There Are Other
Things In This Palace Of Such Value And Profusion As Are Quite Incredible,
And Immense Tributes Are
Brought yearly into it, by which the towers are
filled with scarlet and purple garments and gold, so that the
Like example
of sumptuous buildings, and enormous riches, can nowhere else be found in
the world.
It is affirmed, that the revenue of the city only, from its markets,
harbour, and tribute of merchants, amount to 20,000 crowns daily. The Greek
inhabitants of this city and country are exceedingly rich in gold and
jewels, and are sumptuously dressed in crimson garments, intermingled with
gold, or splendidly embroidered, and are all carried on horses, as if they
were the children of kings. The country itself is very extensive, and
abounds with all sorts of fruits, and has great plenty of corn, wine, and
cattle of all kinds, and a finer country is nowhere to be found. The people
are learned also, and skilful in the philosophy of the Greeks: but giving
themselves up entirely to luxury, they eat and drink every man under his
own vine, and under his own fig-tree. They have mercenary soldiers, hired
from all nations, whom they call Barbarians, to fight against the soldan,
king of the children of Togorma, who are commonly called Turks; for the
Grecians themselves, through sloth and luxury, have become quite effeminate
and unfit for wars, and entirely devoted to pleasure.
No Jews are permitted to dwell in the city, but are obliged to reside in
Pera, on the other side of the sea of Sophia, and are not even allowed to
come to the city, except in boats, for the sake of commerce.
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