The Country about it was afterwards called Romania in a limited and restrained sense, (for that Romania was anciently the same with orbis Romanus, seems clear from[5]Epiphanius) and the People Ρωμαῖοι. But I suppose this was not done till about the middle times of the Empire, when it began to decline. The Greeks still retain this Name. For if you ask any of the Greeks born upon the Continent of Thrace, what Country Man he is? he answers forthwith, Ρωμαῖος Romios, for so they pronounce it. The Turks in like manner call a Greek Christian Urum Gaour, or the Roman Infidel, as they will call sometimes the Emperor of Germany, Urumler Padisha or Emperor of the Romans. Hence it was, that the latter Græcian Emperors stiled themselves βασιλεῖς Ρωμαίων, Kings of the Romans, that is, such as were Born in Romania and the other Countries, which made up the Eastern division of the Empire. Tho' perchance by this flourishing Title they pretended a right to the Government of the West: Upon which vain presumption they assumed also the Title of Κοσμοκράτορες, or Emperors of the World, as if they had been the true Successors of Augustus, and the Western Emperors, Usurpers, whom they called by way of contempt and indignation, Ρῆγες, Reges, as[6] Luitprandus informs us in the accompt of his Embassy to Nicephorus Phocas, and afforded the People of Italy no other Title than that of[7]Longobards or Lombards. The present Greeks call all the Western Christians Λατῖνοι or φράγγοι Latins or Franks, the Turks only making use of the latter, when they speak civilly of us, and calling Christendom Phrenkistan, in the present Greek φραγγία. The Turks now as proudly call Constantinople Alem pena, or the refuge of the World: Where indeed seems to be a medley of all or most Nations of three parts of it, and of all Religions, which are allowed to be publickly profest and exercised every where throughout the Empire, except the Persian. For they look upon it as a corruption of, and deviation from the Rules and Doctrine of Mahomet, their great false Prophet, and therefore absolutely forbid it, as repugnant to, and destructive of the Doctrine of Life and Salvation, as they speak. And accordingly they condemn with all imaginable fury the Professors of it, who pretend to follow Ali, as Sectaries and Apostates, and entertain worse Opinions of them, than of Christians, or Jews or Infidels. The Persians are not behind-hand with them in their hatred and disrespect, deriding them as gross and stupid, and looking upon them as little less than barbarous; Interest and Zeal for their several Tenets heightning their differences so much, that in time of War they destroy one anothers Moschs. I remember, that there was a great Discourse in Constantinople among the Turks concerning an impudent hot-headed Persian, who publickly in the new Mosch built by the Mother of the present Emperor, asserted that Ali was equal to Mahomet. But it seems he very luckily made his escape out of their Hands, at which the Priests and the more zealous Turks were very much scandalized.
The Greeks have twenty six Churches within the Walls of the City, besides 6 in Galata, of which I have given an Account elsewhere. They have also two Churches at Scutari, one at Kadikui or Chalcedon. So at Staurosis, Chingilkui, and several other Villages upon the Asian Shore off the Bosphorus, as at Beshictash, Ortakui, Chorouch chesme, which Church is dedicated to St. Michal the Archangel, Jenikui or Neochorion, Therapia, Bujukdere, and other Villages on the European side. They have also a Church at Haskui, where is their Burying place, and another near the Bagnio, dedicated to St. Parasceve. And at Tatoula about a Mile from Pera, upon a Hill, which from the Name of the Church is thence called by the Greeks and Franks, St. Demetrius his Hill. Next to the holy Virgin, St. Demetrius and St. George have most Churches dedicated to them.
The Armenians have not, if I remember aright, above seven Churches; they being few in number in comparison of the Greeks.
The Jews may have in the City and places adjacent between twenty and thirty Synagogues, this being the greatest shelter of that accursed contemptible People in the Grand Signiors Dominions, next to Caire and Saloniki: and I believe there may be about twenty or thirty thousand families of them. They are of great use and service to the Turks, upon accompt of their Brocage and Merchandise, and Industry in several mechanical Trades. All these I look upon as Natives, or Slaves rather, each paying mony for his Head every year. The Jews indeed very wisely collect this Tax among themselves, and according to an agreement made with the Teftardar or Treasurer, pay a certain sum in gross for their whole Nation residing there: by which piece of cunning they are great gainers, and spare the poor among them less able to pay, by a contribution of the rich to make up the sum. The English and Dutch Ambassadors have their Chappels in their Palaces common to their respective Nations.
The Churches and Chappels of the Western Christians of the Roman Communion in Galata, are
St. Peters, belonging to the Dominicans, where is the famous piece of Madonna di Constantinopolis as the Italians call it, or of the blessed Virgin, holding the holy Child Jesus in her arms: which they pretend to be drawn by the hand of St. Luke, celebrated by some of the latter Ecclesiastical Writers to have been a famous Painter. Out of respect to this idle tradition the credulous and superstitious Latins and Greeks of the Roman Communion shew great veneration to it, which otherwise hath little in it of proportion, art, or beauty, to derive any reputation upon the designer, or upon his work.
St. Francis, belonging to the Conventuali, Friars of the order of St. Francis; the ground of this by the wise conduct and intercession of Caviliere Molino, the Venetian Bailo, after the surrender of Candia, upon the Peace made by the Republick with the Grand Signior, was procured to be restored, and a handsome Church rebuilt with the large contributions of mony sent out of Christendom.
St. Benedict, belonging to the Jesuits, where is a rich Altar curiously adorn'd with several figures in Mosiack. This Convent was purchased for them by their great Benefactor, Henry the fourth of France.
St. Mary, belonging to the Observantines or Zoccolanti, a branch of the order of St. Francis, so called from their going in Zoccoli or wooden clogs.