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book_n	church_n	old_a	testament_n	6,574	5	8.1314	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53322	The voyages and travells of the ambassadors sent by Frederick, Duke of Holstein, to the Great Duke of Muscovy and the King of Persia begun in the year M.DC.XXXIII. and finish'd in M.DC.XXXIX : containing a compleat history of Muscovy, Tartary, Persia, and other adjacent countries : with several publick transactions reaching near the present times : in VII. books. Whereto are added the Travels of John Albert de Mandelslo (a gentleman belonging to the embassy) from Persia into the East-Indies ... in III. books ... / written originally by Adam Olearius, secretary to the embassy ; faithfully rendered into English, by John Davies.	Olearius, Adam, 1603-1671.; Mandelslo, Johann Albrecht von, 1616-1644.; Davies, John, 1625-1693.	1669 (1669)	Wing O270; ESTC R30756	1,076,214	584

true some present being made to the Executioner he suffers the Debtor to put a thin Iron-plate within his boot to receive the blows or it may be he smites more gently If the Debtor have not to satisfie he must be sold with his Wife and Children to the Creditor As to the Religion of the Muscovites before we enter into the discourse of it we shall say that there have been Lutherane Doctours in Sueden and Livonia who have made it a problematical question whether the Muscovites were Christians or not They might as well have made it disputable in their Acts whether the Muscovites are men since there is not so great a difference between their Religion and that of other Christians as there is between their Morality and manner of life and that of many other men but as laughter and speech makes them men so Baptism and their external profession of the Christian Religion denominates them Christians If a man would take their word for it they are the only true Christians in the World since they only have been baptized whereas others have been only sprinkled which is the reason they receive no Proselyte till he be re-baptized They ground their Religion on the Books of the Old and New Testament and they use Sacraments Their Translation of the Bible is that which they call of the seventy Interpreters which some few years since they have got Translated and Printed in their own Language They permit not that a man should bring the whole Bible to Church for fear of profaning it by several not over-modest passages they find in the Old Testament whence it comes they bring only the New and some Verses taken out of the Psalms and Prophets but in their houses they are permitted to read the whole Bible In the explication of the Bible they give much authority to St. Cyril Bp. of Ierusalem whom they call Quirila Ierusalimski and who writ a Catechism under the Emperour Theodosius He flourish'd about the end of the fourth age and is not to be confounded with Cyril of Alexandria whose memory the Greeks celebrate on the 9. of Iune whereas they celebrate the Festival of the other upon the 18 of March as may be seen in their Menologies The other Fathers whose authority they follow are Iuan Domaskin Iohn Damascene Grigori Bogoslo●a St. Gregori Nazianzen Iuan Solotauska St. Iohn Chrysostome and Ephrem Syrin Ephram Deacon of the Church of Edessa in Syria They relate of him as also does Gerard Vossius who hath Translated him into Latin that an Angel having presented to him a Book writ in Golden Characters which no body could open he immediately deriv'd those illuminations from it which are at this day apparent in the books he hath publish'd Besides him they have also another particular Doctor named Nicholas Sudatworits who hath writ certain spiritual Treatises The Muscovites have so great a Veneration for this man's memory that it is not long since that Wax-Candles were lighted before his Picture for which they had built a particular Chapel in the great street which leads to T were Gate but both were destroy'd by the late fire S. Athanasius Creed is their rule of Faith They believe in God the Father as Creator of all the World in God the Son as Saviour and Redeemer of all Mankind and in the Holy Ghost as Sanctifier of all the Faithful 'T is true their Religion is full of abundance of cha●fy Superstitions in that they consider the Virgin Mary the Evangelists the Apostles and an infinite number of other Saints not only as simple Intercessors as the most intelligent affirm but also as causes and co-operators of their Salvation There is no Muscovite but gives his Saints and their Images the honour due only to God who is so jealous thereof that he treats that false Worship as spiritual Whoredom The ignorance of the meaner sort of people is so gross that they place all Religion in the honours and veneration they give their Images It is also all the instructions they give their Children who in order to devotion learn only to stand with great respect before those Images to say their Prayers Their good works which they believe meritorious are building of Monasteries and Churches and giving Alms besides which they do nothing whereby a man might judge of their Faith by their works They stand very much upon their being Members of the Greek Church and their Histories and Annals say that Christian Religion was planted in Russia in the Apostles times That St. Andrew leaving Greece embark'd upon the River Boristhenes and came by the Sea of Ladoga to Novogorod where he preach'd the Gospel That since that time Christian Religion had been absolutely destroy'd by the Tartars and other Pagans who became Masters of all Muscovy and that about the year 989. Wolodimer Great Duke of Russia having gain'd very