Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 3 · Royal Society
FOOTNOTES:
_Montanea_ formerly called _Nicopolis_ according to _Bellonius_, or rather _Cios_, the bay hence called _Sinus Cianus_, lies in the bottom of a Bay about Fourscore miles from _Constantinople_, and is the Scale or Landing-place for _Prusa_, from which it may be about twelve miles; in the middle way to which is the Village _Moussanpoula_. _Prusa_, now called by the _Turks_ _Bursia_, the chief City of _Bythynia_, is seated at the foot partly, and partly upon the rising of the mount _Olympus_, which is one of the highest Hills of the lesser _Asia_. Its top is covered with Snow for nine or ten Months of the Year, several streams of Water flowing down the Hill continually, accounted very unwholesom from the Snow mixed with it. In the upper part of the City to the North-west lies the Seraglio, which is walled round; but the Emperors not residing here since their acquests in _Thrace_, or scarce making visits to this Imperial City, and none of their Sons living here of late, according to the former Policy of the _Turkish_ Emperors, who did not permit their Sons, when grown up, to be near them, but sent them to some Honourable Employment, accompanied with a Bassa and Cadi to instruct them in the Arts of War and Government, it lies now neglected and despoiled of all its ornaments.
In this part also are the Sepulchers of _Osman_, the founder of the Family, which now Reigns, and his Son _Urchan_, who took the City, near a Mosch, formerly a _Christian_ Church dedicated to St. _John_, and where was formerly a Convent of Religious, built by _Constantinus Iconomachus_, where I saw the figure of a Cross still remaining upon the Wall. Here hangs up a Drum of a vast bigness, such as they carry upon the backs of Cammels, and I suppose is one of those which they used in the taking the Place. In the lower part, near the bottom of the Hill, _Morad_ the second, the Father of _Mahomet_ the Great, lies buried: near whereunto was formerly the Metropolitical Church of the _Holy Apostles_. The _Bezesten_, or Exchange, seems to be much better and larger than the great one at _Constantinople_, as are the several Caravanserais built for the use and accommodation of Merchants, and Travellers; in one of which, the Rice Chane, I took up my quarters. Without the City toward the East is the Mosch and Sepulcher of the Emperor _Bajazid_ the first, whom the _Turks_ call _Jilderim_ or lightning, and the Greek Writers λαίλαψ. Not far from hence is the Mosch of _Mahomet_ the first, and his Sepulcher. Toward the West upon the side of the Hill is the Mosch of _Morad_ the First, whom they call _Gazi_ or the Conqueror, near which he lies buried. There are in the whole about 124 Moschs, several of which were formerly _Christian_ Churches, and between fifty and sixty Chanes. The Castles built by _Osman_, when he besieged the City, are slighted and altogether unfortified, the one to the North, the other to the South-West.
At _Checkerghe_, about a mile and a half out of Town, are the hot Baths, much frequented both by _Christians_ and _Turks_. They are made very Convenient to Bath in, and are covered over, that they may be used in all Weathers. Among others, there is a large round _Basin_, where they usually divert themselves by Swimming. What opinions the _Turks_ have of our Blessed _Saviour_ and the _Christian_ Religion, I shall briefly shew, as they lie dispersed in several Chapters of the _Alcoran_, according to which they frame their Discourse, whensoever either Zeal or Curiosity puts them upon this Topick. For _Mahomet_ upon his setting up to be the Author of a new Religion, finding such a considerable part of the World professing the doctrine of _Christ_, with all the Mysteries of Faith therein contained, was cast upon a necessity of saying something both concerning Him and It. By which it will appear, how great the Power of Truth is above Imposture and Subtility, and that as the Devils in the Possessed confess'd, though against their Wills, _Christ_ to be the Son of _God_, so this _Dæmoniack_ in the midst of all his Forgeries and Lies, and Ridiculous and Childish Narratives, not being able to contradict the universal Belief of the _Christians_ of that, and the preceding Ages, founded on the History of the Gospel, hath been forced to give Testimony to several particulars of it.
