others keeping the Sheep and are commonly seen up and down in the Fields about that business only Sundays and Holy-days they meet all together in the Church Out of the Seniors the Abbots whom they call Hegoumenoes are chosen every second Year The present Abbot is named Gregorio who is a good ingenious Man and understands the antient Greek indifferently well The Valley round about them belongs to the Convent and bears good Wine Oyl Corn and Honey They have several little Huts up and down where the Caloiros lodge near their Business and these they call Metochia the same word which the antient Greeks used for a Colony Out of this they have a considerable Revenue but of late are so impoverished by some scarce Years that they have been forced to sell their Church-plate to pay the Turk his dues which is Two hundred Dollers a Year or about fifty Pounds English The rest of their Livelihood is Charity which cannot be much in Money out of the Misery that poor People are brought into They have been likewise some Years ago much molested by the Turks who came in companies plundred them misused them and some of them they killed so that the Convent was well near destroyed and at last they were forced to flee to Constantinople to complain of the unsupportable Violences against their Priviledges obtained even from the Turks themselves Upon which they had a Turk granted them to protect them from the like Outrages whom they are obliged to maintain and pay We had the Company of the Hegoumenos a good while and among other things we asked him Who was the Founder of their Convent Who told us That it was the Emperour Romanus Son to Constantine the Seventh and Grand-Son to Leon called the Philosopher and shewed us an old Book that spake of the Building of it and carried us down into a Vault of the Church and shewed us two Tombs which he said were the Tombs of this Emperour and his Empress My Comrade then called to mind an Inscription that we copied from the Walls of Constantinople that speaketh of a Church built by the Emperour Romanus which we should never have judged to have been this had not this good Abbot assured us That it was built by the same Emperour Romanus All of the Inscription that remains perfect is this you here see and perhaps there is not much wanting ΠΑϹΙ-ΡΩΜΑΙΟΙϹ ΜΕΓΑϹ ΔΕϹΠΟΤΗΣ ΕΓΕΙΡΕ ΡΩΜΑÎΟϹ ÎΕΟΠΠΑÎΜΕΓΙϹΤΟΠΤΟΠΔΕ ΠΥΡΓΟΠΕΚ ΒΑΘ .... That is to say The great Emperour Romanus hath built a very great Church for all the Greeks and this Tower from the Foundation Where the word Romaiois ought to be translated Greeks For since the Seat of the Roman Empire was removed from Italy to Constantinople Greece hath been called Romania and now more corruptedly Romelia and the Greeks commonly call themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And truly this is the finest Church I saw in all Greece next to Santa Sophia at Constantinople notwithstanding it is old and hath suffered very much by Earthquakes and Time It is built after the Greek manner almost square without it hath a Portico at the West end From which are three Doors to enter into the Church Then there is an indifferent large Cuppalo in the middle and is proportioned within in the shape of a Cross All the Walls are cased with polished Marble and the Pavement laid with Marble of several colours and Jasper and Porphyry c. The Roof and Cuppalo is adorned with antient Mosaick Work in Figures of our Saviour the Blessed Virgin and others with a Gallery round about it sustained by Marble Pillars We observed also several Planks of Transparent Marble of which Monsieur Gulitier a French Gentleman hath made such Wonders in his Account of Athens All the Mystery is That the Marble being cut in thin Planks and withal being of it self a little Transparent the Light looketh a little yellow through it Adjoyning to this on the South-side is another little Church dedicated to the Holy Virgin which hath a pretty Portico sustained by two Corinthian Pillars with their beautiful Chapiters on them Hard by it is another which is above in an upper Room dedicated to Saint Sopito Hither they bring their Sick to lodge and say They are often cured miraculously There we found a Fragment of an Inscription and about the Walls of the Church and Convent several others Those that were not out of the reach of our Eyes we copied One of which is the Dedication of a Fountain and its Ducts of Water to the Emperours amongst the Gods and to the City by one Xenocrates and Eumaridas at their own Charges But the Name of the City is not mentioned ΘΕΟΙΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΙΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΙ ΠΟΛΕΙ ΤΗΠΚΡΗÎΗΠΚΑΙ ΤΑ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΒΑΜΟΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΕΠΟΙΚΙΟΠΞΕÎΟΚΡΑΤΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΥΜΑΡΙΔΑΣ ΑÎΕΘΗΚΑΠΕΚ ΤΩΠΙΔΙΩΠΚΑΙ ΤΗΠΤΟΥ ΥΔΑΤΟΣ ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΗΠI believe that here might be the antient Stiria if it be not