57<> Yk VOYAGES 
after the Manner of the Nefiorians % .and' after this, they 
touched all the Images with their Right-hands, always 
killing their Hands after they had touched *, and after that 
they gave their Right-hands to all that flood by them in 
the Church, for this is the Cuftom of the Nefiorians when 
they come into the Church ; then the Priefts fang many 
Things, giving the Lady IncCnfe in her Hand, and file 
put it upon the Fire ; then they perfumed her : After this, 
when the Day was clear, fhe began to put off the Orna- 
ment off her Head, which is called Bacca, and I faw her 
bare Head •, then fhe commanded us to go forth, and as I 
went out I faw a Silver Bafon brought, whether they bap- 
tized her or no I know not ; but I know they celebrate 
not Mafs in a Tent, but in a handing Church ; and at the 
Feaft of Eafier I faw them baptize and confecrate a Fount 
with great Solemnity, which now they did not. 
While we went into our Houfe, Mangu-Khan himfelf 
came and went into the Church or Oratory, and a golden 
Bed was brought, on which he fat by his Queen, over- 
againft the Altar ; then we were fentfor, who knew not then 
that Mangu was come, and the Door-keeper fearched us, 
left we fhould have Knives about us ; but coming into 
the Oratory, having a Bible and a Breviary in my Bofom, 
I firft bowed down to the Altar, and after to Mangu- 
Khan, and fo palling by we flood between the Monk and 
the Altar *, then they made us fing a Pfalm after our Man- 
ner and chaunt it ; but we fang Veni fiantle Spriritus , &c. 
and Khan caufed our Books to be brought unto him, the 
Bible and the Breviary, and diligently enquired concerning 
the Images, what they fignified ; th e Nefiorians anfwered 
him at their Pleafure, becaufe our Interpreter came not in 
with us *, and when I was firft before him, I had the Bi- 
ble in my Bofom, which he commanded to be brought un- 
to him, and he looked earneftly on it-, then he departed, 
and his Lady remained there, and diftributed Gifts to all 
the Chriftians there •, Ihe gave the Monk a Jafeot, and to 
the Arch-Deacon of the Priefts another ; fhe caufed a 
Naffic to be fpread before us, that is, a Piece of Cloth as 
broad as a Coverlid of a Bed, very large, and a Buckram, 
which, when I would not receive, they fent them to my 
Interpreter, who had them to himfelf. He brought the 
Naffic to Cyprus , which he fold for eighteen Sultanines of 
Cyprus , but it was much the worfe for the Carriage. 
Then Drink was brought us, viz. Drink made of Rice 
and Red-wine, like a Wine of Rochelle , and Cofinos ; 
then the Lady holding the Cup full in her Hand, defired 
a Bleffing upon her Knees, and all the Priefts fung with a 
loud Voice, and llie drank it up, and I and my Companion 
were obliged to ling. 
Another Time, when all of them were almoft drunk, 
there was brought the Carcafs of one Ram, which was pre- 
fently devoured, and after that great Fifties, which are 
like our Carp, without Salt or Bread, whereof I eat a lit- 
tle, fo they paffied the Day till the Evening ; and when 
the Lady herfelf was drunk, fhe took her Chariot, the 
Priefts finging, and went her Way. The next Sunday , 
which was the Twenty- third of January , the Khan 3 s Son 
came (whofe Mother was a Chriftian) and did the like, 
but not with fo great Solemnity, for he gave no Gifts, 
but made the Priefts drink, and gave them parched Millet 
to eat. Before the firft Sunday in Lent, the Nefiorians 
fall three Days, which they call the Fall of Jonas , when 
lie preached to the Ninevites. And the Armenians fall 
five Days, which they call the Fall of St. Lorkis , who is 
the greateft Saint among them. The Nefiorians begin 
their Fail on T uefday , and end it on Thurfday ; fo that on 
Friday they eat Flefti : And all that Time I faw the Chan- 
cellor, who is there called Eulgai , give them finall Pieces 
©f Flefti upon the Friday and they bleffed the Flefh with 
great Solemnity, as the Pafcal Lamb is bleffed, but he 
eat none with them ; and this I learned of the French 
Goldfmith, who was his very familiar Friend. 
