endure it; or do it by a surprize, before he is aware, having first prepared all things in order to it, and then making as if it were to be deferred till the next day, quick∣ly return and finish the intended work. Yet notwithstanding the great stir they have made in the day-time, and that by this they are initiated

into their Religion, they do not use to have any solemn prayers at it; only the Operator in the very act cries out, Bismillah, in the name of God, three times, the Musick play∣ing to drown the noise and howling of the young Turk, bleeding under his wound. At the Circumcision of the Son of the Grand Signor, or any other considerable Bassa or Officer, for the greater pomp and solemnity, and for example sake to encourage him to endure what they have un∣dergone before him, several others are circumcised at the same time; between whom upon the account of this Religious solemnity, there is contracted such a dearness and friendship, beyond all tyes of natu∣ral relation, that it is only dissolved by death, and ever after they call themselves by the title of Sunnet∣dash, or Associate of Circumcision, which they value above that of Bro∣ther. In the night they repeat often the same rude mirth, as they had in the day. Those Villains who out of desperation or a desire of living

in all bestial sensuality, turn Rene∣gados, are compelled to be cut. They first appear before the Cady or Justice, and acquaint him with the design of becoming a Musulman, and desire to be admitted to the fa∣vour and priviledg. Immediately he commands their heads to be shaven, and the matter being usually known before, Clothes and Turbants are provided and freely bestowed upon their Proselytes; and sometime upon his first coming out in his Musul∣mans Habit, they set him upon a Horse, and carry him in triumph through the Streets of the Christi∣ans, with a Lance or Dart in his hand, to signifie they are ready to fight for and defend the Religion they have newly taken up, with the utmost hazard of their lives. Some few, perchance out of a natural hor∣ror of pain (I intend it only of the Apostate Christians, for the natu∣ral-born Turks never omit it) have by several artifices and wiles eluded the sentence of the Law, and remain uncircumcised, and abhor this invi∣sible

sign of a Mahometan; and old men especially, to whom this wound might prove deadly and fatal; but then they must keep it mighty pri∣vate and secret, lest it come to the Cady's ear, whom they must other∣wise bribe, or else be forced to sub∣mit to this piece of religious seve∣rity.

It was one of the great policies of Mahomet,* 1.28 that he might the bet∣ter establish the fancies that were to be the peculiar characters of his Religion, to press upon his follow∣ers the frequent practice of those great duties of Nature, which refer to the worship and service of God, as if in this they were to out-do both Christians and Jews. For they are obliged to make their solemn pray∣ers five times a day, at set hours; which vary according to the diffe∣rent seasons of the year. They do not divide the natural day into so many equal portions, as not under∣standing the use of Aequinoctial hours, or the benefit of Sun Dials, to measure and adjust their time;

but only have regard to the rising and setting of the Sun, and its lon∣ger or shorter stay above the Hori∣zon; though of later years they are mightily taken with the inven∣tion of Watches, there being scarce a Turk in Constantinople of any fashi∣on, but is master of one, and be∣sides has a striking Clock in his House; a considerable number of Artizans of the French Nation reap∣ing good advantage from this their curiosity. The times are at Sun∣rising, Noon, the Middle-time be∣tween Noon and Sun set, Sun-set, and an hour and half in the Night; only upon Friday, which they call Giumahgun,* 1.29 or the day of their Re∣ligious Convention, they add to their devotion, and go to Church about the middle of the Forenoon; at which time the more devout shut up their Shops, but afterwards re∣turn to their trade and business. This being the only distinction and solemnity of the day, and no other reverence paid it. Otherwise there is the same noise in the Streets and

Markets, the same chaffering of wares, their Magazines as much frequented, and no difference as to the neatness and fineness of their Habit; they thinking they have done enough, if they step to the Mosch at that pe∣culiar time for a quarter of an hour. In the time of Ramazan, which is the most solemn time of the whole year, wherein they pretend to most devotion, and wherein the most care∣less will endeavour to expiate the miscarriages of the year past, some will rise two hours before day to praise the name of God in a set form, this being a holy month, devoted to fasting and the more strict exercises of Religion. In the greatest Moschs on Friday in the Afternoon, such of the Priests as have acquired the fame of Learning and Eloquence, enlarge∣ing upon some words of the Alco∣ran, entertain the people with ha∣rangues in their way, with a great deal of noise and seeming zeal, tend∣ing to the advance of Piety, Justice, Charity, and the other vertues of conversation and society. But this

is extraordinary, which they are not bound to, their part being to read several Surats or Chapters of the Alcoran, and recite the prescribed office of Prayer: A little stock of Learning serving to qualifie them for this function.

Before they make their prayers,* 1.30 whether publickly in their Moschs, or privately in their Houses, they are very solicitous to wash them∣selves, as thinking, that without this previous lustration God will be deaf to their requests, and that all their devotion will be ineffectual and to no purpose. This being so necessa∣ry a qualification of prayer, that they might not be destitute of con∣veniencies, and so be forced to omit their devotion for want of due pre∣paration this way, besides the vast number of them every-where in their Streets, there are Conduits and Foun∣tains with great variety of Cocks adjoining to the greater Moschs for this purpose. It is not enough to wash themselves, except they do it after a particular manner, which

though difficult in it self, yet custom and use have rendred so easie and familiar to them, that they do it without delay and without error; the manner is this, as I made a Turk, whom I had oblig'd, shew me parti∣cularly in my Chamber. Tucking up their Vests and short Sleeves a∣bove their Elbows, they take up as much water as they can hold in the hollow of their hands, which they wash thrice, and then putting their forefinger inro the left side of their mouth, and their Thumb into the right, wash that three times also. Snuffling up water with their No∣strils, they gently stroke their Face from the Forehead to the Chin, and back again; next their Arms to the bending; taking off their Turbant they rub with the inside of their Hand the forepart of their Head, from the Crown to the Forehead, put∣ting their fore and middle Finger into the cavities of their Ears, and their Thumbs behind, washing their Necks with three Fingers of both Hands reversed. Their publick Bagnos or

Baths usually are built very hand∣som and stately; all great men have them in their Houses for their own use, and the uses of their Women, being frequented not only for health and cleanliness, but for Religion in several particular cases, in which they are obliged to cleanse other parts of the Body, not to be named, which yet I have seen them do at an open Fountain in the Streets. This ceremony, be their occasions never so great and urgent, they cannot omit without great scandal and guilt. Before which purgation they look upon themselves as unfit not only to go to Church, but to converse or to be conversed with. But how shall such as travel in the Desarts of A∣rabia or Libya comply with this fundamental Article of Mahometism, where they cannot be profuse with the provisions of water they carry with them for the necessities of life, where they meet with no Springs to supply themselves? Are they wholly freed from the obligation of pray∣er? No. The subtle Impostor has

herein provided a remedy against this contingence; in case of the faileur of water, Sand or Ashes or a Morter-clod crumbled into dust shall do as well, and shall convey the same cleansing virtue, as much as if they had made use of the clearest Fountain-water. They use cold wa∣ter, except in case of sickness and weakness, when they are indulged to warm it, for fear otherwise the cold should strike into their bodies and encrease their malady. But see the madness and folly of their super∣stition! by the sprinkling of a few drops of cold water, they think their minds are as much purified as their bodies, and that this is a sufficient purgation from the defilements of sin, and a most effectual remedy a∣gainst brutality, and the most hor∣rid impieties they can possibly be guilty of.

To put them in mind the better of these duties of Religion,* 1.31 that nei∣ther pleasure nor business may di∣vert their thoughts, the Priests or their Servants give notice to the

people publickly of the approach∣ing times of prayer. And for their better accommodation, about the Menar or Pyramid raised from the ground adjoining to the Mosch, is built a Gallery, to which there is an ascent by a winding pair of Stairs, the door whereof always looks to∣wards Mecca. Here walking round and straining their voices in a kind of singing tone, which they lengthen out, they invite them in a peculiar form of words, which is common to all, and from which they do not depart a tittle, to come and make their prayers; and by this way they supply the want of Bells, which they neither use themselves, nor permit the poor Greeks. It is scarce cre∣dible how this noise, by reason of this advantage of heigth, in a clear evening may be distinctly heard. The words are exactly these; God is great, God is great; there is no God but God, there is no God but God; I confess that Mahomet is the Messenger of God, I confess that Mahomet is the Messenger of God;

come to prayers, come to prayers; come to worship, come to worship; God is great, God is great; there is no God but God. In the morning sometimes they remind them, that prayer is better than sleep, and bid them repeat the Phatiha or first Chapter of the Alcoran, which they use as frequently as we do the Lords Prayer. In the Royal Moschs, where there are usually four Pyramids, (only that of Achmet, the Grand-Father of the present Emperor, in the Atmidan or Hippodrome in Con∣stantinople having six) this procla∣mation is made with greater solem∣nity by several Priests jointly at the same time, but without the least va∣riation of words, and agreeable to the same number of repetitions.

Their prayers are in the Arabick language,* 1.32 the language of Mahomet and his Alcoran, which by reason of their daily use are easily under∣stood by the people; to which also the frequent mixture of Arabick words in the Turkish does not a lit∣tle conduce. The matter of them is

generally pious, and what might not misbecome those who worship the true God; but that they are de∣fective; except where they reflect most impiously upon the most sacred and venerable mysteries of the Reli∣gion of Jesus, by making a depre∣catory appeal to God, with a far be it from thee, O Lord, what the Christians impute to thee; meaning, that thou hast a Son. These prayers, as several other parts of their wor∣ship, have for their foundation not only the Alcoran, in which, as they speak, are contained the commands of God, but the practice and exam∣ple of Mahomet derived down to them by tradition, which they call Sunna. By which pretence they have introduced several customs, though in matters of less moment, of which there is not the least intimation in the Book of their Law; and the people, out of a blind reverence and ignorant zeal, esteem them to have the same authority and to be equal∣ly binding. They direct their pray∣ers only to God Almighty, acknow∣ledging

his infinite power, soveraign∣ty, and right over Angels and Men and Devils, and the whole compre∣hension of all other Beings. They put up no prayers to Mahomet, nor do they bow their knees, as ever I could observe, as some write, at the mention of his name, it being one of their principles, that God is only to be adored and worshipped, which makes them so severe upon us, ar∣raigning us of Idolatry for worship∣ping Christ, who is God blessed for ever; Arianism, which Maho∣met learned of the Monk Sergius, being one main ingredient of their Religion. In what a fair way are a great number of false Christians (especially inferior persons, who are taught to renounce the Lord God their Saviour, who bought them) in Poland and elsewhere, to become Mahometans, if the Grand Signor should enlarge his conquests among them, which God avert for the good of Christendom! Only as to what concerns Mahomet, they wish God would be propitious to him and his

Family, that peace and mercy and the benediction of God may be upon him; which civility of expression Mahomet himself uses in the Alco∣ran toward the holy Patriarchs and Prophets and our B. Saviour, in imi∣tation of whom their writers take up the same form, joining the name of the blessed Virgin to his, as Isa the Son of Miriam, on whom be peace. They do Mahomet no other honour in their offices of Prayer, besides frequent acknowledgments of his mission from God as his Apo∣stle and Messenger.

There is a great semblance of de∣votion in their Churches.* 1.33 This is the only representation that can be made of them to their advantage. Take them in their Streets and Houses, they are rude and fierce and ill-natur'd; but their modesty here triumphs over their fierceness of temper, and a sence of Religion influ∣ences their behaviour, and makes it extraordinary humble and reverent. I happen'd to be present at Evening-prayer in the time of Ramazan in

the new Mosch built by the Mother of this Emperor, where might be an Assembly of no less than two or three thousand. Lifting up the Antiport, and advancing a little forward, I could not perceive the least noise; no coughing or spitting, no disor∣derly running up and down, no ga∣zing one upon another, no enter∣tainments of discourse, nothing of irreverence or heedlesness, as if they had forgot the business they came about; but all were mighty intent and serious, and listening with great diligence to the Priest, or busie at their private prayers, with that pro∣found silence, as if it had been not only a sin, but a crime that drew after it bodily punishment to be in∣flicted immediately, to misbehave themselves whether in discourse or gesture in that place.

When they make their prayers,* 1.34 they turn their faces toward that de∣termined point of the Heavens, un∣der which Mecca is placed, as the Christians do to the East, & the Jews to Jerusalem, in what Climate or po∣sition

of Sphere soever they are; standing almost erect, only that their heads do encline somewhat forward; their eyes being fixt up∣on the ground, and their hands close to the breast, almost in the fi∣gure of a Cross, without any the least motion, as if they were in an extasie. But soon after, upon the re∣peating of some words, they at set intervals incline their heads, and bend their bodies, and prostrate themselves upon the pavement, co∣ver'd with Carpets or Maps of Grand Cairo, several times together; then sitting cross-leg'd, their hands placed upon their knees, but not ex∣actly in the same easie posture as in their houses, but as it were some∣what higher, and upon their right heel. They often pass from one ge∣sture to another, and make often in∣terchanges, which tradition and cu∣stom have made necessary in order to the right performance of this du∣ty. Besides, they have a trick to move their heads several times from one shoulder to another, as if they

shewed the expectation they have of the coming of Mahomet, who pro∣mised to appear at the last day at the time of prayer; or else (which is the reason Albert Bobowski, a learned Polonian, who had been kept in the Seraglio full nineteen years, and a person well-skill'd in all the Rites of the Mahometan worship, gave me upon enquiry) to shew respect to their Angel-keepers, whom they foolishly believe at that time to sit upon their shoulders. They make use of Chaplets of Beads, upon which they number their short prayers, such as Sabhan Allah, bles∣sed be God; Allah Ekber, God is great; Alhemdo lillah, praise be gi∣ven to God; Bismilla, in the name of God; which they will repeat sometimes a hundred times, as they will likewise the several names of God, with great noise and fervency. We heard in Sancta Sophia six or seven Priests crying out several times till they were even hoarse again, We believe, we believe; as if they thought God Almighty had been to

be wrought upon by such loud and vain repetitions.

In making bows and prostrati∣ons,* 1.35 which they look upon as ne∣cessary appendages of prayer, their devotion does chiesly consist; to omit them is very scandalous, there being not a greater disgrace and re∣proach among themselves than to be accounted Binamaz, one who does not say his prayers. It is enough however they do it in their Houses, so they do not neglect the Mosch too much, and especially in their Month of Fast; but the Janizaries parti∣cularly, who by the obligation of their Order fight for the propaga∣tion and advancement of the joint-interest of Religion and the Empire, think this their zeal and readiness enough to excuse them from going thither too often, and dispense with themselves for not going above once or twice in a year, except such as live in the two Oda's, or publick Chambers in Constantinople design'd for their Lodgings, adjoining to which is a Mosch peculiar to them.

But some on the other side, who would be taken for Saints, are as extravagant in the excess, as the Ja∣nizaries are usually neglectful: For at the times of Prayer they will dismount from their Horses,* 1.36 leave their shooting and hunting, spread their Handkerchiefs in the open streets, as well as in the Fields and Woods or Sea-shore; as I have known them do, when crossing the Propon∣tis we were forced by violence of weather, to make into a Cove be∣tween two Rocks, where I found se∣veral Boats of Turks got thither be∣fore me, being the only Frank in the company. After their prayers, they fell to drinking of Coffee, and ob∣serving that I was wet and cold and indisposed, by reason of the ill-wea∣ther, they bid one of their Slaves give that Infidel who was in the Cleft of the Rock, where I had shelter'd my self against the wind, a Dish of Coffee, which was very welcome, not daring to offend them by ma∣king use of the Wine I had laid in the Boat to serve me during

my Voyage to Constantinople.

In some this devotion certainly flows from a principle of conscience,* 1.37 and is very hearty and sincere, as both justice and charity oblige us to believe; but it would be as great folly and weakness not to censure others of gross and ridiculous folly and dissimulation, as this follow∣ing instance will fully demonstrate: My Lord Ambassador one day enter∣tain'd at Dinner one Husain Aga, who had formerly been Customer at Smyrna, and at that time one of the great men of Constantinople, by reason of the relation that his Father-in-Law had to the Vizir then in Candia, but as very a Turk as is in the whole Empire, together with five other Hogs fatning up for the slaugh∣ter. They drank mighty freely of Wine and Strong-water, which had been distilled in Christendom, for the sake of which they chiefly came; though they would jestingly at Ta∣ble check themselves for daring to transgress the Law of their Pro∣phet: But being once in, they drank

on, a drop of each defiling them as much as the greatest load they could stand under. But however, to shew that for all this extravagance they were Musulmans, as soon as they heard the Priest from the Spire of a neighbouring Mosch at Ikindi, that is, the middle-time between mid-day and Sun-set, call to prayers, they desired a Carpet might be spread in the Court-yard upon the ground, where they went very devoutly to their prayers, and left us to wonder at their stupid and irreligious hypo∣crisie. This is no very rare or un∣usual thing among them, it being what I have seen also practised be∣fore a great number of Christians in other places.

