value The Chasnadar Bassi who is the high Treasurer hath the charge to buy what is needfull for Presents hee imployes yearely in cloth of gold for Robes which they giue the which is made at Bursia in Asia foure Millions of Liuers besides that which comes into the royall Wardrobe by the Presents of Basha's and other great Men but as all Riuers come from the Sea and returne vnto it so all the Grand Seigneurs Presents returne backe in the end to his owne Cosets The Sultana's die and their goodly stuffe comes to him The Bashaes end their liues he takes all as the Master doth of his slaues Sometimes hee leaues a part for the execution of the Will which he hath made So as he doth not giue but lends for a time seeing that the fundamentall Law of his Estate which makes all men his slaues restores that vnto him which he had giuen and moreouer all the wealth of his Subjects But all the Presents of the Turkish Emperour are not pleasing to them which receiue them they are sometimes fatall fore tellings of death to him to whom hee giues them For when hee sends for any great Men of the Port into the Serrail to feast him or to speake with him after the Feast or at the end of his discourse meaning to take away his life in his presence he giues him a blacke Robe wrought with gold and silke as Basaâ—et the Second did to Bassa Achomat who had supt in the Serrail with the other Bashaes at his Masters Table amidst the delights and pleasures of a royall Feast whereas Wine forbidden by the Law of their Religion was poured forth as plentifully as in any part of the World Supper being ended and the Table taken away the Bashaes humble themselues before their Prince some kisse the ground in his presence to obtaine pardon for that they had drunke Wine and so returned to their houses The Sultan stayed Achomat with their sweete Words Milalah that is to say my Protectour tarrit here with mee When the others were gone hee caused a rich Robe of blacke silke wrought with Gold to be brought vnto him â—t the fight hereof Achaâ—at entred into furâ—e hee knew well what it meant and assured himselfe of his ruine hee accuseth Baiazeth of injustice and crueltie and tells him in his rage Why didst thou Sonne of a Whore suffer mee to drinke wine against the holy constitutions of any Law if their wilt presently put mee to death Hee ended his rage with the rest of the discourse which his passion had dictated But his life was freed from the present danger his Sonne seeing him not returne with the other Bashâ—â—s informed himselfe from them what was become of his Father They tell him in what a pittifull estate hee was whereupon hee flyes to the Serail moues the Ianizaries to compassion who loued Achomat for his valour as he whom they had followed in the Warres in Battailes and assaults of Townes they filled the Serrail with the honour of their cryes Br'e Br'e that is to say str◠〈◊〉 They beate at the Gate of the Emperours lodging threaten him raâ—â—e on him called him drunkard and force him to restore Achomat who was pale and warne haâ—ling the â—alter about his necke with the which the Princes made â—sed were ready to strangle him In this manner force hindred the effect of this fatall Present of a blacke Gâ—ne wrought with Gold But besides these accidents hee that receiue it must aspect his infallible Ruine This Present is the 〈◊〉 by the Othoman Monarch to any but to 〈…〉 but hee sometimes sends others which show the contempt which hee makes of forreigne Princes as when hee sends a Robe how râ—â—h soeueâ— vnto a soueraigne pâ— for a Robe is the Present of a superiour to his infâ— So 〈◊〉 the first 〈…〉 Theâ—â—r or Tâ—mberlan Emperour of the 〈◊〉 when hee sent him a Robe in disgrace to contemne him Thâ— was much offended and answered those which brought the Present from the Turke that he should not 〈◊〉 those of his sâ—â—t 〈◊〉 that manner but hee soone had his reuenge Hee entred Baiazets Countrey in Asia Constantinople was then held by the Christians and with eight hundred thousand fighting men tooke Sebaste the Sâ—ate of his Empire slue his Sonne Orthogules defeated his Armie in Battaile tooke himselfe Prisoner reuenged this contempt by many others and afflicted him so in following him as hee died of griefe sorrow and paine to be an example to Princes not to contemne those which are Soueraignes like themselues and therein Images of the Soueraigne God But thus they giue Presents of Death and contempt in Turkey the one is of crueltie and the other of offences and not Presents for the Presents of Enemies are no Presents The Sultana Queene that is crowned and Mother to the young Prince Successour of the Empire giues many Presents a Shee receiues daily from the Great Men of the Port which send vnto her and therefore shee is bound to giue to this end the Emperour doth furnish her with much goodly stuffe and peeces of price which are giuen vnto him and with great summes of money to buy others The Grand Vizir doth also giue many Presents both within Constantinople and without Hee sends many Roabes of Cloth of Gold and Silke to Embassadours which arriue at the Port and when hee is in the Armie performing the the Change of Lieutenant Generall to the Sultan hee giues to draw strangers vnto him that may be vsefull or to recompence the generositie of some valiant Captaine And for that all these Presents are giuen in the Sultans name he doth furnish those things which he giues And to this end the Teftardar deliuers him Money pieces of Cloth of Gold of Silke and many other Stuffes This is all that can be spoken of the Sultans Presents CHAP. XV. Of the Treasures of the Serrail THe Ochâ—mas Monarch hath his Treasures what Soueraigne Prince can preserue and â—ine his power and estate without their force It is gotten by Armes and Money preserued and underlined by the same meanes Hee doth lodge it in his Serrail one part in the Coâ—he which is without his Quarter and the other within it In the Treasurie without it layed the money for the ordinary and extraordinary expences which is buried vpon all the Reuenewes of the Empire The Grand Vizir and the great Teftardar or Superintendent of the Treasure keepe the Keyes But it is sealed only by the Grand Vizir The other place for the Treasure is more important it is within the Quarter of the Sultans lodging or most commonly vnder the Chamber where he sleepe taking his rest vpon the subject of his disquiet This is vnder the chaâ—ge and care of the 〈…〉 who is a white Eunuch and a Fauourite as the Prince hee hath one key and the Emperour another The Treasure which is said to yearely there is that which hee spâ— out of the Reuenewes of Egypt When
at his feet as others doe but inclined a little to kisse his Robe When the Embassadour had kist the Sultans Robe who sits vpon Cushions of Cloth of Gold curled he retires backward with his face alwayes towards the Prince and plants himselfe against the wall of the Chamber to giue way to the Gentlemen of his Traine who goe likewise to kisse his Robe And then he presents the Letter which the King sends written in the Turkish Tongue The Grand Seigneur answeres nothing for the present his Grand Vizir doth only speake some wordes to dismisse the Embassadour who goes out of the Chamber hauing made a Reuerence in bending downe his head but doth not vncouer it But you must obserue that no man comes to kisse his Robe vnlesse hee be attired in Robes after the Turkish manner giuen him by the Sultan the which is the Present of a Soueraigne to a subiect or slaue For this cause the Grand Vizir forgets not to send vnto the Embassadour such Robes as are set downe by the Ordinance of the Custome of the Empire that is to say two that are rich for the Embassadours person and one for either of his followers Moreouer euery Embassadour must haue a Present for the Grand Seigneur the which he sees first before him thorow a Lattice window whither he is carried by Capigis There he busies himselfe to looke on it whilest the Embassadour and his Gentlemen doe their Reuerence so as they can see but halfe his face To this purpose a generous action performed by the said Monsieur Nouailles Embassadour to Charles the Ninth is worthy to bee related Mahomet Grand Vizir to Selim the Second prest him much not to forget a stately Present for his Sultan and sent him word that if he had none readie hee would furnish him This Embassadour went of purpose to kisse his Robe without any Present The Basha reproacht him and imputed it to contempt that hee had not giuen any The Seigneur of Nouailles made answere that the King his Master who was the first and greatest Monarch of Christendome hearing that Selim demanded it as a Tribute had forbidden him to present any Thus in giuing none he serued his Master profitably and honourably leauing among the Turkes a great admiration of his generous dxteritie and carried backe into France the glorie which those Embassadours deserue whom vertue and not fauour haue aduanced to such Charges Other Embassadours of inferiour Qualitie to a Royaltie receiue Robes in like manner to goe and salute him But they enter not into the Serrail with so much Pompe neither are they feasted nor haue so much familiaritie with the Grand Vizir yea there are some which sit not in his presence Thus the Turks can measure the honour which they doe vnto men according to the Qualitie of the Princes which send them whose persons the Embassadours represent They haue long hands and portatiue eyes to see into the Realmes that are most remote to their Estates The forme which the Turkish Monarches vse to sweare a League or Alliance with any Forreigne Prince is no lesse specious than fraudulent for most commonly they hold nothing that they promise and their Oaths are as false as those of Louers thus they Court all the Estates of Europe When as Marin Cabalus a Man doubly famous aswell for the lustre of his Birth as for knowledge was at Constantinople Embassadour for the Venetian to renew the League with the Turke Selim sware it in this manner I sweare and promise by the great God which hath created Heauen and Earth by the soules of seuentie Prophets by mine owne and by that of my Ancestors to obserue with the Seigneurie of Venice all the points and rights of the League and Friendship which hath beene entertained to this day and to hold them for sacred and inuiolable as they are declared by my Signature But he brake it suddainly for Iean Mique a Spanish Iew chased out of Spaine by King Ferdinand as a dangerous Spie to Europe who had runne thorow all the Prouinces hauing related vnto him that the Arsenall of Venice had beene burnt and that there was want of victuals in that State and Seigneurie he perswaded him to the warre of Cyprus which he said did belong vnto him as Sultan of Egypt and King of Palestina whereon Cyprus aswell as Rhodes depended as Homagers Selim vndertooke it without any other subiect and made himselfe Master thereof in short time taking this Realme from the Venetians who had kept it long So to be a Turke and to keep his faith are incompatible things CHAP. IX Of some Manuall Workes of the Turkish Emperours and of the Religious custome which they obserue to liue of the labour of their hands THe Authour of the Alcoran hath deckt the deformities of his Law and couered the falshoods thereof with some lustre of truth to make them passe the better amongst his followers Among the many Rules which hee prescribes them he enioynes them to labour and doth assure them that hee is not worthy to liue that doth not labour with his hands The people doe not only obserue it but the respect of this precept is crept into the Imperiall Throne of the Turkes The Sultans embrace it and of twentie Emperours which haue swayed the Othoman Scepter yee shall hardly find one which hath not laboured for his liuing Mahomet the Second manured his Gardens and of the reuenew of the Fruites which were sold he caused meate to be bought for his mouth But as the actions of such men how religious soeuer they be haue not true Charitie for their Guide they doe easily incline to vice This Prince added to his Manuall labour so horrible a crueltie as it was to be wished his hands had beene idle We haue written in the Historie of his Empire that visiting one day being followed by his Pages the Squares of hi. Gardens which he did manure himselfe one of the young Boyes seeing hastie Cowcumbers gathered one and eate it Mahomet returning that way found it wanting his choler enflamed him to crueltie hee saw by the stalke that it was newly gathered and hee knew that hee had no company but his Pages and therefore some one of them had done the deed the which he would know at what price soeuer Hee calleth the Bastangies or Gardiners puts sharpe Kniues into their hands and commands them to open the stomacks of his Pages They take them one by one and open fourteene finding the Cowcumber not yet disgested in the stomacke of the fourteenth Such was the rigour of this Prince who for a light offence caused fourteene of the goodliest young Boyes the flowre and choice of all the youth of his Serrail to be murthered Solyman the Second hee which tooke Rhodes spent his idle houres in making of Shooes the which he sent to the Bazar or Market to sell and with the money he caused victuals to be bought for his Table Selim the Second who lost the battaile
they haue paid the 〈◊〉 of Caâ—re their Commanders and others which are the force and defence of that rich Kingdome there 〈◊〉 vsually 〈…〉 thousand Sultanians which makes two 〈◊〉 foure hundred thousand Liuers of French money Besides this Treasure the jealousie of Turkish Emperoure 〈…〉 â—other in the Serrail of the Sultana's in 〈…〉 where as the Sultanas Queene doth lodge 〈…〉 of his Serrail should enter into it The doores are 〈◊〉 Iron and they will is vp as often as they put any Treasure into it and they which carry it are Mutes to whose silence the Sultanas â—sides the â—â—cret They carrie it in great sâ—â—he of Leather like vnto Purses and let it downe into â—mes which are made of purpose to keepe it Thus the Money which 〈◊〉 with gaine is kept with feare and if it be lost it is with griefe The Prince which doth waste it by his prodigalities weakens his Estate and exposeth himselfe to the dangers of many violent necessities That Turkish Monarch which first made the place for the secret Treasure in the Sultanaes Serrail was Selym the First who hauing drawne together all the coyned Gold which hee receiued of the Reuenewes of Caire and other places hee caused it to be moulten and made a great Ball which his dumbe Men did roll to put into the Cisternes of this Treasurie Doubtlesse it must needs be very painfull to roll it seeing the weight of this precious metall is so cumbersome as it â—â—rawes all the World after it Hee himselfe had the Key of this secret place making vse of his dumbe Men to the end they should not reueale the rich treasure which he had drawn together Amurath the Third did afterwards seeke a more secret place vnder the Chamber of the Sultana Asachi that is to say the crowned where he caused Cisternes to be digged to that end He entred into it foure times in the yeere and at euery time he put into it aboue two Millions of Gold This Prince drew together more Treasure than any of the rest hauing in few yeares filled those Cisternes with coyned Gold Wherefore we must not wonder if the Turkes Armies be so strong seeing they furnish them with so many sinewes if they vanquish and triumph seeing they haue both Men and Money in abundance But rather wee haue cause to wonder that they doe not get all the rest of the World For what is there in it that is not to be sold for Money The King of the Numidians had reason to say in beholding that Citie which was the seat of the most powerfull Monarchie of the Earth A Citie that is to be sold is nere its ruine if it find a buyer Men haue giuen the Turkish Emperours that fearefull greatnesse which they enjoy but Money hath bought the men CHAP. XVI Of the Reuenewes of the Turkish Emperour in generall and in particular and of the extent thereof THe greatnesse of Monarchies consists chiefly in three things in the number of men in the extent of Countries and in the abundance of his annuall Reuenewes Which three things are found in Eminencie aboue all other Estates of the World in the Turkes Empire His Armies are many times 400000. fighting men or more the Townes and Champion Countrey are inhabited and abundantly peopled by the Law of their Religion and State which forceth Men to marrie being fiue and twenty yeares olde and they haue libertie to keepe as many Concubines as they are able to feed The yearely Reuenew is proportionable in this abundance Wee may comprehend it in two sorts In the ordinary Reuenew which is alwayes equall and doth not alter and in the extraordinary and casuall The ordinary amounts yearely to twenty Millions of Gold the extraordinary is not lesse but more vncertaine for it is not raised but vpon Escheates and casuall things as when the Turkes die without Heires all their goods come vnto the Prince If they leaue any Children he takes only ten in the hundred most of the rich Bashaes and wealthy men of the Court leaue the best of their Estates to their Prince although they haue Children For being all slaues by the fundamentall Law of the Sâ—â—â—e the Sultan seizes vpon their Pallaces of their most precious moueables and doth not suffer that the great summers of Money which they leaue should be otherwise imployed but to fill the Cofers of his Chasna or Treasury Besides all this hee is the first and chiefe principall Steward of the Benefices of his Empire For if any pious person according to his Religion leaues any great Legacies to the Priests of his Law to read the Alcâ—râ— or to performe some other deuotion after their manner hee lookes what is necessary for the nourishment and entertainment of a number of Priests which are appointed not according to the Lawes of Excesse but in termes of modesty and Ecclesiasticall Sobrietie He causeth it be deliuered vnto them and puts the rest into his Cofers So as he that could justly calculate the Revenewes of the Turkish Empire without doubt he should find it to exceed forty Millions yearely aswell the Ordinary as the Casuall whereunto no Monarch of the Earth doth come neere They which haue seene the Turkes Court dwelt in Constantinople and conuerst with the naturall Citizens thereof vnderstand the greatnesse of the Annuall Reuenewes of this spacious Empire And others who haue not trauelled so farre to attaine vnto this particular knowledge will not call this truth in question if they consider the vast extent of the Othuman Empire for the Soueraigne Princes thereof are Lords of Africke they possesse a part of Barbary they rule beyond Thuâ—â— and Argier they draw Tributes from the Crownes of Fesse and Morocco They are Kings of high and low Egypt they force obedience in Asia The three Arabiaes that is to say the Stony the Desart and the Happy acknowledge no other Lord The Holy Land suffers the rigour of their command which is absolute in Syria Mesopotamia and Chaldaea a part of Persia doth acknowledge them Media and Assiria are theirs Armenia the lesse bowes vnder their Lawes and a part of the greater with the Countrey of Mongrelia All Asia the lesser obey them and in it the Prouinces of Caramania Calicia Cappadâ—cia Pamphylia Paphlagonia Gallacia Phrygia Bichynia Lydia Caria and Magnesia The Emperour of Trebisonde acknowledgeth them for Masters Their power is not lesse in Europe which is the goodliest the most flourishing and the ciuillest part in the World All Greece as Thrâ—â— Macedonia Bulgaria Poloposâ— now called Morâ—a Bâ—sina and Serâ—ia doe what they command Slaâ—ia is subject vnto them A part of Saâ— Dasia Hungaria and Valachia are peopled by them The Prouinces which lie vpon the blacke Sea and the Archipelagus belong wholy vnto the Turkesâ— and the Ilands of the Mediterranâ—an Sea which make the greatest number yeeld vnto their 〈◊〉 They haue 〈◊〉 from the Venetians the Crowns of Gâ— and Ierusalem that goodly Island of Rhodas leauing 〈◊〉 in