They confess then that _Christ_ was Born of a Pure Spotless Virgin, the Virgin _Mary_, chosen by _God_ and sanctified above all the Women in the World; and that the Angel _Gabriel_ was dispatched out of Heaven to acquaint her with the News of it. That such a kind of Miraculous and Supernatural Birth never hapned to any besides, and that _Christ_ was conceived by the _Holy Ghost_, and that he wrought mighty Miracles, for Instance, that he cleansed Lepers, gave Sight to the Blind, restored Sick Persons to their Health, and raised the Dead. That he is a great Prophet, sent by _God_ to convert Men from the Vanity and Error of their false Worship to the Knowledge of the true _God_, to Preach Righteousness, and to correct and restore the Imperfection and Miscarriages of Humane Nature; that he was of a most Holy and Exemplary Life, that he was the true Word of _God_, the _Apostle_ or _Ambassador_ of _God_; That his Gospel was revealed to him from Heaven, and that he is in Heaven standing nigh to the Throne of _God_. They Blaspheme indeed with a Brutishness and Stupidity only befitting _Turks_, the Mysteries of the _Holy Trinity_, and of the Divinity of our _Blessed Saviour_, and deny that he was put to Death, and say that another in his Shape was Crucified by the _Jews_, and that he himself was assumed into Heaven in his Body without dying at all, and consequently they will not own, that he satisfied Divine Justice for the Sins of the World; so great an affinity is there between the Heresie of _Socinus_ and profess'd _Mahometanism_.
I could never yet see any _Turkish_ Translation of the _Alcoran_; they cry up the Elegance of the Style, which being Enthusiastick and High-flown, by reason also of the tinkling of the Periods, is very delightful to their Ears, who seem to be affected with Rhime mightily. Though I suppose it is upon a more Politick Account, that they are so averse, as to the translating it into their vulgar Language, not out of respect to the Sacredness of the Original only, whose full commanding Expressions they think cannot be translated without a great diminution to the Sense; but to keep it in greater Veneration among the People, who might be apt to Slight and Dis-esteem it, should it become thus common among them. It is enough, that the Priests and Learned Men explain the difficult Passages of it to the People, and write Commentaries for the use of the more Curious and Inquisitive. The _Persians_ on the contrary think it no disparagement to the _Arabick_, or Profanation of the Sense, to Translate this cursed Book into their own Language, and Copies are frequent among them.
The _Grand Signior_'s Women are usually the choicest Beauties of the Christian Spoils, presented by the _Bassa's_ or _Tartars_. The present _Sultana_, the Mother of the young Prince _Mustapha_, is a Candiot; the _Valide_ or Emperor's Mother, a _Russian_, the Daughter of a poor Priest, who with her Relations were seized upon by the _Tartars_ in an Incursion, which they made into the _Muscovites_ Country. She being receiv'd into the _Seraglio_, by her beautiful Complexion and cunning Behaviour, gain'd the Heart and Affection of _Sultan Ibrahim_ (a Man wholly addicted to soft Pleasures, and who seldom cared to be long absent from the Women's Apartment, but chose to spend his time among them) having the good fortune to be the Mother of the Prince _Mahomet_, the eldest Son of his Father, who now Reigns, she had all the Honours that could possibly be done her, and was the beloved _Hazaki_ or chief Concubine. During this height of Splendor and Glory, the Court removing from _Constantinople_ to _Adrianople_, distant about an Hundred and Twenty Miles, as she was passing in great State attended with her Guards, through the Streets of the City, in a Coach, much like our Carriage-Wagons, but that they are latticed to let in the Air (for no one must presume to stare or scarce look upon the Women, much less must they themselves suffer their Faces to be seen in this jealous Country) she out of Curiosity looking through the holes, saw a poor _Christian_ Slave in a Shop, where Sugar and such like Wares were Sold. Upon her return she sent one of her Eunuchs to enquire for the Person, and to ask him several Questions about his Country, Relations, Friends, and the time when and how long he had been a Slave: His answers were so particular and satisfactory, that she was soon convinc'd of the Truth and Certainty of her apprehensions, when she first cast her Eyes upon him, that he was her Brother, and accordingly it proved so. Whereupon acquainting the Emperor with it, she immediately redeemed him from his Patron, and having made the poor Wretch turn _Turk_, got him considerably preferred.
