Part 23

In our backe comming to Bethleem, we saw a Cave in the Desart of Ziph, wherein David hid himselfe, when he was persecuted by King Saul; and the field Adra, where the Angels brought the glad tidings of salvation unto the Sheepheards. Unto all which parts our Moorish guard and John Baptista, brought us and conducted us backe againe to Bethleem, where we stayed the second night.

[The Towne of Bethleem.] Bethleem is the pleasantest Village in all Judea, situated on a pretty Hill, and five English miles from Jerusalem: It produceth commodiously, an infinite number of Olive and Figge-trees, some Cornes, and a kinde of white Wine, wherewith we were furnished all the time of our abode there; also in, and about Jerusalem. In our way, as we came backe to the City, the next day following, the Viccario shewed us a little Moskee, kept by Turkes, in which (sayd hee) was the Tombe of Rachel, Jacobs wife, who died in that place; as shee was travelling from Padan Aram, with her husband Jacob.

The ruines also of a house, where Habacuk the Prophet dwelt; a Turpentine tree growing yet by the way side, under the which (say they) the Virgin Mary was wont to repose her selfe in travelling. We saw also a naturall rocke in the high way; whereon (say they) Elias oft slept, and is not ashamed to say, that the hollow dimples of the stone, was onely made by the impression of his body; as though the tender flesh of man could leave the print of his portraiture on a hard stone. And not farre from this, they shewed us the place, where the Starre appeared to the wise men, after they had left Herod to seeke for the Saviour of mankind.

Approaching Mount Sion, we saw a quadrangled dry pond; wherein (say they) Beersheba the Wife of Urias, was Washing, when David looked forth from the toppe of his Pallace, gazing on the aspect of his lust, gave the Bridle of reason, fast tyed in the hands of temptation; and becomming subject to the subtilty of sinne, was bewitched by her beauty; wherewith corruption triumphed in Nature, and godlinesse decreased in voluntary consent; and from a royall Prophet fell in the bloody lists of Murther and Adultery.

Over against this place, on the North side of Gehinnon, [King Davids pallace.] we saw the ruines of a Palace wherein David dwelt, which hath beene one of the Angles of the ancient Citty; and standeth at the division of the valley Ennon, which compassed (as a Ditch) the North part of mount Syon, even to the valley Jehosophat, and so Eastward, being now filled up with fragments of old walles; and the valley of Gehinnon lying West, and East; bordering along the South side of Sion, till it joyne also with the narrow valley of Jehosophat, which invironeth the East, and devalling parts of Jerusalem. Neere to this demolished Tower, we saw the habitation of Simeon, who having seene the blessed Messias, sayd: Now Lord let thy Servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seene thy Salvation.

And now lastly uppon the twelfth day of my abode there, early on Thursday morning, the Guardiano, twelve Friers, and John Baptista (because that was the last day of seeing any more Monuments, or was to be seene there) accompanied us: as wee issued at the South-gate of the City, we came to a place, on the skirt of Syon, where (say they) Peter after his deniall of Christ his maister, wept bitterly.

Descending by the side of that same Hill, we crossed the valley Gehinnon, [Acaldema.] and came to Acaldema, the Potters field, or field of blood; which is a little foure-squared Roome, oppositive to the devalling side of the South-falling Syon: three parts whereof are invironed with a natural rocke, and the fourth square bordering with the valley, is made up of stone worke: The top is covered, and hath three holes, where through they let the dead Christians fall downe; for it is a buriall place of Pilgrimes to this day. As I looked downe, I beheld a great number of dead corpes; some whereof had white winding sheets, and newly dead, lying one above another in a lumpe; yeelded a pestilent smell, by reason they were not covered with earth, save onely the architecture of a high vault, which maketh that in a long time the corpes cannot putrifie and rot.

