So all his trauels were 320 miles Of Amanus AManus was a mountain between Syria and Cilicia which extendeth it selfe to the riuer Euphrates Between this Amanus and Euphrates Arabia deserta is scituated 400 miles from Ierusalem Northward and signifies The mountain of truth from Aman True and faithfull The Trauels of Demetrius Nicanor the sonne of Demetrius Soter IN the 165 yeare of the gouernment of the Grecians in Syria which was 141 yeares before Christ Demetrius syrnamed Nicanor which signifies Victorre sailed out of Creet into Cilicia which was 600 miles Ios Ant. 13. c. 6. 1 Mac. 10. Out of Cilicia he came into Syria the lower 160 miles where ioyning with Apolonius he tooke vpon him the crowne and Kingdom of Syria Afterward Apolonius went into Iudaea with a great army and besieged Iamnia Ptolomeus Philometor also assisted the proceedings of Demetrius seeing Alexander his son in law beginning to decline and the better to strengthen their allyance matched him to Cleopatra his daughter which before had bin wife to Alexander by which policie he added to the kingdom of Egypt all Asia ouer which he ruled 2 yeares 1 Mac. 11. After Demetrius Nicanor came out of Siria the lower with Ptolomeus Philometor to Antiochia which was 80 miles 1 Mac. 11. From Antiochia they went with their army to a plain neer the mountain Amanus 120 miles where in a sharpe war they ouercame Alexander and put him out of his kingdom Ios Ant. li. 3. c. 7. Now after the death of Ptolomeus Philometor Demetrius Nicanor Nicanor returned to Antiochia 120 miles where he gouerned the kingdome of Syria two yeares From Antiochia he went to Ptolomais which was 200 miles to which place Ionathan the high priest came to meet him where he gaue to him many presents and great gifts to win his fauour 1 Mac. 11. From Ptolomais he returned to Antiochia 200 miles There his soldiers and the city of Antiochia rebelled against him For which cause Ionathan the high-priest sent him 3000 men which deliuered the King out of danger put to the sword 100000 of the seditious and burnt the city of Antiochia 1 Mac. 11. But after Demetrius shewed himselfe vnthankfull hee was driuen out of his kingdome by Tryphon and yong Antiochus the sonne of King Alexander who was also called Theos which signifies God In the 172 yeare of the reigne of the Grecians in Syria which was 138 before Christ Nicanor hauing slaine Antiochus the son of Alexander he would haue reigned alone in Syria wherefore Demetrius who was the lawfull King of Syria being 3 yeares before driuen thence went 1200 miles into Media to craue aid against Tryphon but Arsaces king of the Medes Parthians and Persians sent the chiefe captain of his host against Demetrius who burned his tents tooke him prisoner and caried him back to his master to Hecatompylon the chiefe city of his kingdome distant from Syria 1220 miles toward the East Iustin lib. 36. 38. From Hecatompylon Arsaces sent him to Hyrcania the Metropolitan city of that countrey which was 176 miles where although Arsaces kept him as a prisoner yet he allowed him royall attendance and after maried him to his daughter Iust lib. 38. After the death of Arsaces with singular industry and policie he got out of captiuitie after he had beene 12 yeares prisoner in Hyrcania and came into Syria which was 14 miles where he recouered his kingdome and reigned foure yeares So all his Trauels were 4156 miles ¶ Of the Places to which he trauelled Of Creta now called Candia THis is an Island of the Mediterranian sea distant from Ierusalem 600 miles Westward very fruitfull and pleasant in which there growes great plenty of Cypresse trees and grapes of diuers kindes but principally such whereof Malmsey and Sacke are made Here Tytus Pauls Disciple was Bishop wherefore you shall reade more of it after Of Seleucia SEleucia is a famous city of Syria scituated vpon the shore of the Mediterranian sea 280 miles from Ierusalem Northward neere to which the riuer Orantes runneth and the mountaine Casius standeth which is 4 miles high Plin. l. 5. c. 22. You may read more of this in the trauels of S. Paul Of Syria SYria was sometimes called of the Hebrewes Aram of Aram the sonne of Sem of whom all Armenia tooke the name Aram signifies A man of great spirit and dignity being deriued of Rom that is lifted vp for he was a man of an excellent spirit Gen. cap. 10. Syria signifieth a great tract of land and is diuided into two parts the vpper and the lower In the vpper Syria are these cities Antiochia Seleucia Laodicea and Apamea in the lower Syria are Sydon Tyrus Berytus Tripolis and Orthosia This Countrey is scituated in a very temperat Zone from whence it happeneth that it is neither oppressed with too much cold nor heate There are that diuide Syria into foure parts that is into Syria Assyria Leucosyria and Coelosyria Also Pliny Lib. 5. Cap. 12. attributeth Mesopotamia and Babylonia to Syria But it is euident that these were distinct Countries from them in the which there reigned Emperours and Kings which had large and spatious Dominions For Syria is scituated betweene the Mediterranian sea and Euphrates but Mesopotamia which is so called because it is scituated in the middle of waters is separated from Syria and Assyria with the riuers Euphrates Tygris and Arabia is separated from Syria and Babylon with many vast wildernesses Therefore these countries cannot properly passe vnder the denomination of Syria Of Parthia PArthia is a spatious country full of mountains and desarts lying vpon the borders of Media Westward the Metropolis whereof is Hecatompylon taking the name of 100 gates wherewith it is fortified It lieth as Stephanus saith 1512 miles from Ierusalem Eastward Here Arsaces that mighty King of the Parthians kept his court who had vnder his gouernment Media Parthia Persia Hircania and the greatest part of all the countries toward the East It is called Parthia because of the fruitfulnesse of the soile being deriued of Parah To fructifie Of Hyrcania HYrcania is a fruitfull and pleasant countrey bordering vpon Media and the Caspian sea for the most part plain champian beautified with many faire Cities the chiefe of which are Hyrcania the Metropolis of the whole kingdome Talebrota Samariana Carta and Tape It was so fat and fruitfull that the inhabitants vse not to till and dresse the ground as they doe in other places but the seed that falleth from the huske vpon the earth springeth vp and bringeth forth great plenty and increase without further labour The Dewes also falling vpon the trees there droppeth from them oile and honey in great plenty It taketh the name as it is thought from a Wood called Hyrcania In like manner the Caspian sea which bordereth vpon it of this country is called Hyrcanum Many cruel beasts are found therein as the Panther the Tyger and the Leopard The Panther is of a whitish colour inclining something
the Princes and Embassadors of the King of Assyria spake blasphemous words against the Lord wherefore he slew 185 thousand of them as appeareth in the 2. King 19. Of the valley of the sonne of Hinnon THis valley lieth behind the city of Ierusalem Southward on the left hand as they went from Ierusalem to Bethelem In this valley the Iewes set vp an Idoll of copper like a King which they called Moloch that is a King of Idols This Copper Idoll stood with the arms stretching out and vnder it there was a great fire whereby the Image shewed fire-redde and besides that the more to honour it they made a great fire betweene two walls which burnt for his sake and through this fire the Idolatrous Priests cast liuing children into Molochs burning armes which he with his armes red hot burnt to death And in this manner the Iewes offered their owne children to the Idoll Moloch and when they did it they made a great noise crie and beat vpon a drum that the fathers when their children were offered should not here them crie by reason of the great noise of Drums This valley was called the valley of Tophet for Tophet signifies a Drum This was a most grosse and fearefull Idolatry therefore Christ likened this valley of Hinnon to hell fire for he called it Gehenna Mat. 5. That the Iewes should keepe themselues from this monstrous Idolatrie God made a law That if any man were taken committing this kind of Idolatry he should forthwith be stoned to death and not suffered to liue Leuit. 18. 20. The valley of Gehennon is oftentimes named in the holy Scriptures Iosh 15. Nehem. 11.2 Paral. 28.33 Ier. 7. Ierom writeth that here by this Idol Moloch in the valley of Hinnon there was a Wood for the water ran out of the Fountaine Siloah along by it and made the valley moist Of the field of bloud called Hakeldama THis field of bloud which was bought for thirty siluer pence for the which Iudas betraied our Sauiour Christ lay not farre from the valley of Hinnon Southward by the city of Ierusalem as Ierom writeth Of the hill Hameskita or offence and stander THis hill lay Southeast not farre from Ierusalem something wide of mount Oliuet so that there was but one Valley betweene them and was not altogether so high as it Also vpon this hill King Solomon in his old age suffered his wiues or concubines to make Idolatrous Temples wherein he and his wiues worshipped Idols Of the destruction of this famous Citie of Ierusalem by TITVS VESPASIAN THus haue I briefly set forth the dignitie scituation curiosity of the buildings of Ierusalem together with the richnesse of the Temple and sumptuousnesse of the houses now it rests to describe vnto you the manner and meanes how this famous Citie was destroyed surely a thing worthy wonder according to that in Ieremy Whosoeuer shall heare of it his eares shall tingle And that it might be the more famous and the Christians within it might take notice of the neer approaching desolation there were diuers strange accidents hapned and visions seene As first about some foure yeares before the riuer Iordan was turned out of her course and was brought into the Citie Pella a while after that for a yeare together there hung a Comet like a flaming sword ouer the City And in the night there was seene a light in the Temple And in the day when they were at sacrifice a Calfe brought forth a Lambe Then about the middle of the night the Easterne gates of the Temple opened of their owne accord In the skies were seene armies of men fighting and Horses and Chariots running too and againe And at last there was heard a terrible voice in the temple vttering these words Migremus hinc that is Let vs goe hence And that there might be a generall Proclamation of this sad and cruell desolation through the whole citie one Ananias the sonne of Iesus a man poore and impotent vpon the Feast of the Tabernacles ran through all the streets of the Citie and crying O a voice from the East and a voice from the West a voice from the foure windes a voice ouer Ierusalem and the Temple a voice ouer the Bridegroome and the Bride and a voice ouer the whole multitude of this Citie And although he was whipt and imprisoned and cruelly handled yet so long as he liued hee would not cease to vtter these words which by some were judg'd to foretel the horrible desolation which after hapned For Titus Caesar sonne of Flavius the Emperor about seuentie yeares after the Natiuitie of our Lord and about eight and thirty after his ascension vtterly ouerthrew it euen to the ground about the first day of the moneth of Aprill and within a yeare after these signes For he taking aduantage of the three factions which at this time swaied in Ierusalem One of Eleazer the Priest the sonne of Simon the other of Zilotus the chiefe Prince which held the Temple and the third of Iohannes Giscalenus a cruell fellow which had the command of the inferiour Citie besieged it and made this a fit opportunitie to further his enterprises whiles the seditious and factious people little regarding their owne safetie gaue way by their euill and intestine warrs to what he intended weakning themselues much more by their continued slaughters than the enemy by his inuasion Insomuch as the whole citie and Temple was filled with dead bodies common insolencies and publique rapines were ordinarily amongst them some set fire of the City others dispoiling the Temple a third sort killing the Priests euen as they were at sacrifice al places ful of dead bodies and to this to adde a greater measure of miserie without any regard at all to their future defence set fire of the store-house wherein the corne lay for the sustentation of the Citie and consumed that in one day which had been long a gathering by this meanes it came to passe that they were sorely afflicted with the pestilence through the corruption of the aire and with famine for want of Corne. All these things notwithstanding such was the crueltie obstinacie and peruersenesse of this people could not restraine them from violating the most sacred and holy things of the Temple insomuch as Iohannes Giscalenus had a full determination to haue destroyed it but that he was preuented by the Romans About this time was the feast of the Passeouer and it fell vpon the fourteenth day of Aprill being the Sabboth to the celebration whereof there resorted to Ierusalem about three hundred thousand Iewes These the enemy gaue way to enter into the Citie but considering their present necessitie for want of victuals vpon a suddain drew vp their forces and so straightly beleagered them that all this huge multitude was as it were imprisoned within the wals where partaking of the former misery they either died by the plague or famin Whence may be perceiued the maruellous prouidence
the King of that country with some few of his courtiers being then but young fled from Midian to Paran the Metropolitan Citie of Arabia Petraea which was 84 miles 1 Reg. 11. But because he thought himselfe scarce safe in that place he fled thence to Cheopes that impious and tyrannicall King of Aegypt that built the greatest of the three Pyramides at Memphis He hating King Dauid gaue him kinde entertainment assigned him a part of the Kingdome of Aegypt to dwell in and after married him with his sister Tachpenes by whom he had a sonne called Genubath who was brought vp in Pharaohs or King Chopes court where he continued all the life of Dauid being 27 yeares which was 120 miles Dauid being dead he returned into his own kingdome of Idumaea which was 200 miles From thence hee went to Damascus which was 240 miles where he was created King of the Syrians by Reson and other fugitiues which had conspired against Solomon by which meanes he grieuously troubled that Kingdome and became an vtter enemie to the Israelites all the life of Solomon And of him is the originall and stocke of the Kings of Syria So all the trauels of Hadad were 644 miles Of Midian and Paran you may reade before in the one dwelt Iethro Moses father in law in the other Ishmael that being the chiefe city of his dominions as you may reade Gen. 21. Ex. 2. Of Reson Solomons aduersarie AFter Dauid had conquered Hadad Ezer king of Zoba Reson his chiefe captaine gathered vp his dispersed souldiers of his army and fled from him to Damascus which was 120 miles and besieged it the Citizens whereof when neither Dauid nor Solomon could suppresse his rebellion entertained him for their King which principalitie he held The Trauels of the Kings of Israel and first of IEROBOAM THis man was the sonne of Nebat and borne at a towne called Zared not far from Bethlehem Ephrata some eight miles from Ierusalem from whence hee came to Solomon who made him captaine that he might collect the tribute of Manasses and Ephraim 1 Reg. 11. which was eight miles From Ierusalem as he went to Shilo which was foure miles he met the Prophet Ahijah the Shilonite who told him that he should be King of Israel 1 Reg. 11. From thence he went to Memphis in Aegipt which was 224 miles because Solomon sought his life where he remained with Sesak king of Aegypt all the life of Solomon Eusebius calleth this King Osochores who that same yeare succeeded Macrenius Solomons father in law in that gouernment From thence hee returned to the towne of Sichem in Israel which was 280 miles where the Israelites made him chiefe captaine against Rehoboam Solomons sonne Wherefore Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat began to raigne ouer Israel An. mundi 2971 and before Christ 997 and raigned 22 yeares 1 Reg. 12. His first seat was at Sichem which he repaired and enlarged From Sichem in the first yeare of his raigne hee went to Penuell and there set vp many faire buildings which was twelue miles 1 Reg. 12. From Penuel he went 24 miles to the towne of Bethel where he caused a golden Calfe to be set vp for the people to worship From thence he went to Thirza which is 16 miles This citie he built and there kept his court 1 Reg. 14. From thence he went to the mount Zemaraim which is mount Ephraim 18 miles where he had a great battell with Abia king of Iuda and lost 500000 of his souldiers all chosen men of Israel 2 Chr. 13. verse 17. Hauing lost this battell with all possible speed that he could went thence to Thirza which is 18 miles there the Lord strucke him with a grieuous disease that hee died miserably 1 Reg. 14. 2 Chr. 13. So all the Trauels of Ieroboam first King of Israel were 623 miles The Description of the townes and places to which IEROBOAM trauelled Of Zemeraim THis was a certaine Plaine in mount Ephraim eight miles from Ierusalem towards the North neere to the towne of Bethel in the Tribe of Manasses for mount Ephraim is diuided into diuers parts and Tribes It seemeth to take the name of certaine trees that abound neere that place whereon cotton wooll groweth for Zaemaer signifieth Wooll which by little and little vpon such trees doth increase and grow to perfection Of Thirza THis was a faire and beautifull citie scituated in a high and pleasant mountaine in the Tribe of Manasses some twenty foure miles from Ierusalem towards the North. In this place the kings of Israel vsed to keep their courts vntill Samaria was built It was so called because of the excellencie and delectablenesse of the place for Thirza doth denote An acceptable and thankfull citie being deriued of Razah he receiueth thankfully Of the yeares of the iniquitie of Israel THe yeares of the iniquitie of Israel mentioned in Ezek. 4. is to be accounted from that day wherin Ieroboam first erected the golden Calues wherefore the greatest part of the first yeare of the iniquitie agreeth with the second yeare of Ieroboams raign From whence may be gathered that from that time till the destruction of Ierusalem by Nabuchadnezzar were 390 yeares full ended Of Ieroboams wife Queene of Israel SHee went from Thirzo to Zilo which was about 24 miles there she asked counsell of Ahijam the Prophet concerning her son Abia for he was sicke but he told her heauie tidings 1 Reg. 14.7 Wherefore being pensiue and troubled in her mind she returned backe againe to her husband to Thirzo which was 24 miles 1 Reg. 14. So these two journies were 48 miles The journey of the man of God which came out of Iuda THis man of God as Iosephus writeth lib. Ant. 8. came from Ierusalem to Bethel which was eight miles and was called by the name of Iadon which signifieth the Iudge of the Lord. When he came thither he reproued Ieroboam with an extraordinary spirit of whom you may reade more 1 Reg. 13. But being deceiued as he was returning a Lyon met him in the way where he was slaine and after buried in a sepulchre in Bethel The Trauels of NADAB the second King of Israel NAdab or Bonifacias succeeded his father Ieroboam in the Kingdome of Israel and was annointed while hee was yet liuing a liberall and free-hearted Prince Hee began to raigne in the second yeare of Asa King of Iuda Anno mundi 2992 and before Christ 977. Hee raigned during the life of his father a yeare and somewhat more but when hee had raigned two yeares hee went from Thirza with a great army to the citie of Gibithon which was 36 miles this towne he besieged very straitly but at length was slaine by one of his captaines called Baesa so he lost both his life and kingdome in that place 1 Reg. 15. Of Gibithon THis was a citie of the Leuites in the Tribe of Dan not farre from Ekron in the land of the Philistines 16 miles from Ierusalem towards the
