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their publick Studies , fuch as were ready to enter upon publick 
Pofts *, Cadhis out of Place, who were at Conjlantinofle making 
Intereft to be reftofd, or asking for new Employments j the 
Muderis, or ProfelTors of Law, and other Sciences -, and, in fine, 
Perlons of all Ranks flock’d to them. At length even the Offi- 
cers of the Seraglio , the Pathas, and others of the firfl; Quality, 
were feen to go openly to the Coffee- Houfe ; and as this ferv’d to 
increafe the Reputation, fb it multiplied the number of them to 
too great an Excels. 
For in the very time that this new Cuftom was judg’d to be 
every way firmly eftablifhed, the Imams, and Officers of the 
Mofques, complain’d highly that thefe were entirely deferred, and 
the Coffee-Houfes only reforted to. The Ver^izes, and all die 
profeffed Devotees murmur’d in the fame manner 5 and at length 
the Preachers declaim’d openly againff the Ufe of Coffee itfelf, 
maintaining, that it was abfolutely forbidden by the Law, and 
that it would not be fo great a Sin to go to a Tavern as to a 
Coffee-Houfe. After a great deal of Noife and ufelefs Railing, 
all the Devotees join’d themfelves in a Confederacy to obtain a 
folemn Condemnation of this Liquor. In order 10 this, they 
bethought themfelves of affirming, that roafted Coffee-Berries 
were a fort of Coals, every thing refembling Coals being for- 
bidden by the Law j and having drawn up a Cafe of Confcience 
to this Purpofe, they prefented it to the Mufti, demanding a So- 
lution of it fi-om him, as he was by his Office obliged to do. 
This Head and Fountain of the Law, without being at pains to 
examine the Difficulty, gave a Decifion every way anfwerable to 
the Intention of the Devotees, declaring, that Coffee was for- 
bidden by the Law. 
The Authority of the Mufti is fo every way venerable, that it 
is unlawful fo much as to doubt of any thing he has decided, and 
therefore all the Coffee-Houfes were prefently fhut up, and the 
Officers of the Police order’d to prevent the drinking of this Li- 
quor in any manner whatever. However, notwithftanding all 
the Severity with which this Sentence was executed, it was never 
entirely comply’d with j and tho’ the Prohibition was repeated 
in the Reign of Amurath the Third, People then began to adt 
with lefs Referve in a Matter in which they were convinced Re- 
ligion had nothing to do, and fcarce any body fcrupled to drink 
Coffee in private Houfes. At length the publick Officers feeing 
there was no Poflibility of preventing it altogether, began to 
grant Permiffions even to fell Coffee in private, to any who were 
willing to pay for them j fo that Affenablies were kept either 
I • with 
