Volume 2 — PART. III. (continued 2)

CHAP. VI.

Of the Saracens and Turkish religion, ceremonies, and hypocritical life, with a short hint how long time their reign shall last after Mahomet’s decease.

Seeing I have here above made mention, amongst the rest of the places and churches of Jerusalem, of the Turkish Mosques, and also of Mahomet their Prophet; I cannot but also relate something of their hypocritical and superstitious life and belief, as I have observed in my travels, and during my stay among them, chiefly something of their outward ceremonies, good works, wherewith they think to fulfil the laws, to cleanse themselves from their manifold sins and transgressions, and to obtain God’s mercy and love. Wherefore they strive that they may be found always busy in these good works, whereof they reckon the chiefest to be; alms, pilgrimage, fastings, to make offerings, to abstain from certain food or drinks, frequent washing, praying, upon which two last they look most of all, as the true means, by which, if they keep them diligently, they may be freed and absolved from their sins, according to the promises of their dear Prophet Mahomet. Such and the like have also the Jews had in the Old Testament, where without doubt their Prophet, being by his mother an Ishmaelite, had them also. But seeing that he also attributeth to these absolution and satisfaction for our sins, and also consequently salvation and everlasting life; therefore all those that follow and believe his doctrine, miss the only Mediator and Saviour Jesus Christ, of whom as well as of his holy word, they else have a good opinion, as appeareth by their Koran, in whom God the Almighty Father will only be known, invoked and adored. As St John saith Chap. v. 23. ‘He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father that hath sent him.’ And chap. xiv. 9. where Jesus saith, ‘He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.’ And in Acts iv. 12. it is said, ‘There is no Salvation in any other, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ Wherefore although Mahomet doth greatly command and teach, that we must adore the only God, yet they do not know the true God, that will only be adored and honour’d in his beloved Son; and besides Mahomet will not allow that God hath a Son, and much less that Christ is the true God, in whom we shall believe. For in his diabolical and blasphemous mind and thoughts he hath this precaution, that if God should have a Son he might come to be disobedient unto him, as happeneth sometimes chiefly amongst them, to worldly Princes, which would expose all creatures in heaven, as well as on earth unto great danger. So he denieth the Deity of Christ and esteemeth him to be no more (as Arius doth) than a great Saint and meer Man. So he hath the same opinion with Macedonius, of the Holy Ghost, whom and Christ he sometimes maketh but one person. And so the Turks know no more, by the instruction of their cursed Prophet, of the true living God (that is one in his essence and three in person) than when they adored the fire, water and other elements, nay heaven and earth, (as also the Persians have done) before they come over to the Saracens, and adhered to the doctrine of their Mahomet. And besides they have no more comfort in our Lord Christ, than the Jews, because they do not believe that Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary, and messenger of God, was crucify’d, dead and bury’d, but that another, that was very like him, suffer’d instead of him, because he was seated in Heaven (where into God received him, and that he was to return again at the end of the world) a great deal higher than that he could be so shamefully kill’d by the Jews that impious people; wherefore the Turks admire it very much, that so many Pilgrims of all nations, come to see the grave of Christ with so great a devotion, which is not his. And although the Turks prefer their Mahomet before Christ, and also do not believe right neither of his essence nor of his person, so that therefore all their worship, with what devotion soever performed, is null and in vain, because it is not in Christ: Yet for all that they praise and esteem Christ very high, and extol him far beyond any man, as one that was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, and that hath here on earth carried on his doctrine, and confirm’d it with powerful miracles. Wherefore they esteem the books of Moses, and the other writings of the Prophets, but chiefly the four Evangelists, which they call the book Jugilis (and the books of Moses Thresit) as true and godly. And sometimes they pretend so fairly, that an ordinary Man that is not well instructed in the chief articles of Christianity, although there is so great a difference, might easily be seduced, and perswaded. Besides the Turks will not allow, neither to Jews, Moors, nor Christians, nay not to their own Nation, to say any thing ill of Christ, nor to curse him, but if any body should presume to do it, the soles of their feet are struck very severely with many blows, and he is fined besides according to his ability. So their Prophet Mahomet commends the holy Scripture very much, and saith, that it containeth truth and happiness.

