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IT is commonly known and received, that the Turkish Religion is an absurd composition of the Christian and Jewish Rites; in imitation of the former of which doubtless their Monasteries and Orders of reli∣gious men were introduced; most of which incline to a pretended mortification and strictness of life; to poverty, and renuntiation of the worlds enjoyments, according to the devotion of Christians a thousand
years past, whose piety and exemplary lives drew Infidels to extract a rough Copy of their elevated vertues.
I have been the more curious in making an exact enquiry into the Customs, Institutions and Doctrines of the Mahometan Convents, be∣cause I find relations hereof sparingly scattered in other Books, and that obscurely without punctuality or certainty: But I shall promise my Reader to deliver nothing herein, but what I have good Authority for, and taken from the mouth of the most Learned of their Seighs or Preachers which are the Heads or Superiours of these Socie∣ties.
The Doctors of the Mahometan Law inform me, that their Religious houses and Institutions, are as ancient as Mahomet, from whom general orders and instructions were derived for their oeconomy, first to his Disciple Hali; but our Turkish History and other Records make no mention of these Monasteries, till within these three hundred and fifty years, in the time of Orchanes second King of the Turks, who is famed to have been the first founder of Houses of these Orders.
Those of the Mahometan Faith, who first framed rules and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for these Religions, were two, viz. Chalvettee and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which after Mahomet are esteemed the two Fountains from whence other Orders are proceeded, which are these following; from Chal∣vettee are derived
From Nacksbendee proceed only two, viz.
These several Orders we shall distinctly touch upon, beginning with the Mevelevee, which though set down here last, yet because for fame amongst the Turks, they are the first, we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 most largely and parti∣cularly treat of them.
The Mevelevee, otherwise and most commonly named Dervise, which word signifies Poor and renouncers of the world, have their chief and Superiour foundation in Iconium, which consists of at the least* 1.1 four hundred Dervises, and governs all the other Convents of that Order within the Turkish Empire, by vertue of a Charter given them by Ottoman first of the Mahometan Kings, who out of devotion to their Religion once placed their Prior or Superiour in his Royal Throne, because having been his Tutor, and he who girted on his Sword (which is the principal Ceremony of Coronation) he granted him and his suc∣cessors ample Authority and Rule over all others of the same Profes∣sion.
They pretend to great Patience, Humility, Modesty, Charity and* 1.2
Silence in presence of their Superiour or others; their eyes are alwayes fixed downwards, their heads hanging towards their breast, and their bodies bending forwards.
Their shirts are of the coursest Linnen can be made, with a White* 1.3 Plad or Mantle about their shoulders: but most wear a loose kind of Garment made of Wool at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or in Anatolia, of a dark colour; their Caps or what they wear on their heads, is like the Crown of a Hat of the largest size, made of course Camels hair of a whitish colour; their Legs are alwayes bare, and their Breasts open, which some of them burn or sear in token of greater devotion: they wear also a Lea∣thern girdle with some shining stone upon the Buckle before, either of Marble or Alablaster, Porphyry, Ivory, or some thing that makes a great shew or luster.
Besides their Fast of Ramazan, they keep a weekly Fast on every* 1.4 Thursday, on which day, none unless for some indisposition of health or other lawful cause, hath license to eat, untill after Sun-setting.
Every Tuesday and Friday the Superiour of the Convent makes a Sermon or exposition of some Verses in the Alchoran, or out of the Books wrote by their Founder, or some other prime Doctor of the Ma∣hometan Law; after which is done, the Dervises with marvellous mo∣desty* 1.5 and reverence bowing to their Superiour, begin to turn round,
some of them with that swift motion, that their faces can scarce be seen; a certain Pipe made of a Cane, sounding all the time of this mo∣tion; and on a sudden when the Musick ceases, they all stop with that exactness and firmness, shewing no symptoms of a disordered or swim∣mimg brain; to which having accustomed themselves from their infan∣cy or youth, in some years that motion becomes as natural, with as little disturbance to their Head or Stomach, as to walk forward, or to use any other exercise which nature is delighted with. This custom (they say) they observe with great devotion in imitation of their first Founder Mevelana, who for fourteen dayes together, and without ta∣king any nourishment, used this Vertiginous motion by a miraculous assistance (his Friend Hamze, or Companion, all that time sounding by him with his Flute or Pipe) untill at last falling into an extasie, he re∣ceived strange 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and divine commands for the institution of this his Order: the Pipe they play on, they esteem for an ancient and sanctifyed sort of Musick, and to be that with which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and the other holy Shepherds in the Old Testament praised God.
