' Part IL T ^ayels into the h^v h^r^ i 09 
lancholick, many being clad in Black, others wearing only a black Girdle, and others What the pfr- 
a black Turban. In all that time no man is (baved, they go not to the Bagnios, nor (^^tJaSouta^ 
commit any debauch, and even abliain from their Wives : in fhort, they exprefsfo fui Feaft. 
much grief in outward fhew, that one would think fome great publick Calamity 
had befallen them. The inferiour fort of people fignalize their Zeal by a thoufand 
foolifh pranks, fomc bury thtmfelvcs under ground all day long, having nothing 
oat but the Head » nay, and that too is covered with a Pot and Eatth over it: 
others runabout the (greets almoft ftark naked, having only a bit of black fluff to 
hide their Nakednefs, and mofl part of thofe Fools daub over all their Body and 
Face with Soot mingled with Oil i others take Bol Atmeniack, which they dilTolve 
alfoin Oil, and with that Dye thcmfelves Red, that they may look as if they were 
all in a g®re of blood : and fome who are more fineere, cut and mangle their 
Bodies in fevcral places \ nay, and in the Head too, fo that the blood comes 
running down on all fides : in all thefe different manners, they run about the v. 
ftreetsin companies, moflpart with a naked Shablein their hands, finging feveral 
doleful Verfes made upon the death of Hujfein^ and by fits crying as loud as they 
can. Ta Hujfeiti, which is the burden of their Song, and all this to the tune of fome 
wretched Mufick, which fome of them make, with two ftones in their Hands that 
they clap one againft another. Many publick places in the flrects are hung with 
Black, and lighted with feveral Lamps, and there is a Pulpit where a Moula 
Preaches at a certain hour of the Night, and relates the circumtfances of the death 
of H«/?ei«, at which the Hearers mel( into Tears. They have fuch Sermons alfo in • 
the Day time, to which many perfons of Quality refort j nay, and at Ifpahan 
the King himfelf is obliged to come clad in Mourning, at leaft the lafl day, 
which is the Tenth ; and indeed that is the day of grcateft Ceremony, becaufc 
that was the day, (fay they,) whereon the brave Huffein was put to death. 
Seeing I was at Schim^ when I faw the Feflival of that day ■■, it is only what Ai Schim the 
happened in that Town, which now I relate. All the Quarters of the Town went Pcaft of the 
in Proceffion, and the Procédions pafTed by the Governours Houfe with all their ^ ^''^ °^ 
Colours, the Rabble naked and befmeared in the manner 1 mentioned before : 
there came after them a great many Children on Horfe-back, rcprefenting the Chil- 
dren of Huffein who were carried away Prifoners » then they had led Horfcs covered 
with black, and all the Armour of a Horfe-man falkned to the Saddle, marching 
next, and after them they carried fome Coffins covered with black Velvet, and a 
Turban upon each. This Proceffion having paffed by the Governours Gate, went 
out of the Town to Confummate the Feftival at a Mofque, where Khatouny 
the Daughter of Aly^ is Interred: there they had a Sermon, after which they wept, 
and then all returned to prepare the Alms they were to give, moft of which Were 
Rice, and meifes of Corn, which they Boiled in great Kittles, and diflributed 
amongfi the poor. They fay that during thefe Ten Days the Gates of Paradife 
are open, and that all Mahometans who die then, get in without any difficulty. 
Forty days after the laft day of the Aafchour^ that is to fay, the twentieth of the 
month of Sefer^ they have another Fcafi which they call Serien^ that h to fày Head '^^^ 
'Body: becaufe,(fay they,) that the Head of H«j[/c/« being cut off, was of it felfjoyoed 
to his Body forty days after. They make great rejoycing that day \ and there are a 
great many who do not Shave their Heads from the firfl day of the Aafchour^ until 
this Fcaft of Serten \ wherein for the mofl part they give the like Alms as we menti-, 
cned juft now. 
The death of Aly is celebrated much after the fame manner as that of Huffein Tlie Fcaft of 
his Son, but it lalts only a day, which is the one and twentieth of the Month 
of Kamazan: they goe in Frocitlion through the Town, wherein they carry 
Standards, lead Horfes covered with Trophies of Arms, and carry a Coffin covered 
with black Velvet, with a Turban upon it ; and having faidfome Prayers, they 
all return home, and fo the Feaft is ended. 
TheHiflory of the death of Aly, Mahomet's Coufin,and Son in Law, according The Hlflory 
as it is related in Perfia, is that having Married Fatima the Daughter of Mahomet^ °^ 
he was killed at Bagdad by a fcrvant of his own, called Ebtv-Mouldgem-Mourat^ 
who had been brought up in his fervjce from his infancy, with a great deal of care : 
this Rogue having at a Wedding feen a young Widow named ^uetome, whofe 
Relations and Husband had been put to death by the command of Aly, fell in 
Love with her, and courted her in Marriages (lie who ftill thought on the Death 
of 