that went into exile for he was born about such time as Romulus and Remus were born which was An. mun 3200. and before Christ 798 Tob. 1. About the 30 yeare of his age he went from Niniveh into Media which was 752 miles and there came to a city called Rages in that country to visit the banished Israelites at which time hee lent by Gabel by bond 10 talents of siluer which amounts in our mony at v. s. vi d. the ounce to 2062 li. and 10 s. or thereabouts From Rages he returned backe againe to Niniveh 752 miles So all his trauels were 2104 miles The Trauels of the Angell Raphel and yong Tobias IN the yeare before Christ 708 the Archangell Raphel went from Niniveh to Rages in Media with Tobias the yonger being 752 miles From Rages in Media they returned backe again to Niniveh 752 miles So these journies were 1504 miles ¶ The description of the places mentioned in their trauels Of Nepthaly THis was the chiefe city of the tribe of Nepthaly 84 miles from Ierusalem toward the North. It stood in Galile and in times past was a strong town here Tobias the elder was born It is to be seene at this day as some say but much decayed and is now called by the name of Sirin scituated in a mountain so steep and strongly fortified by nature vpon the West side that it is impossible to ascend vpon it In a valley some two miles from this towne towards the South Naason spoken of in the first Chapter of Toby is scituated Vpon the left side whereof there stood a towne called Sophet but now there is nothing to be seene but a Castle where in antient times the Knights Templers kept their abiding and at this day is in the custody of the Turks This castle is scituated vpon a high mountaine fortified very strongly both by art and nature and standeth within a mile of Nepthaly Southwestward At such time as Iosephus that great Historiographer who was the sonne of Matthia of Marathia a Priest of the Iewes was chosen chiefe Commander of the tribe of Nepthaly he gathered an army of 100000 and fortified this castle Nepthaly and many other townes thereabouts continuing a long and sharp war against the Romans vntill Nepthaly was taken and he constrained to yeeld himselfe captiue In the taking in of which town Titus the son of Vespasian did first ascend the walls there made manifest his noble resolution and valor Vid. Ios de bell Iud. lib. 3 4. Of Rages a city of the Medes RAges is so called of a great Congregation being deriued of Ragasch that is He hath assembled a great company for it was a very populous city It was also called as Strab. li. 11. Cosmograp saith Rahga but after being rebuilt and fortified by Nicanor it was by him called Europus beeing distant from Ierusalem 1396 miles toward the Northeast The Persians call it Arsacia S. Ierom de Trad. Hebr. would haue Edissa a city of Mesopotamia or rather as Pliny saith of Coelosyria to be Rages which stands but 448 miles from Ierusalem Northward and from Ninive 188 miles Westward There are diuers others that haue wrot of this town of Edissa but that this and Rages should be both one I canot see how to agree with Toby for that hee himselfe hath set it down to stand in Media and the Cities of the Medes lie distant from Ierusalem 1396 miles Therefore gentle Reader I referre it to thy better consideration Of Iesus the sonne of Syrach SYrach signifies an Illustrous Prince being deriued of Sarach he hath shined forth he was of that noble family of Dauid that is the son of Syrach the son of Iesu cousin german to Amos Syrach who as Philo saith was the chiefe prince and captain of the children of Israel in the time of Ptolomeus Philadelphus King of Egypt is inserted into the genealogie of Christ Luke 3. He was born 230 years before Christ in the city Ierusalem from whence about the 38 yeare of his age he went to Alexandria a city of Egypt 288 miles Evergetes Ptolomais the sonne of Philadelphus being then King of that countrey where he gathered out of that flourishing Library set vp at the charge of Ptolomais Philadelphus his booke of Ecclesiasticus as bees from diuers floures gather sweet hony Of the great city Alexandria ALexandria was a city of Egypt distant from Ierusalem 288 miles Westward in antient time called No that is a Hinderance But Alexander the Great taking affection to this city in the yere 330 before Christ began to build it for by continuance of time it was much decayed and within the space of 17 dayes made it a goodly city much greater than it was before to which that he might adde the greater grace he called it after his owne name Alexandria and there he lieth buried after hee had gouerned the empire of the Grecians 7 yeares For although he died in Babylon the chiefe city of the Chaldaeans yet Ptolomais one of his chiefe Princes remoued his body thence in a golden chariot to Memphis in Egypt and 20 years after to Alexandria The scituation thereof is very delectable bordering to the North vpon the Mediterranian sea and to the South vpon the poole of Mareridis as Strabo saith lib. 17. It was ten miles about strongly fortified with walls beautified with goodly buildings scituated in a very fruitfull countrey And to giue a greater delight vnto the inhabitants without the Walls there stood many goodly Orchards and Gardens plentifully furnished with fruits and floures of diuers kindes as Pomecitrons Figges c. During the time of Ptolomais Philadelphus it was a famous and flourishing city for this Prince being a great louer of learning instituted an Academy as it is thought in it and added thereto a stately library wherin were 400000 Bookes The same whereof beeing published through the world many people of diuers Nations resorted thither to see it Then Eleazer also the high-priest of the Iews at the request of Ptolemais sent 72 Interpreters to translate the Bible out of Hebrew into Greeke which was as Eusebius obserueth in the third yeare of his reign before Christ 268. In recompence whereof he sent to be dedicated in the Temple of Ierusalem a table of gold richly adorned with Carbuncles smarages and other pretious stones two stately cups and 30 boules of pure gold as appeareth in Iosep lib. Antiq. 12. The Academy continued there till after Christs time as you may reade Acts 6. But the Library was consumed 47 yeares before Christ and the city greatly defaced For Iulius Caesar at that time making war with Pompey the yonger who continued with his sister Cleopatra in this City caused the Kings navy to be set on fire and the Library standing neer it the flame tooke hold of it and burnt it downe to the ground with all that was in it and defaced also a great part of the city Iosephus writing of this city compares it
of God that euen on the same day and in the very same place where but eight and thirtie yeares before our Sauiour Christ suffered the authors of such crueltie suffered a most just and seuere reuenge Now as the army of the Romans lay vpon the North of the Citie Titus drew out a band of six hundred horse to ride about to behold and view the walls of the Towne but as he was in this manner wondring at the sumptuousnesse of the Citie the Iewes in great multitudes slipt out at a posterne gate and set vpon him so fiercely that they endangered his person being without armour and had he not with great difficultie broke through them and recouered the Tower of the Romans hee had beene there slaine But presently vpon this seeing the danger hee besieged the Citie in three parts himselfe as the Emperour of the armie built a castle about some two furlongs from the Citie iust against the Tower Psephina Thc other part of the army was intrenched right against the Tower Hippicus not farre from the Garden of the resurrection And the third part had their Castle in the Mount of Oliues some fiue furlongs or thereabouts from the Citie Then did hee build Bulwarkes make Engines and wonderfull deuises for the battering of the Walls and combining himselfe with some of the Iewes vpon the seuenth day of the second moneth which answereth to the moneth of May with great difficultie and much labour entred the first Wall which lay vpon the North and woon Mount Bezitha and Neapolie Vpon the twelfth of the same moneth which was the Sabboth day hee entred the second wall which diuided the suburbs but this was againe the same day recouered by the vertue of the Iewes so that the Iewes were constrained to fight vpon the Sabboth day according to the prophecie of our Sauiour Christ Matt. 24. But after vpon the sixteenth of this moneth of May the Romans againe recouered this wall and kept it in their owne custody Within a while after in the month of Iune about this time the famine growing intollerable within the towne Titus in the space of three daies compassed in the whole citie of Ierusalem with a Wall and vpon that set Towers and Castles lest any of the Iewes should flye to saue themselues Thus was the prophecie of our Sauiour Christ fulfilled Thy enemies shall compasse thee about and hem thee in on euery side Iosephus was now in the Citie and walking vpon the Walls earnestly intreated the Iewes to desist and no longer to oppose the Romans but this was so hatefull a speech to many that they began to fling darts at him And although at this time the extremitie of the famine was so sore that many dyed for want of sustenance yet all perswasions were in vaine and such was the calamitie that as well those as went out as those that continued in the Citie were in like danger of their liues for they were either slaine by the enemy or els by the pestilence and famine common injuries and vnmercifull outrages still attending vpon warre Their misery did rather increase then at all lesson it selfe for the jealousie of treason the hope of riches and the madnes of the seditious distracted the mindes of the Citizens with continuall feares and filled the streets full of murther and daily spectacles of lamentable tragedies The markets were vnfrequented with Corne the victuals with violence consumed and taken from the true owners And if it chanced that some one had more than would serue his turne though he dwelt in a faire and stately building yet the remotest roome and most vnfrequented he made his tabernacle and that little which was left with great parcimonie he consumed together with his life till both were ended Those that were Fathers and Senats of the people though before serued and attended with reuerenced and great state in this consusion was glad of a small morsell though with much contention The wife was not ashamed to take away the meate from her husband nor the children from their parents nor the mothers from their infants And if it hapned that in any house the seditious seemed to smell food with violence they tooke it ransackt the roomes round about whiles the master therof was made a laughing stocke and mournfull spectator of those mischiefes But according to the condition of souldiers whose naturall disposition is to be violent without any regard either of sex or kindred committed daily outrages So that here you might haue seene the mothers weeping ouer their dying infants whiles their husbands were massacred in the streets by the seditious The increase of daies were the increase of torments and the daily want of such as were in power being vnaccustomed to such euils caused them to inuent new meanes to satisfie their desire and practise vnusuall torments for no other purpose but to finde out sustenance yea such was their insatiable thirst of bloud that they spared not him whom but now gaue them all hee had and least he should liue to cumber the city either hang him vp by the heeles till he died or else pulled out his entrailes with a sharpe yron Those that went out in the night time when the Romans were asleepe to gather herbes the seditious would meet and with violence take what they had got from them and though with teares and lamentations and prayers vpon their knees they intreated but for one part a small moitie of that which a little before they had got with danger of their liues yet they would not giue it them and scap't fairely if they went away with life These insolencies were committed by the common souldiers vpon such as were of the meaner sort of people But for the rest that were either honorable or rich they became a prey to the Captains and Commanders some accused as traitors and that they would haue betraied the Citie to the Romans others as fugitiues that they would forsake the Citie most vnder pretence of one crime or other dispoiled of that they had And they whom Iohn had thus oppressed were entertained of Simon and whom Simon had injuried they were entertained by Iohn both drunke the bloud of the miserable Citizens like water So that the desire of rule was the cause of their dissention the concord of their euill and cruell actions There was an infinite number that perished in this citie by famine insomuch as houses were filled with the bodies of infants and children The Angle gate was thrust full of dead corpes The young men that remained walked vp and downe the Citie like Images of death The old men were destroyed by the pestilence the contagion of which disease taking away their senses they became madde And of such as died among the seditious their wiues or kindred had not roome nor time to bury them but as they were putting them into the graue they also dyed Yet for all this amongst this miserable societie there was no weeping no complaining no deploring
in sinne poureth out his bloud vpon vs whereby we are made capable of eternall life Of the place where Adam and Eua dwelt after the breaking of the commandement Gen. 3. ADam and Eua being driuen out of Paradise dwelt at Damascus 160 miles from Ierusalem as Munster and others write the Townes-men of Damascus at this day shew the place where Cain slew his brother Abel and it is well to be beleeued that this Citie receiues her name thereby for Damascus signifies bloud-shedding or a place which hath drunke vp bloud Of the place where Cain dwelt CAin after he had slaine his brother Abel dwelt in the land of Nod a land of feare and disquiet in the Towne of Hanoch and as some thinke it was the same place where Babylon after Noes Floud was built being foure hundred and eightie miles from Ierusalem Eastward Of the place where Noah dwelt NOah signifying quiet and rest dwelt in Armenia six hundred miles from Ierusalem Northward hard by Mount Ararat vpon which Mount the Arke after the Floud staied it selfe Gen. 8. Ptolomeus nameth These high Hills in Armenia Gordes which are alwaies couered with snow and no man may get vpon them Sem. SEm who in the holy Scriptures is called Melchisedeck that is a King of righteousnesse dwelt in the Citie of Ierusalem which as then was called Salem that is a Citie of peace Nimroth NImroth was the first Prince and regent vpon earth and built Babylon which is six hundred and eighty miles from Ierusalem Eastward Strabo writeth That in Babylon there was an old foure square Tower built of bricke foure hundred and sixteene ells high * That is 200 yards high and each side thereof foure hundred and sixteene ells broad This without doubt was a piece of the Tower of Babylon the toppe whereof should haue reached vp to Heauen Gen. 22. Babel or Babylon signifieth a confusion because in that place God confounded the workemens tongues when they built the Tower of Babylon The Trauels of Abraham 1 ABraham went out of his owne Countrey of Vhr in Chaldaea to the Citie of Haran in Mesopotamia which is 376 miles 2 Erom Haran by Gods commandement hee went to Sichem which is foure hundred miles 3 From Sichem he went to the Plaine and wood of Mamre to the Hill betweene Bethel and Hay which is 28 miles 4 From thence he went into Aegypt trauelling Southward 240 miles 5 Out of Aegypt he went againe into Canaan to the hill that lyeth betweene Bethel and Hay which is 240 miles Gen. 13. 6 From thence hee went to the Plaine of Mamre neere Hebron 32 miles 7 From the plaine of Mamre hee went to Dan which is 124 miles and there ouerthrew the foure Kings which had taken Lot prisoner Gen. 14. 8 Then he pursued the enemie for the space of 80 miles to Hobam in Phoenicia which lyeth in the left side of Damasco Gen. 14. 9 From Phoenicia hee went to Sodom wnere Melchisedech met him which are 160 miles Gen. 14. 10 From Sodom he went backe again to the plaine of Mamre which are 40 miles 11 From the Plaine of Mamre he went to Gerer which is six miles where his sonne Isaac was borne Gen. 20.21 12 From Gerar he went to Beersaba which is 12 miles where he tooke an oath of King Abimilech 13 From Beersaba he went to mount Moriah which is 40 miles where he would haue offered his sonne Isaac Gen. 22. 14 From mount Moriah hee returned againe to Beersaba which is 40 miles 15 From Beersaba he and his wife went to the plaine of Mamre by Hebron which is 16 miles and there they died and were buried Gen. 23. and 25. So that all the Trauels of the Patriarch Abraham were 1794 miles Now followeth the description of the Townes and places THe Towne of Vhr in Chaldaea where Abraham was borne at this day is called Orchae as Petrus Appianus writeth and is distant from Ierusalem 624 miles Eastward It seemeth it either tooke that name from light or fire or else from diuine worship for there they vsed to offer many burnt offerings but at that time they committed idolatry for which cause Abraham went from thence perceiuing that the Chaldeans tooke the fire for their god because fire came downe from Heauen and consumed their offerings Learned men therefore are of opinion that the Chaldaeans in the town of Vhr worshipped the fire for their god Haran or Charan that is Wrath. HAran is the chiefe city in Mesopotamia where Abraham for a time dwelt with his father Thara There the rich Roman Crassus with his army was ouerthrowne by the Parthians and is distant from Ierusalem 440 miles North-Eastward taking its name from the water Charan which runneth through it But at this day the city is called Ophra lying eleuen daies journy from Mossel or Nineueh as D. Leonard Ronwolfe writeth who in Anno 1575 vpon the thirtieth of Ianuary was in that towne Ophra or Haran is a faire city well inhabited and indifferent great compassed about with walls and towers richly furnished with merchandise but especially with faire couerlets of diuers colors that are made therein There is likewise great trade and trafique for diuers kindes of wares brought thither by Caravans which are great numbers of camels horses other beasts that cary great burdens with many men to conduct them which traffique and trauell from one city to another This city in times past belonged to the Parthians euen then when Crassus the rich Roman fifty three years before the birth of Christ robbed the temple of Ierusalem and of those holy relicks bare away to the value of six tuns of gold For which God punished him openly for vpon the sixt of Iune after hee was by the Parthians ouerthrown hard by Haran in Mesopotamia and there taken and slaine The Parthians pouring molten gold into his mouth said Drinke now thy sill thou greedy Wretch of that which thou so long hast thirsted after for with this thou mayst fill thy greedy throat In this ouerthrow were slaine thirty thousand Romans and by that meanes the city of Haran returned againe vnder the Parthians After that the Persians took it but now it is vnder the Turk In this city of Haran at this day there is to be seene a Well of very cleare water at which Rebecca gaue drinke to Eleazer Abrahams seruant and to his Camels Genes 24.19 This Well by the townsmen is called Abrahams wel there also Rachel Labans daughter first spake with the holy Patriark Iacob who turning the stone off from the Wel gaue her sheep of the water to drinke This water hath a very pleasant taste and is a notable Type of holy Baptisme for like as the holy Fathers tooke their wiues by this wel so Christ receiueth his holy congregation by the Well of Baptisme in his Word and holy Sacrament This is the right Wel of Israel which floweth into euerlasting life The city of Haran now called Ophra lieth from Nineueh 232
