'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.' [‎53] (602/1024)

A Relation of the Grand Seimors Seraglio.
leuJ waves, to fuck out the Peoples blood, and particulary to harafs the poor
Chilians. If the Sofas can but quietly enjoy their Governments, for one year,
nay tor fix Months* the Jews make a good hand of it, and recover the Slums’
they had advanc’d. But, one theother fide, they run a great hazard in regard that
it happens, many times, the Grand Seignor lends for the head of a BaJJa, before
he has had time enough to fettle himlelf in his neW Government* and then, -
they who have lent him Money are not to hope ever to recover any part of it,’
. From what has been fakb it may eafily be concluded* That the greateff pare
of the Money of the whole Ottoman Empire is in the Grand Seignor’s hands, and
among the Jews * I mean the Jews of Conjlantinople. For as to thole who live
in the Provinces, the world goes but ill with diem, and they are in a much more x
wretched condition* than the Cbnjtians ; in fegard they do not follow any thin^
of Husbandry: and their inclinations being altogether bent for Traffick, and
the management of the publick 1 axes or the Cufloms, his impoifible there fhould
be employment'lor them all.
, The Grand Seignor therefore receives very confiderable Summs from the The
Balias, and other perfons, on whom he beffows Charges, even before they have mr y b'V f
taken pofleilion of them. But, that amounts to little or nothing in comparifon of the Ea<i i ’ -
the advantages which he makes, upon their removal out of them, and cfpecially
When they have had a fair time to gather Treaiures, by their inlupportable ex-
affions from the people. Some of thefe Baffa’s have come to that exceffive -
Wealth and Power, that their Revenues were equal to thofe of many great Princes.
Such was the fortune of one Machmut fieglkrbeg of Europejindci: the Reign o{Mahomet
the Second ; and that, of the Grand Vizir VafJ'uf^ under Achmet the Firff. At the
death of the latter, there were extraordinary Riches found in his Houfe, in Silver^
Gold, and Jewels, and all was brought to the Seraglio, along with his head.
It may eafily be conje6ftir’d, by the number of the greater and leffer Govern
ments, whereof the Empire confilfs, that there is a confiderable mortality amongli
thofe, who derive their Charges and Fortunes from the pure Munificence of the
Grand Seignor, and whofe acquifitions thereupon falling to him, muff of neceffity
make vafi addkonals to the Seraglio. But befides thofe Who are gently convey’d
out of this World, by a natural death, there hardly pafies a year but, violent
death comes and *a6fs its part, and upon the leafi: jealoufie, or any fantaftick
appreheefion the Grand Seignor may have, a Bafla receives a p remptory Order
to (Fetch out his Neck, and he is immediately firangled. In the next Chapter,
I (hall give the Reader an Account, of the formality and ceremony, which is
obierv’d upon that occafion, where he will find fomewhat worth his remarking*
and I think I may confidently affirm, That they who know it is the^cuftome, to
ftrangle tfiofe, whole Lives the Grand Seignor would take away, know not
all the Particulars obiervable in that Aciion. ^ .
Afibon as a Bulla, or other Grandee of the Port is dead* ho we’re it came to ^
pafs, and an Inventory of his Goods taken, of which by the Laws of the Country Goods broi^v
die Prince is the only Heir, all is carried away into the Seraglio, and the 'Baltagis into the
bring it in Coffers to the Door of the Treafury. The Chajnadar-bachi^ haying dif-
pos’d them into one of the Chambers, Commands the Locks to be broke open,
and the Coffers to W emptied in his prefence * And ’tisthen, that as well he him-
jb’jV as the Pages qf the Treafury endeavour to make their advantages of that
Rich Booty. Fop there being ordinarily, amongft the other things, Jewels of
great value* fuch as that wherein the Heron-tops are faften’d in their Turbants,
°r a Ponyard enriclLd with precious Stones, or feme Carcanet of Pearls, if one
or other of thofe Pages can make a dexterous and clean conveyance of fome Piece,
ds his own and he puts it to what elfe he has in ftock, reflecting on what he has to
do, at his departure out of the Seraglio, in order to'his eftabliftiment in fome
Lharge * and the great Expeuces he muft be at upon that account. The Chafnadar*
bacly^ who does his work firfi of all, and with more liberty, does fbmetimes connive v
st what he fees done by the others, remembring that he has been as they are, and
V/as dien glad, that he was not reprov’d for fo doing. Yet if he perceives that
a ny one of them has fecur’d to hipnfelf a piece of great Value, affoon as he is got
t0 nis Chamber, he fccretly fends for him, and makes him refiore it* paying him
half of its worth, and fo keeps it himfe'lf. ,
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CO*