who are most signal for their Piety and Learning The Patriarch of Constantinople besides the extent of his Jurisdiction is of greater power by reason of his Vicinity to the Court but the Alexandrian is of greater Authority in his Ecclesiastical Censures and Civil Regimen stiling himself with the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Judge of the world And the Patriarchs of Antiochia and Jerusalem by reason of their poverty not having sufficient to subsist are little reverenced by the Turks or their own People The Patriarch of Constantinople who was so great and opulent under the Christian Emperours is now reduced to a narrow Fortune being deprived of his certain and setled Revenue by the violence and sacriledge of the common Enemy to the Church of Christ so that the chief income is accidental arising from the death of Bishops Arch-Bishops and ordinary Priests and from such as are consecrated and admitted into their Diocesses and Parishes What a deceased Priest leaves not having Children accrues to the Patriarch as to the common Father and Heir of them all from which arises a considerable Revenue every year The other Patriarchal Sees by reason of the paucity and poverty of the Christians are worse provided but yet being far from the Court have not so many nccessities to satisfie The chief subsistence of the secular Priests is from the charity of the People but they being cold in that Vertue as well as in their Devotion contribute faintly on the days of Offering so that the Clergy who are the Guardians of the Holy Mysteries are forced to sell the Ordinances of the Church for their own subsistence none being able to receive Absolution or be admitted to Confession or procure Baptism for their Children or enter into a state of Matrimony or divorce his Wife or obtain Excommunication against another or Communion for the sick without an agreement first for the price which the Priests hold up as they discover the Zeal and Abilities of the party who cheapens them When the Holy Church triumphed in the days of Constantine the Great the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople were independent each of other and afterwards they were also made of equal honour and power but in regard that for better order and distinction it was necessary they two being to meet and concur in the same Council that the precedency of place should first be determined The priority of Order not of Authority was adjudged to the Pope lest old Rome which was the ancient Mistress of the World should lose her honour in yielding to the new which was Constantinople and had no greater Dignity or Fame than that which she challenged and borrowed from the presence and brightness of the others Emperours and so much Socrates Scholasticus affirms in these words In the Council of Constantinople Anno 385. in the Reign of Theodosius the Emperour when Nectanius was chosen Bishop it was decreed That the Bishop of Constantinople should possess the next place and prerogative after the Bishop of Rome And likewise it was determined in the Council of Chalcedon Can. 28. That the Bishops Seat of new Rome that is Constantinople should enjoy equal priviledges with old Rome and in all Ecclesiastical matters to be extolled and magnified as that of Rome being the second in order after her the words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor did the Bishop of Rome ever preside in the first six General Councils which only are received by the whole Church either by himself or his Legates This and such-like honour of precedency the Church of Greece may yield unto the Church of Rome and perhaps now rather in these times of Oppression wherein being humbled by the hand of God they seek not worldly Honours nor swelling Titles nor Dominions but are desirous only to govern in the Hearts and Affections of their people Ambitio cupido gloriae faelicium hominum sunt affectus saith Tacitus However the Oriental Confession doth not seem to condescend so far in that it declares That notwithstanding the priority of Honour and Antiquity which was formerly given to Jerusalem and other Churches before that of Constantinople yet afterwards the Council of Constantinople and Chalcedon did give the primacy of honour unto new Rome and to the Clergy thereof by reason of the Imperial Power whose Seat was there But let us not only hear what the Greeks themselves do utter in this point but observe the words of that famous Venetian Father Paul Sarpus who in the 25th Chapter of his History of the Inquisition hath these pertinent and impartial words The Eastern and Western Churches continued both in Communion and Christian Charity for the space of nine hundred years and more in which time the Pope of Rome was reverenced and esteemed no less by the Greeks than by the Latines He was acknowledged for the Successor of St. Peter and chief of all the Eastern Catholick Bishops In the Persecutions raised by Hereticks they implored his Aid and of other Bishops of Italy and this Peace was easily kept because the Supreme Power was in the Canons to which both parts acknowledged themselves subject Ecclesiastical