was the 30 mansion of the Israelites in the wildernesse being 132 miles from Ierusalem toward the South took the name from the pleasantnesse and fertilitie of the wildernesse being deriued of Iatab Batha A certain good and pleasant wast or wildernesse Of Arbona THis place being very discommodious and no whit profitable the children of Israel were constrained to remoue their tents with great weeping and lamentation for Arbona being deriued from Abar and Naha signifies partly to remoue and partly to weep Of Aezion Gaber THis was a town of the Idumaeans neer the red sea 148 miles from Kades Barnea and 174 miles from Ierusalem towards the South Here the Israelites set vp their tents and here Solomon made his Navy which he sent to Ophir to fetch gold 1 Kings 9. This city no doubt took the name of the strength and multitude of trees whereof these ships were built for they were very faire ships and of excellent workmanship Aezion Gaber signifieth A strong tree beeing deriued of Ez and Gaber that is A Tree of strength Of Zin-Kades THis was a great Wildernesse lying betweene Ezion-Gaber and Kades-Barnea being 184 miles in length abounding with thorns and high mountaines Vpon the North side thereof lay mount Seir and Kades-Barnea and towards the South the red sea It was called Paran and Zin of the aboundance of thorns that grew there for Zin of Zanan signifies a sharp thorne Zinnim full of thorns and Kadesh Sanctity or holinesse Here Moses and Aaron hauing strooke the rocke twice at length it brought forth water but for their murmuring incredulity God would not suffer them to goe into the land of Canaan This lay 120 miles from Ierusalem toward the South Of the mountaine Hor. HOr is a mountain of the Idumaeans 88 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southeast and is deriued of Harar which signifieth a great mountain here Aaron died The King of the Canaanites which dwelt toward the South in a town called Arad vpon the borders of Iudaea and Arabia Petraea hearing that Aaron was dead inuaded the Iews with a great army discomfited them and tooke some of them captiues But after the Israelites to reuenge this iniury tooke and destroyed diuers cities which belonged to the Canaanites and put the citisens to the sword This countrey is called Chormah which signifieth a curse or desolation Of Zalmona THis was a place in the desart of Zin-Kades where the Israelites pitcht their tents being 80 miles from Ierusalem to the Southeast and took the name from shades or little sheds vnder which the Israelites dwelt for Zalmona seems a compound of Zel and Mun which signifies a shady place and seemes to haue affinitie with Manah to distribute here and there Of Phunon THis was a city of the Idumaeans scituated in the wildernes of Arabia Petraea 64 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southeast and takes the name from a faire and flourishing city For Panan in Hebrew signifieth an high pinnacle from whence one might see all parts of the world Here Moses set vp the brasen Serpent Of Oboth THis was the 37 mansion of the Israelites in the wildernesse was 56 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southeast and signifies a serpent called Python Here the Arabians receiued an answer from the Diuell by way of conjuration Of Igim THis was the 38 Mansion of the Israelites so called because of the multitude which were assembled neer to a mountain called Abarim 52 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southeast for Igim signifieth a Congregation Of Dibon Gad. THis was the 39 station of the Israelites in the desart beeing 52 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southeast neere to the floud Zared bordering vpon the Idumaeans and Moabites running from thence into the red sea and as it seemes taketh name from descending into a strong place Of Almon Diblathaim THis place stands beyond the red sea some 40 miles from Ierusalem toward the East and taketh name from a Fraile of dried figs from Alam signifieth he hath hidden and Debeleth A Fraile of dried figs. Here was the 40 mansion of the Israelites and lay close by the riuer Arnon Num. 21. 23. Of the mountaines Abarim THese mountaines lay 32 miles from Ierusalem towards the East and taketh the name from Passing along for Abar is as much to say as He went along Between these mountains and the lake Asphaltites neere to the Easterne riuer of the Dead sea the Moabites inhabited Of Iahza THis was a city of the Levits the sons of Merar in the Tribe of Benjamin 24 miles from Ierusalem Eastward Ios 21. here Moses ouercame the King of the Ammonites and put them to death Num. 21. Of Chezbon THis was the Metropolis of Sehon King of the Ammorites who held the country beyond Iordan and because he would not suffer the children of Israel to passe through his Dominions therefore Moses made warre vpon him put him to death and gaue all his country to the tribes of Reuben and Gad. This was a faire towne and after fell to the Levits Num. 21.33 Deut. 1.2 c. and tooke its name from Cheschebon which signifies An artificiall vnderstanding for Chaschaf is as much as excogitavit that is he hath found out and Cheschaef is An artificiall and ingenious Worke. Of Iaezir IAezir was a city of the Priests in the Tribe of Gad 36 miles from Ierusalem toward the East and in Ieroms time was a smalâ— village and signifies The Lord is my help being deriued of Iah that is The Lord God and Ezaer The helper Of Edrie THis is a city in the countrey of Gilead beyond Iordan and the Galilean sea 32 miles from Ierusalem South-Eastward neere the lake of Gaderin where Og the King of Basan was ouercome by Moses and after fel to the Tribe of Manasses Num. 21. Ios 13. Deut. 13. S. Ierom saith That in his time this towne waâ— called Adar Og signifieth a Cooke or one that baketh bread vpon coles Aedriae signifies an heap of bright clouds being deriueâ— of Adar and Hi that is a cleare heape Of Astoroth THis was a metropolitan City of Basan foure miles distanâ— from Edri and 56 from Ierusalem toward the Southeast Iâ— stood beyond Iordan and belonged to the half tribe of Manasses of which you may reade before in the trauels of Lot Of Pisgah THis was a high mountaine in the plaine of the Moabites against Iericho 240 miles from Ierusalem Eastward It took the name from the cities Pisgah and Nebo and therefore is called somtimes Pisgah somtimes Nebo Here Moses died Nebo signifies a city of the Prophets Pisgah The top of a hill The Trauels of the Prophet Balaam THere are many which thinke that this Prophet Balaam was of the posteritie of Nahor the brother of Abraham and an inhabitant of the city of Charan in Mesopotamia Gen. 11. Iosephus saith he dwelt neere to Euphrates and S. Ierom in a Citie called Phatura of which there is mention Num. 22. and signifies an obscure Prophet or
West and signifieth a Royall or loftie gift The Trauels of Baesa King of Israel BAesa is as much to say as An industrous and promt man in doing any thing This may hauing slaine his Master Nadab neere vnto Gibithon vsurped vpon the Kingdome of Israel about the end of the third yearo of Asa King of Iuda and began his raigne Anno mundi 2992 before Christ 974 and raigned ouer Israel almost 24 yeares two of which he raigned with his sonne 1 Reg. 15. He went from Gibithon to Thirza 36 miles where hee vtterly rooted out the whole stocke and family of Ieroboam After falling into Idolatrie he was sharply reprehended for it by Iehu the Prophet the son of Hanani of whom you may reade more 1 Reg. 15. From Thirza he went to Ramah which is 16 miles this towne he built and fortified it very strongly 2 Chr. 29. But when he heard that Benhadad King of Syria had inuaded Israel hee left his building at Ramah and with all possible speed that hee could went to Thirza where hee died and was buried 1 Reg. 15. 2 Chr. 16. So all the Trauels of Baesa were 68 miles Of Ramah Of this Citie you may reade before Of Ella or Elah King of Israel ELah signifies a cruell man This was the son of Baasha King of Israel who was crowned King his father yet liuing about the beginning of the 26 yeare of Asa king of Iuda at such time as Benhadad king of Syria inuaded and wasted Galilee He raigned two yeares one of them during the life of his father the other alone in Thirza at the end of which hee was slaine by Simri his seruant 1 Reg. 15. 16. Of Zimri King of Israel SImri signifieth a singer and was a captain ouer king Elahs chariots hee raigned 7 daies in Thirza in which time he put to death and vtterly rooted out all the posteritie of Baasha and then Omri besieged the Citie so straitly that he had no hope to escape wherefore he set the citie and pallace on fire in which he also perished 1 Reg. 15. 16. The Trauels of Omri King of Israel OMri signifieth a souldier or one that deserueth his pay He was made King by the Israelites in his tent while he was at wars neere to Gibithon from whence he went to Thirza which was 36 miles and besieged the same vpon the very day that Simri had put the posteritie of Baasha to the sword and took it He began to raigne in Thirza Anno mundi 3017 and before Christ 951 and raigned ouer Israel 12 yeres the first six of which was in Thirza the latter six in Samaria 1 Reg. 16. From Thirza he went to mount Semer six miles there Omri built Samaria and made it the seat of his kingdome He went thither about the seuenth yeare of his raigne 1 Reg. 16. So these two journies were 42 miles Of Samaria SAmaria the chiefe seat and Metropolis of Israel was built by Omri in mount Semer 32 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and took that name of Semer who was Lord of that mountaine of whom K. Omri bought it for two talents of siluer which amounteth to 1200 crownes In this citie 14 Kings of Israel kept their Courts viz. Omri who was the first founder of it Ahab Ahasia Iehoram Iehu Ioachas Ioas Ieroboam Zacharias Sallum Menahem Pekahia Pekah and Hosea who was the last of the Kings of Israel that raigned in this citie and lost it together with his libertie Of all these Kings there were but fiue that died naturally for the Lord being moued to wrath by reason of their impietie and idolatrie either gaue them vp into the hands of forrein enemies or by ciuill war amongst themselues they cruelly murthered one another vntill such time as the Assirians destroied the land and led the people captiue Thus the Lord punished with a sharp and seuere punishment this obstinat nation because they contemned the admonitions and doctrines of the Prophets amongst which Elias and Elizeus were the chiefe So that although Samaria was a faire and beautifull city and the country for that cause was called the prouince of Samaria yet notwithstanding that great God the Iudge of all things for the iniquitie of the people caused this faire Citie to be left desolate the inhabitants of the land to be dispersed and the earth for want of due vsage to lie as a wildernesse 2 Reg. 17. This city in the old Testament according to the Hebrew phrase is called Shaemaer of Schomron which signifies To keepe or a Tower of strength You may reade of this 1 Reg. 2. 2 Reg. 1. 7. The Greekes and Latines call it Samaria which signifieth The castle of Iehouah or of God You may reade more of this in the second Volume Of Hiel that built Iericho againe AFter the death of Omri King of Israel when Ahab his sonne began to raigne Hiel a very rich man in the town of Bethel that hee might leaue behind him an eternall memorie of his name went to Iericho which had bin formerly destroied by Ioshuah the son of Nun had lien wast for the space of 536 yeres where contrary to the commandement of the Lord and curse of Ioshuah he caused the said citie to be rebuilt such was the impious securitie and incredulitie of this man but the Lord was angry with him and he strooke all his children that they died The eldest son called Abiram at the laying of the foundation and his yongest sonne called Segub at the hanging on of the gates Ios 6. 1 Reg. 16. The Trauels of King Ahab AHab went from Samaria to the hill Carmel where Elias put to death the Priests of Baal which was about 32 miles 1 Reg. 18. From thence he went to Iezreel which is sixteene miles there he told his wife how Elias had put the priests of Baal to the sword 1 Reg. 18. From Iezreel he went againe to Samaria 18 miles where being prest with a hard siege by Benhadad King of Syria he broke out of the citie for his better safety and by Gods great prouidence and assistance he assailed the Syrians put a great multitude of them to the sword the rest fled and hee went away with a noble victory as the Prophet of the Lord had formerly told him 1 Reg. 20. From Samaria he went with his army to Napheck which was 14 miles where he renewed a second battell and therein had good successe so that hee tooke Benhadad aliue and put to the sword 100000 Syrians In this place the Prophet of the Lord reproued him for his ingratitude and obstinacie wherefore Ahab being angry he went from Apheck to Samaria which was eight miles 1 Reg. 20. From Samaria he went io Iesreel 16 miles where that perfidious Queene Iesabel caused Naboth to be put to death and tooke possession of his Vineyard 1 Reg. 21. From Iezreel he went to Ramoth Giliad 24 miles and there in a fight that hee had against the Syrians was so sore-wounded with an arrow
the Places to which they trauelled Hion and Dan. HIon and Dan are two towns neere to mount Libanus and the fountains of Iordan some 104 miles from Ierusalem North-Eastward Hion signifies A towne of the fountain because it standeth neere to the Towne or Fountaines from whence Iordan issueth Of Abel-Bethmaacha you may reade before Of Chineroth THis Chineroth or Cineroth was the metropolitan City of the tribe of Nepthali 72 miles from Ierusalem Northward It was scituated in a very fruitfull and pleasant place and for that cause was so called for Kinroth being deriued of Kinnor signifieth Musicke or Mirth The Trauels of NAAMAN the Syrian NAaman came from Damascus to Samaria which was 132 miles to be cured of his Leprosie by Elizeus who commanded him to goe to the riuer Iordan and wash himselfe therein 7 times and he should be clensed Wherfore from Samaria he went to Iordan 26 miles there according to the commandement of the Prophet he washed himselfe 7 times and was clensed 2 Reg. 5. From the riuer Iordan he returned backe againe to Elizeus the Prophet to giue him thanks for that benefit which was about 16 miles From Samaria he returned backe to Damascus 132 miles So all the trauels of Naaman the Syrian were 296 miles The Trauels of HASAEL King of Syria HEe went from Damascus where Elizeus told him that hee should succeed his Lord and Master Benhadad in the kingdome to Ramoth Gilead with his Army which was 104 miles There he ouercame Iehoram king of Israel in a great battel 2 Reg. cap. 8. From thence he returned to Damascus 104 miles After he went from Damascus to the city Aroer which was 132 miles From thence he went through the land of Giliad into the kingdom of Basan vntil he came to mount Libanus which is accounted 80 miles and conquered all that part 2 Reg. 10. After he returned into his own kingdom to Damascus which is 320 miles Within a while after he went againe from Damascus with his army to Gath which is reckoned 188 miles This city he won From Gath he went to Ierusalem 32 miles which he besieged so streightly that Ioas King of Iudah was constrained to giue him great aboundance of gold to raise his siege and be gon 2 Reg. 12. From Ierusalem he went back to Damascus which was about 160 miles The last journey that he went against the Israelites was when he besieged Samaria at which time he won many cities towns round about in the countrey and made them tributaries to him 2 Reg. 13. which was 132 miles Hauing finished this expedition he returned back to Damascus 132 miles and there died and was buried So all the trauels of Hasael King of Syria were 1384 miles The cities of Aroer and Gath are described before therefore I shall not need to speake of them again in this place The Trauels of BENHADAD second of that name King of Syria THis Benhadad was the son of Hasael and succeeded him in the gouernment He went from the city Damascus with a great army to Apheck which is 104 miles This King was three times one after another ouerthrowne by Ioab King of Israel lost all those cities which Hasael his father had formerly conquered 2 Reg. 13. From Apheck he returned to Damascus 104 miles and there died So both journies were 208 miles The Trauels of RESIN King of Syria RESIN King of Syria went from Damascus and ioyning his Army with that of Pekah King of Israel they went to Ierusalem and streightly besieged Ahab King of Iudah 2 Reg. 16. which was 160 miles At this time which was in the yeare of the world 3206 and before Christ 762 the Prophet Esay ca. 7. foretold of the birth of our Sauior Christ saying Behold a Virgin being great shal bring forth a child and shall call his name EMANVEL From thence he brought his army through Idumaea to Elath a city of the Red sea some 160 miles from Ierusalem towards the South and 16 miles from Ezeongaber Northward This city Resin won and thrust the Iewes out of it From Elath hee went to Damascus 280 miles where hee was slain by Tiglath Phulasser that mighty King of the Assyrians who carried a great multitude of the inhabitants of Damascus into the countrey of Syrene where they endured a miserable exile 2 Reg. 16. So all the trauels of King Resin were 600 miles The Trauels of the Kings of Iudah which reigned in the City of Ierusalem and first of the Trauels of REHOBOHAM REhoboam the sonne of Solomon succeeded his father in the Kingdome and began his reign Anno mundi 2971 and before Christ 977. who by reason of his extreme crueltie and threats following the counsell of his yong Courtiers rather than of his graue Senators the same yeare lost 10 of the Tribes that fell from him and rebelled against him so that he reigned ouer Iudah and Benjamin 17 yeares 1 Reg. 11. 14. A little after the death of Solomon he went to Sichem 32 miles where he was anointed and crowned King But the people perceiuing that hee carried himselfe very proudly and arrogantly desired him that he would ease him of the burden formerly imposed vpon them by his father for Solomon had set a certaine Taxe on euery man because hee was at extraordinarie charges as long as the temple was building but he little regarding their request told them that his little finger should be heauier than the whole burthen of his father wherefore they disliking his speech fel all from him except Benjamin and Iudah Wherefore the King shunning the fury of the people with all possible speed went from Sichem to Ierusalem back again being 32 miles Then he fortified all the chiefe cities of Iuda and Benjamin 2 Chr. 11. So all the trauels of Rehoboam were 64 miles But he principally fortified 14 cities in the tribe of Iuda that with the more safetie he might oppose his enemy Ieroboam King of Israel viz. Bethlehem Etam Thecoa Bethzura Adullam Gath Maresa Ziph Adoraijm Lachis Aseca Zarea Ajalon Hebron most of which townes and the memorable actions don in them are described in the former part of this Treatise I will therefore speake only of such townes as haue not as yet bin mentioned Of Maresa THis was a city in the tribe of Iuda 16 miles from Ierusalem Westward which Rehoboam repaired and fortified 2 Chr. 11. where King Asa ouercame the Ethiopians in a cruel battel 2 Chr. 14. Here Michaias and Eleazer the Prophets were born 2 Chr. 20. Mich. 1.2 Ios 15 Georgias also fled into this city when hee was ouercome by Iudas Machabeus 2 Mac. 12. It was scituated on the borders of the tribes of Iuda and Dan as S. Ierom saith in whose time the ruins thereof were to be seene Maresca signifies an Inheritance being deriued of Moraschah that is a Possession Of Bethzura THis is a strong castle often mentioned in the history of the Machabees scituated on a mountaine some 5 furlongs from
