* 



Chap, IV. Grand Seignor? Seraglio. 31 



On thofe dayes that the Vivait fits, the Officers are entertain'd at dinner in the fame The care tafya 

 Hall, which is done with much fobriety, and little Ceremony. All is over and taken t0 prevent the 

 away, in half an hours time. The Orand Vizir eats alone, unlefs he call a Baffa ox**" !* °( tbt 

 two, to keep him company. There are carried alfo mefles ot'Cbourba, which is a kind J amZarie ** 

 of pottage made with Rice, for the dinners of the Janizaries, who are in their ftations, 

 under the Galleries. But if it happen, that they are in a mutinous humour, and in- 

 cens'd againft a Vtzir } or againft the Grand Seignor himfelf, not one of them will put 

 his hand to the Cbourba, but they fcornfully thruft back the dirties, and by that aétion 

 difcover their difcontent. 



The Grand Seignor is prefently advertis'd of it, and fends to them the Capou-Agafj, 

 Grand Mailer of the Seraglio, to know what their pleafure is, and what they délire. 

 Then they depute one of their own Body to go, and fpeak on the behalf of them all , 

 and that pcrfon whifpering the Capou-Agafi in the Ear, declares to him the occafion of 

 their difcontent. That Eunuch prefently carries it to the Grand Seignor \ And if 

 they have a peek againft a Vizir, or a Cadilefquer, or fometimes againft their Aga, or 

 Colonel, it often happens that to appeafe thofe mutineers, the Grand Seignor orders 

 them to'be ftrangled, and fends them their heads. 



Sunday and Tuefday are the principal dayes of the Divan, and then it is properly a Haw the Grand 

 Council of State, and of publick affairs. The Grand Seignor moft commonly alïîfts at seignor is pre- 

 it, but is not feen ■■> and that keeps in awe as well the Grand Vizir, as the other Offi- i mcLt 

 cers. He can come thither from his own Appartment, through a clofe Gallery, and van * 

 {eat himfelf at a window, which looks into the Divan-HaW, and has alwayes a velvet 

 Curtain before it, which he draws when he pleafes, and efpecially when he perceives 

 that they have not done Juftice. I (hall produce here, an example, famous enough as 

 to that particular, which happen' d in the Reign of Sultan Admet, the Father oïAmu- 

 ratb, and one of the jufteft Princes, that ever the Ottoman Empire had. 



The Reader is to call to mind, what I faid at the beginning, concerning the îimar- ^ ^ a ^ 

 Spabi, on whom they bellow, during their lives, the Government and revenue of of a Timer- 

 fome Town, according as they have deferv'd by their Services. The Spabi , whofe Spahi,wfco kills 

 ftory I am going to relate, had a Timar, between Aleppo and Damas, which might bring a GuniViifr^ 

 him in a revenue of fifteen hundred Crowns. The Grand Vizir, either out of fome anAi5 i ar 071 * 

 averfion to the Spain , or upon fome falfe reports which had been made of him, and 

 which he had been too forward to believe,without taking an exadt information of things, 

 took away from him the Timar, whereof he was polTefs'd, and beftow'd it on one of 

 his own Creatures. 



The Spabi, finding himfelf fo unjuftly difpoflefs'd comes to Conjiantinople, enters into 

 the Divan, and prefents a Petition to the Grand Vizir, wherein he remonftrates to him 

 his long Services, and how he never was chargeable with any negligence ofhis duty. 

 The Grand Vizir having read it, tears it in his pretence, which was to fignifie as 

 much, as that he would not anfwer it, and that there was nothing for the Spabi to 

 hope for.The Petitioner withdrew,without faying any thing:but fome days afterwards, 

 he returns to the Divan, and prefents a fécond Petition, which the Grand Vizir like- 

 wife tears, as he had done the former , without making any anfwer thereto. Up- 

 on this fécond injury, the Spabi, full of fury, and juftly exafperated, draws his 

 Poniard, falls upon the Vïzïr,2.x\à kills him. 



The Grand Seignor, who was then at the Window, having obferv'd that action, 

 draws the Curtain, and with a loud voice commanded that no hurt Ihould be offer'd 

 to the perfon who had done it. He thereupon orders the Spabi to approach, and ask'd 

 him the Reafon of his having demean'd himfelf with fb much violence. The other 

 much alham'd, humbly makes anfwer, but with refolution enough, That he could not 

 forbear doing what he had done, upon the fight of fo great a piece of In juftice : and 

 thereupon prefenting to him the Petition, which had been torn to pieces -, the Grand 

 Seignor caus'd it to be read, and patiently hearkned to the juft complaints which it con- 

 tain'd. Having fully examin'd the Affair,his Highnefs commended the Spabi for the 

 Action he had done, ufing the woxd Aferim 7 which is as much as to fay, well 



'doni 3 



