'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.' [‎79] (628/1024)

/i Relation of the Grand Seraglio.
forks laid on the Table, but every one has his Knife lodg’d in his Saleh, and
makes ufe of, when occalion requires: but they have no great ufe for them, in-
aOnuch as their Bread being made thin* as 'twere into Cakes, arid, eaten in a man
ner as foon as ’tis out of the Oven they break if with their fingers, and all the meatj J
which is ferv’d up to them, is cut intofmall pieces, which is alio the cuftome in
Perfa. But the Spoons they ufe, in taking their Pottages, and whatever is liquid
upon the Table, are much larger than ours; and they are wooden ones. The
Pages of the Kilar^ that is the Cup-bearers Office bring up the Bread, arid the Slier-
fees, and the Pages of the Chamber go and take the meat, at the Prince's Appart-
ment, but of the hands of the Officers belonging to the Kitchin, who bring it in
Dilhes cover’d with Pourcelain, the Grand Seignor not ufing any Gold VefTeisat his
own Table. . i r -
After Dinner, the Grand Seignor fays his Noon-Prayer, and fometimes, on
Sundays and ‘fuefdays^ which are the principal Council-days he comes into the
Hall df Audience, to difeomie with, his Minitesof State, concerning his Affairs.
Oil the other days* he walks in the Gardens of the Seraglio, fomecimes with his
Eunuchs^ fometimes with the pultanejfes, or with the Dwarfs and Mutes, who fliew
a thoufand apifh tricks, to divert him; and fometimes he goes a hunting, or fiffi-
ing, according to his inclination. But neither his Affairs, nor his Recreations do
ever divert him from performing the five Exercifes of Devotion, at the times
appointed by the Alcoran 5 and it is the general Perfwafion of all the furkf, that if
they negled them, they bring down God’scurfe upon themfelves, and that they
cannot avoid the ill confequences thereof. %
I have faid elfewhere, that Friday is to the Mabumetans, what the Saturday is to The Sultan,'
tht Jem, and the Sunday to the CbrijUans, in regard it was upon the faid day, that when
Mahomet took his flight from Mecba-, and I have alfo given this further intimation, ™ ^
that the count their Months only b^ the number of the Moons. There is an Mofauey.
ancient Cuftome, whereby the Grand Seignor is obliged upon all the firft Fridays
of the feveral Moons, tq go ta the new Mofquey, in regard that S. Sophia is too
near the Seraglio, and befides that there is not, between thofe places, room
enough for fo great a Thin, as that of the Sultan, the people of Canftantinopk would
not have the fatisfadion of feeing him. '
His Devotion is fo great, that he feldom miffes that Ceremony, and when
there paffes a firft Frydat of the month, without his appearance in it, the people
is prcfently of opinion*' tl|at he is fick and thereupon turbulunt fpirits are mutining
their faTious defigns. On thofe dayesdo they, who have any complaints to
make, of fome injuftke that has been done them, take their opportunity and
plant themielves in the way through which he is to pafs, with Petitions in their
hands, which upon a fign made by the Sultan, are receiv'd by Eunuchs. If the
injuftice be very great and the perfon who prefenfs the Petition _ be pxtreamly
opprefs’d and injur’d, he holds a lighted Torch over his head, which is ordinari
ly pradis’d in Turfy' u P 3n thc occafions, and by that myfterious comportment,
intimates to the Prince; That if he does not do him juftice, his Soul fhall
burn in the other World, as that Torch does in this.
Upon the Empcrour’s going out of the Seraglio, the principal Sultamjfes, his
Mother, his deareft Confort, or his Sifters, are in a Room over the great Gate
of that Palace, with Bags full of Afpers, which they fling among the people, that
they may pray, That God would gracioufly hearken to the Devotions, which
the Grand Seignor is going to perform. His March is after the lame Order, and
With an obfervance of the Pomp, as that of the anc e it Greeh^ Emperours, and
I queftion not, but that thole Authors, who have written of the Ottoman ^ Empire
in general, or particularly of the City o{ Conjlantinopk, have made fufficient de-
kriptions, of that Ceremony, and therefore I ftiall think my felf ^difpens’d from
the obligations of giving a new one of it. I ffiall only fay this of it. That it is
very Magnificent, and that there is not any Monarch in the World, who makes •
£> yreat an expofal of Gold and precious Stones together, wherewith the Har-
nciles and Trappings of moft of the Horfes, as well of the Grand Seignor, as thofe
the Baffds are all cover’d*