The reason I vnderstood by others because it was more dangerous troublesome and tedious to him then all the rest of his voiage for manie nights they slept in the open fields when it rained all night exceeding fast and in the day time they were often dangered by theeues and oftentimes in the night they were glad to hire a guard to watch whiles they slept for feare lest their throats should be cut whiles they were asleepe and many other miseries they were subiect vnto as hunger and thirst heate in the day cold being harborles in the night And besides many miseries which hee hath indured by land he hath very narrowly escaped many extreame dangers by Sea whereof I will mention only one which I haue heard not only from his owne mouth with gratefull memorie vnto God for his miraculous and vnexpected preseruation but also from others who were in the same danger with him In relation whereof they all agree in one that it was on this manner Ann. Dom. 1605 Febr. 9. He with some other Englishmen viz. Sampson Newport and his brother Edward Newport Edward Concke Martin Kentish William Welch Thomas Maniaâ—d and others hauing occasion to trauell from Constantinople to Zante for want of an English ship imbarked theÌ„selues in a Raguzean ship which was bound thither Wherein they sailed safely vntill they came amongst the Cyclades or the 53. Iles in the Arches where they were a while becalmed ouer against Milo where they were minded to touch But suddenly this calme was turned to a storme which speedily droue them out of the sight of Milo and Amimilo and so confounded the Raguzean Mariners being no skilfull Nauigators that they knew not where they were an vncomfortable case in such a dangerous place amongst so many Ilands so thicke together Before them they sawe land in three places yet none of them knew whether it were the maine land or some Iland and therfore were ignorant what course to take The prouidence of God so directed that they passed so neere the I le Serigotta as seldome or neuer any ship did and not rush vpon the rockes When they were past this Iland they were out of the Arches or Cyclades and had sea-roome inough which was some comfort But the ignorance of the Mariners The violence of the storme The weaknes of the ship and the prophanenesse of the company with whom he was shipped were great causes of discomfort The Mariners were ignorant not accustomed to saile by compas or cunding of the ship but by the eie and view and to be still in sight of land The storme still increased more vehemently and continued three daies and three nights together during which time they could neither eate nor drinke nor sleepe The ship was weake and halfe full of water ready to be split in pieces with euery blast of wind or to bee deuoured by euery waue of the Sea The boat which the ship towed after her was cut off and let goe at randome without hope of euer seeing it againe lest it should be full of water and sinke and draw the ship also vnder water The companie as they were of diuers nations so of diuers natures and as they differed in religion so likewise in their conuersation and cariage during the continuance of this tempest For the storme increased the aire thundered the winds blustered the Sea raged and the waues thereof arising like mightie mountaines tossed vp the ship to vse the Poets Hyperbole sometimes as high as heauen and by and by tumbled her downe againe as low as hell so that as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 107. 27. They were tossed to and fro and staggered like drunken men and all their cunning being gone euery man called vpon his god like the Mariners in Ionas ship The Raguzeans and Italians called vpon all the gods and goddesses the Hee Saints and She Saints and cast Grand Benedicta into the sea to asswage the madnes therof Which nothing preuailing the master of the ship called master Samson Newport an English Merchant and told him in Italian that hee vnderstood that the Signior Reuerendo Dotâ—ore Inglese that is That the reuerend English Doctor who was in his ship had bin at Ierusalem and requested him to speake vnto him if he had any holy reliques in his chest which hee brought from Ierusalem to giue him some to throw into the Sea to pacifie the rage thereof M. Newport made answer that he knew that their English Preacher had no such Reliques as he desired Then there was nothing amongst the superstitious Papists but weeping and wringing of hands some preparing boards ready to cast themselues into the Sea looking at euery blast when the ship would bee disiointed and shaken asunder Others pattering on beads and making large vowes to Madonna de Lauretta if shee would deliuer them and to this Saint and that Saint if they escaped The Master of the ship called Andrea and his brother Stephano being both owners of the ship said that surely the English Doctor was a Coniurer for they neuer saw him without a booke in his hand but still reading vntill by his learning he had raised a storme vpon them and thought it best to make a Ionas of him and to cast both him and his books into the Sea which they had done indeed if God in mercy towards him had not preuented them for our Englishmen like good Christians hauing learned out of the Scriptures Psal 46. 1. That God is a preâ—ent helpe in time of trouble and hath promised to deliuer them that call vpon him in time of trouble gaue themselues both iointly and seuerally to praier and all the time of this tempest cried vnto the Lord in their trouble and he brought them out of their distresse He turned the storme to calme so that the waues thereof were still And so at length by the prouidence of God they came all safely to their desired Port where they heard of many ships as some reported fiftie which were cast away in that storme out of which they were deliuered Many such desperate plunges hath he escaped in his ten yeeres trauell which I haue heard of but forbeare for breuities sake to speake of These things considered I thought it not meet to presse him any further therewith lest the remembrance of former miseries should be a cause of fresh sorowes knowing that he hath indured much hardnesse both by sea and by land so much as may seeme admirable yea almost incredible that such a spare leane man and of such a weake body as he seemed to be of should endure in ten yeeres tedious trauell together And yet notwithstanding his continuall dangers both by sea and by land hee hath continued still to preach the Gospel constantly and boldly in Heathen countries both by sea and by land receiued great honour amongst them and is now at length by the prouidence of God returned into his natiue countrie in health and safety to preach the Gospell wheresoeuer it shall
please God to call him and is at this day the greatest traueller of a man of his calling that I know in all England both by sea and land By land he hath trauelled further then Iacob and the same way that Iacob did from Hebron to Padan Aram and hath had as hard lodging in his trauell as Iacob had viz. the ground to his bed a stone for his pillow the skie for his couering and sometimes the aire for his supper By Sea farther then S. Paul then Aeneas or Vlysses haue done and all the whole way that they all haue trauelled and further Wherefore gentle Reader if thou take in good part these his trauels and my paines and labour in collecting them together it may perhaps encourage him to enlarge them and me to procure them and to adde thereunto his conference and disputations with Iewes Iesuits and sundry other nations which I vnderstand hee hath had with them and such arguments as haue beene vsed on both sides letters in sundry languages which haue beene written on both sides from one to another In the meane time I leaue him with his foure fellow trauellers soiourning at the earthly Ierusalem and thee gentle Reader trauelling towards the heauenly Ierusalem where God grant at length we may all ariue IESVS CHRIST being our Pilot and Ienisary to conduct vs thereunto AMEN Thine euer in the Lord THEOPHILVS LAVENDER The Trauels of certaine English-men into Heathen Countries set foorth by their Letters the Contents whereof are heere set downe as followeth * ⎠* THe first Letter was written from Constantinople the Primate and Metropolitan Citie in all Thracia wherein the Author certâ—fiâ—th his friend of his voyage from England thither and of such famous places and memorable matters as he saw and obserued in the way thither pag. 1. II. The second was seat from the same renowned Citie wherein he describeth Constantinople from the beginning hitherto shewing the first building destruction reedifying and gouernment of the same vnto this present day and what Antiquities are to be seene therein pag. 17. III. The third was written from Aleppo in Syria Comagena wherein the Author most iudiciously and learnedly discourseth of his voyage from Constantinople thither and describeth both generally the whole Country of Syria and particularly the City of Aleppo the chiefest City for trafficke therein and sheweth that Aleppo is inhabited by people of sundry Countries with the Religion Gouernment Manners and Customes of euery Nation there dwelling or soiourning which is of all the rest most pleasant to read for the varietie of matters therein contained pag. 31. IIII. The fourth and last letter was written from Ierusalem wherein he maketh relation of his trauell by Land together with foure other Englishmen from the City of Aleppo in Syria Comagena to Ierusalem by the Sea of Galile or Tyberias and Lake of Genezareth and so thorow the whole Land of Canaan which way was neuer trauelled by any Englishman before neither possibly can be trauelled againe at this day in regard of the turbulent and troublesome estate of those Countries which is like euery day to grow worse rather than better And this iourney may be called Iacobs iourney because all the whole way which they trauelled thither is the way which Iacob trauelled from Bethel or Beershebah to his vncle Labans house at Padan Aram in Mesopotamia pag. 86. And this may serue partly