Diuel Mat. 15. wherefore you shall read more of it in the second Tombe Of Evil-Merodach Emperor of the Babylonians and Assyrians AMilinus Evil-Merodach son of Nebuchadonesar the great succeeded his father An. M. 3388. before Christ 580. In the first yeare of his reign he set at liberty Iechonias King of Iuda and attributed to him the title dignitie and maintenance of a King Iechonias being then 55 yeares of age and 37 after he had been in captiuitie 2 Kin. vlt. Ier. vlt. Whence it is concluded by most That this Emperor did also embrace the doctrine of Daniel concerning the true God as did Nebuchadonesar his father who had before by publique Edict professed it to the whole State caused it to be published through his dominions and therfore shewed fauor and mercy toward King Iechonias And from thence it is thought that those which were impious princes about him called him Amelinus that is the Circumcised being deriued of Mol which signifies to circumcise and Evil simple and foolish Merodach His wiues name was Nitocris according to Herod lib. 1. She was a very magnificent and wise woman set vp many faire and goodly buildings in Babylon and was the mother of Balthasar the last Emperor of the Assyrians Dan. 5. Of Niriglissoroor Emperor of Babylon NIriglissoroor whose syrname was Regassar son in law to Nebuchadnesar the Great hauing slain Euil-Merodach his wiues brother reigned ouer the Babylonians and Assyrians foure yeares as Berosus saith Of Labassardach the last Emperor of the Babylonions LAbassardach the son of Niriglissoroor succeeded his father He reigned only 9 moneths and died without heire male Of Balthazar Nabonidus the last Emperor of the Babylonians and Assyrians ANno mundi 3415 and before Christ 553 Balthazar Nabonidus whose syrname was Labynitus the son of Euil-Merodach and Nitocris obtained the Empire and reigned 17 yeares according to Berosus with Iosep cont App. Alexand. Polyb. apud Eusebium Praep. lib. 9. cap. 4. Alphae hist with Euseb calleth this King Nabinidochus This is that Balthazar saith Iosephus lib. Ant. 10. ca. 13 which Daniel cap. 5. calleth the son of Nebuchadonesar though indeed he was but his sons son as may be gathered from that of Ier. cap. 25. All nations shall serue Nebuchadonesar and his son and his sons son Balthasar signifies The Host of the Lord destroying his Enemies Labynitus signifies a shaken Sword This man as he was celebrating a great feast vnto Venus whom they call in the Assirian tongue Myleta amongst a great multitude of his Nobility and in that vsing extraordinary excesse and blasphemy against the Lord In the middest of his feast and all his merriments he saw a hand writing vpon the wall which left these words Mene Mene Tekel Vphrasin of which you may reade more Dan. 5. Some say That at this very time the city was taken by Cyrus Emperour of the Persians and he put to the sword in those sports pastimes But certain it is that he was slain at a banquet lost his empire and was the last of the Assyrian Emperors but whether at that time I refer it to the opinion of the Reader ¶ The Trauels of the Kings of Aegypt that fought against of Iudah And first of SISACK who made war vpon Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon THat proud and presumptuous Prince Sisack which signifies a Garment of Silke in the last yeare of his regne which was the first of Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon came with 1200 Chariots and 60000 Horse from Memphis to Ierusalem which was 244 miles bringing in his Army a great multitude of people of diuers Nations as Lybians Ethiopians c. With this company he besieged Ierusalem and tooke it wasted the city spoiled the Temple and tooke thence the golden shields which Solomon had made and destroyed that faire and beautifull house which Solomon had built From whence that saying of his owne was verified Eccles That it is a great euill vpon the earth for a man to take care to lay vp riches and treasures in this world yet knoweth not who shall inherit it For those things which a little before hee had with great labour and paines builded and beautified within lesse than 20 yeares after were destroyed and made desolate by this King From Ierusalem Sisack returned with the spoiles of the temple and city to Memphis in Egypt which was 244 miles and in the yeare following he was stricken by the Lord with a grieuous disease of which he died miserably So these two journies were 488 miles The Trauels of PHARAOH NECHO King of Aegypt who made warre vpon IOSIAH King of Iudah NEcho signifies an Enemy or Inuader This man was one of the greatest of all the Egyptian Kings who in the thirteenth yeare of his reigne made war vpon Nebuchadnezar the first and in the valley of Megiddo neere to Magdala which was 244 miles from Memphis fought a great battell wherein Iosiah King of Iudah was wounded to the death From the valley of Megiddo Pharaoh Necho went to the Riuer Euphrates which was 360 miles where he fought a second battel with Nebuchadnezar vpon a plaine neere to Carchemis where hee lost the day and was put to flight From Carchemis he fled to Riblah in the land of Israel which was 320 miles where in the land of Chaemath neere to the lake Samachonites he ouercame Ioachas King of Iudah and took him prisoner From Riblah Pharaoh Necho led Ioachas bound to Ierusalem being 80 miles and made Ioachim his brother King in his place From Ierusalem he returned to Memphis 240 miles Within four years after he went the second time with a great army from Memphis to the riuer of Euphrates which was 640 miles But there he was the second time ouercome by Nebuchadnesar and constrained to fly thence back again to Memphis in Aegypt being 640 miles But Nebuchadnesar followed him with an army of chosen men and conquered all Aegypt tooke Pharaoh Necho and made his sonne Psammeticus King in his place who was the second of that name Of this battell there is mention Ier. ca. 25 26. So all the trauels of Pharaoh Necho were 1524 miles The Trauels of the holy Prophets and first of the Prophet ELIAH ELiah the Prophet went from This be which was in the land of Gilead to Samaria 24 miles where he told the wicked King Ahab that there should bee neither rain nor dew for the space of 7 years 1 Reg. cap. 17. From Samaria he went to the riuer Kerith 24 miles where hee was fed by a Rauen. From Kerith hee went to Sarepta which was 100 miles where he sojorned with a poor widow that found him necessaries whose sun he restored to life 1 Reg. 17. From Sarepta he went to Mount Carmel in the land of Israel being 60 miles and by the way as he went he met Obediah which signifieth The Seruant of the Lord and King Ahab whom he rebuked sharply because of his idolatry Also vpon this mountaine he put all Baals
country or city which is not sufficiently knowne vnto thee search this alphabeticall Table here following and thou shalt finde the whole matter declared vnto thee An alphabeticall Table of all the Countries and Cities mentioned in the Prophets A ABARIM that is a bridge or a passage ouer It was a mountain of the Moabits where the Israelites pitched their tents Num. 33. ACHOR the valley of Trouble Here Achan was stoned to death for his theeuery It stood not farre from Gilgal toward the North 12 miles from Ierusalem Ios 7. Isa 6. ADAMA Red earth This was one of the cities that were destroied with fire and brimstone from heauen AI Hilly This city Ioshuah burnt with fire It lay 8 miles from Ierusalem Northward Ios 8. AIATH Idem Esa 10. AR or ARI a Lion It was a city of the Moabits lying beyond Iordan in the tribe of Benjamin called Ariopolis scituated vpon the banke of the riuer Arnon 24 miles from Ierusalem North-Eastward Deut. 2. In Esa 15. it is called Arar a Destroyer ARAM Noble or Mighty Armenia and Syria are so called of Aram the son of Sem the chiefe city of which country is Damascus Pliny lib. 6.17 saith The Scythians were also in antient times called Aramites ARNON a famous riuer of the Moabites in the tribe of Reuben which falls into the dead sea 20 miles from Ierusalem Eastward In Esa 16. it is called RANAN he hath shouted for ioy AROER by vsurpation an Ewe tree This is a city of the Moabits neere to the riuer Arnon in the tribe of Gad beyond Iordan 24 miles from Ierusalem Eastward Ier. 40. There is another citie so called neere to Damascus in Syria Esa 7. ARPAD the light of redemption This was a city in the land of Damascus Ier. 49. There is another flourishing city of that name which may compare with Antiochia for greatnesse Esa 10. But where it is scituated it is vncertain ARVAD was a part of the land of Canaan so called of Aruad the son of Canaan Gen. 10. ASCANES or Tuiscones are a people descended of Ascenitz the son of Gomer the son of Iaphet which sometimes dwelt in Armenia but now haue their abiding in Germany 2 Gen. 10. Esa 51. So that of Gomer they are called Germanes and of Ascanes Ascanians or Tuiscons ASSECA fortified round about Neer to this town Dauid killed Goliah It stood 8 miles from Ierusalem Westward ASSVR or ASSYRIA a blessed country being so called of Assur the son of Sem. AVEN Iniquity Bethel was so called after Ieroboam had there set vp a golden Calfe Hos 10. B BABEL Confusion Babylon is the metropolitan city of Chaldaea 280 miles from Ierusalem Eastward BATH Domesticall It was a town of the Moabits in the Tribe of Reuben beyond Iordan Esa 16. BAZRA a grape-gathering It was a city of the Edomites scituaâ—â—d vpon the banke of Iordan on the farther side neere to Bethabara 20 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward Esa 24.36 Ier. 48. Note here that the country of the Moabits in times past was subiect to the Edomits and then this city was in their jurisdiction but after the Moabits got it into their hands again and held it It was one of the six towns of refuge mentioned Ios 29. BEROTHAI a Cypres tree This towne stood neere Hemath or Antiochia 280 miles from Ierusalem Northward Ezek. 49. In this city Dauid King of Israel tooke Hadadesar King of Zoba or Sophena and constrained him to giue him a great deal of Brasse as it is thought yearely for tribute for neere that city were many brasse mines BETHAVIN the house of iniquity Bethel was so called Hos 6. It stood 8 miles from Ierusalem Northward BETH-CHaeREM the house of the Vines It was a towne not far from Ierusalem Northward Ier. 6. BETH-DIBLATHAIM the house of dried Figs. It was a city of the Moabits Ier. 48. BETHIESIMOTH the house of desolations It was also a city of the Moabits beyond Iordan in the tribe of Reuben Ios 13. Ezech. 25.20 miles from Ierusalem BETH-GAMVL the house of Restitution This was a city of the Moabits Ier. 48. BETH-BAALMEON the house of habitation for the idol Baal It was a city of the Moabits 24 miles from Ierusalem Eastward not far from Aroer Ezek. 25. 1 Chr. 5. BVTZ a Castle of prey It was a city of the Ismaelites in Arabia Petraea 80 miles from Ierusalem Southwestward Ier. 25. BEL and NEOB two idols of the Babylonians Esa 45. Bel signifieth the god of mixture or confusion Neob the god of prophecie C CALNO his perfection This is Seleucia scituated vpoa Tygris beyond Babylon 316 miles from Ierusalem Eastward It is now called Bagdeth Gen. 10. Esay 2. CANNE a firme foundation It was a city of the Syrians Ezek. cap. 27. CAPHIHOR a little Sphere or around globe like vnto a Globe or pomegranat Also Cappadocia a countrey of Asia the lesse 600 miles from Ierusalem Northward CARCHEMIS a sacrificed Lambe This was scituated too neer Euphrates in Syria 400 miles from Ierusalem Northward Ierem. cap. 25. D DEEDAN a city of the Idumaeans so called of Dedan the son of Esau Ier. 25. Isa 21. DIBON a mist This was a City of the Moabites neere Hesbon in the tribe of Reuben 28 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward DIBLATH a bunch of Figs. It was a city in the tribe of Nepthali neere to the lake of Samoconites 80 miles from Ierusalem Northward Ezek. 6. Here Zedekiah had his eies put out 2 Kin. 25 Ier. 39.52 DIMON Bloudy This is a city in the tribe of Reuben which as S. Ierom saith is 28 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward DVMA Silence A city of the Israelites so called of Duma the son of Ismael It stood in Arabia Petraea 80 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southwest Esay 25.21 E EGBATHANA the metropolitan city of the Medes distant from Ierusalem 1136 miles Northeastward EDEN Pleasure A city of Syria scituated neer Euphrates 400 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward Esay 7. This is thought to haue been a part of Paradice EGLAIM a roud Drop It was a town of the Moabites Esay 15.16 ELAM a Yong man so called of Elem the son of Sem Esa 10.21 After Perseus had got in this country a great gouernment he called it after his own name Persia ELEALE the ascention of God It was a city beyond Iordan in the tribe of Reuben between Iacza and Hehbon 26 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward Num. 32. ELIM a Hart. This was a lake so called in the land of the Moabits Esa 10. ELISA the Lambe of God So were the Aeolians called in Grecia of Elysa the son of Iavan the son of Iaphet Ezek. 7. Gen. 10. ENAGLAIM the fountaine of Calves It was a towne or Castle neere to the Red sea Ezek. 10. EPHA the land of Obscuritie It was a part of Arabia Petraea so called of Epha the sonne of Midian the sonne of Abraham Gen. 25. Esa 60. G GEBIM a Ditch This was a town in the tribe of Iuda Esa 10. GEBAH a hill
16. So all his trauels were 176 miles Concerning the towns and places mentioned in these trauels you may reade before ¶ Of the Kings of Syria that succeeded Antiochus Epiphanes and made war vpon the MACHABEES And first of the Trauels of Antiochus Eupator THis Antiochus the yonger succeeded his father Antiochus Epiphanes in the 149 yere of the Grecians gouernment in Syria which was the 161 yere before Christ and he continued King of Asia and Syria 3 yeares Lysias the Kings Substitute for Syria called this man by the name of Eupator that is a good Father because Kings ought to be Fathers of their countries This Antiochus Eupator in the second yeare of his reign came with a great army from Antiochia to the town of Modin which was 380 miles From Modin he went to the Hold at Bethsura this he sharply besieged being 12 miles From Bethsura he went to Bethsachara almost a mile to meet wrth Iudas Machabeus who put him to flight and kild 600 of his men 1 Mac. 6. From Bethsachara hee returned to the Hold of Bethsura and won it which was almost a mile From Bethsura he came to Ierusalem which was halfe a mile From Ierusalem he went with his Army to Ptolomais beeing 76 miles From Ptolomais hee returned to Antiochia 204 miles and a halfe Concerning the townes and places mentioned in his Trauels you may reade before The Trauels of Demetrius Soter the brother of Antiochus Epiphanes IN An. mundi 3809. before Christ 159. Demetrius Soter the son of Seleucus Philopater who was sent to Rome brought a Navy from thence through the Mediterranian sea and came to Tripolis in Syria which journy was 2680 miles and vsurped vpon the gouernment of Syria against young Antiochus the son of Epiphanes 1 Mac. 7. From Tripolis he went to Antiochia where the King kept his court 88 miles Here he caused yong Antiochus and Lysias to be slain and after reigned in Syria 10 yeares At length he was slain in a great battel by Alexander the son of Epiphanes 1 Mac. 7. So all his trauels were 1760 miles Of Tripolis THis city was scituated in Phoenicia a prouince of Syria on the shore of the Mediterranian sea 170 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and was so called because there dwelt in it three sorts of people viz. Tyrians Sydonians and Arabians It is a very famous City euen to this day the Ocean sea comming into euery street and principall place of it and full as populous as Tyrus For there inhabit Grecians Latines Armenians Maronites Nestorians and people of many other nations of diuers conditions and customes in manner of liuing It aboundeth also with great aboundance of costly Tapestrie which is made so curiously and with such cost that it is very delightfull to such as looke vpon it It is credibly reported That there are found within the city of Tripolis 4000 men that do little els but weaue and make Tapestry and such like costly hangings The country round about where it standeth is very pleasant because of the great aboundance of Vines Olives Figgs and other fruits and floures which yeeld a comfortable smell and is profitable for the maintenance of life it is called Paradice There is a field before the City some two miles in length and one in bredth in which there are to be seene very curious gardens and artificially contriued About six miles from the city standeth mount Libanus at the foot whereof riseth a goodly fountain which with great violence runneth thence but suddenly falling into the vallies it ioyns with other waters and becomes a faire and pleasant riuer watering all the gardens of the plain between Tripolis and Libanus but especially the mountains of the Leopards which is not far off In the Canticles cap. 4. there is mention of this hill Come with mee my Spouse from the dennes of the Lions and the mountains of the Leopards The water of this Spring is very cleare pleasant cold and healthfull vpon the banks of it there stand many churches religious houses It is called the Fountaine of the gardens and is diuided into three riuers or principal streams besides many other small brooks which run thence and fall into the sea so that the sentence Est 9. is verified of this A small fountaine shall increase to a great Riuer and shall be poured out against many waters The Trauels of King Alexander son of Epiphanes and brother to Antiochus Eupator OF this Alexander Iustin writes lib. 35. where he sheweth That he was not son to Antiochus Epiphanes as was supposed but had to name Prompalus being a man of the meaner sort of people but the Antiochians for the great tyranny of Demetrius falling into rebellion gaue vnto him the name of Alexander and withal caused it to be published abroad that he was the son of Epiphanes which by reason of his youth was easily beleeued And at this time Demetrius because of his crueltie being much hated of all sorts of people it came to passe that most and those of the greatest also combined with this yong man supposing him indeed to be of noble descent and the son of a King Wherefore Alexander or Prompatus being thus encouraged tooke vpon him to bee the brother of Antiochus Eupator and called himselfe the lawful heire and successor to the crowne of Syria going from thence to Ptolomais where he kept a royall court and in the yere of the world 3818 before Christ 150 by the help of the Antiochians other the inhabitants of Syria hee tooke vpon him the gouernment of that country and reigned fiue yeares This man suffered many varieties and changes of fortune at first was put to flight by Demetrius after hee put Demetrius to flight and at length put him to death and vsurpt vpon his gouernment In the third yere of his reign he maried Cleopatra the daughter of Ptolomeus Philometor King of Egypt by whom he had his son Antiochus To this marriage Ionathan was inuited In the last yeare of his gouernment hee went from Ptolomais to Antiochia which was 200 miles where hee opposed himselfe against Demetrius Nicanor the sonne of Demetrius Soter 1 Machab. cap. 10. From Antiochia he went to Cilicia which was 120 miles to suppresse the rebellion of his subiects but when hee heard that Ptolomeus Philometor his father in law had taken vp armes against him conquered Syria and giuen his wife to Demetrius Nicanor which had been maried vnto him two yeares before hee gathered all his forces hee could and with all expedition made good the war against Ptolomeus but hee was ouercome and fled into that part of Arabia which bordereth vpon the mountaine Amanus for refuge where Zabdiel the gouernor of that countrey fearing lest he should fall into the displeasure of Ptolomeus caused his seruants to cut off his head and sent it to him into Syria Within three daies after which sight he died being mortally wounded in the former battell Ios li. Ant. 13. c. 17.
