The Turkish secretary containing the art of expressing ones thoughts, without seeing, speaking, or writing to one another : with the circumstances of a Turkish adventure : as also a most curious relation of translated by the author of the Monthly account.

Of the Sultana-Queen, Hasseki-Sultan.

THE Quality of Hasseki-Sultan, Sultana-Queen, is com∣monly conferr'd on Her that brings forth the first Male-child; all the rest, though they have Children, are barely called Hassek Favourites, and the addition of Sultan is only due to the Queen, and makes a particular distinction of the Mother of the Presumptive Heir from the other Fa∣vourites. Nor does any besides her wear the Diadem and Imperial Badge. It is a little Crown enrich'd with Jewels, fasten'd upon a Velvet Bonnet, fac'd with Sables.

The Hasseki-Sultan is not only considerable because she represents the Empress, but also because that being the Mother of the Presumptive Heir of the Empire, she is lookt upon as a future Validé. All that I have said of the

Valide, is to be understood of the Sultana-Hasseki, only the Revenues are somewhat less. This Sultana-Hasseki did in the late Reign much ballance the others Credit, which occa∣sion'd Jealousie in the Valide, but the Sultana-Queen was ob∣lig'd to dissemble, that she might not displease the Grand Signior, who would have taken his Mothers part against his Favourite.

I have not yet heard who are the Sultanesses of Soliman the third, who was lately proclaimed Emperour, but his Brother Mahomet's Principal Hasseki, called Guveche Sultan, was a present of the deceased Valide; she was given to her by Bournaz Hatidge Sultan, Sister to Sultan Murad: She is thirty six years old or thereabouts, beautiful, and prettily shap'd, though little, fair complexion'd, though her visage is a little long, blew Eyes, and Chesnut colour'd Hair: She has a great deal of Wit, with an extraordinary gay and jocund humour, which gave her an inconceivable Ascen∣dant over the Grand Signior, whom she govern'd absolute∣ly, and often through her Intrigues were the most consi∣derable Officers of that Empire made and destroyed. She has had four Children, two Princes, and two Princesses.

Guveche Sultan was jealous to the highest degree of his Highness's favours. She lov'd rather he should caress his Male Minions, than his Female Darlings, for fear they should ravish her of what she carefully cultivated, and she hindred, as far as in her lay, Amours prejudicial to her Credit and Repose. And of this I will here give two Examples which have made sufficient noise.

The Valide could in no wise bear with Guveche Sultan's Arrogance, as aiming to stand Candidate with her for the Authority. She was afraid that the Absolute Empire which the Hasseki had over the Grand Signior, might occa∣sion some disaster to the Princes his Highness's Brothers, the design of whose Ruine she might have insinuated into him, the better to secure to her Son the Succession of the Empire, and to her self the Quality of Queen-Mother, which might have happen'd in these last disorders of Con∣stantinople. This apprehension induc'd the Valide to con∣trive

the preservation of the two Princes whom the Sol∣diery had committed to her Guard, particularly Soliman at present upon the Throne, for whom she was suspected, to have a little too much affection. She judg'd convenient to counterballance the Love the Emperour had for the Sul∣tana-Queen, that so she might lessen her Credit, and by this means divert the storm which menac'd the Head of the two Sultans.

A Present had been made her of a Circassian Slave, ve∣ry beautiful, well educated, and well instructed in all the exercises that a Maid is capable of. The Grand Signior go∣ing one day, after his usual manner, to pay a Visit to his Mother, she told him, that a Maid had been given her equally beauteous, graceful and knowing. The particu∣larizing so many merits forthwith inflam'd the Sultan, and gave him the curiosity to see her. The Valide, the better to cover her Intention, oppos'd this desire of his, on pre∣tence that he would, perhaps, deprive her of a Maid, that was her whole diversion, but pretending compliance upon the Assurance he gave her, that he would not take her away, she had her call'd into the presence.

The young Slave being well instructed by the Valide and the Old-woman, and egg'd on with Ambition to see her self rais'd in a little time to a station which all others aspire to, and for which they sigh in vain almost all their life long, made it her whole study to inspire Love into the Emperour by her gayety, facetiousness and gallantries. Happy was the success, the Sultan fell into the Trap, and nothing perplex'd him so much as the promise he had pass'd to his Mother of not depriving her of her Slave, whose Charms and Merits he so highly extoll'd; so that the Valide seeing the Affair at the point she had desired it, offer'd her to her Son, who express'd to her a large sense of gratitude, and thus she satisfied the desire she had of traversing the Sultana-Queen's repose, she knowing nothing of all that pass'd.