for a Confirmation of M. Henry Tymberley his voyage from Grand Cayro in Egypt formerly called Memphis to Ierusalem performed the selfe same yeere and at the selfe same time for all of them met together at Ierusalem And partly it may serue for a correction of some false things therein contained wâ—erein being printed without his consent they haue done him wrong as in the Preface to the Reader you may see plainly But chiefly it may serue for a direction to others who are minded heereafter to trauell into those Orientall Countries or East parts of the world either to further them by the good directions heerein contained or to hinder them in regard of the imminent dangers A LETTER SENT from Constantinople to a learned Gentleman in England wherein the Author discourseth of his voiage from England thither and of such famous places and memorable matters as hee saw in the way thither WOrshipfull and my worthy good friend in most kind and curteous manner I salute you wishing vnto you all ioyes internall externall and Eternall Being now by the prouidence of God after long and tedious trauell arriued in safety at Constantinople and calling to mind your continuall kindnesse towards me since our first acquaintance and your earnest request vnto me at my departure out of England which was to acquaint you with such occurrences as in my voyage should offer themselues vnto my viewe I could not without some note of ingratitude which I would not willingly incur refuse to impart vnto you what memorable matters and famous places I haue seene and obserued in my voyage May it please you therefore to vnderstand that after our departure from the coast of England wee saw no land vntill wee came neere vnto the coast of Spaine and then appeared first of all in sight vnto vs a towne in Spaine called Territh or Tenerith which was discerned first by a red sandy path on a mountaine neere vnto it And shortly after wee saw lubraltore on Europe side and Abshiâ— commonly called Ape hill on Affrica side betwixt which 2. places we entred in at the straights mouth with a swift currant and a good wind commonly called the straights of leubraltore betwixt which place and Porungal wee saw many Whales in the bay or Gâ—lph of Portingal And in three dayes sailing from the straights we arriued at Argier in Barbary where we staied three daies and were kindly intreated both by Ally Bashaw king of Argier and also by Amurath Rayse commonly called Morat Rayse This citie is in forme like vnto a top-saile broad below and narrow aboue It is situated on the side of an hill walled about and a strong Castle neere vnto the water side It was first called Mesgana secondly Iol the royall seate of IVBA the noble king of Mauritania who in the time of the ciuil warre betwixt Caesar and Pompey valiantly defended Pompeyes part By the Moores and Turkes at this day it is called Iezaier but by the Spaniards it is called Algier The people of this place and the Spaniards are bitter enemies and annoy one another oftentimes About 300. leagues from Argier wee saw Teddel a citie in Affrica and cape Bonne which was formerly called Hyppo where S. Augustine was Bishop and Tunis neere whereunto the ancient citie Carthage stood built by Queene Dido whereof some rumes are yet to bee seene Tunis is in Libia and Morocus and Fesse in Numidia About these parts we saw flying fishes as big an Hearing with two great sinnes like vnto wings before and two lesse behind who being chased by Dolphines
Good Reader read the Preface or else reade nothing THE TRAVELS OF certaine Englishmen into Africa Asia Troy Bythinia Thracia and to the Blacke Sea AND into Syria Cilicia Pisidia Mesopotamia Damascus Canaan Galile Samaria Iudea Palestina Jerusalem Iericho and to the Red Sea and to sundry other places Begunne in the yeere of Iubile 1600. and by some of them finished this yeere 1608. The others not yet returned Very profitable for the helpe of Trauellers and no lesse delightfull to all persons who take pleasure to heare of the Manners Gouernement Religion and Customes of Forraine and Heathen Countries LONDON Printed by Th. Haueland for W. Aspley and are to bee sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Parrot 1609. THE PREFACE TO the READER I Finde gentle Reader in Histories commended vnto vs the painfull trauels of some both by Sea and by Land which visited farre countries that they might bee made more wise and learned For this purpose Pythagoras trauelled into Egypt to heare the Mâ—â—â—phiticall Poets plato leauing Athens where hee taught with great commendation 〈◊〉 into Italy to Architâ—â— of â—arentum that he might learne somewhat of that Philosopher and Disciple of Pythagâ—â—as Apollonius with no lesse labour than danger and cost passed and iourneied to the furthest parâ—â— of 〈◊〉 to the Philosophers there that he might heare Hierarchs sitting in a throne of gold and drinking of the Well of Tantalus disputing amongst a few Schollars of Nature of Manners of the course of 〈◊〉 and Statres from thence returning by the Elamites Babylonians Chaldaâ—ns Medes Assyrians Palestines he came to Alexandria and from thence to Aethiopia that he might see the Philosophers in India which went alwaies naked and the Table of the Sunne which was famous throughout the world Solon went from Graecia to Egypt for a like purpose All these trauelled to get wisdome and learning It is written of Hierome that he went from Dalmatia to Rome from thence to Germanie then to Constantinople then to Alexandria then to Ierusalem onely to see and heare famous men that he might alwaies goe forward in wisdome Iacob in his old age trauelled into Egypt partly constrained by necessity and partly for loue of Ioseph The Queène of the South a woman whom Aristotle calleth imperfect creatures trauelled farre to heare the wisdom of Solâ—mon Amongst vs there haue beene and are still sundrie Trauellers of great name which haue enterprised and taken in hand great Voyages and dangerous iournies Some to Venice some to Rome some to Constantinople some to Ierusalem some to Syria some to Persia some to the Turke some to the Barbarians And these haue trauelled vpon diuers respects Some for pleasure some for profit some to see their manners some to learne their languages some to get experience some to get wisdome and knowledge not sparing any cost fearing any danger nor refusing any paines Others would trauell but are loth to be at any charges Others would bee at the cost but feare to expose themselues to dangers by Sea and by Land It is good say they to sleepe in a whole skinne They cannot abide to bee tossed and tumbled like tennis-bals on the turbulent and tempestuous seas as Ouid in his exile complained he was when hee said Eleg. 2. Me miserum quanti montes voluuntur aquarum Iamiam tacturos â—idera summa putes Quanta diducto subsidunt aâ—quore valles â—amiam tacturas Tartara nigra putes That is What boisterous billowes now O wretch Amidst the waues we spie As I foorthwith should haue beene heau'd To touch the Azure skie What vacant vallies be there set In swallowing Seas so wrought As presently thou look'st I should To drery hell be brought Aeneas was tossed with a like tempest as Virgil finely describeth it Aeneid 1. which place is well knowen to all yoong scholars And these fresh water souldiers discourage themselues from trauell and say It was one of the three things which Cato repented to trauell by Sea when hee might haue gone by Land And a charge that Antigonus gaue his sonnes when they were tossed with a tempest Remember my sonnes and warne your posterity of it that they neuer hazard themselues vpon such aduentures For Sailers and Aduenturers as one saith very well are neither amongst the liuing nor amongst the dead they hang betweene both ready to offer vp their soules to euery flaw of wind and billow of water wherewith they are assaulted especially to euery stormy wind and huge sea And it is more safe say they to stand vpon the shoare and to see the raging of the waters from the sea bankes than to be tossed thereupon and endangered thereby Wherefore albeit I be no great traueller my selfe yet to set foorth the praise of the one who haue beene at the cost hazarded the danger and returned with credit and to helpe the pusillanimitie of others who feare to vndertake the trauell in regard of the danger and to releeue the miserie of others who are loth to bee at the cost though they delight to heare and see strange countries people and manners I haue thought good to publish the trauels of others which lately by good chance is come vnto my hands after the death of Master Bezaliell Biddulph a learned and religious gentleman to whom they were first written In whose study amongst his letters and loose papers was found first of all a Copy of a voyage to Ierusalem by Land from Aleppo in Syria Comagena not long since vndertaken and performed by fiue Englishmen there soiourning viz Master William Biddulph Preacher to the Company of English Merchants resident in Aleppo Master Ieffrey Kirbie Merchant Master Edward Abbot Merchant Master Iohn Elkin gentleman and Iasper Tyon Ieweller This voâ—age was well penned and generally well liked of all that saw it who craued copies thereof by which meanes at length it came to my hands which I thorowly perusing and finding therein mention made of former Letters concerning other voyages by one of these fiue trauellers formerly performed directed to the said Gentleman Bezaliel Biddulph I could not satisfie my selfe vntill by the meanes of friends I came to the sight of the rest also which were many in number at least twenty letters besides the voyage to Ierusalem all directed vnto one man Some by the Preacher aboue named maister William Biddulph and some by his brother Peter Biddulph Lapidarie and Diamond cutter in those Countries Out of all which Letters I haue gathered the matter therein contained leauing out onely some salutations and priuate matters and haue thought good for the helpe of Trauellers and delight of others to make one body of them and without the consent of either of them to put them in print For the one of these two brethren is yet beyond the Seas the other after ten yeeres trauell is lately arriued into England and hath sundrie times beene requested by diuers of his good friends to publish his trauels but he could neuer be