The Fast,* 1.38 which every year is ob∣served in the month of Ramazan, is another great fundamental of the Mahometan Religion. Which though it be fix'd as to the month, yet be∣cause the years they make use of in their Religious and Civil accompts are Lunary, without any intercala∣tion to adjust the different periods of

the motions of the Sun and Moon, there is an anticipation made every year of eleven days, and by conse∣quent it does not return to the same beginning, till after a Circle of thir∣ty three years has expired. In de∣termining the beginnings of months, not troubling themselves with the nice calculations of Astronomy, they only respect the Phasis of the Moon, not in the least its Conjunction; and accordingly, as it must needs often happen, they begin the month one day sooner or later, as the Moon appears. Sometimes they have cau∣sed their Lamps at their Moschs in Constantinople, which is the usual signal in this month, to be lighted at midnight, as soon as it has been attested by credible Witnesses, who either have had better eyes or a clearer Horizon, that they have seen the Moon that night. But however to prevent confusion, in rainy and cloudy weather, after a days ex∣pectation and forbearance, they be∣gin it the next, when the thickness and haziness of the Sky hinder it

from appearing. Generally upon the sight of the New-Moon they bow their bodies, gently stroking their faces and beards, and put up prayers to God. During this month, as long as the Sun continues above the Horizon, a total abstinence from all manner of sustenance is injoined; in the very heat of Summer, when the length of the days adds to the trouble and irksomeness of it, they dare not so much as put one drop of water into their mouths; and indeed herein their strength and their patience are both equally to be admired; such restraints a fear of violating this severe Law of their Prophet lays upon their very natures, that a natural Turk, though at other times brutish enough, and apt to indulge his appetite, will choose ra∣ther to perish with thirst, and faint away by reason of an empty sto∣mach, than commit such a great sin, though in private and out of the sight of the world. Their con∣stancy or rather obstinacy have been so great, that their Histories relate,

that the Janizaries themselves, who in several other matters do not use to be over scrupulous, when they have been in the Field and prepa∣ring to engage their enemies, have abhorred the very thought of eat∣ing and drinking in Ramazan time, till they have been dispensed with by the Mufti, assuring them by his in∣fallible authority, that it is more ac∣ceptable to God, to defend his Re∣ligion against the enemies of it, than to observe its precepts to the prejudice of it, in weakning them∣selves by such excessive and immo∣derate fasting; and the Emperors own example has prevailed with them above the necessities of na∣ture. The Renegadoes perchance, who have embraced Mahometism, that they may wallow the more se∣curely in all manner of sensuality and lust (for no one can be suppo∣sed so sottish, or void of reason and common sence, as to embrace it up∣on conviction, as if he had found by strength of argument, that it was true, and upon that account ought

to be embraced) do not use this se∣verity upon themselves; but then their great care is, that they be not discovered. For though it be not a capital crime, yet the irreligious cri∣minal, if convicted before the Cady, is oftentimes drub'd, and by way of expiation and penance, is to fast a considerable number of days. To prevent the scandal and the punish∣ment of it, they durst not so much as enter into a Cabaret (when the Greeks were allowed to sell Wine) which would have been a double crime, remembring the sad fate of him, who being got drunk in the Ramazan time, had hot melted Lead poured down his Throat and into his Ears by Nassuf, who was chief Vizir under Achmet, who judged his bad example merited this severity: though some, out of their excessive love to it, will ven∣ture to drink in Christians Houses, where they may be free and can have it. Their luxury, instead of being repressed by this total absti∣nence, is the rather heightned and

inflamed; for as soon as the Sun is set, and their Lamps flame round about the Towers of their Moschs, which they place in several figures, as of a Gally, and the like, which make a very diverting shew; and that prayers are ended, from which none who are well are to be absent, who have any care of their reputa∣tion, they play the gluttons more solemnly, and spend the whole night in entertainments and revellings. They pass over the day with a great deal of weariness and drowsiness, wishing and yawning till the Even∣ing-Star appears; but in the night they enjoy themselves doubly for their forced abstinence and for∣bearance; which is therefore the more shameful and ridiculous, be∣cause it is but an introduction to riot.* 1.39 Sick persons and Travellers are dispensed with, but upon this con∣dition, that when they have regain∣ed their health, or have finished their voyages, they fast so many days in another month, till they have filled up the number. Some

out of a foolish opinion of merit, begin their Fast in the month prece∣ding, but which is always to be con∣cluded with the last day of Rama∣zan, and never to be extended be∣yond this limit. No Children are tyed to this hard Law, though some∣times they make Boys of five or six years of age, that they may learn to accustom themselves, fast two or three days together, after some lit∣tle intermissions. This month was consecrated by Mahomet to this so∣lemnity, because in it he pretended to receive the Alcoran from Heaven. In this they all pretend to a greater devotion than ordinary; and he who at other times scarce cared to go to Church, thinks now to redeem his former neglects by his greater diligence and frequency. The last day of it is devoted to the memory of their dead Friends and Relations, whose Graves marked with red Oker they usually visit, and put up their prayers and suffrages for their Souls, that it may be well with them; with which ceremony they end the

day and the Fast together.

The following Moon begins the Feast of the great Bairam,* 1.40 which is a time of great mirth and joy, lasting only for three days. In the morning of the first of which the great Guns are discharged, and Drums beat. There is nothing but joy and triumph in the Streets. They seem to be quite another sort of men than they are all the year besides, diverting themselves in the open Streets with Musick and Dan∣cing, making invitations and enter∣tainments at their Houses, and send∣ing presents to their Friends. A great number of Sheep are killed too up∣on the first day of this Festival;* 1.41 which they call Kurban, or the Of∣fering, hereby thinking that God will become propitious and favou∣rable to them, this being no obscure Relique of the Mosaical Worship, (Mahomet borrowing something out of the Religions then most in vogue, when he first started up a Prophet) and is questionless looked upon by them in the nature of an expiatory

Sacrifice, which they use at other times upon solemn occasions. As Solyman, when he enter'd Buda 1541, sacrificed in the great Church dedicated to the V. Mary, turned into a Mosch; and so at Strigoni∣um two years after, in 1543; As Selim his Father did at Jerusa∣lem, for good success in his expe∣dition into Egypt. Every man is his own Priest, and may slay his Sheep at his own House. They distribute the several parts of it a∣mong the poor, reserving nothing in the least to their own uses, which will take off from the merit of the Sacrifice; which also ceases and is rendred ineffectual, if these Victims be purchased with money, got dis∣honestly either by fraud or violence. I have been assured of a Turk, who was so scrupulous this way, that in∣stead of satisfying for the injustice he had been guilty of, and restoring what he was wrongfully possessed of, only desired an English Merchant to change such a number of Dollars for others of the same species, fancy∣ing

those that were got honestly in the way of industry and Mer∣chandise would thrive better with him than those he parted with, as if the money only were in fault, and drew a curse after it, which he fan∣cied thus easily avoided by an ex∣change. The Sheep thus sacrificed, they fancy enter into Paradise, and there graze all along the flow'ry Meadows upon the Banks of Rivers flowing with Milk and Ho∣ney.

Seventy days after is the Feast of little Bairam,* 1.42 which is not ob∣served with half the pomp and noise as the former.* 1.43

In the intervening space the Pil∣grims prepare from the farthest quar∣ters of the Empire for their journey to wards Mecca, that they may enter that City in procession the first day of this Feast. In this pilgrimage all perswasi∣ns of Mahometans agree, the obliga∣tion lying upon all indifferently to perform it, once at least in their lives. The concourse of Pilgrims is extra∣ordinary great; and for the greater

pomp and shew, and for better se∣curity and conveniency of travel, there are places assigned confining upon the respective Countries whence they usually come, where they meet first either alone or in dispersed com∣panies; such is Damascus for those of Europe and the lesser Asia; Cairo for the Inhabitants of Africa; Zi∣bet, a City in Arabia Felix, for the people of Arabia and the Islands of the Indian Ocean; and Bagdat for the Persians, Vsbeck Tartars, and the Subjects of the Mogul. But this obligation and command is dispen∣sable in several cases. If they are employed in the necessary service of the Emperor, either about his per∣son, or in the Wars, or in the Go∣vernment of any Province. If they be sickly, and so their health like to be endangered by long travel; if they are poor, and have not where∣withall to maintain their Families in their absence, or cannot furnish themselves with necessaries for the Voyage, and the like; so that it is in a manner wholly left to their li∣berty

and choice, and is to be mea∣sured and directed by their conve∣nience and interest. Yet notwith∣standing there is so much of merit in it, and such reputation gained, every one thinking himself, as the more holy, so the more fortunate, as if they had gone to take possession and secure themselves of a particu∣lar place in Paradise, that several thousands flock there continually every year, and in their numbers at least out-do the Christians, who live among them, whose zeal and devo∣tion carry them to visit the holy Se∣pulchre of Jesus in Jerusalem at the time of Easter. The ceremonies are too many and too idle to be put down here minutely and in detail; the chiefest and most remarkable are these which follow, as they were communicated to me by a curious and learned Renegado: They all af∣terward meet on the Mountain Are∣phat, not far from Mecca, and are there at the farthest by the ninth day of the month Dulhaggi, where they sacrifice, and put on their holy

Covering or Blanket, of which pre∣sently.

The Haggiler or Pilgrims put on a white woollen Coat, and hang a∣bout their necks a white Stole, all their other Clothes being cast off, pairing their Nails, cutting their Mustachios and Beards, and shaving their Pubes, Head, and Body, or washing their Body, at least their Head, Feet, and Hands, and after perfume themselves and say their prayers. By this they become Mu∣harrem or devoted, and are obliged to abstain from all obscenity of language and strife, even from hunt∣ing and looking after game, & do not dare so much as to kill a Louse, or put on their other Clothes, Tur∣bants, or Caps. Yet they may go to a Bagno or House for shade, or into a Bed.

Upon their entring Mecca, they go strait to the first Mosch, and then to the Black Stone, which they foolishly imagine the Patriarch A∣braham used to step upon to mount his Camel, and say their prayers

there, and kiss it and rub their Chap∣lets of Beades upon it. The whose remaining Ceremony consists in sa∣crificing Sheep, in processions about the wall of the Sepulchre of Maho∣met, and to the neighbouring Moun∣tain, and to the Rock, in which as they pretend with the like certain∣ty, are still to be seen the footsteps of that Patriarch.* 1.44 Several in their return, to make their pilgrimage compleat and more meritorious, vi∣sit Jerusalem, for which they pre∣serve a great veneration; the ordi∣nary name whereby it is known and called in their discourse, being Kuds, or the Sanctuary, or the holy City; to which they add the additional titles of Sherif and Mubarek, or the noble and blessed holy City. Here they come to worship and say their prayers in the Mosch, which is built upon the top of Mount Zion, in the very place where Solomons Temple stood, once the Mountain of Gods holiness, and the joy of the whole Earth, and still beautiful for its situation. This like the Chap∣pel

at Mecca, they esteem so holy, that it is only lawful for a Musul∣man to enter into it. If a Christian or Jew should but lift up the Anti∣port, and set one step into it, he pro∣faned it, and indeed the penalty of such a curiosity would be, as they give out, no less than death, or at least they would force them upon a necessi∣ty of redeeming their life with the loss and change of their Religion. Yet some Greeks have been so curious, who have spoke Turkish admirably well, and known all the Rites and Customs used in their Worship, as to put on a Turbant and dissemble their Religion, and enter boldly therein, who report upon the best survey and observation they could make, they could see nothing extra∣ordinary or differing from what was in their other Churches. So that it seems nothing but the holiness of the ground in which it stands, de∣rives upon it this great lustre and veneration, and makes the Turks so cautious and superstitious how they admit strangers.

All upon their return are mighty zealous in the observations of the least punctilio's of the institutions of Mahomet,* 1.45 and particularly abhor the very thought of Wine, or any other prohibited liquor, and would not drink a drop of this, if it were to save their lives. Some put out their eyes, who have been blest with the sight of the Tomb of their Prophet, as if they cared for nothing in the world afterward. Others im∣pose upon themselves a silence of two, three, or four years, and some∣times longer, and upon no provoca∣tion or danger will open their mouths to speak a word. This is to several the great comfort and triumph of their lives, that they have been at Mecca; and for the merit of those weary steps they have taken, and of the prayers they have offer'd up at Mahomets Shrine, they flatter themselves they shall not fail of entring Paradise, though in all other things they be as very Turks as they were before they set one foot forward upon their jour∣ney.

The Grand Signor every year sends a considerable present to Mec∣ca, and Clothes for the covering and adornment of the Temple Kaabe, at which time the old is taken down; and happy is he who brings home a rag of it with him, which he pre∣serves ever after, as a holy relique and a powerful Amulet against all danger whatever; and with the same care, as the Inhabitants of Catanea do the Vail of St. Agatha against the eruptions of Mongibel.

The other principal Festival days are these.* 1.46 On the twelfth night of the month of the former Rabbia, they celebrate the Birth of Maho∣met, hanging out Lamps at their Moschs, which with them is the most usual sign and expression of their triumphs and rejoicings. At this time they employ all the wit and elo∣quence they have, as little or as great soever it is, but far different from European, and indeed consists only in phantastick and swelling expressi∣ons after the Eastern way, flowing from a gross and uncultivated fancy,

without any great depth of reason or sence; which practise might put se∣veral Christians to the blush, if they were not hardened into immodesty and an obstinate humour by their conceitedness, who refuse to pay that respect to the memory of the Birth∣day of their Saviour, which the Turks so zealously pay to that of their false Prophet.

On the twenty-seventh night of the month Regeb, is the Feast of the Ascension of Mahomet into Hea∣ven; a Fable so ridiculous in its whole composition and circumstan∣ces, that nothing but absolute sot∣tishness can admit it as credible; but yet as gross and foolish as it is, they believe it with the same cer∣tainty, as that there was such a man.

The fifteenth night of Shaaban is called Baratghege or the Night of Priviledge, in which they say was conveyed a Sword out of Heaven into the hands of Mahomet, and an Instrument at the same time, com∣missioning him to draw it, and make

use of it against the Christians and all others, who should oppose the propagation of the new Religion.

In the twenty-seventh night of Ramazan, is the Feast of the Descent of the Alcoran; which is the cause why the Impostor thought fit to consecrate the whole Month to more than ordinary devotion, being the holiest time of the year. And to encourage them to spend this Festi∣val in the exercises of Religion, they keep up and support the credit and reputation of it with a pretended priviledge from God, that whatso∣ever petitions they put up from Jatzi, or an hour and half in the night, until the Sky opens, (as they speak) and the day appears, shall be infallibly granted, and that God has decreed and determined this; and therefore they call the prayer at this time Kadar namasi, or the prayer of predestination.

There is a fixt and established di∣stinction of order and degree among the Ministers of their Religion;* 1.47 the chiefest of which is the Mufti, who* 1.48

is often too consulted in Civil affairs and controversies, which seem to have little or no respect and depen∣dence upon Religion; and so may be lookt upon under the notion of a supreme Judge under the Empe∣ror, as well as of a Chief Priest. He is the great Doctor and Oracle of their Law, and Heir (as they speak) of the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, the Fountain of vertue and knowledge, one who can resolve all the difficulties of Religion, and who has a Key to open all the treasures of truth; for by these and such like foolish characters do they represent him. Let him be never so dull and stupid otherwise, either through a natural incapacity, or age, or any other defect, if he be preferred to the Muftiship, as some have been out of a capriccio by some Empe∣rors, presently he becomes infalli∣ble; his decisions are sacred and authentick, and his authority is un∣questionable and received without any dispute or debate, and his dreams are lookt upon as inspiration, as

being Mahomet's representative. Though he poor man, conscious to himself of the Cheat, uses to be over-modest, and is ashamed to assume this inerrable power, and subscribes his Sentence with this usual Expression, God knows better; which is yet no bar to the Peoples opinion and esteem of him; and no one under the Emperour dares pass judgment contrary to his determina∣tion. To keep up this veneration of the Musti in the People, the Empe∣rour descends from his State, and as soon as he appears before him, rises up and advances leisurely six or seven steps towards him, and per∣mits him to kiss his left Shoulder; whereas the chief Vizir is only per∣mitted to kiss and salute the hem of his Vest, though to do some little honour to his first Minister he makes a step or two forward to meet him. The Emperour makes great use of him in his private Councils, and scarce sits upon a great design with∣out his advice, to make it take the more among the Souldiers and Peo∣ple,

who assure themselves both of the lawfulness, and convenience, and necessity of an Expedition, and flatter themselves too with the good success of it, if it be ratifyed by his consent, and blest by his Prayers and encouragement. If reason of State judg it necessary to strangle or take off the head of a Vizir, any other Bassa or General of the Jani∣zaries; the Mufti's consent will vin∣dicate the execution, and stop the clamours and discontents of the Soldiers and People: who by this are made to believe, that the person cut off deserved to die according to the Law; and that it is a piece of Reli∣gion to submit to the Emperours Pleasure, and the Mufti's determi∣nation noless than to the Will of God. The Authority of the Mufti being so great, the Emperour will not trust a matter of that consequence to an election, knowing that the keeping up his Prerogative in the disposal of such an office to a fit person, who shall comply with his humour and the necessity of State, is a just piece of

Policy, on which may oftentimes depend the safety and security of his Person and Government. Although usually he prefers one of the Cadile∣skires into the place of the deposed or dead Mufti, if he be for his turn; But in case the Mufti should prove resractory and disturb his Councels by throwing in scruples of Con∣science, and refuse to obey and con∣firm his Orders, though they be never so unjust and unreasonable, they are not long to seek for a reme∣dy; and as if the spirit of infallibi∣lity, wherewith he was before in∣vested, immediately upon this foolish act of disobedience, left him to his pure natural condition; then he is said to dote, and to be infatuated, and to forfeit his discretion and un∣derstanding, and is hereby rendred unworthy of so holy and super∣eminent a dignity; and one presently is substituted into his place, who understands better the Arts of com∣pliance and Courtship, and will re∣ceive as an Oracle whatever comes proposed to him out of the Sera∣glio.

