Volume 1

A full and just account of the present state of the Ottoman Empire in all its brances: with the government, and policy, religion, customs, and way of living of the Turks, in general ... from a serious observations, taken in many years travels thro' those countries / By Aaron Hill.

  • Aaron Hill
Date:
1709
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A full and just account of the present state of the Ottoman Empire in all its brances: with the government, and policy, religion, customs, and way of living of the Turks, in general ... from a serious observations, taken in many years travels thro' those countries / By Aaron Hill. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    77/418 (page 27)
    T H O’ the Turkijh Management of their Body Military has been Rendred void of Form and Difcipline by the Miftaken Reprefentations of fome too Hafty Travellers* yet a Perfon who obferves with a Cu¬ rious Impartiality, the Artfull methods of their Warlike Government* will foon percieve a Matchlefs Order Shine Confpicuoufly throughout their Camp, whofe Good effects Produce continually luch Happy Con¬ fluences, as will more than make a full Atonment tor their known Deficiency in the Art of War, FOR Firft, the ufe of Wine is there Deny’d ’em by ib Strict a Prohibi- r|^e ufe,° tion, that the Smalleft Quantity, when Difcover’d, is a certain SacrF souldiersTf1' fice of that Mans Life who has it in Poifeffion. Hereby thofe frequent the Turkijh Quarrels and Audacious Villanies fo Fatal and Pernicious to the Chri- Ar.mx “P01] ftian Armies are Perpetually avoided, and the Noify Clamours of Tu-pd‘no e~ multuous War, Subfervient Calmly to the Milder Influence of a Peace- full Quietude, no Rapes or Murders Plead for Juftice to the Bafe Abettors of a Countenanc’d Diforder, no Hopes or Profpedl of Unlaw- full gain can Tempt the Officers of a Turkijh ^.rmy, to the Loofe Permiffion of Licentious Infolencies ; all is Mild and Serene and Silent, and the Horrid Face of Gloomy War Difguis’d or Painted by the Brighter Marks of Form and Difcipline. T I S for this the Officers of any Marching Troops throughout the Turks Dominions, Difpatch continually from Place to Place, a certain Number of the Truftieff Janizaries, to Search the Towns through the which their Men mult Pals, and Seal or Stave what Bias of Wine or other Spirituous Liquor they find therein, at Lead: 4 Days before their Camp Arrives. ANOTHER Cuftom Prevalent amongft the Turkijh Armies is to March ’em conftantly from Town to Town, and never fuffer them in Peace or War to Lie fo long in any Place, as to Contrive fuch Mifchiefs as our Chriftian Souldiers by their Tempting Opportunities do too often Study, and find means to Execute; nay fo Carefull are their Chiefs to prevent Difturbances, that they will rather Travel all Night long than give their Men the means of Plundering thofe Miferable Wretches on whom they Quarter • and indeed it is a Sight Extreamly Pleafant to behold ’em Marching thro’ the Thickeft Gloom of Win¬ ter Nights, with fo Innumerable a Quantity of Bright Illuminations as almoft Rival Day it felf with their Extended Luftre; nor are thefe A Curious Lights like our fmall Torches, but Compos’d of Large and Mafly Balls («>rtof Torch, of Flax and Cotton, dip’d in Tarr or Turpentine, or oftner a fort of!j.US m u'1 Oily, and Bituminous Wood, which certain Arabs, Purpofely At¬ tending on the Turkijh Camp, and there Diftinguifh’d by the Name of Majfalageelar, bear aloft in Iron Cages, carried on a Tall and Eleva¬ ted Staff not much unlike thofe Ancient Lights Defcrib’d in Old and Valuable Tapefttry. AND now, fince I have fo often mentioned the Turkijh Army, ’twill no ways favour of a Difgreffive Prolixity, if I Defcribe at Large that Gracefull Order and unthought Magnificence wherewith they Pitch their Camps in every Place they come to. Firlf then, the Large Pavilions of the Sultan, Grand Tizier, or any other General then Marching at The form their Head, are Pitch’d dire&ly in the midit of fome ExtenfivePlain, ^hfrkinrtiie Surrounded at Submiffive Diftance by the Tents of his Lord Treafurer,rais pitch C Chief Steward, Secretary and the Mafter of the Ceremonies; thefe their Camps. Five Pavilions Plac’d as I have faid before, at a Refpe&full Diftance, Extend theufiblve> upon a vaft Spot of Ground, leaving in the Mid- E 2 die