and Bonitaes fly as long as their wings are wet which is not farre but oft agables length Porpisces and many other strange and deformed fishes we saw in our voiage the names whereof we knew not We saw also sword fishes and threshers which two kind of fishes are deadly enemies vnto the Whale The sword fish swimmeth vnder him and pricketh him vp and then the Thresher when hee hath him vp belaboureth him with his flayle or extraordinary long taile and maketh him roare On the other side ouer against Barbary in the Spanish sea we saw two Iles called Baleares which are also called Maâ—orque Minorque thirty miles distant the one from the other And other 2. Iles in the Balearique sea called Ieuis Ebusus betweene Sardinia and Africa the earth whereof will suffer no venemous thing to liue we saw also an I le called now Pantalarea but of old it was called Paconia It is very full of hils and rockes there groweth great quantity of Cotton Capers Figs Melons and Reisings The Iland is full of cesternes They say that not onely the men of that Iland but the women also are naturally good swimmers but whether they be all so or not I know not but sure I am we saw one woman come swimming from thence to our ship being becalmed with a basket of fruite to sell The I le is but thirtie miles in length and ten miles in breadth The day following we saw Sicilia a famous Iland in the Tyrrhen sea 618. miles about The Iland is most pleasant and no lesse fertile In this Iland is Aetna an high hill burning continnally with brimstone it is now called Mons Gibelli out of this hill riseth most horrible smoake and flames of fire and sometimes burning stones in great number I haue heard that in this I le there is a water whereinto if a dog be cast he will die presently but being taken out and cast into another water neere vnto it he liueth againe but this I haue not seene and therefore referre it to others which haue seene it Messana commonly called Missina is the chiefest citie in Sicilie neere the Promontory Pelorus In the sea néere vnto this Iland there is a dangerous rocke called Scylla and ouer against this dangerous rocke there is a gulfe of the sea called Charibdis commonly at this day called the Kirbies It is a very dangerous place by reason of streames flowing contrary each to other It is ouer against Scylla Marriners which saile betwixt these two are carefull to keepe an euen course lest whiles they seeke to shun the one they rush vpon the other according to that verse Incidit in Scyllam cupiens vitare Charib dim that is Seeking to auoid one danger they fall into another And in the Terrhen sea by Sicilie there is another I le called Strongyle or Stromboly which burneth in like sort as Aetna doeth it is ouer against Naples Sicilia is 50. leagues in length that is 150. miles accounting three leagues to a mile Ouer against cape Passera which is a marke for Marriners at the Eastward end of Sicilia there is an Iland called Malta where vpon some occasion we touched It is that Iland mentioned Act. 28. 1 2. where the viper came on Pauls hand It was then called Melita but now Malta The inhabitants were then Barbarians yet shewed Paul no little kindnesse for they kindled a fire and receiued him and his companie because of the present colde c. But now they are such Barbarous people which inhabit it that rather then they will receiue Paul and his companions I mean Protestants or any good Christians to the fire in kindnes to warme them they will rather in crueltie cast them into the fire to burne them Then a viper came on Pauls hand and hee shooke him off without hurt but now there are so manie viperous people there who vse so strict Inquistion when strangers come that it is impossible for a good man to shake them off without harme either to his soule if hee dissemble or to his body if he professe the trueth The inhabitants are Renegadoes and Bandidoes of sundry nations especially Greekes Italians Spaniards Moores and Maltezes There are many Souldiers there who are in pay vnder the Spaniards and their Captaines are called Knights of Malta The common sort weare no other clothing because of the extreamitie of the heat then a linnen or white shirt girded vnder their brests and ouer the same a fine white woollen mantle called by the Moores a Barnuse There are in this Iland 60. Castles as many villages all well inhabited There groweth great store of Cottons Pomegranates Cytrons Orenges Melons and other exellent fruits but for wheat wine they doe furnish themselues out of Sicilia Tripoly in Barbary is a City situated on the maine land vpon the coast of the Mediterranian Sea It was builded by the Romans and afterward subdued by the Gothes which possessed the same vnto the time of Homer The next places of any note which wée saw were two Ilands in Graecia namely Zephalonia and Zante betwixt which two our Ship passed Both of them are inhabited by Greekes but gouerned by the Signiory of Venice who every third yéere send Prouidores with other Officers to rule there They are both very fruitfull Ilands yéelding great store of currance oliues pomecitrons oringes and lemmons but small store of corne which they continually fetch from other Countries If through extremity of wether or danger of Pirates or cursares corne be not duly brought vnto them in short time they are ready to famish Zephalonia was of old called Ithaca where Vlysses the sonne of Laertes was King who excelled all other Greeks in eloquence and subtilty of wit He is commended by ancient Writers for a famous Traueller but if he were liuing in these daies his trauels would be counted nothing in respect of the trauels of many other now liuing for he trauelled but betwixt Venice and Egypt which is now a common voyage Zante of old was called Zacynthus it was somtimes a wooddy I le in the sea Ionium on the West of Peloponesus But there is now very little wood in it It is hilly round about but the middle of it is a plaine and fruitfull valley yéelding great store of Currance which are brought from thence into England The Greekes wonder what we vse to doe with so many Currance and aske sometimes whether we vse to dye with them or feed Hogges with them They were a very poore kind of people when our English Marchants vsed traffique there first but now they are growen rich and proud There is also a citie in that I le called Zante by the name of the Iland which citie was built by Zacynthus sonne to Dardanus who raigned there We staied ten dayes in the rode of this city before we could get Pratticke that is leaue to come amongst them or to vse traffique with them for their custome
is not to giue present Pratticke vnto any strangers vnlesse they bring a letter of health from the place whence they come which we had not And therefore some of our companie who had businesse there we sent to the Lazaretta which is a place like vnto the pest house in More-fields where though they be in health yet there they must stay so long as it pleaseth the Signiors of health which is sometime twenty and sometimes forty dayes and in the meane time if any of their companie fall sicke though it be at the end of fortie daies yet must they stay forty daies longer So long as they are kept without Pratticke they haue a Guardian set to watch them that they come into no companie neither any man into theirs yet may their friends come to visit them and standing farre off may speake with them but if they come too neere them the Guardian will cry out vnto them Alargo alargo that is Stand backe And whosoeuer coÌ„meth so néere them as to touch them looseth his owne Pratticke and must kéepe them companie during their continuance there If they bring any letters for any Merchants in the Citie the GuardiaÌ„ wil open them aire them at the fice before he wil deliuer them But if the letter be sowed or if there bee any thread about them they must not be deliuered vntill they that brought them haue Prattick And this they doe vnder pretence of auoiding sicknesse but they haue a further meaning therein viz. partly to get money and bribes and partly to bee acquainted with the businesse of all commers and what commodities they bring And whosoeuer presumeth to come on shoare without Pratticke is in danger of hanging or hauing the strappado And though they haue a certificate that there is health in the place from whence they came yet must they not come on shoare before they haue shewed their Fede or Neate patent vnto three officers called Signiors of health Zante is very much subiect vnto earthquakes There is no yeere passeth without many earthquakes especially in the moneths of September and October in which moneths I haue knowen two or three earthquakes in one weeke In regard whereof they build houses very lowe lest they should bee ouerthrowen by earthquakes And when they feele the earthquakes beginne whether it be by day or by night the Greekes vse presently to ring their bels to stir vp the people unto Praier In Zante there is a very strong Castle standing on an high hill it is also very large halfe as big as the Citie of Zante and therein dwelleth the Prouidatore who gouerneth the Iland and many other and there is the place of iudgement where all causes both Criminall and Iudiciall are decided by the Prouidatore his Counselliers ouer which place these two Lattin verses are written on the walle in letters of gold Hic locus odit amat punit conseruat honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina iura probos which may be Englished thus This place doeth hate vnthrifâ—ines Loue peace and punish wickednes Maintaineth right and equity And honoureth good men worthily Ouer against Zante is the maine land of Graecia called now Morea but of old Peloponnesus almost enuironed with the sea hauing on the West and South the sea Adriaticum on the east the sea of Creete And in the middle of