INTRODUCTION
The Xeropotamou Monastery, whose katholikon (main church) is dedicated to the memory of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (9/22 March), experienced abandonment three times in its long history: in the 14th, 16th, and 18th centuries, and an equal number of times it was rebuilt.
The reconstruction of the 16th century came about in one of the most unexpected ways: through Selim I (1512–1520), known as Yavuz (“the Grim,” meaning harsh or unyielding). In the monastery’s archive there exists a ḥatt-i şerif (imperial sacred decree) of Selim. Its date and content are Muslim, but its conclusion is Christian.
“It is written,” the document says, “that the Muslim who persists in overturning this present ḥatt-i şerif of ours we consign to eternal anathema.”
In the document of 1517, Selim grants large donations and many privileges to the monastery.
What exactly happened with Sultan Selim I — whose donations and concessions gave the monastery “breathing space” for a century and a half — is described by Gerasimos Smyrnakis in his book The Holy Mountain (1903):
Visit of Sultan Selim to Mount Athos
In the year 1513, Sultan Selim I, called the Unyielding, after inspecting the fortress of Kilitbahir Castle (“Key of the Sea”) in the Dardanelles, visited Mount Athos.
He was magnificently received and entertained, receiving rich gifts amid splendid celebrations held both by the Athonite monks and by his own viziers. Afterwards he returned to Constantinople through Adrianople.
During the reign of Selim I, while Theoleptus I of Constantinople (1514–1519) was patriarch, a dreadful decision was taken:
- that all churches should be converted into mosques,
- that all Christians should be Islamized by every possible means, and
- that the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople should be completely abolished.
Fortunately, however, this decision was opposed by the Mufti Kemalpaşazade, who argued that the Qur'an commands conversion to Islam not by force but by persuasion.
Paradoxically — and wonderfully — this very same Selim later granted to Xeropotamou the aforementioned ḥatt-i şerif, while he was residing in Cairo in 1517. In its ninth article he decrees:
"Therefore also in this matter my Majesty commands that it is found in the ḥatt-i şerif of that hero of the Ottomans, the blessed Sultan Yavuz Murad (may God give rest to his soul), that the monks of the Holy Mountain simply shall not be inherited by the petelmazis, nor the maningoufatis, nor any other of the Muslim officials; and my Majesty again commands that the monks of the whole Holy Mountain from now on and henceforth no Muslim shall dare to inherit — not father nor mother of the deceased Athonite monk, nor any other relative of his — except the monastery which possessed him; that monastery alone shall inherit all his property, because he himself with his own mouth made such a vow before God, and therefore one must observe what proceeds from his mouth."
The same Sultan also issued a decree of protection concerning the Soumela Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos.
In the year 1513, Sultan Selim I, called the Unyielding, after inspecting the fortress of Kilitbahir Castle (“Key of the Sea”) in the Dardanelles, visited Mount Athos.
He was magnificently received and entertained, receiving rich gifts amid splendid celebrations held both by the Athonite monks and by his own viziers. Afterwards he returned to Constantinople through Adrianople.
During the reign of Selim I, while Theoleptus I of Constantinople (1514–1519) was patriarch, a dreadful decision was taken:
- that all churches should be converted into mosques,
- that all Christians should be Islamized by every possible means, and
- that the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople should be completely abolished.
Fortunately, however, this decision was opposed by the Mufti Kemalpaşazade, who argued that the Qur'an commands conversion to Islam not by force but by persuasion.
Paradoxically — and wonderfully — this very same Selim later granted to Xeropotamou the aforementioned ḥatt-i şerif, while he was residing in Cairo in 1517. In its ninth article he decrees:
"Therefore also in this matter my Majesty commands that it is found in the ḥatt-i şerif of that hero of the Ottomans, the blessed Sultan Yavuz Murad (may God give rest to his soul), that the monks of the Holy Mountain simply shall not be inherited by the petelmazis, nor the maningoufatis, nor any other of the Muslim officials; and my Majesty again commands that the monks of the whole Holy Mountain from now on and henceforth no Muslim shall dare to inherit — not father nor mother of the deceased Athonite monk, nor any other relative of his — except the monastery which possessed him; that monastery alone shall inherit all his property, because he himself with his own mouth made such a vow before God, and therefore one must observe what proceeds from his mouth."
The same Sultan also issued a decree of protection concerning the Soumela Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos.
The Vision of the Forty Martyrs
The said ḥatt-i şerif was addressed to:
- the Pasha of Thessaloniki,
- the Kadi of Sidirokavsia, and
- the ulema and officials of the Muslims.
It also recounts the conquest of Egypt and states that:
While Selim was staying in Egypt, he saw forty tall young warriors with golden weapons, running through the air like angels. They said:
“We are, O king, helpers of the Ottomans and fellow-workers of the victory against your enemies, and in order that you may reward us for the good which we have done to you, tomorrow there will come certain hermits, monks, to ask permission from your Majesty to rebuild our house, which has within it our relics; and therefore if you wish to have us as friends also in future times, you must not only give them permission to build our house, but you must also bestow upon them royal gifts.”
Selim then summoned the Sheikh-ul-Islam, Mufti Suleiman, and his vizier Mustafa Pasha, who declared that they too had seen the same vision.
Soon afterward monks from Mount Athos appeared with petitions and certificates stating that the Monastery of Xeropotamou had been burned, and thus the truth of the vision became clear.
The Mufti therefore issued the following fatwa:
“A place where the Holy Gospel is read, if it should burn or be destroyed, must be rebuilt.”
Then the Sultan declared:
“Therefore my sovereignty, wishing to repay the gratitude owed to its helpers and benefactors — who justly requested this favor because our nation has often seen great help from the said Forty Martyrs — commands and decrees these things for all its subjects.”
The Ten Articles of the Decree
He then decreed in ten articles:
1. The Xeropotamou Monastery shall be rebuilt.
2. The fathers shall have permission to repair the monastery whenever necessary.
3. Twenty workshops in Sidirokavsia shall be dedicated to the monastery, and forty lamps shall burn before the relics of the Forty Martyrs.
4. All land visible from the monastery in the four directions shall belong to it.
5. The fathers shall enjoy complete immunity from interference.
6. Ten of the most distinguished officials shall go with the construction overseer Ibrahim Agha to record the boundaries of the monastery and its dependencies.
7. The ḥatt-i şerif of Sultan Murad II is confirmed.
8. If a monk leaves the monastery and goes to another, the receiving monastery shall pay a fine of 100 grosia, and the monk must be reported back to Xeropotamou.
9. The earlier decree of Murad II is reaffirmed: no one may inherit Athonite monks except their monastery.
10. The present ḥatt-i şerif shall be kept in the monastery; only its copy (sureti) may be taken by the fathers for use in courts.
Finally, the document includes curses and anathemas against anyone who violates its provisions.
The said ḥatt-i şerif was addressed to:
- the Pasha of Thessaloniki,
- the Kadi of Sidirokavsia, and
- the ulema and officials of the Muslims.
It also recounts the conquest of Egypt and states that:
While Selim was staying in Egypt, he saw forty tall young warriors with golden weapons, running through the air like angels. They said:
“We are, O king, helpers of the Ottomans and fellow-workers of the victory against your enemies, and in order that you may reward us for the good which we have done to you, tomorrow there will come certain hermits, monks, to ask permission from your Majesty to rebuild our house, which has within it our relics; and therefore if you wish to have us as friends also in future times, you must not only give them permission to build our house, but you must also bestow upon them royal gifts.”
Selim then summoned the Sheikh-ul-Islam, Mufti Suleiman, and his vizier Mustafa Pasha, who declared that they too had seen the same vision.
Soon afterward monks from Mount Athos appeared with petitions and certificates stating that the Monastery of Xeropotamou had been burned, and thus the truth of the vision became clear.
The Mufti therefore issued the following fatwa:
“A place where the Holy Gospel is read, if it should burn or be destroyed, must be rebuilt.”
Then the Sultan declared:
“Therefore my sovereignty, wishing to repay the gratitude owed to its helpers and benefactors — who justly requested this favor because our nation has often seen great help from the said Forty Martyrs — commands and decrees these things for all its subjects.”
The Ten Articles of the Decree
He then decreed in ten articles:
1. The Xeropotamou Monastery shall be rebuilt.
2. The fathers shall have permission to repair the monastery whenever necessary.
3. Twenty workshops in Sidirokavsia shall be dedicated to the monastery, and forty lamps shall burn before the relics of the Forty Martyrs.
4. All land visible from the monastery in the four directions shall belong to it.
5. The fathers shall enjoy complete immunity from interference.
6. Ten of the most distinguished officials shall go with the construction overseer Ibrahim Agha to record the boundaries of the monastery and its dependencies.
