very kindly and in order to secure his Prize the better he caus'd all the Money and all the Men that were in her to be brought on board his own Ship and sent some of his own Men in their room with an Officer to conduct her during the rest of the Voyage Tho' this Encounter was very happy we could not forbear pitying the Fate of one of the Passengers that was taken on Board that small Ship It was a Man of 70 years of Age who having made great Efforts to raise the Ransom of an only Son who had been long a Slave at Algier had embarqu'd himself at Majorca in hopes of freeing him securely The misfortune he had had of being taken and strip'd twice by Privateers before in going to Algier upon the same account had not discourag'd him and he was returning thither again with Joy and Confidence when he unfortunately fell into the hands of an Enemy he little thought on After this Expedition we made up to the Gulf of Palma there to tarry for an Easterly Wind which we stood in need of and to allow the Sea time to Calm All things happen'd according to our desires for having had a very quiet night where we rode the next day being the 22th an Easterly Wind arose which having carry'd us by the three Rocks that are over against that Gulf which are callâ—d by the Names of the Bull the Cow and the Calf made us double the Isles of St. Peter in an instant We lost sight of them the following night and found our selves at break of day at the Extremity of Sardinia That very day we pass'd the Mouths of Boniface where our Ship was very much tormented by a great Sea but finally we got happily out of them by a favourable Wind which having enabled us to double the Isle of Corsica in a short time we discover'd the Coast of Provence However notwithstanding our carnest desire of coming soon ashore we were oblig'd to sustain the rage of the N. W. Winds for some few days and to tarry at the Isles of Yera until the Sea was grown calmer so to continue our Course safely Finally the Sea being calm'd tho not so soon as we desir'd it we arriv'd at Toulon on St. Andrew's day where we apply'd our selves as soon as we had dropt our Anchors in the first place to return our most humble thanks to Almighty God for the happy success of our Navigation It may be easily concluded from the faithful sincere Relation I have given of my Travels that those who dedicate themselves to an Apostolical Life must make provision against all the disquiets that attend their Employment I leave to the Learned and Zealous the liberty of judging of the design that has been form'd for several years of opening a passage by Land into China thro' the Great Tartary and other Countries into which the Lights of Faith have not yet been able to penetrate I am sensible that most of those who only Judge of things by the exterior part will perhaps Condemn my long Travels since they have been of no use to the principal end I did propose and that I have never had the happiness of seeing those happy Countries the Spiritual Conquest of which had so much flatter'd my hopes But besides that I find a great Consolation in the Example of the Apostle of the Indies whom Heaven thought fit to stop when he thought himself nearest to it I am sure that those who will reflect on the different ways through which God Almighty's Providence has been pleas'd to lead me will be oblig'd to confess that all my Misfortunes have perhaps serv'd as much to advance the Glory of his Name as the most happy and most easie success could have done And tho' we have not met with that full Harvest we expected to gather in our Travels after being arriv'd to the term of our Mission yet we have convinc'd our selves by the small taste we have had of it of the pleasure one injoys in Christning an Infidel in Instructing an Idolater in Converting a Heretick and in gaining a Sinner the more than Paternal Tenderness of the great Master whom we serve having afforded us those occasions to apply our selves more fervently to his Service But tho' we had not found all those supernatural Consolations amidst all our Fatigues the happy Tidings we have receiv'd since of the particular Blessings Heaven has been pleas'd to pour upon our Travelling Companions who have expected us long in Persia and in Turkey does sufficiently recompence us for all our past Labours and makes us sensible that we have not been stopt in the midst of our Career without a particular design of Providence It will appear evidently by the Comfortable Letter we have receiv'd from Hispaan from one of those fervent Missionaries whom God seems only to have detain'd in that Metropolitan of Persia to reunite the Armenians to the Catholick Church who have express'd so much Earnestness and Zeal for the Holy See on the occasion of the Jubilee which our Holy Father Pope Alexander the 8th of Blessed Memory granted to all the Faithful after his Exaltation to the Soveraign Pontificate Here are the Contents of it word for word The End of the Fifth Book A RELATION OF What pass'd at Iulfa at the Publication of the Jubilee In the Year 1691. HAving receiv'd the Letters whereby a Jubilee was granted us from our Holy Father Pope Alexander the VIIIth We thought our selves oblig'd to make use of that favourable conjuncture to set forth the Authority of his Holiness to the utmost of our Power and at the same time to Establish several Doctrines of our Holy Faith in a City which we may call the Geneva of the Armenians and the Seat of their Heresie In order to succeed in an Enterprise so necessary for the Glory of God and so advantageous to all Christians whether Catholicks or Hereticks we concluded that our best way was to act jointly with all the Missionaries that are numerous in this place and particularly with Monsieur Pidou Titular Bishop of Babylon who in Quality of Apostolical Vicar represents his Holiness's Person in this Kingdom of Persia. In order to take just measures and to do all things with Order and Edification during that Holy time we thought fit to divide the Exercise of the Jubilee in the three Catholick Churches that are at Iulfa the first and most Ancient of which is ours not only free for the Francs whose Parish it is but also for the Armenians who frequent it The second is that which they call here the Church of the Cherimanis who are five Brothers the chief Catholicks and most considerable Armenians of the Country The Church is Officiated with a great deal of Zeal and Prudence by the R. R. F. F. the White Fryars the Provincial of which whose Jurisdiction extends as far as the Indies resides in this place The third is that of the Reverend Fathers the Dominicans which
is vacant by the Death of a Religious who was an Armenian by Birth come from Abbenner Monsieur Samson Missionary of Hamadam has taken the care of that Church upon him until it be provided for All things being thus regulated by the general Approbation of every body we pitch'd upon the first Sunday in Lent to make the overture of the Jubilee and the third to close it But first we got his Holiness's Bull Translated into the Armenian Tongue and we made three Copies of it which we Adorn'd with his Holiness's Coat of Arms in Gold to please the Armenians who have a great Veneration for those kind of Bulls when they come to them from the Pope or from the Patriarch and they call them Letters of Benediction The Overture of this Jubilee should of right have been perform'd in one of the Franc Churches to make the Armenians sensible that they ought to expect all their Jurisdiction from the Roman Church as from the Spring-head But whereas the main end of this Jubilee was to make both the Ancient Catholicks and Hereticks whose Conversion we aim'd at sensible that the Francs and the Armenians were but one and the same in Jesus Christ we made no difficulty to allow the Armenians to have that Overture made in their Budding Church and to conclude it in ours provided that while a Function should be perform'd in one Church all the Missionaries should assist at it and assemble all the Catholicks of both sides there Thus the Overture of the Jubilee was made on the first Sunday in Lent being the 24th of March in the Armenian Catholick Church of the Cherimanis where a world of People repair'd from all parts to assist at the Reading of the Letter of Benediction of the Holy Pontif of the Universal Church and to learn at the same time whas was to be done to profit of the Favour he imparted to all Christians The Latin Clergy compos'd of twelve Missionaries all with their Copes on and as many Franc Scholars all with Surplices having the Lord Bishop of Bagdat at the head of them appear'd there on one side and on the other the Armenian Clergy compos'd of three Priests four or five Deacons and abundance of Children imploy'd in the Service of that Church having at their Head two Vertabiets Catholick Arch-Bishops who declar'd themselves of late for the Roman Church This Solemnity began with High Mass which was Sung in Latin with Dean and Sub-Dean by my Lord of Bagdat assisted by the other Missionaries and our Scholars who on that occasion did all things with as much Exactness Regularity and Decency as if it could have been done in one of our Cathedrals in France at the Offertory the Arch-Bishop Michel who resides in the Church of the Cherimanis advanc'd to the middle of the Altar and put his Holinesse's Bull upon his head after which he read it with a laudible voice and explain'd it in few words In the next place the R. F. Hely Provincial of the R. R. F. F. the White Fryars who possesses the Armenian Tongue perfectly made a very fine Sermon to explain the importance thereof more at large and at the same time to inform the Armenians who are lately come to our Communion what a Jubilee is The Explication of the Bull being ended the Arch-Bishop took it into his hand again and made every body kiss it and put it upon their heads out of respect beginning by the Clergy and ending by the Franc and Armenian Catholicks The Mass ended and the Benediction of the Holy Sacrament given by my Lord of Babylone concluded that first action which