scorching Heat of the Climate For the only Springs in Egypt are two that are at Cairo of which I may perhaps give you an account after I have seen ' em To supply in some measure these natural defects the Natives have contriv'd subterraneous Buildings which are no less admirable than the Palaces that formerly adorn'd Alexandria For there are vast Cisterns under Ground Vaulted and under-prop'd with strong Marble-Pillars that support the weight of the Houses and of the City which is wholly built on these Caves All the Cisterns are border'd with Streets as if they were Houses so that they seem to form a subterraneous City This puts me in mind of the Roman Catacombs tho' they are much inferiour in beauty to the Alexandrian Cisterns For the former are narrow low and unadorn'd whereas the latter are spacious enrich'd with Marble and in some parts with Porphyry These Cisterns were fill'd with Water at the overflowing of the Nile by a large Canal call'd Khaalis which still brings Water from the River for the use of those few Inhabitants that are left in the City The Canal is border'd with Gardens which are not beautiful tho' they contain a vast number of very large Orange Citron and Limon-Trees If you reflect on the usual Custom of the Romans to imitate the Egyptians in every thing you will find your self oblig'd to acknowledge that 't is at least a probable conjecture that the Catacombs of Rome were built after the Model of certain large Caves without the Walls of this City towards the Palace These subterraneous Vaults are fifteen Foot square and eight or ten Foot high And there are Tombs in the Walls cut out of the Rock like those in the Roman Catacombs but more artificially contriv'd and rank'd in better Order in which there are many entire Skeletons tho' t is perhaps above 2000 Years since they were laid there The Entry of the Caves is very low and narrow for you must creep into a little hole and slide several paces downward before you come to the Vaults This Country is Inhabited by a medley of several Nations natural Turks Moors Arabs Greeks and Jews The Arabs are generally Free-booters infesting the Roads and rifling all the Passengers without Mercy so that 't is extreamly dangerous to Travel without a numerous Company Yet there are some of that Nation who live in the Cities and are more Civil than their Country-men in the Fields But they all pretend to be Magicians and are so intoxicated with such Chimera's that one wou'd almost think they were seiz'd with a sort of Epidemical Madness They have several ways of Divination for some of 'em pretend to Inspiration others Prophecy by Visions and there are some who throw Beans into a Bag and after they have counted 'em return answers to those who consult ' em Among all these Fortune-Tellers those who Divine by way of Vision are reckon'd the most skilful and are fewest in number As for the rest the Streets are full of ' em I have heard several Instances of their Predictions both in Christendom and in this Countrey without giving Credit to any of 'em because they were for the most part only second-hand Stories But I 'm extreamly puzl'd what to think of an account I had from the Master of our Ship for my Author is a Man of Honour and part of the Matter of fact is attested by all the French-men in Alexandria The Story is this Captain Carbonneau Master of the Ship call'd St. Augustin bound for this City was entrusted at Marseilles with a Bag of 200 Piasters of Sevil which he receiv'd without counting 'em and oblig'd himself to make good the Summ. At his Arrival he deliver'd the Bag to the Person to whom it was directed who told the Money immediately and finding 50 Piasters wanting refus'd to receive it and entred an Action against the Captain for the Overplus In the mean time Carbonneau made a diligent search on Board his Ship to discover who had stoln the 50 Piasters for he suspected his Clerk and Surgeon as the only Persons who had enter'd his Chamber But finding that all his Inquiries were unsuccessful he resolv'd to consult an Arabian Sooth-sayer who was of the Visionary Tribe and reputed very skilful After some time spent in Ceremonious Grimaces the Arab told him that he saw a Man whose Person he describ'd tell 150 Piasters into a Bag of strip'd Ticking and afterwards tye it up The Captain perceiv'd that these Circumstances agreed exactly to the Bag and the Person who gave it him but not being entirely satisfi'd he entreated the Diviner to tell him positively whether there were only 150 Piasters put into the Bag or 50 of 'em afterwards taken out After some new Ceremonies the Sooth-sayer told him that he saw the same Person endeavour to put 200 Piasters into the Bag which not being large enough to hold them all there remain'd 20 that cou'd not be put in for want of room 'T is plain then added he that the compleat Summ neither was nor cou'd be put into the Bag And if you make the Experiment you 'll be convinc'd of the truth of what I say Nor was he mistaken for 't was found upon trial that the Bag was not large enough to contain 200 Piasters and Carbonneau's Adversary was so honest as to put a stop to the Action This accident made a great noise among those of our Nation and the Captain was so extreamly surpriz'd at his Fortune-Teller's Skill that some days before his departure he went again to consult him concerning the Success of his Voyage The Arab answer'd that he saw neither Fight Ship-wrack nor Arrival but only four Mariners whom he describ'd carrying Fire in their hands and therefore advis'd him to have an Eye upon 'em and to prevent any accidents that might happen in his Vessel Six days after the Captain having put out to Sea and intending to set Sail the next Morning the four Seamen whom the Arabian represented smoaking Tabacco between the Decks set Fire to some Bales of Wool that were part of the Lading and the Ship was entirely consum'd The Arabians were formerly very Learned especially in Medicine and our European Surgeons have found very useful Secrets in their Books But at present they apply themselves wholly to Divination which in their Opinion is the only sublime Science They are perfect Strangers to the knowledge of Religion and their only Trade is to Rob Passengers Nevertheless it must be acknowledg'd to their praise that they kill none but Turks and these only when they are disoblig'd by the Grand Signior They are divided into Tribes commanded by their particular Captains who are all subject to a kind of Duke or Prince whom they call Skeick el Kebir They Encamp in the Deserts where they spend their whole Lives for when they have consum'd the Grass in one place they remove to another They are lean and black their Aspect is Grim and terrible They are
