took place
with much confusion, and with such a noise, that the Janissaries, who
had to preserve order, were obliged to strike the persons engaged in
them as well as the spectators. This statement is confirmed by the
account, which they and other travellers give, of the _holy fire_
of the Greeks and other schismatics. Benedict XIV observes that no
mention is made of the supposed miracle of the holy fire by early
Christian writers who lived at Jerusalem; as Eusebius, S. Jerome, S.
Epiphanius, or S. Cyril bishop of Jerusalem. It is however spoken of
by Bernard a Frank monk of the ninth century, and in a Pontifical
of the church of Poictiers of about the tenth century: by Hugo
Flaviniacensis in Chronico Virdunensi, in the discourse of Urban II
in the council of Claremont, and in other documents of the middle
ages mentioned by Martene (lib. IV, c. XXIV). Lupi (tom. 4, Conc. gen.
etc.) thinks it probable, that the custom of burning lights and the
paschal candle on this day was instituted, in order to return thanks
to God for a miracle (which _may_ of old have happened at Jerusalem)
and to announce it to all nations.

I shall now extract a brief account of the scene of confusion enacted
in modern times at Jerusalem on such occasions from Thevenot, in whose
work is a print representing it. "After our Catholic office was ended"
says he, "we prepared to enjoy the sight of the holy fire of the
Greeks, Armenians and Copts, whose priests make their people believe,
that on holy Saturday fire descends from heaven into the holy
Sepulchre, and on that account make each of their pilgrims, who are
very numerous, pay some money. This solemnity appears rather a comedy
or a farce than a church-ceremony, and is very unbecoming in a place
so sacred as the holy Sepulchre. After we had finished our service,
which was about eight in the morning, they, extinguished all their
lamps and those of the holy Sepulchre, and then they commenced their
folly, running round the holy Sepulchre, like mad people, crying,
howling, _et faisans un bruit de diables_; it was charming to see
them running one after another, kicking and striking one another with
cords; many of them together held men in their arms, and going round
the holy Sepulchre, let them fall, and then raised horrible shouts
of laughter, while they who had fallen ran after the others to avenge
themselves: it seemed that both old and young were downright mad. From
time to time they raised their ey