great victories over his Neighbours and re-united several Provinces to his Crown became so considerable that Basilius and Constantinus Porphyrogennetes Emperours of Constantinople sent a solemn Embassy to congratulate and complement him That brought him first acquainted with the Christian Religion which he afterwards embraced and was baptized The Bishops and Priests sent thither by the Patriarch of Constantinople further instructed and baptized the people who have ever since made profession of the Greek Religion Iohannes Curopalates who writ part of the Byzantine History and liv'd about that time says that this Conversion was not effected without miracle and that the Bishops faith prevail'd more upon the spirits of these Barbarians than the preaching of the Gospel For being not able to comprehend the wonderful things which are said of our Saviours life they desired a proof of that promise he makes to the faithful of giving them by the Father what ever they should desire in his name The Bishop undertook it and told them that he had so great an assurance of the Word of God that they could not desire any thing which his prayer should not obtain from God Whereupon they said that since God had preserv'd Daniel's companions in the fiery Furnace he might as well prevent the Bible which is full of all those marvellous things from being consumed by fire The Bishop was content to stand to this tryal and so cast the Bible into a great fire where having lyen till the fire was all spent the Book was taken out as untouch'd as when it was cast in Cedrenus and Zonaras confirm the truth of this story and say that Wolodimir was so moved at this miracle that he immediately abolish'd all Idolatry and banish'd it his Territories Hence it comes that the Muscovites love the Greeks and have a kindness for them and do them all the good they can when any occasion offers it self In the year 1649. The Patriarch of Ierusalem came to Moscou and brought the Great Duke some of the earth of our Saviour's Sepulchre though it is known 't was cut out of a Rock and some

of St. Iohn and they go about it three times the Priest in the interim reading out of a Book That done the Priest askes the Godfathers the name of the Child who give it him in writing He puts the paper upon an Image which he holds upon the Child's breast and having muttered over certain prayers he askes the God-father whether the Child believes in God the Father Son and holy Ghost Then they all turn their backs to the Font to shew their aversion and horrour for the three questions which the Priest is to make them afterwards to wit whether the Child forsakes the Devil whether he forsakes his Angels and whether he forsakes his Works The Godfathers answer to every question yes and spet so many times upon the ground That done they face about to the Font and then the Priest having asked them whether they promise to bring up the Child in the true Greek Religion exorcises him by putting his hands upon the Child saying Get out of this Child thou unclean Spirit and make way for the holy Ghost and by blowing three times cross upon the Child to drive away the Devil by whom they believe Children are really possessed before Baptism I I have been told that now the exorcism is performed at the Church-door lest the Deuil when he comes out of the Child should profane the Church Then he cuts off a little of the Child's hair and puts it into a Book and having asked the Godfathers whether they bring that Child to be baptised he takes him being stark naked into his arms and dips him three times into the water pronouncing the ordinary words of the Sacrament I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost After the Baptism he puts a corn of Salt in the Child's mouth makes the sign of the Cross in the fore-head upon the hands the breast and the back with an Oil purposely consecrated for that use and putting a clean Shirt about him sayes Thou art as clean and as clear from thy Original Sin as this Shirt The Ceremonies are concluded with a little Cross of Gold Silver or Lead according to the ability of the Parents such as our Bishops wear which the Priest hangs about the Child's neck with so strict an Obligation to wear it all his life time that if it be not found about him at his death they would not bury the Carkass but drag it to the common Dung-hill The Priest does also assign the Child a particular Saint whose Image he delivers to the Godfathers and charges them to oblige the Child when he is come to years of discretion to have a particular devotion for his Patrone Then he embraces and kisses the Child and the Godfathers and exhorts them to love one another but above all things that they take heed of inter-marrying If it happens there are many Children to be Christned at the same time the Font is emptied so often as there are Children to be baptised and other water is consecrated it being their perswasion that the former being soil'd with the impurity of that Child 's Original Sin who had been baptised before is not fit to cleanse a second much less a third They will not by any means heat this water by fire but when it is very cold put it into a hot place to make it a little warmer Persons of age that are to be baptised such as Apostate Christians Turks and Tartars receive their Baptism in a Brook or River where they are plunged over head and ears be it as cold as it will nay sometimes they break the Ice to get them into the water Thus above all others are treated those whom they call Chaldeens or Chaldaeans These are a sort of rascally fellows who get leave of the Patriarch to disguise themselves by putting on Vizards and to run up and down the streets