they find Pleasure is not a cheap Commodity in this place for these Ladies are not so Hospitable as to entertain Travellers Gratis and they usually set a very high price on their Favours especially at Rome which may be call'd the Centre of Whores I will not pretend to warrant the Truth of their Opinion who say That at Rome Whores may sue a Man for their Hire But I can assure you that they may and do demand the Assistance of the Corte or Watch who have Orders to protect 'em and see 'em paid according to the Quality of the Person The Corte is a Band of Sbirri's who walk the Rounds every Night to prevent Disorders but their Authority is so small and the care they take to suppress Abuses so ineffectual that I know not whether the City receives any Benefit by 'em For since they are not permitted to Fire at any Person 't is easie for any Man that has the Advantage of a Nimble Pair of Heels to avoid falling into their Clutches and there are some roaring Hectors who not only make Head against 'em but even keep 'em in Awe I might reckon up a Thousand Instances of such insolent Villanies but I shall content my self with mentioning one that happen'd very lately The City was never plagu'd with a more desperate Villain than a certain Neapolitan Lord call'd The Prince de la Matrice who was Ring-leader of Fifty Bandits that were fit Companions for such a Master He and his Gang made all the Sbirri's in Rome quake and continu'd their Insolences above a Year till at last the Pope having issu'd out an Order to take him alive or dead he took Sanctuary in a Church where he Capitulated with his Holiness and was permitted to depart with Bag and Baggage he and all his Companions 'T is certainly a very great Abuse that Churches shou'd serve as places of Retreat for Villains and so long as these Privileges remain the abolishing of the Franchises will never put a Stop to the reigning Disorders But which is still more intolerable the Churches are not only so many Sanctuaries to secure Malefactors from Punishment but the Theatres where they act their Villanies The other Day when the People were met to hear Vesper's at the Church of S. Lewis and were busie at their Devotion Fifteen or Twenty Persons cry'd out on a sudden Fly fly the Church is falling and immediately run towards the Door with so many signs of Fear that the People were almost persuaded that the Church was tumbling about their Ears And since on such Occasions 't is natural for a Man to think of saving himself before he consider the greatness or probability of the Danger the People in the Church follow'd those whom they saw running out with so much haste and confusion that several Persons were trodden under Foot and so hurt that they were forc'd to keep their Beds In the mean time the Rogues were not idle Spectatours of the Fright they had occasion'd and some began to miss their Purses and others their Silver-hilted Swords assoon as the Tumult was appeas'd and the Cheat discover'd During my abode at Rome I had the fortune to meet with the same Priest who as I told you in one of my preceeding Letters was imprison'd at Mascon on suspicion of Witchcraft He makes his Court to Cardinal Chigi whom he solicites very earnestly and expects to obtain a Benefice from him but he is certainly an incorrigible Fool as you may perceive by the Account he gave me of himself He assur'd me that he entertain'd a most intimate Fellowship and Correspondence with certain imaginary Inhabitants of the Air by whose Assistance he pretends that one may easily surmount all Difficulties and wou'd have persuaded me that these Spirits open'd the Doors of the Prison when he was in danger of being condemn'd as a Sorcerer I was so surpriz'd at the Novelty and Oddness of his Opinion that I resolv'd to discourse seriously with him about it and ask'd him how he came acquainted with that Airy People and why they wou'd not discover themselves to the rest of Mankind He reply'd that they communicated their Favours only to those who are willing to hearken to 'em and to enter into a Society with 'em adding that they have many Correspondents in the World who live unknown and conceal themselves with all possible Care to avoid the Fate of so many Honest Persons that have been burnt alive for Witchcraft in several places of the Kingdom He deny'd positively that there were any Witches saying That God was too Just and Good to give so much Power to the Devil who according to his Opinion lies bound in Hell from whence he shall never be releas'd But I soon perceiv'd that there was as much Confusion in his Brain as in his Discourse and that he was a meer Fantastical Enthusiast I know not what Credit ye will give to this Man's Relation concerning his imaginary Acquaintances in the Air but you may firmly believe the Story with which I am going to conclude my Letter since I was an Eye-witness of all that pass'd A certain Florentine Soldier in this City without pretending to be invulnerable undertook for a Wager of a Crown to stand as a Mark till four Bullets were successively shot at him and perform'd his Undertaking without receiving the least hurt tho' the Man who discharg'd the Gun stood but fifty Paces from him and cou'd neither be suspected of Collusion nor want of Skill since all the four Bullets pierc'd the Door against which the Florentin stood You will doubtless look upon this as a very odd and surprizing Accident I was so amaz'd at it that I know not whether I cou'd have believ'd it if I had not seen it Yet I can assure you that the Florentin is no Magician and that his Secret only consists in shifting his place assoon as he perceives the flashing of the Powder And the Account he gave me of the easiness of his Undertaking has considerably lessen'd my Surprizal at the Success of it However I wou'd not for 10000 Pistols try the Experiment any otherwise than by shooting a Bullet into the Sea The Soldier found out this way to give me some Satisfaction and I observ'd that the Bullet remain'd so long in the Air that a Man might easily have avoided it Our Captain having taken in all his Lading expects only a fair Wind and by good fortune the third part of the Cargo belongs to Malta so that I shall have the pleasure of spending at the least Fifteen Days in that celebrated Island I am SIR Your c. Leghorn May 1690. LETTER X. SIR THo' I promis'd in my last to excuse you from sharing with us in the Inconveniencies of the Sea and to bring you from France to Turkey without meeting with one Storm I cannot forbear giving you account of one that overtook us in the height of Sardinia And I have even the confidence to think that you will not