incredible care 〈◊〉 the space of six or seuen yeeres which is the time they remaine in this Oda After this long terme they passe vnto the second Oda where more vnderstanding Masters than the first teach them the Persian Arabian and Tartar Languages and practise them in reading all sorts of written Bookes for the Turkes vse no other Moreouer to speake Turkish elegantly the which they may doe by the knowledge of those three Tongues whereof the Turkish Language seemes to be composed For to heare them speake they do easily discerne the difference there is betwixt them and those which are not bred vp in like manner They adde to these exercises of the mind those of the Body In this Oda they teach them to handle the Sword or Semiter to shoot to cast a Battle-axe to dart a Iaâ—ehn or Azagaye and to runne lightly all this is done in places separated from the Oda at certaine houres appointed with great attention where the Eunuches spare not their Cudgels but beat them soundly for the least fault They continue six yeares in these Exercises after which they are Men and sit for all paine and labour Then they come vnto the third Oda where they doe not forget what they had learned before but practise it still and moreouer they learne to be good Horsemen and to vault with disposition to be the morefit and actiue for the Warre Euery one according to his inclination doth likewise learne an occupation to serue the Princes person one to make Turbants another to shaue Haire to cut his Nailes to wash him in the Bath to make cleane and fold his Clothes handsomely some to lead Dogs to the Wood others to be skilfull in Hawks and Hawking to serue for Stewards or Queries to be imployed in the Chamber and to other Offices necessary for the seruice of great Princes wherein they grow to that perfection in the space of fiue yeeres as they are able to instruct others Whilest they are in this third Oda they may not see any one abroad but with great difficulty and in the presence of an Eunuch all conuersation with others is prohibited but with those of their Oda But they must doe it with all modesty and honesty For if the Eunuch who is their Superiour shall enter into the least suspition of the contrary they shall be assured to be soundly beaten either vpon the soles of their feet or vpon the backe after the Turkish manner so as many times they leaue them for dead They sleepe in long Roomes which may containe fifty little Beds made only of Matteresse They lie in their clothes in the night time they haue many lights burning their Eunuches sleepe among them betwixt euery ten Beds lies an Eunuch to keep them in awe Day and night their Masters examine them to see if they be firme and constant in the beliefe of the Alcoran For being ready to passe to the fourth Oda and from thence to the greatest Offices of the Empire if they had in their soules any loue of their first beliefe they might procure some great prejudice to the Turkes estate Hauing imployed all care and finding them truly Mahometans they conduct them to the fourth Oda At their entry into it they enter their names and Countries again into another Booke for all passe not into this last place of their continuall trauels But those only which haue finished their time in the other forme and by their diligence haue made themselues capable to serue the Prince and State profitably As labour and rest touch one another so the end of one is the sweet beginning of the other These men finde it in this Oda their Pension is augmented insteed of cloth wherewith they were formerly attired the Sultan giues them Robes of Silke and Cloth of Gold They haue liberty to conuerse with the greatest men of the Serrail and with the Bassa's who seeing them entring into great places adore the Sun rising of their Fortunes make them great Presents and seeke to winne their friendship by rich gifts Besides these pleasing signes of a new happinesse whereas they were before all shauen they suffer their haire to grow vpon their Temples to couer their Eares an assured signe that they shall be speedily of the Royall Chamber they follow the Grand Seigneur in all his walkes where hee is without women and out of their number he takes the most familiar Officers of his person and of his Fauourites As the Sechletar Aga who carries his Sword The Chioda Aga which is he that carries the Roiall Robe called Câ—amâ—eâ— The Rechioptar or Rakduntar hee which goes at his Stirrop when he is on horsebacke or his chiefe Footman The Materagi Aga hee which carries a Vessell of Gold full of water when the Sultan marches The Tubenter Aga hee which doth garnish and carry his Turbant The Chiamaci Aga hee that doth wash his Linnen or his chiefe Landrer The Camedir Bassi or great Master The Chilargi Bassi or chiefe Butler The Dagangi Bassi or Master Faulconer The Sarrigi Bassi or chiefe Cutler The Nunasinugi Bassi or chiefe Comptroller of the Treasure The Turmachi Bassi or Firnaagi Aga he that pares his Nailes The Berber Bassi or chiefe Barber The Amangi Bassi he that washes him in the Bath The Teskelegi Bassi the great Secretary or first Secretary of State All which are the most ancient of the fourth Oda and stand before the Prince when hee comes out of his Chamber with that respect and reuerence which they learned in their youth in the first Oda which is to bee silent to hold their heads downe and with their eyes fixed vpon the ground for they neuer speake nor looke their Master in the face If he commands them any thing it is by signes after the manner of dumbe men and they doe execute it speedily they carry his meat which they receiue at the Court gate from the Stewards hands who is without and they deliuer it from one to another vntill it comes to the Grand Master who sets it before the Grand Seigneur This Prince is much pleased with the mute conuersation of such men who dare not entertaine him but by signes hee causeth them to ride and to practize running and leaping hee causeth them many times to cast a barre of Iron and to make such like proofes of their force and actiuity Hee fauours them with many Presents as Robes of Cloth of Gold Swords enricht with precious stones Purses full of Sultanins and many other things of value Moreouer to the end that his Agalaris may gather the more money to supply the expences of their Equipage when they shall goe out of the Serrail with the Titles of Gouernours of Prouinces hee giues them dispatches for Embassies These men sell them to the Chaoux or bargaine with them for a Moietie or more of the present which they shall receiue from the Prince to whom they are sent the which is of no small importance For the Princes which hold
wheresoeuer he goes whether he goe out of his Royall Pallace or enters into that of his women he followes him vnto the doore where he leaues men to aduertise him in his Chamber when the Sultan retires Embassies Packets of Importance Instructions of Estate and all great Affaires passe thorough his hands to come vnto the 〈◊〉 which make him necessary to all others and gets him as many rich Presents and as much money as he can well desire This without comparison is more beneficiall vnto him than the entertainment he hath in the Serrail the which is regulated at ten Sultanins by the day which make foure pounds of our sterling Money many Robes of Silke and Cloth of Gold with such moueables as he desires Moreouer his Table is furnished at his Masters charge and at the same time that his is Hee carries a Turbant in the Serrail and goes on horsebacke where he pleaseth The second is the Chasuadar Bassi or the Treasurer of the Princes secret treasure hee hath one key and the Grand Seigneur another who doth also set his Scale vnto it He hath care to lay vp the gold and siluer which comes from Egypt keepes an accompt of it and enters alone into this Treasure with the Sultan hee aduiseth him for the gathering together of money and entertaines him with a subject which was neuer displeasing to Prince The importance and necessity of his charge make him to be much esteemed For gold being the delights of men whosoeuer hath the ouer-sight makes himselfe both powerfull and necessary among them Moreouer he hath the keeping of all the Iewels of the Crowne and likewise of those which they present daily vnto the Sultan hee gluts his eyes with the lustre of the goodliest Pearles and the richest Diamonds that the East doth produce Those which his Master giues and wherewith hee doth adorne himselfe on a day of pompe passe thorough his hands Hee liues in the midst of the Treasures of the Serrail with hope to succeed to the place of Capiaga if death forceth the other to abandon it The third hath the charge of Chilergi Bassi that is to say great Dispencer He is as with vs the Master of the Kings Wardrobe by his place he hath a care of the Sultans Apparell and of other things which belong vnto his person Moreouer the pieces of Cloth of Gold which they send for Presents the exquisite Furres the rich Swords the Plumes of Feathers and such like which they giue vnto the Prince and those which hee himselfe giues are vnder his custody Hee keepes a particular 〈◊〉 to the end they may see the price of that which enters into this sturdy Wardrobe for Princes and the value of that which goes forth in the same qualities This exercise keepes him alwayes in breath for the custome of Turkey well practised in the Serrail being to giue and to receiue doth furnish him with imployment enough to passe the houres of the day farre from idlenesse He hath vnder him to assist him in this painfull labour a great number of Eunuches The diligence which he must shew herein bindes him to remayne in a manner continually within the Serrail his entertainments are his Table many Robes of Cloth of Gold a thousand Aspres by the day or eight Sultanins with many rich Presents But the fauour wherewith his Master doth honour him makes the greatest article of his Reuenew he hopes by the meanes hereof to enter into the place of Chasâ—adar Bassi when it shall be void He carries for a marke of the honour which he enjoyes a Turbant in the Serrail and rides within it aswell as the two former and he that followes for these foure Eunuches haue this prerogatiue aboue the other Officers of the Othoman Monarch residing in the Serrail The fourth is also an old pale withered Eunuch aswell by the course of his yeares as the want of that which they haue cut away who enjoyes the Office of Sarai Agassi which in Turkey is like vnto the Captaine of the Castle of the Louver in France but with more lustre and authority and so he hath more labour and care For being to look vnto the whole Serrail the ordinary Mansion of the Othoman Monarches hee must performe his charge so exactly as such Princes will be serued he doth often visit all the Quarters and Chambers of this stately Pallace to see in what estate they are and hath a care to see the meanest Officers doe their duties which is more then with vs to adde vnto the charge of the Royall Pallace the Office of a Master of the Houshold that the Serrail be furnished with all things that are vsually needfull hee remaines within it in the Sultans absence to maintaine order and to see that this royall Lodging be alwayes in good estate He hath the same entertainment with the Chilâ—rgi Bassi and hope if his yeares deâ—â—iue him not to succeed in his place For the order of the Serrail doth not suffer suffer them to flie vnto great Officer but it will haue them mount by degrees You shall not see men there grow vp in one night like vnto Mushrums or Toad-stooles long attendance and long seruices aduance them to the places which they deserue Thus the Shasnadar Bassi aspires to that of Capiaga the Châ—lergi Bassi to that of Shasnadar Bassi and this last to his These foure Eunuches attend vsually in the Princes presence only the Capiaga may speake vnto him and not the rest vnlesse the Prince doth question them about their Offices Besides these Honours and Offices of the Serrail the Prince doth sometimes honour them with the quality of Bassa and Gouernour of a Realme as of Egypt Damas or else-where They also attaine vnto the place of Grand Vizir which is the first of the Empire and by the authority thereof lead Armies into Prouinces where they goe to make warre The which gaue occasion to a generous Gouernour of a place belonging to the Christian in Hungarie to answere an Eunuch Generall of an Army who had summond him to yeeld that the practice of women was to sewe and spinne and not to take Townes The Grand Seigneur aduanceth them in this manner to great places without the Serrail to a double end the one to acknowledge their long seruices the other to haue their places wherwith to aduance other Eunuches who during their long seruices haue attended that they should either die or be sent Basha's into some remote Prouinces For the Serrail doth nourish many Eunuches vnder the sweetnesse of these hopes They may be about two hundred of all Ages Such as cannot be aduanced by order of antiquity to these eminent places in the Royall Pallace are notwithstanding imployed in things of lesse quality some keepe in distinct places as Closets or Cabinets those exquisite things that are giuen as Presents to the Prince as great places of Ambergreece which the Basâ—a of 〈…〉 in his Gouernment and sends to the 〈…〉 God 's of Masque giues Vessels
