I can’t help ending the Trifle, with congratulating the Author of the Play with his Success, which is owing to his Conduct in the Story, the many beautiful Sentiments, and the Correctness of his Poetry. I was pleas’d the first Night not to find those Goths and Vandals, that (like stabbing Men in the Dark) assassinate without the least Mercy.
FOOTNOTES:
[(A)] Magnesia a City in Asia the Less, Capital of Caria, by some Authors called Mangresia situated near the celebrated River Mæander, from whence it was called Magnesia ad Mæandrum to distinguish it from other Cities of the same name. It is situate about a Degree (or twenty Leagues) north-east from Symirna and half a Degree from the ancient City of Ephesus, famous for the Temple of Diana, The great General Themistocles was banish’d to Magnesia and died there in his Banishment.
[(B)] Scutari, a Town in the Lesser Asia, over-agaist Constantinople, as Southwark is to London, only the Bosphorus is thrice at broad between Scutary and Constantinople; by some Authors supposed to be built out of the Ruins of the ancient Chalcedon.
[(C)] Aga of the Janizaries, that is General of the first warlike Body of the Empire. In former times, they were composed of the Sons of Christian Slaves, but now they are augmented in a great Body, upwards of an hundred thousand Men, that have by their number the disposal of the Turkish Empire, and are very willing for a new Change; for generally the Successor of the Empire, at his ascending the throne, gives this body of Troops a Largess or Present, that as soon as receiv’d makes them willing to with another Emperor.
[(D)] Constantinople, by the Turks called Stamboul, (formerly Byzantium) took its name from Constantine the Great, who himself gave it the name of New Rome; where he establish’d a Senate, with every other Constitution, according to ancient Rome.
[(E)] Belgrade (the ancient Alba Græca) built on the River Save, near its Fall into the Danube, is the Capital of Rascia, a Province of Hungary; it has often chang’d its Masters, though for many ages the Bulwark of the Christians against the Othomans. Amurath II. lost the best part of his Army before it. His Son Mahomet was forced to raise the Siege with infinite loss, by a Stratagem of the heroick John Huniades. He suffer’d a large Body of the Enemy to enter the Town, who immediately fell to plundering; in the mean time, he made a Tally upon the remaining Troops without, and put them to flight; then turning their own Cannon on the Plunderers, forced them to abandon the City, leaving their Tents, Baggage, Provision, and Ammunition behind them. In the Year 1521, it was taken by this Solyman, after a furious Siege of two Months. It remain’d in the hands of the Othomans, till the Year 1688, when the Imperialists took it by storm; fix hundred Christian Slaves were chain’d together, and by the Turks placed in a rank before them, who by that means secured themselves, as well as Christians from the furious Attacks of the Germans. It was retaken by the Turks two Years after, by an accidental Bomb falling into their Magazine of Powder, that near half the Garrison were destroy’d, with the Fortifications of the City. Pope Leo X. made it a Bishoprick.
[(F)] Rhodes (Rhodus) is an Island in the Mediterranean Sea, near fifty Leagues in compass; the Capital City, that Solyman besieg’d, takes its name from the Island. Rhodes was once famous for a mighty Colossus dedicated to the Sun, of such a monstrous size that Vessels sail’d in the Harbour between its Legs: it was seventy Cubits high. The Brass of this Statue, (after it was thrown down by an Earthquake) loaded seventy-two Camels, and was transported to Alexandria in Egypt, when it was taken by Muhavia the Sultan. Rhodes is seated seven Leagues from the nearest Coast of Asia to the South, forty-seven from Candi (another Island in the Mediterranean, made famous by the Poets by the name of Crete) to the North-East, and a hundred and sixty Leagues from Constantinople to the South. It was first peopled by Javan, the Grandson of Japhet, before any part of Greece was inhabited: in a few ages after, the Phœnicians (famous for spreading Traffic over the World that was then known) possess’d it. It was made a Roman Province by Vespasian. In 654 it was taken by the Saracens: in 1124 it was conquer’d by Venetians it was taken in the Year 1227 by John Ducas, Admiral of the Greeks: in 1283, it fell with all lesser Asia into the hands of the Othomans: in 1310, it was taken (after a four Years Siege) by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, under Fulk Villers, an Englishman, afterwards Grand Master of the Order. It was vainly attempted twice by Mahomet II; till taken by Treachery by Solyman the Magnificent. The Knights of Rhodes retir’d to Sicily; till the Year 1530, Charles V. gave them the Grant of the Island of Malta, where they have flourish’d ever since, often checking the Insults of the Turkish maritime Power.