that Village we past by not far from the Convent For here is room enough for a little City and I suppose my Comrade did not observe the Foundations of a Wall on the Top of this Hill as I did another time as also the Ruins underneath in the Valley North of it which they call Palaeo-Stiri or Old Stiria The Covent it self seemeth to have been built out of more antient Ruins and I observ'd many Pillars of gray Marble lying up and down there and other antient hewn Stones Their Accommodation for themselves and Strangers is indifferent good considering the Country and they receive them with as great Civility and Kindness as the Grand Charter-house near Grenoble in the Alps doth though they want their great Revenues and Prosperity They sent for a good Lamb from the Fold and killed it for us and beside with Rice Chickens good Olives Cheese Bread and Wine they gave us a most hearty and Christian Welcome Their Cells are little arched Rooms of Stone and every one hath one to himself Their manner of living is the same with all the Greek Monks using severe Fasting in their Lents and never eating Flesh at any time They rise three hours before day to their Morning-Service Three hours after Sun-rising is their Communion-Service and two hours before night their Evening-Service or Vespers They have other Books also they read between at set Hours in private They told us also That they had many Manuscripts but we saw only ordinary ones as of service-Service-Books Evangelists Saints Lives c. The best of which was that of St Cosmas and St Damianus with which were joyned the Lives of St Chrysostome St Matthew and St Philip the Apostles upon Vellom well written When I return'd thither afterwards I saw the Works of St Chrysostome which then was in a Fathers Chamber who read it and understands the antient Greek pretty well It is fair written and by the hand should be about five or six hundred Years old They pretend to
The Remarks that I made of it are these The Manuscript hath Tibullus Catullus and Propertius at the beginning and not Horace as the Preface to the Padua-Edition affirmeth In Propertius is to be noted the Cognomen Nautae that Scaliger taketh notice of in his Notes After these followeth in the same hand and on the same sort of paper eaten alike by the Worms on the corners of the Margent Petrontus Arbiter as it is printed whose Title written in red Letters is as followeth Petronius Arbiter Petronii Arbitri Satyri fragmentum ex Labro Quinto Decimo Sexto Decimo In which among others the Coena Trimalcionis is very amply related as it is printed at Padua and in Holland After which in a more modern hand is written Claudian Dr. Statelius made us also take notice that at the end of Catullus which is of the Book pag. 179. at the lower corner of the Margent the corner of which is eaten off with the Worms with several other leaves is the Date written in the same ancient hand with the P. Arbiter Thus 1423.20 Nobr Chapt. 6. Vers 200. Here we waited on Signior Dragatzo Doctor of the Law an ingenious and civil person also who shewed us in his Garden and other places about the Town half a dozen of ancient Roman Inscriptions which he would have made a present of to us could we have had convenience to have transported them Hence we returned again to Spalatro the same evening The Embassadour being weary of the Sea by that time he arrived at Spalatro resolved to make the rest of his Journey by Land to the Grand Signior's Court which was then at Adrianople But the Gallies that accompanied him and carried the Presents which the State makes by every Embassadour to the Port and his other Baggage proceeded as far as Corfu Therefore so soon as the Horses were come which were sent for four or five days Journey off in the Turkish Territories he departed by Land and we with the Galles for Corfu where they were to put all on board the Ships which waited there for that purpose July the Thirteenth on Sunday-morning by two a Clock after eleven days stay at Spalatro we parted and came by noon to Lesina which lieth Thirty miles from Spalatro LESINAE PORTUS L j. Fig VIII Lesina is the Isle Ptolomy calls Pharia Lesina and Strabo Pharos It is very high rocky and mountainous and by computation a hundred miles in circuit It hath a good Haven at the South-end where the Town is called by the name of the Isle It represents the Form of a Theater whereof the Town possesseth the place of the spectators yet appeareth most beautiful to those that enter the Area which is the Port being built in several degrees one above another according to the rising of the ground having a Cittadel on the top of a steep Rock backed with exceeding high Mountains It lies against the South and hath a Harbour secured from that Wind by the Roeks that lie before it They have beautified the Shore on each side with a good Mole made out of the Rocks which there are in too great plenty To conclude it hath good Moorage and is deep enough for Ships of any rate Here is very good Bread and Wine and good cheap I