long name was afterwards abridg'd into that of Constantinople or the City of Constantine Yet had not this new Constantinian Rome more auspicious beginnings of its Grandeur than the Ancient Rome For if we may believe Zozimus who was none of Constantines greatest Friends and some other Authors the rebuilding of Constantinople was accompany'd with more fatal and ill-boding Omens than those of which we read of the laying the Foundations of Rome For those Authors accuse the Emperour for having put his Wife Fausta and his Son Crispus to death and upon a slighter occasion than that upon which Romulus slew his Brother Remus But in regard these Accidents happen'd before Constantine became a Christian therefore the Greek Proverb may be said still to hold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wiser than a wise man may err seeing that it is as impossible for great men to live without their defects as for the Sun to shine without a spot in his glorious Countenance However it were this last name has been of longest continuance as well among the Latins as other Christians of Europe but as for the Turks and other People of Asia Africa and Europe they all give it the name of Stamboll Perhaps from the corruption of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the City which was the answer that the Greeks who liv'd near to Constantinople gave to those that ask'd the question whither go ye But neither the Turks nor any other of the Eastern People can give any rational accompt of the Original of the word And therefore it will suffice to say that this City is now known to a great number of People by the name of Stamboll which was formerly call'd Constantinople So then this same Chrysoceras Acropolis Lygos Bysantium Antonina Anthusa New Rome Constantinople the Eternal City and Stamboll which you please to call it is that famous City now seated in the extream part of all Thrace in 41 degrees of Northern Latitude and 57 degrees of Longitude It possesses all that Langet of Land that advances towards the discharge of the Channel of the Black Sea which is call'd the Thracian Bosphorus into the Propontis or Sea of Marmara And thence extending it self on both sides formes a harbour the most secure and commodious for shipping and the most abounding in all sorts of Fish of any in the world But now not to say any thing what this great City formerly was which others have sufficiently done before me and for that all that has been already written is no more than what has been taken from the obscure passages of certain ancient Authors I shall onely give a short accompt of what it is at present the Reader having the satisfaction of the Draught Fig. II. p. 57. which is as true a Representation of the Original as the bigness of the Volume would permit This Peninsula upon which Constantinople is seated begins to forsake the Continent and advance it self between two Seas where stands the Castle of the Seven Towers and so runs on to the Serraglio and thence winding about towards the Continent again makes a large half Circle which forms the Haven that belongs to the City 'till you come to a small River which discharges it self into it and their mixing its own fresh stream with the salt Water renders the Haven both pleasant and commodious Near to the Mouth of this little River where lies the Burying place belonging to the Iews upon the back part of the City runs almost in a direct line a double flat wall strengthen'd with several Square Towers which reaches to the Castle of the Seven Towers so that the Figure of the City is a Triangular Oxygone resembling a Harp or Cornucopia the gibbous part of which lies next to the firm Land and the two Horns are wash'd by the Channel of the Black Sea The whole Circuit of Constantinople is about four Leagues That is to say from the Seven Towers to the Point of the Serraglio formerly call'd Acropolis may be reckon'd more than a League and a half From that Point of the Serraglio to Aivansarai which is a part of the Suburbs next to the Iews Burying place may be accounted above a League and a quarter and from thence to the Seven Towers somewhat more than a League This latter part of the City lies toward the Continent but the other two are wash'd on both sides by the Sea This whole circuit is encompass'd with a Wall Fortify'd on the out side with square and round Towers on the inside the Houses of the City joyn to it The City has Entrance at Eighteen Gates of which Five stand next to the Propontis with their Sally-ports and descents Six toward the Court with their descents and Sally-Ports in the same manner and Seven stand toward the Continent where the Walls and Motes are double Which latter Walls were built by one Cyrus who was formerly Governour of the City in the Reign of Theodosius the younger This piece of work gave such satisfaction to the people that they made public rejoicings and Eulogies in honour of that same great Lord and extoll'd him to a very high degree Among the rest they said that though it were true that Constantine had built the City yet it was Cyrus that had enlarg'd and re-edify'd it and more than all this they were about to have chang'd the Name of the City from that of Constantinopolis into that of Cyropolis Which Theodosius observing began to grow jealous and to recompence Cyrus for having so well fortify'd and beautify'd the Town he caus'd him to be shorn and put into a Monastery where he dy'd for very Grief The Castle of the Seven Towers which joyns these Walls upon the Land side to those that look toward the Propontis is the first building of remark in Constantinople It may be properly call'd the Bastile of Stamboll in regard it had the same Original and serves now for the same use as the Bastile of Paris For formerly it was no more than one of the City Gates compos'd of Four large Towers This Gate was call'd the Golden Gate either because the Ornaments with which it was embellish'd were gilt or else because all the Triumphs and Magnificence of Constantinople at the time of solemn Entries and Receptions were always wont to pass thorow this same Gate Among the number of all which Pompous Entries was that which Pope Iohn the first made who was receiv'd with all the pomp and spendour imaginable not so much for that he was sent by Theodoric or Thierry King of Italy to the Emperour Iustin the old but for that as he pass'd through this Golden Gate the holy Prelate had restor'd a Blind man to his Sight and because he also took a Journey to Constantinople to reconcile the differences between the Catholics and the Arrians whose Party Theodoric upheld At which interview between the Pope and the Emperour it was that Iustin began the custom that has been observ'd ever since for the
which was in a lovely Island joyn'd to the Shoar with two large Bridges for its lofty Towers and magnificent Buildings for the most part all of Marble For three great Arsenals or Magazines carefully kept in repair and provided continually with plenty of all things necessary for the preservation of the Inhabitants The first was a Store-house of Arms offensive and defensive The second of all sorts of Tools Houshold Furniture and other Necessaries not only for the Inhabitants but for all that were subject to the Jurisdiction of the City And the third contain'd the Granaries for Corn and other public Provisions for the common benefit The Liberty also which this City enjoy'd and which the Inhabitants always resolutely fought to maintain render'd it no less famous 'T is true they lost it once out of their extream desire to preserve it at what time not being able to endure the Insolence of the Romans they put some of them in Irons and caus'd others to be whipp'd which so incens'd Augustus that he depriv'd them of their Liberty which they held so dear and which they had acquir'd during the War with the Mithridates But at length that noble Prince o'recome with the Submissions of the Citizens who to appease his Anger finish'd the Temple which before they had began in honour of him though neglected during their Troubles restor'd them their former Liberty In this City it was that the Emperours Severus put Pescennius Niger to death for revolting against him in Egypt But of all those great advantages which formerly it enjoy'd there remains nothing now but that of its situation It is at present joyn'd to the Continent by