I 



Chap,VIÏI. Grand Seignor's Seraglio. 49 



alfo the Pièce, which he has a mind to convert to his own ufe, and caufing all to be 

 immediately carried to his own Chamber, he there leaves what he would keep, and 

 prefents to the Prince only that which he had commanded to be brought him. Not 

 but that whatever is recciv'd into the Treafury, and whatever goes out of it, is exactly 

 fet down and enroll'd by the Haznaquatib, or Clerk, who keeps the Regifters^ and 

 the Cheat might be eafily difcover'd, when at the quitting of his Charge the Cbafna- 

 dar-ba:hi gives an account of all things to his fucceflbr. But it ordinarily happens, 

 that they are friends, and that the Cbajhadar-bacbi, who does not leave his Charge, but 

 upon his advancement to that of the place of the Capi-Jga, in cafe he (hould dye, or. 

 be exalted to a higher Dignity or upon his being made a Baffa and Governour of a* 

 Province, propofes him, among the Pages, for whom he has the greateft affection, and 

 who is his Confident, as a Perfon quahfy'd for the Charge of Principal Officer of the 

 Treafury. Accordingly, being his Benefactor, he gives in his Accompts as he pleafes 

 himfelf, and delivering unto him an Inventory of what is in the Treafury, he withal 

 produces a Memorandum of the Pieces, which had been taken out thence, during his 

 Surintendeucy, by the Grand Seignor's Orders. The Clerk of the Treafury, might, 

 notwithfhnding their intelligence and combination, difcover the intrigue 5 but being 

 one of the eldelt Pages of the Ghamber,and in a capacity of advancement to the Charge 

 of Chafnadar-bachi, he (huts his eyes, and fo avoids the creation of Enemies, thinking 

 it more prudence, to be appeas'd, by the Prefents he receives as well from him who 

 enters into the Charge, as from him who quits it. But thefè Thieveries are not very 

 often committed, and if there were but the leaft difcovery made thereof, afevere pu- 

 niflimcnt would foon be inflicted both on the Author of them, and his Complices. 



As to the little Cheft or Coffer, wherein the molt precious Jewels are kept, it is 

 impoffible to get any thing out thence : for when the Grand Seignor would have any 

 Piece taken out of it, he orders the Coffer it felf to be brought into his Prefence, by 

 the principal Officer of the Treafury, accompany'd by the Keeper of the Keyes, and 

 all the Pages ■■> and before he opens it, he takes notice whether the Seal be entire. After 

 he has taken what he delir'd, the Coffer is lock'd up in his Prefence, the Seal is fet 

 upon it, and it is carry'd back into the Treafury with the fame Ceremony. Then do 

 the Sixty Pages receive, ordinarily, fbme demonltrations of the Grand Seignor's Libe- 

 rality, which may amount to ten or twelve Purfes y to be divided amongft them. 



We are not yet got out of the third Chamber of the Treafury, which may pafs for ^h^in^' 

 one Spacious Hall, the middle part whereof is taken up by a Scaffold, of nine or ten Charles the 

 foot fquare, the height, the length, and the breadth being equal. This Scaffold is Fifth is «pris* 

 cover 'd and fiirrounded with a piece of Tapitfry of Gold and Silk, and, in the upper fented. 

 part of it, there is, in embofs'd Work, the Effigies of the Emperour Charles the Fifth, 

 feated on a Throne, having in one hand, a Globe, and in the other, a Sword, fur- 

 rounded by all the Grandees of the Empire, doing him homage. At the bottom of 

 the faid Piece of Tapeftry, there may be read certain Verfes in Gothick^ characters : And 

 the upper part of the Scaffold is full of Books in the Latine, French, Italian, high Ger- 

 mane, Englifb, and other European Languages. There are alfo fome Treatifes upon the 

 lubject of Navigation, together with two Globes, the Celeflial, and the Terreftrial, 

 and fome Geographical Maps drawn upon Velom : whence it may be conjectur'd, that 

 they were all taken at Sea, by fome Turkifh Pirate,- and fent as a Prefent to the Grand 

 Seignor. But not being carefully look'd after, the duff has quite fpoyl'd both the 

 Tapeifry, and the Books, and fo they remain there as a Monument of fome Victory 

 gain'd over the Chrift ians. 



The Fourth Chamber of the Treafury is very dark, and has no other light than A nmarfybtt 

 what it receives from a little Gar ret- Window, which looks into the Court, and has *»J? °f th * 

 three ifrong Iron-bars, one over the other. Over the Door, there are thefe words en- Sa " a m * 

 grav'd, in the Turkifh Language => Mony acquird by the diligence of Kuftan. Take here 

 an account of what occafions this Monument, which they were pleas'd to erect , to 

 perpetuate the memory of a Grand Vizir, as I have been told it, by fèveral Perfons in 

 Conftantinople. He was the Son of a Cow-keeper, and had follow'd the fame Employ- 

 ment himfelf: but he had a Genius that might become a Perfon of the higheft Extra- 

 £tion, and which rais'd him to the Charge of Grand Vizir ^ and the honour of being 



Son- 



