The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427Schiltberger, Johannes
History
The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427
Schiltberger, Johannes
Timur, 1336-1405 -- Early works to 1800; Turkey -- History -- Bayezid I, 1389-1403; Voyages and travels -- Early works to 1800
It is also to be noted how a Christian, from the beginning, becomes an
Infidel. When a Christian wants to become an Infidel, he must before
all men raise a finger, and say the words: “La il lach illallach;”
Machmet is his true messenger.(1) And when he says this, they take him
to the high priest; then he must repeat the above written words before
the priest, and must deny the Christian faith, and when he has done
that, they put on him a new dress, and the priest binds a new kerchief
on his head; and this they do that it may be seen he is an Infidel,
because Christians wear blue kerchiefs, and the Jews, yellow kerchiefs,
on the head. Then the priest asks all the people to put on their
armour, and who has to ride, rides; also all the priests who are in the
neighbourhood. And when the people come, they put him on a horse, and
then the common people must ride before him, and the priests go behind
him, with trumpets, cymbals and fifes, and two priests ride near him;
and so they lead him about in the town; and the Infidels cry with a
loud voice and praise Machmet, and the two priests say to him these
words: “Thary wirdur, Messe chulidur, Maria cara baschidur, Machmet
kassuldur”: which is as much as to say; There is one God, and the
Messiah his servant, Mary his maid, and Machmet his chief messenger.(2)
After they have led him everywhere in the city, from one street to
another, then they lead him into the temple and circumcise him. If he
is poor, they make a large collection and give it to him, and the great
lords shew particular honour to him, and make him rich; this they do,
that Christians may be more willing to be converted to their faith. _If
it is a woman who wants to change her religion_,[1] she is also taken
to the high priest, and must say the above words. The priest then takes
the woman’s girdle, cuts it in two, and makes of it a cross; on this,
the woman must stamp three times,[2] deny the Christian faith, and must
say the other words above written. The Infidels have a good custom
among their merchants, when one wants to buy from another, whatever
be the merchandise. The buyer says to the seller, that he should make
a just profit on what he buys, so that he also might live; so that he
takes no more profit than one pfenning in forty pfennings, which is
equal to one gulden in forty guldens, and no more; this they call a
right purchase and profit, and this Machmet has also commanded them,
so that the poor, like the rich, might live. The priests also always
say in their sermons, that they should help each other and be subject
to their superiors, and the rich are to be humble before the poor, and
when they do this, God Almighty gives them strength and might against
their enemies; and whatever their priest says to them about spiritual
things, they are obedient and submissive to it. This is the faith of
Machmet which he has given to the Infidels as his law, such as it is,
as I then heard it from them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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