of snow Whence Rills do spring and speedy Torrents fall To loose scorch'd flowres that burning heat would thrall Here Herds frequent whose pleasant toyls do rest Of Mountains all on Liban onely best Where piping Pan and Silvan do accord To lurk with Ceres and make Bacchus Lord Pitch'd under silent shades whence Eden Town These bounds for Paradice dare firmly crown And last to count these colours here 's delight The fields are green Wines yellow Corns as white About the Village of Eden is the most fruitfull part of all Libanus abounding in all sorts of delicious fruits True it is the varietie of these things maketh the silly people thinke the Garden of Eden was there By which allegeance they approve the apprehension of such a sinistrous opinion with these arguments that Mount Libanus is sequestraâ—â—â—â—om the circumjacent Regions and is invincible for the height and strengths they have in Rocks and that Eden was still re-edified by the fugitive Inhabitants when their enemies had ransacked it Also they affirme before the Deluge it was so nominate and after the Flood it was repaired again by Iaphet the sonne of Noah who builded Ioppa or Iaphta in Palestina Loe there are the reasons they shew strangers for such like informations There are with this one other two supposed places of the earthly Paradice The one is by the Turks and some ignorant Georgians holden to beat Damascus for the beauty of fair fields gardens and excellent fruits there especially for the Tree called Mouflee which they believe hath grown there since the beginning of the World Indeed it is a rare and singular Tree for I saw it at Damascus and others also of the same kinde upon Nylus in Aegypt The growth whereof is strange for every yeare in September it is cut downe hard by the root and in five moneths the Tree buddeth up a pace again bringing forth leaves flowres and fruit The leafe thereof is of such a breadth that three men may easily stand under the shadow of it and the Apple is bigger then a football which is yeerly transported for Constantinople to the Great Turke and there is reserved for a Relict of the fruit of the forbidden Tree whence he surstiles himself keeper of the earthly Paradice But if he were not surer a greater Commander and Reserver of a large part of the best bosome of the earth than he is Keeper of that Adamian Garden his stiles of the Earth and mine of the World were both alike and that were just nothing save onely this two naked creatures living amongst naked people or otherwise if it were to be kept or seen certainly I would wish to be a Postillion to the great Porter the Turk but not his Pedagog farre lesse his Pilgrime The third place by these Chelfaines is thought to be in the East part of Mesopotamia neere to the joyning of Tygris and Euphrates where so they inhabit I have oft required of these Chelfaines what reason they had for this conceived opinion who answered mee they received it from time to time by the tradition of their Ancestors And because of the River Euphrates and other Rivers mentioned in the Scriptuâ—es which to this day detain their names in that Countrey Some hold that Garden of Eden extended over all the Earth But contrariwise it manifestly appeareth by the second Chapter of Genesis 2. 20. that this Garden which we call Paradice wherein Adam was put to dresse it was a certain place on earth containing a particular portion of a Country called Eden which boundeth on the River Eâ—phrates To this and all the rest I answer no certainty can be had of the place where Eden was either by reading or travelling because this River hath been oft divided in sundry streams And it is said that Cyrus when he wonne Babylon did turn the main channell of Euphrates to another course But howsoever or wheresoever it be I resolve my self no man can demonstrate the place which God for the sins and fall of man did not onely accurse but also the whole face of the Earth Many ancient Authors have agreed with the opinion of Plato and Aristotle constantly affirming that Mountains Islands and Countries have received great alteration by the inundation of Rivers and violence of raging Seas Thracia hath beene divided from Bythinia Nigroponti from Thessalia Corfu from Epire Sycilia from Italie The Isles Orcades from Scotland and many other Islands and Countries cut through so in divisions after the same forme Wherefore the more a man contemplate to search the knowledge of Eden and such high mysteries appertaining only to the Creator the more hee shall faile in his purpose offend God become foolish and fantasticall for his pains But to turne backe to mine itinerary relation after my returne to Tripoly I departed thence Eastward with a â—aravan of Tâ—â—kes to Aleppo being ten days journey distant In all this way leaving Scanderon on our left hand I saw nothing worthy remarking save onely a few scattered Villages and poore miserable people called Tâ—rcomanni living in Tents and following their flocks to whom I payed sundry Caffars who remove their women children and cattle where so they finde fountaines and good pastorage like unto the custome of the ancient Israelites Which in their vagabonding fashion did plainly demonstrate the necessitie they had to live rather then any pleasure they had or could have in their living They differ also in Religion from all the other Mahometans in two damnable points The one is they acknowledge that there is a God and that hee of himselfe is so gracious that hee neither can being essentially good doe harm nor yet will authorize any ill to be done and therefore more to beloved than feared The other is they confesse there is a Devill and that hee is a Tormentor of all evill doers and of himselfe so terrible and wicked that they are contented even for acquisting his favour and kindnesse to sacrifice in fire their first-born child to him soliciting his devillishnesse not to torment them too sore when they shall come into his hands And yet for all this they think afterwards by the mercy of Mahomet they shall go from Hell to Paradice In this immediate or aforesaid passage wee coasted neere and within six miles of the limits of Antiochia one of the ancient Patriarch Seas so called of Antiochus her first Founder and not a little glorying to this day that the Disciples of Iesus and Antiochians were first here named Christians Who notwithstanding of their grievous afflictions flourished so that in 40 yeares they grew a terrour to their enemies who suggested by the Devill cruelly affected them with ten generall Persecutions under the Emperours Nero anno 67. Domitianus anno 96. Trajanus 100. Maximinus 137. Marcus Antonius 167. Severus 195. Decius 250. Valerianus 259. Aureli anus 278. and Dioclesian anno 293 yeares Notwithstanding all which Massacres and Martyrdome yet this little graine of Mustard
it was the most fruitfull Land in the World But by experience I finde now the contrary and the fruitfulnesse thereof to be changed God cursing the Land together with the Iews then the but now dispersed inhabitants thereof Neither are the greatest part of these Eastern Countries so fertile as they have been in former ages the earth as it were growing old seemeth weary to beare the burthen of any more encrease and surely the two eyes of Day and Night with the Planets and Stars are become neither so forcible so bright nor warme as they have been Time from old antiquity running all things to devasted desolation making the strong things weak and weake things feeble at last it returneth all things to just nothing and there is the end of all beginnings and an infallible Argument of the dissolution to come by the day of judgement As things that are still vanish from our eye So things that were again shall never be The whirlwinde of Time still so speedy posts That like it selfe all things therein it tosts The Iews are also tearmed Hebrai or Hebrewes from Heber one of Abrahams Progenitors or Hebrae quasi Abrahaei who at their descent into Egypt were but seventy soules being the issue of Iacob and his twelve Sonnes The posterity of which Patriachy continned in bondage two hundred and fifteene yeares till in the yeare of the World two thousand foure hundred fifty three At which time the Lord commiserating their heavy oppressions under the Egyptians delivered them with a strong hand and placed them here which then was inhabited by the Hittites Amorites Perisites and Iebusites Canaan is divided into five Provinces viz. Iudea Galilee Palestina Samaria and Phoenicia Some divide it only in three Palestina Iudea and Galilee It hath been by others also nominated in generall Syria by which Calculation they gathered all the Countries from Cilicia to Aegypt under that name But howsoever they differ in Descriptions it is most certaine that at this day it is onely and usually divided into these five particular Provinces Galilee and Palestina for the present are the most fertile and largest Provinces thereof especially Galilee which in some parts yieldeth graine twice a yeare and for abundance of Silke Cotton-wooll delicate Wines Honey Oile and Fruits of all kinds I hold it never a whit more decayed now than at any time when the glory of Israel was at the highest This Province of Galilee is forty eight miles long and twentie five broad having Phoenicia to the North Samaria to the West Iordan to the South and to the East and North-East a part or point of Arabia Petrosa and the South-West of Libanus After we had travelled a great way along the Lake of Genasareth which is of length eight leagues and large foure where I saw the decayed Townes of Bethsaida and Tyberias lying on the north-side of the same Sea we left the Marine and came to Cana to stay all night in which wee had no Canes to save us from the Arabs nor coverture above our heads but the hard ground to lye on which was alwayes my Bed in the most parts of Asia In the night when wee slept the Souldiers kept Câ—ntinell and in the day when we Reposed they slept and we watched This Cana was the town vvherein our Saviour wrought the first Miracle converting at the Marriage Water into Wine And is now called by the Turkes Callieros or Calinos being a towne composed of two hundred fire Houses The inhabitants being partly Arabs partly Iewes and partly some Christian Georgians the circumjacent fieldes being both Fertile Delectable and plaine The day following imbracing our way we passed over a little pleasant Mountain where the Armenian Patriarke for so was there one with them went into an old Chappell and all the rest of the Pilgrimes thronged about him using many strange Ceremonies for it was in that place as they said Where Christ fed five thousand people with five Barley loaves and two fishes And indeede was very likely to have beene the place the auncient Chappell shewing as yet some beautifull decorements doe dignify both the Monument and the Memory of the Founder thereof Continuing our journey wee saw Mount Tabor on our left hand which is a pretty round Mountaine beset about with comely trees I would gladly have seene the Monument of that place where the Transfiguration of Christ was but the Caravan mindfull to visite Nazareth left the great way of Ierusalem and would by no perswasion go thither That night we lodged in a poore Village called Heerschek where we could get neither meate for our selves nor provender for our Beasts but some of our Company for their supper had a hundred stroakes from the Moores and Arabs in that place because the Christian Pilgrimes had troden upon the graves of their dead friends which by no means they can tollerate They made no small uproare amongst us desperately throwing stones and darts till we were all glad to remove halfe a mile from that place and the next morning we passed by Caesarea Philippi which is now so miserably decayed that the ruined Towne affordeth not above twenty foure dwelling houses being for ruines a second Towne to sacked Samaria or another spectacle of time like to the now ragged Towne of the Moorish Bethulia it was built by Phillip one of the Tetrachs in honour of Tiberius Caesar and now called by the Moores Hedarasco Here was Herod smitten by the Angell and eaten of worms after the Sycophanticall people called his Rethoricall oration the voice of God and not of man Here our Saviour healed the woman of the bloody fluxe and raised from death to life the daughter of Iairus Here Saint Peter baptized Cornelius and S. Paul disputed against Tertulâ—us in the preseâ—ce of Felix Aprill the 20 day about ten of the clocke passing the River Kyson we arrived at Nazareth and there reposed till the evening providing our selves of victuals and water In this Towne dwelt Ioseph and the Virgin Mary and in which also our Saviour was brought up under the vigilant care of Ioseph and Mary After wee had dined the Armenians arose and went to a heap of stones the ruines of an old House before the which they fell downe upon their knees praysing God And that ruinous lumpe say they was the House where Mary dwelt when Gabriel saluted her bringing the Annunciation of Salvation to the World I am fully perswaded they carried away above five thousand pounds weight to keepe in a memoriall thereof then did I remember of the Chappell of Loretta and told the Caravan that I saw that House standing in Italy which as the Romanists say was transported by the Angels O said he we Armenians cannot believe that neither many other assertions of the Roman Church for wee certainly know by Christians that have from time to time dwelt here ever since that this is both the place and stones of the House Let Papists coine a new Law
