Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/126

God gave him, took along with him three hundred thirty-six thousand Demons, and made the earth so fertile, that it was but to Sow in the Morning and Reap at Night. That the same Angel taught Adam to Plant and Sow, and all other necessary Sciences. Moreover that the same Angel made the seven lower Spheres, the least whereof reaches to the center of the World, in the same manner as the Heavens do, all contriv'd one within another. That all these Spheres are of different Metals, the first next the Center is of Iron, the second of Lead, the third of Brass, the fourth of Laten, the fifth of Silver, the sixth of Gold, and the seventh of Earth. The seventh is that which contains all the rest, and is the chiefest of all, as being the most fruitful and profitable to Man; and the most proper to preserve Mankind, whereas the rest seem rather to be fram'd for its destruction. They believe that over every Heaven there is Water, whence they conclude that the Sun swims in a Ship upon that Water, and that the Mast of his Ship is a Cross, and that there are a great number of Boys and Servants to guide the Ships of the Sun and Moon. Besides, they have the Picture of a Barque, which they say belong'd to the Angel Bacan, whom God sends to visit the Sun and Moon, to see whither they move right or no, and keep close to their duty.

In reference to the other World and life to come, they believe there is no other World, but where Angels and Devils, the Souls of good and bad reside. That in that World there are Cities, Houses, and Churches, and that the Evil Spirits have also Churches, where they pray, singing and rejoycing upon Instruments, and Feasting as in this World. That when any one lies at the point of death, three hundred and sixty Demons come and carry his Soul to a place full of Serpents, Dogs, Lyons, Tygres, and Devils; who, if it be the Soul of a wicked man, tear it in pieces; but being the Soul of a just man, it creeps under the bellies of those Creatures into the presence of God, who sits in his seat of Majesty to judge the World. That there are Angels also that weigh the Souls of Men in a Balance, who being thought worthy, are admitted immediately into Glory. That the Angels and Devils are Male and Female, and beget Children. That the Angel Gabriel is the Son of God engender'd upon Light, and that he has a Daughter call'd Souret who has two Sons. That the Angel Gabriel has several Legions of Demons under him, who are instead of Souldiers, and others that are his Officers of justice, whom he sends from Town to Town, and from City to City, to punish the wicked.

In reference to Saints, they hold that Christ left twelve Apostles to Preach to the Nations. That the Virgin Mary is not dead, but that she lives somewhere in the World, though there be no person that can tell where she is. That next to her St. John is the chiefest Saint in Heaven, and next to them Zacharias and Elizabeth, of whom they recompt several miracles and Apocryphal tales. For they believe that they two begat St. John only by embracing; that when he came to be of age they Marry'd him, and that he had four Sons which he begat upon the waters of Jordan. That when St. John desir'd a Son, he pray'd to God, who drew him one out of the water; so that St. John had no more to do with his Wife but only to give her the Child to bring up. That he dy'd a natural death, but that he commanded his Disciples to Crucifie him after his death, that he might be like Christ. Lastly, that he dy'd in the City of Fuster, and that he was bury'd in a Chrystal Tomb, brought by miracle to the City, and that this Sepulchre was in a certain House near the River Jordan.

They highly honour the Cross, and sign themselves with it; but they are very careful of letting the Turks observe them; and during their Ceremonies, they set a Watch at their Church doors for fear the Turks should enter, and lay some unjust Fine upon them. When they have ador'd the Cross, they take it in two pieces, which they never put together again, 'till their Service rebegins. The reason why they so adore the Cross is drawn out of a Book which they have, Entitul'd The Divan. Where it is written that every day early in the Morning, the Angels take the Cross and put it in the middle of the Sun, which receives his light from it, as the Moon also doth hers. They add, that in the same Book are Pictur'd two Ships, one of which is nam'd the Sun, the other the Moon; and that in every one of these Ships there is a Cross full of Bells: And moreover, that if there were not a Cross in those two Ships, the Sun and Moon would be depriv'd of Light, and the Ships would suffer Shipwrack.

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