[453] Martin Crusius writes in the same spirit: “Et mirum est, inter barbaros, in tanta tantæ urbis colluvie, nullas cædes audiri, vim iniustam non ferri, ius cuivis dici. Ideo Constantinopolin Sultanus, Refugium totius orbis scribit: quod omnes miseri, ibi tutissime latent: quodque omnibus (tam infimis quam summis: tam Christianis quam infidelibus) iustitia administretur.” (Turcogræcia, p. 487.) (Basileæ, 1584.) [454] Phrantzes, p. 81. [455] Phrantzes, p. 92. [456] Finlay, vol. v. pp. 5, 123. Adeney, p. 311. Gerlach, writing in the year 1577, says: “Wo Christen oder Juden in den Orten wohnen, da es Kadi oder Richter und Subbassi oder Vögte hat, dass die gemeinen Türcken nicht ihres Gefallens mit ihnen umbgehen dörffen, sind sie viel lieber unter den Türcken, dann unter den Christen. Wann sie Jährlich ihren Tribut geben, sind sie hernach frey. Aber in der Christenheit ist das gantze Jahr des Gebens kein Ende.” (Tage-Buch, p. 413.) [457] Hertzberg, pp. 467, 646, 650. [458] Finlay, vol. v. pp. 156–7. [459] This interval was, however, not a fixed one; at first, the levy took place every seven or five years, but later at more frequent intervals according to the exigencies of the state. (Menzel, p. 52.) Metrophanes Kritopoulos, writing in 1625, states that the collectors came to the cities every seventh year and that each city had to contribute three or four, or at least two boys (p. 205). [460] Qurʼān, viii. 42. [461] Id. x. 99. 100. [462] “On ne forçait cependant pas les jeunes Chrétiens à changer de foi. Les principes du gouvernement s’y opposaient aussi bien que les préceptes du Cour’ann; et si des officiers, mus par leur fanatisme, usaient quelquefois de contrainte, leur conduite à cet égard pouvait bien être tolérée; mais elle n’était jamais autorisée par les chefs.” (M. d’Ohsson, tome iii. pp. 397–8.) [463] Hertzberg, p. 472. [464] “Sed hoc tristissimum est, quod, ut olim Christiani imperatores, ex singulis oppidis, certum numerum liberorum, in quibus egregia indoles præ cæteris elucebat, delegerunt: quos ad publica officia militiæ togatæ et bellicæ in Aula educari curarunt: ita Turci, occupato Græcorum imperio, idem ius eripiendi patribus familias liberos ingeniis eximiis præditos, usurpant.” (David Chytræus, pp. 12–14.) [465] Creasy, p. 99. M. d’Ohsson, tome iii. p. 397. Menzel, p. 53. Thomas Smith, speaking of such parents, says: “Others, to the great shame and dishonour of the Religion, Christians only in name, part with them freely and readily enough, not only because they are rid of the trouble and charge of them, but in hopes they may, when they are grown up, get some considerable command in the government.” (An Account of the Greek Church, p. 12. London, 1680.) In the reign of Murād I, Christian troops were employed in collecting this tribute of Christian children. (Finlay, vol. v. p. 45.)