Chap,VIIL Grand Seignor s Seraglio. 4<j 



CHAP. VII I. 

 : Of the Grand Seignor s Treafary. 



The Principal Heads. 



Noble %elicks of Antiquity. The Turks cannot endure Figures re- 

 prefenting either cMan or Seaft. The Chambers of the Treafury, 

 and their Wealth. The blood of the BafTa's is one of the flrj'Wn' 

 %hich enter into that Sea of the Treafury. The ufe of Aloes 

 Wood in Turkey. A fort of <Baftns of a more commodious form than 

 ours, for the wajbing of the hands. Books and Candles of a kind of 

 Deax of great rvalue \ Coffers full of all forts of precious ftones. 

 The precautions arid ceremonies which are obferVd at the opening 

 of the Treafury. A magnificent fiece of Tapijlry, therein the 

 Empcrour Charles the Fifth, is reprefented y in embofi'dWork. A 

 particular Relation of a BalTa named Ruftan. The heroick fenti- 

 ment of a Turk. The principal fources of the Wealth of the Em- 

 pire. How the Revenues of Egypt are employ' d. 



TH E Treafury of the Seraglio and the Ottoman Empire, the vaft Wealth there- 

 in contain'd, and the excellent order wherewith it is govern'd , requir'd my 

 being a little more large upon that fubje<ft. I (hall difcover all the Rivers, 

 which fall into that Sea, and may have fomc refemblance to thole that enter 

 into the Cajpian Sea, and are never feento come out of it again. 



Out of the Chamber, where the Grand Seignor fhaves himfelf; you pafs into a Noble Rtlich 

 Gallery, which is Thirty paces in length,and between Nine and ten in breadth. There «f Antiquity. 

 arc, on the one lide of it, Six great Marble-Pillars, of Fifteen foot in height, and of 

 different colours, among which there is one of a very delightful Green, and that co- 

 lour makes the Turks have a great cftecm for it. You have under your feet in this 

 Gallery a Walk of large fquare Pieces of Marble, and the high-rais'd Fret-work thereof 

 is a Rclick of Antiquity, and there are in it excellent Pieces of Painting after the Mo- 

 f^way, reprefenting divers Perfons, and which fome conceive to have been made, 

 for the reception and entertainment of fome great Prince, in the time of the Greek. 

 Empcrours. 



The Turks, who have not among them either Gravers or Painters, in order to the thi Turks bavi 

 making of any reprefentation of Man or Bealt, for which they have an averfion, have anavtrfionjor" 

 thought it much to endure thole Figures, and riot being able to refrain from dif- Fi ^" res ri P re ' 

 figuring the heads, there is nothing left but the bodies, which is much to be regretted. f l nti £* Mxnr; 

 It may eafily be conjcdurM, That that Gallery was open on both fides, as being fo ^' 

 Hill to the Court-fide, and 'tis in the midii of the Wall, whereby it is enclos'd on the 

 other iide, that the Door of the Treafury (lands. 



. $P' : 



The hrft Treafury confifts in Four Chambers full of R iches and Rarities. The firft n . c} mbm 9 r 

 contains a vail quantity of Long-Bowes, Arrowes, Crofs-Bowes, Muskets, Fire-locks, tht mtfury and 

 Sabres, Cymitars, and and other Arms of that kind, which are all fo many Maiter- their maltk. 

 Pieces, that have been prefented, from time to time to time to the Turkifh Emperors. 



C 2 ) A ii 