Discipline was severely maintained in each Country by the Prelates of it not arbitrarily but absolutely according to Order and Canonical Rigour none putting his hand into the Government of another but advised one the other to the observance of the Canons In those days never any Pope of Rome did pretend to confer Benefices in the Diocesses of other Bishops neither was the custome yet introduced of getting mony out of others by way of Dispensations or Bulls But as soon as the Court of Rome began to pretend that it was not subject to Canons and that she might according to her own discretion alter any Order of the Fathers Councils and of the Apostles themselves and that she attempted instead of the ancient Primacy of the Apostolical See to bring in an absolute Dominion not ruled by any Law or Canon then the division grew And as this division grew between the Eastern and Western Churches for the causes aforesaid so the same Reasons were the causes of division and separation in the Western Church it self for as to considering men nothing seemed more absurd than the Usurpation of Rome over other Churches independent thereon in secular Government so to the people who lived under its Dominion nothing could be more Tyrannical and oppressive CHAP. IV. The Opinion of the Greek Church concerning that Article in the Nicene Creed I believe one Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church and what Authority and Power is given by them thereunto THE See of Rome taking it for granted that she is the head of the Catholick Church would seem to deduce from that Principle undeniable consequences of Infallibility of Priviledges Power and Jurisdiction as ample and as extensive as the absolute and supreme Authority of our Lord and Master Jesus But this being a Foundation rather
married they begin the Feast on Sonday Evening and continue it three or four Days with much jollity during which time the Bride is kept in her Chair and State and almost the whole time waking and the Bridegroom in like manner is obliged to keep his distance and not permitted to consummate the Matrimonial Duty until Wednesday night or Thursday morning when they expose the signs of Virginity in the same manner as the Greeks Turks and Jews do and all other Nations of the East CHAP. XI Their Opinion of Souls in the state of separation and their Ceremonies used towards the dead THEY believe that neither the Souls nor Bodies of any Saints or Prophets departed this life are in Heaven unless it be the Blessed Virgin and Elias the Prophet They believe that a person dying contrite goes not immediately to Heaven nor a Sinner unto Hell but are intercepted in the way and lodged together in the same place which they call Gayank which is the Eighth Heaven where the Stars are and have there no other joy or grief but what proceeds from a good or a bad Conscience Those which dye with the burden of minute sins such as the sins of evil thoughts or words go to the same place and are freed from Punishment by the Alms and good works of the Faithful They believe that until after the day of resurrection the souls of the Righteous shall not see the face of God or enjoy the Beatifical Vision but only be filled and replenished with certain beams of his glory and Divine illumination Notwithstanding which opinion That the Saints shall not enter into Heaven until the day of judgment yet by a certain imitation of the Greek and Latine Churches they invoke them with prayers reverence and adore their Pictures or Images and burn Lamps to them and Candles The Saints which are commonly invoked by them are all the Prophets and Apostles likewise S. Silvester S. Savorich c. As to the Ceremonies used towards their Dead they observe several particulars The Corps of their Bishops and Priests they anoint with confecrated Oyl before they are interred but the Bodies of the Laity are only washed after the manner of the Turks and fashion of the Eastern parts of the World When any dies under the Age of nine years the Parents or Kindred employ some Priest for the space of eight days to make Prayers for the Soul of the deceased who during that time have their entertainment of Meat and Drink defrayed at the charge of such Parents and on the ninth day a solemn Office is performed for the Soul of the Deceased But those who are rich and Religious do yearly at their expence appoint one day for Commemoration of their departed Relations and for performance of those Offices which are instituted and appointed for the same Easter Monday is the day ordained by Custom for visiting the Sepulchres of their deceased Relations where having lamented them a while with howlings and cryes after their manner and the Women with most barbarous Screeches they presently change the Scene and retiring under the shadow of some Tree they eat drink and forget their sorrow which their Wine soon chases away and then they become as dissolute in their Mirth as they were before undecent and extravagant in their Grief This Custom we may suppose to have been derived from those ancient Solemnities which were at first kept at the Tombs where Martyrs had been buried which