If they would but often look into it (as their Koran teacheth them in several places) to read in it, and mend their lives according to it, they might easily be brought to the right way again; but he himself doth not stand by his words, but falleth off again from them afterwards, and speaketh quite otherways of the holy Scripture, and that so differing, that he quite contradicts himself. For as he did commend it before, so now he discommendeth it again, when he saith, that it hath been (because it is too difficult to be kept) long since quite out of doors, chiefly in those parts where is written, that we must do good to our enemies; leave all for his sake; love God with all our heart, &c. and our neighbour as our own self. And that therefore he, Mahomet, was peculiarly and purposely chosen by God Almighty, to bring down with him the Koran, and communicate it to the world (that was then drown’d in lusts, sin and vices) to reform and bring it to rights again. Besides this, he knew very well how to disguise his tricks, and how to behave himself in his life and conversation, devoutly and discreetly towards the people, and how to blind them under this pretence, that they did believe him, and receive him the sooner to be a great Prophet and Messenger from God. When he found that he had got a good party, and a great many adherents that impowered him, he studied daily more and more to order his laws so, that they might be acceptable and pleasing to all the world. And thus he got in a great many places such a fame, that, to our grief in these times, he hath seduced and possessed a great part of the world with his erroneous and poisonous doctrine, the Turks closely adhering to this doctrine, therefore their hearts are so blinded with darkness, that they cannot have any true knowledge, either of God the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Ghost, and so they miss of the right way that would bring them to the knowledge, and acknowledgment of their sins, and consequently to the remission thereof, and so make them children of God, and heirs of life everlasting. But on the contrary, they remain impenitent, and persist in their sinful life with such a confidence and security, that they know not when they commit sins; as to take a man’s property and goods away by force; to destroy his house and lands; to undermine his life and livelihood; and also, to contaminate themselves with uncleanness, whoredom, sodomy; not to keep an oath that hath been taken, to revenge themselves, from whence results, envy, hatred, anger, contention, murder, &c. as we hear, what injustice and violence the Grand Signior committeth daily upon our brethren and sisters, that border upon his dominions; which we need not to wonder at, because, if they fall out amongst themselves, they try all unjust means to revenge themselves. Wherefore they accuse their adversaries often falsly (because they dare not offer any violence) before their Judges, and so bring them to damage, trouble and pains. But when they have committed one of these, or the like facts, and have a mind to free themselves of it, or to be absolved, they go after their own invented devotion, to good works, alms, prayers, fasting, redeeming of captives, &c. to make satisfaction to God for their committed sins, as their Koran teacheth them. And so they lead a life of good outward conversation, and are very diligent in their devotion, chiefly in going to their prayers at the five customary hours of the day, when they leave their work and go to church. And seeing that in these countries they have neither clocks nor watches to tell them the time of the day and prayers, instead of them they have their priests (called Meitzen by them) on the steeples, which are ordered to cry out the hours with a loud voice, that you may hear them as far almost as the ringing of a bell, even throughout the whole town. The first hour of prayers is an hour and half before day-light: The second is about noon: The third (which the Arabians call Latzera) is about three o’Clock in the afternoon: The fourth is at sun-set; and the fifth when after the sun is down, the twilight, or whitishness of the skies is gone, and the stars appear clearly. Sometimes two of these priests sing together, which is common in great towns, and they sing almost as with us they sing a ballad, so that while the one is singing, the other may fetch his breath; and so they sing by turns, until the song is at an end. When I came first into these countries, and hear’d them sing about that time in the morning, I believed the Turks did it that they might brisk themselves up to go to work, until I heard them do the same at other hours in the day time, and understood they were their priests. So they sing about five o’clock at night very well, and sometimes something longer, because of the sick that live near, which desire it of them, to make them cheerful, and to have a good heart, which we need not to wonder at, for their clergy (which are not wiser, or more learned than the laymen) know not how to comfort them, or to make them joyful, much less how to give good and wholesome instruction out of the word of God (although they believe it to be true) how to obtain forgiveness of sin, and God’s mercy, love, or commiseration, but think it to be sufficient, if they admonish them that lie a dying to think of God, and to pray to him that he may have mercy upon them; and afterwards to wash their body to cleanse them quite from all sins, according to the law of their Mahomet, which they highly esteem, and that the rather, because they serve not only the living, but also the dead; wherefore the Turks wash themselves daily, chiefly at the hours of their prayer, when they are a going to church, and that very carefully and diligently, viz. Their hands, privy members, head, neck, feet, nay the whole body, according as they are contaminated or become unclean. So in consideration of their sins, they have three sorts of washing; whereof one is that of the whole body, which those must make use of that are not married, and contaminate themselves with concubines; wherefore the baths are kept continually in an equal heat, and are open to any body both by day and night, that those that have occasion to wash their whole body, may not be hindered in their devotion, but soon go to church again. The second is performed on the organs of the five senses, and the head, to cleanse them from all spots and blemishes, which are contracted by ill thought and frivolous and unseemly discourses; wherefore there are several cisterns here and there, but chiefly in their churches and chapels, where they wash themselves first, that being clean, they may be worthy to come to church to prayers, for if they should omit it, they believe that their prayers would not be acceptable to God, and so he would not hear them. So they begin first with washing of their hands, then they lift up the water with the hollow of their hands, and so let it run down to their elbow; then they wash their mouth, nose, eyes, ears, head, neck, and at last their feet, and speak some peculiar words with it. When they have no water, which often happeneth in large desarts in Arabia, they are allowed by their laws instead thereof, to rub these members over with sand. But that they may not be hindered by their cloaths from coming to these members, they wear such ones that have wide sleeves, no gatherings about their neck, nor have any strings about their drawers. The third sort is also esteemed to be very necessary, and is made use of as often as they empty their body by stool or urine, or belching, and so they wash themselves squatting down before the cisterns, publickly without shame, both before and behind, in the sight of every body. According to what hath been said, we see that they mind only the outward cleansing of their body, and so they look also upon the outward circumcision, rather than to think how they ought, according to God’s commands, to cleanse themselves from their inward leprosy, by the bath of regeneration, and to circumcise their hearts by an inward spiritual circumcision, whereof they know nothing. When their clergymen have cried out the hours from the steeples to the Batzars, or Exchanges, &c. and the Turks have washed and cleansed themselves, they go into their chapels, which are in the middle of their great Camps, or Carvatschars, where I could see it best, because I durst not go into their mosques. After they have left their shoes at the gate, they do not turn nor look back for one another to speak, but go strait forwards, until they come to their places where they stand still, and look upon their priest that is before them, and mind him when he beginneth the prayers, that they may say it after him, and imitate his ceremonies or means, whereof he maketh use, as the lifting up his hands, stroking over his forehead, bending his whole body forwards, falling down upon his knees, kissing the earth; and at length when the Leila hillalla beginneth, turning their heads from one side to the other, whereby they give a hint, that they are in peace and good will with God and their neighbours. While they are in their holy places, you shall hear none of them sneeze, cough, hawk or spit, for they are of opinion, that if they should do so, God would not hear their prayers so effectually, because they should not be perfectly clean. They have no set form of their prayers, and pray generally for good fortune and other worldly welfare; for victory for their Emperor; that God may send great divisions amongst us Christians, that so they may have a better opportunity to fall upon us, and to beat us. They suffer no images in their temples or chapels, and are only for adoring the true and only God, Creator of heaven and earth; and so instead of them, they have pictures of fine plants or flowers, viz. of roses, &c. and writings of their Prophet Mahomet; and so you find on their gold and silver coins no pictures or images of their Emperors, as upon ours, but only the names of them, or of the towns where they are stamped, in Arabian letters, (which are common to both nations) together with the date of the year, which they begin from the time when Mahomet fled into the desarts, which for that reason they call the year of Hegira, where he got a great number of adherents, and was made by them a King; this was done in the year of Christ 622. After they have ended their prayers, they begin to talk to one another, and so every one of them goeth home to work again; and they are allowed on their feast days (which they keep on Friday, as we do on Sunday, and the Jews on Saturday) to open their shops again after prayers, and to go work, because they say that idleness may the easier draw them into sins. So one may easily know by their shops, according as they are opened or shut up on these three days, whether they belong to Christians, Turks, or Jews; besides, none of these forceth one to observe the others holydays, and so they live peaceably and quietly together. Before the Turks holiday beginneth, they light on Thursday night before, as soon as it beginneth to be dark, upon their high steeples, many lamps, whereof they hang without on the galleries round about, three rows one above the other, so that as you look upon them in the night, they look like unto a threefold garland; they let them burn so long until they go out of themselves one after the other. The same lamps they also light every night during their Lent, which beginneth in their month Romadan, so called by the Arabians, and doth last all that month long. Their year consisteth of twelve months, which they account by the moon-lights; so that their months do not agree with ours, (for theirs have not, one with the other, above twenty-nine or thirty days) and consequently their years want between ten or eleven days of ours, so that their Lent falleth at an uncertain time, sometimes in the spring, and sometimes in the summer, &c. so in my time it began in December, and ended in January. During all this time they are very devout, and strive to be at the prayers and duties; for if any body should die in Lent time, that had used not to frequent them, they would look upon him as a lost and damned man, and doubt whether they should bury him or no. During their Lent, they eat nothing before night; when the stars appear, then every one goeth home to eat, or else in the great Batzars to a cook’s shop, to buy victuals, where all night long is so great a throng of poor people, that have nothing to eat at home, that they lift one another almost up; there you see one eating, another drinking, another crying out, others quarrelling, which causeth such a crowd and noise, as is enough to make one deaf and giddy. When Lent is at an end, then they begin their Easter feast (which they call Ulubaira) which they keep with great solemnity for three days, salute one another very kindly, and with one the other all health and happiness, as we do on new year’s day: They also seek all sorts of pastime, chiefly the Janizaries, which in great places erect gibbets three fathoms high, to the top whereof they tie strong ropes, almost like as the children do in our country, where they swing others for a small recompence; when any body sits in it, two stand ready with a broad string, one on each side, which they fling before him, and fling him backwards with it, and so set him a swinging. Others run before the people that are walking, and sprinkle them with sweet smelling water, to get a little spell of money out of them, chiefly the Christians, which they will not easily leave before they have satisfied them; wherefore they are necessitated to stay at home on these days. Not long after, they keep another peculiar feast, called Chairbairam where they also use all sorts of gesticulations, which were too long to relate here; they do not fast on those days, but they sacrifice young steers and wethers, &c. cut them into small pieces, to distribute them among the people, for the honour of Abraham, because he did obey God, and would have sacrificed his son Isaac to him: At this abundance of heathens congregate themselves in certain places before the towns, to go in pilgrimage to Medina-Talnabi, Mecca, and Jerusalem, for love to Mahomet. Amongst them many are found, that are recovered again from dangerous distempers, or delivered from great dangers, and then did make a vow, either to go on pilgrimage to one of these places, or else to kill such a number of beasts to distribute among the poor as an alms.

According to what I have said before, that they compute their months more by the moon-light, and so account twelve of them to a year; they observe mightily the change of the moon, chiefly the new moon, to see it again. Wherefore at that time they go often in great numbers out, unto the next hill, to observe it the better, after sun-set. He that seeth it first sheweth it with great rejoycing to his companions. In their prognostications they also mind the moon’s light, and according to that, they make their account, to know then if any thing shall happen. They have also (as some of them have told me) a peculiar book, which they keep very close to themselves, wherein is briefly written, what shall happen to them every year, whether it be good or bad: This beginneth in the same year with their Prophet Mahomet, and continueth for 1000 years, when this is at an end they have nothing more of that nature worth any thing.

And being they go no farther, some will deduce or conclude from thence, that their reign will soon have an end, when those years are passed. Wherefore they fear the Christians very much, and confess themselves, that they expect to suffer a great blow from the Christians: And this one may see or conclude from hence, for on their holidays in the morning about nine of the clock, they shut up the gates of the towns, great champs, and other publick habitations, as I found at Aleppo, so that many times I could not get either out or in until they opened them again, for they fear at that time to be assassinated by the Christians.

Being then that their term of years is near expired, for when I lived in these places in the year 1575, they writ 982 of this same term, so that there was not quite 18 years more to come. Now if we compare these 1000 years with those whereof John the Evangelist and Apostle, maketh mention in his Revelations, chap. xx. 7, saying, ‘When the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of prison. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog to gather them together to battle’ (as also is written in this same book of Revelations in chap. ix. and by the holy Prophet Ezekiel, in chap. xxxviii. xxxix.) ‘The number of whom is as the sand of the sea, &c.’ We find not only that they may also be interpreted and applied to the Turks and their adherents, but also that they have begun their reign almost at the same time when Mahomet and the Antichrist should appear, about the year 666 as we read in the 13th chapter and the last verse of St John in his Revelation. And besides, it looketh in these miserable times (when it seems as if every thing would turn topsy turvy) that these years are passed, and that Satan is loosed, as if our dear Lord God would make an end of this malicious world. Add, that some learned Mathematicians do prognosticate that at these times, but chiefly in the year 1588. great alterations will be in all the parts of the world. When we add to this date the 42 months, or 1260 days, or three years and a half, whereof the Prophet Daniel, and also the holy Evangelist and Apostle John in his Revelation makes mention, the 18 years that are still wanting of the 1000 years of their Mahomet (as is above said) will be compleated, so that these two years numbers do very well again agree together.