height of an extraordinary fortune it shall not be vnfitting to deliuer briefly by what meanes hee came vnto that greatnesse He was by Nation a Graecian and in his infancy his Mother who was a Bulgarian led him one day with her from the Towne of Nebopride to that of Senderoâ—â—a she met casually with the Turkish horse some of them seeing this young childe wonderfull beautifull tooke him away by force and carried him as a Present to the Sultan their Master The Prince loued him and in a short time made the greatest of his Court know that beauty is many times a powerfull motiue to a great fortune hee was placed among the best respected Pages of his Chamber where hee spent his younger yeeres in the midst of the delights of the Serrail after which he had the charge of Aga or Colonell Generall of the Ianizaries afterwards he was honoured with the qualitie of Bassa then he became Vizir mounting daily higher Romelia or Europe had him for their Beglierbey The magnificences which he shewed during the possession of so much wealth would be tedious to relate One only example shall suffice for all Mahomet the Second caused the eldest of his children to be Circumcised the custome of the Court will haue great Men to giue him Presents as wee haue formerly spoken all performed it but that of Machmut mounted neere to a hundred thousand Sequins which would make fortie thousand pounds sterling The Ocean must bee vast and great which doth breed such great Whales liuing and walking Mountaines And the Othoman Court must be stately seeing the Bassa's encounter with such fortunes But it may be that of Machmut will seeme stale for that it happened an age before ours to satisfie those which loue new things and to augment the proofes of this verity that the Turkish Bassa's are great we will adde an example which many haue seene of late yeeres It appeared in the Leuant in the yeere 1614 and in the person of Nassuf Bassa Grand Vizir of the Empire whose treasures were so great as they found in his Cofers at the time of his death a Million of Gold in Sequins and in siluer Coine eight hundred thousand Crownes three bushels of precious Stones not wrought a bushell of Diamonds not set in gold and two bushels of great round Pearles of inestimable value His other furniture was equall to his treasure he had a thousand goodly Horses in his stable whereof the least was valued at a thousand Crownes Moreouer he had foure hundred Mares of Arabian Egypt the goodliest that could be found in those Countries with many thousand of Camels and Moyles His Armory was full of the richest Swords that could be found in the Leuant and elsewhere The least had the hilts of siluer One was so enricht with Diamonds vpon the hilt as it was valued at fiue thousand pounds sterling The rest of his moueables were no lesse precious his Persian Carpets wrought of Gold and Silke The great quantity of Cloth of Gold of Silk of most excellent workes the rich beds and all that excesse of a monstrous fortune can draw into the Pallace of a Fauourite exceeds the imagination of men and giues occasion to say that with the spoile of such men they might not only enrich many houses but many Cities Such rich and sumptuous Courtiers go with no smal trains when they march in field and vndertake a Voyage be it for their owne particulars or to receiue the possession of the Gouernment of Prouinces wherewith the Sultan doth honour them the baggage which goes before and the great number of men which follow them doth equall yea exceed the attendants of the Soueraigne Princes of Europe Such a traine may busie the eyes of those that see them passe for a whole day for so much time is necessary for the least entry into a Towne and yet many times they supply the want of day by Torch-light It is the care of such Bassa's to shew themselue great to the eyes of the World which makes them prodigall in their expences to be attended by many thousands of houshould seruants if they bee not ill serued being a difficult thing but such a number and troupe should be importune and troublesome to whom they giue many Enunches to command them They take a delight to bee well mounted and withall to haue as many horses as would serue for diuers Regiments They will haue their Baggage to seeme the more stately to be carried by twelue or fifteene hundred Moiles and as many Canâ—elis The number of the Concubins which they entertaine in imitation of the Prince their Maister imployes the care and watchfull diligence of many black Eunuches which they appoint to keepe them and consume their great wealth Their Lodgings are stately Serrails which they haue built with incredible expences as wee may see in the Hippodrome of Constantinople by the Serrail of Hibraime Bassa whereof the Turkish Emperours haue beene heires the which is capable to lodge a great King Their Moueables and Ornaments of their Hals are equall to their greatnesse wherein they spare no cost as the only acquisitions which the Law of their seruitude doth allow them for being all slaues they can purchase no lands nor possessions the which doth generally belong to the Sultan their Soueraigne But if of Caitiue slaues they be so great and so proud in their wealth what must the Master be who hath made them such CHAP. XI Of the affronts which the Turkish Bassa's are forced to pocket vp in Court and the disgracefull Chastisements which they suffer THe honours and greatnesse of the World haue their counterpoise shame and contempt followes them at the heeles All that clime vp may descend yea fall Thus the diuine Prouidence hath wisely ordained to teach man not to build his assurances thereon and to binde him to seeke them in that which is constant eternall The Court is the Theater wherein the Tragicall Scene of change shewes it selfe griefe goes hand in hand with pleasure and is an inseperable Companion he cannot belong a Courtier that hath not tried it That of the Turkes doth many times make it sensible to the greatest Bassa's in the midst of the glorious dignities of the Empire they feele the displeasure to see themselues shamefully intreated by the commandement of their Soueraigne For when he hath an intent to blemish their Names with eternall infamy hee causeth the crouper of their Horses to be cut whilest they are vpon them an affront held in Turkey the greatest that a man of their condition can receiue So was Mu◠〈…〉 in the 〈◊〉 of Sely the first Father to great Sâ—lyâ— This Prince hauing vanquished the Sophy of 〈◊〉 at triumphed in Tuaris the chiefe Citye of that Replâ— was forced to leade it when as he saw his souldiers into 〈…〉 saying plainly that they had rather lose all when to spend the Wâ—ter in Persia This 〈◊〉 was very sensible the thought to be reuenged on those
Persian might by secret intelligences with him bring him great wealth This imagination flatters him and his auarice followes him hee abandons his fidelitie to the offers which the Persian King made him and practiseth in secret with his Ministers and fauoureth what hee can the Enemy of his Soueraigne Prince Achmat is aduertised and louing him still with passion dissembles his cryme and resolues to gaine him to himselfe to dis-ingage him from the Persian and to content his ambition with any thing hee could desire in his Empire To this end hee sends for him to Constantinople and at his ariuall gaue him the place of Grand Vizir which Serdar had newly left and with it the best and richest of this Bassa's spoyles Moreouer he promised to giue him the Sultana his Daughter in Marriage All these things are signes of the great bountie of Achmat thus to honour a Traitor who deserued rather a shamefull death then the first dignitie of the Turkish Empire they will in like sort be a testimonie of the ingratitude of the fauourite who will abuse them For an example that too indulgent a Prince to a notable Traitor doth furnish him with meanes to do worse Nassuf being now Grand Vizir with assurance to be Sonne in law to his Master goes to horse-backe and in qualitie of Generall of an Armie leads the forces of Turkey against the Persian enters with them into his Countrie makes a generall spoyle and forceth Ka Abbas who is King at this Day to demaund a peace and in the meane time grants him a truce for six Moneths Hee parts from Persia leading with him the Embassadour of Ka Abbas hee comes to Constantinople enters in pompe hee is receiued not onely as the vanquisher of Persia but as the restorer of the Othoman estaâ—e The custome of Turkey binds the Bassa's when they returne from their gouernments and the Generals of Armies from the Warre to make a present vnto the Sultan Nassuf at his comming exceedes the magnificence of all the Presents that euer entred into the Serrail since the Turkes estate was setled for besides a thousand rarities which hee brought from Persia to the Sultan his Master he presented him with a Million of Gold coyned and within few dayes after married his Daughter This is the ascent and height of his fortune Behold the descent Achmat saw that Nassuf exceeded the ordinary of all the other Vizirs which had serued him that his treasure did equall his if not exceed it He conceiued a jealousie abundance of riches is many times criminall and offensiue to Princes and growes into distrust of his actions The Bassa's hauing some vent thereof by some of the Agalarie Eunuches of the Chamber labour to informe him of the carriage of Nassuf The Bassa of Babylon knew more than any Man they cause him to come to Constantinople and obtained secret audience for him This Man did plainly discouer vnto the Sultan that the Bassa Nassuf betrayed him for the which hee drew great Pensions from the Persian to whom hee wrote the secrets of his most important affaires Achmat well informed of the disloyalties of his Fauourite resolues not to leaue them vnpunished and presently concludes his death He giues the charge to the Bostangibassi which is the great Gardiner Nassuf is aduertized by the Sultana which was most fauoured being his Pensioner that Achmat was much discontented with him This amazeth him hee faines himself sicke and keepes his bed the Bostangibassi comes to his Lodging and demands to speake with him in the Sultans name hee excused himselfe vpon the discommoditie of a violent purgation which troubled him The Bostangibassi presses it and tels him that hee would not returne vntill hee had spoken with him that the Sultan had commanded him to see him in what estate he was to learn from himself the newes of his health Then Nassuf commanded they should suffer him to come There the Bostangibassi complements with him concerning his indispostion and assured him that he should be soone cured he might boldly speake it seeing hee carried the remedie in his pocket After such like discourses of courtesie he drew out of his pocket a commandement from the Sultan written to Nassuf to send him the Seales of his Empire Nassuf obeyeth causeth them to be brought vnto his bed wraps them in his Handkercher seales them with his owne Seale and giuing them to the Bostangibassi kisses them and intreats him to assure his Master that he had kept them faithfully and had neuer sealed any thing which was against his seruice Then hee thought that the discontentment whereof the Sultana aduertized him would haue no other sequell but to depriue him of his charge which they call in this Court to be made Mansul and that by the helpe of his friends and the force of money hee might be restored in a short time His misreckoning was not farre off the Bostangibassi being now in possession of the Seales of the Empire drew forth another Commandement to Nassuf from the same Sultan to send him his head Then Nassuf cried out calling Heauen and Earth to witnesse of his innocencie he desired to speake with the Sultan and intreats the Bostangibassi to conduct him he excuses himselfe that he had no other charge but to see him strangled by ten or twelue Capigis which attended him Vpon this refusall he contested long but seeing to deferre his end was but to prolong his distemperature and griefe he resolues to die only hee demands of the great Gardiner to suffer him to goe and wash himselfe in a Chamber neere by to depart this World in the estate of puritie according to the Turks beliefe which hold the washing of the body for the purification of the soules This grace also was denied him Then he abandons his life to the Capigis who were about his bed they put a cord about his necke and not able to strangle him so speedily as they desired by reason of his extraordinary fatnesse one of them drew a Knife out of his pocket and cut his throat Achmat would see him dead to be the better assured and then appointed his buriall among the common people without any honour Such was the fortune of Bassa Nassuf and such his fall His good wit had raised him to these great Dignities of his Empire and his pride cast him downe hauing long enjoyed the fauour of his Master and made no good vse of it His riches equall to his fortune were extraordinary the Officers of the treasure which were imployed to take an Inuentory of his goods found in his Cosers in Sultaninâ— which is a Coyne of Gold fiue hundred thousand pounds sterling in Siluer coyned three hundred and eight thousand pounds sterling the quantitie of three bushels of precious Stones not yet wrought a bushell of Diamonds not set and two bushels of goodly round Pearles His Armory was furnished with aboue a thousand rich Swords whereof the least had the Hilt and Pomell
not goe out of the place without leaue the Gates are shut by night and the keyes are kept by the Captaine The Arsenall is one of the goodliest and rarest things in Constantinople it is vpon the Sea shoare and containes a hundred and fourescore Arches vnder either of which enters a great Galley yea three may be safely lodged The Officers which serue in this Arsenall and receiue pay are commonly fortie six thousand men But its greatest force is the good order that is obserued by the which there are certaine Merchants which haue contracted to entertaine fourescore Gallies alwayes furnished with all things necessary and readie to put to Sea the Munition of Powder is kept in diuers Towres in the walls of the Citie which looke towards Pera they bring it from Grand Caire where the Sultans cause it to be made The Garners in the which they keepe their prouision of Corne and other graine are built in a corner of the Citie towards Pera the walls are very strong and the Gates of Iron there is sufficient to serue for many yeares but euery third yeare they renew it In the time of Amurath the third there was found a great quantitie of Millet the which had beene preserued sweet and vncorrupted for the space of foure score yeares But this great Imperiall Citie cannot bee happily gouerned without the execution of Iustice which is the soule of the World and the order of Reason A Soueraigne Iudge is the chiefe the Turkes call him Stambolcadisi that is to say the Iudge of Constantinople He takes notice indifferently both of Ciuill and Criminall Causes and no man is put to death in that place if hee hath not condemned him There are foure Lieutenants generall distinguished into the foure principall Quarters of the Citie and execute vnder him the same Iustice but from their Sentences they appeale vnto the Iudge Besides these there is a great Captaine of Iustice called Sonbasi who doth execute the greatest Function of his charge in Prisons to heare the Causes and to make report vnto the Grand Vizir There are also foure Lieutenants vnder him separated into the Quarters of the Citie by the order of the Policies ther 〈◊〉 and a great number of inferiour Officers as Sergeants aâ—â—ther base persons which serue him The Prisons of Constantinople are diuided into two either of them is beautified if there be any beautifull Prisons with a great Medow in the midst and a pleasing Fountaine It hath two stories in that below are lodged criminall Offenders in that aboue are such as are committed for ciuill causes Heere the Iewes are separated from the Turkes and the Turkes from the Christians but in the lowest they are altogether as Persons whom their Offences haue made common The Almes deeds good workes which are exercised there by the Turkes surpasse in few dayes those which are done in our Countries in many yeeres The Turkish Charitie towardes his Neighbour surmounts ours and it seemes that for such good deeds Heaâ—en suffers them in the Empire of the World for his equitie doth recompence the good in any subiect whatsoeuer aswell as it doth punish the euill The Turkish Emperours themselues shew great compassion they many times deliuer a great number of ciuill Prisoners paying their debts for them The other particularities which concerne the Turkes Iustice shall bee handled in another Tract In the meane time seeing wee are come neere vnto the Imperiall Pallace which is the Serrail let vs striue to enter although the Gates bee carefully garded and let vs see the rare beauties of this famous place CHAP. II. Of the Grand Seigneurs Serrail THree Serrails doe augment the glorie of Constantinople the one is called Eschy Saray that is to say the old Serrail which was the first Royall House built within the Citie after that the Turkes became Masters It is scituated almost in the midst of it the forme is square and the Circle containes an Italian mile and a halfe or halfe a French League such as are in Languedoc or Prouence The women which haue serued the deceased Emperours their Sisters if they bee not married their Childrens Nurses haue it for their Lâ—ing from whence they may not depart vnlesse they maâ— A Dame whose age and discretion hath purchased merit hath the care and conduct of the rest as Superiour they call her Cheira Cadâ—n that is to say Great Dame The Grand Seigneur in his most solitarie humours retires himselfe sometimes into this place to seeke the consolation which he cannot find elsewhere The other Serrail is of a lesse extent it is scituated at the Hippodrome and serues at this day for the solemnizing of Playes Pompes and Sports for the Turkish Princes and for an Academie to foure hundred of the Grand Seigneurs Pages which are there instructed in the Turkish tongue to manage Armes and other Exercises fit for them and they goe not forth vntill they be made Espayn that is to say Men at Armes they are bred vp and taught at their Masters charge this place is called Ebrayn Bassa Saray that is to say the Serrail of Hâ— Bassa who was sonne in Law to Sultan Solyman the Second and his Fauourite for a time Hee caused it to bee built at his owne charge The third is called Boyuâ—h Saray that is the great Serrail now the ordinary abode of the Turkish Emperours It is of this which we meane to speake This great Serrail the Mansion of Turkish Emperours and of their Family is pleasantly scituated in the same place where as Byzance was in old time built vpon a pleasant point of firme Land which lookes towards the mouth of the blacke Sea Its forme is triangular two sides thereof are warred by the waues of the Egaean Sea the third is supported by the Citie it is â—nuironed with high walls and fortified with many Towres which doth better the defence It hath three miles in circuse Many Gates serue for the entrie aswell towardes the Sea as Land one principall neere to Sancta Sophia is vsually open the others are not but when it pleaseth the Grand Seignour This Gate is guarded day and night by Companies of Capigis who are Porters which relieue one another and in the night some I am iâ—â—ies which are without the Gate in little Cabins of wood mounted vpon wheeles are in Sentinell and when need requires aduertise the Corps de Gard of Capigis In the Towres which are vpon the Serrail certaine Aâ—amoglaus that is to say Children without experience or Rusticks of those of the Tribute to see if any one doth approach by Land or any Vessels by Sea neere to this Imperiall House And in that case they discharge certaine Peeces of Artillerie which are ready charged to that effect vpon a little platforme of fiue â—athomebroad which is betwixt the wall of the Serrail and the Sea The Chambers and Royall Hals of the Sultans Lodging are disposed according to the diuers seasons of the yeare Those whither
