Page:Busbecq, Travels into Turkey (1744).pdf/254

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and relieve him; and thereupon he gave me a piece of it, telling me I must use it very sparingly: I desired Dr. Williams, my Physician, then alive, to taste of it, who, by its biting and inflaming the Mouth, judged it to be a root of the Wolfleaf-tree.

Let me now tell you another wondrous Story of another wandering Turkish Monk. He wore a Cap and white Cloak down to his Heels, with long Hair, such as Painters draw the Apostles with. He had a promising Countenance, but was a meer Impostor; and, yet the Turks admired him as a miraculous Man. My Interpreters were persuaded to bring him to me, that I might see him. He dined with me soberly and modesty enough; afterwards he goes down into the Yard, and upon his return, he takes up a huge Stone, and struck with it divers times upon his naked Breast, as many Blows as would have felled an Ox: Then he took a piece of Iron, that was heated in the Fire on purpose, and thrust it into his Mouth, where he stirred it up and down so that his Spittle hiss'd again; 'twas a long piece of Iron, thick and quadrangular in that part which he thrust into his Mouth, and it was red-hot as a live Coal: Then he put the Iron into the Fire again, and after I had made him a Present, he saluted me and departed. My Domesticks wonder'd at the Trick, all but one, who pretended he knew more than all the rest; Oh, says he, he is a meer Cheat; and thereupon he takes hold of the stronger part of the Iron, pretending he could do as much as the Juggler. He had no sooner grasped it in his Hands, than he threw it away, and his Fingers were well burnt for his Audaciousness, so that they were many days a curing. This Accident caused his Fellows to laugh, and jearingly to ask, whe-