This day about ten a clock my Lord Paget set out from Adrianople, and began his journey homeward with a splendid equipage. First proceeded two chiaushes, and six janisaries; then the three flags of the arms of England, the union, and St. George, after these the gentlemen of the horse, with thirteen led horses; next the agá, appointed by the government to conduct his Excellency; who was followed by four coaches, each drawn by six horses, in the last of which rode his Excellency himself, and in the first some gentlemen, who accompanied him in this journey; namely, Count Gylderstope of Sweden, Mr. George Montague, nephew to my Lord Hallifax, and his tutor Mr. Gangain.
For conveniency of carriage, and accommodations of the journey, his Excellency was furnished with seventy one waggons, which were to attend him to the extreme bounds of the Turkish empire, at the sole charge of the Port. Tho this was but the least mark of esteem, which he received from thence; as it may be reasonably computed, that they presented him to the value of near twenty purses of money, since his last arrival at Adrianople, in the following particulars. For the fitting up of his palace in that city, five hundred dollars: for the cushions and other furniture of two sophá rooms, six hundred: for a stately horse from the grand vizír, five hundred: for the rich furniture of the same, a thousand: for a sable vest at the same time, a thousand: for an horse and furniture from the vizír kayá, five hundred: for the like from the reis effendi, five hundred: for fifteen mules from the government, at about fifty dollars each, seven hundred and fifty: for seventy two horses from the same, at thirty dollars each, two thousand one hundred and sixty: and lastly for one hundred days tain, or allowance, from the Port, at the rate of fifty dollars a day, making five thousand.
This day his Excellency and his retinue travel slowly about the space of fifteen miles, and about three a clock arrive at a small village called Senigée, where we find the waggons disposed in their several stations, the apartments of each company alloted, and three tents (tho not pitched this evening) ready for the service of his Excellency; which I here mention once for all, as being the constant method of each following conáck.
From Senigée we proceed this morning in three hours to Cokúck Derocut, and from thence in the like time to Boiák Dervent, where we find his Excellency’s tents orderly and conveniently placed, and all things regularly disposed for this night’s lodging. Here we saw an old Bulgar Christian, named Staón, aged one hundred and twenty years[112]; who told us, that he had all his life time been subject to great and continual sickness, and had three times changed his teeth, once in his infancy, and twice in his old age. They were now for the most part intire, his senses of hearing and tasting very lively, and his sight but little decayed; his beard and his eyebrows lately became perfectly black, but the hair of his head milk white, and the skin of his breast like the bark of an old weather beaten beech.
We travel this day from Dervent to Jenícui, having hitherto found the country to consist of a level campain, and a soil that promised fertility, were it more happily furnished with inhabitants, water, and wood.
We now proceed from Jenícui to Pashácui, so called from the residence of Achmét Gerai Sultan, who is a Tartar prince, happily banished from his own barbarous country to this fair and delightful village, situated in a verdant plain, that is better furnished with wood, than the campain we had lately passed; and watered with a small river, which seems to rise from the bowels of mount Haemus, and bend its course towards the Tunsa.
From Pashácui we arrive at Comorwa, a rich well cultivated village, and plentifully supplied both with wood and water. In our way hitherto from Adrianople we sometimes observed drummers, placed in the nature of watchmen, to give notice of the security of the road.
From Comorwa we proceed in two hours and a half to Dobral, leaving in view to the right hand a large Turkish town called Cornibat, famous for dying, and preparing the fine purple and yellow leather of this country, which it vends in great quantities. From Dobral we begin to ascend the foot of Haemus, where the way winds so artificially, as to take away the difficulty of ascent. Here crossing a rapid river, which forms its chanel in the body of the mountain, and thro a variety of diverting shades and clifts, we arrive at length at an open plain on the top of the hill, and therein at a true country paradise of Bulgar Christians called Challikcavák[113]; where a new church has been lately obtained for the inhabitants, by the interest of Count Oetingh, embassador extraordinary from his Imperial Majesty. Here the damsels of the parish entertained us this evening with a dance, which tho performed with no great art or variety, yet had a certain plainness and simplicity, which was truly grateful. The women here wear as ornaments, a sort of cravat consisting of various silver coins, and large bossy silver bracelets; who dismissed us the next morning with corn strewed in our way.
