Part 22
The town _Hayphe_ lieth at the bottom of the mount _Carmelo_, is pretty large but very ill built, and the houses are so decay’d, that half of it is not fit to be inhabited. _Salidinus_, King of the _Saracens_, who in his time carry’d on long and heavy wars against the Christians, and was almost hardly able to resist them, caused the walls of it, and also that of _Cæsarea_ in _Palestina_, and others of less strength, to be pull’d down, that his enemies might not find any place of reception against him.
Out of this port, as we were afterwards inform’d, was a little time before taken away a pretty large and richly loaden ship by some pirates, which vexed the inhabitants very much, and being that the Christians chiefly were much suspected by them, they had a great desire to revenge it upon them again; so that we, had not our master been very honest, should have suffered for the loss they had sustain’d.
After we had lain there at anchor till after midnight, not without danger, as you may imagine, our master made haste to get out to sea, although it was very calm, in hopes to get good weather. After they had wrought very hard, a good wind arose behind us towards the morning, and drove us along, so that we got soon about, and pass’d the point of the mountain, and saw the country on the other side, which was above on the height so pleasant, green and shady, that there in a village resides a _Turkish_ Sangiack for pleasure’s sake.
Nor far from thence lieth the castle of the Pilgrims in the sea, by the inhabitants call’d _Altlit_, where most of them touch that take their way through _Galilæa_ and _Nazareth_ to _Jerusalem_. This hath been in former ages so well fortify’d with walls and bastions, that it was thought to be impregnable; but now it is on two sides towards the sea so demolish’d and destroy’d, that one may very reasonably guess, that it hath been formerly taken by storm.
The wind still encreasing more and more, we went on with such a swiftness, that although two little ships pursued us towards morning, yet they were forced to leave us, and so we soon passed the castle, and came towards _Dor_, three leagues distance from thence; it lieth near mount _Carmel_ in the country of _Phœnecia_, as _Josephus_ testifieth; and it is so decay’d that there is nothing more extant than a large and high tower, which the inhabitants still call _Dortaite_. In this country when the Jews took _Canaan_ the Land of Promise, they let the inhabitants remain, as you may read in the first chapter of the _Judges_.
At a leagues distance from thence, you see the ancient and famous town _Cæsaria_ of _Palestine_, situated by the sea on a high bank, which King _Herod_ did renew; and call’d it after the Emperor _Cæsarea_, which still to this day, among the _Turks_ and _Moors_, retaineth it’s ancient name _Kæsarie_. In this town did live the pious centurian _Cornelius_, who was baptized there with his whole family by _Peter_ the Apostle, who was call’d thither from the town _Joppe_. There did also live _Philip_ the Evangelist, one of the seven Deacons, into whose house the holy Apostle _Paul_ did go, and staid there some days; where also the Prophet _Agabus_ did foretel him, That he was to be made a prisoner at _Jerusalem_. Now although this town in those days was very well built, as one may still see by the important and stately antiquities that are still remaining there, yet now in our times it is in walls and buildings so mightily decay’d, that it is hardly fit to be inhabited, much less to be defended, or to make any resistance. And for all that it is still pretty large, but so lonesome and so depopulated, that we could hardly see any body in the large and broad streets thereof as we passed by.
For some leagues before, or about it, I saw nothing remarkable, only a _Turkish_ Mosque, or church, in the height upon a hilly shore, where they meet to worship _Mahomet_.
When the evening broke in, we had still ten leagues to sail to the port or harbour of _Joppe_, where the pilgrims use to go ashore to travel by land to _Jerusalem_, yet the wind drove us on with such a force, that we got into it two hours after sun-set.
CHAP. II.
