Treasury and the place where the King's wardrobe was : both of
them with iron doors but sealed up with the Kings seal, also rooms
for schools, Bagnios, Prayers, places to swim in, to run horses, for
wrestling, to shoot at butts in, to conclude, all the commodities
that may be had in a Prince's palace. But we could not be per-
mitted to see any more. So we went from thence to Besestan,
which is like our Exchange. In this are all sorts of com-
modities sold, and jewels of all sorts and prices, scymitars,
javelins, bows, headpieces and gauntlets of very great value. We
staid here but a little while and sent the Jew back to try if we
might not be permitted to see the storehouses, hospitals, kitchens,
schools, baths and gardens, (where are green grass plots in which
Roe Deer feed) and the stables where the Horses are kept : He
returning brought us word that these were under several other
Ministers as Chias, Agas, Spahis and Eunuchs and Janizaries, so
that he, not being known to them, despaired of getting leave.
Neither would he attempt it lest some suspicion should fall on him r



126 MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP

and so an Avania (Accusation) made, he should be fined more than
he was worth, or perhaps put to death without a hearing.

What is wanting of the magnificence of this Court with all the
Officers that belong thereto great and small, with the expences of it
both for men and women are to be seen in a book printed in the
year 1650 by M r John Greaves, 1 who had the description of the
Turkish Emperor's Court from one M r Robert Withers, Merchant,
who lived there a long time, and had opportunity by speaking the
language to be shewed more than any Christian at present can
obtain and to that Book the Reader is referred. Having been
there two months, there came letters to me from my Father and to
my Lord Embassador requesting him to persuade me to return
home, he having no other son. When my Lord moved it to me
I replied I was obliged to bear my comrade company by lot and
promise and if he would release me I would willingly obey. He
then said he doubted not to get M r Tufton to release me, which
he having obtained, after we had been feasted by the Merchants
at their country houses, Mr. Tufton and I agreed to go and see
Melita, now called Malta, and so to part, he for Jerusalem, and I,
for England. There being an English ship at Constantinople by
name The London, Capt. Stevens Commander, that was to touch at
Malta I would fain have gone in that ship ; but M r Tufton having
found a French ship going to Malta and from thence to Aleppo
within a few days' journey of Jerusalem, would not suffer me, but
got me to go with him in the French ship. Sailing from Con-
stantinople we passed by the two Castles of Sestos and Abydos -
famous for the loves of Hero and Leander. Abydos stands in Asia
founded by the Milesians. Sestos stands in Europe, though
not great yet strongly built and once the principal city of
Chersonesus, afterwards defaced and made a triangular castle. The
Ordnance are placed level with the sea and the castle not to be
commanded by reason of the Mountain's defence. We also saw
a city of Chersonesus named Callipoli 3 where the gallies were that

1 Greaves, Description of the Grand Seignor's Seraglio, reprinted in 1737.
Greaves does not seem to have got the description from Withers direct. He
states that the manuscript was given to him at Constantinople, and that upon
inquiry he has ' found it since ' to be the work of Withers.

2 Sestos and Abydos. The Strait is called Gallipoli and is two miles over.
It joins the Archipelago to the Propontis. The Castles are called the Dardanelles.'
[E. F.] In Henry Blount's Voyage into the Levant, 1634-6, he states that these
two castles on the Hellespont are called ' Dardanelli.'

* ' Callipoli. In a book at Whiligh (entitled " A Kelation of a Journey contain-



MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP 127

fought the battle at Lepanto } where the Christians beat the Turks ;
yet this was the first city the Turks took in Europe, under the
conduct of Solyman. Here entering into the Propontic Sea you
see the island of Proconesus now called Marmoreura, by reason of
excellent white marble that comes from thence. We sailed by an
island called Tenedos 2 from whence we had a sight of the ruins of
Troy according to Horace, 3

Est in conspectu Tenedos notissima fama

Insula dives opum Priami dum regna manerent (sic)

Nunc tantum sinus et static malefida carinis.

.En. 2. 21.

Troy is ascended by a high Promontory, where they say is the
sepulchre of Achilles & the famous Mount Ida in which Paris'
Judgment was delivered

. . . Manet alta mente repostum
Judicium Paridis spretseque injuria formse.

