The Persian Travels 



Book IV. 



never make ufe of Bed-doaths.So foon as the Corps is wa{h'd,they drefs it with a clean 

 white Shirt, a pair of Breeches, a Waftcoat, and a Bonnet, all new, never having 

 been worn before. Then they put the Body in a linnen Sack, and fow up the mouth 

 of it. That being done , the Priefts come and take up the Body to carry it to Church, 

 which is attended by all the kindred and friends of the deceas'd , with every one a 

 Taper in his hand. Being come to Church, they let down the Corps before the Altar, 

 where the Prieft fays certain Prayers -, and then letting up lighted Tapers round 

 about the Corps, they leave it fo all night. The next day in the morning a Bilhop 

 or an ordinary Prieft fays Mafs , at the end whereof they carry the Body before the 

 door of the BHhop's houfe, attended as before -, at what time the Bilhop comes forth 

 and fays a Prayer for the Soul of the deceas'd. Then eight or ten of the poorer fort 

 that are next at hand , carry the Body to the Church-yard. All the way they fing 

 certain Dirges, which the Priefts continue, while the Body is letdown into the Grave. 

 Then the Bilhop takes three handfuls of Earth , and throws them one after another 

 into the Grave, pronouncing thefe words From Earth thou cam fi , to Earth thou jhalt 

 return , and fiay there ''till our Lord comes. Thefe words being faid , they fill up the 

 Grave. Thofe of the kindred and friends that will go back find a Collation ready \ 

 and if any other perlons will go along , they are not refus'd. For feven days alfa 

 they allow Dinners and Suppers to certain Priefts and poor people , if they are per- 

 lons of ability : believing no Soul departed can be fav'd , unlefs the furvivors are at 

 that expence. Whence it comes to pafs, thatfo many of the poor people are fo 

 miferable , and Slaves to the Mahometans , by borrowing Money to defray thofe 

 expences , which they are not able to pay again. 



When an Archbilhop or a Bifhop dyes , they add this farther Ceremony, that an 

 Archbifhop or a Bilhop writes a little Note , and cutting op'n the Sack puts the Note 

 into the Hand of the deceas'd , wherein are thefe words \ Remember thy felf, that 

 from Earth thon cam'fi, and to Earth thou jhalt return. 



If a Slave dye before enfranchiz'd , when the Body is brought into the Church, 

 the Mafter writes a Note, wherein are thefe words •, Let him not grieve, I make him 

 fee , and give him his liberty. For they believe that he would be reproach'd in the 

 other World for being a Slave , for which his Soul might luffer tribulation. If the 

 Mafter be dead, the Miftrefs does the fame. If an Armenian makes away himlelf, they 

 never carry the Body out of the door of the houfe, but make a hole in the wall* 

 where they can moft conveniently^ and carry him to his Grave without any Ceremony. 



The night preceding the Feaft of the Holy Crofi, Men, Women, and Children go 

 to the Church-yard , whither they carry good ftore of Food , not forgetting their 

 Wine. Immediately they fall a weeping over the Graves of the dead , and after 

 they have fpent fome time in that doleful Exercife, they all fall to eating and drinking -, 

 thus pafllng the whole night by turns , in blub'ring, eating, and bubbing. 



As for the poor people, they would think themfelves undone, and the moft 

 unfortunate in the world , fhould they want Provifion and Wine to go to the Church- 

 yards, the night before the Feaft of St. George, where they go to frolick it , rather then 

 to pray for the Dead. 



There may be fome few Armetiians that embrace Mahometanifm for worldly Intereft, 

 but they are generally the moft obftinate perfons in the world , and moft firm to 

 their fuperftitious Principles. 



CHAP. XIV. 



Examples of the Conïiancy of the Armenians , in maintaining 

 their (Religion againjl the Terfecutions of the Mahometans. 



T is the cuftom of the Armenians, that when any one of them apoftatizes, and 

 defires to return again to the Church , he cannot have Abfolution but at the 

 fame City or Village where he firft abjur'd his Religion. 

 Now it happen'd that a young Armenian being fent to Smyrna with a very 

 confiderable quantity of Goods, and falling to debauchery, turn'd Mahometan j tf 



the 



