'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.' [‎71] (620/1024)

A Relation of the Grand Seignors Seraglio. 71
& Cuftain behind it, asicvis in feveral Chappds, which our Chriftiau Princes
have in their Palaces. There is alfooppofite to the fame Necch, before-menuon’d^
fuch another Window, and fuch another Gharnber, for the SukanefTcs, and when
the Muezim, whofe ftation is of one fide of the Iman^ and who is as it were his
Clerk, hears the drawing of the Curtains, he immediately rings a fmall Bell
Which is the fignal, that the Grand Seignor and the Sultanefles ate come into
their feveral Rooms.
Upon their arrival, die forefaid Mmzim begins to fing thefe two words, ceremonies
jStytr, which fignifies, God is Great ^ repeating them four times: and afterwards, f ^ etr Vev0 ~
having added thereto fame words, (peakingas kwere to himielf, the Imm in his nQns '
turn, (ings theie following 5 Flhamdu Mahi Rabbit akmjn^ that is to fay, fhe
fjface of God U the Mafier of all things. He thus continues the Prayer, proftrating
fifmfelt ieveral times to the ground, and all the people prelent do alfo proftrate
themfelvcs as he does, . > • ■
In the midft of the Domo of the Mofquey, there is a Hoop of Iron, all
about which there hangs a great number of Lamps, of Fe/zice-Cryflal, and
there ate ^ alfo fome difpos’d along the Galleries, of the fame Metal, they being
not permitted, to have in chef Mofqueys, etcher Gold or Silver. They do not
light thole Lamps, but only for the Prayers at night, and the fire calling a
tdfeffion one thofe Cry da Is, creates a mod delighful Objedt to the fight.
The Chamber of the Sarai-Agafi^ one of the four Principal Eunuchs, is
adjoyning to that Mofquey, and the lead of all the Chambers, of the Officers,
belonging to the Inner-part of the Seraglio. He has but little place more
than is requidee for him tp deep in, and he is waited on by two Pages of the
Couchoul^Odj) or the little Chamber
Adjoyning to the Door of the Haz-OJa^ there is a Hall pav’d with a
Checquer-work of black and white Marble, in the midd: whereof there is a Badn
of the fame material, but of ieveral Colours, out of which there is an afeent
of water four or five foot high. That water is receiv’d into a fecond Bafin, made
in the form of a Scallop-Ihell, out of which it falls again into a third, much larger
than the two precedent ones. The upper part of the Hall is built Domo-wife,
haying therein fome Windows, which give it light, and a certain piece of dull
Painting is all the Ornament of its Walls. At your entrance into this Hall, you
fee two Doors, one on the right hand, the other on the left. That on the left
hand condudfs to a Flower-Garden ? and the other is the door of a Chamber,
into -Which the Grand Seignor comes fometimes in the Winter-Seafon.
This Chamber is one of the mod fumptuous of any in the Seraglio. It’s Arched ^oghifeent
Roof is divided into a great number of little Cells, Triangle-wife, didinguifh’d b ™ ter
by two little filets of Gold with a gfeen dreak in the midd, and out of every
Angle, there juts fomewhat like the bottom of Lamp, excellently well gilt.
Though the Walls are of a curious white Marble, yet is there a delicate piece
&f Wainicotage, of about the height of a man’s wade, carried quite round
the Room , and the rich Carpets, upon which you walk, deprive yonr
fight of the large fquares of Marble, of feveral colours, wherewith the Floor
is embelliftfd. Of a great number of Cufhions, which are placed along the
Walls, fome are embroider’d with Pearls, and precious Stones, and fee there
only for pdentation 5 the others, which are for fervice, are cover’d with
Cold, or Silver-Brokadoes, and other codly Stuffs. At one of the corners
of the Chamber, there is a little Field-bed, about two foot in heighth,
embroidei’d all over, the Counterpane, the Cufhions, and the Quilt; and
tpfi Embroidery is all of Pcarles, Rubies, and Emeralds. But when the Grand
Seigndr is to come into that Chamber, they take away the Counterpane and
Cufhions, which are lefs fit for Service than for Ornament, and they bring
in others of quilted or mfeed Velvet, or Satin, upon which the Grand Seignor
may more conveniently repofe himfelf.
Towards the. feet of the faid Red, there is a kind of Nccch made within Ma !3 or P et ’ s
the very Wi]}, in which there is a little Ebony Box, about half a foot fquare,^ff er ^
aud m chat is lock’d up Mahomet's Seal. It is enchac’d in a Cryffal, with a C
-Bordure of Ivory, and taking all together, it may be four inches in length,
AUd three in breadth. I have feen the Impfeffion of. it upon a piece of Paper
but