Part I. Travels into 4he Levant. 
Checfumsior a pound of Tobacco, made great entreaty, and promifed fecrecy, 
if they let him have it ^ he drew out a Cimeter under his Veft, and cut off the 
Shopkeepers Head. They tell a very pleafant adventure of his upon this oc- 
cafion. Being one day in difguife at Scudaret, he went into the Boat that palTes 
over to Confiant trwple^ wherein there were feveral People, and amongft others 
àSpahio^ Anatolia, who was going to Conftanttnople for his Pay. No fooner fj^'^^l'^.^l^^^ 
was this Blade come into the Boat, but he fell a'fmoaking^ and no body durlt 
fay any thw2, to him i'sive Sultan Amur at, who drawing near, asked him if he hibition of 
did not ftand in Awe of the Grand Sigmor'*s Prohibition. The Spahl very arro- Tobacco, 
gantly made anfwer, That the Grand Signiorltil a brave life on't, that he de- 
lighted himfelf with his Women and Boys, and making himfelf Drunk in his 
Scrraglio; that for his fhare all he had was Bread, that Tobacco was his Bread, 
and that the Grand Signtor could not hinder him to fmoak and with that 
asked him if he would take a whifF. Sultan Ammat told him foftly that he 
would; and having got the Pipe from the Spahi^ went and hid himfelf in a 
corner of the Boat, fmoaking with as much circumfpedion, as if he had been 
afraid fomebody might fee him. When they were come to Conftantinople^ both 
together went into a Caiqne to go into Galata^ each pretending to have Bufinefs 
there. When they were come a fhoar, Sdtan Amurat invited the Spahi to go 
drink a cup of Wine in a place where he knew it was good ; and the other 
condefcended. The Emperour led him towards the place where his Servants 
llaied for him (for when they Difguife themfelves, they appoint their Ser- 
vants to meet theni at a certain place ) and being pretty near, he thought, 
becaufe he was very ftrongîthat he was able alone to arreft the]VIan,and therefore 
took him by the Collar. The Spahi, much furprifed at that boldnefs, and re- 
membring he had been told, that Sdtan Ammat often difguifed himfelf, he 
made no doubt but that it was he \ fo that«feeing himfelf undone,he quickly took 
up his Mace that hung by his Girdle, and with it gave Sdtan Amurat fuch a 
Blow over the fmall of the Back, that he beat him down, and then fled. Sdtan 
Ammat being mad that he milTed of his defign, caufed it to be Publiflied, that 
he acknowledged the Fellow who had given him the Blow to be brave, and that 
if he did appear, he would greatly reward him ^ but the other miftrufting his 
Promife, kept out of the way. He plaied fo many Pranks of that nature, that 
they were enough to fill a Book. 
. CHAP. XLVI. 
Of th Grand Vifier, and other chief Officers of 
the Turh^fh Emfire. 
TH E Grand Slgnior C as I faid before ) meddles but little or not at all 
with Affairs, and if any apply themfelves to Bufinefs, it is only in mat- 
ters of great Confequence. For if he concerned himfelf in fmaller Affairs, he 
muft fhew himfelf too often, which he would take to be Prejudicial to him, 
and a Diminution of hisMajefly. But he hath his chief Minifter, who is the 
Grand Fifier for he hath commonly feven Vtfiers, whereof the fir ft hath all 
the Authority, and does all. It is he that giveth ordinary Audiences to Am- cmi vifief» 
balfadours , who during the whole time of their Embaflie , have but two 
Audiences of the Grand Signior^ one at their Arrival, and another when they 
depart^ and thefe neither but audiences of Ceremony, wherein they treat of 
no Bufinefs. He hears their Propofals, and gives them their Anfwer. It is he 
that takes care to pay the Armies, defides Law-fuits, condemns Criminals, 
and manages the Government: In a word, all the Affairs of the Empire reft 
upon his Shoulders ; he difcharges the OfKce of the Grand Signior, and only 
wants the Title. This is a very heavy Charge, and a Grand f^tfer has but 
very 
