CHAP. I.

THE ancient division of Greece into many Com­monwealths, and their inveterate hatred against Philip of Macedon, for no other Reason than because he was a King, and [Page 2] (as they stiled him) a Tyrant, and the unquiet disposition of that People, never contented in their Estate, nor satisfied in their Ru­lers, (the Humour and Fate of most Popular Governments) have to us, and to all future Ages, represented the Grecians, as great lovers of al­teration and freedom: Time af­terwards, and vicissitude of things, transforming them from Associ­ates to be Subjects of the Roman [...] Empire, they enjoyed notwith­standing, for some Ages, the benefit of their own Laws, Protection and Liberty, under the successful pro­gress of the conquering Eagles; and when the Imperial Seat was tran­sported to Bizantium, the Empe­rours themselves became Grecians, and the People enjoyed still the lenity and gentleness of the Roman Yoke.

[Page 3]In this easiness of living things continued until the year of Christ 1300. when an unexpected Storm arose from the East, which, as a lit­tle Cloud, appearing first at a di­stance like a spot, or the measure of a Palm, doth afterwards diffuse it self in a general blackness over the Face of the whole Heavens; or as I have seen at a large Pro­spect, something like the Swarm of a single Hive, which, approaching nearer, hath proved to be an Ar­my of Locusts in those infinite numbers as have darkened the Sun at Noon, and over-spread the Vallies, but even now green, proud, and luxuriant in the Plenty and Fruit they bore. Just so the Turk from an inconsiderable be­ginning, contemned, and scorn­ed by his petty Neighbours, much more by the Puissance and Power [Page 4] of the Grecian Emperours, came on a suddain like a Whirl-wind from the East, and, like Locusts, over-spread the Face of Asia, and now feeds and triumphs in the most pleasant and opulent parts of Europe.

But because Providence in this World doth not ordinarily dis­pose of things without rational Causes and previous Dispositions, (not to dispute here that which some affirm concerning a certain period prefixed by the secret Coun­sel of God's decree, to the Conti­nuance and Being of all Govern­ments) no more rational Causes can be assigned to have concur­red towards the destruction of the Grecian Dominion and Liberty, than their own luxurious Security, Avarice, and Faction. Their de­light in ease, begot in them neg­ligence, [Page 5] and security in their Af­fairs, blindly permitting the Turks to pass over the Bosphorus, and build a Castle on the European side, un­der the notion of a Sheep-pen, or Inclosure for their Cattel; and on the other side of the Hellespont, took little notice when their Ar­mies were transported, and had taken a Fort Which the Greeks call­ed by the name of, A Stye of Hogs: they laughed at the Turks for con­tending for a Stye; and so conti­nued in this careless way of living and drollery, until the Enemy, from the Kennel of unclean Beasts, had penetrated into the Palaces of their Emperour, and violated all the Sanctuaries of Divine and Humane Rites. Covetousness, in like manner, which is the root of all Evils, robbed the Treasury of their Princes; and the Officers, [Page 6] with Detestable Corruption, prey­ed on what was levied for the maintenance of War, and having enriched their own Coffers, starv­ed the Publick; by which means, all Warlike Preparations ceasing, the Souldiery became mutinous and unruly, and the People faint and discouraged. The Factions also, in the Civil Government, were not less dangerous, caused by Emulations, Jealousies, and Treachery (Evils incident, even at this day, unto the Nature of this People;) for their Hatred, and Dis­sensions were heightened with such inveterate Malice, each towards o­ther, as could more easily sub­mit to an Enemy, than conde­scend to a Citizen; Externo potius applicet, quam Civi cedat. With this quarrelsome temper of the Greeks, Q. Flaminius was anciently [Page 7] so well acquainted, that fearing their Dissensions amongst them­selves (after he had withdrawn his Army from Greece) might expose them to the Sword of Philip of Macedon, Concordiae in Civitati­bus Principes & Ordi­nes inter se, & in com­mune omnes Civitates consulerent, adversus consentientes, nec Re­gem quenquam satis validum nec Tyran­numfore. T. Liv. li. 34. and Nabis the Tyrant, ex­horted all the States of Greece to Unity and A­greement, which, like the Bundle of Arrows, could hardly be broken by the greatest Force. The fore­going disorders, and this factious temper, were Preludes to the de­struction of the Grecian Empire, which first being made Christian and equally glorious to any Church of Christ, both for Mul­titude, and for the Zeal of Pro­fessors, was through the Grace of God more excellently prepared with Passive Vertues to sustain the [Page 8] Yoke of the Grand Oppressor, which was imposed on them for not better observing the Law of Christ's Kingdom.

In this condition, we are now to consider of this lost and undone Empire, whose Crown and Dia­dem being fallen to the Ground, and not farther to be accounted amongst the great Potentates, who sway and govern the Earth; we are to treat of it, as of a number of People professing the Gospel of Christ; and in Spiritual Matters submitting with all obedience to the Government and Rule pre­scribed them by such Pastors and Ministers, as have, by succession of Ages, been instituted and set over them by Christ and his Apo­stles. And being here to speak of a Church-Christian, we are not to treat of it as of a single Province, [Page 9] as of Hellas, or as confined to At­tica alone, ‘Ab Isthmi Angustiis Hellas incipit.’ nor as afterwards by enlargement of the Macedonian Dominion o­ver the lesser Commonwealths, the Achivi, Danai, Myrmidones, Pelasgi, and Argivi, were nominated with the common appellation of Greci­ans. But we are here to consider them both as Hellenes, properly of the Greek Nation, as denoted in Scripture, 1 Cor. 1. v. 22. [...], The Greeks seek Wisdom, and as such a number of Christi­ans, who in any part of the World submit to the Government of one of the four Patriarchs.

The Greek Church is ancient, and had the Blessing and Honour to be taught by the Apostles them­selves; [Page 10] for St. Paul himself was their great Doctor, by whom the Gospel was first preached at Phi­lippi in Macedonia; next at Thessa­lonica, the chief City in Mygdonia; then at Athens in Attica, and Co­rinth in Peloponesus. Apollos also came from Ephesus, being instru­cted by Aquila and Priscilla, and preached the Gospel in Achaia, Acts 18. 24. And so gloriously was the Doctrine of Christianity received and propagated by the vast numbers of Christians, who crouded into the Church, that for the better Government thereof, it was thought fit and necessary to dispose them under several Juris­dictions; so St. Paul constituted Dionysius at Athens, Aristarchus at Thessalonica, Epaphroditus at Philippi, Silas at Corinth, Timothy at Ephesus, and Titus in the Isle of [Page 11] Crete, now called Candia: and so generally were the Greeks in those days converted to the Christian Faith, that a Grecian and a Chri­stian were almost convertible Terms, comprehending, as it were, the whole Body of the Gentiles, [...], to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile, or Greek, Rom. 2. v. 9, 10. But how ancient this Church was, with what Zeal it begun, with what Glory and Mag­nificence it shined, under the pro­tection and succour of its nur­sing Fathers the Grecian Empe­rours, is not our Theme in this following Treatise: But our Sub­ject here is more Tragical, the subversion of the Sanctuaries of Religion, the Royal Priesthood expelled their Churches, and those converted into Moschs; the My­steries of the Altar conceal'd in se­cret [Page 12] and dark places; for such I have seen in Cities and Villages where I have travelled, rather like Vaults or Sepulchres than Church­es, having their Roofs almost le­velled with the Superficies of the Earth, lest the most ordinary ex­surgency of structure should be accused for triumph of Religion, and to stand in competition with the lofty Spires of the Mahome­tan Moschs. But so it became Christ to suffer; and, in imitation of that Grand Exemplar, his Church, as Members of his Mysti­cal Body, conforms to his admira­ble Humility and Patience, where­by the promise of our Saviour is verified, That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church, and that Tyranny and Oppression shall never subdue the Constancy, or abate the loud Profession of the [Page 13] Christian Religion. And as the increase and prevalency of the Christian Faith against the vio­lence of Kings and Emperours, and all the Terrours of Death, is a demonstration of its verity; so the stable perseverance in these our days of the Greek Church therein, notwithstanding the Op­pression and Contempt put upon it by the Turk, and the Allure­ments and Pleasures of this World, is a Confirmation no less convin­cing than the Miracles and Power which attended its first beginnings: For indeed it is admirable to see and consider with what Constan­cy, Resolution, and Simplicity, ig­norant and poor men keep their Faith; and that the proffer of Worldly Preferments, and the priviledge which they enjoy by becoming Turks, the Mode and [Page 14] Fashion of that Country which they inhabit, should not decoy or debauch such silly Souls, who can offer little more of Argument in defence of their perswasion, than the Doctrine of their Fore­fathers, and the common profes­sion of those, who, in many pla­ces, especially in the Morea, and all Romagnia, use the same Cu­stoms, and speak the same Lan­guage of Greek with them. Nor can I attribute this Constancy to the meer force of Education, for Turks intermingle with them In the Morea and parts of Greece., in­habit in the same Street, and some­times under the same Roof; their Children play, and are bred up together, and have almost the same Manners and Customs with them, and have little different besides their Religion, and some­thing of Briskness and Spirit in [Page 15] the Children of Turks, which seems naturally to usurp an Au­thority over their Greek Play-Fel­lows: So that if Education were the sole motive and principle, Tur­cism might sooner take root than Christianity, having the opportu­nity equal, and in the easiness of things naturally to be believed, and other specious and fair offers, the advantage, before the my­sterious Doctrine of our Faith, and the exact severity of our lives, which is neither revealed nor performed by the meer mo­tion of flesh and blood: But cer­tainly much is to be attributed herein to the Grace of God, and the Promises of the Gospel; and if any Art or Polity can be said to have place over the affection of the People; none seems more ef­ficacious than the strict observa­tion [Page 16] of the Fasts and Feasts of their Church, by which the peo­ple are taught as in a visible Cate­chism, the History of Christiani­ty; more (I dare say) than by their ill-composed Sermons, or repetition of the Scripture in the Vulgar Tongue; for being severely imposed, and observed with much solemnity, they affect the Vul­gar with an awe of something di­vine and extraordinary in them. The fear also and apprehension of some Authority in the Church, as the power of the Keys, The E­steem which the Greeks have of the power of the Keys. Excom­munications, and other Ecclesia­stical Censures, work a reverence in the people towards their Cler­gy, which is indeed the main Pil­lar and Basis which supports a Church. For as Tacitus speaks of the Jewish Nation, when under the Roman Power; That, Hon [...] [Page 17] Sacerdotii firmamentum Potentiae eo­rum; the Honour which they gave to their Priesthood was the founda­tion of their Regimen; for that which commands the conscience, re­duces the body, will, and affections to obedience: so more particularly in Ecclesiastical Polity, it is the Fence and Hedge of the Sheepfold. This being broken down, the Sheep stray, and Satan enters with his seed of Heresie and Schism; for what can hinder men from running into Prodigies of Fansie and wild Opini­ons, where every man is his own Pastor and his own Bishop? This apprehension of Power which at­tends the Keys, is available in a dou­ble capacity; for, besides the energy it hath in Spiritual Matters, it sup­plies amongst the Greeks the defect of a Temporal Authority: in re­gard that they (though Subjects of the Turk) do yet oftentimes in Con­troversies [Page 18] about matters of Right follow the advice of the Apostle, by referring the determination of their Cause to the arbitrement of spiritu­al men, and chief of their Saints, who are their Bishop or Patriarch, and other Chiefs of their Clergy, rather than to stand to the Judica­ture of Infidels. But this the Church presumes not to bind on mens Con­sciences, left it should seem to usurp that Right which others hold by the Sword, and contradict that say­ing of our Saviour, My Kingdom is not of this world: Howsoever, such as are religious and devout amongst them, esteem it a Crime highly scan­dalous, and savouring of a bad in­tention, to have recourse rather to a Mahometan Divan than a Chri­stian Sentence; as if those who can judge of the inward Conscience were not yet sufficient to Umpire in a Temporal Cause.

[Page 19]Secondly, This Reverence to the Church produces a firm belief and strict adherence to the Articles of it, and to all the Ceremonies and matters the most minute and indif­ferent, not suffering the least change or alteration in them: which in this conjuncture and state of things seems very convenient, if not ne­cessary, in the Greek Church. The Greeks presume not to va­ry in their Do­ctrine or Practice. For though they are sensible (as many of their Priests have confessed to me) of the inconvenient length of their Liturgies (concerning which we shall speak in another Chapter) and of many superstitious Customs and Ceremonies derived to them from the times of Gentilism, which are now ingrafted into, and as it were grown up with their Religion, and many other Rites of which the wiser men are ashamed, and wish they were amended; yet they fear to cor­rect and alter them: Nay (as they [Page 20] have assured me) the very alterati­on of the Old to the New Stile would be highly hazardous; lest the Peo­ple observing their Guides to vary in the least point from their ancient, and (as they imagine) their Canoni­cal Profession, should begin to su­spect the truth of all, and from a doubt dispute themselves into an in­difference, and thence into an en­tire desertion of the Faith. Though the Christian Religion profess'd in the Ottoman Dominions lies under a Cloud, and a sad discouragement, yet, thanks be to God, there is a free and publick exercise thereof allowed in most parts, and something of re­spect given to the Clergy, even by the Mahometans themselves, who esteem honour due to all persons of what Profession soever, who are set apart and consecrated to Gods ser­vice: For it is evident that the Turks The Turks have some opi­nion of the san­ctity of the Chri­stian Re­ligion. entertain something of a good opi­nion [Page 21] of the sanctity of the Christi­an Religion, and a belief that God hears their Prayers, because that in the time of common Pestilence, or Calamity, both the Greek and Ar­menian Patriarchs are enjoined by the Turks to assemble their People and pray against it. This permissi­on of the Christian Religion indul­ged by the Turks, is both agreeable to Mahomet's Doctrine, and the Pri­viledges granted by the Sultans, who in their Conquests of the Grecian Empire judged that a toleration of Religion would much facilitate the entire subjection of that People.

The greatest burden that is laid upon them by the Turk is their Ha­ratch or Poll-money, for which e­very man who is arrived to 20 years of age pays Four Lyon Dollars per Annum; and Youths between 15 to 20 pay half so much; but Wo­men are exempt from this burden. [Page 22] Also Greeks who have Lands and Houses are taxed pro rato for extra­ordinary Expences, for entertaining a Pasha or some great Person, whose charges they are obliged to defray in his passage through their Coun­try: and this Tax is as well common to Turks as Greeks. But this is a matter inconsiderable in respect of that Custom of Decimation, which was a taking away of the Tythe, or every Tenth of Male-children from the Greeks, according to the num­ber of them in the respective Pa­rishes, out of which proceeded the best and stoutest of the Turkish Ja­nisaries: but this Custom is now wholy out of use, not having been practised for many years; either be­cause the Turks are willing to lay an easie Yoke on the Greeks, or because so many of them turn Mahometans, and of other parts and Nations such numbers flock daily to the Profes­sion [Page 23] of Turcism, that there is no need of this unnatural addition to increase the Power and Kingdoms of the Turk.

But with what freedom soever Christianity is licensed amongst the Turks in Europe, it lies under a Cloud, and a greater abhorrency in Asia (unless in the Maritime Towns and Places, where Traffick and Com­merce have taught them Civility.) For Mahometanisme having had its first Original in Asia, is most pre­cisely observed in those Eastern parts, where Christian Priests are forced to live with caution, and of­ficiate in obscurity and privacy, fear­ing the superstitious temper of the Asian Zealots, who are of a Phari­saical humour, high esteemers of their own sanctity; in comparison of which, they account the Europe­an Turks loose and negligent Profes­sors, defiled by the use of Wine, and unhallowed by their conversation [Page 24] with the Christians, to whom they commonly bear so horrible a detesta­tion, that some of them judge it un­lawful to be in their company, or receive presents from them, or to give them the salutation of peace, and esteem their Cloaths, if touched by Christians, to be polluted Gar­ments, profaning their prayers. It is generally observed, that Pharisai­cal The pride of Phari­saical Profes­sors. Professors in all Religions are the worst people in the world, and the greatest disturbers of Humane Con­versation, and the peace and quiet of a Commonwealth. I knew once at Smyrna a Reverend Preacher a­mongst the Turks, or as you may call him a Doctor or Schoolmaster, who had many Pupils under him, whom he instructed in the Mahome­tan Law, who was so great a lover of his own Sect, that he hated the rest of Mankind; his Sermons were al­ways stuffed with Invectives against Christians, charging Smyrna with [Page 25] unpardonable sins, for indulging priviledges unto them, and for ad­mitting them into their Country on consideration of that lucre and be­nefit which their Trade brings: in which discourse he oftentimes suf­fered himself to be so extravagantly transported with intemperance of language, that at length the Offi­cers of the City were forced to put him in mind of the common scan­dal he gave to the interest and sub­sistence of the Inhabitants; that those discourses reflected on the Grand Signor and his Government, and were Declamations against the clemency of their Emperour towards his Subjects, and opposed those Ca­pitulations and Articles which the wisdom of their Government had concluded with Christian Princes, which were matters of that concern­ment, as were neither safe for him to handle, nor for them to hear: [Page 26] with which Admonition though this Pharisee grew more moderate in his language, yet his pride and insolence was not in the least abated; for when he mounted his Mule, accompani­ed with his Followers on foot, of the same rank and head, and accidental­ly met with Franks riding abroad on Horses (such they call all the West­ern Christians) they would force them to alight, and with great reve­rence attend until the sanctity of so holy a man were past: For their Books (as they report) say, and teach them not to suffer Christians to sit on their Horses, whilst men of their profession pass by them. But our people little concerning themselves with what is written in their Books, and less supporting an insolence and affront from them, there often hap­ned rencounters and scuffles between both parties, which had proceeded to higher quarrels, had not the Ma­gistrates [Page 27] seasonably suppressed the insolence of that people; which was afterwards confirmed by Com­mands from the Grand Signor.

But not only hath the Greek Church the Turk for an Enemy and an Oppressor, but also the Latines; The ad­vantage of the Latine Church above the Greek. who not being able by their Missionaries to gain them to their party, and per­swade them to renounce the Juris­diction of their Patriarchs, and own the Authority and Supremacy of the Roman Bishop, do never omit those occasions which may bring them under the lash of the Turk, and en­gage them in a constant and conti­nual expence; hoping that the peo­ple being oppressed and tyred, and in no condition of having relief un­der the protection of their own Go­vernours, may at length be induced to embrace a Foreign Head, who hath riches and power to defend them. Moreover, besides these wiles, [Page 28] the Roman Priests frequent all places, where the Greeks inhabit, endeavour­ing to draw them unto their side both by Preaching and Writings, of which one being written in the Vulgar Greek by Francis Richard a Jesuite, and printed at Paris, called [...] [...], was dispersed in all parts, where that Language was cur­rent; of which the Patriarch and Presbyters of that Church taking special notice, and being very jea­lous and sensible of the ill effects it might produce in the minds of the Ignorant, caused about 18 Years past that Book to be burnt, prohi­biting the use and reading thereof unto all people of their Church, un­der penalty of the most severe Ex­communication. But so far indeed have the Latines the advantage over the Greeks, as Riches hath over Po­verty, or Learning over Ignorance. And whereas now the ancient Stru­ctures [Page 29] and Colleges of Athens are become ruinous, and only a fit ha­bitation for its own Owle, and all Greece poor and illiterate, such Spi­rits and Wits amongst them, who aspire unto Sciences and Knowledge, are forced to seek it in Italy: where sucking from the same Fountain, and eating Bread made with the same Leaven of the Latines, it is natural that they should conform to the same Principles and Doctrine. So that it will not be strange, if in Ex­position of those points wherein the Church of God for some Ages hath been silent, and but now contro­verted in these latter days, the Greek Priests should with little variety fol­low the sense of the Latine, which they take up at adventure, not be­ing of themselves capable either to prove, or try the meaning of the Scriptures, or examine the ancient Tenents of their own Church. And [Page 30] thus much shall suffice to have spo­ken of the Greek Church in gene­ral.

CHAP. II.

BEING to treat of the Present State of the Greek Church; the condition in which the se­ven Churches of Asia now stand, of which Christ himself and the Holy Spirit was pleased to take so much notice, Rev. I. must not only come pertinent to our discourse, but in some measure also delight the curio­sity of the Reader, being transferred [Page 31] from my self, who have with my own Eyes beheld the strange Cata­strophe of those anciently famous Cities, which now, for the most part, are forgotten in their Names, as well as buried in their Ruines.

It seems that these ancient Cities were not only famous for their De­votions, which moved our Lord Christ, by the hand of the beloved Disciple, to write them a Letter, but likewise by a special denomination were called the Churches of Asia the less, though others might be as renowned, and as devout as they; in which the Gospel had been preach­ed, and accepted, and might be stiled with the same appellation, as parts of this great Continent, which is one of the quarters of the World. But this term of Asia is here re­strained to the lesser or Lydian Asia, in which the seven Churches are sci­tuate, different, as Heylin observes, [Page 32] from the Proconsular, which well agrees with what is said Acts 16. v. 6. and v. 7. When they had gone through Phrygia, and the Region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into By­thinia, but the Spirit suffered them not. Nor is the Name of Asia im­properly restrained to Lydia it self, AEolis, and Jonia, and some parts of the greater Mysia; because a fa­mous City seated at the foot of the Mountain Tmolus gave this deno­mination to the Countries circum­jacent, before it was enlarged so far, as to become a general Name for the greater Continent.

This Mountain though in some parts hides his head in the Clouds, and commonly wears a covering of Snow, and is asperous, craggy, and barren; Tmolus. yet in other place, that I [Page 33] have passed, where his head is not so loftily raised, he is more fruitful and pleasant, replenished with Vil­lages and Inhabitants, adorned with streight Pines and Oaks, the Soil as rich and fat as the lower Vallies, wa­tered with abundance of cool and pleasant Streams, planted with Vine­yards and Fruit-Trees to refresh wea­ry and heated Travellers, which near some Villages being set with care and art, intermixed with Streams and Falls of Water, render them more pleasant than the Orchards of the Plains, or Gardens of the Cities.

The City of Smyrna Smyrna. (as I am apt to believe) had anciently its Chief situation upon, and on the side of the South-Hills, which we call the Wind-mill-Hills over Santa Veneran­da; but being shaken with Earth­quakes, was afterwards for the con­venience of Trade, re-edified for the most part in a bottom, or level, be­ing [Page 34] removed from a more whol­som air of a rising Hill (which still retains in its ruinous Footsteps the marks and remembrances of its an­cient Glory) to a place of Bogs and Fens, which in the Autumn evapo­rated those Fumes and Atoms, which engendred malignant Feavers, and proved most fatal to English bodies; though now for some years past, that the lower parts being inhabited, the Ditches drained, and the Bogs turned into Gardens, and the air pu­rified by the fire and smoke of ma­ny Inhabitants, this place cannot, in my opinion, be esteemed less health­ful than any other Maritime City in the Levant. This City is still the most happy and flourishing of all the other Sister-Churches, having still the Honour to be a Metropolis, and to rule over those which were formerly co-equals with it. The convenience of its Port and Har­bour [Page 35] (being one of the finest Bays in the world) caused the Christian Merchants to chuse it, for the Chief Scale of the Turkish Empire; whose Trade increasing, and thereby the Customs of the Grand Signor, began in these late years to be taken notice of by the principal Ministers of State, and to acquire a Renown above all the Cities in the lesser Asia: for this Cause, the famous Vizier Achmet, Son of Kuperlee, cast his Eyes upon it; and understanding in what man­ner this City was neglected, how its ancient Buildings and Royal Stru­ctures were destroyed, its Aquaeducts decayed, and no publick Edifice re­maining agreeable to the state and glory of such a Mart and Emporium, famous through the World, was moved to take a resolution to re­store in some measure the pristine magnificence of this City: which undertaking to do at his own charge [Page 36] and expence, he erected a stately Besasteene, (which is a place where Shops are kept, like our Exchange) a sumptuous Chane with a Bagno, and Stables belonging to it, all built of Free-stone, and covered with Lead, except the Stables; which Stones were brought from the ancient Ru­ines of the old Smyrna; and also formed and raised a handsom Stru­cture for the Custom-house upon Piles of Wood within the Sea: for convenience of all which, he erect­ed a stately Aquaeduct, and joined so many Streams of Water into one Current, that not only the New-Buildings were supplied therewith, Besides 10 old Foun­tains which were dry, but again repaired. but also 73 new Fountains were added to this City; so that whereas formerly some Houses were forced to fetch their Water from far, now every Family is well accommodated, and every Street as well supplied therewith, as most Cities are which [Page 37] are seated in the great Continent of Asia. All which was finished and compleated in the year of our Lord, 1677.

This is the present State and Con­dition of Smyrna in these Modern times: How it was anciently, we shall best understand from History, and from the Remains of Antiquity, of which few are discernable; as namely, the Theatre, The Theatre. which was a­bout the year 1675. wholy ruined by the Turks, and the Stones carried down to raise the new Edifices: At the destruction whereof it is obser­vable, that in the midst of one of the main Walls, there was found in­closed about a Bushel of Medals, all of the Stamp of Galienus the Empe­rour, of which I my self procured some; judging that this Theatre, which was almost as ancient as the City it self, might be repaired after­wards by Galienus, and this Copper-Coyn [Page 38] there inclosed in memory of this Emperour, that future Ages might acknowledge him to have been the Builder of that stately Fa­brick, whensoever time or Enemies should bring it to destruction. Over the Gate of the Upper Castle on the Hill the Roman Eagles continue still engraved; and not far from thence is the Tomb of S. Polycarpus, one of the first blessed Martyrs of the Go­spel of Christ Jesus, who was put to death in the Theatre. At the Gate of this Castle we speak of, there is a great Head of Stone immured in the Wall, something resembling the Head of an Amazon, which the Turks call Coidafa; and thereof have this Story. That in ancient times the Archi-pelago, or Ionian Sea, was once firm Land; but when Alex­ander the Great intending to make his Conquests as far as the East-In­dies, was refused passage through [Page 39] the Countries of this Coidafa, to whom the Archi-pelago, then firm Land, was subject, he in revenge cut that Neck of Land, which we call the Hellespont, and thereby let in the Propontis and Euxine Sea into her Country, which made such a De­luge and Inundation, as ever after over-whelmed that vast Tract of Land, which now makes a Sea, leav­ing only some few Isles, which were the tops of Mountains, and make up those many Islands which we find in the Archi-pelago. And thus much we are assured from a piece of Tur­kish History: but it matters little what the Turks report or write in these cases; for it is more probable, that that Woman which the Turks call Coidafa, was that great Amazon-Smyrna, which Strabo saith gave the Name to this City; whose Face may be that which we find enstamped on Medals with the Inscription of [...]

[Page 40]The People that first built this Ci­ty came from Ephesus, and dispos­sessed the Leleges of their Habitati­on (as Strabo reports:) Afterwards the Lydians demolished the Build­ings, so that for the space of 400 years it was inhabited rather like a Village than a City, until Antigonus, and after him Lysimachus restored it to its ancient splendour. The ori­ginal of Smyrna. The City was chiefly built on the side of the Hill; and it is now evident, since the great Ruines round the Town were digged up to supply the New-Buildings with Stone, that all those Ruines on the East-side of the River Meles, were no other than Temples, and Burying-places of the dead; and particularly that which we call­ed the Temple of Janus; which be­ing demolished, proved no other than a Vault full of Sepulchres, and might become the Bodies of the Monarchs and Princes of this Coun­try: [Page 41] I once believed it to be the Ho­merium, or the square Porch, which (Strabo saith) was dedicated to Ho­mer; but my Eyes have evinced the contrary; and it may rather be that large Porch which we find situated on the Hill near to the Castle.

Having taken this view of Smyr­na, let us proceed to the next Church, which in my Travels was Ephesus, Ephesus. distant about 45 English Miles S. South-East from Smyrna, and about five Miles from the Sea, accounted in ancient times for a Maritime Ci­ty, by reason of the River Cayster, The Ri­ver Cay­ster. which near to the Sea was capable to receive the Vessels of those days; but further up and nearer to the Ci­ty, it turns and winds so wantonly through the Plains, and with such curious doublings, as gave occasi­on to Travellers, upon the Authori­ty especially of Heylin, to mistake it for the Meander; which Errour [Page 42] the Name which the Turks give it of the lesser Mendres may confirm. But before we enter into this City, (if we may now so call it,) let us first hear what Strabo reports thereof in ancient times. It was encompassed (says he) with that Wall which now stands at the charge of Lysimachus, who therefore named it Arsinoa, af­ter the Name of his Wife; but that Name prevailed not long, before it returned to its ancient denominati­on of Ephesus. The Government was exercised by a Senate, and in matters of great importance all the People were assembled. The Tem­ple of Diana The Temple of Dia­na. was first built by Cher­siphron; but this being burnt by one Herostratus, a more stately Edifice was erected by the large and devout Contributions of the Female Sex: but these not being sufficient to per­fect the Work, Alexander proffer'd to compleat the remainder at his [Page 43] own Expence, on condition that his Name might be entituled to the whole Fabrick. But this offer was refused by the Complement of a witty Ephesian, That it was not seem­ly for one God to contribute to the Tem­ple of another.

All the Priests of this Temple were Eunuchs, called Megalobizi; these were in great Honour, and assisted by Virgins. This City hath both a Port and Shipping belonging to it; but the Port is very shallow by reason of the great quantity of mud which the Cayster throws up; but the City daily increases, and is the principal Emporium of Asia on this side of the Taurus. Pliny who was also well acquainted with the Geo­graphy of these places, instructs us farther, and tells in his Nat. Hist. lib. 5. That Ephesus attollitur Monte Pione, & alluitur Caistro in Cylbianis jugis orto. And true it is, that its [Page 44] situation is on the side of a Hill, ha­ving a Prospect to the West towards a lovely Plain, watered and embel­lished with the pleasant Circles of the Cayster. Some Marshes there are not far distant, and yet so far, as that the Vapour of them seems not to reach or corrupt the air of the City. The Soyl produces abun­dantly Woods of Tamerisk, which over-running the Plains, render them delightful to the Eyes of the beholders. But nothing appears more remarkable and stately to a Stranger, in his near approach to this place, than the Castle on the Hill, and the lofty Fabrick of Saint John's Church, S. John's Church. now converted to a Turkish Mosch, the biggest Pillar in which is five Turkish Pikes and a half in compass, which is upwards of four English yards; these lifting up their heads amongst other Ru­ines, and humble Cottages of the [Page 45] present Inhabitants, seem to pro­mise that magnificent Structure, which renowned and made famous this City in ancient-History. But at the entrance, a person stumbles at Pillars of Porphiry, and finds an un­easie passage over subverted Tem­ples and Palaces; the memory of what they have been is not preserv­ed by Tradition, and few or no In­scriptions remaining to direct us. Some marks there are of a Building more ample and stately than the rest, which seems to have been seat­ed in the Suburbs of the City with­out the Wall; and therefore gives us cause to conjecture it to have been the Temple of Diana, The Tem­ple of Di­ana in its ruines. the Me­tropolitan Shrine of all others dedi­cated to that Goddess, anciently ad­joining to the Ortygian Grove and Cenchrian Stream, where she and A­pollo were reported in Fables to be born from Latona. Tac. An. lib. 3. Ephesii memo­rabant, [Page 46] non, ut vulgus crederet Dia­nam at (que); Apollinem Delo genitos: Es­se apud se Cenchrium Aninem lucum Ortygium, ubi Latonam partu gravi­dam, & Oleae, quae tum etiam ma­neat, adnifam, edidisse ea Numina. This therefore might probably have been the Temple of that Goddess, which all Asia and the World wor­shipped, and caused that riot and pudder amongst the Silver-smiths of this place. Acts 19. 27. Under the Ruines of this Temple we descended about 30 Stairs with Lights in our hands, where we entered into divers narrow passages, with many turnings and windings, that it was necessary to make use of a Clew of Thread to guide us, which some therefore call a Labyrinth; but to me it seemed no other than the Foundation of the Temple, which for Fabricks of that weight and magnificence, is conve­nient (as I conceive) according to [Page 47] the Rules of the best Architecture. The air below was moist, and of a suffocating heat, which nourished Bats of a prodigious bigness, which oft-times struck at our Torches, as Enemies unto light, and Compani­ons of those Spirits which inhabit the Stygian darkness. Not far from hence was a stately Lavatory of Por­phiry, called Saint John's Font, the Diameter of which was about seven Turkish Pikes, wherein (it is report­ed) he baptized great multitudes of Believers. Not far from hence was shewn us the Cave of the seven Sleepers, The se­ven Slee­pers. the Story of which, whe­ther true or false, is yet current through the World, and believed so far by the Christians that ancient­ly inhabited Ephesus, that they have erected a Chappel in memory of them, part of which remains unto this day, and the Painting as yet not wholy defaced.

