186
EARLY CHRISTIANITY
little with those which, from such professions, we might be led to expect. The Christians of Jerusalem were subjected to a heavy tribute, and to such galling conditions as were calculated to give a tolerable foretaste of what might follow.[1] The treat-
- ↑ The following are the conditions of the capture of Jerusalem by Omar. "That the Christians should build no new churches, either in the city or the adjacent territory, either by night or day. That they should set open the doors of them to all passengers and travellers. If any Mussulman should be upon a journey, they should be obliged to entertain him gratis the space of three days. That they should not teach their children the Alcoran, nor talk openly of their religion, nor persuade any one to be of it: neither should they hinder any of their relations from becoming Mahometans, if they had an inclination to it. That they should pay respect to the Mussulmans, and rise up to them if they have a mind to sit down. That they should not go like the Mussulmans in their dress; nor wear such caps, shoes, nor turbants, nor part their hair as they do, nor speak after the same manner, nor be called by the same names used by the Mussulmans. Neither should they ride upon saddles, nor bear any sort of arms, nor use the Arabic tongue in the inscriptions of their seals; nor sell any wine. That they should be obliged to keep to the same sort of habit wheresoever they went, and always wear girdles upon their waists. That they should set no crosses upon their churches, nor shew their crosses nor their books openly in the streets of the Mussulmans. That they should not ring, but only toll their bells. Nor take any servant that had once belonged to the Mussulmans. Neither should they overlook them in their houses. Some say, that Omar commanded the inhabitants of Jerusalem to have the fore parts of their heads shaven, and obliged them to ride upon the pannels sideways, and not like the Mussulmans." Ockley, Hist. of the Saracens, vol. i. p. 257.