_A short relation of my travels by land from the harbour of ~Joppe~, to the city of ~Jerusalem~._
In the morning early as soon as the day did appear, which was the thirteenth day of _September_ 1575, we got on shore, and dispatch’d immediately some to the town of _Rama_, two leagues distant from thence, to get us a safe conduct or pass, from the Sangiack, and to bring along with them some Mockeri, or ass-driving carriers, to provide us carriage to _Jerusalem_. In the mean while we stay’d upon the high rocky shore, where the town _Joppe_ did stand formerly, which at this time was so demolish’d that there was not one house to be found, where the pilgrims at their arrival could shelter themselves, save only three large vaults, which went very deep into the hill, and extended themselves towards the sea. Into these are sometimes the Pilgrims let in, but being that at that time, a great deal of corn was laid up there, whereunto they still daily added, on purpose to supply _Constantinople_ during the scarcity, it was forbidden that any body should be let in.
The town _Joppe_, by the inhabitants call’d _Japha_, is by it’s old name very well known to us, by the books of the Prophets and Apostles, _&c._ where we read, That the Prophet _Jonas_, when the Lord bid him to preach to the _Ninevites_ desolation and destruction, for fear did retire thither, and there took ship, where he was thrown out into the seas in the great storm and tempest, and swallow’d up by a great fish; and after he had been there for three days and nights he was vomited out again. And we read also in the _Acts of the Apostles_, in the ninth and tenth chapter, from _Peter_ the Apostle, That he lay, or tarry’d, for a while at the house of _Simon_ the Tanner, where he raised the sister _Tabitha_ from the dead, _&c._
_Joppe_ at that time was very well built and fortify’d, which doth appear, because a good many of the Jews did, at the time of the desolation of _Jerusalem_, retire thither, to defend themselves against the might of the _Romans_, although it was but in vain; for being that the time of the punishment, that was to befall them, was at hand, the city therefore was two several times one after another, besieged and taken, and demolish’d, and as _Josephus_ testifieth, about 12600 Jews were kill’d in it. We also read, That after the time of _Gotfrid de Boullion_, when the Christians lost again the Land of Promise, that then this town was also retaken again by the infidels, and razed to the foundations; so that now there are no antiquities at all to be seen. And I should have doubted very much whether there did ever stand such a town there, had I not seen some large pieces of the ancient town walls still remaining, which are so near to the sea, that there is hardly room to go at the outside of them.
Hard by this I suppose was the habitation of _Simon_ the Tanner, where _Peter_ sojourn’d, because the Evangelist St _Luke_ saith, That it was near to the sea shore.
Above it on the height stand two towers, where some watchmen attend to look after the vaults and ships in the harbour, that they may not be assaulted by the pirates; this harbour, although it is surrounded with rocks and banks, yet it is but very slightly secured, and very narrow and shallow, so that ships of any great bulk or heavy laden, cannot ride in it.
Near to them groweth the _Hemerocallis_, which I have also found about _Montpelier_ and _Aigemort_ near to the sea. And also in the adjacent moist and mashy meadows, I found a delicate kind of _Limonium_ which hath about ten or twelve _Aspleniun_ or _Cetarach_ leaves on both sides; these proceed from a long root of a brown colour without, and red within; between them sprout out two three-square stalks, about a cubit high, with a great many joints, that have three long small leaves, and are adorn’d at the top with beautiful and stately blue and purple colour’d flowers; they are of a drying nature, and the inhabitants use to eat them in sallads.
Presently after dinner our men return’d, and brought along with them the pass and the carriers; our master of the ship left some of the crew in his _Caramusala_ to look after it in our absence; we mounted and went away, and came soon into the plain fields where _Jonathas_, slew _Apollonius_ the Captain, as is said in the first of _Maccabees_ the tenth chapter.
Soon after we saw a pleasant village call’d _Jasura_, and when we came a little nearer, a camp of a great _Turkish_ Lord, who sent (as soon as he espy’d us on the road, and found that we were pilgrims) some of his men to us, to call us before him, and also to tell us, That he was one of them to whom the Grand Sultan had given charge of the Temple and the mount _Calvaria_, with strict order to let no Pilgrim in before they had paid a certain sum of money. So we went along with them, and appeared before him in his tent, put our right hand on our breast, bended ourselves forwards, and made him, according to their custom, his compliments. After he had look’d upon us for a great while, he bid his men to receive the money of us; so each of us paid him nine ducats that had their full weight, except the _Grecian_ who paid only five, and at their request we staid with them all night, because their master intended to send a Janizary with us the next day, to let us into the temple. This Lord, who was an Eunuch, had a great many offices; for in these countries they are by the great ones, as Bashaws, Sangiacks, Cadees, _&c._ so much esteem’d, that in their absence they make them stewards over all their goods and chattels, wives and children, _&c._
At that time he was there to gather great quantity of corn from these fruitful countries, it being harvest time, and to send it from thence to _Joppe_, to go by sea for _Constantinople_.
