the Place of Manure, rendering the Soil fo fruitful in the Middle and Southern Parts, that the Snow is no fooner melted, than, on a fudden, the Earth is covered with green Herbs and Flowers, and the Corn is ready for reaping about two Months after it is fown. Travellers relate that, in the Heart of Mofcovy, the Summer Heats are almost as troublesome as the Winter's Cold; that, in the Summer-time, the Sun, raising the Vapours in the Lakes, and marshy Grounds, about Petersburg in Lat. 60. occafions Tempefts of Thunder and Lightning almoft every Day, and that the Heat is then as troublesome as the fevere Cold in Winter.

GOVERNMENT.] The Crown of Mofcovy is hereditary, and the Government truly defpotical: The Lives and Estates of the Subjects are wholly at the Difpofal of the Sovereign.

FORCES.] The Mofcovites have very near 120,000 regular Troops, exercis'd and difciplin'd after the modern Way, commanded either by Officers which have been invited into their Service from Abroad, or such as have been taken out of the Nursery of the Guards, wherein the Czar, to induce others to imitate him, ferv'd himself, first as a Drummer, then Corporal, and afterwards Serjeant, till he gradually rose to be Captain, appearing at certain Times at their Head, and exercifing them himself. The Ruffians imagin'd, that he did this only for his Diverfion, and the ancient Troops of the Kingdom feem'd delighted with the Performance of their Exercises: Whereupon this little Company (which confifted only of Fifty Men) grew into feveral Regiments, and became a Match for the ancient Troops, which was not taken notice of by them till it was too late.

RELIGION.] The Religion of Mofcovy is that of the Doctrine of the Greek Church. Chriftianity was firft introduc'd among them about the Year 989, though, according to their Tradition, St. Andrew firft planted the Gospel in this Country.

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CUSTOMS.] When any Perfon makes a Vifit, on entering his Friend's House, he first looks about for the Saint, and, having discover'd it, makes a low Reverence towards the Place, and, if his Devotion be very warm, falls on his Face to the Ground before it, crossing himself, and faying, Lord, have Mrcy upon me; after which he turns about, and falutes the Mafter of the Family, and the reft of the Company; and the Lady prefents him with a Dram, and fuffers him to kifs her Cheek; after which it was cuftomary for her to withdraw, and appear no more during the Entertainment: But the late Czar introduced the Cultom of Ladies converfing

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more familiarly with the Gentlemen, by which he entirely won the Hearts of the Ruffian Dames.

CURIOSITIES. J The ftrange Sort of Melon, found in the Southern Parts of this Country, may be reckon'd as one of the chief Rarities: It refembles a Lamb, and its Heat confumes all the Herbs within its Reach; as the Fruit ripen, the Stalk decays, and is covered with a Subftance exactly like Wool, fhort and curling; the Skin being drefs'd as Tanners ufually do the fleshy Side of Lamb-skins without taking off the Wool, no Perfon can diftinguifh between the Skin of this Vegetable (if we may allow it to be fuch) and that of a common Lamb. The Mofcovites ufe the Skin of this Thing, inftead of Furs, for lining of their Vefts. The ftately Church, in the City of Moscow, called the Jerufalem, feem'd to John Bafilides I then Czar, fuch an extraordinary Pile of Building, that he ordered the Eyes of the Architect to be put out, that he might never contrive or behold its Fellow.

Of POLAN D.

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HE Air of this Country is, in general, temperate and healthful, but exceffive cold towards the North; and as it lies almoft in the Middle of a large Continent, at a Diftance from the Sea in moft Parts, the Weather is more ferene and fettled, both in Winter and Summer, than in thofe Countries which border on the Ocean.