The Mufti by his place always moves with the Emperour; none of his Retinue more constantly attends him, that he may be ready to assist with his Councel at all times in case of doubt or difficulty. This high place lies in common to any one, whom the Emperour shall think fit to dignifie and honour with it, and is not confined to the Kindred and Posterity of Mahomet, as some through a mistake have affirmed.

I am fully assured the Mufti some∣times acts as a meer Politician and Counsellor of State, though the advancement of Religion is always the pretence, as it happened upon a debate before the Emperour much about the year 1669. when there were dispatched two Gentlemen out of Croatia with full Commission to treat about their becoming tributa∣ry to the Grand Signor, from seve∣ral of the Nobles of the Roman communion, who afterwards had their heads struck off at Newstadt, upon the assurance of his assistance and protection against the Empe∣rour

of Germany, whose Govern∣ment they had shook off, and thought to justifie and secure their Rebellion this way. Mustapha Cai∣macam of Adrianople was against their being received, as being against the Peace made so solemnly after the battel of Rab; and besides very politickly remarqued, it was no fit time while they were involved in so troublesom and expenseful a War with the Venetians in Candia, to bring the Germans upon their backs, which would inevitably follow; but the Mufti was as zealous and fierce for their being taken into protection, alledging that the Port was the refuge of the world, and that the Interest of Religion as well as of State would be advanced by such an acquist, which the Christians them∣selves would maintain and make good to them, and that this was of greater obligation, than the strict observing of a Treaty, that the mis∣fortunes of the last Hungarian War forced them to submit to. The Em∣perour distracted with such different

Counsels, would resolve nothing till he had received the opinion of the Vi∣zir then before Candia; but before that could be brought back, they had certain intelligence, that Croatia was over run with an Army of Thir∣ty thousand, and the whole force of the discontented and rebellious No∣bility defeated, and not an Acre of Land left to plant a Turkish Gar∣rison in.

Next to the Mufti are the two Cadileskires,* 1.49 the one of Anatolia, who has the precedence, and the other of Rumuli or Thrace; the authority of which latter, notwith∣standing, the seeming restraint of the name, is extended as far as the Turk has any Dominions in Europe. These formerly were, as their titles literally signify, Judges of the Army; and perpetually attended the Camp to administer Justice among the Souldiers, that so the Discipline of War might receive support, and be maintained, and kept up better by the assistance of the Law; and little quarrels that might arise among

them, might be the more fairly de∣termined, and capital punishments inflicted according to the demerit of the Criminals. This was the design of their Original Institution; but at present they only assist the Vizir or his Deputy, in deciding civil Causes, and exercise no autho∣rity and power over the Souldiers, who have long since extorted this Priviledge from the Grand Signor, to be tryed only by their respective Commanders and Officers, They have carried before them a Pole or Spear, on the top of which hangs horse-hair, as an Ensign of Honour; to support which, besides what they get by bribes and fees from the parties contending, which are greater or lesser proportionally to the quan∣tity of the Sum, about which the Suit is commenced, They have a daily allowance of Five hundred Aspers out of the Exchequer, accor∣ding to the Canon established by the Emperour Suleiman.

The Mollas challenge the third place: who,* 1.50 under the Bassas, are

Judges and Presidents of Provinces: in the chief Cities of which they reside, and to whom the Cadies or inferiour Judges are obliged to give an accompt of their Judicature. Their pay is out of the Publick Treasure, which is never less than Three hundred Aspers a day, but always under the allowance of the Cadileskires. The first design and intent of the allowance was agreea∣ble to Equity and Justice, that they might live handsomly and well, and never be forced to descend to base Arts and ways of gain, unworthy their places, or be under the temp∣tation of perverting the Law for reward and gain. But this does not satisfie and content their avarice, who are not ashamed to extort Mo∣ney and Presents from the several Parties, who must this way defend their Cause, if they would not have it miscarry, be it never so just and equitable in it self. This is the best and most effectual Plea they can possibly make: for certainly if Ju∣stice be to be sold in any part of the

world, it is in Turkey. For though they may pretend Religion and Con∣science, and may seem nice in deter∣mining some Suits; yet it is both known and sadly experienced, by poor Christians especially, if they implead any Turk, that they are horribly corrupt, and men of no faith or honesty, and judg the cause on his side, who has given the greatest bribe; though to free them∣selves from the infamy and guilt of injustice, they alledge several trickish subtilties out of the Alcoran, and from Tradition, and to stave off the injured person from pursuing his right, and prosecuting his complaint. These are reckoned among the num∣ber of Church-men, the Law by which they judge and determine Cases, being as much a part of their Religion, and founded in their Al∣coran and Sunna or Tradition, as the Rites of their Worship: and al∣though they have nothing to do in the Moschs, and sustain only the office of Civil Judges; they are accordingly advanced to the highest

dignity a Church-man is capa∣ble of.

Every Mosch has a Priest pecu∣liarly belonging to it,* 1.51 who is called Imaum. In the royal Moschs and others that be endowed, several are maintained, who take turns in cele∣brating their office, or else for grea∣ter Decorum and State officiate to∣gether. A small proportion and measure of Learning is a sufficient qualification of a Turkish Priest; there is no great need of any praevious study, or a peculiar education and designment to make any candidate fit to take the care and Government of a Mosch upon him. For the most part if he can but read the Prayers, and write and recite a few Versicles out of the Alcoran, and be no way scandalous in his life, though he has been at a Trade all his life long, he is very capable, if he can get to be nominated to fill up any vacancy; and in case of any miscarriage or unfitness degraded as it were from his function, and he contentedly returns to his Trade again, and one

of his Neighbours is preferred into his place. The great Vizir is Pa∣tron of most of the richest Moschs; the chief Mufti disposes of others; the Kizlir-aga or chief of the black Eunuchs recommends persons to succeed in the vacant places of the royal Moschs; the Capi-aga challen∣ges a right, where any of the Pages of the Haz-oda or Chamber have been founders, as having been bred up under the care of his Predecessors. To other places of lesser value the recommendation of the people is sufficient, who upon producing his Letters Testimonials to the Vizir, or any of his Deputies appointed for this purpose, are forthwith admitted and confirmed. The greatest allow∣ance as far as I could learn any of these could pretend to, is Sixty Aspers a day; though some are con∣tent with a sixth part.

The vast number of Priests may be collected from the great number of Churches,* 1.52 which are every where to be met with. They stand very thick in Constantinople, Pera and Galata,

and the Towns situated upon the Bosphorus. In the Country the poorest Village whatever has a Mosch in it; and if it be large, two or three; if the Inhabitants be Turks, which I add, because some Christians are permitted to live by themselves, without the mixture of any Turks; which is particularly indulged to those, who live in Villages about eight or ten Miles from Constantino∣ple toward the Bosphorus, and not far from the black Sea (in one of which, Belgrade, seated in the middle of a Wood, my Lord Ambassador had his Villa or Countrey-house) who are obliged to take care, that the several Channels, which convey the water from the numerous Springs arising not far off, be kept clear and unob∣structed, and the water have a free passage to the Aqueducts, the glo∣rious work of Valentinian, and long after restored to their former useful∣ness and magnificence by Suleiman, who for this one thing, if there had been nothing of Victory and Con∣quest else in his Reign, had deserved

the title that usually is bestowed upon him.

All the Moschs are endowed by their respective Founders: for upon no other condition are any allowed to build. To preserve order and unity among so great a number of Priests in every great City, as Adri∣anople, Prusia, Smyrna, and the like; there is one who presides and exer∣cises authority over the rest, who is called Mufti, whom they consult in all cases of ambiguity and doubt, and whose Sentences and Orders they dare not disobey.

Sometime in the greater Churches Harangues and Discourses are had before the People,* 1.53 but not weekly upon a Friday, or any other fixt day, this not being the proper em∣ployment of the ordinary Imaum, or Parish-priest, whose Talents and parts do not usually lye that way. They are performed with a great deal of seeming zeal, earnestness, and devotion; their chief Argument being a Religious or Moral duty, as frequency of Prayer, Justice, Charity,

and the like. These Preachers, whom they call Scheicks, who have had their Education in a Colledge or Convent, and have spent their time in the study of the Alcoran, and its several Commentaries, are migh∣tily followed, and had in great ve∣neration, and what with their flu∣ency of language, and pretensions to extraordinary measures of devotion and cunning, have a strange kind of influence upon the people, and some∣time are made use of as fit and pro∣per instruments to work upon them.

Besides these,* 1.54 several are by their places and offices to read the Alco∣ran. Of which sort are about thir∣ty in number in some of the royal Moschs, who either there, or in the Chappels adjoyning, where the Em∣perours and the Great Men lye in∣terred, read over the Alcoran every day, each one taking his Section. To which are joyned others, who have a Pension allowed them to come there, and say daily Prayers for the dead. The rest who belong

to their Moschs, are inferiour Offi∣cers and Servants of the Priests, whose employment is to call to Prayers, to look to the Alcoran and Prayer-Books, to take care of the Mats and Carpets, to light the Lamps, to keep the Church neat and clean, and the like.

The Cadyes are the inferiour Ju∣stices,* 1.55 placed almost in every Vil∣lage to see good order kept among the people, to administer Law and Justice, to decide Differences, and to punish Offenders, which they do with severity enough, unless they buy off their punishment. This power they usually buy at a dear rate; and that they may be no losers by the bargain, they sell Justice as dear, and upon every slight occa∣sion, oppress the poor Christians, make Avanias, and demand Sums of Money upon a pretended fault or breach of the Law, and oftentimes force Travellers to give them so much Money in specie, as they set upon their heads. Such greedy Ex∣tortioners are they, as most Francs

know, who have travelled far into the Countrey, by their sad expe∣rience. As for Presents, they expect them of course upon their first com∣ing into their Towns; and as if they were due and recoverable by Right and Law, as well as by injustice and violence, if we have been a little slow in making them, they have sent an Officer to demand them. For as soon as the News of the arri∣val of any Western Christian is brought to the Cady, he seems sure of a prey. Before we stirred out of our Caravan-serai, which the piety of the Turks hath built for the use and accommodation of Travellers, to view the Antiquities of any place, we were first to obtain the leave of the Cady by a Present of Coffee, or Pepper, or Sugar, and sometime of all three; and unless we had done so, we could have had no security, (for by some devilish trick or other he would have put us to a greater trouble and expence) which toge∣ther with the necessary guard of Souldiers to attend, makes travel∣ling

so dear and chargeable in Tur∣key. Coming to Anchor on the North-side of the Castles at the Dardanels, where is the narrowest strait of the Hellespont, as they force all Ships to do that come from Constantinople, and to lie there three Suns to search them, if they have no Contraband Goods or Slaves, which have made their es∣cape from their Patrons; we went ashore, and had scarce past through a Street or two in Sestos, but we were overtaken by an Officer sent from the Governour to bring us be∣fore him: we understood the mean∣ing of it, and therefore in our way to the Castle bought some Coffee Powder, for a Present, which we put into his hands, who after some idle questions dismist us. But for the most part in our Land-voyages, we prevented the demands of the seve∣ral Cadyes, out of which number I except the rascally Cady of Sardes: He hearing that there were several Franks got into the publick Chane, very imperiously sent for his Pre∣sent;

we replied, that we had the Emperor's Pass to exempt us from all injury and exaction, and to tra∣vel unmolested; for such a one two English Gentlemen had procured at Constantinople, passing thence over land to Smyrna, which they gave us to make the best use we could of it in our Voyage to the Churches. But the truth is, we did not rely so much upon the Pass, as our number and the weakness of the Village: For this once glorious City the Metro∣polis of Lydia, which has nothing of its ancient glory and state left, unless that the great ruines shew what it has been before Earthquakes and War, and the barbarousness of the Turks had caused those horrid and frightful desolations there, is become a very pitiful and despica∣ble place, made up of a few Hutts and Cottages. Pretending to be sa∣tisfied with the sight of our Pass∣port, he counterfeits respect and civility, and desires us to give him but half a Dollar; but by the ad∣vice of the Janizaries, we did not

think fit to give him, being such a low-spirited Fellow, not so much as a single Asper; upon which denial he could not contain his weak pas∣sion, and therefore severely forbids a poor Christian, that we employed in buying us some Provisions, to be any way assisting to us. Afterward when we were at leisure to reflect upon what we had done, we began to condemn our selves or our Im∣prudence, that might have given us so much trouble, which for so small a Sum as was demanded, might have been better prevented, being after∣ward sensible, that neither our Swords nor Pass might have been of sufficient proof against his rage and madness.

They look upon the Alcoran as containing not onely the Word and Will of God,* 1.56 dictated by the Angel Gabriel to Mahomet, con∣cerning the Rites and manners of his Worship, but the body of the Civil Law referring to matters of Justice and Government; and therefore, as I said before, use its authority in

the decision of Cases that happen daily in conversation and commerce; and where it is defective, as it must needs be, they call in to their assist∣ance their Sunna, made up of the Sayings and Acts of their Prophet, derived down to them by Oral tradition,* 1.57 from Father to Son, as they pretend, and of equal autho∣rity with the holy Book: and because innumerable cases happen, that are so perplext and confused, that neither written nor traditional Law have made any provision for them, equity and right reason are to interpose and determine, but no where are less practised than in Turkey, where the Cadyes make all to bend to their covetous humour; and yet to keep the fraud from being discovered, wrest some ob∣scure sentence of the Alcoran in de∣fence and favour of their unjust de∣termination.

The Cadyes are necessarily bred up in the knowledge of the Maho∣metan Law,* 1.58 to qualifie and fit them for their office; to which purpose

there are Colledges, endowed by Emperors and great men in most of the great Cities, for the Education of Youth;* 1.59 and Professors, men of great age and experience and learn∣ing, appointed to direct and go∣vern their Studies, whose office and place procure them great respect among the people, they seldom walking in the Streets, but are mounted upon excellent horses, richly caparison'd, which is indeed the usual Grandezza of the Turks, and what all men of authority and fashion use, having two or three Slaves walking by.

Some of these receive for their Salary about three hundred Aspers a day,* 1.60 and oftentimes are preferred to a Mollaship, whom they presume by their long study to have digested the whole Law, and to be perfect Masters of it: They are obliged to teach publickly the young Students twice a week, on Saturday and Monday, and to exact an account of their behaviour, and of the pro∣gress of their Studies: and if upon

examination they find the success answerable to their expectation; after a set time they have the de∣gree and title of Danishmend or Learned conferred on them. Each has his Cell, over a set number of which is placed a Supervisor to pre∣vent idleness and the practice of worse vices. According to the fame of their merit, some are preferred to places of Judicature▪ others to rich Moschs, who together with some of the Dervises bred up in their Convents, prove the great Preachers, and have that mighty influence upon the people, as be∣fore was mentioned.

Every Cady, besides an Actuary and Apparitor,* 1.61 and such like Offi∣cers, has his Naip or Assistant, who sees that the Weights are just, and the Provisions which are brought to the Market, be wholsom, and sold at a moderate price; for which purpose they walk the Streets and enter into Shops, and those of Bakers especially, whose bread if they find wanting of its just weight,

besides a pecuniary mulct they im∣pose, they oftentimes throw them into Prison; or if the fraud be but light, they bring them out and drub them upon the place. But for all this pretended justice and seve∣rity, if they bribe but the Officer before-hand, they may cheat the people securely.