God the Almighty preserve us in all adversities, that we may persevere in the acknowledged truth of his Holy Gospel, and send us penitent hearts, that we may be sensible of his merciful visitations, and also overcome the two last woes that are not quite over, with patience. Amen.

CHAP. VII.

Of Mount Bethzetha, and the two Houses of Pilate and Herod.

From the temple mount towards the north, you come presently towards the house of judicature, where Pontius Pilate did live, and condemn innocent Lord Christ, to that heinous death of the cross. But because the house hath been since surrounded with high walls, we saw in the court (where the Soldiers did clothe our Lord Christ with the purple cloak, and put upon his head the crown of thorns, and afterwards did spit upon him, and mock, beat and whip him) nothing remarkable, but only without a very old and high arch, like unto an arched bridge. This is almost black with age, and so artificially erected, that one can hardly find any juncture, where the stones are put together. This was the High Place, as it is said, before the Judgment Hall, whereon the condemned men use to be exposed to the sight of the people, because the Jews durst not go into the House of Judicature at their high feasts, as Easter and Whitsuntide (as you may read in St John, chap. xviii.) that they might not make themselves unclean, but eat of the Paschal Lamb: Wherefore Pilate did several times go out to the people to shew them our Lord Christ, and sit down in the Judgment seat, in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew Gabbatha, as you read in St John, chap. xix. ver. 13. This arch is open at the top in the middle, and hath two other small arches about the wideness of an ordinary door one by the other supported by a marble column, in one of them stood Christ with his crown of thorns on, and Pontius Pilate in the other, when he said to the people, Behold the man.

Hard by at the other side of the arch, on the right hand, on an ascent, they shew the habitation of King Herod, which is still very fine, and gloriously built of marble. Wherefore, although it is not the same, which hath been burnt long agone by the Jews, and afterwards rooted out by the Romans, yet it is built in the same place, where the King’s palace did stand, on the height of mount Bethzetha, as Josephus testifieth, from the north over against the temple, and the fort Antonia, where our dear Lord Christ was mocked and abused by Herod and his servants, and had a white garment put upon him, and so was sent back again to Pilate. In these habitations, chiefly those of Pilate, are still to this day, Turkish magistrates, Sangiacks, Cadis, and Soubashaws dwelling, that keep courts of judicature there; and therefore nobody is admitted to come in before he hath gratified the master and servants. These magistrates are very severe, and punish their subjects for no great matter, either in their body or purse, or with a certain number of stripes, which they give with straps of rough neats leather upon the soles of their feet, fewer or more, in proportion to their committed crimes more or less; which sort of punishment is very common to all eastern countries. This sort of punishment is very ancient, and mention thereof is made in Deuteronomy chap. xxv. ver. 2. ‘And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault by a certain number, forty stripes he may give him and not exceed; least if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.’ So the holy Apostle St Paul hath received them several times, whereof he maketh mention in II. Corinthians chap. xi. ver. 23. where he saith, ‘I am in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.’

When we came back from these habitations, we saw some more remarkable places, which are usually shewn unto pilgrims, some whereof are mentioned in Scripture, viz. the iron gate, through which the angel of the Lord did conduct St Peter out of prison: The habitation of Mary the mother of St John, where the holy Apostle Peter did knock at the door: The temple of St John the Evangelist, whereof the Knights of the order of St John call themselves, and several others, which are for the most part fallen down, and lie in ruins. But because in these times, it is uncertain in what condition they were then, I also omit to say any more of them. After we had seen these two places with their habitations; we returned back again at night, according to the appointment of the father Guardian, to go with us into the temple of mount Calvaria.

CHAP. VIII.

Of the Mount Calvaria, and the Holy Grave of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

On the 27th of September in the year 1575 after dinner, the father Guardian did send to the other Lords of the temple, to let us into the temple of mount Calvaria, which the Turks keep always locked up. But we and some other friars in their own habit, went with their father Guardian to the temple of the mount, which first of all the pious Queen Hellen, mother of the great Emperor Constantine (after she had destroyed the temple of Venus that was built upon the place of the grave) did build, as she did also build several churches in several places, viz. That at Bethlehem, where Christ was born: That of the holy Apostle James the Great, in the place of the upper town where he was beheaded: And another on the mount of Olives, where Christ did ascend into heaven: As also another at Bethania, where Christ did raise Lazarus his dear friend from the dead, and in many other places, at Nazareth, and on the mount Thabor, &c. But when afterward the city of Jerusalem was many times besieged, and at length taken from the Christians, by the unbelieving Saracens, Hequen that malicious King of Ægypt, did in the year of Christ 1011, demolish these churches, and so they remained until after his decease his son Daber came to the government, who afterwards in the year 37. did give leave to Constantine the Emperor of Constantinople (when he renewed with him their old correspondency) to rebuild it again at his own cost and charges. In these our times, when it remaineth in the possession of the Turks, free egress and regress is quite denied to the Christian Pilgrims that come to see the holy places: For when they saw that many Christians came yearly thither from all places, viz. From Armenia, Æthiopia, Syria, Ægypt, Greece, Italy, nay from all places of Europe, they have put a certain sum of money (according as they are near, or farther off, under his dominions or not) to be paid by them, to be admitted. For some pay two or three seckins or ducats, others four and five; but we that are outlandish, as Italians, Frenchmen, and Germans (as well knowing we do not spare for money) must pay nine seckins a piece, and that without any remission, must be paid in weighty Turkish or Venetian ducats: And they keep the temple locked up close, until every one of them has paid their due: By these means the Grand Signior hath acquired himself a considerable yearly revenue, which amounts to several thousand ducats yearly. But yet it is now-a-days nothing near to what it hath been formerly, when all was under Popish darkness, and the Pilgrims used to flock thither in great numbers. For since in our time, by the Grace of God, the holy Gospel hath been brought to light again, and began to be preached, (which sheweth us a far nearer and better way to find Christ, and to have true and full pardon and remission of our sins) so that daily more come to the knowledge of the truth, and return to the Lord, his revenues decrease as much as the number of the Pilgrims that used to resort thither.

When we came pretty near to the temple, and expected to have seen mount Calvaria, the Franciscans told us, that this mount, together with the holy grave, and the garden (wherein Christ did first appear unto Mary Magdalen) were intirely taken into the temple, so that no heigth at all was to be seen without.

Just when we came into the court of the temple there appeared an old heathenish prison, wherein are prisoners kept to this day, near which did stand the Prison-gate (whereof we saw still some part of the wall up in the wall of the church) through which Christ did carry his cross to the place of sculls, which in former days was without the town, as you may clearly see in St Mark, chap. xvii. 20. where he writes: ‘And they led him out to crucify him.’ And in Hebrews, chap. xiii. 12. where it is plainly writ, that ‘Christ suffered without the gate.’ But when afterwards the Emperor Adrian did rebuild and enlarge the desolated town, he did also surround with a wall the place where our Lord Jesus Christ did suffer, which was without towards the north-west, beyond the mount Moria, so that now it is situated almost in the middle of the city of Jerusalem, and because of this inlargement he call’d the town after his sir-name Helia.

We staying a great while at the gate, before they did open it unto us, several Oriential Christians, to wit, Greeks, Jacobites, Armenians, &c. came to us to visit their Priests, and to perform their devotion in it, so that about three-score went in with us.

The building of the temple is very large, of strong walls, and so thick, that it taketh away the Light within: it is richly covered with grey marble within and without, and supported by some marble pillars about a fathom and a half thick, so strongly, that one may conclude from thence, that neither labour nor costs were spared in it’s building. Yet the Turks, (notwithstanding the holy places and the costliness of the building) have in some places spoiled and demolished some part of the walls thereof, so that now they are no more like to the old ones that were before, and besides (as the Guardian told us) half of it is hardly remaining. Yet it is still very large, and so well closed up again, that one can hardly perceive the loss thereof.

As we went through, we passed by the grave of Christ, in a glorious large chapel, called our Ladies, which the Franciscans have in possession, and is hung with tapestry very well wrought. Within it is a great altar, on each side whereof is to be seen a nick, artificially made of white marble, the windows whereof are very well guarded with iron bars: In that towards the left hand is kept a piece of the column whereon Christ was whip’d; it is of a reddish colour, three spans long, and four over. In the other on the right there is a small crucifix, in the middle whereof is in-laid a small piece of the true cross of Christ.

From thence we went farther into the vestry; which hath several large rooms, where we staid until the Franciscans had put on their usual habits to go their rounds with us, and to shew us the holy places with the usual ceremonies. When they had made themselves ready we came out again into the church, and left the chancel of the Græcians, that is in the middle, and the holy grave upon our right hand, and went to the left to another chapel, whereby the Græcians have an altar without, by which, in the marble floor, are two holes to be seen, wherein they pretend that Christ was detained prisoner until they had fixed the cross for him on the place of the sculls. This chapel is within very deep, and so dark, that when you go into it you believe that you go into a cave, where the Romanists believe (as I understood by a French man of their convent, who was in a Priest’s habit, and as we went about, standing before the altar, did tell us, what they had done to Christ our Lord, in every place) that they did detain Christ (as in a place where-into they threw their dust) to mock him, until his cross was got ready for him.

