Chap. VI 1 i. of Monfieur Tavernier. 



9 1 



In the Eucharitl they make ufe of Meal or Flow'r, kneaded up with Wine and 

 Oyl: For, fey they, the Body of Chrift being compos'd of the two principal parts, 

 Flelh and Blood, the Flowr and the Wine do moft perfectly reprefent them; 

 befides , that Chrift at his Supper made ufe of Wine only, and not of Water. They 

 add Oyl, to fignifie the benefit we receive by his favour of the Sacrament, and to 

 put us in mind of our Love and Charity towards God and our Neighbour. To 

 make this Wine , they take Grapes dry'd in the Sun, which they call in their Lan- 

 guage Zebibes , and cafting Water upon them , let them fteep for lb long a time. 

 The fame Wine they ufe for the Confecration of the Cup. They make ufe of 

 Raifins, in regard they are more eafie to be had than Wine^ the Per/tans, efpe- 

 cially the Arabians , under whole Government they live, .not permitting, nor indeed 

 allowing them the ufe of it. Of all people that follow the Law of Mahomet , there 

 are none fo oppofite to other Religions, asthefe Perfians and Arabians about Balfara. 

 The words of their Confecration , are no other than certain long Prayers, which 

 they make to praife and thank God , at the fame time bleffmg the Bread and Wine, 

 never making mention of his Body and Blood , which they fay 'is not at all neceflàry, 

 becaufe God knows their intentions. After all the Ceremonies are ended , the 

 Prieft takes the Bread , and having eaten fome of it , diftributes the reft to the 

 People. 



As to their Bifhops and Priefts* when any one dyes , who has a Son, they choofe 

 him in his place -, and if he have no Son , they take the next a-kin that is moft 

 capable and beft inftrufted in their Religion. They that make the Election , fay 

 lèverai Prayers over him that is elected. If he be a Bifhop , after he is receiv'd, and 

 that he go about to Ordain others , he ought to faft fix days , during which time 

 he continually repeats certain Prayers over him that is to be ordain'd Prieft , who 

 alfo for his part falls and prays- all the laid time. And whereas I fay the Father 

 fucceeds the Son , it is to be obferv'd , that among the Chriftians in thofe Parts, 

 both Bifhops and Priefts marry, as do the reft of the people-, only if their firft Wife 

 dye, they cannot marry another unlefs fhe be a Virgin. Moreover, they that are 

 admitted to Ecclefiaftical Functions, muft be of the race of Bifhops or Priefts j and 

 their Mothers muft have been always Virgins when they were marry'd. All their 

 Bifhops and Priefts wear their Hair long , and a little Crofs wrought with a 

 Needle. 



When there is any Wedding to be, the kindred and perfons invited go toge- 

 ther with the Bridegroom , to the Houfe where the Bride lives. Thither comes 

 the Bifhop alio, and approaching the Bride ^ who is fitting under a Canopy, he 

 asks her if fhe be a Virgin. If fhe anfwer that fhe is fo , he makes her confirm it 

 by an Oath. After which he returns to the Guefts, and fends his Wife with fome 

 other skilful Women to make an infpection. If they find her to be a Virgin , the 

 Bifhop's Wife returns and makes Oath of if, and then they all go to the River, 

 where the Bifhop re-baptizes the Couple to be marry'd. Then they return toward 

 the Houfe, and making a ftop before they come quite near it , the Bridegroom takes 

 the Bride by the Hand , and leads her feven times from the Company to the Houfe, 

 the Bifhop following them every time, and reading certain Prayers. After that 

 they go into the Houfe , and the Bride and Bridegroom place themfelves under the 

 Canopy, where they let their Shoulders one againft another, and the Bifhop reads 

 again , caufing them to lay their Heads together three times. Then op'ning a Book of 

 Divination , and looking for the moft fortunate day to confummate the Marriage, 

 he tells them of it. But if the Bifhop's Wife do not find the Bride to be a Virgin, 

 the Bifhop can proceed no farther , fo that if the young Man have ftill a mind , he 

 muft go to fome meaner Prieft to perform the Ceremony. Which k the reafon. 

 that the people take it for a great difhonour to be marry'd by any other than the 

 Bifhops -, for when a Prieft marries, 'tis an infallible fignthat the Bride was no Virgin; 

 The Priefts alfo , in regard they take it to be a great Sin for a Woman to marry 

 net being a Virgin, they never marry any fuch but by conftraint, and to avoid 

 enfuing inconveniencies -, for fometimes in defpite they will turn Mahometans. The 

 reafon of the Infpection is, that the Husbands may not be deceiv'd, and to keep the 

 young Girls in awe. 



As to what they believe touching the Creation of the World , they fay, that the 

 Angel Gabriel undertrking to create the World according to the command which 



M 2 God 