After midnight we mounted again, and came early in the morning to the town _Rama_, and went into the house of the pilgrims, which _Philip_ Duke of _Burgundy_ bought, and gave it to the Pilgrims as their inn. This is very large, and hath a great many arched chambers within, and a fine well; within the inner court is a pretty large place, all grown over with green Aloës, the juice whereof is brought over to us in large pieces, from the eastern countries, and is very useful in many tedious distempers; _Nicodemus_ did also bring with him, together with myrrh, to the quantity of one hundred pounds, to the grave of _Christ_ our Lord, to bury his body decently according to the Jewish fashion, as you may read in the nineteenth chapter of St _John_. Here we staid almost three days, and had all along enough to do to agree with the Cadi, Subashaw, Clerks, Janizaries and Paityfs, _&c._ about our free passage; so unjust, malicious, and infidel a people are they, that one would hardly believe it.
The town is situated on an ascent in plain fields, as is before said, which extend themselves for two leagues to the hill of the city of _Jerusalem_. These fields are very fruitful, and very well till’d and sown with corn, cotton, and _Indian_ millet. Hereabouts do also grow _Indian_ muskmelions in great quantity, by the _Arabians_ call’d _Batiere_, which are very pleasant and well tasted, chiefly those that are red within; so that in all my travels I hardly met with the like.
The town is pretty large, but very open like unto a village, very pitifully built, where one may still see here and there some signs of old building.
From thence northwards within half a league lieth the town _Diospolis_, formerly call’d _Lidda_, where _Peter_ did visit the Saints, and cured one named _Æneas_, that had had a palsie for eight years. Nothing else is to be seen there, but the church of St _George_, whom the _Turks_ chiefly honour, as a Knight and _Hero_, before all other Saints. After they had quite tired us, during this time, with their continual impertinencies, we agreed with them, and went away early in the morning, and came in good time over the plain, to the mountain of the city of _Jerusalem_, to which we had still four leagues to travel. By the way there appeared presently on the mountains several _Arabians_, and ran before us in great clusters to cut us off in our way, with such violence, that we were almost forced to come to our defence, and to push our way through them by force; for our Janizaries had already flung their iron club into the backside of one of them, and had almost spoil’d him. When they found us to be in earnest, they took something to drink of us and let us alone. So we must, before we arrived at the old destroy’d and ruinated _Jerusalem_ (where there is no joy nor hopes to get any thing, as is in the Heavenly one) soon one after another pay them, just like boys that have lost their game and run the gauntlet.
After we had endured all these brushes we went on, and came to the middle of the way of the mountains, where it was very rough and stony, into a small village call’d _Anatoth_, lying on a height, where we rested a little, and water’d our beasts at a very rich spring, that runs through it by an ancient little church down the hill; this is situated (as _Josephus_ writes in his tenth book and tenth chapter of his Antiquities, or Ancient History) within twenty furlongs of _Jerusalem_. There was born the holy Prophet _Jeremiah_, as you may see in his first chapter; and it is also call’d by _Esaiah_ a pitiful village, which, together with the town _Rama_, did formerly belong to the inheritance of the children of _Benjamin_. Thither went also _Abiathar_, when King _Salomon_ did depose or exclude him from his priesthood, to live on his own ground. A little before it they shew’d us at the top of the height of _Silo_, of mount _Ephraim_, some relicts of the grave of the Holy Prophet _Samuel_, where we could look about for several leagues round, which was of _Ramatha_, or _Arimathea_, as also _Joseph_ the Just, who helped to take _Christ_ down from the cross, and did put him into his own new grave. The town was underneath the mountain where the Prophet _Samuel_ was buried at first, but carry’d up to _Silo_, after the town was taken.