7. The ḥatt-i şerif of Sultan Murad II is confirmed.
8. If a monk leaves the monastery and goes to another, the receiving monastery shall pay a fine of 100 grosia, and the monk must be reported back to Xeropotamou.
9. The earlier decree of Murad II is reaffirmed: no one may inherit Athonite monks except their monastery.
10. The present ḥatt-i şerif shall be kept in the monastery; only its copy (sureti) may be taken by the fathers for use in courts.
Finally, the document includes curses and anathemas against anyone who violates its provisions.
The Imperial Sacred Decree of Sultan Selim Concerning the Renovation of the Monastery of Xeropotamou
The exact copy of the imperial decree (ḥatt-i şerif) of Sultan Selim concerning the renovation of the Monastery of Xeropotamou and concerning the other privileges and exemptions which he granted to it when he conquered Egypt.
Leader of the illustrious rulers, great one among the wise great men, possessor of authority, power, and glory, and by the help and grace of God Most High, the noble pasha of the great city of Thessaloniki, Ali Pasha (may your glory be eternal), and of the Muslim judges, likewise by the divine grace and help, the kadi of Sidirokavsia from the district of Rumelia, Mehmed Efendi (may your virtue be increased), and the most virtuous among the ulema and the officials of the Muhammadans—may the glory of all of you be increased.
When this present royal and lofty decree of ours arrives, let it be known to all of you that after those many labors and after such river-like shedding of blood and those dreadful wars with the Circassians and Arabs, the Most High God was pleased to grant us the victory and to make us superior to our enemies and foes, and to add to our empire also the kingdom of Egypt; and for this it is just that we should give thanks to the Most High God.
Therefore, while we were still in Misiri (Egypt) for the establishment of this state, we visibly saw a very wondrous and great dream: forty young men of great stature, with completely golden weaponry, running in the air like angels, and they said to us: “We are, O king, helpers of the Ottomans and fellow-workers of the victory against your enemies, and in order that you may reward us for the good which we have done to you, tomorrow there will come certain hermits, monks, to ask permission from your Majesty to rebuild our house, which has within it our relics; and therefore if you wish to have us as friends also in future times, you must not only give them permission to build our house, but you must also bestow upon them royal gifts.”
My Majesty therefore, being astonished at these things and duncertaain about them—what indeed the things seen by me might be—sent word, and there came to us the most wise among the wise and virtuous, the Sheikh-ul-Islam Suleiman (may God perpetuate his virtues). And I recounted to him everything that I saw, telling him to explain the dream to me (if indeed one should call this a dream).
And he, having heard my narration, said: “Know, long-lived king, that the things which you have related to me are not a dream, but a fearful wonder which God has revealed to us. For on this same night I also saw the same things: forty soldiers appeared to me during the night, holding great spears in their hands and threatening me, saying: ‘Do not appear ungrateful toward your benefactors.’ And I said: ‘And who are you, my lords?’ And they answered: ‘We are helpers of the Ottoman empire, the same who formerly conveyed the Ottomans from the East to Rumelia—the forty—who also with the casting of stones captured the fortress called Aimbas, and now again we have helped you in all the great wars and you have conquered your enemies and taken possession of the whole kingdom of Egypt.’”
While he was recounting these things, there came to us for some matter the supreme steward of our empire, our illustrious vizier Mustafa Pasha (may God perpetuate his glory). And having heard our narration, he also agreed with us, saying: “While I was fighting the enemies of your empire in Gaza and had been utterly defeated, I saw forty soldiers who at last defeated our enemies and delivered us from the dangers; and from Gaza until here they accompanied the faithful servant of your Majesty, the standard-bearer of the Morea, George, whom I thought to be the escort of the said standard-bearer. And on this same night they also appeared to me, saying: ‘Tomorrow you must make the proper recompense to the house which holds us, for the alliance which we showed to the Ottoman race so that it might conquer this kingdom of Egypt.’”
Therefore, while these things were being said and we were wondering what the dwelling of the Aziz Kirklar (“the Forty Saints”) might be, by divine will the aforementioned faithful servant of my Majesty appeared together with certain hermit monks, who presented to us reports and petitions from our most illustrious pasha of Thessaloniki and from the kadi and from the ulema of Sidirokavsia. These stated that among the twenty monasteries of the Holy Mountain, one, called Xeropotamou, had happened through a great fire to be completely burned and entirely ruined.
Having heard these things, we understood which house the forty soldiers wished to be renovated with the will and permission of my Majesty. And at the same time the aforementioned mufti of ours issued a fetva, speaking thus:
“The place where the Holy Gospel is read, when it happens to be burned or destroyed, must again be restored. Therefore also the monastery on the Holy Mountain called Xeropotamou, since it has happened to be burned and entirely destroyed by the great fire, it is according to the law that it should again be rebuilt entirely in its former condition.”
Therefore my Majesty, wishing to render gratitude to its helpers and benefactors—who justly requested this favor because of the great help which our race has often known from the said forty martyrs—commands and ordains these things throughout all its dominion.
First. The monastery on the Holy Mountain of the Aziz Kirklar, called Xeropotamou, shall be entirely rebuilt by the monks in it, together with its whole church and all its surrounding area; and in order that it may not be molested by evil men because of the remoteness of the place, its walls shall be made high with battlements and with four towers around it, and with strong iron gates, so that it may not be maltreated by wicked men.
Second. We grant expenses to the illustrious agha of our most exalted Porte and overseer of the present rebuilding, Ibrahim Agha, that he should purchase twenty workshops within Sidirokavsia and make them a vakıf for the said monastery, from which the monks, receiving their rents and revenues, shall burn forty ever-burning lamps upon the relics of the Holy Forty, the helpers of my Empire.
Third. As much land as the monastery of the Forty sees from its four sides, all that land shall be assigned and shall be a vakıf and perpetual dedication to the said monastery of Xeropotamou.
Fourth. My Majesty performs this charitable almsgiving for the sake of the soul: all the ruhbanides and monks who dwell within this monastery of Xeropotamou shall be held exempt; they shall not pay any royal tax whatsoever—neither gerkaki nor contributions nor haratch—except those who go out into the towns for trade; those alone shall pay one florin of haratch and no more. But as many as remain within the monastery shall pay no tax at all; nor shall any Muslim have authority to enter into the monastery and trouble them in any way.
Fifth. My Majesty commands the kadis and the ulema of Sidirokavsia that when the said monastery has been completed, ten of the most distinguished among them together with the aforementioned overseer of the construction, Ibrahim Agha of our most exalted Porte, shall go and write down all the boundaries of the said monastery, and also the boundaries of its dependencies and tzeftlikia (estates); and with their seals the boundary document of the monastery shall be sealed, so that they may be forever properties and vakıf holdings of the monastery, within which boundaries no other person shall have any share.
Sixth. Through the mediation of the faithful servant of my Empire, George the standard-bearer of the spahis of the Morea, my Majesty has confirmed the ḥatt-i şerif of that hero Sultan Yavuz Murad, which, having seen, we praised and admired the good intention of that man and the charity which he showed to all the Athonites; therefore we also confirm it by decree of our Majesty, that whatever it contains shall remain certain and unalterable.
Seventh. When the council around my Majesty and we ourselves discerned the outcome of the things seen by us—that it was a divine will that this present sacred decree be given—we said to the said ruhbanides: “Since by the grace of the saints you also have found favor before us, ask for some favor which your monastery needs for its establishment.” And they asked from us this: that if any monk of this monastery of Xeropotamou, after putting on the black garments in this monastery and later leaves and goes to another monastery, that monastery which receives the Xeropotamite monk shall pay as a penalty to the agha of the place one hundred grosia, because it violated my royal command; and the Xeropotamite monk shall be returned back to Xeropotamou.
Eighth. Moreover they begged us, saying: “You, O long-lived king, as our books command us, when we enter the monastery we vow before God with human witnesses that as long as we live we shall be perpetual slaves of the monastery; and after death, just as a master inherits whatever property his slave has, so also our monastery should inherit its monks when they die. But there are certain relatives or parents of ours who do not observe our law and wish after our death to inherit us, and besides our own property they unjustly seize also the things of the monastery and wrong our monastery, whereas no one else should have any claim upon it.”
Ninth. Therefore also in this matter my Majesty commands that it is found in the ḥatt-i şerif of that hero of the Ottomans, the blessed Sultan Yavuz Murad (may God give rest to his soul), that the monks of the Holy Mountain simply shall not be inherited by the petelmazis, nor the maningoufatis, nor any other of the Muslim officials; and my Majesty again commands that the monks of the whole Holy Mountain from now on and henceforth no Muslim shall dare to inherit—not father nor mother of the deceased Athonite monk, nor any other relative of his—except the monastery which possessed him; that monastery alone shall inherit all his property, because he himself with his own mouth made such a vow before God, and therefore one must observe what proceeds from his mouth.