I found the Turks excessively pitiful and good natured towards dumb creatures,* 1.62 soon putting them out of their pain, if they were ne∣cessitated to kill them. Some buy birds on purpose to let them fly a∣way and return to the liberty of the Woods and open air. The Vultures fly up and down the Courts of the great houses in the City, as if they had perceived by natural instinct, that Mahomet, whose birds they are fancied to be, had forbid under a penalty any one to shoot at them. The Storks, which in the Spring∣time return out of the Southern Cli∣mates to the very same Nests the sharpness of the Winter drove them from, enjoy their natural liberty

without the least molestation; and if at any time in our travels we shot at them, our Janizaries would take it amiss, and look upon it as ominous, as if some mischief would certainly befall us for our cruelty to the poor innocent birds. For though they use hawking, and take them with Birdlime, and sometime use their Guns and eat their flesh, yet they are not very much accu∣stomed to such dainties, and never kill them for the sport and pleasure of it, especially if they are not pro∣per and good for food; which is the reason of the great number of Cor∣morants and other revenous Fowl hovering over the Bosphorus, and the arm of the Sea that divides Pe∣ra from Constantinople.* 1.63 But above all they seem to have a peculiar love and kindness for Dogs, which yet are the ugliest and of the worst Race that ever I saw. They will not indeed admit them into their hou∣ses, because they are unclean crea∣tures; but however lest the Winter-air should be too sharp and piercing,

there are distinct Kennels in every street, to which they peculiarly belong, and a daily provision is made of water put into hollow Pits. I have observed some mighty ten∣der-hearted Janizaries go to a Ba∣kers shop and buy an Asper or two of bread to bestow by way of cha∣rity upon them: when at the same time, if a poor Christian had been ready to perish for want of a little relief, the sight of such a miserable object would have no way moved them to pity: and though they are so troublesom, in the night especi∣ally, no one dares either stab them or poyson them without danger of being stabb'd himself if the fact were discovered. How idly and fondly superstitious they are here∣in, will appear by the ensuing re∣lation, which though it hapned in the time of Achmet, yet still holds true, and represents their present temper. The Plague raging very hot, the Emperour and the Bassas at last seemed to make a mighty discovery, that it was necessary to

destroy the Dogs in and about Con∣stantinople, to prevent the further spreading of the Infection: but the Mufti, who was consulted in this weighty Affair, would by no means give way to so bloody and cruel a sentence, maintaining it was alto∣gether unlawful; and that he might not seem to be peremptory without cause, he added this momentous reason, that Dogs had souls, and therefore were to be exempt from this universal and horrid carnage. But it was a plain case, so great a number of Dogs was a real mischief: what therefore was to be done in this great strait and perplexity of mind? Upon the Mufti's sentence they recalled the former order a∣bout their slaughter, and resolved to transport them over the Water to Asia-side; above fifty thousand were found upon the Muster, and carried over to Scutary and the Neigh∣bouring places: but though they were out of sight, yet they were not out of mind; and their care of them seemed to be doubled, and

Provisions were sent daily over to keep life and soul together, in com∣pliance with the Mufti's learned and philosophical determination; till at last growing weary of the expence and trouble, and fearing they might infect the places where they were, with great trouble and reluctancy of mind they conveyed them to some of the uninhabited Islands that lie in the Propontis toward the Bay of Nicomedia, where they were famish∣ed. But the City since is so pester'd with them, that I believe if a new Muster were now made, the number would be found to be greater. No one must offer to kick or touch any of them; if a Christian does this by chance, they impute it to his hatred and ill will, and will be sure to chide, if not beat him for it: as one in a great fury askt a Christian, who through great haste and care∣lesness trod upon a Mangey Curr, that lay in the way, Thou Infidel, how dost thou know, but that thy fathers soul is in that poor dog? shewing by this his love to the

dog, and his zeal for his opinion: for he was one of those who main∣tained the idle Pythagorean dream of a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or transmigration of Souls.

They still retain the absurd prin∣ciple of fate,* 1.64 which is the genuine issue of their gross ignorance and barbarousness. This makes them encounter the greatest dangers of Death with such desperate boldness; fearless and secure, as to their thoughts, in the time of a raging Plague. The contagion does not hinder them from visiting persons infected, with the same freedom, as if they were only sick of an ordi∣nary Fever; they wipe their faces with the Handkerchiefs of their dead Friends, and put on the very cloaths they but lately died in: their confidence being grounded upon this foolish belief, that every man's destiny is written in his fore∣head, and not to be prevented or kept off by care or Medicine, that the term of life is fatal and perem∣ptory, and that it is in vain to go

about to extend it beyond the set Period; and that Physick is to be taken not to prolong life, but to take off from the anguish and bit∣terness of death, and to make the pangs of it the more tolerable and easie: and that it is a piece of folly to think to escape. This error de∣stroys thousands of them yearly, who hasten their own death by their conceitedness and folly: which is true of the common people espe∣cially, in whose minds this fancy is so rooted, that they think it a kind of Sin as well as weakness to re∣linquish their houses, and retire to more wholsom air; what, say they, is not the Plague the dart of the Almighty God? and can we escape the blow that he levels at us? is not his hand steady to hit the persons he aims at? can we run out of his sight, and beyond his power? thus calling in the belief of some of the Divine Attributes to the maintain∣ance of it. Indeed some of the Cadyes, who seem to be the only men of deep sence and understand∣ing

among them, are aware of the pernicious consequences of this Do∣ctrine, and when the Plague grows hot and violent, provide for the safety of their Families by a timely flight into the neighbouring Villa∣ges, where they keep them till the fury of it is spent; while entire Families (and one I heard of in our time in Galata consisting of six and thirty persons) which have stay'd behind, have been destroy'd.

The Plague necessarily diffuses its Poison among them,* 1.65 having no An∣tidotes and Preservatives against it, or Remedies to make use of when it has seized upon them: By such a general neglect and promiscuous mixing one with another the di∣stemper is heightned, and makes great wastes, especially toward the end of Summer, when the heats are so excessive, and the Fruits, and the Melons and the Gourds ripen, which both Turks, Greeks and Armenians much indulge themselves in. Con∣stantinople is scarce all the year long free from the Plague, although it

remits of its fury in the cold wea∣ther, the nastiness of several places of the City, and the stoppage of their common shores, and the dead dogs putrifying in their streets con∣tributing much to it; which the wiser sort cannot but acknowledg; but they are so used to the Plague, that they are not much solicitous about it. They do not think of ma∣king any publick Prayers and In∣tercessions, till a thousand bodies are carried daily out at Adrianople Gate to the publick places of Burial, which lye in the plain without the City, and are extended from the Propontis to the Haven. For though it be an arrow that cannot be put by, yet they acknowledg it is in the hand of God, and that he can stop it if he pleases; and so are forced at last to acknowledg the weakness and falsity of their own Principle. At such times, as also when the affairs of the Empire are in an ill posture by reason of War, the Grand Signior and Mufti attended by the Bassas, and a great number of Priests

in solemn procession, pass over the Water to Pera-side, where upon a high hill a little above Kasim Basha in that part of it they call Okmi∣dan, where at other times the bet∣ter sort of Turks use to shoot (which is one of their greatest exercises) on the edge of it toward the South-east is a little Square of about twenty pa∣ces long, andas many broad, hemm'd in with Freestone about two foot from the ground, where I found a stony Pulpit ascended to by ten steps; on the top of which the Mufti makes his prayers: after which Ceremony is over, they think they have done all they can do, and leave off all further care. This is their great argument of comfort up∣on the death of their friends, that it is the decree and pleasure of God, which they are to submit to, and that all humane counsels and reme∣dies are ineffectual against his will, (which is a great truth in it self, but very much misapplied by them) and that so long they are to live, and not a minute longer: as I remember a

Turk who escaped being buried un∣der the ruines of a wall, that fell as he past by, said, when he was reco∣ver'd from his surprize, Egel ghel∣medi, that the hour of his death was not yet come, without giving God thanks for his great delive∣rance.

Some of them indeed seem to have a great reverence and fear of God,* 1.66 which they shew both by their gestures and discourses, whensoever they have occasion to mention his name; referring all things, not on∣ly the events of war, or any great undertaking, but of a journey, and the private concerns of their life, to his will and disposal, ratifying their promise and purpose with this con∣dition, In Shallah, if God will; beginning nothing of any moment, not stepping out of their door, nor mounting a Horse but in the name of God. In any danger or distress they quiet their fears, and encou∣rage others not to despond, with the remembrance of the mercy, power, and goodness of God, often

crying out, Allah karim, God is gracious, Allah ekbir, God is great, and the like; out of a sense of their own weakness, flying to God to help and protect them; and when the danger is over, the journey fi∣nished, or the design accomplisht to their satisfaction, they repeat often these words, Alhemdo lillah, praise to God, by way of gratitude and acknowledgment. This is the tem∣per of some of the more religious among them.

There are others who run into the extreme of irreligion;* 1.67 Atheists in their hearts and in their lives; among which I may reckon justly enough the greatest part of the Ca∣dyes, and almost all the Apostate Christians. These latter, who con∣scious to themselves of horrid crimes, which the Laws of Christendom have made capital; or else of dissolute lives, and wallowing in brutality, that they may enjoy their lusts more freely, and without check and re∣morse of conscience, embrace the Mahometan Religion, look upon it

and all other Religions as a meer cheat, and by their lives shew the disesteem of them. The other be∣ing men whose understandings are somewhat refined by their educa∣tion from the stupidity and dulness of the ordinary Turks, sensible of the idle fopperies of the Alcoran, and of the imposture of Mahomet, and of the absurdities of his Do∣ctrine, and the inconsistency of it with the principles of right Rea∣son, rashly conclude of Religion in general, that it is a trick of State, and an invention of Policy; and that the belief of a God and of Provi∣dence is wholly owing to the cre∣dulity and superstition and unjust fears of mankind. Only they are so wise and cunning to conceal their Atheism, which they are so justly suspected to be guilty of, for fear of the great danger an open profession of it would involve them in. For the Turks are mighty zea∣lous for the existence of a Deity against the Atheist, and think such a person not worthy to breath in

the air, who dares deny this fun∣damental principle of nature. And the example of such a just severity is very fresh in their memories, as hapning in the year of Christ M.DC.LXI, upon a certain Maho∣metan, which I shall here put down from the mouths of credible per∣sons, who knew the man very fa∣miliarly. This Mahomet Ephendi (which is a title of respect they usually bestow upon men of learn∣ing and authority) was born in Larr in Armeuia major, a man of great esteem in Constantinople among all who knew him, for his skill in the Law, and in the Ara∣bick and Persian languages, of a temper mild and sociable, which made him covet the acquaintance and friendship of several Western Christians, from whom he could learn somewhat, and whom he ac∣knowledged to understand the laws of discourse, and to reason much better than his Brother Turks, whom he lookt upon as very dull and hea∣vy fellows. His inquisitive genius

put him upon the search of several things, and his pride and conceit∣edness were so great, that he thought he had found the secret indeed, which all the Atheists have been seeking after to quiet and banish those fears which perpetually haunt their guilty minds. Ambitious of fame and applause, he sets up for a profest Atheist, being so far from suppressing these extravagant fancies, the effect of the greatest madness whatever, that he takes care to divulge them in all companies where he thought to meet with opposition, and disputes fiercely against the be∣ing of a God. Whenever he went to visit Signor Warner, whose ex∣traordinary learning and worth de∣rived a great lustre upon his pub∣lick character, the first salute upon the very sight of him was, there is not, meaning a God; to which the Resident would immediately reply, there is; after which they would often descend to a close dispute about that dictate of universal na∣ture, and right reason; but he had

so hardned his heart against all conviction, and blinded his mind and understanding with absurd and irrational prejudices, and foolish and vain imaginations, that though he could not well sustain the mighty shock of arguments which the learn∣ed Resident level'd at him, yet he flatter'd himself he could fully sa∣tisfie them all, and that he had the better of him. But in the miserable end of this wretch the Divine justice was as much seen as if he had been consum'd by Lightning from Hea∣ven. There hapning in the publick Caravanserai, where he lodged, a quarrel between him and some Ar∣menian Christian Merchants, they carried him before the Caimacam, who is the Governour of Constan∣tinople, who had for his Assistant the chief Justice of the City, whom they call Stambol Ephendi. The in∣jury he had done the Armenians was proved by several Witnesses; and in the close the Turks, who were present, acquainted the Judges of the temper of the man, and accused

him of several impieties he was guilty of, as that he never came to the prayers of the Mosch, neglected the other rites instituted by their Prophet, drank Wine freely, and that in the time of Ramazan; and besides, that he openly maintained that there was no God. The con∣testation through the zeal of the Turks grew very hot, and matter of fact seemed to be fully made out by just proof. Whereupon the Governour demanded of him, what he could say for himself? whether the evidence against him were true or no? here several unanimously agree, that you deny the being of a God. He replied without any de∣mur or feat, you would be of the same mind if you knew as much as I know. They advise him, if he valued his life, to retract his foolish and impious opinion, otherwise they would pass the sentence of death upon him. They give him time to consider of it, and expect that what∣ever his private sentiments were, fear of death would make him confess

his belief of a Deity. But it seems he would be a Martyr for his A∣theism, and chose rather to dye than confess he was in an error, and dis∣semble his inward thoughts; where∣upon he is sentenced to dye; he con∣tinues as perverse and obstinate as ever, even in the last moments of his life. For being set upon a Mule with his face toward the tail, and carried to the place of punishment, and admonisht by the Subashi or Officer, who attended upon the ex∣ecution, to recant his error; his only answer was, that the filth (for so I chuse modestly to express it) he was to eat he would eat presently; meaning by the rude Proverb, that he was willing to dye as soon as might be. Thus he perisht in his folly, being between fifty and six∣ty years of age, and leaving a con∣siderable sum of money behind him, infatuated by the just judgment of God, which became most visible in his deserved ruine.

The Janizaries are the strength of the Turkish Empire;* 1.68 anciently

the Sons of Christians, violently ta∣ken from their Parents at six and seven years of age, as it pleased the Collectors, sent into Bosna and Servia and the other Provinces of Europe (for by common observa∣tion they find the Asiaticks to make the worst Souldiers, the pleasant∣ness of the Soil, and the mildness of the Air having an influence upon their tempers) who take one or two out of a Family,* 1.69 if it be numerous; and these afterward embracing a new Religion, razing out the obli∣gations of nature, and by their se∣vere education hardned against all impressions of pity and good nature, prove the greatest plagues and tor∣mentors of their Relations, and are the cruel instruments of their ser∣vitude. The collection of these Chil∣dren of Tribute, is not triennial, as some have fancied, but happens soo∣ner or later according to the ne∣cessities of State, and as the num∣ber and proportion of Souldiers is to be more or less supplied. Con∣stantinople, and very many other

places are to the great joy and comfort of the poor Christian in∣habitants exempted from this dis∣mal exaction, and particularly all Moldavia and Wallachia; but these Countries being tributary and un∣der the Turkish Government, the respective Princes, which they con∣stitute and put out as they please, are obliged to appear with such a number of Horsemen in the Field, when the Scene of the War lies either in Hungary or Poland, and by this means they enlarge their Con∣quests in Christendom by the Arms of professed Christians. These Chil∣dren are called Agiamoglans,* 1.70 that is, rude and unexperienced Boys, whereof some are dispersed into se∣veral parts of the Country, that they may the better be enured to want and labour and hardship, and initiated in the Principles and Rites of Mahometanism, and learn the Turkish language. Others are pla∣ced in certain Colledges, built on purpose for their reception, (of which sort is that at Constantinople,

and another at Pera, hard by the Palace, the ordinary Mansion of the English Ambassadors successive∣ly) which are the Seminaries of the Youth of this Order, and where they pass their novitiate. Here they are under the eye of most rigorous, severe and cruel Masters, and are for∣ced to the vilest offices, to mortifie them, and make them humble and obedient; here they are taught to be at the command of a beck or nod, and if any way faulty, are sure to re∣ceive a severe chastisement; here they learn the first principles and rudiments of War. This is according to their original institution by Morat, the first who setled this new Militia or Army, as the word Janizary sig∣nifies; which out of respect to the Founder and Order is still retain'd. But there discipline of late years has not been kept up to this great height of severity, but is very much relaxed and corrupted. And be∣cause that according to the usual maxime of policy, which experience hath so often confirmed and rendred

little less than infallible, Empires are kept and preserved by the same arts wherewith they were first establisht, which ceasing, they begin to moulder into pieces: We may look upon this decay of discipline as a good omen, that the Turkish Empire, which has been rais'd to that great pitch and degree of glory, upon the ruin of so many Kingdoms and Govern∣ments, grows towards an end; the same fate usually attending Govern∣ments, as single persons, that after a set period of years, broken with intestine factions and divisions, or weakned with idleness and the charmes and delights of a long and uninterrupted peace they perish and decay. They are not now so solicitous to fill up those seminaries with Agiamoglans, which anciently were accounted the hope and growing strength of the Empire; and in∣deed of late years they have spent such a vast number of Soldiers in the Wars, that they cannot get supplies hence fast enough to serve the ne∣cessities of War. A very considera∣ble