On the top of the hill we proceed for some time in a level road, thro a stately grove of oaks; after which the way begins to descend, and being shortened by the pleasure of the shady scene on each side, leads unexpectedly into the adjoining plain. In this we travel about an hour, near the foot of the delightful Haemus, and then find our quarters ready to receive us at a Christian village, called Trágoe. And indeed all the villages, which we had hitherto passed from Adrianople, were intirely inhabited by Christians, who by nation are Bulgarians, but by their faith of the Greek communion.
We still continue our journey at the foot of the mountain, till in an hour’s time we arrive at Eskí Stambol; from whence the way, now leaving Haemus at our backs, carries us in four hours more to the first Turkish village, which had occurred in our progress, called Boklar. Mount Haemus being the limit, that divides Thracia from Bulgaria, or Moesia Inferior of the antients, we made this day’s journey in the latter; which hereabouts appears as pleasant, as a just mixture of hills and vales, woods and lawns, arable and pasture ground can make it. The above mentioned Eskí Stambol is a name given by the Turks to the remains of an ancient city (possibly the Oescus Triballorum) which at the foot of Haemus shews the intire tract of two walls; the inward square, and of about a mile in circumference; the outward almost circular, and containing the compass of five miles. But besides these it has no reliques of carved work, or any inscription, that may give light to the true name or history of the place. In one corner only of the inward wall are several crosses, and an image of the Παναγία, or Virgin Mother, barbarously cut, with two or three rude lines of modern Greek characters, in which nothing but the word Βασηλίσαν, or Queen, was now legible, and that corruptly written, as it is here copied. By the abovementioned walls runs a small river from the Haemus, now called by the Italians Monte Argentato, and by the Turks Batkán.
Over a country, which is truly rich, as well as pleasant, and curiously varied by easy ascents and descents, we proceed in five hours from Trágoe to Arnoútcui; a village whose inhabitants are of the Greek communion, tho its name implies them to be of Albanian original.
Thro a pleasant tract of country, containing a grateful variety of arable ground, pasture, and woods, we arrive in seven hours at Uzungée Alon. By the way we passed several villages, as likewise a large market town, wherein are seven mosques, and a palace of the pashá of Nicopoli, which goes by the name of Rásgrad. The cadí of this place, with an alaí chiaush, and other officers, came an hour out of town to meet his Excellency.
Thro a like country, only a little more woody, we continue our journey to Uppéer. And from thence the day following, where we first begin to see the Danube, we proceed thro a rich, pleasant, and well cultivated country, till about twelve a clock we arrive at Tutracán, on the banks of the river.
We stay at this place, employed in the care of transporting his Excellency’s equipage on the other side of the water; and in the mean time cannot but reflect with pleasure on the agreable tract of ground, which for five days we had passed thro in Moesia Inferior. A country, which (however decried by Ovid, and disparaged by our modern geographers) for the richness of its soil, variety of rising and falling ground, elegancy of prospect, and a competent provision of wood and water, is perhaps not to be paralleled by any other spot in the universe. But tho the whole tract of this country, which descends gradually from the foot of the Haemus to the banks of the Danube, is rich both in arable and pasture ground; yet the inhabitants seem excessive poor, and are defended from the injuries of the weather by houses very meanly built.
His Excellency and his retinue this day pass the Danube, between Tutracán and the mouth of the Argisch, about eight in the morning, at a passage about a mile broad. Upon landing, his Excellency was complimented from the Prince of Valachia by his cousin german Count Tomáso Cantacuzéno, and was received by a guard of fifty men, and two coaches of six. In the finer of these his Excellency rode about a mile into Valachia, along the banks of the Argisch, and then alighting was entertained under three rich tents, sent likewise by the Prince for his reception.
