among the Mahometans; a term of similar import with heretics among Christians.

The Jezides are a numerous sect inhabiting Turkey and Persia, so called from their head Jezid, an Arabian prince, who slew the sons of Ali, Mahomet's father-in-law; for which reason he is reckoned a parricide, and his followers heretics. There are about 20,000 Jezides in Turkey and Persia; who are of two sorts, black and white. The white are clad like Turks; and distinguished only by their shirts, which are not slit at the neck like those of others, but have only a round hole to thrust their heads through. This is in memory of a golden ring, or circle of light, which descended from heaven upon the neck of their chief, the head of their religion, after his undergoing a fast of forty days. The black Jezides, though married, are the monks or religious of the order; and these are called Fakirs.

The Turks exact excessive taxes from the Jezides, who hate the Turks as their mortal enemies; and when, in their wrath, they curse any creature, they call it mufallman: but they are great lovers of the Christians, being more fond of Jesus Christ than of Mahomet, and are never circumcised but when they are forced to it. They are extremely ignorant, and believe both the Bible and the Koran without reading either of them; they make vows and pilgrimages, but have no places of religious worship.

All the adoration they pay to God consists of some songs in honour of Jesus Christ, the virgin, Moses, and sometimes Mahomet; and it is a principal point of their religion never to speak ill of the devil, lest he should resent the injury, if ever he should come to be in favour with God again, which they think possible; whenever they speak of him, they call him the angel Peacock. They bury their dead in the first place they come at, rejoicing as at a festival, and celebrating the entry of the deceased into heaven. They go in companies like the Arabians, and change their habitations every 15 days. When they get wine, they drink it to excess; and it is said, that they sometimes do this with a religious purpose, calling it the blood of Christ. They buy their wives; and the market-price is 200 crowns for all women, handsome or not, without distinction.