[Page 48]The Theater The Theatre. is almost wholy de­stroyed, few Seats being there re­maining, and of other Ruines no certain knowledge can be had; the Inscriptions which I found I shall here insert, though they be for the most part so disfigured, and bro­ken off from the Portals of Gates, and Triumphal Arches, as can lit­tle satisfy any mans Curiosity; as namely this, which I took from a Wall which seemed to have been some publick Structure.

On an Arch is written, ‘Accenso Rensi & Asiae.’

In a Wall of the Castle is a Head cut in Stone, having a Face like the [Page 49] Moon, on the right side a Snake, on the left a Bow: we may fansie it to mean ‘Proserpina, Luna, Diana.’ Near the Gate of the Castle there is a Stone with this Inscription, [...] On a Mar­ble Chest, [...] Near the Temple of Diana is this In­scription,

[Page 50]Of this Publius Vedius Abascantus, mention is made in other places: as, PVED.— CANTVS IVNIOR, that is A­ bascantus. Ibidem, —M:P. VEDI. NICEPH— ... VEDIAF P.F. PAVLLINAE ...

In another place there is a Stone reversed within a Wall, part of which is covered with Earth with this bro­ken Inscription.

[Page 51]Over a Gate, which appears to have been in the middle of the City, are divers Figures engraven, still plain and not much defaced, which seem to represent the Story of He­ctor's Body drawn about the City of Troy by Achilles, and without Rea­son fancied by some to be a descrip­tion of the first Christian Persecu­tions: for I having no such strength of Imagination to represent it to me in that Form, and observing like­wise that the Stones do not exactly square each with the other, I am in­duced to believe, that they were fetched from some other place, and fixed there for Ornament in more modern times.

The Aquaeduct The A­quaeduct. on the East-side, agreeable to the antient Magnifi­cence, and Honour of so Renown­ed a City, appears not very An­tique, at least to have been repaired in latter times, in regard, that [Page 52] some stones which are found there, are reversed in the Walls, with Inscri­ptions denoting Marcus Aurelius, and therefore seem to have been placed by the Turks, as casually they came to hand, at the time that they first took possession of that Ci­ty, when for some years it flourish­ed even in their days, before the Ottoman Family became Master of Constantinople, or those parts of the lesser Asia. But now the Relicks of the Gentiles, the Christi­ans, and the Turks are subverted, and lye unknown, and heaped promis­cuously together: for the whole Town is nothing but a Habitation of Heardsmen and Farmers, living in low and humble Cottages of dirt, covered on the top with Earth, Sheltered from the extremi­ty of weather by mighty Masses of ruinous Walls; the pride, and osten­tation of former days, and the [Page 53] Embleme in these, of the frailty of the World, and the transient Va­nity of humane Glory. For I cannot, but with many reflecti­ons on the Wisdom, and Provi­dence of Almighty God, who casts down one, and raises ano­ther, and on the strange alterati­ons, and Metamorphosis of world­ly things, take a prospect of this City of Ephesus, being as well changed in the Variety of Names as of Conditions. For as Pliny saith, during the Trojan Warr it was called Alopes, then Ortygia, then Morgas, then Ephesus, and now by the Turks Ayasaluck, seeming to de­rive this Name from [...] in Greek, luck being a termination in Turkish of the abstract, as ness is in English, as holy, holiness, and the like. This place where once Christianity so flourished, as to be a Mother-Church, and the See of a Metropolitan Bi­shop, [Page 54] cannot now shew one Family of Christians; so hath the secret Pro­vidence of God disposed Affairs, too deep and mysterious for us to search into.

About 10 Miles distant from E­phesus, to the South-west, lies the Town anciently called Phygela, Phygela. by the Turks Koush Adasee, or the Island­land of Birds, by the Italians Scala Nova, but falsly esteemed Miletum, where Saint Paul landed, when he sent to the Elders at Ephesus, Acts 20. 17.

From hence we passed on to Ty­ria Tyria not Thy­atira so called by the Turks, which by proximity of the name, is by the Christians supposed to be Thyatira, but certainly not without great Er­rour. For Tyria is a City about 25 Miles distant from Ephesus, pleasant­ly situated on the rising of a Hill, well watered and planted with Trees, that at a distance it seems to be seat­ed [Page 55] in a Grove, lying open on the North to a fruitful and pleasant Plain: Observing here no Ruines or marks of Antiquity, nor amongst the Greeks themselves, born in this City, any Tradition of the pristine state thereof, (which often gives light to probable Conjectures) I confidently concluded, that this place was not the ancient Thyatira, but rather a modern City erected by the Turks: and the more satisfi­ed I am in this perswasion, when I consider what Livy writes concern­ing the situation of Thyatira, Lib. 37. before he describes the Fight between the Romans and Antiochus; for he saith that Antiochus had pitched his Camp about Thyatira, and from thence passing the Phrygian River, which is the Hermus, he retreated, and again encamped about Magnesia ad Sipu­lum; from whence it is evident, that Thyatira must have been somewhere [Page 56] between Pergamus and Magnesia, and not another way, where it is now vulgarly imagined; which I shall make more clearly apparent in its due place, when Providence in the Circle of my Travels, shall bring me to the City which the Turks call Ak­hisar.

Laodicea is another of those Ci­ties, Laodi­cea. which is also forgotten in its Name, and overwhelmed in its Ru­ines: and yet we certainly discover­ed it about four days journey South-East from Tyria: In our way to which we happily crossed the true Meander, The Me­ander. called by the Turks Boiuch Mendres, or the great Meander, as they call the Cayster the little Men­dres. The first sight we had of it, was from the top of a Mountain, be­ing part of the Tmolus, from whence in the Plain beneath, we discovered innumerable turnings and windings of the River, with such variety as [Page 57] might entertain the Eyes of a Stran­ger for some hours with pleasure. ‘Ipse recurvatis ludit Maeander in undis.’ And so continues to encircle all the Plains it runs through, with wanton Mazes, and with such a rapid cur­rent, that it stirred up the Earth and Gravel from the bottom, so that we found not the Streams of Water so clear and Crystalline as we hoped to have enjoyed, when we sate down to make our Collation on the Banks of the River; and so continues its swift motion until it falls more gently into the Sea, not far distant from Miletum, now called by the Turks Melas, the true place where Saint Paul landed, when he sent for the Presbytery of Ephesus, which agrees with what Pliny writes in his descri­ption of the Meander: Amnis Mae­ander ortus e lacu Aulocrene, pluri­mis (que) [Page 58] affusus oppidis, & repletus flu­minibus, crebris ita sinuosus flexibus, ut saepe credatur reverti, Apamenam primum pervagatur regionem, mox Eu­menicam, ac dein Bargelicos campos; postremo Cariam placidus, omnesque eos agros fertilissimos rigans, ad deci­mum a Mileto Stadium lenis illabitur mari.

The first place which we imagin­ed might be Laodicea, was a City called by the Turks Dingizlee, Dingiz­lee. being so esteemed by the Greeks who there inhabit, and are not above 40 in number; where they have a little Church. But little credit are we to give unto them, concerning the an­cient condition of their Nation; for they who are in those parts, and have lost their own Language, and speak and understand no other Tongue than the Turkish, are not competent Judges of the Antiqui­ties which extend themselves beyond [Page 59] the time of the Turks. Howsoe­ver, the situation of that place, which is exceedingly pleasant, and not far distant certainly from the true Laodicea, might yield us Rea­son sufficient to enquire for it in that City, which is planted with all sorts of Fruit-trees, watered with plentiful Streams, and abounds with all Provisions, either necessary or convenient for livelyhood; so that the Turks compare it with the air and fruitfulness of Damascus: The outward Walls are ancient, but neg­lected after the Turkish Custom; the City within built low after the mo­dern Fashion of that Country, and is chiefly maintained by a Trade of Bogasines. Some few Churches there are, which appear to have been built by the Christians, now converted into Moschs, so that no­thing appeared in this case, which could induce us to concur in Opini­on [Page 60] with the Greeks, that that place was Laodicea: but being informed by Turks of certain Ruines about four miles distant from thence, call­ed by them Eski-hisar, or the Old Ca­stle; curiosity lead us thither, where being entred, we found a City of a vast Circumference, subverted and overthrown, situated on three or four small Hills: What first we had sight of, was an Aquaeduct, which guided us to the rest, beneath which runs a River, which I call the Lycus, nourished with two other Streams, which I call Asopus and Caper, that so the situation may agree with the description which Pliny gives of it. Celeberrima Urbs Laodicea, imposita est Lyco flumini, latera alluentibus Asopo & Capro. This certainly can have been no other than the anci­ent Laodicea, according to the De­scription of Geographers, anciently called Diospolis. Here within we [Page 61] found, besides a multitude of other Ruines, three large Amphitheatres, and a Circus; the three first were of a round form, consisting of a­bout 50 Seats one above the other, the Stones of which were not much displaced. The Circus was long, and at the end thereof was a Cave, where the wild Beasts were kept, de­signed for the Roman Sports, over the mouth of which was an Arch with this Inscription, ‘ [...] Vespasi­an's Cir­cus.’ Many other Ruines there were of mighty Fabricks, of which we could receive no knowledge, nor make conjectures, nor could we be guid­ed by Inscriptions; for time and Earthquakes had so strangely defac'd [Page 62] all things, that besides the Theatres there scarce remained one Stone up­on the other.

Strabo saith, Laodicea, cum ante esset exilis, nostra, & parentum no­strorum aetate crevit: quanquam op­pugnatione Mithridatis Eupatoris dam­num accepisset, non contemnendum: sed soli praestantia, & laeta civium quorundam fortuna eam amplicave­runt. It seems that this City suffer­ed much by Mithridates Eupator, yet the excellency of the soil, and the Riches of the Citizens quickly re­paired the damages, and restored it again to its pristine happiness: For, as I said, the situation of it is eleva­ted on two or three pleasant Mounts, rather than Hills, which oversee the most rich and delightful Plains of all Phrygia: It hath to the North the Mountain Cadmus, being distant (as may be conjectured) about ten English Miles, from whence the Ly­cus [Page 63] hath its source, and over-flows those Pastures round about, which in the time of Augustus Caesar bred numerous Flocks of black Sheep, which for the fineness of the Fleece far exceeded the Milesian Wools. And thus the Riches of their Wool­len Manufacture, being added to the Donative of two thousand Ta­lents, which Hiero bequeathed to that People, might be a considera­ble Revenue to the Publick, and serve to raise them out of the dust, when overthrown by Earth-quakes. For when Nero was the fourth time Consul, Laodicea (saith Tacitus) tre­more terrae prolapsa, [...]llo in nobis remedio, propriis opibus revaluit: It was then sorely shaken by an Earth­quake, the fate of most of the great Cities of Asia, which notwithstand­ing was re-edified by the p [...]ance of its own Riches; but relapsing a­gain into the same Calamity, was [Page 64] deserted by its Inhabitants, and be­came irrecoverably lost, not only as to its pristine condition of pro­sperity, but also as to its very Name, having now no other existence, or be­ing, than what Wise and Learned men have conserved in the Histories thereof.

Having taken our view of Laodi­cea, we traversed the Country to­vvards Philadelphia, and about five Miles on our right hand from Lao­dicea to the North, vve espied a White Cliff on the side of a Hill, vvith some Buildings thereon, vvhich from their Whiteness the Turks call Pambuck or Cotton: And having re­ceived information from the Greeks, that Hierapolis vvas there to be seen, Curiosity carried us thither; of vvhich place Strabo reporteth in this manner.

Hierapolis is seated over against Laodicea, Hiera­polis. vvhere are to be seen Baths [Page 65] of hot Waters and the Plutonium. The Waters easily congeal the earth whereon they run into Stone, so that the Chanels are firm Rock: The Plutonium is under the brow of the Hill, the entrance into which is no wider, than that a man can thrust himself through; yet it is very deep within, of a quadrangular Form, containing about the compass of half an Acre, and is filled with such a thick and caliginous air, that the ground cannot be seen. At the new Moon the poysonous air contains it self within the circumference of the Cave, so that a man may approach to the mouth of it at that time with­out danger: but if any living Crea­ture ventures to go in, it immedi­ately expires: Cattel which have been put in there have been drawn out dead, and some Sparrows which we let flye therein, presently dyed. Those which attend the Temples [Page 66] enter in without danger; because perhaps that they are full of an En­thusiastical Spirit, and so are pre­served by Divine Providence; or else because they have discovered some Conservatives against the Pe­stilence of that air. The Water of Hierapolis, which so abounds, that the whole City is full of Baths, hath an admirable vertue for dying, so that Colours dyed there with the help of certain Roots, equal the best Scarlets and Purple [...] of other places. Thus far Strabo: but what we our selves saw and observed, was in this manner.

We mounting at first an ascent towards the Ruines, observed the ground to be covered with a soft brittle Stone, crusted by the hot Wa­ters, which descend with a full Stream from the Hill. Being come to the top, the first Object which presented it self to our sight, and to [Page 67] put us in mind of our own morta­lity, as well as of the period and sub­version of Cities, were certain mag­nificent Tombs of entire Stone, I may rather call them Coffins, with Covers of the same cut in a Cubical Form: one bore the Sculpture as it seemed of Apollo in a Chariot, but the Charioteer was dismounted, and both he and the other part of the Monument subverted. Other S [...] pulchres there were, like small Chap­pels, covered with ridges of vast Stones, instead of Lead or Tiles to cast off rain: other Vault and Char­nel-Houses lay open, where lay ex­posed the white Bones of men, light and dry, and as durable almost as the Walls of the City. Near here­unto was the Campus Martius, or a place which seemed to have been designed for Exercises and Feats of Arms. Proceeding farther, we en­tered into a solitude so dismal, as [Page 68] affected our minds with a strange confusion, and with the thoughts of the sad fate of this unhappy City. The Waters which tumbled down the precipice added by its mur­muring sound to the melancholy of the place, and as they run petri­fie all before them, making rude Channels for themselves of Stone; and where sometimes they overflow they petrifie the earth with a brittle crust. In the midst of the City is a Bath of [...]ot Waters, paved at the bottom w [...]th white Marble; but the Pavement [...]s now disordered by the fall of Pilla [...]s and other Ornaments which encompass it; for it seems to have been [...]et off with Columns and Arches, agreeable to the Magnifi­cence of antique Buildings, and to the excellent Vertues of the Waters. For I am of opinion, that the qua­lity of those Waters at the begin­ning drew Inhabitants to that place; [Page 69] the situation thereof not being o­therwise advantagious for Trade, no more than the air seems condu­cing to health, lying open to a large Plain on the South, and is shut in to the North with a high Mountain. It might also in probability have had the Name of Hierapolis from the Medicinal Vertue of those Waters which often have been accounted sacred, and dedicated to some Deity; or else perhaps the Cures they ope­rated in many Diseases, might be­stow the Name on it of the Holy Ci­ty, as Rivers and Fountains have up­on less considerable occasions been hallowed, and accounted sacred by the Gentiles. Not far distant re­mains the ruine of a Theatre, The Theatre. not very large but sumptuous, of a round Form; the Seats about 23 in number, one above the other, but it is almost filled with the downfall of vast and weighty Pillars; the [Page 70] Marble of which is so curiously po­lished and still smooth, and not de­faced (especially those parts of it which the rubbish and stones have preserved from the weather) that I have not observed better in the Countries of Christendom. Some Inscriptions we found, but such as were worn out with time, and bro­ken off in the midst, only this was very legible on the Portal of a Gate, which was fallen into the Theatre. ‘ [...]’ Some Authors say, that the multi­tude of Temples and Fanes with which this City did abound, was the reason they gave unto it that Name of Hierapolis, or the Holy City. And indeed the Ruines of vast Fabricks are so numerous, that we may well believe, that the false Gods had once there a great posses­sion and share of Worship: and as [Page 71] the Walls and Pillars are the great­est and strongest that I have observ­ed, so the Coverings or Roofs are the most different from all others that I have seen, being Stones of an incredible magnitude and weight, which by force of Engines being carried aloft, are there close ce­mented, without the help of Tim­ber, and what is more of arched work, are yet joined so artificially, that unto this day they remain im­moveable either by Time or Earth­quakes.

In this place is still to be seen the Grota, The pe­stilential Grota. or Cayern so much defamed by ancient Writers, and particular­ly by Strabo, as before mentioned, for those pestilential or noxious Va­pours which it perspires, infecting the air about it with unwholsom A­toms; the which Pliny confirms, lib. 2. cap. 83. Nat. Hist. Simili modo spe­cus est Hierapoli in Asia, matris tan­tum [...] [Page 64] [...] [Page 65] [...] [Page 66] [...] [Page 67] [...] [Page 68] [...] [Page 69] [...] [Page 70] [...] [Page 71] [Page 72] [...] do [...] in [...]; [...] Fi [...]h­ci specus quorum exhalatione temu­lenti futura praecinunt. The Turks that have had the curiosity to enter into this Cave, being ignorant of ill Vapours, have often felt the bad effects of them, having either sud­denly dyed, or else fallen desperate­ly sick: and therefore have a report generally amongst them, that the place is haunted by Spirits, which strike men dead that have the bold­ness to enter into their Region. For my part I would not go near it; for I ingenuously confess, that Curiosi­ty was never so prevalent in me, as to make those Experiments, which might hazard either my life or prejudice my health.

This place which had the honour formerly to be a Metropolis, and Laodicea which was also the Mother-Church of 16 Bishopricks, now lies desolate, not so much as inhabited [Page 73] by Shephe [...], and [...] [...]ag from the Ornament of Gods ancient Wor­ship, which renowned them in for­mer Ages, that they cannot now boast of an Anchorite or Hermite's Chappel, where Gods Name is prais­ed or invoked.

Passing forward to Philadelphia, a­bout 12 miles distant from Hiera­polis, we saw the Ruines of Tripolis, and thereabouts crossed again the Meander.

Philadelphia now inhabited by Turks, Philadel­phia. and by them called Ala-shahir, or the fair City, is more happy than the other two Churches before men­tioned, viz. Ephesus and Laodicea: For it still retains the Form of a Ci­ty, with something of Trade to in­vite people to it, being the Road of the Persian Caravans: Though the Walls which encompass it are de­cayed in many places, and accord­ing to the Custom of the Turks are [Page 74] wholy neglected: Besides which there is little of Antiquity remain­ing, unless the Ruines of a Church dedicated to S. John, which is now made a Dunghill to receive the Of­fals of dead Beasts. Howsoever, God hath been pleased to preserve some in this place to make professi­on of the Christian Faith; for it be­ing inhabited by many Greeks, is a­dorned with no less than Twelve Churches, of which S. Mary's and S. George's are the chief, which we visited; there the Chief Papa's pre­sented before us some Manuscripts of the Gospel, pretending them to be very ancient, but we could hard­ly be perswaded to believe them so, because the Gospel of S. John, as the prime Apostle of Asia, was prefixed in the first place, and because the Chapters were not disposed in their due form and order, but according only to the method observed in their Missals.

[Page 75]The situation of Philadelphia, is on the rising of the Mountain Tmolus, having a pleasant prospect on the plains beneath well furnished with divers Villages, and watered (as I take it) by the Pactolus. The only raritie which the Turks show in that place to Travellers, is a wall of Mens bones, which they report to have been erected by the Prince, which first took that City, who having slaughtered many of the be­sieged in a sally, for the terrour of those which survived, raised a wall of their bones, which is so well ce­mented, and the bones so entire, that I brought a piece thereof with me from thence.

About 27 miles to the North­west from Philadelphia, lye the ru­ines of the Anciently famous City of Sardis, Sardis one likewise of the seven Churches, of which Strabo gives this account. [...] [Page 76] [...] &c. The City of Sardis is great and ancient, and yet of later days than the State of the Trojans. It hath a Castle well fortified, and is the Capital City of the Lydians, called by Homer Maeo­ne: the Mountain Tmolus hangs o­ver this City, on the top of which is erected a high Tower of white Stone built after the Persian man­ner, from whence is a pleasing prospect overall the adjacent plains; and thence also you may take a view of the Cayister. Out of the Tmo­lus flows the Pactolus, whose streams of ancient times carried great Flakes of Gold with its cur­rent, from whence Craesus and his Ancestors amassed their Riches: But now the springs of Gold are failed. The Rivers Pactolus and Hyllas fall into the Hermus, and afterwards those three joyned with more ignoble streams, empty them­selves [Page 77] into the Phocean Sea, now called Fogia, or rather Fochia. But whatsoever this City was in former days, it is now only a poor Habi­tation of Shepherds, living in low and humble Cottages; howsoever the ancient Pillars and Ruines list up their heads, as unwilling to lose the memory of their ancient Glory, once the Seat of the rich Craesus. This City is also seated at the foot of the Tmolus, as Strabo before-men­tioned hath well described it; the which also Pliny confirms in these words: Celebratur maxime Sardis in latere Montis Tmoli, &c. The Ca­stle which is erected on a high and steep Mountain is very difficult to ascend, and almost inaccessible by force of Arms; but being on the top, there appears the most pleasant prospect that ever my eyes beheld, to which the Pactolus gives a won­derful embellishment, which turns [Page 78] and winds so delightfully through all the Plains, watering all parts a­bout in that manner, as to make that Country exceeding fertile and rich, and from thence might give occasion of that saying, that the Pactolus ran with golden streams: Over the Gate I read this Inscription,

Pergamus, another of those se­ven Churches of Asia, called by the Turks Bergam, which was amongst the rest so highly honoured with the aforesaid Divine Epistle, lyes about Sixty Miles North-ward from Smyrna, once the Regal City over the Provinces of My­sia, AEolis, Jonia, Lydia, and Caria, and afterwards bequeathed to the Roman Empire by the Will and [Page 79] Testament of Attalus the last King thereof; whose Antiquity and Fame is celebrated, and recorded in Strabo in this manner. Lysima­chus the Son of Agathocles, one of the successours of Alexander, kept his Treasure at Pergamus: the situa­tion whereof is on the side of a small Hill, or Mount, which near the top ends in a Conical Form. The charge and defence of this City was committed to Philetaetus an Eunuch, who amidst many Treasons and Revolutions remain­ed faithful to his Prince, concern­ing the Government of the Castle for the space of 20 years; during which time Lysimachus being slain by Seleucus Nicator, the eldest Son of Philetaetus called Eumenes obtain­ed the Government of the City and Country of Pergamus, whose Son Eu­menes overthrew Antiochus the Son of Seleucus in the plains of Sardis: him [Page 80] Atta [...]us succeeded, who was the first that was honoured with the Title of King. After he overcame the Galatae, or Gallo-Grecians, in a bloody Battel; and was he who joyning confederacy with the Ro­mans against King Philip, was their true and faithful Ally, to whose Son Eumenes, after the victory over Antiochus in the plains of Magne [...] at Sipylum, was committed the Go­vernment of all that Country, which extends it self to the Mountain Ta [...] ­reo. But that which I observed of the City Pergamus, as it now stands at present, is this: that its situation is on the side of a Hill, which Stra­bo saith, is in a Conical Form, hav­ing a prospect into a most pleasant, and fruitful Plain, watered by the River Caicus, and abounding with all sorts of Fruits the Earth also yielding with little pains, or industry, causes the people to become lazy and neg­ligent, [Page 65] which manured with the same care as is practised in the like naturally happy Countries would prove one of the most fertile Gar­dens and Paradises of the World: for from the top of that small hill which over-shadows the City, (small I say in respect of the adjacent Mountains) on which stands an an­cient Castle, or rather the Walls thereof ill repaired, so pleasant a prospect discovers it self on all sides of the Plain, as for some hours may well entertain the Eyes of a Stranger with great delight. The Inhabitants being slothful, and abhorring la­bour, addict themselves principally to Thefts and Robberies, being more pleased to seize a Booty in their Plains with rapine and violence, than with honest and religious labour to purchase their Bread by turning up the rich Clods of their Native Soyl; by which means this City goes more [...] [Page 80] [...] [Page 65] [Page 66] and more to decay and ruine, meer­ly for want of Industry: So that whereas about 10 years past there were 53 Streets of this Town inha­bited, there are now only 22 fre­quented, the others are deserted, and their Buildings go to ruine. Here are still many remains and ap­pearances of antique Buildings, such as vast Pillars of Marble subverted: One place seems to have been the Palace of the Prince still conserved by Columns of polished Marble, which like Buttresses support the Wall for at least 50 paces in length. There are also the Ruines of several Churches, one of which, more spa­cious and magnificent than the rest, is by Tradition of the Greeks of that Country, reported to have been de­dicated to Saint John, and to have been the Cathedral of that City. Se­veral other Churches are possessed by the Mahometans, and employed [Page 67] their superstitious Devotion, amongst which (as reported by the Greeks and confessed by the Turks) there are two, one anciently dedicated to S. John, and another to S. Demetrius, both which the Turks have relin­quished, the first because (as report goes) the Walls fall as much by night as they are built by day; and the other, because the Door of the Menareh or Steeple, which above where they call to Prayers points al­ways towards Mecha, which is to the South-East, did in a miraculous manner after it was built turn it self to the North, to which point that Door now looks, of which I my self have been an Eye-witness; but what deceit may have been herein contrived by the Greek Masons, I am not able to aver. There are al­so vast Ruines without the City of arched-work, and some remainders of a Theatre; but there wanting In­scriptions [Page 68] and Tradition of the In­habitants to direct us, we were wholy in the dark, and could make no certain conjectures or judgment of what they might have been; on­ly it is probable that such vast Piles of Building are the Reliques of Pub­lick Edifices, amongst which this Inscription came to our view as en­graven in a Marble Stone within the Walls of the upper Castle.

[...].

[Page 69]Gaium Antium, Aulum Tullium Auli filium Quadratum, bis Consulem, Pro­consulem Asiae, septem Virum Mepulo­nis [...] Fratrem-Arvalem Legatum, & Propraetorem, & Bithyniae Legatum, Asiae Legatum Imperialem, Provinciae Ca­padociae Proconsulem, Cretae Cypri Le­gatum Imperialem, Praefectum belli, Lyciae & Pamphyliae Legatum, Pro­praetorem Imperatoris Neronis, Trajani, Caesaris Augusti, Germanici, Dacici, Provinciae Syriae, Senatus & Populus Primorum Procerum Pergamensium Benefactorem, qui curam suscepit re­staurandae Militae.

Through the upper part of this City of Pergamus runs a very plenti­ful Stream of Water, which in ma­ny places is honoured by Antiquity with magnificent Arches in form of a Bridge; and this Stream I appre­hend to have been named Selimus; Selimus. according to Pliny, longe (que) clarissi­mum Asiae Pergamum, quod interme­at [Page 70] Selimus, praesluit Cetius, prosusus Pindaso Monte. It is observable, that in the City are many Vaults under ground, almost under every House and under every Street, which must have been either Cisterns or convey­ances for Water. And thus much shall serve to have spoken of Pergamus.

And now from this place we shall proceed in our search and enquiry for Thyatira: for being satisfied (as is said before) that Tyria so called by the Turks, could not be Thyatira, for those undeniable Reasons before mentioned: We passed on from Pergamus South-East through the Plains, with hopes to find some Ru­ines on the North-side of the Phry­gian River, and being guided there­unto by Ferrarius, who placeth Thya­tira between Sardis and Pergamus, viz. 30 miles from the first, and 58 miles from the latter Southward: and taking likewise direction in our [Page 71] journey from Strabo, who says, a Pergamo versus Austrum montosum est dorsum (on which dorsum, or ridge of a Hill, is a handsome Turkish Town, called at present Soma) quo superato in itinere versus Sardes, urbs est Thyatira Macedonum colonia, quam ultimam Mysorum esse sunt qui dicant. In this journey, when we sup­posed our selves to draw near to the Place, for which we searched, we made enquiry of the Turks for ancient Ruines, who di­rected us to a certain place which they call Mermer or Marble, called so from the large Quarries of Mar­ble which arise there, and are the finest and whitest Veins that ever I beheld, of which there remained certain ruined Houses; but they were so evidently modern, that they looked nothing like the ancient Thya­tira, but rather the subversion of some Turkish Bui [...]dings; which, as [Page 72] we understood afterwards, had been deserted by its Inhabitants, and that they removed thence to a more commodious situation not far di­stant, which they denominated from the white Marble-Rocks of their old habitation, calling it Ak­hisar, or White-Castle.

To that place thence being about five English miles we bended our course, The true Thya­tira. and found it a City well in­habited, and considerable for the Trade of Cottons. At our entrance into this City casting our Eyes on Pillars and broken Stones with rare Sculptures, and on certain Inscripti­ons, which at a distance were so fair, that they seemed almost legible, we immediately apprehended, that this must have been the ancient Thyatira: farther enquiry gave light to our Conjectures, and changed our pro­bable into arguments of demon­stration For entering now within [Page 73] the Gates of the Town, and espying carved Works in Stone, more an­tique than the Turkish Nation it self, and better polished than what was ever effected by their Art or In­dustry, we immediately concluded, that we had certainly found that of which we had been so long in quest; the which was more assuredly con­firmed, so soon as we read this fol­lowing Inscription, which we took from the Pedestal of a Pillar in the midst of the Market-place, which served to support the new Building.

In English thus.

The most potent Council of the Thya­tyrenians have honoured Claudius Aurelius, Proclus, &c.

[Page 74]This Inscription wherein Thyatira is named put us beyond all doubt of having found the City for which we looked, and gave us encourage­ment to make farther examination herein, so that proceeding forwards we found the Stone of a Sepulchre, of which a Tanner made use, filled with Hides and Lime, as followeth,

As this City is named the most Potent and the most great City of Thyatira in the foregoing Inscripti­ons, so in this following it is called the most Excellent City, as we found it wrote on a large Sepulchre, pla­ced in an open Court belonging to a Turk of Quality, brought thither [Page 75] to adorn it, or for a Cistern or some other services.

[...].

In this Inscription the Reader ought to pardon somewhat of the barbarousness of the language, and also make some allowance to him that took it from the Stone, worn much with time and weather; but the sense thereof is manifest, that it was erected in memory of Fabius So­simus, and his Wife Aurelia Pontia­na, and that the most excellent City of Thyatira had laid a Mulct of [Page 84] Prince, where he hath no Subjects of People to obey him: So it is with this Patriarch, who for Formality only constitutes some Bishops under him with the ancient Titles of Ephe­sus and Laodicea, &c. which perhaps lye buried in their Ruines, (as we have declared in the foregoing Chapter) or at least cannot boast of three Families of Christians, amongst which the The Greeks call their Bishops by the name of [...] Despotical Power may be exercised. Howsoever God Al­mighty, still mindful of his pro­mise to his Holy Church, hath in a wonderful and miraculous manner supported and conserved the Juris­diction of this Patriarch most con­siderably, in the Consciences of Mil­lions of Christians, unto this day, diffused over a large part both of Europe and Asia, which, that the Christian Reader may observe to the Glory of God, I have here set them down in order as followeth.

[Page 85]The Arch-Bishopricks under the Patriarch of Constantinople are in number 13. Viz.

