Chap.XI. 0/ Mohfieur Ta vernier. 17 



CHAP. XL 



Of their 'Baptifm. 



>p ■ j s ïne cudom of the Armenians to Baptize their Infants upon Sunday \ 

 m or if they Baptize any upon the week-days, it is only in cafe of neceflity, 

 h when they tfrink they will not live. The Midwife carries the Infant to 

 JÊL. Church, and holds it in her arras, 'till cither the Archbifhop, the Biftiop, 

 or the Prieft has faid fome part of the Form of Baptifm. Then he that baptizes takes 

 the Infant which is naked, and plunges it in the Water , and then taking it out again, 

 puts it into the hands of the God-father, and goes on with the Prayers. While he 

 reads them , with the Cotton which he has in his hand he twifts a firing about half 

 an Ell long. He makes another alfo of red Silk, which is flat-, then twifting thofe two 

 firings together, he puts them about the Child's neck. They fay, that thele two 

 firings, one of white Cotton, and the other of red Silk , fignifles the Blood and Water 

 which flow'd from the Body of C h r i s t, when he was wounded with the Lance upon 

 the Crois. Having ty'd the cord about the neck of the Child , he takes the holy Oyl 

 and anoints the Child in feveral parts of the body, making the fign of the Crofs in 

 every place where he drops the Oyl^ every time "pronouncing thefe words, I baptize 

 thee in the name of the Father , the Son, and the Holy Ghofi. He firft anoints the 

 Forehead, then the Chin, then the Stomach, the Arm-holes, the Hands and Feet. 



As to the making this Oyl, youmuft know, that every feven years, upon the Eve 

 of our Lady in September, againft which day they obferve a fmall Lent of eight days, 

 the Patriarch makes this holy Oyl:, there being no perfon but he who has power to 

 make it. He ufes all forts of fragrant Flowers , and Aromatical Drugs - n but the 

 principal Flower is that which the Armenians call in their Language Balafjan-J 'agne\\%ç 

 in ours , the Flower of Paradife. When the Oyl is made , the Patriarch fends two 

 Bottles to all the Covents of Afia, £nrope, and Africa , without which they cannot 

 baptize. 



The Ceremony of Baptifm being over, the God-father goes out of the Church with 

 the Infant m his arms, and a Taper of white Wax in each hand. According to the 

 quality of the perfon , when the Child is carry'd out of the Church , the Trumpets, 

 Drums, Hautboys, and other Inftruments of the Country make a hideous noilè, and 

 go before the Infant to the Parents Houfe , where being arriv'd , the God-father 

 delivers the Child to the Mother. She proftrates her felf at the fame time before the 

 God-father , killing his feet*, and while fhe continues in that pofture, the God,-father 

 kifTes her head. Neither the Father nor God-father names the Child , but he that 

 baptizes gives him the Name of the Saint whole Feftival falls upon the Sunday on which 

 the Child is baptiz'd. If there be no Saint's day that Sunday in the Almanack , they 

 take the next Name whole Feftival fucceeds the Sunday of Baptifm-, fo that they have 

 no affe&ed Names among them. Upon the return of the God-father with the Child 

 home, there is a Feaft prepar'd for all the Kindred and Friends, and him that baptiz'd 

 the Infant, with whom all the Priefts and Monks of the Covent, at leaft of theParifh, 

 go along. The poor people were wont to be fo prodigal at thefe Feafts, as alfo 

 upon their Marriages and Burials , that the next day they had not wherewithal to' 

 to buy Victuals, much lefs to pay what they have borrow'd for fo needlefs an expence. 

 But now the poor Armenians are grown fo cunning to avoid the Baftinado's which 

 are giv'n.to Debtors upon the foles of the Feet, when they cannot pay, according to 

 the cuftom of Perfia ■ that they carry the Child to Church upon the week-days, 

 without any Ceremony, with tears in their eyes, pretending it to be fickly and like 

 to dye, and fo make no Feafts at all. 



If the Women lye in fifteen or twenty days , or two months before Chriftmas, they 

 defer the baptizing the Infant 'till the Feftival , provided the Infant be healthy. Then 

 in all the Cities and Villages where the Armenians live , if there be any River or 

 Pond , they make ready two or three flat-bottom'd Boats , fpread with Carpets to 

 walk upon -, in one of which upon Chriftma-f-day they fet up a kind of an Altar. 

 In the morning by Sun-rifing all the Armenian Clergy, as well of that place as of the 

 parts adjoyning , get into the Boats in their Habits, with the Crofs and Banner. Then 



Y 2 they 