The Bassa's for the most part are the Sons of _Christians_, taken into the _Seraglio_, near the Emperor's Person, and so are prefer'd to considerable Governments, or else they raise themselves by their Conduct and Valour. _Mahomet_ Bassa in the time of _Achmet_, whose eldest Daughter he Married, was the first natural _Turk_, that was made chief Vizir, having before been Captain Bassa. The chief Vizir _Mahomet Kupriuli_, (who settled the Empire in the Minority of this Emperor, when it was ready to be shaken into Pieces, and dissolved by several powerful Factions in the State, and by the Mutinies and Discontents of the _Janizaries_ and _Saphi's_, who drove different ways) was an _Albaneze_ by Birth, the Son of a _Greek_ Priest, whom out of the height of Zeal for _Mahomet_, he made turn _Turk_ in his Old Age, and converted the _Christian_ Church in the Village where he was Born into a Mosch. This Man also forbad the _Dervises_ to Dance in a Ring and turn round, which before was their solemn Practice at set times before the People, which they would do so long, till they were giddy by this swift circular Motion, and fell down in a Swound, and then oftentimes upon their recovery from such Trances, they pretended to Revelation. The Church-Men are not very kind to his Memory, looking upon him as a Man of little or no Religion; and they give out, that if he had lived, he would have forbid their calling to Prayers from the Spires of their Moschs, and hanging out Lamps; both which they look upon as Solemn and Essential to the exercise of Religion; but he as the effect of Bigotry and Superstition.
They have a mighty Honour and Esteem for Physicians, for though they are of Opinion, that they cannot with all their Art prolong Life, the Period and Term of it being Fatal, and absolutely determin'd by God, yet they often consult them upon any violent Sickness or Pain, in order to make the time allotted them in this World more pleasant and easie. It is extraordinary rare, that a natural _Turk_ makes Physick his Profession and Study. They who practice it among them, when I was in _Turky_, were for the most part _Greeks_ and _Jews_, who know nothing of Chymical Medicines, but follow the usual Methods, which they learnt in _Italy_ and _Spain_, the former having studied in _Padua_, and the latter in _Salamanca_, where they pass for good _Catholicks_. And I remember I met with a certain _Jew_ Physician, who had been a Capuchine in _Portugal_.
During the tedious Siege of _Candia_, the _Vizir_, what with the melancholy, and what with the ill Air of the Camp, finding himself much indispos'd, sent for a _Christian_ Physician _Signior Massalins_, a subject of the Republick of _Venice_, but Married to a _Greek_ Woman, by whom he had several Children, who was our Neighbour at _Pera_, an experienc'd able Man, to come speedily to him, and made him a Present of about a thousand Dollars, in order to fit himself for the Voyage and bear the expence of it. By this worthy Gentleman's Care, he recovered his Health, and would not permit him to depart, till after the surrendry of that City, which might be about seven Months after his Arrival there, treating him in the mean while with all imaginable Respect. During our short stay at _Bursia_, one of our _Janizaries_ accidentally discoursing with a _Turk_ about us, whom they knew to be _Franks_, told him that there was a Physician in the Company, who had been lately at the Grand _Signior_'s Court at _Saloniki_ with the _English_ Ambassador, and was now upon his return from _Constantinople_ to _Smyrna_, where he lived.
This presently took vent, and the _Turks_ thought that they had got a Man among them, that could Cure all Diseases Infallibly; for several immediately came to find us out in behalf of themselves or their Sick Friends, and one of the most considerable Men upon the Place, desir'd the Doctor to go to his House to visit one of his Women Sick in Bed, who being permitted to feel her naked Pulse (for usually they throw a piece of fine Silk or Curl over their Womens Wrists at such times) soon discovered by that and other Symptoms and Indications of her Distemper, that opening a Vein would presently give her Ease and recover her: which he did accordingly; for which he received an embroidered Handkerchief instead of a Fee, and gained the Reputation of having done a mighty Cure.