• 1. Heraclea, which contains under it five Bishopricks, viz.
  • Callipolis,
  • Rodesso,
  • Tyriloe,
  • Metrae,
  • Myriophyton,
• 2. The ssalonica, now called Salonica, contains under it eight Bisho­pricks, viz.
  • Kytros,
  • Serveia,
  • Campania,
  • Petra,
  • Ardemerion,
  • Hieroros, or Athos,
  • Plantamon,
  • Poleane.
• 3. Athens, under which are four Bishopricks, viz.
  • Talantion,
  • Skirros,
  • Solon,
  • Mendinitza.
• [Page 86]4. Lacedaemonla, un­der which are three Bishopricks, viz.
  • Caryopolis,
  • Amyela,
  • Bessena,
• 5. Larissa, under which are ten Bisho­pricks, viz.
  • Demetrius,
  • Zetonion,
  • Stagon,
  • Thaumacos,
  • Gardikion,
  • Radobisdion,
  • Skiathos,
  • Lordorikion,
  • Letza,
  • Agraphon.
• 6. Adrianople under which is only the Bishoprick of Agathopolis.
• 7. Tornobon, under which are 3 Bishop­ricks, viz.
  • Lophitsus,
  • Zenovos,
  • Presilava.
• [Page 87]8. Johanna, under which are four Bi­shopricks, viz.
  • Bothrontos,
  • Vella,
  • Chimarra,
  • Drumopolis.
• 9. Monenbasia, under which are four Bi­shopricks, viz.
  • Elos,
  • Maina,
  • Reon,
  • Andrusa.
• 10. Methynna, an Arch-Bishoprick.
• 11. Phanarion, under which is Neo­chorion.
• 12. Patras, under which are three Bi­shopricks, viz.
  • Olene,
  • Morhon,
  • Coron.
• 13. Proconesus, under which are two Bi­shopricks, viz.
  • Ganos,
  • Cora.

Other Bishopricks, more immedi­ately [Page 88] depending on the Patriarch, are Caesarea, Ephesus, Ancyra, Cyzicos, Nicomedia, Nicaea, Chalcedon, Trape­zond, Philippopolis, Philippi and Dra­ma, Thebes, Smyrna, Mitylene, Serra, Christianopolis, Amasia, Neocaesarea, Iconium, Corintb, under which only is the Bishoprick of Damalon.

Rhodes, Nova Patra, Anus Dry­strius, Euripus, Arta Nauplos, Chios, Paronaxia, Melos, Zia, Siphnos, Sa­mos, Caspathos, Andro, Varna, Coos, Leucas, Media on the black Sea, So­zopolis not far from Adrianople, So­phia, Praelabon upon the Danubius, Bindene near Sophia.

Bozia, Selibrea near Constantino­ple, [Page 89] Zuchna in Macedonia, Neuroco­pus, Melenicos, Berrea, Pogogiana in Illyricum, Chaldaea near the black Sea, Pisidia, Murea, Santorina, Imbros AEgina, Ogeroblachia near the black Sea.

In Moldavia and Valachia are four Bishopricks. The Arch-Bishop of Epikion in Servia, who hath 16 Bi­shops under him, and of Ocrida which hath 18, are not subject to the Patriarch of Constantinople, the certain reason of which I cannot assign.

The Island of Cyprus was in its Ecclesiastical Government subjected once to the Patriarch of Antioch; but afterwards by the Council of Ephesus as Canon the Eighth, and the same again confirmed by the Grace and Favour of Justinian the Emperour, (whose Mother was a Cypriot by Birth;) this Church was made absolute and independent of any other, Cyprus. and a priviledge given to [Page 90] Anthemius, the Arch-Bishop in that Age, to subscribe his Name to all Publick Acts in red Letters, which was an honour above that of any Patriarch, who writes his Name or Firm in black Characters, the which was afterwards confirmed by the Authority of Zeno the Emperour: This Favour and Indulgence was granted in honour to the Apostle Barnaby, who primarily governed this Diocess, where now his Sepulcher remains. The Arch-Bishoprick, du­ring the time that it was under the Duke of Savoy and the Republick of Venice, was the Mother of 32 Bi­shopricks, but now by the oppressi­on and violence of the Turks hath been reduced to one Arch-Bishoprick and three Bishopricks. The first hath its Cathedral Church at Nico­sia, and receives its Revenue from Famagosta, Carpasi, and Tamasea, which are immediately subject [Page 91] thereunto. The Bishopricks are,

First, that of Paso, and Arsenoia, or Arsinoe.

The Second, that of Cyti, and A­mathunta, anciently Cetium or Citi­um and Amathusia.

The third, that of Cerinia and So­lea, anciently called Salines, or Sa­lamine from Salamis, and was the most renowned City of all the o­thers.

This Island before it was taken by the Turks, contained 14 thousand Villages: but after a Rebellion they made against the Turk, Anno 1580. and 1593. the greatest part of the Inhabitants were either killed or ex­terminated: to which the grievous Pestilence which succeeded in the Year 1624. added so irreparable a desolation, that of the 14 thousand Villages there remain not 700 at this present time.

The Archbishop of this Island in [Page 92] this year 1678. is named Hilarion, and sirnamed Cicala, created and promoted to this Dignity in the year 1674. a learned man, and well skilled in the Greek and Latine Tongues. His Revenue or main­tenance arises from the Churches of Famagosta, Carpasi, and Tamasea, ac­cording to the Ecclesiastical Endow­ments: but from the Villages he re­ceives nothing, unless at the Visits which he makes twice a year, some Collection is made of Corn, Oyl, Wine, and other Fruits, in the na­ture of Tythes, but rather by way of Presents and Free-will Offerings, than of Duties. From the Mona­steries he receives a certain annual Income or Rent, according to the Abilities and Possessions thereof, and from every Papa, or Priest, a Dollar yearly per Head: All which will scarce maintain a Patriarch, or yield him other than a poor livelihood. For [Page 93] when a Patriarch is first constituted, a Purse of Money or 500 Dollars is exacted, and paid to the Pasha, and as much more to the Janisa­ries; besides the ordinary growing charges, which are yearly about 2500 dollars. For to the Pasha every three Months are paid 166 dollars; and to the Janisary, which is set for a guard to the Partriarch, 20 or 25 dollars, as he thinks fit to agree: also upon the coming of a new Kadi there is always a new Expence, who commands what he pleases in Money or Presents; so that with these Taxes and Exactions the Church is always harassed and made poor.

The Bishop of Pafo, named at present Leontius, who hath the City of Arsinoia under his Jurisdiction, gathers his maintenance after the manner of the Archbishop. Pafo was anciently a Port of good fame [Page 94] and renown, and is so at present; from whence is yearly shipped off a considerable quantity of Cottons, Silk, and other Merchandise; but by the oppression and hard usage of the Turks, and the covetousness of the Officers, is reduced to poverty and want of people. The second Diocess govern'd by its Bishop, is that of Cetium, or after the Vulgar Cyti, hath under its Government the City of Limeson, Cilan, Ama­thunte, and another City anciently a Diocess, adjoined to it, called Cyri­on: of which place one Cosma was Bishop some few years past, a per­son of good Ingenuity and Learn­ing, born at Tunis in Africa, his Fa­ther of Thessalonica, and his Mother of Cyprus, with whom having some acquaintance, I had the opportuni­ty to make these Collections relat­ing to the state and condition of that place.

[Page 95]The third Diocess is of Cerinia, the Bishops name at present Leonti­us, having three Cities under it, viz. Solea, Pentasia, and Marathusa, the which is governed and maintained in the same manner as the other Diocesses.

The Names of the Patriarchs in this present year are Dionysius of Con­stantinople, 1678. Paisios of Alexandria, Theositios of Jerusalem, and Macarios of Antioch, which names they take upon themselves when they first en­ter into Monasteries or a Religious life.

The Patriarch of Constantinople The Ce­remony in creating the Patri­arch of Constan­tinople. is elected by the Metropolites, or Bishops, according to the plurality of Voices; but afterwards consti­tuted and confirmed by the G. Sig­nor, before whom after his Electi­on he presents himself with all hu­mility: and the G. Signor after the ancient Custom of the Greek Em­perours [Page 96] presents him with a white Horse, a Manto or black Coole, a pastoral staff, with a Costan or figured Vest: and being moun­ted on his Horse with a Train of the Clergy, and principal Persons of the Greek Nation, and accom­panied with a great Number of Turkish Officers, he returns with all solemnity to the Patriarchal Seat, at the entry into which he is met and received by the chief Metropolites, and others with wax Tapers burning in their hands, and by them conducted into the Church; and there before the Al­tar is consecrated by the Arch-Bi­shop of Heraclea, who habited in his Pontifical Garments takes the Patriarch by the hand, and seats him in the Patriarchal Chair, sets the Mitre on his Head, and com­mits the Crosier to his hand; which being performed, and the Offices [Page 97] sung, the whole Ceremony is ended.

The Contention Conten­tions for the Office of Patri­arch. between the Greek Clergy, for the Patriarchal Power at Constantinople, hath begot­ten many troubles in the Church; for such whom Ambition and Co­vetousness excite with a desire of this Ecclesiastical Preferment, and having some Riches of their own, and Cre­dit to make up the rest at Interest, seldom or never miss the prize they pursue; for the Arguments of Gifts and Benefits are so prevalent with the G. Vizier, and the other Turkish Officers, that they can afford easie admittance to the most frivolous Accusation that may be objected against the present Incumbent; by which means the Patriarch is often changed, and the Debts of the Church increased, and the Election rather in the hands of the Turk than the Bishops; the one being guided [Page 98] by Bribes, and the other by Faction; by which means the Debts of the Church in the year 1672, (as I was informed by the Bishop of Smyrna) amounted unto 700 Purses of Mo­ny, which makes 350 thousand Dol­lars; the Interest of which increasing daily, and rigorously extorted by the Power of the most covetous and considerable Turkish Officers, who lend or supply the Money, is the reason and occasion that the Patriarch often summons all his Archbishops and Bishops to appear at Constantinople, that so they may consult and agree on an expedient to ease in some measure the present Bur­den and Pressure of their Debts; the payment of which is often the oc­casion of new Demands: For the Turks, finding this Fountain the fresher, and more plentifully flow­ing for being drained, continually suck from this Stream, which is to [Page 99] them more sweet, for being the Blood of the Poor, and the life of Christians.

It is a remarkable Story, and ve­ry pertinent to this place, which the Bishop of Smyrna, when he once did me the honour to make me a Visit, recounted to me. That not long since certain Principal Officers amongst the Turks perswaded, or ra­ther forced, a poor, simple Kaloir to stand Candidate for the Patri­archal Office, and to cheapen it at the price of 25000 Dollars, which offer the Turks signified to the Pa­triarch, that so he might either pay the Money himself, and thereby purchase his Confirmation, or pre­pare to give way to a new Successor. The whole Assembly of the Greek Clergy were greatly perplexed here­at; yet knew not which way to re­solve: For to accept of this Kaloir for Patriarch, who was poor, and [Page 100] brought nothing with him, besides his contemptible Person and Debt (which they must at length pay) would bring a scandal and scorn on the Church, besides the bad Bargain they should make in exchange of their Patriarch. Wherefore at length applying themselves with great Hu­mility to the Vizier, they obtained a remission of 5000 Dollars of the price demanded; and on payment of 20000 procured the continuance of their old Patriarch; which mat­ter being thus accommodated, the Clergy desired that the Kaloir might be delivered into their hands to re­ceive punishment according to the Canons of their Church; but this would not be granted, lest such an Example should deter Men from the like designs, and thereby preju­dice the Musselmin Cause and Inte­rest: Nor can the Laws and Canons in the Church against Simony pre­vail; [Page 101] for the Clergy are tender to assert their power of Excommuni­cation in this point, or any other part of their Spiritual Authority, which the Temporal Power of the Turk, in those Cases where his In­terest commands, over-awes and frustrates; usurping a power more Ecclesiastical, Supreme, and Ponti­fical, than that of the Patriarch. But to evidence the turbulent State of the Greek Church, The late differen­ces in the Church. we shall not need to fetch Examples farther back than from the year of our Lord 1670, when one Mythodius was Pa­triarch at Constantinople, in which Office he had not been long seated, before he was forced by one Parthe­nius to retire, and hastily to take up his Bag and Baggage and be gone, and flye for Sanctuary into the House of the English Ambassadour; it being usual for the new Patriarch to seize on the person of his Prede­cessor, [Page 102] with his Goods and Estate, for paying the Debts of the Church, and part of that price for which the Patriarchate was bought by him; for which seldom wants some just Cause, or at least a seeming pre­tence; in regard, that not only the real necessity of the Church Debts, forces the Patriarchs to extort Mo­ney from the People, but likewise a provident care for their future sub­sistence, prompts them to make Friendship with the Mammon of Unrighteousness, against that time that they shall be necessitated to sur­render an account of their Steward­ship. And I have heard some say, that this change of Patriarchs is so necessary for the maintenance of their Metropolites or Bishops, that without it they might starve; unless they had this pretence for frequent Taxes: For levying Money in this manner on the people, some of it [Page 103] sticks to their Fingers, providing not only sufficient to pay the pro­portion expected from their respe­ctive Diocesses, but also for their own support.

Mythodius having no sooner, as is said, quitted the place, but Parthe­nius entered, a person not only of a considerable Estate, but well ac­quainted and respected in the Tur­kish Court: Howsoever he conti­nued not above a year, before he was forced to give way to Dionysius, Me­tropolite of Larissa; who being a monied Man carryed his business with a high hand, and entered into the Patriarchal Seat with all the Ce­remonies usual at the Instalment to that Dignity, procuring not only the Banishment of Parthenius unto Rhodes, but caused him also to be Anathematized, and the [...] to be pronounced with a loud Voice, in a full Synod or Convocation of [Page 104] all the Metropolites then present at Constantinople.

Notwithstanding which, Dionysius did not long sit quietly, before he was disturbed with some vexations from the Wife of Panaioti, Interpre­ter to the Great Vizier, who being a high-spirited Dame, and elevated with the thoughts of her Husbands Riches and Preferment, comported her self in the Church, towards the Patriarch, with an arrogance unde­cent and mis-becoming the gravity of a principal Matron, which caus­ed Dionysius sometimes to resent her Carriage, and to discourse contemp­tibly of her; as is natural for men to speak of those who assume too much unto themselves: With which this Lady being provoked, made Complaints to her Husband, who, sympathizing with the grievance of his Wife, attended an opportunity to satisfie her Feminine Revenge; [Page 105] the which was not long expected before one Gerasimus, Metropolite of Turnova, on the Borders of Va­lachia, presented himself as a Can­didate, or one sufficiently qualified for the Patriarchal Office; and in the first place applyed himself to Panaioti, who being a Greek, and near the G. Vizier, was best able to repre­sent his qualifications and his offers to the Court, the which he perform­ed, in complascency to his Wife, with that pressure and heat, that Ge­rasimus was speedily invested in the Patriarchal See, and Dionysius depo­sed, and forced to content himself with the Bishoprick of Phillipopolis, where he remained with the Title of [...] of that place, which is an ho­nour given to those who have for­merly born the Dignity of Patri­arch.

Of all these changes and mutati­ons Parthenius received intelligence, [Page 106] though far remote in his Exile at Rhodes, which he observed with such attention, as served to shuffle him into play at the next Game: For ha­ving in the time of being Patriarch amassed a considerable Treasure (soon after the death of Panaioti the great Patron of Gerasimus) he push­ed again for the Patriarchal Office, and notwithstanding all the resi­stance made to the contrary, and the formal Anathema's and Curses used against him at the time of his deposition, he wrested it again to himself, and enjoyed it in despite of all his Adversaries, for some Months; until that Dionysius, the [...] of Phillipopolis, observing what success attended Parthenius in his Restora­tion, resolved to tread the same path, the which he prosecuted so effectually, that he crouded out Parthenius again, and in this year 1678, Dionysius sits in the Patriar­chal [Page 107] Throne, there to remain until some other, who making a new proffer of advantage to the Turkish Court, shall expel him from thence. In this manner the G. Signor seems to be Head of the Greek Church, and Arbitrator in all their differen­ces; which every good Christian ought with sadness to consider, and with compassion to behold this once glorious Church to tear and rent out her own bowels, and give them for food to Vultures and Ravens, and to the wild and fierce Creatures of the World.

In former times the Church paid no more to the G. Signor, at the change of a Patriarch, than ten thousand Dollars; but the multi­tude of Pretenders for this Office, hath enhansed the price to 25000 Dollars. Formerly also the Instal­ment of a Patriarch was with the Solemnity and Formality before [Page 108] premised; but the daily contests in­troduce that confusion and con­tempt of the Office, as hath left no place for honour or respect, so that a Patriarch ascends his Throne, and takes hold of the Mitre and Crosier with as little Ceremony, as an or­dinary Priest or Curate takes posses­sion of his Living or Vicaridge, or when he takes hold of the Ring of the Church door.

The Patriarch cannot act in his Office, nor any other Bishop in his See, without a Baratz or Commis­sion from the G. Signor: Nor is any Monastery allowed or protected, nor the Prior or Guardian endued with a power over his Monks, but by virtue of his Baratz: A Copy of one of which given formerly to the Latine Bishop of Scio, I have thought fit here to insert, for the better evi­dence of the matter and curiosity of the Style.

[Page 109]The Command and Decree of the Noble and Royal Signature of the High State, Copy of a Patent whereby the G. Signior makes Bishops. and Sublime Seat of the Fair Imperial Firm, which enforces the Universe, and through the assi­stance of God, and defence of the Su­preme Benefactor is received, and obey­ed by all, as followeth.

The Priest which is named Andrea Soffiano, who hath in his hands this Imperial and Blessed Command, is now by vertue of these Letters Patents of high State, created Bishop of those who profess to be of the Latin Rite in the Island of Scio; and having brought with him his old Baratz, and desiring that the same might be renewed, and having to that end paid into our Treasury 600 Aspers, as the usual Fee in such Cases, I have therefore granted to this Andrea Soffiano this Baratz, as the perfection of Felicity. And moreover, I command that he go and be Bishop of the Chri­stians of the aforesaid Rite, inhabiting [Page 110] that Island, according to the usual and ancient Custom, and vain and unpro­fitable Ceremonies; willing and com­manding that all Religious Priests, and all other Christians both great and small of the same Rite, inhabiting that Island, do acknowledge the said Priest for their Bishop; and that on every business, which shall depend or apper­tain on, or of his Office and Episcopal Jurisdiction, they have recourse unto him, not deviating from his equitable and just Sentence. Moreover, that no other do meddle or concern himself, when the said Bishop, according to his unpro­fitable and vain Ceremonies, shall con­stitute or deprive in or of his Office any Priest or Religious person, as he shall judge him deserving or undeserving; and that no Priest or Fryar of the said Rite presume to marry any persons with­out the Consent or License of the said Bishop: And every Will or Testament, which shall be made by any Priest dying, [Page 111] in favour of the poor Churches, shall be firm and valid: And if it should happen out, that any Christian Woman, under the Jurisdiction of this Bishop, should depart from her Husband, or any Husband should abandon his Wife, none shall have power to grant the Divorce, nor intermeddle therein, except the aforesaid Bishop. And in fine, the said Bishop shall enjoy and possess the Vineyards appertaining to his Church, with Gardens, Orchards, Villages, Fields, Barks, Mills, Monasteries, and Pious Legacies bequeathed in favour of his other Churches; and all these Privi­ledges he shall enjoy in the same man­ner, as anciently the Bishops his Pre­decessors have enjoyed before him, and as firmely as ever, without receiving trouble, molestation, or interruption from any person whatsoever. And so be it known, and belief be given to this Noble Signature.

[Page 112]The other three Patriarchs, The other three Pa­triarchs. being far from Court, and from the Evil and Covetous Eyes of the Turks, are the farther removed from Jove's Thunder-bold, and therefore are morefreely elected by the fole Votes and Suffrages of the Bishops, who having chiefly respect to the welfare and flourishing Estate of the Church, do most commonly prefer those who are most signal for their Piety and Learning. The Patriarch of Constantinople, besides the extent of his Jurisdiction, is of greater power, by reason of his Vicinity to the Court: but the Alexandrian is of greater Authority in his Ecclesiasti­cal Censures and Civil Regimen, stiling himself with the Title of [...], or Judge of the world. And the Patriarchs of Antiochia and Jerusalem, by reason of their po­verty, not having sufficient to sub­sist, are little reverenced by the Turks, or their own People.

[Page 113]The Patriarch of Constantinople, who was so great and opulent under the Christian Emperours, is now reduced to a narrow Fortune, being deprived of his certain and setled Revenue, Revenue of the Pa­triarchs. by the violence and sa­criledge of the common Enemy to the Church of Christ; so that the chief income is accidental, arising from the death of Bishops, Arch-Bishops, and ordinary Priests, and from such as are consecrated and admitted into their Diocesses and Parishes: What a deceased Priest leaves (not having Children) accrues to the Patriarch as to the common Father and Heir of them all, from which arises a considerable Revenue every year.

The other Patriarchal Sees, by reason of the paucity and poverty of the Christians, are worse pro­vided; but yet, being far from the Court, have not so many nccessities to satisfie.

[Page 114]The chief subsistence of the secu­lar Priests And of Secular Priests. is from the charity of the People, but they, being cold in that Vertue, as well as in their Devotion, contribute faintly on the days of Of­fering; so that the Clergy, who are the Guardians of the Holy Myste­ries, are forced to sell the Ordinan­ces of the Church for their own sub­sistence; none being able to receive Absolution, or be admitted to Con­fession, or procure Baptism for their Children, or enter into a state of Matrimony, or divorce his Wife, or obtain Excommunication against another, or Communion for the sick, without an agreement first for the price, which the Priests hold up as they discover the Zeal and Abi­lities of the party who cheapens them.

When the Holy Church triumph­ed in the days of Constantine the Great, the Bishops of Rome and [Page 115] Constantinople The Bi­shops of Rome and Con­stanti­nople com­pared. were independent each of other, and afterwards they were also made of equal honour and power; but in regard that for better order and distinction, it was necessary (they two being to meet and concur in the same Council) that the precedency of place should first be determined: The priority of Order, not of Authority, was ad­judged to the Pope, lest old Rome, which was the ancient Mistress of the World, should lose her honour in yielding to the new, which was Constantinople, and had no greater Dignity or Fame than that which she challenged and borrowed from the presence and brightness of the others Emperours: and so much Socrates Scholasticus affirms in these words. In the Council of Constan­tinople Anno 385. in the Reign of Theodosius the Emperour, when Ne­ctanius was chosen Bishop, it was de­creed, [Page 116] That the Bishop of Constanti­nople should possess the next place and prerogative after the Bishop of Rome: And likewise it was determined in the Council of Chalcedon, Can. 28. That the Bishops Seat of new Rome, that is Constantinople, should enjoy equal priviledges with old Rome; and in all Ecclesiastical matters to be ex­tolled and magnified as that of Rome, being the second in or­der after her; the words are these, [...] [...] Nor did the Bishop of Rome ever preside in the first six General Councils (which only are received by the whole Church) either by himself or his Le­gates. This, and such-like honour of precedency, the Church of Greece may yield unto the Church of Rome, and perhaps now rather in these times of Oppression, wherein, being humbled by the hand of God, they seek not worldly Honours, nor [Page 117] swelling Titles, nor Dominions, but are desirous only to govern in the Hearts and Affections of their people. Ambitio, & cupido gloriae, faelicium hominum sunt affectus, saith Tacitus. However, the Oriental Confession doth not seem to conde­scend so far, in that it declares, That notwithstanding the priority of Ho­nour and Antiquity which was for­merly given to Jerusalem and other Churches before that of Constanti­nople, yet afterwards the Council of Constantinople and Chalcedon did give the primacy of honour unto new Rome, and to the Clergy thereof, by reason of the Imperial Power, whose Seat was there. But let us not only hear what the Greeks them­selves do utter in this point, but ob­serve the words of that famous Ve­netian Father Paul Sarpus, who in the 25th Chapter of his History of the Inquisition, hath these pertinent [Page 118] and impartial words: The Eastern and Western Churches continued both in Communion and Christian Charity for the space of nine hun­dred years, and more; in which time the Pope of Rome was reveren­ced and esteemed no less by the Greeks than by the Latines: He was acknowledged for the Successor of St. Peter, and chief of all the Ea­stern Catholick Bishops: In the Per­secutions raised by Hereticks, they implored his Aid, and of other Bi­shops of Italy; and this Peace was easily kept, because the Supreme Power was in the Canons, to which both parts acknowledged themselves subject. Ecclesiastical Discipline was severely maintained in each Coun­try by the Prelates of it, not arbi­trarily but absolutely, according to Order and Canonical Rigour, none putting his hand into the Govern­ment of another, but advised one [Page 119] the other to the observance of the Canons. In those days never any Pope of Rome did pretend to con­fer Benefices in the Diocesses of o­ther Bishops; neither was the cu­stome yet introduced of getting mony out of others by way of Dispensations or Bulls: But as soon as the Court of Rome began to pre­tend that it was not subject to Ca­nons, and that she might, according to her own discretion, alter any Order of the Fathers, Councils, and of the Apostles themselves; and that she attempted, instead of the ancient Primacy of the Apostolical See, to bring in an absolute Dominion, not ruled by any Law, or Canon, then the division grew. And as this di­vision grew between the Eastern and Western Churches for the causes afore­said, so the same Reasons were the causes of division and separation in the Western Church it self: for, as to [Page 120] considering men, nothing seemed more absurd, than the Usurpation of Rome over other Churches, inde­pendent thereon in secular Govern­ment; so to the people who lived under its Dominion, nothing could be more Tyrannical and oppressive.

CHAP. IV.

THE See of Rome taking it for granted that she is the head of the Catholick Church, would seem to deduce from that Principle, undeniable consequences of Infallibility, of Priviledges, Power, [Page 121] and Jurisdiction, as ample, and as extensive as the absolute and supreme Authority of our Lord and Master Jesus: But this being a Foundation rather supposed than real, presumed gratis, and not granted, that Uni­versal Jurisdiction becomes as empty and airy, as those Titles which Popes give to those Patriarchs and Bishops whom they constitute over the se­veral Diocesses of the Eastern Churches, though they neither have a Revenue from thence, nor Com­mand over any of the Greek per­swasion. To evince which with more Evidence, it will be pertinent to understand what Confession here­in the Oriental Church makes and layes down for Orthodox, viz. That as there is one Faith, one Baptism, one God, and one Father of all, so the Church of God is one, Holy, Catholick and Apostolick; which denomination of Catholick (they [Page 122] are the very words of the Confession) the Church doth not take from one particular place, or See predominant over all others, as from Ephesus, Phi­ladelphia, Laodicea, Antioch, Rome, Jeru­salem, or the like, but from an aggregation of all the Christian Churches in the World collected into one Bo­dy, and united under one head Christ Jesus. [...]. It is true, saith this Confes­sion, that Jerusalem may properly be called the Mother Church of the World, it having been the Stage whereon the Mystery of man's Re­demption was represented, and the place where the Gospel was first preached, and the Fountain from whence were derived, through the World, the Streams of that Holy Doctrine which published the Pas­sion [Page 123] and Resurrection of our Savi­our, and made known unto the World the glad Tidings of Repen­tance and remission of Sins; but can betermed the Universal Mother with no more right than any other, though if any particular Church can pretend thereunto, that of Jerusalem might challenge an Authority and Priviledge above others, having in the Infancy of Religion, Acts II. v. 22. sent forth her Teachers and Pastors into all places, and was famed for the glorious Blood of the Pri­mitive Martyrs. Whereby it is e­vident, that the Greek Faith acknow­ledges no other Universal Head or Foundation than Jesus Christ him­self, under whom the Patriarchs, Arch-bishops, and Bishops of par­ticular Churches, subjected to dif­ferent Powers of secular Govern­ment, exercise their sway and ju­risdiction over Human Souls, Acts [Page 124] 20. v. 28. [...] [...] Take heed unto your selves, and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops. By which it appears, That the Greek Church doth not only not esteem the Church of Rome for the sole Catholick; but also how absurd it is in reason to exclude the Greek, the Armenian, and many other Chri­stan Churches from the pale of the Universal, and consequently from the Benefits and Promises purchased by Christ for his Church. And strange it is, that none besides the Roman, which is not of that extent as the vast Circumference of the o­ther Christian Churches, should yet have the sole Power of the Keys of the Divine Ordination, and dispen­sing the Mysteries of the Holy Sa­craments; and that such who are excluded, or are without her pale, [Page 125] should be strangers to the Church of God and Aliens from his People.

Whilst in this manner the Orien­tal Churches believe no particular Church to have any other Universal Head than Jesus Christ, they bear all obedience and respect to that Church of which they are members, sub­mitting to all its Orders and Cen­sures Ecclesiastical; for they believe that those words of our Saviour, Matth. 18. 27. carry with them some force and authority; and if he shall neg­lect to hear them, tell it unto the Church; and if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a Heathen man, or a Publican. Obedi­ence due to the Orders of the Church. On this ground the In­terpretation of Scripture made by the holy Synods and Councils, and the judgments given by Patriarchs, Bishops, and other Priests, according to Canonical Rites are established, and esteemed of Divine Authority, [...] [Page 126] [...]. The Priests with them are the mouth of their Spiritual Law, and the Guides of their Souls; on their Doctrine they entrust, and ad­venture their safe Pilotage to the everlasting Haven of happiness: And believing that no Scripture is of pri­vate Interpretation, they judge it ra­tional to resign themselves intire­ly to the belief of those to whose conduct they are committed; hav­ing that high esteem of obedience, as that which contains an admirable Vertue and Efficacy to atone for the sins, not only of a misled understand­ing, but for Actions of irregular practices.

And that the people may better understand the Precepts and Rules of the Church, the Oriental Con­fession hath reduced all the com­mands thereof unto these nine fol­lowing.

The first is Prayer to God, attend­ing [Page 127] at the times of the Liturgy, Morning and Evening on the Lords Day, and holy Festivals of the Church.

The second is the observation of the Fasts and Feasts of the Church.

The third is Obedience and Ho­nour towards their Spiritual Pastors and Teachers.

The fourth is Confession of sins four times a year, to a Priest lawful­ly constituted and ordained.

The fifth forbids the Laity to read the Books of Hereticks, or any o­ther which may divert them from the Profession of the Christian Faith.

The sixth enjoyns them to pray for all Kings and Princes, for their Patriarchs, Metropolites, Bishops, and all the Clergy; and for all Souls de­parted in the Catholick Faith, and for all Hereticks and Schismaticks, that they may return to the true Faith before their passage from this present life.

[Page 128]The seventh enjoins an Obedi­ence to all extraordinary occasional Fasts, besides the Common or Ge­neral; namely, such as are appoint­ed and ordained by the Bishops in their respective Diocesses on occa­sional Calamities, such as Famine, War, Pestilence, or the like.

The eighth forbids the Laity to invade the Rights or Spiritual Livings or Benefices of the Clergy, or con­vert the Ornaments of the Priest or Altar to private and profane uses, or sacrilegiously to rob the Poor's Box, and abuse the charitable Contribu­tions of well-disposed Christians by employing them contrary to the intention of the Donor.

The ninth forbids the celebration of Marriages in Lent, or during the time of their other Fasts, or to frequent Theaters, or imitate the Customs of the Barbarians, or Infi­dels, that so those who profess the [Page 129] Gospel may be charged with no­thing that is over-sensual, undecent, or of ill report.

CHAP. V.

THE Principal Fasts or Lents are four. The first begins the 15th day of November, being forty days before Christmas. The second is the great Lent before Easter, beginning with ours accord­ing to the Old stile, the which stile they observe through the whole year. The third begins the Week after Pentecost, or Whitsontide, called The Fast of the Holy Apostles, being the time in which they judge that the Apostles prayed and fasted when they prepared themselves to preach the Gospel, Acts 13. v. 3. which ends [Page 130] the 29th of June, being the Festival of St. Peter and the other Apostles; so that of this Fast there is no fixed number of days, but is some years more, some less, according as the Pentecost falls out, sooner or later.

The fourth begins the first of August, and continues until the 15th, being a Preparatory to the Grand Festival, which they keep in honour to the Assumption of our Lady, who they say was bodily transported into Heaven; which Fast is so strictly observed, that even Oyl is forbidden to Kaloires, and few others, especially of Women, there be, but who ob­serve this prohibition; unless on the 6th of August, which being a Fe­stival in memory of our Saviours Transfiguration, they have a permis­sion to eat Oyl and Fish, but on o­ther days they return again to their slender Diet.