Just by the chapel behind the chancel they shew on a high arch another place, where the soldiers did share Christ’s cloaths amongst them, and cast lots for his coat.

Somewhat farther about they shew a pair of stairs of twenty nine steps, which we descended, and came into a great chapel of Queen Helen, situated underneath mount Calvaria, wherein is still towards the right hand of the altar, a glorious and beautiful high seat of marble whereon the Queen used to sit, when she had a mind to overlook the workmen, to see whether they went on right; for she loved building mightily, as appeareth still to this day by the number of her mighty buildings. Behind this seat are eleven steps, which go farther down mount Calvaria, where the cistern hath been, wherein Queen Helen found the cross of Christ.

Underneath on the altar, ’tis true, there stands one, but it is new, and therefore to be supposed, to be put there of late years. At the bottom of the stairs do also appear very plainly the crack’d rocks, as it is mentioned in Scripture: And the rocks rent. And these rents or cracks are a foot wide, and so deep as to reach from the top to the bottom of the rocky mount of Calvaria.

When we came up into the church again, they shewed us at the bottom of mount Calvaria, a chapel that was locked up, and in it underneath the altar a large blackish stone with some reddish spots upon it, in the shape of a piece of a pillar, which was brought thither from Pilate’s house of Judicature, whereon our Lord did sit, when the soldiers did put the crown of thorns on his holy head, and did salute him as a King with their knees bended, and did also mock him, spit in his face, and whip him. This crown was twisted out of thorns, called by the Arabians, Nausegi and Athausegi; and by the Græcians and Latanists, which have kept the same name, Rhamus, whereof there are three sorts, the first of which is the true one (which is also common in France and Italy) which doth not only grow without, but also within the town of Jerusalem plentifully; this puts out early in the spring, into long, thin and pliable twigs, with a great many long and strong prickles. Just by it cometh out above from the chancel of the Græcians, a path up to mount Calvaria, which they forced from the Georgians, as they did before from the Armenians, by giving money to the Turks; which is very common in these countries; for if one hath any business to be done by the Turks, it cannot be easier obtained, than if you bribe them more than your adversary, wherefore it happeneth very often that such places are taken away from one nation, and given to the other.

Underneath this way or gallery you ascend nineteen steps to go up to the mount Calvaria, where we saw two chapels one behind the other, which were open, and had a very delicate floor, artificially inlaid with flowers of several colours, the like whereof is hardly to be seen any where else.

At the top of the stairs we left our shoes, and went in, and attended the Priest, who did also there, as he had done in other places before, give us a short account of what had been done to our Lord Jesus Christ in these places, viz. that in the hindmost chapel his hands and feet had been extended, and sharp nails drove through them, and so with a great deal of indignation he was fixed to the cross. And that in the foremost our Lord Christ did hang on the cross between the two malefactors, where there was still to be seen the hole wherein the cross of our Lord did stand. He also briefly repeated to us the seven words which he did say when he was upon the cross; and for a conclusion he told us, that his holiness the Pope had laid there indulgences for ever, for all sins and transgressions, to be distributed among the pilgrims.

When we had done we went farther into the chapel, and saw first a place two cubits high, which was also covered with fine ashen-coloured marble, watered with blue, in the middle whereof was a round hole about a span over, and was lined with tin, wherein did stand the cross of our Lord Christ, which is so closely tipped and lined, that the pilgrims can take neither much nor little of this, nor any other place, as the holy grave, or Bethelem where Christ was born, &c. Wherefore notwithstanding the pretence of the Franciscans, that in their Agnus Dei’s and crucifixes are little pieces of the fore-mentioned places, it is all false and nothing of truth in it, which they must confess themselves, it being all covered with marble. Near to this hole, both to the right and left, where the crosses of the two thieves did stand, in the room of them two others are erected, where hard by that on the left at the inside, is to be seen a long and large fissure in the rock of the mount, which the Queen left on purpose open in the marble pavement, so that you may very plainly see it, and it goeth down very deep, as I have told you before.

When we came down again from the mount, and come out behind the chancel towards the gate of the great church, there lieth in the pavement a fine and large marble, which is surrounded, or taken in, with iron barrs in the same place, where Joseph and Nicodemus, the two disciples of Christ, did wrap up the body of Christ, after it was taken down, in linnen with spices.

From thence as we went farther towards the grave of our Lord Christ, we left below towards the left on the place of sculls, another chapel, wherein are the graves of some Christian Kings, viz. Gottofredi, and Baldewin, &c. which took the Land of Promise by force from the Infidels, and came towards the right by the chancel of the Greeks into a great round and high building of the holy grave, which butts upon the church, and is below towards it, it standing upon very strong double marble pillars, quite open: it is covered with lead, and hath at the top a great window, where the light falleth in, which is four fathom square, where underneath is the holy grave of our Lord Jesus Christ under the open sky, so that at all times, both rain, dew and snow fall upon it.

Before the passage into the Sepulchre is a small chapel, wherein is nothing of any moment to be seen, but a square stone, just before the door of the grave; this is of the true rock of the grave, about eight inches thick, whereon (as some say) the Angel of the Lord, that rolled back the stone from the door, did sit. This was also useful and did serve to keep the great grave-stone, that was before the door of the grave (which is hardly three foot high) steady, that it might not give backwards. That the door was but low, and that the stone did lean before it, you may sufficiently see out of the holy Evangelist St Luke, chap. xxiv. 12. when he saith: ‘Then arose Peter, and ran unto the Sepulchre, and stooping down, &c.’ And also in St John, chap. xx. 11. where you read: ‘But Mary stood without at the Sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the Sepulchre.’ And also the holy Apostle and Evangelist St John came before Peter to the Sepulchre, and looked into it, and saw the linnen cloaths, but did not go in himself. And we read also of the door of the Sepulchre, and that the great stone before it used to be rolled. When you will go into the door you must stoop very much, and rather creep than go into it. The Sepulchre within is even with the floor of the chapel, and of the whole church, and is so large, that four persons may stand very easily by one another.

After the Priest had ended his speech which he made in the Sepulchre, of the Resurrection of Christ, which we heard without in the chapel, and had also proclaimed the Pope’s indulgences for ever, we went in also, and looked upon the rock whereout the Sepulchre was cut, and found it underneath on the right hand (altho’ it had been very much torn by the Infidels) still in very good order, so that we could discern it still distinctly, where now the monks have made an altar, and covered it with a large fair marble. Over it hung about twenty lamps, which made the Sepulchre (which else is very dark) very light; one whereof belongeth to the Catholic King of Spain, another to the Christian King of France, and others to other Princes; they look very carefully after them, because they bring them in a considerable revenue yearly. The holy Sepulchre is lined within and without with grey marble, and chiefly without some adorned with carved columns that stand between it.

On the outside of the door of the Sepulchre doth hang a fine golden piece, wherein our Lord Christ is very artificially wrought, as he did appear after his Resurrection unto Mary Magdalen first, and afterwards also to the women: At the top of the Sepulchre is also a small round steeple, which is covered with lead, and upheld with six double marble columns: Besides this there is at the back of the Sepulchre another plain chapel, wherein the Jacobites, as I was informed, perform their Devotion.

More at the left hand, as we went out of the Sepulchre again, near to it in the pavement, are two large circles, rarely inlaid of Mosaic work, in the middle whereof are two round stones of marble, one whereof is white, and the other red, lying in the same place of the garden, where Mary Magdalen turned about, and took our Lord Jesus Christ to be the Gardener. Thus much I thought convenient to relate of these places that are shewn in the circuit.

When I found myself to be in those places where our dear Lord Christ did walk about, teach, and by his passion, death, resurrection and ascension work our redemption, and procure and purchase our salvation, from his heavenly father again, I did remember and rejoice at these incomparable benefits, and merciful treasures with all my heart; for it cannot otherwise be, but that every true Christian, that is upon this mount of Calvaria, and thinks there of the cross of Christ, and in the Sepulchre of his glorious resurrection, must find great passions within his breast; as you also read in the last chapter of St Matthew, vers. 8. of the women, where you find these words: ‘And they departed quickly from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy.’ This I found also in my heart and mind, so that it was, as if I saw our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Almighty God, to humble himself, and to become obedient to his heavenly Father, even to death, nay, to the death of the cross, to bring us miserable sinful men to rights again, and to deliver us clearly from all debts and punishments, and so to procure us the only and true indulgences.

After we had seen mount Calvaria, the Sepulchre of Christ our Lord, and other places, we went into the vestiary again to eat our supper.

