Chap.ll. Grand Seignor's* Seraglio. 21 



than a Royal Palace, the Appartments, Whereof it confifts, have not alfo that wealth, 

 or pleafure, for which the Palaces of France and Italy are fo highly celebrated, and 

 they offer not any thing which may long entertain the fight of a curious Perfon. All 

 that can make the Seraglio a pleafant place of abode, is, the advantage of its fuuation, 

 and indeed a nobler cannot be imagin'd. For it looks towards the Eaft, and takes up 

 the upper part, and the defcent of a (loping Hillock, from St. Sophia, quite to the 

 Channel. The Buildings are upon the moll eminent places, and have a profpecl: into 

 the Gardens, which run along the defcent, as alfo into the two Seas which meet at 

 the point of the Seraglio, whence the Grand Seignor may at the fame time fee Europe 

 and Jfia, in both which parts of the World, his Territories are very greats But ne- 

 ver was any Prifon thought a pleafant place, and there are few in the Seraglio, who 

 rather would live in a Hut, and have their liberty, than be continually conrin'd in a 

 Palace under fuch fevere Difcipline. 



CHAP. |I. 



• Of the firft Court of the Seraglio, and parti^ 

 cularly, of the Infirmary. 



The Principal Heads. 



The Regulations of the Infirmary of the Seraglio* 

 The difficulties of getting Wine into it. The fubtil- 

 ty of fome feoyle to be received into it, though they 

 are not ficfy. An abominable vice , common all 

 over the Eafl. The fruitlefs endeavours us'd to 

 checf^ the courfe of it. The facrilegious aUion of 

 two Ichoglans. The Wood-pies of the Seraglio. 

 The great advantages of thofe who have the charge 

 thereof The exercife of the Girit, The Grand 

 Seignor's Liberalities. The counterfeit Modefly of 

 the Grandees of the Fort. 



OF the many Gates which give a Man entrance into the Seraglio, as well 

 on the Sea-lide, as on the Land-fide, that towards S. Sophia is the grêâteft. 

 That is alwaies open, the others not being fo, but according to thé Grand 

 Seignor's pleafure. You firft come to a great- Portal, which has not any 

 thing of magnificence, and where you only find certain golden Letters 3 and 

 about them Feuillages and Compartiments, according to the Arabian way of Painting. 

 That Gate is kept by Fifty Capigir, who have for their Armes, the Firelock, the Dart, 

 and the Cymitar, and gives you entrance into the firft Court of the Seraglio, which is 

 Four hundred paces in length, and a hundred in breadth, without any paving. 



D 2 Oh 



* 