It hath a doleful melancholy sound; but their constant exercise and application thereunto makes it as Musical as can be imagined in such an Instrument: the best of those Canes are esteemed to come from 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and are of twenty five 〈◊〉〈◊〉 price. But this sort of devotion with instrumental Musick, is by Turks themselves disputed against, denying that their Founder, who was so spiritual a man, did ever institute, or himself use Musick in his turning round; because the Alchoran expresse∣ly forbids all devotion and service of God with Musick, but only with the natural and living voice; And that is the reason, why in calling their people to prayers they use no Bells, but only the voice of a man; and for this cause I remember, that in my time prohibitions have been made by publick Authority against this practice of the Dervises. But they on the contrary, alledging Davids example, and his Dancing before the Ark as Arguments for their Musick and Giration, have by the help of several persons in power, many of them being greatly affected with their devotion, maintained from time to time this custom and instituti∣on of the first Founder of this Order, notwithstanding that one Vanni 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a great 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or Preacher, esteemed as a knowing Person by the Grand Signior and all the Court, hath by his Authority endea∣voured to Reform this Corruption (as he calls it) amongst them.
They profess Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, like Capuchin Friers* 1.6 or other Orders of St. Francis; but if any have not the gift of conti∣nence; he may obtain License to leave his Convent and marry; but of these, they observe that none ever thrived or lived happily with con∣tentment, that renounced this Dedication to Gods Service.
The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 serve in the most servile Offices, and in time others sup∣ply* 1.7 their places; they lie as companions two together in a Cell, some of which employ their time in Learning to Read and Write in Turkish, Arabick and Persian; but most yield to their slothful temperament to which they are naturally addicted: but because the nature of man is restless, and must employ it self either in good or bad actions; most of these associates exercise some kind of Legerdemain, or tricks to amuse the minds of the common people; and some really apply themselves to
〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Conjurations by help of familiar spirits. Busbequius tells strange Stories of one with whom he was acquainted, that he would strike a stone of great weight and bigness against his bare Breast with that force and violence as were sufficient to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 down an Ox, or break the bones of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gyant; and that the same man he hath seen take an Iron Bar red hot from the fire and hole it in his mouth, and though the spittle and moisture of his mouth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the heat, yet he seemed to take it thence again without the least 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or burning imaginable.
This sort of people of all other 〈◊〉〈◊〉, addict themselves to drink Wine, Strong-Waters, and other intoxicating Liquors; and eat Opium in that quantity, by degrees using their bodies thereunto, that no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or Mithridates himself who was nourished with poison, are ca∣pable to digest half that proportion that these men will do; the effect of which is at first, like men drunk or mad, to raise their spirits to a sort of distracted Mirth, and afterwards when the subtle vapours are con∣sumed and spent, and a dull stupefaction overcomes them, they name it an extasie, which they account very holy and divine in imitation of their first Founder, who was often observed to put himself into this condi∣tion; and therefore what helps may be found to excite Mirth or di∣straction, is lawful and allowable in this Order.
There is a famous Monastery of these in Egypt, invocating for their Saint one Kederlee, which by the Stories they tell of him should be St. George, in conformity with whom all other Dervises maintain a Re∣verend 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of this Saint, affirming that in his life he was a valiant Horseman, killed Dragons and all sorts of venemous Beasts; and now being departed this life, God for preservation of good men hath given him power to deliver such as being in distress, invoaks his assistance; especially those who are at Sea, and at the point of shipwrack; and that he with an extraordinary swiftness of motion flies from one part of the world to another in the twinkling of an eye, and seasonably comes in to their succour. These by vertue of that blessing Kederlee confers upon them, pretend to charm Serpents and Adders, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them as fa∣miliarly as we do the most innocent and domestick creatures; which art, as I have heard from good Authority, is not peculiar in Egypt only to Dervises, but to other men who are said to be naturally endued with a vertue against the poisonous bites of Vipers and other venomous Beasts; who putting great numbers of them into a bag together, do 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and sort them out with their hands, as one would do Worms or Muscles; and others with a word charm Serpents from moving as they crawl along the Banks of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which gifts these men pretend to inherit from their Parents, and others to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in reward of their vertues and sanctity. This sort of Egyptian Dervises have Sainted the Horse of St. George, and have seated him in Paradise with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 other three beasts in high respect and esteem amongst the Turks, viz. the Asse on which Christ road, the Camel of Mahomet, and the Dog of the seven Sleepers.
These Dervises have Monasteries in the most famous places of the Turkish Empire, which serve the travelling Pilgrims of this Order for Inns and places of entertainment: for they above all other Religious Turks, journey and travel from one place to another, where the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Religion is professed, under pretence of preaching and propaga∣ting their Faith; and thus they travel upon Charity of their Monaste∣ries and Alms of others into Persia, China, and the Dominions of the Mogul, by which means they become the best spies and intelligencers of any that are found in the Eastern parts of the world.
I remember at Adrianople to have seen the Ruine of one of these Mo∣nasteries situated on a pleasant hill, and in good Air, that oversees the whole City and Plains round about; which upon enquiry I understand was demolished by the famous Visier Kuperli; because it was discove∣red to be a Rendezvous of the lewd Women of the Town, and a Stew where the young Gallants debauched the Wives of the richest Turks, to whom their Husbands had given liberty in honour to the Sanctity of the place, to be often present at the devotion of the Dervises; but their way of practice being too publick and scandalous, the Foundation of their house by the order of the Visier was razed to the ground.
Their Supe∣riour.
Their Po∣stures.
Their Cloathing.
Their Fasts.
Their turning round.
Their 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
Their Em∣ployment.