After supper they led us up into the gallery, which is in the round building over-against the holy Sepulchre, to stay there all night; but some of the eastern Christians sung below in the church, others did grumble together, and play’d with their sweet-sounding cymbals, (which were made of pure metal about the bigness of a large wallnut-shell) so pleasant tunes or musick, that I rather look’d on them, and minded their musick than slept.

The next morning my comrades, after they had been at confession, and received the Sacrament upon mount Calvaria, came to me into the church again, with an intention to go round once more. So we saw the holy places once more, and at last also the chapel, which we left the day before at the foot of the hill on our left hand belonging to the Grecians; they let us in very willingly, because of our chaplain, who was also a Grecian, and shew’d us in it, at the farthest part where it was pretty dark, a large and deep crack of the rock; afterwards also on each side some fine and high tombs of some Kings, viz. that of Gottefrid de Boulion, and others, which were for some time possessed of the Land of Promise; these stand on delicate columns, cut out of curious grey marble, whereon are some epitaphs, which I thought to set down here underneath, together with a short relation when they did take the Land of Promise, and the famous city of Jerusalem, how long they were possessed of it, and how many Kings did succeed one another in it.

Plants observed by Monsieur Belon, to grow about some of the holy Places.

Near Jerusalem on the Mounts, Hills, and Valleys.

Adrachne seu Arbutus folio non serrato, Picea, Aria, Ilex cocci-glandifera, Terebinthus, Lentiscus, several sorts of Cistus, Capparis Spinosa, Paliurus or Christ’s Thorn, Fig-trees, Olives, Almonds, a sort of wild Peach, Jujubes or Zizyphus, Esculus or Dwarf-oak, Alaternus, white Mulberry for the Silk-worms, the inhabitants trading a little in Silk and Kermes, which they gather from a Holm-oak: Sesamum, Gossipium seu Xylon, Thymbra, Marum, Origanum Heracleoticum, Tragoriganum, Salvia, Stachys, Ruta Sylv., Trifolium Asphaltites; a rare sort of Hyosciamus on the walls of Jerusalem; Azadarach Arbor in Palestinâ secundum D. Monconny.

Between Mount Sinai, Mount Oreb and Suez.

Oenoplia a sort of Zizyphus; Arbor Lanigera or Cotton-tree; Glans seu Nux Unguentaria, call’d Balanus Mirepsica, Alcanna a Species of Ligustrum, of great use and sale for dying and colouring; Senna, Rose of Jericho, or Hiericho a sort of Thlaspi, Colocynthis, Ambrosia, or Oak of Cappadocia.

Some Plants mention’d by Breynius, and taken out of Rauwolff’s Hort. Sic. or else found in those Countries where Rauwolff travell’d.

Acaciæ similis Mesopotamica minutissimis foliis, siliquâ integrâ contortâ, crassâ, & obtusâ; sive siliqua Nabathæa nobis.

Azadirachta foliis ramosis majoribus Syriaca sive vulgaris flore cæruleo maj. Perlato falso Sycomorus Italorum. Bellon. Astergir. Rhasis, & incolis Zenselacht Rauwolff.

Horminum Syriacum, tomentosum, foliis Coronopi, sive profundè laciniatis Breyn. Horminum rarum foliis laciniatis Rauwolff. in Herbar. vivo.

Lapathum Rotundifolium montis Libani, semine maximo Breyn. Ribes Arabum Rauwolff.

Lycium Buxi foliis angustioribus Syriacum Breyn. Lycium Dioscoridis Rauwolff. in Herbar. Hadhad Arabibus, & Zaroa incolis montis Libani, ejusdem. In Syriâ & Palestinâ observavit Rauwolffius.

Lycium Buxi foliis rotundioribus Syriacum vel Persicum Breyn. Hoc Lycium apud Rauwolffium cum priore confunditur.

Marrubium villosum Syriacum, sive montis Libani Breyn.

Melanthium Syriacum minus frutescens latifolium, Rutæ flore, fructu tricapsulari, Breyn. Ruta vocata Harmala J. B.

Melilotus minima Syriaca. Nephel sive Naphal, Ibenbaithar & Malasesæ.

Plantago angustifolia minor lanugonisa Syriaca & Cretica, pediculis & capitulis maturitate ad terram inflexis Breyn. Leontopodium Alpin. Exot. Leontopodium Creticum C. B.

Plantago angustifolia peniculis Lagopi C. B. Plantago quinquenervia cum globulis albis pilosis J. B. Catananche Dioscoridis Rauwolff. in Herbario vivo.

Satureia frutescens Arabica folio fimbriato hirsuto Breyn. Sathar Arabum Rauwolff.

Tithymalus (vel Tithymalo affinis) aphyllos dictus major latifolius, flore sanguineo aviculæ capitulum repræsentante Breyn. An Planta lactaria Xabra & Cammaronum Rhasis Rauwolff.

Jacea maxima Hierosolymitana Alpin. Exot.

Marum Syriacum foliis incisis.

CHAP. IX.

Here follow some Epitaphs of the Christian Kings of Jerusalem, together with a short Relation of their reigns and mighty deeds.

In the year of our Lord Christ 1096, when Henry the fourth was Emperor of the west, and Alexius the Grecian Emperor at Constantinople in the east, Pope Urban the second call’d a council at Claremont in France, where they consulted together which way the Land of Promise might be deliver’d again from the hands of the Infidels. Where it was concluded and agreed upon, to take the field in common, and for their general they chose Gottefrid de Boulion, Count of Bononia in France. Along with him went many Princes, Counts and Noblemen, viz. Baldwin and Eustachius his brethren, and many more, and brought together an army of six hundred thousand foot, and one hundred thousand horse; so they went in several parties through Hungaria, Greece, &c. till they had passed the Hellespont, and came into Asia the Less, now call’d Natolia, and belonging to the Turks, where they joined again, and took some towns, to wit, Nicea, Tarsis, and also Antiochia situated in Cælosyria. Yet in these actions were a great many Christians slain by the way, others were taken prisoners, some were starved, a great many dy’d of sicknesses, that came by changing of the air in these hot countries; so that in three years time, for so long dured this march, there were hardly forty thousand men (as some write) left, of the afore-named sum that did arrive in the Land of Promise. These went with their master and general Gottefrid de Boulion before the city of Jerusalem, wherein were a great number of the infidels, to defend it; yet they surrounded the city, and took it in a little time, and kill’d a great number of them. When they had taken the town on the fifteenth day of July, in the year 1099, and had reduced it, they laid down their armors and arms, and went to visit the holy Sepulchre with great devotion, and chose there unanimously their general King of Jerusalem, who at their request undertook the government, would not be call’d King, nor crown’d with a golden crown in that place, where our Saviour that Arch-King had worn one of thorns. After he had obtained this victory, he also subdued some adjacent towns, viz. Joppe call’d Jaffa, Porphria situated at the foot of mount Carmel, the Arabians and Turks call’d Hayphe, Tiberias and the confines of Galilea. He also overcame with a handful of his men, the Captain of the Sultan, who had a great number of men with him, and kill’d above thirty thousand of them. But as nothing is lasting in human affairs, he dy’d in the eleventh month of his reign, and was bury’d in the above-mention’d chapel, and upon his tomb-stone is still to be read this following epitaph.

Hic jacet inclitus dux Gottefridus de Boulion, qui totam istam terram acquisivit cultui Christiano: cujus anima regnet cum Christo. Amen.

After his decease the Christians unanimously chose his brother Baldewin King of Jerusalem in his place; he overcame with a small number of men the King of Egypt, that was twenty two thousand strong, and kill’d the greatest part of his men. And when he dy’d in the eighteenth year of his reign, they chose his cousin Baldewin of Burgo, the second of that name, King. This was a great warrior, and did many heroick deeds with few men against the Heathens; he overcame and took prisoner Gatzim the Turkish Prince of the Lesser Asia, with a great number of men; but soon after in the fifth year of his reign, he was beaten in a battle by the King of the Parthians, and carry’d away prisoner. In the mean time the Venetians and Genoese came with two hundred and seventy ships, and dispersed and beat the Armada of the Saracens, and sunk many of their ships and took also the strong town of Tyrus, so that both by sea and land there was abundance of blood shed. When the enemies saw this, that they set the King at liberty again in the eighteenth month of his imprisonment, for a sum of money; after that he did execute in the six following years of his reign, in order to an enlargement of his kingdom, many glorious and famous deeds. He overthrew the King of the Ascalonites, who was assisted by the Egyptians, and fell upon Jerusalem in one single battle, and also beat the King of Damascus in three several ones, as you may see by his epitaph here underneath written:

In the year 1131, the crown was presented to Fulcon, count of Andegavia, and son-in-law to the before-said Baldewin, who also obtain’d several victories against the Persians and Turks. But in his time there arose some differences among the Christians, and some conspiracies, which proved afterwards very disadvantageous to him; he lost also Edessa, a city in Mesopotamia, which King Baldewin the first had conquer’d before, which the Turks took by force from him. This King left two sons, Baldewin and Alamric, and after he had reigned eleven years, he fell dead when he hunted a hare on full speed. After him his Son Baldewin the third was crown’d, who also dy’d in the twenty fourth year of his reign, after he had fought several battles, and taken some towns. Then his brother Alamric came to the crown, who was a great warrior, so that he was very fit for this dignity, he obtain’d many victories against Sultan Saladin. But afterwards when the scales were turn’d, he dy’d also after his return from Egypt in the year 1178, his son Baldewin the fourth, and the seventh King, undertook the government of the Kingdom in the thirteenth year of his reign. This, although he was leprous, yet he manag’d his business very well, and defended his dominions courageously and gloriously against the infidels. And because he would not be marry’d by reason of his distemper, therefore he marry’d his sister Sibylla to a Marquis of Monteferrato, call’d William. She was brought to bed in the first year of a son, and call’d him after his uncle Baldewin. But when William dy’d, he marry’d her again to Guido of Lusignan, Count of Joppe; with this condition, that after his decease he should rule the kingdom for his son-in-law, and be his guardian so long until he came at age. But he behaving himself very ill in the mean while, the King grew so angry with him, that he would by no means suffer him to live in his dominions, and order’d another to fill up his place, one Raymond, a Count of Tripoli. Soon after the King dy’d before his son was quite twenty years old, and was also bury’d in the temple of the holy Sepulchre. Within eight months after, did also die the true heir of the crown, the son of Sibylla his sister, and was also bury’d by the other Kings; so that we find still on three several tomb-stones that stand close one behind the other, viz.

So by the incitation of his mother, Guido was proclaim’d the last King.

Raymund the Count of Tripoli, was extremely disgusted at this election, being that the Kingdom was already recommended to him, wherefore he resolved to go to war with him, and that he might be strong enough for him, he made a league with Sultan Saladin, to his own grief and ruin; for when the Sultan saw these differences between them two, he raised suddenly a great army, and took Jerusalem, and the whole country by force of arms. So the kingdom of Jerusalem, after the Christians had been possessed of it eighty eight years and nineteen days, was re-taken again by the infidels, not without great loss and damage.

Not long after, the infidels did pull down the walls of the city, turn’d the churches into stables, saving the temple of Solomon, and spoiled the holy Sepulchre of our Lord Christ, which in all the other wars did still remain intire, so that only one side of the rock thereof is now to be seen. This was done by the infidels on purpose to shew us the foolish zeal we have to conquer and visit the holy grave and city, as if Christ were still in it. This and other places had been quite demolish’d also, had it not been for the eastern Christians, the Armenians, Syrians, &c. which did stop their fury, by giving of them a great sum of money, and so redeem’d it.

CHAP. X.

A common account of several sorts of Christians, but chiefly of them that are always to be found in the temple of mount Calvaria; and also how these, and many other strangers, are treated by the Turkish Emperor (as by their chief head, to whom they generally are subjected) and his officers.

In the temple of mount Calvaria live Christians of several nations; as Latins or Italians, Abyssins, Græcians, Armenians, Georgians, Nestorians, Syrians, Jacobites, &c. which for the most part are Priests and Friers, who are of so different opinions in many articles of faith, that many of them might sooner be reckon’d amongst the superstitious and hereticks than Christians; wherefore each of them have their peculiar habitation and chapel, that they may perform their devotion undisturbed by one another. The Turkish Emperor also lets them alone, and doth not at all trouble them for their religion, nor endeavour to bring them over to the Mahometan religion and Koran; and is very well contented to receive his yearly tribute, which is exactly demanded as it cometh to be due. I have seen many of them in the temple to go up and down in their peculiar habit, and once I did attend at their devotion, so that I easily passed away the times that the Turks kept us locked up in it.

Their Pilgrims resort thither yearly, chiefly against the great feasts or the holy days, in great numbers to see the holy places, not only from the eastern, but also from the western countries: Those that are under the subjection of the Sultan, which they are almost all of them (except the Latins and Abyssins) must pay him yearly the fourth part of all their revenues: He that hath four Olive, Almond, or Quince-trees, must yield one of them to be the Emperors. So in their harvest, every fourth sheaf is also his; their harvest beginneth in the beginning of April, and endeth in May, as you may see, Deut. chap. xvi. 9. ‘Seven weeks (that is from Easter to Whitsunday) shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.’ Besides this imposition, they have another; that is, They must pay yearly for every head that is male, the poor as well as the rich, one ducat, and sometimes two, chiefly when the Sultan intendeth to go to war with the Christians; then he beginneth to lay these taxes upon them a year before-hand, and hath it gather’d in. He that hath not wherewithal to pay it, is forced either to sell one or the other of his children to perpetual slavery, or else to give one of them to the Grand Turk, according to his liking to be his own for ever: And what is more, he sendeth every fourth or fifth year through all his dominions his Emissaries, viz. Wallachia, Servia, Bosnia, Albania, Colchid, &c. to fetch away every third son of his Christian subjects, and they always chuse that which they like best; and so they bring together a great number, and call them Azanoglans, and give them to the Janizaries to be their servants. These have in some chief places their exercises from their infancy, that in time they may be fit to be made Officers and Commanders in time of war. In this the Turks exercise great cruelty and pride, they spare no body, for if a Christian doth possess some small matter of riches, he must either keep it very privately, or else with a great deal of discretion say, That it is all belonging to his Emperor and him. So if the Grand Signior hath occasion for any thing of theirs whatsoever, it must be granted him without any refusal: But what a trouble and heart-breaking this must be to the poor parents, not only to have their children which are free by nature, forced to such a brutal way of life and education, but, what is more, taken away from baptism to circumcision, from the Christian congregation and faith, into a severe slavery and superstition, wherein they are brought from their duty to their parents, into a mortal enmity against them and their other relations, every Christian may with himself consider.

The Turks, where there is choice, take them that are single and young, because, they being still infirm, and but slightly grounded in their faith, they are the sooner seduced, chiefly if they are instructed in their Mahometan laws, and educated therein for a while, for then they soon forget their own faith, and grow in theirs, and so as they grow up in years, they also grow in their malice, and become to be worse than they themselves, as daily experience doth sufficiently testify.

Of the same stamp are also the Christians, that after they have been taken prisoners in the war, turn Mamalucks (which they call in their language Haracs) and are circumcised. These are free from all imposition as well as the Turks, save only the tenth, but dare not go away without their master’s leave, upon pain of death; if they are taken, they are according to their law, without any tryal, sentenced and condemned to be burnt. And these also are confirm’d and obdurated in their impious and base life, that they forget God and themselves, never think of coming home again to hear the Gospel preached, or to see their friends and relations again. Yet the prisoners are not so very much pressed by the Turks to deny their faith and turn, except there should be found one or more great persons among them, for such they always use to press more, and endeavour to turn them one way or other, and promise them great preferment if they will declare for their religion; for they are in hopes, that if they could persuade them, a great many more of the little ones would also come over with them. If such are persuaded by them and turn, they are entertained by the Turks very honourably, and called Tscheleby, that is gentlemen, and endued with great revenues, but yet they do not easily confide in them, or put any trust into their hands, and do not esteem such inconstant and faltering men in their heart, although they carry themselves very friendly before their faces, for they make account, That he that will easily deny his religion, will also betray his Prince and country if occasion should serve. I have known in these countries some slaves, whom their masters that bought them as their servants, did very much press to be circumcised, but when they did mightily resist, and excuse themselves, and say, That they could not admit thereof with a safe conscience, and if by force, they should take away their prepuce and circumcise them, that notwithstanding all that, they could not circumcise their hearts, and therefore they desired them not to trouble themselves any farther with them, they were for all that ready and willing to serve them honestly and faithfully to the utmost of their power: So their masters have been satisfied with this answer, and have pressed them no more. But if it should happen that a Christian should be taken in one of their Mosques (for they, as unclean men, are forbid to come there) or should dispute with them, or speak ill of their Prophet Mahomet and his laws, or should pronounce these words, which are almost written every where in their churches, and underneath their gates, in their Arabian language, Leila hillalla Mahammet rasur alla; that is to say, O God, only God, and Mahomet a Prophet of God, he must (because they are an epitome of their religion, confession, belief and laws) suffer himself to be circumcised, or else lose his life. For being that Mahomet did defend his false doctrine described in the Koran, rather with the sword than with reason and true grounds, that it might not be discovered, and so his adherents leave him. Mahomet to prevent this, by the devil’s inspiration, hath strengthen’d it with strong points and articles, viz. That no body shall discourse or dispute with any Sectaries whatsoever, much less believe them, or read their books, as such wherein is no ground to be found, because all that is good and true in the old Testament, testified by the Jews, and in the new one, by the Christians, is by him taken out and transcribed into his Koran, and therefore it must be believed and kept as the word of God, without any scruple or search; and he that speaketh or writeth against it, must fall by the sword, and besides be damned for ever.

