Chap.III. of Monfîuer Taverniêr. 



ii 



Nunnery for Virgins. The Armenians cal! this place Egmiafin , or the Only Daugh- 

 ter, which is the Name of the chief Church. You may find in their Chronicles, 

 That it began to be Built about three hundred Years after Chrift, and that the 

 Walls being rais'd to a good height, the Devil came in the Night and pull'd down 

 what they built up in the Day -, which he did for lèverai Years : but that one Night 

 Chrift himlelf appear'J , and that from that time the Devil furccas'd to moleft 

 them any more •, lb that they finifh'd the Church. It is dedicated to St. Gregory, 

 whom the Armenians have in very great veneration. And there is a Table of Stone, 

 whereupon , according to their Chronicles , Chrift refted when he appear'd to 

 St. Gregory. They that go into the Church, kifs this Stone with a very lblemn 

 Devotion. 



The Second is built in honour of a Princefs that came with forty Virgins of Qua- 

 lity to vifit St. Gregory. This Lady an Armenian King caus'd to be thrown into, a 

 Well full of Serpents; but fhe recciv'd no harm. For (he liv'd therein 14 Years 

 by a great Miracle , and from that time to this, the Serpents that breed thereabouts 

 never did any harm. That Idolatrous King had a defign to have enjoy'd that 

 Princefs, who was very handfom , and all her Companions-, but they overcame 

 him by their Virtue: who thereupon , feeing he could not have his Will , put them 

 all to Death. 



The Cuftom of all the Armenians, as well thofe that come out of Per fa , as thofe 

 that travel into Perfia, is to perform their Devotions at thekTbree Churches ; and the 

 Caravan flops ufually five or fix days, during which time theyConfefs, and receive 

 Abfolution from the Patriarch. 



The Patriarch has under him forty feven Archbifhops, and every Archbifhop has 

 under him four or five Suffragans , with whom he lives in a Convent, where there 

 are feveral Monks under their Jurifdiftion. So loon as they have laid their Mafs, 

 which is generally done an Hour after Day, they all go to work , and to dig and 

 delve for their living. The Revenue of the Patriarch is 600000 Crowns or there- 

 abouts : for all the Arnmiian Chriftians that are above fifteen Years of age , ought 

 to pay him yearly five Sous. However there are many that do not pay him , by 

 reafon of their poverty. Yet their defedl is fuppli'd by the rich , who fometimes 

 pay him two or three Crowns a Head. But this Money does not ftay in the Pa- 

 triach's Pocket : nay he is fometimes behind-hand -, for he is engag'd to relieve the 

 poor Armenians , who have not wherewithal to pay the Car age , which is an Annual 

 Tribute that they owe to the Mahometan Princes , to whom they are fubjecl : Other- 

 wife neceflity would force them to become Mahometans ; and they, their Wives and 

 Children would be liable to be fold , which the Grand Patriarch labours all he can 

 to prevent. Every Archbifhop fends him out of his Diocefs what is necefiary to 

 be rais'd for that intent. So that the Patriarch does but only receive it with one 

 Hand , and pay it with the other \ making no Profit to himfelf of a Revenue which 

 he has out of 400000 Villages, which the Archbifhop of St.Stcphen's afBrm'd to me 

 to be under his Jurifdiction. 



As I return'd from Perfia in the Year 1655, I came to the Three Churches about 

 the end of February \ the Caravan ftay'd there eleven Days, as well by reafon of the 

 great Snows that ftop'd up the Ways, as for that the Armenians refolv'd to keep their 

 Carnival there, and after that to perform their Devotions. The next day I went to vifit 

 the Patriarch , who was fitting crofs-leg'd upon a Mat. There were four Arch- 

 bifhops, and nine Bifhops fitting about him in the fame pofture , among whom there 

 was one that fpake very good Italian. I ftay'd with him three Hours ; and while 

 we were difcourfing together, in came one of the Monks of the Covent, who had 

 not fpoken to any perfon whatfoever in Two and twenty Years, by reafon of a 

 Penance that was impos'd upon him. Never did Man appear fo meager and de- 

 formed -, but the Patriarch lent for him , and by his Authority commanded him to 

 break Silence , which he did , by fpeaking at the fame Inftant. 



The Saturday before Shrove-Sunday the Patriarch invited all the Caravan, as well 

 Mafters as Servants, to hear Mafs the next day , and then to dine at the Covent. 

 Mafs being concluded , the People were brought into a long Gallery, about 1 5 

 or 20 Foot broad, there being a Table on both fides, made of feveral Stones, and 

 Benches next the Walls. At the upper end of the Gallery ftands a Table four 

 Footfquare> over which is a vaulted Roof fuftain'd with four Pillars, which ferves 



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