part of the veterance Soldiers was lost in Candia, which they them∣selves have called the burying place of Musulmans. For by a very just calculation from their first landing in the Island, and sitting down before Ca∣nea to the surrender of the chief City, what by Plague and what by Sword and Mine above four hundred thou∣sand perisht there; the tediousness and disadvantages of the War were so grievous and irksome to them, that the Janizaries went thither very un∣willingly and without any heart to fight, who dread all expeditions by Sea, upbraiding the Emperor with the misfortunes and ill success of the de∣sign, while their Country was impove∣rish't by the Temins, a false Coin of mixt and base mettal, (which were imported in vast quantities by the French & Italian Merchants) & that the Soldiers were thrown away in Crete, & yet for all this, that he went a hunting. To supply the Siege, which made such continual wastes of them, I have known several country fellows taken from the plough, and enrolled Janizaries without any previous ex∣ercises

of arms. Formerly all the Constantinopolitan Janizaries were quartered in two spacious hou∣ses under the banners of their re∣spective officers, and kept guard and watch; but now for a little pre∣sent they are dispenst from this at∣tendance, and are permitted to marry, and accordingly several make use of the indulgence; the cares of the world put them upon arts of gain to maintain themselves and their fami∣lies; and natural affection takes off their minds from the pursuit and love of armes, and makes them chuse rather to lye at home in their houses than go into the field. They are busied in the management of trade, and turn shop-keepers, and by an idle and sedentary kind of life remit much of their warlike ambition and fierce∣ness, and are become soft and effemi∣nate; all their thoughts and wishes being for peace and quiet. But how∣ever, the privileges of the Janiza∣ries being so great and the name honourable, they get their children admitted into the same order; of

which they are very tender and soli∣citous; and lest they should any way be diminish't by any publick council or trick of State, there are several of their order, (I think about twelve, whom they call Ogiack A∣galer) constituted as so many Tri∣bunes to take care of them. These Agitators are the men whom they respect as their Patrons and defen∣ders, and who have such a great power and influence upon them. If they give but the word, they are presently up in arms, and the Pi∣azzas and Streets are full of se∣ditious tumults, and the Seraglio it self not safe from their assaults. For they know well enough that the Government is jealous of their strength, that it is in their power either to depose or make what Em∣peror they please, that they are the safeguard of the Empire; that Osman uncle to this Emperor had a design of destroying their whole order, and setting up another, which should be more at command and not so dange∣rous to the publick, as they are up∣on

every discontent; that his succes∣sors carry on the same evil designs against them, and that it is want of a good opportunity, that hinders them from putting the same in exe∣cution and practice. Whence arise their care and their fears; and pro∣portionably their pride and insolence and extravagant demands of greater priviledges encrease, and the distrust they have of the Emperor makes them unite more closely and shew a greater regard and respect to their officers, who manage their interest. They are wholly exempt from the civil jurisdiction, be the crime never so directly contrary to the Laws; they are only triable among them∣selves: if it be judged and pro∣ved capital, before they execute the sentence, they first strike his name out of the Register, and then do it privately and in the night, to prevent the disorders this unruly sort of men are too apt to be guilty of. In every City and large Town, where they abound, there is a supe∣rior officer, whom they call Serdar,

to whose jurisdiction they are ob∣noxious. He according to his or∣ders, sent either from the Vizir or Janizary Aga or General, musters those who are within his Province, and disposes of them according to the exigences of the present cir∣cumstances. If any quarrel happen among themselves, they must stand to his decision; before him they can only be impleaded by others; and the partiality they shew to them is so great, that it is much better to take an injury patiently, than to go about to redress it by a com∣plaint, which oftentimes too is re∣sented and revenged. Such an opinion they have of themselves, that they think they may do any thing, and for all that go unpunisht.

It is the grand concern of the Emperor to make a wise choice of a General over these masterful Slaves,* 1.71 of whose fidelity he may rest assu∣red, knowing the great mischief he may do by his influence and autho∣rity; and if there be but the least shadow of suspicion, he will take

care, upon some plausible pretence, to put him out of his command; the very least compliance and po∣pularity among the Souldiers would draw him within the danger and guilt of treason; so that he is forced to be stiff and fierce, and to draw upon him their ill-will and hatred, to keep himself in the good graces of the Emperour, who yet has a watchful eye over him, and enter∣tains continual jealousies and fears of him, though never so much at the devotion of the Seraglio. He has the Government of no Province, City, or Castle; has no share in the management of State-affairs; is ac∣counted inferior not only to the Vi∣zir Azem, but to the other Bassas of the Port. If sometime he be admitted into the Divan or Coun∣cil, he is only to hear, and never to speak, but when his opinion is askt. They will not suffer him to nominate his Lieutenant-General, for fear they should conspire, and make new alterations in the Govern∣ment; and justly; for considering

the power and insolent behaviour of the Janizaries, it is far from being improbable, that as they have rais'd the Empire to that heigth of honour and greatness by their va∣lour, so they will one day be the ruine of it by their mutinies and seditions.

They are continually in pay,* 1.72 which is various, according to the quality, age, and merit of the person, from three Aspers a day to twenty, which they receive four times a year quar∣terly. They are usually reckon'd of late years about fifty thousand;* 1.73 scarce a third part go into the wars together, the rest being in Garrisons upon the confines of Hungary, Persia, and Dalmatia, and are drawn out upon occasion. And great numbers of them are found at Cairo, Buda, and Bagdat, to overaw the Egyptians, who are of a very unsetled and in∣constant temper, very prone to sedi∣tion, and desirous of shaking off the Turkish Government, and only to be restrained by force. Before they meet at the general place of

Rendezvous, a proportion of money is distributed among them, to pro∣vide themselves with necessaries a∣gainst evil events; but their chiefest care is to get warm Clothes, to de∣fend themselves from the violence of the wind and cold, and to lay in provision della bocca, as the Italians call it, to pass the time of their ly∣ing in the field, or before a besieged place a little better. Each has his Tin-pot and his Coffee, and a quan∣tity of Pulse, Rice, Flesh dried in the Sun, and beaten into powder for his broth, Onions and Salt in his little Sack; this is the usual entertainment of the Camp. Eve∣ry Fountain supplies them with drink; for it is a crime punishable with death, and as rigorously exe∣cuted at such a time, to bring Wine among them. They go soberly to destroy their enemies. They per∣mit no women to come nigh the Army. All private quarrels are for∣bid under pain of death; the least provocation is severely punish'd. Their marchings and encampings

are done without noise; silence be∣ing one great part of their military discipline. They ever are in a rea∣diness to charge, and go wherever they are commanded, being fearless of danger and of death it self.

The Spahyes are another great support of the Turkish Empire;* 1.74 Soldiers who are obliged to serve on Horseback by the tenure of the Lands (Timars) and Estates they are possest of; these being not only the reward of their sweat and blood, but tyes and obligations to further service in the field upon the first summons; each bringing so many Horses with him according to the value of what he holds, which is the reason they do not receive an Asper of pay out of the Grand Signiors Exchequer, and are there∣fore known by the name of Timar-Spahyes, or Feudatory, to distinguish them from other Spahyes who live in the Cities, and have not obtain'd a piece of Land; whose daily pay is very different, proportionably to the worth and merit of the persons,

as was said before of the Janiza∣ries; some receiving twelve Aspers, and others an hundred.

Of these they reckon about twen∣ty three thousand in Europe,* 1.75 and as many or more rather in Asia; for their number is uncertain, and encreases with their victories; and sometimes a rich Timar is divided upon the death of the former pos∣sessor into many parts; besides such as live about Buda on the one side, and Etzrum and Bagdat on the o∣ther, who are not obliged to go out of their Quarters. We must not think that when they war against Christendom, they make bare the li∣mits and frontiers of the Empire to∣wards Persia. These Spahyes are no better than Country Farmers; their minds are so taken up with the stu∣dy of good Husbandry, and the pleasure of enjoying what they have has so taken off their minds from the fatigues and hardships of a Souldiers life, that by money and presents oftentimes they labour to get themselves exempted from that

personal service they owe their Em∣peror; which is one reason (the success of a Battel depending more upon discipline than number) they do not care to bring such vast Ar∣mies into the field, as in the last age, when Suleiman carried a hun∣dred thousand Horse with him in the Hungarian war, when he flattered himself he should become Master of the Imperial City of Vienna. Every Spahy is so loaden with Arms, that he seems to carry an Armory with him, having a short strong Bow, the same questionless which the old Parthians made use of, with his Quiver of Arrows, Sword, Gun, Sheild, Lance, at the top of which hangs a little Banner, which shews to what order he belongs. For there are six orders and degrees of them, distinguishable by the different co∣lours of their Banners;* 1.76 Red which is that of Spahioglauleri, Yellow that of Selichtari, Green, White, White and Green, Red, and White. Long experience has taught them the use of these several weapons,

which they manage dextrously upon occasion; as they do their Horses, which they can stop upon a full career at the distance of a foot. It is a pleasant sight to see them divert themselves by throw∣ing darts on Horseback, which they do with great strength and dexterity, turning and winding their Horses at pleasure.

There is another sort of Feuda∣tories,* 1.77 whom they called Zaims; fewer in number than the Spahyes, obliged to the same services, but with greater proportions of men, having considerable Lordships. To qualifie their Children to inherit, their great care is to send them to the Camp, and breed them up Soul∣diers.

In all their warlike expeditions great numbers of Volunteers offer themselves;* 1.78 some out of a design to succeed into the places of the Janizaryes and Spahyes, who shall happen to be knockt on the head, which they judg worthy of their adventure; for if it be their fate

to dye in the field, they believe they shall directly go into Paradise; and if they survive a Battel, they are sure to be enrolled in the Grand Signiors pay, which is the only am∣bition they seem capable of. Others out of a principle of zeal, for the propagation of Religion, who usu∣ally prove the most desperate, and seldom come off alive; and to make the act meritorious, maintain them∣selves, and think the service it self a sufficient reward.

The Auxiliary Forces are the Christians of Moldavia and Wal∣lachia,* 1.79 of whom before.* 1.80 Next, the Tartars, not so much by virtue of an old compact, that in case of fai∣leur of the Ottoman line, their Prince shall succeed, as some pretend, but out of an interest to gain by the war, come in to their assistance. They are more for their prey than for fight, which they endeavour to avoid, till necessity and shame put them upon it. They carry with them usually a great number of lead Horses, which are of double

use, either to set their miserable Captives upon, or in case their pro∣vision should fail, to serve them for food; Horseflesh being one of the Tartarian dainties, and which is sold in the Market an Asper in the pound more than Beef or Mutton.

Thousands of poor miserable Christians are forced into the wars, and serve only for Pioners, having no other Arms than a Mattock and a Spade; sometimes placed in the front of the Army to break the fury of the onset; or else in a Siege, when they go to storm, thrust forward, that upon their bodies the Jani∣zaries may pass the more secure∣ly.

The Turkish Souldiers do not care to go out of their Winter-quarters till the Spring, when they may find grass for their Horses; nor will they keep in the field after October, un∣less bribed with promises of reward, or forced to it by some urgent ne∣cessity. Among their Baggage there are usually great quantities of metal, to cast great Guns upon occasion;

which they find more convenient oftentimes, than to carry Artillery with them, especially in long and tedious marches, where there is no conveyance by water.

The many great victories the Turks have gained over the Christi∣ans,* 1.81 are too sad and convincing a proof of their valour, which is heightned and rendred desperate by a concurrence of causes added to the severity of their discipline and education.

Before they engage, if there be any opportunity, the Surat or Chap∣ter of the Sword is read out of the Alcoran; which contains a warrant from Heaven to exterminate and destroy all who set themselves a∣gainst this new Law, revealed by God to Mahomet; hence their per∣swasion and their zeal receive new vigor and force, that they fight in the defence of Gods cause, which makes them look upon cowardise and faint-heartedness as a sin. For who can be so base and unworthy as not to be ambitious of dying at

such a time, when they are the Champions of God? The signal be∣ing given, they run upon their ene∣mies with the name of God in their mouths, confusedly repeating it se∣veral times, and invoking him to assist and maintain his own cause, which they are fighting for.

The doctrine of Predestination and Fate contributes not a little to their fury; upon confidence of which principle they expose themselves to certain dangers, believing themselves safe in the midst of them, if God has so decreed it; which they do not know, whether he has or no, but by the event; and if so, all their wariness and endeavours to escape signifie nothing in the end.

They are convinc'd by a thousand examples before their eyes, that this is the readiest way to rise to a com∣mand, that there is a certain reward due to valour, and that the Bassas and all the other great Officers owe all to their Scymitars. Thus solici∣tous of fame and honour, they va∣lue not their lives in fighting, know∣ing,

that if they come off, they are sure to be preferred.

But the most effectual and effica∣tious machin to skrew up their cou∣rage to the highest degree and pitch of desperation is an opinion, which by the artifices and insinuations of the Churchmen passes for infallible among the Souldiers, that whoever dyes in the wars, is in the account of God and Mahomet a Martyr; his death expiates and atones all his sins of what nature soever; that ip∣so facto he merits the joys and plea∣sures of Paradise, and his Soul shall not be kept to attend upon the body in the grave, to undergo the exami∣nation of the two Angels, which they are so terribly afraid of. A Muf∣ti being consulted in what order the followers of Mahomet shnuld enter into Paradise, determined it in fa∣vour of the Souldiers slain in the wars, that they were to have the precedence; then the honest plow∣men; afterward the Lawyers and Priests; and the rest promiscuously without any order at all, as they can

pass and get in in the croud. Ani∣mated with these hopes, they are almost unwilling to live; no danger terrifies, death does not mate their courage; the pleasant and wanton thoughts they entertain of their Fools Paradise do so run in their minds.

They shew the same, if not a greater, courage in keeping a forti∣fication, where they have fixt their Half-Moon Standard; much more a Town or City, where they have built a Mosch, when besieged by Christians; chusing rather to under∣go all the hardships of a Siege, or the most dismal consequences of an assault, then any way think of a surrender. This is a mighty piece of Religion among them, that Ma∣hometanism may loose no ground; rather than so, they will perish, not only without complaint and mur∣mur, but willingly and with joy too. Such a fatal obstinacy are they wrought up to by their super∣stition.

The great wasts, which are made by plague and war,* 1.82 are supplied by the Slaves which are continually brought into the Empire, and by the multitude of women allowed by the Law of Mahomet. It is enough to rend any heart, that gives way to the least impressions of pity, to consider the sad condition of poor Christian Captives in Turkey. They are chiefly brought in yearly by the Tartars, who make excursions into Poland and Russia for several days journeys, and upon their return sweep and carry all before them; several Ships laden with them in the Ports of the Black Sea (the old name of Euxine being wholly lost and forgot) in the months of June and July arriving at Constan∣tinople. This is the great Mart for Slaves, where they are sure to meet with a quick and a good Market, for no commodity is more vendible or merchantable. Or else they are brought along with the Caravans from the farthest parts of the Em∣pire in Asia, out of Georgia and

Mengrelia; wholly intent upon their private gain in the sale. The Tartars while they enrich themselves with this kind of spoil, advance the pub∣lick interest of the Turks; that part of Christendom, which they ravage, being much weakned by the loss of thousands, thus barbarously carried into captivity, and their own Em∣pire enlarged and strengthened by such great accessions. For few ever return to their native Country; and fewer have the courage and constan∣cy of retaining the Christian Faith, in which they were educated; their education being but mean, and their knowledg but slight in the principles and grounds of it; whereof some are frighted into Turcism by their im∣patience and too deep resentments of the hardships of the servitude; others are enticed by the blandish∣ments and flatteries of pleasure the Mahometan Law allows, and the al∣lurements they have of making their condition better, and more easie by a change of their Religion: having no hopes left of being redeemed,

they renounce their Saviour and their Christianity, and soon forget their original Country, and are no longer lookt upon as strangers, but pass for natives. Every Wednesday morning they are exposed publick∣ly to sale, like so many Horses or Sheep in a Fair, in a peculiar place of Constantinople, which has the name of Jazir Basar, or the Slave-Market, where is an establisht Offi∣cer to register the sales. The Area of which is about fifty paces square; on the sides of it are Chambers, where usually they put the women. Here I have seen, not without hor∣ror and confusion of mind (for pi∣ty was too mean a passion, and soon swallowed up with so dismal and frightful a spectacle) above five hundred at the same time, as so ma∣ny victims, ready to be offered to Moloch. The poor Children, scarce yet sensible of their misfortune, mo∣dest and silent; and the women, who had any skill in Embroidery, at work with their Needle; by which artifice the Patrons think to put

them off at better rates; feeding them well before hand, that they may look plump and fat, and seem to be in good case, and putting them on handsom clothes, the better to attract a Chapman. There is scarce a Turk, if he be of any fashion, but has one Slave at least, and some of them twenty, according to the great∣ness of their estates, and the occa∣sions they have of them. They are their proper goods, and let them out to hire sometime; whatever they get, is their Masters, who have an absolute power and command over them in all things, except in the case of life and death; otherwise be their usage never so cruel and barbarous, the poor wretch has no remedy left but patience and sub∣mission. It is interest more than good nature and humanity which makes them use them well, and puts them upon providing clothes, victuals, and whatever is necessary to sustain life, that they may yeild them the better service, and for fear they should sicken and dye; which would

prove their loss: the care of them being only the same with that they bestow upon their Cattel.