from the 18. of December till Twelve-tide with Fireworks wherewith they set fire in their hair and beards whom they meet Their main spleen is against the Peasants whom they force every time they are met to pay a Copec ere they get out of their hands and this they exact with such insolence that I have seen them set a load of Hay on fire and burn the Peasant's beard and face because he made some difficulty to give it them They are all disguis'd and have on their heads great wooden hats fantastically painted daubing their beards with honey that the sparkles might not fasten in them These artificial fires they make of a powder which they call Plaua made of a certain herb not known elsewhere It makes a noble and very delightful flame especially in the night But of these hereafter when we come to treat of the Persian Fire-works These men as they say represent those who heated the Oven into which Shadrach Mesak and Abednego were cast by the command of Nebuchadnezzar These people are treated as profane persons and are numbred among Pagans and Infidels so that being in a state of inevitable damnation they must necessarily be reconciled to God and enter into the Church by Baptisme To that end they pitch on Twelf-day as that on which sometimes happened the vocation of the Gentiles and afterwards they are as clean and become as holy as the best Christians who are ordinarily baptized but once whereas one of these Chaldaeans may have been baptised ten or twelve times The insolences committed by them occasioned the prohibitions made by the late Pattriarch that any should put on Vizards or disguise themselves Those who are to profess the Muscovian Religion are oblig'd to go for six weeks into a Monastery where the Monks instruct them and teach them their Prayers the manner of honouring the Saints of doing reverence to the Images and making the signs of the Cross. Then they are brought to the place where they are to be baptised where they are obliged to abjure their former Religion to detest it as Heretical and to spit as often as it is named After their Baptism they are clad in Muscovian habits being presented with a noble Vestiment from the Great Duke who also allows them a Pension suitable to their quality There is a great number of Apostates at Moscou where many forein Souldiers especially French were rebaptised after the War of Smolensko about 25 years since though they were not acquainted with the Language of the Countrey nor had any knowledge of the Muscovian Religion Which may in some measure be excusable in common Souldiers who mind not much what they are to expect in the other World but my wonder is how persons of Quality such as want neither Ingenuity nor Judgement should be induc'd to Apostatize and embrace a contrary Religion meerly for subsistence sake as the Baron de Raymond and Monsieur Groin French Gentlemen Colonel Alexander Lesley and Count Slakof This last came in the year 1640. to Holstein and thence went into Denmark where he pretended himself descended from the

Horse an Ox or a Sheep roasting the flesh and take a cut thereof in a Dish and holding in the other hand another Dish full of Hydromel or some other liquor they cast both into a fire which they make before the skin of the Creature that is sacrificed which skin they hang upon a Pole laid a-cross between two Trees They intreat that skin to present their Prayers to God or sometimes they make their address immediately to God and pray him to augment the number of their Cattel or grant them some other conveniencies of this life which are the only object of all their Devotions They adore also the Sun and Moon as Authors of all the Noble Productions of the Earth nay they are so fondly superstitious as to have a veneration for what ever presents it self to them in the night in their Dreams and to adore it the next day as a Horse a Cow Fire Water c. I told the Tartar I spoke of before that it was madness to worship those Creatures whose lives are at our disposal He reply'd that it was better to adore things Animate than the Gods of Wood and Colours which the Muscovites have hanging on their Walls They have neither Churches nor Priests nor Books and the Language of the Ceremisses is peculiar to them having in a manner nothing common with that of the other Tartars nor yet with the Turkish though those who are subject to the Czaar and so oblig'd to converse with the Muscovites make use also of their Language They perform all Religious Ceremonies and Sacrifices near some Torrent where they meet together especially when upon the death of any of their friends who hath left any Wealth behind him they make good Cheer with the best Horse he had which they put to death with the Master Polygamy is so ordinary among them that there are few but have four or five Wives whereof they take two or three into the same house and make no great difficulty to marry two or three Sisters at the same time Their Women and young Maids are all clad in a coarse white Cloath wherein they so wrap up themselves that there is nothing to be seen but their Faces Those that are betroathed have a particular dress for their Heads which hath a point like a Horn which seems to come out of the Head about half an ell in length At the end of that Horn there is a Tassel of silk of diverse colours at which hangs a little Bell. The Men wear a long Coat or Garment of coarse Linnen Cloath under which they wear Breeches They all shave their Heads only those young Men that are not married leave on the Head a long tress of Hair which some tye up into a knot upon the Head others suffer to hang down the Back which particularity we had the opportunity to take better notice