came in bed for my lodging was in a little Chappell a mile without the Village on hard stones where I also had a fire and dressed my meate The Greekes visited mee oftentimes intreated me above all things I should not enter within the bounds of their Sanctuary because I was not of their Religion But I in regard of the longsome and cold nights was inforced every night to creepe in the midst of the Sanctuary to keepe my selfe warme which Sanctuary was nothing but an Altar hemb'd in with a partition wall about my height dividing the little roome from the body of the Chappell These miserable Ilanders are a kind of silly poore people which in their behaviour shewed the necessity they had to live rather then any pleasure in their living From thence I imbarked on a small barke of ten Tunnes come from Scithia in Candy and loaden with Oyle and about mid-day we arrived in the I le of Mecano where wee but only dined and so set forward to Zea. This Mecano was formerly called Delos famous for the Temple of Apollo being the chiefe I le of the Cyclades the rest of the 54. incircling it Delos signifieth apparant because at the request of Iuno when all the earth had abjured the receipt of Latona This Iland then under the water was by Iupiter erected aloft and fixt to receive her wherein she was delivered of Apollo and Diana erratica Delos c. Ovid. Vnsetled Delos floating on the maine Did wandring Laton kindly entertaine In spight of Juno fatned with loves balme Was brought to bed under Minerva's palme In this I le they retaine a Custome neither permitting men to dye or children to be borne in it but alwayes when men fall sicke and women grow great bellied they send them to Rhena a small Isoletta and two miles distant Zea to which we arrived from Mecano was so called of Zeo the sonne of Phebo and of some Tetrapoli because of the foure Cityes that were there of old Symonides the Poet and Eristato the excellent Physitian were borne in it The next Isle of any note we touched at was Tino This Island is under the Signory of Venice and was sometimes beautified with the Temple of Neptune By Aristotle it was called Idrusa of Demosthenes and Eschines Erusea It hath an impregnable Castle builded on the top of a high Rocke towards the East end or Promontore of the Isle and ever provided with three yeares provision and a Garrison of two hundred Souldiers So that the Turkes by no means can conquer it The Isle it selfe is twenty Miles in length and a great refuge for all Christian ships and Gallyes that haunt in the Levante From this Isle I came to Palmosa sometimes Pathmos which is a Mountainous and barren Iland It was here that Saint Iohn wrote the Revelation after he was banished by Domitianus the Emperour Thence I imbarked to Nicaria and sailed by the Isle Scyro which of old was the Signory of Licomedes and in the habit of a woman was Achilles brought up here because his Mother being by an Oracle premonished that he should be killed in the Trojan Warre sent him to this Island where he was maiden-like brought up amongst the Kings Daughters who in that time begot Pyrhus upon Deidamia the daughter of Licomedes and where the crafty Vlysses afterward did discover this fatall Prince to Troy As we fetched up the sight of Nicaria wee espyed two Turkish Galleots who gave us the Chase and pursued us straight to a Bay betwixt two Mountaines where wee left the loaden Boat and fled to the Rocks from whence wee mightily annoyed with huge tumbling stones the pursuing Turks But in our flying the Master was taken and other two old men whom they made captives and slaves and also seized upon the Boat and all their goods The number of us that escaped were nine persons This Isle Nicaria was anciently called Doliche and Ithiosa and is somwhat barren having no Sea-port at all It was here the Poets feigned that Icarus the sonne of Dedalus fell when as hee tooke flight from Creta with his borrowed wings of whom it hath the name and not following directly his father Dedalus was here drowned Dum petit infirmis nimium sublimiae pennis Icarus Icariis nomina fecit aquis Whiles Icarus weak wings too high did flye He fell and baptiz'd the Icarian Sea So many moe experience may account That both above their minds and means would mount Expecting certaine dayes here in a Village called Laphantos for passage to Sio at last I found a Brigandino bound thither that was come from the fruitfull Isle of Stalimene of old Lemnos This Isle of Stalimene is in circuit 90 miles where in Hephestia it's Metropolis Vulcan was mightily adored who being but a homely brat was cast down hither by Iuno whereby it was no marvaile if he became crooked and went a halting The sovereigne minerall against infections called Teera Lamnia or Sigillata is digged here The former name proceedeth from the Island The latter is in force because the earth being made up in little pellets is sealed with a Turkish Signeâ— and so sold and dispersed over Christendome Having embarked in the aforesaid Brigandine wee sayled by the Isle Samos which is opposite to Caria in Asia minor where the Tyrant Policrates lived so fortunate as hee had never any mischance all this time till at last Orientes a Persian brought him to a miserable death Leaving us an example that fortune is certaine in nothing but in incertainties who like a Bee with a sharp sting hath alwayes some miserie following a long concatenation of felicities It is of circuit 160 and of length 40 miles it was of old named Driusa and Melanphilo in which Pythagor as the Phylosopher and Lycaon the excellent Musicioner were born Upon our left hand and opposite to Samos lyeth the Isle of Nixia formerly Maxos in circuit 68 miles It was also called the Isle of Venus and Dionisia and was taken from the Venetians by Selim the father of Solyman East from Nixia lieth the Isle Amurgospolo in circuit twenty leagues it hath three commodious Ports named St. Anna Calores and Cataplino A little from hence and in sight of Natolia lyeth the Isle Calamo formerly Claros in circuit thirty miles and Eastward thence the little Isle of Lerno five leagues in circuit all inhabited with Greeks and they the silly ignorants of Nature South-east from this lyeth the Isle of Coos now Lango by the Turks called Stanccow the Capitall Towne is Arango where Hypocrates and Apelles the Painter were borne In this Isle there is a Wine named by the Greeks Hyppocon that excelleth in sweetnesse all other Wines except the Malvasie and it aboundeth in Cypre and Turpentine trees There is here a part of the Isle disinhabited in regard of a contagious Lake that infecteth the ayre both Summer and Winter There is abundance of Alloes found here so much esteemed
part of the Citie is of that stock and of the Papall See these Cloysters have a braver life for good cheere fat Wines and delicate Leachery than any sort of Friers can elsewhere finde in the World The women of the Citie Sio are the most beautifull Dames or rather Angelicall creatures of all the Greeks upon the face of the earth and greatly given to Venery If Venus foe saw Sio's fair-fac'd Dames His stomack cold would burn in lust-spread flames They are for the most part exceeding proud and sumptuous in apparell and commonly go even Artificers wives in gownes of Sattin and Taffety yea in Cloth of Silver and Gold and are adorned with precious Stones and Jemms and Jewels about their neckes and hands with Rings Chains Bracelets Their Husbands are their Pandors and when they see any stranger arrive they will presently demand of him if hee would have a Mistris and so they make whoores of their owne wives and are contented for a little gaine to weare hornes such are the base mindes of ignominious Cuckolds If a stranger be desirous to stay all night with any of them their price is a Chicken of Gold nine Shillings English ouâ— of which this companion receiveth his supper and for his paines a belly full of sinfull content This City of Sio hath a large and strong Fortresse which was built by the Genoveses and now detained by a Garison of Turkes containing a thousand fire-houses within it some whereof are Greeks some Genoveses some Turks and Moores The Citie it selfe is unwalled yet a populous and spacious place spred along by the Sea-side having a goodly harbour for Galleys and Ships The chiefe inhabitants there are descended of the Genoveses and professe the superstition of Rome The people where of were once Lords of the Aegean Sea maintaining a Navy of eighty Ships In the end they became successively subiect to the Romane and Greek Princes till Andronico Paleologus gave them and their I le to the Iustinianes a Noble Family of the Genoveses from whom it was taken by Solyman the Magnificent on Easter day 1566 being the same yeare that our late gracious and once Soveraigne Lord King Iames of blessed memory was borne This Citadal or Fortresse of Sio standeth full between the Sea and the Harbour was invaded be 800 Florentines sent hither by the great Duke Ferdinando brother to Queene Mother of France and our owne Queene Maries Uncle Anno 1600 August 7. The manner was thus The Genovesen seed had sold the Fort unto the Duke of Florence whereupon hee sent his Galleyes and these Gallants thither Where when arrived in the night scaled the wals slue the watches and unhappily ramforced all the Cannon and then entring the Fort put all the Turkes to the sword and among them too many Christians The Galleyes all this time being doubtfull how it went durst not enter the harbour but a storme falling downe they bore up to an Isolet for ancorage in the Aeolid gulfe and three miles distant The next morning the Turkish Bashaw the City and all the Islanders were in armes The Florentines being dismissed of their â—alleys grew discouraged and trying the Canon which they had spoyled at their first scallet it would not be Meane while the Bashaw entred in parley with them and promised faithfully to send them safe to the Galleys if they would render Upon the third day they yeelded and as they issued forth along the draw-bridge and the Bashaw set in a Tent to receive them as they came in one by one he caused strike off all their heads And done there was a Pinacle reared upon the walles of the Fort with their bare sculs which stand to this day But by your leave Ferdinando in person the yeare following was more than revenged of such a cruell and faithlesse proceeding He over mastered a Turkisâ— town and castle put two thousand Turks to the sword sparing neither old nor yong and recoyling infinite richesse and spoyles of the towne he brought home their heads with him to Ligorne and set them up there for a mercilesse monument After some certain dayes attendance â—embarked in a Carmoesal bound for Nigropont which was forth of my way to Constantinople but because I would gladly have seen Macedonia and Thessaly I followed that determination In our way we touched at Mytelene an Island of old called Isa next Lesbos And lastly Mytelene of Milet the sonne of Phoebus Pythacus one of the seven Sages of Greece the most valiant Antimenides and his brother Alceus the Lyricall Poet Theophrastus the Peripatetick Philosopher Arion the learned Harper and the she Poet Sapho were born in it This Isle of Lesbos or Mytelene containeth in compasse one hundred forty six miles the East parts are levell and fruitfull the West and South parts mountainous and barren The chief Cities are Mytelene and Methimnos it was long under subjection of the Roman and Greeke Emperours till Calo Ioannes Anno 1355 gave it in dowry with his sister to Catalusio a Nobleman of Genova whose posâ—erity enjoyed it till Mahomet surnamed the Greeke did seize on it 1462. These Isles Sporades are scattered in the Aegean Sea like as the Isles Orcades are in the North Seas of Scotland but different in climate and fertilitie for these South Easterne Isles in Summer are extream hot producing generally Nigroponti excepted but a few Wines Fruits and Cornes scarce sufficient to sustain the Islanders But â—hese North Westerne Islands in Sommer are neither hot nor cold having a most wholsome and temperate ayre and do yield abundance of Corne even more then to suffice the inhabitants which is yeerly transported to the firme land and sold They have also good store of Cattell and good cheape and the best fishing that the whole Ocean yieldeth is upon the Coasts of Orknay and Zetland In all these separated parts of the Earth which of themselves of old made up a little Kingdome you shall alwayes finde strong March-Ale surpassing fine Aqua-vitae abundance of Geese Hennes Pigeons Partridges Moore-fowle Mutton Beefe and Termigants with an infinite number of Conies which you may kill with a Crosse-bow or Harquebuse every morning forth of your Chamber window according to your pleasure in that pastime which I have both practised my selfe and seen practised by others for they multiply so exceedingly that they dig even under the foundations of dwelling houses Such is the will of God to bestow upon severall places particular blessings whereby he demonstrateth to man the plentiful store-house of his gracious providence so many manner of wayes upon earth distributed all glory be to his incomprehensible goodnesse therefore I have seldome seene in all my travels more toward and tractable people I mean their Gentlemen and better house-keepers then be these Orcadians and Zetlanders whereof in the prime of my adolescencie by two Voyages amongst these Northern Isles I had the full proofe and experience And now certainly it is a signe