hee retires in Winter are built vpon plaine and eeuen ground The others where hee seekes after the coole and fresh aire during the importune heats of the Summer are scituated vpon diuers naturall Hils Some of them view the agitations of the Sea and these are termed Châ—schi that is to say Cages and places of goodly prospect The Sultan goes sometimes to these places to take his pleasure alone in this goodly view and sometimes he cals his woâ—nto mingle with this recreation the soft deliges of their lasciuious conuersation Neere vnto this goodly place is that where the Turkish Emperour giues Audience to Embassadours receiues or dismisses those whom hee sends to gouernment of remoted Prouinces It is scituated in the plaine of a Court vpon a little Island enameled with many goodly flowres and watred by some pleasing Fountaines richly imbelished according to their custome Within it is sâ—â—â—s a Sophia that is to say a Throne couered with somerich cloth of Gold where is also to bee seene one of Crimson Veluet embroydered with great round Pearles this Throne is called the Throne without to distinguish it from that within the Grand Seigneurs Chamber and in this Osâ—â—â— the Second did sit when hee could notâ—y the other which was within where his Vncle Mâ—stapâ—â— was shut vp in the yeare 1617. There the Turkish Emperours are set in such actions The walls of his Chamber are lined with certaine white stones which are cast and burnt and painted in diuers colours which yeeld a pleasant sight The Chamber which is ioyning to it hath the walles couered with Plates of Siluer pourfiled with Gold and the Plancher is couered with rich Topestrie after the Persian manner with Gold and Silke The Qâ—â—â—ter whereas the Women and Virgins are lodged which are desâ—â—â—ted for the Emperours pleasure is like vnto a great Monasterie of Religious Womâ—â— But they doe not obserue the Vow of Chastiâ—ie There are 〈◊〉 or â—â—â—ping places Refectuaries â—â—ths Galleries pleasing Gâ— and goodly Fountaines in so great a number as they abound in all the Allies and of all sides powre 〈◊〉 the sâ—t noyse of their charming murmurs The other Lodgings for the Dâ—â—â—stiques of the Serrail haue with the beautie of their structures the commodities of their scituation Two great places are ioyned to these buildings whereof the one serues for the Chasna without for they haue another within more retired from the houshold the Mosquees Bathes Schooles Kitchins places to run Horses to wrastle shoote and to represent any action augment the wonders of this Imperiall Pallace whereof we haue spoken in generall Now let vs descend to the particular description of the places thereof at the least to those which wee could yet see for no man that liues abroad may enter into the Serrail vnlesse the Emperour bee absent and yet hee must bee highly fauoured by some person of credit and authoritie in that place For the Turkes would imagine they should offend the Maiestie of their Prince to giue entrance into his Quarter of the Serrail to any one be he stranger or other The first wall of the Serrail is neere vnto the first Mosquee of Sancta Sophia with the great and chiefe Gate of that stately Pallace adorned with a great Portall painted with letters of Gold in branches and compartiments after the manner of Iaua fiftie Capigiâ— with their Armes which are Harquebusses Bowes Arrowes and Semiters keepe the Guard By it they enter into a great place or Court about threescore paces long and a hundred paces broad in the which vpon the right hand is the place for the sicke persons of the Serrail kept by an Eunuch who hath vnder him a great number of men employed in the seruice of sicke persons on the otherside on the left hand there are seene a great number of Waggons with a great quantitie of wood for the vse of the House aboue it is built a long Gallerie in the which they keepe ancient Armes as Mortions Gâ—untlets Coats of Maile Pikes and Harquebusses wherewith they arme the Officers of the Arsenall and some other troupes to goe out of Constantinople in pompe when as the Sultan or some other powerfull Bashaw makes his entre Into this Court the Bashawes and great men of the Port may entrie on horsebacke but they must leaue their Horses and got on foot into another great Court which hath neere three hundred foot in square made in fashion of a Cloyster with a low Gallerie round about it supported by Pillars of Marble it is more richly adorned then the other the Gate is likewise guarded by Capigis armed as the first They passe on to a third Gate into a lesser Court but more delicious Many goodly Fountaines powring forth abundance of water and some Alleyes drawne by a line and shadowed with a great number of Cyprus Trees planted vpon the sides which beautifie the place And there are many squares of Medow diapred with diuers sorts of flowres which augment the pleasures of the sight No man passeth thorough this Court on horsebacke but the Turkish Emperour who descends at the third gate On either side are many goodly Portals supported by rich Pillars of Marble without these Portals are ranged in Battaile the Companies of Ianizaries well apparelled and better armed when as they are commanded to shew themselues at the entrie of the Serrail when as some strange Embassadour goes to kisse his Robe In this Court are the Kitchins of the Serrail the which are nine in number separated in their buildings one from another with their dependances and serued by particular Officers The first is that of the Emperour The second that of the Sultana which is most esteemed for her graces or for her fruitfulnesse The third that of the other Sultana's The fourth that of the Capiaga who is great Master of the Serrail The fift that of the Diuan which is the Councell whereas the Prince doth administer Iustice by the mouth of his Officers of the which we will speake hereafter The sixt that of the Agaâ—â—ris which are the Sultans Familiars many are Eunuches the rest are vntoucht The seuenth is that of the lesser Officers of the Serrail The eighth is for the women which serue the Sultanas The ninth is for the Officers which attend the Diuan as Guards Porters Vshers and such like On the left hand in the same place are the Sultans stables to containe only fiue and twentie or thirtie goodly Horses which are appointed for his Exercises with his greatest Familiars in the Serrail Aboue these stables are many Chambers in the which they keepe the Saddles Bridles and other Furniture for these Horses of pleasure But all so rich and so glistering with Pearle and stone as the price is inestimable There are some which the very Reines and Crouper exceed the value of a hundred thousand pounds sterling What must the Saddle and the rest of the Furniture amount vnto Along the bankes of that Channell which doth water the walls
and rare qualities of the mind haue raised aboue others What entertainment can a great Prince find in such abiect persons and so ill bred and what seruice can hee receiue from a man drawne from the Stable and from the profession of a Horse-keeper or a Coachman from a Huntsman and the bawling of Hounds What contentment from a brutish Faulkoner whilest that Men of merit are in contempt This disorder is sometimes seene in the World yea in the Courts of great Princes to their shame and to the great preiudice of the publique Neere vnto this Chamber is a goodly Librarie where are many Bookes rich for their stately couerings and precious for their workes the immortall markes of the glorie of their Authours This is called the secret Library it is the most renowned of all the Serrail There is another towards their Quarter which serue the Chamber and the Grand Seigneurs Pages filled with a great number of Bookes in all Languages among the which there are to bee seene at this day sixe score Volumes of the ancient Librarie of Great Constantine of an extraordinary bignesse They are aboue a fathome broad and two in length Their leaues are of such thinne Parchment as they seeme rather to be of Silke then Skinnes most part written in letters of Gold especially those which containe the Old and New Testament their couerings are of Siluer gilt after the antique manner set with a great number of precious stones The price without doubt hath preserued them from spoile and ruine where as the rest haue perished by the barbarousnesse of the Turkes who sackt Constantinople in the time of Mahomet the Second The Sultan holds them so precious as he will not allow any one to handle them The number of Gardens in the Serrail are not fewer in number then are delightfull to looke on The Prince hath his the Sultana's theirs and without this Imperiall House there are eighteene planted towardes the Sea whereof the fruites and reuenewes are by the Law of State employed for the entertainment of the Princes Table whereof we will speake elsewhere He which hath the chiefe charge is called Bostangibassi that is to say great Gardiner and is one of the most eminent Dignities of the Empire he is many times much affected by his Master and feared by the other Bashaes to whom hee may doe good and bad Offices with the Prince when hee gouernes him alone in his walkes and entertaines him in affaires of Estate Two Mosquees serue in the Serraile for their Deuotion The one is towardes that Quarter where the Prince and his Officers lodge and the other is neere the Lodging of the women and their slaues And although the Turkes will not admit of the vse of Bells yet there are a great number of little Clockes in the Serrail which strike the houres both by day and night The Grand Seigneurs Pages are instructed to keepe them and most part of the men of qualitie in the Serrail and likewise the women haue little Watches whereof they make vse This is all that can be written of the Grand Seigneurs Serrail at the least that can come vnto the knowledge of Christians to whom the entrie vnlesse it be vpon the dayes of Diuan is expresly forbidden and the inward parts of this Imperiall House whereof wee haue spoken may not be seene by them vnlesse the Prince be absent and yet hee must haue some particular friendship with the Officers of the Serrail and monie in his hand the which doth not only open them the closest Gates in Turkie but doth facilitate the most difficult affaires through the auarice of the Turkes to the which all their other passions seeme to yeeld Let vs come now to the Grand Seigneurs Exercises to his manner of liuing to the number of his Officers and other particularities of his Crowne But let vs begin by his Coronation CHAP. III. Of the Coronation of the Turkish Emperour AFter that death who strikes with an equall hand aswell the stately Pallaces of Kings as poore Cottages couered with straw hath taken out of this World some Turkish Emperour he of his Children which is destinated to the succession of his Scepter parts from the gouernment whither his Father had sent him the which most commonly is Magnesia a Prouince in Asia and comes secretly to Constantinople and into the Serrail by that Port which lookes towards the Sea for the passage whereof the Bostangibassi which is the great Gardiner goes to receiue him in the Imperiall Galley vpon the side of Asia passeth the straight conducts him into the Serrail and leads him into his Fathers Throne whither the great men of the Port that is to say of the Court for so they call it come to adore him and to acknowledge him for their Prince Presently the Basha which is Gouernour of Constantinople causeth Proclamation to be made in the Citie then throughout all the Empire That the Soule of the inuincible Emperour Sultan N. enioyes an immortall Glorie and an eternall Peace and that the Empire of Sultan N. may flourish and prosper in all felicitie for many yeares The third day after they hold the great Diuan which is the generall Councell where as all the great Men of the Court and Officers of the Crowne assist and resolue concerning the affaires of the Estate The Emperour doth not assist yet he is in a Chamber neere and sees but is not seâ—ne and heares through a Lattice window what they treat of and what they say At the end of the Diuan all these Officers goe by foure and foure or by sixe and sixe into the Chamber where the Sultan is and there without speaking any thing make a low reuerence and so passe on going forth to another doore They returne to the Diuan where as Dinner attends them The Sultan dines at the same time and after halfe an houre which is all the time he spends at the Table he mounts vpon a stately Horse being followed by the chiefe Commanders of the Warre hee shewes himselfe to his people of Constantinople and receiues from them their cryes and acclamations of Ioy which are Liue and long may Sultan N. Raigne Hee goes to some Mosquee where his Predecessours haue beene buried Hee makes his prayers which being ended one of the twentie Preachers of his Court goes into the Pulpit and by a short discourse giues him to vnderstand after the Turkish manner the greatnesse of the charge whereunto God hath called him exhorts him to haue a care of his Estate and especially to the maintenance and increase of Mahomets Law The Sermon being ended the same Priest doth blesse him seuen times and at euery time the people answere Amen At the same time the Moufti or high Priest of the Law who is present makes him to take the Oath vpon the Alcoran Girds him with the Sword which in old time Ottoman did weare and blessing him sayes these wordes God send you Ottomans Bountie They doe so much honour the
their m◠〈…〉 Hâ—â—uen to the preseruation of their Estates and would force 〈◊〉 to cherish their memorie The Turkish Emperours are neuer crowned with this meâ—it their breeding to the excesse of vices rather than to the continencie of vertue doth not make them capable to know themselues and the excesse of the prosperities of their Empire transports them to pride So as if Heauen suffers them to continue in the Monarchie of the East it is to punish our disorders Their actions doe not only shew their Pride but their Titles speake it more plainly Sâ—lym the First of that Name stiled himselfe Master of all 〈◊〉 â—raignes of the World Behold the Qualities which he did assume Sultan Solym Othoman King of Kings Lord of all Lords Prince of all Princes Sonne and Nephew of God Hee caused it to be written vnder his Portraite the which Solyman the Second his Sonne did 〈◊〉 keepe by his bed side This man was no modester then his Father for if he â—â—th not set downe in his Titles that hee would be the only Prince of the World hee hath often deliuered it in his words By the Soule of my Father said he being in Hungarie at the siege of 〈◊〉 seeing there is but 〈◊〉 God G◠〈…〉 reasonable there should be but one 〈…〉 the inferiour Worlde The rest which haue followed 〈◊〉 â—uccession of the Othoman Estate haue vsed the same vnto our dayes Achmat the First who died in the yeare 1617 treating with the inuiâ—ible Monarch Henry the Great by the meanes of the Seigniour of 〈◊〉 his Embassadour at Constantinople causeth to be set downe in the beginning of the Articles which were sent into France the Titles which follow In the name of God a marke of the high Family of the Othoman Monarches with the beautie greatnesse and splendour thereof so many Countries are conquered and gouerned I who am by the infinite graces of the Iust great and all powerfull Creatour and by the abundance of Miracles of the chiefe of his Prophets Emperour of 〈…〉 Disposer of Crownes to the greatest Pri◠〈…〉 of two most sacred Townes Mequa and Mediâ—â— Protector and Gouernour of the holy 〈…〉 and Africa â—â—ly 〈◊〉 by our 〈…〉 them somewhat longer and his shooes are without buckles and cut in leaues But when hee adornes himselfe to honour with his presence the solemnitie of some great day at the Circumcision of the Princes his Children or to make his entrie into Constantinople his Robes of Cloth of Gold forwith Pearles and great Diamonds giue the Maiestie of his person a glorious lustre This is the glory of such Princes Maiestie consists in Vertue and not in the pompe of Habits A King should rather shew himselfe a King by his 〈◊〉 carriage and his authoritie than by his Robes The Sultana's differ not much in their Habits from their Soueraigne Prince They weare breeches like vnto his and vnder them linings of fine Linnen Their Robes are of the same stuffe and their shooes in like manner They steepe like vnto him in their Linnen lynings and little Cassocks of Silke pinckt which goes little beneath the waste The Prince riseth with the Day and the Morning sees him begin his Prayers after the Turkish manner wherein hee spends halfe an houre After this hee writes asmuch during the which they bring him some cordiall thing which hee takes presently Then reading followes for a whole houre but it is many times without fruit for that hee entertaines the time with fabulous Bookes It is true that some Sultans haue taken delight to read the life of Great Alexander and some others haue