lié 



The Persian Travels Book III. 



furpriz'd with a Storm, whereupon he pull'd off his Boots and carri'd them under his 

 Coat, choofing rather to go bare -foot to his lodging, then to fpoil his Boots. 



Another time, it being thecuftomof all Catholick Ambaffadors to go to Mafs to 

 the Covent of Grey Friars in Vera , upon St. Frances day, the Mencrelian. Ambaf- 

 fador after Mafs was.done , coming out of the Church , and feeing feveral baubles 

 which the Paliers expofe in the Cloyfter upon that day , bought a Tin Ring , 

 two or three fmall Looking-Glaffes, and a Pipe, which he put in his mouth, 

 and went piping all the way i'th Street , as Children do coming from Fairs. 



But to return to the matter , you muft take notice that there are not only Iron* v 

 Mines , but alio Mines of Gold and Silver in two places five or fix days Journey 

 from Tefiis , the one catl'd Soiianei, the other Obetet. But the mifchief is, the 

 people can hardly be got to work there , for fear the Earth fhould tumbledown, and 

 bury them in the Mine , as it has many times happen'd. 



There is alio a Mine of Gold near to a place which is e'all'd Hardanonjhé ', and a 

 Mine of Silver at (junï^iê-Konè , five days Journey from Erz^crom^ and as many from 

 Trebifond. 



As for the people tbemfelves both Georgians and Mengrelians , they never 

 trouble themfelves about the ignorance and vicioufnes of their Priefts , or whether 

 they be able to inftrucl: them or no. Thericheft among them are they which are in 

 m oft credit , and abfolutely give Laws to the poor. There are alfo fome heads of the 

 Church , that affume fuch a jurifdiclion over the people , as to fell them both to the 

 Turks and Perfians , and they choole out the handfom'ft Children,both Boys and Girls, 

 to get the more money , by which authority alfo the great men of the Country enjoy 

 Marry'd Women and Maids at their pleafure. They will choofe out their Children 

 for the Bifhops while they are yet in their Cradles-, and if the Prince be diffatisfi'd at it, 

 all the Clergy joyns with him that makes the choice , and then together by the Ears 

 they go. In which Skirmifhes they will carry away whole Villages , and fell all the 

 poor people to the Turki and Perfians. And indeed the cuftom of felling men and 

 women is fo common in that Country , that a man may almoft affirm it to be one of 

 their chiefeft Trades. 



The Bifhops diffolve Marriages when they pleafe , and then Marry again after they 

 have fold the firft. If any of the Natives be not Marri'd to his fancy, he takes 

 another for fuch a time as he thinks fit, for which he pays her all the while as the 

 T nrks do. Very few of thefe people know what Baptifm means. Only two or three 

 days after the woman is brought to bed , the Prieft comes and brings a little Oyl , 

 mumbles over a few Prayers, and then anoints the Mother and the Infant, which 

 they believe to be the beft Baptifm in the World. In fhort they are a people of 

 ho Devotion at all , neither in their Ceremonies nor in their Prayers. But there 

 are great ftore of Nunneries , where the young Maids apply themfelves to their 

 Studies , and after fuch an age , whether they ftay in the Nunneries or betake 

 themfelves to the Service of any of the great Lords, theyConfefs, Baptize, 

 Marry , and perform all other Ecclefiaftical Functions, which I never knew pra&is'd 

 in any other part of the World befide. 



CHAP. XL 



Of Comania , Circaflk 3 and of. certain people iMtb they call 

 Kalmouchs. 



COmania is bounded toward the Eaft by the Cafpian Sea \ Weftward by the 

 Mountains that divide it from Circajfia ; Northward it lies upon -Mufcovia; 

 and Southward it is bounded by Georgia. From the Mountains that 

 bound upon the North- Eaft fo Tercki , which is the River that parts 

 Mofcovia from Comania , it is all a level Country excellent for Tillage , and aboun- 

 ding in fair Meadows and Pafturage. However it is not over-peopl'd , which is the 

 reafon they never Sow twice together in one place. The Climate is much the fame 



a 



