DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9697#0276
212
COVEL'S DIARY.
paires ; these rest sometime likewise. Sthly, they have
2 brasse platters about foot wide, which they hang loose in
their hands, and clatter them one against the other.
I am very inclinable to believe all this Musick old, and
mention'd in Scripture. These last either were the cym-
bals mention'd in Chron. 15, 19. At the sounding of the
Musick above 200 Mestejes (or firemen) came from the
G. Sr.'s stables (which were hard by) into the Ring, bear-
ing their Beacons upon their shouldjers, and singing all the
way a prayer for the G. Sr. in such a dismal tone, which,
with the noyse of the musick before named, and all the
lights and fires, and the black Tooloonjcs muving up and
down, gave me the perfectest representation of Hell that
ever I yet saw upon earth ; yet the Turkes count it a
heavenly thing. I do verily believe our custome of pulling
of our hat, and bidding good evening at lighting up, or
bringing in of the first lights or candles (as like wise all
Greekes, Jewes, Armenians, and the Italians here give the
biwna sera at the first light), was a very antient custome all
over the East, and this prayer of the Mestejes is nothing
else. They set their lights round the ring and tend them
with fuell. Those before the Sultana, G. Sr., Vizier, etc.,
wer 6 or 8 branches upon the same stalk ; the others were
single. This shewes you something to conceive the double
ones by. There were about 200 Tooloonjcs to keep of the
rabble, continually waiting; and though they suffcr'cl no
Turke to go in, yet we could passe and repasse without
the least difficulty imaginable. All the lights placed and
orderd, besides the light of the moon assisting, the sports
and dances begin afresh, which continued commonly till
midnight; sometimes much longer, seldome lesse.
On May the 21st was nothing to doe, for just about sun
set was such a terrible Burasca of wind, thunder, lightning,
rain, and hail (very great) mixt together, as almost blew
down their tents, beat out all their lamps, and spoil'd all
COVEL'S DIARY.
paires ; these rest sometime likewise. Sthly, they have
2 brasse platters about foot wide, which they hang loose in
their hands, and clatter them one against the other.
I am very inclinable to believe all this Musick old, and
mention'd in Scripture. These last either were the cym-
bals mention'd in Chron. 15, 19. At the sounding of the
Musick above 200 Mestejes (or firemen) came from the
G. Sr.'s stables (which were hard by) into the Ring, bear-
ing their Beacons upon their shouldjers, and singing all the
way a prayer for the G. Sr. in such a dismal tone, which,
with the noyse of the musick before named, and all the
lights and fires, and the black Tooloonjcs muving up and
down, gave me the perfectest representation of Hell that
ever I yet saw upon earth ; yet the Turkes count it a
heavenly thing. I do verily believe our custome of pulling
of our hat, and bidding good evening at lighting up, or
bringing in of the first lights or candles (as like wise all
Greekes, Jewes, Armenians, and the Italians here give the
biwna sera at the first light), was a very antient custome all
over the East, and this prayer of the Mestejes is nothing
else. They set their lights round the ring and tend them
with fuell. Those before the Sultana, G. Sr., Vizier, etc.,
wer 6 or 8 branches upon the same stalk ; the others were
single. This shewes you something to conceive the double
ones by. There were about 200 Tooloonjcs to keep of the
rabble, continually waiting; and though they suffcr'cl no
Turke to go in, yet we could passe and repasse without
the least difficulty imaginable. All the lights placed and
orderd, besides the light of the moon assisting, the sports
and dances begin afresh, which continued commonly till
midnight; sometimes much longer, seldome lesse.
On May the 21st was nothing to doe, for just about sun
set was such a terrible Burasca of wind, thunder, lightning,
rain, and hail (very great) mixt together, as almost blew
down their tents, beat out all their lamps, and spoil'd all