'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.' [‎57] (606/1024)

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Relation of the Grand Seignors Seraglio. cy
_ rrj ^~~prefent is receiv’d with great demonftrations of joy 3 real 5 or apparent^
i ^ perfon, to whom it is brought, is immediately to take order for the fend-
back of another, much exceeding it in value, to the Grand Seignor*
^nd that confifts ordinarily in excellent Horfes, good pieces of Gold-Brocado, or
rich Furrs. But his work is yet not half over; there muff be much more
done for him, through whole hands he has receiv’d .the Prefentj and he
(capes very well, when, not accounting what he lends to the Grand Seignor^
the carriage of itcoffshim but Ten thoufand Crowns. Nay many times, he
is* forc’d to double the Sum, when he has not been fo liberal, as the Prince
expected he fhould have been* for he prefendy difpatches away an Officer, to
reproach him with the (lender account he has made of his Prefent, and the
fmaii recompence he had receiv’d , whom he had employ’d to bring it him*
To thefe reproaches he fends him an exprefs Order, to make an additional
Reward of Twenty or thirty Purfes, which is immediately put in execution;
and as to the Prefent which the Grand Seingor has receiv’d, he commonly makes
a diflribudon of it, amongft thole, who are then about him.
And thefe are the Advantages which the Grand Seignor ferews out of the
dap’f) and other Grandees of the Port, whilft they are alive. Let us now con-
fider thofe which accrew to him by their death, in order to the recompenfing of
thofe, whom he favours, without being oblig’d to cake any thing out of his
Coders. When the death of a Bajfa is refolv’d upon, the Grand Seignor delivers
the Commiffion to him, whom he has defign’d to be kind to j and he finds it much
more advantagous, to bring him the Sentence of his death, than to bring him a
Prelent from the Prince. .
If the Execution is to be done in Conflantinople the ordinary Executioner js the FormdinesoU
Boftangi hachiy who is alwaies about the Grand Seignor’s Perfon, and he himfelf fpv'dat the
does the Work. But if there be a neceffity of going into fome remote Province,
’cis commonly either a Capjgi-bachi, or one of the principal Boftangti, whom die ^ firangled
Prince has a mind to fhew his kindnefs to, who is fent to perform the Execution, by the Prince*
He who carries the Order, accompany’^ by five or fix Capigti^ fometimes man- Orders^
ages his Affairs fo, as to arrive at the place, while the Council is fitting. But if
that cannot be fo'orderd, he goes to the Baffa^ and commands him in the Grand
SeigHor’s name, to call one immediately. That Council confifls of the Baffa , s Lieu
tenant, the Mufti^ the CWi, the chief Commander of the Janizaries belonging to
that place, and lome other perfons concern’d in the adminiffration of Juffice, who
are of the moft confiderabie of the Province.
The Council being affembled, the Capigi-hachi enters, attended by his people,
and prefents the Bajfa with the Grand Seignor’s Letter. He recives it with great re-
fpeft, and having put it three feveral times to his forehead, he opens it, reads it and finds
that the Prince demands his head. He makes no other anfwer to that Order, then
What he does in thefe few words; Let the WtU^ fays he of my Empmur he done: onely
give me leave to fay my Prayers which is gratlted him. His Prayers being ended, the
Capigis feize him by the Arms and the chief of them prefently takes off his Girdle
orSafche, and caft it about his Neck* That Girdle confifts of feveral fmall firings
of Silk, with knots at both ends, which two of the company immediately catch
hold of, one drawing one way, and the other, t’other-way they difpatch him in an
inftant. • * .•
E they are unwilling to make ufe of their Girdle they take a handkerchief, and
With the Ring which they ufe, in the bending of their Bowes, and which they or
dinarily wear on the right-hand Thumb, they thruft the hand between the hand
kerchief, which is ty’d very clofe, and the Throat, andfo break the very Throat-
B°ne. Thus they make a fhift to ftrangle a man in ai^ipiteht* luffeiTn^ him not to
hnguifh in pain, that he may dye a faithful Mahumeun^ and not have the > cne to
enter into delpair 5 the fmhs thinking our way of hanging Criminals, who are fo
long in torment upon the Gibbet a ftrange kind of Execution. - ,,
Though I have often us’d this expreffion, That the Grand Seignor fends to
demand the Head of any perfon, whom he would rid out of the way $ yet tn *
fney never cut it off, but when he exprefly declares his defire to fee it, and then Turkey,
*1 l0 . u £ht to him. If it be from fome place at a great diftance, they take out
Brains, and, fill the empty place with Hay 5 and it w;as my fortune to fee two
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