was borne and That Marie his mother was a Virgin Matt. 33. Wherefore Elizabeth the wife to Zacharias fearing the cruelty of Herod and of the Pharises about that time when the young infants of the Bethlehemites were slaine shee fled from Ierusalem to Apumim as Nicephorus faith which was scituated in the wildernesse betweene Iericho and Ierusalem where she priuatly brought vp her sonne which was 32 miles In the 39 yeare of the natiuitie of Christ and vpon the 24 day of Iune Iohn the Baptist being then 30 yeares of age by the commandement of the Lord tooke vpon him the ministerie for it was not lawfull for any to enter into that function before they were thirtie yeares of age Numb 4. Wherefore vpon the eight and twentieth day of September it being then the feast of the Tabernacles and about the middle of the last weeke spoken of by Daniel Hee went from Adumim to Bethabara where hee tooke vpon him the Ministerie of the New Testament Hannas the chiefe Priest being then newly entred into that office Luke 2. which was about foure miles and within a short time after that is vpon the seuenth day of October beeing then the feast of Expiation our Lord and Sauiour Iesuis Christ was baptised when hee was fully thirtie yeares of age Luke 3 Matthew 3. Iohn 1. In the yeare following which was the one and thirtieth yeare of the Natiuitie of Christ a little before the feast of Easter the Synedrion of Ierusalem sent messengers vnto Iohn hee then remaining at Bethabara to know whether hee was the Christ or Elias or some other Prophet Iohn the first Vpon the eighteenth day of September the same yeare Iohn entred vpon the second yeare of his ministerie About which time Caiphas began to enter vpon the office of the high Priest and the Sadduces and Pharises to persecute Iohn Baptist Wherefore he departed from Bethabara and went to Aenon a Citie in Galile which was 24 miles After that Iohn had preached publikely and freely by the space of a whole yeare and two moneths about the moneth of December and the end of the first yeare of the Ministrie of our Sauiour by the commandement of Herod hee was taken and led prisoner from Aenon to the Tower of Macheruntes which was 28 miles where he remained vntill his death So all his Trauels were 88 miles Of the townes and places to which he trauelled Of Adumim ADumim or Adummim as it is in Ioshua ca. 15. was a Tower twelue miles from Ierusalem towards the East scituated in the wildernesse that is betweene Ierusalem and Iericho so called because of the multitude of robberies and murthers that were done in that place for Dam signifieth Blood Here the poore man that Christ mentioned Luk. 10. fell amongst theeues and here Eliah continued when he was fed by the Rauens aad dranke the water of the riuer Cherith 1 King 17. which was a notable type of Iohn the Baptist who liued in a caue in this place This caue stood close by the Garden of Engedi where in former times the Academie and Schoole of the Prophets Eliah and Elisha was kept here the Esseis which was a Sact amongst the Iewes also continued who led a Monasticall kinde of life and gaue themselues wholly to prayers and good workes vnder whose discipline and instruction Iohn was brought vp Mathesius wisely obserues that of all other the Esseies would neuer oppose Christ but were a people that liued chastly and honestly according to the custome of the Nazarites with all diligence reading the Scriptures and auoiding idlenesse as a great temptation of the diuell giuing themselues principally to the studie of Phisicke After rhis sort was Iohn brought vp Of Bethabara THis was a towne scituated vpon the East side of the riuer Iordan 16 miles from Ierusalem towards the East where there was either a Bridge or a ferry to passe ouer Iordan from whence this place was called Bethabara being deriued of Baith a house and Abarah a passage Wherefore at a certaine time there being assembled in this place a great concourse and congregation of people Iohn did first enter vpon the ministerie of the New Testament and taught the people the Doctrine of Repentance and Baptisme Here Elias the Thesbite who was a type of Iohn the Baptist was taken vp into heauen in a fierie Chariot Here Iohn spoke with the messengers that came to inquire Whither he was the Christ or not to whom hee answered that hee was neither Elias nor a prophet of the Old Testament but the voice of a crier in the wildernesse Io. 4. Is 40. And in the same place where the Priests stood with the Arke of the couenant whiles Ioshua and the children of Israel passed ouer Iordan Iohn baptised Christ the true Arke of the Couenant of the Throne of grace Iosh 3.4 Mat. 4. Luke 3. Heb. 9. Of Aenon THis towne stood vpon the West side of the riuer of Iordan 42 miles from Ierusalem Northward a little on this side of the sea of Tiberias neere the mouth of the riuer Iaboch where it falleth into Iordan in which place was great aboundance of waters Here also Iohn sometimes baptized Ioh. 3. it being two miles from Salem where Iacob in times past dwelt Gen. 33. Of the meeting together of the waters this towne was called Aenon of Ain which signifies an Eye and a fountaine that springeth as it were from an Eye Of Macherus or Macharuntes MAcherus was a towne of Peraea beyond Iordan 20 miles from Ierusalem towards the East scituated in a high mountaine being deriued Macherah that is A Sword This was one of the chief castles of Herod Antipas who obtained the chiefe command in the citie of Ierusalem Plin. lib. 5. c. 16. In this place Iohn Baptist was beheaded as Ioseph saith lib. Antiq. 80. c. 10. And although his Disciples buried his body thereabouts yet long after the christians remoued his bones reliques to Sebasten that is Samaria where they were the second time buried with great honor and reuerence Afterward as Nicephorus and Theodor saith his bones were taken vp againe by Iulian the Apostata and burnt There are many other things that are written concerning his reliques which because of the vncertainty of them I omit to speak of and will proceed to a further description of this citie Alexander King of the Iewes first built and fortified it and then making warre against Aristobulus it hapned to be destroied by Gabinus one of his Captaines and so continued desolate till Herods time who rebuilt the towne and the castle and fortified it with strong walls and high towers euen a hundred and sixtie cubits in height so that a man could scarce see to the top of it But that God might reuenge the bloud of his Saints at such time as Ierusalem and the Holy land was left desolate Lucius Bassus a noble Roman came to this citie and besieged it during which siege Bassus tooke a certaine young man which was a Prince of
glory Of Capernaum THis city was so called from the pleasant and comfortable scituation of it In the Hebrew text Mathew cals it Capharnacum i. The town of comfort being deriued of Nocham i. Consolation In this town our Sauior dwelt after he had left Nazareth and in it wrought many miracles as the healing of the sick casting out of diuels and such like whereof you may read Mat. 8. Mark 1. Luke 5.7 Iohn 4. It stood in the land of Genesareth vpon the West and North side of Iordan in an angle of land ioyning to the sea of Galile 56 miles from Ierusalem Northward in the tribe of Issacher and as it is thought by some iust in the middest of the twelue tribes Mat. 9. calls it the city of our Sauior And that Christ was no stranger but an inhabitant of this city it is manifest Mat. 17. where Christ when he gaue tribute to the magistrats of this city asked Peter saying Of whom doe the Kings of the earth take tribute Peter said Of strangers Then quoth hee the children are free yet neuerthelesse c. From whence may be gathered that he was no stranger but an inhabitant in Capernaum It had vpon the Northside of it the three Tribes Nepthalim Aser and Zabulon vpon the South Benjamin Iuda Dan and Simeon vpon the West Issacher Ephraim and the halfe Tribe of Manasses and vpon the East Reuben Gad and the other halfe tribe of Manasses so that our Sauior Christ dwelt in the midst of the 12 tribes of Israel Furthermore it was a goodly market towne and had as well relation to Tyrus and Sidon two townes of the Gentiles within 44 miles of it as to Ierusalem from whence may be verified that saying of Esa ca. 8.9 The land of Zebulon and Nepthalim neere the way of the sea beyond Iordan and Galile of the Gentiles a people which sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death saw a great Light This town is therfore instly called the city of Comfort and Consolation since our Sauior Christ dwelt there who with his doctrine and preaching refreshed comforted all such as were afflicted with the burthen of their sins But the great men that were inhabitants of this City had more respect to their priuat profit than to the doctrine miracles that Christ wrought among them from whence it came to passe that they did as it were neglect and contemne that good which God had offered vnto them which made our Sauior say And thou Capernaum which seemest to be exalted vp vnto heauen shalt be cast down into hell for if the miracles had been done in Sodom and Gomorah which haue been done in thee they had continued vntill this day Verily verily I say vnto you It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorah in the day of Iudgment than for thee Mat. 11. For there was no such benefit offered to any Citie neither such honours and dignities as were to Capernaum our Sauior himselfe dwelling there Wherefore for their ingratitude and impiety the city hath diuers times bin wasted and destroied as well by the Romanes as other nations so that at this day this glorious city is become so desolate that there is scarce 8 houses standing and they also like small sheds Of Sichar IN antient time this towne was called Sichem of which you may reade more both in the trauels of Iacob and Abimilech After it came to be called Sichar according to the opinion of Luther vpon Genesis because the inhabitants of that country were giuen to pleasure and voluptuousnesse the greatest part of their delight being in drinking and quaffing for Sichar being deriued of Schachar signifieth to bee drunke or inordinately to swallow sweet and pleasant wine of which there was great plenty in that towne made of the juice of Apples the fruit of Palme trees and honey which may very well resemble Hipocras or Metheglin as some Authors haue it And although by the incursion of the Romanes it was vtterly wasted and left desolate yet in succeeding times it was rebuilt and called Nicapolis that is a New towne It is scituated very pleasantly and aboundeth with all manner of delights but it is vnfortified neither can it by any meanes bee fortified neither haue the inhabitants any helpe if they be oppressed by the Enemy but to fly for it is scituated in the middle of a valley betweene two high mountaines so that a man may fling a stone from the top of one of them into the city About two bowes shoot without the South gate of this towne is to be seene the Fountaine or Well of Iacob vpon the brimme of which our Sauiour Christ sate when hee was wearie as wee may reade in the fourth of Iohn This Well standeth iust in the way as Pilgrimes trauell to Ierusalem Vpon the right hand aboue this Well there standeth a mountain of an exceeding height diuided into two tops the one of them being called Gerizim the other Heball In mount Gerizim the Patriarch Ioshuah built an Altar and the people standing vpon mount Heball he caused the whole booke of Deuteronomie to be read ouer with the Blessings and Cursings so that all the people might heare them for thus we reade in Ios 8. The one halfe of the people stood close by Mount Gerizim and the other by mount Heball c. Deuteronom Chap. 27. These two great mountaines began vpon the right side of the Citie Sichar and extended themselues in length to the Citie of Iericho Vpon the left side of this Wel is to be seen the ruins of a great towne which is thought to be the old Sichem and by the relicks that remaine there it may be iudged to haue been a very goodly Citie For there are yet to bee seene certaine broken Pillars of Marble as also large and spatious Buildings which in times past without question haue beene very goodly things and standeth wonderfull pleasantly the soile round about it beeing very pleasant and fruitfull onely there is want of water This Towne lieth some two Bowes shoot from Sichar and the inhabitants of that place judge this Sichar to be Thebez where Abimelech died Iudg. 9. Not farre from Iacobs Well is to be seene that piece of ground which Iacob gaue to Ioseph more than the rest of his brethren Gen. 48. It is a long valley very fruitfull and pleasant where there lies buried in a certaine faire garden the bones of Iacob and Ioseph which were brought out of Aegypt Iosh 24. the reliques of which sepulchre are yet to be seene Mount Garizim or Gerizim is so called from the cutting downe of Trees for Garaz signifies To cut downc Vpon this Mountaine is to be seene euen to this day the place where the Temple stood that was built by Sanballath dedicated to Iupiter Olympius in contempt of the Temple of Ierusalem The chiefe Priest of this Temple was one Manasses a fugitiue of the stocke of Leui. This Manasses was brother to Iaddus chiefe Priest of Ierusalem
of whom you muy reade Nehem 13. But some two hundred yeares after the first foundation Iohn Hircanus high Priest of Ierusalem vtterly destroied it to the ground The Trauels of our Sauiour Christ in the second yeare of his Ministerie which was the two and thirtieth yeare of his age IN the moneth of Ianuary Christ went from Cana in Galile to Nazareth which was eight miles Here vpon the Sabboth day he went into the Sinagogue and began to teach insomuch as the inhabitants were astonished at his doctrine but the citizens being ingratefull he went to Capernaum a citie which he had chosen to dwell in before all others Luke 4. Mat. 4. which was 12 miles or thereabouts In the moneth of February hee compassed about all Galile preaching the Gospel of the kingdome of God healing the sick and those that were diseased amongst the people Matth. 4. In this visitation our Sauiour went to Gaesarea Philippi which was distant from Capernaum fortie eight miles towards the North. Here Matthew was called as he was at the receipt of Custome and the woman was healed of her bloudy issue Mat. 9. But that Mathew was called about this time the circumstances of times make euident for a little after the second Passeouer of our Sauior Christ the same Mathew was chosen to be an Apostle Luke 5 6. Mat. 9. Mark 2. In the moneth of March the inhabitants of the towns which Christ visited in Galilee brought vnto him many that were possessed of diuels and afflicted with other diseases all which he healed insomuch that there followed him a great company out of Galile and Decapolis and from Ierusalem and Iudaea and of all the countries beyond Iordan Mat. 4. Thus hauing finishing this visitation as it may be thought he returned backe againe to Capernaum where he dwelt as I haue shewed before which was 48 miles for Caesarea Philippi stood so farre from Capernaum A little after these things were finished The second Passeouer of the Ministerie of Christ was the feast of the Iewes Iohn 4. and Iesus went vp to Ierusalem Iohn 5. to celebrate the feast of the Passeouer which this yeare hapned a little before Haruest which was 56 miles This second Passeouer of the Ministrie of Christ fell vpon the six and twentieth day of March at which time Christ celebrated the Passeouer with his Disciples according to the Law of God Here vpon the Sabboth day being the last day of March he healed a certaine man that lay by the Poole Bethesda which had bin diseased eight and thirtie yeres Ioh. 5. And at the end of the Passeouer he went with his Disciples from Ierusalem through the corne fields but his Disciples being hungry began to pull the eares of corne and to eat them wherefore the Pharises beeing offended at them began to reprehend our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples vpon which followed the disputation concerning the Sabboth Luke 6. Matth. 12. Vpon the seuenth day of Aprill he went on the Sabboth day to Peraea which country was in the command of Herod Antipas and there he healed a man with a dried hand Luke 6. Marke 3. The country of Peraea beyond Iordan is distant from Ierusalem twentie miles But when the Herodian Councell heard that he had healed a man on the Sabboth day they sought occasion how they might doe to put him to death Wherefore our Sauiour Christ went thence to the sea of Galile which was 40 miles Here he went vp into a mountain not far from Capernaum and chose the twelue Apostles Luke 6. Mark 3. And then vpon this mountain he preached vnto the people which resorted thither vnto him out of the Countrey round about whom they heard with great diligence and attendance This sermon being ended hee came down from the mountaine and healed the man that was sicke of the Leprosie Hee also went into Capernaum and healed the Centurions seruant Mat. 8. Luke 7. Afterward Christ in the same moneth of April when the man whom he healed of his leprosie had published that Miracle hee went from Capernaum into the Desart which lay neere vnto Bethsaida for there was a certaine Desart Marke 1. Luke 7. In the moneth of May our Sauiour went out of Galile towards Ierusalem to keep the feast of Penticost so he came to the gates of the city Naim which stood on the border of Samaria and was distant from Capernaum 16 miles Here he recalled the widowes sonne to life Luke 7. And after he went to Ierusalem which was 48 miles that he might celebrate the feast of Penticost according to the law of God Exo. 23. Thrice euery yeare shall euery male childe appeare before the Lord thy God This feast fell this yeare vpon the 15 day of May for it behooued our Sauiour according to the law to go euery yere to Ierusalem to these three principall feasts that is of the Passeouer Penticost and of the Tabernacles A little after the feast of Penticost Iohn Baptist being then in prison hauing certaine intelligence of the Miracle that our Sauiour wrought vpon the Widowes sonne at the gates of Naim and of other wonderfull Miracles that he did in Ierusalem and in other places in Iudaea sent two of his disciples from the Castle of Macharuntes to aske him the question whether he was the Messia or no So when they came vnto him and deliuered their message at that time he cured many of their sicknesse and plagues and euill spirits and to many blinde men hee gaue sight freely And Iesus said vnto them Goe your wayes and tell Iohn what things you haue seene and heard That the Blinde see the Halt go the Lepers are clensed the Deafe heare the Dead are raised and the Poore receiue the Gospell And blessed is hee that shall not be offended in me Mathew 11. Luke 7. At this sermon it was thought hee conuerted the sinner that washed his feet poured a box of pretious oile vpon his head Luke 7. In the moneth of Iune our Sauior Iesus Christ went with the Twelue about six and fifty miles out of Iudaea into Galilee and there in diuers Cities and Townes he began to preach and teach the Kingdome of God At this time there were diuers Women followed him whom hee had healed of euill Spirits and of their infirmities but principally Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seuen Diuels and Ioan the wife of Chuza Herods Procurator and Susanna All which ministred vnto him of their substance Luke 8. Now when he had trauelled from place to place some certain time and visited many cities and towns thereabouts he returned backe again to the city of Capernaum where it is said that our Sauior Christ dwelt and there dispossest the man of a diuel that was both blind lame and dumbe Mat. 12. Mar. 3. Luke 11. And going thence to the sea he recited 8 Parables Matth. 13. Marke 4. Luke 8. In the euening of the same day he went six miles into the country of the Gadarens
