Heg. 857. fack of Conftantinople was perhaps the leaft J.C.1453- J.C. 1453. legate deceived them, by taking the clothes from Heg. 857. a dead body, and leaving it the marks of his dignity, in the moment that he saw the city on the point of being taken. No one betrayed him, undoubtedly because no one knew him again. In this disguise he was fold for a trifle to a merchant, who valued him but little on account of his age and weakness. In the fequel, he found means to escape from his captivity and return to Rome, where he ended his days.* Conftantinople was taken by the Turks on the 20th of the month which they call Gimaafel-euvel, in the year of the hegira 857, the 28th of our May, in the year of J. C. 1453,† two thousand two hundred and five years after the foundation of Rome, and eleven hundred and twenty-three after Conftantine had removed the feat of the empire to Byzantium, and had given his name to that celebrated city, defigned to become the capital of another great empire. Thus ended the laft fhadow of Roman greatness, that had spread itself over half the world, and which had decayed nearly in the fame space of time, that it had taken to raise itself.§ Mahomet *If we may believe this cardinal, in contradiction to every historian, Mahomet violated the emprefs in the church of St. Sophia. Tranflator. †This was in the 31st year of the reign of Henry VI. of England. Tranflator. It is at the taking of Constantinople, that the epoch of the revival of letters in Europe is fixed. Several learned perfons paffed from Greece into Mahomet made his entrance into Conftanti- J.C. 1453. Heg. 857nople about the eighth hour, that is, about two in the afternoon. The streets refounded with the acclamations of the foldiers; not a fingle Greek remained. The emperor's retinue difplayed a warlike magnificence; he alighted at St. Sophia's. This church had been pillaged like all the other temples. Mahomet ftopped fome foldiers, who, under pretext of religion, were going to pull down the very marble with which the infide was decorated: "Be contented with the booty which I have "abandoned to you," faid he, "the city and all "its edifices belong to me." He ordered an iman T 2 Italy, from whence they spread themselves all over the Weft. They brought J.C.1453 iman to afcend into the patriarchial pulpit and Heg. 857. chant the aizan, which is a canticle of actions of grace, containing the Mahometan faith: after which, he went and took poffeffion of the imperial palace. It is faid, that on entering it, he made an extemporary distich on his victory. After having eaten in the palace, ornamented, notwithstanding the pillage, with furniture repurchased from the janiffaries, he went to contemplate the magnificence of the port and fome edifices, most of which he changed into mofques. He then went and vifited the wife of the great duke, who was fick; he confoled her, and promised that she should have her liberty, as likewife her husband and children. The fame day Mahomet redeemed feveral Greek families from the hands of their ravishers; he intended them to repeople Conftantinople. Policy prevailed on him to leave these people the free exercise of their religion, as authorised by the Alcoran. Some churches were set apart for the Christian worship. The fate of the laft emperor of Conftantinople was not yet known; the conqueror had him fought with great care. Two, foldiers brought him a head, which they averred was Conftantine's. Mahomet fent for the great duke, who instantly knew it. Phranzes, a cotemporary author, and a witness of the fiege, reports, that the fultan, after fhewing it to the. grandees, grandees, had it honorably interred. The other J.C. 1453Heg. 857. Greek writers fay, that it was expofed, by order of the emperor, on the top of a column; that precautions were, afterward taken to prevent its corruption; and that it was fent into Afia to intimidate the tributary princes. ex great duke children death. Be that as it may, Mahomet foon gave more He has the odious marks of his cruelty. He was particularly and his given to wine; this vice had introduced every put to other into his heart. The day after his entry Into Conftantinople, having drunk to aecefs, he fent orders to Notaras, the great duke, to fend him his fecond fon, a young man, whose beauty had struck the emperor. Notaras, who 'till then had received from Mahomet, only marks of clemency and even favors, (for the prince had given a thousand afpers to him, his wife, and each of his children,) was overcome with aftonishment, grief, and shame; after having caused this odious order to be repeated to him feveral times, he declared, that he would fooner lose his life, than part with his fon, and he prepared to make refiftance. As foon as Mahomet had received these news, he ordered Notaras to be put to death, as likewife his two fons. The unfortunate father bleffed God, that the tyrant's rage had ftifled his abominable paffion. When he was told that his two children fhould be put to death before him, he fubfcribed to the decree with a fort of joy; he bathed them with tears, exhort |