They have little of Ingenious or Solid Learning among them; their chief Study, next to the _Alcoran_, being metaphysical Niceties about the Attributes of _God_, or else the Maintenance of other odd speculative Notions and Tenets, derived down to them from some of their famed Masters and Holy Men, whom they pretend to follow. Their Knowledge of the motion of the Heavens, for which the _Arabians_ and the other Eastern Nations have been so deservedly famous, as their Astronomical Tables of the Longitude and Latitude of the fixed Stars, and of the appulse of the Moon to them, fully evince, is now very mean, and is chiefly studied for the use of Judiciary Astrology. The great Instrument they make use of is an Astrolabe, with which they make very imperfect Observations, having no such thing as a Quadrant or Sextant, much less a Telescope, or any mechanical Engine, to direct and assist them in their Calculation. Their Skill in _Geography_ is as inconsiderable; I remember I heard the Captain Bassa, whom they stile Admiral of the Black and White Seas, meaning the _Euxine_ and the _Mediterranean_, ask this silly Question; whether _England_ were out of the Streights? and at another time the _Caymican_ or Governour of _Constantinople_, hearing that _England_ was an Island, desired to know, how many Miles it was about, in order, we supposed, to make an estimate of our King's Greatness and Strength by the extent and compass of it.
One of the great Astrologers of _Constantinople_, having heard that I had a pair of Globes in my Chamber, made me a Visit on purpose to see their contrivance, being introduced by a worthy Gentleman of our own Nation. After the first Ceremonies were over, I took my Terrestrial Globe, and rectified it to the position of the Place, and pointed to the several Circles both without and upon it, and told him in short the several uses of them: Then shewed him how _Constantinople_ bared from _Candia_ at that time Besieged, _Cair_, _Aleppo_, _Mecca_, and other chief Places of the Empire, with the other Parts of the World: At which he was mightily surprized to see the whole Earth and Sea represented in that Figure and in so narrow a compass, and pleased himself with turning the Globe round several times together. Afterwards I set before him the Celestial Globe, and rectified that, and shewed him how all the noted Constellations were exactly described, and how they moved regularly upon their Poles, as in the Heavens; some rising, and others setting, some always above the Horison, and others always under, in an oblique Sphere, and particularly what Stars would rise that Night with us at such an Hour; the Man seemed to be ravished with the Curiosity of it, turning this Globe also several times together with his Finger, and taking a mighty Pleasure in viewing the motion of it: and yet this silly Animal past for a Conjurer among the _Turks_, and was look'd upon as one that could foretel the events of Battels, the fates of Empires, and the end of the World.
They have no Genius for Sea-Voyages, and consequently are very Raw and Unexperienc'd in the Art of Navigation, scarce venturing to Sail out of Sight of Land. I speak of the natural _Turks_, who Trade either into the _Black Sea_, or some part of the _Morea_, or between _Constantinople_ and _Alexandria_; and not of the Pyrats of _Barbary_, who are for the most part Renegado's, and learn'd their Skill in Christendom, which they exercise so much to the Terror and Damage of it. A _Turkish_ Compass consists but of eight Points, the four Cardinal and four Collateral; they being at a mighty Loss how to Sail by a side Wind, when by hauling their Sails sharp, they might lie their Course, and much more, when they are in the Winds Eye, not knowing how to make Tacks and Bords, but choose rather to make hast into some Neighbouring Port, 'till the Wind blows fair. An _English_ and _Turkish_ Vessel both bound for the Bay of _Saloniki_, at the time of the Grand Signior's being there, past together out of the _Hellespont_; but foul Weather happening, the _Turks_ got into _Lemnos_; while our Men kept at Sea and pursued their Voyage, and after three Weeks stay, returned back to us, observing in their way, that the _Turks_ remained in the same place where they left them, for want of a Fore-Wind to put to Sea in.
They trouble not themselves with reading the Histories of other Nations or of antient times, much less with the Study of _Chronology_, without which, History is very lame and imperfect; which is the cause of those ridiculous and childish Mistakes, which pass current and uncontradicted among them. For instance, they make _Job_ one of _Solomon_'s Judges and (_Iscander_) _Alexander_ the great Captain General of his Army. They number _Philip_ of _Macedon_ among the Ancestors of our _Blessed Saviour_, and believe that _Sampson_, _Jonas_, and St. _George_ were his Contemporaries. In this they are more excusable then their false Prophet _Mahomet_, who in his _Alcoran_ has perverted several Historical Notices in the Writings of the Old Testament, and is guilty of vile and absurd Pseudo-chronismes. To remedy this defect, of which he was very conscious, and the better to understand the States of _Christendom_, and the particular Kingdoms and Republicks of it, the late Great and Wise _Vizir_, _Achmet_, made his Interpreter _Panagiotti_, a Learned _Greek_, at leisure Hours, even at the Siege of _Candia_, as well as at other times, read several ancient Histories to him, and render them _Ex-tempore_ into the _Turkish_ Language, and particularly _Blaeus Atlas_, with which he was mightily pleased, and made great use of, and truly gained the Reputation of a solid and judicious States-man, as well as Souldier among the _Christian_ Ministers, who in the ordinary course of their Negotiations apply'd themselves to him.
