Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 3 · Royal Society
VOL. III.
St. _Francis_, belonging to the _Conventuali_, Friars of the order of St. _Francis_; the ground of this by the wise conduct and intercession of _Caviliere Molino_, the Venetian _Bailo_, after the surrender of _Candia_, upon the Peace made by the Republick with the Grand Signior, was procured to be restored, and a handsome Church rebuilt with the large contributions of mony sent out of _Christendom_. St. _Benedict_, belonging to the _Jesuits_, where is a rich Altar curiously adorn'd with several figures in _Mosiack_. This Convent was purchased for them by their great Benefactor, _Henry_ the fourth of _France_. St. _Mary_, belonging to the _Observantines_ or _Zoccolanti_, a branch of the order of St. _Francis_, so called from their going in _Zoccoli_ or wooden clogs. The _Capuchines_ have a little Chappel dedicated to St. _George_, hard by the _French_ Ambassadors Palace. St. _Ann_, a Chappel frequented by the _Perotes_. St. _Paul_ and St. _Anthony_, were both taken away some years since from the _Christians_, and turned into _Moschs_. The former of which is now known by the name of _Arab Giamesi_, or the Mosch of the _Arabians_. Our Interpreters mentioned also to me the Church of St. _John_, which the _Turks_ have seized upon for their use, St. _George_, which the _Jews_ are possest of, and St. _Sebastian_, which was used to be visited chiefly on Holy days.
The North-wind blows for the most part at _Constantinople_. Which must be ascribed to its nearness to the _Euxine_ Sea, which bears that point from it. So that for want of a Southwardly wind Ships have been forced to lye a month or two sometimes near the mouth of the _Hellespont_. This was taken notice of long since by _Eunapius_ in the life of _Ædesius_, who ascribes the seldom blowing of the _South_ wind to the situation of the mountains, whereas it is checked and overpowered by the exuberance of the Vapours continually sent forth from the _black_ and _great Sea_, as the _Greeks_ call it in comparison of the _Mediterranean_. _Vide ad finem Codini de origin. Constantinopol. Edit. Paris. Pag. 80._ The _Hellespont_ is about forty miles in length, and at the Castles of _Sestos_ and _Abydos_ the streight may be about three quarters of an English mile over, or less. The length of the _Propontis_ is about a hundred and fifty miles, both shores may be seen in the middle of it. In it are, _Cyzicus_, an Island near the _Asian_ shore, to which it is joined by two bridges. It still retains its ancient name Κυζικὸ, and is the seat of a Bishop, being inhabited by a considerable number of _Greeks_. _Proconnesus_, not far from the former; now, as for some centuries past, called _Marmora_, from the excellent quarries of Marble there found, the marmor _Cyzenicum_ also being famous in the time of _Pliny_.
_Besbychus_, now called by the Greek καλόλιμνο, or the good haven, not far from the entrance into the bay of _Montanea_ to the North and by East. The _Turks_ call it _Imralme_. There are several Islands over against the bay of _Nicomedia_, formerly called _Sinus Astacenus_, according to _Strabo_, about six or seven leagues from _Constantinople_.[8] _Prote_, so called because they approach first to it, coming from _Constantinople_; to the South of this _Prencipe_ and _Pytis_, which I take to be the same with _Pyrgos_, that lyes inmost toward the bay: _Chalcitis_, in modern Greek, _Chalce_ or _Chalcis_. _Oxia_ and _Platy_ to the North-west. I have expressed the _Turkish_ names of the lesser and uninhabited islands elsewhere, which perchance were phantastically imposed by some _Franks_. The _Seraglio_ is at the extreme point of the North-east Angle of _Constantinople_, where formerly stood old _Byzantium_, within which towards the Haven is a stately _Kiosk_ or summer house, from whence the _Grand Signior_ usually takes Barge, when he passes into _Asia_, or diverts himself upon the _Bosphorus_, at which time the _Bostangi Bashi_, who hath the principal care of the Emperors palace, and hath the command of the _Bosphorus_, sits at the helm and steers. The seven Towers are at the South-east extremity. The only Suburbs are to the North-west, along the Haven-side; for above the hill, where the three walls begin, lies an open champaign Country, except that here and there at considerable distances farm houses are scatter'd.
