^8 A Relation of the Chap.Xl. 



that when he intends to ruine him, he makes him a Prefent, that he may thence take 

 occafion, in cafe he does not receive another from him, fuch as he délires, to fend an- 

 other MefTenger for his Head. The Prefent, upon that occafion, is not a Veil, or 

 Garment, but, a Sword, or a Battle-Axe, which are very Ominous Prcfents, and 

 Advertifements to the Ba$a, that the Grand Seignor has little kindnefs for him. To 

 divert the Storm, which he fees likely to fall upon him, he doubles the Prefent he 

 fhould have made, in cafe he had fent him but a Velt, which is a pledge of his affecti- 

 on. And if that Bajfa be one of thofe, who Commands in the greater Governments, 

 the Prefent which he fends to the Grand Seignor, ought not to amount to lefs than 

 Two hundred Purfes, that is to fay, a Hundred thoufand Crowns, not comprehend- 

 ing what is particularly given to the perfon who is fent by the Emperour. 



lit emmnies The perfons charg'd with this CommiiTion are, for the moft part, fuch as the 

 attending the Grand Seignor is willing to be Munificent to. So that, all things confider'd, the 



VS£ by ?-*" ent is n0t mUC ^ ^ et 'ô n '^ receiv£s lt > as f° r nim who fends it, and 



SeignoT/o the perfon who carries it : And in this confifts the artifice of exercifmg great Liberali- 

 ty whom he ties without disburfmg any thing. The Ceremony perform'd at the delivery of this 

 would bo/war. Prefent of the Grand Seignor, is this : He who carries it being come to the place 

 where the Bajfa lives, to whom it is fent, and having advertis'd him of it, this latter, 

 with the noife of Drums, Trumpets, and Hawboys, alTembles the people together, fome 

 of whom mount themfelves on Horfe-back, to do him the greater honour. The Bajfa 

 himfelf marches in the Head of all, and they who are not mounted follow afoot, to- 

 gether with the Curtezans, or common Strumpets, of the place, who are oblig'd to 

 aifift at this Ceremony, dancing after a Tabour, and putting themfelves into a thoufand 

 lafcivious poftures, according to the Cuftome of the Country. 



The MefTenger who brings the Prefent makes a halt, in expectation of this Caval- 

 cade, in feme Garden near the City, or in the Fields under a Tent, which he had got 

 fet up for that purpofe. After mutual Salutations, he calls the Veil over the Bafjas 

 moulders, puts the Sabre by his Side, and thrults the Ponyard into his Safche before 

 his Breaft, telling him, That the Emperour, their Matter, honours him with that Pre- 

 fent, upon the good report which had been made to him, that he has demean'd him- 

 felf well, that he does not tyrannize over his People, and that there is no complaint 

 made, of his being defective in the adminiftration of Juftice. 



This Complement pad, the Bajfa, in the fame order, and amidft the Joyful Accla- 

 mations of the people, takes his way, and the Grand Seignor's Envoy along with 

 him, towards his Houfe, where he entertains him at a great Treat, and, after all is 

 done, with a Prefent, which amounts to Ten thoufand Crowns at the leaft. For, as 

 I told you before, if the Prefent be carried to one of the BaJJas, who are in the grea- 

 ter Governments, as the BaJJa's of Buda, Cairo, or Babylon, they fhall not efcape under 

 Thirty or Forty thoufand Crowns, and the Prefent which is fent to the Sultan, ought 

 to amount to a hundred thoufand. Nay it many times happens, that the Grand Seig- 

 nor appoints what he would have their Prefent to his Envoy to amount to, and that 

 cfpecially, when he fends fuch as he has a particular kindnefs for, and would amply 

 gratifie. 



The Emperour Mahomet the Fourth, who now fits on the Throne, has a particular 

 inclination to exercife Liberality, and to beftow Rewards on thofe who ferve him -, 

 but he does it, fb as that it cofts him nothing, and confequently, there is no occafion 

 of taking ought out of the Treafury. When there is not an opportunity to fend the 

 Perfon, whom he has a defire to gratifie, into the Country, with fome Prefent, he has 

 another Expedient, which will do the work. His Darling-Divertifement is Hunting, 

 and he takes but little pleafure in any other Exercife. He thereupon orders the Perfon, 

 whom he would recompence, to be one at the Sport, and having kill'd a Stagg, or 

 fome other Beaft, he orders him to go and prefent it, from him, to one of the Gran- 

 dees of the Port, whofe abode is either at Confiant inofle, or fome place near it. 



This Prefent is receiv'd with great demonlirations of joy, real, or apparent, and 

 the perfon, to whom it is brought, is immediately to take order for the fending back 



of 



The pnicuhr 

 way us'd by 

 TNLhomet IV. 

 to [hew himfelf 

 Uberal,without 

 any charge. 