of at our return at Casan When they saw us upon the River in a Dress so different from theirs they were affrighted so as that some fled others had the confidence to stay on the Rivers side but not one would venture to come into the Ship Being come at night to the River of Welluka near the Monastery of Iunka one of these Tartars had the courage to bring us a Sturgeon to sell for which at first he asked a Crown but afterwards let it go for xv d. August 7. we came before the City of Kusmademiansky 40. werstes from Basiligorod seated at the foot of a mountain on the right hand We saw in those parts whole Forests of Elms the Bark whereof they sell all over the Country to make Sledges of The Trees are many times of such compass that the body of them being cut cylinder-wise they make great Fat 's Barrels and Coffins thereof all of one piece which they sell at the adjacent Towns We cast Anchor three werstes thence near the Island of Krius where we did our Devotions and Celebrated the Lords Supper The Peasants thereabouts brought aboard the Ship several provisions to sell. About a league thence a tempest overtook us and forc'd us to cast Anchor and to stay there all night The 8. the wind fair we got about noon near the Island of Turich but in the afternoon the same wind forc'd our Ship being under all the Sail she could make upon a Sand-bank near the Island of Maslof with such violence that it was thought the Masts would have broken and this prov'd such a check to us that it cost us four hours toil and trouble to get off We perceiv'd on the right hand a great number of Tartars some a-foot some on horse-back coming from Hay-making We came at night before the City of Sabakzar 40. werstes from Kusmademianski and upon the same side of the River The buildings of this City are of Wood as are those of all the rest but the situation of this is beyond comparison more pleasant than that of any other City of Tartary The Inhabitants perceiving our Ship at some distance knew not at first what to think of her whence it came that the Weywode sent some Musketiers in a Boat as far as the Island of Makrits three werstes from the City to discover what we were The Boat thinking it not safe to venture too near us took a compass at a great distance about our Ship and so returned to the City But they no sooner understood our quality by our Pass-port and withall the occasion of our Voyage but there came above 300. persons to the River side to see us pass by The 9. we pass'd by the Island of Cosin leaving it on the left hand 12. werstes from Sabakzar Afterwards on the same hand a Village named Sundir and thence we came to a little City called Kockschaga on the left side of the Wolga 25. werstes from Sabakzar The River is so shallow thereabouts that there was hardly water enough for our Ship which put us to much trouble both that day and the next The 11. the current having forc'd the Ship upon the shore where we were constrain'd to stay for several hours M. Mandelslo and my self went a shore to divert our selves and see what Fruits we could find in the Woods Which had like to have occasion'd us a great misfortune for the wind turning fair at our return to the River side all were gone the Ship it self not in sight though we made all the hast we could to overtake it At last we saw a Boat coming towards us which we thought at first might belong to the Cosaques but soon after we perceiv'd they were some of our own sent to bring us aboard The conrtary wind had stay'd the Ship at a turning of the River and the tempest still increasing we were forc'd to cast anchor and to lie there all night The 12. we spent in getting beyond the turning by the help of an Anchor which we order'd to be cast at some distance before us but with this misfortune that having

Governour of Kentza At the entrance of this Gate they demanded our Arms it being not lawful to carry any of any kind whatsoever to the place where the Sepulchre is insomuch that if a Persian were found but with a knife about him it would cost him his life The threshold of this Gate as also of all the following Gates was of white Marble and round and notice was given us not to set our foot upon it but to step over it the right foot foremost out of this reflection that having been kiss'd by so many Millions of Millions of persons it were as they said very irrational that our feet should prophane it Thence we enter'd into another Court which was at least as long as the first but much narrower and pav'd after the same manner having vaults and shops on both sides as the other On the right hand there came out of the Wall by a brass-Cock a fair Fountain the water whereof was brought a League distance thence that they might drink who retir'd thither out of Devotion At the end of this Court on the right hand we were shew'd a very fair and spacious Vault arched above pav'd without with green and blew stones and within hung with Tapistry In the midst of this Vault there were two fair brass Candlesticks with lights in them All along the Walls sate several Priests cloath'd in white who sung as loud as ever they were able expressing a great humility and an extraordinary Devotion by a continual moving from one side to the other which motion was performed by them all at the same time and with the same shaking and that with so much exactness that a man would have thought they had been all fasten'd to the same Cord and that they had been all drawn at the same time This place is called Thschillachane in regard Schich-Sefi retired thither every year to fast eating only for 40 days together but one Almond a day at least if we may believe the Relations of the Persians Thence we pass'd