The Bassas and other great men enjoy themselves unto the height,* 1.83 out of foresight, that in an Empire, where all things are so uncertain, and where happen daily such sudden changes and traverses of fortune, they may be soon stript of all; they will not lose one jot of their gran∣deur, but mightily pride themselves in it. In their Houses indeed they do not consult pomp and beauty, so much as largeness and conveni∣ence; their riches is more to be seen in their Stables than in the fur∣niture of their Rooms. No Porti∣cos, no Courts laid out in exact proportions, no Galleries adorned with costly pieces of art, nothing either for state or pleasure; accom∣modation being chiefly lookt after; their diet too is course and mean, and far from luxurious, and little differing from that which ordinary persons content themselves with. Their magnificence appears in the

number of their Women, of their Servants, and of their Slaves. Being bred up Souldiers, their care and glory is to provide for the security of their Provinces by stores of Arms and other warlike Provisions; to get an excellent breed of Arabian Horses, whose race they will run you up to several scores of years; and to have a considerable number of brave, tall, and well proportion'd young men to mount them, and to be of their constant retinue. In this piece of gallantry they strive who shall out-do the other; which they think is true greatness.

The law confines them to a set number of Wives;* 1.84 but for Women-Slaves they are left to their own choice and liberty. They may heap up as many as their lust and their estate will and can give way to. It is wholly indifferent of what Reli∣gion they be, so they be not very heathen. Over them they have a full power, and can dispose of them according to their humour and plea∣sure; and send them to the Market,

when they are weary of them; it being no unusual thing for a poor miserable Christian woman to be sold five or six times. I observed a piece of cunning in the Jews, who are well versed in all the little tricks and shifts of gain, and who usually thrive under all Governments, where∣ever they are tolerated: They buy little Girls of five or six years of age at the rate of thirty or forty Dollars, and are mighty careful in their education; teaching them to dance and sing, and instructing them in all the sorts of a winning beha∣viour; and the advantage they re∣ceive does fully answer their labour and expence; these accomplishments rendring them valuable at twenty times more than what they cost; being oftentimes taken into the Se∣raglio, or into the Families of the Bassas, the ordinary Turks having not wherewithall to make such a purchase. And these mindful of the kindness of their Educators, whose chief design was their own profit, which has been the happy occasion

of their preferment, do them, by the interest they get in their respe∣ctive Patrons, many real and great kindnesses. For the Captive-women there is scarce any possibility to e∣scape; they are forced to keep at home, and only divert themselves by looking through a lattice of an upper Chamber, if they belong to a person of any condition, who usu∣ally keeps a Bagno in his house; the meaner sort only going abroad, it being disgraceful and scandalous to be seen in publick, except in the Sum∣mer time when they are permitted now and then to go into the fields, or pass the strait to Scutary, or enjoy the cool refreshing air of the Bos∣phorus in a Boat, as I have seen them sometimes, with a black Eu∣nuch in their company, not so much for a guard, as a spy to secure the fears and suspitions of their jealous Lord and Master.

Fury and impatience oftentimes drive the Men-Slaves upon desperate attempts of escaping,* 1.85 preferring their liberty to the great hazard of being

retaken and the ill consequences of it. Some have lain so long in the woods, and other places, till they have been forced by hunger into the highways, which lead to Towns. The Turks suspect all straglers, and seize upon them either for their own use, or upon the first notice given, to restore them to their Patrons, un∣less they produce an Hogiet or Paper under the Cadyes hand, that they are free-men. Upon the absence and flight of a Slave they give notice far and wide, and order several to watch at Bridges, which they must necessa∣rily pass. When I pass'd the Bridge laid over the Cayster, not far from Ephesus, too deep to be forded, several Turks had fixt their station there, hoping at that pass to intercept the Slaves they were in quest and pursuit of, and taking us to be as good Musulmans as them∣selves, desired us, that if in our travels we met with any such, whom they described, we would stop them and carry them before the next Ca∣dy. But for all this care on the one

side, and hazard on the other, some are so happy to get away, and are mightily favoured in it, by the Western Christians especially, in a Sea-Port Town, when the Ships are upon their departure for Christen∣dom. There is such a visible appea∣rance of Providence in the following stories, that I should not pardon my self if I omitted them. A poor Russ Lad, about twelve years old, being evil intreated of his Master, was re∣solved to try his fortune, and upon the next opportunity in the evening stole away. He gets hastily over the water out of the City, altoge∣ther ignorant whither he went; a good providence carried him to a Christian Village about a mile from Pera; he wanders up and down as a Stranger, not knowing in that sad perplexity of mind, where he was, or what he had to do, being equally afraid to go or stay; it hapned, that one of our Druggermen had at that time business there, and easily guessing him to be a poor Christian run away from his Master, the Lad

confest it, and beg'd of him for Christ's sake to take pity on him. The good man promised him to take care of him when it was a little dar∣ker, when he could do it with grea∣ter security, and with better hope of success. About an hour and a half in the night, he brought the Boy to our House to kiss my Lord Am∣bassador's Vest; immediately he was put into a Livery, and a Perruke given him, and kept within doors for some time: but after he began to talk English, he walked the streets securely; so disguised in his looks and habit, that if his Turkish Ma∣ster had met him, he would not have known him, he passing for one who had come out of England with us. The other is this, A few days before we set sail for Italy, lying at Anchor in the Bay of Smyr∣na about a League without the Ca∣stle, about midnight the Seamen, who were upon the Watch, heard a mournful voice of one in the wa∣ter, calling for help; they immedi∣ately run to the sides of the Ship,

and spy one almost quite spent with swimming, and ready to sink through weariness; they throw out a Rope, and get him aboard. We then lay fourteen miles from the City, and about a mile and a half from the shore. When they had recovered him with strong-water and a warm bed, he told us next day, that he was a poor Christian of Russia, of nineteen or twenty years of age, who was resolved to make use of that opportunity of recovering his liberty; that he got in the evening out of Smyrna, and kept along the shore, till he came to the place over against which our Ship rode: a calm Sea and a bright Star-light night fa∣voured the bold adventure, so that he had the Ship always in his eye; but the distance deceived him, pro∣ving greater than he expected. He throwing away his upper Vest into the Sea, that it might be no hinde∣rance to him in swimming, committed himself to the goodness of God and the water, and with much a-do got to us. We put him into Christian

habit, like one of the Seamen; but for his and our greater security, the Turkish Customers being within a day or two to search the Vessel, lest they should give us or the Merchants any trouble, if they found him with us, our Captain desired the Com∣mander of a Dutch Man of War, that lay in the Bay, to receive him till we set sail: within four days, when we were out of all danger, we received him again, and brought him for England.

The condition of the Slaves is more or less tolerable,* 1.86 according to the temper and humour of their Pa∣trons. But of all, a Gally-slave leads the most sad and miserable life: when they are abroad at Sea, per∣petually labouring at the Oar, and chained to their seats; there they are fixed in all weathers; their on∣ly hope being this that violent storms are not very lasting. They must make a virtue of necessity, and are forced to be patient. A love of life and hope one day of being freedmake them submit their backs to the cruel

whip; otherwise death would be a real advantage to them: and some indeed out of a weariness and loath∣ing, of life have been so desperate as to get loose and leap into the Sea.

They who are taken in the wars are the Grand Signiors Slaves, and seldom or never get their liberty, unless when a Christian Ambassa∣dor intercedes powerfully in their behalf, or that this condition be in∣serted in the Articles of a Treaty re∣newed after a rupture by war; a point the Signoria of Venice in the late accord upon the surrendry of Candia pursued with great zeal, and by the prudent conduct of their Bailo so happily effected, to the great honour of St. Mark. They judg it an indecorum, that the Ex∣chequer should be one Asper the richer for ransoms. No, their Pri∣soners must linger out their time, and grow old either in their Gallies or Prisons, unless they are met with and over-powered in fight by the Knights of Malta, who are obliged their

by their Order to be in perpetual enmity with the Turks, and are a great thorn in their side, and so have their liberty given them by the Conquerer; or else when their Gallies are halled ashore into their Voltas, by some unexspected chance get away.

At such time they are shut up in a spacious Area by the Arsenal,* 1.87 on the North-side of the Haven at Constantinople, enclosed with very high walls, and strict guard kept at the entrance; and for the grea∣ter security, they shackle them in couples. Here I had occasion to go often, to visit and relieve four or five poor English men; some of which had served Captain Geor∣gio, a famous Greek Pyrate, who was a plague to the Infidels; but at last by a surprize he fell into their hands, though after a most brave resistance, himself being kil∣led in the encounter, to the great joy of all the inhabitants of the Sea-coasts, whose often visits were so terrible to them: his head was

sent as a present to the Emperor, for which the Messenger was consi∣derably rewarded, and the service of the Captain Bassa, who with his whole Fleet of Gallies, assisted by some Ships of Tripoly, set upon his two Ships in a Port of Mitylene, highly magnified, and Songs made upon the victory: my business be∣ing to confirm them by my advice in their profession of the Faith of Christ, that no hardship might work upon their troubled minds to make them turn Turks, and to relieve them as I saw their necessities re∣quired, with the money that was put into my hand for such Chri∣stian uses. The Turks allow them only black bread and water, but for other necessaries of life they are beholding to their Fellow-Christians; though some of the more handy and ingenious, by some kind of work or other do scrape together a few Aspers to lay in a little provision against the time of their going to Sea.

The Christian Commanders and Officers are imprisoned in the Seven Towers,* 1.88 scituated upon the Pro∣pontis in the South-East corner of Constantinople. These Gentlemen are the great trophies of their vi∣ctories; with these, and their per∣petual servitude they seem satisfied in the loss of many thousands kil∣led in the war. They have a daily allowance of fifteen Aspers made by the Emperor, and this is esteem∣ed a mighty piece of bounty, which they cannot safely reject, though the Governour usually gets a third part of it: but being most of no∣ble Families, they are well main∣tained, not only by their Relations, but by the respective Governments and States under which they ser∣ved; considerable sums being year∣ly sent toward their relief, which is distributed in due proportion ac∣cording to their quality and cha∣racter: only I could wish the Hun∣garian and German Gentlemen, who are Protestants, had a little more justice done them in the distribu∣tion,

and did not suffer upon the account of their Religion. Here I went three or four times a year to give them the Holy Sacrament, and found easie admission into the Castle, as did the Religious of the Roman Church, to say Mass to those of their Communion, who were far more numerous; visits were continually made them by their friends; they had the free use of the Castle, so as they kept within their due limits; and free liberty of keeping one ano∣ther company; and thus they deceived the tediousness of their imprisonment by mutual kindnesses and civilities of conversation; the Governour of the Castle letting out a Garden to a noble Venetian, who had been ta∣ken in Corso, which favour he ad∣mitted his fellow-prisoners to. No∣thing seemed to be wanting but their liberty to make their life plea∣sant; many of them were allowed to keep their Servants, and lay in what provision they pleased; the Gover∣nour being a mild man, and extra∣ordinary indulgent, besides the usual

custom of Turks, who think that the right of war will justify the most horrid act of barbarity and brutish∣ness toward their Prisoners, who are to look upon it as a great favour and mercy that their throats are not cut. But after that a French Gentleman a Knight of Malta made his escape in the latter end of the year 1670. in the French-Men of War, which brought their new Am∣bassador; the Turks, mad at their remissness, were resolved to revenge themselves upon the remaining Pris∣oners, treating them with all imagina∣ble despight and cruelty, thrusting them (having first put iron-bolts up∣on their legs) into loathsome Cellars and Dungeons, without the least re∣gard to their quality, and suffering no Christian to come nigh them: and indeed the cruelty and insolence were so great, that without the di∣vine assistance it had been altogether insupportable.

The other Slaves,* 1.89 who are in pri∣vate mens hands, are redeemable at a good price; but then there must

be artifice used in the buying of them. The more forward the Western Christians are to redeem their Coun∣trey-men, the greater price their co∣vetous Masters set upon their heads; a seeming indifference, whether they are redeemed or no, does very much beat down the ransome. They have rowing in their Galleys Christians of almost all European Nations; English, and French, and Dutch, and the like. Which must not seem strange, though we have a league of commerce and trade with the Grand Signor and Ambassadors re∣side in the Port, and the effects and persons of the Merchants are secured by virtue of capitulations, and our Ships pass securely in their Seas. For these foolish men enticed with hope of prey and good pay, deserted the Merchants Ships of their own Countrey, and served un∣der the banners of the Venetians and Malteses, or else privateering Pyrats: the trade being usually gainful, either by intercepting the Alexandrian Saikes in the Archipelago, or by ma∣king

a descent upon the land: (the Turks till of late awakened by their losses, not fortifying their Sea-Coasts, and lying naked to the assaults of every bold invader) but now and then they are snapt themselves, and catch a Tartar; which hapned to Captain Georgio's men, who were all considerably rich with their plunder; but greedy of more, lost all, and their liberty to boot: a continued success not being to be hoped for in the un∣certainties of War. I remember, that when I was at Smyrna, I attended our Consul in his visit he made Kap∣lan Bassa, a Georgian, the Admiral of the Turkish Armata. He inter∣ceded with him in behalf of several English Sea-men which were in the Galleys; his answer was, that he had a command from the Emperor to torment such rogues (for he was out of all patience when he spake of them) who assisted his enemies; that they were to thank themselves for their slavery; that this severity was justifiable by the rights and laws of War; and that he ought not to sup∣plicate

for such, who deserved greater punishment than what they endured.

The Bassas and Beyes of the se∣veral Islands, which are scattered up and down the Mediterranean, hold their Places and Governments upon condition of furnishing out so many Galleys, according to a fixt propor∣tion, every Summer-expedition at their own expence.

If when they are separated from the Fleet, they master an Enemy, both ship and men are their own; but this hapning but seldom, they are forced to hire or buy Slaves to man their Galleys. These were the men we were forced to deal with. I should here injure my conscience as well as the reputation of my Lord Ambassador and the worthy Facto∣ries of Constantinople and Smyrna, if I should conceal with what earn∣estness and zeal they would lay out great sums of Money in this most Christian piece of Charity, consult∣ing herein very generously the ho∣nour of their Religion, and the ho∣nour of their Countrey, as it became

Christians and English Gentlemen.

Fifty pounds sterling is an ordi∣nary price for a Slave; and so much we have given, and sometimes more. We had a great mind to set at liber∣ty one honest man above the rest, and offered a considerable sum of Money for his ransom; but it was refused, and would have been, though we had doubled it. For they could not, it seems, well spare him, he be∣ing a Sail-maker by his profession, whom they continually employed; and being sensible how useful he was to them, they used him very kind∣ly; so that he could complain of nothing but the bare want of liber∣ty. Others of these Beyes out of pride and peculiar hatred to the Christian name and of our Nation, were so obstinate and inflexible, that they were not to be moved or wrought upon, by any overtures of Money, to part with their Slaves; which distemper we found most ra∣ving in the Bassa of Rhodus; whose example is an instance of the lasting revenge of Turks, which only death

can extinguish. His Father had been Captain Bassa, and having ac∣cording to the usual custom, visited the Islands and the coasts of Greece, went with his Fleet into the Sinus Euboeensis, now called the Gulph of Volo, to the N. of Boeotia or Negro∣pont, where were two English Ships at anchor, taking in Corn, which was contraband, for Christendom; which he made sure of, as lawful prize, and promised himself an easy victory. The poor Mariners who knew the danger, and the inconvenience they were put to for want of Sea-room, being not able to turn and wind their Ships, were resolved however to fight and die, rather than tamely yield; there was no hope of flight, or safety, or victory; which made them the more desperate. He sends them an insolent summons to deliver up themselves immediately; other∣wise he would beat their Ships about their ears; and threatens them with present death. This most dismal accident, instead of abating, increased their strength, and made

them the more furious. The Turks fight for prey, the Christians only for revenge; and overprest with the disproportioned number of the In∣fidels, most of them die bravely, some few unhappily surviving to be the triumph and sport of their cruelty. But the Captain Bassa, who thought to gratify his covetous, proud, and revengeful humour, was killed in the fight with a Musket; the manner of whose death the Son so implacably resented, vowing revenge upon the whole Nation for the misfortune of it, though it hapned above forty years ago; getting as many English as he can, either by money or vio∣lence, into his hands, and using them with all imaginable cruelty and de∣spight to please his Father's angry Ghost. He had about ten in his Gal∣lies, whom he would not part with at any rate, though we often tried him; and he a man otherwise very covetous; but his hatred, and ill will, and revenge, were in him more prevalent passions.

