us, that all our men had been cut off who had ventured to land,
and gave us as a reason for so doing, that they had been robbed
some five months before of a hundred goats and sheep, and they
had an opinion that we were some of the persons coming for
another booty. But we giving them knowledge that we were
Knglishmen, and not Frenchmen or Dutch, they were more open
and free to us, and there was one amongst them whom they called
a Chilabi, which is a Gentleman ; He told us the next day there
should be muttons and poultry brought down to the shore and
coral and such like other commodities, so we shewed them English
knives and tobacco and they said they would barter with us. In
the middle of this discourse, the Captain's dinner was brought in ;
among the rest of the meat there was a leg of pork, at the sight
whereof the Chilabi fell a crying ; I asking the Interpreter what
he meant by that flux of tears, he said now we had him on ship-
board he did guess we would force him to eat pork, which he
would rather die than do. We told him our intentions were not
to put any abuse upon him, so caused the pork to be carried out
to the sea men ; and then he began to eat such as was set before
him with confidence, and drank such beer and wine as was there,
saying, he would send us to-morrow better wine and water than
we had. The day being past and the warning piece shot off to
let them know they must come aboard that were on shore, for the
Turks were coming ashore. We parted very good friends, and
the next day I ventured ashore upon pledges as aforesaid, but
there were no houses nor persons near the Bay where we anchored,
but those that trafficked with us came out of the country there-
abouts, and brought down coral and quilted purses and brushes
with poultry and muttons and we gave for them English knives,
tobacco, shoes, stockings, gloves and painted boxes ; and so, the day
being spent, after we had walked a mile in the country, or there-
abouts and brought down wild thyme which the soil did bear in
great abundance, we returned to our ship and having taken in
fresh water for our use we set sail for Smyrna ; but we were so
often becalmed, that we were thirteen weeks at sea going from
Messina to Smyrna, which voyage Sir Sackville Crow performed
with a fair wind in thirty-five days.
Being arrived at Smyrna I met with M r Henry Chowne who
MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP 117
was Factor for Sir John Caldwell l and my countryman in Sussex
who took me and M r Tufton home to his house, where he enter-
tained us very magnificently, and shewed us what was to be seen
there ; it being a Port town, and the chiefest rarity that was there
was S l Polycarp's tomb who lays buried there.
Having been there some time we were informed by the Consul
who liveth there, whose name was M r Bernard, that he intended
to go up to Constantinople by land on horseback ; we told him if
he would be pleased to stay till we had seen Ephesus we would
bear him company which he agreed to : so we bought Horses, and
got a Janizary and a Druggerman, which is an Interpreter ; and rode
five days' journey to see the Ephesian Church, and Diana's Temple,
which is built in a quagmire but sunk an incredible way in the
earth so that we went down into it with a candle, but saw nothing
but vast rooms under ground, supported by marble pillars : and
much more lay above ground, enough to build a great city. We
could learn nothing from the people who lived there being all poor
and unlearned ; only they shewed us a great marble Font, which
was that in which S l John baptized the People : and Aquaeducts
that were brought ten miles off, of a stupendous height to bring
water into the city : So we staid one night there, lodging upon the
ground in a poor Turk's house ; and the next day returned towards
Smyrna ; it not being worth the pains and expence the Journey
cost us. In our journey back we met with some wild Arabs,
Thieves, at a Fountain drinking water with Sherbett, which is
lemon juice and sugar boyled, and so melted in the water as they
drink it. They all had Turkish bows and a quiver of arrows by
their sides, and a sort of hatchets in their hands : but we being
more in number than they, and pistols with us, they meddled not
with us but rode away from us. so we had the benefit of the
Fountain after they had left it.
Our time being come to set forwards for Constantinople, most
of the Merchants in Smyrna accompanied us to Magnesia which
was two days journey ; There we were entertained by a Jew (who
dealt with the Merchants at Smyrna) very splendidly after their
manner which was all with baked meats : none roasted or boyled
1 Sir John Cordell, sheriff of London in 1634, knighted in 1641 ; imprisoned
as a delinquent in 1642. (See Cal. S. P., Dow., 1641-3, p. 403). He was an
important member of the East India Company, carried on a large trade with the
Levant, and had ' factors ' at the principal ports.