Peloponnesus is a Country called Arcadia so called of Arcas sonne to Jupiter by Calistho who raigned there Arcadia is famous for shepheards There are great store of shéepe continually feeding and good pasture for them In the narrow strait going into Peloponnesus was Corinth that famous City in Achaia situated but now vtterly destroied From Zante wée set saile towards Venice and touched by the way at many places and first of all at a Port néere vnto Corphu called Madonnâ— de Gazopo where there is a Church dedicated vnto the Virgin Mary whereunto there is great resort of such as haue escaped dangers by sea or sicknesse or other dangers by land to offer something to Madonna de Gazopo for their deliuerance And amongst many others it was told vs by our consort the master of a Venice ship in our company that an Italian ship being in great distresse by extremity of wether in the gulfe of Venice when all hope of helpe by worldly meanes was past euery man fell to praier like the Mariners in Ionas ship and euery man called vpon his god some to Neptune some to S. Nicolas some to one Saint some to another But the master of the ship praied to Madonna de Gazopo in this manner O blessed Virgin deliuer me out of this danger and J will offer vnto thee if I come safely to Gazopo a candle as bigge as the maine maste of my ship One of his mates hearing him plucked him by the shoulders and said O master what doe you meane to dally with our blessed Lady in this extremitie For it is impossible you should performe it Whereunto he replied Hold thy peace foole it concerneth vs to speake faire now we are in danger and to make large promises but if she deliuer vs I will make her content with a candle of seuen or eight in the pound Not much vnlike vnto another desperate Mariner whom I haue heard of who in a dangerous storme séeing euery man fall to his praiers and prepare themselues to die he fell on his knées and praied in this manner O Lord I am no common begger I doe not trouble thee euery day for I neuer praied to thee before and if it please thee to deliuer me this once I will neuer pray to thee againe as long as I liue So true is that old saying Qui nescit orare discat nauigare that is He that knoweth not how to pray let him goe downe to sea For great dangers by sea do driue them to praier who neuer praied before though none pray effectually but the faithfull who pray feruently From Madonna de Gazopo we sailed along by Albania and were driuen with a crosse winde to Ottronto in Calabria at the entrance into the gulfe of Venice where we staied two daies And then we had a good winde which brought vs to Ragouza an ancient City in Dalmatia which is a part of Jllyrium or Illyricum as others call it bordering vpon Liburnia Eastward But at this day that which of old was called Illyris or Illyricum is now called Sclauonia or Wendenlande hauing on the North Pannonia on the West Jstria on the East Mysia superior on the South the Adriaticke Sea It was so called of Illyrius son to Polyphemus From thence we sailed along the Illyrian shoare in the gulph of Venice and came to an hauen towne in Istria called Rauina ouer against Rauenna on the coast of Calabria which Rauenna is an ancient Citie in Italy by the Adriâ—tticke Sea At Rauina we tooke in a Pilot to direct vs to Venice Istria is a part of Italy ioyning to Illyricum and is now called Sclauonia From Rauina in one
Chalcedonia ouer against Byzantium which was a famous City in Bythinia where another Generall Councell was held But it is now no City but onely a plaine field hauing héere and there an house yet standing At the point of Chalcedon we first beheld the prospect of Constanâ—inople which is most pleasant to behold being like vnto a City in a wood or a wood in a City hauing firre trées Cyprus trées and other pleasant trées in gardens adioining to their houses It is also adorned with many stately Towers Churches and high Stéeples The forme of the City is like vnto a Triangle whereof two squares are by the water side the other adioineth to the Land After our Ship had saluted the Port we went ouer to the other side and anchored at Fundacâ—ee and went on shore at Gallata to salute the honourable Sir Henrie Lello Lord Ambassadour for Quéene Elizabeth of famous memorie and to visit our English Merchants resident there Our ship hauing discharged her goods at Fundacle remoued from thence and anchored further from shoare betwixt Tapanau and Bezetash expecting a good winde to depart Constantiople is on the other side the water in Thracia which is also called the countrey Romania in Europe hauing on the west Macedonia on the North Isther on the East Pontus on the South the Sea Aegeum As yet I haue not beene farre in Constantinople wherefore I forbeare to write any thing thereof at this time purposing hereafter when I haue thorowly viewed it to describe it vnto you at large In this Interim I humbly take my leaue and leaue you to him who neuer leaueth his Your Worships euer in the Lord wholly to bee commanded WILLIAM BIDDVLPH A description of the famous Citie of Constantinople as it is now vnder SVLTAN ACHOMET the 15. Grand-Chan of the line of OTTOMAN Salutem in Authore salutis c. SInce the writing of my former letters I hauing often beene at Constantinople and thorowly viewed the same according to promise I haue thought good to write somthing vnto you thereof May it please you therefore to vnderstand that Constantinopolis is a Citie in Thracia so called of Constantine the Emperour because hee enlarged the same It was before called Byzantium Strabo entituled it Illustre and Plinie Iustine called it most Noble being one of the most fertile in all Europe It is situted in Thracia vpon the gulph Ponthus which separateth Asia from Europe The forme thereof is thrée square whereof the two sides are washed by the sea the third ioyneth vnto the firme land The soile thereof is very delectable bringing foorth all kindes of good fruites necessarie for sustenance of humane life The situation thereof is so well deuised and ordered that no Ship can enter nor goe foorth but with leaue from the head Vizeir for the Turke is master of the Sea Pontike which hauing 2. mouths the one comming from Propontidis and the other from the Sea Euxinum which is the Blacke sea is by Ouid called the Port of two Seas for the distance from Constantinople to Calcedon is but 14. furlongs And the place which by the ancients is called Phane situated in Asia whereas Jason returning from Calchos sacrificed vnto the 12. gods hath in breadth but 10. furlongs But for as much as many great riuers of Asia many more of Europe doe fall into the Euxine sea commonly called the blacke sea it commeth to passe that being full shee gusheth out through the mouth of her with great violence into the sea Pontique and from thence through the straight of Hellespont being not much broader then thrée furlongs into the Aegean Sea This citie according to the saying of many ancient Authors was first builded by the Lacedemonians vnder the conduct of their Captaine Pausanias which was about the yeere of the world 3292. and before the birth of Iesus Christ 663. yeeres which after they had consulted with Apollo where they should plant and settle their abode and dwelling place they were by an oracle answered that they should doe it euen hard by the blind which were the Megarians for that after they were sailed into Thracia leauing the good and fruitfull coast where since Byzantium was builded vnaduisedly went and planted themselues either for yâ— opposition in the most fruitful ground of Asia or for the vain hope they had for the fishing they builded there a Citie which was called Calcedon But they found themselues greatly deceiued For the fishes being caried by the violence of the floud and tide of the Euxine Sea into Propontis approaching néere vnto the Banks of Calcedon being afraid through the whitenesse of the rockes doe retire straight waies to the side of Bizantium which gaue occasion vnto the valiant Paulanias to fortifie the Citie with good walles rampiers changing the first name thereof which as Plinie saith was Ligos and called the same Bizantium Notwithstanding Diodorus Polybius doe contrarily say that it was called Byzantium by the name of a Captaine which was the first founder thereof Pausanias as Zonoras writeth possessed the same seuen yéeres during which time Fortune shewing her selfe an enemie vnto his magnificence stuffed the hearts of the Athenians with such an insatiable ambition that they hauing brought thither their forces after a long siege and diuers assaults did beare away the victorie which the Lacede monians seeing could not abide but with their whole puissance tooke their weapons in hand with such pertinacy that the aduenture thereof on the one side and on the other was very dangereous and variable And being sometimes taken againe by her first founders and afterwards by her aggressors became in the end a pray vnto both the armies And after that Seuerus succeeding in the Râ—mane Empire the tyrant Pissininus her mortal enemie being in possession Byzantium suborned the Emperour to lay siege vnto the same who not hauing sufficient power to ouercome the same by assaults kept them besieged the space of three whole yéeres in the end through extreame famine constained them to yéeld themselues vnto the mercy of the Romanes which was such that after they had put to the sword all the men of warre that were within it and killed the Maiestrates thereof ruined and cast downe to the ground the walles of the Citie and Seuerus afterwards to satisfie his crueltie spoiled the Citizens of all their rights franchises and liberties giuing moreouer the Land and possessions vnto the Perinthians And thus this most famous Citie remained in miserable calamitie vntill such time as Constantine the great Emperour remouing from Rome did réedifie the same But before I write any thing of the reedifyigns of Byzantium of Constantine the great giue mee leaue to shew you the cause wherefore Constantine remoued from Rome 2. Thessal 2. 7. S. Paul prophesying of the reuealing of Antichrist saith thus Yee know what withholdeth that he might be reuealed in his time c. Which hinderance was the Romane Emperous