caused Aristotle to be expounded vnto them An ignorant Prince is a Pilot without Card or Compasse Alphonso King of Arragon called such Princes by a Name which I forbeare to mention for the reâ—nce I owe to Kings Hauing read if it be a day of Dâ— or of Counsell he giues Audience to the Grand Vizâ—r who come to make report of that which hath beene done and he receiues the veneration of other Officers From thence he descends into his Gardens or walkes contents his eyes with the 〈…〉 Fâ—â—â—es and pleasing Alleâ—eâ— and 〈◊〉 his eares with the 〈◊〉 and â—râ—â—lities of his â—eâ—tres 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 which follow him At his returne hee fals 〈…〉 haue any 〈◊〉 in it or to some other 〈…〉 for Dinner the which is speedily serued Hee neuer spends aboue halfe an houre at the Table from the which hee goes to his Prayers at noone where after his manner hee entertaines the Diuinitie But how variable is humane inconstâ—ncie from this 〈…〉 to the embracings of humanitie and 〈…〉 with his Women for sooâ—â— houres vntill the time of Prayer at Night doth force him to leaue them When 〈…〉 another walke into his Garden 〈…〉 by his 〈◊〉 and Dwarffs he entertaines himselfe with 〈…〉 The last Office calls him to his Chamber it is that which the Turkes say when as the day is spent and in the obscuritie of the night where hee imployes himselfe vntill Supper time These are his imployment iâ— generall Let vs now speake of them in particular CHAP. VI. Of the Grand Seigâ—rs Table of his â—te and of his sleepe THe Grand Seignâ—r eates three or foure times a day in Summer but lesse in Winter He sitâ—es crosse legged after the Turkish manner Most commonly his Table is low made of 〈◊〉 Siluer with a little boâ—der about it two fingers high like vnto a Table of Accompaniâ— which â—ll money There is 〈◊〉 of pure Gold enricht with diuers precious 〈…〉 in the years He 〈…〉 and another vpon his 〈…〉 many leaues made of three 〈…〉 whereof the Graine is gathered 〈…〉 for his 〈◊〉 They 〈…〉 thereof they feed a great troupe 〈…〉 of the Serrail His Cooâ—es are at worke 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 call 〈◊〉 The Essay is taken at the Kitchin in the presence of the Capiaga or Master of the Houshold and they serue it vp in dishes of gold couered His Agalaris or Familiars goe and receiue it at the hands of the Capiaga without For there is another of the same Office within who goes not into the Kitchin hee carries them to him that serues at the Table who is vpon his knee They serue out thirtie Dishes in the which are thirtie forts of meates the Table is round and stands vpon a Vise which turnes as it pleases the Prince for no man carues him neither doth he himselfe vse any Knife his bread is so tender as it will not endure any he breakes it with his fingers without any trouble so doth he his meate prepared with the like delicacie They serue no Salt vnto him and whatsoeuer hee eats is not seasoned with Spices his Physicians forbidding it in the Kitchin The daintiest meat for his royall mouth are roasted Pigeons whereof they serue a dozen in a Capson or Platter Pullets Lambe or Mutton rosted boyled are after the Pigeons which hee loues best Hee makes a signe for at his Table no man speakes any thing that
of Lepantho made little Crescents or halfe Moones which the Turkish Pilgrimes carrie vpon their staues when they goethe Voyage to Meque Amurath his Sonne made Arrowes and others made little Kniues all which is sold at a deare rate in regard of the grossenesse of the worke Hee thinkes himselfe happie that can recouer any for monie They ground this Custome of labouring for their liuing not only vpon the rules of their Alcoran but also vpon that passage of Genesis Their Schoolmasters make them learne it by heart In the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eat thy bread vntill thou returne to earth whereon thou wert made It is only in the time of peace for in the time of warre the Prince must liue vpon the charges of the people for whose defence and increase hee takes Armes But in another season if the Sultan should employ the Money which he leuies of his people in his delights the Law and the custome of the Empire would hold it a crime They call their Taxe and Subsidie Aaram Agemini Cani that is to say The prohibited bloud of the people And for that the labour of their hands cannot furnish the expences of their diet to keepe a Table worthy of their Qualitie they adde vnto it the reuenewes of their Gardens which in truth is great and almost incredible I haue learned from some Turkes that they yeeld two hundred thousand Crownes a yeare rent some others say a hundred thousand pounds sterling Besides those which he hath in the Serrail hee hath along the Sea side and towards the Arsenall great Gardens which are very fruitfull Foure Leagues from Constantinople and further at Andrinopolis and vpon the side of Asia at Scutary where the Citie of Chalcedonia did sometimes stand there are the goodliest Gardens in the East The fruits which are gathered are sold at Constantinople and elsewhere in so great abundance as they furnish all the Countrie The Bostangihassi or great Gardiner who is an Officer of the Crown hath a care of this Reuenew causeth it to bee brought to the Serrail and the Sultans hold it for their true Patrimonie and Demesnes wherewith they may feed themselues without any oppression To these Manuall workes of the Turkish Emperours wee must adde their Religious custome to plough the Land when as they come from their Gouernment to Constantinople to take possession of the Empire they are bound to hold the Plough and to make some furrowes Amurath the Third Grandfather to Achmat obserued it after the decease of Seâ—â— his Father when as comming from Magnesia where he was Gouernour to goe and take possession of his Scepter he met with an Husband man in the fields where lighting from his horse he laid hold on the Plough and made three or foure furrowes After which he drew a handfull of Gold out of his pocket and gaue it in charitie to this Labourer and withall he put off his Robe which was of rich Cloth of Gold furred with Sables and gaue it him The Law which makes him to obserue this Ceremony is mentioned in the Glosses of the Alcoran in these termes That the Emperour comming to the Empire and going to the Imperiall Citie to take possession hee must manure the Land to banish sterrilitie from his Countrie and to make it fruitfull It is nothing the more for all this For the Prince employing so great a number of his Subiects in his warres much good Land lies waste for want of men to till it Thus doe the Turkish Sultans employ themselues and yet they doe not flie idlenesse to the which they many times abandon themselues Wee shall see something in the following Chapter CHAP. X. Of the Grand Seigneurs Loues AMong all the passions which rule the affections of Princes Loue as the most powerfull triumphes more ouer great men then all the rest together for they obtaine no victories but to encrease its glory Couetousnesse heaps vp to furnish the charges Ambition aspires to make it great So we see the most powerfull Princes after they had subdued all other passions were vanquished by Loue. Alexander laid the honour of so many victories in Persia at the feet of his Captiue Roxana Coesar being in Alexandria submitted all his triumphs to the beautie of Cleopatra who afterward was friend to Anthonie And the Turkish Monarches make subiect vnto the allurements of their Sultana's the glory and lustre of that Soueraigne power whereby they are Masters of the best parts of the World But behold how these singular beauties enter into their Serrail and the bonds where with Loue doth captiuate their wils After that the Rights of birth haue brought a Turkish Prince to the Imperiall Throne of his Ancestors the women which his Predecessor did honour in the Serrail are put forth and conducted to a place called in their Language Eschy Saray that is to say the old Serrail as a man would say the old place for Saray in the Persian Tongue signifies a place or Hostell There they are shut vp vntill they be married to some great Men of the Port. In the meane time others must supply their roome to bee new subiects of Loue to the new Emperour Then the Bashaes which are at the Port and others which represent the Soueraigntie of their Master in remote Prouinces imploy all their care to find out Virgins in the Leuant or else-where the rarest in beautie and of the sweetest perfections of their sex whether that the greatnesse â—f their treasurs force the necessitie of miserable Mothers to deliuer them for money or that the chance of warre hath made them Captiues at the taking of some Towne and so fall into their hands They cause them to bee instructed after the Turkish manner in all gentile Qualities fit for their sex if they be not alreadie they learne to sing to play of the Lute and the Gittern and to dance hauing had a speciall care for the keeping of their Virginity they bring them to the Sultan and present them vnto him The Princes Mother his Sisters which are married labour in the same designe and make him the like presents for the law of Poligamy or pluralitie of women allowed by the Alcoran and receiued in Turkey giues them leaue to keepe as many as they will so as they bee able to feed them The Sultan doth recompence their care that bring them such gifts with some rich present to buy saith he these Virgins which they bring that they may bee his slaues But hee will be soone fettered in their beautie The Serrail of women being thus furnished hee passeth thither when he pleaseth and is not seene by any man by a doore right against his Chamber whereof he hath one Key and the Chissar Aga or great Eunuch of the Sultana's another He doth aduertise the Cheyachadun which is an ancient woman their Gouernesse to ranke them in a Gallerie in the which he passeth and repasseth often beholding their allurements or else he causeth them
to dance in a round in a goodly Hall where he doth assist and place himselfe in the midst like vnto a Butterflie in the midst of many glistering fires where heloseth himselfe For feeling his heart suddenly enflamed by the eyes of some one of them which pleaseth him best he casts her his handkercher for a signe that he is vanquished she receiues it with great demonstrations of humilitie kisses it and layes it on her head presently the Cheyachadun or Mother of the Maids takes this faire slaue which comes to triumph ouer her Masters libertie she leads her into a Chamber appointed for the sports of loue decks her with the goodliest Ornaments she can deuise perfumes her and addes to her naturall beautie the cunning of her Art This is while the Sun shines for imitating his course as well as his lustre this faire Creature lies downe as soone as this Planet sets The Chadun conducts her into the same Chamber where the Sultan is lodged layes her in the same Bed where shee enters by the feet for the greater reuerence and during the night season many old Moorish women watch and stand sentinell one at the Beds feet another in the midst of the Chamber and a third at the doore They are reliued euery third houre by others of the same hue vntill it bee day There is one stands at the Beds head with two Torches burning and doth carefully obserue on what side the Prince doth turne least the light should offend his eyes I haue learned from a Iew a learned Physician which had serued the Grand Seigneur that the Chadun watcheth at the Beds feet and doth sometimes speake some words to encourage they young Maide giuing her to vnderstand that night would be the cause of her good fortune and that she would attaine to the dignitie of a Princesse It is the custome in Turkey that on the Marriage night an olde woman doth assist in the Chamber of the married couple and imployes the experience of her time past to encourage the and her Pension is 〈◊〉 sixteene Charges of Money The rest of the Serrail which are yet Virgins or haue had the Princes company but once imploy all their allurements to please him and finding their cunning deuices too feeble they adde the help of Charmes and Sorcerie which they purchase at any 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer But if any one of these women be deliuered first of a Sonne which is to succeed in the Empire shee is called Queene the Grand Seigneur honours her with a Crowne of pretious stones hee causeth a cloth of Estate to be carried into her Chamber of Presence inlargeth her Lodging and giues her a Family sin for a Queene on Empresse of Turkey Shee hath a sufficient Reuenew to supply her necessities and her bounties If shee be deliuered of a Daughter they send her a Nurse three thousand Sequins and Slaues to serue her the honour is the lesse but the joy which shee concerneth if there be Male Children formerly borne is incomparable for shee is assured that the young Princesse shall be bred vp with her and that shee shall be one day married to a Grand Vizir or to some other Basha of the most powerfull in the Empire who will 〈◊〉 and fill her old age 〈…〉 if shee had beene deliuered of a younger Sonne he should be taken from her at the age of twelue yeares or thereabouts and put into the hands of Schoolemasters to instruct him where shee might not se◠〈…〉 foure times in the yearâ— and in the end hee should bee 〈…〉 â—o the safâ— of 〈◊〉 elder Brothers Raigne and soone strangled by Mâ— This is that which makes them desireth haue Daughters wâ— is alreadie a Sonne 〈◊〉 All these woman although they 〈…〉 the true Successours of the 〈◊〉 yet they are but the Emperourâ— Concubities he 〈◊〉 marries any vnlesse be wonderfully surprised with 〈…〉 which hath first brought him a 〈◊〉 then be followes the blind motions of his passion And doubelesse when as loue makes him to feele in this sort the râ—our of his 〈…〉 Tyrâ—â—t should 〈…〉 for if the one doth captiues that 〈◊〉 the other torments one to the succession of the Empire brings him to ruine and makes him to end his dayes miserably by the Sword Solyman hath beene the only Prince since 〈◊〉 the First vnto this day whereof there hath beene fifteene Emperours twenty in all by a direct succession from Father to Sonne which hath married a Wife Amurath the Third his Grandchild being charmed with the beauty of Asachi being enformed of the practices of Rouilana in the Serrail by the power of her infranchisement and the authoritie of the Princes Wife refused the Letters of Sabyn although he had had fourteene children by her and loued her aboue all his Women Yet they say that Osman which died last had married the Daughter of the Muftie of Constantinople But the History of the extraordinary Marriage of the Turkish Prince hath made vs abandon the relation of his loues with his Concubines But let vs returne and follow him into his Garden where hee is in the midst of his 〈◊〉 loue imbracements It is dangerous to see him but no fear of danger should deterre vs from seruing of the publique He goes 〈◊〉 out of his 〈…〉 goe and daily with his women in 〈…〉 Eunuches which 〈◊〉 the Women are the only 〈◊〉 which accompany him all the 〈…〉 they caâ— The 〈…〉 to worth the Sea 〈…〉 Master For if there should 〈…〉 Serrail that should 〈…〉 when they walke with the 〈…〉 Thus the 〈…〉 Thus the 〈…〉 that they 〈…〉 is 〈…〉 which he obserues against those which would see him forbids to reueale the secret Only wee know that in the effeminate delights wherewith the women charme him hee is pleased with the ridiculous encounters of his Iesters and Dwarffes and shewes that Loue is an entertainment of Men that are Birds A curious person which hath had authority in the Leuant enformed me that in these places there many times happens light riots of Loue betwixt the Sultan and his Women Hee vnderstood it from a blacke Eunuch of the womens Serrail and he told him that if the jealousie of these faire creatures did raise them they were supprest by the discretion of the Chadun which is their old Gouernesse and by her humilitie which is interessed in the Quarrell Thus the giddie Quarrels of Louers are the winds which kindle and enflame their foolish passion And the Pigeons bils which were the armes of their choller are the sweet instruments of their loue That which we haue formerly written of the entertainment of the Turkish Prince with his women is not the most blameable of his affections The greatnesse of his power which makes all mens wils obey him and the contagious example of his Courtiers carries him to the detestable excesse of an vnnaturall passion Hee burnes many times for the loue of men and the youngest Boyes which are in the Leuant the flowre of