usually were in the Caemeteria or the Church-yards distinct from the Church and in the Eastern parts are commonly at some distance without the City To these places the people annually resorted to celebrate the memory of Martyrs with Prayers Incense Psalms and Sermons which by the multitude of Martyrs became afterwards so common that the people began to think it their duty to perform this Office at the Graves of their Relations which time hath now made accustomary and is a great part of the service and pastime of Easter Monday CHAP. XII Of the manner how some Friars of the Roman Church perswaded the Armenian Patriarch and Bishops at Constantinople to subscribe a Confession agreeable to the Tenents of the Roman Faith THough the great Marshal Turenne as is credibly reported had alwayes inclinations towards the Roman Church which for many years he concealed for reasons best known to himself Yet being desirous at length to be owned as a Member thereof he suffered himself to be wrought upon by such arguments as were then suggested amongst which none seemed more convincing or forcible to him than that the Eastern Churches concurred with the Roman in all points wherein there was any difference between the Papists and the Protestants to prove which the Ambassadour Resident for his most Christian Majesty at Constantinople in the year 1674 assembled the Armenian Patriarch and some of his Bishops from whom without much difficulty he procured a certain Confession very agreeable to the sense of the Roman Church A Copy of this Confession I saw and read as it was delivered to me from the Martabet or Armenian Bishop wrote in the Armenian Language and Character the which was faithfully Translated for me which when I well considered it appeared plainly to me to be origiginally the invention form and contrivance of some Fryer of the Roman Church rather than the thoughts or Stile of an Armenian Author For first though I understand little of the Armenian Tongue yet I have some reasons to perswade me that there is nothing in the Idiom of that Language which corresponds with the word Sacrament agreeable to that definition whereby we would understand the notion of Sacramentum Secondly the professed Armenian Doctrine holds That there are no other Saints in Heaven but the blessed Virgin and Elias the Prophet and yet in this Confession they seem to place as many in Heaven it self as the Church of Rome Thirdly in another place one would believe that to avoid confusion they meant to set up the Pope for Head of the Universal Church which when they come to explicate a little farther they only condemn those who allow not the Government of the Church by Bishops and those who believe that one Preacher is sufficient and that one Priest can make another But who this latter sort of people is and where to be found they would have done well to have declared before they had taken so much pains to bestow the Anathema upon them This Confession which I here mention was in part the Occasion and Ground of the Report which in the year 1676 was spread at Constantinople of a new reconciliation which though it was some years after this Confession yet that and the Conversion of an Armenian Bishop to the Church of Rome was the cause of all the discourse but he being a person of no greater Revenue than of 200 Dollars yearly Rent the mistake soon appeared it being probable that the acquisition of a poor ignorant person could have no great influence on
the Church and might have the same effect as if a Country Curate in England were brought over to the Roman Faith This Confession is the Cause also that upon every small accident of complyance a new reconciliation is presently divulged and so it happened in the year 1678. when at Rome for six Months together it was generally reported That the Armenian Patriarch with six and thirty Bishops was on their way thither to submit unto and to acknowledge the Apostolical See Howsoever I perswade my self that were the particulars wherein there is any Controversie between the Church of England and that of Rome well stated according to the Capacity of the Armenians it would not be difficult to procure another Confession at least an Explication of their Doctrine with little variety from that of the Church of England so little Understanding have these People of Controversies the which perhaps would be the sense of most good Christians in the World who laid aside all prepossessions to a Party or Tenent Howsoever I am sure it ought to be the Desire and Prayer of every good Christian that God would be pleased to lessen and close the Differences in the Church of Christ that we may have one God one Faith one Baptism and one Head the Lord Jesus Amen FINIS Histories and other Curious Discourses Printed for and sold by John Starkey in Fleet-Street 1. 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Imprimatur Hic Liber cui Titulus The Present State c. Car. Trumball Rev. in Christo Pat. ac Dom. Dom. Gul. Archiep. Cant. a Sac. Dom. THE PRESENT STATE OF THE GREEK AND ARMENIAN Churches Anno Christi 1678. Written at the Command of his Majesty By PAUL RICAUT Esquire Late Consul at Smyrna and Fellow of the Royal Society LONDON Printed for John Starkey at the Mitre in Fleet-street near Temple-Bar 1679. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY TO THE KING'S Most Excellent MAJESTY DREAD SOVERAIGN THESE following Treatises which contain the Articles of Faith and Customs of the Greek and Armenian Churches are a Task which some Years past Your Royal Self was pleased to impose upon me which though it be a Work more proper and fit to be undertaken by some Learned Divine rather than by a Person of my Profession yet being moved thereunto by Command of Your Majesty I esteemed the Incumbence thereof to be a Duty as obligatory as any other Act of Obedience which I owe unto your Majesty from which nothing but Death or Sickness or some other violent disappointment could absolve me But that I have been thus tardy in the Execution of Your Royal Command was occasioned by my Attendance on Your Majesties Affairs in Turky which being protracted beyond my expectation I deferred the payment of this Debt until I could make tender of it with my own hands and personally on my Knees at the same time beg a remission for the defect Being now therefore by God's Providence returned to my own Country behold me Great Sir at the Foot-stool of Your Throne to pay this my Vow which I always esteemed both Sacred and Religious and therefore tender it with a fear and trembling agreeable to that vast distance and disproportion which is between Your Sublime Majesty and the humblest of your Servants For Your Majesty who transcends in Wisdom is able to penetrate into the deepest Points of these Discourses and make more judicious Reflections thereon than the ablest Clerks and Criticks of the Schools to which when I add that admirable Spirit which God often-times bestowes on Kings illuminating them like Prophets and bestowing on them supereminent Graces I cannot but with profound reverence and awe expose this little Work to the judicious and perspicatious Eye of Your Majesty and with the same care and caution offer nothing but what is sincere and approved by the Confession of the Oriental Faith and allowed by the ablest Divines of the Greek Church to be consentaneous to their Doctrine having therein offered nothing out of partiallity to the Cause of the Reformed Churches or prejudice to the Papal Interest If this Treatise may find acceptance with Your Majesty I shall account my self extremely happy and be encouraged to dedicate all my vacant hours and recesses from more necessary and publick Services to Studies grateful to Your Majesty and useful to my Country For being the Son of that Father who by his Services and Sufferings hath set a fair Example to his Posterity of Loyalty and Obedience to Your Majesty and of Conformity to the Church of England I have in the largest Characters Copied out that Lesson and thereby delight my self in nothing so much as when I am performing my Duty and Services towards God and Your Majesty who am with all Allacrity and Devotion Your Majesty's Most obedient most loyal most humble Subject and meanest of your Servants PAUL RICAUT THE PREFACE THESE following Treatises of the Greek and Armenian Churches contain a perfect Compendium as I may report of those Principles which they call the Articles of an Orthodox Faith deduced as they profess from the purer times of Christianity and conserved uncorrupt from the Tainture and Contagion of Heresie in all succeeding Ages I have not pretended in these ensuing Discourses to discover which are Ancient and which are Modern Positions but clearly to lay down the matter of Fact how they are held and how maintained Not have I undertaken to confute those Tenents which I find to oppugne the Articles of the Reformed Religion being of a temper naturally averse to all Disputations and rather inclinable to reconcile Differences than to widen them that so by a favourable interpretation of all that is not plain Heresie or open Blasphemy I might as it were throw a Covering over the smaller Blots or Blemishes of Humane Errours whereby all the Christian World if possible might agree in Charity to bear each others Infirmities and entertain no other Emulations and Contests than those which tend to out-vy one the other in excesses of Piety and a vertuous Religion For besides the uneasiness I find in my self on all occasions of Wranglings and Debates as well as an unsufficiency for Polemick Learning I have observed That very few have yielded the Fort of their Understanding to the force or violence of Disputations or Arguments though Marshaled in all the Warlike Exercitations of the Schools For the Defendants as Pride Interest Zeal and the Troops of other Passions which are the common Souldiers of Reason are so well fortified and obstinate within that they fear no storm or assault from without nor can they be constrained to surrender by a long Siege and Famine for their nourishments consisting only of Notions and Air are never to be reduced until that Pabulum be intercepted and our Appetites breath their last and then when Death comes and we enter into the Regions of Light and our Intellects