First edition of a detailed description of a procession in the city of Mecca on 16 July 1728, ordered by Ahmed III, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire at that time. It was written by António Correia de Lemos, whose pseudonym was João Carlos de Antonio. The first part of the work opens with some remarks on the Ottoman Empire and its greatest extent before Correia de Lemos focuses on the procession held at Mecca in 1728. The Sultan (the text calls for Mustafa II, but he had already died in 1703, so Ahmed III seems more plausible) was depressed as a large Persian force was marching against the Ottoman Empire. To win the favour of God and Mohammed against the arms of the Persians and to quell the plague, which occurred every year in the city, he ordered all governors and religious men in the Ottoman Empire to congregate at Mecca for an Islamic prayer procession. The present work contains an extensive description of the preparations for the procession, the procession itself and detailed descriptions of the several groups that participated in it. The first part also contains translations of the edicts of both the Sultan as his Mufti, dated 1727 (= AH 1140) and 1728 (= AH 1141). The second part of the work includes Mufti's speech delivered at Mecca, but also other details on the Islamic customs during the procession. The work ends with an extensive story of the life of the Islamic prophet Mohammed.
A few spots throughout, some very light toning to the wrappers, bookblock "broken" as both quires are glued on the wrappers, margins trimmed close to the text with loss of some quire signatures. Otherwise in good condition. A very rare work on Islamic customs in Mecca, seldomly found complete. Coimbra, Catalogo de miscelânea: MIsc. 17, 391-392; Innocencio, I, p. 116; VIII, p. 118; Porbase (1 copy: part 1 only); WorldCat (5 copies: 2 with part 1 only).