Chap. XV. Grand Seignor s Seraglio. 77 



But, at the long run, lewd actions meet with the punilhment they juttly deferve. Ptrfidiojhefs 

 Sbacb-Sef, Kin^ of Ferfia s would not entertain any proportion of Peace, no nor fo ptxffid; 

 much as give audience to an Ambaffador from the Grand Seignor,whom I faw lent back 

 from J§akm, where 1 then was, unlefs Amuratb would deliver up the Traytor, in or- 

 der to his punilhment. Whereupon , they being both one day at their ordinary de- 

 bauch, in the Belvedere, the Grand Seignor, without any formality , order'd him to be 

 Strangled, in his prefence; 



It was fometimes alfo AmuratFs cuftome, to bring into that pleafant place, the The Fortune of 

 Principal Sultamffes, as, his Mothers, his Sitters, and fuch others as he had the greateft ibtmtijul 

 kindnefs for. But his molt frequent aifignations there, was with a Sicilian Lady , for Slcilian ui 1> 

 whom he had a great affedf ion, and who, being extreamly handfome, and of a mild 

 difpofition, obtain d of him whatere (he defir'd. She was taken at Sea, by the Pyrates 

 of Barbary, as (he was upon her Voyage into Spain, in order to her intermarriage with 

 one of the Grandees of that Countrey : And the Bajfa of Algiers Cent her, aPrefent, 

 to the Grand Seignor, who took a particular fancy for her, and made her as happy, as 

 a Woman can be, who mult endure the reftraint of the Seraglio. 



From that door of the Hall, which gives entrance into the Flower-garden, you pafs, The Grand 

 on the right hand, into a kind of Gallery, about fifty paces in length, and twelve in Seignofs Bed- 

 breadth, the pavement whereof is a Chequer-work of Black and White Marble. At the chamber. 

 end of it, there is a great Structure, which is wholly of Marble, and what firft enter- 

 tains the Eye is a pretty large Door, over which there is a kind of a flat arched Rook 

 And both the Roof, and the Door, are adorn'd with flowers, in embofg'd work ; and 

 amongft thoie flowers, there are certain impreflescut in the Marble,and all curioufly Gilt. 



About five or fix paces from that Door, you come to another, not inferiour to it, as 

 to beauty, which is that of the Grand Seignor's own Chamber. Its Cieling, or arched 

 Roof, is according to the model of the Winter-room, whereof I have given you a De- 

 fcription at the beginning of this Chapter. The only difference between them is, in 

 what iffues out out of the Angles of the little Arches - , and whereas in the other Room, 

 they reprefent the bottoms of Lamps, gilt with Gold -, in this, they are balls of Rock- 

 Cryilall, cut Facet-wife, with an inter-mixture of precious ftones, of different colours, 

 which mull: needs give a very divertive entertainment to the Eye. The floor of it is 

 covcr'd with Carpets, which, as to beauty, and excellency of Workmanthip , exceed 

 thofe of the other Chambers i and the fame thing is to be faid, as to the Quilts, the 

 Counterpanes, and the Culhions s the molt part of this furniture being adorn'd with 

 an embroidery of Pearls, and the whole Room,which is very fpacious, having, in all 

 parts, feveral other fumptuous embelltthments. And whereas this Room was Origi- 

 nally delign'd for the Grand Seignor's Summer-Divertifcment, it is accordingly the 

 more lightfome, and has large Windowes on three fides or it. As to the Suit ads Lodg- 

 ing, he complies with the cuftome of the Countrey, or rather that of all the Eaftern 

 parts. There is no Bed-ttead fet up, but towards the Evening, the Pages fpread three 

 Quilts one upon the other, at one of the corners of the Chamber, and place over it a 

 Canopy of Cloth of Gold, garnilh'd with an embroidery of Pearls. 



On the right hand, as you come into this Room, there is a Cup-board, or Prefs, r ^ ancient 

 wrought within the very Wall, where they keep the Bajarac, that is to fay, the Stan- Feneration fir 

 dard of Mahomet, which has thefe words for its Imprefs, or Motto, Nafrum min Allah, Mahomet'i 

 that is, in our Language, The ajftjhnce vs from God. This Standard was heretofore in SUn ^ ar ^' 

 fo great veneration amongft the Turks, that when there happen' d any Sedition, either 

 at Conjiantinople, or in the Armies, there was no fafer or more expeditious remedy to 

 appeafè it, then to expofe that Standard to the fight of the Rebels. And that very 

 Expedient has many times prov'd very fortunate to the Ottoman Princes, when they 

 have been redue'd to their great extremities, by the fecret Combinations of fome Facti- 

 ous perfons. Then does the Grand Seignor fend fome of the Mollahs, who are in the 

 nature of Priefts, amongft the lurk/, with the Standard, and being come up to the firft 

 ranks of the Rebellious Forces, they fpeak to them, in their Language , to this effecf : 

 This B4nner is the Standard of the Prophet ; all they who are faithful, and obedient, ought 

 to come to fubrnit themfelves at the Foot of this Standard ; and they who will not come to it, 



(Li) are 



