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VAlide Sultan, Mother of the Grand Signior, is a Quali∣ty which makes that Princess to be considered both within and without the Serrail, and all the Sultanesses Ho∣nour and Respect her, by reason she has commonly a great Influence over her Son. She has a separate Apartment where she is serv'd by the Eunuchs, and by her own Slaves, and a Pallace in the City where her Intendant Lodges, and
a world of considerable Officers, who are encharg'd with the gathering in of her Revenues, and with her Ex∣pences, both within and without the Serrail.
Haznadar Boula, the Principal Officeress of this Sulta∣ness, is her Treasuress, taking care of her Money, Jewels, and most precious Attire; she commands five Maids that are appointed to help her. Okomich Boula is she who reads and writes, and she holds the second rank among the Sul∣taness's Maids. Tchamachir Boula is the Laundress, she has the Direction of the Linnen, and those Maids under her. The Intendant of the Bath, the Rubber, the Dresser, the Mistress of Ceremonies, whose Function is to serve at Table, the Intendant of the Offices, the Keeper of the Gold and Silver Plate wherein the Sultaness eats, and she who prepares the Coffee, and gives to wash, are the most considerable of all the Maids that are Attendants of this Princess. They are ever with her, and com∣pose the Haz Oda, that is to say, the Chamber. The others endeavour to render themselves worthy to fill the Places that fall.
As soon as the Sultaness is awake, they throw over her shoulders a Furred Night-gown, and they give her to wash in a golden Bason and Ewer. She saies her Prayers and Dresses. Her Winter Cloths and Drawers are of Broc∣card of Gold, those for Summer are of Musseline: She wears a Girdle and Bracelets of Massy Gold enriched with Jewels: Her Head-gear called Selam Takie, is a round thing of Past-board in the form of a Plate covered with Cloth of Gold, beset with Pearls and Jewels; it is plac'd upon the top of her Head, sloaping a little upon the front. Her Hair is hid under a Musseline Scarf, embroidered with Gold, and adorned with a Garland of Jewels, with which they surround her Head.
Pearls are not us'd about the Neck, they make them ac∣company the Face, they hing on the sides of the Cheeks in the form of a Demy-Circle, and they are fastened by Roses of Diamonds and Emeraulds. Her Shooing is of white Spanish Leather, enriched with Gold; the
little Slippers are of the same Matter and Work.
The Sultaness Breakfasts after she is drest. The great Bason, the little Dishes, and the Banquette on which they rest, are of Gold. The Repast consists of new laid Eggs done in a Chaffindish, Pitty-patties, and boiled Chickens serv'd up in their Broth.
The Grand Signior does in the morning send the Trea∣suress with a How d'ye to the Sultana; then he visits her himself, (at least this was Mahomet the fourth's Custom) she affects such a Gravity, and the Sultan so great a Re∣spect, that he does not sit till his Mother has entreated him three times so to do. He mounts upon the state, and takes his place upon the Carpet that is spread. He sits upon his Knees and Heels without any Cushion, having his Vest close wrapt up, which is the mark of the greater submission. He informs her of what he is to do that day. Coffee is brought, the Sultaness takes it first, and when the Emperour is upon withdrawing, he kisses his Mothers hand▪ asks her Blessing, and she accompanies it only with a nod of her Head.
After the Grand Signior's gone, the Kizlar-Aga asks leave to come in, and though he has full power in the Wo∣mens Apartment, he would not dare to shew himself if he were not introduced by the Treasuress. He informs this Sultana Dowager of all that passes: He presents her the Requests with which he is encharg'd concerning that Prin∣cess's own Affairs, about the Disposal of Places that are in her Appanage, the renting of her Lands, or the Com∣plaints that are brought against her Officers, on which she consults with this Black Intendant, who sends back the Requests with the Sultaness's Deliberations to the Kiahia to have them executed.