His Excellency continued his journey about six hours thro the Valachian, a country which on this side is exactly level, and luxuriantly rich, but desolate for want of culture and inhabitants. In the road we meet with wooden crosses, erected in many places to excite the devotion of Christian travelers; as also a convent of monks about two hours short of our conáck, near which the Argisch receives the chanel of the Dembowitza. At length we arrive at a miserable collection of cottages, scarce deserving the name of a village, but blessed with the convenience of a delicious and healthy water; where we find the tents both of the Prince and his Excellency ready pitched for his entertainment this evening. We were conducted hither by Count Tomáso, who undertook the care of the public tain to be furnished for his Excellency.
We proceed four hours thro a pleasant wood, enriched with lilia convallium, and other flowers; and at length pitch our tents at Popest, which in the Valachian language signifies the same as Priest-town. Here about five in the evening his Excellency received an express by Baron Minsheim from Count Rabutin, with the most unhappy news of the death of his Britannic Majesty, on the eighth past.
About seven this morning his Excellency set forward, and prepared for his entrance into Bucurest, which is distant about an hour and half from Popest. Not far from his conáck he was met by a rich coach from the Prince of Valachia, complimented by his two eldest sons, and attended with a guard of about five hundred men. His Excellency having mounted the coach, preceded by the guard, made his entry about nine a clock; when he was conducted to a spare palace of the Prince, near that of his own residence, and entreated to use it as his own home. It is a fair and gentile house, built of stone, and covered agreably to the custom of this place with wooden tiles; and being furnished with apartments after the Christian fashion, may be esteemed magnificent, when compared with the barbarous edifices of the neighbouring Turks. From the front it looks into a large garden, and from the right wing into another of somewhat a lesser size; both which are agreable, and afford a convenience of shade and verdure.
This afternoon the Prince came on horseback thro the lesser garden to visit his Excellency, who met him at the garden door, and could scarce prevail with him to precede in going up stairs. He returned in an hour, and gave opportunity to his uncle, Constantinus Cantacuzenus, who has the office of grand stolnicho, or steward, in this court, to pay my Lord the same compliment. The name of the Prince is Joannes Constantinus Bassarabas, who has enjoyed the principality about thirteen years, having succeeded Serbanus Cantacuzenus, brother of the above mentioned Constantinus Stolnichus. He is a promoter of good order and discipline in the province, a reviver of architecture, and incourager of learning both at Bucurest and other places of the principality; into which he has introduced two or three printing presses, and from thence published several books useful for the instruction and edification of the Greek church. He is about forty seven years of age, and has ten children, four of them sons; the second of whom, being about fourteen years of age, is well instructed in the Latin and Greek languages. He is of an affable, mild, and courteous temper; generous, careful of the education of his family, and a great encourager of religion; and therefore liberal in his disbursements for printing and giving away books, erecting of monasteries, adorning of churches, and other acts of piety. His uncle, Constantinus Cantacuzenus Stolnichus, is an elderly person, who has traveled over most parts of Europe; is skilled in the controversies of their own church, as well as in the several liberal sciences; is also well versed in politics, and by his counsels chiefly sustains the present Prince, with the honour and interest of the principality.
By nine this morning his Excellency returned the visit to the Prince, who received him at the head of the stairs, and entertained him at first with a conference of about an hour and half long. After this his Excellency was conducted into the dining room, where, at a long table sumptuously spread, the Prince and his Excellency (the former on the right hand) sat down to diner. On the side of his Excellency sat the two eldest sons of the Prince, his son in law, with the other nobles and officers of the court. On the side of the Prince sat in order the retinue of the ambassador, with our conductor Count Tomaso and others. The feast was protracted at least seven hours, during which passed a great variety of courses, consisting of excellent and costly dishes, with plenty of exquisite wine, and many ceremonious healths; the principal of which were to the Grand Signior, the Emperor of Germany, and the Queen of England, all seconded with salvoes from the soldiery in the adjoining court. Here we were made witnesses to a singular air of courtesy, hospitality, and gentile behavior in the Valachian nobility; but more particularly in the Prince himself, who drank to the health and prosperity of each stranger at the table. At the conclusion of the entertainment he veiled his Excellency with a rich silk robe of the Valachian fashion, lined with an excellent sable fur, upon which his Excellency and his retinue return to their own lodgings. The palace of the Prince, with the apartments, and gardens adjoining, are truly noble and magnificent; and tho not to be compared with those of some other Christian princes, yet much preferable to those, in which the ignorant Turks so ambitiously please themselves.