which were first to depart from Rome and giue place to the Popes because both Emperours and Popes could not raigne together in one Citie And that hinderance was taken away long since when Constantine the great translated his imperiall Seat to Constantinople and indowed the Popes with the Citie of Rome and a great part of Italy lying about it The Emperours then being farre off and by reason of continuall warres with Saracens and enemies in the East notable to maintaine their own right in the West the Popes incroached vpon them too far and vsurped so much authoritie that they discarded them cleane in Italy and at their pleasure set vp other Emperours in the West but such as would take an oath to bée subiect to the Apostolike Sée of Rome and acknowledge the Popes to be vniuersall Bishops So the hinderance was taken away when Constantine remooued to Constantinople and Antichrist was manifestly disclosed not long after when Boniface the third obtained the title of Vniuersall Bishop which was 900. yéeres agoe for as Gregorie saith none but Antichrist would assume vnto him such a title But yet Constantine had no regard to any prophecie when hée remooued at first from Rome to Byzantium and there setled his Emperiall pallace but he respected onely a more commodious gouernement of those matters and kingdomes of his that lay Eastward which at that time were miserably disquieted by the Parthians and Persians For Constantinople did séem to be so situated whereas otherwise Constantine had once thought to haue setled elsewhere as that it was as you would say the nauel or middest vnto the whole Romane iurisdiction which as we know spread it selfe farre and néere and yet it could not possibly otherwise fall out because that so the Romane Empire might become double headed haue those two horns which God before had reuealed So the prouidence of God guided this whole enterprise of Constantine and so fulfilled what himselfe had decréed Hereby you may perceiue two causes wherefore Constantine remoued from Rome 1. The first more secret in the prouidence of God that the prophecie of the Apostle Paul 2. Thessal 2 7. might be fulfilled 2. The second more publike and better knowen to all viz. that Constantine the great Emperour of the Romanes séeking to resist the courses and robberies which the Parthes daily vsed towards the Romanes deliberated to transport the Empyre into the East parts and there to build a large Citie which first hee minded to haue builded in Sardique and afterwards in Troyada a countrey of high Pmygia néere vnto the cape Sigeâ— in the place where sometime stood the Citie of Troy which he began to reedifie and to repaire the foundations thereof But being by a Reuelation in the night inspired to change the place caused to be recommenced the workes of Calcedon where certaine Eagles as Zoâ—arus writeth being flowen thither tooke in their bils the masons lines and crossing the stréete let them fall neere vnto Byzantium whereof the Emperour being aduertised taking the same for a good signe and diuine instruction after hee had taken view of the place called backe the masters of his workes from Calcedon caused the City to be repaired and amplifyed which according to his name he called Constantinople notwithstanding that at the first he had called the same new Rome Whereupon it came to passe that both in generall Counsels and in the decrées of Emperours mention is made of two Romes one the olde which is the true Rome built by Romulus the other the new which is Constantinople which also began to hold vp the head by vertue of the priuiledges and prerogatiues of old Rome Constantinople was likewise called Ethuse and Antonie but by the Grecians Stimboli and of the Turks Stambolda which in their language signifieth a large City and so it is called by them at this day The Emperour now seeing his Citie builded and sufficiently peopled compassed the same with walles towers and ditches building therein many sumptuous Temples adorning it with many magnifique buildings and necessary works as well publik as priuate And afterwards for the more beautifying thereof caused to be brought from Rome diuers Antiquities worthy of memorie and amongst others the Palladium of ancient Troy that is the image of Pâ—llas in Troy which he caused to be set in the place of Placote the great columne of Porphyre which was set vp in the same place Neere vnto which he caused to be erected a Statue of brasse to the likenesse of Apollo of a maruailous bignesse in which place hee ordained his name to ve set vp But in the time of the Emperour Alâ—xis Comine this Statue through a great and impetuous tempest was cast down to the ground and broken all to pieces This Emperour liued there many yéeres most prosperously in happy estate as likewise did many of his successours but not altogether exempted from persecutions as well by wars fires pestilence earth-quakes as sundry other calamities vntill such time as God purposing to punish the people for their sins through negligence of Emperours stirred vp Mahomet the second of that name and the eighth Emperour vnto the Turkes who being mooued with an earnest desire to bring the Christians vnto decay and thereby to augment his Empire being beyond measure iealous to sée this noble City so florish before his eies went with a maruellous power both by sea and by land to giue a furious siege vnto the City The end and issue whereof was such that after a long siege battery and diuers assaults the Jnfidels hauing gotten the wals with a great hurlyburly and fury entred into the city where at the first entry they made a maruellou slaughter of the poore assieged Christians without sparing any age or degrée The Emperour Constantine they killed in the prease as he though to haue saued himselfe and after that they had cut off his head in derision and ignominy they carried the same vpon the point of a speare round about the Campe and City And afterwards Mahomet not contenting himselfe with the violating and deflouring of the Emperours wife daughters and other Ladies of honour by a sauage cruelty caused them in his presence to be dismembred and cut in péeces During the time of the sacking which continued thrée daies there was no kinde of fornication Sodometry sacrilege nor cruelty by them left vnexecuted They spoiled the incomparable Temple of S. Sophia which was built by the Emperour Iustinian of all ornaments and hallowed vessels and made thereof a stable and a brodell for buggerers and whores This lamentable losse of Constantinople being chiefe of the Orientall Empire and likewise of the City of Perah by the Turkes called Gallata being the seat of trade of the Geneuoises lying hard by Constantinople vpon the other side of the Chanell was in the yéere of our Sauiour 1453. March 29. some doe say of Aprill and others of May after it had remained vnder the dominion of the Christians
where it was ouerwhelmed with water Secondly on the Marine néere vnto the sea where it was often sacked by Cursares And now thirdly a mile from the sea where it is annoyed with sande Our ship being not ready to set saile at our returne from the mount but staying partly to dispatch their businesse and partly for a good wind we trauailed by land two daies iourney to see Tyrus and Sidon hard by the sea And at Sidon wée saw the Tombe of Zabulon the sonne of Iacob held in great estimation and reuerent account at this present day Tyrus is now called by the Turkes Sur because there beginneth the land of Siria which they call Sur Tyrus is destroyed and no such Citie now standing onely the name of the place remaineth and the place is still knowen where it stood Eight miles from Tyrus towards the East is the Citie Sarepta of the Sidonians where the Prophet Elias raised the Widowes sonne from death to life We saw also Baruta where somtimes was a great trade for Merchants but from thence they remooued it to Damascus and from Damascus to Tripoly and of late from Tripoly to Sidon Ioppa is not farre from these parts oftentimes Barkes come from the one to the other At our returne wee went aboard and presently set saile for Scanderone as it is now called by Turks otherwise called Alexandretta by the Christians which is the very bottome and vtmost border of all the straights The ayre is very corrupt and infecteth the bodies and corrupteth the blood of such as continue there many daies partly by reason of the dregs of the sea which are driuen thither and partly by reason of two high mountaines which keepe a way the sunne from it a great part of the day And it is very dangerous for strangers to come on shoare before the sunne be two houres high and haue dried vp the vapors of the ground or to stay on shoare after sunne setting The waters also néere vnto the towne are very vnholsome comming from a moorish ground but at the fountaine a mile off there is excéeding good water to drinke It is far more healthfull to sléepe aboard then on the shoare Scanderone is in Cilicia and Cilicia is the countrie Caramonia as it is now called in the lesser Asia and is diuided into two parts viz. Trocher and Campestris It hath on the East the hill Amanus on the North Taurus on the West Pamphila on the South the Cilician sea Scanderone is the port for Aleppo where all our Merchants land their goods and send them vp to Aleppo vpon Cammels The Carauans vsually make thrée daies iourney betwixt Scanderone and Aleppo Whiles our Cammels were preparing we tooke boat and went to an ancient towne by the sea side called at this day Byas but of old Tarsus a Citie in Cilicia where S. Paul was borne mentioned Act. 22. 