Besides which Grand Fasts there [Page 131] are some other Fasts, as the 28th of August, in commemoration of the de­collation or beheading of St. John Baptist. Likewise there is another Fast beginning the first of Septem­ber, which continues until the four­teenth, being the Feast of the exal­tation of the Holy Cross, in which time of fourteen days the History of the Passion is preached and repre­sented. But this last is only observed by Kaloirs, and such as are entered into Vows and a Monastical life, whose profession is Mortification, and their business Religion. In all which times, they do not only ab­stain from Flesh, or Lacticinia, such as Butter, Cheese, and the like, but also from Fish which have Scales or Finnes, or Blood; only Shell-Fish, as Lobsters, Crabs, Oysters, &c. are lawful, though it is probable that in them there may be more of heat and nourishment; excepting only in [Page 132] that Lent which begins on the 15th of November it is lawful for them to eat all sorts of Fish, as also o­ther ordinary and Weekly Fasts of Wednesday and Friday oblige them only to an abstinence from Flesh, and what comes from thence, but all sorts of Fish are freely indulged. And though Wednesdays and Frydays are for the most part Fasts through the whole year, yet we must except from hence, Wednesday and Friday of the eleventh Week before Easter, which they call Arzeiburst; the rea­son whereof, as Christophorus Angelo reports, was from the dog of certain Hereticks so called, whom they used to send with Letters: At lengh the Dog dying, his Heretical Masters used to fast that 11th Week before. Easter for sorrow; in opposition to whom, and to have no conformity with them, the Orthodox appointed that Wednesday and Fryday of that [Page 133] Week should be exempted from any Obligation of abstinence.

On Whitson-Monday they abstain from Flesh and Fast, by reason that the people, meeting that morning in the Church, ask of God the Com­munication of his Holy Spirit, as he gave unto his Holy Apostles, in commemoration of which they eat Flesh on Wednesday and Friday of that Week. The 25th of March, being the Feast of the Annunciati­on of the Blessed Virgin, though it happen in Lent, yet they have a pri­viledge to eat all sorts of Fish; as they have to eat Flesh from Christmas to Epiphany, Wednesdays and Frydays not being exempted, and the first Week after Pentecost. In like man­ner they are permitted to eat Flesh all the first Week of three before the great Lent, which they call [...] , the Sunday of which answers to our septuagesima. The [Page 134] next Week following, which is called [...], they are commanded abstinence from Flesh Wednesdays and Frydays; but the Week imme­diately before Lent is called [...], which signifies fresh Cheese; it be­ing a time when they may eat all sorts of Milk, and what is made thereof; likewise Eggs, and Fish of all kinds, being perhaps a time to prepare their Stomacks to a leaner and morerigorous Dyet. This Lent begins on Monday as ours doth on Wednesday. These Fasts are strictly observed and undergone by them with no less patience and sobriety than superstition, supposing it a sin not less hainous, willingly to break this Fast, or transgress the rules of this Abstinence, and with that the Institution and Rites of the Church, than to commit Adultery, or invade the possessions of his Neighbour. Education and Custom hath brought [Page 135] them to that Opinion of Fasting, that they believe Christianity can hardly be professed and subsist with­out it. It is very pleasant to be ob­served what Cyrillus, the Patriarch of Constantinople, reports of the Ar­menian Patriarch of Jerusalem, who being desirous to prove the sanctity of his Church and Religion to be greater than that of the Greeks or any others, brings it for an Argument, that they did not only abstain from flesh and fish in Lent, but even also from Beans and Pease, which the Greeks allowed of, consulting the in­clination of their Appetite more than true Religion. On these grounds they can by no means be induced to believe the English, and others of the reformed Churches, to be Orthodox Christians, because they neither use Fasting, nor reverence the sign of the Cross; two matters of great scandal amongst them; though in [Page 136] point of observation of the Feasts according to the old style with them, and by their opposition to the Church of Rome, they are on the other side more unsatisfied and doubtful what to judge.

The severity of their Lents is more easily supported by the expected en­joyment of the following Festival; at which time they run into such ex­cesses of mirth and riot, agreeable to the light and vain humour of that people, that they seem to be revenged of their late sobriety, and to make compensation to the Devil for their late temperance and morti­fication towards God; and this ex­travagancy of Mirth and loose De­bauchery they practise with so much liberty, that their Priests reprove them not for it, but rather maintain Drunkenness not to be a Sin on a Festival, being a hearty memorial of the Holiness of the Saint, or a [Page 137] Testimony of joy in commemora­tion of the works of mans Redemp­tion; but this is spoken rather as a corruption of manners than as a Te­nent or Profession of that Church.

In the observation of these Fasts they are so rigid and superstitiously strict, that they hold no case of ne­cessity may or can claim a Dispensa­tion; and that the Patriarch hath not power and authority sufficient to give a License to eat flesh, where the Church hath commanded Ab­stinence. For suppose a person sick to death, who with Broth made of Flesh, or with an Egg may be reco­vered to life; they say it were bet­ter he should dye, than eat and sin. Howsoever perhaps the Ghostly Fa­ther will be so far concern'd in the others health, as to advise the sick Penitent in such cases to eat flesh, and afterwards confessing the sin he promises to grant Absolution: [Page 138] and this I have known to have some­times been practised; which per­haps amongst the ignorant Priests may be esteemed an excellent and an ingenious accommodation, be­tween humane Necessities and the Institutions of the Church. But such of the wiser sort who have stu­died in Italy, and there been season­ed with the Doctrine of the Latines, believe their own Church endued with as much authority in Ecclesia­sticks, as the Roman; and that the difficulty of granting Licenses to eat flesh, is a scruple grounded on that Government, which is agreeable to the present state of things, rather than want of power in the Church to grant Dispensations for it.

CHAP. VI.

THE Greeks begin their Year in September, observing the first day thereof with jollity and feasting, esteeming a chearful spirit to be a good Omen, that the succeeding year shall be prosperous; though not being dedicated to the memory and honour of any Saint, it is no point of Religion to abstain from labour, yet it is esteemed un­decent, arguing either covetousness or a necessitous poverty.

The grand Feast of the Year (as a­mongst all other Christians) is Easter, or the Festival of the Resurrection, at which time the Greeks have this ancient and laudable Custom: When they meet their acquaintance in the [Page 140] Morning, or at any time within the three days of Easter, they salute with these words, [...], Christ is risen; and then the other answers, [...], he is risen indeed; and so they kiss three times, once on each Cheek, and on the Mouth, and so depart.

The second day of September is the Feast of S. John the abstemious, not of Precept but of Devotion, and therefore is only celebrated by Kaloires, and other Religious, in honour of the holy S. John Baptist, who by his severe and abstemious life in the Wilderness set the first Example of holy Fasts, to such as would be Disciples of the holy Je­sus.

The twenty sixth is dedicated with great honour and devotion to the Translation of the Body of S. John the Evangelist into Heaven: for they maintain, that this S. John be­ing [Page 141] banished by Trajan the Empe­rour into the Isle of Patmos, and there having wrote the Apocalypse, he passed: over unto Ephesus, where ending his glorious life he was inter­red; but after some days burial his Disciples searching for his Body in the Grave, found it not; from whence immediately arose a belief, that his Body was assumed into Hea­ven, and placed in the Mansion of Enoch and Elias, who in company together shall again return to con­verse on Earth, before Antichrist is perfectly revealed and made known unto the World. And this they partly ground on the words of our Saviour to S. Peter, If I will that he stay till I come, what is that to thee?

The Greeks, as they delight in the Histories of their Saints, and re­count them with as much variety and fancy as the Latines do their Legends, so I might in this place re­cite [Page 142] long and tedious Histories of them; but because the lives of most of them are recorded in Holy Scrip­ture, and of the later of them in the Synaxarion, (of which Book we shall hereafter speak) we shall only here mention Cosma, and Damianus, Cosma and Da­mianus. and St. George the Cappadocian, which are persons, who after the Apostles, and immediate Disciples of Jesus, with some Fathers of the Church, such as St. Basil, St. Chrysostom, &c. take up a principal place in the Greek Kalendar.

The first two are called the Holy Anargiri, to whom I found a poor Oratory erected at Ephesus, which was thrown up of late with a few loose stones, encircling a little Altar with­out Roof in the place of a more ancient Church, whither the Greeks resort on the first of November to say Mass, and sing Hymns, in praise and commemoration of these Saints [Page 143] whom they report to have been born in Asia, their father a Gentile, and their mother a Christian, called The­dosa, who educated these her two Sons in Religious Piety, and lauda­ble Sciences; but they principally addicting themselves to the studies of Physick, did, by the Divine as­sistance, cooperating with the means of Herbs and Medicines, become such perfect Practitioners that they cured all Diseases incident to Man and Beast without Money or other consideration of Interest; for which cause they were called the Anargiri, or those that took no Money. They farther report, That Damianus was so strict in this point, that he dis­sented greatly from his Brother Cos­ma, for having only accepted of two Eggs from a poor Widow, though employed on her self for an Un­guent or Cataplasm for the Sciatica, that he ever after avoided all society [Page 144] and converse with him, and at his death gave order, that his Brother should not be interred in the same Vault or Grave with him: the which resolution of Damianus the Friends of both designed to perform; but that carrying the Corps of Cosma to burial, they were met by a Camel, which opening his mouth as mira­culously as Balaam's Ass, admonish­ed the Bearers to lay the Brothers in the same Tomb together; for that neither the Crime of Cosma was so great, nor the difference so lasting, but that both their Bodies might be contained in the same Sepulchre, whose Souls were already united in the same heavenly Mansion. The Ka­loires also farther boasting of the Miracles of these Saints, tell us, that at Athens there is a Well, adjoining to the Porch of that Church which is dedicated to them, which is dry the whole year, excepting only on [Page 145] that day when their Festival is cele­brated, and begins to flow at the first words of the Mass, which seem to have the same Efficacy on this Spring, as Moses's Rod had upon the Rock, to produce a Flood of sweet and delicious water, not only plea­sant to the taste, but wholesom for the Body, but dries up and fails with the Evening of the Festival.

St. George S. George. the Capadocian is in like manner highly reverenced by this People, there being scarce a Town where are two Churches, but one of them is dedicated to this Saint, of whom they recount many and va­rious stories; and what is most strange, they believe them all. They say that he was born of noble Blood, and lived in the time of Dioclesian the Emperour; under whom, a­rising a bloody persecution, this Saint, as a Champion of undaunted Courage, publickly presented him­self, [Page 146] owning and avouching the Go­spel to be the only, true, and saving Faith, inveighing against Idolatry and superstitious Customs, and be­lief of Gentilism. This Christian boldness sharpened the Arms of per­secution against the Saint, so that the Executioner struck him into the Belly with a Lance, which though a great effusion of Blood followed, yet the Wound closed, and imme­diately became whole: They tell us of his being thrown into a Pit of Lime, and his walking bare-foot on Planks studded with sharp Nails; of his remaining unconsumed and un­touched amidst the flames; of his raising the dead; of his slaying a Dragon on the Banks of Euphrates, near a place now called by the Turks Barut, which the Greeks and Chri­stians of those parts show unto Tra­vellers to this day; by which varie­ty of Miracles many were converted [Page 147] unto the Christian Faith, amongst which was the Queen Alexandra, Wife of Dioclesian. At length, the time be­ing come that this Saint was to dye, the power of his persecutors pre­vailed against him, by whom his head being struck off, his soul ascend­ed into Heaven to receive the Crown of Martyrdom. The Greeks (as I said) have divers Chappels dedicat­ed to St. George, amongst which, at an obscure Village called by the Turks Boschioi, not far from Magna­sia, there is one, where, on the 23th of April, they carry his Picture in Procession, accompanied by Multi­tudes of Turks as well as Greeks, who resort thither, the first for pass-time, the others for mirth, company, and devotion. This Picture, which is drawn in Colours upon a Board, is much of that bigness as a sign which we hang before a Shop, and much of that sort of Painting. This Pi­cture [Page 148] (they report, and many be­lieve it, especially the Women) be­ing carried by a notorious sinner, is endued with so much mettle and courage of that Champion, as soundly to belabour his Back and Shoulders, but is more civil and mild to the innocent, or to the less scanda­lous in the wickedness of life. I had once the curiosity to see this Fury in a Board, of which the Greeks related such strange Stories, so that arriving the Night before at the Village, the next morning all things were provided for the Solemnity; when one of the Papases took up the Champion on his Shoulder, accompanied also with two others of the like bigness, (I think one was the Picture of the Virgin Mary) with these, all the Company proceeded in a procession with much quietness and gravity, until they came under a large Chinar Tree, or Platanus, where remained the [Page 149] ruines of an old Chappel dedicated to this Saint; Mass being here cele­brated, and ended, the Priests re­turning in their Habiliments, left the Pictures to be carried home by the Laity; when one, more forward than the rest, with fear and reverence took the Champion on his Shoulder, which at first began a little to move and turn itself, but at length came to down-right blows, giving the Fellow, who managed the business very artificially, so many knocks that it seemed to have beat him to the Ground, when another imme­diately relieves him, and takes it from him, and then the other two Pi­ctures begin the like rage, buffeting and beating those that carry them, with which there is so much noise and confusion, that I never saw any piece of Bear-Garden-like, or com­parable to it. This ridiculous piece of folly and superstition pleases the [Page 150] humour of the ignorant Greeks, and scandalizes the Enemies of our Faith; which when I saw, I wonder'd at it, and blamed the remissness of the Bishop, in presence of the Priests who managed the solemnity of the day. I asked one of them in pri­vate, whether he really believed that the Pictures were inspired with life and motion to beat sinners; to which, making some pause, as be­ing unwilling to impose upon me whom he judged difficult to give credence to such matters, he an­swered, that it was a thing doubtful, and hard to be believed by any o­ther than the Vulgar sort. And in other occasions, discoursing with the Prelates and Bishops of this Church on the same subject, I seem­ed to be concerned, and transport­ed with some little passion, that in the sight of Turks and Infidels they should give countenance to so great [Page 151] a Cheat, to the dishonour of our Ho­ly Faith and Gospel, which is sup­ported on a better foundation than such idle and profane imaginations; to which they gave me this answer, That Custom had prevailed, and that for some Ages this belief had taken so deep root in the minds of the ignorant, that it was hard to un­deceive them, without dishonour to the Saint, and danger to the whole Fabrick of the Christian Religion; for this belief being equally fixed with the Doctrins of necessary Faith, the confutation of this one would bring the others into question; and perhaps perswade the people that they were now parting with the main Principles of the Gospel, and that therefore it was thought neces­sary to let the Tares of false Do­ctrine to grow up with the Wheat of Orthodox Belief, until God, who knows the time, shall separate them, and pluck up the one without [Page 152] raising or extirpating the other. And now, that the Reader may better understand the Feasts in the Greek Church without the help of a Ka­lendar, I shall present him with them, beginning with the first Month ac­cording to their Account.

CHAP. VII.

IN imitation of Christ's Presenta­tion in the Temple, and the blessing of old Simeon when he sang his Nunc dimittis, the Greek Church hath from long Antiquity practised on the eighth day to pre­sent their Children at the Church-Porch to receive the blessing of the Priest, who signs them on the Fore­head, Mouth and Breast, with the sign of the Cross, as a Seal of the Divine Grace, and a disposition to receive the Holy Baptism, which they call, The sealing of infants; and afterwards says this Prayer.

O our God, we beseech thee to infuse the light of thy person on this thy Ser­vant, [Page 162] and seal the Cross of thy only be­gotten Son in his heart, and in his thoughts, that he may fly the vanities of this World, and the snares of the Enemy, and follow thy Commands: Confirm him, O Lord, in thy name, u­nite him in thy good time to thy Holy Church, and perfect him by thy stupen­dious mysteries, that so, living ac­cording to thy commands, he may obtain the Kingdom of Beatitude with thine Elect, through the Grace and Mercy of thy only Son, to whom, with the Life-giving Spirit, be Glory now and for e­ver, Amen.

Afterwards the Priest taking the Child into his Arms before the Gate of the Church elevates it, and waves it in the form of a Cross, and so ends this Ceremony, which is the introduction and preparation to Baptism.

[Page 163]Baptism (as the Greek Church defines it) is a cleansing or taking away of Ori­ginal Sin, [...] by thrice dipping or plunging into the Water, the Priest saying at every dipping, In the name of the Father; Amen; and of the Son, Amen; and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.

This thrice dipping or plunging into the Water this Church holds to be as necessary to the form of Baptism, as Water to the matter; for proof whereof is brought the 50th Canon called Apostolical; which says, Si quis Episcopus aut Presbyter non trinam di­mersionem unius mysterii celebret, sed se­mel mergat in Baptismate quod dari vi­detur in domini morte, damnetur. Non e­nim dixit vobis Dominus, In morte mea baptizate, sed Euntes docete omnes gentes in nomine Patris, & Filii, & Spiritus [Page 164] sancti. In like manner they produce the 42 Chapter of the Apostles Con­stitutions, wherein they have these words: Ter mergite vos Episcopi in u­num Patrem, & Filium, & Spiritum sanctum. If any Bishop or Presby­ter shall not use a three-fold dipping in this one mystery, but only dips once in Baptism, let him be con­demned, &c. In farther favour here­of are quoted the Homilies of St. Chrysostom, who rhetorically discours­ing of the Vertues and Efficacy of Baptism, he symbolizeth it with the Life, Death and Resurrection of a Christian; for the first plunging in­to Water, as he saith, buries the old man of sin; the second regenerates and revives him to a new Creature; and the third raises him to the perfe­ction of life Eternal; according to that of S. Paul, We are buried with Christ through Baptism that we might rise with him: so that the Greek Church, [Page 165] which receives the whole number of the 85 Canons (which for their An­tiquity are called Apostolical) as made by the Apostles themselves, or the next succeeding Apostolical men, doth believe them to carry very great force with them, and therefore the Ter mergite is as constantly practised as if it had been the interpretation of Ite Baptizate. The which Ca­non, being very ancient, was first ordained against certain Hereticks who denyed the Holy Trinity, Bap­tizing only in the name of Jesus, on those words of the Apostle before quoted, We are buried with Christ by Baptism, &c. in opposition to whom these three Immersions were used; for they cannot deny the Trinity, who in Baptism distinguish three persons in the Divine Nature: Wherefore, though nothing is essen­tial to Baptism, nor other Precept than to be dipped or sprinkled in the [Page 166] name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; yet to make a more exact Test, to say who were Hereticks, and who were not, it was judged necessary in those days to super-add this Ceremony to the more material parts of Bap­tism.

Before Baptism the Priest blows three times upon the Child to dis­possess the Devil of his Seat; then he pours Oyl on the Water in form of a Cross, as a token of peace and reconciliation between God and Man, and of regeneration by the Spirit, as appears by this Prayer im­mediately following that Cere­mony.

O Lord the God of our Fathers, who sentest to those in Noah's Ark a Dove bearing in her mouth an Olive-Leafe, [...] &c. [Page 167] the token of reconcilia­tion, denoting the my­stery of Salvation, and Grace by the flood, and bestowing the fruit of the Olive for perfecting the mysteries of thy Saints, by which thou satisfyest those who are in the Law of the Holy Spirit, and in the Grace of Perfection, do thou bless this Oyl with Po­wer, † Energy † and Illu­mination of the Holy Spirit, that it may be the Chrism against all Filthiness, the Armour of Righteousness, and the renewing of the Spirit, † and conver­sion of the Body from all Diabolical Works.

Immediately before the Act of Baptism, the Priest takes the Child from the Arms of the God-father, or Surety (of which the Greek Church [Page 168] requires but one) and making the sign of the Cross with Oyl on the Fore­head, Breast and reins of the back, saith, [...], The Servant of the Lord is anointed: when he seals the Breast, (as they call it) he saith, [...] , for cure of soul and bo­dy; then he anoints the Ears [...], that by hearing Faith may be received, the Feet, that they may walk in the ways of God, the hands, that they may perform good Actions; and thus the Child being anointed the Priest dippeth it three times into the Water, and looking towards the East, saith, [...], The Servant of God is baptized: And these are the Principal Ceremonies observ­ed in Baptism by the Greek Church.

In Baptism one God-father stands at the Font, if it be a Male-child, and one God-mother if it be a Female, which Gossips or compari, and as they call them in Greek comparos, e­steem [Page 169] themselves to have the same duty incumbent on them in the Care and Education of the Child, as hath the natural Father; and hereby so great a Friendship is contracted be­tween the two Gossips, that ever after they are concerned for each others interest; and they fancy that imagi­nary relation of a sacred consan­guinity arising hence, that the God-father cannot marry the Wife of his deceased Compare, nor his Son the Daughter of him, nor can they mix Blood for several descents after, but under the censure of Incest and condemnation of the Church; all which did arise at first from the unde­cency of the Godfather marrying the Child to which he was a Father in Baptism.

The Georgians, which in some manner depend on the Greek Church, baptize not their Children until they be eight years of Age; [Page 170] they formerly did not admit them to Baptism until 14; but by means of such Preachers as the Patriarch of Antioch sends amongst them yearly, they were taught how necessary it was to baptize Infants, and how a­greeable it was to the practice of the ancient Church: but these being a people very tenacious of the Do­ctrines they once received, could hardly be perswaded out of this er­rour, till at length, being wearied with the importunate Arguments of the Greeks, they consented as it were to a middle way, and so came down from 14 to 8 years of Age, and cannot as yet be perswaded to a nearer complyance.

CHAP. VI.

CHRISM, though used in Baptism, is yet different from it, being the Seal or Confirma­tion of the party baptized, in order to a performance of those Vows which he then makes. The Orien­tal Confession declares, that as the Spirit of God descended on the A­postles in form of Fire, enduing them with supernatural graces and gifts a­greeable to that employment where­unto they are called; so this Chrism, which is an anointing of the Infant with Oyl in most parts of the Body, (as before mentioned) using these words, [...], the Seal of the Spirit of God, is in­stituted by Gods Church as a means [Page 172] to convey Grace and Strength to the Receiver, the authority whereof is grounded on the 2 Cor. c. 1. v. 21, 22. Now he which established us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us is God, who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. And as their Orien­tal Confession hath it, [...]. That is, as formerly the Spirit of God was conveyed by the imposition of hands, so now it is by this Chrism, or anointing with Oyl: And the Greeks farther say, That Dionysius the Areopagite, Schollar of S. Paul, testi­fies so much. In this manner we may perceive, how symbolical and proper Oyl is esteemed in the Greek Church to represent the mysteries of Grace, being used in Baptism, Confirmation, in all their solemn Acts of blessing, in extreme Unction, [Page 173] or [...], as we have already declared; and it is here to be observ­ed, that the Greeks do baptize and confirm at the same time, and for that reason this anointing is used.

On Good-Fryday the Arch-Bishop, or Bishop, makes and sancti­fies the Chrism, or [...], hallowing a quantity of Oyl sufficient to sup­ply all the manners of anointing for the whole year, the which is worked to a consistency as thick as Butter. The Composition of which, toge­ther with the Oyl, are Xylobal­samum, Echinanthes, Myrrhe, Xy­locatia, Carpobalsamum, Ladanum, and several other odoriferous Gums and Spices.

The manner of the consecration of this [...], is very ceremonious, for the Oyl being as before prepared, the Curate carries it in an Alablaster­Box with a Covering to it, and sets it upon the Altar, being accompanied [Page 174] with his Deacons. Then the Curate taking it from thence, and being at­tended likewise with his Deacons, who carry Lamps in their hands, he meets the Patriarch or Bishop at the Gate of the Church, and there de­livers the Alablaster-Box into his hand, who having received it, places it at the left hand of the Commu­nion-Table; and then one of the Deacons says, [...] , Let us perform our Prayers unto the Lord. Then the Patriarch, if present, or else the Bishop, ascends to the foot of the Communion-Ta­ble, and covering the Holy Oyl with a Vail, signs it three times with the sign of the Cross, adding with a low voice this Prayer.

Merciful Lord and Father of Lights, from whom every perfect good and gift proceeds, bestow [Page 175] upon us unworthy grace to perform this great and life-giving Myste­ry, [...] in the same manner as thou gavest to Moses thy faithful Servant, and Samuel thy Servant, and all the Holy Apostles: And send thy holy Spirit on this Ointment: Make it a Royal Chrism, a Spiritual Chrism, conserving life, and an Oyl of joy san­ctifying our Souls and Bodies. That which preceeded in the old Law was made more evident and clear in the new Testament, wherewith the Priests and high Priests, Prophets and Kings were anointed: Wherewith also thou didst anoint thine Apostles, and all hitherto have been baptized by them, and their Successors, the Bishops and Presbyters, by the laver of Regeneration. And thou Almighty Lord God, by the com­ing of the holy and adored Spirit, make this the Garment of Incorruption, an efficacious Seal which may imprint [Page 176] on those who are to be baptized, the Di­vine Nomination, of thy only Son, and of the Holy Ghost, that they may be known before thee to be of thy Houshold, Citizens, Servants, and thy Children, san­ctifyed in soul and body, and freed from all Malice, washed from sin, and, being clothed with the Vestment of thy Im­mortal glory, may be acknowledged through this signal by the Holy Angels, Arch-Angels, and all the Heavenly Powers, and may become formidable to all evil and impure Devils, and may become a peculiar People, a Royal Priest­hood, a Holy Nation, being signed by this thy immaculate Mystery, and hav­ing thy Christ in their hearts, in which thou God the Father, in the holy Ghost mayest fix thy habitation; because thou our God art holy, and rests in the Saints, and to thee the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, we return glory for ever and ever, Amen,

[Page 177]By this Prayer we may collect and observe the Doctrine of Chrism, and for what reason, and on what grounds it is practised in this Church.

CHAP. IX.

AS the [...], or sealing of In­fants, is a preparation to Bap­tism, so the Panis Benedictus, or Blessed Bread, called in Greek, [...], is an appendage to the Holy Sacra­ment of the Eucharist. In the Ea­stern Church it hath been of ancient custom to seal the Bread made for the Communion with the form of a Cross, which is afterwards taken off, consecrated and set apart for the Sa­crament. The parts which remain are [Page 178] blessed, and, after the Divine Ser­vice is finished, are distributed in small parcels to the People. The original hereof they deduce from the Apostles, interpreting those pla­ces in Scripture which mention con­tinuance in Prayer, and break­ing Bread, to be no other than the very act and practice of dealing this blessed Bread. As in Acts 2. v. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers. Panis Benedi­ctus. This Bread they often carry home to the sick, and to such whose em­ployment engages to their Dome­stical Affairs at home; as containing therein a Virtue and Efficacy to re­mit all venial sins, and to conserve in a pious Soul a constant devotion to Divine Worship. To this Bread they carry so much respect that they eat it not, unless fasting; for being a representation or shadow of the [Page 179] Holy Eucharist, it ought to have a proportionable reverence in its de­gree; for some say that it was in­troduced into the place of the Communion, which in the in­fancy of Christianity, being every day celebrated, the frequency there­of in tract of time begat such a fa­miliarity, as seemed to abate much of the ancient Devotion and Divine Zeal which formerly adorned that Heavenly and Incomprehensible Mystery: For which reason the times of Communion being appointed more seldom, the distribution of this Blessed Bread, was ordained to sup­ply the remembrance of it, and represent the memorial of that whole duty, which now by rea­son of a general coldness and want of love to Religion, was with more caution and care administred. To the reception of this blessed Bread it is required, that they should come with a suitable preparation, that [Page 180] they should received it with Faith [...] Repentance, and Charity [...] and that the Man and Wife should abstain from each others society for some time before. As Christophorus Angelus saith, Qui panem sacrum accipit, opus est ut homo & mulier sit purus, hoc est, ut congressu mulieris abstineat. Nomi­nant hunc panem [...], h. e. vice-mu­nus, quoniam Sacer dos hunc panem om­nibus communicantibus, & non com­municantibus, ut donum divinum ex­hibet. This Panis Benedictus is what remains of the Loaf designed for the Communion, and is of the parts which encompasses the form of a

[figure]

Loaf in the margin, which words are impressed on the Bread by the Baker, and are [...], or, Je­sus Christ hath conquered.

The Sacrament of the Holy Com­munion is, The Eu­charist. as by all the Churches of God, so particularly by the Greeks, celebrated with singular De­votion; [Page 181] their four Offices or Servi­ces relating to the administration of this Sacrament, being of long Antiquity, the Greeks argue to be agreeable to the Original Institution of our blessed Saviour.

The question about Transubstan­tiation The que­stion of Transub­stantiati­on, how deter­mined in the Greek Church. hath not been long contro­verted in the Greek Church, but like other abstruse notions, not ne­cessary to be determined, hath lain quiet and dissentangled, wound up­on the bottom of its own Thread, until Faction, and Malice, and the Schooles, have so twisted and ra­velled the twine, that the end will ne­ver be found: Nor after so many Volumes wrote by the most learned on both sides for some Ages, until the World be better informed or satisfyed; until the wise God by the illumination of his Divine Grace, disperse those Clouds of Prejudice, Interest and Ignorance, which [Page 182] blinds the Minds, and prepossesses the Spirits of the greatest part of Mankind. It hath been a question very dubitable, and not meanly con­troverted, what side the Greek Church hath maintained in this dispute. For if you will believe Cyrillus the Patriarch of Constantinople, in the 17th Article of his Confession of Faith wrote about the year 1630, and printed 1633. his Sence and Words are wholly agreeable to the Tenents of the Reformed Churches in this particular; from which those, whose Education is purely of the Greek Literature, instructed, and taught in their own Monasteries, do not seem much to deviate; for when they carry this Sacrament to the sick they do not prostrate themselves before it, nor do they expose it pub­lickly to be adored, unless in the very Act of Administration; nor do they carry it in procession, nor have [Page 183] they instituted any particular Feast, in honour of it: all which are Argu­ments, that had this belief of Tran­substantiation been agreeable to the Faith of the ancient Eastern Councils, they would not have been less careful in ordaining those particular notes of honour in the Administration, than the Western have done. Howsoever, such as have had their Education in Italy, as he who wrote the Oriental Confessi­on, together with those who sub­scribed it, seem to concur wholly with the Church of Rome in this Te­nent, having these words, [...] , that is, When the Priest consecrates the Elements, the very substance of the Bread and of the Wine is transformed into the true substance of the Body and Blood of Christ. And a little farther they pro­ceed [Page 184] in these words; [...] by which we perceive that the Greeks have lately formed a word, which is [...], to signifie or express Transubstantiation, which they ne­ver read in their ancient Fathers, though they may have found Meta­phorically used in some times before the words [...] and [...].

But the truth is, it is difficult to make the Greeks understand the right state of this question, for observing that there is a Sacramental Change granted to be of the Bread, they im­mediately consider it as no other than a change which is substantial: Nor is it a wonder that the Greeks follow the Latines in this Doctrine, since, (as we have said before) the most learned men amongst them, taking their Education in Italy, have [Page 185] in all points, wherein neither cu­stom, nor Councils have determined, taken up their Doctrines according to the positions of the Roman Schooles, whom therefore they name by the distinction of [...] For really others, which have had their Education in Greece only, do not follow this Novelty, and they which do, contradict their own Li­turgy; viz. that of S. Chrysostom, which is common to them both, wherein after the compleat conse­cration, these words follow; [...] That is, that all we who partake of this Bread and this Cup may be united together in the Fellowship of the holy Ghost, neither to our damnation, or con­demnation, the which agrees with what the Apostle S. Paul writes in 1 Cor. c. 11. where after the words [Page 186] which we, and they use for Consecra­tion, v. 24, 25. he adds v. 26. For as often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, &c. and V.29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself. Nay in that very Book where they have formed and used the word [...], they mollifie it in a few lines after in these words, viz. [...] Who gave his own flesh and blood for meat and drink to the faithful under the Cover­ing of Bread and Wine, (and not un­der the covering of Accidents only) as maintained in the Roman Church. And farther those words before men­tioned, viz, [...], cannot be meant of the mere Acci­dents, but of the Elementary species of Bread and Wine; as appears by these words of the same Authors, following the words before cited [Page 187] [...], i.e. the Com­munication of the Mystery ought to be celebrated under the two spe­cies of Bread and Wine; and the same words repeated 11 lines after, [...] now no man ever called the Accidents of Bread and Wine the Objects of our five Senses, only two Accidents.

The Laity, as well as the Priests, communicate in both kinds, taking the Bread and the Wine together in a Spoon from the hand of the Priest. The Bread is made of the finest Wheaten Flower with Leaven, from whence arises a sharp Dispute be­tween them and the Latines; the latter of which argues, That it ought to be without Leaven, in regard that it is more than probably presumed, that the Institution of this Sacra­ment being ordained at the time of the Passeover, it was administred [Page 188] with unleavened Bread, which was only lawful on that occasion. The Wine in the Sacrament before Consecration they mix with Water, in representation of the Blood and Water which issued out of the side of our blessed Saviour, opened by the Spear of the Roman Souldier.