Tenth. My Majesty commands that the present ḥatt-i şerif of mine be kept within the monastery of Xeropotamou, and whenever it is needed in any legal judgment the monks of this monastery shall present in court the copy (sureti) of the present ḥatt-i şerif, and by means of that they shall receive from the court the right which these poor ruhbanides seek, so that no oppressive official may wrong them and take it out of their hands and thus my poor protégés suffer loss.
These things my Majesty declares to be certain and unalterable. While I remain in this life, whoever should violate them shall be punished by me with great punishments and dreadful torments. But after my death (for it is necessary for me also, being a man, to fulfill the common fate), whoever overturns anything of the benefactions granted by me in this present ḥatt-i şerif and imposes any burden or harassment upon these poor monks—such a Muslim, whatever rank he may be, we consider as a corrupter and destroyer of the charity of our Majesty, separated from his own wife and alien to the faith of the Muslims; and if he persists in overturning this present ḥatt-i şerif of ours, we consign him to the eternal anathema.
Issued in the year 1000, on the 9th of March, from Egypt.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
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Τὸ ἀπαράλλακτον ἴσον τοῦ χατησεριφίου τοῦ σουλτάν Σελήμ διὰ τὸν ἀνακαινισμὸν τοῦ μοναστηρίου τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου καὶ διὰ τὰ λοιπά προνόμια καὶ ἀσυνδοσίας, ὁποῦ ἐχάρισεν εἰς αὐτό, ὅταν ἐκυρίευσε τὴν Αἴγυπτον.
Ἡγεμὼν τῶν ἐνδόξων ἡγεμόνων, μεγάλε τῶν συνετῶν μεγάλων, ἐξουσιαστὰ δυνάμεως καὶ δόξης καὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑψίστου βοηθείᾳ καὶ χάριτι ἴδιε πασιὰ τῆς μεγαλοπόλεως Θεσσαλονίκης, ̓Αλὴ πασιά, αἰωνιζέσθω σοῦ ἡ δόξα, καὶ τῶν μουσουλμάνων κριτῶν ἴδιε τῇ θείᾳ χάριτι καὶ βοηθείᾳ καδὴ τῶν Σιδηροκαυσίων ἀπὸ τὴν τῆς Ῥούμελης ναχαγιὰν Μεχμέτ ἐφέντης, αὐξηνθείη σοῦ ἡ ἀρετή, καὶ τῶν οὐλεμάδων ἐναρετώτεροι καὶ ἀξιωματικοὶ τῶν μουχαμετλήδων, αὐξηνθείη ἡ δόξα πάντων ὑμῶν.
Ἐρχομένου τοῦ παρόντος βασιλικοῦ καὶ ὑψηλοῦ μας ὁρισμοῦ γνωστὸν ἔστω πᾶσιν ὑμῖν, ὅτι μετὰ πολλοὺς ἐκείνους κόπους καὶ μετὰ τοσαύτην ποταμηδὸν αἱματοχυσίαν καὶ τοὺς φρικτοὺς ἐκείνους πολέμους τῶν Τζερκέζων καὶ ̓Αράβων ηὐδόκησεν ὁ ὕψιστος Θεὸς νὰ χαρίσῃ εἰς ἡμᾶς τὴν νίκην καὶ νὰ μᾶς κάμῃ τοὺς ὑπερτέρους τῶν πολεμίων καὶ ἐχθρῶν μας, καὶ νὰ προσθέσῃ εἰς τὴν Βασιλείαν μας καὶ τὸ βασίλειον τῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἶναι δίκαιον νὰ εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ ὑψίστῳ Θεῷ. Εὑρισκόμενοι λοιπὸν ἀκόμη εἰς τὸ Μησίρι διὰ τὴν σύστασιν ταύτης τῆς πολιτείας εἴδαμεν ὀφθαλμοφανῶς ἕνα ὄνειρον πολλὰ θαυμαστὸν καὶ μεγάλον, τεσσαράκοντα παλικάρια μεγαλόσωμα, μὲ ἅρματα ὁλόχρυσα, ὡσὰν ἀγγέλους εἰς ἀέρα τρέχοντας, καί μας ἔλεγον· ἡμεῖς εἴμεσθεν, ὦ βασιλεύ, βοηθοὶ τῶν Ὀθομανῶν καὶ συνεργοὶ τῆς νίκης κατὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου, καὶ διὰ νὰ μᾶς ἀνταμείψῃς εἰς τὸ καλόν, ὁποῦ σᾶς ἐκάμαμεν, κατὰ τὴν αὔριον θέλουν ἔλθει κάποιοι ἐρημίται ῥουχμπάνιδες, νὰ ζητήσουν θέλημα ἀπὸ τὴν Βασιλείαν σου, εἰς τὸ νὰ ἀνακαινίσουν τὸ σπῆτί μας, ὁποῦ ἔχει μέσα εἰς τοῦ λόγου του τὰ λείψανά μας, καὶ λοιπὸν ἂν ἀγαπᾶς, νὰ μᾶς ἔχῃς φίλους καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἄλλους καιρούς, πρέπει ὄχι μοναχά, νὰ τοὺς δώσῃς θέλημα νὰ κτίσουν τὸ σπῆτί μας, ἀλλὰ καὶ νὰ τοὺς φιλοδωρήσῃς μὲ βασιλικὰς φιλοδωρίας· ἡ Βασιλεία μου λοιπὸν ἐκθαμβουμένη εἰς αὐτὰ καὶ ἀμφιβάλλουσα περὶ τούτων, τί ἂν εἴη τὰ ὁραθέντα μοι, ἐμήνυσα, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ σοφώτατος κατὰ βάθος τῶν σοφῶν καὶ ἐναρέτων σεχουλισλάμης μουφτής Σουλεημάνης (οὗ ὁ Θεὸς νὰ διαιωνίζῃ τὰς ἀρετάς) καὶ τοῦ ἐδιηγήθηκα ἅπαντα, ὅσα εἶδα, λέγοντάς του νὰ μοῦ ἐξηγήσῃ τὸ ὄνειρον (ἂν πρέπει νὰ ὀνομάσῃ τινὰς καὶ τοῦτο ἕνα ὄνειρον). Ὄστις ἀκούσας τὴν ἐμὴν διήγησιν, εἶπε· γίγνωσκε, πολυ χρονημένε βασιλεῦ, ὅτι αὐτὰ ὁποῦ μου διηγῆσαι , δὲν εἶναι ὄνειρον, ἀλλὰ εἶναι ἕνα φρικτὸν θαῦμα, ὁποῦ μᾶς ἐφανέρωσεν ὁ Θεός, διατὶ ταύτην τὴν νύκτα καὶ ἐγὼ ταὐτὰ ἔβλεπον· ἐφάνησαν γὰρ κᾷμοὶ ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ τεσσαράκοντα στρατιῶται βαστάζοντες κοντάρια μεγάλα εἰς τὰ χέριά τους καὶ φοβερίζοντές με ἔλεγον· μὴν φανῆτε ἀχάριστοι εἰς τοὺς εὐεργέτας σας· ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον· καὶ τίνες εἶστε ἐσεῖς, κύριοί μου: οἱ δὲ ἐκεῖνοι ἀπεκρίθησαν· ἡμεῖς ἐσμὲν βοηθοὶ τῆς τῶν Ὀθομανῶν βασιλείας, οἱ καὶ πρότερον ἐκ τῆς ̓Ανατολῆς πρὸς τὴν Ῥούμελην τοὺς τεσσαράκοντα διαβιβάσαντες Οσμανλήδες, οἵτινες καὶ μὲ ἀκροβολισμὸν