This morning we had divine service and a sermon in his Excellency’s family, and in the afternoon he paid a short visit to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, but afterwards a much longer to the abovementioned Constantinus Cantacuzenus Stolnichus. The Patriarch lodges in a large kane, built by the present Prince; where are large apartments and magazines for merchants, the rent of which may yeild about twenty purses per annum, and is by the Prince consigned into that Patriarch’s hands for the use of the Holy sepulcher.
I visited the press of this place, where I found them printing some pieces of devotion in Arabic, under the care of the Patriarch of Antioch to be distributed by him about his diocess. Beside this, they were undertaking to print a large folio of the famous Maximus Hieromonachus, called Κυριακοδρόμιον, or The course of the several Sundays throughout the year. On this occasion I there bought several books, among which one containing all the Liturgies, Hymns, Rituals, Lessons, and other devotional tracts, used on all occasions in the Greek church through the course of the whole year.
This morning the Prince gave his Excellency another visit, which he returned in the afternoon, and at the same time took leave, with a deep sense of the generous, honourable, and affectionate treatment he had received in this court. After his return from the Prince, he received a visit of leave from Constantinus Cantacuzenus Stolnichus, who then presented him with a gentile horse of the Valachian breed, and at the same time two of the same breed and quality were sent him from the Prince, upon which his Excellency answered the present of Constantinus with a diamond ring, valued at three hundred pounds.
The same day I was favoured with a present of several Greek books, lately printed in this province, from Κῦρ Γεώργιος Καστριώτης; as likewise of some others from his Excellency Constantinus Cantacuzenus. Towards the evening our curiosity led us half an hour out of town to visit a convent, called in the Valachian tongue the Catrochán, and founded by the late Prince Serbanus Cantacuzenus. It is accounted the most beautiful of several in this province, founded by the present and preceding princes; and therefore a short account of this may serve for a specimen of the rest. It is situated on the Dembowitza, which washes it on two sides; while the other two are adorned with a grove of lovely, close, and shady oaks. The neighbouring pastures afford an entertaining prospect, whereas the parts nearer to the convent are disposed into orderly vineyards, and gardens. The fabric it self is an oblong quadrangle, built of regular and massy stone, divided into cells for about forty monks, with lodgings for the abbot, a common refectory, kitchin, and other public apartments. But in the middle of the area is erected the chapel, of the exact figure of the antient Greek churches, that is, distinguished into the νάρθηξ or porch, πρόναος or outward chapel, νάος or body of the church, βῆμα or chancel, and θυσιαστήριον or altar; the several parts being regular and stately, supported with pillars, and covered with high cupolas. The ornaments of painting, gilding, and embroidery are exceeding rich; and the pictures so numerously disposed, as to possess every part of the church in the inside, as well as the outside of the front. Here is shewn the monument of Serbán the founder, with his princess, his brother, and other relations; whose pictures, among others, possess a great part of the western wall. Here also are kept the two horse tails, allowed by the Turks to be carried before this prince, together with the bandiéra of the province, and another called the paschal colours, in which the whole Trinity is profanely represented, and God the Father expressed by the image of a reverend old man, looking over the body of our Savior, as it hangs upon the cross.