an Isthmus about half a League broad made out of the Ruins of those two great Bridges which were formerly built over the Sea and were two flight Shot in length Upon two sides of the Island that is to say to the North and to the East lie two fair Harbours now utterly forsaken as is also the City it self which has nothing that remains to testifie its ancient Grandeur but prodigious heaps of stately Buildings overturn'd one upon another Yet among these deplorable Ruins of its ancient Grandeur there appears upon a pleasant Hill a very fair Amphitheater of an Oval figure sufficient to contain twelve thousand Spectators From this Amphitheater and those other parts of the Hill where you see all that remains of Cyzicum you may discover the two bosoms of Land that compose the Harbours But all these Buildings are quite abandon'd now by all Human Resort unless it be of Some few Travellers that are curious to behold the Relicks of Antiquity So that now that place where the confus'd noise of Number and the din of People of various Trades and Occupations made such a noise as would not let the roaring of the Sea be heard hears nothing but the mournful cries of Owls and Ravens and the doleful howlings of solitary Beasts that shelter themselves in their Nests and Dens among those once stately Fabricks and Monuments of the ambition of the Cyzicenians As for the City of Nice which the Turks call Isnir though it might not be thought perhaps one of the most celebrated Cities in the World for the famous Council of three hundred and eighteen Bishops there held in the year 325 during the Reign and in the presence of the Great Constantine under the Pontificate of St. Sylvester yet may it be so acknowledg'd by reason of its Foundations first laid by Antigonus King of Asia Son of Philip who call'd it by his own name Antigonia afterwards call'd Nicea by Lysimachus according to the name of his Wife This City is almost four-square plac'd upon a little Bosom of the Sea between two Capes in a fair Plain About two Leagues to the North-east runs a long row or chain of small Hills abounding in Wood Wine Fruits and Fountains The Walls of it are about eight Miles in circuit defended with large Towers for the most part round containing several Rooms They were formerly surrounded with a Terrass like the Walls of some of the Cities in France but the Turks taking no care to repair them they are now tumbl'd down and fall'n to decay in several places The City is large beautifi'd with very fair Streets and several Relicks of Antiquity as well Christian as Pagan among the rest with a stately Gate to the South-west built all of Marble like a Triumphal Arch adorn'd with several Figures which the Turks hav'd defac'd and several Inscriptions as well Greek as Latin There are also to be seen several very curious pieces of Antiquity as well in the City as in the Parts adjoyning of which I took several Draughts but having lost them together with others and all the Money which I then had through the unlucky accident of our Caravan's meeting with the Arabs as we travell'd from this City to Aleppo I must beg the favour of the Reader to be content to share in my Misfortunes and my Losses At present there are not above ten thousand Inhabitants in Nicea counting as well the Christian Greeks as Iews and Turks They live altogether upon the Trade which they drive in their Corn Fruits Cottons Linnen and other Commodities which they carry to Constantinople from whence it is not distant by Sea above fifty Leagues or sixscore Miles by Land Among all the great number of Cities which have born the name of Apamea that which the Turks now call Montagniac is one unless there be any that can make it out to be the City of Nicopolis But if we may rather believe the ancient Inscriptions which are to be found upon the places then we may conclude that Montagniac is no other than Apamea Monsieur Vaillant a person famous in the search of Antiquity and whose company I had the happiness to enjoy in this City found a very fair Inscription upon a piece of square Marble whereon the name of Apamea was engraven True it is that this Inscription might have been brought from some neighbouring place However if Montagniac be not Apamea most certainly 't is not far from the place where Apamea stood And therefore having nothing more of certainty my self I shall leave the farther discussion of this Dispute to the foremention'd famous Traveller in those Relations which he gives us hopes will be made public and where we may likewise expect this Inscription among the rest The Situation of this little City is most pleasing The Bay upon the Shore of which it is built is called Sinus Cianus from the Ancient City of Cium of which the Ruins are yet to be seen but now it bears no other name than that of Montagniac by means whereof this City drives a vast Trade with Constantinople in regard that the shortness of the way between it and Bursa draws to it almost all the Traffick of that great City and of almost all Bithynia of which Bursa is the Metropolis From Montagniac to Bursa Brusa Brousa or Bursia for
It happened say they that upon a certain Festival among the Turks a certain Dervich or Mahometan Monk who lived on the other side of the Bay to the North according to his Custom prepared himself very early to perform his Devotions and say his usual Mattins at the forementioned Mosquee But the night before a Storm having robbed him of his little Boat and carried it quite away and so not knowing how to get over the Bay he prayed to God to inspire him what to do in his sad Condition Well his Prayer was heard and thereupon Melek Gebrail or the Angel Gabriel fails not to attend him who bids him go to the Sea shore and fill the Lappet of his Coat with as much sand as it would hold which being done he bid him cast the sand before him as he went and it should presently harden into a path for him to walk upon the Water The good Hermit followed the Angels wholesome advice but whether he had not taken sand enough or whether he did not strow enough upon the yielding waves his Causey sank behind him nor could he go forward for that he had spent all his sand In this Extremity the Dervich fell again to his Prayers and his Tears which were so prevalent that Mahomet himself then took notice of him and observing to what danger the holy Mussel-man had exposed himself that he might perform his devotions at the Mosquee obtained of God to advance a Langet of dry Land as far as where the Dervich stood on purpose to take him up and to afford him a safe passage to the Mosquee Since which time this Langet of Land has remained as it stands to perpetuate the memory of this Miracle Sayling out of the Gulph of Nicomedia you enter into the Sea of Chalcedon in the midd'st of which little Sea not above ten Leagues in Circumference you meet with a great Watch-Tower erected at the end of a Promontory not far distant from Chalcedon it self Upon which Promontory also stands a House of Pleasure belonging to the Grand Signor known by the Name of Fanari-Kiosk This word Kiosc in the Turkish Language signifies a covered Gallery For that as well this same Kiosc here mentioned as also all the rest that are to be seen in Turky are only built of several Pillars erected upon a Square supporting Galleries that run from side to side and are covered with a large low Roof in the manner of a Pavillion The Situation of this Kiosc is very delectable as being placed in the midst and in the highest part of a most beautiful Garden the most regularly planted of any that are to be seen in Turky the Alleys being streight the Trees planted at an equal distance with several Beds and Borders of Flowers Artificially drawn forth Whereas all the other Gardens belonging to the Grand Signor are only a Confusion of Trees growing as they were planted without any Order or neatness like so many petty Wildernesses All these Alleys lead to the Kiosc which every way delights the Eye with a pleasing Prospect For from hence you may behold the greatest part of the City of Constantinople the Grand Serraglio and Galata which lyes to the West of this Garden at the distance of about a good League The Haven and City of Chalcedon lyes upon the right hand to the Northwest the Islands of the Princes and the Propontis face it to the Southeast the Entry of the Gulph of Nicomedia appears upon the