complain of my breach of Promise since we had all the Trouble and you will only have the Pleasure if there be any truth in the common Observation That Men usually take delight in hearing a Relation of distant Misfortunes The pleasure of our Voyage was not disturb'd for the first two Days tho' we made no great Progress but on the Third about seven in the Morning there arose on the sudden a most furious North-East Wind which burst our Sails as if they had been made of Paper and between the Wind on one side and the South-West Surges on the other our Ship was so violently toss'd that our Mariners durst not stir from the Sides of the Ship for fear of being wash'd off by the Waves Never was there any Object more capable of striking Terrour into the Spectatour never any Noise more frightful and amazing than that which was occasion'd by the tumbling of the Casks and Boxes the Wind Thunder and Sea the cracking of the Ship and the howling of some Women that were on board A horrid Gloom turn'd the Day into Night and was succeeded by a Flash of Lightning that cover'd our Ship for above a Minute and was accompany'd with a terrible and stupefying Crack I know not what we did in the mean time nor was there one among my Fellow-Passengers that cou'd inform me what was done in that dreadful Minute For we were all so stunn'd that there were hardly any Signs of Life left in us All the Account I can give you is that when we recover'd our senses we perceiv'd that the Lightning had left a thick and black Smoak accompany'd with a sulphureous and noisom Stench that wou'd have killâ—d us if it had lasted a quarter of an Hour but it was dissipated in a Moment We found also that we were remov'd from the places where we were when the Lightning fell which Change doubtless proceeded from the violent Motion and Agitation of the Ship Among the rest one of the Ship-Boys who lay sculking in the Fore-Castle was thrown upon the Hatches in the other end of the Ship and so bruis'd and black with Contusions tho' I may say more properly that there was only one Contusion which cover'd his whole Body that we have still reason to doubt of his Recovery The Mariners concluded that the Devil was the Author of all these Disorders and that there was some Person in the Company under a Sentence of Excommunication For you know extraordinary Accidents are usually esteem'd Miracles by the superstitious Vulgar 'T is true the throwing of the Boy so far may at the first View seem to be above the Power of Nature but an attentive Considerer will not be much surpriz'd at this Effect of the Tempest since this is not the first time that a Hurricane has snatch'd up Men and even whole Ships This puts me in mind of a Story almost of the same Nature which I heard at Guernsey a little Island subject to the Crown of England It happen'd one Day that during a violent Storm a Flash of Lightning set fire to the Powder in the Castle and blew it up with the whole Garrison Only Ten or Twelve Persons escap'd among whom the Governour had the good fortune to be preserv'd in a very singular manner They assur'd me that he was carry'd thro' the Air in his Bed and laid down upon the Castle Wall the Foot of which is bath'd by the Sea and that not knowing how to get down because the Wall was equally steep on both sides he remain'd there till the Weather began to grow calm and then made signs to the People of the Town who came to his Assistance This furious Tempest was succeeded by pretty fair Weather which we enjoy'd during the rest of our Voyage to Malta where we arriv'd six Days after and in nine Days from Leghorn so that we made above a hundred Miles a Day for the distance betwixt these two Places amounts to about a Thousand Miles We had no reason to complain of the slowness of our Passage tho ' we might have perform'd the Voyage much sooner if the Wind had been constantly favourable For the Captain assur'd me that the Great Master of Malta having sent an express to Aix in Provence the Ship on which the Messenger embark'd met with so strong an Easterly Wind that she was carry'd nine hundred Miles in three Days and arriv'd at the Port of Marseilles where finding another Ship ready to set sail for Malta he took Post for Aix and having dispatch'd his Business return'd the same Night to Marseilles where he embark'd in that Vessel which immediately set sail with a most favourable Westerly Gale and in three Days arriv'd at Malta So that in Seven Days he perform'd a Voyage of eighteen hundred Miles travell'd ten Leagues by Land and dispatch'd his Affairs I must confess few Travellers are so fortunate but that which happens rarely may happen sometimes This Island was of old call'd Melita and its present Name is an Abbreviation or Corruption of the former It lies in the thirty fourth Degree of North Latitude being seventy Miles in compass twenty five long and ten broad Under the Reign of Augustus and long before 't was govern'd by its own Kings from whom it was taken by the Saracens who afterwards lost it to the Christians In the Year 1530 Charles V. erected it into a Sovereignty which he bestow'd on the Knights of S. John who eight Years before were driven out of Rhodes by the Turks and had till then â—rov'd as Pyrates upon the Sea The Conditions of the Donation were That the Nomination of the Bishop shou'd belong to him That the Knights shou'd present him Yearly with a Falcon as a Mark of Homage and that they shou'd not receive into their Ports any Ships or Vessels at Enmity with the Crown of Spain which they punctually observe to this Day But the Spaniard has no reason to boast of this Custom as a peculiar Mark of Honour or Acknowledgment since his Ships meet with the same Treatment with those of other Princes and are never admitted into the Harbours of this Island I 'm so loth to send you an imperfect Account of this Place that I cannot forbear taking notice of the famous Siege which it suffer'd Ann. 1565. tho' I cannot reasonably suppose you to be ignorant of a Transaction that made so great a Noise in the World Sultan Solyman resolving to extirpate the whole Order sent a formidable Army against 'em under the command of Sinan Bassa who possess'd himself of the Island burnt the Villages made the Inhabitants Slaves and destroy'd the whole Country with Fire and Sword But the Castle of S. Angelo put a Stop to his Fury and resisted all his Attacks till upon the News of the approach of the powerful Aids sent by the Christian Princes he was forc'd to make a disorderly Retreat leaving two great pieces of Cannon one of which lies at the bottom of the Water in