become free and manumised from the slavery and usurpations of our Passions we shall then and not till then discover the sophistry of our Reasons whereby those Clouds and Mists will vanish which vain jangling about Words Interest Pride and the rest have exhaled and therewith obscured and almost extinguished the true Lamp of the Soul Witness those Volumes and Folios of Disputation between the Reformed and Roman Churches what Kingdoms or Provinces have they convertted or what Universities by plain demonstration of Argument have they confuted and caused to recant their Errour Nay what single person almost hath yielded to the conviction of a Syllogism without having first been prepossessed by an affection to a side or Party on score of some Relation or something of Example which they fancy admire and would imitate It is very easie as an ingenuous Country-man of ours saith without growing to the extream impudence of palpable lying by leaving out the bad on one side and good on the other by enforcing and flourishing all Circumstances and Accidents which are in our favour and by elevating and disgracing the contrary by sprinkling the terms of Honour wholly on the one side and of Hatred and Ignominy on the other to make the Tale turn which way it shall please the Teller And herein too many Protestants as well as the Papists seem to blame who being both over-passionate towards their Party and Interest have for the most part in the Relation of their Stories done injury to Truth abused the present Age and injured
year are Dionysius of Constantinople Paisios of Alexandria Theositios of Jerusalem and Macarios of Antioch which names they take upon themselves when they first enter into Monasteries or a Religious life The Patriarch of Constantinople is elected by the Metropolites or Bishops according to the plurality of Voices but afterwards constituted and confirmed by the G. Signor before whom after his Election he presents himself with all humility and the G. Signor after the ancient Custom of the Greek Emperours presents him with a white Horse a Manto or black Coole a pastoral staff with a Costan or figured Vest and being mounted on his Horse with a Train of the Clergy and principal Persons of the Greek Nation and accompanied with a great Number of Turkish Officers he returns with all solemnity to the Patriarchal Seat at the entry into which he is met and received by the chief Metropolites and others with wax Tapers burning in their hands and by them conducted into the Church and there before the Altar is consecrated by the Arch-Bishop of Heraclea who habited in his Pontifical Garments takes the Patriarch by the hand and seats him in the Patriarchal Chair sets the Mitre on his Head and commits the Crosier to his hand which being performed and the Offices sung the whole Ceremony is ended The Contention between the Greek Clergy for the Patriarchal Power at Constantinople hath begotten many troubles in the Church for such whom Ambition and Covetousness excite with a desire of this Ecclesiastical Preferment and having some Riches of their own and Credit to make up the rest at Interest seldom or never miss the prize they pursue for the Arguments of Gifts and Benefits are so prevalent with the G. Vizier and the other Turkish Officers that they can afford easie admittance to the most frivolous Accusation that may be objected against the present Incumbent by which means the Patriarch is often changed and the Debts of the Church increased and the Election rather in the hands of the Turk than the Bishops the one being guided by Bribes and the other by Faction by which means the Debts of the Church in the year 1672 as I was informed by the Bishop of Smyrna amounted unto 700 Purses of Mony which makes 350 thousand Dollars the Interest of which increasing daily and rigorously extorted by the Power of the most covetous and considerable Turkish Officers who lend or supply the Money is the reason and occasion that the Patriarch often summons all his Archbishops and Bishops to appear at Constantinople that so they may consult and agree on an expedient to ease in some measure the present Burden and Pressure of their Debts the payment of which is often the occasion of new Demands For the Turks finding this Fountain the fresher and more plentifully flowing for being drained continually suck from this Stream which is to them more sweet for being the Blood of the Poor and the life of Christians It is a remarkable Story and very pertinent to this place which the Bishop of Smyrna when he once did me the honour to make me a Visit recounted to me That not long since certain Principal Officers amongst the Turks perswaded or rather forced a poor simple Kaloir to stand Candidate for the Patriarchal Office and to cheapen it at the price of 25000 Dollars which offer the Turks signified to the Patriarch that so he might either pay the Money himself and thereby purchase his Confirmation or prepare to give way to a new Successor The whole Assembly of the Greek Clergy were greatly perplexed hereat yet knew not which way to resolve For to accept of this Kaloir for Patriarch who was poor and