JEn. i. 80.

From hence we came to another island in the Hellespont
called the Mitylene, 4 according to the former poet.

Laudabant alii clarum Rhodum ac Mitylenem. 5

Lib. 1. Od. 7. Lin. 1.

ing a Description of the Turkish Empire of Egypt etc. etc." p. 22), the reasons are
assigned why this place is called both Callipoli and Gallipoli. These voyages were
performed about the year 1610, i.e. twenty years before Sir George's Travels, which
they illustrate, and prove the accuracy of many of his observations. It is a thin
folio.' [E. F.] Written by George Sandys, poet and traveller, best known for his
translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses into English verse. The book was published
in 1615.

1 'Lepanto, in Livadia, 100 miles W.N.W. of Athens 350 S.VV. of Constan-
tinople. Here Cervantes, the author of " Don Quixote," lost his arm, in 1571, when
Don John of Austria gained a victory over the Turkish fleet, to which Sir G. C.
alludes. The Sea of Marmora or Propontis is 120 miles long, 50 broad, extending
from the Archipelago through the Dardanelles and Strait of Constantinople to the
Euxine or Black Sea.' [E. F.]

2 Tenedos is ten miles from the Straits of Gallipoli and on the Asiatic side.'
[E. F.]

3 * Horace ' has been underlined, and Virgil written after it, in different ink,
but in Mr. Ferrers's hand. In the same way ' the former poet ' has been crossed
through, and ' Horace ' substituted, below. The references are also in different
ink, probably added by Ferrers later.

4 Mitylene or Lesbos. Not more than seven miles from the Trojan coast.
Here Sappho and Alceeus were born.' [E. F.]

5 Should be ' Laudabunt alii claram Rhodon aut Mitylenen.' It is quoted
correctly by Sandys.



128 MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP

Tho I have good reason to remember it I have no cause to praise
it, for going ashore by reason of the Captain having goods to unlade
there I was taken for a Venetian by a Turk's false accusation
(called an Avania) who told the Beglerbi who was the chief
Magistrate (the Aga not being in the island) that I was in the
castle and had taken the platform of the Castle and had measured
the Guns with intent to give the Venetians advice of their situa-
tion and what weight of bullet the Guns could carry and how far.
Upon this information I was sent for from my ship to attend the
council that were gathered together to examine the matter of
Fact. When I came before them they were all seated cross legged
upon Turky carpets & the Beglerbi upon a sopha raised a foot
above the rest. He charged me by an Interpreter that he had
information that I had been in the Castle and had drawn out the
platform of it with black lead and had measured the guns with
intent to give the Venetians advice how and where to attack
it when they had an opportunity. To this I answered I was no
Venetian, but an Englishman, and that our nation had leave, by
capitulations agreed on between his Majesty of Great Britain and
the Grand Signior, to trade in his dominions, whereby he had
much profit, and that our Embassador was then residing at the
Porte, who was answerable for any Articles that were broken by an
Englishman. That it was not possible for me to go into the
Castle there being three gates to go thro' and at every one of
them a Guard of Soldiers who must necessarily have apprehended
me before I could have dispatched half what was informed against
me. When I had said this before them, my own company being
in presence, I was taken away by their Officers, and demanding of
them whither they would carry me, an Italian Renegado who was
the only man I understood, told me, I had deserved the Furca,
which is the Gallows, and they had orders to see me fast laid
in Prison till such time as the Council had determined what
course to take with me. When I came to the prison they
opened a pair of Stocks in which were no holes for a Leg to be
put into as ours are, but all flat, without any hollowness. I
told the Italian that the weight of the piece of wood that was to
be laid on my Leg would break it, which he telling them they
were at a stand what to do, by which I guessed their orders were
to confine me there. Looking about the Prison I saw Greeks and
Turks and I think Armenians all chained together about the neck



MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP 129

with iron collars and their chains hanging down before them.
Whilst they were resolving what to do, I went and took up an iron
collar, and made signs to him that was the chief among them, to
have that put about my neck, and offerred to give him a dollar,
which is 4 s 6 d of our money to have that as the other Malefactors
had. He refused my money with scorn, and said, as I understood
by the Interpreter, my crime was of a higher nature than to be
bought off for money. By this time I conceive they had a return
from the Council, for new messengers came in and told me my ship
and all the Persons in it were stopped and then I was chained with
an iron collar about my neck to three others, so that none of us could
stir to ease nature but all four must go. When they had thus done
they all left me to the Keepers of the Prison, saying they would go &
hear what the Council had resolved upon. When I had laid thus
four hours, M r Tufton and the Merchants came to me and told me
the Council had agreed on three things, to detain me till the
Cadi or Aga returned, who had power to hang or draw, or to
send up to Constantinople to know whether I was an Englishman,
or to give me fifty or sixty blows on the soles of my feet. After I
had heard these propositions, I was desirous they would let me go
with those officers that went to Constantinople, and offered to pay
the freight of the ship, during the time I used her, but the
Merchants were all against me, alledging their goods would be
spoiled, and they must unlade them, and then put them in again,
and they themselves stay there till my return, and how long that
might be by reason of contrary winds and weather was very uncer-
tain. To which I replied, that tho' they were not chained as I
was, yet they could not go out of the Island without leave, so
that they were under restraint as well as I, tho they had a
larger compass, and if they kept me till the Cadi came home, their
ship and they would be forced to stay with me. Therefore I
desired them to pump the Interpreter, to know what the Council
most inclined to, and to feel the Italian, whether if the Corporal
Punishment was agreed on, it might not be bought off with a sum
of money, for their accusation would be quashed at the Porte, if it
came to be heard there, by reason of the impossibilities that would
be found in it. And I desired M r Tufton to give the Italian
Renegado 4 Dollars secretly, that he might have them to himself
without any person seeing him receive them ; to start that ques-
tion among the Officers of the Court and have their sense upon it.

VOL. XI. K



130 MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP

He took the money, being alone, and promised M r Tufton to
move it, if he kept secret his receiving a bribe ; and wished him
to give such an Officer as he should bring to him double what he
had given him to get it done. When the Officer came, he told M r
Tufton we ought to have had an Officer or Janizary with us, that
might have been responsible for any misdemeanour done by us but.
we omitting it were .brought to answer in our own persons and
a Christians word was not to be taken, when a true Believer had
impeached him : so that what we said in our own behalf signified
nothing to the Council ; neither was it in their power to believe us
before him. M r Tufton demanded what was their practice in such
cases, telling him the time was precious with the Merchants and
for the ship to stay there till the chief Magistrate came home, was
very uncertain ; and how the winds and the weather might prove if
she went to Constantinople was unknown ; So that if the Council
might be moved for the corporal punishment, if that would satisfy
their Law, he thought it the best expedient for both parties : pro-
vided it might be taken off for a reasonable sum of money, which
perhaps might be procured if agreed on. The officer replied he
would not undertake to tell the sense of the Council, but he had
precedents, that such sums of money had been taken for misdemea-
nours. When he heard this, he gave him twelve Dollars to put the
Council in mind of these precedents, When he had viewed them
and nobody there, he gave him his word to do it, on condition he
might have as much more if he procured it to be accepted : for he
fairly told him he was to have none of the money the Council
imposed on the malefactor. Before this was agreed to by M r
Tufton and the Court officer the night came, and M r Tufton and
the Merchants told me the Council was broke up, so that I must
have patience till the next morning. I desired I might have my
Turky carpets and vest to lodge on that night in the Prison, which
by the mediation of the Officers was granted, and such wine and
water as I had in the ship. By this I found I had got more respect
from the Keepers of the Prison than when I first entered.

The night being past with little or no sleep, by reason of every
one's necessity that waked all his fellows, the Council sat early and
by his shewing the books of the like cases, they in a little" time
resolved on fifty blows with a Bulls Pizzle upon the sole of my feet
which was to be executed that morning in the face of all the People
for examples sake. They came and told me what was resolved upon



MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP 131

and the execution to be forthwith : but the Money to buy it off was
not spoken of, nor durst the Officer move it, that promised to get it
done. I told M r Tufton he had placed his money in ill hands, and
I should be crippled all the days of my life if he served me thus.
He told me the Officer had not yet had his double fee, which he
was confident before the Council arose would make him move it.
So it proved, whether out of policy or reality I know not : for a
little before their rising, one of the Council said it was a punish-
ment not used in Christendom and that Christians were disabled
by it all their lives, and he did conceive a mulct of money would
be more useful : and he thought there was money or wares in the
ship that might answer the offence committed and that if they
would stay till the Destarder, or Eegistrar, could search the books,
they would find money paid, and the punishment relaxed : The
Register (as I conceive) pro forma, brought the books where the
like was done. Then the question arose what sum was proportion-
able to take off the corporal punishment. The first sum moved
was 400 Dollars, about 90Z., but none of the Council spoke by
way of mitigation, so that up came M 1 ' Tufton to let me know
what was the sum imposed upon me. I told them I had no such
sum to pay, and 1 that the ships going to the Porte would not
stand me in half the money, and I would insist upon that, if
nothing would be abated. I asked M r Tufton if he had paid the
Officer the double bribe. He answered he had had no opportunity
of fastening it upon him. Then said I, do me the favour to let
that Officer inform the Council, that I have not so much money to
pay, and will with their leave go for the Porte, where they shall
have the matter of fact tried, and I will stand by their Judgment,
be it what it will. But if they will accept of such a sum of money
as the freight of the ship in the time going and coming will amount
to, I will borrow it, if there be so much in the Ship. M r Tufton
and the Merchants parted from me with my resolution, and finding
a convenient time to fasten the double bribe on the Officer, told
him what I insisted on, and that so much money was far above the
nature of the offence : and so it would be construed if 'heard at the
Porte which I was resolved on. They not being capable of trying it
without the Cadi, desired him to move the Court to mitigate the
fine imposed, otherwise the whole sum would be lost as to them.

1 Here the 1st volume ends and the 2nd begins.

K 2



132 MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP

He returning informed the Council of my resolutions, which he
gave them to understand were not to be altered. Upon this motion
they receded from 400 to 300 Dollars and then I had another
parly with my comrades, but I stood firm to my resolution, as
knowing my innocency : and having cast up in the interval the
charge of a journey to and from the Porte, I found it would amount
to about oOl. This I told them, to set them at liberty and myself
out of Prison, I would borrow, if so much was in the ship to lay
down, that we all might be cleared, and learn more wit than to go
without such Guards as the Country allowed of where we travelled.
The sum of 200 Dollars being accepted of by the Council, I had it
of two Merchants M r Napper (who married my wife's Uncle Muns
Daughter) and of M r Death. When I had paid it, we made all the
haste we could for fear of any After-Claps, they having power
enough over us if they had made use of it.

Having sailed out of sight of the Island, I asked M r Tufton
and the Merchants, if they intended the whole charge should be
upon me : to which they replied, the false accusation affected only
my person and it was well I escaped drubbing ; neither had I a
farthing allowed me from any of them.

As we sailed towards Malta, the Captain and seamen shewed
us Corinth and Athens and where Alexandria in Egypt stood ;
but we were not pressing to go ashore, having had such ill
fortune at Mitylene. In a few days we arrived at Malta and the
Captain going ashore to shew his certificate that he came from a
place that was not affected with the Plague, the Great Master of
Malta, for so the Governor is called, convened a Council, and the
Captain being called in to justify the said certificate, told them he
had two Gentlemen of the English nation aboard him, that came
from the Porte ; having been lodged at the Lord Embassador's
there some two months, only out of curiosity to see the magnificence
of the Emperor's court : and were come thither to see the famous
island that hath perpetual enmity with the Turks. The Grand
Master ordered the searchers to go and view the seamen im-
mediately, to see if they were all in health and looked to be sound
in body : that the whole ship should have Practic, that is, might
come ashore.

Before they had made an end of seeing the Persons who be-
longed to the ship, the Grand Master sent M r Tufton and I a
present of fruit by his own servants, who had orders to carry us to



MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP 133

a house in the town, where we lodged. The next morning he waited
on us to shew us the strength of the Island, and what store of
provision, of corn and other grain it had in it in case of a siege.
Then we saw the arms that were for their Gallies, which is their
greatest strength. For it being only a rock in the sea, the streets
are all white stone ; this, when the Sun is at the highest in the
summer, casts such a reflection upon the eyes of the inhabitants,
who are Moors, it being in Africa, that they are forced to wear
spectacles to save their eyesight. The whole Island is not above
eight miles broad, and being all stone, little or no wheat is sown.
For this they are and must be beholden to the King of Spain, it
all coming from Sicily. What other provisions they want, they
have from thence and from Italy : but the fruits that grow in the
place as figs, pistachios, oranges and lemons are far beyond what
is in Italy ; and the Cotton Wool that is there excelleth all that
grows in the neighbouring countries.