τῶν λίθων τὸ Αἠμπὰς ὀνομαζόμενον κάστρον ἐκυρίευσαν καὶ τώρα πάλιν σας έβοηθήσαμεν εἰς ὅλους τοὺς μεγάλους πολέμους καὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σας ἐνικήσατε καὶ ὅλον τὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου βασίλειον ἐκυριεύσατε. Ταῦτα τούτου διηγουμένου παρεγένετο πρὸς ἡμᾶς διά τινα χρείαν καὶ ὁ ὑπέρτατος ἐπίτροπος τῆς Βασιλείας ἡμῶν. ὁ ἔνδοξος βεζήρης μας Μουσταφὰ μπασὰς (οὗ ὁ Θεὸς νὰ διαιωνίζῃ τὴν δόξαν) καὶ ἀκούσας τὴν ἡμῶν διήγησιν, συνέθετο καὶ αὐτὸς τὰ αὐτὰ ἡμῖν λέγων· ὅτι ἐγὼ πολεμῶντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τῆς Βασιλείας σου εἰς τὴν Γάζαν καὶ κατὰ κράτος ἡττηθεὶς εἶδον τεσσαράκοντα στρατιώτας, οἵτινες εἰς τέλος νικήσαντες τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν, ἠλευθέρωσαν ἡμᾶς τῶν δεινῶν, οἵτινες καὶ ἐκ τῆς Γάζης ἕως ὧδε ἠκόλούθουν μὲ τὸν πιστὸν δοῦλον τῆς Βασιλείας σου, τὸν τοῦ Μωρέως φλαμπουράριον Γεώργιον, οὕστινας καὶ συνοδίαν τοῦ ῥηθέντος φλαμπουραρίου εἶναι ἐνόμιζον· ταύτην δὲ τὴν νύκτα αὐτοὶ ἴδιοι ἐφάνηκαν καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ λέγοντες· αὔριον νὰ κάμετε τὴν πρέπουσαν ἀντιμισθίαν εἰς τὸ σπῆτι ὁποῦ μᾶς ἔχει, διὰ τὴν συμμαχίαν ὁποῦ ἐδείξαμεν εἰς τὸ τῶν Ὀθομανῶν γένος, διὰ νὰ κυριεύσῃ τὸ βασίλειον τοῦτο τῆς Αἰγύπτου· Τούτων τοίνυν λαλουμένων καὶ διαπορουμένων ἡμῶν, ὁποῖον ἆρα εἴη τὸ τῶν ̓Αζὴς κηρκλάρ ὁοπήτιον, κατὰ θέλησιν θείαν ἐγένετο παρὼν καὶ ὁ ῥηθεὶς πιστὸς δοῦλος τῆς Βασιλείας μου μὲ τινὰς ἐρημίτας μοναχούς, οἵτινες ἐδώκασιν ἡμῖν ἀναφορὰς καὶ ἀρζηλάλια παρὰ τοῦ ἐνδοξοτάτου μας πασᾶ τῆς Θεσσαλονίκης καὶ ἀπὸ τὸν καδὴν καὶ ἀπὸ τοὺς οὐλεμάδες τῶν Σιδηροκαυσίων, τὰ ὁποῖα διελάμβανον, ὅτι ἀπὸ τὰ εἴκοσι μοναστήρια τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους τὸ ἕνα, ὀνομαζόμενον τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου, συνέβη ἀπὸ μεγάλην πυρκαϊὰν νὰ καῇ παντελῶς καὶ νὰ κρεμνισθῇ ὅλον. ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες ἡμεῖς ἔγνωμεν ὁποῖον σπῆτι θέλουσι νὰ ἀνακαινισθῇ μὲ τὴν θέλησιν καὶ ἄδειαν τῆς Βασιλείας μου οἱ τεσσαράκοντα στρατιῶται· καὶ ἐν ταὐτῷ ἔδωκε φεθφὰν ὁ προῤῥηθεὶς ἡμῶν μουφτὴς ούτωσὶ λέγων. „ὁ τόπος ὁποῦ ἀναγιγνώσκεται τὸ ἱερὸν εὐαγγέλιον, ὅταν συμβῇ νὰ καῇ ἢ νὰ χαλάσῃ, πάλιν νὰ ἀνακαινίζεται· λοιπὸν καὶ τὸ κατὰ τὸ Ἅγιον Ὄρος μοναστήριον τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου ὀναμαζόμενον, ἐπειδὴ ἐσυνέβη νὰ καῇ καὶ νὰ χαλάσῃ ὅλον ἀπὸ τὴν μεγάλην πυρκαϊάν, εἶναι τοῦ νόμου, ὅτι πάλιν νὰ ἀνακαινίζεται ὅλον κατὰ τὴν πρώτην του στάσιν.“ τοιγαροῦν ἡ Βασιλεία μου βουλομένη νὰ πληρώσῃ τὴν εὐχαριστίαν εἰς τοὺς βοηθοὺς καὶ εὐεργέτας αὐτῆς, ὁποῦ δικαίως ταύτην χάριν ἐζήτησαν διὰ τὴν πολλὴν βοήθειαν, ὁποῦ ἐγνώρισε πολλάκις τὸ γένος ἡμῶν ἀπὸ τοὺς ῥηθέντας τεσσαράκοντα μάρτυρας, προστάζει καὶ διορίζει εἰς ὅλον τὸ ὑπήκοον ταῦτα·
Πρῶτον· Τὸ κατὰ τὸ Ἅγιον Ὄρος μοναστήριον τῶν Αζὴς κηρκλάρ, τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου ὀνομαζόμενον, νὰ τὸ ἀνακαινίσουν ὅλον οἱ ἐν αὐτῷ μοναχοὶ μὲ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν του ὅλην καὶ ὅλην του τὴν περιοχήν, καὶ διὰ νὰ μὴν πειράζεται ἀπὸ κακοὺς ἀνθρώπους διὰ τὴν ἐρημίαν τοῦ τόπου, νὰ γένουν τὰ τειχόκαστρά του ὑψηλὰ μὲ μπεδένια καὶ μὲ τέσσαρας πύργους ὁλόγυρα, καὶ μὲ σιδηρόπορταις στερεαῖς, διὰ νὰ μὴν κακοπατῆται ἀπὸ κακοὺς ἀνθρώπους.
Δεύτερον. Δίδομεν ἔξοδα εἰς τὸν ἔνδοξον ἀγὰν τῆς ὑψηλοτάτης ἡμῶν πόρτας καὶ ἐπιστάτην τοῦ παρόντος ἀνακαινισμοῦ Ἠμπραΐμ ἀγάν, ὅτι νὰ ἀγοράσῃ εἴκοσιν ἐργαστήρια ἐντὸς Σιδηροκαυσίων, καὶ νὰ τὰ κάμῃ βακούφιει) εἰς τὸ ῥηθὲν μοναστήριον, ἀπὸ τὰ ὁποῖα πέρνοντες οἱ μοναχοὶ τὰ ἐνοίκια καὶ εἰσοδήματα αὐτῶν, νὰ καίουσι σαράντα κανδήλια ἀκοίμητα ἀπάνω εἰς τὰ λείψανα τῶν ἁγίων Τεσσαράκοντα, τῶν βοηθῶν τῆς Βασιλείας μου.
Τρίτον· Ὅσον τόπον βλέπει τὸ μοναστήρι τῶν Τεσσαράκοντα ἀπὸ τὰ τέσσαρά του μέρη, ὅλον τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον νὰ τὸν ὁρίζῃ καὶ νὰ εἶναι βακούφι καὶ ἀφιέρωμα παντοτινὸν εἰς τὸ ῥηθὲν μοναστήριον τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου.
Τέταρτον. Κάμνει ψυχικὴν αὐτῆς ἐλεημοσύνην ἡ Βασιλεία μου, ὅσοι ῥουχμπάνιδες καὶ μοναχοὶ κατοικοῦν μέσα εἰς τοῦτο τὸ μοναστήρι τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου, τοὺς ἔχει μὰφ μουσελίμηδαςτε), νὰ μὴν πληρώνουσι μηδένα δόσιμον βασιλικόν, μήτε γερκακί μήτε συνδοσίαις μήτε χαράτζη ἔξω ἀπὸ ἐκείνους ὁποῦ ἐξέρχονται εἰς τὰς πολιτείας διὰ ἀλισβερίσι, ἐκεῖνοι μόνον νὰ πληρώνουσιν ἀπὸ ἕνα φλορὶ χαράτζη καὶ ὄχι περισσότερον, οἱ δὲ ὅσοι καὶ ἂν κάθωνται μέσα εἰς τὸ μοναστήρι νὰ μὴν πληρώνουσι κανένα δόσιμον, ἀλλὰ μήτε νὰ ἔχῃ τινὰς μουσουλμάνος ἐξουσίαν, (νὰ) εἰσέβῃ μέσα εἰς τὸ μοναστήρι καὶ νὰ τοὺς πειράξῃ τίποτες.