The change of Apartment, and the preparing a Train for a new Mistress, gave the Sultana-Queen no small mat∣ter of disturbance, Jealousie forthwith possess'd her, she

made great complaints to the Sultan, curs'd the Validé, and her Passion proceeded so far as reproaches of the Love the Validé had for Sultan Soliman, to the prejudice of her own Son. She said the Validé's design was to dethrone him and introduce another in his stead, whose Mother she was not, and to enjoy at the same time the favours of him she loved, and the pleasure of seeing him Reign. The Sultaness after this caus'd the young Slave to be brought to her, and cruel∣ly misus'd her, which put the whole Women's Apartment into a Hub-bub; but the Grand Signior having had notice of it, caus'd his new Mistress to be remov'd to the Serrail of Chataldge; which is in the Neighbourhood of Constantinople, and went thither to recreate himself with another Pleasure after the Fatigues of Hunting.

The Empress perceiving it to be a remediless mischief▪ fear'd lest the increase of the Sultan's new Passion might make her totally lose her credit, which was already much diminish'd. She fancied it her best course to sooth the Em∣perour in his new Inclination, and let him know that her extravagance was an effect of the passionate Love she had for him; that, nevertheless, she was minded to Sacrifice her private Interest to his Highnesses Pleasure, and that she should be fully satisfied did she but know that Prince to be content.

The Artifice sped. Whether that the Sultan's Passion that had been augmented by the Sultaness's jealousie, was di∣minish'd by her feign'd indifference, or that really he very little minded all these Women, which is most likely, he went again after his usual rate to the Hasseki Sultan, whom the news of her Rivals being with Child did strangely tor∣ment. Yet was she forc't to dissemble, and curb her Spirit for fear of spoiling all, and wait the success of the others ly∣ing in, who happily for her had a Daughter at Baba in Bul∣garia while that the Grand Signior was in his Carminiek Ex∣pedition, and this did more than a little solace her. She was very much afraid of her having a Son, which would have confirm'd her in the Grand Signior's Affection, who had designed this young Sultaness his Daughter for the

Grand Vizier Cara Mustafa Pacha. He was to have married her at his return from the Siege of Vienna, if he had taken the Place, and if it had not been his ill fate to have perish'd at Belgrade.

The other example of the Sultaness's jealousie is fresh, see∣ing the thing pass'd within these four years. Custom will have it that the Grand Viziers at their Accession to the Mi∣nistry make Presents to the Emperour. Cara Ibrahim Pa∣cha, the Successor of Mustafa, who had been newly strang∣led, among other Oblations he made to his Highness, pre∣sented him with a young Polish Slave call'd Hatidge; the most perfect that could be found among the Jews who Trade in that Merchandise. She was cull'd from out a vast num∣ber. She had an advantageous Shape, round Visag'd, blew Eyes, large, well cleft, her Nose a little turning up, her Mouth and Teeth beautiful to perfection, her Com∣plexion of a dazling brightness, and her Hair of an admira∣ble Ash-colour. She was then in her eighteenth year.

The Jew got considerably by Hatidge's Charms, selling her for fifteen hundred Crowns, and the Vizier sent her to the Kislar Aga, to present her to the Sultan, who falling in Love with her, ordered the Keeper to observe secresy by reason of the Sultana-Queen, and that she should be brought to him the night following. It is to be believed that this new Mistresses secret Charms compleated what a bare sight had so much advanc'd.

His Highness knowing the Sultaness's Spirit, and fearing the sallies of her Temper, caus'd her to be remov'd from the Grand Serrail to another upon the Channel of the Black-Sea, to see her with the more freedom. She continued there for some time without the Guveches Sultans seeming to take notice of it, or manifesting the least concern or trouble, but she was brooding very different Designs in her Head, and meditated a fatal and cruel Revenge.

Upon a certain time that the Emperour was a Hunting at a days Journey from Constantinople, the Sultaness command∣ed the Galliots to be made ready to go take the Air upon the Canal of the Sea. The chief of the Eunuchs having

given the necessary Orders, she stole on board with a small number of her most trusty Slaves, and being come near Kan∣dil Bakhtchei, so is the name of the Serrail, where this new Odalik was kept she would needs go on shore on pretence of going to divert her self in some one of the Grotto's of the Gardens; when that Hatidgé, who lov'd Fishing was in a Pleasure-House upon the Sea enjoying that innocent Plea∣sure. The Maids that were about her went to meet the Sul∣taness-Queen, and joining with their Friends, conducted her to the finest Place of the Garden. She staid there with two of her greatest Confidents, the others struck into By-places, to be at the more Liberty.

This Sultaness whom jealousie and the desire of revenge did cruelly torment, lost no time. She stole from the Grotto whence she was followed by two Accomplices of her wick∣ed Design, and went directly to the Pleasure-house of the Unfortunate Hatidgé. They surpriz'd her, threw her into the Sea, and went their ways without being perceived, at least so is the Account the Eunuchs give of that matter. Ha∣tidgé's Death extremely startled and afflicted the Emperour, who nevertheless dissembled it, and thought fitting to seem to believe it to have happen'd according to the Gloss they gave it in their relating it, though he had been fully inform∣ed of the contrary, and that he did not doubt but that it was a trick of the Sultana's, but there was no remedy. He caus'd the Body to be sought for, that he might not lose with a Mistress he loved, a vast quantity of Jewels he also valued.