Page:Busbecq, Travels into Turkey (1744).pdf/70

 they Camlet it, or give it its Water-colour; 'tis done thus. They pour Water upon it, and by means of a Cloth-press, cause it to receive that Colour. That is counted the best, which is most variegated in every part; and if, in any Piece, the Water-colours do not deeply and uniformly appear, that Piece, though of the same Colour, and made of the same Wool, is valued at some Gilders less than another, because it is not so deeply tinctured. The better sort of Turks, in their old Age, are usually clothed with this Sort of Cloth, and Solyman himself used to wear Vests of it; but Green is a Colour disused much by Christians; and the rather, because the Turks commend it upon a Superstituous Account, as being worn by their Prophet Mahomet in his older Days.

A black Colour is counted unfortunate, and is disliked by them; and, when they see any Man so clad, they look on it as an ill Omen; so that when any of ours did approach the Bashaw's, in a black Habit, they look'd a-squint on us, and made sad Complaints; and the Truth is, none of their own appear in black, but either one that is desperately poor, or else so overwhelm'd with some great Calamity, that he regards not what Cloaths he wears. A Purple Colour is a creditable Colour with them; only it is an Omen of much Bloodshed in Time of War: But the ordinary approved Colours among them, are the White, the Yellow, the Sea-Green, the Violet-Colour, and Mouse-Colour, &c.

Turks ascribe very much to Augury, and Omens, Good or Bad, so that it hath been known, that some Bashaws have been removed from their Places and Offices, by reason of a Fall from their Horse; as if that were an Omen of some ill Luck, which is averted from the Publick, by falling on