GOVERNMENT.] The legiflatve Authority feems to be lodg'd in the King, the Senate, and the Deputies or Reprefentatives of the Nobility and Gentry. This Monarch lives in great Splendor; but, if we confider his Power, which is circumfcrib'd within very narrow Bounds, he is in Effect no more than the chief Regent in a free Commonwealth. This King is always chofen by a free Election, where every Nobleman there préfent has his Vote; and tho' the Poles have been always inclin'd to keep to the Royal Race, yet have they never been for declaring a Succeffor during the Life of the King. By the Laws of Poland the Father's Eftate is equally divided among his Children; but here, as in moft Popish Countries, the younger Children are encouraged by their Parents to go into a Monaftery, to prevent the Eftate from dwindling away to nothing, where the Iffue is numerous.

RELIGION.] The eftablifh'd Religion in Poland is that of the Roman Catholic; and few People poffibly are more zealous or bigotted in their Way; which may perhaps arife from

that

that conftant Oppofition, and the Provocations they meet with from the Lutherans and Calvinists among them, and in their Neighbourhood. In Pruffia, and in Courland, particularly, the Majority of the Inhabitants are Lutherans; but the reft of Poland being an Overmatch for Prussia, they have been frequently tempted to encroach upon the poor Luthe

rans.

CUSTOMS.] At an Entertainment the Poles lay neither Knives, Forks nor Spoons, but every Perfon brings them with him; and they are no fooner fet down to Table, but all the Gates are fhut up, and not open'd till the Company go away, and the Plate is taken Account of; for their Footmen are exceeding light-finger'd. 'Tis faid to be no uncommon Thing to fee a Gentleman, at one of these Feafts, give his Servant Part of his Meat, which he eats as he stands behind him, and to let him drink out of the fame Cup with him. And tho' there is ufually great Plenty of Provifions ferv'd up, and much left after the Entertainment is ended, yet very little is return'd to the Family, but the Gentlemens Servants seize what is left; and they have a Napkin on Purpose, to carry off the Sweet-meats for their Ladies. After Dinner Bumpers are freely taken off, as in Mofcovy; nor will they easily excufe any Perfon from pledging them. The ufual Way of Travelling is on Horfeback; a Polish Gentleman will scarce walk a Stone's Throw in a Town, without his Horfe and Equipage. There are very few Inns upon the Roads; but, in cafe of Neceffity, or where there are but poor Accommodations, the Poles are fo extremely hofpitable, that, upon applying to the Lord of any Village, he will fupply the Traveller with Refreshment gratis. Their Exercises are Hunting, and Feats of Horfemanfhip, on which they value themfelves much. Leaping, Vaulting, and Jumping, are also much ufed here; and Dancing is a favourite Diverfion.

Of TURKY in Europe.

GOVERNMENT.]THE Turkish Emperors are reftrain'd by no Laws or Compacts, their Power is unlimited, and they look upon the Country as well as the People to be their Property, and every Man's Life and Fortune in the Empire to be at their Difpofal. If any Viceroy, or Baffa, is charged, or but fufpected, of Difloyalty or Misconduct, there feldom needs any further Conviction, it is fo much the Intereft of the Sovereign to ruin him, all his ForVOL. I.