brought nothing with him besides his contemptible Person and Debt which they must at length pay would bring a scandal and scorn on the Church besides the bad Bargain they should make in exchange of their Patriarch Wherefore at length applying themselves with great Humility to the Vizier they obtained a remission of 5000 Dollars of the price demanded and on payment of 20000 procured the continuance of their old Patriarch which matter being thus accommodated the Clergy desired that the Kaloir might be delivered into their hands to receive punishment according to the Canons of their Church but this would not be granted lest such an Example should deter Men from the like designs and thereby prejudice the Musselmin Cause and Interest Nor can the Laws and Canons in the Church against Simony prevail for the Clergy are tender to assert their power of Excommunication in this point or any other part of their Spiritual Authority which the Temporal Power of the Turk in those Cases where his Interest commands over-awes and frustrates usurping a power more Ecclesiastical Supreme and Pontifical than that of the Patriarch But to evidence the turbulent State of the Greek Church we shall not need to fetch Examples farther back than from the year of our Lord 1670 when one Mythodius was Patriarch at Constantinople in which Office he had not been long seated before he was forced by one Parthenius to retire and hastily to take up his Bag and Baggage and be gone and flye for Sanctuary into the House of the English Ambassadour it being usual for the new Patriarch to seize on the person of his Predecessor with his Goods and Estate for paying the Debts of the Church and part of that price for which the Patriarchate was bought by him for which seldom wants some just Cause or at least a seeming pretence in regard that not only the real necessity of the Church Debts forces the Patriarchs to extort Money from the People but likewise a provident care for their future subsistence prompts them to make Friendship with the Mammon of Unrighteousness against that time that they shall be necessitated to surrender an account of their Stewardship And I have heard some say that this change of Patriarchs is so necessary for the maintenance of their Metropolites or Bishops that without it they might starve unless they had this pretence for frequent Taxes For levying Money in this manner on the people some of it sticks to their Fingers providing not only sufficient to pay the proportion expected from their respective Diocesses but also for their own support Mythodius having no sooner as is said quitted the place but Parthenius entered a person not only of a considerable Estate but well acquainted and respected in the Turkish Court Howsoever he continued not above a year before he was forced to give way to Dionysius Metropolite of Larissa who being a monied Man carryed his business with a high hand and entered into the Patriarchal Seat with all the Ceremonies usual at the Instalment to that Dignity procuring not only the Banishment of Parthenius unto Rhodes but caused him also to be Anathematized and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be pronounced with a loud Voice in a full Synod or Convocation of all the Metropolites then
there will want 100 Dollars per Month to complete the Tribute according to the ancient Tax of the Monasteries occasioned by the Poverty of the three Monasteries before denoted which remain in the condition and under notion of Kesim and rendred unable to pay the Tax Wherefore it being necessary to find out the complete sum of an hundred Dollars more per Month the other Monasteries were forced to answer for the inabilities of their Brethren and to add a new Tax proportionable to the first estimation of their Revenue and Riches And now by the Premises it appears that Laura Batopedi Chiliadar and Ibero are the four chief and most flourishing Monasteries both in respect of their Revenues abroad as well as of the limits of Land allotted them on the Mountain what their Lands and Vineyards are and benefits arising from thence is well known and may easily be calculated but Donatives arising from abroad which are the charitable Contributions of well-disposed people as they are for the most part uncertain so they are hidden and concealed as much as is possible Howsoever they all plead misery and poverty which will be a Riddle and Mystery to any person to whom they will shew or expose their Treasure unless they be compared to the condition of the wealthy miser who is miserable and starving amidst the heaps of his Gold for he that sees the various Coverings they have for their Altars the rich Ornaments they have for their Churches will not easily apprehend those people to be poor For amongst their other Treasures they have first a representation of Christ in the Sepulchre which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exposed every Good-Friday at night and is very rich with Gold and Precious Stones Most of their Monasteries can represent the History of its Foundation not in Paint or Colours but in Embroideries of Gold and Pearl and other pretious Stones