Travels in Turkey and back to England

In Short

This volume presents the travel journal of an English chaplain attached to the Levant Company, recording his journeys through the Ottoman Empire and across the European continent. Mixing classical antiquarianism with direct observation, the author notes ancient inscriptions, local administrative customs, landscape topographies, and diplomatic ceremonies. The text has endured as a valuable primary document, offering an authentic early eighteenth-century view of Eastern Mediterranean antiquities alongside the shifting political and cultural geography of Central Europe.

The Story

The journal opens in the Ottoman Levant, where the author records his excursions across the ancient landscapes of Asia Minor. Traveling from the commercial port of Smyrna into the interior, he inspects classical sites, traces famous rivers such as the Hermus, and navigates the logistical demands of Ottoman travel. Seeking shelter in Magnesia at the foot of Mount Sipylus, the party is received by a local effendi into a garden pleasure house equipped with a fountain and sofa room. Guided by local protocol, the travelers present themselves to the city cadi, navigating the customary exchange of courtesies and gifts.

As he travels through historical regions including the campaign of Troas, the author evaluates classical claims against physical geography. Viewing the Trojan shore from shipboard, he critically assesses earlier travel accounts, distinguishing actual classical topography from later Byzantine or Roman ruins. His journey continues into Pera and Constantinople, where he observes the rites of the Mevlevi dervishes and attends high-level diplomatic affairs. He records the formal audience of the incoming English ambassador, Sir Robert Sutton, with the Ottoman Grand Vizier at Adrianople, detailing the retinue, dress, turbans, and courtly ceremonial surrounding the exchange of royal letters.

Leaving Constantinople, the narrative shifts to an extended overland journey back toward Western England. The route passes through Wallachia and Transylvania, where the author notes local industries, such as the salt mines at Visakna, alongside regional governance and social structures. Continuing into Hungary, he crosses vast, treeless plains, observes local livestock, and interacts with native scholars and religious leaders.

Moving further west into Moravia, Bohemia, and the imperial cities of Germany, the author investigates imperial libraries, public monuments, and local curiosities. In Vienna, he examines historical manuscripts and rare coinage collections; in Bohemia, he notes historical battlefields and active imperial mines; in Hamburg, he reports on local judicial cases and municipal life. Throughout these regions, he regularly seeks out local scholars, professors, and reformed ministers—many of whom have previously traveled to England. The narrative concludes as the journey progresses toward the English Channel, framing the entire expedition as both an antiquarian investigation and a survey of early eighteenth-century European society.

How It Unfolds

Journey through Asia Minor The narrative begins with travel across the plains of Western Anatolia. The author visits classical sites, examines ancient riverways like the Hermus, and notes the hospitality offered by local Ottoman officials and residents.

Surveys of classical antiquities Moving toward the coast, the author investigates famous historical sites, including Ephesus and the Trojan shore. He transcribes Greek and Latin inscriptions, comparing physical remains against ancient texts to separate historical reality from modern errors.

Diplomatic ceremonies in Adrianople The journey leads to Constantinople and Adrianople, where the author observes dervish rituals and formal court life. He records the diplomatic audience between the English ambassador and the Grand Vizier, detailing court etiquette, official robes, and imperial protocol.

Overland transit through Transylvania and Hungary Setting out on the long return route to England, the party travels through Eastern Europe. The author documents local governance, visits broad salt mines, crosses flat plains, and engages with regional Protestant clergy and university scholars.

Observations across Bohemia and Germany The itinerary continues through Central European territories, including Prague, Dresden, and Brunswick. The author surveys manuscript collections, inspects church architecture, and notes local legal, economic, and social conditions before reaching the North Sea coast.

The People

Edmund Chishull The author and primary observer seeks to document classical antiquities, verify ancient texts, and record contemporary customs. Constantly taking notes, he negotiates regional travel logistics and scholarly contacts across every territory he enters.

Sir Robert Sutton The English ambassador to the Ottoman Porte requires proper diplomatic recognition and court respect. Navigating official audience procedures with the Grand Vizier, he succeeds in establishing his residence and representing English crown interests.

The Grand Vizier The chief Ottoman minister maintains imperial dignity while managing audience ceremonies. Mourning the recent loss of his young son, he receives the English delegation with quiet formality, exchanging state letters and traditional robes.

Joannes Nagy Borosnyai A learned minister of the Helvetian confession at Saltzburg who has previously visited England, he welcomes the author warmly. He facilitates access to local salt mines, offering transparent salt specimens and context on local industry.

Paul Gyongyóssi A Hungarian scholar who studied at Oxford, he seeks the English ambassador's aid after his books were seized by church authorities in Vienna. He assists the author by introducing him to regional academic and ecclesiastical figures.

In Its Own Voice

"This large and noble river yeilds an entertaining sight, especially when it abates something of its usual fulness."

The author describes the Hermus River while observing its banks and comparing its appearance to classical poetic accounts.

"He seated himself in a corner of the sophá, and the ambassadors sat before him on two stools."

This line records the spatial arrangement and diplomatic protocol during the formal audience with the Grand Vizier at Adrianople.

"These stones are afterwards laid up in magazines, to be transported on occasion by the Maros into the Danube..."

Here the narrative details the practical extraction and river transport of square-cut salt blocks from the mines at Visakna.

What It's Really About

The work functions as an inquiry into how physical travel reconciles classical literature with the reality of contemporary places. Below the day-to-day itinerary lies an effort to collect, transcribe, and verify historical inscriptions, using physical evidence to correct inaccurate claims made by earlier commentators.

Beyond its antiquarian focus, the text explores the practical realities of inter-cultural exchange. By recording formal diplomatic ceremonies, regional religious practices, and everyday interactions with local officials, the narrative examines how early eighteenth-century travelers crossed distinct political and confessional boundaries. It asks how an educated observer can systematically catalogue the geography, governance, and scholarly networks of a rapidly changing European and Ottoman world.

Why Read It Today

This narrative offers readers an authentic window into eighteenth-century travel, written from the direct perspective of a scholar-chaplain. It will appeal to readers interested in classical archaeology, Ottoman history, and early modern European geography. Rather than focusing on sensational drama, the prose delivers a measured, methodical account of landscapes, architecture, and civic institutions.

Reading the text requires patience with period conventions. The author frequently incorporates un-translated Greek and Latin inscriptions, detailed lists of names, and precise geographic measurements that slow the narrative pace. Furthermore, the prose reflects typical early eighteenth-century religious and cultural biases when describing local practices.

Despite these structural hurdles, the journal retains its value through its vivid, grounded details. From the quiet gardens of Anatolian pleasure houses to the echo of mining shafts in Transylvania and the grand libraries of German principalities, the text captures a vast world through the steady, observant eyes of an indefatigable scholar.