This Kiahia, or Intendant abroad, is a great Lord con∣sidered by his Mistress, and though all his care be to look after the receiving the Revenues, and to pay upon the Sultaness's Orders, yet is he in great Credit with her. For the most part they chuse some powerful Man to of∣ficiate this Place. His Houshold is compos'd of an Inten∣dant,
a Secretary, a Treasurer, sixty Itchoglans or Pages, ten Aga's or Gentlemen, of a Hodgia, a Preceptor, Chap∣lain, a Steward, and twelve Blacks for his Womens Guard. These Aga's and other Principal Officers have each of them three Servants. He has thirty Grooms, and three hundred Horses for his own service, and that of his People. He is oblig'd to give four Meals a year to his Mistress at the end of every three Months: She presents him, besides the Charges of the Houshold, with 1200 Sequins for each Meal, which are about three thousand Crowns.
This Occupation for the Regulation of her Affairs, em∣ploys her till Dinner, which is dress'd in the Grand Signior's Kitchin. The Zulufly Baltadgis goes to take the Dishes, and carry them to the Eunuchs, who put them into the Female Officers hands. These Dishes of green Porcelain, with great Covers of White Iron covered with Red-Spanish-Leather, are wrapt up in Clothes and sealed.
The Sultaness does never in eating put her finger to the Dish, her Carver does it, and serves it to her in golden Plates. Her Principal Female Officers eat after her what comes from her Table, and the other Slaves live on the Remnants of these former. The Sultanesses Repast is sea∣soned with the Divertisement of She-singers, Dancers and Buffoons, who continue it till after Dinner, and with that of reading some History or a Chapter in the Alcoran.
The Sultana-Queen does commonly about that time go to pay her Devoirs to her Mother-in-law. This Visit is as full of Ceremony and Respect as is that of the Sultan: They are not wanting however to divert themselves in Songs and Dances; Coffee, Sorbet and Perfumes are given to the Sultanesses, being the common Entertainments, but they ve∣ry rarely eat together. It is the Custom to sup betimes, and they reserve their fruits to eat them before they go to Bed; they eat them pill'd and cut into pieces.
The Sultaness's Bed is a Cotton Quilt, and Musseline Sheets: The upward one is sow'd to a Coverlid of Gold-Broccard, more or less heavy according to the season. This Bed is surrounded with Cushions and Curtains fasten'd to
the Cieling, which they raise or let down like to a Field-bed. A great Flambeau of Wax burns all the night in the midst of the Chamber in a Candlestick of Massy-Gold, enriched with Jewels. Eight Maids are on the Guard at the foot of the Bed. There are as many at her Chamber-door, who lie upon Carpets and have only a plain Coverlet over their backs.
The Valid•• has eight female Itchoglans clothed like Men with Vestments button'd from the neck to the waste, and Sleeves close at the wrist: Their Head-gear is a long Bon∣net border'd with Sable: They have a Ponyard by their side like the Grand Signior's Pages.
This Princess's setled. Revenue is four hundred thousand Crowns, the casual is much more considerable. The Pre∣sents which the Tributary Princes continually make, as also those who are willing to share in the Imploys of the Em∣pire by the Credit of this Princess, do extraordinarily aug∣ment her Income, which she cannot exhaust by the Subsi∣stence and Maintenance of those that serve her within and without▪ seeing it is the Grand Signior who is at all these Expences. Thus it is only Extraordinaries, and little petty Expences that draw her Purse. These Princesses most commonly heap up Treasures to be imployed in Pious works, if not, all these Riches return to the Empe∣rour.
Tachan Sultan, the Mother of Sultan Mahomet the 4th. who lately was depos'd, died about five years ago, but before her death caused a magnificent Mosch to be built. She had al∣most an absolute Power over her Son, who respected and honoured her really: She was a Muscovite, a little lean, and markt with the small Pox, her Eyes blew, her Complexion fair, and her Hair, which the Turks love best, inclining to reddish: Her Wit was nice and piercing, and she made good use of it for the keeping the Empire to her Son du∣ring his Nonage. The Tartars took her when she was but twelve years old. But she had the good luck, that having been sold and presented to the Serrail at Sultan Ibrahim's Accession to the Empire, she pleas'd him. He lay with her, had Sultan Mahomet by her, and she was declared Hasseki.