believe for our Captain touched here to furnish himself with Biscuit Their greatest Trade is Fishing of Sardelli which are like Anchovies and some think the same In May and June they are caught here and upon the Shore of Dalmatia near L'Isa South of this Isle in such abundance that they furnish all Parts of Italy and Greece with them The Turks take them as Physick when they are sick They follow a light and flock together about a Boat that carries it in the night and so are caught with great facility With no small difficulty I gat on the top of the highest Mountain that overlooketh the Town and was recompensed for my pains with an unbounded prospect Hence I discerned a Promontory near Zara which the Watch-men upon it assured me was a hundred miles off Hence Spalatro lies North Thirty miles and Lissa as much to the South Hence Ships Gallies Barques and other Vessels are discerned a vast way off by the Watch-men who give notice by signs to the Fort below how many what they are and which way they fail There are several good Buildings here especially the Domo and Town-house and in a word the situation is very agreeable In climbing up to the Fort and Mountain I observed among others these Plants 1. Aconitum Lycoctinum flore Delphinii which I took to be a kind of Monks-head 2. Aloe in flower 3. Asphodelus Min. Junci folio seu fistulosâ non bulbosâ radice 4. Malva Romana rubra or red Holihachs 5. Juniperus Major or Oxy-cedrus 6. Linaria tenui folio 7. Genista or Spartium septimum Bauhini as I believe It s Root is thick and of substance like Pimpinella out of which spring some half a dozen or more branches of a handful or two high without leaves of a light green colour and of a substance like Spanish-broom but beyond comparison less It still divides it self into three twigs sometimes one of those three points divides it self into three more That which makes me doubt whether it be this as Monsieur Merchaund of Paris hath named it is That the Root seemeth hot and of a spicy taste 8. Pilosella major pilosissima This Plant is very like to Great Mouse-ear in leaves and height being half a foot high or more and the leaves near as long But the hair is of such a prodigious length that it is to be wondred at being little less than an Inch long and very thick We parted hence after Dinner and arrived that evening at Curzola called by Strabo Corcyra Nigra This Island belonged formerly to the Republique of Ragusa and was taken from them by the Venetians by this pleasant stratagem The Venetians had a little Island called Saint Mark so near to Ragusa that it commanded the Town and yet nearer a little Rock that had no more plain ground on the top then would be sufficient to lay the Foundations of a little house Hither the Venetians upon some high disgust sent men one night that built a little Fort of Past-board painted of the colour of Earth which made it look like a strong Rampart and thereon planted Wooden Cannons to the great amazement of the Towns-people next morning which in effect put them into such a fright that they sent presently to parly and were glad to come off for the Island of Curzola in exchange of that pittiful Rock They stood for the Scoglio of Saint Mark also but the Venetians would not part with that And so they lost Curzola which is of great use to the Venetians who come hither often to mend and repair their Vessels the Island being well covered with Woods The Town is of the same name with the Island and situated upon a
an Account he gave of their Learning beyond the ordinary Opinion of the World He assured us That at Constantinople there was a Bazar or Exchange for Manuscript Books for they suffer no Printing of different Sciences in the Turkish Arabian and Persian Languages the two last beeing their learned Languages as Greek and Latin are in Christendom but that it was dangerous for Christians to frequent them as Monsieur Spon was made sensible when we passed by Prosa For seeing some Arabick Manuscripts he would have cheapned them but was reproachfully sent away with the Name of Goure or Infidel Mr. Watson assured us that they keep annual Registers of all things that pass throughout the whole Extent of their Empire and of the Wars they have with their Neighbouring Countries That one might have a Copy of these Annals in five or six great Volums for Two hundred Crowns That there are Historians and Writers who have a Salary for writing in the Seraglio That there was another good Book to be had concerning the Government of the Ottoman Empire and that he himself had bought a Chest full of Turkish and Arabian Books among which he had many very rare pieces as one of Chek-Bouni an Egyptian concerning the Vertue of Divine and Human Words full of Figures and Lines by which he pretends to do abundance of curious tricks by Anagrams Another that sheweth the Theory of the Cabalistick Art A Dictionary in Turkish and Arabick A Book of Songs wherein there are many very antient ones as of Avicen and Albucherche Turkish and Persian Grammers