Neare unto this Campo, we entred into a darke Cave, where (say they) the Apostles hid themselves, when Christ was taken. At the foote of the same valley, we came to [Ponto Nehemia.] Ponto Nehemia, in which place the Jewes did hide the Holy Fire, when they were taken captives to Babylon; walking more downeward, toward the valley of Jehosophat, we saw a darke Celler under the ground without windowes; wherein (said the Guardian) the Idolatrous Jewes made a sacrifice of their children unto a brazen Image called Moloch, which being made hot, they inclosed them in the hollownesse thereof, and so slew them: and least their crying should have moved any compassion towards them, they made a thundring noise with drums, and other instruments, whereupon the place was called Tophet, mentioned in Jer. 7. 31. Hence we came to the Poole of Siloam, in which wee washed our selves, the water whereof falleth downe through a Rocke, from the City above, running straight to the valley of Jehosophat; and there we saw also the remnant of that sacked Towre of Siloam. Neare to this we saw a fountaine, where (say they) the Virgin Mary used oft to wash the Babes clothes and linnen clouts. From thence we crossed the [Brook Cedron.] Brooke Cedron (which guttereth through the valley of Jehosophat) and is alwaies dry, unlesse it be in December, when the raine falleth there impetuously for a month together, which is all the winter they have in these parts: during which time none may labour, nor travell, but forced to keepe themselves within houses: Having past I say this Brooke wee came to the Tombes of Absolon and Zacharias, and the Cave wherein S. James was wont to hide himselfe from the persecuting Jewes. Ascending more upward on the hill, in the way of Bithania, wee saw these places, where Judas hanged himselfe, over which there is a vault erected, like a halfe Moone, in memory of his selfe murther, and hard by they shewed us where the withered Figge tree grew, the place being inclosed within a high stone dyke; and halfe a mile thence we came to the ruined house of Simon the Lepar.

[Lazarus Tomb in Bethania.] Arriving at Bithania, we saw the Castle and Tombe of Lazarus, on whom Christ shewed a miracle, in raising him from the grave, after hee had beene 4. dayes dead. It is a singular and rare Alabaster Tombe, and so exquisitely done, that it excelleth (Jerusalem excepted) all the monuments in Judea, erected for the like purpose, being inclosed within a delicate Chappell under the ground. Not farre thence in the same Village, wee saw the decayed house where Martha, and Mary Magdalen inhabited, and the stone whereon Christ sate (say they) when he sayd to Martha, Mary hath chosen the best part.

Leaving this moorish Bithania, being now a Village of no qualitie, we returned by beggerly Bethphage, and finding it farre worser, about mid-day wee arrived on the top of Mount Olivet, where wee dined on our owne provision carried with us, and then proceeded in our sights.

From this place wee had the full prospect of Jerusalem: For the City standing upon the edge of a hill, can not be seene all at one sight; save on this Mountaine, which is two times higher then Mount Sion. These are the Monuments shewne us upon the [Mount Olivet and the Places of note thereof.] Mount of Olives: First, the print of the left foote of our Saviour, in an immoveable stone, which he made when he ascended to Heaven; the Guardiano told us further, that the right footes print was taken away by the Turkes; and detained by them in the Temple of Salomon: But who can thinke our Saviour trode so hard at his ascention, as to have left the impression of his feete behind him.

Next the place where hee foretold the judgement to come, and the signes, and the wonders, that should be seene in the Heavens before that dreadfull day. Thirdly, the place where the Symbolum Apostolorum was made, which is a fine chamber under the ground, like a Church, having twelve pillars to support it. Fourthly, where Christ taught his Disciples the Pater noster, and where he fell in an agony, when hee sweat blood and water. Fifthly, where Peter, James, and John slept, whiles our Saviour prayed, and returned so oft to awake them; and also below that, where the other Disciples were left. Sixtly, the Garden of Gethsemane, where Christ used commonly to pray; in the which place he was apprehended by the officers of the high Priests, and it was also where Judas kissed him, and the Sergeants fell backward on the ground. Seventhly, they shewed us a stone marked with the Head, Feete, and Elbowes of Jesus, in their throwing of him downe, when as they bound him, after hee was taken, and ever since (say they) have these prints remained there.

And lastly, at the foote of mount Olivet, in the valley of Jehosophat, we descended by a paire of staires of forty three steppes, and sixe paces large, in a faire Church builded under the ground: Where (say they) the Monument of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is, and did show it unto us, whom (they thinke) was borne in Jerusalem, dwelt at Bethleem, and Nazareth, and dyed uppon mount Syon. [Sacred and singular Tombes.] I saw also there, the Sepulchers of Joseph her husband, Joachim her Father, and of Anna her mother. And for which sights paying sixteene Madins a man, to certaine Moores: we returned to our Monastery againe night to repose us, having seene all the Antiquities and places of note, were to be seene, in, and about all Judea.