left hand to the South and the lovely Fields of Bithynia upon the farthest Extent of which this beautiful Structure presents it self to view spread themselves from the back part of it beyond the reach of sight The Charming Situation whereof invited Sultan Solyman the Second to erect a Palace of Pleasure in this place that here he might with more freedom enjoy his Amours and wanton away his hours of leisure with his Sultanesses In the midst of this Structure a fair ascent leads ye into a beautiful Sopha or Room of State richly furnished with Quilts Carpets and Cushions of high value and encompassed with Balisters Embellish'd with Moresco Work This Sopha is four square and placed almost in the middle of a large Concavity of the same Form wherein are several Artificial Water-works continually supplied with water sufficient to bath in This Potent Monarch no less addicted to his Amorous Enjoyments than to the love of Martial Atchievments was careful to adorn this Structure with all the gay embellishments that Maâ—ometan Architecture could invent to consummate as well his own as the divertisements of the Sultanesses whom he best loved Taking delight frequently to retire in their Company from his Serraglio at Constantinople to this place as not being above a League from thence where being arrived he gave himself up to enjoy with more secresie and less trouble the Satisfaction of those pleasures which an inordinate Passion could provoke him to in a place so well accommodated for his wanton purposes The watch Tower adjoyning to this Kiosc is of great benefit to such Vessels as Sail by night to Constantinople of which there are a great Number or to such as come to an Anchor near to Chalcedon which does not happen so frequently The Haven as also the City of Chalcedon are neither much frequented unless it be by some Barks and Saics which go to Constantinople to fetch Provisions that are wanting here Formerly this City was one of the most Famous that stood upon the Propontis And it is said that one Chalcedon a Shepherd and Son of Saturn first began to build some certain Cottages upon the Banks of a small River that watered the adjoyning Meadows to which he gave his own name A long time after the Inhabitants of Chalcis in the Island of Euboea now called the Negropont sent a Collony thither continuing the name which before it had as being not much different from the Name of their own City The Megareans not far from the Corinthian Isthmus did the like about the Year of the World 3290. But in regard that both the one and the other by their choice of Chalcedon had overseen that noble Situation which shewed it self over against them where now Constantinople stands therefore it was that the Oracle of Delphos adjudged them both to be blind and that Megabizuâ— the Persian and all that have come after him have still to this day confirm'd the Sentence of the Oracle For my part I cannot but wonder that among so many that have called them Blind there is not one who has called them Fools Arrian the Historian and their Neighbour as being born in the City of Nicomedia relates that those People having for some time neglected the Worship of a Certain Deity to which their Ancestors had Erected a Temple were visited with a noysome and shameful disease For which not finding any other remedy they thought the readiest way to preserve the rest of the Body would be to cut off the part infected though of
which the one flows from the North-East the other lyes toward the North-West and the third to which both those contribute their waters discharges it self into the round Receptacle of the Propontis These three great Arms of the Sea as far as you can see employ their Waves on both sides to wash the shoars of several parcells of Land insensibly rising into a great number of Hills cover'd with Houses of pleasure Gardens and Kioscs And the nearer these three great Arms of the Sea waft ye to the City the more increases the infinite number of Houses They appear all together one above another in form of an Amphitheater so that they all afford the benefit of a most beautiful Prospect In the midst of those houses variously Painted appears an incredible number of Domo's Cupola's Steeples and Towers much higher than the ordinary Buildings All those Domo's are cover'd with Lead as also the Steeples the Spires of which are Gilded And the verdure of the Cypress and other Trees abounding in a prodigious number of Gardens contribute infinitely to the pleasing confusion of various colours that charm the eyes of all that approach near to the City The multitude of Vessels that make as it were a Crown round about the Port without encumbring the middle appears like a spacious Circle of lofty Trees depriv'd of their Leaves on purpose because they should not hide those beautiful Objects that lye behind them And the vast number of Kaicks Gondola's and little Boats which is said to amount to above Sixteen Thousand which are continually in motion from all parts some under Sail some Row'd with Oars for the convenience of the Inhabitants seems to represent to the Spectators of so lovely an Amphitheater the continual divertisement of a Naval Combat In short when you are in the middle of the Harbour of this great City which way soever you turn your eye you cannot but admire how favourable Nature has been to it in making choice of whatsoever she thought might conduce to the Glory of its situation Seeing then it has such great advantages and those peculiar to it self we need not wonder that Constantine the Great so easily quitted the delights of Rome and Transported the Seat of his Empire to Byzantium and that he call'd it by his own name nor indeed is there any other City so proper to command the Universe With one glance of her eye she beholds the two most lovely parts of the whole and in less than a quarter of an hour can send her Orders from the one part of the World where she is seated to the other Which therefore seems to make so near an approach to her lofty Towers on purpose to receive her Commands and submit to her Obedience So that had Art and Nature consulted together to form a Place where Beauty and Plenty should equally contend they never could have been more successful than in the adornment of that where Constantinople stands The Soyl produces all sorts of Fruits as pleasing to the Eye as delicious to the tast so that there is nothing to be desired either necessary or superabounding for the support of human life Their Fresh and Salt Waters furnish them with all sorts of Commodities which it is possible for an Element so advantageous to mankind to afford them Fish not to speak of Oysters in so great abundance stores their Markets that I know not whether it may not be one part of satisfaction to Curiosity for that very reason to view a City so well furnished with provision You shall see them frisking every moment above Water But whether to admire the Glory of that City or to breath in the sweetness of the Air be more pleasant is a question The vast plenty of Fowl is not to be imagin'd yet the havock which they make Mornings and Evenings among the Gardens and neighbouring Hills sufficiently declare the fruitfulness of the Climate in their production Nor are they less stor'd with those Amphibious winged Creatures that live sometimes upon Land sometimes in the Water and sometimes in the Air to shew that all those three Elements are at Constantinople in their Highest perfection Even the Fire it self not enduring to be confined within the smaller hearths of so fair a City breaks forth oft-times into most violent constagrations as if become capable of jealousie and not being able to render it self sufficiently remarkable by its ordinary uses it rather chose to shew it self dreadful by its effects than to be the onely Element idlâ— and inglorious in that City while all the rest seem to have their Thrones at Constantinople This Prodigality of Nature caused the Emperour Iustinian to believe that it behov'd men rather to abandon all the rest of the World to come and live at Constantinople than suffer so delightful a place to be one single day without Inhabitants as it has been the fate of several other great Cities And upon this consideration it was that he chang'd it's name of Constantinople and gave it the Appellation of the Eternal City as appears by that Law of his si qui