pulse of which there is a great quantity spent is brought yearly from Alexandria in the Galeons which make yearly two voiages and bring out of Egypt not only the said pulse but also all sorts of spice and sugar and a great quantity of preserves and pickled meats which the Turks much delight in And as for sugar there is spent an unspeakable deal of it in the making of Sherbets and * Boclavas which not only the Seraglio useth but are also ordinary presents from one Bashawe to another and from one friend to another insomuch that it is a thing to be admired that so great a quantity should so suddenly be consumed True it is that there is but little spice spent in the Seraglio nor indeed any great store among the Turks pepper only excepted For seeing wine is not an ordinary drink amongst them they therefore avoid the eating of such things as do provoke a desire thereunto Howsoever in the storehouses of the Port there is provision of all sorts of spices and drugs whatsoever occasion should happen that might require the use of them There likewise comes from Egypt great store of dates prunes and other dried plums of divers sorts which the Cooks use in their dressing of meat as well for rost as boyled in broths and indeed they make very delicate dishes of them The honey of which the Port spends a great quantity both in their broths boiled meats * Pancakes * Frittars and course Sherbets for the common sort of people is brought in great earthen jars from Walachia from Transylvania and Moldavia as well that which is presented by the Princes of those Provinces to the Grand Signor as that which comes for particular mens accounts Yet that honey which is used in the Kings own kitchen comes from * Cio and is far better and purer then the other The oil of which there is an unspeakable quantity spent by reason of the many uses they put it unto as well in their meats as for their lamps and the like is brought from Modon and Coron in Graecia the * Sanjack Beg of that Province being bound to see the Port sufficiently furnished therewith from time to time howbeit that which is spent in the Kings own kitchen is brought from Candie and Zant it being sweeter cleerer and in every respect better then that of the Morea The butter of which also there is spent a very great quantitie in that it is used almost in all their meats especially in that ordinary dish which they call * Pillaw comes by shipping out of the Black sea from Bogdania and from Caffa being put into great Ox hides and Buffalo hides with the hairy sides inward and so is laid up in * Magazines for the yearly provision of the Kings court but commonly they have so much of it that they are fain to sell part into the city as they likewise do by the oil honey c. which are Begleek that is for the Grand Signors own account when they have more then they think they shall have occasion to spend and make a wonderful great benefit of it oftentimes enforcing the shop-keepers to take it at what price they please to rate it at although it be ill conditioned and ready to stink The Turks are no whit acquainted with fresh butter there being little or none at all made about Constantinople neither do thâ—… eat much milk except it be made â—…re which they call Yoghurd For â—…eing so turned sowre it doth quenâ—… the thirst and of that both they and the Christians do eat a great quantity in the summer time They eat also some store of Kaymack that is clouted or clodded cream but that is a dish for the better sort only it being a meat of too high a price for the vulgar Now as for the flesh every year in the Autumn winter drawing nigh the Bashawe causeth the provision of * Basturma to be made for the Kings kitchins which must be of cowes great with calf For then say they the flesh is most tender and savoury They use it in the same manner as Christians use swines flesh For they make puddings and sausages of it and the rest they boil and dresse after other fashions This sort of dried flesh after that it is sufficiently dried and hardened with hanging a moneth or better in some upper room and little or no salt used about it but pressed very flat will last the whole year following and eat very savourly And it is in such great use amongst the Turks so well liked of that there is scarce any Master of a family if he be of ability but doth yearly against winter make his provision of it and it is held a very thrifty and sparing course For that then fresh meat would be very dear But they do not all make their Basturma of cowes great with calf that is for the Seraglio for there are many which love the other better which i made of Oxen and Bullocks and they can buy it far cheaper The Bashawe as I said hath the care and oversight of what is prepared for the Kings kitchens and there are commonly spent four hundred cowes every year for the said provision of Basturma there is also fresh beef spent in the Seraglio but the quantity is uncertain The other flesh which is daily provided and spent in the kitchens of the Seraglio as I was told by one of the * Aschees is as followeth sheep two hundred lambs or kids when they are in season one hundred calves ten geese fifty hens two hundred chickens one hundred pigeons an hundred pair There is very little store of fish spent in the Seraglio either shell-fish or other yet sometimes the Agas for dainties will eat some The seas thereabout do exceedingly abound with divers kindes and they may easily take as many as they please by reason of which the Christians are plentifully served with fish in the markets and at reasonable prices and the common and poorer sort of Turks do bear them company in that diet The Grand Signor nor any of his women or servants in the Seraglio cannot want for fruit there being at time of year so many presents of all sorts of fruits brought thither besides what comes from the Kings own gardens which are many and near the city every morning in great abundance and excellent good especially figs grapes peaches and * Caoons the Gardiners selling the remainder at a place in Constantinople * where only the Kings fruit is sold and bring the money weekly to the Bustangee Bashawe who afterwards gives it to his Majestie and it is called jebbe ackchesee that is the Kings pocket-money For he gives it away by handfulls as he sees occasion to his Mutes and Buffones at such times as they make him sport Now this fruit being sold the