was one of the most Solemn of the Jubilee by the sincere and indissoluble Union it created between the two Franc and Armenian Churches to the admiration of the Hereticks and extream joy and satisfaction of the Catholicks The next day being the Monday of the first week in Lent all the Service was perform'd in our Church which was as well adorn'd as ever I saw any in France with great Tents of China Satin Damask and Tafeta which set it off incomparably well In the morning I sung High Mass there the which was follow'd by the Benediction of the Holy Sacrament according to Custom In the Evening after Complyne was Sung the Reverend Father Provincial of the White Fryars made an excellent Controversie upon the marks of the true Church at which abundance of Hereticks were present out of Curiosity The Controversie was held in the form of a Thesis maintain'd and defended by the same Father and Combated by the Assistants My Lord Bishop Argumented first I was the second and Father Cherubin of the Order of St. Francis was the third and all in the Armenian Tongue The manner of explaining things debated on both sides by way of Syllogisms was very agreeable to the Principal Armenians in that City who have a great deal of wit and are capable of those kind of Disputes particularly by reason that their Litteral Tongue as well as the Arabian does not want necessary Terms for that way of Arguing The Controversie being ended the R. F. Gaspar a White Fryar Preach'd upon the Enormity of the Mortal Sin and after Sermon this second day ended with the Benediction of the Holy Sacrament On the Tuesday every body repair'd to the Church of the R. R. F. F. Dominicans Administred by Monsieur Samson in the absence of those Fathers and every thing was done there as it had been done at ours excepting the Controversie In the Morning High Mass was sung there The Benediction given In the Afternoon the Complyne was Sung The R. F. Cherubin Preach'd upon the importance of Salvation The Benedictioa follow'd as in the Morning which ended the day On the Wednesday which was the third day of the Armenians Great Fast we return'd to the Church of the Cherimanis there to Celebrate the Ceremony of the Ashes which we thought fit to give them in order to use them incensibly to the Holy Practices of the Church of Rome Monsieur Samson who has an excellent Tallent for Languages explain'd that Ceremony to them by a very fine Sermon After which my Lord Bishop of Bagdat perform'd the Ceremony of the Ashes and Administred them to every body High Mass was Sung with Dean and Sub-Dean by our R. F. Superiour and all being ended Coga Mourat who is the third of the Cherimanis would needs treat the Missionaries as Coga Marvara his Brother had done the preceeding Sunday That which afforded most matter of Consolation in those two Banquets of Devotion was That these Gentlemen out of humility and respect would needs serve us at Table themselves with their Children who are the Chief of that City and all made Gentlemen by the King of Persia out of consideration of the Services their Ancestours have done to the Crown The Repast being ended we went back to Church where Father Hely made a Controversie as he had done before with us about the State of Souls after
supply the room of those who after they had gloriously ran their Race were no longer in a condition through their great Age or other Infirmities to cultivate this flourishing Mission or to increase their number proportionably to the New Converts who are multiply'd to that degree that one Pastor is forc'd to take upon him the care of several Churches One of the most Zealous Missionaries of China now grown old under the Burthen of Evangelick Fatigues declar'd to me some years ago after a most sensible manner the conditions of those Missions in a Letter wherein he invited me to go along and bear my share with him in those extraordinary Imployments which he was no longer able alone to take upon him I am all alone said he in a Province which is above a hundred and thirty Leagues in extent with four or five Churches under my care every one of which had formerly a Father belonging to it so that I am forc'd to travel a great part of the year not having any one to whom to make my Confession at the point of Death by reason of the great distance that separates us And not only my self but a great many other Missionaries are reduc'd to the same condition But notwithstanding the great care that is taken to send from time to time new recruits of Evangelic Labourers to uphold and propagate the Faith in this vast Kingdom what with Pirates Shipwracks and Diseases what with other inconveniences of a tedious and tiresome Navigation still many more are destroy'd and miscarry then safely arrive in the Country I have been told by Father Couplet an Illustrious Missionary whom all Paris beheld with so much satisfaction after his return from China where he had resided above thirty years That he had made it his business to make an exact computation of the number of Jesuits who had set forward out of several parts of Europe in order to undertake the Mission he had quitted and that he had found that of six hunder'd who had taken Shipping for China since our Company were permitted entrance into that Kingdom not above a hunder'd safely arrived there all the rest being sacrific'd by the way either by Sickness or Shipwrack Therefore to avoid for the future the loss of so many Missionaries of which the Indies and Kingdoms farther remote will be a long time sensible a Resolution has been taken some few years since to find out a Passage into China by Land Nor was it a difficult thing to meet with people who were willing to contribute toward so great a Design Among others who presented themselves in order to this new attempt I my self was made choice of and I have had the consolation to make it my business these five years together To this purpose it was that I travell'd all over Turky Persia Armenia the Southern Tartary Muscovie both Prussia's and Moldavia that I took Shipping several times in different Seas of Europe and Asia and that I expos'd my self though with a great deal of pleasure and delight to all those Dangers which I knew were not to be avoided by those who undertook such laborious and toilsome Voyages Before my departure from Paris I went to Montmartre to the end I might collect together some Sparkles of that Sacred Fire which St. Ignatius and St. Francis Xavier left even after their Death as Reliques still sufficient to inflame the Hearts of their Spiritual Children After which in company with Father Couplet I went to Lion where I was forc'd to quit him and continue my Journey to Marseilles where I was to take Shipping There it was that God was pleas'd to give me a tast of some parts of that Comfort before I left France which formerly St. Bernard felt when he forsook the World One of my Brethren already a Priest spurr'd on like my self with a desire of devoting him to the conversion of Infidels overtook me at Marseilles before my departure in order to let me know his Resolution to share with me in the Toil and Labour which I was about to undertake Now in regard he had for some time before prepar'd himself in pursuance of a zealous and godly Life for this Employment I thought it high time to procure him the happiness which he had all along so passionately desir'd which was that we might be both together more strictly united in the Bonds of Grace then we had been till that time by the Ties of Nature To which purpose meeting in this Port with the convenience of a Vessel of St. Malo's bound for Cività Vecchia we embark'd and after a prosperous and quick Passage landing safely we continu'd our Journey to Rome Father Charles de Novelle who was then General of the Jesuits was readily induc'd to grant us the favour which we requested of him For he admitted my Brother into the Society and after several particular marks of a Goodness really paternal he gave his Blessing to both of us And no sooner had we receiv'd it but we hasten'd to Leghorn to embark our selves in a Vessel that was bound for the East in company with a Man of War called the Thundring Iupiter the Captain of which had been diguin'd by the King some years before for engaging alone four Pirates of Tripoli for three days together and putting 'em to flight Our stay in this City was longer then we expected However we lay not idle For in regard we were oblig'd to spend our Christmas there till the lading of both Ships that lay bound for Cyprus were ready the Officers and Seamen lying a Shipboard in the Road found us business enough during that Holy Season For we confess'd 'em and gave 'em almost all the Communion and because they were not permitted to go ashore we made a kind of a Floating-Church of the biggest of the two Vessels where all the people being assembl'd found wherewithal to satisfie their Devotion in such Exercises of Piety as we took care to settle among ' em Some days after they gave us notice that they were ready to weigh Anchor and that therefore we must hasten to take our Places in expectation of a fair Wind which serv'd the same day that we embark'd which was the 13th of Ianuary in the year 1685. insomuch that the next day we lost sight of the Islands of Capraia Elba and Sardenia Of all the Accidents that cross'd us in our Voyage none discomposs'd us so much as a most dreadful Tempest which toss'd us most severely within sight of the Coast of Candy after we had been some days before as extreamly and inconveniently becalm'd This happen'd upon the 21st of Ianuary being St. Agnes's Day that a Greek Wind rising about Midnight after the going down of the Moon the extraordinary redness of which was a dreadful presage to us found us a world of employment and exercis'd the Skill of all the Seamen for four and twenty hours together and in regard the Storm grew fiercer and fiercer still as