with Alphabets of all Languages A Book of all the Revolutions of the Kingdom of Egypt written by a Cheke or Doctor of Grand Cairo a great Astrologer whose Predictions have alwayes proved so true that when Sultan Selim made War against the King of Egypt all that King's Counsellors told him That it was but Folly to resist although he had a very puissant Army consisting of Moors Arabs and Mammalucks because according to this Book Selim was to conquer Egypt which accordingly came to pass He shewed us also a Book that he said was a Calculation of the several Degrees of the overflowing of the River of Nilus regulated according to the Motion of the Planets especially of the Moon by an Arabian Doctor Another of Chiromancy more curious than those of John Battista Porta In which the Author pretends That the Characters of the Hands are Letters of which he gives the Alphabet He also told us of another called Bauraan an antient Author containing abundance of Chimical Experiments commented on by a Cheke who was a Moor with whom he was acquainted at Grand Cairo Where he assured us there were abundance of very considerable Persons who applyed themselves to this Study and most other Sciences At another time he shewed us the History of Tamerlan in Arabick more ample than that Translated out of the Arabick of Alhacen Two Books of Talisman's teaching their Principles and Practice out of which he affirmeth That Monsieur Gaffarelle had borrowed all he had written in his Book of Vnheard of Curiosities That Hugo Grotius had stollen all his Principal Arguments for the Truth of the Christian Religion out-of Arabian Authors and particularly from the Works of an Eminent Man whom the Latins hold to be an Arch-Heretick But the Cofty's a Saint who wrote an excellent Book against the Turks and Jews for the Truth of the Christian Religion And what is more to be wondered at he assured us That he had seen an antient Book of Astronomy which did suppose the Magnetick Needle although he did not apply it to Navigation but to other Astrological uses He shewed us also a general History of Grand Cairo and a Description of all the Churches of Constantinople at the time it was taken by the Turks both written in Arabick Lastly He told us That both at Grand Cairo and Constantinople there were publick Professors that taught Astrology Astronomy Geometry Arithmetick Poetry the Arabian and Persian Languages When we were at this Corner of the Town CONSTANTINE'S PALACE we went to an old Building they say was Constantine's Palace which stands upon the highest Ground on that side of the City for from the Harbour to it is an Ascent and thence towards the Seven Towers the Ground again descends What remains of it expresses no Magnificence being only a long Stone building with a Hall sustained by Pillars and some Rooms over it Without the Walls from hence to the Seven Towers on the Brow of the Hill is a good Walk but the Valley West-wards of it being only the burying Place of the Turks and Jews makes it somewhat Melancholly Among these here and there towards the Haven are some Monuments of Turks of Quality of white Marble shaded with Plane Trees and Cypress Trees Here we went to see that of Sultan Eliub SULTAN ELIUB'S TOMB near the Harbour whom they esteem as a Prophet and great Saint and therefore it is frequented by the Zealous Turks with a great deal of Devotion The Tomb is covered with a kind of Canopy hung with Green and many Lamps continually burning about it Without is a small Quadrangle with a Portico and Gallery encompassing it and a little Chappel in the middle Here the Grand Signior is inaugurated only by the Ceremony of a Sword girt about him by the Mufti signifying that his Authority consisteth in the Power he hath obtained by that and by that must still be maintained We observed near this Angle of the City where the Water falls into a Cistern and thence conveyed into other adjacent Parts of the Town There are no Suburbs of Buildings contiguous to Constantinople THE HARBOUR the Walls standing being bare all round the three sides but instead thereof it hath over the Water great and populous Towns and Cities which we observed with great pleasure in our Return as they lay all in view round about the Harbour Whereof the North-side of Constantinople encompasseth the South and South-West Shore To which Scutari on the Asian Shore seems to be joyned East-wards and to Scutari on the Thracian Shore Tophana Fondoucli and Gallata And to Gallata some Suburbs appertaining to it where they kill their Meat beyond which are Buildings and dry Harbours to keep the Gallies from the Weather in the Winter These bound the Harbour on the North-East North and North-West sides All these Buildings rising by Degrees higher and higher from the several Shores to the tops of considerable high and steep Hills make the Harbour look like a vast Naumachia giving a most Magnificent Spectacle to the Beholders into it At the further end which lies North-Westwards a small River of fresh Water emptieth it self whose Banks are adorned with several pleasant Gardens and shady Trees But the Beauty is not the only Excellency of this Harbour for I believe it also excells most in the World for Security and Capacity It hath more depth than is needful good Moorage and so