Loe, I have plainely described all these Monuments, by the order of these twelve severall dayes: The like heretofore, was never by a Travailer so punctually, so truly, and so curiously set downe, and made manifest to the intellective Reader. But as I sayd in the beginning of my Description, so say I now also at the Conclusion, some of these things are Rediculous, some of manifest untruths, some also doubtfull, and others, somewhat more credible, and of apparent truth. The recapitulation whereof, is only by me used, as I was informed, by Gaudentius Saybantus the father Guardian, Laurenzo Antonio il Viccario, and the Trenchman John Baptista.

Now in Jerusalem, wee eleaven Frankes stayed three dayes longer, preparing our selves for a new Voyage to go downe to Egypt with a Caravan of Grand Cayro: In which time the aforesaid Frier Laurenzo, whose life I had saved on the Quarantanam, propined me privatly with twelve Crosses made of the Olive Wood of mount Olivet: Each Crosse having 24. Relickes indented in them, with fourty paire of Chaplets made of that same Wood, two Turkish Handkerchiefes, and three paire of Garters and Girdles of the Holy Grave: All wrought in silke and Gold, with diverse other things, &c. Which were not so thankfully received, as they were thankfully given, by a gratefull and unforgetfull Frier. Meanewhile, the last day of our staying there, we went all of us Friers and Pilgrimes in againe to the Holy Grave, where we remained al night. Earely on the morrow there came a fellow to us, one Elias Areacheros, a Christian inhabitour at Bethleem, and purveier for the Friers; who did ingrave on [The Armes of Jerusalem.] our severall Armes upon Christs Sepulcher the name of Jesus, and the Holy Crosse; beeing our owne option, and desire: and heere is the Modell thereof. But I, decyphered, and subjoyned below mine, the four incorporate [King James his foure Crownes.] Crowns of King James, with this Inscription, in the lower circle of the Crowne, Vivat Jacobus Rex: returning to the fellow two Piasters for his reward: I fixt these lines for King James.

Long may he live, and long may God above Confirme, Reward, Encrease his Christian love: That He (blest King of men) may never cease To keep this Badge, the sacred Prince of Peace; And there's the Motto, of His Maiden Crowne, Hæc nobis invicta miserunt, ne're wonne.

Which when the Guardian understood, what I had done in memory of my Prince upon that Sacred Tombe, hee was greatly offended with me, that I should have polluted that Holy place, with the name of such an Arch-enemy to the Romane Church. But not knowing how to mend himselfe, and hearing me to recite of the Heroick Vertues of our matchlesse Monarch: who for Bounty, Wisedome, and Learning, was not paragonized among all the Princes of the earth: His fury fell; and begun to intreate me, to make it knowne to his Majesty, that hee never allowed any support to their afflicted lives, neyther any gratuity for maintayning of those Sacred Monuments at Jerusalem, his subjects being as free here as they. Which indeed I performed, for after my arrivall in England, and having propined his Majesty with diverse rare things, and a Turpentine rod from Jordan; in the midst of my Discourses, I told his Highnesse, in the Privy Garden of Greenewich, the Guardians request. Who indeed gave me a most gracious answere, saying, They never sought any helpe of him, and if they had, he would have supported their necessity. Bidding farewell to the Church of St. Salvatore, and being re incloystred againe, after breakfast, the reckoning of Stridor Dentium came to us, [Of English money.] for 17. dayes diet, being to each man six shillings a day, amounting for my part to 5 pounds two shillings. Then the Guardians Secretary, presented me my Patent under their Great Seale; & that cost me 3. Chickens of Gold. The beginning whereof I recall, although the principall, [The Discourse of the Seale is in the page following.] be lost in the Inquisition of Malaga, was thus: Frater Gaudentius Saybantus ordinis minorum regularis observantiæ Sancti Antonii Dei & Apostolicæ sedis gratia, Sacri montis Sion Guardianus, Terræ sanctæ gubernator & custos; ac in partibus orientis Apostolicus Commissarius, salutem in Domino sempiternam. Notum vobis facimus, &c. The Contents whereof, reciting all the memorable things I saw within the Holy Land, there was thereunto annexed their Great Seale, sticking fast, or locked in upon the lower face of the Parchment, the impression whereof, had the Effigies of the twelve Apostles, and Christ in the midst: having this Circumscription about: Magnum sigillum Sacri montis Sion Guardianus. The model whereof is affixed in the former page.

