42 A Relation of the Chap. V II. 



one of the moft eminent parts of the Seraglio. The Floor is pav'd with a very delight- 

 ful kind of Marble laid in fquare pieces } and it has two large Windows jutting out 

 upon the Gardens, fomcwhat like Balconies, from which you have a Profpecl: of the 

 two Seas. In the midft of that Dome or Louva\yon find a Fountain, the water where- 

 of is receiv'd into two Bafins, or Cifterns : The former, which is the hightft, and 

 withal the lcalt, is of one piece of White Marble, having in it a little intermixture of 

 Red and Black Veins, and piere'd through at iîx feveral places, for the reception of fo 

 many fmall Pipes of Copper, through which the water falls down into the other Balin, 

 which is alio of Marble, of feveral pieces, and feveral colours. 



■dàfes reformed. Within the Domo, there is a great number of Poles,which are difpos'd all about it, 

 and fupported by certain pieces of Iron coming out of the wall Upon thofe Poles 

 they dry the Linnen, which they had us'd in the Bath i and of that Linnen there are 

 feveral forts. Heretofore, the Pages were allow'd only a long piece of Linnen Cloatb, 

 which came only twice about their walls : but upon obfervation made,that they abus'd 

 them, and that handfome young Lads playing together, fnatch'd that piece of Linnen 

 one from the other, purpofely to difcover their nakednefs, they ufe in the Baths only 

 fuch Garments of Linnen as are fow'd clofe above, and reach from the walte down 

 to" the feet, much after the manner of a Woman's Petti-coat. At their coming out of 

 the Bath, they have two other forts of Linnen to dry themfelvcs withal, of the larger- 

 nefs of ordinary Table-Cloaths, whereof the one is Red, with a bordure of Silk of 

 three ringers breadth, which covers them, as foon as they are out of the water, from 

 the walk downwards to the Ham i and the other is white, wherewith they rub them- 

 felves. For thefe two forts of Towels they have but one name, to wit, Pécbeta* 

 rnak 



whythe\.t- On one fide of the Fountain, Which is in the midft of the Domo^ there is an èn- 

 vanuncs do not trance into the bath, and near that is the Hall, where they uncloath themfelvcs in the 

 d'ainly. m ~ Winter-time. A little Gallery which lies on the left hand, leads to the places delign'd 

 for the ealing of nature, and every feat has a little Cock, which fupplies them with 

 water to waih themfelvcs, after they have done* It is accounted a heinous lin among 

 them, to make ufe of Paper tor that purpofe =, and the reafon they give for it is this, 

 that, poilibly, the Name of God might be written upon it, or it might contain fome 

 Text of the Law, which would be a profanation or it, and conftquently ought to be 

 avoided. Befides, they have another opinion, That Paper is not fo proper fo well to 

 make clean that part, which the neceihty of the Body does ordinarily fo much defile, 

 but that there may be fomcthing of ordure left ••> and that being oblig'd to prefent 

 themfelvcs before God with an abfolute Purity .of Body and Mind, their Prayers could 

 not be heard, if they lhould not be wholly clean. 



fhe Pcrfians The Perfians are yet more fcrupulous than the Titrhj upon this account. For though 

 More fendillons they both agree in this, That their Devotions are ineffectual, nay indeed that they are 

 than the not in a condition to perform them, without crime, if they be not pure, as to Body and 

 Turks, Mind ■■> Yet the former are of a perfwalion, That the leaft ordure which, through 

 negligence or inadvertency, might remain upon their perfons, or their garments, 

 would render their Prayers fruitlefs and criminal, which the 7*rj^r, femewhat lefâ 

 fuperttitious as to that particular, Will not acknowledge. 



They are great Certain it is alfo, That in Pcrfu they are extraordinary Lovers of cleanlinefs j in- 

 lovers of titan- fomuch that I have obferv'd, That at I/paha/i, the Metropolis of that Country, where 

 Itnejs. trie Streets are not pav'd, when there falls a little Snow or Rain, which muft occafion 



fome dirt, few people Will come out of their houfes, unlefs they be fore'd thereto by 

 fome Concern of great importance. And when they do go abroad at fuch a time, at' 

 the houfe door into which they are to enter, they put off their ihooes, their upper- 

 Garment, the Cap which covers their Turbants ■> and if they have the leaft dirt or tilth 

 . . about them, they think themfelves impure, and that it would be a difrefpeel: to the 



perfon Whom they are to viftt. Nay, a Perfian lhall be very fcrupulous, and make a 

 great difficulty to receive a man into his houfe in foul weather i and if any one pre- 



fents 



