'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎4] (553/1024)

4 A Relation of the Grand Scignors Seraglio.
but two ol them , and the thing is worthy our Obkivaticn. VVhtn
march, the Grand Seigncr gives Order iorthe drawing uy thole Trccp which a 1 °
Conilantwcfk^ and the parts adjacent, and having the Grand G^rncnr him he
hiiii to them for their General. 1 he Souldiers, at that time, fay not a word nor?
they make the ordinary falute, till after the Grand Seigndr has caus’d one plume? 0
Heron-tops to be taken out of his Turbant, a nd to beput upon that of the Grand V' 12
and upon that*Gcremony, the whole Army faluteshim, and acknowledge him? 5
tkeir General, and from that very time are to receive their Pay from him. ° r
' Having fpoken of the Bajfas in general, it is requifitc I flicuid give feme Idea cf
thofe who are advanc’d to the principal Charges cf the Impire , and 1 ftall hrir
into that Lift, the Grand Vizir, accompany’d by fix others, W'ho have the quality J
Vizirs, the Caimacan, the Baffa of the Sea, and the Agacfthe Janizaries-, after Whcm
I fhall come down to the Beglkrbeys, and to the Sangiacbeys, and to the BojJ'angi-bacbi
who has one of the moft eminent Charges of the Port. 5
The Vi zir-Azem, or Grand Vizit, is the Lieutenant-General of the Empire, and of
The Honours ^ Armies, the principal Peilon of the Council, and he who, under the 3 Grand
and Difadvan- Seignor’s Orders, has the abfolute difpfoalof all Affaris, relating to the State otto
tages attending the War, having in his cuftody the Imperial Seal. He is attended by, and has
Grand Vizir a ®^ ant to f n ^e Divan, fix Other Vizirs, whom they call Vizirs of the bench
and who are properly Gcunfellors of State, but yet fuch as have not any deliberative
voice, and come not into the Divan, but only to be confulted upon iome point of
Law, wherein they are well skill’d, without intermcdling With the government
of the State 5 or concerning rhcmfelves in any Affair, unlefs their advice be requir'd.
There are alfo five Begkrbeys , on whom the Grand Seignor beftoWs the qualifi
cation of Vizirs, and are poflefs’d of the greateft anh wealthieft Governments of the
Empire, to Wit, the Bajjas of Babylon, Cairo, Buda, Natalia and Romania. The three
former, who are the three principal, had heretofore the priviledge (exclufively to
all the other Baffa's ) of having caricd before them (in the fame manner as the Gmi
Vizir had) the three Horfe-tay Is, of which I have related the Story. But at the pre-
fent, that priviledge extends to the two other Baffa’s of Natalia and Romania, and they
are all five equal, as to that point.
I am now to return to the Grand Vizir, who has a magnificent Court, anfwerable
to the greatnefs of the Mafter, whom he ierves, and there are in his houfe above
two^ thoufand Domefticks. Though he lyes expos’d, as Well as the other Baps, to
the indignation of the Prince, and forced to fend himnis Head, when herequireskj
yet does the Grand Seignor, in the Affairs of greareft importance, and fuch as con
cern the State, comply much with the Sentiments of his Grand Vizir, and his Propofiti-
ons in Council are as fb many definitive Sentences. TTisthat which renders bis
Power fo ablolute , that in all the Empires and Kingdoms of the World , there is
not any chief Minifter of State whofe Authority can be parallel’d to that of thcGrad
Vizir. ' Whoever comes to make him a Vifit, herifes notout of his Chair, either to
give him a reception, or to conduft him out again, unlefs it be the Mufti, who is the
principal Perfon relating to the Law ( of Mahomet) upon whofe accefs,the Grand Seig
nor himfelf rifes from his Throne. But this particularly worth our obfervation,
That as it belongs only to the Grand Vizir, topropofe all Affairs of importance^ fq
does it concern him to be very careful, not to advance any thing that may bedil-
pleafing to the Grand Seignor 5 for if it fhould fb happen, he gives immediate Order
for the ftrangling of him, without making him any anfwer atall, upon thisMaxintf
of the Ottoman Court, that there muft not be any thing propos’d to the Prince, which
may give him any caufe of dilfatisfaTion.
A Priviledge The Caimacan is the Captain, and Governour of the City of Conftantinople, Lieutc-
particular to nant to the Grand Vizir, yet fo as not to have any Authority, but only in his abfence j
the Caimacan. And then he performs all the fundtions of that important Charge; he has the abfolute
Command and gives Audienceto Ambaffadors. He is not fubjedf, asthe other
fas are, to that rigorous ncceffity of refigning his Head ; upon this account, that if he
does any thing. Which may be difplcafing to the Grand Seignor, he lays the blame
thereof upon the Grand Vizir, from whom he receives his Orders. ,
The BaffaoftbeSeais the Admiral, and Captain-General of the NavalForccs. < The
Beys, Goycrnours of the Maritime Provinces, and fuch as are oblig’d to maintain tne
Gi a. id Seignor’sGaUcys in good order, are to obey the Commands they receive item
him, and to go to Sea upon the firft ad vertifement they receive to that purpofe. f m