Then had we avaricious Baptista our Guide and Interpreter to reward, every one of us propining him with two Chickens of gold: And lastly wee gratified the gaping Steward, the Cerberian Porter, the Cymerian Cooke, and his Ætnean face, with a Chicken of gold the man, from each of us: amounting in all among the foure Catzocullioni, to twenty foure pounds fifteene shillings sterling.

Nay this was not all; for even when the Ægyptian Caravan, was staying for us without the City, the Guardian [Greedy and flattering Friers.] made a begging Sermon to us, imploring our bounties to commiserate and support their great calamities, losses, and oppressions inflicted upon them by the Infidels, with many other base & flattering speeches: which indeed nine of us refused, because of the great Extortion he had imposed uppon us before; but the two Germane Barons gave him the value of sixe English pounds, or there abouts.

And now finally, or I leave mount Syon, I thinke it not amisse, to give the itching Travailer a frozen stomacke, who perhaps soweth Words in the Wind, conceptions in the Ayre, and catcheth Salmond swimming on Atlas: I will now (I say) justly cast up to him the charges I defrayed within the Wals of Jerusalem, not reckoning my journall expences and tributs else where abroad; arising to eighteene pounds sixteene shillings starling: And there a cooling card for his Caprizziat, and imaginary inventions: And it may serve also, to damnifie the blind conceit of many who thinke that Travellers are at no charges, goe where they will, but are freely maintained every where; and that is as false, as an hereticall errour. May the twelfth, and the eighteene day of my staying there, about mid-day, the other ten and I joyned with the Caravan, who formerly had conditioned with us to carry us to Ægypt, and to furnish the rest Camels or Dromidories to ride upon, (for I would never ride any) for nineteene Piasters the man, discharging us also all tributes and Caffars were to be imposed upon us by the way; and so we marched through the South-west part of Judea towards Idumea, or the Edomits land; and meane-while I gave [The Authors good night to Jerusalem.] Jerusalem this goodnight, &c.

Thrice sacred Sion, sometimes blazd abrode, To be the Mansion, of the living God; For Prophets, Oracles, Apostles deare And godly Kings, who raisd great glory here: Where Aarons rod, the Arke, and Tables two, And Mannaes Pot, fire of sacrifice so From Heaven that fell: were all inclos'd in Thee Containing neare, what not contaynd could be: To thee sweet Sion, and thine eldest daughter, Which Titus fiercely sackt with Jewish slaughter: And to thy second birth, raisd to my sight I prostrate bid, thy blessed bounds goodnight: Next for the Holy land, which I have trac'd, From end to end; and all its beauty fac'd; Where Kings were stall'd, disthron'd, defac'd, renown'd, Cast downe, erect'd, unscepterd, slayne, and crown'd: The land of promise, once a Sea of Oyle Whence milke and honey flowd; yea, too a soyle Where men, and might, like miracles were raisd Sprung from a Garden plot: A wonder praisd Above conceit: whose strength did farre excell All other lands; take thou my kind farewell. And last Franciscan Friers, O painted Tombes! Where vice and lust lurke low, beneath your wombes; Whose hearts, like Hell, doe gape for greed of gold, That have Religion, with your conscience sold, To you I say a poxe, O flattering Friers! And damn'd deceivers, borne & bred for Leyers, Whose end my purse implores; O faithlesse fellowes! And leaves you for your paines, curst Hamans gallowes.

