Evenwiththerestitution，theforeignpropertywouldscarcelyexceedonefourth。]
[Footnote71:SeetheenthusiasticpraisesandlamentationsofPhranza，l。iii。c。17。]
[Footnote72:SeeDucas，c。43，andanepistle，July15th，1453，fromLaurusQuirinustoPopeNicholasV。，HodydeGraecis，p。192，fromaMS。intheCottonlibrary。]
Fromthefirsthour^73ofthememorabletwenty—ninthofMay，disorderandrapineprevailedinConstantinople，tilltheeighthhourofthesameday；whenthesultanhimselfpassedintriumphthroughthegateofSt。Romanus。Hewasattendedbyhisviziers，bashaws，andguards，eachofwhomsaysaByzantinehistorianwasrobustasHercules，dexterousasApollo，andequalinbattletoanytenoftheraceofordinarymortals。Theconqueror^74gazedwithsatisfactionandwonderonthestrange，thoughsplendid，appearanceofthedomesandpalaces，sodissimilarfromthestyleofOrientalarchitecture。Inthehippodrome，oratmeidan，hiseyewasattractedbythetwistedcolumnofthethreeserpents；and，asatrialofhisstrength，heshatteredwithhisironmaceorbattle—axetheunderjawofoneofthesemonsters，^75whichintheeyesoftheTurksweretheidolsortalismansofthecity。AttheprincipaldoorofSt。
Sophia，healightedfromhishorse，andenteredthedome；andsuchwashisjealousregardforthatmonumentofhisglory，thatonobservingazealousMussulmanintheactofbreakingthemarblepavement，headmonishedhimwithhiscimeter，that，ifthespoilandcaptivesweregrantedtothesoldiers，thepublicandprivatebuildingshadbeenreservedfortheprince。ByhiscommandthemetropolisoftheEasternchurchwastransformedintoamosque:therichandportableinstrumentsofsuperstitionhadbeenremoved；thecrosseswerethrowndown；andthewalls，whichwerecoveredwithimagesandmosaics，werewashedandpurified，andrestoredtoastateofnakedsimplicity。Onthesameday，orontheensuingFriday，themuezin，orcrier，ascendedthemostloftyturret，andproclaimedtheezan，orpublicinvitationinthenameofGodandhisprophet；theimampreached；andMahometandSecondperformedthenamazofprayerandthanksgivingonthegreataltar，wheretheChristianmysterieshadsolatelybeencelebratedbeforethelastoftheCaesars。^76FromSt。Sophiaheproceededtotheaugust，butdesolatemansionofahundredsuccessorsofthegreatConstantine，butwhichinafewhourshadbeenstrippedofthepompofroyalty。Amelancholyreflectiononthevicissitudesofhumangreatnessforceditselfonhismind；