Chap. VII. of Monfieur Tavernier. 85 



having .beheld fo difmal a Speaacle , and knowing the Grand Signer was preparing 

 for a general Aflault , would not obey their new Kan , but began to aa like Re- 

 volted and to that purpoie they agreed to deliver up the City , upon condition 

 they mi<>ht march away with their Arms and Baggage : but the Tw^ did not keep 

 their words. For fo ioon as the Turks were got into the City, the Bajha's told the 

 Grand Sip/or, that to weak'n the force of the Perfian> it was neceflary for him 

 to put to the Sword all the Souldiers that were in the City: and thereupon there 

 were above twenty thoufand toaflacr'd in cold Blood. The Turks had ieiz'd upon 

 the Capuchins Manfion , but Signer Michael chief of the Canonecrs, got it to be 

 reftor'd them again. 



As to the Civil Government of Bagdat , there is none but a Cady, who does all, 

 aftino even the Mufti , with a Shiekctaflon or Tefterdar , who receives the Revenues 

 of the Grand Sitttor. There are in it five Mofyucrs, of which two are indifferently 

 well built and aaorn'd with Duomo's cover'd with varnihYd Tiles of different colours. 

 There are'alfo ten Inns , all ill built, except two, which arc reafonably convenient. 

 In general, the City is ill built ', there being nothing of beauty in it but the Bazars, 

 which are all arch'd -, elle the Merchants would not be able to endure the heats. 

 They muft alfo be watered three or four times a day } for which office feveral poor 

 people are hir'd upon the publick charge. The City is full of Trade , but not fo full 

 as it was, when in the hands of the King of Pcrfia: for when the Turk took it, he 

 kill'd moft of the richeft Merchants. However there is a great confluence thither 

 from all Parts •, whither for Trade , or for Devotions fake , 1 cannot tell ; becaule 

 they that follow the Sett of Haly , do believe that ffaly liv'd at Bagdat. Befides, 

 all they that are defirous to go to Mecca by Land , muft pafs through Bagdat , where 

 every Pilgrim is fore'd to pay four Piafters to the Bajha. You muft take notice that 

 there are in Bagdat two forts of Mahometans , the firft are call'd Rafedfs , or Here- 

 ticks •, the fecond, Observers of the Law, in all things like thofe at Conftantinople. 

 The Rafedi's will by no means eat or drink with a Chriftian , and very hardly with 

 the reft of the Mahometans : or if they do happ'n to drink out of the fame Cup, 

 or to touch them , they prefently wa(h themlelves, as believing themlelves unclean. 

 The others are not fo fcrupulous, but eat and drink and converie with all the 

 World. In the year i 639, after the Grand Signer had tak'n Bagdat , a Rafedi who 

 was a Carrier of Water not only rcfus'd to give a Jew to drink, who defir'd it of 

 him in the Market-place , but abus'd him alio in words. Thereupon the Jew com- 

 plain'd to the Cady, who immediately fent for him, and caus'd his Boracho and his 

 Cup to be brought along with him-, when he came before him , he ask'd for his Cup, 

 and gave the Jew to drink , and then made the Porter drink alio out of the fame 

 Cup : After that , he order'd the Rafedi to be Baftinado'd , and this Leffon to be 

 taught him while he was chaftifing, That we are all God's Creatures , as well Maho- 

 metans, as Chriftians and Jews. This has made them lefs zealous in their Supcrftmon, 

 though they are the chiefeft part of the Inhabitants of the City. 



As to their Funerals, I have particularly obferv'd , that when the Husband dyes, 

 the Wife pulls off all her Head-gear , and lets her Hair fall about her Ears \ then 

 (he all befmears her Face with the Soot of a Kettle , and having fo done , frisks and 

 leaps about after fuch a ridiculous manner, as from others would rather produce 

 laughter than tears. All the kindred , friends and neighbours meet at the Houie of 

 the deceas'd , and ftay for the Celebration of the Funeral. At what time the Wo- 

 men ftrive to out-vie one another in a thoufand Apilh tricks, clapping their Cheeks, 

 yelling like mad people*, and then of a fudden letting themlelves to dance to the 

 found of two Drums, like thofe which the Tabor-and-Pipc-Men carry, upon which 

 the Women beat for a quarter of an hour. Among them there is one more ac- 

 cuftom'd to this fool'ry than the reft , that fills your Ears with mournful Dinns ; to 

 Which other Women make anfwer, by redoubling their Cries, which may be heard at 

 a great diftancc. It would then be a vain thing to feek to comfort the Children 

 of the deceas'd-, for they feem to be fo much befide themlelves, that they are not 

 m a condition to hear any thing. And they are oblig'd to carry themlelves in that 

 manner, unlefs they intend to run the reproach of not having anv kindnels for 

 their Parents. When the Corps is carry'd to the Grave , abundance of poor people 

 go before with Banners, and Crefccnts at the ends of Sticks , tinging moft dilmal 

 Dirges all the way. The Women are not to be at the Interrment, who are not 