Just when you come to _Jerusalem_, _Nicopolis_ lieth on the left hand upon the height, formerly call’d _Emmaus_, from _Jerusalem_ threescore furlongs distant, as the Scripture telleth us; whither _Christ_ did accompany the two disciples, and explained the Scriptures to them, and at last made himself known to them. We left it and went up to _Jerusalem_, which is now call’d _Gotz_ by the _Arabians_ and _Turks_. The road is very rough and rocky; so that we saw very little, but on each side in the valleys many delicate large olive-trees, and some few vineyards.
The city lieth on the height of the mountains, as the 125th Psalm testifieth. It is not to be seen, until you come over the bare and rough mountains intercepting the prospect of it on this side.
Just before it without on the top of mount _Gihon_, are to be seen still some antiquities of the town _Helia_, which _Adrian_ the Emperor built after the desolation of _Jerusalem_, and called it after his own name _Helia_. This was first taken by _Cosroë_, King of _Persia_, in the time of the Emperor _Heraclius_ who did overcome him again, and afterwards by _Homar_ the third King of the _Saracens_, who demolish’d it; afterwards it was more contracted, and somewhat built again in it’s old place. In these days it is, as well as all that country, under the dominion of the _Turkish_ Emperor.
Before it we dismounted, for no outlandish man hath permission to ride into their towns, and went under the gate _Hebron_, to stay there for the Father Guardian, to whom we had by one of our carriers given notice of our arrival, and also desired him to get us license from the Sangiack to come in. In the mean time some Mendicant Friars came out of the monastry, and received us very kindly. Soon after the Ermin came also riding with his clerk, and ask’d us from whence we came, how many there were of us, and what our names were. And after they had written it down, and every one had paid him his due, to have safe conduct to see the holy places, the Ermin promised it us, and put his right hand upon his head, which is the fashion in these countries, and bended forwards to let us know that we might confide in his promise. Then they let us pass, and the Friars conducted us in, towards the left hand, through some small streets or lanes into the monastry, which is behind on the town-wall towards the west.
This although it is not large and spacious, yet is it very handsome and strong built; we went into lodge there as all Pilgrims do that come there, where Father _Jeremy_ of _Brixen_, a brother of the order of the _Minorites_ of St _Francis_, a Guardian of the holy mount _Zion_, who had been president of this monastry of _Jerusalem_, and of the other of _Bethlehem_ for eighteen years together, received us very kindly. There are but very few Monks in it, and they are of all sorts of nations, as _Italians_, _Spaniards_, _French_, and _Germans_, yet of the last named I found not one when I arrived there. These lead the Pilgrims about, together with an interpreter or _Truschemant_, that understands the _Arabian_ and _Turkish_ language, and shew them the holy places as well within as without the city. But before we went out the Father Guardian admonish’d us, that we must have a care, and not go to the graves of the heathens, which are almost throughout _Turkey_ without the towns near to the highways; for if one or more should, before he was aware of it, which may easily happen, go to them, the _Turks_ would be very much offended at it, partly because they take any one that is not circumcised to be unclean, and so they fear that they might make them also unclean; partly because they are very jealous of their wives, wherefore they permit them not easily to walk or appear in the open street, except they have a mind to go into the bath or bagnio, or to visit the graves of their deceased parents or relations; and where women are present, every one had best to come away, to avoid danger.