through a third Gate over which there hung also a Silver-Chain bestow'd on the place by Alli-Chan Governour of Kappan in another Court which was less than the two precedent and pav'd all over with little square-stones of several colours We entred into the place where the Sepulchre was by a Gate which was built like a great Tower the Clappers whereof were all cover'd with plates of silver and adorn'd with several Rings of the same Metal which Gate brought us into a great Structure The pavement before the Gate was cover'd with Tapistry to express the holiness of the place and we were told that for the said reason it was expected we should put off our shooes The Ambassadors at first made some difficulty to render that respect to a place for which they could not have any Veneration but perceiving that if they did it not they would not have been permitted to go in they at last resolv'd to comply with the custom The Persians to let them know they did not any thing that might abate ought of their Dignity told them that Schach-Abas himself when he came to see the Sepulchre many times put off his shooes when he was come within half a League of the City and came so far bare-foot but that they could not expect that Devotion from us We pass'd thence into a very fair spacious Gallery hung and cover'd with Tapistry and afterwards we entred by another Gate cover'd with plates of Gold into another Sumptuous Structure which was Arch'd all about Schach-Abas being upon the point of his departure into the War he was then engag'd in against the Vsbeques Tartars made a vow and promis'd to bestow a Golden Gate on the Sepulchre of Schich-Se●i at Ardehil and another upon Risa's at Chorasan if his Armies had the success he expected which vow he very religiously performed immediately upon his return having had all the advantages over his Enemies that his own heart could have wish'd This Vault was about four fathom square and was enlightned by a great number of Gold and Silver Lamps among which there were some above three foot Diameter On both sides sate twelve Hasifahns or Priests having before them upon Desks great books of Parchment wherein were written in Capital Arabian Characters certain Chapters of the Alchoran which they sung much after the same manner as our Monks do their Vespers but with the same motion as we had observ'd at the Tschillachane Having gone through that Vault we came to another appartment which was divided from it only by a Silver Rail though rais'd higher by three silver steps to get up into it The Governour and our Interpreter Rustan having kiss'd those steps he went into it with the Ambassadors who took along with them four persons of their Retinue This apartment was much more richly adorn'd than any of the rest and there was at one end of it another place rais'd a foot from the ground the Rails whereof were of massy Gold It is behind that Rail or Partition that the Sepulchre of Schich-Sefi is to be seen built of white Marble and not of Gold as some have written It was cover'd with Crimson Velvet and rais'd three foot from the ground being about nine foot in length and four in breadth From the Roof there hung certain Lamps of Gold and Silver and on both sides two huge Candlesticks of massy Gold in which there were set great Wax Candles lighted in the night time The Door of that Golden Rail was lock'd and though the Ambassadors were very importunate to have it opened yet could they not prevail the Persians telling them that the Laicks even to the King himself were not permitted to come within that place In the same apartment where we then were was to be seen on the left hand in a particular Vault the Sepulchre of Schach Ismael the first of that name as also that of Scach-Sefi's Wife and those of some other Queens of Persia but we were permitted to see no more of them than we could discover at the meeting of the Curtains which were drawn at the entrance of it and from what we could judge thereof there was nothing remarkable There came all along after us a grave old man who with a perfuming-pot in his hand purify'd the places through which we had pass'd Having taken notice of all that was to be seen in that place we were conducted through the same Gallery towards the right hand into another spacious apartment which was Arch'd all about and Gilt where we could not but admire the manner of its building which being near as large as a fair Church was nevertheless sustain'd by the strength of the Roof and without Pillars This Hall is called Tzenetsera and serves for a Library The books were lay'd in Drawers shuffled one upon another without any order but otherwise well enough kept They were all Manuscripts some upon Parchment others upon Paper most in Arabick and some

towards the South there is a little Mountain divided into several Alleys which have on both sides steep Precipices in regard that the River which they have brought up to the top of the Mountain does thence continually fall down by Chanels into Basins which are cut within the Rock The Chanels were about three foot broad and were cut upon every side so as that the water falling directly down and with a great noise into the Basin extremely delighted both the ear and the eye No Basin but the water fell into it and upon every Alley there was a Basin of white Marble which forc'd the water into divers figures All the water about the Garden fell at last into a Pond which in the midst of it cast up water forty foot high This Pond had at the four corners of it so many large Pavilions whereof the appartments were gilt within and done with fueillage there being a passage from one to another by Walks planted with Tzinnar-Trees