the Port and the other under the Baraque of Italy commonly call d The great Basilisk and carrying 120 pound Ball. The next Year the Great Master de la Valette laid the Foundation of the New City and call'd it by his own Name I may venture to say without an Hyperbole that this is the strongest City in the World I never saw so many nor better contriv'd Works and besides the Strength of the Place is very considerably augmented by the Advantages of its Situation for all the Half-Moons and Bastions are cut out of the Rock as well as the Counterscarp that defends 'em and the Ditches which in some places are sixty Foot deep and proportionably broad The Castle of S. Angelo is in the Old City which is separated from the other by a double Port consisting of two Harbours divided by a Neck of Land which have but one Mouth At the end of this Isthmus stands the Castle of S. Elm defending the Entry of both Ports in one of which the Ships that arrive are oblig'd to perform their Quarantain having the conveniency of a little Island which serves as a Lazaretto for the Passengers and their Goods On the other side is the great Harbour frequented by those who are permitted to converse with the Inhabitants Both these Harbours are safe and convenient but the Entry is extremely dangerous by reason of the Rocks that lie hid under the Water The New City call'd Valette is seated partly on the Top and partly on the Declivity of a rising Ground descending to the Shoar The Streets are streight running in parallel Lines both thro' the Length and Breadth of the City and are so contrivâ—d that the Ascent is only discernable in four or five the rest being exactly level The Houses are generally fair built after the Italian Fashion with Platforms on the Top so that the Sketch of the New City resembles perfectly a Rectilinear Amphitheatre The Old City is not so beautiful and is at present only inhabited by the Common People yet 't is the Seat of the Bishop and his Chapter which may vie with any Society of that Nature in Italy being compos'd of four and twenty Canons who wear the Episcopal Habit and have each a Thousand Crowns a Year There is but one publick Place or Square in the City Valette which is considerable for its Beauty adorn'd with a Fountain in the middle the Water of which falling into a Basket of Stone so artificially cut that it seems to be transparent makes one of the pleasantest Cascades in the World The Front of the Great Master's Palace makes one intire side of the Square There is nothing admirable either in the Inside or Outside of this Structure 't is of a Square Figure and separated from the Neighbouring Buildings by four Streets 'T is divided into the Winter and Summer Apartments The first which is the most ancient and least beautiful is painted throughout with the Representations of Victories obtain'd over the Turks and particularly the raising of the Siege of Malta accompany'd with Explanatory Inscriptions The Summer Apartment was built by the late Great Master Vignacourt who beautifyâ—d Malta with so many Ornaments and wou'd have certainly made this a very Magnificent Palace if Death had not interrupted his Designs That which is chiefly remarkable in it is the Hall of Arms where there are 30000 Muskets as many Bandaliers 10000 Cuirasses and Helmets with a proportionable Number of Swords Pikes Pistols and Scimitars all rank'd in the finest Order imaginable There is an incredible number of cast Pieces of Cannon in this City for tho' I never reckon'd 'em my self I 'm assur'd by Persons of unquestion'd Credit that there are 1060 and all of a considerable bigness The Churches of Malta are incomparably beautiful the Italian Neatness reigns throughout and they are every where adorn'd with Painting and Gilding The principal Church is dedicated to S. John Baptist the Patron of the Order The Prospect of it is not very pleasant but to make amends for the Defects of the Outside I never saw any thing that cou'd with Justice be compar'd to the Richness and Beauty of the Inside 'T is as light as an open Field and all its Ornaments appear with so unclouded a Lustre and so charm the Eye of the Spectatour that I believe never any Man came out of it without Reluctancy 'T is pav'd throughout with large pieces of black and white Marble The Walls and Columns are lin'd to the very Cornices with curious Wainscotting which hardly obstructs the Sight and the Life of S. John is painted in Fresco on the Vault by the Hand of the Chevalier Mathias But the finest Work of that Nature in the Church is the beheading of the Holy Baptist represented in a Chapel of the same Name by the Hand of Michael Angelo this Picture was presented to the Order by one of the Dukes of Florence and may be reckon'd a very considerable Complement since the Princes of that Family are seldom wont to part with such rare and beautiful Pieces The many and magnificent Epitaphs of the Great Masters and Grand Crosses with their Scutcheons are none of the least remarkable Ornaments of this Church and among the rest the Great Master Vignacourt's Epitaph is extremely beautiful Every one of the Seven Languages has a peculiar Chapel in this Church which they strive to adorn in Emulation of one another There is not a Church in the World where Vessels of Gold and Silver are more common than in this Among other curious Works there are two Angels of the last of these Metals as big as the Life But the most finish'd Piece is a golden Sun of Filagram-Work to receive the Holy Sacrament of which the Workmanship alone cost 2000 Crowns The Treasury is so full of Relicks that 't wou'd be an endless Labour to describe â—em and therefore I shall only tell you that the finest Piece I saw in it is the Bishop's Mitre set all over with the richest Jewels The Great Altar in the Nave is esteem'd one of the most magnificent Works of that Nature in Europe It stands by it self after the Modern Fashion like that of Strasburg which it exceeds both in Largeness and Richness I saw the Grand Prior of the Order say Mass here in Ceremony and after the same manner as the Pope does at Rome His Habit is not different from that of a Bishop but he is serv'd by eight Deacons and Sub-Deacons with a great deal of State and Ceremony The place where he sits while the Epistles and Gospels are read is on the Right-hand as you go to the Altar and directly opposite to the Great Master who sits in an arm'd Chair on the Left-hand unde a Canopy two Pages standing behind to serve him The Grand Crosses are seated in the middle of the Nave on a double Row of Benches with Rails or Backs which enclose the place The Bailiffs and Commanders are plac'd on the Seats behind and the