3. which towne is arched about as many of their Cities are to keepe away the heat of the sun which Arches they call Bazars At the gardens neere Tarsus and likewise at other gardens within three miles of Scanderone we saw great store of Silke-wormes which at the first bee but little graines like vnto Mustardseed but by the bearing of them in womens bosomes they doe gather an heat whereby they come vnto life and so proue wormes they kéepe them in tents made of réeds with one loft ouer another full of them and féed them with leaues of Mulbery trées these wormes by naturall instinct doe fast often as some report euery third day Heere we staied certaine dayes to auoid the infection of Scanderone The mountaines which obscure Scanderone and make it more vnhealthfull I take to be a part of Taurus which is a great and famous Mountaine beginning at the Indian Sea and rising into the North passeth by Asia vnto Moeotis bordering vpon many Countries and is called by many names Sometimes it is called Caucasus which is the highest hill in all Asia which parteth Jndia from Scythia and is part of the hill Taurus Sometimes it is called Amanus which hill parteth Syria from Cilicia And sometimes it is called by other names according vnto the sea coasts along which it extendeth About Scanderone there are many rauenous beasts about the bignesse of a For commonly called there Iackalles engendered as they say of a Fox and a Woolfe which in the night make a great crying and come to the graues and if there haue béene any corse buried the day before if the graue be not well filled with many great stones vpon it many of them together with their feet doe scrape vp the earth and pull vp the corps and eat it At our returne from Tharsus Edward Rose our Factor marine prouided vs horses to ride to Aleppo and a Ienesary called Parauan Bashaw with two Iimmoglans to guard vs with necessary victuals for our selues to spend by the way for there are no Innes nor victualing houses in that countrie but trauellers take victuals for themselues and prouender for their horses with them Our Merchants and passengers making haste to bee gone from this contagious and pestiferous place Scanderone which one very well called The bane of Franks left their goods with the Factor Marine to be sent after them because the Malims and Muckremen as they call the Carriers were not yet come down with their Cammels to carry them vp but we met them at the fountaine of fishes néere vnto Scanderone About eight miles from Scanderone we came to a towne called Bylan where there lieth buried an English Gentleman named Henry Morison who died there comming downe from Aleppo in companie with his brother master Phines Morison who left his Armes in that countrie with these verses vnder written To thee deare HENRY MORISON Thy brother PHINES here left alone Hath left this fading memorie For monuments and all must die From Bylan we came to the plaine of Antioch and went ouer the Riuer Orontes by boate which Riuer parteth Antiochia and Syria Antioch plaine is very long large at least 10. miles in length Wee lodged the first night at Antiochia in Pisidia an ancient towne about 25. miles from Scanderone mentioned Act. 11. 26. where the Disciples were first called Christians Héere we lodged in an house but on the bare ground hauing nothing to sléepe on or to couer vs but what we brought with vs viz. a pillow aâ—d a quilt at the most and that was lodging for a Lord. This Antioch hath beene as a famous so an excéeding strong Towne situated by the Sea and almost compassed at the least on both sides with excéeding high and strong rockes The Inhabitants at this day are Gréekes but vnder the gouernement of the Turke but for matters of Religion ordered and ruled by their Patriarchs for the Gréeks haue foure Patriarchs to this present day viz. The Patriarch of Antioch the Patriarch of Ierusalem the Patriarch of Alexandria the Patriarch of
Cohens preach in the Spanish tongue All matters of controuersie betwixt themselues are brought before their Cakam to decide who is their chiefe Churchman Cakam in Hebrue is as much as Sapiens in Latine that is a wise man and Cohen in Hebrue is as much as Sacerdos in Latine that is a Priest Most of the Iewes can read Hebrue but few of them speake it except it be in two places in Turkey and that is at Salonica formerly called Thessalonica a City in Macedonia by the gulfe Thermaicus and at Safetta in the Holy Land néere vnto the sea of Galile Which two places are as it were Vwersities or Schooles of learning amongst them and there honoris gratiâ— they speake Hebrue I haue sundry times had conference with many of them and some of them yea the greatest part of them are blasphemous wretches who when they are pressed with an argument which they cannot answer breake out into opprobrious spéeches and say Christ was a false Prophet and that his Disciples stole him out of his graue whiles the souldiers who watched him slept and that their forefathers did deseruedly crucifie him and that if he were now liuing they would vse him worse than euer then forefathers did Of Christians of sundry sorts soiourning in Aleppo Besides these Turkes Moores and Arabians which are all Mahometans and Iewes which are Talmudists there are also sundry sorts of Christians in this Countrey which are of two sorts either such as were borne brought vp and dwelled in the Country or such as were borne in Christendome and only soiourne héere for a time to exercise merchandises The first sort who were borne in this Heathen Countrey and dwell there are either Armenians Maronites Iacobites Georgians Chelfalines or Greekes which are all gouerned by their Patriarkes for Ecclesiasticall matters But for ciuill gouernment both they and their Patriarkes are subiect to Turkish Lawes yea they are all slaues vnto the great Turk whom they call their Grand Signior Of the Nostranes or Nazaritans Amongst all these sorts of Christians there is amongst the Mâ—ronites an ancient company of Christians called vulgarly Nostranes quasi Nazaritans of the Sect of the Nazarites more ciuill and harmlesse people than any of the rest Their Country is Mount Lybanus as I wrote vnto you héeretofore but many of them dwell at Aleppo whereof some of them are Cassises that is Churchmen some of them are Cookes and seruants vnto English Merchants and others some Artificers All of them liue somewhat poorely but they are more honest and true in their conuersation than any of the rest especially at their first comming from Mount Lybanus to dwell in Aleppo and many during their continuance there if they be not corrupted by other wicked Nations there dwelling in whom I obserued more by experience than I heard of them or noted in them when I was amongst them at Mount Lybanus And especially for the manner of their marriage and how they honour the same They buy their wiues of their fathers as others there dwelling doe but neuer sée them vntill they come to be married nor then neither vntill the mariage be solemnized betwixt them for there is a partition in the place where they méet to be married and the man and his friends stand on the one side and the yoong woman her friends on the other side where they may heare but not sée one another vntill the Cassies bid the yoong man put his hand thorow an hole in the wall and take his wife by the hand And whiles they haue hand in hand the mother of the maid commeth with some sharpe instrument made for the purpose and all to bepricketh the new married mans hand and maketh it bléed And if he let her hand goe when he féeleth his hand smart they hold it for a signe that he will not loue her But if he hold fast notwithstanding the smart and wring her hard by the hand vntill she cry rather than he will once shrinke then he is counted a louing man and her friends are glad that they haue bestowed her on him And how they honour marriage aboue others I obserued by the naming of their first manchilde For as amongst vs the women when they are married lose their Surnames and are surnamed by the husbands surname and children likewise so amongst them the father loseth his name and is called by the name of his eldest sonne in this manner I haue knowen a Nostrane whose name was Mou-se that is Moses who hauing a manchilde named him Vseph that is Ioseph and then was the father no more called Mouâ—e Moâ—es but Abou Vseph that is the father of Ioseph Another whose name was Vseph named his eldest sonne Pher-iolla after which he was no more called Vâ—eph but Abou Phâ—r-iolla the father of Pher-iolla Another man called Iubraell that is Gabriell his sonne at the time of Baptisme being named Mouse he alwaies after was called Abou Mouse that is the father of Moses such an honour doe they account it to be father of a manchilde These Nostranes reuerence their Cassises greatly and kisse their hand wheresoeuer they méet them yet are most of them altogether vnlearned hauing only the knowledge of the Syriac tongue wherein their Liturgie is read They kéepe their Feasts at the same time as we doe viz. Christmasse Easter and Whitsuntide and at Christmasse on the Twelfth day in the morning called Epiphanie their yoong men haue a custome betimes in the morning to leape naked into the water I could neuer heare any reason of their so doing but Vzansa de prease the Custome of their Countrey And though it be then very cold yet they perswade themselues and others that then it is hotter than at any other time and that the water then hath an extraordinarie vertue to wash away their sinnes On Munday in Easter wéeke and Whitsun wéeke these Nostranes goe with their Cassises to the graues of the dead and there knéele downe and burne incense and pray at euery graue Of the Chelfalines THe Chelfalines are Christians dwelling vpon the borders of Persia betwéene Mesopotamia and Persia at a place called Chelsa These bring silke to Aleppo to sell They are plaiâ—â— dealing people If a man pay them money and by ouer-reckoning himselfe giue them more than their due though there be but one peece ouer so soone as they perceiue it though it bée many daies after they will bring it backe againe and restore it and thinke they shall neuer returne safely into their Country if they should not make restitution thereof These people perswade themselues and report vnto others that they dwell in that place which was called Eden whereinto Adam was put to keepe it and dresse it But some hold that this pleasant garden Eden did extend ouer all the earth But by the second chapter of Genesis it appeareth manifestly that this garden wherein man was placed which we call Paradise was a certaine place on earth not spreading ouer all but only