Chapel dedicated to St John and above that thre◠Niches for Statues one great one in the middle and two lesser on each side In this Cleft about nine or ten Yards high is a hole which by throwing Stones into it we found to have Water in it and on the right hand I observed some Stairs leading up to it cut out of the Rock but so broken that there was no clambering up We judged this to be the Antrum Corycium or the Grotto of the Nymphs the Poets called by that Name I believe this makes a fine Cascade when there is Water enough falling from the Mountains The Water of Castalia is very good and cool fit to quench the Thirst of those hot-headed Poets who in their Bacchanals spare neither God nor Man and to whom nothing is so sacred but they will venture to profane it Continuing yet upon a Descent we came to a Monastery called Panagia its Church being dedicated to the Blessed Virgin It is situated upon the Brink of the Mountain upon ground held up by antient strong Walls of hewn Stone There we saw several Capitals and Fusts of Corinthian Pillars and other Fragments of Antiquity among which three or four Inscriptions in and about the Church and the Name of Delphos with only these words in the Pavement of the Church ΔΕΛΦΩΠΠΩΛΕΩΣ ΑΠΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΥ Others we copied there also which I reserve for another occasion Here are not above three or four Caloyers belonging to this Monastery who brought us of their Bread and very good White Wine We wondered that one of them knew that this Place was antiently called Delphos which he told us he found by some Book he had read For it is not usual that they know any thing of the History of their Country But he was much pleased when we shewed him the Name written in his Church We believed that this Place was where the Gymnasium or Schools stood from Pausanias his words Those saith he that go up from the Gymnasium to the Temple have the Fountain Castalia on the right hand But we bending our Steps contrary to his ought to leave it as we did on our left hand Thence is a great Precipice in which the River Pleistos runneth which Pausanias makes three Stadia or about Four hundred Paces below Into which what the Town and Gardens can spare of Castalia descends into it Returning by the Fountain we observed a great piece of the Rock tumbled down and almost buried on one side of it that lay a little hollow we saw Letters written in large but strange Characters so as we could not make any thing of them We returned to our lodging very well pleased with our days labour although weary with rambling up and down upon those Rocks Being returned whilst Supper was making ready I began to put my Plants I had gathered in order into my Book among the rest I found one which was something like narrow leav'd Bugloss in shape and manner of growing PLANTS of PARNASSUS the leaves long crisped and rough growing one above another upon a Stalk of a foot high Between each leaf is a yellow Flower like Bugloss in shape which is followed by seeds five together in the bottom of a Cup. The whole Plant is so viscous or clammy that it sticketh to ones fingers and is of a very strong sweet smell like Narcissus junei folio which the French call Junculle Monsieur Merchant at Paris called this Stachys Viscosa flore luteo In the Cleft of the Rocks I found another Plant with a leaf something like Pyrola which he called Petromarula Gretica or Lactuca petraea The best and readiest way from hence to Livadia is to pass by the Fountain Castalia by the Monastery and so still keeping under the Mountains between Cirphis and Parnassus for thus it is but half a Days journey from Delphos to Livadia But we could not pass by this Mountain so celebrated by the Poets without passing over it to see what Beauties those really were they so much commend in it And therefore we took our Guide we had the Day before who willingly offered us his service being well acquainted with this Mountain and a fellow naturally ingenious as most of the Greeks are We passed between the Stadium and the Clefts above the Town and presently began to mount making many turns backward and forward to get a little ground in height But I being light made no great matter of it chusing rather to go on foot and have my Horse led than to venture my Neck by a stumble So crossing all the ways I had often time to sit down before my Comrades came to me to view the Plains of Salona and the Gulph of Lepanto below me The way is in some places cut into Stairs in the Rock which seem very antient I observed also a kind of Chanel cut in the Rock in a streight Line downwards which I believe hath been an Aqueduct but now spoiled We were a long Hour before we got to the Top whereon is a pretty large Plain We