Chap.VIlI. c/Monfieur Tavernier. 



93 



Their chief Feftivals are three. The one in Winter, that lafts three days , in 

 memory of our firft Parent and the Creation of the World. The other in 'the 

 Month' of Augufi , that alio lafts three days, which is call'd theFeaft of St. John. 

 The third which lafts five days in June, during which time they are all re-baptiz'd. 

 They obferve Sunday , doing no work upon that day. They neither Fait nor do any 

 penance. They have no Canonical Books, but a great number of Others that treat 

 of nothing but Witchcraft, in which they believe their Priefts to be very crafty i 

 and that the Devils are at their beck. They hold all Women to be unclean, 

 and that it is not at all available for them to come to the Church. 



They have one Ceremony , which they call the Ceremony of the Hen, of which 

 they make great Accompt , which is not lawful for any to perform but aPrieftBorn 

 of a Virgin at the time of her Marriage. When a hen is to be kilPd, the Prieft 

 puts ofT his ordinary habit, and puts on aLinnen Cloth, girding his wafte with a 

 fecond , and throwing a third about his fhoulders like a Stole. Then he takes the 

 Fowl , and plunges it in the water to make it clean •, after which he turns toward 

 the Eafl and cuts off the head , holding the Body in his hand 'till it has bled out all the 

 blood. While the Hen bleeds , with his Eyes lifted up to Heaven , as if he were in 

 an extafie, he repeats in his own Language thefe words following : In the name of god, 

 may this fle fit be profitable to all that eat of it? They obferve the fame ceremony 

 when they kill Sheep. For firft , they cleanfe the place very carefully where the 

 Sheep is to be kill'd , wafhing it with water , and ftrewing it with boughs , nor is the 

 number of people l'mall that a (lifts at this Ceremony, as if it were at fomefolemn 

 Sacrifice. If you ask them why.it is not lawful for the Laity to kill Fowls? They 

 anfwer that it is no more lawful for them to kill than to conlecrate them; and that is all 

 the realbn which they bring. They eat of nothing drcft by the Turks ; and if a 

 Turk, ask them for drink , fo loon as he has drank, they break the Cup. And to make 

 the Turks more hateful , they Picture Mahomet like a great Gyant , fliut up in Prifort 

 in Hell with four more of his Parents ', and they lay , that all the Turki are carry'd 

 into the fame place full of wild Beads to be there devour'd. 



They pretend all to Salvation. For fay they , after the Angel Gabriel had fram'd 

 the World by the command of God , he thus difcours'd him. Lord God, laid he , 

 behold I have built the World as thou dtdji command me. It has pit me to a great deal of 

 trouble , and my Brethren alfo , to raife fuch high Mountains that feem to fuflain Heaven. 

 <*And who indeed was able to make way for Rivers through Mountains without vajl labour , 

 and to give every thing its proper place ? Moreover , great God , by the aid of thy 

 power full Arm, we have brought the World f fo much perfection, that men cannot think, 

 upon any thing needful for them, which is not to be found therein. Butinfteadof thatjatis- 

 f ail ion which I ought to have fur having accompli ft? d fo great a workj, I find no reafon but 

 to be altogether grieved. When God demanding the caufe,the Angel Gabriel anlwer'd : 

 My Cjod and Father , I will tell yon what afflicts me ; becaufe that after the making of 

 the World ai I have done , / fore fee that there will come into it a prodigious number Vt 

 Jews, Turks, Idolaters, and other Infidels, Enemies of your Name y who will be un- 

 worthy to eat arid enjoy the Fruits of our Labours. To whom God thus reply'd : Never 

 grieve , my Son , there fijall live in this World which thou hafi built , certain Chriftians 

 of St. John who fi) all be my friends , and Jliall be all fiiv'd. Upon which the Angel 

 admiring how that (hould be ! What , faid he , will there not be fever al Sinners among 

 thofe Chriftians , and by conference will not they be your Enemies? To whom God thus 

 concluded : That at the day of Judgment the GoodJIwuld Pray for the Wicked, and by 

 that means they (Iwuld be allforgivn , and obtain Salvation. 



Thefe Chriftians have a ftrangc Antipathy againftthe Blew Colour call'd Indigo, 

 which they will not fo much as touch. For certain Jews dreaming that their Law 

 fhould be aboIiuVd by St. John, told it their Country-men. Which they under 

 (landing , and feeing that St. John prepar'd to Baptize Chrift , irt a great rage , 

 fetchM a vaft quantity of Indigo, which they call Nill in their Language, and flung it 

 into Jordan. They add alfo that thofe waters continu'd unclean for fome time , and 

 had hinder'd the Baptifm of Chrift , had not God lent his Angels with a large Veftel 

 of water, which he caus'd them to fill out of Jordan before the Jewshzd dcfil'd it 

 with Indigo-, for which reafon God particularly Curs'd that Colour. 



C H A P. 