Πέμπτον· Προστάζει ἡ Βασιλεία μου εἰς τοὺς και δῆδες καὶ οὐλεμάδες τῶν Σιδηροκαυσίων, ὅτι ὅταν τελειωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν μοναστήριον, νὰ πηγαίνουν δέκα οἱ ἐξαιρετώτεροι ἀπ ̓ αὐτῶν μαζὴ μὲ τὸν ῥηθέντα ἐπιστάτην τῆς οἰκοδομῆς Ἠμπραΐμ ἀγὰν τῆς ὑψηλοτάτης πόρτας ἡμῶν καὶ νὰ γράψουν τὰ σύνορα ὅλα τοῦ ῥηθέντος μοναστηρίου, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὰ σύνορα τῶν μετοχίων καὶ τζεφθηλικίων καὶ μετὰ βούλλας αὐτῶν νὰ βουλωθῇ ὁ συνορλαμὰς τοῦ μοναστηρίου, νὰ εἶναι παντοτινὰ κτήματα καὶ βακούφια τοῦ μοναστηρίου, μέσα εἰς τὰ ὁποῖα σύνορα ἄλλος ἕνας νὰ μὴν ἔχῃ μετοχήν.
Ἕκτον· Διὰ μεσιτείας τοῦ πιστοῦ δούλου τῆς Βασι λείας μου Γεωργίου τοῦ φλαμπουραρίου τῶν τοῦ Μωρέως σπαχήδων ἐβεβαίωσεν ἡ Βασιλεία μου τὸ χατησερίφι τοῦ ἥρωος ἐκείνου σουλτὰν Γιαὺς Μουράτ, τὸ ὁποῖον εἰδόντες ἐπαινέσαμεν καὶ ἐθαυμάσαμεν τὴν καλὴν προαίρεσιν ἐκείνου τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ὁποῦ ἔκαμεν εἰς ὅλους τοὺς Ἁγιορείτας· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς μὲ ὁρι σμὸν τῆς Βασιλείας μας τὸ βεβαιώνομεν, ὅσα διαλαμβάνει δηλαδὴ νὰ εἶναι βέβαια καὶ ἀμετάπτωτα.
Ἑβδομον· Διακρίνασα ἡ περὶ τὴν Βασιλείαν μου σύγκλητος καὶ ἡμεῖς τὴν ἔκβασιν τῶν ὁραθέντων ἡμῖν πραγμάτων, ὅτι θεϊκὴ θέλησις ἦτον νὰ δοθῇ ὁ παρὼν ἱερὸς ὁρισμός, εἴπομεν τοῖς ῥηθεῖσι ῥουχμπάνιδες· ἐπειδὴ διὰ τὴν χάριν τῶν ἁγίων εὑρήκατε καὶ ἐσεῖς τὴν χάριν ἔμπροσθέν μας, ζητήσατε τινὰ χάριν, τὴν ὁποῖαν χρειάζεται ἡ μονή σας πρὸς τὴν αὐτῆς σύστασιν· αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐζήτησαν παρ' ἡμῶν τοῦτο· ἵνα εἴ τις τῶν μοναχῶν τῆς μονῆς ταύτης τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου, ἀφ ̓ οὗ φορέσῃ τὰ μαῦρα ῥούχα εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ μοναστήρι καὶ μετὰ καιρὸν φύγῃ καὶ ὑπάγῃ εἰς ἄλλο μοναστήρι, νὰ τζερετίζεται ἐκεῖνο τὸ μοναστήρι, ὁποῦ ἤθελε δεχθῆ τὸν Ξηροποταμινὸν καλόγηρον τζερεμὲ εἰς τὸν ἀγὰν τοῦ τόπου ἑκατὸν γρόσια, διατί ἠθέτησε τὴν βασιλικήν μου παραγγελίαν καὶ τὸν Ξηροπο ταμινὸν καλόγηρον νὰ τὸν γυρίσουν ὀπίσω εἰς τοῦ Ξη ροποτάμου.
Ὄγδοον· Πρὸς τούτοις παρεκάλεσάν μας λέγοντες· ὑμεῖς ὦ βασιλεῦ πολυχρονημένε, καθὼς μᾶς προστάζουν τὰ βιβλία μας, ὅταν πηγαίνομεν εἰς τὸ μοναστήρι, τάζομεν ἔμπροσθεν εἰς τὸν Θεὸν μὲ ἀνθρώπους μάρτυρας, ὅτι ὅσον ζήσωμεν, νὰ εἴμεσθεν σκλάβοι παντοτινοὶ τοῦ μοναστηρίου καὶ μετὰ θάνατον, καθὼς κληρονομᾷ ἕνας αὐθέντης ὅ, τι πρᾶγμα ἔχει ὁ σκλάβος του, ἔτζη νὰ κληρονομᾷ καὶ τὸ μοναστήρι μας τοὺς μοναχούς του ὁπόταν τελευτήσωσιν· ὅμως εἶναι τινὲς συγγενεῖς ἢ γονεῖς ἡμῶν ὁποῦ δὲν φυλάττουσι τὸν νόμον μας καὶ θέλουσι μετὰ θάνατον ἡμῶν νὰ μᾶς κληρονομοῦσι, καὶ σιμὰ εἰς τὴν περιουσίαν τὴν ἐδικήν μας ἁρπάζουσιν ἀδίκως καὶ τοῦ μοναστηρίου τὰ πράγματα καὶ ἀδικοῦσι τὸ μοναστήρι μας, καὶ ἄλλος νὰ μὴν ἔχῃ νὰ κάμῃ εἰς αὐτό.
Ἔννατον· Αὖθις καὶ εἰς τοῦτο διακελεύεται ἡ Βασιλεία μου ὅτι εὑρέθῃ εἰς μὲν τοῦ ῥηθέντος ἥρωος τῶν ̓Ὀθομανῶν, μακαρίτου λέγω σουλτάν Γιαούζ Μουράτη (οὗ ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ψυχὴν ἀναπαύσοι) τὸ χατησερίφι, ὅτι τοὺς μοναχοὺς ἁπλῶς τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους νὰ μὴν τοὺς κληρονομᾷ μήτε πετελμαζής, μήτε μανιγκουφάτης, μήτε ἄλλος τις τῶν ἀξιωματικῶν μουσουλμάνων, ἡ δὲ Βασιλεία μου καὶ αὖθις προστάζει, ὅτι τοὺς μοναχοὺς ἁπλῶς ὅλου τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐξῆς νὰ μὴν τολμήσῃ τινὰς μουσουλμάνος νὰ κληρονομήσῃ μήτε πατὴρ μήτε μήτηρ τοῦ τεθνεότος Ἁγιορείτου μοναχοῦ, ἢ καὶ ἄλλος τις αὐτοῦ συγγενὴς πάρεξ τὸ μοναστήρι ὁποῦ τὸν εἶχεν, ἐκεῖνο καὶ νὰ κληρονομῇ ὅλην τὴν περιουσίαν αὐτοῦ, ἐπειδὴ ἀτός του ἰδίῳ στόματι ἔτζη ἔταξεν ἔμπροσθεν εἰς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πρέπει νὰ φυλάττῃ τινὰς ἐκεῖνα, ὁποῦ εὐγέουν ἀπὸ τὸ στόμα του.
Δέκατον· Προστάσσει ἡ Βασιλεία μου, ὅτι τὸ παρὸν χατησερίφι μου νὰ φυλάττεται μέσα εἰς τὸ μοναστήρι τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου καὶ ὅταν χρειασθοῦν εἰς τινα κρίσιν νὰ τὸ μεταχειρισθοῦν οἱ μοναχοὶ ταύτης τῆς μονῆς, νὰ εὐγάζουσιν εἰς τὴν κρίσιν τὸ σουρέτι τοῦ παρόντος χατησεριφίου, καὶ μὲ ἐκεῖνο νὰ λαμβάνωσιν ἀπὸ τὴν κρίσιν τὸ δικαίωμα, ὁποῦ ζητοῦσιν οἱ πτωχοὶ τοῦτοι ῥουχμπάνιδες, διὰ νὰ μὴν τοὺς ἀδικήσῃ τινὰς ἀβάνης καὶ τὸ εὐγάλῃ ἀπὸ τὰ χέρια τους, καὶ ζημιωθοῦν τὸ ἔλεός μου οἱ πτωχοί.