the Plain of Antioch which is one of the most pleasant and most fertile that are to be seen in the World It is about five or six Leagues in extent intercut with an infinite number of Rivolets abounding in Pasturage and cover'd with Cattel which are there brought to be fatted all the year long The same day we pass'd the Orontes a small Stream the Water of which is very muddy and inclining to a ruddy colour and considerable for nothing else but the Name That Night we lodg'd in one of the Villages of the Curdes from whom that Nation now grown so numerous is said to have been originally deriv'd Here our People were forc'd to keep a good Guard all Night long for fear of being surpriz'd by the Country People that only subsist by Thieving and Robbery Our next days Journey was tiresom anough by reason of the rugged and stony ways no less tedious to the Horses then the Men. We beheld as we past along the stately Ruins of those Ancient Monasteries where formerly so many devout Persons led an Angelick Life They also shew'd us at a distance the famous Pillar where Simon the Stilite for forty years together perform'd that rigorous Penance which astonish'd all the Religious Persons round about At length after we had travell'd quite through this small Country with those extraordinary Sentiments of Devotion which the sight of all those Sacred Monuments inspire into the most insensible we arriv'd betimes at Anjar which is a large Burrough where our Caravan Bachi receiv'd us into a House of his own and where he treated us with a little Rice boil'd in Oyl and some Fruits of the Country the time of Lent not permitting him to be so liberal to the French as he was wont to be at other times At last upon Sunday the 11th of March we arriv'd at Aleppo where we were receiv'd by the Jesuits with those Demonstrations of Friendship as made us forget all our past Hardships After some few days repose the Superior of the Missions of Syria giving me to understand the great want of Labourers almost in all the Eastern Parts through the loss of several excellent Missionaries understood so well how to engage me in all his Affairs that notwithstanding my extraordinary Inclinations to have hasten'd into Persia in order to my Grand Journey intended for China which I had had in my thoughts for so many years I could not refuse to go for some Months into Curdistan from whence Father Roche had ply'd him with importunate Letters to let him know how impossible it was for him to abide there any longer without a Companion to ease him of the great Burthen that lay upon his Shoulders every day This sacrificing of my self cost me in truth somewhat dear as also for that I was constrain'd to separate from my Brother who was design'd for the same reason to another Mission tho we had flatter'd our selves that we should one day both together taste the sweet Comforts of manuring those Fields where both of us were in hopes to reap the same Harvest But when a Man has once devoted himself to God to what purpose is it afterwards to be sparing of himself So that I prepar'd to be gone with a numerous Caravan that was mustering together and within a short time was ready to depart for Betlis the Capital City of Curdistan Among the rest that made up this Caravan there was an Armenian Merchant who profess'd himself a Roman Catholick and who under that Notion seem'd to be much a Friend of the Jesuits Now in regard that then I understood not any of the Eastern Languages I thought I could not do better then to put my self into the Hands of this Person out of a Confidence that his Religion and his Love for our Society would oblige him to take care of me in this the first of all my Travels It was in the time of a Lent which the Armenians observe with so much rigour that they make it a great scruple of Conscience to feed upon Lettice Fish and Oyl or to drink Wine Therefore I thought my self engag'd to comply with the weakness of those people who believe the whole Essence of Religion to consist in these Exteriour Observations and to deprive my self as they did of all those Refreshments of Nature which the Catholick Church allows her Children For this purpose after I had only made my Provision of Biscuit Dates and some other dry'd Fruits together with a little Coffee for a Journey of above two hundred and fifty Leagues I left Aleppo disguiz'd like an Armenian for my greater security and went with my Conductor the 24 th of March to the General Rendevouz of the Caravan It was a Thursday in the Evening which the Turks made choice of on purpose to set forward out of a Superstitious Fancy very usual among the Eastern People who believe that if they begin a Journey upon a Friday Morning it will infallibly draw upon 'em a great number of Misfortunes during the whole course of their Travels though in my Opinion the misfortune of passing a whole Night so incommodiously as we were constrain'd to spend the first Night is one of the greatest Hardships that a man can well endure There was no great fear of not waking betimes in the Morning in regard 't was impossible for any body to sleep by reason of the horrible noise and hurry which cannot be at first avoided till every body is well setled in his Geares But at length the Caravan composs'd of about 200 persons being ready by break of day we all together quitted the Cavern where we lay and after we had cross'd in good order several Desart Plains of Syria where we had a view of the still famous City of Edessa which the Turks call Orpha we arriv'd at the Banks of Euphrates which we cross'd over in a large Flatbottom'd-Boat over against a little City by our Modern Geographers usually call'd by the Name of Birè where this River so much celebrated in Sacred History may be about three hundred Paces broad There although too late I found it to be true what a person perfectly acquainted with the East had told me That upon the Competitorship of several Guides that usually present themselves 't is better to make choice of a Turk then a Christian of the Country the latter neither having Authority to defend you nor courage to oppose himself against the cruel Impositions that are demanded of ye nor that Fidelity which is always observable in the other especially when he has sworn upon his head to conduct you safely In a word The Armenian to whose care I was recommended before my departure from Aleppo began to make me sensible at our passing the Euphrates that he was not the Person he was taken to be but that he minded much more his own Interest then my Preservation or Convenience For in regard the Ferrying Places over Rivers are the most critical Places in all
and Christians and coming in time to my aid drew me out of the Water which however was not the last nor the greatest Danger which I escap'â— upon this occasion as you will find by the sequel When all the Caravan were got over to the other side of the River we descry'd a Camp of Curds to the number of Five or six thousand Men. Now in regard these wandring People are as formidable as the Arabs and for that they are no way inferior to 'em in the Art of Robbing we made it our business to get away as soon as we could out of their sight to prevent their falling upon us with a Party too numerous for us to resist Thereupon as wet as I was and as much reason as I had to shift me my Conductor conâ—â—rain'd me to follow the Caravan who to secure themselves from those Robbers that would have shew'd 'em no Mercy were forc'd to ride six whole hours together to gain a little Village where they were certain of being secure There was no way but to yield to necessity and venture all at such a pinch as this considering that whatsoever Course I took I was equally expos'd to most terrible Events And indeed 't was impossible that any man should suffer more all the while that we were travelling to our Stage the violent Shiverings the cruel Soundings wherewith I was seiz'd all the way in the coldest Season of the year made such violent onsets upon me that I never thought my self able to have held out against so many Hardships and Distresses at one time But in the Evening being arriv'd at the place where we were to stop for that Night only I was carry'd by good Fortune to the House of a Christian who became so mov'd with my deplorable Condition that he omitted nothing of whatever he could think of requisite to restore me to a little strength And God gave such a Blessing to his Charity that after I had rested for some hours upon a Bed I found my self the next Morning strong anough to continue my Journey Hardly had we travell'd two Leagues but we found our selves engag'd in the Mountains of Armenia where the Snow lay as high as a Pikes length Now in regard those Mountains which we crost are not altogether contiguous they leave at the bottom a narrow passage through which we rode for some time by the side of a River that runs in the Vally which separates the two Hills As I rode along I observ'd one thing very singular tho it happens every year as the People of the Country assur'd me The Snow which the heat of the Sun began at that time to melt and whose heat the Reverberation of his Beams very much augmented coming once to be dissolv'd falls down with such a headlong impetuosity that besides that the Rapidness of the Flood ranverses all the Houses which it meets with it forms a kind of a Mound in the midst of the River into which it discharges it self which stops the Course of the Water for some time so that when the Water comes to undermine that congeal'd Mass it opens a Passage through it and makes an Arch which serves instead of a solid Bridge to bear Travellers and Beasts of Burthen and so remains so long as the Cold and Frost continues We were above eight days before we could get clear of this dreadful mountainous Labyrinth where the ways were somtimes so fill'd up with Snow that our Horses fell down under us every step they took so that we had employment enough to lift 'em up and load 'em again insomuch thaâ— sometimes we could not go above a Leagnâ— a day and that for the most part a foot leading our Horses by the Bridle But that which render'd our March mosâ— toilsome to me was the steepness and rugâ—gedness of the Mountains over which we were forc'd to scramble there being