[194] Navagero, 50; Barbaro, 316; Nicolay, 84. J. Soranzo, 245, states that the tribute boys were all brought to Constantinople, circumcised, and brought before the _Agha_ of the Janissaries. Record was made of the name of each, of his father’s name, and of his native place. Soranzo’s accuracy is questionable, as when he says that the greater part were put into palaces in Constantinople. [195] Postel, iii. 17; Ricaut, 46. [196] Ricaut, 74: “In whom appearing more strength of body than of mind, they are set apart for labor and menial services.” [197] Busbecq, _De Re Militari_, 260. [198] Spandugino, 104: the emperor chooses a few and sends the rest to the towns of the Turks of Anatolia to live with the lords and gentlemen. [199] Spandugino speaks of 900; Junis Bey and Ramberti, 1400; Geuffroy, 1200; Postel, 1300 to 1500. [200] Junis Bey and Ramberti, 300; Geuffroy, 300. [201] Junis Bey and Ramberti, 400; Geuffroy, 400; Postel (iii. 20), 600 or 700. [202] Junis Bey and Ramberti, 700; Geuffroy, 500; Postel (iii. 3), 700 or 800. [203] Navagero, 42. See also Tanco, 205. [204] Menavino, 13. Postel, iii. 17, says that, when presented, they were clothed in silk and cloth of gold or silver; but Ricaut, 49, says that their clothing and diet were simple. [205] Menavino, 11 ff. [206] Busbecq, _De Re Militari_, 262-263. [207] Postel, iii. 2. [208] Menavino, 126. [209] Ricaut, chs. v-vi. [210] Spandugino, 63. See also Nicolay, 84; and the quotations in the last section of Chapter i, above. [211] D’Ohsson, vii. 34. [212] Hammer (_Geschichte_, i. 232), by a singular perversion of the truth, asserts that the page system had its origin and primary purpose in the satisfaction of the unnatural lusts of Bayezid I and his successors. Not only does the whole structure and organization of the system disprove this, but the absence of reference to such a purpose in all contemporary writers is sufficient to settle the matter. The vice which takes its name from Sodom was very prevalent among the Ottomans, especially among those in high position (Spandugino, 186; Busbecq, _Life and Letters_, i. 232; Ricaut, 151, 211; D’Ohsson, iv. 473). The pages were apt to be afflicted by it, and were carefully watched to prevent it, and terribly punished if discovered (Ricaut, 60). Occasionally a sultan became enamored of a page (Ricaut, 61); but Suleiman seems to have been free from this vice (Busbecq, i. 159; Marini Sanuto, _Diarii_, December 6, 1523). [213] Menavino, 126-128. He was a page from about 1505 to 1514 (_ibid._ 243-245). [214] Ricaut, “To the Reader,” 45-62. This describes the system as it was about 1650. [215] Postel, iii. 11. [216] _Ibid._ 19; Ricaut, 50. [217] Postel, iii. 10; Ricaut, 50.