Part 1. Travels into the Levant. 
93 
CHAP. LXL 
Of the loïpn of Chio. 
T Hough I had refolved to continue my Travels through j^fia^yct I had heard 
fo much of the Wonders of Chto^ that I could not but fee it, being then 
fo near ; therefore I hired a Boat to carry me thither, and embarked on 
Wednefâay morning, the Eleventh of OBoher. A little after, we had very foul 
weather, v\'hich made me blame my curiofity oftner than once -, and it behoved 
us to lye in the Boat near the fliore, not without danger of being taken by 
the Brigantines, for there are always fome in the Jrchipela£o, and when they 
take Franl^Sj they fell them at Rhodes to Barbary men, not daring to carry them- 
into any part ofTurkie, for then the AmbalTadours would get them fet at liberty 
At length, Thnrfday the Twelfth of October, in the dusk of the Evening, we 
arrived in the Port ofC^/o. I went and \odgQd vi'ith Monfiear MHle^ thcFre^ch 
Vice-Conful, for that place belongs to the Confulfhip ofSmyrn/r. 
Chto is a fmallTown, but well peopled, and moil part of the Inhabitants ^^^^-^^ 
are Chriftians, Grctl^s or Latins, who have each of them there a Bifhop and 
feveral Churches ; but the Greeks have many more than the Latins, becaufe 
every one of their Parias has his Church, not allowing above one Mafs a day to 
befaid in every Church. They have alfo many Convents of Nuns, who are 
not fo ftriftly Ihut up and look't after, as thofe of the Latins are for I remem- 
ber I went mto one of thefe Nunneries, where I faw here and there both Chri- 
ftians and Turks, and then having entered the Chamber of one of the Sifters, I 
found that fhe was kind, even beyond the bounds of Chriftian charity. The 
Nuns when they put themfelvcs in there , buy a Lodging ; they go abroad 
when then they pleafe, and even leave the Convent when they have a mind 5 
they Embroider in Gold, Silver, and Silk, in which the G'm^Women are very 
skilful, Embroidering very lovely Flowers upon Handkerchiefs, Purfes, and fuch 
like things. The Latins have five Churches in the Town , the firft is the 
Church of the BiOioprick, which is fair and large ; it is not very old, having - 
been built but iince the Turks wereMaftersof Chio, becaufe the Church and 
Bilhop's Houfe are in the Cattle, and the Turks having converted the Church 
into a Mofque, fuffered the Bifhop to build another in the Town, which (hould 
be of the fame length, breadth and height, according to the agreement made 
betwixt the King of France and xhcGrandSigmor ; wherein it is fpecified, that 
the Turks (ball not ruine the Chriftians Churches, nor take them from them, 
but that the Chriftians fhall enjoy them in full liberty ; and alfo that the Chri- 
ftians fliall not repair them when they fall to ruine, nor yet build any new. 
The Bifhop having obtained that permiflion, bought a place in the Town, 
where he built his Church and Houie. In that Church are interred the French 
who die in Chio, in a Burying-place which M. John Dttpnis of Marfeillcs, Conful at. Duptusj, 
of Smyrna-, bought and gave to the French. The Capncins have alfo a Houfe and Contai of 
Church in the Town ; their Church is fpacious and very handfome, ftanding ■^^F"'^- 
in the middle of a very great Court, through which one muft pafs in going to^^^^"""^^^ 
their Houfe, that is wholly feparated from the Church, the half of the breadth 
of the Court being betwixt them ^ fo that their Church is without their Con- 
vent, which they keep always fhut with a good gate, becaufe of the Turks, 
who would fpoilall their Garden if they came into it, and commit a thoufand 
infolencies, as fometimes they do when they find the gate open, coming in and 
calling for Wine, which muft be given them. This Houfe of the O/Jwc/w is 
very neatly built, and has a large Garden, but it wants Water; fo that they 
can hardly raife any thing. Thefe good Fathers teach Humanity, and the M'it" at 
Chriftian Doftrine to the Children that are fent to School to them. The ^ 
Jefuites have alfo a Church and CoUedge there ; all the Jefuites that live there, cSJSs^ît 
are of Ckc, and have three Congregations, Th^rs^iQ ^Ko Jacobins and Cor- chio. 