so that who so have occasion to passe that Mountain are there lodged and furnished of all necessary provision of food by these sequestrate or solitary livers whose simple and harmlesse lives may be termed to be the very Emblemes of Piety and Devotion knowing nothing but to serve God and to live soberly in their carriage The chifest Cities of Thrace are Constantinople Abdera where Democritus was borne who spent his life in laughing Sestos Gallipoli Trajanople Galata and Adrianoplis which was taken by Bajazet Anno 1362. As wee sayled betweene Thracia and Bithinia a learned Grecian brought up in Padua that was in my company shewed â—ee Colchis whence Iason with the assistance of the Argonautes and the aid of Medeas skill did fetch the golden Fleece This Sea Hellespont tooke the name of Helle daughter to Athamas King of Thebes who was here drowned and of the Countrey Pontus ioyning to the same Sea wherein are these three Countries Armenia minor Colchis and Cappadocia After wee had fetcht up the famous City of Chalcedon in Bethinia on our right hand I beheld on our left hand the prospect of that little World the great City of Constantinople which indeed yieldeth such an outward splendour to the amazed beholder of goodly Churches stately Towers gallant Steeples and other such things whereof now the world make so great accompt that the whole earth cannot equall it Beholding these delectable objects we entred in the channell of Bosphorus which divideth Perah from Constantinople And arriving at Tapanau where all the munition of the great Turke lyeth I adressed my selfe to a Greeke lodging to refresh my selfe till morning But by your leave I had a hard welcome in my landing for bidding farewell to the Turkes who had kindly used me three dayes in our passage from the Castles the Master of the boate saying adio Christiano There were foure French Runnagates standing on the Cay who hearing these words fell desperatly upon me blaspheming the Name of Jesus and throwing me to the ground beate me most cruelly And if it had not beene for my friendly Turkes who leaped out of their boat and relieved mee I had doubtlesse there perished The other Infidels standing by said to mee behold what a Saviour thou hast when these that were Christians now turned Mahometans cannot abide nor regard the Name of thy God having left them with many a shrewd blow they had left mee I entred a Greek lodging where I was kindly received and much eased of my blows because they caused to oint them with divers Oiles and refreshed mee also with their best enttrtainment gratis because I had suffered so much for Christs sake and would receive no recompence againe The day following I went to salute and doe my duty to the right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Glover then Lord Ambassadour for our late Gracious Sovereigne King Iames of blessed Memory who most generously and courteously entertained mee three moneths in his house to whose kindnesses I was infinitely obliged as hereafter in my following Discourse of the fourth part of this History shall be more particularly avouched for certainly I never met with a more compleat Gentleman in all my Travels nor one in whom true worth did more illustrate vertue The fourth Part. NOw sing I of Byzantium Bosphors tides 'Twixt Europe and the lesser Asia glides Their Hyppodrome adorn'd with triumphs past And blackish Sea the Jadileck more fast The Galata where Christian Merchants stay And five Ambassadours for commerce aye The Turkish customeâ— and their manners rude And of their discent from the Scythian blood Their harsh Religion and their sense of Hell And Paradice their laws I shall you tell Then last of Mahomet their God on earth His end his life his parentage and birth COnstantinople is the Metropolitan of Thracia so called of Constantine the Emperour who first enlarged the same It was called of old Bizantium but now by the Turkes Stambolda which signifieth in their language a large City It was also called Ethuse by the Greeks Stymbolis This City according to ancient Authors was first founded by the Lacedemonians who were conducted from Lacedemon by one Pansanias about the year of the World 3294 which after their consultation with Apollo where they should settle their abode dwelling place they came to Bythinia and builded a Citie which was called Chalcedon But the commodity of fishing falling out contrary to their expectation in respect that the fishes were afraid of the white banks of the City the Captain Pausanias left that place and builded Byzantium in Thracia which first was by him intitled Ligos By Pliny Iustine and Strabo it was sirnamed Vrbs Illustrissima because it is repleat with al the blessings earth can give to man yea and in the most fertile soil of Europe Zonoras reporteth that the Athenians in an ambitious and insatiable desire of Sovereignty wonne it from the Lacedemonians They thus being vanquished suborned Severus the Roman Emperour to besiege the same But the Citie Byzantium being strongly fortified with walls the Romans could not take it in untill extream famine constrained them to yield after three yeares siege and Severus to satisfie his cruelty put all to the sword that were within and razed the wals giving it in possession to the neighbouring Perinthians This Citie thus remained in calamitie till Constantine resigning the Citie of Rome and a great part of Italy to the Popish inheritance of the Roman Bishops re-edified the same and translated his Imperiall Seat in the East and reduced all the Empire of Greece to a unite tranquilitie with immortall reputation which the Parthians and Persians had so miserably disquieted But these disorders at length reformed by the severe administration of Justice for the which and other worthy respects the said Constantine sonne of Saint Helen and Emperour of Rome which afterward the Pope usurped was sirnamed the Great He first in his plantation called this Citie new Rome but when he beheld the flourishing and multiplying of all things in it and because of the commodious situation thereof he called it Constantinopolis after his owne name This Emperour lived there many prosperous years in most happy estate likewise many of his Successours did untill such time that Mahomet the second of that name and Emperour of the Turks living in a discontented humour to behold the great and glorious Dominions of Christians especially this famous Citie that so flourished in his eies by momentall circumstances collected his cruell intentions to the full height of ambition whereby hee might abolish the very name of Christianity and also puft up with a presumptuous desire to enlarge his Empire went with a marvellous power both by Sea and Land unto this magnificent Mansion The issue whereof was such that after divers batteries and assaults the irreligious Infidels broke downe the walls and entred the City which breach was about forty paces long as by the new colour being built up again is easily knowne
on all sides counting it an opprobrious thing to see any uncover his head they weare their beards long as a signe of gravity for they esteeme them to be wise men who have long beards The women are of a low stature thick and round of growth going seldome abroad unlesse it be each thursday at night when they go to mourn upon the graves of their dead friends and then they are modestly masked they are fearefull and shamefac'd abroad but lascivious within doors and pleasing in matters of incontinency and they are accounâ—ed most beautifull who have the blackest browes the widest mouths and the greatest eyes The other Turkes which are borne in Asia Major and Aegypt I speake not of the Moores of Barbary are of a great stature tauny cruell a barbarous and uncivill people The better sort use the Salavonian tongue the vulgar speake the Turkish language which being originally the Tartarian speech they borrow from the Persian their words of state from the Arabicke their words of Religion from the Grecians their termes of warre and from the Italian their words and titles of navigation The puissance of the great Turke is admirable yet the most part of his Kingdomes in Asia are not well inhabited neither populous but these parts which border with Christians are strongly fortified with Castles people and munition If Christian Princes could concord and consult together it were an easie thing in one yeare to subdue the Turkes and root out their very names from the earth yea moreover I am certified that there are more Christians even slaves and subjects to the great Turke which do inhabit his dominions then might overthrow and conquer these Infidells if they had worthy Captaines Governours and furniture of Armes without the helpe of any Christian Prince of Christendome And yet again I think it not amisse to discourse more particularly of the Turkish manners of their riches and of their forces of warres and the manner of their conducements The Turkes being naturally discended of the Scythians of Tartars are of the second stature of man and robust of nature circumspect and couragious in all their attempts and no way given to industry or labour but are wonderfull avaritious and covetous of money above all the nations of the World They never observe their promises unlesse it be with advantage and are naturally prone to deceive strangers changing their conditionall bargains as time giveth occasion to their liking They are humble one to another but especially to their superiours before whom they doe not onely great homage but also keepe great silence and are wonderfull coy during the time of their presence They are extreamly inclined to all sorts of lascivious luxury and generally addicted besides all their sensuall and incestuous lusts unto Sodomy which they account as a daynty to digest all their other libidinous pleasures They hold that every one hath the houre of his death wrot on his fore brow and that none can escape the good or evill houre predestinated for them This ridiculous errour makes them so bold and desperate yea and often to runne headlong in the most inevitable dangers They are not much given to domesticke pastimes as Chesse Cards Dice and Tables but abroad and in travell they are exceeding kind disposers of their meate and drinke to any stranger without exception The better sort of their women are sumptuously attired and adorned with pearles and precious stones and some of them are accustomed to turn their hands and hair into a red colour but especially the nayls of their hands and feet and are wont to go to bathe themselves in Stoves twice a week as well as men The true Turks weare on their heads white Turbants save a few that are esteem'd to be of Mahometâ—s Kindred and they weare greene Shashes being most part of them Priests the better part of the Turkes in Asia care not for fish but these Turks which remayne in Europe love Fish better then Flesh especially at Constantinople or Stambolda where the best Fishes and most abundance of them are taken that be in the World and that in the blacke Sea They are ever desirous to seeke advantage on their neighbours which if they cannot by force they will under colour of truce accomplish it with perfidiousnesse And if their enterprises find no happy event they are never a whit ashamed to take the flight yet are they generally good Souldiers and well taught in Martiall discipline Their Armies in marching or camping notwithstanding infinite multitudes keepe modesty and silence and are extreamly obedient unto their Captaines and Commanders When the great Signior is abroad with his Army at Warres the Turkes at home within Townes use great praiers and fasting for him and them They ingeniously describe the victories of their Ancestors and joyfully sing them in Rimes and Songs thinking thereby that fashion in recalling the valiant deedes of their Predecessours to be the onely meanes to encourage their souldiers to be hardy resolute and desperate in all their enterprises They are not given to contemplation nor study of Letters or Arts yet they have divers faire Schooles where the publicke Lecture of their legall Lawes are professed and Mahometanisme to the intent that Children being elected to be brought up there for a time may be instructed to be profitable expounders of their Alcoran and judicious Judges for the government of the Common-wealth It is â—eldome and rarely seene that a Turke will speake with a woman in the streets nay not so much as in their Mosquees one to be in sight of another and yet they are Lords and Masters of their Wives and Concubines from whom they receive as great respect service and honour as from their bond and bought slaves Now as concerning his riches the chiefest three parts of Commerce of all kind of merchandise and abounding in silver and gold in all the Turkes dominions as well in Asia and Affrick as Europe are these Constantinople in Thracia of Europe Aleppo in Syria of Asia major and Grand Cairo in Aegypt of Affrick for these are the three Magezines of the whole Empire that draw the whole riches money and trafficke to them of all the Imperiall Provinces It is thought that ordinarily and annually the Rent of the great Turke amounteth to sixteen Millions of Gold notwithstanding that some do make it lesser But because it is so hard to judge of any Monarchs Rents being like the infinite concavities of the earth sending and receiving so innumerable wayes their streames of riches I 'le desist from any other instances And yet the great Turks revenues are no way answerable to his great and large Dominions The causes arising hereupon are many of whom I will select three or foure of the chiefest reasons First the Turkes being more given to armes to conquer to destroy and ruine and to consume the wealth of the people they overcome leaving them destitute of nuriture rather then any way to give course for their