neither Path nor Footstep to be seen and some that we were constrain'd to clamber were above a quarter of a League high After all which Toils and Fatigues at length we arriv'd at Betlis upon Easter-Monday the 22â— of April a Month after our departure from Aleppo Father Roche who had notice some days before of my arrival by some Horsemen that made more speed then the restâ— met me at the Caravan-sera or Inn belonging to the City at the same time that I alighted and carri'd me forthwith to thâ— House where he lay Where while I continu'd my only business was to study thâ— Turkish Language unless it were some domestick Business which I took upon me to thâ— end my Companion might have the more time to entertain his Neophites or new Converts whose extraordinary Zeal ravish'd me to that degree that it was onâ— of my most pressing Encouragements to fiâ—â— my self the soonest I could to the end I might be in a condition to taste the Pleasures of a Missionary when he has the happiness to recover a lost Sheep into the Flock of the Church While I was labouring with all diligence to procure this felicity to my self we receiv'd Orders from Aleppo to quit this Mission and to go and settle another at Erzerum where there were very probable hopes of making greater progress then at Betlis and with less danger of being turn'd out of our Employments then in the Post where we were whence we were constrain'd many times to part from one another to satisfie the Bacha of Wan who was desirous to have some one of the Jesuits near him in the place of his Residence which was twenty Leagues from Betlis to attend him as his Physician For this Reason it was that Father Barnaby went to Aleppo there to lay before the Superior General of the Missions the Inconveniences of such frequent Separations which besides that they disturb'd the whole Order of our Ministerial Functions were disadvantagious to the Christians of the Country among whom there was more to be gain'd then among the Turks who lie under a moral impossibility of being converted But this order how reasonable soever it appear'd did not a little perplex us by reason of the difficulty and danger in the execution of it For we were extreamly belov'd over all the City the Emir who was Chief Commander had a great value for us and look'd upon us as people that were very serviceable to him so that we could not hope that he would ever consent to our departure Therefore we thought it not our best way to ask leave to be gone but rather privately to withdraw without imparting our Design to any living Soul But notwithstanding all the secret Measures we took to conceal our Departure the Christians had notice of it and presently applying themselves to the Emir to the end they might the better engage him to detain us told him all they could to our advantage and more indeed then they knew For after they had laid before him the Charity of the Missionaries in respect of their Sick People their Ability in all
and which above all things put us upon resolving to settle there is the vast concourse of all Nations that trade in Asia more especially of the Armenians who have a particular kindness for this City which was formerly the Seat of their Kings insomuch that to this day there are to be seen the Ruins of the Palace where they kept their Court with some beautiful Remains of the Patriarchal Church which they had built in honour of St. Iohn I understood by Father Barnaby who was got thitheâ— some days before us the willing dispositions which he had found in the City as well of the Turks as Christians to befriend our settlement among 'em while both strove to honour him with the Marks of their Esteem and Affection And it may seem a wonder perhaps that the Person whom God has made use of to lay the Foundations of this important Mission was once an unfortunate Renegat who seems to have been guided to Erzerum only to prepare the Hearts and Minds of the People by prepossessing 'em as he did in our favour This Person who had been taken very young upon the Sea afterwards turn'd Mabumetan had not so far renounc'd the Christian Religion but that he had preserv'd sufficient Idea's of it to make him understand the falseness of that which either Interest or Force had constrain'd him to profess So that when he understood who we were he made no scruple to discover the Motives that had drawn us into Armenia He gave us several Visits and made it appear by the serious Discourses which he had with us concerning the Affairs of Religion that he was not so thoroughly convinc'd of that which he prosess'd and that a little thing would make him embrace again the true Religion which he had forsaken But in regard his time was not come it seems as if Providence only made use of him to authorize our Functions among a People by whom he was as much esteem'd for his particular merit as he was respected for his Quality and Degree And in regard his Employment gave him free and easie access into all Houses he rais'd our Reputation so high by those things which he publish'd every where to our advantage that we were look'd upon by all the Inhabitants as extraordinary persons The Armenians more especially were so sensible of our Zeal to prefer them before all other Nations of the East that after they had met together to congratulate the happiness which we had procur'd 'em and to testifie their sincere acknowledgment of so great a favour they caus'd our Names to be enregister'd as also the Year and Day of our arrival in the City to preserve the memory of of it to perpetuity in the publick Registers of the Church Such happy beginnings were afterwards attended with so many Blessings that we were easily induc'd to acknowledge thaâ— God was pleas'd with the Post which we had chos'n for there followed a great number of eminent Conversions whole Families abjur'd their Schisms and their Errors and a general Reformation of Manners appear'd in all those who were recover'd into the State of Grace In a word their Piety and Zeal distinguish'd 'em so for above others that were not so docible that the difference of their Lives and Conversations that was to be observ'd in the verâ— dawnings of their Conversion among 'em seem'd a sensible proof to several of the traâ—â— of our Religion So that I had the pleasure during a stay of Six Months that 〈◊〉 made at Erzerum to see that growing Church encreasing with so much success that I thought we had no reason to envy the Primitive Ages of Christianity But iâ— was not so much the number of the Faithful that compos'd it which render'd it considerable as the Zeal with which it appear'd to be enliven'd Their frequent coming to the Sacrament their assiduity in Prayer the Modesty the strict union that reign'd among 'em a certain Air of Sanctity that diffus'd it self thoough all their Actions were the rising grounds that gave us an easy and delightful Prospect of our good success So that I should have esteem'd my self happy to have enjoy'd all my life time these savory Fruits of the Apostleship of Heaven that had call'd me long before together with Father Barnaby to cultivate the Lands of Tartary o'regrown with Weeds and Thistles had not they oblig'd us to renounce that Consolation by engaging us to enlarge our Conquests and extend the limits of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Upon this consideration it was that my Companion after we had left our Mission in so good a plight parted from me for some time with a design to go to Irivan where his presence was necessary not only to confirm the settlement there made some years before but also to take certain measures with the Indians and Yousbecks which usually resort thither in order to the carrying on of our intended Enterprize Besides it requir'd four whole Months to regulate all things rightly and to give me leasure to perfect my self in the Turkish Tongue which I had begun to learn with good success No sooner was I in a condition by my self to labour in the salvation of Souls but I receiv'd order to follow him But some few days before my departure a little before Midnight we were surpris'd with an Earthquake so furious that there was hardly any body among us who did not believe himself utterly lost I wak'd of a suddain at what time the Beams and Girders of my Chamber were all in motion and I was afraid more then once that the Walls that seem'd to stoop forward would have buried me under their Ruins But there happen'd no ill consequences of this disorder The Earthquake ceas'd in half a quarter of an hour though it continu'd with a much more moderate shaking for eight days together precisely at the same hour that it began the first time In regard these sorts of Accidents are very usual in Armenia by reason of the prodigious number of Mountains with which that Province is cover'd the People of the Country have no other way to shelter and secure themselves from the dreadful consequences which they fear but to leave the Cities and abide in the Fields under Tents till every thing be quiet Yet sometimes they are surpris'd notwithstanding all the care they can take For in regard that the Earth many times cleaves and opens with the violence of the shogs of the Earthquake Matter sometimes whole Villages are swallow'd-up in those parts where the motion is most sensibly perceiv'd as they told me it befel a Village about seven or eight Leagues from the City One time I met with a Mathematician that was somewhat intoxicated with Copernicus's Philosophy who was of opinion that all these Violent Motions extreamly favour'd the Opinion of that Philosopher who perhaps would not have fail'd himself to have made use of the same proof to have supported his Opinion granting that these motions were regularly
