The nauigations, peregrinations and voyages, made into Turkie by Nicholas Nicholay Daulphinois, Lord of Arfeuile, chamberlaine and geographer ordinarie to the King of Fraunce conteining sundry singularities which the author hath there seene and obserued: deuided into foure bookes, with threescore figures, naturally set forth as well of men as women, according to the diuersitie of nations, their port, intreatie, apparrell, lawes, religion and maner of liuing, aswel in time of warre as peace: with diuers faire and memorable histories, happened in our time. Translated out of the French by T. Washington the younger.

The fourth sect of the religious Turkes, called Torlaquis.

Chap. 18.

THe Torlaquis by others called Durmislars, cloathe them∣selues with sheep and goat skinnes, like vnto the Deruis, a∣boue the same, they wrap about them in maner of a cloke, the skinne of a great Beare with the hayre,* 1.1 made fast vppon their stomack with the legs: vpō their heads they weare a high bon∣net of a white felt, folded with small pleights, hauing the rest of their bodies altogether naked. They doe also burne them∣selues on the temples with an old cloath burned for too take away and dry vp the humours of the braynes, and too let that they shoulde not fall downe vpon their eyes, and take awaye their sight. The Libians, as Herodote in his fourth bo••e doth write, had the like custome, to burne the vaines of the braynes or of the temples of the young children when they were come to be foure yeres olde, with wool or cotten, to preuent the fal∣lyng downe of the Catharres so long as they lyued, and were of opinion that the same made thē a great deale more health∣full.

The fourme and manner of liuing of these Torlaquis,* 1.2 is more rude and beastly, then the life of the brute beastes, for they know not, nor will learne, to reade, write, or do•• any ci∣uill or profitable acte, but doe liue Idlely vpon almes, as the o∣thers doe. And most often go roging alone through the towns and villages following the bathes, tauernes and assemblies, for to haue free shot and cheare. But going in great troupes tho∣rowe the desertes, if they finde any at their aduauntage, wea∣ring good apparrell, they wyll stryppe them and constrayne them too goe starke naked as they doe, and by suche vaga∣bounde beggerie, they make the poore and simple people of the Townes and Villages beleeue, that they canne foresay and deuine the good or euyll fortune by lockyng in the Palme of theyr handes, as if they hadde good skyll and knowledge

in the art of Chiromācie or Palmestrie, for the beastlinesse of this barbarous people is so lewde and grosse, that these poore idiots doe come running on all sides vnto these abusers, as if they were Prophetes, hauyng an opinion and false perswasion that they are endued with the spirite of prophesie. And aboue the rest the simple women, who for to haue of these ••oothsay∣ers some vaine prediction or fayned promise of their desires, either for the time present or to come, doe bryng vnto them great quantitie of bread, egges, cheese, & other victuals, being no lesse welcome vnto them then necessary. But these impo∣sters Torlaquis vnder colour & pretext of their false religion, doe further commit many other more greater abuses, not on∣ly false and inconuenable, but enorme and most blasphemous against the diuine prouidence, for that oftentimes they lead a∣mongest them an auncient old man, whom they reuerence & worship like a God: and being come into any towne or village they doe lodge themselues as neare as possible they can in the best and richest house, placing themselues rounde about him with most faygned humilitie, and hypocriticall reuerence. Af∣terwards, this good hypocrite, beeing no lesse growen in kna∣uery then in age, fayneth himselfe to be rauished in spirite, pro∣nouncing at sundrie times a fewe wordes, and those full of gra∣uitie and spirituall commandementes, and as if hee were in a traunce, lifteth vp his eyes vnto heauen, and afterwardes by lit∣tle and little turning himselfe toowardes his disciples spea∣keth vnto them in thys manner: My welbeloued chyldren I praye you too take mee awaye, and carrye mee out of thys Towne, for in lyftynge vppe mine eyes vnto heauen I haue bothe seene and vnderstanded by deuine Reuelation greate tribulation too bee prepared for the same. And then these gentle disciples beyng well instructed and taught in this sort of knauery, do altogether with great affection desire him to make his prayers to God, that he would appease and mitigate the yre which iustly he had determined against such a desolate citie, and the inhabitants thereof. The reuerend olde man shewing hym∣selfe by their prayer to bee wonne, and wel inclined to doe the same with his simuled holinesse, beginneth to make a feigned

prayer vnto God, desiring him to forbeare his threatned fury, and euil eminent. Then this poore barbarous and ignoraunt people being feared with the diuine threatning, and comfor∣ted through the deprecation of this reuerend reuealer and In∣tercessour, doe runne towardes him from all partes, giuing so muche faith vnto the masked hypocrisie of this olde foxe, that they are fully perswaded, that all these diuelish & abused works are diuine myracles. For which by charitable admiration, they doe bring vnto them so many almes, that these false religious at their departure from that place, haue like vnto Somners, as ma∣ny brybes as they can carry away. And hauing thus spedd they returne to their houses triumphing of their impostrie, and ma∣king merrie cheare at the costes of these too muche credulent people, which doe giue the same vnto them, of whose foolishe simplicitie they go mocking & scoffing amongest themselues. They doe also eate of the hearbe called Matslach like vnto the Deruis,* 1.3 and do sleep vpon the ground, no lesse naked of shame then bare of clothes, vsing their damnable and abhominable, sodomiticall luxurie, the one with the other more beastly and vnnaturally, then would do the brute and wilde beasts. And thus then vnder pretext and appearaunce of theyr holinesse, yea but rather of theyr fayned and abused religion, these beg∣gers going a begging do commit so many horrible and execra∣ble abhominations.

[illustration]

Torlaqui a religious Turke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Apparel of the Torlaquis.
• * 1.2

  Beastlinesse of these Torla∣quis.
• * 1.3

  The Torla∣quis do vse al∣so of the Mats¦lach.