and inresolute defence could resist Here in this Country of Cilicia was Saint Paul borne in the now decayed Town of Tharsus who for antiquity will not succumbe to any City of Natolia being as yet the Mistris of that Province though neither for worth nor wealth All ancient things by Time revolve in nought As if their Founders had no founding wrought But thoâ— torn Tharsus brooks a glorious name For that great Saint who in thee had his frame So may Cilicians joy the Christian sort That from their bounds rose such a mighty Fort. Twelve dayes was I between Rhodes and Limisso in Cyprus where arrived I received more gracious demonstrations from the Islanders then I could hope for or wish being far beyond my merit or expectation onely contenting my curiosity with a quiet minde I red ounded thanks for my imbraced courtesies The people are generally strong and nimble of great civility hospitality to their neighbours and exceedingly affectionated to strangers The second day after my arrivall I took with me an Interpreter and went to see Nicosia which is placed in the midst of the Kingdome But in my journy thither extream was the heat and thirst I endured both in respect of the season and also want of water And although I had with me sufficiencie of wine yet durst I drinke none thereof being so strong and withall had a taste of pitch and that is because they have no Barrels but great Jars made of earth wherein their Wine is put And these Jars are all inclosed within the ground save onely their mouthes which stand alwayes open like to a Source or Cistern whose insides are all interlarded with pitch to preserve the earthen Vessels unbroke asunder in regard of the forcible Wine yet making the taste thereof unpleasant to liquorous lips and turneth the Wine too heady for the brain in digestion which for health groweth difficult to strangers and to themselves a swallowing up of diseases To cherish life and blood the health of Man Give me a Tâ—ast plung'd in a double Kan And spic'd with Ginger for the wrestling Grape Makes Man become from Man a sottish Ape Nicosia is the principall City of Cyprus and is invironed with Mountains like unto Florence in Aetruria wherein the Beglerbeg remaineth The second is Famogusta the chief strength and Sea-port in it Seliâ—a Lemisso Paphos and Fontana Morosa are the other foure speciall Towns in the Island This Isle of Cyprus was of old called Achametide Amatusa and by some Marchara that is happy It is of length extending from East to West 210 large 60 and of circuit 600 miles It yieldeth infinite canes of Sugar Cotton-wooll Oile Honey Cornes Turpentine Allom Verdegreece Grograms store of Metals and Salt besides all other sorts of fruit and commodities in abundance It was also named Cerastis because it butted toward the East with one horn and lastly Cyprus from the abundance of Cypresse trees there growing This Island was consecrated to Venus wherein Paphos shee was greatly honoured termed hence Dea Cypri Festa dies Veneris tota celeberrima Cypro Venerat ipsa suis aderat Venus au reâ— festis Venus feast day through Cyprus hallowed came Whose feasts her presence dignified the same Cyprus lyeth in the Gulfe betweene Cilicia and Syria having Aegypt to the West Syria to the South Cilicia to the East and the Pamphylian Sea to the North It hath foure chief Capes or Head-lands first Westward the Promontory of Acanias modernly Capo di santo Epifanio to the South the Promontory Phaeâ—ria now Capo Bianco to the East Pedasia modernly Capo di Graeco to the North the high foreland Cramenion now Capo di Cormathita these foure are the chiefest Promontores of the Island and Cape di S. Andrea in the furthest point Eastward toward Cilicia Diodore and Pliny say that anciently it contained nine Kingdomes and fifteene good Townes Ceraâ—â—a now Selina was built by Cyrus who subdued the nine petty Kings of this Isle Nicosia is situate in the bottome or plain of Massara and thirty foure miles from Famogusta and the Towne of Famogusta was formerly named Salamus I was informed by some of sound experience here that this Kingdome containeth about eight hundred and forty Villages besides the sixe capitall Towns two whereof are nothing inferiour for greatnesse and populosity to the best Townes in Candy Sycily or Greece The chiefest and highest mountaines in this Isle is by the Cypriots called Trohodos it is of height eight and of compasse forty eight miles whereon there are a number of Religious Monasteries the people whereof are called Colieros and live under the order of Saint Basile There is aboundance here of Coriander seede with medicinable Rubarbe and Turpentine Here are also mines of Gold in it of Chrysocole of Calthante of Allome Iron and exceeding good Copper And besides these mines there are divers precious stones found in this Isle as Emeraulds Diamonds Christall Corall red and white and the admirable stone Amiante whereof they make Linnen cloth that will not burne being cast into the fire but serveth to make it neate and white The greatest imperfection of this Isle is scarcity of water and too much plenty of scorching heat and fabulous grounds The inhabitants are very civill courteous and affable and notwithstanding of their delicious and delicate fare they are much subject to Melancholy of a Robust Nature and good Warriours if they might carry Armes It is recorded that in the time of Constantine the Great this Isle was all utterly abandoned of the Inhatants and that because it did not raine for the space of sixe and thirty yeares After which time and to replant this Region againe the chiefest Colonies came from Aegypt Iudea Syria Cilicia Pamphylia Thracia and certaine Territories of Greece And it is thought in the yeares 1163 after that Guy of Lusingham the last Christian King of Ierusalem had lost the Holy Land a number of French men stayed and inhabited here of whom sprung the greatest Race of the Cyprian Gentility and so from them are descended the greatest Families of the Phoenician Sydonians modernely Drusians though ill divided and worse declined yet they are sprung both from one Originall the distraction arising from Conscience of Religion the one a Christian the other a Turke The three Isles of Cyprus Candy and Sicily are the onely Monarchall Queenes of the Mediterranean Seas and semblable to other in fertilitie length breadth and circuit save onely Candy that is somewhat more narrow then the other two and also more Hilly and sassinous yet for Oiles and Wines she is the Mother of both the other Sicily being for Grain and Silks the Empresse of all and Cyprus for Sugar and Cotton-wooll a darling sister to both onely Sicily being the most civill Isle and nobly Gentilitate the Cypriots indifferently good and the Candiots the most ruvid of all The chiefe Rivers are Teneo and Pedesco Cyprus was first by Teucer made a
seed planted by Gods owne hand and watered with the blood of so many holy Saints Nam sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae est grew so great a tree that the branches thereof were dispersed through every City and Province of the whole World Before my arrivall in Aleppo the Caravan of Babylon was from thence departed which bred no small griefe in my brest The Venetian Consul to whom I was highly recommended by the aforesaid Merchants having had some insight of my intended Voyage informed me that the Caravan stayed at Beershake on Euphrates for some conceived report they had of Arabs that lay for them in the Desarts and willed 〈◊〉 to hire a Ianizary â—and three Souldiers to over-high them whose counsell I received but was meerly frustrated of my designes True it was they stayed but were gone three dayes before my comming to that unhappy place The distance from whence over land to Babylon or Bagdat being but six small or short days journey the losse whereof and the damnable deceit of my Ianizary made my Muse to expresse what my sorrowfull prose cannot perform The doubts and drifts of the voluble mind That here and there do flee turn judgement blind Did over-whelme my heart in grim despaire Whilst hope and reason fled stay'd tim'nous care And yet the grounds were just my treacherous guide Did nought but crosse me greed led him aside Still this still that I would all I surmise Is shrewdly stopt At last my scopes devise To make a Boat to bear me down alone With Drudges two to ground-chang'd Babylon That could not be the charges was too great And eke the stream did nought but dangers threat My conduct still deceiv'd me made it square Another Caravan O! would come there From Aleppo or Damascus till in end Most of my moneys did his knavery spend Thus was I tost long five weeks and four days With strugling doubts O strange were these delays At last a Chelfain came a Christian kind Who by my grief soon understood my mind And told me flat the Janizaries drift Was to extort me with a lingring shift Come come said he the Sanzack here is just Let us complain for now complain you must He with me went and for a Trenchman serv'd And told the Ruler how my Conduct swerv'd He 's call'd and soon convinc'd and with command Forc'd to transport me back to Syria's land I 'me there arriv'd and eft-soons made me bound For the Venetian Consul there to sound My great abuses by this Villain done Which soon were heard and eke repayr'd as soon The Bassaw was upright and for times sake He did me more then conscience will'd me take My plaint preferd he was in Prison laid And all my gold to give me back was made Which he had falsly tane where for his pains He had the losse and I receiv'd the gains For doubling his wrongs done to crosse him more I got my vantage from his craft before And for his ten weeks fees no more he had Than â—e that 's owner of a ditch-faln jade Thus leaving him I with the Consul bode Full forty days ere I went thence abroad In the eleven days journey I had betweene Aleppo and Beershack through a part of Syria the breadth of Mesopotamia and Chelfaine a Province of the same joyning with Tygris and Euphrates and returning the same way again I found nothing worthy of remarking save the fertility of the soile which indeed in Mesopotamia yieldeth two crops of wheat in the year and for a Bushell sowing in divers places they recoyle a hundred again The Country it selfe is overclad with infinite Villages having no eminent Town of any note or consequence except the City of Caraâ—â—men the seâ—t of a Beglerbeg who commandeth under him 14 Sanzacks and 26000 Timariots The people here are for the most part believers in Christ but alas too silly untoward and ignorant Christians And yet though without learning or great understanding therein they are wonderfull zealous in their profession and great sufferers for it also This barbarous Towne of Beershacke being situate on Euphratess standeth in the Chelâ—aines Country and is supposed to have been Padan-aram where Laban dwelt and where Iacob kept Labans sheep though some interpret all Mesopotamia then to have beene called Padan-aram from whence North-east and not far hence are the demolished fragments of Nineveh on Tygris whose very ruines are now come to ruine The decays whereof being much semblable to that sacked Lacedemon in Sparta or to the stony heaps of Iericho the detriments of Thebes the relicts of Tyrus or to the finall overthrow of desolate Troy This Country of Chelfaine is the place most agreeable with Scripture where the earthly Paradice was once set though now impossible to be found out Mesopotamia is seldome watered with raine but by the nature of the soile is marvellous fruitfull It is bordered with Caldea on the East Euphrates on the South Syria on the North and Arabia Petrea on the West This Aleppo is a City in Syria the name of which hath been so oft changed by Turks that the true antiquitie of it can hardly be known It is both large and populous and furnished with all sorts of Merchandize especially of Indigo and Spices that are brought over land from Goa and other places in India which draweth a concurrance of all Nations to it Here I remember of a notable obedience done to the Great Turke by the Great Bassaw of Aleppo who was also an Emeere or hereditary Prince to wit the yeere before my comming hither hee had revolted against his Emperour and fighting the Bassaws of Damascus and Carahemen overcame them The yeare following and in my being there the Grand Signior sent from Constantinople a Showse and two Ianizaries in Ambassage to him where when they came to Aleppo the Bassaw was in his owne Countrey at Mesopotamia The Messengers make haste after him but in their journey they met him comming back to Aleppo accompanied with his two sonnes and sixe hundred Horsmen Upon the high way they delivered their message where hee stood still and heard them The proffer of Achmâ—t was that if hee would acknowledge his Rebellion and for that Treason committed send him his Head his eldest Son should both inherit his possessions and Bassawship of Aleppo otherwise he would come with great forces in all expedition and in his proper person he would utterly raze him and all his from the face of the earth At which expression the Bassaw knowing that hee was not able to resist the invincible Army of his Master and his owne presence hee dismounted from his Horse and went to counsell with his sonnes and neerest friends where hee and they concluded it was best for him to die being an old man to save his Race undestroyed and to keepe his son in his authoritie and inheritance This done the Bassaw went to prayer and taking his leave of them all sate down upon his knees