Mahomet they look as their great Master and Oracle They invoke him in all their Exigencies and upon all occasions insomuch that they have these words continually in their Mouths Martaz Ali which among them is one of the most holy and devout Ejaculations they can make use of However some of 'em assur'd me that their Devotion for Ali began to slacken and that they made no scruple to address themselves to Omar since a little Accident that fell out some years ago A Person of Quality being one day stuck fast in the Mire together with his Horse call'd Ali to his assistance and conjur'd him with loud Supplications to help him out of the Mud but Ali was deaf to his Cries never minding in the least the unfortunate condition of the poor Gentleman Who finding his Prophet so insensible of his Adversity which he endeavour'd to make him understand by his redoubl'd Lamentations at length in his despair address'd himself to Omar whose Name he had no sooner pronounc'd as loud as he could tear his throat but his Horse no doubt awaken'd and reviv'd with the extraordinary noise of that Barbarous Word baul'd out with so much violence renew'd his Efforts and giving a spring bounc'd clear out of the Mire where his Master and he had stuck a long time Upon this Ali's unfortunate Votary reflecting upon what had pass'd began to be troubl'd with a hunder'd Scrâ—ples of Conscience and to be disgusted at the false confidence which till then he had had in the pretended Great Protector of his Nation In this Perplexity he repairs to one of the most Learned Mollha's that he knew propos'd his Doubts and desir'd to be speedily resolv'd Who being an Eminent Doctor when he had heard him answer'd him coldly to confirm him the more in the Faith wherein he saw him totterring That he had no reason to wonder at what had happen'd that Ali being a warlike Prophet scorn'd to be found in a place so unworthy of a Conqueror as that wherein he had invok'd him Whereas Omar being a poor-spirited Fellow as he well knew him to have been minded no other Posts than Sloughs and Quagmires where he might be able to succour miserable wretches that flung themselves blindly into his Arms. This Answer for the present setl'd the Gentleman's discomposure of mind but afterward his Scruples twingd him with greater violence then before so that he could not forbear abandoning himself wholly to his first Motions of revenge and despight inveighing against Ali and every where proclaiming the Effects of Omar's Potent Protection who had reliev'd him in such a desperate case of necessity However the common people continue their Veneration to Ali and abominate the other three Prophets of which Omar being the Person whose Memory is most detested is look'd upon as a Monster among the Persians who never use his Name but in their anger and fury as our Libertines have recourse to the Devil in their hasty and choleric Passions Secondly The Persians believe that there are several considerable Errors and Abuses crept-in among the Turks in the observation of the Alchoran the chiefest of which concerns their coming prepar'd to Prayer Both the one and the other agree in this Point That no man ought ever to say his Prayers without being purifi'd before hand but they do not agree upon the manner of Purification For the Turks after they have stript their Arms quite bare let the Water glide insensibly from their Fingers ends to their Elbows whereas the Persians begin at the Elbows and end at the extremities of the Fingers For which they cite the Authority of the Alcoran which clearly sets down the Practice of that Ceremony and how it ought to be perform'd These are the ridiculous Ceremonies which I learnt as soon as I set foot in Persia which movd me so much the more to see that a Nation otherwise so docible and altogether endu'd with Reason yet so blind and stupid in matters of Religion But if I had a heart pierc'd through with grief to find so many souls redeem'd with the precious Blood of Christ not only insensible of their unhappiness but intoxicated beyond expression with a thousand fabulous Stories and Prejudices I could not chuse but feel some consolation the nearer I approach'd to Erivan in seeing our Saviour's Cross set up in the places adjoining to that first City of Persia where notwithstanding all the Machinations of the Devil Christ has some adorers whose Faith tho strangely sophisticated however is not utterly extinguish'd Of all the parts of Asia where Christianity still shines with something of lustre and where the Profession of it is allow'd with most Liberty Ichmiazin without contradiction is the place a large Borough of the Upper Armenia four little Leagues from Irivan The Turks usually call it VchKlisse or the Three Churches because that besides the Great Church from whence the place derives the Name it bears there are two other very near it The first is that which appears within the Enclosure of a fair Monastery where the Patriarch of the Armenians has c his usual Residence in society with fifty or sixty Monks that are under his Government It is consecrated to the Incarnate Word which according to common Tradition gave the Draught of it to St. Gregory Sirnam'd the Illuminator who was ordain'd the first Patriarch of the Armenians by Pope Silvester by whom he was likewise acknowledg'd for his Father and Master and happy had she been had she preserv'd in the primitive Purity that Religion which that Holy Apostle taught her The two other Churches distant from the former about Eight hunder'd Paces each are nothing near so magnificent nor so well kept in Repair They are dedicated to two Holy Roman Virgins Ripsima and Cayanna who fled into Armenia during the Ninth Persecution and suffer'd Martyrdom in the same places where those two Churches are built The great Church stands in the middle of a large Court round about which in the form of an Half-Moon are built three Piles of Lodgings wherein are the Cells of the Monks The Treasury is very rich the Ornaments magnificent the Place to be admir'd as well for the great number of consecrated Vessels of which some are of Massy Gold as for the vast bigness of the Crosses the Branches and Lamps which assuredly would be no dishonour to the most stately Churches of Europe In this place it is where it would be of great importance to settle a Mission which is passionately desir'd by the greatest part of the Bishops of the Country And two Missionaries equally Zealous and Learned that would but earnestly apply themselves to unfold after a clear and methodical manner the Doctrine of our Faith would not a little contribute to unite that Nation to the Roman Church in regard that Ignorance rather then Obstinacy retains 'em in their Errors This would be a work becoming the Charity of those generous Souls that seek with so much Care all Opportunities
occasion to mention him still place him in Asia tho they cannot agree in what part of the World he reign'd no more then they can about the original of his Name A Modern Author imagins Preste-Iohn to be a Corruption of Preste-Arkan that is to say King of the Adorers Others with as little reason derive it from the Latin Pretiosus Iahannes Some would have it to be that as the Name of Caesar was common to all the Roman Emperours so Iohn was no less common to these Princes we speak of and that they bore that Name in honour of the Prophet Ionas to which the Eastern people afterwards added the Title of Priest or Preste not that these Kings were really dignifi'd with the Sacerdotal Character but because they had usually a Cross carry'd before 'em as Protectors of the Christian Religion But Scaliger's Conjecture seems to me more probable then all the rest where he says That Preste-Iean was a corruption of the Persian Word Prestegiani which signifies Apostolic that it was very likely that the Europaeans who traffick'd into the East having heard confusedly of that Prince whom they heard frequently call'd Padischah Prestegiani gave him by chance the Name of Preste-Iean which sounded very like to Prestegiani of which they understood not the real signification As to the part of Asia where Preste-Iean reign'd methinks there is no reason to doubt of it considering what the Ancient Authors have written For upon a strict examination it will be found that the greatest part of these Authors place him in that vast Country which extends it self from the Mogul towards the East and North as far as China Which is that which St. Antonius sufficiently makes appear in the Third Tome of his History where speaking of the Tartars he observes that their Emperor sent a puissant Army under the command of his Son to subdue those people that inhabited the lesser India which Conquest being accomplish'd the victorious Tartars advanc'd against the Christians who inhabited the Greater or the Upper India but that their King call'd Preste-Iean by the Vulgar having drawn his Forces together march'd against 'em and overthrew ' em This is also that which Paul the Venetian who knew the Country better then any body tells us more distinctly as having resided several years at the Court of the Great Kan of the Tartars For the Kingdom of Tenduc or as others read it Tanchut this Kingdom I say where Marcus Paulus places Preste-Iohn is still in being if we may believe those who have travell'd through it and lies between China and the Empire of the Great Mogul Which perfectly agrees with the Sentiments of those who have made Preste-Iohn to reign in Kitay seeing that as I have already observ'd it is not to be thought that by Kitay the Ancients meant China only or some particular Kingdom it being sufficiently probable that they comprehend under that name all the Country that lies between Obi the Volga and China as the Muscovites understand it at this day The only thing that seems to raise some doubt in what we have said concerning Preste-Iohn is this that Preste-Iohn and the people under his subjection were Christians whereas the Country that lies between the Mogul and China is now full of Mahometans and Idolaters But certain it is that things were not always in the same posture as now they are but that the Christian Religion once flourish'd in these barbarous Countries where now Infidelity prevails 'T is known that St. Thomas after the Apostles had made a division of the Universe among themselves departed from India to cultivate those Unbelievers that he penetrated into the most remote parts