The Haven runs in from the West, and so opens East. At the East end of _Galata_ is _Tophana_, where they cast their great Guns. _Pera_ and _Galata_ have about six gates to the Seaward. The whole tract of ground was anciently, before the times of the Emperor _Valentinian_, who enclosed and fortified _Galata_ with walls and towers, styled Περαῖα or Regio _Peræa_ being πέραν τῆς πόλεως, on the other side of the City to the North, which is the reason of its name, seated on higher hills, and whose ascent is more steep and difficult. Our modern _Geographers_, such as _Mercator_ and _Ortelius_, who herein follow _Ptolomy_, place _Constantinople_ in the Latitude of 43. degrees and 5 minutes: the _Arabian_ and _Persian Astronomers_, as _Abulfeda_, _Nassir Edin_, _Vlugh Beigh_, and so the πρόχειροι κανόνες, _Chrysococcas_ translated out of the _Persian_ tables, place it more Northerly in 45. But by latter and better observation it is found, that they have erred in assigning the Latitude of this City, as of several other places. To salve these differences, there is no just ground of pretence to say, that the _Poles_ are moveable and have changed their situation since their time, whereas it may better be imputed to their want of due care, or to their taking things upon trust, from the reports of _Travellers_ and _Seamen_, not having been upon the places themselves: which certainly is to be said for _Ptolomy_ whose observations, as to places more remote from _Alexandria_, are far from being accurate and true. The learned Mr. _John Greaves_, as I find in a Manuscript discourse, very worthy of being Printed, which he presented to the most reverend and renowned _Arch-bishop Usher_, took the height of the _Pole_ at _Constantinople_ with a brass sextant of above 4 feet _radius_, and found it to be but 41 degrees 6´. but by the observation we made in our Court-yard at _Pera_ with a very good _Quadrant_ we found it but 40 degrees and 58 minutes of North Latitude.
_Hæc loca Theudosius decorat post fata Tyranni, Aurea secla gerit, qui portam construit auro._ cited by _Sirmond_ in his notes upon[10]_Sidonius_. This Gate is in the twelfth Region, and was also called ὡραῖα from its beautiful and curious structure. The Gun gate formerly called Roman gate, not because it leads towards the continent of _Romania_ or _Thrace_, but from[11]St. _Romanus_, where the last Christian Emperor was killed at the assault which the _Turks_ made to force their Way into the City by it. Near _Adrianople_ gate is a fair large _Mosch_ called _Ali-bassa_, upon a hill accounted the highest in the City. The distance between tower and tower in the upper wall to the landward may be about ninety of my paces; the space between that and the second wall about eighteen paces over. The place, where the _Lyons_, _Leopards_, and such like wild creatures are kept, (where I saw also several _Jackalls_) was formerly, as the _Greeks_ told me, a Christian Church dedicated to Παναγία or the Blessed Virgin, where this Verse is still legible, Κατὰ Σκυθῶν ἔπνευσας θερμὸν ἐν μάχαις.
There is no tide or running back of the water on any side of the _Bosphorus_ into the black Sea, as[12]some have imagined, whose mistake might possibly arise hence, that the wind being at North, and blowing hard, the current sets more violently at such times against the several headlands jetting out into the channel, which admits of several turnings, and so the waters are forced back to some little distance: or else because when the South-wind freshens and grows boisterous, it makes a high rolling Sea in the _Propontis_ and _Bosphorous_, and being contrary to the current, gives a check to it, so that it becomes less sensible, and is easily stemmed. Where it is narrowest, the distance seems to the eye to be scarce a mile over from one shore to another; where broadest, not much above a mile and a half, unless where it runs into the deep Bays, which by reason of their shallowness only harbour Boats. The channel certainly is natural and not cut by art, as some have idly fansied, not considering, how the _Euxine_ Sea should discharge it self otherwise of those great quantities of waters, poured into it by the _Ister_ and _Tanais_, now called _Don_, and the other Rivers, whereby it becomes less salt, even very sensibly to the taste, than several parts of the _Mediterranean_.
The Fish, by a strange kind of instinct, pass in vast shoals twice a year, Autumn and Spring, through the _Bosphorus_, that is, out of one Sea into another, of which the _Greeks_, who live several months of the year upon them, take great numbers, and supply the markets at easie rates; the Cormorants and other ravenous water-fowl, which the _Turks_ will not suffer to be destroy'd or otherwise molested, preying upon them. The weather in some months is very inconstant, great heats and colds happening the same day upon the change of the wind. The winters at _Constantinople_ are sometimes extraordinary severe. I have heard it related by several old _Greeks_, as a thing most certain that the _Bosphorus_ was frozen over in the time of _Achmed_, and that a Hare was coursed over it. It hapned thus, that upon a thaw huge cakes of Ice came floating down the _Danube_ into the black Sea, and were driven by the current into the _Bosphorus_, whereupon the return of the frost, they were fixed so hard that it became passable. In the year 1669 there was Ice in the Haven to the great amazement of the _Turks_; and some were so frighted at this unusual accident, that they lookt upon it as a dismal prodigy, and concluded, that the World would be at an end that Year. The _Aguglia_ or _Obelisk_ in the _Hippodrome_ is betwixt fifty and sixty Foot high.