only to hold up their forefinger and say these words law illawheh illaw Allaw Muhammed resoul Allawh that is there is no God but God alone and Mahomet is the messenger of God And according as they are in age and disposition being proved and examined by an old woman called Kahiyah Cadun that is as we say the mother of the maids so they are placed in a room with the others of the same age spirit and inclination to live together Now in the Womens lodgings they live as Nuns do in great Nunneries for these virgins have very large rooms to live in and their bed-chambers will hold almost a hundred of them a piece They sleep upon Sofaes which are built long-wise on both sides of the room and a large space left in the midst to go to and fro about their businesse Their beds are very course and hard for the Turks neither use featherbeds nor corded bedsteads made of flocks of wooll and by every ten virgins there lies an old woman and all the night long there are many lamps burning so that one may see plainly throughout the whole room which doth both keep the young women from wantonnesse and serve upon any occasion which may happen in the night Near unto the said bed-chambers they have baths for their use at all times with many fountains out of which they are served with water and above their chambers there are divers rooms where they sit and sew and there they keep their boxes and chests in which they lay up their apparel They feed by whole Camarada's and are served and waited upon by other women nor do they want any thing whatsoever that is necessary for them There are other places likewise for them where they go to school to learn to speak and read if they will the Turkish tongue to sew also and to play on divers instruments and thus they spend the day with their mistresses who are all ancient women some hours notwithstanding being allowed them for their recreation to walk in their gardens and use such sports as they familiarly exercise themselves withall The king doth not at all frequent or see these Virgins unlesse it be at that instant when they are first presented unto him or else in case that he desire one of them for his bed-fellow or to make him some pastime with musick and other sports wherefore when he is prepared for a fresh mate he gives notice to the said Kahiya Cadun of his purpose who immediately bestirs her self like a crafty baud and chooseth out such as she judgeth to be the most amiable and fairest of all and having placed them in good order in a room in two ranks like so many pictures half on the one side and half on the other she forthwith brings in the King who walking four or five times in the midst of them and having viewed them well taketh good notice within himself of her that he best liketh but sayes nothing only as he goeth out again he throweth a handkerchief into that virgins hand by which token she knoweth that she is to lie with him that night so she being questionless exceeding joyful to become the object of so great a fortune in being chosen out from among so many to enjoy the society of an Emperour hath all the art that possibly may be shown upon her by the Cadun in attiring â—…ainting and perfuming her and at night she is brought to sleep with the Grand Signor in the womens lodgings where there are chambers set apart for that businesse onely And being in Bed together they have two great wax lights burning by them all night one at the beds feet and the other by the door besides there are appointed by the Cadun divers old Black moor women to watch by turns that night in the chamber by two at a time one of them to sit by the light at the beds feet and the other by the door and when they will they change and other two supply their rooms without making the least noise imaginable so that the King is not any whit disturbed Now in the morning when his Highness riseth for he riseth first he changeth all his apparell from top to toe leaving those which he wore to her that he lay withall and all the money that was in his pockets were it never so much and so departeth to his own lodgings from whence also he sendeth her immediately a present of jewels money and vests of great value agreeable to the satisfaction and content which he received from her that night In the same manner he deals with all such as he maketh use of in that kinde but with some he continueth longer then with other some and enlargeth his bounty far more towards some then others according as his humor and affection to them encreaseth by their fulfilling his lustful desires And if it so fall out that any one of them doth conceive by him and bring forth his first begotten child then she is called by the name of Sultana Queen and if it be a son she is confirmed and established Queen by great feasts and solemnities and forthwith hath a dwelling assigned unto her apart of many stately rooms well furnished and many servants to attend upon her The King likewise alloweth her a large revenue that she may give away and spend at her pleasure in whatsoever she may have occasion and all they of the Seraglio must and do acknowledge her for Queen shewing all the duty and respect that may be both to her self and to them that belong unto her The other women howsoever they bring forth issue are not called Queens yet they are called Sultana's because they have had carnal commerce with the King and she onely is called Queen which is the mother of the first begotten son heir to the Empire the which Sultana's being frequented by the King at his pleasure have also this prerogative to be immediately removed from the common sort and to live in rooms apart exceeding well served and attended and have no want either of money or apparrell in conformity to their degree All these Sultana's do resort together very familiarly when they please but not without great dissimulation and inward malice fearing lest the one should be better beloved of the Grand Signor then the other yet notwithstanding this their jealousie they in outward shew use all kind of courtesie one towards another Now if it happen that the first begotten Son of the Queen heir to the Empire should die and another of the Sultana's should have a second son then her son being to succeed the deceased heir she is immediately made Queen and the former shall remain a Sultana only and be deprived of the aforesaid revenue and royalty thus the title of Queen runneth from one Sultana to another by vertue of the sons succession In times past the Queen was wont to be wedded to
