that _Ali_ was equal to _Mahomet_. But it seems he very luckily made his escape out of their Hands, at which the Priests and the more zealous _Turks_ were very much scandalized. The _Greeks_ have twenty six Churches within the Walls of the City, besides 6 in _Galata_, of which I have given an Account elsewhere. They have also two Churches at _Scutari_, one at _Kadikui_ or _Chalcedon_. So at _Staurosis_, _Chingilkui_, and several other Villages upon the Asian Shore off the Bosphorus, as at _Beshictash_, _Ortakui_, _Chorouch chesme_, which Church is dedicated to St. _Michal_ the Archangel, _Jenikui_ or _Neochorion_, _Therapia_, _Bujukdere_, and other Villages on the _European_ side. They have also a Church at _Haskui_, where is their Burying place, and another near the _Bagnio_, dedicated to St. _Parasceve_. And at _Tatoula_ about a Mile from _Pera_, upon a Hill, which from the Name of the Church is thence called by the _Greeks_ and _Franks_, St. _Demetrius_ his Hill. Next to the holy Virgin, St. _Demetrius_ and St. _George_ have most Churches dedicated to them. The _Armenians_ have not, if I remember aright, above seven Churches; they being few in number in comparison of the _Greeks_. The _Jews_ may have in the City and places adjacent between twenty and thirty Synagogues, this being the greatest shelter of that accursed contemptible People in the Grand Signiors Dominions, next to _Caire_ and _Saloniki_: and I believe there may be about twenty or thirty thousand families of them. They are of great use and service to the _Turks_, upon accompt of their Brocage and Merchandise, and Industry in several mechanical Trades. All these I look upon as Natives, or Slaves rather, each paying mony for his Head every year. The _Jews_ indeed very wisely collect this Tax among themselves, and according to an agreement made with the _Teftardar_ or Treasurer, pay a certain sum in gross for their whole Nation residing there: by which piece of cunning they are great gainers, and spare the poor among them less able to pay, by a contribution of the rich to make up the sum. The _English_ and _Dutch_ Ambassadors have their Chappels in their Palaces common to their respective Nations. The Churches and Chappels of the Western _Christians_ of the _Roman_ Communion in _Galata_, are St. _Peters_, belonging to the _Dominicans_, where is the famous piece of _Madonna di Constantinopolis_ as the _Italians_ call it, or of the blessed Virgin, holding the holy Child _Jesus_ in her arms: which they pretend to be drawn by the hand of St. _Luke_, celebrated by some of the latter Ecclesiastical Writers to have been a famous Painter. Out of respect to this idle tradition the credulous and superstitious _Latins_ and _Greeks_ of the _Roman_ Communion shew great veneration to it, which otherwise hath little in it of proportion, art, or beauty, to derive any reputation upon the designer, or upon his work.