Having bid farewell to Syon, we marched that afternoone in the way of Gaza; and arrived at night in a [Kind Jewes to us Franks.] goodly Village, more full of Jewes than Moores, called Hembaluda, situate on the face of a fruitfull hill, and the last limit of Judea: Here the Germanes and I were well intertained gratis, by certaine Jewes that spoke Italian, and much rejoyced to see such strangers in these bounds, for two of them had beene borne in Venice: The Captaine, and our company were all Ægyptians, all of them being Christians, called Copties, viz. beleevers: Their number was about eight hundred persons, who had come up from Ægypt, to dignify for devotions sake this Easter time, being the great feast of Jerusalem; Of whom by the way we received great affability & kind respect without any offence.

That night the whole Caravan lay in the fields, and we stayed within the Towne making merry with our Hebraick friends, earely the next morning wee imbraced our Idumean way, finding this Edomitish land sorely distressed by the Arabs, and yet the Inhabitants were subject to the Turke: In this long dayes journey we found abundance of water, and all other necessaries for our reliefe, and yet the people were both rude & extreame barbarous, having no more show of humanity then the foure footed Leopards of Berdoa.

The Dutch Gentlemen grew affrayed at these savages, as being unacquainted before with such an awful sight; and to dispell their feare, tush sayd I, courage Gentlemen, no scope, no hope, and flashd over these lines in Italian to them;

To gallant mindes, all kind of soyles they be, Their native land; as fish imbrace the Sea: For they who would traverse earths variant face, Must take their hazard, as they finde the place; And that's my soyle, best meanes can me defray, But Sirs be glad, wee came not here to stay.

[The auncient City of Gaza.] Againe night we declined towards Gaza, and there stayed in a fine Cane prepared for Travellers; where the whole Caravan, Souldiers, Camels, Dromodores, Mules, and Asses were all well satisfied and refreshed: The next morning we went to the Bezestan or market place, and there furnished our selves with provision of Bread, Hens, Egges, Garlicke, and Onions, sufficient enough to carry us through the desarts being ten dayes journey. Gaza now is called Habalello, and is composed of twelve hundred fire-houses, and sensible against the incursions of Arabs: The ruvid Cittizens, being Turkes, Moores, Jews, domeseticke Arabians, with a few Georgians, & Nostranes.

There is a Garrison here of Souldiers, and a Turkish Captaine, that commandeth the Towne and Castle: In the afternoone, we set our faces forward to that fearefull Wildernesse, and travailed or night twelve miles, pitching our Tents beside a source or standing Well. Here our Guard, kept a strict Watch about us all night; and I kept as well the Germanes from langour, cherishing them with joviall merriments, for they were my inward friends, yet of a faint and fearefull nature. At the breach of day we set forward, passing through diverse Rockey and shrubby heights, till afternoone, and then wee declined to a sandy valley: Where when come, what with the deepnesse [Burning Sands.] of the Way, and the great heate reflexing upon the sand, and from the Sand to our faces, we were miserably turmoiled, especially I, who went alwayes on foote.

Having past this wearisome bottome, and before night marching along the skirt of a craggy Hill, two hundred Arabs broake out upon us from holes and bushes, and shrewdly annoyed our Company with Arrowes, till a contribution of sixteene Piasters was sent to them. The halfe of that night we pitched our Tents, in a pastorable [Wild Arabs selling water.] plaine, where some scattering Arabs, sold us Water in Wooden Cups, carrying it in Wilde Boare skins upon their naked backes. Two of which Savages our Captayne hyred, to guide us the next day to the first Castle of the three, that were built by the Turkes, and a dayes journey distant one from another; beeing each of them strongly guarded with Souldiers, and that for the reliefe of Caravans, being the most dangerous, and most desolate place in the Desarts.

Our Guides the day following, brought us through the best and safest places of the Country, where we found certayne profitable parts, planted with haire-cloath tents, and over-cled heere and there with spots of Sheepe and Goates: and yet were we not there without the invasion of stragling Arabs, and paying of tributes, which the Captaine defrayed for us, our condition being formerly made so at Jerusalem. Before night with great heat, and greater drouth, we approached to the first Castle, where the Captayne thereof received us kindly, causing our Tents to be pitched round about the Quadrangled Tower. Here we had abundance of Water (though I would rather have had Wine) to suffice the whole Company, drawne out of a Cisterne, and reposing safely uppon the hard ground, the Castle Garrison watched us, and our guard watched them.