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Chap.V. Grand Seignor's Seraglio. "55 



CHAP. V. 



Of the inner part of the Seraglio, in general, and 

 particularly, of the Quarter of the Eunuchs, and 

 the Ichoglans. 



« 



The Principal Heal>$. 



The Ichoglans educated under a feVere Difcipline. The mat 

 Officers of the Tort taken out of the fame School. Tlie infe- 

 rable condition of the Children of ffo Bafla's. Tlie <?r eat Autho- 

 rity of the Capi-Aga. The Gaffes, through which the young 

 Lads of the Seraglio are to pafs. The Quarters of 'the four prin- 

 cipal Eunuchs. 



TH E inner Seraglio is that part of the great Palace oFthe Ottoman Emperoufs, 

 which, from the Second Court, whereof we have given a defcription, ex- 

 tends to the point, at which place the Gardens are terminated, and which 

 comprehends, in general, the Grand Seignors Quarter, and the Quarter 

 of the SultanefTes. But in regard the former is diftinguiQYd into feveral 

 Appartments, appointed for the Habitations of the Officers, who ordinarily approach 

 the Grand Seizor's Perfbn, and are his molt neceffary attendants, I will conduct the 

 Reader from one to another, and give a difiincl: relation of every one of them. In this 

 Chapter, I (hall treat only of thole Appartments which are taken up by the Eunuchs, 

 and the Icboglans, who are under their Difcipline. 



At the beginning of this Difcourfc, I made mention of the four principal Eunuchs, J. T . f • 

 who have others fubfhtute to them, to obferve the anions of thofe young Lads, who 1,1 STf, 

 arc committed to their charge, and to inftruft them, as well in the Mabumttan Reli- wdifcMi*' 

 gion, as m the Excrcifcs of the Body, and particularly, as to what relates to the Grand 

 Seignor's Service. The Quarterns well of the Eunuchs, as the Ichoglans frauds next 

 to the DtrMi-Ea\\, and begins to make part of the third Court, all along which it 

 reaches on the left hand, h is divided into feveral Appartments, and among others' , 

 there are four, which they call Oda% that is to fay, Chambers, into which are diltrr- 

 buted (ix hundred Icboglans, according to the orders of the Capi-Aga \ who, with the 

 other principal Eunuchs, judges of every ones capacity. Tis the Capi-Aga alfo, who 

 orders their palling out of one Oda into another, as we remove our Scholars from a 

 iixth form to a fifth i and the cafe is the fame in their Oda's as in our Forms, or Claf- 

 fes, ths rirft of the four Odas, the fevcritics whereof they mult weather out as well as 

 they can, being the la(t in point of dignity. When he makes his general Visitation , 

 upon which follows the forefaid promotion,he turns out of the Seraglio, all thofe whom 

 he thinks uncapable of doing their Prince good Service, and that fitch as betray their 

 difguil of fo auitere a life > and then they are put out of all hopes of ever entring into' 

 the Seraglio any more, and cannot pretend to any other Fortune, then that of 'Spates, 

 with a (null pay. The advantage of capacitating themfelves for the molt eminent 

 Charges of the Court and the Empire, makes thofe who remain behind to take the 

 greater courage, and accordingly they patiently fuffcr, for the fpace of many years, the 

 harm and unmerciful treatments of the Eunuchs, whom, upon all occafions, they al- 

 wayes rind very liberal of the Battinado. 



They are thofe Ichoglans, whom we may alio call the Grand Seignor's Pages, who* 



(F) are 