Bucurest is a large stragling town of a very peculiar make, the outward parts very mean, consisting of houses, the greater part of which is under ground like our cellars, and covered over at the top with straw or bark of trees. The better sort of houses are about the palace of the Prince, which are covered with handsome wooden tiles, the walls built of substantial stone, and the yards and gardens always very wide[114], enclosed with intire trunks of oaks set as near as possible to each other. The streets appear like a continued bridge, being floored from side to side with massy planks of ten yards long, and as many inches thick; which work, however expensive it may seem, is continued thro all the buildings of the place for the extent of some miles together. The sight of the whole is agreable at a distance, by reason of the several houses of the nobility, the palace of the Prince, and the number of churches and convents. These last are all of one form, regularly built, and rising with cupolas, wherein bells are often hung; which I mention, as being the first I had heard since my arrival in Turkey.
The whole province is luxuriantly rich, abounding with woods and pastures, but thinly inhabited, and that in caves and huts rather than houses. Its chief income proceeds from wax, honey, hides, horses, the mines of salt, and custom on some places of the Danube. By these it is able to maintain its prince and barons splendidly, besides paying a yearly tribute to the Turk, that is settled at three hundred and twenty purses, which are equal to thirty two thousand pounds sterling, besides three times that sum extorted beyond the compact. The lands of the province are intirely in the hands of the Prince and barons; the rest, who are rustics, being all either slaves or servants, whose persons or service are at the disposal of the several nobles, on whom they depend.
We proceed this morning from Bucurest, and after five hours travel take up our lodging at a small village, called Chrytshulest. In the way we stop a little towards the right hand to visit a gentile palace, which is building by the Prince for his second son, situated on a pleasant lake. And the day following, in seven hours from Chrytshulest, we pitch our tents, and lodge near a small river, called Ilsós.
This day about twelve a clock we arrive at Tergovist, where his Excellency and his retinue are lodged in the palace of the Prince. The form and state hereof much resembles that of Bucurest; only it has the advantage of a much finer garden, and therein of a beautiful stone summer house; both which are regular, and may compare with those of the politer Christendom. The town is pleasantly situated on the Ialomitza, beyond which it enjoys the prospect of a beautiful tract of hills, which make the boundary betwixt this province and that of Transylvania; but on the other hand, the eye loses itself in an even boundless plain, encircled at a large distance with stately woods. The city gives title to the chief Metropolite of Valachia, and in like manner, till within these thirty years, was the residence of their princes; when a rebellion against the Turks being here formed by Prince Ghika, and the neighbourhood of Transylvania contributing to render the place more suspected, his successors were constrained to demolish it, and retire to Bucurest. But within five years the present Prince has obtained fresh leave to reestablish it, on condition he erects no fortifications in the place; and accordingly it begins apace to be repeopled, while the Prince refits his palace, embellishes his gardens, and invites the nobility to erect their respective houses, that so they may attend him in those frequent residences, which for the future he intends to make here.
We took the opportunity of the stay, we this day made at Tergovist, to go after diner to a convent situated on the adjoining hills; which we found well built of fair freestone, adorned with cupolas well carved in lattice work of the same matter; but above all commanding a delightful prospect over the subject plain, and city of Tergovist, which on account of the palaces, the seats of the nobility, and the many fair convents and churches there extant, affords an entertaining landskip.
This day we travel four hours from Tergovist, and at length pitch our tents in a pleasant place, surrounded with pendent woods, by the name of Isvóra, not far from the stream of the Dembowitza, which yet continued to flow on our left hand.
This morning we proceed, and within half an hour arrive at the foot of the mountains, where the Dembowitza descends into the plain thro an easy clift, which it perhaps has partly formed by the continual and rapid course of its stream. Thro this plain we travel seven hours, in which time we are obliged to cross the winding chanel of the river twenty times or upwards; and being constantly diverted by the murmur of the falling waters; by the shade of the shelving hills that form the vale, and by the evenness of the ascent which imperceptibly leads us up the mountains, we at length pitch in a fair meadow inclosed like a theatre with surrounding trees and hills, where is a small village by the name of Cotonést.