night Bethleem is the pleasantest Village in all Iudea situated on a pretty Hill and five English miles from Ierusalem It produceth commodiously an infinite number of Olive and Figge-trees some Cornes and a kinde of white wine wherewith we were furnished all the time of our abode there also in and about Ierusalem In our way as we came backe to the City the next day following the Viccario shewed us a little Moskee kept by Turkes in which said he was the Tombe of Rachell Iacobus wife who died in that place as shee was travelling from Padan-Aram with her husband Iacob The ruines also of a house where Habacuk the Prophet dwelt a Turpentine tree growing yet by the way side under the which say they th Virgin Mary was wont to repose her selfe in traveling Wee saw also a naturall rocke in the high way whereon say they Elias oft slept and is not ashamed to say that the hollow dimples of the stone was onely made by the impression of his bâ—dy as though the tender flesh of man could leave the print of his portracture on a hard stone And not farre from this hee shewed us the place where the Starre appeared to the wise men after they had left Herod to seeke for the Saviour of mankind Approaching Mount Syon we saw a quadrangled dry pond wherein say they Beersheba the Wife of Vriah was Washing when David looked forth from the toppe of his Pallace gazing on the aspect of his lust gave the Bridle of reason fast tyed in the hands of temptation and becomming subject to the subtilty of sinne was bewitched by her beauty wherewith corruption triumphed in Nature and Godlinesse decreased in voluntary consent and from a royall Prophet fell in the bloudy lists of Murther and Adultery Over against this place on the North side of Gehinnon wee saw the ruines of a Palace wherein David dwelt which had beene one of the Angles of the ancient Citty and standeth at the division of the valley Ennon which compassed as a Ditch the North part of Mount Syon even to the Valley Iehosophat and so Eastward being now filled up with fragments of old walles and the Valley of Gehinnon lying West and East bordering along the South side of Syon till it ioyne also with the narrow Valley of Iehosophat which invironeth the East and devalling parts of Ierusalem Neere to this demolished tower we saw the habitation of Simeon who hauing seene the blessed Messias said Now Lord let thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy Salvation And now lastly upon the twelfth day of my abode there early on Thursday morning the Guardiano twelue Friers and Iohn Baptista because that was the last day of â—eeing any more Monuments or was to be seene there accompanied us as wee issued at the South-gate of the City wee came to a place on the skirt of Syon where say they Peter after his deniall of Christ his Master wept bitterly Descending by the side of that same Hill we crossed the Valley Gehinnon and came to Acaldema the Potters â—ield or field of blood which is a little foure-squared Roome oppositive to the devaling side of the South-falling Syon three parts whereof are invironed with a naturall Rocke and the fourth square bordering with the Valley is made up of stone worke The top is covered and hath three holes where through they let the dead Christians fall downe for it is a buriall place of Pilgrimes to this day As I looked downe I beheld a great number of dead corpes some whereof had white winding sheets and newly dead lying one aboue an other in a lumpe yeelding a pestilent smell by reason they were not covered with earth saue onely the artchitecture of a high vault which maketh that in a long time the corpes cannot putrifie and rot Neare unto this Campo we entred into a dark Cave where say they the Apostles hid themselues when Christ was taken At the foote of the same valley wee came to Ponto Nâ—hemia in which place the Iewes did hide the Holy Fire when they were taken captives to Babylon walking more downeward toward the Valley of Iehosophat wee saw a darke Celler under the ground without windowes wherein said the Guardian the Idâ—latrous Iewes made a sacrifice of their children unto a brazen Image called Moloch which being made hot they inclosed them in the hollownesse thereof and so slue them and lest their crying should have moved any compassion towards them they made a thundring noise with Drums and other Instruments whereupon the place was called Tophet mentioned in Ier. 7. 31. Hence wee came to the Poole of Siloam in which wee washed our selves the water whereof falleth down through a Rock from the City above running straight to the Valley of Iehosophat and there we saw also the remnant of that sacked Towre of Siloam Neare to this wee saw a Fountaine where say they the Virgin Mary used oft to wash the Babes cloaths and linnen clouts From thence wee crossed the Brooke Cedron which guttereth through the Valley of Iehosophat and is always dry unlesse it be in December when the rain falleth there impetuously for a moneth together which is all the Winter they have in these parts during which time none may labour nor travell but forced to keepe themselves within Houses Having past I say this Brook we came to the Tombes of Absolom and Zacharias and the Cave wherein Saint Iames was wont to hide himselfe from the persecuting Iews Ascending more upward on the Hill in the way of Bythinia wee saw these places where Iudas hanged himselfe over which there is a Vault erected like a halfe Moone in memory of his selfe murther and hard by they shewed us where the withered Fig-tree grew the place being inclosed within a high stone Dike and halfe a mile thence wee came to the ruined house of Simon the Leper Arriving at Bythania we saw the Castle and Tombe of Lazarus on whom Christ shewed a Miracle in raising him from the Grave after hee had been foure dayes dead It is a singular and rare Alablaster Tombe and so exquisitely done that it excelleth Ierusalem excepted all the Monuments in Iudea erected for the lâ—ke purpose being inclosed within a delicate Chappell under the ground Not farre thence in the same Village wee saw the decayed House where Martha and Mary Magdalen inhabited and the stone whereon Christ sate say they when hee said to Martha Mary hath chosen the best part Leaving this moorish Bythania being now a Village of no qualitie wee returned by beggerly Bethphage and finding it farre worser about mid-day wee arrived on the top of Mount Olivet where wee dined on our owne provision carried with us and then proceeded in our sights From this place we had the full prospect of Ierusalem For the City standing upon the edge of a Hill cannot be seen all at one sight save on this Mountain which is two times higher then Mount
the Judge and pleading both our best for there are no Lawyers in Turkie every man speaking for himselfe the Bassaw with his Counsell upon sight of the keyes of their Cloakbags in my hands and my narration thereupon and not withstanding favouring the Factor immediatly determined that I should have the two parts of their moneys with all their Ierusalem relicts and Turkish clothes and the Venetian to have the former third part It is done and irrevocable upon which the Iewish Doctor and I with two Ianizaries came to mine adversaries house where I giving the Iew the keyes the Cloakbags were opened and the money being told it came iust to 1424 Chickeens of gold besides certain rings and tablets The Iew delivered me my part which came to 942 Chidkeens the rest went to the inconscionable Consul with the half of the rings tablets And packing up all the relicts moneys cloths and Cloakbags I hired a Mule and brought them along with me to the French Factors house Where when come Monsieur Beauclair and my fellow Pilgrimes were very glad that I had sped so wel none of us al knowing what was in the cloak-bags till they were viewed giving hearty thanks to the Consul and ten pieces of gold to the Iew and Ianizaries I sup'd and reposed till the morrow thanking God of my good fortune Yet was I exceeding sorrowfull for the losse of these gallant Gentlemen Religiously disposed and so affable that for familiarity and kindnesse they were the mirrours of noble minds and vertuous spectacles of humanity whose Deaths were to mee a Hell and whose lives had beene my Paradice on earth To whose memory and prayse I am not able to Congratulate the least Commendation their Heroicke dispositions deserved at my hands But what shall I say their time was come which mortality might sorrow but sorrow might not prevent Death whose power is deafe to all humane lamentations Neither will I relye so much upon my owne worthinesse as to thinke the benefit of the procrastination of my Life was by any merite of mine deserved but that God so much the more might show his incomprehensible goodnesse in delivering me from the violence of such unexpected accidents and to tye my soule to bee thankfull for his mercies For all the beginnings of man are derived from God whose ends are either perfited or disanulled by his determination and nothing wee possesse is properly our owne or gotten by our own power but given us onely through his goodnesse and munificence And all the spaces of earth which our feet tread over the Light we enioy and the excellent faculties we are indued withall or what we can do say or thinke is onely raised guided and distributed by Gods impenetrable Counsell Will and Providence which although the pride of our wicked nature doth not yeeld the true attribution thereunto yet the powerfull working of the counsell of God is such that in it selfe it proveth an eternall wisdome and confoundeth the foolishnesse of the World This incorporate World of Grand Cairo is the most admirable and greatest City seen upon the earth being thrice as large of bounds as Constantinople and likewise so populous but not so well builded being situate in a pleasant Plain and in the heart of Egypt kissing Nylus at some parts The City is divided in five Townes first and formost Cairo novo the new Caire which is the principall and chiefest place of all the other lying in midst of the rest having Walls and Ports the circuit whereof is twenty two miles containing all the chiefe Merchandise and Market places within it The second is Cairo Vecchio the old Caire called formerly Cairo de Babylonia or Babylon Aegyptiorum for there were two Babylons one in Assyria called now by the Turkes Bagdat and the other is this that joyneth with the new Caire It was also anciently called Memphis and was the furthest place Vlysses in his Travels visited so well memorized by Homer yet a Voyage of no such estimation as that Princely Poet accounted it for his Travels were not answerable to the fifteenth part of mine The third Towne is Medin joyning to the backside of the old Caire toward the Piramides The fourth is Boulake running a great length down along and neer the River side having three Market places of no small account The fift and last is the great Town of Caraffar bending Southward in the way of the Red Sea for many miles All which are but as Suburbs to the new Caire that of many small 's make up a Countrey rather then a City And yet all of them are contiguate one with an other either to the left or right hand or to them both with innumerable streets The length whereof in all from the lowest end of Boulak to the South-most part of Caraffar is by my deepe experience twenty eight English miles and fourteene in breadth for tryall whereof I trâ—ad it one day on foote from Sun to Sunne being guideâ— and guarded with a riding Ianizarie which for my bruised feet on the streets was one of the â—orest dayes iourney that ever I had in my life The principall gates of the new Caire are Babeh Mamstek looking toward the Wildernesse and the Red Sea Bebzauillah toward Nylus and Babell Eutuch toward the fields The streetes are narrow beeing all of them almost covered to save them from the parching heate with open vents for light and their buildings commonly are two stories high composed either of mudde or brick and platforme on the tops whereon usuall in the night they use to sleep to imbrace the fresh and cooling ayre Their Bazar or exchange beginneth at the gate of Mamsteck and endeth at a place called Babeso At the corners of chiefe streetes and market places there are divers horses standing ready sadled and bridled that for a small matter or according to the way a man may hire and ride where so he will either to negotiate or to view this spacious spred City and change as many horses as hee listeth having the Masters which owne them to convey them for lesse or longer way which is a great ease to weary passengers There is a great commerce here with exceeding many nations for by their concurring hither it is wonderfull peopled with infinite numbers for the Countrey aboundeth in Silkes Cornes Fruits Waxe Honey and the soveraigne Balsamo good for all sores besides many other Commodities of Cotten-wooll rich Stuffs of cloth of gold and silver and the best Sattins Damask Taffaties and Grograims that are made in the World are here The infinite populositie of which place and the extreame heat is the cause why the pest is evermore in the City in so much that at some certaine times ten thousand persons have died in one day Nay the Citie is reputed to be in good health if there die but one or two thousand in a day or three hundred thousand in a whole yeare I mean when the sore encroaching pestilence which
