'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎17] (50/1024)

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Chap. IV, of Monfieur Tavernier. 17
,' M , " ■Viiriurrv.wi ■'V' V«" 11 ii 1——' I i - •
with Fcavers.There are two or three of thofe Con vents,where they civilly entertain *"*
fueh Chriftians as coriie out of ^ though the Monks there are very poor.
They alio live very auftere lives* feeding upon nothing but Herbs. That which
makes them fo poor, is the often change of Tyrannical Governoufs, whom they
are oblig’d to prefent with large Gifts But in regard they cannot give much,
thofe Governours have no kindnefs for them ; for which rcafon, being inftigated
b/thofe other who are able to oblige them, they ufc them fofeverely,
tint they are often forc’d to complain to the King ^ which i have many times feen
done at Isfahan.
A League and a half from the chief of thefe Covents there is a high Mountain,
feparated from all thcreft,which rifes like a Sugar loaf, as doth the Pike of a Tena-
rijf. At the foot of this Mountain are certain Springs, that have the virtue to
heal thofe that are bit by Serpents j in fo much that Serpents carry‘d to that place
will dye immediately.
When the Caravan is ready to fet out from Nathan for Zutpha, which is not
above a days journey from thence, the principal ufually go out of the
way to the Govent of St. Stephen, which lyes to the South.
Now the Road from Naksivan to St. lyes firft to a great Village call’d
EccUfia-) where live the richeft Armenians, that drive a great Trade in Silk, and
have built them a very fair Church.
Two Leagues from Ecdefia you muft crofs the River u 4 ra* \n a Ferry-Boat* being
as it weie iqueez d between two Mountains in that place: Once I went over upon
the Icc. About two Musket (hot from thence, (you muft crofs over a Bridge,
another River that falls into the Aras, From the foot of the Bridge you begin to
aicend a little Hill, at the top whereof you meet with a great Village,call’d Shambe',
all the Inhab.tants whereof, as well Men as Women, grow Mad at 18 years 6f
age; but it is fuch a madnefs that it is not miichievous. Some believe it to be the
Punilhment of Heaven, for that their Forefathers in thefe Mountains perfeCuted
St. Bartholomew and Afanhew.
From hence to Stephens it is not abovea League, but the Way is very trdubfe-
fom. Sc. Stephen’s is a Convent built not above 30 years ago* It ftandsupon the
Mountains, in a barren place, and of difficult accefs. But the reafon why the
Armenians chole that place before any othef, is becaufe that.St. Bartholomew and
St. Matthew rmxd thither in the time of their Perfccution. They add, that
St.Matthew did a Miracle in that place} for that there being no Water there before,
he only (truck his (tick upon the Ground/ and prefently there arofeia Spring. This
. pnng is about half a quarter of a League from the Convent, under a Vault with
a good Door to it, to keep the Water from being wafted.The Armenians goto vifit
this Spring in great Devotion, having laid the Water into the Covent with Pipe*.
They alfo lay, that m this place they found fevera! Relicks which St.
and St. Matthew eft there to which they add a great many others; among the
reft a Crofs, rnadeof the Bafin wherein Chrift walh’d hisDifciples Feet: In the
C °r t ^ C ^ , a ^ C0I1e J which as they report, if you lay upon a
5. f Cl f on f tu , rn if the perfon be likely to dye ; and recover its former
whitenels after the ceath of the party.
A law-Bone of St.Stephen the Martyr.
1 he Scull of St. Matthew*
A Bone of the Neck, and a Bone of the Finger of St John Baptitt.
A Hand ot St. Cryery, who was the Difciple of fDionyfim the Areopa S iu.
K?k I’"':" ^ey keep a gteat number of pieces of Bonesfwhich they
believe to be the Rdicks of the Seventy Two Difciples.
• Th ". C h urch A hudt in the form of a Crofs,as are all ’the Churches of the Arme-
TnAft’i' 1 ouL 6 w he r e o f nfes a fa round about which ftand the twelve
c C ^' 0t r e .^ l 1 ! rc ^ ^ 0vcnt a re of Freedone, and though the whole
Edihre he not very big, there has been abundance of Gold and Silver wafted upon
tne Walls: fA^ Armeman Families have been very much endamaged thereby; for
the M omen were fo devour, that unknown to their Husbands they fold their Jewels,
nd rf 1C ko Cry Cl0iUh ’ t0 dcrrav the E^Pences of Building. J
t'vo t«4 1 frc t,n ? e l at St. Stephen's, in the company of fome Armenians,
■ 0 B uiops, attended by fevcralother Monks, came outtomeet us, and ledus
c into