We continue our journey four hours thro the same sort of way, that is, along a narrow shady vale, which conveys the winding waters of the Dembowitza; which having crossed several times, we at length arrive at the village of Dragoslave, and in half an hour farther at that of Rukar, in the Greek map, Ῥούναλο, where we pitch and repose this evening. This village is considerably large, consisting of houses all of the Valachian fashion, that is, built round with trees laid even upon one another, covered with an high and deep roof consisting of wooden tiles, and within having no funnel or chimney to convey the smoke, but open only in several parts of the roof to supply that defect.
Being now imperceptibly advanced almost as high as the snowy tops of the mountain, which we see at a near distance impending over the village, where we lodge, we are informed, that the remaining ascent for the space of half an hour is very difficult, and that afterwards we are to encounter a much more troublesome descent. His Excellency therefore thought fit to repose here this day, and to take that opportunity of sending before him his waggons, coaches, and the greatest part of his baggage; that on the morrow, when he himself was to set forward, he might pass with the greater ease. In the mean time, considering that we then hoped to pass the limits, that separate the two provinces of Transylvania and Valachia, it will be here proper to set down such general remarks, as occurred in traveling thro the latter.
This province was under the Romans from Trajan to Gallienus, or rather to Aurelian; who, tho he was born here, yet translated the remainder of the Romans hence into Moesia and Pannonia. When it became tributary to the Turks by force of arms, it was glad to accept the imposition of three hundred and twenty purses yearly; whilst Moldavia, which voluntarily submitted to that yoke, was assessed at no more than sixty. Ever since, the nomination of their prince has entirely resided in the Turk, who nevertheless allows him all rights of sovereignty in the principality, except that of declaring war, and coining his own money. That which ordinarily passes in this countrey, is therefore either the Dutch, or Venetian lion dollars; with the quarts of Poland; and a small Saxon coin, here called bains, of which one hundred thirty two make a lion dollar. Justice is here performed according to the ancient laws of the province, which are agreable to the Roman law. The power and act of pronouncing sentence is wholly in the prince, after which, as commonly in Turkey, the execution immediately ensues. For the better adjustment of tribute, and other common duties, the whole province is divided into seventeen counties, of which each is to furnish its respective proportion. In time of war it ordinarily maintains twenty thousand men, of which about the fourth part continue in pay in the time of peace.
The natives ordinarily call themselves Romans, and their province Tzerra Romanesca[115], being persuaded that they are descended of that original. And in favour of this opinion they may allege their language, which is a broken mixture of Latin and Italian, into which have been accidentally adopted some few Turkish and Sclavonic words. They write intirely the Cyrillian Sclavonic character, which seems to be a detortion from the Greek. And these properties of their language, as well as the character[116], they have in common with Moldavia; which two provinces, together with Transylvania, constituted the ancient Dacia, the two former Ripensis, and the last Mediterranea. The wines of this province, especially about Tergovist, are exquisite fine. The Valachian habit much resembles that of the Turks. Their religion is intirely that of the Greek church, and the government of it subject to the Patriarch of Constantinople. Their liturgic rites are performed either in the Greek or Sclavonian tongue; tho I was assured, that in some churches the Valachian was admitted, at least they have frequently the Gospels and other offices in that language, but the liturgy itself more rarely. The churches of each parish, as well as chapels of the many monasteries, which are seen here, are usually very fair, well built, richly adorned, profanely painted, and for the most part furnished with bells; tho in some places I have observed the wooden plank, which is common to the Greeks in Turkey, where bells are not permitted. The νάρθηξ, or porch, is generally daubed with superstitious representations of the punishments of hell; and often the inward walls are profaned with some inconsistent corporeal image of God the Father, a thing here permitted against the professed principles and declarations of the Greek church.
