Chap.lX. Grand Seignor's Seraglio. c i 



the rich Prefent, which the Grand Seignor fends every year to Mecba, for the Expen- 

 ces which relate to Religious Wor (hip, and to rill theCilterns of Arabia^ which are 

 fupply'd with Water, brought by Land, many days Journeys. 



Of the five Millions which are brought into the Seraglio, the grcateft part is in Se- 

 quins, according to the quantity of Gold, which the Abyfmes bring into Egypt, and 

 the reft in Dutch Rix-Dotlars. All is brought together into the Coffers of the fourth 

 Chamber of the Publick Treafury. But as to the Sequins, they are carried into the Se- 

 cret Treafury, which it is time for us now to open, and give the Reader an account 

 of, according to the defcription which has been made to me thereof by two men, 

 whom their Employments oblig'd to enter into it often. 



CHAP. IX. 



Of the Secret Treafury. 

 The Principal Heads. 



A Vault under ground , into which fey? Terfons have accefs. The great 

 frugality of the Emperour Amurac. Ibrahim, his Succeffor, 

 chargd "forth eyil Conduct. The Grand Seignor's precautions for 

 the fecurity of his Jreafure. His Liberalities to the Grandees 

 of the Tort. 



Within the fourth Chamber of the Treafury, you find a door laid all a Vaultindtr] 

 about with good ftore of Iron-bars, which opens the firit paffage, to ground, into 

 the place that contains the Grand Seignor's Secret Treafurc. It is ^bicb fm 

 never open'd, but when he himfelf has a mind to enter into it ; and dCC! ^- 

 he do's not.enter into it, but when the Grand Vizir advertifes him, 

 that it is time for him to do (b, and that there is a considerable Sum to be carried in. 

 In the firft place, by the light of Torches they go down a Stair-Cafe of ten or twelve 

 ffeps, at the bottom of which, after an advancement of (even or eight paces further, 

 they find a fecond Door, fortify'd with Iron-work as the former, but much lefs, (b 

 that a man is oblig'd to (bop ere he go into it. When it is open'd, and that they have 

 made their entrance through it, as if they had pafs'd through a Wicket, they are un- 

 der a great Vault, where they find a great many CorTers,of the fame largenefs,as thofc 

 of the Chamber we came lalt out of. 



In thofc Coffers they have, for thefe many years, layd up all that was not expend- Ibi great frK£&- 

 cd upon the Publick account, of the great Revenues of the Ottoman-MonzYchs, and fo l *9 °i th * L *' 

 it may be call'd his Private Exchequer, into which there is nothing but Gold has en- 5J£ 

 trance, all the Silver being carried into the other Treafury, to be thence taken out again 

 and difpos'd ofas occafion requir'd. After the death of Amurat, Ibrabim,h\s SuccefTor 

 in the Throne, found in that Treafury four thoufand Bags, which they call Kizes&a& 

 every Bag contains fifteen thoufand Ducats of Gold, which amount to thirty thou- 

 fand Crowns, and thofc redue'd to our Pounds, come to thirty Millions Sterling.'Twzs 

 the fame Amur at fa prudent and valiant Prince, a man of great Pariimony, and as 

 great Conduct in Military Affairs, of whom I have often had occafion to make men- 

 tion) who enter'd into a War againit the King of Perfu, and befieg'd tagdet, or Ba- 

 bylon, which he took on the 22th of December, 1638. 1 remember, that I was then 

 but five days Journey from that place, in the Deferts of Arabia, as having left Aleppo, 