whereof there being Millions they made the place the most pleasant and delightfull of any in the World The Fruit-Trees are not to be numbred and there are of all sorts which Schach-Abas who began this Garden had sent for not only out of all the Provinces of the Kingdom but also out of Turkie and the Indies Here you have all sorts of Apples Pears Almonds Apricocks Peaches Pomegranates Citrons Orenges Chestnuts VVallnuts Filbeards Goosberries c. besides a great many not known in Europe VVe saw there a kind of Grape which they call Hallague of the bigness of a mans thumb which had no stone but the skin and meat firm and of an admirable taste This Garden is kept by ten Master-Gardeners who have each of them ten men to work under them and there is this further convenience in it that when the Fruits are fit to eat they permit any that have a mind to go into it and to eat what they please of the fruits paying four Kasbeki or two pence a piece but they are forbidden to carry any away The Citie hath on all sides very large Suburbs which they c●ll Abath whereof the fairest and most considerable is that which is called Tzulfa wherein there are twelve Churches and above three thousand houses equal in point of building to the best in the Citie The Inhabitants of this quarter are Armenians Christians and most of them Merchants and rich men whom Schach-Abas brought out of great Armenia and planted in this place They pay the King but two hundred Tumains by way of Tribure which amount to about a thousand Livers which sum their Daroga who in our time was called Chosrou Sulthan and the Calenter Seferas-beg are oblig'd to bring into the King's Coffers On the other side of the River Senderut lies the Suburbs of Tabrisabath where live those who were translated thither out of the Province of Tauristhan by Schach-Abas upon which accompt it is sometimes called Abasabath The Suburbs of Hasenabath is the ordinary habitation of the Tzurtzi that is to say the Georgians who are also Christians and most of them Merchants and wealthy men as the Armenians as well by reason of the Trade they drive within the Kingdom as in all other places abroad They delight much in making Voyages especially to the Indies and into Europe in so much that most of the Merchants who come to Venice Holland and other places and who are there called Armenians are of this Nation Not that the Christians whether Armenians Georgians or others are not permitted to live within the Citie but their living in these remote Quarters proceeds from the desire they have to settle themselves in a place where they might live quietly and enjoy the freedom of their conscience For the Persians do not onely suffer them to inhabit any where since they have a particular Quarter assign'd them within the Citie of Ispahan behind the Metzit Mehedi in a place which they call Nessera but they have also an affection for them as well upon accompt of the advantage they make by Trading with them and the Tribute they pay as particularly upon the score of their Vines The Mahumetane Law forbids those who are subject thereto the drinking of Wine and consequently the cultivation of Vineyards But the Persians who are so given to Wine that it were impossible they should forbear it imagine they commit no great sin in the drinking of Wine though it be done even to excess provided their Vineyards are dress'd by Christians The Armenians are expert enough at all things requisite to the ordering of the Vines but they understand nothing of the making or preserving of Wine They are no lovers of white Wine in so much that when it hath not stood long enough in the Vat or is not high colour'd enough to their fancy they put into it a little Brazil-wood or Saffron to heighten its colour They do not keep it in Buts or Tuns but either in great earthen pots or fill therewith the whole Cellar without using any Vessel at all There is yet a noble part of the Suburbs towards the West-side of the Citie named Kebrabath deriving its name from a certain people called Kebber that is to say Infidels from the Turkish word Kiaphir which signifies a Renegat I know not whether I may affirm they are Originally Persians since they have nothing common with them but the Language They are distinguish'd from the other Persians by their beards which they wear very big as also by their habit which is absolutely different from that of the others They wear over their Wascoats a Casaque or Coat which falls down to half the leg and is open onely at the neck and shoulders where they ty it together with Ribbons Their Women cover not their faces as those of the other Persians do and they are seen in the streets and elsewhere contrary to the custom of those who pretend to live civilly yet have they a great reputation of being very chaste I made it my business to enquire what Religion these Kebbers are of but all the accompt I could have of them was that they are a sort of Pagans who have neither Circumcision nor Baptism nor Priests nor Churches nor any books of Devotion or Morality among them Some Authors affirm that they have a certain Veneration for the fire as the antient Persians had but there is no such thing They believe indeed the immortality of the Soul and somewhat consonant to what the antient Pagans writ of Hell and the Elysian fields For when any one of them dies they let a Cock out of the House of the party deceas'd and follow him into the fields without the Citie and if a Fox take him by the way they make no doubt but that his Soul is sav'd but if this experiment take not they use another which in their opinion is more certain and infallible which is this They put about the deceas'd person his best