It happened some time after that Tachun Sultan, who was then Sultana-Queen, passing by a Fruit-man's shop in Constantinople, and curiosity putting her upon viewing thorow the Lettice of her Coach what pass'd in the Street, she by chance cast her Eyes upon a young Boy of thirteen years old, handsom enough that was in that Shop: His Master, who had a very great love for him, and had bought him for a hundred and fifty Crowns, had at the very first taken care to have him Circumcised, and to Cloath him pretty neatly according to his condition of a Slave: Nay, he left to his care the Management of his Traffick. The sight of this young Slave, called Youssuf, did so very much affect the Sultaness, that having caus'd her Coach to stop on pretence of buying fruits, she caus'd him to approach, and having view'd him nearer at hand, she order'd the Kizlar-Aga to carry him to the Serrail.
Youssuf was in no small peck of troubles, and did more than a little regret his being taken from that shop, where he lived very well satisfied with his Slavery, and in that he had gain'd his Patrons good will. He was extreamly in pain to think what they meant to do with him, and whatever he could imagine, he thought of nothing less than of what was to befal him. I tormented my self, said he one day to one of his Friends, who told me the story, I was afraid, I intreated them to let me go; I askt pardon, thinking I was accused of some great Crime, and I should have rather chosen to have been in my shop, than in the Ser∣rail. In short, he confess'd his having been much more griev'd at his being thus taken away, than at his having been made a Slave.
The Sultaness was no sooner return'd to the Serrail, but that she had him brought into her presence, question'd him about the place of his Birth, the name of his Parents and his Age, and askt him particularly if he had not a Sister, and a mark in his Body; He answer'd pat to all these questions, that he had a Sister that had been taken by the Tartars some years before him, and that he him∣self was markt in the side by having been bitten by a
Wolf. Joy interrupted the course of these Interrogations▪ The Sultaness found him to be her Brother, and Caress'd him to the highest Degree imaginable. This news was immediately spread about the Serrail, and came to Sultan Ibrahim's Ears, who at the same time sent him a Vest of Samour, which is as much as to say Sable. The Empress caus'd him to be cloath'd; and gave him in charge to the Kislar-Aga.
He continued some days in the Serrail, during which they prepared one for him, adorning and providing it with all things necessary to while away Life pleasantly. All the great Lords made him Presents to please the Sultaness, and He that but a little before was a Slave, and had bounded his Fortune in having a little Fruit-shop, saw himself in a stately Palace surrounded with Domestiques, Slaves and great Men, who make their Court to him, and throng him with Offerings. The Sultaness procured him an Arpa∣lix, or Appanage of five and twenty thousand Crowns Re∣venue, which is the recompence of those that having done good services to the Empire, are become uncapable of con∣tinuin•• them by being deep stricken in years.
This wa•• the most stable settlement for Youssuf Aga, and the most suitable to his Inclination, and the Tranquillity of his Spirit. His Sister could have rais'd him to the highest Dignities of the Empire; but she had then expos'd him to the jealousie of the Viziers, who endeavour to ruin those who have over much credit with the Sultan, whereas Youssuf is cherish'd by all his Ministers, who respect him, and pay him the same honours as to Pacha's, though He has not any Place nor other Quality than of Aga, which barely signifies Lord. Besides this Revenue, the Grand Signior furnishes him with all things necessary for his Main∣tenance, and that of his Domestiques, and the Sultaness while she liv'd gave him fifteen Purses a Month, for fear that af∣ter her Death some Sultan out of Caprice might withdraw his Revenue, and deprive him of the means of subsisting. The Sultaness rewarded her Brothers Patron. Besides the Price of his Redemption, she sent a Gift of a thousand
Crowns, and caus'd a Pension of forty pence a day to be assigned him upon the Customs.
Youssuf Aga often saw the Grand Signior during his Non∣age, but has not seen him since. He frequently visited his Sister Incognito, and secretly. Not but that the Sul∣taness was permitted to see her Brother when she pleased, and the Law authoriz'd it, but they took this course rather out of Policy, and not to give a scandal to the people. He lives as a private Person, at least if he be not dead within these two years, and his greatest pleasure is to spend the Summer and Autumn in Tents in a great Meadow full of Springs, which terminate the Port of Constantinople. He employs his time in Reading, and diverts himself with see∣ing his Itchoglans Mount his Horses, and Dart the Javelin.
One may by this Adventure observe the Caprices of For∣tune, which in various manners shew themselves through∣out the whole World. It's most surprizing effects are seen in Turky where we find Countrey Girls become Queens, Princesses; Slaves, and Men of the lowest Birth rais'd in a moment to the highest Dignities of the Empire.