quinta cap. de divers praed urb tit 69. Neither is Constantinople the onely name which this City has born nor yet the last having had almost as many Names as Masters while all that have rul'd within her Walls either as Kings or Tyrants have all had their fancies to change her Name as well as her Fortune In the first place it was call'd Chrysoceras or Horn of Gold Perhaps from that plenty and abundance which some of the Thracian Shepherds found upon that Out-let of Land upon which it is Seated or for the advantage of the place by reason of its Situation and the exteriour Figure of it which represents the shape and substance of Amalthea's Horn usually call'd the Horn of Plenty This fell out in the Year of the World 3286. which was within the 22 d. Olympiad in the Reigns of Ezechias and Numa Pompilius six hundred fourscore and ten years before the Birth of Christ. After this first erecting of certain Shepherds Cottages at Chrysoceras the number of Inhabitants charm'd with the Situation of the Place increas'd so fast that in a little time it grew to be a considerable Borough to which they gave the name of Acropolis or the City of the Point or Promontory and afterwards that of Lygos Nor was it long after that Byzis Byzas Bysantus or Bysanta for such is the variety among several Authors carrying thither a Collony of the Megarians call'd it by his own name Byzantium which continu'd 'till the Reign of the Emperour Antonine who greatly added to the Buildings and call'd it Antonina It has also born the name of Anthusa afterwards that of New Rome 'till at length Constantine the Great who Translated thither the seat of the Roman Empire enlarg'd it and to adorn it with a Magnificence becoming the honour which he had done it added his own and call'd it Constantinian new Rome which
Originals themselves Galand A LATE VOYAGE TO CONSTANTINOPLE FOR a Gentleman to travel to Constantinople and to view the adjacent Countries is certainly one of the most pleasing Diversions that may be and which furnishes a man with Observations the most admirable while he beholds what Nature offers to his Eyes the most charming that can be imagin'd in the delectable situation of Places and what Time has left in beautiful Ruins of the Magnificence and Grandeur of the Eastern Emperours They who have this Curiosity whether with an intention to pass farther or to set up their Hercules Pillars in this City are first to understand where most conveniently to take Shipping which is most usually to be done either at Marseilles Ligorn or Venice unless they design to travel by Land Above all things let them be sure to provide Money for their Expences and Bills of Exchange for a Supply without which there is nothing to be done And while a Man stays a Ship-board he will find no false Latin in a good warm Coat a good Quilt and Coverlet a Glass of brisk Wine a Case of good Waters and some change of fresh Diet. For all which Accommodations they who desire not to be troubled with so much Luggage may agree to be supply'd by the Master of the Ship which may be done for twenty five or thirty Crowns at most The first place through which there is a necessity to sail is the Streight of the Dardanels hither you arrive by steering several Courses after you have left behind you as well upon the right as left hand those Islands which are called Cyclades and Sporades as being scatter'd up and down in that part of the Egean Sea which bears the name of Archipelago by the Seamen vulgarly stil'd the Arches I shall say nothing of all those Islands though I have both seen and taken the Draughts of most of them it being my design to speak only of what relates to Constantinople to which the Dardanels are as it were the Gates that give an Entrance Of the Hellespont and the Dardanels THis famous Streight which is otherwise call'd the Hellespont lies in the 37 th degree and 42 minutes of Northern Latitude and of Longitude about the 55 th It extends not in length above ten or twelve Leagues at most At the Entrance it is in breadth a good League and a half To the Westward upon the left hand as ye enter you behold the Country of Thrace which is a part of Europe divided by the Hellespont from Troas a Province of Asia that lies to the East To the North lies the Propontis and to the South the Egean Sea with the Archipelago At the Entrance of this Streight upon the right hand the Sygean Promontory runs out into the Sea by the name of Cape Ianisary near to which stands a little Village inhabited by Christian Greeks The Turks call it Giaourkioi or the Village of the Infidels it being the name which they generally give to all places where there are no Mosquees It is situated near to the place where stood in former times the famous City of Sygeum and by the People of the Country is call'd Troïaki or Little Troy Here a Traveller may take in store of good Refreshments and excellent Provision as Hens Eggs Partridge Rice Butter Melons Fruit and all so very cheap that you may buy a Quarter of a hundred of Eggs for four or five Aspers which is no more than two Sols and six Blanks of French Money and a dozen of Hens or Pullets for half a Piaster which is not above 30 Sols French The Water also is there very good and well tasted but that is not all for the Island of Tenedos that produces most excellent Muscadine Wines is not above a League distance and where you may have it for little or nothing a whole Hogshead for a Crown From the top of this Cape or Promontory you may take a full prospect of all the lovely Country of Troas together with the Rivers of Xanthus or Scamander and Simois both taking their Sources and falling from the famous Mountain Id◠Both which Rivers are much more beholding for their Reputation to the ancient Poets than to the bulk of their own Streams as being no bigger than that of the Gobelins at Paris Sometimes in the Summer they are quite dry'd up but at other times both uniting on the place where Troy stood and there surrounding a great Marsh or Fen they glide away under a wooden Bridge supported with Stone Pillars and so empty themselves into the Hellespont some half a League above this Cape not far from the new Castle of Asia The Turks who never were addicted themselves to Liberal Arts have made it their business rather to ruin and pull down the Monuments of Antiquity than to erect new and sumptuous Fabricks according to the strict Rules of Architecture So that 't is no wonder while they so openly profess their ignorance in this particular that there should appear so much deformity and irregularity in this new Castle of Asia and that which is opposite to it in Europe or that there is to be seen the same defect in all their other Castles and Fortresses which they have occasion to build This Castle is seated upon a Tongue of Land pointing out into the Sea upon a square Platform compos'd of four large Panes of Walls flank'd at the four Corners with Towers of which those two next the Sea are square with a sort of Redoubt only upon one side the other two toward the Land are quite round Between these four Towers there are five others of which four are also square and one round which defend the Walls but neither in thickness bigness or distance one like the other As for those which are wash'd by the Sea they are furnish'd with Port-holes that lie level with the surface of the Water as also with their Curtins and Platforms I told above forty of these well provided with Cannon always mounted and continually charg'd ready to play upon any Enemy that will run the hazard of adventuring into the Harbour by force But notwithstanding all this Expence and Cost bestow'd upon these Castles there is no such necessity for a Royal Navy to fear the force of that Battery should a good occasion present it self to try the utmost of its Fury For all the Cannons which are within are mounted only upon Stones or great pieces of square Timber without Frames or Carriages So that being once discharg'd they will require a long time to charge and mount 'em again In which interval of Time it would be no diffcult thing with two or three thundering Broadsides to lay the inconsiderable Wall of the Castle level with the Earth it not being above three foot in thickness or beat it about the Ears of the Soldiers and Cannoneers By which means the Castles so made useless would soon be taken by Storm or Surrender The way to this Castle is from the