of it and dy'd at length at Meliapor And some Authors have written not without some probability that China it self receiv'd the Gospel by the Ministry of that Holy Apostle However it were there is no question to be made in my Opinion but that the Faith might be dispers'd in Countries more on this hand toward the West in regard there is a Country which the Moors profess'd Enemies of the Christians still in derision call Kiaferstan or the Country of the Infidels the Inhabitants of which are call'd Christians of St. Thomas to this day who tho they have forgot their Ancient Christianity yet still retain certain Customs that sufficiently demonstrate what Religion their Ancestors profess'd For beside that they baptize their Children they have painted in their Churches and beare upon their Foreheads three Crosses of a Red Colour being a Tincture squees'd out of Sanders-Wood But tho it might be true that presently after the Birth of Christ the Gospel might not be promulgated in these Barbarous Countries yet certain it is that it was preach'd there in the succeeding Ages The celebrated Monument that was found in China in 1625. near the City of Siganfu is an invincible proof of what I say For it is observ'd that Six hunder'd years after Christ the Syrian Priests having scatter'd themselves all over Asia had divulg'd the Christian Law in the Extremities of the World where their Zeal for the Glory of God drew ' em And Hayâ—on a Christian Author who was of the Blood Royal of the Kings of Armenia testifies That in the Thirteenth Age Tartary was full of Christians that Cublai their Emperor embrac'd the Christian Faith and that his Brother who had been a Christian for some time enter'd into a Religious War for the sake of Religion against the Caliph of Babylon won Palestine from the Mahometans reinthron'd the King of Armenia being expell'd his Territories by those cruel Enemies of Christianity restor'd to peaceful freedom those people whom the Infidels had proscrib'd and banish'd and rebuilt a great number of Churches at his ow costs and charges and all this at the sollicitation of the Princess his Wife who glory'd in being descended from one of the Three Kings that came to adore Christ when but newly born This was the same Haeâ—on who wrote to St. Lewis when he lay in Cyprus at the time of his first Expedition for the recovery of the Holy Land St. Antonin also in whose History may be seen that Letter of the Tartar Prince observes that St. Lewis sent him under the Character of Ambassadors two Monks of the Order of St. Dominiâ— with very rich Presents among which was a piece of the true Cross and a Canopy of State of an extraordinary value upon which were embroider'd in Gold the principal Mysteries of the Life of Christ. This happen'd in the year 1256. and about forty or fifty years after that is to say toward the beginning of the fourteenth Age several Franeiscan Monks being sent to the Great Kan visited all parts of the Kingdom of Thibet which is next to that of Tanchut and converted a great number of Infidels and Pagans Father Andrada a Porteguese Jesuit travelling also into these Countries in 1624. reports that the people had still an Idea of the Christian Mysteries tho confus'd and corrupted that they
most knowing Prince and least lyable to be impos'd upon in the World All these Instructions which I immediately sent to France together with all the other Informations we had already receiv'd from divers parts on which we could rely induc'd our Superiors very much to favour our Designs in which they foresaw such considerable advantages for the promoting of our Religion They being convinc'd by what his most Christian Majesty had lately done for the Conversion of the Kingdom of Siam that we should not want the Protection of the Eldest Son of the Church they concluded that the best way to succeed in our Enterprise was to propose it to that Monarch who is so Zealous for whatever relates to the Service of God They were not deceiv'd in their Conjectures for they had no sooner represented to him the great advantages that might accrue from that discovery which promis'd no less than the Conversion of all Tartary but that Prince instantly granted what ever they desir'd for the facilitating of that important passage Besides most advantageous Passports and other particular assistances we receiv'd from him he gave us Letters Patents as being his Mathematicians to Authorize us the more in all Countries through which we should be oblig'd to pass with other particular Recommendations to the Great Duke of Muscovy who had express'd so much earnestness to us to have those assurances of the Interest the Monarch they most esteem and respect on Earth took in the Execution of our Designs I am perswaded the Reader will be glad to see the Contents of them and perhaps will be very well pleas'd to see the Fantastical List of the Pompous Magnificent Titles the Czars affect and are â—o jealous of that were any of them omitted in the Letters that are written to them they would never receive them This is the Copy of that which his Majesty did us the Honour to Entrust us with for the two Princes that are now Reigning A LETTER MOst High Most Excellent Most Puissant and Most Magnanimous Princes Our Dearly Beloved Brothers and perfect Friends Czars and great Dukes John and Peter Sons of Alexis Aâ—tocrators of all the great and lesser white Russia Muscovy Kiovia Wolodimeria Novogord Czars of Cazan Czars of Astrakan Czars of Siberia Lords of Pleskow Great Dukes of Smolensko T wer Inhor Permo Westquiá Bulgaria and others Lords and Great Dukes of the inferior Novogord of Tzernikovia Resens Rostof Jeroslaw Bielejezor Udor Obdor Condomir and of all the Northern parts Lords of Iberia Czars of Cartalania Garsinia Dukes of Cabadin and Dukes of the Dukes of Circassia and Georgia and of several other Oriental Occidental and Sâ—ptentrional Lordships and Estates Paternals great Paternal Heirs Successors Lords and Rulers Being desirous to savour as much as in Us lyes the Pious Designs of the Fathers Iesuits Our Good and Loyal Subjects who go Missionaries into China and other Oriental Countries to Preach the Gospel and to give the People that inhabit those cold Climes the knowledge of the True God as also at the same time there to make all necessary observations for the promoting of Arts and Sciences in which all Nations are equally concern'd and being also inform'd that there is an easie cut through your Territories into China We intreat you to grant those Fathers all such permission and passports as they shall have occasion for not only to pass and repass through those Territories and Seas that are under your Command but also there to receive all manner of Protection and Assistance We engaging and promising to do the like in the like case when desir'd and requir'd so to do by you Whereupon we pray God Most High Most Excellent Most Puissant and Most Magnanimous Princes Our Dearly Beloved Brothers and perfect Friends to keep your Majesties under his Holy Protection Written at Fontainebleau the 8th day of October 1687. Your good Brother and perfect Friend Lewis Colbert The Muscovites being the greatest Formalists in the World one is oblig'd not only in the Letters that are written to the Czars to specifie distinctly all the Titles they affect but also in all the Speeches that are made to them in public whenever their Names are mention'd in so much that should the Memory of any Ambassadour or other chance to slip in the least in the enumeration of all those lofty Titles he would expose himself to receive an Affront from the Ministers who had rather one should take a Province of the State than omit any of those Qualities of their Master which they look upon as so many appurtenances of the Crown The Court of France not being ignorant of their niceness upon that Subject omitted none of those Formalities in hopes thereby to engage them to be the more favourable to us While Father Barnaby was labouring on his side to procure us all the security that could be thought on for the Execution of our Enterprise I receiv'd Order from our Superiors to chuse out some Companions in Poland equally Zealous and capable to facilitate the Success thereof It was no hard Task for me to find out such in a Kingdom where our Society has two great Provinces Both the one and the other would have a share in that important design and offer a Victim a piece to God Altho several Jesuits had long aspir'd to that Happiness we only pick'd out two which indeed were worth many others The first whom we took out of the Province of Cracovia was call'd Zapolski and had been extraordinarily sollicitous for upwards of Twenty Years together to go a Missionary into China His Family was one of the most Illustrious in Poland and he had possess'd the most considerable Offices among us Besides Philosophy Mathematicks and Divinity which he had Taught many years with Credit he was a great Linguist and particularly vers'd in the Russian Tongue to which he apply'd himself most in expectation of the occasion that was offer'd him by us the which he had long been desirous of He was Rector to one of the chief Colleges in Prussia Royal when he was inform'd that we design'd to call some Fathers of his Nation to our assistance whereupon he made such earnest sollicitations at Rome for leave to joyn with us and express'd so much Zeal to enter into the happiness of a Life altogether Apostolical which he had not been able to obtain till then that he got leave to quit his Superiour's Place in order to apply himself wholly to an Apostolical Life The Second was nam'd Terpiloweski of whom the Province of Lithuania made a Sacrifice to God which cost them very dear He was a Man of an extraordinary Merit he taught the Mathematicks in the University of Vilna when he heard that I was employ'd in getting some Travelling Companion Whereas he stood possess'd of all the qualifications that could be desir'd in an accomplish'd Missionary a known Vertue a Charming Sweetness an Admirable Address for all handy works a great deal of Skill