Tho' their Year be according to the course of the Moon, and so the _Turkish_ Months run round the civil Year in a Circle of thirty three Years and a few odd Days, yet they celebrate the _Neuruz_, which signifies in the _Persian_ Tongue the New Year, the twenty first Day of _March_ (on which Day the vernal Equinox was fixed by the _Greeks_ and other Oriental _Christians_, in the time of the Emperor _Constantine_, who made no Provision for the προήγεσις ἰσημερινὴ, or Precession, which in process of Time the inequality between the Civil and Astronomical Year must necessarily produce) at which time the _Cadyes_ and other annual Magistrates, and Farmers of the Customs take Place, and reckon to that Day twelve Month again. In their civil Deportment and Behaviour one towards another, the left Hand is the more Worthy and Honourable Place, except among their Ecclesiasticks; and the Reason they alledge is, because they Write from the right Hand, and the Sword is worn on the left Side, and so is more at his disposal, who walks on that Hand. The chief _Vizir_ accordingly in the _Divan_ sits at the left Hand of the _Mufty_, each maintaining their Right of Precedence according to this way of decision. In their Moschs they sit without any distinction of degrees.
Some of the more zealous _Turks_ cause to be engraven on their Scymitars and Bucklers a Sentence out of the sixty first _Surat_, which is concerning Fighting or Battle-array, and contains Incouragements to Fight in the _Way and Paths of God_, as the Impostor Words it; for which he assures them, besides assistance from Heaven to help them to get the Victory over their Enemies, and that _God will Pardon their Sins and bring them to Paradice_. Thus spirited with Zeal, a _Turk_ lays about him with Fury, when he is a fighting, and seems ambitious of dying to gain the delights of Paradice, at least indifferent whether he dies or lives. The _Turks_ are as to their Temper serious, or rather inclining to morosity, seldom Laughing, which is accounted an argument of great Vanity and Lightness. They perform the Exercises, which they use in the way of Diversion, as Shooting and Hunting, with a great deal of gravity, as if they designed them more for Health than for Pleasure; and this too but seldom. The better and richer sort, who have nothing to do, sitting all Day at Home, lolling upon a Sofa or rais'd Place in their Rooms, and taking Tobacco, which their Slaves fill and light for them: And if they retire in the Summer or Autumn, for a Week or Fort-night to some convenient Fountain in a Wood with their Women, it is chiefly to enjoy the Refreshments of the cool Air. In the times of Triumph indeed for some great Success obtained against the _Christians_, when the Shops are open for three Nights together, and hung with Lights, as well as the Spires of the Moschs in curious Figures, they are guilty of extravagant Mirth, running up and down the Streets in Companies, and sometimes Singing and Dancing after their rude way; but this fit being over, they soon return to their former Melancholy.
In the Coffee-Houses where they use to resort to Tipple, there is usually one hired by the Owners to read either an idle Book of Tales, which they admire as Wit, or filthy obscene Stories, with which they seem wonderfully affected and pleased, few of them being able to Read. These are the Schools, which they frequent for their Information, tho' in times of War, when things went ill with them, their Discourses would be of the ill Government; and the Grand Signior himself and his chief Ministers could not escape their Censures, which manifestly tending to Sedition, and to the heightning of their Discontents by their mutual Complaints, and by this free venting of their Grievances during the War at _Candia_, the Wise Vizir seeing the evil Consequences that would follow, if such Meetings and Discourses were any longer tolerated, Commanded, that all the publick Coffee-houses should be shut up in _Constantinople_ and several other great Cities of the Empire, where the Malcontents used to rendezvouz themselves, and find fault upon every ill Success and Miscarriage with the administration of Affairs.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.