We proceed this day over the mountain, on a steep craggy rocky way, lined on each side with an dismal shade, and sometimes looking down into a frightful precipice. By half an hour after ten we arrive at the limits of the two provinces, which are distinguished by a wooden cross on the edge of the mountain, from whence the prospect begins to open into Transylvania. Here my Lord was saluted from the government of Transylvania by Count Michael Mikes, as well as from the magistrates of Cronstadt by their deputy, and at the same time attended by a troop of horse, with the colours of the Emperor, as his ordinary guard; upon which the troop of Cosacks, which had hitherto guarded his Excellency from Tergovist, returned home. In one hour and an half from hence we descend the mountain, and at a narrow passage, where the river Bozza finds its passage out of the snowy hills into the adjoining plain, we arrive at the castle of Bran, a small fortress which defends this pass; where his Excellency was saluted, as he passed, with three different salvos of about twenty one guns. Within canon shot of this fort we find a fair set of huts, ready pitched for the reception of his Excellency, with a buttery, kitchen, and other accommodations, provided for his use by the abovesaid Count Mikes; who now undertook the care of the public allowance and conduct of his Excellency from this place, as far as Hermanstadt.
By six this morning we set forward from the castle of Bran, directing our course for Cronstadt, being now about two Hungarian miles, or twelve Italian, distant from it. In half an hour his Excellency was met by major general Glychensberg, governor of the forces at Cronstadt and the parts adjoining; together with lieutenant colonel Graven of the regiment of general Rabutin. The same civility he received from the judge and other magistrates of the city, with whom, and the numerous retinue which came along with them, we now proceed, making a train of a mile long. In the mean time our road lay thro that spot of ground, on which general Heusler was defeated, and made prisoner by Count Tekely in the year sixteen hundred and ninety; as also thro the town of Rosnaw, lying in the middle betwixt Bran and Cronstadt, where there is a considerable castle, which likewise saluted his Excellency, as he passed, with three repeated salvos. About eleven a clock we enter the city, the castle repeating continual salvos, which we find all in arms, and the streets lined on both sides with musqueteers, as also the whole soldiery drawn up in order in the market place. In this is the house of general Glychensberg, where his Excellency was received with all marks of respect and honour, and in an hour’s time invited to a noble entertainment. After diner, by order of Count Mikes, we were attended to our several stations, where a Transylvanian gentleman was appointed to act as commissary, or proveditóre, in each respective quarter. Particularly Mr. Paget and myself were favoured with the company and attendance of one Lodislaus Doeza, a civil, intelligent, and well behaved gentleman of the Helvetian confession. And this afternoon Mr. Paget and I walked up the castle hill, from whence we had a prospect of the city, which is almost triangular, enclosed with a stone wall, situated in a narrow vale, under an high snowy clift of mountains, but on one side looking towards a level and fruitful plain. It is surrounded with three distinct suburbs, beautifully intermixed with gardens; and in one part of these suburbs, which runs more within the hills, stands an handsome Valachian church. A dreadful fire about fourteen years since laid the whole town in ashes, and at the same time utterly consumed the library of the school, which is here instituted for teaching of philosophy and theology. The same calamity almost ruined the cathedral church, of which now nothing but the outward case remains to testify its former grandeur; the roof, which was of arched stone, being now only covered with boards.
The general religion of this place is Lutheran; and the church above mentioned is governed by a dean and thirteen capitularies, who enjoy considerable rents from the thirteen parishes of the district of Cronstadt, which are supplied by them. The ecclesiastical government of the whole district is partly in this chapter, and partly in the superintendent of Cronstadt; which office is sometimes distinct, but for the most part held together with the deanry; and from this superintendent appeals lie to the bishop of the whole province of Transylvania.
The civil government of the town is in a judge elected every two years, a senate, and a commonalty of an hundred men. The sentence of the judge is final, and is governed by laws of the place model’d according to the civil law. The city since the fire is fairly rebuilt, with a certain regularity of walls and windows to the street, and the roofs are all covered, as in Valachia, with wooden tiles. The common language is Saxon; this being one of the cities, which belong to the great colony of that nation, which makes one third of Transylvania.