Who doth not see that this subtile Mahomet did this, that any body that he gets once into his snares, or that falls into his net, might be so entangled, that he must be forced to keep there to perish and to be damned for ever; notwithstanding all his sweet promises of great privileges, salaries, and permission of sodomitish sins, robbing, burning, perjury, &c. which transgressions they regard but very little, seeing that according to their Prophet’s promise, if they pray but often, and wash themselves often, they do not only not hurt them, but by continual usage of the before-mentioned means, they become to be cleaner than we Christians from our sins, in the bath of regeneration. To these traditions of Mahomet, the Turks and Moors stick so close, and believe them implicitly, according to the commands of Mahomet; so that one, although he be of another opinion, because they will hear no contradiction nor objection, is forced to hold his tongue and say nothing. And in case you should ask them why they are forbid to eat pork, or drink wine? they answer and say, That their Parents did so before them, partly because they are unclean, and partly because they are forbid it in their Koran; or else that if they should over-fill themselves with it, so that they should bring it up again, it might contaminate their cloaths, and so they should commit a great rusticity; so that they know not how to give any reason concerning their religion. Wherefore their law ought to be called or reputed cruel, and a tyrannical one, that is rather upheld by the sword than by reason and justice; which also appeareth from thence, that they carry a naked scymiter before the noblemens sons, when they carry them about the streets in order to be circumcised; and also their Priests, chiefly those that are called Antippi, after prayers and sermon, shew unto the people from a high place, a burning torch in one hand, and a naked scymiter in the other, to encourage their own adherents, and to frighten those that are of a contrary opinion; and so Mahomet pretends to his adherents, that God hath bidden him to conquer all other nations by the sword, until they confess that there is no other God besides God, and Mahomet his Prophet; or else agree to pay him yearly tribute, and to be his obedient subjects; if they follow his directions, his laws will endure so long as they defend them by the sword. Now how strictly they have hitherto prosecuted these his commandments, the inhabitants of the eastern countries have formerly, to their grief, sufficiently experienced, viz. Asia, Syria, the Land of Promise, Ægypt, Thracia, Greece, &c. which they have not only conquered, and to their own great improvement subdued, but have also infected them with their poisonous doctrine to such a degree, that in these our times there are but very few to be found in those parts, that do adhere unto the true religion.

It being so then, that God Almighty hath visited them with these great punishments, by reason of their manifold sins and ingratitude, for his holy and sacred word, and that we also are guilty of these and the like sins and vices, we cannot wonder that the Almighty and Just God, should, according to our demerits, send also such a horrid tyrant against us, to terrify us very much, and come so near to us, that we must expect every moment (except we amend) the like punishments and executions. And so we hear daily, to our grief, that this potent tyrant is continually at work, and taketh one strong town after another; and what is more, they take often in their excursions, a great number of our brethren and sisters, part whereof they murder barbarously, others they carry away into perpetual slavery. When they have obtained a victory, and have got booty, there is ready, and at hand, several Sutlers, that drive a great trade by buying and selling poor prisoners; these buy them of the Soldiers, chain them (after they have given the Grand Turk the tenths thereof, according to his choice and pleasure) together with long chains, and so drive them away miserably, as if they were beasts, to the chief trading towns, to sell them with profit again to others, that come thither from foreign countries. There you find weekly, in their Batzars or Exchanges, many prisoners of several nations, viz. Christians, Moors, Arabians, Indians, Abyssins, and amongst them young and old, men and women, some whereof are white, and others black; thither come the chapmen and cheapen them; they have liberty to look upon their naked bodies, as if they were beasts, and to feel them, whether they are sound in their limbs, or whether they have any defect, which they always fear. If they like their bargain, the buyers take them home with them into their small habitations or tents, and put them (chiefly those that are given to idleness, and have learned no trade) to any sort of hard labour, and all that they get so belongeth to their master, who disposeth of it as he pleaseth. Wherefore those that keep many men and maids, esteem themselves richer for it; and sometimes they marry them together, and when they beget children, they are slaves as well as themselves, and he hath power to educate them, and to dispose of them as he pleaseth. Wherefore the Christians (that to their temporal punishment, they may not also acquire eternal ones, for their childrens sake) in these countries do seldom marry, but rather study how to make their escape, if they are not hindered for want of that language, and by unskilfulness of the roads; or else they go with their master before a Justice, in their language called Cadi, and there buy their liberty for a sum of money, or else agree with him for a certain time, and so make a contract with him concerning their liberty, which commonly those do that intend to persevere in their Christian religion, or undertake to get something by their handy-work, that when the time is past, or the money paid, the Justice may, according to the instrument before made by him at their request, declare him free, and give him a pass, to shew upon the road, that he may not be molested. Other ways to get their liberty there are but very few, except their master should happen to dye, which commonly in their last will, declare that their bought servants, after the opening of it, shall have their liberty. Sometimes it happens, that from others they buy false letters (which are soon found out in these countries) and so by the help of them get away clandestinely.

But yet that but a few slaves come from thence to us again, the chief reason is not, as many think, because the Turks press them to change their religion; for although they sometimes threaten them, as they use to do, or treat them somewhat more hardly than is usual in their servitude, as Christians also do very often, but rather their secure and impenitent life which they lead, forgetting God and his holy Word to that degree, that they know not how to give an account of their Christian faith and religion; nay, (what is more) they know not the difference between these two religions, which are so vastly differing, although they would, if they did know it, rather suffer death than be seduced from the true religion, and precipitate the soul, together with the body, into damnation. When then the knowledge of the truth is gone, and faith almost, if not quite extinguish’d, so that there is but little hope left of their salvation, they daily forsake their religion as fast as worm-eaten fruit falls from the tree; begin to think how to compensate their bodily suffering, they may lay up and get money by robbing and burning, and so get privileges, to live according to their own will and pleasure, like beasts in daily uncleanness; and when they are harden’d in it, they come at last to such a degree of sottishness and brutality, that (as St Peter saith) they believe the chief good of this world to consist in voluptuousness, wherein they perish at length, and must expect the wages of unrighteousness with the rest.

When the Turks have conquered one or more (which they discern at first by their fore-finger, which those that have a mind to turn use to shew to them first, as a token, by lifting of it up over their heads, chiefly in their Mosques) they rejoyce in them mightily, and are clearly of opinion, That this their work is precious and good before God, and that their religion is confirmed and upheld by the assenting of many; wherefore they soon meet together to confirm these turn-coats with their usual ceremonies, and so to make them true Turks. First they lay before them a cross, whereon they must trample three times, spit upon it, and repeat every time some words after them taken out of the Koran; so the Christians that will be made Turks pronounce them after them. When this is done, three of them are ready with their bows, and shoot together up, and give them before the arrows fall down again Turkish names: then (if they be men) they set them up upon high horses, put them on their best cloaths, and dress them neatly, and so lead them for two days together through all the streets, that every body may see them, and know them to be such as do adhere to their religion, and so to be free to walk and deal among them without any hinderance. If they are of an higher degree, and of great authority, sometimes ride along with them some Turkish gentlemen of quality, in their best dress, accompanied by many Janizaries, who fire here and there in the streets for joy, but chiefly in those places where they spy Christians. They have with them all sorts of musical instruments, viz. The drums, great drums, and little drums, (which they beat at the same time both above and below) hautboys, and others: They also carry in this their procession long streamers upon long poles, almost like unto them that we see in the cross-walks in our Frieries; and besides, the rabble that run before and behind make such a noise, that one cannot hear the other. When all this is over, they circumcise them at last on the third day, and then they reckon such an one to be a true Musulman, that is, a circumcised one, who hath leave to go to their Mosques without being hindered, to buy their books and writings, and to read them, which must not be sold to others that are not of their religion, upon pain of great punishment, that they may not come into unclean hands, or to be trod upon as writings of no worth.

Their Jews, whereof there are a great many among them, and are called by them Choifut or Choifoutler, excel ours in cheating and cozening by far, and there is no doubt but they would oftentimes renounce their religion to make profit: But the Turks envy them more than we Christians, they do not trust them, they reckon them not worthy to eat with them as they do with us Christians, nor marry with them; much less will they receive them as any thing related to their religion, except it be, that before for some days they have frequented the Christian churches, and there are baptized, and have often eaten pork, that unclean meat, that is also forbidden unto them. When they have done thus, they proceed with them after the same manner as is before-said.

Concerning the Christians that live among the Turks, as the Surians, Armenians, &c. they have here and there in great trading cities, their peculiar streets which they inhabit, and they are commonly without in the suburbs; and thereabout are also small and low churches, where they perform their devotions. When they begin to be decayed of age, or are burnt by fire, or destroyed in war time, if they will have them built up again, they must have leave first of the Turkish magistrate, and lay down a good sum of money, which grants nothing except you grease them well.