great So alwayes it is no wonder that the nature of this River should so increase when even here and at home the river of Rhine hath the like intercourse and at the same time through the Town of Geneve and so to the Mediterranian Sea Their beginnings being both alike from the impetuosity of raynes and dissolvings of Snow Egypt was first inhabited by Mifraim the sonne of Chus from whom the Arabians name the land Misre in the Hebrew tongue Misoriae It was also named Oceana from Oceanus the second King hereof Thirdly Ostriana from Osiris and now Aegyptus from Aegyptus the surname of Rameses once a King of great puissance It borders with Aethiopia and the Confines of Nubiat on the South On the North with the Sea Mediterrane The chiefest ports whereof are Damieta and Alexandria towards the occident it joyneth with the great Lake Bouchiarah a dangerous Wilderness confining therewith supposed to be a part of Cyrene so full of wilde and venemous beasts which maketh the West part unaccessable And on the East with the Istmus and Confine of Desartuous Arabia and a part of the Red Sea through which the people of Israel passed This Country was gouerned by Kings first and longest of all other Nations From Orisis not reckoning his Regall Ancestors in whose time Abraham went downe to Aegypt hee and his Successours were all called Pharaoes of whom Amasis is onely worthy mention who instituted such politicke Lawes to the ancient Egyptians that he deserueth to be Catalogized as founder of this Kingdome This Race continued till Cambises the second Persian Monarch made Aegypt a member of his Empire and so remained till Darius Nothus the sixt Persian King from whom they Revolted choosing Kings of themselues But in the eighteene yeare of Nectanebos the seventh King thereafter Aegypt was recovered by Ochus the eight Emperour of Persia. In end Darius being vanquished and Alexander King thereof after his Death it fell to the share of Ptolomeus the sonne of Lagi from whom the Kings of Aegypt were for a long time called Ptolomeis of whom Queene Cleopatra was the last after whose selfe murther it was annexed for many yeares to the Roman Empire next to the Constantinopolitan from whose insupportable burden they revolted and became tributaries for a small time to Haumar the third Caliph of Babylon Afterward being oppressed by Almericus King of Ierusalem Noradin a Turkish King of Damascus sent Saracon a valiant Warriour to aide them who made him selfe absolute King of the whole Countrey whose ofspring succeeded of whom Saladine was one the glorious conquerour of the East till Melechsala who was slaine by his owne souldiers the Mamaluks who were the guard of the Suldans as the Ianizaries are to the great Turke who lately Anno 1622 have almost made the like mutation in the Turkish Empire as the Mamaluks did in the Aegyptian They made of themselves Sultans where by the Mamaluke race continued from the year 1250 till the year 1517 wherein Tonembius together with his predecessour Campson Gaurus was overcome by Selimus the first by whom Aegypt was made a Province of the Turkish Empire so continueth as yet The length of his Kingdome is foure hundred and fifty English miles and two hundred broad the principall seat whereof is the great Caire being distant from Ierusalem sixteen days journey or Caravans journalls amounting to 240 of our miles Some hold that the space of earth that lyeth betwene the two branches of Damieta and Roseta was called the lower Aegypt now called Delta under the figure of a Greeke letter triangular The head of this great Delta where Nylus divideth it selfe was called Hoptapolis or Hoptanomia and Delta it selfe was called by the Romans Augustamia Aegypt besides the aforesaid names it had divers Epithites of divers Authours for Appollodorus termed it the Religion of Melampedes because of the fertility of it And Plutarch gave it the name Chimia because of the holy ceremonies of the Aegyptians in worshiping their Gods The Etymology whereof Ortelius condignely remarked deriving it from Cham the sonne of Noah so that some hold the opinion that the Aegyptians had their originall from Misraim for so was Aegypt called the sonne of Chus that proceeded from Cham Noahs sonne The circuit of Delta or the lower Aegypt is thought to be 3000. of their stades which maketh a hundred Spanish leagues In the time of the Ptolomeis the revenewes of this Kingdome were 12000 talents so also in the time of the Mamaluks but now through tyranicall government and discontinuance of traffick through the red sea the Turke receiveth no more than three millions yearly one of the which is free to himselfe the other two are distribuâ—nd to support the charge of his Vicegerent Bassaw and presidiary souldiers being 12000 Ianizaries besides their thousand of Timariots which keep Aegypt from the incursions and tyranny of Arabs In Cayre I stayed twelve dayes and having bid farewell to Monsieur Beauclaire the Consul who courteously entertained me the other foure French Pilgrimes and I imbarked at Boulaeque in a boate And as we went downe the River the chiefe Townes of note we saw where these Salmona Pharesone Fova Abdan I remember our boate was double hooked with forked pikes of iron round about the sides for feare of the Crocodiles who usually leape up on boates and will carry the passenger away headlong in the streame And yet these 〈◊〉 themselves are devouted by a water-Rat of whom they taking great pleasure and play and gaping widely the Rat running into his mouth the other out of joy swalloweth it downe where the Rat for disdain commeth forth at the broad side of his belly leaving the Crocodile dead In these parts there is a stone called Aquiline which hath the vertue to deliuer a woman from her paine in child birth In all this way the greatest pleasure I had was to behold the rare beauty of certaine Birds called by the Turkes Ellock whose feathers being beautified with the diversity of rarest colours yeeld a farre off to the beholder a delectable shew having also this propriety the nearer a man approacheth them the more they loose the beauty of their feathers by reason of the feare they conceive when they see a man Vpon the third day we landed at Rosetta and came over land with a company of Turkes to Alexandria being 50 miles distant Alexandria is the second port in all Turkie It was of old a most renowned City and was built by Alexander the great but now is greately decayed as may appeare by the huge ruines therein It hath two havens the one whereof is strongly fortified with two Castles which defend both it selfe and also Porto vecchio The fields about the Towne are sandy which ingender an infectious ayre especially in the moneth of August and is the reason why strangers fall into bloody fluxes and other heavy sicknesses In my staying here I was advised by a Ragusan Consul
Run here and there alwhere and none know whether Our way we Know and yet unknown to other And whiles misknown to us before we diâ—e The hand and compasse that govern the Ruther Do often erre although the Pilots strive With Card and plot their reckonings sometimes fall Too narrow short too high too wide too small To descon this remark when they set land Some this some that do guesse this Hill that Cape For many houres their skill in suspence stand Tearming this sore that head-land points the Map Which when mistook this forg'd excuse goes cleer O such and such a land it first did peer In all which strife stress'd Sailers have the pain By drudging pulling hayling standing to it In cold and rain both dry aâ—d wet they strain Themselves to toil none else but they must do it We passengers behold with belching throats Only their taske atchiev'd in quivering Boats Then since but aire and water I perceive One's hot and moist the other moist and cold It 's earth that 's cold and dry I longing crave And fire that 's dry and hot I wishing would Then thundring Aeole from thy seven rigg'd Towres Soon wast us o're forth from these glassie Bowres My wish is come I set each bulging sail For pride begins to swell between two sheets She ticklish grows as wanton of her tail And lays her side close where the weather beats Both prone and puppe do answer so the Helme The Steersman sings no grief his joy can whelme By night our watch we set by day our sight And thirle our Sails if Pirats but appeare We rest resolv'd it 's force makes Cowards fight Though none more dare then they that have most feare It 's courage makes us rash and wisdome cold Yet wise men stout and stung grow Lion bold Now we look out for Land now we see Malâ— That little famous Isle though sterrile soile Where we 'le some Bay or Creek seek to assault Whence Anchorage and safâ—ty Ships recoile Now now let Anâ—hor fall we 're in the Road Safely arriv'd by providence of God This done as time avouch'd I kindly bad My Consorts all adiew then came ashoare Where I such plenty of great favours had That scarce the like I ever found before These white cross'd Knights with their eight pointed crosses Imbrac'd my sight with it my toils and tosses So ends my Verse and so I 'le straight disclose The Isle the Folks their Manners in plain Prose The greatest cause of our Arrivall here was in regard of our fresh water that was spent and therefore constrayned to beare into this Isle Which was my sole desire wishing rather to Land here to see the Order of our Knights of Christendome then to arrive at Ragusa in the Adriaticke Gulfe where I had beene before Our Ancors being grounded and our Boate ready to court the shoare I â—ad farwell to all the Company and in â— singular respect to my generous Captaine who would have nothing for my victuals and trnasportation from Aegypt except a few relicts of Ierusalem The boat being launched and we landed in the haven I accoasted a vulgar Taverne and there lodged This City is divided in two the old and the new Malta from which the Isle taketh the name it is a large and populous place and strongly fortified with invincible walls and two impregnable Castles St. Hermes and St. Angelo S. Michaell being distant from both Heere the great Master or Prince for that yeare being a Spaniard made much of me for Ierusalems sake so did also a number of these gallant Knights to whom I was greatly obliged And withall to my great contentment I rancountred here with a countrey Gentleman of mine being a souldier there named William Douglas who afterward for his long good service at sea was solemnly Knighted made one of their order Whose fidele and manly services have beene since as plausibly regarded by the Maltazes as Monsieur Creichton his worth in learning excellent memory rest admired in Italy but especially by the noble Gonzagaes and dependant friends of the house of Mantua for whose losse accidentall death they still heavily bemoan acknowledging that the race of that princely stock by Gods Judgements was cut off because of his untimely death Malta was called Melita mentioned Acts 28. 1 2. where the Viper leaped on Pauls hand I saw also the Greeke wherein hee was shipwracked This Island may properly be termed the Fort of Christendome yet a barren place and of no great boundes for their cornes and Wines come daily by Barkes from Sicilia but it yeeldeth good store of Pomegranates Cittrons Cottons Orenges Lemmons Figges Mellons and other excellent fruits The Knights of Malta had their beginning at Acre in Palestina from thence to the Rhodes and now exposed to this rocky Isle They are pertinacious foes to Infidels for such is the oath of their order continually making war and incursions against them to their power being strengthned also with many souldiers and their Captaines are surnamed Knights of Malta and so through a great part of Christendome it is a most honourable Order They are not permitted to marry the most part of whom being younger brothers the reason was because not being intangled to wife and children they might bee the more resolute to adventure their lives in the Christian service but therein they were mightily decayed and their valour no way answerable to that it hath been when their ancestours lived in the Rhodes and holy Land having had these eighteene yeares past little or no good fortune at all This Isle was given in possession to these Knights of St. Iohn by the Emperour Charles the fifth and King of Spaine being newly expelled from the Rhodes by Solyman the magnificent Anno 1522. And afterward the Turke not contented therewith and mindfull all utterly to extermine their power came with a huge Armado and assailed Malta Anno 1565. when Valetta was great master who so couragiously withstood their fury that the Turkes were defeated and forced to returne This Island is ten leagues in length and three broad the earth whereof being three foote deepe is the cause why it is not so fertile as the clymat might afford It containeth besides the City forty seven Villages and nine Cassales the peasants or naturall Inhabitants whereof are of the Affrican complection tauny and Sun-burnt and their language semblable to the Barbarian-speech without any great difference both tongues being a corrupt Arrabick And not unlike therein to the Italians from the Latine or the vulgar Greeke from the ancient yet the moderne Greeke is nearer the ancient then the Italian is the Latine These rurall Maltezes are extreamely bent in all their actions either to good or evill wanting fortitude of minde and civill discretion they can not temper the violent humours of their passions but as the head strong-tide so their dispositions turne in the superfluous excesse of affections They follow the Roman Church though