Ταῦτα μὲν ἀποφαίνεται ἡ Βασιλεία μου, νὰ εἶναι βέβαια καὶ ἀμετάπτωτα· ἐν ὅσῳ μὲν περίειμι τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ, τιμωρηθήσεται παρ ̓ ἐμοῦ μεγάλας τιμωρίας καὶ βασάνους φρικτάς, μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐμὴν τελευτὴν (ἀνάγκη γάρ μοι, και θὸ ἄνθρωπον τὸ χρεὼν λειτουργῆσαι) τὸν ἀνατρέψαντά τι ἐκ τῶν εὐεργετηθέντων μοι πάντων ἐν τῷ παρόντι χατησεριφίῳ καὶ βάρος τι ἢ ἐνόχλησιν τοῖς εἰρημένοις τούτοις πτωχοῖς μοναχοῖς ἐπιτεθέντα, τὸν τοιοῦτον μουσουλμάνον, ὁποίας ἀξίας καὶ ἂν εἴη, ὡς φθορέα καὶ ἀφανιστὴν τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης τῆς Βασιλείας ἡμῶν κεχωρισμένον ἔχομεν τῆς ἰδίας του γυναικὸς καὶ ἀλλότριον τῆς πίστεως τῶν μουσουλμάνων, ἐπιμένοντα δὲ τῇ ἀνατροπῇ ταύτῃ τοῦ παρόντος ἡμῶν χα» τησεριφίου καὶ τῷ αἰωνίῳ αὐτὸν ἀναθέματι παραπέμπομεν. Ἔτει ακ' μαρτίου θ' ἐξεδώθη ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου.
Ἡγεμὼν τῶν ἐνδόξων ἡγεμόνων, μεγάλε τῶν συνετῶν μεγάλων, ἐξουσιαστὰ δυνάμεως καὶ δόξης καὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑψίστου βοηθείᾳ καὶ χάριτι ἴδιε πασιὰ τῆς μεγαλοπόλεως Θεσσαλονίκης, ̓Αλὴ πασιά, αἰωνιζέσθω σοῦ ἡ δόξα, καὶ τῶν μουσουλμάνων κριτῶν ἴδιε τῇ θείᾳ χάριτι καὶ βοηθείᾳ καδὴ τῶν Σιδηροκαυσίων ἀπὸ τὴν τῆς Ῥούμελης ναχαγιὰν Μεχμέτ ἐφέντης, αὐξηνθείη σοῦ ἡ ἀρετή, καὶ τῶν οὐλεμάδων ἐναρετώτεροι καὶ ἀξιωματικοὶ τῶν μουχαμετλήδων, αὐξηνθείη ἡ δόξα πάντων ὑμῶν.
Ἐρχομένου τοῦ παρόντος βασιλικοῦ καὶ ὑψηλοῦ μας ὁρισμοῦ γνωστὸν ἔστω πᾶσιν ὑμῖν, ὅτι μετὰ πολλοὺς ἐκείνους κόπους καὶ μετὰ τοσαύτην ποταμηδὸν αἱματοχυσίαν καὶ τοὺς φρικτοὺς ἐκείνους πολέμους τῶν Τζερκέζων καὶ ̓Αράβων ηὐδόκησεν ὁ ὕψιστος Θεὸς νὰ χαρίσῃ εἰς ἡμᾶς τὴν νίκην καὶ νὰ μᾶς κάμῃ τοὺς ὑπερτέρους τῶν πολεμίων καὶ ἐχθρῶν μας, καὶ νὰ προσθέσῃ εἰς τὴν Βασιλείαν μας καὶ τὸ βασίλειον τῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἶναι δίκαιον νὰ εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ ὑψίστῳ Θεῷ. Εὑρισκόμενοι λοιπὸν ἀκόμη εἰς τὸ Μησίρι διὰ τὴν σύστασιν ταύτης τῆς πολιτείας εἴδαμεν ὀφθαλμοφανῶς ἕνα ὄνειρον πολλὰ θαυμαστὸν καὶ μεγάλον, τεσσαράκοντα παλικάρια μεγαλόσωμα, μὲ ἅρματα ὁλόχρυσα, ὡσὰν ἀγγέλους εἰς ἀέρα τρέχοντας, καί μας ἔλεγον· ἡμεῖς εἴμεσθεν, ὦ βασιλεύ, βοηθοὶ τῶν Ὀθομανῶν καὶ συνεργοὶ τῆς νίκης κατὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου, καὶ διὰ νὰ μᾶς ἀνταμείψῃς εἰς τὸ καλόν, ὁποῦ σᾶς ἐκάμαμεν, κατὰ τὴν αὔριον θέλουν ἔλθει κάποιοι ἐρημίται ῥουχμπάνιδες, νὰ ζητήσουν θέλημα ἀπὸ τὴν Βασιλείαν σου, εἰς τὸ νὰ ἀνακαινίσουν τὸ σπῆτί μας, ὁποῦ ἔχει μέσα εἰς τοῦ λόγου του τὰ λείψανά μας, καὶ λοιπὸν ἂν ἀγαπᾶς, νὰ μᾶς ἔχῃς φίλους καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἄλλους καιρούς, πρέπει ὄχι μοναχά, νὰ τοὺς δώσῃς θέλημα νὰ κτίσουν τὸ σπῆτί μας, ἀλλὰ καὶ νὰ τοὺς φιλοδωρήσῃς μὲ βασιλικὰς φιλοδωρίας· ἡ Βασιλεία μου λοιπὸν ἐκθαμβουμένη εἰς αὐτὰ καὶ ἀμφιβάλλουσα περὶ τούτων, τί ἂν εἴη τὰ ὁραθέντα μοι, ἐμήνυσα, καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ σοφώτατος κατὰ βάθος τῶν σοφῶν καὶ ἐναρέτων σεχουλισλάμης μουφτής Σουλεημάνης (οὗ ὁ Θεὸς νὰ διαιωνίζῃ τὰς ἀρετάς) καὶ τοῦ ἐδιηγήθηκα ἅπαντα, ὅσα εἶδα, λέγοντάς του νὰ μοῦ ἐξηγήσῃ τὸ ὄνειρον (ἂν πρέπει νὰ ὀνομάσῃ τινὰς καὶ τοῦτο ἕνα ὄνειρον). Ὄστις ἀκούσας τὴν ἐμὴν διήγησιν, εἶπε· γίγνωσκε, πολυ χρονημένε βασιλεῦ, ὅτι αὐτὰ ὁποῦ μου διηγῆσαι , δὲν εἶναι ὄνειρον, ἀλλὰ εἶναι ἕνα φρικτὸν θαῦμα, ὁποῦ μᾶς ἐφανέρωσεν ὁ Θεός, διατὶ ταύτην τὴν νύκτα καὶ ἐγὼ ταὐτὰ ἔβλεπον· ἐφάνησαν γὰρ κᾷμοὶ ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ τεσσαράκοντα στρατιῶται βαστάζοντες κοντάρια μεγάλα εἰς τὰ χέριά τους καὶ φοβερίζοντές με ἔλεγον· μὴν φανῆτε ἀχάριστοι εἰς τοὺς εὐεργέτας σας· ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον· καὶ τίνες εἶστε ἐσεῖς, κύριοί μου: οἱ δὲ ἐκεῖνοι ἀπεκρίθησαν· ἡμεῖς ἐσμὲν βοηθοὶ τῆς τῶν Ὀθομανῶν βασιλείας, οἱ καὶ πρότερον ἐκ τῆς ̓Ανατολῆς πρὸς τὴν Ῥούμελην τοὺς τεσσαράκοντα διαβιβάσαντες Οσμανλήδες, οἵτινες καὶ μὲ ἀκροβολισμὸν τῶν λίθων τὸ Αἠμπὰς ὀνομαζόμενον κάστρον ἐκυρίευσαν καὶ τώρα πάλιν σας έβοηθήσαμεν εἰς ὅλους τοὺς μεγάλους πολέμους καὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σας ἐνικήσατε καὶ ὅλον τὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου βασίλειον ἐκυριεύσατε. Ταῦτα τούτου διηγουμένου παρεγένετο πρὸς ἡμᾶς διά τινα χρείαν καὶ ὁ ὑπέρτατος ἐπίτροπος τῆς Βασιλείας ἡμῶν. ὁ ἔνδοξος βεζήρης μας Μουσταφὰ μπασὰς (οὗ ὁ Θεὸς νὰ διαιωνίζῃ τὴν δόξαν) καὶ ἀκούσας τὴν ἡμῶν διήγησιν, συνέθετο καὶ αὐτὸς τὰ αὐτὰ ἡμῖν λέγων· ὅτι ἐγὼ πολεμῶντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τῆς Βασιλείας σου εἰς τὴν Γάζαν καὶ κατὰ κράτος