20 



A Relation of the 



Chap.L 



Its extent, fi- 

 gure,and exter- 

 nals. 



The Artillery 

 eut of order, 

 and the Gun- 

 ners not rvell 

 skiWd. 



A pleafant 

 abode, but re- 

 firent malles 

 it otherwife. 



That great Inclofure makes a Triangle, one fide whereof is to the Land-fide, and 

 reaches to the City, and the two others lye open to the Sea and a River which falls in- 

 to it. This Triangle is unequal, and if it be divided into eight parts, that fide to- 

 wards the Land takes up three of them, and the five others are for the two tides abut- 

 ting on the Sea. Its compafs is about three Italian miles, or one of our common 

 Leagues. And this Palace is furrounded all about with high and ftrong Walls, flank'd 

 on the Sea-fide with fquare Towers, at a confiderable diftance one from another i and 

 towards the City, with round Towers, which are at a nearer diftance one from ano- 

 ther, from the great Gate of the Seraglio, which is towards St. Sophia, as far as the 

 Sea, where you imbark for Gal at a. In thofe Towers, in the night-time, there are 

 Guards of the Jzamoglans, to fee that no Body approaches the Seraglio, by Sea or 

 Land => and if occafion require, they may fire fome pieces of Artillery, which ftand al- 

 ways loaden upon a Quay, of five fathom breadth, which is carried quite about the 

 Seraglio. * 



Upon one of thofe Towers, about a hundred paces from the great Gate of the Sera- 

 glio, as you go down, in order to your paffage over to Galata, they have wrought 

 a Clofet, into which the Grand Seignor goes fometimes to divert himfelf, and to fee 

 People palling to and fro, without being féen himfelf. Somewhat lower, and upon 

 the Sea-lide, there is a fpacious place cover'd over, under which, as if it were in a lit- 

 tle Haven, they keep the Caicks or Brigantines, wherein the Prince takes his divertife- 

 ment by Water, when he is pleas' d to do it. 



Not far thence, within the inclofure of the Seraglio, are the Habitations of the Bo* 

 ftangvs, who are entrufted with the conduct of the Brigantines s and at a little farther 

 diftance, in your way to the point of the Seraglio, which is towards Scudaret, ftands 

 the Quarter of the Bojtangi-bacbi, Overfeer of the Gardens of the Seraglio, and of all 

 the other Gardens belonging to the Grand Seignor. 



Upon the Quay, which, as I told you, does furround the Walls of the Seraglio, 

 there are forty or fifty pieces of Canon of different bignefs, and there are fome of fo 

 great a bore, that a Man might get into them. Oppofite thereto, and in the middle 

 of the Channel, there is a Tower built upon a Rock, which the Turks call Quifler hou- 

 lefi, or the "Tower of the Virgins. It is kept by Boftangif, and has its Guns levell'd with 

 the Water, which better defend the Streight, than- thofe at the point of the Seraglio, 

 which for the moft part are without Carriages, and unferyiceable. Befides, they want 

 good Gunners, and if all that Artillery were well mounted, and manag'd by skilful 

 Perfons, it would better keep in awe, whatever comes out of the Mediterranean and 

 the Black^Sea. 



Some few paces from the place where thefe Canons are planted, there fprings a 

 Fountain which comes out of the Seraglio, and calls a great quantity of Water, for 

 the convenience of the VefTels, which lye at Anchor near it, and fupply themfelves 

 therewith i it being not permitted that any mould land on that fide of the Seraglio, 

 but upon that account. 



We have fpoken fufficiently of the external parts, 'tis time we now enter into the 

 Seraglio, and rather confider what paffes in every Appartment of it, than the Structures 

 thereof, wherein, as 1 faid, there is not any thing of Magnificence, whatever fome 

 Perfons might invent, who, in my prefènce, have made noble Draughts of it, ground- 

 ed on their own pure Imaginations. I have feen as much of the Seraglio, as a Stranger 

 could do, and I have feen it feveral times, in feveral Voyages, having had time enough 

 to confider, the two firft Courts, the Divan, and the Hall of Audience, but cannot ce- 

 lebrate them much for any great Beauties I could find in them. There is, I muft con- 

 fefs, abundance of Marble and Porphyry in all the Appartments h but on the other fide, 

 all thofe Appartments arc confufedly (hurried together -, there is no regularity at all i 

 moft of the Rooms have but little light, and all the ornament of them confifts in rich 

 Tapiftry lay'd all over the Floors thereof, and fome Cufhions of gold and filver Bro- 

 kado, fome whereof are embroider'd with Pearls. But taking things generally, if the 



Walls and the Towers, which inclofe the Seraglio, look more 



like a frightful Prifon, 

 than 