]]8 MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP
that I saw : after that the Table was covered with all sorts of dried
sweetmeats ; and when we were carried to Bed, there was nothing
but a Quilt (a Turkey carpet) to cover us and a cushion for the
bolster, so we lay all night in our clothes. The next day having
brought provisions of meat and wine, which we carried for our use
in hogskins, the Merchants returned and we went on our journey.
After we had rode some seven hours, we came to a great building,
much like our Tennis Courts where the Janizary told us we were
to lay all night. This building they call a Cane, 1 as it is a recep-
tacle for all Travellers and their Horses. When we entered into
it we saw many Turks, Armenians and Greeks, who had taken up
their lodgings there before we came. The Armenians had camels
with them ; and they carried great bales of silk and were tied to
rings made on purpose in a wall of stone, that was raised all along
the Cane, for travellers to lodge on and dress their meat upon about
ten feet higher than where the camels and horses were tied below.
The people who lived thereabouts attended at the Cane with
chopped straw, and a sort of grain they put into it, to feed our
horses : they then brought wooden spits and other vessells with
fire to dress our meat. But wine they had none, but a spring of
water which was near the Cane, which served both man and beast.
After we had supped upon such meat and wine as we had brought
with us, every man took his lodging upon the long wall, and no
other bed but quilts that were brought with us, and vests that we
wore to cover us, and our saddles instead of bolsters. About one
o'clock in the night there were lights set up for the slaves to feed
their camels and horses, so there was no sleeping after that hour
and then every one was raised, and, after the cattle were fed, about
three o'clock in the morning, we all one after another, left the Cane
to be cleaned for those who came at night to lodge there. After
this manner we travelled thro' the country, which is very little
peopled : all inhabiting the great towns, and but very few of these
being in our way, for I do not remember we passed through any
town of note but the aforesaid. Some villages of six or eight
houses we passed through whose names I have forgot, but we lodged
in none but Canes for twenty days. The country we went through
abounded with fertile valleys in which was very high grass but no
cattle in it, and very good rivers running all along the low grounds
in which were all sorts of seafowl. But we saw no people except
1 i.e. khan.
MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP 119
those who came to us at the Canes to furnish us with necessaries
and those [who] were travellers as we were, with whom we could
have no converse, because we understood not their language. But
when we approached near the Porte, we met with more company
than when we were far from it, and being in three days' journey
from it, in the morning about four oclock, as we passed by a wood,
there came out near a hundred hares staring at us. They never
stirred till they had seen us past them ; but tho' we had guns we
durst not kill one because the Janizary told us it was in the
verge of the Great Turk's hunting and he must bear the blame if
any one should come to know it : and it was not unlikely but some
of our servants might speak of it when we were in the City.
The prospect of the city, when you come within six or eight
miles of it, exceeds all imagination, the sea encompassing it every
way, so that, let the wind blow where it listeth, some ships or other
come in, and in the city are such stately high cypress trees and firs,
that with the reflection of the golden spires that are upon their
mosques, and the Great Turk's Seraglio, that it may not unfitly be
called to resemble Paradise. When we went into the city we had
all the dogs in the city following us, some with doublets on,
catching at our feet : we asked the meaning of it, they told us the
dogs could tell the inhabitants when there were strangers come to
town. We passed by water from Pera l to Galata where our
Ambassador dwelt, 2 who was S r Sackville Crow ; for before our
arrival S r Peter Kich 3 who was then in the city had delivered all
power of an Ambassador into the hands of S r Sackville Crow.
This gave occasion to him to send for our horses and servants and
to lodge us in his house, together with M r Bernard the Consul of
1 ' Pera, a suburb of Constantinople, as is Galata ; they are both on the European
side of the Strait. Scutari is opposite and upon the Asiatic side.' [E. F.]
a But then, as now, Pera seems to have been the usual dwelling-place of the
a.mbassadors. George Sandys, in his Relation of a Voyage, &c. (see note on
p. 127, below), speaks of ' ascending the vines of Pera ' to the ambassador's house.