by Art The Linnen Weauers Tapestric men and Cotton makers laboured also in their Vocation The Feather-makers fed the curiositie of the spectators with Feathers and winde They made many artificiall Birds which did flie in the Aire as if they had beene naturall Tailors made Garments in passing vpon the place Smiths did worke in Iron Potters made Pots Cutlers made Kniues and Sadlers Saddles Masons did build and Glasse-makers did blow their Glasses Bakers did bake and that which was not pleasing the sluttish Butchers did kill and slay Beasts and gaue the flesh to the people The Gardiners were there laden with Flowres the Ploughmen with their Ploughes tilled the Sand The Shepheards with their fat troups made their three turnes The Keepers of Moiles Asses and Carters brought their Moiles their Horses and their Asses Their grosse speeches did not greatly tickle the Sultans cares Nor their Presents did not draw his eyes to the contemplation of their beautie He had nothing but Wood Stone and Water and that which he did as I conceiue suffering their foolery to entertaine his leisure was only to represent vnto his ambition the fabricke of the World to the gouernment whereof he aspires in receiuing such homages as thâ—se men could yield The Iewes were the last which gaue Presents They were three hundred young men separated into three bands disguised in diuers Nations The one was attired and armed like French the other represented Spaniards and the third seemed to bee Swissers with their great Cod-peeces They had for their traine an infinite number of Dragons Sirens and Tortoyses of the Sea which marched artificially And with this pleasant Antiques as women which had resigned their Distasses vnto their husbands and made them to spin They were gotten vpon their shoulders to shew their Empire and to let them see the miseries of these Coxcombes charged with such importune burthens These Homages and Presents being thus ended the Combats of warre did shew the force of their art and the sports the pleasure of their brauerie The Grand Vizir would haue the honour to expose vnto his Masters eyes the representation of his victories against the Christians He caused to be drawne into the place two great Castles of Wood diuersly painted mounted vpon Wheeles garnished with Towres fortified with Rampiers and furnished with Artillerie The one was kept by Turkes who had planted vpon their Tower many Red White and Greene Ensignes The other was defended by Men attired and armed after the French manner who seemed Christians Their Ensignes carried white Crosses without doubt they had beene taken in some encounter or at the sacke of some Towne of the Christians either of these Castles had thirtie Horse which made diuers sollies The Turkes forced the others to make their last retreate into their Fort where they shut them vp besieged them battered their walls made a breach sent to discouer it and marched to the assault with their vsuall cries and howlings The little resistance they found made them soone Masters and vanquishe is although they were themselues vanquished for they fought against themselues If they had had to deale with Christians they had not preuailed so easily As soone as they were entred they abandoned the place to their cruelty put all to the sword cutting off the heads of the principall and lifting counterfeit heads aboue the walls The contempt which they make of vs ended the triumh They let slip into the place about thirty Hogs which they had shut into a Fort and ranne after them crying and howling in mockerie Thus the Turkes doe not sport but in contemning the Christians nor labour seriously but in ruining them And they by a fatall diuision prepare their victories and dispose the triumphs which they obtaine of them with great facilitie Occhiali Bassa great Admirall of the Sea exceeded by his industrie the Vizirs inuention Hee caused to come rowling into the place a great Island admirably well made of boords and pastboord which represented Cypres Two powerfull Armies held it besieged the one by Sea and the other by Land There was artificially seene their descent into the Island the siege of Famagouste the sallies skirmishes batteries counter-batteries mines counter-mines breaches assaults vpon assault fire-workes and whatsoeuer the furie of Warre could inuent Sometimes the Turkes were Masters of the Wals and suddainly the generositie of the Cypriots repulsed them But time force and the want of succours made them receiue the composition which they offered them yet the disloyaltie of the Turks did not obserue it for some they made slaues and the rest they put to the Sword All this was seene in the place When as the sound of Trumpets the noise of Drums the howling of Turkes and the thundering of the Canons seemed to be at the taking of another Island at Cypres The wonder of this artificiall representation did much please the Sultan reioyced the people and reuiued in the Christians minds the griefe of their losse Heauen would haue it so to punish their great curiositie for assisting with these infamous Mathometans and to be spectators with them at the Pompes of their Superstition But he did not suffer their insolencie to be vnpunished Hee made it knowne that if his Iustice suffers them to bee ascourge to the Christians yet hee doth not alwayes suffer them to haue them in derision The Cannonadoes where there was nothing but Powder slue many of these takers of the Island in Picture vpon the place wounded a great number Some other artificiall Castles appeared after shewing the like thing to that of the Grand Vizir One among the rest the least of all carried two Towers in the which there were two men armed which fought on against the other with their Semiters they did mannage greene Ensignes and Battleaxes of glasse without breaking them The Romeliens and Albanois whom the Turkes hold for the best men at Armes came after with their Launces and their Targets vpon the left arme they haue no Rest to beare it like vnto the Franques it is only tied to their Saddles by a leather thong for they carrie no Cuyrasses Many of their Horses were slaine there in combating After the Encounter they did runne at the Ring after their manner which is to set a little rod of Iron on the ground on the end whereof they put a Ring somewhat bigger than those which they vse in France They which tooke it carrying the Ring on the end of their Launce being on foot went to present it vnto the Sultan before his window who threw him out a Ring of Gold in recompence the manner of receiuing it was not without a Mysterie In raising it from the ground the Cauallier kist it laid it vpon his head and bending downe very low made a Reuerence and so retired When these men had voided the place they brought in thirtie Christian Souldiers lately taken in the Wars of Hungarie They followed with their Irons the triumph of certaine
signe that they did tread their law and honour vnder foot There a Turkish Priest did cause them to lift vp the demonstratiue finger of the right hand in signe that they did not beleeue but one God in one person to say with a loud voice Laila ey lala alla Mehemer â—asoul alla Then they led them into câ—taine Pauillions which were erected expresly at the end of the place where they were circumcised hee The number of these cast awayes was found to bee aboue foure thousand soulâ— These sports and triumphs being thus miserably ended the young Prince for whom they had beene made was brought into his Fathers Chamber where hee was circumcised by one of the great Men of the 〈◊〉 the pâ—sâ—re of all the Basha's His wound being cured within few dayes hee goes to take his lost leaue of the Sultans his Mother whom she shall see no more vntill hee comes to take possession of the Empire after the death of his Father if hee be the oldest or to end his life with a halter if hee be a younger brother when his â—der shall Raigne She giues him presents and the other Sultana's doe the like All the Basha's present him and the Emperour his Father appoints his Family giues him a Praâ—r an Eunuch for Gouernour with many other men to serue him and sends him into Asâ—a Saâ—qua only of the Citie of the Magnesia the chiefe of Alysia as Lieutenant in that Region vnder the authoritie of a Basha who is Gouernour whilest he carries the Title hee must gouerne his Actions with prudence and modestie for if he should haue any designes of innouation by the Counsailes of some disâ—ed seditious persons he should worke his owne miâ— by his owne hanes The Eunuch which is the most â—ppâ— about him hee is bound to aduertise the Sultan his Father and the principall Basha'es of all his carriage CHAP. XIV Of the Presents they make unto the Grand Seigneur and of that which hee himself giues THe custome to giue Present vnto the Prince 〈◊〉 beene so practiced in the Turkish Mâ—thio 〈…〉 Law of State so as it is written in the 〈…〉 Empire that all the Basha's and great men of the Port shall at certaine seasons of the yeare and at the Circumcision of the Emperours Children giue him Presents and likewise when they returne from the Gouernment of Prouinces where they haue continued some yeares in the administration of their Charges of Viceroy The Generals of Armies at the returne from their victories are bound to present gifts to the Sultan They doe it vsually in a great quantity of Vessels of gold and siluer Swords and Daggers enricht with precious stones and bowes of the like manner Plumes of Feathers with precious Iewels rich Girdles exquisite Furres and sometimes pieces of cloth of gold with Tapestries of silke and gold whereof the Princes Wardrobe is commonly well stored to supply his bounty to his Sultana's slaues and to send to forreine Princes All these men being slaues to their Master and as it were forced to these liberalities cannot when they please follow their good aduice which say that It is a noble folly to giue vnto great Men for they beleeue they oblige a man much when they receiue that which he presents The Basha's which returne from the gouernment of Egypt parting from Cairâ— dispose the value of the Presents into ready money and ariuing at the Serrail they sometimes present vnto the Sultan foure or fiue Millions of Liuers which is foure or fiue hundred thousand Pounds sterling The Generals of Armies doe many times practise the same liberality they are the better receiued by their Master and the glory of their magnificence flyes into the mouth of the people and they find by their great gifts that the offering of Presents pacifie both Men and Gods as they said in old time These notable summes ouer 〈◊〉 the inward Chasna which is the Princes secret treasure The Christian Patriarch giues vnto the Sultan newly crowned an honourable present which the Greekes call Pesquesian or when the Patriarch coâ—ers into his charge by the death or deposition of another Besides this the Turkes giue vnto the Eunuches which are familiar to the Prince many rich Presents to make them speake from them vpon all necessary occasions for the ballance doth alwayes decline on that side which is heauiest and the only meanes to gaine the affection of these gelded men is to glut their auarice which is no small labour Nassuf Bassa who ended his fortune and his life in the yeere 1614 did often say that the Eunuches of the Serrail were insatiable They doe also hold and they practize this Maxime in the Turkish Court the which is generally receiued by all men that The sweetest action of men is To take although in truth it be more generous to giue for him that is able As pleasure and griefe are naturally ioyned together haue one Temple and their Offerings are vpon the same Altar The Othoman Monarch who takes a great delight to see himselfe glutted with Presents not only by his owne subiects but also by strangers yet he sometimes finds a distaste in it As it happened to Selyâ—n the First whose example shall suffice in this Chapter that by its breuity wee may ease the long descriptions of the former This Prince hauing taken the Othoman Scepter his hands being yet bloudy by the death of his Brethren and Nephewes and the chiefe of his Bashaâ—s thinking to be honoured according to the ordinary custome of his Predecessors with Presents which forreine Princes make hee saw his cruelty taxed by that which the Persian Embassadour presented vnto him who gaue him in his Masters name a great furious Lyon inaccessible alwayes foâ—ing for rage and neuer made tame by any Man This present being brought Selyâ—n fell into a rage stamps with his foote complained that hee was wronged and sware that hee would be reuenged and demanded satisfaction from the Embassadour who being aduised and cunning couered the part which hee had played with many goodly worde Herald Selyâ—n that this Lion did rather represent the 〈◊〉 of his courage and that of his generosity rather than any other thing but this did not pacifie him he châ—sed him out of his Territories and gaue him to present vnto his Master many great Dogges with bloudie mussels as if hee would say they had 〈◊〉 his Lion in pieces and that in the assaults of Warre hee would intreat him in like manner Seeing then the Turkish Prince doth continually receiue Presents from others it is string he should likewise giue For it is more seemly for a King to giue then to take so his Wardrobe is vsually open to giue The Sultana's are enricht by his Presents The Mufti and his Praceptor are honoured and the Bashaes receiue and all this consists in precious stones Purses full of gold coyned Robes of cloth of Gold Plumes of Feathers Iewels rich Armes and other things of
Silke the Archers of his Guard tooke them vp and kept them for themselues This Pompe is made when as the Turke is in good termes with the Persian But when as they differ and that matters are disposed to warre the estate of things change The Turke 〈◊〉 shew in his entrie before the Embassadour of Persia of such Souldiers which he hath in Constantinople and thereabouts and entring into the City from his Countrey Pallace of Daâ— Basha hee marcheth about the streets with aboue a hundred and fifty thousand fighting men well armed as Amarath the Third did a liâ— before he sent his Army into Persia where hee defeared his Enemies and get in a short time twelue rich Prouinces from the Persian When as this Prince had made shew of so many war like troâ—pe to the Embassadour of Persia who was to 〈◊〉 wiâ—h admirall of 〈◊〉 some tribute which had 〈…〉 hee sent him 〈◊〉 by one of his Bashaes then all the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 which hee had sâ—ene in Constantinople were but the 〈◊〉 which bee kept in 〈◊〉 and that he should 〈◊〉 of the great â—mber which he had in field the which being led into his Masters Countrey they would 〈…〉 Commanding him in the 〈…〉 of Constantinople within three dayes 〈…〉 goe into Persia there to attend his slaues which would 〈…〉 Turkish 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 place CHAP. XVIII The Grand Seigneurs going to Sea to 〈◊〉 himselfe SEeing that the Othoman Monarch dominâ—es ouer the best parts of the Earth and extends the power of his Empire vpon the waues of the Sea it is fit and reasonable hee should take his recreation and pleasure vpon either 〈◊〉 The precedent Chapter hath 〈…〉 going â— by land This shall describe him taking his pleasure at Sea where wee may follow him without danger for 〈◊〉 neuer imbarques himselfe but the windâ— are still the 〈◊〉 are calme and the superficies of the water pâ— and 〈◊〉 He goes out of his Serrail by one of the Gates of his goodly Gardens which haue a prospectes the Sea whose 〈…〉 with many Pillars of Pâ—phyry Her into his 〈◊〉 called in the Turkish Language 〈◊〉 hauing aboue 〈◊〉 â—anks and 〈…〉 to a Banke He 〈◊〉 his selfe 〈◊〉 the Poâ—pe the which is gorgeously 〈◊〉 with Velâ—t and such like stuffe imbroidered with gold Hee 〈…〉 Cushions of Crimson Velâ— which serueâ— him for seats 〈◊〉 the Turkish 〈◊〉 His 〈◊〉 Familiars Eunuches of his Serrail 〈…〉 him Only the Bâ—stangiâ—assi which is his great Gâ—rdin and his Pilot in his recreation may sst in his 〈…〉 more commodiously whereof 〈…〉 A troupe of young 〈…〉 with such 〈…〉 thâ—rough 〈…〉 They 〈…〉 and haue Caps of the same 〈…〉 Oare with such care as they imploy themselues without failing foure other Caques goe some little space before to aduertize all other Vessels to passe out of the way or to stay not to pester by their encounter the way of this redoubted Sultan they do it speedily what is there in the Louâ— which doth not obey him seeing him farre off salute his greatnes and by the acclamations of their joy wish him all happinesse Some other Caiques follow his in the which are those of his family to whom he would giue leaue to be partakers of these pleasures During this hee hath a wise lesson of the vanity of greatnesse by the consideration of the inconstancie of the Element which beares him if he would apply his mind vnto it But hee passeeh that time in the ordinary trade of Kings which is to raise vp and ouerthrow the fortunes of men by the effects of their loue or hatred For the Bostangiâ—assi who is at his backe with the helme in his hand and who alone hath leaue to speake then vnto him informes him as hee pleaseth of the affaires of his estate of the carriage of the Officers of his Crowne of the designes of his Basha's and of the insolencie of such as he fauoure aboue the rest Sometimes he deliuers the truth nakedly and plaine vnto him and sometimes hee doth disguise and dissemble it as his passion doth aduise him and doth cunningly practise the ruine of those which thinke themselues assured and are many times without crime A president to â—ch◠〈◊〉 â—uch it doth impâ—râ— them to know the estate of by themselues and not by others and to learne in seeing the carriage of their subiects and to doe in their Monarchy as shepheards doe in their troups haue a care of them for the eye is not circumuented so soone as the eare and truth enters seldome or disguised into their Pallaces if they themselues 〈◊〉 diâ—t by the hand The greatest lyars among men remaine in Court and there doe easily vent out their fabulous inuentions Priuate interest is the 〈◊〉 Diuinitie which they adore to the which they referre the ambition of their thoughts the flattery of their discoâ—rseâ— and the malice of their actions The Bostangibassi finding his Mastermind be 〈…〉 had from all knowledge of affaires 〈◊〉 vnto a plaine Table he paints thereon what he pleaseth friendship for 〈◊〉 and hatred for others Hee makes the guilty innocent and the innocent guilty He raises and ruines according to his humour Soe at the 〈◊〉 from this 〈◊〉 walke the Basâ—a's haue sometimes felt the stormes of a new disaster in the change of their fortunes Doubtlesse the fauours of the Court are very fraile and inconstant seeing that a puffe of wind a word may ouerthrow them And as wind disperseth smoake so the great Gardiners discourse doth cause the greatnesse of the Bassa's of the Port to wither and fade The which should teach the Fauourites of Princes seeing their fortunes are transitory and fading to imploy their credit in vertuous actions which may serue them for a solide support honour their liues eternize their memory with posterity and preserue them from ruine But to speake these thing to most part of those of that condition were to sing vnto the deafe and to shew colours to the blind for the great prosperities of the Court blind the mind and dull the judgements When as the Sultan hath glutted his desires with the delights of this Marine walke and filled his eares with the Bostangibassi's tales he returnes to the Serrail where being landed the Azamoglans draw the Caiques out of the water and lodge them in Vaults made for the purpose which are within the walls of this Pallace The which they doe and put them to Sea againe commodiously and with great facilitie CHAP. XIX Of the Grand SEIGNEVRS Physicians Chyrurgians and Apothecaries GReat Princes in the midst of their humane felicities are not freed from the crosses and discommodities of life and much lesse from the infirmities that afflict them to the end their pride might be humbled and they should acknowledge themselues to be men The Sultan Emperour of the Turkes seekes ease for his griefes aswell as other Monarches He entertaines vsually for he seruice of his person ten Physicians of the most skilfull of the East Most
