12 



The Persian Travels Book L 



for a Canopy : in the miclft whereof is a Chair fet for the Patriarch , who from 

 thence has a full view of both fides the Gallery, with two other Chairs of each 

 hand, for two Archbilhops : the other Archbifhops, Monks, and Guefts late at the 

 long Tables. The Meat which they brought us was ieveral lorts of Pilaw, and feveral 

 Difbcs of Filh, among the reft excellent Trouts. The Pilaw was brought in forty 

 wide Plates , i'o well fill'd and fo large , that they were every one as much as a 

 Man could carry. They were all let down upon the Ground before the Patriarch ; 

 who then Pray'd and gave Thanks. Then fix Bifhops with Ladles took out the Meat 

 out of the great Platters, and putting it into lefler, ierv'd both the Tables. Every 

 one had alio his earthen Pot of Wine , which was very good , and was fill'd again 

 when it was empty. The Patriarch and the two Archbilhops eat nothing but twp 

 Eggs , and a few raw Herbs •, no more did the other Archbifhops that late at the 

 Table. 



At the end of the Feaft , a Bifhop comes with a Paper and Pen and iRk in his 

 Hand , and asks of every one what he plcafes to Subfcribe for the Benefit of the 

 Church •, then every one propofing, according to his Devotion , the Bifhop writes 

 down the Names of the Perfons , and the Sum which they mention •, which he comes 

 and gathers the next day. There are feme rich Merchants that will give two Tomans , 

 but the meaneft Servant will give an Or. The Bifhop having done writing, the 

 Table was clear'd , and then they brought us Melons and other Fruits. In a fhort 

 while after the Bells rung to Evening Service, and the People went to Church. 



After Evening Service the Patriarch fent for me to behold a Combat of Unfatfs, 

 of which there are great ftore in that Country , fome ferving to Till their Ground j 

 while the Female ones yield ftore of Milk, of which they make Butter and Cheele, 

 and which they mingle with all forts of other Milk : There are ibme of theie female 

 Beafts that will give two and twenty Pints of Milk a day. 



They brought us into a wide Endofure, to behold the Sport, wherein there 

 were eight BafaUPs. To provoke them one againft another, they (hew them a Red 

 Cloth, which puts them into fuchaRagq, that there were two that dy'd with the 

 ftroke of their Horns upon the place , and there were none of the reft which were 

 not very much lam'd. The Sport being at an end , they bring a great quantity of 

 Wood , which they pile together on purpofe to fet it on Fire. When the Wood 

 was heap'd in as big a Pile as they intended , one of the Archbifhops prefented a 

 Taper of white Wax to all the Company, both Matters and Servants , who every 

 one agreed with him what they fhould give the next day for their Tapers. The 

 Tapers being lighted , the Patriarch with a Stick like a Bifhop's Crofier, march'd 

 before, finging an Hymn, attended by all the Perfons both Ecclefiaftical and Secular, 

 till they had in that manner walk'd three times about the Pile. When the Pile 

 came to be lighted , there was great driving who (hould have the Honour. One 

 of the Merchants offer'd a quantity of Oyl , for Lamps for the Church •, another 

 out did him, and a third proffer'd more than he-, and the Honour of Lighting the 

 Pile was given to him that offer'd raoft. Immediately upon that every one put out 

 his Taper : For they efteem it a moft precious bufinefs^ believing that the lighting 

 of one of thofe Tapers in a Storm , and throwing it into the Sea, is a preient Charm 

 againft Shipwrack. For fay they , The Virgin Mary > forty days after (he was 

 brought to Bed , went to Jerttfalem with jfofeph and ner Son •, and going into the 

 Temple met old Simeon , who taking the Child in his Arms , began to fing the Song, 

 Lord now let thy Servant , &c. the Song being ended , all the People began to cry 

 that Chrift was born , and to publifh it about the City. Now in regard it was 

 Night , every one ran out with Torches in their Hands , and Ibme made Fires before 

 their Doors , where Chrift was to pafs along. This Feftival among the Armenians 

 is like that of Candlemas-day •, and they call it in their Language , Ter en Areche ? 

 Where u the Lord? The Armenian* , Mafters and Servants, drank all Night to make 

 an end of their Carnival^ while the Patriarch was bufie in drefling up the Church with 

 its gayeft Ornaments. 



I could not believe there had been fo much Riches in the Chriftian Churches 

 under the Power of the Mahometans. It is not a hundred Years fincc this Patriarchal 

 Church was in a much meaner Condition : But fince the great Sha-Abas put the 

 Armenians upon TrafBck , they have very much enrichM themfelves : For as they 

 got great Gains \ fo they made great Vows, and gave largely to the Church: 



wherein 