The Enthusiasm wherewith Ma∣homet was so infatuated,* 1.90 did not de∣prive him of the use of his reason in other matters, relating to the establishment of his Religion, which was to be kept up and propagated by the joynt aids of ignorance and arms: wisely considering the hor∣rid effects of intemperance in a Camp, how inconsistent with the dis∣cipline of War, in which his follow∣ers were to be trained, (there being no likelihood of its prevailing upon the understanding of any wise or sober people otherwise) how the Greeks and Asiaticks had given up themselves to the excessive love of Wine, which introduced softness and effeminacy in their manners, took them off their natural strength and courage both of body and mind, and rendred them less able to endure the hardships that necessarily attend a warlike life; how the extravagant mirth they were guilty of in their cups, made them unlike men, and ended for the most part in quarrels and blood; he forbad the use of

Wine wholly, as if there had been a Devil in every grape, and that he diffused his evil influence in the juice. No, those who were to be Champions of the Almighty were to be grave and sober, and not any way expos'd to the danger of losing their reason, or having their souls defiled with so prophane a liquor.

This he pretends was the com∣mand of God, which might easily enough prevail upon a blockish and stupid people, wrought upon by his wiles and artifices, to deny them∣selves this satisfaction, (though their taste could not but be affected with the pleasantness, and sweetness and refreshing qualities of Wine,) and even force their very natures and in∣clinations to a submission.

I expected to have found them as abstemious as they have been fam'd to be,* 1.91 and that no such thing as drunkenness was to be seen a¦mong them, or but rarely at least; this being the peculiar vice where∣with they used to upbraid the Chri∣stians and Jews: but I quickly

found, that riot and the love of Wine were too strong for their first belief and education; and that the incli∣nations of Sense had beaten down the commands of Religion; that generally all, not only the Renega∣dos but natural Turks, Citizens and Souldiers, were excessively given to it; except the Priests and old men, and such as had been at Mecca, whose age, and profession, and man∣ner of life rendred them averse from doing a thing so indecent and scan∣dalous; and that a man could not do a Turk a greater civility and kindness, or more oblige them, than by giving them Wine. For the sake of this they would visit the houses of Christians, and not be satisfied without it. They are for the pure blood of the grape, and wonder at our spoiling the Wine by our mix∣tutes of water, and think they have not drank enough, till they are able to drink no more. The late Vizir himself was not free from this vice of excessive drinking. For being per∣swaded (much about the time of the

taking of Candia) by his Physician a little to transgress the law of his Prophet for his health sake, he no sooner had tasted the sweetness of Wine, (for till that time he was ut∣terly ignorant whether it were sweet or bitter) but he loved it ever after; and was almost angry with his Pro∣phet, for forbidding a liquor so grateful to the palate; as I believe he was with himself, for living in ig∣norance so long: it being his con∣stant practice, upon his return from that Island, to indulge himself in it in the afternoon, when he had dis∣patched the weighty affairs of the Empire, relying, I suppose, upon the strength of a Proverb that holds as true in Turkey as in Christendom, That he who is a wise man in the day, will not be accounted a fool at night.

This defection was so gross, gene∣ral, and notorious, that it alarm'd the Church-men, and filled them with anger and zeal, which broke out in bitter invectives; they thunder out of their Pulpits, that their Religion

and Empire were both like to be at an end speedily, that the violation portended nothing but ruine and de∣solation; that the crime grew to that excess and height, that it seem∣ed almost to be above expiation. But the Janizaries, no way moved with their zeal, drink on still. At last a certain Priest, one Vani Ephendi, fa∣mous for his eloquence, and who had gained a mighty opinion in the Court for his pretensions to extraor∣dinary piety, (consisstent, by the pra∣ctice and law of the Countrey, with a multitude of women, which he kept) upon Mahomet's birth-day, took the liberty in an harangue before the Emperor, to put him in mind of the quarrels of the Janizaries, occa∣sioned by this devillish liquor, al∣most in his very sight, and near his Tent; that this was of evil Omen to the Government; that the state of affairs were in an ill condition; that God and Mahomet were highly angry and offended at the practice of so much lewdness, which was uni∣versally tolerated; and that their

holy Religion was in great danger of being lost by such prophanation. He very tragically and passionately laments the miscarriage; then en∣treats and beseeches with mighty earnestness and zeal the Emperour, to think of a fit remedy, that may put a stop to this growing evil: and for fear his perswasions might be in∣effectual, he tells him he shall never enter into Paradise, and thereatens him with everlasting punishment in the other World, unless he removes this grievous Scandal. The Grand Signior was then at Adrianople,* 1.92 who commands immediately the Taverns of the poor Greeks to be shut up; and the Casks of Wine, the occasion of this great disorder, to be staved in the open streets; and issues forth his Royal command, that no more Wine should be drank all the Empire over. I cannot but re∣member, with what horrour the Greeks of Constantinople received the news, how amazed and disheartned and how they lamented and deplo∣red the misfortune, being ready to act

the Desperadoes: but their trouble and solicitude are to no purpose, the Emperour commands, and he must be obeyed. The Turks enter the Cellars of the publick houses, and spoil all the Vessels they light up∣on, where the Greeks and Armeni∣ans had not prevented them by their over hast, for fear they should be thought to have disliked or dis∣obeyed the Edict; for that was u∣niversal, and took in Jews and Chri∣stians as well as Turks. For they for the future must abstain from Wine out of respect to the Emperour's command, as the Turks out of re∣spect to Mahomet.

The Turks are always guilty of Extreams; when once they have determined upon a thing, though never so rashly and without the due examination of circumstances, or the mischiefs that may follow, they pre∣sently proceed to execution. What∣soever they do, they do it with so much impetuosity and fury, that equity and clemency and civility are wholly laid aside. To add geater

force and authority to the com∣mand, and to strike a terror into the people, a severe penalty is threatned to be inflicted upon the transgressor: the fear of which made them forbear drinking Wine in private, lest their very breath should betray them. The Christians, who were less care∣ful herein, suffered the punishment of their own folly. For I knew se∣veral of them faulty herein seized upon in the streets, and condemned to the Galleys. Our Drugger-men would never venture to drink a glass of Wine, whensoever they crossed the waters and went, as they had occasion, for the business of my Lord Ambassador and the Nation, to the Caimaicam's house; for this had been an affront, and consequently an aggravation of their fault, for a Christian reeking with Wine to breath in a Bassa's face.

In the mean while the Christian Ambassadors were concerned,* 1.93 lest they and their Families, if there were no Vintage the following Au∣tumn, should be involved under the

same Inconveniencies; for the Greeks out of despair left off culti∣vating their Vineyards, not think∣ing the bare Grapes, whereof there is such plenty, worth the labour and cost and time; and it was justly to be feared, lest the Customers in the Sea-port Towns would prove fro∣ward and troublesom, and not per∣mit any Vessels of Wine sent for Presents out of Christendom to be carried to their Palaces. The Ca∣dyes too were very fierce in the exe∣cution of this Order; some out of zeal to Religion, others out of a principle of obstinacy and ill will to the Christians; others out of co∣vetousness to get money for a Li∣cence and Dispensation. This last made the Cady of Jerusalem so fierce upon the poor Religious of the se∣veral Communions of Christians there, so as to forbid them the use of Wine in the Holy Sacrament, pre∣tending he did but his duty to the Emperour, when it was a lusty Bribe the Villain aimed at, knowing the obligations their Religion and their

vows laid upon them of celebrating a daily Mass, as the event soon shewed.

During this disorder the Ambas∣sadors* 1.94 send their Druggermans (for so they call the Interpreters they make use of in transacting their con∣cerns) to represent to the Visir and other Bassas the injustice of con∣cluding them under the prohibition; that it would be a prejudice to their health, to be forced upon the liquors of the Countrey, to which they had not been accustomed; and that it was against the law of Nations that they should be deprived of the con∣veniences of humane life; upon a debate in their Divan, the request seemed just and reasonable, and fit to be complied with, that they should have a liberty of making what quantity of Wine they pleased for their own uses; for they would extend the priviledge no further. The Ambassadors were unsatisfied with this order, but made further de∣mands, that all the Western Chri∣stians, who were under their pro∣tection,

dispersed in the several Fa∣ctories of the Empire, might enjoy the same favour. The Bassas de∣mur upon it, and pretend this would enervate the force of the Emperor's edict; and that such a concession would have an evil influence upon the Government, which is preserved by a punctual submission to his will and pleasure, which was the highest reason of a law. All likelyhood of success seemed to vanish; our Drug∣german however was commanded to attend, and take all opportunities of making new proposals in his Ma∣ster's name: The matter is put off from day to day, but at last (for it was four months first) being wearied with continued demands, they suf∣fered their obstinacy with great dif∣ficulty to be overcome.

The drinking of distilled liquors was equally forbid;* 1.95 for the Turks seemed more pleased with them than with Wine, as affecting their sto∣macks and brain with greater heats and tittillations. Neither Turks nor Greeks are skilful in the arts of

distillations; but do it in so rude and gross a way, as that it rather seems a boyling of liquors, than a separating the pure and spirituous parts from the gross and saeculent; which makes a company of Brutes, who make sense if not the only yet the leading principle of life so mad for strong waters sent out of Chri∣stendom, distilled with so much art and cost, out of spices, herbs, and such like hot materials and ingredients. They have no moderation and com∣mand over themselves or appetite, and think it can never be satisfied, unless cloyed with excess. And if any Turk, who indulges himself in the drinking of Wine or strong Wa∣ters, does not lose his reason, and re∣turns sober from such a debauch, it must be wholly imputed to the strength of his brain, not to his good will, much less to his virtue.

Besides their Coffee and Sherbet,* 1.96 which last is used by the better sort in the heats of Summer to quench and allay their thirst, the ordinary people drink sometimes other li∣quors;

one they call Bozza, made of a kind of Millet; another made of boyled raisins and honey mixt; another of water and honey, and with eggs macerated in them; be∣sides a syrup made of preserved grapes.

But which is most peculiar to them,* 1.97 is the use of crude Opium, which they swallow whole in little pills without any the least mastica∣tion. The stomack performing its vital function in the opening and dissolving this concreted juice, the brain feels the violent operation of it; the spirits are put into a rapid motion; a vertigo seizes upon the person; and a kind of delirium, which takes away the free and so∣ber use of reason; if they walk, their motion is very unsteady, like men who are drunk or mad; and their tongues faltering, and the whole body disordered. A thousand foolish ideas of things possess their imagi∣nation; their fancies are then most raving, as if all that time they were as happy as the Grand Signor him∣self.

They think this the greatest pleasure of life, which they can pur∣chase at the rate of a few aspers; for to this purpose some vile persons take it, as they do Wine, being ca∣pable of no greater pleasure than what arises from a preternatural state of the body. Others to streng∣then them in their lust; others to deprive them of their understand∣ing, so as to be less sensible of dan∣ger, or the impressions of hunger, or the cold air, and the other severities of Winter, and especially when at such times they are obliged to tra∣vel.

This is the constant viaticum or provision of the Messengers,* 1.98 especi∣ally Arabians by Nation, who like our foot-posts are employed by the Ambassadors and Merchants from Constantinople to their several Fa∣ctories; there being no establisht con∣veyance of Letters all Turkey over, (which is one argument of their bar∣barousness) their service is very use∣ful and necessary. They are reduced to a set company, and have a Chief

over them, who dispatches them to the several parts of the Empire; and they perform great journeys with incredible haste, unless when the ways are rendred unpassable by deep snow or great rain and inundations of waters, and are very faithful in the discharge of their trust. Dozed and intoxicated with Opium, they go on their way, and have just so much sense left as to know they are not out of it; at first they shake off the drouziness, which the poisonous medicament brings upon them, by a continual agitation of the body; and when they are tired and forced to rest, they are content with as lit∣tle sleep as possible, not lying stretcht out to their full length, but leaning down with their backs against a wall or banke, with their knees against their belly to keep it warm; every one knows his convenient dose ac∣cording to his strength and tempera∣ment; some will receive the quan∣tity of a little pea, as ordinarily as they do their daily food, or rather make that serve for it; stronger sto∣macks

and constitutions require as much more, which one would won∣der how they should concoct, but that we know, to some by a pecu∣liarity of constitution, which nature hath given, or use introduced, occa∣sioned by necessity or wantonness, poisons have served for aliment. How small a part of that, which custom has made so necessary to their lives, as that they cannot for∣bear so much as one day, would put us into our last sleep, and awaken us in another World! This affected phrenzy has this event usually, the spirits being so often fired and put into a preternatural motion, their whole force being spent, grow dull and torpid; their looks pale and frightful, like men distracted; their eyes sunk in their heads; a palsy in their hands, and all the infirmities of old age seizing upon them in the time of their manhood: so that they appear to be as so many walking ghosts. Which horrid and necessary effects of it have of late made the use of it less frequented among the

more considering Turks, who are sen∣sible their excesses and debaucheries with Wine are less dangerous and pernicious to their health. I know not how true the experiment is, but this is certain, that those who use O∣pium abstain most carefully, for some time at least, from drinking cold wa∣ter,: which they say would cause death incurably, though without any convulsion or agonies. This is the only use of Opium with them, igno∣rant of correcting its noxious and stupifying qualities, and so making it fit for medicine.

There is so great and universal a regard had to Mahomet's prohibi∣tion of eating Swines-flesh,* 1.99 that the transgressor is counted sacrilegious and void of all conscience, who dares defile his soul with it, as they firm∣ly believe it does; which opinion is so rooted in their minds, that they may be sooner brought to renounce any part of their Religion, than this particular institution. Those who will indulge themselves to drinke Wine, abhor the very thought of

touching, much more of eating the least bit of Pork. To breed an anti∣pathy in their children toward it, they teach them, as soon as they can speak, to call Christians by the opprobrious name of Hogs; which hatred grows up with their years; so that they had rather die with hun∣ger, than meddle with such profane and cursed diet, in what strait or ne∣cessity of life soever. The very sight of a Hog puts some into a fright and trembling, which soon passes in∣to fretting and indignation; and woe to the poor Swine, if the Soul∣diers come in their way; for they are sure to come by the worst of it, if they escape being killed with their small shot; the steams of the dressed flesh are hated worse than any pesti∣lential air; and therefore if any good∣natur'd Turk condescends to be en∣tertain'd by a Christian, great care is taken that nothing may be served up of Hogs-flesh, however disguised: for this would be an affront not on∣ly to his Person, but Religion, and would fright him from the table.

Which I remember hapned particu∣larly at a worthy English Merchant's House at Galata, who prevail'd with a gentile Turk to stay and dine with him. The Cook not knowing there was such a Guest in the company, sent up a mess of Pork, which one of the servants as ignorantly put up∣on the table. The Turk suspecting what it was, asked the question, the thing being confessed, (for there was no possible denying or dissembling it) he rises from his seat in great haste as one out of his wits, looks about for water, and observing a little Ci∣stern in one corner of the room (as is usual) washes his hands, mouth, and nostrils, as if all had been pol∣luted, and left us immediately in great disdain, though fully satisfied it was a mistake, and no way out of design. The Greeks who live in Vil∣lages apart from Turks, breed up these creatures not so much for their own use, as to sell them to the We, stern Christians, and to Masters of Ships for their Sea-provision; a pri∣viledg which they are forced to buy

with their Money. But to do this with greater security, the Drugger∣mans are forced to procure a warrant from the Caimacam every year at the beginning of Winter; and then the Swineherd must remain in the fields, in some by-place out of the road, till the dusk of the evening; at which time the Turks, not used to stay out late, retire to their houses; there being as great silence at an hour and an half in the night as at midnight. This great care must be taken to prevent and take off all oc∣casion of scandal, offence, and tumult, which would necessarily arise, if they were brought into Constantinople as it were in triumph by day-light; and would be sadly misconstrued, as an evil Omen of the downfal of their Empire by the Christians.