the poyson where with they were infected layes him in the bed of death and depriues him of life Spaine hath beene alwayes subject to such accidents whilest the Mahometans commanded there and the Kings thereof had cause to feare a double poyson For whilest the Turkish Princes did attempt their persons by poyson the Alphaquis and Priests of the Alcoran poysoned the soules of their subjects by the contagious impurities of a false and brutish Doctrine A little before the death of the King of Castile he of Leon called Don Sancho was poysoned by the inuention of a Turke who taught Gonzales his Lieutenant at Leon the detestable meanes to kill his Master in giuing him an Apple the which this wretched Lieutenant performed This was at the same time when as a Deluge of fire come out of the Ocean the which carried its flame farre into Spaine burne a great Countrey and of many Burroâ—ghâ— and Villages made heaps of ashes as farre as Zâ—ora These examples shew the malice of the Turkes against the the Christians but they doe no lesse among themselues A Turkish King of Feâ— not able to indure the prosperities of him of Gâ—anadâ— called Ioseph a Mahometan like himselfe he resolued to take away his life Hee sends to visit him oftnes than he had accustomed he makes a greater shew of friendship and after he hath receiued many effects of his hee sent him for a 〈◊〉 Cassocke of Cloth of Gold of great 〈◊〉 King Ioseph receiues it and puts it on not hee had not worne it a day but the poyson wherewith the Prince of Feâ— had infected i◠〈◊〉 vpon him and gaue him such cruell convulsions and 〈◊〉 as his flesh fell away in piece and the Physician◠〈…〉 the true cause of his disease nor could apply â—hy reâ— that hee of Granado and by the damnable 〈◊〉 Moorish King The like villanies which were practiced among the ancient Turkes are vsed at this day in the Louant at the Court of Constantinople and in other places whither they send great Men to 〈◊〉 charges In our dayes a Turkish Courtier affected by all meanes possible the dignitie of Bassa of Alâ—ppo the beauty of the place the lustre of this dignitie but rather the great gaine which the Vice-royes make inflamed his desire to the possession of this Gouernment to attain vnto it he purchased by great gifts the affections of the Agalaâ—is or Foâ—iâ—s of the Sâ—rrail which are the Eunuches attending the Princes person These men content his ambition and obtained the gouernment which he desired from the Sultan hee receiues the Letters takes his leaue to goe vnto his charge hee arriues and is receiued with the applause of the people but he had scarce begun to enjoy the first honours of this new dignity but another doth dispossesse him by the same meanes which he had vsed hee gets the friendship of the Eunuches and glâ—ts their aâ—arke with greater gifts obtaining Letters for this place He was aduertized hereof the displeasure which he conceiued to see himselfe deceiued by the Courtiers of the Sâ—rrail to whom hee had giuen much more money than hee had gotten in so short a time that he had 〈◊〉 Bassa of Alâ—ppâ— made him to draw his dearest friends about him to resolue with them how hee should gouerne himselfe in this important businesse Many were of opinion that he should 〈◊〉 the entry iâ— the Town to this new Bassa who was vpon the way vntill he informed the Sultan the Mâ—fâ— and the Grand Vizir of the couetous disloyaltie of the Agalaâ—ie and this Counsell was conformable to his apprehension But one of 〈…〉 him aside told him Th◠〈…〉 him brought a 〈…〉 wherein iâ— was dangerous to vse 〈…〉 was the safest way in such 〈…〉 him a 〈…〉 make the 〈…〉 than his had beene that 〈…〉 the Bassa which came and 〈…〉 him a 〈…〉 and all loue and friendship to him and 〈…〉 him out of the World by the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Persons They resolued it and laboured in their designe In the meane time the new Bassa arriues the other receiues him and yeelds him the place It is the custome of the great men in Turkey to giue Presents to the new Gouernor when they enter in charge some to testifie that they are welcome and others to gain their affections This discontented Bassa who left his charge before the ordinary time would not be the last to present this new commer He giues him a poysoned Handkercher imbroydered with Gold and great round Pearles the price thereof could not be easily valued The new Gouernour receiues it with vnspeakable joy for great men hold nothing so sweet in their places as to take whencesoeuer it comes but God doth many times suffer that such greedy Takers are taken in taking as it happened to this Bassa of Aleppo The Handkercher of price which was the price of his life contents him Hee admires the worke lookes vpon the great Pearles and his hands doe not abandon it vntill the poyson forced him the which exhaling and infecting the Bassa they grew weake and make him to leaue it whereupon hee died and left the gouernment which he had not enjoyed The other Bassa flies speedily to Constantinople redemands the gouernment whereof he had beene dispossest and grounds his reason vpon his speedie obedience and forceth the iniquity of the Fauourites to consent that hee should enjoy it Thus couetousnesse had depriued him of a Dignity where it had first placed him and poysoning restores him Whereby wee may Iudge what these Gouernours can be that are setled by such meanes It is certaine that the like offences are committed daily in the Turkes Court by the Bassa's thereof who imploy their greatest care to find out the most subtillest poysons and how to employ them cunningly one against another The most ordinary which they vse is drawne from Toads They cause a Toade to sucke the Milke of a woman that hath an extraordinary red haire When it is full they beate it gently with a little wand they put it into choler its poyson mingles with this Milke and it bursts in its rage this poyson is so violent and strong that in rubbing only the stirrop of his horse whom they meane to poyson it is an assured death Thus corruption is absolute in Turkey for if their Prophet hath poysoned their soules with filthy Doctrine they poyson their bodies with all sorts of venome CHAP. XIV Of the filthy and vnnaturall lust of the Bassa's and of the great Men of the Court. THe great fortunes which are found in the Courts of great Monarches produce great riches and these furnish Courtiers with delights in the which they glut their sensuall and brutish appetites The Bassa's of the Court great in dignities and abounding in riches plunge themselues in all sorts of voluptuousnesse and their spirits mollified in the myre of filthy pleasures they seeke them by a contrary course and demand that of nature which she hath not Being many times tired
which drew him to the Serrail But he promiseth at his returne to content her desires imtearing her to attend at the passage In the meane time he goes to the Serrail followes his businesse and hauing dispatched in roâ—es to his Lodging another way and leauing the woman in the impatiencie of a deceitfull attendance she saw herselfe in the end deceiued by this Frenchman who to reuenge this affront had recourse to her Witchcrafts and imployes them against him They worke their effect and this Frenchman found himselfe suddainly seized with a kind of Palsey The sicke man tooke his bed and was continually afflicted with sensible paines and convulsions The Physicians were called to his help but all their lerning could not find out the cause of his infirmitie nor prescribe a remedie Some dayes past in these extremities after which an old Turkish woman offers to cure him she visits him and hauing looked vpon him she told him in her gibbridge I will soon cure you But tell the truth haue you not refused some Lady that sought your loue By her Charmes she expelled those which tormented him and restored him to health After which this man going in Constantinople hee encountred a woman which told him in his eare Remember another time not to abuse the courtesie of Women which affect you and deceiue them no more by your vaine promises All the women of Turkey and especially those of Constantinople doe not tie their affections to men only they grow passionately in loue one with another and giue themselues to false and vnlawfull loue especially the wiues of men of quality who liue coopt vp in Serrails vnder the guard of Eunuches This vitious appetite doth domincere ouer them so tyrannously as it smothers in them the desires of a naturall and lawfull loue and many times causeth them to loathe their husbands This disorder may grow for that their affection wanting a lawfull prize they tie it to a strange object Moreouer the reuenge of the vnnaturall loue to their husbands carries them vnto it for most men of those Easterne parts and the greatest are giuen to that beastly and brutish lasciuiousnesse These Ladies loue one another most ardently and come to the effects of their foolish loues they imbrace one another and doe other actions which loue seekes and modestie forbids to write They whom this strange loue makes slaues to others goe to finde them in the Bâ—th to see them naked and entertayning them vpon the subject whereof they languish make such like discourses in their Language They had reason to say that the Sun did plunge it selfe in the waues seeing that you are in this water the which by Nature should quench the fire but it kindles my flames when you are in it Is it possible that you should receiue to the enioying of so rare a beauty other persons than those of your owne sexe which are like your selfe Fly the imbracings of Men which contemne vs and haue no loue but for their like and enioy with vs the Contentments which they deserue not When as a foolish womanish Louer hath made such like discourses shee goes into the Bath and burnes with a flame which it is not able to quench she imbraces her Louer kisseth her and attempts to doe that although in vaine which I must heere conceale And these loues of woman to woman are so frequent in the Leuant as when any Turks are resolued to marrie the chiefe thing which they inquire of is whether the party whom they affect be not subject to some woman whom they loue or is beloued Thus these people liue farre from the light of true Faith in the darknesse of Mahometan ignorance which haue carried them to the excesse of all sorts of vices CHAP. XVI Of the foure principall Bassa's of the Port. THe foure chiefe Bassa's of the Port and the foure prime Wheeles which mooue this vast and powerfull Turkish Empire are the Vizir Azem or the Grand Vizir the Captaine of the Sea the Aga of the Ianizaries and the Captaine of Constantinople called the Captaine Bassa Their places are the chiefe of the Empire and the glory there of giues them respect with the Prince to be honoured by great Men and feared by the people The Vizir Azem or Grand Vizir holds the first place next vnto his Master he is Lieutenant Generall of the Empire and Armies high Chancellor and chiefe of the Diuan which is the Councell where Iustice is administred the Captaine of the Sea is high Admirall and Generall of Nauall Armies The Aga of the Ianizaries commands all the Turkish foot as sole Colonell thereof And the Captaine of Constantinople gouernes the Citie and takes knowledge of the chiefe affaires which passe These foure Bassa's differing in Offices and Honours are notwithstanding powerfull in authoritie the which is of such weight as they giue and take the Crown from their Soueraigne Prince when they thinke good We haue seene the experience of late yeares in the persons of Sultan Mustapha and Osman Achmat ended his life and Raigne in the yeare 1617 hee left two young sonnes Osman and Amurath He knew by experience that the weight of such a Crowne could not be borne by a Childe and that the absolute gouernment of the Turkish Monarchie required a man He called to the succession of his Scepter his brother Mustapha who had beene fourteene yeares a Prisoner in his Serrail and made him to taste this sweet change to come from a Dungeon to a Throne and from the fetters of a tedious captiuitie to that power to command the greatest I state vpon the Earth But the great rigour of his command and the extrauagances of his inconstant humour made him odious to the Captaine Bassa he gained the other three who drew the Souldiers and some great men vnto their party they vnthroned him put him into his Prison and set vp Osman sonne to his brother Achmat. This example was in our dayeâ— but that which followeth is so fresh as the newes hereof came when I was labouring about this worke Osman not well satisfied with the affection of the Ianizaries who are the sinewes of his Estate and disliking some of the foure Bassa's had an intent to change the Seat of his Empire to Caire and to abandon Constantinople he prepares himselfe gathers together as much Treasure as hee could and couers his designe with the pretext of a Pilgrimage to Meque where he said his intent was to accomplish a vow and to make as great a gift as euer Prince made vnto a Temple of what Religion soeuer When as he had mannaged his enterprize vnto the day of his departure when as his Galleyes were readie and the Bassa of Caire come with an Armie to receiue him the Ianizaries were aduertised they runne to the Serrail with the consent of the Aga the people are moued the Captaine Bassa stirres them vp they take the Sultan in his Chamber kill some great Men in his presence dragge him into
