situation of their country, which you may see in the maps; or a relation of their ancient greatness, which you may read in the Roman history.  They are now subject to the Turks; and, being very industrious in trade, and increasing and multiplying, are dispersed in great numbers through all the Turkish dominions.  They were, as they say, converted to the Christian religion by St Gregory, and are perhaps the devoutest (sic), Christians in the whole world.  The chief precepts of their priests enjoin the strict keeping of their lents, which are, at least seven months in every year, and are not to be dispensed with on the most emergent necessity; no occasion whatever can excuse them, if they touch any thing more than mere herbs or roots (without oil) and plain dry bread.  That is their constant diet.—­Mr W——­y has one of his interpreters of this nation, and the poor fellow was brought so low, by the severity of his fasts, that his life was despaired of.  Yet neither his master’s commands, nor the doctor’s entreaties (who declared nothing else could save his life) were powerful enough to prevail with him to take two or three spoonfuls of broth.  Excepting this, which may rather be called a custom than an article of faith, I see very little in their religion different from ours.  ’Tis true, they seem to incline very much to Mr Whiston’s doctrine; neither do I think the Greek church very distant from it, since ’tis certain, the holy Spirit’s proceeding only from the Father, is making a plain subordination in the Son.—­But the Armenians have no notion of transubstantiation, whatever account Sir Paul Rycaut gives of them, (which account, I am apt to believe, was designed to compliment our Court in 1679;) and they have a great horror for those amongst them, that change to the Roman religion.  What is most extraordinary in their customs, is their matrimony; a ceremony, I believe, unparallell’d (sic) all over the world.  They are always promised very young; but the espoused never see one another, till three days after their marriage.  The bride is carried to church, with a cap on her head, in the fashion of a large trencher, and over it a red silken veil, which covers her all over to her feet.  The priest asks the bridegroom, Whether he is contented to marry that woman, be she deaf, be she blind? These are the literal words:  to which having answered, yes, she is led home to his house, accompanied with all the friends and relations on both sides, singing and dancing, and is placed on a cushion in the corner of the sofa; but her veil is never lifted up, not even by her husband.  There is something so odd and monstrous in these ways, that I could not believe them, till I had inquired of several Armenians myself, who all assured me of the truth of them, particularly one young fellow, who wept when he spoke of it, being promised by his mother to a girl that he must marry in this manner, though he protested to me, he had rather die than submit to this slavery, having already figured his bride to himself with all the deformities of nature.—­I fancy I see you bless yourself at this terrible relation.  I cannot conclude my letter with a more surprising story; yet ’tis as seriously true, as that I am, Dear sister, yours, &c. &c.