Purchas his pilgrimes. part 2 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. XI. [ 30]

The Old Serraglio, and Womens liues therein: Of their Marriages and Children, Slaue-selling, Witnesses.

HAuing oftentimes mentioned the old Serraglio, which is as it were a dependent of the * 1.1 Kings Serraglio, it will not bee amisse briefely to make some kinde of relation of it.

This is a very large Serraglio, immured with a very high Wall; the Buildings are faire, it hath many Inhabitants, and is about an Italian mile in Compasse, being seated [ 40] in the noblest part of the Citie. It was the first Serraglio, which Mahomet the second built for to dwell in with all his Court, when hee tooke Constantinople; It hath but one Gate (which is of Iron) belonging vnto it; the which Gate is kept by a Companie of white Eunuches, and no men may come in thereat, vnlesse it bee to bring in such necessaries as they want, at which times they cannot see any of the Women. Now the Women which are therein, are those which are * 1.2 put out of the Kings Serraglio, viz. such Sultanaes as haue belonged to the deceased Grand Sig∣nior, those Women likewise which through their euill behauiour and conditions are fallen into disgrace with the King, and such as are Infirme or Defectiue, in what should belong to Women fit for the companie of a King; and none else are there, but for some of the aforesaid causes. All which are gouerned, and lookt vnto by an old Woman which is made their Ouer-seer, and ta∣keth * 1.3 [ 50] care to see them vsed according to the Custome of the House, and that they haue their Food and Cloathing, with their seuerall stipends; all which is farre short of what they had when they were in the Kings Serraglio; howbeit such as haue beene Queenes and Sultanaes, liue out of the common ranke, in their Lodgings apart; and although they are out of the Kings sight and (as it were) out of fauour, yet they are reasonably well serued.

Now the greatest part of the sayd Sultanaes (Queenes excepted) if they bee any thing rich, may (with the Kings leaue by the old Womans solicitation) goe foorth and marrie, and carrie with them all that which they haue kept and stollen. For at their comming forth of the Kings Serraglio, if they haue ought of any great worth or value that is knowne, the Cadun takes it from them, and restores it to the Grand Signior. So that I say, if they haue any thing to bestow [ 60] themselues withall, they cunningly make it knowne abroad, to the end that some men of quali∣tie may become Suitors for them, and make them a good Ioynter.

In the said Serraglio, they haue all the commoditie of necessaries that may bee, as Gardens, * 1.4 Fountaines, and faire Bognoes, and the King hath some roomes also therein readie furnished: for

sometimes hee goeth thither to visite his kindred, as his Grandmother, Mother, Aunts, Si∣sters, &c. who for some of the aforesaid occasions were put out of his Serraglio.

The other Women of this old Serraglio, haue but meane allowance; and had they not some∣what of their owne to helpe sometimes, they would passe but coursly; so that they are faine to betake themselues to their Needles, by which they reape a reasonable benefite, and haue diuers * 1.5 Iewes women who frequent their companies, and sell their labours for them.

A Turke (if hee please) may take seuen Wiues at Kebin: besides hee may haue as many Slaues * 1.6 as hee will, and the Children of the Slaues are held as truely begotten and legitimate, as those of the Wiues, and haue as much right to the Inheritance of what the Father leaues behind him: Nay, a Bashaw hauing married a Sister or a Daughter to the King, and hauing Sonnes by them; [ 10] * 1.7 those Sonnes may not rise aboue the Degree of a Saniack Begh or a Capoogee Bashee, to the end they may bee kept vnder, being allyed to the Crowne, that so being but in meane places, they may not bee apt for reuolution. But their Brothers which their Fathers beget of Slaues, may come to bee Bashawes, for they are free from suspition, in regard they are not of the Bloud Roy∣all: And hence it is, that those Children which had a Sultana to their Mother, are so often seene to bee in lower Degree then the others; for hee which is borne of the Slaue, is aboue him which is borne of the Sultana; yet with the Children of the other Subjects it is otherwise, for they are equals.

The parties Married, may vpon diuers occasions specified in their Law, leaue one another, espe∣cially * 1.8 when they cannot agree together. And if the man put away the Woman, hee is bound to [ 20] allow her the Ioynter or Dowrie, which hee promised her when they were Contracted: but if the Woman forsake the Man, shee can recouer nothing, but departs onely with a small Portion, such as shee brought with her into her Husbands house.

Now in case a Turke take Slaues for his vse, hee may not sell them againe, but they become members of the Familie, in which they are to remaine till they die; but if they prooue barren, * 1.9 they may bee sold from hand to hand, as often as their fortune so betides them.

The Turkes may buy of all sorts of Slaues of euery Religion, and vse them as they please (kil∣ling onely excepted) which the Christians and Iewes there may not doe; for they haue libertie onely to buy Christians and Iewes.

There is for this purpose in Constantinople a Bezisten, that is, a common publike Market, where [ 30] euery Wednesday there are bought and sold Slaues of all sorts, and euery one comes freely, to * 1.10 buy for their seuerall vses; some for Nurses, some for Seruants, and some for their Lustfull appe∣tites; for they which make vse of Slaues for their sensualitie cannot bee punished by the Iustice, as they should bee if they were taken with Free women, and with Turkish women especially.

