'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.' [‎36] (585/1024)

r-
The Grand ■
Stignofs
Jhrbnc,
the ?namier •
receiving the
AmbaJJadors,
A Relation of the Grand Seignors Serag^ioT ** 5
ot a Wall, the Water whereof is receiv’d into two Balins or CiftcrnTT^^ ■
in this Appartment that die Hall of Audience hands. ’Tis an arched Strud^ 1 '
noble enough in its kind, fuftain’d by Marble Pillars, and there is yet to be i een fe
the midfl of it, a ftnall ipout of Water, which falls into a Bafm. This Hall i s 000°
1 of all iides, and at the lower end, oppofite to the Gate, they place the Grand $ek
hor’s Throne. i
This Throne, which is rich enough is in the banner cf an Altar, and it"
brought into that Hall only upon thofe days , whereon the Grand Seignor t
Willing to give Audience to Ambafladors, and when the new Cham of the Leder
T: an ary ^ whom he has chofen to govern there, comes to receive the Inveliiture 0 f
his Kingdom, and to take the accuftomed Oath. T he back-fide of the Throne
is let again!]:, a partition eredted for that purpofe, which is not above h a ]( I
foot higher than it, and ’tis that keeps in the cuihions which are behind the Grand
Seignor.
There are in the Treafury-Chamber eight feveral very fumptuoUs Coverings
purpofely made to cover the aforefaid Throne: and they are fo large, that they
reach down to the ground on three hdes of it, that is to lay, before, on the right
hand, and on the left: for as to the back-part, it is, as I told yoUj faftn’dtothe
partition. The moil Magnificent of all thofe Coverings is of a black Velvet, with
an Embroydry of great Pearls, whereof fome are long, and others round, and in the
form’ of Buttons. There is another of white Velvety fet out with an tmbroydery
of Rubies and Emeral ds, mofl whereof are fet in Bcazils, or Collets, the better to
keep them in. There is a third, of a Violet-coloufd Velvet, embroyder’d with
Turquefes and Pearls. The three others, which 4re next in eflcem to thele, are
alfo of Velvets of different Colours, with a rich Embroydery of Gold. And the
two laff are of a Gold-Brokado , which have alfo their particular Beauty
and lumptuoufnefs. The Throne is adorn’d with one of thefe coverings, ac
cording to the Grand Seignor’s refpedt to the Sovereign, whofe Embany he
receives; and he levels his own Magnificence to that of the Prince whom he would
honotif. ; . . ..
f And this is the manner how the Ambafladors are received into thfcHalt For
as to the Order,- and Ceremonies of their march from the Hotel, or great Houfe
of Perra^ to the Port of Conftantinople, and from the Port, to the Seraglio, noqueftion
but there have been Relations enough made already. After the Ambaffador
has din’d in the Hall of the Divan, with the Grand Vifir, who there expeded
him, while his Retinue are entertain’d under the Gallery, upon fome old Car
pets of Leather, which they fpread upon the ground, and upon which there are
a few Difhes of Meat fet, he receives the Veils or Garments, which the Grand
Seignor fends him, as well for his own Perfon, as for thofe who Accompany
him, and they put them on immediately, over all the Cloaths they have about
them, as they would do a Morning-Gown.
In this Equipage the Ambaflador is conduced to the Hall of Audience, by
the Capi-Aga, the Grand, Maher of the Ceremonies, who is affifted by feveral
Eunuchs: and when he is ax the Door, two Vifm hand ready to receive him,
and they go on each fide of him, till he comes to the place, where he is tobowe,
and to kifs the Grand - Seignor’s Garment. From the very Gate of the Court,
kept by the Eunuchs, quite to that of the Hall, they wallc all along upon Car
pets of Silk 5 and the Floor of the Hall, though all paved with Marble, is alio
covered’ Ivkh another Carpet of Gold, the Workman!bip whereof fomewhat re-
fembles that of our ordinary Straw-Mats, and much about the fame thicknek* #
The Grand Seigqor demeans hiitifelf with a great deal of gravity, while nc is
in his Throne 5 and behind the little Wall or Partition, againft which it is let,
you fee, handing in order, the Kisler-Agafi, who is a Negro-Eunuch, and cniefc
Overfeer of the Appartment of the Women; the Seligdar-Aga, who carries tne
Grand SeignoTs Sword; the Cbokadar-Aga, who carries the Royal Robe, an
Officer whom in France they call Porte-Manteau 5 the Rtquahdar, who nolcls t
Stirrup, when the Prince gets on Horfe-back ; and the Hazadabacbi,^ cmei 0
the Chamber, which Office would be equivalent in Fram, to that of the ora
Mafler of the Wardrobe,
. . .. , V'- Ml