[(3.)] “They place much confidence in our religion.”—This passage in Neumann’s edition stands thus: “Sie machent vil geuartiezi unsers geloubes.” The word “geuartiezi” does not appear in the editions of 1475 (?), 1549 and 1814; Neumann does not explain it; Koehler (Germania, etc., herausgegeben von F. Pfeifer; Wien, vii, 1862), who undertook to correct the errors of Neumann, asks “Was ist geuartiezi?” and Professor Bruun (Russian edition) believes it to be untranslatable, although he thinks the author meant to imply that the Armenian had borrowed largely from the Roman Catholic Church, or at all events that the one assimilated the other in its types and ceremonies.
The word “geuärd” occurs in chapter 20, and is possibly intended for gewähr; I have rendered it as “right”, or justification from a sense of confidence. Timour’s youngest wife (see page 29) was anxious to satisfy her lord, that the letter and ring had been sent to her by one of his vassals without any assurance, any confidence on her part, to warrant him in so doing. It appears to me, considering the careless manner in which the transcriber has performed his work in other places, that a similar interpretation is to be applied to “geuartiezi” as to “geuärd”; the words that immediately follow implying prepossession on the part of the Armenians in favour of the Church of Rome—“they also willingly go to Mass in our churches, which the Greeks do not”; apparently because “They place much confidence (have much faith) in our religion”.—Ed.
[(4.)] “a saint named Aurencius.”—St. Auxentius, priest-martyr, is fêted in the Armeno-Catholic Church on December 25th, and in the Greek Church on December 13th, N. S.—Bruun.
[(5.)] “Saint James the Great.”—St. James the Apostle is confounded with St. James bishop of Nisibis, a near relative and contemporary of St. Gregory “the Enlightener”.—Bruun.
[(6.)] “his name is Zerlichis.”—Sarghis, St. Sergius, was a martyr. The Armenians celebrate his festival fifteen days before Lent. The Armeno-Catholics keep the day on February 24th, and the Greek Church on January 2nd (Bishop Aïvazoffsky).—Bruun.
[(7.)] “our Lady’s day in Lent, which they do not hold as we do.”—The Armenians do not fast in the name of the Twelve Apostles, and the Ave Maria occurs only in the services of the Armeno-Catholics. On the day of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, a hymn is chanted, in which are introduced the words that were spoken to Mary by the Angel.—Bruun.
[(8.)] “then they bury him altogether.”—It is quite true that prayers are daily repeated over a grave for the space of a week, and each person attending throws a handful of earth on it as prescribed by the rubric; but the gradual interment is an invention.—Bruun.
[(9.)] “God forgive thee thy sins.”—Asstwadz toghoukhyoùn ta mekhytt, is here intended for the words of absolution pronounced by the priest; but it would be more correct to say—Asstwadz toghoukhuyoùn schnorhestzè—May God grant you absolution. For “Ogoruicka” we should read Ogormya or Ogormyha, the modern phrase being: Ter voghormyà yndz—Lord have mercy upon us; but Meghà Asdoutzò—I have sinned before God—is more commonly said by the people.—Ed.
[(10.)] “counts, and knights, who are subject to him.”—The Armeno-Catholics adopted Low Mass at the commencement of the 14th century. In ancient times prayers were offered for the sovereign and all Christian kings and princes; but never specially for the Roman emperor.—Bruun.