3 Mis-script for Sir Peter Wych. He had long been entreating to be recalled,
and Sir Sackville Crow was nominated his successor as early as 1635, but put off
his going time after time, nnd only reached Constantinople in October 1638.
Wych surrendered all papers, &c., and the Ambassador's house, but the Grand
Signior was absent ' at the siege of Babylon ' i.e. Bagdad, so that Wych could not
get his dismissal, nor Crow be received. When a messenger was sent to the
Grand Signior he returned answer to his Vizier to tell ' the old Ambassador '
that ambassadors could not be licensed or discharged during his absence. Wych
received his discharge on April 20, 1639, and left Constantinople shortly afterwards.
120 MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP
Smyrna and his retinue : telling us he was the King's representa-
tive there, and as we were gentlemen come for curiosity, it
belonged to him to entertain us : and he would not suffer my
Merchant to whom I was consigned (by name William Chapel 1,
Factor to John Caldwell) to have me lodged in his house without
leave from him.
Having reposed our selves two days and enjoying two nights
quiet rest in oar beds, we were desirous of going abroad to see the
remarkable things that were to be seen. My Lord sent his
Janizary and Interpreter with us, who, by leave of a Capi Aga, and
the Great Turk's being at the seige of Babylon, gave us liberty to
see one of the Grand Seignior's Seraglios at Scudra : l but we
could not go into the best rooms, they being sealed up with his
own seal, and Vizier Azems seal, which it was death to break
open. In this Seraglio, which is one of the meanest he hath there-
abouts, we saw some stately rooms in which were troughs of
marble of great bigness to bathe in, and fountains hard by that
brought water by cocks into those marble troughs, when he went to
bathe. All the windows were of green, blue, yellow and all sorts of
coloured glass, so that he could by that means represent his own
body and those that were bathing with him in what colour he
pleased, in which I found by them he took great delight. There
we saw some presents that had been made him, of vests of gold,
saddles richly set with jewels at the pommell, swords, pikes,
lances all richly adorned with precious stones and some guns and
plumes of feathers beset with jewels, the guns inlaid with rubies,
emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds of great value, if they were
right, as I am apt to believe they were, no prince nor potentate
being of power sufficient to put an affront upon him. There were
many pleasant walks and grass plots, in which were canals of
water, and high cypress trees that beautified the places. But
what I took to be most costly was the cielings of the rooms, which
were, some of them, of Mosaic work that was very enormously done
with nobs of gold.
From this place they carried me to a mosque in which they
say Job was entombed, there being a Tomb all of silver wire on
the outside ; the inside mostly silver. But upon enquiry I found
it to be the tomb of one Jupiter a Sultan that was there interred,
1 ' Perhaps Scutari.' [E. F.] Uskudar is its Turkish name.
MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP 121
but who or what he was I could not learn. The next things they
shewed us was Sancta Sophia, once a church of Christians, twice
burnt, and re-edify ed by Justinian, the greatest part raised in an
oval manner, with admirable pillars both for greatness and work-
manship. Over these are galleries all paved with marble ; and
the roof is mosaique work, which is certain coloured glass cut four
square : gilded, of great durance. The sides of this Temple are all
marble, so is the floor. Underneath are great cisterns of marble
to which the water is brought by the Aquseducts of the City.
In this Temple as they say are the stones that our Saviour's clothes
were washed upon ; and under a Coppar pillar that is ever sweating
in this church was the Blessed Virgin buried, if you will believe
them. This Temple they say, was once, from East to West, two
hundred and sixty feet long and one hundred and eighty feet high ;
so that it held, in the days of Bajazet the Great, six and thirty
thousand Turks. It is reported, when it was entire, to have as
many doors as days in the year, and one of these doors to have
been made of the wood of Noah's ark. When Mahomet the
Great took the city, he threw down the altars, defaced the images
and made it an ordinary mosque ; so that when I saw it there were
but four doors, by one of which the Emperors rode up on horse-
back, the mounting being upon marble and large enough for a
coach and horses to go up. In one of these galleries there is
marble that is transparent.
Having viewed this stately structure, we passed into the city
of Constantinople formerly called Byzantium of Byrza the Founder.