Castle of Asia or upon that same jetty of Land near to the Mouth of Xanthus and Simois So that you travel all this way whether by Sea or Land 't is all one without observing any thing remarkable and at length you arrive at the old Castles which the Turks call Boghase-issari or the Castles of the Throat The old Castle upon Asia side by the name of Natoli-iski-issar is a square Building flank'd at the four corners with Towers of which those that are next the Sea are four-square also but those that look toward the Land are round In the midst of this Castle is a large square Tower upon whose Platform are planted several Culverins From this same Tower was made the fatal Shot that took away the Life of Lazaro Mocenigo at what time after he had giv'n a second defeat to the Turks Fleet in the year 1657 he was designing in spite of these Castles to have run up the Channel and have fir'd Constantinople had not that unfortunate blow at the same time disappointed him in the pursuit of so noble an Enterprise Behind this Castle lies a large Village inhabited by about three thousand People whereof some few are Christians the rest Turks and Iews This place is considerable for nothing but for the command of the Passage where it lies and the most part of the great Guns lye unmounted even with the surface of the Water like those in the new Castles They are in number twenty eight and carry to the other side of the opposite shoar large Stone Balls each weighing sixty pound as likewise do those which are planted on the other side in the European Castle the Channel lying between these two Castles not being above half a League broad The European Castle which the Turks call Roumeli-iski-issar is more irregular and not so strong as that upon the Asiatic side It is plac'd upon the descent of a Hill which commands it and is compos'd of three great Towers joyn'd together in a Triangular form resembling the shape of a Heart These Towers are environ'd with a circuit of Walls with certain half Towers which descend to the Harbour where lye about thirty Cannons equal with the Water that carry the same Bullet with those on the other side and they are planted obliquely lest by shooting streight forward the two Castles should mischief one another Most people believe that these two Castles and the two Towns adjoyning are the Ruins of the two ancient Cities of Sestos and Abydos but in regard there are several that question the truth of it and that it is a difficult thing to prove it unless some curious Traveller shall hereafter discover something more convincing I shall leave the matter undetermin'd The Franks or Europeans who travel into Turkie call these two Castles the Dardanels for that Dardanus the Son of Iupiter by Electra the Daughter of Atlas was the first King of this Country who built therein a City which he call'd by his own name Dardanum and the Country round about it Dardania Virgil will have this City to be the same with Troy so call'd by Tros the Grandchild of Dardanus and Father of the fair Ganimed Others assure us that the ancient Dardanum which was built upon the Hellespont where now the Dardanels stand retain'd its ancient name and that the new City built upon the Xanthus and Scamander was first call'd Dardanum afterwards Troy or Ilium However it were the Inhabitants of that ancient Dardanum did not much exceed in Reputation those that now possess the Dardanels For those formerly were accounted Magicians according to that of Columella At si nulla valet Medicina repellere Pestem Dardaniae veniant artes But if no Physic can repell the Plague Let then Dardanian arts be us'd Or else such as minded nothing but their Profit according to that of another Poet Dardanius merces divendit carius emptas Dardanian Wares he sells more dearly bought They who now inhabit those Castles are much of the same disposition where as in several other parts of Greece you shall find several of those old kind of Sorceresses which they call Striglais who being addicted to all sorts of mischief in their Infancy and despairing of any other Allurements to purchase their Love put to sale the Affections of others of which they falsly vaunt themselves to be the Mistresses or else they sell the satisfaction of their Hatred They make use of several sorts of Witchcraft some they call Philtra to create Affection others Ecthra to procure Hatred others Vaskarmiais or Phtarmiais that deal in all sorts of Fascinations and Enchantments These old Haggs practice after various manners according to the mischief which they design and although they go to work but by night and in secret for fear of being apprehended by the Soubachi and thrown into the Sea with a Stone about their Necks ty'd up in a Sack yet I shall here set down one remarkable passage which was related to me by a person that liv'd upon the place concerning one of these Witches that was taken in the fact This same Race of Circe having a design to revenge themselves upon any one that has perhaps but given them cross language in the Street do it in this manner They rise about Midnight and take three Flint Stones over which they mumble for about half an hour certain words which they teach to none but their Scholars Which being done they put the Stones in the Fire 'till they are red hot at what time they take 'em out again to light a little Wax Candle at each which they place upon the three feet of a three-legg'd Stool in a kind of imitation of the Trikirion of the Greek Bishops This done they lay the three-legg'd Stool across upon their Heads take up the three Flints by this time cold and in this Equipage forth they go into the Street where the Party lives and being come to the first place where they find three ways to meet they throw the three Stones into the three different passages believing that by the help of such words which they utter at the same time that those Fascinations will procure the mischief they intend Beside these they have also a hundred other little Tricks which they practice as well for the telling of Fortunes as for Witchcraft to which as the more rational Turks give little or no credit so are they much less worth mentioning here As for their Trading the most part of the Merchants in the Towns belonging to these two Castles especially the Iews are great gainers For they buy cheap out of the Christian and Turkish Vessels that pass through the Channel and sell again with considerable advantage either upon the place or else they carry their Markets to other Towns and Villages upon the dry Land where they turn to good accompt But as it is common with all Merchants to sell as dear as they can I shall say no more concerning the Inhabitants of the Dardanels who
future to be more careful of the Prisoners of that Castle especially when they were of such great Quality as Monsieur Beaujeu These Orders were quickly obey'd so that the King's Ships weigh'd Anchor the next day and departed In this same part of this Streight it was that Xerxes enrag'd to see the foaming and tempestuous Waves oppose his passage into Greece caus'd the Sea to be whipp'd and afterwards in disdain of its Power joyn'd both the Continents together by a Bridge of Boats and made the Sea as it were to groan under the weight of the floating Burthen However in the same place it was that soon after the chaf'd Billows fully reveng'd themselves for the injury done them For breaking the Chains of the Bridge with a violent storm the Sea was in a short time fill'd with the Ruins and shatter'd pieces of that laborious piece of Humane Haughtiness So that Xerxes being soon after constrain'd to fly the same way and finding his vain-glorious Triumph o're the Hellespont utterly destroy'd was enforc'd to betake himself disguis'd to a small Fisherboat to save his life and rescue himself from the general Massacre of his Army so hard it was then for him to get a small Skiff to avoid the Chains and Shackles of a victorious Enemy who but a little before had vaunted of his having shackl'd the Ocean drank up Rivers and sail'd over the dry Land as it were to insult over Nature her self Some perhaps may say that I tarry too long between Sestos and Abydos and bid me beware lest out of a desire to entertain the Reader with such remarkable passages as have renown'd these Parts I run the risco of Leander's misfortune for he covetous to converse