ἡττηθεὶς εἶδον τεσσαράκοντα στρατιώτας, οἵτινες εἰς τέλος νικήσαντες τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν, ἠλευθέρωσαν ἡμᾶς τῶν δεινῶν, οἵτινες καὶ ἐκ τῆς Γάζης ἕως ὧδε ἠκόλούθουν μὲ τὸν πιστὸν δοῦλον τῆς Βασιλείας σου, τὸν τοῦ Μωρέως φλαμπουράριον Γεώργιον, οὕστινας καὶ συνοδίαν τοῦ ῥηθέντος φλαμπουραρίου εἶναι ἐνόμιζον· ταύτην δὲ τὴν νύκτα αὐτοὶ ἴδιοι ἐφάνηκαν καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ λέγοντες· αὔριον νὰ κάμετε τὴν πρέπουσαν ἀντιμισθίαν εἰς τὸ σπῆτι ὁποῦ μᾶς ἔχει, διὰ τὴν συμμαχίαν ὁποῦ ἐδείξαμεν εἰς τὸ τῶν Ὀθομανῶν γένος, διὰ νὰ κυριεύσῃ τὸ βασίλειον τοῦτο τῆς Αἰγύπτου· Τούτων τοίνυν λαλουμένων καὶ διαπορουμένων ἡμῶν, ὁποῖον ἆρα εἴη τὸ τῶν ̓Αζὴς κηρκλάρ ὁοπήτιον, κατὰ θέλησιν θείαν ἐγένετο παρὼν καὶ ὁ ῥηθεὶς πιστὸς δοῦλος τῆς Βασιλείας μου μὲ τινὰς ἐρημίτας μοναχούς, οἵτινες ἐδώκασιν ἡμῖν ἀναφορὰς καὶ ἀρζηλάλια παρὰ τοῦ ἐνδοξοτάτου μας πασᾶ τῆς Θεσσαλονίκης καὶ ἀπὸ τὸν καδὴν καὶ ἀπὸ τοὺς οὐλεμάδες τῶν Σιδηροκαυσίων, τὰ ὁποῖα διελάμβανον, ὅτι ἀπὸ τὰ εἴκοσι μοναστήρια τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους τὸ ἕνα, ὀνομαζόμενον τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου, συνέβη ἀπὸ μεγάλην πυρκαϊὰν νὰ καῇ παντελῶς καὶ νὰ κρεμνισθῇ ὅλον. ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες ἡμεῖς ἔγνωμεν ὁποῖον σπῆτι θέλουσι νὰ ἀνακαινισθῇ μὲ τὴν θέλησιν καὶ ἄδειαν τῆς Βασιλείας μου οἱ τεσσαράκοντα στρατιῶται· καὶ ἐν ταὐτῷ ἔδωκε φεθφὰν ὁ προῤῥηθεὶς ἡμῶν μουφτὴς ούτωσὶ λέγων. „ὁ τόπος ὁποῦ ἀναγιγνώσκεται τὸ ἱερὸν εὐαγγέλιον, ὅταν συμβῇ νὰ καῇ ἢ νὰ χαλάσῃ, πάλιν νὰ ἀνακαινίζεται· λοιπὸν καὶ τὸ κατὰ τὸ Ἅγιον Ὄρος μοναστήριον τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου ὀναμαζόμενον, ἐπειδὴ ἐσυνέβη νὰ καῇ καὶ νὰ χαλάσῃ ὅλον ἀπὸ τὴν μεγάλην πυρκαϊάν, εἶναι τοῦ νόμου, ὅτι πάλιν νὰ ἀνακαινίζεται ὅλον κατὰ τὴν πρώτην του στάσιν.“ τοιγαροῦν ἡ Βασιλεία μου βουλομένη νὰ πληρώσῃ τὴν εὐχαριστίαν εἰς τοὺς βοηθοὺς καὶ εὐεργέτας αὐτῆς, ὁποῦ δικαίως ταύτην χάριν ἐζήτησαν διὰ τὴν πολλὴν βοήθειαν, ὁποῦ ἐγνώρισε πολλάκις τὸ γένος ἡμῶν ἀπὸ τοὺς ῥηθέντας τεσσαράκοντα μάρτυρας, προστάζει καὶ διορίζει εἰς ὅλον τὸ ὑπήκοον ταῦτα·
Πρῶτον· Τὸ κατὰ τὸ Ἅγιον Ὄρος μοναστήριον τῶν Αζὴς κηρκλάρ, τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου ὀνομαζόμενον, νὰ τὸ ἀνακαινίσουν ὅλον οἱ ἐν αὐτῷ μοναχοὶ μὲ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν του ὅλην καὶ ὅλην του τὴν περιοχήν, καὶ διὰ νὰ μὴν πειράζεται ἀπὸ κακοὺς ἀνθρώπους διὰ τὴν ἐρημίαν τοῦ τόπου, νὰ γένουν τὰ τειχόκαστρά του ὑψηλὰ μὲ μπεδένια καὶ μὲ τέσσαρας πύργους ὁλόγυρα, καὶ μὲ σιδηρόπορταις στερεαῖς, διὰ νὰ μὴν κακοπατῆται ἀπὸ κακοὺς ἀνθρώπους.
Δεύτερον. Δίδομεν ἔξοδα εἰς τὸν ἔνδοξον ἀγὰν τῆς ὑψηλοτάτης ἡμῶν πόρτας καὶ ἐπιστάτην τοῦ παρόντος ἀνακαινισμοῦ Ἠμπραΐμ ἀγάν, ὅτι νὰ ἀγοράσῃ εἴκοσιν ἐργαστήρια ἐντὸς Σιδηροκαυσίων, καὶ νὰ τὰ κάμῃ βακούφιει) εἰς τὸ ῥηθὲν μοναστήριον, ἀπὸ τὰ ὁποῖα πέρνοντες οἱ μοναχοὶ τὰ ἐνοίκια καὶ εἰσοδήματα αὐτῶν, νὰ καίουσι σαράντα κανδήλια ἀκοίμητα ἀπάνω εἰς τὰ λείψανα τῶν ἁγίων Τεσσαράκοντα, τῶν βοηθῶν τῆς Βασιλείας μου.
Τρίτον· Ὅσον τόπον βλέπει τὸ μοναστήρι τῶν Τεσσαράκοντα ἀπὸ τὰ τέσσαρά του μέρη, ὅλον τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον νὰ τὸν ὁρίζῃ καὶ νὰ εἶναι βακούφι καὶ ἀφιέρωμα παντοτινὸν εἰς τὸ ῥηθὲν μοναστήριον τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου.
Τέταρτον. Κάμνει ψυχικὴν αὐτῆς ἐλεημοσύνην ἡ Βασιλεία μου, ὅσοι ῥουχμπάνιδες καὶ μοναχοὶ κατοικοῦν μέσα εἰς τοῦτο τὸ μοναστήρι τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου, τοὺς ἔχει μὰφ μουσελίμηδαςτε), νὰ μὴν πληρώνουσι μηδένα δόσιμον βασιλικόν, μήτε γερκακί μήτε συνδοσίαις μήτε χαράτζη ἔξω ἀπὸ ἐκείνους ὁποῦ ἐξέρχονται εἰς τὰς πολιτείας διὰ ἀλισβερίσι, ἐκεῖνοι μόνον νὰ πληρώνουσιν ἀπὸ ἕνα φλορὶ χαράτζη καὶ ὄχι περισσότερον, οἱ δὲ ὅσοι καὶ ἂν κάθωνται μέσα εἰς τὸ μοναστήρι νὰ μὴν πληρώνουσι κανένα δόσιμον, ἀλλὰ μήτε νὰ ἔχῃ τινὰς μουσουλμάνος ἐξουσίαν, (νὰ) εἰσέβῃ μέσα εἰς τὸ μοναστήρι καὶ νὰ τοὺς πειράξῃ τίποτες.
Πέμπτον· Προστάζει ἡ Βασιλεία μου εἰς τοὺς και δῆδες καὶ οὐλεμάδες τῶν Σιδηροκαυσίων, ὅτι ὅταν τελειωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν μοναστήριον, νὰ πηγαίνουν δέκα οἱ ἐξαιρετώτεροι ἀπ ̓ αὐτῶν μαζὴ μὲ τὸν ῥηθέντα ἐπιστάτην τῆς οἰκοδομῆς Ἠμπραΐμ ἀγὰν τῆς ὑψηλοτάτης πόρτας ἡμῶν καὶ νὰ γράψουν τὰ σύνορα ὅλα τοῦ ῥηθέντος μοναστηρίου, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὰ σύνορα τῶν μετοχίων καὶ τζεφθηλικίων καὶ μετὰ βούλλας αὐτῶν νὰ βουλωθῇ ὁ συνορλαμὰς τοῦ μοναστηρίου, νὰ εἶναι παντοτινὰ κτήματα καὶ βακούφια τοῦ μοναστηρίου, μέσα εἰς τὰ ὁποῖα σύνορα ἄλλος ἕνας νὰ μὴν ἔχῃ μετοχήν.
