Chap.XlX. Grand Seignors Seraglio. 



9? 



Eut to do thêta all the right they defêrve, the Cucumbers in the Levant are excel- 

 lently good, and, though eaten raw, they never do a man any hurt. The Story of the 

 Cucumbers which occafiQn'd the cruel death of Seven Pages of the Grand Seignor's 

 Chamber, is not. haply, known to all people ; or at ieall, all know not the reafen,why 

 the Pages of the Chamber are not now permitted to go into the Gardens. 



Sultan Mahomet, the fécond of that name, taking a turn in the Gardens of the Se- 

 raglio, attended by his Pages, was much furpriz'd to fee a bed of Cucumbers, which 

 look'd very fair to the eye, and were extreamly forward, considering the Seafon, Be- 

 ing a great lovet of that fruit, he recommended them to the Boftangi-bachi, who told 

 them over every day, and, with fome impatience, expected their maturity, that he 

 might prefent them to the Grand Seignor. Some daies after, going to Viiit the bed, 

 he found his number of Cucumbers fhorter, than it (hould have been, by three or four, 

 and that they who had taken thofe that were milling, had made choice of the ripeftj 

 and thereupon making a Uriel: enquiry, to find out who have been guilty of that pre- 

 1 lïmption, he found that the Pages of the Chamber were the only perfons who had 

 been, that day, in the Gardens. 



Upon that difcovery, he went and gave an account of the whole matter to the 

 Grand Seignor, who was fo highly incens'd thereat, that, not prevailing with any one 

 of the Pages to acknowledg the Theft, he, out of a cruelty as much above all credit, 

 as beyond all example, caus'd the Bellies of feven of them to be ripp'd up. The Theft 

 was found in the Belly of the feventh of thofe unfortunate Young Men, who, after 

 the execution done on the other fix, would not acknowledge his guilt, out of hopes, 

 that the Prince's indignation would not have extended Co far. From that very time, 

 and in commemoration of fo ftrange an action, the Pages of the Chamber are not per- 

 mitted to go into the Gardens of the Seraglio ■■> what one Prince has ellablilh'd, as I 

 have hinted elfewhere, being never revok'd by his Succeffors, who bear a certain re- 

 fpeét to the enactions of their Anceltors. 



In the midft of the Great Walk, which goes from the Seraglio, to the Sea-Gate A Pyramid, 

 -which looks towards Scudaret, there is a Pyramid, erected upon a fquare Pedeftal, and much refemblinl 

 which four men would have much ado to fathom. About the Pedeftal they have fuf- T " )an s 

 ifer'd fome bryars and thorns to grow, and it fèems to have been done out of defign, au 

 to hinder peoples coming clofe to it. The Pyramid, from the top to the bottom, is full 

 of Figures, whereof the heads are ftruck off i and it may be conjectur'd by fome re- 

 mainders, that there was a very noble head on the top of it, as being the Mailer-piece 

 jof the work. This Pyramid fomewhat refembles Trajan s Pillar at Rome j and fome, 

 •who have feen both, imagine, they were the work of the fame Matter. 



All the Fountains of the Gardens have their Balins of Marble, of different colours, fouminii 

 Near each of them, there is a little Scaffold, furrounded with Ballilkrs, which they 

 fpread with rich Carpets, and Brocado-Culhions, when the Sultan comes to take his 

 walk there : and 'tis only at that time, the Waters play => which Diverfion he frequent- 

 ly gives the Princeffes, who bear "him company. 



There are appointed for the culture of thefe Gardens two thoufand Boftangis i and tbt G&rdintrs* 

 yet, though there be fo vaft a number to keep them, they come far ftiort of the Neat 

 Contrivances, and Imbçlliûiments of ours. 



(N t) 



CHAP. 