and recited the parable of the Sheepe Ioh. 10. Also vpon the Sabboth day a little before the feast of the Dedication he healed a man that was born blind Iohn 9. In this feast the Iewes being angry because he had healed the blind man vpon the Sabboth day compassed our Sauiour about as he was in Solomons Porch and when they heard our Sauiour confesse openly that hee was the Sonne of God they began to grow into a fury and for very anger would haue stoned him to death Wherefore our Sauiour Christ went thence beyond Iordan and continued there the rest of the Winter Iohn 10. But before hee went to Ierusalem there were returned vnto him certaine of the seuentie Disciples which a little before in the moneth of September he had sent abroad and there at that time he recited the similitude of the man who descending from Ierusalem to Iericho fell amongst theeues This similitude seemeth to be taken from the present occasion because our Sauior Christ going from Ierusalem beyond Iordan was to passe through great wildernesses just in the way as they goe thence to Iericho Iohn 10. At the same time he went from Ierusalem to Bethania which was almost two miles and there visited Mary and Martha where Martha ministred vnto him but Mary sitting at his feet gaue diligent heed to his Doctrine Luke 10. At this time he tooke his leaue of these two sisters and went thence to Bethabara beyond Iordan where Iohn baptised which was 16 miles it being now about the midst of Winter Christ at this time being about 33 yeares of age I am not ignorant that there were many which refer that long journey of our Sauiour Christ when hee went to visit all Iudaea the sending forth of his Disciples diuers other miracles mentioned from the ninth chapter of Luke to the sixteenth to the beginning of the following yere But I am of opinion that all those things could not haue beene done within the compasse of foure moneths and before the feast of the Dedication so that it must needs bee that the seuentie Disciples were sent forth before the feast of the Dedication for after the feast of the Dedication which was celebrated in the midst of Winter Iohn 10. there were but two moneths betweene it and the raising vp of Lazarus in which short time all those things which are described by Luke could not possibly be accomplished especially considering that our Sauiour Christ wintered some time in Bethabara and there taught the multitude that came vnto him Ioh. 2. So these trauels of our Sauiour were 596 miles or thereabouts besides the diuers visitations and journeies hee went hither and thither which because of the great multitude of them it was not possible for the Euangelist to set them downe Of the townes and places to which he trauelled Of Bethsaida BEthsaida signifies the house of hunting being deriued of Baith a house and Zaid hunting from Zod he hath hunted for from this place went the fishers and hunters which fished and hunted through the world Ierem. 16. In this Towne dwelt three Apostles Peter Andrew and Philip Iohn 1. It was scituated vpon the West side of the Galilean sea in the Tribe of Issachar fiftie six miles from Ierusalem towards the North. And because of the aboundance of Fishes that were in the sea of Galile Peter and Andrew became Fishers and in that vocation got their liuing till our Lord and Sauiour Christ made them Fishers of men Matt. 4. Luke 5. Before the birth of Christ this was but a small Towne and without doubt was so called from hunting because close by it stood a wildernesse that did greatly abound with wilde beasts Philip the Tetrarch of Traconitis and Itura made this a faire citie which in honour of Iulia hee called Iuliades This Iulia was the daughter of Augustus Caesar and wife of Tiberias Philip also brought many inhabitants thither who dwelt in that Citie But when Herod the Tetrarch of Galile and brother of this Philip had builded vp Bethara which stood beyond the riuer Iordan on the East side of the sea of Galilee and called it by the name of Iuliades in honour of this Iulia. This towne re-edified and inlarged by Philip was called againe in the time of our blessed Lord and Sauiour Christ after the antient name Bethsaida and so continueth to this day From hence it is manifest that the sea of Galile was subject to the gouernment of both these Tetrachs since vpon the shore thereof on both sides they had cities standing I doe thinke the wildernesse or wood and land neere adjoining to Bethsaida is called Itura of Ietur the sonne of Ismael Gen. 25. or else from the compasse and roundnesse of it for Tur in Hebrew signifies A circle But that Itura stood vpon the West side of the sea of Galilee those that haue beene at the Holy land can testifie This citie of Bethsaida hath an antient water course comming from a riuer not far from it which Iosephus calleth little Iordan which falleth into the sea of Galile just in the mid-way betweene this towne and Capernaum the channell whereof appeareth to this day Beside the many sermons which our Sauior Christ preached here he did many notable miracles Marc. 8. c. But for the ingratitude and impietie of the citisens the curse of our Sauiour fell vpon them Woe be thee Chorazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the miracles had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon which haue beene done in thee they had long ere this repented in sackloth and ashes Verily verily I say vnto you it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon in the day of judgement than for you Matt. 11. Luc. 10. The prophecie of our Sauiour Christ fell vpon them accordingly for after diuers and sundry ouerthrowes and deuastations this towne became vtterly vnpeopled and as Britenbacchus saith there are scarce six houses standing in it at this day Of Chorazin THis city also stands vpon the further side of Iordan close by the sea of Galile in the same country as Capernaum stands for the city of Chorazin standeth vpon the East side of the riuer Iordan where it falleth into the sea of Galile and Capernaum vpon the West in the halfe tribe of Manasses some 16 miles from the citie of Ierusalem towards the North. This citie also neglecting the preachings and miracles of our Sauiour Christ felt the efficacie and force of the curse of the Sonne of God Mat. 11. Luc. 10. For there is not at this day a house to be seene onely some ruines where it stood Chorazin doth denote a dukedome or principality from Coh and Razon a Prince and Duke for Rozez signifies A laborious Prince Ierom turning this word Rozez into Razi calls it A secret mistery or my secret Of Tiberias TIberias standeth vpon the West side of the sea of Galilee 48 miles from Ierusalem towards the North. Before the birth of Christ it was called Kinnereth that is the
of the raritie of them transported thence into many countries more remote But because of their extreame arrogancie and pride it was twice conquered and ruinated First by Nabuchadonozer Emperour of Babylon and then by Alexander the Great as it appeareth in Quint. Curtius lib. in the life of Alexander Now the occasion that Alexander made warre vpon this Citie was because the citizens vpon a time sending vnto him certaine Embassadors with a crowne of gold in token of friendship and to congratulate his prosperitie which he accepted very kindely and gaue them royall entertainment as to his friends amongst other things hee told them that hee would come vnto their Citie and doe sacrifice to their god Hercules for the kings of the Macedonians are perswaded that they proceed from the off-spring of that god and beside hee was commanded by an Oracle so to do But the Embassadors of Tyre answered that the Temple of Hercules stood without the citie in Paaetzron where ancient Tyre stood so that the King might easily come thither to doe sacrifice but Alexander hearing these words could not containe himselfe but in a great anger answered And doe yee proud Citizens put such trust in the strength and scituation of your Citie that you thinke I am not able to come to it with my Army by land You shall well perceiue within this short space that you are scituated vpon the continent and that I will enter it and sacke it With these terrible words the Embassadors departed and shortly after Alexander followed them with a great and mightie army But when it was knowne that Alexander had vndertaken the sacking of this citie there were many that thought it almost impossible for him to accomplish his designes first because of the inconstancie of the windes and the vehemencie of the water whereby all such matter as they cast into the sea to joine it to the continent would be driuen away by the violence of the Water againe the city was compassed about with such exceeding high walls and fortified with such strong towers that it was not possible for him to bring any engines to batter them or fasten any scaling ladders to ascend them vnlesse it were by ships Twice Alexander attempted by flinging into the sea mighty trees of Libanus and heapes of the ruines of ancient Tyre to haue made a bridge to it or else joyne it to the continent insomuch as the Tyrians mocked the Macedonians saying What can your king Alexander conquer Neptune the God of the sea For the violence of the sea was so extreame that it carried away all things with it and oftentimes broke the ships that were joyned together to make a bridge and drowned the soldiers that besieged and sought against the citie During this siege a Citisen of Tyrus dreamt that their Idoll Apollo would depart from them whereupon they bound the Image of Apollo with a chaine of gold vnto the pillar whereon he stood that he might not leaue them There hapned also a horrible ostent amongst the Macedonians for a certaine souldier breaking bread there fell from it some few drops of bloud at the hearing of which accident Alexander was greatly amased vntill hee was resolued by one Aristander a very skilfull Prophet That if it issued from off the outside of the bread it had betokened a heauie euent to the Macedoniaes but in regard that it issued from the inside of the bread it foreshewed that hee should forthwith conquer the towne hee had so long besieged And so it hapned for when Alexander had besieged the city for the space of seuen moneths with great difficulty he woon it but before he could win it he was constrained to vse a great multitude of ships and fasten them together with yron bands vpon which placing many engines of battery and other offensiue instruments what with the moouing of the ships and the extreame violence of the batterie they ouercame the citie This exploit Alexander performed when he was 25 yeares of age and about 300 yeares before Christ There was one thing that Alexander did during his siege that was memorable for before any of his souldiers would attempt to ascend the walls hee went in person with his crowne vpon his head and in princely armor and scaled a high tower of the citie where he exprest an extraordinary resolution and by reason of his courage did great hurt to the enemy who perceiuing him to be the King resorted to that place in great heaps and shot at him with all their might but hee manfully defended himselfe and compelled the enemy to fly In this assault there were 6000 of the inhabitants slaine and after he had entred the wals and sackt the citie he caused 2000 to be tyed to crosses and throwne into the sea From whence may be gathered that God by this young Prince did accomplish this great worke that the prophecies of the Prophets Esay 23. Ieremy 43. and Ezekiel 25.26 might be fulfilled Afterward Alexander as Pliny and Strabo obserueth caused the sea to be filled vp that it might be no more an Island and joined it to the continent vpon which place he caused Tyrus to be rebuilded and compassed it about with a wall fiue and twentie foot thicke strengthned with twelue towers that it might be sufficiently fortified to oppose the incursion of any enemy so that it continued safe a long time after and in the time of our Sauiour Christ was a faire city though it neuer attaind to the former dignitie and power that it had before Alexander conquered it The ancient citie of Tyre was distant from this city about foure miles towards the South Our Sauiour Christ being in the borders of Tyrus and Sidon helpt a woman of Canaan whose daughter had beene cruelly tormented with a Diuell Matt. 15. In the time of Dioclesian the Emperour there were many Martyrs put to death in this Citie And at this time it is called by the name of El porta del zur that is the hauen of Zur as it was in the Old Testament called by the name of Zor In the yeare 1100 when the holy land was in the hands of the Christians there was an Archbishop of Tyre vnder whose gouerment were the Bishops of Ptolomais Sydon and Beryti c. The holy man Origen lieth buried in this citie in the Church of the holy Sepulchre which is compassed about fortified with a mighty strong wall There also lies buried the Emperour Fredericke Barbarosso who died Anno 1160 after hee had done many valiant acts and fought many great battels for the Christians against the Turkes and Saracens being ouercome by Saphadinus the Sultans son and put to flight was drowned in the riuer of Suro to the great griefe of his armie but he left behind him a famous report Pope Alexander the third being a great enemie to this Emperour in S. Maries church in the citie of Venice when this Prince submitted himself to his Holinesse set his foot vpon his neck
Because as Onuphrius saith in Comment fast lib. 2. also Euseb lib. 2. cap. 22. and Tertul cont Marcion Peter and Paul in the 35 yeare after the resurrection of Christ and vpon the third day of the Calends of Iuly C. Fonteius Capitonius C. Iulius Rufus being then Consuls of Rome were crowned with the Wreath of martyrdome and with their bloud sealed the truth of the Gospel But there are others of opinion that Peter neuer came at Rome but that he was crucified at Ierusalem by King Agrippa's command others say at Babylon But because it is a thing doubtfull and not greatly materiall I leaue it to the Readers consideration ¶ Of the Townes and places to which he trauelled Of Samaria BEcause I haue before briefly intreated of the beginning and foundation of this city I shal not need here againe to repeat it I will now therefore shew the end of it which was principally caused by the obstinacie of the inhabitants who refusing the doctrine and prophecy of Elias and Elizeus imbraced and followed strange gods and offered incense vnto idols whereby the wrath of God was kindled against them insomuch that hee left this goodly city as a prey to the Gentiles and forreine nations that carried the people thereof into captiuitie where for a long time they remained in great miserie After the first desolation because the countrey round about this citie was very fertile and pleasant abounding with springs riuers vines oliue gardens mountaines fruitfull valleyes faire cities and strong castles and townes Herod Ascalonites that great King of the Iewes who put to death the innocent children reedified it set vp many goodly buildings beautified with marble pillars and pleasant walkes and also in the circuit of the Kings house and vnder the buildings of the nobilitie in the common Market place the houses and vaults were supported with marble pillars according to the maner of the Iewes The pallace callled the K. house stood in the midst of the citie vpon the top of the mountain and round about it there were diuers other buildings set vp but much lower euen about the descent of the mountaine yet so scituated that the inhabitants might see out of their houses the country round about Then close to the pallace in the vpper part of the citie he caused a temple to be built in honor of Augustus Thus hauing finished the inside he compast it about with a mighty wall and vpon that placed many turrets then to flatter Augustus called it by the name of Sebasten which among the Grecians signifies Augustum venerabile principem now although this citie was very glorious and spatious in those times for it was three miles about yet at this day it is vtterly ruined destroied insomuch that there is not a house standing two Churches only excepted which were built in honour of S. Iohn Baptist and the chief of these which was the Cathedrall Church the Saracens haue conuerted to their vse so that at this day Mahomet is worshipt in it In this stood the Sepulchre of S. Iohn Baptist cut out in marble like the sepulchre of Christ where as Hierom saith he lieth buried between Elisha Obediah the Prophets This church stands vpon the side of the mountaine in the descent The Saracens do principally reuerence S. Iohn Baptist next after Christ and they affirm the virgin Mary to haue conceiued by the holy Spirit and not by the seed of man That S. Iohn was the greatest prophet except Christ that euer was They also beleeue Christ to be the son of God but not to be equall with God Yet they prefer Mahomet before both because they hold him a messenger sent of God not vnto all men but onely vnto the Saracens and Turks and their subiects The other Church which stood in Samaria was vpon the top of the mountain which somtimes the Kings palace stood In this Church in times past there dwelt certain Grecian Monks which were Christians and entertained Christian Pilgrims with great humanitie and furnished them with many necessaries But the city of Samaria it selfe hath bin so often ouerthrown and brought to such extreme miserie that almost all the ground where it stood is at this time conuerted into an Olive garden So that as that wicked King Ahab turned the Vineyard of Naboth which stood close by his house into an olive garden so God in his singular justice hath turned the palace of that King the whole city wherein he dwelt which was the strength of his kingdome into an olive garden There are not so many ruins found through all the land of Iudaea though there haue bin many worthy cities destroyed as are in this place at this day The scituation of this city was very beautifull for a man might haue seen from it to the sea of Ioppa and Antipatris also to Caesarea Palestina thorow al the mountain of Ephraim to Ramatha Sophim so to mount Carmel and the city of Ptolomais Of Lidda THis city was scituated not far from Ioppa vpon the shore of the Mediterranian sea 20 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward In this city Peter healed Aeneas who had bin sick 8 years of the palsie At this day there is nothing to be seen but the Church of S. George who was beheaded by the Emperour Dioclesian for professing the Christian faith The Grecians call this town Diospolis i. an holy Town And the Turks account S. George for a valiant Knight and holy man Of Caesarea Strato THis city was scituated vpon the shore of the Mediterranian sea some 32 miles from Ierusalem Northward in antient time it was called Strato being first built by Strato King of Sydon But time hauing decayed a great part of it Herod Ascalonita repaired it and made it a goodly thing calling it Caesarea after the name of Augustus Caesar And that ships might lie at anchor there without danger he caused to be builded a fair hauen to oppose the violence of the sea This hauen was so wonderfully contriued and set vp at such a great charge that it was admirable to looke vpon for he laid the foundation of it twenty yards vnder water burying in the Deepe stones of an extraordinarie greatnesse some fifty foot long eight foot thicke and ten foot broad and many of them more The Hauen it selfe was beautified with faire buildings and goodly Walkes supported with marble Pillars and mounted vp aloft so that you might see the ships as they were vpon the sea and made way to this harbor The entrance into it was vpon the North at the mouth thereof there stood three mighty Colosses vpon marble pillars Hee also placed vpon the wall of the City towards the Hauen mighty Towers the chiefest and fairest of which he dedicated to Drusus Augustus his son in law and called it by the name of the Drusian tower The buildings that ioyned to this Hauen were all of white polished marble and the streets of the City were directly towards it Also