Ἕκτον· Διὰ μεσιτείας τοῦ πιστοῦ δούλου τῆς Βασι λείας μου Γεωργίου τοῦ φλαμπουραρίου τῶν τοῦ Μωρέως σπαχήδων ἐβεβαίωσεν ἡ Βασιλεία μου τὸ χατησερίφι τοῦ ἥρωος ἐκείνου σουλτὰν Γιαὺς Μουράτ, τὸ ὁποῖον εἰδόντες ἐπαινέσαμεν καὶ ἐθαυμάσαμεν τὴν καλὴν προαίρεσιν ἐκείνου τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ὁποῦ ἔκαμεν εἰς ὅλους τοὺς Ἁγιορείτας· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς μὲ ὁρι σμὸν τῆς Βασιλείας μας τὸ βεβαιώνομεν, ὅσα διαλαμβάνει δηλαδὴ νὰ εἶναι βέβαια καὶ ἀμετάπτωτα.
Ἑβδομον· Διακρίνασα ἡ περὶ τὴν Βασιλείαν μου σύγκλητος καὶ ἡμεῖς τὴν ἔκβασιν τῶν ὁραθέντων ἡμῖν πραγμάτων, ὅτι θεϊκὴ θέλησις ἦτον νὰ δοθῇ ὁ παρὼν ἱερὸς ὁρισμός, εἴπομεν τοῖς ῥηθεῖσι ῥουχμπάνιδες· ἐπειδὴ διὰ τὴν χάριν τῶν ἁγίων εὑρήκατε καὶ ἐσεῖς τὴν χάριν ἔμπροσθέν μας, ζητήσατε τινὰ χάριν, τὴν ὁποῖαν χρειάζεται ἡ μονή σας πρὸς τὴν αὐτῆς σύστασιν· αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐζήτησαν παρ' ἡμῶν τοῦτο· ἵνα εἴ τις τῶν μοναχῶν τῆς μονῆς ταύτης τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου, ἀφ ̓ οὗ φορέσῃ τὰ μαῦρα ῥούχα εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ μοναστήρι καὶ μετὰ καιρὸν φύγῃ καὶ ὑπάγῃ εἰς ἄλλο μοναστήρι, νὰ τζερετίζεται ἐκεῖνο τὸ μοναστήρι, ὁποῦ ἤθελε δεχθῆ τὸν Ξηροποταμινὸν καλόγηρον τζερεμὲ εἰς τὸν ἀγὰν τοῦ τόπου ἑκατὸν γρόσια, διατί ἠθέτησε τὴν βασιλικήν μου παραγγελίαν καὶ τὸν Ξηροπο ταμινὸν καλόγηρον νὰ τὸν γυρίσουν ὀπίσω εἰς τοῦ Ξη ροποτάμου.
Ὄγδοον· Πρὸς τούτοις παρεκάλεσάν μας λέγοντες· ὑμεῖς ὦ βασιλεῦ πολυχρονημένε, καθὼς μᾶς προστάζουν τὰ βιβλία μας, ὅταν πηγαίνομεν εἰς τὸ μοναστήρι, τάζομεν ἔμπροσθεν εἰς τὸν Θεὸν μὲ ἀνθρώπους μάρτυρας, ὅτι ὅσον ζήσωμεν, νὰ εἴμεσθεν σκλάβοι παντοτινοὶ τοῦ μοναστηρίου καὶ μετὰ θάνατον, καθὼς κληρονομᾷ ἕνας αὐθέντης ὅ, τι πρᾶγμα ἔχει ὁ σκλάβος του, ἔτζη νὰ κληρονομᾷ καὶ τὸ μοναστήρι μας τοὺς μοναχούς του ὁπόταν τελευτήσωσιν· ὅμως εἶναι τινὲς συγγενεῖς ἢ γονεῖς ἡμῶν ὁποῦ δὲν φυλάττουσι τὸν νόμον μας καὶ θέλουσι μετὰ θάνατον ἡμῶν νὰ μᾶς κληρονομοῦσι, καὶ σιμὰ εἰς τὴν περιουσίαν τὴν ἐδικήν μας ἁρπάζουσιν ἀδίκως καὶ τοῦ μοναστηρίου τὰ πράγματα καὶ ἀδικοῦσι τὸ μοναστήρι μας, καὶ ἄλλος νὰ μὴν ἔχῃ νὰ κάμῃ εἰς αὐτό.
Ἔννατον· Αὖθις καὶ εἰς τοῦτο διακελεύεται ἡ Βασιλεία μου ὅτι εὑρέθῃ εἰς μὲν τοῦ ῥηθέντος ἥρωος τῶν ̓Ὀθομανῶν, μακαρίτου λέγω σουλτάν Γιαούζ Μουράτη (οὗ ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ψυχὴν ἀναπαύσοι) τὸ χατησερίφι, ὅτι τοὺς μοναχοὺς ἁπλῶς τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους νὰ μὴν τοὺς κληρονομᾷ μήτε πετελμαζής, μήτε μανιγκουφάτης, μήτε ἄλλος τις τῶν ἀξιωματικῶν μουσουλμάνων, ἡ δὲ Βασιλεία μου καὶ αὖθις προστάζει, ὅτι τοὺς μοναχοὺς ἁπλῶς ὅλου τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐξῆς νὰ μὴν τολμήσῃ τινὰς μουσουλμάνος νὰ κληρονομήσῃ μήτε πατὴρ μήτε μήτηρ τοῦ τεθνεότος Ἁγιορείτου μοναχοῦ, ἢ καὶ ἄλλος τις αὐτοῦ συγγενὴς πάρεξ τὸ μοναστήρι ὁποῦ τὸν εἶχεν, ἐκεῖνο καὶ νὰ κληρονομῇ ὅλην τὴν περιουσίαν αὐτοῦ, ἐπειδὴ ἀτός του ἰδίῳ στόματι ἔτζη ἔταξεν ἔμπροσθεν εἰς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πρέπει νὰ φυλάττῃ τινὰς ἐκεῖνα, ὁποῦ εὐγέουν ἀπὸ τὸ στόμα του.
Δέκατον· Προστάσσει ἡ Βασιλεία μου, ὅτι τὸ παρὸν χατησερίφι μου νὰ φυλάττεται μέσα εἰς τὸ μοναστήρι τοῦ Ξηροποτάμου καὶ ὅταν χρειασθοῦν εἰς τινα κρίσιν νὰ τὸ μεταχειρισθοῦν οἱ μοναχοὶ ταύτης τῆς μονῆς, νὰ εὐγάζουσιν εἰς τὴν κρίσιν τὸ σουρέτι τοῦ παρόντος χατησεριφίου, καὶ μὲ ἐκεῖνο νὰ λαμβάνωσιν ἀπὸ τὴν κρίσιν τὸ δικαίωμα, ὁποῦ ζητοῦσιν οἱ πτωχοὶ τοῦτοι ῥουχμπάνιδες, διὰ νὰ μὴν τοὺς ἀδικήσῃ τινὰς ἀβάνης καὶ τὸ εὐγάλῃ ἀπὸ τὰ χέρια τους, καὶ ζημιωθοῦν τὸ ἔλεός μου οἱ πτωχοί.
Ταῦτα μὲν ἀποφαίνεται ἡ Βασιλεία μου, νὰ εἶναι βέβαια καὶ ἀμετάπτωτα· ἐν ὅσῳ μὲν περίειμι τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ, τιμωρηθήσεται παρ ̓ ἐμοῦ μεγάλας τιμωρίας καὶ βασάνους φρικτάς, μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐμὴν τελευτὴν (ἀνάγκη γάρ μοι, και θὸ ἄνθρωπον τὸ χρεὼν λειτουργῆσαι) τὸν ἀνατρέψαντά τι ἐκ τῶν εὐεργετηθέντων μοι πάντων ἐν τῷ παρόντι χατησεριφίῳ καὶ βάρος τι ἢ ἐνόχλησιν τοῖς εἰρημένοις τούτοις πτωχοῖς μοναχοῖς ἐπιτεθέντα, τὸν τοιοῦτον μουσουλμάνον, ὁποίας ἀξίας καὶ ἂν εἴη, ὡς φθορέα καὶ ἀφανιστὴν τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης τῆς Βασιλείας ἡμῶν κεχωρισμένον ἔχομεν τῆς ἰδίας του γυναικὸς καὶ ἀλλότριον τῆς πίστεως τῶν μουσουλμάνων, ἐπιμένοντα δὲ τῇ ἀνατροπῇ ταύτῃ τοῦ παρόντος ἡμῶν χα» τησεριφίου καὶ τῷ αἰωνίῳ αὐτὸν ἀναθέματι παραπέμπομεν. Ἔτει ακ' μαρτίου θ' ἐξεδώθη ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου.