most humble Services I only desire the Character of Envoy to the Emperor of China to be able to cross those vast Countries with Honour and to make my Services more useful to the Church and to your Society which I have ever had a great respect for I have desir'd Father Avril to write about it to the R. F. Verjus Director of the Missions of the East and to acquaint him particularly with my intentions upon that Subject In the mean time I desire your Reverence to be perswaded that none can be more Respectfully than my self Most Reverend Father Your most humble and most Obedient Servant SYRI Our Superiours being very much at a loss by Father Barnaby's Death and the loss of all that they had sent by him joyfully accepted the Expedient we propos'd to them and easily obtain'd his Majesty's consent who being convinc'd by the Example of the Illustrious M. Constance that one may sometimes confide in a Stranger and being moreover inform'd from several parts with Count Syri's Excellent Qualifications caus'd such Letters as he desirâ—d to be expedited to the Kings of Persia of the Yousbecs and of China All these Letters being written after one and the same way I shall only insert the last here both to shew our King 's indefatigable Zeal for whatever relates to the Glory of God and to publish the great Obligations he has Honour'd us with in seconding our design so Generously and in so effectual a manner MOst High most Excellent most Puissant and most Magnanimous Prince Our Dearly Beloved Good Friend may God increase your Grandeur with a happy end Being inform'd that your Majesty was desirous to have near your Person and in your Dominions a considerable number of Learned Men very much vers'd in the European Sciences we resolv'd some Years ago to send you six Learn'd Mathematicians Our Subjects to show your Majesty what ever is most curious in Sciences and especially the Astronomical Observations of the Famous Accademy we have establish'd in our good City of Paris But whereas the length of the Sea Voyage which divides Our Territories from Yours is lyable to many accidents and cannot be perform'd without much time and danger We have form'd the design out of a desire to contribute towards Your Majesties satisfaction to send you some more of the same Father Iesuits who are Our Mathematicians with Count Syri by Land which is the shortest and safest way to the end they may be the first near your Majesty as so many Pledges of our Esteem and Friendship and that at the return of the said Count Syri we may have a faithful account of the admirable and most extraordinary Actions that are reported of your Life Whereupon We beseech God to augment the Grandeur of Your Majesty with an end altogether happy Written at Marly the 7th of August 1688. Your most Dear and Good Friend LEWIS While these new advantages were preparing for us in France to make amends for those we had unfortunately lost I heard with a great deal of Joy that one of the Missionaries who was design'd to accompany Father Barnaby was happily sav'd he not coming to Roan till some days after his departure and that he was coming by Land to me in Poland It would have been a great pity to have lost at once two such Excellent Men. If I had the same liberty to speak of Father Beauvollier whom Providence has Sav'd by a kind of Miracle as of the first whom Death has unfortunately Ravish'd from Us I should joyfully publish the things I have seen him do while I had the satisfaction to Travel in his Company and if I may be allow'd to draw happy presages from the sequel of his Apostle-ship by the marks of the Heroick Zeal he has demonstrated in the beginnings I will be bold to say that he will prove one of the most Illustrious Instruments to advance the Glory of God As to what relates to Father Barnaby whom I may speak of at present without fear of being suspected of Flattery I am oblig'd to declare out of Justice to his Memory that he was one of the most accomplish'd Missionaries perhaps that ever travell'd into the East He had a surprizing faculty of Learning Languages and an undaunted Courage to go through the greatest dangers He had apply'd himself to the Study of Physick altho' he had no inclination to it being fully perswaded by experience that it was one of the best means to succeed in his Functions among People that only receive Eternal Truths according as they receive Temporal Benefits He us'd it effectually in two Missions he establish'd the one in Curdistan and the other in Armenia where his quality of Physician gave him more Credit than the most Authentick Credentials could ever have done and by vertue of that Science in which he had acquir'd a great deal of Skill he Baptiz'd a great number of Children who soon after departed to increase the number of the Angels Among all his Successes God put him to many Trials and made him tast the Fruits of that Cross which he Preach'd with so much Zeal He was strip'd several times by the Arabians and the Curdes while he was Labouring for the Conversion of the Iasidies he had the happiness of being twice Imprison'd for maintaining the Cause of Iesus Christ and was often Abus'd and Cudgel'd for the Glory of his Name In fine to sum up all in one word he generously ended the Sacrifice of his Life abandoning himself as he did to the excess of his Charity which far from being extinguish'd in the Waters that swallow'd him up became the more fervent and purer in order to deserve as we have reason to believe that Recompence which God promises to all those who expose and lose themselves for his sake The Diet of Grodno breaking up much about the time I receiv'd notice of Father Beauvollier's arrival in Poland I repair'd to Warsaw to receive him and to take certain Measures with him for the execution of our Project We both arriv'd there much about the same time and I cannot tell which of us receiv'd more Joy at our meeting after having formerly laid the foundation of the same design which brought us so happily together again After some days repose which he stood extreamly in need of to refresh himself of the Fatigues of his Journey and to apply some remedy to the swelling of his Legs occasion'd by the excessive Cold he had endur'd in crossing Holland Germany and Prussia we apply'd our selves jointly to instruct those of our Nation until our departure which Count Syri had appointed to be about the latter end of August by reason that the Instructions for his Embassie were not ready yet and that he could not receive the dispatches he expected from the Court of France till about that time In the mean while whereas our Superiors design'd to take the advantage of Count Syri's Embassy to send several Missionaries safely
Death This Controversie was necessary to Cure the Armenians of their Errour in believing that the Souls after the separation neither go immediately to Heaven nor Hell nor yet in Purgatory but that they are preserv'd in a certain place which God assigns them until at the Day of the Universal Judgment they are sent to their Eternal Abode either Happy or Unhappy according to the Merit of their Actions The Controversie was very Solemn again my Lord Argumented in it as before and after him our R. F. Superiour and the R. F. Gaspar White Fryar The Benediction being given and the Complyne ended every body retir'd On the Thursday Friday and Saturday High Masses and Predications were perform'd as before still with a great Concourse of People insomuch that there was a necessity of Preaching twice a day as had been done the Monday and Tuesday before and as we did all the following week On the Monday which was the day on which the Service was to be perform'd in our Church the Arch-Bishop Michael Vertabiet Preach'd about the Wrath of God which extends so far as to Condemn a Soul to the dreadful Pains of Hell On the Friday the R. F. Provincial of the White Fryars Preachâ—d upon the Torments of the Damn'd and the Eternity of Hell Fire against the Errour of the Armenians who are of Opinion that after some time God will have mercy on the Souls that are in Torment which they ground upon some Traditions of their own and the Translation of their Fathers whereby they are taught that Jesus Christ by his Holy Passion and by his Triumphant Resurrection has vanquish'd and destroyâ—d Hell This Sermon was Preach'd in the Church of the R R. F. F. Dominicans The following day which was the Saturday I Preach'd in the Church of the Cherimanis the terrible but yet certain truth of the small number of the Elect which surpriz'd every body so much the rather because I shew'd them that it was not only to be understood of the Insidels and Hereticks but also of the Christians and Catholicks I observâ—d in this place what I had formerly observâ—d in France in my Missions among the Hugonots that the best way to Convert Hereticks and Schismaticks is to Preach Eternal Truths to them and the terrible Maximes of our Religion which being expos'd to them plainly but yet pathetically strikes them and obliges them to declare here what I have often heard them say in France Our Ministers and our Vertabiets deceive us and we have never heard this from them The same Saturday I did what I had done before I went from House to House to Inculcate what had been said in the Churches and to dispose every body to gain the Jubilee But I went particularly among the Slaves and other abandon'd Persons to the end that both Rich and Poor Blind and Lame all might participate to that great Banquet of the Father of the Family whiâ—â— was preper'd for all They began to bring Women to me who desir'd to be Converted and who having never been Confess'd by any Catholick Priest were willing to make their Abjuration in the Tribunal of Penitence The second Sunday in Lent which was also the second Sunday of the Jubilee was very solemn by reason of the Office that was perform'd in the Church of the R. R. F. F. Dominicans High Mass was Sung there by my Lord of Pidou who afterwards Preach'd an Excellent Sermon upon the Subject of Receiving the Sacrament unworthily That Prelate is sufficiently