Chap.XL Grand Seignors Seraglio. Si 



them, by a moft fubtle piece of Politicks i and they believe, That, if they dye by the 

 Command of their Prince, they go ftreight into Paradife. 



As for the opportunity of making an efcape out of Turkey, by any one who might rbt vifficnltits 

 have fome prefentiment of his deftrudion, it is to no purpofe to think of it. AH the ofm^ing an 

 Officers, and the Slaves, whom the Bajfa's have in their Retinue, are fo many Spies, E f ca ? e outo f 

 and obfervers of their Actions* and it is impoflible for them, to conceal what they do Tur ^ c >'* 

 from them. 'Twere dangerous for a man to entruft a Secret with any one of menu 

 they are mean Souls, and uncapablc of any gallant Action , befides that the Ports and 

 Paffages are equally (hut up againit both. If there be the leaft difcovcry made thereof 

 the Governour of the Frontier places would immediately have Orders from the Port, 

 to take the Field > nay if there were not any fuch, they arc but over-diligent, in en- 

 quiring after, and informing themfelves of all thofe, who pafs through the extent of 

 their Jurifdiction. 



Befides, though there were fome likelihood of comparing it, and that, travelling 

 only in the Night time, a man might get into fome Neighbouring State * yet Turkey 

 being in a manner quite lurrounded by Nations who abhor the Domination of the 

 Ottomans \ 'twere as much as to leap out of the Frying-pan into the Fire, and to go 

 and pafs for a Spy, amongft a fort of people, who would give no quarter. Whence it 

 might be imagin'd, that there were lefs difficulty in attempting an efcape by Sea, than 

 to hazard it by land : but the former is the much more difficult, and the fevere prohi- 

 bitions made to the Chrijtians^ upon pain of death, not to take any Turk^ or Slave, into 

 their Ships, which are exactly iearch'd, before they weigh Anchor, Qiut up all the 

 Ports of T/«%, againft thofe of the Country,who might be defirous to get out of it. 



True it is, however, that few years pafs, but that a confiderable number of Slaves 

 are convey'd away, by the charity and contrivances of the Clmjiian Confuls, and Mer- 

 chants. They are fecretly kept at the Houfes of fome Cbrifiian Inhabitants of the Coun- 

 try, whofe fecrecy and filence are bought with Mony s and the fame receipt ftops the 

 mouths of thofe, who have tlie over-fight of the Ports, and arc warmly entertain'd 

 with drinking, while they cunningly get the Slaves aboard the VefTel, which has been 

 vifited, and is then ready to fet fail. They would be loath to run themfelves into that 

 danger for natural Turfy : there would be fome ground to fear, that it might be fome 

 Plot on their fide, to furprize and try the Cfoijlians \ and it feldom happens that they 

 have a thought of making any efcape. They know well enough, that, whether it be 

 by Sea, or Land, (excepting only the Kingdom of Per/w, where they are hated upon 

 the account of the difference of Seels) they cannot make their efcape any where but 

 into Chriftendom, where they would not be permitted the exercife of their Mabumttaa 

 Religion, which they would not renounce for a thoufand lives. 



E're wc clofe up the Difcourfe concerning the Liberality of the Ottoman Monarchs, Vrt [ mts Ka j g 

 it is to be obferv'd, That fometimes they make very confiderable Prefents, which they to tht Snltantf 

 takeout of the Grand Treafury,and which are paid in Silver only, if they are order'd /«. 

 for the Grandees of the Port, whether in the Seraglio, or out of it. Thofe Prefents 

 confifts ordinarily of a Purfrof Gold, which amounts to Fifteen thoufand Ducats^ or 

 Thirty thoufand Crowns ; and when there are any fuch made to the SultaneJJes^ they 

 receive all in Gold. To do that, there's no occafion of going to the Secret Treafury, 

 there is gold enough in the Fourth Chamber, into which they at firit bring in all the 

 Gold and Sftver of all the Revenues of the Empire ', and that Summe, which makes no 

 great hole in the great heap, returns again into the fame place, by feveral waies. 



I x CHAP. 



