'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.' [‎18] (567/1024)

Mi Relation of the Grand Seignors Seraglio'
any thing elfe to be added thereto, to diftinguifh it fromthe others TiThT
but little to fay concerning the Strudhircs of it, wherein there is nor l- vc
extraordinary to be oblerv’d, but (hall rather infill upon what is private^ a ln §
in each Apartment of that great Palace. ^
The admirable . The Grand Seraglio is a vaft place inclos’d, which reaches to th-r •
ftuation Of the Land where the ancient Byzantium was built, upon the Bd, Mom of
^ Beauty and Wealth of Corfammfle. This great City, let the Wind lit w), •
will, does every hour receive feme refrefhments or other, from oneef tfitiT “
and the Seraglio advancing it felf into the Channel, which makes a comm,? 5
non between them, receives the firft Advantages that may be derived thenm'”'
It! extent, fi- That great Indofure makes a Triangle, one fide whereof is to the iJa rj
g.ure,and enter- and reaches to the City, and the two others lye open to the SeaanH , i> - 1
Which falls into it. This Triangle is unequal/and if it be diSed into
parrs, that fide towards the Land takes up three of them, and the five odT
are for the two fides abutting on the Sea. Its compafs is about three iti
Miles, or one of our common Leagues. And this Palace is furroundeda!!
with high and firong Walls, flank’d on the Sea-fide with fquare Towers a?!
confiderable diftance one from another j and towards the City, with round Tow
ers, which are at a nearer diflance one from another, from the great Gate nf
the Seraglio, which is towards St. Sophia, as far as the Sea where you Embark for"
Caiata. In thofe Towers, in the Night-time, there are Guards of the Azanwlm
to fee that no body approaches the Seraglio by Sea or Land ; and if occafion re’
quire A booklet formed of a single gathering of nested bifolia. , thev may fire fome Pieces of Artillery, which hand always loadenupona
Quay of five fathom breadth, which is carried quire A booklet formed of a single gathering of nested bifolia. about the Seraglio.
Upon one of thofe Towers, about a hundred paces from the great Gate of
the Seraglio, as you go down, in order to your paflage oyer to Galdta tfiev
have Wrought a Cloiet into which the Grand Seignor goes fometimes to
divert himfeif, and to lee People palling to and fro, without being feen him-
icir. Somewhat lower, and upon the Sea-fide, there is a fpacious place cover’d
o^ef, under whidiy as if it were in a little Haven, they keep the Qicks or
pngantines, wherein the Prince takes his divertifement by Water, when he
is pleas’d to do it.
, ^ thence. Within the inclofure of the Seraglio, are the Habitations of
thcBoftarms, Who are’ entfufted with the condtia of the Brigantines; and at a
little farther diflance, in your way to the point of the Seraglio, which is towards
Scudaret, flands the Quarter of the Boftanchhbachi, Overfeer of the Gardens of
the Seraglio, and of all the other Gardens belonging to the Grand Seignor.
The Artillery Upon the Quay, which as I told you, does fiirround the Walls of the Seraglio,
Ah 0 /cl*. r ierc // ^ orc y or fift y P l * cccs Cannon of different bignefl, and there are
ners not well or ™: 0 , 0 2 reat i a hore, that a man might get into them. Oppofite thereto^
still'd. and in the middle of the Channel^ there is a Tower built upon a Rock, which
the furky call Sfutflcr houleji, or the TWr of the Virgins. It is kept by Bpflangif,
and has its Guns levell’d with the Water, which better defend the Streight, than
thole at the point of the Seraglio, which for the moft part are without Carriages,
and unferviceable. Befides, they want good Gunners, and if all that Artillery
were well mounted, and manag’d by skilful Perfbns, it would better keep if*
awe, whatever comes out of the Mediterranian, and the Blacky Sea.
P !ea fant ^ We have ipoken fiifficiently of the external parts, ’tis time we now enter
/rammal/sit t ^ ie ^ Cla ^^ 0 3 an ^ rather confider what pafles in every Appartment of it,
dtherwife. Ehan chc Struaures thereof, wherein, as I faid, there is not any thing of Magm-
hcence, whatever fome Perfons might invent, who in my prefence, have made
noble Draughts of it, grounded on their own pure Imaginations. I have feenas
much of the Seraglio, as a Stranger could do, and I havefeen it feveral times, in
levcml Voyages, having had time enough to confider the two firft Courts, the
Divan, and the Hall of Audience, but cannot celebrate them much for any great
Beauty I could find in them. There is, I muft confefs, abundance of Marble
and Porphyry in all the Apartments*, but on the other fide, all thofe Apart
ments are confufedlyfhuffied together 5 there is no regularity at all 5 moft of tn
Rooms have but little light, and all the Ornament of them eoafifts^ip