known in France both by the Greatness of his Birth and by the Missions he has made in Poland especially at Leopold where jointly with the Famous Clement Galant Theatin his Master he has establish'd a very fine College maugre all oppositions for the instructing of the Armenians As this Prelate is perfectly acquainted with the Errours of the Armenians having read all their Books besides his being very well vers'd in their Tongue he Combats their Superstitions in a way which they can no wise answer The Devotion was great on the day that Prelate Preach'd A Controversie was held in the Afternoon upon the particular Judgment and the rest as before The next day being Pope St. Gregory's Day so much Reverenc'd by all the Eastern Nations and even by the Armenians whose Schism and Heresie he Condemns absolutely ordering all People to submit to the four first Oecumenical or General Councils and consequently to that of Chalcedon in the same manner as they submit to the four Evangelists We thought it Very necessary to render the Name and Memory of that incomparable Doctor of the Church yet more Famous in a Place where his Authority could be of use Therefore his Festival was Solemniz'd with all the Pomp that could be in our Church where all the Religious assisted with their Copes on and our Scholars in Surplices as the Seminarists are in France High Mass was Sung by Monsieur Samson and Celebrated with all the Regularity and Exactness imaginable And whereas he speaks the Armenian Tongue perfectly well he made a very moving and very pressing Sermon about the Love and Charity we ought to have towards our Enemies He shew'd a Crucifix and drew Tears from all the Auditors The rest follow'd as before On the Tuesday there was nothing extraordinary The Wednesday was Famous by a solemn Service we made for the Souls of the Dead in order thereby to Establish the Truth of Purgatory which the Armenians reject We had erected a Monument in the middle of the Church very neat and very full of Lights The Altar was cover'd with Black Velvet and Satin The R. F. Provincial of the White Fryars Sung High Mass upon it and Preach'd about Purgatory He shew'd that the practice of Praying for the Dead was very necessary and Holy After which the Solemn Absolution was pronounc'd round about the said Monument and all ended with the Benediction of the Crucifix which was expos'd as it is Customary in several of our Churches in France All these Ceremonies being practis'd with Majesty and Devotion move the Armenians extreamly and inspire them insensibly with Love for our Holy Religion For which Reason they say that Rome is above all and that they see nothing like it among them they confess freely as I have already observ'd when they hear us Preach that their Vertabiets who are Reverenc'd among them as their Chief Doctors cannot do it thus by degrees they fall off from them and join with us out of Esteem and Affection The Morning Service being thus ended a Controversie was held in the Afternoon about the same Purgatory The Armenians who had relish'd the preceeding Disputes came to propose their difficulties themselves to the end that they might not have any thing to reproach themselves with upon that Subject Finally to show that the Union we desir'd to Establish between the Latin and Armenian Church was not only an Union in relation to Living Persons but that it ought also to extend to the Dead we
carry'd the Holy Sacrament under a Rich Canopy supported by four Catholicks two of them Francs and the other two Armenians all four the most considerable of their Nation When the Procession appear'd in our Garden which is one of the finest in Iulfa the Holy Sacrament was saluted by a volly of small Shot and of Ordinance plac'd to that end It continu'd in this Order as far ar the Altar we had Erected in the middle of the Garden where after a little rest we gave the Benediction of the Holy Sacrament and then we had a second discharge of our Artillery Finally we went back to the Chuech while the Air was fill'd with the Latin Hymns and Armenian Canticles which succeeded each other The Procession being come into the Church and the Solemnity was concluded by a third Benediction of the Holy Sacrament and a third discharge There never was a greater concourse of People nor more earnestness express'd than there appear'd that day to see Jesus Christ Triumph in the middle of his Enemies The Women who are extremely reserv'd here forgot the custom of their Country in some measure on that occasion For being Transported with the same Zeal that mov'd Zachy when he mounted on the wild Fig-Tree they clamber'd upon the Lattices that are fix'd against the walls of our Garden to behold that Edifying Ceremony the like of which they had never seen Indeed I can affirm that I never saw so comfortable a fight in my Life before and the Tears of Joy which I spilt on that occasion made me forget all the Sufferings we had undergone in the former Persecutions All things having succeeded so well we thought fit to conclude all by a Treat we made for the Armenian and Franc Clergy in order to keep them in an indissoluble Union But it was a very modest Treat altogether like to those of the Primitive Christians in which a thousand Blessings were given to his Holiness and to the Roman Church Finally the Zeal of that day was so great that after Dinner we were obligâ—d to Sing Vespers solemnly at which I desir'd Monsieur Samson to give us one Sermon more to satisfie the Auditors who desir'd it He Exhorted them to preserve and maintain the Union that had been made The Sermon was follow'd by the Benediction of the Holy Sacrament Thus pass'd our Jubilee I may say without Lying that comparatively I have never seen any better perform'd in France The number of those who Confess'd themselves and took the Sacrament has been very considerable considering the Country in which we are Several Persons are come to us to abjure their Errors Those who were only Catholicks out of Policy before have convinc'd us that they were really Converted We have had the satisfaction to see a perfect Union among them The good Party has been extreamly strenghten'd Two of the seven Vertabiets that are at Iulfa have declar'd for us and a third is a true Catholick at the bottom of his Soul Our Enemies are surpriz'd to see the Blessings that God pours upon us after so many Persecutions they have rais'd against us in order to ruin us and drive us out of Iulfa The Calanier our mortal Enemy begins to be better Natur'd The great Vertabiet of this City can hardly harm us for the future and we do not question but we shall be able to Establish the Kingdom of Jesus Christ here Finally the next day after the conclusion of the Jubilee which was the day of great Saint Ioseph Protector of our Church the Cherimanis sent me word that they were resolv'd to build us a larger Church and that they would provide for it themselves This News rais'd our Joy to the utmost degree and that it was encreas'd the next day when the chief of those Gentlemen confirm'd his promise to me assuring me that in few days he would come to us himself to take proper measures about it in order to which Brother Balee who is an excellent Architect will be very useful to us either to give us a good draught or to help towards the putting of it in Execution Blessed be the Son who turns all things to his Glory and to the Advantage of his Servants The End of the Iubilee A SUPPLEMENT out of Hacluyt and Purchas Describing several Roads and Iourneys over Land to China Notes Collected by Richard Johnson who was at Boghar with Mr. Anthony Jenkinson of the Reports of Russes and other Foeigners giving an Account of the Roads of Russia to Cathaya as also of sundry strange People THE first Note from one Sarnichohe a Tartarian and Subject of the Prince of Bogara whose Subjects are Tartars bordering upon Kizilbash or Persia shewing the way from Astrakan which is the farthest part of Russia to Cathaya as follows From Astrakan to Serachich by Land Travelling leisurely as Merchants use to do with their Goods is Ten days Journey From Serachich to a Town call'd Urgenshe 15 days From Urgenshe to Boghar 15 days From Boghar to Cascar 30 days From Cascar to Cathaya 30 days Journey By the same Party a Note of another way more secure for the Traveller as he Reports From Astrahan to Turkemen by the Caspian-Sea 10 days with Barks From Turkemen to Urgenshe by Land especially with Camels carrying the weight of 15 Poods for their ordinary Loads 10 days From Urgenshe to Boghar 15 days Note At the City of Boghar is the Mart or Rendezvous of the Turks the Nations of those Quarters and the Cathayans The Toll to be there paid is the 40th part of all Goods or Merchandizes From thence to Cascar is one Months Journey and from Cascar which is a Frontier Town belonging to the Great Kan passing through many Towns and Forts by the way is also a Months Travel for Merchants by Land to Cathay Farther as he has heard not having been in those parts himself Ships may Sail from the Territories of Cathaia into India But of other ways or how the Seas lie by any Coasts he knows not The Instructions of another Tartar Merchant living in Boghar as he learnt it from others of his Countreymen who had been there From Astrakan by Sea to Serachich is 15 days Sail affirming also that a Man may Travel the other Roads before mention'd by Turkemen From Serachich to Urgense 15 days From Urgense to Bokar 15 days Note That all these last 30 days Journey you meet with no Houses therefore Travellers lodge in their own Tents and carry their Provision along with 'em and for Drink you shall meet with Wells of good water every day at Baiting Places equally distant one from another From Bogar to Tashent Travelling leisurely with Goods 't is accounted 14 days by Land From Tashent to Occient 7 days From Occient to Cascar 20 days Cascar is the Chief City of another Prince lying between Boghar and Cathaia call'd Reshit Kan From Cascar to Sowchich 30 days This Sowchich is the first Frontier Town of Cathay From Sowchich to Camchick is 5 days