with his amiable Hero was lost in this narrow Bay mistaking the steerage of his Arms. In the same manner the satisfaction which I find in tracing over again the Representation of the same Places and calling to mind the several passages of Antiquity that happen'd there may be thought to have withdrawn me too far from my Subject Wherefore I shall leave Sestos and Abydos and come now to Lampsacus that lies not far from it This City is not now in that splendid condition wherein it flourish'd at what time it was by Xerxes appointed to furnish Themistocles with Wine for him and his Attendants being at present no more than a miserable Village which retains nothing of its Antiquity but the Hills that environ it still cover'd with some few Vines whose Grapes are pleasing and the Wine which they afford most excellent but not very plentiful The City of Magnesia the Metropolis of Lydia which was also allotted to the same Grecian Captain for his provision of Bread has much better preserv'd its ancient Magnificence being still very large fair rich and in good Trade But as for Myus in Ionia the third City appointed to Themistocles for the substantial Food of himself and his Followers it has been a long time buried in its own Ruins On the left hand over against Lampsacus stands the City of Caligula corruptly call'd Gallipoli This is a large City and the Port very convenient and spacious It appears much above the Sea and as most of the Sea-Towns of the Turkish Empire is peopl'd with Christians Iews and Turks who have every one their Churches Synagogues and Mosquees and corresponding very amicably together maintain themselves and their Families either by Merchandize or by their Handicraft Trades Nor can I yet quit the Hellespont without adding this farther for the benefit of all Seamen what they are to observe and how to steer to avoid the dangers of this passage Upon the first entrance into this Streight it behoves you to steer first North and North and by East for the space of about a League to the low Point upon the Eastern shoar a little above the Mouth of Simois which must be avoided by reason of a Sand-bank that stretches toward the West After which you must steer Northward then North-east and by East for about eight Leagues as far as Gallipoli to the West of which lies a large Bay where you ride in a safe Road secure from the Northern Winds in twenty fathom Water But entering into this Port you must take care of coming too near the South Coast of Gallipoli by reason of a Bank of Sand and certain Rocks that lye hid under Water and for the same reason take the same care to avoid steering too near to the North and thus In medio tutissimus ibis which is a Rule indeed to be observ'd through the whole Hellespont A Description of the Propontis LEaving Gallipoli which is the last City seated upon the Hellespont you enter the Propontis call'd the White Sea or Sea of Marmara It is call'd the Propontis as being by nature plac'd before the Black Sea otherwise call'd the Pontus The name of the White Sea was given it by way of distinction from the Pontus Euxinus to which the frequent Shipwracks and continual foggy Weather there happening have bequeath'd it the Denomination of the Black Sea and the Isles of Marmara which lye about nine or ten Leagues up in this Gulph have given it the name of the Sea of Marmara The whole circuit of the Propontis which is about a hundred and sixty Leagues lies enclos'd within the 38 th and 41 th Degrees of Northern Latitude and within the 55 th and 58 th Degrees of Longitude or thereabout It may be readily conjectur'd from this Situation that it lies in a most temperate Climate which neither admits the bitter freezings of the North nor is subject to the stifling Southern heats So that there is not hardly to be seen in any other part of the World so small a spot of Ground whereon so many fair Cities have been built as upon the shoar of this round Receptacle of salt Water The famous Cyzicum the renown'd Nice the delightful Apamea the charming Nicomedia the unfortunate Chalcedon and several other Cities of great repute are sufficient Testimonies that this celebated part of the World had omitted nothing that might contribute to the Embelishment of her temperate Shoar All these Cities lye upon the right hand to those Vessels that sail from Gallipoli to Constantinople while Europe on the Lar-board side shews you the Cities of Rodosto the new and ancient Perinthus or Heraclea Selivrea Bevado Grandpont and some others not worthy Commendation And in regard I have seen all these Cities one after another in my several Travels I shall say something of every one in particular in the same order as I have nam'd them and as they are seated to the view of those that go to Constantinople The ancient City of Cyzicum which is one of the first that appears to the right hand upon the Coast of Asia was famous for the Antiquity of its Foundation which it derives from the Argonauts near five hundred years before the building of Rome for its situation
it is called by all these names it is but five Leagues Journey through a very pleasant Country and passably well manured There are in Montagniac about five or six thousand Inhabitants Greeks Turks and Iews who are all Merchants and live by the Traffick of their Commodities The Country adjoyning to this City is very Fertile in all sorts of Fruits which are carried to the Markets of Constantinople It is a difficult thing to find a Situation more advantagious than that of Nicomedia Certainly next to that of Constantinople it claims the preheminence in that respect above all other Cities For it is seated at the bottom of a Bay which bears its name and covers the descent of a small Hill replenished with fruit Trees Vines and Corn. A great number of Gardens belong to it where grow most excellent Fruits and among the rest Melons which are nothing inferiour to those of Cashan in Persia that are esteemed the best in the World The Curious Traveller also who is desirous to have a Stock of Fair Inscriptions may easily satisfie his Curiosity in this City of Nicomedia For there are hardly any of the Streets or Church Yards where he may not find some Fragments and sometimes such as are intire both in Greek and Latin And it is as true that this City has been always in high Repute ever since it was enlarged by Nicomede King of Bithynia who gave it the name of Nicomedia instead of that of Olbia from the Nymph Olbia who first laid the Foundations of it Here it was that Hannibal after all his defeats fled for Refuge to Prusias King of Bithynia and where at length that unfortunate Captain fearing to be surrender'd up into the hands of the Carthaginians whom he had ruin'd by his ill Luck or of the Romans who had sent to demand him from Prusias ended his days by Poison which he always carried in the beazil of a Ring This City was one of the first that embrac'd the Christian Faith for which Reason the great number of Holy Martyrs that there generously suffered several sorts of Deaths in defence of the Truth have rendred it the more Illustrious St. Barba was one of that happy number and of the same place as also St. Adrian St. Pantaleon St. Gorgon whose Body we have in France being brought from Rome by one of the Nephews of Pepin in the Year 763. Near to this City it was also that the Great Constantine being sixty six Years of Age died of a Fever in the Year 340. Some Authors report that this Emperour being fallen into the Heresy of the Arians which was condemned in his presence by the Council of Nice resolved to be rebaptized in the River of Iordan to which purpose being upon his Journey from Constantinople he fell sick at Nicomedia where Eusebius the Bishop being infected with Arianism rebaptized him into the Arian Opinion The Bay of Nicomedia is not above half a League in breadth but in length much more On both sides of which runs a Ridge of small Hills which accompanying all along the windings and turnings of the Bay render the Passage by Water one of the most pleasant Recreations that can be desired This City which the Turks call Ismir is very large and well peopled containing above thirty thousand Inhabitants consisting of Greeks Iews and Turks several Greek Churches and Fair Mosquees many Caravansera's or Inns and several Bazars or Market places The Trade of the Town consists in Silks Cottons