Grand Signor eats in the Ramazan time which is their lent and lasteth a whole moon and the moneth it self is so called Now at that time the Turks never eat in the day but only in the night not making any difference at all in meats excepting swines flesh and things strangled of which they are forbidden by their law to eat at any time The King seldom eats fish unlesse it be when he is abroad at some garden house by the sea side with his women where he may sit and see it taken himself The meat which remains of that which was at the Grand Ssgnors table is immediately carried to the * Aghas table who wait upon him so that they what with that and their own diet together are exceeding well provided Whilst the Aghas are eating the King passeth away the time with his Mutes and Buffons not speaking as I said at all with his tongue but only by signes And now and then he kicks and buffeteth them in sport but forthwith makes them amends by giving them money For which purpose his pockets are alwayes furnished so that they are well contented with that pastime In the mean time also the Capee Agha eats in a room apart such meat as is prepared for him in his kitchin being far inferior to the Kings diet And with him do eat the Haziâ—…ehdar Bashawe the Saraj Agasee and sometimes some of the Kings Physitians whom he calls in for to bear him company and such other Eunuchs which are keepers of the Seraglio's abroad as do come to visit him And the remainder of his diet with a fresh supply from the kitchins serves * diman in mano all the other white Eunuchs In this interim likewise is meat sent to all the other Odas for the youths there which is two loaves apiece a day and a little boiled mutton with pottage of rice mingled with butter and honey which indeed consists more of broth then substance it being but thin of rice and so little flesh in it that it is well if it give but a taste thereof when they sop their bread in the dish On the other side is meat carried in by black Eunuchs to the Queen to the Sultana's and to all the other women wherein is observed the same order as is aforesaid with the King insomuch as in the space of an hour and half or two hours at the most all is dispatched The Queens service is in copper dishes tinned over but kept very bright and clean and some also of white Purselain however it is to be understood that she her self may be served as she pleaseth and so questionless may all the Sultana's although their ordinary allowance be no other then Copper For oftentimes the King is amongst them a whole day together eating sporting and sleeping of which there is no notice taken nor may any look into his actions where amongst themselves they make him delicate and sumptuous banquets over and above the ordinary meals of dinner and supper of sweet meats and fruits of all sorts having daily an abundance presented unto them They drink their sherbet in the summer time mingled with snow of which there is a great quantity preserved yearly for to serve the Seraglio but at a very dear rate For the snow doth stand the Port in more then twenty thousand chicquins a year in gifts and ceremonies and other expences at the fetching it in from the hils and in putting it under ground in houses made of purpose for that use They do not ordinarily use Comfets nor Cheese For the Turks do hardly know how to make them especially cheese which if they make yet it never proves good So that the Sultana's all the Bashawes and other great personages eat none but Parmezan of which the * Bailo of Venice doth alwayes furnish them and that very plentifully for they love it well and eat heartily of it when they go abroad upon pleasure to take the air For the sundry provisions of the said Seraglio all things are prepared in great abundance and every particular provision is assigned to particular persons to take care thereof so that there is never any want at all of things necessary For the Officers are sure upon the least complaint made against them to lose their places Wherefore as it behoves them they are very careful to see not onely that there be a sufficiency but also that it be very good The first and best sort of bread which indeed is very white and savoury is for the Grand Signor the Sultana's the Bashawes and other great ones The second sort for them of middle rank And the third and last sort which is very black and course is for the Agiamoglans and others of base quality The meal whereof the best sort of bread is made for the Grand Signor and the Sultana's is brought from Bursia made of the wheat of that Province of Bithynia and growing in the Kings own ground The yearly provision thereof is about seven or eight thousand Keloes which makes almost so many bushels of our measure in London the which wheat makes the best flour that comes to Constantinople for that it is also ground at Bursia and those mills are far better then any that are neer Stanboll Now for the other wheat which they spend it comes for the most part from Volo in Graecia by shipping where there is a great portion of land belonging to the crown And a great part of the corn there growing is spent yearly in the kings Armada made into bisket at Negroponte some also is sold to the Raguseans and others who come with their shipping to lade it thence but they must bring their authority with them from Constantinople underwritten with the chief Uizirs own hand And there is likewise brought yearly to Stanboll of the aforesaid wheat of Volo thirty five or fourty thousand Kelo's the which is laid up in * Magazines and is afterwards ground and most of it spent in the Seraglio that which remains they sell away into the city Nor is it any wonder that the Seraglio consumes so much bread corn For besides the ordinary servants as aforesaid all the Sultana's and great personages with divers others have their daily and due allowance of bread from the Keeler that is the Pantry or from his Majesties Bakehouse viz. every Sultana twenty loaves every Bashawe ten to the Muftee eight and so to divers others a several proportion even to one loaf a man all which is ordered and done by the commandment and discretion of the chief Uizir their several allowances being set down in the chief Pantlers Books or else in his who is the Overseer of the Bake-houses every loaf being as big as three of our penny loaves in London but very light and spungie and easy of digestion The rice and lentiles and all other sorts of