miles All which by ignorant Sea-men and ruvide Moores is termed Barbary who cannot distinguish parts nor provinces but even as the Orientall Turkes do that denominate all Asia minor under the name Carmania and know no further of their ancient not particular titles Now as concerning their Customes it is the fashion of all these Barbarian Moores in marrying of their wives that after the Bridegroome and the Bride are inrolled by their Totsecks or Priests in the Mosque before the Parents of each party and the Bride presently brought home to the house of her husband accompained with all their Friends Musicke and Reueling Hee immediately withdraweth her to a private Chamber having onely one old woman standing by them in a corner of the Roome where hee lying with the Bride and shee being found a Maide by a certaine cloath laid under her privy place which being by the old Hagge drawne out and found sprinkled with spots of blood shee presenteth it first to him as a token of virginity and then forthwith runneth through the house among all the friends of the new married couple crying with a loud voice and carrying the bloody napkin in her hand the Virgin-bride is broken up whereat they all rejoyce giving rewards and good chear to the Cryer But if the bride be not found a Mayd then hee returneth her backe unto her parents which they account as an immorâ—all shame and the nuptiall feast and all the assistants thereunto are suddenly dismissed But if a Virgin the banquet continueth all the first day with great cheare dancings revellings with Musicall Instruments of divers sorts The second night is onely the feast of women for both parties and the third banquet is made on the seventh day after the nuptiall the provision of which the father of the Bride sendeth to the house of his new sonne in law where after this banquet and the seventh day in the next morning the Bridegroome goeth then a broad from his house which hee doth not till the aforesaid time unto the market place where hee buyeth a number of fish to carry with him to his dwelling as a signe of good lucke it being an ancient custome through the most part of all the Northern Affrick The men and women at such meetings dance a part each of them having their owne Musicke and orders of meriment They have also a custome when that Infants beginne to breed teeth their Parents will make a solemne feast to all the Children of the towne with divers ceremonies which custome they reserve yet in diuers parts of Italy The women through all Barbary weare abundance of Bracelets on their armes and Rings in their eares but not through the nose and lips as the Aegyptians doe and turne also the nayles of their hands and feete to red accounting it a base thing to see a white naile The men here for the most part are the best Archers and Horse-men that are in Affrick and take great pleasure in breeding of their Barbes So are they both active and curragious and very desperate in all their attempts being all of the Mahometanicall Religion though more ignorant thereof than the Turkes some whereof are subject to the Turke some to the Emperour of Morocco and some to their owne barbarous Princes And now it was my fortune here in Algier after 12 dayes abode to meete with a French Lapidator Monsieur Chatteline borne in Aise du Provance who intending to visit Fez joyned company with me and we with certaine Merchants of Algier that were going thither being in all 30 passengers with two Ianizaries and a Dragoman Whence advancing our way some on Mules and some on foot with Asses carrying our baggage and provision we left the marine Townes of Saly and Tituana far to the West on our right hand and facing the in-land wee marched for three dayes through a fruitfull and populous soyle And although the people barbarous and disdainefull countenances were awfull yet we two went still free of tributes as not being a thing with them accustomary to execute exaction on Francks as the Turkes and Moores do in Asia neither understood they what wee were being clad with company and after their fashion save onely that nature had set a fairer stamp on my face than theirs which oft I wished had beene as blacke as their uglines In this misculat journeying of paine and pleasure we found every where strong Wines abundance of excellent bread and the best and greatest Hens bred on the earth with plenty of Figs Fruits Olives and delicious Oile yea and innumerable Villages the Houses whereof are all builded with mud and platformed on their tops and so are they in Asia and all Affrick over Upon the fourth day having past the Plains we entred in a Hilly Countrey yet pastorable where I beheld here and there clouds of Tents filled with maritine people that were fled hither from the Sea coast for the fresh and cooling aire And upon these pleasant and umbragious heights I saw the fields overclad with flocks of Sheep and Goats which Sheep are wondrous great having from their rumps and hips broad and thick tayls growing and hanging to the ground some whereof when sold will weigh 16 18 or 20 pounds weight and upwards Here among the Mountains our company knowing well the Countrey tooke a great advantage of the way and on the seventh day in the morning wee arrived at the great Towne of Fez where the French man and I were conducted by some of our company to a great Mobrish Inne or Tavern and there received we were as kindly and respectively used as ever I was in any part of the Turks Dominions being now out of them and in the Empire of Morocco This city of Fez is situate upon the bodies and twice double devalling faces of two Hils like to Grenada in Andelosia in Spain the intervale or low Valley betweene both through which the torrid River of Marraheba runneth Southward being the Centre and chiefest place is the most beautifull and populous part of the City the situation of which and of the whole is just set under the Tropick of Cancer Over which River and in this bottome there are three scoâ—e and seaven Bridges of stone and Timber each of them being a passage for open streetes on both sides The intervaile consisteth of two miles in length and halfe a mile broad wherein besides five Chereaffs or Market places there are great places magnificke Mosquees Colledges Hospitalls and a hundred Palatiat Taverns the worst whereof may lodge a Monarchicke trayne Most part of all which buildings are three and foure stories high adorned with large and open Windowes long Galleries spacious Chambers and flat Tectures or square platformes The streetes being covered above twixt these plaineset Fabricks have large Lights cut through the tectur'd tops every where in whose lower shops or roomes are infinite Merchandize and Ware of all sorts to bee sold. The people of both kinds are cloathed
smoaking flame ariseth the other produceth no fire but after an excessive raine surgeth six foote high with black boyling water which continueth so long as the raine lasteth From thence our Guide leaving us we came to Grotto di cane wherein if a Dogge be cast he well suddenly die and taken thence and cast in the Lake he will forthwith revive this Grotto or Cave standeth on the side and root of a sulphure hill the brinke of Lago di Avagno We desirous to make triall of a Dog and finding the fellow that purposely stayeth there somewhat extortionable I adventured in stead of a Dog to make tryall of my selfe Whereupon Master Stydolffe holding up the quarrered doore I entered to the further end thereof bringing back a warme stone in each hand from thence whereat the Italians swore I was a Divell and not a man for behold say they there was a French Gentleman the former yeare who in a bravado would needes goe in whereupon he was presently stifled to death and here lyeth buried at the mouth of the Grotto to serve for a caveat to all rash and unadvised strangers to doe the like The relation indeede was true put I counting nothing of it would needes sore against the Gentleman and Master Woods will goe in againe where entred to the bottome being ten paces long the moyst and choaking heat did so suffocate and benumbe my senses that with much adoe I returned backe where receiving the fresh aire and a little Wine I presently forgot my former trance which when the Dog-keeper saw hee for an easie composition made triall of his Dog and having tyed a string to his hinder leg he cast the Dog scarce halfe way in the Cave where immediately his tongue hanging out he fell downe dead And forthwith his Master repulling him backe cast him in the Lake powring in water in his eares but hee never could recover his life Whereupon the poore man cryed out alas I am undone what shall I doe the Dog that wonne my daily foâ—d is dead in compassion whereof the worthy Gentleman doubled his wages In our way and returne to Naples we passed through Virgils Grot being halfe a mile long and cut through a the maine body of a Rocke whereby the Mountaine of Cataja by the Sea-side is made passable at the East end whereof neare the Cyme of the vault is Virgils Tombe and arrived at Naples Mr. William Stydolffe reporting to divers of his Countrey Gentlemen and mine of mine adventure in Grotto di Cane they could hardly be perswaded to believe it But when avouched they all avowed I had done that so did divers Neapolitans which never man had done before me reserving life Bidding farewell to my generous friends I marched through Terra di lavora and in the way of Saint Germane and Mount Cassino to Rome within ten miles of Capua I found the poorest Bishop Nomen sine re the world affoordeth having no more nor never had he nor any before him than dui Carolini or Iuletti twelve pence a day to spend So is there many a Marquesse Earle Baron and Knight in Italy who is unable at one time to keepe a foote-man at his heels a Dog at his foote a Horse betweene his legs a good suit of clothes on his backe and his belly well â—ed so glorious are their stiles and so miserable their revenewes Touching at Rome I secretly borrowed one nights lodging there and at the breake of day another houres sight and conference with my Couzen Simeon Grahame who ere the Sunne arose crossing Ponto flamingo brought mee on in my journey till a high way Taverne like a jayle held us both fast where leaving our reciprocall loues behind vs wee divided our bodies East and West And now ere I leave Rome I thinke it best to let our Papists here at home see the shamefull lives cruell deaths of most of their Popes beyond Seas which their own best Authors in France Italy and Spain having justly and condignely avouched and recorded authorized also to light by their prime powers civil spirituall The Papists generally hold that in their popes is all power Super omnes Potestates tam Coeli quam Terrae above all powers both in Heaven and Earth They terme him Alter Deus in Terris a second God upon the Earth Deus mortalis in terris ei immortalis homo in Coelis a mortall God upon the Earth and an Immortall man in the Heavens Some of them have allotted that hee is Non Deus non homo sed utrunque neither God nor man but both The popes former title was Servus servorum Dei and they call him Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium King of Kings and Lord of Lords Paul the third entering Tolentino in the vale of Ombria joyning with Tuscany had this salutation Paulo tertio Maximo in terris Deo to Paul the Third the best and greatest God on earth Then since they will have them Gods above the God of Gods tel me I pray you what a May pole Dauncer was Iohn 12 alias 13 of 18 yeares old who made the Lateran their great Church in Rome a plaine Stew or Brothel house What a pope-boy of twelve yeares old was Benedict the ninth and after wrought by inchantments Another Pope they had whom they called Vnum pecus in eo quod de mane faciebat gratiam de sero revocabat A very Asse for in the morning hee would grant many great kindnesses and at night revoke them all againe What a thiefe was pope Boniface the seventh who robbed St. Peters Church what a Sodomiticall Pope was Sixtus the fourth who builded Stews of both kindes granting his Cardinalls the use of Sodomy for three whole moneths What an Atheisticall pope was Leo the tenth who called the Gospel a Fable What a Hereticall pope was Honorius the first who by sixe generall Councels was condemned for a Monothelite What a perjured Pope was Gregory the twelfth and openly forsworne What a Negromancer was Silvester the second who gave himselfe both soule and body to the divell to attain the Popedome What was Pope Iohn the eleventh but a bastardly brat to pope Sergius What a sorcerer Charmer and Conjurer was Hildebrand called Gregory the seventh given to all beastlinesse and diabolicall practices this was hee that threw the Sacrament in the fire what was Innocent the third who was branded with this black mark non est Innocentius imo nocens vere he is not innocent but very nocent What a wicked and cruell murtherer was Iohn the twelfth a Romane borne who caused to cut off the nose of one Cardinall and the thumbe of another Cardinall onely because they had wrote the whole tract of his abominable vices to the Emperour Otho What an inhumane and homicidious Pope was Stephanus the seventh who after hee had cancelled the decrees of his predecessor Formosus caused to deterre his dead body cut off his fingers and lay him in the
