/ 
Parti. Travels into, the hEY ANT. 6i 
delivered him from his Rage. When, then, they have a mind to difpatch 
their Brothers, their Cuftom is, to caufe them to be Strangled with a Silken 
Halter, or Bow-ftring, making a fcruple of Confcience to put them to death 
by the Sword, and fo to (hed the Imperial Blood. Befides, as 1 faid before, 
Perfons of Quality are feldom Beheaded, but commonly Strangled when they Perfons of 
^re condemned to Die, If they pat themuot to Death, they are (hut up fo ^^'y ^"^^ 
clofe, that no Body can tell what is become of them ; and whilfl; I was at Con- "^^"^ 
ftantim^le^ I could not find any Man who could certainly inform me, whether 
ihe Grand Signior had any Brother alive or not. 
The reafon which obliges tht Grand Signior to thefe Fratricides, is not only The caufe of 
that he may have none to difpute the Crown with him, but alfo that he may the Death of 
render himfelf Mafter of the Militia, who are fo Infolent, when any Brother "^'l*^ Brothers 
of their Prince remains in being, that they daily importune the Empereur, de- %rnior!^ 
manding extraordinary Largeffes, or Augmentations of their Pay ; and if it 
be refufed them, they'll threaten and cry publickly, God freferve to m your 
Brother alive : Thereby intimating, that if he fatisfie them not, they can De- 
throne him, and put his Brother in his place. When that Pretext is taken 
from them, they reverence their Prince; but though that be a necelTary piece 
of Policy, yet it is very Inhumane. 
When once the GrandSignior is well fettled in his Throne, he minds no- The Gr^nà 
thing but his Pleafures, and many are employed upon that account. He hath ^iv'lo'^'^ 
always a great many Buffoons, who ftudy nothing elfe but to invent fome piece 
of Folly that might give him Diverfion. Girls have not the ieafl; fhare in 
his Pleafures ; all the Ba^ias make it their bufinefs to find out Beauties for 
him, fo that in a (hort time his Serraglio is well flocked with the faireft. 
Many have written at large, how the Grand Signior fpends his time in the 
Serraglio^ his daily Exercife, his way of Eating and Drinking, Bed, and the 
like, which are very hard to be known, there being no Witneifes but Eunuches, 
who never come out of the Serraglio^ and fome ItchogUns: For my part, I 
know none of thefe particulars, more than thefe Gentlemen have mentioned, 
and therefore I fliall not fpeak of them. I will only tell, what I had from an 
Jtchoglan^ newly come out of the Serraglio ; that the Grand Signior is ferved at 
his Meals in China^ which is more valuable then Purcelane or Terra SigilUta, 
that is reckoned to be good againfl; Poyfon.^ He hath alfo a great many co- The Grami 
vered dilhes of beaten Gold, each difh with its cover, weighing twelve or si,^nior\ 
thirteen Marks. Thefe Difhes were prefented to him by KtUdge Hall Bajha^ Difhes,^ 
a Renegado native of Mcjfina^ after the Pillage and Robberies that he com- 
mitted in Calabria^ where he took great Booty. Now though with them it 
be a fin to eat in Gold or Silver, yet he makes ufe of both ; and the Qiieen 
Mother of the GrandSignior, is ferved in forty Silver plate dilhes. But at ex- 
traordinary Feafts, which are kept in the Gardens, or Summer-Houfes, they 
are ferved in Bafons of Purcelane, or Terra SigilUta, as the AmbalTadours are 
alfo when they are feafted in the Hall of the Divan^ before they have their 
Audience of the Grand Signior. When he eats he fpeaks to no body, but The Gunâ. 
makes himfelf beunderftood by Signs to the mute Buffoons, who are very ex- sijinior never 
pert at that, having a very fingular method in it^ and these is nothing but ^^^^ 
what they can exprefs by Signs. Thefe Buffoons are always playing fome fool- 
i(h Tricks amongft therafelves to make him Laugh. 
He never beats his Brains about Bufinefs, but refers the whole management q^^^ of -4^=" 
of Affairs to his Minifters, who give him a Summary Account of them, on fairs, 
certain days of the Week. Not but that there have been fome who have taken 
the Care upon therafelves, ordering their Minifters to ad according to their 
Direétions. Sultan Amnrat^ though a very debauched Prince, always minded 
his Affairs, and Sdtan Mahomet who Reigns at prefent, and traces the Footfteps 
of his Uncle Amurat^ loves Bufinefs very well too. 
When Grand Signior is weary of ftaying in his Serraglio, he goes and 
takes the Air upon the Water, and fometimes by Land, but not often, be- 
caufe his Minifters do what they can to hinder him from that, Ieafl Petitions 
may be prefented to the Grand Signior againfl them : For fuch as cannot have 
Jiiftice of them, exped till the Grand Signior be abroad in the Streets •, and 
when he paffes by they put their Petition on the end of a Cane, which they 
hold 