It was taken by assault from the Persians ; but after a siege of
three years it was retaken by the Emperor Sever us l and in process
of time was made the Metropolitan city by Constantine 2 who
amplified it and called it Constantinople, making it the seat of the
Empire and endowed it with all the priviledges of Rome, so that
the Citizens of one were free of the other. He once had thoughts
of building it at Chalcedon, on the other side of the Thracian
Bosphorus : but laying the platform at Chalcedon, certain eagles
they say conveyed the lines of the workmen to the other side of
the Straight and let them fall over at Byzantium, where upon the
Emperor changed his resolutions as being appointed from above
where to build. He bereaved Rome of all her ornaments and
1 A.D. 194.' [E. F.] 2 About the year 812.' [E. F.]
122 MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP
brought in one year more to beautify it than had been carried
away in twenty years. It is walled with stone and bricks inter-
mixed, hath twenty-four gates, five whereof regard the land and
nineteen the sea. There are Seven Hills which are crowned with
seven heads of magnificent mosques all white marble, round in
form with cupolas in which are high turretts (like the main-top
of a ship), in which the Priest goes when he calls the people to
prayers and there with as a loud voice as he can cry, he says in
the Arabic tongue ' There is no God but one and Mahomet is his
Prophet or Messenger ' and then the People fall to praying
which is usual about sunset. And after the sun is down, nobody
walks the streets but he is in danger of being drubbed. This is
to receive some blows upon the soles of his feet, as the Bastangi
(who is the officer who punishes those that walk after sundown)
shall appoint to be given for his offence, which is done with a
Bull's Pizzle that makes their feet so swell that they are forced to
go (presently after the punishment is inflicted) and hold their feet
in sea water, which they say hinders the swelling. Having pro-
ceeded thus far, they desired us to go round the walls of it, upon
which are made watch towers, that look towards the Black Sea,
and into the Thracian Bosphorus ; and in our going round they
carried us into a tower in the midst of the sea which is called the
Maiden Tower, and stands upon a rock ; in it was a spring of
fresh water which was easily tasted from the salt water : and' the
sea is so deep all round about the Haven that the King's best ships
may unlade their burthens in the streets. From this tower they
carried us into a place called the Hippodrome where they ride his
horses that are managed for the great Saddle. In it they run
horse races and use the flinging of darts one at the other on
horseback, which they do with great dexterity. There is a hiero-
glyphical inscription, on a pillar of marble which is wrought very
curiously, but it was so imperfect that we could not read it. Here
is also a stately column of wreathed brass with three Serpents of
brass on the top of it looking several ways in a triangle : hard by
stands a great Colossus of nothing but several great stones, hereto-
fore covered with brass, and another historical pillar carved far
beyond any at Rome, another column of Constantine but not
carved so well as the other. Where this Column stands, the
column commemorates the palace of Constantine, which is now
made into stables, and the Aquseducts that brought the water into
MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP 123
his palace are standing still, and are magnificent to behold, being
three Arches high, and walks between every one of them, that
carry the waters from the top of the hills and so from hill to
hill till it comes thither, for the space of eight miles in length.
Whilst we were viewing these things which stood in public
places, the Janizary being absent from us went and obtained leave
for us to see another of his Seraglios that stood upon the water
upon Pera side, in which we saw stately rooms, but the most
magnificent were sealed up as in the other. Those rooms we saw
were all with chrystal windows, and covered with rich Turkey
carpets and some of gold and fans with precious stones : a Spleen
Cup, a bottle all of jewels inlaid with great art, in which he
carries drink for himself only. He has here a passage towards the
sea, beset all with red reeds, by which means he can see (without
being seen) whosoever goes that way by sea. There he has also a
pond made all of porphyry stone, that is in the middle of a grove
all beset with trees, on which he hangeth carpets : that none can see
into it, or dare approach near it. Here he putteth in his Concubines
stark naked and shooteth at them with certain pelletts that stick upon
them without any damage to their bodies. And sometimes he lets
the water in such abundance upon them (for he can let what
quantity of water he will in) that being above their heights they
all bob up and down for life ; and when his pleasure is satisfied
with the sport, he lets down the water, and calls the Eunuchs who
wait upon his women, to fetch them out if alive.