intermixed with singular Art and Curiosity They have also variety of rich Vestments for the Priest especially in the four chief Monasteries where are many Chests filled with such Robes as are used at the celebration of Divine Service Their Basons Ewers Dishes Plates Candlesticks and Incense-Pots of Silver are not to be reckoned many of which are of pure Gold or Silver gilt They have Crosses of a vast bigness edged with plates of Gold and studded with pretious Stones from whence hang strings of Oriental Pearl The Covers of their Books of the Gospel Epistles Psalters and Missals are often embossed with beaten Gold or curiously bound up with Cases of Gold or Silver gilt or plain Silver Many of which Utensils and Ornaments have been the Presents of the Dukes of Moscovy before the time that that Country declined or fell off from their respect to the Patriarch of Constantinople howsoever Moldavia Valachia and Georgia remaining constant to that Patriarchate have been anciently and still continue to be very liberal and splendid in their Presents to these Monasteries towards one or more of which some Prince or Princess of those Countries do always evidence an extraordinary devotion especially the Georgians whose Country was anciently called Iberia are ever bountiful to the Monastery of Ibero by whose Charity it is become as considerable as any of the other Monasteries With such Presents and Donatives the Churches of this Mountain are enabled to make very splendid Processions which they practice with great state and magnificence on the high Festivals of the year and the common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Procession in the time of Divine Service is so stately and pompous that it affects the hearts of the Vulgar with so much reverence and devotion to the holy Rites that scarce any of them will depart or at least think he receives a blessing by his attendance unless he leaves his gift behind him in testimony of his real and hearty affection imitating perhaps the ancient Custom in the times of Gentilism when every one who approached the Altar was obliged to offer something though but a handful of Flower or Salt It would be a matter of great work and something difficult to trace the original of these Monasteries and to render an account of the various vicissitudes of Fortune which they have undergone We know well that in the times of the Arians the divisions of Religion impoverished these Monasteries And afterwards Michael Paleologus on a politick design to maintain and support his Empire was contented to introduce the Roman Faith and the Popes Supremacy into the Greek Church as it happened about the year 1430 in the time of Pope Eugenius the Fourth which was the cause of great disturbance and ruine in this Mountain For the Kaloires remaining resolute against the Papal Authority assaulted the Romish Priests at the very Altar whereby such dissensions and skirmishes arose that some Monasteries were burnt and others demolished in the Contest and at length the Romanists being forced to give way carried with them some of the holy Spoils and much of their Riches But if you examine the Kaloires concerning these particulars they can inform you no otherwise than that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unbelievers such as Turks Saracens and they know not who or Iconomachi oppugners of Pictures or such who would place sculptile Images in the place of painted Histories being those who brought all those ruines on them of which Books relate such sad Stories Wherefore for knowledge of these matters being obliged to Books of ancient History we shall only touch on those Monasteries which are of most esteem and riches amongst them and for account thereof shall depend on such imperfect Relations as they produce and first of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hagia Laura was begun at the expence of Nicephorus the Emperour and at the instance of a most devout person in those days called Athanasius and though this Emperour was cut off about the year 803 leaving this Structure imperfect yet Athanasius continuing his endeavours perswaded others to finish this pious Work and at length obtained such considerable Contributions thereunto that the Building was completed and adorned in an excellent manner Since which time not only the main Structure but many little Chappels and Oratories have been erected within the Walls to the number of 19 by means and assistance of good and well-disposed people who entertained a particular devotion for that Monastry the which though chiefly founded by those Collections which were made by Athanasius yet it will be no wonder that so many Chappels were added thereunto if we believe what the Kaloires report that when their money failed the blessed Virgin concerning her self in the merit became their Benefactoress and supplyed whatsoever came short in the account The Story of Athanasius they report in this manner He was as they say born at Trapezond of a good Family of good parts and of some Learning and being addicted to a godly retired life he applied himself to a certain reverend person called