After he had said this he went on, saying, That if any should be among us, that were come over the sea, hither, that could not bring very good proof, that they did appear before his Holiness the Pope at _Rome_, and were there absolved by him, that such were in his Holiness’s excommunication, and therefore could not be admitted to see those holy places, much less obtain the indulgences, which in former ages had been left with them, out of great kindness of the Popes, to be distributed among the Pilgrims, wherefore he desired, that every one might shew him their certificates. All these points he used to propound to every one that cometh there, in course, as I had heard before of several that had been there formerly; that they were very glad to see Pilgrims arrive, and that they used to shew the holy places to them also that bring no recommendation from his Holiness the Pope, hoping that they will recompense them at their departure. Wherefore I did not much mind this excommunication, but let that remain in it’s ancient credit; but my comrades, two whereof were Priests that used to say mass, were very much astonish’d at it, and full of trouble, that they should be under his Holiness’s excommunication before they were aware of it; wherefore they began to excuse themselves, and said, That they did not know any thing of it, neither had they had any opportunity in their travels to come to _Rome_; but although this had been omitted before their arrival, yet they would certainly do it as they went back. Notwithstanding all this the Guardian seem’d to be very earnest, and made shew as if he could not absolve them; yet at last, after he had long enough kept them in this fear, he began to declare, that he had also received full power from his Holiness, and the whole _Roman Catholic_ church, to absolve all those that did not bring any certificates. And so at last absolved us in the cloisters of his monastry in _Latin_ with these words: _I absolve you of all your sins in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost._ And with this he concluded his speech.
CHAP. III.
_A plain description of the city of ~Jerusalem~, as it was to be seen in our time; and of the adjacent countries._
The glorious and kingly city of _Jerusalem_ (which formerly the _Saracens_ called _Kurzitadon_, but now is named _Chutz_ by the inhabitants) is still situated in the old place, in the middle of _Judea_ on the high mountains, and as the head is extolled above the rest; which may be concluded, partly because from thence you may see all the country as from a center, partly also because the springs rise here, and so run down, as from a higher place, every way and to every part thereof; as the holy Prophet _Ezekiel_ doth testify in his fourteenth chapter, where he saith; _That at that time fresh streams shall flow from Jerusalem, half thereof to the sea toward the east, and the other half towards the farthest sea_. There are also many other places of Scripture that[4] testify the high situation of _Jerusalem_, as in the eighth chapter of the _Acts_, verse 26. where the angel of the Lord spake unto _Phillip_, saying, _Arise and go towards the south, unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza_, &c. And in the tenth chapter of St _Mark_, and the thirty-second verse, _And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem_. And the tenth chapter of St _Luke_, verse 30. _A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho._ And verse 31. _And by chance there came down a certain priest that way_, &c.
The situation of _Jericho_, together with the great plains thereabout, through which the river _Jordan_ runs from the north towards the south, together with the Dead-sea, where formerly _Sodom_ and _Gomorrah_ stood, you see from the town, over a barren hill below, so plainly, that one would think we might go thither with ease in three hours, and yet it would require a whole day’s journey. Beyond the river that separateth _Arabia_ from _Judæa_, lie the high hills _Abarim_ and _Nebo_, over-against _Jericho_, whence _Moses_, (as is said, _Deuteronomy_ the 32d and 34th chapters) had a full prospect of the land of _Canaan_, promised to _Abraham_, _Isaac_ and _Jacob_; one may see them thence so plainly, as also the mount _Seir_, which toucheth them beyond the Dead-sea in the land of the _Moabites_ and _Ammonites_, that one would also think they were very near.
They bring yearly a vast quantity of sheep to _Jerusalem_ from off the mountains, which feeding upon the fragrant, delicate and hearty herbs that grow there, have meat that tastes very pleasantly, the tails thereof are very fat, above half a span thick, and one and a half broad and long. The Levetical Priest (as we read in _Leviticus_ the ninth chapter, and other places) used to burn this together with all the fat of the entrails, and the two kidneys for a sin-offering.
There are also goats, with hanging ears almost two foot long. And therefore some _Arabians_, called _Balduini_, keep in the desarts, that have no certain abode, but lie continually in the fields, and go from country to country in great numbers, wheresoever they find good pasture for their beasts and camels. I have met with many of them in my travels, and have some time staid with them all night in their tents, they are commonly soldiers armed usually with bows and long pikes made of cane, as the other _Arabians_, and because of their nimbleness and courage they are very much preferred before the rest.