These Slaues are bought and sold, as Beasts and Cattle are; they being viewed and reuiewed, and felt all about their Limmes and Bodies, as if they were so many Horses, then they are exami∣ned * 1.11 of what Countrey they are, and what they are good for; either for Sewing, Spinning, Wea∣uing, and the like: buying sometimes the Mother with the Children, and sometimes the Chil∣dren without the Mother, sometimes two or three Brothers together, and againe, sometimes ta∣king the one and leauing the rest, vsing no tearmes of loue, regard, or honestie, but euen as the [ 40] Buyer or the Seller shall thinke, will best turne them to profit. Now when there is a Virgin that is beautifull and faire, shee is held at a high rate, and is sold for farre more then any other; and for securitie of her Virginitie, the seller is not onely bound to the restitution of the money (if she proue otherwise) to him that bought her: but is for his fraud fined at a summe of money. In the * 1.12 Bezisten there sitteth an Emeen, that is, a Customer, who receiues Custome of the buyers and sel∣lers; which amounteth to a reasonable summe in the space of a yeere.

The Bashawes and other Subiects, though by Marriage they become Vncles Sonnes in law, or Cousens to the Grand Signior, may not by vertue of their Affinitie, challenge any more familia∣ritie * 1.13 or freedome with his Majestie, then if there were no such matter of Kindred betwixt them, but onely what may well befit their Office and Dignitie, they remayning still Slaues as the o∣thers [ 50] doe: nay, their seruitude is thereby increased, and they loose a great part of their former Libertie; for they must be very obsequious to the Sultanaes whom they haue Married, and turne * 1.14 away the greatest part of their other Women and Slaues (if they haue any) and must with pati∣ence support all their imperfections: so that for this reason, few Bashawes of worth and iudge∣ment seeke after such Marriages, for they are both chargeable and bring Discontent: but when the King commands, they (as his Slaues) must submit and obey, though their vexation and charge increase neuer so much thereby.

The Ceremonie of Turkish Marrying, is nothing else, but in the presence of the Cadee (who is the Iustice) to make Hoget, that is, a Writing expressing the Vow and good liking of the par∣ties * 1.15 to bee Married, with a specification of the Dowrie which the Husband is to make to the [ 60] Wife; all which is done in presence also of Witnesses, which are true and honest, and not to bee denyed. For in Turkie it is not permitted that euery one that will, should beare Witnesse; but * 1.16 onely such men as are Free, of a good Age, that can say the Namaz, and haue some knowledge in the Law, knowne to bee men of ciuill life, and which drinke no Wine: for the Witnesse of a

Turke which drinkes Wine is nothing worth, and thus their Law commandeth; But for all this, Corruption is so crept in amongst them, that now in Turkie (especially in Constantinople) there are (to the outward appearance Graue and Honest men) more false Witnesses, then in any other * 1.17 part of the world besides; and who are they? (at least the Chiefe of them) but a certayne sort of Emeers, that is, such as pretend to come of the Race and Stocke of Mahomet, which weare greene Telbents: and certayne poore Cadees out of Office, and these are they which for money doe vse that detestable Trade, which our Knights of the Post doe practise heere with vs. And hence it is that Auanias are so commonly framed, for they can stoutly (and that with ease) out∣face the poore Christians and Iewes: nay, for a Bribe they will not spare their owne generation, in bearing false witnesse, or raysing calumnies against them: For the Turkes being naturally gi∣uen * 1.18 to Couetousnesse, not fearing God, but altogether inclined to Rapine (although without [ 10] question there are many very honest men amongst them) when they meete with a fit opportu∣nitie, they will play the Rogues with any man, bee hee of what condition soeuer; wherefore it proues dangerous to haue any dealing with them, for that they with that tricke will easily free themselues from any Obligation or Agreement before made; for, Iudgement there, consists * 1.19 onely of the force of proofe by Witnesses, so that a man had need to be wondrous circumspect in his proceedings with Turkes, especially in matters of Couenant.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Old Serra∣glio.
• * 1.2

  Who are there∣in.
• * 1.3

  Woman Ouer∣seer.
• * 1.4

  Conueniences thereof.
• * 1.5

  Ha••d state.
• * 1.6

  Seuen Wiues, Slaues vnlimi∣ted.
• * 1.7

  Bashawes Sons kept vnder, if of royal Bloud
• * 1.8

  Diuorces.
• * 1.9

  Slaues sold if barren.
• * 1.10

  Bezisten.
• * 1.11

  Manner of sel∣ling Slaues.
• * 1.12

  Restitution if not a Virgin.
• * 1.13

  No benefit by Affinitie to the King.
• * 1.14

  Losse by it.
• * 1.15

  Rites of Marri∣age.
• * 1.16

  Who may bee Witnesses.
• * 1.17

  Emirs false Witnesses.
• * 1.18

  Turkes coue∣tous and dan∣gerous.
• * 1.19

  Force of Eui∣dence.