Chap.XM. of Monfieur Tavernier, 173 



days before the Celebration of Marriage, the Father and Mother of the Boy prepare 

 a Feaft , which is carry'd to the houic of the Father and Mother of the Girl', where 

 the kindred of both parties meet. The Men are in one place by themfelves , and 

 the Women in another ^ for they never eat together at publick Feafts. The Evening 

 before the Nuptials the Bridegroom lends a Habit to the Bode -, and fome time after 

 he comes to receive what the Mother of the Bride has provided for him, on her part. 

 If the Bride has no Mother , fome ancient Woman next a-kin drefTes the Bride. At 

 length the Bride gets upon one Horle , and the Bridegroom upon another , each 

 Horfc being fumptuoufly harnefs'd, with Bridles and Saddles of Gold and Silver, if 

 the peribns be rich : thole that arc poor, and have notHorfes of their own , repair 

 to the Great men , who willingly lend theirs upon fuch an occafion. As they fet out 

 from the Virgins habitation, the Bridegroom goes before with a Veil of Carnation- 

 Tiffany upon his Head, or clfe of Gold and Silver Net-work, the Mefhes whereof are 

 very dole, that reaches below the Stomach. He holds in his Hand one end of a 

 Girdle Fome three or four Eils long , and the Bride that rides behind holds the other. 

 She is alio cover'd with a large white Veil from head to foot, that lprcads alio ft 

 good way over the Horle. Under which Veil, that rather feems a large white 

 Sheet, the Bride is hid in fuch a manner, that there is nothing to be feen of her but 

 her Eyes. Two Men walk on either fide of each Horfc-, and if they be Children 

 of three or four years old ( for lb young they marry) there are three or four Men 

 to hold them in the Saddle, according to the quality of their Parents. A great 

 Train of young Men, the kindred and acquaintance of both parties, follow after, 

 fome a-horfeback, fome a-foot, with Tapers in their hands, as if they were going in 

 Procemon : and befides all thefe, the Drums, Trumpets, Hautboys and other Inftru- 

 ments of the Country, all attending to the Church-door. When' they arc alighted, 

 every one makes way for the Bridegroom and Bride , who advance up to the foot of 

 the Altar, ftill holding the Girdle in their hands. Then the Bridegroom and the 

 Bride meet, and lean forehead to forehead. Then comes the Pried, and turning his 

 back to the Altar, lays his Bible upon their Heads, inftead of a Desk , a weight fufB- 

 ciently heavy, as being a thick ponderous Folio. There he lets it lye while he 

 reads the Form of Matrimony, which OiBce is moft dually perform'd by a Biftiop or 

 an Archbimop. The Form is very much like ours. The Bifhop demands the Bride- 

 groom , Wilt thou have fuch a one to thy Wife ? then to the Bride he lays , Wilt thou 

 have fuch a one for thy Hujband? to which they bothanfwer with a nod of the Head. 

 The Matrimonial Benediction being giv'n, they hear Mafs \ which being ended, they 

 return both together to the Daughters habitation , in the fame order as they fet out. 

 Thefe Nuptials laft three days : where the Women drink more than the Men.The Man 

 goes to Bed firft, the Woman pulling off the man's Breeches, though (he does not 

 lay afide her Veil 'till the Candle be put out. Let it be what time in the year it will, 

 the Woman rifes before day. So that there be fome Armenians that in ten years 

 after they are marry 'd never law their Wives faces , nor ever heard them ipeak. For 

 though her Husband may Ipeak to her, and all the reft of her kindred , yet fhe never 

 anfwers but with a Nod. The Women never cat with their Husbands;, but if the 

 Men fcaft their Frinds to day, the Women feaft theirs the next day. 



CHAP. XI I L 



How the Armenians Bury i\mr Dead. 



SO foon as any perfon dyes , one appointed for the Services of the Dead runs 

 • immediately to the Church to fetch a Pot of Holy water, which he prefently 

 pours into a great VefTel full of Water, into which they put the dead Corps. 

 This man is ealPd Mordichou , or the perfon that wafties the Dead •, which 

 A&rdichotfs are fo much detefted among the people , that it is an ignominy to eat or 

 drink with thofc fort of people. Whatever the party deceased has about him at the 

 time of his death belong* to them , though it be any excellent Jewel \ for it is the 

 cuftom of the Baft: to lye in their Breeches, Shirt , and Waftroat, in regard they 



never 



