A Relation of the Grand Seignors Seraglio. 



The Chiamdbachi is the grand Laundry-man, or the Principal of thofe, who wa(h 

 and order the Grand Seignor's Linncn. 



Eowe, 



place o 



account of whatever relates to the principal Charges of the Seraglio, pofTefs'd by thofe 



who have pafs'd through the Chambers of the Ichoglans* 



The Blacky or Negro-Eunuchs, of whom I have but a word more to fay, additional- 

 ly to what I have intimated before, are appointed to guard the Appartment of the 

 Women, and they make choice, for that Office, of the moil: deform'd and the molt 

 JEfopkal, that can be found. They are all cut even with the belly, ever (ince the time 

 of Solyman the Second, who being one day in the fields, and feeing a Gelding offer- 

 ing to leap a Mare, inferr'd thence, that the Eunnchs, who kept his Wives, might 

 likewife endeavour to fatisfie their pafhons-, for which he bethought himfelf of a pre- 

 fent remedy, by ordering them to have all cut off-, and his SuccelTors have fmce ob- 

 ferv'd that Rule. There is a great number of thofe Negro-Eunuchs, and they have 

 their variety of Chambers, and their Regulations, as the whice ones have. I (ay no- 

 thing here of their different Employments, and the Reader will find, in the Chapter, 

 concerning the Appartment of the Women, all can be known, that's certain upon that 

 SubjecT. 



The Kijlar-Agrf, or, as others name him, the Kuezer-Agafi, which is as much, m tht cfidit anA 

 our Language, as to fay, the Guardian of the Virgins, is the chiefeft of all the Negro- wealth ktkz 

 Eunuchs, and is of equal authority and credit with the Capi-Aga, who is the Supreme Kiflar-A^G, 

 of the white Ewutchs. The former is the Overfeer of the Appartment of the Wo- w ' w ^ ;rii ' 

 men, has the Keys of the Doors in his cuftody, and has acceCsto the Emperor whenff^™"* * 

 be pleafes himfelf. The charge he is pofTefs'd of brings him in Prefents from all parts i * 

 and there are not any fuch made to the SultannefTcs, by the Bajfa's, and other Per- 

 fons, who ftand in need of their favour, in reference to the Sultan, but there comes 

 along with it one to himfelf, which makes him one of the richeft and moft confidera- 

 ble Officers, belonging to the Seraglio, 



I come now to the Azamoglans, who make the fecond Order of young Lads,where- 

 with the Seraglio is replcnilh'd, and out of whofe number they take fuch as are de- 

 fign'd for mean Officers, of whom Khali give you the Lilt. 



The Azamoglans, as well as the Ichoglans, are, as I laid before, Tributary Children, 

 taken away from the ChrifHans, or made Captives, by Sea, or Land. They make 

 choice of the hand fomefi, the belt IfupM, and moft robuft, for the Seraglio, and they 

 have neither wages nor allowances of any profit, unlefs they beadvane'd to fome fmall 

 Employments. Nor can they attain thofe, till after many years Services, and what is 

 then allowM them docs not amount to above four Afpers and a half per diem. As for 

 thofe who are brought up in other places, under the limple denomination of Azamo- 

 glans^ and are not receiv'd into the Seraglio ztConjlantinople, their fortune can amount 

 no higher, than to become Z.i/uz.irics. 



When thefe young Boys are brought up to Contiantiiwple, the firft diftribution which 

 is made of them is into the Seraglio's, or Royal Houfcs of the Grand Seignor : there 

 are fome of them left in the City, to be put to Trades ■, and others are fent to Sea, to 

 {erve for Seamen, and fo gain experience in Navigation, by which means they p^paci- 

 tate themfelves for fome Employments. But to confine our difcourfe to the Azamo- 

 glans receiv'd into the great Seraglio, they are employ 'd in feveral Offices, and fome 

 of them are made Bojlangn, fome Capigvs, [bmcAtagts, fome Halvags, and fome, B.il- 

 tagli h which terms I (hall explicate to the Reader in as few words as I can. 



The Eojiangis are they who are employ'd in die Gardens of the Seraglio, our of 

 whole number they take out thofe who are to row in the Grand Seignor's Brie,antmes> 

 when he has a mind to divert himfelf in fifhing, or take the air upon the Canal. They 



who 