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tune devolving on the Crown: He is feldom acquainted with the Nature of the Offence, or the Names of his Accufers; but, without giving him the leaft Opportunity of making a Defence, a Capigi is difpatched, with an Imperial Decree, to take off the unhappy Bafla's Head. The Bafla receives it with the highest Refpect, putting it to his Head, and, after he has read it, fays, The Will of God and the Emperor be done, or fome fuch Expreffion, teftifying his entire Refignation to the Divine Will, and that of their Prince. Then he takes the Silken Cord, which the Capigi has ready in his Bofom; and having tied it about his own Neck, and faid a fhort Prayer, the Capigi's Servants throw him on the Floor, and, drawing the Cord ftrait, foon dispatch him; after which his Head is cut off, and carried to Court, and fhewn the Sultan. In general their Laws are equitable enough, if they were duly executed; but there is no Place in the World, where Juftice is more frequently bought or fold; and tho' Bribery be so often practifed, there is no Place where it is more feverely punished, if the Sultan happens to be an active Prince, and concerns himself to inquire into the Conduct of his Officers. The Grand Seignior's Seraglio, at Conftantinople, Seraglio. is rather a Collection of Palaces and Apartments, added to one another, than one fingle Palace. The Number that inhabit this Palace must be very large; for, 'tis faid, that annually there are spent here no less than 30,000 Oxen, 20,000 Calves, 60,000 Sheep, 16,000 Lambs, 10,000 Kids, 100,000 Turkeys and Geefe, 100,000 Pigeons, and 200,000 Fowls and Chickens; befides Wild-fowl and Fish, of the laft of which they spend at least 130,000 Turbats. This Monarch never marries, or contracts himself to any Woman; nor are his Concubines ever the Daughters of his Mahometan Subjects. Thefe Ladies are scarce ever suffer'd to go Abroad, except when the Grand Seignior removes from one Place to another. When they travel by Water, they are convey'd to the Boats, which are inclos'd on all Sides with narrow Lattices, by a Troop of black Eunuchs; and when they go by Land, they are put into close Chariots, and Signals are made at certain Distances to give Notice that none approach the Road they march. 'Tis faid, there are no less than 10,000 Gardeners about the Gardens of the Seraglio. The great Officers of State, who are generally of the Number of thefe Royal Slaves, and receive their Education in the Seraglio, make up another Part of the Grand Seignior's Court: At the Head of these is the Grand Vizier, on whom the Emperor in a manner devolves his Authority, leaving the Admini

Administration of Affairs intirely in his Hands. This Staterman is look'd upon to be much more fecure in Time of War than in Peace, especially if he meets with but tolerable Succefs; for the Troops feldom lie idle long but they mutiny, and perhaps demand the Heads of thofe whom they imagine their Enemies: And we find these Sultans ready to give up any Minister, and even every Favourite they have, rather than run any Hazard on their Account. Adultery, on the Wife's Part, is a Capital Crime, if the Husband will proceed against her with the Rigor the Law allows; and the Man who is taken in this Crime with another's Wife may, on the Spot, be killed by the injur'd Husband.

TRADE.] England fends to Turky, Cloth, Stuffs, Perpetuanas, Haberdashers Wares, Coney-fkins, Clock-work, Tin, Lead, and fome Iron; and the English Merchants frequently buy up French and Lisbon Sugars, and transport thither, as well as Bullion from Cadiz; all carried in our own Bottoms.

REVENUES.] To calculate exactly what Sums come into the Sultan's Treasure annually, is fcarce practicable. As the Government is arbitrary, the Court can, in Cafes of Neceffity, command the Purses of every Subject; and it is not uncommon, when the Treasure is low, to borrow of the great Officers, who are known to abound in Wealth; but it is scarce ever return'd again, in which they acquiefce without murmuring, left their Master should proceed to demand the Whole, and perhaps their Heads with it.

FORCES.] The Militia of the Turkish Empire is of two Sorts; the first have certain Lands appointed for their Maintenance, and the other are paid out of the Treafury. Those that have certain Lands amount to about 268,451 Troopers, effective Men. Befides thefe, there are alfo certain auxiliary Forces raised by the tributary Countries of this Empire; as the Tartars, Walachians, Moldavians, &c. who are commanded by their refpective Princes. The Kan of the Crim Tartars is obliged to furnish 100,000 Men, and to serve in Perfon, when the Grand Seignior takes the Field; and the Princes of Moldavia and Walachia attend with about 6000 or 7000 Men each. In every War, befides the above Forces, there are great Numbers of Voluntiers, who live at their own Charge, in Expectation of fucceeding the Zaims and Timariots. These Adventurers do not only promise themselves an Eftate if they furvive, but are taught, that if they die in a War against the Chriftians, they fhall go immediately to Paradife. Thofe Forces which receive their Pay from the Treafury are called the Sp this nd Janizaries. The Spahis

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