Transcription
A Description of the Turks Prayers and Fasts, before they go to War with the C H R I S T I A N S THE Grand Signiomt having Grounds to fear that GOD may have a Design to make use of the Red of His Indignation, for the Chastisement of the Oltomas Empire, and theSultan to prevent his falling together with his Subjects into the Hands of the Chri- stians his Enemys, Ardently witness that she Anger of GOD may be appaced by the means of the Procession of the great Macbomer for which Reason, he \ill\ctly Commands, that all and every One of his Subjects Fast twice 2 week, Viz. On Monday and Friday in the most Rigorous manner, abstaining from all kind of Food and Drink till the Eevening; And on the said Days the High priest, with His Ecclesiastical Assistants are Commanded, immediatly to appear covered with Ashes,and to go in Procession through, the Streets with Digected counte- nances, and cry alloud in the Ears of the Inhabitants of Mecca the following words, O GOD assist thy people. THE Sultan futthermore Commands, that Machomets Ccffin be cattyed into a publick place, and laid upon Four Golden Columns, Surrounded with Twelve other Cossins full of their Saints Bones, that by their means the great Mochomet may not faill on his part to pacify the Anger of GOD. The great Sultan Commands likewise. that all the Strangers that shall be in Mecca, together with the Inhabitants of that Town.shall Seven times walk in Proces- sion round that Tomb in the open Country, tying, Houling and Groaning,and the Turskish Priests are on this Occasion , to Speak to the People, and Represent to them the great mil- fortunes the Ottoman Port has suffered for some Years past, and that, it they do not Repent, they will Experience, by their Roin, the Wrath of GOD. UPON these Days of Penitence and Procession all Sons of Musick, &c. Are sorbidden amought the Turks., The Order of procession. Ist 600 Men barefooted covered with Sackcloath and Ashes carrying in their Hands Weapons, made use of in the last War, some broken and some while &c. 2dly, Next to them 300 Muttimans,who ate a fort of Monks, having sharp cutting knives, with which they are to make Incisions in their Bodies, crying out, Sighing and cut- ting their oreafts. 3/y, Then 6ooo Men with Whips of Seourges lashing themselves over their shoulders. 4bly. The Tomb or Goffin of Mahomet,cattved by 30 lspohia, or Turkish Priests, lav-. ing their Beards shav'd and bare-headed. That Tomb is to be surrounded and guarded by 300 Bashsws Shimiters drawn who have orders to kill on the spot. such who shall pre- same out of curi\ill\sity to look upon that Tomb, and the Bodies of such who shall be killed on that account are to be thrown to the Dogs stbly, Fifty Turkish Princes without any Ornament of Purple, bare headed and hesmeard, with Christian Blood, their left Hand tyed, and dragging with their right a Horses Tail. othly,3000 Janissartics, who instead of their Arms, are to drag after them their Bucklers, crying our in a lamentable Tone, Halla; Halla, Hu. 7thly, One of the chief viziersis to close the Pr\ill\cesson, riding upon an Ass bare headed In token of Humiliarion, holding in his left Hand a Turkisn Cap dipped in Christian an Blood, and in the right a Cane, wherewith he is to Strike his Mead, and is to deprecare the future Calamitvin these Words. O great Prophet, assist us for obteining the Grace of our God, that the Christians may remain consoanbed. 8thly, After this they are to carry a Chest full of Aspers or Silver Piecals of Money, to he thrown among the People by a Turk appointed for that purpose, bur none is to be to audacious at in rise form the Grownd , till the Procession is gone by, on pain of loveing his Head. 9thly, Last of all comesone an incredible Mulnrude of Turks, amongst whom are the pomites, who arc to Scratch and tear their Faces, and at every hunder Paces they are to lite up their Byes to Heaven, and my out, Hallay Bacche, O God, assist as that at may not
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Probable period of publication:
1700-1750 shelfmark: Ry.III.c.36(022)
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