which brings 'em no other Advantage than the usual Salary of fourscore Crowns and their Cross is like that of the Serving Knights Of all the Four Classes the first only can aspire to the Dignities of the Order that is to the Title and Office of Commanders Grand Crosses and Great Master The two first are given in Order according to their Seniority for the oldest Knights are in Course promoted to be Commanders and the oldest Commanders to be Grand Crosses But the Office of Great Master is only obtain d by Election without the least regard to Seniority so that frequently a simple Commander is preferr'd before all the Grand Crosses The Grand Crosses are so call'd from a large Cross of white Sattin that covers their whole Breast from their first Button-Hole to the Belly 'T is sew'd upon a kind of Sleeveless Vest meeting on the side which in Winter is made of black Cloth and in Summer of Silk All the rest of the Knights wear a red Vest of the same Fashion when they go to War but the Cross is white and of the same Figure with that which they wear at their Button-Holes but the Cross of the Serving Knights is of a Circular Figure All the Employments and Offices of Honour and Profit are at the Disposal of the Great Master who is oblig'd to chuse one of the Nobles But there are few even of that Classis who dare aspire to the Dignity of Captain of the Galleys by reason of the vast Charge that attends it since the Order only allows him a Set of Plate which he must restore when he quits that Employment But to make amends for that Inconveniency the Captains of the Galleys are soon after promoted to a Commandery for tho' I told you that these Places are usually given to the Senior Knights yet there are a considerable Number of 'em at the Great Masterâ—s disposal who bestows 'em on his Favourites These are call'd Commanderies of Grace or Favour which exclude not the Possessors of 'em from enjoying the Commanderies that fall to 'em by right of Seniority And besides there are certain particular Offices belonging to each Language such as that of Treasurer Master of the Artillery c. The Three Sovereign Jurisdictions of Malta belong to the College of the Grand Crosses The First is the Great Council compos'd of all the Members of the College The Second is the Council of the Treasury and the Third of the Marine or Admiralty consisting each of three Members Besides the Great Master chuses every Year a Captain of the Verga who must be a Native of Malta and consequently no Knight His Office is to administer Justice to the Inhabitants of the City and Country This right of Seniority which gives a Title to the Offices of Commanders and Grand Crosses is a great Mortification to those who are not made Knights in their Youth And therefore they who design to obtain that Dignity for their Children procure 'em to be receiv'd into the Order as soon as they are born that they may not wait too long for Preferrment In the mean time those who have no Estates live in their respective Inns of which every Language has one The Seven Languages are those of Provence Auvergne France Italy Arragon Germany and Castile Over every Language there is a Grand Cross to whom the Order allows eighty Crowns for each Man The Members of the Second Class serve at the Altar and are only capable of Ecclesiastical Preferment Thus they may obtain the Offices of Vicars Canons and Grand Prior which is the highest Dignity within the reach of their Ambition The Serving Knights are incapable of being promoted to the Dignity of a Grand Cross or of enjoying a Commandery by right of Seniority but they may possess Commanderies of Grace which the Great Master sometimes bestows on 'em either as a particular Mark of his Kindness or as a Reward of their Valour They may rigg out Privateers under the Banner of the Order but none of this Classis can be made Captain of the Galleys since the Noble Knights wou'd not submit to his Authority As for the Great Master's Knights who compose the Fourth Class they receive no other Honour or Advantage by their Admission into the Order but a Salary of Eighty Crowns a Year and the Title of Knights of S. John To these Four Classes I might add a Fifth I mean the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre who wear a Cross of Gold Potency but since they are not acknowledg'd by the Knights of Malta and have no other Patents than what they receive from the Fathers Observants who are at present Guardians of the Sepulchre I will not trouble you with a farther Account of ' em Having given you a general Idea of the Four Classes and of all the inferiour Offices I shall in the next place proceed to consider the Supreme Dignity of the Order The Great Master is very careful to preserve the Respect due to his Character and seldom Converses familiarly with the Knights nor even with the Grand Crosses When he goes to Church all the Knights whom he meets in the Square and by the Way join in his Train and when he returns they make a double File thro' which he passes All the Officers of his Houshold are Noble Knights even the very Pages of whom he entertains twenty four His principal Officers are the Master of the Horse the Major Domo and the High Chamberlain The present Great Master is descended from the Illustrious House of Caraffa He is a large and thick Man of a good Mien but very old He keeps a Table for a hundred Knights whom he chuses to be partakers of his Bounty and who by that means may save the Pension they receive from the Order The Habits of the Knights are very different at Malta The French Italians and Spaniards retaining the Modes of their respective Nations The Garb of the last is so odd that I cannot forbear giving you some Account of it They wear a Doublet slit before and behind and the Sleeves are also slit and close at the Wrists an old-fashion'd Collar narrow Breeches fasten'd with Buttons and in a Word I cou'd not chuse a more Comical Habit if I were going to act the Spaniard in a Mask The Italians are dress'd exactly like so many Scaramouchiâ—s The Order takes care to preserve some external Marks of Hospitality which as I told you was the Design of their Institution They keep a Magnificent Hospital endow'd with a Revenue of 50000 Livres The Commandery of it belongs to the French Language and is one of the principal Offices of the Order The Magnificence of the Structure does not appear on the Outside but the Apartments are very fine There are five Halls capable of containing four hundred sick Persons who are serv'd by the Knights when they Eat or Drink the Servants of the Hospital taking care of the rest The Vessels are generally of Silver the Beds are good