The Turks (to save charges) suffer no bells nor clocks, neither in their own nor other temples, nor will they give leave to the Christians to ring to church with them, so that all day long you neither hear a bell toll, nor a clock strike. Instead thereof, the Turks have, according to their Koran, their five hours set, which their Priests call out from the high steeples, and in the exchanges, with a loud voice, and with stopped ears, and cry, Alla Haickbar, that is, God is true; and then, Leila hillalla, Mahammet rasur alla; each of them he repeats twice, to call the people to their devotions. But the Christians have a servant, that at the hours of prayers and sermon goeth about with a strong cudgel, and striketh, in every street, on one or more doors made strong for that purpose, as if it were upon an anvil, several times, which resounds through all the street.

When the Christians pray, they observe almost the same ceremonies with the Turks, Persians and Arabians, &c. they turn themselves towards the south, they speak low in the beginning, lift up their hands, bend their heads and whole bodies downwards; then they fall down upon their knees, kiss the earth several times, and pray with great devotion; which custom the Jews keep also, and that without doubt, because the Patriarchs used the same in their prayers, as we read in Genesis chap. xvii. verse 3. and 17. ‘And Abraham fell on his face: Exod. xvii. 11. When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed:’ And in 1 Kings xviii. 42. is said, ‘And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees:’ And also Nehemiah viii. 6. ‘And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands; and they bowed they heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.’ So did Christ himself, lying on his face, vehemently pray the third time. If we Christians did but mind the fervency and zeal of the heathens and superstitious in their prayers, we should see what reason we have to awake from our laziness and coldness in our prayers, and to pray with earnestness. There live in Turky so many Christians, that they inhabit the greatest part of that country; wherefore considering their great number (to speak according to all human probability) it would be an easy matter to subdue the Turks without the assistance of any outlandish power, and to drive them out of their own countries, did not God Almighty, who visiteth us for our manifold sins, set them over us as a punishment: For although the Turkish Emperor sets his Beglerbys and Bashaws, as great and mighty lords here and there over great provinces and countries, to rule them with great zeal and severity, and to order all business according to his pleasure, so that among so great a number of people, and considering their severe reign and government (where small transgressions are vigorously punished) there is not easily to be feared an insurrection; yet he could not be half so strong, without the help of the Christians that live amongst his people, nor be able to bring together such mighty and numerous armies of good and experienced soldiers.

The Christians, for the most part, wear as well as the Turks long cloaths, and gird their loins with fine and soft rollers, some of silk, and others made of cotton; in them they keep still to this day their money, chiefly the poor, as some with us, that have no pockets, do in their handkerchiefs, tied up in a strong knot; the same without doubt did the ancients wear, as the words of Christ our Saviour, Matth. x. 9. give us to understand, where he speaketh to his disciples, and sends them into the world, saying, Provide neither gold nor silver, nor brass in your purses. (In the German bible, we read girdles.) With such a one, without doubt, the Prophet Agabus did tie the hands of the Apostle Paul in Cesarea in the house of Philip, when he would make him to understand, that the Jews at Jerusalem would take and tie him, and at length deliver him up into the hands of the heathens, as you may read in Acts xxi. Now altho’ the Christians go as well as the Turks in long cloaths, so that that way they are hardly to be distinguished from one another; yet they are distinguished by the peculiar colours of their turbants, which they wear; for the Turks wear white ones, as also do the Arabians and Persians, only these put behind to it a red coloured cloth, and the others make it up in another form, and let one of the ends hang down behind to defend their naked necks from the excessive heat of the sun. But the uncircumcised that have a differing religion, are not allowed to wear a white one, unless another colour be mixed with it, much less a green one; which colour being their Mahomet’s, and esteemed to be holy, is not allowed to be worn by any body, neither Turks nor Christians, (except to their Priests and some Pilgrims that have been on pilgrimage to Mecca) neither in turbants nor other cloaths. So the Armenians have blue, the Nestorians flesh coloured, the Grecians, Maronites, Surians, and others have white ones with blue lists wrought into them. But the Jews have yellow ones, as they have in our country yellow bonnets; yet when they have a mind to travel afar off, as into Mesopotamia, Assyria, Persia, or into the Indies, &c. (seeing that the Turks hate them, that so they may travel the securer, and with little charges) they put on white ones by the way, and pretend to be Tschelebys, or noblemen, nay, sometimes messengers of the Cambre, which they may easily do, because they understand the languages, yet not without great danger. But they stay not long in a place, that they may not come to be known.

There are also some Jewish Physicians, which instead of the yellow turbants, wear red high hats of scarlet, they exceed in number the Turkish ones, that go cloathed like the common people. They are commonly more able and learned, because they can read the physical books of Galen and Avicenna, &c. in their original languages Greek and Arabick; which they generally understand. But for the Latin tongue, very few of them understand that, neither have they any good books in it, but what they have received in the taking the island Cyprus.

So much of the Christians in general. But because I have made mention of Christians of several nations, that inhabit the temple of mount Calvaria, what places in and without the town of Jerusalem each of them are possessed of, and with what errors in religion they are contaminated, I cannot but relate in particular of each of them, as much as I could understand and learn in that little time.

CHAP. XI.

Of the Greeks.

As the ancient Greeks in former days did excel almost all other nations in wisdom and understanding, and used to have their children instructed at home in their own universities in all manner of learning; so in our times we find the contrary; for in all Greece there is not one university to be found, where such discipline and learning flourishes as did anciently; just so is the desire of learning, and instructing their children extinguished in them. They take greater delight in idle discourses, and rather love idleness, which they have learned very well, since they truckle under the Turkish yoke. ’Tis true, they write the Greek language, but which is as corrupt and different from the ancient, as the Italian is from the Latin. The Turks despise them for their laziness and cowardise, and on the contrary they love the Germans, French and Italians, and praise them, saying, That they are stout and courageous soldiers; they call them all by the same name Franci, because the divisions of our country are unknown to most of them.

In former ages they had here and there in large and eminent towns, instead of the Pope (whom they will not obey, nor be subject unto) their Patriarch, Archbishops and Bishops, whereof some are still kept up; but after the Turks did take and possess themselves of their country, there is fewer of them in number, and they have smaller revenues.

Without their country, they have in great trading Cities, as Cairo, Aleppo, Antiochia of Syria, Venice, &c. their peculiar churches, and chiefly in some holy places in the Land of Promise. As at Jerusalem the temple of mount Calvaria, the place of Skulls, whereon Christ was crucified; and also the beautiful chancel that is in the middle of the church; wherein is a round hole about a span over in a stone, which is, as they pretend, the middle of the earth, according to the words of the kingly prophet David, when he says: ‘God, who now is my King from the beginning, has wrought our selves on the middle of the earth.’ Besides these, they have another called the Holy Cross, about an English Mile out of town, which, as they pretend, is built on the same place where the tree did grow whereof they made the cross of Christ. Besides this, they have a great many more which I reckon unnecessary to mention here.

Some of their church doors are so low, that you must stoop when you will go through them.

They believe that the Holy Ghost doth proceed only from the Father, and not from the Son. They keep yearly two great fasts, and they eat flesh upon the sabbath, or saturday, at pleasure; they sing the mass in their own language, that every body may understand it. In their churches they suffer no embossed work, nor carved images, but have plain pictures on boards, or on the walls. They do not believe in Purgatory, as the Papists there, called Latini, do; nor that our praying, fasting or offering for the dead can do them any good. And they are mightily displeased, that the Roman priests do not, according to the plain words of St Paul, marry as well as they, nor give the Lord’s Holy Supper in both kinds, as our Lord himself did institute it. Wherefore they condemn such errors of the Popish church, and excommunicate the Pope and his adherents on the Holy Friday yearly. And because they reckon them to be superstitious, they will not permit them to say mass upon their altars; but if they should do it, they accuse them before the Turkish magistrates.

So it happened when I first came over, that they were very angry with a Papist that had said mass upon their altar, and so had profaned it, wherefore they did immediately consecrate the altar again, and had the Priest before the Cadi: and they brought it so far, that he was mulcted five hundred ducats, to pay in a short time. When he thought that the punishment was greater than the tresspass or transgression, he did seek for help at Aleppo and Tripoli, by the French and Italian Consul, but did obtain no great matter, so that he was still in election to pay the forfeiture.

CHAP. XII.

Of the Surians that esteem themselves to be Christians.

Among the eastern Christians, we also find them that are called Surians, whereof there is a great many, but chiefly in Syria. They have like unto the Jews in several towns their peculiar churches. In Jerusalem they live in the church of St Mark, which stands in the place, where the house stood formerly, at the door whereof St Peter the apostle did knock when the angel had delivered him out of prison.