The Monk fent to Mangu to fall that Week, which he 
did; fo that on the Eafier of the Armenians we went in Pro- 
©effion to the Houfe of the Mangu , and the Monk and we 
loo went in with the Priefts before him and while we went 
in,, one of the Servants went out, carrying out the Shoulder 
Bones of Rams burnt as black as Coals. I wandered at this 
greatly, as not knowing what it fhould mean j but after I 
3 * 
and YR A V ELS Book I. 
had enquired, I underftood, that the Khan never does any 
thing before he has confulted thefe Bones, which; kind of 
Divination is thus performed : When the Khan undertakes; 
any thing, or rather before he undertakes it, he Caiifes 
three of thefe Bones to be brought to him unburnt, and 
holding them, he confiders in his Mind the thing he con- 
fute about, and whether he fliaH do it or not, and then, 
delivers the Bones to be burnt ; and there are always two 
little Rooms by the Houfe where he lies, where thefe Bones 
are burnt, which are diligently fought for every Day thtb® 
all the Lefkar or Camp of the Tartars. When they are 
burnt black, they bring them to him ; then he looks upon 
them, whether the Bones, by the Heat of the Fire, be cleft 
Lengthways, for then he may do it ; but if the Bones are 
cracked athwart, or round Pieces fly out of them, then he 
doth it not, for the Bones are always cleft in the Fire, or 
the thin Skin which covers the Bone ; and if one be cleft 
downright, he proceeds in his Defign be it what it will. 
When therefore we went in before him, having a Cau- 
tion to avoid touching the’Threfhold, the Nefiorian Priefts 
brought him Incenfe, and he put it upon the Cenfor, and 
they purfumed him, then they fung, bleffing his Cup 5 
after them the Monk pronounced his Bleffing, and we 
bleffed laft : And when he faw us holding up the Bible to- 
wards our Breafts, he caufed it to be brought to him that 
he might fee it, which he earneftly looked upon •, then af- 
ter he had drunk, and the chief Prieft had waited on his 
Cup, they gave the Priefts Drink, but we went out but 
my Companion flaying laft, when we were gone, turned 
his Face to the Khan , bowing himfelf to him, and then ha- 
ftily following us, he ftumbied at the Threfiiold of the 
Houfe, while we went in Haile towards the Houfe of 
Baku, the Khan 9 s eldeft Son. They that obferved the 
Threihold feized my Companion and made him flay, calf* 
ing one, and commanding him to be carried to the Bulgai y 
who is the Chancellor, or Secretary of the Court, who 
judgeth thofe that are arraigned of Life and Death, but 1 
knew it not ; yet, when I looked back, and did not fee 
him coming, I thought they kept him to give him fome 
lighter Garments, for he was weak, and fo laden witb 
Felt-Garments that he could fcarce go. 
Then they called our Interpreter, and made him fit 
with him, but we went to the Khan 3 s eldeft Son’s Houfa, 
who had two Wives, and was lodged at the right Side of 
his Father’s Court ; who, as foon as he faw us coming* 
leaping from his Bed whereon he fat, call himfelf upon the 
Earth, fmiting his Forehead againft the Ground, where 
killing the Crofs, and then arifing, caufed it to be laid up- 
on a new Cloth, in an high Place by him, very honoura- 
bly : He hath a Schoolmafter, a Nefiorian Prieft called 
David , a Drunkard, who inftrudls him. Then he made ua 
fit, and gave the Priefts Drink, and he alfo drank, receiv- 
ing the Bleffing from them ; then we went to the Court of 
the fecond Lady, which was called Cota , who followed 
Idolaters, whom we found lying fick a-bed j then the 
Monk made her rife out of her Bed, and worfhip the Crols, 
bowing her Knees thrice, and bowing towards the Ground, 
he Handing with the Crofs at the Weft Side of the Houfe, 
and fhe on the Eaft ; this being done, they changed Places, 
and the Monk went with the Crofs unto the Eaft, and fhe 
unto the Weft, and he boldly commanded her, tho* fhe 
was fo weak that fhe could fcarce Hand upon her Feet, 
that Ihe ffiould call herfelf down thrice, and worfhip the 
Crofs, towards the Eaft, after the Manner of the Chrifti- 
ans, which Ihe did, and he taught her to make the Sign of 
the Crofs upon her Forehead, after fhe laid down upon her 
Bed ; and praying for her, we went unto the third Houfe, 
where a Chriftian Lady ufed to be, who being dead, a 
young Woman fucceeded her, who, together with the 
Daughter of her Lord, joyfully received us; and all that 
whole Houfe reverently worfhipped the Crofs, and he fat 
it upon a velvet Cloth, in an high Place, and fhe ordered 
Meat to be brought, which being fet before the Lady, Hie 
caufed it to be diftributed to the Priefts ; but I and the 
Monk were very weary of the Meat and Drink, for the 
Meat being eaten, and much Drink drunk, we were to go 
to the young Lady Cerina , who lodged behind that great 
Houfe, which was her Mother’s, who, at the coming-in 
of die Crofs, call herfelf down upon the Earth, and wor- 
" v Flipped 