that 't was formerly of a prodigious Extent And I observ'd some Marks of it in four or five different Places two of which were about twenty Miles distant The next Day we set sail with a favourable Wind and enter'd the Canal of Constantinople otherwise call'd the Hellespont at the Mouth of which we found two Castles one in Europe and the other in Asia separated by the Canal or Strait which is about a Mile and a half broad in this Place and retains the same breadth almost throughout The European Castle is a Mass compos'd of three great Towers surrounded with a weak and inconsiderable Wall after the manner of a False-bray at the Foot of which there are twenty Pieces of Cannon level with the Water 'T is said that they carry a fifty Pound Ball of Stone and indeed their Mouths are so wide that the very sight of 'em is terrible Nevertheless I 'm apt to believe that they are not fit for Service and even that they cou'd not bear above one discharge both by reason of their thinness and because they are not mounted on Carriages There is a Mountain behind the Castle that overlooks and commands it The other Castle which is seated upon the Asian Shore is of a Square Figure according to the Ancient manner of Building defended only with some small Towers join'd to the Wall and without there is a Battery of Cannons behind a Wall as in the other The Captain was oblig'd to stop at this place and one of the Officers of the Custom-House came on board our Ship and accompany'd us to Constantinople Having pass'd the Canal we enter'd into the Sea formerly call'd the Propontis and at present Marmora from the Name of an Island which contains a great quantity of very fine Marble Twenty Miles from thence we discover'd Constantinople and had the pleasure of viewing the finest Landskip that ever I beheld for it strikes all those who look upon it with Wonder and Astonishment Imagine you see a great City stretch'd along the Shore for above six Miles and so situated sloping towards the Sea that you perceive at once an infinite Number of Mosquees adorn'd with little Domes cover'd with Lead and high Turrets which altogether make one of the most lovely Prospects in the World Whilst the Eye is busy'd in contemplating this charming Variety of Objects 't is agreeably diverted with the sight of the Castle of the Seven Towers and of the Seraglio which are particularly remarkable not only for their largeness but for a vast Number of gilt Globes and Spires resembling little Steeples The nearer I approach'd I still discover'd new Ornaments and after I had considerâ—d at leisure so many Wonders I was at last agreeably surpriz'd with the Beauty of the Port 'T is three Miles long and almost one broad clean and deep throughout even to the Shoar the largest Ships coming up close to the Land so that one may go on board without making use of a Boat 'T is strange that the Harbour is never fill'd up especially near the Shore since all the Filth of the City is cast into it without the Advantage of a Tide to carry it away At the Entrance into the Port there is a high square Tower commonly call'd The Tower of Leander from a Person of that Name who according to the Story us'd to swim thither every Night to see his Mistress who was imprison'd in the Tower There is a Fountain on the Rock with some Pieces of Cannon which might defend the Entry in case of Necessity As soon as we arriv'd I went with the Captain to salute the Baron de Chasteau-neuf Ambassador of France who receiv'd me very civilly He has a good Mien and is Master of a great deal of Wit He was formerly Councellor in the Parliament of Paris and was sent to the Port about the end of the last Year in the room of Monsieur de Girardin who died here He is a Savoyard by birth but a very zealous Promoter of the Interests of Franee He spares nothing to gain the Turks he endeavours to win 'em with Presents Caresses and Entertainments his Table is always full of 'em but his principal Care is to oblige those whom he knows to be the Favourites of the great Officers I know one among the rest call'd Soliman Aga who is extremely debauch'd and since he always finds excellent Winâ— at the Ambassadorâ—s Table he goes thither very often and is still receiv'd with all imaginable Demonstrations of Love and Kindness After I had the Honour to Sup with the Ambassadour I went to lodge at a Tavern or Victualling-House If I had resolv'd to have stay'd long in the Country I wou'd have boarded in some Family for Strangers are very ill accomodated in these Publick-Houses Every Nation is permitted to have three so that there wou'd be nine in all if the English and Dutch thought fit to make use of their Privilege 'T is still more difficult to obtain a Permission to keep an Oven One must procure a special Mandamus from the Sultan for that effect and pay a Thousand Avanies to the Bassa and Cadi and there is only one allow'd for the use of each Nation in every Town for the Turks are so extremely afraid of Fire that they suffer very few Ovens to be kept in their Cities They are also very careful to prevent the Exportation of Corn for 't is a Capital Crime to carry it out of the Country or even to sell it to private Families And for the more effectual Execution of these Orders there are certain Officers appointed to over-see the Markets who suffer no Man to buy above Four Muids at a time nor even the least quantity without a Licence from the Nais Offences of this Nature are punish'd with so much Rigour that if a Peasant were convicted of selling his Corn to a Christian 't wou'd cost him more than 500 Bastinado's But before I proceed to describe the Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants I shall give you a short Account of the City of Constantinople 'T is seated in Europe on a Point or Tongue of Land that juts out into the Sea of Marmora in a Triangular Figure six Miles long and fourteen in compass two of its sides being wash'd by the Sea 'T was founded by Pausanias King of Sparta who gave it the Name of Byzantium which it retain'd till Constantine the Great resolving to make it the Metropolis of the World order'd it to be rebuilt with all imaginable Magnificence after which it took the Name of Constantinople or Constantine's Town but the Turks call it Stambol The French in Conjunction with the Venetians took it in 1203. and fifty Years after t was re-taken by the Greeks who remain'd Masters of it till the Year 1453 when it fell into the Hands of Mahomet II. 'T is at present the Capital City of the Ottoman Empire as it appears by the Grand Signior's Titles who stiles himself The Ruler of Kings
