i 3 8 travels to the east. 
and beards be burnt, in order to fa notify them- 
felves. Another powerful motive for their pil' 
grimages is, to walh themfelves in Jordan, the 
waterof it being no lefs fa notifying than the former 
element. It is a matter of confequence to receive 
the facred fire from the Biihop firft; and conic- 
quently it colls much in a place where holy things 
are fo valuable. Some rich merchant, for the molt 
part an Armenian or Syrian, as the Greeks are ge- 
nerally poor, olfers himfelf for this purpofe. He 
goes into the outward apartment, and is the firft 
who receives from the Biihop in his torch, the fire 
out of the lamp, which he hath lighted at the fa- 
cred fire in the inward room. Three years ago an 
Armenian from Perfia paid for the firft fire 30,000 
fequins, a fum which perhaps never was given for 
an anfwcr from the Delphian Oracle. Thefe re- 
venues are divided between the four Convents to 
maintain them ; it is therefore no wonder that they 
fhould be follicitous to keep them in force. The 
Convent St. Salvator in Jerufalem, belonging to the 
Latins or Roman Catholics, is the moll powerful 
and richeft. This is pofleffed by the Francifcan 
Monks of the Obfervation Order; confilling of aft 
the different Catholic European nations. Their 
number is confiderable, but varies according to the 
times. They may be always reckoned 100, more or 
lefs, feculars and regulars. They remain there for 
three years, except the Spaniards, who are per* 
mitted to remain fix. They are governed by 
Guardian, Vicar, and a Procurator: the firft: or 
thefe is always an Italian, and keeps his office fi* 
years ; the fecond is a Frenchman, and the third 3 
Spaniard. The bufinefs of the latter is the mow 
important, as he has the entire management of every 
thing that relates both to the holy Sepulchre, and 