a part thereof containing a conuenient portion of the Countrey called Eden bounding vpon the Riuer Euphrates which Riuer is deuided into foure streames and runneth or at leastwise did then flow in manner as it is described Gen. 2. 10. c. And Eden is the name of a Country so called for the pleasantnesse of it For Hadan in Hebrue is in English to delight From hence also the Greekes call pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And howsoeuer it besomewhat probable that these Chelphalines dwell now in that Country which was called Eden yet Plato and Aristoâ—le and Lactantius and others doe constantly affirme as they haue receiued of ancient monuments that Mountaines and Riuers and Ilands and Countries haue receiued much alteration in this kinde Sicilia is said to haue beene diuided from Italy Cyprus from Syria England from France by the violence of the Sea whereas before they were ioined as Peloâ—onneâ—us is to the rest of Grecia or as the towne of Rye at an high water séemeth to be to the rest of England So that no certainty can be giuen either by reading or trauelling of the place where Eden was because these Riuers run in other streames forasmuch as Cyrus at the taking of Babylon is affirmed to haue restrained the maine chanell of this very riuer Euphrates vnto an vnwonted course and to haue deuided the riuer Gindes which is next vnto it in greatnesse into 360. streames Besides the Country of Mesopotamia by which these riuers passe being partly dry and sandy and seldome watered with the showers of heauen and on the other part excéeding fruitfull by the nature of the soile is by the industry of the inhabitants so nourished with waters by cutting out chanels and ditches out of the maine streames as the same is amended where it is barren of the same vnfruitfulnesse and corrected againe of his ouerrich increase where it is ouer fertile No maruell therefore if these riuers are not fully agreed vpon by Writers hauing lost perhaps their ancient streames together with their names as Paradise and the whole earth besides hash lost her ancient fruitfulnesse And these Chelphalines are ignorant people and haue no reason to prooue that they now dwell in the place which was called Eden whereinto Adam was put to kéepe it and to dresse it but that the riuer Euphrates and other riuers mentioned Gen. 2. 10. 11. 12. run by their Country Others of them say that they haue receiued it by Tradition from their Elders from time to time But that which God hath concealed I will not search out But notwithstanding all that I haue read heard or séene in my trauels I resolue my selfe that no man liuing can demonstrate the place which God for the sinnes of Adam accursed and euer since the place is vnknowen Of the Greekes THe Greekes are a very superstitious subtle and deceitfull people insomuch that it is growen to a prouerbe amongst the Italians Chi fida in Grego sara intrego That is He that trusteth to a Greeke Shall be intâ—eaged and still to seeke They hate the Papists and yet in many things agrée with them as in Auricular Confession Transubstantiation and some other opinions But their Liturgie is read in the vulgar Tongue The Greeke in Aleppo are very poore for they are there for the most pâ—rt but Brokers or Bastages that is Porters and many of their women as light as water maintaining their husbands themselues and their families by prostituting their bodies to others And their owne husbands are often times their Pandars or procurers to bring them Custâ—mers But the Greekes that liue at Constantinople are many of them great Merchants and very rich but excéeding proud and sumptuous in apparell euen the basest of them and especially their women who though they be but Coblers wiues or poore Artificers wiues yet they goe in gownes of sattin and taffery yea of cloth of siluer and gold adorned with precious stones and many gemmes and iewels about their necks and hands They care not how they pinch their bellies so that they may haue fine apparell on their backs And at the time of their marriage the women condition with their husbands to finde them decent apparell and conâ—enient diet and bring them before their Patriarke of Constantinople to confirme it which if it be not performed accordingly if they complaine to their Patriarke they are diuorced presently and shee taketh an other man to her husband better able to maintaine her and he may marry an other woman if he please One onely instance hereof will I giue you in a matter notoriously knowen to all nations soiourning or dwelling in or about Constantinople In Pera or Gallata on the other fide the water there is a most famous or rather infamous Gréeke whore called Charatza Sophia that is Mistresse Sophia the daughter of a poore Gréeke widow who liueth by laundry who being maried vâ—to a Géeke because he kept her not fine enough she complaned of him to the Patriarke and was diuorced from him and presently thereupon tooke another man who was a Christian in name but no Gréeke but one who was as is reported of him borne in no land in the world but by sea and brought vp in Polonia vntill he were thirtéene or fourtéene néeres of age and then came to Constantinople and serued many masters there at the first in the basest seruices both in the stable and in the kitchin and afterwards in better seruices than he deserued being both vnlearned and irreligious This man had many children by this infamous woman Sophia yet after many yeeâ—es arising to higher fortunes turned her away and married another woman And to dawbe vp the matter somwhat smoothly procured a Greeke Taylor to marry with this Sophia and gaue many hundred Dolers with her to her marriage But this Charatza could not content her selfe long with this Gréeke Taylor but admitted dayly other men into her companie whereupon the poore Taylor ran away with his money and left this light huswife to the mercie of her former louers hauing thrée husbands liuing yet shee her selfe liuing with none of them This is common in euery mans mouth thereabouts and talked of many thousand miles off to the disgrace of his Countrie and slander of Christianitie And both at Constantinople Aleppo and other places of Turkey where there is traffiking and trading of Merchants it is no rare matter for popish Christians of sundry other Countries to Cut Cabine as they call it that is to take any woman of that contrie where they soiourne Turkish women onely excepted for it is death for a Christian to meddle with them and when they haue bought them and enroled them in the Cadies booke to vse them as wiues so long as they soiourne in that countrie and maintaine them gallantly to the consuming of their wealth diminishing of their health and endangering of their owne soules And when they depart out of that Country they shake off these their swéet-hearts leaue them
apparell also must be neat in Cities where they soiourne for their credit But when they trauell abroad it must be simple for their safety for the baser their apparell is the better shall they passe for if they weare good apparell their throats will be cut for their apparell and hope of much money for those that go braue they account rich And whereas in seruants it is commendable to haue asses eares in trauellers it is néedfull to haue asses backes also to beare all abuses in good part and rather to beare an hundreth abuses then to offer one Wherfore seruants and trauellers must alwaies remember this Distichon or couple of verses following Nobile vincendi genus est patientia vincit Qui patitur sivis vincere discepati that is A noble kind of conquering is patience to see and heare He which forbeareth conquereth If thou wilt conquer learne to beare But to leaue these matters and to procéede to my voiage At the foote of this mountaine there is an old Cane where vsually trauellers lodge but it béeing not yet noone we resolued to trauell 18 miles further to the Sea of Galile At the foote of this stony hill hard by this Cane there runneth a pleasant riuer which diuideth Siria from Galile And ouer this riuer there is a fair bridge the one end whereof is out of the holy land the other in it This riuer is called Iordane the head whereof commeth from Mount Libanus and maketh three Seas The first is the waters of Maron which wee left on our right hand about ten miles off The other on the left hand which lay in our waie as we should trauell The second is the sea of Galile or Tiberias or lake of Genezereth The third is the Sea of Sodome called Mare mortuum where the riuer Iordan endeth The bridge that crosseth this Riuer Iordan at the entrance into the holy land is called Iacobs bridge for two causes First it is said that there Iacob met his brother Esau Secondly that there Iacob wrestled with an Angel A description of the Holy Land THE whole Holy Land of old was called Chanaan and it was deuided into thrée parts viz. Galile Iudea Paleâ—tina Later writers haue called all by the name of Palestina The first part of Canaan called Galile beginneth at this bridge and to this day it is a very pleasant and fruitful Countrie After wee were entred into Galile about 2. miles from the bridge our Ienesarie asked vs whether we would go vp to a mountaine and so to Saphetta neere vnto mount Carmel which is a place of leaning for Iewes or keepe the lower way and goe by the sea of Galile which is the pleasanter way and thereof we made choise and tooke Saphetta in our way afterwards About seuen miles from Iacobs bridge our guide brought vs to a well adorned with marble pillers and couered with stone which he said to haue beene the pit whereinto Ioseph was put when his brethren sold him to the Ishmalites But it seemed to vs incredible first because that was a dry pit and this is ful of sweet water Againe Iacob dwelt at Hebron twelue miles beyond Ierusalem and his sonnes kept shéepe in Shechem And that dry pit whereinto they put Ioseph was at Dothan which we saw afterwards And this pit which they shewed vs with marble pillars was in Galile not néere Dothan nor Shechem where Iosephs brethren kept their fathers sheepe But by others of better iudgement wee vnderstood that this also was called Ioseps pit or well because it was built by one Iosph not Ioseph the sonne of Iacob but some other But the ignorant people which trauell that way are apt to beleeue any things that is told them About ten miles from this well we came to a Cane called by the Moores Minium but by the Turkes Missia hard by the sea of Galile where we lodged all night hauing trauelled that day by computation 36. miles The foure and twentieth of March we rode along by the Sea of Galile which Iohn 6. 