turned to the right hand to see the two Tops of the Mountain above Delphos and from the Western one I had an excellent Prospect over the Gulph of Lepanto the Mountains of Morea and nearer the Gulph it self South South-West and West until the Mountain Corax and yet nearer hand Mount Cirphis now called Stiva from a Monastery that is on it so called The height of this Top makes Mount Cirphis look from hence like a Plain on the Top and is a kind of Chersonesus the Bay of Salona being on one side of it and another Bay called Asprospiti on the other side of which more hereafter Hence I took the Figure of the Bay of Salona with all the Islands in it which seem'd to lie before me like a Map Between this and the other Top in view from Castri is a deep Precipice where the Water runs down to Castalia How large it may be within I know not yet I doubt not but it may have room enough to be the Antrum Corycium I conceiv'd that Jupiter's Temple was not far from this Place but I found no Remains of it any where Here are now only some Shepherds Hutts and the Place they call Alona Turning back to our way-ward we had the view of the highest Part of Parnassus as high again as we had yet mounted Towards which we passed a high Hill covered with those kind of Pines I described on Olympus where we sometimes passed over and sometimes through Snow and left a Lake on our left hand made by the melting of the Snow and Rain But beyond that is an extream high Point of the Mountain all covered with Snow which Pausanias had some reason to say is almost above the Clouds It was on this Top that it is said Deucalion saved himself and his Wife Pyrrha from the Flood that happened in his time which Place of Retreat he found by the howling of Wolves and therefore called the Town
There is also another Ruin on the North-side of the Bazar of Brick-work which looks like part of some Temple or a Roman Bath This Town is governed by such Officers of the Grand Signior's as other great Towns of his Empire are that is to say by a Caddi a Veivode and Haga of the Castle From the first of these we had a Summons at our return Home to our Lodging to appear before him and give an Account of our selves and of our Curiosity For we had been observ'd to take the Measures of those Pillars and to be very observing of the Place But the Caddi so soon as he understood by our Druggerman that we were English shewing him our Consul's Patent from the Grand Signior to travel where we pleased he told us The English were Friends of his Emperour 's that we were therefore welcom and might go whither and when we pleased This Caddi is counted to have at least three hundred Villages under his Jurisdiction But these are little better than so many Farms up and down the Plain between them and Sicyon of which the Veivode 't is thought hath the greatest share of the Profit When it was known how civilly the Caddi had used us we obtain'd Leave to see the Castle with less difficulty by the Mediation of a couple of Dollers to one of the four Haga's whose turn it then was to command the Castle We went thither on Horse-back it being a good hours work to get up to it from the Town for it is a Mile thence to the foot of the Hill and thence a very steep way up with many Windings and Turnings before one arrives at the first Gate The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Castle was antiently called is situated upon a very high Rock having a great Precipice round about it but not so deep on the South-West side where the Entrance is For thence runs out a Ridge of the Hill two or three Miles Southwards in the Morea And from thence it was that Mahomet the Second made his Assault when he took it from the Venetians after fourteen Months Siege that side of the Castle being the only place where it is pregnable The first Gate we came to is plated with Iron where we were made to alight to go in on foot This side of the Rock is well covered with Houses For not only those who still reside there as well Turks as Christians have their Houses and Families there but for the most part even those that dwell below in the Town have Houses also in the Castle where they keep all their best Goods safe from the frequent but very uncourteous Visits of the Corsairs and hither upon the least Alarm they come flocking with all they can bring with them The Houses below being either Houses of Pleasure belonging to Turks of Quality or such as have been built both by Turks and Christians for the greater conveniency of Trade and Business There are abundance of Cisterns for Water hewn into the Rock and some Springs especially one which is toward the Southern-side of the Hill which was called in times past Pyrene being the Place where Bellerophon took the Winged Horse Pegasus as he was there drinking There are three or four Mosques in the Castle and five or six small Churches but most of these ruined The Catholica is kept in repair but is a very mean Place for such an Ecclesiastical Dignity In it we saw two old Manuscripts of the