he bore to Homers Iliads Wherefore looke what Alexander had promised Lysimachus one of his chiefe Princes and King of Thrace after his death performed for he returned to Troy enlarged the city beautified it with goodly buildings set vp a stately Temple and then compast it about with strong wals After this sort it continued a long time vntill Fimbria a Questor of the Romans when he had slaine Valerius Flaccus the Consull with whom hee was sent against Mithridates King of Pontus besieged it and within ten dayes space woon it making his vaunts that hee conquered that citie in ten dayes which Agamemnon could scarce do in ten yeares to which one of the inhabitants of the citie answered That then Troy had a Hector but now it had none But for this hee cruelly wasted the citie This destruction hapned in the 84 yeare before Christ thus it lay desolate till Augustus Caesars time who caused it again to be re-edified and beautified with many faire and goodly buildings because the Romanes and especially those noble families of the Iulij and Caesars doe deriue their progenie from the Trojans for which cause Augustus vsed such diligence in the rebuilding of this citie and bestowed such infinit cost that he much exceeded Alexander and made it a faire and goodly citie At this day it is called Ilium But in the place of old Troy there is little to bee seene only a small towne as Strabo saith It is distant from Ierusalem 760 miles Northwestward Of Bythinia THis countrey is opposite to Constantinople scituated in Asia minor distant from Irusalem Northwestward and so called of Bythinus the sonne of Iupiter and Thrax It was sometime called Pontus Bebrycia and Mygdonia as Stephanus saith In this countrey the Apostle Paul could not preach the Gospel of Christ when he went into Macedonia and Graecia because hee was hindred by the Spirit Act. 16. The principall cities thereof were Calcidon Heraclea Nicea Nicomedia Apamea Flauiopolis Libissa where Hannibal lieth buried and Prusa now called Byrsa where in times past the Emperours of Turkie kept their Courts and were buried The mother and metropolis of all these cities was Nicea or rather Nicaea beeing distant from Ierusalem 720 miles towards the Northwest at the first called Antigonia of Antigonus the sonne of Philip King of Asia who built it after the death of Alexander the Great But Lysimachus called it Nicaea after his wifes name and at this day is called Nissa The compasse thereof is two miles being foure square scituated as Strabo saith lib. 12. in a faire and pleasant place lying close by the poole of Ascania and hath in it 4 gates standing in a direct line al which gates might easily haue beene seene from a certaine stone which stood in the middle of the Market place In this citie the most Christian Emperor Constantine the Great celebrated a Councell anno Dom. 325. at which time there were present 320 Bishops who condemned the Arrian herisie and instituted the Nicaen Creed But after that viz. anno Dom. 326 the Arrians endeauouring to hold a second Councell in this citie to confirme their opinions and to dissolue that which went before the Lord hindred them with an Earthquake by which almost half the citie was throwne down Not long after there hapned another earthquake which vtterly destroied it notwithstanding it was rebuilt again and in it a second Councell held wherein the Nicaen Creed was condemned There were many cities of this name that before spoken of another in Thrace a third in France not far from the riuer Varus a fourth as Stephanus saith is amongst the Lorrenses in Graecia a fift in Illeria a sixt in India a seuenth in Corsica and the eighth in Leuctris of Boetia Of Mysia THis is a country of Asia the lesse bordring vpon Helle spont and Troada being diuided into two parts that is the greater and the lesse That part that bordreth vpon Troada is distant from Ierusalem 800 miles Northwestward but that which is called Mysia the lesse and bordring vpon Lydia is 1028 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward In this countrey stood Pergamus to which Iohn wrote his Reuelation Scepsis where one Neleus kept the bookes of Aristotle til Apollonius time also Antandrus Adramitium Tranoiapolis and Apollinia which stood close by the riuer Thyndaeus The inhabitants were men of a base condition and contemned of the world insomuch as they became a prouerbe as often as a man would denote a thing of no estimation they would say Vltimum esse Mysiorum that is It is worse than the Mysians as it appeareth in Cicero's oration for Flaccus Yet notwithstanding Paul and Iohn the Euangelist preached the doctrine and light of the Gospell to this poore and despised people so that the Mysians which were a contemptible and abhominable nation before all the world were not so before God for they were conuerted at the preaching of Iohn and Paul From whence he saith Not many wise according to the flesh not many mightie not many noble but God hath chosen the foolish things of this world that they might confute and ouerthrow the wise c. 1. Cor. 1. In times past they were a great people though of smal estimation for they had vnder their iurisdiction Lydia Caria Pergamus Thyatira Sardis Philidelphia and Laodicea to many of which Iohn wrote his Revelation Also as Herodotus saith Lib. 7. the Mysians and Teucrians before the Trojan war past into Europe and there woon and held Thracia Macedonia and all the land to the Adriatick sea c. Of Troas THis citie Troas where Paul raised Eutichus which signifies happie or fortunate from death to life Acts. 10. stood vpon the sea of Hellespont in Asia the lesse 720 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward Antigonus king of Asia called it Troas because it was in the countrey where Troy was But after the death of Alexander he called it after his owne name Antigonia And the better to honour it kept his court there But Lysimachus King of Thrace hauing got this city into his iurisdiction bestowed great cost vpon it and set vp many fair and goodly buildings then called it after Alexanders name Alexandria and so it began to be called Alexandria Troas Plin. lib. 5. Strabo l. 13. Ier de locis Hebraicis Now it was called Alexandria Troas to put a difference between it and diuers other cities of that name for there was an Alexandria in Aegypt another in India and many others elsewhere but only this in the countrey where Troy stood It was scituated in a high and spacious mountaine about a mile and a halfe from the shore of Propontus towards the East between which Troads is twentie and eight miles It is a thing worthy obseruation to consider by what diuers names the sea that lies between Europe and Asia the lesse is called for betweene Constantinople and Calcidonia close by the Euxine sea it is called Thracius Bosphorus in which place it is not aboue halfe a mile
broad here Xerxes when he inuaded Graecia built vp a bridge for his army to passe ouer There is also another strait and narrow place in this sea which is called by the name of Cimmerius Bosphorius These two Bosphori are so called as some authors hold because a Bull when he loweth may be heard from the one side to the other but Pliny seemeth to deriue the name from Io that faire maid which Iupiter turned into a Cow who swam ouer this sea and of her was called Bosphorus lib. 6. cap. 1. It is also called Propontus because it lieth just before the Euxine sea and Hellespont from Helle the daughter of Athamantis K. of Thebes who was drowned therein then running thence it falleth into a gulph of the Mediterranean Ocean there it is called the Aegean sea of Aegeus King of Athens who drowned himselfe therein for the supposed losse of his sonne Theseus In this sea were scituate the Isles of Pathmos Mytelene Samothrace Chius Lesbus and many other Isles as you may reade in the trauels of S. Paul Of Samothracia ot Samothrace SAmothracia is an Isle of the Aegean sea scituate between Troades and Thracia eight hundred and eightie miles from Ierusalem towards the Northwest close to that part of Thracia where Hebrus falleth into the sea sometimes called Dardania of Dardanus King of Troy who when hee had slaine his brother Iacius and taken from him the Palladiam he came first into Samothracia and then into Asia where he first laid the foundation of the citie called Troy and of that Kingdome And although this Isle at that time was called Dardania yet because of the neerenes that it had to Thrace and the altitude of the rocke whereon it stood it soone changed the name and then especially when the people called Samos came thither to inhabit who after their own name called it Samothracia It stood vpon such a loftie place that from thence all the countries round about might easily bee seen Arsinoë Queene of Thrace was banished by Ptolomeus her brother into this Island who after put to death all her children and vsurpt vpon the kingdome of Thrace A cruell part in a brother Virg. li. Aeneid 3. makes mention of this Island saying Treiciamque Samum quae nunc Samothracia fertur And Samian-Troy which now adayes is Samo-Thracia call'd Strabo also writeth of it li. 13. And in Acts 16. it is said S. Paul sailed from Troad is to Samothracia so went thence into Thracia and came to the city of Neapolis Of Neapolis THis Neapolis to which Paul went was a city of Thrace not far from Macedoni 880 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward called also of some Caurus There are many other Cities of this name one in Iudea where Sichem and Sichar stood another in Caria a third in Africa a fourth in Pannonia but aboue all that which stands in Campania is most remarkable being the chiefe city of the Neapolitan kingdome Of Philippa THis city in times past was called Crenides because of the veins of gold that were found close by it But after Philip King of Macedon father of Alexander the Great caused it in the yeare before Christ 354 to bee re-edified and inlarged and then after his own name called it Philippos It was scituated in Grecia close by the riuer Stridon 936 miles from Ierusalem toward the Northwest and endowed with many priuiledges In those times the gold was so much increased in this place that the reuenue thereof was worth vnto this King more than a thousand Talents which at 4500 li. the talent amounteth to forty fiue Millions of pounds yearely By the which means King Philip grew so rich that he caused his gold to be coined and called it after his owne name Philippian gold To this place Paul came and did many miracles taught the Gospell and conuerted many From hence he wrote his second Epistle to the Corinthians and sent it to Corinth euen 292 miles He also wrote an Epistle from Rome to the Christians of this Towne and sent it them by the hands of Epaphroditus euen 628 miles It was afterward a Colony of the Romans Of Amphipolis THis was a city of Macedonia compassed about with the riuer Strymon from whence it tooke the name and was distant from Ierusalem 960 miles towards the Northwest Here also the Apostle Paul was Acts 17. Of Apollonia THis was a citie of Mygdonia scituated not farre from Thessalonica towards the West close by the riuer Echedorus 948 miles from Ierusalem towards the Northwest being so called from Apollines which signifies the Sunne it stood twentie miles from Thessalonica There are many other Cities of this name one scituate in Graecia close by the Adriatick sea another among the Islands of Thrace a third in Creet on this side the riuer Ister a fourth in Syria and a fift in Africa amongst the Cyrenes Of Thessalonia or Thessalonica THis was a citie of Macedon in ancient times called Halia because it stood vpon the sea after called Therma of the hot bathes that were in it and lastly Thessalonica of Philip the sonne of Amyntas King of the Macedonians who gaue it that name either of the great victory that he had against the Thessalonians or else after the name of his daughter called Thessalonica who was the mother of Cassandrus it stood close by the Thermaick gulph not farre from the mouth of the riuer Echedorus 932 miles from Ierusalem towards the Northwest The Apostle Paul taught publiquely in this city and there conuerted a great multitude of people Act. 17. Hee also wrote two Epistles to the inhabitants thereof and sent them from Athens being 232 miles distant In the time of Theodosius the first Emperor of Rome there hapned by reason of some discontent a grieuous sedition amongst the Thessalonians in which stirre some of his captains gouernors were slain Wherefore the Emperor hauing intelligence of what had hapned sent an army against the city with authority to put to death a certain number of those who had rebelled whence it hapned that the city was filled with many vniust slaughters for the soldiers respecting more their priuat profit than the equitie of the cause spared neither innocent nor nocent yong nor old so that as well the inhabitants as strangers that resorted thither did partake of this miserie and suffered like punishment as did they which were the first authors of this rebellion But because the emperor was consenting vnto these euils Ambrose Bishop of Millaine would not suffer him without publique repentance to come to the sacrament of the Lords supper wherefore in a publique assembly hee acknowledged his offence with great contrition Theodor. li. 5. ca. 17. Soz. li. 7. ca. 24. This town was afterward purchased by the Venetians of Andronichus Palaeologus son of Emanuel Emperor of Constantinople who held it a long time vntill Amurath Emperor of the Turkes won it from them and exercised grieuous cruelty vpon the inhabitants At this day it is
of Italy not farre from Naples scituated on the sea shore 1388 miles from Ierusalem Westward taking that name from fountains or Wels of hot water being built by the Salamians as Eusebius saith about such time as the Tarquins were banished Rome 507 yeares before the natiuitie of Christ It was antiently called Dicaearchia because of their singular justice noble gouernment But when the Romans made war against Hannibal they fortified this town to withstand his forces and then called it Puteoli which name it retained a long time after At this day it is called Puzzoli At this city the Apostle Paul his companions ariued when they sailed into Rome Acts 27. Between Puteoli and Baia there lieth the lake of Lucrinus into which by the command of Augustus Caesar a Dolphin was thrown Now there was a young Youth called Simon the son of a poore man dwelling in Baia who vsually played among other youths vpon the banks of this lake and seeing the Dolphin it being a strange fish in those parts and verie amiable to looke vpon did take great delight in it and oft times fed it with bread and other things as he could get insomuch as the Dolphin when it heard the boyes voice vpon the banks of the riuer would resort to him receiue at his hand his accustomed food Thus it continued so long that the Dolphin would suffer the boy to handle him take him by the gils play with him yea and somtimes to get vpon his backe then swim with him a great way into the lake and bring him back again and suffer him to go safe vpon the shore After this manner hee continued for many yeares together and in the end the youth died Yet the Dolphin resorted to his vsuall place expecting his accustomed food from the hands of this boy but missing him he left the shore languisht away and died Concerning the nature of this fish you may read more at large in Pliny lib. 9. cap. 8. Of Colossa THis City is scituated in Phrygia a countrey in Asia minor neere the riuers of Lycus and Meander 520 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward not farre from Laodicea so called from the mighty statues and Colosso's that were set vp in it These cities Colossa Laodicea and Hierapolis where the Apostle Philip was put to death in the tenth yeare of Nero a little before Pauls martyrdome were sunke by an earthquake which without doubt was a great judgement of God vpon them because they refused the grace and comfort of the doctrine of the Gospel offered vnto them by the Apostles The Epistle of Paul dedicated to the Colossians was sent by the hand of Onesymus from Rome vnto these towns being 1080 miles For although the Rhodians were called Colossians because of that famous Colossus that stood there yet this city wherein Archippus and Philemon dwelt to whom Paul directed that Epistle stood in Phrygia a country of Asia minor and not in Rhodes Of Nicopolis NIcopolis is a city of Macedonia scituated close by the riuer Nessus not far from Philippus vpon the borders of Thrace 920 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward From hence the Apostle Paul wrot his Epistle to Titus and sent it to Creet 600 miles There are many other cities of this name one standing in Epyre built by Augustus another betweene Cilicia and Syria built by Alexander in glory of his victorie against Darius A fourth in Bythinia a fift in the holy land formerly called Emaus Of Rome THis city if wee rightly consider the deriuation of the name in Hebrew was not built without the singular prouidence of God being deriued of Rom i. Hee hath exalted or made high But the Grecians deriue it from Romen i. strength power Now although the prouidence of God extendeth to euery Creature may to the very haires of a mans head yet where hee determines to expresse his singular power there hee worketh beyond the expectation of man And who knowes not that the beginning of this City was meane raised from a confused company destitute both of ciuilitie communitie and lawes yet hath it bin and for the most part is the glory of the world and the great commander of the Princes of the earth It was so called at first by Romulus as Livy lib. 1. saith who first built it seuen hundred fifty and one yeares before the Natiuitie of Christ being scituated vpon seuen hils that is Capitolinus Aventinus Palatinus Caelius Exquilinus Viminalis and Quirinalis But after when the City was compassed about with walls the hill Ianiculus was inclosed within it The Vallies that lay between these hils were so raised vp with arches vaults and artificial mounts that in processe of time they became levell with the top of some of those hills It was beautified with faire and sumptuous buildings so that as it was the head of the world for command and power in like like manner it exceeded all the rest of the world for glory and riches but principally for stately buildings There were many goodly Temples dedicated to Iupiter Apollo Aesculapius Hercules Diana Iuno Minerva Lucia Concordia Fides Pietas Pax Victoria Isis besides many other dedicated to other gods But aboue all that was the most sumptuous that was called Pantheon deorum at this day called the Church of All hallowes Moreouer here was to be seen the princely Edifices of Kings Emperors Consuls Senators Patricians and other Romans who were mighty in wealth and substance built all of polished Marble beautified with gold and siluer beside palaces bulwarks theatres triumphant arches statues and such like al which were glorious and greatly adorned the city But aboue al these the house of Nero was most worthy of obseruation which to see to was built all of burnisht gold very curiously wrought Here also stood the monuments of the two Caesars Iulius and Augustus also their statues the one made of pure brasse the other of white marble Besides there were many fruitfull orchards water-courses wholsome baths brought thither by Antonius Nero Dioclesian and Constantine the Great Also the Emperor Constantine erected many goodly churches for the vse of the Christians indowed them with great means and amongst the rest that which was dedicated to Saint Iohn of Latteran a faire and goodly Church and for riches and curious workemanship might compare with the stateliest Temples that euer had beene in the world most of the ornaments and images beeing made of Gold and Siluer hee also erected the Vattican which was dedicated to Saint Peter and another holy house dedicated to Saint Paul in either of which he placed their seueral sepulchres and monuments bestowing extraordinary cost to beautifie them So many were the gifts and gratuites of this Emperour that they can scarce bee numbred so that although the Emperour Trajan and Boniface the fourth Pope of Rome bestowed great cost to beautifie and adorne the city yet were they nothing comparable to that which this Emperor did These things then beeing presented to your viewe
