8o A Relation of the ■ Chap. X VI- 



are doing there y and upon the rifing of the Council, he returns to his own Quarter, 

 where his Dinner is brought up to him. 



The Services of ' n ^ e S erv i ces 0I " n ^ s Table, there is not any great variety, or delicacy, the Difti- 

 bis Table. es that are ferv'd up, being anfwerable to the Bill of fare, which I have given you in 

 the Chapter, where I treat of the Kitchins. He takes his refection, fitting^crofs-legg'd, 

 as Taylors do amorigtt us , being furrounded with fumptuous Brocado-cufhions, 

 which keep from him the dampnefs of the Walls, and upon the Carpets which cover 

 the Scaffold, or Balcony, where he is feated, they fpread others of -S^/ii/fc-Leather, 

 left the former tliould be prejudiced by any thing of greafinefs, which might fall on 

 the Table-cloath, and foak through it. This Cloath, which is laid over the Spanijb- 

 Leather-Carpet, is of thofe fumptuous painted Cloaths, which are made in the In- 

 dies, and embroHer'd all about : and as for Napkins, there are not any uied amongft 

 the Turks, who are neat, and cleanly at their Meal?-, and if fometimes there be any 

 occafion of wiping, 'tis done with a little handkerchief. At their refections, they ufe 

 the right hand only, and when they have done, there isaBalin of warm water and 

 foap brought up, for them to wafh, and every one takes out his Handkerchief from 

 under his Safch, or Girdle, to wipe his hands and mouth. Nor mult you expect in 

 %urk$y to find Knives and Forks laid on the Table, but every one has his Knife lodg'd 

 in his Safch, and makes ufe of, when occafion requires : but they have no great ufe - *" 

 for them, inafmuch as their Eread, being made thin, as 'twere into Cakes, and eaten 

 in a manner as foon as 'tis out of the Oven, they break it with their ringers, and all 

 the meat, which is ferv'd up to them, is cut into fmall pieces, which is alfo the cu- 

 ftome in Perfia. But fhe Spoons they ufe, in taking their Pottages, and whatever is 

 liquid upon the Table, are much larger than ours -, and they are wooden ones. The 

 Pages of the Kilar, that is the Cup-bearers Office, bring up the Bread, and the Sher- 

 bets, and the Pages of the Chamber go and take the Meat, at the Prince's Appart- 

 ment, out of the hands of the Officers belonging to the Kitchin, who bring it in 

 Diihes cover'd with Pourcelain, the Grand Seignor not ufmg any Gold Veffels at his 

 own Table. 



After Dinner, the Grand Seignor fays his Noon-Prayer, and fometimes, on Sun- 

 days and Tuej'days, which are the principal Council-days, he comes into the Hall of 

 Audience, to difcourlè with his Miniftefs of State, concerning his Affairs. On the 

 other days, he walks in the Gardens of the Seraglio, fometimes with his Eunuchs^ 

 fometimes with the Sultanejjls, or with his Dwarfs and Mutes, who (hew a thoufand 

 apitli tricks, to divert him : and fometimes he goes a hunting, or a liQiing, according 

 to his inclination. But neither his Affairs, nor his Recreations, do ever divert him 

 from performing the five Excrcifes of Devotion, at the times appointed by the Alco- 

 ran ; and it is the general Perfwation of all the lurks, that if they neglect them, 

 they bring down God 's curie upon themfelves, and that they cannot avoid the ill con- 

 ftquences thereof. 



1 have faid ellewhere, that Friday is to the Mahumetans,wli2it the Saturday is to the 

 Jews, and the Sunday to the Chrijiians, in regard it was upon the faid day, that Ma- 

 homet took his flight from Mechah and 1 have alfo given this further intimation, that 

 the Turks count their Months only by the number of the Moons. There is an anci- 

 ent Cuftome, whereby the. Grand Seignor is oblidg'd upon all the hrft Fridays of the 

 feveral Moons, to go to the new Moiquey, in regard that S. Sophia is too near the Se- 

 raglio, and betides that there is not, between thole places, room enough for lb great a 

 Train, as tr&it of the Sultan, the people of Conjiantinople would not have the fatisfâ- 

 clion of feeing him. 



His Devotion is fo great, that he feldom miffes that Ceremony, and when there 

 paft'es a Hrft Friday of the m^nth, without his appearance in it, the people is prefènt- 

 ly of opinion, that he is fick, and thereupon turbulent fpirits are mutining their facti- 

 ous deiignes. On thofe days do they, who have any complaints to make, offome 

 injuftice that has been done them, take their opportunity, and plant themlelves in 

 the way, through which he is to pafs, with Petitions in their hands, which upon a 

 iign made by the Sultan, are receiv'd by the Eunuchs. If the injuftice be very great 



The Sultan, 

 ■when obliged 

 to go, in cere- 

 mony, to the 

 Mojquey. 



