'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.' [‎44] (593/1024)

44 Relation of the Grand Seignors Seragli
and which fome conceive to have been made for the reception and———'
meor of fome great Prince, in the time of the Greeks Emperours. enKrc ain.
l^eTurks have The who have not among them either Gravers or Painters in ord
m averfion for the making of any reprefentation ot Man or Beaft, for which they have s t0
Figures repre- fi on3 have thought it much to endure thofe Figures, and not beins able ^
& "from diffiguring the heads, there is nothing left but the bodies, which
to be regretted, It may ealily be conjeaur’d, that the Gallery was open on K u
fides, as being fo hill to the Court-fide, and^tis in the midft of the Wall whprK
it is enclos’d on the other fide, that the Door of the Treafury hands. ^
The Chambers' The Jfirft Treafury confifts in Four Chambers full of Riches and Rarities Th
of the Treafury, £rfl: containsa vaft quantity of Long-Bows, Arrows, Crofs-bows Muskets P’
their l oc ks. Sabres, Cymitars, and other Arms of that kind, which are all fnm "
ma “ h - Mafter-Pieces, that have been prefented, from time to time, to the r«mT Y
perours. M thefe Arms are either hungup at the Ceding, or fatten'd asiS
the Wall; but in a pitiful condition, all over-run with ruft, and cover’d w’th
dull; and the Grand Seignor fuffers them to be fo negle&ed, becaufe there come
in daily Prefents of Arms excellently wrought, the novelty whereof makes him
forget the old ones; as alfo for that it is the humour of the furL not to
make any great account of Curiofities, but at the very time they are prefented
with them. u
The Second Chamber is a very fpacicus Arched Stru&ure, of the fame height
and Archite&ure as that of the Bath, of which I gave you an account in the pre
cedent Chapter, where they go and uncloath themfelves in the Summer time*:
And there is no difference between them, fave only that this laft has no over
tures in the Roof. That place contains Six great Chefls, or Coffers, each of
them of Twelve Foot in length, Six in breadth, and Six in depth; and if the
Covers were not broken to pieces, two men would find it a hard matter to
lift them, they are fo weighty. Thefe Coffers, which are called Ambm are
full of all forts of Cloaths for the Grand Seignor’s ufe, as Vefls, rich’furs
Magnificent Turbants, and Cufhions embroider’d with Pearls.
, Befides the Six Coffers before mentioned, there are Eight others, which are
but Eight Foot in length, and four in breadth ; and thefe are fill’d with Pieces
of Scarlet, Engltjb and Dutch Cloaths, of the finef! forts. Pieces of Velvet, Gold
and Silver Brokadoes, Embroider’d Coverlets and Counterpanes for Beds, and
other rich Commodities of that Nature. As for the Bridles and Saddles cover’d
with precious Stones, they are difpos’d upon fupporters of Wood or Iron,
Coming out of the Wall ‘ and all this Chamber is generally very well kept,
and all things are neat, and in good order. • -
The Third Chamber is very fpacious, and is more like a great Hall. The
firft thing that entertains your Eye, is a great Coffer, the infide whereof is di
vided into three parts, and makes as it were Three other Coffers, one upon
the other : but they are open’d all on the out-fide, fo as that if there be any
thing look’d for in the undermoft, there is no neceflity of flirting the uppermoft.
The lowermoft Coffer contains thofe fumptuous Coverings for the Grand Seignor’s
Throne, of which I have fpoken in the Defcription of the Hall of Audience.
In the middlemoft are difpos’d the Houffes and Trappings, enrich’d with Embroi
dery, and fome of them with Pearls and precious Stones, which are ufed in great
Solemnities. In the uppermoft Coffer, are kept the Bridles, Breaff Pieces, Crup
pers, and Stirrups, which are recommendablc upon the fcore of the Diamonds, Rubies
Emeralds, and other Precious Stones, whereby they are enrich’d : but the greatefl
part of them is cover’d with iWr^-Stones, which they have the art of fettingex-
cellently well.
The Blood of It is amoff aftonifhing fight* to behold the quantity of thofe precious Harnefe :
ihe Baffa’s one but it is fuch only to thofe, who are ignorant, how the Grand Seignof repleniines
fhlt'faUnto k is Treafury with fo much Wealth* It happens thus, That there being a frequent
the Sea of the mo ^^Y, amongft the Bajfa’s and others, who are Governours, of Prov inc «r
Treafury. whether it be by a natural death, or a violent, and all they have in the WorJu
falling to the Grand Seignor, as I told you elfewhcre, and being brought into me
Seraglio, there are ordinarily found, amongft their rich Harnefles, fome bridles
covet’d with prctiotis Stones, and thofe Bridles are brought into the Treaty
t