carrieth the smell vnto the red sea and they that saile can easily discerne the sweetnesse of the aire There is gold also found there very fine and pure insomuch as for the goodnesse of it it is called Arabian gold The Phoenix is found there of which there is but one in the world Pliny lib. 9. cap. 35. describes her to be as big as an Eagle with a list of feathers like gold about her necke the rest are of a purple colour therefore from Phoenicea and the purple colour of her wings shee is called Phoenix Shee hath a tuft of feathers vpon her head like vnto a crowne Shee liueth 660 yeares at the end of which time she buildeth her a nest of Cassia Cinnamon Calamus and other pretious Gummes and herbs which the Sun by the extremitie of the heate and the wauing of her wings fires and she taking delight in the sweetnesse of the sauor houers so long ouer it that she burnes her selfe in her owne nest Within a while after out of the marrow of her bones and the ashes of her body there groweth a worme which by little and little increaseth to some bignesse and after to a purple bird Then her wings extend themselues to a full greatnesse till such time as she commeth to be a perfect Phoenix This Bird doth liuely represent our Sauiour Christ who only and alone is the true Messiah and through whom we must expect euerlasting life who in the fulnesse of time offered himself a Sacrifice vpon the Crosse sustaining the punishment for sin at the time of his Passion putting on a purple robe being all be sprinkled with his owne bloud Ioh. 19. And as the Phoenix is burnt in her owne nest so likewise was hee consumed in the fire of Gods wrath according to that in the 22 Psal My heart is become like melting wax in the middest of my body And as the Phoenix of it selfe begetteth another of the same kinde so Christ by the power of his Deitie raised vp his body from the dust of the earth and ascended vp into heauen a glorious body to sit at the right hand of his father in that euerlasting Kingdome of glory Thus gentle Reader I thought fit to describe vnto you these two townes that when you shall reade of them in the holy Scripture the one being in Aethiopia towards the South the other in Arabia Foelix and called Seba you might discerne the one from the other of both which there is mention in the 72 Psalme The Kings of the Sea and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Saba and Seba shall giue gifts The Trauels of King Pharaoh out of Aegypt when he ouercame the Towne of Gazer 1 Reg. 9. IN the 16 yeare of King Dauid Anno mundi 2906 and before Christ 1602 Chabreus King of Aegypt began to raigne and raigned 56 yeares Diod. lib. 2. cap. 2. Herodotus calleth this man Chephrines in his second booke and Eusebius Nepher Cherres He went from Memphis the chiefe Citie of Aegypt with a great armie 268 miles euen vnto the tribe of Ephraim and there tooke Gazer a Citie of the Leuites and burned it with fire 1 Reg. 8. Ios 21. After he came to Ierusalem which was 28 miles And this city which he had thus destroied he gaue to his daughter the wife of Solomon 1 Reg. 9. From thence he returned to Memphis in Aegypt 244 miles So all the Trauels of King Pharaoh were 244 miles Of Memphis MEmphis is a great city in Egypt where commonly the kings of that country keepe their Courts and lyeth from Ierusalem 244 miles South-westward This citie was built a little before the floud but repaired and enlarged by a king called Ogdoo who in loue of his daughter after her name called it Memphis You may reade of it in the ninth of Hosea called there by the name of Moph for thus he saith The people of Israel are gone out of the land of Ephraim because of their Idolatrie into Aegypt but Aegypt shall gather them vp Moph that is Memphis shall bury them Moph or Mapheth in this place signifieth A prodigious wonder but the rest of the Prophets call it Noph for the fertilitie pleasantnes of the country as you may reade Esa 19. The Princes of the Zoan are become foolish and the Princes of Noph or of Memphis are deceiued See also Ierem. 2.44.46 Ezech. 30. in which places you may find it called after this name Zoan is the citie Tanis where Moses wrought all his miracles But Noph or Moph is this Memphis a beautifull towne large and spacious scituated in the strongest and profitablest place in Aegypt diuided into two parts by the riuer Nilus so that any kind of commodities or merchandise might with ease bee brouht thither by water for which cause the kings of that countrie for the most part kept their abiding there Strabo saith lib. 17. That vpon the East part of this citie there standeth a Tower or Castle called Babylon built by certaine Babylonians who leauing their owne countrey by the permissions of the kings of Egipt dwelt there in after times there was placed a garrison in it one of the three which were for the defence of Aegypt and by Ptolomy was called Babilon through both which viz. Memphis and Babilon Nilus passed the one standing vpon the East side the other vpon the West Zoan or Tanis stood about some foure miles from this towne and was a faire spacious citie also scituated towards the South vpon the East side of Nilus to which the kings of that country often resorted and Heliopolis anothet faire citie stood some six miles off that towards the Northeast All these foure townes were so wonderfully inhabited by reason of their pleasant profitable scituation that in processe of time they become all one citie and in this age is called Alcaire containing in circuit 60 miles so that it seemeth to spectators to be like a country replenished with nothing but fair houses goodly churches strong towers exceeding all the rest of the cities of Egypt aswell for the beautifulnesse of the place as the extent and largenesse of it It is reported that in the yeare of our Lord 1476 there was such an extreme pestilence in it that there died 20000 a day from whence may be gathered how infinitely it is peopled Neere to this towne stood the Pyramides which are held to he one of the wonders of the World as Strabo saith lib. 17. the height of one of them was 625 foot and square on each side 883 foot it was twentie yeares a building a hundred thousand workemen emploied about it whence it may be easily gathered how hard and difficult it was in those times to get stone it being for the most part brought from Arabia and at what an excessiue charge they were that set vp them Of Gazar This Citie is described in the Trauels of Solomon The Trauels of Hadad King of Idumaea WHen Dauid conquered Idumaea Hadad
whom God in the beginning made a good Angell exalted him in the heauens and made him much more glorious than others yet notwithstanding glorying in himselfe hee contemned his Maker nothing would content him but to become like vnto him yea he desired to be worshipped of our Lord Iesus Christ Mat. 4. And as Haman endeauoured to ouerthrow not only all the people of the Iewes but Queene Hester also so the Diuell doth not onely endeauour to ouerthrow the whole Church but if it were possible the head of the Church Christ Iesus Of that holy man Iob. IOb was a holy and good man he dwelt in the land of Vz so called of Vz the sonne of Aram the son of Sem as S. Ierome vpon Genesis obserueth This Vz was that great man which built as was thought Damascus in Syria and all the land which extendeth from Damascus to Iordan after his name was called Vz that is the land of counsell fot so Vz signifieth There were two townes in this countrey where Iob is said to haue dwelt that is Astaroth-Carnaim and Batzra Asteroth-Carnaim was distant from Ierusalem 52 miles towards the Northeast the inhabitants of which towne worshipped the goddesse Venus and called her by the name of Astaroth of which you may reade before S. Ierome saith That the sepulchre of Iob was to be seene in his time in that towne and later writers testifie as much for their times This towne at this day is called Carnea Batzra is mentioned in the 36 of Genesis it signifieth a grape gathering In this towne it was thought that Iob was borne it lay beyond Iordan in the tribe of Reuben 20 miles from Ierusalem towards the Northeast All this countrey in those times was subject to the King of the Edomites or Idumaeans but after it was joyned to the land of the Moabites they hauing conquered the kings of Edom you man reade more of it in the 6 of Isay also Ios 20. where is shewed that it was one of the six cities of refuge appointed by Ioshua Heere Iob for the most part continued and held this towne in great honour and reputation He liued about the time of Baela first king of the Edomites and according to the opinion of Saint Ierom Augustine Ambrose Philo and Luther was for his excellent vertue and singular piety chosen King of that countrey which he greatly enlarged making all the countries and neighbouring Princes neer adjoining tributary vnto him wherfore as Ierom saith in locis Hebraicis hauing obtained so large an Empire he remoued his seat from Batzra to Astaroth Carnaim which was a strong and well defenced citie where in those times as Moses witnesseth Gen. 14. there inhabited mightie men and noble Heroes that so by their vertue he might with the greater facilitie suppresse and conquer other Prouinces There are many thinke him to be of the stocke of Abraham and of the family of Esau because he is mentioned in the 36 of Genesis where it is said That when Baela died Iobab the sonne of Zerah of Bozra or Betzra raigned in his stead And Saint Ierom in his preface vpon the booke of Iob sheweth that he was but fiue degrees remoued from Abraham for Abraham had Ishmael Basmath who was the wife ef Esau mother of Reguel grandmother to Sarah and great grandmother to Iob. So that by the mothers side Iob descended from Ishmael and by the fathers side from Esau Isaac Esau Reguel Serah Iob or Iobab king of Idumaea Gen. 36. Notwithstanding there are some that are of opinion That he descended from Nahor Abrahams brother and was of the family of Vz Nahors sonne which opinion also Saint Ierom mentioneth in his Hebraicall questions But most of the antient fathers hold this nothing so probable Luther vpon the 36 chapter of Genesis saith That he was King long time before Moses carried the children of Israel out of Aegypt For Iuda and Aser the sonnes of Iacob had children before they went into the land of Aegypt Gen. 46. therefore it is not impossible for Reguel the sonne of Esau to haue children also since he was married long before his brother Iacob From hence then it may be gathered that Iob was King of Idumaea before Iacob and his sonnes went into the land of Aegypt For although the fourteene sonnes of Esau gouerned the land of Edom like so many Princes of which number Reguel the grandfather of Iob was one because they held it as their inheritance yet to auoid sedition and distractions which oftentimes happen where there is not a certaine head and principall commander therefore they elected Bela the sonne of Beor to be their King after whose death they chose Iob because he was a holy man of God and in his actions just and vpright who without doubt raigned amongst the Edomites a long time For he liued after his afflictions which God imposed vpon him to trie him 140 yeares Plato saith he married Dina the daughter of Iacob but Saint Ierome That he married the daughter of an Arabian by whom hee had Enon Both these may be true for his first wife being dead he might marrie an Arabian After the death of Iob the Gyants Heroes in Asteroth Carnaim fell againe from the Idumaeans for when Moses brought the children of Israel out of the desart of Arabia Petraea and that they had conquered the land beyond Iordan the city Astaroth-Carnaim had a King called Og who gouerned all the Kingdome of Basan This Gyant was of a mighty stature he had a bed of yron * Foure yards a half long two broad nine cubits long and foure broad Deut. 3. Of Eliphaz ELiphaz the Themanite was the brother of Reguel Iobs grandfather This Eliphaz had a sonne called Theman who built a citie and after his owne name called it Theman where Eliphaz his father dwelt with him From whence it hapned that he was called Eliphaz the Themanite Iob 2. It was distant from Ierusalem forty miles towards the South and therefore it was called a citie of the South you may reade of Eliphaz in Ier. cap. 25. He had a Concubine called Thimnah because of her beauty comely proportion by her he had Amaleck of whom came the Amalekites betweene whom and the children of Israel were cruell wars Exod. 17. The Trauels of Eliphaz the Themanite FRom Themen hee went to Astaroth-Carnaim where Iob dwelt which is accounted 92 miles to comfort his friend Iob Iob 2. From Astaroth-Carnaim he returned backe to his owne house which was 92 miles So the trauels of Eliphaz were 184 miles Of Bildad Iobes friend BEyond Iordan and the sea of Galile not farre from Astaroth-Carnaim there is at this day found a town called Suah where as it is thought Bildad the friend of Iob dwelt Neer to this towne as Sebastian Francus obserueth in his Cosmographie there was yerly in the Summer season a great mart kept in certain tents and tabernacles erected for that purpose of diuers colours Bildad signifies
an antient friend and Suah taketh the name from desolation being deriued of Scho he hath made desolate Of Zophar the friend of Iob. ZOphar dwelt in the citie of Naema Iosh 15. but how farre it stood from Ierusalem is vncertaine Zophar of Zaphar signifieth swift Naema signifies pleasant and delectable of Naem courteous and comfortable Of Iobs daughters THe Lord gaue vnto Iob after his affliction and that he had tried his faithfulnesse three daughters so faire that there were none fairer to be found in all the land The name of the first was Iemmima that is as faire as the day of Iom which signifies a day The second Kazia that is such a one as giueth a pleasant sauor like vnto the gum Cassia The third because of the excellencie of her countenance was called Kaeren Hapuch that is casting forth rayes or beames Iob. 42. APOCRYPHA The Booke of IVDETH Of Egbatana AFter the death of Arbactus or Arphaxad which signifies a mighty Lyon to whom Ionas prophecied as is said before there succeeded in the Empire of the Medes Mandanes Sarsomenes Artecarnis Cardiceas and Deioces who being enthronised in that Empire called himselfe Arphaxad or Arbactus the second This man built Egbatana the metropolitan citie of the Medes and beautified it with very faire buildings goodly walls made all of foure square stone cut and polished 70 cubits high and 30 broad towers standing vpon it 100 cubits in height as well those that were for the defence of the town as those where the gates were The aire in that country was temperate inclining rather to cold than heate because it lay toward the North it stood 1136 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward Here for the most part this Emperor kept his court till as Herodotus saith he was vtterly conquered by Nebuchadnezzar Emperor of the Babylonians This was that Nebuchadnezzar which sent Holofernus with a mighty army against Iudaea Bethulia and many other cities and countries and would be worshipped as a god Iudeth 3. Of Hydaspes HYdaspes is a riuer that ariseth in Media which runneth thorough a part of Parthia extendeth it selfe into India and not farre from the citie Nisa falleth into Indus according to the opinion of Pliny and Strabo lib. 15. Neere this riuer Nabuchadnezzar ouercame Dieoces otherwise called Arbactus Iudg. 1. The description of the countries conquered by HOLOFERNES Of Kedar KEdar the wildernesse of Zur was thus called stood in the land of the Ishmaelites 80 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southwest and tooke the name of Kedar the sonne of Ishmael Gen. 25. Of the mountaines of Ange. THe mountaines of Ange lay betweene Pamphilia and Cicilia to the latitude of that famous country of Cilicia in Asia minor 320 miles from Ierusalem towards the North not farre from Anchiale a citie of Cilicia from whence it seemeth to take the name Of Cilicia CIlicia is a prouince of Asia minor so called of Cilice the kings sonne of Syria and Phoenicia the Metropolitan Citie of which countrey was Tharsus where the Apostle Paul was borne it was distant from Ierusalem 304 miles towards the North. Of Mallos MAllos a citie of Cilicia was so called of Malo that is plenty of all things Stephanus saith that it took that name of Mollo who first built it It is a citie to this day and of most of the inhabitants of that country called Mallo as Gesner obserueth Of Gesem GEsem signifies fruitfull The land of Gosen in Aegypt was so called being deriued of Gusch that is a turfe it stood 174 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southwest Of Aethyopia THis country stands beyond Aegipt 800 miles from Ierusalem towards the South where the Sunne is extreme hot that it turneth the complexion of the inhabitants to blackenesse here breed great abundance of Dragons and cruell beasts Of Esdrelon ESdrelon was a plaine lying betweene the mountains Thabor Hermon and Gilboa extending it selfe from the cities of Megiddo and Apheck to the sea of Gennezareth or Galile In this great field which was called the plaine of Galile and the field of Megiddo and Esdrelon there were many cruell battels fought for here Gideon ouercame the Midianites here Saul was put to flight by the Philistins from whence ascending into Mount Gilboa he killed himselfe Iosias also King of the Iewes was in this place put to flight by Pharaoh Necho and wounded vnto the death The camp of Holofernes was so great that it tooke vp all the plain which contained 16 miles in length In some parts it was wonderfull fruitfull and brought forth wine oyle and many other commodities in great abundance It stood 52 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and was so called of Caeder that is a hid order and disposition for Alam is as much to say as he hath hid Of Sobal SObal was a countrey vpon the borders of Syria where Sophena was scituated neere to the riuer Euphrates which country Saul and Dauid Kings of Israel somtime conquered it stood 600 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and signifies an eare of corne Of Apamea THis was a famous citie in Tetrapolis of Syria two hundred and eighty miles from Ierusalem towards she North built of Seleucus Nicanor King of Syria and was so called of Apamea his wife Of the city Bethulia BEthulia was scituated within 4 miles of Dothan and two of the Galilean sea 44 miles from Ierusalem Northward About four miles from this town in a mountain a little beside Dothan lay the tents of Holofernes in the sight of Bethulia Iudeth c. 7. between which Bethulia lay the plain of Esdrelon in the midst whereof there ran a pleasant riuer which in times past watred it Here Iudeth according to the custome of the Iewes washed her selfe The place where Bethulia stood is to be seene at this day the ruins of the town and many houses still remaining It was scituated vpon a goodly high mountaine strongly fortified by Nature and as it seemeth by art also A man might haue seen it thorough the greatest part of Galile but aboue the rest a certain castle in the end of the mountain made for the defence of the city They shew at this day in the mountaine and field neere Dothan the place where Holofernes camp stood and the reliques of their tents also the brook where Iudeth washed her selfe Bethulia signifieth The hand-maid of God being deriued of Bethulah a virgin and Iah God Holofernes a prophane Captaine of which sort are those tyrants that persecute the Church of God The Booke of TOBIAS The Trauels of Tobias the elder TObias the elder was caried captiue out of the tribe of Nepthaly where he was born to Ninive the Metropolitan city of Assiria being 600 miles at such time as Salmanasser King of the Assyrians caried away the tenne tribes of Israel into Assyria Captiue in the yeare before Christ 742. 2 Kings ca. 17. Tob. 1. From that time he continued in Ninive being then about 27 years old and numbred amongst the yong men