a kind of Roof sufficient to secure the place against all the Inconveniences of bad Weather tho' there are Holes left to let in the Light Here all the finest and most precious Wares of Constantinople are to be seen for every Merchant keeps a Shop in this Place as it were for a Pattern of all the Goods contain'd in his Ware-house and the Shops are rank'd and dispos'd in such excellent Order that the Buyer may dispatch his Business in less than a quarter of an Hour for all the Trades are separated and confin'd to their proper places Thus one part of the Besestin is possessâ—d by the goldsmiths whose Work indeed is not so fine nor their Shops so well furnishâ—d as in France or England but I only speak here of their Order and Regularity Another place is set apart for the Drapers or those who sell Dutch French and English Cloth Not far from thence are the Sellers of Silk Stuffs and Gold and Silver Brocado's the Makers of Talpo or Head-Dresses for Women which are very magnificent the Babouchi or Shooâ—-makers the Taylors Grocers and all sort of Shopkeepers have also their distinct Streets The Gates are shut every Evening at Ten a Clock by Persons who are hirâ—d for that purpose and those who have occasion to pass this way later must give two or three Pence to the Porters who wait constantly at the Gates This is the only place in Constantinople where there are Shops for the rest of the City consists only of little and narrow Streets which for the most part are so desolate that one may pass thro' the Town without meeting so many Persons as Streets unless in the Publick Places such as the Hyppodrome whither we went after we had view'd the Besestin This spacious Place was built by the Emperour Constantine for Exercises on Horse-back and is still call'd by the Turks the Place of Horses 'T is an Oblong Square 400 Paces long and about 200 broad Towards the End opposite to the Seraglio there are two Obelisks the first consisting of one Stone is seventy Foot high adorn'd with several Hieroglyphical Figures in Relief and plac'd on a square Marble Pedestal On one of the Faces of the Pedestal there is a Latin Inscription so ancient and worn that all that can be learn'd by it is that it was built by Theodosius The second contains a like Inscription in Greek The third is adorn'd with the Figure of the Emperour seated on a Throne and accompany'd with his great Officers and in the fourth there is a Representation of a Battle in Memory of some Victory obtain'd over that Prince's Enemies The other Obelisk is a sharp pointed Pyramid built of Free-Stones without any Inscription and begins to decay extremely Near these Obelisks there is a Brazen Pillar of a considerable height commonly call'd the Serpentine Column because it consists of three Serpents wreath'd and twisted together with their Tails fasten'd in the Ground and ending at the Top in three gaping Heads which seem to hiss and threaten the three parts of the World that were known in that Age. Some pretend that this Column is a Hieroglyphical Representation of the united Empires of the East and West extending their Dominion over the whole Universe But the most common Opinion is that in the time of the Emperour Leo Isaurus who was a great Magician there were three Monstruous Serpents who made so prodigious a Havock in the Country about Constantinople that the People were forc'd to abandon their Habitations and that the Emperor drew these Serpents by Enchantment into a large Ditch which he made in the middle of the Hippodrome where they were kill'd and cover'd with Earth The Story adds that to prevent a like Misfortune for the future this Column was erected by the same Prince as a Talisman against Serpents of which there are at present very few in the Country One of these Heads wants the the Nether-Jaw and 't is said that Sultan Morat broke it off with his Hand The Turks boast much of the wonderful Strength of that Emperour as a Memorial of which they preserve in the Castle of Grand Cairo ten great Bucklers pierc'd with a Stake or Wooden Javelin which they pretend he darted at 'em the Stake sticking still in the Bucklers and keeping 'em all joynâ—d together The Story of the Serpentine Column is not the only fabulous Tradition concerning the Emperour Leo. The Greeks especially who are without Contradiction the most superstitious People in the World and most addicted to Miracles take pleasure in relating a Thousand Wonders of the Life of that Prince For Example They tell us that he made two Tortoâ—ses by Art Magick of a surprizing bigness which drew his Chariot and both Eat and Drank tho' they were not natural Animals adding that these Tertoisâ—s are still to be seen in the Grand Signâ—or's Garden but that they have remain'd immoveable ever since his Death They pretend also that the same Emperour made a Tree with its Franches and Leaves so artificially contrivâ—d that they seemâ—d to be perfectly Natural and that the Boughs were fill'd with a hundred Magical Birds of different kinds who upon the least breath of Wind warbl'd out their various Notes and all together made a most charming Melody These are some of the Tales with which the Greeks are wont to talk Men asleep There are two other Columns in Constantinople one call'd the Historical and the other the Burnt Column for the last was actually burnt Adjoining to these we saw a large Court appointed for the use of Archers The Master of the Sport presented us with a Bow and we had the Pleasure to shoot some Arrows at the Mark which was fasten'd on a Wall and contain'd several lesser Marks gradually decreasing so that the least was not bigger than a Dutch Skelling and yet I saw several Persons who hit at every Shoot tho' they stood 100 Paces off In our return to Galata we pass'd by Sancta Sophia which is at present the principal Mosque of the City There are several Doors that lead into a Portico which brought us immediately into the Mosque 'T is 120 Paces long and 80 broad The Walls are Square but the Vault or Roof is Round and so artificially contriv'd that so large a Structure is supported without any Columns for those Rows of Columns that form the two lower Portico's serve only for Ornament and are so plac'd that they cannot be suppos'd to carry any other weight than that of two Galleries and even the greatest part of these Columns are so old that they are forc'd to bind 'em about with great Iron Hoops to prevent their falling I know not what cou'd occasion all those Chinks that are observ'd in 'em for they are built of a very hard and polish'd Stone which some think is a kind of Marble tho' others believe it to be the Serpentine Stone There are thirty on each side about sixteen Foot high with very fine Cornices The Vault of
