Chap.IX. Grand Seignor's Seraglio. 51 



the rich Prefent, which the Grand Seignor fends every year to Mecha, for the Expen- 

 ces which relate to Religious Worlhip, and to fill the Ciftcrns of Arabia, which are 

 fupply'd with Water, brought by Land, many days Journeys.- 



Of the five Millions which are brought into the Seraglio, the grcateft part is in Se- 

 quins, according to the quantity of Gold, which the Abyjfmes bring into Egypt, and 

 the reit in Dutch Kix-Dolhrrs. All is brought together into the Coffers of the fourth 

 Chamber of the Publick Treafury. But as to the Sequins, they are carried into the Se- 

 cret Treafury, which it is time for us now to open, and give the Reader an account 

 of, according to the defcription which has been made to me thereof, by two men 

 whom their Employments oblig'd to enter into it often. 



CHAP. IX. 

 Of the Secret Treafury. . 



The Principal Heads. 



A Vault under ground , into which fell? Terfons have accefs. The great 

 frugality of the Emperour Amurac. Ibrahim, his Succejfor, 

 charged Tbitb eVd Conduct. The Grand Seignor's precautions for 

 the fecurity of his Jreafure. His Liberalities to the Grandees 

 of the Tort. 



Ithin the fourth Chamber of the Treafury, you find a door laid all a fault under] 

 about with good ftore of Iron-bars, which opens the firft partage, to ground, into 

 the place that contains the Grand Seignor's Secret Treafure. It is ™bîcb few 

 never open'd, but when he himfelf has a mind to enter into it -, and m ^ u - 

 he do's not enter into it, but when the Grand Vizir advertifes him, 

 that it is time for him to do fb, and that there is a confiderable Sum to be carried in. 

 In the firft place, by the light of Torches they go down a Stair-Cafè of ten or twelve 

 fteps, at the bottom of which, after an advancement of feven or eight paces further, 

 they find a fécond Door, fortify'd with Iron-work as the former, but much lefs, fo 

 that a man is oblig'd to ftoop ere he go into it. When it is open'd, and that .they have 

 made their entrance through it, as if they had pafs'd through a Wicket, they are un- 

 der a great Vault, where they find a great many Coffers, of the fame largenefs, as thofe 

 of the Chamber we came lait out of. . , , . 



In thofe Coffers they have, for thefe many years, layd up all that was not expend- ?he gnat fmgfe 

 ed upon the Publick account, of the great Prévenues of the Ottoman-Nlomrchs, and fo %.^*w<S*jS 

 it may be call'd his Private Exchequer, into which there is nothing but Gold has en- 

 trance, all the Silver being carried into the other Treafury, to be thence taken out again 

 and difpos'd of .as occafion requir'd. After the death of Amurat, Ibrahim,^ Succeffor 

 in the Throne, found in that Treafury four thoufand Bags, which they call Kizes^nd 

 every Bag contains fifteen thoufand Ducats of Gold, which amount to thirty thou- 

 fand Crowns, and thofe redue'd to our Pounds, come to thirty Millions SterlingSTwas 

 the fame Amurat Ca prudent and valiant Prince, aman of great Parfimony, and as 

 great Conduct in Military Affairs, of whom I have often had occafion to make men- 

 tion) who enter'd into a War againft the King of Perfia, and befieg'd Bagdet, Or Ba- 

 bylon, which he took on the 22th of December, 1638. I remember, that I was then 

 but five days Journey from that place, in the Deferts of Arabia, as having left Aleppo 1 , 



( H ) in 



1 