This morning we depart from Cronstadt at six a clock by the way of Feketeholm, which has a church fortified like a garrison. From thence we proceed thro woods and hills to Veledin; where in a cold watery plot of grass, surrounded with woods, we lodge this night in tents. Here I took leave of Count Tomáso, who then presented me with two other books from Constantinus Stolnichus.
General Glychensberg, who waited on his Excellency to this place from Cronstadt, now returned thither. We proceed thro a troublesome way and dark wood to Sharkan, which at length we find deliciously situated upon a river, which a little way from hence enters the Aluta, now called Alt. Here I lodged at the house of the minister, who was a Lutheran, by name George Sularius; and, it being Sunday, I attended him to their evening service.
We set forward thro a fair, rich, and well cultivated country to Fogeras, a large but scattered town, and there take up our station by eleven a clock. His Excellency was here lodged in an house, which belonged to Count Tekely, who was prime minister to the late prince Abaffi, and slain in the defeat of General Heusler near Cronstadt. I had here some conversation with the chief pastor of the place, Michael Rozgoni, a learned Calvinist, who had studied in Holland. At Fogeras is a castle surrounded with a wide mote, and so strong, or at least so fortunate, that it is said never to have been taken by force of arms.
From hence we proceed in six hours to Úcha, a village inhabited intirely by Valachs. And setting out early from thence the next morning, by twelve a clock we reach Porumback, a most delightful village, situated very near the banks of the Aluta; which river attended us for these three last days journey, not far from our right hand, under the adjoining hills. His Excellency was here met and complimented by general Rabutin from Hermanstadt, who came accompanied with Count Seau, the Emperor’s chief commissary in Transylvania, and two other officers of the imperial army. The General returned before diner, and left my Lord well accommodated in a pleasant country house of Prince Abaffi; whose barnes, and magazines of grain, with the adjoining fish ponds, and rich meadows, that surround the farm, we viewed this afternoon with great pleasure.
We leave Porumback, and are presently after upon the banks of the Aluta, over which river his Excellency’s whole baggage, with the horses, coaches, waggons, and other necessaries, were transported upon flat bottomed boats. We proceed one Hungarian mile from our conáck, and then his Excellency is again met by general Rabutin, and several officers of the army, together with a train of five hundred persons, consisting of two troops of horse with the magistrates and chief citizens of Hermanstadt. After mutual compliments, my Lord takes his place in the General’s coach, and so they both ride together another Hungarian mile to Hermanstadt, attended with a numerous retinue of guards and citizens into the town, where the canons continually kept firing, and the inhabitants received them in arms. There his Excellency being first lodged in a large and convenient house in the marketplace, very near the palace of the General, about one a clock was conduced thither to diner, where a sumptuous feast was prepared at two tables. At the first sat his Excellency with his retinue, general Rabutin, his Lady, the Princess of Holstein, with the Countesses Seau, Bethlen, Mikes, and some others; as also the Counts Seau, Bethlen, Mikes, Stanville of Lorrain, Costa of Piedmont, Monticelli, and Commissary Belli. After diner his Excellency returned to his lodging, where he was now attended by Count Bethlen, instead of Count Mikes, who was appointed to conduct him from Hermanstadt as far as Clausenburg. In the evening the General complimented his Excellency with the command of the garrison, during his stay in this place; and thereupon pressed him four different times to give the watch word, which nevertheless he peremptorily declined.
His Excellency staid this and the following day at Hermanstadt, together with his retinue; where he continued to be treated in the same gentile manner by the General.
This being Sunday, we had divine service and a sermon at his Excellency’s lodgings, and then dined again with the General. And in the evening I was favoured by my landlord, Mr. George Reisner, senator of the city (an ingenious and learned person, who had studied ten years in Holland) with his coach and company to visit his garden, beyond the walls and mote of the city; near to which adjoins a famous large and intire crucifix cut in stone, much adored by the papists of this country. The same gentleman gave me notice of three Roman inscriptions which, as I was informed, had been brought from Ulpia Trajana. The first was upon a stone coffin in the market place, of which the following is a copy.