1. is called by two mames viz. the Sea of Galile or Tiberias Galile because it is in Galile and Tiberias because the City Tiberias was built by it and Bethsaida an other ancient City of both which we saw some ruinous Wals. And it is said in that Chapter Iohn 6. 1. that Iesus went ouer the Sea of Galile and in an other place that he went beyond the Lake And Luke 9. 10. It is said that hée went into a slitary place neere vnto a Citie called Bethsaida which place of Iohn I learned to vnderstand better by seeing it then euer I could before by reading of it For séeing that Tiberias and Bethsaida were both Cities on the same side of the Sea and Christ went from Tiberias too or neere vnto Bethsaida I gather thereby that our Sauiour Christ went not ouer the length or breadth of that Sea but ouer some Arme bosome or reach thereof viz. so farre as Tiberias was distant from Bethsaida which is also confirmed in that it is said elswhere A great multitude followed him on foot thither which they could not haue done if he had gone quite ouer the Sea to the other side among the Gergelens which is out of the holy Land And therfore this Sea of Galile is also called the Lake of Genesereth because the Countrey of the Cergesens is on the other side the Lake from whence the Swine ran headlong into the Sea and were choaked therein and as that place was out of the holy Land so the people which then inhabited it were as far from holines when they requested our sauiour Christ to depart out of their Coasts And such like holy people inhabite there still viz. wild Arabs and Turks c. We sawe also neere vnto this Sea the place where that Towne mentioned Iohn 2. 1. called Cana of Galile stood where our Sauiour Christ at a mariage turned water into wine in place whereof there standeth now a poore village inhabited by Turks This sea of Galile is by computation in length 8. leagues and in breadth 5. leagues and euery league is thrée miles and then it encloseth it selfe into a narrowe compasse carrying but the breadth of an ordinarie riuer vntill it come to Sodome where it endeth which is called mare mortuum that is The dead Sea After we had rode about seuen miles by the sea of Galile we left it on our left hand and ascended vp a mountaine on the right hand This mountaine was not very stéepie but excéeding pleasant and fertile for being the springtime it was so beset with such varietie of flowers among the greene grasse that they séemed to flire in our faces and to laugh and sing as the Psalmist speaketh as we went Psal 65. 13. This is said to bee that mountaine mentioned John 6. 9. where our Sauiour Christ wrought a miracle in feeding 5000. men with fiue Barley loaues and two fishes When we came to the
death ready for battle Our Ienesaries kinsman Faâ—olla had his musket ready and being about to giue fire was staied by our Ienesarie who saw not only these Arabs present very desperat with their bowes and arrowes ready drawen but messengers also sent to raise vp all the whole rabblement thereabout vpon vs he told vs we were best giue them content or else we were all but dead men wherefore to auoid further danger we gaue them their owne desire vpon condition they would pursue vs no further nor suffer any of their company to molest vs the chiefest of them answered Stopherlo Stopherlo that is God forbid God forbid we should do you any harme if you pay vs what wee demaund which we did with all spéed and rode away from them being glad we were rid of them About ten miles from them we rode through a wood a very fit place to harbour theeues who had killed certaine men trauelling that way the day before and tooke away both a man and horse from the Carauan which followed after and a woman also riding on an asse with their cariage and as our guide tolde vs he neuer trauelled that way but he sawe some men killed and therefore bade vs all charge our pieces and shoot off when he bade vs though we saw no bodie lest the wild Arabs should set vpon vs on the suddain lying in ambush which wee also did in a place most dangerous to daunte the enemies before we saw each other But before we came vnto the most dangerous place there ouertooke vs many Turkes well armed who dwelt in Jerusalem and were glad of our company thither And shortly after we had discharged euery man his peece we saw a great company of Arabs on an high mountaine neere vnto our way yet out of the reach of our shot who perceiuing vs to be too strong for them durst not set vpon vs. And so by the prouidence of God we came that night to an ancient and famous City situated in a fruitfull valley betwixt two mountaines called Sychar a City in Samaria mentioned Iohn 4. Néere whereunto we saw Iacobs Well where our Sauiour Christ asked water of the woman of Samaria We came thither in good time for we were exceeding thirsty and drunke thereof liberally and freely The water thereof goeth downe very pleasantly like vnto milke From Iacobs Well we went into the City and lodged in a very ancient stately Cane but very badly kept It had béene better for vs to haue slept by Iacobs Well as others did for here we slept on the hard stones néere vnto a Chapel in the middle of the Cane vnder two or thrée great figge trees and mulberry trées where we were scarce safe from theeues for we had some things stollen from vs in the night whiles we slept vnder the trees on faire broad stones whereunto we ascended by a faire stone paire of staires six or seuen steps from the ground Sychar is distant from En-gannim 27. miles March 28. We staied at this City in Samaria called of old Sychar but at this day commonly Napolis for the Holy Land hauing beene often conquered hath had new names imposed vnto all the chiefe Cities and most other townes and villages also partly by Godâ—rey of Bullome who conquered that contrey in the yeere 1098. But chiefly by the Turkes who conquering the Holy Land and al the Countrie about it haue changed the names of places to roote out all memoriall of reuenge in the hearts of posteritie as they supposed Yet the chiefest Cities are still knowen by their ancient names though other names haue béene giuen thereunto As for example Damâ—sâ—â—s which was so called of old is still knowen by that name though the Tucks call it Shaâ— And Ieruâ—alem which they call Cuâ— or rather Kuds comming as I suppose of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kadasch which signifieth to sanctifie or to be holy or of Kadosch which signifieth holy And as they themselues say the word Cuts or Kuds whereby they call it signifieth a holy City in their language The cause of our staying this day at Sychar was this it was told vs that 2. Emeers or great Lords in our way to Ierusalem were vp in armes one against an other and therefore it séemed good to our Ienesary that wee should stay for the Carauan that we might be the stronger and passe safer But when the Carauan came they pitched their tents by Iacobs well and purposed to stay there two or three daies at the least Wee were loath to stay so long being now but thirtie miles from Ierusalem and therefore resolued to procéed in our iourney without any longer expectation for companie which was vncertaine March 29. We departed from Samaria to Ierusalem and met many souldiers in seuerall companies by the way who knowing our Ienesary and other Turks in our company let vs passe by them quietly and gaue vs the salam alick that is peace be vnto you The first part of this daies iourney was somewhat pleasant but the néerer we came to Jerusalem the more barren and tedious our way was About ten of the clock wee came to a great forrest or wildernes full of trées and mountaines When wée were on the top of this mountaine wée saw the maine sea on our right hand and small Ships sayling towards Ioppa About thrée or foure of the clocke we came to a ruinous village called Beere but of old as it is reported Beersheba which in former times was a great Citie And it is said to be the place where Joseph and Mary comming from Jerusalem the feast being ended missed the child Iesus and sought him sorrowing and returning to Jerusalem found him in the Temple amidst the Doctors hearing them and posing them Our purpose was to lodge here all night being all of vs weary and hungry and all our prouision spent But finding nothing here to bee had for money either for man or horse and vnderstanding that Ierusalem was but ten miles off we went on in our way somewhat faintly fiue or sixe miles and then beholding the prospect of the Citie wee were somewhat cheered and reuiued and solaced our selues with singing of Psalmes vntill we came neere vnto the Citie Many Gréekes dwelling in Ierusalem seeing vs a farre off came to meet vs supposing their Patriarch had been in our companie who came two or thrée daies after vs. Wee dismounted from our horses at the west gate of the Citie called Ioppa gate or the Castle gate which is a very strong gate of iron with thirteen pieces of brasse ordinance planted on the wall about the gate Wee staied in the porch of this gate and might not be admitted into the Citie vntill we were searched by an officer as the maner is In the meane time there came to vs two Italian Friers viz. Padre Angelo and Padre Aurelâ—o and kissed our hands and bade vs welcome and told vs that two other Englishmen