The Historical Pillar in _basso relievo_, raised in honour of the Emperors _Arcadius_ and _Honorius_, may be in height about an hundred seven and forty feet. _Alexius Comnenus_ lies buried in the Patriarchal Church against the wall, and his daughter _Anna Comnena_, the Historian, who lived about the year of Christ 1117. They pretend to shew there the reliques of St. _Anastasia_, who suffered Martyrdom under the Emperor _Valerianus_, and of St. _Euphemia_, Virgin and Martyr, who lost her life most gloriously for _Christ's_ holy religion at _Chalcedon_ under _Dioclesian_. In _Sancta Sophia_ there are pillars so great, that a Man can scarce fathom them at twice. At the end of the Gallery, that joins the other two, each about thirty of my paces wide, there is a piece of transparent Marble, two or three Inches thick. In the North gallery upon the Pavement is a reddish sort of a Marble Stone, brought, as the _Turks_ and _Christians_ relate, from _Palestine_, on which they Fable, that the blessed Virgin used to wash the linnen of our Saviour. I observed but one step from the Body of the Church to the _Bema_ or place where the Altar formerly stood. The great _Mosch_ at _Chasim-bassa_ on _Pera_ side to the West, was formerly a Church dedicated to St _Theodosia_. _Gianghir_, a Mosch so called, upon a hill at _Fondaclee_ near _Tophana_.
In _Constantinople_ there are several narrow streets of Trade, closed up with sheds and pent-houses, which I suppose were in use before the _Greeks_ lost their Empire, and are the same with the σκεπαστοὶ καὶ φρακτοὶ δρόμοι in _Chrysaloras_ his[13]Epistle. But besides these places, several Trades have their distant quarters. The streets are raised for the most part on each side for the greater convenience. Not far from _Suleimania_ is the house of the _Aga_ or General of the _Janizaries_, which so often changes its Masters. _Pompey_'s pillar, as the _Franks_ erroneously call it, is of the _Corinthian_ order, curiously wrought, about eighteen foot in height and three in Diameter. _Beshiktash_, a Village within three or four miles of _Constantinople_ towards the _Bosphorus_, where lies buried the famous Pirate _Ariadin_, whom the _Christian_ Writers call _Barbarossa_, who built here a handsome Mosch, having two rows of Pillars at the entrance. The Captain _Bassa_ usually, before he puts to Sea with his Armata of Gallies, visits the Tomb of this fortunate Robber, who had made several thousand _Christians_ Slaves, and makes his Prayers at the neighbouring Church for the good Success of his expedition. They reckon in the City above a hundred publick Baths, every street almost affording one. They are esteemed works of great Piety and Charity; there being a continual use of them, not only upon the accompt of Religion, but of Health and Cleanliness. For their Diet being for the most part hot spiced meats in the Winter, and crude fruits in the Summer, their Liquor Fountain Water, or Coffee, to which we may add their lazy kind of Life (for walking is never used by them for digestion, or otherwise in the way of diversion) frequent bathing becomes necessary.
There are several receptacles of Water under Ground, and one particularly under the Church of _Sancta Sophia_, as I was informed; but I did not think it worth my curiosity to descend into it. These were of great use to the poor _Greeks_ in the last fatal Siege; but the _Turks_ are so secure, that they do not think, that they deserve either cost or pains to keep the Waters sweet, or the cisterns in repair. The _Aqueducts_, which answer to those glorious _Aqueducts_, near _Pyrgos_, and convey the water to the great cistern near Sultan _Selim_'s Mosch, are in that part of _Constantinople_, which lies between the Mosch of _Mahomet_ the Great and _Shaxade_. The _Turks_ began to besiege _Constantinople_ on the fifth of _April_, and took it the twenty ninth of _May_ on _Whitsun Tuesday_ morning 1453. or as the _Turks_ reckon in the year 857. of the _Hegira_, or flight of _Mahomet_, the 22 day of the first _Jomad_. The Chappel, where _Ejub Sultan_ is interred, at whose Head and Feet I observed great wax Candles, is enclosed with latten wire Grates, for the better accommodation of such religious _Turks_ as come to pay their respect to the memory of this great _Musulman_ Saint. In the middle of the Area there is raised a building sustained by excellent marble Pillars, ascended by two several pair of stairs, where the new Emperor is inaugurated, and where he usually goes in _Biram_-time.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.