Wooll Linnen Fruits Pot-making Glass-houses and other Commodities which render it a place of great Traffick The most part of the great Saiques Kaiques and other vessels belonging to the Merchants of Constantinople are built at Nicomedia But I must needs say their building for the Sea is very little better than their Architecture by Land For though their Vessels are built very large and Roomy yet are they but ill Saylors and therefore easily taken While I happened to be there they were building two Saiqâ—es that were three Years before they were fitted Which being done they were carried to Constantinople to take in their Lading and make their first Voyage Their bulk astonished the Constantinopolitans seeing them so high built and so large there being no vessel in the Haven that appeared other than little Barks to them Presently they were moor'd in the Port of Courchiou the Magazine of this Place with their Heads turned toward Mecca Then came the Iman or Priest of that Quarter as it were to consecrate the two new Vessels or rather to charm them by the Vertue of their accustomed Prayers against the misfortunes of Shipwrack and Piracy Being thus enchanted they were laden being laden they were again blessed by the Iman with a Tun of Benedictions and good wishes of a happy and prosperous Voyage and then set Sail for the Coast of Egypt but they were no sooner passed the Dardanells and entered the Archipelago when a Corsaire of Malta made bold to shorten their Voyage and to carry away the two Wonders of Constantinople Lading Benedictions and all to his own Port. To the West of Nicomedia on the North side of the Gulph there rises a Spring of Mineral water to my thinking chiefly partaking of Alum of which the Turks and Greeks relate wonders There is great resort to it from all Parts for they believe there is no distemper under the Sun which it does not cure For my own part the only Curiosity of going to see it had like to have cost me my Eyesâ—t Issues from a Rock at the foot of a little Hill from whence gliding along toward the Bay together with some other small streams it waters a flat kind of Green full of weeds and rushes which is all Marshie in the Winter but was dry when I went over it Here it was that walking over these Rushes two Wasps whose peace I had disturbed in revenge made presently to my Eyes and very angrily stung me under the Brows The pain that I felt was extream and the swelling so great that I could not open my Eyes in a Quarter of an hour so that if I had not had the good fortune to have had Monsieur Vaillant as skilful in Physick as Antiquity in my Company I know not whether I might not rather have been put to have groped my way back to Constantinople than hoped to have seen Persia. But he was so happy as immediately to find out a certain Herb with the juice of which mixed with water after he had well washed my Eyes he soon asswaged the pain so that I went forward and took a view of that same Celebrated Agiasma or Holy Fountain A little farther Westward on the Southside of the Bay appears a little Langet of dry Land just like a great Heap of Earth not above six Fathom in Breadth and about half a quarter of a League in length At the farther end of which toward the Land side stands a Mosquee of which the Turks tell a pleasant Miracle
his friends in a convenient corner lock'd the Mosquee door and went his way Presently the devout Dervich believing all was safe drew out his loaf from his bosome and fell to work and ever and anon as he dipp'd his bread in one of the Lamps which was full of excellent Oyl he would thus reason with his conscience touching the scruples which it weakly offer'd to defer him from stealing the joy of his stomach Whatever said he comes from God is common this Temple and all that is in it comes from God this Oyl comes from God this bread comes from God and I am the servant of God and therefore I may make use of what comes from God and so fell a sopping like a Rat that dips his tail in a Sack-but The Iman's two friends having observ'd him and mad to see how greedily the holy Dervich lick'd up the sacred Oyl stole upon him without being perceiv'd while he was busie at his bou allactan guelur which he repeated every time he sopp'd his bread and giving him some half ascore good licks over the shoulders crying out at the same time Bou daha allactan guelur This also comes from God turned him out of the Mosquee where he was never permitted to sop more Of the Mahometan Ecclesiastical Officers AS for the Ecclesiastical persons that officiate in the Turkish Mosquees thus in short The Mufti is the chief being as it were the Patriarch of the Turks and principal Governour of all the Mosquees as also chief President of all the Divans His authority extends over all Turkie as being a person of great merit and well vers'd in Law for which reason he is consulted in all affairs most knottie and difficult to resolve The question is propounded to him in writing and the business is determin'd by his Olur or Olmaz it may or may not be which he subscribes at the bottom of the Fetfa or demand with his name and addition of Fakir or Poor which he affects above all other Next to the Mufti is the Katib or Curate who reads Prayers upon Fridays and other Holy-days Under him are the Imans of which there are several belonging to the Cathedral Mosquees And next to them the Belligler or Singing men The Ovazes or Nasijetgis who are the Preachers and mount the Pulpit Three times a week to instruct the people in the points of Religion and what they ought to believe and do The Sokta's or Softa's and Mulla's who are sort of hirelings that never say Prayers but when they are pay'd for it or else when they are sent for to sing the praises of the dead The Mucktars who take care of the Lamps the Klingiler who looks after the Carpets the Kaimgiler or Supurgiler whose business it is to clean the Carpets as also the rest of the Temple The Capigiler or Porter the Muezins or Cryers and several sorts of Derviches Cheiks and Santons a sort of people that resort to the Mosquees rather to share in the Almes than for any service which they perform there All the Officers are well pay'd and have good Salaries to encourage them to be careful to keep the Mosquees neat and clean from all manner of filth and defilement and more especially to keep out the Dogs Only Cats are priviledg'd as well to the end they may kill the Mice which many times make bold with the Carpets as for that they were Mahomets good friends being generally a very cleanly creature Add to this a third reason because they sing upon the Tiles so like to his Musitianers Of their Hospitals YOu may cast into the number of Mosquees those other places which the Turkish Piety has Founded in Constantinople For there are in that City above an hundred considerable Timarkana's or Hospitals for the infirm and distracted and Takiakana's or places to lodge the poor where they have every day an allowance of Bread and Porridge The Khans or Caravansera's are great houses built much like the Colledges in Paris and founded by rich persons to lodge strangers where they may remain secure and at small expences as long as they please paying only one or two Aspers a day which is no more than a Sous at most There are of these Karavansera's about Four Hundred and Seventeen with their Fountains and store-houses and some have their Mosquees and Baths too within themselves The strict prohibition of Wine among the Turks makes them take great care in providing store of Fountains as well for their Religious as necessary uses Insomuch that the number of Fountains in Constantinople and the Suburbs is reckon'd to amount to Five Thousand Nine Hundred Thirty Five as well those belonging to the Mosquees as in other parts of the City from whence the Water-bearers fetch it in great Brazen Tankards holding the quantity of two of our Buckets and carry it home to the houses of such as want it The water which supylyes these Fountains is brought from Belgrade a City distant from Constantinople about Four or Five Leagues Of the Divan or the Turks Courts of Iustice. AS among all the Nations in the world it will be a difficult thing to find any one that bears a greater reverence to the places appointed for Divine Worship than the Turks so may it likewiâ—e be as certain that there are not any people more submissive to