The mixing of Wine with Water in this Holy Sacrament is no questi­on of great Antiquity in the Church, being acknowledged by most of the ancient Writers, Ep. 6.3. Fathers, and Coun­cils, and particularly by Cyprian, who believes it to have been so pra­ctised by Christ himself. Others judge it an Ordinance of the Church only, but all agree and assent unto it as to a Custom derived from a long Antiquity. The Modern Writers of the Reformed Religion, such as Vossius and others [...] do not deny but that the Primitive Church mixed Wa­ter [...] with their Wine in this Sacra­ment, [Page 189] because drinking the same Wine at the Agapae, or Love-Feasts, as they did at the Lords Supper, they might give occasion to the World to censure their Intemperance, were their Wines, which in the Eastern parts of the World are gene­rous and strong, not temper­ed, and their force abated with Water: This probably may be the Reason hereof, rather than any Infe­rence that can be made from the Example of our Saviour, declared in the Holy Evangelists, or the pra­ctice of the Church specified by the Apostles. But because this Sacra­ment of the Holy Eucharist is an ess­ential part of the Christian Wor­ship, and greatly controverted be­tween the Reformed and Roman Churches, it will not be imperti­nent to set down distinctly the form and manner how it is celebrated in the Greek Church.

[Page 190]In the Chancel of every Church near the Altar, is set a Table, called, The place of preparation, in Greek, [...], where the consecrated Bread and Wine are prepared for the Communion; thereon is set around Loaf in the form expres­sed,

[figure]

which the Priest takes in his hand, and with a small Lance signs it three times with the sign of the Cross, saying, in the remembrance of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ; The form of the ad­ministra­tion of the Eu­charist. then strikes the Lance into that part of the Bread which is on his right hand, saying, [...], as a Lamb before the shearer was dumb, so he opened not his mouth. Then striking his Lance into the upper part, he saith, in humility his judgment came, [...] . Then thrusting his Lance [Page 191] into the under part, he saith, [...] , who shall declare his Ge­neration? and so cuts out that from the other parts of the Loaf, which is designed for the Communion which he himself is to receive, and lays it on one side of the Patina. Then he thrusts his Lance again into the Bread, and says, one of the Soul­diers with a Lance opened his side, and presently came out Water and Blood, at which words the Wine and the Wa­ter are turned into the Chalice and mixed, signifying the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the next place the Priest cuts off a second part from the Loaf before mentioned, and forms it in the fa­shion of a Triangle, Δ saying, In ho­nour and memory of our blessed Lady, Mother of God, and perpetual Virgin Mary, through whose Prayers, O Lord, accept this Sacrifice to thy Celestial Altar: and this Triangular is placed [Page 192] on the left hand of the formen with these words, the Queen stood by in a Vesture of Gold, &c.

Then the Priest takes the third part of the Loaf, from which, with his Lance in like manner, he cuts out a small piece, and places it un­der the first, which he designed for himself, and says, of the honoured and glorious prophet, the fore-runner of Christ, John the Baptist: then takes out a second and places it under the former, saying, of the holy glorious Prophets, Moses, Aaron, Elias, and all the other holy Prophets: then tak­ing out a third, places it under the se­cond, and says, of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the twelve Apostles: and so is finished the first Order.

Next the Priest cuts another small piece from the remaining parts of the Bread, Offerto­ry to the dead. and places it near the first part, and says, of our Holy Fathers [Page 193] and Prelates, of Basil the great, of Gregory the Divine, of John Chry­sostom, Athanasius, Cyril, and of all the Holy Doctors: then he takes another piece and places it under that immediately before going, and says, of the Apostle, first Martyr, and Arch-Deacon, Stephen, and of the holy Martyrs, Demetrius, Gregory, and all the other Martyrs: then he takes a third and places it under the second, saying, of the holy Confessors Antonius, Euthymius, Sabba, and Onuphrius.

Then is taken out another par­ticle, and placed under the left An­gle of that part which the Priest is to receive; who proceeds and says, of the holy and miraculous Anargyri, Cosma, † Damianus, Cyrus, and John the merciful: under which is also placed another particle, of the holy Progenitors, of the blessed Virgin Joachim and Anna; and last of all [Page 194] is taken out a ninth particle in ho­nour of S. Chrysostom, whose Litur­gy is that day read, naming with him the Saint, whose Festival is that day celebrated; which nine parti­cles of Bread represent the nine Hie­rarchies of Angels, and are adjoyn­ed to this Office in honour and commemoration of the Saints and Martyrs departed.

Then follows the Offertory for the living. Offertory for the living The Priest taking another small piece from the Bread, says, Remember, O Lord, who art a Lover of Mankind, every Christian Prelate, naming particularly the Bishop of the Diocess, and of him who or­dained him unto Ecclesiastical Or­ders, and places it on his right hand, names all those living which are re­commended to their Prayers, especi­ally those who paid for that Mass.

Then last of all is taken out ano­ther small piece of Bread, which is [Page 195] laid on the left ha [...], in commemo­ration of the Founders of the Church, and of the Parents and Friends of those who are departed, which paid for the Mass; the mean­ing and nature of which Comme­moration we shall declare more particularly, in the Chapter where­in we treat of the Office for the Dead.

Things thus prepared in order for the Sacrament, the Priest raises the form of a Star in Silver, and holds it over that Bread which is ordain­ed for Consecration in the Eucharist, saying [...], the Star stood over the place where the young Child was; and repeating some short Prayers and Ejaculations, that God would purifie him, and make him worthy to offer this glorious Sacrifice, he goes forth from the place of the Offertory, and reads the Epistle and Gospel for the day, [Page 196] in representation of the Apostles go­ing forth into the world to preach and propagate the Christian Faith. Then the Priest returning takes the Bread and Wine, covers it, and be­fore the Consecration is completed, and as they say themselves, not yet transubstantiated, sets it on his head, and goes in Procession with it through all the Church, at which time the people bow, worship, and make the Sign of the Cross, casting the sick and infirm in the way, that the Priest striding over them, they may receive some miraculous bene­fit and remedy by the direct beams and influx of the Sacrament: which when I have objected to some Priests as a thing strange, to see the Ele­ments adored before Consecration, till which time they could not pre­tend them to be transubstantiated; They knew not well how to answer otherwise, than that they adored [Page 197] the Elements, as being in immedi­ate capacity and disposition to be converted into the true Body and Blood of Christ.

The Creed, or Symbolum Aposto­licum, is next repeated, and then the Cover or Vail is taken off, called [...], and then over the Bread the air is moved with a Fan, signifying the wind and breath of the Spirit, which illuminated and inspired the Apostles, when they composed the Articles of this holy Faith. The Conse­cration. Then are read the same words which we use at the Consecration of the holy Communion; viz. In the same night when he was betrayed, he took Bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, &c. Then follows this Prayer, with some Soliloquies.

Lord who in the third hour didst send thy holy Spirit, graciously take it not away from us, but grant it unto [Page 198] us, praying, Lord make clean our hearts within us.

Which Prayer is repeated three times with the head bowed down, and then the Priest raising himself again, with an humble voice saith, Lord hear my Prayer, and lifting up his hand by way of blessing, adds, make this Bread the holy Body of Christ. Amen. And here all the or­der of Consecration being finished, he thus proceeds: Thou art my God, thou art my King, I adore thee piously and faithfully. And so covering a­gain the Chalice, which contains both species, he elevates it, and the People worship.

The Priest then Communicates, The Ad­ministra­tion. eating that part of the Bread, which in the time of preparation, was di­vided into four pieces, and the o­ther three he puts into the Chalice, of which with great devotion he [Page 199] sups three times, and having him­self received, he administers the rest in a Spoon in both Kinds to the Communicants which being done, the Chalice is carried to the side-Ta­ble of Preparation, called the [...], and therein are also put the remain­ing Particles, which were laid aside, and designed for commemoration of the living and dead, of which when the Priest hath received some himself, the remainder is divided amongst the Communicants. Thus the Mass being finished, the Priest cleanses the Cup with great care, lest any thing should remain of the Sacrament to be carelesly and pro­phanely treated.

It is the Custom in this Church to conserve the Sacrament for the use of the sick; but it is never ex­posed to the view of the People, un­less at the time of Celebration, and thence also covered in the Chalice with a Vail.

[Page 200]But a most laudable Custom it is in this Church, That those who in­tend to Communicate, before they dare to approach the Altar, and re­ceive the Divine Mystery, they first retire to the bottom of the Church, and there ask forgiveness of the whole Congregation, desiring their pardon in case they have offended any particular person whatsoever: If any one at that time acknow­ledges himself agrieved or injured, the party abstains and withdraws from the Sacrament, until such time as he is reconciled, and his Adver­sary satisfied. The words they use are these, [...] , pardon us, Brethren, for we have sinned in word and deed: The peo­ple answer, [...] God pardon you, Brethren,

Immunis ar am si tetigit manus Non sumptuosa blandior hostia, [Page 201] Mollibit aversos Deos Farre pio, & Saliente Mica.

CHAP. X.

P Riesthood amongst the Greeks is accounted one of the seven Mysteries of the Church, in respect of that Power and Authori­ty the Clergy is endued with for di­spensation of the Mysteries of mans salvation; as the power of the Keys for loosing and binding sins, the power and energy of Preaching, and interpreting the holy Scriptures, as Oracles of God, of receiving into the Church, baptizing, cleansing, [Page 202] and regenerating with water in a mysterious manner, from the foul­ness of Original sin, power of ad­ministring the Sacrament of the ho­ly Eucharist, the [...] or Chrism: of healing the body by the [...], or holy Oyl, matters of such deep and profound concernment, beyond the most sublime and elevated under­standing, as cannot proceed from the vertue and efficacy of any na­tural calling; but only from that unintelligible and mysterious Cha­racter of the Priesthood; acoording to that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4. v. 1. Let a man so account of us, as of the Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God.

Besides the different Orders of Religious and Secular Priests, there are others distinctly appointed to administer in the Church and at the Altar; namely, Anagnostes, who is ordained only to read the Hymns [Page 203] which are sung, and the Prophets of the Old Testament; the Psaltes, which is appointed to sing the Psalms of David; the Lampadarios, who hath the care to trim the Lamps; the Deacons and Sub-deacons, who read the Epistles and Gospels; all which are initiated and first blessed by the Bishop, with imposition of hands, who gives to the Anagnostes a Bible, or Book of the holy Scrip­ture, which they call [...], and to the Psaltes the Psalms of Da­vid, signing and blessing them with the sign of the Cross: All which af­ter Ordination have the Crowns of their heads shaven.

Of Priests there are two sorts, Distin­ction of Priests. who have the power of Preaching and Administring the Sacraments, viz. Secular and Religious: The first though married have license to en­ter into holy Orders; but their Wives dying, they cannot be ad­mitted [Page 204] to a second Marriage; of which hard Injunction of their Church, some early Widowers have complained unto me, with sad re­membrances of their past estate, and inabilities for a continent life. These wear Caps turned up with white, from which hangs a fall of the same Cloth on their backs, which they call [...], or the Dove, being a Badge of their innocent life; but this is oftentimes, nay most com­monly forfeited, being cut off by the Bishop for some omission of duty, or commission of sin: so that few are observed to have conti­nued this evidence of purity, so frail are even Priests in those appetites which they profess to subdue.

The Religious Priests are called Kaloires, from [...], the good Priest, or [...], good old Fathers, which are Monks inclosed, or en­cloistered in Monasteries, professing [Page 205] chastity and obedience: Their Or­der is of S. Basil, besides which there is no other amongst the Greeks: their Habit is a long Cassock of coarse Cloth girt to them, of Ca­mel colour, with a Cap of Felt or Wool made to cover their ears, and covered with a black Cool called [...]. The se­vere lives of Ka­loires. Their Government and way of living is very austere and strict; for they wholly abstain from flesh for all their life. In the Lents, and times of Fasting, they are nou­rished with Bread and Fruits; Oyl and Fish with blood not being al­lowed, which with Lacticinia and Eggs are the Dishes and Delicacies in­dulged at their Feasts and times of less austerity. Most of their time is taken up in their Quires, being obliged every day in Lent to read over the whole Psalter once; and at the end of every four Psalms is said the Gloria Patri, &c. with [Page 206] three [...], or Metagnai, or in better Greek, [...], as they call them, which is a bowing or kissing the ground three times. At the end of every ten Psalms, which is called [...], are made forty Metagni, or bowings on the knees, kissing the ground, which every Kaloir hath obligation to perform 300 times e­very 24 hours; unless any one of them be sick, and then his Santolo, who is the Priest who first covered him with the habit, is bound to do it for him: The one half of these Bowings is performed in the two first hours of the Night, and the other half at mid-night before they arise to Mattins, which are to begin four hours before day, and to end with the dawning of the morning. At that season of the year when the Nights are long, a great part of the Nocturnal Devotion is spent in re­hearsing the Psalms of David, and [Page 207] at the end of every [...] or ten Psalms, is read some short relation of the life of some holy man, or de­vout Hermite, or some select and choice pieces of St. Chrysostom, or S. Basil, or of some holy and devout Doctor of the Church. Afterwards are read or sung nine Hymns, con­sisting of twelve Verses a-piece, six of which are sung in honour of the blessed Virgin, and three in honour of the Saint to whom the Church is dedicated, or of him whose Fe­stival is that day celebrated; before which business is finished, the day, e­specially in the Summer, breaks up­on them, and the Sun arises before their Devotions are ended, so that they have scarce the time and liber­ty of a convenient and natural re­pose.

The Lent before Easter they com­monly begin with three days of Fast without tasting either Bread [Page 208] or Water, at the end of which time the Kaloirs appear all before their Prior or Abbot, entering one by one at one door, and bow before him, and he giving them his blessing, they pass out at the o­ther, where in an outward room stands a Basket of Bread, of which who will may take, none observing who eats or who still continues his Fasts, which some of strongest com­plexions maintain until the end of five days, not tasting so much as Water.

There are some of this Order who are Reformed, The Re­formed of this Or­der. or pass into a more strict severity of life, [...], who are as it were dead to the World, taking no other sustenance than Bread and Water, and that with great moderation; using moreover much fasting in the times of Lent: but these are commonly such whom we call Anchorites, or [Page 209] Hermites, living in Caves or De­sarts, of which sort there are ma­ny in Mount Athos, called by the Greeks [...], or the Holy Moun­tain, of which we shall treat in the following Chapter.

To such strictness of life as this none is admitted, without approba­tion on tryal first made of his abili­ties of body for such subjection, in which time he takes upon him the most servile and laborious Offices, a [...] ringing of the Bell, knocking or calling at the set hours of Prayer, lighting the Lamps, or the like: I fly knocking, or calling, because in no parts of Turkie, or Domini­ons of the G. Signor, unless in Mol­d [...], Valachia, and Mount Athos, are Bells permitted: Which time of approbation being passed over with the good esteem and opinion of the Monastery, he is admitted, and e [...] ­ [...] to be a Kaloir, and vested with [Page 210] the Habit, with the usual Prayers and Ceremonies.

In these Monasteries they especi­ally respect the Vigils to the princi­pal Feasts, as of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost, called by them [...], or Vigils, which are Watchings be­ginning at the third hour of the night, and continue until the morn­ing, in which time the whole Psal­ter of David is read over; and the morning being come, the Liturgy begins, which with other parts of Divine Service continues until Noon.

But because in this manner the Kaloires who live in Convents are obliged to long attendances in their Churches, and to their Offices, which are so exceeding prolix and tedious, that they cannot comply therewith, and yet serve the necessary demands of life, without other assistances. There are therefore in every Mona­stery [Page 211] stery certain Lay-Brothers who take on them the Habit, obliging them­selves to the rule of this Order, call­ed [...], or properly [...], which signifies Converts, men wea­ry of the Vanities of the World, and Penitent, who having been guilty of some mortal sins, in token of their contrition and conversion to a bet­ter life, confine themselves to the strict Rules of S. Basil.

These govern all the domestick affairs of the Monastery, keep their Sheep and other Cattel, in which some Monasteries are very rich; and though by obligation of their Or­der, they dare not taste the tender­est of their Herds, yet in times which are not Fasts, they can drink the Milk, and enjoy comfortably the plenty of their Dairy: these al­so dig the Vineyards, tread the Wine-press, and the whole Mona­stery drinks freely of their own Cel­lars.

[Page 212]Out of some Monasteries they frequently send forth Messengers, which they call [...], to collect from distant places the Contribu­tion of charitable people; in which Employment they continue for the space of five years: after which re­turning home, they are separated from the rest, being confined to their Cells for the space of a Month, in which time they have leisure and opportunity to consider their omis­sions, their neglect of Offices, and Duties, and what sins they com­mitted during the time they were in the World, and accordingly make satisfaction to God and their Con­sciences.

Many of this sort of people are long-lived, in regard they are tem­perate in eating and drinking, and ever unacquainted with Women. [...] once knew one of them, who was an [...] of a Monastery in Cy­prus, [Page 213] called [...]. whereunto belonged 200 Kaloirs, he told me that he was 119 years of age; and the better to assure me he was not mistaken in his Calculate, he confidently affirmed, that he re­membred the taking of Cyprus by the Turk, when the Channels of his Town ran with blood, which ac­cording to History may be about the space of 107 years past, and at that time he conceived that he might have been about 12 years of age, when he remembers, that the cruel Souldiers bloodily massacring all persons which met them in their fury, his Mother defended him from violence, for having the for­tune to meet with a Souldier more flexible than the rest, she fell on the body of this her Son, and by her Prayers and Tears prevailed to re­scue him from death [...] in comme­moration of which deliverance, she [Page 214] afterwards dedicated him to the ser­vice of God, speedily entering him into the Order of Kaloires; he ne­ver remembers to have eaten flesh; his Father lived but to 80 years of age, but his Grandfather to 158.

But not only men amongst the Greeks enter into Monastical lives, but likewise pious and devout maids, who dedicating themselves to the service of God, enter into Monaste­ries, vowing Poverty and Chastity: Widows also having fallen into mortal sins, and desirous to do pe­nance for the same, and to live by a more strict Rule, oblige them­selves to live according to a strict observance of the Order, and In­junction of S. Basil: but the Regi­men or Rule of these Female Vota­ries, is not commonly so strict and regular as that of the Kaloirs, of which we might give for instance the Nuns at Scio and other places.

CHAP. XI.

THERE is no place where the Greek Religion is professed, so famous for Monasteries as that of Mount Athos; and indeed if we consider the number of them, and of the Religious belonging thereunto, it is not to be parallel'd in all the world: which because it is a place not usually frequented, or known, and is the grand Conserva­tory of the Christian Religion in Greece, and ancient austerity of li­ving, and therefore not unaptly stiled by them [...], or the Holy Mountain, I shall discourse thereof at large, and satisfie therein the curio­sity [Page 216] of our times, with all the Re­marks observable in that place.

In the relation of these particu­lars, I must confess my self to have been much beholding to that wor­thy and ingenious person Mr. John Covell late Chaplain to the Ambassa­dor of his Majesty at Constantinople, for many things related in this sub­sequent discourse; and being assist­ed also by many Informations re­ceived from the Kaloirs belonging to that place, I do not doubt but perfectly to satisfie the most curious Reader in all points relating to this Treatise.

The Mountain Athos anciently so called, The Des­cription of the Moun­tain. hath its situation on a Pe­ninsula, or Isthmus of Land an­nexed to Macedon, being about a mile and a half broad, and three miles long; it is low land, arising something towards the foot of the Mountain. And therefore the story [Page 217] of Xerxes cutting this Mountain from the Main seems a Fable, occa­sioned perhaps by opening and en­larging that Ditch or Channel, which to this day appears from Sea to Sea, and might, once being clean­sed, be rendred capable to carry a small Galley or Brigantine. The whole compass of this Mountain is esteemed to be about 160 miles. The high Pique or Peer thereof is properly called Athos, and now [...] by the Inhabitants, and is un­even, craggy, and as horrid as Cau­easus; but somewhat beneath it is covered with Trees, Shrubs, and Boscage, and produces many Plants and Herbs of admirable Vertue: It is a place full of little Springs, Rills, and Rivulets, that there can be no part so barren and unfruitful in the whole circumference of the lower parts of this Mountain, which may not be capable of great and singu­lar [Page 218] improvement; and in every cor­ner thereof, there are so many Cells and little Recesses, partly framed by Art and partly by Nature, that it seems a place of such stupendious solitude, as if the situation thereof had been designed for the retire­ment of Monks or the Cells of An­chorites.

When this place began first to be inhabited by Monks and Reli­gious men it is hard to deter­mine. The an­tiquity of the Monaste­ries on this Moun­tain. For though S. Basil was the first Author and Founder of the Or­der of Greek Monks, so that before his time, there could be none, who professed this strict way of living in Convents, and Religious Societies, I mean in Greece; yet certainly be­fore this time, the convenience of the place, and the situation thereof might invite Hermites, and persons delighted in solitary devotions, of which the world in the first and se­cond [Page 219] Century did abound, being men who lived under severe Rules of Fasting and Self-denyal, and therefore at that time as well as to this day are called [...], and [...]. But when the world was generally converted, and gave it self up to the practice of the Evangelical Do­ctrine, the life of Hermites became of less reputation, and the lives of the Religious in Societies to be e­steemed more secure, and more tending to Edification: So that Mo­nasteries increasing in all parts of the Christian World, some took their Foundation in this Mountain in the time of Constantine the Great, and by degrees increased to the number of twenty, besides a little [...] belonging to [...], where­in are about 30 or 40 Kaloirs or Greek Monks, whose chief Employ­ment consists in making of Spoons, Crosses, Boxes, Cups, &c. Of the [Page 220] rest I shall set their Names in order, with the dedication to their respe­ctive Saints: and because they pay a Rent to the G. Signors of a thou­sand Dollars a Month, which is more in my opinion than it could have been let out for to Turkish Far­mers on a rack Rent, and is the best improvement that the Turk could make of it; I shall with the name of the Monasteries, set down also the several sums, at which they are taxed, and obliged to pay under se­vere Penalties.

• 1. [...], S. Laura, taxed 110 Dollars, dedicated to S. Athanasius, but at first to the blessed Virgin, whom they report did appear and resign the Dedication to him.
• 2. [...], Caracal, taxed 25 Dol­lars, dedicated to S. Peter and Paul [...].
• 3. [...], Philotheus is Kes [...]im, dedi­cated to the Ann [...]nciation Kesim signifies free from Taxes by reason [Page 221] of poverty, which is a Turkish word.
• 4. Ibero taxed 85 Dollars, dedi­cated to the Assumption of the bles­sed Virgin.
• 5. [...], Stauronichetas, taxed 18 Dollars, dedicated to S. Nicholas.
• 6. [...], Pantochratora, taxed 57 Dollars, dedicated to the Trans­figuration.
• 7. [...], Contlomouses, taxed 55 Dollars, dedicated to the Trans­figuration of Christ.
• 8. Batopedi, [...], taxed 100 Dol­lars, dedicated to the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin.
• 9. [...], Simeno, taxed 25 Dol­lars, dedicated to the Ascension of Christ.
• 10. Chiliadar, [...], taxed 100 Dollars, dedicated to the Presenta­tion of Christ in the Temple; the Feast is on November 21. called [...] [...] vide Synaxarion.
• [Page 222]11. [...], Zograph, taxed 35 Dol­lars, dedicated to S. George.
• 12. [...], Kesim, dedicated to S. Stephen.
• 13. [...], Docharios, taxed 30 Dollars, dedicated to S. Michael Arch-Angel.
• 14. [...], Zenoph, taxed 30 Dol­lars, dedicated to S. George.
• 15. [...], Kesim, dedicated to S. Pantaleemones.
• 16. [...], Xeropotame, taxed 56 Dollars, dedicated to the 40 Martyrs called [...].
• 17. [...], Gregorius, taxed 25 Dol­lars, dedicated to S. Nicholas.
• 18. [...], Simopetra, taxed 54 Dollars, dedicated to the birth of Christ.
• 19. [...], Dionysius, taxed 60 Dollars, dedicated to S. John Bap­tist.
• 20. [...], S. Paul, taxed 35 Dollars, dedicated to S. George.

[Page 223] All which several sums making together not more than 900 Dol­lars, there will want 100 Dollars per Month to complete the Tribute, according to the ancient Tax of the Monasteries, The man­ner of taxing the Mo­nasteries. occasioned by the Po­verty of the three Monasteries be­fore denoted, which remain in the condition, and under notion of Kesim, and rendred unable to pay the Tax: Wherefore it being ne­cessary to find out the complete sum of an hundred Dollars more per Month, the other Monasteries were forced to answer for the ina­bilities of their Brethren, and to add a new Tax proportionable to the first estimation of their Revenue and Riches. And now by the Pre­mises it appears, that Laura, Bato­pedi, Chiliadar, and Ibero are the four chief and most flourishing Mo­nasteries, both in respect of their Revenues abroad, as well as of the [Page 224] limits of Land allotted them on the Mountain: what their Lands and Vineyards are, and benefits arising from thence, is well known, and may easily be calculated; but Do­natives arising from abroad, which are the charitable Contributions of well-disposed people, as they are for the most part uncertain, so they are hidden and concealed, as much as is possible. Howsoever they all plead misery and poverty, which will be a Riddle and Mystery to any person to whom they will shew or expose their Treasure; unless they be compared to the condition of the wealthy miser, who is miserable and starving amidst the heaps of his Gold: for he that sees the various Coverings they have for their Al­tars, the rich Ornaments they have for their Churches, will not easily apprehend those people to be poor. For amongst their other Treasures, [Page 225] they have first a representation of Christ in the Sepulchre (which they call [...], The Riches of the Mona­steries. exposed every Good-Fri­day at night) and is very rich with Gold and Precious Stones. Most of their Monasteries can represent the History of its Foundation, not in Paint or Colours, but in Embroi­deries of Gold and Pearl, and other pretious Stones intermixed with sin­gular Art and Curiosity. They have also variety of rich Vestments for the Priest, especially in the four chief Monasteries, where are many Chests filled with such Robes as are used at the celebration of Divine Service: Their Basons, Ewers, Dishes, Plates, Candlesticks, and Incense-Pots of Silver are not to be reckon­ed, many of which are of pure Gold, or Silver gilt. They have Crosses of a vast bigness, edged with plates of Gold, and studded with preti­ous Stones, from whence hang [Page 226] strings of Oriental Pearl. The Co­vers of their Books of the Gospel, Epistles, Psalters, and Missals, are often embossed with beaten Gold, or curiously bound up with Cases of Gold, or Silver gilt, or plain Silver. Many of which Utensils and Ornaments have been the Pre­sents of the Dukes of Moscovy, be­fore the time that that Country de­clined, or fell off from their respect to the Patriarch of Constantinople: howsoever Moldavia, Valachia, and Georgia remaining constant to that Patriarchate, have been anciently, and still continue to be very liberal, and splendid in their Presents to these Monasteries, towards one or more of which some Prince or Prin­cess of those Countries do always evidence an extraordinary devotion: especially the Georgians, whose Country was anciently called Iberia, are ever bountiful to the Monastery [Page 227] of Ibero, by whose Charity it is be­come as considerable as any of the other Monasteries. With such Pre­sents and Donatives the Churches of this Mountain are enabled to make very splendid Processions, which they practice with great state and magnificence on the high Fe­stivals of the year: and the com­mon [...], or Procession in the time of Divine Service, is so stately and pompous, that it affects the hearts of the Vulgar with so much reve­rence and devotion to the holy Rites, that scarce any of them will depart, or at least think he receives a blessing by his attendance, unless he leaves his gift behind him in te­stimony of his real and hearty affe­ction, imitating perhaps the anci­ent Custom in the times of Genti­lism, when every one who approach­ed the Altar was obliged to offer something, though but a handful of Flower or Salt.

[Page 228] It would be a matter of great work, and something difficult, to trace the original of these Monaste­ries, and to render an account of the various vicissitudes of Fortune which they have undergone. The an­cient troubles amongst the Fri­ers. We know well, that in the times of the Arians, the divisions of Religion impoverished these Monasteries: And afterwards Michael Paleologus, on a politick design to maintain and support his Empire, was contented to introduce the Roman Faith and the Popes Supremacy into the Greek Church, as it happened about the year 1430, 1430. In the time of the Coun­cil of Flo­rence. in the time of Pope Eu­genius the Fourth, which was the cause of great disturbance and ru­ine in this Mountain: For the Kaloires remaining resolute against the Papal Authority, assaulted the Ro­mish Priests at the very Altar, where­by such dissensions and skirmishes arose, that some Monasteries were [Page 229] burnt, and others demolished in the Contest; and at length the Ro­manists being forced to give way, carried with them some of the holy Spoils, and much of their Riches. But if you examine the Kaloires concerning these particulars, they can inform you no otherwise, than that the [...], (Unbelievers) such as Turks, Saracens, and they know not who, or Iconomachi, oppugners of Pictures, or such who would place sculptile Images in the place of painted Histories, being those who brought all those ruines on them, of which Books relate such sad Sto­ries. Wherefore for knowledge of these matters being obliged to Books of ancient History, we shall only touch on those Monasteries which are of most esteem and riches a­mongst them, and for account thereof shall depend on such im­perfect [Page 230] Relations as they produce; and first of [...],

Hagia Laura was begun at the expence of Nicephorus the Empe­rour, Laura. and at the instance of a most devout person in those days called Athanasius: and though this Em­perour was cut off about the year 803, leaving this Structure imper­fect; yet Athanasius continuing his endeavours, perswaded others to fi­nish this pious Work, and at length obtained such considerable Contri­butions thereunto, that the Build­ing was completed, and adorned in an excellent manner: Since which time not only the main Structure, but many little Chappels and Ora­tories have been erected within the Walls, to the number of 19, by means and assistance of good and well-disposed people, who enter­tained a particular devotion for that Monastry; the which though chief­ly [Page 231] founded by those Collections which were made by Athana­sius, yet it will be no wonder, that so many Chappels were added there­unto, if we believe what the Ka­loires report, that when their money failed, the blessed Virgin concern­ing her self in the merit, became their Benefactoress, and supplyed whatsoever came short in the account.

The Story of Athanasius Athana­sius the Monk. they re­port in this manner. He was, as they say, born at Trapezond of a good Family, of good parts, and of some Learning; and being addict­ed to a godly retired life, he applied himself to a certain reverend person called Michael Maleinus, who was a famous Confessor, and lived in a Desart of that Country; with him he conversed for divers years, was his Scholar, and learned his Disci­pline, in which he was so great a [Page 232] proficient, that Maleinus growing old, and being desirous to ease him­self of the burden of hearing Con­fessions, recommended all comers to Athanasius, who had now for se­veral years lived according to the method of a severe life. It hap­pened, that Nicephorus General of the Roman Army, marching towards Candia, for suppressing a Rebellion arisen in those parts, applyed him­self to Maleinus to make his Confes­sion, but he being grown old, de­sired his excuse, recommending him to his Scholar Athanasius, on whom he supposed that a double portion of his Spirit did remain. Nicepho­rus was so well pleased with the San­ctity of Athanasius, with his spiri­tual Doctrine, and with his holy and devout life, that he declared himself resolved to live with him, and retire from the world; and so in every place blazing abroad the [Page 233] sanctity of Athanasius, his fame spread generally, and all people flocked to him from parts far re­mote: But this good man, being of a true humble Spirit, and jealous of the danger to which Fame and Glory of the World might betray him, departed privately from his place of abode and came to Mount Athos, where, counterfeiting him­self a poor illiterate Fellow, he be­came the Servant of a Reverend and Godly man, who lived with much retirement and austerity of life. But Nicephorus, returning afterwards from the Wars, enquired for Atha­nasius in the same place where he had before left him; but he being secretly and unknown unto any de­parted, search was made for him in this Mount Athos, where Leo the Bro­ther of Nicephorus having found him, embraced and honoured him in presence of all the Monks, and [Page 234] conducting him with joy to the Emperour, was received with all honour and satisfaction, and in te­stimony thereof bestowed on him a considerable sum of money for building this Monastery. But Ni­cephorus dying before the same was completed, this Founder was be­holding to the Charity of others, especially to the bounty of Tzimisces This Athanasius lived ever after in this Monastery a most severe life, where his Cell still remains, and in which is a white Marble-stone, worn at least four or five Inches, as they say, with his knees, being the place on which he used to pray: he com­monly wore an Iron-Collar about his neck, to which he fastened a Wooden Cross weighing six or eight pounds, the which is shown to Strangers, and used for a Cere­mony at the initiation of any Kaloir into that Order. They Say he eat [Page 235] seldom above three or four times a Week, and that he once lived seven days without meat or drink, and once nine days, excepting only that he eat and drank the holy Sacra­ment twice in that time. And thus much for the Monastery of Laura.