Scripture divided according to the usual Readings of the Greek Church and two Liturgies of St Basil which we took to be very antient because written upon long Scrolls of Parchment rouled upon Rolls of Wood as Books used to be in antient times whence they were called in Latine Volumina We observed moreover That these Liturgies differed from those ordinarily printed at Venice and used in their Churches both in the Substance and Ceremony But as to the Two Epistles written to this Church by St Paul we had but little Account and as little of their Zeal to his Doctrine as antiently Under the Walls of the Castle towards the Town is a little Chapel hewn out of the Rock and dedicated to St Paul Whence when they rally or speak with reproach of any of that Quarter of the Town they usually tell them They are of the Race of the Mockers and those that laught at St. Paul's Preaching Of whom it is reported when one of them received the Sanctified Bread from the Hand of a Priest according to the manner of their Liturgy That he almost bit off the Priest's Finger and after that running mad finally hang'd himself upon the Point of a Rock that is over that Chapel And the truth is the Christians here for want of good Instruction and able and faithful Pastors to teach them run daily into Apostasie and renounce their Religion for the Turkish Superstition upon every small Calamity and Discontent that happens to them and this not only among the common People but even the Priests also of which they say There were three sad Examples not long before our being there Lib VI. P 459 pa 442 CORINTHUS ET AB EIUS Acropoli Prospectus From the first Gate we mounted yet higher and came to a second which is well and strongly built with two Towers on each side of it This Wall I guess to be about two Miles in compass having some Houses inhabited but many more ruined within them The two principal Points of the Rock are inclosed in them also On the one situated South-West of the other is a Tower built and on the other being the highest Point a little Mosque To the Top of this last we mounted and had one of the most agreeable Prospects this World could give us On the right hand of us the Saronick Gulph with all its little Islands strowed up and down in it to Capo Colonni or the Promonterium Sunium Beyond that the Islands of the Archipelago seemed to close up the Mouth of the Gulph On the left hand of us we had the Gulph of Lepanto or Corinth as far as beyond Sicyon bounded Northward with all those famous Mountains of old times with the Isthmus even to Athens lying in a row and presenting themselves orderly to our view This with all the little Skill I had I designed and wished my self a better Master in that Art that I might have given you a more perfect Idea of it the Particulars I observed are these that follow The Promontory by Sicyon now called Basilico where the Gulph of Lepanto turneth bears North-West by North. The Foot of the Mountain Cirphis or the Promontory Cyrrha now called Tramachi North North-West The Promontory Anticyrrha now called Aspropiti with the Bay of the same Name and beyond it the highest Point of Parnassus now called Heliocoro covered with Snow North. The Foot of the Mountain Gerania dividing the Gulph into two Bays the one making the Bay of Corinth on this side and the other making the
called Lambra-Vouni because of its nearness to Lambra and the other Telo-vouni which thence descends with a sharp point into the Sea and making a Promontory now called Halikes but anciently Zoster Just before it are four little Islands or rather Rocks they call Cambonisia The Button Island When we were past these Ridges of Mount Hymettus we came into the Plain of Athens where leaving two Villages as we passed Cocouvannes and Menidi the one on the right hand and the other on our left we arrived at Athens by that time it was dark I shall now return to Monsieur Spon V. From Athens to the Convent Penteli Marathon c. and with less regret take my leave of Athens and all its reverend Antiquities Our design was to pass quite thorough Greece to Monte Santo or Mount Athos and so into Germany And to that intent agreed with Morates our Druggerman and Jani our Hagoiates or Guide for himself and Horses to Accompany us as far as the Turkish Territories extended that way or to some Caravan nearer and more for our convenience Having thus Ordered our affairs and made the best Provision we could against human Exigencies we parted from Athens upon Wednesday the twenty ninth of February 1675 6. Leaving the way of Porto Raphti on the right hand and keeping under Mount Anchesmus on our left first by the Covent Hagio Asomato and then by the place where the Waters are collected into Chanels to be carried to Athens after two or three Miles riding through Olive-Yards ANGELOPICO we came to a place called Angelo-pico where the better sort of Christian Athenians come to enjoy the pleasant shades in the heat of Summer to their little Country Houses situate in a Wood of Olives Cypress's Oranges