We were, I suppose by the Grand Master's order, invited by
some gentlemen to take a repast in one of the Grand Master's
country houses : and in our way we saw all the Albergees that
belong to every nation. 1 These are Colleges appointed to receive
all that are nobly born, or Gentlemen of any Nation in Europe
that will come there, and bring their fortunes with them, and take
a vow of Poverty and Chastity, and enmity with the Turks for ever
so as to give no Quarter, nor receive any in fighting with them ; and
after so many voyages in the Gallies that war against the Turks
and some other circumstances performed, they are made Knights
of Malta, which is known by the white Cross they are allowed to
wear in all the Courts in Christendom upon their cloaks or coats,
as they are their swords. In our way to this Country House, they
brought us into the Cave where S fc Paul shook off the viper from
his hand without any hurt : and there were people ready to sell us
vipers' tongues and teeth very curiously wrought, as they say, of
the stones in the Cave ; which have the virtue, if you will believe
them, of expelling any poison in the body. So hath the Earth of
the Cave dried used as aforesaid.

Having seen all the Fortifications of that place, and what was
remarkable in the Island, which is certainly the strongest that can

1 ' There were at that time seven Colleges or Alberges 1 for France, 1 of
Auvergne, 1 Provence, 1 Castile, 1 Aragon, 1 Italy, 1 Germany. Before the Re-
formation there was an eighth for England.' [E. F.]



134 MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP

be seen, being environed by the sea, we went to take our leave of
the Grand Master and give him thanks for his great favors to us,
and having made our compliments and going away, he said he was
informed that one of us went for Naples, if so, his Galleys were
to transport the Princess Collon thither, and by them I might have
a good passage. I returned my acknowledgments to him for his
kindness and accepted of it, which was the occasion that I staid
there three days after Mr. Tufton set sail in the French ship for
Aleppo.

When I came aboard the galley I was received very courteously
by the Captain, being in the same ship where the Princess was,
and had my diet at the Captain's Table which was well furnished
with flesh (that was fresh on those days that they were to eat it)
and on fasting days with fresh fish and sweetmeats, and music all
the evening, which sounded beyond expression on the sea. We
had Mass morning and evening, 1 but I not going to it, it was not
so well thought of, when upon enquiry I owned to the Protestant
Religion to the Captain.

When we arrived at Naples I demanded of the Captain what
he would have for my diet and passage. He replied he had orders
from the Grand Master to treat me with both. I then told him
after I had gone ashore and changed my habit I would wait on
him, presuming he would make a day or two's stay there. When
I came to M r Keridges who was my Merchant I told him how
civilly I had been treated in the Gallies of Malta, and asked him
what was the fittest present for the Captain. He said there were
silk waistecoats in Naples embossed with gold about 31. price,
which he thought would be well accepted of. So we both went and
bought a green silk one, embossed very richly with gold, which cost
31. 5s. English, and being accompanied by M r Keridge, I went
aboard the galley. I found the Captain with other Spanish Gentle-
men at a collation of fruit : and when I had an opportunity I
presented the Captain with the waistecoat, who received it very
kindly at my hands, and when we had eaten some fruit and drank
two glasses of wine, leaving my services to the Grand Master, we
took our leaves and returned to our lodgings.

I had not been in the town three days, but there arrived Sir

1 This is incredible ; it is even doubtful whether they would have Mass at sea
at all, unless they had a dispensation. But the Protestants of that day sometimes
used the word ' Mass ' loosely for any services of the Koman Church.



MEMOIRS OF SIR GEORGE COURTHOP 135

Peter Wyche, 1 his Majesty's Embassador at the Porte and Ferdinando
Marsham with him ; and their company occasioned me to make a
longer stay there than I intended, for I had met with letters from