We being weary and the sun near setting, called upon our
Janizary and Druggerman to convey us home and, in our passage
by water, we discoursed them whether there was no possibility of
seeing the grand Seraglio where the Turk keeps his Court. He
being absent, they told us, it was locked up and sealed as to all
the rooms of state, but if we could get my Lord Ambassador to
send his Caimacham, 1 who governs in the Vizier's absence, we
might perchance see more than would be shewed us by any other
means. When we came to the Lord Ambassador's house to supper,
we discoursed of what we had been shewed that day. My Lord
was so taken with our report, that the next morning he sent to
the Caimacham to know if he would give leave for some English
gentlemen who were there, to see the Grand Seignior's Court out
1 Should read ' send to the Caimacham.'
124 MEM01KS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP
of curiosity, having had many reports of the magnificence of it :
and that he himself would come along with us, if it were no pre-
judice to him. The Caimacham made answer that he would serve
his Lordship in what he lawfully might : but for him, a public
person, to come thither in the Grand Signior's absence, by his
sufferance, was certain death to him. If he escaped, he thought it
would be with much difficulty. Upon this message, the Embas-
sador gave over all thoughts of going, and told us he did not find
that the Chaimacham had any desire, or indeed durst show us any
of it, which made us cast about how to compleat it. M r Chapel
happening to come to the Embassador's that morning, dined there
and invited my Lord and all his company next day to dinner, but
my Lady went not. Relating the Caimacham's answer M r Chapel
said he had a Jew who was his broker that was acquainted with
this Caimacham, and sold his goods for him : that he could get out
of the Seraglio by stealth, and that he would employ him to find
out a way for us to see what was to be seen, without the
Caimacham's taking notice of it, or being concerned in it. This he
did by what means I know not ; so we were brought within two
days by this Jew to this great Seraglio. It hath many gates
some of which open to the sea, and others towards the city ; by one
of which, which is a very stately one, we entered. Here we were
received by Officers belonging to it, but of what quality we could
not tell, and we were carried into the room of the public Divan,
which is the place where he gives audience to Embassadors and to
those Bassas who are to depart upon any weighty service or
employment ; as also to such, who after the limited time of their
government is expired, do return to Constantinople, to give an
account to his Majesty of their carriage in their several places.
This Room standeth in a little Court curiously adorned with many
delicate fountains and hath within it a Sopha, which is a place
raised from the floor about a foot to sit on, spread with very
sumptuous carpets of gold and of crimson velvet, embroidered
with costly pearls. Upon this the Grand Signior sitteth: and
about the Chamber, instead of hangings, the walls are covered
with very fine white stones which having divers sorts of leaves
and flowers artificially wrought and backed upon them, do make
a glorious shew. There is also a little room within it, the whole
inside whereof is covered with silver plate hatched with gold and
the floor is covered with very rich Persian carpets of silk and
MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP 125
gold. There are belonging to the said rooms very fair gardens,
in which are many pleasant walks, inclosed with high cypress
trees on each side, and marble fountains in such abundance, that
almost every walk had two or three of them. Such delight doth
the Great Turk take in Gardens as indeed do all Turks, that they
no sooner come into a pleasant garden that is their own or where
they think they may be bold, but they put off their uppermost
coat, and lay it aside, and upon that their Turban, then turn up
their sleeves and unbutton themselves, turning their breast open to
the wind if there be any. If not they fan themselves or their
slaves do it for them. Then holding their arms abroad, courting
the weather and sweet air, calling it their soul their delight : ever
and anon shewing some signs of contentment. During this
pleasant distraction, if there be any flowers (as there are excellent
ones in all the gardens of the Grandees) they stuff their bosoms
with them, adorn their turbants, and then shake their head at the
sweet savor, sometimes singing a song to some pretty flower and
uttering words of as great joy as if the Mistress of their heart was
present. And one bit of meat in the Garden, after the use of the
ceremony aforesaid, shall in their opinion do them more good, than
the best delicates that may be had elsewhere. After we had seen
these four rooms, the Jew told us there were divers rooms and
lodgings built apart, in which were the Hasinett or private