Of Caracal they give little other account, [...]. Caracal unless in a blind manner, that an old Roman Emperour of that name built it, perhaps they may mean Antoninus Caracalla; but that is impossible, and may rather be imputed to some Vayvod of Molda­via, or Valachia, in regard that by an old Inscription on one of the Walls, it appears that the same was repaired about 170 years past by certain Vayvods of those Countries, which are now stiled by the name of Bugdania.

Ibero Ibero. was built by Johannes Tur­nicius a Georgian, born from the noble Stock of the Princes of that [Page 236] Country called Iberia, but growing old, and desirous of a retired life, came to Mount Athos, and there turned Kaloir, and became a Scho­lar of Athanasius. But the Prince of Iberia dying, and leaving a young S [...] to Reign, the Persians made an Incursion into that Coun­try; against whom there being no General so able to lead an Army as this Turnicius, the Queen-Mother sent for him to undertake the Em­ployment, and prevailing with him to accept thereof for service of his Country, he obtained the success desired, and returned triumphant to his own Nation: in reward of which the Queen offered him great Honours and Riches, but he refused more than what served him to complete his Monastery of Ibero; which though at first designed to receive no other than Iberians, yet now all others of the Greek Religion [Page 237] are accepted into it without distin­ction of Country or Nation.

Stauroniceta was built about 200 years past by Jeremias, [...]. Patriarch of Constantinople, surnamed [...], or the Good, and was for his piety and vertue esteemed and reverenced e­ver by the Turks.

Pantocratora was built by Theodo­sius, [...]. but was much repaired and augmented by Alexius Comnenus, who there lies buried; after which Barboula and Gabriel, two Vayvods of. Valachia, built the Tower, and repaired it after its last ruine.

Or Condoulmouses, [...]. was built by Andronicus Paleologus, though it is probable that some great Perso­nage of his Court or other, who had been a large Benefactor to it, might have bestowed his name upon it: And now lastly, in the year 1500 it appears by an Inscription on the Wall, that Johannes Neanchus, and [Page 238] Johannes Randulus, Vayvods of Vala­chia, did much repair and enlarge it: This Monastery, though it stands four miles distant from the Sea, different from the Scituation of all the others, yet it possesses a Tower by the Sea-side, and in right there­of hath a peculiar Port or Bay with the priviledge and immunity of fishing.

Batopedi [...]. is reported to have been the most ancient of all the Mona­steries; it was built by Constantine the Great, the Church very stately, and the second in those Countries to Sancta Sophia at Constantinople; it was greatly ruined and defaced by Julian the Apostate, and suffered also in those heats between the Ari­ans and the Orthodox, but pious Be­nefactors repaired the loss and re­stored it to its pristine state and con­dition.

Simeno is a small Monastery found­ed [Page 239] by some Emperour, [...]. but who he was, or what his name was, the Kaloires can render no account; for it seems they have no Registers there­of, nor Inscriptions on the Walls to give us light, nor are they very cu­rious or inquisitive to know their Founders.

Chiliadar is one of the four chief­est Monasteries, [...]. and is the next to Laura, both in respect of its anti­quity and structure: it may be call­ed a Colony from Batopedi, which one Sabbas, Son of Simeon the Despot, or Prince of Bulgaria, brought out from thence. This Sabbas, being once a Monk in Batopedi, where the Religious of divers Nations had their residence; he judged it most convenient to found a Monastery where one and the same Language might be only spoken; so that hav­ing builded one he carried with him all the Bulgarians which were in Be­topedi [Page 240] which, being many, seemed like a swarm of Bees lodged in Chi­liadar, which in the Bulgarian Lan­guage signifies a Hive of Bees.

Zograph is another Bulgarian Mo­nastery built by one of that Nation, [...]. and so also is Xenoph founded by a Kaloir of the same Nation, who by the Alms of good and charitable people, gain'd as much as served to build and endow this Monastery.

Dochiario was first founded by one Neophytus, [...]. a Kaloir of good Paren­tage and esteem, who, with his own Estate, and by the charitable con­tribution of well-disposed people founded this Monastery, whereof making himself the [...] or Prior, dedicated it to St. Nicholas, but af­terwards the Dedication thereof was changed and made to St. Michael on this occasion. A poor Boy, at­tending the little Flocks of this Monastery in the Fields; acciden­tally [Page 241] found a Stone with an Inscri­ption thereon, directing to a place of hidden Treasure; after the read­ing of which, the Prior sent some Kaloires with the Boy to discover it, and bring it to the Monastery: which having found, they designed it for themselves, and appropriate it to their own peculiar benefit, with­out other account thereof unto their Prior: to which end they threw the Boy from a Rock into the Sea, with a Stone about his neck, who falling called upon S. Michael: which having done, and secured the Trea­sure, they returned home, and re­ported that the Boy had feigned a false Story, and for fear of punish­ment was run away. The next morning early the Clerk of the Chappel entring into the Vestry to light the Lamps, found the Boy cold and wet, and half dead with the stone about his neck, of which [Page 242] acquainting the Prior, he came in haste, and learned the whole truth of the Story; for which cause he punished the Kaloires, recovered the Treasure, and therewith enlarged the Monastery, and again conse­crated it, and dedicated it to Saint Michael, by whose favour and pro­tection the poor Boy was con­served.

Cheropotame was built by one An­dronicus Paleologus, [...]. who afterwards turned Monk, or rather it was re­paired by him, after the old Chero­potame was fallen to ruine. For the Kaloires report, that this Monastery fell down at the time when John Pa­leologus caused Romish Mass to be there celebrated.

The last four, viz. Gregorius, Si­mopetra, Dionysius, and [...] Paulus, were built by Contributions collect­ed by four Kaloires, they were at [Page 243] first only [...] or Cells of Her­mites, but were afterwards enlarg­ed and endowed; they are all built in the Rocks, and have a craggy and asperous ascent to them.

Gregorius is but small, [...] and at first was only the Cell of him, who gave his name to it, but the sanctity of his life invited several Benefactors to favour and perfect his small begin­nings.

Simopetra was founded by one Si­meon a Religious Kaloir, [...] with some reference to the name of Simon Pe­ter; it hath been thrice burnt, and lastly was repaired about forty years past with great expence, and charge of Presents given to the Turks; for if a Church or a Religious House be burnt down, or ruined by any acci­dent, according to the Turkish Law it is not to be repaired but by spe­cial Order; and for that Reason, such Licenses or Dispensations have [Page 244] always been obtained from the Turks at a high expence.

Dionysius was also built by a Ka­loir of that Name, [...]. and Alexius Com­nenus, in whose time it was erected, contributed liberally thereunto.

This Monastery of Paulus was built by a Bulgarian of the same Name, [...]. who begged sufficient to build it: he was (as they report) a co-temporary with the Religious Athanasius, of whom we have al­ready spoken, and one who was emulous of his sanctity: So that if the Monkish Weed may be capable of such contention, these Kaloires will perswade us, that these two en­deavoured to surpass each other in a holy and seraphical way of serv­ing God.

In this manner we have said some­thing in particular of every Mona­stery, unless it be of [...], and [...], which being all three Ke­sim, [Page 245] or poor Monasteries, paying nothing of Tribute for maintenance of this Ecclesiastical Body, are not to be accounted in the number of those which have large and splen­did Revenues. And though the Turks themselves, being sensible of the poverty of these Monasteries, have declared them Kesim, yet they will not abate one Asper of the thou­sand Dollars per Month, but what is wanting in these Monasteries they impose on the others; to propor­tion which, the Turks leave it to the Kaloires to lay the Tax as they think fit; amongst whom though, upon this occasion and subject, there do often arise great and grievous dis­sentions and quarrels, yet they are such as are always composed a­mongst themselves, being unwil­ling to refer themselves to the charge and inequality of the Turk­ish Justice.

[Page 246] The Revenue of these Monaste­ries arises partly from the Lands ad­joining to them on the Mountain, The Re­venue of the Mo­nasteries. which are sufficient to maintain, them with Wine, Bread and Olives; and the Sea yields them Fish in great abundance, every Monastery hav­ing its Bay or place peculiarly ap­propriated unto it.

Besides which, every Monastery hath its [...], or Farms, which are seated some on the firm Land, and some on Islands, where being Chap­pels, and Cells for Fryars, are whol­ly manured by Religious men of the same Order, who have liberty to sow Corn and Flax, to plant Vine­yards, keep Flocks of Sheep and Goats, to sell the Lambs, Kids, Wool, Milk, and Cheese; and what shall arise in Money from hence, after their maintenance is deducted, and the Accounts made up, refunds re­spectively to the Capital Monastery. [Page 247] I say that these [...] have liberty to keep Goats and Sheep; which is not lawful on the Mountain, where ac­cording to the ancient institution of this place, no Female Creature is to be admitted; no not so much as an Ewe-lamb or Hen, in token of that severe Chastity which these peo­ple profess.

But besides all this, they have a greater Revenue coming in from the industry and travels of their Emissaries, which they call [...], [...] who are persons sent into all places and Cities of note and esteem, to collect the benevolence of charita­ble people towards their Monaste­ries, especially in Constantinople, Smyrna, Bulgaria, Servia, Candia, and all other parts where those of the Greek Church are numerous, but their richest Gifts are from Mol­davia, Valachia, Russia, Moscovy, and Georgia, with which these Emissaries [Page 248] oftentimes return richly freighted, whom, in reward of their industry, they not only receive with a hearty welcome, but he who brings the greatest Contributions is esteemed worthy to be promoted for the year following to be Prior of the Monastery. Nor are these people less cunning Artists in the skill of begging, than are the Mendicants in Christendom: I have observed di­vers of them in sundry places, stand­ing with a Box and a little Picture before it, The De­votion and Cha­rity of the Greeks to these Monaste­ries. to receive the Alms for this Mountain and Mount Sina; but these are under Officers to those who come with the large Commissi­on: And though the Greeks are now generally poor and narrow­hearted; yet there are few but out of pride or devotion esteem it ne­cessary to bestow Alms on this place. Some who have been Oppressours, and lived perhaps upon Rapine and [Page 249] Violence, are of Opinion that they attone for their sins, by sacrificing part of their prey to this Mountain; by which, and other Offerings, I have heard, that within the space of six months there stands Registred above 2000 Dollars in the Book of Laura, which have been given at home, besides the Collections from Foreign Parts.

The number of Kaloires, viz. The num­ber of Kaloires in this Moun­tain. Priests, Deacons, and Lay-Brothers belonging to the Mountain, is cal­culated to amount unto six thou­sand; of which commonly two thousand may be abroad, and em­ployed in making Collections; and this number is reported by Bellonius to have been in his time, which may have been about a hundred years past; so that it seems in these late years the number hath not been abated, though before the con­quest made by the Turks we may [Page 250] suppose that they were far more nu­merous.

These Monasteries, having for the most part been founded by Kings and Princes, Their in­depen dency on the Pa­triarch. have obtained an Ori­ginal priviledge of being exempted from the jurisdiction of the Patri­arch, so that they are not obliged to make the acknowledgment of one Asper of benefit unto him: All the power he hath, is to constitute an Arch-bishop over them, whose Seat is at Careis, and another at Si­dero-Capti, but subordinate to the Metropolite of Thessalonica: The which Bishops are not farther con­cerned with them, than to say their Liturgy, and ordain Priests; to whom, for every Ordination, there is due a Zechin and no more. But all matters of Rule and Govern­ment are solely in the hands of the Chiefs or Priors of the Monaste­ries respectively. The reason where­of [Page 251] is, because that the receiving of members into the Convent, or the passing from a Secular into a Reli­gious or Regular life, is no part of Priesthood, which requires Ordina­tion or a new Character, but only the profession of a Vow or Solemn renunciation of the World, which comes not within the compass of the Episcopal cognisance. Nor yet hath the Patriarch so much power as this over all the Monasteries, for Batopedi, Laura, Contlomouses, Philo­theo, Stauronichetu, Pantocratora, Si­meno, Dochano, and Ibero are exempt­ed, having about 20 or 30 years past purchased their Enfranchise­ment from the Patriarch, so that having no power over them, not so much as to confine them to a parti­cular Bishop for conferring of holy Orders, they remain at liberty to take and chuse what Bishop they think fit.

[Page 252]But in most other places where there are Monasteries another Rule is observed; A Tur­kish Aga set over them. for the Patriarch hath not only power to Ordain their Priests, but to constitute their Pri­ors, and to bestow the Office on him who makes the best Offering and richest Present to the Patriar­chate. I said in most other places, because the Monastry at Mavra Mo­la on the Bosphorus, as also the Mo­nasteries of this Mountain are ex­cepted, having the great Bostangee­bashee for their Protector, who year­ly at the beginning of March con­stitutes some Aga for his Deputy to collect the yearly Tribute or Rent of 12000 Dollars, out of which he is allowed ten Purses, or 5000 Dollars for his maintenance, besides a Sheep a month from each Mona­stery, besides the Presents of Lambs, Kids, &c. at Easter; he hath a house at Kareis where he is attended with [Page 253] three or four Servants, but no wo­man hath there admittance.

This Town of Kareis, Kareis. or Kareais as they write it, is seated about the middle of the Mountain, where a plentiful Market is held every Sa­turday, to which great numbers of people (I mean of the Male Sex) do there meet, where the Fryars buy Cheese, Eggs, and as many Male­Sheep and Goats, as may supply them with a sufficient provision of Wooll for working, and for Pre­sents to their Aga. Here also they sell their Manufactories, such as Iron worked into Shovels, Tongs, Hors­shoos &c. also Boots, Shoos, Beads, Crosses, and what else is the Fruit of their Lands, or Surplusage of their provisions, for all which they are paid in ready money. At this place the chief Monasteries have a house, or lodging to receive their respective members, who have oc­casions [Page 254] at that place; where for­merly did reside, a Steward, or Re­presentative of every Monastery, though now fix only which are the chief, remain there for all the rest, viz. of Laura, Ibero, Batopedi, Chilia­dar, Dionysius, and Contlomouses.

Above all, there is a common House or Hall, where Synods or Councils are held touching the u­nited interest of all the Monasteries, which they call, [...], whereunto there is near adjoyning a very fair Church, built by Con­stantine the Great, dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, which they call, [...], the sleeping of the blessed Virgin, which Church, being very ancient, was re­paired about 164 years past, as appears by an Inscription on one of the Walls. For maintenance of these publick Buildings and the persons which inhabit them, and for de­fraying [Page 255] the charges of Candles, Oyl, and Lamps, and support of those who Weekly (that is on Mar­ket-days) read the Liturgy; every Monastery is taxed in proportion to its Revenue. In all which Ex­ercises of Religion, and perfor­mance of Secular Negotiations, they live so free under the Turkish Aga, that no Turk whatsoever, without his License, can set his Foot upon the Mountain; which not­withstanding many persons of the best and civillest quality obtain when in the spring for their health, and in the Antumne, when the Fruits are ripe, they desire admission for their pleasure and pastime: and at their departure are free and liberal in their acknowledgments to the Monastery where they received their Entertainment. This Kareis is now the only Town on this Mountain, though in the time of [Page 256] Strabo there were five, viz. Dion, Kleones, Thyssan, Holophyx, and Akres-thous.

We have said that this Town of Kareis being the common Mart, The em­ployment of the Kaloirs whereunto the Kaloirs bring their Manufactories; it is observable, that the Lay-brothers, when they enter into this Religious life, are employed according to that Trade, and work in which they profess themselves most skillful: without doors, they plant Vine-yards, ditch and hedge them in, gather Olives, and press out the Oyl, keep, and shear their Sheep, but they neither Plow, nor Sow; within doors, they have their Black-smiths, who work in Iron to provide them with Matocks, Spades, and other Instru­ments of that sort for the Fields: they have their Taylors, Weavers, Cappers, and Workers in Leather, who having supply'd the Monaste­ries [Page 257] with conveniences of that Na­ture, sell the remainder to Stran­gers for money, the which accrues to the benefit of the Convent, which out of the common Stock provides the materials whereon to work, which when they are wrought, they are then esteemed to be the Goods of the Monastery. For as in Chri­stendom no Fryar is capable of ac­quiring Wealth unto himself, so neither here can a Kaloir appropri­ate the benefit of his own labours; though perhaps an industrious and skilful Workman shall have more respect and care taken of him, that he want nothing which is conveni­ent for him, than those who are Drones, or unskilful in any Art or Trade. Whether such men as these can read, or not, it matters not much; for there is not one of a hundred of them so well learned; it is sufficient if he can make his [Page 258] Cross, and his Metagnia before the blessed Virgin, which is a bowing on their Knees, touching the ground with their Forehead, which some will do 300 times together, as I have already declared in the forego­ing Chapter.

But the Fathers or Priests are of a Classis or Form above these, The learning of their Priests. for they can all read and write, from the Prior to the lowest Deacon; though very few of them under­stand the learned or School Greek in any perfection: for it would puzzle the wisest heads amongst them to interpret every word in their Liturgy, and yet they are so expert and ready therein, that they can run from the beginning to the ending without stop or hesitation, and gallop it over at that rate, that one must have a good ear and some skill in the Greek Language, to di­stinguish the different sound of the [Page 259] words which they utter: besides which, their chief study is of the [...], the Hymns of John Dama­scen, and to find out and know the proper Lessons for the day, and the Offices of the Church, with all the Responses and Suffrages; which is a Learning so intricate, as requires some practice, and application of the mind: But such as have any Learning more than the rest, it consists for the most in the know­ledge they have of the Fathers and Councils of their own Church, and in the Ecclesiastical Authors of the first Century after Constantine the Great. The Latine and Hebrew Tongues, and any besides the Greek, they contemn and esteem as pro­phane: Philosophy and Mathema­ticks, being matters of Humane Learning, they account as unne­cessary for men who lead a morti­fied and spiritual life, to whom also [Page 260] all Books are unlawful, but such as treat of Divinity, and a holy and devout way of living.

Every Monastery hath its Libra­ry of Books, Their Libra­ries. which are kept in a lofty Tower, under the custody of one whom they call [...], who also is their Steward, receives their money, and renders an account of all their Expences: but we must not imagine that these Libraries are conserved in that order, as ours are in the parts of Christendom; that they are ranked and compiled in method on Shelves, with Labels of the Contents, or that they are brush­ed and kept clean, like the Libraries of our Colleges; but they are piled one on the other without order or method, covered with dust, and ex­posed to the Worm. They have few Books amongst them but what treat of Divinity, and as I have heard they have scarce any of much [Page 261] worth; in regard that the Emissa­ries of France and other parts, have by force of money deprived them of all the choicest Books in their Li­braries: Nor have they (as I have been well inform'd) one Book that varies in the least from the Doctrine of the Seventh Council; for there is not one Book to be found of those which were wrote by those whom they call Hereticks, esteeming that the easiest way to confute a Here­tick, and stop his Doctrine in its progress, is to condemn the same, and burn his Book.

In every Monastery they have Bells: such as they daily use are small, but those of greatest bigness, are of about 4 or 500 weight, which they ring at Festivals, when they would make the greatest noise and rejoicing: on these their Clocks strike, which are fixed like those on our Churches in England; which [Page 262] are not to be found, as I remember, in any other place in Turkey, unless at Buda, where I saw one of this sort.

For conclusion, In this manner this Mountain of Athos is inhabited, and this is the Government amongst these Religious men of the Greek Church, who are for the most part good simple men of godly lives, gi­ven greatly to devotion and acts of mortification; for as out of the a­bundance of the heart the mouth speaks, so these men discoursing with a live­ly sense of God and of his Service, we may without over-much credu­lity, or easiness of belief, conclude them not only to be real and moral good men, but such also as are something touched with the Spirit of God; whose devotion and affe­ction to his Commands and Pre­cepts, shall carry them farther in their way to Heaven, than the Wis­dom [Page 263] of the most profound Philo­sophers, or the wisest Clerks. And that such people are found in the world, endowed with such Priviledges, in the Countries of the Grand Oppres­sour of Christendom, to God's Name be Glory and Honour now and for ever,

Amen.

CHAP. XII.

BEfore we treat of this last My­stery, which is the Oyl of Prayer, let us premise some­thing touching the Confession of sins, which is to be performed four times in the year, to a Priest law­fully Constituted and Ordained, that is, for such who have leisure [Page 264] and convenience of living; Priests and others entred into holy Orders, or into a life of Regular Devotion, are obliged to a Confession once a Month. The labouring and com­mon people are enjoined to a Con­fession but once a year, and that before their entrance into the great Lent, which is before Easter: To sick and infirm people, it is recom­mended as a Remedy against the Diseases of the Soul, and ease of a burdened Conscience. Repentance the Greeks call [...], and is by them defined to be, A sorrow of heart for sin, [...] of which a man accuses himself before a Priest, with a firm resolution to correct the errours of his past life, by that which is to come, and with in­tention to perform whatsoever shall be [Page 265] enjoined him by his Spiritual Pastor for his Penance. By which defini­tion it appears how necessary the Greeks esteem Confession to a Priest, having these words in the Ortho­dox Doctrine of the Oriental Church, [...] The Priest cannot re­lease, unless he enquire first what he is to release: and likewise it is appa­rent by the foregoing Definition, That the Priest hath power to enjoin Penance, which they call [...], such as Prayers extraor­dinary, Alms, Fastings, visiting of holy Places, and the like. When the Penitent comes to Confessi­on, the Priest utters these words to him; [...]. Behold the Angel of the Lord is at hand to take thy Confession, see therefore that thou conceal no sin, for [Page 266] fear of shame, for I also am a man and a sinner as thou art.

To such Penitents who are sick and languishing, [...], or the holy Oyl. and find their Con­sciences guilty of any mortal sin, as Fornication, Adultery, or Pride, which tends to the contempt of God, is administred the Sacrament of [...], or, The Oyl of Prayer, which is performed by the Bishop or Arch-Bishop, assisted by seven Priests, and begins with this Prayer.

O Lord, [...], &c. who with the Oyl of thy Mercies hast healed the Wounds of our Souls and of our Bo­dies, do thou sanctifie this Oyl in that manner, that those who are anointed therewith may be freed from their Infirmities, and from all Corporal and Spiritual Evils; that the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, may be glo­rifyed therein.

[Page 267]This Sacrament, as they call it, of the Holy Oyl, is by some said to be different from that which is called [...], which is administred un­to healthful persons, who are fallen into mortal sins, which pollute the Body as well as the Soul, and takes its Original from the parable of the good Samaritan in the Gospel, who poured Oyl into the Wounds of him who fell amongst Thieves: But this Unction is not applicable to those who are guilty of Rapine and Vio­lence, whose sins are only purged and expiated by Restitution and Sa­tisfaction. This Oyl of Prayer is pure and unmixed Oyl, without a­ny other composition; a quantity whereof, sufficient to serve for the whole year, is consecrated on Wed­nesday in the holy Week by the Arch­Bishop or Bishop, though it may be administred, or application made thereof by three Priests. This is [Page 268] the same with that which in the Roman Church is called, Extreme Unction, grounded on the words of St. James, Cap. 5. 14. Is any sick a­mongst you? let him call for the Elders the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with Oyl in the name of the Lord.

In the administration of this Oyl of Prayer, the Priest dips some Cotton at the end of a stick into the Oyl, and therewith anoints the Pe­nitent, in the form of a Cross, on the Fore-head, on the Chin, on each Cheek, on the backs and palms of the Hands, and then recites this Prayer.

Holy Father, [...] Physi­tian of Souls and Bo­dies, who hast sent thine only Son Jesus Christ, healing infirmities and sins, to free us from death, heal this thy [Page 269] Servant of corporal and spiritual infirmities, [...] and give him salvation, and the grace of thy Christ, through the Prayers of our more than holy La­dy the Mother of God, the Eternal Virgin, through the assistance of the glorious, celestial, and incorporeal Powers, through the Vertue of the life-giving Cross of the holy and glorious Prophet the fore-runner John the Baptist, and of the holy and glorious Apostles, and triumphant Martyrs of the holy, and just Fathers, and of the holy and life-giving Anargiri, Amen.

Confession of Sins verbally, and particularly to a Priest, is esteemed a necessary duty for constituting a perfect Contrition; though they do not deny but a person dying in a [Page 270] state of Regeneration, that is to say, with a Repentance proceeding from the love of God, and having not opportunity by the suddenness of death, or some other accident, to confess and receive Absolution, may yet through the mercies of God, and bounty of the Saints, have these necessary Sacraments confer­red, and mysteriously supplyed, and the contrite Soul saved: But yet that the omission thereof, in a place where it may be obtained, is a sin, which (as they say) can no other­wise be pardoned in the next World, than by the Prayers, Intercessions of the Saints in Heaven, and by the Alms and Oblations of good men on Earth; of which Opinion of theirs we shall have occasion to speak more particularly hereafter.

CHAP. XIII.

THE Third Command of the Church is Obedience towards their Spiritual Pa­stors and Teachers, 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Mini­sters of Christ, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God: which is a Text that they often repeat in their Churches, and raise consequences from thence of the sublimity of their Office, and of the reverence and honour due from the people toward their Clergy; so that though they want the advantages of Riches and Ornament to render them re­spected in the Eyes of the Vulgar; yet their People being affected with [Page 272] their divine and separated Qualifica­tions, do not submit only in Spiri­tual matters, but even in Tempo­rals refer themselves to the determi­nation of their Bishop, or Metropo­lite, according to that of S. Paul, 1 Cor. 6. 1. Dare any of you having a matter against another, go to Law be­fore the unjust, and not before the Saints? But that which most en­forces this Duty of Obedience, is a sense of the Power of Excommuni­cation, which rests in the Church, of which they so generally stand in fear, that the most profligate and obdurate conscience in other mat­ters startles at this sentence to which whilst any is subjected, he is not only expelled the limits of the Church, but his conversation is scan­dalous, and his person denied the common benefits of Charity and assistance, to which Christian or Humane duty doth oblige us. [Page 273] In the Exercise of this censure of Excommunication, the Greek Church is so ready and frequent, that the common use of it might seem to render it the more con­temptible; but that the Sentence is pronounced with so much horrour, and the sad effects which have en­sued thereupon, not only to the living, but also to the Corps and Car­casses of such who have dyed under Excommunication, are related with that evidence and certainty as still confirms in the people the efficacy of that Authority which the Church exercises therein. The form of Ex­communication is either expressive of the party with his name and con­dition, secluding him from the use of Divine Ordinances, or otherwise indefinite of any person who is guil­ty of such or such a Crime or Mis­demeanour. As for Example, If a­ny person is guilty of Theft, which is [Page 274] not discovered, an Excommunica­tion is taken out against him, who­soever he be, that hath committed the Theft, which is not to be re­mitted until Restitution is made; and so the fault is published and re­peated at a full Congregation, and then follows the Sentence of Excom­munication in this form.

If they restore not to him that which is his own, [...] and possess him peaceably of it, but suffer him to remain in­jured and damnifyed; let him be separated from the Lord God Cre­atour, and be accursed, and unpardoned, and undissolvable after death in this World, and in the other which is to come. Let Wood, Stones, [Page 275] and Iron be dissolved, but not they: May they inherit the Leprosie of Gehazi, and the Con­fusion of Judas; may the Earth be divided, and devour them like Dathan and Abiram; may they sigh and trem­ble on earth like Cain, and the wrath of God be upon their heads and Countenances; may they see nothing of that for which they labour, and beg their Bread all the days of their lives; may their Works, Possessions, Labours, and Services be accursed; always without effect or success, and blown a­way like dust; may they have the Cur­ses of the holy and righteous Patri­archs Abram, Isaac and Jacob; of the 318 Saints who were the Divine Fathers of the Synod of Nice, and of all other holy Synods; and being with­out [Page 276] the Church of Christ, let no man administer unto them the things of the Church, or bless them, or offer Sacri­fice for them, or give them the [...] or the blessed Bread, or eat, or drink, or work with them, or converse with them; and after death, let no man bury them, in penalty of being under the same state of Excommunication, for so let them remain until they have performed what is here written.

The effect of this dreadful Sen­tence is reported by the Greek Priests to have been in several instances so evident, that none doubts or dis­believes the consequences of all those maledictions repeated therein; and particularly, that the body of an excommunicated person is not ca­pable of returning to its first Prin­ciples until the Sentence of Excom­munication is taken off. It would be esteemed no Curse amongst us [Page 277] to have our Bodies remain uncor­rupted and entire in the Grave, who endeavour by Art, and Aroma­tick spices, and Gums, to preserve them from Corruption: And it is also accounted, amongst the Greeks themselves, as a miracle and parti­cular grace and favour of God to the Bodies of such whom they have Canonized for Saints to continue unconsumed, and in the moist damps of a Vault, to dry and de­siccate like the Mummies in Egypt, or in the Hot sands of Arabia. But they believe that the Bodies of the Excommunicated are possessed in the Grave by some evil spirit, which actuates and preserves them from Corruption, in the same manner as the Soul informes and animates the living body; and that they feed in the night, walk, digest, and are nou­rished, and have been found ruddy in Complexion, and their Veins, af­ter [Page 278] forty days Burial, extended with Blood, which, being opened with a Lancet, have yielded a gore as plen­tiful, fresh, and quick, as that which issues from the Vessels of young and sanguine persons. This is so gene­rally believed and discoursed of a­mongst the Greeks, that there is scarce one of their Country Villa­ges, but what can witness and re­count several instances of this na­ture, both by the relation of their Parents, and Nurses, as well as of their own knowledge, which they tell with as much variety as we do the Tales of Witches and Enchant­ments, of which it is observed in Conversation, that scarce one story is ended before another begins of like wonder. But to let pass the common and various Reports of the Vulgar, this one may suffice for all, which was recounted to me with many asseverations of its truth, by [Page 279] a grave Candiot Kaloir, called So­fronio, a Preacher, and a person of no mean repute and learning at Smyrna.

‘I knew, (said he) a certain per­son, who for some misdemeanours committed in the Morea, fled over to the Isle of Milo, where though he avoided the hand of Justice, yet could not avoid the Sentence of Excommunication, from which he could no more fly, than from the conviction of his own Con­science, or the guilt which ever at­tended him; for the fatal hour of his death being come, and the Sen­tence of the Church not revoked, the Body was carelesly and without Solemnity interred in some retired and unfrequented place. In the mean time the Relations of the deceased were much afflicted, and anxious for the sad estate of their dead Friend, whilst the Paisants [Page 280] and Islanders were every night af­frighted and disturbed with strange and unusual apparitions, which they immediately concluded arose from the Grave of the accursed Excom­municant, which, according to their Custom, they immediately open­ed, and therein found the Body uncorrupted, ruddy, and the Veins replete with Blood: The Coffin was furnished with Grapes, Aples and Nuts, and such fruit as the Season afforded: Whereupon, Consultation being made, the Ka­loires resolved to make use of the common Remedy in those cases, which was to cut and dismember the Body into several parts, and to boyl it in Wine, as the approved means to dislodge the evil Spirit, and dispose the body to a dissolu­tion: But the friends of the deceas­ed, being willing and desirous that the Corps should rest in peace, and [Page 281] some ease given to the departed Soul, obtained a Reprieve from the Clergy, and hopes, that for a sum of Money, (they being persons of a competent Estate) a Release might be purchased from this Excom­munication under the hand of the Patriarch: In this manner the Corps were for a while freed from dissection, and Letters thereupon sent to Constantinople, with this di­rection, That in case the Patriarch should condescend to take off the Excommunication, that the day, hour and minute that he signed the Remission should be inserted in the Date. And now the Corps were taken into the Church, (the Country-people not being willing they should remain in the Field) and Prayers and Masses daily said for its dissolution, and pardon of the Offender: When one day after many Prayers, Supplications and [Page 282] Offerings (as this Sofronio attested to me with many protestations) and whilst he himself was perform­ing Divine Service, on a sudden was heard a rumbling noise in the Coffin of the dead party, to the fear and astonishment of all per­sons then present; which when they had opened, they found the Body consumed and dissolved as far into its first Principles of Earth, as if it had been seven years in­terred. The hour and minute of this dissolution was immediately noted and precisely observed, which being compared with the Date of the Patriarchs release, when it was signed at Constantinople, it was found exactly to agree with that moment in which the Body return­ed to its Ashes.’ This story I should not have judged worth relating, but that I heard it from the mouth of a grave person, who says, That his [Page 283] own eyes were Witnesses thereof; and though notwithstanding I e­steem it a matter not assured enough to be believed by me, yet let it serve to evidence the esteem they enter­tain of the validity and force of Ex­communication. I had once the curiosity to be present at the open­ing of a Grave of one lately dead, who, as the people of the Village reported, walked in the night, and affrighted them with strange Phan­tasmes; but it was not my fortune to see the Corps in that nature, nor to find the Provisions with which the spirit nourishes it, but only such a Spectacle as is usual after six or se­ven days Burial in the Grave; how­soever Turks as well as Christians dis­course of these matters with much confidence.