that one of our Kings subjects should be troubled by your Inquisition but as you have murdred me for alledged Treason so you meane to Martyr me for Religion And you Governour as you have Tortured and hunger-starved this helpelesse body consumed with cold and Vermine to the last of my life the Almighty God who revealeth the secrets of all things although I be never relieved will certainely discover it to my Countrey and to the World And is this the best of your good deeds you repay to our mercifull King who then being onely King of Scotland in the time of your just over-throw of Eighty Eight gave secourse to thousands of your Ship-wracked people for many moneths and in the end caused transport them safely to their desired Ports Leaving to the Worlds memory an eternall stampe of Christian Bounty Mercy and Royall Charitid and your acquittance to him is an imputation of â—reachery to his Fleete detaining and mis-regarding his Letters and Seales and now imposing to a tormented Innocent your lawlesse Inquisition To which the Governour answered all thaâ— was true but it was done more through feare then love and therefore deserved the lesser thankes but intrim wee will follow the uttermost of our ends And the Jesuite Predicator to confirme his words said there was no Faith to â—ee kept with Heretikes which directly or indirectly is the sublime policy of Conquerours which our mighty and innumerable Nation evermore taketh notice of and observeth Then the Inquisitor arising expressed himselfe thus Behold the powerfull majesty of Gods mother Commander of her Sonne equall to the Father Wife to the Holy-Ghost Queene of Heaven Protector of Angels and sole Gubernatrix of the Earth c. How thou being first taken as a Spye accused for Trechery and innocently Tortured as we acknowledge we were better informed lately from Madrile of the English intention yet it was her power her Divine power which brought these judgments upon thee it that thou hast wrote calumniously against her blessed miracles of Loretta anâ— against his Holinesse the great agent and Christs Viccar on Earth Therefore thou hast justly falne into our hands by her speciall appointment Thy Books and Papers are miraculously translated by her speciall providence with my owne Countrey-men wherefore thou maist clearely see the impenetrable Mysteries of our gloriâ—us Lady in punishing her offenders and for a humble satisfaction Repent thee of thy wickednesse and bee converteâ— to the Holy mother Church And after many such like exhortations of all the foure the Inquisitor assigned mee eight daies for my Conversion saying that he and the Tiatines would twice a day visite mee in that time intreating me to bee advised againe the next morning of these doubts and difficulties that withstood my Conscience Then in leaving me the Jesuite Predicator making a Crosse upon my crossed brest said My sonne behold you deserve to be burnt quick but by the grace of our Lady of Loretta whom you have blasphemed wee will both save your soule and body Spewing forth also this Faeminine Latine Nam mansueta et misericordiosa est Ecclesia O Ecclesia Romana extra quem non est salus They gone and I alone all this night was I instant with my God imploring his grace to rectify my thoughts illuminate my understanding confirme my confidence beatifie my memory to sanctifie my knowledge to expell the seruile feare of death and to save my soule from the intangling Corruption of any private ends illusions or mundane Respects whatsoever The next morning the three Ecclesiastickes returned and being placed with Chaires and Candles the Inquisitor made interrogation of what difficulties errours or mis-beleefe I had To whom ingenuously I answered I had none neither any difficulty errour nor mis-beliefe but was confident in the promises of Iesus Christ and assuredly believed his revealed will in the Gospell professed in the Reformed Catholike Church which being confirmed by Grace I had the infallible assurance in my soule of the true Christian Faith To these words hee answered thou art no Christian but an absurd Hereticke and without conversion a member of perdition whereupon I replyed Reverend Sir the nature of Charity and Religion doe not consist in opprobrious speeches wherefore if you would convert mee as you say convince mee by Argument if not all your threatnings of Fire Death nor Torments shall make mee shrink from the truth of Gods word in Sacred Scriptures Where upon the mad Inquisitor clapped mee on the face with his foote busing mee with many Raylings and if the Jesuits had not intercepted him hee had stabbed me with a knife where when dismissed I never saw him more The third day insuing and having broake their promise the two Jesuits returned and after a frowning silence the Superiour asked mee of my resolution I told him I was resolved already unlesse hee could shew mee good reasons in the contrary Whereupon having past with me some few superficiall Arguments of their seven Sacraments Intercession Transubstantiation Images Purgatory Miracles Merit c. he begun to brag of their Church her Antiquity Vniuersality and Vniformity Ancient no said J for the Profession of my Faith hath beene ever since the first time of the Apostles And Christ had ever his owne Church howsoever obscure in the greatest time of your darknesse So Rome foure hundred yeares and upward was the true Church but afterward falling in apostacy by meanes of her corrupt leaders wee have left her in nothing but what shee hath left her former selfe Universall no alhough shee assumeth a Catholike name was not the Church in the East a greater Church than yours in the West for hundreds of yeareâ— and I pray you what are now the Oriental Churches in Asia besides the Greeks and the Aethiopian Africans that doe not so much as know or heare of your pope far lesse his profession With no small adoe Boniface the third â—btained of Phocas the Emperour to bee called universall Bishop which was assisted afterward by Pippin the Frenh King and ratified by Paleologus the Father of Constantine who lost Constantinople And what long controversies about this new power was between your Popes and the Councells of Carthage Calcedon Ephesus Alexandria and Nice Uniformable no some of your Priests give the Sacrament onely in Bread for reall flesh and blood some in wine without bread and some in both The Bavarians in their own language sing the Psalms in prose at their Masses and not else where done The second Commandement goeth currant amongst some of your Catholikes in France yet not in Britaine nor Provence so doeth it in Austriâ— and Bavaria but not in Italy and Spaine It is most evident what your former Popes have confirmed the succeeding Popes have disanulled and daily doe as their present lives and your ancient Histories beare a true record And was there not at one time three Popes in three severall places and oftentimes two at once One professing one Heresie and
by our Apothecaries the rest of this Isle shall be touched in the owne place And neere to Lango lyeth the Isle Giara now Stopodia it is begirded with Rocks and desertuous unto which the Romans were wont to send in banishment such as deserved death In generall of these Isles Cyclades because they are so neere one to another and each one in sight of another there are many Cursares and Turkish Galleots that still afflict these Ilanders Insomuch that the Inhabitants are constrained to keepe watch day and night upon the tops of the most commodious Mountaines to discover these Pirats which they easily discerne from other vessels both because of their Sayles and Oares And whensoever discovered according to the number of cursary Boates they make as many fires which giveth warning to all the Ports to be on guard And if the Sea voyagers in passing see no signe on these Isles of fire or smoake then they perfectly know these Laborinthing Seas are free from pestilent Raveners As we left the Isle Venico on our left hand and entred in the gulfe betwene Sio and Eolida the firme land is called Aeolida there fell downe a deadly storme at the Grecoe Levante or at the North-east which split our Mast carrying sayles and all over-boord whereupon every man looked as it were with the stamp of death in his pale visage The tempest continuing our Boate not being able to keep the Seas we were constrained to seeke into a creeke betwixt two Rocks for safety of our lives where when we entred there was no likely-hood of reliefe for we had shelfie shore and giving ground to the Anchors they came both home The sorrowfull Master seeing nothing but shipwrack tooke the Helme in hand directing his course to rush upon the face of a low Rock whereupon the sea most fearefully broke it As we touched the Mariners contending who should first leape out some fell over-board and those that got land were pulled backe by the reciprocating waves Neither in all this time durst I once move for they had formerly sworne if I pressed to escape before the rest were first forth they would throw me headlong into the sea So being two wayes in danger of death I patiently offered up my prayers to God At our first encounter with the Rocks our fore-decks and Boates gallery being broke and a great Lake made the recoâ—â—ing waves brought us back from the Shelves a great way which the poore Master perceiving and that there were seven men drowned and eleven persons alive cryed with a loud voyce Be of good courage take up oares and row hastily it may be before the Barke sinke we shall 〈◊〉 to yonder Cave which then appeared to our sight Every man working for his owne deliverance as it pleased God we got the same with good fortune for no sooner were we disbarked and I also left the last man but the Boat immediatly sunke There was nothing saved but my Coffino which I kept alwayes in my armes partly that it might have brought my dead body to some creeke where being found might have beene by the Greekes buryed and partly I held it fast also that saying my life I might save it too it was made of Reeds and would not easily sink notwithstanding of my papers and linnen I carried into it for the which safetie of my things the Greekes were in admiration In this Cave which was 30 paces long within the mountaine wee abode three dayes without either meat or drink upon the fourth day at morne the tempest ceasing there came Fisher-boates to reâ—â—eve us who found the ten Greekes almost famished for lacke of food but I in that hunger-starving feare fed upon the expectation of my doubtfull reliefe True it is a miserable thing it is for man to grow an example to others in matters of affliction yet it is necessary that some men should be so For it pleased God having shewn a sensible disposition of favour upon mee in humbling me to the very pit of extremities taught me also by such an unexpected deliverance both to put my confidence in his eternall goodnesse and to know the frailty of my own selfe and my ambition which drave mee often to such disasters The dead men being found on shoare we buried them and I learned at that instant time there were seventeene boats cast away on the Coast of this Island and never a man saved in this place the Greeks set up a stone Crosse in the memoriall of such a wofull mischance and mourned heavily fasting and praying I rejoycing and thanking God for my safety leaving them sorrowing for their friends and goods tooke journey through the Iland to Sio for so is the City called being thirty miles distant in my way I past by an old Castle standing on a little hill named Garbos now Helias where as I was informed by two Greeks in my company the Sepulcher of Homer was yet extant for this Sio is one of the seven Iles and Towns that contended for his birth Septem urbes certant de stirpe insignis Homeri These Cities seven I undername did strive Who first brought Homer to the world alive Smyrna Rhodos Colophon Salamis Chios Argos Athenae The which I willing to see I entreated my associats to accompany me thither where when we came we descended by 16 degrees into a darke Cell and passing that we entred in another foure squared room in which I saw an ancient Tombe whereon were ingraven Greek letters which we could not understand for their antiquity but whether it was his Tombe or not I doe not know but this they related and yet very likely to have been his Sepulcher This Isle of Sio is divided into two parts to wit Appanomera signifying the higher or upper parts of it The other Catomerea that is the levell or lower parts of the Isle it was first called Ethalia it aboundeth so in Oranges and Lemmons that they fill Barrels and Pipes with the juice thereof and carry them to Constantinople which the Turkes use at their meate as wee doe the Verges And also called Pythiosa next Cios Acts 20. 15. And by Methrodorus Chio of Chione but at this day Sio Not long ago it was under the Genoveses but now governed by the Turkes it is of circuite an hundred miles and famous for the medicinable Masticke that groweth there on Trees I saw many pleasant Gardens in it which yield in great plenty Oranges Lemmons Apples Peares Prunes Figges Olives Apricocks Dates Adams Apples excellent Herbs faire Flowres sweet Honey with store of Cypre and Mulbery-trees and exceeding good Silk is made here At last I arrived at the Citie of Sio where I was lodged and kindly used with an old man of the Genovesen race for the space of eight dayes I found here three Monasteries of the order of Rome one of the Jesuits another of Saint Francis and the third of the Dominican Friers being all come from Genoa and because the greatest