Part 1. Travels inw the Leva n t. 
42 
all open and full of Muficians, players on Inftruments, and Puppet- players, 
who there ftrive to get their Livings. This kind of Lent is very chargeable, Tlie Lent of 
and much more troublefome than ours, efpecially when it happens in the Sum- the Turks 
'mer-time; foras their Years confift of twelve Months or Moons, of which fix troublefom. 
have thirty, and the other fix nine and twenty days alternatly, and therefore 
Taot agreeing with the courfe of the Sm^ they are ftorter than ours by eleven 
days ; and fo the Ramadan falls back eleven days every year, and always chan- 
ges the Seafon. When it happens in Summer, they fufFcr much through Thirft, 
efpecially in <iy^gyp and other hot Countries, it being unlawful for them to 
put fo much as a drop of fair water into their Mouth,and indeed they endeavour 
to fleep all day long. I have feen fome in <!^£,ypt in the heat of Summer who 
being almoft burn'd up with Thirfl;,durft not drink, but finding the Hour draw 
nigh, when it is lawful for them to drink and eat, they held a Pitcher in their 
Hand, andlook'd up to the next Minaret^ waiting with great impatience till 
the Man who was to publiftithe hour Ihould come, and fo foon as he began ' 
to, Cry, they inftantly fwilled down theif Bellies full. They are ftridly com- 
manded to obferve this Lent ^ fo that they who Travel are in danger, Sicknefs 
or any otherwife hindred from Fafting, ought to do itfo foon as they conve- 
niently can, that being as good as if they had performed it in the ufual time, 
provided they continue it for thirty days; andthirty nights ^ but there are many 
who obferve it even when they Travel, nay, and in the Army too, amidit all 
the fatigues of War. There are feveral alfo who obferve it not at all, and The punifc 
eat and drink, but privately, for if they were accufed and found guilty of ment of thofe 
that crime, they would be punilhed at leaft, with Baftonadoes. Some Turks ^^^^^^^'^^J^^ 
and Renegado's came often to vifit me at Confiantimple, and during the Ra- 
madan^ eat and drank with me as at other times, at any hour ^ amongft others 
there was an old 'ifahi a Turk, who not only broke the Ramadan^ but alfo 
eat Pork as we did, when I gave it him, though that be at all times unlawful> 
and drank as much Wine as he could get.- one day when he was got half Drunk, 
for he would not be downright fo, becaufe he had a Vifit to make, he went 
to<he Convent of the Dervtpes^ where being come up Stairs, hs entered in- 
to the Hall, and there found the Dervtjhes drinking Brandy and Coffee toge- 
gether; fo foon as he came in they offered him Brandy, but he refolving to 
play the Hypocrite, refu fed to drink, becaufe it was the time of Ramadan- 
but they told him that fince he had found them at it, he mull do as they did, 
elfe they would Kill him, and throw him into fome fecret Place, left he 
might accufe them of having broken the Ramadan ; that made him fit down and 
drink with them, and next day he told me the Adventure. The punilhment of The punifh- 
thofe that drink Wine in the Ramadan^ is to have Melted Lead poured into "lentofthofe 
their Throat, and it hath been fomtimes done -, but though that be rare atpre- 
fent yet ftill they deferve Death. They cannot fo much as Many in the Ramadan. nmîJr.u ^ 
CHAP. XXXV. 
Of the Bairam. 
''I TirHen the Moon of Ramadan is ended, they wait impatiently for the Bïirm. 
V V next new Moon, which is the Moon of Cheuval ^ and fo foon as it ap- 
pears, they publilh the Bairam-, or Eafter., which is foon made known over all 
the City, by the Firing of feveral Guns near the SerragUo, and by the Publick 
Bonfires and Rejoiceings. The Night differsnot much from theother Nights The rejoice- 
of the Ramadan ; but in the Morning the Streets are full of Swings, adorned ingsofthe 
with Feftoons ; he that has a minde to be toffed in the Air, fits down on a "^^^^^ ^'^'^ 
good feat of Wood, that is faftened to the end of the Ropes, and two Men 
on each fide, holding a Rope a thwart the Ropes of the Seat, and pulling to 
and again with all their force, make him that is in the Seat flie to a great height : 
one 
