tf 



A Relation of the 



Chap.Xl. 



that when he intends to mine him, he makes him a Prefent, that he may thence take 

 occaiioo, in cafe he does not receive another from him, fuch as lie defires, to fend an- 

 other MeiTenger for his Head. The Prefent, upon that occalion, is not aVeft,'or 

 Garment, but, a Sword, or a Battle-Axe, which are very Ominous Prefents, and 

 Advertifements to the Bafa that the Grand Seignor has little kindnefs for him. To 

 divert the Storm, which lie fees likely to fall upon him, he doubles the Prcfent he 

 fliould have made, in cafe he kid fent him but a Veil, which is a pledge of his arfecfti- 

 on. And it' that Bajfa be one of thofe, who Commands in the greater Governments, 

 the Prefent which he fends to the Grand Seignor, ought not to amount to lefs than 

 Two hundred Purfcs, that is to fay, a Hundred thoufand Crowns, not comprehend- 

 ing what is particularly given to the perfon who is fent by the Emperour. 



fbt Ceremonies 



attending the 

 Prefent s fent by 

 the Grand 

 Seignor to 

 tboje "whom ';? 

 would honour. 



The perfons charg'd with this Commiffion are, for the moft part, fuch as the 

 Grand Seignor is willing to be Munificent to. So that, all things confider'd, the 

 Prefent is not fo much deiign'd for him who receives it, as for him who fends it, and 

 the perfon who carries it: And in this confifts the artifice of exercifing great liberali- 

 ties without disburfing any thing. The Ceremony performed at the delivery of this 

 Prefent of the- Grand Seignor, is this : He who carries it being come to the place 

 where the Bajfa lives, to whom it is fent, and having advertis'd him of it, this latter, 

 With the noife of Drums, Trumpets, and Hawboys, aflembles the people together, (bme 

 of whom mount thcmfelves on Horfc-back, to do him the greater honour. The Baffa 

 himfclf marches in the Head of all, and they who are not mounted follow afoot, to- 

 gether with the Curtezans, or common Strumpets, of the place, who are oblig\l to 

 aiiift at this Ceremony, dancing after a Tabour,and putting thcmfelves into a thoufand 

 lafcivious poltures, according to the Cudome of the Country. 



The MeiTenger who brings the Prefent makes a halt, in expectation of this Caval- 

 cade, in feme Garden near the City, or in the Fields under a Tent, which he had got 

 fet up for that purpofc. After mutual Salutations, he calls the Velt over the BaJJas 

 moulders, puts the Sabre by his Side, and thrufts the Ponyard into his Safche before 

 his Breait, telling him, That the Emperour, their Matter, honours him with that Pre- 

 fent, upon the good report which had been made to him, that he has demeanM him,- 

 felfwell, that he does not tyrannize over his People, and that there is no complaint 

 made, of his being defective in the adminiftration of Juftice. 



This Complement paft, the Baffa, in the fame order, and amidit the Joyful Accla- 

 mations of the people, takes his way, and the Grand SeignorY Envoy along with 

 him, towards his Houfe, where he entertains him at a great Treat, and, after all is 

 done, with a Prefent, which amounts to Ten thoufand Crowns at the lealt. Eor as 

 I told you before, if the Prefent be carried to one of the BaJJas, who are in the grea- 

 ter Governments, as the B^JJa's of Buda> Cairo, or Babylon, they (hall not efcape under 

 Thirty or Forty thoufand Crowns, and the Prefent which is fent to the Sultan, ought 

 to amount to a hundred thoufand. Nay it many times happens, that the Grand Seig- 

 nor appoints what he would have their Prefent to his Envoy to amount to, and that 

 efpecially, when he fends fuch as he has a particular kindnefs for, and would amply 

 gratifie. 



Tbt particular . T he Emperour Mahomet the Fourth, who now fits on the Throne, has a particular 

 -way us'd by inclination to exercife Liberality, and to beftow Rewards en thofe who ferve him •> 

 M, hornet IV. but he does it, fo as that it cofts him nothing, and confequently, there is no occalion 

 to (hen himfelf of taking ought out of the Treafury. When there is not an opportunity to fend the 

 any change. PtrCoi ^ whom he has a defire t0 gratifie, into the Country,' witii fome Prefent, he has 

 another Expedient, which will do the work. His Darling-Divertifement is Hunting, 

 and he takes but little pleafure in any other Exercife. He thereupon orders the Perfon' 

 whom he would recompence, to be one at the Sport, and having kilfd a Stagg, or 

 fome other Bead, he orders him to go and prefent it, from him, to one of the Gran- 

 dees of the Port, whofe abode is either at Conjiantinople, or fome place near it. 



This Prefent is receiv'd with great demonltrations of joy, real, or apparent, and 

 t he perfon, to whom it is brought, is immediately to take order for the fending back 



of 