They are at present strangers to luxury and high feeding;* 1.100 the Kitchen-arts have not as yet got among them; no poignant sauces to provoke the appetite, besides pop∣per and garlick to heat their sto∣macks; no curiosity of diet, little

decency in their entertainments: They understand not the use of knife and fork, tearing the flesh asunder with their fingers; a wooden spoon being the chief furniture of their table. There are some dishes pe∣culiar to the great mens tables, which an European stomack, though not nice and curious, would reject; fish and soul, though they have in abundance, they do not much affect. They cut the flesh they roast into little mammocks, and put them up∣on wooden spits. The common food of the Levant from Constantinople to the walls of China and beyond, is Rice; which they disguise with several colours with saffron and se∣veral sorts of seeds and juices which yields hearty nourishment. The usual time of dinner is about nine of the clock in the morning; they sit close and round a copper vessel, placed upon a stool a foot and half high from the ground, which con∣tains their plates and dishes either of tin or earth; (for the Em∣peror does not use silver) and eat

their meat in great haste, as if they strove who should eat most, or have done first. This Paragraph of their diet I should altogether have omit∣ted, as of too poor and mean a con∣sideration, if it did not conduce somewhat to the better understand∣ing their manners and tempers.

Their Weddings are celebrated with great noise and tumult;* 1.101 the Bride muffled up and covered with a red veil is brought home on horse∣back riding astride, attended by her relations and friends, and Musick playing before, and the boys running up and down and making a confused noise. This is the first day of their coming together; the whole business of the contract and marriage being managed in their absence by the friends of each party. But forasmuch as the Mahometan law permits the man to put away his wife upon every slight occasion, that they may not leave their Daughters wholly at the mercy of their Husbands, whose hu∣mours are so fickle and inconstant, but prevent such an accident, at least

to provide better against it, a Writing is signed before the Cadi, whereby they oblige themselves to make such daily allowance to their Wives, in case they are weary of them and turn them off: which allowance is exacted as a just debt and always payable. The paper of contract be∣ing ratified, the Proxies of both parties go to the Parish Priest, who is invited to the Nuptial entertain∣ment, who there bestows his blessing on the married couple; and then begins the mad mirth, which lasts for three entire days and nights to∣gether.

They are confined to the number of four Wives,* 1.102 who have some little command over the women Slaves, though otherwise not much better treated; for their condition is ser∣vile, being shut up in their houses as so many prisons, scarce permitted to go abroad without a keeper; barr'd from all outward conversation; their Brothers grown up to be men, de∣nied access to them, or else but twice or thrice in a year, and then in the

presence of their jealous Husbands: forced thus to live an idle and me∣lancholick kind of life at home, their chiefest diversion is to bath often, or to stand at their lattice-window to observe the passengers; but the good Housewives, who are almost dead with this idle and dull kind of life, deceive the slow hours by embroidering Handkerchiefs and Quilts. Their chiefest care is how to please their Husbands, in whose favour they place their happiness; it being in their power to retain them, or put them away; so that their observance and love spring wholly from a principle of fear. Examples of which severity are fre∣quent; after the first or second di∣vorce a reconciliation is allowed;* 1.103 but if their fury and inconstant hu∣mour carry them on farther, then they lye under an interdict. It is a sin, and no less than that of Adulte∣ry, to reassume them, unless after anothers embraces; this punishment of folly is establisht by law, and is horribly disgraceful; a greater curse

or infamy than which, Bayazid the first thought he could not wish up∣on himself, when he was challenged by Tamerlan to fight, if he did not meet him and joyn battel upon a certain day. The Jews practice the same liberty of divorcing themselves from their Wives, allowed by Moses for the hardness of their hearts. A certain Jew had bebauched a Jewess, Wife to another of his own Religi∣on; which being known, the man was excommunicated, and turned out of the Synagogue, and the wo∣man lockt up and deprived of her liberty. But they were resolved to keep company together, and by mu∣tual consent turn Turks, to the great forrow and regret of the Husband, from whom she was violently forced away. At last being convinced of her sin, and her Jew-Turk-Gallant weary of her, she is willing to re∣turn to her first Husband; but this was inconsistent, she being an Apo∣state, with the law of Moses, and with the law of Mahomet, which forbids any Turkish woman to marry

either Christian or Jew. The man is mad for his Wife, and to put him∣self into a condition to receive her, he turns Turk, and marries her, the other having given her a Bill of Di∣vorce. After some time they both go to Salonichi, where is the greatest concourse of Jews in the Empire; next to Constantinople and Cair, and turn Jews again, hoping in such a multitude to pass undiscovered.

The women may sue for a Di∣vorce from their Husbands,* 1.104 when they are not maintained according to the law, and according to con∣tract, and when they suffer an injury too great to be endured; which if they obtain, they only carry away their Clothes and Dowry, and lose all future allowances, and take the Girls with them; but these cases are rare, and very feldom happen.

They are very kind and assisting to their sick friends,* 1.105 accounting it a matter of piety and religion: the frequency of visits renders them troublesome, every one bringing fruits or medicines, which they judg

proper in the case. This care and kindness continue as long as there is hope of life; but when that is past, and the pangs of death seize upon the person, the Priest or any other whispers several times in his ear, and puts him in mind of that usual form, of the profession of Ma∣hometism, that there is no God but God, and that Mahomet is his Pro∣phet. They are much concerned for them in their agonies, and express it by their looks and by their moan; but when once they are dead, their mourning and trouble are at an end; they cease from all complaints, and scarce a sigh to be hard, looking up∣on this, as a finding fault with the de∣cree of God Almighty and a resisting his will. The dead body is perfu∣med with Frankincense, carefully washed with clean soap and warm water, and sowed up in linnen: un∣less towards the head and feet, (which are left free, that the person may stand on his legs, and shew him∣self in the grave, when he gives an account of his faith to the Examin∣ing

Angels) and not kept long above ground. They have not the art of embalming. Their Funerals are so∣lemnized without Obsequies;* 1.106 no shew, or pomp, or expence in the least; they do all in the day-time, and usually in the morning; deriding the Greeks, who at such times carry lighted Tapers and Torches, and the Priests their Censers, and hire wo∣men to cut and tear their hair, and is a necessary part of the solemnity. The Priest usually goes before the corps mumbling out somewhat, who says peculiar prayers for the soul of the dead person at his grave; nigh which he stands alone by himself, the rest about twenty foot distant, and there reads some short Chapters of the Alcoran. Then he gravely admonishes him about the funda∣mentals of his Religion, that the Angel Inquisitor may not surprize him, and find him unprepared with sutable answers; and that he boldly confess that God is the Creator, and Mahomet his Messenger, and that he used in his prayers to turn his face to∣wards

Mecca, and the like; which ceremony being finish'd, they lay the body in the ground, and wish the man a good success in his examina∣tion. Their care and respect is not confined to the grave; for they be∣stow Money to the poor to pray for their souls, which they believe find ease and benefit by their suffrages, and often go themselves to their graves, out of love and respect to their memory. Some Emperors and great men have left lands for these very purposes, that these religious offices may never be omitted. Their women are not permitted to be pre∣sent at a Funeral; only the last day of Ramazan, as I said before, they are allowed to go to the publick burying places. These burying-pla∣ces are without the City,* 1.107 and usually nigh the high-way; somewhat per∣chance for pomp and more for use, to put passengers in mind that they must dye also, and serve for exam∣ples to others: Their graves are somewhat hollow, that they may the better rise and sit before the

Angels, planks being laid athwart to keep the sand and dust, that cover them, from falling upon them. At the extremities are erected two broken pieces of pillars (which for∣merly belong'd to Christian Chur∣ches) or great stones, some of which are between four and five yards high, as I found by measure in the burying-place of Galata. They a∣void doing any possible injury to the dead; their bones lye quiet and un∣disturbed; they do not dig up a grave a second time; every one has his grave apart; no mixture of ashes or bones, which are as safely pre∣served as if they were in distinct urnes and peculiar vaults and repo∣sitories: The sepulchral monuments of the great men are made of free∣stone,* 1.108 well cut and smoothed, in the fashion of a chest, whose cover is taken off, with a stone-step running round and jetting out. Both sides are adorned with gilt circles, and one at each end, the intermedial spaces being filled up with flowers, very handsomely wrought; for here

as in their cielings they shew their skill of engraving and painting. Statuary and drawing a mans face they do not pretend to in the least; this being altogether unlawful; which makes them so brutishly fierce a∣gainst all humane figures, whether wrought by the chezil or pencil. In either of the extremes is placed a pillar, which rising from a square, ends in a cone; on the tip of which is plac'd a turbant, or a cap, such as the women wear, to distinguish whose the mo∣nument is. These monuments are in the open air. The Emperors and great men lie buried in Cities, in co∣vered Chappels, which they have pur∣chased & built for this very purpose.

An Oath is of great force with them in deciding pecuniary and ca∣pital causes;* 1.109 they lay their hands upon the Alcoran and call God to witness to the truth of what they shall attest, which they kiss and then put to their forehead, having first washed their hands; for no unclean person must dare to touch it, as they are warned by the inscription, that

is always on the outside cover of the book. If any Christian or Jew are to give in witness upon Oath, they adjure them to tell the truth of what they know, making them also lay their hands upon the holy Gospels or books of Moses. An Eng∣lish Gentleman being cited before a Cady as a witness of a bargain, rea∣dily appeared, and was very willing to take his Oath, as he could do most conscientiously and religiously; but they wanted a book to swear him, which put a sudden stop to the contestation and trial; after much search among the neighbouring Christians, they brought in an old Latin book, which they took for the Gospels; He quickly perceiving what it was, began to refuse, till his Interpreter, from whom I received this account, told him, that such a scrupulosity would spoil the cause, and make the Turks suspect the truth of his testimony; that it was brought there instead of the book of the Gospels, and that it was be∣lieved by them so to be; and that it

was the same thing in effect, as if the original hand-writing of the Evangelists were put into his hands; wrought upon by these arguments, he took his Oath accordingly.

Some of them will swear horribly in their private discourse; some∣times out of design to gain belief, and sometimes in their passion; and the forms are very odd, and which are not worth being recited or known. But it is the highest un∣kindness in the world not to believe them, when they swear one particu∣lar Oath; for then they are most serious, and desire to remove all possi∣ble suspicion of falshood; which is, by the truth of the four books the thing is so or so, or I will do this or that; meaning the law of Moses, the Psal∣ter of David, the Gospel of Jesus, and the Alcoran of Mahomet: for they look upon the three first also as sacred, and reverence their authority. They acknowledg Moses and Da∣vid and our blessed Saviour Christ to be great Prophets, and do not speak of them without a preface of

respect and honour; following here∣in the example of Mahomet him∣self,* 1.110 who has left them abundant witness in his Alcoran of the most holy life and stupendious miracles of Christ. To whose holy name the better sort shew so great a reverence, that if any cursed Jew go about to blaspheme it, they will be sure to revenge the affront: as it hapned not long since at Gallipoli, a maritime City of Thrace upon the Propontis, where a Jew, quarrelling with an English-man, broke out into most scurrilous language against our Sa∣viour; but the Turks, who were present, were so concerned at the blasphemy, that they carried the wretch to the Justice, who hearing of the evidence, without delay com∣manded him to be severely drubbed before him, to teach him more re∣spect and duty to the name of so holy and great a Prophet.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Turks in what quali∣fied sense Barbarous.
• * 1.2

  Their con∣tempt of Learning.
• * 1.3

  Hatred of all other Religions, which is
• * 1.4

  a principle of their Re∣ligion, and
• * 1.5

  of their E∣ducation.
• * 1.6

  Their be∣haviour to∣ward Chri∣stians.
• * 1.7

  Christians only secure in places of Trade;
• * 1.8

  yet obnoxi∣ous to af∣fronts and abuses,
• * 1.9

  and to be picked up, and made Slaves of,
• * 1.10

  or assault∣ed.
• * 1.11

  Patience & prudence necessary;
• * 1.12

  as also the Habit of the Country, when they travel.
• * 1.13

  Their opi∣nion of, and behaviour toward the Jews.
• * 1.14

  Their ha∣tred of the Persian greatest.
• * 1.15

  The proud behaviour of the Turks arising from a false be∣lief of their being Suc∣cessors of the Greeks and Romans in the Em∣pire.
• * 1.16

  and only in the right way of Re∣ligion and Salvation.
• * 1.17

  Musulman.
• * 1.18

  The Pro∣phets of the old Testa∣ment laid claim to by them.
• * 1.19

  The Maho∣metan Reli∣gion gross,
• * 1.20

  and bru∣tish.
• * 1.21

  The proof of it lying in their Swords,
• * 1.22

  and in their success.
• * 1.23

  No dispu∣ting with them.
• * 1.24

  Most secure in their opi∣nions and belief.
• * 1.25

  Only to be pleased with mo∣ney and presents.
• * 1.26

  An instance of a gene∣rous civili∣ty.
• * 1.27

  Circumcisi∣on.
• * 1.28

  Their pray∣ers at set times.
• * 1.29

  Friday their day of Religious Conventi∣on.
• * 1.30

  Their washings.
• * 1.31

  Called to Prayers by the Priests or their Servants▪
• * 1.32

  Their pray∣ers in Ara∣bick, and of what na∣ture.
• * 1.33

  Their pub∣lick Service in their Moschs.
• * 1.34

  And the manner of it.
• * 1.35

  Their pro∣strations.
• * 1.36

  The exces∣sive zeal of some Turks,
• * 1.37

  and hypo∣crisie of others.
• * 1.38

  Their Fast of Rama∣zan.
• * 1.39

  The case of sick per∣sons, Tra∣vellers, and Children.
• * 1.40

  The Feast of great Bairam.
• * 1.41

  Sacrifice Sheep.
• * 1.42

  The Feast of little Bairam.
• * 1.43

  Their Pil∣grimage to Mecca.
• * 1.44

  Their visi∣ting of Je∣rusalem.
• * 1.45

  Their care of their be∣haviour up∣on their re∣turn from Mecca.
• * 1.46

  Their other Festivals.
• * 1.47

  The Mini∣sters of their Religion.
• * 1.48

  Mufti.
• * 1.49

  Cadiles∣kires.
• * 1.50

  Mollas.
• * 1.51

  Imam, or Parish-Priest.
• * 1.52

  The great number of Moschs.
• * 1.53

  Sermons.
• * 1.54

  Readers of the Alcoran.
• * 1.55

  Cadyes.
• * 1.56

  Alcoran.
• * 1.57

  Sunna or Tradition.
• * 1.58

  Colledges
• * 1.59

  Professors.
• * 1.60

  Their Al∣lowance.
• * 1.61

  Officers un∣der the Ca∣dyes.
• * 1.62

  Turks piti∣ful to dumb creatures.
• * 1.63

  Their love of Dogs.
• * 1.64

  The opini∣on of Fate.
• * 1.65

  The Plague rages a∣mong them often.
• * 1.66

  Their reve∣rence of God.
• * 1.67

  Atheists among them.
• * 1.68

  Janizaries.
• * 1.69

  Their Col∣lection.
• * 1.70

  Agiamo∣glans.
• * 1.71

  The Gene∣ral of the Janizaries.
• * 1.72

  Their pay.
• * 1.73

  Their num∣ber.
• * 1.74

  Spahyes.
• * 1.75

  Their num∣ber.
• * 1.76

  Orders of Spahyes.
• * 1.77

  Zaims.
• * 1.78

  Voluntiers.
• * 1.79

  Auxilia∣ries.
• * 1.80

  Tartars.
• * 1.81

  Their va∣lour and the causes of it.
• * 1.82

  Their Slaves.
• * 1.83

  The Gran∣dezza of the Bassas in what it consists.
• * 1.84

  Number of Women-Slaves al∣lowed.
• * 1.85

  Men-Slaves often make escapes.
• * 1.86

  How the Slaves are treated.
• * 1.87

  Arsenal of Constan∣tinople, where the Grand Sig∣niors Slaves are kept.
• * 1.88

  The Seven Towers a Prison for Gentlemen taken in the wars.
• * 1.89

  Slaves in private mens hands
• * 1.90

  Wine for∣bid to be drank by Mahomet.
• * 1.91

  But not∣withstand∣ing this prohibiti∣on, the Turks gene∣rally de∣bauched with it.
• * 1.92

  Wine for∣bid by the Emperor to be drank all the Em∣pire over.
• * 1.93

  The con∣cern of the Christian Ambassa∣dors for this severe pro∣hibition.
• * 1.94

  Who re∣monstrate upon it.
• * 1.95

  Strong wa∣ters equal∣ly forbid.
• * 1.96

  Turkish Liquors.
• * 1.97

  The com∣mon use of Opium a∣mong them
• * 1.98

  The chief provision of the Ara∣bian Mes∣sengers.
• * 1.99

  Swines∣flesh pro∣hibited.
• * 1.100

  Their diet.
• * 1.101

  Their Weddings.
• * 1.102

  How they treat their Women.
• * 1.103

  Their Di∣vorces.
• * 1.104

  In what ca∣ses the wo∣men may sue for a Divorce.
• * 1.105

  Their kindness to sick persons.
• * 1.106

  Their Fu∣nerals.
• * 1.107

  Their bu∣rying-pla∣ces.
• * 1.108

  Their Tombes.
• * 1.109

  Their Oaths.
• * 1.110

  Their re∣spect to the name of Christ.