Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/41
wherein there are now as rich Ornaments as in any Church of Christendom. The Choir of the Church was hung round with a Venetian Tissue of Gold. The Pavement also of the Choir and the Body of the Church, together with the Steps to the Altar, were spread with rich Tapestry. For they all put off their Shooes before they go into the Church nor do the Armenians kneel as in Europe, but stand all the while upright. When they hear Mass, they sit after the Mode of the Country, but when the Lessons are reading they stand up. All the Service-time their Heads are cover'd, unless at the Elevation of the Host, for then they take off their Bonnets, and kiss the Earth three times. There was upon the Altar a Cross, with six Candlesticks of Gold; and upon the Steps to the Altar four Candlesticks of Silver five Foot high. After they had sung several Hymns, the Patriarch seated himself in a Chair cover'd with Silk Tapestry, four Archbishops sitting with their Backs to a Pillar at his right hand. The Service was solemnly perform'd by an Archbishop, with two Bishops on each side of him. After the Archbishop had made certain Prayers, he took the Book wherein he had read the Gospel and gave it the Patriarch, the Archbishops, Bishops, and all the People to Kiss. On the one side of the Cover of that Book there are two Relicks enchas'd, which are cover'd with Crystal, which was the side of the Book that was given to be Kiss'd. The Ceremony being ended, many went to Kiss the Patriarch's Hand, and so retir'd.
Ten Leagues from Erivan, toward the North, appears a great Lake, wherein there is an Iland, upon which is built a very fair Covent. The Monks that live there, live so austere a Life, that they never eat Fish or Flesh above four times a Year: neither do they speak one to another, but upon those four Days. The rest of the Year they feed only upon Herbs, which they gather out of the Garden: for say they, it is not Fasting, to eat either Butter or Oyl. The Bread which they eat is brought from the neighbouring Villages: and the Iland is replenish'd with all sorts of excellent Fruits.
On the one side of the Lake nearer to Erivan is a large Plain, wherein there are six Monasteries. One of which is entirely hewn out of the Rock, with the Pillars that sustain it, being seated in a very hard Rock. The Armenians call that Church Kickart in their Language, and the Turks in theirs Guieurghieche, that is, See and away. In this Church, according to the Traditions of the Armenians, is kept the Lance wherewith the Side of Christ was pierc'd; the Figure whereof I caus'd to be drawn upon the Place. The Armenians have this Lance in great Veneration, saying, that it was brought thither by St. Matthew.
Five Leagues from Erivan, towards the South-East begins the Mountain Ararat; which will be always famous for being the resting-place of Noah's Ark. Half a League from that Mountain, where the Plain begins to grow level, stands a Church upon a little Hillock, close by which are several Pits like Wells. They report that it was into one of these Wells that Cerda, an Armenian King, caus'd St. Gregory to be thrown, because he would not Worship his false Gods. Between this Church and Erivan are to be seen the Ruines of the Ancient Artaxate, the Seat of the Kings of Armenia, which demonstrate that it has been a great City: besides, there appear the Ruines of a fair Palace.
Erivan lyes in 64 Degrees, 20 Minutes of Longitude; 41 Degrees, 15 Minutes of Latitude in a most plentiful Country of all things necessary for Humane Life, but especially abounding in good Wine. It is one of the best Provinces of all Persia, and yields the King a very large Revenue, as well by reason of the goodness of the Soil, as for being the great Thoroughfare of the Caravans. The yearly Revenue of the Governour only, otherwise call'd the Kan of Erivan, amounts to above 20000 Tomans, which make 840000 Livres. This City lying upon the Frontiers of both Empires, has been taken and retaken by the Turks and Persians, several times. By which means the old City being ruin'd, they have built a new one, 800 Paces on this side, upon a Rock, at the foot whereof, upon the West-side runs a rapid Stream: it is call'd by the Name of Sangui-Cija, and in many places it is deep and full of Rocks. You cross it, over a fair Bridge of three Arches, in which are built little Chambers, where the Kan retires in the heat of the day. It is full of Fish, especially Trouts, which nevertheless are dear enough. This River comes from a Lake called Gigaguni, about 25 Leagues from Erivan, toward theNorth,