8o 



A Relation of the Chap. X V 1. 



the Services of 

 bis Table. 



T))t Sulcan, 

 •when obliged 

 to go, in cere- 

 mony, to the . 

 Mojquey. 



are doing there i and upon the rifing of the Council, he returns to his own Quarter, 

 where his t)inner is brought up to him. 



In the Services of his Table, there is not any great variety, or delicacy, the Dilh- 

 es that are fervM up, being anfwerable to the Bill of fare, which I have given you in 

 the Chapter, where I treat of the Kitchins. He takes his refection, lifting, crofs-legg'd, 

 as Taylors do amongtt us, being furrounded with fumptuous Brocado^cufhions, 

 which keep from him the dampnefs of the Walls, and upon the Carpets which cover 

 the Scaffold,- or Balcony, where he is feated, they fpread others of £/wz//fc-Leather, 

 left .the former mould be prejudiced by any thing of greafinefs, which might fall on 

 the Table-cloath, and foak through it. This Cloath, which is laid over the Spaniflj- 

 Leather-Carpet, is of thofe fumptuous painted Cloaths, which are made in the In- 

 dies, and embroider'd all about : and as for Napkins, there are not any uled amongft 

 the7itf%, who are neat, and cleanly at their Meals and if fometimes there be any 

 occation of wiping, 'tis done with a little handkerchief. At their refections, they ule 

 the right hand only, and when they have done, there isaBafm of warm water and 

 foap brought up, for them to wa(h, and every one takes out his Handkerchief from 

 under his Safch, or Girdle, to wipe his hands and mouth. Nor muft you expect in 

 Turkey to rind Knives and Forks laid on the Tabic, but every one has his Knife lpdg'd 

 in his Safch, and makes ufe of, when occafion requires : but they have no great ufe 

 for them, inafmuch as their Bread, being made thin, as 'twere into Cakes, and eaten 

 in a manner as foon as 'tis out of the Oven, they break it with their ringers, and all 

 the meat, which is ferv'd up to them, is cut into fmall pieces, which is alfo the cu- 

 ftome in Terfu, But fhe Spoons they ufe, in taking their Pottages, and whatever is 

 liquid upon the Table, are much larger than ours •, and they are wooden ones. The 

 Pages of the Kilar, that is the Cup-bearers Office, bring up the Bread, and the Sher- 

 bets, and the Pages of the Chamber go and take the Meat, at the Prince's Appart- 

 ment, out of the hands of the Officers belonging to the Kitchin, who bring it in 

 Difhes cover'd with Pourcelain, the Grand Seignor not ufmg any Gold Veffels at his 

 own Tabic. 



After Dinner, the Grand Seignor fays his Noon-Prayer, and fometimes, on Sun- 

 days and Tuefd 'ays, which are the principal Gouncil-days, becomes into the Hall of 

 Audience, to difcourfe with his Miniftcrs of State, concerning his Affairs. On the 

 other days, he walks in the Gardens of the Seraglio, fometimes with his Eunuchs, 

 fometimes with theSuhamJfes, or with his Dwarfs and Mutes, who (hew a thoufand 

 apifh tricks, to divert him : and fometimes he goes a hunting, or a riming, according 

 to his inclination. But neither his Affairs, nor his Recreations, do ever divert him 

 from performing the rive Exercifes of Devotion, at the times appointed by the Alco- 

 ran -, and it is the general Perfwalion of all the 7«>*/y, that it they neglect them, 

 they bring down God's curfe upon themfelves, and that they cannot avoid the ill con- 

 fequences thereof. 



I have (aid elfewhere, that Friday is to the Mabumetans^what the Saturday is to the 

 Jews, and the Sunday to the Cbrijlians, in regard it was upon the faid day, that Ma- 

 homet took his flight from Mecha\ and I have alfo given this further intimation, that 

 the Turks count their Months only by the number of the Moons* There is an anci- 

 ent Cuftome, whereby the Grand Seignor is oblig'd upon all the firft Fridays of the 

 feveral Moons, to go to the hew Molquey, in regard that S. Sophia is too, near the Se- 

 raglio, and befides that there is not, between thole places, room enough for fo great a 

 Train, as that of the Sultan, the people of Conftantinople would not have the latisfa- 

 ction of feeing him. 



His Devotion is fo great, that he feldom miiTes that Ceremony, and when there 

 paffes a rirft Friday of the month, without his appearance in it, the people is prefent- 

 ly of opinion, that he is fick, and thereupon turbulent fpirits are mutining their facti- 

 ous defignes. On thofe days do they, who have any complaints to make, offome 

 injuftice that has been done them, take their opportunity, and plant themfelves in 

 the way, through which he is to pafs, with Petitions in their hands, which upon a 

 fign made by the Sultar>, are receiv'd by the Eunuchs. If the injuitke be very great 



and, 



