88 À Relation of the Ch ap.X VIL 



How Co diJUn- Take it then for granted, that this is all that can be known, with certainty, of the 

 gui(b-v>bit y s Appartment of the Women, who are fubfervient to the pleafures of the Ottoman Mo- 

 3S!ww tit» narchs s whatever is fcatter'd abroad, beyond this account thereof, being grounded 

 ^ Sulw'nefles". only upon imaginations and conjectures, which haply are at a great diihnce from the 

 truth. Certain it is, that this Quarter of the Seraglio, as to fome part of it, has a fair 

 Profpeâ upon that of the Grand Seignor, and that the Doors of it are kept night and 

 day, by a certain number of Negro-Eunuchs , the molt deformed, and the molt dread- 

 ful to lock upon, that can be found. It is certain alfo, that it is well furnifti'd with 

 abundance of moil beautiful Women, of feveral Countries, who, by the chance of War, 

 or othcrwife, are fallen into the hands of the BajJ'as, and Governours of Provinces, 

 who fend them up, as Prefents, to the Grand Seignor. It is known alfo, That,of that 

 variety of Women, the Prince does not appropriate to himfelf above two or three, 

 whom he has the greatcit afte&ion for ■■> nay fome of thofe Princes have confin'd 

 themfelves to the embraces of one only, after intermarriage. And this isaffirm'd, at 

 CoHjtamnofk, of Solyman the Great, after he had plighted his faith to Roxulana,co\i- 

 trary to the ordinary Policy of the Turks-, after the affront, done by Temnr-leng, to the 

 Wife of Bajazet. The white Eunuchs, who wait in the Grand Seignor's Lodgings, 

 are able, in fome meafure, to give an account of thefe things, in regard that the 

 Woman, who is to participate of the Grand Seignor's Bed, is conducted into his 

 own Chamber -, and, if it be a new Amour, the noife of it is fpread, the next day, all 

 ever the Seraglio. 



It is alfo known, That the firft of thofe Women, who is deliver'd of a Male-child, 

 and, by that means, becomes Mother to the preemptive Heir of the Ottoman-Empire, 

 is conlider'd as the principal Sultanefs, and treated according to her dignity : and the 

 others, who afterwards have Sons or Daughters, have alfo the quality and denomina- 

 tion of Sultamjjes i but the number of the Women, who are to wait on them, is 

 much inferiour, to that of thofe, who are to attend the principal Sultanefs. It is 

 known, in fine, That thofe young Princes are brought up under the tutelage of their 

 Mothers, till they are fo many years of age => and when they are ftrong enough to be 

 put upon certain Exercifes, they have Governours and Matters appointed over them, 

 in a dillm& Quarter by themfelves. 



Belides thefe things, which may be pofitively known, concerning the Appartment 

 of the Women, in the Seraglio, it may well be imagin'd, that the embellilhments ok" 

 their Lodgings are anfwerable to thofe of the Grand Seignor, lince it is the place, 

 where he parles away the molt divertive part of his time. It is alfo not to be que- 

 ftion'd, but that it has its Infirmary, its Baths, and the other accommodations, and 

 conveniences, that can be wilh'd for. It may alfo be conjtctur'd,' That there is,in 

 this Quarter, an obfervance of the fame regulations, as there are in the Chambers of 

 the Icboglans : That fome of the more ancient Maids are Millrelfes over the Younger 

 ones, and are, night and day employ'd in obferving their actions -, and that their un- 

 voluntary reftraint forces them to the fame unfèemly actions amongft themfelves, as 

 the brutiih Pallions of thofe Young Men engages them in, whenever they can find the 

 opportunities to commit them. And this prcfumption has no doubt given occaiion to 

 the Fabulous Story, which is related of their being férv'd up with Cucumbers cut into 

 pieces, and not entire, out of a ridiculous fear left they lhould put them to undecent 

 ufes : they who have forg'd the Story not knowing, that it is the cultome in the Le- 

 vant, to cut the Fruit a-crofs, into great thick ilices, as I (hall make it appear in the 

 Chapter, where I treat of their Gardens. But it is not only in the Seraglio,that that 

 abominable Vice reigns, but it is predominant alfo in the City of Confiantinople, and 

 in all the Provinces of the Empire, and the wicked Example of the Men, who, flight- 

 ing the natural ufé of Woman-kind, are mutually enflam'd with a deteltable love for 

 one another, unfortunately enclines the Women to imitate them. 



A ftrange Sto- Of this, there was a ftrange inftance in the time of Solyman the Magnificent. An 

 ryof an old old Woman was guilty of fuch an excefs of extravagance,as to put on Man's Cloaths, 

 mm an. and to give out, that fhe had bought a Cbiaouxs place, the better to compafs her de- 

 figne, of obtaining the only Daughter of a Trades-man of Conjiantinople, with whom 



Hie 