of which they were ignorant before In short she 's in all respects an admirable Person Judge Sir whether I can think the time tedious which I spend in such agreeable Company and in a House where I 'm so kindly entertain'd and whether you can blame me for not hastening my departure I 'm resolv'd to expect an occasion for Venice and I believe 't will be a long time before I can find one because the Venetian Vessels never venture to appear in this part of the Sea till the Turkish Fleet be laid up tho' they have no great reason to dread it since the Grand Signior for all his Grandeur is Master only of Eleven Ships of War 'T is true if all his Galleys wou'd put to Sea their number might at least amount to 200 but as Affairs are manag'd at present his Navy makes no great Figure You may expect a more particular Account of these things in my next In the mean time I am SIR Your c. Smyrna Apr. 1691. LETTER XIX SIR YOU might justly accuse me of Laziness or want of Complaisance if I shou'd not employ the leisure I enjoy at present in recollecting my Observations concerning the Government Religion Manners and Customs of the Turks I shall endeavour therefore to satisfie your Curiosity by entertaining you with a short account of these Subjects avoiding all impertinent Repetitions of those obvious and common Remarks that are to be met with in almost every Book of Voyages And I hope the Points I propose to handle will furnish me with sufficient Matter for Three Letters the first of which shall treat of the Government the second of the Religion and the third of the Manners and Customs of the Turks The Turkish Empire according to the primitive and fundamental Constitution of the Government is absolutely and entirely Despotic that is a Supream and Arbitrary Power is lodgâ—d in the Person of the Emperor whose Will is the only Law by which he Rules and who acknowledges no other Maxim of Government than Sic volo sic jubeo He is not curb'd by any written Law or Custom and those whom he Oppresses have not so much as a right to Complain He may take away any Man's Estate and either keep it or give it to another Sometimes he passes by the most ancient Bassa's and in one day advances a simple Chiaux or even a Cook to the Dignity of Grand Visier He sends for the Heads of those whom he has a Mind to be rid of who are Murder'd without any Trial or Form of Justice and even without knowing the Reason of his Displeasure In one Word his Pleasure is the supreme and uncontroulable Law This unlimited Power of the Sultan is founded on the Mahometan Religion which enjoins a blind Obedience to all his Commands under Pain of Damnation But the Turks of late have render'd their Slavery more tolerable for tho' they have made no Alteration in the Constitution of the Government their Practices are very different from what they were heretofore The Grand Visier is the Chief Minister of State and is call'd King by the Turks to shew how much the Sultans slight and undervalue that Title in Imitation of the Old Roman Emperours who bestow'd Kingdoms on their Favourites This is the Reason why the Grand Signior stiles himself The Protector of Persecuted Kings and the Distributer of Crowns tho' he wears none himself not even on the Day of his Public Inauguration for the only Badge of his Imperial Dignity is a magnificent Sabre enrich'd with precious Stones which the Mufti girds to his Side The Grand Visier is entrusted with the whole Management of Affairs and his Power is almost equal to the Sultan's He is in a great measure the Arbiter of Peace and War and creates the Fortune of all the Great Officers in the Empire 'T is true he ought not to do any thing without the Advice of a Council compos'd of seven Bassa's call'd the Visiers of the Bench but they have only a Shadow of Authority which scarce deserves to be mention'd The next in Order are the Bassa's who are a sort of Vice-Roys in the Provinces Their Office is to administer Justice exactly and to keep the People in Subjection to the Government They are also oblig'd to pay a yearly Tribute to the Grand Signior both of Money and Slaves without reck'ning the Carache Customs and other Imposts that are usually exacted This is the utmost Extent of the Legal Authority of the Bassa's but they commonly abuse their Power and are more arbitrary Tyrants than the Grand Signior himself Their principal Aim is to raise their Fortune speedily and in order to that they rob the Widow and Orphan and fill the Land with Spoil and Oppression never scrupling to commit a gainful Crime tho' attended with the basest Circumstances The Sultan is forc'd to dissemble his Knowledge of these Disorders for want of Power to suppress 'em for every Bassa maintains some standing Forces at his own Charge whose Assistance he may command upon all Occasions if their Payment be not wholly neglected Whereas the Sultan who for the most part wants Money to pay his Army and perhaps does not shew himself twice in his Life to the Soldiers is so far from being Master of 'em that he is almost always constrain'd to submit to their Authority This is the fatal Source of all those Seditions that have so often shaken and will at last overturn the Empire For how can we suppose that Subjects will either love or fear a lazy Prince that takes no Share in the Business of State or War a Prince that contents himself with a Chimerical Show of Grandeur and Power and seems rather to be a Mock-King in a Farce than a Ruler of Kingdoms 'T is plain both from Reason and Experience that a great Monarch who wou'd be the absolute Master of his Subjects ought to apply himself to the Execution and Reformation of the Laws and above all to gain the Esteem and Affection of his Soldiers whom he ought to look upon as the surest Prop and Support of his Authority An Army in a State cannot remain indifferent they must and will have a Master and will either continue faithful to the Crown or espouse the Interest of some designing Subject And therefore it ought to be the Prince's Care to discover their Inclinations and to act accordingly Kings are as feeble Creatures as other Men and as unable to perform any Great Action by their own Power but when they are at the Head of 100000 Men all devoted to their Interest 't is then they become the Terrour of the World and their Power is almost as boundless as their Ambition The Fate of Monarchs depends on their Armies and without these neither Alexander Caesar nor Lewis XIV cou'd have gain'd one Inch of Ground This is so evident and certain a Truth that never any Person had the Confidence to controvert it and I believe the Ottoman Emperours are