This high esteem and efficacy being put on Excommunication, Excom­munica­tions granted on every trivial occasion. one would believe that the Priests [Page 284] should endeavour to conserve the reverence thereof, being the Basis and main support of their Authori­ty; and that therefore they should not so easily make use thereof on e­very frivolous occasion; that so fa­miliarity might not render it con­temptible, and the salvation of mens Souls not seem to be played with on every slight and trivial Affair: But such is the much to be lamented poverty in this Church, that they are not only forced to sell Excommu­cations, but the very Sacraments; and to expose the most reverend and mysterious Offices of Religion unto sale for maintenance and sup­port of the Priesthood.

The taking off Excommunica­tions after death hath been usual, but the Excommunicating after death may seem a strange kind of severity; for so we read that Theodosius, Bishop of Alexandria, excommunicated [Page 285] Origen two hundred years after his decease.

On the same Authority of Ex­communication depends the power of re-admission again into the Church, The manner of receiv­ing into the Church such as have denyed the faith. which according to the Greek Canon is not to be obtained easily, or at every cold request of the Penitent, but after proof or try­al first made of a hearty and serious conversion, evidenced by the con­stant and repeated actions of a holy life, and the patient and obedient performance of Penance imposed and enjoined by the Church. Such as have apos [...]tized from the Faith, by becomi [...] Turks, under the age of 14 years, upon their repen­tance, and desire of return to the Church, sought earnestly with tears, signified and attested by 40 days fasting with bread and water, ac­companied with continual Prayer day and night, are afterwards re­ceived [Page 286] solemnly into the Church, in presence of the Congregation, the Priest making a Cross on the Fore­head of the Penitent with the Oyl of Chrism, or the [...], usu­ally administred to such who return from the ways of darkness and mor­tal sins.

But of such who in riper years fall away from the Faith (as many Greeks do for the sake of Women, or escape of punishment) their re­admission or reception again into the Church is more difficult; for to some of them there is enjoined a Penance of six or seven years hum­bling themselves with extraordinary Fasts, and continual Prayer; du­ring which time they remain in the nature of Catechumeni, without the use or comfort of the Eucharist, or Absolution, unless at the hour of death; in which the Church is so rigorous, that the Patriarch himself [Page 287] is not able to release a Penance of this nature, imposed only by a sim­ple Priest; and for receiving Peni­tents of this nature there is a set Form or Office in the Greek Li­turgy.

But now we have few Examples of those Apostates who return from the Mahometan to the Christian faith; for none dares own such a Conver­sion but he who dares to dye for it; so that that practice and admirable part of Discipline is become obso­lete and disused. Yet some there have been, even in my time, both of the Greek and Armenian Chur­ches, who have afforded more He­roick Examples of Repentance, than any of those who have tryed them­selves by the Rules and Canons pre­scribed; for after that they denyed the Faith, and for some years have carried on their heads the Badge or distinction of a Mahometan, feeling [Page 288] some remorses of Conscience, they have so improved the same by the sparks of some little grace remain­ing, that nothing could appease or allay the present torment of their minds, but a return to that Faith from whence they were fallen. In this manner, having communicated their anguish and desires to some Bi­shop or grave person of the Clergy, and signifying withal their Courage and Zeal to dye for that faith, which they have denyed; they have been exhorted, as the most ready expiation of their sin, to confess Christ at that place where they have renounced him; and this they have resolutely performed by leaving off their Tulbants, and boldly presenting themselves in publick Assemblies and at the time of publick prayers in the Church: and when the Turks have challenged them for having revolt­ed or relapsed again from them, [Page 289] they have owned their Conversion, and boldly declared their resolution to dye in that old Faith wherein they were baptized; and, as a Token or Demonstration hereof, being carri­ed before the Justice of the City or Province, they have not only by words owned the Christian Do­ctrine, but also trampled their Tur­kish Tulbants or Sashes under their Feet, and withstood three times the demand, whether they would still continue to be Mahometans, accord­ing as is required in the Mahometan Law: For which, being condemn­ed to dye, they have suffered death with the same chearfulness and cou­rage that we read of the Primitive Martyrs, who daily Sacrificed them­selves for the Christian Verity.

Considering which, I have, with some astonishment, beheld in what manner some poor English men, who have fondly and vilely denyed the [Page 290] faith of Christ in Barbary and the parts of Turky, and become, as we term them, Renegados, have afterwards (growing weary of the Customes of Turks to which they were strangers) found means of escape, and returned again into England, and there entered the Churches, and frequented the Assembly of Gods people, as boldly as if they had been the most con­stant and faithful of the Sheepfold: At which confidence of ignorant and illiterate men, I do not so much admire, as I do at the negligence of our Ministers, who acquaint not the Bishops herewith, to take their Counsel and Order herein: But perhaps they have either not learned, or so far for­got the ancient Discipline of ours, and all other Christian Churches, as to per­mit men, after so abominable a Lapse and Apostasie, boldly to intrude into the Sanctuary of God with the same unhallowed hands, and blasphe­mous [Page 291] mouths, with which they de­nyed their Saviour and their Coun­try. But what can we say hereunto? Alas! Many are dissenters from our Church; which, by our divisions in Religion, hath lost much of its Pow­er, Discipline and esteem amongst us; and men, being grown careless and cold in Religion, little dream or consider of such methods of Re­pentance; for whilst men contemn the Authority, and censures of the Church, and disown the power of the Keys, they seem to deprive themselves of the ordinary means of Salvation, unless God, by some ex­traordinary light and eviction, sup­plies that in a sublimer manner, which was anciently effected by a rigorous observation of the Laws and Canons of the Church.

It is a strange Vulgar Errour that we maintain in England, that the Greek Church doth yearly ex­communicate [...] [Page 290] [...] [Page 291] [Page 292] the Roman, which is nothing so; and common reason will tell us, That a Church cannot excommunicate another, or any particular Member thereof, over which it pretends no Jurisdiction or Authority; and that the Greek Church hath no such Claim of Do­minion or Superiority over the Ro­man, no more than it owns a subje­ction to it, is plainly evinced in the third Chapter of this Book: and this I attest to be so, upon enquiry made into the truth thereof, and on Te­stimony of Greek Priests eminent and knowing in the Canons and Constitutions of their Church: Though we cannot deny but that anciently one Patriarch might re­nounce the Communion of another, over whom he had no Jurisdiction, for his notorious Heresie; as S. Cyril did to Nestorius before the Assembly of the Council of Ephesus..

CHAP. XIV.

THE Greeks in the time of sick­ness and mournings for the dead retain not only Cere­monies, by us accounted supersti­tious, but also savouring somewhat of ancient Gentilism. If the headache, or be ill-affected, the Priest binds it with the Vail of the Sacra­mental Chalice, and administers to the sick a draught of consecrated Water, in which is Basil, or Ditta­mon, or some other odoriferous Herb, blessed with the touch of a Cru­cifix, or the Picture of our Lady, and administred as a spiritual Me­dicine, as well operative for the be­nefit [Page 294] of the Soul, as conducing to the health of the Body. But in case the indisposition increase, the holy Oyl, or extream Unction is apply­ed, called [...], mixed with some of that Water which was consecrat­ed at the Sacrament of the Commu­nion; and some Prayers, proper for that occasion, are rehearsed, toge­ther with such Chapters and Verses out of the new Testament which relate to the resurrection of the dead. It is likewise usual amongst them, as in the Roman Church, to make Vows upon recovery; and on the Altar to tender the form of a Leg, Arm, or Eyes, or some other Member ill-affected in Silver or Gold, in remembrance and gratitude for the late mercy of Almighty God. But when the party dyes, the lamen­tations which they make are most barbarous. For after his eyes are shut, his Corps are clothed in its best [Page 295] Apparel, and, being stretched on the Floor with a Taper at the head, and another at the feet, then begins the Scene of sorrow: the Wife, the Children, and the rest of the Fami­ly and Friends entring with their Hair dishevelled, their Garments loose and torn, pulling their Locks, and beating their Breasts, and scratching their Faces with their Nails

make such deep sighs and sad cryes, as might justly incur the reprehensi­on of the Apostle, who gave them that reasonable Counsel of, Mourn not like those without hope, 1 Thes. 4. v. 13. The Body thus dressed up with a Crucifix on the Breast, attend­ed by the Priests, and Deacons, is carried to burial, and the Prayers solemnized with Incense, that God would receive his Soul into the Re­gion of the blessed; the Wife fol­lows [Page 296] her departed Husband, with such passion to perform the last of­fice of kindness, as if she intended with violence of her shreeks to force out her own Soul, and to bear com­pany with the Corps of her Hus­band in his Cave of darkness: And where passion is not found so vigo­rous and violent in its representati­on of sorrow, by reason of the gen­tle and more even temper of some Wives; there want not Women, who are perfect Tragedians, that are hired to follow the Corps of the dead, and to act in behalf of the Re­lations, all the distracted postures, and motions of real grief and con­fused sorrow. The Corps being placed in the Church, and the Of­fice for the dead being ended, the Friends which accompany it first kiss the Crucifix on the Breast, and then the Mouth, and Forehead of the deceased, and afterwards e­very [Page 297] one eats a piece of Bread, and drinks a glass of Wine in the Church, wishing rest to the Soul departed, and consolation to the afflicted Relati­ons; which done, they attend them home, and so end the Ceremonies of Burial.

At the end of eight days after the Burial, the friends of the deceased make their charitable Visits to con­dole with, and comfort, the nearer Relations, and accompany them to the Church, to joyn with them in the Prayers offered for the quiet and rest of the departed Soul; at which time the men eat and drink again in the Church, whilst the Women renew their barbarous lamentations with shreeks and cryes, and with all other evidences of distraction and sorrow; but such as can pay others to act this part of passion, force not themselves with that violence, but send them to lament and mourn over the Se­pulcher [Page 298] for the space of eight days; the third day after, which they call [...], Or [...]. The [...]imes ap­pointed to com­memo­rate the dead. on which Prayers are said for the Soul departed: In like, man­ner at the end of nine days, of forty days, and at the end of six months, and at the conclusion of the year, Prayers and Masses are said for repose of the Soul, which being ended, those then present are enter­tained with boiled Wheat, and Rice, Wine, and dryed fruits, and this is called, [...], which is a custom esteemed by the Greeks of great An­tiquity, which they more devoutly solemnize on the Fryday before their entrance into the Lent of Advent, Good-Fryday, and the Fryday before the Feast of Pentecost, which are spe­cial days observed for Commemo­ration of the dead, as well such as dyed of violent, as of natural deaths.

Now as to the Opinion which [Page 299] the Greek Church holds concerning the condition of Souls departed this life, The Opinion of the Greeks touching the state of Souls after death. there is some diversity, being a matter not clearly determined by Councils. Howsoever the Anatolian Confession, which is generally ac­cepted and approved by the Greek Divines, doth clearly and expresly maintain this Doctrine, That the Souls, so soon as they are cleared and loosed from the Fetters of the Body, go either to Heaven or to Hell; the first hath the name of Paradise, Abraham's Bosom, the Kingdom of Heaven, where the Saints sit and in­tercede for those who are on Earth, in honour of whom are daily sung Hymns of praise and glory.

Such as go to Hell, called the Grave, the eternal Fire, the Bottom­less Pit, and the like, are of two sorts. The first are such who dye in the state of Divine anger, on whom are immediately imposed Chains, [Page 300] and Fetters, which can never be ta­ken off, nor loosed to all Eternity. The second are such who enter or are introduced into the Mansions of Hell, without those Bonds, Fetters, Pains and Torments, which for e­ver enslave and afflict the damned; but departing this life with disposi­tions to Justice, Repentance, and a new life, with the advantagious as­sistances of Confession and Absolu­tion of the Priest, though the work of Grace be not thoroughly perfect­ed in them, nor their resolution of godliness proceeded to action, have yet their resolutions, [...] dispositions & begin­nings of Pietymade ac­ceptable, and brought to maturity & esteem in the sight of God, not by any works per­formed in the next World, accord­ing to that of the Psalmist, who [Page 301] shall praise thee in the Grave, or shall the dead give thanks unto thee in the Pit? but by the Offertories, Obla­tions, and Almes, and Prayers of the Church, made in behalf of the dead by the living on Earth; and this is the meaning of those Prayers. Tu autem Domine repone animam ejus in loco lucenti, in loco quietis & con­solationis, ex quo longe est omnis mae­stitia, dolor, & suspirium, condonans ei omne peccatum. Do thou Lord re­pose his Soul in the Mansions of light, of quietness and consolation, from whence are banished all sadness, grief, and sighs. But this place (it seems) they account no different Limbo from Hell, and is no Purgatory, whose flames purge and cleanse, or whose torments afflict the soul, or make the least satisfa­ction for sin, [...] accord­ing to the sentence of the second Council of [Page 302] Constantinople, [...] which condemned the Opi­nion of Origen herein: for the soul then be­comes uncapable ei­ther by its sufferings or repentance to obtain pardon in its own behalf.

But whatsoever is to be done in this matter, is to be performed by the Soul united with the Body in this life; afterwards, the Bridegroom being entered, the Gate is shut, and no Path or way is left to repentance, only the Prayers of the Saints on Earth, their Almes-deeds, and Of­fertories of frequent Sacrifices with­out Blood, with the intercession of the Blessed Martyrs, and Church triumphant, open the doors of Pa­radise to languishing and wishing Souls: but this is not done, until the Judgment of the last day, in which interim the Greek Church holds, That neither the Sentence of [Page 303] the four Patriarchs, nor the Decrees of the Universal Synod, nor all the Bishops of the whole World assem­bled, are able by their Autority, Bolles or Indulgences, to prescribe a time for release of one Soul from the confines of Hell; only the Mer­cies of God, who vouchsafes to be moved by the Prayers of the Church, can sign this release and de­livery at what time he shall think fit: And that as the Blessed receive not their repletions of Glory in Heaven until after the day of Judgment, so neither shall the Damned their full­ness of Torment in everlasting flames: By which it appears, that the Tenents of the Greek Church are in this point;

First, that the Repository of long­ing Souls is not locally different from Hell it self: Secondly, that they endure no other punishment than only the sence of deprivation from [Page 304] God and Heaven, and are not purg­ed by Fire and Flames: And thirdly, that no Indulgences nor Pardons of all the Patriarchs, or of the Uni­versal Bishop, can by their Autority remit one moment of detention to the imprisoned Souls, farther than as they are Members of the Church Militant, by whose Prayers and good works only those Souls find ease and benefit; and this is the true and cer­tain meaning of the Greek Church in this point, against which and their Tenent about the Pontificial Authority, the Romanists make their greatest exception.

CHAP. XV.

MArriage, in the Greek Church, is called a Mystery, being the Union of two Bodies into one Flesh, which having a Spi­ritual Benefit as well as a Politick, the Church, under all Christian Go­vernments, hath taken upon it self the power of tying the Matrimo­nial Knot, of blessing the Parties, and of giving, or granting rules and limits thereunto.

The Greek Church, retaining un­to these days many of the Precepts and Laws of ancient severity and mortification, used in the Primitive times of Christianity, forbids and declares unlawful the fourth Mar­riage; for though they are subject to the Turks, with whom Polygamie [Page 306] is allowable, yet they do not only disapprove it as dissentaneous to the Christian Religion, but likewise as a matter undecent, and savouring too much of the Flesh and sensuality of Concupiscence. For a man after he hath buried his first Wife, and taken a second, and being deprived of that also hath proceeded to the embraces of a third, the Church is so far sa­tisfied; but gives a stop here, judg­ing that where death hath three times made a separation from the Matri­monial Bed, there ought a limita­tion to be set unto farther proceed­ings; that so the Widower may la­ment and condole the unhappiness of so many deprivements; and, having proved the troubles and importuni­ties of the Flesh, may find time and leisure for Prayer and Repentance.

The reason that the Greeks give why the fourth Marriage is unlaw­ful, is because it would come under [Page 307] the notion of Polygamie, which hath been forbidden by the Civil and Ecclesiastical Laws of Christians; for they understand Polygamie to be a Conjunction of divers Copula­tives in number, which is not under­stood until a person proceeds unto a fourth Wife, which makes more than one Copulative in the rule of Marriage; but this allegation is so frivolous and unsatisfactory, that I cannot understand the nicety, and therefore rather believe that this pro­hibition was grounded on the an­cient Customs of the Church, when mortifications were more in use, and all luxurious indulgence to car­nality generally condemned and out of fashion; as appears by the Writ­ings of S. Augustine, lib. 3. cap. 18. de doct. Christ. & lib. 16. contra Fau­st [...]; against which also S. Jerom in his Epistles so much inveighs; that he stiles the second Marriage little [Page 308] better than Fornication; what cen­sure then is it likely that he would pass on the fourth or fifth Marriages; and herein hath been great variety of Opinions in former Ages; as Socrates Schol. saith lib. 5. c. 21. The Novatians in Phrygia allow not of a second Marriage, such as inhabit Constantinople do neither receive nor reject it; again, such as are in the Western parts of the World admit it wholly: the Original Authors of so great diversity were Bishops, who governed the Churches at divers and at several times.

How strict soever this Church is esteemed in admitting many de­grees of Marriage, The Greek Church easie to grant divorces. that is of pro­ceeding farther than to the fourth Marriage, yet through corruption and poverty of the Clergy, the dis­solution of that Knot is with much more facility obtained, so that it is or­dinary for a man to take out a Divorce [Page 309] from the Patriarch, and to marry another Woman; and the Patri­arch afterwards to alter his Sentence, and enjoyn the Party to reassume his first Wife, leaving the ignorant soul as well confused in his love as in his Conscience. The reason hereof is rather Ignorance in Go­vernment than the Authority of a­ny Canon whereby such a liberty is dispensed; for the Metropolites, as well as the Priests, being mise­rably poor, their Divorces, as well as Excommunications, are made vendible, from whence yearly ac­crues a considerable benefit to the Church; and perhaps also this free­dom may the more easily be indulg­ed in imitation and complyance with the Government under which they live.

The Ceremonies used at their Marriages are some of them serious and significant, and others too light [Page 310] and frivolous for so considerable and important a part of Religion; for though their Prayers and Col­lects at this Service are holy, and full of apt and Divine Expressions, and the use of the Ring is very decent and becoming; but the changing of Garlands from the Bridegroom to the Bride, the giving them Wine and sugared Confects in a Spoon, and tying them with a Garter, and rocking them together, are Cere­monies and Toys which seem too mean and low, and not aptly fitt­ed to an Institution so serious and and important as this.

The Greeks, being a people of a merry and sanguine complexion, are wanton and unconstant in their Amours; so that it is usual (as a­mongst other Nations) for them to make Addresses to one Mistress, and pass to the Marriage of another; for which they commonly give [Page 311] their Sponsalia first, which is the Ring, in token of their contract. Such as inhabit in or about Constantinople, Smyrna, and other Capital Cities, look high, and would be a little great, and therefore imitate the Cu­stom of the Turks in this parti­cular, keeping up their Daughters, with the same retirement and di­stance, from the view of men, as if their eyes were able to pollute and deflower them, calling them Jewels which are not to be seen be­fore their price and bargain is made; so that the Bridegroom, agreeing on the terms, prepares the Nuptials, invites the Guests, before he is ac­quainted with his Bride by any other Relation, than such as he receives from the information of his Female Friends, who for this discovery have made her visits, frequented the Ta­ble and Bath with her, to whose judgment and fancy he submits his [Page 312] own, and becomes perfectly ena­moured by the praises they give her; for any other assurance of her beau­ty or affections, or harmony of her humour with his, there can be none until after the Service of Marriage is passed: When the Parents and Friends conduct the Bride into the Nuptial Chamber, where having sate for a short space in company of the Female Guests with her Face co­vered, as before at the time of Mar­riage, the Bridegroom enters, and with a trembling hand lifts up the Vail, and kisses her, being forced to remain content with his Fortune whether of beauty, or deformity, good nature, or evil disposition, which oft-times produces a too late repentance.

But the familiarity between the Greeks of the Islands of Archi-pelago admits not of these niceties, The Islanders of a dif­ferent humour. their conversation being more free, for [Page 313] they frequent each others societies, and, according to the jollity of their natural temper, dance men and Women together. During the times of such mirth as this, the young people often enter into Promises and Protestations of Marriage, which the men according to the levity and unconstancy of their humour as often break, but not without the revenge of the old Mothers, who, in vindication of the honour of their Daughters, frequently exercise a piece of Witch-craft which they call [...], which is the tying up a man from accompanying with any Wo­man, unless it be with her to whom he hath faultered in his faith; which is so usually practised, that all peo­ple in those Countries talk of it, and the Bridegrooms complain of the Tyranny; from which they could in no wise be delivered, until some means or composition hath [Page 314] been made with the old Woman to take off the Bond, or untye the Knot, which debilitated and infee­bled his virile inclinations.

But one thing here is very obser­vable and curious to be inserted: That it hath been usual for the Turks, Greek Women making Kabin with Turks in the Morea and Ro­mania. especially in the parts of Greece called now Romania, and in Turkish Rumeli, to take Greek Women to Wife, marrying them according to the Mahometan Law; which Custome was become so frequent, that the Christian Women, little regarding that Caution given them by the A­postle, of being unequally yoked, freely entered into Kabin with the Turks, and without scruple design­ed the fruit of their Bodies to the service of Antichrist, and by the infidelity of their Children, seemed half-content to become themselves Apostates. To prevent and remedy which inconvenience, the Patriarchs [Page 315] and Metropolites often consulted to­gether, but could contribute little to their redress, whilest the Turks, who were masters both of their lives and fortunes, made the bodies of the men subservient to their La­bour, and of the Women to their Lusts. Howsoever, of late years the Patriarch of Constantinople, com­plaining of these Marriages to the Muftee, proposed this Query, viz. whether it might be lawful for a Turk to unite himself to the Body of a Woman which was nourished with Swines flesh and Wine? for such were the Christian Women: and whether the Children born to Turks, partaking of those abominable nou­rishments from which they were pro­duced, were not in their Births pol­luted and unfit to be made Mussel­men? The Muftee, startled a while with the novelty of the question, and considering seriously thereon, re­plyed, [Page 316] That those Marriages were not lawful for Turks. ‘Then, said the Patriarch, such Marriages as these, which are frequent amongst you in Romelia, ought to be forbid­den;’ to which the Muftee assented, and represented the Case to the Vi­zier, who, concurring in the same Opinion, ordered, that for the fu­ture no Turk should marry a Christi­an Woman, unless she first renoun­ced the Christian Faith, and em­braced the Mahometan: Which Or­der, to the great honour of the Pa­triarch, gave a stop to those Mar­riages in Romania; for the Parents unwilling or ashamed to permit their Daughters to abandon their Faith for the sake and advantage of a Husband, have conserved them e­ver since for the more equal and lawful Marriages of Christians: But whether this may not, in course of time, cause Women to relinquish [Page 317] their Faith which (God knows) in that People is fixed with a tender root, experience, in the course of time, will best demonstrate: But this hap­pened in the year 1672. and was re­lated to me from the mouth of the Bishop of Smyrna, and attested by those present with him.

CHAP. XVI.

THE Liturgies of the Greek Church are in number four. The first is of S. James ap­pointed to be read in the Church by Crispus, first Bishop of Jerusalem; but this being five hours long and tedious, is only used once a year; that is, on the 23 of October, which [Page 318] is the Festival of that Saint. The second is of S. John Chrysostom; the third of St. Basil; and the fourth of S. Gregory the great.

The Liturgy of S. Chrysostom is read every day in the year, except Sundays in Lent, Thursday and Sa­turday in the holy Week, or Vigil of Easter, and on the Festival of the Elevation of the holy Cross, falling on the fourteenth of September, at which times is read the Liturgy of S. Basil, being esteemed longer than that of S. Chrysostom, and therefore more pro­per for the times of Fasting.

The Liturgy of S. Gregory is call­ed [...], or preconsecrated, be­cause it is said after those of S. Chry­sostom or S. Basil, in which already Consecration is presupposed of the holy Elements, and therefore this contains no preamble, as others do, touching the Consecration, but is only a Composition of Prayers for [Page 319] making worthy the Priest, and Com­municants for reception of the holy Mysteries. Nor are the Epistle and Gospel read in this Liturgy, having been read before; this being like our second Service, when we have no Communion, which is read la­ter, commonly beginning about Eleven a Clock in the Morning, and is fitted for their devotion who have least leisure and piety towards Gods service: And this Liturgy is only repeated Wednesdays and Frydays.

In Monasteries they begin it more early, that is to say, about Nine a Clock, because that after their slender Dinner, which on those days is only bread and water (of which also they make but one meal) they are to return betimes to their Vespers, called [...], to which with an entire rehearsal of the Psal­ter, they are daily obliged; and this is that which employs their [Page 320] whole time on days of Fasting: which tedious and indiscreet length of Liturgies I have observed to a­bate so much the heat of true zeal and affection, which ought to be in the Worship of that pure and in­comprehensible Spirit of God Al­mighty, that the Priests run over their Offices, as the School-boys do their Tasks, pronouncing their words so swift and thick as renders them inarticulate and unintelligible, and are of no savour or energy to per­sons who desire to prosper in Devo­tion.

To all these Prayers, and Offi­ces, they repeat an additional Le­cture of the life of some Saint, which serves in the place of a Ser­mon or Homily, of which, one being read for every day, the whole Summary of that Book may be finished in the whole course or circle of the year; the which [Page 321] Book is called, [...], or a Collection of Acts and Histo­ries.

CHAP. XVII.

THE Greeks in their Churches make use of Pictures for A­dornment, History, and Wor­ship; they burn Lamps before them, perfume them with Incense, begin­ning and ending their Prayers with reverend bowings and crossings be­fore the representations and figures of Saints; to which end there is al­ways layed on a Desk the Picture of the Virgin Mary and S. George, which they kiss at their coming in, or go­ing out of the Church, and at some grand Period of their Liturgy. But [Page 322] all carved Images they abhor, and Anathematize the adorers of Sculp­tile Representations, because they have formerly been abused to Ido­latry, with the same maledictions as they do those who are Adversa­ries to both. And that we may ex­actly deliver the Tenent of the Greek Church herein, we have faithfully rendred in the words following, their clear Sentence and Opinion, be­ing what is delivered as the un­doubted faith of the Oriental Chur­ches.

‘Great (say they) is the difference be­tween Idols and Re­presentations. For I­dols are figures of mans invention, as the Apostle testifies. ‘ We know that an Idol in the world is nothing,’ 1 Cor. 8. 4. but an I­mage [Page 323] is a represen­tation of some true transaction of what hath passed and been transacted in the World, as the Pi­cture of our Saviour, of the holy Virgin Mary, and of all the Saints. [...] But different from this, the Gen­tiles worshipped their Idols who adored them as Gods, and offered incense unto them, saying, That Gold and Silver were Gods, as Nebuchadne­zar did. But we, when he honour and adore Pictures, do not worship the Wood, nor Colours, but those Saints [Page 324] whose Representati­ons they are. We honour them with the reverence of Ser­vants, figuring in our minds the person and presence of those Saints. As when we bow to a Crucifix, we form in our minds Christ hanging on the Cross for our sal­vation to which we encline our heads and knees with thanks­giving. In like man­ner when we wor­ship the Image of the Virgin Mary, we raise our Con­templations unto that holy Mother of God: We bow our heads and knees to her, and pronounce her blessed above all men or Women. The same may be said of the Arch­Angel [Page 325] Gabriel; by which it ap­pears that this is not the same Ser­vice which we offer unto God. Nor do those of the Orthodox Faith allow of the graven Workmanship of Images to the life, but only the Countenances of Saints, whose persons they represent. For as the Cherubims, over-shadowing the Ark of the Covenant, did repre­sent those true Cherubims in Hea­ven which remain in the presence of God, and were honoured and adored by the Israelites without transgression of that Command­ment. And when the Children of Israel worshipped the Tabernacle of the Covenant, and lodged it with decent and due honour, they committed no sin, nor made in­valid the Commands of the Deca­logue, but rather declare that God is wonderful in his Saints. Only it is requisite that the Image have [Page 326] some lively resemblance of the Saint it represents, that the mind of him that prayes may be the more easily affected thereby. And for the better confirmation of the worship of holy and sacred Images, the Church of God in the Seventh Universal Synod, hath anathema­tized all such as do oppose them, and hath authorized and for ever established the adoration of vene­rable Images, as appears in the Ninth Canon of that Synod.’

Hereby it is evident what Opinion the Greek Church holds concerning the use of Pictures in Churches, which whilest they pretend to main­tain from Antiquity and the Autho­rity of a Synod, though of late date, and later received amongst them, they despise the Sentence of their great Doctor and Father St. Basil therein, Ep. 70 [...] who in his 70 th Epi­stle [Page 327] to the Bishops of France and Italy, complains of the persecution arisen in the Oriental Churches; for that either the faithful were forced to a­dore Images, or resign their Bodies to the flames, [...]. Nor can this be understood of the Ima­ges of Heathens, in which Divine Worship was terminated; for he de­clares a little before, that this perse­cution was of a different nature to those in past times, when the Gen­tiles tormented the Professors of Christianity: But now those that bear the glorious name of Christi­ans, condemned the others to ba­nishment, to Flames, to Prison, and all kind of Torments, for no other Crime than for observance and de­fence of the Primitive Tradition. [...] [Page 328] By which it is evident, That Arianism in those days prevailing, Christian Hereticks were then the Persecutors both for the enforcement of the Doctrine of Arius, and the worship of Images. And howsoever the Greeks distin­guish and moderate their terms in the worship of Pictures, in which, to speak indifferently, their Churches do not much abound, there being seldom other Pictures which adorn their Walls, or Portals of their Chancels, than the representation of our Saviour, the Blessed Virgin, S. Michael the Arch-Angel, and S. George; to which, though they yield much reverence, yet they are not so apt to attribute the power of working Miracles unto them, as they are in Spain and Italy. Notwith­standing which, considering the scandal which Pictures and Images [Page 329] in the Oratories, and places of Gods worship, administer to Turks, Jews, and other Enemies of the Gospel in the Eastern parts; it were better that they were wholly taken away, for they not being capable to comprehend the niceties of distinction in Divine Wor­ship which the Schools and subtile men have formed to clear themselves in this case from the imputation of Idolatry, reproach the Professors of the Christian Faith with the Infamy of that irrational sin, which Chri­stians first preached against, and con­founded, and have thereby taken that Offence, as may with good rea­son be believed hath in these latter days affrighted many from em­bracing the Gospel. And though the Greeks would seem to use some caution herein, by not painting Pi­ctures to the life, or not using en­graven Images, or by not drawing them farther than to the Waste with [Page 330] an ill-favoured sort of flat painting, as if they would thereby excuse the inconvenience which may be obje­cted: Yet certainly the use of them is so scandalous amongst Turks, (who have scarce any thing good in their Religion, but that they profess one God, and are Enemies to Idolatry,) that though Pictures and Images may be allowed indifferently in other Churches; yet being no es­sential part of Gods Worship, they ought wholly to be rejected and wiped out in Turkey and all the Ea­stern parts of the World.