that is to say Foole offered himselfe and promiseth so as hee would giue him troupes to follow the Enemie and to ouertake him and when hee should thinke least of it to make him pay for the spoile which he had made in Persia Tachmas grants whiche demands Delimeus goes his way he runs or rather flies towards the place where the Enemie was His Spies being him word that the Turkes were camped neere vnto Bathlis â—yrod with long marches and with the toile of a troublesome way that they slept without Guards without watch and without any Sentinels so as it would be easie for him to surprize them if he would make his troupes to double their pace Deliment makes more speed than they requiâ—ed hee drawes neere vnto the Turkes at the shutting vp of the day and in the night goes to surprize them inuirons them chargeth them beats them kils the greatest part and takes the rest prisoners few escaping by flight Solyman vnderstood the next day of the losse of his men and seeing the small troupes he had remayning findes foure hundred thousand men wanting of those which followed him from Constantinople the which were dead in Persia either slaine by the Sword or famished with hunger or frozen with colde the which made him returne towardes his Serrail He comes to Aleppo and soone after to Constantinople and detests in his soule the Counsellour of this Voyage and the Warre of Persia The Sultana's finde at his returne a ample subject to ruine Hebraims fortune and to be reuenged of the presumption hee had vsed against them They obserue the murmuring of the people against this Fauourite and what the great mensâ—e of him and make it knowne to Solyman Moreouer as they were busie to ruine his greatnesse they discouer that this Bassa fauoured the House of Austria and that he had secret intelligence with the Emperor Charies the Fift an Enemy to his Master This treachery being auerred it did wholy ouerthrow that which the Sultana's had already shaken Solyman to whom they had made knowne the truth of all this concludes his death but the promise and oath which he had made vnto him not to put him to death whilest hee were aliue suspends the execution vntill hee might find a Dispensation by the aduice and â—ritie of the chiefe Preists of his Law 〈…〉 of the most Learned one of the number giues him a pleasant 〈◊〉 to free himselfe of the Bassa and yet to keepe his Word You haue sworde Sir saith he not to put him to death whilest you are liuing 〈◊〉 him up be strangled when you are asleepe Life consist 〈◊〉 â—gilam action and he thâ— sleepes doth not truly 〈◊〉 to you may punish his disloyaltie and not violate your oath Doubtlesse if Solyman were dead when hee slept according to the saying of this Talisman hee hath reuiued many times whilest he liued This Prince seekes noe more he contents himselfe to haue found a Clergie man which absolues him for this deed He sends for Hibraim Bassa to the Serrail hee causeth him to supp with him and supper being ended hee letts him see his crymes by his owne letters written to Charles the fift and Ferdinand his brother hee reproaches his ingratitude and commands his dumbe men to strangle him whilest he slept and thereupon went to Bed Thus ended the life and greatnes of Hibraim Bassa fauorite to Solyman For an example that if the fortunes of the Court shine like gold they breake like glasse His Maistes had aduanced him more then hee desired fearing a fall in the beginning of his fortune into the which he did precipitate himselfe by his disloyaltie he supported the continuance of his greatnesse vpon his Princes Oath But they were humane and their nature is to haue no other stay but the declining where they slide A Courtiers fauour is neuer durable if it hath not Iustice and Pittie for Companions which makes them zealous towards God and well deseruing of men If these parts be found in a Fauourite they make enuie to yeeld and impose silence to the bitterest slanders Hibraim Bassa had not these good qualities his formes seruices had deserued some share in his Masters affection but his pride against the Sultana's and his treachery against Solyman made him vnworthy of that which he enjoyed So the Lion of Lybia wipes out with her long taile the steps of her feet the insolencie which followed defaced all the good which went before To enjoy the fauour of the Court they must haue so strong and generous a spirit as they must neuer suffer themselues to be transported with pride nor dejected with amazement but remayning in a commendable equality continue couragiously in doing well The example of the fortune and disaster of Hibraim Bassa shall be followed in this History with that of the great credit prosperities and disgraces of Bassa Derueir a Fauourite to Achmat the first Brother to Sultan Mustapha who raigned of late yeares This man of a base condition laboured in the Gardens of the Serrail when as hee began to enter into fauour Achmat in his Garden-walkes seeing his jouiall humour tooke many times delight in his tales stayed to see him worke and in the end so affected him as without knowledge of any other merit he made him Bostangibassi or great Gardiner This charge as we haue said is one of the goodliest of the Turkish Empire being then void by his death who had enioyed it Therein Deruier serued with so great care and made himselfe so pleasing to his Master as he bound him to make him greater The Generall of the Sea dies and Achmat giues him the place he doth it with that lustre and pompe which followes this dignitie he causeth the Galleyes to be armed goes to Sea takes all he meces with and sailes so happily as the inconstant windes seemed to fauour him and the most inconstant Elements seeme to joy in the happinesse of this new Fauourite his courses are fortunate and his returne glorious But the Sea of the Court more stormie than the Sea it selfe will one day teach him that it doth amaze the best Pilots and will make him feele to his disgrace a more troublesome shipwracke than he could haue found vpon the waues of the Louant Seas The reception which hee found at his returne and the triumph wherewith hee is honoured after the taking of many Christian Vessels are felicities which flatter and deceiuing him make him imagine that happinesse it selfe did him homage Achmat cherished him more than himselfe and had no rest vntill hee had aduanced him to the height of the prosperities of the Court That is to say to the Dignitie of Grand Vizir Lieutenant Generall of his Empire Soone after it fell void and hee bestowed it on him with these words of affection There is not any thing in my Estate how great soeuer it be which thy vertues and the affection thou bearest to my seruice hath not well deserued Thus Deâ—r became the
first man of the Turks Court and his Master was sorry that hee could not make him the prime Man of the World In this charge hee restored many good Lawes which disorder had ouerthrowne hee reduced euery man to his duty strooke terrour into the Magistrates and let the Souldiers know that they were vnworthy to make their Musters and to receiue the pay if they be not in case to serue These things doubtlesse had crowned his name with new glory if violence and crueltie had not blemisht him He caused more men to be executed in one day than his Predecessours had done in a whole yeare The least suspition of a Crime was culpable of punishment and this Fauourite made lesse account of the life of men than of the Coleworts which hee had sometimes planted in the Gardens of the Serrail But violence is neuer durable and that Fauourite which followes it suffers himselfe to bee led to his owne ruine Hee that kils shall be killed saiâ— God hee that loues bloud shall perish in bloud Doubtlesse it is a miserable thing in Princes Courts and prejudiciall to a whole Estate that a base fellow and a man of nothing without vertue or merit should be aduanced to the qualitie of a Fauourite master the affections of his Soueraigne and enjoy the prime Dignities of an Empire For such persons are most commonly cruell contemne the Nobilitie and make no account of vertue as being ignorant of the one and the other Derueir in all these Offices had gathered together great treasures the which with his extraordinary seueritie furnish matter of Enuy to the other Bassa's who all joyntly vndertake his ruine and labour so carefully therein as they find meanes to entertaine Sultan Achmat with the insolencies of his carriage he heares them belieues part of that which they tell him and growes so violently jealous of the credit and authoritie of Deruier that he resolues to free himselfe of him he concludes his death and commands the execution to a troupe of the Capigis of his Serrail who receiued commandement to strangle him as soone as he should come But hee will trouble them to performe it they shall not finde in him a delicate fauorite bred vp from his youth in the softnesse of the Court he will defend his life couragiously and let them see that a man which hath long time handled a Spade and a Mattocke is not soe easily mastered Achmat sends for Deruier to the Serrail he comes and is scarce entred when he suspects the partie which was made against him he goes into the Grand Sigueurs quarter being there this troupe of Capigis fall vpon him to seaze on him and to put the Halter about his necke he frees himselfe from them and stands vpon his defence although he had nothing in his hands and with his fists scatters them brauely hee beates one of their Noses flat puts out the eye of another and strikes out his teeth that held the Halter and puts him out of breath which had taken hold of his Arme and remaines free in the midst of al them which did iâ—biron him and durst not take him The feare of punishment which doth attend those which doe not speecily execute the will of the Sultan in such affaires and the shame that one man alone disarmed should slay them all â—uised one of the troupe to fetch a Leauer wherewith approaching to Deruier he gaue him so great a blow as hee brake his thigh and ouerthrew him then they put the cord about his necke and strangled him Thus hee ended his life which gouerned the whole Turkish Empire and strooke a terrour into the greatest The iouiall humours and the humble discourses of the Gardiner had raised him to the greatest fortune that a Courtier could find in all the world and the insolencie and pride of the Grand Vizir had humbled him and deliuered him to the mercie of a dozen Rascals which strangle him For a new example that fauour is not durable if it hath not moderation for its companion and Iustice and Piety to support it His bodie is buried without pompe or honour his treasure came vnto the Sultan and his name was so forgotten as in three dayes they did not know in Court if there had beene any such man The which may serue for a lesson to great Men which possesse their Princes that the course of a boundlesse and proud fauour in Court is like the flight of a Bird in the Aire the passage of a Ship at Sea or the gliding of a Serpent vpon the stones where there remaines no shew This thing happened at Constantinople in the yeare 1606. But of a later date in the yeare 1614. Nassaf Bassa of whom we haue formerly shade mention Grand Vezir of the Turkish Empire and fauorite to the same Sultan Achmat gaue by the fall of his fortune as much amazement to the East as his prosperities had given admiration his riches were greater and his credite more absolute then the two former fauourites but his extraction and Birth as base as theirs and his pride equall Hee was Sonne to a Greeke Priest borne in a little Hamblet neere to Salonica The Collectors of the tribute tooke him from his Fathers house in his infancie and led him to Constantinople where hee was sold for three Sultanins which is foure and twentie shillings of our sterling money to an Eunuch of the Serraeil who bred him vp vnto the age of twentie yeeres Then hee sold him to a steward of the Sultana Mother to Achmat to serue him in his charge This Man soone found in his slaue the eminent gifts of a free spirit which is inlightned with dexteritie and holding him fit for greater affaires then those of the houshold wherein hee imployed him hee gaue him the ouer-sight of the building of a rich and stately Mosquee which the Sultana Mother caused to bee built at her charge to bee an immortall marke of her pictio and magnificence Hee prospered so well in this charge and gaue so good proefes of his Iudgement as hee gaue good content vnto the Sultana and hard such part in her liking and affection as shee made him Superintendant of her house In thiâ— Dignitie hee let the whole Serrail See what an able and sufficient Man may doe when hee is imployed in affaires his merite came vnto the knowledge of Sultan Achmat who would haue him to his seruice Thus hee changed Master and mounted to a new Dignitie Achmat gaue him the place of Capigibassi soone after he made him Bassa of Aleppâ— where hauing finished the time which they giue to such Gouernors they honoured him with the Dignitie of Gouernor Generall of Messopotamia hee parted from Constantinople hauing the traine attendance and pompe of a Turkish Vice-roy The commoditie of this Prouince Frontier to Persia filled his Cofers with treasure and his Spirit with ambition Hee knew that hee was very necessarie for his Master he saw that the Neighbour-hood of the
equalitie with other men to returne vnto dust the common beginning of all euen liuing the which should incite them the 〈◊〉 to forget the glory of their Name and to repaire by their goodly and royall actions the shortnesse of their dayes 〈…〉 they may past from the disquietnesse of an 〈◊〉 Religion 〈◊〉 eternall rest of a heauenly command and change their Crownes which are not durable to the Diadem of an Empire which hath no end The Turkish Sultans spend their dayes farre from those wise thoughts in the 〈◊〉 of their 〈◊〉 in the midst of pleasures with their Sultan's the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 doth blemish their glory and 〈◊〉 their 〈…〉 the humours of their Bodies and shortens their 〈◊〉 For delights kill more men than the sword When they can sick 〈◊〉 ni Bassa who is the chiefe of the Phisitians assembles the rest within the Serrail and shuts himselfe vp with them where they labour for the cure of their Maister with that care which wee haue formerly mentioned Remedies are but for helpes they draw them not from the Bed whereas their life and pride must haue an end They die and leauing their Scepters and Crownes with all that which the World adores they carry nothing with them but the good they haue done liuing yet vnprofitable to their soules health seeing they haue not Truth for their Guide The Prince which is to succeed puts on Mourning and attires himselfe in blacke for a short time hee couers his head with a little Turbant and doth testifie by his exterior shew the griefe hee hath for the losse of his Predecessour although that in his soule hee feeles the most sensible joy that euer hee had Thus Selym the Third shewed himselfe before the Body of Selyman the Second his Father who dyed in Hungary at the siege of Sighet All the Bassa's weare little Turbants in signe of Mourning And if the Emperour dies in the Warre as Solyman did all the Ensignes and the Standard Royall are turned downward towards the ground vntill the now Sultan takes his Royall Robes and puts on a great white Turbane the which is done soone after Then they cry as wee haue formerly related That the soule of the Inuincible Emperour Sultan N. enjoyes the immortall glory and eternall peace That the Empire of Sultan N may prosper withall felicitie But they interre them all in Constantinople since they setled the Seate of their Empire in that place Before their Tombes were erected at Prussia in Asia the place of their first Domination their 〈…〉 in this manner The Emperours Body is carried in a Cossin couered with Linnen very rich or of Veluet His Turbant is set before it with a Plume of Heâ— Feathers The Talismans Sanâ— Alphaâ—uis Derâ— and the like rabble of the Alcoran carry in their hands Tâ—pers lighted to shew that their Prophet is the Ape of Christianity goe before singing in their Language such Verses Aâ—a rahmmani arhâ— Alla illa Alla Alla 〈◊〉 Alla that is to say Mercifull God bane pittie on him there is no God but God God is God They also say these words Iabilac â—illata Mehemet ressultaha tungari bi r berem berac which signifieth God is God and there is no other God Mahomet is his Counsellour and his true Prophet Before the Corps doth march the Mutaferaga who carries the Emperours Turbant vpon a Lance with the tayle of a Horse tied neere vnto it The Ianizaries the Solachi and the rest of the Imperiall Guard follow the Hearse After these the Officers of the Sultans house march in order vnder the conduct of Casuegirhassi or Master of the Household The Malundarb bedith mandura carrieth the deceased Grand Seigueurs Armes and the Royall Standard dragging vpon the ground The Bassa's and all the great Men of the Port yeelding their last duty vnto their Master assist at their Funerall pleasantly attired in mourning They haue a piece of Grey-cloth hangs before and behind from the head to the foot like vnto the Froâ—k which the Brethren of the Hospitall of the Charity in the Suburbes of Saint Germain at Paris do weare some of them for that they will not seeme too sorrowfull tie only a long piece of Linnen cloth to the end of their Turbants which hâ—ng downe vnto their heeles In this great Mourning the most 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 Couâ—t hold their Rancks in this Funerall Pompe whereas the Men make but a part of the Convoy 〈◊〉 supply the rest with lesse griefe and more â—cares For all the Sultans great Horses are at his Interment they carry their Saddles turned vpward and better couered than the Bassa's in their Grey Froches they haue blacke Veluet hanging vnto the ground They weepe and sigh without 〈◊〉 They put Assagoth or Tobacco into their 〈…〉 and into their eyes to draw forth 〈…〉 is the 〈◊〉 pompe of the Turkish Sultans who being 〈…〉 men to weepe fâ— their losse constraine 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 In this 〈◊〉 they conduct the body the hard first after the Turkish manner to the Tombe where they wil inclose 〈◊〉 is usually 〈◊〉 to the Mosquâ—e which the deceased Sultan hath cause built in a Chappell apart the Sepulchre is couered with black Veluet If the Prince died in the Warre they lay his Scmiter vpon it if not his Turbant is aduanced and set against the wall neere vnto the Tombe with rich Plumes of Herons feathers for an Ornament two Candlestickes which carry great Tapers gilt are at the foot of the Sepulchre Some Turkish Priests which are instituted to that end repeate continually the Azoares of the Alcoran in their turnes and one after another sayes the Turkes Chapelet whereof wee haue spoken in the History of their Religion and pray continually for the soule of the deceased On Fridayes these Imperiall Tombes are adorned with new Couerings and strewed with flowres They which come on such dayes pray for the dead or powre forth theirteares and take a Nosegay when they returne Sometimes they doe also set much meat to giue Almes vnto the poore and they call to these Funerall Feasts not only poore Beggers but also Beasts as Dogges Cats and Biâ—s the which are honourably receiued and feasted with as much liberty and safety as the Men who seeing the pawes of Cats in pottage with their hands dare not chase them away But contrariwise they owe them respect and succour as those whom misery hath made their equals and therefore capable to receiue the effects of the Turkish Charity For the Mahomets hold opinion that to giue Almes vnto Beasts is a worke no lesse meritorious before God than to giue vnto Men for that say they these poore animals possesse nothing in this World where they are destitute of all temporall goods necessary for the maintenance of life Thus they shut him vp in sixe foot of ground whom all the World could not containe and whose vnrestrained ambition aspired to more Empire than the Earth containes And after that he had bin a terrour to Men and the