the decrees and sentences that issue out of the Divan in point of Justice There is no requiring a second Summons to cite the party to appear before the Judge He that believes himself most guilty fears not to go and receive his Sentence as if he believ'd the proverb absolutely true which sayes that the hand cut off by Iustice does no evil Yet does not this proceed from the integrity of their Judges nor the equity of their Laws for there is nothing more unjust or more Tyrannical but it proceeds from the fear of the Battoon and the cruel Fines which they lay upon people who neither dare nor can appeal to any superiour Justice which can only be expected by the Caimacan or Grand Vizier himself The Court of Justice is call'd the Divan and there is one at least in every City how small so ever it be where it is kept of due right in the Cadi's house But where there is a Basha he does all he can to deprive him of that priviledge and to take the Cognizance of all business to himself As for the Constantinopolitan Divan it is held in the great Serraglio four times a week Saturday Sunday Munday and Thursday Upon every one of these days the principal Officâ—â—â— that is to say the Grand Vizier or in his absence the Caimacan sits in the middle the Nichandgi Bachi or the Keeper of the Seals upon his right hand the Cadile squiers or Superintendents of Justice upon his left hand and the Defterdars or Prothonotaries some on the one side some on the other The Capigi Bachi or chief Porter and Chaours Bachi or chief Usher guard the Entrance The chief
study of Arts and Sciences So that it is no wonder if you meet among them with no more than what is absolutely necessary for humane being indispensable in the course of Trade or but meanly assistant to the divertisements of the Mind or recreations of the Body or to pass away the time which always grows tedious to persons so lumpish and so little studious as the Mahometans Those Employments to which necessity constrains the Turks are Agriculture Baking dressing Victuals and Building As to the first the Christians are only they that Till the Earth over all the Ottoman Empire The Turks never put their hands to the Plough unless extremity constrain them for there must be neither Christians nor Armenians in that Village where the Turks trouble their heads either with Sowing or Reaping As to the second there are in Constantinople not above seven Hundred Bakers that keep publick Ovens where those that make their bread themselves may carry their dough to have it bak'd These Bakers whom they call Ecmekgiler generally keep a Mill in their own houses which Mills to the number of Six Hundred are turn'd by several sorts of beasts according as they are in bigness There are neither Water nor Windmills belonging to the City nor to any of the adjacent parts Neither is their bread well tastâ—d nor good for any thing but when it is hot or only of one days baking for it being made up in flat round Cakes presently grows hard and dry Their Cookery is much like that in the Kitchen of Alexander the Great who refus'd the Cooks which the Queen of Caria sent him saying that his Governour Leonidas had left him two the best in the world at making Sawces to quick'n the Appetite that is to say stirring in a Morning to sharpen the stomach against Dinner and Evening exercise to beget an Appetite for Supper and indeed those are the best sawces to make a man relish the Mahometan Ragou's Pilaw or Rice boyl'd in the Broath of flesh or else with Water and Butter is one of their choicest dainties and without which the greatest feast in the world would signifie little With this they frequently mix a sort of curdled Milk which they call Ioghourt Saffron to colour it Honey or Pekmes to sweeten it and several other Ingredients such as the fantasticalness of a deprav'd relish dictates to their humour Their Roastmeats which they call Kiabab of which they seldome make use are neither larded nor stuff'd unless it be with the fat of huge Caramania Mutton and little better tasted than their Boyl'd and then lastly in regard the pleasure of Prohibited Wine never keeps them long carowsing after meals they have snapp'd up their Dinners and folded up their Sofra or Napkin before a French man has supp'd up his first mess of Pottage a thing which the Turks never heard talk of This temperance which would never agree with a German's or a French-mans stomach is of great advantage to the Turks especially in War For they never burden their Camp with any other provisions than Rice Butter or some few dry'd Fruits nor carry along with them an unprofitable train of people to provide and dress a Hundred varieties of dishes nor are their Soldiers put to it to hazard their lives by straying from their Body in search of dainties to satisfy their intemperance And at home a Tun of Rice with a small quantity of Butter and dry'd fruits will serve a numerous family for a whole Twelve-month For my part I cannot attribute the strength and plumpness of the Levantines to any other cause than to their temperance So that were they permitted to enjoy large possessions of their own and to receive the Rents of them to their own use that sparing course of life would enrich more Families in a year than the Kitchen-expences of France have ruin'd Families in that Kingdome in several For the Kitchen in a House is like the spleen in a mans body the larger it grows the more it occasions the rest of the Vitals to dwindle away I must confess in favour of Galen that the greatest part of the Eastern people especially the Merchants Handicraft-Tradesmen Travellers and such like eat little at Dinner but make their full meals at supper contrary to the custome of the Europeans who according to the precepts of the Salern School follow the advice of Hippocrates But notwithstanding this dispute between the Two Princes of the Faculty of Physick Custome which is a second Nature is the best arbitrator of this difference However to say no more of the Turkish Cookery I cannot forbear at Paris to entertain my friends now and then with a dish of Pilaw Doulma Bourek Chorba and other Eastern Ragous to shew that I have dieted with all the Eastern people Now as for their Architecture if they have any certain Rules among themselves they never make use of them for their private edifices There are none but their publick structures as Mosquees Baths Hospitals Caravansera's Basars and Besestins which have anything passable to commend their Art For in their other private Buildings you shall hardly meet with any thing but only some Rooms Wainscoted gilt and fretwork'd and those also but very few and without any other furniture than Sopha spread with its Minders and Coverlets So that whoever considers the Turks frugal manner of living will easily believe their grand Design to be rather the enlargment of their Dominions than to establish the prosperity of what they have won already So vain a thing it is among them to seek for Amphitheaters Paintings Sculptures or any other rarities which are the products of noble Arts. They are the sworn enemies of ingenuity not having any thing among them but what their own natural stupidity prompts them to for the meer support of humane life So far are they from the ancient quaintness and ingenuity of the sedulous Egyptians Arabians and Greeks whose Territories they now Lord over tyrannizing over their posterity with so much cruelty that they will not suffer them to improve those Arts or Sciences among themselves which their Ancestors first found out nor to make use of that knowledge which they have gain'd elsewhere though in the practice of Physic which they so much admire So that should an Akin or Physician but attempt the Anatomie or dissection of any Creature for the discovery of some new benefit to Mankind he might assure himself notwithstanding the respect they bear to his profession of such an unreasonable amercement as would consume in one day the gains of all his life before But I must forbear to speak any more in the dispraise of this Barbarous people lest they should revenge themselves upon me with Interest when they find me next in their clutches especially being upon the point of undertaking another Voyage to the same places that nothing may escape me which is worthy observation in those parts I shall therefore conclude with my Prayers to the supream Lord of