CHAP. XVIII.

THE Greek Church in their Prayers to Saints in Heaven, and Angels, which enjoy the Beatifical Vision of God Almighty, differ little or nothing in Doctrine from the Roman; which we shall best understand by that which they call, The Orthodox Confession of the Anatolian Church, in which we have these words.

We crave the inter­cession of Saints with God, [...] that they should pray for us, and we in­voke them not as Gods, but as his friends, who serve him, and praise [Page 332] him, and adore him; and we crave their assist­ance, not as if they were able to assist us by their own Power, but that they should procure for us the Grace of God by means of their administrations.

They say farther.

But some will say that they do not know nor understand our Prayers. [...] To whom we answer, that they of themselves do not know, nor hear our Prayers, but only by Revelation, and the Divine Grace which God hath richly bestowed on them, they both understand and hear us.

In like manner we invoke Angels that they would mediate for us by their Ministry [Page 333] with God, [...] wherefore they offer to the Majesty of God the Prayers, Alms, and good works of men.

And farther they say, That as God commanded the Friends of Job Job 42. 8. that they should bring their Sacrifices and offer them for themselves, and that Job should pray for them, for that him God would accept; so we bringing our Sa­crifices of Prayer to the Footstool of the Throne of Grace, have them there tendered to the Majesty of God by the Saints and Angels his accepted and beloved Ministers.

Who sees not here that the Greeks have learned the distinction of [...] and [...]out of the Roman Schools; of whose Doctrine (as we have said before) they have extracted the Prin­ciples by their studies and Conver­sation in Italy, which is the sole Gym­nasion and Library of their know­ledge [Page 334] and learning; for in most points of Controversie, where the Patriarchal Autority is not concern­ed, they exactly concur with the sense of the Roman Schools. But yet I do not find that their Prayers to Saints and Angels are so fre­quently enjoyned as they are in the Roman Offices and Rosaries, but scattered here and there in their Breviaries, of which, for satis­faction of the Reader, I have made some Collections.

Forms of Prayers to Saintsused in the Greek Church.

Holy Martyrs, [...] who have stoutly fought, and are Crowned, pray to the Lord to have mercy on our souls.

Holy Apostles beseech the merciful God to grant remission of sins to our souls. [...]

[Page 335] These following are short Prayers appointed to be learned by Chil­dren, and are commonly the Morn­ing and Evening Devotions of pri­vate persons.

All holy Lady, [...] 'Mo­ther of God, pray for us Sinners.

All Celestial Powers of Angels and Arch-An­gels, [...] pray for us Sinners.

Holy John, [...] Prophet, and Fore-runner, and Baptist of our Lord Je­sus Christ, pray for us Sinners.

Holy Orthodox Apo­stles, [...] Prophets and Mar­tyrs, and all Saints, pray for us Sinners.

O sacred Ministers of God, [...] our Fathers, Shep­heards, and Teachers of the World, pray for us Sinners.

[Page 336]O invincible, [...] indis­solvable and Divine Power of the Reverend and life-giving Cross for­sake us not Sinners.

These particulars shall serve for instances, that in the Greek Church Prayers are made to Saints in the same manner as in the Roman.

CHAP. XIX.

AMongst the many Isles in the Arche-pelago, since the Con­quest of Candia by the Turks, none remains subjected to Christian Government but only Tino, which belongs to the Venetians. Tenedos, Myteline, Scio, Negropont, and some others, are thought worthy of the Fortresses and defence of the Otto­man Sword. The others lye open and ungarded, and are the pos­session and prize of every Pyrate and Rover, but yet, according to the last Peace concluded between Venice and the G. Signor, they are all annexed [Page 338] to the Dominions of the Turk, to whom they pay a yearly Harach or Poll-money, which is four Dol­lars per head, whereas in the time of the War they paid the same both to the Venetians and the Turk.

The Turk looking on the Inha­bitants of those Isles like out-lying Deer lodged without pale or defence, and rather such, who afford har­bour and succour to Pyrates and Enemies, than strength or Riches to the Borders of his Empire, hath of late entered into consultation for dispeopling those Islands, and trans­porting the Inhabitants into more secure Enclosures, where they may render greater benefit and improve­ment to their Grand Landlord, than they do at present; but as yet no resolution hath been taken therein.

The Greeks are greatly divided in their Religion, and consequently alienated each from other in their [Page 339] humour and inclinations, some ac­knowledging the Patriarchal See at Constantinople, some at Rome. It is not to be doubted but that the Ro­manists possessing most of Wit and Money, are always too hard for the Ignorance and Poverty of the Greeks; by which, and the convenient short­ness of the Latin Mass, they draw many of the Greeks from atten­dance on their own tedious Services to better ordered and more easie Devotions; though as yet they can­not perswade them to renounce their obedience to their Church and Pa­triarch. Moreover whilest the Ve­netians exercised an Authority over many of these Islands, which was before they were constrained to ren­der them to the Turk, the Church of Rome enjoyed an opportunity of fixing a deep Foundation for that Religion, and thereby so far en­croached into the possessions of the [Page 340] Greeks, that their Religion remain­ed under great discouragements, their Rites being suppressed in all the Isles of that Sea for want of prote­ction and redress of their aggrievan­ces, until the Greek Bishop, or Me­tropolite of Scio, called Ignatius Ne­ochori, in the year 1664, being a person of an active Spirit, and re­ported by his Adversaries to be of a proud and haughty disposition, in­clined to Covetousness, and versed in crafty and subtle Arts, endea­voured to buckle with the Power and Jurisdiction of the Latines. To ef­fect which, he at first cunningly suggested to the Turks the danger of that people by reason of their near­ness and affinity with the Venetians, and constant correspondence with the Enemies of the Turk, hoping that this Argument might be suffi­cient to procure the bannishment of all the Roman Clergy, and that others [Page 341] of the same Sect, terrifyed with the thoughts of loosing their Estates, and the Country in which they were born, might be forced to an adhe­rence to this Church, and to an acknowledgment of the Metropo­lite's Jurisdiction. To effect which Design the better, the Bishop asso­ciated to himself a Greek Priest, a man of no mean Capacity, and well practised in the Turkish Law and Language, and so well acquainted with the great men amongst the Turks, that the Latines gave him the Nick-name of Papas Mustapha. To help which design forward, the Greek Church at Scio happened at that time to be indebted to certain great men about the Court, to whom speedy payment was promised with an unconscionable Interest, if the Revenue of the Latine Diocess were annexed to the Greek Jurisdiction; with which benefit these Unbelievers [Page 342] being moved, and valuing more the advantage of the Money than the justice of the Cause, obtained by their power and interest at Court, a Command to this effect.

• First, That the Latine Bishop at Scio for the future should have no farther Jurisdiction over those of the Latine Church; but that all should depend in that Island on the Metropolite.
• 2. That no Matrimony, or other Ecclesiastical Rite, should be cele­brated without particular License of the Greek Metropolite.
• 3. That no Priest of the Latine Church should be ordained without his License.
• 4. That the Metropolite, by ver­tue of his Command, should take possession of the greatest part of the Churches which belonged to the La­tines.
• 5. That the Latine Bishop should [Page 343] render an Account to the Metropo­lite of all the Proffits that he hath made since his entry into that Dio­cess; and having surrendred and made satisfaction, he should depart and commit the Charge of his Flock to the Government of the Greek Metropolite. These matters being of high concernment, and seeming intollerable to the Latines at Scio, they with great Fury unani­mously resolved to loose or hazard all, rather than to subject themselves to the Tyranny of another Church. Wherefore the Bishop, with ten o­thers appointed by publick Election to attend him, departed towards Adrianople, venting many menacing Speeches and flourishes of their Pow­er to be revenged on the Greek Me­tropolite. These took their Jour­ney by way of Constantinople, to con­sult with others of the same Religi­on, and to try in what manner the [Page 344] Patriarch stood affected to these Practices. The Metropolite on the other side thought it not time to sit longer quiet, and therefore speedily hastned to Adrianople, well knowing that the first complaint hath the ad­vantage, and commonly takes the best impression with the Turks; to obtain which, he proceeds directly, and arrives before his Adversaries; during which time he so dexte­rously represented the evil inclinati­ons of the Latine Church to the Welfare of the Ottoman Empire, their Correspondence with Rome and Venice, their Designs to extir­pate the Greek Church from Scio, and make the whole Island Latine, to­wards which, by force of great Col­lections of Money from several parts of Christendom, they had made so considerable a progress, that by reason of the poverty of the Greeks they had bought the best part of [Page 345] those Churches, which for many years and Ages had been appropri­ated to their Rites and Religion: To which Insinuations, and others of the like nature, the Turks lent an Ear with singular attention, who have always found, That the differ­ences amongst Christians have ever concluded with gain and benefit un­to them; especially to the Chimacam, called Kara-Mustapha Pasha, a per­son well qualified to manage an In­trigue of this kind to the best ad­vantage, blessed and welcomed the opportunity, designing to improve the business to the best that he was able. And therefore, as if the Accusa­tion and Crime had been no less than Treasonable on the side of the La­tines, he dispatched Commands in a Turkish Fury to bring them to Constantinople. The Bishop being advertised hereof, whilest he was on his way to the Court, made the more [Page 346] haste in By-ways, lest he should fall into the hands of the Turkish Offi­cers: Howsoever, as soon as they ar­rived at Adrianople, as men already convicted, were committed to a severe Imprisonment, lying for the space of fifteen days and nights with one Leg in the Stocks, and the other in Chains. But this rigour was not exercised on the Latines in fa­vour to the Greek Cause, but only as the most expedite means to extort Money, that so they might both buy their Liberty, and obtain that the Tryal of their Cause might be referred to the legal and ordinary course of Justice. The Chimacam had likewise well squeezed the Greeks and extracted from them no less than 4000 Dollars on promise of favour to their Cause and Interest, by punishing their Adversaries; in which, conceiving that he had alrea­dy moderately complyed and well [Page 347] deserved the Money from the Greeks he proceeded to exact other 7000 Dollars from the Latines; and so, being by this time indifferently dis­posed towards both Parties, he ap­pointed a day for judgment of the Cause; in the Method of which Proceedings, and in Conclusion of this business, we shall find him to act with the same equallity as he hath done in all Affairs, since he hath been promoted to the charge of Su­preme Vizier.

The day being come, and both sides appearing, the Greek Papas in­veighed furiously against the disaf­fection of the Latines to the Otto­man Empire; and that for his own part, though he wore the Cross, yet he could fight under the Half­moon, with suchlike terms of flat­tery and dissimulation. Those on the other side vindicated themselves of those Aspersions, making pro­fessions [Page 348] of their quietness and obe­dience to the Power under which they lived; and next proved the an­cient possessions of their Churches, most of which they enjoyed by vertue of their Capitulations, and the rest by Title of purchase, con­firmed by a long tract of time, be­yond the term of any prescription. The Chimacam having been molli­fied by both parties, gladly carried an even and moderate hand to­wards both; and therefore, as in­clining to neither party, adjudged some of those Churches to the La­tines; and as if the Title to the o­thers had been more intricate and different, he referred the determi­nation thereof to the Pasha and Kadi of Scio; giving the Greeks a Command under-hand, and pri­vately, that what Churches had not remained in the possession of the Latines for above 60 years, should, [Page 349] notwithstanding all Reasons to the contrary be adjudged again to the right of the Greeks. And in this man­ner both parties setting forward on their Journey as contented and vi­ctorius to Scio, with equal hopes of success; being there arrived, soon ap­peared and joyned issue together before the Pasha. But the Metro­polite producing his Command, of which his Adversaries had no know­ledge or suspition, Sentence was given according thereunto; where­by the Latines were deprived of a­bove 60 Churches. And this was the issue for that time of this Quar­rel between Christians, who in mat­ters of Religious and Ecclesiastical Concernments, sought Justice from the determination of Turks.

Besides this difference, A diffe­rence be­tween the Latines and Greeks at Jeru­salem. others have arisen of later standing and date; but we shall only instance in that one, which is very remarkable, hap­pening [Page 350] at Jerusalem about the time of Easter, in the year 1674. when Monsieur de Nointel, Ambassador for his most Christian Majesty to the Grand Signor, had a curiosity in his other Travels to make a Pil­grimage to the Holy Sepulchre, which having been anciently in the hands of the Latines, at least in equal possession of both one and the other, was now demanded by the Greeks as their right, and as the true and only lawful Guardians of that place; the which Title they took the boldness to assert, not only by words but by force and violence. For some days before Easter, when the Latines were making their usual preparations to adorn the Sepul­chre, the Greek Priests assaulted them with Clubs, with which the Latines being equally provided, there fol­lowed such a skirmish in the Church, maintained with zeal and fury, that [Page 351] several both of one side and the o­ther were grievously wounded, and one of the Greeks killed; but (as one of the Fryars of Jerusalem then pre­sent told me,) that he received not his mortal wound from them, but that he starved himself, obstinately refusing all sustenance, for no other Reason than that his blood might be required of the Latines; which he imagined to have been of so great import, as would cause the Latines to be expelled the Holy Land, being desirous in this good Cause to suf­fer death, which he esteemed a Mar­tyrdom for revenge of his Religion and Country. The cause which mo­ved the Greeks to revive their pre­tence to the custody of the Holy Sepulchre, with so much resolution and fervour, is diversly reported. Some say that Panaioti the Viziers Interpreter, a Christian of the Greek Church, had through the favour of [Page 352] the Vizier obtained a Hattersheriff for investing the Greeks solely in possession of the Sepulchre; the which he concealed, and laid by him during his life time, well consi­dering the opposition and trouble he should encounter by putting it into execution, from the union of all the Representatives of the Chri­stian Princes against him; and how far a Contention of this nature might proceed to the ruine of his life and fortune, at least of his quiet, he was too prudent and cautious to make the Experiment; but rather chose to conceal it until the time of his death, when he bequeathed it for a Legacy to the honour and be­nefit of his Church. Others say, That Sultan Morat had granted this Hattersheriff, which at the interces­sion of all the Christian Ambassa­dours, had until now been suspend­ed and lay dormant, being only re­vived [Page 353] by this Quarrel between the Latin Fathers and the Greek Kaloirs; for the Vizier, to correct (as is judged.) the insolence and presumption of the Latines, upon the great Com­plaints of the Greeks, renewed the rigour of the ancient Hattersheriff, the which Dositheus, Patriarch of Jerusalem, an active, bold, and stir­ing man, put into execution with that briskness and zeal, as highly provoked the Latins to an extreme heat of indignation; but their pas­sion was little available in the Case, whilest they wanted force to right and revenge themselves. For, not­withstanding all the applications they could make to the G. Vizier, enforced by the strong and prevail­ing Arguments of Money, and by the Instances of most of the Chri­stian. Ambassadors at the Court, the Vizier remained inexorable, and not to be moved with any Intreaty or [Page 354] Sollicitation whatsoever. And when the English Ambassador, about Au­gust 1675. designed to make expe­rience how successful and powerful his Interest might prove at Court a­bove the Addresses of other Mini­sters, he was privately advised by a person of nearest intimacy to the Publick Counsels, not to move in a matter which was so ungrateful, and which would force the Vizier, against his Will, to give him the first denyal of what he had demand­ed from him. In this manner for some years this business remained, in which interim, Addresses were made to the Pope at Rome, and to the Courts of Christian Princes, for a Remedy; but no Interest of Mo­ney or Favour could incline the Vi­zier Ahmet Pasha, during his Life and Government, to alter his Sen­tence or Judgment in the Case; but now Kara-Mustapha Pasha succeed­ing [Page 355] to the Government, a recovery may probably be expected, in case those Arguments of Money and Presents be applyed, which had little power on the resolution and integrity of the Vizier deceased.

The Greeks of the Islands are men of robustious and well-proportion­ed Bodies, The dis­position of the Greek Islan­ders. strong and fit for War; for which reason the Turks employ them for Levents, or Souldiers for Sea-service; but being Christians they deny them the priviledge of exercising Arms at Land. They are a people extremely well content­ed with their condition, and would not change their Possessions on their little Rocks and Isles, for all the Antick Glory of the Grecian Em­pire, where they pipe and dance promiscuously, Men and Women together, in despight of Enemies, or the double Duty and Tax which they paid in time of War to the Vene­netians [Page 356] on one side, and to the Turks on the other. But since Peace be­tween the G. Signor and the Venetian is concluded, all the Isles of the Arche-pelago are solely allotted to the Dominion of the Turk, except the Isle of Tino (as we have said before) which by Articles is reserved to the Venetians, who have there a Prove­ditor and Castle to defend it. The other Isles are open, having no o­ther Fortresses than their little Chap­pels and Oratories; for which cause they are much infested by Corsaires, or Free-booters, under the Colours of Ligorn, Malta, Mayorca, &c. to whom these Islanders are so perfect­ly subject in all duty and service, that their goods are liable to their rapine, and the bodies of their Wives and Daughters to their lusts. Notwithstanding which, these poor people rejoice in their homes, and can dispense with all inconveniences, [Page 357] rather than abandon their beloved rocks; so powerful is that affection which every one bears to his own Country: But the entertainment which these Islands afford the Cor­saires, hath so far moved the indig­nation of the Turk, that (as we have said before) he hath more than once taken a resolution entirely to depopulate all the open or unforti­fied Islands, by transporting the people to some places on the Con­tinent, where their industry and la­bours might bring them more pro­fit and advantage; but as yet the design hath not succeeded, though greatly feared and sadly expected by that miserable people.

But in no place of the Turks Do­minions do Christians enjoy more freedom in their Religion and E­states, than on the Isle of Xio, Xio. or Scio, to which they are entituled by an ancient Capitulation made with [Page 358] Sultan Mahomet the Second, to whom they surrender'd themselves, on Composition and Articles of li­berty and enjoyment of their Estates, which to this day is maintained so faithfully, that a Turk cannot strike or abuse a Christian without severe Correction: Here the Men wear Hats and Cloaths almost after the Spanish Mode; carry the Crucifix in procession through the Streets, and exercise their Religion with all freedom. This Island produces the most excellent Mastick in the World, It pro­ceeds from the Lentis­cus, which in other parts of the world produces the like Gum. and I think there is no place where it is so good, and so great abun­dance; and herein they pay their Tribute to the G. Signor. In this place both the Greek and Roman Re­ligions are professed, the chief Fa­milies of the latter sort are two, and those of considerable esteem, viz. the Monew, alias, Giustiniani, and Borghesi; these latter are noble; but [Page 359] the first have been Princes: who having in the year 1345 been sent thither from Liguria, or parts of Genoua, as Governours, became af­terwards Supreme Lords of that Island; which they ruled with abso­lute Authority, until the Turk ap­proaching as near to them as Mag­nasia, and having possessed himself of that Capital City, they judged their small City uncapable to resist, and therefore, like the remoter parts of Ragusi, they addressed themselves with all humility and subjection to demand Peace.

In honour of John Justiniani, the last Prince of that Island, I find a large Elogium wrote by an Abbot of that name in Italian, who with several Sciotical Expressions cele­brates the fame of the quondam pet­ty Prince of that Island, which in our times hath not gain'd the repu­tation of many wise men, whence [Page 360] comes that Proverb comon amongst the Greeks, [...], that is, That a wise man is as rare a­mongst them, as a green Horse. Howsoever this place hath stoutly engaged amongst the other Cities and Islands in the contention of Homer's Birth; and this Giustiniani, though derived originally from a Genoese Family, was yet born at Scio, and was a person of more than ordinary Parts and Abilities, if we believe that Author; who writes in Favour of Scio, and most ex­cellently of Giustiniani, whom he praises in this manner.

John Giustiniani, a noble Genoese, was that sacred Anchor, on whose strength and force, the whole East laid the stress of her Fortune; at that time when that horrible Tempest of Arms, raised by the ambition and treachery of impi­ous Mahomet, conspired to its Ship­wrack: he was that shield, who whilst he had life, covered the head and heart [Page 361] of this Empire from a shower of Asian Arrows, which rained from a Cloud of most cruel war. At the first rumour of whose most terrible preparations, by which Mahomet threatned to throw down the Eastern Diadem from the Christian Head, and thereon plant the Turkish Tulbant; this Gustiniani prepared himself to sacrifice his life in defence of the Grand Metropolis; to which end he departed from Scio with a Squadron of Vessels, his ancient Do­minion and Inheritance, and as if the Reins of fortune had remained in his hands, he conducted his own Fleet se­curely amidst 300 Sail of the Maho­metans, which pillaged the Propontis, and brought them safe to Constantine Paleologus, to whom he offered him­self an Adventurer for glory. The hopes of Paleologus being revived with this succour, and finding none to whom he might commit the defence of the Royal City, but to Giustiniani, he [Page 362] entirely recommended all unto his faith, courage and conduct. And this Au­thor afterwards proceeds, That the Turks being astonished at so many re­pulses, at length discovered that this manly defence proceeded not from the valour of effeminate Greeks, but that Giustiniani was the Achilles of those Walls, and the living Palladium of that City: but in the heat of this storm (as this Author saith) our Giustiniani was slain, which turned the fortune of the day, and with the fall of this eminent person fell the Courage of the Defendants, and this Imperial City into the hands of a new Tyrant. And so much one of this Country, a na­tural born Sciote, writes in honour of his ancient Prince and Compa­triot.

In this manner those many Isles in the Arche-Pelago are divided be­tween the Greek and the Latine Churches, though more follow the [Page 363] Rites of the Greek than of the other; and as we have said, lying open and unguarded, are subject to the rapine and violence of the strongest, ha­ving no power over the fruits of their labours, if found out and seiz­ed by some unconscionable Pyrate: by which it appears how happy those Isles are which are governed by good Laws, and defended by their own force, under the auspici­ous conduct of a valiant and watch­ful Prince. It hath been the project of several ingenious and active per­sons of Quality, who were Ene­mies to the Turk, to unite all those Isles in a Confederacy or League together, obliging themselves to be assistant each to other, in the re­pulse of any Robbers or Forreign Enemies, which might undertake any thing to the prejudice of their publick and common wellfare. And this, as I am informed, was princi­pally [Page 364] designed by the Marquess Fleuri, a Savoyard, who crused and traversed over all the Greek Islands in a Ship of 60 piece of Ordnance, and armed with 500 men, in which progress he made singular Observa­tions of the nature, situation, Har­bours, commodities, natural strength and people of every Island: Of the latter of which having made an ex­act enquiry, it was brought to my hands by a person who had a fami­liar acquaintance with this Marquess, which I judging to be a Curiosity worthy observation, I have insert­ed here for better understanding the present state and condition of these Isles.

[Page 365]The Number of the Inhab [...]ants of the several Islands in the Arche-Pelago, which pay Tribute, or Harach, to the Turks.

[Page 366]All which Islands make together 145000 Men, Women, and Chil­dren; which though I do not ac­count for so exact a computation, as if the people had been polled head by head; yet it is such an estimate as hath been made on the places re­spectively by the people themselves. In many of these Islands the G. Sig­nor did formerly put in a Kadi, or an Aga, to be their Rulers, who admi­nistred Justice to them in the best manner he could; but in regard these Turks were oftentimes surpris­ed and carried away by the Corsaires, few or none would accept of the Employment; in which case the people of the Islands respectively make choice of three or four of the richest and wisest Sages amongst, them to be their [...], as they call them, or Governours, to whom they refer all their Causes in Civil Differences, and who are the Re­presentatives [Page 367] of the Island, and ga­ther in the Poll-money, getting it ready against the time that the Turk­ish Gallies, and Captain Pasha, come to demand it, which they yearly do. But in case any person be guilty of a Capital Fault which deserves death, he is reserved till the arrival of the Commander in chief of the Gallies, who executes justice upon him. These Governors are chosen yearly by the people, or they confirm the old ones; which is most com­monly done, for amongst them are few who are ambitious of Rule and Soveraignty. In some of these Islands are found the most expert Di­vers under Water in the World, the best of which are of Samos and of Simo. One of which I saw em­ployed in very cold Weather, on oc­casion of an English Boat, which was sunk by a Ships side laden with Tin and Lead, in the Port of Smyrna, [Page 368] in about eight fathom of Water, who for want of heat, rather than breath, the Weather being very cold in the month of January, was forced to dive four times to fix four Ropes to the Boat; two of which he hooked within the Rings of the Head and Stern, and two at each side in the mid-ships; which he acted very dexterously, not missing at any time of that which he went about. Upon discourse with him afterwards he told me, That he was born at Simo, where at the Age of three or four years, his Father brought him to the Sea, and taught him to swim, and then to dive, which by degrees he so well learned, with other young Companions, that their com­mon practise was to try who could stay longest under the Water, in which they are very emulous to ex­ceed, because it is the sole trade of their poor Island to cut Spunges, [Page 369] and he that is the most expert there­in gets the handsomest Wife, and the best Portion. This man farther informed me, That he never could stay under Water when his Belly was full; but that in a Morning, or at any time of the day fasting, in warm Weather, and in a calm Sea, he could stay three quarters of an hour under Water. He never heard of Spunges dipped in Oyl to hold in their mouths, as we vulgarly report, nor used they any other help, than before they dived into the Water to fill their Lungs with as much Air as they could draw in. If they staid long under Water they felt a pain in their Ears, and many times blood issued thence, and from their Noses; their Eyes were always open, so that they could almost see as well under as above the Water; and indeed I observed that his Eyes were glazed and burnt with the Sea, that they [Page 370] looked like Glass, or the Eyes of Fish. And this shall serve at present for what we have to relate of the Grecian Islands.

CHAP. XX.

THEY earnestly deny the pro­cession of the Holy Ghost from God the Son, but only from the Father through the Son, which they argue with more sub­tlety than usually they do any o­ther Controverted Point in Reli­gion.

They seem to retain something which savours of ancient Gentilism, particularly their Belief of a certain [Page 371] holiness in some Fountains, attri­buting miraculous operations to Waters, and by reason of the fa­vour of some Saint, to whom the same is dedicated, in the same man­ner as the Pagans did, who believed their Fountains to be guarded by some Nymph or Deity to whom they were consecrated.

When they lay the Foundation of a new Building, the Priest comes and blesses the Work and Workmen with Prayer, for which they have an Office in their Liturgy, which is very laudable and becoming Chri­stians. But when the Priest is de­parted, the Workmen have another piece of their own Devotion to per­form, which they do by killing a Cock, or a Sheep, the Blood of which they bury under the first stone they lay: It is not always, but very frequently practised, in which they imagine that there is some lucky Ma­gick [Page 372] or some spell to attract good fortune to the Threshold; they call it, [...] or Sacrifice, and therefore I believe that this is a piece of an­cient Heathenism.

They think it not lawful to eat Blood, or things strangled, though they are not very nice or scrupulous in the examination of what Provi­sions are set before them.

The Apochryphal Books they e­steem for Apocryphe, and of no greater Authority than they are re­puted for in England, but yet they hold that some Traditions are of equal Authority with the written word.

The Doctrine of Justification by faith or good works is not a Problem controverted amongst them, they are not as yet it seems so far proceed­ed in Polemick Learning, but be­lieve that both are very necessary to salvation, and that he whose [Page 373] faith produces good works, out­does him whose life is buried in notions, and arrests it self in a bare disputation. They believe Faith to be an active and prolifick Grace, and that which cannot re­main in idleness, but must operate and employ that heavenly heat it receives from above; but whether our Justification be beholding to our Faith, or to our Works, or to both together, they leave the Query to the discussion of such, who have more leisure, and money, and per­haps more curiosity than the ordi­nary Monks of Greece.

Those who have a Malice or Quar­rel to any particular person, do often­times bring the breadth and length in Thread or Wood of him, against whom they entertain Malice, to a Carpenter or Mason, who is ready to lay the Foundation of a house, the which for a little money is buried [Page 374] under one of the first stones; after which they say the person dyes, or at least macerates away: as the Thread or Wood decays, which is a most certain piece of Magick of the ancient Gentilism.

They really believe, that on or about the 15th day of August, which is the day that they celebrate the Assumption of our Blessed Lady, that all Streams in the World retire into Egypt, to do homage and obey­sance to that Grand River of Nylus, which is the cause, as they say, of the innundation of that Country. And of this perswasion they are, be­cause they perceive, that in August the Springs and Rivers are every where low, and the Nilus full and over-flowing its Banks, which they attribute as a blessing to that River, and its Country, where the Saviour of the World and his Blessed Mother were secured from [Page 375] the Malice and Treachery of impi­ous Herod. And this fond fancy the Vulgar have taken up, not consi­dering that the Nilus overflows in June and July, and that the Waters decrease in August.

I have now done with the History of the Greek Church, to which I shall only add this remarkable passage in the Conclusion; which, though it be a matter not more relating to the Greeks than other Christians, or the Turks themselves, yet treating here of the Oriental Churches, it may be some elucidation of the premises, to give the Reader an in­stance, whereby he may understand how constant the minds of men, liv­ing in the East, are to their Traditions, and to keep up their fancy to any ancient superstition; which parti­cular is undoubtedly true, being transmitted to me by a worthy and ingenious person, residing at Aleppo. [Page 376] It is well known how much the Telesmatical Doctrine, which was anciently the wisdom, or rather fol­ly of the Learned, prevailed in the Eastern Quarters of the World; in imitation of which, on the 15th of April, 1671, there was brought into Aleppo a little Copper-Vessel of Wa­ter, out of a strong imagination, that it was endued with a Telesmatical Vertue, to draw thereunto a sort of Birds which feed on Locusts, com­monly called by the Arabs, Smirmar. I have seen them every Summer a­bout the parts of Constantinople and Smyrna; they are about the bigness of a Starling, and very like it in the Bill and Legs, but of various Co­lours on the Head, Breast, Back, and Wings. This Bird (as they re­port) hath so shrill a note, that the very sound of it will strike down a thousand Locusts at a time, and are such Acridophagi, that when they [Page 377] come in great numbers are sufficient to devour and destroy those vast swarms of Locusts, which in some years consume all the green Corn, Grass, Herbs, and Plants in the Country, and turn the hopes and expectation of a plentiful Spring in­to a barren Autumn, and a Winters Famine; so that to be freed of this Plague to which the parts about A­leppo are greatly subject, no more happy or easie remedy could be found than something endued with a power attracting such beneficial and useful Guests; to perform which nothing was esteemed more effectu­al than a certain Water fetched (as they say) from a Pool in Samarcand, or rather from a holy Well of the Arabs, called Zimzam, the which Water was not to be carried under any Arch, unless the immediate Arch of Heaven. This being the Opinion of the Inhabitants of A­leppo, [Page 378] the Water was sent for and brought into the City with great pomp and solemnity. The proces­sion was made at the Southern Da­mascus Gate, every Religion and Sect attending in their Habits, with the most formal Devotion imagina­ble, according to their different Rites and Ceremonies, every Nation bearing before them the respective Badges of their profession, viz. The Law, the Gospel, and the Al­choran, with Songs in their mouths according to their several Religions. The Mahometans surpassed all the others in the Gallantry of their Streamers, their Prophets Banners being near about a hundred in num­ber, were carried by sheghs, who bellowed most hideously, till they foamed at the mouth, out-doing themselves with the violent agitation of their Spirits, being of the Order of Kadri, whose lives and Instituti­ons [Page 379] we have declared in the Otto­man State. A Dispute happened, be­fore they entered the City, between the Christians and Jews for prece­dence, which they challenged on the score of Antiquity, but after a little striking, and a greater Ava­nia afterwards, it was determined that the Christians were the better men, and payed most for the exer­cise of their Religion. The con­course of all sorts of people was exceeding great, and the Pageantry seven hours in acting; for the Water was drawn up over the Gate, and over all covered passages, and finally over the Castle Walls, where in a Mosch it was lodged with all reverence and devotion.

This kind or species of Birds which resort to this Country, are, according to the Opinion of all Sects, drawn thither by the vertue of this Water; which though they [Page 380] have nothing of effectual vertue in them, yet this fancy is so strongly rooted not only in the Vulgar peo­ple, but also with those of greater quality, that it seems to be a dura­ble remain of the Sabean Supersti­tion.

In this manner, Reader, I have fi­nished this short discourse of the Greek Church, what is to be amended, or added hereunto, is a work of time, and worthy the pains and conside­ration of curious and ingenious Travellers into those Parts.