Lemon-Trees mixed with Vine-Yards This may be the Angela of the Ancients with whom those of Pallena would not marry because of the Traiterous Herald that discovered to Theseus the design of Pallas to set on the City at two places at once But Theseus being thus advertiz'd set upon those that lay in Ambuscade and wholly defeated their Army A Mile or two further we passed by a Village CALLANDRI called Callandri which is also seated amongst Olive-Yards and had some other ancient name but what I cannot at present determine After two hours riding in all we came to the Monastery Pendeli which lyeth under a Mountain bearing the samé name MONS PENTELICUS whose top is seen from Mount Saint George and Athens North East The Covent of Penteli is one of the most celebrated Monasteries of all Greece and did undoubtedly take its name from the Mountain and Town Pentelicus or Pentela although it be now called Pendeli Pendeli Covent and by the more unlearned sometimes Mendeli For the Greeks pronounce T after N like a D and so write the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Penteli though they pronounce it Pendeli They consist of above a hundred Caloiroes and more than a hundred and thirty persons in number having a considerable revenue belonging to them They are under the Protection of the Sultaness Mother for which they pay to the New Mosque she built some years since at Constantinople yearly six thousand pound weight of Honey and are obliged to furnish it with as much more at the price of five Dollars the Quintal They seldom have less than five thousand Stocks of Bees beside much Arable Land and Flocks of Sheep and Herds of Cattel together with large Vine-Yards and Olive-Yards and want no other conveniences that the manner of their life requireth The Seniors of the House have all Chambers to themselves with Novices to wait on them Besides I believe the situation of the place in Summer time must needs be very agreeable being between the Ridges of the Mountain with divers curious Fountains issuing out of it which are received into Pools to keep Fish in and turn their Mills as they pass They are shaded with Woods of several sorts of Trees which moderate the heat of the Summer and furnish them with sufficient Fewel against the cold of the Winter which is sharp enough there the top of the Mountain being then still covered with Snow They have not only this Provision for the Body but have also a Library of Good Books to inform their Minds though I fear they make but little use of them Their Books are all Manuscripts and consist chiefly of the Greek Fathers most of which we found there I took notice of Saint Chrysostom in six Volums Saint Basil upon the Psalms and other his Works Saint John Damascen his Works in Folio Saint Gregory Nazianzen Saint Gregory Nyssen A Lexicon of Saint Cyrills The Works of Saint Macarius the Great A very fine Saint Dionysius the Areopagite the Titles whereof are in Golden Letters the whole Book very fairly written upon Velome and ancient His Works are highly esteemed at Athens and to be undoubtedly his The Weather being very bad Snowy Rainy and Windy we were willing to spend that day there being entertained by the Good Fathers with all the Courtesie imaginable They made us an excellent Fire which was but needful For although there be no very great hard Frosts in these Countries it is nevertheless sometimes extream cold especially when the Winds blow over the Mountains covered with Snow as then it happened to do over Pendelico with such a force as we were scarce able to sit our Horses nor hinder the Cold from passing thorough all the Cloths we could put on But this bad weather did not cool our Curiosity so much but that after we had refreshed our selves we took a Guide to go up and shew us the Quarries of White Marble with the other curious Grottoes of Congelations hewen into the sides of the Mountain We ascended about a Mile Northward of the Covent and passed over a small stream in the way not far from it Grottoes We found the Grottoes in the Rock are well worth seeing being hewn a considerable way into the Mountain and divided into a great many Caverns or petty Cells incrusted with curious Congelations Some sparkle like Walls of Diamond which being broken splitteth into Talcum Some shew like Scenes of Trees and Woods afar off We crept down to one near twenty Fathom by a narrow way on our hands and feet to a Fountain they say in Summer is so cold one cannot abide ones hands in it a Pater noster which is a very short space of time that work being usually dispatcht with great Expedition as well in the Greek as Latin Church They hold that the ancient Christians used to hide themselves there in times of perseoution The Mountain there is a perfect Rock of White Marble Quarries and hard by we saw the Quarries where vast quantities of it had been hewed out for the most eminent structures of Athens Whereupon we no longer doubted but this was the ancient Mountain Pentelicus so often mentioned by Pausanias for